St. Mary's Catholic Church

Pope Leo XIV address papal representatives on June 10, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jun 10, 2025 / 14:11 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV received papal representatives at the Vatican on Tuesday, reminding them that the Church “will always defend the sacrosanct right to believe in God” and that this life “is not at the mercy of the powers of this world.”

In the June 10 speech delivered in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, he thanked the papal nuncios and international organizations around the world for their work.

The pontiff noted that “there is no country in the world” with a diplomatic corps as universal and united as that of the Holy See: “We are united in Christ and we are united in the Church.”

“I say this thinking certainly of the dedication and organization, but, even more so, of the motivations that guide you, the pastoral style that should characterize you, the spirit of faith that inspires us,” he added.

He particularly thanked them for being able to rely on the documentation, reflections, and summaries prepared by the diplomats when faced with a situation that concerns the Church in a particular country. “This is for me a cause for great appreciation and gratitude,” he reiterated.

‘Always be the eyes of Peter!’

Pope Leo XIV then shared with those present the account from the Acts of the Apostles (3:1-10) of the healing of the paralytic, a scene that, in his opinion, “describes the ministry of Peter well.”

For the pontiff, the man who begs for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple represents “the image of a humanity that has lost hope and is resigned.”

“Even today, the Church often encounters men and women who no longer have any joy, whom society has sidelined, or whom life has in a certain sense forced into begging for their existence,” he lamented.

After looking into his eyes, the pope recounted, Peter said to the paralytic: “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, [rise and] walk.”

After quoting this passage, Pope Leo noted that “to look into one’s eyes means to build a relationship. The ministry of Peter is to create relationships, bridges: and a representative of the pope, first and foremost, serves this invitation to look into the eyes.”

“Always be the eyes of Peter! Be men capable of building relationships where it is hardest to do,” the pope exhorted them, asking them to do so with humility and realism.

The Holy Father also placed his trust in the diplomatic corps of the Holy See so that “everyone may know that the Church is always ready for everything out of love, that she is always on the side of the last, the poor, and that she will always defend the sacrosanct right to believe in God, to believe that this life is not at the mercy of the powers of this world but rather is traversed by a mysterious meaning.”

He also encouraged them to “always have a blessing gaze, because the ministry of Peter is to bless, that is, always to know how to see the good, even that which is hidden.”

“Feel that you are missionaries, sent by the pope to be tools of communion, unity, serving the dignity of the human person, promoting sincere and constructive relations everywhere with the authorities with whom you are required to cooperate,” he urged.

In conclusion, he reiterated that their work “always be enlightened by the sound decision for holiness.”

After the speech, the papal representatives received a ring bearing the inscription “sub umbra Petri” (“under the shadow of Peter,” cf. Acts 5:15) from the pope as a sign of communion.

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

Young people hold crosses as they arrive for Mass during the traditional Pentecostal pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres, in Sonchamp, near Paris, on June 8, 2025. / Credit: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Jun 10, 2025 / 13:33 pm (CNA).

The 43rd annual Paris-Chartres pilgrimage concluded on Monday with a solemn high Mass at Chartres Cathedral, marking the end of a record-breaking three-day journey that drew 19,000 participants — the largest attendance in the event’s four-decade history. 

The three-day trek from Paris to Chartres represents a demanding challenge — one both physical and spiritual — that continues to attract growing numbers of young Catholics seeking deeper spiritual experiences. 

Organized by Notre-Dame de Chrétienté, the pilgrimage began on Saturday, June 7, at Saint-Sulpice Church in Paris and concluded at the Gothic cathedral, which houses the sacred relic of the Virgin Mary’s veil.  

Bishop Philippe Christory of Chartres delivered the homily at the closing Mass, celebrated by Abbé Jean de Massia, FSSP, the pilgrimage’s general chaplain. 

Christory reportedly told the pilgrims before Mass: “We know that Pope Leo prays for every pilgrim to live a personal encounter with Christ.”

