![America’s first martyrs for marriage: The Georgia Martyrs declared ‘blessed’ – #Catholic – SAVANNAH – More than 400 years ago, Friars Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez, Miguel de Aňon, Antonio de Badajoz, and Francisco de Veráscola surrendered their lives standing for the sanctity of marriage.“We do well to lovingly speak their names, for they are holy members of the family of God,” said Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto while declaring them “blessed” on Oct. 31 in Savannah.
Sisters of Life from New York attend the beatification Mass for the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
It was a milestone for the Catholic Church in America: The Georgia Martyrs are the first American martyrs for marriage and the first to be beatified in the southern U.S. Approximately 9,000 people streamed through the doors of the Savannah Convention Center, breaking city attendance records for an indoor event. They traveled from all over Georgia, the U.S., and around the world, arriving by bus, car, and trolley. Some ferried across the Savannah River. Others flew, including priests and lay Catholics representing the hometowns of several friars.María Isabel Inoriza De Villota, a 12th generation descendent of one of Friar Francisco’s brothers, came from Spain with her 16-year-old son, Imanol.“Ever since I was a child, I have witnessed the deep devotion my parents held for Francisco,” she said. “We have always turned to him, seeking his protection and help.”Her mother prayed “fervently” for the beatification, which is “a dream come true,” she said.
Relatives of one of the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia attend the friars’ beatification Mass at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
Father Pablo Migone, the vicar for mission advancement in the Savannah Diocese and a longtime promoter of the cause, said 2,000 attendees “tops” were projected. But registrations kept pouring in.U.S. beatifications are rare. But it was more than that. The diocese has been educating the faithful about the martyrs for a decade. “The fruit and the story are resonating in people’s hearts and minds,” Migone said.Until learning of the beatification, many residents of La Albuera, Spain, where Friar Antonio was baptized, hadn’t heard of him. Now the town square is being renamed in his honor.“God is full of surprises,” said Father Antonio Jesús Marín Romo, the town’s parish priest. “This comes at a crucial moment when we were in need of a catalyst for the work we wish to begin in the parish.”The Franciscans’ story began in the 16th century when they arrived from Spain. By 1595, they had established missions along the Georgia coast, evangelizing the Indigenous Guale people. Serving like Peace Corps volunteers, they succeeded where other orders had failed. Two years later, however, faith clashed with local custom. A baptized convert in line for chiefdom insisted on a second wife. When the friars refused to compromise Christ’s teaching on marriage, a war party murdered the friars, mission by mission. A sixth friar, Francisco de Ávila, was tortured, but lived to tell the tale. The missions were eventually reestablished, and Catholicism thrived.The bilingual service on Oct. 31 began with a procession down the runway-like aisle created from joining four exhibition spaces, the center’s largest configuration.
The Book of the Gospels is carried in the entrance procession for the beatification Mass of the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
More than 200 clergy, including Franciscan Friars of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Cardinal Leo, 31 bishops and archbishops, over 100 deacons and seminarians, and the apostolic nuncio, were joined by nearly 200 members of the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of Malta, Knights (and Dames) of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Knights of Peter Claver. Seventy ciboria waited at the altar.
Knights of Columbus descend an escalator at the Savannah Convention Center for the beatification Mass of the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
Cardinal Leo read the apostolic letter and declared the Georgia Martyrs “blessed,” by having “placed the saving truth of the Gospel before their own safety.” Atlanta Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer and Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sicilia, bishop emeritus of Urgell, who represented the Spanish Episcopal Conference, read English and Spanish translations of the apostolic letter, respectively.The letter declared the martyrs’ feast day as Sept. 22, the octave day of Friar Pedro’s martyrdom. Thunderous applause erupted at the unveiling of the official portrait of the martyrs, showing them in humble repose and bathed in golden light. Before and after the beatification, the crowd toured the adjacent Georgia Martyrs Museum and art exhibition.
The official portrait of the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia is displayed just after its unveiling during their beatification Mass at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
By worldly standards, it might seem like the martyrs failed, Cardinal Leo said during his homily. “But it is not so.”They succeeded by embracing “the call to holiness, which further led them to embrace the call to consecrated life, the call to the sacred priesthood, the call to missionary work, the call to evangelize, the call to share and defend the faith and, ultimately, the call to give their very life.”But “how compelled are we” to “follow Jesus’ call to follow him?” he asked.A holy life requires defending the truth and “always put[ting] Christ first,” he stated, even while striving for unity in the world. “Polarization is not from God.”The martyrs also bore witness to “the Christian doctrine of marriage and held to that divine truth to the shedding of their own blood,” he said, stressing the sacred nature of the family “founded upon the covenantal, sacramental, indissoluble union of one man and one woman.”In his first public audience after recent surgery, Pope Leo XIV said that protecting marriage and family “is more urgent than ever before.”The beatification itself was “perfect timing,” said Christine Camp, who came from Atlanta with more than a dozen other Catholics who had just attended a three-day retreat to pray for restoration of their marriages.Moms and dads with children had traveled from near and far. “It’s our pilgrimage,” said Theodora Ferrant, who came from Pensacola with her husband and two children.“I truly believe through the intercession of Blessed Pedro de Corpa and four companions there will be greater respect for the dignity and character of holy matrimony,” Savannah Bishop Stephen Parkes said.“May the witness of these holy men inspire fidelity between spouses called into the covenantal bond of holy matrimony and help create a renewed commitment to the growth of faith-filled families in the state of Georgia and beyond.”The celebration will continue Nov. 1 with a Mass of thanksgiving at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/americas-first-martyrs-for-marriage-the-georgia-martyrs-declared-blessed-catholic-savannah-more-than-400-years-ago-friars-pedro-de-corpa-blas-rodriguez-mi.jpg "America’s first martyrs for marriage: The Georgia Martyrs declared ‘blessed’ – #Catholic – SAVANNAH – More than 400 years ago, Friars Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez, Miguel de Aňon, Antonio de Badajoz, and Francisco de Veráscola surrendered their lives standing for the sanctity of marriage.“We do well to lovingly speak their names, for they are holy members of the family of God,” said Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto while declaring them “blessed” on Oct. 31 in Savannah.
Sisters of Life from New York attend the beatification Mass for the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
It was a milestone for the Catholic Church in America: The Georgia Martyrs are the first American martyrs for marriage and the first to be beatified in the southern U.S. Approximately 9,000 people streamed through the doors of the Savannah Convention Center, breaking city attendance records for an indoor event. They traveled from all over Georgia, the U.S., and around the world, arriving by bus, car, and trolley. Some ferried across the Savannah River. Others flew, including priests and lay Catholics representing the hometowns of several friars.María Isabel Inoriza De Villota, a 12th generation descendent of one of Friar Francisco’s brothers, came from Spain with her 16-year-old son, Imanol.“Ever since I was a child, I have witnessed the deep devotion my parents held for Francisco,” she said. “We have always turned to him, seeking his protection and help.”Her mother prayed “fervently” for the beatification, which is “a dream come true,” she said.
Relatives of one of the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia attend the friars’ beatification Mass at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
Father Pablo Migone, the vicar for mission advancement in the Savannah Diocese and a longtime promoter of the cause, said 2,000 attendees “tops” were projected. But registrations kept pouring in.U.S. beatifications are rare. But it was more than that. The diocese has been educating the faithful about the martyrs for a decade. “The fruit and the story are resonating in people’s hearts and minds,” Migone said.Until learning of the beatification, many residents of La Albuera, Spain, where Friar Antonio was baptized, hadn’t heard of him. Now the town square is being renamed in his honor.“God is full of surprises,” said Father Antonio Jesús Marín Romo, the town’s parish priest. “This comes at a crucial moment when we were in need of a catalyst for the work we wish to begin in the parish.”The Franciscans’ story began in the 16th century when they arrived from Spain. By 1595, they had established missions along the Georgia coast, evangelizing the Indigenous Guale people. Serving like Peace Corps volunteers, they succeeded where other orders had failed. Two years later, however, faith clashed with local custom. A baptized convert in line for chiefdom insisted on a second wife. When the friars refused to compromise Christ’s teaching on marriage, a war party murdered the friars, mission by mission. A sixth friar, Francisco de Ávila, was tortured, but lived to tell the tale. The missions were eventually reestablished, and Catholicism thrived.The bilingual service on Oct. 31 began with a procession down the runway-like aisle created from joining four exhibition spaces, the center’s largest configuration.
The Book of the Gospels is carried in the entrance procession for the beatification Mass of the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
More than 200 clergy, including Franciscan Friars of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Cardinal Leo, 31 bishops and archbishops, over 100 deacons and seminarians, and the apostolic nuncio, were joined by nearly 200 members of the Knights of Columbus, the Knights of Malta, Knights (and Dames) of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Knights of Peter Claver. Seventy ciboria waited at the altar.
Knights of Columbus descend an escalator at the Savannah Convention Center for the beatification Mass of the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
Cardinal Leo read the apostolic letter and declared the Georgia Martyrs “blessed,” by having “placed the saving truth of the Gospel before their own safety.” Atlanta Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer and Archbishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sicilia, bishop emeritus of Urgell, who represented the Spanish Episcopal Conference, read English and Spanish translations of the apostolic letter, respectively.The letter declared the martyrs’ feast day as Sept. 22, the octave day of Friar Pedro’s martyrdom. Thunderous applause erupted at the unveiling of the official portrait of the martyrs, showing them in humble repose and bathed in golden light. Before and after the beatification, the crowd toured the adjacent Georgia Martyrs Museum and art exhibition.
