Posted on 07/18/2025 08:10 AM (CNA Daily News)
Holy Mass at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, led by the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli during the Advent season in December 2024. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli
CNA Staff, Jul 18, 2025 / 04:10 am (CNA).
A reported strike on the only Catholic Church in Gaza killed three people and injured nine others July 17, according to a statement from Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. Among the injured was the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli. Pictures showed damage to the church’s roof and windows.
Amid the ongoing war in Gaza, the parish has been a refuge for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Here are eight things to know about Holy Family Church in Gaza:
Holy Family Parish was built in the 1960s. Before it became a shelter, the were about 130 Catholics in Gaza, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
Christians are a minority in the overwhelmingly Muslim territory, numbering only 1,000, according to the 2024 U.S. State Department’s international religious freedom report. Most Palestinian Christians are Greek Orthodox, though other Christians such as Roman Catholics, Melkite Greek Catholics, and some Protestant denominations have a presence in Gaza and the West Bank. Christians represent less than 1% of Gaza, according to the Latin Patriarchate website.
Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with about 5,000 people per square kilometer. The area is also highly impoverished with a high level of unemployment. Children under 15 make up about 50% of the population, per a 2022 Palestine Ministry of Health report.
The parish complex is a makeshift home to over 500 people: mostly Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic Christians but also some Muslim families as well as children with disabilities. The parish complex was converted to an improvised shelter at the beginning of the war between the terrorist group Hamas and Israel, which began more than a year and a half ago when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 men, women, and children, and kidnapping more than 250 hostages. About 20 living hostages still remain in Gaza.
In addition to the church, the parish has a Latin Patriarchate school. Built in 1974 by the Latin Patriarchate, the Holy Family School has more than 600 students, both Christian and non-Christian. It is considered the best school in Gaza, according to the patriarchate website.
Romanelli, a priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, a branch of the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word, is the pastor of the church and is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was injured in the leg by shrapnel in Israel’s recent attack on the parish. Romanelli came to the Middle East as part of his missionary vocation as a seminarian. After his ordination, the priest spent two years in Egypt learning Arabic and then went to Jordan. In 2019, he arrived in Gaza as the parish priest. In 2023 (when the Israel-Hamas war started) he was evacuated to Jerusalem but decided to return to minister to his flock and support the community there.
The Missionaries of Charity, founded by St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa), have been in Gaza for more than 50 years, since 1973. Several sisters care for the elderly and disabled at a convent in the parish complex. In December 2023, their convent was hit by rockets, creating a fire that made the convent uninhabitable. Two women were killed in the attack on the convent, which the patriarchate alleged was targeted by Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but IDF denied responsibility.
The Holy Rosary Sisters also have a presence in the Tal Al Hawa neighborhood in Gaza. The sisters founded a school in 2000 with more than 800 students, 10% of whom are Christian. But early on in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the school — which was evacuated days before — was severely damaged. The two Rosary sisters now reside at Holy Family Parish.
The Servants of the Lord the Virgin of Matará (SSVM), also known as the “Servidoras,” also have a presence in Gaza as well as throughout the Middle East. Along with Romanelli, the Servidoras are part of a larger religious family known as the Family of the Incarnate Word. Two Servidoras — who are also biological twins — decided to stay in Gaza at the start of the conflict and continue to minister to the people there.
In the last year and a half of his life, even after being hospitalized, Pope Francis called the Holy Family Parish almost daily. The last call Francis made to the parish was on Easter Vigil on April 19, just two days before his death. The calls were simple check-ins via WhatsApp, usually lasting about a minute. The parish grew to expect the nightly calls and the children called the Holy Father “grandfather.”
The parish has directly come under attack before, including a bombing that occurred about 1,000 feet away from the church in March. In April, Romanelli called Gaza a “prison” and urged world leaders to seek peace. This week’s attack on the church was reportedly by an Israeli tank. The Israel Foreign Ministry expressed “deep sorrow” at the damage and casualties and said the IDF is examining the incident, adding that Israel “never targets churches or religious sites.”
