Catholic News

A Catholic counselor filed a lawsuit this week after being fined nearly $90,000 by the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists after he told a client he could not affirm same-sex relationships because of his religious faith.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a Christian legal group representing the counselor, Frank Canepa, filed the lawsuit on May 1 at the Oregon Court of Appeals, asking for the order to be overturned.

According to ADF, Canepa had treated the client at least 44 times in over two years and had never mentioned his religious views on same-sex relationships. In one session, however, Canepa's client insisted for 20 minutes that he "personally bless" her same-sex relationship.

Canepa said he tried to politely redirect the client's repeated demands for him to disclose his personal views on her same-sex relationship but because she persisted, he finally told her he could not affirm it.

By doing so, according to the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists, he violated state law as well as the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics.

The board ordered Canepa to attend six hours of continuing education and pay for his own hearing, which cost $89,636.

"The government can't target counselors for their views and can't force people to say things that go against their core convictions," said Jonathan Scruggs, ADF senior counsel and vice president of litigation strategy.

Scruggs referred to the recently decided Chiles v. Salazar case, in which the U.S. Supreme Court, in an 8-1 decision on March 31, ruled that the state cannot silence counselors' personal or professional viewpoints during talk therapy sessions with clients.

The court held that such counseling conversations are protected speech under the First Amendment and that Colorado's law targeting certain viewpoints on sexual orientation and gender identity constituted unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.

ADF lawyer Logan Spena, one of Canepa's attorneys, told EWTN News he is hopeful the Oregon appeals court will follow the U.S. Supreme Court's reasoning in Chiles, which Spena said was "so strong."

"Counseling is speech, which is protected by the First Amendment," Spena said. "Oregon law says counselors can't impose their values on their clients. Canepa did not do that. He answered the client's question when she demanded to know his personal view."

"In the context of a counseling relationship, people want to know about their counselors," he continued. "Transparency and authenticity are required for a good counseling relationship," which, in Canepa and the client's case, lasted two and a half years.

Terry Braciszewski, president-elect of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association, which submitted an amicus brief in the Chiles vs. Salazar case, told EWTN News that Canepa "is not cited for being malicious or non-therapeutic but rather for refraining from abandoning his beliefs ... he was being ethical and moral in adhering to his therapeutic approach and care for the person."

"These personal therapeutic qualities likely contributed to why the client continued seeing Canepa for two and a half years," he said.

Canepa did not "endorse a position that was in opposition to his faith and beliefs," Braciszewski said. Instead, he "chose to affirm his rights" to free speech and the free exercise of his religion.

"The Supreme Court recently took Colorado to task for censoring counselors and mandating orthodoxy in the counselor's office," Scruggs said. "Now, Oregon needs to learn the same First Amendment lesson. We are urging the Oregon appellate court to overturn the board's unlawful demand, restore First Amendment sanity, and halt the state's attempt to weaponize its licensure system."

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An influential Catholic ministry that walks with those experiencing same-sex attraction said a Vatican report that criticized its work was guilty of a "false and unjust depiction" of the decades-old apostolate.

Courage International said in a May 8 press release that the Vatican's General Secretariat of the Synod was guilty of "calumny" against the group when it published an annex to a final report of a synodal study group on May 5.

That report, titled "Theological Criteria and Synodal Methodologies for Shared Discernment of Emerging Doctrinal, Pastoral, and Ethical Issues," included testimonies from two men in putative civil "marriages," one of whom attended Courage meetings in the past.

Since the early 1980s Courage has been offering ministry to men and women who experience attraction to the same sex. The testimony offered by the unnamed man in the synodal report alleged that the Courage meetings he attended were "secretive and hidden" while the people in it were "lonely, hopeless, and often depressed."

In its response on May 8, Courage said it considered the report "to be both calumny and detraction against the organization and its members."

The group said it disputed the implication that it engages in "reparative therapy" for homosexual attraction. It further said the synod was "unjust" in its presentation of Courage meetings.

The report "characterizes the meetings [the man] attended as 'secretive and hidden.' Courage members understand those meetings to be confidential and secure — precisely so that they can speak candidly and vulnerably without fear of someone reporting about them," the statement said.

The statement acknowledged that those experiencing same-sex attraction are indeed often "lonely, hopeless, and depressed," but it argued that Courage "bring[s] them together for support and insist[s] on the confidentiality that enables them to speak freely about their struggles."

"Courage has suffered calumny and detraction before, but usually from secular outlets," the group said. "It is a great sadness and an additional wound to our members to have this false and unjust depiction in a Vatican document."

The statement invited synod officials to meet with group leaders to learn more about the ministry.

The Connecticut-based organization traces its earliest roots to an effort started by New York archbishop Cardinal Terence Cooke, who in 1978 conceived of a same-sex attraction ministry and asked Father John Harvey, OSFS, to lead the effort.

Harvey, who died in 2010, authored the 1979 pamphlet "A Spiritual Plan to Redirect One's Life," offering a program for "homosexually-oriented persons" to "achieve a chaste, productive, and happy life."

The apostolate held its first official meeting the following year on Sept. 26 at the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Manhattan.

Father Brian Gannon, the executive director of Courage, told EWTN News on the occasion of the group's 45th anniversary that its members "want to follow exactly what the Church is teaching."

"The secular world has a twisted view of sexuality," he said. "This is such a needed ministry. It helps people find peace."

