News Briefing: Church in the World

The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints halted the cause for canonisation of Fr Walter Ciszek, a Polish-American Jesuit who ministered in Soviet Russia and was imprisoned for years in the Siberian gulag. The Diocese of Allentown in Pennsylvania announced it had received notification that Fr Ciszek’s case “lacks the necessary documentary support” to continue. 

Born in 1904 to a family of Polish immigrants, Ciszek was ordained a priest in 1937. He became the first American Jesuit to join the Byzantine rite. After training in Rome under an initiative promoted by Pius XI to prepare priests for ministry in Russia, he entered Soviet territory using false papers at the start of the Second World War.  

In 1941, Ciszek was arrested by the Soviet secret police, charged with espionage and sentenced to 15 years of forced labour in Siberia. While interned in several prison camps, he continued to celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments. After completing his sentence in 1955, he was refused permission to leave Russia and forced to work in a chemical factory.

Eventually he re-established contact with his family in the United States who had assumed Ciszek was dead. In 1963 he was liberated as part of a prisoner exchange negotiated by the US President John F. Kennedy. Later, he focused on the study of Eastern Christianity and wrote of his experience in the books He Leadeth Me and With God in Russia, co-authored with the Jesuit Daniel Flaherty. Ciszek died in 1984.  

The Diocese of Allentown said that the dicastery’s decision did not “diminish the enduring spiritual value” of Ciszek’s life, witness, and legacy. “Fr Ciszek’s courage, perseverance and unwavering trust in God amidst extraordinary suffering has led many souls to God and will continue to touch countless lives,” said a statement from the diocese.

Ukrainian religious leaders alleged that the Russian military “deliberately targets and destroys homes and kills civilians, including children” after 17 people died in strikes on 16 April. 

“We believe that God’s just judgment and retribution for the innocent blood that has been shed will inevitably come upon the Russian perpetrators and those who support them,” said a statement from the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations.  

“Likewise, there can be no statute of limitations on the international condemnation of the crimes against humanity committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine.” 

After praying the Regina Caeli in the Angolan capital Luanda on Sunday, Pope Leo said he was “deeply saddened by the recent escalation of attacks against Ukraine, which continue to afflict civilians as well”. He continued: “I express my solidarity with those who are suffering and assure all the Ukrainian people of my prayers.” 

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) reported last week that the Russian Orthodox Church had taken control of one of its parishes in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region. 

Its leader Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk called the seizure “blasphemy against the Risen Lord”, while the UGCC Exarchate of Donetsk said it “confirms the systematic and deliberate nature of religious persecution in the occupied territories”.

Church leaders in Hungary congratulated Péter Magyar on the victory of his Tisza party in the general election on 12 April.  

Bishop János Székely of Szombathely, president of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said in a letter to Magyar that the bishops would aim to work with the Hungarian government “constructively and in partnership” as they had under the previous Fidesz administration headed by Viktor Orbán. 

During the election campaign, the Church faced criticism for its alleged proximity to Fidesz. Despite the bishops’ guidance to avoid party politics, some clergy expressed support for the government. The bishops’ Lent letter included graphic descriptions of the war in Ukraine which members of the opposition said echoed the rhetoric about the war employed by Orbán. 

Archabbot Cirill Hortobágyi of the Benedictine Pannonhalma Abbey welcomed the high turnout in the election, and said he was pleased young people had shown a strong desire to work together and to act. They expect “actual and real changes” and are “highly motivated”, he said, adding that it was encouraging that Magyar intended to work on “filling in the ditches” and to be prime minister of all Hungarians.  

Hortobágyi said the Church needed to take part in this process and “communicate more strongly that the first task of the Church is its social teaching and by no means party politics”.  

He voiced concern that social tensions would increase in the near future, not just in Hungary but in Europe at large: “The Church has to prepare for this mission – with ways of peace-making and with honest self-criticism.”

The Archbishop of Kaunas backed protests against the closure of Lithuania’s only “pro-life” maternity unit after pressure from campaigners.

After the government announced in February that the Kaunas Christian Maternity Home (CMH) would merge with a larger hospital, its supporters launched an online petition against the plan which attracted 11,000 signatures. However, they said they did not receive support from the Church.

Members of the “Let’s Save Kaunas Christian Maternity Home” group met the apostolic nuncio Archbishop Georg Gänswein on 17 April and gave him a letter addressed to Pope Leo.

“Drawing attention to this vitally important situation, we asked [him] to help families to preserve what has been created by nurturing the culture of life for decades, so that the CMH will continue to be an example of respect for life, family and human dignity in Lithuania,” the group said in a statement.

The next day, Archbishop Kęstutis Kėvalas of Kaunas voiced support for its efforts “to discuss ways to preserve this important institution of treatment and protection of life”.

