Caracas Archdiocese reports Venezuela earthquakes damaged 25 churches
CARACAS, Venezuela — Of the more than 100 churches in the Archdiocese of Caracas, at least 25 sustained damage of varying types and severity following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24.
The data was provided by Father Neptalí Balza, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Caracas, in an interview with Unión Radio. In addition to extensive material damage, the earthquakes have left to date a devastating toll of over 4,000 dead and tens of thousands injured or otherwise affected.
“Of those 25, the majority are — let’s put it this way — not holding Mass inside the churches; instead, they are being held outdoors for safety reasons, because here the most important thing — aside from the church building itself, of course — is the parishioners. We must not needlessly put peopleʼs lives at risk,” the priest explained.
Balza also noted that the oldest religious structures were the most affected, citing San José de Ñaraulí Church in Cotiza, Caracas, as an example; it suffered the total collapse of its left transept. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Pagüita and the adjacent parish school also have “serious structural issues.”
Similarly, Our Lady of Mercy Church and the Caracas Cathedral have sustained “more or less serious” damage.
The vicar general noted that, of the 25 affected churches, the majority have already been assessed by qualified personnel, and reports indicate that at least half (between eight and 10 buildings) show significant damage.
The priest noted that the archdiocese is already considering restoration projects for these buildings and urged that it be kept in mind that several of them are “national monuments and historical heritage sites”; therefore, “it is advisable, even if they have sustained significant damage, to try to carry out projects to save the heritage and structures of those churches.”
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.
Syro-Malabar Church in the U.S. gathers for joyful celebration of unity
CHICAGO — While most Christians can’t trace their faith lineage to a specific saint, Syro-Malabar Catholics know exactly who brought their ancestors the faith. They proudly call themselves “St. Thomas Christians” — descendants of the first Christians to whom St. Thomas the Apostle brought the Gospel in Kerala, India, in A.D. 52.
The Syro-Malabar community came together July 9–12 in Chicago for “Syro26,” a jubilee convention not only to honor its 25th year as an official eparchy in the U.S. but also to reaffirm and celebrate its unity as a church after liturgical disputes in India nearly led to a schism last year.
Counting some 5 million members worldwide, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is the largest of the 22 Eastern Catholic churches in communion with Rome. Originally found mostly in India, the church has experienced explosive growth in the U.S. during the 21st century.
Just 25 years ago, St. John Paul II established the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy to serve the growing immigrant community. Headquartered in Chicago, the eparchy — what Western Churches call a “diocese” — has jurisdiction over the entire U.S., a region that includes some 87,000 souls who attend 53 parishes and 32 missions, served by 86 devoted priests.
More than 3,500 people flooded Chicago’s McCormick Place for the four-day-long festival that featured luminous cultural and dramatic performances, engaging talks from well-known Catholic speakers, a congratulatory visit from local archbishop Cardinal Blaise Cupich, and a dizzying array of events designed for everyone in attendance.
In some ways, Syro26 was like other Catholic conferences — plenty of clergy and religious in attendance, daily prayer and Holy Qurbana (the Syro-Malabar liturgy), Catholic speakers, ongoing Eucharistic adoration, and confession. But in other ways, it was its own distinct cultural experience, with attendees in vivid sarees and other traditional clothing; as many conversations in Malayalam as in English; and events that included Bollywood dance and traditional music.
Unity as a church and with Rome
Cupich, head of the Chicago Archdiocese, attended the inauguration and warmly affirmed the local Roman Catholic Church’s unity and friendship with the eparchy.
Addressing those gathered, he said of the eparchy: “Today, this very thriving community is a sign of hope, with its robust youth ministry, catechetical programs, and outreach to immigrant families navigating the cultural differences of life in the United States, while always continuing the Indian traditions.”
“We give thanks this evening for the many blessings — among them, the spiritual sustenance and the formation that this eparchy brings to the Syro-Malabar Catholics, the witness it offers to all Catholics in spiritual renewal, and the example that you give to all Americans,” he continued.
The “witness to all Catholics” may include in part the church’s recent hard-fought efforts for unity over division. After decades of dispute, the Syro-Malabar Church reached a historic agreement in July 2025 to keep the church united rather than enter into schism.
