St. Andrew Catholic Church

The original face of Our Lady of Hope of Macarena. / Credit: Emilio Sáenz/Macarena Brotherhood

Madrid, Spain, Jun 25, 2025 / 10:54 am (CNA).

The recent changes made to the expression on the face of the iconic image of Our Lady of Hope of Macarena, a popular Spanish devotion, has sparked a wave of reactions among those who consider her an essential part of their faith.

The main focus of discontent has centered on the Virgin’s expression, as the addition of false eyelashes and other changes during recent conservation work visibly altered her expression, causing a negative reaction from numerous devotees who said they no longer recognized “their Virgin.”

“That is not my Virgin, it’s not the image we have venerated for generations,” is how many of the faithful have expressed their bewilderment in recent days at Our Lady of Hope of Macarena Basilica in Seville Spain, where the image known as the “Virgin of Macarena” is kept.

The statue was removed from public veneration for five days to undergo the conservation work and was returned to public view on June 21. The first change to the eyes was followed by another touch-up that same afternoon, and a third that evening, when the eyelashes were reduced, the eyebrows were retouched, and the complexion was darkened.

These modifications to one of the most emblematic images of Holy Week in Seville has led to a torrent of reactions, many of them expressing criticism and surprise — some with tears — flooding social media, and there have even been protests at the basilica.

“The Virgin remains sad; she seems tired, her eyes speak for themselves,” said one post on X. Something has happened, and her expression has changed. Sad to see what has happened. Her children and Seville are demanding an explanation. It will come.”

Another post compared photos of the image from 2016, 2022, and on June 23:

Confusion and outrage among devotees

The restoration of the image has sparked a heated controversy among the Andalusian faithful and devotees.

“A very noticeable change for the worse in the characteristic expression of Our Lady of Hope,” another social media post stated. “I hope I’m mistaken, but knowing the repercussions of making changes to the image of the Macarena, it falls far short of what one would expect.” 

Another poster compared the Virgin of Hope Macarena of Seville image from one day to the next, asking: “Did the confraternity need this?”

Hundreds of faithful gathered the afternoon of June 23 around the basilica, which gives its name to the Macarena neighborhood, to protest the changes made to the statue.

The archbishop of Seville, José Ángel Saiz Meneses, spoke out regarding the incident. Early on the morning of June 24, he stated on X that “to err is human, to forgive is divine, to rectify is wise.”

“Our Lady of Hope Macarena wants us to be united, as brothers and sisters, as her children, looking to the future, walking in truth and goodness,” the prelate said.

Apology for ‘moral and devotional damage’

The controversy has led two top officials of the governing board of the Brotherhood of the Macarena to resign. In Spain, brotherhoods, also known as confraternities, are organizations that care for as well as carry in procession sacred images during Holy Week.

Following an emergency meeting, the Brotherhood of the Macarena issued an official statement on June 24 in which it apologized to “all members of the brotherhood and devotees for any moral and devotional damage that may have been caused by the decisions taken following the conservation and maintenance work carried out” on the Virgin of Macarena.

The organization noted that the conservation work was entrusted to Francisco Arquillo Torres, who has been doing this work since 1978. They also explained that the eyelashes were applied “moments before dressing her,” so “it’s possible that they shifted, closing part of her eyes because the adhesive was not completely dry.”

Given the confusion of the devotees and “the persistence of this unwanted aesthetic effect,” the statement said that Arquillo himself came to the basilica on June 21 with other experts to “analyze a possible solution,” making changes again that same afternoon and later that evening.

In order to restore the aesthetic appearance of the Virgin of Hope, the brotherhood has announced its decision to consult with other “renowned” specialists to analyze the situation and “act accordingly.”

The governing board has also approved the Andalusian Institute of Historical Heritage to carry out the technical supervision of the revision.

Once the entire process is completed, an extraordinary general council will be convened to determine any measures to be adopted based on the results.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims at the Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Jun 25, 2025 / 07:15 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday addressed what he called the “fatigue of living” as one of the ailments afflicting modern society, and he urged the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square to face reality with the grace of Jesus.

“A very widespread ailment of our time is the fatigue of living: Reality seems to us to be too complex, burdensome, difficult to face,” the pope said at his final Wednesday general audience before summer break, when he is expected to reduce his schedule and public engagements for all of July.

