The Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) expressed its “profound pastoral concern for the people of Cuba” who are facing “grave humanitarian hardships” following the U.S. government’s decision to cut off foreign oil supplies to the island.
President Donald Trump asserted that “Cuba’s going to fall” after being asked by Politico on March 5 about the U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran, which began last weekend, killing the Iranian supreme leader and his top military leaders and triggering an escalation of violence throughout the Middle East.
“We cut off all oil, all money, or we cut off everything coming in from Venezuela, which was the sole source. And they want to make a deal,” Trump said.
These measures have resulted in “acute shortages of fuel and essential supplies causing widespread power cuts, disruptions to hospitals and water systems, and serious threats to food security and basic public services,” the Caribbean bishops said.
On March 4, a blackout left two-thirds of Cuba without electricity. Authorities of the Castro regime, which has ruled the country for 67 years, reported that the “fundamental cause” of the blackout was “the weakness of the electrical system due to the unavailability of fuel” to power backup generators.
These power outages have become increasingly frequent in recent weeks, severely impacting the daily lives of Cubans. The AEC noted that these conditions could “deepen the anguish and suffering among ordinary citizens who have already endured much.”
“While Cuba stands in need of renewal and positive changes, it does not need more pain. Nor should our brothers and sisters on the island feel isolated from us in their suffering, especially when we have been recipients of their own generosity in the past,” the Caribbean bishops said.
“The Church cannot remain silent when dignity is threatened and access to food, health care, and basic necessities becomes increasingly uncertain,” they added. For the AEC, the priority is “families, the elderly, children, and the most vulnerable,” who are the ones “who bear the heaviest burden of circumstances beyond their control.”
The bishops reaffirmed “the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence” in responding to human needs, especially those of the most vulnerable, to whom aid must reach “without political manipulations or delays.”
“The care we offer to those who are hurting reflects the works of mercy by which we will be judged,” they stated, also expressing their closeness to all the Cuban people and the local Church.
“Disagreements among nations must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, rather than by coercion or conflict. Humanitarian considerations must never be overshadowed by political or strategic interests,” they stated.
The Caribbean bishops invited all the faithful of the region to join in prayer for the relief of Cuban suffering, for wisdom for political leaders, and for finding “paths to peace, justice, and reconciliation.”
“May solidarity replace indifference and may charity overcome division,” they urged.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
As the Middle East reels under the weight of an increasingly complex war, Lebanese civilians once again find themselves paying the price of a familiar, painful scene. Against this backdrop, the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon issued a statement combining a clear spiritual stance, a bold national demand, and an urgent humanitarian appeal.
The council opened its statement by voicing deep concern over the dangerous escalation of armed conflicts in Lebanon and the wider region, the killing of innocent victims, forced displacement, and worsening humanitarian suffering.
The bishops reaffirmed their full alignment with Pope Leo XIV’s position that “violence is never the right choice,” stressing that peace is not a secondary option but rather “a human duty and a shared responsibility.”
Describing Lebanon as “a land of message and shared coexistence,” the council called on political leaders to keep the country out of regional conflicts and to protect national unity and civil peace. The statement also urged that weapons be restricted to the authority of the state “in a way that safeguards sovereignty, strengthens stability, and keeps Lebanon from gambling with its future.”
The council appealed to the international community and relevant bodies to do everything possible to prevent further escalation and to advance just solutions that protect the rights of the region’s peoples and uphold human dignity. The bishops expressed their conviction that “justice is the sure path to lasting peace.”
The statement also called on believers and all people of goodwill to extend help to those remaining in their villages and to welcome displaced civilians, so that the witness of love may be stronger than the logic of violence, echoing Christ’s words: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
Finally, the patriarchs and bishops urged the faithful to persevere in prayer for peace, asking God to “grant our troubled world a just and lasting peace, lead hearts to reconciliation, and steady the steps of the Lebanese on the paths of fraternity and harmony, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace.”
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
St. John’s University’s recent decision to cease recognizing faculty labor unions after 56 years has stirred a mix of criticism and support.
A Catholic Vincentian college with campuses in Queens and Manhattan, St. John’s Universityhas about 19,000 students, including 3,000 graduate students, 39% of whom identify as Catholic, according to the university’s enrollment numbers. Tuition is reported to be about $51,000 per year.
