We Are Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish

Puebla, Mexico, May 23, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Amid a wave of violence that has shaken Mexico, including the murder this week of two high-ranking officials in the capital, the Catholic Church is redoubling its efforts to restore peace.

Through the National Dialogue for Peace and more than 300 initiatives across the country, bishops, priests, and laypeople are working to train mediators, provide mental health care, and support victims, taking risks and embracing hope, even though, as Church leaders themselves warn, “you can’t dialogue with organized crime.”

The bishops of Mexico, along with various organizations, launched the National Peace Dialogue initiative following the 2022 murders of Jesuit priests Javier Campos and Joaquín Mora. While various initiatives promoted by the Catholic Church already existed in the country, this proposal sought to strengthen all those efforts.

According to the National Peace Dialogue website, over a year and a half, input was gathered in a series of forums from thousands of people and institutions across the country. From this process, the National Peace Agenda was developed, which resulted in concrete commitments. Currently, the organization is working to implement action steps at the local, state, and national levels “to project a viable and shared future.”

Catholic Church peace efforts

At a press conference in Mexico City, Father Jorge Atilano González, SJ, executive director of the National Dialogue for Peace, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that about 300 initiatives are being carried out to reduce violence in the country.

He said, for example, that in the Sierra Tarahumara, in the north of the country, “the issue of mental health among Indigenous youth and families is being addressed.”

In Oaxaca, he continued, “work is being done to train conflict mediators”; while in Monterrey, Nuevo León, work is being done on “evaluating the mental health situation among high school students, to develop proposals on how to address this situation,” among other initiatives.

“Here in Mexico City, we are in conversations with the mayor’s offices to promote processes that include rebuilding the social fabric, addressing addictions, and reintegrating people released from prison. These are examples of what the Church is doing,” the Jesuit priest said.

All the proposals can be found on the National Dialogue for Peace website, which details that these 300 actions are divided into 14 local and seven national initiatives across the country.

During the conference, Atilano emphasized that, despite the danger this represents for members of the Catholic Church who are implementing these projects, “we take the risk of being close to the communities, of accompanying them, and of working to build community and family, so that we have the foundations that will allow us to restore peace to the country.”

‘You can’t dialogue with organized crime’

At the same conference, Auxiliary Bishop Francisco Javier Acero of the Archdiocese of Mexico City made an urgent call to all of society to “work with community, closeness, listening, and concrete actions from the heart of the Gospel” to promote peace.

This exhortation comes in the context that from January through March alone, at least 1,321 “crimes of extreme violence that can be classified as atrocities” were committed in the country, according to the study titled “Gallery of Horror: Atrocities and High-Impact Events Reported in the Media,” conducted by the organization Common Cause.

Faced with this reality, Acero urged parishes and communities to “create spaces for encounter, listening, training in nonviolence, support for victims, and prevention programs.”

Asked whether bishops or priests in Mexico City are seeking to meet with organized crime groups as a way to reduce crime rates, Acero stated that “you can’t dialogue with organized crime. When there’s blood involved, there will be no dialogue.”

However, he clarified: “We mediate. To stop them from killing, I, and the bishops, will get down on our knees. But from here we tell them: ‘Enough is enough. Stop killing, leave the people in peace.’”

“We will mediate for the people of God, but we’re not going to give in at gunpoint. We want echoes of peace and love, not the sound of gunfire,” the prelate added.

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

St. Louis, Mo., May 23, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The people of northern St. Louis continue to pick up the pieces — assisted by Catholic Charities — after a massive tornado hit the city last week, with a full recovery likely taking multiple years. 

The mile-wide EF-3 tornado tore through the northern part of St. Louis on May 16, causing over $1.6 billion in damage and leaving at least five people dead, including a woman who was killed when the steeple of a Christian church collapsed on her. Much of the destruction affected some of the poorest parts of the city.

Father Scott Scheiderer, who pastors a group of parishes located in one of St. Louis’ hardest-hit areas — “right near ground zero” — said many of the residents there are impoverished and lack insurance, making ongoing assistance critical.

“I started driving through these neighborhoods, and my goodness; the devastation. I mean, words cannot describe. It is just horrific,” Scheiderer told CNA. 

“We [at the parish] took on some damage … But I mean, this is total devastation. Words cannot describe some of these neighborhoods. I mean, they’re just totally gone … People have lost their houses. I talked with them. They have no way to rebuild.”

