The European Parliament building in Brussels, Belgium. / Credit: Ala z via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

CNA Deutsch, Aug 6, 2025 / 10:44 am (CNA).

The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights in June released a report linking Christian pro-life organizations to “religious extremism.”

Pope Leo XIV speaks to thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Wednesday catechesis on the Jubilee theme “Jesus Christ Our Hope” on Aug. 6, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Aug 6, 2025 / 10:14 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV during his Wednesday catechesis on the jubilee theme “Jesus Christ Our Hope” said the gift of the Eucharist prepared by God reveals that his great love “always precedes us.”

Speaking to thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Aug. 6, the Holy Father said St. Mark’s Gospel shows us that Jesus’ love for his disciples “is not the result of chance but of a conscious choice.”

“It is not a simple reaction but a decision that requires preparation,” he said. “Jesus does not face his passion out of fatalism but out of fidelity to a path freely and carefully accepted and followed.”

Just as God made preparations to show his love for people, the pope said, in turn, people are free to choose God and prepare their own hearts to receive his love.

“He has already thought of everything, arranged everything, decided everything,” Leo said. “However, he asks his friends to do their part.”

“This teaches us something essential for our spiritual life: Grace does not eliminate our freedom but rather awakens it,” he explained. “God’s gift does not eliminate our responsibility but makes it fruitful.”

Noting the significance of the Eucharist for Jesus’ followers, the Holy Father said its celebration should not be “only at the altar” but also lived in “daily life” as a continual offering of love and thanksgiving.

“True love, the Gospel reminds us, is given before it is reciprocated,” he said. “It is an anticipatory gift. It is not based on what is received but on what one wishes to offer.”

In order to make space in the heart to receive God’s love, particularly in the Eucharist, the pope asked his listeners to consider: “What does it mean for me today to ‘prepare’?” 

“Perhaps to renounce a demand, to stop waiting for others to change, to take the first step,” he suggested. “Perhaps to listen more, to act less, or to learn how to trust in what has already been prepared.”

Prayers for Japan on 80th anniversary of Hiroshima atomic bombing

Following his catechesis, Pope Leo asked those gathered to pray for the people of Japan who “suffered ... physical, psychological, and social effects” of the atomic bomb dropped during World War II.  

“Despite the passing of the years, those tragic events constitute a universal warning against the devastation caused by wars and, in particular, by nuclear weapons,” he lamented.

“I hope that in the contemporary world, marked by strong tensions and bloody conflicts, the illusory security based on the threat of mutual destruction may give way to the tools of justice, to the practice of dialogue, and to trust in fraternity,” he said.

The jar that was miraculously refilled after the priest had anointed the heads of 500 faithful. / Credit: Courtesy of Monsignor Pasquale Silvestri

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 6, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

St. Ferdinand Church, located in the historic heart of Naples, Italy, was the scene of a July 24 event that many are already calling miraculous.

The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, Japan. / Credit: Oilstreet via Wikimedia (CC BY 2.5)

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 6, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In a message on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Pope Leo XIV is calling on the international community to renew its commitment to lasting peace and an end to nuclear weapons. 

“True peace demands the courageous laying down of weapons — especially those with the power to cause an indescribable catastrophe,” Pope Leo said in a letter addressed to Bishop Alexis M. Shirahama of Hiroshima. “Nuclear arms offend our shared humanity and also betray the dignity of creation, whose harmony we are called to safeguard.”

The apostolic nuncio to Japan, Archbishop Francisco Escalante Molina, read the Holy Father’s message during a Mass in Hiroshima, according to Vatican News.

“Though many years have passed, the two cities [Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bombed on Aug. 6 and 9, 1945] remain living reminders of the profound horrors wrought by nuclear weapons,” the Holy Father reflected. “Their streets, schools, and homes still bear scars — both visible and spiritual — from that fateful August of 1945.”

Referencing the phrase “war is always a defeat for humanity,” coined by his predecessor, Pope Francis, Leo further stated that “in our time of mounting global tensions and conflicts,” the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki should “urge us to reject the illusion of security founded on mutually assured destruction.” 

“It is thus my prayer that this solemn anniversary will serve as a call to the international community to renew its commitment to pursuing lasting peace for our whole human family,” the Holy Father concluded.

In a similar message for the landmark anniversary, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, called on the international community to renew its commitment to lasting global peace.

“As we mark this doleful anniversary, we recognize the ongoing threat of nuclear weapons and their proliferation,” said Broglio, who is also head of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. 

