(OSV News) -- Catholics during Holy Week should continue to "pray ardently" for a de-escalation of violence in the Middle East, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement April 1.

"During this holiest of weeks, let us continue to pray ardently for mutually respectful and effective dialogue that leads to a ceasefire and a negotiated end to the conflict with Iran," he said.

Archbishop Coakley underscored Pope Leo's call for peace made on Palm Sunday, when the pope said: "Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord's Passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering."

"The longer the conflict with Iran continues, including the risk of deploying ground troops to the region, the greater the risk of a dramatic escalation risking an ever-greater regional conflict," Archbishop Coakley said. "I welcome the Administration's indications that the war with Iran may soon be coming to an end. And I join our Holy Father's urgent calls for the Administration and all parties involved to take decisive action toward an immediate ceasefire, and for effective dialogue to resolve this dangerous impasse."

In his first Palm Sunday homily March 29, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed that Jesus, the King of Peace, embraces all suffering in human history and cries out from the cross against war. Pope Leo repeated the phrase "King of Peace" seven times throughout his homily, weaving it through different moments of the Passion of Christ, pointing to Jesus as a victim of unjust violence who never took up arms in his own defense.

"Christ, King of Peace, cries out again from his cross: God is love! Have mercy! Lay down your weapons! Remember that you are brothers and sisters," the pope said.

Two days later, in comments outside Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo told reporters: "I was told that President Trump had recently stated that he would like to end the war. Hopefully he's looking for an off-ramp. Hopefully he's looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing, which would be a significant contribution to removing the hatred that's being created and is increasing constantly in the Middle East and elsewhere."

Pope Leo continued: "So I would certainly continue to give this call to all leaders of the world: to say, come back to the table to dialogue, let's look for solutions to problems, let's look for ways to reduce the amount of violence that we're promoting, and that peace, especially at Easter, might reign in our hearts."

Archbishop Coakley concluded his statement by calling on Christians to be "peacemakers."

"Emboldened by Easter's powerful, transformative grace, I urge the faithful to continue praying ardently for mutual respectful and effective dialogue, and that we Christians be true to our vocation as peacemakers, the 'light of the world' and the 'salt of the earth' (Matthew 5:13-14)," he said.

(OSV News) -- Ahead of Easter, Martin Scorsese's docudrama series about the saints is featuring the queen of all saints: Mary, the mother of Jesus.

"Mary is an unbelievably inspiring character," Matti Leshem, creator of "Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints," said. "Regardless of your level of faith, you should be moved by her. You should be moved by her love."

Leshem, who also serves as a director and executive producer of the series, spoke with OSV News about the second season of "The Saints" and its new episode called "Mary."

The hour-long extended episode promises to bring Mary's story to life, beginning with her betrothal to Joseph. Hosted, narrated, and executive produced by Scorsese, an award-winning filmmaker, the special Easter episode is now available following its March 27 debut on Fox Nation, a subscription streaming service.

"She is the quintessential mother -- and whether or not you believe that Mary is the Mother of God, on some level, she is mother of us all," Leshem said.

Leshem, who is Jewish, echoed Scorsese, a Catholic, and his commentary in the episode. In the Easter special, Scorsese exhibits a careful, personal approach toward the Blessed Virgin Mary. He remembers the importance of Easter growing up in New York's "Little Italy" neighborhood in the 1940s, and goes on to speak about presenting Mary in a way that reveals her maternal humanity.

"In the Christian faith, Mary is a pillar -- a perfect soul who steps into her beloved son's shadow," Scorsese says at one point. "When you examine her life closely, you start to see her terror, her astonishment, her confusion, her sorrow, her great love. It's a life unlike any other."

He adds, "We made this episode in an attempt to get closer to Mary, the mother of Jesus and really for so many of us all around the world, the mother of us all."

A special scene with 'Mary'

Lehshem revealed that one of the episode's final scenes came directly from Scorsese.

"That scene at the very end where the resurrected Christ appears to his mother was (Scorsese's) invention," Leshem said, adding that it "really came out of his imagination and his meditations on Mary."

The scene comes up in conversation at the conclusion of the episode, where Scorsese discusses Mary with Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author; Mary Karr, a professor, poet and memoirist; and Paul Elie, an author and senior fellow at Georgetown University's Berkeley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs.

"Father Martin actually references this specific idea, because it's not in the Gospels, of course, that Christ appears to his mother," Leshem said. "But there's some indication that that's something that could have happened."

A care for creative liberties

Leshem said that the makers of "The Saints" take a careful and thoughtful approach in deciding when and where to take creative liberties. In the episode, the script does not follow Scripture verbatim, and some viewers may find certain choices controversial.

Regarding the birth of Jesus Christ, for instance, every filmmaker is confronted with the fact that there are two valid traditions backed by Scripture around whether Mary experienced pain in childbirth: Was she free from it due to her Immaculate Conception, or did she undergo such pain perfectly united to the redemptive suffering of her son? The traditions for each view are as old as the Church itself and the Church has not definitively resolved them. But in such a case, the filmmakers ultimately have to make a choice and do so.

As a rule, Leshem said, they try not to disavow any Gospel.

"For us, Gospel is Gospel, and we take it very seriously in that way," he said, adding "that when Gospels disagree with each other, or there are clear indications that something is plausible, that it could have happened, we also have great consultants."

Leshem also highlighted the series' focus on presenting the saints as approachable and human. He said that, where they can, they try to add to the story and flesh out the characters to make them accessible to modern-day people who "maybe have lost touch with their religion or lost touch with a sense of faith."