“And so we switch off, we fall asleep, in the delusion that, upon waking, things will be different. But reality has to be faced, and together with Jesus, we can do it well,” the pope said.

The pontiff continued his cycle of catechesis on hope, focusing on the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ miraculous healings. He highlighted two specific miracles as “signs of hope”: the healing of Jairus’ daughter — Jairus being a synagogue leader who humbly begged Jesus to save his dying daughter — and the healing of the anonymous woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years. 

To illustrate his point, Leo recalled how Jairus, upon being told that his daughter had died and not to bother the master anymore, still held onto his faith and continued to hope. 

The Gospel of Mark tells how Jesus said, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” and the child got up and began to walk. For the pope, this gesture by Jesus shows that he “not only heals every disease but also awakens from death.”

“Because for God, who is eternal life, bodily death is like sleep. The real death is the death of the soul — and that is what we should truly fear,” he added.

The pope also praised the great courage of the bleeding woman, who — despite being condemned to remain hidden and isolated — approached Jesus.

“At times, we too can be victims of the judgment of others, who presume to put a robe on us that is not our own. And then we suffer and cannot come out of it,” he said.

Leo emphasized the woman’s faith: “This woman, silent and anonymous, conquers her fears, touches the heart of Jesus with her hands, considered unclean because of her illness,” he told the thousands of pilgrims gathered in the square on Wednesday despite the scorching temperatures. 

“Every time we perform an act of faith addressed to Jesus, contact is established with him, and immediately his grace comes out from him,” he said.

Leo lamented that many people merely skim the surface of faith in Jesus “without truly believing in his power” while their hearts are elsewhere. Yet, he pointed out, “in a secret and real way,” grace reaches us and slowly transforms life from within.

Before beginning the catechesis, Pope Leo XIV greeted pilgrims for half an hour and blessed many infants.

He then issued a challenge: “When our children are in crisis and need spiritual nourishment, do we know how to give it to them? And how can we, if we ourselves are not nourished by the Gospel?”

He concluded with a powerful reminder: “In life there are moments of disappointment and discouragement, and there is also the experience of death. Let us learn from that woman, from that father: Let us go to Jesus. He can heal us, he can revive us. He is our hope!” 

Wednesday’s general audience began half an hour earlier than usual due to the pope’s busy schedule, which included delivering a catechesis to bishops and meeting with a group of seminarians from northern Italy.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Mourners gather at the Church of the Holy Cross in Qassaa, Damascus, on June 24, 2025, around white caskets of some of the worshippers who lost their lives in a terrorist attack at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Syria’s capital on Sunday, June 22, 2025. / Credit: Mohammad Al-Rifai/ACI MENA

ACI MENA, Jun 25, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

In a scene marked by deep sorrow and righteous anger, churches across Syria held funeral services for the victims of the suicide bombing that targeted St. Elias Church in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Sunday. The attack claimed the lives of 25 people and left dozens injured.

The main funeral service for the majority of the victims took place at noon on June 24 at the Church of the Holy Cross in the Qassaa district of Damascus. It was presided over by Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi, with Melkite Catholic Patriarch Youssef Absi and Syrian Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Youssef III Younan also in attendance, alongside numerous bishops, priests, and a large crowd from various denominations.

In his homily before the funeral prayers, Yazigi condemned the attack as a “heinous massacre,” stressing that “the prayer we lift today is not an ordinary funeral prayer but the special resurrection prayer we usually offer on Easter — because today is a day of resurrection.” 

He added: “This crime is the first of its kind in Damascus since 1860. We will not allow anyone to sow sectarian strife; Syrians are all committed to national unity. It is unfortunate that no government officials, aside from Minister Hind Kabawat [a Christian], came to the site of the attack.”

Following the funeral liturgy, the coffins were taken to St. Elias Church, the site of the bombing, for a special prayer before being buried in the Christian cemetery.

Later in the afternoon, the Vatican Press Office released a statement expressing that Pope Leo XIV was “deeply saddened by the attack.” The Holy Father extended his heartfelt solidarity with all those affected by the tragedy, assuring prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased, healing for the wounded, and divine consolation and peace for their families.