“The Church consistently emphasises the value of every human life from the moment of conception, therefore, the role of such an institution in society is particularly significant,” he said, acknowledging the situation of the CMH was “complex” but committing the archdiocese to “participate in further discussions and the search for possible solutions”.

Bavarian police deployed more than 300 officers during the sixth “March for Life” in Munich, where 4,500 taking part met a 4,000-strong counter demonstration titled “Pro Choice”. According to police reports, several people tried to stop the march and while the protests were largely peaceful there were some clashes, insults and incidents of public nuisance. 

Mathias von Gersdorff from the “German Association for the Protection of Tradition, Family and Private Property” spoke of a “rapidly growing culture of death” in Germany which “could also be seen among those here who shout around and agitate against the unborn life”. 

Several bishops sent messages of support, including the Archbishop of Cologne Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau, and the outgoing nuncio Archbishop Nikola Eterović. From the US, Bishop Robert Barron of Winnona-Rochester in a video message encouraged those marching “not to give up and to resist the liberalisation of abortion in Germany”.

Bishops in Switzerland raised the guide prices for eucharistic hosts produced in convents. There are 10 female religious communities that manufacture hosts for parishes and other monastic communities. They are mainly female contemplative orders such as Benedictines, Dominicans and Cistercians, which need to earn a living inside the enclosure.  

“Electricity bills keep going up. And the price of flour has gone up too,” said Sr Consinglia Ronni, prioress of the Dominican convent of Maria Zuflucht in Weesen in Canton Sankt Gallen, according to kath.ch. There is also growing competition from cheaper production in Italy and Poland, while demand has fallen in recent years due to a decline in religious practice.

Parishes and communities are strongly encouraged to source hosts from Swiss monastic producers, for whom the production of hosts is a vital source of income, as they have no recourse to the church tax. There is also growing competition from cheaper production in Italy and Poland, while demand has fallen in recent years due to a decline in religious practice.

The Ghanaian Conference of Major Superiors of Religious ran safeguarding awareness training for nuns working in various apostolates, after local bishops increased Church commitments to protect young children from all forms of abuse.  

Religious are expected to identify signs of abuse and protect vulnerable members of the community both within and outside the Church. The workshop was part of efforts to help nuns deepen their understanding of child protection, ethical responsibility and care for vulnerable adults. 

“Our mission is not only to serve but to ensure that every environment we create is a sanctuary of safety and respect. This workshop is a testament to our collective commitment to transparency, accountability, and the dignity of every human person,” said Sr Theodora Adzayawo, the conference’s executive secretary.

Kenya’s bishops alleged that nuns have been dispossessed of land by “powerful individuals” and called on citizens to “break the chains of corruption” that have taken hold in the country. Civic society groups have voiced concern at the government’s failure to act against corruption, with threats to land and ownership rights among their most pressing concerns. 

“We are appalled that only recently that some powerful individuals conspired to dispossess Catholic sisters of their land and other cases of the dis-appropriation of land owned by faith-based institutions in the country,” the bishops said in a statement last week. “We see no serious commitment or intent to fight the monster of corruption,” it continued.

Efforts to promote marriage in Kenya are frustrated by the authorities’ lack of capacity to provide couples with marriage certificates that solemnise civil unions, according to the bishops’ conference.

While priests encourage and solemnised marriages, civil regulations prevent couples registering their unions.  

“The processes of notification and obtaining certificates have become unnecessarily arduous. Furthermore, there is a shortage of marriage certificates. This can only cause moral harm to society and risks depriving weaker spouses of their rights,” said a statement from the bishops on 16 April.  

“We as a country must protect and promote the institution of marriage as provided in the Constitution of Kenya.  When our families and the institution of marriage are strong, our society thrives.”

The declaration of a ceasefire in Lebanon “represents a glimmer of relief for the Lebanese people and for the Levant”, Pope Leo said at the Regina Caeli on Sunday, after Israel and the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah declared a 10-day pause in fighting on 17 April. 

“I encourage those who are working towards a diplomatic solution to continue peace talks, so that the cessation of hostilities throughout the Middle East may become permanent,” he said.

An image circulated on social media over the weekend of an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier smashing a statue of Jesus from a large crucifix in the Christian village of Debel. “One of the Israeli soldiers broke the cross and did this horrible thing, this desecration of our holy symbols,” said the parish priest Fr Fadi Felfle. 

Aid to the Church in Need expressed “deep sorrow about the desecration of a sacred Christian symbol and firmly condemns this act”. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “stunned and saddened” by the incident and that the IDF was “conducting a criminal probe of the matter and will take the appropriately harsh disciplinary action against the offender”.

Chinese Catholics face increasing pressure from the Communist authorities to join the state-controlled Church, according to new research.

Human Rights Watch published a report on 16 April warning that “the Chinese government has tightened ideological control, surveillance and travel restrictions on the country’s estimated 12 million Catholics”.

