VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Every papal diplomat around the world must let people know that the Catholic Church is always on the side of the marginalized and is ready to face everything "out of love," Pope Leo XIV said.

"I count on you so that everyone in the countries where you live may know that the church is always ready for everything out of love, that she is always on the side of the least, the poor and that she will always defend the sacrosanct right to believe in God, to believe that this life is not at the mercy of the powers of this world, but is permeated by a mysterious meaning," the pope said.

As part of the Jubilee of the Holy See, Pope Leo met at the Vatican June 10 with apostolic nuncios and other papal diplomats, mostly archbishops, who represent the pope to international institutions and national governments. There are more than 100 nunciatures around the world.

"Your role, your ministry, is irreplaceable," the pope told them, thanking them for their dedication and especially for their work in helping with the selection of candidates to become diocesan bishops. 

A diplomatic corps as universal and united "as ours does not exist in any other country in the world," he told the group of prelates who are chosen from around the world and usually sent to study at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome.

"Your, our, communion is not merely functional, nor an idea; we are united in Christ, and we are united in the church," he said. "The diplomacy of the Holy See constitutes in its very personnel a model -- certainly not perfect, but very meaningful -- of the message it proposes: that of human fraternity and peace among all peoples."

As pope, "the ministry of Peter is to create relationships, bridges: and a representative of the pope, first and foremost, serves this invitation" to build relationships by looking at those they meet with the eyes of Peter, he said.

"Be men capable of building relationships where it is hardest to do," the pope told them. "But in doing so, preserve the same humility and the same realism of Peter, who is well aware that he does not have the solution to everything, but he knows he has what counts, namely Christ."

"To give Christ means to give love, to bear witness to the charity that is ready for everything," Pope Leo said.

"Only love is worthy of faith, in the face of the suffering of the innocent, the crucified of today, whom many of you know personally, as you serve peoples who are victims of war, violence and injustice, or even of the false well-being that deludes and disappoints," he said.

The pope described the importance of their work in helping him address various issues. "Because when a situation is presented to me that relates, for example, to the church in a given country, I can rely on the documentation, reflections and summaries prepared by you and your collaborators." 

Papal representatives are more than diplomats, he said; they should always be pastors, inspired by "the spirit of faith."

Through his representatives in different nations, the pope is able "to participate in the very life of his sons and daughters" and becomes aware of their needs and aspirations, he said.

Pope Leo told them to "feel that you are missionaries, sent by the pope to be tools of communion, unity, serving the dignity of the human person, promoting sincere and constructive relations everywhere with the authorities with whom you are required to cooperate."

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who as Vatican secretary of state, oversees the papal diplomatic corps, told Vatican News June 9 that a nuncio is "a bridge" between the pope and local churches, between the church and nations, "and between the wounds of the world and the hope offered by the Gospel."

A papal representative, he said, "must be a man of reconciliation" because "the mission of pontifical diplomacy is to support the Holy Father's efforts to build a world rooted in truth, justice and peace." 

A papal nuncio "is called to dedicate himself to mediation and dialogue. This is the only way to weave the fabric of international cooperation and discern even the faintest will for peace among divided parties," he said.

"We must respond to the Holy Father's call to be sowers of peace, recognizing that in diplomacy, the other is not primarily an adversary, but a fellow human being with whom we are called to engage," Cardinal Parolin said.

The nuncio's diplomatic missions, "engaging with civil authorities, working to heal divisions and promoting peace, justice and religious freedom," are not carried out to promote the Vatican's interests, but they are "guided by a Gospel-centered vision of the world and international relations," he said.

Indeed, they need to be "grounded in a true pastoral presence," Cardinal Parolin said. "A nuncio is, above all, a man of the church -- a pastor -- who is called to follow the example of Christ the Good Shepherd" and to be "close to bishops, priests, religious and the communities they are sent to serve."

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Pew’s latest research released June 5, 2025, found that while Christianity still remains the world’s largest religion, Islam’s growth outpaced every religion over the course of a decade. / Credit: Arthimedes/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 9, 2025 / 18:08 pm (CNA).