“There will always be issues that come down the line about which we have to be diligent and well-versed, and our leadership has set a good path for us as to how to manage any disagreements,” said Sony Thevalakara, a father of seven who is highly involved in the Chicago eparchy and gave a talk about parenting at Syro26.
Events for young and old
With attendees ranging from newborn babies to the elderly, Syro26 included a vast array of events.
Theatrical productions brought to life the Gospel story and how St. Thomas brought the Catholic faith to India, and many attendees mentioned especially enjoying the formal gala and the Chicago River cruise.
Catholic speakers like bestselling author Edward Sri, astrophysicist priest Father John Kartje, college chaplain Father Tim Anastos, and others addressed theological and lifestyle topics, while special gatherings brought together groups of catechists, seniors, choir members, nurses, sacristans and altar servers, artists, filmmakers, schoolteachers, youth ministers, and those of other interests.
Breakout sessions included topics like college admissions, financial literacy, faith and mental health, skin care, professional networking with a “Syro Shark Tank” business startup summit, a Pietra Fitness workout class, a Bollywood dance workshop, and a saree draping and styling class.
Younger participants mentioned enjoying the dodgeball tournament and World Cup Soccer watch party — and especially the 21+ rooftop social and the singles mixer. “I feel like thatʼs kind of half the purpose of the convention,” one young woman joked.
Sister Dr. Jocelyn Edathil of the Bethany Sisters, who spoke on a “Catholic Ask Me Anything” panel, told EWTN News: “Coming here and being able to have a shared lived experience is really a blessing. Thereʼs a lot of love in this room.”
Brian Kuncheria, logistics director for Syro26, said he hopes the event will make the Syro-Malabar Church better known, as he sometimes runs into misconceptions about being Eastern Catholic.
“Often when I explain our church to someone, they’re not very familiar and they think the Roman Catholic Church is the only Catholic church. Itʼs very cool to explain to them the history of St. Thomas coming to India, spreading the faith to our people in India, and how our church is a direct result of that,” he said. “This convention is a unique opportunity to showcase and explain how our church maintains our heritage and traditions while being fully in communion with Rome.”
Several speakers and organizers mentioned their hope for their church to grow in evangelization efforts and a missionary spirit here in the U.S. and how they are looking forward to the next 25 years of growth.
But perhaps St. Thomas himself said it best in one of Syro26’s theatrical performances: “This mission did not end with St. Thomas. I planted its seed among your ancestors and they took it. They lived it… And in the fullness of time, from the Indian shores, that faith — in its unique expression — set sail for North America and other distant lands.”
“It followed those Indian sons and daughters who ventured from their homes to settle in those places, and where they settled, the faith took root… And even still, the story continues.”
Indian court upholds Hindu prayers in state schools, calls them ‘moral instruction’
Catholic and other Christian groups have expressed concern after the High Court of Chhattisgarh — a central Indian state governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — declined to set aside a state government order making Hindu prayers mandatory in government schools, dismissing a challenge to it as “premature.”
“The government order of June 12 [mandating Hindu prayers in schools at assemblies, meal breaks, and at closing] came as a shock to us,” Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur of Raipur, the state capital, told EWTN News on July 13.
“We were looking forward to the judiciary to uphold the fundamental rights of the religious minorities enshrined under the constitution. But the July 2 verdict of the High Court belies our hope, as it has dismissed the plea against the government order as ‘premature,’” Thakur said.
What the circular requires
The ruling came on a petition filed by former Chhattisgarh Waqf Board chairman Abdul Salam Rizvi and two others challenging the June 12 order. According to The Hindu, which cited a government official, the morning assembly would include the national anthem, national song, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra, and excerpts from the biographies of great personalities.
During the midday meal, students would recite a food prayer, the Bhojan Mantra, while the closing session at the end of the school day would include the state song, the Gayatri Mantra, and the Shanti Mantra. The order also threatened punitive action “to ensure strict implementation of the order,” with officials inspecting schools to check for violations of the prescribed guidelines.
The court’s ruling
While dismissing the petition against the June 12 order as “premature,” the High Court said the plea was “based on mere apprehension rather than any actual grievance.”
The judge, Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad, said the petitioners could approach the court “afresh by way of an appropriate petition, supported by cogent and relevant material, if any exigency arises in the future.”
