Catholic News

• Help build the New Jerusalem, Pope tells participants in Borgo Dialogues (CWN)
  Pope Leo XIV today asked participants in the Borgo Dialogues to help build the New Jerusalem.
• Vatican newspaper devotes 8 articles to plight of refugees (CWN)
  The Vatican newspaper highlighted the plight of refugees with eight articles in its June 19 edition, published the day before World Refugee Day.
• Most US Catholics view Pope favorably; half think president has been too critical of him (Pew Research Center)
  A survey of 9,750 U.S. adults found that 78% of Catholics view Pope Leo favorably—down from 84% last year—and that 51% of Catholics believe that President Donald Trump has been too critical of him. The survey, conducted between May 26 and June 1, found that Catholics who attend Mass weekly are more likely to have a favorable view of the Pope than do Catholics who attend Mass seldom or never (85% vs. 73%). Likewise, Democrats are more likely to have a favorable view of the Pope than do Republicans (84% vs. 72%). Men and women have equally favorable views of the Pope. According to Pew surveys that date back to 1987, Pope St. John Paul II’s favorability ratings varied from 91% to 93%; Pope Benedict’s, from 67% to 83%; and Pope Francis’s, from 72% to 90%.
• Pope: Universities should be centers of respectful dialogue in divided world (CWN)
  In a divided world, universities should be centers of respectful dialogue, Pope Leo said this morning during an audience with members of the board of governors of Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
• Pope, at funeral Mass of Cardinal Ruini, quotes from newly published spiritual testament (CWN)
  At the funeral Mass of Cardinal Camillo Ruini, celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica on June 18 (video), Pope Leo XIV quoted from the late prelate’s spiritual testament, published online the same day in Italian and English.
• Pope praises sacredness, beauty of Eastern liturgies; laments effects of wars on Middle East's Christians (CWN)
  Pope Leo XIV lauded the sacredness of Eastern liturgies and decried the effects of war during an audience today with participants in a meeting of members of the Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO).
• Catholic-Orthodox dialogue considers infallibility (Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity)
  The Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church today concluded a four-day meeting at Pannonhalma Archabbey in Hungary. The committee—chaired by Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople—discussed a “revised draft text dealing with the topic of infallibility, considered from both theological and historical perspectives,” according to a statement issued by the dicastery. The committee will continue discussion of the draft at a meeting planned for June 2027, before submitting it to all the members of the joint international commission.
• 6 beatification causes advance, including Spanish martyrs, New York sister (CWN)
  During a June 18 meeting with the prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Pope Leo XIV approved decrees that advanced six beatification causes.
• Pope Leo to visit Peru in November, nation's president says (CWN)
  President José María Balcázar of Peru met with Pope Leo XIV for two hours on June 18 and announced afterwards that the Pontiff will visit the nation for eight to ten days in November.
• Vatican spokesman recalls Cardinal Ruini as 'astute' prelate who respectfully distanced himself from Pope Francis (Vatican News (Italian))
  Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, paid tribute to the late Cardinal Camillo Ruini as an “astute cardinal” who, as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, sought to implement St. John Paul’s directives. Tornielli wrote that Cardinal Ruini distanced the conference from its emphasis on support for the Christian Democratic Party, instead expressing support for policies—“the defense of marriage, pro-family policies, and freedom of education”—that could be embraced by politicians of various parties. “It would be truly reductive to view the Cardinal’s work solely or primarily through a political lens,” Tornielli cautioned. “Ruini revitalized the missionary role of parishes and strove to ensure that new Catholic movements and lay associations—despite their differences and distinctive characteristics—all felt part of this renewed drive to proclaim the Gospel.” Tornielli also recalled that the cardinal undertook a “substantial and meticulous” examination of Medjugorje and, in retirement, “did not hesitate to distance himself respectfully from certain aspects of Francis’s pontificate, while also highlighting areas of agreement.” Cardinal Ruini, added Tornielli, was “uninterested in the resurgence of traditionalism.”
• Bishops' commission criticizes EU's adoption of stricter migration policy (COMECE)
  The president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union criticized the European Parliament’s approval, in a 418-218 vote, of a stricter migrant return policy. “The expansion of detention, the limitations on effective remedies and appeals, and the increasing externalization of responsibilities to third countries raise serious ethical and humanitarian questions,” said COMECE’s president, Bishop Mariano Crociata of Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priverno, Italy. “The European Union was founded on the conviction that human dignity is inviolable and that solidarity among peoples is not an optional ideal but a fundamental responsibility,” he added. “Europe cannot claim to uphold these values while becoming accustomed to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic serving as silent cemeteries for those seeking safety and a future for their families.”
