Catholic News

A steep decline in Catholic marriages in the U.S. over the past few decades is underscoring the need for "proactive" marriage support in the Church.

Data obtained by EWTN News from the Official Catholic Directory shows a major drop-off in U.S. Catholic marriage, from about 267,000 in the year 2000 to just 111,718 in 2024, a decline of nearly 60%.

The drop is even starker when compared with midcentury numbers: In 1970 there were about 426,000 Catholic marriages in the United States, compared with about 108,000 in 2025, a roughly 75% drop-off, though the 2025 numbers are still provisional.

Those declines have come even as the total number of Catholics in the U.S. has risen, from about 47.8 million Catholics in 1970 to 68 million last year.

'Broader societal factors' contribute to drop-off

Christian Meert, the founder and president of the Colorado-based Agape Catholic Ministries, told EWTN News that society is "not moving in the 'marriage direction.'"

Agape offers Catholic marriage preparation and enrichment as well as other services such as natural family planning instruction. Marriage prep, Meert argued, should offer "real relational skills, communication, finances, and faith integration" for couples on the verge of matrimony.

But various factors — including "delayed adulthood, high divorce rates, economic pressures, shifting priorities, rising individualism, the evolution of dating culture, [and] cohabitation" — have all helped drive marriage rates down, he said.

The Catholic marriage decline has occurred alongside a steep decline in marriage throughout society, Meert said, though the Catholic drop-off is "disproportionately larger."

"Yes, society in general is not helping, politicians are not helping, secularization and cultural shifts have eroded social support for all religious institutions," he pointed out.

But the Church can take "proactive steps" to help reverse the decline, he said, including fostering "community spaces where young adults can meet and form healthy relationships," focusing on "individual marriage formation" rather than broad, "cheap" programs and engaging parish families to "accompany engaged couples during their marriage preparation and after."

Church leaders make regular appeals for a healthier and more fruitful marriage culture. Pope Leo XIV in November 2025 urged the Roman Rota to avoid "false mercy" when considering marriage annulments, warning again on Jan. 26 against "pastoral decisions [on annulments] lacking a solid objective foundation."

In 2024, meanwhile, the U.S. bishops announced the "Love Means More" initiative, one meant to "bring clarity and compassion" to issues surrounding love, marriage, and sexuality.

Still more efforts have come from the lay faithful. In 2025 Emily Wilson-Hussem and her husband, Daniël, launched a new Catholic dating app, "SacredSpark," which Wilson-Hussem described as a place "where we can connect people who will build up the Church because they've entered into a sacramental marriage and will build up the family."

The Life-Giving Wounds ministry, meanwhile — founded in 2020 by husband and wife Daniel and Bethany Meola — ministers to adult children of divorce, helping them overcome the pain and trauma of their parents' divorces in order to strengthen their own marriages.

In a June 2025 homily, Pope Leo described marriage as "not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman," one that is "total, faithful, and fruitful."

"In the family, faith is handed on together with life, generation after generation," the Holy Father said. "It is shared like food at the family table and like the love in our hearts."

The marriage decline has even formed part of the secular discourse, as experts have warned that steep drop-offs in fertility in most of the developed world can be tied in part to declines in marriage rates and that policymakers who want to encourage more births should also be encouraging more marriages.

Meert, meanwhile, said Catholic families should be offering positive examples for young people to follow in the faith and in marriage.

He disputed the argument that "all the blame [can be put] on the clergy" for failing to transmit Catholic teaching to the faithful over the past few decades.

"What example are parents and grandparents giving to their children? How do they practice their faith? How do they transmit their faith?" he said. "When we see the rise in divorce, families not practicing their faith, not going to church, not active in their parishes — what can we expect?"

"We, the Church, the whole community of faithful, aren't we all responsible?" he said.

Full Article

Ahead of general elections scheduled for next month, Catholic bishops in Thailand have urged all citizens to elect worthy candidates.

