NY Sisters Sue Over Assisted Suicide, NFP Awareness Week and Gaza Christians Celebrate the World Cup Final

Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 20, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.

Read the stories in this episode:

1. Four orders of Catholic sisters and healthcare ministries sued New York on July 17th, arguing a new physician-assisted suicide law would force them to violate their faith by facilitating deaths they believe are morally unacceptable.
2. Switzerland's Catholic Church joined other Christian denominations in condemning the government's elimination of a longstanding military service exemption for priests and monks, calling the process "arbitrary" and lacking meaningful consultation with faith communities.
3. The U.S. bishops launched National NFP Awareness Week on July 19th, timed to the anniversary of "Humanae Vitae," with USCCB's Theresa Notare calling natural family planning "an ethical means to live out the Gospel."
4. A Vatican-supported delegation from the World Meeting of Popular Movements completed the first leg of a U.S. tour visiting grassroots communities affected by immigration enforcement and poverty, with Father Mattia Ferrari calling the experience "a strong witness of love."
5. Christians in Gaza found a rare moment of joy watching Spain defeat Argentina in the World Cup Final, with Father Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish urging continued prayers for peace amid ongoing war and displacement.

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Monday, July 20th, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. Four orders of Catholic women religious and healthcare ministries are taking New York State to court, arguing a new law would force them to violate their deepest religious convictions. The lawsuit, filed Friday by the religious liberty law firm Beckett, was brought on behalf of the Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, and the Little Sisters of the Poor. At issue is a new state law permitting physicians to assist terminally ill adults in dying by suicide, a practice the plaintiffs argue the law would require them to facilitate in direct violation of their faith. New York's attorney general did not immediately respond to the lawsuit. The catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly condemns euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide as morally unacceptable and a violation of the Fifth Commandment. Bishop John Barris of Rockville Center and his diocese are also named as plaintiffs. Supporters of the law argue it protects patient autonomy, while opponents warn it disregards human dignity and leaves the vulnerable open to coercion. Switzerland's Catholic Church is pushing back against a government decision to eliminate a long-standing exemption that has kept priests and monks out of mandatory military service. The Federal Council approved the change through an amendment to the country's military law, arguing the exemption no longer reflects modern society or today's demands for pastoral care. But Catholic, Evangelical, Free Church, and Old Catholic leaders have jointly challenged that reasoning, insisting clergy continued to provide essential spiritual support, especially during national emergencies. Church representatives also criticized the process itself, saying the measure was introduced without meaningful parliamentary debate or consultation with the faith communities it directly affects. The dispute lands at a sensitive moment as several European nations strengthen military preparedness in response to Russian aggression, with some expanding or restoring conscription altogether. Church leaders in Switzerland warned the decision could signal a broader and troubling shift away from recognizing pastoral care as a public good worth protecting. This week, the USCCB is celebrating National Natural Family Planning, or NFP, Awareness Week from July 19th to 25th, deliberately timed to conclude on the anniversary of Pope Paul VI's 1968 encyclical Humane Vitae, which laid out Catholic teaching on contraception, sexuality, and marital love. Now in its 24th year, the observance remains as relevant as ever, said Teresa Notare of the USCCB's Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth. Notare described NFP as an ethical means to live out the gospel, noting that modern methods using fertility biomarkers are more reliable and accessible than many people realize, especially with apps like FEM that help with cycle tracking for women. She called the Awareness Week just the tip of the iceberg of deeper Catholic teaching on marriage and family life, expressing hope that more people will come to understand and embrace it. The group, which arrived June 20th, visited communities in Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Houston, Pittsburgh, and other cities, meeting with people affected by immigration enforcement, residents of contaminated neighborhoods, and others living on society's margins. The delegation included Father Mattia Ferrari of Italy's Archdiocese of Modena Nonantola, Peruvian theologian Cesare Piscoia, and Luca Casarini, founder of Mediterranean Saving Humans. Though unforeseen circumstances led organizers to reschedule the second half of the trip, originally planned through July 30th, members hope to return this fall or winter. Father Ferrari called the experience inspiring. To see a church in a so deeply moving way alongside those who suffer, this is a strong witness of love, he said. Amid the ongoing horrors of war, Christians in Gaza found a rare and welcome moment of joy this weekend, watching the World Cup final together. Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Gaza City, shared a video of parish youth playing a lighthearted game as Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 on Sunday. The moment of relief came even as Israeli military forces expanded their boundary line into Deer Albala, compressing more than 2 million displaced residents into increasingly smaller spaces. Father Romanelli also described recent parish life, including Mass and a memorial for parishioners who have died, among them, those killed last year and an Israeli tank attack on the church itself. Despite the hardship, he was able to lead parishioners on an outing to the sea. The greatest reason for joy is to pray. The greatest source of joy is prayer, he said, urging continued prayers for peace amid ongoing electricity shortages and a precarious security situation that made following World Cup coverage difficult throughout the tournament.com. Thanks so much for listening and God bless. This has been an OSV News production. To learn more, visit osvnews.com.