Finnish court finds Christian parliamentarian guilty of ‘hate speech’
The Finnish Supreme Court has convicted parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen on one charge related to her expression of her Christian beliefs on marriage and sexual ethics.
In the 3-2 decision, the court said Räsänen’s criminal conviction over the distribution of a 2004 pamphlet alongside her Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola was for “making and keeping available to the public a text that insults a group” under a section of the Finnish criminal code titled “War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.”
“I am shocked and profoundly disappointed that the court has failed to recognize my basic human right to freedom of expression,” Räsänen said in a March 26 press release from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International. “I stand by the teachings of my Christian faith, and will continue to defend my and every person’s right to share their convictions in the public square.”
The court acquitted Räsänen of charges related to the 2019 Bible verse tweet that sparked the parliamentarian’s legal battle.
In it, she quoted Romans 1:24–27 and questioned how the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland could sponsor an LGBT Pride event, asking how what Scripture calls “shame and sin” could be presented as “a matter of pride.”
Räsänen said she is looking into appealing her case to the European Court of Human Rights.
“This is not about my free speech alone but that of every person in Finland. A positive ruling would help to prevent other innocent people from experiencing the same ordeal for simply sharing their beliefs,” she said in a statement.
The latest decision comes after Räsänen was previously acquitted on all charges by two lower courts in early 2022 and 2023 over the tweet, pamphlet, and a 2019 radio debate.
The Supreme Court heard Räsänen’s case again in October 2025 following a third appeal by the prosecution regarding the tweet and pamphlet, delivering its latest decision on March 26. The prosecution did not appeal the radio debate.
Social media reactions
ADF Senior Legal Counsel Sean Nelson described the Finnish Court’s decision as “Truly Year Zero, Orwellian thinking” in a March 26 social media post.
“I can’t express how enraging and unjust this decision is,” he said. “No one ever filed a complaint about her pamphlet written 20 years ago. The prosecutors only found out because of a witch hunt after her Bible tweet, dredging anything they could up.”
Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, reacted to the news on social media, describing the conviction as “part of a broader trend I’ve been warning about where Western countries are prosecuting Christians.”
“As a Christian country, the U.S. cannot stand idly by and watch as the Christian foundations of the West are destroyed,” he said.
Father Benedict Kiely, founder of Nazarean.org, also weighed in on the decision, writing that Räsänen “is the canary in the coal mine for freedom of expression and religious freedom in Europe.”
“And now the canary — and the Bible — have been found guilty,” he said.
EWTN remembers Mother Angelica, 10 years after her death
The EWTN Global Catholic Network will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of its foundress, Mother Angelica, with a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on March 27.
According to a press release, the memorial Mass will be celebrated by Father Michael Baggot, LC, at the basilica’s Choir Altar at 11 a.m. ET, marking a decade since the death of the Poor Clare nun who founded what would become the world’s largest Catholic media network.
“Mother Angelica loved the beauty and grandeur of St. Peter’s Basilica and wanted only the best for her beloved Jesus Christ,” said Michael P. Warsaw, EWTN chair and CEO. “It’s fitting that we honor her memory and commitment to sharing truth, beauty, and goodness with the world at the place that points all people toward the transcendent.”
Special programming
In addition to the Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, EWTN is marking the anniversary with special programming throughout the day, including “Remembering Mother Angelica, 10 Years Later.” Coverage will consist of events from the EWTN chapel, including:
- Mass in remembrance of Mother Angelica from the EWTN chapel at 8 a.m. ET
- Holy rosary in memoriam of Mother Angelica’s passing from the EWTN chapel at 9 a.m. ET
- Stations of the Cross for Mother Angelica from the EWTN chapel at 3 p.m. ET
The network will air these events across its television and digital platforms, including its YouTube channel, the EWTN+ streaming platform, and live and on demand at www.ewtn.com, making the commemorations of Mother Angelica’s life and legacy accessible to viewers worldwide.
Mother Angelica
Born Rita Antoinette Rizzo in 1923, Mother Angelica entered religious life in Ohio as Sister Mary Angelica of the Annunciation and later founded a monastery of Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Our Lady of the Angels in Irondale, Alabama. From there, she launched the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) in 1981, beginning with a small television studio built in the monastery’s garage.
What began as a small local broadcasting effort developed into a global Catholic media network spanning across television, radio, publishing, print, and digital platforms.
