Suspect arrested for arson in burning of historic Catholic church in New Brunswick, Canada

A man is in police custody on charges of arson after a historic church in the Canadian province of New Brunswick burned to the ground.

Saint-Simon Catholic Church near the town of Caraquet was reduced to ashes and was considered a “total loss,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said on Aug. 25.

The fire, which consumed the church on Aug. 24, had been “intentionally set,” according to authorities. Police said in a news release that they arrested 68-year-old Gilles Mallet on suspicion of starting the blaze.

In a Facebook post, meanwhile, the town of Caraquet called the parish “a true emblem of our heritage.”

“Far more than just a building, this church held a significant place in our region’s collective memory and cultural life,” the town’s post said.

The parish “welcomed generations of families, hosted gatherings and performances, and was the setting for countless moments that brought our community to life.”

Monica Albert Légère, who lives near the parish, echoed those remarks when she told EWTN News on Aug. 26 that the church was “more than just a building.”

“It was a gathering place — it was the soul and the heart of Saint-Simon,” she said.

She said some commentators blamed immigrants for the blaze, though “no one in Saint-Simon” has leveled such blame. She described local immigrants as “all very kind.”

“We are all heartbroken, of course, but we are united and standing together, and we will get back on our feet as one,” she said.

In an Aug. 24 statement, Bathurst Bishop Michel Proulx, O Praem, said he was “devastated” by the blaze.

“This event has plunged us into deep sorrow,” the bishop wrote, describing the burned parish as an “immeasurable loss.”

“So many memories are tied to this beautiful wooden church: baptisms, weddings, funerals, and so many other significant events,” he said. “Several generations of Christians celebrated their faith there, and it was the precious legacy of our ancestors.”

The bishop said he was offering prayers and support to the Saint-Simon community.

The parish’s roots stretch back more than a century. News reports indicated the church dated to 1918, while the Bathurst directory says that the parish began as a mission in 1910.

Pope Leo XIV makes ‘Best Dressed’ list: Here’s the meaning behind his papal garments

For the second time during Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, the Holy Father has been included in a top fashion magazine’s list for “best dressed.”

Vanity Fair released its annual Best Dressed list on Aug. 5 and included the pope in “the originals” category.

In December 2025, the pope was named one of Vogue magazine’s 55 best dressed people of 2025.

Style correspondent José Criales Unzueta told The New York Post: “The reality is that everyone has a personal style, and this list celebrates people whose style we find most compelling, inspiring, idiosyncratic or a combination of those traits.”

“In the case of Pope Leo, we are drawn to his innate Americanness — the way he will pair a baseball cap or a pair of Nikes with his vestments, which speaks to the great tradition of American sportswear,” he said.

When Leo first appeared on the balcony of St. Peterʼs Basilica to the thousands of faithful gathered in the square after his election, many noticed the return of several papal vestments that were not used during Pope Francis’ pontificate.

So what are some of the papal garments Pope Leo has been wearing and what do they symbolize?

The papal mozzetta

One of the most obvious vestments that Pope Leo has brought back into use is the red papal mozzetta, reviving a long-established tradition.

The mozzetta is a nonliturgical garment worn by the pope, cardinals, bishops, abbots, and certain priests, including canons of a cathedral chapter. 

It is normally worn over the cassock.

The history of this garment dates back to at least the 14th century, shortly after the papacy returned to Rome from Avignon, France. 

Initially, it was worn by the popes in Avignon to adapt to the colder French climate. 

Eventually, it became part of the popeʼs ceremonial dress around 1400, initially reserved for the pope but later extended to all cardinals and bishops.

The mozzetta, in the case of a prelate, symbolizes his spiritual authority and rank within the Church hierarchy. 

For a pope, it is normally worn with the papal stole as a sign of his universal jurisdiction over all Catholics.

The mozzetta a pope wears is different from those worn by cardinals and other clerics. 

While the mozzetta for cardinals is red and for bishops purple, the pope has five versions of the mozzetta. 

The most commonly worn by the pontiffs is the red satin mozzetta, usually with an embroidered stole.

The white cassock

The white cassock is probably one of the most recognizable pieces of papal attire. 

It’s a long-sleeved, ankle-length garment and is tailor-made from 100% wool or a wool blend. 

White has a long Christian association with purity, innocence, holiness, and the glory of Christ.

Cassocks, which have historical links to the Roman robe known as the “caracalla,” are traditionally made with 33 buttons to represent the 33 years of Jesus’ life before his resurrection and ascension into heaven.

The white cassock became part of the papal vestments during the pontificate of Pope Pius V (1566-1572), who was a Dominican friar and continued wearing the white habit of his religious order after becoming pope.

A white sash

The white sash around the popeʼs waist, another traditional piece of papal attire, is called the fascia. 

It is essentially a wide, ceremonial band worn with the cassock and is made of linen or silk. 

It represents the pope’s devotion, dedication, and submission to Jesus Christ’s call to serve and look after his Church. 

The fascia is a symbol of readiness to minister to the people of God.

A red stole

The stole is a liturgical vestment worn by priests and bishops as a sign of their ordained ministry. 

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal explains that a priest wears the stole around his neck, while a deacon wears it over his left shoulder and across the chest.

Pope Leo has made consistent use of the stole since his election in 2025. He typically wears a deep burgundy or scarlet silk stole with ornate gold embroidery during public and formal duties. 

However, he has also been seen wearing other stoles including a white one with gold embroidery.

Some instances in which the Holy Father has worn a stole include during his apostolic journeys, diplomatic audiences, state visits, major liturgical feasts, and ecumenical meetings, among others.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) explains that the stole symbolizes the authority and responsibility to serve in imitation of Christ, connecting it with Jesus' words: “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

The tradition of red leather shoes

Red leather shoes have been used by several popes over the centuries and have their origins in the early Church and the ancient Roman Empire.

In the Catholic faith, red symbolizes martyrdom and the passion of Christ.

Pope Benedict XVI’s red shoes became a bit of a trademark during his pontificate, with ABC News calling him a “fashionista” and Esquire naming him “accessorizer of the year.”

At another point, his loafers sparked controversy after false rumors claimed they were crafted by the high-end Italian fashion house Prada.

Benedict’s choice of shoes stands out because his predecessor and successor — St. John Paul II and Pope Francis — opted for alternatives. 

But popes have walked in red for centuries.

While Pope Leo has not yet been seen in red shoes, the Holy Father has made headlines for photoshares of him sporting a pair of white Nike sneakers around the Vatican grounds before he became pope.

Government threatens to remove head of Armenian Church

The Armenian Prime Minister announced Aug. 24 an investigation into what it claims is a “systemic crisis” of the Armenian Apostolic Church, just a few days after his administration announced a government-led reform of the country’s majority Church, including a change of its leadership.

The move comes less than a month after the trial against Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Church, who faces charges of disobeying a court order, after an Armenian tribunal ordered Karekin to reinstate a bishop he had removed.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Monday, in a speech presenting his new government program in the country’s National Assembly, that “a report is being prepared on the deep systemic crisis that has emerged in the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, laying out dozens of facts.”

Within the reform program, the government signalled that it would move to install an “interim Catholicos” at the head of the Church.

The announcement marks a further escalation in the standoff between the Church and government which some fear could lead to an effective nationalization of the Oriental Orthodox Church.

Armenia, a country roughly the size of the U.S. state of Maryland, has a population of around three million people. 

It is bordered by Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the south. Around 95% of the population belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church and 0.6% belong to the Catholic Church.

The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, a roughly 70 million-strong communion that also includes the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church.

The Oriental Orthodox Churches diverged from the Chalcedonian tradition — represented today by the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches — after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D., largely because of differences over formulas used to define Christ’s nature.

In his address this week, Pashinyan also called Karekin II by his baptismal name, Ktrich Nersisyan, which observers in the country have interpreted as a thinly veiled way to show that he doesn’t recognize Karekin as the rightful head of the Armenian Church, something he has publicly said in the past.

“If Karekin II or Ktrich Nersisyan accepts the reform agenda of the Armenian Apostolic Church, I solemnly declare from this podium that I will sit down and discuss that agenda with him with the utmost respect,” Pashinyan said.

“How can we tolerate it when our holiest of holies is afflicted? Let us put everything else aside: whether you want to call him the Catholicos, Karekin II, or Ktrich Nersisyan, beyond all that, there are facts that every citizen of the Republic of Armenia and every believer knows,” Pashinyan added, referring to allegations he had made in the past about Karekin II having fathered a child.

