Christian faith looms large at ‘Unite The Kingdom’ protest in London
This weekend, tens of thousands of protesters gathered under an overcast sky in central London for a rally led by political activist and recent Christian convert, Tommy Robinson.
Under Union flags and banners of ‘Make England Great Again’, protesters chanted anti-government slogans such as “We want Starmer out.” Many attendees said they felt white working-class Britons are being marginalized and Christian values eroded.
Robinson – whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – converted to Christianity while in prison in 2025, serving a sentence for contempt of court. Christianity has become an increasingly visible theme at these gatherings, with Robinson posting the Lord’s Prayer on X before the event.
“British patriots need to realize that if they want the country to be great again, they need to go back to our Christian heritage,” Luke Barker from The Lord’s Work Trust said, as he handed out leaflets to the passing crowd titled ‘Common Sense: What the Bible has to say on the issue of immigration’. “We’re to welcome the stranger … but there are rules that come with that”, he maintains.
At just 17, ‘Young Bob’, whose real name is Gregory Moffitt, has 140k followers tuning into his controversial political debates on X. Asked whether he thought the protest was in line with Jesus’ message of welcoming the stranger and loving your neighbour, he told me: “St. Thomas Aquinas talks about the economic procession of love, and he gives the example, where you obviously express more love to your mother than you would a foreigner … just because I love my neighbour doesnʼt mean they have to live in my house”.
Along with many of his followers, Robinson frequently criticizes Islam. “They say theyʼre a religion of peace and love,” protester Kenny Moffett said, “but you see what goes on in those countries. People are being beheaded, women being stoned to death, women being made to cover up and never to be seen again.”
London’s Metropolitan Police deployed over 4,000 officers to police three major events that coincided in the capital. By early Saturday evening, the force had confirmed 43 arrests, including at the Unite The Kingdom protest and a Palestinian demonstration taking place nearby.
Some 11 foreign “far-right agitators” were blocked from entering the country to attend the event according to the Home Office, including American influencer Valentina Gomez.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded to the protests saying: “Weʼre in a fight for the soul of this country, and the Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against."
“Its organizers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple. We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence.”
Asked why he thought Christianity had become such a big focus of the protests, Rev. Chris Wickland said: “Many people are beginning to realize that their heritage, and the way of life they like, comes from Christianity. And they realize that if they donʼt defend Christianity, the way of life they know is gone”.
“My grandad was a vicar in the Church of England, and his influence pushed me in that direction,” Nathan Marwwod said while carrying a wooden cross over his shoulder. “It’s the original reason that England succeeded. It was built on Christian values, and all the other things have come with it.”
“They are the values that create the most prosperous and innovative societies, and the most vibrant and rejuvenating societies,” Kieran Reid added. “The best places historically are the ones of Christian origin.”
Top U.S. leadership rededicate country as 'One nation, under God'
In a marathon ecumenical prayer and praise celebration ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, top U.S. political figures gathered with major faith leaders and several thousand Americans on May 17 to reflect on the role of Providence in American history and rededicate the country as “One Nation, under God.”
The event, which was held under the auspices of Freedom 250, the country’s public-private initiative leading the celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, also commemorated the act of the American colonies’ Continental Congress which ahead of the Revolutionary War proclaimed for May 17,1776 a “Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer."
In that proclamation, the leaders of the nascent nation urged their fellow citizens to “confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his [Godʼs] righteous displeasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness.”
Catholic participants at the “Rededicate 250” event, held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., included U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Bishop Robert Barron and actor Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus in “The Chosen” television series.
President Trump did not attend or offer a customized message for the event. Instead, a video of the president from last month’s “America Reads The Bible” event was played in which Trump reads from 2 Chronicles, including verse 7:14 “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
In a video message to the gathering, Cardinal Timothy Dolan noted that “in every chapter of the American story our faith in God has been the bedrock of our greatness.”
“Our deepest values as a country have always been rooted in our identity as a people of God and anchored in the reality that we’re not only American citizens — you bet we are and grateful for it — but that we are bound some day to be citizens of Heaven,” Dolan emphasized, adding that “our founders knew that. They knew that in order to be faithful and productive citizens and true patriots, well we must recognize that we’re children of God first.”