In response to the recent attack, Pizzaballa said he is “always” trying “to reach Gaza in all possible ways,” noting that “we will never leave them alone,” according to Vatican News.
The sentiment is one that Pizzaballa has consistently highlighted and practiced. He visited the parish in May 2024 and again in December 2024. Last month, the cardinal stressed the “utmost importance” of supporting the parish community there. “Our primary concern is our community in Gaza: to support them, to be present for them, to not abandon them,” he told ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner.
Posted on 07/18/2025 01:00 AM (Integrated Catholic Life™)
“Let’s not be too hasty to set up Martha as the bad sister, nor judge her service as the problem.” Martha, Martha… Familiar words greet us in this Sunday’s Gospel. You know the scene. Jesus and his Apostles have stopped by Bethany to find respite at the home of their friends. We know Jesus loved […]
The post Defending Martha appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.
Posted on 07/17/2025 23:30 PM (CNA Daily News)
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops headquarters in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 19:30 pm (CNA).
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is asking a federal district court to block the government from enforcing any portion of an abortion “accommodation” rule against them while they appeal a court order that provided only partial relief from the rule.
Under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) abortion accommodation rule, the USCCB can deny workplace accommodations for employees who obtain purely elective abortions, but they may still have to provide accommodations for abortions related to treating medical conditions.
Qualifying medical conditions are broad. According to the EEOC rule, conditions include “modest” or even “minor” anxiety, depression, nausea, dehydration, and changes in hormone levels that result from a pregnancy.
Because of this, the USCCB asked the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to fully block the EEOC’s abortion accommodation rule during their appeal. The rule comes from the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, passed under President Joe Biden, which requires employers to offer reasonable workplace accommodations for women with limitations from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
Although the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act itself makes no mention of abortion, the EEOC regulation states that “having or choosing not to have an abortion” qualifies as a related medical condition. The rule provides for religious exemptions only on a case-by-case basis, which would be determined after the accommodation request was made and denied.
Daniel Blomberg, the lead attorney for the bishops, told CNA that the case-by-case exemption is “facially inadequate.” He said USCCB policy is to never provide accommodations for an abortion and warned that the USCCB would need to change its policy to comply with the mandate, which the bishops have not done and will not do.
Numerous Catholic and other religious organizations have also sued the EEOC for its abortion accommodation rule and were given full relief from the mandate. Blomberg said the USCCB is the only entity that was denied full relief.
“They cannot change their policy,” Blomberg said. “They cannot violate the faith that animates what they do.”
Blomberg, who serves as vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act itself ensures that “religious organizations are protected.” He contested that the EEOC’s implementation regulations go against the text of the law and Congress’ intent.
“Congress did not intend to force the bishops or any other religious groups to accommodate abortions at any time,” he added.
In addition to arguing that the EEOC regulations are an improper implementation of the law, the lawsuit also appeals to the religious liberty protections in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religion.
Andrea Lucas, the new EEOC chair appointed by President Donald Trump, has vocally criticized the final rule. However, because Trump removed two Democrat-appointed commissioners from the EEOC, the body lacks the necessary quorum to issue new guidelines.
Trump nominated Brittany Panuccio, a Republican lawyer, to serve on the commission. If she is confirmed by the Senate, the commission would have the necessary quorum.
Blomberg said the commission is likely “months away from any prospect of getting [a quorum]” right now, which means the rule will stay in place for the time being.
Posted on 07/17/2025 23:30 PM (CNA Daily News - US)
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops headquarters in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 19:30 pm (CNA).
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is asking a federal district court to block the government from enforcing any portion of an abortion “accommodation” rule against them while they appeal a court order that provided only partial relief from the rule.
Under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) abortion accommodation rule, the USCCB can deny workplace accommodations for employees who obtain purely elective abortions, but they may still have to provide accommodations for abortions related to treating medical conditions.