"Let this election be proof of our love for God and our neighbors," said Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Bangkok, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand, in a pastoral letter dated Jan. 27. "We pray for God's blessing and wisdom for all citizens to choose leaders with strong morals and creative public policies."

As the Feb. 8 elections approach, the Catholic Church in Thailand said it wants to support society.

"While the Church remains strictly independent from any political party, all have a responsibility to act as a moral mission and a social conscience to ensure that this election follows the path of truth and justice," the prelate said.

The Church calls Christians to see voting as a personal moral duty for the common good by actively participating in the election and casting a vote for candidates who best represent these values.

Christians comprise less than 1% of Thailand's population of 66 million.

Echoing the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 2240), Arpondratana reminded all of their duty, saying: "Citizens have a duty to contribute to society through taxes, national defense, and the exercise of their right to vote."

Neglecting this responsibility, he said, is to "fail in our responsibility toward the common good. This duty does not end at the ballot box; it includes monitoring and protecting moral truths throughout every stage of the political process."

"We also recognize that abstaining from voting is an option, but only when all candidates are morally unacceptable," he said.

A healthy democracy is more than just a set of rules, the archbishop said. It must be built on core human values — specifically human dignity, human rights, and the common good. Without these moral foundations, a democracy can easily turn into a hidden tyranny that oppresses its people.

The Church encourages all to cast their vote for candidates who respect the value and dignity of every person and who prioritize the common good over personal gain.

"Look for leaders who value local citizens, allow communities to participate in decision-making, and possess a spirit of sacrifice," Arpondratana said. "A true leader focuses on the well-being of others, especially the poor and the vulnerable."

Citizens have the right to choose capable leaders who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain. Leadership should not be considered the ownership of power; instead, power must be exercised as a service.

"The Church issues a strong warning to politicians and government officials regarding integrity," Arpondratana said.

Citizens need to be vigilant about fraudulent practices that can undermine the integrity and fairness of elections, he said.

"Buying or selling votes, or any act of cheating, is the start of corruption that destroys the structure of society," he said. "Political corruption is a betrayal of the people and a serious violation of social justice."

"We join together in prayer for those who will be elected, that they may lead our nation toward true peace and fraternity," Arpondratana added.

History of political instability

In 2025, the U.S.-based think tank Freedom House changed Thailand's rating from "Partly Free" to "Not Free." The organization took this action because the main opposition party was dissolved and activists, refugees, and asylum seekers were forcibly returned to places where they were reportedly mistreated.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with a history of political instability, marked by military coups and weak civilian governments.

Rights organizations have described the nation as a "flawed democracy" because the monarchy, the military, and the judiciary hold excessive authority, even though elections are held regularly.

The Feb. 8 polls come after years of political instability, including the dissolution of opposition parties, the formation of new alliances, and the collapse of the government in 2025.

Students spearheaded a significant anti-monarchy movement, bringing substantial changes to the political landscape. The Future Forward Party emerged from this movement, followed by the Move Forward Party.

The Move Forward Party secured the majority of seats in the lower house during the 2023 national election, but the Senate, composed of pro-military and pro-royalist members, prevented the party from forming a government.

Eventually, the Constitutional Court dissolved the Move Forward Party in August 2024 for violating election laws. In 2020, the court had also dissolved the party's predecessor, the Future Forward Party.

These decisions resulted in the unexpected coming together of pro-royalist factions and the Pheu Thai Party, which formed a government in 2023.

The Thai-Cambodian conflict, which began in July 2025, was the primary reason for the disintegration of that government. Following a scandal involving a leaked phone call, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party was removed from her position by the Constitutional Court in August 2025.

Anutin Charnvirakul, a business magnate and the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, a conservative-populist political party, was elected prime minister in September 2025.

Charnvirakul dissolved the Parliament and called for a snap election on Dec. 12, 2025.

In the aftermath of the Move Forward Party's dissolution, politicians from that party reorganized themselves under the banner of the People's Party. Observers believe this party may win in the coming election.