University president Father Brian Shanley, OP, announced in a Feb. 19 email to faculty that the university would no longer recognize its two unions, the St. John’s University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (SJU-AAUP) and the Faculty Association — both formed in 1970.
An estimated 200 faculty and students gathered to protest the decision in February.
University spokesman Brian Browne said the decision was made to ensure the university is “sustainable” going forward.
“Withdrawing recognition from the faculty union was not something we did lightly, but it is necessary to be able to advance our organizational mission,” Browne said. “This will allow St. John’s the flexibility required to innovate while continuing to support our faculty and, most importantly, deliver on our promise to our students.”
“As the landscape of higher education undergoes a profound transformation, our commitment to providing an exceptional and sustainable educational experience consistent with our mission requires us to be agile and innovative,“ Browne said.
Sophia Bell, who has assumed the leadership role after Fred Cocozzelli stepped down as president of the St. John’s chapter of the AAUP, called the decision “a disastrous mistake.”
“[Father Brian Shanley] is violating New York state law and ignoring decades of St. John’s institutional practice and centuries of Catholic social teaching around respect for labor and workers,” Bell said of the university president.
“His shortsighted mistake is deeply destabilizing to our university and will harm St. John’s students, faculty, families, and community,” Bell continued. “He needs to return to the table now and repair the harm he has caused to our university and everyone whose lives it touches.”
As religious institutions, Catholic colleges are independent from the federal labor board, meaning that federal legal requirements requiring unions do not apply. In 2020, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) “held that it has no jurisdiction over the faculty at religious institutions of higher education.” The university declined to comment on the legal aspect but referred EWTN News to the 2020 decision.
Barbara Mistick, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), said she supports the university exercising its religious exemption.
“NAICU has for many years supported and advanced the rights of private, religious institutions to be exempt from rules governing the formation of faculty unions,” Mistick said in a statement shared with EWTN News.
“The rights of faith-based institutions like St. John’s University to exercise their religious exemption has been repeatedly affirmed by multiple NLRB and court decisions,” Mistick added. “NAICU will continue to support its religious members in exercising this exemption.”
The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), of which St. John’s University is a member, voiced support for the religious exemption in a statement shared with EWTN News.
“While ACCU does not take a position on unionization, the association respects the university’s choice, as a private, Catholic institution, to invoke its religious exemption, knowing St. John’s has made significant efforts to resolve internal differences collaboratively and in good faith,” the statement read.
Catholic social teaching
In the Catholic Church’s most famous teaching on the dignity of the worker, Rerum Novarum — an encyclical by Pope Leo XIII from May 1891 — the pope advocated for the importance of “workingmen’s unions.”
“Such unions should be suited to the requirements of this our age — an age of wider education, of different habits, and of far more numerous requirements in daily life,” the encyclical reads.
Responding to claims that the university violated Catholic social teaching with this decision, St. John’s University spokesperson Browne said the decision was for “the common good.”
“Catholic social teaching calls us to advance the common good for our entire community, which requires balancing the needs of all,” Browne said. “As a Vincentian institution, our primary responsibility is to our students.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the common good “concerns the life of all” and “calls for prudence from each, and even more from those who exercise the office of authority” (CCC, 1906).
“Catholic teaching asks every group to align its focus with the common good,” Browne continued. “This decision allows for a more direct and collaborative partnership with our faculty, ensuring we can adapt and innovate together to secure the long-term health of the university and deliver the best possible outcomes for our students, which is the ultimate expression of our mission."
Browne also added that the decision “is not about reducing faculty compensation or benefits or changing the faculty tenure process” and noted that the administration is “moving forward with the wage increases and health insurance premium relief outlined in our last, best, and final offer.”
“At St. John’s, we believe the best way to support our faculty is to ensure St. John’s is a thriving, sustainable, and innovative institution for the long term,” Browne said. “Our primary goal remains to protect and enhance the value of a St. John’s education and to build a sustainable, mission-driven university that remains faithful to its Catholic values.”
When asked about Catholic social teaching, Christopher Denny, president of the Faculty Association and a theology professor at St. John’s University, urged the administration to set an example.
