Mois : juin 2026

During a June 26 Mass just blocks north of the U.S.-Mexico border with Spanish-language hymns and prayers in English, Bishop James Misko of Tucson, the main celebrant, called on Catholics to honor the dignity of immigrants. 

Seven bishops, dozens of priests and seminarians, women religious and laypeople from both countries gathered in the late afternoon at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Nogales for Border Mass 250, an event organized to recognize immigrants’ contributions to the development of the U.S. since its 1776 founding. Afterward, scores of faithful led by a banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe prayed the rosary as they crossed the border into Nogales, Mexico.

The gathering came one day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can end a program temporarily protecting hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants who are in the U.S. from being deported. Later that day, the court said the U.S. government can restrict the processing of asylum claims at the border.

The contentious high court rulings followed months of the American government’s mass deportation campaign when Nogales served as a major deportation point and Catholic-run nonprofits have been caring for immigrants suddenly expelled from the U.S.

« We’re here as shepherds and as pastors to walk with people, to listen to people, and to walk together with the people of God here at the border, » said Misko, prior to the Mass, noting that to call oneself Christian means to be like Christ.

Archbishop John Wester drove from Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Bishop Mark Seitz traveled from El Paso, Texas, for the extraordinary gathering at the large Spanish-style church with a red tile roof and tall bell tower. Also participating were Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix, Bishop Enrique Sánchez Martínez of Mexicali, Mexico, and Bishop José Luis Cerra Luna of Nogales, Mexico, along with retired Tucson Bishop Gerald Kicanas. 

Some participants traveled even farther to attend, such as Dominican Fr. Brendan Curran of Chicago, who represented the International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace and the pro-immigrant community nonprofit The Resurrection Project.

« We are walking for the migrants, sharing the values and the plight of dignity that both sides suffer from, »  Curran said.

Before the Mass and procession, organized by the Center for Migration Studies, the Kino Border Initiative, Hope Border Institute and the Dioceses of Phoenix and Tucson, the bishops noted the significant contributions immigrants have made to the U.S. economy and called on the U.S. Congress for comprehensive immigration reform.

« Immigrants have given our country so much for the past 250 years, » said Wester. « It is time for us to give them justice, namely in the form of immigration reform which gives them a chance to become Americans and continue to make our country great. »

Misko said that « human dignity is at the very foundation of migration. People are migrating not because they want to leave their countries, but because they need to leave their countries to survive. »

The 56-year-old Misko is well positioned to continue the tradition of migrant support by Catholic bishops in southern Arizona. 

Appointed late last year by Pope Leo XIV, Misko was consecrated and installed on Feb. 20 at St. Augustine Cathedral in Tucson. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Texas, he is a fluent Spanish speaker who worked in restaurants before entering the seminary at age 30. At the time of his appointment, he was vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Austin.

After crossing through the metal border gates into Mexico, those who participated in the Mass paused to pray before traveling to the Kino Border Initiative’s migrant shelter, where they were welcomed for dinner and conversation by executive director Joanna Williams.

Williams said that as a binational organization that cares for migrants on the southern side of the border, « we are in some ways the glue that held the different pieces of the afternoon and evening together. »

« It’s very appropriate that we close the day here within our shelter, » said Williams, « where we welcome the people who were at the Mass and in the rosary procession, as well as the many migrants we accompany in Nogales, Sonora, who weren’t able to make it to Mass. »

An important intellectual struggle among moral theologians, usually conducted behind closed doors or in the pages of journals few read, broke into public view in the past week. The struggle centers on these questions: How does the Catholic Church do moral theology? What is the relationship between foundational moral theology and pastoral theology? What is the role of experience and encounter in shaping our theology? These are the questions at the heart of both the criticisms and the defenses of Pope Francis’ magisterium and, now, that of Pope Leo XIV.

The theological kerfuffle began with an interview with Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia at the Italian news site Settimana, in which the archbishop explained the reforms he enacted during his tenure at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. Paglia criticized his predecessors of performing « armchair theology. »  This was reported in English at the Catholic World Report. That news story provoked a long tweet by Bishop Robert Barron on X.

