Catholic News

Queen Camilla responded with "deep admiration" after listening to the stories of Catholic religious sisters working with vulnerable women and girls around the world in a landmark meeting on July 15 at Clarence House in London.

Representatives of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) met with the queen to share the impact of their work over the past year, with a particular focus on advancing dignity, protection, and opportunities for vulnerable women and girls.

Anabel Inge, MVO, charge' d'affaires ad interim of the British Embassy to the Holy See, commented on the impact of the stories on Queen Camilla at the meeting. 

"What struck me was how engaged Her Majesty was throughout the conversation," Inge told EWTN News. "Many of the themes discussed clearly resonated. Her Majesty has consistently highlighted the importance of supporting women and girls, and this was a major focus."

The meeting with the queen included conversations about efforts to accompany migrant women and strengthen communities in the U.K., education initiatives supporting children affected by conflict in Lebanon, antihuman trafficking work in Asia, and programs helping vulnerable women build livelihoods and improve food security in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Commenting on the meeting in a press release, the UISG said: "Her Majesty expressed deep admiration and humility regarding the global work Catholic sisters do to aid vulnerable populations, particularly women and girls."

"This renewed exchange underlined the strong alignment between the mission of Catholic sisters and Her Majesty's long-standing commitment to supporting women and girls."

Sisters from a range of ministries around the world joined in the meeting with Queen Camilla at Clarence House, including Sister Lynne Baron, FCJ, area leader of the Sisters Faithful Companions of Jesus in Britain and archbishop's delegate for Catholic social action in the Archdiocese of Liverpool.

Baron was joined by Sister Roxanne Schares, SSND, executive secretary of UISG; Sister Maamalifar M. Poreku, MSOLA, co-executive secretary of the UISG-USG Commission for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation; and Sister Abby Avelino, MM, international coordinator of Talitha Kum.

Avelino drew attention to the Young Ambassadors Against Human Trafficking Programme, initially supported by the U.K. government and now expanded globally, which equips young people with the tools to identify risks, raise awareness, and lead peer-based prevention in their communities.

Describing young people as "protagonists of change,'" Avelino said: "In many countries, they are helping to build a culture of prevention, supporting their peers in recognizing the risks of exploitation and trafficking, and promoting a vision of society rooted in dignity, freedom, and solidarity."

The meeting between the sisters and the queen came nine months after King Charles III and Queen Camilla met with Pope Leo XIV in October 2025 in a historic ecumenical prayer service in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. The prayer service marked the first time an English sovereign had prayed with a pope in 500 years.

"The meeting during Their Majesties' state visit to the Holy See in 2025 reflected the long-standing and positive relationship between the Crown and the Holy See," Inge said.

Inge hailed the latest meeting with the queen as "a valuable opportunity to recognize the extraordinary contribution sisters make around the world, particularly in supporting women and girls affected by poverty, conflict, displacement, and exploitation."

She added: "What is distinctive about the sisters' contribution is that they are deeply embedded in the communities they serve. The tea was an opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of that service, and the sisters' personal stories helped to bring these important issues to life."

A royal family post on X highlighted the visit with the sisters: "The Queen hosted Sisters from the International Union of Superiors General (IUSG) who shared the impact of their global work, particularly in support of vulnerable women and girls … The meeting was an opportunity to reflect on the work of the Sisters to support women living in conditions of conflict, poverty, and displacement across the world."

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Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, introduced legislation to bar the government from taking Mount Cristo Rey by eminent domain as it seeks diocesan land for border fencing.

The legislation (H.R. 9739) follows the Trump administration's move to seize about 14 acres of land surrounding the base of Mount Cristo Rey — a prominent mountain in Sunland Park, New Mexico, overlooking the Texas and Mexico borders.

If enacted, the bill would recognize Mount Cristo Rey as a holy site and prohibit the use of federal funds to litigate against the Diocese of Las Cruces in its lawsuit challenging the federal attempt to seize the land.

It also would prohibit federal funds from being used "to construct, install, operate, or maintain roads, fencing, vehicle barriers, security lighting, cameras, sensors, or related structures" on or near the mountain, according to the bill, which lacks co-sponsors.

"Rather than working with border communities to advance effective border security, the Trump Administration continues to disregard the people, history, and culture that make our region special," Escobar said in a press release.

"Mount Cristo Rey is a religious and cultural landmark that has been central to our community for generations," she said.