EWTN now operates 11 television channels broadcasting 24 hours a day in multiple languages, reaching audiences in more than 160 countries and territories. Its content is also distributed through hundreds of AM and FM radio affiliates worldwide, satellite radio services, and a range of digital platforms, including one of the most widely visited Catholic websites in the United States.
Warsaw said the nun’s legacy continues to resonate across those platforms and with new generations of viewers.
“While we all still miss her every day, her deep love of Our Lord resonates in the walls of the studios in Irondale still, as much as her laugh on YouTube, social media, and the new EWTN platforms inspire new audiences that encounter her story and advice,” he said.
Mother Angelica died on March 27, 2016 — Easter Sunday — at the age of 92 after long suffering the aftereffects of a stroke. Her funeral was held at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama, drawing thousands of mourners.
Her life was marked by a combination of contemplative religious devotion and entrepreneurial initiative. In the early years of her community, Mother Angelica and her fellow sisters supported their work of evangelization through small fundraising efforts, including selling fishing lures and roasted peanuts, before expanding into media production.
EWTN’s founding in the early days of satellite television made it a pioneer in religious broadcasting in the United States. Over four decades, the network expanded its global footprint and established EWTN News, a multilingual news service, alongside its television and radio programming.
Kathryn Jean Lopez, religion editor at National Review, described Mother Angelica as a “joy and inspiration — a gift to the United States and the world over.”
“I was blessed and honored to be at her funeral Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama,” she said. “The Eucharist was her reason for living — holding on for so long in reparation for her sins and the sins of the whole world.”
International Olympic Committee: Only ‘biological women’ allowed to compete in women’s category
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced a new policy to protect women in sports, under which only “biological women” — and not “biological men” who self-identify as women — will be permitted to compete in the women’s category.
The new policy, announced on March 26, will take effect starting with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and, according to the organization’s website, “will not be retroactive.”
Kirsty Coventry, an IOC member and two-time Olympic swimming champion, stated in a video that she is “aware that this is a very sensitive issue” and that, as a former athlete, she “firmly believes in the right of all Olympic athletes to participate in fair competition.”
Coventry emphasized that “the policy we have announced is based on science and has been developed by medical experts, taking into account — above all — the interests of the athletes.”
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“The scientific evidence is very clear. Male chromosomes provide performance advantages in sports that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she underscored.
“At the Olympic Games, even the slightest differences can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Therefore, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the women’s category. Furthermore, in some sports, it simply would not be safe,” the IOC member said.
Testing of athletes
The IOC further indicated that Olympic athletes will be tested to detect the presence or absence of the SRY gene, which demonstrates that an athlete has undergone male sexual development — something that can be verified using a saliva or blood sample.
Those who test negative on this test, the IOC emphasizes, “permanently meet the eligibility criteria of this policy to compete in the female category.”
“Unless there are grounds to believe that a negative result is erroneous, this test will be performed only once in a lifetime,” it adds.
No athlete who tests positive will be permitted to participate in the female category, with the “rare exceptions” of those holding a “diagnosis of Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS) or other rare differences/disorders of sex development (DSD) who do not benefit from the anabolic and/or performance-enhancing effects of testosterone.”
Those who test positive — “including androgen-sensitive XY transgender and XY-DSD athletes” — may participate in the categories for which they qualify, the IOC clarifies, pointing to male or mixed categories, “or in sports and events that do not classify athletes by sex.”
This policy, the IOC explains, was guided by its objectives “regarding equality (equal opportunities for female athletes in finals, on podiums, and in championships); enhancing Olympic value (including both women’s and men’s finals in all sports); and visibility and inspiration (celebrating female athletes on the Olympic podium to inspire and represent women and girls worldwide).”
How was this new policy developed?
The new policy is the result of an IOC review — conducted between September 2024 and March 2026 — of the IOC’s policy objectives concerning the women’s category. Within this framework, a working group was established in September 2025 to “specifically examine scientific, medical, and legal advancements made since 2021.”
The members of the working group hail from five continents and include “specialists in sports science, endocrinology, transgender medicine, sports medicine, women’s health, ethics, and law.”
Olympic athletes also participated through more than 1,100 survey responses, in-depth individual interviews with “affected athletes from around the world,” and a presentation and discussion with members of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.
The results of the consultation revealed that “while there are nuances depending on sex, gender, region, and the athlete’s status (active or retired), there was a strong consensus that fairness and safety in the women’s category require clear, science-based eligibility rules, and that protecting the women’s category is a shared priority.”