Barron characterized Paglia’s approach in stark terms. « Instead of absolute moral norms grounded in a keen understanding of the basic goods, he and his colleagues were proposing a moral theory rooted in historical discernment of subjective and cultural experience — not an ‘armchair theology’ but one operating within history and within people’s lives,’  » Barron wrote. « This, of course, is the language of trendy postmodernism, and it is dangerous indeed. » He added, « What any truly coherent moral program requires is the very thing that Archbishop Paglia and his colleagues were endeavoring to eliminate, namely, absolute moral norms. »

Both prelates are engaging in a bad habit of caricaturing their opponent’s position, which is not how Christians should debate one another. Paglia was wrong to criticize the John Paul II Institute’s work before his tenure as « armchair theology. » Two of the most profoundly humane, pastoral theologians I have ever known taught at the John Paul II Institute before Paglia’s reforms. Barron was wrong to accuse Paglia of relativism.

Paglia argued that we need to attend to the realities of people’s lives, how different moral norms are sometimes experienced as in conflict with one another in people’s lived reality, and that attending to how we apply those norms in different cultural contexts is not only pastorally important but, also, sheds new light on the moral truths from which norms are drawn.

This is not relativism in the « trendy postmodernist » sense. It is more akin to the practice of casuistry, only with a feedback loop. Casuistry sought to apply moral norms to real life circumstances, taking account of mitigating factors for example, but it was a one-way street: The priest applied the rule. The experience of application may have given the priest additional wisdom as a pastor, but it did not affect the moral theology textbooks. Pastoral theology in the style of Francis, Paglia and others also applies moral norms to people’s lives, but in a pastoral context which is more relational and, critically, then asks how the circumstances of people’s lives inform our understanding of the moral norms.

Passionist Fr. Enzo del Bracco, the president of the Chicago Theological Union, defended Paglia’s approach at his substack. In fact, del Bracco did a better job explaining Paglia’s approach than Paglia did himself.

Del Bracco argues that it is not the moral norms that are relativized by an emphasis on personal encounter, but our own limited perspectives. « Christian theology has often been renewed not in lecture halls but through encounters with people whose suffering exposes the limits of accepted assumptions, » he writes.

Noting Paglia’s long association with the Sant’Egidio community, with its emphasis on prayer, friendship and service, del Bracco writes, « This perspective helps explain why Paglia has consistently emphasized history, discernment, and the concrete circumstances in which people live. Such emphasis is sometimes interpreted as a departure from objective moral truth. A more accurate reading is that it reflects a conviction that moral theology must remain attentive to the complexity of human lives if it is to illuminate them. » Or, as Pope Francis used to say, « realities are greater than ideas. »

Barron invoked the example of slavery to make his indictment. « Is slavery wrong? Intrinsically wrong? » he asks. (emphasis in original) « Wrong no matter what public opinion polls say about it, no matter what the current consensus on it might be? I imagine any decent person would say yes. But that yes is predicated upon precisely what the tradition calls the natural law and the basic goods. There are some values so fundamental that acts repugnant to them are by their very nature wicked. »

Del Bracco takes up the same example. « What exposed the injustice of slavery was not simply the discovery of a better argument. It was also the witness of those who encountered its victims and refused to look away, » he rightly notes, citing St. Peter Claver, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman and William Wilberforce as people who insisted humanity not look away from the suffering of enslaved people.

N.B. A friend was being interviewed for admission to Harvard. He was asked, « What is the most consequential book published in English? There is one right answer. » My friend did not come up with the answer, though he did get into Harvard. The answer: Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe which, more than any other writing, helped America’s conscience confront the evil of slavery in its midst.

For del Bracco, encounters with the enormity of evil did not replace moral truth. « Encounter exposed blind spots that had become invisible within accepted moral frameworks, » he writes. « Reality did not abolish moral principles; it purified our understanding of them. »

If Barron would stop caricaturing his opponents’ positions, he might recognize a powerful argument for the pastoral efficacy of clear moral norms. In our time, many young people feel overwhelmed by our chaotic culture. As the late Duchess of Kent said in explaining her conversion to Catholicism, « I like to know what’s expected of me. I like being told: You shall go to church on Sunday and if you don’t, you’re in for it! » Many of these young converts, and reverts, are like the duchess, and they look to Catholicism precisely in search of firm moral norms. The church must accompany them also.