Registration for this year’s pilgrimage closed within five days of opening, necessitating a waiting list of 2,000 additional participants. The average age of pilgrims was 20 years old, reflecting a broader trend among young Catholics who are gravitating toward traditional liturgy. 

“The enthusiasm sparked by all the pilgrimage opportunities in France — especially those for young people — is a joy for the Church and a sign of its vitality,” the French Bishops’ Conference stated. 

The event’s growth in recent years has been remarkable, increasing from 16,000 participants in 2023 to 18,000 in 2024 and now to 19,000 in 2025.  

Philippe Darantière, president of Notre-Dame de Chrétienté, indicated that organizers are already planning structural changes for 2026 to accommodate even greater numbers. 

The pilgrimage maintained its traditional character, with more than 300 Latin Masses celebrated throughout the three days. Participants walked approximately 60 miles (100 kilometers) through the French countryside, praying the rosary and camping overnight at designated sites. More than 1,000 volunteers and 120 executives from Notre-Dame de Chrétienté supported the pilgrims during their journey.

The closing ceremony coincided with Chartres Cathedral’s millennium jubilee celebration, allowing pilgrims to pass through the Holy Doors and venerate the relic of the Virgin Mary’s veil.  

The Notre-Dame de Chrétienté association also consecrated itself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, marking the 350th anniversary of Christ’s apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. 

The New York state capitol in Albany. / Credit: Nina Alizada/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Jun 10, 2025 / 11:34 am (CNA).

The Catholic bishops in New York state are warning of a looming “nightmare” there after the state Legislature passed a measure authorizing doctors to participate in assisted suicide.

Democrats in the state Senate voted Monday to pass the “Medical Aid in Dying Act,” a measure that will allow doctors to prescribe medication to terminally ill individuals that the patients may “self-administer to bring about death.” 

The measure limits the suicide option to those 18 years or older with “an incurable and irreversible illness or condition that has been medically confirmed.” The legislation is expected to be signed by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.

‘A dark day for New York state’

New York joins 11 other states — California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington — as well as the District of Columbia in allowing patients to take their own lives via a doctor’s prescription. 

The New York State Catholic Conference on Monday warned that the measure would bring about an “assisted suicide nightmare” similar to the suicide regime in Canada, which has expanded its own suicide program to include those who cannot consent to the procedure at the time and where violations of the law are allegedly going unreported. Euthanasia accounts for roughly 1 in 20 deaths there.

Dennis Poust, the executive director of the state Catholic conference, said on Monday that the bill’s passage marked “a dark day for New York state.”

Poust urged the governor to recognize that the law “would be catastrophic for medically underserved communities, including communities of color, as well as for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.”

He noted that Hochul has worked to address suicide in the state but that the assisted suicide measure “undermines those priorities.” 

“The legislation passed in the Senate and Assembly contains no requirement for a psychological screening for depression or other mental illness, and not even so much as a brief waiting period for people who might be in despair following a terminal diagnosis,” he noted. 

Poust said the Catholic conference called on the government to “expand palliative and hospice care, mental health services, and family caregiver support” rather than allow legalized doctor-assisted suicide. 

Church leaders in the state have repeatedly spoken out against assisted suicide during the Legislature’s consideration of the measure. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, last month called the proposal “a disaster waiting to happen” and a “terrible idea” that “turns everything society knows and believes about medicine on its head.”

The state Catholic conference urged voters last year to voice their opposition to the measure, calling the proposal “another assault on human life here” and “dangerous for patients, caregivers, and vulnerable populations.”

Delaware is the most recent state to legalize assisted suicide. Last month state Gov. Matt Meyer signed a bill legalizing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live.

Earlier this month, on the other hand, a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide in Illinois was not called for a vote in the Senate before the Legislature adjourned on June 1, effectively halting its progress for the session amid ardent opposition from leading Catholic voices in the state.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops headquarters in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 10, 2025 / 09:20 am (CNA).

