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In the Philippines, Father Gerardo Fortich Saco Jr. has withdrawn from his appointment as Bishop of Tagbilaran less than two months after his nomination, halting his scheduled ordination and leaving the diocese without a bishop Father Gerardo Fortich Saco Jr. has withdrawn from his appointment as Bishop of Tagbilaran, a regional diocese in the Philippines, less than two months after his nomination by the Holy See. The priest announced that he would not proceed with his episcopal ordination, which had been scheduled for May 26 at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph the Worker, bringing an abrupt halt to his succession to the see. In a statement addressed to the faithful of the diocese, Father Saco said his decision followed a period of discernment and reflection. “It comes from a deep awareness of my own human limitations and inadequacies,” he said, confirming what he described as a “change of heart” after initially accepting the appointment. He asked for understanding from clergy and laity alike, while making clear that he would continue in priestly ministry. “Please be assured of my continued commitment as a priest to journey with you in faith in the Risen Lord, who never abandons us in moments of trial and need,” he said. The Holy See announced his appointment on March 25. At the time, Father Saco was serving as diocesan administrator of Tagbilaran, a role he had held since 2025 following the transfer of the previous bishop to the Archdiocese of Cebu, the countries largest. His withdrawal leaves the diocese without a bishop, with no immediate indication of when a new appointment may be made. Father Saco, a native of Tagbilaran, was ordained to the priesthood on April 26, 1993. His priestly ministry began with parish assignments and also included time abroad. He served on missions in Libya between 2001 and 2003 and later worked as a visiting priest in a parish in New York. He later assumed wider diocesan roles, serving as episcopal vicar for the laity from 2015 to 2021 and subsequently taking on senior administrative responsibilities. He was appointed vicar general in 2023 before becoming diocesan administrator. Withdrawals from episcopal appointments after their announcement remain uncommon, particularly so close to the date set for ordination. In such cases, the reasons are not always made public, and the process returns to the Holy See for consideration of a new candidate.

The Church has long dedicated the month of May to Mary. Br René Stockman, former Superior General of the Congregation of the Brothers of Charity, reflects on how Catholics can use the month to renew their devotion to Our Lady and let her example transform their lives It remains a pious devotion to honour Mary in a special way during the month of May. Pilgrimages, praying the rosary together, reciting her litany, giving a special place to a statue of Mary: these are time-honoured customs that we would do well to uphold. Even in the most austere church, a statue of Mary will never be missing. The presence of debates on whether or not to officially recognise the title of Mary as Co-Redemptrix says something about the importance she had in the work of salvation. Even if it is not desirable to enshrine this in dogma, we can hardly deny her cooperation. There is only one person who may bear the title of Mother of God, because she brought the God-man Jesus into the world at the Incarnation. From this, a rich popular devotion has developed around the person of Mary, and countless images of her have been created. Pilgrimages to Lourdes, Fatima and other places where Mary once appeared continue to draw large crowds, and there we encounter the most diverse people. This is not a matter that attracts only simple, devout souls, or the sick who hope for a cure. It is striking that dioceses, which struggle to keep their parishes alive, with church closures and the repurposing of churches as an almost logical consequence, see remarkable success in their Marian shrines. After all, it is there that they can most easily and directly reach their faithful. Just as Mary was once the link between heaven and earth, she continues to connect us today. Here she certainly deserves a renewed understanding of her title as Mary Mediatrix. Mary enables people who are completely estranged from their church and parish life to reconnect with the faith through her. She never intended to be the end goal, but always the path to her Son: through Mary to Jesus. What St Louis de Montfort emphasised in his devotion to Mary at the end of the seventeenth century, Pope St John Paul II sought to depict on his coat of arms with the “M” of Mary pointing to the “cross” of Jesus. “Totus tuus,” entirely yours, was his motto, also a phrase from that same St Louis de Montfort with which he sought to express his total devotion to Jesus through Mary. The fact that the Reformation criticised the place Mary occupied in the Church – and that Vatican II therefore cautiously devoted only a chapter to