Posted on 05/23/2025 13:00 PM (CNA Daily News)
Cologne Cathedral in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. / Credit: Rudolf Gehrig/CNA Deutsch
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 23, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).
Here is a roundup of Catholic world news that you might have missed this week:
The Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Criminal Police Office found that attacks against German churches increased by 20% in 2024, with a total of 111 registered crimes, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner. Crimes against religious communities also increased, reaching 8,531 in 2024, compared with 7,029 in 2023. A 22% increase was reported in crimes against members and representatives of religious communities, jumping from 6,122 in 2023 to 7,504 in 2024.
The German government reported that from the start of 2024 to Dec. 10, 2024, a total of 228 crimes with the subtopic “anti-Christian” were registered, including one homicide, 14 assaults, and 52 cases of property damage. During the same time period, 96 crimes with the subtopic “church” were recorded, including 47 cases of property damage.
Bishop Bernardus Bofitwos Baru was ordained bishop of Timika, Indonesia, on May 14 after a five-year vacancy following former Bishop John Philip Saklil’s death. More than 10,000 Catholics and 33 bishops attended the ordination service to celebrate the second Indigenous priest to receive episopal ordination and the first Augustinian bishop in Indonesia, Agencia Fides reported.
“This ordination is a sign of the Holy See’s great concern for the Catholic faithful in Papua,” said apostolic nuncio Archbishop Piero Pioppo at the event.
Baru thanked the faithful for his ordination and shared that listening, dialogue, and cooperation will be the cornerstones of his episcopal ministry. “Our relations must be based on love, friendship, and human exchange. We are called to open doors for one another,” he said.
Church leaders and environmental groups have criticized a top court verdict nullifying a moratorium that paused mining in the Occidental Mindoro province for 25 years. On May 15, the court in the Philippines ruled that the province could not continue a ban in such a large-scale mining area, Union of Catholic Asian News reported.
In a joint statement, the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose and the Catholic charity Caritas International said the lifting of the ban is a cause for “deep concern” and it ignores past suffering of communities across Occidental Mindoro.
“While we recognize the authority of the state to manage our natural resources, we echo Pope Francis’ warning against a technocratic paradigm that values economic gain over human dignity and ecological balance,” the statement said.
Father Valentin Mbaïbarem, priest at St. John the Baptist Parish, was released by his abductors this week after he was taken hostage on May 7 in northern Cameroon. Mbaïbarem was kidnapped with five other individuals, four of whom were freed and one who was killed, according to ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 25 million CFA francs ($42,750) for Mbaïbarem’s release.
Bishop Ambassa Ndjodo of Garoua, Cameroon, said: “As an archdiocese, we did not pay any amount for the release of our priest. I do not know if others have done so,” according to Fides News Service. Ndjodo thanked “all who prayed for [Mbaïbarem]” and asked “for the Lord’s blessing on all who contributed to this outcome.”
The Lebanese monastery of Brothers of the Cross and Sisters of the Crucified is providing love and service to those in Iraq. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Brother Mary Salibo decided to stay in Qaraqosh, Iraq, to serve by establishing the monastery, rebuilding a local church, and holding retreats for youth and families to provide comfort amid war, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, ACI MENA, reported.
The two orders were originally founded in Lebanon in the 1980s and 1990s but spread to Iraq after the monastery opened. The brothers and sisters continue their mission today by offering spiritual guidance and supporting the sick and marginalized in the area. Their ministry has now expanded to cities in southern Iraq and Karamles, a Christian village located in northern Iraq.
The Belém Mission in São Paulo, Brazil, has began construction on a 17-story building that will house 200 homeless people. About 95% of the workers building the new structure are former homeless people rescued by the Belém Mission, according to CNA’s Portuguese-language news partner, ACI Digital.
“Normally, we would look for professionals in the market, but, like a miracle, we found these people who know how to work in the different areas of a construction site but who also have love for the Belém Mission,” Antonio Walter, the engineer responsible for the project, told ACI Digital.
The building is expected to be finished within the next two and half years. “One step at a time, one donation at a time … we will get there,” said Father Gianpietro Carraro, the priest who founded the Belém Mission. “And we thank God because, with the kindness of so many people, we are able to move forward.”
Posted on 05/23/2025 13:00 PM (CNA Daily News - US)
Cologne Cathedral in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. / Credit: Rudolf Gehrig/CNA Deutsch
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 23, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).
Here is a roundup of Catholic world news that you might have missed this week:
The Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Criminal Police Office found that attacks against German churches increased by 20% in 2024, with a total of 111 registered crimes, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner. Crimes against religious communities also increased, reaching 8,531 in 2024, compared with 7,029 in 2023. A 22% increase was reported in crimes against members and representatives of religious communities, jumping from 6,122 in 2023 to 7,504 in 2024.
The German government reported that from the start of 2024 to Dec. 10, 2024, a total of 228 crimes with the subtopic “anti-Christian” were registered, including one homicide, 14 assaults, and 52 cases of property damage. During the same time period, 96 crimes with the subtopic “church” were recorded, including 47 cases of property damage.