However, Thakur said: “In a secular democratic country, young children or their families should not be forced to wage legal battle against the system to uphold their fundamental rights.”
“We urge all concerned to ensure that the schools — temples of learning and harmony — are not reduced to communal battlefields of division and religious dominance,” reiterated Thakur, who heads the Catholic Church in Chhattisgarh, where Christians number less than 2% of the state’s 25 million people and the Catholic Church runs over 250 schools.
Article 30 of the Indian Constitution empowers all religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
Protests and ‘deep disappointment’
The notification of the order drew protests from Christian and civil rights groups and opposition political parties, which dubbed it a Hindu nationalist “majoritarian show.”
Sushil Anand Shukla, spokesperson for the opposition Congress party, said: “Students of all faiths, castes, and communities study in government schools and making the recitation of specific religious mantras compulsory could hurt the sentiments of people belonging to other faiths.”
The Progressive Christian Alliance (PCA), in a statement on July 10, expressed “deep disappointment” with the High Court order: “The judgment fails to adequately protect the fundamental rights of students of religious minorities and other faith streams ... who now face daily pressure to participate in religious practices that are not their own.”
“The dismissal overlooks the real and immediate coercive atmosphere created by a government circular that uses the ... school setting where children have little agency to opt out without fear of stigma or exclusion,” said the Rev. Akhilesh Edgar, general secretary of the Evangelical Churches in India, in the statement issued on behalf of the educational wing of the PCA.
“We organized protests in several places including Raipur against this move to enforce Hindutva [Hindu nationalist] agenda,” said Pastor Simon Digbal Tandi, coordinator of the PCA.
“This court order has come even as we were preparing to move the court,” said Tandi, who heads the PCA’s Chhattisgarh chapter.
Tandi also said “the government is hypocritical and playing double talk.” While the government had told the court the order drew no objections, he said, it had already begun allotting 25,000 rupees (about $260) per village school to install sound systems to carry out the prayers.
Papal nuncio to Great Britain: A visit from Pope Leo is ‘likely’
The pope’s representative in Great Britain is hopeful that Pope Leo XIV will visit England and “awaken the conscience of the West.”
A papal visit to England is “likely, desirable, and I would even say unavoidable,” Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía, apostolic nuncio to Great Britain since 2023, told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.
A visit to Great Britain is “likely, because King Charles III paid a state visit to the Vatican last year, and it is logical that the United Kingdom would now invite Pope Leo XIV to return the visit,” he added.
The last pope to make an official visit to the United Kingdom was Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.
Maury said that, as the first English-speaking pope in more than eight centuries, the welcome for Pope Leo would be “extraordinary and his message amplified throughout the English-speaking world.”
“The bishops of England and Scotland also hope that a papal visit will reinvigorate the proclamation of the faith in one of Europe’s most secularized societies — one which, I would say, is currently experiencing a time of grace,” the papal representative said.
“The spiritual vacuum of recent decades is giving way to a quiet Christian revival among younger generations,” the archbishop continued. “Religious practice is increasing among Catholics, thanks in part to the thousands of immigrants and children of immigrants who are revitalizing parish life and contributing to the growth of Catholic communities.”
“Everything suggests that the pontificate of Leo XIV is called to awaken the conscience of the West just as that of St. John Paul II once stirred the conscience of the East, so that the Church may once again breathe fully with both of its lungs,” he said.
Born in 1955 in Spain, Maury was ordained a priest in 1980. He never imagined he would become an apostolic nuncio. Nevertheless, in obedience to one of his superiors, he entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 1987, beginning a career that would lead him to represent the pope in various countries around the world for more than 39 years.
The book “Faith, Life, Diplomacy,” published in Spanish and Italian, reflects on Maury’s nearly four decades of diplomatic service in countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Romania, and Moldova.
The following is an edited version of the nuncio’s full interview with ACI Prensa:
ACI Prensa: You have published “Faith, Life, Diplomacy,” a book about your service in countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, where Catholics are a minority. What did you learn there, and what left a lasting mark on you?
Maury: I discovered the great humanity of those peoples and the devastating effects on their souls of 70 years of communist and atheist rule. The Muslim majority and millions of Russian Orthodox believers abandoned their faith, while the Catholic minority preserved it — despite being deprived of priests for at least 20 years — thanks to the daily family rosary.
