Catholic News

U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch said he intends to focus on issues that unite President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV in his role to foster a relationship between the two leaders rather than on recent disagreements about the Iran War.

"As the U.S ambassador for the Holy See, my efforts are many, but one of the roles as a diplomat is to remind stakeholders of what unites us and what must never divide us," Burch said after delivering remarks on the persecution of Nigerian Christians at the U.S. embassy to the Vatican in Rome.

Burch said "we must not pretend that there is no disagreement" because "there clearly is," but added: "We must also remember what they share."

"Both men are driven by an unshakable belief in protecting the innocent," he said. "One leads with the sword and shield of American power, the other with the cross of sacrificial love. But both are saying in their own languages: 'Evil must not triumph and innocence must not be abandoned.'"

Leo has urged peace between the U.S. and Iran in a war that has claimed more than 3,000 lives in over a month of war, including more than 150 children at a girls' school in Minab and at least 15 American soldiers. Both sides have agreed to a temporary ceasefire.

Trump has made negative comments about Leo, calling him "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy." He said: "I don't think he's doing a very good job" and "I am not a fan of Pope Leo." The pontiff said he has "no fear of the Trump administration nor of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel" and emphasized he is "not a politician" and is not interested in debating the president.

The president has falsely claimed Leo said "Iran can have a nuclear weapon." The Holy Father has warned against nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and has spoken out about nuclear weapons broadly.

'Blessed are the peacemakers'

Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Bishop Michael Duca wrote a message on April 16 titled "Blessed are the Peacemakers" in which he urged Catholics to pray for peace and warned against treating the pope as if he is a partisan political figure.

Duca called Trump's rhetoric "troubling because it risks reducing the Holy Father to a partisan figure and further deepening divisions in an already fractured world" and emphasized that the pope "is not a politician."

"He is the vicar of Christ, entrusted with proclaiming the Gospel 'in season and out of season,' challenging all people — regardless of nation or office — to measure their words and actions against the truth of Jesus Christ revealed in the Gospels," he said. "The Church always seeks to speak for the dignity of the human person, the sanctity of life, and the urgent call to peace."

Duca warned Catholics not to "be drawn into the relentless cycle of outrage amplified by social media and instantaneous news."

"I urge you, instead, to pause," he said. "Do not take the bait of manufactured conflict or allow yourselves to be consumed by voices that profit from division. As Christians, there is only one voice we must follow above all others — the voice of Christ, echoed through his Church."

The bishop said previous popes, like St. John Paul II, "spoke with moral clarity during times of extraordinary global tension" and the pontiffs "spoke words that were pastoral appeals, rooted in the Gospel, and with profound love for the human family." He said Leo speaks "in that same tradition."

"He calls our hearts back to the hard and holy work of dialogue, encounter, and reconciliation," he said. "As urged in the Scriptures themselves, and as urged by previous pontificates, our call remains the same — 'Do not be afraid.' Do not be afraid to choose peace over pride, conversation over condemnation, and unity over division."

Duca urged Catholics "to join me in praying earnestly for peace in our world, for wisdom among our leaders, and for hearts open to conversion." He said to "respond as a witness" in all places and "preach the Gospel not only with words but with lives marked by listening, mutual respect, and charity — especially toward those with whom you disagree."

"Finally, respond with hope," he said. "The Church has endured far greater storms than those of the present moment. Guided by the Holy Spirit, she continues to proclaim a culture of life in the face of a culture of death and a hope that does not disappoint. When we remain anchored in Christ, the noise of the world loses its power over us."

Bishops: 'Pray for peace'

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) made a post on X that breaks down what the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches about just war doctrine after Vice President JD Vance challenged Pope Leo XIV's statements about war.

"The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration," the post reads. "The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of the moral legitimacy."

It notes there must be a just cause because of damage caused by an aggressor that is "lasting, grave, and certain," all other means of alleviating the threat "have been shown to be impractical and ineffective," there must be "serious prospects of success," and the war "must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated."

On the last point, the bishops note "the power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition."

Every condition of just war criteria must be met for a war to be justified.

"These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called 'just war' doctrine," the bishops add. "The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good."

The bishops explain that "all citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance of war." If a war is necessary, "governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense once all peace efforts have failed," they add, quoting the catechism directly.

Additionally, the bishops quote the catechism about moral laws during war: "The mere fact that war has regrettably broken out does not mean that everything becomes licit between the warring parties."