Bishop Bernardus Bofitwos Baru was ordained bishop of Timika, Indonesia, on May 14 after a five-year vacancy following former Bishop John Philip Saklil’s death. More than 10,000 Catholics and 33 bishops attended the ordination service to celebrate the second Indigenous priest to receive episopal ordination and the first Augustinian bishop in Indonesia, Agencia Fides reported.
“This ordination is a sign of the Holy See’s great concern for the Catholic faithful in Papua,” said apostolic nuncio Archbishop Piero Pioppo at the event.
Baru thanked the faithful for his ordination and shared that listening, dialogue, and cooperation will be the cornerstones of his episcopal ministry. “Our relations must be based on love, friendship, and human exchange. We are called to open doors for one another,” he said.
Church leaders and environmental groups have criticized a top court verdict nullifying a moratorium that paused mining in the Occidental Mindoro province for 25 years. On May 15, the court in the Philippines ruled that the province could not continue a ban in such a large-scale mining area, Union of Catholic Asian News reported.
In a joint statement, the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose and the Catholic charity Caritas International said the lifting of the ban is a cause for “deep concern” and it ignores past suffering of communities across Occidental Mindoro.
“While we recognize the authority of the state to manage our natural resources, we echo Pope Francis’ warning against a technocratic paradigm that values economic gain over human dignity and ecological balance,” the statement said.
Father Valentin Mbaïbarem, priest at St. John the Baptist Parish, was released by his abductors this week after he was taken hostage on May 7 in northern Cameroon. Mbaïbarem was kidnapped with five other individuals, four of whom were freed and one who was killed, according to ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 25 million CFA francs ($42,750) for Mbaïbarem’s release.
Bishop Ambassa Ndjodo of Garoua, Cameroon, said: “As an archdiocese, we did not pay any amount for the release of our priest. I do not know if others have done so,” according to Fides News Service. Ndjodo thanked “all who prayed for [Mbaïbarem]” and asked “for the Lord’s blessing on all who contributed to this outcome.”
The Lebanese monastery of Brothers of the Cross and Sisters of the Crucified is providing love and service to those in Iraq. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Brother Mary Salibo decided to stay in Qaraqosh, Iraq, to serve by establishing the monastery, rebuilding a local church, and holding retreats for youth and families to provide comfort amid war, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, ACI MENA, reported.
The two orders were originally founded in Lebanon in the 1980s and 1990s but spread to Iraq after the monastery opened. The brothers and sisters continue their mission today by offering spiritual guidance and supporting the sick and marginalized in the area. Their ministry has now expanded to cities in southern Iraq and Karamles, a Christian village located in northern Iraq.
The Belém Mission in São Paulo, Brazil, has began construction on a 17-story building that will house 200 homeless people. About 95% of the workers building the new structure are former homeless people rescued by the Belém Mission, according to CNA’s Portuguese-language news partner, ACI Digital.
“Normally, we would look for professionals in the market, but, like a miracle, we found these people who know how to work in the different areas of a construction site but who also have love for the Belém Mission,” Antonio Walter, the engineer responsible for the project, told ACI Digital.
The building is expected to be finished within the next two and half years. “One step at a time, one donation at a time … we will get there,” said Father Gianpietro Carraro, the priest who founded the Belém Mission. “And we thank God because, with the kindness of so many people, we are able to move forward.”
Posted on 05/23/2025 12:00 PM (CNA Daily News)
Bishop Francisco Javier Acero with the mothers of the disappeared and priests. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Bishop Acero
Puebla, Mexico, May 23, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).
Amid a wave of violence that has shaken Mexico, including the murder this week of two high-ranking officials in the capital, the Catholic Church is redoubling its efforts to restore peace.
Through the National Dialogue for Peace and more than 300 initiatives across the country, bishops, priests, and laypeople are working to train mediators, provide mental health care, and support victims, taking risks and embracing hope, even though, as Church leaders themselves warn, “you can’t dialogue with organized crime.”
The bishops of Mexico, along with various organizations, launched the National Peace Dialogue initiative following the 2022 murders of Jesuit priests Javier Campos and Joaquín Mora. While various initiatives promoted by the Catholic Church already existed in the country, this proposal sought to strengthen all those efforts.
According to the National Peace Dialogue website, over a year and a half, input was gathered in a series of forums from thousands of people and institutions across the country. From this process, the National Peace Agenda was developed, which resulted in concrete commitments. Currently, the organization is working to implement action steps at the local, state, and national levels “to project a viable and shared future.”
At a press conference in Mexico City, Father Jorge Atilano González, SJ, executive director of the National Dialogue for Peace, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that about 300 initiatives are being carried out to reduce violence in the country.
He said, for example, that in the Sierra Tarahumara, in the north of the country, “the issue of mental health among Indigenous youth and families is being addressed.”