Driving home the point, Dolan cited the nation’s preeminent founding father and first president, George Washington, who in 1778 said “While we are zealously performing the duties of good Citizens and soldiers we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of Religion — To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian.”
Dolan also took the occasion to inform the audience that the nation’s bishops will “consecrate the United States of America to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12th of this year.”
The central prayer of the event was led by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson, who at the outset of his prayer recalled the nation’s legislative forebears’ act of May 17, 1776, which he noted they did “to humble themselves and to seek Your guidance at the dawn of their fight for freedom.”
The resulting nation, Johnson continued, “would become, by Your mercy and grace, the most successful, most benevolent nation in the history of the world.”
“Lord, today our people gather once again in your Name,” Johnson prayed. “We have humbled ourselves before You. We acknowledge that the miracle of our founding and the countless miracles that have followed are Your doing.”
“We pray that You bestow on all Americans a renewed love of country, hope for the future and faith in Your everlasting mercy and grace,” Johnson continued. “Father we pray mercy upon our land, mercy upon us for our mistakes, forgive us of our sins individually and collectively and help us to devote ourselves with renewed piety and patriotism to the eternal truths of Your Word.”
As he concluded his prayer, Johnson declared that “Today, here Lord, in this 250th year of American independence, we hereby rededicate the United States of America as one nation under God” and he asked for the Holy Spirit to descend upon the American homeland.
Johnson was followed by one of the country’s best known Catholic prelates, Bishop Robert Barron, who referenced Blessed Fulton Sheenʼs saying that America’s Declaration of Independence amounts to a “Declaration of Dependence” upon God.
“Lord, on this great national anniversary we gather to rededicate our country to You,” Barron prayed. “Not because You need our devotion, but because by praising You we receive grace upon grace.”
Recalling that the United States rests on theological foundations, Barron concluded his prayer by declaring that “as a bishop of the Catholic Church and as a proud American, I make bold to dedicate our country once more to God and to say Lord, let the light of Thy face shine upon our land. Amen.”
Pope Leo XIV: AI communication must preserve ‘human voices and faces’
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged Catholics and communicators to promote forms of communication that respect the truth of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, while also calling for renewed care for creation and peace as Laudato Si’ Week begins.
Speaking after praying the Regina Caeli May 17 from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the pope noted that many countries were marking World Communications Day, whose theme this year, he said, is “Preserving Human Voices and Faces.”
“In this era of artificial intelligence, I encourage everyone to commit themselves to promoting forms of communication that always respect the truth of the human person, on which every technological innovation should be focused,” Pope Leo XIV said.
The appeal comes as the Vatican is preparing for the pope’s first encyclical, expected to treat extensively the ethical and social questions raised by artificial intelligence through the lens of Catholic social teaching.
The pope also marked the start of Laudato Si’ Week, which runs through next Sunday and is dedicated to the care of creation, inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical.
“In this jubilee year of Saint Francis of Assisi, we recall his message of peace with God, with our brothers and sisters, and with all creatures,” he said. “Sadly, in recent years, due to wars, progress in this direction has been greatly impeded.”
Pope Leo encouraged the members of the Laudato Si’ Movement and all those who promote an “integral ecology” to renew their commitment, adding: “Indeed, caring for peace is caring for life!”
In his catechesis before the Marian prayer, the pope reflected on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, celebrated Sunday in many countries.
The image of Jesus “lifted up from the earth and ascending toward heaven,” he said, may make the mystery seem like “a distant event from long ago.”
“Yet this is not so, for we are united to Jesus as the members of one body united to the head,” Pope Leo said. “By ascending into heaven, then, he draws us with him toward full communion with the Father.”
Quoting St. Augustine, the pope said that “the head’s advance is the hope of the members.”
Christ’s whole life, he continued, is “a movement of ascent,” through which he embraces the world, redeems humanity from sin, and brings “light, forgiveness and hope where previously there was darkness, injustice and desperation.”
“The Ascension, therefore, does not speak to us of a distant promise, but of a living bond, which draws us also toward heavenly glory, already elevating and expanding our horizon in this life and directing our way of thinking, feeling and acting more closely to the measure of God’s heart,” he said.