“Presidents and provosts at Roman Catholic institutions should honor the teaching of the Church’s magisterium by supporting the rights of faculty and staff when they choose to unionize and to bargain collectively,” Denny told EWTN News.
“Students at Catholic universities learn about Catholic social teaching not only through classroom instruction; college students also learn about Catholic social teaching by watching the example set by university administrators,” Denny continued.
“In his encyclical letter Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI wrote: ‘The repeated calls issued within the Church’s social doctrine, beginning with Rerum Novarum, for the promotion of workers’ associations that can defend their rights must therefore be honored today even more than in the past,’” Denny said.
“At an audience this past fall with labor leaders from Chicago, Pope Leo XIV told them to advocate for human dignity, and said to them, ‘By doing so, you are putting into practice the call of my beloved predecessor, Pope Francis, who urged every union to be reborn each day at the peripheries,’” he continued.
“At a time when higher education in the U.S. is dependent upon the labor of hundreds of thousands of underpaid adjunct faculty who have been pushed to the peripheries of their own schools, it is imperative that Catholic institutions model the ethical behavior they want to see present in our larger society,” Denny said.
He added: “Catholic universities must not simply talk about the Church’s social teaching. They must put it into practice every day in their educational communities.”
After a three-year legal battle, Maltese singer Matthew Grech, accused of publicly sharing how he abandoned a homosexual lifestyle after his conversion to Christianity, was finally acquitted on Wednesday, March 4.
The trial against the 36-year-old singer, a former contestant on “X Factor Malta,” began in April 2022 following an interview on the program “PMnews Malta” in which he spoke about his faith journey and how he left homosexuality behind, in a context that also addressed the topic of conversion therapy.
The singer expressed his disagreement with the term “conversion therapy” and stated that the deeper he went into his Christian faith, the more he understood that homosexuality “is not an identity as we make it nowadays.”
If someone “has sexual relations with a person of the same sex, they commit the homosexual act in God’s eyes, and that is a sin. Just like every other sin, one can repent from it and ask God for forgiveness and ask him for strength to overcome,” Grech stated in the interview, as reported by Christian Concern.
In 2016, Malta became the first country in Europe to ban practices aimed at changing sexual orientation. Following the broadcast of the program, LGBT activists sued Grech and the two presenters, Mario Camilleri and Rita Bonnici, initiating the first trial with international repercussions in an attempt to undermine the rights to freedom of religion and of the press.
After the 17th court hearing, the final verdict was reached: The three defendants — who had faced five months in prison — were acquitted by the judge, who considered the interview a personal expression of faith and not a platform for advertising so-called conversion therapies.
Speaking about the transformative power of Christ is not a crime
After the ruling, Grech thanked God on his Facebook profile “because justice has prevailed.” He maintained that he was never guilty of anything, “except speaking openly about my own life, about my spiritual journey to becoming a Christian, and the profound difference and freedom that my faith has made in every aspect of who I am.”
“Today’s decision is not just a personal vindication, it is a reaffirmation of a fundamental principle: speaking about one’s lived experience, including the transforming power of Christ, is not a crime. That this should happen in Malta with the support of the wider European political network should be a warning to the world,” he argued.
Grech also expressed his disagreement with legislation banning conversion therapies in his country, which he believes is being used as “a weapon against freedom of speech."
Following his experience, he urged the European Commission of the EU and the Maltese government to repeal the law, in which he said LGBT ideology is enshrined, and which is “being used against Christians to silence any alternative views to the dominant view on sexuality and gender.”
The singer, who belongs to an evangelical church and volunteers with gay Christians who wish to live according to their faith, has used social media for years as a means of evangelization, reminding people that the Bible says that homosexuals have been saved, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.
“This is the good news. This is the Gospel. It offers hope, change, and transformation. As Christians, we will always defend this, no matter the cost,” stated Grech, who recently shared the news of his engagement to his girlfriend, Hollie.
Catholic teaching on homosexuality
The Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered” and therefore gravely contrary to the moral law.
However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church distinguishes between homosexual inclination, which is not a sin in itself, and the acts themselves, which are considered morally reprehensible.
