World Religions News

(RNS) — Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that parents have a right to withdraw their children from public school classes when stories with LGBTQ+ themes are being discussed. 

Writing for the court’s 6-3 conservative supermajority, Justice Samuel Alito used as an example “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” a book that, according to Alito, “presents a specific, if subtle, message about marriage. It asserts that two people can get married, regardless of whether they are of the same or the opposite sex, so long as they ‘love each other.’ That view is now accepted by a great many Americans, but it is directly contrary to the religious principles that the parents in this case wish to instill in their children.”

In a dissent signed by the court’s three liberals, Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointed out that the decision would have the effect of permitting students to opt out of any school activity that violates their parents’ religious beliefs.

Here’s a quiz to gauge how you view the justices’ ruling: Answer Y if you believe public schoolchildren should be permitted to opt out of the following, N if not. Put your response in the comment section below as follows, e.g.: 1N, 2Y, 3N, 4Y, etc. Bases for religious grounds for opting out are in parentheses. Feel free to include explanations.

1. Biographies of famous female political leaders such as Margaret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, and Hillary Clinton for presenting a subtle message that it’s good for women to work outside the home. (Religious belief in traditional gender roles)

2. An American history textbook for presenting the subtle message that religious freedom is a good thing in its description of the Puritans coming to America in order to worship as they please. (Catholic Integralism)

3. John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” for portraying Satan as evil. (Satanism)

4. The Bible for conveying the overt message that the Judeo-Christian God is the one and only God. (Hinduism)

5. A biology textbook for teaching that life on Earth evolved over millions of years. (Fundamentalist Protestantism)

6. The Pledge of Allegiance for treating a country as an object of worship. (Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Truth)

7. A social studies textbook for presenting a non-subtle message that chattel slavery is a bad thing. (Christian Identity)

8. Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” for implying that Christians are better than Jews. (Judaism)

9. The “Song of Roland” for presenting the overt message that Muslims are bad. (Islam)

10. Mozart’s “Magic Flute” for presenting a subtle message of support for Freemasonry. (Catholicism, Greek Orthodoxy)

11. A world history textbook for containing a critical message about the Crusades. (Christianism)

12. A prayer led by a football coach for conveying a not-so-subtle endorsement of Christianity. (Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, etc.)

Your correspondent will tally the answers and comment on the results in a subsequent column.

Pope Leo XIV meets with the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on June 28, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican News

ACI Prensa Staff, Jun 30, 2025 / 14:12 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV received members of a delegation from the Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate in a June 28 audience held at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican in the context of the June 29 celebration of the solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Constantinople based in Istanbul, Turkey. The Ecumenical Patriarchate is considered “primus inter pares” (“first among equals”) among the patriarchs of the other churches of the Eastern Orthodox communion. 

The delegation was headed by Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, president of the Synodal Commission of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Relations with the Catholic Church, accompanied by the Most Reverend Fathers Aetios and Ieronymos.

Bartholomew has been the current archbishop of Constantinople and ecumenical patriarch since Nov. 2, 1991. Traditionally, a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate visits the Vatican on the occasion of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Similarly, a Vatican delegation usually visits Istanbul, the capital of present-day Turkey, every Nov. 30 on the occasion of the celebration of the feast day of St. Andrew, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s patron saint.

Goal of full visible communion between the two Churches

The Catholic Encyclopedia explains that in 1054, “the most deplorable quarrel,” known as the Eastern Schism, occurred, separating the vast majority of Eastern Christians from communion with the Catholic Church, thus giving rise to the Orthodox Church.

Leo XIV stated that his intention is to “persevere in the effort to reestablish full visible communion between our Churches,” a goal that, he said, can only be achieved “with God’s help, through a continued commitment to respectful listening and fraternal dialogue.”

“For this reason, I am open to any suggestions that you may offer in this regard, always in consultation with my brother bishops of the Catholic Church who, each in his own way, share with me the responsibility for the complete and visible unity of the Church,” the Holy Father said during the June 28 audience.

He also recalled that “after centuries of disagreements and misunderstanding,” authentic dialogue between the two Churches was only possible thanks to “the courageous and farsighted steps taken by Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras.”

“Their venerable successors to the sees of Rome and Constantinople have pursued with conviction the same path of reconciliation, thus further strengthening our close relations,” the pope added.

Leo XIV highlighted the “witness of sincere closeness” that Patriarch Bartholomew has always expressed to the Catholic Church, demonstrated especially by participating in the funeral of Pope Francis and later in the inaugural Mass of the new bishop of Rome.

