Table of Contents
Dear TLI Family,
The papal prayer intention for July centers on a universal respect for the sacredness of human life in every condition.
Yet in Nigeria, the Archdiocese of Kaduna just confirmed the heartbreaking deaths of Catechist Victor Paul and four other kidnap victims. Reports reveal that Victor succumbed to severe torture and starvation in a terrorists' den, while his companions were brutally murdered. Meanwhile, in Venezuela, a devastating sequence of earthquakes has left more than 3,535 people dead, thousands missing, and hospitals overwhelmed.
When we see such profound human suffering, caused by the compounding weight of human malice and natural disaster, it is likely to feel overwhelmed. These crises point directly to the global need for principled, ethical, and virtuous leadership.
The tragedy in Nigeria is fundamentally a crisis of security, governance, and justice. The catastrophe in Venezuela, while natural in its origin, quickly becomes a crisis of infrastructure, healthcare management, and civic resource deployment. Who is tasked with fixing these broken systems? Who is responsible for building a society where the vulnerable are protected, infrastructure is resilient, and emergency responses are swift, competent, and ethical?
The answer is us, the laity.
We often look to our bishops and priests for spiritual nourishment and moral guidance, as we should. But our pastors cannot draft public safety policies in Nigeria, and they cannot manage municipal engineering or hospital logistics in Caracas. The Church instructs us that the sanctification of the secular order is the unique, irreplaceable mission of the laity.
Ad: Discover the place where Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego. See her image. And join Archbishop José Gómez, Bishop Thomas Olmsted and Bishop Timothy Freyer for The Hour of the Laity 2026 in Mexico City.
Over the past few weeks, I have often talked about what it means to take our faith "out of the pews and into the world." I have emphasized that career success for its own sake is empty. True success means transforming your professional field into a field of mission.
The world desperately needs virtuous leaders at every table where decisions are made. It needs Catholic attorneys and lawmakers who will advocate tirelessly for justice and security in unstable regions. It needs Catholic engineers, healthcare executives, and public servants who will build and manage communities capable of weathering the literal and metaphorical storms of life.
When a Christian dies in captivity, or when a family is displaced by an earthquake, our faith must move us to act through our civic and professional capacities. By excelling in our careers and ascending to roles of leadership, we gain the platform necessary to influence the culture, serve the common good, and bring Christ’s light into places of deep darkness.
Please join me in praying this week for the soul of Catechist Victor Paul and companions, and for the people of Venezuela laboring through the rubble. Their stories are a poignant reminder of the immense suffering in our world today. May we allow their endurance to renew our own resolve to lead better and reach higher.
Your work is more than a job; it is your mission territory. A hurting world is waiting for us to lead with the values of the Gospel. Every spreadsheet, board meeting, and email is a powerful opportunity to build Christ’s Kingdom and shape a Christian civilization for the 21st century.
This is the hour of the laity.
Sincerely yours in Christ and Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Ad: Tepeyac Leadership’s Leadership for the World is a $2 million, three year mission to form lay Catholic leaders for the public square. Without formation, others fill the void. Will you step in or step aside now, when it matters most?
Click to discover why THL2026 is a must-attend event!
