Pope Leo XIV urges diplomacy amid Iran tensions

Pope Leo XIV voiced concern on Sunday about developments in the Middle East and Iran, urging the parties involved to stop what he called a “spiral of violence” before it becomes an “irreparable abyss.”

“Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue,” the pope said March 1. 

He appealed for diplomacy to “recover its role” and for the common good of peoples who long for peaceful coexistence “founded on justice.”

The pontiff added: “Let us continue to pray for peace.”

Leo also appealed for peace in the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, calling for an urgent return to dialogue. He asked Catholics to pray that concord may prevail in conflicts around the world, saying: “Only peace, a gift of God, can heal the wounds between peoples.”

The pope also said he was close to the people of Brazil’s state of Minas Gerais following severe flooding, offering prayers for victims, families who have lost their homes, and those engaged in rescue operations.

Earlier, before reciting the Angelus, the pope reflected on Sunday’s Gospel account of the Transfiguration, describing Christ as the living wisdom who fulfills the Law and the Prophets. He said the Transfiguration anticipates the light of Easter—death and resurrection, darkness and new light—shining, he said, upon bodies “scourged by violence,” “crucified by suffering,” and “abandoned in misery.”

Pope Leo said the Lord “transfigures the wounds of history,” illuminating minds and hearts with a surprising revelation of salvation. He added that grasping this mystery requires time: time of silence to listen to the Word, and time of conversion to savor the Lord’s companionship.

Cardinal Brandmüller calls for liturgical ‘truce’ and urges Catholics to ‘lay down your weapons’

Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, the 97-year-old German church historian and former president of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, has issued an appeal for peace in the liturgical disputes, urging all sides to “lay down your weapons”.

Writing in Diakonos on February 24, His Eminence insisted that it was not the Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, that caused the deep rift across much of the Catholic world, but “the implementation of the liturgical reform after the Council”.

That implementation, he argued, was responsible for “an unhealthy conflict between ‘progressives’ and ‘reactionaries’”, which has caused difficulties for ecclesial authorities for decades.

“It was not Sacrosanctum Concilium,” he wrote, “but rather the post-conciliar implementation that opened a rift in much of the Catholic world.” The resulting “liturgical conflict”, he added, simply demonstrates “the central place that the liturgy holds in the lives of the faithful”.

His Eminence pointed to the reforms introduced in Orthodox Russia in the 17th century and to bitter arguments in the West during the Enlightenment over hymnody and rites. Such conflicts, he suggested, often concern not dogma but the “rites, the customs, the concrete forms of everyday piety” that shape the daily life of faith.

Turning to the reform of the Roman Missal under Pope Paul VI, he acknowledged that it “was not without its flaws” and that some criticism was understandable. Yet the cardinal was clear that the Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI “had to be accepted in obedience despite legitimate criticism”. “If Christ’s obedience unto death is made present in the Eucharist,” he wrote, “it cannot be celebrated in disobedience.”

At the same time, His Eminence asked why the reform of Paul VI had been perceived by many as a break with tradition, especially when earlier reforms had not provoked comparable turmoil. He recalled that when Pope Pius XII reformed the Easter Vigil in 1951 and the rites of Holy Week in 1955, the changes were widely welcomed and implemented without serious resistance. 

By contrast, the later reform coincided with a period in which, after the pontificate of Pius XII, “the hour of theological individualism and farewells to everything then labelled ‘outdated’ had struck”.

“The consequences for the liturgy were serious,” he wrote. “Arbitrariness, proliferation and unbridled individualism led in many places to the replacement of Mass with personal compositions.” In some cases, he said, the liturgy was reduced to texts “compiled in spiral notebooks prepared by the celebrants”. 

The outcome was “liturgical chaos and an unprecedented exodus from the Church, a phenomenon that continues to this day”.

Yet the cardinal did not reserve his criticism for one side alone. While some judged the reforms insufficient and continued to improvise liturgies “born of personal creativity”, others clung rigidly to what they described as the “Mass of All Time”. This, he said, ignored the historical reality that “the rite of the Holy Mass has unfolded and transformed over the centuries”. In truth, he continued, “the only ‘Mass of All Time’ is simply the words of consecration”, which themselves appear in varying forms in Scripture.

He warned that the “absolutising of the Mass’s convivial character”, an excessive emphasis on its communal dimension, “has led, and continues to lead, to serious liturgical abuses, sometimes even bordering on blasphemy”. Such abuses, he argued, stem from “fundamental misunderstandings about the mystery of the Eucharist”.

In many cases, he observed, “it almost always falls to the individual priest to decide whether Holy Mass will be celebrated faithfully according to the Novus Ordo or whether the celebrant’s subjective ideas will be given free rein”. Episcopal interventions against abuses, he noted, “have been rather rare”. 

The resulting “dissolution of liturgical unity”, he warned, is caused by “uncertainty, even the loss of authentic faith”, and poses a threat to the unity of faith itself.

If “fatal fractures in ecclesial unity” are to be avoided or healed, he said, “it is therefore necessary … to achieve peace, or at the very least a truce, on the liturgical front”. For that reason, he invoked the title of Bertha von Suttner’s pacifist novel, “‘Die Waffen nieder!’ – Lay down your weapons!”

“This means that, above all, language must be defused when discussing liturgy,” he wrote. “Mutual accusations must cease; neither side should question the seriousness of the other’s intentions.” Put more simply, he added, “tolerance is essential, and polemics should be avoided”.

Both sides, he insisted, must ensure that the liturgy “scrupulously adheres to their respective norms”. His warning, he stressed, applies “not only to innovators but also to those who adhere to the ‘Old Mass’”.

Finally, he urged Catholics to return to the Council’s own text. “Both sides should impartially study Chapter II of Sacrosanctum Concilium in order to critically examine subsequent developments,” he wrote. 

Only in this way, “in silence and with great patience”, can the Church work towards a “reform of the reform” that truly corresponds to the Council’s provisions.

Cardinal Brandmüller’s appeal for a liturgical “truce” is neither misplaced nor a nostalgic lament from a curial conservative. It is a plea to address one of the Church’s most enduring post-conciliar wounds. 

His central contention remains that it was not the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, but its implementation that fractured Catholic unity. 

That contention raises a harder question: what precisely occurred between the Council chamber and the promulgation of the new Missal?

There is little doubt that the Constitution itself received overwhelming approval from the bishops of the world. Its relator, the Jesuit scholar Fr Josef Jungmann, assured the Council Fathers that “due care was being taken to preserve the substance of the rites”. 

