St. Andrew Catholic Church

Pope Leo XIV prays the Regina Caeli from the window of the Apostolic Palace for the first time on May 25, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, May 25, 2025 / 09:10 am (CNA).

In his first Regina Caeli from the window of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV thanked the faithful for the affection they have shown him while also asking them — as his predecessor Francis often did — to pray for him. 

“Just a few days ago, I began my ministry among you, and above all, I wish to thank you for the affection you are showing me; at the same time, I ask you to sustain me with your prayer and closeness,” exclaimed the pontiff, who until this Sunday had prayed the Marian prayer from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. 

Thousands had gathered in St. Peter’s Square, waving flags from various countries and holding signs that read “Long live Pope Leo XIV!” 

In his address, the pope acknowledged that “in everything the Lord calls us to — in life and in faith — we sometimes feel inadequate.” 

However, in light of this Sunday’s Gospel, he insisted that we must not focus on our own strength “but rather on the mercy of the Lord who has chosen us, confident that the Holy Spirit guides us and teaches us everything.”

He added: “It is beautiful that, when we consider our calling, the responsibilities and people entrusted to us, the commitments we take on, and our service in the Church, each one of us can confidently say: Although I am fragile, the Lord is not ashamed of my humanity; on the contrary, he comes to dwell within me.” 

God reveals himself especially in the small

Pope Leo XIV also reflected on the apostles’ fear on the eve of the Master’s death: “They were troubled and anxious, wondering how they could be successors and witnesses of the kingdom of God.” But when Jesus appeared to them, he promised the gift of the Holy Spirit with these marvelous words: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him; we will come to him and make our home with him,” he noted. 

“In this way, Jesus frees the disciples from all anxiety and fear and can say to them: Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid,” he said. 

He went on to explain: “If we remain in his love, he himself dwells in us — our lives become a temple of God. His love enlightens us, it begins to shape how we think and make decisions, and it reaches others, illuminating every area of our lives.” 

He emphasized that God “reveals himself especially in the small, the poor, and those who suffer, asking us to be attentive and compassionate Christians.” 

He also urged the faithful to carry God’s love “everywhere,” entrusting this mission to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. “He accompanies me with his Spirit, enlightens me, and makes me an instrument of his love — for others, for society, and for the world. Dear friends, on the foundation of this promise, let us walk in the joy of faith, to be a holy temple of the Lord,” he said. 

As has become his custom, rather than recite the Regina Caeli — the prayer that replaces the Angelus during Eastertide — Pope Leo XIV chose to sing it. 

Father Streich’s ministry ‘enraged followers of communist ideology’

After praying the Regina Caeli, Pope Leo XIV remembered with emotion the Polish priest Stanisław Streich, who was beatified Saturday in Poznań, Poland, in a ceremony led by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. 

On Feb. 27, 1938, during a Sunday Mass for children, Streich was shot and killed by a communist activist during the consecration of the Eucharist. Witnesses say the assailant fired several times and then shouted from the pulpit: “Long live communism!” The Vatican recognized the act as martyrdom “in hatred of the faith” (“in odium fidei”), paving the way for his beatification. 

The pope emphasized that “his work on behalf of the poor and workers enraged followers of communist ideology.” Inspired by his witness, the pontiff called on priests in particular to give themselves generously for the Gospel and their brothers and sisters. 

Pope Leo XIV also noted the Day of Prayer for the Church in China, observed every May 24, which coincides with the liturgical memorial of Mary Help of Christians, especially venerated at the Shrine of Sheshan near Shanghai. 

Instituted by Benedict XVI, the day sees “prayers rise to God in churches and shrines across China and the world, as a sign of affection for Chinese Catholics and of their communion with the universal Church,” the pope said. He prayed that the Virgin Mary “may obtain for them and for us the grace to be strong and joyful witnesses of the Gospel, even in trials, always promoting peace and harmony.”

Finally, Pope Leo remembered “all peoples suffering because of war” and praised the “courage and perseverance” of those committed to “dialogue and the sincere search for peace.”

Laudato Si’ at 10 years 

Marking the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, the encyclical signed by Pope Francis on May 24, 2015, Pope Leo XIV recalled its global impact: “It has spread widely, inspiring countless initiatives and teaching us all to hear the dual cry of the earth and the poor.” 