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.
Military archdiocese approves changing chaplain insignia to reflect faith role
The Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, expressed its approval of a plan for military chaplains to display insignia on their uniforms that reflects their religious faith as opposed to their military rank.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on March 24 that he will sign a memo that directs military chaplains, all of whom are officers, “to replace the rank insignia on their uniforms with their religious insignia.” Chaplains will retain their rank, but it will not be shown.
“This speaks to the difficult balance of the duality of a military chaplain,” Hegseth said in his announcement, posted on X.
“A chaplain is first and foremost a chaplain and an officer second,” he said. “This change is a visual representation of that fact specifically unique to the role of a chaplain. They are first and foremost called and ordained by God, and while they will retain rank as an officer to those they serve, their rank will not be visible.”
Following the announcement, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services told EWTN News that the archdiocese “favors facilitating authentic pastoral care to those for whom it is responsible.”
“If the decision to eliminate the rank insignia for chaplains so as to favor the insignia indicating religious affiliation contributes to making chaplains more approachable, the archdiocese favors it,” he said. “More importantly, the chaplain serves as a reminder of the holy and the dignity of the human person and leads worship. Any other question is secondary to those purposes.”
In his announcement, Hegseth said the intention is “to uplift and celebrate the chaplain’s role as a chaplain.” He said the change would also remove “any unease or anxiety” a military member may feel about approaching a chaplain with a higher rank, who may be a senior officer, “for guidance on sensitive matters such as addiction, relationships, or struggles with faith.”
“Instead, they will be seen among the highest ranks because of their divine calling,” Hegseth said.
“Theirs is a high and sacred calling, but they can only be successful if they’re given the freedom to boldly guide and care for their flock,” he added. “And to our chaplains, you have a sacred calling. So preach the truth, be steadfast in your faith, and shepherd the flock entrusted to you.”
The shift is still in its early stages and it remains unclear what role the specific denominations will have in creating the insignia, or whether or how separate religious denominations will be identified on the insignia.
EWTN News reached out to the Department of Defense to ask how it will manage situations in which chaplains are in conflict zones or overseas bases where displaying certain religious faiths could make them a target but was referred back to the video announcement.
In January, Broglio praised Hegseth for other steps to strengthen the chaplain corps, such as the elimination of the official spiritual fitness guide, which both the archbishop and the defense secretary believed downplayed the religious role of chaplains. The archbishop said Hegseth is trying to emphasize the chaplaincy’s responsibility for religious services, religious instruction, and advising the commanders.
Alternatively, Broglio has objected to a few of President Donald Trump’s military decisions, such as when the military struck alleged drug boats near Venezuela and then killed the survivors. Broglio said in December 2025 that intentionally killing survivors that pose no imminent threat is “illegal and immoral.”
The archbishop has also said chaplains should advise decision-makers in the military on the importance of adhering to just war doctrine.
The Church in Spain on euthanasia of 25-year-old: A societal defeat
Bishops and other members of the Catholic Church in Spain called for prayers and offered reflections in light of the euthanasia of 25-year-old Noelia Castillo Ramos following a two-year legal battle by her family to try to obtain treatment for her psychiatric issues rather than having her death induced.
Since it became known that Castillo was scheduled to undergo euthanasia on March 26 at 6 p.m. local time, the Catholic Church in Spain expressed its views on the case in various ways. Prayer vigils were held outside the hospital where she was injected with a lethal cocktail of drugs.
In a statement, members of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference’s Subcommittee for the Family and Defense of Life expressed that they view “with deep sorrow the situation of Noelia — this 25-year-old young woman whose story reflects an accumulation of personal suffering and institutional failings that challenge the whole of society.”
Her situation, the prelates added, “cannot be interpreted solely through the lens of individual autonomy; rather, it demands a deeper perspective — one capable of recognizing the weight of psychological suffering, loneliness, and hopelessness.”
The Spanish bishops underscored that “euthanasia and assisted suicide are not medical acts but rather a deliberate rupture of the bond of care; furthermore, they constitute a societal defeat when presented as a response to human suffering.”
In Castillo’s specific case, “we are not dealing with a terminal illness but rather with deep wounds that cry out for attention, treatment, and hope,” they added.
Secondly, the prelates recalled that “the dignity of the human person does not depend on their state of health, nor on their subjective perception of life, nor on their degree of autonomy” but rather is “an intrinsic value that demands to be recognized, protected, and promoted under all circumstances.”
