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“If the Vatican finances are sound, it means that our Church will continue. If the Vatican finances are not sound, it’s going to have problems,” former Vatican auditor general Libero Milone said.

Mullen, who grew up in the diocese, succeeds Bishop Michael McGovern, who left the role to serve as the archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska.

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.

Deacon John Zak was “an active member of the community” before he was killed on March 11, police said.

The regime stated the decision was made in a “spirit of goodwill" and because of its good relations with the Holy See, but did not indicate if any of those to be released are political prisoners.

The University of Notre Dame and the Laudato Si’ Center recently launched the Global Alliance initiative at Castel Gandolfo in Italy.

Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop Khalid Rehmat of Quetta as the new archbishop of Lahore while transferring Archbishop Sebastian Shaw to lead the Quetta Apostolic Vicariate.

Having deported four bishops for their criticism of the regime, the Nicaraguan dictator seeks to punish them further by not allowing any ordinations in their dioceses.

WASHINGTON – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Reverend Godfrey Mullen, O.S.B., as Bishop of Belleville. Bishop-elect Mullen is a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, and current administrator of the Diocese of Belleville. The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C. on March 13, 2026, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The following biographical information for Bishop-elect Mullen was drawn from preliminary materials provided to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Father Mullen was born January 22, 1966, in Salem, Illinois. He studied at St. Meinrad College in Indiana where he received a bachelor’s degree in history (1988), a master’s degree in theology (1991), and a master of divinity (1994); he received a Ph.D. in liturgical studies from The Catholic University of America (2003). Father Mullen made his solemn monastic profession with the Order of Saint Benedict on August 15, 1992, and he was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1994.

Bishop-elect Mullen’s pastoral assignments include: professor of liturgy at St. Meinrad College in Indiana; rector of St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville, Indiana; rector of Saint Peter Cathedral in Belleville, Illinois; pastor of Blessed Sacrament parish, and of Queen of Peace parish in Belleville, Illinois. He has also served as vicar general of the Diocese of Belleville and has been apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Belleville since May 9, 2025. Bishop-elect Mullen has authored several articles and books about liturgy.

The Diocese of Belleville is comprised of 11,678 square miles in the State of Illinois.

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