Christian outrage at official silence

The funeral services coincided with Masses offered for the repose of the victims and the recovery of the injured. Several Christian and civil society groups also organized prayer vigils and demonstrations in Christian neighborhoods, where participants chanted: “Christians do not fear death, for after death comes resurrection.”

However, amid these displays of faith and resilience, Syrian Christians have expressed mounting frustration at the government’s failure to declare a national mourning period, lower the flags, or refer to the victims as “martyrs” in official or media statements. Many view this as a grave injustice, feeling that the blood of Christian victims was not being honored equally.

In a poignant public message, Metropolitan Ephrem Maalouli of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo and Alexandretta addressed President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying: “We had hoped to hear from you, Mr. President, words of healing — words that would reach every free Syrian home and comfort every Christian ear. Words that would honor the martyrs, console the bereaved, and tend the wounds of those in hospital beds. Words that show us that the leader of free Syria stands equally with all components of its people.”

Similarly, Bishop Elias Dabbagh, Melkite Greek Catholic bishop of Bosra, Hauran, and Mount Druze, criticized the Syrian minister of information, stating: “We will not accept condolences that do not mention the word ‘martyrs.’ Those who died in this criminal bombing are martyrs — whether people like it or not.”

Several Christian journalists and activists argued that the government and state media’s reluctance to use words like “martyr” or “mercy” stemmed from ideological sensitivities and fear of alienating certain supporters.

In a phone call from Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa to Bishop Romanos al-Hanata offering condolences, the bishop requested the president visit the church to personally comfort the families. Sharaa reportedly responded: “I will come to you as soon as possible.”

To this, Patriarch Yazigi responded: “With love, respect, and appreciation, Your Excellency, we thank you for the phone call — but it is not enough. What happened was too great for words alone.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations at the U.S. Capitol on June 23, 2025, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 24, 2025 / 18:07 pm (CNA).

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed this week that there is an “ongoing investigation” into the deaths of “the D.C. Five,” the five late-term aborted babies recovered from a Washington, D.C., abortion clinic three years ago.

During a June 23 House budget hearing for the Department of Justice, West Virginia Rep. Riley Moore noted that, in 2022, the D.C. Metropolitan Police “recovered the remains of five unborn children, apparently from a D.C. abortion mill, which appeared to be the victims … of a brutal partial-birth abortion.”

Moore asked Bondi — who was at the hearing to present the White House’s Department of Justice budget — if the government would “commit to working with me and this committee to conduct a full and fair investigation into the deaths of these children to ensure justice is served for the D.C. Five?”

Bondi confirmed that the controversy is “an ongoing investigation,” adding that she “cannot discuss that in this forum.”

“The D.C. Five” were found at the home of Catholic convert and pro-life activist Lauren Handy. The group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising said it obtained the remains from reported whistleblowers who thought the killings may have violated federal laws against partial-birth abortion and infanticide.

Activists said the remains were from the Washington Surgi-Clinic, an abortion center in northwest D.C. operated by late-term abortionist Cesare Santangelo.

Following the discovery of the babies, pro-life House members and U.S. senators demanded autopsies to investigate if any of the abortions were performed after the babies were partially born, which would have violated the Partial-Birth Abortion Act and the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act.

“Public reporting suggests that President Biden’s [Department of Justice] directed the D.C. chief medical examiner to destroy the remains of the children without performing an autopsy, which the [examiner] appears not to have done yet,” Moore said at the Monday hearing.

Though President Joe Biden’s DOJ did not apparently investigate “the D.C. Five” case, it did prosecute multiple pro-life activists under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Lauren Handy was one of the prosecuted activists and was charged for her role in a protest at an abortion clinic. 

She was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison until President Donald Trump pardoned her and 22 other pro-life activists in January. 

Although Bondi declined to share details about the open investigation, she noted that the “woman who retrieved those five fetuses was convicted and she was pardoned by President Trump, and they were basically unborn babies, is what is alleged … but I can’t discuss it any further.

The exchange between Moore and Bondi follows a May letter sent to interim Washington U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro by a coalition of nine pro-life organizations led by Advancing American Freedom. The letter urged Pirro to investigate the suspected infanticide of the D.C. Five.

