Vatican urges UN to combat homelessness
The Vatican has urged the United Nations (U.N.) to include the homeless in efforts to create sustainable cities, stating that the “persistence of homelessness should trouble the conscience of the international community.”
The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the U.N. made these remarks in a message for the 2026 High Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the New Urban Agenda, which took place in New York from July 16–17. The message also marked the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the New Urban Agenda at the U.N.
As reported by Vatican News on July 29, the Holy See stated that adequate housing is not merely a commodity but a fundamental part of a society committed to the common good.
“Everybody deserves a place to call home, where they can build relationships, nurture family life, and participate fully in their community,” the message wrote. “Housing should therefore be viewed not just as a commodity or financial asset, but as a cornerstone of society at the service of the common good.”
The Holy See also referenced Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, emphasizing that “development is truly human when it places people at the center.” It also explained that homelessness, beyond merely lacking a home, prevents people from exercising their fundamental human rights.
“Not having a home means more than just lacking shelter; it means being deprived of security, stability, privacy, and a sense of belonging,” the message said. “Homelessness undermines the ability to exercise many fundamental human rights and often traps individuals and families in cycles of exclusion and poverty.”
The message concluded by noting that a city’s development cannot be evaluated by its buildings or economy but by its ability to enable individuals to flourish.
The homelessness epidemic, however, is not only a concern for the Holy See; politicians are voicing similar concerns. United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the first to publicly identify as a Catholic, has made addressing homelessness a key part of his agenda.
Archbishop Wester defends proposed mosque in New Mexico, criticizes ‘anti-Muslim sentiment’
Archbishop John Charles Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, voiced support for a Muslim group’s effort to construct a mosque in the suburbs of Albuquerque after the plan faced some community pushback.
The Albuquerque Islamic Center received approval for the new mosque in North Valley in a 5-1 vote by the Bernalillo County Planning Commission on July 1. The hearing was about five hours long with comments from the community, and the commission ultimately approved the mosque but not the proposed school, to keep the project smaller and the expected traffic lighter.
Wester issued a six-paragraph statement on July 27 in support of the project, saying Muslims have a right to access worship services and religious freedom extends beyond Christians.
In his statement, the archbishop said he has heard “concerns from residents” about the planned mosque and felt “compelled to speak clearly and pastorally” about the tension.
“Our Muslim neighbors have the same God-given and constitutionally protected right to worship freely as every other faith community, including our own,” he said and cited the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae.
Our Muslim neighbors have the same God-given and constitutionally protected right to worship freely as every other faith community, including our own.”
Archbishop John Charles WesterArchdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico
“[The document] taught that every person ‘must be free from coercion’ in matters of faith,” he said. “This principle applies universally. It is not limited to Catholics or Christians; it extends fully to Muslims, Jews, and all people who seek to worship according to their conscience. Supporting the construction of a mosque is therefore entirely consistent with our own tradition and moral commitments.”
Wester encouraged “respect, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence” among people of different religious beliefs. He added: “We do not need to share the same beliefs to share the same neighborhood. What we do need is a willingness to listen, to learn, and to recognize the face of a neighbor rather than a stranger.”
The archbishop said interfaith relationships “enrich our civic life and strengthen the social fabric we all depend on” and criticized “anti-Muslim sentiment.”
“Any hostility toward Muslims — whether expressed through rhetoric, suspicion, or opposition to their places of worship — is incompatible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who commands us to love our neighbor without exception,” Wester said.
“Fear of the other is not a Christian virtue,” he added. “Hospitality is. Our Muslim brothers and sisters have faced discrimination and hostility in many parts of the country. When such prejudice arises, Catholics are called to stand beside them, not apart from them. Supporting their right to build a mosque is one concrete way to affirm their dignity and to reject the forces that seek to marginalize them.”
Yahuza Siba, director of outreach for the Albuquerque Islamic Center, told EWTN News that “religious tolerance is not about agreeing with every belief; it is about respecting the dignity and freedom of every human being.”
“We can disagree without hatred, criticize ideas without attacking people, and build bridges through understanding rather than fear,” he said. “Islamophobia, like prejudice against any faith, harms individuals and divides communities.”
Ibrahim Hooper, national communications director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, welcomed the archbishop’s support in a statement.
“We welcome Archbishop Wester’s principled statement defending religious freedom and thank him for speaking out,” Hooper said. “The freedom to worship is a fundamental and inalienable right of every American and every human being,” he added.
This story was updated at 10:30 a.m. ET on July 29, 2026 to include comments by Yahuza Siba, director of outreach for the Albuquerque Islamic Center.
Faith under fire: Catholic military chaplains through America’s wars
As the United States commemorates the 251st anniversary of the military chaplaincy, established on July 29, 1775, at George Washingtonʼs request, the story of Catholic priests in uniform reveals a long tradition of faith, courage, and sacrifice.