The pope said this path of ascent is found in Christ’s life, example, and teaching, and is also marked out by the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.
He also recalled Pope Francis’ teaching on the saints “next door” — ordinary fathers, mothers, grandparents, and people of every age and condition who “with joy and commitment, make the effort to live sincerely according to the Gospel.”
“With them, with their support and thanks to their prayer, we too can learn to ascend day by day toward heaven,” Pope Leo said.
The pope urged Christians, with God’s help, to put into practice all that they have “heard and seen,” so that the divine life received in baptism may grow and “spread the precious fruits of communion and peace in the world.”
“May Mary, the Queen of Heaven, who illuminates and guides us in every moment, support us on our path,” he said.
At the end of the Regina Caeli, the pope greeted pilgrims from Rome and abroad, including marching bands from Germany, the “Sant’Antonu di u Monti” Confraternity from Ajaccio, students from the University of Montana, young people from Oppido Mamertina, youth leaders from Lorenzaga in the Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone, and confirmation candidates from the Archdiocese of Genoa.
This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Centennial honors historic Michigan church built amid KKK threats and strikes
A richly diverse Catholic community in southern Michigan is preparing to mark a milestone: the centennial of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Jackson, where the beauty of sacred space, reverent liturgy, and a vibrant musical tradition continue to shape the lives of the faithful.
The church has thrived through historic events and turbulent times, even as it was being rebuilt. In 1924, one of the largest Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rallies ever recorded saw 100,000 participants tramp through Jacksonʼs streets, and parish tradition holds that the Knights of Columbus kept vigil at the construction site to protect it from KKK vandalism.
As he prepares to wrap up his 15-year tenure as pastor of the parish, Father Timothy Nelson reflected on the churchʼs enduring vitality: “Our church is not a relic but a dynamic part of the present, enriched by a legacy of faith.”
Located west of Detroit, Jackson has long been a railroad hub with ties to the automobile industry. St. Mary’s is one of three current parishes, following a consolidation of several others. Following decades of a strong Polish-American presence, demographic changes have included the growing influx of Hispanic families. Children of the latter now make up about a quarter of the enrollment at St. Mary School.
St. Mary’s three spires dominate the skyline, reaching up 180 feet in an imposing Romanesque style. Long regarded as one of the most beautiful churches in Michigan, it features magnificent stained-glass windows fashioned in Innsbruck, Austria, an apse mosaic of Our Lady Star of the Sea, murals of the apostles, and Carrara marble altars and Communion rail.
The latter embellishments were donated by George Washington Hill, president of the American Tobacco Co., as a memorial to his young wife, Aquinas Heiler Hill, who died in 1925. The green and red colors in the mosaics around the high altar repeat the original colors used on packs of Lucky Strike cigarettes.
The present structure replaced an earlier church, with its cornerstone laid on Sept. 23, 1923. Construction faced delays because of a prolonged labor strike at limestone quarries. The era was also marred with social unrest, including the Ku Klux Klan and its virulent anti-Catholicism and racism. Construction was not completed until May 31, 1926, at a cost of $375,000. Then-Auxiliary Bishop Joseph C. Plagens came from Detroit to officiate the dedicatory Mass.
Among its treasures is a unique stained-glass rose window memorializing the fallen of the first world war, including nuns who tended the wounded. “The window shows not only the American soldiers and sailors of the war, but even their enemies who reach out to Jesus rising above them,” Nelson said as he gave a tour of the magnificent church.
Restoration of the windows cost $1 million and was made possible through the generosity of parishioners and benefactors, including the Eisele Family Foundation. St. Mary’s is depicted in “Buildings of Michigan” by Kathryn Bishop Eckert as one of the most notable in the Mitten State.
Now 74, Nelson will step down as pastor this summer. A former cardiologist, he will continue his ministry as chaplain of the St. Pio Medical Center in nearby Howell, which is part of a Vatican-authorized healthcare network inspired by St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio). He will be succeeded by Father John Vinton, who will continue offering Traditional Latin Masses and Spanish-language Masses.
