St. Carlo Acutis’ doctors recall his last days in the hospital – #Catholic – Fifteen-year-old Carlo Acutis died within a week of being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, offering his suffering for the pope and for the Church. Following his beatification on Oct. 10, 2020, his doctors and hospital chaplain recalled their memories of his final days.Father Sandro Villa was the hospital chaplain of St. Gerald Hospital outside of Milan, Italy, who gave Carlo the anointing of the sick and holy Communion on Oct. 10, 2006, the day before Carlo went into a coma due to a brain hemorrhage caused by the M3 subtype of acute myeloid leukemia.Villa shared at an event in Assisi, Italy, on Oct. 13, 2020, that he was touched by Carlo’s “composure and devotion” in receiving the sacraments in the hospital room.“In a small room, at the end of the corridor, I found myself in front of a boy. His pale but serene face surprised me — unthinkable in a seriously ill person, especially an adolescent,” he said.“I was also amazed by the composure and devotion with which, albeit with difficulty, he received the two sacraments. He seemed to have been waiting for them and felt the need for them.”Before his cancer diagnosis, Carlo had a great devotion to the Eucharist. From a young age, he expressed a special love for God, even though his Catholic parents had stopped attending Mass.As he grew older, he started going to daily Mass, often dragging his family members along with him. He made Holy Hours before or after Mass and went to confession weekly.With his aptitude for computer programming, Carlo built websites to inform others about Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions around the world. On his site, he told people: “The more often we receive the Eucharist, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.”For Villa, this administration of the sacraments would be his only encounter with Carlo, but he said the look of serenity on Carlo’s face was something that stayed with him.“After a few years … I learned that he was declared ‘venerable.’ I was amazed that the Lord had allowed me to meet him, if only for a few moments,” he said.Villa continued: “I decided to learn about his life. I discovered that he was in love with the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and I therefore began to better understand some of his words.”Dr. Andrea Biondi and Dr. Mòmcilo Jankovic, who treated Carlo in the pediatric clinic of St. Gerald Hospital, recorded their memories together in a paper that was read aloud at the event.They said: “Carlo was like a meteor with a quick passage through our ward; leukemia took him away before we could get to know him even a little. However, his sweet eyes remain engrained [in our memories]. His gaze was full of attention … of courage, of love, of strong empathy.”“His faith in God, which he had wanted and still wanted to pass on to others, to his neighbor, shone through him … His gentle eyes … taught us a lot: life, whether short or long must be lived intensely for oneself, but also and above all for others.”Carlo’s heart stopped beating on Oct. 12 — a date that is now celebrated as a local feast in the Diocese of Assisi and Archdiocese of Milan. His parents had desired to donate his organs, but they were too compromised by leukemia to be donated.Today St. Carlo’s heart is a relic and is contained in a reliquary in Assisi that is inscribed with his words: “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.” He was canonized on Sept. 7, 2025, by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.This story was first published on Oct. 16, 2020, and has been updated.
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St. Carlo Acutis’ doctors recall his last days in the hospital – #Catholic – Fifteen-year-old Carlo Acutis died within a week of being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, offering his suffering for the pope and for the Church. Following his beatification on Oct. 10, 2020, his doctors and hospital chaplain recalled their memories of his final days.Father Sandro Villa was the hospital chaplain of St. Gerald Hospital outside of Milan, Italy, who gave Carlo the anointing of the sick and holy Communion on Oct. 10, 2006, the day before Carlo went into a coma due to a brain hemorrhage caused by the M3 subtype of acute myeloid leukemia.Villa shared at an event in Assisi, Italy, on Oct. 13, 2020, that he was touched by Carlo’s “composure and devotion” in receiving the sacraments in the hospital room.“In a small room, at the end of the corridor, I found myself in front of a boy. His pale but serene face surprised me — unthinkable in a seriously ill person, especially an adolescent,” he said.“I was also amazed by the composure and devotion with which, albeit with difficulty, he received the two sacraments. He seemed to have been waiting for them and felt the need for them.”Before his cancer diagnosis, Carlo had a great devotion to the Eucharist. From a young age, he expressed a special love for God, even though his Catholic parents had stopped attending Mass.As he grew older, he started going to daily Mass, often dragging his family members along with him. He made Holy Hours before or after Mass and went to confession weekly.With his aptitude for computer programming, Carlo built websites to inform others about Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions around the world. On his site, he told people: “The more often we receive the Eucharist, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.”For Villa, this administration of the sacraments would be his only encounter with Carlo, but he said the look of serenity on Carlo’s face was something that stayed with him.“After a few years … I learned that he was declared ‘venerable.’ I was amazed that the Lord had allowed me to meet him, if only for a few moments,” he said.Villa continued: “I decided to learn about his life. I discovered that he was in love with the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and I therefore began to better understand some of his words.”Dr. Andrea Biondi and Dr. Mòmcilo Jankovic, who treated Carlo in the pediatric clinic of St. Gerald Hospital, recorded their memories together in a paper that was read aloud at the event.They said: “Carlo was like a meteor with a quick passage through our ward; leukemia took him away before we could get to know him even a little. However, his sweet eyes remain engrained [in our memories]. His gaze was full of attention … of courage, of love, of strong empathy.”“His faith in God, which he had wanted and still wanted to pass on to others, to his neighbor, shone through him … His gentle eyes … taught us a lot: life, whether short or long must be lived intensely for oneself, but also and above all for others.”Carlo’s heart stopped beating on Oct. 12 — a date that is now celebrated as a local feast in the Diocese of Assisi and Archdiocese of Milan. His parents had desired to donate his organs, but they were too compromised by leukemia to be donated.Today St. Carlo’s heart is a relic and is contained in a reliquary in Assisi that is inscribed with his words: “The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.” He was canonized on Sept. 7, 2025, by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.This story was first published on Oct. 16, 2020, and has been updated.

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Fifteen-year-old Carlo Acutis died within a week of being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Following his beatification, his doctors and hospital chaplain recalled their memories of his final days.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 12 October 2026 – A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27, 31–5:1 Brothers and sisters: It is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman. The son of the slave woman was born naturally, the son of the freeborn through a promise. Now this is an allegory. These women represent two covenants. One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother. For it is written: Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children; break forth and shout, you who were not in labor; for more numerous are the children of the deserted one than of her who has a husband. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman. For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.From the Gospel according to Luke 11:29-32 While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment  the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation  and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.”The “Jonah syndrome” does not have zeal for the conversion of people; it seeks a holiness – if I may use the term – a “laundered” holiness, all beautiful, all well-presented, but without that zeal to go out and preach the Lord. Yet the Lord, faced with this generation afflicted by the ‘Jonah syndrome’, promises the sign of Jonah. (…) Jonah was inside the whale for three nights and three days, a reference to Jesus in the tomb – to His death and Resurrection – and that is the sign that Jesus promises, against hypocrisy, against this attitude of perfect religiosity, against this attitude of a group of Pharisees. The true sign of Jonah is the one that gives us the confidence of being saved by the blood of Christ. How many Christians think that they will be saved only for what they do, for their works. Works are necessary, but they are a consequence, a response to that merciful love that saves us. But works alone, without this merciful love, are of no use. (…) The sign of Jonah is God’s mercy in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again for us, for our salvation. The sign of Jonah calls us: to follow the Lord, sinners as we all are, with humility, with meekness. There is a call, even a choice. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 14 October 2013)

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A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians
4:22-24, 26-27, 31–5:1

Brothers and sisters:
It is written that Abraham had two sons,
one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman.
The son of the slave woman was born naturally,
the son of the freeborn through a promise.
Now this is an allegory.
These women represent two covenants.
One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery;
this is Hagar.
But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother.
For it is written:
Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children;
break forth and shout, you who were not in labor;
for more numerous are the children of the deserted one
than of her who has a husband.
Therefore, brothers and sisters,
we are children not of the slave woman
but of the freeborn woman.

For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm
and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

From the Gospel according to Luke
11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
“This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment 
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation 
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here.”

The “Jonah syndrome” does not have zeal for the conversion of people; it seeks a holiness – if I may use the term – a “laundered” holiness, all beautiful, all well-presented, but without that zeal to go out and preach the Lord. Yet the Lord, faced with this generation afflicted by the ‘Jonah syndrome’, promises the sign of Jonah. (…) Jonah was inside the whale for three nights and three days, a reference to Jesus in the tomb – to His death and Resurrection – and that is the sign that Jesus promises, against hypocrisy, against this attitude of perfect religiosity, against this attitude of a group of Pharisees. The true sign of Jonah is the one that gives us the confidence of being saved by the blood of Christ. How many Christians think that they will be saved only for what they do, for their works. Works are necessary, but they are a consequence, a response to that merciful love that saves us. But works alone, without this merciful love, are of no use. (…) The sign of Jonah is God’s mercy in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again for us, for our salvation. The sign of Jonah calls us: to follow the Lord, sinners as we all are, with humility, with meekness. There is a call, even a choice. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 14 October 2013)

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Bishops around the world ask for prayers for Pope Leo XIV’s health #Catholic Bishops from around the world asked for prayers for Pope Leo XIV after he announced on Sunday, Oct. 11, that he will undergo surgery to remove a nodule on one of his lungs in the coming days.In the United States, Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, said the prelates would join “the faithful and all people of good will in praying for his good health.” He also prayed for those who will perform the operation: “May the hand of Pope Leo’s surgeons be guided by the divine physician, Jesus Christ.”Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York joined the prayers as he finished a week-long pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. “I join with the bishops, priests, faithful, and all people of good will of the Archdiocese of New York in praying for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, as he prepares for his surgery later this week,” he wrote. He also asked Jesus, “the divine physician,” to care for the pope and guide “the hands of his surgeons, nurses, and other health professionals.”Prayers from Uruguay, Argentina, and PeruCardinal Daniel Sturla, archbishop of Montevideo, also wrote about the news. Uruguay is one of the countries expecting Pope Leo XIV on his upcoming visit to Latin America. “Let us pray for his speedy recovery and continue with greater spirit the preparation for his visit to our land,” he wrote.In Peru, which also expects the pope later this year, the Archdiocese of Lima entrusted his health to the Lord of Miracles, a devotion that draws millions of Peruvians each year. “We ask the Lord of Miracles for his speedy recovery,” the archdiocese said on social media.The Peruvian bishops’ conference issued a message titled “United in prayer for the health of the Holy Father Leo XIV.” It noted the :serenity and humility” with which the pope shared the news and asked that his health be entrusted to the Lord of Miracles.“Lifting to God, Lord of life and source of all health, our supplications that he strengthen him and grant him the health that the fulfillment of his mission requires,” the Peruvian bishops said. They also urged communities, families, and the faithful to place the Holy Father under the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that in the fullness of his strength he may continue his mission in service of the Church and all humanity, as a messenger of peace and hope and a witness of unity, fraternity, and encounter among all peoples.The Argentinian bishops said in a statement: “We ask the Lord to grant him strength and peace at this time, that the operation may go well, and that he may make a swift and full recovery.” Prayers from Spain The Spanish bishops’ conference also invited prayer for the pope. Its president, Archbishop Luis Argüello, asked “the whole Spanish Church — dioceses, institutes of consecrated life, communities and lay associations, all members of the People of God, and our fellow citizens — to pray for the health of our beloved Pope Leo XIV.”The conference’s secretary general, Bishop Francisco César García Magán, recalled the welcome Leo XIV received on his recent visit to Spain and said the faithful can now show him their closeness in another way: “Now we show it by uniting in prayer.”Instagram postThe conference’s secretary general, Bishop Francisco César García Magán, recalled the welcome Leo XIV received on his recent visit to Spain and said the faithful can now show him their closeness in another way: “Now we show it by uniting in prayer.”Prayers from Poland, Great Britain, MaltaArchbishop Tadeusz Wojda, the president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, issued an appeal to the Polish people, asking them to “pray for the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, asking God for a successful operation and a speedy recovery.”Bishop John Keenan, on behalf of the Scottish bishops’ conference, said: “We invite Catholics across Scotland, and all people of goodwill, to join us in praying for Pope Leo, for the medical team caring for him, and for a successful operation and a full and speedy recovery.”Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster and the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, assured Leo of the prayers of the faithful.“We pray that following the procedure and a period of recovery, he will soon be restored to health,” Moth wrote.Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote on X: “The Church in Malta is united in prayer for the Holy Father, wishing him well for the surgery he will be undergoing.” Leo XIV asks for prayerThe pope announced the operation after Sunday’s Angelus. Doctors found a nodule on one of his lungs and recommended removing it. In sharing the news, Leo asked the faithful to accompany him spiritually in the coming days: “I entrust myself to your prayer.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Bishops around the world ask for prayers for Pope Leo XIV’s health #Catholic Bishops from around the world asked for prayers for Pope Leo XIV after he announced on Sunday, Oct. 11, that he will undergo surgery to remove a nodule on one of his lungs in the coming days.In the United States, Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, said the prelates would join “the faithful and all people of good will in praying for his good health.” He also prayed for those who will perform the operation: “May the hand of Pope Leo’s surgeons be guided by the divine physician, Jesus Christ.”Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York joined the prayers as he finished a week-long pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. “I join with the bishops, priests, faithful, and all people of good will of the Archdiocese of New York in praying for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, as he prepares for his surgery later this week,” he wrote. He also asked Jesus, “the divine physician,” to care for the pope and guide “the hands of his surgeons, nurses, and other health professionals.”Prayers from Uruguay, Argentina, and PeruCardinal Daniel Sturla, archbishop of Montevideo, also wrote about the news. Uruguay is one of the countries expecting Pope Leo XIV on his upcoming visit to Latin America. “Let us pray for his speedy recovery and continue with greater spirit the preparation for his visit to our land,” he wrote.In Peru, which also expects the pope later this year, the Archdiocese of Lima entrusted his health to the Lord of Miracles, a devotion that draws millions of Peruvians each year. “We ask the Lord of Miracles for his speedy recovery,” the archdiocese said on social media.The Peruvian bishops’ conference issued a message titled “United in prayer for the health of the Holy Father Leo XIV.” It noted the :serenity and humility” with which the pope shared the news and asked that his health be entrusted to the Lord of Miracles.“Lifting to God, Lord of life and source of all health, our supplications that he strengthen him and grant him the health that the fulfillment of his mission requires,” the Peruvian bishops said. They also urged communities, families, and the faithful to place the Holy Father under the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, so that in the fullness of his strength he may continue his mission in service of the Church and all humanity, as a messenger of peace and hope and a witness of unity, fraternity, and encounter among all peoples.The Argentinian bishops said in a statement: “We ask the Lord to grant him strength and peace at this time, that the operation may go well, and that he may make a swift and full recovery.” Prayers from Spain The Spanish bishops’ conference also invited prayer for the pope. Its president, Archbishop Luis Argüello, asked “the whole Spanish Church — dioceses, institutes of consecrated life, communities and lay associations, all members of the People of God, and our fellow citizens — to pray for the health of our beloved Pope Leo XIV.”The conference’s secretary general, Bishop Francisco César García Magán, recalled the welcome Leo XIV received on his recent visit to Spain and said the faithful can now show him their closeness in another way: “Now we show it by uniting in prayer.”Instagram postThe conference’s secretary general, Bishop Francisco César García Magán, recalled the welcome Leo XIV received on his recent visit to Spain and said the faithful can now show him their closeness in another way: “Now we show it by uniting in prayer.”Prayers from Poland, Great Britain, MaltaArchbishop Tadeusz Wojda, the president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, issued an appeal to the Polish people, asking them to “pray for the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, asking God for a successful operation and a speedy recovery.”Bishop John Keenan, on behalf of the Scottish bishops’ conference, said: “We invite Catholics across Scotland, and all people of goodwill, to join us in praying for Pope Leo, for the medical team caring for him, and for a successful operation and a full and speedy recovery.”Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster and the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, assured Leo of the prayers of the faithful.“We pray that following the procedure and a period of recovery, he will soon be restored to health,” Moth wrote.Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote on X: “The Church in Malta is united in prayer for the Holy Father, wishing him well for the surgery he will be undergoing.” Leo XIV asks for prayerThe pope announced the operation after Sunday’s Angelus. Doctors found a nodule on one of his lungs and recommended removing it. In sharing the news, Leo asked the faithful to accompany him spiritually in the coming days: “I entrust myself to your prayer.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Prayers for the pope’s health have been pouring in from all over the world.

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What we know about Pope Leo XIV’s health – #Catholic – The news that Pope Leo XIV will have surgery next week left many asking what a lung nodule is.He confirmed at the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday that the lesion was caught early and is well localized. “The doctors consider it advisable to intervene. I have decided to have the operation to remove it, following their advice,” he said.Many are asking how nodules are found, how they are evaluated, and what leads doctors to recommend removing them.The condition, commonly called a “spot on the lung,” shows up on imaging as a white opacity against normal lung tissue and is generally up to 30 millimeters in diameter.Dr. Bruno Vincenzi, head of the oncology service at the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital in Rome, told ACI Prensa, the sister service of EWTN News, that a nodule can be found because a patient has symptoms that lead to tests.“A persistent cough that has just appeared, expectoration — that is, producing phlegm with traces of blood — or chest pain can be reasons the patient undergoes studies,” he said.He added that these findings are now increasingly accidental. Patients may be scanned before an operation or a hospital stay, or as part of a screening program, especially if they are older or have been smokers.Asked why a doctor would recommend surgery, as in the pope’s case, Vincenzi said certain features on the images can raise concern. Spiculated margins — irregular or jagged — can suggest a more worrying lesion and make removal advisable. Well-defined margins, perhaps with calcifications inside, more often suggest a benign nodule.Dr. Elmer Huerta, a Peruvian oncologist based in the United States and the first Latin American president of the American Cancer Society, said the operation the pope is expected to have is usually done with minimally invasive techniques. “The old thoracotomies, which meant opening the chest, are no longer done. What is done now is minimally invasive robotic surgery, in which a half-centimeter opening is made between the ribs, the robot is introduced, and the operation is done with that,” he said.Huerta said it is not yet possible to say how long the pope will need to recover fully, because the specific features of the nodule, and therefore the exact extent of the surgery, are not public. Depending on what is found, doctors may remove a wedge of lung that includes the nodule, a segment, or a whole lobe. That will determine the recovery.On how soon the pope can resume his usual commitments, Huerta said it depends on the extent of the operation. A wedge removal is simpler, and he could fly in two or three weeks and make his planned trip to Latin America. Removing a lobe would be more complicated. The key is the nature of the nodule, which has not been made public.Huerta also stressed that most lung nodules are not cancerous. A 2022 study found that 95 percent are benign and only 5 percent are cancer. Cancerous nodules have certain features on X-rays, CT scans, and PET exams.Vincenzi said a histological analysis is needed to determine what a nodule is. When a nodule is removed because its features suggest a suspicious lesion, the pathologist’s final examination of the cells can give a clear indication of whether it is benign or malignant.Both experts declined to speculate on the pope’s case without precise clinical details. Vincenzi said it is better to stop at the diagnostic stage, because saying more risks creating needless reassurance or needless worry. Huerta said the same thing he tells his patients: go step by step.The hospitalization planned for next week will force the pope to cancel all commitments on those days, Vatican press office director Matteo Bruni told ACI Prensa. Among them is the closing Mass of an international meeting on the family, held for the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which Leo XIV was to preside over on Wednesday with the presidents of episcopal conferences gathered at the Vatican.In principle, the surgery would not affect the trip to South America planned for November 6–17, judging by the pope’s own words at the Angelus. Greeting members of the Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles in St. Peter’s Square, he said, “Thank you for your prayer for the pastoral visit I will make to Peru.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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What we know about Pope Leo XIV’s health – #Catholic – The news that Pope Leo XIV will have surgery next week left many asking what a lung nodule is.He confirmed at the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday that the lesion was caught early and is well localized. “The doctors consider it advisable to intervene. I have decided to have the operation to remove it, following their advice,” he said.Many are asking how nodules are found, how they are evaluated, and what leads doctors to recommend removing them.The condition, commonly called a “spot on the lung,” shows up on imaging as a white opacity against normal lung tissue and is generally up to 30 millimeters in diameter.Dr. Bruno Vincenzi, head of the oncology service at the Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital in Rome, told ACI Prensa, the sister service of EWTN News, that a nodule can be found because a patient has symptoms that lead to tests.“A persistent cough that has just appeared, expectoration — that is, producing phlegm with traces of blood — or chest pain can be reasons the patient undergoes studies,” he said.He added that these findings are now increasingly accidental. Patients may be scanned before an operation or a hospital stay, or as part of a screening program, especially if they are older or have been smokers.Asked why a doctor would recommend surgery, as in the pope’s case, Vincenzi said certain features on the images can raise concern. Spiculated margins — irregular or jagged — can suggest a more worrying lesion and make removal advisable. Well-defined margins, perhaps with calcifications inside, more often suggest a benign nodule.Dr. Elmer Huerta, a Peruvian oncologist based in the United States and the first Latin American president of the American Cancer Society, said the operation the pope is expected to have is usually done with minimally invasive techniques. “The old thoracotomies, which meant opening the chest, are no longer done. What is done now is minimally invasive robotic surgery, in which a half-centimeter opening is made between the ribs, the robot is introduced, and the operation is done with that,” he said.Huerta said it is not yet possible to say how long the pope will need to recover fully, because the specific features of the nodule, and therefore the exact extent of the surgery, are not public. Depending on what is found, doctors may remove a wedge of lung that includes the nodule, a segment, or a whole lobe. That will determine the recovery.On how soon the pope can resume his usual commitments, Huerta said it depends on the extent of the operation. A wedge removal is simpler, and he could fly in two or three weeks and make his planned trip to Latin America. Removing a lobe would be more complicated. The key is the nature of the nodule, which has not been made public.Huerta also stressed that most lung nodules are not cancerous. A 2022 study found that 95 percent are benign and only 5 percent are cancer. Cancerous nodules have certain features on X-rays, CT scans, and PET exams.Vincenzi said a histological analysis is needed to determine what a nodule is. When a nodule is removed because its features suggest a suspicious lesion, the pathologist’s final examination of the cells can give a clear indication of whether it is benign or malignant.Both experts declined to speculate on the pope’s case without precise clinical details. Vincenzi said it is better to stop at the diagnostic stage, because saying more risks creating needless reassurance or needless worry. Huerta said the same thing he tells his patients: go step by step.The hospitalization planned for next week will force the pope to cancel all commitments on those days, Vatican press office director Matteo Bruni told ACI Prensa. Among them is the closing Mass of an international meeting on the family, held for the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which Leo XIV was to preside over on Wednesday with the presidents of episcopal conferences gathered at the Vatican.In principle, the surgery would not affect the trip to South America planned for November 6–17, judging by the pope’s own words at the Angelus. Greeting members of the Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles in St. Peter’s Square, he said, “Thank you for your prayer for the pastoral visit I will make to Peru.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Doctors comment on the pontiff’s news about his upcoming lung surgery.

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Stephen King Asks Why Billy Bob Thornton Series ‘Landman’ Was Snubbed by Emmys, and X Schools Him – Oblivious Hollywood dullard Stephen King had the audacity on Thursday to ask folks on social media why a blatantly conservative TV series didn’t get nominated for an Emmy Award this year. The post Stephen King Asks Why Billy Bob Thornton Series ‘Landman’ Was Snubbed by Emmys, and X Schools Him appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Stephen King Asks Why Billy Bob Thornton Series ‘Landman’ Was Snubbed by Emmys, and X Schools Him – Oblivious Hollywood dullard Stephen King had the audacity on Thursday to ask folks on social media why a blatantly conservative TV series didn’t get nominated for an Emmy Award this year. The post Stephen King Asks Why Billy Bob Thornton Series ‘Landman’ Was Snubbed by Emmys, and X Schools Him appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Oblivious Hollywood dullard Stephen King had the audacity on Thursday to ask folks on social media why a blatantly conservative TV series didn’t get nominated for an Emmy Award this year.

The post Stephen King Asks Why Billy Bob Thornton Series ‘Landman’ Was Snubbed by Emmys, and X Schools Him appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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On Columbus Day: Remembering Little Anthony Who Rushed Home for Prince Spaghetti Day –   In the summer of 1969, a woman leaned out of a tenement window in Boston’s Italian North End and called, “Anthony! The post On Columbus Day: Remembering Little Anthony Who Rushed Home for Prince Spaghetti Day appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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On Columbus Day: Remembering Little Anthony Who Rushed Home for Prince Spaghetti Day –   In the summer of 1969, a woman leaned out of a tenement window in Boston’s Italian North End and called, “Anthony! The post On Columbus Day: Remembering Little Anthony Who Rushed Home for Prince Spaghetti Day appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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  In the summer of 1969, a woman leaned out of a tenement window in Boston’s Italian North End and called, “Anthony!