The bishops asked everyone to "pray for peace."

Ishmael Adibuah contributed to this story.

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Pope Leo XIV continued his papal trip in Africa on April 17, holding Mass in Japoma Stadium in Cameroon, visiting a Catholic hospital, and meeting with students at the Catholic University of Central Africa.

The Holy Father arrived in Cameroon on April 15 and will depart for Angola on April 18, eventually finishing his first papal trip to the continent in Equatorial Guinea.

Here's a look at some of the pope's ongoing activities in Cameroon:

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It is "vital" that men be formed in virtuous masculinity, said organizers of the Fearless Congress, which opened its doors April 17 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The event, as its founder and director, Andrés Villaseñor, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, "is a masculinity conference for men and women" as well as for "families who want to find their center, who want to unite, and who want to know what their purpose is."

Held at the the Mexican Martyrs Shrine, the Fearless Congress is featuring among its speakers psychologist Jordan Peterson, Mexican actor and producer Eduardo Verástegui, world champion soccer player Carles Puyol, and theology of the body expert Christopher West, among many other well-known personalities.

Instagram post

Partners, not enemies

In a statement to ACI Prensa, Zeny Leyva, a Cuban-born wife, mother, and media professional with decades of experience in television in the Dominican Republic, emphasized that "every society needs structure, and the core of that society is the family. If we believe (as our faith teaches) that men are called to exercise leadership within the home, then it cannot be just any kind of leadership: It must be one that is properly guided."

"For a long time — and rightly so — efforts have focused on bringing women's wounds and needs to light. It was necessary. But we have stopped there," she noted. "If we don't also look at the wounds, shortcomings, and needs of men, we will continue to pull taut a rope that is already stretched too thin."

"It's not about competing; it is about understanding one another and returning to the original design: the one in which man and woman are not enemies but partners who complement each other," she emphasized.

Irma Wilde, a business executive with over 15 years of experience in innovation, digital transformation, and technology, told ACI Prensa that "the level of men's emotional development directly impacts the quality of our relationships and our lives."

"Today, there is a clear reality: Women are investing much more in their personal growth, while many men still lack the same emotional tools," she said. "If we want healthier relationships, we both need to grow."

Sofía Medina, a Catholic psychologist who leads the SHELTER apostolate, considers it "vital" that men be formed in virtuous masculinity, for "it is answering the basic question of life: 'For what purpose was I created?' — and also, 'How?'"

"Men and women must understand their essence in order to respond with enthusiasm to God's call. As a Catholic woman, knowing that there are men who strive to be the best version of themselves, with their gaze fixed on Christ, fills me with hope," she stated.

'We need men strong in faith'

Leyva emphasized: "We need men who are strong in faith, because only through God can love endure over time ... a man with authentic faith — not merely of words, but lived out — becomes someone capable of true love: of making sacrifices, of caring, of listening, and of working as a team with his wife."

"He doesn't impose his will but rather leads by example," she said. "That kind of man raises children who are more secure, healthier, and possess clear values."

Men "are not the enemy," she added. "And when it seems like they are, it's often because there are unhealed wounds."

She highlighted that "we have demonstrated that women can lead — of course. But we must also be wise enough to recognize that a healthy society needs healthy men. It is not about ceding ground; it is about building together."

Maturity in men leads to 'healthier relationships'

A man characterized by maturity and commitment, noted Wilde, "transforms the entire environment. There is greater stability, more clarity, and less emotional strain."

Nevertheless, she pointed out that men "continue to be the ones least likely to seek psychological help, something that often translates into difficulties in communicating, sustaining, or committing to deep relationships."

"This is for us, too," she noted regarding the Fearless Congress, pointing out that "if we want healthier relationships, less emotional burden, and a better quality of life, we need men who grow and develop themselves."

'Courage, joy, and a spirit of service'

Medina said that when a man lives out his vocation, "everything begins to fall into place, for he also becomes a source of stability and guidance for his family. A man on this path lives with courage, joy, and a spirit of service."

"Today, more than 70% of unpaid domestic labor continues to fall upon women. When a man gets involved with maturity, that burden becomes balanced, and the dynamic changes completely," she explained.

