CNA Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 09:23 am (CNA).

German bishops are divided sharply over implementing blessing guidelines for same-sex couples, with a comprehensive survey by katholisch.de revealing stark divisions across the country’s 27 dioceses, three months after the publication of the controversial pastoral handout.

Five dioceses — Cologne, Augsburg, Eichstätt, Passau, and Regensburg — have explicitly refused to implement the handout, all referencing the Vatican’s Fiducia Supplicans as their standard.

Eleven German dioceses have either officially endorsed or at least maintain pastoral practices aligned with the nonbinding guidelines titled “Segen gibt der Liebe Kraft” (“Blessings Give Strength to Love”), which were issued by the German Bishops’ Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK).

The remaining 11 dioceses have adopted various middle positions, with some expressing caution about the handout’s implementation or deferring to individual pastoral discretion.

Augsburg outlines objections

The Bavarian Diocese of Augsburg provided a substantive critique of the German handout, with Bishop Bertram Meier identifying several points where the guidance conflicts with Vatican teaching.

He noted that while Fiducia Supplicans emphasizes that such blessings should not be promoted or have a prescribed ritual, the German handout explicitly speaks of “blessing celebrations” and intends to evaluate experiences with such blessings.

The diocese also expressed concern that the handout suggests “planned and aesthetically appealing design of a liturgical blessing celebration” with music and singing, which contradicts the Vatican’s guidance for brief, spontaneous blessings.

The Catholic initiative Neuer Anfang — “New Beginnings” — has sharply criticized the German guidelines, arguing they promote “the opposite of the stated intentions” of Pope Francis and contradict the original purpose of Fiducia Supplicans, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

New Beginnings contends that many German bishops are failing to uphold Catholic sexual ethics in their implementation approaches, warning that the handout encourages practices that go well beyond what the Vatican document envisioned.

Cardinal Müller strongly condemns the ‘fraud’

Former Vatican doctrine chief Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller has delivered a scathing critique of the German implementation in a guest contribution for Die Tagespost.

Müller compared the current situation to medieval indulgence trading, which “endangered the eternal salvation of deceivers and deceived and brought us the continuing division of Christianity to this day.”

The cardinal and professor of theology argued on July 18 that according to biblical understanding, marriage exists only between a man and a woman, making ecclesiastical blessing rites for irregular life situations both “ineffective before God” and constituting “pious fraud” toward participants, CNA Deutsch reported.

In previous writings, Müller warned that Fiducia Supplicans — which has received a mixed reaction across the globe — was “confusing” and contradictory to previous doctrinal documents. 

Some dioceses proceed with implementation

Despite these serious concerns and criticisms, the northern German dioceses of Limburg, Osnabrück, and Trier have published the guidance in their official bulletins.

The Diocese of Würzburg is going so far as to promote “blessing services” for same-sex couples at wedding exhibitions, katholisch.de reported.

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, who also serves as president of the German Bishops’ Conference, claimed that implementing the guidance aims to strengthen people in partnerships “who live together in love and responsibility.”

In Mainz, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf recommended his staff “proceed according to the handout in your practice.” At the same time, the Diocese of Fulda expressed support, describing the controversial document as “an important step toward a Church that is oriented to people’s life realities and respects love in all its expressions.”

CNA Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 09:23 am (CNA).

Five German dioceses have explicitly refused to implement a pastoral handout, all referencing the Vatican’s Fiducia Supplicans as their standard.

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported that the bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo are demanding justice following the massacre perpetrated by a group linked to the Islamic State on July 26-27 at a Catholic church in which more than 40 people were killed or injured.

That weekend, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked Blessed Anuarite Parish in the Diocese of Bunia, killing 37 young people and wounding six others who were participating in a vigil marking the 25th anniversary of the Eucharistic Crusades movement, according to ACN.

The bishop of Bunia, Dieudonné Uringi, told ACN that after the massacre, “many people were traumatized. When the adults found out, they came immediately to see what had happened.”

