![NJ Catholic Conference among hosts of webinar on human trafficking ahead of World Cup matches in region #Catholic -
As the 2026 World Cup quickly approaches, and with host venues including MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands and in nearby Philadelphia, faith leaders are hosting a special webinar to draw attention to a serious issue that can emerge during large-scale events.
A free webinar, “Human Trafficking and Major Sporting Events,” will feature experts who will share their perspectives on the intersection between human trafficking and events like the World Cup. It is being hosted by the New Jersey Catholic Conference in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, and will take place June 9 at 6:30 p.m.
“While these events are not in and of themselves responsible for the trafficking, by default these are the things that can come when you bring a big event like this to a certain area,” said James King, executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference. “These are high-tourist events, there are lots of people coming in and out, and there is a lot of down time involved.”
Standing Up for Human Dignity
The fight against human trafficking is deeply entrenched in Catholic social teaching and is part of the work of the USCCB through its Anti-Trafficking Program and its Migration and Refugee Services initiative.
According to the USCCB, the anti-trafficking program “aims to educate on the scourge of human trafficking as an offense against the fundamental dignity of the human person, to advocate for its end, and to provide training and technical assistance to support survivors.” The organization estimates that some 17,000 vulnerable people are trafficked across American borders each year and subsequently forced into slavery.
“Many are fleeing terrible situations in their home countries and come to the United States to find a better life,” according to the USCCB. “Unfortunately, the nightmare often begins when they reach our shores.”
King reinforced the mandate for Catholics to get involved in the issue.
“Trafficking is a direct assault on the dignity of the human person, and the Catholic Church stands at the forefront of these issues that attack that dignity,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to ensure that the gift of life at any stage is not attacked, misused or objectified.”
Tools to Fight Trafficking
The virtual session will include expert insights into the issue of human trafficking and perspectives from law enforcement officials and legislators on current efforts to combat the issue. It will also offer practical ways for individuals and communities to recognize and prevent trafficking. Everyone from clergy and parish leaders to parishioners, and even those who are just interested in learning more, are encouraged to participate.
“We don’t want people to lose focus on the fact that this could possibly be taking place,” said King. “The more awareness we raise on this, the more attention we bring to it, increases the chances that we can stop, prevent or even help people who are the victims of this form of modern-day slavery.”
King was also part of efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking around large-scale events when New Jersey hosted the Super Bowl in 2014. At the time, the state legislature took up a package of bills to expand resources for victims and increase penalties for offenders.
“We want people to understand that this is still going on,” he said, noting that the issue can take the form of labor trafficking, as well as sex trafficking. “We want to bring attention to all of that, and to make sure people have the information to call the appropriate authorities to investigate.”
The webinar will also feature the SOAP Project – “Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution” – a nonprofit organization founded by an advocate and survivor who works to raise awareness of the prevalence of human trafficking and to prevent teens from being victimized. One of its key initiatives is the distribution of millions of bars of soap, hand labeled with a red band bearing the National Human Trafficking Hotline number, to motels to offer victims a discrete way to find out how to seek help.
King noted his hope that the webinar will help attendees learn more about what public officials are doing around the issue.
“Because both states [New Jersey and Pennsylvania] are hosting World Cup matches starting in June, and New Jersey will host the final match,” he said, “we want people to hear what their states have done, and are doing, to combat this issue.”
King also hopes attendees will come away with an understanding of who to call if they believe human trafficking is taking place. He added that organizers seek to eliminate possible hesitancy around reporting a suspicion out of fear that it might be unfounded.
“It’s better to say something and be wrong, than not to say something and it be a form of trafficking,” he said. “If you have a reasonable suspicion, it is better to say something.”
Those interested in joining the free webinar can register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i_IKn_d5QBGJGCaRCGG8tg#/registration
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, you can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888 or by visiting https://humantraffickinghotline.org/.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/nj-catholic-conference-among-hosts-of-webinar-on-human-trafficking-ahead-of-world-cup-matches-in-region-catholic-as-the-2026-world-cup-quickly-approaches-and-with-host-venues-including-metlife.png)
NJ Catholic Conference among hosts of webinar on human trafficking ahead of World Cup matches in region #Catholic – 
As the 2026 World Cup quickly approaches, and with host venues including MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands and in nearby Philadelphia, faith leaders are hosting a special webinar to draw attention to a serious issue that can emerge during large-scale events.
A free webinar, “Human Trafficking and Major Sporting Events,” will feature experts who will share their perspectives on the intersection between human trafficking and events like the World Cup. It is being hosted by the New Jersey Catholic Conference in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, and will take place June 9 at 6:30 p.m.
“While these events are not in and of themselves responsible for the trafficking, by default these are the things that can come when you bring a big event like this to a certain area,” said James King, executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference. “These are high-tourist events, there are lots of people coming in and out, and there is a lot of down time involved.”
Standing Up for Human Dignity
The fight against human trafficking is deeply entrenched in Catholic social teaching and is part of the work of the USCCB through its Anti-Trafficking Program and its Migration and Refugee Services initiative.
