Category: Diocese of Scranton News

SCRANTON – On Saturday, June 20, 2026, the community is invited to participate in the 2026 World Refugee Day Celebration from 2-5 p.m.

The new location for this year’s event will be the Diocese of Scranton Pastoral Center, 330 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton.

The celebration will include cultural music and dance performances, refreshments, giveaways, games, and activities for kids.

More than 25 community agencies are working together to plan this celebration.

Members of the planning committee pictured are, front row, from left: Krishna Rai and Tek Khadka, Bhutanese Community of Scranton. Back row, from left: Phil Yevics, Scranton Area Multifaith Ministerium; Ghana Rasaily, Bhutanese Community of Scranton; Toya Timsina, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit; Tek Panday, Bhutanese Cultural Foundation Scranton Association; Audrey Golosky, United Neighborhood Centers; Mary Nehme, Catholic Social Services; Ana Becerril, Diocese of Scranton; Joseph Mahoney, Catholic Social Services; Fikile Ryder, Catholic Social Services; Julie Schumacher Cohen, The University of Scranton; Daysi Carreto, The University of Scranton; Maria Vital, Leahy Clinic; Jenny Gonzalez, S.T.A.R.S. Program at Marywood University; Sister Donna Korba, I.H.M., Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Temple Hesed; and Rev. Tyler Perry, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

Not pictured: Chandra Sitaula, Bhutanese Cultural Foundation of Scranton Association; Ushu Mukelo, Congolese Community of Scranton; Channel Kearse, City of Scranton; and Dr. Melinda Krokus, Islamic Center of Scranton.

EAST STROUDSBURG – For more than 25 years, Rachel and John Moyer carried a mission born from heartbreak.

On Dec. 2, 2000, their 15-year-old son, Greg, a student at Notre Dame Jr./Sr. High School in East Stroudsburg, died after suffering sudden cardiac arrest during halftime of an away basketball game. There was no automated external defibrillator (AED) available.

For the last quarter century, the Moyers have dedicated themselves to ensuring other families would not experience the same tragedy.

On May 22, 2026, surrounded by students, educators, lawmakers, and supporters inside the same Notre Dame gymnasium where Greg once played basketball, the family celebrated the passage of Act 17 of 2026 in Pennsylvania, commonly known as the Greg Moyer Law.

The legislation requires AEDs at all PIAA-sanctioned athletic practices and competitions and mandates emergency action plans and training for sudden cardiac arrest situations in schools.

“I’m feeling ecstatic because there was no way that I was going to do anything else until this legislation was passed,” Rachel Moyer said. “But I didn’t think it was going to take 25 years. We kept thinking, ‘This is going to be the session,’ and we’d get this close and something would happen. But it is a no-brainer law.”

Returning to Notre Dame brought back memories of Greg, whose photograph and basketball jersey still hang in the school hallway.

“It’s bittersweet, in a way, because he loved it here,” Moyer said. “The love and the spirit are still here.”

Former Notre Dame Principal Jeff Lyons vividly remembers the night Greg died and the impact it had on the school community.

“It was the greatness of the Catholic community that kept us together,” Lyons recalled. “We could get together, we could pray together, we felt like we were doing something. Greg was a great kid.”

Lyons said he was never surprised that Rachel Moyer continued the fight despite repeated setbacks.

“Most people would have ended it after hitting roadblock after roadblock after roadblock,” he said. “Rachel is tenacious.”

State Senator Rosemary Brown, who authored the legislation, credited the Moyer family for making the law a reality.

“As your senator and the author of the Greg Moyer Law, I am truly proud to stand alongside the Moyer family today,” Brown said. “They – and Greg – have been the driving force behind this legislation from the very beginning.”

For John Moyer, the law’s significance extends beyond requiring AEDs. He feels the training this new law mandates will be just as critical.

“Sadly, we’ve encountered dozens of parents who have lost kids to cardiac arrest even when an AED was present simply because nobody knew where it was or how to use it,” he said.

While the law represents the end of one journey, the Moyers insist that their work is not finished.

“We’re not going to stop,” Rachel Moyer said. “We’re going to let everyone know, from age four and up, what to do in an emergency and how to get assistance.”

 

 

CONYNGHAM – Hundreds of people filled Saint John Bosco Parish on May 31 for “Stars, Stripes & Symphony,” a special patriotic concert celebrating America’s upcoming 250th anniversary while raising support for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Presented by the Hazleton Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, the free concert featured patriotic selections, tributes to the nation’s armed forces, and musical favorites designed to honor America’s history and heroes.

