U.S.
More than 3,000 attend Ascend Eucharistic Revival
BELLEVUE, Wash. — The Ascend Eucharistic Revival May 16 was one of the largest gatherings of Catholics in the Pacific Northwest in over a century, according to event organizers. Those in attendance ranged from infants to the elderly, representing the many different ethnic communities that make up the Archdiocese of Seattle. More than 3,000 local Catholics joined together in prayer led by Father Nicholas Wichert at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. “Our deepest desire is that you would fall deeply in love with Jesus, especially in the Eucharist,” said Father Wichert, ecclesiastical adviser for Ascend. Author and podcaster Chris Stefanick, one of the event’s keynote speakers, compared the conference to a slingshot, where people are ready to be shot out with a renewed sense of love and appreciation for the Lord. “We do not go on mission alone; we go on mission from the altar,” Seattle Archbishop Paul D. Etienne said in his homily. “We receive Christ, we become like Christ so that we can bring Christ to others.” (OSV News)
Pope accepts resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Aclan of Los Angeles
WASHINGTON — Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of the Auxiliary Bishop Alejandro “Alex” D. Aclan of Los Angeles, who was the second Filipino American priest to be named bishop in the U.S. when he was appointed in 2019. The resignation was publicized in Washington May 22 by Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States. On Feb. 9, Bishop Aclan turned 75, the age at which bishops are required by canon law to submit their resignation to the pope. Born in Pasay City, Philippines, he immigrated to California with his family in the early 1980s. He entered St. John’s Seminary and was ordained a priest of the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 1993. He ministered in several parishes before he was named vicar for clergy for the archdiocese in 2015. He was appointed as an auxiliary bishop on March 5, 2019. (OSV News)
WORLD
Holy Spirit opens doors of peace, truth and forgiveness, pope says
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV celebrated Pentecost by highlighting the role of the Holy Spirit in his repeated calls for peace in recent months, saying the spirit also guides the Church to truth amid a world marked by war, division and ideological fragmentation. Celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope said the Holy Spirit continues Christ’s work in the world by restoring peace through forgiveness and transforming fear and confusion into communion with God and others. “Pentecost truly appears as the feast of the new covenant, the covenant between God and all the peoples of the world,” the pope said May 24 in his homily marking the end of the Easter season. Reflecting on the Gospel passage of Christ appearing to the apostles after the resurrection, Pope Leo said Jesus restored peace between God and humanity through His Paschal Mystery and poured that peace into the world through the Holy Spirit. (CNS)
Somalia close to brink of humanitarian catastrophe, organizations say
NAIROBI, Kenya — Somalia is nearing catastrophe again, as aid agencies warn that millions are facing severe hunger, displacement and collapsing access to basic services. A coalition of humanitarian groups says nearly 6.5 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity, while 1.8 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, including hundreds of thousands in urgent need of treatment. Bishop Jamal Boulos Sleiman Daibes of Djibouti said the crisis is being driven by drought, conflict, climate shocks and economic strain, while international funding falls far short of what’s needed. Caritas Somalia reports that only a fraction of donor support has arrived, leaving women, children and the elderly especially vulnerable. Despite insecurity and the small Christian presence in overwhelmingly Muslim Somalia, the Catholic Church continues humanitarian outreach through Caritas and local partnerships, while calling for sustained international solidarity and long-term investment in peace and recovery. (OSV News)
As Ebola epidemic spreads, Uganda postpones Martyrs Day celebrations
KINSHASA, Congo — Uganda’s Catholic bishops are urging calm and prayer after the government postponed this year’s Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations because of a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. The annual June 3 pilgrimage to Namugongo Shrine near Kampala typically draws millions of worshippers from across the region, including neighboring Congo, where the outbreak is centered. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said the decision followed consultations with health officials and religious leaders, warning that large crowds could accelerate the spread of the virus. Catholic leaders and aid agencies, including Catholic Relief Services, are expanding education and emergency response efforts as fears and misinformation continue to spread. By May 20, at least 139 people had died out of the suspected 600 cases in Congo. An American doctor who contracted Ebola in Congo has been flown to Germany for treatment, along with his wife and four children. (OSV News)
Pope Leo advances several canonization causes, including Maronite patriarch
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has cleared the way for the beatification of a Maronite patriarch who played a pivotal role in the creation of modern Lebanon. During a May 22 meeting, the pope recognized a miracle attributed to Patriarch Elias Hoyek. Born under Ottoman rule, Hoyek led the Maronite Catholic Church from 1899 to 1931. During World War I, he tapped church funds and global connections to shield his people from a devastating state-orchestrated famine. After the war, his advocacy at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference helped secure an independent Lebanese state. Pope Leo also advanced several other sainthood causes. He recognized the martyrdom of Father Francisco González de Córdova and 79 companions who were killed for their faith during the Spanish Civil War. Additionally, the pope recognized the heroic virtues of four others: a Salesian missionary in India, an Italian Capuchin friar, a Spanish abbess, and a Cameroonian Carmelite brother. (OSV News)
