BEFORE the bad news in the headline, there’s good news for Catholic prelates, priests and laity who are seeking to reach young people and other tech-savvy segments of the faithful, especially those attracted to nifty technology and engaging media.
The global personal prayer platform Santo Catholic mobile app and Filipino Catholic online broadcaster Emmanuel TV Network (ETVN) have partnered to bring tech- and video-enhanced evangelization to the youth, students, families and parishioners attracted to such content.
From the Rosary, novenas and other popular prayers in English, Tagalog and Cebuano to faith talks by bishops, priests and lay preachers, the Santo Catholic app will offer content that Filipino devotees can pray along with or listen and reflect upon. The audio and video materials are produced by ETVN, which has more than 1,000 videos posted online since its founding in 2020.
ETVN programming is also expanding with faith dramas, livestreamed Masses and devotions, and fun faith activities like Bible games planned in the coming months. Also in the works for upcoming career people is a talk show on faith and business co-produced with the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals.
App developer Santo Catholic Mission’s founding CEO John Jofin is in town from Canada to join ETVN in presenting to Church leaders and getting their guidance on how the ETVN-Santo undertaking can advance evangelization, especially through mobile devices and social media.
Meetings are being lined up with prelates, priests, lay and youth leaders, including episcopal commissions of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. Those wishing to get information and presentations from Santo and ETVN may contact them at 0949-1388756, hello@santomission.com and www.santomission.com. ETVN is on YouTube and Facebook; Santo Catholic app is available for iOS and Android.
Pope vs president
Turning to the headline topic, Leo XIV, the first pope from the United States, has taken strong exception to the positions and actions of US President Donald Trump’s administration: immigration and military conflict.
Along with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Pope Leo has urged a compassionate policy toward illegal immigrants, which the Trump government has been detaining and deporting in large numbers, with many families broken up and with strong public support after an estimated 14 million illegals entered America under former president Joe Biden’s administration.
The Holy Father has repeatedly espoused the Church’s longstanding policy opposing violent conflicts and urging peace efforts, offering to mediate between Russia and Ukraine soon after he was elected pope on May 8.
He has raised grave concerns over Israel’s war in Gaza, which has displaced more than a million Palestinians and in which more than 75,000 have died, mostly women and children. Hostilities began on Oct. 7, 2023, after Palestinian terrorists attacked southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people.
In the first Israel-US war on Iran in June, Pope Leo declared hours after American bombers joined the fray and hit Iranian nuclear facilities: “Today, more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace.”
And in the current conflict started by the US and Israel on Feb. 28 — also in the midst of Washington-Tehran negotiations — the Holy Father almost directly countered US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s repeated remarks claiming God’s support for the American-Israeli offensive.
“Brothers and sisters,” said Pope Leo at his Palm Sunday homily, “this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.”
A week later on Easter, the supreme pontiff of over a billion Catholics called on world leaders to lay down weapons and choose peace, and set aside the “desire to dominate others.” That culminated Holy Week remarks condemning “the imperialist occupation of the world.”
‘Bitter lecture’
Amid this intensifying Vatican-Washington word war over waging war came a recent report by The Free Press, recounting what many see as a threatening meeting at the Pentagon, where US Defense Undersecretary Elbridge Colby allegedly summoned and told off then-Apostolic Nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre in a closed-door meeting.
The journal said: “Vatican officials briefed on the meeting, who spoke with The Free Press on the condition of anonymity, described it as a bitter lecture warning that the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants — and that the Church had better take its side.”
Several Trump critics and Christian commentators saw in the reported meeting a threat against Pope Leo. The Letters from Leo webpage said “some Vatican officials were so alarmed by the Pentagon’s tactics that they shelved plans for Pope Leo XIV to visit the United States.”
Chicago-born Leo was expected to visit the US in July for the 250th anniversary of American independence. And he is sending Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle to the beatification of American cardinal Fulton Sheen in September.
The White House and the Pentagon dispute The Free Press report, which a defense department spokesman calls “highly exaggerated and distorted.” The official asserts: “The meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion.”
Without citing The Free Press report, White House spokesman Anna Kelly told the Military.com site: “All of President Trump’s foreign policy actions have made the world safer, more stable, and more prosperous. ... And following the completion of his military objectives in Iran, he is hopeful that the agreement under discussion can lead to a lasting peace in the Middle East.”
The original meeting report shows no explicit threat against the pope. However, considering US and Israel military action, especially the assassination of Iranian leaders, generals and scientists, plus Washington’s abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, one can see why the phrase “military power to do whatever it wants” — which was not denied — could stir fear for Church leaders.
Add to that Washington’s current unilateral actions and statements, from demands to seize Greenland to Trump’s threat that “a civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz.
The Trump regime may not have threatened Pope Leo. But it certainly has the divine mercy and peace he stands for.