Meet the Augustinian saints celebrated by the Church in August
August is a particularly important month for Augustinians, the Order of St. Augustine of Hippo to which Pope Leo XIV belongs, as the Catholic Church celebrates a number of Augustinian saints.
St. Augustine himself and his mother, St. Monica, are honored just one day apart at the end of August, but mystics, missionaries, and martyrs who lived out the Augustinian call to seek God through prayer, community, and charity also enjoy feast days this month.
Here are the Augustinian saints — and a blessed — the Church celebrates in August:
Blessed John of Rieti — Aug. 2
Blessed John of Rieti was an Italian Augustinian friar whose short life became a remarkable example of holiness lived through simplicity, charity, and joy.
Born around 1318 in Castel Porchiano, near Amelia, Italy, John entered the Augustinian order as a teenager and was sent to the friary in Rieti. Though he died at just 18 years old in 1336, those who knew him remembered him for his humility, friendliness, and deep love for his fellow friars.
John was particularly attentive to the sick and to visitors, treating everyone with kindness and reverence. According to the Augustinian tradition, he never did or said anything contrary to fraternal charity.
His remains can be found at the St. Augustine Church in Rieti, and he was declared blessed by Pope Gregory XVI in 1832.
St. Clare of Montefalco — Aug. 17
St. Clare of Montefalco was an Italian Augustinian nun, abbess, and mystic who developed a profound devotion to the passion of Christ.
Born around 1268 in Montefalco, Italy, Clare joined an order of Franciscan tertiaries at a young age. Her sister, Giovanna, was the abbess and their small community eventually became a formal convent of nuns following the Rule of St. Augustine in 1290. After Giovanna’s death, Clare became abbess at just 23 years old.
Clare was especially known for her contemplation of Christʼs passion and for mystical experiences connected to the cross. Due to this, she is sometimes called “Clare of the Cross.”
During her final illness, she told her sisters that she carried Christʼs cross in her heart. After her death in 1308, her heart was examined and the sisters reported finding symbols associated with Christʼs passion formed within it. Clare was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881.
St. Ezekiel Moreno — Aug. 19
St. Ezekiel Moreno was an Augustinian Recollect friar, missionary, and bishop who spent much of his priestly life serving Catholics in the Philippines and Colombia.
Born in Alfaro, Spain, in 1848, he joined the Augustinian Recollects as a teenager and professed his religious vows in 1865. After being ordained a priest in Manila in 1871, he spent 15 years working in the Philippines before returning to Spain and eventually being sent to Colombia, where he devoted himself to missionary work and the renewal of religious life.
In Colombia, Ezekiel became the first vicar apostolic of Casanare and later served as bishop of Pasto. His episcopacy took place amid civil war, anti-Catholic persecution, and significant challenges for the Church.
Despite these difficulties, he remained committed to his people and strongly defended the Churchʼs rights. Diagnosed with cancer, he returned to Spain for treatment and died on Aug. 19, 1906. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992.
Sts. Liberatus, Boniface, and Companions — Aug. 26
Sts. Liberatus, Boniface, and their five companions were seven monks who were martyred in North Africa in 484 during the persecution of Catholics under King Hunneric.
The monks belonged to a monastery at Gafsa, in present-day Tunisia, that had been founded under Augustinian inspiration. The group included Liberatus, their abbot; Boniface, a deacon; Servus and Rusticus, subdeacons; and three lay monks named Rogatus, Septimus, and Maximus.
The monks were taken prisoner and pressured to abandon their Catholic faith, but they refused. The youngest of the group, Maximus, was only 15 and was especially urged to separate himself from the others, but he remained steadfast. The authorities attempted to burn the monks alive, but when the fire would not ignite, they were ultimately beaten to death.
Pope Clement X granted the Order of St. Augustine the right to celebrate their collective liturgical memorial in 1671.
St. Monica — Aug. 27
St. Monica is best known as the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, but her own life offers a powerful example of perseverance in prayer and trust in God.
Born around 331 in Tagaste, North Africa, Monica was raised in a Christian family and married Patricius, a pagan. She became the mother of three children, including Augustine, and patiently worked to guide her family toward the Catholic faith. Her example and persistent prayers eventually helped lead her husband to conversion.
Monica is especially remembered for the years she spent praying and shedding tears over Augustine, who pursued a very different path from the faith in which she had raised him. Her perseverance was eventually rewarded when Augustine converted to Christianity and was baptized by St. Ambrose in Milan in 387.