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WASHINGTON — A coalition of Catholic groups led by the U.S. bishops is urging Congress to bolster federal nutrition and agriculture programs in the 2027 agriculture spending bill.

In a joint letter April 28, the bishops and Catholic aid organizations warned that rising food insecurity, cuts to nutrition assistance, and instability in international food aid programs are placing vulnerable families at greater risk both in the United States and abroad.

The letter was signed by leaders from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and Catholic Rural Life.

"It is difficult to make ends meet for many, and families need help," the organizations wrote, citing U.S. Department of Agriculture data showing that 13.7% of American households experienced food insecurity at some point in 2024. The letter also noted that grocery prices are expected to continue rising in 2026 despite slower inflation than in previous years.

Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, said in a statement that the USCCB should "spend time suggesting how to pay for the hundreds of billions of dollars in additional spending they are recommending in their letter."

"Do they have an opinion on the 'moral dimension' of leaving future generations to pay the added cost of a $2 trillion deficit and $37 trillion federal debt?" he continued. "What is the 'human dimension' of advocating for able-bodied adults (who aren't caring for others but choose not to work even 20 hours a week) to receive welfare benefits, with the cost to be borne by others who choose to work?"

He asked why the bishops aren't "advocating for states to take a larger role in these issues, consistent with federalism?"

Food is a 'human right'

The Catholic leaders framed the issue not simply as a political or economic debate but as a moral responsibility rooted in Catholic social teaching.

Quoting Pope Leo XIV, the letter stated that "only through sincere and constant cooperation can we build fair and accessible food security for all."

The appeal comes during a month in which Pope Leo has focused the Church's attention directly on hunger. The pontiff's prayer intention for May is "that everyone has access to quality food every day," calling Catholics worldwide to pray and work toward an end to hunger and food insecurity.

Speaking to EWTN News, Julie Bodnar, policy adviser in the USCCB Office of Domestic Social Development, described access to food as a "human right."

"We need to make sure that we are giving people the kind of tools to live out their human dignity," she said. "The pope's prayer intention this month ties into this appeal perfectly. The bishops have always advocated … to protect the poor and vulnerable and make sure that everyone has a right to adequate nutrition."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: "Concern for the health of its citizens requires that society help in the attainment of living conditions that allow them to grow and reach maturity: food and clothing, housing, healthcare, basic education, employment, and social assistance."

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdP), which operates thousands of food pantries, meal sites, and food programs across the country, highlighted the growing need for assistance.

The organization said in a statement that it has seen an increase in requests for support as "more than 47 million people in the U.S. struggle to put food on the table, and rising food costs only exacerbate their financial strain."

"The Vincentian perspective can inform better policymaking as a result of our more than 80,000 volunteers' direct and daily experience with people in need," the statement continued. "We echo the Holy Father's message on World Food Day in which he stated that 'No one can remain on the sidelines in the fight against hunger.'"

Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Relief Services, and Catholic Rural Life did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The coalition urged lawmakers to maintain — and in many cases increase — funding for federal nutrition programs, including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), among others.

SVdP said: "At a minimum, Congress should provide level funding for these life-sustaining programs and oppose any proposed funding cuts."

Bodnar noted WIC's assistance to families in need. "The bishops are extremely grateful that WIC has continued to be funded over the past several years by lawmakers, even when it looked like it was going to be very difficult to do so," she said.

Maintaining full funding for WIC, she added, would help preserve the program's fruit and vegetable benefit, which she said would be affected under the House proposal.

The letter also called for continued support for rural housing programs, conservation initiatives, and international food efforts such as Food for Peace Title II and the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education Program.

Particular concern was expressed over recent reductions and structural changes to SNAP enacted through the tax overhaul enacted in July 2025 as well as over administrative actions affecting school meals, food banks, conservation efforts, and international aid.

The Catholic organizations asked Congress to "safeguard programs that Congress has authorized and funded in the past from harmful administrative actions and protect against further cuts that harm those who are hungry and the farmers who feed them."

The groups additionally advocated for increased flexibility in SNAP work requirements, stronger support for food banks, expanded access to nutrition assistance for immigrants and refugees lawfully present in the U.S., and increased funding for sustainable agriculture initiatives.

At the same time, the letter reaffirmed the Church's pro-life teaching, arguing that support for women, children, and families cannot be separated from broader efforts to promote human dignity. The coalition urged Congress to "protect the dignity and sanctity of human life in all conditions and stages" while opposing policies that expand access to chemical abortion.

The U.S. House is next expected to take up the agriculture appropriations bill after the House Appropriations Committee approved it on April 29 in a 35-25 vote.

According to the committee, the legislation would provide about $26.27 billion in discretionary funding, slightly below fiscal 2026 levels. Republican leadership has described the bill as fiscally responsible legislation that prioritizes farmers, rural communities, and nutrition programs. Democratic members of the committee, however, have criticized the proposal, arguing it would increase costs for U.S. farmers and reduce aid supporting rural communities.

Separately, lawmakers are considering the farm bill with overlaps in nutrition and agriculture policies.

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Bishop Michael Bransfield, who was accused of a pattern of sexual harassment and financial impropriety while leading the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, died on May 7 at 82 years old.

The Wheeling-Charleston Diocese said in a statement that Bransfield "passed away peacefully." It urged the faithful to pray for his family and friends.

"As it is the tradition in our Church to pray for the dead as well as for the living, we pray for the repose of his soul, asking God's mercy upon him," the diocese said.

