We Are Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish

CNA Staff, Aug 7, 2025 / 11:21 am (CNA).

Prosecutors say a Catholic priest in Pennsylvania has confessed to falsifying the results of a high-level raffle at his parish.

Father Ross Miceli allegedly “admitted to publicly falsifying the results of the grand prize winner” of a raffle at St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Erie.

The confession was reportedly detailed in warrants from the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, according to an Aug. 7 report in the Erie Times-News.

The Catholic parish had hosted the “Winavette” raffle in 2024, allowing buyers to purchase $50 tickets for the chance to win a Stingray 1LT Corvette. The grand-prize winner of the event could take either the car or $50,000 in cash. The raffle was open to players nationwide.

On Dec. 25, 2024, the church announced that “Martin Anderson” of Detroit had won the grand prize. The reported winner “chose the cash option,” the church said.

Yet an employee of the parish allegedly “raised concerns” about the raffle to Bishop Lawrence Persico, according to the warrants, leading the diocese to investigate the contest and eventually contact the county prosecutor’s office.

The priest reportedly “admitted [to the employee] that he fabricated the grand-prize winner’s name,” the Times-News reported, citing the documents. The priest allegedly committed the falsification after “a problem with the raffle system” left the grand prize without a winner.

The priest said the prize money was “still in an account” after the fabrication. Miceli allegedly told the employee that he “needed to keep this secret,” according to prosecutors. Miceli also allegedly fabricated several other winners in the raffle.

Detectives seized Miceli’s iPad and iPhone as well as financial records for both the parish and the raffle, the Erie paper reported.

The priest announced his resignation from the parish on the weekend of July 20, though he did not give a reason at the time. The Erie Diocese said last month that Miceli would be heading to St. Timothy Parish in Curwensville starting on Aug. 12, where he would be a “sacramental assistant.”

Law enforcement handling the case did not immediately respond to a query from CNA on Aug. 7. The Diocese of Erie also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But the diocese told the Times-News that it was aware of the investigation and was “cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities.”

On Facebook the church posted that 2024 was the “last year” the raffle would be held, though they noted that Father John Detisch was operating a similar raffle at Dubois Central Catholic School in Dubois.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 10:51 am (CNA).

The Shroud of Turin is one of the most studied and controversial religious artifacts in the world. Housed in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, the linen cloth bears the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma consistent with crucifixion. Many Christians believe it to be the burial shroud of Jesus Christ.

While the Catholic Church has never formally declared the shroud to be authentic, it has encouraged its veneration as a powerful aid to faith and reflection. Pope Francis called the shroud an “icon of the Lord Jesus crucified, dead, and risen,” and St. John Paul II called it “a mirror of the Gospel.”

Here’s what we know about the Shroud of Turin, based on recent studies and commentary from experts, scientists, and Catholic thinkers.

Evidence suggesting authenticity 

The shroud depicts the front and back of a man’s body, showing wounds that match the Gospel accounts of Christ’s passion: scourge marks, punctures in the wrists and feet, and a wound in the side.

Italian engineer Giulio Fanti, who has conducted detailed forensic studies of the shroud, reports that the bloodstains correspond with those of a person subjected to severe physical torture and crucifixion. His analysis points to real human blood containing high levels of creatinine and ferritin — markers consistent with intense trauma.

Fanti also observes that the direction and shape of the blood flows suggest multiple body positions, as would be expected if the man had been moved post-mortem, wrapped in cloth, and buried according to ancient Jewish customs.

A debate over the dating 

In 1988, three independent laboratories dated a sample from the shroud using carbon-14 testing and concluded that the cloth originated between A.D. 1260 and 1390. However, many scientists have questioned these results due to the location of the tested material. The sample was taken from a corner of the cloth that was likely part of a medieval repair following fire damage.

Nuclear engineer Robert Rucker has proposed that a burst of neutron radiation — possibly at the moment of Christ’s resurrection — could have altered the carbon isotopes in the linen, leading to a false medieval date. His research, while not universally accepted, supports the theory that the cloth could be much older than the 1988 tests suggest.

Further testing of uncontaminated samples has been called for by several researchers, but new carbon dating has not yet been authorized.

The shroud in popular media 

The shroud has lately been the subject of renewed public interest thanks to the 2023 documentary “The Shroud: Face to Face” by filmmaker Robert Orlando.