“The call to help, to be the love of Christ in this time, is just so great right now. So we’re just trying to respond as best we can,” he continued.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis will hold a special collection at Masses May 24-25 or May 31-June 1 to benefit those most affected by the storm, with the funds going to Catholic Charities, the St. Louis Review reported. The St. Augustine Wellston Center, a Catholic food bank, is also taking material and financial donations. 

The twister damaged at least 5,000 structures, and Mayor Cara Spencer said Thursday that FEMA operatives have been on the ground in St. Louis doing assessments. The tornado outbreak on May 16 also spawned tornadoes in Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana killing at least 28 people total and injuring dozens. 

Among the confirmed dead in St. Louis after the storm is Patricia Penelton, a longtime volunteer at St. Louis’ Centennial Christian Church who was reportedly at the church bagging lunches to distribute after the storm. She was killed when the bell tower and roof of the 121-year-old church collapsed in the tornado. 

None of the Catholic church buildings in the area suffered catastrophic damage. St. Peter Claver Parish, which has a predominantly African American congregation, lost the roof from its school gym, but crews were able to fix it quickly. Numerous large trees were downed all along the tornado’s path, including all around St. Matthew the Apostle, which is part of the St. Peter Claver Parish grouping. 

Father Scott Jones, episcopal vicar for the archdiocese’ northern vicariate, told CNA that by far the greatest need in the area right now is “immediate assistance to those without homes who are living in cars, makeshift shelters, and other locations. Many areas are still without power.” 

The area where the devastation was greatest is North City, which was already economically disadvantaged, Jones told CNA in written comments. Despite the widespread devastation there, “there is a strong commitment to working together with other denominations and agencies in getting assistance to those with the greatest need,” Jones said. 

“Having served there in the past, I can attest that the faith of the people is very strong. I’ve been in contact with the pastors and parishioners and they are holding up well,” he said. 

“People are volunteering in droves, which is heartening. The greatest need right now is money, however … People are stepping up and hopefully will continue to do so once the initial reporting concludes. We are also reallocating archdiocesan resources. For example, my vicariate received a $50,000 grant for formation and my staff and I reworked our budget to donate half to Catholic Charities.”

Jones said they will gladly accept sanitizing supplies, food, and water for the many volunteers who are pitching in to clean up debris, clear blocked streets, and assist residents in securing their homes — along with all the prayer they can get. 

Jared Bryson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis (CCSTL), told CNA in an interview that the people of north St. Louis he has met with are already referring to the tornado as a “Katrina-level” event, harkening back to the disastrous 2005 hurricane that crippled New Orleans for years. 

He said CCSTL’s director of disaster services has been working with emergency managers, the other voluntary organizations that are part of disaster services and recovery, and other nonprofits at an emergency incident command center.

CCSTL is currently accepting donations to help more than 1,500 individuals and families who have reached out through the Catholic Charities website seeking support. Bryson reiterated that many of the people who lost homes in the tornado have no insurance and little money to rebuild. 

Numerous neighbors have stepped up to help in the wake of the storm, but going forward some of the biggest needs “are really financial,” and if aid is not carefully organized and coordinated, “it really causes more problems than it helps,” Bryson continued. 

Highlighting the long-term nature of the recovery effort, Bryson noted that CCSTL only just wrapped up its efforts helping community members recover from a local flooding event that occurred two years ago. Recovery from this tornado will likely take even longer. 

“We’re the organization that works in the communities to get resources until we can actually get other resources around. Sometimes we’re waiting for the FEMA declaration to help with some of that process. But we still need community resources to really build back the lives of these folks,” he said, with those resources including mental health counseling, given the trauma many people experienced. 

He told the story of one woman he encountered after the storm who had lived in her historic, red-brick North City home for almost 80 years and had no insurance despite owning the house outright. Her house, sadly, is “just gone,” Bryson said. 

“After we get past this initial shock and awe moment, people will lose interest in this story,” he said, noting that especially during the ongoing Jubilee Year of Hope, Catholics should continue to point to their ultimate hope in Jesus to help restore the spirit of a community affected by such profound material loss.

“This is a multiyear recovery, [and] we are there not only in the incidents when it happens, we are there several years later when we’re still trying to recover the community … You’re not going to rebuild neighborhoods and houses overnight.”

