NATION
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (OSV News) – Law enforcement officials arrested an Alabama man after he allegedly made criminal threats against an Orange County church, and a cache of ammunition and body armor was found in his vehicle, authorities said Sept. 2. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said its investigators were contacted Aug. 28 by a priest “regarding suspicious, threatening emails” sent to the Norbertine order’s St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon. They said the suspect, Joshua Michael Richardson, 38, an Alabama resident, “first sent emails that were interpreted as threatening,” before visiting the church “in person and made additional threats.” The Diocese of Orange did not immediately respond to a request for comment from OSV News. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said its investigators and deputies “quickly located and detained Richardson for criminal threats,” and that they subsequently found body armor, high-capacity magazines, brass knuckles, and knives after searching his vehicle. “We are grateful to the authorities for their quick action in ensuring the safety of our parish community,” said Jarryd Gonzales, head of communications for the Catholic Diocese of Orange. Noting the recent mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic church, he added, “Our parishes and schools continue to strengthen security efforts.”

VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Leo XIV publicly called on the leaders of Sudan’s warring factions to negotiate an end to the violence and to ensure aid can reach desperate civilians. A day after sending a telegram of condolence for people who died when heavy rains triggered a landslide in a remote area of Sudan, the pope publicly called for peace and for prayers Sept. 3 at the end of his weekly general audience. “Dramatic news is coming from Sudan, particularly from Darfur,” Pope Leo said. “In el-Fasher many civilians are trapped in the city, victims of famine and violence. In Tarasin, a devastating landslide has caused numerous deaths, leaving behind pain and despair. And as if that weren’t enough, the spread of cholera is threatening hundreds of thousands of people who are already exhausted.” The pope called on “those in positions of responsibility and to the international community to ensure humanitarian corridors are open and to implement a coordinated response to stop this humanitarian catastrophe.”

WORLD
JERUSALEM (OSV News) – As the Israel-Hamas war nears the two-year mark, Catholic leaders have headed to Jerusalem, the Palestinian West Bank and Israel on a pastoral visit. The delegation is headed by Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who serves as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Msgr. Peter I. Vaccari, president of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association-Pontifical Mission; and members of the Knights of Columbus, including Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly and Supreme Secretary John A. Marrella. In a Sept. 2 press release issued by CNEWA-Pontifical Missions, Msgr. Vaccari said the visit was meant to provide accompaniment and solidarity with those suffering from the war, sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 invasion of Israel. “The Gospel compels us to witness, to stand in solidarity with all those who suffer at the hands of terror, war and famine, to answer the question put to Jesus in the Gospel of St. Luke, ‘And who is my neighbor,’” said Msgr. Vaccari. “By visiting the church of Jerusalem, from which our faith has spread throughout the world, we hope to communicate to our suffering sisters and brothers of our unity in resolve and purpose in assisting them in their time of Golgotha, as we work together to seek justice and advance the cause of lasting peace.”

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (OSV News) – An Irish missionary held hostage in Haiti has been freed after nearly a month in captivity. Gena Heraty, who has served in Haiti for three decades, was taken on Aug. 3 when armed men stormed the Saint-Hélène orphanage near Port-au-Prince. Heraty and several others, including a 3-year-old child with disabilities, are now safe and receiving medical and psychological care. Agenzia Fides, a news branch of the Dicastery for Evangelization, confirmed the release Sept. 1. Heraty leads the orphanage, part of an international network serving vulnerable children across Latin America. Her family expressed “deep gratitude” for the global prayers and efforts that secured her release, while asking for privacy as she recovers. Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris had called for her immediate release, praising her lifelong dedication to Haiti’s poor when she was kidnapped. The abduction highlights the worsening crisis in Haiti, where gangs control most of the capital and millions face severe hunger. Church leaders warn that escalating violence is crippling ministry and humanitarian work. Between the beginning of April and the end of June, armed violence in Haiti has killed 1,520 people and injured 609 more, according to a new report on human rights in Haiti which was released on Aug. 1 by the U.N.nuclear-free future.

