Knights of Columbus Council 13341

Journalism students have traveled from across the globe to Rome to take part in the fourth annual EWTN Summer Academy from July 21–31, 2025. / Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”/Screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 30, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

This week, Pope Leo XIV welcomed journalism students to Rome who have traveled from across the globe to take part in the fourth annual EWTN Summer Academy.

The 40 students joined thousands of others gathered for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and the Jubilee of Youth. On Sunday, Pope Leo said to the young crowds: “I greet the faithful from Kearny, New Jersey; the Catholic Music Award group; and the EWTN Summer Academy.”

The Summer Academy attendees will collaborate on stories and work in teams to produce, shoot, and edit videos over the 10-day course. The goal is that after the training, networking, and prayer, the students will have the skills to go out and be digital missionaries in an age where so much of what people learn and consume is online.

While the students are from 20 different countries and come from various backgrounds in journalism, they are united by the same mission.

One student told “EWTN News Nightly” in Rome: “I was very amazed that we’re all here for the same reason, to work for God and do what we can in this world to spread the truth … It’s very humbling to know that we’re all here connected together, fighting for what is right.”

“We do everything for the Church and ultimately for the evangelization to bring people closer to God,” another student added. “So when you step outside of yourself and you say, ‘It’s not about me, it’s about God,’ you can do almost anything.”

Other young journalists taking part in the July 21–31 summer course are Charbel and Giovanni Lteif, Lebanese twin brothers who have been creating content on social media about Christianity in the Eastern region.

The brothers have built their Christian platform in just one year, expanding across multiple social media outlets to reach global audiences. The success of their digital work earned them acceptance into the academy.

In Rome, Charbel told EWTN that Generation Z is “coming to Christ in big numbers, and that’s very beautiful to see. And people miss tradition. They miss a sense of belonging, a sense of not scrolling all day.”

Giovanni added: “And I think that people, when they see the faith in the East, they get excited and motivated. ‘If they have that strong faith in the East, I want to have it here too.’ So it’s like connecting the entire world … in our faith.”

While working with the 40 students from a number of different nations, Giovanni said: “It was the first time in my life I saw how global our Church is. And I saw that no matter where you are on earth, if you have good Christian values, we’re the same … This is how we change the world; 40 people or 12 disciples, change the world.”

During the closing Mass for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries, Pope Leo said to the digital creators: “It is not simply a matter of generating content but of creating an encounter of hearts. This will entail seeking out those who suffer, those who need to know the Lord, so that they may heal their wounds, get back on their feet, and find meaning in their lives.”

Pope Leo XIV blesses Elizabeth Busby and her baby on the way at the Mass for Digital Missionaries on July 29, 2025, at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. A family and marriage therapist, Busby hosts the “Discerning Marriage” podcast and developed the Next Step formation program for people who are discerning marriage. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 29, 2025 / 16:29 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday participated in the Mass celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica on the occasion of the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers, encouraging them to create encounters “between hearts” regardless of the number of followers they have.

The Holy Father arrived at the Vatican basilica at the end of the Mass, which was celebrated by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

More than a thousand Catholics from different countries participated in the event, which also coincided with the Jubilee of Youth, filling the basilica with young and enthusiastic faces.

In his address — delivered in Italian, English, and Spanish — Pope Leo XIV shared three missions or challenges when it comes to evangelizing online:

1. Proclaim peace to the world.

For Pope Leo, peace “needs to be sought, proclaimed, and shared everywhere; both in places where we see the tragedy of war and in the empty hearts of those who have lost any meaning of life and the desire for introspection and the spiritual life.”

Leo emphasized that “today more than ever, we need missionary disciples who convey the gift of the risen Lord to the world” and who give voice to the hope that the living Jesus gives us “to the ends of the earth” and to “the farthest reaches, where there is no hope.” 

2. Seek the “suffering flesh of Christ” in those one encounters.

The Holy Father asked Catholic influencers to always seek “the suffering flesh of Christ” in every brother or sister they encounter online.

In the context of a new culture shaped by technology, he appealed to the responsibility of digital missionaries to ensure that culture “remains human.”