A native of Philadelphia, Bransfield was ordained in that archdiocese in 1971. He served as the first rector at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., after it was named a basilica in 1990.

Pope John Paul II appointed him to lead Wheeling-Charleston in 2004. He served there until 2018 when he reached the customary retirement age of 75.

After Bransfield retired, Pope Francis ordered Baltimore Archbishop William Lori to investigate claims that Bransfield had engaged in sexual harassment of adults. The investigation ultimately uncovered a wide-ranging series of scandals, including a "consistent pattern" of inappropriate sexual behavior.

Bransfield bestowed financial gifts on several bishops, Lori said, adding he received $7,500 worth of gifts from Bransfield and subsequently returned the funds.

The inquiry also found instances of financial mismanagement and impropriety, including what were reportedly huge amounts of money spent on alcohol and millions of dollars spent on a home renovation.

The bishop "adopted an extravagant and lavish lifestyle that was in stark contrast to the faithful he served and was for his own personal benefit," the report found.

Pope Francis subsequently banned Bransfield from participating in public celebration of the Mass, while Bransfield's successor, Bishop Mark Brennan, ordered him to pay nearly $800,000 in restitution to the diocese.

Brennan also barred Bransfield from being buried in the diocesan cemetery. The diocese said on May 7 that his funeral and burial would "not take place in West Virginia."

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POMPEI, Italy — Pope Leo XIV placed his pontificate under the protection of Mary during a visit to two cities in southern Italy on Friday — the first anniversary of his election to the papacy on May 8, 2025.

Leo celebrated Mass for an estimated 20,000 people outside the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, whose feast day is May 8, during the day trip to Pompei and Naples.

"Exactly one year ago," the pope said in his homily, amid thunderous applause from the assembled faithful, "when the ministry of successor of Peter was entrusted to me, it was precisely the day of the Supplication to the Virgin, this beautiful day of the Supplication to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompei! I therefore had to come here, to place my service under the protection of the Holy Virgin."

"Having then chosen the name Leo places me in the footsteps of Leo XIII, who, among his many merits, also developed a rich magisterium on the holy rosary. Added to all of this is the recent canonization of St. Bartolo Longo, apostle of the rosary," Leo added.

Before Mass, the pope — who flew about 150 miles from Rome to Pompei by helicopter early on May 8 — visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompei. Despite forecasts of rain, thousands of people filled Bartolo Longo Square from the first light of dawn.

At the shrine, the Holy Father met the "Temple of Charity," an organization that welcomes and assists people coming from situations of hardship.

"Good morning, Pompei! Our Mother Mary — our mom — is always with us," the pope said, informally greeting the faithful who were waiting for Mass. Before the Eucharistic celebration, Leo also greeted the sick and people with disabilities inside the shrine.

The pope's homily at the outdoor Mass focused on the power of the rosary.

"The Hail Mary repeated in the holy rosary is an act of love," he said. "Generations of believers have been shaped and safeguarded by this prayer — simple and popular, yet at the same time capable of mystical heights and a treasure chest of the most essential Christian theology."

He also called the Hail Mary prayer "an invitation to joy."

"It tells Mary, and in her all of us, that upon the ruins of our humanity, tried by sin and therefore always inclined to abuses, oppression, and war, the caress of God has come — the caress of mercy, which in Jesus takes on a human face. Mary thus becomes the mother of mercy."

"When St. John Paul II proclaimed the Year of the Rosary [2002–2003], he wished to place it in a special way under the gaze of the Virgin of Pompei," Leo XIV continued. "Times have not improved since then. The wars still being fought in so many regions of the world call for renewed commitment, not only economic and political, but also spiritual and religious."

"Peace is born within the heart," he added. "We cannot resign ourselves to the images of death that the news presents to us every day. St. Bartolo Longo, reflecting on Mary's faith, called her 'omnipotent by grace.' Through her intercession, may an abundant outpouring of mercy come from the God of peace — touching hearts, calming resentments and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who bear special responsibilities of governance. No earthly power will save the world, but only the divine power of love."

At the conclusion of Mass, Pope Leo prayed together with the faithful the traditional Supplication to Our Lady of Pompei.

The Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary of Pompei was written in 1883 by St. Bartolo Longo. It is solemnly recited twice a year, at noon on May 8 and on the first Sunday of October. The supplication was composed in response to the invitation that Pope Leo XIII addressed to Catholics in his first encyclical on the rosary, Supremi Apostolatus Officio, calling for a spiritual commitment to confront the evils of society.

Visit to Naples

After lunch in private, Pope Leo took a helicopter about 16 miles northwest to Naples, the capital city of the Campania region of Italy, where he met with priests and religious brothers and sisters in the Naples cathedral.

During his visit to the cathedral, Leo stopped in the Chapel of the Treasure of St. Januarius, where the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius had taken place on May 3. The pope kissed the relic and with it blessed those in the packed cathedral.

After some time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the pope addressed the Catholic community: "What I therefore ask of you is this: Listen to one another, walk together, create a symphony of charisms and ministries, and in this way find ways to move from a pastoral ministry of maintenance to a missionary pastoral ministry, capable of engaging with the concrete lives of people."

"In a city marked by inequality, youth unemployment, school dropout rates, and fragile family situations, the proclamation of the Gospel cannot be separated from a concrete and supportive presence that involves everyone — priests, religious, and laypeople alike," he added.