The Church exhorts people with homosexual attraction to live chastely and says that they “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
On the 10th anniversary of the martyrdom of four Missionaries of Charity and members of the laity in Yemen, Bishop Paolo Martinelli, apostolic vicar of Southern Arabia, presided over Mass on March 4 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
In his homily, Martinelli highlighted the sisters’ courage and their offering of their lives as martyrs and witnesses to the love of Christ, who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” He said their example showed love of neighbor through serving “the poorest of the poor” in the Yemeni city of Aden, “which is part of our apostolic vicariate.”
Martinelli noted that this commemoration comes as the Gulf and the wider Middle East are living through a difficult period. He said the sisters’ witness can be read as “a source of hope that surpasses any human hope,” and he urged the faithful to pray “so that we do not grow weary of witnessing to the Gospel, especially in these times of trial we live today… so that through the intercession of the holy martyrs we may receive the gift of peace and reconciliation in our region and in the whole world.”
He described the anniversary not as a remembrance of defeat but as a celebration of victory, like Christ, whose death “may appear to be a defeat of good or a failure of his mission, but in truth is a triumphant fulfillment.” He also pointed to the Church’s history of those who respond to evil with good and confront hatred with forgiveness, following the example of Christ, who forgave those who crucified him.”
The faithful attend Mass on March 4, 2026, at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi where the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia commemorated the 10th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Missionaries of Charity along with members of the laity. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia
Martyrs of our time
Martinelli recalled Pope Francis’ description of the sisters as “martyrs of our time” and the pope’s reflections on Christian and Muslim lay victims, and on how the “witness of blood” can unite people of different religions.
Four sisters of the Missionaries of Charity, founded by St. Teresa of Calcutta, were killed in Aden on March 4, 2016, after armed men stormed the nursing home the sisters operated.
The attack left Sister Marguerite, 44; Sister Reginette, 31; Sister Judith, 41; and Sister Anselm, 59, dead. Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a Salesian priest, was kidnapped and later released in September 2017. Twelve lay co-workers of different nationalities and religions were also killed in the same attack.
The Missionaries of Charity have been present in Yemen since 1973, responding to an invitation from the government of North Yemen at the time. They opened the nursing home in Aden and have run it since 1992. The sisters continue their presence in the country to this day, serving as a humble yet powerful sign of hope.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated for and adapted by EWTN News English.
The U.S. and Israel launched joint military strikes on the Islamic Republic of Iran last weekend, prompting the regime to retaliate with drone and missile attacks on Israel, American bases and assets, Gulf state airports and energy infrastructure, and other targets.
As both sides continue to exchange firepower, Catholic theologians who spoke with EWTN News are cautioning President Donald Trump to maintain moral clarity in his decisions and conduct by complying with the long-standing Catholic tradition of just war doctrine.
“[Following just war doctrine is] not just important, but imperative,” said Joseph Capizzi, dean and ordinary professor of moral theology and ethics at The Catholic University of America.
“Governments must consider these principles of just war because they are first and better understood as principles of good governance, or statecraft,” he said.
For a war to be justified, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it must be waged to fight against a grave evil, the damage caused by waging the war cannot be graver than the evil it is meant to eliminate, there must be a serious prospect of success, and all alternatives to war must have already been tried.
Taylor Patrick O’Neill, theology professor at Thomas Aquinas College, told EWTN News that every condition must be present for a war to be just. He said a war is sinful “if you fail to meet a single one of those criteria.”
Just cause and last resort
Trump’s justification is based on claims that the regime is seeking a nuclear weapon through its uranium enrichment program.
Last year in June, Trump ordered the bombing of Iran’s Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant and asserted at the time that Iran was “a few weeks away from having a nuclear weapon.” Officials gave conflicting reports about the success of the strike and how far back it set Iran’s nuclear program, ranging from months to years.
Trump’s claims appeared to conflict with testimony three months earlier from Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, who said the intelligence community assessment is that “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon” and that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had not even authorized a nuclear weapons program.
Trump revived discussions with Iran in January 2026 with the same allegations and demanded Iran enter a deal in which it would end or reduce uranium enrichment and scale back its ballistic missiles program.
In a Feb. 27 interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi — a mediator for the negotiations — said Iran agreed to many concessions. The country agreed to reduce uranium enrichment and reduce its stockpile to a level at which Iran could “never, ever have [the] nuclear material that will create a bomb” and it would submit to inspections.