A Jewish background

Leshem, who spoke previously with the Our Sunday Visitor magazine about his Jewish background and encountering the saints as a boy in Catholic school, spoke about this episode that tells the story of a Jewish woman. He said his faith helps him approach every episode.

With this episode, as a practicing Jew and as someone who has studied Judaism and Christianity, he said, "I feel like I have a sense of what life was like."

Leshem said he understands the tradition Mary comes from and the tradition Jesus was raised in, which is something the episode includes. He spoke about his personal perspective.

"I always think of Christianity, broadly, as kind of a Judaism 2.0," he said. "It is the continuation of a path that begins with the Old Testament and goes on to the New Testament."

He also expressed interest in St. Joseph, who is a part of this episode.

"You see Joseph struggling with the reality of this woman who he loves, who he doesn't know how not to believe her, but he can't understand it," he said. "The truth is, is that there is great mystery to all of this. But you see that that's what faith is."

The heart of 'Mary' is 'a mother's love'

Leshem said that, in many ways, he is more excited about this episode than he has been about any other one. He said that those involved in the making of this series have been talking for a long time about how to create an episode about Mary.

"It's, on one level, quite daunting, because everyone knows Mary," he said. "Even people who aren't Christian, people who aren't Catholic, the world over, she's so iconic."

He also expressed excitement about making Mary accessible and over the idea that anyone, regardless of their faith or background, might see that her story is special.

"At the heart of it is a mother's love," he said, "in such a beautiful way that we really feel, we see really the story of her relationship with her son in a very human way."

(OSV News) -- Pope Leo XIV will wash the feet of 12 priests on Holy Thursday during the "In Coena Domini" -- the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper -- on April 2 at the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

"Eleven of them are priests who were ordained last year by Pope Leo XIV," the Vicariate of Rome said in an April 1 announcement. Father Renzo Chiesa, the 12th priest, "is the spiritual director of the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary," the announcement said.

The decision restores the traditional practice of popes where the Holy Father, in his role as Bishop of Rome, marks the start of the Sacred Triduum at his diocesan cathedral.

Rome-based Dominican Father Patrick Briscoe, general promoter of social communication for the Dominican Order, said that for him as a priest, "it's something very encouraging because Holy Thursday is the night of institution of the priesthood. And the washing of the feet by the pope conveys his love for priestly service."

In the case of men whose feet Pope Leo will wash, Father Briscoe said, "these are men that (the pope) himself ordained, which is a beautiful sign of (the priests') closeness with the bishop, which matters for every priest who's serving."

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, longtime personal secretary for St. John Paul II, told OSV News April 1 that John Paul would occasionally have priests among those whose feet he washed, but that the people chosen for the occasion were mostly "elderly people from nursing homes ... especially poor people." Among them, a priest would be present, he said.

"This is absolutely a personal initiative of the current pope -- the (washing of feet of) priests," Cardinal Dziwisz told OSV News.

In 1992, among the priests whose feet were washed by the Polish pontiff was then-Father Slawomir Oder, the future postulator of the sainthood cause of Karol Wojtyla (St. John Paul II).

"It was a gesture that to this day deeply moves me," now-Bishop Oder of Gliwice, Poland, told Polish Catholic magazine Gosc Niedzielny in 2019.

"It was authentic, it engaged him completely, and I truly felt like Peter, who told Jesus, 'You will never wash my feet.'" Washing the young priest's feet was a gesture of love for the priesthood and respect for every priest, Bishop Oder recalled.

During his 13-year pontificate, Pope Francis made the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper and the washing of feet into one of its distinct hallmarks. Instead of celebrating Mass at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, he often visited prisons, where he washed the feet of the underprivileged and celebrated Mass for them.

In 2013, for Pope Francis's first papal celebration of Holy Thursday, he went to Rome's Casal del Marmo juvenile detention center, where he washed the feet of young male and female offenders. In 2024, the last time Pope Francis washed feet on Holy Thursday, he washed the feet of 12 women at a prison in Rome during a ceremony -- the first time the pope only has washed the feet of women. In 2025, Pope Francis was too ill to participate in Holy Week liturgies, and he died Easter Monday.

With Pope Leo's decision to celebrate Mass at the Basilica St. John Lateran, Father Briscoe said, "Pope Leo is communicating his understanding of his role as the Bishop of Rome."

But the Dominican priest cautioned viewing Pope Leo's decision as a critique of Pope Francis.

"The rite itself, the foot washing, communicates humble service, which was the hallmark that was so touching from Pope Francis' famous gesture," Father Briscoe said. "Pope Leo's decision to wash the feet of priests not only puts him in continuity with the tradition, but complements his decision to denote in the month of April his prayer intention for priests in crisis."

In his April prayer intention, Pope Leo prayed for “those going through moments of crisis, when loneliness weighs heavily, when doubt clouds their hearts, and when exhaustion seems stronger than hope.”

"I think there's a grave concern about the state of the priesthood today," Father Briscoe told OSV News. "And the priesthood is threatened by rapid secularization and by misunderstandings. And so Pope Leo's gesture of support is one to strengthen priestly identity throughout the world."

(OSV News) -- In the days ahead of Holy Week, several Catholic leaders issued messages denouncing antisemitism, stressing Church teaching on the issue as the faithful solemnly commemorate Christ's passion and death.

The messages come as some Catholic and Christian influencers broadly peddle antisemitic tropes -- including the charge of deicide, or the alleged collective Jewish responsibility for the death of Christ -- repudiated by the Church in the wake of the Council of Trent and even more explicitly at the Second Vatican Council.