The text did not propose doctrinal revolution. It spoke of organic development and noble simplicity. It reaffirmed the sacrificial nature of the Mass and the centrality of Christ’s Paschal Mystery. It cannot lightly be dismissed as an act of ecclesial vandalism.

Nevertheless, the Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969 differs markedly in form, tone and ritual from that codified by Pope Pius V after the Council of Trent. The difference is not merely aesthetic but experiential. 

The older rite’s silent Canon, multiple signs of the Cross, genuflections, additional prayers and ritual repetitions conveyed a distinct theological atmosphere from the simplified rubrics and expanded lectionary of the newer form.

The question, therefore, is whether this divergence represents legitimate development or a practical deviation from conciliar intent. Sacrosanctum Concilium itself prepared the ground for significant alteration. 

It called for rites to be marked by “noble simplicity”, to be “short, clear, and unencumbered by useless repetitions”. 

It mandated a more ample use of Sacred Scripture in the liturgy and permitted extended use of the vernacular where pastorally advantageous. These provisions reflected a mid-20th-century liturgical movement keen to render the rites more intelligible and participatory.

To implement the Constitution, Paul VI established the Consilium in 1964 under the leadership of Archbishop Annibale Bugnini. Its mandate, confirmed in the motu proprio Sacram Liturgiam, was to revise the rites and prepare new liturgical books. The process unfolded incrementally. 

The 1964 instruction Inter Oecumenici introduced vernacular readings proclaimed facing the people, removed the Judica me at the foot of the altar, permitted the Prayer of the Faithful and simplified Communion formulae. Ecclesiae semper in 1965 authorised concelebration and Communion under both kinds, emphasising the communal dimension of the Eucharist.  

Musicam Sacram in 1967 encouraged congregational singing in a manner that, in practice, hastened the eclipse of Gregorian chant. Tres abhinc annos extended the vernacular to the Canon and further streamlined vesture and ceremonial. By the time the new Missal appeared in 1969, much of the transition had already occurred.

Once the reforms were set in motion, they gathered their own momentum. The Council’s language of “noble simplicity” and “active participation” proved elastic. In many places, legitimate adaptation slid into improvisation.

At the same time, it would be historically careless to suggest that the Tridentine rite emerged fully formed from apostolic antiquity. The Roman liturgy developed across centuries, absorbing Gallican elements, codifying medieval usages and standardising diversity after Trent. Organic growth is not foreign to Catholic worship. 

The difficulty lies not in development as such, but in the speed and scale with which change was introduced in the late 1960s. What had once unfolded gradually over generations appeared within a handful of years.

The practical path forward for Cardinal Brandmüller’s call to “lay down your weapons” will not be found in rhetorical escalation. It will require examination of whether post-conciliar practice has consistently conformed to the Council’s own stipulation that no innovations be introduced unless the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them. 

It will also require recognition that obedience to lawful authority is intrinsic to Eucharistic worship, even when prudential judgments remain open to debate, as the cardinal himself attested.

Japanese cardinal says a ‘polite persecution’ faces Christians in Japan

A “polite persecution” is facing Japan that threatens the guarantees given to the freedom of religion, according to Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, the archbishop of Tokyo.

The Japanese cardinal was responding to recent remarks made at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, marking the 20^th anniversary of its founding.

Among those who addressed the anniversary session was Monsignor Daniel Pacho, the Holy See’s Undersecretary for the Multilateral Sector of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations.

Pacho said so-called “new rights,” a term often used by the Holy See to refer to more recently articulated human rights claims — particularly in areas such as abortion, assisted suicide, gender identity and sexual orientation — are being used to take away traditional human rights, like religious liberty.

In his conversation with Crux Now, Kikuchi said this even affects the situation in Japan.

“It is often argued that, because of the principle of separation between religion and state, the Church should refrain from speaking about any matters related and considered as political matters,” the cardinal said.

What follows is Crux Now’s conversation with Kikuchi, edited for length and clarity.

Crux Now: In Japan, Catholics are a tiny minority, and Christianity is often met with quiet social indifference rather than hostility. How does these “new rights” shape the way you lead the Church and nurture faith in such a context?

Cardinal Kikuchi: Japan’s present post-World War II Constitution, drafted in light of the negative experience of the union of State Shinto and government, which resulted in persecution and serious difficulties for non-Shinto religions, including the Catholic Church, guarantees freedom of religion and a strict separation between state and religion.

We are nonetheless facing a challenging situation that could be described as a form of “polite persecution.”

In the current context, religious activities are generally welcomed by the public as long as they remain confined within their own premises, such as temples and churches. However, the principle of separation between state and religion is often misunderstood to mean that religious matters should never appear in the public arena.

In addition, Japanese culture places a high value on conformity and social harmony. For this reason, whenever the Church takes a public position on a government policy, especially when such policies negatively affect human dignity, or when it issues public statements, for example calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons in the pursuit of lasting peace, or calling for fair treatment of migrants, the Church is criticized for being “too political.”

It is often argued that, because of the principle of separation between religion and state, the Church should refrain from speaking about any matters related and considered as political matters.

This makes it difficult for the Church to speak up regarding matters negatively affecting human dignity. Religion is not recognized as a moral authority in this country and as long as we contain ourselves in the Church premises, we are considered harmless and fine.

Japan is a highly secular society, yet Asia is increasingly central to global Catholicism. What role do you see the Church in Japan playing in the broader mission of the Church in Asia and the world?

Catholics in Japan sometimes find it difficult to even gather regularly on Sundays, not because of persecution, but because such consistent religious commitment does not easily fit within the broader cultural understanding of religion. Public schools frequently organize events even on Sundays. Sunday is not strictly regarded as a day of rest, but rather as a day for various activities that cannot be done during the week.

Only religious observances based on traditional cultural activities are given public recognition.  This contributes to a general indifference toward organized religion in Japanese society.

You also serve as President of Caritas Internationalis. As conflicts and wars escalate worldwide, Caritas often provides aid in regions with complex political and moral challenges. How does Caritas uphold its Catholic identity while promoting peace and justice?

Regarding Caritas, maintaining our Catholic identity is one of the highest priorities in our work, even as we remain attentive to local realities. At times, we are advised to avoid explicit Christian identification in order to prevent tension within the local context or to avoid arousing suspicion, as occurred in Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

However, this concerns a fundamental principle of Caritas. Our activities must be rooted in the Catholic understanding of human dignity, the sanctity of human life, and ethical values.

