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CNA Staff, Sep 23, 2025 / 17:22 pm (CNA).

In one of his final acts as the bishop of Monterey, California, Bishop Daniel Garcia issued a letter terminating the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in the diocese "in order to strengthen our unity with the universal Church" and "to support [Pope Francis'] goal of moving toward greater unity in the postconciliar Roman rite." 

Garcia issued the letter to the Latin Mass community, located at Sacred Heart Church in Hollister, California, on Sept. 14, four days before he was installed as the new bishop of Austin, Texas.

In the letter, Garcia expressed his concern that the pastor at Sacred Heart, Father Stephen Akers, be "able to give his full attention to the entire parish rather than taking his limited time spent with a small group of individuals who are not worshipping according to ordinary (and one) rite of the Latin Church," as the number of those who attend the "preconciliar" Mass is "very small."

Garcia cited Pope Francis' motu proprio Traditionis Custodes as well as the "Letter to the Bishops of the Whole World" that accompanied it, which addressed "the rare situation" of the Church "having two liturgies being celebrated in the one Latin rite."

Garcia said the Church is "moving us to greater unity in worship," saying St. Paul VI had "declared the new rite an expression of the Church's unity" as reflected by the unanimity of the [Second Vatican] Council Fathers" as well as postconciliar documents.

He ordered Akers to stop celebrating the TLM after Oct. 13 at Sacred Heart Church. 

The bishop said he came to the decision after consulting with the chancellor, Deacon David Ford, and the director of the tribunal, Cecilia Brennan, who had visited the Latin Mass community in Hollister in the last few months.

He admonished the Latin Mass community to "join in unity with the parish … as they gather around the table of the Lord celebrating the rich Eucharistic sacrifice, each Sunday, which has been a great fruit of the Council" in order "to build the unity Pope Leo spoke about in the Mass he celebrated early in his pontificate," which called the Church to become "a leaven of harmony for humanity."

Garcia was named as the bishop of Austin on July 2 and installed on Sept. 18.

Bishop Slawomir Szkredka was named the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Monterey on Sept. 19. 

Earlier this year, the Vatican granted a parish in Texas an exemption from restrictions to the TLM imposed by Traditionis Custodes. 

The exemption, requested by Bishop Michael Sis on Feb. 6, was granted to St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas.

No other such exemption by Pope Leo XIV has been reported since the start of his pontificate. 

Akers, the pastor at Sacred Heart Church, declined to comment.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 23, 2025 / 17:59 pm (CNA).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has launched the "Cabrini Pledge" intended to help Catholics in "witnessing to the God-given dignity of every person, including the migrants and refugees in our midst," as the Catholic Church in the U.S. observes National Migration Week. 

Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, introduced the pledge in a video message, imploring U.S. Catholics to join the effort.

"With one voice, we proclaim every person, regardless of where they are born, is created in the image of God and has an inherent dignity that deserves respect," Seitz said, noting this sentiment guided the ministry of Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants. 

"By signing this pledge, you make an intentional commitment to living out the Gospel, not an abstraction, but through acts of solidarity that affirm the inherent dignity of every person," he continued. "Through prayer, encounter, and civic engagement, we can transform fear into compassion and create a world where no one feels less than human because of their immigration status."

"The history of the U.S. Catholic Church, like the history of the United States itself, is very much intertwined with the phenomenon of migration," the USSCB also stated.

In the "Cabrini Pledge: An Invitation to be Keepers of Hope," the bishops invite America's Catholics to follow the example of Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who "accompanied her fellow immigrants and others living on the margins of society with a great missionary zeal."

The pledge includes seven parts, including a promise to affirm the human dignity of every person regardless of immigration status or country of origin, to encourage civic dialogue about policymaking grounded in the Church's understanding of human dignity, and to join Pope Leo XIV in praying for all migrants and refugees. 

"As Catholics, we are called to recognize the face of Christ in each person we encounter, especially the poor and vulnerable," the bishops said. "The Gospel and the social teaching of the Church continually affirm the equal dignity of every person, irrespective of race, nationality, or immigration status."

"The Cabrini Pledge is both a reminder of our immigrant heritage and a call to deeper engagement with our faith in response to current events," the USCCB added.

While "political divisions and reasonable disagreements about immigration policy" pervade across the country, the bishops continued, "by witnessing to the God-given dignity of every person, including the migrants and refugees in our midst, we pave the way for an approach rooted in mercy, justice, and the common good."