Here are my wishes. I wish the Barron camp would admit that we all live in history and that our understanding of moral norms is affected by the times in which we live. I wish the Paglia camp would recognize that in this culture of coercive affirmation, experience can be used to distort our moral tradition, not to apply it. And I wish everyone, including me, get better at putting others Christians’ arguments in the best light, not the worst.

The left-wing Spanish government and the country’s Catholic Church recently signed a historic agreement to compensate victims of sexual abuse committed by members of the clergy.

The arrangement concerns time-barred cases or cases where the perpetrator is deceased and comes after years of reluctance and a lack of transparency from the church hierarchy.

« This was a very difficult deal to reach, » said Juan Cuatrecasas, from the Associació Infància Robada (Stolen Childhood Association), an organization that helps victims of sexual abuse. « The church is an institution that has spent decades covering up pedophiles and even sheltering them within its ranks. It is thanks to pressure from the Vatican and the Spanish government that this agreement was reached. »

Spanish victims of sexual abuse will be able to request compensation directly through an administrative mechanism, without going through the courts. The Catholic Church has committed to contributing financially to this compensation, while the Spanish government will oversee the process to ensure fairness.

« The damage is irreparable, but we can do everything we can to alleviate the immense suffering endured, » said Fernando García Salmones, who was sexually abused by a religious education teacher and spiritual adviser. Salmones was only 14 years old and was going to the Claretian Missionaries of Madrid. 

« He abused me for a year. He raped me. He made me feel guilty and forced me to come back every day under the threat of telling my parents everything. I endured it all and felt guilty. He kept telling me: ‘Look what you’re making me do!’ [and] to shift the blame onto the child. At 14, you don’t understand that it isn’t your fault. »

Many victims come forward

« This is a positive agreement because it stems from the demands made by victims’ associations, » said Ciro Molina, a victim of sexual abuse made by a parish priest in his town in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. 

Molina — only 9 years old at the time — said, « We focus a lot on compensation or financial reparation, but I believe this goes far beyond that; it will allow many victims to feel believed for the first time in their lives. »  

Molina said that when he reported these abuses, he was subsequently harassed. 

« I was a victim of what I call psychological intimidation: threatening phone calls to my home and ostracism from my friends at church, » said Molina, 37. « This entire process of revictimization that occurs after reporting abuse is extremely painful. » Since then, post-traumatic stress has never left him. « I’ve had suicidal thoughts, constant self-loathing, and above all, now, a lot of anxiety. »

In a report published in 2023, the Spanish Ombudsman estimated that since 1940, more than 200,000 minors may have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy. The figure would rise to 400,000 if abuse committed by laypeople in religious settings were included. For its part, the church commissioned an audit by a law firm that identified at least 2,056 victims.

« The church’s strategy has always been to buy time, to let perpetrators and their accomplices die, and to let victims, like us, suffer mental exhaustion until we give up, drained both physically and psychologically, » Molina said. « It’s extremely painful because not only are you not helped or supported, but you’re also blamed, pointed at, and condemned to oblivion simply for denouncing a priest who abused children. »

A pioneering agreement?

The arrangement marks an attempt to confront a systemic pattern of abuse and institutional silence that has persisted for decades. 

« A deal between three parties — the Ministry of Justice, the ombudsman and the church — is, I believe, unprecedented; it has never happened before,” said Cuatrecasas, adding that more than 300 applications have already been filed in just a few weeks since the agreement was signed.

Compensation will be assessed on a case-by-case basis through a procedure involving the government, the church and the Spanish Ombudsman. At the end of this consultation process, the state will make the final decision. Despite its historic scope, critics argue that the agreement leaves key questions unanswered, particularly regarding transparency and institutional accountability. 