Another thing that impressed me positively was the desire of the younger generations to learn and to serve society, now free from the terror under which their parents lived. This contrasts sharply with the apathy and selfishness present among much of Western youth.
When Pope Benedict XVI sent me as his representative to those countries, I asked him for advice. “Go,” he told me, “to the remote places where none of your predecessors has gone, and bring them the pope’s blessing.”
I did so, just as I have continued to do in the countries to which Pope Francis later sent me.
Beyond the joy such — sometimes uncomfortable and risky — journeys bring to people, they provide an unfiltered view of realities on the ground, free from assumptions and prejudices, that can help enlighten officials in the Roman Curia.
You began your diplomatic service in Rwanda. You arrived at a difficult time, amid the massacres in Burundi, and remained there when the genocide erupted. What do you remember most? Were you afraid of dying?
I began my diplomatic service in Kigali at age 31, and I truly feared that a stray bullet might hit me. In fact, I still have one that came through my bedroom in the middle of the night.
Certainly, no one intended to kill us, but the combatants’ lack of training was evident. As far as I know, apart from a few Europeans who had married Tutsi women and were specifically sought out during the genocide, only one elderly French religious sister and an Italian volunteer fell victim to stray bullets.
We should not forget that most of the victims on both sides were killed with machetes. In other words, people knew exactly whom they were eliminating.
Civil wars are the most horrific because they are driven by hatred, even though they are often provoked and fueled by outside interests.
A nuncio’s mission is not the same as that of a typical ambassador. What are the methods and goals of the pope’s diplomacy?
I never tire of repeating that the Holy See has no oranges to sell and no oil to buy.
The very purpose of Vatican City State is different from that of other states, whose primary responsibility is to ensure the well-being of their citizens. The Vatican exists to guarantee the pope’s independence. He is the only global religious leader who is not subject to any political authority and is therefore free to proclaim the Gospel.
The Holy See’s diplomacy gives priority to the spiritual dimension of the human person, raising awareness among the various actors in the international community of the need and benefit of respecting and promoting human rights at both the individual and social level.
Every country’s embassies and consulates seek to protect the rights of their citizens abroad. The Holy See’s situation is different because Catholics living in different countries are generally citizens of those same states, so there is, at least in theory, a convergence of interests.
The pope has just traveled to Spain. I believe you worked on preparations for Pope Francis’ visit to Romania. How are these visits prepared so that the pope’s message has a lasting impact?
I followed the trip on Spanish television and saw that the enthusiasm of the Spanish people for the pope remains undiminished despite social changes.
I had the honor of helping prepare five apostolic journeys of St. John Paul II — to Rwanda, Uganda, Nicaragua, Egypt, and Slovenia — and I did indeed welcome Pope Francis to Romania.
When preparing papal trips, one must distinguish among different levels: program, logistics, message, and so on.
Lately, excessive emphasis on security concerns has unfortunately had the effect of distancing the pontiff from the faithful.
As for the lasting impact of his message, much depends on whether it responds to the expectations and historical circumstances of the countries he visits. Normally, it is the local Church that proposes the motto and themes of the trip, although the pope naturally has the final word.
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.
Catholic charity leads relief after landslides kill Rohingya in Bangladesh
At least 20 people have reportedly died in the series of landslides that swept through refugee camps and communities in southeastern Bangladesh after heavy monsoon rains last week.
A Catholic charity is one of the organizations helping survivors.
Caritas Bangladesh mobilized local staff and community volunteers, who went door to door sharing early warning messages and helping families in high-risk areas move to safety before the worst of the rains arrived.
“Our Emergency Response Program team in the Rohingya camps in Coxʼs Bazar is working in close coordination with the Camp-in-Charge offices to provide emergency shelter assistance, WASH support, and dignity kits to affected households, enabling them to meet their immediate needs,” said Apurbo Mrong, director of programs at Caritas Bangladesh.
The team is also maintaining close communication with government authorities and United Nations sector partners to assess emerging needs and identify gaps in services, Mrong said.
“Together with the support of Caritas Internationalis network members and other partners, we remain committed to standing alongside flood-affected people in both the Rohingya camps, the host communities, and other areas of Chattogram Division, ensuring timely and appropriate assistance reaches those who need it most,” he said.
How Caritas helps those in need
Caritas Bangladesh has worked in the camps for years, providing shelter, water and sanitation, child protection, and education. Between 2017 and 2024, its shelter and settlement program reached an average of 38,335 households a year through shelter assistance, repairs, tarpaulin distribution, and monsoon support, the charity said. It runs 12 learning centers and two youth and adolescent centers in the camps, teaching children under the Myanmar curriculum.
Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since the 1970s. In the 1990s, more than 250,000 sheltered in Coxʼs Bazar, though all but 20,000 were repatriated after a campaign that began in the early 2000s.
The influx resumed in 2015, and by 2017 an estimated 300,000 Rohingya were in Bangladesh. About 537,000 more fled across the border to Coxʼs Bazar in August 2017 as violence intensified in Myanmarʼs Rakhine state.
The United Nations called the 2017 campaign “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing,” a characterization Myanmar rejects and has contested at the International Court of Justice, where it faces a genocide case.
By December 2023, almost 1 million Rohingya were living in 33 camps in the Coxʼs Bazar district. Pope Francis met a group of them during his apostolic visit to Bangladesh in 2017.
The land the Bangladesh government provided to the migrants was once forested and hilly. Trees were cleared and settlements were built on the hills and foothills, and landslides now occur when heavy rains bring flooding.
“If we had stayed in our country [Myanmar], it wouldnʼt have been so difficult,” said Mohammad Kalam, a father of five. He said families are living in inhumane conditions unfit for human beings, and that while they receive food, the cramped living space is not habitable.
“We donʼt want to stay in this situation; we want to return to our own country with dignity,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV to launch exhibit on water at the Vatican Library
Pope Leo XIV will launch a contemporary art exhibit focused on water at the Vatican Apostolic Library on Sept. 14.
The exhibit “AQVA Catastrophe and Wonder” will include artwork highlighting a “reflection on water as both a threat and a resource,” according to a July 12 press release from the library.
Notably, the pope will inaugurate the exhibition on his 71st birthday, which is Sept. 14.
“AQVA Catastrophe and Wonder” will include the works of French artist JR, American typographer Bill Moran, and Italian chef Fulvio Pierangelini.
According to Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, the Holy See’s librarian and archivist, the exhibit will reflect the pontiff’s desire to bridge the past and the present.
“These exhibitions are intended to foster dialogue between contemporary art and the library’s centuries-old heritage,” Pagazzi said in the press release. “On several occasions, the pope has emphasized fidelity to the past and fidelity to the future. The present — including the present of this exhibition — can become a home where past and future meet as friends.”
The Vatican Apostolic Library is both the national library of Vatican City State and the library of the Holy See. It was established in 1475 by Pope Sixtus IV, making it one of the oldest in continuous existence. Beyond its extensive collection of important texts and manuscripts, it hosts an elaborate art collection, featuring frescoes and sculptures from the High Renaissance.
The display “AQVA Catastrophe and Wonder” will be open to visitors from Sept. 25, 2026, to May 14, 2027.
The Vatican’s recent emphasis on contemporary art
The Vatican Library’s latest exhibit reflects a recent focus by the Vatican on promoting contemporary art.
In 2025, the library held the “En Route” exhibition from Feb. 15 to Dec. 20, connecting historical journeys to modern pilgrimages through a collection of rare 19th-century travel documents and contemporary artistic interpretations. It marked the sixth installment in the library’s ongoing dialogue between its historical patrimony and contemporary art, which began in 2021.
During the 2025 Jubilee Year, the Dicastery for Culture and Education introduced Conciliazione 5, a one-room gallery space with a large window onto the main thoroughfare leading to St. Peter’s Basilica, Via della Conciliazione. Beyond the jubilee, the space continues to feature the works of different contemporary artists, making them visible to the tourists and pilgrims who pass the window every day on their way to the Vatican.
The Holy See has also participated in the Venice Biennale — an international artistic and cultural festival held annually in the northern Italian city — since 2013.
National Eucharistic Pilgrimage inspires wave of priestly and religious vocations
When MacKenzie Warrens spent weeks crossing the country with Jesus in the Eucharist during the 2024 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, she had already discerned her vocation as a consecrated virgin. What she did not expect was how profoundly the experience would deepen that calling.