Mary in its constitution “Lumen Gentium” and did not grant her a separate document – had precisely to do with the danger of forgetting Mary’s proper place and placing her alongside or even above her Son. That is why the expression “through Mary to Jesus” is the best formulation one can conceive of when speaking of Mary in our life of faith. From this we come to the question of what Mary can and may still mean today in our life of faith and, more broadly, in our lives as such. This will, of course, be interpreted by each person in their own way, but we may already cite a number of words and virtues that are particularly applicable to her. At the Annunciation, we encounter Mary as the devout woman who is open to the word of the Lord, listens to it patiently and manages to give this totally unexpected event a central place in her life. Her “yes” will sound to many today like a threat to personal freedom, and a curtailment of the self-determination that has become so important to so many. It puts an end to the myth that we can have total control over the course of our lives. We must indeed dare to take our lives into our own hands, actively participate in social life and strive to respond positively to the expectations placed upon us, but at the same time we must remain open to the unexpected that, as it were, befalls us, and discover new perspectives and challenges within it. In the language of faith, this means that, like Jesus himself, we must constantly ask ourselves what God’s will is in our lives, and realise that what unexpectedly befalls us may well be precisely what God is asking of us at that moment. Mary teaches us to recognise God’s hand in our lives and not to flee from events that occur outside our plans. People, circumstances and even setbacks can be placed in our path to help us discover our true calling. But often we only see in hindsight the positive impact this unexpected event has had on our lives. Mary accepts without seeing everything and without even understanding everything, but she trusts that God will not abandon her. Mary receives a special mission when she learns that she will become the Mother of God, but that does not affect her humility; quite the contrary. She calls herself the humble handmaid who lets it be done “according to Thy word.” Is humility not the most threatened virtue, and is the world not being damaged by people who consider themselves better than others? The pride and lust for power that stem from this are corrupting our society, and we see the consequences of this on both the micro and macro levels. What we see magnified in today’s tyrants, we also see all around us and, in all honesty, must often recognise in ourselves as well, or at least the tendency towards it. Pride, envy and arrogance are the dangerous trio that claim so many victims today. There is only one remedy capable of countering this: namely, humility, the antithesis of pride. With her boundless humility, Mary brings us back to the human being as we were created by God and of whom He said it was good. She helps us on our way to restoring the broken harmony within us and to truly becoming what we were created to be and what we are called to be: human beings in whom the likeness of God’s image may rise up within us. At the foot of her Son’s cross, Mary receives the commission to become the mother of all who wish to walk with Him. She is a mother who does not flee from suffering but excels in compassion. Entering St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the first thing one encounters is Michelangelo’s famous Pietà. Beyond the immense artistic value of this sculpture, it radiates above all the compassion of a woman who takes her dead son into her arms and wordlessly calls on us to become compassionate people as well. Extreme suffering can only be eased by the presence of fellow human beings who do not abandon those who are suffering. The greatest suffering experienced by the elderly stems from the feeling that they no longer matter in society and have been abandoned by everyone. It is a loneliness that leads them to the desperate question of whether they are still wanted in this society and whether it would not be better to end their lives. When, as a child, I regularly visited an elderly great-aunt at the nursing home where she lived, I was deeply moved by an even older woman whom I always saw sitting with a rosary in her hand and who told me that Mary was her only comfort. In addition to the example of compassion that Mary radiates, she has evidently taken very seriously the mission she received from her Son to become the mother of many, of all, and has given and continues to give shape to this in many ways. For that elderly woman who had no one left, there was only Mary, who remained close to her in a mystical way and kept her company. The encounter with that woman left a deep impression on me and also strengthened my devotion to Mary. Perhaps this month of May can be an excellent opportunity to give Mary a place in our lives in a renewed way. Through Mary to Jesus.