Consequently, the response to suffering “cannot be to bring about death but rather to offer closeness, accompaniment, appropriate care, and comprehensive support.”
The bishops further expressed their closeness to Castillo and her family members, assuring them of their “prayers, affection, and commitment to a culture of care that abandons no one.”
Finally, they issued “an appeal to society as a whole to strengthen resources for psychological care, human accompaniment, and support networks — especially for the most vulnerable.”
“When life hurts, the answer cannot be to cut the journey short but rather to walk it together. Only in this way can we build a truly just society, where no one feels alone or cast aside,” they concluded.
Archbishop Argüello: ‘Your true relief is not suicide’
The president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Luis Argüello, stated via his personal account on X that “if induced death is the solution to problems, then everything is permitted.”
“A physician cannot serve as the executing arm of a death sentence, no matter how legal, empowering, or compassionate it may appear. Let us pray for Noelia; her suffering is harrowing, but her true relief lies not in suicide,” he emphasized.
Through their account on the same social network, the country’s Catholic bishops summarized the case by noting: “Today in Spain, death is presented as the solution to suffering — an infinite dignity consigned to death by a ‘welfare society’ incapable of caring and loving. In contrast to this stands the hope that springs from an encounter with life.”
Meanwhile, Bishop José Ignacio Munilla of Orihuela-Alicante shared three reflections “in the face of Noelia’s euthanasia, which has been turned into a spectacle,” to which he added a prayer.
The prelate noted that “when the law sanctions the taking of a life, something essential within the law has been broken” and offered another consideration he deems fundamental: “While the matter is being debated on social media, Jesus Christ draws near to everyone and offers his mercy... It is our duty to embrace it and to pray that it may be embraced by others.”
Consequently, he invited the faithful to join in a prayer asking for the Lord’s merciful gaze upon Castillo, her parents, the politicians and social workers involved, the judges who ruled in favor of her death, and the health care professionals involved in carrying it out.
He also prayed for those who “wounded this young woman’s heart throughout her life — especially those who raped her”; for the media outlets “that view this news story as an opportunity to boost their ratings”; and, finally, for “all of us, who run the risk of becoming frivolous spectators, forgetting that we, too, will soon stand before you.”
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.
Over parents’ objections, 25-year-old woman euthanized in Spain
The administration of euthanasia for 25-year-old Noelia Castillo Ramos took place in Spain on March 26 — an event occurring after she faced immense life challenges since childhood and following nearly two years of a legal battle waged by her parents to preserve her life.
According to Spanish law, to request euthanasia, an individual must be of legal age and be both mentally capable and fully conscious at the time of the request; they must also hold Spanish citizenship or have maintained legal residency for more than 12 months and “be suffering from a serious and incurable disease or a serious, chronic, and disabling condition, as certified by the attending physician.”
On March 24 it was reported that the European Court of Human Rights rejected the interim measures requested by Castillo’s family to halt her euthanasia, bringing an end to a legal battle spanning nearly two years.
The following day, an interview with Castillo aired on the Spanish television network Antena 3 in which she described how she feels: “I have no desire to do anything — not to go out, not to eat, not to do anything at all. ... Sleeping is very difficult for me; furthermore, I suffer from back pain as well as leg pain.”
“I have always felt alone, because I have never felt understood; no one has ever empathized with me, and I have always struggled with interpersonal relationships,” she recounted.
“Even before requesting euthanasia, I viewed my world as very dark; I saw a very dark ending ahead of me. I had no goals, no objectives — nothing at all — and I still have no goals, no objectives,” she acknowledged.
Life challenges
Castillo’s life has been full of many challenges. While under the guardianship of public services following her parents’ separation, she was subjected to multiple sexual assaults.
According to Abogados Cristianos (Christian Lawyers) — the organization representing Castillo’s father in his efforts to prevent his daughter’s euthanasia— at that time, the young woman had been officially recognized as having a 67% disability due to mental illness.
In October 2022, she attempted suicide by throwing herself from a balcony, sustaining injuries that left her in a wheelchair; this increased her disability rating to 74% — a fact that, according to the Christian Lawyers organization, “demonstrates that the underlying issue is psychiatric.”
“This is key: The Constitutional Court itself (Ruling STC 94/2023) makes it clear that euthanasia cannot be administered when the source of suffering is a mental illness and that the state has an obligation to protect these individuals from the risk of suicide,” Christian Lawyers emphasized to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.
