WCC news: Patriarch Theophilos III and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa visit Gaza

His Beatitude Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem, made a pastoral and humanitarian visit to the Gaza Strip. Photo: Jerusalem Patriarchate 18 July 2025 The visit closely followed the condition of their faithful, who have been enduring a relentless humanitarian catastrophe for over 21 months. The visitors directly oversaw the relief efforts provided by the churches to support the steadfastness of those in Gaza who have lost their homes, safety, and access to medicine.  This visit comes in the wake of repeated assaults on Christian holy sites in Gaza. They traveled with a delegation joined by diplomatic representatives from more than 20 nations, including Jordan, Russia, China, the European Union, Japan, and Canada. In light of the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III called for an immediate, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire. He urged the international community to assume its ethical and humanitarian responsibilities toward innocent civilians who continue to pay an unbearable price in a merciless war. His Beatitude Theophilos III reaffirmed that the Orthodox Church, compelled by its unshakable faith, remains steadfast in its sacred mission to be present, spiritually and humanely, in times of war. Such presence, he said, is a religious and moral obligation that will not be abandoned.  He declared: “Where suffering abounds, so too must our responsibility. We do not come from afar; we are of this land, of its sorrows, of its people, and of its perseverance.” Patriarch Theophilos III and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa in Gaza: The Church’s Humanitarian Presence Amid Catastrophe Is a Sacred Duty (Jerusalem Patriarchate news release, 18 July 2025) WCC on Holy Family Church in Gaza: “places of worship must never be targets” (WCC news release, 17 July 2025) Photo: Jerusalem Patriarchate See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: From eco-anxiety to hope: Ecumenical International Youth Day 2025

The World Council of Churches (WCC) invites churches and communities around the world to join Ecumenical International Youth Day 2025 under the theme: "Rooted in Hope: Nurturing Faith and Mental Well-being in the Face of Climate Crisis (Eco-Anxiety)." Photo: Simon Chambers/ACT Alliance 18 July 2025 This year’s observance, 12-13 August, is connected to the recently launched WCC Ecumenical Decade for Climate Justice Action and highlights the growing impact of climate change on the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of young people.  Amid floods, fires, and rising global temperatures, many young people are experiencing eco-anxiety - a profound sense of fear and grief about the future of the planet. For Rev. Dr Kuzipa Nalwamba, WCC programme director for Unity, Mission, and Ecumenical Formation, “in a world where the climate crisis fuels fear and uncertainty, we are called, as people of faith, to be rooted not in despair, but in hope,” she said. “Today, young people are turning eco-anxiety into action: reclaiming waste, restoring creation, and refusing to let apathy win. We invite you to join us in tangible acts of hope that we will gather from diverse stories of young people,” added Nalwamba. Faith-rooted response “In a time of deep ecological uncertainty, young people are turning to faith and community not just for answers, but for hope,” said Abigayle Bolado, WCC programme executive for Youth Engagement. “This year’s Youth Day is about lifting up their voices, amplifying their stories, and grounding them in a theology of care for creation.” Ecumenical International Youth Day 2025 aims to recognize eco-anxiety as an urgent issue affecting young people across cultures, and will invite churches to confront its root causes while also addressing its emotional and spiritual impacts. Through theological grounding in creation care, the day will amplify the stories of youth from diverse contexts, showcasing how climate change is impacting their lives and environments. It will also spotlight individuals and initiatives already active in climate justice, fostering opportunities for support and collaboration. This year’s edition is a collaborative effort between the WCC, ACT Alliance, and the World Student Christian Federation,reflecting a shared commitment to elevate young voices and respond to the spiritual dimensions of the climate crisis.  Register here Event details Young people in the ecumenical movement Photo: Gjermund Øystese/WCC See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

EarthBeat Weekly: In two major US cities, Catholics take on pollution