The Holy Father said the traditional exchange of delegations “is a sign of the profound communion already existing between us, and a reflection of the fraternal bond that united the Apostles Peter and Andrew.”

Leo XIV expressed his profound gratitude for their presence in Rome “on this solemn occasion.” He asked them to convey his cordial greetings to Patriarch Bartholomew and the members of the Holy Synod, along with his gratitude for having sent the delegation again this year.

“May Sts. Peter and Paul, St. Andrew and the holy Mother of God, who live eternally in the perfect communion of the saints, accompany and sustain us in our efforts in the service of the Gospel. Thank you!” Pope Leo said. 

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

(RNS) — Around the world, we are “witnessing an alarming rise in attempts to discredit, politicize or suppress scientific knowledge,” the Vatican says in a new (June 16) Pontifical Academy of Sciences document defending the freedom of science.

“These developments not only endanger the integrity of science but also imperil the well-being of societies that depend on science to address their most pressing challenges, including poverty, pandemics, health care, climate change, and use of artificial intelligence,” the statement reads. 

Some might be surprised to hear the church defending science, since everyone remembers how Galileo got in trouble with church authorities. Fundamentalist Christians still cannot reconcile the creation story in Genesis with contemporary scientific explanations of cosmology and evolution.

This is no longer a problem for Catholic theologians. The Vatican has been involved in astronomy since at least 1582, when astronomers helped Pope Gregory XIII put the calendar in sync with the rotation of the earth around the sun. Thirty-five craters on the moon are named after Jesuit scientists and mathematicians.

Catholic priest scientists have played an important role in the advancement of science: Gregor Mendel (1822-1884), the father of modern genetics; Georges Lemaître (1894-1966), who first proposed the Big Bang theory; and Jean Picard (1620-1682), not of “Star Trek,” but the first person to accurately measure the size of the Earth.

Still, the myth that good Christians must be anti-science gets repeated.

Rather than attacking science, this new statement of concern from the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, “Protecting Freedom of Science and Preventing Distortion of Scientific Truth,” is a full-throated defense of science, which it believes is “fundamental to the development of humankind” and needs to be protected “from ideological or political interference.”

The sources of the attacks on science and truth are complex and interconnected, the Pontifical Academy argues.

“In many settings, scientific facts are manipulated or suppressed to serve short-term political goals,” the academy reports. “Leaders or interest groups may deny inconvenient truths to preserve power or economic interests, rather than address difficult realities with evidence-based policies.”

It bemoans the rejection of scientific consensus in favor of conspiracy theories.

“Science is sometimes portrayed as elitist or biased,” the academy said, “despite its self-correcting nature, that is, science moving forward often corrects established wisdom and always must be open to new insights.”

The document is especially timely in the United States, where government officials are giving more credence to conspiracy theories than scientific consensus. For example, American research universities like Harvard are under attack, and scientific research is being defunded for political reasons by the Trump administration-run National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, which used to be big supporters of science.

The Vatican also worries that “(t)he commercialization of research and the capture of science by powerful industries can lead to conflicts of interest. Public trust is eroded when science appears to serve mainly private profits rather than public good.” And, it notes, “Social media and online platforms have accelerated the spread of pseudoscience and falsehoods.” As a result, “(s)ocial media companies must take stronger steps to limit the spread of disinformation and support authentic sources. Algorithmic transparency and responsibility are urgently needed.”

Sadly, “repressive governments have gone beyond neglecting science to actively punishing those who speak scientific truth to power. Scientific institutions have been shut down, and researchers have faced legal or physical threats,” the document says. 

What are the solutions? The academy calls on political leaders to “uphold the independence of scientific institutions and resist the politicization of research. Support for basic and applied science must be protected as an investment in the public good. Policy decisions should be guided by the best available evidence, not by ideology or misinformation.”

At the same time, it says, “Scientists must reaffirm their commitment to rigor, transparency, and ethical responsibility. They must actively engage with society, communicate their findings clearly, and listen respectfully to public concerns.”

The Pontifical Academy calls on faith communities to “recognize and promote the compatibility of science and spirituality.” It believes that “reason and faith can coexist in mutual enrichment. Religious leaders can play a powerful role in restoring public trust in science as a force for good,” it says. 

It also calls for a global coalition of stakeholders to defend the right to seek and speak scientific truth.

“In doing so,” it asserts, “we not only protect the integrity of science, but also uphold the dignity, justice, and sustainability of our common human future.”

Catholics need no longer hang their heads in shame because of Galileo. We can be proud that the Vatican wants to be a leader in the fight defending scientific inquiry. 

