ACI Africa, Dec 23, 2025 / 11:37 am (CNA).

The secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged Nigerians to safeguard their future by making informed choices especially during elections and amid the country’s security crisis.

In his message for Christmas delivered during the festival of Lessons and Carols at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Father Michael Banjo highlighted vices such as dishonesty, corruption, and exploitation as major obstacles to peace, warning of the dangers of ungodliness.

“If we want peace in Nigeria, we must stop trading our future for crumbs and begin to give glory to God by voting for leaders of integrity, compassion, and proven character, leaders who fear God and truly serve the common good,” Banjo said during the Dec. 14 event.

He added: “When leaders govern without fear of God, conscience gives way to selfishness, injustice grows unchecked, and violence finds room to thrive.”

Banjo said peace is impossible where power is exercised without accountability, wealth is pursued without conscience, and authority is claimed without service. He faulted Nigerians who compromise their civic duty for short-term gain.

“There can be no peace when we sell our votes for a bag of rice or a few naira, or choose leaders based on tribe, religion, or region rather than character, competence, and commitment to the common good,” he said.

“When elections are traded for personal benefit, conscience is sacrificed for convenience, and truth is exchanged for loyalty to narrow interests, we deny God the glory he deserves,” he added. “Where God is not honored in our civic responsibility, peace cannot endure.”

Banjo attributed the ongoing security challenges in Africa’s most populous nation to widespread ungodliness, noting that many Nigerians have sidelined the glory of God in their actions and prioritized vices that threaten the country’s future.

“For too long, persistent killings, abductions, and targeted violence affecting many communities, particularly Christian communities, have been met with silence, denial, or half-measures,” he said.

Reflecting on the U.S. intervention to the security challenge in the country, Banjo said it is unfortunate that Nigeria had to wait for external voices before treating the problem of insecurity with the seriousness it deserves.

“Protecting life is not a favor prompted by foreign pressure; it is the primary duty of the government,” he said. “Every Nigerian life matters regardless of whether he or she is a Christian or Muslim.” 

Banjo warned that true peace cannot exist when personal gain comes at the expense of honesty and integrity. He warned that engaging in fraudulent or exploitative practices may bring temporary benefits, but they fail to glorify God and cannot provide lasting peace.

“There can be no peace within us when money is made through fraud, corruption, or exploitation,” Banjo said.

“If you sell tomatoes in the market and hide rotten ones under fresh ones, or tamper with fuel meters so customers pay for more than they receive, you may gain temporarily, but you do not honor God,” he explained. “And what does not give glory to God cannot give peace.”

He also highlighted the importance of forgiveness and respect in families, noting that peace disappears where resentment, violence, or disrespect prevail.

“There can be no peace in our homes when couples and family members refuse to forgive. When past wrongs are constantly recalled, or when a husband is violent or a wife openly disrespects her husband, love is destroyed, trust is broken, and the home becomes a place of fear,” he explained.

In a situation where forgiveness, love, and mutual respect prevail, the priest said, God is honored and peace is enshrined.

The secretary-general of the Catholic bishops in Nigeria emphasized that a nation that honors God by protecting every human life is a nation where peace can take root.

“It is precisely in the face of the painful realities confronting our nation that the message of Christmas must be clearly heard,” he said. “The mystery of the Incarnation assures us that we are not alone. God is Emmanuel. He is truly with us.”

He added: “It is no coincidence that we chose to celebrate our Christmas carols on this Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, when the Church calls us to rejoice even in the midst of hardship. To rejoice is to refuse despair.”

“It is to carry hope within us and to become a sign of hope for others. We rejoice when we choose gratitude over bitterness, when families still pray together despite empty pockets, when we share the little we have with those who do not have, and when we remain warm and compassionate to one another,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

EWTN News, Dec 23, 2025 / 10:52 am (CNA).

Sister Tiziana Merletti, SFP, secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, visited Bangladesh Dec. 16–21, meeting with religious men and women across the country during a five-day program on consecrated life.