As for Japan, although it is no longer considered “Number One” in the modern world, it continues to attract people, not only visitors, but also workers and students. It still possesses significant economic capacity to support other Asian countries.

The younger generation has increasingly strong language skills and is better able to communicate with people throughout Asia. Moreover, the Church in Japan has a long history dating back to 1549.

Together with this increasingly multicultural younger generation in Japan, the Catholic Church in Japan has capacity to to collaborate with others in Asia in carrying forward the mission of the Church.”

Cardinal found with phone during secret conclave to elect Pope Leo, book says

The secret conclave that elected Pope Leo head of the Catholic Church last May was interrupted when one of the 133 cardinals involved was found carrying a cellphone, a massive security breach, a book released on Sunday revealed.

As the clerics were preparing to take their first vote inside the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, which was fitted with jamming equipment to prevent outside communications, security officials picked up the signal of an active mobile connection.

The cardinals stared at each other incredulously, then one of the older clerics discovered he had a phone in his pocket and handed it over, according to "The Election of Pope Leo XIV", a new book by two long-time Vatican correspondents.

The book does not name the cardinal or suggest he had any motive for keeping his phone, saying the moment left him "disoriented and distressed".

SECURITY BREACH WAS 'BETTER THAN FICTION'

The scene was "unimaginable even for a film and never before seen in the history of modern conclaves," wrote the authors, Gerard O'Connell and Elisabetta Pique.

One such film, the 2024 hit "Conclave", imagined a tangled web of intrigues during the fictional selection of a pontiff. Last year's unprecedented discovery of a phone was in its own way more startling than anything portrayed in that movie, O'Connell told Reuters.

"Reality (was) better than fiction," he said.

Clerics taking part in a conclave take a vow not to communicate with the outside world and surrender their phones and all other communication devices for the duration of the proceedings, which can last for days.

The Vatican press office did not respond to a request for comment about the new book, which offers behind-the-scenes details of one of the world's most secretive elections.

ONLY TWO LEADING CANDIDATES FOR POPE

The cardinals met in a two-day conclave from May 7-8 under an intense global spotlight to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who died in April after 12 years leading the 1.4-billion-member Church.

Much of the speculation at the time focused on the possibility that the cardinals would elect a new pontiff from Asia or Africa, given that the conclave was the most geographically diverse in history, with clerics from 70 countries taking part.

But no candidate from those regions garnered much support, according to the book, which discloses details of the cardinals' votes for the first time based on information from interviews with participating clerics.

While it is strictly forbidden for cardinals to reveal details of the secret balloting at a conclave without permission from the future pope, it is common for journalists to slowly tease out information from clerics in the years afterward.

Two candidates immediately emerged as frontrunners inside the conclave, the book said.

One was Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a long-time Vatican official identified by many outlets as a leading favourite. 

The other was U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, a figure who was mostly unknown outside Church circles but would emerge as Pope Leo, the first pontiff from the U.S.

On the first vote in the conclave, held in the evening of May 7, Prevost already received between 20-30 votes, an unusually large number, according to the book.

Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who was also seen as a favourite going into the election, only ever received fewer than 10 votes in the conclave.

On the fourth ballot in the afternoon of May 8, Prevost won with 108 votes. 

Tagle was sitting next to Prevost as the final vote was being tallied and offered the future pope a cough drop to soothe his throat, the book said.

‘We are the church’: Reactions to Diocese’s church wake ban in South Leitrim parishes

A letter sent to funeral directors in the parishes within the Ardagh-Clonmacnois diocese by Bishop Paul Connell has sparked a lot of discussion among church-goers not only locally but across Ireland. 

The letter sent to funeral directors stated that the practice of holding wakes within churches must stop. 

There are some Leitrim parishes within this diocese including Annaduff, Aughavas, Carrick-on-Shannon (Kiltoghert), Cloone, Drumshanbo, Fenagh, Gortletteragh, Kiltubrid and Mohill.

“The use of a church however for such a purpose is inappropriate given the sacred nature of the building and in particular the presence of the blessed sacrament. A church is designed for public worship and quiet prayer and reflection,” Bishop Connell said in the letter dated February 9.

“I am directing that in parishes where the practice of reposing in churches has not begun, that these parishes do not introduce the practice,” he stated.

This has been met with disappointment from some church-goers, as was aired on Liveline with John Cooke on Tuesday, February 24.

Having the discussion live on air, John Cooke spoke to some who were for and against the decision made by the Bishop.

Many people advocating for the practice to stay cited that it was suitable for families due to the accessibility and parking facilities of a church rather than in their own home.

“I think it’s a big loss, it brought people together. We are the church,” said one caller on Liveline named Martina, adding that parishioners should have been consulted on the matter. “It’s comfortable and makes it a bit easier for families to meet people who are coming to pay their respects and to offer support,” she added.

Funeral director David McGowan, operating in Sligo and Ballina called in to say he agreed with the Bishop’s decision, saying that the use of a church for a wake is a "commercial identity.” 

“The church is being used as a business premise,” he argued, adding that the church is a place of worship where you carry out rituals like weddings and funerals.

Speaking to the Leitrim Observer, Drumshanbo based funeral director Hubert McCormack, whose area falls under the diocese, feels otherwise and said that people have voiced their disappointment on the decision to him.

“I have spoken to a lot of people in the locality and the feeling is that the church is for the people and is being maintained, looked after and heated by the parishioners,” Mr McCormack said. He noted that it seems “disingenuous” to tell the family of a deceased person, who may have spent their life attending Mass regularly, that their loved one cannot repose in the church.

“This decision has been made without any explanation or consultation with the local people.”

As a funeral director, Mr McCormack has been involved with a number of reposals in churches, which he says were carried out with “respect, reverence and dignity” for both the family and the church.

“If there was an incident that brought the Bishop to this decision, it should have been dealt with locally,” he added.

“The church is a safe and reverent space to repose our loved ones particularly in the case of large funerals. There is ample parking and a place for people to shelter from the weather,” he concluded, adding that he hopes the Bishop would have a change of heart on this issue.

Speaking to the Leitrim Observer in a previous article, Bishop Connell said he would be willing to meet with locals and hear their concerns; however, until then, all parishes within the diocese have been directed since February 9 to stop allowing wakes in churches.

Diocese of Syracuse wraps $176 million bankruptcy settlement in 'journey of reparation'

The Diocese of Syracuse, New York, has formally closed out its long-running bankruptcy, funding a victims' trust with more than $176 million to settle claims.