Owned by the Diocese of Las Cruces, Mount Cristo Rey welcomes visitors each year to the small mountain that houses a nearly-century-old statue of Jesus Christ that has been a pilgrimage site for decades.

The diocese has said that the government's proposed border security at the base of the mountain would negatively affect pilgrims coming to the site.

Escobar's legislation says: "The Federal Government's attempt to seize the land around Mount Cristo Rey for the purposes of border wall construction infringes upon the religious liberty of the Catholic Church and all visitors to the holy site."

Support from Catholic border bishops

The bill has received support from border bishops including Bishop Peter Baldacchino of Las Cruces and Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas.

In a press release, Seitz said he will "support this bill which would call the federal government to set aside a heavy-handed abuse of power against this sacred place."

"For the federal government to forcefully take this holy ground to build a tall barrier topped with razor wire would represent an overreach on the part of the government and create a sign that speaks, not of mutual respect and love, but of separation and rejection," Seitz said.

"I am confident that through negotiation with the rightful owners of the property, the Church of Las Cruces, solutions can be found to provide for the deterrence of unauthorized entry into this country while at the same time preserving the integrity of Mount Cristo Rey," Seitz said.

"For generations, the faithful from the cities, farms and villages of the borderland have climbed Mount Cristo Rey and united as a single community for prayer and celebration at the feet of Christ the King," Baldacchino said.

Baldacchino previously defended the sanctuary "and devotion which has brought many people in our community to God" during the ongoing dispute by climbing Mount Cristo Rey and celebrating Mass at the mountain's peak on June 28.

"In a world fractured by political, racial and economic divisions, Mount Cristo Rey stands out as both a powerful symbol of hope and peace and a literal pathway to unity," he said in the press release.

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Catholic aid groups in Bangladesh and China are responding to severe midsummer storms, with Caritas Bangladesh coordinating relief in dioceses hit by early-July monsoon flooding and Jinde Charities delivering assistance on behalf of the Shanghai and Beijing dioceses after flash floods and tornadoes.

Caritas Bangladesh is collaborating with local partners in dioceses affected by monsoon rains and flooding that swept the country in early July.

Caritas disaster relief efforts have been underway after the July 5–9 flooding, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 34 people in Bangladesh, according to a July 10 press release from the aid organization. "More than 241,000 people have been affected. Among them are more than 7,400 Rohingya refugees living in 25 camps severely affected by floods and landslides," Caritas said.

The rainfall has impacted Bangladesh's Chattogram Division, including the districts of Bandarban, Khagrachari, Rangamati, Cox's Bazar, and Chattogram.

"Caritas Bangladesh has mobilized local staff and community volunteers, who went from door to door sharing early warning messages and helping families living in high-risk areas move to safety before the worst of the rains arrived," the aid organization said.

"This latest disaster comes on top of a protracted humanitarian crisis," the press release continued. "As humanitarian funding continues to decline, many Rohingya families face growing food insecurity, reduced access to essential services and fewer opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity. The floods are a reminder that sustained international solidarity remains essential."

Catholics in China distribute aid after flooding

The government-registered Catholic relief organization Jinde Charities has been acting on behalf of the Shanghai and Beijing dioceses to deliver humanitarian assistance in the wake of flash floods and tornadoes.

According to a July 18 press release on the organization's website, Jinde Charities is collaborating with local partners and traveling to Shuangfeng Village, Sanli Town, Qintang District, Guigang City, Guangxi, to deliver food aid to disaster-affected villagers.

Jinde noted in an earlier release that as of July 13, about 827,000 people have been affected by the disaster in Guigang City. In addition to food aid, Jinde has distributed tools such as chainsaws, shovels, wheelbarrows, bamboo brooms, and other supplies. Fides News Agency, a Vatican news service, reported that many Catholic families in Guigang have been left without running water and electricity.

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Pope Leo XIV has written a foreword to a new book, calling for peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Originally published by Vatican News, the pontiff's text is part of the new book "Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift," published by the Vatican Publishing House (Libreria Editrice Vaticana) in Italian on July 21. Edited by Alessandro Banfi, the book is a collection of Leo XIV's addresses and reflections on peace since his election to the papacy in 2025.

The pope also invoked in his foreword American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan as well as Servants of God Dorothy Day, Floribert Bwana Chui, and Giorgio La Pira.

War is an adventure with no return

Leo began the foreword with what had been his first words as pontiff, proclaimed from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica: "Peace be with you." He explained the theological significance of those words, spoken by Christ after his resurrection, and decried the modern tendency for war.