Merletti told CNA she was impressed by the vitality of Bangladesh’s small Catholic community but also heard concerns about the security situation, including reports of three recent explosions near Catholic facilities.

“We feel a sense of concern in the air for the future of society,” she said, adding that upcoming national elections will be important for the Church’s ability to continue its work freely and peacefully.

The program was organized by the apostolic nunciature, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, and the Bangladesh Conference of Religious (BCR). The Vatican delegation, led by Archbishop Kevin S. Randall, took part in cultural events, talks, and visits to religious houses in Dhaka. A highlight of the visit was the Jubilee of Hope celebration at Holy Cross College, which focused on the mission and unity of consecrated life.

Small Catholic minority, wide reach

Bangladesh’s Catholic population makes up about 0.03% of the country’s total population, but Merletti said she was struck by the strong sense of communion among religious.

“We see how religious men and women mingle together, support each other,” she said, describing this cooperation as a concrete expression of synodality.

The Church in Bangladesh operates schools, hospitals, and social programs that serve people of all religions. Father Apu Rozario, secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Clergy and Religious, said Catholic institutions are active in education, health care, addiction treatment, prison outreach, and interreligious dialogue.

“We were very inspired by her visit,” he said.

Father George Kamal Rozario, CSC, president of the Bangladesh Conference of Religious and provincial superior of the Holy Cross Fathers, said representatives of 37 of the country’s 38 religious congregations met with Merletti during the week.

“They understood how important their role is in the Catholic Church and were inspired to walk a new path,” he said.

Religious leaders encouraged

Sister Mary Shubhra, SMRA, superior general of the Associates of Mary Queen of the Apostles, said the Vatican official’s presence brought renewed focus to formation and mission.

“Her arrival has awakened us,” she said. “She appreciated our ministries and guided us on improving formation in our houses.”

Her congregation, which has 211 sisters, works in health care, education, and women’s empowerment.

Sister Pierina of the Catechist Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Angels, said the time spent with Merletti was particularly meaningful.

“She gave us time, listened to us, and inspired us to maintain good relations with all congregations,” she said.

Future mission despite challenges

Despite the security concerns, Merletti said she was encouraged by the local Church’s long-term planning, including projects for Catholic schools and universities — especially for women — and continued care for vulnerable people.

What most inspired her during the visit, she said, was “the vision for future mission.”

“I can see everywhere good hearts, open minds, faith, and courage to make sure every day a chance is offered to grow and to become good citizens,” she said.

She also reflected on challenges facing consecrated life worldwide, including increasing polarization in society.

“We see this urge to be different, to be higher, richer, more powerful. The others are not brothers and sisters but enemies,” she said. “Consecrated life plays a big role in shaping real humanity because we believe in communion and see the face of God in the most vulnerable.”

Walking together

Merletti emphasized the importance of synodality and encouraged religious in Bangladesh to maintain close cooperation among congregations and with the wider Church, describing this as “walking together, knowing each other, sharing gifts, appreciating and supporting each other.”

“If we remain faithful to this call of Jesus, I think we will be the yeast for a better future,” she said.

Before departing, she assured religious communities of the dicastery’s continued interest in their situation.

“We don’t do miracles, but we can assure our advice and prayers. We leave Bangladesh with hearts filled with joy and appreciation,” she said.

CNA Staff, Dec 23, 2025 / 10:07 am (CNA).

A federal judge in California this week issued a permanent block against the state’s “gender secrecy policies” that have allowed schools to hide children’s so-called “gender transitions” from their parents.

U.S. District Court Judge Roger Benitez issued the ruling in the class action lawsuit on Dec. 22, holding that parents “have a right” to the “gender information” of their children, while teachers themselves also possess the right to provide parents with that information. 

The order strikes down secretive policies in school districts across California that allowed schools to conceal when a child began identifying as the opposite sex or another LGBT-related identity. 

Benitez had allowed the legal dispute to proceed as a class action lawsuit in October. School districts in California “are ultimately state agents under state control,” the judge said at the time, and the issue of settling “statewide policy” meant the class action structure would be “superior to numerous individual actions by individual parents and teachers.” 

