News Briefing: Church in the World

Brazil’s Supreme Court closed an investigation into a Catholic priest over his alleged involvement in an attempted coup d’état in 2022. Fr José Eduardo de Oliveira e Silva was one of several people including the former president Jair Bolsonaro accused of participating in the attempt to prevent the installation of president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.  

The priest from Osasco in the state of São Paulo was named by federal police in November 2024 among a suspected “core group” responsible for advising on and drafting decrees intended to serve interests related to the alleged coup. 

“Fr José Eduardo’s defence team consistently alerted the judiciary and the federal police that the visits the clergyman made in Brasilia were never of a conspiratorial nature but rather strictly fulfilled what is expected of a Catholic priest: spiritual care and guidance – nothing more than that,” said his lawyer Miguel da Costa Carvalho Vidigal in a statement. 

“It is to be hoped that the investigation against Fr José Eduardo was an isolated incident on the part of the Brazilian state and that the religious freedoms enshrined in the Federal Constitution and in the Brazil-Holy See Agreement will be guaranteed by the judiciary. Had these norms been observed, unfounded and slanderous messages – as well as aggressive outbursts – could have been avoided.”

A survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that support for President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration has dropped across all religious groups in the United States over the past year. 

Released on 26 March, the survey indicates that majority support for Trump’s immigration policies is now limited to two religious groups: white evangelicals and white Catholics. A slight majority – 51 per cent – of white Catholics expressed views favourable of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers. About 54 per cent of white Catholics also expressed support for increased funding of Ice, which has come under widespread criticism for its immigration enforcement tactics. 

The survey data indicated a significant gap between the views of white Catholics and Hispanic Catholics, who were far less likely to express support for Ice or Ice officers. In addition, 71 per cent of Hispanic Catholics agreed that ICE officers are making communities less safe.

Catholic organisations mobilised to assist many who lost their homes and livelihoods in the wake of two severe storms that devastated Hawaii in late March.

The storms unleashed heavy rain and strong winds on 20-22 March, causing widespread damage in Oahu’s North Shore and southeast Maui. Those areas were struck by as much as 46 inches of rain, which triggered floods and landslides and caused an estimated $1 billion in damage. 

Among the Catholic organisations involved in relief efforts are EPIC Ministry, the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Charities Hawaii and several local parishes. 

Fr Romple Emwalu, pastor of St Michael Church in Waialua, told EWTN News that many of his parishioners’ homes were unliveable as they had as much as 4 feet of water inside. He said the parish became a hub for several relief organisations that distributed food and clean water.

Filipino Religious superiors called on the government to help ordinary citizens through the oil crisis caused by the war in the Middle East.

The justice and peace commission of the Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines proposed measures such as suspending excise tax on oil, regulating the oil industry and punishing companies that take advantage of the oil crisis.  

“It is clear to us: the oil crisis is a human rights crisis,” the religious superiors said during a protest on 27 March. 

Other church leaders released their own statements on the Middle East conflict, which has led to rising prices for oil and basic commodities.

The president of the bishops’ conference Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa drew special attention to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) employed in the Middle East. He said his archdiocese was committed to offering pastoral care, counselling and assistance to migrant workers’ families.  

“Let our parishes become places of support, comfort, and hope for all who await with longing the return of their loved ones abroad,” Garcera said.

Catholic bishops in India expressed concern at the “alarming” provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. They objected to the bill’s provisions empowering the federal government to deny licence renewals and subsequently assume control over the institutions, funds, properties and assets of minority and non-profit organisations. 

Such provisions could amount to executive overreach undermining constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms and weakening democratic accountability, said Fr Mathew Koyickal, deputy general secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) at a briefing in New Delhi on 28 March. 

“The amendments that are undemocratic, unconstitutional and contrary to principles of natural justice are an attempt to place minority institutions under an excessively stringent regulatory framework,” he said. The CBCI urged measures to “include setting up an appellate authority on the bill and the immediate removal of all contentious provisions leading to the takeover of the asset”. 

Opposition politicians described the bill as “draconian and dangerous” when it was introduced in the lower House of Parliament, warning that it gave sweeping powers to the federal government and cautioning against its possible misuse. However, the federal government maintained that the bill’s primary objective is to curb misuse of foreign funds.

The Kerala High Court held that the practice of endogamy prevailing in Knanaya Catholic Church is “impermissible in law” as it is not an essential religious practice. 

On 23 March, Justice S Easwaran held that religious autonomy could not be used as a licence to infringe on constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms, ruling that the requirement that all Knanaya Catholics marry within the community and the excommunication from parish membership of those who marry non-Knananites is unconstitutional. 