Since last year, there has been a 32% decline in U.S. child abuse allegations against Catholic clergy, according to the 2024 annual report of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection.  

Overall, “902 allegations were reported by 855 victims-survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy,” the report said, compared with 1,308 allegations by 1,254 survivors last year. 

Covering July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, the annual report is based on a survey of 195 U.S. Catholic dioceses and eparchies, drawn from data collected by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University as well as an audit by StoneBridge Business Partners. 

The annual reporting stems from the U.S. bishops’ 2002 creation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which established a framework and protocols related to allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy.

A total of 717 clerics were accused within the most recent audit period, with the majority of those accused (54%) being already deceased.

StoneBridge also pointed out several cases of noncompliance by jurisdictions and entities that are in violation of the articles established in the 2018 revision of the youth protection charter.

The Diocese of Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Church in the USA, for example, was noncompliant due to the absence of a safe environment training program and for not completing background checks on volunteers.

The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania, meanwhile, was cited by not having a functional review board during the audit period.

“Measuring charter compliance allows each diocese/eparchy to assess strengths and weaknesses and identify programmatic areas requiring improvement, which are critical in our mission of protecting our children,” the report said.

The report restated the Catholic Church’s commitment “to work to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults by performing background checks on clergy, employees, and volunteers, and providing training on how to identify and report abuse signs.”

“For the U.S. Church and as articulated in the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, this commitment translates into a zero-tolerance policy toward abuse,” the USCCB report reads.

Abuse allegations have shown a steady decline since 2020, averaging a 30% decrease annually, according to data accumulated over the past five years.

Harvard University professor of mathematics and biology Martin Nowak speaks at the annual conference of the Society of Catholic Scientists on June 8, 2025, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Tessa Gervasini/CNA

Washington D.C., Jun 10, 2025 / 08:50 am (CNA).

Harvard professor of mathematics and biology Martin Nowak focused on math as a path to God during a presentation at the 2025 annual conference of the Society of Catholic Scientists in Washington, D.C.

During a June 8 lecture titled “Does Mathematics Lead Us to God?” Nowak said that among other things, math can be viewed as “an argument for the existence of God.”

Referencing St. Augustine, Nowak said math is like “an intelligible object.”

“We judge mathematics in truth by a criterion that is within us. That is, of course, the doctrine of divine illumination. So Augustine says, ‘This is possible because God is the teacher of the soul.’”

“Mathematics is not in meta,” Nowak said. He explained that math is “timeless” and “atemporal.”

“If you accept this … you have made a step toward God.” Because “you are no longer a materialist, you are no longer a naturalist in the sense you’re no longer an atheist.” 

Math provides meaning and understanding, according to Nowak. “We walk through life and the world as meaning,” he said. “You need intelligent objects, you need mathematics.”

“It is mathematics that gives meaning … We experience mathematics as we experience love. Mathematics tells us who we are, who the other is. Mathematics tells us what stuff we are made of. Mathematics enables us to see God.”

Nowak’s discussion of math was a hot topic at the conference, especially given recent attention to Pope Leo XIV having earned a degree in mathematics from Villanova University.

“Mathematics is beautiful,” Nowak noted. “If you ask mathematicians what’s the most beautiful thing they have seen in their lives, it’s some mathematical equation.”

“Why is mathematics beautiful?” Nowak asked. He explained it’s beautiful because “God is beautiful.”

“Mathematics is the set of all correct statements,” he continued. “Mathematics is about truth with a capital T.”

“We will never be done with mathematics … because it takes forever to get to know an infinite being, God.”

“I think mathematics helps us to remember that we are eternal objects, that we are not only in time and in space,” Nowak said. 

Since God transcends everything, Nowak added, God “cannot be captured or described by mathematics.” Math, he said, has more to do with the “thoughts of God.”