The case, Benitez said on Dec. 22, concerns “a parent’s rights to information … against a public school’s policy of secrecy when it comes to a student’s gender identification.” 

Parents, he said, have a right to such information on grounds of the 14th and First Amendments, he said, while teachers can assert similar First Amendment rights in sharing that information with parents. 

Teachers have historically informed parents of “physical injuries or questions about a student’s health and well-being,” the judge pointed out, yet lawmakers in California have enacted policies “prohibiting public school teachers from informing parents” when their child claims to have an LGBT identity. 

“Even if [the government] could demonstrate that excluding parents was good policy on some level, such a policy cannot be implemented at the expense of parents’ constitutional rights,” Benitez wrote. 

The Thomas More Society, a religious liberty legal group, said in a press release that the decision “protects all California parents, students, and teachers” and “restores sanity and common sense.”

School officials in California who work to conceal “gender identity” decisions from parents “should cease all enforcement or face severe legal consequences,” attorney Paul Jonna said in the release. 

Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West, the Christian teachers who originally brought the suit, said they were “profoundly grateful” for the decision. 

“This victory is not just ours. It is a win for honesty, transparency, and the fundamental rights of teachers and parents,” they said. 

The Thomas More Society said on Dec. 22 that California officials had gone to “extreme lengths” to “evade responsibility” for their policies, up to and including claiming that the gender secrecy rules were no longer enforced even as they were allegedly continuing to require them. 

Gender- and LGBT-related school policies have come under fire over the past year from the White House. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in August directed U.S. states to remove gender ideology material from their curricula or else face the loss of federal funding. 

In February the Department of Education launched an investigation into several Virginia school districts to determine if they violated federal orders forbidding schools from supporting the so-called “transition” of children. 

In December, meanwhile, a Catholic school student in Virginia forced a school district to concede a lawsuit she brought alleging that her constitutional rights had been violated when the school subjected her to “extreme social pressure” to affirm transgender ideology.

London, England, Dec 23, 2025 / 09:37 am (CNA).

The domestic agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has strongly criticized recent announcements by the U.K. government concerning asylum seekers’ rights to remain in the country.

Following the publication of the government’s new proposals last month, Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) released a statement on Dec. 17 saying that new rules surrounding those seeking asylum were “incompatible with the Gospel and the teaching of the Catholic Church.”

Under current U.K. law, people who are facing persecution in their own country are entitled to five years of refugee status. At the end of this period, they may apply for indefinite leave to remain in the U.K.

However, to control the amount of people settling in the U.K., the Labour Party government has announced that this protection period will be reduced to 2.5 years and individuals might be sent back to their home country if it is later judged to be “safe.” They will also have to reapply every 2.5 years to retain their protected status.

Refugees will also have to wait up to 20 years, rather than five, to secure an indefinite right to remain in the U.K. if new proposals are ratified. The list of jobs that entitle people to a skilled worker visa have already been reduced, the policy for which took effect in July. 

The statement from CSAN recorded its “grave concern” about the plans surrounding asylum seekers. 

“The proposed policies would quadruple the wait before those with refugee status can access permanent settlement from five to 20 years, exacerbating the stress and uncertainty faced by people trying to rebuild their lives in the U.K. Only some who work or study may be permitted a faster pathway to settlement, but one fraught with uncertainty and heavy penalties for any challenges they face,” the statement said. 

“By ending the right to family reunion — one of the few safe routes available — the government will separate loved ones from one another and force people to take riskier journeys to be reunited, putting more lives at risk.”

The statement by CSAN went on to say: “By increasing the forced removal of adults and families, the government will further displace people from their communities and reverse a decade of work to reduce the numbers of people subjected to the harmful practice of immigration detention, including children. As we saw in the ‘Windrush’ scandal, where British citizens from commonwealth countries were detained and removed, focusing on increasing numbers of people removed places access to justice at risk, with devastating consequences for human lives.