According to the USCCB, the anti-trafficking program “aims to educate on the scourge of human trafficking as an offense against the fundamental dignity of the human person, to advocate for its end, and to provide training and technical assistance to support survivors.” The organization estimates that some 17,000 vulnerable people are trafficked across American borders each year and subsequently forced into slavery.
“Many are fleeing terrible situations in their home countries and come to the United States to find a better life,” according to the USCCB. “Unfortunately, the nightmare often begins when they reach our shores.”
King reinforced the mandate for Catholics to get involved in the issue.
“Trafficking is a direct assault on the dignity of the human person, and the Catholic Church stands at the forefront of these issues that attack that dignity,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to ensure that the gift of life at any stage is not attacked, misused or objectified.”
Tools to Fight Trafficking
The virtual session will include expert insights into the issue of human trafficking and perspectives from law enforcement officials and legislators on current efforts to combat the issue. It will also offer practical ways for individuals and communities to recognize and prevent trafficking. Everyone from clergy and parish leaders to parishioners, and even those who are just interested in learning more, are encouraged to participate.
“We don’t want people to lose focus on the fact that this could possibly be taking place,” said King. “The more awareness we raise on this, the more attention we bring to it, increases the chances that we can stop, prevent or even help people who are the victims of this form of modern-day slavery.”
King was also part of efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking around large-scale events when New Jersey hosted the Super Bowl in 2014. At the time, the state legislature took up a package of bills to expand resources for victims and increase penalties for offenders.
“We want people to understand that this is still going on,” he said, noting that the issue can take the form of labor trafficking, as well as sex trafficking. “We want to bring attention to all of that, and to make sure people have the information to call the appropriate authorities to investigate.”
The webinar will also feature the SOAP Project – “Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution” – a nonprofit organization founded by an advocate and survivor who works to raise awareness of the prevalence of human trafficking and to prevent teens from being victimized. One of its key initiatives is the distribution of millions of bars of soap, hand labeled with a red band bearing the National Human Trafficking Hotline number, to motels to offer victims a discrete way to find out how to seek help.
King noted his hope that the webinar will help attendees learn more about what public officials are doing around the issue.
“Because both states [New Jersey and Pennsylvania] are hosting World Cup matches starting in June, and New Jersey will host the final match,” he said, “we want people to hear what their states have done, and are doing, to combat this issue.”
King also hopes attendees will come away with an understanding of who to call if they believe human trafficking is taking place. He added that organizers seek to eliminate possible hesitancy around reporting a suspicion out of fear that it might be unfounded.
“It’s better to say something and be wrong, than not to say something and it be a form of trafficking,” he said. “If you have a reasonable suspicion, it is better to say something.”
Those interested in joining the free webinar can register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i_IKn_d5QBGJGCaRCGG8tg#/registration
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, you can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888 or by visiting https://humantraffickinghotline.org/.
– As the 2026 World Cup quickly approaches, and with host venues including MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands and in nearby Philadelphia, faith leaders are hosting a special webinar to draw attention to a serious issue that can emerge during large-scale events. A free webinar, “Human Trafficking and Major Sporting Events,” will feature experts who will share their perspectives on the intersection between human trafficking and events like the World Cup. It is being hosted by the New Jersey Catholic Conference in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, and will take place June
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![Pope Leo will visit a polarized Spain in political turmoil but where all sides want to hear him - #Catholic - Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit to Spain will take place against a political and social backdrop marked by intense polarization.The divided political climate coincides with an unprecedented event in Spanish democracy: the indictment on charges of alleged corruption by a former prime minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, who held the office when Pope Benedict XVI visited the country 15 years ago.Zapatero’s scheduled court appearance in connection with his alleged involvement in a scheme linked to the 2021 public bailout of the airline Plus Ultra, originally set for June 2, has been postponed by the judge to June 17–18.The cardinal archbishop of Madrid, José Cobo, downplayed the impact the case will have on the popeʼs June 6–12 visit. “We are accustomed to operating amid many events in political life. That is simply part of life, and the headlines keep shifting,” he stated in an interview with EWTN News.
The archbishop of Madrid, Spain, Cardinal José Cobo Cano. | Credit: EWTN News
The stability of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchezʼs government is also being called into question by some of its coalition partners, such as the Basque Nationalist Party, which has labeled the decision not to call general elections before the end of the year “irresponsible.”Polarization is not limited to the political sphere, however. According to the Atlas of Polarization by More in Common (2025), nearly 5 million Spaniards have broken off a personal relationship in the past year due to ideological differences, a figure equivalent to 14% of the population. Furthermore, three out of every five citizens say they avoid discussing politics to avoid creating conflict.According to jurist Rafael Domingo Oslé, professor at the University of Navarra in Spain, this phenomenon reflects a grave deterioration of society at large. “Spain is experiencing a moment of profound social fragmentation, exacerbated by a political class incapable of lowering the tone,” he said in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. In his view, the volume of personal breakups “is a symptom that we are losing the respect necessary to prevent a society from fragmenting.”A shared languageIn this context, the pope’s visit takes on a particular significance as the emergence of a voice capable of introducing a different language into the public debate.“A papal visit does not, in and of itself, resolve a crisis of this nature. But it can accomplish something that politics, by its very logic, is no longer able to achieve: offering a common framework and a shared language,” Domingo explained. The key, he added, lies in the pontiff’s unique position: “The pope arrives not as an arbiter of an ideological debate but as a shepherd reminding a weary society that every person, regardless of whom they vote for, possesses a dignity that precedes their opinions.”