Monica died shortly afterward at Ostia while preparing to return to Africa with her son. The Church celebrates her feast on Aug. 27, one day before the feast of St. Augustine. She was canonized by Pope Gregory IX in 1234.
St. Augustine of Hippo — Aug. 28
St. Augustine of Hippo is one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity and is honored as a bishop, doctor of the Church, theologian, and spiritual father of the Augustinian order. Born in Tagaste, North Africa, in 354, Augustine spent much of his youth searching for truth and happiness outside the Catholic faith. Through the prayers of his mother, Monica, and his own long spiritual journey, he eventually experienced a profound conversion and was baptized by St. Ambrose in Milan in 387.
After returning to North Africa, Augustine established a monastic community and was later ordained a priest and named bishop of Hippo. He became a prolific writer and preacher, producing works that would profoundly influence Christian theology and spirituality.
Augustine died on Aug. 28, 430, as the Vandals were invading North Africa. His feast day follows immediately after that of his mother, St. Monica. Pope Boniface VIII later named him a doctor of the Church in 1298.
Life of Brazilian woman who lived over half a century solely on the Eucharist hits the big screen
The life of Floripes Dornellas de Jesús, known as Lola, the Brazilian servant of God who lived for over half a century without eating, drinking, or sleeping, subsisting solely on the Eucharist, is the subject of the Portuguese-language documentary “Lola of Jesus: Mystery and Devotion” by journalist and writer Rodrigo Alvarez.
The production was screened last month during the third edition of Cinema ExpoCatólica at the ExpoCatólica 2026 event in São Paulo, where Alvarez also gave a talk titled “Lola and the Phenomenon of Genuine Brazilian Faith.”
Who is Lola?
Her inexplicable ability to live only on the Eucharist certainly draws attention to her, but for Dr. Claudio Bomtempo, who was her attending physician during the final five years of her life and is now a leading advocate for her cause of beatification, that was never the most important aspect of her person. According to Bomtempo, Lola’s mission was to make the Sacred Heart of Jesus better known and loved.
“Lola did not want to be remembered herself; rather, she wanted the Sacred Heart of Jesus to be better known and loved,” Bomtempo told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News.
The Church dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as well as the first Friday of every month. According to Bomtempo, Lola “knew she was the one who could get people in Brazil to reflect on the power of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
“All that matter of not eating, drinking, or sleeping does not, in reality, constitute the essence of Lola’s holiness; rather, it is a sign — a way of drawing attention — that I believe the heart of Jesus allowed, so that she could simply be recognized as a manifestation of the presence of the heart of Jesus,” he said.
For him, “her holiness is due to her virtues and her sacrifice, to the martyrdom of all those years … and to her intimacy with the heart of Jesus, which was truly awe-inspiring.”
According to the doctor, Lola would often interrupt conversations to pray and ask Jesus, “What do you want from me, Lord? What do you want me to do? What do you want me to say?”
Devotion to the Sacred Heart
Lola was born on June 27, 1912, in Mercês, Brazil, and as a child moved with her family to Rio Pomba, where she died in 1999.
When she was about 16 years old, she fell from a jabuticaba tree, fractured two lumbar vertebrae, and was left a paraplegic.
“Finding herself in that situation — knowing she would never walk again and would not realize the dreams she might have cherished, such as becoming a mother or a religious, Lola decided to dedicate the rest of her life to devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the heart of Mary. This was Lola’s initial response to a difficult situation, to terrible news,” Bomtempo related.
Following this decision, changes began to occur in her body that would mark the rest of her life. According to the doctor, she ceased to feel hunger, thirst, or the need for sleep.
“Over the next five or six years, they insisted that she eat, but she felt no hunger,” the doctor explained. On Good Friday in 1943, “she decided she would eat no more. From that moment on, she received only the holy Eucharist each day.”
The phenomenon, known as inedia, total abstinence from food, sparked the interest of doctors, researchers, the curious, and pilgrims. According to Bomtempo, this never diverted Lola from what she considered her true mission: leading people to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“People began coming in large caravans and receiving graces, always through the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” he said.
To him, Lola was “simply a secretary of the heart of Jesus.”
“She only pointed to Jesus. She also possessed many gifts of the Holy Spirit — gifts of revelation, prophecy, and knowledge — and she always used them for the good of others,” he continued.
Allowed to keep the Blessed Sacrament in her room
Since she did not sleep, Lola received permission from the then-bishop of Mariana, Oscar de Oliveira, to keep the Blessed Sacrament in her room.
