The pope and Madonna are actually related through their genealogy, and Madonna responds to the news on social media.

It’s not ‘Like a Prayer’ anymore. 

It was uncovered in a new New York Times article that offered an interactive experience by Henry Louis Gates Jr. along with American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami. The article showed the Pope Leo’s genealogy on both sides of his mother and father. The NYT also revealed in the piece that he has more recent Black ancestry. Gates’ co-writer and a New Orleans genealogist Jari C. Honora was the first to discover that the pope had a recent connection to Creoles.

Many other celebrities are tied to the pope, as the pop star and many other stars are tied to him through one of his Canadian ancestors, Louis Boucher de Grandpre. Louis was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, and he connects the pope to “a whole line of ‘Canadian-derived distant cousins’ including Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Jack Kerouac, and the Pierre and Justin Trudeau.”

When Madonna heard about the pope’s family connection, she seemed pretty excited. After sharing an X/Twitter screen grab of the news, she posted a black and white photo of her and her father Silvio Ciccone on her Instagram Stories on Monday, June 16. Silvio is sitting on a chair in the photo, and Madonna is standing next to him with her arms up. “Silvio, We’re related to the Pope! Strike a pose!” the photo was captioned. 

Before her papal relative, Madonna also has a history with Catholicism. She grew up Catholic, with Veronica as her confirmation name, but now she “cultivates” her “spiritual practices.” Madonna has experimented with several different religions over the years, including Kabbalah, Judaism, and Sufism, but Catholicism has stuck with her as she’s used Catholic iconography throughout her career. She’s been credited with popularizing the cross as a stage decoration in pop music.

The 66-year-old has been called blasphemous, sacrilegious, and iconoclastic throughout her career for her use and depiction of Catholic imagery. In 1989, her song Like A Prayer was criticized by the Vatican for its burning crosses and sexy depictions of Jesus. The Pope at the time, John Paul II, even called for a boycott of her Blond Ambition tour.

In 2023, Madonna also took a swing at the Catholic Church on the cover of Vanity Fair when she posed as the Virgin Mary. She also posed as other figures throughout the entire issue including the 12 apostles. She also spoke about the reaction to Like a Prayer and the call for her tour to be boycotted, saying “I was shocked to see myself being attacked by the Church, because they couldn’t understand how much my work was trying to produce something good.”

She also sent a tweet to Pope Francis in 2015, writing “I’m a good Catholic. I swear! I mean I don’t Swear! Its [sic] been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters? “I’ve been excommunicated three times. It doesn’t seem fair. Sincerely, Madonna.” 

On May 8, American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Now 69, he’s been dubbed Pope Leo and is the first American pope to hold the position. He succeeded Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at 88. He passed away due to a cerebral stroke that caused him to go into a coma and then a fatal heart failure.

Born Sept. 14, 1955, to Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martínez in Chicago, Pope Leo was raised in South Suburban Dolton (outside of Chicago) with his two brothers, Louis and John. His late mother and father were a librarian who worked in parish life and a school superintendent.

His father was of French and Italian descent, while his mother was of Spanish descent. After discovering the fact that the Pope’s family has a connection to Creoles on his father’s side, Pope Leo’s brother told the NYT that they never really discussed the topic and it “was never an issue.”

UK regulators imposed a £2.31 million ($3.1 million) fine on genetic testing company 23andMe after their personal and genetic data of more than 150,000 UK users became publicly exposed due to a cyberattack in 2023 as reported by Bloomberg.

UK regulators through the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) imposed the penalty after collaborating with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada during their joint investigation. The investigation revealed the company had not put in place necessary protective measures for sensitive data which included insufficient login security, inadequate genetic information access controls, and poor threat detection systems, Bloomberg reports.

Security experts discovered that the breach which started in April 2023 remained unnoticed for multiple months. The UK watchdog stated that the company initiated its full internal investigation in October after an employee found that user data was being sold on Reddit.