Qualifying medical conditions are broad. According to the EEOC rule, conditions include “modest” or even “minor” anxiety, depression, nausea, dehydration, and changes in hormone levels that result from a pregnancy.
Because of this, the USCCB asked the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to fully block the EEOC’s abortion accommodation rule during their appeal. The rule comes from the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, passed under President Joe Biden, which requires employers to offer reasonable workplace accommodations for women with limitations from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
Although the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act itself makes no mention of abortion, the EEOC regulation states that “having or choosing not to have an abortion” qualifies as a related medical condition. The rule provides for religious exemptions only on a case-by-case basis, which would be determined after the accommodation request was made and denied.
Daniel Blomberg, the lead attorney for the bishops, told CNA that the case-by-case exemption is “facially inadequate.” He said USCCB policy is to never provide accommodations for an abortion and warned that the USCCB would need to change its policy to comply with the mandate, which the bishops have not done and will not do.
Numerous Catholic and other religious organizations have also sued the EEOC for its abortion accommodation rule and were given full relief from the mandate. Blomberg said the USCCB is the only entity that was denied full relief.
“They cannot change their policy,” Blomberg said. “They cannot violate the faith that animates what they do.”
Blomberg, who serves as vice president and senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act itself ensures that “religious organizations are protected.” He contested that the EEOC’s implementation regulations go against the text of the law and Congress’ intent.
“Congress did not intend to force the bishops or any other religious groups to accommodate abortions at any time,” he added.
In addition to arguing that the EEOC regulations are an improper implementation of the law, the lawsuit also appeals to the religious liberty protections in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religion.
Andrea Lucas, the new EEOC chair appointed by President Donald Trump, has vocally criticized the final rule. However, because Trump removed two Democrat-appointed commissioners from the EEOC, the body lacks the necessary quorum to issue new guidelines.
Trump nominated Brittany Panuccio, a Republican lawyer, to serve on the commission. If she is confirmed by the Senate, the commission would have the necessary quorum.
Blomberg said the commission is likely “months away from any prospect of getting [a quorum]” right now, which means the rule will stay in place for the time being.
Posted on 07/17/2025 22:00 PM (CNA Daily News)
Holy Mass at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, led by the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli during the Advent season. December 2024. / Courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli
Vatican City, Jul 17, 2025 / 18:00 pm (CNA).
Father Yusuf Asad, 49, who has been the assistant parochial vicar at Holy Family Church in Gaza for six years, had just celebrated morning Mass when a loud bang sounded. At around 10:20 a.m. local time, a projectile hit the building.
“It fell directly on the roof. The explosion occurred next to the cross atop the church and soon scattered shrapnel throughout the courtyard,” Anton Asfar, director of Caritas Jerusalem, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. He received a call from Gaza shortly after the attack alerting him to the incident.
“It was later clarified to us that at the time of the explosion, there were some people in the courtyard outside, even though Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor, had warned everyone to stay inside,” he explained.
Still shaken, he added: “Without Father Romanelli's warnings to stay inside, we could have lost 50 or 60 people. It would have been a massacre.”
The parish compound consists of the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, a school, a convent, a multipurpose center, and a Missionaries of Charity building. At the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, it became a makeshift shelter for more than 500 displaced people.
The majority are Orthodox Christians, Protestants, and Catholics, but there are also more than 50 Muslim children with disabilities living there with their families.
“We are assessing the situation together with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to understand what has happened. People are in shock,” he said.
He explained that the Israeli army issues an evacuation or displacement order every day. “There is a constant threat. Two Sundays ago, there was an evacuation order for the residential neighborhood of al-Zaytun,” where the parish is located in Gaza City, he added.
In fact, the attacks have intensified in recent weeks, and bombs have continuously fallen on the surroundings of this parish.
“It is very difficult to move people. Everyone is determined to stay in the churches and continue taking refuge there. But the truth is that there are no safe areas in Gaza anymore,” he lamented.