While Christianity remained the largest global religion from 2010 to 2020, the latest Pew Research study found that followers of Islam outpaced every world religion in population over the course of the decade.

The recently released report, “How the Global Religious Landscape Changed from 2010 to 2020,” includes data from over 2,700 sources, including national census, demographic surveys, and population registers. Some of the estimates made in the report originate from data about 2020 that was not made available till 2024 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed census data in at least 65 countries.

The report covered 201 countries, focusing on seven religious categories: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, people who belong to other lesser-known religions, and religiously unaffiliated.

According to the report, the total number of Christians rose by 122 million from 2010 to 2020, while the total number of Muslims rose by 327 million — “more than all other religions combined.” The global Christian population rested at 2.3 billion in 2020, while the global Muslim population came to 2 billion.

Apart from Muslims, the only other group that grew as a percentage of the global population were those who identify as having no religion, known as “nones.” 

The report described this phenomenon as “striking” because religiously unaffiliated people are typically older and have lower fertility rates, putting them at a “disadvantage” for population growth.  

By the end of 2020, however, “nones” made up 24.2% of the global population, making it the third-largest group in the study, following Christians and Muslims. 

According to the report, “people shedding their religious identity after having been raised as Christians” is the primary reason why religiously unaffiliated people outpaced religiously affiliated people across the decade. After Christianity, Buddhism lost the second-largest number of followers due to religious switching.

The U.S. was among many countries where a large percentage of its Christian population became unaffiliated from 2010 to 2020. However, Pew noted findings since 2020 have indicated that the decline appears to have leveled off. As of 2020, the U.S. had the second-largest population of religiously unaffiliated individuals globally, following China.

In terms of regional distribution, sub-Saharan Africa is now home to the majority of the world’s Christians, with 30.7% living in the region as of 2020. This is a change from 2010, when 24.8% lived in sub-Saharan Africa and 25.8%, the majority of the world’s Christians, lived in Europe. 

The shift was due to both natural population increase in sub-Saharan Africa and “widespread Christian disaffiliation in Western Europe,” the report found, noting: “This is a major geographic change since the early 1900s, when Christians in sub-Saharan Africa made up 1% of the global Christian population and two-thirds of Christians lived in Europe.” 

In fact, Christians experienced substantial change in more countries than any other religious group, shrinking as a share in the population in all but one country — Mozambique, where the share of Christians rose by 5 percentage points.  

Regional concentrations of Jews also changed, the report noted, with 45.9% living in the Middle East-North Africa region and 41% living in North America. In 2010, the largest number of Jews lived in North America. The shift was largely due to the growth of Israel’s population from 5.8 million to 6.8 million through migration and natural increase over the course of the decade. 

Few countries experienced substantial change in percentage of Muslims in their populations, the report noted, despite having the largest global population growth overall. This is because the growth occurred in countries where Muslims were already the dominant religious group. Islamic population growth was largely attributed to high fertility rates.

Hindus were the fourth-largest religious group as of 2020, growing about 12% from 2010 to 2020, with the most notable growth in the Middle East-North Africa region, where they rose to 3.2 million — up 62%. Nonetheless, the majority of Hindus are still in India, and the religion remained at a stable 14.9% of the global population over the course of the decade.

Of all religions represented in the report, Buddhists were the only group to experience worldwide decline between 2010 and 2020, with the number of Buddhists around the world shrinking by 5% from 343 million in 2010 to 324 million in 2020. 

“This was due both to religious disaffiliation among Buddhists in East Asia and to a relatively low birth rate among Buddhists, who tend to live in countries with older populations,” the report explained. 

Pew also examined growth in people who adhere to “other religions,” including Baha’is, Jains, Shintoists, Sikhs, Daoists, Wiccans, Zoroastrians, and others. Pew estimated that the number of people belonging to this category rose by 12%, from 154 million to 172 million from 2010 to 2020. However, the world’s population grew at the approximately the same rate, leaving the percentage of adherents to “other religions” at a stable percentage of around 2% of the global population. 