« The ombudsman should establish specific scales for cases of child sexual abuse in all areas of society, » Cuatrecasas said. « It would also be desirable for an institution that, for decades — and this as an objective and proven fact — has covered up such crimes. »

Even if the agreement is welcomed as a first step in the right direction, much work remains to be done, according to some victims.  

« Moral redress should also be considered, » Molina explained. « This could take the form of a public apology, sanctions against these priests, and access to documents and archives that are not publicly accessible. »

Salmones is calling for major changes within the church, arguing that accountability must go beyond financial compensation.

« Abusers must go to prison, there should be a reevaluation of celibacy in the church, and education should no longer be the responsibility of the church, » he said. « I’m fighting to ensure that this never happens to anyone again. »

« Oh, humility, humility! … Whenever I hear people making so much of their times of aridity, I cannot help thinking that they are somewhat lacking in it, » wrote St. Teresa of Avila in her epic work about the soul’s journey toward God, The Interior Castle. What would the 16th century doctor of the church have made of an entire book devoted to a modern writer’s midlife spiritual dryness?

In What Grows in Weary Lands: On Christian Resilience, Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest and former New York Times writer, documents her first encounter with what Teresa and other monastics taught about spiritual desolation. In a lively blend of memoir, reporting, social commentary, hagiography and apologetics, Warren attempts to translate monkish habits for Christians navigating such a challenge in today’s comfort-seeking, digitally distracted age. 

As a Catholic Benedictine oblate familiar with the wisdom Warren hopes to reintroduce, I found her effort only partially successful. Catholics may appreciate her encouragement, but her guidance often feels thin, sometimes impractical for diverse life stages and economic realities, and ultimately limited by its distance from core practices that assure Christian endurance: seeking sacramental grace, surrendering to God’s will through sacrifice, and cultivating virtue.

Warren describes how, even amid professional and personal success, she was overtaken by a spiritual malaise she could neither explain nor shake. Like millions of Americans, she was exhausted, she recounts, and God seemed distant. « I would sit to pray, but it felt as though the line had gone dead, » she writes. « I did not feel a sense of God’s nearness. I didn’t feel much of anything at all. » Faced with the choice to numb out, flame out or go deep, she chose depth, opting to foster what early Christians called fortitude and what she calls « resilience. »

For readers unfamiliar with monastic teachings, Warren offers accessible reinterpretation of saintly insights, attitudes and customs that seem countercultural but are in fact timeless. In times of sacred stagnation, the author urges believers to « stay in their cells » as desert hermits did; today resisting impulsive job changes, church-hopping or abandoning difficult relationships simply because stability becomes uncomfortable. She encourages the continuation of prayer and communal worship even when they bring little personal satisfaction. She warns against self-deception, distinguishes Christian hope from optimism and addresses the need for repentance. 

Drawing on examples from her own life and those of saints — including desert hermits, Sts. Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, Benedict and Thérèse of Lisieux — she offers examples and models of perseverance. She echoes the desert father who advised letting « the silt settle » in a glass of muddy water, a metaphor for escaping the world’s noise so as to hear God’s voice. 

« A contemplative life is simply one that seeks to remain open to the constant presence of God, » Warren writes. « What fuels resilience — what will keep us going when life gets hard and tiring — isn’t willpower or guilt. It is neither self-empowerment nor self-flagellation. It is learning to practice silence and solitude. »

While well-researched and readable, the book at best offers only an introduction to what St. John of the Cross dubbed the « dark night of the soul. » Readers, especially Catholics, hoping to mature past such plateaus may finish each chapter still asking, « But how, exactly? »

The saints that Warren cites offer concrete remedies, but these are not probed in the book, perhaps because they are unpalatable to modern sensibilities. Detachment, for instance, is a virtue core to Teresa’s method of prayer, but is represented only by the cliché advice of fasting from social media. Application of Dorothy Day’s « duty of delight » is reduced to splurging with a cupcake. The monastic practice of memento mori — remembering life’s transience as a path toward God even in this life — is reframed as fostering a « sense of futility » rather than orienting toward eternal love and truth.

But the most striking omission from Warren’s suggestions are those needed to grow a virtue every saint considered essential: humility. 