From the battlefields of the Civil War to the prison camps of Korea, generations of Catholic chaplains risked their lives to celebrate the sacraments, comfort the wounded, and strengthen the faith of those serving far from home.
Early Catholic chaplains in the Revolutionary era
Catholic priests were serving American troops long before the Civil War. During the Revolutionary War, Jesuit priest Father John Carroll — later the first Catholic bishop in the United States — accompanied American forces on the failed 1775 expedition to Canada, ministering to Catholic soldiers and seeking support from French Canadians.
In the decades that followed, as the nation’s Catholic population steadily grew, priests increasingly served military communities, laying the foundation for the larger and more organized Catholic chaplaincy that emerged during the Civil War.
Shepherds amid the carnage of the Civil War
The role of Catholic chaplains took a significant turn during the Civil War.
As Irish and German Catholic immigration dramatically increased the nation’s Catholic population, thousands of Catholic soldiers filled the ranks of both Union and Confederate armies. They needed priests who could celebrate Mass, hear confessions, administer the anointing of the sick, and offer hope in the midst of unimaginable suffering.
More than 100 Catholic priests served officially as military chaplains during the conflict, while many others ministered informally in hospitals and camps.
Among the best known was Father William Corby of the Congregation of Holy Cross, chaplain of the famed Irish Brigade.
Just before the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, Corby climbed onto a large boulder overlooking the brigade and offered general absolution to thousands of Catholic soldiers preparing for battle. Knowing many would soon die, he urged them to entrust themselves to God’s mercy before raising his hand in blessing.
The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with casualties exceeding 57,000. Corby’s absolution of the troops stayed deeply in the minds and hearts of the survivors, becoming one of the most enduring images of Catholic military history.
Col. St. Clair Mulholland later recalled the extraordinary silence that fell over the brigade.
“While there was profound silence in the ranks,” Mulholland wrote, “over to the left, the roar of the battle rose and swelled and reechoed through the woods … I do not think there was a man in the brigade who did not offer up a heartfelt prayer. For some it was their last; they knelt there in their grave-clothes.”
The witness of Corby established a model of Catholic chaplaincy that would be repeated in Americaʼs wars for generations.
Bringing Christ into the trenches of World War I
When the United States entered World War I in 1917, hundreds of Catholic priests once again offered their services. One Catholic chaplain, serving in New York’s famed 69th Infantry Regiment, came to embody the courage and compassion of those who ministered on the front lines: Father Francis P. Duffy.
Not long after the war began, Duffy’s regiment was redesignated as the 165th Infantry and sent to fight in France. It was there on the front lines that he gained his reputation as the “fighting chaplain.”
The trenches of France were places of constant shellfire, mud, disease, and uncertainty. Amid those harsh conditions, Duffy celebrated Mass wherever he could. He heard confessions from soldiers who faced certain death. He encouraged weary soldiers by reminding them that God does not abandon his children, even in the darkest moments of war.
Rather than remaining behind the lines, Duffy was regularly seen bringing the sacraments to the wounded and comforting the dying on the battlefield.
Over time, Duffy earned such widespread respect as a leader that he was considered a potential candidate for regimental commander. Because chaplains typically do not hold command authority, even being considered for such a position was unheard of.
By warʼs end, Duffy was widely respected by soldiers and civilians alike. He received numerous military decorations for his service and is remembered as one of the most decorated chaplains in U.S. Army history.
After the war, Duffy continued serving faithfully at Holy Cross Church until his passing in 1932. He was so beloved that his funeral Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was attended by approximately 25,000 people.
Courage under fire in World War II
Millions of Americans served overseas during World War II, requiring the largest military chaplaincy in the nationʼs history.
Among the heroic men was Father Joseph T. O’Callahan, a Jesuit priest and Navy chaplain aboard the aircraft carrier USS Franklin.
On March 19, 1945, after the ship was devastated by Japanese air attacks, O’Callahan ignored exploding ammunition and raging fires to administer the sacraments, rescue wounded sailors, and encourage exhausted crew members.
For hours, OʼCallahan continued to organize firefighting and rescue efforts that ultimately saved the crippled carrier. Because of OʼCallahanʼs courage, leadership, and compassion, he became the first U.S. Navy chaplain to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Another heroic chaplain of WWII was Father John P. Washington. Washington was an Army chaplain and one of the legendary Four Chaplains.
When the troop transport ship USS Dorchester was torpedoed and sank in the North Atlantic on Feb. 3, 1943, Washington and three other chaplains (representing Jewish, Methodist, and Reformed faiths) worked to calm the frightened, tend the wounded, and guide the disoriented toward safety.