“We had a wonderful celebration getting ready for the 250th anniversary of our country,” Father Richard Polmounter, Pastor of Saint John Bosco Parish, said. “We had the Hazleton Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra here to play all different tunes to get us in a patriotic spirit for this great anniversary that our country is having.”

The concert attracted people from across the greater Hazleton area and beyond, filling the church with an enthusiastic audience.

“To be a musician in a world of technology, where everything is A.I., to do the real thing and play to a warm and receptive audience is every musician’s dream. It’s just so good to feed off their energy,” violinist Sarah Woolbert stated.

A free-will offering was collected during the event to benefit the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports first responders, military veterans, and their families.

“These people put their lives on the line for us day after day, so the least we can do is show them some appreciation,” Robert Lagana, Director of the Hazleton Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra said.

One of the highlights of the concert came during a musical salute to the armed forces, when veterans and active-duty service members were invited to stand as their respective service songs were performed.

Audience members praised both the performance and its patriotic spirit.

“It was a great turnout. It really was,” Arlene Stagg, a parishioner of Saint John Bosco Parish, said. “All of the selections were so appropriate. The salute to the armed forces was really a nice tribute.”

As the nation prepares to celebrate its semiquincentennial, the concert offered an opportunity to reflect on the blessings of freedom and honor those who served.

“It was a beautiful day and a splendid concert,” Stagg added.

FALLS – Armed with fabric, thread, and a shared desire to help others, faithful from Corpus Christi Parish are living out one of the Corporal Works of Mercy in a unique way.

Through the parish’s “Dress a Girl Around the World” ministry, volunteers have created more than 300 handmade dresses for girls in need across the globe since the effort began last summer.

On May 16, members of the ministry gathered in the hall of the Church of the Holy Redeemer, a worship site of Corpus Christi Parish, to prepare dress kits and supplies that volunteers take home to transform into colorful dresses for underprivileged girls.

The ministry is part of the international “Dress a Girl Around the World” organization, which has distributed more than two million dresses in 90 countries.

Parishioner Michelle Cassetori started the local effort after she learned about the program while attending church during a vacation in California.

“I thought people around here would like to do this,” Cassetori said.

With the blessing of Monsignor John Sempa, the ministry quickly took root, attracting approximately 15 volunteers. While some members sew the dresses, others cut fabric, prepare kits, organize materials, and assist in other ways.

“There are a lot of girls that have never had a dress or don’t have much to wear,” Cassetori said. “This is a very simple, easy way to give kids some dignity.”

For parishioner Lisa Falzone, the ministry offers an opportunity to combine fellowship with service.

“We are literally clothing the naked,” she said. “These dresses are going out to many countries to young girls who are without the basics. To put on a pretty dress, I think uplifts them and makes them feel a little more special.”

Mary Supey, who helps assemble dress kits, said the project allows volunteers to make a difference in the lives of children they may never meet.

“We have so much here, and your heart breaks for people who don’t have,” she said. “It’s a nice thing to be together and laugh while helping people who need it.”

Every dress created by the ministry is hand-delivered through the organization’s network of volunteers, ensuring it reaches girls in need. For Cassetori, the ministry’s continued growth is a reminder of faith put into action.

“It is truly the hand of God working through us,” she said.

(OSV News) – Despite minor setbacks, including the last-minute thwarting of a separatist demonstration and the grounding of the papal flight to Rome, organizers said Pope Leo XIV’s weeklong visit to Spain was an overwhelming success.

At a June 16 press conference in Madrid, Archbishop Luis Argüello of Valladolid, president of the Spanish bishops’ conference, admitted that “the visit has overwhelmed us in our expectations and in what we have lived.”

“The trip had a heart, which was seeing the evangelization of the Church in action. It was an apostolic journey in which the Word was proclaimed, the liturgy was celebrated, and the charity of the Church was exalted with harmony in the various places where the visit took place,” Archbishop Argüello said.

The Spanish prelate was joined by the organizers of the visit: Yago de la Cierva and Fernando Giménez Barriocanal. According to the organizers, the papal visit drew an estimated 2.5 million participants across Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands.

The organizers also revealed that although the total financial cost of the visit was about 26 million euros ($30.1 million), initial assessments of its economic impact are expected to surpass 150 million euros ($174 million).