The conference, she emphasized, "is not just for men," since "we all have a man in our lives whom we are influencing whether we are aware of it or not, so we absolutely must utilize every possible means to educate ourselves and grow. Only in this way will we achieve a better society."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The bishop of the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia, the host diocese for the beatification of the Georgia Martyrs, encouraged Catholics to take inspiration from the martyrs by being "joyful witnesses" to the faith.

In an April 16 interview on "EWTN News Nightly," Bishop Stephen D. Parkes shared about the upcoming beatification of the five Spanish Franciscan friars, who are collectively known as the "Georgia Martyrs." The beatification will take place on Oct. 31 and will be celebrated by Cardinal Francis Leo of the Archdiocese of Toronto.

"People are very excited about this because it is so unique in the life of a diocese," Parkes told "EWTN News Nightly." "This is not something that happens very often."

The beatification will be "the first in the South," according to Parkes.

Plans for the beatification are still in progress, and a venue has not yet been set — but hailing from Savannah, nicknamed the Hostess City of the South, Parkes said he looks forward "to welcoming many visitors."

"A lot goes into planning because there are some questions about how many people will actually come," Parkes said. "We've been looking for a venue that will be large enough to accommodate thousands and we want to be very welcoming."

From martyr to 'blessed'

Parkes described the 16th-century martyrs as "men who gave their lives for our faith in defense of the sacrament of marriage."

"They were Spanish missionaries who came here to our country in order to help to evangelize the Native peoples," Parkes said. "And, obviously, they fell into some challenges with the evangelization process."

In September 1597, Father Pedro de Corpa, Father Blas Rodríguez, Father Miguel de Añon, Brother Antonio de Badajóz, and Father Francisco de Veráscola were killed for defending the sanctity of marriage at a mission in present-day Georgia.

The cause for canonization of the Georgia Martyrs officially began in 1950 but ramped up in the 1980s. Beatification is a significant step toward sainthood in the Catholic Church.

In January 2025, Pope Francis recognized the five Franciscans as martyrs for Christ who were killed for their faith. Parkes called this a "milestone" for the cause.

"When Pope Francis gave approval for the beatification to take place, it was significant because we knew that we would be able to move forward with this now," Parkes said. "It was accepted by the Church."

"They will be known as Blessed Pedro de Corpa and Companions — also known more commonly as the Georgia Martyrs," he said. "In our process towards sainthood and canonization, this is a huge milestone."

What can Catholics learn from the Georgia Martyrs?

When asked what lessons Catholics can take away from the martyrs, Parkes said that "we have to be joyful witnesses."

"We are called to be witnesses of faith, most especially in this world that we live in today," he said. "I don't think we're always understood as Catholics, but we have to be courageous witnesses."

"We need to continue to promote marriage and family life as a priority for our country, for our communities, for our society," Parkes said.

"When people see that and see the incredible foundation that we have in faith — we have something solid to believe in — I believe people are looking for that today in a world where so much is fleeting and so many things are temporal," he continued.

"In this kind of way, look at how we are able to celebrate these men who lived centuries ago, and they were defending something that still exists today and that we lift up today," Parkes said.

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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has reinstated funding for students with disabilities at Catholic schools, reversing a decision to cut special services after pushback from the Archdiocese of Chicago.

"We are delighted to announce that Chicago Public Schools will be restoring special education instructional services to students in Chicago Catholic schools beginning Monday, April 20. Services will be provided through the Friday before Memorial Day, May 22, as had originally been planned," the archdiocese said in an April 16 statement.

"We appreciate the efforts of CPS CEO Dr. Macquline King and her staff to restore these important services," the archdiocese said. "We also appreciate the outpouring of support we heard from parents and others in recent days. The archdiocese looks forward to working with CPS in the months ahead to ensure that students with disabilities receive the academic support they need and deserve, whether they attend public or nonpublic schools."

The news comes after the archdiocese said in an April 10 statement that Chicago Public Schools abruptly terminated its funding for services provided to students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) more than a month before the end of the school year. The archdiocese said CPS informed them of the funding suspension without warning during Holy Week after having verbally confirmed the funding would continue through the end of the year "as recently as March 25."

Impacted services would have included academic support services such as tutoring in math, reading, and writing for students with learning disabilities. 

The archdiocese said in a previous statement that repeated efforts to reach "an amicable solution" with King had "not yielded a response." It also said CPS had only terminated IDEA funding for Catholic schools.

Cardinal Blase Cupich condemned the sudden suspension of the program, which he described as a "shocking and possibly discriminatory action by CPS" and an "affront to Catholics."

