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New Mexico man charged with pulling gun amid priest’s argument with his girlfriend
A New Mexico man was charged with two counts of aggravated assault after he reportedly pulled a gun amid a priest’s argument with his girlfriend.Father Vincent Paul Chavez of the Shrine of the Little Flower in Albuquerque had engaged in a public dispute with a woman over ICE and the approval of a mosque in the area—with the priest going so far as to post the message “Racism, grave sin against God’s love, Katrina G” on the church’s outdoor sign.
During an argument with the woman outside the church, Father Chavez recalled saying, “Katrina, I know you’re a follower of Jesus, as I am. I know for myself I would not want to hear from our Lord Jesus, ‘Out of my sight, you condemned into that eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,’ because of your racism.”
When the woman’s boyfriend came with a gun, Father Chavez recalled saying, “Shoot me. I don’t care. I’m ready to go. We have a good God over here.”
Laywoman gives joint homily with German bishop despite Vatican ban
A laywoman and a German bishop delivered a joint homily at Mass on July 22, despite the Vatican’s recent reaffirmation that only clergy are permitted to preach homilies during Mass.Auxiliary Bishop Wolfgang Bischof of Munich and Theresia Reischl, head of the Archbishop’s Women’s Commission, delivered a joint homily at St. Michael’s Church in Munich.
“Another prominent feature in the Mass was a woman dancing through the central aisle of the church, while members of the congregation bounced large, inflatable balls over each other’s heads,” reported Michael Haynes, who posted a video of the dancing and ball bouncing.
Catholic village attacked in Bangladesh
A predominantly Garo Catholic village in Bangladesh was attacked after the body of a Muslim man was found buried near a canal there. Eleven homes were looted, according to a local parish priest.“I hope that the administration will provide security to the Garo Indigenous of this village and that the villagers will maintain good relations with each other so that peace can prevail in the future,” said Father Simon Hacha, vicar general of the Diocese of Mymensingh.
Located in South Asia, Bangladesh (map), a nation of 170 million—the world’s 8th most populous—is 89% Muslim and 9% Hindu.
Sedevacantist bishop illicitly consecrated in Scotland; Aberdeen bishop announces excommunication
Father Michael Mary Sim, founder and rector major of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer (Transalpine Redemptorists), was illicitly consecrated a bishop on July 25 on the Scottish island of Papa...Russia attacks Kyiv neighborhood during Vatican archbishop’s stay
The Russian military launched heavy missile strikes on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, from 1:25 to 2:45 AM on July 19. Some of its missiles and drones struck the neighborhood of the apostolic nunciature, where Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, and members of his delegation were spending the night.“The blasts caused the building’s glass doors to shake and forced much of its staff—as well as the author of this report—to spend the night in a designated shelter,” Roberto Paglialonga of Vatican News reported.
Archbishop Gallagher began a four-day visit to Ukraine on July 17. While in Kyiv on July 18, Archbishop Gallagher visited bombed sites and encouraged prayer for peace.
Man charged with federal firearms offense after shots fired at New Mexico church
A 40-year-old man with a prior felony conviction faces up to 15 years in prison after he was charged in connection with the firing of shots at a parish in Las Cruces, New Mexico.The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced on August 3:
On May 4, 2026, Las Cruces Police Department officers responded to a reported shooting at St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church ... Officers found five bullet holes in the church’s front glass entrance and recovered five .380 caliber shell casings. Surveillance footage showed a black sedan arriving at the church, after which a man exited the driver’s side and fired multiple rounds at the entrance before leaving the scene.
Follow Christ and do not fear lifelong commitments, Pope tells young people in Assisi
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Assisi this morning for a brief pastoral visit with participants in the Go! Franciscan Youth Meeting. In his first public meeting there (video), he challenged young people...Military leader tells bishops there is religious freedom in Myanmar
Myanmar’s president told a delegation of bishops today that “all religions are allowed to practice freely in Myanmar and there is no discrimination based on religion,” according to a report from Myanmar-based Eleven Media.President Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in a 2021 coup d’état, made his comments amid what the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom describes as “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
Last month, the military regime bombed the village where Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B., of Yangon was born. Eleven Media, which operates amid severe press restrictions, reported:
Cardinal Charles Bo, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar, expressed his joy and pride at the opportunity to meet with the President and his recognition of his efforts to fulfill his duties as a state despite the challenges.
He also expressed his gratitude for the land provided for the construction of a Catholic church in Naypyidaw and wished the President and all the people of Myanmar peace and prosperity.
Priest brutally murdered in Nigeria
A priest was brutally murdered in Ajaokuta, in Nigeria’s Kogi State.The body of Father Samuel Opeyemi Oyetoro was found by the side of a road with “severe machete cuts to the head,” a police spokesman said.
Cardinal Parolin renews call for peace, dialogue
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, renewed his call for peace and dialogue amid continued fighting in the Iran war and in Ukraine.Cardinal Parolin also criticized the construction of a barrier in Gaza and appealed for calm in Bologna following the death of a Moroccan man under police restraint.
Cardinal Parolin made his remarks on July 22 at the Italian Embassy to the Holy See, where he was speaking at the presentation of Antonio Preziosi’s book Easter of Peace: From John XXIII to Leo XIV Towards the Jubilee of 2033.