The ICO has confirmed that attackers gained access to user names, profile photos, locations, and health information. Authorities condemned the company because it failed to implement fundamental cybersecurity measures earlier.

UK Information Commissioner John Edwards declared in an ICO statement that 23andMe neglected fundamental protective measures for this data.

The breach that occurred intensified public examination about how 23andMe manages its consumer data according to Reuters. 

A San Francisco-based company that used to be seen as a Silicon Valley success story now faces profitability challenges. The company declared bankruptcy in March 2025 because of financial struggles that resulted from decreasing market demand combined with increasing regulatory challenges.

The company’s remaining assets have been transferred to new owners.Bloomberg reports that Anne Wojcicki, the company’s former CEO, and the nonprofit TTAM Research Institute purchased 23andMe's assets through a bankruptcy auction which has resulted in new concerns about the fate of its extensive genetic data collection.

Both privacy advocates and regulators have voiced their worries about the enduring dangers that come with turning sensitive data into commercial products.

UK Information Commissioner John Edwards announced through an ICO statement that 23andMe did not implement fundamental information protection measures.

The security breach reported by Reuters further increases the public examination of 23andMe's management of consumer data. 

The San Francisco tech company that was once hailed as a Silicon Valley success story now faces persistent challenges in sustaining its profitability. The company declared bankruptcy in March 2025 because of financial problems which resulted from diminishing demand and increasing regulatory challenges.

The remaining assets of the company have been transferred to new ownership.Anne Wojcicki along with TTAM Research Institute bought 23andMe’s assets during a bankruptcy auction according to Bloomberg and now questions emerge about the company's extensive genetic database.

The commercial use of sensitive data triggers long-term risk concerns from privacy advocates and regulatory bodies.

The federal agency responsible for maintaining governmental and historical records initiated employee layoffs starting Monday as leadership stated this decision would strategically redirect resources while maintaining the agency's primary mission.

The National Archives and Records Administration announced that it would release approximately 3% of its workforce through reductions in force which means about 100 employees would be let go with initial notices distributed on Monday followed by additional notices on June 30. NARA reduced the effects of RIFs through early voluntary separation programs and implemented changes that would improve public access to its records and artifacts.

NARA’s chief of management and administration Valorie Findlater informed staff through a Government Executive obtained note the agency’s future state decisions were implemented with careful strategic planning. Our organization remains dedicated to assisting our employees during NARA's ongoing transformations while we work to establish a more effective NARA for the future.

Findlater explained that her agency implemented these measures because President Trump mandated all agencies to reorganize their structures. The order faces implementation delays at nearly two-dozen agencies because a federal judge issued a blockage order but NARA remains exempt. While awaiting the Supreme Court's decision, numerous agencies have prepared to execute layoffs if the justices decide in favor of the administration.

NARA employees who understand the layoffs said that RIFs eliminated the Office of Innovation together with the division that supports field offices and presidential libraries in the first round of cuts. The employee reported that the 13 libraries which NARA supervises currently face substantial staff reductions during the second phase of layoffs.

NARA's termination of probationary staff caused a temporary closure of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston during February.The agency will experience greater staffing reductions than the RIFs alone indicate because numerous workers have already accepted buyouts or early retirement packages.

Employees predicted that facilities would face staffing shortages, museum programming would shrink and veterans records retrieval would develop backlogs when probationary staff members were terminated. Earlier this year Trump dismissed Colleen Shogan who served as the latest U.S. Archivist. Marco Rubio became acting archivist through Trump's appointment but James Byron of the Richard Nixon Foundation runs the agency operations on a daily basis.

The State Department Secretary Marco Rubio tried to carry out RIFs during the weekend but federal court stopped his action at the last minute.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln introduced All Things Nebraska which serves as an informatics website delivering trustworthy and current data about state communities. The mapping tool which contains over 30,000 data layers about Nebraska communities and counties was developed together with the Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems at the University of Missouri.