Pope Leo XIV then arrived in the popemobile to Piazza del Plebiscito, the main square of Naples, where authorities estimate about 50,000 people were present.

The pope's address focused on peace and justice: a peace that "begins in the human heart, passes through relationships, takes root in neighborhoods and on the outskirts, and expands to embrace the entire city and the world." A peace that needs justice "to be authentic" and that "can never be separated from charity."

Leo also spoke about the "Neapolitan paradox:" on the one hand, the significant increase in tourism, which however struggles to correspond to "economic dynamism capable of truly involving the entire social community." He described a city "marked by a social divide that no longer separates the center from the outskirts but is even evident within every area, with existential peripheries nested even in the heart of the historic center." Faced with these disparities, Pope Leo XIV recalled the presence of the state as "more necessary than ever, to provide security and confidence to citizens and to take space away from organized crime."

He then encouraged moving forward with the projects of hope taking shape in the city: "Gather your strength, work together, walk united — institutions, Church, and civil society — to connect the city, protect your children from the snares of hardship and evil, and restore to Naples its vocation to be a capital of humanity and hope."

This story was first published in multiple parts by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Pope Leo XIV on May 8 visited the historic Italian cities of Pompei and Naples, meeting with local citizens and clergy and celebrating Mass on the first anniversary of his election to the papacy.

The Holy Father visited the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompei and met with the public before concelebrating the Eucharist in the Piazza Bartolo Longo.

Later, in Naples, he met with clergy and visited the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary.

Here is a look in photos of Pope Leo XIV's activities in Pompei and Naples as he marked one year as pope:

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Just weeks before Pope Leo XIV's apostolic visit to Spain, the Spanish Bishops' Conference (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) released a document that establishes seven pastoral priorities for the 2026–2030 period in which they embrace a bracing challenge: "We cannot just stand by and watch the ship sink."

The document, titled "Set Out on the Journey," was approved during the plenary assembly in November 2025 but was not published until after the conference's meeting in April.

Following an exercise in "conversation in the Spirit" — the same method used during the Synod on Synodality — the Spanish prelates established the following seven priority pastoral goals:

1. Proclaiming the Gospel and initiation into the Christian life

The prelates observed that "in Spain, the era — firmly established for centuries — in which we would say, 'I am Catholic because I was born in Spain,' has passed. We can no longer take Christian conversion for granted."

Consequently, the catechumenate is an "indispensable" reality in the dioceses, serving to ensure the continued growth of impactful experiences following the initial proclamation of the Gospel. "Today, Christian initiation along with the creation of communities that accompany individuals through this process and welcome the newly initiated constitute a fundamental priority," they stated.

The bishops further emphasized that "in secularized Spanish society, the Church's challenge is not so much atheism as it is the hunger for God, which manifests itself in very diverse ways," such that all pastoral actions "should assess their impact on the initial proclamation."

2. Celebrating Sunday

Added to the challenge of Christian initiation is "another great challenge of ecclesial life: the celebration of the Lord's Day" — that is, participation in Sunday Mass, which, as the prelates underscored, "is not a mere act of private devotion or fulfilling an obligation but rather the experience of being an assembly of the called — those who, summoned by the Word, are gathered together as a people taking the form of the body of Christ, in order to be sent forth on mission."

In Spain, only about 8 million of the country's 45 million inhabitants attend Mass regularly on Sundays.

3. A Church with fewer people but a lot of parishes

The bishops' third pastoral concern stems from the realization that the Catholic Church in Spain has more than 22,000 parishes distributed across over 11,000 municipalities and smaller local entities, many of which have fewer than 100 inhabitants.

This distribution reveals "a great asymmetry." As the prelates expressed with concern, "many baptismal fonts 'hold no water' — that is to say, there is no Christian community that, under the action of the Spirit, possesses the capacity to bring forth new Christians."

On the other hand, in areas with larger populations, the parish community "possesses a very weak awareness of the responsibility entailed by the baptismal font."

Beyond the diocesan parochial structure, Spain is home to 1,400 monasteries and shrines as well as hundreds of non-parochial churches where the Sunday Eucharist is celebrated, institutions that are typically under the care of religious communities.

In this regard, the prelates declared: "We cannot simply stand by and watch the ship sink."

4. Promoting formative communities

Given that "one has never been able to be a Christian alone," the prelates consider it necessary to "offer a visible communal face" and to foster the creation of communities "where the integral formation of the heart may be lived out."

The bishops acknowledged that, despite experiences of initial proclamation, "at times there exists the difficulty of transforming emotion into virtue," as noted in the recently published document "Cor ad cor loquitur" ("Heart Speaks to Heart").

In this regard, they consider the integration of Catholic immigrants to be a "great opportunity to revive and rejuvenate" the communities.

5. Living the faith in a pluralistic society

The Spanish prelates focused their attention on the pluralistic social reality in which "people of diverse ethnic origins, with diverse ideological, ethical, and religious worldviews" coexist — and not always "in a proper spirit of coexistence, but rather they fall into confrontation."

Given that "the religious map of Spain is changing" and there are "increasingly more adherents of other religions who do not come 'from abroad,'" this poses "a new challenge for the Church, which must establish channels for coexistence based on mutual respect and the fundamental right to religious freedom."

6. Welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants

The bishops' conference also takes into account the need to address the reality of increasing migration, in a twofold sense.