‘The boldness to step forward’

Scheiderer was able to celebrate weekend Masses in the church last weekend at St. Matthew the Apostle — part of the St. Peter Claver Parish grouping he pastors — despite the electricity still being out. He said about 10-20 people still showed up. 

“It was a very beautiful Mass … thinking back to Jesus’ words, ‘I’ve earnestly desired to celebrate this’... there was such an earnest desire in my heart to celebrate the Mass because in doing that, I want to make him present,” Scheiderer said. 

“Once we’ve received that saving sacrifice and it’s filled us, now we need to go out and be the love of Christ for others.”

While many of the parish’s members live outside the parish boundaries, those who have lost homes have few prospects without sustained help, Scheiderer said. He said they are planning to set up a restricted fund for community relief efforts that people of goodwill will be able to donate to by mailing a check to the parish. 

In the meantime, the church is accepting supplies like nonperishable food, water, clothing of all sorts especially socks and underwear, as well as basic personal hygiene items, household items like toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies.

“We’re going to have little stations here where people can come and get the necessary items they need. So we’re just trying to do everything we can to help, because it’s bad,” Scheiderer said. 

Scheiderer asked for prayers for his parish community and the whole of St. Louis; his parish community has started praying a rosary before every Mass. 

“We’re praying for all those who have tragically died and all their loved ones mourning their loss. We’re praying for all those who have been injured or hurt in any way. We’re praying for all those who have lost property, personal belongings, especially those of our parish. We’re praying for all those who have just been so generous in responding; first responders, medical professionals, service workers, city officials, state officials, all those who are just working around the clock. We’re really pouring out for them,” the priest said. 

“Then just a prayer for us, as a parish family, that we can really listen attentively to the Holy Spirit and how he’s calling us to help in this time, and that we have the courage and the boldness to step forward and follow God’s will wherever he’s leading us.”

Lima Newsroom, May 23, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, and the minister of foreign trade and tourism, Desilú León, have officially launched a new tourism route in the country.

The route, known as “Paths of Pope Leo XIV,” seeks to highlight the places where the Holy Father — formerly known as Bishop Robert Prevost — exercised his fruitful pastoral ministry in the Andean nation.

The route covers four of the country’s regions: Lambayeque, Piura, La Libertad, and Callao, key locations in the ministry of the man who is now Pope Leo XIV, the first Peruvian citizen to become pope.

“The Paths of Pope Leo XIV route will not only include Lambayeque — which we have established as the first destination, since the current pope was bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo — but also the other places in Peru where he served,” the minister explained.

León added that on May 16 the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism established a technical committee to coordinate with mayors and regional authorities the necessary short-, medium-, and long-term actions.

“We need to work together here,” she stated, noting that the goal is to offer visitors not only a cultural experience but also a religious one.

The destinations that will be part of the route include: 

• In Chiclayo: St. Mary’s Cathedral; the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace; St. Peter of Monsefú Parish, where the image of Jesus of Nazareth Captive is venerated; St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Eten City, which houses the image of the Divine Child of the Miracle; and the Cross of Motupe

• In Piura: the Diocese of Chulucanas and the Augustinian Seminary

• In La Libertad: the Augustinian Convent of St. Thomas of Villanova and Our Lady of Monserrat Parish

• In Callao: the diocese where then-Bishop Prevost gave his blessing before being called to the Vatican

The minister said that in addition to churches and religious sites, the route will include other cultural attractions such as museums, beaches, and nature reserves. 

At the end of the presentation, a brief promotional video was shown summarizing the importance of the route and the spiritual legacy of Leo XIV in Peru.

“The route of Pope Leo XIV preserves the memory and the path of the Holy Father: towns, churches, and the faithful touched by his affection, his kindness, and his blessing,” the Spanish-language video explains.

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

Feast date: May 23

On May 23 the universal Church celebrates the feast day of St. Jane Antide (Jeanne-Antide) Thouret, a Sister of Charity who worked tirelessly for the faith amidst persecution during the French Revolution.

Jane was born in Sancey, France, in 1765 to a poor family. Her mother died when she was 16 years old. The Saint took on many family responsibilities until she joined the Vincentian Sisters in Paris at the age of 22, working among the sick in various hospitals.

On 15 August 1797 she returned to France in Besançon where she founded a school for poor girls. On 11 April 1799 she founded a new congregation in Besançon known as the Thouret sisters.