The work of Association Meter, an organization that combats online pedophilia, was featured on “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.” / Credit: “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly”/Screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 24, 2025 / 17:37 pm (CNA).

Research from the Association Meter, an Italian-based organization run by Father Fortunato Di Noto that operates the World Observatory Against Pedophilia, has found that online pedophilic videos tripled over the last year, rising from from 651,527 in 2023 to 2,085,447 in 2024.

Moreover, in its annual report for 2024, Association Meter identified over 8,000 links to pedophilic content, with U.S.-based servers hosting half the links.

“A reported link can lead to a single video or photo file, but also to mega-archives containing thousands of child pornography files,” the report indicated. “These links are often distributed via chats or group.”

In an interview with “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly,” Di Noto said “the seriousness of the problem has not been grasped.”

Association Meter identified and reported on 410 groups on social media, including 336 Signal groups and 51 Facebook pages, among others, that share illicit materials. 

Signal is a U.S.-based encrypted messaging app that keeps conversations secure. As Di Noto sees it, “Signal has become an accomplice to evil.”

“The current configuration of encrypted platforms prevents law enforcement from identifying those responsible and therefore hinders justice for victims. An urgent dialogue with digital platforms is needed to find technical and regulatory solutions that ensure both security of personal communications and protection of children from online abuse,” the report asserts.

According to the organization’s analysis of child pornography material found online, the 8- to 12-year-old age group is the most requested, with 1,589,332 minors photographed and 1,678,478 minors filmed on video. The 3- to 7-year-old age group follows, with 404,589 photos and 405,748 videos.

Association Meter also found that technology advancements in AI are increasing demand for child pornography. “Although some contents generated by AI can be considered fakes, they still represent a serious danger because they fuel criminal networks that are already complex to monitor; they objectify minors, contributing to the normalization of abuse; [and] they increase the demand for child pornography content, pushing exploiters to commit real abuses.”

Last month, Association Meter posted a report finding that pedophiles are also starting to create minors with AI. “[Pedophiles] use tools based on artificial intelligence to generate deepfake images of minors, with the aim of virtually ‘undressing’ them.”

In May 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice arrested a Wisconsin resident for the distribution, possession, and production of AI sexually explicit content of minors.

Addressing that case and the growing problem of AI-generated child pornography, the St. Thomas Law Review also published a policy paper last fall titled “Crafting New Boundaries,” which recommended updating existing laws and introducing new statutes to ban AI-generated sexually explicit content that represents minors.

This year’s report also warned about online video games, stating that “there is a growing risk of solicitation: Phone contacts are requested by pedophiles to move the conversation from the video game to a private dimension and requests for nude photos or attempts to establish emotional relationships with vulnerable minors.”

Mass at a cathedral in Nagasaki, Japan, after the U.S. dropped a nuclear weapon on the city in August of 1945. The Japanese bishops asked for international nuclear disarmament in a June 20, 2025, letter. / Credit: Nagasaki City Office (長崎市役所), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 24, 2025 / 17:07 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan, as “the only bishops from a country to have suffered atomic bombings in war,” is urging the international community to abolish nuclear weapons once and for all in 2025.

“As we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II,” the bishops wrote in a June 20 statement, “[we] carry deeply engraved in our hearts the heavy history and pain that atomic bomb survivors and citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have suffered, and hereby declare our strong commitment to the abolition of nuclear weapons.”

Hiroshima is the site of the world’s first atomic attack on Aug. 6, 1945, while Nagasaki was bombed three days later. The bombings resulted in the estimated deaths of 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 74,000 people in Nagasaki by the end of 1945 alone.

In the years that followed, many of the survivors in Japan faced leukemia, cancers, and other terrible side effects from radiation, according to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

In their “Declaration on the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons 2025,” the bishops of Japan pledged their commitment to “convey the reality of the atomic bombings to the world and declare the inhumanity of nuclear weapons” as well as to “stand in solidarity with domestic and international movements for the abolition of nuclear weapons and promote actions to achieve this goal.”

The statement came amid rising tensions in the Middle East over Iran’s growing nuclear capabilities.