Main façade of the Congress of Deputies (lower house) in Madrid. | Credit: Nicolás de Cárdenas/ACI Prensa
This circumstance has prompted an unusual gesture in recent Spanish politics: a unanimous invitation to the pope extended by both the House and the Senate.“In a country where parliamentary consensus is nearly impossible, all political forces have agreed to listen to the same voice. That, in itself, is already a healthy gesture,” Domingo emphasized.Leo XIV will address a joint session of the Legislature on June 8, marking the first time a pontiff has spoken before both Spanish legislative chambers. The motto of the trip, “Lift Up Your Eyes,” encapsulates the spirit of the visit, according to Domingo, who said he hopes Spaniards will "cease focusing solely on immediate conflict and look toward what truly matters.” Concurrently, the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas has met with a remarkable reception in the Spanish political world.In a message posted on X, Sánchez emphasized: “Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas challenges us all. AI is not neutral, and digital power could lead us to new atrocities if it is not directed toward the common good. The text is also a defense of peace, human dignity, and multilateralism. Spain is clear on this: In this moment of change, we cannot be resigned spectators. Everything that makes us human is at stake.”Along the same lines, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told the press, following his audience with the pope on May 4: “There is a great convergence between the Vatican’s positions and Spain’s humanist foreign policy at this time.”Despite these points of convergence, tensions between the Church and the political realm remain. One of the most visible flashpoints is the re-signification of the Valley of the Fallen (Cuelgamuros), a monument to the victims from both sides of the 1936–1939 Spanish Civil War comprising a basilica, a cemetery, and a guesthouse. For 44 years, the mortal remains of dictator Francisco Franco lay buried there until their exhumation in 2019. Franco was the general who led the victorious right-wing Nationalist side against the leftist Republican side in the conflict. The current government has led the drive to transform the site into a political memorial, while the Church has advocated for the preservation of the monumentʼs religious dimension.Italian constitutional scholar Marco Olivetti warned during a press conference at LUMSA University in Rome that “historical memory has been used as a divisive element that shapes public perception of the Church.”Added to this are legislative clashes such as the attempt to enshrine abortion rights in the Spanish Constitution or proposals to eliminate military chaplains, efforts in direct confrontation with Church doctrine.However, criticism of the Church does not stem solely from the left. The bishops' defense of immigrants, including their support for the government’s plan to give legal status to undocumented immigrants, which would benefit nearly half a million people already residing in Spain, has also drawn reproaches from conservative quarters.Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox party, which declares itself Catholic, lashed out at the secretary-general of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Francisco César García Magán: “This character never dares to criticize the mafioso government. Because the government provides him with his business through the invasion [the influx of illegal immigrants]. And that’s his priority: the business. And a profound contempt for the Spaniards who wish to defend their homeland.”The risk of instrumentalizing the pope’s wordsThe papal visit is not without risks in a climate of high polarization, Domingo warns. “One party will highlight whatever suits its agenda while remaining silent on the rest; another will try to do the opposite. It’s inevitable.” Nevertheless, he underscored the Holy See’s experience in “writing speeches that stand as a cohesive whole.”“Taking the pope out of context is relatively easy; refuting him is much more difficult,” he said.Cobo shared this concern regarding the pontiffʼs address before the joint session. “I believe this is a gesture that is also very characteristic of the Church, for it entails listening to the Christian tradition speaking about politics, but ‘Politics with a capital P’ [the noble art or statesmanship]. In a society where we are accustomed to talking about political parties, that moment is significant. The fear, indeed, is that we might attempt to make a discourse on ‘Politics with a capital P’ to fit into a partisan narrative, effectively pitting one against the other,” he noted in his interview with EWTN News.Moreover, the context is exacerbated by the rise of identity-based discourses that conflate politics and faith.Sociologist Rafael Ruiz Andrés, a professor at Complutense University in Madrid, warned in an interview with ACI Prensa that “there is a whole range of sectors, located primarily within the far-right spectrum, and specifically in Spain within the Vox party, that seek to portray the defense of Christian culture as a central tenet of their platforms.” However, he qualified this by noting that “it’s not necessarily a defense based on religion” but is rather linked to “identity-based culture, and in many instances, positioned in opposition to Islam.”In his view, one of Pope Leo XIV’s concerns is precisely “that there be this sort of hijacking of Christianity by politics.” In line with this, reports published following a meeting of the executive committee of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference with the pope pointed to the Vatican’s unease regarding attempts to “instrumentalize the Church,” although the bishops subsequently clarified that the pontiff spoke in general terms about “the risks of subjecting faith to ideologies,” without referring to any specific group.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/pope-leo-will-visit-a-polarized-spain-in-political-turmoil-but-where-all-sides-want-to-hear-him-catholic-pope-leo-xivs-upcoming-visit-to-spain-will-take-place-against-a-political-and-soc.webp)
![Certificate inspires catechetical, lay leaders to serve Church better #Catholic - On May 18 at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated a Graduation Mass for 15 catechetical leaders and lay ministers in the Church who earned the NCCL Certificate in Catechetical Ministry and Religious Education. This initiative seeks to expand and enrich the graduates’ training.