Absent is Teresa’s belief that faith grows deeper only if virtues of detachment, love of neighbor and humility are actively cultivated. Missing from Warren’s introduction to St. Benedict’s rule of life, which has guided monastics as well as lay believers since the sixth century, are the 12 concrete steps of humility, such as restraint from impulsive speaking and performing menial tasks without complaint. Thérèse of Lisieux’s « little way » of ego death, today often dismissed as pusillanimous, is glossed over, lacking context about her standards of humility: Christ and the Virgin Mary. 

Warren’s lone recommendation for growing in this virtue is her denomination’s liturgical communal penance practice. Catholics familiar with the sobering yet liberating grace offered by individual sacramental confession — an unflinching examination of conscience followed by naming one’s failings aloud to another human in persona Christi — might find such a solution insufficient.

Based on experience with a yearslong dark night, including many months when she did not pray at all, Teresa taught believers to expect and accept both consolations and desolations as equally likely, and equal gifts. She warned that too much emphasis on dryness indicated a lack of spiritual freedom and courage, qualities she felt necessary in order to carry the cross alongside Christ. 

Warren concludes that « one of the gifts of aridity is that, in desolation, our naïve, unexamined ideas about God, and about what God’s love ought to look like are dashed against the rocks of reality so that a truer, more enduring trust might be built from the wreckage. » On this, the author and the saints she quotes wholeheartedly agree.

Weary Lands is an admirable book, planting seeds of Catholic monastic wisdom for dry seasons. Yet those cultivating a fertile, lifelong relationship with the divine will find a richer wellspring at the source: writings by the saints themselves.

« I would not want any other prayer than that which makes the virtues grow in me, » Teresa once wrote. « If it should be accompanied by great temptations, dryness, and trials leaving me with greater humility, I would consider it good prayer. »

As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, Catholic leaders in Ohio and Florida have issued separate appeals calling for continued protection for Haitian migrants living legally in the country under temporary protected status (TPS). While framed in different contexts, both statements argue that ending protections for Haitians would carry serious humanitarian, social and economic consequences.

The statement from the Catholic bishops of Ohio, titled « America at 250: Freedom and the Common Good, » links the immigration debate to broader reflections on the nation’s founding principles. The bishops described the anniversary as an opportunity to consider « the promises of « life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and to worship God free from government intervention. » contained in the country’s founding documents. They argued that these principles impose responsibilities as well as confer rights, particularly toward vulnerable people seeking safety and stability. 

Against that backdrop, the bishops expressed particular concern for Haitians living in Ohio and elsewhere in the U.S. whose legal status may be affected by changes to TPS policies. They noted that many parts of Haiti continue to experience  violence and instability, making return potentially dangerous.

« We find no moral justification for terminating their Temporary Protected Status without an alternative way to adjust their immigration status, » the bishops wrote. Citing conditions in Haiti and accounts from multiple sources, they said that « it is neither safe to return, nor reasonable to expect families not to desperately search for another option. »

The bishops described Haitian families in Ohio as active members of local communities who work, raise families and participate in religious life. They warned that many now face uncertainty while awaiting legal and political decisions that could determine their future in the United States.

According to the statement, parents could be confronted with painful choices about whether to remain separated from their children or bring them back to an uncertain situation in Haiti. The bishops characterize the prospect as « a moral and social failure unfolding before our eyes. »

At the same time, they reject claims that migrants and refugees do not contribute to society, pointing instead to the experiences of Catholic parishes and communities throughout Ohio.

« Claims that those seeking refuge in our country do not want to contribute to the common good are simply unfounded in regard to those attending our parishes or in the success stories of refugees in Ohio, » they said. « We must do our best to ensure both citizens and newcomers can flourish in our communities. »

The bishops also addressed broader immigration policy, emphasizing that support for migrants does not conflict with border security or law enforcement. They affirmed what they describe as the nation’s right and responsibility to regulate immigration and maintain public order. Individuals who commit violent crimes, they said, should not expect to remain in the country, and known criminals should not be admitted.