"This was also the first gift the risen Christ offered to his friends and to the whole world: peace," Leo wrote. "That gift, however, did not come 'cheap.'"

"Today, a good 103 states are involved in some way in a war on Earth. Weapons boom and kill in Ukraine, in the Middle East, in Sudan, in Myanmar, in Yemen, in Congo, and in many other situations."

He also referred to his predecessors Pope Francis and Sts. Paul VI and John Paul II, who also called for peace and nuclear disarmament:

"Especially after the terrible consequences of the events of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the recourse to war is ever more an 'adventure with no return,' as St. John Paul II stressed."

Invoking Bob Dylan: 'Man-owned an' man-handled'

In his foreword, the pope referenced American singer Bob Dylan, who criticized the manufacture of nuclear bombs during the Cold War in his 1963 song "Go Away You Bomb."

"As singer-songwriter and poet Bob Dylan wrote, figuratively addressing the atomic bomb, in one of his poetic compositions: 'I hate you cause yer man-made and man-owned an' man-handled,'" Leo said.

The pope also explained that the threat of nuclear catastrophe looms large unless action is taken.

"History has already seen us come close to nuclear catastrophe."

"A world in which machines, albeit sophisticated and faster than us, are the ones to decide to bomb defenseless people would be truly frightening," Leo wrote.

Criticism of the U.S.-Iran war

Leo's new foreword is emblematic of his stance on peace and nuclear disarmament, including with regard to the U.S.-Iran war.

Pope Leo and other Church officials have criticized the U.S. government under President Donald Trump for attacking Iran. In response, Trump claimed on May 4 that the pope "would rather talk about the fact that it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon."

Leo denied Trump's accusation that he supported nuclear weapons, stating to journalists at Castel Gandolfo on May 6 that "the Church has spoken for years against all nuclear weapons."

An English edition of the book "Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift" will be published in the coming months.

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The trial of an Australian bishop opened this week in the District Court of Western Australia in Perth, where the 76-year-old faces 26 charges of sexual offenses against three young aboriginal men.

Bishop Christopher Saunders led the remote Diocese of Broome in Australia's northwest from 1996 until his resignation in 2021. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which range from indecent assault to sexual penetration without consent, reported the West Australian newspaper.

The incidents allegedly took place between 2008 and 2017, while he was bishop. Saunders has consistently maintained his innocence.

In his opening address, state prosecutor Adam Ebell alleged that Saunders hosted parties for young aboriginal men at Church-owned properties across the Kimberley region, using what he described as a "seemingly endless supply of alcohol and cigarettes" purchased with Church funds, according to Australian court reporting by the ABC and WAtoday.

The court heard that the first complainant was 16 when he met Saunders and that the bishop allegedly groomed him with gifts before abusing him at properties including the bishop's residence in Broome, a hotel in Kununurra, and the Kalumburu Mission until the young man turned 19. The three complainants are now in their early 30s.

Former diocesan employees are expected to testify, as is Bishop Michael Morrissey of Geraldton, who served as apostolic administrator of Broome after Saunders' resignation.

Saunders stepped aside from governance of the diocese in 2020 after police opened an investigation.

A Vatican-ordered inquiry under Vos Estis Lux Mundi — the first in Australia — produced a 200-page report that was leaked in 2023 and handed to police, leading to his arrest in February 2024.

Saunders was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Broome in 1976. He was born in Melbourne. In 1989, he became the diocesan administrator and was consecrated as the bishop of Broome in 1996.

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The Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism (CCAA) will soon launch its first college chapter at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

The chapter, set to start in fall 2026, marks continued growth for the Coalition, founded in October 2023 at a Franciscan University conference on "Nostra Aetate and the Future of Catholic-Jewish Relations at a Time of Rising Antisemitism."

"The CCAA is proud that Franciscan University serves as the founding Catholic home of the Coalition," Simone Rizkallah, founding member of CCAA and manager of Jewish-Christian partnerships at the Tikvah Fund, an influential Jewish think tank, told EWTN News.

She said CCAA is open to adding more chapters at other colleges and universities, to the extent student leaders elsewhere also take the initiative to do so.

"The launch of this new campus chapter is a sign of hope, born from the initiative of two Gen Z students: one, a former antisemite, whose perspective was transformed through friendship with the other, a Catholic Zionist," she said. "Their story is a powerful witness to the possibility of conversion, dialogue, and authentic friendship."