The post On Columbus Day: Remembering Little Anthony Who Rushed Home for Prince Spaghetti Day appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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(VIDEO) Trump Blasts Zelensky Again, Says Russia Wants to Make a Deal but “Zelensky Does Not” – Calls for Elections in Ukraine – President Trump on Saturday told reporters that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “does not want to make a deal” with Russia, blasting him again for allowing the war to continue and calling for an election to be held.  “He could have settled this thing many times,” Trump said, again calling for a new leader in Ukraine. The post (VIDEO) Trump Blasts Zelensky Again, Says Russia Wants to Make a Deal but “Zelensky Does Not” – Calls for Elections in Ukraine appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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(VIDEO) Trump Blasts Zelensky Again, Says Russia Wants to Make a Deal but “Zelensky Does Not” – Calls for Elections in Ukraine – President Trump on Saturday told reporters that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “does not want to make a deal” with Russia, blasting him again for allowing the war to continue and calling for an election to be held.  “He could have settled this thing many times,” Trump said, again calling for a new leader in Ukraine. The post (VIDEO) Trump Blasts Zelensky Again, Says Russia Wants to Make a Deal but “Zelensky Does Not” – Calls for Elections in Ukraine appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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President Trump on Saturday told reporters that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “does not want to make a deal” with Russia, blasting him again for allowing the war to continue and calling for an election to be held.  “He could have settled this thing many times,” Trump said, again calling for a new leader in Ukraine.

The post (VIDEO) Trump Blasts Zelensky Again, Says Russia Wants to Make a Deal but “Zelensky Does Not” – Calls for Elections in Ukraine appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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St. Therese parish rejoices honoring its ‘Little Flower’ patroness #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Therese Parish in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township, N.J., on Oct. 3 to celebrate Mass for the feast day of its patroness, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, which the universal Church traditionally observes on Oct. 1. Father Richard D. Kilcomons, pastor of St. Therese, and Father Dulibber G. Gonzalez, and Father Vic Leviste, the parish’s parochial vicars, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Deacon Joe Padron and Deacon Gregory F. Marchesi assisted with the liturgy. Worshippers included St. Therese’s parishioners, students of the parish school and religious education program and their families. St. Thérèse of Lisieux was a Carmelite nun called the “Little Flower,” who lived a cloistered life of obscurity in the convent of Lisieux, France. Her preference for hidden sacrifice converted souls. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, is read and loved worldwide. According to Franciscan Media, Thérèse Martin entered the convent at age 15 and died in 1897 at age 24. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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St. Therese parish rejoices honoring its ‘Little Flower’ patroness #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Therese Parish in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township, N.J., on Oct. 3 to celebrate Mass for the feast day of its patroness, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, which the universal Church traditionally observes on Oct. 1. Father Richard D. Kilcomons, pastor of St. Therese, and Father Dulibber G. Gonzalez, and Father Vic Leviste, the parish’s parochial vicars, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Deacon Joe Padron and Deacon Gregory F. Marchesi assisted with the liturgy. Worshippers included St. Therese’s parishioners, students of the parish school and religious education program and their families. St. Thérèse of Lisieux was a Carmelite nun called the “Little Flower,” who lived a cloistered life of obscurity in the convent of Lisieux, France. Her preference for hidden sacrifice converted souls. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, is read and loved worldwide. According to Franciscan Media, Thérèse Martin entered the convent at age 15 and died in 1897 at age 24. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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St. Therese parish rejoices honoring its ‘Little Flower’ patroness #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Therese Parish in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township, N.J., on Oct. 3 to celebrate Mass for the feast day of its patroness, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, which the universal Church traditionally observes on Oct. 1.

Father Richard D. Kilcomons, pastor of St. Therese, and Father Dulibber G. Gonzalez, and Father Vic Leviste, the parish’s parochial vicars, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Deacon Joe Padron and Deacon Gregory F. Marchesi assisted with the liturgy.

Worshippers included St. Therese’s parishioners, students of the parish school and religious education program and their families.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux was a Carmelite nun called the “Little Flower,” who lived a cloistered life of obscurity in the convent of Lisieux, France. Her preference for hidden sacrifice converted souls. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, is read and loved worldwide. According to Franciscan Media, Thérèse Martin entered the convent at age 15 and died in 1897 at age 24.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Therese Parish in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township, N.J., on Oct. 3 to celebrate Mass for the feast day of its patroness, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, which the universal Church traditionally observes on Oct. 1. Father Richard D. Kilcomons, pastor of St. Therese, and Father Dulibber G. Gonzalez, and Father Vic Leviste, the parish’s parochial vicars, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Deacon Joe Padron and Deacon Gregory F. Marchesi assisted with the liturgy. Worshippers included St. Therese’s parishioners, students of the parish school and religious education program and their families. St. Thérèse

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Oct. 11, 1968: Apollo 7 launches

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Twenty-one months after the deaths of the Apollo 1 crew in a fire during a test on the launchpad, the three men who had originally served as their backup crew — Walter Schirra Jr., Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham — flew on Apollo 7. The first manned American spaceflight since the accident, their mission wasContinue reading “Oct. 11, 1968: Apollo 7 launches”

The post Oct. 11, 1968: Apollo 7 launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Many Australian Catholics who skip Mass still keep the faith, bishops’ study finds – #Catholic – Many Catholics in Australia who do not regularly go to Sunday Mass still pray, believe Jesus is the Son of God, and say their faith matters, according to a study released Oct. 7 by the countryʼs bishops.The report, "Absent from the Table: Catholics in Australia Who Do Not Regularly Attend Sunday Mass," was commissioned by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference and carried out by its National Centre for Pastoral Research. Researchers surveyed 1,973 self-selected adult Catholics online in 2024 and interviewed 67 of them from March to July 2025.“Despite their irregular attendance, most participants remained deeply connected to their faith,” the executive summary states.Around two-thirds of respondents said faith was very important to them, 77% said Jesus is the Son of God, and 64% said they pray regularly. Just over half (55%) affirmed the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, while 24% saw the elements as symbolic and 21% were unsure.In all, 74% of respondents attended Mass less than weekly: 19% monthly, 36% occasionally, and 19% not at all. The full report notes that the findings, based on a self-selected sample, “are not fully generalisable to all Catholics in Australia.”Why they stay awayThe researchers identified 14 reasons for missing Mass. The main ones were Mass not being a priority, a crisis of faith, family or household issues, liturgical issues, challenges with the parish priest or other clergy, and the misuse of power and authority in the Church. Respondents also cited abuse, particularly clergy sexual abuse, as a significant factor affecting trust.According to the bishops' most recent national count, in 2021, about 8.2% of Australiaʼs Catholics, or 417,000 people, went to church on a typical weekend.Bishop Greg Bennet of Sale, the conferenceʼs vice president and bishop-delegate for pastoral research, said the research is being entrusted to bishops to act on locally.“The hope is that each diocese will listen carefully to what people have shared and respond with pastoral initiatives shaped by their own communities and contexts,” he said in a statement. “We know there are many people who are open to re-engagement with the Church and we need to work harder to find ways of making those re-connections.”Bishop Michael Kennedy of Maitland-Newcastle, in a reflection published by his diocese, urged a different question: “Rather than simply asking why people are no longer coming to Mass, we should be asking what they are looking for, what their experiences of the Church have been and what we can do to help them feel they belong.”
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Many Australian Catholics who skip Mass still keep the faith, bishops’ study finds – #Catholic – Many Catholics in Australia who do not regularly go to Sunday Mass still pray, believe Jesus is the Son of God, and say their faith matters, according to a study released Oct. 7 by the countryʼs bishops.The report, "Absent from the Table: Catholics in Australia Who Do Not Regularly Attend Sunday Mass," was commissioned by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference and carried out by its National Centre for Pastoral Research. Researchers surveyed 1,973 self-selected adult Catholics online in 2024 and interviewed 67 of them from March to July 2025.“Despite their irregular attendance, most participants remained deeply connected to their faith,” the executive summary states.Around two-thirds of respondents said faith was very important to them, 77% said Jesus is the Son of God, and 64% said they pray regularly. Just over half (55%) affirmed the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, while 24% saw the elements as symbolic and 21% were unsure.In all, 74% of respondents attended Mass less than weekly: 19% monthly, 36% occasionally, and 19% not at all. The full report notes that the findings, based on a self-selected sample, “are not fully generalisable to all Catholics in Australia.”Why they stay awayThe researchers identified 14 reasons for missing Mass. The main ones were Mass not being a priority, a crisis of faith, family or household issues, liturgical issues, challenges with the parish priest or other clergy, and the misuse of power and authority in the Church. Respondents also cited abuse, particularly clergy sexual abuse, as a significant factor affecting trust.According to the bishops' most recent national count, in 2021, about 8.2% of Australiaʼs Catholics, or 417,000 people, went to church on a typical weekend.Bishop Greg Bennet of Sale, the conferenceʼs vice president and bishop-delegate for pastoral research, said the research is being entrusted to bishops to act on locally.“The hope is that each diocese will listen carefully to what people have shared and respond with pastoral initiatives shaped by their own communities and contexts,” he said in a statement. “We know there are many people who are open to re-engagement with the Church and we need to work harder to find ways of making those re-connections.”Bishop Michael Kennedy of Maitland-Newcastle, in a reflection published by his diocese, urged a different question: “Rather than simply asking why people are no longer coming to Mass, we should be asking what they are looking for, what their experiences of the Church have been and what we can do to help them feel they belong.”

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A survey of nearly 2,000 Australian Catholics found many still pray and value their faith, while priorities, faith crises, and problems with clergy keep them from Mass.

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A Prayer for the Way to Peace: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, October 11, 2026 – #Prayer – Father of love, hear my prayer. Help me to know Your Will and to do it with courage and faith. Accept my offering of myself, all my thoughts, words, deeds, and sufferings. May my life be spent giving You glory. Give me the strength to follow Your call, so that Your Truth may live in my heart and bring peace to me and to those I meet, for I believe in Your Love.

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Father of love, hear my prayer.
Help me to know Your Will
and to do it with courage and faith.
Accept my offering of myself,
all my thoughts, words, deeds, and sufferings.
May my life be spent giving You glory.
Give me the strength to follow Your call,
so that Your Truth may live in my heart
and bring peace to me and to those I meet,
for I believe in Your Love.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 11 October 2026 – A reading from the Book of Isaiah 25:6-10a On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face; the reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: "Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!" For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.   A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 Brothers and sisters: I know how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need.  I can do all things in him who strengthens me.  Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress. My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.From the Gospel according to Matthew 22:1-14 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people  in parables, saying,  "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.  He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast."’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.  The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.  The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.  Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come.  Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests.  But when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.  The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen."Today’s Gospel passage tells us about a king who prepares a wedding banquet for his son (cf. Mt 22:1-14). He is a powerful man, but he is above all a generous father, who invites others to share in his joy. In particular, he reveals the goodness of his heart in the fact that he does not compel anyone, but invites everyone, even though this way exposes him to the possibility of rejection. We notice that he prepares a banquet, freely offering an opportunity for encounter, an opportunity for a feast. This is what God prepares for us: a banquet, to be in communion with him and among ourselves. And we, all of us, are therefore God’s invited guests. But a wedding banquet requires time and commitment on our part: it requires a “yes”: to go, to go to the Lord’s invitation. He invites, but he leaves us free. This is the type of relationship that the Father offers us: he calls us to stay with him, leaving us the possibility to accept or not accept [the invitation]. He does not propose to us a relationship of subjection, but rather of fatherhood and sonship, which is necessarily conditioned by our free assent. God is very respectful regarding freedom; very respectful. Saint Augustine uses a very beautiful expression in this regard, saying: “He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent” (Sermonclxix, 13). And certainly not because he does not have the capacity to do so — God is omnipotent! — but because, being love, he respects our freedom fully. God proposes: he does not impose. Never. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 15 October 2023)

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A reading from the Book of Isaiah
25:6-10a

On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

 

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians
4:12-14, 19-20

Brothers and sisters:
I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need. 
I can do all things in him who strengthens me. 
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
22:1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people 
in parables, saying, 
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son. 
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast."’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business. 
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them. 
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 
Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests. 
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 
The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen."

Today’s Gospel passage tells us about a king who prepares a wedding banquet for his son (cf. Mt 22:1-14). He is a powerful man, but he is above all a generous father, who invites others to share in his joy. In particular, he reveals the goodness of his heart in the fact that he does not compel anyone, but invites everyone, even though this way exposes him to the possibility of rejection. We notice that he prepares a banquet, freely offering an opportunity for encounter, an opportunity for a feast. This is what God prepares for us: a banquet, to be in communion with him and among ourselves. And we, all of us, are therefore God’s invited guests. But a wedding banquet requires time and commitment on our part: it requires a “yes”: to go, to go to the Lord’s invitation. He invites, but he leaves us free.

This is the type of relationship that the Father offers us: he calls us to stay with him, leaving us the possibility to accept or not accept [the invitation]. He does not propose to us a relationship of subjection, but rather of fatherhood and sonship, which is necessarily conditioned by our free assent. God is very respectful regarding freedom; very respectful. Saint Augustine uses a very beautiful expression in this regard, saying: “He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent” (Sermonclxix, 13). And certainly not because he does not have the capacity to do so — God is omnipotent! — but because, being love, he respects our freedom fully. God proposes: he does not impose. Never. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 15 October 2023)

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UK government blocks Northern Ireland unionist march through Catholic neighborhood #Catholic The British government on Oct. 9 intervened in a simmering dispute in Northern Ireland, ruling that a planned unionist march through a Catholic enclave in the province would not take place due to a “risk of serious injury.” Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Sir Chris Bryant said in a statement that Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge — part of the national Protestant Orange Order fraternity — would not be permitted to hold its parade down Garvaghy Road through a historically Catholic section of Portadown in County Armagh. The procession “cannot go ahead,” Bryant said, citing local law enforcement opinion that it would lead to violence, disorder and “a wider contagion effect across Northern Ireland.” Bryant called for “all protests, rallies and demonstrations to be stood down,” arguing that there is “no excuse for a continued ratcheting up of tensions.”The weeks-long tensions have stemmed from historical conflicts in the region between unionists in Northern Ireland who advocate continued rule of the province by the United Kingdom and Catholic-affiliated republicans who largely favor reunification with Ireland itself. Garvaghy Road itself was the site of numerous conflicts amid the Troubles, the decades-long conflict that saw unionists and republicans engage in regular violent and often deadly clashes. The CAIN Archive at Ulster University estimates that more than 3,700 people were killed in the protracted fighting. Police have largely banned loyalist marches from taking place on Garvaghy Road since the late 1990s due to regular instances of violence that broke out on that stretch of the unionist parade route. The High Court of Northern Ireland, however, ruled in August against a ban on the march that had been instituted by the Parades Commission, offering unionists the potential opportunity to march down the street for the first time in years. In his statement announcing the re-instituted ban on the march, Bryant urged residents to “work together to help repair the damage that has been done” over the past several weeks. “The community in Portadown has been on the sharp end of intense attention for a number of weeks,” he said. “It will take time to rebuild relations. The least we can all do now is give them breathing space.”
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UK government blocks Northern Ireland unionist march through Catholic neighborhood #Catholic The British government on Oct. 9 intervened in a simmering dispute in Northern Ireland, ruling that a planned unionist march through a Catholic enclave in the province would not take place due to a “risk of serious injury.” Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Sir Chris Bryant said in a statement that Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge — part of the national Protestant Orange Order fraternity — would not be permitted to hold its parade down Garvaghy Road through a historically Catholic section of Portadown in County Armagh. The procession “cannot go ahead,” Bryant said, citing local law enforcement opinion that it would lead to violence, disorder and “a wider contagion effect across Northern Ireland.” Bryant called for “all protests, rallies and demonstrations to be stood down,” arguing that there is “no excuse for a continued ratcheting up of tensions.”The weeks-long tensions have stemmed from historical conflicts in the region between unionists in Northern Ireland who advocate continued rule of the province by the United Kingdom and Catholic-affiliated republicans who largely favor reunification with Ireland itself. Garvaghy Road itself was the site of numerous conflicts amid the Troubles, the decades-long conflict that saw unionists and republicans engage in regular violent and often deadly clashes. The CAIN Archive at Ulster University estimates that more than 3,700 people were killed in the protracted fighting. Police have largely banned loyalist marches from taking place on Garvaghy Road since the late 1990s due to regular instances of violence that broke out on that stretch of the unionist parade route. The High Court of Northern Ireland, however, ruled in August against a ban on the march that had been instituted by the Parades Commission, offering unionists the potential opportunity to march down the street for the first time in years. In his statement announcing the re-instituted ban on the march, Bryant urged residents to “work together to help repair the damage that has been done” over the past several weeks. “The community in Portadown has been on the sharp end of intense attention for a number of weeks,” he said. “It will take time to rebuild relations. The least we can all do now is give them breathing space.”

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“Nobody wants a return to the past,” MP Chris Bryant said in ruling against the planned march down Garvaghy Road.

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Study: FDA allowed mail-order abortion pills without ‘sufficient evidence’ of safety #Catholic A study by scholars at the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute found that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “lacked sufficient evidence” to remove the in-person abortion pill dispensing rule.Published in Issues in Law and Medicine, a journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, on Oct. 6, the report found that the FDA’s studies on the abortion pill didn’t reflect real-world conditions of abortion pill use.According to the article, the FDA relied on analysis from groups with political incentives. Additionally, the FDA used “inadequate” adverse event reporting, authors Zachery Sluzala and Ingrid Skop found. “When federal agencies remove regulations designed to safeguard patient health, those decisions should be grounded in evidence that reflects real-world practice,” Skop, an OB-GYN who works for the Lozier Institute, said in a statement. “Our analysis found that the FDA’s review fell well short of that standard. Safety decisions should reflect the conditions in which women are using the drugs, not tightly controlled study conditions that fail to mimic real-world use.”Pro-life groups criticize FDA abortion pill updateIn a court-ordered update of the agency’s highly anticipated report on the safety of the abortion pill, the FDA said that it will complete the safety review in March 2027, an announcement that led to backlash from pro-life groups.A federal judge in Louisiana ordered the status report on the safety review. According to its update, the FDA expects to have results by mid-December, with a final report in March 2027 — more than a year and a half after the group first promised the review.Pro-life leader Marjorie Dannenfelser, who heads Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called the FDA’s update “alarming.”“The administration must correct course — and, more importantly, it must not wait for the study to conclude before acting,” said Dannenfelser. “Peer-reviewed evidence shows that the Biden administration relied on insufficient evidence and flawed assumptions when it removed the in-person dispensing requirement.“Action is long overdue,” Dannenfelser said.Students for Life of America leader Kristan Hawkins also criticized the timeline.“It shouldn’t take a judge to pry some answers from the FDA on the dangers of chemical abortion pills, nor should it take this long to get them,” said Hawkins. “While we are glad to see the FDA giving attention to deadly drugs, this is not enough to address the harms that recklessly approving mifepristone in 2000 did to public health and fertility.”Alliance Defending Freedom spokeswoman Erin Hawley observed that “every month of additional delay puts nearly 15,000 additional babies at risk in states where mail-order abortion drugs are unlawful.”Mail-order abortions “don’t empower women — they facilitate the abuse, coercion, and poisoning of women by making high-risk drugs accessible to bad actors at the click of a button,” said Hawley.Study: Colleges ‘fail’ pregnant and parenting studentsA recent study found that hundreds of state colleges and universities are failing to provide resources to help pregnant and parenting students stay in school.The study by Students for Life of America’s Demetree Institute found that the average state college campus in the survey offered “barely half the recommended support” for student parents.The study looked at more than 500 state colleges and universities, examining the housing policies, on-campus resources, financial assistance, medical attention, and accommodations and policy transparency they offer to student-parents.The three lowest-ranked schools were Dalton State College in Georgia, Dakota State University in South Dakota, and Concord University in West Virginia.About 98% of schools in the study were missing at least two recommended accommodations for pregnant and parenting students. On-campus housing for families was unavailable at more than 70% of schools. About 85% of schools did not offer scholarships targeted for pregnant or parenting students.Men’s march for life to be held in BostonMen will gather in Boston on Nov. 1 for a national men’s march for life.The National Men’s March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood first began in 2021. In the event, men march about three miles to a rally point where they meet up with their families, pray, and listen to speakers.In an interview on EWTN’s “At Home With Jim and Joy,” the march’s president, Jim Havens, said the march is focused on “getting men off the sidelines in the fight for equal protection of the preborn — of all human life.”“We’re going to do it in authentic love; we’re going to do it in a peaceful manner, the right way, standing up in public,” he continued. “It really is powerful when we gather together and do this with Christ at the center.”Scottish bishops warn against proposal to expand abortionThe Scottish bishops are warning against a proposal that they say would allow abortion up to birth for any reason.The proposal would decriminalize abortion in Scotland and remove existing legal safeguards protecting unborn children. The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland expressed opposition to the proposal in a statement by Bishop John Keenan, who heads the bishops’ Marriage, Family and Life Commission.“There is a better way than abortion,” Keenan said in the statement.“Every human life possesses inherent dignity and worth; a dignity that does not depend upon age, size, ability, dependency or stage of development,” Keenan said. “It begins at conception and continues until natural death. A just and compassionate society should recognize and protect the lives of both mother and child, especially when either is vulnerable.”Las Vegas archbishop urges vote against abortion measureLas Vegas Archbishop George Leo Thomas called on Catholics in Nevada to vote “no” on a ballot measure that would roll back protections for unborn children, minors, and women and expand abortion up to birth.The Nevada measure would expand the right to abortion, which is already legal in the state up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. The letter opposing the Nevada abortion ballot measure was read at Masses across the archdiocese Oct. 3-4.“This question is not whether abortion is legal in Nevada; it already is under a law approved by Nevada voters in 1990,” said Thomas. “The Legislature cannot amend or repeal that law; only a direct vote of the people can do so. This question is whether Nevada voters should expand the right to abortion in ways that can harm the health, safety, and welfare of women and minors. Moreover, this measure will have grave and lasting consequences for vulnerable unborn lives.”“Unborn children have no voice and cannot defend themselves,” Thomas said. “As Catholics, our faith requires us to protect the inherent dignity of every human life and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
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Study: FDA allowed mail-order abortion pills without ‘sufficient evidence’ of safety #Catholic A study by scholars at the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute found that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “lacked sufficient evidence” to remove the in-person abortion pill dispensing rule.Published in Issues in Law and Medicine, a journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, on Oct. 6, the report found that the FDA’s studies on the abortion pill didn’t reflect real-world conditions of abortion pill use.According to the article, the FDA relied on analysis from groups with political incentives. Additionally, the FDA used “inadequate” adverse event reporting, authors Zachery Sluzala and Ingrid Skop found. “When federal agencies remove regulations designed to safeguard patient health, those decisions should be grounded in evidence that reflects real-world practice,” Skop, an OB-GYN who works for the Lozier Institute, said in a statement. “Our analysis found that the FDA’s review fell well short of that standard. Safety decisions should reflect the conditions in which women are using the drugs, not tightly controlled study conditions that fail to mimic real-world use.”Pro-life groups criticize FDA abortion pill updateIn a court-ordered update of the agency’s highly anticipated report on the safety of the abortion pill, the FDA said that it will complete the safety review in March 2027, an announcement that led to backlash from pro-life groups.A federal judge in Louisiana ordered the status report on the safety review. According to its update, the FDA expects to have results by mid-December, with a final report in March 2027 — more than a year and a half after the group first promised the review.Pro-life leader Marjorie Dannenfelser, who heads Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called the FDA’s update “alarming.”“The administration must correct course — and, more importantly, it must not wait for the study to conclude before acting,” said Dannenfelser. “Peer-reviewed evidence shows that the Biden administration relied on insufficient evidence and flawed assumptions when it removed the in-person dispensing requirement.“Action is long overdue,” Dannenfelser said.Students for Life of America leader Kristan Hawkins also criticized the timeline.“It shouldn’t take a judge to pry some answers from the FDA on the dangers of chemical abortion pills, nor should it take this long to get them,” said Hawkins. “While we are glad to see the FDA giving attention to deadly drugs, this is not enough to address the harms that recklessly approving mifepristone in 2000 did to public health and fertility.”Alliance Defending Freedom spokeswoman Erin Hawley observed that “every month of additional delay puts nearly 15,000 additional babies at risk in states where mail-order abortion drugs are unlawful.”Mail-order abortions “don’t empower women — they facilitate the abuse, coercion, and poisoning of women by making high-risk drugs accessible to bad actors at the click of a button,” said Hawley.Study: Colleges ‘fail’ pregnant and parenting studentsA recent study found that hundreds of state colleges and universities are failing to provide resources to help pregnant and parenting students stay in school.The study by Students for Life of America’s Demetree Institute found that the average state college campus in the survey offered “barely half the recommended support” for student parents.The study looked at more than 500 state colleges and universities, examining the housing policies, on-campus resources, financial assistance, medical attention, and accommodations and policy transparency they offer to student-parents.The three lowest-ranked schools were Dalton State College in Georgia, Dakota State University in South Dakota, and Concord University in West Virginia.About 98% of schools in the study were missing at least two recommended accommodations for pregnant and parenting students. On-campus housing for families was unavailable at more than 70% of schools. About 85% of schools did not offer scholarships targeted for pregnant or parenting students.Men’s march for life to be held in BostonMen will gather in Boston on Nov. 1 for a national men’s march for life.The National Men’s March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood first began in 2021. In the event, men march about three miles to a rally point where they meet up with their families, pray, and listen to speakers.In an interview on EWTN’s “At Home With Jim and Joy,” the march’s president, Jim Havens, said the march is focused on “getting men off the sidelines in the fight for equal protection of the preborn — of all human life.”“We’re going to do it in authentic love; we’re going to do it in a peaceful manner, the right way, standing up in public,” he continued. “It really is powerful when we gather together and do this with Christ at the center.”Scottish bishops warn against proposal to expand abortionThe Scottish bishops are warning against a proposal that they say would allow abortion up to birth for any reason.The proposal would decriminalize abortion in Scotland and remove existing legal safeguards protecting unborn children. The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland expressed opposition to the proposal in a statement by Bishop John Keenan, who heads the bishops’ Marriage, Family and Life Commission.“There is a better way than abortion,” Keenan said in the statement.“Every human life possesses inherent dignity and worth; a dignity that does not depend upon age, size, ability, dependency or stage of development,” Keenan said. “It begins at conception and continues until natural death. A just and compassionate society should recognize and protect the lives of both mother and child, especially when either is vulnerable.”Las Vegas archbishop urges vote against abortion measureLas Vegas Archbishop George Leo Thomas called on Catholics in Nevada to vote “no” on a ballot measure that would roll back protections for unborn children, minors, and women and expand abortion up to birth.The Nevada measure would expand the right to abortion, which is already legal in the state up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. The letter opposing the Nevada abortion ballot measure was read at Masses across the archdiocese Oct. 3-4.“This question is not whether abortion is legal in Nevada; it already is under a law approved by Nevada voters in 1990,” said Thomas. “The Legislature cannot amend or repeal that law; only a direct vote of the people can do so. This question is whether Nevada voters should expand the right to abortion in ways that can harm the health, safety, and welfare of women and minors. Moreover, this measure will have grave and lasting consequences for vulnerable unborn lives.”“Unborn children have no voice and cannot defend themselves,” Thomas said. “As Catholics, our faith requires us to protect the inherent dignity of every human life and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

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Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.