"Catholics must be incorporated into the Christian community"; therefore, the CEE called for an effort to welcome them by "offering the possibility of a space of their own that does not break off communion with the whole."

With regard to those of other faiths, the prelates highlighted the "opportunity for interreligious dialogue and collaboration in the service of the common good," while acknowledging that this constitutes "a challenge for Catholics, who must be formed in order to engage in dialogue based on mutual respect."

7. Bringing the love of the heart of Christ to the world

Beyond matters more specific to the Spanish context, the prelates, in their latest pastoral guidance, aim to make the love of God present beyond the confines of the Church: "It is essential to practice political charity in schools, in neighborhoods, in hospitals, and in our relationships with one another — fostering a presence, where possible, within institutional politics, the life of political parties, or other channels of institutional action."

In the charitable sphere, the bishops also warned that "we run the risk that our organizations — so dependent on the welfare state, its regulations, and its subsidies for the third sector — may offer the novelty of Christian love in a weak manner and be easily confused with NGOs [nongovernmental organizations]. The same could happen to us in our educational institutions or our media outlets."

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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NAIROBI, Kenya — Catholic Church leaders across Africa have described the first year of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV as a period marked by pastoral closeness, missionary renewal, peace advocacy, and renewed attention to the peripheries of the Church.

In separate reflections shared with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV's election on May 8, 2025, many have pointed particularly to the pope's maiden apostolic visit to Africa as a defining moment of his ministry.

Church leaders from across the continent have also highlighted the Holy Father's emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation, missionary outreach, justice, and peace.

Through the president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Catholic bishops in Africa said that "throughout this first year of his pontificate, his witness of faith and humility has become a source of hope for the Church and for the world."

They said Pope Leo's "tireless appeals for peace, reconciliation, justice, and human fraternity have touched hearts across nations and renewed confidence in the Gospel of Christ, especially among those who suffer from war, poverty, displacement, and social injustice."

For SECAM, the Holy Father's recently concluded trip to Africa was "not merely a pastoral journey but also a powerful sign of communion, closeness, and encouragement."

"He came to Africa as a true apostle of Christ and messenger of peace, strengthening the faith of the people, comforting the afflicted, inspiring the youth, and reaffirming the dignity of every human person," the continental episcopal body said.

'The "margins" become the center'

Bishop Christian Carlassare of South Sudan's Catholic Diocese of Bentiu, apostolic administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek, described the pope's choice of Africa for his first intercontinental visit as a strong ecclesial statement.

"Going to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea means declaring through actions that the Gospel does not follow the maps of power but crosses them and overturns them," Carlassare said in his reflection shared with ACI Africa.

He added: "In a world that measures the value of peoples according to economic weight, this journey reversed the perspective: the so-called 'margins' become the center."

The Italian-born member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus said the people of God in Africa are "not communities 'to be assisted' but living subjects of mission."

"Here, faith is not a cultural fact or a tradition: It is choice, resistance, and concrete hope," he said.

Reflecting on the significance of the pope's engagement with African realities, Carlassare said the journey highlighted "that mission is increasingly a circular movement of mutual giving and receiving."

"And in this movement, one realizes that it is often the 'small ones' who evangelize the 'great,'" he added.

The chairman of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Bishop Charles Sampa Kasonde of Zambia's Catholic Diocese of Solwezi, also reflected on the pope's visit to Africa.

"This is a pope who is bringing us together to realize the gift of love in our ministry and our mission as a Church," Kasonde said about the first pope from the United States, who belongs to the Order of St. Augustine.

Referring to the April 13–15 apostolic journey of Leo XIV to Algeria, the Zambian bishop said the Holy Father "connects with his root, St. Augustine of Hippo, who is the patron saint for their congregation as Augustinians."

"He gives honor to this great son of Africa," Kasonde further said.

The AMECEA chairman also reflected on the Holy Father's emphasis on Christian-Muslim relations during the Algeria visit. "This opens up also the interaction with our brothers and sisters, the Muslims, in appreciating what religion stands for," Kasonde said in his audio reflection.

On the pope's visit to Cameroon, Kasonde said Pope Leo sought "creating the bond of friendship and praying for that unity that subsists in the children of God."

For Bishop Diego Ramón Sarrió Cucarella of Algeria's Catholic Diocese of Laghouat-Ghardaïa, Pope Leo's presence in Algeria, the first pontiff to visit the North African nation, carried deep significance for the local Church.

"His visit to Algeria was experienced by our small local Church, and by many beyond the Catholic community, as a moment of fraternity, peace, and spiritual encouragement," Diego said.

The Spanish-born member of the Missionaries of Africa (MAfr/White Fathers) added: "His words on dialogue, reconciliation, the dignity of every human person, and the importance of building bridges deeply resonated with the Algerian people."

In his reflection shared with ACI Africa, Diego described the Holy Father's insistence "that believers are called to be artisans of peace and fraternity in a wounded world" as "particularly meaningful."

'The Church must continue to be a sign of peace'

In Cameroon, Bishop Michael Miabesue Bibi of the Catholic Diocese of Buea said that many people were moved by the Holy Father's message during his four-day apostolic visit.

"Many faithful in Cameroon were deeply moved by his encouraging words calling on Africans 'not to lose hope despite the trials of the present moment' and his reminder that 'the Church must continue to be a sign of peace, reconciliation, and hope in society,'" Bibi said, recalling the April 15–18 visit.