Colin Reitmeyer, president of CCAA's Franciscan University chapter, told EWTN News the chapter's goals for the new academic year include starting conversations "with those under the sway of antisemitic propaganda, leading them to rethink their deeply flawed ideology."

"We seek to befriend them, help them see why their ideology is flawed, and help them better embrace the Church's position on the Jewish people," Reitmeyer said.

He said the chapter also aims to "spread awareness to unaware students about the rise of antisemetism, and how they can combat it" as well as foster greater appreciation of Jewish culture. This latter goal, he explained, involves "going beyond merely stopping antisemitism and cultivating philosemitism."

Curt Stambaugh, an associate scholar at Franciscan University's Veritas Center for Catholic Ethics in Public Life, will serve as the chapter's sponsor.

Stambaugh traced the impetus for the organization of the chapter back to a campus debate on U.S-Israeli relations. Students directed questions to him during the session, where he met Reitmeyer and learned students wanted a grassroots group to counter antisemitism.

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Following an earthquake the night of July 18 in Junín, Peru, that left at least five people dead, a statue of the Virgin Mary remained intact even as the roof and part of the façade of St. James the Apostle parish church collapsed.

Speaking from the scene, Father Henry Díaz described the extensive damage to the church, RPP's Rotafono reported.

"A large part of the church nave has collapsed. You can see huge cracks everywhere and roof tiles that have come loose. The high altar collapsed into the rubble. The statue of the Virgin remains intact," the priest recounted.

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"The Viceroyalty-era altars have been …very damaged. It appears the church tower is leaning slightly backward and to the right," Díaz noted.

The priest called on the Ministry of Culture and the authorities who visited the earthquake-affected area to help rebuild the church.

He also noted that the church's restoration could cost more than 7 million soles ($2.06 M) and take about a year to complete.

July 18 earthquake

Peru's bishops offered prayers and expressed their solidarity with the victims of the earthquake that struck the night of July 18, leaving at least five people dead, more than 20 injured, and hundreds more affected.

The earthquake, recorded around 9 p.m., was centered in the district of Chongos Bajo, Chupaca province, Junín region, in the central Peruvian Andes, 193 miles east of Lima, according to the National Civil Defense Institute.

As a result of the quake, the historic Cani Cross erected in 1534 and located in the main square of Chongos Bajo, one of the region's oldest religious monuments, also collapsed.

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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Researcher Martha Patricia Molina denounced the forced disappearance of Bishop Abelardo Mata in Nicaragua, carried out by the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, as a "crime against humanity."

"The forced disappearance of Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata is a serious matter; this constitutes a crime against humanity committed by agents of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship. He has been missing for 19 days, and the co-dictators have not made any further statements on the matter," Molina told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, on July 18.

"It's the dictatorship's practice to inflict the greatest possible harm on priests," the researcher warned.

"No one in his circle has any news of him, and concern among the laity and the Catholic Church in general is even greater due to the medical conditions he suffers from, conditions that are almost certainly not being treated properly."

Mata, bishop emeritus of Estelí, Nicaragua, was detained by police on two occasions in late June after praying for the persecuted Church in Nicaragua during a Mass he celebrated on Sunday, June 28.

His whereabouts are unknown, although the dictatorship has stated that he is at home.

The bishops of Central America have called on the regime to allow him to be seen by a doctor, and other notable individuals have expressed concern for the 80-year-old bishop, who suffers from diabetes and vision problems and uses a pacemaker for a heart condition.

Extreme concern over Mata's disappearance

"Family members, priests, human rights organizations, and the international community including the U.S. State Department and the bishops of Central America, are demanding immediate proof that Bishop Abelardo Mata is alive and a clear response from the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo," Father Edwing Román, parochial vicar of St. Agatha Parish in Miami, Florida, told ACI Prensa on July 18.

"So far, there has been only official silence and contradictions in an irrelevant statement. We fear for his life; he cannot be yet another victim of a dictatorship that has wreaked havoc on the Nicaraguan people," Román, who has been living in exile for several years.

On July 4, the Nicaraguan government, through the Ministry of the Interior, issued a statement indicating that Mata had been subjected to a "necessary inquiry regarding the origin of properties and family ties inconsistent with his status as a priest" and that, following this, he "has returned to his home, where he remains in perfect condition." The text does not specify which properties or ties are being referred to.

Another exiled Nicaraguan priest, who prefers to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals from the regime, told ACI Prensa on July 18 "It is unknown why the dictatorship is so intent on targeting an 80-year-old man. What are they afraid of?"