When there were no lifejackets left, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men. “It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven,” said John Ladd, a survivor who saw the chaplains’ selfless act.
As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains — arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers.
Faith in captivity: Father Emil Kapaun
Another enduring witness came from Father Emil Kapaun, an Army chaplain who served during the Korean War.
Although ordained before World War II, Kapaun’s greatest witness came after volunteering for service in Korea. During fierce fighting, he repeatedly ran onto battlefields to rescue wounded soldiers, anointing the dying, carrying them to safety under enemy fire, and remaining behind to care for those unable to retreat.
After the Battle of Unsan in November 1950, Kapaun was captured by Communist forces. Forced to march 60 to 100 miles to a prison camp at Pyoktong, he tirelessly encouraged fellow prisoners to carry the weak and wounded.
Once inside the dismal prison camp, Kapaun risked his life by sneaking through the camp after dark. He foraged for food, cared for the sick, and encouraged his fellow soldiers to hold fast to their faith and their humanity.
When the Chinese instituted a mandatory reeducation program, Kapaun patiently and politely rejected every theory put forth. One officer, Lt. Walter Mayo, later recalled the Communists taunting Kapaun. They argued that God must not exist since he was doing nothing to save them. Kapaun’s calm response: “God is as real as the air you breathe but cannot see; as the sounds you hear but cannot see; as the thoughts and ideas you have but cannot see or feel.”
Later, Kapaun openly flouted his captors by conducting a sunrise service on Easter morning, 1951.
Shortly after the service, Kapaun fell fatally ill. As he was being carried to the hospital, he asked Godʼs forgiveness for his captors, and to his fellow men he said, “I’m going where I always wanted to go, and when I get there, I’ll say a prayer for all of you.” He died in captivity on May 23, 1951, at the age of 35.
In 2013, Kapaun was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He is also being considered for sainthood; in early 2025, Pope Francis officially declared him venerable.
Still serving those who serve
The work of Catholic military chaplains continues today. Priests celebrate Mass aboard ships, in hangars, at remote outposts, and in combat zones. They baptize children, prepare couples for marriage, hear confessions before deployments, and comfort grieving families when loved ones do not return home. Their mission remains what it has been since the Revolution: to bring Christʼs presence to those who serve.
Forest fires in Spain: ‘Providence is taking super good care of us,’ priest says
The territory of the Diocese of Getafe, south of Madrid, Spain, is being especially hard hit by wildfires that have forced thousands of people to shelter in place or evacuate. The natural disaster finds the diocese’s priests on the front lines, welcoming, accompanying, consoling, and praying.
In the central area of Spain alone, 12 towns have been evacuated and another three are under a shelter-in-place order due to the wave of forest fires that in recent days have devastated thousands of acres. At least 50,000 people have been affected in the area.
Faced with this human tragedy, the Catholic Church has set to work providing material aid, shelter, a listening ear, and the sacraments in efforts overseen by the auxiliary bishop of Getafe, José María Avendaño.
Father Álvaro Piñero is the vicar of the parish in Villaviciosa de Odón, one of the towns serving as a place of refuge for those fleeing the fires who had nowhere else to go. Throughout the weekend, he has been coordinating the aid provided by the parish to the more than 300 displaced people arriving from Chapinería, Pelayos de la Presa, Navas del Rey, and other towns.
Along with the residents, the parish priests from those towns are also being sheltered because as Piñero explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, “even when displaced, one remains a priest and continues to minister to the people of oneʼs town.”
“Many of the volunteers helping at the sports center are from Caritas or local confraternities from the town; they have ties to the parish,” noted Piñero, who is from Valdemoro, a nearby town where he has gone to pick up hosts for Mass.
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In addition to providing food and meeting material needs, the Church offers the treasure of the faith and the sacraments: “At the sports center, we have been attending to people, listening to them, hearing their confessions and above all, listening to so many suffering people. At the end of the day, the people here are extremely vulnerable.”
The authorities specifically entrusted the care of the children to the parish. The youngsters are kept entertained with games and activities, so much so that when asked if they want to return home, some say no, “because it feels like camp.”
Despite the magnitude of the tragedy, heart-wrenching from a purely human perspective, a supernatural outlook and a shepherd’s heart keep hope alive.
“As St. Paul said in the reading: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels so that not only death but the glory of the Lord may be manifested in our lives. That is somewhat what we are experiencing; while we are keenly feeling the drama of so many very difficult situations, Providence is also taking super good care of us,” Piñero emphasized.
“If God is looking after us now in this situation, why would he fail me tomorrow? If he is doing so now, then I believe trust is what sustains us in these moments, and not blind trust, but a trust we can tangibly feel here and now,” he explained, referring to the help provided by so many volunteers and donors.