He expressed gratitude to those who continue to carry its legacy forward, including the Laudato Si’ Movement. 

The nave of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on Nov. 29, 2024. / Credit: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Paris, France, May 25, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The 16th annual Vigil for Life was held in the newly restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on the evening of May 21 as the French Parliament continues to debate legislation that would legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Organized by the bishops of the Île-de-France region, the vigil has taken place annually since 2009. The 2025 edition, which gathered approximately 2,000 faithful, centered on the theme “Builders of Love, Let Us Live in Hope!”

The 2024 edition, also marked by the national conversation on end-of-life issues, carried the theme “When I Am Weak, Then I Am Strong” (2 Cor 12:10).

This year’s gathering featured a series of testimonies from individuals with diverse personal and professional backgrounds, offering reflections on the ethical and human dimensions of end-of-life care and the responsibilities society bears toward the most vulnerable. 

The French Church hierarchy has expressed deep concern over the legislative developments, describing them as a potential “anthropological rupture” that threatens the inherent dignity of human life, from conception to natural death.

The bill on end-of-life, currently under parliamentary review, introduces the concept of “assistance in dying,” a term meant to encompass both euthanasia — where a third party directly administers the lethal substance — and assisted suicide, in which the patient takes the final act.  

Adults suffering from a serious, incurable condition causing physical or psychological suffering deemed unbearable would be eligible, subject to medical evaluation. A formal vote on the bill is scheduled for May 27.

Meanwhile, members of Parliament also approved on May 24 the creation of a new offense for hindering access to assisted dying. Such an offense would criminalize any attempt to prevent either the act itself or access to information about it. The provision was modeled on the existing offense of obstructing access to abortion in the country.

Critics of the bill, including Catholic leaders and bioethicists, argue that the vague terminology — particularly surrounding the assessment of “unbearable suffering” — poses serious risks to the value placed on life. They warn that the law could pave the way toward the normalization of assisted death as a standard response to illness or vulnerability.

“If adopted on May 27, this text, among the most permissive in the world, would threaten the most fragile and call into question the respect due to all human life,” the French Bishops’ Conference warned in a statement published last week.

Archbishop Vincent Jordy of Tours, the vice president of the bishops’ conference, described the proposal as a “distortion of fraternity” and called for support for palliative care as the ethical and humane alternative.

During the vigil in Notre-Dame, Auxiliary Bishop Emmanuel Tois of Paris also urged Catholics not only to pray but also to take concrete action: “There are many ways and places where Christians can become more engaged,” he said, encouraging the faithful to write to their lawmakers and engage in dialogue with those around them. 

In his homily, Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris denounced the “illusion” of a “soft, chosen death.” 

“It is by twisting the meaning of words that we want people to accept this perspective,” he continued. “To call natural death that which results from the voluntary act that provokes it.” 

“Calling the gesture that kills or the word that leads to it fraternal help. Invoke a right to die when death is an inescapable fact. … To add an offense of obstruction to this right to die; while for decades and still today we have been multiplying driving regulations to avoid fatal accidents on the road, or to protect our brothers and sisters from desperate and suicidal gestures.” 

During the celebration, prayer intentions were placed before the altar, and the liturgy included readings and hymns reflecting the Church’s commitment to defending life. The Eucharistic Prayer for Special Circumstances provided a spiritual focus.  

“Open our eyes to all distress, inspire us with the right word and deed to support our neighbor in sorrow or trial; grant us to serve him with a sincere heart according to the example and words of Christ himself,” the prayer says. 

“Make your Church a place of truth and freedom, of justice and peace, so that all humanity may be reborn to hope.

Former Archdiocese of Vancouver communications director Makani Marquis and Archbishop J. Michael Miller talk during their final interview together before Miller retires. / Credit: Archdiocese of Vancouver

Vancouver, Canada, May 25, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In his last months leading the Catholic Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Archbishop J. Michael Miller sat down for a series of interviews offering encouragement, reflection, and insight as he prepares to step down after 18 years of ministry.

Miller reached the age of 75 in 2021 and submitted his resignation to the pope as required by canon law. Pope Francis accepted his resignation and in February appointed Archbishop Richard W. Smith of Edmonton, Alberta, as his successor in Vancouver.