In Oaxaca, he continued, “work is being done to train conflict mediators”; while in Monterrey, Nuevo León, work is being done on “evaluating the mental health situation among high school students, to develop proposals on how to address this situation,” among other initiatives.
“Here in Mexico City, we are in conversations with the mayor’s offices to promote processes that include rebuilding the social fabric, addressing addictions, and reintegrating people released from prison. These are examples of what the Church is doing,” the Jesuit priest said.
All the proposals can be found on the National Dialogue for Peace website, which details that these 300 actions are divided into 14 local and seven national initiatives across the country.
During the conference, Atilano emphasized that, despite the danger this represents for members of the Catholic Church who are implementing these projects, “we take the risk of being close to the communities, of accompanying them, and of working to build community and family, so that we have the foundations that will allow us to restore peace to the country.”
At the same conference, Auxiliary Bishop Francisco Javier Acero of the Archdiocese of Mexico City made an urgent call to all of society to “work with community, closeness, listening, and concrete actions from the heart of the Gospel” to promote peace.
This exhortation comes in the context that from January through March alone, at least 1,321 “crimes of extreme violence that can be classified as atrocities” were committed in the country, according to the study titled “Gallery of Horror: Atrocities and High-Impact Events Reported in the Media,” conducted by the organization Common Cause.
Faced with this reality, Acero urged parishes and communities to “create spaces for encounter, listening, training in nonviolence, support for victims, and prevention programs.”
Asked whether bishops or priests in Mexico City are seeking to meet with organized crime groups as a way to reduce crime rates, Acero stated that “you can’t dialogue with organized crime. When there’s blood involved, there will be no dialogue.”
However, he clarified: “We mediate. To stop them from killing, I, and the bishops, will get down on our knees. But from here we tell them: ‘Enough is enough. Stop killing, leave the people in peace.’”
“We will mediate for the people of God, but we’re not going to give in at gunpoint. We want echoes of peace and love, not the sound of gunfire,” the prelate added.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Posted on 05/23/2025 11:00 AM (U.S. Catholic)
There’s nothing quite like holding down a screaming toddler while a nurse jabs their little leg with a vaccination needle. It can feel like an act of betrayal: This child who looks to you for love and protection is scared and in pain because of something you made happen. To make things worse, some very […]
The post Is there a moral obligation to vaccinate your children? appeared first on U.S. Catholic.
Posted on 05/23/2025 11:00 AM (CNA Daily News)
“I have never seen anything like this,” said Jerikah McCloud, 23, who looks out the destroyed second floor of her family home in the Academy neighborhood of St. Louis on Saturday, May 17, 2025, after the National Weather Service confirmed a tornado struck the city the day before. / Credit: Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP
St. Louis, Mo., May 23, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
The people of northern St. Louis continue to pick up the pieces — assisted by Catholic Charities — after a massive tornado hit the city last week, with a full recovery likely taking multiple years.
The mile-wide EF-3 tornado tore through the northern part of St. Louis on May 16, causing over $1.6 billion in damage and leaving at least five people dead, including a woman who was killed when the steeple of a Christian church collapsed on her. Much of the destruction affected some of the poorest parts of the city.
Father Scott Scheiderer, who pastors a group of parishes located in one of St. Louis’ hardest-hit areas — “right near ground zero” — said many of the residents there are impoverished and lack insurance, making ongoing assistance critical.
“I started driving through these neighborhoods, and my goodness; the devastation. I mean, words cannot describe. It is just horrific,” Scheiderer told CNA.
“We [at the parish] took on some damage … But I mean, this is total devastation. Words cannot describe some of these neighborhoods. I mean, they’re just totally gone … People have lost their houses. I talked with them. They have no way to rebuild.”
“The call to help, to be the love of Christ in this time, is just so great right now. So we’re just trying to respond as best we can,” he continued.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis will hold a special collection at Masses May 24-25 or May 31-June 1 to benefit those most affected by the storm, with the funds going to Catholic Charities, the St. Louis Review reported. The St. Augustine Wellston Center, a Catholic food bank, is also taking material and financial donations.
The twister damaged at least 5,000 structures, and Mayor Cara Spencer said Thursday that FEMA operatives have been on the ground in St. Louis doing assessments. The tornado outbreak on May 16 also spawned tornadoes in Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana killing at least 28 people total and injuring dozens.
Among the confirmed dead in St. Louis after the storm is Patricia Penelton, a longtime volunteer at St. Louis’ Centennial Christian Church who was reportedly at the church bagging lunches to distribute after the storm. She was killed when the bell tower and roof of the 121-year-old church collapsed in the tornado.
None of the Catholic church buildings in the area suffered catastrophic damage. St. Peter Claver Parish, which has a predominantly African American congregation, lost the roof from its school gym, but crews were able to fix it quickly. Numerous large trees were downed all along the tornado’s path, including all around St. Matthew the Apostle, which is part of the St. Peter Claver Parish grouping.
Father Scott Jones, episcopal vicar for the archdiocese’ northern vicariate, told CNA that by far the greatest need in the area right now is “immediate assistance to those without homes who are living in cars, makeshift shelters, and other locations. Many areas are still without power.”
