(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – The California Catholic Conference (CCC) has entered into a first-of-its-kind agreement with Communio, beginning a new chapter in strengthening Catholic marriage and family life throughout the state. Through this comprehensive partnership with all 12 bishops and dioceses, every parish in California will now have access to Communio’s relationship ministry model, which is credited with a 24% drop in the divorce rate in Jacksonville, FL.

The CCC has worked intensely over the past year to focus California Catholics on the importance of marriage and family through their Radiate Love initiative, which will culminate with the Sept. 26th Love IRL (In Real Life) Marriage Summit in Oakland. This gathering of youth and young adult ministry leaders will also officially launch the partnership with Communio, whose mission is to equip parishes to evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages, and families.

By Natalie Romano

Shocked murmurs rippled across the conference room when artificial intelligence (AI) ethics expert Father Philip Larrey, Ph. D., revealed the truth…

Pope Leo XIV was a victim of AI-generated deep fakes, and the Instagram post they were looking at was one of them.

“There are hundreds…thousands,” said Fr. Larrey, professor of philosophy at Boston College. “…Pope Leo is now a huge public figure. The software is easy to use, so they’re making stuff up.”

Fr. Larrey’s talk was part of a jam-packed 2025 Summer Leadership Summit hosted by the California Catholic Conference (CCC) June 3-5. The annual event, held in Sacramento, offers diocesan ministry directors’ professional development through lectures and workshops.

A new initiative launched by the Catholic Diocese of San Diego and its interfaith partners is offering accompaniment and a spiritual presence for migrants and asylum seekers at their immigration hearings in Southern California.

The program — Faithful Accompaniment in Trust & Hope (FAITH) — was launched on Aug. 4 amid the increasing number of deportations within California and nationwide amid President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

You're Invited to Love IRL! 

Love IRL is an exciting opportunity for ministry leaders passionate about building a vibrant marriage culture in their parishes and schools! We invite everyone involved in ministry with young people and families to join us—bring your entire team! If you are an educator, campus minister, DRE, deacon couple, clergy, marriage ministry leader, youth minister, catechist, young adult leader, or passionate about ministry with young people, this event is for you.

Space is limited! Register now at www.cacatholic.org/loveIRL and join the bishops of California for this transformative event!

Join Bishop Brennan and the California Bishops at Love IRL! Watch and Share Video Today!

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV asked Catholics to observe Aug. 22 as a day of prayer and fasting for peace and justice, particularly in Ukraine and in the Holy Land.

At the end of his general audience Aug. 20, the pope noted that the church will celebrate the feast of the Queenship of Mary Aug. 22.

"While our world continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine and in many other regions of the world," he said, "I ask all the faithful to spend Aug. 22 in fasting and prayer, asking the Lord to grant us peace and justice and to dry the tears of those who suffer because of the armed conflicts underway."

WASHINGTON – “The situation in Gaza and across the Middle East cries out for the assistance of the Catholic community of the United States,” said Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). In a letter to the U.S. bishops, he asked them to consider taking up a voluntary special collection in their dioceses, if they are able, to support the efforts of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA). Both organizations have well-established partnerships with the Catholic Church in the region to allow them to respond quickly and efficiently.

“Our Church mourns the terrible suffering of Christians and other innocent victims of violence in Gaza and surrounding areas who are struggling to survive, protect their children, and live with dignity in dire conditions,” continued Archbishop Broglio. “The Holy Father continues to call for a cease fire and for aid to enter the territory, noting with great sorrow that ‘Gaza is starving,’” and encouraged the bishops to consider the special collection in their dioceses at their earliest opportunity.

More information about the efforts by CRS and CNEWA in Gaza, please visit:

• https://www.crs.org/where-we-work/middle-east-north-africa/jerusalem-west-bank-and-gaza
• https://cnewa.org/what-we-do/support-emergency-relief-in-the-holy-land/

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