The official portrait of the five Franciscan martyrs of Georgia is displayed just after its unveiling during their beatification Mass at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 31, 2026. | Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
By worldly standards, it might seem like the martyrs failed, Cardinal Leo said during his homily. “But it is not so.”They succeeded by embracing “the call to holiness, which further led them to embrace the call to consecrated life, the call to the sacred priesthood, the call to missionary work, the call to evangelize, the call to share and defend the faith and, ultimately, the call to give their very life.”But “how compelled are we” to “follow Jesus’ call to follow him?” he asked.A holy life requires defending the truth and “always put[ting] Christ first,” he stated, even while striving for unity in the world. “Polarization is not from God.”The martyrs also bore witness to “the Christian doctrine of marriage and held to that divine truth to the shedding of their own blood,” he said, stressing the sacred nature of the family “founded upon the covenantal, sacramental, indissoluble union of one man and one woman.”In his first public audience after recent surgery, Pope Leo XIV said that protecting marriage and family “is more urgent than ever before.”The beatification itself was “perfect timing,” said Christine Camp, who came from Atlanta with more than a dozen other Catholics who had just attended a three-day retreat to pray for restoration of their marriages.Moms and dads with children had traveled from near and far. “It’s our pilgrimage,” said Theodora Ferrant, who came from Pensacola with her husband and two children.“I truly believe through the intercession of Blessed Pedro de Corpa and four companions there will be greater respect for the dignity and character of holy matrimony,” Savannah Bishop Stephen Parkes said.“May the witness of these holy men inspire fidelity between spouses called into the covenantal bond of holy matrimony and help create a renewed commitment to the growth of faith-filled families in the state of Georgia and beyond.”The celebration will continue Nov. 1 with a Mass of thanksgiving at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist.")
In a milestone for the Catholic Church in America, the Georgia Martyrs are the first American martyrs for marriage and the first to be beatified in the South.
A reading from the Book of Revelation
7:2-4, 9-14
I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
"Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb."
All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:
"Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
"Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"
I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows."
He said to me,
"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."
A reading from the First Letter of John
3:1-3
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven."
The Beatitudes bring with them a new interpretation of reality. They are both the path and the message of Jesus the Teacher. At first glance, it seems impossible to declare as blessed those who are poor, or those who hunger and thirst for justice, the persecuted or the peacemakers. Yet, that which seems inconceivable in the world’s thinking is filled with meaning and light when brought into contact with the Kingdom of God. In the saints, we see this kingdom approaching and becoming present among us. Saint Matthew rightly presents the Beatitudes as a teaching, depicting Jesus as a Master, who transmits a new perspective on things, which is reflected in his own journey. The Beatitudes, however, are not just another teaching; they are the teaching par excellence. In the same way, the Lord Jesus is not just one of many teachers, he is the Master par excellence. Moreover, he is the Educator par excellence. We are his disciples and are in his “school.” We learn how to discover in his life, namely in the path he has travelled, a horizon of meaning capable of shining a light on all forms of knowledge. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 1 November 2025)
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![Pope Leo XIV welcomes thousands from Notre Dame, Villanova to Vatican ahead of historic game – #Catholic – ROME – Pope Leo XIV welcomed around 7,000 team members, students, and fans from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame at the Vatican Saturday morning, the day before both schools’ men’s and womenʼs teams will kick off the college basketball season in a historic doubleheader. Fans of all ages packed into the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall in Rome for an audience with the pope, who is himself a Villanova graduate.
Pope Leo XIV greets visitors at the Vatican, Oct. 31, 2026. The Holy Father met with delegations from both Villanova and the University of Notre Dame ahead of the “Eternal City Tip-Off” taking place in Rome. | Credit: Vatican Media
“Growing up on the south side of Chicago, we oftentimes heard, ‘Go Irish!’” Pope Leo told the crowd. “But as you all know, Prevost graduated from Villanova. So, the pope doesn’t take sides. Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now,” he added, to cheers from the Villanova supporters.The Nov. 1 event, called the Eternal City Tip-Off, will open the 2026-27 college basketball season for the Division 1 teams. Organized as a collaboration between Fox Sports, On Location, and Players Era, inspiration for the event came from Leo’s election as the first American pope. Leading up to the Sunday games, supporters of both universities — including alumni, faculty, staff, students, and fans — were able to participate in a special Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica along with the papal audience.Father Peter Donohue, OSA, president of Villanova, and Father Robert Dowd, CSC, president of Notre Dame, began the audience by addressing the pope on behalf of their universities. Four student-athletes from each school then presented the pope with gifts, including commemorative basketballs, jerseys, and a special prayer for athletes written by the late Holy Cross Father Theodore Hesburgh, a past president of Notre Dame.
Pope Leo XIV greets visitors at the Vatican, Oct. 31, 2026. The Holy Father met with delegations from both Villanova and the University of Notre Dame ahead of the “Eternal City Tip-Off” taking place in Rome. | Credit: Vatican Media
Pope Leo drew laughs and cheers from the crowd when he began to dribble the basketball offered by Villanova team representatives.The pope then addressed the gathered fans, speaking about a “vision of sport” proposed by the Catholic Church centered on “the dignity of the human person, on his or her integral development, on education, and on relationships with others.” He pointed out that the games will take place on the feast of All Saints’ Day, saying that the occasion was a valuable reminder “that God calls everyone to be a saint. … We are invited, therefore, to ensure that every aspect of our lives, including our athletic endeavors, will help us to love God and our neighbor.”Pope Leo emphasized the importance of sport as “a concrete means of bringing people together,” particularly in an age “marked by the distance that can be created by technology.” He added, “Sport is a medicine for both body and spirit when it is practiced well.”Ambrose Weidmann, an architecture student from the University of Notre Dame studying abroad in Rome, attended the papal audience with his friends. “It was great to hear each school’s president’s viewpoint on sports, school, and faith, and even better to hear the Holy Father’s comments on sports and especially our universal calling to sainthood,” he said. Eric Heinz, who was at the audience with his wife and two sons — one of whom graduated from Villanova, the other from Notre Dame — echoed Weidmann’s sentiments. “I think it’s really great to have so many people that you know [in the room],” he said, citing the thousands of supporters from both universities who filled the hall. “It’s really attributed, I think, to the love of not just their schools, but Pope Leo, and having an American as the pope. … Everyone’s in a great mood about it.”Shannon Murphy and Gabriel Alvarez, sitting a few rows down from the Heinz family, had already planned on a trip to Rome for their honeymoon, but when they saw that the dates lined up perfectly with the Eternal City Tip-Off weekend, they were thrilled.“We put it on the calendar, and the minute they went for sale we were refreshing [the page] to get the best tickets we could that were available… we’re very excited,” said Murphy, who is a Villanova alumna. She added that sharing both an alma mater and the Catholic faith with Pope Leo made seeing him “pretty great.”Before the papal audience, fans had the chance to attend a special morning Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mass was presided over by Archbishop Nelson Perez of Philadelphia and concelebrated by the presidents of both universities.During the homily, Perez praised the discipline, perseverance, and sacrifice of the student-athletes, quoting St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians to remind the faithful that sport is a model for the spiritual life, and offering Mary as a model of this excellence: “She played the game of life, the game of grace, in such a beautiful, powerful, profound way,” he said, offering Mary’s humility and service as an example of “true greatness.”Weidmann commented that the Vatican events on Saturday tied basketball and Catholicism together in an “ideal connection” between faith and sports, and even served as a means of evangelization.“I know a few of my peers who are atheist or agnostic, but went to the papal audience and Mass today and got to hear the voice of the Church calling to them through the Word of God and the pope’s words, which I thought was a really great way to expose more people to our faith,” he said.Villanova and Notre Dame will face off on Sunday beginning with the men’s basketball game at 3:30 pm CET (9:30 am EST), which can be viewed on Fox. The women’s game, aired on FS1, will follow at 6:00 pm CET (12 pm EST).](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/pope-leo-xiv-welcomes-thousands-from-notre-dame-villanova-to-vatican-ahead-of-historic-game-catholic-rome-pope-leo-xiv-welcomed-around-7000-team-members-students-and-fans-from-villanova-uni-scaled.jpg "Pope Leo XIV welcomes thousands from Notre Dame, Villanova to Vatican ahead of historic game – #Catholic – ROME – Pope Leo XIV welcomed around 7,000 team members, students, and fans from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame at the Vatican Saturday morning, the day before both schools’ men’s and womenʼs teams will kick off the college basketball season in a historic doubleheader. Fans of all ages packed into the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall in Rome for an audience with the pope, who is himself a Villanova graduate.
Pope Leo XIV greets visitors at the Vatican, Oct. 31, 2026. The Holy Father met with delegations from both Villanova and the University of Notre Dame ahead of the “Eternal City Tip-Off” taking place in Rome. | Credit: Vatican Media
“Growing up on the south side of Chicago, we oftentimes heard, ‘Go Irish!’” Pope Leo told the crowd. “But as you all know, Prevost graduated from Villanova. So, the pope doesn’t take sides. Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now,” he added, to cheers from the Villanova supporters.The Nov. 1 event, called the Eternal City Tip-Off, will open the 2026-27 college basketball season for the Division 1 teams. Organized as a collaboration between Fox Sports, On Location, and Players Era, inspiration for the event came from Leo’s election as the first American pope. Leading up to the Sunday games, supporters of both universities — including alumni, faculty, staff, students, and fans — were able to participate in a special Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica along with the papal audience.Father Peter Donohue, OSA, president of Villanova, and Father Robert Dowd, CSC, president of Notre Dame, began the audience by addressing the pope on behalf of their universities. Four student-athletes from each school then presented the pope with gifts, including commemorative basketballs, jerseys, and a special prayer for athletes written by the late Holy Cross Father Theodore Hesburgh, a past president of Notre Dame.