“Lola remained confined to her bed for those 64 years. She kept a 24-hour vigil before the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Eucharist,” Bomtempo recounted.
He recalled asking her once why she never left the room, not even to go out into the courtyard.
“My place is here, before the Blessed Sacrament, before the heart of Jesus,” Lola replied.
A devotion that endures
In the Church, the first Friday of each month is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a devotion that spread widely, particularly following the revelations received by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the 17th century.
Recommended practices include confession, Communion, and making reparation for sins committed against the love of Christ.
According to Bomtempo, it was this devotion that Lola sought to spread throughout her life.
The cause for her beatification was opened in 2005 by the then-archbishop of Mariana, Luciano Mendes de Almeida, who had known Lola personally.
According to Bomtempo, the archbishop once told him: “Lola possesses more virtues than are necessary for sainthood. That will happen at the right moment.”
The cause stalled for years due to bureaucratic issues and was resumed just last year, when the current archbishop, Airton José dos Santos, appointed Father Rodney Francisco Reis da Silva as the postulator for the diocesan phase.
Once that phase is concluded, the cause will be sent to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, where it can advance toward the recognition of heroic virtues, the stage at which the person could be declared venerable. Subsequently, the recognition of a miracle is required for beatification and a second miracle for canonization.
For Bomtempo, Lola’s entire life pointed toward this devotion. “What she spoke of most was trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
Pilgrimage site
Today, Recanto Sítio da Lola (Lola’s Retreat Place) in Rio Pomba is under the care of Father Jamilson Inácio da Silva, pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, who administers the site at the request of the archdiocese.
The site has become a place of pilgrimage, welcoming the faithful from across Brazil on the first Friday and third Sunday of every month for Masses and times of prayer.
The room where Lola lived for over 60 years remains preserved and can be viewed through a glass partition.
In May, the site was reopened for a special occasion — the celebration of the first Mass since the death of the servant of God in 1999 — celebrated by the archbishop emeritus of Juiz de Fora, Gil Antônio Moreira, and concelebrated by Father Rodney Francisco Reis da Silva, the postulator for the cause of beatification.
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.
How Trump’s new FDA pick could be monumental in the fight for life
In the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s appointment of Dr. Heidi Overton, a medical doctor with a history of fighting for life, as head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pro-life groups are urging her to end mail-order abortion.
Since January 2025 and up until now, Overton has worked as deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy. Before that, she spent more than three years at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a conservative think tank.
On Aug. 19, Trump appointed her to head the FDA, though she will need to be confirmed by the Senate first, which is likely given the Republican majority.
She has a doctorate in clinical investigation from Johnson Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health as well as a medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.
Overton has been outspoken about the dangers of chemical abortion for women and babies, according to a 2023 AFPI brief she authored where she criticized federal policy that made abortion pills available via telehealth.
“Abortion is corrosive to children, women, and society broadly because it devalues and extinguishes innocent human life,” Overton wrote in 2023. “Unfortunately, federal policymakers have recently expanded access to abortion pills, also called chemical abortions, which are far more dangerous to women, enabling rapid access to abortion.”
About two-thirds of abortions in the United States are chemical, meaning they happen via mifepristone and misoprostol pills. These pills are available via mail in any state, even states where these drugs are illegal. Abortion by mail is highly unregulated, creating danger for female patients.
The abortion pill has continued to be left largely unregulated by Trump’s Food and Drug Administration, in spite of the documented danger to women, including coercion, poisonings, and physical harm.
Advocates for unborn children highlight the importance of opposing chemical abortions and protecting unborn children across state lines, as chemical abortion pills make state pro-life laws moot.
Hope for limitations on chemical abortions
Leading voices for life agree that the FDA should regulate mail-order chemical abortions. After being deeply disappointed so far by Trump’s FDA, they hope Overton is the woman for the task.
The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), an organization of medical doctors who believe in protecting unborn children and their mothers, “applauds the nomination,” said CEO Dr. Christina Francis.
“Dr. Overton has a track record of recognizing the dignity of all of our patients (including our fetal patients) and recognizing the value of life-affirming healthcare,” Francis told EWTN News.
“We are hopeful that Dr. Overton will reinstate vital safeguards around the dangerous abortion drug mifepristone,” Francis said. “Too many tragic incidents continue to pile up in which women have been left to handle the consequences of these potentially fatal drugs on their own.”
“As physicians, we demand the FDA do its job and reinstate essential safeguards for our patients,” Francis said.