The move concludes a "journey of reparation" begun in June 2020 to "provide compensation for the pain and mistreatment experienced by survivors/victims of sexual abuse at the hands of those entrusted with their care," wrote Syracuse Bishop Douglas Lucia in a Feb. 25 letter to diocesan faithful.

He noted that Chief Judge Wendy Kinsella of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York, had approved the final decree in the nearly six-year case that same day.

The bishop said the diocese had "conveyed its commitment" to the agreed-upon victim's trust fund, with $76.1 million provided by insurance and $100 million from what he called "our 'Catholic family'" — parishes ($45 million), the diocese itself ($50 million) through "a combination of investments and loans," and other diocesan entities ($5 million). The monies will be awarded by an independent arbiter, he said.

The diocese faced 411 unique claims from abuse survivors brought under two New York lookback laws after the Child Victims Act and the Adult Survivors Act took effect in New York state.

Together, the two acts allowed claims of abuse to be filed regardless of any prior statute of limitations. The CVA accepted filings through April 15, 2021, and the Adult Survivor Act through Jan. 17, 2023.

He noted the plan relies on a channeling injunction, a legal mechanism under U.S. bankruptcy code that funnels claims to a trust established to make payouts to both current and, in particular, future claimants.

With claims against the diocese, parishes and other Catholic entities resolved through the victims' trust, the channeling injunction ensures "a comprehensive and just response," providing "a unified path toward reparation rather than individual legal actions," said Lucia.

He added that the plan "formalizes our commitment to Safe Environment policies, ensuring our protection protocols remain rigorous and effective in preventing a repetition of the past."

Lucia admitted that "we did not foresee how long this journey would take." He noted "the wait has been a significant burden for those who filed claims," as well as "the heaviness this has placed on the hearts of the faithful who have been scarred by this chapter in our local Church."

"Throughout this Chapter 11 process, I have met with survivors who courageously shared their stories and expressed the depth of their pain," said Lucia. "As your Bishop, words cannot adequately express my feelings and sorrow regarding such heinous behavior, but I again offer my most heartfelt apology to those who have suffered such harm and for any past neglect in addressing it."

He invited diocesan faithful, and "especially survivors of abuse and their families," to a special Mass on April 26, known as "Blue Sunday," a day of prayer for those affected by abuse, and part of the observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

"Beyond doubt, my heart continues to break for the damage that abuse has inflicted on the Church and its members," he said. "To the survivors and their families, I express genuine sorrowfulness and a firm resolve to ensure that future generations do not experience this scourge."

"The Catholic Church in the United States has made a 'Promise to Protect' and a 'Pledge to Heal,'" he said, referencing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' norms on addressing clergy abuse. "As part of that Church, we must remain ever vigilant."

Statement of the Archbishop of Dublin on Outbreak of War in the Middle East

“The escalation and eruption of a situation of warfare in the Middle East fills our hearts with sadness and with alarm for any and all who are suffering the brutalities of contemporary hostilities.

“Central to our prayers are the people of our partner Anglican diocese, the Diocese of Jerusalem, along with their clergy and their Archbishop Hosam Naoum. They are all our friends, our brothers and our sisters.

“We pray for wise leadership, international support for justice, compassionate response to incalculable suffering and devastation, and we pray for peace.”

+Michael

Dublin and Glendalough

28 February 2026

 

A Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Hosam Naoum Primate of the Province of Jerusalem & the Middle East

28 February 2026

Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As you are all now painfully aware, in the early hours of this morning, February 28th, a coordinated and massive military assault was launched by the United States and Israel against numerous cities and installations within Iran. This operation, described by the leaders of the two nations as a “pre–emptive” attack, has brought fire and destruction to the heart of Tehran, Isfahan, and beyond, striking at the very centers of governance and civilian life. Moreover, just prior to these events, Israel had also “pre–emptively” attacked various targets in southern Lebanon, where the number of casualties has yet to be determined.

Tragically, the cycle of violence has expanded with terrifying speed. In the hours following, Iran launched a widespread reprisal, with missiles and drones targeting Israel and U.S. military assets across the Gulf—striking installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kurdistan–Iraq, Jordan, and Qatar. Sirens also blared across the Holy Land, warning of incoming missiles from Iran. Suddenly, our people from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf find themselves once again huddled in shelters, fearing for their lives as the shadow of a total regional war looms over us.

These developments strike at the very soul of our Province of Jerusalem & the Middle East. Every single nation now engaged in this combat, and those bearing the brunt of the retaliatory strikes, resides within our ecclesiastical boundaries. Our brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Iran are currently enduring the terror of aerial bombardment; our members in the Diocese of Cyprus & the Gulf are witnessing the arrival of war at their doorsteps; and our faithful in the Diocese of Jerusalem—extending across Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria—face an unprecedented threat of military escalation.

In the face of such overwhelming force, we recall the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matt 5:9). Today, that calling feels heavier than ever before. When the “spirit of fear” threatens to consume our hearts, we must anchor ourselves in the “spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim 1:7).

First, I call upon the global Church to join us in urgent, unceasing prayer. We implore God to protect the innocent—the mothers, the children, and the elderly—who are caught in the crossfire of this “Operation Epic Fury” and the subsequent “crushing responses.” We pray specifically for a “sound mind” for the leaders of the United States, Israel, and Iran, that they might recognize the futility of this bloodshed and turn back from the precipice of a global catastrophe.

Second, we must offer each other the sanctuary of Christian love. I therefore urge our clergy and laity to be beacons of comfort. In a time of “regime change” rhetoric and military ultimatums, let our message be the unchanging promise of Christ’s peace: to build each other up (1 Cor 8:1), for our hope is not in the strength of armadas or missile shields, but in the Prince of Peace.

Finally, we must remain “Bridge Builders.” Even as diplomatic windows seem to slam shut, the Church must keep the doors of reconciliation open. We refuse to see our neighbors as enemies, whether they be in Tehran, Tel Aviv, or the military bases of the Gulf.  I extend an urgent invitation to the wider Anglican Communion and all people of goodwill: Intercede for us now. The hour is late, and the danger is great. We remain “battered and bruised, but not defeated.” May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

In Christ,

The Most Reverend Dr. Hosam E. Naoum 

Primate and President Bishop The Province of Jerusalem & the Middle East

and Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem

Assisted dying bill on track to fall as archbishop urges prayer for parliamentarians

The assisted dying bill is expected to run out of time to pass the House of Lords before the May deadline, when all legislation that has not passed will automatically fall.