Pope Leo XIV greets visitors at the Vatican, Oct. 31, 2026. The Holy Father met with delegations from both Villanova and the University of Notre Dame ahead of the “Eternal City Tip-Off” taking place in Rome. | Credit: Vatican Media
Pope Leo drew laughs and cheers from the crowd when he began to dribble the basketball offered by Villanova team representatives.The pope then addressed the gathered fans, speaking about a “vision of sport” proposed by the Catholic Church centered on “the dignity of the human person, on his or her integral development, on education, and on relationships with others.” He pointed out that the games will take place on the feast of All Saints’ Day, saying that the occasion was a valuable reminder “that God calls everyone to be a saint. … We are invited, therefore, to ensure that every aspect of our lives, including our athletic endeavors, will help us to love God and our neighbor.”Pope Leo emphasized the importance of sport as “a concrete means of bringing people together,” particularly in an age “marked by the distance that can be created by technology.” He added, “Sport is a medicine for both body and spirit when it is practiced well.”Ambrose Weidmann, an architecture student from the University of Notre Dame studying abroad in Rome, attended the papal audience with his friends. “It was great to hear each school’s president’s viewpoint on sports, school, and faith, and even better to hear the Holy Father’s comments on sports and especially our universal calling to sainthood,” he said. Eric Heinz, who was at the audience with his wife and two sons — one of whom graduated from Villanova, the other from Notre Dame — echoed Weidmann’s sentiments. “I think it’s really great to have so many people that you know [in the room],” he said, citing the thousands of supporters from both universities who filled the hall. “It’s really attributed, I think, to the love of not just their schools, but Pope Leo, and having an American as the pope. … Everyone’s in a great mood about it.”Shannon Murphy and Gabriel Alvarez, sitting a few rows down from the Heinz family, had already planned on a trip to Rome for their honeymoon, but when they saw that the dates lined up perfectly with the Eternal City Tip-Off weekend, they were thrilled.“We put it on the calendar, and the minute they went for sale we were refreshing [the page] to get the best tickets we could that were available… we’re very excited,” said Murphy, who is a Villanova alumna. She added that sharing both an alma mater and the Catholic faith with Pope Leo made seeing him “pretty great.”Before the papal audience, fans had the chance to attend a special morning Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mass was presided over by Archbishop Nelson Perez of Philadelphia and concelebrated by the presidents of both universities.During the homily, Perez praised the discipline, perseverance, and sacrifice of the student-athletes, quoting St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians to remind the faithful that sport is a model for the spiritual life, and offering Mary as a model of this excellence: “She played the game of life, the game of grace, in such a beautiful, powerful, profound way,” he said, offering Mary’s humility and service as an example of “true greatness.”Weidmann commented that the Vatican events on Saturday tied basketball and Catholicism together in an “ideal connection” between faith and sports, and even served as a means of evangelization.“I know a few of my peers who are atheist or agnostic, but went to the papal audience and Mass today and got to hear the voice of the Church calling to them through the Word of God and the pope’s words, which I thought was a really great way to expose more people to our faith,” he said.Villanova and Notre Dame will face off on Sunday beginning with the men’s basketball game at 3:30 pm CET (9:30 am EST), which can be viewed on Fox. The women’s game, aired on FS1, will follow at 6:00 pm CET (12 pm EST).")
The pope met with basketball teams, students, and fans from both universities ahead of Sunday’s Eternal City Tip-Off
The 98-year-old Albanian cardinal called for prayers for world leaders after experiencing severe religious persecution.
Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column. October 30: Mars approaches Leo Let’s send off spooky season on a high note this Halloween with M74, also known as the Phantom Galaxy. The best time to catch this ghostly galaxy is after darkness falls but before moonrise. Located in easternContinue reading “The Sky Today on Saturday, October 31: Glimpse the ghostly Phantom Galaxy”
The post The Sky Today on Saturday, October 31: Glimpse the ghostly Phantom Galaxy appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More| Picture of the day |
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Jim Buckley’s Red Dragon sculpture from 1985 during River Lee flooding, October 2023
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Not ready to stop leaf-peeping? Head to one of these spots for a last glimpse of autumn color.
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A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians
1:18b-26
Brothers and sisters:
As long as in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,
Christ is being proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.
Indeed I shall continue to rejoice,
for I know that this will result in deliverance for me
through your prayers and support from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
My eager expectation and hope
is that I shall not be put to shame in any way,
but that with all boldness, now as always,
Christ will be magnified in my body,
whether by life or by death.
For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.
If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.
And I do not know which I shall choose.
I am caught between the two.
I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better.
Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.
And this I know with confidence,
that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of you
for your progress and joy in the faith,
so that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound on account of me
when I come to you again.
From the Gospel according to Luke
14:1, 7-11
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The Lord does not intend to give a lesson on etiquette or on the hierarchy of the different authorities. Rather, he insists on a crucial point, that of humility: "Every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Lk 14: 11). A deeper meaning of this parable also makes us think of the position of the human being in relation to God. The "lowest place" can in fact represent the condition of humanity degraded by sin, a condition from which the Incarnation of the Only-Begotten Son alone can raise it. For this reason Christ himself "took the lowest place in the world the Cross and by this radical humility he redeemed us and constantly comes to our aid" (Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, n. 35).
At the end of the parable Jesus suggests to the Pharisee leader that he invite to his table not his friends, kinsmen or rich neighbours, but rather poorer and more marginalized people who can in no way reciprocate (cf. Lk 14: 13-14), so that the gift may be given freely. The true reward, in fact, will ultimately be given by God, "who governs the world…. We offer him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as he grants us the strength" (Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, n. 35). Once again, therefore, let us look to Christ as a model of humility and of giving freely: let us learn from him patience in temptation, meekness in offence, obedience to God in suffering, in the hope that the One who has invited us will say to us: "Friend, go up higher" (cf. Lk 14: 10). Indeed, the true good is being close to him. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 29 August 2010)
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The archbishop of Guayaquil, Ecuador, has announced a safety plan to prevent accidents like the one that claimed the life of Father Patricio Sánchez, who was struck when a cross fell during Mass.
The global Catholic network has operated a shortwave station since the early 1990s, but high costs and the changing media landscape led to its closure.
Coverage of next week’s U.S. midterm elections by the global Catholic network will be available on multiple platforms.
Catholic sisters visit Buddhist shrine, number of bishops in Ireland to drop by a third, Holy See at U.N. meeting calls for “peaceful uses of outer space,” and more in this week’s world news roundup.
Honor religious service by supporting retirement care and needs #Catholic – 
The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) invites Catholics throughout the Paterson Diocese, N.J., to support the 2026 Retirement Fund for Religious collection on the weekend of Dec. 12-13.
In 2025, Catholics across the Paterson Diocese contributed $222,988.58 to the collection, primarily through their parishes. The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, also known as the Salesian Sisters; Monastery of Discalced Carmelite Nuns; the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth; the Benedictine Monks of St. Paul’s Abbey; and Xaverian Missionary Fathers received a combined $1,719,725.64 in Direct Care Assistance associated with the 2025 collection.
Nationally, the 2025 collection raised a record-breaking $37.1 million. The latest grant cycle provided $40 million in Direct Care Assistance to 261 religious communities. These funds help cover health care, housing, and daily living expenses, strengthening communities’ ability to provide care in the years ahead.
The need remains substantial. Nearly 19,000 aging religious depend on this support. In 2025, their average annual cost of care was approximately $62,000 per person, while skilled nursing care averaged more than $102,000. The average annual Social Security benefit for a religious was $9,390, compared with $24,856 for the average lay beneficiary.
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“When we give, we thank them for a lifetime of service and make sure they can grow old in peace, dignity, and prayer,” wrote John Knutsen, NRRO director.
Since the collection began in 1988, Catholics have contributed more than $1 billion to the Retirement Fund for Religious. In addition to financial assistance, the NRRO offers educational programs, consultation, and retirement-planning resources to help religious communities address long-term needs.
The NRRO coordinates the annual national appeal for the Retirement Fund for Religious and distributes financial assistance to eligible religious communities. The Conference of Major Superiors of Men, the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops sponsor it.
For more information, visit retiredreligious.org or call 508-685-8899 or email campaign@retiredreligious.org.
– The National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO) invites Catholics throughout the Paterson Diocese, N.J., to support the 2026 Retirement Fund for Religious collection on the weekend of Dec. 12-13. In 2025, Catholics across the Paterson Diocese contributed $222,988.58 to the collection, primarily through their parishes. The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, also known as the Salesian Sisters; Monastery of Discalced Carmelite Nuns; the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth; the Benedictine Monks of St. Paul’s Abbey; and Xaverian Missionary Fathers received a combined $1,719,725.64 in Direct Care Assistance associated with the 2025 collection. Nationally, the 2025 collection raised a record-breaking
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s mid-infrared view reveals intricate structures within the Cat’s Head Nebula, traced by the emission from warm dust and carbon-based molecules excited by starlight.