St. Mary’s serves about 1,086 families, including the active Sacred Heart of Jesus Hispanic Community.
Nelson said: “The school is necessary for parish life” and is the most diverse parochial school in the area.
The parish’s liturgical life shows both continuity and renewal. The Traditional Latin Mass, celebrated every Sunday, is accompanied by Gregorian chant and organ led by Aine Schroeder, a student at nearby Hillsdale College. Schroeder said the Gregorian schola will chant the “Ave Maria” and “Salve Regina” at the centennial concert.
Dispelling concerns that the Latin liturgy is stuck in the past, Nelson said: “I agree with Pope Benedict XVI that the past continues to be lived in the present. We are bringing it into the future.”
For longtime parishioner Mary Belknap, a fourth-generation member who serves on the parish guild, St. Mary’s is a spiritual home and a place of encounter.
“It’s one of the hallmark parishes in the state. People come from all over to see us and our beautiful church,” she said. Bridging the gaps between communities came easily to educator Belknap, who said that, having been raised in poverty as a child, she has experienced life on the margins, and “I personally reach out to embrace the goodness of other people.”
The parishʼs centennial observance will commence with a concert on May 29 and culminate in a solemn Mass on May 31 — exactly 100 years after its first Mass — to be celebrated by Bishop Earl Boyea.
Mary Malewitz, parish music director since 1981, is organizing the opening concert, which will feature adult and school choirs, a Hispanic choir, and a Gregorian schola. Between each performance, parishioners will sing their favorite hymns.
“St. Mary’s has brought glory to Michigan for generations,” she told EWTN News.
Nationwide billboard campaign in Ireland invites thousands to rosary rally
The All Ireland Rosary Rally scheduled for June 6 in Knock will be the largest Catholic event in Ireland this year, and organizers have adopted an uncommon promotional tactic to catch the attention of the faithful — a countrywide billboard campaign.
Building on last year’s turnout when more than 10,000 people gathered for the 40th Rosary Rally in Knock, famous for its shrine and as a pilgrimage destination, rally organizers hope the two-week campaign will attract an even bigger audience. It is the first time the event has been advertised using billboards. Fifty sites throughout Ireland were chosen, including a number in Northern Ireland.
“We chose billboards because Father Patrick Peyton was famous for his billboards in running his rosary rallies around the world, some of which attracted crowds of 2 million people,” Father Marius O’Reilly, one of the rally organizers, told EWTN News.
The billboards have attracted reaction and comments online and in the mainstream media. The Irish News, a daily newspaper published in Belfast, reported that Archbishop Eamon Martin and Bishop Donal McKeown plan to “reconsecrate Ireland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the event, which organizers describe as a national moment of prayer for peace.”
Parishes have been drawing people’s attention to the billboard campaign as well. Holy Family Parish in Drogheda spotted one of the billboards in the town and posted on its Facebook page: “A giant reminder on the Dublin Road in Drogheda from the All Ireland Rosary Rally. Book your spot on our bus to Knock.”
O’Reilly explained to EWTN News that the cost of the billboards has been borne by sponsors and voluntary donations. “Sponsors are paying for the posters and indeed, this huge event is possible because of the generosity of so many. People are not charged on the day; thereʼs no ticket price. So the event relies heavily on the generosity and support of many people across Ireland and beyond. People are responding very positively, and with great enthusiasm.”
The goal of the rally’s organizing committee was a billboard presence in as many counties and population centers as possible. “We tried to ensure that every county would be represented with the billboards, and more so in the cities,” O’Reilly said.
“I think it is encouraging people in their faith and itʼs just part of the renewal in Ireland thatʼs taking place. The Irish have a great love for Our Lady in the rosary.”
He continued: “The devotion to Our Lady is evident on the highways and byways of our country; we have huge grottos everywhere around Ireland, so Our Lady is very, very important to the Irish. Now for the duration of the campaign, people of all faiths and none can see Our Lady on a billboard, as well as the grottos, inviting them to come to Knock to pray for peace in our world and for the renewal of our faith in Ireland.”