Two days after the statement’s release, the U.S. carried out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, with President Donald Trump announcing that the strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear sites with bunker-busting bombs.

A ceasefire has since been reached between Israel and Iran, though the terms of the deal remain unclear and reports of initial violations have raised concerns over whether it will be possible to resolve the conflict in the near future.

“The existence of nuclear weapons is a serious threat to all life, as it degrades the dignity of human beings and the world that God created to be very good,” the bishops wrote, urging the international community to remember the lives lost during the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. 

“This tragedy must not be repeated,” they said. 

The bishops pointed out that many still suffer the aftereffects of the bombings and that the environmental destruction caused by the explosions has continued to have “an enormous negative impact on global ecosystems.” 

The bishops further slammed nuclear deterrence as an “ineffective” tactic. 

“The concept of nuclear deterrence is not only an ineffective means of resolving conflicts, but it also plunges the world into a ‘security dilemma’ that in reality pushes the world toward the brink of nuclear war. We cannot tolerate this kind of thinking,” they wrote.

“The use of nuclear weapons as a means of intimidation in any conflict situation should never be tolerated under international law and norms,” they adding, stating: “As followers of the Gospel of Christ, we strongly urge the complete abolition of nuclear weapons in order to achieve peace through dialogue and to protect the life and dignity of all people.”

The pontiff warned of the risk of a superficial spiritual life “in an age of hyperconnectivity” in which it becomes increasingly “difficult to experience silence and solitude,” emphasizing that without an encounter with God, “we cannot even truly know ourselves.” / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jun 24, 2025 / 16:37 pm (CNA).

On June 24, Pope Leo XIV urged hundreds of seminarians from around the world to bear witness to the “tenderness” and “mercy” of Christ in a “world where ingratitude and the thirst for power often prevail.”

He also asked that formation centers for future priests be “a school of affectivity” that teaches them to love as Jesus did.

“The seminary, whatever its form, should be a school of affectivity. Today, in particular, in a social and cultural context marked by conflict and narcissism, we need to learn to love and do so like Jesus,” the pontiff stated on June 24 in the catechesis he gave during his first official meeting with seminarians from the five continents.

As he entered St. Peter’s Basilica, where the encounter took place as part of the Jubilee of Seminarians, Bishops, and Priests, the pope was greeted with enthusiastic applause, and his address was interrupted several times by the seminarians chanting “Pope Leo!”

He even spoke a few words spontaneously in Spanish during the encounter with the future priests, who traveled to Rome this week to participate in the 2025 Jubilee Year.

“I’ll also say a few words in Spanish. Thank you for having courageously accepted the Lord’s invitation to continue being a disciple, to be courageous, to enter the seminary. And do not be afraid,” he said.

The Holy Father exhorted the seminarians to embrace “the sentiments of Christ, to grow in human maturity, especially affective and relational,” and to reject “all masks and hypocrisy.”

Don’t hide your limitations

“With our gaze fixed on Jesus, we must also learn to give a name and a voice to sadness, fear, anguish, and indignation, bringing it all into our relationship with God. Crises, limitations, and weaknesses must not be hidden but rather are occasions of grace and paschal experience,” he counseled.

The pope told the seminarians that the center of every journey of discernment must be the heart, although at times “it can be frightening, because there are also wounds there.”

“Don’t be afraid to care for them, allow yourselves to be helped, because precisely from these wounds will be born the capacity to be close to those who suffer. Without an interior life, a spiritual life is not possible, because God speaks to us precisely there, in the heart,” he emphasized.

The pontiff said that just as Christ loved with a human heart, priests “are called to love with the heart of Christ,” noting that the path toward this configuration with Jesus involves cultivating interiority, prayer, and discernment.

In this regard, he emphasized that they must “learn to recognize the movements of the heart.”

“Not only the quick and immediate emotions characteristic of young people, but above all your sentiments, which help you discover the direction of your life. If you learn to know your heart, you will become increasingly authentic and will no longer need to wear masks,” he added.

He also made it clear that the privileged path to interiority is “prayer.” 

The pontiff warned of the risk of a superficial spiritual life “in an age of hyperconnectivity” in which it becomes increasingly “difficult to experience silence and solitude,” emphasizing that without an encounter with God, “we cannot even truly know ourselves.”