So far, no one has been arrested, and the prelate lamented that law enforcement did not react appropriately: “The police and military were not far away, but they didn’t act in time. They should have intervened more quickly to protect the population.”

Despite the prevailing insecurity, due to various groups fighting over the region bordering Uganda, the bishop continues his work: “This very afternoon, I must travel more than 60 kilometers [37 miles] to a mining area in the middle of the jungle, as I did in June and July. I do travel every month to administer the sacrament of confirmation,” he stated.

The Congolese prelate also asked ACN for support for young priests displaced by the violence. “Many had to leave their parishes and seek refuge in Bunia. We welcome them, but we have no means to sustain them. It would be a great relief to receive help, as we have before from your foundation, to accompany us at this time,” he said.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the 10th country in the world that receives the most aid from ACN, according to the pontifical foundation.

The outcry for justice

ACN also reported that the National Bishops’ Conference of Congo (CENCO, by its French acronym) in an official statement on July 28 expressed its dismay at the “hateful massacre” of innocent faithful.

“This umpteenth massacre has occurred in one of the provinces that has been under a state of siege for several years ... In these provinces, we are witnessing murders and kidnappings,” the bishops pointed out.

The outrage, they continued, is greater because “no credible explanation has been offered to reassure the population.”

The bishops wondered why, despite so many massacres, the authorities have failed to clearly identify those responsible.

“Is anyone talking about the ADF Islamists, the [other] terrorists? Do these serial killers have any purpose? Who benefits from these crimes perpetrated for years against peaceful citizens?” the prelates asked.

The CENCO bishops finally demanded “a thorough and satisfactory investigation into the tragedy” so that justice can be done.

According to the statement, the massacre occurred a week after the desecration of the parish church of Lopa in the same Diocese of Bunia.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 7, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

On the morning of Sunday, Aug. 3, nine people working at an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, were kidnapped. Among them was a lay missionary and a disabled child, barely 3 years old.

According to the pontifical news agency Fides, the orphanage is located in Kenscoff, a town on the outskirts of the capital. It is run by the international charity Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs (Our Little Brothers and Sisters) and houses more than 240 children. The other seven people kidnapped are employees of the institution.

The kidnapped missionary is Gena Heraty, who has worked in the Caribbean country for more than 30 years. According to Fides, she was inside the orphanage when the criminals broke in, taking her and a disabled 3-year-old child.

In recent months, Haiti has been engulfed in a spiral of violence unleashed by criminal gangs operating freely and controlling approximately 80% of the Port-au-Prince area.

The Haitian bishops have issued several appeals for urgent help from the international community to reverse the situation and assist those most in need.

“This isn’t the first time the lay missionary has experienced such a tragedy. She was the victim of an armed robbery at the same orphanage in 2013. At that time, one of her colleagues was killed with a hammer while trying to protect her,” Fides reported.

Haitian authorities, in conjunction with UNICEF and the Haitian Institute for Social Welfare, have activated a plan to relocate the orphanage staff and children to a safer location. The area where the institution is located is controlled by the Viv Ansanm (Live Together) gang, which was recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.

The Irish deputy prime minister, Simon Harris, referred to the kidnapping of Heraty as “deeply concerning” and demanded the release of all those kidnapped. Fides pointed out that, until now, no criminal group has claimed the attack.

The pontifical news agency stated that the Haitian authorities have not commented on the incident, despite the fact that the families of the victims are waiting for news of their loved ones. “The Irish Embassy is also closely monitoring developments,” the pontifical agency reported.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bans banks and financial institutions from “debanking” clients based on the person’s or the organization’s political or religious views after Christians and conservatives expressed concern about the controversial practice. 

Under the executive order signed on Aug. 7, banks and financial institutions can no longer deny services based on a concern about the bank’s “reputational risk” with a specific client. The order requires that those institutions make reasonable efforts to reinstate clients and potential clients who were victims of debanking.

The order also instructs the secretary of treasury to develop a strategy to combat debanking, which may include regulatory or legislative solutions.