Grandly co-founder and director Pili Abouchaar (right) discusses the apostolate’s work with grandparents on “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly” on June 4, 2025. / Credit: “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly”/Screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

“What if the most important thing that God wants you to do is still in front of you, and that is passing on the faith to your grandchildren?” That’s the proposition Pili Abouchaar focuses on as co-founder and director of Grandly, an apostolate dedicated to helping grandparents do just that.

In an interview on “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly,” Abouchaar acknowledged that grandparents often feel helpless and hopeless in regard to this mission, but Grandly can make a difference in their approach and outlook. 

“The main thing that we try to tackle in our mission in Grandly is to try to give grandparents hope to help them bridge that generational gap between how they were raised and how youth culture is moving right now.”

The apostolate, which celebrates its 10th anniversary next year, is especially relevant now, within the context of the jubilee year and the upcoming July 27 World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, with this year’s theme being “Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Lost Hope.” 

Abouchaar said among Grandly’s offerings is “a seminar called the ‘Do It Grandly’ seminar, which grandparents can take by themselves. They can find the seminar on our website. We are also helping parishes across the United States and in other countries to host seminars for their grandparents locally.”

“Do It Grandly,” a five-session online seminar, helps grandparents embrace their unique role in fostering the faith of their grandchildren. The sessions include topics on a bold vision, renewing hope, grandparenting and youth work, the strategic grandparent, and faith to move grandchildren.

The series’ free, opening 30-minute session, titled “A Bold Vision,” covers how youth see our culture and how God is in their lives, and offers interviews and discussions with grandparents. Grandly also features on its website a variety of helpful testimonies, stories, and discussion groups.

So far, Abouchaar said Grandly has reached some 20,000 grandparents and, through them, approximately 100,000 grandchildren.  

The full segment about Grandly on “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly” can be viewed below.

Pew’s latest research released June 5, 2025, found that while Christianity still remains the world’s largest religion, Islam’s growth outpaced every religion over the course of a decade. / Credit: Arthimedes/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 9, 2025 / 18:08 pm (CNA).

While Christianity remained the largest global religion from 2010 to 2020, the latest Pew Research study found that followers of Islam outpaced every world religion in population over the course of the decade.

The recently released report, “How the Global Religious Landscape Changed from 2010 to 2020,” includes data from over 2,700 sources, including national census, demographic surveys, and population registers. Some of the estimates made in the report originate from data about 2020 that was not made available till 2024 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed census data in at least 65 countries.

The report covered 201 countries, focusing on seven religious categories: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, people who belong to other lesser-known religions, and religiously unaffiliated.

According to the report, the total number of Christians rose by 122 million from 2010 to 2020, while the total number of Muslims rose by 327 million — “more than all other religions combined.” The global Christian population rested at 2.3 billion in 2020, while the global Muslim population came to 2 billion.

Apart from Muslims, the only other group that grew as a percentage of the global population were those who identify as having no religion, known as “nones.” 

The report described this phenomenon as “striking” because religiously unaffiliated people are typically older and have lower fertility rates, putting them at a “disadvantage” for population growth.  

By the end of 2020, however, “nones” made up 24.2% of the global population, making it the third-largest group in the study, following Christians and Muslims. 

According to the report, “people shedding their religious identity after having been raised as Christians” is the primary reason why religiously unaffiliated people outpaced religiously affiliated people across the decade. After Christianity, Buddhism lost the second-largest number of followers due to religious switching.

The U.S. was among many countries where a large percentage of its Christian population became unaffiliated from 2010 to 2020. However, Pew noted findings since 2020 have indicated that the decline appears to have leveled off. As of 2020, the U.S. had the second-largest population of religiously unaffiliated individuals globally, following China.

In terms of regional distribution, sub-Saharan Africa is now home to the majority of the world’s Christians, with 30.7% living in the region as of 2020. This is a change from 2010, when 24.8% lived in sub-Saharan Africa and 25.8%, the majority of the world’s Christians, lived in Europe. 