The right to marry a person of one’s choice is a fundamental right and any ecclesiastical bye-law infringing upon this liberty is “void and unenforceable”, he said.

The Archeparchy of Kottayam, the Metropolitan Archbishop and Knanaya Catholic Congress had filed the appeal challenging the verdicts of the Additional Sub Court and Additional District Court in Kottayam in 2021 and 2022, which held that expulsions of its members for marrying outside the community was unconstitutional.  

The archeparchy said it would file an appeal against the verdict, which nullifies traditions, customs and procedures followed for centuries by the Knanaya Catholic community. The community traces its origin to Jewish Christians who migrated from Mesopotamia to India in 345 AD.

A coalition of young creators launched the “Voices of Unity for Peace in Africa” under the guidance of a Kenyan nun. 

Sr Leonida Katunge, a lawyer and human rights advocate, said the initiative would harness art, music and poetry to forge a new narrative of faith, hope and harmony in response to wars devastating several African countries.  

“The context warrants this,” Sr Katunge explained during an online meeting with artists from across the continent on 13 March. She said the initiative would counteract division by providing a creative platform for a generation determined to shape its own future.  

“The US and Israel are at war with Iran. Russia is at war with Ukraine. In Africa, we are witnessing conflicts in the DRC, Sudan, Cameroon, Kenya and more. It is critical that we find creative ways of addressing these conflicts,” she told The Tablet.

Terrorists attacked the largely Christian Angwan Rukuba community in the Jos North Local Government Area of Nigeria’s Plateau State on the evening of Palm Sunday, killing more than 40 people.

“The attack was targeted at Christians as the armed Fulani militants attacked them at night, slaughtering many and razing homes,” said Samson Chiroma, a community youth leader.

Videos circulating on social media on Monday showed survivors wailing and crying “Jesus”. The state police commissioner Bassey Ewah reported 26 deaths in the attack and said that three people were injured.

Ewah spoke when the state Governor Caleb Mutfwang, visited the community in an armoured vehicle to commiserate with the victims’ families and the community. The commissioner assured the people that the security agents would find the perpetrators.

Samson called on the government to be proactive in ensuring the safety of lives and property. He said that according to eyewitnesses, 10 gunmen arrived in a Sharon bus and began shooting at residents sitting or standing by the roadside.

“These are just innocent people who have done no wrong, but their lives were sniffed by the enemies of the land. But our government can do better. It is quite unfortunate that criminal elements will unleash this mayhem within an urban community and go unhindered,” he said.

“Government should deploy technology and other modern means to support the efforts of the security agencies in addressing the security challenges in the state.”

The Diocese of Yola in northern Nigeria donated new laptops and essential IT equipment to its Catholic Deaf Community (CDC) to strengthen digital inclusion and expand livelihood opportunities.

Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza made the presentation at the Catholic Secretariat in Yola and the items were formally received by the leadership of the CDC, led by its vice president Miss Chidimma and accompanied by its chief interpreter. Also present was the coordinator of the diocesan Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) Fr Maurice Kwairanga, who has been instrumental in advancing the diocese’s social inclusion initiatives. 

Chidimma expressed gratitude on behalf of the CDC, saying it was “overwhelmed with joy” at the bishop’s generosity and commitment to their empowerment. She emphasised that the equipment marked a new chapter in the community’s pursuit of education, employability and self-reliance. 

Bishop Mamza described the donation as part of the diocese’s broader mission to ensure that no member of the community is left behind in the digital world, highlighting the importance of equipping deaf individuals with the tools and skills necessary to thrive in modern workplaces. 

“Technological empowerment for the deaf community goes beyond hardware – it requires creating learning environments that prioritize visual communication, accessibility, and hands-on training,” he said. “The laptops will serve as foundational tools for a series of upcoming capacity-building programs designed specifically for deaf learners.” 

He continued: “The donation undescored the Diocese of Yola’s commitment to inclusive development, aligning with global efforts to promote equal access to education, technology, and economic opportunities for persons with disabilities. By investing in the Catholic Deaf Community, the diocese is not only providing equipment but also affirming the dignity, potential and aspirations of deaf individuals.”

Bishops in the Democratic Republic of Congo warned against plans to amend the 2006 constitution during “the current security crisis”. 

Speaking after an extraordinary plenary of the Congolese Bishops’ Conference on 23-25 March, its secretary general Fr Donatien Nshole said they remain opposed to such plans because “it would be risky for the bishops to open the chapter on constitutional amendment in a context that lack consensus”. 

Opposition groups say supporters of President Félix Tshisekedi plan to extend his term past 2028 with constitutional changes even while the eastern DR Congo is riven by fighting between armed groups.

