U.S.
Relics of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque will come to the U.S. in June
PARIS — The relics of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the French Visitation sister who experienced visions of Jesus revealing his Sacred Heart, will be present with the U.S. bishops in Orlando, Florida, when they consecrate the United States to Jesus’ Sacred Heart June 11. The relics will be flown from Paris to New York June 2 and will remain in the U.S. until September. As part of their plenary assembly in Orlando June 10-12, the U.S. bishops will concelebrate Mass and pray the act of consecration. The bishops also will hear reflections on the Sacred Heart ahead of the Mass. Arnaud Bouthéon, the lay leader of the Knights of Columbus in France, will be in charge of the unusual transatlantic trip with the reliquary. St. Margaret Mary received visions of Jesus between 1673 and 1675 at the Monastery of the Visitation in Parais-le-Monial. Christ showed her His Sacred Heart and invited her to experience His love, mercy and tenderness. St. Margaret Mary was canonized in 1920. (OSV News)
Annual U.S. bishops’ child protection report shows ‘historic milestone’
WASHINGTON — An annual report from the nation’s Catholic bishops shows that more than 1,000 allegations of child sexual abuse were reported in U.S. dioceses during the 2025 fiscal year, with just over 2% involving individuals who were minors in that period. On-site auditors found weaknesses in several dioceses’ review boards and records management, as well as burnout and turnover among safe environment and victim assistance staff. On May 27, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and its National Review Board released the “2025 Annual Report — Findings and Recommendations on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.” Independent auditing firm Stonebridge Partners said that during the report period, a total of 1,070 allegations had been reported by 973 survivors of childhood sexual abuse by clergy throughout the 194 dioceses and eparchies for which data was available. The number of allegations for the 2025 report marked an increase of 168 from last year’s data. In his preface, USCCB president Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City noted that by the end of 2025, “100% of the 196 dioceses and eparchies” in the U.S. “had participated in at least one on-site audit.” The “historic milestone” marked “the first time since the Charter’s inception that full participation has been achieved,” he said. (OSV News)
WORLD
World Cup seen as opportunity for pastoral outreach, global encounter
LOS ANGELES — Catholic dioceses across the United States are preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, viewing the global tournament as both a major pastoral opportunity and a unique moment of international encounter. The expanded competition, the largest in FIFA history, will feature 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Canada and Mexico. In the U.S., 11 host cities will welcome matches from June 11 to July 19, culminating in the championship game at MetLife Stadium near New York City. Church leaders in host communities are already planning how to engage millions of visitors while highlighting parish life and the Church’s public witness. Church leaders also point to Pope Leo XIV’s episcopal motto, “In Illo uno unam” — “In the One, we are one” — as a fitting reflection on unity amid cultural diversity. For many Catholics, the World Cup represents more than sport; it is a visible expression of global communion. The U.S. portion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Los Angeles. (OSV News)
Pope Leo names EWTN’s Alvarado as prefect of Vatican Dicastery for Communication
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Montse Alvarado, president and COO of EWTN News, as prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication. She will assume the role on Nov. 1. Alvarado, a Mexican-American Catholic who grew up in Miami, will be the first laywoman ever to lead a Roman Curia dicastery and the youngest prefect ever appointed. She succeeds Paolo Ruffini, whom Pope Francis appointed in 2018. Currently based in Washington, Alvarado holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida International University and a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University. She began working in communications for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a Washington-based nonprofit law firm that defends religious freedom cases, in 2009, rising to vice president and executive director in 2017. In 2021, she began a professional transition to Catholic media, becoming the host of the weekly news show “EWTN News In Depth” while still working for the Becket Fund. She was named president and COO of EWTN News in 2023. The dicastery, established by Pope Francis in 2015, oversees the Vatican’s global communications platforms. (OSV News)