A newly surfaced letter from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, dated November 2024, rejects Germany’s plans for formal blessings of couples in irregular unions, warning they risk resembling a sacramental rite and contradict Fiducia supplicans A letter from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has emerged rejecting proposals from Germany for the formalised blessing of couples in irregular unions. The document, published in Spanish on X by Fr Jorge Enrique Mújica, head of the news site Zenit, was signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, dated November 18 2024 and addressed to Bishop Stephan Ackermann. It concerns a pastoral handbook prepared in Germany under the title Blessings for couples who love one another . The text had been submitted to Rome ahead of a planned vote by the German bishops. Citing Fiducia supplicans , the dicastery states: “The Church does not have the power to confer its liturgical blessing when that would somehow offer a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage or to an extra-marital sexual practice.” It continues: “With such blessings ‘nothing is intended to be legitimised, but only to open one’s life to God’ … nor to ‘sanction … anything’, but only to ask for God’s help ‘to live better’.” The letter raises concern that the German text refers explicitly to the blessing of “a union” and envisages an “official regulation” by pastors, adding that such an approach risks becoming “the object of a true and proper ‘acclamation,’ a gesture that is normally foreseen in the matrimonial rite”. It concludes that “one in fact seems to aim at legitimising the status of such couples, in a sense contrary to what is affirmed by Fiducia supplicans ”. It further reiterates that the declaration excludes any practice that could resemble a sacramental rite, stating that blessings must not “become a liturgical or semi-liturgical act, similar to a sacrament” and insisting: “For this reason, one must neither promote nor provide for a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation.” The dicastery also criticises the proposed handbook for internal inconsistency. While it speaks of “spontaneity and freedom”, it nevertheless provides a fixed structure for the celebrations. The letter notes that “a fixed formulary is then offered for their realisation, contradicting what was previously affirmed” and adds that “a sort of liturgy or para-liturgy is prescribed with regard to the blessing of same-sex couples”. The publication of the letter follows recent comments by Pope Leo XIV, who addressed the issue during a press conference on a return flight from Africa. He said: “The Holy See has made it clear that we do not agree with the formalised blessing of (homosexual) couples … or of couples in irregular situations, beyond what … was allowed for by Pope Francis in saying all people receive blessings.” His Holiness added: “When a priest gives the blessing at the end of Mass … there are blessings for all people,” before referring to Pope Francis’s phrase “tutti, tutti, tutti”, and warning that “to go beyond this today … could cause more disunity than unity”. Despite the intervention from Rome, bishops in Germany have defended the proposals. Bishop Georg Bätzing said the practice “serves the people” and “does not jeopardise the unity of the Church”, while acknowledging differences within the wider Church. The guidelines were developed jointly with the Central Committee of German Catholics, whose president, Irme Stetter-Karp, said they are intended to provide blessings “for couples who do not wish to enter into a sacramental church marriage or for whom such a marriage is not an option”, adding: “There is no possibility of confusing it with the sacrament of marriage.” In Munich, Cardinal Reinhard Marx has instructed clergy to follow guidance under the title Segen gibt der Liebe Kraft . In a letter to clergy and pastoral staff, he wrote: “To all couples who love each other and seek a blessing from the Church for their partnership, I wish that they may feel God’s grace in this blessing.” The directive states that “no couple should be turned away” and requires that priests unwilling to conduct such blessings refer couples to another minister. The archdiocese has also confirmed that training sessions for clergy and pastoral workers will begin in June to support the implementation of the policy across parishes.