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ACI Africa, Sep 23, 2025 / 11:35 am (CNA).

Archbishop Zeferino Zeca Martins of Angola's Archdiocese of Huambo has urged members of the Catholic Men Organization (CMO) in the southern African nation to be involved in the fight against societal voices, strengthen faith practice in their families, and exemplify integrity.

In his homily during a Mass of thanksgiving marking the 11th anniversary of the Movimento dos Esposos da Promaica (MEP) (Movement of Promaica Husbands), Zeca said: "The battle against corruption must be seen as a moral and spiritual imperative, which begins within each family and extends to society at large."

"The Church and apostolic movements have a decisive role in transforming Angolan society, starting from the authentic living out of the faith," the archbishop said during the Sept. 20 event, which was held at St. John the Baptist Parish in the Huambo Archdiocese.

Zeca further said: "We cannot pretend that nothing is wrong in the environment we live in. Corruption, lies, selfishness, and greed are wounds that strike at the heart of our society, and even many of us, members of the MEP. That is why it is urgent that each one of us, as a husband, as a father, as a Christian, be examples of integrity and fight against these practices."

"The transformation of society begins within the home, since the family is the fundamental cell of society," the archbishop continued. "Where the wife is, there the husband should be; where the children are, there the parents should be. The family is the first battlefield against the forces that try to destroy Christian values. He who cannot live honesty and love in his own home will hardly be able to do so outside it."

He reminded CMO members that "the MEP was created precisely to strengthen family bonds and the living out of faith among Catholic spouses."

Addressing the moral crisis in Angola, Zeca said: "The apostle St. Paul warned that in the last days many would turn away from truth and justice, giving way to selfishness, lies, and corruption. We are living in those difficult times, and therefore it is up to us, as Christians and citizens, to be vigilant and fight against these forces."

He emphasized that "it is not enough to denounce injustices and corruption; each of us must also take responsibility not to be contaminated by these practices."

The archbishop, who is a member of the Society of the Divine Word, further stated: "The fight against corruption is not just a political or social issue but above all a spiritual battle. Corruption is born of selfishness and lack of love for one's neighbor, of greed and the reckless pursuit of power and wealth."

"If we do not renew our spirit and hearts in faith, we are doomed to continue living in unjust and inhuman societies. That is why I urge you to live the faith, prayer, and Christian commitment intensely, as antidotes to these evils," he said.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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National Catholic Register, Sep 23, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

One of the most popular Catholic saints of the 20th century, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, commonly known as Padre Pio, was a Capuchin Franciscan friar, priest, and mystic. His tomb can be found in the Sanctuary of St. Mary Our Lady of Grace in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. 

Padre Pio is known for his deep wisdom about prayer and peace, his stigmata, miraculous reports of his bilocation, being physically attacked by the devil, and mastering the spiritual life.

As the Church celebrates his feast day on Sept. 23, here's a look at 13 facts about St. Pio's life and faith.

1. Padre Pio was only 5 years old when he expressed a strong desire to serve God.

Born Francesco Forgione on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy, he served as an altar boy at his local parish. At the early age of 5, he consecrated himself to Jesus. By the age of 10, his family looked to see how he could become a Capuchin friar.

2. Padre Pio was only 15 when he entered the Capuchin Friars Minor as a novice. 

Being a young teenager, Francesco was given the name Pio or Pius when he entered as a novice. He professed his solemn vows three years later. No stranger to suffering amid frail health throughout much of his studies, he was ordained a priest in 1910. He ascended the Gargano mountains to the rural friary outside of San Giovanni Rotondo in 1916. He remained there for more than 50 years, until his death on Sept. 23, 1968.

3. St. Pio received the visible wounds of Christ known as the stigmata, just like St. Francis of Assisi.

On Sept. 20, 1918, Padre Pio received the stigmata while praying in a church. The wounds remained visible on his body for the rest of his life. The wounds were on his hands, feet, and side, corresponding to the wounds suffered by Jesus during his crucifixion. 

4. The blood from his stigmata smelled of floral perfume. 

Referred to as the "odor of sanctity," the blood that came from Padre Pio's wounds is said to have smelled like perfume or as having a floral aroma. The trait has also been exhibited by other saints who manifested stigmata markings.