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The law will also be put to a vote in the 2028 elections, pending confirmation from the state.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory may have found its first dwarf planet. Orbiting beyond Pluto, the object may also be one of the brightest and biggest in that stretch of the solar system. Matthew Holman, a Rubin operations team member and senior astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, discovered the dwarfContinue reading “Rubin spots possible dwarf planet”
The post Rubin spots possible dwarf planet appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-tree-hugger-giant-sequoia-calaveras-big-trees-state-park-CALAVERASBIGTREES0426-d9266630b67846fb8bab52f0acd683cd.jpg)
| Picture of the day |
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A small hoverfly in the sun (female Episyrphus balteatus)
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Behyar Bakhshandeh from Carlsbad, California The emission nebula IC 1318, also known as the Gamma Cygni Nebula, glows roughly 5,300 light-years away in Cygnus — far beyond Sadr, the bright supergiant star it only appears to surround. The imager spent 24 hours exposing in the Hubble palette (Hα/OIII/SII) plus RGB for the stars, using aContinue reading “A stellar illusion”
The post A stellar illusion appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: November, 2026 #Catholic – 
| 11/1 | Sunday, 3 p.m. Silver and Gold Anniversary Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. |
| 11/2 | Monday, 9:30 a.m. Mass – All Saints Academy, Parsippany; 5 p.m. Tri County Annual Awards Dinner – honoring Bishop Sweeney. |
| 11/3 | Tuesday, 9:35 a.m. Mass – Delbarton School, Morristown. |
| 11/5 | Thursday, 6 p.m. Caritas Gala – The Meadow Wood, Randolph. |
| 11/6 | Friday, 6:30 p.m. Project Andrew – St. Padre Pio Parish, Paterson. |
| 11/7 | Saturday, 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Morristown. |
| 11/8 | Sunday, 10 a.m. Confirmation – Sacred Heart Parish, Rockaway; 3 p.m. Mass – the Diocesan Youth Conference – St. Elizabeth University, Holy Family Chapel, Morristown; 4 p.m. St. James of the Marches Parish, Totowa, Centennial Dinner – The Grand, Totowa. |
| 11/9 | Monday, 1 p.m. Deans Meeting. |
| 11/10 | Tuesday, 1 p.m. Passaic Deanery Meeting – St. Joseph Parish, Passaic. |
| 11/13 | Friday, 8:30 a.m. Mass – St. Vincent Parish, Madison. |
| 11/14–19 | Saturday–Thursday USCCB General Assembly, Baltimore, MD. |
| 11/20 | Friday, 7 p.m. World Youth Day Pilgrims “Meet & Greet.” |
| 11/22 | Sunday, 10:45 p.m. Installation Mass for Father Mateusz Darlak – St. Cecilia Parish, Rockaway. |
| 11/23 | Monday, 1 p.m. Presbyteral Council; 6 p.m. Pride in Our Priests Dinner, The Hanover Manor, E. Hanover. |
| 11/24 | Tuesday, 9 a.m. Major Superiors Annual Meeting – St. Paul Inside the Walls, Madison. |
| 11/26 | Thursday, 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day Mass – St. Mary Parish, Passaic. |
| 11/29 | Sunday, 1 p.m. Mass in Spanish – Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains. |
– 11/1 Sunday, 3 p.m. Silver and Gold Anniversary Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 11/2 Monday, 9:30 a.m. Mass – All Saints Academy, Parsippany; 5 p.m. Tri County Annual Awards Dinner – honoring Bishop Sweeney. 11/3 Tuesday, 9:35 a.m. Mass – Delbarton School, Morristown. 11/5 Thursday, 6 p.m. Caritas Gala – The Meadow Wood, Randolph. 11/6 Friday, 6:30 p.m. Project Andrew – St. Padre Pio Parish, Paterson. 11/7 Saturday, 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Morristown. 11/8 Sunday, 10 a.m. Confirmation – Sacred Heart Parish, Rockaway; 3 p.m. Mass
![Pro-life group protests Cardinal Cupich’s award to philanthropist, Planned Parenthood donor – #Catholic – Pro-life activists will publicly protest the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Rerum Novarum Banquet based on objections to an award recipient who has donated more than $1 million to organizations that promote abortion access, including Planned Parenthood.The archdiocese announced it will give the Nostra Aetate Award to the billionaire businessman and philanthropist Michael Sacks at the Oct. 29 banquet. He is CEO of the investment firm GCM Grosvenor, the president of Sacks Family Foundation, and a board member of the Obama Foundation.Sacks, through his foundation, has donated to philanthropic efforts related to education, arts, veterans, and other issues. His contributions also include $500,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois from 2020 to 2022 and $600,000 to the Prairie State Access Fund in 2026, which was created by Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker with the help of philanthropists to support the “reproductive health ecosystem” of the state and combat federal restrictions “on abortion and gender affirming care.”Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, has not publicly referenced Sacks’ support for these organizations. Rather, in a statement, he described Sacks as a “well-respected leader in Chicago and in the Jewish community.”His statement explained the Nostra Aetate Award is named after the Second Vatican Council document of the same name, which was intended to build stronger relations with non-Christian religions, including Judaism.“Honoring a leader, shaped by his Jewish faith, for the gifts he brings to society through his leadership, generosity and talent, acknowledges this shared divine heritage, distinct from specific contemporary political or doctrinal disputes,” Cupich said in his statement.Cupich said the honor “recognizes [the personʼs] dignity” and role in the community “without implying an endorsement of every statement or stance” the person has. He said the recognition helps bring about “conditions necessary for principled dialogue” and that such dialogue “cannot occur if respect is contingent upon complete agreement on Church doctrine or political policy.”The primary purpose of the banquet is to raise money for seminarians.‘Scandalizing the faithful’Pushback against Cupich for his decision to give the award to Sacks has come from the Chicago-based Illinois Right to Life, which was founded in 1968 to “honor the dignity and sanctity of human life at all stages.”The pro-life group launched a petition “demanding [Cupich] withdraw his award to Planned Parenthood Financier Michael Sacks,” which has garnered nearly 4,000 signatures as of the day of the banquet.Illinois Right to Life President Mary Kate Zander told EWTN News that the archdiocese has not responded to the petition. Because Cupich stood by his plan to give Sacks the award, the group will hold a protest outside of the IBEW Local 134 in Chicago, where the banquet will be held."Weʼre concerned about the scandal that it creates,” Zander, who is Catholic, told EWTN News when asked about the primary motivation for the protest.In addition to concerns about the funding of organizations that promote abortion access, Illinois Right to Life has noted Sacks in 2013 signed a letter endorsing same-sex marriage and helped organize business leaders to advocate for it, according to local media reports. Equality Illinois, an LGBT advocacy group, gave Sacks its 2015 Equality Illinois Business Leadership Award in recognition of his role.Zander said Cupich is “leading people astray and is scandalizing the faithful” by honoring Sacks. She said “we’re also concerned with this man’s soul” and said the cardinal has a responsibility to “hold people accountable … on their public stances.”Illinois Right to Life alleged granting Sacks the award violates rules set by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).The USCCB document “Catholics in Political Life” states: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”The USCCB did not immediately reply to a request for comment on whether Cupich’s decision violates any USCCB rules. EWTN News also reached out to GCM Grosvenor to request a comment from Sacks but did not receive a response.Cupich doubles downIn his Oct. 26 statement about the Nostra Aetate Award, Cupich acknowledged his decision created backlash but did not mention any concerns related to Sacks’ position on abortion or same-sex marriage.Rather, Cupich said the archdiocese received criticism for its decision to “honor a person who does not hold to core beliefs of the Catholic Church, primary among them being the divinity of Jesus Christ” and said the backlash was about Sacks’ Jewish faith.“Refusing to honor or engage with Jews solely because they hold conflicting religious or political positions can risk mimicking historic patterns of antisemitism through exclusion and bigotry, which, frighteningly, is on the rise,” he said. “Nostra Aetate urges us to be proactive in separating personal and community respect from doctrinal agreement, ensuring that disagreement does not regress into hostility or social ostracization. This we cannot tolerate.”Nostra Aetate states that the Church “decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.” On the 60th anniversary of the document, Pope Leo XIV said “all of my predecessors have condemned antisemitism with clear words” since the Second Vatican Council, “and so I too confirm that the Church does not tolerate antisemitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself.”Cupich’s statement does not name the critics he is referring to. The archdiocese did not immediately respond to an inquiry for clarification. Zander said Illinois Right to Life is “the only organization that has formally put out any kind of statement” about the award and their concern “has nothing to do with that.” She said Cupich’s statement “is confusing for people” who may infer that his decision to double down “is a response to antisemitism” and the disagreement is “an issue of this man not being Catholic.”“[Cupich is] distracting from the fact that this man is clearly a supporter of abortion at a very grand scale,” Zander said. “… He’s trying to distract from the fact that [he is also] a same-sex marriage supporter.”“The cardinal doesn’t want that to be the conversation,” she said. “He wants the conversation to be about that man’s faith background; his ethnic background.”None of the criticisms published by Illinois Right to Life comment on Sacks’ Jewish faith or ethnic identity.Last year, Illinois Right to Life launched a similar campaign against Cupich’s decision to give an award to Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, who consistently voted in favor of abortion access. Durbin, who is Catholic, declined the award amid the backlash, which included criticisms from other bishops.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/pro-life-group-protests-cardinal-cupichs-award-to-philanthropist-planned-parenthood-donor-catholic-pro-life-activists-will-publicly-protest-the-archdiocese-of-chicagos-rerum-no.jpg "Pro-life group protests Cardinal Cupich’s award to philanthropist, Planned Parenthood donor – #Catholic – Pro-life activists will publicly protest the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Rerum Novarum Banquet based on objections to an award recipient who has donated more than $1 million to organizations that promote abortion access, including Planned Parenthood.The archdiocese announced it will give the Nostra Aetate Award to the billionaire businessman and philanthropist Michael Sacks at the Oct. 29 banquet. He is CEO of the investment firm GCM Grosvenor, the president of Sacks Family Foundation, and a board member of the Obama Foundation.Sacks, through his foundation, has donated to philanthropic efforts related to education, arts, veterans, and other issues. His contributions also include $500,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois from 2020 to 2022 and $600,000 to the Prairie State Access Fund in 2026, which was created by Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker with the help of philanthropists to support the “reproductive health ecosystem” of the state and combat federal restrictions “on abortion and gender affirming care.”Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, has not publicly referenced Sacks’ support for these organizations. Rather, in a statement, he described Sacks as a “well-respected leader in Chicago and in the Jewish community.”His statement explained the Nostra Aetate Award is named after the Second Vatican Council document of the same name, which was intended to build stronger relations with non-Christian religions, including Judaism.“Honoring a leader, shaped by his Jewish faith, for the gifts he brings to society through his leadership, generosity and talent, acknowledges this shared divine heritage, distinct from specific contemporary political or doctrinal disputes,” Cupich said in his statement.Cupich said the honor “recognizes [the personʼs] dignity” and role in the community “without implying an endorsement of every statement or stance” the person has. He said the recognition helps bring about “conditions necessary for principled dialogue” and that such dialogue “cannot occur if respect is contingent upon complete agreement on Church doctrine or political policy.”The primary purpose of the banquet is to raise money for seminarians.