Madrid, Spain, Dec 23, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Father Manuel Chouciño, an expert in new evangelization who has surprised many by organizing an escape room in a Spanish monastery, is convinced that Catholics “are in vogue” because people “are tired of feeling so empty.”

Having arrived just three months ago at the parish-monastery of the Divine Savior of Lérez, which belongs to the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela, Chouciño saw in the place, an old Benedictine monastery, great possibilities for evangelization.

The monastery had been empty since 1835 due to the forced expropriation of Catholic Church property known as “the ecclesiastical confiscations,” but in the eyes of a priest with more than 40 years of experience in youth ministry and recreational activities it was full of possibilities. And the parishioners were ready to follow him.

“When you see that there’s been a rather long period where people are somewhat discouraged pastorally, and then you see that they’re willing to work, that there’s interest and enthusiasm, then you just take the plunge and say: Let’s move forward with whatever it takes,” he explained in a conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

About 700 people were able to enjoy the experience, which immersed them in the world of medieval monastic life through various challenges that entire families completed: discovering the monks’ prayer times by listening to bells, identifying and combining herbs used in Benedictine medicine, and finding a hidden message with the help of a mirror.

This activity is the spearhead of a plan as ambitious as it is creative that seeks to respond to society’s spiritual thirst.

“It seems to me that the trend is that we Catholics are going to be in vogue for a while,” Chouciño said, convinced that “people are tired of feeling so empty. So they need to return; it’s something that’s ingrained within us, we can’t avoid it.”

Society is “exhausted by all the woke ideology and all the boring talk. And what they want is something a little deeper, something that will answer the important questions of existence. That’s where they return, at least those of a Christian background, to reconsider their faith,” he explained.

Welcoming, not judgmental, communities

The escape room project is part of the response to this spiritual thirst, because, “for them to feel comfortable returning or starting their journey, we have to make it a little easier for them with our language, but also with our personal attitude.”

In this regard, he emphasized that priests and communities must be “welcoming, not judgmental,” and willing to “love them, cherish them, and welcome them into their home, not our home,” like the prodigal son.

The priest is part of a new pastoral unit along with four other priests who are in charge of 10 parishes and feel very supported in these new initiatives by the archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, Francisco Prieto, who was responsible for the new evangelization in the Diocese of Orense, where he is originally from.

“We’ve taken the hard road. We’re going after the people who would burst into flames if they stepped inside a church,” he explained, which is why it’s necessary “to propose initiatives that appeal to them,” such as guided tours of the monastery, where he even shows them his room.

In these events, he takes the opportunity to explain to them the project for the monastery-parish to become a large pastoral center for the territorial vicariate of Pontevedra, open to all Catholic initiatives and also to civil society.

Upcoming big event: ‘Barbecue and prayer’

The program of new evangelization activities they are developing during this end of Advent and until Epiphany already includes other interesting events. A Christmas party after midnight Mass; a festive family gathering on the feast of the Holy Innocents, as a prelude to the secular New Year’s Eve celebration; and “a combination of the two best things in the world,” which the priest has dubbed “barbecue and prayer.”

The event will take place on Sunday, Jan. 4. “We’re going to have a fantastic barbecue,” commented Chouciño, who has cooked for groups of up to 400 people in the past and is convinced that “it’s a very powerful tool for evangelization.”

The statement has a theological basis. The parish priest has been in the Archdiocese of Santiago for eight years, but before that he was in the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante, where he attended a series of lectures titled “The Meals of Jesus.”

“The Lord’s not stupid, and if he used gatherings around a table to convey the Gospel, it’s because during a meal we all let down our guard, we relax, we talk about everything and ask about everything,” he noted.

Chouciño seems like a bottomless well of ideas for evangelization, and only his determination surpasses his enthusiasm: “I keep threatening that I’m going to keep giving it my all here for as long as I can.” 

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

Madrid, Spain, Dec 23, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Father Manuel Chouciño is convinced that Catholics “are in vogue” because people “are tired of feeling so empty.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At a time when so much pressure and so many demands are placed on priests, they should find support, freedom and relief in recognizing the gifts of laypeople and collaborating with them, Pope Leo XIV said.

"The ministry of the priest must move beyond the model of exclusive leadership, which leads to the centralization of pastoral activities and the burden of all responsibilities entrusted to him alone," the pope wrote in an apostolic letter titled, "A Fidelity that Generates the Future."