"Hopefully, the Holy Father will speak up and ask the Nicaraguan government to show signs that he is well, alive, and at peace; that his relatives can visit him without any worry; and that he is in good health and well cared for. That's what we hope for," he added.

The Church's 'last courageous voice' in Nicaragua

"Bishop Mata is the last courageous voice of the Church remaining in Nicaragua and that is unafraid of the regime," Arturo McFields, Nicaragua's former ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), told ACI Prensa on July 18.

"They fear him because he doesn't fear them. He is an 80-year-old man of God who is not afraid of a cowardly regime and is prepared to face the ultimate consequences," he added.

"What's important now is to call for his freedom and protect him in some way not only through the Catholic Church but also by engaging other governments, such as that of the United States, one of the voices the dictatorship fears," McFields emphasized.

Who is Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata?

The prelate is the bishop emeritus of Estelí, Nicaragua, a diocese he led for over 30 years, from 1990 to 2021, when Pope Francis accepted his resignation upon his reaching the age of 75, the retirement age for bishops.

Mata, who recently turned 80, was born on June 23, 1946. He made his profession as a Salesian in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1976. In 1988, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Managua, a position he held until his appointment as bishop of Estelí.

Various notable Nicaraguans agree that Mata is a courageous, beloved, and credible voice in Nicaragua, which is why the dictatorship has it out for him.

A staunch defender of human rights

"Bishop Mata has always been a staunch defender of human rights, both as a priest and a pastor. He has always been active in the country's public life not only through his interventions and statements but also through his practice of charity and social commitment," another exiled Nicaraguan priest, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals, told ACI Prensa on July 18.

This "gives him the moral authority to shed light on the country's political and social life through his statements. And for a long time, he was a big critic of the government" though he subsequently kept a low profile following his resignation in 2021, only to return to the public stage recently.

"Offering a prayer in Nicaragua for those who have left the country is an act that offends the government and is punishable by imprisonment. Every priest in the country knows this; the bishop knew it too, and he knew it could have consequences," the priest added.

'Nicaragua is a prison for priests'

"No one is safe there. Nicaragua is a prison for priests. They have certain freedoms, but they cannot freely exercise their ministry," the priest warned.

"Any priest in the country, even those who believe they are very close to the dictatorship, could be detained at any moment. Anyone in Nicaragua," he stated, "can be subjected to violence."

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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U.S. Bishops Daniel E. García and Brendan J. Cahill lamented the deaths of migrants that occurred during recent immigration enforcement operations and called for "accountability, transparency, and justice."

García, chair of the Subcommittee on the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Cahill, chair of the Committee on Migration, issued a pastoral reflection following "several recent immigration enforcement encounters resulting in the loss of life."

In Houston on July 7, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araújo during an operation. On July 13, Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero died after being shot by a federal agent in Maine.

In both cases, the U.S. government maintains that the agents acted in self-defense.

In their joint reflection, the prelates said that Catholics "grieve all situations where human life is brought to an unnatural end."

"This is a core teaching of our faith and one we can never grow weary of proclaiming as disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ," they noted.

The bishops recalled the statement issued by the USCCB in November 2025, in which the American bishops expressed concern regarding the "climate of fear and anxiety" they observed among the population "around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement."

"Racial profiling in particular not only violates God-given dignity but also inflicts profound harm on individuals, families, and communities by fostering fear, eroding trust, and increasing the risk of unjust and even tragic outcomes. Our pastoral concerns are distinct from what the civil law itself may permit," the two bishops stated.

Likewise, they warned that "acts that diminish or disregard the dignity of any person or group of people should never be normalized in our society."

"The dehumanization of immigrants, regardless of their legal status, is one such example of this; the vilification of law enforcement officers is yet another," they noted.

The bishops recalled that the authorities must "apply the law in a humane manner and with respect for fundamental human rights," exercising state power "always within the limits of the moral law."

"To that end, we call for accountability, transparency, and justice, which require that meaningful reforms be made to our immigration system," they stated in their pastoral reflection.

"We join in praying for the souls of those killed and for their families," they declared, "for our nation, and for all those entrusted with the duties of public service. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric, racial prejudice, and violence and for a renewed commitment to recognizing the inherent dignity of every person as a child of God."

On June 25, the Human Rights Watch organization published a 73-page report in which it charged that, so far during President Donald Trump's administration, "52 people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in the United States." The document lists among the causes "poor detention conditions and lack of adequate medical care."