In 2024, Saint Elizabeth University, located in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., and the Paterson Diocese, N.J., partnered to offer a certificate program using the NCCL curriculum. This collaboration represents a pivotal step in a broader effort across the Church to elevate the standard of catechetical ministry and religious education.
Those who complete the NCCL program can take additional graduate credits at Saint Elizabeth’s.
Bishop Sweeney concelebrated the Graduation Mass on May 18. Father Yojaneider Garcia, pastor of Resurrection and director of the diocesan Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation, concelebrated the liturgy.
The certificate recipients were: Cathy Metcalf, Martha Spyker, Cheryl Wallace, Magda Campson, Carolyn Kelly, Colleen Huber, Debbie Dericks, Teresa Gallo, Denise Gaylord, Elsa Gonzalez, Jean Caughey, Lauro Marcillo, Mary Hill, Maryann Schwork and Thomas Schwork.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
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![Pope Leo XIV meets with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson #Catholic Pope Leo met with the mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, at the Vatican on May 28.Johnson, who has served as mayor since 2023, met with the pontiff for the first time since his election. He also used the occasion to formally invite the pontiff to visit his native city, Chicago.In a press briefing to journalists after the audience, Johnson explained that the two discussed the policies of the United States government under President Donald Trump, including immigration and the Iran conflict.Johnson: Trumpʼs actions in Iran are tyrannicalThe Democratic mayor sharply criticized Trump in remarks to journalists, calling him a “tyrant” as well as a “disgrace” for involving the U.S. in the Israel-Iran conflict. He also said he discussed his concerns about the administration with Pope Leo and described his recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, as a “call to action” to work to avoid wars. “I think the popeʼs encyclical is a call to action for the entire planet,” Johnson told journalists at the briefing. “Illegal wars do not leave just a trail of tears and trauma, but it also harms and brutalize our humanity. The economic drive with which [Trump] is moving is selfish.”Leo XIV has regularly criticized the U.S.-Israel war in Iran as unjust. Johnson, reflecting on his discussions with the pope, stated that “his position around Trump was more about disagreement with his approach.”“In the midst of a brutal, horrific, and ignorant tyrant that is currently occupying the White House, it is imperative that we really walk in the true essence of our faith. The impact of his failures on our global economy is quite severe. It is a disgrace to the sensibility of our humanity,” Johnson said.
Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson holds a press briefing at The American University of Rome on May 28, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News
The Chicago mayor also said the two spoke about the Trump administrationʼs immigration enforcement, specifically raids by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “We did discuss ICE. The pope wanted to know how ICE impacted our city and whether there were still examples of ICE raids happening in our city. I talked about how our rapid response team came together to support families. And then I talked about my executive orders, for which he was very gracious and encouraging, especially those I signed to protect the people of Chicago.”Praise for Leoʼs apology for slaveryLeo XIV presented his first encyclical on May 25 at the Vatican, offering moral guidance amid widespread concern about the dangers posed by artificial intelligence.In the text, Leo issued an apology for the Churchʼs role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Johnson praised the pope for his courage and explained that he had discussed the legacy of slavery with him.“We talked about the conditions that the long legacy of slavery and disinvestment has had on Black Americans and Black people around the world,” Johnson said. “I engaged in a conversation with him around reparations and why it is important to work to repair the harm caused by the brutal legacy of slavery.”Yusef Jackson, the son of renowned civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., was also part of the mayorʼs delegation that visited the pope. He praised Leo for his apology on behalf of the Church for slavery.“The pope is a powerful man. The color of his title commands respect around the world. For him to use the color of that title, coming from Chicago, a very segregated and class-divided city, with the bona fides to be a freedom fighter, meant a lot to me. He is a pope that I agree with,” Jackson said.An invitation to come to ChicagoJohnson also presented the pope with an official letter inviting him to visit Chicago and offer Mass at Grant Park. He wrote the letter after being advised by the Catholic archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Blase Cupich.Speaking about the possibility of a future visit by Leo, he described his feelings and those of the city as hopeful.
