CatholicCulture.org - Catholic World News

22% of US bishops favor ordination of men with deep-seated same-sex attraction, survey finds (CWN)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:07:40 GMT

Twenty-two percent of bishops in the United States are “comfortable ordaining a man who experiences deep-seated same-sex attraction, provided he is firmly committed to celibacy,” according to survey data that appeared in a newly published report.

India's bishops call for prayer, solidarity with youth amid anti-government protests (Catholic Connect)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:07:04 GMT

Amid youth protests against India’s government, the Youth Commission of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India declared this coming Sunday to be a Day of Prayer and Solidarity with the Youth of Our Nation.

Catholic Connect, a website of the bishops’ conference, reported that the commission described the day of prayer as “neither political nor partisan,” but rather as “the compassionate and prayerful response of a Church that loves her young people, shares their hopes and anxieties, and walks with them in their journey.”

Venezuela's bishops insist earthquakes are not a punishment from God (Conferencia Episcopal Venezolana)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:07:38 GMT

Venezuela’s bishops marked the one-month anniversary of the devastating earthquakes there with a pastoral message, “Samaritans, Witnesses of Hope.”

The bishops wrote, “In recent days, many people have approached us asking: ‘Where is God in the midst of such anguish?’ To this question, which runs through the history of humanity, we respond: God is precisely in and with the victims; they are the favored ones of the Lord Jesus, the true Good Samaritan ... Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, we are all called to be compassionate Samaritans.”

“We must reject the manipulation of those who, driven by superstition and fundamentalism, have claimed that earthquakes are a punishment from God, a kind of divine vengeance,” the bishops added. “This interpretation was refuted by Jesus Christ himself (cf. Lk 13:4-5).”

The bishops also issued a pointed remark about past government “corruption and indifference”:

Reconstruction also requires us to echo the indignation of the earthquake victims who were neglected by public institutions. As previously stated, natural disasters are unpredictable; however, it is the obligation of State authorities to be prepared to face them.

Moving forward, we must all ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated during reconstruction efforts; otherwise, the most vulnerable will once again suffer the consequences of corruption and indifference.

Vatican newspaper shines spotlight on disappearances in Mexican state (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:07:31 GMT

L’Osservatore Romano devoted a prominent front-page article in its July 23 edition to the 4,281 people who have disappeared in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

“Ciudad Juárez [the state’s largest city] holds the record for victims of enforced disappearance in the state of Chihuahua,” the newspaper reported, as it cited data from a report published by the Mexican Institute of Human Rights and Democracy. “For many families, searching for their missing loved ones on their own is the only way to keep hope alive.”

The unsigned article concluded:

Consequently, caminatas de búsqueda (search walks) have become a widespread practice in Mexico, reflecting the sheer scale of the disappearance crisis. In most instances, the initiative originates with the family members themselves, as official investigations are perceived as too slow or inadequate. When authorities take part, these are referred to as acompañadas (accompanied) searches, or searches coordinated with the State.

Pope sends birthday wishes to Italian president (Vatican News)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:07:54 GMT

Pope Leo XIV sent a telegram to Sergio Mattarella on July 23 as Italy’s president celebrated his 85th birthday.

Entrusting the president to the intercession of the nation’s patron saints, the Pontiff thanked him for his “constant attention” to Italy’s “ecclesial and social life.”

Trump administration issues updated guidance on religious liberty (EWTN News)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:07:42 GMT

Taking into account recent Supreme Court rulings on church autonomy and parental rights, the U.S. Department of Justice updated its 2017 guidance to federal agencies on religious liberty.

“Except in the narrowest circumstances, no one should be forced to choose between living out his or her faith and complying with the law,” the guidance states. “Therefore, to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law, religious observance and practice should be reasonably accommodated.”

Missouri's bishops discourage elimination of state income tax (Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:07:03 GMT

Missouri’s bishops issued a statement discouraging the faithful from voting for Amendment 5, a ballot initiative that would eliminate the state income tax and raise sales taxes.

“While the Church does not prescribe any particular tax model, she teaches that every system of taxation must serve the common good, be guided by justice and equity, and take into account each person’s ability to contribute,” the bishops of the state’s four dioceses said. “Tax systems that rely heavily on regressive forms of taxation, such as sales taxes, should be approached with prudence because they can place a disproportionate burden on those with lower incomes.”

While conceding that the amendment’s supporters have “legitimate considerations,” the bishops said that such considerations ‘should be weighed alongside the potential effects on those who are most vulnerable.”

Kansas priest arrested for alleged abuse of 6-year-old (OSV News)

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:07:20 GMT

A priest of the Diocese of Salina, Kansas, was arrested for allegedly abusing a six-year-old last year.

Father Ryan McCandless, 44, was ordained to the priesthood in 2017.

Bishop appointed, consecrated in China (Vatican Press Office)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:07:56 GMT

The Holy See Press Office announced the July 22 consecration of Father Joseph Chang Yanfeng, 42, as bishop of Chifeng, China.

Typically, the Holy See Press Office announces a bishop’s appointment, rather than his consecration. In announcing the prelate’s consecration, the press office stated that Pope Leo, “having approved his candidature within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China,” made the appointment on June 15.

The principal celebrant at Bishop Chang’s episcopal ordination Mass was Bishop Meng Qinglu of Hohhot, vice chairman of the government-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

'Live out the Gospel of peace and mercy' during summer, Pontiff writes (Vatican News)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:07:15 GMT

In the July-August issue of Piazza San Pietro, the magazine of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo responded to a letter writer who sought advice on deepening his Christian life during the summer months.