Added to these is the death on July 13 of 45-year-old Venezuelan Jesús Manuel Arias-Silva. According to the ICE statement, the migrant was detained on Thursday, July 9 and died "while being transferred between detention facilities in Georgia."

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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Bishop John O. Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre and four communities of religious sisters have filed a lawsuit against New York's attorney general and commissioner of health over a law they say would force them to participate in the process of physician-assisted suicide.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, and the religious communities — the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, and the Little Sisters of the Poor — provide care for elderly and terminally ill people and say their Catholic faith prohibits them from participation in the process in any way.

Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill legalizing physician-assisted suicide in February, and the law goes into effect in August. Although some facilities can opt out of parts of the physician-assisted suicide process, the exemptions are limited, and the law imposes additional requirements on the diocese and religious communities.

"We will never submit to New York's culture of death," Barres said in a statement through his attorneys at the Becket Fund.

"Assisted suicide is a grave moral failure that puts the elderly, the disabled, and those suffering from mental and emotional illness at risk of abuse and manipulation," the bishop said. "Christ the Divine Physician calls us to accompany the sick and dying with compassion, not abandon them to death. The court should protect that millennia-old mission."

The New York's attorney general's office and Department of Health did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Requirements in the law

More than a dozen states have legalized physician-assisted suicide over the past two decades, but New York's opt out policy "is among the narrowest in the nation," according to the lawsuit, and it affects some of the religious communities differently.

While most of the Catholic-run facilities qualify for the narrow "opt outs," those that qualify must still follow existing laws to offer counseling to terminally ill patients that explains various options for end-of-life care, along with the "risks and benefits" of their options, or refer them to someone who will.

According to the lawsuit, this will now apply to the "option" of physician-assisted suicide, which means nurse practitioners or physicians "must either counsel terminal patients about the availability and benefits of [physician-assisted suicide], or else help the patient find a provider who is willing do so."

Physicians covered by the opt outs must also assist in determining whether patients qualify for assisted suicide through actions such as referring them for mental health evaluations. Facilities covered by the opt outs — if they refuse to directly participate in the suicide itself — must refer the patient to a facility that will administer it, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit further states that providers must sign a death certificate that says the patient died from his or her underlying condition, rather than the drugs that ended his or her life. It states that facilities may also not be able to take adverse employment actions against employees who act in accordance with New York's physician-assisted suicide law, even if the facility prohibits it.

At least one facility — the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict — is not covered by the opt outs, which means it must also allow the prescription and the ingestion of the suicide drugs on its property. Those that qualify for the opt out are exempted from this requirement.

Adele Keim, senior counsel at Becket, told EWTN News the law essentially requires all the facilities to "take [the patients] through the process" and "allow that very involved process to take place in their facilities."

"[They] will not do that," she said, explaining that it violates their religious beliefs.

First Amendment objections

Keim said Catholic sisters have offered end-of-life care to New Yorkers for more than 100 years, "providing that personal accompaniment, which in Catholic teaching, is rooted in the example of Mary sitting at the foot of the cross as Jesus died."

"That's what they believe they're called to do," she said. "... [They are] bearing witness to the distinctly Catholic response to the suffering people experience in their final days."

Sister Justyna Owsiejko, O.S.B., of the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, said in a statement through Becket that "we are simple nuns whose mission is to serve God — and we do that by offering the aged a home in which to live their final days in peace, tranquility, and comfort, cared for by sisters who see the face of Christ in each person they serve."

"New York is trying to force us to abandon that vocation and help our residents commit suicide," she said. "That is something we will never do. Our foundress overcame war and exile to serve those in need — we will overcome this law to do the same."

Mother Alice Marie Monica of the Little Sisters of the Poor said in a statement that "we have served God by welcoming the elderly poor and dying into our homes for nearly 200 years."

"Our calling is to protect and care for needy seniors, not steer them toward suicide," she said. "We will remain true to that mission, whatever the cost."

The lawsuit argues that forcing Catholic-run facilities to participate in physician-assisted suicide violates their First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion. The Church teaches that life must be protected from conception until natural death.

The suit also argues that the law violates their freedom of speech by compelling them to counsel their patients about physician-assisted suicide.

"The sisters' Catholic faith leads them to accept death as the natural end to a life well-lived: neither artificially prolonging it through burdensome technological and medical interventions that provide no reasonable benefit, nor artificially hastening it," the lawsuit states.

"Above all," the lawsuit adds, "it means that the sisters seek to personally provide a loving human presence alongside each person — bearing witness to the ending of a uniquely beautiful and unrepeatable life."

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