Live Action, a group seeking to shift the culture and law on abortion, also viewed the nomination positively.
“Live Action is encouraged by President Trump’s nomination of Dr. Heidi Overton to lead the Food and Drug Administration,” said Live Action spokesman Noah Brandt.
“During Dr. Overton’s time at the America First Policy Institute, she helped lead important work exposing the dangers of chemical abortion and the serious risks posed by the abortion pill,” Brandt told EWTN News.
“We pray that if Dr. Overton is confirmed that she brings that same courage and leadership to the FDA, which has an enormous responsibility to protect the health and safety of America’s women and children,” Brandt said.
Brandt called on Overton to put a halt to chemical abortion pills entirely, beginning with mail-order abortions.
“If confirmed, Dr. Overton should pull the deadly abortion pill from the market completely by first ending mail-order abortions, which are killing babies across the country,” he said.
Kristi Hamrick, spokeswoman for Students for Life Action, called for Overton to take serious action against mifepristone.
“It’s a good thing to have a nominee who has been skeptical of the kinds of policies the FDA has been pushing, but we are not looking for words; we are looking for deeds,” Hamrick told EWTN News. “The reckless rubber-stamping of chemical abortion pills has implications for babies in the womb, their mothers, and even the environment.”
“We are looking for a first-ever review of chemical abortion pills, the abusers' dream drug, that is now being mailed illegally into many states with pro-life laws in place,” Hamrick said.
Hamrick also urged Overton to investigate the environmental impact of chemical abortion drugs in the nation’s drinking water supplies.
“The FDA has never looked into the environmental risks of allowing abortion water pollution nationwide, and you donʼt have to be pro-life to want clean drinking water,” Hamrick said.
“We would ask Dr. Overton to do the work never done before — really evaluate mifepristone, its distribution, and risks to babies, women, and all life, endangered species included,” Hamrick said.
Society of St. Pius X Masses, sacraments banned at Lourdes Shrine
The bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes in France, Jean-Marc Micas, has revoked the authorization for priests of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to celebrate Mass or the sacraments at the Lourdes Shrine.
In an Aug. 13 statement, the French prelate explained that his decision is based on the Vatican decree of excommunication declaring the SSPX to be in a state of schism following its July 1 ordination of four bishops without a papal mandate.
“Following the decree of schism and excommunication published by the Holy See, I cannot authorize the celebration of the Mass or the other sacraments, not even the public prayers of the Society of St. Pius X within the shrine,” the bishop of Lourdes explained.
Therefore, "the authorization that until now was granted to the SSPX to do so is therefore withdrawn. On the other hand, it is obviously possible that whoever so desires can freely come to the grotto or other places at the shrine to pray privately,” the prelate noted.
“I am well aware of the pain and perhaps the lack of understanding that this decision will cause. I entrust my decision to God’s mercy. We are deeply pained by the tearing of Christ’s tunic caused by our divisions. They scandalize the little ones and hinder our witness to the Gospel,” the bishop stated.
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.
Legislator proposes bill to ban surrogacy in Colombia
A bill has been introduced in the Colombian Congress to ban surrogacy, commonly referred to as "rent-a-womb,” in order to curb "the reproductive exploitation of women and prevent children from being turned into objects of a transaction."
The bill’s explanatory statement notes that the initiative responds to calls from the Constitutional Court, which has urged Congress in four separate rulings to legislate on surrogacy, as the lack of regulation “has direct consequences for the fundamental rights of the pregnant women and the children born through this practice.”
Rep. Luis Miguel López Aristizábal, the bill’s author, noted that this legal loophole has caused the country to become “one of the main destinations for so-called ‘reproductive tourism,’ where couples come from abroad to buy babies in Colombia.”
The bill states that, “for example, the Tammuz Family agency, which works with the Celagem Clinic and four other clinics in Bogotá, claims on its website that ‘surrogacy in Colombia is accessible to same-sex couples and single men seeking a more affordable path to fatherhood.’”
The proposed legislation also indicates that “costs for plans in Colombia start at USD $63,500 (for the basic plan involving donation of ova/eggs). At an exchange rate of 3,400 pesos [63,500 x 3,400], this equates to 215.9 million pesos (for a basic plan), of which the surrogate receives between 25 million and 40 million pesos. This demonstrates that more than 85% of the profits from this business remain with the clinics and intermediaries.”