According to Giménez, the Madrid region conducted a recent study estimating the economic impact just for the region alone at 120 million euros ($139.2 million), “which allowed us to project the total impact of the visit.”

However, the organizer also noted that while the trip has had a positive economic impact on the country, its spiritual impact has been immeasurable.

“There are still no metrics to evaluate all the contributions to the common good made by the Holy Father, which undoubtedly result in a social benefit that is not measured in the GDP. The Holy Father also spoke about this in his speeches, and they undoubtedly have great value,” Giménez said.

Archbishop Argüello also provided details on how authorities thwarted an attempted demonstration by a group of choir members sympathetic to the Catalan independence movement.

According to the Spanish newspaper Diari de Catalunya, police removed dozens of choir members who planned to disrupt the inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ at Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica June 10.

Archbishop Argüello said the would-be demonstrators had swapped out music folders containing the lone star flag of the Catalan separatist movement, known as the “Estelada.”

Once in position, the rogue choir members planned to unfurl the flag, shout for independence, and sing the Catalan national anthem, “Els Segadors” (“The Reapers”) in front of the pope and King Felipe VI of Spain, the archbishop explained.

“Some members of the choir were the ones who alerted (authorities) over the situation,” Archbishop Argüello said, adding that the police operation was done so discreetly that no one realized what had happened until after the event.

The organizers also commented on the mechanical failure that grounded the papal flight back to Rome June 12 and prompted King Felipe to offer Pope Leo a ride home aboard his royal Falcon jet.

Although the pope departed several hours later than scheduled, journalists and Vatican personnel traveling aboard the papal flight were forced to remain in Tenerife awaiting a replacement flight, arriving in Rome in the early morning hours the following day.

Due to the change in aircraft, the pope was unable to hold his customary in-flight press conference with journalists.

“Iberia has compensated all the journalists who arrived very late and, above all, who lost the opportunity that all reporters look forward to at the end of the trip, which is the press conference, which is something priceless,” de la Cierva said.

Engineers, he said, were given a 30-minute window to check whether repairs could be made and ultimately decided that the plane wasn’t suitable for flight.

Nevertheless, de la Cierva praised Iberia for putting the safety of the pope and the passengers aboard the papal flight above all.

“If they had to tell the pope, ‘We can’t fly,’ it seems to me like (it deserves) a ‘chapeau bas’ (‘a tip of the hat’) to put the most important thing of the trip first, which is safety,” he said.

(OSV News) – Pope Leo XIV approved new statutes for the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors that seek to balance its integration with the Roman Curia while preserving its independence.

The updated statutes, which were published by the Vatican June 13, detail the commission’s role within the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was mandated by Pope Francis’ 2022 apostolic constitution on the reform of the Roman Curia, “Praedicate Evangelium” (“Preach the Gospel”).

However, while departments within a dicastery report to the pope via their respective prefects, the statutes state that “in matters within its competence, the commission reports directly to the Holy Father.”

According to the Vatican, the pope approved the statutes May 20 during an audience with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, and adopted “ad experimentum,” or on a trial basis, for a period of three years.

In a statement published by the commission, Archbishop Thibault Verny of Chambéry, the commission’s president, said the new statutes marked “an important step in deepening our shared responsibility to protect and care for the most vulnerable.”

“They reflect listening to victims and survivors, to safeguarding experts, and to the experience of local Churches, and reaffirm that safeguarding remains a central priority,” he said.

The commission, or PCPM, noted that the statutes, which replace those published in 2015, offer a “clearer mandate” that clarifies its role as “one of guidance rather than governance.”

Among the responsibilities formalized in the statutes is the PCPM’s role in ensuring the establishment of “stable and easily accessible systems for reporting abuse” in dioceses and eparchies worldwide.

Those systems include listening and support centers and offer spiritual, therapeutic, and psychological assistance.

The statutes note that in the event of repeated failures by dioceses to establish such systems, the commission can “submit assessments and recommendations” to the relevant dicasteries “so that they can exercise their responsibilities.”

The document also reiterates the commission’s responsibility in preparing its annual report, which assesses safeguarding procedures and protocols implemented by Vatican dicasteries and local churches. The report is then submitted to the pope for approval before publication.

“The commission may also submit recommendations to Dicastery Prefects, in coordination with the Secretariat of State, and, in cases of repeated violations or serious shortcomings in local safeguarding systems, may submit assessments directly to the competent dicastery,” the PCPM said.

The new statutes mark a milestone for the commission, which has faced criticism from former members and survivors over its lack of enforcement power.