The area where the devastation was greatest is North City, which was already economically disadvantaged, Jones told CNA in written comments. Despite the widespread devastation there, “there is a strong commitment to working together with other denominations and agencies in getting assistance to those with the greatest need,” Jones said.
“Having served there in the past, I can attest that the faith of the people is very strong. I’ve been in contact with the pastors and parishioners and they are holding up well,” he said.
“People are volunteering in droves, which is heartening. The greatest need right now is money, however … People are stepping up and hopefully will continue to do so once the initial reporting concludes. We are also reallocating archdiocesan resources. For example, my vicariate received a $50,000 grant for formation and my staff and I reworked our budget to donate half to Catholic Charities.”
Jones said they will gladly accept sanitizing supplies, food, and water for the many volunteers who are pitching in to clean up debris, clear blocked streets, and assist residents in securing their homes — along with all the prayer they can get.
Jared Bryson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis (CCSTL), told CNA in an interview that the people of north St. Louis he has met with are already referring to the tornado as a “Katrina-level” event, harkening back to the disastrous 2005 hurricane that crippled New Orleans for years.
He said CCSTL’s director of disaster services has been working with emergency managers, the other voluntary organizations that are part of disaster services and recovery, and other nonprofits at an emergency incident command center.
CCSTL is currently accepting donations to help more than 1,500 individuals and families who have reached out through the Catholic Charities website seeking support. Bryson reiterated that many of the people who lost homes in the tornado have no insurance and little money to rebuild.
Numerous neighbors have stepped up to help in the wake of the storm, but going forward some of the biggest needs “are really financial,” and if aid is not carefully organized and coordinated, “it really causes more problems than it helps,” Bryson continued.
Highlighting the long-term nature of the recovery effort, Bryson noted that CCSTL only just wrapped up its efforts helping community members recover from a local flooding event that occurred two years ago. Recovery from this tornado will likely take even longer.
“We’re the organization that works in the communities to get resources until we can actually get other resources around. Sometimes we’re waiting for the FEMA declaration to help with some of that process. But we still need community resources to really build back the lives of these folks,” he said, with those resources including mental health counseling, given the trauma many people experienced.
He told the story of one woman he encountered after the storm who had lived in her historic, red-brick North City home for almost 80 years and had no insurance despite owning the house outright. Her house, sadly, is “just gone,” Bryson said.
“After we get past this initial shock and awe moment, people will lose interest in this story,” he said, noting that especially during the ongoing Jubilee Year of Hope, Catholics should continue to point to their ultimate hope in Jesus to help restore the spirit of a community affected by such profound material loss.
“This is a multiyear recovery, [and] we are there not only in the incidents when it happens, we are there several years later when we’re still trying to recover the community … You’re not going to rebuild neighborhoods and houses overnight.”
Scheiderer was able to celebrate weekend Masses in the church last weekend at St. Matthew the Apostle — part of the St. Peter Claver Parish grouping he pastors — despite the electricity still being out. He said about 10-20 people still showed up.
“It was a very beautiful Mass … thinking back to Jesus’ words, ‘I’ve earnestly desired to celebrate this’... there was such an earnest desire in my heart to celebrate the Mass because in doing that, I want to make him present,” Scheiderer said.
“Once we’ve received that saving sacrifice and it’s filled us, now we need to go out and be the love of Christ for others.”
While many of the parish’s members live outside the parish boundaries, those who have lost homes have few prospects without sustained help, Scheiderer said. He said they are planning to set up a restricted fund for community relief efforts that people of goodwill will be able to donate to by mailing a check to the parish.
In the meantime, the church is accepting supplies like nonperishable food, water, clothing of all sorts especially socks and underwear, as well as basic personal hygiene items, household items like toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies.
“We’re going to have little stations here where people can come and get the necessary items they need. So we’re just trying to do everything we can to help, because it’s bad,” Scheiderer said.
Scheiderer asked for prayers for his parish community and the whole of St. Louis; his parish community has started praying a rosary before every Mass.
“We’re praying for all those who have tragically died and all their loved ones mourning their loss. We’re praying for all those who have been injured or hurt in any way. We’re praying for all those who have lost property, personal belongings, especially those of our parish. We’re praying for all those who have just been so generous in responding; first responders, medical professionals, service workers, city officials, state officials, all those who are just working around the clock. We’re really pouring out for them,” the priest said.
“Then just a prayer for us, as a parish family, that we can really listen attentively to the Holy Spirit and how he’s calling us to help in this time, and that we have the courage and the boldness to step forward and follow God’s will wherever he’s leading us.”
Posted on 05/23/2025 11:00 AM (CNA Daily News - US)
“I have never seen anything like this,” said Jerikah McCloud, 23, who looks out the destroyed second floor of her family home in the Academy neighborhood of St. Louis on Saturday, May 17, 2025, after the National Weather Service confirmed a tornado struck the city the day before. / Credit: Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP
St. Louis, Mo., May 23, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
The people of northern St. Louis continue to pick up the pieces — assisted by Catholic Charities — after a massive tornado hit the city last week, with a full recovery likely taking multiple years.