Full Article

In a significant development, government forces this week have taken control of large areas in northeast Syria's Al-Jazeera region after the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdrew following a surprise attack, while the cities of Hasakah and Qamishli remained outside of this advance.

With Damascus announcing its resolve to regain control of these cities, Christians living in the area are experiencing a mix of anxiety and anticipation, coupled with hope that the next phase will be handled through peaceful political channels that prevent further violence and unrest.

In the wake of this, the head of the Chaldean Church in Syria, Bishop Antoine Audo, called for prioritizing reconciliation and dialogue among the conflicting parties, encouraging Christians to be a source of hope and positivity and to continue bearing witness to their long history.

The recent turmoil has also brought back to the forefront fears of renewed activity by ISIS, especially after the SDF relinquished guard of several prisons holding thousands of the group's fighters.

However, Syrian government sources have confirmed that all prisons — including Al-Qattan prison, the Al-Hol camp (which contains families of ISIS fighters), and Al-Shaddadi prison — are under government control. In the latter specifically, large escape operations occurred, though specialized units recaptured more than 80 escaped inmates.

Amid this, U.S. forces in the area have begun transferring approximately 7,000 ISIS detainees to Iraq to ensure they remain in secure detention centers.

In a special interview with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Basher Ishaq Saadi, deputy head of the Assyrian Democratic Organization, emphasized that ISIS no longer has its former strength but warned that any return would pose a serious danger to Christians and other communities.

Saadi reviewed the extensive abuses Christians suffered at the hands of the group — from killings, kidnappings, bombings, and church burnings to the 2015 invasion of 34 Assyrian villages along the Khabur River, which led to the displacement of most of their residents. Today only about 1,000 remain of an original 15,000.

Saadi stressed that the threat to the Christian presence today does not come solely from extremist groups but also from political repression, lack of freedoms, religious and ethnic discrimination, and absence of equality and citizenship rights. These factors have driven, and continue to drive, many Christians to emigrate. Nonetheless, he affirmed that a segment of Christians will remain attached to their land, driven by hope for a future of peace, dignity, and equality.

Saadi also said that the future of Christians in Syria and the broader Middle East depends on building modern civil states grounded in the rule of law and institutional structures that are neutral toward religions and ensure citizens' rights without discrimination. He said this is the only way to cement stability and preserve the region's historical diversity.

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

Full Article

The relationship between the Vatican and the U.S. Catholic bishops is not as contentious as people might think, according to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who offered insights into his role as papal nuncio to the U.S. since 2016 during an interview with "EWTN News In-Depth" ahead of his 80th birthday.

The French-born prelate described the past 10 years serving as the papal representative to the U.S. as "very beautiful" and "difficult" years, touching on topics such as allegations of tensions between the Vatican and the U.S. bishops under the late Pope Francis, the Synod on Synodality, the Eucharistic revival, political polarization, and immigration.

Pierre turned 80 on Jan. 30. Cardinals remain cardinals for life, and age-specific norms mean that cardinals retain their title and may continue other functions but cannot vote in papal elections after this age. Pierre's successor is expected to be named shortly.

Pope Francis

In his interview with "EWTN News In-Depth" anchor Catherine Hadro, Pierre dispelled notions of heightened tensions between the Vatican and U.S. bishops under the late Pope Francis, saying: "We have to be very careful when we speak about the tensions between the Holy Father and the bishops. I think the tensions are normal."

"We are not in a war," he said. "I have never seen a war. Sometimes people have said the bishops in the United States are at war with the Holy Father. This is not true. I've been 10 years here, and I've been working in nine countries for the last 50 years, and I would not say that the American bishops have had war with the Holy See or the pope."

While Pierre acknowledged that "Pope Francis has provoked us [at times]," the  prelate described the late pontiff as "a magnificent leader," citing his intuition and "capacity to discern where we are in today's world."