In a video message posted after the publication of the statutes, Archbishop Verny said the commission knows that “trust cannot be rebuilt by words alone” but requires “consistent action, humility and accountability.”

“These statutes are one step in an ongoing journey. Our commitment remains clear: to help ensure that the Church is a safe place for all,” the French archbishop said.

ORLANDO, Fla. (OSV News) – A sea of white robes and zucchettos of pink and magenta in the pews. A statue of Jesus welcoming the faithful with his exposed Sacred Heart upon the foot of the altar.

A setting fit for a June 11 Mass that united U.S. bishops gathered for their spring plenary June 10-12. After concluding the second of two days of public sessions, they left the Omni Resort in ChampionsGate for a half-hour drive up Interstate 4 for the spiritual refuge that is the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando.

And the Mass was a momentous one as it served to formally consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City incensed the altar after processing in from the thick humidity and cloudy skies of a typical Orlando afternoon outside the shrine. The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was joined on the altar by bishops and deacons of the Orlando Diocese.

“Clothe us, Lord God, with the virtues of the heart of your son, and set us aflame with his love,” the archbishop prayed in opening the Mass.

More than 200 bishops were present, along with about 150 observers, mostly benefactors and staff of the Diocese of Orlando. The monstrance used ahead of Mass for Eucharistic adoration was from the Servants of the Pierced Hearts, a Miami-based religious institute.

The relics of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque — the French Visitation sister who experienced visions of Jesus revealing his Sacred Heart — were also present at the Mass, on loan for the consecration from the Knights of Columbus.

In his homily, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore described the Sacred Heart of Jesus not as an “abstract devotion,” but as a “visible sign of love.”

He explained why the Church consecrates. He described it as an act of faith and acknowledgment of the need for God’s mercy, wisdom and guidance. It is also an act of hope. It is “a heart that has known joy and sorrow, friendship and betrayal, suffering and sacrifice,” he said.

The act of consecration is an act of faith and hope, the archbishop said, but it is also an acknowledgment of God’s faithful work and love in the world and how we as people and as a Church have not always “clearly reflected that love.”

“Indeed, it is sometimes obscured almost beyond recognition,” the archbishop added. “To be sure, there have been moments of extraordinary witness and holiness. But there have also been moments of failure, division and sin. Consecration requires the humility to acknowledge both.”

And why the Sacred Heart? Because it reveals a savior who “desires not merely our obedience, but our friendship; not simply our service, but our communion with Him,” he said.

“To consecrate ourselves to the Sacred Heart is ultimately to accept Christ’s invitation to remain in His love and to allow that love to shape every aspect of our lives, public and private,” Archbishop Lori said. “It is a declaration that the future does not belong merely to political movements, economic forces, or human plans. The future belongs to God.”

The act of consecration does not just happen among the shepherds, but also the sheep. In speaking to the laity both in the pews at the shrine and watching on the livestream, Archbishop Lori said the act of consecration is one the faithful and leaders do together.

“This consecration is not something the bishops do for you. It is something we do together,” he said. “The renewal of the Church and our nation will not come through declarations alone. It will come through disciples who remain in Christ’s love and bear the good fruit of holiness in families, parishes, communities and in their daily lives.”

The Sacred Heart reconciles divisions and transforms hardened hearts, the archbishop said.

“It means building communities – ecclesial and civil – where truth is proclaimed clearly and charity is practiced generously. It means resisting the temptation to define ourselves by division, ideology or resentment,” Archbishop Lori said. “We consecrate our nation, not because it is perfect, but because it is beloved by God. We entrust to the Heart of Christ our achievements and failures, our hopes and anxiety, our present challenges and our future aspirations.”

HARRISBURG – Your help is needed to prevent legislation from advancing that could have a devastating effect on Catholic education across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Please ask your PA State Representative and Senator to oppose House Bill 2632, a measure put forth in the State House, which would have drastic consequences for the 19 Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Scranton and beyond.

HB 2632 seeks to end the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program and attempts to recreate it in a way that harms students by establishing a series of bureaucratic administrative procedures while cutting $102 million in funding.

Needy students would see their education interrupted with the closing of several Catholic schools.  Only the wealthy would have opportunities to select the best educational choice for their child. 

Pennsylvania families in every county have been leveraging scholarships averaging under $3,000 per student with private money to receive an education in an environment that is best suited to the needs of their children.

Please remember these children as you consider HB 2632.