Waymo cars are set on fire and vandalized during a protest against immigration raids on June 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. / Credit: Nick Ut/Getty Images

CNA Staff, Jun 9, 2025 / 17:38 pm (CNA).

Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest Catholic community, issued a statement calling for “restraint and calm” as tensions in Los Angeles escalated over the weekend after protests sparked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests of unauthorized immigrants turned violent.

“I am troubled by today’s immigration enforcement raids in Los Angeles, and I am praying for our community,” Gomez said in a statement issued June 6.

“We all agree that we don’t want undocumented immigrants who are known terrorists or violent criminals in our communities. But there is no need for the government to carry out enforcement actions in a way that provokes fear and anxiety among ordinary, hardworking immigrants and their families.”

In his statement, Gomez called on Congress to fix the country’s “broken” immigration system.

The unrest, which began on June 6 in response to ICE raids at multiple work sites, escalated after the arrest of David Huerta, president of the California chapter of the Service Employees International Union, who allegedly blocked the path of ICE vehicles. 

Videos showed crowds surrounding vans, chanting, and growing in number as the protests extended into the night. Demonstrations intensified on Saturday, with protesters gathering outside the detention facility where Huerta was being held after his release from the hospital, where he was treated for injuries sustained during his demonstration and subsequent arrest.

On Sunday, the situation worsened as California Highway Patrol used flash-bang grenades to clear Highway 101 after protesters blocked the roadway, throwing debris, including tree branches and fireworks, at police vehicles below.

Sunday night saw further chaos, with protesters setting multiple Waymo driverless taxis on fire, throwing rocks at officers, and defacing neighborhoods with anti-ICE graffiti. 

A candlelight interfaith prayer vigil scheduled for Sunday evening at Los Angeles City Hall, organized by the archdiocese’s Immigration Task Force and groups like the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, the Central American Resource Center, and LA Voice, was postponed out of caution due to the escalating violence. 

The groups issued a statement reaffirming their call for nonviolence and pledged to reschedule the vigil when conditions stabilize.

President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard on Saturday night, citing local leaders’ failure to control the situation. Gov. Gavin Newsom fiercely opposed the move, calling it a breach of state sovereignty. On Monday, California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its decision to federalize the California National Guard.

Bishop William Byrne of the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts, gives the keynote address at the 2024 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., Feb. 8, 2024. / Credit: EWTN

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 9, 2025 / 17:08 pm (CNA).

As lawmakers consider rules related to the development of artificial intelligence (AI), the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging them to prioritize “the life and dignity of the human person and the common good.”

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly shaping the future of our society,” Bishop William D. Byrne, the chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Communications, said in a statement.

“As pastors entrusted with the care of human life and dignity, we urge lawmakers to heed the call of our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, to help ensure that AI is developed with responsibility and discernment so that it may truly benefit every person,” Byrne said.

Although Congress is not currently debating comprehensive AI regulations, the House-passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” could have a major impact on the technology moving forward. One provision in the bill would restrict states from regulating AI for 10 years, essentially federalizing the issue.

That bill is now in the Senate, where it’s expected to face some adjustments. If the pending Senate version passes, it will be sent back to the House.

The bishops, while acknowledging in their letter to congressional leaders that they are “not technical experts,” wrote that they are speaking as pastors and laid out ethical principles and policy considerations on which they hope lawmakers will reflect.

“Please be assured of our prayers and readiness to assist you in this important and timely work,” the bishops wrote.

Ethical principles

One of the primary ethical concerns the bishops noted is “the inherent dignity of every human person,” which they wrote “must always be at the center of technological development.”

“AI is a tool that, when informed by sound moral principles, can help overcome many of life’s obstacles and improve the human condition,” the bishops wrote. “But this technology should supplement what human beings do, not replace them or their moral judgments. We also must avoid temptations toward transhumanism or equating AI itself with human life.”