During the French Revolution, when many religious and priests were killed, she was ordered to return home to a secular life. Jane refused, and when she tried to escape the authorities, she was badly beaten.

St. Jane Antide Thouret finally returned to Sancey, where she cared for the sick and opened a small school for girls until she was forced to flee to Switzerland. She fled to Germany before returning again to Switzerland to found a school and hospital in 1799 and a congregation called the Institute of the Daughters of St. Vincent de Paul. The community eventually expanded into France and Italy.

She died 30 years after the founding of her community, in 1828 of natural causes.

In 1934, she was canonized by Pope Puis XI.

If his early decisions are any indication, it is likely that Pope Leo XIV will continue Pope Francis's reforms not only on social issues, but also on women and their inclusion in top positions at the Vatican and within the Roman curia.

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David met with a visiting senior leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Wednesday, the Filipino prelate’s first day back in Manila after a nearly monthlong trip to Rome.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 22, 2025 / 18:13 pm (CNA).

As part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape American foreign aid, his administration is ending federal funds for nearly a dozen projects operated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to provide free school meals to children internationally.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ended funding for 11 of the 13 projects CRS operates through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, which was created with bipartisan support in the early 2000s. The funds support international school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects with American agriculture commodities, according to the USDA.

According to CRS, the termination of these funds will affect more than 780,000 school-aged children in 11 countries. The funding will end this July.

“This decision isn’t just a policy shift — it’s a life-altering blow to hundreds of thousands of children who rely on these meals to stay healthy, stay in school, and stay hopeful about their future,” CRS President and CEO Sean Callahan said in a statement.

CRS contends that, in some impoverished countries, this program provides children with their only reliable meal daily. In a news release, CRS also maintained that the programs strengthen local communities and that terminating these contracts will threaten food security and economic stability in the affected nations.

“Ending a program that provides a child’s only meal is deeply troubling and goes against our values as a nation and as people of faith,” Callahan said. “We have a moral responsibility to ensure vulnerable children have access to the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and build a better future.”

A spokesperson for the USDA confirmed the termination of these funds and told CNA the decision was part of an effort to ensure the programs “align with the president’s agenda to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

“We look forward to ensuring USDA foreign aid is spent implementing existing projects as well as any new projects that continue to put American agriculture at the forefront and align with the president’s agenda,” the spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, the USDA ended 17 McGovern-Dole program agreements in total, 11 of which were operated by CRS. The USDA continues to fund 30 projects through that program, two of which CRS operates. The remaining programs serve 22 countries.

Additionally, the spokesperson said the USDA ended funding for 27 Food for Progress program agreements that were also “not in alignment with the foreign assistance objectives of the Trump administration.” The other 14 Food for Progress agreements, which serve 17 countries, will still be funded.

“It is important to note that all U.S. agricultural producers have received payment for commodities for which invoices have been received,” the spokesperson said. “Those projects which were terminated received a 30-day notification. During this time partners are required to deliver any commodity to its final destination, in accordance with the agreement, to ensure no product goes to waste.”

Callahan, alternatively, said the success of its programs is “undeniable,” adding that he has seen firsthand “the remarkable contributions of the community and local government” in one of the countries, Honduras.

“I spoke with young children who endure nearly two-hour walks to school each day — driven by the hope of receiving both a meal and an education,” he said. “It is un-American to stand by and not provide assistance while hunger robs children of their chance to learn and thrive.”

Callahan requested that the administration “reconsider its decision and restore funding for these life-affirming programs,” saying a reversal would “ensure children continue to have access to daily meals in school and invest in their future, their health, and their ability to break the cycle of poverty.”

Washington D.C., May 22, 2025 / 17:43 pm (CNA).

On Wednesday evening, May 21, two Israeli embassy staff members were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

“This senseless act of violence is a sobering reminder of the deadly consequences of antisemitism,” Students Supporting Israel (SSI) a student organization at The Catholic University of America (CUA) said in a press release. 

The two embassy staffers killed were identified as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Milgrim, an American. The young couple was about to be engaged, Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., said at a press conference. He added Lischinsky planned to propose next week in Jerusalem.

Police authorities in the nation’s capital reported that the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, admitted to the killings and yelled “Free, free Palestine” while in police custody. 