Member of Parliament Narek Karapetyan, one of the opposition’s leaders in the assembly, responded to Pashinyan’s allegations by saying that 97% of Armenian citizens trust the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“That is precisely where the problem lies: 97% of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia believe, while the head of the Church does not believe in God at all, has no spiritual life, has renounced his covenant with God, and this breach of the covenant has been imposed on all of us. I am not prepared to bear responsibility for that breach of the covenant,” Pashinyan said in response to Karapetyan.

On Aug. 20, Pashinyan presented his administration’s 2026-2031 government program, including measures to reform the Armenian Apostolic Church, such as the removal of Karekin II as head of the Church and holding a new election for Catholicos of All Armenians.

“Reforming the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church is a vital necessity for addressing the issue of having a value-based spiritual life. 

The agenda of reforming the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church serves to bring the Church into the field of canonicity and exclude the politicization of the Church,” the program states.

The program adds five measures to “to ensure spiritual security, exclude attempts by external forces to turn the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church into a foothold for hybrid warfare, and reform the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.”

The first is to remove the “de facto head of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church,” followed by the appointment of an “interim Catholicos, in accordance with the established procedure.” 

Third, the program calls for the “adoption of a charter for the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church will be ensured, establishing mechanisms for upholding the stipulated principles, ensuring financial transparency and the good conduct of clergy.”

Afterwards, the program says, the election of a new Catholicos of All Armenians will be held, and lastly that “the government will also undertake to include clergy in the state system of social guarantees and ensure transparency in the financing of the Church.”

In a press conference after the publication of the government program, Pashinyan said that he would “soon present a detailed report with exhaustive answers” about allegations of links between the Armenian Church and foreign forces, especially Russia, a claim that Pashinyan has repeated in the past.

—

The government announcement follows the beginning of the trial against Karekin II and five other Armenian bishops in early August.

Karekin II and five other Armenian bishops are accused of disobeying a court decision ordering the reinstatement of Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, an ally of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who was dismissed from his post and laicized by Karekin II after repeatedly calling for the Karekin’s ouster.

The other five bishops are Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Archbishop Haykazun Najaryan, Bishop Vahan Hovhannesyan, Bishop Edgar Hakobyan, and Bishop Artur Hakobyan.

If found guilty, the bishops could face two years in prison.

Bishop Saroyan was among a group of 10 Armenian bishops who showed their support for a controversial 2025 “roadmap” introduced by Pashinyan to reform the Armenian Apostolic Church, which called for new statutes in the church, and a reform of governance, which he said was meant to ensure greater transparency. 

The roadmap also called for the election of a new ecclesiastical leader in place of Karekin II.

Support for that plan saw Saroyan dismissed from office by Karekin II in January.

When announcing his dismissal, the Church cited Saroyan’s “abuse of office, failure to fulfil the duties incumbent upon the primate, as well as instances of coercion and pressure exercised against the clergy of the diocese.”

But a court in Armenia ordered the Church to reinstate Saroyan the same month. Karekin II responded by laicizing Saroyan.

Prosecutors then opened a criminal case against Karekin II on Feb. 14 and barred him from leaving the country, accusing him of obstructing the court order.

Pashinyan, who has served as prime minister since 2018, posted a video in early January in which he read aloud a statement setting out his “roadmap” for the reform of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The video showed eight Armenian Orthodox bishops signing the document at Pashinyan’s residence. Two others, who were not present, also endorsed it.

Karekin II’s legal representative described the move as “direct interference in the internal affairs of the Church.”

The root of the conflict is a dispute about the role of the Church in Armenian public affairs, with Pashinyan accusing Karekin II of having problematic foreign ties, and Karekin suggesting the prime minister is responsible for war losses in the country’s long-simmering conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan.

In December 2025, Pashinyan accused Karekin II of having ties to “foreign intelligence services,” through his brother, who is also an Armenian bishop serving in Russia.

In June 2025, Pashinyan also accused Karekin II of fathering a daughter, saying that “If it turns out that Karekin II has indeed broken his vow of celibacy and has a child, he cannot remain the Catholicos of All Armenians.”

Pashinyan then said that the Armenian government “must have a decisive voice in the election of the Catholicos of All Armenians” and that candidates “must undergo an integrity check.”

Pashinyan’s hostility against the Armenian Church has grown after several senior officials, including Karekin II himself have asked for his resignation and issued critical pastoral letters against him.

In 2024, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan launched a campaign of civil disobedience called the Holy Struggle, including a large rally in the country’s capital on May 9, 2024 with Karekin II’s support. 

While Galstanyan said the movement was not political, calls for Pashinyan’s resignation brought together various opposition groups.

The Church issued strong criticisms of the government and called for Pashinyan’s resignation after the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region disputed between Azerbaijan and Armenia. 

After another major offensive in 2023, Azerbaijan took control of the region and displaced hundreds of thousands of ethnic Armenians, prompting Karekin II to call for Pashinyan’s resignation once again.

—

The current tensions between the Armenian government and Church will undoubtedly raise diplomatic and ecumenical flags within the Vatican, even if Catholics represent a tiny percentage of the Armenian population. The Holy See certainly has diplomatic interests in the region though, especially in neighboring Azerbaijan.

The Vatican has been criticized for its ties to the Azeri regime, which is accused by human rights organizations of ethnically-based persecution of Armenian Christians in the Nagorno Karabakh region.

Azerbaijan signed agreements in September with the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital and the Vatican Apostolic Library and Apostolic Archives, alarming critics who accuse the Azeri regime of human rights abuses against the Armenian minority and of practicing “caviar diplomacy” by using its cultural and economic power to shape Vatican policy in the South Caucasus region.

In April 2025, the Azeri regime held a conference at the Pontifical Gregorian University, prompting widespread backlash.

The conference was entitled “Christianity in Azerbaijan: History and Modernity.” But Armenian activists and Church leaders called the event part of a broader campaign to erase Armenian Christian heritage from disputed territories.

Promotional materials for the conference included distinctly Azeri reads on West Asian history, including a display of the medieval Armenian monastery of Dadivank, with the claim that it belonged to the “Caucasian Albanian” culture, an Azeri government claim widely disputed by historians.

“This has no basis in reality. They say these are Caucasian Albanian churches, but Caucasian Albanians disappeared in the 8th century,” Orthodox Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, ecumenical director of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, told The Pillar back in April 2025.

Despite these controversies, the conference received a letter of congratulations from Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.

Months before the 2020 offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the Order of Pope Pius IX at the Vatican.

Ilqar Mukhtarov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the Holy See, received the same distinction on April 3, 2025.

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation lists the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Vatican Museums among its partners and several restoration projects that it is supporting at the Vatican.

According to Italian outlet Irpi Media, the donations amounted to 640,000 euros (around $730,000). But an Azeri official said publicly in 2020 that the figure was “over 1 million euros.” 

Many of the restoration works came after 2020, suggesting the actual sum could be even higher.

After lengthy wait, victims of priest abuse in Nove Scotia to finally receive payouts

Dozens of victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests in central and western Nova Scotia are finally set to be paid compensation, nearly four years after the settlement of a class-action lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth.

The confirmation by lawyers that cheques are anticipated to be sent out mid-September comes after concern earlier this year from some claimants — and from the judge overseeing the case — about the long wait for payouts and what some viewed as a lack of communication.

Timothy Clark, who was abused by a priest in the mid-1980s when he was a teen and spoke publicly this spring about his frustrations with the case, said this week he’s pleased the process is nearing completion and feels like an emotional weight is lifting.

“Overall, I’m still not satisfied that the process itself was as good as it could have been,” he said. “But I’m willing to overlook part of that now that the end is coming.”

The class-action lawsuit covers victims who were abused between 1954 and 2020. More than 65 have been approved for compensation ranging from $21,799 to $303,294, according to a chart filed in court, calculated based on the nature of abuse and the harm suffered.

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Christa Brothers approved a settlement in November 2022 where the archdiocese would pay $10 million, including $3.2 million to the law firms behind the class action.

Lawyers for both the class-action members and the archdiocese have said a number of issues led to delays in paying out the money to victims, including that a large number of claims were filed toward the end of 2023, as the one-year deadline for submissions neared.

It took time to organize interviews with a number of claimants in cases where the archdiocese sought to clarify details, with some reluctant to undergo questioning about the abuse they suffered, according to John McKiggan, one of the lawyers who led the class action.

Several cases went to a third-party adjudicator. Given the settlement set aside a fixed amount of money, payments could only be made once all cases had been assessed, as the number and nature would determine how much each victim received.

