The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference raised concern over rising antisemitism in its second 2026 Social Justice Statement, “Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division,” released Aug. 7.
“In Australia, the strain on social cohesion has been made painfully visible by a disturbing rise in antisemitism,” the statement said, citing the Bondi Beach shooting attack and other forms of targeting that have “left many to feel unsafe in places that should be secure, such as schools, synagogues, streets, and public events.”
“Such hatred is an affront to God,” the bishops said, calling on Catholics to live the Gospel by remaining close to Christ through prayer and the sacraments, encountering other cultures with openness, and “exercising restraint in what we say — especially online — rejecting gossip, slander, dehumanizing labels, and sharing unverified claims.”
Canadian military bishop says prayer restrictions came after insufficient consultation
Bishop Scott McCaig of the Roman Catholic Military Ordinariate of Canada said members of the Interfaith Committee on Canadian Military Chaplaincy were not included in the drafting of new policies that restrict prayer at official ceremonies.
McCaig said the Department of National Defence drafted the policy without consulting members and that they were asked to assist only with “word-crafting” and “final touches,” according to a report from the Catholic Register on Aug. 6.
“There are a number of us who are very concerned about the lack of consultation,” the bishop said. Under the new policy, faith leaders are not allowed to include faith-specific language in spiritual reflections at public events, the report said.
Syrian authorities release Kurdish evangelical pastor
Syrian authorities have released the Rev. Nihad Hassan, pastor of the Kurdish Evangelical Church in Beirut, following two weeks in detention.
His attorney said Hassan’s vehicle and personal belongings were also returned, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported.
The pastor had traveled through official crossings to his hometown in the Afrin region before security personnel detained him the following day. A criminal investigation reportedly accused him of publishing online material offensive to a religion or its sacred rites and of provoking sectarian tensions. The Kurdish Lawyers Union welcomed his release while calling for the protection of civil liberties, due process, and the rule of law.
Franciscan youth in Egypt make a ‘Passage to Life’
Egypt’s 33rd Franciscan youth journey marked the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death with 10 days of retreat, prayer, and service held July 25 through Aug. 3.
For the first time, participants began their spiritual exercises in the Siwa Oasis, where silence and reflection offered space to consider their vocations and relationship with God, ACI MENA reported Aug. 6. Returning to Cairo, they visited Melkite, Maronite, and Chaldean Catholic churches; learned about the Dominican mission of Christian-Muslim dialogue; and served in shelters, elder-care homes, and medical institutions.
Father Mokhles Masri, who leads the initiative, said the theme “Passage to Life” presented St. Francis’ death as an entry into eternal life, while the accompanying motto, “Enlighten the darkness of my heart,” invited participants to encounter God’s light amid struggles with faith, hope, and love.
Swiss defense minister apologizes for draft law change affecting clergy
Swiss Defense Minister Martin Pfister has issued an apology for removing exemptions from military service for clergy members without consulting church leaders.
Pfister said in a July 21 letter that the Federal Council’s decision to end exemptions for clergy was “an oversight” and that church leaders should “unquestionably” have been consulted prior to the change going into effect on June 1.
“We ask your forgiveness,” he wrote. The Federal Council had defended the reform by arguing that the exemption had become obsolete. It said the provision was originally intended to ensure civilians would continue receiving spiritual care during wars and national emergencies.
In its reasoning, the government stated that “the increasing secularization of society means that fewer and fewer people feel connected to the Church’s offerings,” concluding that pastoral ministry can no longer be regarded as “an activity essential to maintaining social life.”
Saidnaya churches in Syria cancel feast celebrations
Christian parish committees in Saidnaya, Syria, have canceled public celebrations for several upcoming feasts in protest of the continued detention of local residents, ACI MENA reported.
Representatives of the Melkite Greek Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox communities said churches would hold prayers indoors but suspend festivities for the Transfiguration, Our Lady, the Cross, and Hagia Sophia until detainees are released, abducted residents return, and security concerns are addressed. Their joint statement also cited prolonged scrutiny of Saidnaya residents at the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing, online threats, and a rise in thefts and kidnappings.
The decision follows the cancellation of the Christian village of Marmarita’s annual carnival for a second consecutive year amid concerns about public safety.
Indonesian Catholics mourn last foreign missionary priest
Catholics on the eastern Indonesian island of Lembata bid farewell to their last foreign missionary priest, Father Nicholas Strawn, an American, who died on Aug. 4, according to UCA News.
“We remember him as a priest who was very close to the people, willing to visit remote areas and greet us warmly, while reminding us to study well,” Anselmus Deri, a Catholic and journalist from Lembata, said in the report.
Strawn, 92, had served parishes in the Diocese of Larantuka since 1963, helping to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life, according to the report, which noted the diocese has about 50 priests and dozens of nuns.
Historical society to record interiors of more than 3,000 Irish churches
The Catholic Historical Society of Ireland is launching an initiative to digitally record the interiors of Catholic churches across Ireland.
The project will be carried out by Maynooth University and the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs, according to a report from the Catholic Herald on Aug. 4. The team of researchers will compile an online database of photos and other historical records that will be freely accessible for research purposes, the report said.
British historian to walk ‘In the Footsteps of the Martyrs’ for charity
The walk “In the Footsteps of the Martyrs” will take place in London on Sept. 13 in support of Aid to the Church in Need, the charitable organization announced on Aug. 6.
Historian and journalist Joanna Bogle will lead the walk along the Thames River retracing the path of Catholic martyrs in the Reformation era in solidarity with those suffering persecution today.
“Our Catholic story is richer than just the Catholic martyrs of the Reformation era, but we’re focusing on that to link with the millions of people globally who are being persecuted today,” Bogle said. “On the way we will pray and unite ourselves with people who suffered in the past and we are praying for people who are suffering for their faith today.”