So far, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has confirmed three deaths. They are Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, 60, who was the parish maintenance manager and was in the courtyard at the time of the explosion.
The other two fatalities are Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, an 84-year-old woman, and Najwa Abu Daoud, 70, who were receiving psychological care at the time inside the tent of the Caritas psycho-social support project.
“People were terrified when the evacuation of the wounded to the hospital began. Father Gabriel [Romanelli] was also taken because he had a minor leg injury, but he is out of danger,” Asfar confirmed.
In addition to the Argentine priest from the Institute of the Incarnate Word, eight other people were injured and rushed to Al Mamadami Hospital, just one kilometer (.62 miles) from the church. But the bombings have also pushed to the limit the capacity of health centers, with no electricity or medical supplies. “There is no medicine, no drinking water. There is a severe shortage of fuel, which is essential for hospitals and medical centers,” he pointed out.
The last significant influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza occurred more than four months ago.
“Nothing has entered since March 2. Only small amounts of aid. The only active operation is the Gaza Interim Foundation, but it’s not enough. Four centers cannot replace the 400 distribution points that existed during the truce,” Asfar noted.
Furthermore, the management of this organization, also known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), — created in February 2025 and supported by the United States and Israel — has raised growing suspicions that it has turned food distribution into a weapon of war. According to UN figures, more than 400 Gazans have already died at GHF aid distribution points.
The humanitarian situation is dire. Caritas currently has more than 120 staff operating in Gaza, spread across ten medical centers, but resources are dwindling. The borders remain closed, which has put the population in a desperate situation. “People are dying of hunger. All the children are suffering from malnutrition,” the director of Caritas Jerusalem warned.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Posted on 07/17/2025 22:00 PM (CNA Daily News - Vatican)
Holy Mass at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, led by the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli during the Advent season. December 2024. / Courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli
Vatican City, Jul 17, 2025 / 18:00 pm (CNA).
Father Yusuf Asad, 49, who has been the assistant parochial vicar at Holy Family Church in Gaza for six years, had just celebrated morning Mass when a loud bang sounded. At around 10:20 a.m. local time, a projectile hit the building.
“It fell directly on the roof. The explosion occurred next to the cross atop the church and soon scattered shrapnel throughout the courtyard,” Anton Asfar, director of Caritas Jerusalem, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. He received a call from Gaza shortly after the attack alerting him to the incident.
“It was later clarified to us that at the time of the explosion, there were some people in the courtyard outside, even though Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor, had warned everyone to stay inside,” he explained.
Still shaken, he added: “Without Father Romanelli's warnings to stay inside, we could have lost 50 or 60 people. It would have been a massacre.”
The parish compound consists of the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, a school, a convent, a multipurpose center, and a Missionaries of Charity building. At the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, it became a makeshift shelter for more than 500 displaced people.
The majority are Orthodox Christians, Protestants, and Catholics, but there are also more than 50 Muslim children with disabilities living there with their families.
“We are assessing the situation together with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem to understand what has happened. People are in shock,” he said.
He explained that the Israeli army issues an evacuation or displacement order every day. “There is a constant threat. Two Sundays ago, there was an evacuation order for the residential neighborhood of al-Zaytun,” where the parish is located in Gaza City, he added.
In fact, the attacks have intensified in recent weeks, and bombs have continuously fallen on the surroundings of this parish.
“It is very difficult to move people. Everyone is determined to stay in the churches and continue taking refuge there. But the truth is that there are no safe areas in Gaza anymore,” he lamented.
So far, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has confirmed three deaths. They are Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, 60, who was the parish maintenance manager and was in the courtyard at the time of the explosion.
The other two fatalities are Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, an 84-year-old woman, and Najwa Abu Daoud, 70, who were receiving psychological care at the time inside the tent of the Caritas psycho-social support project.
“People were terrified when the evacuation of the wounded to the hospital began. Father Gabriel [Romanelli] was also taken because he had a minor leg injury, but he is out of danger,” Asfar confirmed.