The shift was due to both natural population increase in sub-Saharan Africa and “widespread Christian disaffiliation in Western Europe,” the report found, noting: “This is a major geographic change since the early 1900s, when Christians in sub-Saharan Africa made up 1% of the global Christian population and two-thirds of Christians lived in Europe.” 

In fact, Christians experienced substantial change in more countries than any other religious group, shrinking as a share in the population in all but one country — Mozambique, where the share of Christians rose by 5 percentage points.  

Regional concentrations of Jews also changed, the report noted, with 45.9% living in the Middle East-North Africa region and 41% living in North America. In 2010, the largest number of Jews lived in North America. The shift was largely due to the growth of Israel’s population from 5.8 million to 6.8 million through migration and natural increase over the course of the decade. 

Few countries experienced substantial change in percentage of Muslims in their populations, the report noted, despite having the largest global population growth overall. This is because the growth occurred in countries where Muslims were already the dominant religious group. Islamic population growth was largely attributed to high fertility rates.

Hindus were the fourth-largest religious group as of 2020, growing about 12% from 2010 to 2020, with the most notable growth in the Middle East-North Africa region, where they rose to 3.2 million — up 62%. Nonetheless, the majority of Hindus are still in India, and the religion remained at a stable 14.9% of the global population over the course of the decade.

Of all religions represented in the report, Buddhists were the only group to experience worldwide decline between 2010 and 2020, with the number of Buddhists around the world shrinking by 5% from 343 million in 2010 to 324 million in 2020. 

“This was due both to religious disaffiliation among Buddhists in East Asia and to a relatively low birth rate among Buddhists, who tend to live in countries with older populations,” the report explained. 

Pew also examined growth in people who adhere to “other religions,” including Baha’is, Jains, Shintoists, Sikhs, Daoists, Wiccans, Zoroastrians, and others. Pew estimated that the number of people belonging to this category rose by 12%, from 154 million to 172 million from 2010 to 2020. However, the world’s population grew at the approximately the same rate, leaving the percentage of adherents to “other religions” at a stable percentage of around 2% of the global population. 

Waymo cars are set on fire and vandalized during a protest against immigration raids on June 8, 2025, in Los Angeles. / Credit: Nick Ut/Getty Images

CNA Staff, Jun 9, 2025 / 17:38 pm (CNA).

Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest Catholic community, issued a statement calling for “restraint and calm” as tensions in Los Angeles escalated over the weekend after protests sparked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests of unauthorized immigrants turned violent.

“I am troubled by today’s immigration enforcement raids in Los Angeles, and I am praying for our community,” Gomez said in a statement issued June 6.

“We all agree that we don’t want undocumented immigrants who are known terrorists or violent criminals in our communities. But there is no need for the government to carry out enforcement actions in a way that provokes fear and anxiety among ordinary, hardworking immigrants and their families.”

In his statement, Gomez called on Congress to fix the country’s “broken” immigration system.

The unrest, which began on June 6 in response to ICE raids at multiple work sites, escalated after the arrest of David Huerta, president of the California chapter of the Service Employees International Union, who allegedly blocked the path of ICE vehicles. 

Videos showed crowds surrounding vans, chanting, and growing in number as the protests extended into the night. Demonstrations intensified on Saturday, with protesters gathering outside the detention facility where Huerta was being held after his release from the hospital, where he was treated for injuries sustained during his demonstration and subsequent arrest.

On Sunday, the situation worsened as California Highway Patrol used flash-bang grenades to clear Highway 101 after protesters blocked the roadway, throwing debris, including tree branches and fireworks, at police vehicles below.

Sunday night saw further chaos, with protesters setting multiple Waymo driverless taxis on fire, throwing rocks at officers, and defacing neighborhoods with anti-ICE graffiti. 