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Catholics take Morristown streets, pray for end to abortion #Catholic – On Oct. 3, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney joined with a broad assembly of Catholics from around the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and beyond for his monthly Mass and Rosary Procession for Life at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J. Bishop Sweeney celebrated the Mass, which was concelebrated by Father Duberney Villamizar, St. Margaret’s pastor and diocesan vicar for Hispanic affairs, and Father Isaac Spinharney of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal at St. Michael’s Friary in Paterson, N.J. Deacon Tim Holden of St. Margaret’s assisted with the liturgy. After the Mass, Bishop Sweeney led the faithful, including clergy, religious, and laity, in a rosary procession to the Planned Parenthood on Speedwell Avenue. They prayed for an end to abortion. Several people held pro-life signs in English and Spanish. The group returned to St. Margaret’s for Eucharistic adoration. To continue this mission, a Mass and procession for life is held on the first Saturday of the month at 8 a.m. at St. Margaret’s. Priests and faithful from around the diocese are invited to join. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Catholics take Morristown streets, pray for end to abortion #Catholic – On Oct. 3, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney joined with a broad assembly of Catholics from around the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and beyond for his monthly Mass and Rosary Procession for Life at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J. Bishop Sweeney celebrated the Mass, which was concelebrated by Father Duberney Villamizar, St. Margaret’s pastor and diocesan vicar for Hispanic affairs, and Father Isaac Spinharney of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal at St. Michael’s Friary in Paterson, N.J. Deacon Tim Holden of St. Margaret’s assisted with the liturgy. After the Mass, Bishop Sweeney led the faithful, including clergy, religious, and laity, in a rosary procession to the Planned Parenthood on Speedwell Avenue. They prayed for an end to abortion. Several people held pro-life signs in English and Spanish. The group returned to St. Margaret’s for Eucharistic adoration. To continue this mission, a Mass and procession for life is held on the first Saturday of the month at 8 a.m. at St. Margaret’s. Priests and faithful from around the diocese are invited to join. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Catholics take Morristown streets, pray for end to abortion #Catholic –

On Oct. 3, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney joined with a broad assembly of Catholics from around the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and beyond for his monthly Mass and Rosary Procession for Life at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J.

Bishop Sweeney celebrated the Mass, which was concelebrated by Father Duberney Villamizar, St. Margaret’s pastor and diocesan vicar for Hispanic affairs, and Father Isaac Spinharney of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal at St. Michael’s Friary in Paterson, N.J. Deacon Tim Holden of St. Margaret’s assisted with the liturgy.

After the Mass, Bishop Sweeney led the faithful, including clergy, religious, and laity, in a rosary procession to the Planned Parenthood on Speedwell Avenue. They prayed for an end to abortion. Several people held pro-life signs in English and Spanish. The group returned to St. Margaret’s for Eucharistic adoration.

To continue this mission, a Mass and procession for life is held on the first Saturday of the month at 8 a.m. at St. Margaret’s. Priests and faithful from around the diocese are invited to join.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– On Oct. 3, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney joined with a broad assembly of Catholics from around the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and beyond for his monthly Mass and Rosary Procession for Life at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J. Bishop Sweeney celebrated the Mass, which was concelebrated by Father Duberney Villamizar, St. Margaret’s pastor and diocesan vicar for Hispanic affairs, and Father Isaac Spinharney of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal at St. Michael’s Friary in Paterson, N.J. Deacon Tim Holden of St. Margaret’s assisted with the liturgy. After the Mass, Bishop Sweeney led the faithful, including clergy, religious,

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After near-fatal crash, cyclist rides across America for homeless – #Catholic – Tom Schwein was mere feet from the finish line of Ride the Rockies in 2015 when everything changed for him.Earlier that day, he was told that Samaritan Cycling USA, a ministry he helped start in 2011 to support Catholic Charities’ Samaritan House, had raised a cumulative $250,000 in just over four years. He was rightfully excited. He couldn’t wait to high-five an injured teammate at the finish line.Then came a dip in the pavement.“The wheel went 90 degrees, and I went face-first into the pavement,” he recalled. “I was out cold. I don’t know for how long.”When he woke up, saved, he believes, by his helmet and divine providence, he remembers, clear as day, hearing the Holy Spirit tell him, “Peace be with you. You will recover.”He was rushed to the hospital. Two days later, after specialists reviewed the tests, he was told he was a walking miracle.“You’re a very lucky man,” Schwein remembers one specialist telling him, shaking his head, incredulous. “You missed a brain bleed by a quarter of a millimeter.”That’s roughly the size of a fine grain of table salt. To say it was a close call might be underselling things.“I was never going to ride a bike again. I was done,” Schwein said. “We raised a quarter million, and that’s it. There’s no way I’m riding again.”He prepared to sell his bikes and move on. But the Holy Spirit had other ideas, Schwein said.“I’m not yet done with you here on Earth. Continue your ministry,” he recalled hearing.He prayed about it. He called his wife. He took a long bike ride, and hasn’t stopped riding since.“I said, ‘God, I’m all in,’” he said. “That was 38,000 miles ago and a few million dollars ago.”Since then, Samaritan House Cycling has grown considerably, welcoming new teammates and raising more than $2.2 million for Northern Colorado’s Samaritan House shelters.This fall, the ministry is taking that mission farther than ever before: a 45-day, nearly 3,000-mile ride across the United States.“God has called me to do this, which is why we’re riding across America,” Schwein said, choked up with emotion. “We’re raising national awareness for the crisis of homelessness. God said, ‘Go big or go home.’ We’re going big.”The 12-member team began their ride on Sunday, Oct. 4, two days after arriving in San Diego. Their 45-day trek will take them through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, where they will finish the ride in St. Augustine, Florida, where the first Catholic Mass of Thanksgiving in what is now the United States was celebrated in 1565.The mission? Raising awareness and funds to provide shelter, stability, and hope to the homeless in Denver, in Colorado, and across the country.“There are nearly 1 million people who are homeless every night in the United States, and no one pays attention to them. People walk by them,” Schwein said. “So we’re raising awareness to increase the attention of the United States to this national crisis. We have to do something about it, more than just raising money. It’s about raising awareness so people understand what to do when they get to the corner of an intersection and they see a homeless person.”And it’s already bearing fruit. Feet haven’t hit pedals yet, and the team has already raised $350,000 to support Catholic Charities’ five Samaritan House locations in Denver, Fort Collins, and Greeley, which provide emergency shelter, support services, and pathways toward stability for individuals and families.Additionally, the Samaritan Cycling team is partnering with local Catholic Charities along their route to fundraise for ministries serving the homeless nationwide. As they ride across America, the team will also volunteer at Catholic Charities locations, helping shine a spotlight on local efforts to lovingly serve neighbors nationwide.The timing is all the more meaningful: the ride comes as the United States marks 250 years, Catholic Charities of Denver approaches its 100th anniversary, Samaritan House in downtown Denver celebrates 40 years, and Samaritan Cycling USA marks 15 years.“What began in 2011 as a small step of faith through Samaritan Cycling has become a lifelong commitment to serve,” Schwein said. “Through cycling, we put faith into action — transforming physical endurance into meaningful impact and heartfelt passion into real provision. We ride because we are called to be bearers of hope, and every mile is a testament to that calling.”First and foremost, Schwein said, the team needs prayer. Knowing firsthand just how dangerous a ride like this can be, Schwein specifically asked people of goodwill nationwide to pray for riders’ safety and perseverance.Then, those who feel called to give can donate per mile, with options beginning at 1 cent per mile, or offer a one-time gift. Supporters can give to a particular rider or to the general fund.For Schwein, though, the most meaningful gift came from a father and his 12-year-old son.After hearing Schwein speak about the effort after Mass at a local parish, the father approached him and pulled out his wallet, saying he wished he could make a donation but did not think he had anything to give. Surprised to find two dollars, he handed them to his son, who gave them to Schwein.“This is for you, sir,” the boy said. “Good luck on your ride!”“We had been getting lots of donations, but the most meaningful one was this man,” Schwein said, pointing to the widow in the Gospels who gave all she had.This story was first published in Denver Catholic and is reprinted here and adapted by EWTN News with permission.

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Tom Schwein is part of a 12-person team making a 3,000-mile trek with Samaritan Cycling USA to help raise money for the unhoused.

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EWTN News explains: What is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act? – #Catholic – The Archdiocese of St. Louis this month sued the federal government and several other defendants for what it said are policies that prevent Catholic immigrant detainees from obtaining the sacraments, including the Eucharist. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court, alleged among other claims that the government is violating the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) by barring clergy access to those detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One prison official reportedly suggested that priests could “pass communion in a plastic bag to a prison guard who could then deliver it to the detainee.” The Religious Freedom Restoration Act is invoked regularly in federal lawsuits by those who argue that the government is excessively burdening their religion. But how does this more-than-30-year-old law work, and how exactly does it protect religious liberty in the U.S.? Government may not ‘substantially burden’ religion A rare example of bipartisan unity, the federal law was proposed in 1993, passed unanimously in the U.S. House and near-unanimously in the U.S. Senate, and signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton.The impetus for the law arose in large part due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Employment Division v. Smith. That 1990 decision held that Oregon was permitted to deny unemployment benefits to two Native American residents who had been fired after using peyote in a religious ritual. Outrage from a large cross-section of civil liberties groups and religious rights organizations led Congress to draft and pass the law. Clinton upon signing the measure said the law “reestablishes a standard that better protects all Americans of all faiths in the exercise of their religion.”The law directs that the government generally “shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion” even if the burden stems from a “rule of general applicability.” The rule does allow for such burdens if the government demonstrates that a restriction is “in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest” and is “the least restrictive means” of accomplishing that goal. Matt Sharp, who serves as senior counsel and vice president of public policy at Alliance Defending Freedom, told EWTN News the rule “puts the responsibility on the government” to demonstrate that its policies do not violate the law. “The government has to show that it has a compelling reason to do something” that burdens someone’s religious liberty, Sharp said. “It can’t just say, ‘We like this law.’ It has to be a government interest of the highest order, such as national security or public safety.”Alliance Defending Freedom has handled numerous RFRA lawsuits over the years. Among them was the case Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Burwell, brought by a Mennonite Christian family who argued that the Obama administration’s contraceptive mandate violated the federal religious freedom law.The family ultimately prevailed, with the U.S. Supreme Court holding that the federal government had violated RFRA in requiring the family to cover contraceptives via its company’s insurance policies.Sharp, however, acknowledged that the rule has never been a “religion automatically wins” law. “It definitely makes [U.S. law] more favorable and protective of religion,” he said. But in some cases religious objectors aren’t successful in their challenges, such as the Native American coalition that sued under RFRA to protect one of its sacred sites but which lost at the Supreme Court in 2025. The Little Sisters of the Poor, meanwhile, have cited in part the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in their 15-year battle over contraceptive mandates. Yet although the law can sometimes yield a mixed bag, protections for religious freedom have grown steadily in the U.S. in recent years. A total of 30 states so far have adopted a version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act or a similar form of legislation. Sharp said RFRA requires the government to ensure that in cases where it is imposing on religious practice it is doing so in a “narrowly tailored” way with “the bare minimum possible” imposition. “It’s a high burden,” he said. “In practice it has been hugely important and beneficial to people of faith.”
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EWTN News explains: What is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act? – #Catholic – The Archdiocese of St. Louis this month sued the federal government and several other defendants for what it said are policies that prevent Catholic immigrant detainees from obtaining the sacraments, including the Eucharist. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court, alleged among other claims that the government is violating the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) by barring clergy access to those detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One prison official reportedly suggested that priests could “pass communion in a plastic bag to a prison guard who could then deliver it to the detainee.” The Religious Freedom Restoration Act is invoked regularly in federal lawsuits by those who argue that the government is excessively burdening their religion. But how does this more-than-30-year-old law work, and how exactly does it protect religious liberty in the U.S.? Government may not ‘substantially burden’ religion A rare example of bipartisan unity, the federal law was proposed in 1993, passed unanimously in the U.S. House and near-unanimously in the U.S. Senate, and signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton.The impetus for the law arose in large part due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Employment Division v. Smith. That 1990 decision held that Oregon was permitted to deny unemployment benefits to two Native American residents who had been fired after using peyote in a religious ritual. Outrage from a large cross-section of civil liberties groups and religious rights organizations led Congress to draft and pass the law. Clinton upon signing the measure said the law “reestablishes a standard that better protects all Americans of all faiths in the exercise of their religion.”The law directs that the government generally “shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion” even if the burden stems from a “rule of general applicability.” The rule does allow for such burdens if the government demonstrates that a restriction is “in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest” and is “the least restrictive means” of accomplishing that goal. Matt Sharp, who serves as senior counsel and vice president of public policy at Alliance Defending Freedom, told EWTN News the rule “puts the responsibility on the government” to demonstrate that its policies do not violate the law. “The government has to show that it has a compelling reason to do something” that burdens someone’s religious liberty, Sharp said. “It can’t just say, ‘We like this law.’ It has to be a government interest of the highest order, such as national security or public safety.”Alliance Defending Freedom has handled numerous RFRA lawsuits over the years. Among them was the case Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Burwell, brought by a Mennonite Christian family who argued that the Obama administration’s contraceptive mandate violated the federal religious freedom law.The family ultimately prevailed, with the U.S. Supreme Court holding that the federal government had violated RFRA in requiring the family to cover contraceptives via its company’s insurance policies.Sharp, however, acknowledged that the rule has never been a “religion automatically wins” law. “It definitely makes [U.S. law] more favorable and protective of religion,” he said. But in some cases religious objectors aren’t successful in their challenges, such as the Native American coalition that sued under RFRA to protect one of its sacred sites but which lost at the Supreme Court in 2025. The Little Sisters of the Poor, meanwhile, have cited in part the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in their 15-year battle over contraceptive mandates. Yet although the law can sometimes yield a mixed bag, protections for religious freedom have grown steadily in the U.S. in recent years. A total of 30 states so far have adopted a version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act or a similar form of legislation. Sharp said RFRA requires the government to ensure that in cases where it is imposing on religious practice it is doing so in a “narrowly tailored” way with “the bare minimum possible” imposition. “It’s a high burden,” he said. “In practice it has been hugely important and beneficial to people of faith.”

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The 1993 law allows religious objectors to sue the government for “substantially burdening” their religious liberty.

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Canadian youth retreat seeks to strengthen faith of young Catholics entering adulthood – #Catholic – A youth retreat taking place in Ontario, Canada, aims to help young Catholics graduating from high school and entering college, as well as students graduating from college and entering the workforce, stay committed to their faith during these critical transitions in their lives.Dead Man Walking is being hosted by Jesus Youth Ontario and will take place Oct. 16–18 at the Mother of God Retreat Center in Orangeville, Ontario. The retreat will include talks from Catholic author and speaker Jason Evert, international missionary George Devassy, and local young adults sharing their personal testimonies.Jim Isaac, a member of the retreat’s planning team, told EWTN News that the inspiration for the retreat came from conversations with parents where it was evident that there was “an overwhelming need.”“They felt that while children were in high school there were so many guardrails about who they can interact with, who can reach out to them, and all these things to ensure that they have a proper and safe childhood,” he explained. “But, right when they leave high school, all those guardrails are sort of lifted and almost at the same time they also leave home.”He added that young people also feel “thrown into adulthood” and that this transition “was something that they were struggling with.”With this in mind, the Dead Man Walking youth retreat was created to give them a space where they can encounter Christ, help them understand the big questions they’re grappling with, and instill in them a strong foundation to maintain their faith during this transition in their lives.The theme of the retreat comes from John 11, specifically the raising of Lazarus. Isaac explained that many times “we feel that we are going through the motions [and] we are almost like dead people.”Each day focuses on a specific part of the raising of Lazarus. The theme for Day 1 is “Dead for Four Days,” focusing on the idea that there is always hope even when we’re at our lowest point. Day 2 is called “come out,” encouraging the participants to take part in the Church and in their faith and ends with the opportunity for attendees to go to confession and attend Mass. The last day is called “untie and unbind,” which will call the young people gathered to go out on mission and spread the Gospel message.Isaac emphasized that their “primary objective is that they [the attendees] have an encounter with Christ at this crucial juncture of their lives.”“We want these youngsters, who probably are, within their own realities, bombarded with a lot of contemporary and secular media, to understand the richness of the Church,” he added.“We are hoping that something might resonate with them and that might help them build their interior life and thereby reach out to the people within the community. At the end of the day, it is about reaching out to people and giving them a call for mission. Thatʼs what we are hoping for by the end of it.”
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Canadian youth retreat seeks to strengthen faith of young Catholics entering adulthood – #Catholic – A youth retreat taking place in Ontario, Canada, aims to help young Catholics graduating from high school and entering college, as well as students graduating from college and entering the workforce, stay committed to their faith during these critical transitions in their lives.Dead Man Walking is being hosted by Jesus Youth Ontario and will take place Oct. 16–18 at the Mother of God Retreat Center in Orangeville, Ontario. The retreat will include talks from Catholic author and speaker Jason Evert, international missionary George Devassy, and local young adults sharing their personal testimonies.Jim Isaac, a member of the retreat’s planning team, told EWTN News that the inspiration for the retreat came from conversations with parents where it was evident that there was “an overwhelming need.”“They felt that while children were in high school there were so many guardrails about who they can interact with, who can reach out to them, and all these things to ensure that they have a proper and safe childhood,” he explained. “But, right when they leave high school, all those guardrails are sort of lifted and almost at the same time they also leave home.”He added that young people also feel “thrown into adulthood” and that this transition “was something that they were struggling with.”With this in mind, the Dead Man Walking youth retreat was created to give them a space where they can encounter Christ, help them understand the big questions they’re grappling with, and instill in them a strong foundation to maintain their faith during this transition in their lives.The theme of the retreat comes from John 11, specifically the raising of Lazarus. Isaac explained that many times “we feel that we are going through the motions [and] we are almost like dead people.”Each day focuses on a specific part of the raising of Lazarus. The theme for Day 1 is “Dead for Four Days,” focusing on the idea that there is always hope even when we’re at our lowest point. Day 2 is called “come out,” encouraging the participants to take part in the Church and in their faith and ends with the opportunity for attendees to go to confession and attend Mass. The last day is called “untie and unbind,” which will call the young people gathered to go out on mission and spread the Gospel message.Isaac emphasized that their “primary objective is that they [the attendees] have an encounter with Christ at this crucial juncture of their lives.”“We want these youngsters, who probably are, within their own realities, bombarded with a lot of contemporary and secular media, to understand the richness of the Church,” he added.“We are hoping that something might resonate with them and that might help them build their interior life and thereby reach out to the people within the community. At the end of the day, it is about reaching out to people and giving them a call for mission. Thatʼs what we are hoping for by the end of it.”

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Dead Man Walking is being hosted by Jesus Youth Ontario and will take place Oct. 16-18 in Ontario, Canada.