The letter, released Dec. 22, marked the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's decrees on priestly formation and on the life and ministry of priests.

Pope Leo used the letter to express his "gratitude for the witness and dedication of all priests throughout the world who offer their lives in celebrating the sacrifice of Our Lord in the Eucharist, proclaiming the Word and absolving sins, as well as devoting themselves generously each day to their brothers and sisters, fostering communion and unity among them and taking special care of those who suffer most and are in need." 

He also said the church must "look carefully and compassion-ately" at the background of priests who have left active ministry and ensure that seminary programs engage "the entire person, heart, mind and freedom" to help men make a lifelong commitment.

Pope Leo did not ignore the clerical sexual abuse crisis and said that, too, showed the importance of a thorough preparation for ministry.

"In recent decades, the crisis of trust in the Church caused by abuses committed by members of the clergy has filled us with shame and called us to humility," he wrote. "It has made us even more aware of the urgent need for a comprehensive formation that ensures the personal growth and maturity of candidates for the priesthood, together with a rich and solid spiritual life."

The letter did not mention that in several of the Eastern Catholic churches married men can be ordained to the priesthood.

But it insisted that "only priests and consecrated persons who are humanly mature and spiritually solid -- in other words, those in whom the human and spiritual dimensions are well integrated and who are therefore capable of authentic relationships with everyone -- can take on the commitment of celibacy and credibly proclaim the Gospel of the Risen One." 

Most of the letter focused on fidelity, missionary outreach and recognizing that a priest's vocation flows from his baptism, a sacrament he shares with all Catholics.

"Our contemporary world, characterized by its fast pace and the anxious need to be hyperconnected, often makes us feel rushed and inclines us to activism," the pope wrote.

Two very negative consequences that can be tempting to priests, he said, are "an efficiency-oriented mentality, whereby the value of each person is measured by performance" or simply withdrawing, "adopting a lazy and defeatist approach."

Pope Leo told the priests that nothing can take the place of devoting time to personal prayer and the celebration of the sacraments and cultivating a special bond of brotherhood with one's fellow priests, but that never should lead to a sense of superiority over laypeople.

"Even before dedicating himself to guiding the flock," the pope wrote, "every priest must constantly remember that he himself is a disciple of the Master, just like his brothers and sisters." 

The pope insisted in the letter on the importance of getting priests on board with efforts to create a more synodal church, one marked by listening to each other, discerning God's will together and recognizing that every baptized Catholic has something to contribute to the church's mission.

"Communion, synodality and mission cannot be achieved if, in the hearts of priests, the temptation to self-referentiality does not yield to the mindset of listening and service," Pope Leo wrote.

In encouraging a more synodal church, he said, "there is still much to be done."

A priest is called to let the love and mercy of Christ shine through him, the pope said, so he must shun "all forms of egotism and celebration of self."

For that reason, Pope Leo encouraged priests to evaluate carefully their presence in the media and on social networks, "making service to evangelization the basis for discernment," because, as First Corinthians says, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial."
 

Christmas is quickly approaching, and remembering to recognize it as a season offers an opportunity to extend its graces and lessons further into our lives. Venerable Fulton Sheen helps us to understand this reality well. Each year, in his syndicated newspaper column published close to Christmas day, he provided rich teaching, application to everyday life, ... Read more

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It was the perfect family photo for our 2025 Christmas card.  Taken at a dinner marking the centennial of our parish, it pictured our bishop flanked by members of my family.  Shockingly, no one in the group of twelve was blinking, grimacing, or chewing ziti when the camera clicked. There was only one problem: my ... Read more

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 22, 2025 / 16:52 pm (CNA).

The bishops of the Catholic Church in Florida have asked President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis “to pause immigration enforcement activities during the Christmas holidays.”

“We request that the government pause apprehension and roundup activities during the Christmas season. Such a pause would show a decent regard for the humanity of these families,” the bishops said in a Dec. 22 statement.

“Don’t be the Grinch that stole Christmas,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said in a news conference. “Give people these two weeks to be with their families without fear of being arrested or taken into custody and ending up at Alligator Alcatraz or at Krome or other places to await deportation.”

Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, said, "President Trump was elected based on his promise to the American people to deport criminal illegal aliens. And he’s keeping that promise.”

Along with Wenski, other prelates including Bishop Gerald Barbarito of Palm Beach, Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Bishop John Noonan of Orlando, Bishop Gregory Parkes of St. Petersburg, Bishop William Wack of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Bishop Erik Pohlmeier of St. Augustine, and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado of Miami joined in issuing the statement.