There are six remaining sitting days before the King’s speech in May, and the Labour chief whip in the House of Lords, Roy Kennedy, has said this week that the government will not give the assisted dying bill more time.

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a private members’ bill introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP, would legalise assisted suicide for those with up to six months left to live.

More than 1,200 amendments to the bill have been tabled in the Lords, which mean that it is not expected to pass before May.

If another MP reintroduces the bill after the King’s speech, it would then have to go through all the Commons stages again before it could go back to the Lords.

Archbishop of Liverpool John Sherrington, the lead bishop for life issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, encouraged the faithful to pray throughout Lent for the parliamentarians debating the bill, as well as for those who are suffering near the end of their lives and those who care for them.

Archbishop Sherrington said, “We are facing the threat of a profound change in our culture which would happen if assisted suicide were to be legalised.

“This bill is wrong in principle as assisted suicide is the direct taking of life. In practice, the bill is a threat to truly compassionate care at the end of life.

“In its current form, it would require Christian hospices and care homes to co-operate with the act of assisted suicide. The conscience clauses are also woefully inadequate.

“Moreover, as many voices have articulated in the debate, and as has been seen in other countries, assisted suicide will put the lives of the vulnerable at risk.”

In the Easter season, the Catholic bishops of England and Wales will hold a Holy Hour on Sunday 19 April to pray for the promotion of a culture of life.

On 24 February the Senedd in Cardiff voted in favour of allowing assisted dying through the NHS in Wales if the bill goes through the House of Lords at Westminster.

Archbishop of Cardiff-Menevia Mark O’Toole said this vote was “deeply disappointing”: “The situation in other countries shows that the safeguards do not hold up. This is a very sad day for the most vulnerable in Wales.”

Archbishop O’Toole had said before the vote, “As a nation, Wales has always valued compassion, care, and the protection of the vulnerable.

“The proposal before the Senedd, driven by legislation from Westminster, risks eroding those values by suggesting that some lives are less worth living. True compassion means accompanying people in their suffering, not ending their lives.”

Faith leaders from Wales also said in an interfaith statement, “As people of faith, we share a common heritage of caring for the vulnerable, the sick and dying. This is why we believe we must speak up for those who will be most affected by this legislation.

“If this bill is implemented in Wales, many will feel insecure about the future and conclude that they are a burden on loved ones and the health service. Cherishing life means building a society where nobody is seen as a burden.

“We must treasure and value the vulnerable, the sick and the dying among us. Across Wales we need to promote excellent palliative care, including support for the hospice movement. Wales has a long and proud tradition of compassion and of valuing the dignity of every human life.

“True compassion does not mean ending a life. It means accompanying those who suffer, easing their pain, supporting families, and ensuring that no one feels abandoned, a burden, or without worth.”

Bishop Coll: young Catholics seek ‘doctrinal solidity, not adaptability’

While Church debates continue about synodality and reform in preparation for an Irish Synod in October, Bishop Niall Coll of Raphoe has delivered a clear and sometimes firm message: the next generation of Catholics is not looking for endless discussion or progressive experimentation — they are looking for truth.

Speaking to a gathering of over 100 people at Kimmage Manor for the launch of Transformative Renewal in the Catholic Church, by Fr John O’Brien CSSp,  Bishop Coll spoke about what he called the “I-Gen” — young Catholics born from 1995 onward and “Gen-Z”.

Far from demanding doctrinal change, Bishop Coll said this generation is showing signs of renewed seriousness about the faith. “Growing up (since 1995) entirely in a post-Christian, digital, morally fragmented culture they have no inherited memory of Catholic Ireland. Paradoxically, this leads many of them to seek clarity, coherence and tradition. Often converts they are drawn to doctrinal solidity, sacramental depth and continuity with the Church’s tradition. For them the Church lies in truth that is intelligible in body and demanding, not adaptability”, he said.

The Bishop suggested that while synodal conversations often focus on structures and processes, many young Catholics are asking a more basic question: What does the Church actually believe? “Having grown up amid constant choice, information overload and moral ambiguity, they are less interested in conversation and more in formation that produces conviction and confidence.”

In a pointed remark, Bishop Coll observed that the Catholics he encounters are not consumed by progressive agendas. “If you are in a leadership position today, most people you meet are not on fire with progressive questions and it is hard for me to say that to you.”

Instead, he warned that synodality detached from doctrine risks drifting into directionless debate. “And this leads me to propose that synodality, if not anchored in scripture and doctrine risks endless discussion without direction. This highlights one of the most pressing challenges: catechesis and catechist formation. Renewal cannot be sustained without formation.”

He pointed to weak catechesis as a central factor in the Church’s present fragility, warning that many young Catholics now encounter the faith online — often through fragmented and polarised sources — rather than through structured teaching in parishes or schools. “A synodal church requires not only participation but understanding, not only voice but formation. The People of God cannot discern together unless they can articulate what they believe and why.”

Bishop Coll said that the book’s author offered  a framework that seeks to hold tensions together.  “His emphasis on mutual learning with integrity indicates a framework by which the hunger among  i-Gen Catholics for coherence and tradition might be received as a gift to the Church not a problem to be managed.  Synodality must hold together listening and teaching, discernment and authority. The task is not to choose between synodality and tradition but to integrate them.”

And he issued a sober reminder to those expecting quick fixes.  “Renewal will be slow and sometimes uneven. It requires sustained theological clarity and spiritual depth.”

And he concluded: “Transformative Renewal in the Catholic Church offers the Irish Church and indeed the Church in Britain, a welcome, hopeful and realistic vision beyond institutional collapse and I’m delighted to be part of its launch.  Its reception must include serious attention to formation, catechesis and the theological instincts of i-Gen Catholics, while situating ecclesial failure within a wider societal crisis.   The future of Irish Catholicism will depend on whether the Church can become both synodal and coherent: a church that listens deeply, teaches clearly, forms intentionally and bears warm witness in a wounded world.”

Reform UK Party vows to ‘protect Christian heritage,’ save churches from being turned into mosques

Reform UK said it would grant listed status to churches across Britain to prevent their conversion into mosques if the party enters government, setting out a proposal it says would protect the country’s Christian heritage.

Zia Yusuf, the party’s home affairs spokesman plans to present the policy as part of an effort to preserve Christianity as central to Britain’s national identity, The Telegraph reported.

The plan would give immediate listed status to about 40,000 churches, restricting changes that affect their historic character and limiting their ability to be repurposed.

