Vatican and U.S. Church see changes amid pilgrimages and passion plays

Organizers of the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage have opened registration for events along the Drexel Route. Meanwhile, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has announced the cessation of its cooperative agreements with the federal government regarding children's services and refugee support, citing the partnerships as "untenable."

In Poland, a Passion play in Bydgoszcz is revitalizing historical memory. The play, set in the Fordon neighborhood, recalls the execution of over 1,000 Polish elites by Nazi Germans in 1939. It blends Scripture, history, and local remembrance and is poised for another performance on Palm Sunday 2025.

Pope Francis made a surprise visit to St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on April 10, showing improvement from his recent pneumonia and hospitalization. The Vatican press office remarked that this visit was a sign of his recovery. On April 9, Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla had a private meeting with the Pope.

Brian Burch, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, defended the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts during a Senate hearing on April 8 concerning his nomination.

In judicial matters, the Supreme Court ruled on April 7 in favor of permitting the Trump administration to continue deportations of migrants, particularly those accused of Venezuelan gang affiliations, under a wartime powers law, overturning a previous ruling that halted such actions.

Further developments at the Vatican include the acceptance of Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann's resignation and the appointment of Bishop W. Shawn McKnight as his successor in Kansas City, Kansas. Additionally, a new bishop was appointed for the Diocese of Providence in Rhode Island.

Pope Francis’ recent encyclical “Dilexit Nos” calls the church to focus on Christ’s heart, urging a rediscovery of compassion and integrity. Bishop Daniel E. Flores highlighted this message in an April 9 webinar organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. With an influx of pilgrims expected for the Jubilee Year, Catholics in France and Spain will have opportunities to honor Saints Thérèse of Lisieux and Teresa of Ávila.