Al Busaidi said he believed “the peace deal is within our reach,” but less than a day later, Trump launched Operation Epic Fury, which began the military attacks on Iran. Trump said on March 3: “It was my opinion that they were going to attack first.”
O’Neill told EWTN News that for a war to be justified, it needs just cause and a right intention, meaning that a war is not justified by a just cause if “really your intention for going into war is something else.”
He said Catholics have a right to “question whether or not just cause is present” and “question whether or not right intention is present.” He said there would need to be an “imminent” threat, such as if there is “some weapon or [if] some type of military action is currently being planned and will be executed.”
O’Neill said it’s often difficult for the general public to know whether the cause is legitimate or whether it truly is the last resort: “We don’t know what options have been tried previously.” He said there could be information unavailable to the public that’s “part of the moral calculus.”
Capizzi said that when considering whether military action truly was the last resort, it should be “measured in terms of the gravity of the threat” and the impact of failing “to decrease or end that threat.”
He said a more severe gravity of a threat could accelerate the timeline toward “a just use of force.”
Proportionate force and an end goal
Trump addressed the nation on March 2 to thank the U.S. military for killing Iranian military leadership and to promise an escalation in strikes.
He said the mission could last four to five weeks but did not say who would control the country when the mission is complete. Previously, he said he may work with new leadership within the regime but also urged Iranians to revolt and take control over the country.
To determine whether the damage caused by the war will be graver than the evil it is meant to alleviate, Capizzi said the goal must be “peace … measured by justice and order and tied to actual, achievable political outcomes.” He said “merely to decapitate the head of a regime is not a sufficient political outcome, as it creates political disorder that is very difficult to control.”
O’Neill said there “should have to be some kind of plan and a real expectation that this plan is going to be successful” to make the determination. He said the criteria for just war cannot be met if “it’s not very clear what the goal is.”
“There would have to be some sort of plan and that plan would have to be based off of intelligence [assessments] and very credible information as far as what happens to Iran after these strikes,” he said.
O’Neill said the moral calculation would also have to consider the results of prior interventions in the Middle East, such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya.
He said if previous plans “failed to be brought to fruition … then of course you’d have to look at that in any regime changes going forward” when trying to meet the just war criteria of success being likely and for Iran’s situation being better when the mission is complete.
Iran’s death toll is at least 1,230, according to Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs and reported by state-run media. The deaths include Khamenei and dozens of military and government officials as well as civilians. More than 160 civilians were killed by a strike that hit a girls’ elementary school in Minab, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.
The war with Iran has opened a new chapter of violence for Lebanon, leaving the country once more in the familiar chaos, hardship, and uncertainty that accompanies every conflict.
For many Christians, the frustration runs deeper. For decades, they have lived with the reality of Hezbollah’s armed dominance, politically opposing and contesting, with limited impact, the “Axis of Resistance” doctrine led by an Islamist Iranian-backed militia.
Today, the consequences of Hezbollah’s military adventures and its entanglement in regional wars are unfolding once again, and Lebanon’s Christians must bear the cost as well.
For Christian villages in the south, the injustice is even starker. They opposed this path, yet geography has placed them directly in the line of fire. As evacuation orders sweep across southern Lebanon, residents are being told to leave their homes. However, despite the danger and the injustice of paying the price for a war they did not want, many have chosen their own kind of “resistance’’ — remaining where they are.
The Lebanese town of Alma al shaab. | Credit: Nabil Farah
Alma al-Shaab rings the bells of resilience
In the town of Alma al-Shaab, residents refused to leave their homes. They gathered in the square of Our Lady’s Church and rang the church bells. Videos circulating on social media showed villagers sending a clear message: They intend to remain in their village.
Charbel Sayyah, a law graduate and native of this southern Christian town, explained that Alma al-Shaab occupies a highly sensitive position along the border. “It has a strategic position for both Israelis and Hezbollah,” he said, noting that Hezbollah had attempted several times to acquire land in the village through affiliated associations, efforts residents opposed.