However, they argued that the current immigration system is excessively complicated and often fails to provide timely or predictable outcomes. In their view, the lack of clear pathways and due process leaves many people trapped in uncertainty despite efforts to comply with the law.

« A confident nation, » they wrote, « should seek to integrate those who strive to work and raise their families in peace. »

A similar message appeared in a note published by Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, whose archdiocese serves one of the largest Haitian communities in the U.S. Writing after the House of Representatives approved legislation that would extend TPS protections for Haitians by three years, Wenski urged the Senate to pass the measure.

The archbishop described Haiti as a nation facing persistent crises more than a decade after the devastating 2010 earthquake. He pointed to widespread gang violence, kidnappings, disease outbreaks, food insecurity and the weakness of public institutions as evidence that the country remains unsafe for large-scale returns.

Wenski said that TPS would soon end because the administration had determined « inexplicably » that conditions have improved sufficiently for Haitians to be sent home.

Wenski argued that forcing Haitians to return under current circumstances would be « an act of abject cruelty. »

« To do so would only exacerbate Haiti’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, » he said.

Like the Ohio bishops, Wenski emphasized the contributions Haitian migrants make to American society. TPS holders, he argued, have become established members of communities across the country and are active participants in the workforce.

« Haitians in this country are not ‘on the dole’; they are not ‘public charges.’ They are hard workers filling jobs that, were it not for them, would go unfilled. The sudden expulsion of Haitian TPS holders would have devastating consequences for our nation’s economy, » he wrote.

The archbishop pointed particularly to healthcare facilities, including nursing homes, where Haitian workers play an important role. He also referenced communities such as Springfield, Ohio, where Haitian migrants became the subject of false allegations during the 2024 presidential campaign. According to Wenski, local business leaders and elected officials from both parties have acknowledged that losing Haitian workers would harm local economies.

To follow the World Cup is to be exposed not only to a relentless stream of high-stakes soccer, but also to a surplus of narratives. What happens on the pitch is enthralling, but what these games mean for the individual players, and the countries they represent, is where we find the real magic.

The stories that get the most headlines usually involve the brightest stars: Lionel Messi, perhaps the greatest soccer player of all time and now pushing 40 years old, scoring five times across his first two matches to set the record for most World Cup goals in history; or the best young player in the world, Spain’s 18-year-old phenom Lamine Yamal, becoming one of the youngest players to ever score in a World Cup. 

But the most impressive thing about the tournament so far has been smaller countries holding their own against the giants of the sport. First time participant Curaçao lost their opening game 7-1 to Germany — the expected result when a country of less than 200,000 takes on the four-time winner of the World Cup — but in their second match, Curaçao’s goalie made a record-breaking 15 saves to tie a quality Ecuador team. Their fans were so proud you would have thought the team had won the finals.

Another tiny first-time participant is Cape Verde (population 530,000), who held titan Spain to a 0-0 draw in their opening match — and then scored twice against Uruguay en route to another draw. They now have a very good chance of advancing to the knockout rounds, which no one could have foreseen when the tournament began.

Perhaps most captivating of all, though, is the team in the unenviable position of representing a country at war with one of the host countries. Some of Iran’s support staff, including the head of the Iranian football federation, were denied visas to enter the United States. But even the players and staff who were granted visas are facing uniquely challenging travel situations. 

Iran was originally scheduled to have their home base for the tournament in Arizona, but they were forced to relocate it to Tijuana, Mexico. The change may sound minor, but it is not. Most teams have their base in the host country where they play the majority of their games, traveling to a given match location for a few days before returning to their home base. 

But despite the fact that Iran plays all of their games in the U.S., they’ve only been allowed into the country 24 hours before each match and are required to leave the country almost immediately after playing. Iran has declared their intent to lodge a formal complaint, but the off-the-pitch adversity has not seemed to affect their performance.

Despite six prior World Cup appearances, Iran has never advanced out of the preliminary group stage. But in this their seventh attempt, they might just fare better. (If nothing else, goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand may be remembered as having the save of the tournament against Belgium.) With two draws thus far, if Iran can win their final game versus Egypt on June 26, they will make it to the knockout round for the first time in history. It’s even possible they might advance with only another tie.