“Nothing that comes from man and his creativity should be used to undermine the dignity of others. Our mission — your mission — is to nurture a culture of Christian humanism and to do so together. This is the beauty of the ‘internet’ for all of us,” the pope stated.

Faced with cultural changes throughout history, the pope emphasized that “the Church has never remained passive; she has always sought to illuminate every age with the light and hope of Christ by discerning good from evil and what was good from what needed to be changed, transformed, and purified.”

Given the challenge of artificial intelligence, the Holy Father emphasized that we must reflect on the authenticity of our witness, “on our ability to listen and speak, and on our capacity to understand and to be understood.  We have a duty to work together to develop a way of thinking, to develop a language, of our time, that gives voice to love,” he noted.

“It is not simply a matter of generating content but of creating an encounter of hearts. This will entail seeking out those who suffer, those who need to know the Lord, so that they may heal their wounds, get back on their feet, and find meaning in their lives,” the pontiff added.

To achieve this, he advised “accepting our own poverty, letting go of all pretense and recognizing our own inherent need for the Gospel. And this process is a communal endeavor.”

3. Go and mend the nets.

Just as Jesus called his first apostles while they were mending their fishing nets, Pope Leo XIV said that “he also asks this of us.”

The pope noted that “he asks the same of us today. Indeed, he asks us to weave other nets: networks of relationships, of love, of gratuitous sharing where friendship is profound and authentic.”

“Networks where we can mend what has been broken, heal from loneliness, not focus on the number of followers but experience the greatness of infinite love in every encounter,” he counseled.

In short, the pontiff encouraged the missionaries and influencers to create “networks that give space to others more than to ourselves, where no ‘bubble’ can silence the voices of the weakest; networks that liberate and save; networks that help us rediscover the beauty of looking into each other’s eyes; networks of truth. In this way, every story of shared goodness will be a knot in a single, immense network: the network of networks, the network of God.”

He also invited them to be “agents of communion” and to avoid individualism. Finally, he thanked them for their commitment and for the help they offer to those suffering, and “for your journey along the virtual highways.”

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

Digital missionaries and Catholic influencers participate in the Mass for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers on July 29, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

ACI MENA, Jul 29, 2025 / 14:23 pm (CNA).

For the first time in its history, the Church is celebrating a jubilee dedicated to digital missionaries, recognizing the vital role they play in spreading the Gospel in today’s digital world.

Among them are Catholics influencers from the Middle East, from lands where evangelization first began, shaped by persecution yet marked by deep resilience, and carrying with them a witness born from both suffering and unshakable hope.

A Chaldean voice for Christ online

Among the participants is Father Simon Esaki, a Chaldean Catholic priest from California with Iraqi roots. He currently serves as pastor of St. Michael Chaldean Catholic Church in El Cajon. With over 100,000 followers on Instagram, he began focusing on digital evangelization during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“I was on social media before that, but during that time is when I really started to focus on spreading the Gospel using social media because of the closure of many churches. People were not going to church, and so I felt the need to go where the people were, which is on social media. I saw that people were using it a lot, and so I decided to start making videos to share the Gospel and to encourage people about their faith, to teach them, and to help them love Jesus more.”

For Esaki, this work is part of his vocation: “I see my social media work as an extension of my priestly mission, because my priestly mission is to help people know and love Jesus more. I do that at my church, but I also do that on social media.”

He said he was moved to take part in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries because of the source of the invitation itself.

“I was drawn to participate in this jubilee because it’s a very special thing to receive an invitation from a dicastery of the Catholic Church itself, and so I really felt called to come here because of that. I think it’s a very special and beautiful thing that the Church has initiated this… It’s the Church gathering her children who are in the mission field, this very special mission field of the digital world, and it’s the Church encouraging us, giving us tools, and uniting us to fulfill this great and beautiful mission.”

Reflecting on the impact of the jubilee, Esaki added: “I think that one of the fruits of this digital jubilee is that we are all being united in Christ in a very special way, because there’s a real unity that comes with being physically connected to one another. Yes, we are all digitally connected over these years, but this is a real special physical unity, which is the goal of our life in Christ. It’s to be united to him. And that’s what I hope is the ultimate fruit of this: that we are able to unite with one another, and we are able to help others be more united to Jesus Christ in his Church.”