What the bill establishes
A statement from López Aristizábal’s office notes that "the bill does not criminalize the pregnant woman.” Instead it establishes the criminal offense of "reproductive exploitation through surrogacy" — whether altruistic or commercial — and penalizes those who promote, broker, finance, or organize it with "prison sentences of 120 to 192 months [10-16 years] and fines ranging from 500 to 1,500 times the minimum wage, with aggravating factors applicable in cases involving the womanʼs vulnerability."
These sanctions also apply to Colombian citizens who have engaged in surrogacy abroad, whether in whole or in part.
In addition to protecting the surrogate mother from having to return payments received, the law establishes that “for all legal purposes, the mother of children gestated or born in Colombia is the woman who carries and gives birth to them,” i.e., not the individual or couple buying the baby.
The introduction of the measure was attended by international activist Olivia Maurel, author of the Spanish-language book “Where Are You, Mom?” who was born via surrogacy. During a forum, Maurel contributed to the debate “her own experience and the perspective of someone born through this procedure.”
“It is crucial that this law be passed at this time, as it will protect Colombia’s most vulnerable women” and “prevent children from being born through this practice and having to suffer the consequences of the surrogacy lobby,” she noted.
“Do this for your country, for your women, and for your children,” said Maurel, spokeswoman for the Casablanca Declaration for the universal abolition of surrogacy.
During the presentation, López Aristizábal stated that the bill has the backing of 15 lawmakers from various parties, such as the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the National Salvation Movement, the Democratic Center, the Historic Pact, and Dignity and Commitment.
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.
Diocese in Ghana restores remaining liturgical practices restricted during COVID-19 pandemic
HO, Ghana — The Diocese of Ho in Ghana has restored the use of holy water, handshakes during the sign of peace, and reception of Communion on the tongue. The diocese has also urged continued vigilance during liturgical celebrations.
In an Aug. 17 statement, Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu said the remaining restrictions introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic had been lifted with immediate effect because health authorities have not issued new cautions.
“Since the onset of COVID-19, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) issued guidelines for public worship indicating some liturgical restrictions. Since 2024, a number of these restrictions have been lifted, but a few remained in force as precautionary measures to curtail the spread of the virus and some other infections,” Fianu said.
He continued: “As at now, we do not have any new cautions from the health authorities, so I believe it is time to lift the remaining restrictions that we observe during our liturgical celebrations.”
During the pandemic, Ghana’s Catholic bishops introduced measures that included limiting attendance at religious gatherings, maintaining physical distance, wearing face masks, observing hand hygiene, and taking precautions during the administration of the sacraments.
The measures applied to baptisms, confessions, marriages, funerals, and ordinations.
Under the latest directive, holy water may again be placed in receptacles at church entrances for the people of God to use when making the sign of the cross. They may also shake hands during the sign of peace.
The bishop, however, discouraged the moving around the church to exchange greetings. “As a symbolic act, it is enough to shake hands with those around us,” he said.
His directive also allows the faithful to receive Communion on the tongue.
Fianu went on to caution priests administering the Eucharist to avoid contact with communicants’ saliva and encouraged continued reception of Communion in the hand.
“We should encourage the faithful to receive holy Communion in the hand,” he said.
For concelebrated Masses, the bishop recommended providing additional chalices for hygienic and health reasons.
“We still recommend that extra chalices must be provided so that concelebrating priests can communicate by intinction. The main chalice should be used only by the main/principal celebrant, who should also make sure he purifies it after use,” he said.
Fianu also directed that all concelebrating priests join the entrance procession, adding: “Priests who arrive after the entrance procession are not allowed to concelebrate the Mass.”
Despite the lifting of remaining restrictions, the bishop urged the clergy, women and men religious, and the laity to maintain appropriate hygiene and take precautions whenever necessary.
“Despite the lifting of the restrictions, I urge all priests and faithful to remain vigilant and use their sanitizers whenever they are in doubt. We should all put our health first,” Fianu said in his Aug. 17 message.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
Catholic bishops in India reject ‘Christian conspiracy’ claim over funds bill
The Catholic Church in India has rejected allegations of a “Christian conspiracy” behind the stalling of legislation to tighten controls on foreign donations after the government postponed the bill a second time and referred it to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) following protests by churches and opposition parties.
Sections of India’s mainstream and social media have alleged that the Church orchestrated opposition to the measure and that the United States pressed the Indian government on the Church’s behalf.
“We do not indulge in any conspiracy. We put our concerns across to our government and it decided to refer the FCRA Bill [the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act] to the JPC,” Father Mathew Koyickal, deputy secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, told EWTN News on Aug. 20.