“And by removing the right to safety nets against destitution, the government will drive people and families on the move into homelessness, leave them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, and strip them of their dignity.”

Pope Leo addresses journalists outside Castel Gandolfo and answers questions on Ukraine and on assisted suicide laws in the United States.

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Madrid, Spain, Dec 23, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Father Manuel Chouciño, an expert in new evangelization who has surprised many by organizing an escape room in a Spanish monastery, is convinced that Catholics “are in vogue” because people “are tired of feeling so empty.”

Having arrived just three months ago at the parish-monastery of the Divine Savior of Lérez, which belongs to the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela, Chouciño saw in the place, an old Benedictine monastery, great possibilities for evangelization.

The monastery had been empty since 1835 due to the forced expropriation of Catholic Church property known as “the ecclesiastical confiscations,” but in the eyes of a priest with more than 40 years of experience in youth ministry and recreational activities it was full of possibilities. And the parishioners were ready to follow him.

“When you see that there’s been a rather long period where people are somewhat discouraged pastorally, and then you see that they’re willing to work, that there’s interest and enthusiasm, then you just take the plunge and say: Let’s move forward with whatever it takes,” he explained in a conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

About 700 people were able to enjoy the experience, which immersed them in the world of medieval monastic life through various challenges that entire families completed: discovering the monks’ prayer times by listening to bells, identifying and combining herbs used in Benedictine medicine, and finding a hidden message with the help of a mirror.

This activity is the spearhead of a plan as ambitious as it is creative that seeks to respond to society’s spiritual thirst.

“It seems to me that the trend is that we Catholics are going to be in vogue for a while,” Chouciño said, convinced that “people are tired of feeling so empty. So they need to return; it’s something that’s ingrained within us, we can’t avoid it.”

Society is “exhausted by all the woke ideology and all the boring talk. And what they want is something a little deeper, something that will answer the important questions of existence. That’s where they return, at least those of a Christian background, to reconsider their faith,” he explained.

Welcoming, not judgmental, communities

The escape room project is part of the response to this spiritual thirst, because, “for them to feel comfortable returning or starting their journey, we have to make it a little easier for them with our language, but also with our personal attitude.”

In this regard, he emphasized that priests and communities must be “welcoming, not judgmental,” and willing to “love them, cherish them, and welcome them into their home, not our home,” like the prodigal son.

The priest is part of a new pastoral unit along with four other priests who are in charge of 10 parishes and feel very supported in these new initiatives by the archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, Francisco Prieto, who was responsible for the new evangelization in the Diocese of Orense, where he is originally from.

“We’ve taken the hard road. We’re going after the people who would burst into flames if they stepped inside a church,” he explained, which is why it’s necessary “to propose initiatives that appeal to them,” such as guided tours of the monastery, where he even shows them his room.

In these events, he takes the opportunity to explain to them the project for the monastery-parish to become a large pastoral center for the territorial vicariate of Pontevedra, open to all Catholic initiatives and also to civil society.

Upcoming big event: ‘Barbecue and prayer’

The program of new evangelization activities they are developing during this end of Advent and until Epiphany already includes other interesting events. A Christmas party after midnight Mass; a festive family gathering on the feast of the Holy Innocents, as a prelude to the secular New Year’s Eve celebration; and “a combination of the two best things in the world,” which the priest has dubbed “barbecue and prayer.”

The event will take place on Sunday, Jan. 4. “We’re going to have a fantastic barbecue,” commented Chouciño, who has cooked for groups of up to 400 people in the past and is convinced that “it’s a very powerful tool for evangelization.”

The statement has a theological basis. The parish priest has been in the Archdiocese of Santiago for eight years, but before that he was in the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante, where he attended a series of lectures titled “The Meals of Jesus.”

“The Lord’s not stupid, and if he used gatherings around a table to convey the Gospel, it’s because during a meal we all let down our guard, we relax, we talk about everything and ask about everything,” he noted.

