U.S.
Parishes clean up damage, help those displaced by floods in western Washington state
BURLINGTON, Wash. — Several parishes and schools across western Washington have shut down operations due to historic flooding in the state. Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Dec. 12 that President Donald Trump signed the state’s request for an emergency declaration, permitting federal funds to be used as aid in 16 counties and several Tribal Nations affected by the floods. St. Charles Parish in Burlington, St. Catherine Mission in Concrete, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Snoqualmie, St. Joseph School in Issaquah and Immaculate Conception School in Mount Vernon are among the closures. The Tri-Parish Food Bank at St. Charles has also been shut down. In a statement, the Laudato Si’ Movement-Washington State Chapter said it “holds all those affected in prayer” and called the devastation “heartbreaking.” (OSV News)
Illinois legalizes assisted suicide, despite outcry from bishops, pro-life advocates
CHICAGO — Illinois has become the 12th state, along with the District of Columbia, to legalize assisted suicide, amid outcry among the state’s Catholic bishops and other pro-life and disability advocates. On Dec. 12, Gov. JB Pritzker signed SB 1950 into law, allowing terminally ill adults who are Illinois residents to end their lives through self-administered lethal drugs prescribed by a physician. Pritzker’s approval of the measure comes after a number of efforts to prevent the bill from becoming law. On Dec. 10, the Illinois Catholic bishops sent a letter to Pritzker, urging him to veto the bill, and to instead ensure the state’s residents have “compassionate, loving care provided by trained professionals and/or loving family members” at the end of their lives. In their letter, the Illinois bishops said, “Real compassion demands we invest in and ensure access to excellent pain management and holistic support for the terminally ill, allowing them to live their final days in comfort and peace, surrounded by family, friends and other emotional supports.” (OSV News)
Pope Leo names Bishop Ramón Bejarano to lead Diocese of Monterey
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop Ramón Bejarano as the next bishop of the Diocese of Monterey, Calif. The Vatican announced the appointment on Dec. 17. Bishop Bejarano, 56, is currently an auxiliary bishop of San Diego. Born in Laredo, Texas, he spent part of his childhood in Mexico before moving to California’s San Joaquin Valley at age 18. There, he worked in agricultural fields and later in hotel maintenance to help support his family. Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Stockton in 1998, Bishop Bejarano served in several parish assignments and as chaplain to migrant workers, celebrating Mass in migrant camps. He was appointed auxiliary bishop of San Diego in 2020. (OSV News)
WORLD
Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai convicted in ‘show trial’
HONG KONG — Hong Kong Catholic media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai has been convicted under the city’s sweeping national security law, a verdict critics are calling a political show trial. Lai, founder of the now-shuttered “Apple Daily,” was arrested in 2020 after Beijing imposed the security law following mass pro-democracy protests. He has pleaded not guilty to charges including colluding with foreign forces and publishing seditious material. The conviction could carry a life sentence. A British citizen and lifelong Catholic, Lai refused to flee Hong Kong, saying leaving would mean abandoning his faith. He has spent nearly five years in solitary confinement, creating religious artwork. U.S. officials, Catholic leaders and international advocates have called for his release, framing his imprisonment as a test of religious freedom, press freedom and human dignity. (OSV News)
Church beatifies 50 French Catholics killed ‘in hatred of the faith’ by Nazis
PARIS — Fifty French Catholics killed under Nazism were beatified Dec. 13, 2025, during a Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, recognizing their witness of faith during World War II. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg presided at the liturgy, as they were declared blessed, with their liturgical memorial on May 5. The martyrs — priests, seminarians and laymen — died in Germany between 1944 and 1945 while serving fellow French workers deported under Nazi forced labor policies. They volunteered to accompany workers sent to German factories, offering pastoral care through a clandestine mission known as the St. Paul Mission. For French Father Bernard Ardura, postulator of their causes in Rome since 2018, these men are “martyrs of the apostolate.” In his homily, Cardinal Hollerich praised their courage, calling the witness given by their lives and deaths a faithful following of Christ to the very end. (OSV News)