• Bolivian bishops welcome talks between government, protestors (Conferencia Episcopal Boliviana)
  The Bolivian Episcopal Conference welcomed the announcement of talks between the government and protestors who have besieged the nation’s seat of government and other cities. The protests “have caused shortages, economic losses and pain for thousands of families throughout the country,” the bishops noted. “The Church invites the faithful and the entire population to accompany this process with prayer, asking God for the gift of wisdom and concord for those who will participate” in the discussions.
• Leading Colombian prelates meet with Pope, plead for end of violence ahead of election (CWN)
  The three leading prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia met with Pope Leo XIV on June 17, four days before the nation’s presidential runoff election, and said afterwards that the Pontiff “reiterated his love and concern for Colombia, encouraging the Church and society to persevere in the search for peace, unity and reconciliation.”
• Survey: Majority of new US Catholic converts desire truth, attracted by Church's tradition (Archdiocese of Chicago)
  A survey of 2,127 Americans participating in the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults in 20 dioceses in 2026 found that 68% were attracted to the sacred liturgy, 66% were “attracted to the longevity of the Church’s tradition over centuries,” and 65% were “attracted to the wisdom of a 2,000-year-old Church to help me navigate life.” Even higher numbers were “interested in exploring a deeper spirituality / relationship with God” (84%), “wanted to grow in goodness and virtue” (77%), and “desired a deeper understanding of truth” (76%). 54% of survey participants were women, 55% had earned at least a bachelor’s degree, and 28% had no prior religious affiliation. 34% were from Gen Z, 35% were millennials, 20% from Gen X, and 10% were Boomers. 64% were white, 29% Hispanic, and 3% black. The survey participants were almost equally divided into non-baptized catechumens, baptized non-Catholic Christians preparing for reception into the Church, and baptized Catholic “reverts” preparing for Confirmation and/or First Communion.
• Camaldolese monks and nuns: a numerical overview (CWN)
  Over 300 monks and nuns belong to three institutes that look upon St. Romuald as their spiritual father.
• India's bishops declare national day of prayer against property-seizure legislation (The Telegraph)
  Cardinal Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, asked his brother bishops to join him in a June 28 national day of prayer ahead of parliamentary consideration of an amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The amendment “provides for setting up a government authority to seize properties bought or developed on foreign funds if the government license is canceled or not renewed,” EWTN News reported—thus allowing for the seizure of Church property in some circumstances. Cardinal Poola called for initiatives such as Eucharistic adoration, the Rosary, and voluntary fasting, as well as the signing of petitions against the legislation.
• Pope recalls late Cardinal Ruini's 'deep faith,' 'acute intelligence' (CWN)
  In a telegram of condolence following the death of Cardinal Camillo Ruini, Pope Leo XIV recalled the late prelate as an “experienced and wise brother, strengthened by deep faith, acute intelligence and foresight, who served with discretion and selflessness.”
• Pope Leo: Abuse-free spaces foster an encounter with Christ (CWN)
  Pope Leo XIV said that in order to foster an encounter with Christ, physical and virtual spaces within the Church need to be safe from abuse.
• Children's Rosary founder meets with Pope (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  At the conclusion of his June 17 general audience, Pope Leo XIV met with Blythe Kaufman, founder of the Children’s Rosary, and her son, a seminarian of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut. “This lay movement, which she founded 15 years ago, is now active in 53 countries and promotes prayer gatherings for children in parishes, schools, and orphanages,” the Vatican newspaper reported. Kaufman and her son “presented the Pope with a book containing testimonies from many children who participate in this experience, as well as from priests who host the initiative in their parishes.”
• English bishops lament reintroduction of assisted-suicide bill (CBCEW)
  The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales lamented the reintroduction of assisted-suicide legislation in Parliament, two months after the legislation failed to pass in the House of Lords. “The Catholic Church opposes this bill in principle and joins with many other people of faith and none in arguing that we should not cross this watershed,” said Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool, the conference’s lead bishop for life issues. “I call on all people of goodwill to join me in work and prayer to prevent this flawed bill from succeeding.”
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