“We must renew our efforts to work for the conversion of heart required for a global commitment to lasting peace, and thus the elimination of nuclear weapons,” he said, adding: “This week, let us prayerfully remember the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and urge the United States and the international community to work diligently for nuclear disarmament around the world.”

Eighty years after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, several U.S. Catholic cardinals and archbishops are visiting Japan as part of a pilgrimage coordinated by the Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons.

Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago; Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C.; Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle; and Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, are heading the delegation, which includes staff and students from several U.S. and Japanese universities. 

The five-day visit kicked off Aug. 5 with a panel discussion at the World Peace Memorial Cathedral in Hiroshima. On Aug. 10, the pilgrimage will conclude with an ecumenical dialogue and academic symposium at Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki.

Pope Leo XIV at Tor Vergata during the final Mass of the Jubilee of Youth on Aug. 3, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 5, 2025 / 16:16 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV encouraged the participants of the Medjugorje youth festival to unite the flames of their hearts so that this fire may illuminate their journey toward God.

Pope Leo XIV approaches Tor Vergata in Rome by helicopter on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Aug 5, 2025 / 15:46 pm (CNA).

Roughly 1 million young adults from around the world filled the streets of Rome for the Jubilee of Youth, which took place July 28 to Aug. 3, part of the yearlong Jubilee of Hope. Each day was filled with different opportunities and events for the young people to experience the richness of the Catholic faith.

Here are some of the best moments from the Jubilee of Youth:

Pope Leo XIV arrives by helicopter at Tor Vergata

On Aug. 2, Pope Leo XIV was greeted by the largest crowd he has addressed during his pontificate so far for the evening vigil at Tor Vergata, an outdoor venue 10 miles east of Rome. An estimated 1 million people were in attendance. The Holy Father arrived by helicopter and then drove through the grounds on the popemobile, waving to the cheering young people before the prayer service began.

Pope Leo XIV carries the pilgrim cross of the Jubilee of Hope

After the Holy Father from the popemobile greeted the young people in attendance, he carried the pilgrim cross of the Jubilee of Hope on foot from the crowd up to the 15,000-square-foot stage for prayers and Eucharistic adoration.

Despite the sweltering heat, the Holy Father carried the cross with energy — so much so that a video of Pope Leo walking briskly with the cross and the words “Life goals: Climbing the stairs like Pope Leo at age 69” went viral with over a million views.

Some of the comments on the post included: “The American Midwest grind on display,” “imagine having Pope Leo as a workout buddy,” “the stairmaster of holiness,” and “his personal trainer must be proud.”

Eucharistic adoration with Pope Leo XIV

The evening vigil concluded with Eucharistic adoration led by the Holy Father. Many were moved by the stillness and silence of all those in the presence of Christ.

Pope Leo also imparted on the faithful gathered the Eucharistic Benediction. At the conclusion of the evening, he advised the young people gathered who would be camping for the evening to “take it easy” and “rest a bit. We have a date tomorrow morning here for holy Mass.”

Bishop Robert Barron speaks at U.S. National Pilgrim Gathering

U.S. Bishop Robert Barron urged young people to follow God and reject worldly goods, calling on youth to “find their mission” and pursue the Lord “into the depths” during the keynote address at the Jubilee of Youth’s National U.S. Pilgrim Gathering on July 30.

He also gave those in attendance a powerful reminder of how the Catholic Church has outlasted the test of time.

“Where are the mighty signs of Roman power? Think of the Colosseum. Think of the Forum. Think of the Palatine Hill. Think of the Circus Maximus. What are they? They’re ruins,” he said.

“But where’s the great empire that was announced by Peter the Apostle?” he continued. “It’s all over the world, on every continent. It’s alive. And where is the successor of Peter who was put to death in the Circus of Nero and buried away on the Vatican Hill? Where’s his successor?”

“I saw him last night, didn’t you? Riding around St. Peter’s Square,” the bishop said to thunderous applause. 

Over 1,000 Korean Catholics gather for Jubilee of Youth

As the Catholic Church in South Korea prepares to host World Youth Day — scheduled for Aug. 3–8, 2027 — over 1,000 Korean Catholics from the Archdiocese of Seoul were in attendance at the Jubilee of Youth. On Thursday, July 31, the delegation participated in a Mass at the Basilica di San Crisogono presided by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung.

Following Mass there were celebrations, socializing, and ice cream outside the church. The cardinal bought a whole ice cream truck for the Korean youth and volunteers to freshen up in the hot Roman sun.