‘Scandalizing the faithful’Pushback against Cupich for his decision to give the award to Sacks has come from the Chicago-based Illinois Right to Life, which was founded in 1968 to “honor the dignity and sanctity of human life at all stages.”The pro-life group launched a petition “demanding [Cupich] withdraw his award to Planned Parenthood Financier Michael Sacks,” which has garnered nearly 4,000 signatures as of the day of the banquet.Illinois Right to Life President Mary Kate Zander told EWTN News that the archdiocese has not responded to the petition. Because Cupich stood by his plan to give Sacks the award, the group will hold a protest outside of the IBEW Local 134 in Chicago, where the banquet will be held.\"Weʼre concerned about the scandal that it creates,” Zander, who is Catholic, told EWTN News when asked about the primary motivation for the protest.In addition to concerns about the funding of organizations that promote abortion access, Illinois Right to Life has noted Sacks in 2013 signed a letter endorsing same-sex marriage and helped organize business leaders to advocate for it, according to local media reports. Equality Illinois, an LGBT advocacy group, gave Sacks its 2015 Equality Illinois Business Leadership Award in recognition of his role.Zander said Cupich is “leading people astray and is scandalizing the faithful” by honoring Sacks. She said “we’re also concerned with this man’s soul” and said the cardinal has a responsibility to “hold people accountable … on their public stances.”Illinois Right to Life alleged granting Sacks the award violates rules set by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).The USCCB document “Catholics in Political Life” states: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”The USCCB did not immediately reply to a request for comment on whether Cupich’s decision violates any USCCB rules. EWTN News also reached out to GCM Grosvenor to request a comment from Sacks but did not receive a response.Cupich doubles downIn his Oct. 26 statement about the Nostra Aetate Award, Cupich acknowledged his decision created backlash but did not mention any concerns related to Sacks’ position on abortion or same-sex marriage.Rather, Cupich said the archdiocese received criticism for its decision to “honor a person who does not hold to core beliefs of the Catholic Church, primary among them being the divinity of Jesus Christ” and said the backlash was about Sacks’ Jewish faith.“Refusing to honor or engage with Jews solely because they hold conflicting religious or political positions can risk mimicking historic patterns of antisemitism through exclusion and bigotry, which, frighteningly, is on the rise,” he said. “Nostra Aetate urges us to be proactive in separating personal and community respect from doctrinal agreement, ensuring that disagreement does not regress into hostility or social ostracization. This we cannot tolerate.”Nostra Aetate states that the Church “decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.” On the 60th anniversary of the document, Pope Leo XIV said “all of my predecessors have condemned antisemitism with clear words” since the Second Vatican Council, “and so I too confirm that the Church does not tolerate antisemitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself.”Cupich’s statement does not name the critics he is referring to. The archdiocese did not immediately respond to an inquiry for clarification. Zander said Illinois Right to Life is “the only organization that has formally put out any kind of statement” about the award and their concern “has nothing to do with that.” She said Cupich’s statement “is confusing for people” who may infer that his decision to double down “is a response to antisemitism” and the disagreement is “an issue of this man not being Catholic.”“[Cupich is] distracting from the fact that this man is clearly a supporter of abortion at a very grand scale,” Zander said. “… He’s trying to distract from the fact that [he is also] a same-sex marriage supporter.”“The cardinal doesn’t want that to be the conversation,” she said. “He wants the conversation to be about that man’s faith background; his ethnic background.”None of the criticisms published by Illinois Right to Life comment on Sacks’ Jewish faith or ethnic identity.Last year, Illinois Right to Life launched a similar campaign against Cupich’s decision to give an award to Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, who consistently voted in favor of abortion access. Durbin, who is Catholic, declined the award amid the backlash, which included criticisms from other bishops.")
Cardinal Blase Cupich said the award is not an endorsement of every stance a person has, but Illinois Right to Life accused him of “scandalizing the faithful” at the Oct. 29 banquet.
Many legal scholars and other experts strongly disagreed with the bishops’ claim that excluding noncitizens from the census means they are not persons.
Bishop Guillermo Elías urged the faithful to live out a faith that goes beyond processions and translates into acts of love.
![U.S. bishops urge Catholic voters: Start with your faith, discern your vote #Catholic Ahead of the contentious 2026 U.S. midterm elections, the U.S. bishops are urging Catholic voters to form their consciences in light of their faith and discern their vote informed by the teachings of the Church. In a video released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Portland, Oregon, Archbishop Alexander Sample suggested Catholics should think of themselves as “disciples of Jesus first, Americans second … and, if you’re going to belong to a political party, that is third.” “Start with your relationship with Jesus. Start with your faith,” the archbishop said. “And then see how that shapes your view on social and political issues.” The archbishop’s video comes just days before the 2026 U.S. midterms, which could serve as a sharp referendum on U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term, particularly his administration’s launching of a war with Iran, which brought with it major increases in fuel costs and other prices. Multiple U.S. bishops have urged the faithful to pray ahead of the elections, including regarding major ballot initiatives involving abortion and other issues.In his Oct. 26 video, Sample — who serves as the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ religious liberty committee — noted that “none of the political parties” in the U.S. “embody all the Catholic social teaching.” “We don’t start with our party’s political platform,” he said. “We start with Catholic social teaching — the Catholic social doctrine of the Church, and all of those principles of Catholic social teaching.” Conscience ‘tells us to pursue the good’In a related video also released on Oct. 26, Baltimore Archbishop William Lori — who previously served as vice president of the USCCB — said the “importance of a properly formed conscience cannot be overstated.”The archbishop described conscience as “that part of us that tells us to pursue the good and to avoid evil,” a place where “God speaks to us and his word echoes in our hearts.” “It is vital that in this time when there is so much back-and-forth politically, when the news cycles never cease, when life is moving along rapidly — that in the exercise of our citizenship, we would slow down and engage in discernment.” The prelate pointed to St. Paul’s admonishment to “cling to what is good.” He described faithful citizenship as “an invitation to know what the Church teaches and then, when you’re faced with ballot issues or the question of for whom to vote, you’re equipped to engage in prayerful discernment.” He noted that the U.S. bishops issue messages about voting periodically. “[We] have a lot of faith in our people,” he said. The question of faithful citizenship was “never meant to be simply a list of dos and don’ts, or ‘vote this way or vote that way,’” Lori said. “It’s not a voter guide.” Rather, the principle “strives to present a beautiful vision of the United States as the best version of itself.” Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville, Kentucky, meanwhile, in a separate video urged Catholics to keep the “desire to be the best disciple of Jesus Christ” at the center of all their decisions. “We participate in public life and in political life to advance the common good, and to also remind everyone in public life and in politics that the common good and the human dignity of each and every person are paramount,” he said.Some analysts are predicting a major Democratic victory in the 2026 midterms, particularly amid low approval ratings for Trump halfway through his second term.As of Oct. 29 the forecast and election-tracking outlet Decision Desk HQ was predicting likely Democratic victories in both the U.S. House and Senate, including an 80% probability of victory in the House.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/u-s-bishops-urge-catholic-voters-start-with-your-faith-discern-your-vote-catholic-ahead-of-the-contentious-2026-u-s-midterm-elections-the-u-s-bishops-are-urging-catholic-voters-to-form-their-co.png "U.S. bishops urge Catholic voters: Start with your faith, discern your vote #Catholic Ahead of the contentious 2026 U.S. midterm elections, the U.S. bishops are urging Catholic voters to form their consciences in light of their faith and discern their vote informed by the teachings of the Church. In a video released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Portland, Oregon, Archbishop Alexander Sample suggested Catholics should think of themselves as “disciples of Jesus first, Americans second … and, if you’re going to belong to a political party, that is third.” “Start with your relationship with Jesus. Start with your faith,” the archbishop said. “And then see how that shapes your view on social and political issues.” The archbishop’s video comes just days before the 2026 U.S. midterms, which could serve as a sharp referendum on U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term, particularly his administration’s launching of a war with Iran, which brought with it major increases in fuel costs and other prices. Multiple U.S. bishops have urged the faithful to pray ahead of the elections, including regarding major ballot initiatives involving abortion and other issues.In his Oct. 26 video, Sample — who serves as the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ religious liberty committee — noted that “none of the political parties” in the U.S. “embody all the Catholic social teaching.” “We don’t start with our party’s political platform,” he said. “We start with Catholic social teaching — the Catholic social doctrine of the Church, and all of those principles of Catholic social teaching.” Conscience ‘tells us to pursue the good’In a related video also released on Oct. 26, Baltimore Archbishop William Lori — who previously served as vice president of the USCCB — said the “importance of a properly formed conscience cannot be overstated.”The archbishop described conscience as “that part of us that tells us to pursue the good and to avoid evil,” a place where “God speaks to us and his word echoes in our hearts.” “It is vital that in this time when there is so much back-and-forth politically, when the news cycles never cease, when life is moving along rapidly — that in the exercise of our citizenship, we would slow down and engage in discernment.” The prelate pointed to St. Paul’s admonishment to “cling to what is good.” He described faithful citizenship as “an invitation to know what the Church teaches and then, when you’re faced with ballot issues or the question of for whom to vote, you’re equipped to engage in prayerful discernment.” He noted that the U.S. bishops issue messages about voting periodically. “[We] have a lot of faith in our people,” he said. The question of faithful citizenship was “never meant to be simply a list of dos and don’ts, or ‘vote this way or vote that way,’” Lori said. “It’s not a voter guide.” Rather, the principle “strives to present a beautiful vision of the United States as the best version of itself.” Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville, Kentucky, meanwhile, in a separate video urged Catholics to keep the “desire to be the best disciple of Jesus Christ” at the center of all their decisions. “We participate in public life and in political life to advance the common good, and to also remind everyone in public life and in politics that the common good and the human dignity of each and every person are paramount,” he said.Some analysts are predicting a major Democratic victory in the 2026 midterms, particularly amid low approval ratings for Trump halfway through his second term.As of Oct. 29 the forecast and election-tracking outlet Decision Desk HQ was predicting likely Democratic victories in both the U.S. House and Senate, including an 80% probability of victory in the House.")