Marco Rubio is set to meet Pope Leo XIV and Cardinal Parolin in Rome, as Washington moves to ease tensions with the Vatican after recent clashes over Iran and criticism from President Trump The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is expected to arrive in Rome on 7 May for meetings with Vatican and Italian officials, in what is understood to be an effort by Washington to stabilise relations. The visit, confirmed by the Holy See Press Office, will include a meeting with the Pope and talks with Pietro Parolin, as well as senior figures within the Italian government. It comes almost a year to the day since the election of Pope Leo XIV, and marks the first senior-level engagement between the current US administration and the Vatican since the deterioration in relations prompted by the President’s remarks about the pontiff. Over the past month, President Donald Trump has publicly criticised Pope Leo in recent weeks over the Holy See’s opposition to the United States’ military action against Iran. In one post circulated on social media, the President described the Pope as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy”. The Vatican has not issued an official response to Rubio’s visit, but the Holy See has continued to articulate its position on the conflict. Speaking to journalists last month while travelling to Africa, Pope Leo said he had “no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel”. The Pope has repeatedly criticised the use of military force, warning against what he described in a separate address as the actions of “tyrants” who expend vast resources on warfare. Rubio’s presence in Rome is also expected to include discussions with Italian officials, amid signs of strain between Washington and Rome. Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, had been regarded as a close ally of the Trump administration, but relations have cooled following her criticism of the US position on Iran and her public disapproval of the President’s remarks about the Pope. She described the attacks as “unacceptable”, placing her government at odds with Washington on both diplomatic tone and policy substance. According to Italian press reports, Rubio’s visit was communicated to the government in Rome through diplomatic channels, with indications that efforts have been underway to “rebuild the bridge” between the two countries. Meetings are expected to include Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, with further contacts under discussion. It remains unclear whether a meeting with Meloni herself will take place. The wider diplomatic context has been further complicated by tensions between the United States and other European allies. Recent statements from Washington have included threats to reassess troop deployments in Europe, including in Italy, Germany and Spain, following criticism from European leaders over the Iran campaign. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has rejected suggestions that Rome has failed to support US operations, particularly in relation to maritime security. Rubio’s role as a senior Catholic within the administration has been noted. The timing of the visit, with the United States approaching midterm elections later this year, has also attracted attention. Catholic voters remain a significant voting bloc in American politics, having come out in support for all presidential victories in recent history. Trump himself received an estimated 57 per cent of the Catholic vote in 2024. Whether Rubio’s meetings in Rome will succeed in easing tensions remains to be seen, but the decision to send the Secretary of State signals an acknowledgement within Washington that the President is seeking to ease relations with the Vatican.

Cardinal Reinhard Marx has criticised what he called “reactionary propaganda” surrounding Germany’s Synodal Path, rejecting claims of a rupture with Rome and defending the direction of the German Church Cardinal Reinhard Marx has criticised what he described as “reactionary propaganda” directed against Germany’s Synodal Path. In an interview with Herder Korrespondenz , the Archbishop of Munich and Freising said that narratives portraying the German Church as moving towards rupture were being driven in a coordinated way, especially in the United States. “This is a social media phenomenon, and it applies to both politics and the Church,” he said, adding that he had raised the issue directly with Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV. Cardinal Marx rejected suggestions that the Synodal Path risks breaking communion with Rome and defended the particular character of Catholic life in Germany. Referring to earlier concerns expressed in Rome about possible Protestant influence, he said: “I didn’t think that was fair,” insisting that the German Church’s development must be understood in light of its own historical experience. He acknowledged, however, that communication with the Vatican could have been handled differently as tensions emerged. “Perhaps we should have talked more amongst ourselves,” he said, suggesting that earlier and broader dialogue might have prevented misunderstandings from taking hold. The cardinal also pointed to the approach of Pope Leo XIV, saying the Pope had shown a willingness to listen to differing voices within the Church rather than act unilaterally. “He doesn’t simply want to decide something spontaneously, but is interested in the opinions of many different people,” Marx said, noting that the Pope has already received a number of German bishops in audience. Alongside his comments on the Synodal Path, Marx addressed the financial position of the Holy See, describing current difficulties as manageable. Writing in the same publication, he said that the situation does not amount to a structural crisis, but requires more effective coordination and oversight. He pointed to the complexity of Vatican finances, where multiple entities operate with separate reporting systems, and suggested that greater unity in administration would improve transparency. He noted that the central structures of the Church rely heavily on income from the Institute for the Works of Religion and the resources of Vatican City State, including the museums, while traditional sources such as Peter’s Pence are no longer sufficient on their own. Without such support, he indicated, it