Open-air confession at Circus Maximus

On Friday, Aug. 1, the Circus Maximus — where Christians were once martyred for their faith — was transformed into an open-air confessional for thousands of young pilgrims to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Two hundred confessionals were set up from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Rome time.

Rainbow appears in the sky when Pope Leo arrives at Tor Vergata

While more than a million young people waited for Pope Leo to arrive for the prayer vigil on Aug. 2, an unexpected sign appeared in the sky. Despite there not being a single drop of rain, a rainbow appeared in the sky above the young people gathered as the Holy Father was arriving.

Father Francisco Javier Bronchalo, a priest of the Diocese of Getafe in Spain, wrote in an Instagram post of a video he took showing the rainbow in the sky: “It’s not raining, the sun is shining, but there was a rainbow when the pope arrived ... Then it disappeared. Impressive, God does not break his covenant. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Pope Leo’s surprise popemobile ride after welcome Mass

Pope Leo XIV thrilled the young crowds with a surprise ride on the popemobile after the welcome Mass of the Jubilee of Youth. He went beyond St. Peter’s Square and greeted the pilgrims by continuing down Via della Conciliazione, a street that connects St. Peter’s Square to the Castel Sant’Angelo on the western bank of the Tiber River.

Closing Mass with Pope Leo

The Jubilee of Youth concluded on Aug. 3 with a Mass celebrated by Pope Leo on the 237-acre grounds of Tor Vergata, where more than a million young pilgrims had spent the night following a prayer vigil and Eucharistic adoration.

In his homily, Pope Leo invited the pilgrims to open their hearts to God and venture with him “towards eternity.”

Evoking St. John Paul II, the founder of World Youth Days, he proclaimed: “Jesus is our hope.”

“It is he, as St. John Paul II said, ‘who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives ... to commit … to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal,’” Leo said.

Remembering Jubilee 2000 at Tor Vergata 25 years later

In 2000, Pope John Paul II celebrated World Youth Day at Tor Vergata with over 2 million young people. Despite being physically weak at the time, the beloved Polish pope made a connection with those in attendance. Twenty-five years later, it was Pope Leo who made a connection with the new generation of young Catholics. The similarities between the two events were unmistakable, and many of those who were in attendance in 2000 now watched along as their children attended the Jubilee of Youth.

On an Instagram post made by CNA, one user commented: “I was at Tor Vergata in 2000. Now my son is at the Jubilee of Youth. The Church is alive.”

Another wrote: “Attended WYD in 2000. Life-changing. Emmanuel — the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

Pope Leo XIV greets the crowd at the Jubilee of Youth on Aug. 3, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Aug 5, 2025 / 14:16 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV made a surprise visit to Ignacio Gonzálvez, a 15-year-old Spanish boy who had been urgently admitted to Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome after collapsing during the Jubilee of Youth.

Upon learning of Ignacio’s situation, Pope Leo XIV asked the thousands of young people gathered for the Aug. 2 vigil at Tor Vergata to join in prayer for him.

“I would like to ask for your prayers for another friend, a young Spaniard, Ignacio Gonzálvez, who has been admitted to the Bambino Gesù Hospital. Let us pray for him, for his health,” the visibly moved pontiff said.

Ignacio’s parents, Pedro Pablo and Carmen Gloria, along with his siblings Pedro Pablo Jr. and Adela, traveled to Rome immediately upon receiving the news.

On the afternoon of Monday, Aug. 4, according to the Holy See, Pope Leo XIV personally visited Ignacio in his room in the intensive care unit. The young pilgrim has been diagnosed with lymphoma affecting his respiratory tract.

As reported by Vatican News, the Holy Father entered silently as the young man’s family prayed at the foot of his bed and simply joined them in prayer. The family had their eyes closed at the time, and a priest accompanying them had to nudge them when he saw the pontiff cross the threshold unannounced.

The youth’s sister, Adela, 17, described Pope Leo XIV as “a simple man” and said the Holy Father was with them for about half an hour before visiting other patients in the hospital’s oncology ward. “I was crying and praying when he entered Ignacio’s room. I went in crying and came out laughing,” she said.

During the time spent with Ignacio’s family, Pope Leo XIV reminded them that “we are made for heaven.” Pedro Pablo, the young man’s father, said they all found solace after the pontiff’s visit.

