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U.S.
U.S. military disavows soldier training class claiming pro-life groups are terrorist actors
FORT LIBERTY, N.C. — The public affairs office at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Liberty in North Carolina moved to quell a controversy after a routine training class showed slides that identified Operation Rescue and National Right to Life as potential examples of terrorist groups. The garrison’s public affairs office said the slides had not been vetted by base personnel before they were shown. “After conducting a commander’s inquiry, we determined that these slides were not vetted by the appropriate approval authorities, and do not reflect the views of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Liberty, the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense,” the garrison’s July 11 statement said, adding that “these slides will no longer be used.” Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, said the organization “has never been labeled a terrorist group by any law enforcement agency,” and it has “consistently” condemned violence “against anyone.” Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said pro-life organizations “have absolutely nothing to do” with the training of soldiers who guard the base entrance gates. (OSV News)
St. Mary Magdalene relic stolen from namesake Salt Lake City cathedral
SALT LAKE CITY — A relic of St. Mary Magdalene was stolen from the Cathedral of the Madeleine on the morning of July 10. The theft was discovered about 7 a.m. when one of the cathedral staff found the broken reliquary on the floor beneath the crucifix. According to Father Martin Diaz, rector of the cathedral, this appears to be an act of theft, not of vandalism. The Diocese of Salt Lake City is working with the Salt Lake Police Department to recover the relic. A reward of $1,000 is being offered for the return of the relic, or for information leading to its return. According to a July 12 press release from the cathedral posted on the diocese’s Facebook page, the relic was brought to Salt Lake City in 1918 by Bishop Joseph S. Glass. It is annually displayed as an invitation to prayer on Easter Sunday and July 22, the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene. (OSV News)
WORLD
Pope asks world’s religions to push for ethical AI development
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis called on representatives from the world’s religions to unite behind the defense of human dignity in an age that will be defined by artificial intelligence. “I ask you to show the world that we are united in asking for a proactive commitment to protect human dignity in this new era of machines,” the pope wrote in a message to participants of a conference on AI ethics which hosted representatives from 11 world religions. Religious leaders representing Eastern faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Bahá’í, among others, as well as leaders of the three Abrahamic religions gathered in Hiroshima, Japan, for the conference, titled “AI Ethics for Peace.” They also signed the Rome Call for AI Ethics — a document developed by the Pontifical Academy for Life which asks signatories to promote an ethical approach to AI development. “As we look at the complexity of the issues before us, recognizing the contribution of the cultural riches of peoples and religions in the regulation of artificial intelligence is key to the success of your commitment to the wise management of technological innovation,” Pope Francis wrote. (CNS)
Rouen Cathedral reopens after minor spire fire; blaze is quickly brought under control
PARIS — The capital of France’s Normandy region held its breath on July 11 as reports and social media pictures spread that the Rouen Cathedral’s spire was on fire, causing the building to be evacuated. Around 70 firefighters brought the blaze under control in less than two hours, much to everyone’s relief. “In the end, there was more fear than harm,” Archbishop Dominique Lebrun of Rouen said on July 12. “Today, the cathedral is reopened,” he said. Rouen Cathedral is the tallest church in France. It was in Rouen that St. Joan of Arc was burned alive in 1431, during the Hundred Years’ War between France and England. As in Paris, the Seine River flows through the city. “The fire started inside the spire, right at the edge,” Archbishop Lebrun said. “But in the end it only burned a large plastic casing from the restoration work currently underway. The rest was untouched.” The origin of the fire, thought to be accidental, is not yet known. The spire of the cathedral, unlike Notre Dame’s in Paris, is made of cast iron, so the fire did not spread, but four construction site workers were injured by smoke inhalation and were psychologically shocked. (OSV News)
Nicaraguan government removes Radio María from airwaves
MANAGUA, Nicaragua — The Nicaraguan government closed the country’s most prominent Catholic radio station as the Sandinista regime continues to persecute the Church and increasingly infringe on citizens’ religious freedom and the ability to worship. On July 9, Nicaragua’s interior ministry extinguished the legal status of Radio María, which broadcast Catholic content throughout the Central American country. It served as an important medium for Catholics lacking celebrations of the Eucharist after their priests fled the country to avoid persecution or were forced into exile. The interior ministry claimed Radio María failed to deliver financial reports between 2019 and 2023 and alleged its board’s term expired in 2021. Eleven other nongovernmental organizations also had their legal status revoked the same day. Radio María Nicaragua had operated in Nicaragua since 2000 and belonged to the World Family of Radio María founded by the Archdiocese of Milan. More than 3,000 nonprofit organizations in Nicaragua have had their legal status stripped in recent years, including the Missionaries of Charity for supposed irregularities and having too many foreigners on its board of trustees. (OSV News)
Torrential rains flood parts of South Asia
MYITKYINA, Myanmar — More than 240 people were killed and millions displaced across South Asia as the intense monsoon season wreaked havoc in the region with torrential rains and severe floods, damaging buildings, infrastructure and crops. According to The New York Times, more than 100 people were killed in India alone, more than 100 people died in Nepal and nearly 40 died in Afghanistan in recent weeks as of July 17. Prolonged and torrential rain caused the huge Irrawaddy River to break its banks, spilling water into communities in low-lying areas of Myitkyina. Approximately 2,300 families or 11,000 individuals had to be evacuated to 36 evacuation centers, according to ReliefWeb. While the Irrawaddy has overflowed in peak monsoon seasons in the past, the flooding this time “was the worst in living memory,” said Father Eamon Sheridan, an Irish Columban missionary who works at the Rebirth Rehabilitation Center in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state in war-torn northeastern Myanmar. (OSV News)