The Cameroonian bishop said the pope's "closeness to young people, displaced persons, and families facing hardship left a lasting spiritual impact on many across the country."

For his part, Bishop José Luís Gerardo Ponce de León of Eswatini's Catholic Diocese of Manzini in South Africa said Pope Leo XIV's first anniversary cannot be reflected upon without recalling his first address as pope on May 8, 2025, following his election.

"We cannot but remember his very first address on this day," Ponce de León said, recalling the Holy Father's "call for an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering."

"These have not been just words. We have seen them leading him daily in the last year and a call to each one of us to be peacemakers with and like him," the Argentine member of the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries (IMC) has said in a reflection shared with ACI Africa.

For Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of South Sudan's Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, Pope Leo's first year resonated strongly in a continent "burdened by conflict, poverty, corruption, and fragile social structures."

"Pope Leo XIV speaks directly to this reality," Hiiboro said in a reflection shared with ACI Africa, adding that the Holy Father "reminds us that leadership must become service and that the dignity of every human person must remain at the center of society."

Reflecting on South Sudan's context, the South Sudanese bishop who chairs the Commission for the Promotion of Integral Human Development of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference said: "Our peace remains fragile, yet our faith remains strong."

'The Church is called to ... see, to recognize, to give voice'

In his reflection shared with ACI Africa, Carlassare also spoke about exploitation, injustice, and the prophetic role of the Church.

"Pope Leo convincingly returned to the theme of exploitation," he said recalling the apostolic journey to Africa of Pope Leo XIV. "He spoke of plundered natural resources, economic dependence, and dependence on humanitarian aid caused by poor governance and lack of peace."

Carlassare went on to quote the late Pope Francis' January 2023 appeal in the DRC, recalling: "Hands off from Africa. Stop suffocating it: It is not a natural reservoir to be exploited or a land to be plundered."

For Carlassare, Pope Leo's emphasis on dialogue and encounter during his pastoral visit to Africa also stood out.

"Mission does not pass through ideological confrontation but through daily relationships and becoming a neighbor to the other," he said. "In a global system that tends to make entire peoples invisible, the Church is called to do the opposite: to see, to recognize, to give voice."

As Pope Leo XIV marks one year since his election, African Church leaders continue to envision his pontificate through the lens of missionary closeness, peace-building, and attention to those living at the peripheries.

In a message addressed to Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his first anniversary as pope, SECAM leadership said that the Holy Father's "words and gestures" have "renewed missionary zeal, encouraged reconciliation where wounds and divisions persist, deepened solidarity among ecclesial communities, and strengthened the Church's commitment to justice, peace, and integral human development."

"The Church in Africa entrusts his ministry to the loving protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary," Catholic bishops in Africa said in the message signed by SECAM president Cardinal Ambongo.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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Caught in the war between Hezbollah and Israel, Christians in southern Lebanon have been paying a heavy price. Churches and monasteries have been destroyed, Christian symbols desecrated, and many families have lost loved ones, including a parish priest.

Yet despite the violence and destruction, they have refused to abandon their homes and villages. Much of this resilience has been sustained through the support of Catholic organizations and initiatives, which continue to help families, churches, and communities endure the crisis.

A French Catholic ally in Lebanon

L'Œuvre d'Orient is one of the Catholic organizations that has supported Christian communities in Lebanon long before the war. Its work includes supporting Christian schools, churches, pastoral initiatives, and agricultural projects, as many of these southern communities are largely rural and farming-based.

In a conversation with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Vincent Gelot, director of L'Œuvre d'Orient in Lebanon, said the French organization has delivered in 2026 seven humanitarian aid convoys and carried out several visits to villages in southern Lebanon.

"We are extremely close to the local communities. We have known them for a long time, we love them, and we try to remain as present as possible by their side," Gelot said.

Explaining his approach to humanitarian work, he added: "As far as L'Œuvre d'Orient is concerned, I make it a point to accompany every one of our trucks. I want to be certain the aid reaches its destination and the right people. It is important to be physically present, because when we come, we meet our partners and the villagers and remind them how courageous and important they are. We are trying to maintain this human bond. It is not only about sending trucks and aid but also about being there with them on the ground."

Gelot described the difficult reality facing Christians in southern Lebanon as being "caught in a vice" between Hezbollah militants attempting to use their villages to launch attacks across the border and Israeli military operations that have left homes, schools, and convents destroyed or occupied. "It is their very existence that is at stake," he said.

Gelot stressed that many of these villages date back to the time of Christ.

"This is a region visited by Christ, the apostles, and the Virgin Mary. The people are profoundly attached to their land and their villages. It is therefore essential to help them remain on their native land."

He also praised what he described as the communities' "peaceful courage and resistance," saying it is vital to stand beside them and show them the affection, admiration, and support of L'Œuvre d'Orient, its donors, and the Church in France.

However, for him, the stakes go beyond the survival of one community. "It is the very existence of Lebanon that is at stake," he said, describing the country as a rare model in the Middle East for religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and freedom of the press. He added that Christians in Lebanon continue to hold a unique political, cultural, and historical role that remains vital to preserve.

He also highlighted the close coordination between L'Œuvre d'Orient; the apostolic nuncio, Paolo Borgia; and other Catholic organizations, including Caritas Lebanon.