Though the synod often caused confusion among bishops and laypeople, Pierre noted how Francis encouraged people to "continue to work together, continue to discern, and continue to listen to each other, and to the world."

"This is precisely what Pope Leo will do," Pierre said. "He wants to to meet the young people, to listen to them, but also he wants them to listen to him because he's the leader. So I think the challenges have been at that level."

The Church and U.S. politics

Pierre stressed the need for civic actors to "to remain faithful to the mission of the Church," which he said is "not to reproduce in our Church the polarization of society but to be a place where we can heal and help the people to rediscover unity."

The Eucharistic revival, he said, has served as a way to "rediscover what is the center for the Church," namely, Christ and his presence in our lives.

The nuncio warned against the temptation to become "culture warriors" in service of defending ideas and ideologies rather than "contemplating Christ in my life."

"Sometimes we give more importance to the idea, and from idea, you have ideology," he said. "We become defenders of ideologies."

The Church receives the Gospel as a gift while with ideology we construct it according to our own preferences, keeping what we like and discarding what we don't, Pierre said.

Immigration

Pierre praised the role of Church in the area of immigration, saying he has "not seen any division" on the topic. "In the Church, the bishops are together," he said. "I am very proud of this Church."

The nuncio stressed that a solution to the problem of immigration must be solved and encouraged Catholics to "not be afraid to speak up." He called on elected officials to resolve the current crisis, saying: "If they don't resolve the problem, they create the problem."

Ultimately, he said, "the center of our message [as a Church] is the value of the human person" and noted that migrants make up approximately 40% of the 80 million Catholics in the U.S. "So should we abandon these people or not?" he said. "They are human beings."

Full Article

Archbishop Paul Coakley said immigration remains a "very high priority" for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

In a Jan. 30 interview with "EWTN News In Depth," Coakley discussed "the unrest taking place in our cities, particularly in Minneapolis and the violent outbreak," following the recent death of Alex Pretti, the man shot and killed by federal agents on Jan. 24.

The incident marked the second death by federal agents in the city. Renee Good was shot and killed on Jan. 7 by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.

Following Pretti's death, Coakley, president of the USCCB, called for his brother bishops and priests across the United States to offer "a Holy Hour for peace."

"I think in view of the anger, the violent reactions that are taking place ... we felt prompted to try to change the tone of the conversations and call people, not necessarily to avoid any kind of public witness, but really to call people to give witness by prayer," he said.

The call is to bring "it all to the Lord in the holy Eucharist, to ask God's grace and God's presence, God's courage, God's guidance as we address very difficult and challenging situations on the ground," he said.

The present debate over ICE and law enforcement "is an issue that we simply can't avoid," Coakley said. The situation is "impacting so many of our people, both migrants, immigrants, but as well as law enforcement."

It is also affecting "people that are wondering, questioning in their own hearts and their minds, what is the proper and appropriate response for Catholic[s], for Christians, for people of goodwill in the face of a nearly unprecedented situation."

Immigration enforcement is "a high priority … for all of us, as was evident by the special message that we issued back in November at our fall assembly. I think that was a message that was passed nearly unanimously by the U.S. bishops," he said.

Working with national leaders

Coakley met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Jan. 12, where they discussed matters of immigration including the backlog of visas for religious workers.

"One takeaway that we realized almost immediately after that meeting was the relief that was granted for the R-1 visa for the many religious workers working throughout our country who were facing real obstacles in renewing their visas and staffing our parishes as priests and religious sisters and religious workers everywhere," Coakley said.

The administration "listened and they heard, and I was satisfied, at least at this point, with the progress that we've made so far," Coakley said. "We did discuss other matters, of course, in the time that I had with him, including meaningful immigration reform."

While citizens and leaders across America are well aware of the developing situation in Minneapolis, Coakley said he would be "very surprised" if the situation was not also on Pope Leo XIV's radar.

"I think he stays pretty well-informed as to what's happening here in the United States, being the land of his birth, of course. But it's garnered worldwide attention and global coverage. So it's got to be on Pope Leo's radar screen and a matter of concern for him as well," he said.