Katie Larson from Nebraska Extension and the lead developer of All Things Nebraska explains that the platform simplifies data access and analysis while offering visualization tools. Our expectation is that policymakers will utilize this site to facilitate their decision-making process. The website functions as a single resource destination for anyone searching for data-based solutions to questions about our state.

The platform provides accessibility for multiple user groups including business leaders, nonprofit organizations, government officials and Nebraska Extension professionals along with researchers. The Nebraska County Report Card functions as an assessment tool that presents state and national benchmarks for fast comparisons alongside data visualizations which are both intuitive and easy to understand. The All Things Nebraska platform enables extension professionals to identify programming priorities and evaluate their program's effects.

The Nebraska Rural Poll Interactive Report connects All Things Nebraska data with three decades of annual survey information to display rural Nebraskans' perspectives on well-being, civil discourse, artificial intelligence, housing, economy and trade and community issues.

According to Larson All Things Nebraska goes beyond simple data compilation.The comprehensive database resource helps Nebraskans understand community needs while enabling effective resource allocation and data-driven decision making.

Users searching for community development project planning tools or funding opportunities as well as research capabilities will discover everything they need for success. All Things Nebraska maintains its mission to help communities throughout the state flourish by increasing data accessibility and usability.

Reach out to Katie Larson at katelyn.pleskac@unl.edu to book a specialized training session for your team organization or community.

To explore the platform, click here.

The following announcement was written by the (U.S.) National. Archives and Records Administration:

The Emancipation Proclamation and General Order No. 3--which informed the people of Texas that all slaves in the state were free--will be on display at the National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C. from Thursday, June 19, to Sunday, June 22, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. "The annual public exhibition of President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and this important military order provides a regular opportunity to reinforce how America’s founding principles ultimately ended slavery, ” said Jim Byron, Senior Advisor to the Acting Archivist of the United States. The Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln on January 3, 1863. NAID: 299998 #ArchivesJuly4 in Washington, DC You're invited to gather at the National Archives in Washington, DC, on Friday, July 4, 2025, to celebrate the Fourth of July! Featuring a reading of the Declaration of Independence, special performances by military bands, and remarks by Commander Everett Alvarez, Jr., the longest held American Prisoner of War in the Vietnam War and soon-to-be recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal. All July 4th activities are free and open to the public, with fun activities for the whole family.  PLUS! The National Archives Museum will be open for extended hours from Thursday, July 3, through Saturday, July 5, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. ET.  (Left) The National Archives in Washington, DC, celebrates Independence Day with a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 2019.  (Right) Screenshot of Commander Everett Alvarez, Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.) from a U.S. Navy Video through Wikimedia Commons More RFK Assassination Files Released On June 12, 2025, consistent with President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14176, the National Archives released an additional 9,653 pages of records related to the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. This includes 54 declassified documents from the Central Intelligence Agency, making 1,450 pages of available for the very first time.  The documents are now accessible online at archives.gov/rfk and cia.gov. Learn more about the CIA release from this press release. Stats from the Stacks There are less than four months left in fiscal year 2025! From October 2024 through May 2025, Presidential Libraries have welcomed over one million visitors, served 71,863 students and teachers in education programs, and hosted 43,554 participants at public programs. Plan your visit to a Presidential Library this summer! Top left: Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, New York; top right: Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, Abilene, Kansas; bottom left: Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, Austin, Texas; bottom right: George W. Bush Library, Dallas, Texas.

The following is an announcement written by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David:

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is delighted to announce the launch of the Swansea Stained Glass Online Archive, a newly digitised and searchable collection of hundreds of stained glass panels created by students at Swansea College of Art over the past five decades.

The roots of stained glass teaching in Swansea date back to the 1930s and from the 1970s it exerted a transformational and international influence on its teaching and practice, as students from the local area and from far afield were attracted to study in the city.