‘The Lord is going through this evacuation with us’
One of the areas hardest hit by the fire is the Tiétar Valley, home to the town of Rozas de Puerto Real and the minor seminary of the Diocese of Getafe, where 130 students, 35 of whom are seminarians, normally study.
The facility, currently spared by the flames, is in grave danger. A summer camp was taking place there until participants had to be evacuated on July 25, the feast of St. James the Apostle.
“We were already surrounded by smoke and had to evacuate all the young people; it was done very quickly. In less than 25 minutes, the entire seminary had been cleared, and although there was great fear, everyoneʼs efforts made it possible,” Father Eliert Jerez, rector of the minor seminary, told ACI Prensa.
In addition to the people, they removed the statues of the Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph, the archives, and the tabernacles containing the Blessed Sacrament from the site; these were taken to Villaviciosa de Odón, where Jerez is currently taking shelter.
The moment the Body of Christ was being moved was captured on video. “I canʼt get that moment out of my head, and I donʼt want to let it go from my heart either,” the priest shared.
“When you hold the Blessed Sacrament in your hand, when you can’t wear a cope or liturgical vestments — you realize the Lord’s closeness in those moments. You realize that the Lord was going through this evacuation with us, and I imagine he was also in this prayer and this plea for it to end,” he added.
It’s precisely in prayer that they are finding great comfort: “Prayer is working real miracles such as the fact that the seminary has not yet been engulfed by the flames,” explained the rector, even as the burden of responsibility weighs heavily on him: “Many of our seminarians are going to be left homeless. Many of our seminarians will face immense difficulties in continuing their formation.”
It’s not just for their sake that Jerez is aware of how this situation will transform life in the region for years to come: “So many towns have been affected. Many people will not get their jobs back because they make their living from the land, and that is very difficult to recover from. Many people have lost not only their homes but also their prospects for the future, and this is a reality that will stay with us in the years ahead.”
Indeed, he admitted to his deep unease: “I have had trouble sleeping ever since the first flames appeared.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
White House marks 45th anniversary of martyrdom of Blessed Stanley Rother
The White House issued a presidential message commemorating the 45th anniversary of the martyrdom of Blessed Stanley Rother, continuing the administrationʼs pattern of recognizing prominent Catholic feast days and observances.
“Today, Melania and I join with American Catholics and people of faith all across the world in honoring the towering legacy of Father Stanley Rother — an Oklahoma farm boy, the first American-born martyr beatified by the Catholic Church, and a champion of human dignity who heroically laid down his life to bring the light of Jesus Christ to a people plagued by horrific darkness,” President Donald Trump, who is not Catholic, said in the July 28 message.
Rother was an Oklahoma native who became a missionary priest in 1968, serving in “the war-torn highlands of Guatemala, then ravaged by conflict,” the message said.
“Though thousands of Catholics were forcibly disappeared and viciously murdered during the Guatemalan Civil War, Father Rother nonetheless spent 13 years bringing the Gospel to those devastated by poverty and violence — translating sacred Scripture and helping to build a school, a hospital, and the region’s first Catholic radio station — fearlessly embodying Christ’s commission to ‘make disciples of all nations,’” the message said.
In the late 1970s, Guatemalaʼs civil war intensified. Rother was surrounded by extreme poverty and saw parishioners murdered for their faith.
Amid the conflict, Rother’s name appeared on a hit list, which prompted him to seek refuge in Oklahoma. Despite the dangers, he insisted on returning to Guatemala, “refusing to abandon his flock in their hour of need.”
On July 28, 1981, three men entered Rother’s rectory and fatally shot him. He was 46 years old.
Rother was declared blessed by Pope Francis, and in 2017 a beatification Mass was said in Oklahoma City, which houses the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine.
Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City said in a homily July 28 at the Rother Shrine that he was surprised “to wake up to an email that contained a special message from the White House. I don’t know if you’ve seen it or heard about it, but the White House acknowledged this day in honoring the 45th anniversary of the death of Father Stanley Rother. I didn’t know we were on their radar screen.”
“But what a … tremendous honor it is for the Church, for Oklahoma, for our nation, to have this distinction and this recognition of this ordinary martyr, this parish priest, this missionary martyr: Blessed Stanley Rother,” said Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
A story of religious liberty
The presidential statement highlighted that Rother’s story is a reminder of “America’s rich tradition of religious liberty.”
“In his honor, we recommit to remaining vigilant so that our birthright of freedom endures in the face of every trial,” Trump’s statement said. “Above all, we pray that every soul of faith, every lover of freedom, and every seeker of truth will forever remember the name and treasure the story of Father Stanley Rother.”