The Institute for the Works of Religion, known as the Vatican Bank, announced that Luxembourg banker François Pauly will succeed Jean-Baptiste Douville de Franssu as president of its board. Pauly will take office following the board meeting scheduled on 28 April.  

De Franssu’s tenure has been marked by internal reforms and efforts to rebuild the institution’s international credibility after years of scrutiny of the bank’s management, transparency and anti-money-laundering controls.

Pauly, who began his banking career in the late 1980s, has served on the board since 2024. He has previously served as deputy chief executive officer of Dexia Crediop in Italy, as CEO and chairman of Banque Internationale à Luxembourg from 2011 to 2016, and on the board of the Vatican Pension Fund from 2017 to 2021.

He is currently chairman of La Luxembourgeoise Group and a member of the Commission for Economic Affairs of the Archdiocese of Luxembourg, and also serves on the boards of several financial firms across Europe.

Pope Leo appointed the Bishop of Hildesheim Heiner Wilmer SCJ, the recently-elected president of the German Bishops’ Conference, as Bishop of Münster.

Wilmer succeeds Bishop Felix Genn who retired a year ago after 16 years in office. Following appointments as provincial of the Congregation of the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 2007 and as superior general in 2015, Wilmer became Bishop of Hildesheim in 2018. He is regarded as a reformer supporting the Synodal Way but committed to retaining a strong relationship with Rome and with the world church. 

While Catholics are in the minority in Hildesheim, Münster is the largest diocese in Germany with more than 1.5 million Catholics, a move from the northern diaspora to Germany’s Catholic heartland.

Following the announcement, Wilmer referred to the Emmaus story in Luke’s gospel. “Is that not a story for our postmodern times?” he asked. “Perhaps this is the way of the today – seeking out, listening, understanding and then moving forward together.”  

Speaking in his new diocese, he said: “Dear brothers and sisters, as I am looking at all of you gathered in here in the St Paulus Cathedral at Münster, my heart too is burning. A heart filled with thankfulness … I am looking forward to you, all of you … and perhaps one day, when we look back on our journey together, we too will ask: ‘Did not our hearts burn within us?’” 

Wilmer will be inducted on 21 June. Pope Leo received him in a private audience at the Vatican on 30 March.

A Paris civil court ordered retired Bishop Jean-Michel di Falco, 84, to pay nearly €200,000 in compensation to a 65-year-old man who accused him of rape and sexual aggression half a century ago. Di Falco denies committing these crimes between 1972 and 1975 and will appeal.  

The case did not consider the alleged crimes, which are beyond the statute of limitations for a penal case, but on the subsequent harm requiring compensation. Pierre-Jean Pagès, who failed twice in penal court before bringing a civil case a decade ago, says he needed 20 years of therapy for trauma. 

Di Falco is a former spokesman of the French bishops’ conference, a former auxiliary bishop in Paris and former Bishop of Gap and Embrun in the Alps. Trying an abuse case in civil rather than penal court is a rare legal strategy. This precedent could open the door to more such cases against clergy accused of crimes beyond the statute of limitations. 

At their spring assembly, French bishops authorised a successor for their temporary fund to compensate then-minor victims of clerical sexual abuse. “We must remain vigilant,” an unnamed bishop told Le Monde.

Nearly 20 per cent more adults and adolescents will be baptised this Easter in France compared to 2025, according to a report by the bishops’ conference, continuing for a fourth year the upward trend of new entries into the Church. 

The number of Easter Vigil baptisms has tripled in the last four years. The overall figure is now 21,386 baptisms – 13,234 adults and 8,152 teenagers. Students and young professionals now account for 42 per cent of adult baptisms. Two-thirds of the newcomers are women, mostly from rural areas and often with working class backgrounds. 

The report, unveiled at the bishops’ spring assembly in Lourdes, said eight per cent of new Catholics in recent years had dropped out of the Church in the year after their baptism, while 72 per cent said they felt sufficiently supported by their new parishes. Most of them are involved in parish activities such as prayer groups, social services or charitable organisations. Just 10 per cent reported no activity. 

The report said social media and influencers had little effect on the catechumens. They cited reasons such as a personal hardship, a recurrent questioning, a spiritual experience or the witness of Christian lives as being behind their decision.

The number of Catholics worldwide increased by 1.14 per cent from 2023 to 2024 to 1.422 billion, remaining at just below 18 per cent of the global population, according to the latest statistics published by the Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae. The number of priests worldwide increased by 425 to 407,421, but they were unevenly distributed, with 1,800 Catholics to every priest in Europe, 2,100 to every priest in Asia, 5,000 in Africa and 7,600 in South America.

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