New approaches to architectural stained glass being pioneered in Germany were encouraged by the leader of the course, Tim Lewis, in the 1970s and 1980s, and celebrated German artists were invited to teach at the college. This experimental environment nurtured artists who augmented traditional stained glass techniques with the new approaches necessary for the creation of large artistic works in glass for a wide range of buildings. From the 1970s, students from Swansea embarked on successful careers making a wide range of architectural stained glass for all kinds of buildings around the world.

The student panels held at Swansea College of Art form the most extensive collection relevant to the development of late twentieth-century architectural stained glass anywhere in Britain. Many of the hundreds of panels in the archive are from student exhibitions and competitions, including experimental early work by some of the leading artists working in stained glass over the last fifty years.

While some of the panels are occasionally exhibited and others are displayed in the college, many have not been seen for decades. Initial work on the archive, which also consists of works on stained glass cartoons and designs was undertaken by Marilyn Griffiths in the 2010s while she was lecturing at the college. 

Detailed cataloguing and photography of the stained glass panels was recently undertaken by artist and stained glass historian Martin Crampin (University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth) and stained glass artist Christian Ryan (Swansea College of Art) in 2024–5, funded by the Colwinston Trust.

Martin Crampin said: “This archive celebrates the spirit of creativity and experimentation that defined the teaching of stained glass at Swansea. It demonstrates the passion and vision of staff and students at Swansea that shaped modern architectural stained glass in Britain. We’re delighted to make these fascinating works of art available for international researchers and the wider public.”

The Swansea Stained Glass Archive affirms UWTSD’s longstanding commitment to artistic innovation and historical preservation. It also recognises the importance of student work, not just as a learning exercise but as a genuine contribution to cultural heritage.

The searchable database is available at https://swansea.stainedglass.wales and more panels are still being added. Most of them are untitled, anonymous, and undated and additional information from former staff and students about would be gratefully received. Comments, corrections, and any further details can be submitted on the pages of the individual artworks.

After 40 years since Katharina Reitz Brow’s murder Massachusetts authorities have discovered who committed the 1980 cold case crime. Authorities revealed that Joseph Leo Boudreau who died after committing violent crimes murdered Katharina Reitz Brow.

DNA evidence finally freed Kenneth Waters after his wrongful 1983 conviction kept him in prison for two decades.

Katharina Brow's body which showed 30 stab wounds and beatings was discovered on May 21, 1980 in their trailer home in Ayer Massachusetts when she was 48 years old.

Massachusetts law enforcement has finally discovered the real murderer responsible for Katharina Reitz Brow's deadly 1980 cold case. The murder was committed by Joseph Leo Boudreau who had passed away and maintained a violent criminal background.

After spending 20 years in prison, Kenneth Waters was exonerated by DNA evidence for the crime he was wrongfully convicted of in 1983.

The attack occurred between 7: The murder took place between 7:10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. while her husband worked at his job. A search of the crime scene revealed evidence of a physical altercation along with the disappearance of her purse and the theft of hidden money from a linen closet. A knife used as a murder weapon remained hidden inside a wastebasket.

The shocking murder of Katharina Reitz Brow in 1980 devastated the Town of Ayer according to Police Chief Brian Gill.

Kenneth Waters received a murder conviction in 1983 because investigators found a bloodstain that corresponded with his blood type. Advanced DNA testing conducted in 2001 established Waters' innocence which resulted in his exoneration after twenty years of imprisonment.

The murder case stayed open for years after the initial conviction was overturned until forensic investigative genetic genealogy solved it in 2022. The DNA evidence examination led investigators to identify Boudreau, who had died in 2004, as the actual perpetrator. In 1975 Boudreau received a conviction for armed robbery.

District Attorney Marian Ryan said that our primary goal has always been to uncover answers regardless of the time that has passed. The family now has long-awaited clarity because we have identified her killer.

The authorities verified that Boudreau and Waters were not connected.

Modern forensics and genetic genealogy have produced a transformative outcome for cold cases through recent developments.
Chief Gill recognized that the case reached a turning point when investigators used forensic genetic genealogy DNA testing. I appreciate the opportunity to finally provide the Brow family with their long-awaited closure.