The videos come just days before the 2026 U.S. midterms, which could serve as a referendum on U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term.
A sinuous spiral galaxy (center) appears in the same field of view as a vivid gravitational lens (right corner) in this Hubble image.
Read More![Rome conference asks whether the Church did enough to resist totalitarian regimes #Catholic A conference in Rome this week examined how the Church addressed totalitarian regimes in the 20th century. The conference “The Holy See in the Face of Totalitarian Systems in the 20th Century: New Perspectives and Research Directions” was held at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from Oct. 28–29. Over the two days, scholars discussed how the Vatican responded to oppressive governments, particularly from the time of Pope Pius XII to the Second Vatican Council.The Institute of National Remembrance – Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation and the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, which organized the event, also presented a new exhibit at the Gregorian on the 1966 celebrations of the 1,000th anniversary of the Baptism of Poland in 966.Totalitarianism: Temptation to be like GodAs reported by Vatican News, the conference opened with a keynote address from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who warned nations against asserting themselves in the place of God.“[Totalitarianism] arises from the human temptation to want to ‘be like God,’ to control how humanity lives and thinks, and to impose one’s own ideological convictions on it,” Parolin said.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin speaks at the conference “The Holy See in the Face of Totalitarian Systems in the 20th Century: New Perspectives and Research Directions,” at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome on Oct. 28, 2026. | Credit: Dariusz Skrzyniarz/Instytut Pamięci Narodowej
He also criticized the tendency of countries to elevate the state and certain constructs in place of religion.“By elevating social class, race, or the state to the altar in God’s place, [totalitarian regimes] sacralized their ideological concepts and created political religions, with their own ‘liturgies,’ prophets, martyrs, and ethical norms,” Parolin added.
A new exhibit commemorating the 1966 celebration of the Baptism of Poland in A.D. 966 was launched at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome on Oct. 28, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News
Pius XII’s Vatican and the Nazi regimeAmong the topics discussed at the conference was the Holy See’s stance under Venerable Pius XII toward Nazi Germany during the Second World War, including the Holocaust.Parolin maintained that Pius XII condemned wars in a way “that would not provoke even greater persecution” and that he displayed “a diplomacy of charity on an unprecedented scale.” Others at the conference described the Church’s stance during this period as “sustainable.”
Pope Pius XII and Adolf Hitler. | Credit: Everett Historical/Shutterstock
“I would say that the Church, and the Holy See in particular, did what it considered possible and sustainable during the periods we have discussed, just as it does today,” said Father Nicola Spinato, a theologian from Padua, Italy.“The Holy See and the Church are not simply political actors competing within the political arena. Their role is pastoral and ecclesial,” Spinato added.Vatican totalitarian resistance under Vatican II and John Paul IIDuring the conference, several participants presented on the influence of the Second Vatican Council on the Holy See’s vocal resistance to totalitarian regimes.Spinato presented on how the Church, through the council, formulated its opposition to racism and all forms of discrimination.“The confrontation with the totalitarianism and racism of the 20th century contributed to the development of the Church’s social teaching,” Spinato said.Others noted St. John Paul II’s influence on Vatican diplomacy, particularly in Poland and Latin America.
The Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia has a side chapel dedicated to St. John Paul II. | Credit: Courtney Grogan/EWTN News
“John Paul II actively intervened to end dictatorships and to promote the return to democracy. From April 1-6, 1987, he visited Chile — a trip that would change the country’s history,” Gianni La Bella, a member of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, said.“Following John Paul’s pilgrimages to Poland in 1983 and 1987, efforts began to overcome the crisis. His influence and laws guaranteeing religious freedom paved the way for Poland and the Holy See to restore full diplomatic relations on July 17, 1989,” Father Albert Warso, a professor at John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/rome-conference-asks-whether-the-church-did-enough-to-resist-totalitarian-regimes-catholic-a-conference-in-rome-this-week-examined-how-the-church-addressed-totalitarian-regimes-in-the-20th-century-t.jpg "Rome conference asks whether the Church did enough to resist totalitarian regimes #Catholic A conference in Rome this week examined how the Church addressed totalitarian regimes in the 20th century. The conference “The Holy See in the Face of Totalitarian Systems in the 20th Century: New Perspectives and Research Directions” was held at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from Oct. 28–29. Over the two days, scholars discussed how the Vatican responded to oppressive governments, particularly from the time of Pope Pius XII to the Second Vatican Council.The Institute of National Remembrance – Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation and the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, which organized the event, also presented a new exhibit at the Gregorian on the 1966 celebrations of the 1,000th anniversary of the Baptism of Poland in 966.Totalitarianism: Temptation to be like GodAs reported by Vatican News, the conference opened with a keynote address from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who warned nations against asserting themselves in the place of God.“[Totalitarianism] arises from the human temptation to want to ‘be like God,’ to control how humanity lives and thinks, and to impose one’s own ideological convictions on it,” Parolin said.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin speaks at the conference “The Holy See in the Face of Totalitarian Systems in the 20th Century: New Perspectives and Research Directions,” at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome on Oct. 28, 2026. | Credit: Dariusz Skrzyniarz/Instytut Pamięci Narodowej
He also criticized the tendency of countries to elevate the state and certain constructs in place of religion.“By elevating social class, race, or the state to the altar in God’s place, [totalitarian regimes] sacralized their ideological concepts and created political religions, with their own ‘liturgies,’ prophets, martyrs, and ethical norms,” Parolin added.
A new exhibit commemorating the 1966 celebration of the Baptism of Poland in A.D. 966 was launched at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome on Oct. 28, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News
Pius XII’s Vatican and the Nazi regimeAmong the topics discussed at the conference was the Holy See’s stance under Venerable Pius XII toward Nazi Germany during the Second World War, including the Holocaust.Parolin maintained that Pius XII condemned wars in a way “that would not provoke even greater persecution” and that he displayed “a diplomacy of charity on an unprecedented scale.” Others at the conference described the Church’s stance during this period as “sustainable.”
Pope Pius XII and Adolf Hitler. | Credit: Everett Historical/Shutterstock
“I would say that the Church, and the Holy See in particular, did what it considered possible and sustainable during the periods we have discussed, just as it does today,” said Father Nicola Spinato, a theologian from Padua, Italy.“The Holy See and the Church are not simply political actors competing within the political arena. Their role is pastoral and ecclesial,” Spinato added.Vatican totalitarian resistance under Vatican II and John Paul IIDuring the conference, several participants presented on the influence of the Second Vatican Council on the Holy See’s vocal resistance to totalitarian regimes.Spinato presented on how the Church, through the council, formulated its opposition to racism and all forms of discrimination.“The confrontation with the totalitarianism and racism of the 20th century contributed to the development of the Church’s social teaching,” Spinato said.Others noted St. John Paul II’s influence on Vatican diplomacy, particularly in Poland and Latin America.
The Church of Santo Spirito in Sassia has a side chapel dedicated to St. John Paul II. | Credit: Courtney Grogan/EWTN News
“John Paul II actively intervened to end dictatorships and to promote the return to democracy. From April 1-6, 1987, he visited Chile — a trip that would change the country’s history,” Gianni La Bella, a member of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, said.“Following John Paul’s pilgrimages to Poland in 1983 and 1987, efforts began to overcome the crisis. His influence and laws guaranteeing religious freedom paved the way for Poland and the Holy See to restore full diplomatic relations on July 17, 1989,” Father Albert Warso, a professor at John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, said.")
During the conference, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin also warned nations against the temptation to “be like God.”
Beyond The Beacon podcast 121: Parishes bring hope, love to Guatemala with mission trip #Catholic – 
Members of the parish communities of Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel in Cedar Knolls (Hanover Township) and Resurrection Parish in Randolph join the podcast to discuss a joint mission trip to Guatemala. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish co-host. These mission trip organizers and participants discuss the joys and spiritual rewards of the experience.
Guests include:
- Cristina Folan and her husband, Ken Folan. Christina Folan is the director of Communications & Evangelization for Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel, and the two help organize the mission trip for the parish along with Debbie White.
- Father Yojan Garcia, pastor of Resurrection Parish, who also serves as director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation for the Diocese of Paterson.
- Eric Kalos and Tyler Kalos – a Father and son who are parishioners of Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel.