The bishops also expressed concern for people facing economic hardships, noting that “AI will only serve all when it works to assist our poorest and most vulnerable sisters and brothers and when they can equitably participate in and benefit from its development and use.”

A third ethical principle highlighted by the bishops was “respect for the truth,” stating that “AI is being used by some to undermine the dignity of persons and respect for the truth” with a misuse of news and political information and deepfakes, adding: “AI systems must have human oversight and well-defined accountability in order to promote transparency and fair democratic processes.”

Policy considerations

On matters of policy, the bishops argued that AI can provide benefits to society when used in moral ways but that it can be detrimental to society if it is used unethically or lacks necessary safeguards.

For example, when it comes to family issues, they note AI “can contribute to the efficiency of certain daily tasks and aid in communication” but that “the isolating effect of technology needs to be counteracted.” They said AI should also “work to strengthen and support family life” and ensure it is not used to “promote or enhance morally offensive uses of reproductive technologies and genetic manipulation.”

On economics, the bishops also echoed a very popular concern of “job displacement, inequality, and exploitation” from AI, stating that “policies and regulations should ensure protections for workers, promote education and job training, require public accountability for government use of AI, and require human oversight in AI-driven employment decisions.”

“To encourage the artistic and creative spirit, we also call for the protection of data and intellectual property rights,” the bishops wrote.

The bishops wrote positively that AI “has the potential to improve many aspects of life and society” on matters such as the need for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and social services. They noted AI “has led to the development of new medicines and technologies to improve health” and “it can support new tools for learning and transform how we communicate and participate in society.” 

Alternatively, they warned that if not regulated properly, “it has even greater possibilities of further polarizing society and worsening inequalities,” highlighting concerns about how it has been used for automated decision-making, such as with employment screening, health care, public benefit screening, and immigration processing.

“[It] can reinforce existing biases or introduce a utilitarian approach devoid of necessary human considerations, with potentially devastating consequences,” the bishops wrote.

They also noted positives and negatives on energy and the environment, stating that AI can be used “in finding solutions to the current crises of energy and the environment,” but wrote that they are concerned about expenditures of energy, the consumption of resources, and electronic waste containing mercury and lead.

On matters of war, the bishops expressed further concern about “the development and use of lethal autonomous weapons,” adding that “policies should make clear that human control over any weapon system is essential to mitigate the horrors of warfare and the undermining of fundamental human rights.”

The USCCB wrote in the letter that these principles and guidelines “are not intended to be exhaustive” but are rather “a modest initial reflection for your consideration as you deliberate on options for federal policy and regulatory action.”

The Texas State Capitol in Austin. / Credit: Gang Liu/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Jun 9, 2025 / 16:06 pm (CNA).

A federal judge has overturned the long-standing “Texas Dream Act” in a move the state’s Catholic bishops say undermines “just” immigration reform efforts. 

After the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state of Texas over the matter last week, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor blocked the law, which had enabled some noncitizens living illegally in Texas to qualify for in-state tuition at the state’s public universities and colleges.

Reed ruled that the law was “unconstitutional and invalid” because it applied to those who were “not lawfully present in the United States.”

Enacted in 2001, the law made in-state tuition available for noncitizen students who graduated from a local high school and had lived in Texas for at least three years prior to graduation, including those who weren’t in the country legally. The law required that students pledge to apply for permanent residency at the earliest opportunity.

Most public colleges across the U.S. offer more affordable in-state tuition for students who have lived in that state for a certain length of time, as their families have paid tax dollars to the state over the years. Meanwhile, students coming from out of state pay higher tuition rates to attend the same schools. 

Following the federal lawsuit, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his office would not contest it and filed a motion in support of the federal government’s position, asking the court to rule that the law was unconstitutional. 

In a statement, Paxton called the law “discriminatory and un-American,” saying that it “allows an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States to qualify for in-state tuition based on residence within the state while explicitly denying resident-based tuition rates to U.S. citizens that do not qualify as Texas residents.”