The mile-wide EF-3 tornado tore through the northern part of St. Louis on May 16, causing over $1.6 billion in damage and leaving at least five people dead, including a woman who was killed when the steeple of a Christian church collapsed on her. Much of the destruction affected some of the poorest parts of the city.
Father Scott Scheiderer, who pastors a group of parishes located in one of St. Louis’ hardest-hit areas — “right near ground zero” — said many of the residents there are impoverished and lack insurance, making ongoing assistance critical.
“I started driving through these neighborhoods, and my goodness; the devastation. I mean, words cannot describe. It is just horrific,” Scheiderer told CNA.
“We [at the parish] took on some damage … But I mean, this is total devastation. Words cannot describe some of these neighborhoods. I mean, they’re just totally gone … People have lost their houses. I talked with them. They have no way to rebuild.”
“The call to help, to be the love of Christ in this time, is just so great right now. So we’re just trying to respond as best we can,” he continued.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis will hold a special collection at Masses May 24-25 or May 31-June 1 to benefit those most affected by the storm, with the funds going to Catholic Charities, the St. Louis Review reported. The St. Augustine Wellston Center, a Catholic food bank, is also taking material and financial donations.
The twister damaged at least 5,000 structures, and Mayor Cara Spencer said Thursday that FEMA operatives have been on the ground in St. Louis doing assessments. The tornado outbreak on May 16 also spawned tornadoes in Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana killing at least 28 people total and injuring dozens.
Among the confirmed dead in St. Louis after the storm is Patricia Penelton, a longtime volunteer at St. Louis’ Centennial Christian Church who was reportedly at the church bagging lunches to distribute after the storm. She was killed when the bell tower and roof of the 121-year-old church collapsed in the tornado.
None of the Catholic church buildings in the area suffered catastrophic damage. St. Peter Claver Parish, which has a predominantly African American congregation, lost the roof from its school gym, but crews were able to fix it quickly. Numerous large trees were downed all along the tornado’s path, including all around St. Matthew the Apostle, which is part of the St. Peter Claver Parish grouping.
Father Scott Jones, episcopal vicar for the archdiocese’ northern vicariate, told CNA that by far the greatest need in the area right now is “immediate assistance to those without homes who are living in cars, makeshift shelters, and other locations. Many areas are still without power.”
The area where the devastation was greatest is North City, which was already economically disadvantaged, Jones told CNA in written comments. Despite the widespread devastation there, “there is a strong commitment to working together with other denominations and agencies in getting assistance to those with the greatest need,” Jones said.
“Having served there in the past, I can attest that the faith of the people is very strong. I’ve been in contact with the pastors and parishioners and they are holding up well,” he said.
“People are volunteering in droves, which is heartening. The greatest need right now is money, however … People are stepping up and hopefully will continue to do so once the initial reporting concludes. We are also reallocating archdiocesan resources. For example, my vicariate received a $50,000 grant for formation and my staff and I reworked our budget to donate half to Catholic Charities.”
Jones said they will gladly accept sanitizing supplies, food, and water for the many volunteers who are pitching in to clean up debris, clear blocked streets, and assist residents in securing their homes — along with all the prayer they can get.
Jared Bryson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis (CCSTL), told CNA in an interview that the people of north St. Louis he has met with are already referring to the tornado as a “Katrina-level” event, harkening back to the disastrous 2005 hurricane that crippled New Orleans for years.
He said CCSTL’s director of disaster services has been working with emergency managers, the other voluntary organizations that are part of disaster services and recovery, and other nonprofits at an emergency incident command center.
CCSTL is currently accepting donations to help more than 1,500 individuals and families who have reached out through the Catholic Charities website seeking support. Bryson reiterated that many of the people who lost homes in the tornado have no insurance and little money to rebuild.
Numerous neighbors have stepped up to help in the wake of the storm, but going forward some of the biggest needs “are really financial,” and if aid is not carefully organized and coordinated, “it really causes more problems than it helps,” Bryson continued.
Highlighting the long-term nature of the recovery effort, Bryson noted that CCSTL only just wrapped up its efforts helping community members recover from a local flooding event that occurred two years ago. Recovery from this tornado will likely take even longer.
“We’re the organization that works in the communities to get resources until we can actually get other resources around. Sometimes we’re waiting for the FEMA declaration to help with some of that process. But we still need community resources to really build back the lives of these folks,” he said, with those resources including mental health counseling, given the trauma many people experienced.
He told the story of one woman he encountered after the storm who had lived in her historic, red-brick North City home for almost 80 years and had no insurance despite owning the house outright. Her house, sadly, is “just gone,” Bryson said.
“After we get past this initial shock and awe moment, people will lose interest in this story,” he said, noting that especially during the ongoing Jubilee Year of Hope, Catholics should continue to point to their ultimate hope in Jesus to help restore the spirit of a community affected by such profound material loss.