Among those weighing in were Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs; Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, chair of the USCCB Committee on Religious LIberty; Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, founder of the Word on Fire media nonprofit; and scholar Robert P. George.

OSV News obtained a copy of a March 13 memo sent by Bishop Bambera to the nation's bishops, in which he highlighted four points of "essential teaching" to be made in Catholic preaching on Jews and Judaism during Holy Week and Easter.

Those points draw heavily on the Vatican II document "Nostra Aetate," which affirmed the spiritual patrimony between Christians and Jews, while condemning antisemitism in all forms.

"'The Jews' didn't kill Jesus," and "God's covenant with the Jewish people has not been revoked, but continues," wrote Bishop Bambera, citing both "Nostra Aetate" and the 2015 reflection on that document by the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews

In addition, Bishop Bambera pointed to the commission's guidelines on the correct presentation of Jews and Judaism in Catholic preaching and catechesis, emphasizing that "Catholics can appreciate the religious attachment that the Jewish people have to the land of Israel, but interpret the re-emergence in 1948 of a Jewish state in a historical rather than theological context."

Furthermore, "the Church condemns hatred, persecution, and displays of antisemitism directed against the Jewish people 'at any time and by anyone,'" wrote Bishop Bambera, quoting "Nostra Aetate."

He urged clergy to "re-emphasize these basic points of Catholic teaching in relation to the people and the land of Israel."

"The misleading statements made by media personalities about the Church's teaching on these matters have been troubling not only to us, but to our brothers and sisters in the Jewish community," said Bishop Bambera.

In his memo, he pointed to the contentious appearance of influencer and recent Catholic convert Carrie Prejean Boller at the first hearing of the White House Religious Liberty Commission.

Boller's confrontational comments to Jewish commission members -- in which she actually countered Catholic teaching on Judaism while endorsing antisemitic figures and questioning the commission members on Israel's actions in Gaza -- led to her dismissal from the commission.

In a March 20 X post, Bishop Barron, a member of the commission, described Boller's claims she was dismissed because of her Catholic beliefs, rather than her "browbeating" behavior, "absurd."

"The Catholic position on matters of 'Zionism,' to which I fully subscribe, is as follows: all forms of antisemitism are to be unequivocally condemned; the state of Israel has a right to exist; but the modern nation of Israel does not represent the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies and hence does not stand beyond criticism," wrote Bishop Barron.

A few days earlier, Archbishop Sample had posted a March 18 social media video on "Holy Week, Good Friday and Rejecting Antisemitism."

In the video, Archbishop Sample lamented that "sadly, the celebration of Easter has at times been the occasion for outbursts of hatred and even violence against Jews."

He noted that the Catechism of the Council of Trent teaches that the Jews do not bear collective guilt for the death of Jesus, with that teaching made explicit in "Nostra Aetate."

"The catechism of Trent is particularly poignant when it notes that the guilt for the suffering of Jesus is especially great in us, because we who profess to know Christ deny him with our sins," said Archbishop Sample.

"Indeed, Good Friday ought to be an occasion for us to return to the Lord, not to scapegoat others," he reflected. "Holding the Jews collectively responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus represents a profound misunderstanding of what took place on Good Friday."

That confusion "is also one of the causes of a great deal of the hatred for the Jewish people that we have seen in history and continue to see today," he said.

Noting the "strong connection between religious freedom and working to counter antisemitism," Archbishop Sample said, "As Catholics, we are called to walk in the truth and so to reject the conspiracies and lies that lead to harassment and even violence against our Jewish brothers and sisters."

"The Jewish community is attacked at a far higher rate than any other religious group in the United States," said Archbishop Sample. "If we Catholics, in truly living out the Gospel, are to defend religious freedom with integrity, we must clearly speak out against anti-Semitism."

George, a Catholic scholar and intellectual, tackled the issue of antisemitism among some Catholics in a March 25 webinar hosted by the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies at St. Leo University in Florida.

In his online presentation, George -- who resigned from the board of the Heritage Foundation in protest over its president's defense of a Tucker Carlson interview with influencer and self-professed antisemite Nick Fuentes -- admitted he had until recently thought that antisemitism among Catholics "was dead and buried with a stake through that vampire's heart."

George commended the U.S. bishops as "very good" in their efforts to "articulate and rearticulate" the Church's actual teaching on the issue.

He stressed that antisemitism is "not the mainstream position" among Catholics, but warned that the problem was "no longer merely fringe," with once obscure antisemitic social media figures gaining followings.

While several such influencers "purport to speak as authentic articulators of the faith," said George, antisemitism among Catholics indicates a lack of catechesis.

He noted a "general problem with Catholic faithful not being knowledgeable," saying that "too many Catholics think the theological stuff is for the bishops and clergy."

Paraphrasing Catholic poet Alexander Pope, George warned that "a partially educated person can prove a little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

In particular, he said, catechesis must focus on "the developed teaching of the Church," which has sifted through the human error -- including antisemitism -- found at times even in the Fathers of the Church.

"Some of the attitudes expressed by the Church Fathers toward the Jews are bad," George observed. "And they have been overcome in Catholic teaching."

He also underscored the need to read the texts of Vatican II, such as "Nostra Aetate," and to distinguish between the actual documents and their misuse to advance particular agendas in Church life.

In a time of uncertainty and division, 17th annual conference invites men to rediscover their role as spiritual leaders in the family

DETROIT — Amid today’s uncertainty, division and cultural pressures, the Archdiocese of Detroit's 17th Hispanic Men’s Conference invites men to rediscover a fundamental truth: Christ is King and the source of strength.