The conference is the umbrella body for Catholics of the Latin, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara Churches in India.
The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act has governed foreign donations in India since 1976. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which tracks how domestic groups, trusts, and charities receive and use money from abroad.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government amended the act in 2020 and has tightened FCRA rules several times since coming to power in 2014, curbing the flow of funds to Christian and advocacy groups. Critics say the tightening advances a Hindu nationalist agenda. Fewer than 15,000 of some 52,000 FCRA accounts are now active, according to the government’s FCRA online dashboard.
The roughly 37,000 licenses canceled or not renewed include those of Church charities and Christian social action groups, along with Indian and international advocacy networks such as Amnesty International, Bread for the World, Compassion International, and Greenpeace.
In March, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a harsher amendment to the FCRA and listed it to be passed in Parliament on April 1. Opposition protests inside Parliament and public opposition — including from the Catholic Church — forced the government to delay the bill to the monsoon session.
Ahead of that session, the government notified new rules on June 22 requiring groups that receive foreign funds to specify their activities by category and geographical area, to disclose social media accounts, websites, and publications, and to pay a separate fee for each category and each area in which they operate. Political content is barred, and the rules set high penalties for each infringement.
With protests spreading to more areas, including Christian-majority states such as Mizoram, and with opposition parties accusing the government of choking civil society groups and the churches under a Hindu nationalist agenda, the government put the bill on hold on Aug. 5 and referred it a week later to a 31-member joint parliamentary committee that includes opposition members. The committee will scrutinize the bill and report to Parliament during the winter session.
‘Join the dots’
Amid steady news coverage of the FCRA amendment, Republic TV — known for speaking up for the BJP government — devoted a segment on Aug. 19 to what it called the link between the bill and the student protests.
“Why is FCRA being linked to the CJP [Cockroach Janta Party] protest? And is there actually a connection?” the anchor asked. “The issue gained traction after the Catholic priest was seen marching with the CJP in New Delhi. This is amid the U.S. also warning that the new FCRA bill could damage the India-America relationship.”
The report, presented by the channel’s editor Niranjan Narayanswamy, put the question directly: “Are you wondering what does the church have to do with the Jantar Mantar protest? It’s about students, but why is the church being a part of it? Why are Americans taking an interest in the protest?”
It went on to allege that foreign money routed through Christian organizations had reached Maoist-affected areas such as Chhattisgarh, where it was “being used by church bodies to convert and to push people into becoming Maoists,” and described the funding as part of a push into India by “the American deep state,” including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The segment closed: “Join the dots and watch this space.”
The protests it referred to were mounted under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical youth movement that grew out of anger over repeated leaks of national entrance examinations, including the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, the fiercely competitive national examination for admission to medical courses. Weeks of demonstrations, centered on Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and marked by baton charges and tear gas, ended after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25.
“Vested interests are behind floating baseless conspiracy theories, [as they are] embarrassed by government going soft on FCRA amendment. We challenge them to prove such wild claims,” Koyickal said.
Jesuit Father John Chathanatt, former principal of the Jesuit theologate Vidyajyoti in New Delhi, told EWTN News: “We are not surprised with such wild conspiracy theories being spread whenever the BJP government narrative fails. Since it could not pass the FCRA bill, the blame is being put on church.”
“They even found a hook to peg the Vatican conspiracy theory linking it to a Jesuit from Kerala working at the Rome Generate,” Chathanatt said.
The Kerala allegation
Hindu nationalist outfits alleged that the CJP protest was part of a Vatican conspiracy led by a Kerala priest. The allegation was made by K.S. Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and former vice chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kalady, who had long been described as a friend of the Catholic Church and who is now state vice president of the BJP in Kerala.
The claim, which went viral on social media in southern Kerala and drew furious rebuttals from Catholics, named Jesuit Father George Mutholil — former Jesuit provincial of Kerala and, since 2019, the Society of Jesus’ regional assistant for South Asia and a general counsellor to the superior general in Rome — as the organizer of the CJP protest.
Mutholil told EWTN News that the claim was “built on a single unverified podcast quote and gets basic facts wrong.” He added: “This is the familiar move: when there’s anger to redirect, blame the minority.”
The American strand
American interest in the bill is a matter of record. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, wrote in May that the amendment would disproportionately affect Christian charities and churches and could “do lasting damage to the relations between our two countries,” and he urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to raise it during his visit to India.