Partners for this yearʼs rally include the Father Peyton Centre in Attymass, County Mayo, and Holy Cross Family Ministries, which both continue the work of Peyton. International speakers include Father Chris Alar, Nikki Kingsley, and Bishop Oliver Doeme.
Over 10,000 pilgrims are expected to attend this year, with 50 buses already booked to bring people to the Knock shrine.
Vatican sets up commission on artificial intelligence
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has approved the creation of a new Vatican commission on artificial intelligence to coordinate the Holy See’s response to the rapidly expanding technology and its implications for human dignity, integral development, and the Church’s own internal use of AI.
The move comes as the Vatican is preparing for the release of Leo’s first encyclical, which is expected to deal extensively with artificial intelligence and its ethical, social, and economic consequences. Reports have indicated that the document will likely frame AI as one of the defining moral questions of the present age, drawing a parallel with the social upheavals of the Industrial Revolution addressed by Pope Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum.
The Holy See Press Office announced the decision May 16. It followed a May 3 audience with Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
The Vatican said the pope made the decision in light of the development of artificial intelligence in recent decades, its rapid acceleration in general use, its potential effects on the human person and humanity as a whole, and the Church’s concern for the dignity of every human being, particularly in relation to integral human development.
The new commission will include representatives from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the Dicastery for Communication, the Pontifical Academy for Life, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
Any changes to the commission’s composition will be submitted to the approval of the Holy Father.
The head of each participating institution will delegate a representative to the commission. Its coordination will be entrusted for one year, renewable, to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. After that, the Roman Pontiff will entrust coordination to one of the participating institutions, again for a period of one year.
The coordinating institution will be responsible for facilitating collaboration and the exchange of information among the group’s members regarding activities and projects related to artificial intelligence, including policies governing its use within the Holy See. The commission is also tasked with promoting dialogue, communion, and participation.
Pope Leo XIV has stressed the global challenges posed by artificial intelligence since the beginning of his pontificate.
Explaining his choice of papal name in an address to the College of Cardinals on May 10, 2025, Leo said: “In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor.”
This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Former finance director admits to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from New Jersey parish
The former finance director of a New Jersey parish has pleaded guilty to stealing more than half a million dollars from the church to “fund a lavish lifestyle.”
State Attorney General Jennifer Davenportʼs office said in a May 15 press release that Joseph Manzi pleaded guilty to “one count of second-degree theft by unlawful taking and one count of third-degree filing a fraudulent tax return.”
The state had charged Manzi in the theft in October 2025 after staffers at St. Leo the Great Parish in Lincroft had discovered “numerous unauthorized charges that were determined to allegedly be for Manzi’s personal benefit.” Manzi had left his position as the parish finance director earlier in the year.
In its May 15 release the state said its investigation determined that the 78-year-old Manzi “fraudulently used St. Leo’s credit cards to make unauthorized purchases and payments.” Such purchases included “personal medical and dental payments,” “sports event tickets,” “chartered fishing trips” and a Cadillac SUV.
In October 2025 the state had alleged Manzi stole around $500,000, though on May 15 it said its investigation had revealed nearly $675,000 in thefts, while “further investigation identified additional stolen funds.”
The state said it was recommending a five-year sentence in New Jersey state prison.
Manzi in August 2025 had also been the subject of a separate civil lawsuit by the St. Leo the Great Parish which accused him of stealing more than $1.5 million from the church.
New Jersey said this week that part of Manziʼs plea agreement includes $1.2 million in restitution to the church.
Seminarians medal at Cincinnati’s Flying Pig Marathon
On Sunday, May 5, 21 men in formation for the priesthood at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology in Cincinnati participated in the 28th annual Flying Pig Marathon. The men of the Mount held their own among the approximately 45,000 other racers.
Emerson Wells, studying for the Archdiocese of Louisville, placed second overall with a personal best marathon time of 2:23:52, averaging 5 minutes, 30 seconds per mile for the entire 26.2 mile race. It’s a time that would have won him first place nine out of the last 10 years of the race.
The seminarian-led Verso l’Alto Track Club team won first place in the 4-person relay, clocking a finish time of 2:30:39 and outstripping the second place relay team by nearly 20 minutes.