Pausing enforcement during the holy season “can lower the temperature within our partisan divisions, ease the fear and anxiety present in many of our immigrant and even nonimmigrant families and allow all of us to celebrate with greater joy the advent of the Prince of Peace,” they wrote.

“Now is not the time to be callous toward the suffering caused by immigration enforcement. Our nation is richly blessed. Despite challenges confronting our nation, we Americans enjoy a peace and prosperity that is the envy of the world, made possible by our special constitutional order which protects our liberties.”

‘Removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree’

“The border has been secured” and “the initial work of identifying and removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree,” the bishops said. “Over half a million people have been deported this year, and nearly 2 million more have voluntarily self-deported.”

The arrest operations “inevitably sweep up numbers of people who are not criminals but just here to work,” and some have “legal authorization to be here,” the bishops wrote. “Eventually these cases may be resolved, but this takes many months causing great sorrow for their families. A growing majority of Americans say the harsh enforcement policies are going too far.”

The call follows a December report released by human rights organization Amnesty International that detailed “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” at Florida detention centers Alligator Alcatraz and the Krome North Service Processing Center.

According to the organization, the report reveals human rights violations that, “in some cases amount to torture … within an increasingly hostile anti-immigrant climate in Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose administration has intensified criminalization and mass detention of migrants.”

“While enforcement will always be part of any immigration policy, such enforcement can be carried out in a way that recognizes due process as well as the humanity and dignity of all affected including those carrying out those policies,” the bishops wrote.

The office of DeSantis did not reply to a request for comment.

This story was updated at 10:20 a.m. on Dec. 23, 2025, with a comment from The White House.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 22, 2025 / 16:52 pm (CNA).

The bishops of the Catholic Church in Florida have asked President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis “to pause immigration enforcement activities during the Christmas holidays.”

“We request that the government pause apprehension and roundup activities during the Christmas season. Such a pause would show a decent regard for the humanity of these families,” the bishops said in a Dec. 22 statement.

“Don’t be the Grinch that stole Christmas,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said in a news conference. “Give people these two weeks to be with their families without fear of being arrested or taken into custody and ending up at Alligator Alcatraz or at Krome or other places to await deportation.”

Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, said, "President Trump was elected based on his promise to the American people to deport criminal illegal aliens. And he’s keeping that promise.”

Along with Wenski, other prelates including Bishop Gerald Barbarito of Palm Beach, Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Bishop John Noonan of Orlando, Bishop Gregory Parkes of St. Petersburg, Bishop William Wack of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Bishop Erik Pohlmeier of St. Augustine, and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado of Miami joined in issuing the statement.

Pausing enforcement during the holy season “can lower the temperature within our partisan divisions, ease the fear and anxiety present in many of our immigrant and even nonimmigrant families and allow all of us to celebrate with greater joy the advent of the Prince of Peace,” they wrote.

“Now is not the time to be callous toward the suffering caused by immigration enforcement. Our nation is richly blessed. Despite challenges confronting our nation, we Americans enjoy a peace and prosperity that is the envy of the world, made possible by our special constitutional order which protects our liberties.”

‘Removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree’

“The border has been secured” and “the initial work of identifying and removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree,” the bishops said. “Over half a million people have been deported this year, and nearly 2 million more have voluntarily self-deported.”

The arrest operations “inevitably sweep up numbers of people who are not criminals but just here to work,” and some have “legal authorization to be here,” the bishops wrote. “Eventually these cases may be resolved, but this takes many months causing great sorrow for their families. A growing majority of Americans say the harsh enforcement policies are going too far.”

The call follows a December report released by human rights organization Amnesty International that detailed “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” at Florida detention centers Alligator Alcatraz and the Krome North Service Processing Center.

According to the organization, the report reveals human rights violations that, “in some cases amount to torture … within an increasingly hostile anti-immigrant climate in Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose administration has intensified criminalization and mass detention of migrants.”

“While enforcement will always be part of any immigration policy, such enforcement can be carried out in a way that recognizes due process as well as the humanity and dignity of all affected including those carrying out those policies,” the bishops wrote.

The office of DeSantis did not reply to a request for comment.