“I'm pleased that we're finally able to bring it to a resolution,” McKiggan said this week. “I know that the process has been stressful for some of the survivors, some of the class members.”

He said it’s been particularly difficult for victims who were approved for compensation early on but have had to wait a number of years to finally receive their money.

The Archbishop of Halifax-Yarmouth, Brian Dunn, said in an email the archdiocese is “happy that this closes a chapter for these victims and we are happy to have been able to provide this compensation.”

Melanie Comstock, a lawyer for the archdiocese, said the payouts are among the highest in Canada for a class action involving historic abuse. She said she believes the process was fair to both victims and the church.

One thing that slowed the process, Comstock said, was the more novel approach taken in determining compensation, one that allowed claimants greater choice in how to proceed.

Most chose the first route, submitting a written claim and then perhaps facing a short interview to clarify details. But those who believed they deserved a higher level of compensation could take a second route, submitting more evidence and potentially undergoing in-depth questioning.

“Certainly the church wants to compensate all victims,” Comstock said in an interview. “But we don’t want to be paying out claims that aren’t valid, quite frankly.”

Clark, who was sexually abused when he was 14 years old, said money was never the key factor that drove him to join the class action. Instead, he hoped it would be a way he could finally reveal what happened to him and find acknowledgment.

He had hoped that as part of the lawsuit he would be given a chance to sit down with someone in leadership at the archdiocese to talk about the abuse he suffered. But that was not part of the process, and Clark said he’s come to accept it.

“The process itself feels like it’s designed in the interests of the legal system, not in the interest of the people who are the victims,” he said.

Clark had been critical of what he said was a lack of communication from the law firms behind the class action about what was causing the delays. He said that's improved since he spoke publicly about his concerns.

He said he is grateful for the money he will receive, which according to the chart filed in court is about $52,000, and will use it to pay off debt he accrued to help send his two children to university.

“I will not be silenced,” US priest Rev Michael Pfleger vows after fifth abuse allegation cleared

Rev Michael Pfleger returned to the steps of his Southside Chicago Catholic parish on Wednesday to his flock’s chants of “Father Mike!” and a message for those he believes have tried to silence him: He is not going anywhere.

Two days after Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich announced that an independent review had found no reason to believe Pfleger was guilty of a new sexual abuse allegation, the activist priest held a boisterous news conference to vow that the accusations would not end his decades-long campaign against social injustices.

“I will not be silent, and I will not be silenced,” he said, declaring he would continue to speak against the “genocide” in Gaza, the mistreatment of immigrants, the dismantling of the Voter Rights Act, the war in Iran and a “war on the poor in poverty.”

This is the fifth allegation against Pfleger that archdiocesan investigators have found to be unsubstantiated.

Cupich wrote in a 24th August letter to the faithful of St Sabina parish, “The Review Board has concluded there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation. After careful consideration I have accepted their conclusion and have reinstated Father Pfleger to ministry at St Sabina, effective immediately.”

With his suspension from ministry announced on 11th July, Pfleger spent about six weeks removed from active ministry, saying he missed block parties, the church picnic, food giveaways, Friday night marches and seven Sundays with the parish.

Since he became pastor at St Sabina in 1981, Pfleger has been outspoken on political and community issues, including a successful campaign to remove liquor and tobacco billboards, several anti-gun violence protests and criticism of President Donald Trump. 

Some of his choices have been controversial and even prompted archdiocesan intervention, like inviting Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan – known for extreme rhetoric about Jews – to speak at the parish.

“It is not a coincidence to me that two weeks before this accusation took place, I called out the president of the United States again for his wickedness, and his never ending flood of lies,” Pfleger said at the press conference, referencing ongoing weekly threats, including to burn down his church.

Pfleger quoted his friend Rev Daniel Berrigan, “If you want to follow Jesus, you better look good on wood,” referencing the way Jesus suffered on a cross though he did not sin. In his own words Pfleger said, “I believe that this world is in the shape that it is because too many people, and in particular, too many faith communities, have closed their eyes and buried their heads in the sand while evil was loud and strong with its wickedness and injustice.”

Flanked by a crowd of parishioners of the historically Black Catholic church, Pfleger decried the impact on the church of repeated unfounded accusations and subsequent suspensions from ministry. “For the last four weeks, our collection has been down over $US10,000 a Sunday,” he said.

“Some people are just angry and hurt – I can’t come into the church and feel this way and worship,” he said of their experiences.

Pfleger also said that his doctor had told him the “public humiliation” and stress over the allegation “is not helping the radiation treatment” he has been receiving for cancer. He announced he was cancer free on 31st July.

The impacts will be long-lasting, Pfleger said. “This accusation and others will follow me to the end of my life. In my obituary, they’ll be talking about the accusation,” he said.

Pfleger and his lawyer, a high school classmate of Pfleger’s, decried the archdiocesan process for investigating abuse claims and said that they were pushing to reform the process and quicken investigations, without exact information about the changes they’re seeking.

In a 11th July Facebook post, Pfleger said Chicago’s vicar for priests told him the allegation had been made by a woman who said she went to elementary school at St Sabina and that she was abused by Pfleger “at some time” between 1993 to 1995.

In his letter, Cupich praised the value of an independent investigation for ensuring fairness and truth for the accuser, the public and the accused priest.

“No one should underestimate the value of an independent and disciplined inquiry, even if it is made public and requires a substantial amount of time,” he wrote.

Cupich wrote that he recognised the parish had endured suffering that was “real and painful” due to Pfleger’s absence, but that he hoped the Gospel reading from this coming Sunday, where Jesus talks about taking up a cross to follow him, will free them “from any sadness and disappointment.”

“Sufferings are not punishments or even tests of our endurance for pain. Rather, Jesus calls them crosses and thus associates them with his own,” wrote Cupich. 

“As we carry our crosses alongside Jesus, He transforms our sufferings into something much bigger than we ever imagined. Our sufferings mean something. With Him we bring about the salvation of the world.”

Pope Leo XIV: "There is no better prevention against drugs than a good family"

Pope Leo XIV received this Thursday, August 27, in the Consistory Hall the participants in the meeting on addiction situations in Latin America promoted by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. 

During his address, delivered in Spanish, he referred to the prevention of addictions, the criminal recruitment of young people, collaboration between the Church, science and international organizations, and the role of the family.

The meeting was held at the Vatican from August 25 to 27 under the title “Faith-based response to drugs and the criminal recruitment of young people: a dialogue from Latin America and the Caribbean to the world”. 

It brought together representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean and from centers for the accompaniment, prevention, recovery and integration of young people from Asia, Africa, Europe and America. Among the participating institutions are CELAM and the Organization of American States (OAS).

In his intervention, Leo XIV defined addictions as “a complex phenomenon that reveals the failure of a dehumanized world” and called for responses that combine “community prevention, scientific care, justice with a human face and close pastoral accompaniment.” 

Referring to the family, he recalled its condition as a “domestic church” and stated: “There is no better prevention against drugs than a good family.”

Below, we offer the complete address of the Holy Father:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you.

Good morning to all of you and welcome!

I greet each one of you with fraternal affection. I thank in a particular way the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM) and the Organization of American States (OAS) for having made this meeting possible, as well as the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Pontifical Academy for Life.

I also greet the brothers and sisters from the centers of accompaniment, prevention, recovery and integration for young people based on faith, who come from Asia, Africa, Europe and America, and whose presence reminds us that suffering and hope have no borders.

The theme that brings us together is to reflect from faith on the problem of drugs and their impact on our young people. Addictions are a complex phenomenon that reveals the failure of a dehumanized world. The suffering of young people calls us to integral responses: community prevention, scientific care, justice with a human face and close pastoral accompaniment. Our contribution must be directed toward care, presence and the rebuilding of the community fabric.

I am pleased to note how, in this meeting, four bridges converge that represent as many paths of collaboration in this field.

The first bridge is between the Church and international organizations, since no one can face the problem of drugs alone. For this reason, the ongoing collaboration between the Organization of American States and the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council deserves special mention; they coordinate training for faith-based community organizations, weave networks of accompaniment and have even enabled CELAM to present the Manual of the Latin American Pastoral Care for the Accompaniment and Prevention of Addictions.

The second bridge is between science and faith. The Church does not intervene in the issue of drugs with the intention of competing with or taking the place of neuroscience, psychiatry or public health; rather, it seeks to illuminate it from the Gospel with an integral understanding of the human person.