Thank you in advance for opposing HB 2632 that seeks to rob our children of their ability to succeed in an educational environment that is best for them.  

Click here to send a message right now to your lawmakers!

ORLANDO, Fla. (OSV News) – Headlining the June 10 public session of the U.S. bishops’ spring plenary in Orlando were addresses by the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the new apostolic nuncio to the United States, along with a preliminary presentation on proposed updates to the bishops’ landmark document on protection policies for children and minors.

A highlight in the afternoon was a report on World Youth Day 2027, accompanied by a gift of traditional Asian paper fans for each bishop from South Korea — whose capital, Seoul, will host the international event.

In a morning presentation, Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond, Virginia, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, said the bishops are reviewing proposed updates to the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,” seeking to define key terms while balancing care for victim-survivors with accused clergy’s right to a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.

The suggested changes would keep the charter focused “exclusively” on clergy abuse of minors, with a new document being developed to address abuse involving vulnerable adults, Bishop Knestout said. Voting on the agenda item was scheduled for June 11.

He said the revised text includes a glossary of terms in response to diocesan requests, and — drawing on canon law — the integration of the right of an accused to the presumption of innocence.”

Following the presentation, Archbishop Shawn McKnight of Kansas City, Kansas — citing several factors, and calling for a “more synodal approach” — asked if it would be possible to suspend the vote on the revisions pending further consultation among presbyteral councils and diocesan review boards.

At the start of the public session, Msgr. Michael J.K. Fuller, the USCCB’s general secretary, read a message from the U.S. bishops to Pope Leo XIV thanking him for his new encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” and for shining “the light of the Gospel and the tradition of the Church on the new opportunities and challenges posed by the rise” of artificial intelligence and “emerging technologies.”

The bishop said the pope’s teaching is a timely reminder that human life and dignity must remain at the center of technological development. Marking the first year of Pope Leo’s pontificate, they prayed that he would continue to be a guiding light for both the Church and the wider world.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City gave his first address to the body of bishops as USCCB president, having been elected during the conference’s annual fall meeting in November 2025.

The Church must “put out into the deep” and “create hope in Christ,” he said. He told the bishops he was “especially pleased to recognize the impact” of the USCCB’s special message on migration, released during the conference’s November 2025 plenary assembly amid the Trump administration’s hardline crackdown on immigration, which has seen sweeping mass detentions and deportations.

The USCCB message “demonstrated our united concern as pastors for the dignity of every person, especially our migrant brothers and sisters,” said Archbishop Coakley.

Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia gave his inaugural address to the bishops as nuncio to the U.S.
He was named to his new post in March, after having previously served as the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations.

In his remarks, he highlighted the consecration of the U.S. Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, urged the bishops to fulfill their mission as missionary disciples by welcoming immigrants in their midst, and reminded his brother bishops he is there for them, especially in moments when their responsibilities as episcopal shepherds leads them to feel isolated.

“My service here is one of listening, trust, and shared discernment within the Church that we are all serving together,” Archbishop Caccia said.

In the late afternoon, as chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, Bishop Edward J. Burns of Dallas gave a report on World Youth Day 2027, which is to take place Aug. 3-8 in Seoul, and he introduced Auxiliary Bishop Paul Kyung Sang Lee of Seoul, general coordinator for WYD 2027, who brought traditional Asian folding fans as a gift to the bishops.

Bishop Burns said some 10,000 to 15,000 young pilgrims will travel to South Korea, a number he said would be comparable to the U.S. presence at WYD in Brazil (2013) and in Panama (2019).

Bishop Lee said he hopes all U.S. bishops will inspire young people of their dioceses to participate in the global event. The bishop detailed how the Catholic Church of Korea began in the hands of the laypeople, became strengthened by the blood of 10,000-plus martyrs, and served as a sanctuary for democracy and human rights.

“I have a simple hope that by the end of this presentation, Seoul will feel a little less far away,” Bishop Lee said. After the Korean War (1950-1953), he said, “Korea was one of the poorest countries of the world. In 80 years, Korea moved from devastation to renewal. The hardships did not have the final world. Hope can renew and heal a nation.”

Bishop Lee also spoke about three special WYD events that are to take place with Pope Leo XIV — a meeting with people facing hardships, interreligious dialogue, and prayers for world peace.

World Youth Day promises to be a “powerful opportunity” for young people from across the globe to witness how “God’s love never ceases, regardless of circumstances,” the bishop said, adding that three special events with Pope Leo XIV are planned — a meeting with people facing hardships, interreligious dialogue and prayers for world peace.