- Terri Janosik, a parishioner at Resurrection Parish and co-coordinator of the mission trip for Resurrection Parish.
Listen or watch the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel.
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– Members of the parish communities of Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel in Cedar Knolls (Hanover Township) and Resurrection Parish in Randolph join the podcast to discuss a joint mission trip to Guatemala. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish co-host. These mission trip organizers and participants discuss the joys and spiritual rewards of the experience. Guests include: Cristina Folan and her husband, Ken Folan. Christina Folan is the director of Communications & Evangelization for Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel, and the two help organize the mission trip for the parish along with Debbie White. Father Yojan Garcia, pastor
Undecided Catholic voters a dependable but swing voting bloc, report finds #Catholic – 
WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Undecided Catholic voters are a swing voting bloc, but reliably show up to the polls, a new report found.
The report, conducted by Untold Research on behalf of Network, a Catholic social justice lobby, found “Catholics are swing voters in the truest sense of the term.” It found that just 4% of respondents who described themselves as Catholics and as undecided, uncommitted voters in this election cycle did not vote at all in the past three presidential elections.
Laurie Carafone, Network’s executive director, told OSV News in an interview the group commissioned the report because “many voters, including Catholic voters, are undecided even close to the election, and we wanted just to have a better insight into what issues and factors motivate undecided Catholic voters.”
The report, released Oct. 28, filtered focus-group participants for those who identified as Catholics and said they were undecided in the upcoming elections. Most of the respondents resided in Michigan, they said, a battleground state with a key Senate race ranked as a toss-up by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
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Catholics are a reliable voting bloc in terms of casting a ballot, the Network report found, but “what they offer in terms of dependability to show up at the polls, they lack in predictability for whom they will pull the lever.”
Nearly three-quarters of respondents said they have voted for both former President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump, “and majorities of uncommitted, undecided Catholics, as a whole, supported both presidents, despite the candidates’ vastly different policy priorities and approaches to governing,” the report said.
Data showing these voters “crossing party lines to vote over the past two decades,” shows they are “open to solutions from both parties,” Carafone said.
The Network report came after a recent Pew Research Center survey found that among all Catholics, 42% said that if the election were held today, they would vote for the Democrat in their House district, 39% said the Republican, while another 19% said they were unsure or would select another party’s candidate. But it also found white Catholics and Hispanic Catholics divide sharply over which party’s candidates they plan to support in the midterms.
Among white Catholics, the Pew survey found, 50% said they would support the Republican candidate, and 32% said the Democrat, with another 18% unsure. Among Hispanic Catholics, 59% said they would support the Democrat, 19% said the Republican candidate, and 21% said they were unsure.
Polls of the general public have consistently found that voters in the 2026 midterm elections report being most motivated by economic or cost-of-living issues. The Network report found undecided Catholic voters are also concerned about these issues, with 80% describing economic issues as having an influence in their decision-making, followed by healthcare at 78% and issues affecting older adults at 77%.
Carafone said the report found “these undecided Catholic voters that were surveyed care deeply about the issues that are at the heart of Catholic social teaching: feeding our families, caring for our loved ones, decent jobs with fair wages, just to name a few.”
“These are issues that are affecting voters and their communities across the country in a very real way,” she said.
Undecided and uncommitted Catholic voters who attend Mass more frequently, she added, “do stand out from the others in this survey group.”
The report found that group “decides whom to vote for later, and they do report stronger religious influence on their views and on the issues that are weighing most, especially if it involves family and children’s issues, and they do lean more Republican and name immigration and race as important issues for them,” she said.
The midterm elections are scheduled for Nov. 3. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement Oct. 14 reminding the faithful that “for citizens in a representative democracy such as our own, participation in public life — including voting — is both a right and a responsibility.”
Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X @kgscanlon.
– WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Undecided Catholic voters are a swing voting bloc, but reliably show up to the polls, a new report found. The report, conducted by Untold Research on behalf of Network, a Catholic social justice lobby, found “Catholics are swing voters in the truest sense of the term.” It found that just 4% of respondents who described themselves as Catholics and as undecided, uncommitted voters in this election cycle did not vote at all in the past three presidential elections. Laurie Carafone, Network’s executive director, told OSV News in an interview the group commissioned the report because “many
Election cycle will influence when pope heads to US, top Vatican diplomat says #Catholic – 
ROME (CNS) — The first U.S.-born pope is very much looking forward to eventually visiting his native country even as he prepares to head to Latin America — his seventh papal trip abroad after his election a year and a half ago, the Vatican foreign minister said.
“Obviously a visit to the United States is very likely, I would say, in the not-too-distant future,” said Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, at the foreign press club in Rome Oct. 27.
“Whether it’ll be ’27 or later, I really don’t know,” he said, since “one of the things that will influence it is eventually the American elections.”
Once the midterm elections are over this fall, then the window of opportunity might open in 2027, he said, adding that too late in the year will start being “the vigil of the presidential election, so that may affect an eventual decision on the date.”
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“But yes, there’s no doubt about it, the pope wants to go to the States; he very much is looking forward to that,” the British diplomat said during an hour-long conversation with reporters.
Pope Leo heads to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru Nov. 6-17, less than four weeks after he had lung cancer surgery that removed his lower right lobe. Doctors have said the pope’s recovery has been progressing well, no more cancer was detected and no further treatment was required.
Asked why the pope did not put off the trip, which will include multiple long flights and high altitudes, Archbishop Gallagher said, “He’s going on this trip very simply because he wants to go.”
“He was looking forward to it,” and given the positive clinical reports, “he feels he can go,” he said.
The archbishop said he, like the general public, was surprised when the pope announced in early October that doctors had found a nodule that then turned out to be cancerous.
When then 69-year-old Cardinal Robert F. Prevost was elected pontiff in 2025, he hit the ground running, the archbishop said. “I think there was a temptation to think, here we have Superman, the Super-Pope.”
“The fact that he has fallen ill, with, in many ways, one of the most common illnesses of our age, means that he is a poor mortal like the rest of us, and I think that that is going to change how we see him and possibly how he sees himself as well,” Archbishop Gallagher said, calling it “a bit of a game-changer” for this pontificate.
“But I don’t think it is going to be necessarily bringing things forward or accelerating things very much, at least not in the immediate future,” he said. “I think he will stick to his plan, and he will stick to revealing his plan” slowly, as he has done so far.
The journalist leading the conversation with the archbishop asked how the Roman Curia sees the U.S.-born pope and whether he is seen as “a no-nonsense American caped crusader with a math degree,” who is going to “fix all of the Vatican’s financial problems,” or whether he is too unfamiliar with the workings of Rome and the “curia will eventually eat him alive.”
Archbishop Gallagher said, “I think he is business-like in that way” and that “I’ve heard a number of people who are on the economic side of the Vatican’s finances saying it’s good to have a pope who can read a spreadsheet.”
“He is, in many ways, easier to work with at the human level,” he said, and the pope being an “English speaker makes some things easier.”
“I think Pope Leo really wants to get to grips with things,” and often asks follow-up questions, he said. “So, I don’t think the curia will eat him up. I think if there’s any indication of that, he will demonstrate that he too has an appetite.”
The Vatican foreign minister, who works closely with the pope and the Vatican’s Secretariat of State to keep the pope informed about global, regional and local events and then helps carry out the pope’s agenda, said he finds Pope Leo to be “extremely well informed.”
Every week, the archbishop meets with the pope to “go through my papers and mention things (and) nearly everything I say he knows already, which possibly is something I should examine my conscience about.”
“He obviously informs himself very well” during his very busy schedule, he said, and “I think he has a little bit of a natural touch for politics.”
One trait that distinguishes Pope Leo from his predecessors, said the archbishop, who has served under four popes since he joined the Vatican diplomatic service in 1984, “is that he always has this great serenity.”
“Even when he’s looking at the world scene, even when there are tensions or there are negative reactions to something that he has said or to what the Holy See has done, he’s really unfazed by all of that,” he said. “He’s only preaching the Gospel. He’s doing what he believes he has to do, in the way he believes he has to do, and he will go on in that way.”
– ROME (CNS) — The first U.S.-born pope is very much looking forward to eventually visiting his native country even as he prepares to head to Latin America — his seventh papal trip abroad after his election a year and a half ago, the Vatican foreign minister said. “Obviously a visit to the United States is very likely, I would say, in the not-too-distant future,” said Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, at the foreign press club in Rome Oct. 27. “Whether it’ll be ’27 or later, I really don’t know,” he said,
Spain and its Church in shock, grief after high-speed train collision leaves dozens dead #Catholic – 
TOLEDO, Spain (OSV News) — The Church in Spain expressed its sorrow and solidarity with the victims of an Oct. 28 train accident between Urda and Los Yébenes, near the historic town of Toledo, entrusting the deceased, the injured and their families to prayer.
Bishops, dioceses and religious congregations conveyed their condolences through social media and asked for comfort and strength for those affected after two high speed trains collided just before 9 a.m. near the ancient town that for centuries was the capital of Spain.
As of the early afternoon hours (EDT) of Oct. 28, 68 deaths have been reported, with hundreds injured, and the death toll expected to rise.
The Spanish bishops’ conference expressed its “condolences and closeness to the families of the victims” and said the bishops prayed “for the eternal rest of the deceased and for the recovery of the injured.”
The conference said the bishops joined “in the grief of those affected” and asked “for prayer in the celebrations of the Christian community for all the victims so that, under the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted and Queen of Peace, the Lord may grant the gift of life to the victims and hope to the families and those affected.”
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The bishops also prayed for “all those who work in emergency services, those who care for the injured and those who support the families of the victims.”