Official invitation by the mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, to Pope Leo XIV, at the American University of Rome on May 28, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News
“We are going to remain hopeful. We have an open invitation for the pope to come to the city of Chicago. Ultimately, it will be his decision whether his schedule allows him to come. Some of the greatest voices for justice come from the city of Chicago. And that beloved city, of course, birthed Pope Leo XIV.”Along with the official invitation letter, the pontiff was presented with a ceremonial key to the city of Chicago.Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly spelled the first name of Cardinal Blase Cupich. (Published May 29, 2026)](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/pope-leo-xiv-meets-with-chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-catholic-pope-leo-met-with-the-mayor-of-chicago-brandon-johnson-at-the-vatican-on-may-28-johnson-who-has-served-as-mayor-since-2023-met-with-scaled.jpg)
![Former Russian Orthodox ‘foreign minister’ freed after Czech drug probe #Catholic Czech police arrested Metropolitan Hilarion, a prominent clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church, on suspicion of drug possession during a vehicle stop on May 24. Officers acted “on anonymous information” about the alleged “transportation of narcotics and psychotropic substances.”A few grams of an unidentified substance were found in the vehicle, though the discovery “does not answer the central question: how the items ended up in the vehicle,” Hilarion said, denying “any involvement in the illegal possession or transportation of prohibited substances.”He was released May 26 after protests from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which called the detention a “deliberate, orchestrated provocation” and summoned a Czech diplomat in Moscow. The Russian Orthodox Church likewise defended him, saying the incident “looks like a classic farce” since drug smuggling is often used by “unscrupulous police officers around the world.”No charges have been brought, and Hilarion is free without restrictions while the investigation continues, according to a statement on his Telegram account. His team also called the arrest “a provocation,” claiming he had received anonymous death threats demanding he leave the country.Who is Hilarion?Metropolitan Hilarion, whose secular name is Grigory Alfeyev, headed the Moscow Patriarchateʼs Department for External Church Relations from 2009 to 2022, a role often described as the Russian Orthodox Churchʼs “foreign minister.” He was widely regarded as a close ally of Patriarch Kirill and a possible successor.In June 2022, he was removed from the post and appointed to the Budapest diocese, a move widely interpreted as a demotion. During Pope Francis' apostolic trip to Budapest in April 2023, the two held a private meeting at the apostolic nunciature.In July 2024, Hilarion was accused of sexual harassment by George Suzuki, a former personal attendant. Hilarion denied the allegations. The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church subsequently declared “the inconsistency of the nature of his relations with his immediate environment and his life with the image of a monk and clergyman” and removed him from the Budapest diocese on Dec. 27, 2024. He has since been serving at the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary, a spa town in western Czech Republic.Rising tensions over the Russian Orthodox Church in Czech RepublicSergei Chapnin, a Russian church affairs scholar at Fordham University and former employee of the Moscow Patriarchate, offered two possible explanations for the incident. First, Hilarion may serve “as a high-level courier” who “moves sensitive documents and other items around Western Europe” since “Russian diplomats are closely monitored and constrained in their movements.” Second, Hilarion was operating “inside a very rough political and ecclesiastical game … over assets and influence” involving local Orthodox communities.The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul was recently registered under the Russian Orthodox Church in Hungary to prevent Czech authorities from freezing Russian assets. Patriarch Kirill, the churchʼs head, is personally listed on the Czech national sanctions list for his support of Russiaʼs invasion of Ukraine.Concerns about the churchʼs role in Czech Republic have been escalating. The Czech security agencyʼs annual report said the Russian Orthodox Churchʼs local representatives are loyal to the Moscow leadership and their “support for the Russian official line is evident.”A study titled “Security Risks of the Orthodox Church,” published by the Czech Academy of Sciences in 2025, called for systematic monitoring of the Russian Orthodox Church in the country. The authors recommended investigating “activities with regard to the danger of money laundering, purposeful export of funds and property, smuggling of goods and people, passing information to the enemy, for example the Russian side, [and] influencing the opinions of Czech society through social networks.”The study also noted that the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary allegedly hosted meetings involving Russian military intelligence (GRU) officials.In a related case, a Prague court recently convicted former Orthodox abbess Taťána Hanhur for the unauthorized transfer of a monastery and property worth 73 million Czech crowns (approximately $3.2 million). The property had belonged to the autocephalous Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/former-russian-orthodox-foreign-minister-freed-after-czech-drug-probe-catholic-czech-police-arrested-metropolitan-hilarion-a-prominent-clergyman-of-the-russian-orthodox-church-on.jpg "Former Russian Orthodox ‘foreign minister’ freed after Czech drug probe #Catholic Czech police arrested Metropolitan Hilarion, a prominent clergyman of the Russian Orthodox Church, on suspicion of drug possession during a vehicle stop on May 24. Officers acted “on anonymous information” about the alleged “transportation of narcotics and psychotropic substances.”A few grams of an unidentified substance were found in the vehicle, though the discovery “does not answer the central question: how the items ended up in the vehicle,” Hilarion said, denying “any involvement in the illegal possession or transportation of prohibited substances.”He was released May 26 after protests from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which called the detention a “deliberate, orchestrated