5. Padre Pio heard confessions 12 to 15 hours a day.

While listening to confessions, the saint would smell flowers as sins were confessed. Some penitents waited two weeks just to visit him in the confessionial. Padre Pio could also read the hearts of penitents, reminding them of sins that were forgotten or omitted.

The saint once said: "Confession is the soul's bath. You must go at least once a week. I do not want souls to stay away from confession more than a week. Even a clean and unoccupied room gathers dust; return after a week, and you will see that it needs dusting again!"

6. Padre Pio suffered attacks from the devil on a consistent basis. 

From a young age, Padre Pio was blessed with heavenly visions, but he also experienced spiritual warfare, including attacks of the devil.

In a book written by Father Gabriele Amorth on Padre Pio, the famous exorcist of Rome said: "The great and constant struggle in the life of the saint was against the enemies of God and souls, those demons who sought to capture his soul."

Amorth continued: "The devil appeared to him under many different forms: as a big black cat, wild and threatening, or as a repulsive animal, in the clear intention to frighten him; under the appearance of naked and provocative young girls who danced obscene dances, obviously to test the chastity of the young priest. However, the worst was when the devil took on the appearance of his spiritual director, or posed as Jesus, the Virgin Mary, or St. Francis."

7. He had the gift of bilocation, meaning that he could be in more than one place at a time.

Multiple eyewitness accounts attest to the ability of Padre Pio to be in multiple places at once. Fellow friars remember seeing him in prayer outside when they knew he was still in his room. Some accounts come from others who claim to have seen him on different continents all over the world. 

As to how Padre Pio experienced such feats, the closest he ever came to an explanation of bilocation was to say that it occurred "by an extension of his personality."

8. A sighting of a "flying friar" kept war planes from bombing Padre Pio's town during World War II. 

Among the most remarkable of the documented cases of bilocation was Padre Pio's appearance in the air over San Giovanni Rotondo during World War II. While southern Italy remained in Nazi hands, American bombers were given the job of attacking the city of San Giovanni Rotondo. However, when they appeared over the city and prepared to unload their munitions, a brown-robed friar appeared before their aircraft. All attempts to release the bombs failed. In this way, Padre Pio kept his promise to the citizens that their town would be spared. Later on, when an American airbase was established at Foggia a few miles away, one of the pilots of the incident visited the friary and found, to his surprise, the friar he had seen in the air that day over San Giovanni.

9. Before dying at the age of 81, all his wounds healed without scars, just as he had foretold they would 50 years prior.

A doctor examining the saint's body who was present when he was dying observed that the wounds of the stigmata were completely healed, without any trace or scar. Padre Pio's body was placed in a coffin in the church of the monastery to allow pilgrims to visit and pray. 

10. Pilgrims can visit the rooms in which Padre Pio lived. 

All the cells where Padre Pio lived in Italy have been outfitted with vintage furnishings to make them look exactly like they were in the early 20th century. Each site also boasts a small museum with relics and artifacts from his life.

11. Many miracles have been attributed to Padre Pio. 

Several miracles have been attributed to the saint's intercession, including the story of Gemma di Giorgio, a little girl who visited Padre Pio. Born blind without pupils in either eye, she miraculously regained her sight after visiting him. One truly miraculous factor about her healing was that, although she could see, she still lacked pupils. Another miracle was chronicled on EWTN.

12. He established a hospital.

Living a life of suffering, made difficult by physical pain and sickness, Padre Pio was able to build a hospital with the help of generous sponsors. Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, which means "Home for the Relief of the Suffering," was inaugurated on May 5, 1956. The hospital sits atop a hill overlooking San Giovanni Rotondo. Starting with only about 250 beds and just enough equipment, the hospital is now known for its state-of-the-art facilities and services.

13. Even before his death on Sept. 23, 1968, Padre Pio reportedly spent his last moments in prayer.

Beatified in 1999, St. Padre Pio was canonized on June 16, 2002, by the late pope St. John Paul II. He is known among Catholics as St. Pio of Pietrelcina. More than 500,000 attended his canonization.

The video below shows St. Pio celebrating Mass the day before his death:

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

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Lima Newsroom, Sep 23, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

When a priest says he's building a church, a school, or some other project, he usually means he's ultimately responsible for the construction, not that he's the one who is actually building it. But that isn't the case for Father Javier Cajusol Villegas, who is building a church with his own hands in a poor area of ??the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, where Pope Leo XIV was bishop.