Across three conversations — two podcast appearances and a final farewell interview with the archdiocese’s former communications director — he spoke candidly about his hopes for the Church, his years in Vancouver, and the path that lies ahead.

‘Don’t be a couch potato Christian’

In a conversation with the archdiocese’s communications team, Miller urged Catholics to live the Jubilee Year of Hope through acts of discipleship, charity, and pilgrimage, reminding listeners that hope is found in a faith that is lived, not simply believed.

“Pilgrimages have been an ancient practice since the first jubilee in 1300,” he said, highlighting the three local sites designated as pilgrimage locations during the jubilee: Holy Rosary Cathedral in downtown Vancouver, St. Jude’s Parish in East Vancouver, and the Shrine of the Santo Niño of Cebu in Agassiz.

Speaking on the challenges facing many today, especially young people, the archbishop pointed to social and economic pressures that have left many feeling directionless. “It does appear from studies that a lot of people, especially young people, feel a little hopeless,” he said.

To this, he offered a practical and spiritual antidote: movement. “Don’t be a couch potato Christian,” he said, echoing Pope Francis’ challenge to “make a mess” by going out into the world with missionary zeal. “We are agents of hope, and we have a mission to go and make disciples.”

He also warned against the “culture of complaint” that fosters cynicism. “We must remember: God is good, he is with us, and he calls us to share his hope with the world,” he said.

‘Set the table for encounter’

In a separate appearance on a podcast called “Proclaim,” the archbishop turned his focus to evangelization, encouraging Catholics to adopt an apostolic mindset rooted in confidence, joy, and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

“To take the commission of the Lord seriously, we have to have a certain mindset,” he said. “We call it apostolic because we hope it mirrors the enthusiasm of the apostles at Pentecost.”

He cautioned against reducing evangelization to programs or checklists. “We must remind ourselves that conversion of heart and mind is the real goal,” he said. “A parish could run many programs without internalizing a focus on conversion.”

In a culture shaped by relativism, he called for clarity and courage in proclaiming the truth of the Gospel. “The Gospel doesn’t just exhort or edify; it proposes real truth. It tells us about the world as it truly is.”

Above all, he emphasized that evangelization is not something we do alone. “We don’t deliver the Holy Spirit — the Holy Spirit delivers himself,” he said. “Our role is to set the table for that encounter.”

A final farewell

In a wide-ranging conversation with former Vancouver communications director Makani Marquis just before the election of Pope Leo XIV, Miller reflected on his 18 years of ministry in Vancouver and the legacy of a local Church that has grown in faith and mission.

He named the reinstitution of the permanent diaconate, the establishment of Redemptoris Mater Seminary, and the building of the archdiocese’s new pastoral center among key milestones. He also pointed to a reawakening of evangelization and community life — particularly seen in the growing number of converts, small-group initiatives, and renewal efforts across parishes.

“I think people have become more aware of their co-responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel,” he said. “That was clear this past Easter — around 700 people came into the Church, most of them baptized.”

He also expressed deep gratitude for the communities of consecrated women who have come to the archdiocese. “We’ve had nine new communities of consecrated women come to the archdiocese — by invitation — and I think that’ll leave a lasting impact.”

Looking ahead, Miller said he will be returning to the University of St. Thomas in Houston, where he spent two decades earlier in his priesthood. 

“We have a residence on campus,” he said. “There are about seven or eight Basilians that I’ll be living with in the residence right across from the library.” 

He expects to serve as an adviser to the university’s new president and to remain involved in the life of the local Church. “I’m sure I’ll be called upon to give talks and little retreats around the archdiocese — which is quite huge now.”

Though retirement will offer more quiet, it won’t be idle. “I like activity,” he said. He may spend some time exploring his family history — particularly his father’s Belgian and English roots — and shared plans to organize his “stacks” of homilies and other documents “that could probably be put into some order.”

Miller also expressed confidence in the future leadership of the Vancouver Archdiocese. “I’m so delighted that Archbishop Richard Smith is my successor,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier about the selection that the Holy Father made. I know that he will do a bang-up job.”