Caritas on the front lines

Peter Mahfouz, commander and head of the emergency response unit at Caritas Lebanon, has been on the ground assisting communities across southern Lebanon.

Speaking to ACI MENA, he said Caritas teams have been delivering emergency food parcels, hygiene and shelter kits, mattresses, and blankets while also operating mobile clinics that bring medical consultations and essential medication directly to villages cut off from hospitals.

According to Mahfouz, the most urgent needs today include shelter capacity, continuity of medical care for chronic patients, food assistance for families who have lost their income, and mental health support — particularly for children and the elderly. He also stressed the urgent need to maintain humanitarian corridors allowing aid to reach southern Lebanon.

Mahfouz said one of the organization's biggest challenges is that "the needs are growing faster than the funding." Access to some villages also remains difficult and at times dangerous, forcing teams to constantly adapt routes and delaying aid distributions.

Furthermore, he stressed that Lebanon's ongoing economic crisis has not paused during the war: "Fuel, electricity, and the cost of basic food continue to weigh on every family we serve and on our own operations."

Explaining how Caritas coordinates its work, Mahfouz said local parishes are often the organization's first point of contact within affected communities.

"They know the families, they know who is most vulnerable, and they open their halls and centers as shelters when needed," he added.

Caritas works closely with dioceses, religious congregations operating schools and clinics, and other Catholic organizations. "It is a network built on trust that existed long before this war, and that is exactly why it works in an emergency," he concluded.

Asked what keeps him going despite the exhaustion and risks, Mahfouz pointed to the people themselves.

"The way they welcome us, the way their faces change when they see us arrive, and the prayers they send with us when we leave. You arrive expecting to give something, and you leave realizing they have given you more. That is what carries us through the long days," he said.

A Polish initiative

The Lebanese Christian diaspora has also played an active role in supporting communities affected by the war, with numerous initiatives mobilizing aid from abroad.

European partners have also stepped up. One example is "Lebanon in Need," a volunteer crisis committee founded by the Maronite Missionary Foundation in Poland in partnership with 4fund.com as part of the international "Europe for Lebanon" fundraising campaign.

The initiative emphasizes transparency and accountability in humanitarian assistance. All donations are processed through 4fund.com, a payment institution licensed by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority and authorized to operate across the European Economic Area, meaning transactions are subject to anti-money-laundering controls, regulatory oversight, and full traceability.

Organizers also stress that 100% of donations reach the field thanks to the commission-free structure of the partnership. Aid is distributed through trusted local channels, including Caritas Lebanon, the Lebanese Red Cross, and local parishes.

The initiative further relies on continuous coordination between partners to avoid duplication of aid efforts, while regular financial and narrative reports are prepared to ensure transparency with donors.

The Vatican's ongoing support

This week, a screenshot from a video call between parish priests in southern Lebanon went viral after Pope Leo XIV surprised them with a call to express his solidarity and prayers. The Vatican has repeatedly shown support for Lebanon's Christians throughout the war, not only through words but also through concrete assistance.

The call was organized by the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Borgia, who has become a deeply respected and loved figure in these communities. Viewed by many locals as a hero, he has consistently visited front-line villages, even during periods of heightened danger. Beyond diplomacy, he has taken a direct role in relief efforts, helping distribute aid alongside volunteers, carrying boxes from trucks, speaking with residents, and listening to their concerns. He works closely with Catholic organizations and initiatives supporting affected Christian communities in the south.

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On May 8, 2025, white smoke billowed from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a new pope had been chosen. On that day, the world was introduced to Pope Leo XIV, known just hours before as Cardinal Robert Prevost, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops.

One year later, Pope Leo has captured the hearts of the faithful through his papal trips, events like canonizations and special liturgies, as well as through his spoken and printed words, including an apostolic letter, and much more.

Here are 10 of the most significant events and moments of Leo XIV's first year as pope:

The new pontiff's inaugural Mass

On May 18, 2025, Pope Leo XIV inaugurated his pontificate with a Mass in St. Peter's Square calling for a united Church. Addressing approximately 150,000 attendees, he emphasized fraternal communion, servant leadership, and reconciliation, marking the official start of his ministry as the 266th successor of St. Peter.

At the Mass, concelebrated with the members of the College of Cardinals, Leo expressed his intention to "come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God's love, for he wants us all to be united in one family."

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Visit to Pope Francis' tomb

Less than 48 hours after his election, Pope Leo made his first visit outside of the Vatican visiting the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, located about an hour east of Rome and run by the religious of the Order of St. Augustine.

On his way back to the Vatican, the new pontiff stopped at the Basilica of St. Mary Major where he prayed before the tomb of Pope Francis and the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary there, "Salus Populi Romani."

Pope Leo left a white rose, which is said to have been Pope Francis' favorite flower.

Impactful addresses to youth

Throughout his first year as pope, the Holy Father has had powerful experiences with young people. Two in particular that stand out are his addresses to roughly 1 million young adults during the Jubilee of Youth and his live talk with young people gathered at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).

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

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

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

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

NCYC took place in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium from Nov. 20–22. On Nov. 21, Pope Leo held a historic digital encounter with American teenagers.

During this live conversation, five teenagers asked the pope questions regarding using technology, recovering from mistakes, giving worries to Jesus, avoiding distractions, and preparing for the future of the Church. The pope gave guidance to the young crowd with words applicable to both teenagers and the universal Church.