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NFL legend Mike Ditka was a Catholic coach #Catholic Former professional football coach Mike Ditka, a practicing Catholic who occasionally served as lector at the 7 a.m. team Mass on game-day Sundays during his decade leading the Chicago Bears, died Friday. He was 86.“Iron Mike,” as Ditka was known, had a famously explosive temper, which often boiled over on the sidelines and in postgame press conferences. Ditka, who led the Bears to a Super Bowl XX victory in 1986, once broke his right hand after punching a hard object over frustration with the play of a rookie offensive lineman — then, before the next game, told his team to “win this one for Lefty.”Less well known was Ditka’s commitment to his Catholic faith, for which he credited his convert mother and the nuns of his parochial school in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, where he was raised.“Growing up, the most important thing was the sacraments with my family,” Ditka told an interviewer with the Catholic website “One Peter Five” in August 2018. “We loved everything about the faith. Going to Catholic school and learning the faith, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”“I don’t care how many times I got hit by a nun,” Ditka said, “it was good for me.”Football successBorn Michael Dyczko in 1939, Ditka was the son of a non-churchgoing Ukrainian and Polish steelworker father and an Irish and German mother who converted to Catholicism.He played tight end for the University of Pittsburgh and then in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys. In 1988 Ditka was honored as the first tight end ever to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.After retiring from playing, Ditka served as an assistant coach before getting his unlikely chance as the head coach of the Bears in 1982.His 1985 Bears went 15-1 during the regular season and stomped their way through the playoffs to a Super Bowl victory. So confident were the players of that dominant team that they recorded a rap song called “The Super Bowl Shuffle” during the regular season. (Ditka later said he didn’t know about it, but he didn’t criticize the players for doing it.)Ditka’s success, toughness, temper, and sense of humor made him a cultural phenomenon, inspiring a recurring skit (and guest appearances) on “Saturday Night Live” and launching a career as a motivational speaker.When the team’s fortunes plummeted, he was fired in 1992. He later coached the New Orleans Saints but was fired after three years.Off-field philanthropyDitka made millions as a pitchman for dozens of products after he left football, and he used some of that wealth to help others.“Ditka was very supportive of Misericordia and other charities that supported children with special needs and disabilities,” Mary FioRito, an attorney, lifelong Chicagoan, and Cardinal Francis George Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.And not just with checks.“He spoke at fundraisers, and surprised observers could catch him privately visiting with residents he knew by name,” reported the suburban Chicago Daily Herald.Ditka was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and participated in the organization’s charitable activities.‘Constant turmoil’In his 1986 autobiography “Ditka,” published at the peak of his success, Ditka admitted to having had “no spiritual life at all” during the 1970s, before two other coaches got him involved in a Bible study that reintroduced him to God.“I always had faith, but I never had understanding,” Ditka said. “I always knew what was going on in life. I was raised right. I did all the things you were supposed to do. But I never understood why I was supposed to do them, because I never had a total understanding of what was going on.”He also acknowledged what he called “constant turmoil inside,” and he compared himself unfavorably to longtime Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry (1924–2000), whom he admired for always keeping his cool on the sidelines and for his involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.“My priorities can get mixed up. I don’t think he ever gets his priorities mixed up,” Ditka said in the book.Ditka said he discovered that following his faith was hard work.“Sometimes you take for granted that your faith will always be there and everything will be fine. But without making the effort, that’s just not a fact. You have to make a real effort to live your faith daily,” Ditka said in the book.“Nobody is going to do it every day. Nobody is going to do it perfectly,” he continued. “But unless you make the effort you’ve got no chance at all.”Ditka married in 1961, got divorced in 1973, and then remarried in 1977. Both wives survive him, as do his four children, according to an obituary in the Daily Herald.“I’m far from perfect now, and I’m never going to be perfect,” Ditka said in his autobiography. “When I die, I’m going to be still trying to get better than I am.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
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NFL legend Mike Ditka was a Catholic coach #Catholic Former professional football coach Mike Ditka, a practicing Catholic who occasionally served as lector at the 7 a.m. team Mass on game-day Sundays during his decade leading the Chicago Bears, died Friday. He was 86.“Iron Mike,” as Ditka was known, had a famously explosive temper, which often boiled over on the sidelines and in postgame press conferences. Ditka, who led the Bears to a Super Bowl XX victory in 1986, once broke his right hand after punching a hard object over frustration with the play of a rookie offensive lineman — then, before the next game, told his team to “win this one for Lefty.”Less well known was Ditka’s commitment to his Catholic faith, for which he credited his convert mother and the nuns of his parochial school in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, where he was raised.“Growing up, the most important thing was the sacraments with my family,” Ditka told an interviewer with the Catholic website “One Peter Five” in August 2018. “We loved everything about the faith. Going to Catholic school and learning the faith, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”“I don’t care how many times I got hit by a nun,” Ditka said, “it was good for me.”Football successBorn Michael Dyczko in 1939, Ditka was the son of a non-churchgoing Ukrainian and Polish steelworker father and an Irish and German mother who converted to Catholicism.He played tight end for the University of Pittsburgh and then in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys. In 1988 Ditka was honored as the first tight end ever to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.After retiring from playing, Ditka served as an assistant coach before getting his unlikely chance as the head coach of the Bears in 1982.His 1985 Bears went 15-1 during the regular season and stomped their way through the playoffs to a Super Bowl victory. So confident were the players of that dominant team that they recorded a rap song called “The Super Bowl Shuffle” during the regular season. (Ditka later said he didn’t know about it, but he didn’t criticize the players for doing it.)Ditka’s success, toughness, temper, and sense of humor made him a cultural phenomenon, inspiring a recurring skit (and guest appearances) on “Saturday Night Live” and launching a career as a motivational speaker.When the team’s fortunes plummeted, he was fired in 1992. He later coached the New Orleans Saints but was fired after three years.Off-field philanthropyDitka made millions as a pitchman for dozens of products after he left football, and he used some of that wealth to help others.“Ditka was very supportive of Misericordia and other charities that supported children with special needs and disabilities,” Mary FioRito, an attorney, lifelong Chicagoan, and Cardinal Francis George Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.And not just with checks.“He spoke at fundraisers, and surprised observers could catch him privately visiting with residents he knew by name,” reported the suburban Chicago Daily Herald.Ditka was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and participated in the organization’s charitable activities.‘Constant turmoil’In his 1986 autobiography “Ditka,” published at the peak of his success, Ditka admitted to having had “no spiritual life at all” during the 1970s, before two other coaches got him involved in a Bible study that reintroduced him to God.“I always had faith, but I never had understanding,” Ditka said. “I always knew what was going on in life. I was raised right. I did all the things you were supposed to do. But I never understood why I was supposed to do them, because I never had a total understanding of what was going on.”He also acknowledged what he called “constant turmoil inside,” and he compared himself unfavorably to longtime Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry (1924–2000), whom he admired for always keeping his cool on the sidelines and for his involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.“My priorities can get mixed up. I don’t think he ever gets his priorities mixed up,” Ditka said in the book.Ditka said he discovered that following his faith was hard work.“Sometimes you take for granted that your faith will always be there and everything will be fine. But without making the effort, that’s just not a fact. You have to make a real effort to live your faith daily,” Ditka said in the book.“Nobody is going to do it every day. Nobody is going to do it perfectly,” he continued. “But unless you make the effort you’ve got no chance at all.”Ditka married in 1961, got divorced in 1973, and then remarried in 1977. Both wives survive him, as do his four children, according to an obituary in the Daily Herald.“I’m far from perfect now, and I’m never going to be perfect,” Ditka said in his autobiography. “When I die, I’m going to be still trying to get better than I am.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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The Chicago Bears icon, who died on Friday, gave to charities, lectored at Mass, and belonged to the Knights of Columbus.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 10 October 2026 – A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 3:22-29 Brothers and sisters: Scripture confined all things under the power of sin, that through faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe. Before faith came, we were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed. Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.From the Gospel according to Luke 11:27-28 While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”To listen to the Word of God and practise it, are the only two “conditions” established by Jesus for those who want to follow him. Christian life is “simple, simple”. Perhaps we have made it a bit difficult, with so many explanations that nobody understands, but the Christian life is like this: listening to the Word of God and practising it. (…) Every time we open the Gospel and read a passage and ask ourselves: ‘Is God speaking to me with this, is he saying something to me’?. This means “to listen to the Word of God, to listen with the ears and listen with the heart, to open the heart to God’s Word”. On the other hand, “Jesus’ enemies listened to Jesus’ words but they were close by in order to try and find a mistake, to make him slip up” and make him lose authority. But they never asked themselves: ‘What is God telling me with these words’?. Moreover, the Pontiff added, “God does not speak only to all but he speaks to each one of us. The Gospel was written for each one of us. (…) The Lord, “always plants his Word”, and in exchange “he asks only for an open heart to listen to it and good will to put it into practise. This is why today’s prayer is that of the Psalm: ‘Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands’, that is, on the path of your Word, so that, with your guidance, I may learn to practice it”. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 23 September 2014)

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A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians
3:22-29

Brothers and sisters:
Scripture confined all things under the power of sin,
that through faith in Jesus Christ
the promise might be given to those who believe.

Before faith came, we were held in custody under law,
confined for the faith that was to be revealed.
Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.
But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian.
For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free person,
there is not male and female;
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants,
heirs according to the promise.

From the Gospel according to Luke
11:27-28

While Jesus was speaking,
a woman from the crowd called out and said to him,
“Blessed is the womb that carried you
and the breasts at which you nursed.”
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.”

To listen to the Word of God and practise it, are the only two “conditions” established by Jesus for those who want to follow him. Christian life is “simple, simple”. Perhaps we have made it a bit difficult, with so many explanations that nobody understands, but the Christian life is like this: listening to the Word of God and practising it. (…)

Every time we open the Gospel and read a passage and ask ourselves: ‘Is God speaking to me with this, is he saying something to me’?. This means “to listen to the Word of God, to listen with the ears and listen with the heart, to open the heart to God’s Word”. On the other hand, “Jesus’ enemies listened to Jesus’ words but they were close by in order to try and find a mistake, to make him slip up” and make him lose authority. But they never asked themselves: ‘What is God telling me with these words’?. Moreover, the Pontiff added, “God does not speak only to all but he speaks to each one of us. The Gospel was written for each one of us. (…)

The Lord, “always plants his Word”, and in exchange “he asks only for an open heart to listen to it and good will to put it into practise. This is why today’s prayer is that of the Psalm: ‘Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands’, that is, on the path of your Word, so that, with your guidance, I may learn to practice it”. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 23 September 2014)

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Transnational online scam operations on the rise, U.S. State Department says #Catholic The State Department released its 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on Oct. 8, showing criminal organizations and repressive governments are using trafficking for profit in new ways.The report, released more than three months after the June 30 deadline, said the spread of industrial-scale online scam operations “pose a direct threat to US national security.”Transnational crime organizations, mostly run by Chinese nationals and long based in Southeast Asia, have moved into Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America, destabilizing local communities and cheating people out of billions of dollars each year, according to the report. Fraudulent online romance, gambling, and cryptocurrency schemes have defrauded people in more than 125 countries, with Americans, the primary targets, losing at least .2 billion in 2025 to compounds operating out of Southeast Asia, according to the report.The organizations recruited people from at least 80 countries over the past few years through fraudulent schemes, often pushing them into forced labor and holding them in guarded compounds and manipulating them through violence, sexual exploitation, intimidation, and other acts. They are often coerced into committing crimes, the report found.The report, an annual assessment required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, covers April 1, 2025, through March 31.The State Department said it relied on information from embassy reporting, government officials, nongovernmental and international organizations, published reports, news articles, and other sources.The State Department said that governments that fail to punish traffickers and protect victims should be held accountable.12 governments citedTwelve governments are cited in the report for a “policy or pattern” of state-sponsored human trafficking: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, South Sudan, and Sudan. This designation covers “trafficking in government-funded programs, forced labor in government-affiliated medical services or other sectors, sexual slavery in government camps, or the employment or recruitment of child soldiers.”Under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act, the department listed 14 countries whose forces or state-backed militias recruited or used children in any capacity during hostilities, including as sex slaves: Afghanistan, Burma, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen.Among country rankings reported so far, Israel returned to Tier 1, the highest category, for the first time since 2021, after five years on Tier 2. The Republic of Congo was downgraded to Tier 3, the lowest, for failing to meet minimum standards and not making significant efforts. A Tier 3 listing can restrict certain U.S. assistance, including security assistance, the report said.A Tier 1 ranking does not mean that a country has no human trafficking. Instead, according to the report, “a Tier 1 ranking indicates that a government has made efforts to address the problem … and met the TVPA’s minimum standards.”Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, said in a statement on Oct. 8 that the report’s findings are “a stark reminder that modern-day slavery remains a global scourge — and that governments must be held accountable when they fail to protect vulnerable people.”“Human trafficking is an assault on human dignity and freedom,” the congressman wrote. “The United States must continue to use every tool at its disposal — including the TIP Report — to expose human trafficking whenever it rears its ugly head, protect survivors, and press foreign governments to end this blight upon humanity.”“China remains on Tier 3 — the lowest ranking,” Smith continued, “reflecting its continued failure to meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) use and enabling of forced labor — including the systematic exploitation of Uyghurs and other persecuted minorities — is deeply troubling and deserves the greatest level of scrutiny.”“Moreover, the horrific, ongoing consequences of China’s one-child per couple policy can still be seen and felt today, as the Report notes that a gross disparity — tens of millions more boys than girls — has driven the demand for commercial sex trafficking and coercive marriages in the country,” Smith wrote.“Governments on Tier 3 — including China, North Korea, Iran, Russia, Burma, Belarus, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, Nicaragua, Sudan, South Sudan, and Venezuela — can and must do more. Tier 3 must never become a permanent designation; it should serve as a dire warning and a call to action,” Smith wrote.
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Transnational online scam operations on the rise, U.S. State Department says #Catholic The State Department released its 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on Oct. 8, showing criminal organizations and repressive governments are using trafficking for profit in new ways.The report, released more than three months after the June 30 deadline, said the spread of industrial-scale online scam operations “pose a direct threat to US national security.”Transnational crime organizations, mostly run by Chinese nationals and long based in Southeast Asia, have moved into Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America, destabilizing local communities and cheating people out of billions of dollars each year, according to the report. Fraudulent online romance, gambling, and cryptocurrency schemes have defrauded people in more than 125 countries, with Americans, the primary targets, losing at least $18.2 billion in 2025 to compounds operating out of Southeast Asia, according to the report.The organizations recruited people from at least 80 countries over the past few years through fraudulent schemes, often pushing them into forced labor and holding them in guarded compounds and manipulating them through violence, sexual exploitation, intimidation, and other acts. They are often coerced into committing crimes, the report found.The report, an annual assessment required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, covers April 1, 2025, through March 31.The State Department said it relied on information from embassy reporting, government officials, nongovernmental and international organizations, published reports, news articles, and other sources.The State Department said that governments that fail to punish traffickers and protect victims should be held accountable.12 governments citedTwelve governments are cited in the report for a “policy or pattern” of state-sponsored human trafficking: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, South Sudan, and Sudan. This designation covers “trafficking in government-funded programs, forced labor in government-affiliated medical services or other sectors, sexual slavery in government camps, or the employment or recruitment of child soldiers.”Under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act, the department listed 14 countries whose forces or state-backed militias recruited or used children in any capacity during hostilities, including as sex slaves: Afghanistan, Burma, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen.Among country rankings reported so far, Israel returned to Tier 1, the highest category, for the first time since 2021, after five years on Tier 2. The Republic of Congo was downgraded to Tier 3, the lowest, for failing to meet minimum standards and not making significant efforts. A Tier 3 listing can restrict certain U.S. assistance, including security assistance, the report said.A Tier 1 ranking does not mean that a country has no human trafficking. Instead, according to the report, “a Tier 1 ranking indicates that a government has made efforts to address the problem … and met the TVPA’s minimum standards.”Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, said in a statement on Oct. 8 that the report’s findings are “a stark reminder that modern-day slavery remains a global scourge — and that governments must be held accountable when they fail to protect vulnerable people.”“Human trafficking is an assault on human dignity and freedom,” the congressman wrote. “The United States must continue to use every tool at its disposal — including the TIP Report — to expose human trafficking whenever it rears its ugly head, protect survivors, and press foreign governments to end this blight upon humanity.”“China remains on Tier 3 — the lowest ranking,” Smith continued, “reflecting its continued failure to meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) use and enabling of forced labor — including the systematic exploitation of Uyghurs and other persecuted minorities — is deeply troubling and deserves the greatest level of scrutiny.”“Moreover, the horrific, ongoing consequences of China’s one-child per couple policy can still be seen and felt today, as the Report notes that a gross disparity — tens of millions more boys than girls — has driven the demand for commercial sex trafficking and coercive marriages in the country,” Smith wrote.“Governments on Tier 3 — including China, North Korea, Iran, Russia, Burma, Belarus, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, Nicaragua, Sudan, South Sudan, and Venezuela — can and must do more. Tier 3 must never become a permanent designation; it should serve as a dire warning and a call to action,” Smith wrote.

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Fraudulent online romance, gambling, and cryptocurrency schemes have defrauded people in more than 125 countries, with Americans losing at least $18.2 billion in 2025, according to a new report.

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Guadalupe expert appointed to lead Mexico’s preparations for 500th anniversary of apparitions – #Catholic – Father Eduardo Chávez has been named representative of the Primate Archdiocese of Mexico for the celebrations of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which will take place in 2031.In a letter signed on Sept. 22, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, primate archbishop of Mexico, appointed Chávez, the magisterial Guadalupan theologian of the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, “representative of this particular church, especially in everything concerning the content of this marvelous Guadalupan event, in the preparation and in the celebrations of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Holy Mary of Tepeyac.”He said he made the decision in light of Chávez’s “preparation and experience in the subject of the Guadalupan event.”In the letter, the cardinal recognized the Mexican priest’s work as postulator of the cause of St. Juan Diego, the visionary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as well as his leadership of the Higher Institute of Guadalupan Studies, which for more than 25 years has borne “fruit in continuing research, in the formation of formators, and in spreading the message of love to so many peoples.”“May God, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and St. Juan Diego continue to enlighten, inspire, and strengthen you in this mission,” Aguiar wrote.Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego between Dec. 9 and 12, 1531, asking him to intercede with the first bishop of Mexico, Friar Juan de Zumárraga, so that a “sacred little house” would be built at the foot of Tepeyac Hill to exalt God: “he who is my compassionate gaze, he who is my help, he who is my salvation.”On Dec. 12, as proof for the bishop that the apparitions were true, the Virgin sent Juan Diego with roses that had miraculously bloomed on the barren Tepeyac, carried in his tilma, or cloak. When the Indigenous man opened his tilma before de Zumárraga, the image of Mary had been miraculously imprinted on the cloth.Nearly 500 years later, St. Juan Diego’s tilma with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is still preserved in her shrine in Mexico City.‘A great honor, but also a great responsibility’In remarks to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, on Oct. 7, Chávez, known as the leading expert on the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, said Aguiar’s appointment fills him “with tremendous enthusiasm.”“It is a great honor, but also a great responsibility,” he said. “It will be a lot of work, but work done with so much affection that you hardly feel it. It is joyful work for Our Lady of Guadalupe.”The celebration of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he said, is meant to promote “the exaltation of, devotion to, and above all adoration of Jesus, her beloved Son, because that is the center of her message.”He said the celebration, now only five years away, “should unite us all: unite us in love and in enthusiasm to celebrate her who is our Mother and who offers us, gives us, and entrusts to us her Son Jesus Christ.”“She is our Mother, she protects us, and she is the source of our joy,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Guadalupe expert appointed to lead Mexico’s preparations for 500th anniversary of apparitions – #Catholic – Father Eduardo Chávez has been named representative of the Primate Archdiocese of Mexico for the celebrations of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which will take place in 2031.In a letter signed on Sept. 22, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, primate archbishop of Mexico, appointed Chávez, the magisterial Guadalupan theologian of the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, “representative of this particular church, especially in everything concerning the content of this marvelous Guadalupan event, in the preparation and in the celebrations of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Holy Mary of Tepeyac.”He said he made the decision in light of Chávez’s “preparation and experience in the subject of the Guadalupan event.”In the letter, the cardinal recognized the Mexican priest’s work as postulator of the cause of St. Juan Diego, the visionary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as well as his leadership of the Higher Institute of Guadalupan Studies, which for more than 25 years has borne “fruit in continuing research, in the formation of formators, and in spreading the message of love to so many peoples.”“May God, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and St. Juan Diego continue to enlighten, inspire, and strengthen you in this mission,” Aguiar wrote.Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego between Dec. 9 and 12, 1531, asking him to intercede with the first bishop of Mexico, Friar Juan de Zumárraga, so that a “sacred little house” would be built at the foot of Tepeyac Hill to exalt God: “he who is my compassionate gaze, he who is my help, he who is my salvation.”On Dec. 12, as proof for the bishop that the apparitions were true, the Virgin sent Juan Diego with roses that had miraculously bloomed on the barren Tepeyac, carried in his tilma, or cloak. When the Indigenous man opened his tilma before de Zumárraga, the image of Mary had been miraculously imprinted on the cloth.Nearly 500 years later, St. Juan Diego’s tilma with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is still preserved in her shrine in Mexico City.‘A great honor, but also a great responsibility’In remarks to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, on Oct. 7, Chávez, known as the leading expert on the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, said Aguiar’s appointment fills him “with tremendous enthusiasm.”“It is a great honor, but also a great responsibility,” he said. “It will be a lot of work, but work done with so much affection that you hardly feel it. It is joyful work for Our Lady of Guadalupe.”The celebration of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he said, is meant to promote “the exaltation of, devotion to, and above all adoration of Jesus, her beloved Son, because that is the center of her message.”He said the celebration, now only five years away, “should unite us all: unite us in love and in enthusiasm to celebrate her who is our Mother and who offers us, gives us, and entrusts to us her Son Jesus Christ.”“She is our Mother, she protects us, and she is the source of our joy,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes chose Father Eduardo Chávez because of his expertise concerning the “Guadalupan event.”

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Emaús Retreat at cathedral fosters deeper life of evangelization #Catholic – Linked arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand in sung prayer, believers filled the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist as alumni of a retreat experience that has connected thousands across the Paterson Diocese and throughout New Jersey. Pilgrims who have experienced the powerful Emaús retreat celebrated Christ’s love at a Spanish-language Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sept. 25 at the cathedral. Each of them has participated in the three-day, mainly Spanish-language experience, in which Deacon German Vargas from the cathedral has played a major part in infusing the life of faith in the diocese. He calls the “siblinghood” of Emaús a community of brothers and sisters who, after the retreat, encounter the presence, grace, love, and mercy of Christ and make the Catholic faith the center of their lives. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “The bishop affirmed that the movement of the Holy Spirit has gifted us the Emaús fellowship,” Deacon Vargas shared. “The bishop emphasized the need not to be afraid and to keep walking together, like the disciples of Emmaus, strengthened by the Word of God,” he said. The retreat program has touched thousands of New Jerseyans. Its title comes from the story of the road to Emmaus as shared in Luke. In it, Christ draws near to two people taking that road without identifying himself until he breaks bread with them in a Eucharistic expression, following the pattern of the Last Supper. “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” the two men say about Jesus. Emaús, a retreat program that began at a parish in 1978 at St. Louis Parish in Miami, came to St. Mary Help of Christians in Paterson, N.J., in 2017 and has spread to 10 parishes in the diocese. “The idea was to make a retreat for people who didn’t have the chance to go to other retreats,” said Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., who also helps facilitate Emaús. Father Villamizar added, “There are some retreats that require some background for the people — a discernment retreat for those thinking about vocations or retreats for couples, married couples. There were other requirements at the time this Emmaus retreat started in Florida. The parish priest wanted to have a retreat for anybody, those who are in the pews, those who are just arriving in the church.” Through Emaús, men and women hold separate retreats that become deeply personal encounters with the Lord. “It grew organically here at the cathedral,” said Msgr. Geno Sylva, the rector of St. John’s and diocesan vicar for special projects. “After the retreat, I started seeing not only that the lives of people who went on the retreat converted and changed, but they became so faithful, not only with being here [on] Sunday, but getting involved in so many other areas of the cathedral’s life. It’s part of my vision for evangelization here at the cathedral,” he said. Msgr. Sylva credits Deacon Vargas and Father Villamizar with helping expand the retreat, which has become a key outreach tool, inviting people into the faith who have not had that deeper encounter with Christ. “I have a St. John Paul II, Pope Francis, and Benedict XIV [approach] to New Evangelization. It has to be about going beyond the walls to inviting people to a larger communion and to Sunday Mass,” Msgr. Sylva said. That invitation often comes from Emaús alums who also help make the retreat happen. “It started forming what we call now the brotherhoods and the sisterhoods in the different parishes,” Father Villamizar said. “Those who leave the retreat already are the ones who prepare a new retreat and invite new people,” he said. Those alumni also create regular follow-up opportunities for others who have gone on the retreat to continue the spiritual growth in community with others who know the power of the experience. “They meet biweekly after the retreat,” Msgr. Sylva said, “and you have to make the retreat to be at those meetings because there’s a real focus on trust and confidentiality at that level of faith sharing.” Leaders are launching a school with Emaús alums to form disciples who can support the New Evangelization. They aim to bring the fire for Christ that was launched when the Lord approached a pair of people who didn’t initially recognize him — the kind that changes hearts so passionately that they come together on a Friday night for a Mass that fills a cathedral. “Just like the disciples of Emmaus,” said Deacon Vargas, “we must ask the Lord to stay with us, in our hearts and in our families.” Click here to find more on Emaús in New Jersey. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Emaús Retreat at cathedral fosters deeper life of evangelization #Catholic – Linked arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand in sung prayer, believers filled the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist as alumni of a retreat experience that has connected thousands across the Paterson Diocese and throughout New Jersey. Pilgrims who have experienced the powerful Emaús retreat celebrated Christ’s love at a Spanish-language Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sept. 25 at the cathedral. Each of them has participated in the three-day, mainly Spanish-language experience, in which Deacon German Vargas from the cathedral has played a major part in infusing the life of faith in the diocese. He calls the “siblinghood” of Emaús a community of brothers and sisters who, after the retreat, encounter the presence, grace, love, and mercy of Christ and make the Catholic faith the center of their lives. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “The bishop affirmed that the movement of the Holy Spirit has gifted us the Emaús fellowship,” Deacon Vargas shared. “The bishop emphasized the need not to be afraid and to keep walking together, like the disciples of Emmaus, strengthened by the Word of God,” he said. The retreat program has touched thousands of New Jerseyans. Its title comes from the story of the road to Emmaus as shared in Luke. In it, Christ draws near to two people taking that road without identifying himself until he breaks bread with them in a Eucharistic expression, following the pattern of the Last Supper. “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” the two men say about Jesus. Emaús, a retreat program that began at a parish in 1978 at St. Louis Parish in Miami, came to St. Mary Help of Christians in Paterson, N.J., in 2017 and has spread to 10 parishes in the diocese. “The idea was to make a retreat for people who didn’t have the chance to go to other retreats,” said Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., who also helps facilitate Emaús. Father Villamizar added, “There are some retreats that require some background for the people — a discernment retreat for those thinking about vocations or retreats for couples, married couples. There were other requirements at the time this Emmaus retreat started in Florida. The parish priest wanted to have a retreat for anybody, those who are in the pews, those who are just arriving in the church.” Through Emaús, men and women hold separate retreats that become deeply personal encounters with the Lord. “It grew organically here at the cathedral,” said Msgr. Geno Sylva, the rector of St. John’s and diocesan vicar for special projects. “After the retreat, I started seeing not only that the lives of people who went on the retreat converted and changed, but they became so faithful, not only with being here [on] Sunday, but getting involved in so many other areas of the cathedral’s life. It’s part of my vision for evangelization here at the cathedral,” he said. Msgr. Sylva credits Deacon Vargas and Father Villamizar with helping expand the retreat, which has become a key outreach tool, inviting people into the faith who have not had that deeper encounter with Christ. “I have a St. John Paul II, Pope Francis, and Benedict XIV [approach] to New Evangelization. It has to be about going beyond the walls to inviting people to a larger communion and to Sunday Mass,” Msgr. Sylva said. That invitation often comes from Emaús alums who also help make the retreat happen. “It started forming what we call now the brotherhoods and the sisterhoods in the different parishes,” Father Villamizar said. “Those who leave the retreat already are the ones who prepare a new retreat and invite new people,” he said. Those alumni also create regular follow-up opportunities for others who have gone on the retreat to continue the spiritual growth in community with others who know the power of the experience. “They meet biweekly after the retreat,” Msgr. Sylva said, “and you have to make the retreat to be at those meetings because there’s a real focus on trust and confidentiality at that level of faith sharing.” Leaders are launching a school with Emaús alums to form disciples who can support the New Evangelization. They aim to bring the fire for Christ that was launched when the Lord approached a pair of people who didn’t initially recognize him — the kind that changes hearts so passionately that they come together on a Friday night for a Mass that fills a cathedral. “Just like the disciples of Emmaus,” said Deacon Vargas, “we must ask the Lord to stay with us, in our hearts and in our families.” Click here to find more on Emaús in New Jersey. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

unitedyam

Emaús Retreat at cathedral fosters deeper life of evangelization #Catholic –

Linked arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand in sung prayer, believers filled the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist as alumni of a retreat experience that has connected thousands across the Paterson Diocese and throughout New Jersey.