A candlelight interfaith prayer vigil scheduled for Sunday evening at Los Angeles City Hall, organized by the archdiocese’s Immigration Task Force and groups like the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, the Central American Resource Center, and LA Voice, was postponed out of caution due to the escalating violence. 

The groups issued a statement reaffirming their call for nonviolence and pledged to reschedule the vigil when conditions stabilize.

President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard on Saturday night, citing local leaders’ failure to control the situation. Gov. Gavin Newsom fiercely opposed the move, calling it a breach of state sovereignty. On Monday, California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its decision to federalize the California National Guard.

Bishop William Byrne of the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts, gives the keynote address at the 2024 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., Feb. 8, 2024. / Credit: EWTN

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 9, 2025 / 17:08 pm (CNA).

As lawmakers consider rules related to the development of artificial intelligence (AI), the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is urging them to prioritize “the life and dignity of the human person and the common good.”

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly shaping the future of our society,” Bishop William D. Byrne, the chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Communications, said in a statement.

“As pastors entrusted with the care of human life and dignity, we urge lawmakers to heed the call of our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, to help ensure that AI is developed with responsibility and discernment so that it may truly benefit every person,” Byrne said.

Although Congress is not currently debating comprehensive AI regulations, the House-passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” could have a major impact on the technology moving forward. One provision in the bill would restrict states from regulating AI for 10 years, essentially federalizing the issue.

That bill is now in the Senate, where it’s expected to face some adjustments. If the pending Senate version passes, it will be sent back to the House.

The bishops, while acknowledging in their letter to congressional leaders that they are “not technical experts,” wrote that they are speaking as pastors and laid out ethical principles and policy considerations on which they hope lawmakers will reflect.

“Please be assured of our prayers and readiness to assist you in this important and timely work,” the bishops wrote.

Ethical principles

One of the primary ethical concerns the bishops noted is “the inherent dignity of every human person,” which they wrote “must always be at the center of technological development.”

“AI is a tool that, when informed by sound moral principles, can help overcome many of life’s obstacles and improve the human condition,” the bishops wrote. “But this technology should supplement what human beings do, not replace them or their moral judgments. We also must avoid temptations toward transhumanism or equating AI itself with human life.”

The bishops also expressed concern for people facing economic hardships, noting that “AI will only serve all when it works to assist our poorest and most vulnerable sisters and brothers and when they can equitably participate in and benefit from its development and use.”

A third ethical principle highlighted by the bishops was “respect for the truth,” stating that “AI is being used by some to undermine the dignity of persons and respect for the truth” with a misuse of news and political information and deepfakes, adding: “AI systems must have human oversight and well-defined accountability in order to promote transparency and fair democratic processes.”

Policy considerations

On matters of policy, the bishops argued that AI can provide benefits to society when used in moral ways but that it can be detrimental to society if it is used unethically or lacks necessary safeguards.

For example, when it comes to family issues, they note AI “can contribute to the efficiency of certain daily tasks and aid in communication” but that “the isolating effect of technology needs to be counteracted.” They said AI should also “work to strengthen and support family life” and ensure it is not used to “promote or enhance morally offensive uses of reproductive technologies and genetic manipulation.”

On economics, the bishops also echoed a very popular concern of “job displacement, inequality, and exploitation” from AI, stating that “policies and regulations should ensure protections for workers, promote education and job training, require public accountability for government use of AI, and require human oversight in AI-driven employment decisions.”

“To encourage the artistic and creative spirit, we also call for the protection of data and intellectual property rights,” the bishops wrote.

The bishops wrote positively that AI “has the potential to improve many aspects of life and society” on matters such as the need for food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and social services. They noted AI “has led to the development of new medicines and technologies to improve health” and “it can support new tools for learning and transform how we communicate and participate in society.” 

Alternatively, they warned that if not regulated properly, “it has even greater possibilities of further polarizing society and worsening inequalities,” highlighting concerns about how it has been used for automated decision-making, such as with employment screening, health care, public benefit screening, and immigration processing.