In two major US cities, Catholics take on pollution in their communities   EarthBeat Weekly Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change July 18, 2025   Signs advising drivers of congestion pricing tolls are displayed near the exit of the Lincoln Tunnel in New York on Feb. 19, 2025. (AP photo/Seth Wenig) Stories published at EarthBeat this week highlight the ways Catholics in two of the largest metropolises in the United States are confronting environmental issues facing their cities. New Yorkers are months into the congestion pricing program that began in January. And as you might expect, there are a lot of opinions, reports Peter Feuerherd. Among those not complaining but rather championing congestion pricing are Catholics who care about the environment, including some who see the plan as operating in the spirit of Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home." Less traffic means lower air pollution, a plus in dealing with climate change, these Catholics told Feuerherd. "NYC congestion pricing is a great example of the kind of action Pope Francis recommends," said Fr. James DiLuzio, a Paulist priest who is a member of the Laudato Si' team at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, lodged adjacent to an electronic signaling device that tolls drivers going south of the West Side Manhattan church. A Regional Plan Association report published in June showed that the plan reduced traffic delays throughout the region, even in some areas not directly made part of the $9 toll zone. The study documented 25% fewer traffic jams in Manhattan than would be expected without the pricing program, with smaller yet significant drops in the Bronx and in parts of neighboring New Jersey. As of May 28, congestion pricing generated $215.7 million, funds that went to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, or MTA, charged with running the regional network of subways, commuter trains and buses.  Despite those outcomes, congestion pricing has many critics, including in the Trump administration, which has sought to end the program. Read more: NYC Catholics applaud congestion pricing, but Trump wants to hit the brakes In the Midwest, a different group of Catholics are organizing to take action on air pollution on the west side of Chicago, as well as sewage and industrial waste exacerbated by more frequent heavy downpours that overwhelm a decades-old sewer system. It was after particularly devastating flooding in July 2023, which caused upwards of $100 million in damage, that Delia Barajas, Carmen Jimenez and Johnny Reyes — longtime residents of the Cicero and Berwyn communities — started the environmental grassroots group Voces Fieles Comunitarias Contra la Opresión (Faithful Community Voices Against Oppression). "I do this because of my faith and hope," Jimenez told freelancer Cassidy Klein. "People in the community wanted to do something, but many of them didn't know how. That is one of my inspirations, when I approach people and talk about what happened here. I live here in the community, and I've known for years the things that have happened. I would like to leave it a better place and to do the little that I can." When they meet with neighbors, Barajas and Jimenez have used Laudato Si' as a starting place when talking with fellow Catholics. In addition to flooding, Voces also helps Cicero community members address other environmental issues their neighborhood faces, including air quality concerns. The group organizes and educates through meetings, infographics and flyers. "It's important for us to go to churches or whoever will host us to let people know what is happening," Barajas said.  Read more: Chicago Catholics start environmental justice group in response to flooding, pollution     What else is new on EarthBeat:   In aftermath of deadly Texas floods, local Catholics offer rapid response by Gregg Brekke Daughter of Charity Sr. Denise LaRock is one of the many people working tirelessly with Catholic groups to help Texas Hill Country residents affected by the deadly July 4 floods. Read more here »   From Boston to Baton Rouge, faithful unite to help Texas flood victims by Gina Christian, OSV News From Boston to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, faithful across the nation are reaching out to bring material and spiritual aid to those impacted by the devastating July 4 flash floods in the Texas Hill Country. Read more here »   UNANIMA, prominent sister-led coalition at United Nations, to end its ministry by Chris Herlinger UNANIMA, a coalition of sister congregations at the United Nations that championed causes such as homelessness, anti-trafficking and women's health, will close by the end of the year. Read more here »   Brazil's environment minister fights fellow evangelicals on Amazon protection by Helen Teixeira, Religion News Service Attacks from the religious right on Marina Silva, a Pentecostal and longtime environmentalist, expose the rifts within Brazil's evangelical movement as the Amazon's future hangs in the balance. Read more here »   Nutritional garden initiative serves disadvantaged in rural Zimbabwe by Melania Nyamukuwa Sr. Melania Nyamukuwa leads efforts to combat malnutrition-related ailments and promote economic entitlement for the most disadvantaged individuals of the area through individual and institutional garden projects. Read more here »   As Benedictines, we are clothed by the Rule, not fast fashion by Helga Leija St. Benedict writes, "Let those who receive the clothing not complain about its color or coarseness, but accept what is given