Following is a compilation of recent briefs published by Catholic News Service on these topics: Nuclear weapon disarmament; Civil dialogue on college campuses; Appeals for peace in Philippines; Virginia execution;  Venezuelan government; Migrant stories in Italy; West Virginia flood anniversary; Salvadoran cardinal works for peace.

Nuclear weapons ban treaty has challenge of actual disarmament occurring
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The passage of a United Nations treaty banning the possession of nuclear weapons comes at a time when the majority of world's nations are frustrated with the slow pace of nuclear disarmament. Even with such a pact -- years in the making -- there is no timeline for total disarmament, arms control experts told Catholic News Service. The real work ahead under the treaty, said Marie Dennis, co-president of Pax Christi International, is getting the world's nuclear-weapons possessing countries and dozens more that fall under the so-called "nuclear umbrella" to take seriously the call to reduce and eventually rid the world of ballistic arsenals. "It's really phenomenal that it happened," Dennis said of the July 7 vote at the U.N. "It fills a gap in international law and agreements that was pretty huge, that every other weapon of such destructive capacity has been made illegal. As some said, 'These weapons have always been immoral. Now at least they are illegal.'" The final tally saw 122 nations voting for the ban. Netherlands voted no and Singapore abstained in the final count. Not present during the voting were the nuclear weapon states of the United States, Russia, China, France, United Kingdom, Pakistan and India as well as numerous countries falling under the nuclear umbrella. The U.N. has 195 member states.

Campuses cannot be 'echo chambers' for one viewpoint, say observers
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- In the wake of several violent incidents involving controversial speakers at universities this year, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing June 20 on free speech on college campuses. This issue also prompted Catholic News Service to interview several Catholic observers and leaders in higher education who emphasized the importance of civility and dialogue in a time of violence and intolerance. The hearing was titled "Free Speech 101: The Assault on the First Amendment on College Campuses" and centered on the topics of free speech, intellectual freedom and the dangers they face on college campuses. Several people gave testimony, including two current students. Zachary R. Wood, a senior at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, described his efforts to invite speakers who advocate challenging or controversial views in his work as president of Uncomfortable Learning at Williams College. Often his efforts were met with verbal attacks and violent language. "I adamantly believe that students should be encouraged to engage with people and ideas they vehemently disagree with," Wood said in his written testimony.

Philippine bishops appeal for return to peace in south of country
MANILA, Philippines (CNS) -- The Philippine Catholic bishops appealed for a "return to normalcy and peace ... as soon as possible," as violence continues in the southern part of the country. In a statement at the end of their biannual meeting July 10, the bishops appealed for dialogue with Muslims, "so that our various faiths may not be exploited and abused for the sake of terrorism or violent extremism," reported ucanews.com. The Church leaders urged parents, schools, churches and mosques to "ensure that none may be lured by the recruitment efforts of terrorists. Let us teach the young and the old that our faiths are meant for peace. No religion teaches the killing of innocent people, simply because they belong to another religion," read the bishops' statement. The prelates also wondered whether martial law across the southern part of the country would ensure the return of peace. 

Virginia carries out execution despite pleas inmate was mentally ill
RICHMOND, Va. (CNS) -- Virginia officials executed a man convicted of killing a hospital security guard and a sheriff's deputy despite the pleas of advocates who said the crimes resulted from severe mental illness. William Morva, 35, was pronounced dead at 9:15 p.m. EDT July 6 after a lethal injection at Greensville correctional center. Lisa Kinney, director of communications for the Virginia Department of Corrections, said the execution was carried out without complications. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced hours before the execution that he would not block the death sentence from being carried out despite appeals from attorneys, mental health advocates and state lawmakers that Morva's mental illness made it impossible for him to distinguish between delusions and reality. As the execution neared, the Virginia Catholic Conference reissued its statement explaining the Catholic Church's stance against the death penalty. Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo of Richmond and Bishop Michael F. Burbidge or Arlington, representing the conference, said people of God "are led to a profound respect for every human, from its very beginning until its natural end."