Yusuf, a practicing Muslim, said the move aimed to ensure Christianity remains “core” to Britain’s history and the “DNA of the country.” He linked the proposal to larger concerns about social cohesion and immigration, arguing that rapid demographic change had affected a “high-trust society.”

He was quoted as telling The Times that large numbers of arrivals from “low-trust societies” had contributed to that erosion, adding that the trend was “obviously true.”

Under the proposal, Reform would also create a new planning category for churches that would block their conversion into places of worship for other religions. At present, many places of worship in England fall under the F1 use class, where changes can occur without full planning permission.

The party has said the policy is a response to fears that churches are increasingly being turned into mosques. Yusuf said he had received emails from “anxious residents” raising concerns about the issue, The Times noted. 

Yusuf said the party would “end the incendiary practice of converting churches into mosques or any other places of worship by granting listed status automatically to all churches and prohibiting that.”

There is no official national list of such cases, though around 40 confirmed conversions have been identified in recent years, according to the Telegraph.

Since the late 1960s, only two Church of England churches have been sold directly to another religion for worship, both becoming Sikh gurdwaras, according to The Times, which said most disused churches are instead converted into housing, offices, cafes or taken over by other Christian denominations.

Ben Sims of the National Churches Trust told the newspaper that the idea of granting blanket listed status to churches would “make a mockery of the heritage system," where church authorities already retain significant control over former sites. The CofE has used restrictive covenants in some sales to prevent conversion to non-Christian worship.

In one recent case, the Georgian church of St. John’s in Hanley, Staffordshire, became the focus of a dispute after local planners approved its conversion into a mosque. Church authorities later intervened using a covenant attached when the property was sold in 2009.

Reform UK’s proposal comes against a backdrop of long-term decline in church attendance and building closures.

More than 3,500 churches have shut across the United Kingdom over the past decade, driven by falling congregations and rising repair costs. The National Churches Trust estimates that between 3,000 and 5,000 churches are either closed or used intermittently without a permanent vicar.

Latest figures show Sunday attendance fell from 788,000 in 2013 to 557,000 after the COVID pandemic, with many parishes struggling to rebuild congregations, reports The Telegraph.

Census data shows that religious affiliation in Britain has been shifting. About 46% of the population, or roughly 27.5 million people, identified as Christian in the 2021 census. 

The number of people identifying as Muslim rose by 44% to 3.9 million, while the Hindu population grew by 22% to about one million.

Christian groups 'outraged' at Reform conference held in Church House

A number of Christian groups have spoken of their "shock and disappointment" that Reform UK was allowed to use the Church of England's headquarters for a press conference.

They said the party's immigration policies were opposed to Church beliefs and teachings.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announced his new top team at a press conference in the Assembly Hall at Church House in Westminster last week.

The party said the criticism was "little more than a cheap political stunt".

Church House, whose lettings policy says it does not accept bookings from groups which "promote racial prejudice", said it operated on a commercial basis, and was not part of the Church of England.

Christians for a Welcoming Britain said it was "outraged" that Church House had permitted Reform UK to use the venue, and that it created the impression the Church gave its "blessing" to "hostile policies and divisive rhetoric".

Other organisations and parties - including the Conservatives and Labour - have previously used the venue, as have Reform multiple times.

But it was their latest event, hosted inside the chamber where the Church of England had only the week before held its national assembly, General Synod, which caused the biggest stir.

Christians from the groups Better Story, Christians Against the Far Right and Christians for a Welcoming Britain, have written to Church House to complain.

In his letter, Reverend Keith Brindle, a Church of England priest in Frome, and coordinator of Christians Against the Far Right, wrote that the venue had been "used as a moral backdrop for policies that contradict the very heart of the Christian faith".

He wrote: "Church House has provided a veneer of spiritual legitimacy to Reform's anti-migrant and anti-Muslim politics, and their cynical scapegoating.

"As followers of Jesus, we must refuse to let the architecture of our faith be used to endorse the dehumanisation of our neighbours.

"The Church must be a sanctuary for the displaced, not a platform for their expulsion."

At Reform UK's event, Zia Yusuf was announced as the party's lead on home affairs, with a focus on cutting legal and illegal immigration.

The party has since announced plans to create a "UK Deportation Command", a new agency to carry out mass deportations of illegal migrants.

It was not the first time Church House had come under fire for its use by external organisations.

In late 2020, the venue hosted two boxing fights sponsored by online gambling firm 32Red.

At the time, critics argued that gambling addiction was destructive, and should not be seen to be promoted by the Church.

Campaigners have also previously opposed Royal United Services Institute (Rusi)'s annual Land Warfare Conference being hosted at the venue.

In a statement to the BBC, Church House said it accepted "bookings from organisations that meet our ethical lettings policy, subject to availability".

The policy states that bookings may be denied if "the hirer promotes views which are anathema to the teachings of the Church of England, as may be affirmed by its Synodical or Episcopal statement from time to time, such as groups which promote racial prejudice".

A Reform UK spokesperson told the BBC: "This is little more than a cheap political stunt by a group that is completely out of touch with the British public.

"Poll after poll shows immigration is a top issue for voters. Attempting to shut down debate on a topic close to voters' hearts is both un-Christian and authoritarian."

Psychotherapy helping Welby deal with failure over church abuse

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has told a podcast he has been seeing a psychiatrist and psychotherapist to help him come to terms with his “failure” in handling the Church of England's abuse crises.

He resigned as archbishop in November 2024 following criticism in an independent review of the way he dealt with abuse disclosures about the late Christian barrister John Smyth. Smyth has been described as the Church of England’s most serial abuser after abusing over 100 boys and young men he met at Christian camps in the 1970s and 80s.

The Makin Review into the Church of England’s handling of the case found that the then Archbishop Welby and other church leaders should have formally reported Smyth in 2013 to police in the UK and authorities in South Africa where Smyth was living at the time. Smyth, who evaded justice, is believed to have continued his abuse in South Africa until his death in 2018.

Speaking to Gyles Brandreth’s Rosebud podcast the former archbishop said: "I've been seeing a psychotherapist for a considerable period of time. And a psychiatrist. Very helpful,” adding  “It's not about saying, 'oh, it didn't matter,' or anything like that, quite the reverse – how does one live with such a failure?”

During the interview Welby also repeated his claim that the Makin Review was incomplete because it hadn’t seen crucial evidence that emerged after its publication:

"The initial perception was that we'd not reported it to the police – in fact, it had been reported to the police."   Reviewer Keith Makin has disputed this saying "Bishop Welby carried a personal and a moral responsibility to ensure that he pursued the matter."