Seminarian Chatham Anderson, studying for the Diocese of Columbus, started the team off, followed by Nick Merk, then Kevin Bonfield, and finally Cincinnati seminarian David Adamitis brought the team over the finish line.
These five men each donned the Verso l’Alto Track Club jersey, signalling to all who passed by that they ran for a reason.
St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, canonized by Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 7, 2025, made the Italian phrase Verso l’Alto known around the world. It translates to “To the heights.” The Verso l’Alto Track Club, open to all local Catholic men (with a qualifying 5k time of 18 minutes) combines the pursuit of excellence in running and virtuous brotherhood — all ordered toward the glorification of God
Wells, a lifelong runner, said this was the most systematic training he’s used to prepare for a marathon thus far.
“I had a few weeks where I got up to 80 miles a week, which was workable, but it was definitely tough with the schedule and I had to use my breaks to take advantage of that,” he said.
The seminarians stick to a strict schedule of prayer, worship, instruction, and study each day. Wells trained with a goal of running the race in 2 hours, 25 minutes or less. “I knew I had to really focus on the hills if I was going to be successful.”
In conjunction with his rigorous training, Wells had a few other tools to keep him going toward his goal.
“There was a group of sisters from the Children of Mary that came down to my home parish in Louisville. One of them — Sister Imelda Joy — told me that she and two of her other sisters were going to be making perpetual vows soon.”
On May 3, to be exact, the same day as the Flying Pig Marathon.
“When she told me that, I was like, full stop. Thatʼs what Iʼm going to be offering this race for.”
At moments when the race became tough, Wells remembered those sisters and asked for our Lady’s intercession for them.
Wells’ devotion to Mary is made visible by the brown scapular he wore during the race. “I wear the scapular every day; itʼs part of my devotional life.” The scapular didn’t stay in place as he ran through the streets of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. “I actually like having it on during runs because you can kind of see itʼll fly around quite a bit, and I’m reminded that Mary is the way and sheʼs the perfect exemplar of what it means to be truly devoted to God and contemplation,” Wells said.
The men of the Verso l’Alto Track Club share a common goal: physical excellence ordered toward spiritual growth.
“You can be excellent in a given activity and excellent in your faith. Theyʼre not exclusive to each other, but actually mutually affirming,” Adamitis said. “I think that thereʼs a real good among Christians to have ambitious goals according to their talents and to ask the Lord for enlightenment about what their abilities are and how they can use those abilities to glorify His name to bring others into His kingdom.”
The message as these men ran “to the heights” was clear: the pursuit of excellence is the pursuit of God.
“When we strive to have perfection in those areas of physical health and strength, it should really encourage us to have greater care for what matters the most, and thatʼs our soul and our union with God,” said Adamitis.
Both Wells and Adamitis plan to continue running. Through the Verso l’Alto Track Club, they aim to amplify their mission throughout Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and the Archdiocese at large.
Catholic high school students and adults are invited to compete in the club’s summer cross country challenge on Aug. 7, 2026. Adamitis explained the main motivation is to bring Catholic high school students together so that they can have a sense of a greater community. “So that these high school students can see, ‘As I get older and I eventually graduate high school, I can still pursue running at a high level and stay Catholic.’ Thereʼs an element of excellence to both of those things that continue beyond high school.”
“Our athletic pursuits are ultimately ordered for the glorification of God,” Adamitis said. “Cincinnati is a wonderful running city, and we can shift the idea to where itʼs not just running, but itʼs running for the glorification of God.”
This article was originally published by The Catholic Telegraph, of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and is reprinted here, with adaptations, with permission.
India-born bishop in Germany sees his role as giving migrants 'a face'
When Bishop Joshy George Pottackal stood in Mainz Cathedral on March 15 to be consecrated an auxiliary bishop, the moment carried a significance far beyond his personal journey. For many of the faithful, it was a visible sign of the Catholic Churchʼs universality — a Church that transcends borders, cultures, and languages.
Born in Kerala, India, and a member of the Carmelite Order, the 48-year-old prelate has become the first bishop in a German diocese with a non-European background.