The third bridge is within the Church that journeys on the different continents. In these days, people from America, Asia, Africa and Europe have come here to share their pains, hopes and pastoral enthusiasms.

The fourth bridge is ecumenical. The Catholic Church and the other ecclesial communities, in the practice of concrete love for those who suffer, find a very eloquent common language from faith to accompany and integrate young people in their needs and dreams.

But allow me to pause for a moment on an institution that runs transversally through our work: the family. The family, which the Second Vatican Council rightly called the “domestic church” (cf. Lumen gentium, 11), is the place where life is cultivated, cared for and projected. There is no better prevention against drugs than a good family.

At present, we witness the pain of many broken families, whether because of drug use, violence, the criminal recruitment of a son, poverty or the lack of opportunities that push people to the margins. Saint John Paul II asked us to make the Church “the home and the school of communion” (Apostolic Letter Novo millennio ineunte, 43). And Pope Francis reminded us that Jesus wants us “to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others” (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, 270). Here is expressed the core of the mission you carry forward: that the Church be a family, especially including those who suffer.

Finally, I would like to express a desire: that the Church be the family of all those who have been left on the side of the road. Like the Samaritan, who became neighbor to the fallen man, let us not pass by; let us build a Church that stops, draws near, is moved, anoints wounds, nourishes and becomes a home.

Thank you for your work. May God bless you.

I impart to you the Lord’s blessing. May the grace of God always accompany all of you, your families and your labors. The work you do in different parts of the world is very important.

Assailant of the French nun in Jerusalem is acquitted

A Jerusalem court has acquitted on grounds of insanity Yona Simcha Schreiber, the 36-year-old Israeli settler who on April 28 violently attacked a French Catholic nun on Mount Zion, near the Old City of Jerusalem. 

The judge found it proven that Schreiber committed the assault, but accepted the psychiatric report concluding that he was in a psychotic state and could not understand or control his actions.

The Jerusalem Magistrates Court ordered his commitment to a psychiatric hospital for a maximum of six years, the maximum period provided for the seriousness of the acts attributed to him. 

The Israeli prosecution had sought his conviction for an assault motivated by hostility toward a religious group.

The court finds the attack proven

The ruling, handed down on Wednesday, August 26, establishes that the evidence shows Schreiber carried out the acts described in the indictment. 

However, Judge Ophir Tischler accepted the conclusions of the district psychiatrist, according to which the defendant was suffering from a psychotic state at the time of the events and was not criminally responsible.

Schreiber, a resident of Peduel, an Israeli settlement located in the West Bank, had been formally charged in May with assault motivated by hostility toward a religious group.

The six-year psychiatric commitment constitutes the maximum applicable in this case and is reserved for acts considered serious. 

However, the competent psychiatric committee may later reduce that period based on the patient’s clinical progress.

According to information released after the ruling, Schreiber was admitted to the psychiatric center on Monday, two days before the court made its decision public.

Attorney Zaki Sahlia, representing the nun, expressed his disagreement with the judicial outcome.

“We would have preferred the assailant to be found criminally responsible and punished for his actions,” the lawyer stated. 

He added that the acquittal and forced commitment “do not diminish the seriousness of the attack or the suffering” endured by the victim.

The nun was attacked from behind and kicked on the ground

The assault occurred on April 28 near the Tomb of King David and the Cenacle, on Mount Zion. 

The victim, a 48-year-old French nun, works as a researcher at the prestigious École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem, an institution run by the Dominicans.

Security cameras recorded the attack. 

The footage shows Schreiber running up behind the nun and pushing her violently. The woman fell and hit her head on a stone surface.

The assailant initially walked away, but returned while the nun was still on the ground and kicked her. 

A passerby intervened to stop the assault.

The Israeli police later released images showing the head wound suffered by the nun. Schreiber was arrested the same day.

Attacks against Christians increase in Jerusalem

The assault on the nun occurred amid a rise in attacks and acts of harassment against Christians in Israel, especially in Jerusalem.

A report by the Religious Freedom Data Center documented 83 anti-Christian incidents between April and June 2026, compared to 44 recorded during the first three months of the year. 

Ten of the cases involved threats or physical assaults.

Of the 83 incidents recorded during the second quarter, 68 occurred in Jerusalem and 46 in the Old City. 

More than half consisted of spitting directed at Christians, a practice that particularly affects priests, religious, and people displaying visible signs of their faith.

The assault suffered by the French nun was included among the most serious episodes recorded during that period.

Diocese of Zamora provisionally removes a priest following an accusation of sexual abuse of minors

The Diocese of Zamora, in Castilla y León, reported this Thursday, August 27 the existence of a canonical procedure against a diocesan priest following an accusation of sexual abuse. 

According to the testimonies received by the Bishop’s Office, the reported incidents allegedly occurred when the complainants were minors.

The priest has been temporarily suspended from his duties as parish priest, has been provisionally barred from the public exercise of his ministry, and is prohibited from participating in activities involving minors. 

The diocese clarifies that these measures are preventive and “do not prejudge the outcome of the ongoing proceedings.”

The case file was sent to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith

After receiving the accusation, the Bishop of Zamora, Msgr. Fernando Valera, initiated a preliminary canonical investigation in which testimonies and documentation were gathered to clarify the facts.

Once this phase was completed, the case file was forwarded to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Holy See. 

After reviewing the actions taken by the diocese, the Vatican body ordered the opening of the corresponding canonical procedure to clarify the facts and, where appropriate, determine any resulting responsibilities.

The diocesan statement does not identify the priest or specify the number of complainants, when the incidents allegedly occurred, or the parishes where he served.

Cadena SER reported this Thursday, citing its own sources, that the Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office and the Civil Guard are investigating the case and that the first complaints reportedly reached the bishop in 2024. 

According to this information, the incidents under investigation are said to be related to summer camps, and the measures to remove the priest from activities with young people were adopted in 2025. 

These details do not appear in the statement issued by the diocese.

The facts were reported to the civil authorities

The Bishop’s Office confirms that it brought the facts to the attention of the competent civil authorities and states that it maintains “its full willingness to cooperate with them in everything that may be required.”

The communication to the civil authorities took place in parallel with the actions carried out in the canonical sphere. The diocese does not provide details in its statement about the status of the civil proceedings.

Regarding the priest, three precautionary measures remain in force: the temporary suspension of his duties as parish priest, the temporary suspension of the public exercise of his ministry, and the prohibition on participating in any activity involving minors.

The diocese emphasizes the preventive nature of these measures while the possible responsibility of the accused is determined.

The diocese calls for prudence and respect for the presumption of innocence

The Diocese of Zamora has reiterated its commitment to “the protection of minors and vulnerable persons” and to the clarification of such cases in collaboration with civil and ecclesiastical authorities.

The Bishop’s Office also has the Kumi Project, established by decree of Msgr. Valera for the reception of complaints and the prevention and care of possible abuses. 

The initiative includes personal, psychological, spiritual, and legal support for those who report abuse.

Regarding the currently open procedure, the diocese expresses its willingness to “listen to, welcome, and accompany the persons involved” and requests prudence while the proceedings continue.

These proceedings, the statement concludes, must be carried out “with all guarantees for the complainant and with due respect for the presumption of innocence of the accused”.

Syro-Malabar Synod elects a new auxiliary bishop for Kottayam with the assent of Leo XIV

The Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church has elected priest Thomas Animoottil as the new auxiliary bishop of the archeparchy of Kottayam, in the state of Kerala, India. 

Pope Leo XIV had previously granted his assent to the election and has assigned him the titular see of Troina, according to a report issued this Thursday, August 27, by the Holy See Press Office.

Animoottil, 64, belongs to the clergy of the archeparchy itself and since 2025 has served as pro-protosyncellus —a position equivalent to that of a vicar general— of Kottayam.

Who are the Syro-Malabar Catholics

The Syro-Malabar Church is in full communion with Rome and recognizes the Pope as head of the universal Church, but it does not belong to the Latin Church. 

It is one of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, with its own hierarchy, discipline, and liturgical tradition.

Its historical heartland is in Kerala, in southern India, and its faithful belong to the ancient tradition of the so-called St. Thomas Christians, whose evangelization of the region is traced back to the Apostle St. Thomas in the first century.

Its liturgy belongs to the East Syriac tradition, historically linked to the ancient Christian communities of Mesopotamia and Persia. 

The Syro-Malabars are therefore fully Catholic, yet they preserve a liturgical, spiritual, and disciplinary heritage distinct from the Roman rite.