"In the seminary, there's a program in which we study Church history. I was taught by an American priest who explained things very well, Father Ricardo Mullen. He said that when the Spanish came to the Americas, they brought with them priests who were also architects and engineers and that they themselves were the ones who built the churches," Cajusol related in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.

This, the priest shared, "struck me, and I started thinking, 'Why not?' I got motivated when they sent me to a parish without a rectory. I started the Adveniat project with the bishop's approval, and they sent me the money. A worker helped me and taught me."

The Peruvian priest, born in Trujillo, a northern city where Pope Leo also served from 1988 to 1999, was referring to the Church aid agency Adveniat, based in Germany, which funds Catholic Church projects around the world.

"I started liking construction. I just stayed organized, served people, and when I had days off, I would spend time on this. Since my brother is an architect, I would ask him a few questions," he continued.

"At first, it was difficult, but I learned how to mix cement, make surfacing materials, lay bricks, and [mix] aggregates," he added.

First things first

The priest clarified that the construction work, while he enjoys it, does not take precedence over his priestly ministry, which remains fundamental in his life. "Little by little, I have been getting better [at construction work] without neglecting my vocation. So it's a tough second job: that of a bricklayer, which requires strength and skill; and caring for the faithful," he shared.

Cajusol, who was ordained 28 years ago, emphasized that what is essential for him is "not to neglect caring for the faithful, administering the sacraments, pastoral care by visiting homes, and talking with the people."

Possible meeting with Pope Leo XIV

The priest, who will turn 58 on Sept. 24, estimated that the church's construction will take four or five years, working Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., "unless I can see the Holy Father for help. He helped me a lot with the construction of the rectory where I currently live, through an American foundation."

The place where he is now building the church and where he already celebrates Mass on Sundays is an area with a lot of poverty and crime. "There is a lot of contract killing, robbery, and even some dirty cops who collude with them. Sometimes I admonish them," he said.

Regarding the financing of the church, the priest explained that he relies on the help of the faithful, who also provide his daily meals, the head mason, and two assistants, but more contributions are needed to raise half a million soles, approximately $143,000.

Afterward, he explained, a similar amount will be needed to finish the church, including the altar, statues, pews, sound equipment, and other items.

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

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ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 22, 2025 / 16:02 pm (CNA).

From his exile in the United States, Nicaraguan Bishop Silvio Báez denounced what he considered the "real problem" of Latin American dictatorships and cartels: the idolatry of money. 

Although he did not mention specific countries in his homily at the Mass he celebrated Sunday, Sept. 21, at St. Agatha Church in Miami, the prelate was apparently referring to the dictatorships of presidents Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, Miguel Díaz-Canel in Cuba, and Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, the latter accused by the U.S. government of leading the drug-trafficking Cartel de los Soles.

Báez noted that one day, "all of us, without exception, will leave this world, and God will ask us to account for how we have used the wealth" and gifts he has given us. As an example of how these gifts are misused, the prelate pointed to "the dictatorships in some of our countries, dictators who act in the dark and without any moral scruples to enrich themselves at any cost."

"Let's not forget that the root of Latin America's main problems are not of a political but of a moral nature," he stated.

Báez said that "most of the ills of our people come from the excessive ambition for wealth, from the elites who keep a tight rein on power, because they worship money, regardless of whether they have to sacrifice human beings or the entire population along with their dignity, their freedoms, and their future."

"This is the real problem of dictatorships, cartels, and the decadent societies of Latin America: the idol of money," he denounced.

"These unscrupulous and immoral people enrich themselves through blatant acts of corruption, accumulating ever more money for themselves, their families, and their entourage," the prelate continued.

"They openly and illegally confiscate land and property. They maintain control by repression and even illegally grant concessions to foreign powers for the extraction of the country's natural resources, impoverishing their people and endangering national sovereignty. These immoral and evil people go on plotting day and night."

You cannot serve both God and money

"Those of us who dream of new societies in which the great ideals of freedom, justice, peace, and the defense of human rights shine forth must remember what Jesus tells us today in the final sentence of the Gospel: You cannot serve both God and money," continued the auxiliary bishop of Managua, who has been in exile since 2019.

"The great evil of this world is the idolatry of money, which takes the place of God and demands human beings as a sacrifice," he emphasized.

After noting that "we must use money for the common good, not serve it as if it were a god," the bishop emphasized that "instead of ambition and corruption, let us clothe ourselves with evangelical wisdom, creating with wealth networks of solidarity to help the poorest and mutual collaboration to commit ourselves together in the struggle for social change."