NATION
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (OSV News) – Bishop James R. Golka of Colorado Springs announced in late July his office would “study and discern” the “massive undertaking” of determining whether to open a sainthood cause for a teenager who was killed after he rushed the shooter during a school shooting incident six years ago in suburban Denver. Eighteen-year-old Kendrick Castillo was the only student who died in the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting on May 7, 2019, that left other eight students injured. Two students, were convicted on dozens of charges for the shooting and sentenced to life imprisonment. Months after Kendrick’s death, the Knights of Columbus conferred honorary membership on him and gave his parents a Caritas Medal, their second highest honor. Two priests from St. Mark Catholic Church in Highlands Ranch submitted the petition and preliminary supporting materials for a possible sainthood cause for Kendrick to Bishop Golka, saying that he “lived a life that was so (much) one of faith and service and holiness and caring for others.” In a December 2019 posting on the Knights of Columbus website, John called his son “a catalyst of love” whose devotion to God was “number one.” The boy was days away from high school graduation and planned to study aerospace engineering.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – A federal district court in Philadelphia on Aug. 13 struck down a religious conscience rule implemented by the first Trump administration exempting employers with religious or moral concerns from having to provide their employees with insurance coverage for contraceptives and other drugs or procedures to which they have an objection. The Little Sisters of the Poor, defendants in the suit, are expected to appeal. U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone in Philadelphia found the rules, which expanded the parameters for the types of nonprofits that could use the exception, were not necessary to protect the conscience rights of religious employers. Becket, the religious liberty law firm representing the Little Sisters of the Poor in their ongoing legal efforts over their objections to paying for abortifacient drugs, sterilizations and contraceptives in their employee health plans, said the nuns would appeal the ruling “in the coming weeks.” “The district court blessed an out-of-control effort by Pennsylvania and New Jersey to attack the Little Sisters and religious liberty,” Mark Rienzi, president of Becket and lead attorney for the Little Sisters, argued in a statement.

VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – God never gives up on anyone, even when the person betrays God’s love, Pope Leo XIV said. Christian hope flows from “knowing that even if we fail, God will never fail us. Even if we betray him, he never stops loving us,” the pope said Aug. 13 at his weekly general audience. Arriving in the Vatican audience hall, Pope Leo welcomed the visitors in English, Spanish and Italian and explained that the audience would be held in two parts – in the hall and in St. Peter’s Basilica – so people would not be forced to stay outside under the very hot sun. Pope Leo was scheduled to leave the Vatican after the two-part audience to return to the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo where he had spent part of July. The Vatican press office said he would stay until Aug. 19 in the town, which is about 15 miles southeast of Rome.

WORLD
JINOTEPE, Nicaragua (OSV News) – Nicaragua’s ruling Sandinista regime has seized a prominent Catholic school, claiming without proof that it had operated a “torture” center during past protests and renaming the education facility for a slain partisan. The Colegio San José de Jinotepe, a project of the Congregation of the Josephine Sisters, was “transferred to the state” on Aug. 12, according to Co-President Rosario Murillo. The school was renamed “Héroe Bismarck Martínez,” who supporters of the Sandinista regime claim was tortured and murdered in Jinotepe during the protests of 2018, when Nicaraguans took to the streets and demanded the ouster of then-President Daniel Ortega – now co-president with his wife, Murillo. An investigation by the Inter-American Human Rights Commission found 355 individuals died during “the repression of social protests.” Details of Martinez’s disappearance and death remain mysterious, but Ortega criticized the country’s bishops in 2019 for not condemning Bismark’s death. The seizure of the Colegio San José de Jinotepe continued the Sandinista regime’s crackdown on the Catholic Church. Even the most mild dissent is not tolerated and priests must watch their words during Mass. Four bishops have been exiled from Nicaragua, along with more than 250 priests, women religious and seminarians.
NAGASAKI, Japan (OSV News) – In his homily at a solemn Peace Memorial Mass Aug. 9, Archbishop Peter Michiaki Nakamura of Nagasaki issued a passionate plea: “We must abandon the fists, weapons, and tools of violence we hold in our hands, and stop creating and using nuclear weapons. Let us use our hands to love and embrace others.” The Mass was offered at Urakami Cathedral in Ngagasaki on the exact day that 80 years ago the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on that city – which followed the Aug. 6, 1945, U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The concelebrants at the Mass included the four U.S. prelates participating in a “Pilgrimage of Peace”: Washington Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Seattle, and Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico. For the pilgrimage, the four prelates were joined by U.S. Catholic university leaders and students to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the bombings and to pray together for peace and for a world without nuclear weapons. After the Mass, the U.S. pilgrims and Japanese Catholics marched from Urakami Cathedral to Nagasaki Peace Park in a torchlight procession symbolizing the light of faith and hope for a nuclear-free future.