This story was updated at 10:20 a.m. on Dec. 23, 2025, with a comment from The White House.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 22, 2025 / 13:07 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Paul Coakley said this week he is looking forward to speaking with President Donald Trump in “the near future.”

Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November, said he has “not had any personal conversations” with Trump or Vice President JD Vance but anticipates “engaging with them over matters of mutual concern.”

When Coakley meets with the administration, “undoubtedly, the question of immigration is going to come up,” he said in an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21. “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”

In regard to immigration, Coakley said there is a lot of “anxiety” among migrants, but the situation “varies from place to place.” He said: “In communities with a more dense migrant population, there’s a great deal of fear and uncertainty … because of the level of rhetoric that is often employed when addressing issues around migration and the threats of deportation.”

While some bishops have formally granted Mass dispensation for immigrants who fear being targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Mass, Coakley said there has not been substantial declines in Mass attendance. 

Coakley, who serves as archbishop of Oklahoma City, said he has not seen declines in the area and has not “heard it reported widely” from his brother bishops.

“I know that that is the case in some places, but I don’t think it’s as common at least here locally or in places that I have personal contact with. There’s an anxiety, there’s a fear, but I don’t think it’s kept people away in great numbers,” Coakley said.

‘No conflict’

In the USCCB’s special message on immigration released in November, bishops said: “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”

The bishops’ message also said: “Human dignity and national security are not in conflict.”

Coakley reaffirmed the bishops’ message and said treating all people with respect and dignity is a “foundational bedrock” for Christians. 

“There’s no conflict necessarily between advocating for safe and secure borders and treating people with respect and dignity. We always have to treat people with dignity, God-given dignity. The state doesn’t award it and the state can’t take it away. It’s from the Creator,” Coakley said.

Whether people “are documented or undocumented, whether they are here legally or illegally, they don’t forfeit their human dignity,” he said. 

“I don’t think we can ever say that the end justifies the means,” he said. “We have to treat everyone with respect, respect of the human dignity of every person.”

As Americans we must remember “we are a nation of immigrants ourselves,” and “we are founded upon the immigrant experience,” Coakley said. 

“We have a right and a duty to respect sovereign borders of a state, but we also have a responsibility to welcome migrants,” he said. “This is a fundamental principle in Catholic social teaching regarding immigration and migration.”

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 22, 2025 / 13:07 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Paul Coakley said this week he is looking forward to speaking with President Donald Trump in “the near future.”

Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November, said he has “not had any personal conversations” with Trump or Vice President JD Vance but anticipates “engaging with them over matters of mutual concern.”

When Coakley meets with the administration, “undoubtedly, the question of immigration is going to come up,” he said in an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21. “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”

In regard to immigration, Coakley said there is a lot of “anxiety” among migrants, but the situation “varies from place to place.” He said: “In communities with a more dense migrant population, there’s a great deal of fear and uncertainty … because of the level of rhetoric that is often employed when addressing issues around migration and the threats of deportation.”

While some bishops have formally granted Mass dispensation for immigrants who fear being targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Mass, Coakley said there has not been substantial declines in Mass attendance. 

Coakley, who serves as archbishop of Oklahoma City, said he has not seen declines in the area and has not “heard it reported widely” from his brother bishops.

“I know that that is the case in some places, but I don’t think it’s as common at least here locally or in places that I have personal contact with. There’s an anxiety, there’s a fear, but I don’t think it’s kept people away in great numbers,” Coakley said.

‘No conflict’

In the USCCB’s special message on immigration released in November, bishops said: “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”

The bishops’ message also said: “Human dignity and national security are not in conflict.”

Coakley reaffirmed the bishops’ message and said treating all people with respect and dignity is a “foundational bedrock” for Christians. 

“There’s no conflict necessarily between advocating for safe and secure borders and treating people with respect and dignity. We always have to treat people with dignity, God-given dignity. The state doesn’t award it and the state can’t take it away. It’s from the Creator,” Coakley said.

Whether people “are documented or undocumented, whether they are here legally or illegally, they don’t forfeit their human dignity,” he said. 

“I don’t think we can ever say that the end justifies the means,” he said. “We have to treat everyone with respect, respect of the human dignity of every person.”

As Americans we must remember “we are a nation of immigrants ourselves,” and “we are founded upon the immigrant experience,” Coakley said. 

“We have a right and a duty to respect sovereign borders of a state, but we also have a responsibility to welcome migrants,” he said. “This is a fundamental principle in Catholic social teaching regarding immigration and migration.”