Kottayam and the Knanaya Catholics

The archeparchy of Kottayam also has a distinctive feature within the Syro-Malabar Church due to its close connection with the Knanaya, an ancient community of St. Thomas Christians that maintains its own historical identity.

Knanaya tradition places its origins in the arrival on the coast of Kerala, in the fourth century, of a group of Christians from the Near East led by Thomas of Cana. 

Over the centuries they maintained a marked communal identity within St. Thomas Christianity.

Kottayam constitutes the principal ecclesiastical center of this community. 

The archeparchy primarily serves Knanaya faithful of the Syro-Malabar tradition and also Knanaya faithful belonging to the Syro-Malankara tradition.

Animoottil is likewise familiar with the diaspora of this community. 

Between 2003 and 2008 he carried out his pastoral ministry in the United States within the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle of Chicago.

Canonist trained in Rome

Thomas Animoottil was born on January 13, 1962, in Payyavoor, in Kerala. After completing his schooling in his hometown and his university studies in Mysore, he began his priestly formation at the minor seminary St. Stanislaus in Kottayam.

He studied Philosophy and Theology at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Mangalore and was ordained a priest on April 13, 1989. 

He was later sent to Rome, where in 1993 he obtained a licentiate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

During his more than 37 years of priesthood he has held various responsibilities in the archeparchy of Kottayam. 

He has served as pastor of Pulinjal, secretary to the eparchial bishop, chancellor, secretary of the Pastoral Council, ecclesiastical advisor to the Catholic Nurses Guild of India, and vicar forane —or protopresbyter of the deanery— of Uzhavoor and Kaduthuruthy.

Since 2025 he has served as pro-protosyncellus of the archeparchy. 

As the new auxiliary bishop he will collaborate with Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kottayam.

Catholic LGBT collective accuses Bishop Oster of being "disqualified as a theologian and pastor" for his defense of Christian anthropology

The defense of Christian anthropology made by Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau during his homily for the Solemnity of the Assumption has provoked a harsh reaction from the Catholic LSBT+ Committee of Germany, an alliance of groups that promote LGBT claims within the Church. 

The collective maintains that the prelate has «disqualified himself as a theologian and as a pastor» because of his statements on human dignity, sex, gender, and the Christopher Street Days, as the LGBT pride celebrations are commonly known in Germany.

The reaction came nine days after the homily delivered by Oster at the Marian shrine of Altötting in Bavaria (Germany). Under the title What is the vision? 

On human dignity and the Christian image of man, the bishop reflected on the progressive distancing of German society from its Christian roots and its consequences for issues such as abortion, assisted suicide, surrogacy, marriage, family, and gender ideology.

Oster: human dignity comes from God

The bishop took as his starting point the first article of the German Basic Law, approved in 1949: «Human dignity is inviolable.» 

He also recalled that its preamble places the German people «conscious of their responsibility before God and before men.»

For Oster, behind this formulation lies a certain conception of the human being. 

Christian anthropology allows us to affirm that dignity does not depend on a concession from the State, on individual autonomy, or on the exercise of certain capacities, but on the fact that man has been created in the image of God.

«The condition of being in the image of God as the source of our dignity cannot be taken away by anyone,» he stated.

The prelate gave as examples the embryo in the mother’s womb and a person in a coma near death. 

The absence of the current exercise of capacities such as reason or freedom does not diminish, he maintained, their personal condition or their dignity.

«Is the embryo in the mother’s womb already a human being, a human person, and therefore the bearer of inviolable human dignity? We, as Christians, say: yes, of course,» Oster pointed out.

«If faith disappears, the Christian conception of man disappears»

The bishop later warned of the consequences he observes in an increasingly secularized society.

«If faith disappears, the Christian conception of man disappears,» he stated. 

According to Oster, when the reference to God is eliminated, the principle that dignity must be protected can be formally maintained, but a permanent discussion remains open about what that dignity means and who is fully entitled to it.

The prelate gave as an example several debates that, he maintained, those who drafted the German Basic Law could hardly have imagined.

He mentioned the claim to consider abortion as a right, with France as an example for having incorporated into its Constitution the guaranteed freedom to resort to voluntary termination of pregnancy.

He also recalled the 2020 ruling of the German Federal Constitutional Court on self-determined death and described the possibility of turning assisted suicide into a business model as a «breach of a dam» and an inversion of the meaning of human dignity.

Oster also referred to surrogacy and alluded, without naming him, to CDU politician Jens Spahn, who resorted to this practice abroad together with his husband despite having spoken out against its legalization in Germany.

The biblical vision versus conceptions of sex and gender

The passage that particularly provoked the reaction of the collective was the one dedicated to the Christopher Street Days.

Oster pointed out that the «ways of life, sexual preferences, and assumed identities» shown in these celebrations make visible the extent to which society has been transformed.

The bishop acknowledged that this is a manifestation of the freedom that democracy expressly allows. But he raised the question of what judgment should be made from the perspective of faith:

«Does this correspond to the dignity that God has given us or does it contradict it?»

He then evoked the well-known formulation attributed to Dostoevsky: «If God does not exist, is everything permitted?»

Oster stated that the disappearance of God from the cultural horizon has enormously expanded what is considered possible «in the entire context related to sex and gender.»

His conclusion was unequivocal: «Most of it precisely does not correspond to the biblical conception of man».

«Beloved children of God with inalienable dignity»

Oster’s moral critique was accompanied by an equally explicit affirmation about the dignity of the people he was referring to.

«All those who participate there, without exception, are beloved children of God with inalienable dignity,» the bishop stated.

Oster added that they must be respected in their freedom, «without thereby having to approve what is shown or defended there».

The distinction formulated by the prelate was, therefore, between the dignity of each person—which he presented as universal, received from God, and impossible to lose—and the moral judgment that a behavior or a certain conception of sexuality deserves.

The LGBT «Catholic» collective: Oster has «disqualified himself»

The Catholic LSBT+ Committee responded with a statement titled Scharf daneben—an expression that can be translated as «completely off the mark»—in which it rejects the bishop’s approach.

The collective admits that it shares with Oster the conviction that the Christian tradition provides important elements for understanding the dignity of every human being. 

It considers, however, that the prelate ruins that approach by linking it with what it describes as «derogatory» statements about LGBT people, the Christopher Street Days, and social diversity.

The organization maintains that «human dignity does not depend on sexual orientation or gender identity, nor on family forms or religious convictions.»

It also accuses Oster of conveying through his questions the impression that LGBT visibility represents «moral arbitrariness» and distancing from God.

The statement concludes with a direct disqualification of the bishop: «Oster has disqualified himself as a theologian and also as a pastor».

They claim «coming out» as an experience of faith

The collective maintains that Oster links homosexual, bisexual, trans, intersex, or non-binary identities with the absence of God or distancing from the Christian conception of man.

Its members claim, against the bishop, a compatibility between those identities and their own conception of faith.

«As queer Christians, we believe and pray, we celebrate worship and understand our life in harmony with our relationship with God,» they affirm. 

They add that their gender identity or sexual orientation constitutes «an important part» of their lives and go so far as to maintain that in coming out they experience «the liberating power of our faith».

The group also accuses the bishop of being unaware of so-called queer theology and pastoral care specifically oriented toward LGBT people, and resorts to the well-known question pronounced by Francis in 2013: «Who am I to judge?»

Oster links Christian anthropology with the future of democracy

Oster’s homily had a broader scope than the LGBT issue. Its central thesis linked the conception of human dignity present in the German Basic Law with the Christian roots of the country.

The bishop also recalled that Article 6 of the Constitution establishes that «marriage and the family are under the special protection of the state order» and maintained that its drafters had in mind the monogamous union and «the usual unity of father, mother, and their son or sons.» 

Many of them, he added, were formed in Christianity and shared the Catholic conception of marriage as a sacrament.

Oster also extended his defense of human dignity to refugees, people of other cultures, ethnicities, and religions, people with disabilities, the elderly, women, children, and those living on the margins of society. 

The Christian, he pointed out, is called to always respect every human being and «above all, never to violence.»

Finally, he warned that abandoning the anthropological foundation on which, in his view, German democracy was built may end up weakening the political system itself.

«I am convinced that our Basic Law and, with it, our liberal democracy had essentially as their background the biblical image of man,» he stated.

And he added: «I fear that it is precisely the progressive distancing from it in our society that endangers our democracy».

Faced with a society that he considers in need of a common vision, Oster ended his Assumption homily by proposing the Catholic response: to remain united to Christ and to the Church, whose primordial image he identified in the Virgin Mary, and to «keep heaven open» to offer that hope to others.