The bishops also heard from mathematical biologist Santiago Schnell, a Catholic scientist and provost of Dartmouth University. He was invited to speak June 10 by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, USCCB secretary and chair of its Committee on Priorities and Plans.

The talk anticipated the bishops’ discussion of the 25th anniversary of the USCCB’s implementation of “Ex Corde Ecclesia,” St. John Paul II’s apostolic constitution on Catholic universities.

The Catholic imagination needs to be reawakened in academic life to nurture leaders who can become “voices for the Catholic Church,” Schnell advised the nation’s bishops.

During his presentation, Schnell — formerly dean of the University of Notre Dame’s College of Science — warned that Catholics were, as his presentation title asserted, “educated, yet absent” from American intellectual life.

“The Catholic paradox is that we have a massive infrastructure of higher education with average outcomes,” said Schnell. “We are not educating sufficient Catholics in our Catholic higher educational system. And we’re not educating them, actually, to become leaders.”

The bishops also heard a preliminary presentation on portions of two texts for consideration: a new edition of the Lectionary for Mass, which provides the Scripture readings and psalm for each day’s liturgy; and the 2025 Roman Missal-Liturgy of the Hours Supplement.

In a voice vote they showed support for the local advancement of two separate American canonization causes: Bishop Daniel J. Felton of Duluth, Minnesota, gave a presentation on the cause opened in his diocese for pioneer missionary priest Msgr. Joseph Buh and Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami presented the cause of entrepreneur-turned-evangelist John Rick Miller.

The consultation of a body of bishops — at either the regional or national level — is required by Church legislation governing the canonization process as a cause gets underway.

TRENTON, N.J. (OSV News) – As the U.S. prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, faith leaders and others working to prevent human trafficking are seeking to raise awareness to prevent such abuse during the international soccer tournament.

During a June 9 webinar, “Human Trafficking and Major Sporting Events,” hosted by the New Jersey Catholic Conference in partnership with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, panelists noted that venues for the upcoming matches include MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Philadelphia Stadium, also known as Lincoln Financial Field, in Philadelphia.

“As we prepare for the start of the 2026 World Cup that will draw millions of visitors, athletes, media representatives, and support personnel to our region. It’s important to understand both the opportunities and challenges these events can bring,” James King, NJCC executive director, said during the discussion.

Felicitas Brugo Onetti, the anti-trafficking education and outreach coordinator for the USCCB’s Migration and Refugee Services, said “the full continuum of the pro-life ethic” upholds “the dignity and rights of every person.”

“Combating human trafficking is a vital part of this continuum, protecting individuals from exploitation, ensuring their freedom and well-being throughout their lives,” as well as part of a call to care for God’s creation, she said.

“Catholic social teaching urges us to see trafficked persons, not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters, whose suffering is our shared responsibility,” she said.

Pennsylvania State Sen. Cris Dush, chair of that chamber’s Anti-Human Trafficking Caucus, said lawmakers are “trying to provide tools for the prosecutors, (and) the police officers, so that the prosecutors and the police officers can actually become trauma-informed,” and try to prevent victims from facing criminal charges themselves.

“One of the survivors that I spoke to, she’d been pulled over. She was with her trafficker, and there were drugs in the car as well, and she was made to take the fall for it, because he had other girls that could work — but he was the one that bailed her out. They get their victims caught up in law enforcement, and then they come and bail them out,” Dush said. “They’re seen as the savior of these people there. And the things that they do — to isolate the folks that they’ve got caught up in what’s called ‘the life’ within the community — they’re experts at manipulation.”

In a similar message issued May 19, the Commission for the Protection of Minors of the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico urged the faithful to take preventive action against crimes of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, particularly before and during the World Cup.

In the statement, the commission expressed its “deep concern regarding the risks” that major events and associated travel and mass gatherings can pose for “children, adolescents, women, migrants, and people in vulnerable situations.”

“Major international sporting events are an opportunity for encounter, coexistence, fraternity, and cultural exchange,” the statement said. “However, they can also be exploited by criminal networks that operate through deception, manipulation, coercion, exploitation, and abuse of vulnerable people. Faced with this reality, as the Church we cannot remain indifferent. Human dignity cannot be bought, sold, or exploited. Every person, especially children and adolescents, must be protected, cared for, and accompanied. Human trafficking constitutes a grave violation of human rights and a deep wound to our society.”