The Church of St. Luke

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on March 31 that Colorado could not forbid therapists from helping young clients with unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria.

Christian leaders and Catholic clergy in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation are urging Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to add Easter Sunday to the government holiday calendar.

UEFA told EWTN News its fine on a Serbian soccer club was for offensive language, not a massive Orthodox Christian display — contradicting widespread reports the sanction targeted religious imagery.

WASHINGTON - “During this holiest of weeks, let us continue to pray ardently for mutually respectful and effective dialogue that leads to a cease-fire and a negotiated end to the conflict with Iran,” said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. On Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week when Christians commemorate Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection, Pope Leo XIV said, “Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering.”

Archbishop Coakley expressed support for the Administration’s indication that war with Iran may end soon, and emphasized the renewed call made by the Holy Father for peace, saying:

“The longer the conflict with Iran continues, including the risk of deploying ground troops to the region, the greater the risk of a dramatic escalation risking an ever-greater regional conflict. I welcome the Administration’s indications that the war with Iran may soon be coming to an end. And I join our Holy Father’s urgent calls for the Administration and all parties involved to take decisive action toward an immediate ceasefire, and for effective dialogue to resolve this dangerous impasse.

“Pope Leo XIV made clear: ‘Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war.’  

“Emboldened by Easter’s powerful, transformative grace, I urge the faithful to continue praying ardently for mutual respectful and effective dialogue, and that we Christians be true to our vocation as peacemakers, the ‘light of the world’ and the ‘salt of the earth’ (Matthew 5:13-14).”

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WASHINGTON – “The abortion pill represents an isolating and harmful response to women in need,” said Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities. On Wednesday, Bishop Thomas wrote a letter to Congress in support of the “Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act,” which was recently introduced by Senator Josh Hawley and Representative Diana Harshbarger. The bill (S.4066/H.R.7902) would withdraw the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone for abortions.

In his letter, Bishop Thomas stated that the bill would likely save lives by curtailing the incidence of chemical abortion itself as well as its associated risks to the mothers. He emphasized the bishops’ opposition to the chemical abortion drug not only for its purpose of terminating life, but that the abortion pill represents an isolating and harmful response to women in need.

Read Bishop Thomas’ letter here.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Laypeople are not passive members but active participants in the Church's mission, called to live and spread the Gospel in everyday life, Pope Leo XIV said.

Continuing his series on the documents of the Second Vatican Council during his weekly general audience, the pope emphasized that all the baptized, not just the clergy, are missionary disciples of Christ.

"For this reason, lay men and women are particularly called to carry Christ’s presence to all  spheres of life and so transform them from within by bearing witness to the beauty of a life in Christ and the elevating power of his grace," he said April 1 in his address to English-speakers. 

Pope Leo delved into the Dogmatic Constitution "Lumen Gentium," saying that Vatican II shed light on the dignity of laypeople, after centuries of being defined as "simply as those who are not part of the clergy or the consecrated life."

"Before any distinction of ministry or state of life, the council affirms the equality of all the baptized," the pope said.

He said the People of God is not a “formless mass,” but the body of Christ, uniting clergy and laity. By being baptized, the laypeople "participate in the very priesthood of Christ," he said.

The pope also referenced St. John Paul II and Pope Francis, highlighting their emphasis on the active role of laypeople in the Church’s mission.

He went on to say that the responsibility of laypeople is not confined to the Church, but rather includes the whole world. He said the world must be permeated by the spirit of Christ — something made possible through the “contribution, service and witness” of laypeople.

"Indeed, the Church is present wherever her children profess and bear witness to the Gospel: in the workplace, in civil society and in all human relationships, wherever they, through their choices, show the beauty of Christian life, which foretells here and now the justice and peace that will be accomplished in the Kingdom of God," he said. 

In his address to Arabic-speakers, the pope continued his calls for prayers for innocent victims of war, following weeks of condemning the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. 

An advocate said “simply having euthanasia offered already kills a person, because it deflates and defeats a person’s sense of self-worth, self-esteem, and of value.”

An advocate said “simply having euthanasia offered already kills a person, because it deflates and defeats a person’s sense of self-worth, self-esteem, and of value.”

After an assault on Syria’s town of Al-Suqaylabiyah, questions linger over security and accountability, causing Syria’s Christian communities to change Holy Week and Easter services.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said the agency will issue Title X grant notices for 2027 “matched with agency priorities.”