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USCCB president condemns 'devastating effects' of One Big Beautiful Bill Act (USCCB)

Reacting to the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said that “the final version of the bill includes unconscionable cuts to healthcare and food assistance, tax cuts that increase inequality, immigration provisions that harm families and children, and cuts to programs that protect God’s creation.”

Archbishop Timothy Broglio said that “the bill, as passed, will cause the greatest harm to those who are especially vulnerable in our society. As its provisions go into effect, people will lose access to healthcare and struggle to buy groceries, family members will be separated, and vulnerable communities will be less prepared to cope with environmental impacts of pollution and extreme weather. More must be done to prevent these devastating effects.”

The bishops’ conference also criticized changes that were made to the bill before it was passed:

While the bishops had commended the positive aspects of an earlier version of the bill, the restriction on federal funds to abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood was reduced to one year, the parental choice in education provision was greatly weakened, and the restriction on federally funding “gender transition” procedures was removed.

Video released for July papal prayer intention (Vatican News (YouTube))

The Vatican has released a video for the July 2025 papal prayer intention (for training in discernment). The video includes a prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Cardinal Fernández: Rupnik judges selected; excommunications are 'often' declared and lifted (Our Sunday Visitor)

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, said on July 3 that judges have been selected for the canonical trial of Father Marko Rupnik, the Slovenian priest and artist accused of abusing more than two dozen women.

In May 2020, Father Rupnik was declared excommunicated for the canonical offense of absolving an accomplice in a sin against the Sixth Commandment; the excommunication was lifted that same month. Asked about the excommunication, Cardinal Fernández replied, “It happens much more often than one might imagine, sometimes even in the same day.”

Pope Leo to resume custom of public celebration of Mass on feast of the Assumption (Vatican Press Office)

The Vatican on July 3 announced the schedule of public liturgical celebrations at which Pope Leo XIV will preside in August and September.

Among them is the Mass of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which Pope Leo is scheduled to celebrate on August 15 at the Pontifical Parish of St. Thomas of Villanova at Castel Gandolfo.

Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass at Castel Gandolfo’s parish on every August 15 of his pontificate. Pope Francis celebrated and preached the homily at an outdoor Assumption Mass in 2013 at Castel Gandolfo, and in 2014 during his apostolic journey in South Korea, but never again did so during the remainder of his pontificate.

Vatican diplomat deplores violence against women, says differences between men and women must be recognized (Holy See Mission)

Addressing a session of the UN Human Rights Council, a Vatican diplomat said recently that the Holy See is “concerned by the increasing exploitation and violence against women and girls.”

“This includes femicide and rape, female genital mutilation, and prenatal sex selection, as well as practices that commodify the female body, such as surrogacy, prostitution, and pornography,” said Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland.

“These issues cannot be satisfactorily resolved or ended, without clearly defining and recognizing the specific vulnerabilities that women face due to their innate biological differences from men,” Archbishop Balestrero added. “When these objective realities are ignored, and sexual difference is obscured or deprioritized in law and culture, it is often women and girls who suffer the most, sometimes facing traumatic lifelong consequences.”

Pope welcomes Taiwan's new ambassador (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))

Pope Leo XIV received the credentials of Anthony Chung-Yi Ho, Taiwan’s new ambassador to the Holy See, on July 3.

The act was significant, as only 11 nations, in addition to the Holy See, maintain formal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan). Most nations instead maintain diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, the Communist nation whose capital is Beijing.

Taiwan, an East Asian nation of 23.6 million (map), is 43% Chinese folk religionist, 26% Buddhist, 13% Daoist, and 7% Christian.

Poland's President Duda meets with Pontiff (Vatican Press Office)

Pope Leo XIV received Polish President Andrzej Duda in a July 3 audience.

Following the audience, President Duda met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. The parties, according to the Holy See Press Office, discussed the “sound” relations between the Holy See and Poland, the nation’s sociopolitical situation, and the war in Ukraine.

Poland, a Central European nation of 38.8 million (map), is 95% Christian (93% Catholic).

Jerusalem Christians mourn victims of attack on Syrian church (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)

Auxiliary Bishop William Shomali of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem participated in a Divine Liturgy for the repose of the souls of the victims of a recent terrorist attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Syria.

Addressing other mourners during the July 4 liturgy at an Orthodox church in Jerusalem, Bishop Shomali, according to the Latin Patriarchate, “emphasized that the blood of martyrs is never shed in vain; rather, it stands as a cry for truth in the face of injustice and a living testimony to the perseverance and steadfast faith of Christians amid tribulation.”

Ukrainian Greek Catholic hierarchy discusses pastoral care of families in wartime (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)

The Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church is meeting in Rome to discuss the pastoral care of families in wartime.

Bishop Arkadiusz Trochanowski of Olsztyn-GdaƄsk, Poland, presented a report on the challenges that families face, including women and children without a father present, soldiers on the front lines apart from their families, and families separated by emigration.

Bishop Trochanowski also spoke about Ukraine’s demographic crisis:

According to data for the first half of 2024, there were 286 deaths per 100 births, while in 2023 there were 265 deaths per 100 births in Ukraine. Ukraine is entering a critical phase of demographic decline, and solving this problem must become a national priority.

'Europe suffocates': Vatican newspaper laments heat wave (CWN)

L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent front-page coverage in its July 3 edition to the current European heatwaves.