On Saturday, April 18, men from across the Archdiocese of Detroit will gather at Sacred Heart Major Seminary from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for a day of faith, fraternity and renewal. Inspired by Joshua 24:15 — “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” — the conference calls men to embrace their role as spiritual leaders in their homes and communities.

“We live in a time when everything can seem negative — conflict, war, division, separation of families,” said Antonio Camino, president of the organizing committee. “But faith is an active decision. We want men to put on the armor of Christ and return to the domestic church, strengthening the values within their families.”

For Toni Hernández, of the ministry Barrios Transformados en Cristo, that Scripture verse became real after a retreat in 2011. Encountering Christ transformed his life and family. “They saw the change in me, and that inspired them to follow the same path,” Hernández said, noting that today his children also serve in different ministries.

A call to lead by example

A central focus of the conference is helping men rediscover their mission within the home.

“In many cases, men don’t take on that spiritual leadership,” Camino said. “The goal is for them, alongside their wives, to become an example for their children. It’s an investment in values and in closeness to Jesus.”

That daily witness is also key for Andrés García, who has attended more than 14 conferences and will assist with confessions this year.

“It’s about facing the challenges of daily life by living out your faith, being consistent and following God’s commandments,” García said. “That example is what truly reaches the family.”

Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger distributes Communion during the 2025 Hispanic Men's Conference at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

An opportunity to encounter Christ

Beyond the talks, the conference is designed as an opportunity for a deep encounter with God. Throughout the day, participants will have access to Eucharistic adoration, confession, praise and worship led by Hombres de Fe, time for prayer, lunch, and Mass celebrated by Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger.

Since arriving in Detroit, Archbishop Weisenburger has shown a strong closeness to the Hispanic community, shaped by his experience serving dioceses with large Latino populations. That background has helped him understand the realities many immigrant families face.

“The main goal is for men to encounter Jesus,” Camino said. “That they feel encouraged to go to confession, to participate in adoration and the Eucharist. That can be the beginning of something much greater.”

In a time marked by division and uncertainty, Camino emphasized the importance of walking together in faith.

“Being accompanied lightens the burden,” he said. “Seeing others who share similar struggles helps us not lose hope. We’re not meant to walk alone, but together.”

Organizers hope the conference will serve as a starting point for men to join ongoing groups and continue growing in their faith. Hernández added that one of the key goals is helping men realize they are not alone.

“The conference shows that there are many men committed to building a better world through faith,” Hernández said. He also noted that participants will have the opportunity to learn about various ministries within the Archdiocese of Detroit that provide support for families, youth, addiction recovery and those experiencing loneliness.

“The help from the Church has always been there — sometimes we just don’t know about it,” Hernández said.

According to Toni Hernández, one of the main objectives of the event is for attendees to discover that they are not alone, but rather part of a community that shares the same mission of building a better world through faith. He also emphasized that the gathering provides an opportunity to learn about the various ministries within the Archdiocese of Detroit, which offer support in different areas.

García said the experience leaves a lasting impact. “It’s like being renewed, filled up and strengthened,” he said. “Each person brings their own story, and when we come together, we enrich one another through our words and our witness. You leave with more energy, with a desire to keep moving forward — but now with the presence of Jesus.”

Conference speakers

This year’s conference will feature presentations by Fr. Thomas Florek, SJ, and Luis Soto, both experienced in serving Hispanic communities.

Fr. Florek, a Jesuit priest, has dedicated much of his ministry to migrant families, particularly in agricultural and immigrant settings. He also has close ties to Detroit, having served locally and participated in the early stages of this conference.

Soto, originally from Mexico and now director of evangelization and discipleship for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, is recognized for his work in leadership formation and strengthening family life. His mission has focused on helping Hispanic Catholics grow in faith while maintaining cultural identity and fostering unity.

Together, they will guide participants in reflecting on how to “put on the armor of Christ” and face today’s challenges with faith and hope.

Walking together in faith

As many men face pressures at work, at home and in their personal lives, the conference seeks to offer a space of support and fraternity.

“Accompanying one another makes the burden lighter,” Camino said. “Seeing others living similar realities helps us not lose hope. We are not alone. I invite all men to come with an open heart and give themselves the opportunity to encounter Jesus.”

For many, the conference is more than a one-day event. It is an opportunity to return to God, renew the heart, and begin walking alongside others — an experience that can mark a turning point not only in a man’s life, but also in his family.

Editor's note: This article was first published in Detroit Catholic en Espanol, the Spanish-language sister publication of Detroit Catholic.

NAIROBI, Kenya (OSV News) – A Catholic bishop in South Sudan says his people are living a real-life Way of the Cross, marked by suffering, violence and deep wounds.

Bishop Christian Carlassare of Bentiu, the Church's newest diocese in northern South Sudan, said many families have mourned their dead, communities have been shattered, and many hearts carry deep wounds due to war and violence in the region.

"And when wounds run so deep, the word 'forgiveness' can seem almost disrespectful, and the word 'peace' may appear fragile, distant -- almost impossible," the bishop said in a message sent to OSV News on March 26. "And yet, it is precisely here, within these very wounds, that true peace can be born."

Concerns are rising that current political instability is gradually pushing South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, back toward war. As of March, 2.6 million people were internally displaced due to renewed conflict and intercommunal violence, with another 2.3 million living as refugees in neighboring countries, according to aid agencies.

Bishop Carlassare highlighted a recent massacre in Abiemnhom County in the Ruweng Administrative Area of his diocese on March 2 that left almost 170 people dead and scores injured.

According to the bishop, the unjustifiable attack, carried out by a group of armed youths from neighboring Unity state, could be explained only by prejudice, lack of dialogue, accumulated hatred and the political manipulation of these sentiments.