Pilgrims who have experienced the powerful Emaús retreat celebrated Christ’s love at a Spanish-language Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sept. 25 at the cathedral.

Each of them has participated in the three-day, mainly Spanish-language experience, in which Deacon German Vargas from the cathedral has played a major part in infusing the life of faith in the diocese. He calls the “siblinghood” of Emaús a community of brothers and sisters who, after the retreat, encounter the presence, grace, love, and mercy of Christ and make the Catholic faith the center of their lives.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“The bishop affirmed that the movement of the Holy Spirit has gifted us the Emaús fellowship,” Deacon Vargas shared. “The bishop emphasized the need not to be afraid and to keep walking together, like the disciples of Emmaus, strengthened by the Word of God,” he said.

The retreat program has touched thousands of New Jerseyans. Its title comes from the story of the road to Emmaus as shared in Luke. In it, Christ draws near to two people taking that road without identifying himself until he breaks bread with them in a Eucharistic expression, following the pattern of the Last Supper.

“Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” the two men say about Jesus.

Emaús, a retreat program that began at a parish in 1978 at St. Louis Parish in Miami, came to St. Mary Help of Christians in Paterson, N.J., in 2017 and has spread to 10 parishes in the diocese.

“The idea was to make a retreat for people who didn’t have the chance to go to other retreats,” said Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., who also helps facilitate Emaús.

Father Villamizar added, “There are some retreats that require some background for the people — a discernment retreat for those thinking about vocations or retreats for couples, married couples. There were other requirements at the time this Emmaus retreat started in Florida. The parish priest wanted to have a retreat for anybody, those who are in the pews, those who are just arriving in the church.”

Through Emaús, men and women hold separate retreats that become deeply personal encounters with the Lord.

“It grew organically here at the cathedral,” said Msgr. Geno Sylva, the rector of St. John’s and diocesan vicar for special projects. “After the retreat, I started seeing not only that the lives of people who went on the retreat converted and changed, but they became so faithful, not only with being here [on] Sunday, but getting involved in so many other areas of the cathedral’s life. It’s part of my vision for evangelization here at the cathedral,” he said.

Msgr. Sylva credits Deacon Vargas and Father Villamizar with helping expand the retreat, which has become a key outreach tool, inviting people into the faith who have not had that deeper encounter with Christ.

“I have a St. John Paul II, Pope Francis, and Benedict XIV [approach] to New Evangelization. It has to be about going beyond the walls to inviting people to a larger communion and to Sunday Mass,” Msgr. Sylva said.

That invitation often comes from Emaús alums who also help make the retreat happen.

“It started forming what we call now the brotherhoods and the sisterhoods in the different parishes,” Father Villamizar said. “Those who leave the retreat already are the ones who prepare a new retreat and invite new people,” he said.

Those alumni also create regular follow-up opportunities for others who have gone on the retreat to continue the spiritual growth in community with others who know the power of the experience.

“They meet biweekly after the retreat,” Msgr. Sylva said, “and you have to make the retreat to be at those meetings because there’s a real focus on trust and confidentiality at that level of faith sharing.”
Leaders are launching a school with Emaús alums to form disciples who can support the New Evangelization. They aim to bring the fire for Christ that was launched when the Lord approached a pair of people who didn’t initially recognize him — the kind that changes hearts so passionately that they come together on a Friday night for a Mass that fills a cathedral.

“Just like the disciples of Emmaus,” said Deacon Vargas, “we must ask the Lord to stay with us, in our hearts and in our families.”

Click here to find more on Emaús in New Jersey.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– Linked arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand in sung prayer, believers filled the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist as alumni of a retreat experience that has connected thousands across the Paterson Diocese and throughout New Jersey. Pilgrims who have experienced the powerful Emaús retreat celebrated Christ’s love at a Spanish-language Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sept. 25 at the cathedral. Each of them has participated in the three-day, mainly Spanish-language experience, in which Deacon German Vargas from the cathedral has played a major part in infusing the life of faith in the diocese. He calls the “siblinghood” of Emaús a community

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Obituary: Franciscan Father Bernard ‘Bernie’ Creighton, 86 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Butler, N.J., for Franciscan Father Bernard “Bernie” Creighton, who died Oct. 7. He was 86. For more than 60 years, Father Creighton devoted his life to service, education, and pastoral ministry. He spent decades supporting the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, N.Y., an international center for research, publishing, and academia dedicated to studying the Franciscan intellectual tradition, history, and theology. Father Creighton was born on Dec. 7, 1939, to Stanley and Helen Creighton (née Palizay). He was an only child, and his family ran a milk processing and delivery business in Elmira, N.Y. The future Franciscan Friar attended Catholic grade school and high school in Elmira, N.Y. In 1961, he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from St. Bonaventure University, where he met the friars who inspired his vocation. As a senior, Father Creighton was chosen to receive the 1961 Mark Hellinger Award, an annual recognition from St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication that honors outstanding academic achievement in journalism. However, Fr. Bernie declined the award for “up-and-coming journalists” because God was calling him to religious life. Then, in 1991, Father Creighton received the honor he had earned as a college student three decades earlier. At age 23, Father Creighton entered the Franciscan Order, professing first vows in 1963 and solemn vows in 1966. He was ordained a priest in 1967. Father Creighton became a trusted source of knowledge about the history and traditions of the Franciscan community after serving from 1968 to 1972 as editor of the Provincial Annals, an archival periodical published by the legacy Holy Name Province. From 1994 to 2026, Father Creighton served as vicar of the St. Anthony Friary in Butler, N.J., where he faithfully handled the daily needs of the friary community. Father Creighton is remembered for being approachable, detailed, humble, knowledgeable, and deeply dedicated to others. He embraced the Franciscan ideals of simplicity, hospitality and service, believing that the best part of ministry was working with the people of God and helping them to live in the spirit of the Lord. Father Creighton is survived by his friar brothers of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe; his cousins, Catherine Creighton Saal (Frank), Eugene Creighton (Patricia), James Creighton, Debbie Creighton, Tom Gilmore, Marilyn Lilly (Bill), James Ripley (Marilyn); and a cousin by marriage, Nancy Levanduski. Visitation for Father Creighton will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15at 9:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Butler, N.J., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. in the church. A Memorial Mass will be held on Monday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. at St. Bonaventure University Chapel in St. Bonaventure, N.Y. Burial will follow at St. Bonaventure Cemetery. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Obituary: Franciscan Father Bernard ‘Bernie’ Creighton, 86 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Butler, N.J., for Franciscan Father Bernard “Bernie” Creighton, who died Oct. 7. He was 86. For more than 60 years, Father Creighton devoted his life to service, education, and pastoral ministry. He spent decades supporting the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, N.Y., an international center for research, publishing, and academia dedicated to studying the Franciscan intellectual tradition, history, and theology. Father Creighton was born on Dec. 7, 1939, to Stanley and Helen Creighton (née Palizay). He was an only child, and his family ran a milk processing and delivery business in Elmira, N.Y. The future Franciscan Friar attended Catholic grade school and high school in Elmira, N.Y. In 1961, he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from St. Bonaventure University, where he met the friars who inspired his vocation. As a senior, Father Creighton was chosen to receive the 1961 Mark Hellinger Award, an annual recognition from St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication that honors outstanding academic achievement in journalism. However, Fr. Bernie declined the award for “up-and-coming journalists” because God was calling him to religious life. Then, in 1991, Father Creighton received the honor he had earned as a college student three decades earlier. At age 23, Father Creighton entered the Franciscan Order, professing first vows in 1963 and solemn vows in 1966. He was ordained a priest in 1967. Father Creighton became a trusted source of knowledge about the history and traditions of the Franciscan community after serving from 1968 to 1972 as editor of the Provincial Annals, an archival periodical published by the legacy Holy Name Province. From 1994 to 2026, Father Creighton served as vicar of the St. Anthony Friary in Butler, N.J., where he faithfully handled the daily needs of the friary community. Father Creighton is remembered for being approachable, detailed, humble, knowledgeable, and deeply dedicated to others. He embraced the Franciscan ideals of simplicity, hospitality and service, believing that the best part of ministry was working with the people of God and helping them to live in the spirit of the Lord. Father Creighton is survived by his friar brothers of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe; his cousins, Catherine Creighton Saal (Frank), Eugene Creighton (Patricia), James Creighton, Debbie Creighton, Tom Gilmore, Marilyn Lilly (Bill), James Ripley (Marilyn); and a cousin by marriage, Nancy Levanduski. Visitation for Father Creighton will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15at 9:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Butler, N.J., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. in the church. A Memorial Mass will be held on Monday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. at St. Bonaventure University Chapel in St. Bonaventure, N.Y. Burial will follow at St. Bonaventure Cemetery. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

unitedyam

Obituary: Franciscan Father Bernard ‘Bernie’ Creighton, 86 #Catholic –

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Butler, N.J., for Franciscan Father Bernard “Bernie” Creighton, who died Oct. 7. He was 86.

For more than 60 years, Father Creighton devoted his life to service, education, and pastoral ministry. He spent decades supporting the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, N.Y., an international center for research, publishing, and academia dedicated to studying the Franciscan intellectual tradition, history, and theology.

Father Creighton was born on Dec. 7, 1939, to Stanley and Helen Creighton (née Palizay). He was an only child, and his family ran a milk processing and delivery business in Elmira, N.Y.

The future Franciscan Friar attended Catholic grade school and high school in Elmira, N.Y. In 1961, he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from St. Bonaventure University, where he met the friars who inspired his vocation.

As a senior, Father Creighton was chosen to receive the 1961 Mark Hellinger Award, an annual recognition from St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication that honors outstanding academic achievement in journalism. However, Fr. Bernie declined the award for “up-and-coming journalists” because God was calling him to religious life.
Then, in 1991, Father Creighton received the honor he had earned as a college student three decades earlier.

At age 23, Father Creighton entered the Franciscan Order, professing first vows in 1963 and solemn vows in 1966. He was ordained a priest in 1967.

Father Creighton became a trusted source of knowledge about the history and traditions of the Franciscan community after serving from 1968 to 1972 as editor of the Provincial Annals, an archival periodical published by the legacy Holy Name Province.

From 1994 to 2026, Father Creighton served as vicar of the St. Anthony Friary in Butler, N.J., where he faithfully handled the daily needs of the friary community.

Father Creighton is remembered for being approachable, detailed, humble, knowledgeable, and deeply dedicated to others. He embraced the Franciscan ideals of simplicity, hospitality and service, believing that the best part of ministry was working with the people of God and helping them to live in the spirit of the Lord.

Father Creighton is survived by his friar brothers of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe; his cousins, Catherine Creighton Saal (Frank), Eugene Creighton (Patricia), James Creighton, Debbie Creighton, Tom Gilmore, Marilyn Lilly (Bill), James Ripley (Marilyn); and a cousin by marriage, Nancy Levanduski.

Visitation for Father Creighton will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15at 9:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Butler, N.J., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. in the church.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Monday, Oct. 19, at 11 a.m. at St. Bonaventure University Chapel in St. Bonaventure, N.Y. Burial will follow at St. Bonaventure Cemetery.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Butler, N.J., for Franciscan Father Bernard “Bernie” Creighton, who died Oct. 7. He was 86. For more than 60 years, Father Creighton devoted his life to service, education, and pastoral ministry. He spent decades supporting the Franciscan Institute at St. Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, N.Y., an international center for research, publishing, and academia dedicated to studying the Franciscan intellectual tradition, history, and theology. Father Creighton was born on Dec. 7, 1939, to Stanley and Helen Creighton (née

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In Morristown, Bishop offers hope to fearful migrants, refugees #Catholic – On Sept. 27, many Hispanic Catholics joined Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who celebrated a Spanish Mass for the 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Morristown, N.J. During the liturgy, the bishop offered Latino Catholics hope at a time when many of them are in fear of being targeted by law enforcement in the current immigration crisis or mistreated because of their ethnicity. “The message is [to] know that whatever is going on, you are not alone, and the Church is here for you,” Father Duberney Villamizar, the pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland, said. The Mass was filled with praiseful songs, assisted by dozens of altar servers, and concelebrated by many priests. Bishop Sweeney and the other clergy shared a bilingual message of solidarity and symbolism with the pilgrimage to heaven. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “We’re blessed to live in a community, an immigrant community here in Morristown,” said Bishop Sweeney in English during the mostly Spanish Mass. “As members of the Church, we’re all migrants; we’re all peregrinos [pilgrims] in pilgrimage together, hopefully one day to God, to the life of Heaven. Pope Leo invited us all to be part of this 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees. We pray for migrants and refugees in a special way during this Mass,” Bishop Sweeney said. Bishop Sweeney said that while the Church respects the law, every person is a child of God and deserves treatment that reflects that human dignity. Bishop Sweeney’s message of “you are not alone” reflects the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Justice for Immigrants Initiative. It offers Church resources for emergency support, solidarity in public witness and prayer, and pastoral support for immigrants and those suffering during the current crisis. The Mass at St. Margaret’s was part of a week planned by the USCCB dedicated to immigrants and refugees in the U.S. St. Margaret of Scotland Parish held an additional rosary this week. “It’s something that we have been trying to do in the last almost two years [with] everything that is going on in the country,” Father Villamizar said. Father Villamizar estimates that about 800 people came to Sunday’s Mass, which happened just five days after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted activity in the Morristown. “People are afraid to even go to church,” Father Villamizar said. “People are really concerned, not because we are doing anything wrong.” Father Villamizar even shared his own concern, as he is an immigrant from Colombia who took the proper steps to become an American citizen. “What if I just work without my wallet, or I don’t have any proof that I am an American citizen? They can detain me until I prove that I am here doing good things,’ Father Villamizar said. In this climate, the Mass celebrated on Sunday at his church helps people enduring such fear recognize the human sanctity they have, which cannot be taken away from them, and gives them the courage to endure while living their lives, Father Villamizar said. “There is a dignity that comes only from God,” Father Villamizar said. “The suffering is real. So many people try to keep going on with their lives, with their businesses, with whatever they are doing, making this place a better place with everything they are, with everything they are giving,” Father Villamizar said. Father Villamizar said the message on Sept. 27 will remain true for everyone who feels the anxiety of the current age and culture surrounding Latinos: that the Catholic Church may not be able to fix every issue, but that Christ and his Church will be here to accompany them every step, no matter what happens. “We are not promising to solve everyone’s problems, but at least you know that you are not by yourself,” Father Villamizar said. “Somebody cares about you, somebody wants to be with you, somebody wants to be in this experience with you,” he said. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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In Morristown, Bishop offers hope to fearful migrants, refugees #Catholic – On Sept. 27, many Hispanic Catholics joined Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who celebrated a Spanish Mass for the 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Morristown, N.J. During the liturgy, the bishop offered Latino Catholics hope at a time when many of them are in fear of being targeted by law enforcement in the current immigration crisis or mistreated because of their ethnicity. “The message is [to] know that whatever is going on, you are not alone, and the Church is here for you,” Father Duberney Villamizar, the pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland, said. The Mass was filled with praiseful songs, assisted by dozens of altar servers, and concelebrated by many priests. Bishop Sweeney and the other clergy shared a bilingual message of solidarity and symbolism with the pilgrimage to heaven. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “We’re blessed to live in a community, an immigrant community here in Morristown,” said Bishop Sweeney in English during the mostly Spanish Mass. “As members of the Church, we’re all migrants; we’re all peregrinos [pilgrims] in pilgrimage together, hopefully one day to God, to the life of Heaven. Pope Leo invited us all to be part of this 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees. We pray for migrants and refugees in a special way during this Mass,” Bishop Sweeney said. Bishop Sweeney said that while the Church respects the law, every person is a child of God and deserves treatment that reflects that human dignity. Bishop Sweeney’s message of “you are not alone” reflects the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Justice for Immigrants Initiative. It offers Church resources for emergency support, solidarity in public witness and prayer, and pastoral support for immigrants and those suffering during the current crisis. The Mass at St. Margaret’s was part of a week planned by the USCCB dedicated to immigrants and refugees in the U.S. St. Margaret of Scotland Parish held an additional rosary this week. “It’s something that we have been trying to do in the last almost two years [with] everything that is going on in the country,” Father Villamizar said. Father Villamizar estimates that about 800 people came to Sunday’s Mass, which happened just five days after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted activity in the Morristown. “People are afraid to even go to church,” Father Villamizar said. “People are really concerned, not because we are doing anything wrong.” Father Villamizar even shared his own concern, as he is an immigrant from Colombia who took the proper steps to become an American citizen. “What if I just work without my wallet, or I don’t have any proof that I am an American citizen? They can detain me until I prove that I am here doing good things,’ Father Villamizar said. In this climate, the Mass celebrated on Sunday at his church helps people enduring such fear recognize the human sanctity they have, which cannot be taken away from them, and gives them the courage to endure while living their lives, Father Villamizar said. “There is a dignity that comes only from God,” Father Villamizar said. “The suffering is real. So many people try to keep going on with their lives, with their businesses, with whatever they are doing, making this place a better place with everything they are, with everything they are giving,” Father Villamizar said. Father Villamizar said the message on Sept. 27 will remain true for everyone who feels the anxiety of the current age and culture surrounding Latinos: that the Catholic Church may not be able to fix every issue, but that Christ and his Church will be here to accompany them every step, no matter what happens. “We are not promising to solve everyone’s problems, but at least you know that you are not by yourself,” Father Villamizar said. “Somebody cares about you, somebody wants to be with you, somebody wants to be in this experience with you,” he said. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

unitedyam

In Morristown, Bishop offers hope to fearful migrants, refugees #Catholic –

On Sept. 27, many Hispanic Catholics joined Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who celebrated a Spanish Mass for the 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Morristown, N.J. During the liturgy, the bishop offered Latino Catholics hope at a time when many of them are in fear of being targeted by law enforcement in the current immigration crisis or mistreated because of their ethnicity.

“The message is [to] know that whatever is going on, you are not alone, and the Church is here for you,” Father Duberney Villamizar, the pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland, said.

The Mass was filled with praiseful songs, assisted by dozens of altar servers, and concelebrated by many priests. Bishop Sweeney and the other clergy shared a bilingual message of solidarity and symbolism with the pilgrimage to heaven.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“We’re blessed to live in a community, an immigrant community here in Morristown,” said Bishop Sweeney in English during the mostly Spanish Mass.

“As members of the Church, we’re all migrants; we’re all peregrinos [pilgrims] in pilgrimage together, hopefully one day to God, to the life of Heaven. Pope Leo invited us all to be part of this 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees. We pray for migrants and refugees in a special way during this Mass,” Bishop Sweeney said.

Bishop Sweeney said that while the Church respects the law, every person is a child of God and deserves treatment that reflects that human dignity.

Bishop Sweeney’s message of “you are not alone” reflects the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Justice for Immigrants Initiative. It offers Church resources for emergency support, solidarity in public witness and prayer, and pastoral support for immigrants and those suffering during the current crisis.

The Mass at St. Margaret’s was part of a week planned by the USCCB dedicated to immigrants and refugees in the U.S. St. Margaret of Scotland Parish held an additional rosary this week.

“It’s something that we have been trying to do in the last almost two years [with] everything that is going on in the country,” Father Villamizar said.

Father Villamizar estimates that about 800 people came to Sunday’s Mass, which happened just five days after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted activity in the Morristown.

“People are afraid to even go to church,” Father Villamizar said. “People are really concerned, not because we are doing anything wrong.”

Father Villamizar even shared his own concern, as he is an immigrant from Colombia who took the proper steps to become an American citizen.

“What if I just work without my wallet, or I don’t have any proof that I am an American citizen? They can detain me until I prove that I am here doing good things,’ Father Villamizar said.

In this climate, the Mass celebrated on Sunday at his church helps people enduring such fear recognize the human sanctity they have, which cannot be taken away from them, and gives them the courage to endure while living their lives, Father Villamizar said.

“There is a dignity that comes only from God,” Father Villamizar said.

“The suffering is real. So many people try to keep going on with their lives, with their businesses, with whatever they are doing, making this place a better place with everything they are, with everything they are giving,” Father Villamizar said.

Father Villamizar said the message on Sept. 27 will remain true for everyone who feels the anxiety of the current age and culture surrounding Latinos: that the Catholic Church may not be able to fix every issue, but that Christ and his Church will be here to accompany them every step, no matter what happens.

“We are not promising to solve everyone’s problems, but at least you know that you are not by yourself,” Father Villamizar said. “Somebody cares about you, somebody wants to be with you, somebody wants to be in this experience with you,” he said.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– On Sept. 27, many Hispanic Catholics joined Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who celebrated a Spanish Mass for the 112th World Day for Migrants and Refugees at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Morristown, N.J. During the liturgy, the bishop offered Latino Catholics hope at a time when many of them are in fear of being targeted by law enforcement in the current immigration crisis or mistreated because of their ethnicity. “The message is [to] know that whatever is going on, you are not alone, and the Church is here for you,” Father Duberney Villamizar, the pastor of St. Margaret of

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Bishops of El Salvador ask Pope Leo to proclaim Saint Óscar Romero a Doctor of the Church – #Catholic – The bishops of El Salvador asked Pope Leo XIV to proclaim St. Óscar Arnulfo Romero a doctor of the Church and to visit the Central American country to pray at the tomb of the martyred archbishop.The requests were made during an audience on Sept. 11 as part of the ad limina visit the Salvadoran prelates made to Rome from Sept. 7–11.The Episcopal Conference of El Salvador announced the request in a press release issued Oct. 4 that noted the meeting with the Holy Father “was marked by closeness, fraternity, and the paternal character of the Pontiff.”In that setting, the bishops presented both petitions concerning St. Óscar Romero, who was assassinated on March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass in the chapel of Divine Providence Hospital in San Salvador and who was canonized by Pope Francis on Oct. 14, 2018. Salvadoran bishops meet with Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 11, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media According to Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador, president of the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador, the Holy Father received the proposals with “a very positive and welcoming attitude.” The prelate explained, however, that “both decisions require a process of consultation and discernment before a definitive response can be given.”Pope Leo XIV’s devotion to St. Óscar RomeroDuring the meeting, Leo also told the Salvadoran bishops of his particular devotion to St. Óscar Romero.Escobar said the pope used to carry “a holy card of Monsignor Romero together with a third-class relic and commended himself daily to his intercession.”During the meeting, the bishops of El Salvador gave the pope a first-class relic of St. Óscar Romero. Archbishop José Luis Escobar gives a first-degree relic of St. Óscar Romero to Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 11, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media What is a doctor of the Church?The title “doctor of the Church” recognizes canonized men and women who possessed deep knowledge, were outstanding teachers, and contributed significantly to the theology of the Church.Traditionally the title has been granted on three conditions: evident holiness of the candidate, confirmed by canonization as a saint; eminence in doctrine, shown by a body of teaching that made significant and lasting contributions to the life of the Church; and a formal declaration by the Church, usually by a pope.There are currently 38 doctors of the Church.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Bishops of El Salvador ask Pope Leo to proclaim Saint Óscar Romero a Doctor of the Church – #Catholic – The bishops of El Salvador asked Pope Leo XIV to proclaim St. Óscar Arnulfo Romero a doctor of the Church and to visit the Central American country to pray at the tomb of the martyred archbishop.The requests were made during an audience on Sept. 11 as part of the ad limina visit the Salvadoran prelates made to Rome from Sept. 7–11.The Episcopal Conference of El Salvador announced the request in a press release issued Oct. 4 that noted the meeting with the Holy Father “was marked by closeness, fraternity, and the paternal character of the Pontiff.”In that setting, the bishops presented both petitions concerning St. Óscar Romero, who was assassinated on March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass in the chapel of Divine Providence Hospital in San Salvador and who was canonized by Pope Francis on Oct. 14, 2018. Salvadoran bishops meet with Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 11, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media According to Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas of San Salvador, president of the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador, the Holy Father received the proposals with “a very positive and welcoming attitude.” The prelate explained, however, that “both decisions require a process of consultation and discernment before a definitive response can be given.”Pope Leo XIV’s devotion to St. Óscar RomeroDuring the meeting, Leo also told the Salvadoran bishops of his particular devotion to St. Óscar Romero.Escobar said the pope used to carry “a holy card of Monsignor Romero together with a third-class relic and commended himself daily to his intercession.”During the meeting, the bishops of El Salvador gave the pope a first-class relic of St. Óscar Romero. Archbishop José Luis Escobar gives a first-degree relic of St. Óscar Romero to Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 11, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media What is a doctor of the Church?The title “doctor of the Church” recognizes canonized men and women who possessed deep knowledge, were outstanding teachers, and contributed significantly to the theology of the Church.Traditionally the title has been granted on three conditions: evident holiness of the candidate, confirmed by canonization as a saint; eminence in doctrine, shown by a body of teaching that made significant and lasting contributions to the life of the Church; and a formal declaration by the Church, usually by a pope.There are currently 38 doctors of the Church.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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During a meeting in September, the bishops also asked the pope to visit the country.