It said Catholics who spoke to researchers described increasing pressures since the Holy See and the Beijing authorities signed a provisional agreement in 2018 on the appointment of bishops, intended to end the division between the “underground” and state-backed Church.

“The Chinese government’s repression of Catholics contravenes or violates international human rights standards and law,” Human Rights Watch said. It presented the findings to the Holy See and Chinese government but did not receive a response.

An Australian diocese announced plans for a new cathedral complex in a suburb of Sydney.  The Diocese of Broken Bay appointed the London-based Níall McLaughlin Architects for the “Cathedral Precinct Project” marking the fortieth anniversary of its foundation in 1986. 

Archbishop Anthony Radazzo, who led the diocese until his appointment to Rome as prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts last month, said the project would create “a visible and living heart for diocesan life, where worship, formation, pastoral care, outreach and administration come together”.

The 7.7-hectare site will include the cathedral, residences, offices and a college campus. According to the architects, the design draws on Laudato Si’ to promote environmental stewardship.

The Trump administration cancelled an $11-million contract with Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Miami to shelter and care for migrant children who enter the United States alone. 

The Miami Herald reported on 15 April that the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement advised the agency of the funding termination in late March. 

In a statement for the Miami Herald’s editorial board, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said the US government had “abruptly decided to end more than 60 years of relationship with Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Miami”. 

He continued: “The Archdiocese of Miami’s services for unaccompanied minors have been recognised for their excellence and have served as a model for other agencies throughout the country.” 

The archbishop said: “Our track record in serving this vulnerable population is unmatched. Yet, the Archdiocese of Miami’s Catholic Charities’ services for unaccompanied minors has been stripped of funding and will be forced to shut down within three months.”

An insurer for the Archdiocese of Baltimore agreed to contribute $100 million toward compensating survivors of clerical sexual abuse to help resolve the archdiocese’s bankruptcy case. 

Lawyers for the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, which represents survivors, filed a proposal on 3 April in the US Bankruptcy Court in Maryland including that figure, which would be paid by the Hartford Insurance Company. 

Attorney Jonathan Schochor, who represents survivors and advises the creditors’ counsel, told WBFF Baltimore that the money could help settle the case, though he added that both sides would have to reach an agreement. 

“We need the Archdiocese of Baltimore … and I’m calling upon [William] Lori, who is our archbishop, to step forward, take responsibility, be accountable and get his assets up to help compensate the 940 plus or minus children who were sexually abused,” Schochor said. 

In a statement to The Baltimore Banner, the archdiocese said it “continues to be committed to the process and working with the survivors committee and others to achieve an agreed-upon resolution of these reorganisation proceedings”.

The Rhode Island House of Representatives approved legislation that would open the Diocese of Providence and other institutions to lawsuits and require additional reporting in sexual abuse cases. The measures approved on 7 April now head to the state senate, where similar reform bills stalled last year. 

“Give the survivors a chance for justice,” Representative Carol Hagan McEntee said when introducing the legislation on the House floor. “There needs to be transparency and accountability.” 

McEntee sponsored three bills that passed the House. One would create a two-year “revival window” to allow previously expired civil claims against institutions and supervisors responsible for enabling or covering up sexual abuse. The window would open on 1 July this year and close on 30 June 2028. 

The legislation was proposed by Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, who released a 282-page report on 4 March detailing decades of abuse by clergy that was covered up by the Diocese of Providence.

A priest hosted a rave mixing quotes from Pope Francis with techno music in Buenos Aires to mark the first anniversary of the Argentinian pontiff’s death on 26 April 2025.

Fr Guilherme Peixoto, a Portuguese priest in his fifties, began the two-hour set in the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires saying: “God bless you and let’s dance.” Images of John Paul II, Francis and statements on fraternity intercut re-mixes of Bad Bunny, Queen, electronic beats and religious melodies. 

Nearly 30 years ago, Fr Peixoto began to DJ to raise funds for his parish, but begged participants not to photograph him for fear of reprisals from his superiors.

His fear diminished after Pope Francis was elected in 2013, with his message of evangelising society’s peripheries. A decade later, Peixoto performed at World Youth Day in Lisbon before an open-air Mass celebrated by the Pope.

The singer Patti Smith, known as the “godmother of punk”, will be part of the Holy See installation at the forthcoming Venice Biennale.

She is one of 24 figures from the cultural sphere involved in this year’s Biennale, titled “In Minor Keys”, which runs from 9 May to 22 November. Others involved in the Holy See’s pavilion include the Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao, who is known for sustainable, community-oriented architecture that responds to social needs.  

The Dicastery for Culture and Education said the choice of artists reflected the Biennale theme for 2026, which invites spectators to slow down and be open to spaces for reflection. 

The pavilion is inspired by the life and spirituality of St Hildegard of Bingen. Titled L’orecchio è l’occhio dell’anima (“The Ear Is the Eye of the Soul”), it is designed as a space for contemplation and deep listening.

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