“Antisemitism in the U.S. is at an all-time high, with Washington, D.C., now shaken by this act of hate,” SSI said, adding that the organization "continues to advocate for greater awareness, stronger protections, and unambiguous condemnation of antisemitic violence in all forms.”

“We stand in unwavering solidarity with the Jewish community; on our campus, in our city, and around the world.”

Philos Catholic, an arm of the Philos Project that fosters Catholic-Jewish relations, noted that the couple “was attending an event for young diplomats that focused on providing humanitarian aid to those in need and building bridges across national and religious lines” just prior to the attack.

“They were living out the core commands of the Bible: to do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” Philos Catholic said in a statement shared with CNA. “They modeled the heart of diplomats from Israel — the nation that gave the world the Bible, the book that teaches us how God expects us to live and act toward one another.”

On Thursday, Philos Catholic organized a vigil to honor the two lives lost. Christians and Jews gathered outside the museum where the attack took place to offer flowers and notes. The museum is across the street from Holy Rosary Catholic Church in the city’s northwest quadrant. Several held signs that said: “Christians and Jews united against hate.”

In a statement, the archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Robert McElroy, said: “The Catholic community of Washington and Maryland stands in prayer, shock, and solidarity with the families of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, with the people of Israel, and with the entire Jewish community, which has been attacked in this act of antisemitic hatred and murder.”

“Let us profoundly deepen our prayers and our commitment to root out hate in our midst whenever and wherever it surfaces,” McElroy added.

In tandem with McElroy, New York archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan declared: “We stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters in this moment of pain, praying that all may live in the peace and security that God surely intends for us.” 

“May their memory be a blessing. As has been so evident in these last months and years, antisemitism is still pervasive in our country and our world, and the Catholic community in New York today renews our resolve to working to eradicate this evil,” Dolan concluded.

CNA Staff, May 22, 2025 / 17:13 pm (CNA).

The budget reconciliation bill that passed in the U.S. House of Representatives this week included groundbreaking school choice legislation that would provide $5 billion in K–12 scholarships each year through 2029.

If passed, the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) establishes a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for individuals who donate to scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs). These organizations would in turn grant scholarships to students for educational expenses, including private school tuition. 

While the ECCA could be game-changing for Catholic and other private schools across the country, the reconciliation bill must first pass in the U.S. Senate before the president can sign it into law. The bill passed narrowly in the House by only one vote.

Students, including home-schoolers, can use the educational scholarships established in the ECCA to cover a variety of expenses beyond tuition including books and tutoring as well as educational therapies for students with disabilities. If passed the act would go into effect after Dec. 31.

Many Catholic students already benefit from state school choice programs, with 31% of Catholic schools participating, according to the latest data from the National Catholic Educational Association.

The U.S. bishops, who endorsed the act earlier this year, praised the inclusion of the ECCA in the budget bill but also noted some “important changes that need to be made” in parts of the House bill. 

In a statement, the bishops called for the “removal of poison pill language that would debilitate Catholic school participation.”

In school choice, “poison pill” language is wording designed to prevent religious schools from participating in school choice programs. But poison pills can also include a broad variety of restrictions that have the unintended effect of limiting the number of private and religious schools that can participate. These restrictions often include acceptance or hiring requirements that go beyond federal and state laws that private schools already follow. 

For instance, this act requires that private schools provide accommodations to students with special education needs — a requirement that some say can be limiting for private schools that do not have the resources.

While the U.S. bishops have in the past highlighted the importance of “making Catholic education inclusive,” they noted in their statement that this requirement would “debilitate the ability for Catholic schools to participate.” 

The bishops noted that private schools “generally do not receive IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] funding, so they would have to pay these significant costs out of pocket.”

Calling it an “unfunded mandate,” the bishops urged the Senate to remove this language.

They also urged the Senate to “restore the $10 billion credit cap with both individual and corporate givers included,” both terms that had been included in the ECCA when it was originally proposed.

In spite of the bill’s shortcomings, advocates still see it as a big moment for school choice.

Norton Rainey, head of the SGO group ACE Scholarships, praised the bill as a “new milestone” after “decades of advocacy.”

“School choice has never seen such momentum at the federal level,” Rainey said in a statement shared with CNA in which he praised the ECCA for providing an alternative to the “one-size-fits-all education system.”

“ECCA has the power to lift children out of poverty, strengthen families, and rebuild communities,” Rainey said. “When you change education, you change everything.”