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Newly selected NASA mission will hunt for caves on the Moon

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NASA has selected a mission proposal that will peer below a volcanic pit on the Moon to find out whether it opens onto a hidden lava tube — a geologic formation long theorized, but never confirmed on the Moon. The proposal will send a mission to the Marius Hills Pit, a large hole — approximatelyContinue reading “Newly selected NASA mission will hunt for caves on the Moon”

The post Newly selected NASA mission will hunt for caves on the Moon appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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U.S. Catholic bishops condemn ‘barbaric’ plan to livestream military execution – #Catholic – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) condemned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s announcement that the military execution of the Fort Hood mass shooter, Nidal Hasan, will be livestreamed for the public to view.“It is with shock and great sorrow that I have learned of the Department of War’s decision to publicly livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan,” Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the USCCB, said in a statement on Oct. 9.“Our God is the God of life,” he said. “In no way can Hasan’s actions be condoned but this decision is a barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered.”Coakley quoted Romans 12:17, which commands: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”“The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people,” the archbishop said. “I pray for the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel that we as a nation may always choose life even in the most trying times and circumstances.”Hasan, a man from Arlington, Virginia, was convicted of murdering 13 people and injuring 32 others in a mass shooting at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2009, while working as a psychiatrist for the Army. Public witnesses said he screamed “Allahu Akbar” immediately before he began firing. He had email communications with Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born al-Qaeda recruiter.On Oct. 2, President Donald Trump approved a military execution via firing squad for Hasan, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Fort Hood. On Oct. 8, Hegseth said in an interview with the news outlet Real Americaʼs Voice that the execution will be livestreamed and later reaffirmed this plan on social media.The announcement of the execution and livestream also faced criticism from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Archbishop Timothy Broglio reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s opposition to the death penalty in a statement to EWTN News.“Catholic teaching about the death penalty is clear,” Broglio said. “Already the Catechism of the Catholic Church, even before its revision by the late Pope Francis, indicated that in a country such as the United States where the means exist to protect society from such criminals, the death penalty was inadmissible.”The archbishop said that now, “the teaching is even clearer and more universal” and cited CCC 2267: “Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’ and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”Broglio added: “Even in the case of the most heinous crimes, the Church begs for clemency.”‘A grotesque display of hatred’The Catholic Mobilizing Network, which works closely with the USCCB on efforts to oppose the death penalty, condemned both the decision to execute Hasan and the decision to livestream his death.“Beyond the fact that executions do not deter crime or increase safety, it’s appalling that a public official would try to introduce it as a livestream arcade,” Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, said in a statement.“It’s been almost a century since our country’s last public execution, and we must not fall into the abyss of such a vengeful practice,” she said. “We undermine our own humanity when we treat another person’s death as something to watch, celebrate, or use for entertainment. It is [reminiscent] of the horrors of lynching in our nation’s past, and would be a grotesque display of hatred witnessed in the public executions of some authoritarian countries today.”Murphy quoted a Sept. 28 address from Pope Leo XIV, in which he said “the greatness of a civilization is not measured by its material achievements, but by the way it cares for, protects, and upholds the human person.”She warned that “we violate human dignity” with every execution “because every person is created in the image of God.” She said “the Church instructs us to not seek cruel retribution, but a justice that holds people accountable without perpetuating the cycle of death.”“What Mr. Hasan did at Fort Hood in 2009 ought not be condoned in any way,” she said. “He inflicted horrible pain and caused terrifying trauma. … But we must not be blinded by bloodlust. The macabre spectacle proposed by Secretary Hegseth is not what our Lord asks of us—it will neither honor victims nor bring healing.”
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U.S. Catholic bishops condemn ‘barbaric’ plan to livestream military execution – #Catholic – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) condemned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s announcement that the military execution of the Fort Hood mass shooter, Nidal Hasan, will be livestreamed for the public to view.“It is with shock and great sorrow that I have learned of the Department of War’s decision to publicly livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan,” Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the USCCB, said in a statement on Oct. 9.“Our God is the God of life,” he said. “In no way can Hasan’s actions be condoned but this decision is a barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered.”Coakley quoted Romans 12:17, which commands: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”“The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people,” the archbishop said. “I pray for the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel that we as a nation may always choose life even in the most trying times and circumstances.”Hasan, a man from Arlington, Virginia, was convicted of murdering 13 people and injuring 32 others in a mass shooting at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2009, while working as a psychiatrist for the Army. Public witnesses said he screamed “Allahu Akbar” immediately before he began firing. He had email communications with Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born al-Qaeda recruiter.On Oct. 2, President Donald Trump approved a military execution via firing squad for Hasan, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Fort Hood. On Oct. 8, Hegseth said in an interview with the news outlet Real Americaʼs Voice that the execution will be livestreamed and later reaffirmed this plan on social media.The announcement of the execution and livestream also faced criticism from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Archbishop Timothy Broglio reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s opposition to the death penalty in a statement to EWTN News.“Catholic teaching about the death penalty is clear,” Broglio said. “Already the Catechism of the Catholic Church, even before its revision by the late Pope Francis, indicated that in a country such as the United States where the means exist to protect society from such criminals, the death penalty was inadmissible.”The archbishop said that now, “the teaching is even clearer and more universal” and cited CCC 2267: “Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’ and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”Broglio added: “Even in the case of the most heinous crimes, the Church begs for clemency.”‘A grotesque display of hatred’The Catholic Mobilizing Network, which works closely with the USCCB on efforts to oppose the death penalty, condemned both the decision to execute Hasan and the decision to livestream his death.“Beyond the fact that executions do not deter crime or increase safety, it’s appalling that a public official would try to introduce it as a livestream arcade,” Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, said in a statement.“It’s been almost a century since our country’s last public execution, and we must not fall into the abyss of such a vengeful practice,” she said. “We undermine our own humanity when we treat another person’s death as something to watch, celebrate, or use for entertainment. It is [reminiscent] of the horrors of lynching in our nation’s past, and would be a grotesque display of hatred witnessed in the public executions of some authoritarian countries today.”Murphy quoted a Sept. 28 address from Pope Leo XIV, in which he said “the greatness of a civilization is not measured by its material achievements, but by the way it cares for, protects, and upholds the human person.”She warned that “we violate human dignity” with every execution “because every person is created in the image of God.” She said “the Church instructs us to not seek cruel retribution, but a justice that holds people accountable without perpetuating the cycle of death.”“What Mr. Hasan did at Fort Hood in 2009 ought not be condoned in any way,” she said. “He inflicted horrible pain and caused terrifying trauma. … But we must not be blinded by bloodlust. The macabre spectacle proposed by Secretary Hegseth is not what our Lord asks of us—it will neither honor victims nor bring healing.”

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The decision to livestream the execution of Fort Hood mass shooter Nidal Hasan faced strong criticism from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

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Crew-12 Returns to Earth – The SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev aboard in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Los Angeles, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.
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Crew-12 Returns to Earth – The SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev aboard in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Los Angeles, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.

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The SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev aboard in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Los Angeles, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 09 October 2026 – A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 3:7-14 Brothers and sisters: Realize that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham. Scripture, which saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, Through you shall all the nations be blessed. Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith. For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law. And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear, for the one who is righteous by faith will live. But the law does not depend on faith; rather, the one who does these things will live by them. Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.From the Gospel according to Luke 11:15-26 When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. “When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”The true problem (…) and it is one that we often overlook, is that conversion does not only make us aware of evil so that we can choose the good; it also forces evil to change its tactics, to become more insidious, to find new disguises that will be hard for us to see through. The battle is real. The tempter keeps coming back, disguised, but he comes back. (…) One of the most helpful virtues to practice in this regard is the virtue of vigilance. Jesus uses a striking example to illustrate the need for vigilance, attentiveness to ourselves and to the Church. He tells us: “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’. When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first” (Lk 11:24-26). Our initial conversion follows a certain pattern: the evil that we acknowledge and try to uproot from our lives does indeed leave us, but we would be naïve to think that it will long be gone. In short order, it comes back under a new guise. Before, it appeared rough and violent, now it shows up as elegant and refined. We need to realize that and once again to unmask it. Let me put it this way: they are “elegant demons”: they enter smoothly, without our even being conscious of them. Only the daily practice of the examination of conscience can enable us to be aware of them. Hence the importance of the examination of conscience, to keep watch over our house. (Pope Francis, Address to the Roman Curia, 22 December 2022)

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A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians
3:7-14

Brothers and sisters:
Realize that it is those who have faith
who are children of Abraham.
Scripture, which saw in advance that God
would justify the Gentiles by faith,
foretold the good news to Abraham, saying,
Through you shall all the nations be blessed.
Consequently, those who have faith are blessed
along with Abraham who had faith.
For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse;
for it is written, Cursed be everyone
who does not persevere in doing all the things
written in the book of the law.
And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear,
for the one who is righteous by faith will live.
But the law does not depend on faith;
rather, the one who does these things will live by them.
Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,
that the blessing of Abraham might be extended
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

From the Gospel according to Luke
11:15-26

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said:
“By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons.”
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”

The true problem (…) and it is one that we often overlook, is that conversion does not only make us aware of evil so that we can choose the good; it also forces evil to change its tactics, to become more insidious, to find new disguises that will be hard for us to see through. The battle is real. The tempter keeps coming back, disguised, but he comes back. (…)

One of the most helpful virtues to practice in this regard is the virtue of vigilance. Jesus uses a striking example to illustrate the need for vigilance, attentiveness to ourselves and to the Church. He tells us: “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’. When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first” (Lk 11:24-26). Our initial conversion follows a certain pattern: the evil that we acknowledge and try to uproot from our lives does indeed leave us, but we would be naïve to think that it will long be gone. In short order, it comes back under a new guise. Before, it appeared rough and violent, now it shows up as elegant and refined. We need to realize that and once again to unmask it. Let me put it this way: they are “elegant demons”: they enter smoothly, without our even being conscious of them. Only the daily practice of the examination of conscience can enable us to be aware of them. Hence the importance of the examination of conscience, to keep watch over our house. (Pope Francis, Address to the Roman Curia, 22 December 2022)

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U.S. bishops to elect secretary, committee chairs at November meeting – #Catholic – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will elect the next secretary and leadership for six committees during its November meeting, which will determine who leads the bishops’ work on education, doctrine, pro-life activities, and other issues.American bishops will meet for their fall plenary assembly from Nov. 16–19 in Baltimore, which will include the election of bishops to the positions. Each bishop will serve as bishop-elect for one year, before taking over the role at the end of the 2027 fall plenary assembly. They serve three-year terms.The most senior office up for election is USCCB secretary, which also leads the Committee on Priorities and Planning. This bishop helps set conference-wide priorities for the bishops.Two bishops were nominated for the role: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, and Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio. Rhoades holds the position because he was elected in 2025 to finish the term of Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, whose election to the USCCB presidency left a vacancy.There are also two nominees for each of the committee chairs:The Committee on Catholic Education: Bishop James D. Conley, Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Bishop Edmund J. Whalen, auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of New YorkThe Committee on Communications: Bishop Daniel J. Felton, Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, and Bishop Louis Tylka, Diocese of Peoria, IllinoisThe Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church: Bishop Steven J. Maekawa, OP, Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Bishop Michael M. Pham, Diocese of San DiegoThe Committee on Doctrine: Bishop William M. Joensen, Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, and Bishop Steven J. Lopes, Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. PeterThe Committee on National Collections: Bishop Mark A. Eckman, Diocese of Pittsburgh, and Bishop Gerald L. Vincke, Diocese of Salina, KansasThe Committee on Pro-Life Activities: Bishop John T. Folda, Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota, and Bishop Donald J. Hying, Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin
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U.S. bishops to elect secretary, committee chairs at November meeting – #Catholic – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will elect the next secretary and leadership for six committees during its November meeting, which will determine who leads the bishops’ work on education, doctrine, pro-life activities, and other issues.American bishops will meet for their fall plenary assembly from Nov. 16–19 in Baltimore, which will include the election of bishops to the positions. Each bishop will serve as bishop-elect for one year, before taking over the role at the end of the 2027 fall plenary assembly. They serve three-year terms.The most senior office up for election is USCCB secretary, which also leads the Committee on Priorities and Planning. This bishop helps set conference-wide priorities for the bishops.Two bishops were nominated for the role: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, and Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio. Rhoades holds the position because he was elected in 2025 to finish the term of Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, whose election to the USCCB presidency left a vacancy.There are also two nominees for each of the committee chairs:The Committee on Catholic Education: Bishop James D. Conley, Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Bishop Edmund J. Whalen, auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of New YorkThe Committee on Communications: Bishop Daniel J. Felton, Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, and Bishop Louis Tylka, Diocese of Peoria, IllinoisThe Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church: Bishop Steven J. Maekawa, OP, Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Bishop Michael M. Pham, Diocese of San DiegoThe Committee on Doctrine: Bishop William M. Joensen, Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, and Bishop Steven J. Lopes, Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. PeterThe Committee on National Collections: Bishop Mark A. Eckman, Diocese of Pittsburgh, and Bishop Gerald L. Vincke, Diocese of Salina, KansasThe Committee on Pro-Life Activities: Bishop John T. Folda, Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota, and Bishop Donald J. Hying, Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin

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The bishops will serve one year as chair-elect and assume the positions in the fall of 2027.

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Archbishop of Dijon, France, asks for prayers for priest who died by suicide – #Catholic – Archbishop Antoine Hérouard of Dijon, France, asked for prayers for Father Bernard Card, who died by suicide in his Sainte Chantal Parish house on Sunday, Oct. 4.In a letter sent to the faithful of his archdiocese, the prelate wrote of his “astonishment and deep sadness” and said that what happened was “totally unexpected and difficult to understand.”“Let us entrust him to the merciful love of the Lord. Let us pray for his parishioners, shocked by this unexpected news; for Father Jean-Philippe Nollé, his vicar; and for his family and friends, left desolate by this sudden departure,” the archbishop said.In his letter, the archbishop remembered Card — who had been “deeply affected” some time ago by his brother’s suicide — as “a pastor much appreciated by his parishioners and who moved with ease among his fellow priests, who trusted him.”He added that he was “very involved in the life of the cathedral chapter, regularly participated in the canons' prayer in the archbishopʼs chapel, and enjoyed staying afterward for coffee with the staff. He always took part with interest in the meetings of the Diocesan Council for Economic Affairs.”Looking ahead to Card’s approaching 75th birthday, Hérouard said the two had spoken about the possibility of continuing his mission a little past the usual retirement age. Some had noticed that he seemed “tired lately” and was bothered by insects in his house, but no one thought that was “anything dramatic,” the archbishop wrote.On the archdioceseʼs Facebook page, Michèle Bauchet commented: “This is deeply sad news. [Father] Bernard was a very kind person. He had agreed to officiate at our son-in-lawʼs funeral Mass.” She wrote that he was to celebrate her golden wedding anniversary Mass in 2027. “We are truly shocked. We pray for Jean-Philippe Nollé and all of Bernardʼs family,” she added.The French government declared mental health a national priority for 2025 and 2026. A 2020 study by Mutuelle Saint-Martin and Action Sociale found that 9% of French priests showed a depressive syndrome, 40% had a low sense of personal fulfillment, 7% a high degree of exhaustion, and 2% suffered from severe burnout.The archdiocese has organized several prayer vigils for the priest. The first is Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m. in Chenôve (Chapel of Saint Teresa). Later that same day, another vigil will be held at 3 p.m. in the church of Corcelles-les-Monts.Prayers will be held on Friday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. at Sainte-Chantal; and on Monday, Oct. 12, from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at the same location. The funeral will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m., also at Sainte-Chantal.Seek helpIf you or someone you know is experiencing an emotional crisis or suicidal thoughts, remember that the Catholic Church offers spiritual guidance, prayer, and someone to talk to and encourages seeking professional help.You can contact helplines, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988 in the U.S.) for your country, or go to your parish, where you will find pastoral support and resources.The Catholic Church teaches that life is a gift from God. The Church accompanies those who suffer with compassion and without judgment, offering hope, prayer, and consolation to the affected families.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Archbishop of Dijon, France, asks for prayers for priest who died by suicide – #Catholic – Archbishop Antoine Hérouard of Dijon, France, asked for prayers for Father Bernard Card, who died by suicide in his Sainte Chantal Parish house on Sunday, Oct. 4.In a letter sent to the faithful of his archdiocese, the prelate wrote of his “astonishment and deep sadness” and said that what happened was “totally unexpected and difficult to understand.”“Let us entrust him to the merciful love of the Lord. Let us pray for his parishioners, shocked by this unexpected news; for Father Jean-Philippe Nollé, his vicar; and for his family and friends, left desolate by this sudden departure,” the archbishop said.In his letter, the archbishop remembered Card — who had been “deeply affected” some time ago by his brother’s suicide — as “a pastor much appreciated by his parishioners and who moved with ease among his fellow priests, who trusted him.”He added that he was “very involved in the life of the cathedral chapter, regularly participated in the canons' prayer in the archbishopʼs chapel, and enjoyed staying afterward for coffee with the staff. He always took part with interest in the meetings of the Diocesan Council for Economic Affairs.”Looking ahead to Card’s approaching 75th birthday, Hérouard said the two had spoken about the possibility of continuing his mission a little past the usual retirement age. Some had noticed that he seemed “tired lately” and was bothered by insects in his house, but no one thought that was “anything dramatic,” the archbishop wrote.On the archdioceseʼs Facebook page, Michèle Bauchet commented: “This is deeply sad news. [Father] Bernard was a very kind person. He had agreed to officiate at our son-in-lawʼs funeral Mass.” She wrote that he was to celebrate her golden wedding anniversary Mass in 2027. “We are truly shocked. We pray for Jean-Philippe Nollé and all of Bernardʼs family,” she added.The French government declared mental health a national priority for 2025 and 2026. A 2020 study by Mutuelle Saint-Martin and Action Sociale found that 9% of French priests showed a depressive syndrome, 40% had a low sense of personal fulfillment, 7% a high degree of exhaustion, and 2% suffered from severe burnout.The archdiocese has organized several prayer vigils for the priest. The first is Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m. in Chenôve (Chapel of Saint Teresa). Later that same day, another vigil will be held at 3 p.m. in the church of Corcelles-les-Monts.Prayers will be held on Friday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. at Sainte-Chantal; and on Monday, Oct. 12, from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at the same location. The funeral will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m., also at Sainte-Chantal.Seek helpIf you or someone you know is experiencing an emotional crisis or suicidal thoughts, remember that the Catholic Church offers spiritual guidance, prayer, and someone to talk to and encourages seeking professional help.You can contact helplines, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988 in the U.S.) for your country, or go to your parish, where you will find pastoral support and resources.The Catholic Church teaches that life is a gift from God. The Church accompanies those who suffer with compassion and without judgment, offering hope, prayer, and consolation to the affected families.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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“Let us entrust him to the merciful love of the Lord,” the archbishop wrote in a letter to the faithful. “Let us pray for his parishioners, shocked by this unexpected news.”

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Exorcists discuss cases, emphasize essential role of sacred music and the Virgin Mary in exorcisms – #Catholic – About 120 exorcist priests met in Italy for a five-day conference on possession cases and on the place of sacred music and the Virgin Mary in exorcisms.The 15th Italian National Conference of the International Association of Exorcists (IAE) took place Sept. 21–25 at the Fraterna Domus center in Sacrofano, Italy, near Rome. The meeting focused on the pastoral experience of attendees.3 cases of demonic possessionFather Benigno Palilla, an exorcist of the Archdiocese of Palermo, Italy, described a young woman who was freed after two and a half years of demonic possession, according to IAE’s website. The association said her suffering is common among younger people and is often tied to ceasing reception of the sacraments, atheism, spiritist sessions, and occult practices. Her troubles had led to aggression toward others and self-hatred that reached suicidal thoughts, the association noted. Palilla said her liberation came on the liturgical memorial of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. He said that after she gave her life fully to God, she felt a deep interior peace and a renewed love of life.Father Angelo Barra, an exorcist of the Diocese of Salerno, Italy, spoke of a young woman who was a victim of domestic violence. After a trip, she began to complain of severe pain that started during Mass. The association said that a priest’s simple reading of passages from Acts 16 revealed an extraordinary demonic action and set off an “interior earthquake.” Blessings, together with the spiritual support of two Catholic communities in Africa, led to her liberation. She later said she had been the victim of a ritual consecration by a sect in the place she had visited.Father Michele Tenzon, a former exorcist of the Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo, recalled a South American woman whose relatives had “offered her to the spirits.” He said in that case, and in an exorcist’s life generally, what matters is living an authentic Christian life, ongoing formation, and the intercession of the Virgin Mary in prayer.Sacred music and the Virgin MaryFather Giuseppe Grassi, an exorcist and director of the Office of Sacred Music of the Archdiocese of Brindisi-Ostuni, Italy, said sacred music and song are closely tied to the heights of the angelic ministry and can be used fruitfully in exorcism, according to the association. The more sacred the music, he said, the more closely it is connected to the liturgical action, because it prefigures the liturgy of the heavenly Jerusalem — from the psalms to Gregorian chant and popular songs in honor of the Virgin.Mariologist Father Salvatore Perrella, a Servite and former dean of the Pontifical Marianum in Rome, stressed the importance of the Virgin Mary’s place in exorcisms. He pointed to her constant rooting in the word of God, “since Mary is intimately involved in the heart of the mystery of the Incarnation.” Mary, he said, “lived and served with fidelity, intelligence, and sobriety the role of collaborator with the Trinity in the salvation and eschatological glorification of the ‘scattered children of God.’” She is “essential in the life of the Church, interceding and praying for good to triumph over evil,” according to the association.10 years since Father Amorth’s deathSeveral exorcists remembered Father Gabriele Amorth, the well-known exorcist of the Diocese of Rome and founder of the association, who died on Sept. 16, 2016, and who is credited with tens of thousands of exorcisms.Father Francesco Bamonte, vice president of the association, recalled Amorth’s early work with the Servant of God Father Candido Amantini, exorcist at the Scala Santa. Amorth, he said, “understood that for a novice exorcist, simply being appointed by the bishop and receiving the ritual was not enough. It was like being an inexperienced surgeon. Hence the need for the conferences, courses, and regular training sessions promoted by the association.”Father Aldo Buonaiuto, an exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, recalled Amorth’s warnings about choices that expose a person to extraordinary demonic action: dangerous occult situations, fascination with the supernatural, personal ambition, an interior predisposition, and the devaluing of affections.Father Marcello Lanza of the Diocese of Acerra, Italy, highlighted “the mystical component in the life, vocation, and teachings of Father Amorth, understood as a process of conformity to Christ. This is of great importance in the practice of exorcism, because if the ministry is mystically united to the Liberator, who is Christ, the devil is defeated all the more.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Exorcists discuss cases, emphasize essential role of sacred music and the Virgin Mary in exorcisms – #Catholic – About 120 exorcist priests met in Italy for a five-day conference on possession cases and on the place of sacred music and the Virgin Mary in exorcisms.The 15th Italian National Conference of the International Association of Exorcists (IAE) took place Sept. 21–25 at the Fraterna Domus center in Sacrofano, Italy, near Rome. The meeting focused on the pastoral experience of attendees.3 cases of demonic possessionFather Benigno Palilla, an exorcist of the Archdiocese of Palermo, Italy, described a young woman who was freed after two and a half years of demonic possession, according to IAE’s website. The association said her suffering is common among younger people and is often tied to ceasing reception of the sacraments, atheism, spiritist sessions, and occult practices. Her troubles had led to aggression toward others and self-hatred that reached suicidal thoughts, the association noted. Palilla said her liberation came on the liturgical memorial of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. He said that after she gave her life fully to God, she felt a deep interior peace and a renewed love of life.Father Angelo Barra, an exorcist of the Diocese of Salerno, Italy, spoke of a young woman who was a victim of domestic violence. After a trip, she began to complain of severe pain that started during Mass. The association said that a priest’s simple reading of passages from Acts 16 revealed an extraordinary demonic action and set off an “interior earthquake.” Blessings, together with the spiritual support of two Catholic communities in Africa, led to her liberation. She later said she had been the victim of a ritual consecration by a sect in the place she had visited.Father Michele Tenzon, a former exorcist of the Diocese of Ventimiglia-Sanremo, recalled a South American woman whose relatives had “offered her to the spirits.” He said in that case, and in an exorcist’s life generally, what matters is living an authentic Christian life, ongoing formation, and the intercession of the Virgin Mary in prayer.Sacred music and the Virgin MaryFather Giuseppe Grassi, an exorcist and director of the Office of Sacred Music of the Archdiocese of Brindisi-Ostuni, Italy, said sacred music and song are closely tied to the heights of the angelic ministry and can be used fruitfully in exorcism, according to the association. The more sacred the music, he said, the more closely it is connected to the liturgical action, because it prefigures the liturgy of the heavenly Jerusalem — from the psalms to Gregorian chant and popular songs in honor of the Virgin.Mariologist Father Salvatore Perrella, a Servite and former dean of the Pontifical Marianum in Rome, stressed the importance of the Virgin Mary’s place in exorcisms. He pointed to her constant rooting in the word of God, “since Mary is intimately involved in the heart of the mystery of the Incarnation.” Mary, he said, “lived and served with fidelity, intelligence, and sobriety the role of collaborator with the Trinity in the salvation and eschatological glorification of the ‘scattered children of God.’” She is “essential in the life of the Church, interceding and praying for good to triumph over evil,” according to the association.10 years since Father Amorth’s deathSeveral exorcists remembered Father Gabriele Amorth, the well-known exorcist of the Diocese of Rome and founder of the association, who died on Sept. 16, 2016, and who is credited with tens of thousands of exorcisms.Father Francesco Bamonte, vice president of the association, recalled Amorth’s early work with the Servant of God Father Candido Amantini, exorcist at the Scala Santa. Amorth, he said, “understood that for a novice exorcist, simply being appointed by the bishop and receiving the ritual was not enough. It was like being an inexperienced surgeon. Hence the need for the conferences, courses, and regular training sessions promoted by the association.”Father Aldo Buonaiuto, an exorcist of the Diocese of Rome, recalled Amorth’s warnings about choices that expose a person to extraordinary demonic action: dangerous occult situations, fascination with the supernatural, personal ambition, an interior predisposition, and the devaluing of affections.Father Marcello Lanza of the Diocese of Acerra, Italy, highlighted “the mystical component in the life, vocation, and teachings of Father Amorth, understood as a process of conformity to Christ. This is of great importance in the practice of exorcism, because if the ministry is mystically united to the Liberator, who is Christ, the devil is defeated all the more.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The exorcists discussed the importance of sacred music and the “essential” place of the Virgin Mary’s intercession in exorcisms.