Federal law requires that no residency-based higher education benefits can be provided to noncitizens that are not also offered to all U.S. citizens, according to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

Texas legislators recently considered changing the Texas Dream Act though the bill died as the Texas legislative session ended on June 2.

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops decried the overturning of the Texas Dream Act, saying it “propels our society further away from just and reasonable immigration reform that would foster human flourishing based in the tranquility of order and human dignity.”

“These eligible students were youth who were brought into the United States by their parents as young children and through no fault of their own,” the bishops said in a statement. “Texas became their home.”

“In the years following their entry, they became proficient in English, were educated in Texas schools, were taught Texas values, and became responsible, hardworking members of our local communities,” the bishops stated.  

“Nearly 57,000 undocumented students are currently enrolled in higher education in Texas, and each year, 18,000 undocumented students graduate from Texas high schools,” the bishops continued. “With access to higher education, these students contribute in-demand skills to our state’s workforce and become leaders in their chosen fields.”

In-state tuition in Texas sits at about $12,000 a year, while out-of-state tuition is about $43,000 as of the 2024-2025 school year.

The law’s overturn, the bishops said, “is a move away from the development of an educated workforce required for economic and social stability.”

The bishops expressed concern that the action limits the growth of Texas’ “skilled workforce,” “blocks opportunities” for immigrant students, and “undermines” long-term economic growth “by placing higher education out of financial reach for many low-income students in whom Texas has already invested in educating through high school.”

More than 20 states and Washington, D.C., have similar programs that provide in-state tuition for students who are in the country illegally.

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the U.S. Justice Department will continue to combat these sorts of laws.

“Other states should take note that we will continue filing affirmative litigation to remedy unconstitutional state laws that discriminate against American citizens,” Bondi said.

Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Stockholm at the consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica on June 28, 2017. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Stockholm, Sweden, Jun 9, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).

Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius said the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV “was first and foremost a unifying experience.”

Over 10,000 pilgrims joined together at the national Marian shrine in Knock, Ireland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the All Ireland Rosary Rally on June 8, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of All Ireland Rosary Rally

Dublin, Ireland, Jun 9, 2025 / 14:00 pm (CNA).

This past weekend, over 10,000 pilgrims joined together at the national Marian shrine in Knock, Ireland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the All Ireland Rosary Rally.

Three teen brothers from Ireland have turned their admiration for Blessed Carlo Acutis into a movie called “Lego Movie — The Incredible Life of Carlo Acutis.” / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Flynn family

Dublin, Ireland, Jun 9, 2025 / 12:22 pm (CNA).

The short film called “Lego Movie — The Incredible Life of Carlo Acutis” is now available on YouTube under the name Fiontar Floinn.

Brothers Father Joseph Wahlmeier (pictured on the left) and newly-ordained Father Isaac Wahlmeier (on the right), with their parents and Bishop James D. Conley after the ordination Mass May 24, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Lincoln

Lincoln, Neb., Jun 9, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

For parents, having the opportunity to see their children embrace the vocation to which God has called them marks the culmination of years of prayer and sacrifice. While most will see their children married, a smaller group will get to celebrate calls to the priesthood and religious life. 

Even more rare, though, is the opportunity to celebrate multiple ordinations from the same family, let alone among siblings. But as of Saturday, May 24, with the ordination of Father Isaac Wahlmeier, six families in the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, can celebrate such a blessing.

These sets of brothers include Father Isaac Wahlmeier and his brother Father Joseph Wahlmeier, ordained in 2020, and Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey Eickhoff, who were ordained in 1989 and 1995, respectively,

For Father Isaac Wahlmeier, the opportunity to see his brother begin his journey to the priesthood was a major factor in discerning his own vocation. He said that visiting his brother Joseph when he was attending St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, Nebraska, brought the seminary that much closer to his purview, and getting to visit Joseph while he studied in Rome was a huge “trust booster” for him. 