Since his martyrdom, “Rother has stood as a living testament to the power of courage, sacrificial service, and fidelity to God,” the message said. “He has inspired widespread devotion among Catholics.”
“And every day, countless priests, pastors, chaplains, and spiritual leaders faithfully look to Father Rother as they strive to carry out his immortal legacy of fortitude, charity, humility, service, generosity, and perseverance.”
Marking Catholic observances
Trump has established a pattern of releasing White House statements addressing significant commemorative Catholic days, along with messages marking observances by other faith traditions such as Judaism and Islam.
Since Trump began his second term, the White House has released Catholic-focused celebratory statements on the feast of St. Joseph, the birthday of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, and St. Patrick’s Day, acknowledging the saints’ lives and legacies.
It also released a message on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, which appeared to be the first time a U.S. president formally recognized the holy day “honoring the faith, humility, and love of Mary, mother of Jesus and one of the greatest figures in the Bible,” the statement said.
The president also released a statement on the anniversary of the death of St. John Paul II, calling him “one the fiercest defenders of human dignity to ever live” and encouraging “every American to keep the memory of Pope Saint John Paul II alive for generations to come.”
Ahead of the 250th anniversary of the U.S., the president also released a statement regarding the USCCB’s Mass consecrating the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which the president called “a powerful moment in our national story.”
While releasing the formal presidential messages on Catholic matters, Trump has also criticized Pope Leo XIV, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” on his social media accounts amid the Iran conflict.
The president gained widespread attention in April when he made the comments.
Despite the online criticism and falsely suggesting that Pope Leo wants Iran to develop nuclear weapons, the president later told reporters he has “nothing against the pope.”
Bishop calls for week of prayer for victims of fireworks explosion in Mexico
Bishop José de Jesús González Hernández of the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa in the Mexican state of Guerrero called for a week of prayer for the victims of a fireworks explosion that occurred during the patronal festival for the municipality of Cocula.
The accident took place on the night of July 25 while residents were celebrating the feast of St. James the Apostle in front of the Our Lady of Guadalupe parish church. A video circulating on social media shows the moment of the explosion.
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According to the media outlet El Horizonte, the explosion killed three women, including a young woman who was eight months pregnant. Some victims suffered severe burns, including minors who required specialized care.
Speaking to the media on July 26, Francisco Rodríguez Cisneros, Guerrero state’s undersecretary for political and social development, explained that the incident occurred because those responsible for the fireworks display “failed to keep them at a safe distance from where they were being used.”
According to the official, a rocket was propelled toward the area where the fireworks were stored, triggering the explosion. Rodríguez reported that as of Sunday, July 26, there were 12 injuries and four fatalities.
Prayers requested for the victims
In a July 26 statement, González expressed his “deep sorrow and dismay” regarding the incident.
“As a particular Church, we offer our prayers for the eternal rest of those who have been called to the Father’s House. We entrust their souls to the infinite mercy of God, with the firm hope of the Resurrection promised by Our Lord Jesus Christ,” he stated.
The prelate invited priests, deacons, men and women religious, and the lay faithful to offer special prayers during the week for the eternal rest of the deceased, the recovery of the injured, the consolation of their families, and for peace.
He particularly urged that, during the celebration of holy Mass and the recitation of the rosary, prayers be offered for the specific intention of all the victims of the tragedy.
Finally, he entrusted those affected to the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. James the Apostle, asking God to pour out “upon them the balm of his love and peace.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
South Texas nun still at risk of third-country removal following ICE check-in, attorney says
HARLINGEN, Texas — In the most recent development in an immigration case that has gained national attention, Sister Leticia Ugboaja, the Nigerian Catholic nun and nurse who was briefly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in south Texas in June, was informed today that third-country removal was not off the table, which her attorney called “very concerning.”
After a July 28 check-in with ICE officials in Harlingen, Texas, Carlos M. Garcia, Ugboaja’s lawyer, told reporters gathered outside the ICE field office that the possibility of third-country removal “is very concerning for us ... That is obviously not what we want. And that’s why we are exploring all our legal alternatives.”
Garcia said he and his client have not yet decided on a specific legal path.
At a July 23 press conference, he said an immigration judge denied Ugboaja’s application for asylum in 2019 but did grant her protection from removal to Nigeria under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, finding it was likely she would be tortured if she returned there.
Garcia said this protection legally bars the U.S. government from deporting her to Nigeria, though she remains under a final order of removal and could be sent to a third country.
After Ugboaja’s July 28 check-in, her attorney expressed gratitude that the nun, who has lived in the United States for nearly two decades and has never missed an immigration appointment, was not detained and not required to wear an ankle monitor, possibilities he discussed last week. The nun has another check-in scheduled for Jan. 28, 2027.
“We’re happy that she’s continuing to be able to live her life the way she’s been living it, which is a life of service to the community and to her church family,” Garcia said.