Although reports have circulated claiming she was left paraplegic, Castillo herself refuted this: “I am not bedridden or anything of the sort; I get out of bed. I shower all by myself. As you have seen, I apply my own makeup and manage my own affairs,” she stated.
According to her own testimony, Castillo had been admitted to psychiatric facilities at least twice previously, and during those stays, she made several suicide attempts. She was discharged in June 2023.
In April 2024, she requested euthanasia in accordance with the procedure established by law, and it was approved for August 2024. This marked the beginning of a legal battle waged by her father, supported by the Christian Lawyers organization.
During the proceedings, they succeeded in halting the procedure and securing recognition of the family members’ right to object to the euthanasia request.
Concurrently, Christian Lawyers filed a criminal complaint against the physician and the lawyer who had initially evaluated Castillo’s request in accordance with the protocol.
The organization alleged that, despite agreeing to authorize the euthanasia, the two “feigned disagreement in order to refer the decision to the Guarantees and Evaluation Commission, thereby ‘forcing’ a supposedly higher level of assurance in the decision-making process” — a point noted by the Supreme Court in a ruling.
In September 2025, Christian Lawyers also filed a complaint against seven members of the guarantees commission for conflict of interest as well as against the former Catalan minister of health, Josep María Argimón, for having appointed them.
Subsequently, in January of this year, the Supreme Court upheld the request for euthanasia — a decision that was appealed to the Constitutional Court, which rejected the appeal in February.
The Christian Lawyers organization also took the case to the European Court of Human Rights, which rejected the request for interim measures without ruling on the merits of the case on March 24.
Following this, it was announced that the euthanasia procedure would be carried out on March 26 at 6 p.m. local time. The procedure lasts approximately 15 minutes and involves the use of three chemical substances. Per Castillo’s decision, her parents were not permitted to be present.
‘This case exposes the failure of the euthanasia law’
According to Christian Lawyers, “this case exposes the failure of the euthanasia law. It facilitates suicide without the individual having received prior mental health treatment.”
Consequently, the legal organization emphasized that “it is imperative to establish protocols mandating an attempt at psychological and psychiatric treatment before authorizing euthanasia. Without treatment, there is no free decision; there is abandonment.”
Finally, they hold the health authorities of the Catalan regional government responsible: “Before offering death, they must ensure that they have offered every alternative for life. In cases of mental illness, they should be investing in the most advanced psychiatric treatments and in recovery.”
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.
Meet the pilgrims who will travel across the country with the Eucharist this summer
Nine young adult Catholic perpetual pilgrims will walk with the Eucharist this summer during the National Catholic Eucharistic Pilgrimage spanning more than 2,000 miles.
In celebration of the United States of America’s 250th anniversary, the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage’s theme is “One Nation Under God.” Pilgrims will journey on the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Route to honor the first American citizen to be canonized.
“The real beauty in ‘One Nation Under God’ is the great humility that it takes to truly believe that … there’s nothing more healing than God’s divine mercy and love, which is open and available to all people,” said Zachary Dotson, one of the perpetual pilgrims, during a press conference about the pilgrimage.
“‘One Nation under God’ shows that, like St. Augustine said, ‘We are a people on pilgrimage.’ We are constantly striving for that end goal, which is, of course, full communion with Christ and with the saints,” Dotson said.
The 2026 pilgrimage is set to kick off on May 24 in St. Augustine, Florida, and conclude on July 5 in Philadelphia. The pilgrims will pass through most of the original 13 colonies and 18 dioceses, which will host a number of events also open to the public.
Meet the young pilgrims who will be bringing Christ across the nation this summer:
Zachary Dotson
Dotson lives in Hammond, Indiana, where he is the city’s “Citizen of the Year” due to his dedication to his community. Dotson pivoted from a career in finance to give himself completely to his parish at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
At the parish, Dotson helps his brothers and sisters in need by working at the parish’s soup kitchen. In his free time, Dotson enjoys reading, biking, and spending time with his younger brother.
“I’m excited to be a part of the pilgrimage, and I feel so honored and blessed,” Dotson said. “I’ve really seen the transformation that Christ’s Eucharistic heart has had on my life … So to be able to open one single heart to Christ, and to his divine mercy, and for the love and salvation that he offers us through his bride, the Church, is the greatest honor of a life.”