"For more than 175 years, our schools have helped lift families out of poverty and produced well-prepared and civically engaged graduates," Cupich said. "We do so at a cost far below that of other systems and are proud of our students and the teachers who work every day to serve them. We owe them every effort to right this offense by CPS."

King's office did not immediately respond to a request to comment.

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The Vatican has halted the cause for sainthood of Father Walter Ciszek, a Pennsylvania-born Jesuit priest who ministered to fellow prisoners while enduring more than 20 years of imprisonment in Russia.

Ciszek (1904–1984) is known for his spiritual writings "He Leadeth Me" and "With God in Russia," which he wrote after surviving torture by the Soviet secret police and hard labor during his imprisonment from 1941–1963.

The Vatican first approved the advancement of Ciszek's cause in 2012. Over the several decades that the cause was in progress, the Jesuits had gathered witness testimonies, writings of Ciszek, and more than 4,000 archival documents from the Jesuits and the Russian archives.

Monsignor Ronald Bocian of the Walter Ciszek Prayer League, the group advocating for Ciszek's cause, said in an April 9 letter that "the formal canonization process has been stopped."

"The diocese has been informed that the documentation relating to his cause does not support advancing his cause for beatification or sainthood," Bocian said.

"The development comes after years of careful study and discernment at the level of the Holy See, which bears the responsibility of evaluating each cause with thoroughness, integrity, and fidelity to the Church's norms," Bocian continued.

"While this news may understandably bring disappointment to many who have been inspired by Father Ciszek's example of heroic faith and have prayed for his cause, it does not diminish the enduring spiritual value of his life, witness, and legacy," Bocian said.

This is the second sainthood cause this month that the Vatican has closed. The Vatican also halted the cause of Argentinian bishop and servant of God Jorge Novak earlier this month. The Diocese of Quilmes, Argentina, said the decision expresses "no moral judgment regarding the life, virtues, and pastoral ministry" of the bishop but that it was due to him not carrying out "a possible canonical procedure" as a priest.

According to the letter from Bocian, the Prayer League advocating for Ciszek's canonization will become the "Father Walter J. Ciszek Society." Bocian said the society will "remain committed to honoring his memory, sharing his message, and encouraging devotion to the profound spiritual insights he left to the Church."

"Even as the formal canonization process has been stopped, the grace flowing from his witness remains alive in the hearts of the faithful," Bocian said.

The Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania, confirmed the news in a statement to EWTN News, acknowledging the "disappointment" while encouraging the faithful to remember the grace of Ciszek's life.

"This development comes as the Church evaluates each cause with thoroughness, integrity, and fidelity to its norms," read the statement from the Diocese of Allentown, which paralleled Bocian's letter.

Who was Father Walter Ciszek?

Ciszek was born in 1904 in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1928 and was ordained in 1937 after being trained to say Mass in the Russian rite. After two years in Poland, he used the chaos of World War II as cover to enter the Soviet Union so that he could minister to Christians who lived under communist persecution.

Soviet authorities arrested him in 1941, believing him to be a spy. Over his decades in prison, he endured solitary confinement, torture, and years of hard labor near the Arctic Circle. Despite the dangers, he said Mass in secret and heard the confessions of other prisoners.

President John F. Kennedy negotiated the prisoner swap that led to his release in 1963. Ciszek went on to write about his spiritual insights and experience in Russia. He died at Fordham University in New York on Dec. 8, 1984. In 1990, Ciszek was declared a servant of God.

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For more than a quarter-century, popes have periodically visited Islamic mosques as part of official voyages and papal visits.

The tradition began with Pope John Paul II, who in 2001 became the first pope in history known to have entered a mosque when he visited the Great Mosque of Damascus in the capital of Syria.

The subsequent Popes Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV have all paid visits to mosques to hold ecumenical dialogues and host diplomatic meetings.

Yet the practice is not without some controversy. Indeed, Leo XIV's visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers on April 13 drew some backlash on social media by critics incredulous over the leader of the Catholic Church visiting a major Islamic holy site. (This was Leo's second visit to a mosque; he also visited the famed "Blue Mosque" in Istanbul in late 2025.)

So why do popes make visits to mosques, courting controversy and criticism for making a point to go to holy sites of another religion?

'We can live together in peace'

Pope Leo XIV himself addressed criticism directed toward him on April 15 on board the papal plane after leaving Algiers bound for Cameroon.

"I think the visit to the mosque was significant [and showed] that although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can [still] live together in peace," the Holy Father said. 

"I think that to promote that kind of image is something which the world needs to hear today," he said, arguing that such visits show that "together we can continue to offer in our witness as we continue on this apostolic voyage."

Gabriel Said Reynolds, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame who has written multiple works on the Quran and its relationship to Christianity, told EWTN News that interpreting papal visits to mosques should include an understanding of "the Church's vision of God in the world."

"What is God's relationship to the world? That's been important to all of the recent popes," he said.

Reynolds pointed out that an Islamic mosque is "fundamentally different from a church."

"A Catholic church is a sort of temple in which God is present in the tabernacle — body, blood, soul, and divinity," he said. "It's a sacred space in the deepest sense of the word."

"What Muslims would say of a mosque is fundamentally different," he said. "A mosque is for communal prayer, but the communal prayer that takes place in a mosque is no different than the ritual prayer that's more often done at home."

He likened a mosque to a "gathering place" with just a few features that set it apart as a distinct site — such as a pulpit for occasional sermons and an alcove that denotes the direction of Mecca to which Muslims orient themselves during prayer.

Reynolds said popes visit mosques in no small part as a "pastoral concern" for Christians living in majority-Muslim countries, such as Algeria.

"Algerian society is thoroughly Islamic," he said. "It's not generally marked by notions of rights and responsibilities and citizenship in the same way the U.S. is. Cultivating positive relationships with Muslim leaders is absolutely essential for Christians."

Reynolds said the Church's view about human dignity has "fundamental implications with its relationship toward non-Christians." He pointed out, for instance, that the pope "could show up at an atheist convention and meet the people there and have dialogue with them."

"John 3:16 says God loves the world," he said. "It's not that God loves believers and doesn't love the unbelievers. All people are children of God, according to Catholic teaching."

The declaration Nostra Aetate, meanwhile — issued by the Second Vatican Council in 1965 to address Catholicism's relationship with non-Christians — affirmed that the Church "regards [Muslims] with esteem."

The document points out that although Muslims "do not acknowledge Jesus as God," they still "adore the one God" and "revere [Jesus] as a prophet" while giving honor to the Virgin Mother as well.

The Second Vatican Council acknowledged that "in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen" between Christians and Muslims, but the document "urge[d] all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding."

It further called on religious adherents to "preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom."

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ROME — It is "intolerable" that Christians are being targeted for persecution in Nigeria, said U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch during an event in Rome on Friday.

The group Solidarity with the Persecuted Church (SPC) and the Embassy of the United States to the Holy See organized the April 17 conference at the embassy on threats to religious freedom in Nigeria.

Burch spoke to EWTN News on the sidelines about the stance of the U.S. on religious violence in Nigeria. He described the current situation as a "conflict between radical Islamic groups and Christians because of their faith."

"The United States is the greatest friend of religious liberty," Burch said. "The purpose of this event is to call attention to the plight of Christians who are being targeted and killed in Nigeria. Unfortunately, there are extremist Islamic groups that have been targeting Christians specifically in their churches and their homes, and the scale and size of the persecution of Christians there is intolerable."

Asked about the denial by some Nigerian government officials that Christians specifically are being targeted, Burch insisted that the current violence against Christians is alarming, citing U.S. President Donald Trump, who designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern in 2025.

"The president has said that Christians face an existential crisis in Nigeria, and thanks to his leadership, he is now acting to bring an end to this. We have called on the Nigerian government to take necessary steps to protect Christians, and the United States government is now working in partnership with the Nigerian government to assist them in doing just that," he said.

Steven Wagner, president of SPC, underscored the importance of Nigeria for Christianity in Africa and the need for the Holy See to be involved in raising awareness.

"As Nigeria goes, so goes Africa. More Christians are martyred for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country on earth. There is a huge crisis of internally displaced persons. We are calling on the Vatican to increase public awareness of the problem and to continue to encourage the government of Nigeria to make progress in protecting its people," Wagner said.

Burch responds to Trump's comments on the pope

In his opening remarks at the conference, Burch commented for the first time on the recent tensions between Trump and Pope Leo XIV. He emphasized their difference in approach to armed conflicts and their shared goal of eliminating evil.