Pope Leo prays the Angelus at the Vatican on June 30, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Jun 30, 2025 / 12:24 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV deplored the use of hunger as a “weapon of war” in his message to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is currently holding its 44th conference session in Rome from June 28 to July 4. 

The Holy Father said the U.N. is far from reaching its 2030 goal of “zero hunger” in spite of “significant steps” taken by the intergovernmental organization to ensure food security, particularly for the world’s poor.

“We are currently witnessing with despair the iniquitous use of hunger as a weapon of war,” Leo said in his message to FAO. “Starving people to death is a very cheap way of waging war.”

The pope criticized the actions of armed civilians who “greedily hoard” food, burn land, steal livestock, and block humanitarian aid to those suffering and in need.  

“Farmers are unable to sell their produce in environments threatened by violence, and inflation soars,” he said. “This leads to huge numbers of people succumbing to the scourge of starvation and perishing.”

“While civilians languish in misery, political leaders grow fat on the profits of the conflict,” he remarked.

Highlighting the complex relationship between war, poverty, and hunger, the pope said the Holy See supports all initiatives aimed at bringing international leaders together to collaborate for “the common good of the family of nations.” 

“Without peace and stability, it will not be possible to guarantee resilient agricultural and food systems, nor to ensure a healthy, accessible, and sustainable food supply for all,” he added.

Continuing his calls for peace in war-torn areas since his May election as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, Leo extended his call to the leadership and staff of FAO to become peacemakers in times of “huge polarization in international relations.”

“To ensure peace and development, understood as the improvement of the living conditions of populations suffering from hunger, war, and poverty, concrete actions are needed, rooted in serious and far-sighted approaches,” he continued. 

“I pray to almighty God that your work may bear fruit and be of benefit to the underprivileged and to humanity as a whole,” he said at the conclusion of his message.

In an Angelus address, Pope Leo highlighted the plight of rural Christian communities in Nigeria enduring violence and hunger. 

Approximately 200 displaced people were massacred at a Catholic mission there in June. 

Bishop Mark Nzukwein of the Diocese of Wukari, Nigeria, said more than 300,000 people are currently displaced in the northern part of the country, many of whom have lost their farms and livelihoods because of the violent attacks. 

“I’ve never had problems with food ever until recently,” Nzukwein told CNA in a June 27 interview. 

“[Men] will invade farms and kill … and make the place insecure,” he said. “This is the source of the food insecurity we’re experiencing in Nigeria.”

Faithful pray before a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus during Croatia’s consecration ceremony on June 27, 2025, as the nation dedicated itself anew to Christ’s divine love following the tradition established by their ancestors at the Church of Our Miraculous Lady of Sinj. / Credit: Petar Malbaša/Laudato TV

CNA Newsroom, Jun 30, 2025 / 10:46 am (CNA).

Croatian bishops led their nation in a solemn consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, marking the 125th anniversary of an extraordinary 1900 ceremony that saw 160,000 young Croatians make a similar sacred pledge.

The consecration began June 27 at 7 p.m. local time across churches and chapels throughout Croatia, initiated by church bells ringing for five minutes before solemn Eucharistic celebrations commenced.

Following the Prayer after Communion, clergy proclaimed the formal Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

In Zagreb, the faithful gathered at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus while EWTN affiliate Laudato TV broadcast live from the Church of Our Miraculous Lady of Sinj in the small town of Sinj. 

The decision to renew this historic devotion was made by the Croatian Bishops’ Conference at their 69th Plenary Assembly in November 2024, coinciding with the Jubilee Year 2025 proclaimed by Pope Francis.

“We, Croatian believers, trusting in your goodness, come to you to open for us once again your Most Sacred Heart,” the consecration prayer begins, addressing Christ as “Wisdom, Love, and the Word of the Father.”

The Sacred Heart consecration was followed Saturday, June 28, by Croatia’s first-ever solemn consecration of youth to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the Church of Croatian Martyrs in Udbina.

Archbishop Giorgio Lingua, apostolic nuncio to Croatia, presided over the 3 p.m. ceremony, which was broadcast live by Laudato TV. The initiative was launched by priests of the Marian Priestly Movement in Croatia.

The comprehensive prayer consecrated Croatian families, clergy, religious communities, parishes, married couples, children and young people, the sick and elderly, and workers across various fields to the Sacred Heart.

Ksenjia Abramovic contributed to this report.

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“Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death.” ~Anaïs Nin

I never imagined I’d be fired.

It wasn’t because I didn’t have the qualifications or experience. In fact, I had built a successful academic and consulting career. I had studied leadership, organizational behavior, and human development. I had read the right books, taken the right classes, built the right résumé. I was, by all appearances, doing all the right things.

But after …