A call to prayer and action

Coakley has previously called the situation a time of "fear and polarization." In the interview, he further discussed how the country got to its state of division and what the faithful can do amid it.

"I don't think it's something that has happened overnight. I think we've been sliding in this direction for a number of years," he said. "But I think we got here because of fear. I think fear is a tool of the enemy of our human nature, as St. Ignatius of Loyola would describe 'the evil one.'"

"He was trying to turn us against one another, to be blind to the dignity of our brothers and sisters and their God-given dignity, created in his image and likeness," he said.

To combat the situation, Coakley encouraged parishes across the nation to call for a Holy Hour and to "turn to the Lord and seek his grace and to seek his guidance." He also urged people "to be careful where we're getting our information."

"Because there are some outlets, I suspect, that are playing upon these fears, and we need to avoid becoming pawns of that kind of spinning of information and facts, and to really begin with turning to the Lord in prayer and seeking his grace and his guidance," he said.

Faithful in Minneapolis are 'afraid'

In a subsequent interview with "EWTN News In Depth" on Jan. 30, Jesuit Father R.J. Fichtinger, a priest on the ground in Minneapolis, shared that the faithful in the area are "afraid."

There's "this pervasive tiredness, this pervasive frustration around our community not feeling like we have our own agency, our own ability to be able to respond to the various needs," he said.

In a time of disagreement, Fichtinger advised the faithful to "do what Jesus did" and "go in prayer."

"I think the first step is, in fact, intentional prayer. Then the second is to divorce people from actions. That can be really difficult, but that sense in which we recognize we can judge unjust actions," he said.

"The reality is our world is complicated, and that art of having hard and difficult conversations is something that I think we need to rediscover," he said.

As the bishops call for prayer and Holy Hours, Fichtinger said: "I don't know of a better way of addressing the Lord in prayer than in adoration, in peace, and in prayer, in the beautiful silence that adoration and benediction can give."

Full Article

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.

Pregnant students' rights act stalls in Senate

A bill that would ensure pregnant college students are informed of their rights failed to pass in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

The bill stalled after passing in the U.S. House of Representatives last week. The Pregnant Students' Rights Act would require colleges to provide information to mothers about on-campus resources that exist to help them carry their babies to term and care for their babies after birth as well as other accommodations.

In addition, the bill would give students information on how to file a discrimination complaint based on pregnancy if needed.

Proponents say the bill was about supporting women and sharing information about the resources available to them.

"No student should have to choose between her child and her education, and, in fact, many services are in place for those who are building their families' future at school," said Kristan Hawkins, head of Students for Life of America. "The least that we can do is simply share information with young families about all those ready to help."

Texas attorney general sues abortionist for mailing pills allegedly used in crime

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing an abortionist for allegedly sending illegal abortion drugs into Texas following a reported poisoning.

Paxton filed the lawsuit against Debra Lynch, a Delaware-based nurse practitioner who ships abortion drugs to Texas through the organization Her Safe Harbor.

According to two recent lawsuits in Texas, two fathers illegally purchased abortion drugs. In one case, a man allegedly poisoned his girlfriend with the pill, sending her to the hospital and killing her unborn child.

"This illegal operation endangers the lives of unborn children and their mothers and must be stopped," the lawsuit reads.

The attorney general has also taken legal action against two other abortion drug providers, Plan C and Coeytaux, to prevent them from shipping abortion pills to Texas residents, according to a press release from his office.

"The day of reckoning for this radical out-of-state abortion drug trafficker is here," said Paxton in a Jan. 27 statement. "No one, regardless of where they live, will be freely allowed to aid in the murder of unborn children in Texas."

Full Article

When Pope Leo XIV warned diplomats this month that families face "progressive institutional marginalization" in global policy, he described a crisis that Eastern European leaders are confronting with particular urgency.