“He told us that the important thing is to do God’s will, that our true place is eternal life in heaven. This comforted us, because we are people who try to live our faith and know that’s the truth. And in times of so much suffering, hearing the pope come and give you such a word is ... the best thing that could have happened to us,” he told Vatican News.

His mother, Carmen Gloria, shared that Pope Leo told her: “If Ignatius had come to Rome [from Spain], that he could come to the hospital to see him. They were simple words, but full of affection.”

“The pope told us that this is a mystery and that, despite many things we don’t understand, we know that God is there and wants the best for everyone. As a mother, I saw that Jesus Christ drew close to me and said, ‘You’re not alone.’ That’s what the pope’s presence in the hospital meant to me, the confirmation that God has not abandoned us,” she added with emotion.

Ignacio’s family said they find comfort and hope despite their pain and are grateful for the gestures of closeness. “It’s the work of the Holy Spirit. We are nothing, a family like many others... And to see so many people praying, so many people concerned, and that the pope himself should come, is a great consolation. We know that God is with us,” Carmen Gloria said.

Ignacio’s brother, Pedro Pablo Jr., emphasized that the pope had helped them accept God’s will: “He listened to us at all times, he was truly concerned, he gave me the feeling of someone who truly understood the situation and the pain we are experiencing. [He has] great empathy.”

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

From the Irish College building in Salamanca, the Colegio Arzobispo Fonseca. / Credit: Patrick J. Passmore

Dublin, Ireland, Aug 5, 2025 / 12:28 pm (CNA).

The evacuation of Salamanca seminarians in 1936 marked the beginning of the end of a unique 350-year-old Irish-Spanish relationship.

Shroud of Turin featuring positive (left) and negative (right) digital filters. / Credit: Dianelos Georgoudis via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Aug 5, 2025 / 11:54 am (CNA).

The guardians of the famed Shroud of Turin are disputing the results of a recent study that purports to disprove the cloth’s origins as the burial shroud of Jesus Christ.

A gentle cascade of white rose petals falls from the ceiling of the Basilica of St. Mary Major on Aug. 5, 2025, the feast of the dedication of the basilica, evoking “the miracle of the snow” said to have taken place nearly 17 centuries ago. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Aug 5, 2025 / 11:23 am (CNA).

White rose petals drifted from the gilded ceiling of St. Mary Major Basilica on Tuesday as Romans celebrated the 1,667th anniversary of a fourth-century Marian miracle that inspired the construction of the oldest Marian sanctuary in the West.

According to tradition, the miracle involved a miraculous snowfall in Rome on Aug. 5 in the year 358. The Virgin Mary appeared to both a wealthy Roman nobleman named John and to Pope Liberius (352–366) in a dream foretelling the August snow and asking for a church to be built in her honor on the site of the snowfall.

The basilica was rebuilt by Pope Sixtus III (432–440) after the Council of Ephesus in 431 declared Mary to be the mother of God.

Lithuanian Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, 53, archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, celebrated the Mass on Aug. 5 to mark the anniversary of the dedication of the Marian basilica.

Appointed to reorganize the basilica’s administration in 2023 as a coadjutor archpriest, Makrickas officially succeeded Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, 80, last month.

As the choir sang the “Gloria” during the liturgy, a gentle cascade of white rose petals fell from the basilica’s ceiling, evoking “the miracle of the snow” said to have taken place nearly 17 centuries ago.

In his homily, the cardinal noted that the snowfall “can be understood as a symbol of grace.”

“It can only be received as a gift,” he said. “Grace also arouses admiration and amazement.” 

Makrickas noted that Pope Francis participated in last year’s commemoration on Aug. 5. “Pope Francis, who rests in this basilica to be watched over, inspired, and comforted [by] our heavenly mother, Salus Populi Romani, deeply experienced this maternal guidance of Mary,” he said, referring to the revered Marian icon housed in the basilica.

“Like him, thousands of pilgrims, in this jubilee year, walk through the Holy Door of this Marian sanctuary to ask for God’s grace to be able, with renewed faith and a burning heart like the snow, to be witnesses of the great works of God in the world,” he added. 

Among the four major papal basilicas in Rome, St. Mary Major is the only one that maintained its original structure. Mosaics dating back to the fifth century can be seen in the central nave of the basilica, which also houses the relic of the Holy Crib from the birth of Christ.

“Dear brothers and sisters, crossing the Holy Door of this basilica means entrusting one’s journey of life and faith to the maternal protection of Mary,” Makrickas said. “And to be inspired by hope is to open oneself to this hope that does not disappoint.”