In a post on X, Sayyah wrote: “I am from Alma al-Shaab, from the beloved south that has nothing to do with the Iranians or their militias. I call on the president of the republic and the prime minister to declare my town, Alma al-Shaab, a zone free of any security or military activity by Hezbollah. I also call on the Lebanese army to intervene and protect the area from any attack. And if it cannot do so directly, then it should provide the people of the town with what they need to stand firm and defend themselves.”
Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Sayyah also stressed the need for diplomatic efforts to make clear that these villages have no connection to any military activity.
“If you do not want to provide direct protection, at least give us what allows us to stand firm, support, supplies, ammunition, any form of assistance. How are we supposed to face this?” he said.
Charbel Sayah. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Charbel Sayah
Sayyah also emphasized that taking up arms is the last thing residents want. “We do not want weapons, and most people here do not even know how to use them. But we cannot be left like this… We will not accept for someone [Hezbollah] to launch rockets from our land, or for an Israeli soldier to provoke us, like when the Star of David was drawn on the Church of Our Lady. We cannot relive the same story every time. This is our town, and we want to remain in it.”
Sayyah also recalled the previous round of conflict in 2024, when Alma al-Shaab suffered significant damage. “The church was about half destroyed. Our family home was also damaged,” he said. “We never wanted the war in the first place. Yet we were forced to leave because of the crossfire. After the ceasefire, some residents began returning. But this time, despite the war, we do not intend to leave,” Sayyah said.
In Rmeish, church bells warn of danger
Christian Hajj, a native of the border town of Rmeish, told ACI MENA that his family has no intention of leaving. “They did not leave the village in any of the previous wars,” he said of his relatives. “They built their home from scratch. My grandmother’s house dates back to the 1960s.”
He explained that the main concern for his family and many residents is the possibility of an Israeli ground incursion, given that Rmeish sits directly on the border. However, he noted that the town itself was not harmed during last year’s hostilities.
Hajj also stressed that Rmeish has never allowed Hezbollah members to position themselves in the town. Addressing concerns that party members could infiltrate the village this time, he said the geography makes such movements difficult. “We are literally at the borders,” he explained. “We are surrounded by Israel on one side and by other villages on the other, which means the entrances are known.”
Men from the town have volunteered to organize watch rotations, he said, in coordination with the local church, whose bells are rung if any suspicious movement is detected. He added that what effectively functions as the town’s local police consists of off-duty Lebanese army soldiers from the village who help monitor the area.
Hajj also noted that the village is largely self-sufficient, though residents still depend on food supplies coming from nearby cities.
Christian El Hajj. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Christian El Hajj
Ein Ebel stands its ground
In Ein Ebel, another Christian village in the south, the same choice has been made: to stay.
A woman from the town, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, told ACI MENA that the presence of residents acts as a form of protection. “We want to protect the town through our presence and make sure that Hezbollah does not enter it or use it,” she said.
She explained that young men from the town are stationed at the entrances, though she remains concerned because the border is not limited to official entry points.
Despite reports circulating that the Lebanese army had withdrawn from Ein Ebel, she said the army remains present in the town. She also stressed that residents intend to stay in their homes even in the event of an Israeli ground incursion.
She recounted that a man suspected of being a Hezbollah member entered the village the previous day asking for shelter and appeared to have just come from a clash: His clothes were dirty and he showed visible signs of combat. Residents immediately contacted the municipal police, who escorted him out of the town.
“So far, he is the only one who has tried to enter, or at least the only one we know about,” she said.
A message to the Vatican and the world: ‘We will not leave’
The apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, was recently informed by a delegation representing residents of southern Christian towns Rmeish, Ein Ebel, Debel, and Alma al-Shaab that the inhabitants had made a final decision: They will not leave their land or their homes, regardless of the circumstances.
Members of the delegation reaffirmed their commitment to the Lebanese state, the Lebanese army, the Internal Security Forces, and the United Nations peacekeeping mission UNIFIL while rejecting displacement. They stressed that their towns do not host Hezbollah or any other armed presence that could serve as a pretext for attacks against them.
The delegation also asked the Vatican’s diplomatic channels to raise the issue in Washington and European capitals, seeking guarantees that residents of these border towns would not be targeted by military operations or pressured to leave their homes, something they say is out of the question.