Likening it to the communion of saints, Father Isaac said: “Where you see the witness of one person, it’s an instrument for God to increase the trust in your own life, and the confidence you have in his will and his love for you.” 

Father Joseph was studying as a seminarian in Rome when he first heard his brother Isaac planned to enter into the seminary as well. He described his reaction to the news as being “both surprised, and not” at the same time. 

“It kind of felt like my own vocation,” he said. “I didn’t really think about being a priest, especially until college, but when the call came, it just made so much sense.”

Looking back, the brothers can see how the example that their parents, Patrick and Debbie, set for them led them to where they are today.

Married more than 45 years, Patrick and Debbie Wahlmeier are parents to 15 children and grandparents to 29 grandchildren. When Debbie donned her wedding dress all those years ago, she didn’t know that one day her son Isaac would have lace from her dress included in the albs that he would wear for his diaconate and priestly ordinations. 

“It makes me feel like a part of his dad and I will be with him at every Mass,” Debbie said. “As he does the Lord’s work, we can be with him.” 

Debbie said she’s been asked if she knew that her sons had a calling to the priesthood when they were young. Her response is that she didn’t know what God’s plan was for any of her children, but she prayed that they would find it.

As for the prayer she would pray as the mother of a seminarian? Simply this: “May God’s will be done.” 

“I don’t think a parent has the power to make a vocation or make it happen, whatever that vocation is, but let it happen. Let God make it clear to your children,” she said. 

Reflecting on Isaac’s ordination, Debbie said that she and her husband feel very blessed and see it as an affirmation of the power of the sacrament of marriage, how God blesses it and can make so much good come out of it. 

This is something that Father Isaac said he can see play out in the lives of his siblings who are married and embracing their own vocation of self-giving love. 

“That goodness that my parents have is manifested in them too, and it multiplies. By giving themselves away to their children and their families, they just become more of who they are, more of who they’re meant to be,” he said.

Father Joseph said that growing up, his parents “put him and his siblings in the near occasion of virtue,” praying the rosary together often and challenging them to serve the Lord in different ways — whether through volunteer time, attending Sky Camp, or serving at Mass, which taught them to always be ready to give of themselves. 

“I think that probably lends itself to growing in the ability to answer the call to a vocation, to hear it and know that ‘I’ll be able to give of myself in this way as well,’” he said. 

The Eickhoff brothers

This family involvement in the Church was something that Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey Eickhoff experienced growing up as well. 

The sons of Larry and Joan Eickhoff, Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey grew up members of Holy Cross Parish in Omaha. The two have an older brother who passed away three years ago and two sisters who are married with children.

“My parents were very involved in the parish and involved us kids as much as was feasible when we were small,” Father Matthew said. Sometimes that meant answering the phone at the rectory for a dollar an hour or serving as substitutes for the priest’s cook. The family always attended Mass, participated in Stations of the Cross, parish missions and retreats, and prayed the rosary together regularly. 

In addition to their shared childhood experiences and priesthood, Fathers Matthew and Jeffrey share some unique skills and interests as well. The two have a music and juggling act that they’ve performed in 20 of the diocese’s schools over the years, and they’re known for their six-course gourmet Italian meals, which have brought in thousands of dollars at auctions for Catholic institutions over the years. 

The two had the opportunity to study in Rome, where they walked to class together once a week, and they have shared in travels throughout Italy. 

Both celebrate the anniversary of their ordination on the same day, May 27, and Father Matthew said he enjoys getting to share the simple joys of the priesthood with someone as close as a brother. 

“We’ve really enjoyed sharing all of the family Catholic celebrations, like the sacraments,” Father Matthew said. “We’ve taken turns baptizing our nephews and our niece, we’ve been to their first Communions, confirmations, Catholic weddings, anniversary celebrations of our aunts and uncles, and celebrated funerals.”

Their experience might give them a glimpse of what the Wahlmeiers will experience for themselves as they live out their lives as priests and brothers.