The signs were already evident, he said, with strong political tensions early this year leading to clashes between different army groups and the reemergence of certain militias.

The government has also initiated a military mobilization, particularly affecting Jonglei state, in an effort to counter opposition forces.

"In these operations, many communities were struck, tragically involving numerous civilians. Humanitarian agencies were even denied access to certain areas, leaving people without aid," Bishop Carlassare said.

In early March, the country's bishops called for government action on the violence, saying the people were weary of words without action.

Bishop Carlassare referred to Pope Leo XIV's desire for "wild peace" the pontiff expressed over Christmas, in his Urbi et Orbi Dec. 25, 2025, "urbi at orbi" message, quoting the German Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai, who wrote to let the peace "come like wildflowers, suddenly, because the field must have it: wildpeace."

Bishop Carlassare said peace begins "in the hearts of wounded men and women who choose not to let violence have the final word."

"Easter tells us the same: peace is born within the wound. Jesus did not avoid the Cross; He did not save the world by escaping violence, but by passing through it without being overcome by hatred," Bishop Carlassare said, praying for consolation over Easter, hope where there is discouragement, and peace where violence still reigns.

He said the peace he described is not the kind brought about by the end of conflict, signed agreements or armed truces, nor one born in palaces or designed at a negotiating table.

"It is a peace that springs up spontaneously … It is the deep human longing that resists evil … It is a peace that is born because hope has not been lost," he said.

At the same time, Carlassare, a Comboni missionary bishop, said it is in the spirit of that "wild peace" that the mission of the church continues in South Sudan.

Despite the conflict, the Church has moved to provide water to four parishes through the construction of wells with solar and manual pumps, along with storage tanks.

"Soon, we will reach other communities to ensure access to clean water," he said.

The diocese has also begun the construction of a primary school to be dedicated to St. Martin de Porres.

Next to the school, the diocese plans to construct a sports center, with fields for football, basketball and volleyball -- a space for encounter and growth.

The primary school, which has been operating in a temporary location, has about 20 teachers.

"With the coming of the rains, we hope to begin agricultural activities that can grow into a true project of self-sustainability and care for the environment," Bishop Carlassare told OSV News.

"We also wish to promote initiatives for women, likely through the construction of a bakery, which will provide bread both for the schoolchildren and for the wider community."

Fredrick Nzwili writes for OSV News from Nairobi, Kenya.

JERUSALEM (OSV News) ─ Church leaders in Jerusalem expressed sorrow over the news of the passage by the Israeli Knesset of a death penalty law ─ by hanging ─ for Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks on Israelis, noting that Easter, which celebrates life, represents the opposite.

The Holy See and the Catholic Church are very clear that there are no circumstances in which the death penalty is necessary, said Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Franciscan Custos Father Francesco Ielpo at the annual pre-Easter press conference on March 31.

They said the new law serves only to create deeper distrust and hatred between Israelis and Palestinians and alters the concept of the State of Israel.

"It is for us, not only for me but for all of us, news that we have taken with great pain," said Cardinal Pizzaballa. "We must work with all parts of civil society to ensure that attention is kept alive and the situation does not deteriorate further."

"Killing is wrong. And cutting (short a) life is never good for any reason," added the custos.

While settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank increases and remains "very tense" and very problematic, Cardinal Pizzaballa said he was appreciative to see former Israeli diplomats and rabbis starting to speak out against it and creating more awareness about the situation.

Jerusalem remains a city without life as pilgrims who normally fill the streets and holy sites during Easter, as well as those celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins the evening of April 1, have not been able to travel because of the war, said Cardinal Pizzaballa.

"(Jerusalem) is a place of life, but lifeless at this time, which is very sad," he said. "And we also feel uncomfortable at times, because we ask(ed) the pilgrims to come so many times, and when they started to come, another war started. Now it is more difficult to convince them that Jerusalem is safe. But we know that there is a strong desire to come, and we need to work for this. But now it will take a little more time, I'm afraid."

On Palm Sunday Cardinal Pizzaballa and Father Ielpo were barred by Israeli police from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher -- an incident that created international pushback against Israel and prompted Israeli authorities to reassure smooth access to holy sites for the prelates.

Father Ielpo described the incident as "a painful episode," emphasizing that it also presented an opportunity to clarify certain "fundamental" and "non-negotiable" rights.

"It is not our intention to return polemically to what happened last Sunday," he said. "Rather our desire is to look ahead in a constructive spirit, so that freedom of worship for all religions is always respected, and that the Status Quo ─ especially within the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher ─ is fully upheld," Father Ielpo said.

"It is on these principles that we wish to continue building, in dialogue and cooperation with the authorities, convinced that mutual respect is the foundation for authentic coexistence and for the protection of the holy places, which belong not only to this land, but to all humanity," the custos emphasized.

He stressed that with billions of believers worldwide looking to Jerusalem and its holy sites, the government of Israel must uphold its responsibility to ensure that prayers continue at all times, despite difficulties, by working in coordination with Church authorities to find appropriate solutions.

"We don't want to exacerbate the situation. We are sorry for what happened," added Cardinal Pizzaballa. "The situation here for a very long time is very polarized. We don't want to become any instrument for anti-Jewish, anti-Israel or antisemitic (discourses). We can't avoid people using these events."

Cardinal Pizzaballa said they have understood and followed the need for the Home Front Command directives because of the monthlong U.S. and Israel-Iran war. He said liturgies within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher during Holy Week will proceed "internally with closed doors" with "very few people" ─ perhaps up to five ─ joining the 10 Franciscans who live daily in the basilica to respect security norms.