“This is a multiyear recovery, [and] we are there not only in the incidents when it happens, we are there several years later when we’re still trying to recover the community … You’re not going to rebuild neighborhoods and houses overnight.”
Scheiderer was able to celebrate weekend Masses in the church last weekend at St. Matthew the Apostle — part of the St. Peter Claver Parish grouping he pastors — despite the electricity still being out. He said about 10-20 people still showed up.
“It was a very beautiful Mass … thinking back to Jesus’ words, ‘I’ve earnestly desired to celebrate this’... there was such an earnest desire in my heart to celebrate the Mass because in doing that, I want to make him present,” Scheiderer said.
“Once we’ve received that saving sacrifice and it’s filled us, now we need to go out and be the love of Christ for others.”
While many of the parish’s members live outside the parish boundaries, those who have lost homes have few prospects without sustained help, Scheiderer said. He said they are planning to set up a restricted fund for community relief efforts that people of goodwill will be able to donate to by mailing a check to the parish.
In the meantime, the church is accepting supplies like nonperishable food, water, clothing of all sorts especially socks and underwear, as well as basic personal hygiene items, household items like toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies.
“We’re going to have little stations here where people can come and get the necessary items they need. So we’re just trying to do everything we can to help, because it’s bad,” Scheiderer said.
Scheiderer asked for prayers for his parish community and the whole of St. Louis; his parish community has started praying a rosary before every Mass.
“We’re praying for all those who have tragically died and all their loved ones mourning their loss. We’re praying for all those who have been injured or hurt in any way. We’re praying for all those who have lost property, personal belongings, especially those of our parish. We’re praying for all those who have just been so generous in responding; first responders, medical professionals, service workers, city officials, state officials, all those who are just working around the clock. We’re really pouring out for them,” the priest said.
“Then just a prayer for us, as a parish family, that we can really listen attentively to the Holy Spirit and how he’s calling us to help in this time, and that we have the courage and the boldness to step forward and follow God’s will wherever he’s leading us.”
Posted on 05/23/2025 10:00 AM (CNA Daily News)
Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Desilú León explains the route for “Paths of Pope Leo XIV,” which will cover four regions in the country: Lambayeque, Piura, La Libertad, and Callao, key locations in the pastoral life of Pope Leo XIV. / Credit: Courtesy of Ministry of Trade and Tourism of Peru
Lima Newsroom, May 23, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
The president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, and the minister of foreign trade and tourism, Desilú León, have announced the launch of a new tourism route in the country.
The route, known as “Paths of Pope Leo XIV,” highlights the places where the Holy Father — formerly known as Bishop Robert Prevost — exercised his fruitful pastoral ministry in the Andean nation.
The route covers four of the country’s regions: Lambayeque, Piura, La Libertad, and Callao, key locations in the ministry of the man who is now Pope Leo XIV, the first Peruvian citizen to become pope.
“The Paths of Pope Leo XIV route will not only include Lambayeque — which we have established as the first destination, since the current pope was bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo — but also the other places in Peru where he served,” the minister explained.
León added that on May 16 the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism established a technical committee to coordinate with mayors and regional authorities the necessary short-, medium-, and long-term actions.
“We need to work together here,” she stated, noting that the goal is to offer visitors not only a cultural experience but also a religious one.
The destinations that will be part of the route include:
In Chiclayo: St. Mary’s Cathedral; the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace; St. Peter of Monsefú Parish, where the image of Jesus of Nazareth Captive is venerated; St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Eten City, which houses the image of the Divine Child of the Miracle; and the Cross of Motupe
In Piura: the Diocese of Chulucanas and the Augustinian Seminary
In La Libertad: the Augustinian Convent of St. Thomas of Villanova and Our Lady of Monserrat Parish
In Callao: the diocese where then-Bishop Prevost gave his blessing before being called to the Vatican
The minister said that in addition to churches and religious sites, the route will include other cultural attractions such as museums, beaches, and nature reserves.
At the end of the presentation, a brief promotional video was shown summarizing the importance of the route and the spiritual legacy of Leo XIV in Peru.
“The route of Pope Leo XIV preserves the memory and the path of the Holy Father: towns, churches, and the faithful touched by his affection, his kindness, and his blessing,” the Spanish-language video explains.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Posted on 05/23/2025 08:30 AM (USCCB News)
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis, who took his name from the patron saint of ecology -- St. Francis of Assisi -- died the day before Earth Day and about five weeks before the 10th anniversary of his landmark encyclical on care for creation.
Dated May 24, the solemnity of Pentecost in 2015, the document, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home," presented the core of his teachings on integral ecology, its principles and practical applications.
Integral ecology recognizes the interconnectedness and interdependence between human beings and the earth, he said, and how the values, mindsets and actions of people affect all human endeavors and the planet.
Pope Francis insisted social, economic, political and environmental issues are not separate problems, but are the many dimensions of one overarching crisis. The flora and fauna, the heavens and seas and all human beings are not objects to be used and controlled, but are wondrous reflections of the divine; they are God's creations and are gifts to be protected, loved and shared.