Asked what he will miss most, Miller didn’t hesitate: the people. “I’ve been extraordinarily blessed to work with really wonderful people who are competent, good, even holy,” he said. “That’s what I’ll miss.”

This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic and has been reprinted with permission and adapted by CNA.

A priest celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass at the Church of St. Pancratius in Rome. / Credit: Thoom/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, May 24, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).

The Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, will significantly restrict the practice of the Traditional Latin Mass, limiting it to a single chapel in what Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv, said is a bid to “promote the concord and unity of the Church.”

Martin issued a statement on Friday announcing the new policy, directing that the ancient liturgy would henceforth be celebrated in an as-yet-unnamed chapel in the town of Mooresville.

Martin in his statement said the measure was meant to bring the Charlotte Diocese in line with Pope Francis’ 2021 motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, which greatly restricted the Latin Mass “in defense of the unity of the body of Christ.”

The pope said at the time that he was saddened that the celebration of the extraordinary form was characterized by a rejection of the Second Vatican Council and its liturgical reforms. To doubt the council, he said, is “to doubt the Holy Spirit himself who guides the Church.”

Martin on Friday noted that his predecessor, Bishop Peter Jugis, requested an extension on the directive in order to prepare for the transition. The extension expires this year, Martin noted, and he is “now ready to finish the diocese’s implementation of the norms established.”

Starting on July 8, no parish churches will be permitted to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass in the diocese, Martin said. In accordance with Traditionis Custodes, the bishop said he was “designating a chapel in the diocese” that will be permitted to use the Roman Missal of 1962 and where “faithful adherents may gather for the celebration of the Eucharist” only on Sundays and holy days of obligation.

“A priest of the diocese will be appointed as chaplain, to be responsible for celebrating two Sunday Masses and holy day Masses using the 1962 Roman Missal at this site,” the bishop said.

“Those who are interested in participating in the Eucharistic celebration in this form will remain active members of their current parishes, where they may continue receiving the sacraments,” he added.

Citing the Gospel of John, Martin expressed hope that the new rule “will further ‘promote the concord and unity of the Church’ among the people of God in the Diocese of Charlotte so that, as Jesus prayed to his Father, we ‘may all be one.’”

null / Credit: Alexander Gold/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, May 24, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

About 1 in 3 Americans are turning to New Age practices like tarot cards, astrology, and fortune tellers at least once a year, a recent study found — but most say it’s “just for fun.” 

A study published by Pew Research on Wednesday found that 30% of Americans consult at least one of these New Age practices at least once a year. Astrology was the most popular (28%) followed by tarot cards (11% ) and fortune tellers (6%). 

Most Americans who engage in these practices say they do them for fun, not for insight or guidance. But Catholic Answers apologist Tom Nash told CNA these activities are “spiritually dangerous.” 

“Tarot cards, Ouija boards, seances, and other similar activities are all dangerous forms of divination,” Nash said.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly rejects “all forms of divination,” saying they “contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone” (No. 2116).

Engaging in divination means “we’re likely to get drawn deeper into a life of vice and related problems,” Nash added.

Both religious and nonreligious Americans are just as likely to believe in astrology, according to Pew.

American adults most likely to say they believe that consulting a fortune teller, tarot cards, or astrology provides insights are Hispanic Catholics, Black Protestants, and adults whose religion is “nothing in particular.” In contrast, atheists and white evangelicals are most likely to say they never engage in these practices. 

When compared with Pew’s last survey in 2017, the percentage of people engaging in New Age practices remains steady. The percentage of adults who say they believe in astrology is similar to the percentage recorded in 2017 (going from about 29% in 2017 to 27% in 2024). Gallup polls from the 1990s to early 2000s ranged from between 23% to 28%.  

Notably, younger adults — especially young women — are more likely to believe in astrology and consult horoscopes, the study found. Of women ages 18 to 49, 43% say they believe in astrology.

In addition, Americans who identify as LGBT are also more likely to engage in New Age practices. About half of LGBT Americans consult astrology at least yearly, and LGBT adults are three times as likely as non-LGBT adults to consult tarot cards. 

Nash tied the tendency to turn to New Age practices with the rise of the “nones” in American culture, i.e., the increasing numbers of people who are explicitly turning away from organized religion.