“Today was just a check-in,” he said, and ICE officials “determined that [Ugboaja] was able to continue [living] based on the conditions that they had given her before, which is really released on her own word, her own recognizance.”
Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, was detained by two ICE agents on Sunday, June 28, as she walked to Mass at a church where she serves as a Eucharistic minister.
At a press conference last week, the only time she has spoken publicly, she described weeks of “stress, anxiety, and fear” since the detainment.
Though she has felt afraid and hurt, she said she has been trusting in God, quoting Jesus’ admonition to “not be afraid, because I am with you always.”
The nun declined to speak with reporters after her check-in July 28.
Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and a member of the Missionaries of Jesus in the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, told EWTN News this process has been very difficult for Ugboaja.
“She’s such a joyful, happy, and beautiful personality,” Pimentel said. “She goes to daily Mass, and receiving the Eucharist is so much a part of her strength and her force within her, but this disruption has scared her tremendously.”
Though Ugboaja was released the same day she was detained, in part through the efforts of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, Pimentel said “it was a tough time for her to be in detention … it felt like an eternity for her.”
Pimentel said the nun “just broke down into tears, uncontrollably” upon her release.
Since then, the community has poured out its support, Pimentel said. During this morningʼs check-in at the ICE field office, Father Isaac E. Erondu, a priest from Mission, Texas, led a group of people, including Ugboaja, in prayer before she entered the building with her lawyer.
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Supporters then prayed the rosary together as they awaited news of Ugboaja’s fate.
“She’s trying to be strong,” Pimentel said. “She wants to continue just being herself … In seeing the support, the love, and so many people that are here for her, she knows she’s not alone.”
We want her to know “we are here with you, and you’ll be OK,” she said.
We were all thinking this was about picking up criminals, but there’s no criminal sense in all of this.”
Sister Norma Pimentel
In a message to Catholics and other supporters concerned with Ugboaja’s case, as well as the nature of ICE’s recent immigration enforcement measures, Pimentel, who has worked on behalf of immigrants on the U.S.-Mexico border for more than 20 years, said: “I think that we must stand together strong, supporting the defense of good people that are here in our community … and not only [Ugboaja], but everybody, so many families who are hurting.”
“We must speak up and ask for … a process that is more respectful to human life and to the goodness of people,” she continued. “So many people are here in the community and are really contributing in a positive, good way. This should not be happening.”
Of ICE’s enforcement measures, Pimentel said: “We were all thinking this was about picking up criminals, but there’s no criminal sense in all of this, you know? And so all of us must truly stand up and defend the right way of who we are as Americans here in the United States.”
Ireland’s County Mayo breaks 75-year ‘curse’ in Gaelic football championship victory
In Dublin, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) All Ireland Football championship culminated this past weekend as County Mayo ended a 75-year “famine” by winning the Sam Maguire Cup, defeating the favored team to win, County Kerry, and putting to rest the supposed “curse” cast upon the Mayo by a priest in 1951.
Gaelic football is a traditional Irish team sport that blends elements of rugby, soccer, and basketball.
Legend has it that after winning their last All Ireland in 1951, the victorious Mayo team disrupted a funeral procession during their open-top lorry celebrations. In response, according to lore, a furious priest “cursed” the team, declaring that Mayo would not win another All Ireland title until every member of the 1951 squad had passed away. The last two members, Paddy Prendergast and Mick Loftus, passed away in 2021 and 2023, and this year is the first final the county has played — and won — since.
The historic win also took place on Reek Sunday, a traditional day of pilgrimage in County Mayo when thousands of Catholics climb Croagh Patrick holy mountain — a site forever associated with Ireland’s patron saint. To mark a marvelous day for the Mayo faithful, GAA President Jarlath Burns even mentioned Our Lady of Knock in his presentation speech to Mayo captain Jack Coyne in Croke Park.
The victory attracted acclaim from around the world. Former U.S. President Joe Biden’s family hails from County Mayo and he posted on social media: “Today, the dream becomes reality. Congratulations to my friends in Mayo. You earned this victory. Enjoy every minute. Sam is coming home.”
For the rest of the world the sporting focus this summer has been on the FIFA World Cup, but in Mayo fans agonized over whether this would finally be the year to end the 75-year losing streak.
Every July, the GAA Gaelic Football and Hurling championship finals take center stage, each attended by 82,000 fans in Croke Park Dublin. The finals are the showpiece occasion for the GAA, which is the largest amateur sports organization in the world.
Hurling continues to attract the attention and admiration of a growing international audience. It’s a nonstop, full-contact game played with sticks made from ash and a ball slightly smaller and lighter than a baseball. It traces its origins back to Celtic myth and legend.