Boudreau can't face prosecution now that he's dead but discovering his identity ends the Brow family's painful struggle and exonerates the wrongfully accused man.

The following announcement wass written by the Board for Certification of Genealogists:

BCG today released the 2025 edition of The BCG Application Guide, which takes effect on 1 July 2025. Applicants who submit a preliminary application or extension after 30 June 2025 are subject to the new 2025 guide, as well as associates whose renewal applications are due after 30 June 2026. Applicants who are currently “on-the-clock” have the option to use the new two-part application process beginning 1 July 2025. This new guide does not affect those governed under the pilot program application guide.

The 2025 Application Guide is available at https://bcgcertification.org/images/files/BCG_Application_Guide-2025.pdf

The associated 2025 rubrics are available at https://bcgcertification.org/become-a-certified-genealogist#2025-new-application-rubrics.

BCG will present a webinar on the 2025 Application Guide on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, through Legacy Family Tree Webinars. The registration link will be forthcoming. 

General Updates
Descriptions for requirements have been modified in response to frequently asked questions. Appendices have been updated for the benefit of all applicants, and should be reviewed carefully. The new guide has links to the BCG website for rubrics and the policy on AI in portfolios.

Changes for New Applicants
The most significant change is that all new applicants will submit using the two-part portfolio process.  The preliminary application format and extensions for preliminary applicants remain unchanged. Portfolio elements will be submitted in two separate parts as defined by the guide. If Part 1 is successful, the applicant may submit the requirements for Part 2. 

Details on changes made to the individual portfolio requirements are listed below. The elements were renumbered to match the separation of the portfolio into two parts. Each part is limited to 75 digital pages. Client permissions and documentation to meet Standard 54 are exempt from the page count. Please read the new guide carefully for other changes.

Starting July 1, 2025, the fee for submitting a portfolio will be $400. This is the first time the fee for submitting a portfolio has been increased in 13 years. For the two-part application, the fee will be $200 for Part 1 and $200 for Part 2. The fee for preliminary applications and extensions has not changed.

Language throughout The BCG Application Guide has been clarified. Applicants should read the 2025 version carefully before applying.

These are some of the changes in the 2025 BCG Application Guide for new CG applications:

Code of Ethics

• ·         Adds three new bullet points in the section “To protect the client.”

Requirement Restrictions

• ·         Provides a link to the URL for the BCG policy on the use of artificial intelligence in new CG portfolios.
• ·         Clarifies that “a DNA test taker may appear in more than one work sample to provide evidence for different research subjects in distinct ancestral lines.”

Document Work

• ·         Adds a document citation as a specific requirement.

• ·         Separates analysis of information and evidence relevant to the research question from document reliability and context.

Kinship Determination Project

• ·         Requires a descending narrative lineage (not a narrative genealogy, a pedigree, or an ascending narrative lineage) and provides a numbering format (Appendix C).
• ·         Requires that the two required proof summaries and/or proof arguments be labeled.

Research Report

• ·         Requires that the report must demonstrate in-depth and skillful use of a range of sources. Advises that research sessions of less than twenty hours are unlikely to meet this requirement.
• ·         Revises the definition for “use a family other than your own or your spouse’s.” The research report may not be about your ancestors—biological or adoptive—your spouse’s ancestors, or siblings of any of these people.
• ·         Clarifies that images or other materials sent to the client using a digital-file sharing service should be included as part of the report sent to BCG and are included in the page count. Links to outside servers are not acceptable.

Case Study

• ·         Revises the definition of what qualifies as a case study: “Supply a case study (a stand-alone proof argument) drawn from your own research that (a) demonstrates application of the Genealogical Proof Standard and (b) resolves a significant problem of relationship that cannot be resolved from uncontested direct evidence. Identity questions that separate same-named people or merge identities to solve relationship problems are also acceptable. You may not submit a study about a single identifying characteristic of a person, such as their date or place of birth.”
  