At a Jan. 14 conference in Lithuania's Parliament, experts and policymakers from across the region gathered to address what many called an existential demographic challenge — declining birth rates that threaten the future of European nations.

In his Jan. 9 address to the Diplomatic Corps, the pope had emphasized that "despite its centrality, the institution of the family faces two crucial challenges today. On the one hand, there is a worrying tendency in the international system to neglect and underestimate its fundamental social role, leading to its progressive institutional marginalization."

Discussions on Europe's birth rate decline

Participants at the Lithuanian conference examined how falling fertility rates and shrinking populations are reshaping the future of European nations, affecting labor markets, economic sustainability, and long-term state capacity. Several speakers argued that the crisis is not simply financial or administrative but cultural and civilizational in scope.

Bishop Saulius Bužauskas of Kaunas addressed the gathering and framed the decline in births as a moral and spiritual challenge rooted in weakening marriage, family life, and respect for human dignity. He explained that stable family life must again be recognized as a fundamental social good.

"It is important for young people to see that family is not a risk but an opportunity, that children are not a burden but the greatest gift, that having a family is not an exception but a natural and meaningful path in life," he said. He added that reversing demographic trends requires both cultural renewal and practical support, so that families "are not left alone with their concerns but receive help and support."

Hungary's long-term model

Árpád József Mészáros, strategic vice president of the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families, described Hungary's fertility strategy as a long-term social project rather than a quick demographic fix. He said the country began systematically expanding family-support measures in 2011, when the total fertility rate stood at an average of 1.23 children per woman, among the lowest in Europe and well below the 2.1 replacement level. The rate has since risen to around 1.51 by 2023, he reported, though demographic pressures remain significant.

Mészáros presented housing support as one of the most influential tools of the government's family policy. He pointed to subsidized loans for married couples, interest exemptions after the first child, partial loan reductions after the second, and full debt cancellation after the third, describing these measures as designed to ease financial barriers and strengthen long-term family stability.

He also discussed broader social support, including expanded child care infrastructure, discounted meals for children, and workplace and municipal "family-friendly" initiatives aimed at making it easier to balance work and parenting. Alongside these measures, he noted rising homeownership and improved living standards among families, suggesting that some of the policy's strongest effects may be indirect but socially significant.

Money alone cannot reverse value shifts

Agnese Irbe, OFS, founder of the Latvian Philosophers' Association "Peripatos," offered a more cautionary diagnosis. She explained that Latvia's fertility decline reflects a generational shift in values that cannot be solved simply through incentives or social benefits.

Citing a 2022 University of Latvia survey, Irbe pointed to a steep drop in the importance young people attach to "children and family," falling from a high priority in 2004 to near the bottom of the rankings by 2022. In her view, this shift limits what state policy can achieve, since financial support cannot compensate for a weakening cultural desire for marriage and childbearing.

Overall, Irbe presented Latvia as a case where the limitations of family policy lie not only in budgets or programs but also in the broader societal messages shaping the next generation's choices.

Fertility decline is only the visible tip

Helena Hlubocká, general secretary of Slovakia's Christian Union party, placed Europe's fertility decline in a larger historical context. She traced major shifts in household and family structures since the 1980s, including a rise in childless households, growing instability in partnerships, and more couples stopping pregnancies after their first child.

Using an "iceberg" analogy, Hlubocká argued that declining fertility is only the most visible part of a deeper social transformation that has taken decades to form. She warned that narrowly technocratic solutions are unlikely to succeed in cultures increasingly shaped by individualism, where long-term family commitments are weakened and childbearing is seen as increasingly irrational.

Instead, she presented fertility as the outcome of a wider "relational ecosystem" rooted in stable marriage, intergenerational bonds, and a shared moral vision. Without restoring a social story based on continuity, belonging, and mutual responsibility across generations, she suggested demographic recovery would remain out of reach.