The Gospel of the day, the prelate emphasized, "invites us not to deify money and to act with intelligence and spiritual wisdom."

Who is Bishop Silvio Báez?

Silvio José Báez Ortega has been auxiliary bishop of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, since late May 2009. He is 67 years old.

On April 23, 2019, having been one of the most vocal critics of the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, in Nicaragua, Báez left his homeland due to persecution from the regime. He has been in exile for over six years.

On Aug. 23, Báez and two other Nicaraguan bishops were received in audience at the Vatican by Pope Leo XIV, who confirmed him as auxiliary bishop of Managua.

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

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CNA Staff, Sep 22, 2025 / 17:17 pm (CNA).

At a town hall meeting in Plymouth, Minnesota, over the weekend, three mothers whose children survived the school shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in August advocated for stricter gun laws. 

Two children were killed and 21 people were injured after Robin Westman, 23, a man who identified as a woman, shot through the stained-glass windows of the church during a school Mass on Aug. 27. 

Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed in the attack. 

Carla Maldonado, who has two children at Annunciation Catholic School, said "taking action" by tightening gun laws would honor the deaths of the two children and "all lives taken by gun violence."

"We cannot accept a world where civilians have access to weapons designed for battlefields," she said, referring to assault weapons and calling for their prohibition.

Another mother, Malia Kimbrell, who also supports an assault weapons ban, asked: "If the next mass shooting happens at your child's school, what type of weapon are you comfortable with the shooter being armed with?"

Kimbrell, whose daughter Vivian, 9, is recovering after she was shot multiple times, advocated for "more mental health resources and safer gun storage and better background checks and detecting potential threats online and improved security measures." 

Stephanie Moscetti said her son "was an honorary pallbearer at his friend's [Merkel's] funeral; how is this our reality?" 

"Our kids deserve safe schools, they deserve safe childhoods where they can play and learn," she said.

Rep. Kelly Morrison, a Democrat who represents Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District, organized the town hall meeting, which focused on the prevention of gun violence. 

Several of the mothers at the town hall also testified last week before a working group of state lawmakers who deliberated over proposed reforms dealing with gun violence.

At the hearing, Rob Doar, senior vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, asked lawmakers to strengthen the law surrounding mental health resources access, pointing out that none of the proposals put forward would have prevented the shooting because Westman legally purchased the weapons. 

Westman used three firearms during the August attack: a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, all of which were purchased legally under existing state law. The rifle was likely an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, which is considered an assault weapon. 

Laws limiting those with mental health disorders from gun possession

Though Westman struggled with his gender identity, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed "gender identity disorder" from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and replaced it with "gender dysphoria" in the revised version, known as the DSM-5, published in 2013. 

This change marked a significant shift in how struggles with a person's sexual identity are classified, with health care professionals no longer calling it a mental illness.

The new classification of gender dysphoria, though it is still in the APA's manual of mental disorders, addresses the symptoms, or the distress, associated with gender incongruence and not the incongruence itself. 

Minnesota, along with 29 other states, bars people with mental health issues who have been involuntarily committed or found to be a danger to self or others from possessing a gun. 

This law did not come into play in the August shooting, however.

Gov. Tim Walz in early September called for a special session, which has yet to take place, that will focus on gun safety. He proposed banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazine clips as well as more safety regulations concerning storage and a stronger red flag law.

Minnesota's current red flag law allows family or local and state officials to ask for an extreme risk protection order, or ERPO, which allows them to petition the court to have an at-risk person's guns removed or to temporarily prohibit that person from buying a gun.

"We passed a red flag law. It was passed in 2023 and it was supposed to deal with a situation like this," Minnesota House Republican leader Harry Niska said in early September after Walz proposed the special session. "So I hope everyone is asking serious questions about why — why did this incident not trigger either a background check flag or a red flag?"

Walz will need the support of Republican lawmakers in the special session, and they have different proposals. They want to make private school security eligible for state funding, something the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of Minnesota's six Catholic dioceses, has asked for multiple times.

Republicans also want to allow doctors more discretion concerning transgender medical procedures, more funds for mental health facilities, and harsher penalties for certain gun crimes. 

Ten states ban assault weapons, but the proposal in Minnesota failed to come up for a vote in 2023. Just over half of rural residents opposed an assault weapons ban in a 2022 MinnPost poll, while 69% of urban dwellers supported it. Overall, the poll found that nearly 54% supported it.