However, the crucial principle of the bishop presiding over these important liturgies will be maintained.

Other parishes and churches are encouraged to remain open and allow participation according to local situations, potentially by holding multiple Masses, he said.

Cardinal Pizzaballa called on local and global Christians to remain attached to the teachings of Jesus, particularly humility and service, despite current difficulties. The resurrection of Christ transforms what is considered "foolish" by human criteria, offering hope and a different way forward, he said.

"We should accept that this is our way as Christians and despite the situation, we should remain attached to this," he said.

- - -
Judith Sudilovsky writes for OSV News from Jerusalem.

(OSV News) ─ Pope Leo XIV has called on Catholics to pray for priests who find themselves in crisis and to "support those who so often support us."

In his prayer intention for the month of April, the pope prayed for "those going through moments of crisis, when loneliness weighs heavily, when doubt clouds their hearts, and when exhaustion seems stronger than hope."

A video of Pope Leo praying for priests was released March 31 by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network's "Pray with the Pope."

"You who know their struggles and wounds, renew in them the certainty of your unconditional love. Let them feel they are not mere functionaries or lonely heroes, but beloved sons, humble and cherished disciples, and pastors sustained by the prayer of their people," he prayed.

The monthly intentions released by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, according to its website, are meant to "focus on the pressing challenges facing humanity and the Church."

The pope also prayed so that Catholics can care for priests, especially "to listen without judging, to give thanks without demanding perfection, to share with them the baptismal mission of proclaiming the Kingdom in word and deed, and to accompany them with closeness and sincere prayer."

"Holy Spirit, rekindle in our priests the joy of the Gospel. Grant them healthy friendships, networks of fraternal support, a sense of humor when things don’t go as expected, and the grace to always rediscover the beauty of their vocation. May they never lose trust in You, nor the joy of serving your Church with a humble and generous heart," he prayed.

Jesuit Father Cristóbal Fones, director of the prayer network, said the prayer intention for priests in crisis is especially dear to the pope.

Pope Leo, he said, "is reminding us that we must fraternally support those who support others. I myself feel this very deeply for many fellow priests who are companions and friends who are going through difficult moments."

"It is essential to remember how important human accompaniment, sincere friendship and, above all, prayer support are. Priests need to know that they are not alone," Father Fones said in a statement accompanying the video.

In his first meeting with priests of the Diocese of Rome Feb. 19, Pope Leo encouraged priests, especially younger priests, "who often experience first-hand the potential and struggles of their generation and of this era."

"In a more difficult and less rewarding social and ecclesial context, there is a risk of quickly exhausting one's energy, accumulating frustration and falling into loneliness," the pope said. "I urge you to be faithful every day in your relationship with the Lord and to work with enthusiasm even if you do not see the fruits of your apostolate right now."

He also encouraged priests not to close themselves off and to "not be afraid to share your experiences, even your fatigue and your crises, especially with confreres who you believe can help you."

"All of us, of course, are called to an attitude of listening and attention, through which we can live priestly fraternity in a concrete way. Let us accompany and support one another," Pope Leo said.

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Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.

(OSV News) ─ Modern cultural influences, including technology and shifting views on identity, risk weakening human relationships and spiritual development, said Cardinal Arthur Roche, the prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

In a wide-ranging interview with OSV News at his office at the Vatican March 17, Cardinal Roche said that while there is a growing interest in faith among young people, especially young men, there are also cultural aspects that undermine human relationships and spiritual development, particularly the role of technology.

"I always used to say as a bishop ─ and I'm convinced of it ─ that children have an immense capacity for contemplation," he said. "And when you substitute the liturgy of the Church for entertainment, you're taking away, you're actually poisoning, the contemplative capacity within a child to grow."

The cardinal recalled going to a restaurant with friends when he noticed a young couple with a little girl, all of them using their phones.

"The father was constantly talking to people; the wife was watching a series, without a doubt; and the girl was playing" a game, he said. "Not one of them were on the same level, either of entertainment or conversation. And I thought to myself, 'I wonder how long that's going to last.'"

"It's clear that the only words they spoke were 'spaghetti carbonara' and 'pizza.' That was it," he added.

Distorted views of human identity

Cardinal Roche also addressed broader debates about identity and human anthropology, and cautioned against what he described as distorted understandings of masculinity and gender emerging in contemporary culture.

"I think one of the things which is very interesting to me is the whole gender debate, which is the fruit of feminism: the whole dismantling of the difference between the masculine and the feminine," he said. "It's suddenly come back to bite the feminist movement; it's almost as if the feminist movement is eating itself, destroying itself by its own trajectory."

"I think those trajectories of exaggerated masculinity or femininity are always very dangerous because they lack the social element which we were made to be together as complementary partners in life," Cardinal Roche told OSV News.

Extending his concern about the loss of social complementarity, Cardinal Roche said these trends are also reflected in how society addresses questions of identity, particularly in decisions affecting children.

"Thank God that there are now doctors saying, 'I will not give your child hormones to change their sexuality or to try and change it with surgery,'" he said. "To mutilate a child is as serious to me as pedophilia; it's the same sort of thing."

"It takes away the child's freedom; it ultimately controls the child in such a way," he said. "When a boy is playing with a doll, it doesn't mean that the child is a girl. Children are not sexual in that way, so it doesn't have the same import. But then, to read that as being an indication that the child really is in the wrong body, what is that? What is that?"

As a response, Cardinal Roche pointed to the theology of the body developed by St. John Paul II as a key resource.

"It's all there," he said, describing it as a "deposit of the faith."