provocation” and summoned a Czech diplomat in Moscow. The Russian Orthodox Church likewise defended him, saying the incident “looks like a classic farce” since drug smuggling is often used by “unscrupulous police officers around the world.”No charges have been brought, and Hilarion is free without restrictions while the investigation continues, according to a statement on his Telegram account. His team also called the arrest “a provocation,” claiming he had received anonymous death threats demanding he leave the country.Who is Hilarion?Metropolitan Hilarion, whose secular name is Grigory Alfeyev, headed the Moscow Patriarchateʼs Department for External Church Relations from 2009 to 2022, a role often described as the Russian Orthodox Churchʼs “foreign minister.” He was widely regarded as a close ally of Patriarch Kirill and a possible successor.In June 2022, he was removed from the post and appointed to the Budapest diocese, a move widely interpreted as a demotion. During Pope Francis' apostolic trip to Budapest in April 2023, the two held a private meeting at the apostolic nunciature.In July 2024, Hilarion was accused of sexual harassment by George Suzuki, a former personal attendant. Hilarion denied the allegations. The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church subsequently declared “the inconsistency of the nature of his relations with his immediate environment and his life with the image of a monk and clergyman” and removed him from the Budapest diocese on Dec. 27, 2024. He has since been serving at the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary, a spa town in western Czech Republic.Rising tensions over the Russian Orthodox Church in Czech RepublicSergei Chapnin, a Russian church affairs scholar at Fordham University and former employee of the Moscow Patriarchate, offered two possible explanations for the incident. First, Hilarion may serve “as a high-level courier” who “moves sensitive documents and other items around Western Europe” since “Russian diplomats are closely monitored and constrained in their movements.” Second, Hilarion was operating “inside a very rough political and ecclesiastical game … over assets and influence” involving local Orthodox communities.The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul was recently registered under the Russian Orthodox Church in Hungary to prevent Czech authorities from freezing Russian assets. Patriarch Kirill, the churchʼs head, is personally listed on the Czech national sanctions list for his support of Russiaʼs invasion of Ukraine.Concerns about the churchʼs role in Czech Republic have been escalating. The Czech security agencyʼs annual report said the Russian Orthodox Churchʼs local representatives are loyal to the Moscow leadership and their “support for the Russian official line is evident.”A study titled “Security Risks of the Orthodox Church,” published by the Czech Academy of Sciences in 2025, called for systematic monitoring of the Russian Orthodox Church in the country. The authors recommended investigating “activities with regard to the danger of money laundering, purposeful export of funds and property, smuggling of goods and people, passing information to the enemy, for example the Russian side, [and] influencing the opinions of Czech society through social networks.”The study also noted that the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary allegedly hosted meetings involving Russian military intelligence (GRU) officials.In a related case, a Prague court recently convicted former Orthodox abbess Taťána Hanhur for the unauthorized transfer of a monastery and property worth 73 million Czech crowns (approximately $3.2 million). The property had belonged to the autocephalous Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.")
![Salesian sisters go viral after attending San Antonio Spurs playoff game – #Catholic – Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco have drawn national attention as “diehard” San Antonio Spurs fans after a group of sisters attended a recent NBA playoff game.The sisters went viral on social media following the Texas teamʼs May 24 home-court matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The superfans wore Spurs jerseys, cheered on the team, and prayed over Catholic Spurs player Luke Kornet before the game. The prayer was seemingly answered as the Spurs scored their biggest victory in the 2026 NBA Western Conference finals so far.TweetSalesian Sister Cherilly Galley said the response the order has received since the game has been “really beautiful.”There has been a “response of people who are interested in Catholicism and people who would like to get involved, cheer on the Spurs, and also see how they can support our sisters here in San Antonio, which is really a huge blessing and a wonderful surprise from the Lord,” Galley said in an interview May 27 with “EWTN News Nightly.”While many first noticed the group of sisters at the recent game, the fans have been attending Spurs games “for over 20 years,” said Sister Bernadette Mota, a Salesian sister who prayed with Kornet at the game. “We have some sisters who were really diehard Spurs fans throughout the years, and theyʼre the ones who made that initial connection with the Spurs,” she said. “They would write to Coach [Gregg] Popovich, and he would actually write back.”Popovich, president of the San Antonio Spurs and former coach, and his wife “came to visit the sisters a few times,” Mota said.The sisters “would watch the games” and over the years the connection has “just kept up,” Mota said. “But a few years back, it had kind of died down a little bit, and then COVID happened, and we kind of lost that connection.”“But just this past year, and more recently in these past weeks, it really has built up in a very strong way. And so weʼre back praying with the Spurs and being there to support the community and the San Antonio people who love the Spurs,” she said.Itʼs “wonderful” to “have a lot of family and friends come together and watch the games,” Galley said.The sisters host watch parties with “parents and students from our school at St. John Bosco here in San Antonio,” she said. It’s “a lot of fun and a wonderful way to share the joy of faith and family.”Keep God ‘first’Mota and Galley said their favorite Spurs players are Kornet and Victor Wembanyama — widely known as "Wemby.”“Wemby by far is the best player,” but the sisters “really like Luke [Kornet] because of the way he lives his Catholic faith on and off the court,” Mota said.While “sports and things like that are great,” players must remember that “God has to be first in your life,” Mota said.