Minnesota already has one of the nation's stronger gun regulation frameworks, according to Everytown Research, which ranks the state 14th in the country for gun safety policies.

The state requires universal background checks for all firearm sales, including private transfers, and domestic violence protections prohibit access for those under restraining orders or with misdemeanor convictions, among many other regulations.

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National Catholic Register, Sep 22, 2025 / 17:51 pm (CNA).

The appeal hearing for Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the former deputy Vatican secretary of state who was convicted in December 2023 of embezzlement, aggravated fraud, and abuse of office, began on Monday.

Heard by a six-judge Vatican Court of Appeal, the appeal is expected to revisit both factual and procedural objections from the first trial, including evidence, court transcripts, and all submissions from both Becciu's defense and the Vatican prosecution.

After the so-called "Trial of the Century" lasting two and a half years, Becciu, 77, was convicted of financial malfeasance and sentenced to five years and six months in prison. He was also handed a fine of 8,000 euros (about $9,400) and permanently disqualified from holding public office.

The cardinal's appeal will be heard alongside those of eight other defendants who were also tried, found guilty, and given a variety of sentences. Five of those defendants — Raffaele Mincione, Enrico Crasso, Gianluigi Torzi, Fabrizio Tirabassi, and Cecilia Marogna — also received prison sentences of varying length.

Becciu was the first cardinal to be tried by a Vatican tribunal and has remained free pending the outcome of his appeal. Despite initially claiming he was eligible to vote in the May conclave, he decided to withdraw his participation for the "good of the Church" and out of "obedience" to Pope Francis.

The Vatican court said the cardinal's conviction was based on "full and irrefutable evidence" that he was investing Vatican money in a highly speculative real estate deal in London's Sloane Avenue with "total disregard" for Vatican policies. Due to the way the deal was structured and restructured, it ended up losing the Vatican more than $200 million. The Italian cardinal was deputy Vatican secretary of state at the time when the secretariat began negotiating the property deal using the secretariat's funds in 2014.

The cardinal was also found guilty of making at least 125,000 euros (about $148,000) in unauthorized payments to his brother's charity in Sardinia as well as funneling more than 500,000 euros (about $590,000) from Vatican funds to geopolitical expert Marogna who, instead of using it for intelligence and a humanitarian mission to help free a kidnapped religious sister in Mali, was accused of spending the funds on luxury goods and travel.

Becciu has consistently protested his innocence, maintaining that he acted with papal approval or authority. He has insisted that donations were for humanitarian or ecclesial purposes and that there was procedural misconduct during the investigation and trial.

He has stressed that his office as "sostituto" (deputy in the secretariat of state) required acting on papal trust and this role gave him broad discretion for diplomatic and humanitarian missions, such as the ransom effort to free the kidnapped religious sister.

The cardinal has insisted the money sent to the Sardinian charity was requested by the local bishop for social projects, remained in diocesan coffers, and was not used for personal or family benefit. Regarding Marogna, Becciu has claimed that all payments were for legitimate diplomatic and security services, not for improper or private ends.

Arguing for his defense, his lawyers have said the prosecution benefited from undisclosed papal decrees that included permitting secret wiretaps and warrantless detentions, and that witnesses were coached by Vatican police, undermining fair-trial guarantees.

Becciu also has alleged new evidence of outside manipulation and collusion with Vatican prosecutors, reiterating a claim of being "framed" by a campaign built on falsehoods and media pressure — claims that have been strenuously denied.

He has also said he was unjustly presumed guilty from the outset and that key exculpatory evidence was ignored or overlooked at trial — accusations the Vatican tribunal dismissed. His defense intends to challenge both the factual findings and legal procedures in his appeal.

Last October, the Vatican released its reasons for convicting Becciu, stating he was involved in the illicit use of Holy See funds despite having no "profit-making purpose" and stressing that the trial was fair.

Commenting on the court's 800-page judgment in an editorial in L'Osservatore Romano, Andrea Tornielli, Vatican Media's editorial director, reasserted the judgment's assessment of a fair trial. He added that the trial's outcome showed the need for prelates and those in charge of Vatican finances to be held accountable for their actions.