Twins amplify the voice of Eastern Christians

Also taking part in the jubilee are Charbel and Giovanni Lteif, Maronite Catholic twin brothers who manage some of the most prominent Christian social media accounts in the Middle East and North Africa. 

Through their platform, which has over 615,000 followers on Instagram, they aim to amplify the voice and presence of Eastern Christian communities in the digital space. 

Giovanni told ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, that he hopes their participation in this jubilee can offer encouragement to those just beginning their digital mission. He emphasized the need for the Eastern Christian world to be more visible and engaged.

Charbel highlighted the value of learning from the experiences of other brothers and sisters in Christ and deepening his understanding of how the Church views the digital world. 

Together, the twins also carried an ecumenical message, underscoring the importance of unity between Catholics and Orthodox, especially in regions where Christians face persecution. They also issued a heartfelt call for prayer for peace across the Middle East and North Africa.

From the peripheries of Lebanon to Rome

Another participant from Lebanon is Michel Hayek, founder of Yasou3ouna, a popular platform dedicated to prayer and spiritual reflections. With over 85,000 followers on Instagram and 290,000 on Facebook, Yasou3ouna has become a space where thousands turn daily for comfort, encouragement, and faith. 

“I chose to take part in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries because I believe the Christian message must reach everyone, and today’s digital platforms have become the new pulpit for bearing witness and proclaiming the faith,” he said. “I feel a spiritual responsibility to use these tools in service of God’s word, spreading hope and love in a world often overwhelmed by noise and superficiality.”

This experience, Hayek said, also deepened his awareness of what it means to be a Christian from the Middle East. “I carry a rich spiritual heritage rooted in the land of Christ, a land that, despite pain and trials, has witnessed the Resurrection. It teaches us to remain steadfast and hopeful in the face of suffering.”

As a Lebanese influencer from Akkar, a marginalized region in northern Lebanon often overlooked and heavily affected by poverty and instability, Hayek sees his mission as giving voice to a Church that remains alive against the odds.

“I offer a testimony of a Church that is still vibrant, despite all the political and economic challenges. I bring a spirit of openness and dialogue, and a sincere commitment to peace and love. Through the content I share, I try to express the Eastern Christian faith in a modern, accessible way, one that speaks to hearts across the world.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, presides over the Mass for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers on July 29, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Jul 29, 2025 / 13:52 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle urged Catholic content creators gathered in Rome for the first-ever Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers to “be discerning” in how they use their platforms, warning against the spiritual dangers of misinformation and manipulation online. 

“You are not only influencers, you are also missionaries,” Tagle said during a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on July 29, addressing more than 1,700 Catholic creators from 75 countries who came to the Vatican for the two-day event coinciding with the Jubilee of Youth.

“Dear digital missionaries and Catholic influencers: Jesus loves you. Do not doubt him. Accept him as the greatest influence on your life. And through you, may the person of Jesus influence many people, human and digital spaces, so that God’s truth, justice, love, and peace may flow to the ends of the earth,” he said.

Organized by the Dicastery for Evangelization and the Dicastery for Communication, the jubilee marked a historic first for the Catholic Church: a large-scale Vatican initiative aimed at those proclaiming the Gospel in the digital age.

Clergy and laypeople alike, many of them young and active on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, gathered to reflect on evangelization in the digital sphere. Pilgrims could be seen taking selfies under the dome of St. Peter’s and exchanging social media handles in the colonnade. 

“I’ve been meeting a lot of people who have content I follow and people who follow me,” 24-year-old American Sophie Chamblee from Indiana told CNA.

Chamblee has more than 59,000 followers for her Instagram page, Playground Saints, where she shares cartoon stickers of the saints and posts humorous videos about imaginary conversations between the saints in heaven.

“Everybody here is after the same thing … so we all understand each other in ways that other people can’t,” she said.