Rubio began that visit on May 23 in Kolkata, at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, before traveling on for talks in New Delhi. In early August, Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, called the amendments a “clear attack against Christians” and warned they could affect relations between the two countries. Sujeet Kumar, a BJP member of Parliament, wrote to Moore on Aug. 10 rejecting the claim that the bill would enable a government takeover of churches.
Church officials in India say none of this was done at their instance. Savio Rodrigues, a Goa-based journalist and BJP member who founded the news portal Goa Chronicle, has advanced a broader claim in an online video, suggesting that U.S. President Donald Trump was trying to “topple Modi” through the FCRA with the Church’s support.
“I watched this crazy video. I don’t think there is an ounce of truth in his accusations that the Roman Catholic Church has an agenda to dethrone Mr. Modi or his government,” Cyril Fernandes, president of the Catholic Association of Goa, told EWTN News.
“The CJP [protest] too has nothing to do with the FCRA demands. The whole interview appears stage-managed to change the narrative for which the central government machinery is famous,” Fernandes said.
Lourdes bishop says shrine will cover all Rupnik mosaics ahead of pope’s visit to France
The bishop who oversees the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France has said the popular Catholic pilgrimage site will cover all of its mosaics by disgraced priest Father Marko Rupnik ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit next month.
Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes told the French daily La Dépêche du Midi on Aug. 20 that “all of the works on the façade” of the Basilica of the Rosary will be covered and redecorated out of respect for abuse victims. He also said they will remain covered going forward.
EWTN News confirmed the report with the press office of the shrine. Details about how the mosaics are to be covered and when were not yet available.
Micas’ decision to cover the mosaics comes just over a month before Pope Leo’s scheduled visit to France, which will include a stop at the popular Marian apparition site in Lourdes from Sept. 26–27.
The visibility of the mosaics by Rupnik, an accused sexual abuser currently undergoing a Vatican trial, risked becoming the literal backdrop of Leo’s rosary procession and other events at Lourdes.
The topic of sexual abuse and care for victims is still likely to come up in the pope’s meeting with French bishops on Sept. 27, though the pontiff is not expected to address the status of Rupnik’s case.
The Vatican has also said Leo will meet privately with victims of abuse sometime during his France trip, but no other details have been shared.
Covering all of Rupnik’s mosaics is the Lourdes bishop’s most dramatic step yet with regard to the artworks by the priest-artist. The mosaics were added to the neo-Gothic facade of the lower Lourdes basilica at the end of 2007.
Rupnik, who has been accused of spiritual, psychological, and sexual abuse of religious sisters, was removed from the Jesuits in June 2023 and is currently facing a canonical trial at the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith over the allegations he abused dozens of women religious, including some within the context of the creation of his art.
Micas formed a commission in May 2023 to discuss the future of the Rupnik mosaics. Since July 2024, the art has no longer been lit up at night or during candlelight processions.
For the Jubilee of Hope in 2025, the central doors of the lower basilica, which also feature Rupnik’s artwork, were covered, though the largest mosaics, depicting the luminous mysteries of the rosary, remained visible.
“My role is to ensure that the shrine welcomes everyone, especially those who are suffering,” Micas told La Dépêche du Midi. "Among them are victims of sexual abuse and assault, both children and adults. … Those who are suffering and wounded, who need consolation and healing, must remain the top priority in Lourdes.”
The bishop added that the mosaics “will remain covered after the Holy Father’s pilgrimage, following which a new process of reflection will be launched. The current commission will be expanded — notably to include artists and theologians — in order to consider the future of the basilica’s façade.”
Rupnik’s prolific art career has created a problem for many shrines and Catholic churches across Europe and North America. Rupnik’s workshop was involved in projects for over 200 liturgical spaces around the world, including at Fátima, the Vatican, the John Paul II shrine in Washington, D.C., and the tomb of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio).
The Knights of Columbus in 2024 covered mosaics by Rupnik in the two chapels of the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., and in the chapel at the Knights’ headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut, a dramatic move that represented at the time the strongest public stand by a major Catholic organization regarding the former Jesuit’s embattled art.
Pope Leo meets Lebanese president; security issues at center of talks
Pope Leo XIV met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday morning at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. Their private meeting lasted about half an hour and focused on the main challenges facing Lebanon, particularly the security situation in the south and the implementation of the Trilateral Framework Agreement.