Dr Andrew Graystone is an advocate for victims and survivors of abuse and also the author of ‘Bleeding for Jesus’ a book about Smyth’s abuse. He said he hoped the 70 year old's therapists are also helping him “to reflect on the experience of victims of abuse, and what it is about the theology and culture of the church that facilitates abuse and makes the church so resistant to transparency and repair.”

Order which owns Cork's St Augustine's Church describes its closure as 'akin to a death'

The decision to close one of Cork city centre’s best-known Catholic churches has been described by the head of the religious order which owns the building as “akin to a death”.

Parishioners at St Augustine’s Church, which is located at the corner of Washington St and the Grand Parade, were informed on Saturday afternoon that the church will close permanently later this year.

The church is owned and run by the Augustinian friars, with the consent of the diocese of Cork and Ross.

St Augustine’s was built in 1942 on the site of an earlier chapel dating back to 1872. The adjoining priory was built in 1982.

The church’s closure will bring to an end the order’s presence in Cork, which dates back 755 years to the foundation of Red Abbey in the South Parish.

The ruin of the old medieval belfry tower still stands on the site.

Fr Paddy O’Reilly, Vicar Provincial of the Augustinian Order in Ireland, told the congregation at a vigil Mass in the church on Saturday that the decision to withdraw from Cork had been made with “great pain and sadness”.

Fr O’Reilly said that from the mid-1970s the order had witnessed “a slow but accelerating decline in vocations”.

“In the early ‘70s we would have expected at least 12 novices and three to four ordinations every year,” he said.

“Today we would be lucky to have one novice and most years we have no ordinations. We are also getting older and less able.”

 In 2026, the order in Ireland has only 10 friars who are under 70, and more than half of all of its priests are over 80, he said.

Fr O’Reilly said one of the considerations informing the order in its decision to close its Washington St church was the knowledge that “Cork city centre is well-served by Franciscans, Capuchins, Dominicans, and by an abundance of diocesan churches”.

He said the order empathised with, and shared, the pain and loss felt by Cork’s Catholic community, and said the closure was “as though a member of the family has died”.

St Augustine’s will close permanently after 11.30am Mass on Sunday, July 12.

Saturday afternoon’s Mass was well-attended, and Fr O’Reilly’s announcement was met first with silence from the congregation, and then applause.

A spokesperson for the diocese of Cork and Ross said the future of the church is primarily a matter for the order.

Pope Leo XIV visited the Augustinian church in 2005, when he was Bishop Robert Prevost, prior general of the Order of St Augustine, the global head of the order.

In the late 1950s, a very young Rory Gallagher played in the parish hall at the back of the church.

Augustinian shares how Pope Leo fought evil in Peru as new bust unveiled in Chicago

The first commissioned bust of Pope Leo XIV by famed Catholic sculptor Timothy Schmalz was installed in Chicago Feb. 22 at Catholic Theological Union, the graduate theology school where the pope is an alumnus. 

The bust is one of only three Pope Leo sculptures by Schmalz, so far. They are all located in the Americas.

At the Mass at CTU, right before the bronze head and chest of Pope Leo with St. Augustine carved underneath his right shoulder was unveiled, Augustinian Father John Lydon referred to the significance of the sculpture in his homily about Jesus Christ’s three temptations in the desert.

He said, “It is a bust of our present pope, and like his predecessors, we believe he is in that role by the providence of God. And knowing that God is there through it all hopefully calls us forth — as it did to that Augustinian, now pope, in the 1990s, in the face of evil, to do as Jesus did in the Gospel today, to say, ‘Enough. Go.'”

Priest recalls living with Pope Leo, then Father Prevost, in Peru

Father Lydon lived with Pope Leo — who graduated from CTU in 1982, the year he was ordained to the priesthood, with a Master in Divinity — for a decade in Trujillo, Peru’s third largest city on its northern coast. He referred to the challenges he and the pope, then-Father Robert F. Prevost, faced living in a dangerous time for religious missionaries.

He said they had been targeted by a local terrorist group. Although their superiors had originally told them to plan for departure, Father Prevost along with his companions said they would remain with the faithful.

Father Lyndon also described how the parishes where they served got involved in protesting the government’s dictatorship and its human rights abuses with a petition campaign. He said Father Prevost collected the most signatures to give to civil authorities of the country’s institutions that spoke up against the government.

He told those gathered in his homily the one thing he now wanted them to recall as they pass by the bust of that same Augustinian priest and alumnus who is now pope: “To be at the side of the crucified today, to be at the foot of the cross and to know that there resides the real power of life, liberty and happiness is the reason for our hope. May that be our feeling as we pass each day that bust.”

Two busts commissioned by CTU for school and house in Trujillo

Regarding the sculpture’s origins, Schmalz told OSV News that CTU bought “the first bronze cast of the piece I created.”

Tom Brown, chair of CTU’s board of trustees, told OSV News he and other school donors agreed to commission — for an undisclosed amount — one bust for the school and another for the Augustinian formation house in Trujillo, Peru, where the pope once lived and worked. Altogether, Pope Leo served in Peru for about 20 years.

Schmalz said within the week of Pope Leo’s election May 8, 2025, he completed the smiling clay sculpture that would go through the months-long process of being cast in bronze.

“There is this spontaneous joy that’s embedded within the piece,” Schmalz said. “It was hard to calculate how that sculpture would come about, but it just captured at that moment, some sort of hope and joy within the expression that he holds, which I absolutely love.”

The Toronto-area sculptor said a week before Pope Francis passed away, he had just installed “Be Welcoming,” a sculpture based on Hebrews 13:2, at St. Peter’s Square. He said the news of the former pope’s death April 21 “came as a shock”; but then the rapid selection of a new pope by May 8 “was a delight in a sense,” because the cardinals “were inspired to have that intuition very quickly.”

“That’s how I, in a sense, celebrated this new pope,” Schmalz said.

He shared that the Vatican acquired the third sculpture and, in January, placed it in the apostolic nunciature in Washington among papal portraits from throughout the ages.

For 10 years, this Broward priest has battled to feed the homeless. He won’t quit

Every day, twice a day, Father Robert Caudill presides over the soup kitchen at All Saints Catholic Mission. 

Every day, dozens of homeless individuals come to the small church, seeking warm food, showers, clean clothes and kindness. 

And every day, for a decade, the City of Oakland Park, a small municipality north of Fort Lauderdale, has fined Caudill $125 for operating a non-permitted soup kitchen, adding up to a debt of about $500,000. 