For nearly a decade, Christian and conservative organizations that promote traditional values have reported difficulties in opening bank accounts and instances in which banks would refuse to work with them. Trump himself said he was also a victim of debanking. 

Speaking to CNA before the president signed the executive order, Jennifer Morse, a Catholic who leads the Ruth Institute, said she is “glad to see the Trump administration addressing the debanking issue.”

The Ruth Institute, which combats the harms of the sexual revolution, states that it was targeted through debanking as early as 2017.

“As one of the earliest victims of anti-Christian discrimination within the financial services sector, I am very relieved to see the Trump administration addressing this problem,” Morse said. “This particular sword of Damocles has been hanging over the heads of Christian organizations all over the geographic region formerly known as Christendom. I hope the Trump administration’s leadership on this issue has ripple effects around the world.”

Sam Brownback, the former ambassador for international religious freedom who currently leads the National Committee for Religious Freedom, said his nonprofit was debanked by Chase for two years.

Brownback told CNA that his organization opened an account in April 2022 and was unable to make a deposit in the account just four weeks later.

“They said the account had been closed and they told us it had been [decided] at the corporate level and they told us it was a non-revocable decision and they couldn’t say anything about it,” he said.

Brownback said he was later contacted by more than 10 organizations that reported similar experiences. Many organizations, he said, were “Christian or traditional values organizations” such as “groups that stand for traditional marriage.”

“It seems to be a tactic of the left to try to suffocate — in the marketplace — groups that back viewpoints they don’t agree with,” he added.

Brownback said federal action is “a necessary way” to address the problem, calling the executive action “a fabulous step forward.”

He also suggested there needs to be “a private route” as well with more conservatives joining large corporate boards.

“If you just had one conservative in the boardroom challenging some of these practices, that might [have an effect],” Brownback said.

Brian Knight, who serves as senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) — a group that provides legal representation in defense of religious freedom — said in a statement to CNA that “everyone needs access to basic financial services.”

ADF represented Indigenous Advance Ministries, a Christian nonprofit that reported it was debanked by Bank of America, allegedly for its religious beliefs. The account cancellation forced the ministry to delay paychecks to its partners in Uganda.

“Shutting people out because of their political or religious beliefs? That’s not just wrong — it’s un-American,” he said. “No one should be locked out of the financial system for their views. Period. No American should have to worry that they could lose their bank account or have a payment declined because of their religious or political beliefs.”

Knight noted ADF worked with Tennessee and Idaho to combat debanking in their states and “worked diligently with federally elected officials to secure similar protections nationwide.” He said he appreciates Trump “taking this issue so seriously.”

Others who have allegedly faced debanking include parental rights group Moms for Liberty, Christian ministry Timothy Two Project International, Christian preacher Lance Wallnau, evangelist Nick Vujicic, and British Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) expressed concerns about the debanking trend in its Annual Report on the State of Religious Liberty earlier this year.

Trump says he was a victim of debanking

In an Aug. 5 interview with CNBC, Trump discussed an instance in which JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America rejected deposits from the Trump organization and called out the trend.

“[Banks] discriminated against many conservatives,” the president said, claiming that he had “hundreds of millions” of dollars in accounts with JP Morgan Chase and was told he had “20 days to get out.”

“I said, ‘I can’t believe it,’” Trump added. “Well, I was never in this situation before. I’ve never had anything like it. And it’s not like, gee, you defaulted on a loan. You know, geez, I could understand that. That’s different. But there’s no default. I mean, there’s nothing but cash.”

Trump said he then reached out to Bank of America, which had “zero interest” in having him deposit the cash.

“I went to another one, another one, another one, another one,” he said. “I ended up going to small banks all over the place. I mean, I was putting $10 million here, $10 million there. Did $5 million, $10 million, $12 million. I have them all over the place, the craziest thing.”

Trump suggested that regulators reviewing the operations of financial institutions that engage in this practice could be a potential solution.

“The group they’re really afraid of is bank regulators,” the president said.