Chouciño seems like a bottomless well of ideas for evangelization, and only his determination surpasses his enthusiasm: “I keep threatening that I’m going to keep giving it my all here for as long as I can.” 

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At a time when so much pressure and so many demands are placed on priests, they should find support, freedom and relief in recognizing the gifts of laypeople and collaborating with them, Pope Leo XIV said.

"The ministry of the priest must move beyond the model of exclusive leadership, which leads to the centralization of pastoral activities and the burden of all responsibilities entrusted to him alone," the pope wrote in an apostolic letter titled, "A Fidelity that Generates the Future."

The letter, released Dec. 22, marked the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's decrees on priestly formation and on the life and ministry of priests.

Pope Leo used the letter to express his "gratitude for the witness and dedication of all priests throughout the world who offer their lives in celebrating the sacrifice of Our Lord in the Eucharist, proclaiming the Word and absolving sins, as well as devoting themselves generously each day to their brothers and sisters, fostering communion and unity among them and taking special care of those who suffer most and are in need." 

He also said the church must "look carefully and compassion-ately" at the background of priests who have left active ministry and ensure that seminary programs engage "the entire person, heart, mind and freedom" to help men make a lifelong commitment.

Pope Leo did not ignore the clerical sexual abuse crisis and said that, too, showed the importance of a thorough preparation for ministry.

"In recent decades, the crisis of trust in the Church caused by abuses committed by members of the clergy has filled us with shame and called us to humility," he wrote. "It has made us even more aware of the urgent need for a comprehensive formation that ensures the personal growth and maturity of candidates for the priesthood, together with a rich and solid spiritual life."

The letter did not mention that in several of the Eastern Catholic churches married men can be ordained to the priesthood.

But it insisted that "only priests and consecrated persons who are humanly mature and spiritually solid -- in other words, those in whom the human and spiritual dimensions are well integrated and who are therefore capable of authentic relationships with everyone -- can take on the commitment of celibacy and credibly proclaim the Gospel of the Risen One." 

Most of the letter focused on fidelity, missionary outreach and recognizing that a priest's vocation flows from his baptism, a sacrament he shares with all Catholics.

"Our contemporary world, characterized by its fast pace and the anxious need to be hyperconnected, often makes us feel rushed and inclines us to activism," the pope wrote.

Two very negative consequences that can be tempting to priests, he said, are "an efficiency-oriented mentality, whereby the value of each person is measured by performance" or simply withdrawing, "adopting a lazy and defeatist approach."

Pope Leo told the priests that nothing can take the place of devoting time to personal prayer and the celebration of the sacraments and cultivating a special bond of brotherhood with one's fellow priests, but that never should lead to a sense of superiority over laypeople.

"Even before dedicating himself to guiding the flock," the pope wrote, "every priest must constantly remember that he himself is a disciple of the Master, just like his brothers and sisters." 

The pope insisted in the letter on the importance of getting priests on board with efforts to create a more synodal church, one marked by listening to each other, discerning God's will together and recognizing that every baptized Catholic has something to contribute to the church's mission.

"Communion, synodality and mission cannot be achieved if, in the hearts of priests, the temptation to self-referentiality does not yield to the mindset of listening and service," Pope Leo wrote.

In encouraging a more synodal church, he said, "there is still much to be done."

A priest is called to let the love and mercy of Christ shine through him, the pope said, so he must shun "all forms of egotism and celebration of self."

For that reason, Pope Leo encouraged priests to evaluate carefully their presence in the media and on social networks, "making service to evangelization the basis for discernment," because, as First Corinthians says, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial."
 

Officials say massive Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukraine have killed at least three people, including a four-year-old child, while cutting power to several regions just two days before Christmas, as the country faces bitter winter cold.

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The Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, comments on the recent arson attack on the Christmas tree of the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Jenin, West Bank.

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In an interview with Vatican Media, the prefect for the Dicastery for Clergy, Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, explains that Pope Leo’s Apostolic Letter on priestly ministry points out the way to “preserving, proclaiming, and fostering the beauty of a priesthood faithful to Christ, His Word, and the Church.”

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