In his homily, Tagle, pro-prefect for the Section for First Evangelization, shared a personal warning about the risks of digital manipulation: a deepfake video of him advertising arthritis medication recently circulated online.

“To influence consumers so that monetary profit may increase, some manufacturers resort to false advertising, even using famous personalities,” he said. “I discovered videos generated by I don’t know who, of me advertising medicine for arthritis.”

Tagle, who was considered a papabile in the 2013 and 2025 conclaves, drew criticism ahead of the most recent papal election when a viral video showed him singing karaoke to John Lennon’s “Imagine.” His comments during the homily reflected on the moral complexities of navigating digital fame.

“I pose this question: Will we let the water and blood of Jesus poured for love of us to be the true fluid of influence that will wash away all iniquity, falsehood, injustice, prejudice, manipulation, and violence?” Tagle asked the congregation.

“Let the love of God in Jesus and the Holy Spirit prevent various poisonous influences from flowing into human hearts.”

Tagle also cautioned against mistaking technological connection for true Christian witness.

“God did not send to us a text message or an email, or a file document. Rather, God sent his Son,” he said.

“Love cannot be generated by an algorithm. Only a divine person with a human heart can love divinely and humanly, effecting profound and enduring change,” he added. 

As the Mass concluded, the pilgrims received a surprise visit from Pope Leo XIV, who entered St. Peter’s to a sea of raised smartphones. Switching seamlessly between Italian, English, and Spanish, the pope emphasized the importance of authenticity and human dignity in digital evangelization.

“Science and technology influence the way we live in the world, even affecting how we understand ourselves and how we relate to God, how we relate to one another,” the pope said.  

“But nothing that comes from man and his creativity should be used to undermine the dignity of others. Our mission — your mission — is to nurture a culture of Christian humanism, and to do so together. This is the beauty of the ‘network’ for all of us.” 

With artificial intelligence playing an increasingly dominant role in global communication, Pope Leo challenged influencers to examine their witness.

“This is a challenge that we must face: reflecting on the authenticity of our witness, on our ability to listen and speak, and on our capacity to understand and to be understood,” he said. “We have a duty to work together to develop a way of thinking, to develop a language, of our time, that gives voice to love.” 

“It is not simply a matter of generating content but of creating an encounter of hearts,” the pope said.

The Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio, the seat of the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. / Credit: Jim McIntosh via Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0)

Vatican City, Jul 29, 2025 / 10:47 am (CNA).

The Vatican’s doctrinal office has expressed reservations about an alleged Marian apparition site in southern Italy, permitting only private devotion and warning that claims that a deceased woman has communicated messages through a guardian angel “require further study.”

Sant’Onofrio is a mountain in the southern Italian region of Molise, close to the town of Agnone. Since 2009, a resident  of the area, Michelino Marcovecchio, has claimed to receive visions of the Virgin Mary and messages from her.

He has also claimed to hear the voice of his deceased mother-in-law, Livia Casciano, through his guardian angel.

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) gave the alleged supernatural experiences at Mount Sant’Onofrio a judgment of “prae oculis habeatur” (“let it be held before the eyes”), meaning there are “important positive signs” but “some aspects of confusion or potential risk are also perceived,” and “doctrinal clarification might be necessary.”

The DDF said “private worship is permitted,” including personal visits in pairs or small groups to the cross or Stations of the Cross erected on Mount Sant’Onofrio.

Acts of public worship, however, are not allowed, including pilgrimages, pastoral events, and the celebration of Mass in places linked to the alleged spiritual experiences. Information about the phenomenon and its alleged messages may also not be disseminated without approval from Church authorities.

In a letter to Bishop Camillo Cibotti of Isernia-Venafro and Trivento, DDF prefect Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández wrote that there is value to the content of some of the messages received by Marcovecchio and “signs of the action of the Holy Spirit in the midst of this alleged supernatural phenomenon.”

However, he added, “some aspects of confusion or potential risks are also perceived that require the diocesan bishop to engage in a careful discernment and dialogue with the recipients of a given spiritual experience.

The cardinal also drew attention to two aspects of the alleged manifestations requiring particular care on the part of the bishop. 