“Keep him first. Play strong, play your best, and work as a team because a team thatʼs united is very hard to pull down. So play together and have faith in God,” Mota said.“Trust one another as your team members — that is very valuable,” Galley added. Also, “have fun, enjoy it. Thatʼs always a wonderful thing: to have fun on the court.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/salesian-sisters-go-viral-after-attending-san-antonio-spurs-playoff-game-catholic-salesian-sisters-of-st-john-bosco-have-drawn-national-attention-as-diehard-san-antonio-spurs-f.jpg "Salesian sisters go viral after attending San Antonio Spurs playoff game – #Catholic – Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco have drawn national attention as “diehard” San Antonio Spurs fans after a group of sisters attended a recent NBA playoff game.The sisters went viral on social media following the Texas teamʼs May 24 home-court matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The superfans wore Spurs jerseys, cheered on the team, and prayed over Catholic Spurs player Luke Kornet before the game. The prayer was seemingly answered as the Spurs scored their biggest victory in the 2026 NBA Western Conference finals so far.TweetSalesian Sister Cherilly Galley said the response the order has received since the game has been “really beautiful.”There has been a “response of people who are interested in Catholicism and people who would like to get involved, cheer on the Spurs, and also see how they can support our sisters here in San Antonio, which is really a huge blessing and a wonderful surprise from the Lord,” Galley said in an interview May 27 with “EWTN News Nightly.”While many first noticed the group of sisters at the recent game, the fans have been attending Spurs games “for over 20 years,” said Sister Bernadette Mota, a Salesian sister who prayed with Kornet at the game. “We have some sisters who were really diehard Spurs fans throughout the years, and theyʼre the ones who made that initial connection with the Spurs,” she said. “They would write to Coach [Gregg] Popovich, and he would actually write back.”Popovich, president of the San Antonio Spurs and former coach, and his wife “came to visit the sisters a few times,” Mota said.The sisters “would watch the games” and over the years the connection has “just kept up,” Mota said. “But a few years back, it had kind of died down a little bit, and then COVID happened, and we kind of lost that connection.”“But just this past year, and more recently in these past weeks, it really has built up in a very strong way. And so weʼre back praying with the Spurs and being there to support the community and the San Antonio people who love the Spurs,” she said.Itʼs “wonderful” to “have a lot of family and friends come together and watch the games,” Galley said.The sisters host watch parties with “parents and students from our school at St. John Bosco here in San Antonio,” she said. It’s “a lot of fun and a wonderful way to share the joy of faith and family.”Keep God ‘first’Mota and Galley said their favorite Spurs players are Kornet and Victor Wembanyama — widely known as \"Wemby.”“Wemby by far is the best player,” but the sisters “really like Luke [Kornet] because of the way he lives his Catholic faith on and off the court,” Mota said.While “sports and things like that are great,” players must remember that “God has to be first in your life,” Mota said.“Keep him first. Play strong, play your best, and work as a team because a team thatʼs united is very hard to pull down. So play together and have faith in God,” Mota said.“Trust one another as your team members — that is very valuable,” Galley added. Also, “have fun, enjoy it. Thatʼs always a wonderful thing: to have fun on the court.”")
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![2 years after Pakistan mob lynching, Christian family still seeks justice #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — As Muslims across Pakistan celebrate Eid al-Adha, Sultan Gill is quietly preparing for the death anniversary of his father, who died after a violent mob attack over allegations of blasphemy in 2024.Nearly 2,000 people attacked Gillʼs family in Sargodha, in northern Punjab province, on May 25, 2024, after allegations emerged that his father, Nazir (Lazar) Masih, had desecrated pages of the Quran. EWTN News covered the attack at the time.The mob ransacked the familyʼs home and shoe factory in Mujahid Colony and later set the business on fire after a mosque announcement reportedly amplified the accusations.Police managed to evacuate nine members of the family, but Masih was caught by the crowd and beaten with stones, bricks, and sticks. The 74-year-old succumbed to his injuries on the night of June 2–3, 2024.The killing sparked protests by Christian groups across the country, while politicians and Catholic bishops visited the family and held meetings with police officials.Yet nearly two years later, the family says it is still waiting for justice and compensation for the destruction of their property, which remains abandoned after they fled Sargodha.“Our wounds became fresh during Eid. The cruelty cannot be described in words,” Gill told EWTN News.“The confidence is gone. We cannot move around or talk freely. Two of my children had to discontinue their education and start working to support the family in a new city and help pay house rent,” he said.“The police assured us of 1.2 million rupees [about $4,300] as compensation for damage to the factory, which was actually worth millions. But despite repeated visits to the district administration and Punjabʼs minority affairs minister, we received nothing.”Arrests but no accountabilitySargodha police registered cases against about 450 unidentified suspects under anti-terrorism laws, and 25 people were arrested over the attack on Masih.However, all of the accused were released within weeks, according to Sunil Kaleem, director of the Organization for Legal Aid, which has provided legal support to the family.“We challenged the bails granted to the accused, but without success. The biased judges of lower courts often rely on consistency and benefit-of-doubt principles in such cases,” Kaleem said.