NATION
SAN BERNADINO, Calif. (OSV News) – Amid concern over immigration enforcement raids in the area, the bishop of San Bernardino on July 8 issued a dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass for the faithful if they fear for their well-being. The Trump administration rescinded in January long-standing restrictions on arrests at sensitive locations, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals. The previous policy had exceptions for public safety or national security threats. Bishop Alberto Rojas wrote in a July 8 message to the faithful that “in light of the pastoral needs of our diocese and the concerns expressed by many of our brothers and sisters regarding fears of attending Mass due to potential immigration enforcement actions by civil authorities,” he would use his authority under canon law to dispense the obligation from those “who, due to genuine fear of immigration enforcement actions, are unable to attend Sunday Mass or Masses on holy days of obligation.” In May, the Diocese of Nashville, Tennessee, reminded the faithful that those with sincerely held fear about their well-being during immigration enforcement efforts are not required to attend Sunday Mass according to the church’s own teaching and canon law, but did not issue a formal dispensation.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The Catholic Church “maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates,” said U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesperson Chieko Noguchi, following a recent court case in which a longstanding federal ban against such activity appeared to have been partly relaxed. Noguchi issued the statement July 8, a day after the Internal Revenue Service agreed in a court filing that a house of worship addressing its congregation about electoral politics in the context of religious faith does not violate the Johnson Amendment. The law prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations – a type of tax-exempt nonprofit under U.S. tax code, and the typical corporate structure for churches, worship communities and charities in the nation – from engaging in political campaign activity. However, said Noguchi, “The IRS was addressing a specific case, and it doesn’t change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate.” She added, “The church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good.”

VATICAN
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) – After more than a decade without its most famous vacationer, the quiet town of Castel Gandolfo once again counts the pope among its summer residents. Pope Leo XIV became the 16th pope to reside in the papal summer residence when he moved there July 6, following the recitation of the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square. “This afternoon, I will travel to Castel Gandolfo, where I intend to have a short period of rest,” the pope told pilgrims gathered in the square. “I hope that everyone will be able to enjoy some vacation time in order to restore both body and spirit.” The tradition of popes escaping the summer heat of Rome for the cooler Alban Hills began with Pope Urban VIII in 1626. In 2016, Pope Francis converted the papal property into a museum, opening the villa and gardens to the public.

WORLD
BOGOTÁ, Colombia (OSV News) – Colombian authorities continued their search for Father Carlos Jaimes Guerrero, a 30-year-old Augustinian priest who vanished June 17 near Viotá, southwest of Bogotá. His truck was later found abandoned, engine running, with no sign of violence – and no trace of him. His family has pleaded publicly for his release, and locals have held vigils and prayers. The search comes amid national shock over another tragedy: on July 1, officials confirmed eight evangelical and Protestant missionaries, abducted in April by FARC dissidents in Guaviare, were found murdered and buried in a mass grave. Authorities say the guerrillas targeted the group to prevent rival groups from gaining influence. Church leaders warn armed groups and cartels continue to terrorize communities and especially target faith leaders. The Augustinians ask for prayers and cooperation as the investigation into Father Jaimes’ disappearance intensified. “Disappearances have always been part of the grave violences carried out by armed groups here, including those of religious people,” said theologian Heyner Hernández Díaz.

NATION
OKLAHOMA CITY (OSV News) – Catholics are being urged to attend National Eucharistic Pilgrimage events in large numbers as anti-Catholic protests grow along the 3,340-mile St. Katharine Drexel Route. Protesters – many from the Church of Wells in Wells, Texas – have targeted Eucharistic processions, denouncing Catholic beliefs, particularly Jesus’ real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Up to 50 protesters, including children, confronted pilgrims in Oklahoma from May 30 to June 2. Organizers expect increased demonstrations as the 36-day pilgrimage moves through Texas and into California. “This is walking with our Lord against attacks,” said Jason Shanks, president of National Eucharistic Congress Inc., urging Catholics to witness boldly but peacefully. He advised against engaging with protesters and emphasized prayer, humility and charity. The pilgrimage, which began May 18 in Indianapolis, includes daily stops for Mass, adoration and service. Organizers are monitoring security but have not altered the schedule. Drawing a parallel to Jesus’ journey on the Via Dolorosa, the route he took while carrying the cross in Jerusalem to his crucifixion and death, Shanks said pilgrims are walking “the Way of the Cross.”

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – The U.S. Supreme Court on June 5 unanimously ruled in favor of the Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin, who had asked the high court to overturn a decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court the agency argued discounted its religious identity. The group previously appealed a ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court that Catholic Charities is not exempt from paying into the state’s unemployment insurance system because its operations aren’t primarily religious under the definition in the statute requiring certain employers to do so. However, in an opinion written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously found the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ruling violated the First Amendment by creating a preference for some religious practices over others. In a statement celebrating the ruling, Bishop James P. Powers of Superior said, “At the heart of Catholic Charities’ ministry is Christ’s call to care for the least of our brothers and sisters, without condition and without exception. We’re grateful the Court unanimously recognized that improving the human condition by serving the poor is part of our religious exercise and has allowed us to continue serving those in need throughout our diocese and beyond.”

VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Although Pope Francis already set Aug. 3 as the date to declare the sainthood of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Pope Leo XIV will hold a meeting with cardinals to approve his canonization and that of seven other people. The meeting, known as an “ordinary public consistory,” is scheduled for June 13, the Vatican announced. Cardinals living in or visiting Rome are invited to participate in the consistory, which typically is a prayer service that includes the reading of a brief biography of the sainthood candidate, the pope’s solicitation of the cardinals’ approval of the canonization and, usually, an announcement of the date for the ceremony. Since the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, which had been scheduled for April 27, was postponed after the death of Pope Francis, it is possible that in conjunction with the consistory the Vatican would announce a new date to proclaim him a saint.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Leo XIV and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held their first telephone conversation June 4 with the pope encouraging Putin to make a gesture to show he is serious about peace with Ukraine, the Vatican press office said. “I confirm that this afternoon there was a telephone conversation between Pope Leo XIV and President Putin,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office. While they spoke of several “matters of mutual interest,” Bruni said that “special attention was paid to the situation in Ukraine and peace. The pope made an appeal for Russia to make a gesture that would promote peace, stressed the importance of dialogue for the realization of positive contacts between the parties and seeking solutions to the conflict,” Bruni said.

WORLD
SÃO PAULO (OSV News) – Two Brazilian nuns have gone viral worldwide after a May 28 video showed them beatboxing and dancing hip hop on Catholic TV – drawing comparisons to a real-life “Sister Act.” Sisters Marizele Isabel Cassiano Rego and Marisa de Paula Neves, of the Sisters of the Copious Redemption, were promoting a vocational event on the Pai Eterno network when they broke into a lively, faith-filled performance. The video, filmed May 20 in Goiás state, caught the attention of celebrities like Viola Davis and Whoopi Goldberg, who praised their joyful witness on ABC’s “The View.” Known for using music and dance in their ministry to drug addicts, both sisters say creative evangelization helps break stereotypes and connect with youth. “People think nuns are rigid,” Sister Marizele told OSV News. “But when they see us sing and dance, they see who we really are.” Their vibrant approach is now inspiring the youth to get in touch with the church.

NAMUGONGO, Uganda (OSV News) – In Uganda, ten of thousands of pilgrims gathered at the Namugongo shrine June 3 to honor the Uganda Martyrs – 45 Christians killed for their faith between 1885 and 1887. Among them, Catholic convert St. Charles Lwanga was burned alive at the very site of the annual pilgrimage. This year’s Martyrs Day marked a return to pre-COVID crowds, with the faithful trekking hundreds of miles from across East Africa, many praying for healing, peace and hope. Despite the joy, security was tight after Ugandan forces thwarted a terror attack just hours before the feast. Suspected extremists, armed with explosive vests, were killed near the Munyonyo Basilica. President Yoweri Museveni and church leaders called the 19th-century martyrs, who died at the order of the king, a symbol of resilience and a challenge to live out courageous faith. Pilgrims, carrying water from the shrine’s healing spring, left with renewed hope. As one said, “I arrived empty, but I’m leaving full – something will change.”