Poland's call for family-centered policy and international coordination

Jerzy Kwasniewski, president of Ordo Iuris, framed demographic decline as a strategic crisis that requires coordinated family-centered responses both nationally and internationally. Referring to Poland as an example, he warned that fertility rates across parts of Europe have fallen far below replacement and that the consequences will be structural rather than temporary.

Kwasniewski also explicitly linked family policy to Catholic social teaching. He explained that it must be rooted in solidarity rather than individualism and described the family as "a basic social unit of the society." In his view, public policy should recognize this social contribution and provide stronger, deliberate support for families for the sake of the common good.

A resolution calling for strategic, coordinated family policy

The conference concluded with a resolution urging governments to treat family policy as a strategic national priority rather than a fragmented set of welfare measures. It called for coordinated action across taxation, housing, education, health care, employment, and regional development, so that young families can raise children without poverty, insecurity, or structural barriers.

The resolution also stressed the importance of strengthening cultural and educational support for long-term family commitment.

Themes in the resolution echoed Catholic social teaching, particularly solidarity and subsidiarity, by presenting the family as the foundation of society. This reflects St. John Paul II's description of the family as the "first and vital cell of society" in Familiaris Consortio, as well as Pope Francis' emphasis in Amoris Laetitia that families require sustained and practical support to thrive amid modern pressures.

Full Article

Iraq's Christian communities are openly expressing concern about a renewed threat from the Islamic State (ISIS) — especially in light of recent developments in Syrian territory along the Iraq border and the transfer of thousands of ISIS detainees from prisons in northeastern Syria to what the Iraqi government describes as a "safe site" in Iraq intended to preempt threats to the country's national security.

Echoing these concerns, Bishop Bashar Matti Warda, Chaldean archbishop of Erbil, highlighted the widening circle of renewed violence emanating from Syria. He noted that "history teaches us that fire does not recognize borders" and that violence has a way of expanding from one place to unsettle entire regions.

In a conversation with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Warda said that both Syrian and Iraqi families aspire to live in peace, but the return of violence naturally raises deep fears about family safety and the stability that many have worked on for many years.

Warda explained that the anxiety of civilians — particularly those whose wounds from past conflicts have not yet healed — is not weakness but rather a memory of past turmoil and a fear of repeating tragedy.

He emphasized the historic experience of violence and sectarian conflict endured by Iraq's Christian communities. Two-thirds of Iraq's Christians once left not by choice but out of a profound feeling that their homeland could no longer protect them. Today, that legacy fuels fears that a resurgence of conflict could threaten not only Christians but also all Iraq's people, Warda said.

Despite these fears, the bishop stressed the community's continued commitment to hope — not as denial of reality but as confidence in the possibility of a better future. He affirmed that the strongest response to violence is rooted in human dignity, shared life, and calm dialogue — rejecting incitement and building bridges.

"Violence devoid of wisdom, even when it appears limited today, can tomorrow become a much wider tragedy we all know the price of," he said.

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

Full Article

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday voiced "great concern" over news of rising tensions between Cuba and the United States of America, urging leaders to pursue "sincere and effective" dialogue to avoid violence and further suffering for the Cuban people.

His appeal, delivered after he recited the Angelus from the Apostolic Palace, came after Donald Trump's administration issued an executive order late Thursday intensifying economic pressure on the island, including the possibility of imposing tariffs on countries that supply crude oil to Cuba. The order describes Cuba's posture toward the U.S. as hostile and calls it a "national threat."

The pope explicitly aligned himself with an appeal from Cuba's bishops and called on those responsible to choose dialogue over escalation: "I join the message of the Cuban bishops, inviting all those responsible to promote a sincere and effective dialogue, to avoid violence and any action that could increase the sufferings of the dear Cuban people."

He then entrusted the Cuban people to the patroness of the island: "May the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre assist and protect all the children of that beloved land!"

Beatitudes as God's lights 'in the half-light of history'

Earlier in his Angelus reflection, the pope focused on the Gospel Beatitudes, calling them "lights that the Lord kindles in the half-light of history," revealing God's saving plan carried out through Christ "by the power of the Holy Spirit."