“There are no independent eyewitnesses apart from police officials, and there is little interest in pursuing accountability. The chances of punishment in mob attacks linked to blasphemy allegations remain very low.”Church leaders and rights groups have long argued that Pakistanʼs blasphemy laws disproportionately affect religious minorities and often fail to uphold principles of justice, including due process and the presumption of innocence.At least 26 Christians were killed extrajudicially in Pakistan between 1994 and 2024 following blasphemy allegations, according to the Center for Social Justice, a Lahore-based advocacy group.Church responseFather David John, parish priest of St. Francis Xavier Church in Sargodha, said Masihʼs family received financial assistance and shelter from the National Commission for Justice and Peace, the Catholic bishops' rights body, for 20 months.“Psychological support was crucial for frightened Christians in the area, and it was important to stand with them,” he said.“We did what we could. There was a long struggle to restore normalcy in the city with the support of district peace committees and Muslim friends.”“Religious minorities in Pakistan deserve to live in peace and harmony. People of goodwill stand with us. There is tremendous scope for interfaith dialogue, and efforts toward acceptance must continue.”Catholic activist Ashiknaz Khokhar criticized delays in the justice process and warned of wider consequences.“It weakens public trust and leaves vulnerable communities exposed to further harm. When cases remain unresolved, fear and instability increase,” he said, adding that Masihʼs family now plans to sell its two homes after losing its business in Sargodha.He called for stronger preventive measures, including proactive law enforcement to manage crowds before violence escalates.“The state should use digital monitoring systems to address online hate speech, provide administrative and security safeguards to ensure judicial independence, discourage misuse of laws through consistent accountability, and introduce educational reforms promoting religious tolerance and civic responsibility,” he said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2-years-after-pakistan-mob-lynching-christian-family-still-seeks-justice-catholic-lahore-pakistan-as-muslims-across-pakistan-celebrate-eid-al-adha-sultan-gill-is-quietly-preparing-for-th.jpg "2 years after Pakistan mob lynching, Christian family still seeks justice #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — As Muslims across Pakistan celebrate Eid al-Adha, Sultan Gill is quietly preparing for the death anniversary of his father, who died after a violent mob attack over allegations of blasphemy in 2024.Nearly 2,000 people attacked Gillʼs family in Sargodha, in northern Punjab province, on May 25, 2024, after allegations emerged that his father, Nazir (Lazar) Masih, had desecrated pages of the Quran. EWTN News covered the attack at the time.The mob ransacked the familyʼs home and shoe factory in Mujahid Colony and later set the business on fire after a mosque announcement reportedly amplified the accusations.Police managed to evacuate nine members of the family, but Masih was caught by the crowd and beaten with stones, bricks, and sticks. The 74-year-old succumbed to his injuries on the night of June 2–3, 2024.The killing sparked protests by Christian groups across the country, while politicians and Catholic bishops visited the family and held meetings with police officials.Yet nearly two years later, the family says it is still waiting for justice and compensation for the destruction of their property, which remains abandoned after they fled Sargodha.“Our wounds became fresh during Eid. The cruelty cannot be described in words,” Gill told EWTN News.“The confidence is gone. We cannot move around or talk freely. Two of my children had to discontinue their education and start working to support the family in a new city and help pay house rent,” he said.“The police assured us of 1.2 million rupees [about $4,300] as compensation for damage to the factory, which was actually worth millions. But despite repeated visits to the district administration and Punjabʼs minority affairs minister, we received nothing.”Arrests but no accountabilitySargodha police registered cases against about 450 unidentified suspects under anti-terrorism laws, and 25 people were arrested over the attack on Masih.However, all of the accused were released within weeks, according to Sunil Kaleem, director of the Organization for Legal Aid, which has provided legal support to the family.“We challenged the bails granted to the accused, but without success. The biased judges of lower courts often rely on consistency and benefit-of-doubt principles in such cases,” Kaleem said.“There are no independent eyewitnesses apart from police officials, and there is little interest in pursuing accountability. The chances of punishment in mob attacks linked to blasphemy allegations remain very low.”Church leaders and rights groups have long argued that Pakistanʼs blasphemy laws disproportionately affect religious minorities and often fail to uphold principles of justice, including due process and the presumption of innocence.At least 26 Christians were killed extrajudicially in Pakistan between 1994 and 2024 following blasphemy allegations, according to the Center for Social Justice, a Lahore-based advocacy group.Church responseFather David John, parish priest of St. Francis Xavier Church in Sargodha, said Masihʼs family received financial assistance and shelter from the National Commission for Justice and Peace, the Catholic bishops' rights body, for 20 months.“Psychological support was crucial for frightened Christians in the area, and it was important to stand with them,” he said.“We did what we could. There was a long struggle to restore normalcy in the city with the support of district peace committees and Muslim friends.”“Religious minorities in Pakistan deserve to live in peace and harmony. People of goodwill stand with us. There is tremendous scope for interfaith dialogue, and efforts toward acceptance must continue.”Catholic activist Ashiknaz Khokhar criticized delays in the justice process and warned of wider consequences.“It weakens public trust and leaves vulnerable communities exposed to further harm. When cases remain unresolved, fear and instability increase,” he said, adding that Masihʼs family now plans to sell its two homes after losing its business in Sargodha.He called for stronger preventive measures, including proactive law enforcement to manage crowds before violence escalates.“The state should use digital monitoring systems to address online hate speech, provide administrative and security safeguards to ensure judicial independence, discourage misuse of laws through consistent accountability, and introduce educational reforms promoting religious tolerance and civic responsibility,” he said.")