According to the Lebanese Presidency, Aoun renewed his thanks to the pope for his efforts to support Lebanon in addressing its concerns, including ending the Israeli occupation and attacks. He also asked the Holy Father to continue urging Israel to implement the provisions of the Trilateral Framework, an agreement signed between Beirut and Tel Aviv under U.S. auspices on June 26 linking phased Israeli withdrawals to Lebanon disarming the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah.
Aoun also asked for the pope’s support to immediately halt attacks on villages, infrastructure, and civilians in southern Lebanon, as well as withdraw from the areas it occupies.
The Lebanese president presented the Holy Father with a wooden reliquary depicting the face of Patriarch Elias Hoyek alongside a cedar tree. Hoyek was beatified in July at the Maronite Patriarchate’s summer residence in Diman, northern Lebanon. He is considered one of the most prominent figures in the establishment of the modern Lebanese state.
Previous Pope Leo-Aoun meetings
Aoun has met with Pope Leo XIV several times prior to the Aug. 20 audience. He attended the pope’s inauguration Mass in May 2025, held a private Vatican audience with him in June 2025, and met him again during the pope’s historic visit to Lebanon in late November and early December 2025.
Today’s audience with the pope comes at a critical moment for the Land of Cedars, following several rounds of direct negotiations between the Lebanese and Israeli governments in Washington, D.C., and Rome. These talks were initiated after Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon and issued a fervent call for peace in the country. The negotiations have addressed key issues including a ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal, border arrangements, prisoners, and the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Restricting the decision of war and peace
Aoun also met on Thursday with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
According to the Vatican, their discussions focused primarily on the Trilateral Agreement. The Holy See welcomed the signing of the agreement while expressing deep concern over the difficulties surrounding its implementation and reaffirming its support for efforts to advance the process.
The Lebanese president outlined the political, economic, and living conditions his country has experienced in recent years and called for continued Vatican diplomatic efforts at international forums to support the countryʼs demands. He stressed that these efforts must be accompanied by extending the authority of the Lebanese state over its entire territory and placing the decision of war and peace solely in its hands.
Deteriorated security situation in southern Lebanon
The security situation in southern Lebanon has deteriorated sharply in recent days. With Hezbollah having rejected the U.S.-brokered framework agreement and active fighting against Israel continuing, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health reported that Israeli airstrikes killed 11 people and wounded 19 others on Aug. 15 in one of the deadliest incidents since a truce reached between the fighting parts last June.
Additionally, the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon reported a marked increase in military activity across southern Lebanon, recording an average of 137 projectiles per day between Aug. 5 and 16.
Despite these challenges, Aoun continues to pursue a diplomatic path toward peace, seeking Vatican and international support. On Friday he is expected to discuss Italyʼs potential involvement in international verification arrangements for southern Lebanon, a crucial component of the security framework designed to ensure Hezbollahʼs disarmament. His meeting with Italian leadership will take place on the sidelines of his participation in the opening ceremony of the Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games, a major sporting event hosted in Italy.
Pope Leo XIV: To heal the wounds of war, our hearts must return to God
In a message published ahead of the 11th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Sept. 1, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need for interior conversion to heal the suffering caused by wars.
“The wounds of war and the degradation of the earth … are profoundly linked to the condition of the human heart,” Leo said in his message published on Aug. 20.
“When the heart is distorted, relationships suffer, and the structures we build begin to reflect that disorder,” he added.
Pope Francis established the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in 2015 as an ecumenical initiative to encourage Christians to pray for the protection of creation.
Leo chose the theme for this year to be "They Shall Beat Their Swords Into Plowshares and Their Spears Into Pruning Hooks,” drawn from Isaiah 2:4.
Healing requires conversion
Leo explained in his message that war’s consequences extend far beyond the loss of human life.
“War leaves wounds that extend far beyond the battlefield. It claims lives, tears families apart and forces millions to flee their homes, thereby deepening fear, injustice and division,” Leo said.
The pope then said that healing after the devastation of war requires a conversion of heart and renewed fidelity to God.
“In fact, the human heart is the place where the deepest struggles unfold and our fallen condition reveals itself.”
“The prophetic call to ‘beat swords into plowshares’ is therefore not only a vision for nations, but a call to each person. It invites us to transform harm into life. Yet this transformation cannot be achieved through external change alone. It requires, through cooperating with God’s grace, a deeper personal and collective conversion — a returning to God, who will reorder our desires, heal our wounds and help us grow in virtue,” Leo said.
In July 2025, Pope Leo approved new Mass prayers to support the Church’s appreciation for God’s creation. The “Mass for the Care of Creation” was inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’.