First, some members of the local clergy had failed to observe the previous bishop’s decision to prohibit any form of public or private worship related to the alleged apparitions and even appeared to urge disobedience.

The second potential issue was the “unusual fact that some souls of the deceased are said to manifest themselves to the alleged visionary through the work of his guardian angel.”

Fernández said the alleged apparitions experienced on Mount Sant’Onofrio follow the Church’s teaching on the relationship between the living and the dead but “in a manner that shows its originality with respect to spiritual tradition and which would therefore require further study.”

The prefect invited the bishop to ensure those who follow and promote the spiritual experiences at Mount Sant’Onofrio keep in mind “that the line between lawful and risky practices is rather thin.”

A jubilee attendee snaps a shot of a fellow jubilee-goer in Rome during a broadcast of “EWTN News Nightly,” Monday, July 28, 2025. / Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 29, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

As 500,000 people gather in Rome for the Jubilee of Youth, the crowds are also joined by pilgrims on a mission to evangelize with the help of social media and the internet.

Jonathan Strate, the president and CEO of Catholic media and publishing company Ascension, said the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries is “an exciting moment for the Church.” He added: “This is the first time that they’ve done something like this.”

Speaking to “EWTN News Nightly” on July 28, Strate said the digital jubilee, held July 28–29, is “expecting about 1,000 people from maybe 40 to 50 different countries, all who feel called to digital evangelization,” which is important for the Catholic mission, as “the Church exists to evangelize.”

Ascension, which is known for the “Bible in a Year” podcast among numerous other digital offerings, became involved in the two-day event to bring its nearly 25 years of digital media experience to the table. The organization is “very familiar with using the digital world to reach everyone,” Strate said.

The Jubilee of Digital Missionaries was not necessarily intended to coincide with the Jubilee of Youth, but since the young generation is so active online, Strate said it “makes a lot of sense.”

In Rome, the digital missionaries “will get together to share best practices and just really spur the conversation and be influenced by each other.” Strate shared that a number of Ascension contributors, including podcaster Katie McGrady, will attend to discuss the matter and then share the key takeaways.

It is “so important” to have these discussions because “digital evangelization” helps us to “meet people where they are, and where they are is existing online,” Strate said. “That’s where they’re doing their own searching.”

“So if the Church isn’t there, then the Church doesn’t have a voice in all of that. So you really want to use this to reach people where they are in as personal of a means as you can.”

“When this started, maybe 20-plus years ago with the advent of the internet, it was easy to start to bring things that were traditionally in print and put them online. You can make infinite copies, in effect, and have that all available and reach people that you never were able to reach.”

“But 20 years later … it’s switched, I’d say probably to a more personalized kind of faith formation. So something where ... it feels like somebody’s speaking with me. The content is coming out on a daily, many-times-a-day basis and so you can really feel more connected with somebody.”

The Jubilee of Digital Missionaries is only the start of the evangelizing mission, Strate said.

“In the future, getting to bring … AI into the picture, starting to think about, ‘Well, how can that really help deliver the right message to the right person at the right time?’ It’s really a lot to look forward to.”

A performer during the Catholic Music Awards in Rome on July 27, 2025. / Credit: Screenshot “EWTN News Nightly”

CNA Staff, Jul 29, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Musicians from around the world came together for the first-ever Catholic Music Awards on July 27 at the Auditorium Conciliazione in Rome. Nicknamed the “Grammys of Catholic Music,” the international event aims to promote, encourage, and recognize the talent of Catholic singers by not only celebrating the Catholic faith but also honoring artists who evangelize through music.

Finalists were evaluated based on content, artistic value, and technical professionalism, with the final decision made by an international jury of more than 60 experts. Winners were chosen across 19 categories in four languages: Spanish, English, Italian, and Portuguese.

Among the winners was Nathali Paredes Lozano, singer-songwriter and anchor for “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News, who won Best Praise-Worship Song in the Spanish category.

Lozano won for her song titled “Te Pertenezco,” which translates to “I Belong to You.”

She explained at the event that the song was “composed to the heart of Jesus, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is my greatest devotion. It is that heart that reaches out to take our hearts,” according to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. 