The cry of the poor and oppressed

The Holy Father also asked the seminarians to listen, as Jesus did, to “the often silent cry of the little ones, the poor and the oppressed, and of so many — especially young people — who are searching for meaning in their lives.”

“Nothing of you must be discarded, but everything must be embraced and transformed into the logic of the grain of wheat, so that you may become happy persons and priests, bridges, not obstacles, to the encounter with Christ of those who approach you.”

He also acknowledged that today, engaging in “the fascinating adventure of the priestly vocation” is “not at all easy” and praised their decision to “become gentle and strong heralds of the Word that saves, servants of a Church that is open and has a missionary outreach.”

Witnesses of hope

“The wisdom of Mother Church always seeks the most appropriate forms for the formation of ordained ministers,” the pope noted, but he emphasized that this mission cannot be fulfilled without the active involvement of the seminarians themselves.

“Today you are not just pilgrims but witnesses of hope,” he told them, encouraging them to allow themselves to be molded by the Holy Spirit and to practice a lifestyle marked by “gratitude, tenderness, and mercy.”

On several occasions, Leo XIV took up the image of the heart of Jesus as a symbol of the priesthood according to God and quoted in this regard Pope Francis’ last encyclical, Dilexit Nos: “The heart of Christ is animated by immense compassion: He is the Good Samaritan of humanity.”

Pope Leo concluded by pointing out that seminarians must learn to “feed” the people of God, not only with words but also with the dedication of their own lives.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta. / Credit: Thomson200, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Jun 24, 2025 / 16:17 pm (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Atlanta and Emory Healthcare have announced a new sponsorship agreement that will preserve the Catholic identity and mission of Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital. 

Atlanta’s first hospital, founded in 1880 by the Sisters of Mercy, Emory Saint Joseph’s will continue to operate as a Catholic-sponsored institution committed to serve all people, particularly the most vulnerable, under the guidance of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.

Atlanta Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv, celebrated a mid-morning Mass of Thanksgiving in the hospital’s auditorium on June 23 in recognition of the agreement, which underscores a shared vision to uphold the hospital’s legacy of integrating science, faith, and mercy.

Heather Dexter, president of the Emory Healthcare Regional Hospital Division, emphasized the significance of the partnership: “This sponsorship ensures adherence to Catholic ethical directives, preserves robust chaplaincy services, and continues community outreach rooted in Gospel values. Emory Saint Joseph’s will remain a place where medicine and mercy walk hand in hand.”

Hartmayer expressed gratitude to the Sisters of Mercy for their 145 years of service, recognizing their enduring legacy.

“The archdiocese is honored to continue the mission they began. Emory Healthcare’s leadership in health care makes this partnership a promising step for our community,” he said in his homily. 

The Mass, concelebrated by hospital priest chaplain Father Patrick Scully, former chaplain Father Steve Yander, and Father Gerardo Ceballos Gonzalez, was attended by hospital staff, volunteers, and Sisters of Mercy Peggy Fannon and Jane Gerety.

In his homily, Hartmayer reflected on the hospital’s role in serving those burdened by illness and fear.

“Within these walls, we encounter the suffering daily. Nurses, doctors, chaplains, and families embody Christ’s compassion, offering healing, and hope,” he said, drawing parallels to the disciples sent to serve the afflicted.

Gerety, chief mission officer of Mercy Care, spoke after Mass, expressing confidence in the continuity of the hospital’s mission.

“The sponsorship links us to the Church’s values of compassion and outreach to the vulnerable,” she said.

As the Sisters of Mercy transition their apostolate to Mercy Care, the hospital’s staff and leadership remain committed to the Mercy identity — compassionate care for the whole person, especially the most vulnerable, she said.

“Mercy isn’t something we overlay; it’s what we do,” Gerety affirmed, highlighting the hospital’s enduring dedication to Jesus’ teaching to love one’s neighbor.

Of the transition, she said she did not expect the new sponsorship would change the feel of the institution. “The spirit and culture brought by the Sisters of Mercy remain alive. This agreement ensures decisions are made through the lens of love and compassion,” she said.