The pontificate of Pope Leo XIV and the pursuit of peace

Reflecting on the papacy of Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Roche told OSV News that the pope, now approaching his one-year anniversary as pontiff, made his mission very clear from the start.

"The very first words that he uttered -- 'Peace be with you' -- I think that's his primary goal," the cardinal said. "And part of that peace would be building bridges, or 'pontifex.'"

Cardinal Roche described Pope Leo as a leader marked by continuity with his predecessors but also by personal courage, particularly in the face of rising global tensions.

While noting that the pope's teaching will emerge over time, Cardinal Roche said the current geopolitical climate is a defining moment.

"His courage now in the face of a possible threat -- terrible threat to worldwide war -- you see that he's a man of courage," the cardinal said.

He added that such leadership is rooted in the pope's past, recalling how, as a young priest in Peru, he protected seminarians from being forcibly recruited by armed groups.

"He's pretty well formed; he's grounded," Cardinal Roche said, noting the pope's experience as a missionary bishop and leader of the Augustinian order.

Yet, in a world facing the threat of conflict, he underscored the Church's role as a spiritual force for peace.

"The Eucharist is the source of everything we do; it's the summit to which also we return," Cardinal Roche said, noting that in the time of ancient Rome, the "signature" of early Christians was, "Look how they love each other."

"That was extraordinary," the cardinal told OSV News. "No backbiting; there was no competition. They faced things within the context of … not an isolated 'This is how I want to do it,' but within the community. This is how we live. This is how we support each other. This is how we correct each other," he explained.

Regarding the Church's role in promoting peace, Cardinal Roche emphasized that its mission is grounded in the Eucharist and lived Christian witness rather than political power.

The Catholic Church's diplomacy, he added, is rooted in openness and encounter, noting that the pope receives all leaders because "his job is to preach Christ."

Rather than seeking dominance, Cardinal Roche told OSV News that the Church acts as a quiet force for transformation.

"We've never been described as the majority," he said. "Just the leaven in the dough."

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Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.

WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to consider a challenge to President Donald Trump's executive order limiting birthright citizenship, the mother of a U.S.-born infant, who is displaced from her own country of origin, told OSV News her son "should belong to this country."

The woman, who came to the U.S. under the Uniting for Ukraine program that granted eligible Ukrainians permission to come to the U.S. amid Russia's invasion of that country, asked to be identified only by her first name, Lily. The temporary humanitarian program is not a direct pathway to permanent residency or citizenship in the U.S.

Lily told OSV News that she and her husband, who is an asylum-seeker from another nation, are both concerned that their U.S.-born infant son will not be granted U.S. citizenship.

"I think he deserves to have citizenship and nationality here, and to be under U.S. Constitution protection, to have equal rights as other children have, and the right to vote here, because he was born here, when he is 18 years old," she said.

Oral arguments in the case, Trump v. Barbara, take place April 1.

Within hours of returning to the Oval Office Jan. 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order seeking to change the longstanding legal interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which states, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

Trump's order, part of his administration's broader efforts to restrict immigration, sought to end birthright citizenship for children born in the U.S. to parents who either lack permanent legal status or are temporary visa holders. The order said that after 30 days from the executive order's date, only children born to at least one U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident parent would automatically acquire citizenship. It was promptly challenged in court.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, arguing that ending the practice of birthright citizenship would weaken families and risk leaving children stateless, thereby making them targets for violence, trafficking and exploitation.

Catholic social teaching on immigration balances three interrelated principles -- the right of persons to migrate in order to sustain their lives and those of their families, the right of a country to regulate its borders and control immigration, and a nation's duty to regulate its borders with justice and mercy.

"The key question for the justices is what it means for a person to be 'subject to the jurisdiction' of the United States, a phrase that courts have for more than 125 years interpreted as meaning nearly everyone born on U.S. soil," Ashley Feasley, the legal expert in residence at the Immigration Law and Policy Initiative at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, told OSV News.

"The Supreme Court could uphold the precedent and the longstanding 14th Amendment application and maintain birthright citizenship," she said. "However, if the justices are willing to accept the administration's interpretation, they would likely need to consider how and when the prohibition of birthright citizenship will occur. For example, would it apply to every situation listed in the executive order? Or would the court narrow that?"

An amicus brief filed in the case from a group of Republican U.S. senators in support of Trump's order -- Sens. Ted Cruz, Texas; Lindsey Graham, S.C.; Ted Budd, N.C.; Bernie Moreno, Ohio; Jim Banks, Ind.; Mike Lee, Utah; Kevin Cramer, N.D.; Cindy Hyde-Smith, Miss.; and Marsha Blackburn, Tenn. -- argued, "the Fourteenth Amendment does not confer citizenship on the children of aliens unlawfully present in the United States."

"Notably, the Jurisdiction Clause does not say that the person must be subject to the laws of the United States, but rather subject to its jurisdiction. The distinction matters," the brief argued.

Previously, the Supreme Court limited the ability of federal judges to issue nationwide injunctions against the order while litigation over it proceeds, but did not directly address the merits of the order itself.

In an interview with OSV News, Conchita Cruz, co-counsel in the previous birthright citizenship case, CASA v. Trump, pointed to both Supreme Court precedent and congressional statute as evidence for the longstanding legal interpretation of the 14th Amendment. She argued the high court could base a decision on either its own precedent or federal law.

"The history of the debate in Congress is clear on birthright citizenship," she said.

"If the law is going to change, it needs to be through a constitutional amendment, and there has to be a different process, but not an executive order," Cruz said.