them." That's a hard teaching in a world like ours, where we're told to consume constantly. Read more here » What's happening in other climate news: FEMA didn't answer thousands of calls from flood survivors, documents show —Maxine Joselow for The New York Times Trump administration says it won't publish major climate change reports on NASA website as promised —Seth Borenstein for the Associated Press Trump is gutting weather science and reducing disaster response —Lisa Friedman, Maxine Joselow, Coral Davenport and Megan Mineiro for The New York Times What defunding public media would mean for the West —Annie Rosenthal and Chad Bradley for High Country News The national parks are not OK —Christine Peterson for High Country News Union demands EPA reinstate workers, charging illegal retaliation —Miriam Waldvogel for The Hill  A tribe in Florida joins the fight against the 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigrant detention center —Miacel Spotted Elk for Grist Humans are wiping out water bodies that life depends on, new report says —Katie Surma for Inside Climate News Final Beat: Last week during a Mass in Castel Gandolfo, the summer papal residence, Pope Leo XIV celebrated for the first time the formulary "for the care of creation" that has been added to the Roman Missal. NCR's new Vatican correspondent, Justin McClellan, was present to witness the Mass, one celebrated to the tune of chirping birds in the gardens at the papal villa. While this was the first Mass following the new creation care formulary — a specific set of texts and prayers — in the Roman Missal, we know from our past coverage that Catholics in the U.S. and elsewhere have been celebrating Masses around creation and environmental themes for years.  Has your parish or diocese celebrated such a Mass? Are they considering using the new formulary for the care of creation in a future liturgy? Let us know by messaging us at earthbeat@ncronline.org.  Thanks for reading EarthBeat.   Brian Roewe Environment Correspondent National Catholic Reporter broewe@ncronline.org     Featured Advertisers   Looking to Hire? Offering Retreats? Selling Books? Place an Ad in NCR's Online Classified Section for Only $75 per Month!   Advertisement

Truth and Action Roundup 7.18.25

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, a reliable weekly source of information, inspiration, and action for the second Trump administration. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. Today is Friday, July 18. We often view democracy through the act of voting, but voting depends on something more profound: the public’s access to truthful, reliable information about the world around them.  This week, that foundation came under attack. During a House Homeland Security Oversight Committee hearing, conspiracy theories targeted churches and charities aiding asylum seekers, many of which started under the first Trump administration. This follows a pattern: from the recent political spectacle surrounding the so-called “Epstein Files” to the ongoing spread of disinformation about vaccines, falsehoods are being weaponized to distract, divide, and harm.  As people of faith, we must resist the allure of narratives that cater to our fears or reinforce our biases. Democracy cannot survive without a free and trusted civil society—including journalists, scholars, and clergy—who labor to share truth and uphold the common good.  It is our sacred responsibility to protect that trust. Faith leaders are called to hold fast to the truth, not only as a spiritual imperative, but as a civic one. In a time of confusion and distortion, truth-telling is a form of holy resistance.  — Rev. Moya Harris and Chad Stanton, Sojourners  In the News Here’s what’s been happening this week: 1) The Trump administration’s deportation agenda continues to create suffering: The administration fired 17 immigration court judges across 10 states “without cause,” according to the union representing them. The dismissals come amid a significant judge shortage, a massive 3.5 million-case backlog, and Congress has recently authorized hiring 800 new judges. At least one of the firings has raised concerns that it was politically motivated, as Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) alleged it was the result of that judge giving him a tour of the court and explaining its functions. ICE declared that undocumented immigrants are no longer eligible for bond hearings as they fight deportation proceedings in court. They can now only be released if the Homeland Security Department grants an exception, according to a July 8 memo from ICE’s acting director Todd Lyons that was first obtained by the Washington Post. The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act will dramatically expand funding for ICE, allowing it to detain far more people. More parents without documentation are arranging emergency plans for their children’s care in case they are deported, risking indefinite separation from their children. Nearly 2 million American children under age 6 live in households with an undocumented family member. Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was detained for 45 days in an ICE women’s prison in Louisiana, opened up about her harrowing experience in a recent interview with Vanity Fair. Öztürk, whose detention stemmed from pro-Palestinian activism (she co-wrote an op-ed for the student newspaper), recounts cramped and dehumanizing conditions in the for-profit prison, as well as solidarity and community with her fellow prisoners. 2) The Senate approved $9 billion in cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting, sending the bill back to the House for a final vote. The Senate version of the bill removed a $400 million cut to PEPFAR—a highly successful program that combats HIV/AIDS worldwide—that was included in the original House version. 3) American politics remains poisoned by conspiracy theories. A Homeland Security Committee hearing on Wednesday scrutinizing the role of NGOs in assisting migrants served primarily as a venue for GOP Members of Congress to demonize non-white migrants crossing the southern border. This type of rhetoric has roots in the so-called “great replacement” conspiracy theory, which has been implicated in numerous incidents of mass violence. The theory also helps explain Republican legislation in the House of Representatives that aims to exclude non-citizens from future census counts. The Trump administration and its allies continue to fuel conspiracy theories about voting and the 2020 election, including a new push to inspect voting equipment and voter rolls, raising concerns about interference by the administration ahead of the 2026 midterms. Trump’s long-time refusal to denounce QAnon conspiracy theories may be backfiring as he now tries to dismiss some of his supporters’ questions about the so-called “Epstein files” and the Department of Justice’s action related to them. 4) Inflation continues to put a strain on families’ budgets, with prices are an average of 26% higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic and still rising. The increase in the prices of consumer goods—the largest in four months—raised concerns that Trump’s tariffs are starting to impact the economy negatively. Take Action On July 22nd at 8:00 p.m. join an online training on how to meet with or call your sheriff and urge them not to cooperate with ICE in disappearing our neighbors, presented by the Not Above The Law Coalition. What We’re Reading “100 Years After the Scopes Trial, What Is Truth?” | Same struggle, different players. (By Brenda Wineapple) “Superman The Immigrant Has Always Reminded Me of Jesus” | Clark Kent is once again the heroic savior…But this time, the stakes are political. (By Yanan Rahim Navarez Melo) “As A Pastor, Here’s Why I Believe Protest Works” | Standing up to the U.S. empire today will require that clergy and other people of faith reject despair and commit to action. (Michael Woolf) Deep Breaths  Get in Good Trouble We are living in troubled times. Not just chaotic or uncertain, but troubled. Trouble manifests as conflict and cruelty, greed masquerading as governance, and silence in the face of suffering. But as John Lewis reminded us, trouble isn’t always a thing to avoid. Sometimes it’s the very path to liberation. “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” This is such a time. Across the country, laws are being passed that punish the poor, criminalize immigrants, and gut the rights our ancestors bled for. There’s talk of faith, but it’s a distorted faith—twisting scripture to uphold power, wrapping oppression in religious language. White Christian Nationalism is not Christianity. It’s the armor of white supremacy. And now, they’re coming for birthright citizenship—trying to unravel the 14th Amendment itself. If they succeed, it won’t stop there. They’ll shrink the electorate. Shrink democracy. Shrink who counts. But we are not called to shrink. We are called to rise. Good Trouble is our tradition and is sacred work. The vote is not just a right—it is a tool of transformation. And they know it. That’s why they fight so hard to take it away. But John Lewis showed us another way: disrupt what needs dismantling and speak truth, even when your voice shakes. Good Trouble means refusing to bow to the gods of death and domination. It means organizing, educating, protesting, preaching, and protecting. It means standing on the shoulders of Lewis, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, and every ancestor who refused to be silent. As John Lewis asked us: “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” So let us rise. Let us vote. Let us speak. Let us love boldly. Let us get in Good Trouble—until justice prevails. — Rev. Moya Harris, Director of Racial Justice, Sojourners The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson Digital Content and Community Specialist: Kassandra Tapia Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Director of Racial Justice: Rev. Moya Harris Digital Education and Outreach Specialist: Cortnie Brooks Mobilizing and Policy Assistant: Miriam Tellez Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims Unsubscribe or update email preferences Copyright © 2025 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842