“It is a song of Eucharistic worship, he who is present in the Eucharist, so I am very happy about it too. It’s a song that I love very much and that, I tell you and confess, every time I sing it I also break down,“ she added.

When speaking about the award show she said: “This is the first event of its kind held at a global level, and it’s so important because it values, rewards, and above all highlights the music of so many, many Catholic musicians around the world who offer their voices, who offer the gifts the Lord has given us to praise him, to praise God, our beloved Jesus. What could be better than valuing and supporting this kind of music, which is sometimes lacking?“

Opera singer Luciano Lamonarca, founder and CEO of the Saint Pio Foundation, won for Best Male Singer in the English category. He won for the song “The Song of Saint Pio,” which he composed in honor of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) as a gesture of gratitude for the saint’s intercession for the birth of Lamonarca’s son Sebastián.

In 2010, Lamonarca and his wife, Valentina, were expecting their first child — a daughter whom they named Alma. Suddenly, their whole life changed when Alma was delivered stillborn and Valentina had to undergo additional surgeries due to complications from the delivery. Due to those surgeries, it was unlikely that Valentina would ever be able to conceive again.

In their despair, the couple spent their first wedding anniversary in San Giovanni Rotondo, the hometown of Padre Pio. It was here that they were blessed with an opportunity to pray with a first-class relic — a handkerchief with blood stains from Padre Pio. The couple grew closer to the beloved saint and turned to him for his intercession.

Despite suffering multiple more miscarriages, they continued praying and on Dec. 25, 2014, Valentina discovered she was pregnant. Their son Sebastian was born in September 2015.

“When you sing, expressing faith, the emotions you give is much more than anything else. You don’t do this because you have been paid. You don’t do this because you have been rewarded by some things. You do this because you feel a connection with God, with those who love, you feel the faith expand,” Lamonarca said.  “So this is the best music that everybody will ever experience.”

Francesco Lorenzi, lead singer of the Italian band The Sun, accepted the award won by his group for Best Italian Catholic Band.

“Never would I have thought 20 years ago that today we would be here near St. Peter’s, awarded as the best Italian Catholic band. And this is something extraordinary: how the Lord can truly guide our lives, heal them, and lead us to where we are called to be, because each of us has a mission,” the Italian singer told the crowd. 

Lorenzi is known for his powerful conversion story and was awarded the Pontificated Medal in 2016 by Pope Francis “for the contribution given to Christian humanism in the world.”

null / Credit: Andy - Rock News/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Jul 28, 2025 / 18:34 pm (CNA).

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication reiterated its long-standing call for recognition of Palestine statehood amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict after France announced last week it would recognize the region’s statehood.

The editorial manager for the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, Andrea Tornielli, called for a “two-state solution” and recognition of Palestine as a state in a July 27 editorial. 

In the editorial, Tornielli cited France’s recent movement toward recognition. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in a post on X that France would recognize Palestine as a state — a plan that was quickly rejected by various Western countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Australia. 

In addition to affirming Palestine as a state, Macron called for the demilitarization of the terrorist group Hamas that runs the government of Gaza. He demanded the release of the hostages, called for humanitarian aid for Gaza, and said that Palestine must accept demilitarization and fully recognize Israel.

In 2015, the Vatican signed its first treaty with the “State of Palestine.” Tornielli recalled the “comprehensive agreement” between the two parties, noting that the treaty affirmed the right of the Palestinian people to an “independent, sovereign, democratic, and viable” state.

While Pope Francis was the first of the popes to use the term “State of Palestine” upon his 2014 visit to the Holy land, Tornielli pointed out that Pope Benedict XVI affirmed both that “the State of Israel has the right to exist and enjoy peace and security” and that “the Palestinian people have the right to an independent and sovereign homeland.”

Before Benedict, in the early 1990s, Pope John Paul II established relationships with both the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, according to Tornielli. 

“It is to be hoped that the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Question and the implementation of the two-state solution, grasping the urgency of a common response to the Palestinian drama, will decisively pursue a solution to finally guarantee this people a state with secure, respected, and recognized borders,” Tornielli wrote in the editorial.