The historic hospital is a 410-bed acute-care facility, serving 126,000 outpatients and 17,500 inpatients annually. Recognized as a Magnet-designated hospital since 1995, it has ranked as the No. 2 hospital in Georgia and metro Atlanta by “U.S. News and World Report” for eight consecutive years. 

Emory Saint Joseph’s, one of the Southeast’s top specialty-referral hospitals, is also a cutting-edge training center for robotic cardiothoracic surgery and home to Georgia’s only American Heart Association Mitral Valve Reference Center.

The scene outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., after the court released its decision in the Dobbs abortion case on June 24, 2022. / Credit: Katie Yoder/CNA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 24, 2025 / 15:47 pm (CNA).

Three years after the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs decision, American Catholic bishops are celebrating the anniversary of the pro-life victory but also reminding the faithful that more work is needed to foster a culture of life.

“Despite the good that Dobbs decision accomplished, the battle for life is far from over,” Bishop Daniel Thomas, the chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-life Activities, said in a June 24 statement.

“I urge all Catholics to engage their elected officials on all issues that threaten the gift of human life, in particular the threat of abortion,” Thomas said.

Thomas noted that the Supreme Court’s decision on June 24, 2022, “ended nearly 50 years of virtually unlimited, nationwide abortion,” adding that “hope had never been lost in God’s power to right that wrong and accomplish what the world believed to be impossible.”

From 1973 until 2022, the Supreme Court recognized a constitutional right to obtain an abortion and prevented states from enacting pro-life protections for the unborn. Overturning that decision now allows both the states — and the federal government — to restrict or even prohibit abortion through legislation.

Thomas wrote that the decision also “paved the way for pro-life victories nationally,” pointing out that Congress is currently considering language in the budget bill to end federal Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements for Planned Parenthood and “other organizations whose abortion profiteering harms women and babies.”

As the Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of Hope throughout 2025, the bishop reminded Catholic parishes to continue efforts that “welcome, embrace, and accompany women facing unexpected or challenging pregnancies” and to share “Christ’s message of mercy with all who are suffering in the aftermath of an abortion.” He referenced two initiatives: Walking with Moms in Need and Project Rachel.

“As we move forward in hope, may we be united in our efforts to protect God’s gift of life, in every stage and circumstance,” Thomas concluded.

Arlington, Virginia, Bishop Michael Burbidge — a consultant to the USCCB’s pro-life committee and its former chair — in a June 24 statement similarly celebrated the anniversary as a “deliverance from the injustice” of Roe but also cautioned that “the tragic effects of Roe remain.”

“Abortion and other violations of human dignity continue to threaten the sanctity of life of millions of our brothers and sisters,” Burbidge said. “We pray and work for the day that American law truly upholds equal justice for all, which includes equal protection of the law for every member of the human family.”

Several states have adopted amendments to their state constitutions to establish a right to abortion after the Supreme Court decision, and there is currently an effort in Virginia to do the same.

“All Catholics in the Diocese of Arlington and others of goodwill are morally responsible for peaceful advocacy, virtuous political engagement, and fervent prayer that may save our Commonwealth from the social injustice of abortion,” Burbidge said. “If abortion is ever enshrined in Virginia’s constitution, we must humbly ask God for the courage, prudence, and wisdom necessary to overcome such an injustice by his amazing grace.”

Pro-life battles ahead

In the three years since Dobbs, 12 states have enacted laws prohibiting nearly all abortions and another seven states have put restrictions on abortion, outlawing the procedure at an earlier stage in pregnancy than Roe allowed.

Alternatively, some states have eased rules about abortion, with nearly a dozen adopting amendments to their state constitutions establishing a legal right to abortion. 

House and Senate Democrats held news conferences on the third anniversary of the Dobbs decision to convey their support for legislation that would legalize abortion nationwide and override state-level pro-life laws. Previous federal legislative efforts have been unsuccessful amid Republican opposition.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said during a news conference that “today marks a grim anniversary” and said Senate Democrats “will continue to stand together and fight back against Republicans in every single way” with efforts to legalize abortion nationwide and halt efforts to strip funding from Planned Parenthood.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries similarly called the 2022 decision “one of the most unconscionable and un-American decisions in the history of the United States of America” and said House Democrats “are here to fight back” with legislation to legalize abortion nationwide and other efforts.