would be difficult to sustain the costs of the Roman Curia, the diplomatic service and the Church’s global communications. Marx confirmed that proposals are under consideration to strengthen fundraising and rationalise financial management, including the possible creation of a dedicated office for this purpose. He also referred to ongoing concerns over pension liabilities, noting that these issues reflect wider pressures faced by institutions internationally rather than a uniquely Vatican problem. The Synodal Path, launched in 2019 by the German bishops and lay representatives, has been the focus of sustained scrutiny from Rome, particularly over its discussions on authority, morality and Church governance. While the Vatican has repeatedly stressed the limits of national initiatives, German bishops have maintained that the process is intended as a contribution to the wider life of the universal Church rather than a departure from it. Image credit: By Dermot Roantree – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=115697769

The Papal Foundation has approved more than $15 million in grants for 2026, its largest total to date, funding over 140 projects worldwide The Papal Foundation has approved more than $15 million in grants for 2026, marking the largest total in its 38-year history. The announcement came as Pope Leo XIV received members, trustees and stewards of the foundation at the Apostolic Palace at the conclusion of their annual pilgrimage. The Chicago-born pontiff thanked donors for their sustained financial backing of projects ranging from humanitarian aid to clerical education, telling them their generosity had enabled “countless people to experience in a concrete fashion the goodness and kindness of God in their own communities”. According to figures released by the foundation, the 2026 grants will support more than 140 projects across approximately 75 countries, continuing a steady increase in annual distributions in recent years. In 2023, the foundation allocated around $9.5 million to 114 projects in 57 countries, rising to roughly $14 million in 2025 for 116 projects in more than 60 countries. The latest total represents a further expansion rather than an isolated increase, with consistent growth in the foundation’s grant-making capacity. The foundation also reported a notable rise in new membership, with 25 families joining in the year since the election of Pope Leo XIV. Membership as a steward requires a contribution of at least $1 million, forming part of an endowment used to fund papal projects. The increase is viewed as a sign of renewed engagement among wealthy American Catholics following the election of the first pope born in the United States. During the audience, the Pope referred to his own experience of the foundation’s work during his time as Bishop of Chiclayo, stating: “I have already been aware of your work, especially during my years of service as Bishop of Chiclayo, where I saw first-hand the positive impact of the Foundation’s grants, as both the Diocese and a religious community were blessed to receive assistance on various projects, thanks to your generosity.” He continued by expressing gratitude for the organisation’s role in supporting the universal Church, saying: “I am, therefore, deeply grateful for your ongoing commitment to assist the Successor of Peter in his mission to care for the needs of the universal Church.” The Pope pointed in particular the role of the foundation in funding scholarships for priests and Religious from developing countries to study at pontifical universities in Rome. “Many priests and consecrated men and women have likewise been able to receive an advanced education from the Pontifical Universities in Rome that would otherwise not have been possible, forming them to be future leaders in the Church,” he said. The Pope also emphasised the wider spiritual dimension of charitable giving, stating: “All members of the Church, by virtue of our Baptism, share the responsibility to proclaim the Gospel today with words as well as with charitable deeds.” He added that “by funding projects, humanitarian aid and scholarships for people from around the world, the Papal Foundation participates in the Church’s ongoing evangelical mission”. Referring to the liturgical season, the Pope described Easter as a “time focusing on mission as well as peace” and recalled Christ’s words to the Apostles, “Peace be with you!” He told members that their work contributes not only to the Church’s mission but also to peace at local and regional levels. Concluding his remarks, the Pope asked for continued support and prayers, saying: “I ask for your continued prayers for my ministry as the Successor of Saint Peter and for the needs of the Church.” He added: “You will probably never meet everyone who has benefitted from your kindness, so in their name I express heartfelt appreciation.” The Papal Foundation, established in 1988 by Cardinal John Krol of Philadelphia, was created to provide direct financial support for the charitable priorities of the Pope. Based in Pennsylvania, it includes all United States cardinals as ex officio members and is governed by a board of lay trustees and bishops. Since its inception, it has distributed more than $250 million to projects around the world. Speculation that financial concerns may have influenced the election of Pope Leo XIV has been rejected by senior Church figures. Speaking in Rome at the presentation of a book examining relations between the United States and the Holy See, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller said: “Although Cardinal Reinhard Marx dedicated a full day to discussing the Holy See’s finances in the pre-conclave, this did not influence the final decision.” He added that the election of a pope “is based on different criteria”, stressing the spiritual nature of the process. During the pontificate of Pope Francis, contributions linked to Vatican causes experienced a noticeable decline, particularly in the years following the global financial crisis and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Reports of financial corruption within Vatican structures further weakened donor confidence, especially among American benefactors, while Pope Francis’s criticism of aspects of free market capitalism was also seen to have cooled enthusiasm in some quarters.