After playing against Belgium in Los Angeles, the Iranian team left a message in their locker room, which read, in part: 

We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honor, and leave with dignity. Thank you, Los Angeles, for your hospitality. And thank you to every Iranian who gave their heart, voice, and soul for Iran throughout these 180 minutes. May peace, respect, and friendship prevail among all nations.

There is so much soccer left to be played, but this is the greatest hope of the World Cup — that it will bring people and countries together so that « peace, respect and friendship prevail. »

The University of Notre Dame has selected theologian Joseph Capizzi to become the next leader of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, a center that serves as a bridge between academic theology and the day-to-day ministry of Catholic communities.

Capizzi, currently dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, will assume the role of McGrath-Cavadini Director on July 1. He succeeds John Cavadini, who has led the institute for 25 years and will return to full-time teaching and research in Notre Dame’s Department of Theology.

Following a nationwide search, Capizzi will take charge of an institute that collaborates with Catholic leaders and communities across the country, developing programs and resources that draw on theological scholarship to support ministry and faith formation.

For Capizzi, the new role comes at a moment he said he sees as marked by both challenges and opportunities for the Catholic Church, particularly in the U.S.

« I think recently we’ve seen a lot of unity coming out of the American Catholic bishops, so if you’re just thinking in terms of the American Catholic Church, I see this as a great source of hope moving forward that the church seems to be speaking with one voice, » he said in an interview with the National Catholic Reporter. 

Capizzi said the institute’s role will continue to involve fostering thoughtful engagement and dialogue.

« The institute has an important role to play in assisting people by bringing them together thoughtfully with great civility, openness to conversation with people of goodwill, and that’s what the institute’s done in the past, and I look forward to being a part of that, » he said.

Capizzi arrives at Notre Dame after a long career at the Catholic University of America, where he has taught since the late 1990s. He was named dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies in 2023 and previously led the university’s Institute for Human Ecology, an organization that brings together scholars from different disciplines to address contemporary social issues.

Throughout his academic career, Capizzi has written extensively on the relationship between faith and public life, exploring topics including ethics, political responsibility, conflict and human flourishing. In addition to publishing books and scholarly articles, he is currently researching Catholic understandings of property and ownership.

The appointment also marks a return to Notre Dame for Capizzi, who completed graduate studies there and earned a doctorate in theology as a John A. O’Brien Fellow.

Capizzi said he believes Catholic universities and church institutions share a responsibility to address a growing search for meaning among younger generations.

« I think part of what we’re seeing is a combination of factors, especially among young people, » he said. « One is greater ignorance of the lived tradition of the church, combined with a deep desire for meaning. »

Capizzi said many young adults are looking for a sense of purpose that extends beyond professional success or material achievement.

« The young people I’ve encountered, both in my little time at Notre Dame, when I’ve gone out there, they want meaning, they want a sense that the things that they are doing in the world matter beyond simply earning a paycheck or trying to find a way to own a house and cars, » he said.

« They want a sense of engaging the world at its heart, where it matters to other human beings, and even to all of creation. »

He said that this search for purpose, combined with limited familiarity with the church’s intellectual and spiritual traditions, could create new opportunities for religious renewal.

« Those two things, a kind of sense that they’re lacking something in their experience with the church, and then also the desire to live meaningful lives, are setting the stage for a rebirth of faith, a rebirth of an intellectual faith, in particular one that can make sense of the world that we all inhabit together, » he said.

Capizzi said he hopes the institute will remain a place where academic expertise and pastoral experience can meet, encouraging collaboration among educators, church leaders and Catholic communities facing new questions and challenges.

His appointment comes during the first year of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, a development that Capizzi believes presents a unique opportunity for Catholic institutions in the United States. Capizzi said he believes that one of the central themes emerging from Leo’s early teachings is a renewed emphasis on the dignity of the human person, particularly in a period of rapid technological transformation.

« It’s time right now to reaffirm the human being as a creature of a loving God, » he said. « What better time to do that in a moment where technology is giving us an opportunity to articulate what the human is? »