Nash noted that in spite of their abandonment of organized religion, many people continue to “yearn for greater meaning and understanding.”  

“And yet, human beings remain human — made in the image and likeness of God as body-soul composites,” he said, referencing Genesis 1:26-27. 

Nash added that in “our very being, we realize that there’s more to life than just our temporal, material world.”

Without Christ to fill that spiritual “vacuum,” Nash reflected, “we’ll tend to seek out other outlets.” 

“Thus, in the absence of true religion, the fullness of which is only found in Our Lord Jesus Christ and his Catholic Church, we will tend to seek out alternatives,” Nash said.

Cardinal Daniel Sturla is Archbishop of Montevideo, Uruguay. / Credit: EWTN Noticias

Lima Newsroom, May 24, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Uruguayan Cardinal Daniel Sturla anticipates that Pope Leo XIV’s first visit to Latin America “will include Argentina, Uruguay, and possibly Peru” on his itinerary.

In a May 21 interview with Uruguay’s “Radio Carve,” when asked about a possible visit by the Holy Father to that country, the archbishop of Montevideo said the likelihood is “very high” because Pope Leo “is very much aware that Argentina and Uruguay weren’t on Francis’ calendar — not because Francis wanted it that way — but because that’s the way things turned out.”

The Uruguayan cardinal, who participated in the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV earlier this month, indicated that for “the first visit to Latin America, it seems to me — I am not the one who keeps his schedule — he will have Argentina, Uruguay, and possibly Peru on his itinerary” given that the pontiff was bishop of Chiclayo and later as apostolic administrator of Callao.

Pope Leo XIV ‘seeks the unity of the Church’

“I was very pleased with the pope’s election. I think he is a figure who seeks the unity of the Church, and this is very important today. He will continue the main lines that were innovative and positive, so to speak, of Francis, but with a very different style,” Sturla said.

After mentioning that he had had contact with the Holy Father at the Synod of Synodality and during a meeting of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, the Uruguayan archbishop emphasized that Leo XIV “is a man who listens a lot, speaks little, and who speaks, let’s say, slowly, thinking a lot about what he says; that is to say, he has a very different character from that of Francis, and I think that is good at this moment in the Church.”

The Salesian cardinal also recounted that “I had often thought in my life as a Christian, as a religious, and as a priest … about being in St. Peter’s Square when a new pope is elected” because “it’s a fantastic thing.”

“I had never imagined being on the other side, let’s say, being on the inside, so it was a very powerful thing,” since “I felt the weight of responsibility for what I was about to do, because it is a historical event that links the life of the Church with what Jesus did with Simon Peter 2,000 years ago, [which is] narrated in the Gospels. When Cardinal [Robert] Prevost says, ‘I accept,’ in that moment he is transformed into the successor of Peter,” the cardinal said, sharing his reflection on his first conclave.

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

In his speech, Cardinal Timothy Dolan said he is in “good company” in defending religious freedom, along with the legal team at Becket and the founders of the United States. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Becket

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 24, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York was named the Becket Fund’s 2025 Canterbury Medalist, an award that honors his career-long commitment to religious liberty.

“His Eminence has been a towering figure in the fight for religious liberty, not just for Catholics, but for people of all faiths,” Becket President Mark Rienzi said in a statement. “Cardinal Dolan’s leadership in the public square has shaped the national conscience on religious freedom and strengthened the resolve of those who defend it.”

Becket, a nonprofit law firm that represents clients who are defending their religious liberty in court, awarded Dolan the medal during its annual gala in New York. According to Becket, the honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate courage and commitment to defending religious liberty in the United States and globally.

Dolan said in an acceptance speech, which was provided to CNA by Becket, that he is “grateful” to receive the award. 

“I hardly deserve this high award,” Dolan added. “Yet, I readily admit that you are absolutely [spot on] to claim I am intensely devoted to the protection of our ‘first and most cherished liberty,’ religious freedom.”

In his speech, Dolan said he is in “good company” in defending religious freedom, along with the legal team at Becket and the founders of the United States. 

“They and their parents had come here precisely because they were frustrated in countries where religion was imposed or proscribed, nations where battles were waged to coerce religious conviction, where they were hounded and harassed for their beliefs,” he said. 