“Also to reach our brothers and sisters in the peripheral societies, in the prisons, in the jails, the hospices, and the food pantries, in the soup kitchen. I think Christ was really clear in Matthew’s Gospel when he said: ‘Did you visit me?’ Did you give drink to me? Did you clothe me?’ So the opportunity to do that on a national level is again, one of the greatest honors of my life.”
Marcel Ferrer
Marcel Ferrer is from Akron, Ohio, and is a sophomore at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, where he is pursuing a degree in marketing with a double minor in theology and music ministry.
Ferrer grew up Catholic but fell away from the faith when he was young. When he was a junior in high school, Ferrer had a powerful experience with the Lord during Eucharistic adoration, which brought him back to the faith.
Ferrer has a passion for working with youth ministry and helps lead confirmation retreats across the Midwest. He also enjoys playing guitar, going to concerts, and watching movies.
“I’ve come to know that true happiness and joy cannot be attained in this life without Jesus. I want everyone to experience that joy in the Eucharist,” Ferrer said in a statement shared with EWTN News.
“During this mission, I hope to love well and value the person in front of me as a tabernacle. I want to tell stories of God’s mercy and love in order to turn hearts to his loving care,” he said.
John Paul Flynn
John Paul Flynn is from Maryland and is a sophomore at The Catholic University of America, where he is studying business. He is one of 15 siblings and grew up Catholic but has especially grown in his faith in recent years through mission activities.
Flynn will be serving as the media missionary for the pilgrimage and is looking forward to being able to capture the beauty of the Eucharist in his role as the photographer and videographer of the team.
“I decided to become a pilgrim because of the unique mission that is given to us to share the Eucharist with all those around us,” Flynn said. “Being the media missionary is especially important to me, as I get to reach a broad audience in a new way through media. The beauty that I have found in the Eucharist drives me to share it with anyone I can.”
Eduardo Gutierrez
Eduardo Gutierrez was born and raised in Southern California and moved to Phoenix to attend Grand Canyon University (GCU), where he majored in accounting. Gutierrez works at a local tax firm and serves in youth and college ministry.
“I am serving as a Perpetual Pilgrim to be able to share the most beautiful thing on earth: the love, joy, and peace that can only come from the Eucharist,” Gutierrez said.
As a cradle Catholic, Gutierrez would occasionally go to church growing up, but at GCU he experienced a renewal of faith, leading to his confirmation during Easter 2022.
“Through the witness of the pilgrimage, I hope that people come to the Lord in all that they do. I hope they see that they are beloved sons and daughters, and that their eternal Father knows them personally by name,” he said.
Cheyenne Johnson
Cheyenne Johnson, who serves as a missionary, is originally from Florida and calls Indiana home. She graduated from Butler University, where she studied music, elementary education, and Chinese.
“I have witnessed the fruits of the pilgrimage with my own eyes and look forward to the ways Our Lord will continue to work this summer,” she said.
Johnson was a pilgrim on the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and will be returning as the team lead for this year. As a convert to the Catholic faith, she said she understands the power of encountering Jesus in the Eucharist and its ability to bring people to the faith.
“Being a pilgrim on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage in 2025 was one of the greatest gifts of my life,” Johnson said. “I was blessed to witness the faith and conversion of so many people throughout our country, as well as the transformation of my own heart.”
“This summer, returning as the team lead, I desire to continue bringing Christ to others, while traveling with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and leading my brothers and sisters into deeper relationship with Christ,” she said.
Angelina Marconi
Angelina Marconi is from Marion, Arkansas, and lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where she works as a college athletic trainer.
“When I was in high school, I had a personal encounter with the Lord during adoration at a diocesan retreat. From that moment on, I’ve held the truth that I can rely on Jesus in the Eucharist,” Marconi said.
Marconi’s faith led her to participate with FIERCE Athlete and the FIERCE Coach ministry, an organization empowering female athletes to thrive in their God-given identity. When she’s not working, Marconi likes to cook, spend time with friends and family, and participate in her local Catholic young adult community.
As a pilgrim, Marconi said she wants “to share that no matter the circumstance, Jesus will meet us in the Eucharist and transform our hearts through the struggles and joys in our lives.”
Raymond Martinez II
Raymond Martinez II grew up in Midland, Texas, and is a seminarian for the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas. He attends Conception Seminary College in Missouri.