Historic connection between the GAA and the Catholic Church
The Catholic connection to Ireland’s Gaelic sports is not coincidental. From its foundation in 1884, the GAA has had an almost symbiotic relationship with the Catholic Church. It is still present but no longer as evident.
There are GAA clubs globally wherever there is an Irish community, but in Ireland clubs are traditionally organized on a parish basis, relying on unpaid volunteers, with the best players selected to represent their county.
“Parish life revolved around the GAA and the Catholic faith — the two real pillars of life in Ireland,” Mickey Harte, who managed (County) Tyrone for three All-Ireland Senior football titles, told EWTN News. "The local priest would have been very heavily involved in the structure of the GAA club in the parish. Itʼs still a very strong connection, although thereʼs more of a secular outlook now.”
In Ireland, the GAA is more than a sporting organization, providing essential social fabric and support.
The GAA’s founding patron was the archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Thomas William Croke, after whom the famous stadium in Dublin is named. It was there that Pope Francis hosted the World Meeting of Families in 2018, and the GAA made Croke Park available for the World Eucharistic Congress in 1932. In years gone by, a bishop threw the ball in ceremonially on All Ireland final day.
Father Derek Ryan, a Redemptorist priest based in Drogheda and a GAA referee, said he sees a lessening of the link between the Catholic faith and the GAA, but “in times of tragedy, you can see how organized, compassionate, and supportive the GAA club can be to a community.”
Ryan pointed to the importance of the parish.
“The traditional loyalty to the parish is still the basis of the GAA. Itʼs about where youʼre living, where youʼre from, and parish boundary lines mark the border lines between local GAA clubs,” he said. “Club identity is woven into parish identity.”
Ryan highlighted the value of GAA clubs that provide a sense of community for the Irish diaspora.
“My own experience of living abroad in Africa and over in the United States is that these clubs become much more than sporting organizations, they become supportive centers,” he said. “If we didnʼt have these GAA clubs and communities throughout the world, we would be very much less well off.”
Becoming Catholic at 98: World War II veteran joins the Church
A World War II Army veteran, Raymond “Ray” Martin Sr., has joined the Catholic Church at 98 years old.
Before finding his way to the Church in Tucson, Arizona, Martin served in Okinawa, Japan, and in the Philippines; he then spent 27 years as a police officer in Illinois.
Martin’s connection to Catholicism began with his late wife, Ann Marie.
When Deacon Jacinto “Jack” Trevino, a hospice chaplain and parochial associate at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in the Diocese of Tucson, met with Martin in December 2025, the two bonded over a shared background in law enforcement and spoke about his wife and her faith.
“Ray is an amazing person,” Trevino told EWTN News. “We hit it off from the beginning. We talked about the job a lot — and shared some laughs.”
It wasn’t all laughs, though. As they got to know each other, their conversations grew serious.
“Ray talked about his wife, who passed,” Trevino recalled. “He said she was Catholic and he would attend Mass with her and pray the rosary.”
“One day he mentioned that he was never baptized or had any of the sacraments and he wanted to be Catholic,” Trevino continued. “We began deeper discussions of the faith.”
Martin, it turned out, had a deep faith in Christ and in the Eucharist.
“He expressed true belief in Christ and the teaching of the Catholic Church,” Trevino said. “He expressed his belief in the Eucharist and the importance of baptism and confirmation. Ray said that even though he was not Catholic, he would always pray the act of contrition.”
At the edge of death, life
Trevino, along with Father Edson Elizarraras, pastor of St. Christopher in Marana, Arizona, had a sense of urgency in bringing those sacraments to Martin.
Martin has survived a stroke, multiple falls, and other health concerns in recent years, even bordering on the brink of death in May after he suffered another stroke.
“Remarkably, Ray pulled through,” Elizarraras told EWTN News. “It was after this stroke that he clearly expressed his desire to become Catholic and receive the sacraments of initiation.”
Trevino and Elizarraras approached the bishop about advancing Martin’s sacraments. Usually, would-be converts to Catholicism go through a one- to two-year Order of Christian Initiation of Adults before receiving the sacraments.
“Though he married a Catholic woman and faithfully attended holy Mass with her prior to her passing, Deacon Trevino noted that Ray always felt unworthy to receive the sacraments, despite believing in God,” Elizarraras said.
“Ray came to tears expressing his desire for the Catholic faith, sharing that throughout his life, he would pray the Act of Contrition and the rosary,” Elizarraras said. “The more Deacon Trevino visited him, the more questions Ray asked, showing he was fully convinced and willingly prepared to receive sacramental grace.”
One of the most important days
So the date was set for July 16; the location, the assisted living home where Martin resided. The facility manager had put up banners with crosses to prepare the living room for the celebration, according to Trevino.