NATION
MOBILE, Ala. (OSV News) – A historic Catholic landmark in downtown Mobile is facing a new challenge – this time, from termites. The Archdiocese of Mobile announced on April 25 that engineers have declared the west end of the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception unsafe due to extensive termite damage. That section includes the sacristies but not the sanctuary, nave or main entrance, which remain secure. As a precaution, sacristy items have been relocated. The cathedral, a fixture of Mobile since 1850, has weathered many trials over the years – from a deadly Civil War explosion to fire and hurricane damage. Now, the archdiocese is in arbitration with Terminex over responsibility for the current infestation. Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi assured the faithful that the cathedral will be repaired and preserved: “It’s a magnificent building, and we’re doing everything possible to make sure it continues to be an asset in our city.” Mass continues to be celebrated at the cathedral.

VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Among his first messages, Pope Leo XIV expressed his intention to strengthen the Catholic Church’s ties with the Jewish community. “Trusting in the assistance of the Almighty, I pledge to continue and strengthen the church’s dialogue and cooperation with the Jewish people in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council’s declaration ‘Nostra Aetate,’” the pope wrote in a message to Rabbi Noam Marans, director of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee (AJC). Promulgated 60 years ago, “Nostra Aetate” affirmed the Catholic Church’s spiritual kinship with the Jewish people and condemned all forms of anti-Semitism. The pope’s message signed May 8 – the day of his election – was posted on the AJC’s X account May 13. Pope Leo also sent a personal message to Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, the chief rabbi of Rome, “informing him of his election as the new pontiff,” according to a statement posted May 13 on the Facebook page of Rome’s Jewish community.

WORLD
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (OSV News) – Archbishop J. Michael Miller, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia, is calling for prayer after a deadly car-ramming attack in that city amid a Filipino festival. At least 11 have been killed and more than 20 injured after a man drove an Audi SUV into crowds attending the April 26 Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver. The street fair, a celebration of Filipino culture, honors the Philippines’ national hero Datu Lapu-Lapu. A suspect is in custody – a 30-year-old known to police and mental health professionals – and terrorism is not suspected, said Vancouver Police. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre both expressed condolences to Canada’s Filipino community following the attack. Archbishop Miller, who is overseeing the Vancouver Archdiocese until the installation of Archbishop Richard W. Smith in May, said in an April 27 statement, “What should have been a joyful gathering to honour Filipino heritage has been overshadowed by sorrow and shock,” he said. “I encourage all of us to come together in prayer, asking the Lord to pour out his mercy upon those affected and to grant strength to all who are carrying heavy hearts.”

NATION
INDIANAPOLIS (OSV News) – An investigation by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis into an alleged Eucharistic miracle at an Indiana parish has indicated that “natural, not miraculous causes” resulted in a host displaying a red discoloration, the archdiocese said in a March 24 statement sent to OSV News. “A biochemical analysis of a host from St. Anthony Catholic Church in Morris, Ind., that was displaying red discoloration revealed the presence of a common bacteria found on all humans,” the statement said. “No presence of human blood was discovered.” The March 24 statement confirmed that the host had “fallen out of a Mass kit used at the parish, and when it was discovered, red spots were present. Following policy established by the Holy See, the host was submitted for professional, biochemical analysis at a local laboratory,” it said. “The results indicate the presence of fungus and three different species of bacteria, all of which are commonly found on human hands.” Catholics believe that upon their consecration at Mass, bread and wine become Jesus Christ – body, blood, soul and divinity – while still retaining the appearances of bread and wine. The church conducts scientific investigations into alleged miraculous changes to the appearances of the Eucharist, such as manifesting as truly blood and human tissue. The archdiocese’s March 24 statement added, “Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, there have been well-documented miracles and apparitions, and each has been thoroughly and carefully reviewed.”