“I am serving as a Perpetual Pilgrim because I want every person to recognize that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist: body, blood, soul, and divinity,” Martinez said. “As I journey with our Eucharistic Lord across the country, I hope to help others grow in their love for the Eucharist through a transformative encounter with him.”
In his spare time, Martinez enjoys reading, swimming, and making pilgrimages to various shrines and churches. Since he was young, Martinez has had a deep love for Christ in the Eucharist and has always desired to share his love of Christ with others.
Martinez shared that he has a lot of intentions that have been entrusted to his friends, family, and community.
“I regard all of them as special,” he said. “Each and every one of the intentions that I’ll be carrying with me, that I’ll be bringing with me to the pilgrimage, is each unique and is coming from a place of desire for growth with the Lord…every prayer intention that I’m going to bring with me is going to be special in its own way.”
Sharon Phillips
Sharon Phillips, from northern California, has a love for finding God in all things, often spending her time exploring new restaurants, learning more about her faith and the human experience, and enjoying daily activity outdoors.
After attending Franciscan University, Phillips moved to Washington to serve as a high school youth minister in the Archdiocese of Seattle. There, she built a program founded on Eucharistic discipleship.
“Jesus shows us his heart in that he gives entirely of himself, not just on the cross, but every time we meet him in the Eucharist,” Phillips said. “I’ve found this pilgrimage to be an invitation to root myself in his presence and, as a perpetual pilgrim, to be a part of bringing him to encounter every person and intention that joins in this pilgrimage.”
Phillips, who enjoys songwriting and worship leading, will provide music for different processions and events along the route.
“Especially with this pilgrimage … serving the universal Church, I think it’s so beautiful that we can take the same approach with our music and really our prayer as well,” she said. “So we will have … opportunities for contemporary praise music, as well as traditional hymns.”
Mary Carmen Zakrajsek
Mary Carmen Zakrajsek, from Carmel, Indiana, is a graduate of Marian University. She worked in the pro-life movement for Students for Life of America and then for a women’s care center. She also has spent time volunteering as a mentor for Catholic high schoolers.
Last year she moved to South Bend, Indiana, to serve as a director of youth faith formation. She also loves to play guitar, rap about God, and bake sourdough bread.
“With so much hurt, suffering, and confusion in our culture, God can be seen as distant from our daily lives. But we know that our God is not distant,” Zakrajsek said. “In the Eucharist, he is so close that we can touch him. By serving as a Perpetual Pilgrim, I hope that my witness will help others come into contact with this life-giving touch of the healer,” she said.
Zakrajsek said she is looking forward to walking alongside Jesus and following him like the early apostles.
“I think that it’s really a chance to remind us of our identity, and it’s an invitation to realign ourselves under him, under his sovereignty. And so individually, and as part of a community, and as a country … I know he wants to bring about renewal and healing, and that’s going to come when we recognize our deepest identity comes from him.”
Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty partners with Catholic Relief Services
Catholic Relief Services has joined a coalition dedicated to using sustainable means to eradicate hunger and poverty around the world.
“CRS is delighted to join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty,” said Sean Callahan, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) president and CEO, in a press release. “Ending hunger and poverty requires more than goodwill. It requires a sustained commitment to strengthening the systems that shape opportunity.”
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty has over 200 members from more than 100 countries and about 20 international organizations. It was founded in 2024 at the behest of the Brazilian presidency of the G20 to combat poverty and reduce inequalities.
Members join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty through one of the organization’s three pillars: national, financial support, and knowledge. CRS joins the alliance under its knowledge pillar, according to the release, and will focus its efforts toward advancing social equality and inclusion, civic engagement and justice, care for creation, and local leadership.
“Durable change happens when we pair global solidarity with local leadership,” Callahan said. “CRS believes that the best way to ensure long-lasting change, especially change that can spread and be sustainable, is built through lifting up our local partners and helping them grow.”
“We are committed to the Catholic social teaching principle of subsidiarity and believe that joining the Global Alliance will help us spread that principle farther,” he said.
According to the release, CRS plans to share its experience with the alliance of aiding local communities around the world, “from building resilience with climate-smart agriculture to helping mothers and children access and eat nutritious foods and strengthening local government.”
In Central America and southern Mexico, the release noted, CRS collaborated with local governments and partners to boost agricultural development and water management, mobilizing “more than $150 million to scale regenerative agriculture,” increasing yields by more than 40%.
“We have had tremendous success helping our local partners become stronger,” Callahan said. “When local governments and organizations are more capable, their communities become stronger, and their people live better.”