Canonizations of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis

On Sept. 7, 2025, Pope Leo canonized Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis in his first canonization ceremony before an estimated 70,000 people in St. Peter's Square.

"Today we look to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis: a young man from the early 20th century and a teenager from our own day, both in love with Jesus and ready to give everything for him," he said during his homily.

He added: "Dear friends, Sts. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces."

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Release of his first apostolic letter

Pope Leo XIV released his first apostolic letter, Dilexi Te, on Oct. 9, 2025. The document emphasizes the idea that the poor are not simply objects of charity but also evangelists who can prompt us to conversion through their example of weakness and reliance on God.

"The poor can act as silent teachers for us, making us conscious of our presumption and instilling within us a rightful spirit of humility," Leo writes in Dilexi Te ("I Have Loved You"). "The elderly, for example, by their physical frailty, remind us of our own fragility, even as we attempt to conceal it behind our apparent prosperity and outward appearance. The poor ... remind us how uncertain and empty our seemingly safe and secure lives may be."

The pontiff quotes his predecessor throughout the document, which was first drafted during Pope Francis' pontificate and draws heavily on the late pope's first apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, on the joy of the Gospel.

First major international trip: Turkey and Lebanon

Pope Leo made his first international papal trip to Turkey and Lebanon Nov. 27–Dec. 2, 2025. The wide-ranging international visit included historic ecumenical encounters, deeply symbolic gestures of prayer, and pastoral visits to Christian communities under pressure. Pope Leo highlighted the importance of unity, peace, and fraternity, and brought encouragement to a region marked by ancient faith and present suffering.

One highlight from his time in Turkey included the commemoration of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea alongside Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in the Turkish city of Iznik, the site of the Council of Nicaea, historically known as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed.

In Lebanon, Pope Leo became the first pope in history to visit the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf when he arrived at the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya.

An extraordinary consistory

In his opening address at an extraordinary consistory — which convened from Jan. 7–8 — Pope Leo assured the cardinals from around the world gathered at the Vatican that "I am here to listen."

This extraordinary consistory — different from the ordinary ones, which are more limited and frequent — was scheduled to take place immediately after the Jubilee of Hope to "offer support and advice to the Holy Father in the exercise of his high and arduous responsibility of governing the Church," according to a statement from the Holy See.

The consistory was a closed-door meeting to which no media were admitted, and cardinals were asked to keep the proceedings confidential. However, the cardinals were expected to offer the new pontiff their views on two specific topics: the Synod and synodality, and the mission of evangelization and the missionary character of the Church.

First Holy Week and Easter celebrations as pope

During Holy Week and Easter 2026, Pope Leo presided over the Church's most solemn liturgies in Rome, beginning with Palm Sunday and continuing through the chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord's Supper, the Good Friday Passion celebration, the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum, the Easter Vigil at St. Peter's Basilica, and finally Easter Sunday Mass with the "urbi et orbi" blessing from St. Peter's Square.

This was the first time in several years that a pope participated in all the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter. Due to Pope Francis' declining health toward the end of his papacy, he had to scale back his participation in many of these events.

Pope Leo was also the first pope since John Paul II in 1994 to carry the wooden cross to all 14 stations during the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum on Good Friday.

Historic 11-day trip to Africa

Pope Leo spent 11 days in Africa — from April 13–23 — and visited four countries: Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. During this trip, he traveled more than 11,000 miles on 18 separate flights. With stops in 11 cities across those countries, the Holy Father met with the youth, political leaders, prisoners, families, and many more to share the Gospel message.

Throughout his journey, he emphasized themes of peace, reconciliation, and economic justice, meeting with local leaders, clergy, and lay faithful. Large crowds gathered for outdoor Masses, reflecting the vibrancy and rapid growth of Catholicism in many African communities.

One of the highlights of the trip was Pope Leo's visit to Annaba — ancient Hippo — in what for the Augustinian pontiff amounted to a return to the roots of his faith and vocation. Despite pouring rain, the pope walked through the ruins and, at the end of the route, laid a wreath of flowers and stopped for a moment of prayer, visibly moved.

The pope also paid a visit to the Bata penitentiary in Equatorial Guinea and told inmates that "no one is excluded from God's love" and urged them to see that even behind bars, there remains the possibility of change, reconciliation, and hope. This prison is one of the country's harshest, known for its difficult conditions.

Strong messaging on war and peace

The Holy Father has made peace a defining theme of his pontificate from the very beginning, opening his first public remarks with the words "Peace be with you." That simple greeting set the tone for a broader vision — one rooted in the Gospel but directed squarely at a world marked by conflict and division.

In homilies and international addresses, he has consistently framed peace not as the absence of war but as an active, daily commitment grounded in justice, reconciliation, and respect for human dignity.

The pope has urged world leaders to reject cycles of violence and instead foster what he has called a "culture of peace." Speaking in the context of ongoing global tensions, he has warned against the normalization of war as a tool of policy, insisting that lasting solutions can only come through dialogue and mutual understanding.

The pope has also addressed the dangers of modern warfare, including the threat of nuclear escalation. He has called for renewed international efforts toward disarmament and de-escalation, emphasizing that the destructive power of nuclear weapons demands a moral as well as political response.

Reiterating the Church's long-standing teaching, Pope Leo has encouraged nations to pursue diplomacy over aggression, presenting dialogue not as weakness but as the strongest and most enduring path to peace.

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