Encouraging the faithful to “live out the Gospel of peace and mercy,” Pope Leo asked families to visit elderly relatives who live alone and not to forget the sick.

“Commit yourselves to bringing humanity and hope to those who suffer, and you will see the fruits of grace,” the Pope continued. “You will discover how much love will fill your lives, how much joy, how much happiness.”

“Let us also avoid excess and waste, materialism and consumerism, and let us educate ourselves in simplicity and moderation,” he added. “The accumulation of wealth hinders evangelization.”

Cardinal Parolin renews call for peace, dialogue (Vatican News)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:07:30 GMT

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, renewed his call for peace and dialogue amid continued fighting in the Iran war and in Ukraine.

Cardinal Parolin also criticized the construction of a barrier in Gaza and appealed for calm in Bologna following the death of a Moroccan man under police restraint.

Cardinal Parolin made his remarks on July 22 at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See, where he was speaking at the presentation of Antonio Preziosi’s book Easter of Peace: From John XXIII to Leo XIV Towards the Jubilee of 2033.

Brazil's Catholic youth want more doctrine, a reverent liturgy, and less politics, survey finds (EWTN News)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:07:39 GMT

A survey of over 11,000 Catholic youth conducted by the Brazilian bishops’ Episcopal Commission for Youth found that a widespread desire for formation in the faith and in holiness.

Participants also said that their life of faith was hindered by “a lack of reverence for the liturgy and an excessive emphasis on sociopolitical issues,” according to an EWTN News report.

“Among the perceptions voiced by participants, many expressed a desire to find a Church deeply centered on Jesus Christ, spirituality, liturgy, and faith formation,” said Layla Kamila, who works for the episcopal commission. “Open-ended responses also reveal observations regarding the desire for evangelization to keep Christ at the center.”

Archbishop Gallagher hails Ukrainians' faith, courage (Vatican News)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:07:40 GMT

The Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations paid tribute to the faith and courage of the Ukrainian people.

“What struck and moved me most was the courage of the people, their determination, and also their faith in God the Father,” Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher said after returning from a visit to Ukraine. “There is a firm resolve to live as normal a life as possible: to continue working, to care for their children, to look after the elderly, and to foster solidarity with those who have suffered under bombardment.”

“I was deeply impressed by their nobility of spirit and by their determination to preserve their freedom and independence,” Archbishop Gallagher added,

During Archbishop Gallagher’s visit to Ukraine, the Russian military launched a missile and drone attack that struck the neighborhood of the apostolic nunciature, where the prelate was staying.

Christ is the true bridge-builder, Cardinal Tagle tells Asia's bishops (Fides)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:07:16 GMT

Addressing the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle described Christ as the true builder of bridges.

Cardinal Tagle, one of the two pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization, “exhorted the assembly to anchor all pastoral discernment in the person of Christ before launching structural initiatives and to pray with biblical images rather than abstract concepts,” the Fides News Agency reported.

In his July 22 reflection, Cardinal Tagle also compared synodal accompaniment to helping someone walk. Citing the example of his 96-year-old father, who is no longer able to walk, Cardinal Tagle said, “How do you walk with someone who cannot walk? You stay. You touch the hand. You whisper to his ears, and he is assured he is not alone.”

Florida bishops ask governor to stay executions (Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:07:07 GMT

Citing Evangelium Vitae, Pope St. John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical letter on the value and inviolability of human life, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops asked Governor Ron DeSantis to stay two executions scheduled for July 28.

“The crimes of which these men were convicted are gravely evil,” the conference’s executive director, Michael Sheedy, wrote in his July 21 letter.

“To punish with lifelong imprisonment is not to minimize the heinousness of these men’s crimes,” Sheedy added. “It is rather to recognize with awe that God is the author of life, and to reserve to him the taking of human life except where it is otherwise impossible to maintain the common good.”

Historic Peruvian churches severely damaged following earthquake (OSV News)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:07:07 GMT

An earthquake in Huancayo, Peru, destroyed approximately homes and caused severe damage to two churches, including the sixteenth-century Church of St. James the Apostle in Chongos Bajo.

“We join in the grief of the families mourning their loved ones, raising our prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased, and asking the Lord to grant strength, comfort, and hope to all,” the Peruvian bishops’ conference said in a statement.

Vatican newspaper highlights international wealth inequality (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:07:17 GMT

L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent article in its July 22 edition to rising international wealth inequality.

“The number of people suffering from hunger continues to decline, yet the gap between the wealthiest nations and developing countries is widening, especially in Africa,” the Vatican newspaper reported. Valerio Palombaro’s article cites “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026,” a new UN report.

Lawmaker calls for police probe of Buffalo diocese (WKBW-TV)

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:07:20 GMT

A New York State lawmaker called for a police investigation into the Diocese of Buffalo following the arrest of a suspended diocesan priest on child pornography charges.

“Nearly every priest that I had, you know, I grew up in the Church, was credibly accused of child sexual abuse,” said Rep. Patrick Burke, 42. “Many friends of mine were victims of child sexual abuse.”

Russia attacks Kyiv neighborhood during Vatican archbishop's stay (Vatican News)

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 08:07:26 GMT

The Russian military launched heavy missile strikes on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, from 1:25 to 2:45 AM on July 19. Some of its missiles and drones struck the neighborhood of the apostolic nunciature, where Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, and members of his delegation were spending the night.

“The blasts caused the building’s glass doors to shake and forced much of its staff—as well as the author of this report—to spend the night in a designated shelter,” Roberto Paglialonga of Vatican News reported.

Archbishop Gallagher began a four-day visit to Ukraine on July 17. While in Kyiv on July 18, Archbishop Gallagher visited bombed sites and encouraged prayer for peace.