“There’s definitely a brotherhood of priests in our diocese,” Father Joseph Wahlmeier said. “The priests are especially close… so to join that with a brother priest I think makes it all the more special. And I think it only helps grow the brotherhood of our presbyterate.”

Additional sets of brothers who have become priests in the diocese are Fathers Andrew and Christian Schwenka, ordained in 2019 and 2022; Monsignor Daniel and Fathers Mark and Leo Seiker ordained in 1987, 1984, and 1991; Fathers Evan and Dominic Winter ordained in 2016 and 2022; and Fathers Matthew and Michael Zimmer, ordained in 2011 and 2012. 

This story was first published by The Southern Nebraska Register, has been adapted by CNA, and is reprinted here with permission. 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Those serving the Holy See can serve its mission best by striving to live a holy life in conformity to Christ, Pope Leo XIV said.

The fruitfulness of the church, he said, "is realized in the lives of her members to the extent that they relive, 'in miniature,' what the Mother lived, namely, they love according to the love of Jesus."

"All the fruitfulness of the church and of the Holy See depends on the cross of Christ. Otherwise, it is only appearance, if not worse," he said in his homily during Mass celebrating the Jubilee of the Holy See June 9, the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.

The Jubilee celebration included a morning meditation by Italian Sister Maria Gloria Riva, a member of the Perpetual Adoration Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, in the Paul VI Audience Hall. 

In the presence of Pope Leo and cardinals, bishops, priests and religious and lay men and women working in the Roman Curia or connected with the mission of the Holy See, she spoke about hope relying on having a healthy balance between the past and future.

It is dangerous to put too much emphasis on either the past or the future, she said. "The past, with its glory and sorrows, can represent a trampoline" with which one leaps toward "the great horizon" of eternal life.

After the meditation, Pope Leo took the wooden Jubilee cross and led those gathered in a procession into St. Peter's Square toward the basilica and through the Holy Door. He then celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. 

In his homily, the pope underlined the connection between the mission of the church and Mary as mother of the church.

"The fruitfulness of the church is the same fruitfulness as Mary's; it is realized in the lives of her members" to the extent that they love, like Mary, according to the love of Jesus, he said.

The fruitfulness of the church and the Holy See depends on the cross of Christ, he said. "In fact, the fruitfulness of Mary and of the church are inextricably linked to their holiness, which is their conformity to Christ."

"The Holy See is holy as the church is holy, in her original core, in the very fabric of her being," Pope Leo said. "The Apostolic See thus preserves the holiness of its roots while being preserved by them."

However, the Holy See also "lives in the holiness of each of its members. Therefore, the best way to serve the Holy See is to strive for holiness, each according to his or her particular state of life and the work entrusted to him or her," he said. 

"For example, a priest who personally carries a heavy cross because of his ministry, yet every day goes to the office and tries to do his job to the best of his ability with love and faith, this priest participates and contributes to the fruitfulness of the church," he said. "Similarly, a father or mother of a family who lives in a difficult situation at home, with a child who is cause for concern or a sick parent, and continues his or her work with commitment, that man or woman is fruitful with the fruitfulness of Mary and of the church."

Just as Mary supported the ministry of the Apostle Peter, "the mother church supports the ministry of Peter's successors with the Marian charism," he said. This Marian aspect, "with its motherhood, gift of Christ and of the Spirit," ensures the fruitfulness and holiness of the Petrine ministry, he said.

"Dear friends, let us praise God for his Word, the lamp that guides our steps, even in our daily life at the service of the Holy See," he said, praying that God's church, "sustained by the love of Christ, may be ever more fruitful in the Spirit, exult in the holiness of her children, and draw to her embrace all the whole human family."

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Reporting by CNS Rome is made possible by the Catholic Communication Campaign. Give to the CCC special collection in your diocese or any time at: https://bit.ly/CCC-give

Pope Leo celebrates Jubilee of the Holy See

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass for the Jubilee of the Holy See June 9, 2025. (CNS video/Robert Duncan)