“[It] can reinforce existing biases or introduce a utilitarian approach devoid of necessary human considerations, with potentially devastating consequences,” the bishops wrote.

They also noted positives and negatives on energy and the environment, stating that AI can be used “in finding solutions to the current crises of energy and the environment,” but wrote that they are concerned about expenditures of energy, the consumption of resources, and electronic waste containing mercury and lead.

On matters of war, the bishops expressed further concern about “the development and use of lethal autonomous weapons,” adding that “policies should make clear that human control over any weapon system is essential to mitigate the horrors of warfare and the undermining of fundamental human rights.”

The USCCB wrote in the letter that these principles and guidelines “are not intended to be exhaustive” but are rather “a modest initial reflection for your consideration as you deliberate on options for federal policy and regulatory action.”

The Texas State Capitol in Austin. / Credit: Gang Liu/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Jun 9, 2025 / 16:06 pm (CNA).

A federal judge has overturned the long-standing “Texas Dream Act” in a move the state’s Catholic bishops say undermines “just” immigration reform efforts. 

After the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state of Texas over the matter last week, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor blocked the law, which had enabled some noncitizens living illegally in Texas to qualify for in-state tuition at the state’s public universities and colleges.

Reed ruled that the law was “unconstitutional and invalid” because it applied to those who were “not lawfully present in the United States.”

Enacted in 2001, the law made in-state tuition available for noncitizen students who graduated from a local high school and had lived in Texas for at least three years prior to graduation, including those who weren’t in the country legally. The law required that students pledge to apply for permanent residency at the earliest opportunity.

Most public colleges across the U.S. offer more affordable in-state tuition for students who have lived in that state for a certain length of time, as their families have paid tax dollars to the state over the years. Meanwhile, students coming from out of state pay higher tuition rates to attend the same schools. 

Following the federal lawsuit, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his office would not contest it and filed a motion in support of the federal government’s position, asking the court to rule that the law was unconstitutional. 

In a statement, Paxton called the law “discriminatory and un-American,” saying that it “allows an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States to qualify for in-state tuition based on residence within the state while explicitly denying resident-based tuition rates to U.S. citizens that do not qualify as Texas residents.”

Federal law requires that no residency-based higher education benefits can be provided to noncitizens that are not also offered to all U.S. citizens, according to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

Texas legislators recently considered changing the Texas Dream Act though the bill died as the Texas legislative session ended on June 2.

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops decried the overturning of the Texas Dream Act, saying it “propels our society further away from just and reasonable immigration reform that would foster human flourishing based in the tranquility of order and human dignity.”

“These eligible students were youth who were brought into the United States by their parents as young children and through no fault of their own,” the bishops said in a statement. “Texas became their home.”

“In the years following their entry, they became proficient in English, were educated in Texas schools, were taught Texas values, and became responsible, hardworking members of our local communities,” the bishops stated.  

“Nearly 57,000 undocumented students are currently enrolled in higher education in Texas, and each year, 18,000 undocumented students graduate from Texas high schools,” the bishops continued. “With access to higher education, these students contribute in-demand skills to our state’s workforce and become leaders in their chosen fields.”

In-state tuition in Texas sits at about $12,000 a year, while out-of-state tuition is about $43,000 as of the 2024-2025 school year.

The law’s overturn, the bishops said, “is a move away from the development of an educated workforce required for economic and social stability.”

The bishops expressed concern that the action limits the growth of Texas’ “skilled workforce,” “blocks opportunities” for immigrant students, and “undermines” long-term economic growth “by placing higher education out of financial reach for many low-income students in whom Texas has already invested in educating through high school.”

More than 20 states and Washington, D.C., have similar programs that provide in-state tuition for students who are in the country illegally.

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the U.S. Justice Department will continue to combat these sorts of laws.

“Other states should take note that we will continue filing affirmative litigation to remedy unconstitutional state laws that discriminate against American citizens,” Bondi said.