"In recent days, President Trump and Pope Leo have exchanged, shall we say, sharp words. We must not pretend there is no disagreement. But both men are driven by an unshakable belief in protecting the innocent. One leads with the sword and shield of American power, the other with the cross of sacrificial love. But both are saying in their own languages, 'Evil must not triumph and innocents must not be abandoned,'" Burch said.

Papal trip in Africa

The pontiff is currently on his first apostolic journey to Africa — visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.

Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization and a presenter at the conference, described the trip as a moment of profound unity for all Africans.

"This is Africa, and much of the divisions, according to countries in Africa, are artificial divisions that were imposed on the continent," Nwachukwu told EWTN News. "Africans quite often feel united even beyond the boundaries. So the pope's message to these churches and these populations will also be a message to the population in Nigeria and to the Church in Nigeria."

Many of the issues the pope is addressing on his trip "are shared in common in Nigeria," Burch added. The Holy See and the United States "certainly share this deep, fundamental commitment to religious liberty."

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The U.S. Coast Guard has agreed to a slate of religious protections for service members, including committing to individualized reviews of personnel who request religious accommodations for Coast Guard policies.

The Thomas More Society, a Catholic law firm that focuses on religious liberty and civil rights, said on April 16 that it had settled a lawsuit with the Coast Guard in an agreement that "permanently reforms how the Coast Guard evaluates, trains on, and reports religious accommodation requests."

The yearslong case was first filed in September 2022 as a federal class action lawsuit, one that claimed the Coast Guard was in violation of both the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act for "categorically denying virtually all religious accommodation requests from the Coast Guard COVID-19 vaccine mandate."

That mandate has since been rescinded, but the settlement announced on April 16 still serves as a "model for every branch of the military," attorney Peter Breen said.

One of the provisions in the settlement includes a requirement that the Coast Guard intensively review religious accommodations requests and, in cases where a request is denied, show that granting it would "seriously harm a critical military interest."

The Coast Guard will also institute "command-wide training" in leadership courses and chaplain instruction. The branch must also publicly affirm its commitment to religious liberty as well as post public data about religious accommodations on its website for three years.

The primary plaintiffs in the suit were Lts. Alaric Stone and Mack Marcenelle as well as Boatswain's Mate First Class Eric Jackson.

Marcenelle in the announcement said the team had been "wrongly accused of violating lawful orders" but that the settlement "sets things right once and for all and recognizes the lawful religious freedoms of all Coast Guard service members."

The government will also pay $750,000 in attorney's fees and expenses as part of the settlement, the Thomas More Society said.

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ROME — Catholic students in Rome on Thursday bore witness to the Eucharist during a solemn procession to commemorate 25 years of its student-led adoration program.

During the April 16 procession on the campus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas — "the Angelicum" — students and clergy offered visible testimony to faith in the Real Presence.

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, led the procession. In his homily beforehand, Mamberti referenced the soon-to-be Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen, calling adoration an experience that "mysteriously transforms our heart." He later spoke to EWTN News about the need for such practices to be developed in the wider Church.

The cardinal said it is beautiful when youth gatherings dedicate a part of their time to adoration of the Lord in the Eucharist. "We recognize him as truly present, under the Eucharistic species, and this is an integral part of our faith," he said. "Otherwise our faith is in vain … Because if Christ is not present in the bread and in the Eucharist and in the wine of the Eucharist, it means that he is not resurrected, as St. Paul says."

Faith amid challenges

Amid challenges in Eucharistic faith, Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White, rector of the Angelicum, described the procession as indicative of a revival among the young. The Angelicum established student-led adoration in 2001 in response to the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Paul II.

"Eucharistic adoration has become more prominent in at least areas of the Church in recent decades. Some of that had to do with initiatives at the time of the pontificate of John Paul II when [student adoration] began here," White said.

"St. Thomas understood this mystery [of the Eucharist] deeply; he contemplated it, he wrote about it, and studying his thinking about the Eucharist here leads our students into a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist," the priest said. It also helps students to pray more deeply "and explain the mystery of the Eucharist to the world today as missionaries of the 21st century."

Impact of program on students

Marcia Vanderstraaten, who is from Singapore and studying for a theology licentiate (similar to a master's degree), described the student adoration program as a blessing, giving students the opportunity to pray between classes.

Students "take great comfort in being able to see Jesus during their breaks, praying and reflecting. Having the Eucharistic presence in the midst of our community is something that really matters to a lot of us," she said.

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