“I already knew what I was called to,” Warrens told EWTN News. “Any lingering doubts that may have been in my mind were completely gone with the pilgrimage. It was just even more clear… ‘This is, without a doubt, my vocation.’”
Months after completing the pilgrimage, Warrens took vows as a consecrated virgin in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. For Warrens and many others who walked thousands of miles with the Eucharist, the pilgrimage became more than a journey across America. It became a path toward discovering or confirming the vocation God had prepared for them.
Forty‑five young adults have served as perpetual pilgrims since the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage began in 2024, and organizers told EWTN News that 26 of them are discerning or pursuing forms of consecrated life.
Growing harvest of vocations
In the interest of transparency, organizers noted that eight of the men discerning priesthood were already seminarians during their time on pilgrimage and continue to feel called to the priesthood.
Among the former pilgrims are current seminarians, men newly discerning diocesan priesthood, women preparing to enter the Sisters of Life and the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, and several others discerning religious life or consecrated vocations.
Organizers also said one former pilgrim has taken a private vow of celibacy, while another is discerning a yearlong private vow of consecration.
Pilgrims’ perspective
For Mason Bailey, a seminarian for the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, the pilgrimage became an unexpected lesson in what priestly ministry looks like. Already in seminary when he joined the 2024 Marian Route, Bailey said traveling through the Midwest with the Eucharist introduced him to the breadth of the Church and strengthened his vocation.
“I was blessed to see the American Church in a new way,” Bailey told EWTN News. “I encountered a lot of amazing priests — diocesan priests and religious — that affirmed my vocation along the way.”
Bailey said one of the most memorable aspects of the pilgrimage was visiting small rural parishes that many Catholics never see.
“We went to parishes that probably nobody visits,” he said. “These beautiful Polish Catholic churches hidden away in the farm communities of the Midwest… I got to meet the priests there and stay in rectories with them. They were beautiful witnesses of what the priesthood is.”
Reflecting on the journey, Bailey said the pilgrimage revealed a profound connection between the Eucharist and the priesthood.
“The Eucharist is taken, blessed, broken, and given,” he said. “Thatʼs also an image of the priesthood — and indeed every Christian life. ... Doing this difficult thing, but doing it for others so that they can encounter Jesus.”
Cheyenne Johnson, who participated in both the 2025 Drexel Route and the 2026 Cabrini Route as a team leader, said the pilgrimage gave her the freedom and peace to continue discerning a call to religious life.
"Being around the Blessed Sacrament all the time and just having that time of really close intimacy with him," Johnson told EWTN News, "was a very important time for me to continue to pray and see if he was still calling me.”
Johnson said the opportunity to spend weeks with priests, religious sisters, and fellow pilgrims living out different vocations helped her recognize where she experienced the deepest peace.
“Getting to see happy religious was super important for me,” she said. “It was beautiful to speak with them, as well as see how the Lord was shaping my own heart and to be like, ‘Yeah, this is where I find the most peace and fulfillment’ in pursuing being a bride of Christ forever.”
A vocation strengthened
For Warrens of Galveston-Houston, who served as team leader on the Marian Route while completing a doctorate in physics, accompanying fellow pilgrims became an unexpected source of vocational clarity.
“I really got to tap into my spiritual motherhood in a way that I’d never gotten to before,” she said. “My role as a team lead was to serve my team so that my team could then serve the public.”
By the end of the pilgrimage, Warrens said her professional aspirations had shifted. Although she had been uncertain how she would use her doctoral degree, she realized: “I really just want to do ministry.” She has since completed the Encounter School of Ministry and is halfway through spiritual direction training, saying the pilgrimage confirmed that “this is where you’re definitely called.”
Looking back on two summers of pilgrimage, Johnson said the experience taught her the importance of making space for God to speak.
“I really encourage people to take that time to make a pilgrimage,” she said. “Allow him to do the unexpected in your heart because he really does. He wants to wow us with how good he is.”
Pope Leo XIV: Make time for prayer and silence in the summer
From the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, where he moved on July 5 to enjoy a period of rest, Pope Leo XIV has invited the faithful to make time for “meaningful moments of silence and prayer” during the summer.
