The News You May Have Missed: September 2026

Fourth of July in Rome

Brian Burch, U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, offered journalists a personal portrait of Pope Leo XIV after he hosted an informal July 4 dinner for the Holy Father (EWTN News, July 7). The Pope, accompanied only by two Vatican gendarmes, shared a meal with Burch and his family that included American charcuterie, watermelon salad, Chicago-style hotdogs, apple pie, and gelato. Burch and Leo, both from Chicago, discussed the city and the many friends they have in common. The Pope also spoke about the White Sox and about his vocation, including why he chose to become a missionary priest. Burch said he wanted to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States by dining with the first-ever U.S.-born pontiff. Burch said Leo told him he loves the United States and has great affection for the country, but he also wants to be careful not to appear too favorable to it. Burch described the Pope as a serious reader, very bright, and well informed, but a gentleman with a human touch.

Laborers for the Vineyard

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, a society dedicated to the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass, reached a historic milestone this year with 25 ordinations. The figure is striking not merely because it is the highest annual total in the fraternity’s 38-year history but because it equals the total number of diocesan priestly ordinations throughout Germany in 2025. Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami ordained 12 men on May 28 at St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska. Bishop Marc Aillet of Bayonne, France, ordained another 13 on June 20 in Lindenberg, Bavaria. The fraternity now has more than 400 priests. The average age, including seminarians and deacons, is 39 years old — an unusually youthful demographic profile compared to other Western ecclesiastical institutions. Priestly vocations have been declining across much of Europe and North America for decades, but communities associated with traditional liturgy and classical spirituality have demonstrated greater stability and, in some cases, sustained growth (Zenit News, June 22).

The Power to Bind & Loose

Federal immigration officers in Texas detained a Catholic nun who was walking to Mass in her religious habit, prompting intervention by members of Congress (National Catholic Register, July 1). U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Sr. Leticia Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a native of Nigeria, as she headed to Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen. Parish officials shared news of her arrest online, prompting action by lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, whose office communicated with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to secure Sr. Ugboaja’s release the next day. Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville said “many questions” remain about her arrest. The “enforcement protocols that make it possible for a religious sister, or anyone, to be detained and handcuffed while peacefully walking to church on a Sunday morning are wildly disturbing and need to be reformed,” he said. Bishops in South Texas have reported increased anxiety among parishioners, some of whom opt to attend Mass virtually. Bishops in other parts of the country have issued dispensations from Mass attendance for those who fear deportation.