Day: September 23, 2025

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 23, 2025 / 17:59 pm (CNA).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has launched the “Cabrini Pledge” intended to help Catholics in “witnessing to the God-given dignity of every person, including the migrants and refugees in our midst,” as the Catholic Church in the U.S. observes National Migration Week. 

Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, introduced the pledge in a video message, imploring U.S. Catholics to join the effort.

“With one voice, we proclaim every person, regardless of where they are born, is created in the image of God and has an inherent dignity that deserves respect,” Seitz said, noting this sentiment guided the ministry of Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants. 

“By signing this pledge, you make an intentional commitment to living out the Gospel, not an abstraction, but through acts of solidarity that affirm the inherent dignity of every person,” he continued. “Through prayer, encounter, and civic engagement, we can transform fear into compassion and create a world where no one feels less than human because of their immigration status.”

“The history of the U.S. Catholic Church, like the history of the United States itself, is very much intertwined with the phenomenon of migration,” the USSCB also stated.

In the “Cabrini Pledge: An Invitation to be Keepers of Hope,” the bishops invite America’s Catholics to follow the example of Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who “accompanied her fellow immigrants and others living on the margins of society with a great missionary zeal.”

The pledge includes seven parts, including a promise to affirm the human dignity of every person regardless of immigration status or country of origin, to encourage civic dialogue about policymaking grounded in the Church’s understanding of human dignity, and to join Pope Leo XIV in praying for all migrants and refugees. 

“As Catholics, we are called to recognize the face of Christ in each person we encounter, especially the poor and vulnerable,” the bishops said. “The Gospel and the social teaching of the Church continually affirm the equal dignity of every person, irrespective of race, nationality, or immigration status.”

“The Cabrini Pledge is both a reminder of our immigrant heritage and a call to deeper engagement with our faith in response to current events,” the USCCB added.

While “political divisions and reasonable disagreements about immigration policy” pervade across the country, the bishops continued, “by witnessing to the God-given dignity of every person, including the migrants and refugees in our midst, we pave the way for an approach rooted in mercy, justice, and the common good.”

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 23, 2025 / 13:27 pm (CNA).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has joined legislatures, scientists, female athletes, the U.S. Department of Justice, and dozens of advocacy groups to support the protection of women’s sports. 

The bishops submitted an amicus brief on Sept. 18 urging the Supreme Court to uphold state bans on biological men participating in women’s sports. 

The submission was added to the more than 50 friend-of-the-court briefs put forward ahead of the upcoming State of West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox cases. 

The brief is in support of the petitioners in the two court cases, which both arose from lawsuits by young men who identify as females and sued against the states’ bans on boys competing in girls’ sports.

In the brief, the USCCB reported it submitted it to address “the legal errors in the lower courts’ decisions and the disastrous practical effects those decisions could have on Catholic institutions.”

West Virginia v. B.P.J. arose from a lawsuit filed by a then-11-year-old boy against the state over its Save Women’s Sports Act after he was not allowed to join a female-only league. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the law, claiming its enforcement would harm the boy “on the basis of sex.”

The Little v. Hecox case included a male athlete who sued the state over its Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals similarly upheld a block on the law in 2023. Both cases will be heard by the Supreme Court starting in October to decide if states have the right to ban males from participating in female sports leagues.

“These cases ask whether the Equal Protection Clause or Title IX forbids the states to create female-only athletic competitions,” the bishops wrote. “Neither does, and any other answer could prove catastrophic to Catholic institutions.”

“Laws creating female-only sports pass muster. Because of the valuable lessons that sports impart, states advance an important governmental objective when they ensure that girls and women can compete.”

“These laws serve, and are substantially related to, that objective: Given the inherent athletic advantages that males possess, creating female-only teams ensures that girls and women can safely and fairly compete.”

Since Catholic organizations participate in many federal programs, they “may have to decline this funding if Title IX is interpreted to require allowing males to compete in female sports,” the bishops explained. “Forcing Catholic schools out of federal programs will harm students nationwide.”

“If Catholic schools were forced to allow males to compete on or against their female-only teams, they would need to abandon athletics programs or stop accepting federal funding,” the bishops continued. “That is because allowing such competition would undermine fundamental Catholic teachings regarding the immutable, God-given differences between the sexes.”

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ACI Africa, Sep 23, 2025 / 11:35 am (CNA).

Archbishop Zeferino Zeca Martins of Angola’s Archdiocese of Huambo has urged members of the Catholic Men Organization (CMO) in the southern African nation to be involved in the fight against societal voices, strengthen faith practice in their families, and exemplify integrity.

In his homily during a Mass of thanksgiving marking the 11th anniversary of the Movimento dos Esposos da Promaica (MEP) (Movement of Promaica Husbands), Zeca said: “The battle against corruption must be seen as a moral and spiritual imperative, which begins within each family and extends to society at large.”

“The Church and apostolic movements have a decisive role in transforming Angolan society, starting from the authentic living out of the faith,” the archbishop said during the Sept. 20 event, which was held at St. John the Baptist Parish in the Huambo Archdiocese.