In addition to the Argentine priest from the Institute of the Incarnate Word, eight other people were injured and rushed to Al Mamadami Hospital, just one kilometer (.62 miles) from the church. But the bombings have also pushed to the limit the capacity of health centers, with no electricity or medical supplies. “There is no medicine, no drinking water. There is a severe shortage of fuel, which is essential for hospitals and medical centers,” he pointed out.
The last significant influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza occurred more than four months ago.
“Nothing has entered since March 2. Only small amounts of aid. The only active operation is the Gaza Interim Foundation, but it’s not enough. Four centers cannot replace the 400 distribution points that existed during the truce,” Asfar noted.
Furthermore, the management of this organization, also known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), — created in February 2025 and supported by the United States and Israel — has raised growing suspicions that it has turned food distribution into a weapon of war. According to UN figures, more than 400 Gazans have already died at GHF aid distribution points.
The humanitarian situation is dire. Caritas currently has more than 120 staff operating in Gaza, spread across ten medical centers, but resources are dwindling. The borders remain closed, which has put the population in a desperate situation. “People are dying of hunger. All the children are suffering from malnutrition,” the director of Caritas Jerusalem warned.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Posted on 07/17/2025 21:15 PM (CNA Daily News)
Migrants aboard an inflatable vessel in the Mediterranean Sea approach the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney in 2013. Carney provided food and water to the migrants aboard the vessel before coordinating with a nearby merchant vessel to take them to safety. / Credit: Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).
Young Catholic Europeans have issued recommendations to leaders on the continent in an effort to address the current migration crisis affecting numerous countries there.
This year’s written contribution by the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) Youth Net centers on solutions for “fostering integration of migrants in the European Union.” The region has seen high levels of immigration in recent years, particularly from the Middle East and Africa.
The paper, published this month, is based on a small-scale survey conducted by COMECE delegates under the auspices of the EU Episcopal Conferences.
“Rooted in Europe’s Christian heritage and Catholic Social Teaching, this contribution seeks to reflect on the call to support just integration processes: to welcome, protect, and actively integrate migrants, whilst addressing key challenges and proposing a way forward for European leaders,” the paper states.
The paper addresses three main issues regarding migration in the EU: social integration of migrants as a “two-way process,” addressing the link between migration and crime rates, and the loss of national identity amid demographic crises.
Respondents of the COMECE survey emphasized the importance of the two-way process of integration, according to the paper, sharing they believed that “while migrants should continue to respect local customs, language and laws, host societies should also provide opportunities for participation in economic, social and cultural life.”
Respondents also “stressed the need to balance preserving one’s cultural identity and embracing the values of the host state.”
In light of the responses, the paper urges “both sides to engage in cultural exchange,” with migrants learning the language and customs of the host country, and local communities participating in events that promote intercultural dialogue.
The paper also calls for integration of migrants into society in the professional sphere, noting that “overqualification amongst migrants is an issue that affects both their personal development and the socio-economic advancement of the host countries.”
“The Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church highlights the deep connection between work and human dignity, asserting that immigration can serve as a resource to the host country for development when migrants fill labour needs unmet by the local workforce,” the paper states.
The delegates further called on host counties to “facilitate the recognition of foreign qualifications and offer tailored vocational training, enabling migrants to engage in work that truly reflects their skills and aspirations.”
Regarding the link between crime rates and increased levels of migration, the paper states that “the perception of a direct link between migration and crime,” which it says is propagated by politicians and the media, “is not always factual.”
“It is essential to approach this subject with data, see the human person behind the statistics, and create empathy for people who, like so many of the local population, are simply looking for a better life,” the paper states.
Furthermore, the COMECE delegates assert that increased crime rates “tend to be concentrated in regions and areas which have less opportunities or where previous generations of migrant communities have already established themselves.”
Attributing rising crime to newcomers alone is “illogical,” the paper states.
