Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Cardinal Grech acknowledged that his audience was awaiting from him a comment on the decisions made by Germany’s Synodal Way.

After comparing synodality to an orchestra, Cardinal Grech said that “what constitutes the distinctive nature of a synod, therefore, is not its infallibility, but rather the actual presence of Christ and His Spirit, a presence that emerges within the symphony, within the harmony among the participants.”

He added:

I am here for this very reason: to undertake with you the synodal exercise of tuning our instruments. The symphony, harmony and communion as a collective work, comes into being precisely through this continuous choice to play together, to be all tuned to the same note. Then, each instrument will interpret its own score, contributing richness and beauty to the single symphonic work.

This means having no fear of differences; rather than allowing them to become sources of conflict and opposition, we make them grounds for discernment, for mutual listening, and for a shared desire to follow the Risen One and to recognize the signs of the times.

“We stand with Chief Imam Taha Hassane, the entire Muslim community, and all who mourn in the wake of this senseless violence, affirming our shared commitment to the dignity of every human life and the rejection of hatred in all its forms,” said Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City.

Archbishop Coakley added:

In moments such as these, we are reminded of the call to be instruments of peace; as Pope Leo XIV has said, ‘Where violence wounds the human family, compassion and unity must be our steadfast reply.’ May God console the grieving, strengthen the injured, and guide us all toward greater understanding, justice, and peace.

Among other items—including the consecration of the nation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus—the bishops will discuss proposed revisions to their Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the conference’s document addressing the sexual abuse of minors.

The proposed revisions, according to the USCCB, seek to balance “care of and sensitivity to victim-survivors” with “an awareness of due-process, the rights of the accused,” while taking into account Vatican documents of recent years.

Auxiliary Bishop Paul McAleenan of Westminster, the episcopal conference’s Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees, paid tribute to the witness of Catholics born in Hong Kong to their fellow immigrants.

“An outstanding feature of the Hong Kong Catholic community who have settled in England and Wales in recent years is their attachment to their faith,” said Bishop McAleenan. “Their joy, fervor and enthusiasm are an inspiration. I thank them for their witness, and I welcome those from Hong Kong who were received and baptized into the Catholic Church at Easter.”

The academy’s president, Bishop Antonio Staglianò, said at a May 18 press conference that “an ethical approach to artificial intelligence and digital technologies is not sufficient. We must adopt a theological approach, and this is possible only if we re-found the underlying anthropology and reaffirm the dignity of the human being who utilizes the technology.”

The observatory, according to a PATH press release, will focus on several concerns:

the exploitation of natural resources and its environmental and social consequences; the growing energy demands of digital infrastructure; the new ‘human ecology’, spanning the digital environment and social relations; the impact of technology on young people—including addiction, misleading content and the erosion of social relationships—in a context that still lacks adequate regulation; and the development of proposals aimed at tech giants for a sustained commitment to reducing emissions and massive energy consumption globally

Referring to the Christian values that helped shape the continent’s history, Cardinal Parolin said that “among these is first and foremost the affirmation of human dignity, which is inviolable and must always be protected at every stage of life.”

The prelate made his remarks at the European Parliament’s headquarters in Strasbourg, France, as he received the European Order of Merit award.

A community-organizing coalition announced that it had reached an agreement with the Trump administration to permit daily pastoral care at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois.