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Be leaven that transforms society, Cardinal Czerny tells African Catholic youth (ACI Africa)

At the opening Mass of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA), Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., called on African Catholic youth to build “authentic bridges of communion.”

“That does not mean indiscriminately imitating or assimilating the ways of the world, diluting our Christian identity or watering down the demands of the Gospel,” Cardinal Czerny preached at the Mass, celebrated on July 19 at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. “It is, rather, to be in the world as a transforming vitality like yeast.”

“It is not a matter of making a flashy show of ourselves, but rather of living daily lives, quietly transforming the world from within in deep communion with God and with others,” Cardinal Czerny added. “A prudent and patient approach, characteristic of God’s Kingdom, should lead us, disciples of Jesus, to develop an everyday diplomacy, building bridges among ourselves and with everyone, both within the Church and in society.”

Cardinal Sarah calls for more generous availability of traditional Latin Mass (Diane Montagna's Substack)

Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, called upon bishops around the world to be more generous in allowing the celebration of the extraordinary form of the Mass.

Cardinal Sarah made his remarks in a wide-ranging interview (transcript) with Diane Montagna, a journalist accredited to the Holy See Press Office. The prelate also discussed the liturgy in general, the recent extraordinary consistory of cardinals, synodality, homosexuality, the Pachamama incident, and the Church in 2050.

Bishop Barron, VP Vance discuss political philosophy (Bishop Barron Presents)

In a wide-ranging discussion with Bishop Robert Barron, Vice President JD Vance discussed political philosophy, Pope Leo, Pope Francis, Catholic social teaching, and prayer.

“Every time the Pope says something mildly critical of a Trump administration policy it’s like, ‘Oh the Pope hates the Trump administration,’” the vice president told the bishop of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota. “Actually, no. Maybe the Pope is trying to provide the moral teaching that is inherently part of his job and then we have to take that and try to apply it which is part of our job.”

Ukraine's leading prelates, in interviews, stress prayer, forgiveness (CWN)

Ukraine’s leading prelates emphasized prayer and forgiveness in separate interviews with Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.

As US nuns age, more congregations turn to pontifical commissaries (National Catholic Reporter)

Because of declining vocations, at least 20 women’s religious institutes in the United States are now led by Vatican-appointed commissaries who belong to other communities.

Sister Dawn Tomaszewski, superior of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods, is also commissary for the Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters. She “said one of the great joys of the commissary process is that the receiving congregation gets to retain its identity until the last member dies,” according to the Global Sisters Project of the National Catholic Reporter. “This avoids the pain of being subsumed in a merger or the complexities of a covenant relationship.”

Vatican newspaper highlights plight of workers on fishing vessels (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))

The Vatican newspaper devoted the most prominent article in its July 18 edition to the challenges faced by maritime workers.

L’Osservatore Romano reported that workers aboard fishing vessels in countries like Indonesia often “fall victim to financial fraud, psychological abuse, and physical violence.” Father Ansensius Guntur, C.S., a chaplain of the Apostleship of the Sea (Stella Maris) in Batam, Indonesia, described the work as “3D”: dirty, dangerous, and difficult.

Workers “are vulnerable because most have only an elementary school education; consequently, they are unfamiliar with fishing industry regulations and their own contractual rights,” said Father Guntur. “There have even been cases of fishermen who went 14 months without receiving any wages.”

Vatican financial authority, Deutsche Bundesbank sign cooperation agreement (Vatican News)

The Vatican’s Supervisory and Financial Information Authority (ASIF) and Germany’s central bank signed a cooperation agreement on July 17.

“By signing this memorandum of understanding, we reaffirm our shared commitment to the principles of integrity, transparency, and international cooperation,” said Burkhard Balz of Deutsche Bundesbank. “This agreement provides a framework for ongoing exchange and mutual support, reflecting our common aspiration to serve the common good through a stable and fair financial system.”

Last month, Pope Leo XIV promulgated new statutes for ASIF. Pope Benedict XVI established the Financial Information Authority in 2010; Pope Francis issued new statutes in 2013 and 2020, when he gave the body its current name.

Russia attacks Kyiv neighborhood during Vatican archbishop's stay (Vatican News)

The Russian military launched heavy missile strikes on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, from 1:25 to 2:45 AM on July 19. Some of its missiles and drones struck the neighborhood of the apostolic nunciature, where Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, and members of his delegation were spending the night.

“The blasts caused the building’s glass doors to shake and forced much of its staff—as well as the author of this report—to spend the night in a designated shelter,” Roberto Paglialonga of Vatican News reported.

Archbishop Gallagher began a four-day visit to Ukraine on July 17. While in Kyiv on July 18, Archbishop Gallagher visited bombed sites and encouraged prayer for peace.

Archbishop Gallagher preaches on prayer's power at anniversary of restoration of Ukraine's Latin-rite hierarchy (CWN)

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher marked the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Latin-rite hierarchy in Ukraine at a solemn Mass on July 19 at the National Shrine of the Mother of God of the Scapular in Berdychiv.

Music, art, beauty help us look to God, Pope says after concert (CWN)

At the conclusion of a concert held in his honor, Pope Leo XIV said that “music, art, and beauty are means that help us look upward, moving toward God.”