The paper notes various factors that “can make a person more prone” to commit illegal offenses, citing poor integration into society and “having lived in a context of violence in one’s country of origin,” and “lacking a strong social network.”
“As such, integration is a fundamental part of the process for receiving migrants, especially asylum seekers and refugees, who are more vulnerable,” the paper states, recommending EU member states make resources such as language courses, integration programs, social services, more readily available.
It also recommends streamlining visa programs and “debureaucratizing the job market” as a preventative measure to crime.
Lastly, in their recommendations to EU member states regarding the preservation of national identity amid rising immigration, the COMECE delegates propose “investing in strong local communities.”
In practice, this means promoting pro-family policies, engaging local communities including churches to promote integration between migrants and citizens, and facilitating more volunteering in local communities to help introduce migrants into society, according to the COMECE delegates.
Posted on 07/17/2025 21:15 PM (Catholic News Agency)
Migrants aboard an inflatable vessel in the Mediterranean Sea approach the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney in 2013. Carney provided food and water to the migrants aboard the vessel before coordinating with a nearby merchant vessel to take them to safety. / Credit: Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 17:15 pm (CNA).
This year’s written contribution by the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) Youth Net centers on solutions for “fostering integration of migrants in the European Union.”
Posted on 07/17/2025 19:58 PM (CNA Daily News)
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on July 15, 2025. / Credit: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
CNA Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 15:58 pm (CNA).
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) delivered a speech on the Senate floor on July 16 denouncing cuts to federal funding of faith-based organizations that play critical roles in refugee resettlement and international humanitarian aid.
The Rescissions Act of 2025, pushed by both President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, proposes $9.4 billion in cuts to previously appropriated federal funding, $800 million of which supports faith-based organizations like Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as well as World Vision, an evangelical organization.
The rescissions bill, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives 214-212 on June 12 and passed in an amended form in the Senate on July 17, threatens to dismantle funding for faith-based groups, including the U.S. bishop-supported CRS.
Kaine, a Catholic and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who opposes the cuts, on Wednesday called them an “attack on the religious organizations so that they cannot do the work that their faith in their Creator compels them to do.”
During the Senate’s consideration of the measure on July 16, Kaine unsuccessfully introduced a motion to recommit the bill to the Senate Committee on Appropriations with instructions to preserve funding for faith-based organizations involved in refugee resettlement and international assistance. The motion was rejected in the Senate by a vote of 48-51.
Kaine, the former governor of Virginia, had urged the Senate to preserve funding for the faith-based groups, many of which have already laid off employees.
According to Kaine, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society have fired staff, and the Episcopal Church has closed its resettlement program completely.
World Relief has warned that the cuts undermine protections for persecuted Christians, Kaine said.
While he said he was “not surprised” that Trump had supported the funding cuts, Kaine expressed dismay at the cuts’ support among Republicans, many of whom “go to churches just like me and hear sermons preached about the Good Samaritan, just like I do every Sunday.”
The senator said seven of the ten organizations resettling refugees in the U.S. are faith-based, with Catholic advocates leading efforts to integrate legal immigrants, such as Afghan allies and Congolese families, into American communities.
In his speech Wednesday, Kaine spoke about his home parish, St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Richmond, Virginia, which was founded by Italian and German immigrants after World War I.
He said those immigrants chose to honor St. Elizabeth because she took bread to the poor, a symbol of serving those in need.
Kaine’s parish, which he said he has attended for 40 years, now has a large community of Congolese refugees.
“My church looks … different in some ways than when it was founded 100 years ago,” Kaine said, “but in other ways it’s exactly the same—a haven for … legal immigrants” who have “come to a place where they feel loved and cared for and safe and welcome.”
He highlighted the impact of the proposed funding cuts on his parish, where Congolese families fear for relatives still in refugee camps.
“These families come to me after Mass, frightened about what these cuts mean,” he said.