Once skeptical, Orlando now presents the cloth as a compelling mystery that bridges history, science, and faith. The film explores the shroud alongside other images traditionally associated with Christ, including the Veil of Veronica and the Manoppello Image.

The documentary features commentary from Jesuit priest and physicist Father Robert Spitzer, who views the shroud as a “supernatural” object bearing witness to Christ’s death and resurrection.

Popes have upheld shroud as holy object

Multiple popes over the years have held up the Shroud of Turin as an objection worthy of Christian devotion and reflection.

Pope Francis in 2015 said the cloth pushes Christians “toward the face of every suffering and unjustly persecuted person” and “in the same direction as the gift of Jesus’ love,” while in 2010 Pope Benedict XVI said its depiction of Christ points to the days that the Lord’s body rested in his tomb, a time “infinite in its value and significance.”

St. John Paul II, meanwhile, in 1998 described the cloth as a “mirror of the Gospel,” a “reason for deep reflection,” and “a truly unique sign that points to Jesus.” And Pope Paul VI described it simply as "the most important relic in the history of Christianity."

Pope Leo XIV has not yet spoken publicly about the shroud, but in April and May, just prior to the start of his pontificate, the shroud's custodians hosted an event in Turin billed as "the first digital and immersive Shroud experience," the offerings of which included a life-sized digital reproduction of the shroud.

Earlier in the year Papal Custodian Cardinal Roberto Repole described the Shroud as an “invitation to live a new life” and as the "imprint of the Resurrection."

Other cloths venerated as images of Christ 

The Shroud of Turin is not the only cloth believed to bear the image of Jesus. 

Others include the Veil of Veronica. According to tradition, a woman named Veronica wiped the face of Jesus on his way to Calvary, leaving a miraculous image. Several relics claim to be this veil, but none have undergone scientific analysis comparable to the shroud. 

Also venerated is the Manoppello Image. Preserved in a church in Manoppello, Italy, this cloth bears a faint image of a man’s face and is sometimes associated with the Veil of Veronica.  

Both images appear in “The Shroud: Face to Face,” where they are presented as part of the broader mystery of what Christ may have looked like. 

A mystery that endures 

While the Church does not require belief in the shroud’s authenticity, it recognizes its value in drawing the faithful into deeper contemplation of Christ’s suffering and love. As Pope Francis said in 2015, the shroud “draws people to the face and the martyred body of Jesus.” 

Whether it is a miraculous relic or a centuries-old artwork, the Shroud of Turin continues to invite scientific inquiry, spiritual reflection, and personal conversion.

Correction: This report has corrected quotes in the second paragraph about the Shroud of Turin attributed to Pope Francis and St. John Paul II. (Published Aug. 7, 2025)

CNA Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 09:53 am (CNA).

Marine Rosset, the newly appointed president of France’s largest Catholic-inspired scouting organization, resigned less than two months after her election amid intense criticism over her support for abortion rights and her homosexual relationship.

After announcing her resignation on Aug. 6, the 39-year-old Socialist Party member explained her decision in an interview with the Catholic daily La Croix, saying the “situation had become untenable” and expressing her desire to “protect the movement.”

Rosset was elected president of the Scouts et Guides de France (SGDF) on June 14 by a decisive vote of 22 to 2, with one abstention.

The SGDF is France’s largest scouting association with over 100,000 members. The association was formed in 2004 through the merger of two historically Catholic organizations.

Today, the group maintains Catholic chaplains and describes itself as both “a Catholic youth and popular education movement” and as “open to all, without distinction of nationality, culture, social origin, or belief.”

Controversial positions spark criticism

The controversy centered on Rosset’s public positions that directly conflict with Catholic teaching. A Paris city councilor and former schoolteacher of history and geography, Rosset is in a same-sex civil union and has a child through artificial reproduction. 

The Socialist Party member has also publicly advocated for abortion rights, positions that drew sharp criticism from Catholic media and clergy.

“After my election, there were people outside of scouting — political forces, communications networks, even financial ones — who instrumentalized positions I had taken,” Rosset told La Croix. “This created a false image of the Scouts and Guides de France, because a number of my positions became associated with those of the movement.”

According to Le Monde, some chaplains within the scouting movement had expressed opposition to her appointment, citing concerns about both her political activism and personal life that contradict Church teaching on sexuality and life issues.

Catholic website Tribune Chrétienne called her resignation “the end of an organized misunderstanding,” arguing that one cannot lead a Catholic youth movement while “openly contradicting what the Church teaches as nonnegotiable.”