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‘Nearly every Catholic health care institution’ in Illinois shielded from suicide law in court order #Catholic Catholic health institutions in Illinois will enjoy broad protection against the state’s assisted suicide law after a federal court expanded a block against the law to protect religious objectors from being forced to participate in it. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois earlier this year ruled in favor of multiple Catholic plaintiffs, including Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki and Chicago archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich, barring the state from requiring them to participate in the suicide regime there. Multiple groups of religious sisters have also been included in those protective orders. The Thomas More Society, a legal group representing Paprocki and several others in their lawsuit, announced on Oct. 8 that “nearly every Catholic health care institution in Illinois” had been included in an expanded court order blocking the suicide law from being enforced. Among the protected entities are the Catholic Medical Association, the Catholic Psychotherapy Association, and numerous Catholic healthcare affiliates in the Diocese of Springfield. The order is temporary and will last only so long as the lawsuit against the state suicide law plays out, but Thomas More Society litigation head Peter Breen said in a news release that the law firm would “keep fighting until that protection is permanent.” “Catholic and Christian health care providers, from hospitals and nursing homes to physicians, nurses, and therapists, strive to heal, not harm, and for generations, have cared for the sick and dying in keeping with their faith,” Breen said, arguing that the state has “no right or authority” to coerce them into helping patients kill themselves. Narrow opt-out laws mean the Catholic care providers were not obligated to actively facilitate the specific act of suicide. But the state law still requires them to participate in the suicide regime in various other ways, including touting the alleged benefits of taking one’s own life.Elsewhere in the U.S., Rockville Centre, New York, Bishop John Barres and a coalition of four communities of religious sisters won a victory in July when a U.S. district judge said the state would be barred from enforcing its new suicide law against the Catholic plaintiffs while their own federal suit played out.
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‘Nearly every Catholic health care institution’ in Illinois shielded from suicide law in court order #Catholic Catholic health institutions in Illinois will enjoy broad protection against the state’s assisted suicide law after a federal court expanded a block against the law to protect religious objectors from being forced to participate in it. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois earlier this year ruled in favor of multiple Catholic plaintiffs, including Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki and Chicago archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich, barring the state from requiring them to participate in the suicide regime there. Multiple groups of religious sisters have also been included in those protective orders. The Thomas More Society, a legal group representing Paprocki and several others in their lawsuit, announced on Oct. 8 that “nearly every Catholic health care institution in Illinois” had been included in an expanded court order blocking the suicide law from being enforced. Among the protected entities are the Catholic Medical Association, the Catholic Psychotherapy Association, and numerous Catholic healthcare affiliates in the Diocese of Springfield. The order is temporary and will last only so long as the lawsuit against the state suicide law plays out, but Thomas More Society litigation head Peter Breen said in a news release that the law firm would “keep fighting until that protection is permanent.” “Catholic and Christian health care providers, from hospitals and nursing homes to physicians, nurses, and therapists, strive to heal, not harm, and for generations, have cared for the sick and dying in keeping with their faith,” Breen said, arguing that the state has “no right or authority” to coerce them into helping patients kill themselves. Narrow opt-out laws mean the Catholic care providers were not obligated to actively facilitate the specific act of suicide. But the state law still requires them to participate in the suicide regime in various other ways, including touting the alleged benefits of taking one’s own life.Elsewhere in the U.S., Rockville Centre, New York, Bishop John Barres and a coalition of four communities of religious sisters won a victory in July when a U.S. district judge said the state would be barred from enforcing its new suicide law against the Catholic plaintiffs while their own federal suit played out.

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Multiple religious objectors are suing the state over its newly instituted assisted suicide regime.

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Far-infrared telescope PRIMA advances toward 2033 launch

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NASA has selected the far-infrared space telescope mission PRIMA (PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics) to move to the next stage in its development. PRIMA will be the first in a new mission class and help scientists learn more about the evolution of the universe. PRIMA will carry a 5.9-foot (1.8-meter) mirror, and NASA hopes toContinue reading “Far-infrared telescope PRIMA advances toward 2033 launch”

The post Far-infrared telescope PRIMA advances toward 2033 launch appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Holy See calls for abolition of death penalty at UN #Catholic The Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. urged the international community to abolish the death penalty during a meeting at the 81st General Assembly.Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis argued for an end to capital punishment during a meeting of the Third Committee on Oct. 7, saying the defense of human rights must be “consistent and universal, extending to every person, at every stage and in every circumstance.”El-Kassis’ remarks come after Tennessee’s Sept. 30 botched execution of convicted murderer Christa Pike, who survived the administration of two syringes of lethal pentobarbital and is receiving medical treatment. A week later, Texas executed a man, marking the 30th execution carried out in the United States in 2026. Separately, President Donald Trump on Oct. 5 approved an execution by a military firing squad.“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” El-Kassis said, quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “This God-given dignity is never forfeited, no matter the gravity of the crime. Advances in penal systems now allow states to protect society effectively without foreclosing the possibility of repentance and redemption.”El-Kassis emphasized that “there is no recourse” if the death penalty is carried out against an innocent person.“Conversely, the victims and their families are entitled to solidarity, support, and a justice that is prompt, impartial, and humane. However, the taking of another life cannot restore what has been lost,” he said. “The purpose of punishment is not vengeance, but rather to repair the social bond, protect the common good, and reintegrate the offender.”He concluded by calling on states in the U.S. where the practice is legal to “consider establishing, without delay, a moratorium on executions as a step towards abolition,” commute existing sentences, ensure fair trials, and enhance rehabilitation efforts.Drug traffickingEl-Kassis also spoke on the topic of drug trafficking addressing those gathered at the Third Committee meeting on “Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice” with a call to uphold the law for the protection of human dignity and rights of others.“Renewed determination is required in the face of expanding drug markets and the links between drug trafficking, corruption, and criminal activity around the world,” he said during the Oct. 7 session. “Furthermore, organized criminal groups are exploiting technology and innovation to expand their reach and diversify their operations.”Quoting Pope Leo XIV, El-Kassis highlighted that prevention against drug use and trafficking must be accompanied by education that begins within the family and continues in schools, “imparting accurate scientific knowledge of the ruinous effects of narcotics upon the brain, the body, personal conduct, and the common good of the community.”“The Catholic Church will continue to contribute to the common good and the inalienable, God-given dignity of every human person,” he said.Indigenous peoplesEl-Kassis also spoke during a session of the Third Committee on the “Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”“Every human person is endowed with inherent dignity and equal rights. Indigenous peoples, with their unique histories, cultures, spiritualities, and ancestral bonds to the land, form an indispensable part of the human family,” he said. “Their rights must be respected, protected, and promoted as a matter of justice and of the common good.”El-Kassis further emphasized that “Indigenous peoples are not objects of development policies, but subjects and protagonists of their own destinies.”
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Holy See calls for abolition of death penalty at UN #Catholic The Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. urged the international community to abolish the death penalty during a meeting at the 81st General Assembly.Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis argued for an end to capital punishment during a meeting of the Third Committee on Oct. 7, saying the defense of human rights must be “consistent and universal, extending to every person, at every stage and in every circumstance.”El-Kassis’ remarks come after Tennessee’s Sept. 30 botched execution of convicted murderer Christa Pike, who survived the administration of two syringes of lethal pentobarbital and is receiving medical treatment. A week later, Texas executed a man, marking the 30th execution carried out in the United States in 2026. Separately, President Donald Trump on Oct. 5 approved an execution by a military firing squad.“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” El-Kassis said, quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “This God-given dignity is never forfeited, no matter the gravity of the crime. Advances in penal systems now allow states to protect society effectively without foreclosing the possibility of repentance and redemption.”El-Kassis emphasized that “there is no recourse” if the death penalty is carried out against an innocent person.“Conversely, the victims and their families are entitled to solidarity, support, and a justice that is prompt, impartial, and humane. However, the taking of another life cannot restore what has been lost,” he said. “The purpose of punishment is not vengeance, but rather to repair the social bond, protect the common good, and reintegrate the offender.”He concluded by calling on states in the U.S. where the practice is legal to “consider establishing, without delay, a moratorium on executions as a step towards abolition,” commute existing sentences, ensure fair trials, and enhance rehabilitation efforts.Drug traffickingEl-Kassis also spoke on the topic of drug trafficking addressing those gathered at the Third Committee meeting on “Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice” with a call to uphold the law for the protection of human dignity and rights of others.“Renewed determination is required in the face of expanding drug markets and the links between drug trafficking, corruption, and criminal activity around the world,” he said during the Oct. 7 session. “Furthermore, organized criminal groups are exploiting technology and innovation to expand their reach and diversify their operations.”Quoting Pope Leo XIV, El-Kassis highlighted that prevention against drug use and trafficking must be accompanied by education that begins within the family and continues in schools, “imparting accurate scientific knowledge of the ruinous effects of narcotics upon the brain, the body, personal conduct, and the common good of the community.”“The Catholic Church will continue to contribute to the common good and the inalienable, God-given dignity of every human person,” he said.Indigenous peoplesEl-Kassis also spoke during a session of the Third Committee on the “Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”“Every human person is endowed with inherent dignity and equal rights. Indigenous peoples, with their unique histories, cultures, spiritualities, and ancestral bonds to the land, form an indispensable part of the human family,” he said. “Their rights must be respected, protected, and promoted as a matter of justice and of the common good.”El-Kassis further emphasized that “Indigenous peoples are not objects of development policies, but subjects and protagonists of their own destinies.”

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“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” the Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. said during the 81st General Assembly.

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Church leaders call for dialogue over confrontation amid turbulent protests in France #Catholic – PARIS (OSV News) — Just days after Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 apostolic visit to France, scenes of unrest have replaced the atmosphere of unity and peace that marked the papal trip. Riots that began in the Paris region on a small scale Sept. 17 spread nationwide after Sept. 28, forcing closures or disruptions at nearly 900 of France’s 3,700 public high schools by Oct. 6. “After those … days of serenity, the joy of being together, and peace” during the papal visit, “reality quickly caught up with us,” Bishop Hervé Gosselin of Angoulême commented on Oct. 2 in a conversation with Les Coulisses de l’Info, podcast of the regional daily Charente Libre. Since the outbreak of protests in Paris, students have been joined nationwide by union and political leaders, as well as hooded rioters, who fired fireworks, smashed windows with cobblestones or set trash cans on fire. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. According to the public radio station France Info, the Ministry of Justice has reported more than 5,000 people taken into police custody, while several hundred police officers have been injured. Bishop Olivier de Cagny of Évreux said many young people face fears about climate change, unemployment, war and social isolation, but at the same time he called violence “unnecessary.” “What a contrast between these scenes and those witnessed during the pope’s visit,” he said, urging prayer and renewed dialogue to end the violence. For Le Figaro Magazine, the pope’s trip in France was therefore “a blessed interlude, a providential truce in these times of anxious gloom,” Guillaume Roquette wrote in the paper Oct. 2. In the face of erupting violence, Bishop Matthieu Rougé of Nanterre, near Paris, remembered the papal visit as an event freeing “from the triviality and violence that all too often plague contemporary public life.” He said it was a “moment of comfort” for a France that fell into chaos hours after the pope departed from Metz and headed to Rome. Why the protests erupted The unrest is primarily economic in nature: The ongoing negotiations over the 2027 budget are expected to be difficult against a backdrop of inflation and soaring gas prices. Joining the students were also farmers, whom agricultural unions had encouraged to protest following a summer of heat waves in France. The total lack of rain has dangerously strained their finances. But France’s public debt, which has hit a new record high, is making it increasingly difficult to provide the social assistance being demanded. For Bishop Gosselin, some of the students’ demands are “futile,” such as those concerning their poorly balanced class schedules, but others are “much more profound,” as they are expressing their anxieties about the future, and these, in his opinion, must be heard. “But violence is a failure,” the bishop insisted. “Under no circumstances can violence be justified.” St. Denis mayor had welcomed Pope Leo, then joined protesters The bishop’s remarks were also in response to questions about Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko, a Muslim of Malian origin known for his widely publicized affiliation with radical far-left parties, who warmly welcomed the pope upon his arrival for the youth vigil Sept. 25 in Saint-Denis’ national stadium and participated in the vigil. But since then, Bagayoko has spoken out alongside students, to the point of facing legal action for “alleged acts of incitement to commit a crime.” On Sept. 29, he publicly stated that “violence, at a certain point, can be legitimate,” although he conceded that “whenever it can be avoided, that is better.” Church leaders in those circumstances have repeatedly called for dialogue over confrontation. Bishop: Path of dialogue needs to be rediscovered For Bishop de Cagny, “violence is unnecessary,” even to resolve “entirely legitimate problems,” such as the poor condition of certain school buildings or the shortage of teachers. “A blockade can be a worthwhile form of protest if it helps open a dialogue,” he emphasized in his conversation with La Croix Oct. 4. “But in the current situation, no one seems to really understand what is happening.” Bishop de Cagny said, “There is no denying that the world in which young people are growing up may seem frightening to them.” Their future “may seem bleak; climate change is a source of anxiety, as are the prospects of unemployment,” he noted. For the bishop of Evreux, young people are facing an “anxiety-inducing atmosphere,” fueled by wars and amplified by social media. “Families are sometimes themselves weakened by crises, a lack of communication, and the omnipresence of screens,” Bishop de Clagny also noted, observing that young people are “often left alone to face their anxieties” and “sometimes find it hard to believe that dialogue is truly effective in resolving conflicts.” “They are confronted with a world they perceive as violent and uncertain, and today, they rebel against this situation,” he added. For Bishop de Cagny, “this inner violence can simmer beneath the surface, remaining unexpressed, and when an outlet presents itself, as is the case with this mobilization, some rush into it, driven by a sort of fascination with violence, without always fully grasping the consequences.” “Paradoxically, they do not realize that they themselves resort to violence,” the bishop said. “In the face of violence, young people especially need to rediscover a path of dialogue. We must pray that this violence will cease.” Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris.
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Church leaders call for dialogue over confrontation amid turbulent protests in France #Catholic – PARIS (OSV News) — Just days after Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 apostolic visit to France, scenes of unrest have replaced the atmosphere of unity and peace that marked the papal trip. Riots that began in the Paris region on a small scale Sept. 17 spread nationwide after Sept. 28, forcing closures or disruptions at nearly 900 of France’s 3,700 public high schools by Oct. 6. “After those … days of serenity, the joy of being together, and peace” during the papal visit, “reality quickly caught up with us,” Bishop Hervé Gosselin of Angoulême commented on Oct. 2 in a conversation with Les Coulisses de l’Info, podcast of the regional daily Charente Libre. Since the outbreak of protests in Paris, students have been joined nationwide by union and political leaders, as well as hooded rioters, who fired fireworks, smashed windows with cobblestones or set trash cans on fire. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. According to the public radio station France Info, the Ministry of Justice has reported more than 5,000 people taken into police custody, while several hundred police officers have been injured. Bishop Olivier de Cagny of Évreux said many young people face fears about climate change, unemployment, war and social isolation, but at the same time he called violence “unnecessary.” “What a contrast between these scenes and those witnessed during the pope’s visit,” he said, urging prayer and renewed dialogue to end the violence. For Le Figaro Magazine, the pope’s trip in France was therefore “a blessed interlude, a providential truce in these times of anxious gloom,” Guillaume Roquette wrote in the paper Oct. 2. In the face of erupting violence, Bishop Matthieu Rougé of Nanterre, near Paris, remembered the papal visit as an event freeing “from the triviality and violence that all too often plague contemporary public life.” He said it was a “moment of comfort” for a France that fell into chaos hours after the pope departed from Metz and headed to Rome. Why the protests erupted The unrest is primarily economic in nature: The ongoing negotiations over the 2027 budget are expected to be difficult against a backdrop of inflation and soaring gas prices. Joining the students were also farmers, whom agricultural unions had encouraged to protest following a summer of heat waves in France. The total lack of rain has dangerously strained their finances. But France’s public debt, which has hit a new record high, is making it increasingly difficult to provide the social assistance being demanded. For Bishop Gosselin, some of the students’ demands are “futile,” such as those concerning their poorly balanced class schedules, but others are “much more profound,” as they are expressing their anxieties about the future, and these, in his opinion, must be heard. “But violence is a failure,” the bishop insisted. “Under no circumstances can violence be justified.” St. Denis mayor had welcomed Pope Leo, then joined protesters The bishop’s remarks were also in response to questions about Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko, a Muslim of Malian origin known for his widely publicized affiliation with radical far-left parties, who warmly welcomed the pope upon his arrival for the youth vigil Sept. 25 in Saint-Denis’ national stadium and participated in the vigil. But since then, Bagayoko has spoken out alongside students, to the point of facing legal action for “alleged acts of incitement to commit a crime.” On Sept. 29, he publicly stated that “violence, at a certain point, can be legitimate,” although he conceded that “whenever it can be avoided, that is better.” Church leaders in those circumstances have repeatedly called for dialogue over confrontation. Bishop: Path of dialogue needs to be rediscovered For Bishop de Cagny, “violence is unnecessary,” even to resolve “entirely legitimate problems,” such as the poor condition of certain school buildings or the shortage of teachers. “A blockade can be a worthwhile form of protest if it helps open a dialogue,” he emphasized in his conversation with La Croix Oct. 4. “But in the current situation, no one seems to really understand what is happening.” Bishop de Cagny said, “There is no denying that the world in which young people are growing up may seem frightening to them.” Their future “may seem bleak; climate change is a source of anxiety, as are the prospects of unemployment,” he noted. For the bishop of Evreux, young people are facing an “anxiety-inducing atmosphere,” fueled by wars and amplified by social media. “Families are sometimes themselves weakened by crises, a lack of communication, and the omnipresence of screens,” Bishop de Clagny also noted, observing that young people are “often left alone to face their anxieties” and “sometimes find it hard to believe that dialogue is truly effective in resolving conflicts.” “They are confronted with a world they perceive as violent and uncertain, and today, they rebel against this situation,” he added. For Bishop de Cagny, “this inner violence can simmer beneath the surface, remaining unexpressed, and when an outlet presents itself, as is the case with this mobilization, some rush into it, driven by a sort of fascination with violence, without always fully grasping the consequences.” “Paradoxically, they do not realize that they themselves resort to violence,” the bishop said. “In the face of violence, young people especially need to rediscover a path of dialogue. We must pray that this violence will cease.” Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris.

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Church leaders call for dialogue over confrontation amid turbulent protests in France #Catholic –

PARIS (OSV News) — Just days after Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 apostolic visit to France, scenes of unrest have replaced the atmosphere of unity and peace that marked the papal trip.

Riots that began in the Paris region on a small scale Sept. 17 spread nationwide after Sept. 28, forcing closures or disruptions at nearly 900 of France’s 3,700 public high schools by Oct. 6.

“After those … days of serenity, the joy of being together, and peace” during the papal visit, “reality quickly caught up with us,” Bishop Hervé Gosselin of Angoulême commented on Oct. 2 in a conversation with Les Coulisses de l’Info, podcast of the regional daily Charente Libre.

Since the outbreak of protests in Paris, students have been joined nationwide by union and political leaders, as well as hooded rioters, who fired fireworks, smashed windows with cobblestones or set trash cans on fire.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

According to the public radio station France Info, the Ministry of Justice has reported more than 5,000 people taken into police custody, while several hundred police officers have been injured.

Bishop Olivier de Cagny of Évreux said many young people face fears about climate change, unemployment, war and social isolation, but at the same time he called violence “unnecessary.”

“What a contrast between these scenes and those witnessed during the pope’s visit,” he said, urging prayer and renewed dialogue to end the violence.

For Le Figaro Magazine, the pope’s trip in France was therefore “a blessed interlude, a providential truce in these times of anxious gloom,” Guillaume Roquette wrote in the paper Oct. 2.

In the face of erupting violence, Bishop Matthieu Rougé of Nanterre, near Paris, remembered the papal visit as an event freeing “from the triviality and violence that all too often plague contemporary public life.” He said it was a “moment of comfort” for a France that fell into chaos hours after the pope departed from Metz and headed to Rome.

Why the protests erupted

The unrest is primarily economic in nature: The ongoing negotiations over the 2027 budget are expected to be difficult against a backdrop of inflation and soaring gas prices.

Joining the students were also farmers, whom agricultural unions had encouraged to protest following a summer of heat waves in France. The total lack of rain has dangerously strained their finances. But France’s public debt, which has hit a new record high, is making it increasingly difficult to provide the social assistance being demanded.

For Bishop Gosselin, some of the students’ demands are “futile,” such as those concerning their poorly balanced class schedules, but others are “much more profound,” as they are expressing their anxieties about the future, and these, in his opinion, must be heard.

“But violence is a failure,” the bishop insisted. “Under no circumstances can violence be justified.”

St. Denis mayor had welcomed Pope Leo, then joined protesters

The bishop’s remarks were also in response to questions about Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko, a Muslim of Malian origin known for his widely publicized affiliation with radical far-left parties, who warmly welcomed the pope upon his arrival for the youth vigil Sept. 25 in Saint-Denis’ national stadium and participated in the vigil.

But since then, Bagayoko has spoken out alongside students, to the point of facing legal action for “alleged acts of incitement to commit a crime.” On Sept. 29, he publicly stated that “violence, at a certain point, can be legitimate,” although he conceded that “whenever it can be avoided, that is better.”

Church leaders in those circumstances have repeatedly called for dialogue over confrontation.

Bishop: Path of dialogue needs to be rediscovered

For Bishop de Cagny, “violence is unnecessary,” even to resolve “entirely legitimate problems,” such as the poor condition of certain school buildings or the shortage of teachers.