Synod on Synodality proposes a Church ‘Observatory on Disability’
The final report of the Synod on Synodality study group dedicated to the poor and the earth raises the need to create an observatory on disability and to include theologians from poor regions in consultative and governing bodies.
The text — published March 24 — emphasizes that listening to “the cry of the poor and of the earth” is not a pastoral option but a constitutive act of faith in the mission of the Church. It identifies already existing tools such as parishes, base communities, movements, charitable organizations, and ecumenical and international networks.
However, it states that social ministry cannot be delegated only to these structures, since all Christians have the responsibility to listen and respond to the needs of the poor.
The report — which is not binding and will now be reviewed by Pope Leo XIV — is part of the work carried out by 10 study groups created by Pope Francis in 2024 during the Synod on Synodality. The groups are dissolved once their reports are published.
Within the group on the poor, another subgroup was established, mostly composed of people with disabilities.
This subgroup produced the proposal to create an international “Ecclesial Observatory on Disability” that would establish similar bodies at the diocesan, national, and regional levels.
The aim, the text states, is to use this model to “create structures and processes for listening to other marginalized groups,” including “the LGBTQIA+ community.”
“The Church has many means to listen to the cries of the poor and the earth. However, the Synod learned that women, Indigenous people, Dalits, young people, people with disability, victims of class or caste discrimination and racism, LGBTQIA+ people, those made poor, and other marginalized groups, are still asking to be heard,” it states.
“We need to deepen our listening and respond with transformative action. Synodality invites us to move from having means of listening to becoming a means of listening in the service of God’s mission,” the report says.
The document also highlights the importance of the language used for people in vulnerable situations and urges that it respect the “diversity of their experience” and reflect their dignity, for example through the use of “person first language.”
Groups for single or widowed people
Another recommendation in the report is for dioceses and bishops’ conferences to consider creating “groups for single parents, widows, and widowers” in order to offer support and learn about their needs, and that there be deeper exploration of “effective ways of listening to those affected by war, conflicts, and violence.”
It also calls for ensuring the presence of vulnerable groups, women, and those coming from territories affected by climate change and conflicts in Church bodies.
Greater role for the marginalized and the poor in theology
The report also raises the need to include theologians from “poor, marginalized, or excluded” contexts in the drafting of Church statements.
“The appointment of women, people with disabilities, and people of color should be a key priority,” it says.
It proposes creating global networks connecting theologians with organizations working on the ground, strengthening dialogue with other Christian denominations and religions, and promoting collaboration among Catholic media, universities, and young people in order to translate theological reflection into concrete action.
It suggests creating “global networks” that connect the poor “with organizations closest to the reality of the world of the poor.” According to the report, the goal is to promote a theology more connected to the reality of the poor and open to intercultural dialogue and other disciplines.
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.
Religious sisters lose lawsuit against Smith & Wesson alleging ‘facilitation’ of mass shootings
Several congregations of religious sisters have lost their lawsuit against the iconic American gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, which claimed the company has “facilitated” mass shootings in the United States.
A version of the lawsuit was first filed in December 2023 in Nevada district court by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Bon Secours USA, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, U.S.-Ontario Province.
The filing alleged that Smith & Wesson is “intent on marketing and selling AR-15 rifles in whatever manner results in the most sales.” The suit claimed the company was pursuing such marketing even if it “is illegal and attracts a dangerous category of buyers [and] facilitates an unrelenting and growing stream of killings.”
The sisters had filed the suit as shareholders in the company, claiming that Smith & Wesson’s marketing “causes the company to face an ever-increasing and substantial likelihood of liability that threatens its long-term existence.”
The filing specifically targeted the company’s board of directors on behalf of the company and its shareholders in what is known as a “derivative lawsuit.”
The sisters in the original lawsuit failed to meet a required $500,000 security bond deadline, leading to the suit’s dismissal. They subsequently refiled in federal court in February 2025. In a March 23 order dismissing the suit, U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro said the nuns failed to establish standing to bring the action against the board members.
The judge said the nuns could amend the lawsuit if they wished, though the court reimposed the $500,000 security bond, ordering that the sisters must post the amount if they wished to continue the suit.
Smith & Wesson was founded in 1852. It operates out of Tennessee and Nevada.
The company makes and sells a wide array of firearms, including ArmaLite-type rifles, commonly referred to as “AR-15s,” which it has been selling since 2006.