Notably, the Vatican’s support of the “two-state solution” runs counter to the stances of many Western countries. The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Australia rejected Macron’s Palestine statehood plan outright, while President Donald Trump dismissed Macron, telling reporters at the White House: “What he says doesn’t matter. It’s not going to change anything.” 

Macron said in his post that he plans to announce the recognition at the United Nations General Assembly in September. 

While U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer rejected the plan, he explained in a statement he supported the “two-state solution” but said it must ensure “lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis.”

On a local level, the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France called the decision a moral failure and said it risks security for Jews worldwide, while top American Jewish groups declined to attend a meeting with the French government after his statement. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “strongly” condemned Macron’s decision, saying the move “rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.” 

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it,” Netanyahu said. “Let’s be clear: The Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel. They seek a state instead of Israel.”

The central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno/CNA

Vatican City, Jul 28, 2025 / 17:33 pm (CNA).

The Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA) — the body responsible for managing the properties and investments of the small city state — presented on July 28 its financial statement for the 2024 fiscal year, with net profits of 62.2 million euros ($72.1 million), one of the highest figures recorded since these reports began being published.

In addition, it contributed 46.1 million euros ($53.4 million) to cover the Holy See’s deficit, 8 million euros ($9.27 million) more than in 2023.

“This is one of the best financial statements in recent years,” emphasized the president of APSA, Archbishop Giordano Piccinotti, in a statement to Vatican media. He explained that these results not only reflect effective management but also a growing commitment to the Church’s mission, a strategic vision of patrimony, and a working model based on transparency, collaboration, and the common good.

An ecclesial vision of patrimony

“APSA is not limited to offering operational services,” Piccinotti explained in the report’s introduction, “but is configured as an organization at the service of the mission of the Catholic Church.”

The report reflects the fruits of a strategy focused on three guiding principles. The first is an ecclesial vision of patrimony: understanding that the assets managed are not ends in themselves but rather instruments to serve ecclesial communion and promote a sense of belonging to the Church. The second principle is collaboration and transparency: investments have been made in inter-institutional relations, in strengthening internal competencies, and in clear and traceable processes with defined responsibilities. The third is the common good as a guiding criterion: Management has been oriented toward decisions that respond to ethical and pastoral criteria, seeking to build synergies with other entities of the Holy See.

Record profitability: Ethics and strategy

The 2024 result represents a surplus of 16 million euros ($18.5 million) higher than that of 2023, when the profit was 45.9 million euros ($53.2 million).

Part of the profit was allocated to the Vatican budget (known as “fabbisogno”) of the Roman Curia, which totaled 170.4 million euros ($197.5 million). APSA’s contribution was divided between a fixed portion of 30 million euros ($34.7 million) and a variable portion equivalent to 50% of the residual net profit, thus reaching 46.1 million euros ($53.4 million).

Piccinotti explained that the increase is due to better management and valuation of assets. “We are doing our duty: We provide significant coverage for the Curia’s financial deficit. It’s not just about renting out empty properties. We have restructured property management, allowing rentals at market prices, which generates additional resources.”

Regarding financial investments, in 2024 the APSA adopted the guidelines of the Holy See’s Investment Committee, using separate management accounts (SMAs) similar to private investment funds. This allowed for sales at high points and strategic reinvestment, achieving a return of 8.51%, representing 10 million euros ($11.6 million) more than in 2023.

Stability in real estate management

Real estate management — which represents a fundamental part of the Holy See’s assets—generated stable revenues of 35.1 million euros ($40.7 million). This result was possible thanks to a “combined effect”: an increase in rental income (+3.2 million euros [$3.7 million] in Italy and +0.8 million euros abroad [$.92 million]) and an increase in expenses, especially in maintenance (-3.9 million [-$4.5 million], of which 3.8 million euros [$4.4 million] was allocated to upkeep).

APSA currently manages 4,234 real estate units in Italy, of which 2,866 are its own. It also owns assets abroad through affiliated companies in England, France, Switzerland, and Italy.