It was the first papal encyclical on the environment; however, it came out of a long theological tradition that sees the natural world as a form of divine revelation that "must also lead us to rediscover our fraternity with the earth, to which we have been linked since creation," as St. John Paul II said.
Pope Francis "built on 'integral human development' from Benedict XVI and 'human ecology' from John Paul II," Celia Deane-Drummond, director of the Laudato Si' Research Institute at Campion Hall at England's Oxford University, told Catholic News Service in late April.
So while his 2015 document "wasn't dropping out of the sky," she said, there was a notable "change of tone and a change of emphasis and a much greater stress on dialogue with people from other traditions and openness to the world."
Laudato Si' also showed "a pastoral heart" with a clear awareness of the suffering of people and the world "that we need to incorporate in how we live and act as Christians," Deane-Drummond said.
Pope Francis, with his long experience in the global South, also brought a unique perspective that propelled him to embrace the topic of environmentalism, which had been "marginalized as a fringe concern of the left," and to link it with social justice, Erin Lothes, a theologian and climate educator, told Catholic News Service in late April.
"His own conversion to ecology, I believe, is born out of the soil of Latin America and him being a pope for the poor," who saw the impact ecological crises had on the people there, said Lothes, who is a visiting scholar at the Center for Earth Ethics in New York and an "ecclesial affiliate" at the Laudato Si' Research Institute.
Many of the main themes of his pontificate, including the need to address the looming ecological crisis can be found in the 2007 Aparecida document then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires helped draft with bishops from Latin America in Aparecida, Brazil -- the home of the Amazon and the "lungs" of the Earth.
"We can see the seeds of Laudato Si' in Aparecida," Lothes said, including the need for an "alternate development model, a new ethic based on justice and solidarity and attention to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. I think that was very influential and that led him to focus" on the issue in a major papal document.
At the same time, she said, "the global world was seeing more ecological crises," and many in civil society were pushing for action, especially at international conferences sponsored by the United Nations, showing "there was that readiness for these seeds of his teaching to take root."
With Laudato Si', Deane-Drummond said, Pope Francis "appealed to the world in a way that was incredibly ambitious," and, consequently, the encyclical had an "astonishing" influence on the world of science.
Deane-Drummond first worked as a scientist and then as a theologian, and she has been connecting ecology and theology since the late 1980s. She said she knew scientists and others who had never read an encyclical before, "but they read Laudato Si'." An article about Laudato Si' in one biological journal garnered "more hits that year than any other article."
"I've really never seen anything quite like it," she said. "Suddenly he's blown open Catholic social teaching to the globe and in a remarkable kind of way that's completely fearless."
Also, "it wasn't a passive recipient document," Deane-Drummond said, since it fostered networking and action on multiple levels.
The encyclical even influenced the U.N. Climate Change Conference that was held several months later, and the resulting Paris Agreement "may not have happened if he hadn't released it then," she said.
Eight years later, on St. Francis of Assisi's feast day, Pope Francis released a follow-up document, "Laudate Deum" ("Praise God"), ahead of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in the United Arab Emirates. The exhortation presented an even stronger critique of global inaction and indifference to climate change.
Deane-Drummond said it wasn't because Laudato Si' was not enough or had gaps to fill. Laudate Deum was "much more blunt in terms of telling people what they need to do and also pointing the finger, really, at Catholics and others who still denied climate change."
"It was as if the message of Laudato Si' hadn't been absorbed sufficiently and it was another cry of anguish," as well as "saying what needed to happen in Dubai … in a way that wasn't quite as clear in Laudato Si'," she said.
Both Deane-Drummond and Lothes believe the message and appeals of Laudato Si' are here to stay and did not die with Pope Francis' death April 21.
"I think it's a little bit like Vatican II," Deane-Drummond said. Even if some people in the church have tried to push back against Vatican II, the council made changes "that are irreversible."
"It's similar with Laudato Si'. Those changes have come in; they're part of Catholic social thought," she said.
Lothes said, "I think it's absolutely embedded in the global church" so that "this mission will go forward and flourish," especially with so many initiatives and institutions supporting it.
"And in those places where that conversion is still ongoing," she said, "I believe that the people of God know that we are facing an ecological crisis and are looking for that guidance, and they sense the dissonance when we are not bringing it into our liturgical life, our catechetical life, our ethical life."
In his two weeks as pope, Pope Leo XIV repeatedly has mentioned the same themes of climate change, exploitation of the poor and of Earth's resources, and the importance of protecting the planet.
Lothes said the only thing missing in Laudato Si' and Laudate Deum is "a clear guide" for how everyone can concretely live out their message.
Pope Francis "invited us, in a very beautiful and spiritual way to ecological conversion, to proclaim and live the Gospel of creation," and to respond immediately "via governmental action, via policy responses, via our civic and consumer life to the scale of the crisis because our responses have not been adequate."