Diocese of Jerez specifies the requirement of Catholic life to govern the brotherhoods

The Diocese of Asidonia-Jerez, in Andalusia, has promulgated a new Diocesan Regulation on Popular Piety and Confraternities and Brotherhoods that will replace the so-called “Green Book,” in force since 2004. 

The text maintains the requirement that those who govern the confraternities be practicing Catholics and lead a coherent Christian life, but develops this principle through new controls and declarations regarding doctrine, morality, and the personal situation of candidates. 

It also doubles to ten years and 200 members the requirements for establishing a new confraternity.

The regulation was made public on August 24 by the diocese governed by Most Rev. José Rico Pavés and will come into force on the upcoming September 24, the solemnity of Our Lady of Mercy, patroness of Jerez de la Frontera, initially ad experimentum for one year. 

Its drafting began in December 2023, and some of its provisions had already been anticipated in recent months through episcopal decrees.

From “practicing Catholic” to concrete requirements

The requirement of coherence with the Catholic faith does not originate with the 2026 regulation. 

The 2004 Green Book already established among the conditions for being a candidate for a Board of Directors that one be a “practicing Catholic, with a recognized Christian life in personal, family, and social spheres.”

The new regulation preserves this requirement but develops it considerably. Article 97 establishes that candidates must have completed Christian initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist—and be practicing Catholics, with a recognized Christian life in the personal, family, and social spheres.

It further adds explicitly that they may not be “in a situation of irregular cohabitation, contrary to the teaching of the Catholic Church”, referring to numbers 2331-2398 of the Catechism, corresponding to the teaching on the sixth commandment and sexual morality.

The novelty lies especially in the manner of verifying these conditions.

Candidates must provide different documentation depending on their marital status. 

Single persons will present, among other documents, a sworn declaration of single status and, where applicable, another regarding the way they understand and live a premarital relationship. 

Married persons must declare that they understand and live marriage in accordance with the teaching of the Church.

The regulation also expressly contemplates cases of widowhood, separation, and divorce and establishes the documentation and declarations that candidates must provide in each case.

Profession of faith under oath

Candidates must also submit a “Profession of Faith and Acceptance of Catholic Doctrine and Morality”, through a written document signed under oath before the ecclesiastical assistant.

They must also prove that they have no criminal or sexual offense records and submit a responsible declaration rejecting the abuse of minors and vulnerable persons and accepting the corresponding diocesan protocol.

The suitability of the candidate does not depend exclusively on the confraternity itself. 

The ecclesiastical assistant must issue a report, and the documentation will be submitted to the Ordinary, who may request additional information from the pastor of the confraternity’s church, from the pastor of the parish where the candidate resides, or from other persons.

These requirements follow a line that Rico Pavés had already developed through previous decrees.

In April of this year, for example, he established similar requirements for candidates for the presidencies and permanent members of local confraternity councils.

Political incompatibilities are expanded

Nor is the incompatibility between certain political responsibilities and the governance of confraternities entirely new.

The previous regulation already prevented persons with certain political and institutional responsibilities from holding positions on boards of directors. 

The new text maintains that incompatibility and expands its scope.

Those who hold leadership or spokesperson positions in political parties, or who serve as civil executive authorities at the national, regional, provincial, or municipal levels, may not be candidates.

Furthermore, the prohibition now extends to other confraternal responsibilities: those in such situations may not serve as float masters, dressers of the titular images, sacristans, or stewards.

Politicians affected by these incompatibilities may also not serve as town criers or orators.

Town criers and speakers must accept Catholic doctrine

Control of Catholic identity extends to persons who speak publicly on behalf of a confraternity.

Those proposed to deliver a lecture or town crier address dedicated to a feast or sacred patron, as well as to publish in the name of a confraternity, will require prior approval from the ecclesiastical assistant and the Diocesan Delegation of Confraternities and Brotherhoods.

Once the assignment is accepted, they must sign a sworn declaration of knowledge and acceptance of the doctrine and morality of the Church.

The form included in the regulation commits the signatory to remain in communion of faith, worship, and discipline with the Pope and the bishop and not to say or teach anything contrary to Catholic doctrine and morality during their assignment.

Ten years and 200 members to establish a new confraternity

Another substantial change affects the creation of new confraternities.

Until now, the Green Book established a minimum period of five years as a parish association before advancing in the process and required at least 100 full members of legal age.

The new regulation doubles both requirements: ten uninterrupted years as a temporary parish association and a minimum of 200 full members of legal age over 18 will be necessary to request canonical erection as a confraternity and brotherhood.

A new limitation also appears regarding the canonical seat. 

A confraternity may not change it until 30 years have elapsed since its erection, although the corresponding ecclesiastical authorizations remain necessary.

Four-year term and a maximum of two consecutive terms

The reform also unifies the duration of boards of directors.

Terms will be four years. Until now, there were confraternities whose statutes provided for five-year periods. 

Members of the boards may be re-elected to the same office for only a second consecutive term.

Electoral processes must begin five months before the end of the term, compared to the four months previously established.

To be a senior brother or deputy senior brother, one must be over 25 years of age and have at least five uninterrupted years of seniority in the confraternity.

Greater economic and disciplinary control

The regulation also strengthens the economic supervision of confraternities and local councils.

Accounts must be submitted to the diocesan authority and made public in the terms established by the new regulation. 

Local councils that exceed certain budgetary volumes must also have external professional assistance for their fiscal and accounting management.

The disciplinary regime acquires special importance. 

Electoral irregularities may lead to the repetition of elections and the disqualification for four years of those responsible who have benefited from them. If anomalies persist, the bishop may appoint a commissioner.

The celebration of extraordinary devotions without authorization may leave a confraternity without new extraordinary devotions for four years, accompanied by the disqualification of the Board of Directors and the appointment of an episcopal commissioner.

Sanctions are also provided for economic irregularities and for non-compliance related to processional exits. 

In certain cases, infractions may result in the suspension of external devotions for one year or of the next penitential station.

The regulation also introduces economic penalties for unjustified delays in processional schedules, linked to income from chairs and boxes on the official route.

Processions and external devotions

The new regulation devotes an extensive section to processions, transfers, Stations of the Cross, and other acts of popular piety, also incorporating provisions that Rico Pavés had previously approved through specific decrees.

Processions must be celebrated with a “spirit of piety, recollection, and faith,” and it is the pastor’s responsibility to correct abuses “however ancient they may be.”

Stations of the Cross and public rosaries with images must use simple platforms. 

They may be accompanied by a choir or chapel music, but not by brass bands, and their duration may not exceed one and a half hours.

In Eucharistic processions, no floats with images may be incorporated, thus distinguishing the worship of adoration reserved to God from the veneration paid to the saints and their images.

One year “ad experimentum”

The new regulation will replace the Green Book approved in December 2004, after more than two decades as the general framework for the confraternities of Asidonia-Jerez.

It will come into force on September 24, 2026 and will initially be applied ad experimentum for one year. 

During that period, corrections and suggestions may be made before the bishop determines its definitive entry into force with the modifications he deems appropriate.

Once it enters into definitive force, confraternities, brotherhoods, and local councils will have two years to adapt their statutes and internal regulations to the new provisions.

Rico Pavés’s reform does not, therefore, start from a vacuum regarding the Catholic identity of the confraternities. 

The Green Book already required that their leaders be practicing Catholics and lead a recognized Christian life. 

The 2026 regulation goes a step further by translating that general principle into concrete requirements, sworn declarations, documentation, and verification procedures, while broadly reforming the electoral, disciplinary, economic, and processional regime of the confraternities.

Junta of Castilla y León conveys to Argüello its interest in the beatification of Isabella the Catholic

The cause for the beatification of Isabella the Catholic has been part of the agenda of the meeting between the Junta of Castilla y León and Mons. Luis Argüello. 

The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport, Alberto Díaz Pico, conveyed to the Archbishop of Valladolid and President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference on Wednesday, August 26, the Junta’s interest in paying attention to the cause of the Catholic Queen and to her historical and cultural dimension.

The meeting also addressed the commemoration of the V Centenary of the birth of Philip II, which will be celebrated in 2027, and the collaboration between the Junta and the Church to preserve the ecclesiastical heritage of Castilla y León. 

The encounter is of particular interest in the case of Isabella the Catholic: the Archdiocese of Valladolid is the acting diocese for her cause of beatification, and Argüello has publicly defended on numerous occasions the need to promote it.