The pontiff’s remarks were made during his Sunday Angelus address on July 12 at Castel Gandolfo, where he will remain until July 27.
Reviving a summer papal tradition
Pope Leo XIV decided to spend part of this summer on vacation at the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, becoming the first pope to do so since 2012. The residence has been used by the popes as a countryside retreat for over 400 years and was a preferred vacation spot of Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II.
Pope Francis, however, never left the Vatican for the summer during his 12-year papacy, choosing instead to remain at the Casa Santa Marta and repurpose the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo as a museum.
The palace itself is a 17th-century building on the shores of Lake Albano. Although it will be closed to the public during the pope’s vacation, the nearby papal gardens will remain open to visitors.
During Leo’s vacation, all private and public audiences, including the Wednesday general audience, are suspended. His only public audiences will be the Sunday Angelus, with the only exception so far being his lunch with the poor in the gardens on July 11.
The parable of the sower
Commenting on the Sunday Gospel for the day, which contains the parable of the sower, Leo XIV highlighted “the generosity and trust” with which God puts his word and power in the hearts of believers.
“Jesus himself, the Word made flesh, who gave his life for our salvation, is the seed that the Father continues to sow throughout the world so that, by dying, he may bear much fruit,” Leo said in his address.
The pope also explained that, just as in the parable where the seed is planted in different soils, the faithful do not each receive this gift in the same way.
“It is true that sometimes [God] finds in us hard and unresponsive soil, at other times distracted soil, like the beaten path, the rocky ground, or the thorny bushes. Yet there are also moments when he finds receptive and fertile ground, and then miracles of love are set in motion that have the power to transform everything — as we ourselves have no doubt experienced in our own lives.”
Leo also reminded the faithful present that God’s love “is stronger than our weakness” and that he never stops sowing and believing in them. He also invited them to take advantage of the summer holidays to experience God through silence and prayer.
“Let us therefore resolve, especially during these summer days of vacation, to make room for listening to, reading, and meditating on the word of God, thereby fostering — together with rest and wholesome recreation — meaningful moments of silence and prayer,” Leo said.
A renewed appeal for peace
After praying the Angelus, Leo XIV renewed his appeal for peace in war-torn regions, lamenting that “the winds of war are blowing once again in the Middle East, in Ukraine, and in many other parts of the world, sowing violence, terror, and death.”
The pope also urged political leaders to resume dialogue and opt for diplomatic means to stop the escalation of conflicts.
Leoʼs words come at a time of rising international tension, after the United States and Iran once again became embroiled in a dangerous spiral of attacks. The United States launched new airstrikes against Iranian territory following the Revolutionary Guardʼs attack on a Cypriot-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
Finally, the pope, recalling that July 12 is “Sea Sunday,” gave a special greeting to sailors, fishermen, and port workers. He praised them for their work despite being “marked by separation from their loved ones and sometimes by fear of the conflicts [that] occur on the seas.”
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.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after ‘brief and sudden illness’
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, passed away on July 11 after a “brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a statement in the early hours of July 12.
No further details were immediately given regarding the senator’s passing. Graham’s family “appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement said.
Graham was 71. He had served in the U.S. Senate since 2003.
Tributes poured in for the late senator overnight through July 12. U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Graham was “one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known.”
“He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!” Trump said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune wrote on X that his “heart is heavy” after Graham’s passing. He described Graham as “a strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe.”
“He believed in the might of America to achieve good in the world and dedicated his life to advancing that cause,” Thune said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster described him in a media statement as “the fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America” and “a loyal and steadfast friend.”
International tributes poured in as well. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he and his wife, Sara, “grieve with the American people” over Graham’s passing.
“Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance, and standing up for the free world,” Netanyahu said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said Graham was “a true defender of freedom and the values that make our world safer.”
“He visited Ukraine 10 times during the years of Russiaʼs full-scale invasion and was here with our people when it was most needed,” he said.
Born July 9, 1955, in Central, South Carolina, Graham attended the University of South Carolina, where he ultimately obtained a juris doctor degree from the university’s law school in 1981. He served in the JAG Corps of the U.S. Air Force before working as a lawyer in his home state.