“A blockade can be a worthwhile form of protest if it helps open a dialogue,” he emphasized in his conversation with La Croix Oct. 4. “But in the current situation, no one seems to really understand what is happening.”

Bishop de Cagny said, “There is no denying that the world in which young people are growing up may seem frightening to them.” Their future “may seem bleak; climate change is a source of anxiety, as are the prospects of unemployment,” he noted. For the bishop of Evreux, young people are facing an “anxiety-inducing atmosphere,” fueled by wars and amplified by social media.

“Families are sometimes themselves weakened by crises, a lack of communication, and the omnipresence of screens,” Bishop de Clagny also noted, observing that young people are “often left alone to face their anxieties” and “sometimes find it hard to believe that dialogue is truly effective in resolving conflicts.”

“They are confronted with a world they perceive as violent and uncertain, and today, they rebel against this situation,” he added.

For Bishop de Cagny, “this inner violence can simmer beneath the surface, remaining unexpressed, and when an outlet presents itself, as is the case with this mobilization, some rush into it, driven by a sort of fascination with violence, without always fully grasping the consequences.”

“Paradoxically, they do not realize that they themselves resort to violence,” the bishop said.

“In the face of violence, young people especially need to rediscover a path of dialogue. We must pray that this violence will cease.”

Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris.

– PARIS (OSV News) — Just days after Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 apostolic visit to France, scenes of unrest have replaced the atmosphere of unity and peace that marked the papal trip. Riots that began in the Paris region on a small scale Sept. 17 spread nationwide after Sept. 28, forcing closures or disruptions at nearly 900 of France’s 3,700 public high schools by Oct. 6. “After those … days of serenity, the joy of being together, and peace” during the papal visit, “reality quickly caught up with us,” Bishop Hervé Gosselin of Angoulême commented on Oct. 2 in a

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World Mission Sunday has ‘borne fruit in my own life,’ says Pope Leo #Catholic – (OSV News) — The aim of World Mission Sunday (Oct. 18), established 100 years ago by Pope Pius XI, has “borne fruit in my own life,” said Pope Leo XIV. The pope reflected on the annual observance in a video message posted by Vatican News to its YouTube channel Oct. 7. A transcript of the message was also published on the Vatican’s website. In January, Pope Leo XIV announced he had chosen the theme “One in Christ, united in mission” for this year’s celebration, with his message for the day encouraging “the whole Church to continue its missionary journey with joy and zeal in the Holy Spirit.” Established by Pope Pius XI in 1926 and universally observed by 1927, World Mission Sunday is a dedicated day of “prayer and missionary promotion throughout the Catholic world,” according to its founding decree. Held on the next-to-last Sunday of October, the observance also includes a collection that serves as the primary financial support for the Pontifical Mission Societies, a worldwide network operating at the service of the pope and consisting of four organizations designated as pontifical by Pope Pius XI in 1922. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith supports the evangelization efforts of the local church; the Missionary Childhood Association educates children about their part in the church’s missionary outreach; the Society of St. Peter the Apostle trains the next generation of missionary clergy and consecrated religious; and the Pontifical Missionary Union focuses on forming clergy, religious and pastoral leaders more deeply in their role as evangelizers. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In his video message, Pope Leo said, “Looking back on my youth, I can see how the prayers offered to the Lord of the harvest mysteriously helped prepare my heart to hear Jesus’ call to follow him as an Augustinian missionary.” The future pope served for years in Peru, a country particularly blessed by missionary priests, said Father Anthony D. Andreassi, a priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Brooklyn, New York, and a researcher for the Pontifical Mission Societies USA. In an Oct. 5 interview with OSV News, Father Andreassi explained how the 20th century saw an uptick in the number of North American priests, both diocesan and religious, assigned to Latin America, where the Church already had a 500-year presence, but “never enough of a native clergy.” The Augustinian Order “started sending people into Peru in the 1960s,” said Father Andreassi. “And then, all of a sudden, you see Robert Prevost” — who would eventually become Pope Leo XIV — “there in the 1980s.” In his video message, Pope Leo said “the prayers and contributions of the faithful encouraged and sustained my missionary work in Peru, as well as that of countless others throughout the world.” “For this reason, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported World Mission Sunday over the years,” he added. The pope said this year’s theme “invites us to reflect on the fundamental task of nurturing the Church’s unity in following Christ, particularly in our commitment and responsibility to spread the Gospel message of salvation to all people.” Baptism makes each of the faithful “a member of the Body of Christ” with “a unique role in contributing to Jesus’ saving work.” “Our Lord calls us to cooperate as one family, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to bring everyone everywhere into a communion of faith in Christ,” said Pope Leo. He reaffirmed his appeal from his previously released message for the day, urging all to “commit to contributing to the great mission of evangelization — which is always a work of love — according to our own vocation and the gifts we have received.” Prayers and “practical support” will be “a great help in bringing the Gospel of God’s love to everyone, especially the poorest and those most in need,” said the pope, quoting from his earlier message. He thanked those who “carry on the legacy of World Mission Sunday” and “support generously the evangelizing mission of the Church throughout the world.” Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.
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World Mission Sunday has ‘borne fruit in my own life,’ says Pope Leo #Catholic – (OSV News) — The aim of World Mission Sunday (Oct. 18), established 100 years ago by Pope Pius XI, has “borne fruit in my own life,” said Pope Leo XIV. The pope reflected on the annual observance in a video message posted by Vatican News to its YouTube channel Oct. 7. A transcript of the message was also published on the Vatican’s website. In January, Pope Leo XIV announced he had chosen the theme “One in Christ, united in mission” for this year’s celebration, with his message for the day encouraging “the whole Church to continue its missionary journey with joy and zeal in the Holy Spirit.” Established by Pope Pius XI in 1926 and universally observed by 1927, World Mission Sunday is a dedicated day of “prayer and missionary promotion throughout the Catholic world,” according to its founding decree. Held on the next-to-last Sunday of October, the observance also includes a collection that serves as the primary financial support for the Pontifical Mission Societies, a worldwide network operating at the service of the pope and consisting of four organizations designated as pontifical by Pope Pius XI in 1922. The Society for the Propagation of the Faith supports the evangelization efforts of the local church; the Missionary Childhood Association educates children about their part in the church’s missionary outreach; the Society of St. Peter the Apostle trains the next generation of missionary clergy and consecrated religious; and the Pontifical Missionary Union focuses on forming clergy, religious and pastoral leaders more deeply in their role as evangelizers. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In his video message, Pope Leo said, “Looking back on my youth, I can see how the prayers offered to the Lord of the harvest mysteriously helped prepare my heart to hear Jesus’ call to follow him as an Augustinian missionary.” The future pope served for years in Peru, a country particularly blessed by missionary priests, said Father Anthony D. Andreassi, a priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Brooklyn, New York, and a researcher for the Pontifical Mission Societies USA. In an Oct. 5 interview with OSV News, Father Andreassi explained how the 20th century saw an uptick in the number of North American priests, both diocesan and religious, assigned to Latin America, where the Church already had a 500-year presence, but “never enough of a native clergy.” The Augustinian Order “started sending people into Peru in the 1960s,” said Father Andreassi. “And then, all of a sudden, you see Robert Prevost” — who would eventually become Pope Leo XIV — “there in the 1980s.” In his video message, Pope Leo said “the prayers and contributions of the faithful encouraged and sustained my missionary work in Peru, as well as that of countless others throughout the world.” “For this reason, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported World Mission Sunday over the years,” he added. The pope said this year’s theme “invites us to reflect on the fundamental task of nurturing the Church’s unity in following Christ, particularly in our commitment and responsibility to spread the Gospel message of salvation to all people.” Baptism makes each of the faithful “a member of the Body of Christ” with “a unique role in contributing to Jesus’ saving work.” “Our Lord calls us to cooperate as one family, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to bring everyone everywhere into a communion of faith in Christ,” said Pope Leo. He reaffirmed his appeal from his previously released message for the day, urging all to “commit to contributing to the great mission of evangelization — which is always a work of love — according to our own vocation and the gifts we have received.” Prayers and “practical support” will be “a great help in bringing the Gospel of God’s love to everyone, especially the poorest and those most in need,” said the pope, quoting from his earlier message. He thanked those who “carry on the legacy of World Mission Sunday” and “support generously the evangelizing mission of the Church throughout the world.” Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.

unitedyam

World Mission Sunday has ‘borne fruit in my own life,’ says Pope Leo #Catholic –

(OSV News) — The aim of World Mission Sunday (Oct. 18), established 100 years ago by Pope Pius XI, has “borne fruit in my own life,” said Pope Leo XIV.

The pope reflected on the annual observance in a video message posted by Vatican News to its YouTube channel Oct. 7. A transcript of the message was also published on the Vatican’s website.

In January, Pope Leo XIV announced he had chosen the theme “One in Christ, united in mission” for this year’s celebration, with his message for the day encouraging “the whole Church to continue its missionary journey with joy and zeal in the Holy Spirit.”

Established by Pope Pius XI in 1926 and universally observed by 1927, World Mission Sunday is a dedicated day of “prayer and missionary promotion throughout the Catholic world,” according to its founding decree.

Held on the next-to-last Sunday of October, the observance also includes a collection that serves as the primary financial support for the Pontifical Mission Societies, a worldwide network operating at the service of the pope and consisting of four organizations designated as pontifical by Pope Pius XI in 1922.

The Society for the Propagation of the Faith supports the evangelization efforts of the local church; the Missionary Childhood Association educates children about their part in the church’s missionary outreach; the Society of St. Peter the Apostle trains the next generation of missionary clergy and consecrated religious; and the Pontifical Missionary Union focuses on forming clergy, religious and pastoral leaders more deeply in their role as evangelizers.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

In his video message, Pope Leo said, “Looking back on my youth, I can see how the prayers offered to the Lord of the harvest mysteriously helped prepare my heart to hear Jesus’ call to follow him as an Augustinian missionary.”

The future pope served for years in Peru, a country particularly blessed by missionary priests, said Father Anthony D. Andreassi, a priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Brooklyn, New York, and a researcher for the Pontifical Mission Societies USA.

In an Oct. 5 interview with OSV News, Father Andreassi explained how the 20th century saw an uptick in the number of North American priests, both diocesan and religious, assigned to Latin America, where the Church already had a 500-year presence, but “never enough of a native clergy.”

The Augustinian Order “started sending people into Peru in the 1960s,” said Father Andreassi. “And then, all of a sudden, you see Robert Prevost” — who would eventually become Pope Leo XIV — “there in the 1980s.”

In his video message, Pope Leo said “the prayers and contributions of the faithful encouraged and sustained my missionary work in Peru, as well as that of countless others throughout the world.”

“For this reason, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported World Mission Sunday over the years,” he added.

The pope said this year’s theme “invites us to reflect on the fundamental task of nurturing the Church’s unity in following Christ, particularly in our commitment and responsibility to spread the Gospel message of salvation to all people.”

Baptism makes each of the faithful “a member of the Body of Christ” with “a unique role in contributing to Jesus’ saving work.”

“Our Lord calls us to cooperate as one family, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to bring everyone everywhere into a communion of faith in Christ,” said Pope Leo.

He reaffirmed his appeal from his previously released message for the day, urging all to “commit to contributing to the great mission of evangelization — which is always a work of love — according to our own vocation and the gifts we have received.”

Prayers and “practical support” will be “a great help in bringing the Gospel of God’s love to everyone, especially the poorest and those most in need,” said the pope, quoting from his earlier message.

He thanked those who “carry on the legacy of World Mission Sunday” and “support generously the evangelizing mission of the Church throughout the world.”

Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.

– (OSV News) — The aim of World Mission Sunday (Oct. 18), established 100 years ago by Pope Pius XI, has “borne fruit in my own life,” said Pope Leo XIV. The pope reflected on the annual observance in a video message posted by Vatican News to its YouTube channel Oct. 7. A transcript of the message was also published on the Vatican’s website. In January, Pope Leo XIV announced he had chosen the theme “One in Christ, united in mission” for this year’s celebration, with his message for the day encouraging “the whole Church to continue its missionary journey with

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At Red Mass, Archbishop Broglio urges lawmakers to ‘direct our thoughts in the ways of peace’ #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Lawmakers and those in the legal profession were reminded Oct. 4 that the law should be practiced with “caritas,” Latin for charity, because “the Lord makes it clear that there is a link between love and respect for the commandments.” “So often a rule is interpreted as a restraint or a limit that somehow restricts my liberty,” Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services said. “In the mouth of Jesus Christ, it becomes clear that my respect for the commandments is an expression of my response to the loving God who has given me these precepts to ensure my happiness or my respect for my neighbor.” Archbishop Broglio was the homilist at the 74th annual Red Mass celebrated Oct. 4 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington. The Mass is offered each year to invoke God’s blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice as well as on all public officials. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In his homily, the archbishop said it was his prayer that “our understanding of God’s presence and His commandments will inspire integrity, devotion to duty, and the promotion of harmony.” “Caritas certainly has a place in the law school just as it has a place in every angle of society,” Archbishop Broglio said. “If we come to beg the Father to send the Holy Spirit upon the members of the legal profession this morning, we do so with confidence in His care and in the fervent hope the caritas will be a part of the gift.” The Red Mass is traditionally celebrated on the Sunday before the first Monday in October, the day on which the U.S. Supreme Court reconvenes after its summer recess. The name comes from the color of the liturgical vestments worn by the celebrants and the color of fire, a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Washington Cardinal Robert W. McElroy was the principal celebrant. Concelebrants included Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States; Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia; Washington Auxiliary Bishops Gary R. Studniewski and Robert P. Boxie III; retired Washington Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr.; and 10 priests. Among the nearly 1,000 worshippers in attendance were Vice President JD Vance; Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr; Associate Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett ; retired Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy; members of the diplomatic corps; Peter K. Kilpatrick, president of The Catholic University of America; Eduardo M. Peñalver, president of Georgetown University; the deans of local law schools; and law professors. The Red Mass is sponsored by the John Carroll Society, which is named for Archbishop John Carroll, who in 1789 became the nation’s first Catholic bishop, leading the new Diocese of Baltimore which then included the territory of all 13 original states. Archbishop Broglio stressed in his homily that “liberty in the Christian context is not from, but rather for. We have been redeemed, freed from sin, so that we might give witness to the Gospel, so that we might meet our neighbor’s needs, or so that we might respect his rights.” “Keeping the Lord’s word also means that the Triune God dwells with us and we draw on His presence to move forward. Gradually, we learn that we are not the center of existence,” he said. “If we all took that to heart we probably would need fewer courts and smaller police forces.” “How appropriate that we gather at the traditional beginning of the judicial year to beg divine blessings on our human endeavors by invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and entrusting our cares to a loving God who brings consolation to us,” Archbishop Broglio said. “It is good to invoke the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit to guide our endeavors and bring us to the fullness of our potential in all our activities.” Archbishop Broglio also reminded lawmakers that “if more of us directed our thoughts in the ways of peace, we would discover and develop a more civil society and learn to live in harmony with our neighbors.” “In the midst of the challenges and anxieties of the contemporary world, we seek the presence of God. We know that the marks of the presence of God are consolation, peace, and that serenity that tells us we are in the right place and engaged as we should be,” he said. “When we look at the cross we are reassured, because we know that Almighty God can bring good even from evil.” During the Mass, Cardinal McElroy asked the faithful to pray “for our nation and for all those who administer justice under God.” In remarks at the end of the Mass, Cardinal McElroy thanked all “guardians and practitioners and lovers of the law.” Speaking directly to the Supreme Court justices at the Mass, the cardinal thanked them for all they do “in the foundational, burdensome and glorious mission that you have in our nation and in our society.” He also thanked men and women in the judiciary “who carry out the very task of bringing justice also in difficult and complex situations to the lives and hearts and souls of men and women. … You are asked always to bring the justice that is due to them — justice which is in the heart of God.” The cardinal also expressed gratitude to prosecutors and defense lawyers and those who practice civil law, and he also encouraged law students, hoping that in their studies they will “come to love the law and the sacredness of justice which is behind it.” Richard Szczepanowski is managing editor of the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington. This story was originally published by the Catholic Standard and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.
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At Red Mass, Archbishop Broglio urges lawmakers to ‘direct our thoughts in the ways of peace’ #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Lawmakers and those in the legal profession were reminded Oct. 4 that the law should be practiced with “caritas,” Latin for charity, because “the Lord makes it clear that there is a link between love and respect for the commandments.” “So often a rule is interpreted as a restraint or a limit that somehow restricts my liberty,” Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services said. “In the mouth of Jesus Christ, it becomes clear that my respect for the commandments is an expression of my response to the loving God who has given me these precepts to ensure my happiness or my respect for my neighbor.” Archbishop Broglio was the homilist at the 74th annual Red Mass celebrated Oct. 4 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington. The Mass is offered each year to invoke God’s blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice as well as on all public officials. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In his homily, the archbishop said it was his prayer that “our understanding of God’s presence and His commandments will inspire integrity, devotion to duty, and the promotion of harmony.” “Caritas certainly has a place in the law school just as it has a place in every angle of society,” Archbishop Broglio said. “If we come to beg the Father to send the Holy Spirit upon the members of the legal profession this morning, we do so with confidence in His care and in the fervent hope the caritas will be a part of the gift.” The Red Mass is traditionally celebrated on the Sunday before the first Monday in October, the day on which the U.S. Supreme Court reconvenes after its summer recess. The name comes from the color of the liturgical vestments worn by the celebrants and the color of fire, a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Washington Cardinal Robert W. McElroy was the principal celebrant. Concelebrants included Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States; Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia; Washington Auxiliary Bishops Gary R. Studniewski and Robert P. Boxie III; retired Washington Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr.; and 10 priests. Among the nearly 1,000 worshippers in attendance were Vice President JD Vance; Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr; Associate Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett ; retired Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy; members of the diplomatic corps; Peter K. Kilpatrick, president of The Catholic University of America; Eduardo M. Peñalver, president of Georgetown University; the deans of local law schools; and law professors. The Red Mass is sponsored by the John Carroll Society, which is named for Archbishop John Carroll, who in 1789 became the nation’s first Catholic bishop, leading the new Diocese of Baltimore which then included the territory of all 13 original states. Archbishop Broglio stressed in his homily that “liberty in the Christian context is not from, but rather for. We have been redeemed, freed from sin, so that we might give witness to the Gospel, so that we might meet our neighbor’s needs, or so that we might respect his rights.” “Keeping the Lord’s word also means that the Triune God dwells with us and we draw on His presence to move forward. Gradually, we learn that we are not the center of existence,” he said. “If we all took that to heart we probably would need fewer courts and smaller police forces.” “How appropriate that we gather at the traditional beginning of the judicial year to beg divine blessings on our human endeavors by invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and entrusting our cares to a loving God who brings consolation to us,” Archbishop Broglio said. “It is good to invoke the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit to guide our endeavors and bring us to the fullness of our potential in all our activities.” Archbishop Broglio also reminded lawmakers that “if more of us directed our thoughts in the ways of peace, we would discover and develop a more civil society and learn to live in harmony with our neighbors.” “In the midst of the challenges and anxieties of the contemporary world, we seek the presence of God. We know that the marks of the presence of God are consolation, peace, and that serenity that tells us we are in the right place and engaged as we should be,” he said. “When we look at the cross we are reassured, because we know that Almighty God can bring good even from evil.” During the Mass, Cardinal McElroy asked the faithful to pray “for our nation and for all those who administer justice under God.” In remarks at the end of the Mass, Cardinal McElroy thanked all “guardians and practitioners and lovers of the law.” Speaking directly to the Supreme Court justices at the Mass, the cardinal thanked them for all they do “in the foundational, burdensome and glorious mission that you have in our nation and in our society.” He also thanked men and women in the judiciary “who carry out the very task of bringing justice also in difficult and complex situations to the lives and hearts and souls of men and women. … You are asked always to bring the justice that is due to them — justice which is in the heart of God.” The cardinal also expressed gratitude to prosecutors and defense lawyers and those who practice civil law, and he also encouraged law students, hoping that in their studies they will “come to love the law and the sacredness of justice which is behind it.” Richard Szczepanowski is managing editor of the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington. This story was originally published by the Catholic Standard and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.

unitedyam

At Red Mass, Archbishop Broglio urges lawmakers to ‘direct our thoughts in the ways of peace’ #Catholic –

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Lawmakers and those in the legal profession were reminded Oct. 4 that the law should be practiced with “caritas,” Latin for charity, because “the Lord makes it clear that there is a link between love and respect for the commandments.”

“So often a rule is interpreted as a restraint or a limit that somehow restricts my liberty,” Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services said. “In the mouth of Jesus Christ, it becomes clear that my respect for the commandments is an expression of my response to the loving God who has given me these precepts to ensure my happiness or my respect for my neighbor.”

Archbishop Broglio was the homilist at the 74th annual Red Mass celebrated Oct. 4 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington.

The Mass is offered each year to invoke God’s blessings on those responsible for the administration of justice as well as on all public officials.

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In his homily, the archbishop said it was his prayer that “our understanding of God’s presence and His commandments will inspire integrity, devotion to duty, and the promotion of harmony.”

“Caritas certainly has a place in the law school just as it has a place in every angle of society,” Archbishop Broglio said. “If we come to beg the Father to send the Holy Spirit upon the members of the legal profession this morning, we do so with confidence in His care and in the fervent hope the caritas will be a part of the gift.”

The Red Mass is traditionally celebrated on the Sunday before the first Monday in October, the day on which the U.S. Supreme Court reconvenes after its summer recess. The name comes from the color of the liturgical vestments worn by the celebrants and the color of fire, a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Washington Cardinal Robert W. McElroy was the principal celebrant. Concelebrants included Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States; Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia; Washington Auxiliary Bishops Gary R. Studniewski and Robert P. Boxie III; retired Washington Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr.; and 10 priests.

Among the nearly 1,000 worshippers in attendance were Vice President JD Vance; Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr; Associate Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett ; retired Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy; members of the diplomatic corps; Peter K. Kilpatrick, president of The Catholic University of America; Eduardo M. Peñalver, president of Georgetown University; the deans of local law schools; and law professors.

The Red Mass is sponsored by the John Carroll Society, which is named for Archbishop John Carroll, who in 1789 became the nation’s first Catholic bishop, leading the new Diocese of Baltimore which then included the territory of all 13 original states.

Archbishop Broglio stressed in his homily that “liberty in the Christian context is not from, but rather for. We have been redeemed, freed from sin, so that we might give witness to the Gospel, so that we might meet our neighbor’s needs, or so that we might respect his rights.”

“Keeping the Lord’s word also means that the Triune God dwells with us and we draw on His presence to move forward. Gradually, we learn that we are not the center of existence,” he said. “If we all took that to heart we probably would need fewer courts and smaller police forces.”

“How appropriate that we gather at the traditional beginning of the judicial year to beg divine blessings on our human endeavors by invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and entrusting our cares to a loving God who brings consolation to us,” Archbishop Broglio said. “It is good to invoke the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit to guide our endeavors and bring us to the fullness of our potential in all our activities.”

Archbishop Broglio also reminded lawmakers that “if more of us directed our thoughts in the ways of peace, we would discover and develop a more civil society and learn to live in harmony with our neighbors.”

“In the midst of the challenges and anxieties of the contemporary world, we seek the presence of God. We know that the marks of the presence of God are consolation, peace, and that serenity that tells us we are in the right place and engaged as we should be,” he said. “When we look at the cross we are reassured, because we know that Almighty God can bring good even from evil.”

During the Mass, Cardinal McElroy asked the faithful to pray “for our nation and for all those who administer justice under God.”

In remarks at the end of the Mass, Cardinal McElroy thanked all “guardians and practitioners and lovers of the law.” Speaking directly to the Supreme Court justices at the Mass, the cardinal thanked them for all they do “in the foundational, burdensome and glorious mission that you have in our nation and in our society.”

He also thanked men and women in the judiciary “who carry out the very task of bringing justice also in difficult and complex situations to the lives and hearts and souls of men and women. … You are asked always to bring the justice that is due to them — justice which is in the heart of God.”

The cardinal also expressed gratitude to prosecutors and defense lawyers and those who practice civil law, and he also encouraged law students, hoping that in their studies they will “come to love the law and the sacredness of justice which is behind it.”

Richard Szczepanowski is managing editor of the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington. This story was originally published by the Catholic Standard and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.

– WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Lawmakers and those in the legal profession were reminded Oct. 4 that the law should be practiced with “caritas,” Latin for charity, because “the Lord makes it clear that there is a link between love and respect for the commandments.” “So often a rule is interpreted as a restraint or a limit that somehow restricts my liberty,” Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services said. “In the mouth of Jesus Christ, it becomes clear that my respect for the commandments is an expression of my response to the loving God who

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