Political complications compound controversy

Political factors also contributed to Rosset’s decision. With a by-election scheduled in her Paris constituency this fall, she had planned to campaign for her party’s candidate. This move would have further politicized the scouting group and potentially alienated Catholic families, according to Le Monde.

“Any statement I made would have been scrutinized,” Rosset explained to La Croix. “It was really important to me that the movement not be reduced to my person alone — it is bigger than me.”

The official SGDF statement claimed “violent, discriminatory, and dehumanizing remarks” had been directed at Rosset and that she had filed legal complaints over online threats.

Pierre Monéger, the organization’s former vice president, has assumed leadership through a collective governance structure that includes two new vice presidents, Julie Lefort and Charles Le Gac.

CNA Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 09:23 am (CNA).

German bishops are divided sharply over implementing blessing guidelines for same-sex couples, with a comprehensive survey by katholisch.de revealing stark divisions across the country’s 27 dioceses, three months after the publication of the controversial pastoral handout.

Five dioceses — Cologne, Augsburg, Eichstätt, Passau, and Regensburg — have explicitly refused to implement the handout, all referencing the Vatican’s Fiducia Supplicans as their standard.

Eleven German dioceses have either officially endorsed or at least maintain pastoral practices aligned with the nonbinding guidelines titled “Segen gibt der Liebe Kraft” (“Blessings Give Strength to Love”), which were issued by the German Bishops’ Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK).

The remaining 11 dioceses have adopted various middle positions, with some expressing caution about the handout’s implementation or deferring to individual pastoral discretion.

Augsburg outlines objections

The Bavarian Diocese of Augsburg provided a substantive critique of the German handout, with Bishop Bertram Meier identifying several points where the guidance conflicts with Vatican teaching.

He noted that while Fiducia Supplicans emphasizes that such blessings should not be promoted or have a prescribed ritual, the German handout explicitly speaks of “blessing celebrations” and intends to evaluate experiences with such blessings.

The diocese also expressed concern that the handout suggests “planned and aesthetically appealing design of a liturgical blessing celebration” with music and singing, which contradicts the Vatican’s guidance for brief, spontaneous blessings.

The Catholic initiative Neuer Anfang — “New Beginnings” — has sharply criticized the German guidelines, arguing they promote “the opposite of the stated intentions” of Pope Francis and contradict the original purpose of Fiducia Supplicans, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

New Beginnings contends that many German bishops are failing to uphold Catholic sexual ethics in their implementation approaches, warning that the handout encourages practices that go well beyond what the Vatican document envisioned.

Cardinal Müller strongly condemns the ‘fraud’

Former Vatican doctrine chief Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller has delivered a scathing critique of the German implementation in a guest contribution for Die Tagespost.

Müller compared the current situation to medieval indulgence trading, which “endangered the eternal salvation of deceivers and deceived and brought us the continuing division of Christianity to this day.”

The cardinal and professor of theology argued on July 18 that according to biblical understanding, marriage exists only between a man and a woman, making ecclesiastical blessing rites for irregular life situations both “ineffective before God” and constituting “pious fraud” toward participants, CNA Deutsch reported.

In previous writings, Müller warned that Fiducia Supplicans — which has received a mixed reaction across the globe — was “confusing” and contradictory to previous doctrinal documents. 

Some dioceses proceed with implementation

Despite these serious concerns and criticisms, the northern German dioceses of Limburg, Osnabrück, and Trier have published the guidance in their official bulletins.

The Diocese of Würzburg is going so far as to promote “blessing services” for same-sex couples at wedding exhibitions, katholisch.de reported.

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, who also serves as president of the German Bishops’ Conference, claimed that implementing the guidance aims to strengthen people in partnerships “who live together in love and responsibility.”

In Mainz, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf recommended his staff “proceed according to the handout in your practice.” At the same time, the Diocese of Fulda expressed support, describing the controversial document as “an important step toward a Church that is oriented to people’s life realities and respects love in all its expressions.”

A papal telegram sent to the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference conveys Pope Leo's condolences to Ghanaians mourning the deaths of ministers, government officials and civilians who perished in the crash of a military helicopter on 6 August.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reported that the bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo are demanding justice following the massacre perpetrated by a group linked to the Islamic State on July 26-27 at a Catholic church in which more than 40 people were killed or injured.