A cause linked to Valladolid

The cause of Isabella the Catholic is closely linked to the Archdiocese of Valladolid. 

The queen died on November 26, 1504, in Medina del Campo, a town in the province of Valladolid, and it is this archdiocese that promotes her beatification process.

The cause formally began in 1958. After an extensive historical and documentary investigation, the diocesan phase concluded in 1972 and the documentation was sent to Rome. The queen subsequently received the title of Servant of God.

The process encountered difficulties years later. In 1991, the Secretariat of State of the Holy See considered that it was not appropriate for the cause to proceed at that time, in a context marked especially by objections related to the expulsion of the Jews from the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon in 1492.

Argüello has insisted that that decision did not mean the closure of the cause. The Archdiocese of Valladolid has continued working to promote it and to deepen the historical study of the queen.

The Archbishop of Valladolid has also explained that the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has encouraged continuing to promote devotion to the Servant of God and to continue working on the historical aspects of her figure.

In recent years, the cause has also received new support in Spain and Latin America, while its promoters have insisted on the need to study the actions of Isabella I within her historical context and to clear the objections that have hindered the progress of the process in Rome.

The fifth centenary of Philip II

Díaz Pico also conveyed to Argüello the Junta’s interest in promoting the commemoration of the V Centenary of the birth of Philip II, which will take place in 2027.

Philip II was born on May 21, 1527, in Valladolid, in the Palacio de Pimentel, and was baptized in the church of San Pablo. 

The city and the province are already preparing a commemorative program that will begin at the end of 2026 and will be carried out throughout 2027.

Among the initiatives announced by the City Council and the Provincial Council of Valladolid are exhibitions, conferences, concerts, educational activities, and historical reenactments. 

A reenactment of the monarch’s baptism and the procession from the Palacio de Pimentel to San Pablo is scheduled for June 5, 2027.

The commemoration has an evident religious and heritage dimension due to the close connection of Philip II and the Hispanic Monarchy of his time with the history of the Church and the numerous places related to the monarch that Castilla y León preserves.

Junta and Church will study strengthening the protection of heritage

The third matter addressed by Díaz Pico and Argüello was the conservation of the ecclesiastical heritage of Castilla y León, a region that concentrates a particularly important part of Spain’s religious heritage.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport, both parties noted the good existing relationship and expressed their willingness to maintain close collaboration on matters related to the culture, heritage, and history of Castilla y León.

The Junta reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate with the Church in the conservation, protection, and enhancement of ecclesiastical heritage. 

The Ministry will also study formulas to expand and strengthen the current lines of support.

Comedian who desecrated a church in France will go to trial

The actress and monologist Ane Miren Hernández Unda, known as Ane Lindane, will stand trial in Bilbao (Basque Country) for an alleged crime of public mockery following the desecration she carried out in June 2025 at the church of Saint-Laurent de Arbérats-Sillègue in France. 

The Court of First Instance of Bilbao has ordered the opening of oral proceedings, and the prosecution is seeking an eight-month fine for her.

The events took place on June 29, 2025, during the Euskal Herria Zuzenean (EHZ) festival. 

In front of around 200 people, Lindane climbed onto the altar of the church—which had not been deconsecrated—took a crucifix, and simulated masturbating with it while shouting in Basque «Hil da Jainkoa!» («God is dead!»). 

She later shared the images on her social media along with a message stating that she had «defiled, blasphemed, and denounced the abuses of the Church».

The case will finally go to trial

The opening of oral proceedings marks a new step in a process that began after the images of the performance were made public. 

The Spanish Foundation of Christian Lawyers, acting as the prosecution, charges Lindane with the crime of public mockery under Article 525 of the Criminal Code and is requesting an eight-month criminal fine.

The case has a particular feature: the events took place physically in France, but the proceedings are being conducted in Spain.

During the investigation, the jurisdiction of the Spanish courts was debated. 

The prosecution argues that the subsequent dissemination of the video and the accompanying comments had effects in Spain, an argument that, according to the known information from the proceedings, has been upheld by the Provincial Court of Biscay.

Lindane appeared as an investigated person in Bilbao in December 2025. 

At that time, she argued that she had posted the video while still in France and expressed confidence that the case would be dismissed.

Eight months later, the case has not been dismissed, and the Court of First Instance of Bilbao has ordered it to proceed to oral trial. No date for the hearing has been announced yet.

The church had not been deconsecrated

The performance did not take place in a former church converted into a cultural space. 

Saint-Laurent retained its status as a Catholic church and had not been deconsecrated by ecclesiastical authority.

Lindane herself acknowledged this circumstance when she shared the images. In her posts, she noted that she had performed in front of around 200 people «in a church that had not been deconsecrated».

The monologist later framed the scene as a protest against sexual abuses committed within the Church. 

According to her explanation, she decided to include the act upon discovering that her performance would take place inside an actual church.

The performance culminated on the main altar, where she took the crucifix and simulated a sexual act with it while shouting «God is dead!».

Msgr. Aillet described the incident as «sacrilege and desecration»

The use of the church prompted a reaction from the Bishop of Bayonne, Lescar and Oloron, Msgr. Marc Aillet, in whose diocese the church is located.

The prelate publicly described the events as «sacrilege and desecration» and later celebrated a Mass of reparation for what had occurred in the sacred place.

The reparative celebration took place after it was confirmed that the church fully retained its status as a place of Catholic worship when it hosted the festival.

A crime of public mockery

The trial will now have to determine whether the performance and its subsequent dissemination constitute the crime provided for in Article 525 of the Spanish Criminal Code.

The provision punishes those who, «in order to offend the feelings of members of a religious confession», publicly mock their dogmas, beliefs, rites, or ceremonies or publicly insult those who profess them. 

The existence of such offensive intent will therefore be one of the issues the court will have to assess.

Lindane maintains that her performance was protected by freedom of expression and artistic creation. After learning of the opening of oral proceedings, she has publicly reiterated her intention to defend that position in court.

The judicial decision comes almost fourteen months after the desecration of the French church and turns into an oral trial a case whose viability had been questioned both because the performance took place outside Spain and because of its fit within the criminal limits of freedom of expression.

Pope Leo XIV prays for the victims of the devastating floods in Nepal

Pope Leo XIV expressed his sorrow on Thursday, August 27, for the victims of the devastating flash floods that have struck Nepal, where at least 270 people have died and 826 remain unaccounted for as search and rescue operations continue. 

The disaster was triggered on Wednesday in the border region with Tibet, after a glacial collapse caused a massive surge of water, mud, and debris that descended through the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli, and Narayani river systems.

In a telegram sent on behalf of the Pontiff and signed by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Leo XIV commends the souls of the deceased to God, conveys his condolences to the families, and assures his spiritual closeness to all those affected. 

The Pope also prays for the emergency personnel involved in rescue efforts hindered by the destruction of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. 

Among the missing are residents, members of the security forces, and hundreds of Nepalese and foreign tourists.

The flood entered Nepal from the Tibetan side around 9:05 a.m. on Wednesday, according to the technical assessment of the Flood Forecasting Division. 

The torrent first reached the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa District and then advanced toward the Trishuli and Narayani rivers, spreading destruction to numerous downstream districts.

Nepalese authorities continue to deploy rescue teams as the search for the missing and the transport of the injured goes on. 

Among the 826 people still unaccounted for are members of the Army, the Police, and the Armed Police, as well as 644 tourists, 517 of them foreign, according to the latest official figures cited by the Nepalese press.

Below is the full telegram from the Holy Father

HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV HAS RECEIVED WITH SADNESS THE NEWS OF THE LOSS OF HUMAN LIFE AND THE DEVASTATION CAUSED BY THE FLASH FLOODS IN NEPAL. COMMENDING THE SOULS OF THE DECEASED TO THE MERCY OF THE ALMIGHTY, HIS HOLINESS EXTENDS HIS HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THOSE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, ALONG WITH THE ASSURANCE OF HIS SPIRITUAL CLOSENESS TO ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS TRAGEDY. HE ALSO OFFERS HIS PRAYERS FOR THE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL PARTICIPATING IN THE ONGOING RESCUE EFFORTS AND INVOKES DIVINE ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION UPON ALL.

CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN

Secretary of State

Galway bishop asks priest to step down as gardai investigate historical abuse allegations

Archbishop of Tuam Francis Duffy asked a parish priest to step down after he became aware of historical abuse allegations being investigated by gardai and Tusla.

The priest, who falls under the Archdiocese of Tuam, voluntarily agreed to step away from the pulpit earlier this year.