Transparency and service to third parties

The 2024 financial report is the fifth to be published publicly since this transparency practice began in 2020, following the economic reforms promoted by Pope Francis. APSA was created by Pope Paul VI in 1967.

In 2024, the organization paid 6 million euros ($6.9 million) in municipal property tax (IMU) and 3.19 million euros ($3.69 million) in corporate income tax (IRES), thus refuting rumors of widespread tax exemptions.

Furthermore, nearly 40% of APSA’s staff work in services provided to other Vatican entities, such as accounting or maintenance of apostolic nunciatures. “We not only contribute profits but also essential services for the mission of the Church,” Piccinotti explained.

Renewable energy and future prospects

Among the notable projects is Fratello Sole (Brother Sun, an allusion to St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Sun”), an initiative to install an agrovoltaic plant in the Santa Maria di Galeria area, geared toward the Vatican’s energy transition. The site was visited by Pope Leo XIV on June 19 as a sign of his support for integral ecology.

“The goal is to continue improving deficit coverage in 2025 as well,” Piccinotti said, summing up with a phrase inherited from his grandfather: “You can’t get more than 15 kilos [33 pounds] of cherries from a cherry tree. We are close to the limit, but there is still room for improvement. Management is already good, but we are not standing still,” he concluded.

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

Actor Jonathan Roumie, who portrays Jesus in “The Chosen.” / Credit: Screenshot EWTN News/Colm Flynn

CNA Staff, Jul 28, 2025 / 15:20 pm (CNA).

Catholic actor Jonathan Roumie, known for his portrayal of Jesus in the hit series “The Chosen,” sent a video message on Monday to those gathered in Rome for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers in which he called their work “incredibly important.”

The Jubilee of Digital Missionaries, which is taking place July 28–29, seeks to unite the Church’s efforts “to celebrate, train, and inspire those called to evangelize on digital platforms.” The two days will consist of prayer services, workshops, and talks from Church leaders. The event, with the participation of over a thousand popular Catholic social media users from around the world, will culminate in a music festival. Pope Leo XIV is also expected to make an appearance.

“As someone who’s been blessed to portray Jesus in ‘The Chosen,’ I’ve seen firsthand how a story shared online can touch a heart, soften a soul, even change a life. You’re doing the same,” Roumie said. “Whether it’s through a post, a reel, a comment thread, or a livestream, you’re showing up in these digital spaces with the heart of Christ — not to preach at people but to meet them, to listen, to engage, to start conversations that actually matter.”

He urged the attendees to not “grow weary” and to never “underestimate the power of what you’re doing … your presence online — authentic, prayerful, joyful — that’s part of God’s plan to keep us talking about Jesus.”

The actor explained that this work in digital media is what “evangelization looks like today — it’s not just pulpits and church walls — it’s Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, blogs, all of it. And you’re stepping into that world with love, creativity, and authenticity.”

“What you’re doing is mission. Period. You’re reaching people wherever they are, no matter what they believe or don’t believe, no matter how much they understand or don’t understand. And that openness, that willingness to connect without judgment creates space for real dialogue, for moments of grace, for Christ to move in surprising ways,” he said. 

Roumie encouraged the participants to “keep going. Keep showing up. Keep being that light in the feed.”

“You never know who’s watching or listening or scrolling, and whose life might be changed just because you shared a little hope,” he added. “God bless you. I’m praying for you all. I love you and seriously, thank you for being out there.”

The popular Catholic actor also takes to social media to share inspiring messages about the faith with those who follow him. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Roumie frequently prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet with his followers via livestreams. On Instagram alone, he has over 2.5 million followers. 

Pope Leo XIV is also an active social media user. He started a Twitter (now X) account back in August 2011, over a year before Benedict XVI earned the moniker of the “tweeting pope” with the launch of the official papal account @Pontifex on Dec. 3, 2012. 

Before becoming pope, then-Father Robert Prevost also frequently discussed social media’s potential for evangelization.

In a 2012 interview with Catholic News Service in Rome, Prevost said: “I think the Church needs to be sophisticated, if you will, also in terms of the use of the social networks that are available to us.”