This story was updated on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. ET in the first four paragraphs with information on the signed executive order.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bans banks and financial institutions from “debanking” clients based on the person’s or the organization’s political or religious views after Christians and conservatives expressed concern about the controversial practice. 

Under the executive order signed on Aug. 7, banks and financial institutions can no longer deny services based on a concern about the bank’s “reputational risk” with a specific client. The order requires that those institutions make reasonable efforts to reinstate clients and potential clients who were victims of debanking.

The order also instructs the secretary of treasury to develop a strategy to combat debanking, which may include regulatory or legislative solutions.

For nearly a decade, Christian and conservative organizations that promote traditional values have reported difficulties in opening bank accounts and instances in which banks would refuse to work with them. Trump himself said he was also a victim of debanking. 

Speaking to CNA before the president signed the executive order, Jennifer Morse, a Catholic who leads the Ruth Institute, said she is “glad to see the Trump administration addressing the debanking issue.”

The Ruth Institute, which combats the harms of the sexual revolution, states that it was targeted through debanking as early as 2017.

“As one of the earliest victims of anti-Christian discrimination within the financial services sector, I am very relieved to see the Trump administration addressing this problem,” Morse said. “This particular sword of Damocles has been hanging over the heads of Christian organizations all over the geographic region formerly known as Christendom. I hope the Trump administration’s leadership on this issue has ripple effects around the world.”

Sam Brownback, the former ambassador for international religious freedom who currently leads the National Committee for Religious Freedom, said his nonprofit was debanked by Chase for two years.

Brownback told CNA that his organization opened an account in April 2022 and was unable to make a deposit in the account just four weeks later.

“They said the account had been closed and they told us it had been [decided] at the corporate level and they told us it was a non-revocable decision and they couldn’t say anything about it,” he said.

Brownback said he was later contacted by more than 10 organizations that reported similar experiences. Many organizations, he said, were “Christian or traditional values organizations” such as “groups that stand for traditional marriage.”

“It seems to be a tactic of the left to try to suffocate — in the marketplace — groups that back viewpoints they don’t agree with,” he added.

Brownback said federal action is “a necessary way” to address the problem, calling the executive action “a fabulous step forward.”

He also suggested there needs to be “a private route” as well with more conservatives joining large corporate boards.

“If you just had one conservative in the boardroom challenging some of these practices, that might [have an effect],” Brownback said.

Brian Knight, who serves as senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) — a group that provides legal representation in defense of religious freedom — said in a statement to CNA that “everyone needs access to basic financial services.”

ADF represented Indigenous Advance Ministries, a Christian nonprofit that reported it was debanked by Bank of America, allegedly for its religious beliefs. The account cancellation forced the ministry to delay paychecks to its partners in Uganda.

“Shutting people out because of their political or religious beliefs? That’s not just wrong — it’s un-American,” he said. “No one should be locked out of the financial system for their views. Period. No American should have to worry that they could lose their bank account or have a payment declined because of their religious or political beliefs.”

Knight noted ADF worked with Tennessee and Idaho to combat debanking in their states and “worked diligently with federally elected officials to secure similar protections nationwide.” He said he appreciates Trump “taking this issue so seriously.”

Others who have allegedly faced debanking include parental rights group Moms for Liberty, Christian ministry Timothy Two Project International, Christian preacher Lance Wallnau, evangelist Nick Vujicic, and British Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) expressed concerns about the debanking trend in its Annual Report on the State of Religious Liberty earlier this year.

Trump says he was a victim of debanking

In an Aug. 5 interview with CNBC, Trump discussed an instance in which JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America rejected deposits from the Trump organization and called out the trend.

“[Banks] discriminated against many conservatives,” the president said, claiming that he had “hundreds of millions” of dollars in accounts with JP Morgan Chase and was told he had “20 days to get out.”

“I said, ‘I can’t believe it,’” Trump added. “Well, I was never in this situation before. I’ve never had anything like it. And it’s not like, gee, you defaulted on a loan. You know, geez, I could understand that. That’s different. But there’s no default. I mean, there’s nothing but cash.”