Although Tornielli did not name Becciu, the cardinal criticized the editorial for its "vaguely moralistic tone" and again protested his innocence. He acknowledged that the sums involving the London property were "enormous" but insisted they were not without precedent and had the "approval of the superior at the time," namely the head of the Vatican's administrative office, Monsignor Alberto Perlasca, who, as a star witness in the trial, avoided prosecution.

As in the trial, Becciu was accused of seeking to shift responsibility to others, including Pope Francis, whom he said knew all about the London property deal, although the extent of the pope's involvement has never been fully known.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA. 

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Vatican City, Sep 22, 2025 / 14:09 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV revealed in his first interview since being elected pontiff that it's going to be "very difficult to discover the presence of God" in artificial intelligence (AI), noting that he recently refused a proposal to create an avatar of himself.

He pointed to the loss of humanity in the digital realm and warned that "extremely wealthy" people are investing in AI and "totally ignoring the value of human beings and humanity."

"The danger is that the digital world will follow its own path and we will become pawns, or be brushed aside," he warned.

"I think the Church needs to speak out in this regard," he stated.

During the interview, held on July 10 at Villa Barberini, the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, and published on Sept. 18 in the Spanish-language book "Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century," Pope Leo made it clear that the Church "is not against technological advances," but the "incredible pace" at which the technology is developing is "worrying."

"In the world of medicine, great things have happened thanks to AI, and in other fields as well," he said in the book. "However, there is a danger in this, because you end up creating a false world and then you ask yourself: What is the truth?"

However, he noted the problems created by AI fabrications in an era plagued by deepfakes (AI-created images, videos, or audio recordings) and even spoke of a personal case in which he was the victim of a fake video.

"In these few short three months as pope, one day, talking to someone, [the person] asked me: 'Are you OK?' And I said: 'Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?' 'Well, you fell down a flight of stairs.' I said: 'No, I didn't fall,' but there was a video somewhere where they had created this artificial pope, me, falling down a flight of stairs as I was walking, and apparently it was so good that they thought it was me," he said.

The Holy Father warned of the "great challenge" of fake news because "the temptation is for people to believe it, and they believe it because there seems to be a need in some people to receive it." 

"Why are all these people consuming this fake news? Something is going on there. People want to believe in conspiracies, people want to seek out all these false things, and that is very destructive," he added.

Similarly, he also revealed that someone recently asked him for permission to create an artificial version of himself, so "that anyone could go to a website and have a personal audience with 'the pope,' and this pope created by artificial intelligence would give them answers to their questions. I said, 'I'm not going to authorize that.' If there's anyone who shouldn't be represented by an avatar, it seems to me, it's the pope," he emphasized.

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

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 22, 2025 / 14:59 pm (CNA).

Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley is requesting prayers from the faithful after an archdiocesan priest died after falling through the sacristy ceiling of his parish late last week.

Father Linh Bui, the pastor at St. Ann Catholic Church in Elgin, Oklahoma, died after suffering a severe brain injury caused by the fall, according to a Sept. 19 announcement by the archbishop posted to Facebook. Bui was 56 years old.

"It is with great sadness that I announce that Father Linh Bui passed away this morning from his injuries," Coakley wrote.

Before his death, Bui received the sacrament of the anointing of the sick and the apostolic pardon, which grants an indulgence for the remission of temporal punishment for a person who dies in the state of grace.

According to the archbishop, Bui "was surrounded by the family who loved him dearly" when he succumbed to his injuries.

"Please pray for the repose of his soul," Coakley wrote. "Funeral arrangements will be provided in the near future."

"May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen," the archbishop prayed.

According to a Facebook post from the parish, Bui was MedFlight evacuated to the Oklahoma University trauma center after the fall and immediately received surgery. Although "the medical teams did everything they could," the parish stated "the severity of his brain injury from the fall was too great and no neurological interventions could be done."

In addition to the brain injury, Bui also suffered chest trauma, a collapsed lung, and arterial bleeding. Doctors stabilized his body so his family could arrive to say their goodbyes and then halted the medical interventions.

One parishioner posted to Facebook that Bui was "one of the holiest people we were blessed to know," adding: "We got to know him personally and he was the kindest, most humble and loving priest. May his soul rest in peace."

"One of his last messages to me was to invite others to adoration, because he didn't just want us to spend time with the Lord but also to bring others to him," another parishioner wrote.

"That is exactly how he lived and what he taught," she wrote. "He meant everything to my husband and me, and we will forever carry him in our hearts and in the way we walk with Jesus."

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