U.S.
New USCIRF chair says Nigeria remains key concern for international religious freedom watchdog
WASHINGTON — Religious persecution predominantly affecting Christian communities in Nigeria remains a key concern for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, the commission’s new chair said on July 24. Asif Mahmood, who was recently elected chair of USCIRF, an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission that monitors religious freedom around the globe, said that “my top priority is going to be — if you ask me, ‘pick one place’ — it’ll be Nigeria.” Violence against Christians in Nigeria has escalated in recent years from Islamic extremist groups such as Boko Haram. However, Muslim communities have also been gravely impacted by the violence. Disputes between farmers and herders have also led to violence and displacement. New commissioners recently joined USCIRF after the previous commissioners’ terms expired in May. Mahmood is one of two commissioners who were reappointed. But three vacancies for commissioners nominated by the White House remain, as the Trump administration has not yet made those appointments. (OSV News)
CRS receives State Department funds to ‘significantly expand’ humanitarian aid to Cuba
BALTIMORE — Catholic Relief Services is welcoming a $60 million State Department award that will help “significantly expand” humanitarian aid to Cuba, as the Caribbean nation battles multiple crises. CRS, the humanitarian and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, announced the funding July 21. The agency said the award will enable it to partner with Caritas Cuba — which, like CRS, is part of Caritas Internationalis, the Catholic Church’s global humanitarian network — to provide “emergency food and hygiene supplies to nearly 200,000 households, or more than half a million people,” across Cuba. The award will also allow the two agencies to distribute “essential household items — including mattresses and blankets — to another 7,000 people who need them,” CRS said. The same day, the State Department said two of its officials had joined CRS staff in Miami July 21 “to send off the first flight of humanitarian relief” under Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s $100 million commitment in aid to the Cuban people. The Caribbean island is reeling from several ongoing challenges, including rising rates of disease and mortality, even as food, water, healthcare, electricity and fuel resources have plunged. A 2026 U.S. blockade on oil imports to Cuba has intensified the crisis. (OSV News)
Catholic Scouting in U.S. has new name, same adventurous mission
ROCIADA, N.M. — The new public name of Catholic Scouting America is meant to both clarify and strengthen the New Mexico-based organization’s 100-plus-year commitment to faith, family and adventure through the values-based lessons of Scouting — all grounded in the Catholic faith. The National Catholic Committee on Scouting announced the new name in June. Catholic Scouting America is a partner with Scouting America — known as Boy Scouts of America until May 2024 — so boys and girls in Catholic Scouting have access to the activities, programs, and resources that have shaped generations of American Scouts. As of 2024, there were 130,888 active Catholic Scouts and leaders in 194 U.S. dioceses and eparchies with a Catholic Committee on Scouting, and Catholic Scouting service projects provided an estimated value of $52 million in aid. The name change “aligns more with what our mission is, and tells people what we really do,” said Bill Guglielmi, Catholic Scouting America’s national chairman. (OSV News)
WORLD
Apostolic nuncio to UAE and Yemen named Holy See’s new permanent observer to UN
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia el-Kassis, apostolic nuncio to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, as the Holy See’s new permanent observer to the United Nations in New York. The Lebanese-born archbishop, who is also apostolic delegate to the Arabian Peninsula, succeeds Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, who is now the papal nuncio to the United States. The appointment of Archbishop el-Kassis was announced July 25 by the Holy See Press Office. Archbishop el-Kassis was appointed nuncio to the United Arab Emirates Jan. 3, 2023, and was named apostolic nuncio to Yemen and apostolic delegate to the Arabian Peninsula July 22, 2024. Prior to those assignments, he had been the nuncio to Pakistan since Nov. 24, 2018. Born in Beirut on Aug. 24, 1968, he was ordained a priest on May 21, 1994, and incardinated in the Maronite Archeparchy of Beirut. He entered the Vatican’s diplomatic service on June 19, 2000. He was ordained an archbishop in Rome on Jan. 19, 2019. (Vatican News)
Pope Leo appoints two U.S. bishops as members of Vatican’s highest court
ROME — Pope Leo XIV has named two American bishops as members of the Vatican’s highest court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. The bishops, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco and Bishop Edward M. Lohse of Kalamazoo, Michigan, both hold doctorates in canon law. The Apostolic Signatura, established in the 15th century, is one of three tribunals within the Holy See. It serves as a supreme court, hearing appeals from the Holy See’s two other tribunals, with the pope serving as the supreme judge. The two Americans are among the seven new members appointed by Pope Leo XIV July 25, joining prelates and canon law professors from Spain, Poland, Germany and Italy. (OSV News)
Death toll from Venezuela earthquakes nears 5,000
CARACAS, Venezuela — The death toll from twin earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela on June 24 has reached 4,829, according to government officials. The back-to-back disasters, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, were the strongest to hit the country in over a century, leaving more than 16,000 injured and nearly 18,000 homeless. A July 16 UNICEF report warned that over 1,000 aftershocks continue to hamper recovery efforts, creating a severe humanitarian crisis for vulnerable children and families. In response, Catholic agencies worldwide are mobilizing massive relief efforts. Caritas Venezuela launched the campaign “After the earthquake, love,” distributing over 13,000 metric tons of food, water and hygiene supplies. One of Caritas Venezuela’s partners, Catholic Relief Services — the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ official overseas humanitarian and development agency — has workers on the ground helping distribute the aid. (OSV News)
Pope prays for victims of deadly wildfires in Spain, France
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Pope Leo XIV called for prayers July 26 as massive wildfires rage across Spain and France, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. Speaking from Castel Gandolfo, the pontiff expressed his closeness to victims and urged support for emergency crews. In France, fast-moving blazes near Bordeaux have claimed the lives of two firefighters. The French bishops’ conference called on parishes to open their halls as shelters and offer respite from the extreme heat. In Spain, flames have scorched over 190,000 acres across three provinces. Church leaders in both nations are stepping up relief efforts. In Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo visited evacuees in Alcobendas, where church bells had sounded emergency evacuation warnings for local residents. (OSV News)