  

Changes for Current Associates
Associates whose renewal date falls on or before 30 June 2026 may choose either the 2021 or 2025 Application Guide requirements for CG renewal.  Associates whose renewal date falls on or after 1 July 2026, even if submitted previous to that date, are subject to the 2025 edition. Associates may submit one or two work samples, both of which must meet the Genealogical Proof Standard.

The Certified Genetic Genealogist (CGG) requirements have been introduced in this edition.  Rubrics have been updated to reflect the relevant sections.

The Certified Genealogical Lecturer (CGL) requirements have been updated in this edition, and rubrics have been introduced to aid applicants.

There are no changes to the fees for renewals or add-on credentials.

For more information or with questions, contact the Executive Director.

The following is an announcement from Queens University:

Thanks to our amazing partners at Queens University of Charlotte, DigitalNC is pleased to announce that over a hundred new literary journals and six new beautiful books are now available online! Four of these new books are scrapbooks created for and by Queens students, while the other two are administrative records. They span from as early as 1919 to as late as 1978; combined, the collection offers a cohesive glimpse into campus life on Queens during the twentieth century. This fantastic collection will join Queens University’s burgeoning presence on DigitalNC, which has added almost three hundred records in the last year!

The highlight of this collection is by far a scrapbook titled “The Princess,” created in 1919. Scrapbooks created by students are often artistic and unconventional, pushing the conventional boundaries of the scrapbooking medium, and this volume is no exception. It chronicles Ms. Effie J. Wall’s first year at Queens, from her arrival at orientation to her departure for summer recess. Ms. Wall’s freshman experience is not unlike many modern college students’ — she quickly forms a tightly knit group of friends, finds a “beau,” makes fun of her professors, and dives in to extracurriculars. Her handwriting fills the margins of each page, providing color commentary on clippings of newspapers and official campus publications. She also includes a variety of unconventional material in her book, including (but not limited to) peanut bags, candy wrappers, locks of her friends’ hair, and scorecards for bridge. The inclusion of these unusual materials hints at that wide-eyed fascination with the wider world many college students experience after moving away from home, even centuries ago. The Princess is an amazing example of humans remaining humans throughout the years (or, rather, teenagers being teenagers!).

Another excellent example of student creativity can be found in the wealth of literary journals included in this collection. Published under a variety of titles during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, these journals embody Queens student’s skills in written and visual art. Each issue contains poems, illustrations, and creative nonfiction created by and for Queens’ faculty and students. The issues span as far back as 1917 to as recently as 2024, meaning DigitalNC now has over a century of published material available online!

We are also pleased to announce that a brand new collection of the Queens University student newspaper has been digitized from microfilm for the very first time! The new issues will join an impressive collection of nearly 500 issues already online, ranging from 1920 to 2005. The papers chronicle campus life at Queens from 1961 to 1985, a period where Queens began accepting male students to its hallowed halls for the very first time. You can find the new issues of the Queens University student newspaper online at DigitalNC here.

You can find The Princess, along with the other scrapbooks and administrative records, online now at DigitalNC here. You can also find the literary journals online now at DigitalNC here. Interested in learning more about Queens University of Charlotte? Try exploring their records online at DigitalNC here, or visiting their website online here. Thanks again to our fantastic partners at Queens University for making this collection, and many other amazing pieces of history, available online at DigitalNC.

The Butler County Genealogical Society will host the webinar “Seven Immigration Methodologies, with Case Studies Across the Centuries” at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17, at the Butler Area Public Library, 218 N. McKean St. in Butler, Pennsylvania.

This presentation introduces seven methodologies to effectively trace immigrant origins, illustrated with examples from the early 1600s to the early 1900s. Family historians face significant challenges tracing immigrant ancestors, because of changes in language, culture, family composition, given name, surname, country of residence and occupation.

David S. Ouimette, who currently works for Family Search, will lead the webinar.