Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Bishop Shaleta, the Chaldean Catholic bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego since 2017, was jailed on eight counts of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated white collar crime enhancement. Bail was set at $125,000.

The Pillar reported last month that the prelate was under Vatican investigation for alleged financial and sexual misconduct and that he had submitted his resignation.

Dilan Adamat, a local resident, told Vatican News that “we heard maybe between 10 and 20 explosions. It was a mixture of anti-air missiles from the American military base at Erbil airport and the drones or missiles that they were intercepting.”

“Some of this debris fell in Ankawa, on some residential buildings managed by the Chaldean Church there,” Adama continued. “Some more debris fell close to it, on a convent where there are some nuns living. Thankfully, we didn’t have any casualties, but it was very shocking and left a big hole in the building next to the chapel.”

Pope Leo XIV today accepted the resignation of Cardinal Christophe Pierre, 80, as apostolic nuncio to the United States of America and appointed Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, 68, as his replacement.

Such desecration “violates the right to freedom of religion or belief, as it destroys a sacred space where the faithful fulfil their religious duty and moral obligation to honor their deceased loved ones,” Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, stated during a UN Human Rights Council meeting on March 3.

“Above all, freedom of religion or belief must be protected, especially during the most vulnerable moments of life,” he continued. “The right of the dying to receive spiritual assistance, and of the bereaved to be supported by their faith community, are not merely private comforts; they are essential manifestations of respect for religious belief. Denying this access violates the God-given dignity of the human person in their greatest time of need.”

The Archdiocese of Milan said that Gallo has a reputation for holiness and that several hundred pilgrims, “especially young people,” make an annual visit to his tomb.

Msgr. Juan Antonio Cruz Serrano emphasized “the equal dignity of women, bestowed by God, and the important role they play in the building of society.”

Citing Pope Leo, the diplomat added that “women who suffer situations of exclusion, mistreatment and violence are doubly poor, because they frequently have fewer possibilities to defend their rights.”

“The escalation of violence in the Middle East risks dragging humanity into a war of planetary proportions, a new useless massacre with incalculable consequences,” the Italian Episcopal Conference warned in its announcement.

“The technological revolution challenges you today to keep up with the times,” Pope Leo wrote in his letter, published March 5. “This is a test that concerns us all.”

“But there is—in the age of artificial intelligence—an irreplaceable task that concerns communication and in particular the major newspapers,” he continued: “guaranteeing the transparency of sources, respecting the role of journalists and the dignity of readers, cultivating the human dimension of the story.”

“Your responsibility is great, as long as your history is,” the Pope added.

Father Roberto Pasolini, the Preacher of the Papal Household, devoted his first weekly Lenten sermon to “Conversion: Following the Lord Jesus on the Path of Humility” (full text).

The prelates were in Rome for their ad limina visit; Vatican News posted a short video of the bishops presenting the Pontiff with a chalice and a ciborium.

Nigeria, a nation of 243 million (map), is the most populous in Africa and sixth most populous in the world. The nation is 47% Muslim, 46% Christian (11% Catholic), and 7% ethnic religionist.