“Not here, they insisted!” Dolan said. “This was not the way they, or, most importantly, God intended it. Nothing is more free than creedal assent; nothing merited more protection than religious freedom; nothing deserved more top billing in our Constitution.” 

Dolan said religious liberty is “part of our very nature that cannot be erased” and necessary for the respect of “the dignity of the human person.” 

“Our passion for this primary liberty is not just because we happen to be a believer or a patriotic citizen, but because we are a person endowed with certain ingrained rights,” he said.

Dolan was recently appointed to serve on President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, which will create a report on threats to religious freedom and strategies to enhance legal protections to preserve those rights. It will also outline the foundations of religious liberty in the United States.

Previously, Dolan has served as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and has led the USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty. According to Becket, the cardinal has also staunchly defended religious freedom through testimony before Congress and when engaging with the media.

“Religious freedom isn’t just about protecting what happens in church on Sundays — it’s about defending the right of every person to live their faith openly, every day of the week,” Dolan said. “It’s a gift from God — not from government — and it must be protected for people of all faiths.”

Other members of the Catholic clergy who have won this award from Becket include University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea and former Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput.

Past medalists also include Nobel Peace Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Orthodox rabbi of the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S. Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik; and First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Dallin H. Oaks.

null / Credit: AC Wimmer/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, May 24, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Father Cristian Meriggi, an exorcist priest of the Archdiocese of Florence, Italy, shared the five spiritual weapons he uses and recommends to combat the devil and his influence.

Meriggi, an exorcist for almost 20 years and a priest for 27, shared his recommendations on the website of the International Association of Exorcists (IAE), to which he has belonged since 2006.

In his text, the priest thanked his mentor, Father Mario Boretti; Father Francesco Bamonte, vice president of the IAE; and Father Gabriele Amorth, a famous exorcist of the Diocese of Rome and co-founder of the IAE. Amorth, who died in 2016, performed tens of thousands of exorcisms during his lifetime.

“I remember the advice Don Gabriele gave me before we said goodbye: ‘Remember, Don Cristian, that we are good for nothing!’” the Italian priest recounted.

Meriggi also thanked Cardinal Ernest Simoni, 96, who “practiced the ministry of exorcist even before the atheist communist regime of Albania arrested him on Christmas Eve 1963. Today he also exercises his beautiful ministry in Tuscany.”

1. Adoration and Communion

Meriggi, whose guide and teacher in exorcisms was Boretti, recalled something the late priest told him: “Without Communion, one cannot be healed.”

Thus, the 55-year-old priest emphasized that “an intense sacramental life, a love for the Eucharistic Christ is crucial because the Eucharist is the true path to healing and liberation. Adoration and Communion!”

2. Confession

The exorcist also emphasized that it is very important to “live with steadfastness the sacrament of confession. Through it, we find God’s mercy, which not only confirms the forgiveness of our sins but also, with his grace, penetrates deeply into the darkest areas of the soul where our sins have their roots.”

3. An intense life of charity

Another important spiritual weapon in the fight against the devil is “to live, as St. Paul says, as far as it depends on us, at peace with all. An intense life of charity where we think not only of our own needs but also of those of others, praying and working for their good, seeking and giving forgiveness.”

“Live everything, every moment of our life, as a gift, aware that everything works for the good of those who love God, even the most difficult moments,” the exorcist exhorted.

4. Devotion to the Virgin Mary and the rosary

Meriggi also emphasized that it is essential “to nurture a faithful and loving devotion to the Virgin Mary. Let us make the prayer of the Church our own: in addition to holy Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, also the holy rosary. And then there is devotion to the saints and the blessed souls in purgatory.”

5. Use of sacramentals

“In addition to the sacramental life, the use of sacramentals is of great benefit. They are like medicines that, together with the sacraments, help us bring God’s grace into every area of ​​our lives,” the Italian priest noted.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sacramentals “are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church.” 

Sacramentals can include crucifixes, holy water, medals, and blessed salt, among others.

Finally, Meriggi emphasized that “the entire life of the Church is medicinal; it is a path of liberation, healing, and consolation, leading to resurrection in Christ, to living our days in love and peace, to ward off or expel from our lives the enemy and his influence.”

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

(Left to right) Sister Vivien Linkhauer, Sister Gemma Del Duca, and students from Seton Hill University attend the planting of the Anne Frank tree in May 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Seton Hill University

CNA Staff, May 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

When Anne Frank was hiding in a secret annex for more than two years in Amsterdam during World War II, she would peer out a small window in the attic at a horse chestnut tree in the yard.

Long after the young teenager’s death in the Bergen-Belson concentration camp in 1945, a Catholic Holocaust education center in Philadelphia has planted a tree grown from a sapling of that very tree in her honor.

The National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education at Seton Hill University — founded by two Catholic sisters in 1987 — held a ceremony to plant the small tree at the beginning of May.

James Paharik, director of the education center and a Seton Hill professor of sociology and behavioral health, told CNA that “it means a lot for us to have this tree.” 

“It’s a living testimony to the memory of Anne Frank and what she experienced,” Paharik said.  

Donated by the Anne Frank Center USA, the 6-foot-tall tree sits at a “prominent place on campus.” 

“In her diary, she writes several times about the tree and how much it meant to her to see it,” Paharik said. “It bloomed in the springtime, and it was a sign of hope.”

Journey of the heart

The National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education — one of the first of its kind in the nation — is “very unique,” Paharik said. Sister Gemma Del Duca and Sister Mary Noel Kernan, both Sisters of Charity, founded the center in the late 1980s to counter antisemitism, provide education on the Holocaust, and honor Holocaust victims.

Sister Gemma, now 93 years old and unwell, managed to attend the ceremony of the planting earlier in May in spite of her illness, where she was able to see her life’s work culminate in the planting of a tree that will remain for years to come.   

When asked what inspired her to found it, Paharik simply said: “Sometimes, sisters get an inspiration and they follow it.”

The center has its roots in the interreligious work that Sister Gemma did. Early on, she began to work with Father Isaac Jacob, a monk from St. Vincent College, a historic Benedictine college down the road from Seton Hill, who was similarly interested in interreligious dialogue.

Sister Gemma and Jacob traveled to Israel in the 1970s where they established Tel Gamaliel, a Christian community in Israel “that promoted understanding between Jews and Catholics,” according to Paharik. There, they translated the rule of St. Benedict into Hebrew and worked with the local community until Sister Gemma’s eventual return to the U.S. 

Sister Gemma’s passion to found the center was a surprise to some in her order.

“I don’t think Sister Gemma had a great deal of support at the beginning from her community, and people weren’t quite sure why this was so important to her,” Paharik reflected. 

But Sister Gemma thought it was “a moral necessity” for Catholics not only to not demean or stereotype “but, in fact, to learn more about Judaism,” Paharik said.  

This was a task she took “quite seriously,” Paharik noted. 

She learned to speak Hebrew while in Israel, even attending services at synagogue, while “at the same time, being totally immersed in Catholicism and being a Sister of Charity.” 

“I think that for her, it’s a journey of the heart,” Paharik said.

The sisters also took inspiration from the Vatican II document on religious dialogue, Nostra Aetate, which was promulgated about two decades before the founding of the center.  

Paharik called Nostra Aetate a “landmark” Catholic document that “encouraged a deeper understanding between Catholics and those of other faiths.”

This coming fall marks the 60th anniversary of the document.

Paharik recalled Sister Gemma’s reflections on deepening her own knowledge of Judaism.

“She said, ‘It’s a journey of the heart. It’s a journey of faith,’” Paharik recalled.

“It’s a mission, really, to unite Catholics and Jews in a positive way instead of continuing the animosity that has marked our relationship for so many centuries,” he continued.

What it means for Seton Hill and beyond 

The center, now more than 35 years old, has grown in its influence on the local community and beyond over the years. The center was a founding organization of the Council of Christian-Jewish Relations (CCJR), an association dedicated to interreligious dialogue between Christians and Jews in the U.S., Canada, and overseas.

The center hosts conferences, bringing speakers from around the country, and also does ecumenical outreach, bringing together Catholics and Protestants to pray, learn, and remember.

“We pray together for the victims of the Holocaust but also of other acts of violence and mass murder that have happened and are still happening around the world today,” Paharik said.

“It’s a way for us to affirm our common belief in the sanctity of human life and to pray for peace,” Paharik said. 

The center also supports Holocaust education in classes at Seton Hill and at local schools, especially grades six through 12. Students will now be able to visit the tree on campus after reading “The Diary of Anne Frank.”

“It will make it all the more meaningful and vivid to them to see what this tree actually looked like, that was so important to Anne, and that she wrote about so beautifully in her diary,” Paharik said. 

Responding to continuing antisemitism 

The center also responded to a local act of antisemitic violence known as one of the deadliest antisemitic attacks in the United States. The Tree of Life shootings in Pittsburgh in 2018 — in which an assailant opened fire in a crowded synagogue, killing 11 people — was only about 30 miles from Greensburg, where the center is based.

“All of us knew people who were in one way affected by that terrible event,” Paharik recalled.

Under Paharik’s leadership, the center began to interview victims of the Holocaust, recording the stories of eight survivors who live in the area. 

“Those documentaries are resources for the schools that we work with, so they can tell the stories of these local people who actually lived through the Holocaust,” he said. 

Being with the survivors is “profound,” Paharik reflected, and “seeing the impact of these documentaries on young people is also very moving.”

One of the Holocaust survivors they interviewed — a member of the Tree of Life Synagogue — had been in the parking lot when the Tree of Life shooting began and only “just managed to escape it,” Paharik said.  

“We don’t ever want anything like that to happen again,” he said. 

“Scripture teaches us about the importance of respecting all human life, from birth until natural death,” Paharik continued. “To stereotype, to discriminate, to show hate towards people just because who they are or where they grew up or the faith that they have is actually sinful. It’s a violation of our Christian teaching.”

“Leo XIV: Portrait of the First American Pope,” written by Matthew Bunson, vice president and editorial director at EWTN News. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Staff, May 23, 2025 / 17:14 pm (CNA).

EWTN officially launched the first authoritative biography of Pope Leo XIV, which is available for purchase now, during an event at the Vatican on May 22.

“Leo XIV: Portrait of the First American Pope,” written by Matthew Bunson, vice president and editorial director at EWTN News, tells the story of Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was elected the new Holy Father on May 8.

Bunson, a Church expert and longtime Vatican journalist who has written over 50 books, said at the book launch at the Campo Santo Teutonico in Rome that Leo’s diverse experience as a pastor, prior general, missionary and bishop in Peru, and as a cardinal have given him a profound understanding of the global Church.

Pope Leo XIV, in his first weeks as pope, has also proven to be a unifying figure who has brought with him an “uncompromising emphasis on the divine person of Jesus Christ,” Bunson continued. 

“He is a universal person. He is someone in the world, but not of the world. He is somebody who, by his call to the priesthood and to the life of the Augustinians, embarked on an absolutely stunning journey,” Bunson said May 22. 

“And what is so remarkable about it is that as time progressed leading up to the conclave, more and more cardinals came to appreciate exactly who he is and why he was, at this moment in time, the person that they felt they could trust with the keys of Peter.”

The biography paints a picture of Pope Leo XIV as a Christ-centered, Augustinian-influenced, and competent leader who is expected to prioritize unity, clarity, and the application of Catholic social teaching, particularly concerning the dignity of the human person in an era of rapid technological change.

Bunson has previously said that he hopes the book will help inform readers about the importance of Pope Leo’s membership in the venerable Order of St. Augustine, and the fact that he is both a mathematician and canon lawyer will help him address the Vatican’s financial woes.

Additionally, Bunson’s book touches on some of the moral and theological issues currently being debated in the Church and public arena, and also discusses the significance of the choice of the name “Leo” and what that says about the pope’s vision for his pontificate.

Michael Warsaw, EWTN’s CEO and chairman of the board, told CNA that he is “excited that EWTN Publishing is releasing this biography of Pope Leo XIV so soon after his election.”

“As the leading Catholic media platform, our aim is to share the Holy Father’s story with the world, starting with his early life, to help people connect with the man now serving as the vicar of Christ,” Warsaw said.

“EWTN is uniquely positioned to publish this biography of the first pope born in the United States and the second pope from the Americas. Like Pope Leo, the EWTN family is global, but our roots are American.”

The book about Leo’s life is available to order on EWTN Religious Catalogue.