That weekend, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked Blessed Anuarite Parish in the Diocese of Bunia, killing 37 young people and wounding six others who were participating in a vigil marking the 25th anniversary of the Eucharistic Crusades movement, according to ACN.

The bishop of Bunia, Dieudonné Uringi, told ACN that after the massacre, “many people were traumatized. When the adults found out, they came immediately to see what had happened.”

So far, no one has been arrested, and the prelate lamented that law enforcement did not react appropriately: “The police and military were not far away, but they didn’t act in time. They should have intervened more quickly to protect the population.”

Despite the prevailing insecurity, due to various groups fighting over the region bordering Uganda, the bishop continues his work: “This very afternoon, I must travel more than 60 kilometers [37 miles] to a mining area in the middle of the jungle, as I did in June and July. I do travel every month to administer the sacrament of confirmation,” he stated.

The Congolese prelate also asked ACN for support for young priests displaced by the violence. “Many had to leave their parishes and seek refuge in Bunia. We welcome them, but we have no means to sustain them. It would be a great relief to receive help, as we have before from your foundation, to accompany us at this time,” he said.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the 10th country in the world that receives the most aid from ACN, according to the pontifical foundation.

The outcry for justice

ACN also reported that the National Bishops’ Conference of Congo (CENCO, by its French acronym) in an official statement on July 28 expressed its dismay at the “hateful massacre” of innocent faithful.

“This umpteenth massacre has occurred in one of the provinces that has been under a state of siege for several years ... In these provinces, we are witnessing murders and kidnappings,” the bishops pointed out.

The outrage, they continued, is greater because “no credible explanation has been offered to reassure the population.”

The bishops wondered why, despite so many massacres, the authorities have failed to clearly identify those responsible.

“Is anyone talking about the ADF Islamists, the [other] terrorists? Do these serial killers have any purpose? Who benefits from these crimes perpetrated for years against peaceful citizens?” the prelates asked.

The CENCO bishops finally demanded “a thorough and satisfactory investigation into the tragedy” so that justice can be done.

According to the statement, the massacre occurred a week after the desecration of the parish church of Lopa in the same Diocese of Bunia.

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

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 7, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

On the morning of Sunday, Aug. 3, nine people working at an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, were kidnapped. Among them was a lay missionary and a disabled child, barely 3 years old.

According to the pontifical news agency Fides, the orphanage is located in Kenscoff, a town on the outskirts of the capital. It is run by the international charity Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs (Our Little Brothers and Sisters) and houses more than 240 children. The other seven people kidnapped are employees of the institution.

The kidnapped missionary is Gena Heraty, who has worked in the Caribbean country for more than 30 years. According to Fides, she was inside the orphanage when the criminals broke in, taking her and a disabled 3-year-old child.

In recent months, Haiti has been engulfed in a spiral of violence unleashed by criminal gangs operating freely and controlling approximately 80% of the Port-au-Prince area.

The Haitian bishops have issued several appeals for urgent help from the international community to reverse the situation and assist those most in need.

“This isn’t the first time the lay missionary has experienced such a tragedy. She was the victim of an armed robbery at the same orphanage in 2013. At that time, one of her colleagues was killed with a hammer while trying to protect her,” Fides reported.

Haitian authorities, in conjunction with UNICEF and the Haitian Institute for Social Welfare, have activated a plan to relocate the orphanage staff and children to a safer location. The area where the institution is located is controlled by the Viv Ansanm (Live Together) gang, which was recently designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.

The Irish deputy prime minister, Simon Harris, referred to the kidnapping of Heraty as “deeply concerning” and demanded the release of all those kidnapped. Fides pointed out that, until now, no criminal group has claimed the attack.

The pontifical news agency stated that the Haitian authorities have not commented on the incident, despite the fact that the families of the victims are waiting for news of their loved ones. “The Irish Embassy is also closely monitoring developments,” the pontifical agency reported.

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

Pope Leo XIV will visit with the poor assisted by the Diocese of Albano, celebrating Holy Mass on Sunday, August 17, and then joining them for lunch after the Angelus.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 7, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bans banks and financial institutions from “debanking” clients based on the person’s or the organization’s political or religious views after Christians and conservatives expressed concern about the controversial practice. 

Under the executive order signed on Aug. 7, banks and financial institutions can no longer deny services based on a concern about the bank’s “reputational risk” with a specific client. The order requires that those institutions make reasonable efforts to reinstate clients and potential clients who were victims of debanking.