Speaking on behalf of residents, Father Najib Al-Ameel, the parish priest of Rmeish, said: “We remain steadfast in our town. This is the position of most people in Rmeish, Ein Ebel, and Debel. We will not wander displaced on the roads; our homes are safer.”
Caught between the fear of Hezbollah’s exploitation of their villages and the threat of Israeli invasion, these communities face dangers they neither chose nor control. What sustains them is faith, love for their land, and a stubborn determination to stay.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Pope Leo XIV thanked a 110-year-old priest from the Diocese of Fulda, Germany, for his “long, faithful, and devoted priestly service.” Father Bruno Kant is officially recognized as the oldest priest in the world.
“I was delighted to learn that you will be celebrating your 110th birthday on Feb. 26 and send you my warmest congratulations and blessings,” Pope Leo wrote to Kant, according to the newspaper Fuldaer Zeitung.
The birthday celebrations were attended not only by residents of the neighboring towns of Eichenzell and Löschenrod but also by government and Church representatives. The bishop of Fulda, Michael Gerber, said: “I received confirmation from the Vatican that he is the oldest priest in the world. Pope Leo even sent him a birthday card.”
As reported by katholisch.de in November 2025, Kant, born near Danzig in present-day Poland, wanted to be a priest from the age of 9. He began his theological studies, but the Nazi regime thwarted his plans by conscripting him for forced labor and making him a soldier.
Kant then spent four years as a prisoner of war in Russia before being reunited with his family, who had fled to the West.
Kant was finally ordained a priest in 1950. After decades of priestly service, he no longer does certain things due to his advanced age. He stopped driving “at 102 years old,” according to the news outlet, and “for the last few years, he has refrained from regularly celebrating holy Mass with the congregation on Wednesday evenings. However, he continued visiting the sick as long as he was able. Now that is no longer possible.”
At that time, Kant acknowledged that he was “not far from death,” but in the meantime, he spends his days doing Sudoku puzzles, watching television, reading the newspaper, and, of course, praying.
“Prayer keeps me young,” he said.
This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by ACI Prensa/EWTN News English.
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Catholic youth across Bangladesh, India, and Nepal are preparing for World Youth Day 2027, scheduled for Aug. 3–8 in Seoul, South Korea, with Church leaders describing the gathering as an opportunity for spiritual renewal, cultural exchange, and witness.
Bangladesh, home to roughly 400,000 Catholics, expects to send at least 1,000 young people and animators to Seoul, according to Father Bikash James Rebeiro, CSC, secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Youth and national youth coordinator for the Catholic Church in Bangladesh.
“Our youth in Bangladesh are eagerly waiting to participate in the World Youth Day in South Korea. In this era of social media, young people get information in advance about when and where the youth day will be. They themselves tell us that they want to participate,” Rebeiro told EWTN News.
Catholic youth and animators from the Archdiocese of Dhaka pose during the 40th National Youth Day at Banpara Catholic Church in Natore, Bangladesh, on Feb. 2, 2026. | Credit: Dhaka Archdiocesan Youth Commission
Rebeiro emphasized that World Youth Day offers young Catholics a rare chance to share their faith and learn from peers around the world. “World Youth Day is an exchange of cultures and values. Young people from all countries, rich and poor, participate, but they learn from each other. They bear witness to their faith. Besides, catechism is taught during the youth day. These are very important,” he said.
He explained that the preparation process is rigorous. “We first set the criteria for who can participate in the World Youth Day. Then we make the final selection. Then they will participate in solitary meditation. Then they will be given an orientation. Because participating in World Youth Day is not a picnic, it is a spiritual journey,” he said.
Visa and financial hurdles
Bangladesh’s youth leaders face significant logistical challenges, including financial constraints and immigration procedures. The youth commission covers half the expenses for participants, while the remaining costs must be borne by the pilgrims themselves or their dioceses.
“Many participants do not have the capacity to bear that 50%. Then we have to raise donations for him and help him so that he can participate in World Youth Day,” Rebeiro said.
He recalled difficulties during previous international pilgrimages, including repeated questioning from immigration officers. “Last year, when I took 27 people on a jubilee pilgrimage to Rome, Italy, the immigration officer filed a GD against me. Then he let us board the plane,” he said. A GD, or General Diary, is an official police or immigration record used in Bangladesh.