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (OSV News) – A 30-year-old man believed to be homeless was arrested and charged with the commission of an act of terrorism following a threat he allegedly emailed to a music minister at St. Louis Catholic Church in Memphis, Tennessee, claiming he wanted to “butcher” people in the church with a machete. Zachary Liberto is currently being held at the Shelby County Jail on a $200,100 bond. A hearing date is pending. In Tennessee, the crime is a Class A felony and a conviction can result in a prison sentence of 15 to 60 years. On March 20, Memphis police said Liberto had been in “a verbal altercation” at the church with a music minister that involved Liberto allegedly throwing trash into the baptismal font. The criminal charge stems from an email Liberto allegedly sent later. It stated, “I need a video of (one of the pastors) getting slapped by you in 24 hours before I butcher people in that church with a machete.” Rick Ouellette, a spokesperson with the Diocese of Memphis, said the incident occurred “after school and work hours.” He added that St. Louis “has a solid safety and security plan in place, as do our 46 parishes and 13 schools in West Tennessee.”

VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The number of Catholics and permanent deacons in the world rose in 2023, while the number of seminarians, priests, men and women in religious orders, and baptisms all declined, according to Vatican statistics. However, the Vatican’s Statistical Yearbook of the Church said, 9.1 million people received their first Communion in 2023, up from 8.68 million people the previous year, and almost 7.7 million people were confirmed, up from 7.4 million people in 2022. At the end of 2023, the number of Catholics in the world reached 1.405 billion, up 1.15% from 1.389 billion Catholics at the end of 2022, according to the Vatican’s Central Office of Church Statistics, which publishes the yearbook. The Vatican published its statistical yearbook offering data “on the life and activity of the church in the world in 2023” at the end of March. Catholics represented about 17.8% of the global population at the end of 2023, it said. The highest proportion is in the Americas with 64.2% of its population being baptized Catholic. Europe follows with 39.6% and Oceania with 25.9%. In Africa, 19.8% of the population is Catholic and the lowest proportion of Catholics by continent is Asia with 3.3%. While the number of Catholics is increasing, the administration of the sacrament of baptism has continued to decrease worldwide, according to the yearbook.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) –As Pope Francis continues his convalescence, the Vatican published a full calendar of Holy Week and Easter liturgies with no indication of who would preside or be the main celebrant. The list of Masses and other liturgies, released by the master of papal liturgical ceremonies March 27, said only that the services would be celebrated by the “Pontifical Chapel,” which includes the pope, the cardinals residing in Rome and top Vatican officials. Asked about Pope Francis’ role in the celebrations, the Vatican press office responded that “it will be necessary to see the improvements in the pope’s health in the coming weeks to assess his possible presence, and on what terms, at the rites of Holy Week.”

WORLD
KINSHASA, Congo (OSV News) – Catholic religious sisters in Congo have become the latest victims of violence as the country grapples with ongoing conflict tied to mineral resources. On March 18, the Missionary Sisters of Santo Domingo in Kinshasa was targeted by attackers who broke into the congregation’s residence, stealing money, phones and computers. The attack highlights the growing dangers faced by religious groups in Congo, where poverty and perceptions of wealth make church leaders prime targets. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of Kinshasa condemned the attack and urged religious communities to stay vigilant while remaining hopeful. This incident follows a string of similar attacks on women religious, including kidnappings and murders. The violence coincides with rising tensions in the east, where M23, or Movement 23, rebels are making gains. The Catholic and Protestant churches have been engaged in shuttle diplomacy, promoting peace efforts despite growing opposition from the government. Church leaders, including Msgr. Donatien Nshole Babula, secretary general of Congo’s bishops’ conference, face increasing backlash for their peace efforts.

MANDALAY, Myanmar (OSV News) – A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Mandalay-Sagaing region March 28, causing widespread destruction and a rising death toll. As of March 29, at least 1,000 people had died in Myanmar, with hundreds more missing. The death toll may surpass 10,000 according to U.S. Geological Survey’s estimates. In neighboring Thailand, Bangkok city authorities said so far six people had been found dead, 26 injured and 47 were still missing, according to The Guardian. The tremor, followed by a 6.4 magnitude aftershock, caused buildings to collapse, including a historic bridge in the region. The earthquake’s impact was felt across neighboring countries, including Thailand and Bangladesh. Pope Francis expressed his sorrow, offering prayers for the victims and emergency responders in Myanmar and Thailand. Meanwhile, relief efforts are hindered by Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, with few resources reaching affected areas. Catholic churches in Mandalay and beyond were also damaged, with St. Michael’s Church among the hardest hit. In some regions, local communities are organizing relief efforts as state response remains limited.