"What's needed now for the person in the pews is a clear expression of what each of us absolutely needs to do: A sort of 'Ten Commandments' for care of creation," she said.
"We have the intellectual message, we have the spiritual message," Lothes said. "Now we need to break it down for the life of the church and I think that's what the next wave of magisterial teaching can really offer to allow this seed and the beautiful tree of Laudato Si' to just reforest throughout the world."
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Posted on 05/23/2025 08:30 AM (USCCB News)
WASHINGTON – “With hearts burdened by sorrow and a renewed commitment to solidarity, we express profound grief and outrage at the shooting that occurred outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington,” said Bishop Joseph C. Bambera and Archbishop Borys Gudziak.
Bishop Bambera, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, and Archbishop Gudziak, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development offered their prayers in response to the May 21 shooting.
“We stand in prayerful mourning with our Jewish brothers and sisters and denounce this act of violence and antisemitic hatred in the strongest possible terms. As Catholics, we are called not only to reject such hatred, but to actively foster mutual understanding, respect, and solidarity with the Jewish people. With urgency and clarity, we renew the commitment made through the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra Aetate to affirm our common patrimony with the Jews and stand against any and all forms of antisemitism.
“The suffering generated by this senseless and violent action against the Jewish community wounds us all and compels us toward renewed vigilance and action. In this moment, we also acknowledge the grave responsibility we all share in the language we use, especially when speaking about the conflict in the Holy Land. Complex political realities can never justify rhetoric that demonizes a people, faith, or community. Harsh or dehumanizing language, even when unintended, can sow seeds of suspicion and fear, which too easily bear the fruit of violence. In our public discourse, as in our prayers, we must choose the path of truth spoken in love (Ephesians 4:15), never allowing geopolitical tensions to justify antisemitism or any form of hatred.
“To our Jewish neighbors, partners and friends: We walk with you. We grieve with you. We stand with you. May the God of justice and peace comfort the wounded, strengthen the fearful, and bring healing to all affected by this violence. Let us together be instruments of peace, as we heed the words of the prophet Micah: ‘Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.’”
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Posted on 05/22/2025 22:13 PM (CNA Daily News - US)
Catholic Relief Services distributes food for school children at one of the schools in the Department of Totonicapán, Guatemala, with the help of parent volunteers. / Credit: Catholic Relief Services
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 22, 2025 / 18:13 pm (CNA).
As part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape American foreign aid, his administration is ending federal funds for nearly a dozen projects operated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to provide free school meals to children internationally.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ended funding for 11 of the 13 projects CRS operates through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, which was created with bipartisan support in the early 2000s. The funds support international school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects with American agriculture commodities, according to the USDA.
According to CRS, the termination of these funds will affect more than 780,000 school-aged children in 11 countries. The funding will end this July.
“This decision isn’t just a policy shift — it’s a life-altering blow to hundreds of thousands of children who rely on these meals to stay healthy, stay in school, and stay hopeful about their future,” CRS President and CEO Sean Callahan said in a statement.
CRS contends that, in some impoverished countries, this program provides children with their only reliable meal daily. In a news release, CRS also maintained that the programs strengthen local communities and that terminating these contracts will threaten food security and economic stability in the affected nations.
“Ending a program that provides a child’s only meal is deeply troubling and goes against our values as a nation and as people of faith,” Callahan said. “We have a moral responsibility to ensure vulnerable children have access to the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and build a better future.”
A spokesperson for the USDA confirmed the termination of these funds and told CNA the decision was part of an effort to ensure the programs “align with the president’s agenda to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”
“We look forward to ensuring USDA foreign aid is spent implementing existing projects as well as any new projects that continue to put American agriculture at the forefront and align with the president’s agenda,” the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, the USDA ended 17 McGovern-Dole program agreements in total, 11 of which were operated by CRS. The USDA continues to fund 30 projects through that program, two of which CRS operates. The remaining programs serve 22 countries.
Additionally, the spokesperson said the USDA ended funding for 27 Food for Progress program agreements that were also “not in alignment with the foreign assistance objectives of the Trump administration.” The other 14 Food for Progress agreements, which serve 17 countries, will still be funded.
“It is important to note that all U.S. agricultural producers have received payment for commodities for which invoices have been received,” the spokesperson said. “Those projects which were terminated received a 30-day notification. During this time partners are required to deliver any commodity to its final destination, in accordance with the agreement, to ensure no product goes to waste.”
Callahan, alternatively, said the success of its programs is “undeniable,” adding that he has seen firsthand “the remarkable contributions of the community and local government” in one of the countries, Honduras.
“I spoke with young children who endure nearly two-hour walks to school each day — driven by the hope of receiving both a meal and an education,” he said. “It is un-American to stand by and not provide assistance while hunger robs children of their chance to learn and thrive.”
Callahan requested that the administration “reconsider its decision and restore funding for these life-affirming programs,” saying a reversal would “ensure children continue to have access to daily meals in school and invest in their future, their health, and their ability to break the cycle of poverty.”