The order also instructs the secretary of treasury to develop a strategy to combat debanking, which may include regulatory or legislative solutions.

For nearly a decade, Christian and conservative organizations that promote traditional values have reported difficulties in opening bank accounts and instances in which banks would refuse to work with them. Trump himself said he was also a victim of debanking. 

Speaking to CNA before the president signed the executive order, Jennifer Morse, a Catholic who leads the Ruth Institute, said she is “glad to see the Trump administration addressing the debanking issue.”

The Ruth Institute, which combats the harms of the sexual revolution, states that it was targeted through debanking as early as 2017.

“As one of the earliest victims of anti-Christian discrimination within the financial services sector, I am very relieved to see the Trump administration addressing this problem,” Morse said. “This particular sword of Damocles has been hanging over the heads of Christian organizations all over the geographic region formerly known as Christendom. I hope the Trump administration’s leadership on this issue has ripple effects around the world.”

Sam Brownback, the former ambassador for international religious freedom who currently leads the National Committee for Religious Freedom, said his nonprofit was debanked by Chase for two years.

Brownback told CNA that his organization opened an account in April 2022 and was unable to make a deposit in the account just four weeks later.

“They said the account had been closed and they told us it had been [decided] at the corporate level and they told us it was a non-revocable decision and they couldn’t say anything about it,” he said.

Brownback said he was later contacted by more than 10 organizations that reported similar experiences. Many organizations, he said, were “Christian or traditional values organizations” such as “groups that stand for traditional marriage.”

“It seems to be a tactic of the left to try to suffocate — in the marketplace — groups that back viewpoints they don’t agree with,” he added.

Brownback said federal action is “a necessary way” to address the problem, calling the executive action “a fabulous step forward.”

He also suggested there needs to be “a private route” as well with more conservatives joining large corporate boards.

“If you just had one conservative in the boardroom challenging some of these practices, that might [have an effect],” Brownback said.

Brian Knight, who serves as senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) — a group that provides legal representation in defense of religious freedom — said in a statement to CNA that “everyone needs access to basic financial services.”

ADF represented Indigenous Advance Ministries, a Christian nonprofit that reported it was debanked by Bank of America, allegedly for its religious beliefs. The account cancellation forced the ministry to delay paychecks to its partners in Uganda.

“Shutting people out because of their political or religious beliefs? That’s not just wrong — it’s un-American,” he said. “No one should be locked out of the financial system for their views. Period. No American should have to worry that they could lose their bank account or have a payment declined because of their religious or political beliefs.”

Knight noted ADF worked with Tennessee and Idaho to combat debanking in their states and “worked diligently with federally elected officials to secure similar protections nationwide.” He said he appreciates Trump “taking this issue so seriously.”

Others who have allegedly faced debanking include parental rights group Moms for Liberty, Christian ministry Timothy Two Project International, Christian preacher Lance Wallnau, evangelist Nick Vujicic, and British Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) expressed concerns about the debanking trend in its Annual Report on the State of Religious Liberty earlier this year.

Trump says he was a victim of debanking

In an Aug. 5 interview with CNBC, Trump discussed an instance in which JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America rejected deposits from the Trump organization and called out the trend.

“[Banks] discriminated against many conservatives,” the president said, claiming that he had “hundreds of millions” of dollars in accounts with JP Morgan Chase and was told he had “20 days to get out.”

“I said, ‘I can’t believe it,’” Trump added. “Well, I was never in this situation before. I’ve never had anything like it. And it’s not like, gee, you defaulted on a loan. You know, geez, I could understand that. That’s different. But there’s no default. I mean, there’s nothing but cash.”

Trump said he then reached out to Bank of America, which had “zero interest” in having him deposit the cash.

“I went to another one, another one, another one, another one,” he said. “I ended up going to small banks all over the place. I mean, I was putting $10 million here, $10 million there. Did $5 million, $10 million, $12 million. I have them all over the place, the craziest thing.”

Trump suggested that regulators reviewing the operations of financial institutions that engage in this practice could be a potential solution.

“The group they’re really afraid of is bank regulators,” the president said.

This story was updated on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. ET in the first four paragraphs with information on the signed executive order.

Officials say U.S. President Donald J. Trump is seeking a direct, face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, in a bid to end Moscow’s war against Ukraine. The announcement followed talks between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and President Putin in Moscow.

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