Trump said he then reached out to Bank of America, which had “zero interest” in having him deposit the cash.

“I went to another one, another one, another one, another one,” he said. “I ended up going to small banks all over the place. I mean, I was putting $10 million here, $10 million there. Did $5 million, $10 million, $12 million. I have them all over the place, the craziest thing.”

Trump suggested that regulators reviewing the operations of financial institutions that engage in this practice could be a potential solution.

“The group they’re really afraid of is bank regulators,” the president said.

This story was updated on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. ET in the first four paragraphs with information on the signed executive order.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV, like Pope Francis before him, consistently has called on Hamas to release the hostages it kidnapped in Israel almost two years ago and has pleaded with Israel to allow the delivery of more humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

The urgency of listening to the papal pleas, which began after the Hamas attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023, became more obvious when photographs and videos of Gazans, particularly children, malnourished and on the point of death filled the news in late July and early August. And then Hamas and a group called Islamic Jihad released separate, shocking videos of two of the hostages, showing them emaciated in captivity. 

"We are talking about a terrorist organization that kidnapped people from their beds and from music festivals and is holding them in sub-human conditions and deliberately torturing them and starving them to death -- deliberately and on camera -- and making them dig their own graves on camera," said Yaron Sideman, the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See.

The ambassador spoke to Catholic News Service about the videos Aug. 6, saying urgent international action is needed to pressure Hamas to release the hostages; he also repeated the Israeli government's claims that reports of widespread starvation in Gaza are false. 

But Issa Kassissieh, the Palestinian ambassador to the Holy See, told CNS Aug. 7, "All credible international human rights organizations, including the United Nations, agree there is a famine in Gaza." 

"If Israeli officials deny that there is widespread starvation in Gaza, then they should allow international media unrestricted access to the area and let the cameras speak for themselves," Ambassador Kassissieh said.

In late July, Caritas Internationalis, the Vatican-based umbrella organization of national Catholic charities, and more than 100 other humanitarian groups issued a joint statement claiming they had seen their own aid workers in Gaza "waste away" from lack of food.

While food, medicine and fuel aid sit in warehouses and on trucks awaiting delivery, "the government of Israel's restrictions, delays and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation and death," the statement said.

Ambassador Sideman told CNS, "Israel is doing way, way more than what it is obligated to do under international law in order to provide humanitarian assistance and food into Gaza."

The problem, he said, is that aid agencies are not picking up the food or, when they do, it is "immediately looted by Hamas."

Hamas, the Israeli ambassador said, "is the real reason why the civilian population in Gaza not only is suffering now but has been suffering for decades. And that reason has to be taken out. Out of the equation."

Israel's security, the survival of the people of Gaza and peace throughout the Middle East depend on Israel's success in "eliminating Hamas as a military and governing entity in Gaza," Sideman said.

Meanwhile Kassissieh, the Palestinian ambassador, said that "in the face of such immense tragedy, we must listen to voices of compassion and wisdom. We urgently need a global commitment to justice, peace and humanitarian relief to bring an end to this crisis."

“Let us also pursue, acquire, and use all that we have now for the sake of fostering life-giving relationships with God and with others. Anything else is foolishness.” “You fool; this night your life will be demanded of you” (Luke 12:13-21). Jesus spoke these words in the parable about the rich man in the Gospel […]

The post Lessons from the Parable of the Rich Fool appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

A Daily Quote to Inspire Your Catholic Faith “Eternal life will be like ‘immersing yourself in the ocean of infinite love where time — a before and an after — no longer exists. Fullness of life and joy: This is what we hope for and expect from our being with Christ.’” –Pope Benedict XVI (1927-2022), […]

The post Daily Quote — Pope Benedict XVI appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

Demographers tell us there are now over 8 billion of us on earth. And in spite of the numbers, genetics dictate that no two people are alike (including identical twins). No two people look or think alike. Yet, in the face of such diversity, the Hebrew Torah declares something radical: “Every human being is created […]