On the day of the celebration, Elizarraras gave Martin the short-order form of OCIA, which is written for those in near danger of death.
“The moment I approached to greet him, he began to cry and smile; he knew this was one of the most important days of his life,” Elizarraras said.
Residents, caregivers, and Martin’s family attended the Mass.
“Beautifully, at the start of the liturgy, Mr. Raymond asked to be helped closer to the small, dignified altar we had prepared,” Elizarraras said. “He wanted to hear clearly and see God at work.”
“When I asked him, ‘Dear brother, Raymond, you have asked to be baptized because you wish, as Christians do, to have eternal life … This is the faith of Christians. Do you know this?’ He responded firmly, ‘I do, yes!’ and wept tears of joy,” Elizarraras recalled.
“Throughout the rite, he remained deeply attentive, smiling and occasionally meditating with his eyes closed,” Elizarraras continued. “When the moment came for his baptism, he opened his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, recognizing this supernatural encounter with God.”
Trevino described the day as “powerful.”
“I was so blessed to humbly participate and witness how Christ, the bridegroom, pours out his love and mercy through his bride, the Church, in the sacraments for his people,” Trevino said.
Afterward, they celebrated with cupcakes — and made plans for how Martin would practice his newfound faith from the assisted living home.
“First thing he asked me and my wife, Elena, was how he could receive Communion again since he can’t get around to go to Mass,” Trevino said. “We promised that we would bring him Communion directly and he could watch Mass on EWTN.”
Martin asked for a medal of St. Christopher; he’d “always wanted one,” he told Trevino, and St. Christopher was now, officially, his confirmation saint.
Encountering Christ
Elizarraras left the celebration that day “with immense joy and peace.”
“In Rayʼs response to grace, I saw a soul truly coming alive,” Elizarraras said.
The celebration brought to Elizarraras’ mind a line from Deus Caritas Est, “God Is Love,” an encyclical letter written by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.
“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction,” Elizarraras said, quoting Benedict.
“For Ray, at 98 years old, this sacrament was that very encounter, giving his final days a glorious new horizon,” Elizarraras said.
A week later, Trevino’s wife, Elena, a lay ecclesial minister, brought Martin Communion.
“She read the Gospel for the upcoming Mass, the parable of the buried treasure,” Trevino said. “She told Ray that he was the man in the parable who found the great treasure. He was very happy.”
‘Culture of death’: Florida bishops urge Catholics to work to end the death penalty
Florida’s Catholic bishops are urging state residents to work to bring about an end to the death penalty, describing it as a “culture of death” and incompatible with a full Catholic understanding of the value of human life.
The eight prelates — including Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Palm Beach Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, and several others throughout the state — issued the message amid large numbers of executions in Florida.
The state executed 19 condemned prisoners in 2025, helping drive a rise in capital punishment throughout the United States. Florida has executed 10 inmates thus far in 2026 and is scheduled to perform a rare double execution on July 28.
In their letter, Florida’s Catholic bishops, who regularly advocate on behalf of condemned prisoners there, urged Catholics toward a “renewed consideration” of capital punishment, one informed by “the teaching of the Church and her moral authority.”
“[W]e wish to remind Catholics of the teaching of our Church against the use
of the death penalty in situations — like our own — where bloodless means are sufficient to punish offenders and protect public safety,” the bishops said.
They pointed out that Jesus in his teaching revealed that “God desires to offer mercy to sinners who do not deserve it.”
While the prelates acknowledged that parts of Scripture “condone the death penalty at least in certain circumstances,” they argued that the “fullest development of God’s revelation of his will” points away from capital punishment.
In addition, they cited papal teachings such as Pope John Paul II’s Evangelium Vitae, in which the now-sainted pope urged that modern secure penal systems have made it “very rare, if not practically nonexistent” for the death penalty to be justified.
At the same time, the bishops also acknowledged the horrific nature of crimes and the need for “deep sympathy and compassion” for family members who have lost loved ones to murder.
“We agree that the perpetrators of such crimes should be brought to justice, but we disagree that justice is best served by yet another act of killing,” they said.
The bishops said they will continue to work to abolish the death penalty; they further urged both Catholics and “fellow citizens of goodwill” to work to end the practice as well.
Though executions in the U.S. were up in 2025, data indicate a growing public opposition to the death penalty, both in poll numbers and in the declining number of prisoners condemned to death in the United States.
Data from the Death Penalty Information Center indicates that new death sentences were down in 2025, declining to 22 from 24, with “only 14 juries nationwide” reaching unanimous death verdicts.
A Gallup poll in 2025, meanwhile, found that public support for the death penalty reached a 50-year low of 52%, while 44% of Americans oppose the death penalty, the highest level recorded since 1966.