Enrique Villegas, Author at ZENIT

Articles By Enrique Villegas

The canonization process for Father Ignacio Larrañaga, founder of the Prayer and Life Workshops, begins in Mexico

At the opening ceremony in Guadalajara, the ecclesiastical authorities announced that the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints had granted its required authorization, known as a nihil obstat

Oct 09, 2026 19:29

Enrique Villegas

Local Church

Fake Priests, Unauthorized Clergy and a Growing Catholic Identity Problem in Mexico

The problem has not been confined to a single parish. Similar requests have reportedly been made at private homes in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, with individuals seeking money in the name of particular parishes. In response, Catholic communities have used their social-media accounts to warn parishioners that the appeals were unauthorized.

Oct 05, 2026 10:41

Enrique Villegas

Local Church•Pope Leo XIV

Peruvian government declares the Pope’s visit a “matter of national interest” and prepares for gatherings of up to 1 million people

The decision, approved by the Council of Ministers on August 12, is more than a protocol measure. It enables the government to coordinate security, logistics, customs procedures, and public services for a trip that is expected to involve between 700,000 and 1 million people nationwide.

Aug 14, 2026 12:53

Enrique Villegas

Local Church

Venezuela One Month After the Earthquake: The Scale of the Disaster and the Role of the Church

An analysis by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimated direct damage at approximately $24 billion to public and private buildings and another $13 billion to infrastructure

Jul 23, 2026 12:19

Enrique Villegas

Local Church•Persecuted Christians

Nicaragua: A Missing Bishop, a Report on Persecution of the Church, and a Dictator Who Announces There Will Be No More Elections

His disappearance comes as a newly published Global Persecution Index by International Christian Concern portrays Nicaragua as one of the countries where conditions for Christians have deteriorated most significantly.

Jul 21, 2026 16:01

Enrique Villegas

Local Church

Mexican bishops warn of a nation at risk: violence, the Cristero War, and the World Cup

One of the more historically resonant aspects of the message is its reference to the centenary of the persecution of Catholics during the Cristero War, which began in 1926. Rather than invoking this memory as a source of division, the bishops propose it as an opportunity for reflection and learning

Apr 20, 2026 16:59

Enrique Villegas

Causes of Saints•Dicasteries•Local Church

A Cause Halted, A Legacy Questioned: The Vatican Freezes Jorge Novak’s Path to the Altars

Some interpretations circulating in ecclesial and media circles suggest that the Vatican’s concern may relate to the handling of abuse cases during Novak’s tenure

Apr 08, 2026 18:45

Enrique Villegas

Good News•Local Church

Lost for Eight Decades, Found by Chance: Argentina Cathedral Recovers Relic of the True Cross Ahead of Lent

The reliquary, identified as a Lignum Crucis—Latin for “wood of the Cross”—was traced back to the Cathedral of San Juan, where it had been housed since 1908. According to documentation recovered during the investigation, the relic arrived through the efforts of Bishop Sansierra and was accompanied by official certification issued in Rome

Mar 16, 2026 10:07

Enrique Villegas

Local Church

Brazilian bishop declares excommunication for Catholics who participate in “traditional” Masses

On February 11, the Archdiocese of Maceió announced that the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass according to the Missal of St. Pius V would be permitted exclusively in a single location: the São Vicente de Paulo Chapel, and only once a week. Any celebration of that rite elsewhere — whether in another church, a private venue or even within a civil association — would, the note warned, constitute a “public act of schism” and would entail excommunication latae sententiae

Feb 28, 2026 20:22

Enrique Villegas

Justice and Peace•Local Church

Mexico’s Bishops Raise Their Voice After Football Field Massacre and Attack on Puebla Cathedral

The Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM) issued a forceful statement following two shocking incidents: a mass shooting that left at least 11 people dead at a community football field in Salamanca, Guanajuato, on Sunday, January 25, and an attempted arson attack against Puebla’s historic cathedral the previous night

Jan 28, 2026 11:25

Enrique Villegas

Persecuted Christians•Religious Freedom

Nicaraguan regime bans urban and rural “door-to-door” missions in the country’s dioceses

The ban affected pastoral outreach scheduled for January 24 as part of the so-called Ecclesiological Year proclaimed by Bishop Sócrates René Sándigo, who governs both the dioceses of León and neighboring Chinandega

Jan 23, 2026 18:28

Enrique Villegas

Good News•Local Church