His political career began in 1992 when he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. He rose to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1995 and began serving in the U.S. Senate eight years later.
A staunch ally of Trump, Graham was initially a sharp critic of the Republican president before backing him after his victory in the 2016 election. He was a fixture on political news television shows in the later years of his career.
A lifelong bachelor, Graham wrote in his memoir that he “never found time to meet the right girl, or the right girl was smart enough not to have time for me.”
A Southern Baptist, Graham was a member of Corinth Baptist Church in Seneca, South Carolina, where he lived. He is survived by his sister Darline and extended family.
A month of married saints: July brings feast days of holy husbands and wives
Marriage is one of the Catholic Churchʼs greatest paths to holiness. From the first Christian missionaries to modern-day martyrs, married couples have shown that a shared life rooted in faith, sacrifice, and love can become a powerful witness to the Gospel.
Throughout the month of July, the Church celebrates the feast days of several holy husbands and wives whose lives continue to inspire Catholic families today.
Here are four of those couples:
Blessed Joseph and Wiktoria Ulma (Feast day: July 7)
Blessed Joseph and Wiktoria Ulma were a young married couple living in the small Polish village of Markowa during the Second World War. Devout Catholics, they were raising six young children and were expecting a seventh when they made the decision to shelter eight Jewish people in their home after Nazi Germany occupied Poland. They knew the penalty for helping Jews was death, but their Christian faith compelled them to protect their neighbors despite the grave risk.
On March 24, 1944, German police discovered those they were hiding. Joseph and Wiktoria, along with the eight Jews they had sheltered, were executed. The soldiers then murdered each of the Ulmas' six children. During Wiktoriaʼs execution, she went into labor with her seventh child, who also died, making the entire family martyrs.
While they are not saints yet, the Ulmas were beatified together on Sept. 10 2023, becoming the first entire family — including an unborn child — to be beatified as martyrs. Today, they are honored as patrons of families and unborn children.
Sts. Priscilla and Aquila (Feast day: July 8)
Priscilla and Aquila, close collaborators of St. Paul, were among the earliest Christian married couples. Jewish converts to Christianity, they were forced to leave Rome after Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from the city around A.D. 49. The couple settled in Corinth, where they met Paul, who shared their trade of tent-making. They welcomed him into their home, and together they worked while spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire.
The New Testament frequently mentions the couple together, highlighting the strength of their marriage and shared mission. They traveled with Paul to Ephesus, where they hosted a church in their home, which is also referred to as a “house church.” Paul also writes that the couple “risked their necks” for his life — however there is no biblical record of the occasion.
The couple is perhaps best known for mentoring the gifted preacher Apollos, gently explaining the fullness of the Christian faith so that he could become an even more effective evangelist.
Priscilla and Aquila are the patron saints of marriage, love, and strong Christian families.
Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin (Feast day: July 12)
Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin are best known as the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, but their own path to holiness began long before the birth of their famous daughter.
Both initially considered religious life before discerning that God was instead calling them to marriage. They were wed on July 12, 1858, in Alençon, France — the date that would become their feast day.
The Martins endured both profound joy and deep suffering. Of their nine children, four died in infancy or early childhood, while the remaining five daughters all entered religious life. Throughout these trials, Louis and Zélie remained steadfast in prayer, trusting Godʼs providence and making the practice of their Catholic faith the center of family life.
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, the prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the time of their beatification in Lisieux in 2008, said in his homily: “Louis and Zélie understood that they could sanctify themselves not despite marriage but through, in, and by marriage, and that their nuptials would be considered as the starting point for a mutual rise.”
Canonized together on Oct. 18, 2015, by Pope Francis, Louis and Zélie became the first married couple in Church history to be declared saints together.
Sts. Joachim and Anne (Feast day: July 26)
Sts. Joachim and Anne are honored by the Church as the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus Christ. Although they are not mentioned in the canonical Gospels, their story has been preserved through ancient Christian tradition, particularly through the second-century “Protoevangelium of James.” According to tradition, the couple was advanced in age and had long suffered the sorrow of childlessness before God answered their prayers with the miraculous conception of Mary.
Today, Joachim and Anne are the patron saints of grandparents, married couples, and families. Their feast is a reminder of the indispensable role parents and grandparents play in passing on the faith to future generations.