Zeca further said: “We cannot pretend that nothing is wrong in the environment we live in. Corruption, lies, selfishness, and greed are wounds that strike at the heart of our society, and even many of us, members of the MEP. That is why it is urgent that each one of us, as a husband, as a father, as a Christian, be examples of integrity and fight against these practices.”

“The transformation of society begins within the home, since the family is the fundamental cell of society,” the archbishop continued. “Where the wife is, there the husband should be; where the children are, there the parents should be. The family is the first battlefield against the forces that try to destroy Christian values. He who cannot live honesty and love in his own home will hardly be able to do so outside it.”

He reminded CMO members that “the MEP was created precisely to strengthen family bonds and the living out of faith among Catholic spouses.”

Addressing the moral crisis in Angola, Zeca said: “The apostle St. Paul warned that in the last days many would turn away from truth and justice, giving way to selfishness, lies, and corruption. We are living in those difficult times, and therefore it is up to us, as Christians and citizens, to be vigilant and fight against these forces.”

He emphasized that “it is not enough to denounce injustices and corruption; each of us must also take responsibility not to be contaminated by these practices.”

The archbishop, who is a member of the Society of the Divine Word, further stated: “The fight against corruption is not just a political or social issue but above all a spiritual battle. Corruption is born of selfishness and lack of love for one’s neighbor, of greed and the reckless pursuit of power and wealth.”

“If we do not renew our spirit and hearts in faith, we are doomed to continue living in unjust and inhuman societies. That is why I urge you to live the faith, prayer, and Christian commitment intensely, as antidotes to these evils,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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EWTN News, Sep 23, 2025 / 10:35 am (CNA).

Interreligious dialogue is not a compromise of Catholic identity but a necessary path forward in a divided and darkening world, said Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, the new prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. 

In an interview with EWTN News conducted during the Eighth Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held Sept. 19–20 in Kazakhstan, the Indian cardinal defended the Church’s diplomatic outreach across religious lines as an expression of faith, not its dilution.

“Interreligious dialogue means building up relations. Without relationships, we cannot move ahead,” he said. “We have to really know what they believe and share our concerns. Otherwise, we take the opinion of other people and think that they are like that — we already give a label. No, it is not like that.”

He warned against reducing other religions to stereotypes based on artificial intelligence or online commentary, urging a return to face-to-face understanding rooted in trust.

“When we, as religious persons, come into contact with other people, it is also a moment to explain our faith. So it encourages us to learn and also to grow in our own faith.”

The cardinal’s comments come at a time of mounting global tensions, including armed conflicts and renewed geopolitical rifts. The Kazakhstan gathering — attended by religious and political leaders — was, in Koovakad’s view, a timely initiative.

“After the pandemic, we thought life would be peaceful and calm, but things did not turn out like that,” he said. “There are different types of challenges, especially regarding conflicts, wars, trade wars, and humanity itself seems to be moving towards some type of darkness.”

“Only through dialogue, only by walking together, can we bring some hope, some light into day-to-day life.”

Reading the declaration

In a notable moment during the summit, Koovakad was invited by the Kazakh government to read the final declaration — a gesture of respect for the Holy See’s moral authority.

“With a few amendments, we arrived at a good statement, which carries an important message,” he said. “Even just speaking together about terrorism, about standing against violence — these things are important.”

“We, the people who believe in God, are the majority in the world. But too often we are silent, or we are divided. So, it is important that we come together.”

New roles, familiar mission 

The congress marked Koovakad’s first major engagement in his new role, to which he was appointed by Pope Francis earlier this year. At the same time, it was also one of the first major international missions under the new Holy Father. Yet he emphasized continuity with Pope Francis’ emphasis on dialogue.

“The new Holy Father began his pontificate by repeating the words of Jesus: ‘Peace be with you.’ His heart is for peace, and His Holiness is very much concerned about the conflicts and wars in the world.”

“So I felt that, in some way, His Holiness and myself are the fruit of Pope Francis’ love for dialogue and peace.”

Ecumenical encounters 

On the sidelines of the congress, Koovakad met privately with Catholicos Aram I of the Armenian Apostolic Church and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill — encounters he described as unexpected but deeply meaningful.

“It was a surprise for me that there was interest to meet — not me as a person, but their interest in the Catholic Church and in the Holy Father,” he said.

“That was very, very touching and interesting… It was a very fruitful moment of fraternity, and also a chance to convey greetings from the Holy Father… In return, they asked me to convey their greetings and prayers to the Holy Father as well.”

Prayer as path forward 

Reflecting on the congress’ broader significance, Koovakad appealed to Catholics to pray — not only for peace but also for a deeper conversion of heart.

“When conflicts and other problems are happening, those who are suffering are the poor, women, and children,” he said. “So it is not an option — if we believe in God, it is a must, it is indispensable that we talk and resolve the conflicts.”

“I request each one of you, especially the audience of EWTN, to pray for peace and for the conversion of hearts, which alone can change this world.”

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