Despite the hurdles, Rebeiro is hopeful that Bangladesh will send a large delegation to Seoul. Preparatory meetings with prospective pilgrims are planned for September.
India planning underway
Similar preparations are underway in India. Father Chetan Machado, executive secretary of the Commission for Youth of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, said national and regional planning has begun.
“We had a series of meetings. We planned the WYD Cross journey but for various reasons we couldn’t invite the WYD Cross,” Machado told EWTN News.
India has translated the official World Youth Day prayer into 12 local languages and begun regular prayer initiatives. Regions have started spiritual preparations, and a national retreat for potential participants is being planned for later this year. Indian youth have also taken part in the WYD theme song competition.
“The major challenge would be getting a visa for a big number of pilgrims. Going by the experience of last WYD in Lisbon, the Indian delegates faced a lot of problems obtaining a visa. The second challenge will be financial resources. As of now we do not know the total cost of travel, etc. Many young people want to go for WYD pilgrimage but due to financial situation, many withdraw,” Machado said.
In Nepal, youth leaders say a small but motivated group is preparing to join the event. Young Catholics there are engaged in spiritual preparation and are excited about their participation.
WYD Cross visit inspires enthusiasm
World Youth Day, instituted by St. John Paul II in 1985, traces its roots to the 1984 Holy Year of Redemption, when the pope entrusted young people with a large wooden cross that later became the World Youth Day Cross. The cross has since traveled around the world as a symbol of Christ’s love and a call to evangelization.
The WYD Cross visited Bangladesh in March and April 2025, traveling to the dioceses of Dinajpur, Rajshahi, and Dhaka and the Archdiocese of Chattogram, where thousands of faithful venerated it. The visit helped inspire renewed enthusiasm for the Seoul gathering.
Countries including Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, the Philippines, and Bangladesh have hosted the WYD Cross as part of the spiritual preparations leading up to the event.
The Catholic Church in Europe has firmly stated that abortion “is gravely contrary to the moral law” and maintained that women “should never feel compelled to abort due to social or economic pressure.”
The strong statement from the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union comes after the European Commission of the European Union rejected the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative, which proposed creating a mechanism to promote abortion financed by European taxpayers.
In a statement, the presidency of this body — which brings together the bishops delegated by the episcopal conferences of the European Union countries — expressed its satisfaction with the decision not to submit this proposal to the EU Parliament and the EU Council.
Church’s consistent teaching on abortion
In the bishops’ view, “this decision clearly recognizes the need to respect the limits of EU competences and to uphold the principle of subsidiarity.”
Abortion laws vary across the European Union from very permissive to more restrictive.
In this context, the European bishops recalled the “constant teaching of the Catholic Church” regarding abortion, emphasizing that scientific research “increasingly confirms that from fertilization a new human being comes into existence, endowed with inherent dignity and deserving of the fundamental protection owed to every human life.”
While supporting this decision, they warned against other initiatives from the European Union that attack pro-life values. Specifically, they expressed their “serious concern” that the EU Commission explicitly states that European funds, initially intended to prevent families from falling into poverty, could be “used to provide cross-border ‘access to legally available, safe, and affordable abortion services.’”
The bishops declared that this measure would deviate from its original purpose and risk “creating political friction rather than strengthening cohesion.”
For the European bishops, this approach does not constitute genuine support for women in vulnerable situations, since what they truly need is “effective social, economic, and health care assistance enabling them to carry their pregnancy to term without suffering negative social or economic consequences for themselves or for their child,” they pointed out.
‘Women must be truly supported’
In their March 4 statement, the bishops emphasized that what Europe truly needs, “if it is to remain faithful to its foundational values of human dignity, solidarity, and equality,” is concrete and sustained support for women in vulnerable situations.
“Women must be genuinely helped to welcome motherhood and should never feel compelled to abort due to social or economic pressure,” the bishops emphasized.
They also urged the development of policies that strengthen the protection of motherhood, support for families, and social inclusion.
Finally, they insisted that issues affecting the intrinsic dignity of the human person, the fundamental right to life, and the protection of the most vulnerable “must never be instrumentalized in political debate or exploited for ideological purposes.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