His appointment comes at a time when the Catholic Church in Germany is increasingly shaped by global migration. About a quarter of Catholics and priests in the country have roots outside Germany, Pottackal said, yet their presence often remains largely unnoticed in public life.
“I am thankful to Pope Leo XIV for the honor of being able to give these people a face, so to speak, and public recognition,” Pottackal told EWTN News.
His consecration, attended by family members, fellow Carmelites from around the world, diocesan clergy and faithful, and representatives from civic life and other Christian communities, underscored the broader significance of the moment. “I really felt like a part of the universal Church,” Pottackal said.
A call he did not expect
When he first received news of his appointment in November, Pottackal admitted to surprise, and even doubt. “Why me?” he recalled asking himself. He said he had never imagined becoming a bishop, noting that he comes from pastoral ministry rather than academia. Yet after a period of discernment, he came to see the nomination as a call from God, one that required trust and humility.
“I felt it was a call from God, despite my shortcomings and the feeling that I was not worthy of the nomination,” he said. “Despite these doubts I decided to trust God and his guidance and say yes to his call.”
Ordained a priest on Dec. 28, 2003, Pottackal moved to Germany the following year and has spent more than two decades in pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Mainz. His experience spans parish work, youth ministry, and diocesan administration, including service as vicar for clergy. Those years, he said, have prepared him for his new responsibility in guiding the local Church.
Listening in a secularized society
Serving in a society marked by deep secularization, the bishop emphasizes listening as a cornerstone of his pastoral mission. He believes the Church must engage in meaningful dialogue, taking seriously the concerns and hopes of people.
“A synodal church is the way to bring our church forward in a secularized society,” he said, highlighting the importance of shared discernment guided by the Holy Spirit. At the same time, he stressed that the German Church remains inseparably part of the universal Catholic Church, a communion that spans continents and traditions.
One of his key concerns is the growing distance between young people and the Church in Europe. Rather than focusing solely on declining attendance, he pointed to a deeper openness among young people to Christian values.
“Young people deserve that you listen to them, take their views, worries, and interests seriously and let them play an active role,” he said. “Authenticity matters.”
Carmelite roots, global horizons
Pottackalʼs intercultural journey has shaped his understanding of the Church. Raised in the ancient Christian tradition of Keralaʼs Thomas Christians, whose origins trace to the earliest centuries of Christianity, he encountered a different yet equally rich expression of the faith in Germany.
“The essence of the faith is the same,” he said, citing St. Augustineʼs maxim “Love and do what you will” as a guiding principle for ministry in a new cultural setting.
His spiritual identity as a Carmelite remains central. Drawing inspiration from the prophet Elijah and the Virgin Mary, he described his vocation as one grounded in contemplation and attentiveness to Godʼs word. “Being rooted in and inspired by Scripture is the essence of my spiritual identity as a Carmelite, a priest, and now a bishop,” he said.
As auxiliary bishop of Mainz, his responsibilities include overseeing consecrated life, ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, social responsibility, and the Churchʼs global connections. While he is still becoming familiar with these areas, he said, he views them as essential to the Churchʼs witness in the world today.
Looking beyond Europe, Pottackal reflected on the Church in Asia, where Christianity continues to grow, often in the face of persecution. He cautioned against complacency or the rise of what he called a “personality cult” where Christians enjoy social acceptance.
“I think it is important to remember that we have a great message of which we can be proud and to concentrate on that message and live according to it,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV to visit France in September, including a stop at UNESCO headquarters
Pope Leo XIV will undertake an apostolic journey to France from Sept. 25 - 28, a visit which will include a stop at the headquarters of UNESCO.
The trip was officially announced on May 16 by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. The Holy See did not immediately release the full itinerary of the trip.
The visit will mark the popeʼs fifth international apostolic journey.
The pope has already visited Turkey and Lebanon (in late 2025) and Monte Carlo (in March 2026).
In April he undertook a major voyage to Africa — with the trip spanning Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea — and is scheduled to visit Spain from June 6 - 12.
He is widely expected to also visit Latin America in the fall.
The last visit by a pope to France dates to Dec. 15, 2024, when Pope Francis traveled to Ajaccio, Corsica.
This story was originally published by ACI Stampa, EWTN News’ Italian-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.