The prospect of a loss at the Supreme Court, Cruz said, most likely means "that in the future, a birth certificate wouldn't be enough proof of citizenship, and that would not just be an issue for the children of immigrants. It would be an issue for all children born in the U.S."

"All of a sudden, expecting parents would have to prove that they themselves are U.S. citizens or permanent residents or wherever the line is drawn," she said. "Not everyone is going to have that proof."

As an example, she said, U.S.-born children of survivors of domestic abuse could have a U.S. citizen father withhold his name from a child's birth certificate -- leaving the child without evidence of their parentage and thus their citizenship.

Lily said that because of Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine, "I cannot choose to live in Ukraine." She said her family cannot reside in her husband's country of origin, citing political persecution there.

"I just want to say that I really am thankful to the United States that gave me a shelter here and gave me this opportunity to be safe," she said. "I understand that I cannot have this life as a U.S. citizen. It doesn't apply for me, because I'm an alien, but my baby, I think, he deserves it."

Feasley added, "It's so important to dispel this idea that U.S. citizen children, infants, born here in the U.S., can automatically provide their parents with citizenship or legal status of any sort. This is just false."

"In fact, these children cannot sponsor their parents for any form of immigration status for many years, until they are 21, and then at that point, there are numerous requirements of both the parents and their U.S. citizen child who are sponsoring them," she said, stressing such a scenario is not "automatic."

VATICAN CITY (CNS) ─ Laypeople are not passive members but active participants in the Church's mission, called to live and spread the Gospel in everyday life, Pope Leo XIV said.

Continuing his series on the documents of the Second Vatican Council during his weekly general audience, the pope emphasized that all the baptized, not just the clergy, are missionary disciples of Christ.

"For this reason, lay men and women are particularly called to carry Christ’s presence to all  spheres of life and so transform them from within by bearing witness to the beauty of a life in Christ and the elevating power of his grace," he said April 1 in his address to English-speakers. 

Pope Leo delved into the Dogmatic Constitution "Lumen Gentium," saying that Vatican II shed light on the dignity of laypeople, after centuries of being defined as "simply as those who are not part of the clergy or the consecrated life."

"Before any distinction of ministry or state of life, the council affirms the equality of all the baptized," the pope said.

He said the People of God is not a “formless mass,” but the body of Christ, uniting clergy and laity. By being baptized, the laypeople "participate in the very priesthood of Christ," he said.

The pope also referenced St. John Paul II and Pope Francis, highlighting their emphasis on the active role of laypeople in the Church’s mission.

He went on to say that the responsibility of laypeople is not confined to the Church, but rather includes the whole world. He said the world must be permeated by the spirit of Christ — something made possible through the “contribution, service and witness” of laypeople.

"Indeed, the Church is present wherever her children profess and bear witness to the Gospel: in the workplace, in civil society and in all human relationships, wherever they, through their choices, show the beauty of Christian life, which foretells here and now the justice and peace that will be accomplished in the Kingdom of God," he said. 

In his address to Arabic-speakers, the pope continued his calls for prayers for innocent victims of war, following weeks of condemning the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. 

ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y. (OSV News) ─ Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, retired archbishop of New York, brought palm fronds and prayer cards featuring a crucified prisoner during a pastoral visit to Rockland County's Eugene J. Grogan Correctional Facility on Palm Sunday.

The March 29 visit continues Cardinal Dolan's custom of visiting correctional facilities close to Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

"I'm a prisoner too," Cardinal Dolan told The Good Newsroom, the New York archdiocesan news outlet. "We're all prisoners to sin and death. And Jesus told me to hang around with prisoners, and I always do what he tells me."

The resplendent red vestments for Palm Sunday worn by Cardinal Dolan and his concelebrants brightened the drab multifunction room in which they celebrated Mass. At the beginning of the celebration, Cardinal Dolan blessed palm fronds and distributed them to the administrators, officers, and incarcerated persons in attendance.

Cardinal Dolan focused on the lessons of the day's Gospel and Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem with the crowd waving palm fronds to welcome him. But, Cardinal Dolan said, five days later, the same people called for him to be crucified.

"We all have Palm Sundays, and we all have Good Fridays. But we also all have Easter Sunday," Cardinal Dolan said, reminding those in attendance of the hope of the Resurrection.

After Mass, Cardinal Dolan greeted each of the seven incarcerated men who attended, talking with some in their native Spanish, and presented each with prayer cards featuring St. Dismas, the thief who was crucified next to Jesus, saying, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42).

He then spent time greeting and talking with administrators and staff. Cardinal Dolan also touched his crucifix to the rosaries two of the men were wearing or carrying.

Concelebrants of the Mass were Msgr. Emmet Nevin, dean of Rockland County and pastor of St. Aedan Catholic Church in Pearl River, and Father Ryan Muldoon, secretary to Cardinal Dolan and the director of the archdiocesan Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue. They were assisted by Deacon Samir Mobarek of the Church of St. Augustine in New City.

"(Cardinal Dolan) has always been emblematic of not leaving people behind," said Louis Falco III, sheriff of Rockland County. "We teach the people in our care that they are not bad people just because they did a bad thing, just like our Catholic faith," he said.

The Eugene J. Grogan Correctional Facility is the only such detention center in Rockland County. It is considered maximum security, as it holds incarcerated men, women and minors until they are tried and sentenced.

Only incarcerated persons serving sentences of one year or shorter will do their full term at Grogan. Although the facility has a capacity of over 300, currently only 140, mostly male, inmates are in residence, Falco said.

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Steven Schwankert is senior editor of The Good Newsroom, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York. This story was originally published by The Good Newsroom and is distributed through a partnership with OSV News.