Bishops say Venezuela aims to install 'military dictatorship'
CARACAS, Venezuela (CNS) -- Venezuela's bishops said the country's government aims to install a "military dictatorship, socialist, Marxist and communist." The Church and Venezuelan authorities have long had a tense relationship, but the comments by Archbishop Diego Padron Sanchez, president of the bishops' conference, refer to a process unilaterally initiated May 1 by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to draft a new constitution for the country. To create that document, Venezuelans will elect hundreds of representatives to a constituent assembly July 30. Maduro said the initiative aims to bring peace to the country, rocked by more than 100 days of anti-government protests in which over 80 have died. But the country's political opposition and the bishops have denounced the plan as illegitimate and illegal. They believe the assembly's structure would over-represent pro-government sectors, guaranteeing a body favorable to a government that polls show has the support of less than a quarter of the population. "A constituent assembly without consultation from the people first will bring negative consequences for the country because the government excludes many sectors to impose a constitutional communal state," said Archbishop Padron. 

Nuns hear stories of tragedy as they help migrants who land in Italy
CALTANISETTA, Italy (CNS) -- Italian youth lead the lively Sunday worship at St. Pius X Catholic Church in this southern Sicilian town with the help of an African migrant picking up the playful rhythm on a drum. Integrating the migrants into a normal life is one of the goals of the Migrant Project/Sicily, a project of the International Union of Superiors Generals. The nuns from different congregations around the world heeded Pope Francis' urgent call in 2015 to aid migrants fleeing conflict and poverty. "We call ourselves migrants among migrants," said Sister Janet Cashman, a member of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas. She served as a health care worker in the U.S., Peru and South Sudan before taking up this latest calling with Migrant Project/Sicily. The nuns give practical help and emotional support to scores of migrants flooding Sicily's shores. The U.N.'s International Organization for Migration said that as of July 3, more than 85,000 migrants -- of the more than 100,000 crossing the Mediterranean -- landed in Italy this year. "When you look at the sea, you see its beauty, but what I came to know is that a lot of people were lost there," Polish Sacred Heart Sister Maria Gaczol told Catholic News Service. The U.N. estimates more than 2,200 people died at sea in the first six months of this year. "It is a cemetery as well, and so, too, is the desert."

On anniversary of floods, West Virginia priest says need still great
RICHWOOD, W.Va. (CNS) -- A year after historic floods devastated parts of West Virginia, "there is still a lot of work to be done," said Father Quy Ngoc Dang. The small town of Richwood, where Father Dang is administrator of Holy Family Parish, was devastated by flooding when a total of 7 inches of rain fell in just three hours there on the evening of June 23, 2016. The Cherry River, which flows just below Holy Family Church, quickly spilled over its banks, ravaged the town of roughly 2,000 residents. Father Dang watched from church grounds last year as the river flooded the center of town. The flooding was among the worst the state has experienced. Twenty-three people across the state lost their lives. Almost 500,000 people were without power, and 44 counties were under a state of emergency. In the year since the flood, Father Dang, a priest of the Society of the Divine Word, said Richwood has received so much help in recovery efforts from many different organizations, including Catholic Charities West Virginia. However, he said, many flood victims are still in need of assistance.

Salvadoran cardinal: Pope sending him to Korea to work for peace
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Celebrating a Mass in his native El Salvador, newly created Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez said his first major assignment will be to travel to South Korea for a meeting on how to achieve peace with North Korea. During a homily in San Salvador's Metropolitan Cathedral July 8, Cardinal Rosa Chavez said that although he will "continue to be the least of my brother bishops" as auxiliary bishop, he is also entrusted to other matters by Pope Francis. "I already received my first invitation to go to Seoul, South Korea, to attend a meeting to see how we can achieve peace between North and South Korea," the cardinal said; his remarks were followed by applause and cheers by the faithful. Tensions continue to escalate in the Korean peninsula after North Korea conducted its first successful intercontinental ballistic missile test July 4. With an estimated range of 5,000 miles, the missile is capable of striking the U.S. mainland with a nuclear-tipped warhead. In response, the U.S. and South Korean military held joint drills in a show of force against North Korea. However, under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, North Korea has shown no signs of de-escalating its nuclear ambitions.