He said Christ gives the disciples a "new law" written in hearts rather than on stone — one that "renews our life and makes it good, even when to the world it seems failed and wretched." Only God, he said, can truly call the poor and afflicted blessed, satisfy those who seek peace and justice, and give joy to the meek, merciful, and pure of heart.

"In persecution, God is the source of redemption; in falsehood, he is the anchor of truth," the pope said, adding that Jesus therefore proclaims: "Rejoice and be glad!"

Prayers for disaster victims, peace appeal ahead of Olympics

After the Angelus, the pope said he was praying for victims of a landslide at a mine in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He asked for prayers as well for the dead and those suffering due to storms that recently struck Portugal and southern Italy, and he noted the severe flooding affecting Mozambique.

Marking Italy's National Day of Civilian Victims of Wars and Conflicts in the World, the pope lamented the ongoing toll of armed actions that violate morality and law, and said victims will be truly honored when this "intolerable injustice" ends.

Looking ahead to the 2026 Winter Olympics, Leo offered good wishes to organizers and athletes and expressed hope that the ancient Olympic truce tradition might prompt "concrete gestures of détente and dialogue" by those in authority.

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

Full Article

About 350,000 people have registered to venerate the relics of St. Francis of Assisi — the first public display of the bodily remains of the beloved saint.

From Feb. 22 to March 22, the Lower Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi will welcome pilgrims from around the world who will come to the Italian city to pray before the body of the man whom ecclesial tradition has described as "the living mirror of the Gospel."

The event marks a moment of great historical and spiritual importance on the 800th anniversary of the saint's death: For the first time, his body will be transferred from its resting place in an underground chapel and placed in front of the papal altar in the Lower Basilica. In this way, the church will hold a "revealed treasure" for one month, granting pilgrims time for veneration and prayer.

Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a special jubilee year for St. Francis of Assisi on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of his death. The year will extend until Jan. 10, 2027, during which the faithful may obtain a plenary indulgence.

A body hidden for centuries

After his death in 1226, St. Francis was buried beneath the main altar of the Lower Basilica in a location that was difficult to access in order to prevent any attempts to steal his remains. His body remained hidden there for centuries until it was discovered on the night of Dec. 12–13, 1818. Following an official examination of the tomb in 1819, the identity of the remains of the Poor Man of Assisi was confirmed.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, the tomb was opened twice: first in 1978 and then in 2015. Each time, the conviction was renewed that the saint's body is a powerful sign of the love that moved him. It was shown to be the body of a man worn down by illness and by the wounds of Christ that he bore during the last two years of his life, pointing to his living of the Gospel until the very end.

Events accompanying the display of the remains

Before the public display of the saint's body to the faithful, vespers will be celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m. local time, reserved exclusively for Franciscan friars. The mortal remains will then be transferred in procession from the chapel that houses it to the Lower Basilica.

The event will also be accompanied by the publication of a special issue of the magazine "San Francesco Patrono d'Italia," produced by the Sacred Convent of Assisi. The 160-page issue is entirely dedicated to the saint and includes contributions from the most prominent contemporary Franciscan scholars.

A Franciscan jubilee year

This special jubilee year dedicated to St. Francis is considered a unique spiritual gift for the entire Church. The Vatican's Apostolic Penitentiary explained that the Holy Father is opening the way during this year to obtain the indulgence under the usual conditions.

Faithful throughout the world may obtain the indulgence by visiting any Franciscan church — or any place of worship anywhere in the world dedicated to St. Francis or connected with him for any reason — and by fulfilling the required conditions for obtaining the indulgence: receiving the sacraments of reconciliation and holy Communion, and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father.

A plenary indulgence, according to the teaching of the Catholic Church, is God's remission of the temporal punishment that follows forgiven sins. The Church is able to remit these consequences of sin, since God has made her steward of the fruits of redemption.

Full Article