The Senate passed a version of the measure on July 17 incorporating an amendment that preserved $400 million to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The amendment also protected some country-specific grants.
Because it was amended, the bill was sent back to the House. If Congress fails to pass the Rescissions Act by midnight on July 18, the White House must release the $9 billion in funds, including $7.9 billion in foreign aid cuts affecting faith-based organizations, to be spent as originally appropriated.
Correction: An earlier version of this story identified Catholic Relief Services as assisting with refugee resettlement in the United States. CRS does not perform refugee resettlement in the U.S., but Catholic Charities does. Sen. Tim Kaine's remarks have also been updated. (Published July 18, 2025)
Posted on 07/17/2025 19:58 PM (CNA Daily News - US)
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on July 15, 2025. / Credit: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
CNA Newsroom, Jul 17, 2025 / 15:58 pm (CNA).
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) delivered a speech on the Senate floor on July 16 denouncing cuts to federal funding of faith-based organizations that play critical roles in refugee resettlement and international humanitarian aid.
The Rescissions Act of 2025, pushed by both President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, proposes $9.4 billion in cuts to previously appropriated federal funding, $800 million of which supports faith-based organizations like Catholic Relief Services (CRS) as well as World Vision, an evangelical organization.
The rescissions bill, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives 214-212 on June 12 and passed in an amended form in the Senate on July 17, threatens to dismantle funding for faith-based groups, including the U.S. bishop-supported CRS.
Kaine, a Catholic and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who opposes the cuts, on Wednesday called them an “attack on the religious organizations so that they cannot do the work that their faith in their Creator compels them to do.”
During the Senate’s consideration of the measure on July 16, Kaine unsuccessfully introduced a motion to recommit the bill to the Senate Committee on Appropriations with instructions to preserve funding for faith-based organizations involved in refugee resettlement and international assistance. The motion was rejected in the Senate by a vote of 48-51.
Kaine, the former governor of Virginia, had urged the Senate to preserve funding for the faith-based groups, many of which have already laid off employees.
According to Kaine, Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society have fired staff, and the Episcopal Church has closed its resettlement program completely.
World Relief has warned that the cuts undermine protections for persecuted Christians, Kaine said.
While he said he was “not surprised” that Trump had supported the funding cuts, Kaine expressed dismay at the cuts’ support among Republicans, many of whom “go to churches just like me and hear sermons preached about the Good Samaritan, just like I do every Sunday.”
The senator said seven of the ten organizations resettling refugees in the U.S. are faith-based, with Catholic advocates leading efforts to integrate legal immigrants, such as Afghan allies and Congolese families, into American communities.
In his speech Wednesday, Kaine spoke about his home parish, St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Richmond, Virginia, which was founded by Italian and German immigrants after World War I.
He said those immigrants chose to honor St. Elizabeth because she took bread to the poor, a symbol of serving those in need.
Kaine’s parish, which he said he has attended for 40 years, now has a large community of Congolese refugees.
“My church looks … different in some ways than when it was founded 100 years ago,” Kaine said, “but in other ways it’s exactly the same—a haven for … legal immigrants” who have “come to a place where they feel loved and cared for and safe and welcome.”
He highlighted the impact of the proposed funding cuts on his parish, where Congolese families fear for relatives still in refugee camps.
“These families come to me after Mass, frightened about what these cuts mean,” he said.
The Senate passed a version of the measure on July 17 incorporating an amendment that preserved $400 million to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The amendment also protected some country-specific grants.
Because it was amended, the bill was sent back to the House. If Congress fails to pass the Rescissions Act by midnight on July 18, the White House must release the $9 billion in funds, including $7.9 billion in foreign aid cuts affecting faith-based organizations, to be spent as originally appropriated.
Correction: An earlier version of this story identified Catholic Relief Services as assisting with refugee resettlement in the United States. CRS does not perform refugee resettlement in the U.S., but Catholic Charities does. Sen. Tim Kaine's remarks have also been updated. (Published July 18, 2025)