He has no intention to pay any of it and no intention to stop feeding the poor. Not until “Jesus calls me home,” he likes to say. 

On a recent afternoon, homeless South Floridians waited patiently in the pews for the priest, known as Father Bob, to wave them up to a window where volunteers hand out trays of chicken, vegetables and donuts. 

A sign next to the window reads: “Religion that doesn’t help isn’t one.”  

All Saints has been locked in a legal battle with Oakland Park since 2016, when Caudill first sued the city over allegedly violating his religious freedom. 

The city argues that All Saints’ soup kitchen operation breaks zoning rules because the city commission rezoned the area in 2014. 

After a decade of back-and-forth, All Saints is still waiting for its judgment day. Caudill’s case did go to trial in January, but city attorneys successfully had the trial dismissed before the jury could deliberate due to a missed deadline. 

On Friday, Peter Mavrick, Caudill’s new attorney, filed a motion to try the case again. An Oakland Park spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit. 

Caudill feels good about his chances if the case goes back to court, but he’s worried about what may happen if a Broward jury doesn’t agree with him. 

Though he has “never been afraid in my life,” Caudill said he is fearful now, waking up at night in a cold sweat at the thought people going hungry if his soup kitchen closes. 

But his attorney told him he feels confident. 

“I have to trust the lawyer and God,” Caudill said. 

A decade of legal drama Shortly after All Saints Catholic Mission opened in 1990, Caudill heard a knock on the window one night. 

A hungry man was there asking for food, so Caudill handed him a Coke and peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The man later brought hungry friends to the church. 

All Saints’ soup kitchen was born. 

All Saints, which is not affiliated with the Archdiocese of Miami, operated its soup kitchen at 3460 Powerline Road until 1995. 

The church expanded its program and moved the soup kitchen to a nearby building, where it operated for 20 years. 

In 2014, the city adopted ordinances to re-zone the area where All Saints’ properties were, creating the Powerline Road Zoning District “to engender redevelopment along the Powerline Road corridor through the implementation of specific regulations,” according to court documents. 

“I used to think, ‘No, people wouldn’t sell us out for 30 pieces of silver. They wouldn’t sell us out for money.’ But no, that’s true,” Caudill said, referencing the payment Judas received for betraying Jesus. “Every time I get something from a friend of mine in the city or people that talk to me from the city, they say, ‘Yeah, it’s development. They want you out. It doesn’t look good. Developers won’t come there.’” 

The rezoning meant All Saints’ 20-year-old soup kitchen was no longer permitted. 

In September 2015, Caudill moved the soup kitchen back to its original location and sold the other building. 

“They had told me I had to stop feeding people, so I said, ‘OK, I’m going to move everything into the church,’” Caudill said. 

But he still wasn’t in the clear. 

The city has been fining him ever since. 

Caudill first sued the City of Oakland Park in June 2016, alleging that the city’s fines and efforts to shutter the soup kitchen violated his and the church’s religious freedom under the Florida Religious Freedom Restoration Act. 

The original complaint was dismissed, so he filed again. That complaint was also dismissed. And so he filed again. 

Court documents over the years reveal elements of both sides’ arguments. 

An amended complaint Caudill filed in 2019 argues that his church feeds the poor and homeless “in the exercise in his firmly held religious convictions and in compliance with the express dictates of the Holy Bible.” 

The complaint includes a chapter from the Bible from Deuteronomy 15:7-11: “You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the need and to the poor, in your land.” 

The city fired back in its motion to dismiss, arguing that is not part of Caudill’s religion to feed the homeless: “While it may be inconvenient for the plaintiffs to have to move their soup kitchen to another property, it does not present a substantial burden on the exercise of religion under FRFRA as a soup kitchen may be operated elsewhere in the city, or other methods of feeding the poor and homeless may be utilized as to not violate the city’s zoning ordnance i.e. donating to a food bank or another soup kitchen.” 

The lawyer who was originally handling Caudill’s case dropped out due to illness. 

After hearing about Caudill’s struggle to find a new lawyer, Mavrick offered his services pro bono in August. 

“This guy called me out of the blue,” Caudill said. “That has to be the hand of God, right?” 

Mavrick said he had donated to Caudill’s soup kitchen in the past and admired how much Caudill cares about the homeless, a population most people either treat poorly or ignore entirely. 

“I do have a strong faith, but I did not do this type of work,” Mavrick said. “But I felt badly they’re screwing over these people.” 

Jumping into Caudill’s 10-year-old case has been complicated. It’s unusual for a case like this to have dragged on for so long, Mavrick said, but that appears to be due to the previous lawyer’s health. 

The case did finally go to trial in front of a jury in January, but city attorneys argued that Caudill’s previous lawyer never appealed the results of a 2016 administrative hearing in which a special master decided that All Saints violated city ordinances. 

The judge agreed, and the trial was thrown out, Mavrick said. 

But, Mavrick said, it’s still not over.

If a judge approves the motion filed on Friday, the case will go back to court. If not, Mavrick said he’ll appeal. 

“That’s the hand I’m dealt,” Mavrick said. “I’m not going to give up.” 

‘The true spirit of Jesus’ 

Caudill’s calling to feed the poor came from childhood in Oklahoma. His family had a home in a Cherokee Nation town. 

The local parish was very poor, Caudill remembered, and the church itself was just one large room, similar to his own church today.

The priest there would hold mass and then feed people. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, this is the true spirit of Jesus,’” Caudill said. “He wasn’t in a synagogue all day. He was out with the poor and helping people and healing them.” 

Church attendees are familiar with Caudill’s fight with the city. 

A television by the front door next to a statue of the Virgin Mary plays clips of Caudill’s past TV interviews about the lawsuit. 

Ahrea Kellerman and her husband, who usually come to the church once a day to eat, said they couldn’t disagree more with the city’s efforts. “They’re good people. They’re trying to do the right thing,” Kellerman said. “They’re helping people who can’t help themselves.” 

Bill Ledger, who came to the church a recent afternoon for lunch, said the church has provided him with a lot more than just a warm meal. 

He got a clean new shirt, socks and a place to temporarily park his car to sleep safely at night. 

He shared some extra chicken he got from the church with his dogs Scrappy and Scavenger. 

The city’s fines baffled him. 

“I just don’t understand why they’d want to shut that down. It makes no damn sense,” Ledger said. “I think they don’t understand he’s giving hand ups, not hand outs.”