A statement confirming his departure due to a “safeguarding nature” was also read to parishioners at two separate recent weekend masses.

Gardai and Tusla have been investigating the priest in question, who is in his 70s, for several months after alleged victims came forward to give statements about the alleged abuse.

One of the alleged victims, who wished to remain anonymous, said that their reasoning for coming forward to highlight this issue now is because “it’s about time the public deserved the truth”.

They said: “Bishop after Bishop in Tuam have chosen to hide the truth from the public - I just want the public to know the truth once and for all.

“The abuse to me started when I was 14. That is a long time to be carrying around something like this which has changed my life completely.

“Coming forward to tell my story and share the news of this investigation may help other victims come forward in the future. And there are many victims in these cases who have not yet been able to speak out and I understand why. I was one of them for a very long time.”

Some of the alleged abuse is said to have taken place on the grounds of a school in the county.

In a letter issued to the alleged victim, the Archdiocese of Tuam and Bishop Duffy outlined a number of steps for the alleged victim to take after confiding in them about the alleged abuse.

The letter reads: “Thank you again for coming to meet with me on [specific date]. As I indicated when we met, a number of steps would follow immediately.

“These include: A formal report to An Garda Siochana; A formal report to Tusla Child and Family Agency; The Establishment of a Church Preliminary Investigation which would be immediately suspended until the conclusion of the investigation by the gardai and Tusla; A meeting with the priest to put the complaint to him, and to ask him to voluntarily step aside from his ministry.”

The letter continues: “All of these have been done. I propose to visit the parish at the weekend to make a statement”.

That statement he’s referring to was read out from the church altar just two days after the alleged victim received the above letter.

Parishioners were told by Archbishop Duffy: “I am here today to share some difficult news. Following receipt by the Archdiocese, of information of a safeguarding nature regarding your parish priest, he has agreed to step aside voluntarily from his ministry.

“The information is stated to relate to several decades ago. This precautionary measure will allow time within which all necessary investigations may take place.

“It is important to emphasise the presumption of innocence in matters of this nature and that stepping aside does not imply guilt.”

“During this time, arrangements are being made to meet the pastoral and sacramental needs of the parish. I will be in contact with the Parish Pastoral Council regarding these plans. We pray for all involved.”

The alleged victim added that “instinct towards concealment” is still very much a factor in the Church.

“The Archdiocese of Tuam has faced scrutiny over decades, most notably with the Tuam Mother and Baby Home and a number of clerical abuse cases in which the response of the Church authorities was called into question.

“That the departure of a priest under active investigation could be announced in this way suggests that, whatever steps were taken privately, instinct towards concealment remains deeply embedded in how the Archdiocese communicates with the people it is suppose to serve.”

The alleged victim said they want others who may be in a similar position to know that help is just a phone call away.

Enoch Burke returns to school for new academic year

It’s the start of a new academic year for students and teachers across Ireland — and it was business as usual for Enoch Burke.

The Westmeath teacher was back at Wilson’s Hospital School on Thursday morning despite just being released out of jail last month.

Burke, who has been in a four-year-long legal dispute with the school, has spent more than 700 days in jail over repeated breaches of court orders.

The teacher has been in and out of jail on a number of occasions in recent years after repeatedly defying injunctions banning him from entering the grounds.

This week, as schools returned for the new academic year, Burke was back on the grounds of the school he once taught at.

Burke was dressed in his familiar school attire of navy trousers and a navy jacket as he was spotted by the door of the school on Thursday morning.

It comes not long after it was revealed the teacher owes a total of €208,268.17 in fines.

The dismissed teacher had owed €273,200, though €64,931.83 was paid back partly through his salary from the Department of Education being redirected.

Last month, Burke appeared before Judge Brian Cregan via video link and was seen talking animatedly after the court placed his video on mute.

Judge Cregan said Burke had ‘wasted 700 days of his life in prison’ and the teacher had ‘damaged’ his reputation through his rejection of court orders.

‘All of this happened because of a senseless and misguided campaign to breach a court order,’ the judge said. ‘None of this would have happened if Mr Burke had attended the school every day (as he said he had to do), but remained outside the school property and obeyed court orders.

‘However, as Mr Burke has discovered, the rule of law applies to everybody, including Mr Burke.’

The former history and German teacher was dismissed from the school in May following a lengthy dispute.

Norway’s bishops seek papal jubilee for 2030-2031 to spark spiritual renewal in the north

Pope Leo XIV welcomed Lutheran bishops from the Church of Norway for a formal Vatican audience on Aug. 26, urging Christians to seek “paths of reconciliation and fraternity” amid what he described as a “particularly turbulent period” marked by growing hostility in political and social life.

The meeting highlights deepening ecumenical ties as Norway prepares to mark the 1,000th anniversary of its Christianization. 

The upcoming 2030 millennium commemorates 1,000 years since the pivotal Battle of Stiklestad in 1030, where King Olav Haraldsson was martyred. 

His death ultimately cemented the nation’s conversion to Christianity and established St. Olav as Norway’s patron saint.

Norwegian Catholic leaders greeted the historic Vatican encounter with great joy. 

“We have excellent ecumenical relations with the Church of Norway and are pleased that the bishops have an opportunity to meet Pope Leo XIV,” Bishop Fredrik Hansen of Oslo said. “We look forward to the millennium of Norway’s conversion and hope this jubilee will give occasion for broad ecumenical collaboration.”

Before visiting Rome, Presiding Lutheran Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit announced he would use the papal audience to invite Pope Leo XIV to the upcoming jubilee celebrations in Norway.

The pope closed the meeting by praying that Catholics and Lutherans live “ever more truly as brothers and sisters” and give “common witness to our savior, Our Lord Jesus Christ.”

A petition for a special year of jubilee

To mark this national milestone, Norway’s Catholic leadership, represented by Hansen and Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, formally petitioned Pope Leo XIV to declare a special year of jubilee for the Catholic Church in Norway running from July 29, 2030, through Aug. 3, 2031.

Explaining the significance of the dates, Varden explained that St. Olav is the centerpiece of the upcoming millennium. 

“29 July 2030 will mark the millennium of his martyr’s death at Stiklestad; 3 August 2031 will mark the millennium of his exhumation, when his body was found incorrupt,” he noted. “On that day he was proclaimed a saint not just for Norway, but for all of Christendom.”

For Catholics, a jubilee year serves as a period of special grace centered on prayer, pilgrimage, and reconciliation.

Hansen highlighted that the year will allow local Catholics and international pilgrims to walk in St. Olavʼs footsteps while renewing their faith “in gratitude for the Christian patrimony with which Norway has been blessed.” 

He added that the celebration will help the faithful keep “their eyes set on the Church’s present and future task in this country.”

A model of conversion and national identity

Speaking to EWTN News, Varden noted St. Olav’s life as a compelling witness for people who feel alienated from organized religion. 

Rather than viewing the saint as an untouchable historical figure, Varden pointed to his personal transformation.

“What attracts us in the life of any saint is to see how grace works over time and gradually transforms a person,” Varden said, describing the young king as “headstrong, ambitious, self-assured, [and] proud.”

Yet Olav was “increasingly drawn into Christ’s gentle mystery, fascinated by the all-reconciling love displayed in the cross,” making him “a model of conversion” for modern believers. 

Varden also noted that at the end of Olav’s life, Christ’s love was “the only thing that really mattered to him.”

Looking ahead to the jubilee’s pastoral impact, the prelate noted that his diocese began preparations years ago, choosing to use the millennium as “an opportunity to renew our baptismal promises.”

“We want to re-root ourselves in the essence of our faith,” he explained, adding that he hopes visiting pilgrims will discover the “fascination and freeing power” of Nordic Christianity. 

He noted Norway’s patrimony expressed across liturgy, literature, and architecture, which represents a “flowering of sanctity” that the Nordic Church is eager to share with the world.

This vision could also pave the way for a potential papal visit during the jubilee period.

Restoring Nidaros and looking toward 2033

Nidaros, the medieval name for present-day Trondheim, was one of northern Europe’s most important Christian pilgrimage centers. 

The city became the focal point of devotion to St. Olav, whose shrine at Nidaros Cathedral drew pilgrims from across Scandinavia and beyond.

“The cult of St. Olav spread with great speed in the 11th century,” Varden said, noting that it “nurtured apostolic efforts and the founding of churches throughout northern Europe.” 

He sees the revival of the pilgrimage as a means of recovering that Christian heritage, calling it “an aid to rereading the Christian history of our continent” and a source of inspiration for “endeavors of new evangelization.”