Many pro-life organizations remain active on the state and federal level as these legislative battles over abortion continue. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA), a national pro-life organization, held a news conference the day before the anniversary to discuss the ongoing efforts. 

“If you’d been living a couple of decades ago, you would never have predicted that anything close would come to where we sit right now, celebrating the overturn of Roe and the potential defunding of Planned Parenthood and the rest of the big abortion lobby,” SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser said during the news conference on June 23.

Dannenfelser highlighted many of the state-level wins but noted that most states still allow abortion until the point of viability and several states permit abortion until the moment of birth for any reason. She said SBA field teams are supporting pro-life candidates in several swing states for the midterm elections.

“A human rights movement needs teeth,” Dannenfelser added. “It needs ground game. It needs to win elections.”

Over 3,000 Catholics filled the streets of Portland, Oregon, on Sunday, June 22, 2025, for a major Eucharistic procession led by Archbishop Alexander Sample. / Credit: Dylan Encarnacion

Portland, Ore., Jun 24, 2025 / 15:17 pm (CNA).

Over 3,000 Catholics filled the streets of Portland, Oregon, on Sunday for a Eucharistic procession led by Archbishop Alexander Sample.

To encourage broad participation from clergy and the faithful across the archdiocese, a special Mass was offered at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The Mass was added to the regular Sunday Mass schedule to allow more local Catholics to participate in the procession after attending their own parish Masses. The procession through the streets followed immediately afterward.

Confessions were also offered from 1 to 3 p.m. in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. By noon, hundreds were already lined up, well before the scheduled start time. Though not part of the formal schedule, over a thousand of the faithful gathered in prayer inside the cathedral after the final Benediction.

St. Mary’s Cathedral is designated as a local pilgrimage site for the 2025 Jubilee Year, and this event was structured to allow the faithful to receive a full plenary indulgence by fulfilling all the necessary conditions in a single day.

In his homily at the Mass, Sample framed the day as a turning point for the archdiocese. 

“The Eucharist has to be at the forefront and center of evangelization and mission renewal. To see you all here today fills my heart with hope for the future. So many people see the Pacific Northwest as a center of darkness. I wish they could see this. I wish the Church across the United States could see this. I wish Pope Leo could see this,” the archbishop said.

“God is on the move here in western Oregon. The Holy Spirit is igniting a fire, and you’re all part of that. I predict that today is a turning point for the renewal of Christ’s mission in western Oregon.”

As the Blessed Sacrament was brought out after Mass, the cathedral’s bell tower rang out across the city. The sound could be heard up to a mile away and marked the beginning of the procession. Forty minutes later, the bells rang again to welcome the return of the faithful and the Eucharistic Lord.

This marked the first time the city of Portland has permitted a public Catholic procession through the main streets of downtown in several decades.

The crowd was striking in both size and diversity. More than half of the attendees came from Latino, Asian, and African communities.There was also a strong representation of more recent Catholic communities in the archdiocese such as Burmese and Swahili-speaking Catholics.

Hymns were sung in Latin, English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and more. At its full length, the procession filled four city blocks, moving through the Pearl District and drawing the attention of many onlookers who paused to watch in amazement and ask what was happening.

Many bystanders were visibly moved. Some knelt and prayed along the sidewalks, a powerful sign that the Holy Spirit is at work in a city often labeled secular or indifferent to faith.

“The Holy Spirit has chosen Portland, and he is doing something great here,” Sample said earlier this year at the archdiocese’s chrism Mass.

Joining the archbishop were more than 20 priests, eight deacons, over 100 altar servers and seminarians, 50 religious brothers and sisters, the Knights of Columbus, and the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher.

The event concluded with solemn Benediction on the cathedral steps, with the faithful filling the surrounding four blocks.

Visibly moved, the archbishop turned to the crowd and said, “Wow, this is amazing. What more can I say?” Then he exclaimed, “Viva!” and more than a thousand Latino Catholics joyfully responded, “Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!“)

The atmosphere throughout the event was filled with joy and reverence. People smiled and sang along the route, and at the conclusion, the crowd burst into applause along with local onlookers. Several attendees expressed their hope that this grand Eucharistic procession might become an annual tradition in Portland.