U.S.
Religious freedom ‘rooted in human dignity,’ says expert ahead of U.S. bishops’ observance
WASHINGTON — Ahead of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ annual observance of Religious Freedom Week, Emily Schumacher-Novak, associate director of education and outreach for the USCCB’s Secretariat of Justice and Peace, explained that this year’s observance is more timely than ever. The observance — which began June 22, the feast of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, and ends June 29 — includes accompanying USCCB novena prayers reflecting on specific threats to religious freedom both in the U.S. and abroad. The observance is an “opportunity to remind ourselves that it (religious freedom) is rooted in our human dignity,” Schumacher-Novak said. “It is our human dignity that is being protected when we are seeking to live out our faith in public, and we have the right to seek God, to look for who God is to us, and to do that in freedom.” She added, “We need to be leveraging the good of the United States and our belief in the freedom of all people to participate in their societies in a holistic way. We need to offer our voices and lend our support for that to happen.” (OSV News)
Juneteenth ‘calls us forward,’ while urging repentance for sin of racism, bishops say
PHILADELPHIA — Juneteenth “calls us forward,” while providing a moment to atone for past sins of racism, including in the Church, and to reaffirm the human dignity of all, several U.S. bishops said. Observed every June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation to more than 250,000 enslaved Black persons in Galveston, Texas. “Juneteenth invites us to confront the painful legacy of racism in our nation,” said Bishop Daniel E. Garcia of Austin, Texas, who chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation. Bishop Garcia and Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr., retired auxiliary bishop of Washington and chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee on African American Affairs, posted a joint reflection on Juneteenth to the USCCB website. They encouraged the faithful to read the USCCB’s 2018 pastoral letter on racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love,” also available on the USCCB website. (OSV News)
WORLD
World’s conflicts are ‘fed’ more readily than people, Pope Leo XIV says
ROME — Pope Leo XIV strongly criticized global priorities today, warning that conflicts are being “fed” more readily than human beings are nourished. Addressing the U.N. World Food Program in Rome, the pontiff lamented that the distribution of weapons and bureaucratic red tape frequently takes precedence over humanitarian aid. He called access to food a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of global stability, pointing out the painful paradox of a world with unprecedented food production capacity alongside expanding zones of extreme vulnerability. Following his address, Pope Leo connected via video call with front-line aid workers in conflict zones like South Sudan and Lebanon, thanking them for risking their lives. He concluded by warning that global resources are being wasted on war rather than ending hunger, which “continues to increase in some parts of the world,” he said. Before departing the WFP headquarters, Pope Leo also expressed his gratitude to dozens of WFP employees gathered outside, saying that he was “sincerely honored” to be with them. (OSV News)
COMECE president says new EU migrant regulations raise ethical concerns
BRUSSELS — The president of the European bishops’ commission warns that new European Union migration regulations raise serious ethical and humanitarian concerns. Italian Bishop Mariano Crociata, head of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, said the rules — which include fast-track deportations and expanded detentions — risk weakening the fundamental rights and dignity of vulnerable people. Approved June 17, the EU framework streamlines enforcement and allows national authorities to double immigration detention caps to 24 months if a migrant does not cooperate or if documentation is delayed. The policy also shifts more border management outside the EU and removes automatic deportation suspensions during appeals. Invoking Pope Leo XIV’s recent apostolic journey to Spain, Bishop Crociata challenged Europe to look beyond fear and political expediency, emphasizing that security and solidarity are not opposing principles. He urged officials to ground all policy decisions in human rights and the protection of families. “At this decisive moment, Europe is called not to retreat from its founding values, but to reaffirm them with courage, wisdom and humanity,” Bishop Crociata said. (OSV News)
French bishops launch prayer novena ahead of key ‘assisted-dying’ vote
PARIS — The bishops of France are urging the faithful to take part in a prayer novena that began June 21, as lawmakers move closer to a pivotal vote on legislation that could permanently legalize assisted dying. The measure returned to the National Assembly on June 22 for a third reading. Lawmakers are expected to vote June 30 on a proposal that supporters say would establish a legal right to die, while opponents warn it would mark a major shift in the country’s approach to end-of-life care. The debate has been one of the most contested social issues in France in recent years. On June 22, the Alliance Vita movement organized a national rally near the National Assembly in Paris, and the collective Les Éligibles et leurs Aidants, which brings together people with disabilities and their caregivers, planned a gathering for June 23. Efforts to create a legal framework for assisted dying have sparked political and ethical disputes and have moved through a lengthy legislative process since 2022. If approved June 30, the bill will return briefly to the Senate before a final National Assembly vote scheduled for July 15. (OSV News)