As the firefighters from the Alcázar de San Juan and Orgaz fire stations, Civil Protection from several surrounding towns, medical helicopters and mobile intensive care units were working at the scene, parish priests also rushed to assist the victims spiritually.
Parish facilities, Caritas at the service of victims
Father José Miguel Fernández, the parish priest of Urda, told Spanish Catholic media Alfa y Omega that the tragedy caught him at meetings in the offices of the Archdiocese of Toledo, where he immediately decided to come back to Urda.
He immediately contacted the town’s mayor and told the Spanish Catholic outlet that he has “offered the parish facilities for whatever is needed. Just as the parish Caritas organizations are available for anything necessary.”
Father Fernández, conveying the message to all the affected, said that “the first thing is to offer them encouragement and show them the support of the Church, the comfort of God.”
Toledo’s Archbishop Francisco Cerro of Toledo and Auxiliary Bishop César García Magán, secretary general of the bishops’ conference, said they “wish to express their deep concern and their closeness to all those affected.”
In a statement, the prelates entrusted “the victims and their families to the Lord.” They said they prayed “for those who have been injured and for all those who are experiencing moments of anguish and uncertainty as a result of this accident,” expressing their “recognition and gratitude to the emergency, health, and security services ,” and to all those “working to assist and care for those affected.”
The bishops also said that the archdiocesan branch of Caritas, and the parishes of Urda and Los Yébenes were at the service “to all those affected and their families to offer them the help, accompaniment, and support they may need in these difficult times.”
Spain in shock after third major accident in 2026
Spain was thrown into shock as news spread about the collision, which most likely was caused by a human error after electronic signaling went off and the train was allowed to proceed with a red signal in place.
In January when two high speed trains collided near Adamuz, more than 40 people died, and Spain was devastated to see another tragic accident days later when a train derailed near Barcelona.
The two trains that collided in the proximity of the old Spanish capital were carrying a total of 544 people on board and, according to The Guardian, were traveling in the same direction on the high-speed line from Madrid to Seville.
The king and queen of Spain said in a social media post that they “share in the grief of the families and loved ones of the deceased and send our best wishes to the injured and those affected.”
The royal household posted on X: “Our support also goes out to the emergency teams and all those working in the area to help in any way they can under these circumstances.”
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the country was “in mourning,” with Óscar Puente, the transport minister, pointing to a human error and “inexplicable” decision to order trains to go ahead full speed after a signalling failure.
Condolences from Church and state leaders
Bishop Ginés García Beltrán of Betafe expressed his sorrow and offered prayers for “the eternal rest of the deceased and the speedy recovery of the injured.” “May the Lord sustain and comfort those affected,” he added.
Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses of Seville, where the trains were headed, summarized his message in three words: “Prayer, closeness, and support” for the victims and their families, he said.
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, went on X to say: “In these very difficult hours, the Italian Government stands with Spain and the Spanish people.
“My thoughts — and those of our entire Government — are with the families of the victims, the injured, and all those working tirelessly in the rescue operations.”
Uruguay’s Foreign Ministry sent its “deepest condolences to the families of the victims, to the Government and the Spanish people,” with its Jordanian counterpart expressing “solidarity and full support with the government and people of Spain.”
Bishop José Ignacio Munilla of Orihuela-Alicante shared a prayer for the deceased: “Grant them, O Lord, eternal rest, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”
A version of this story was published in Spanish Catholic media Alfa y Omega and was republished through a partnership with OSV News.
– TOLEDO, Spain (OSV News) — The Church in Spain expressed its sorrow and solidarity with the victims of an Oct. 28 train accident between Urda and Los Yébenes, near the historic town of Toledo, entrusting the deceased, the injured and their families to prayer. Bishops, dioceses and religious congregations conveyed their condolences through social media and asked for comfort and strength for those affected after two high speed trains collided just before 9 a.m. near the ancient town that for centuries was the capital of Spain. As of the early afternoon hours (EDT) of Oct. 28, 68 deaths have been
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A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians
6:10-20
Brothers and sisters:
Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm
against the tactics of the Devil.
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood
but with the principalities, with the powers,
with the world rulers of this present darkness,
with the evil spirits in the heavens.
Therefore, put on the armor of God,
that you may be able to resist on the evil day
and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
So stand fast with your loins girded in truth,
clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,
and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace.
In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield,
to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.
With all prayer and supplication,
pray at every opportunity in the Spirit.
To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication
for all the holy ones and also for me,
that speech may be given me to open my mouth,
to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel
for which I am an ambassador in chains,
so that I may have the courage to speak as I must.
From the Gospel according to Luke
13:31-35
Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
“Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.”
He replied, “Go and tell that fox,
‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.’
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
What must I defend myself against? What must I do? “Put on the armour of God”, Paul tells us; that is, what belongs to God defends us, so that we may resist the devil’s wiles. (…) But this generation – and so many others – has been led to believe that the devil is a myth, a figure, an idea, the idea of evil. But the devil exists and we must fight against him. Paul says so, not me! The Word of God says so. But we are not entirely convinced. And then Paul describes what this armour of God is like, what the various parts are that make up this great armour of God. And he says: “Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth”. This is part of God’s armour: the truth. (…) The Christian life is a struggle, a beautiful struggle, because when the Lord triumphs at every stage of our lives, He gives us joy, great happiness: that joy that the Lord has brought about in us, through His freely-give gift of salvation. But yes, we are all a bit lazy, aren’t we, in the struggle, and we let ourselves be carried away by passion, by certain temptations. It is because we are all sinners! But do not lose heart. Take courage and be strong, for the Lord is with us. (Pope Francis, Homily at Santa Marta, 30 October 2014)
Read More
Cardinal Joseph Tobin will undergo surgery to remove a mass in a kidney, which will be examined by doctors. The archdiocese said doctors are optimistic about his outlook.
The Spanish Bishops’ Conference, along with numerous bishops and dioceses, expressed condolences and consternation following a railway tragedy that resulted in dozens of deaths.
A Pew Research Center report found that while religious practice in the U.S. has “remained stable” since 2020, a survey of young adults about religious practice found “mixed signals.”
![China-Vatican deal has imperfections, Vatican’s foreign minister says #Catholic Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, acknowledged the challenges of the Vatican-China deal on Tuesday.Speaking at an event with journalists in Rome, the British diplomat responded to questions regarding the agreement, Pope Leo XIV’s health, and calls for a ceasefire in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.The full text of the 2018 agreement between China and the Holy See has never been made public. Under the publicly understood terms of the agreement, the pope retains final authority over episcopal appointments in China and may reject candidates proposed by Beijing. The Holy See, for its part, agreed not to appoint bishops without the Chinese government’s prior approval.As reported by Reuters, Gallagher said that, regarding the agreement, its imperfections were visible.“Itʼs not easy, the dialogue is not easy,” Gallagher said. “The imperfections of the agreement are evident, but there is a commitment to persevere in dialogue … and that is what will continue to happen.”He also answered questions regarding a potential visit from Leo to the U.S., saying that it could happen “in the not too distant future.”Regarding the pope’s Oct. 13 surgery and subsequent recovery, Gallagher described it as a “bit of a game changer” and a revelation of the pope’s mortality, as with every human being.“[The pope] is a poor mortal like the rest of us,” Gallagher said.In August, Gallagher traveled to Russia to discuss the country’s ongoing war with Ukraine with senior officials. He told journalists that he did not believe the Vatican was involved in discussions of the ceasefire between the two nations.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/china-vatican-deal-has-imperfections-vaticans-foreign-minister-says-catholic-archbishop-paul-gallagher-the-vaticans-secretary-for-relations-with-states-and-international-organizat.jpg "China-Vatican deal has imperfections, Vatican’s foreign minister says #Catholic Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, acknowledged the challenges of the Vatican-China deal on Tuesday.Speaking at an event with journalists in Rome, the British diplomat responded to questions regarding the agreement, Pope Leo XIV’s health, and calls for a ceasefire in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.The full text of the 2018 agreement between China and the Holy See has never been made public. Under the publicly understood terms of the agreement, the pope retains final authority over episcopal appointments in China and may reject candidates proposed by Beijing. The Holy See, for its part, agreed not to appoint bishops without the Chinese government’s prior approval.As reported by Reuters, Gallagher said that, regarding the agreement, its imperfections were visible.“Itʼs not easy, the dialogue is not easy,” Gallagher said. “The imperfections of the agreement are evident, but there is a commitment to persevere in dialogue … and that is what will continue to happen.”He also answered questions regarding a potential visit from Leo to the U.S., saying that it could happen “in the not too distant future.”Regarding the pope’s Oct. 13 surgery and subsequent recovery, Gallagher described it as a “bit of a game changer” and a revelation of the pope’s mortality, as with every human being.“[The pope] is a poor mortal like the rest of us,” Gallagher said.In August, Gallagher traveled to Russia to discuss the country’s ongoing war with Ukraine with senior officials. He told journalists that he did not believe the Vatican was involved in discussions of the ceasefire between the two nations.")
Archbishop Paul Gallagher acknowledged the agreement’s challenges in a meeting with journalists in Rome.
![Passaic parish honors St. John Paul II at Mass #Catholic – The Shrine of St. John Paul II/Holy Rosary Parish in Passaic concluded a weeklong celebration of the beloved St. John Paul II on Oct. 25 with a Mass presided over by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. The Church observes St. John Paul II’s feast day on Oct. 22.
Father Stephen Las, pastor of Holy Rosary, which serves an active Polish community, and Father Michal Dykalski, a parochial vicar, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. The bishop’s visit also included Eucharistic adoration.
St. John Paul II is remembered for guiding the Catholic Church into a new millennium by championing human dignity, traditional moral values, and a vigorous, worldwide new evangelization.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/passaic-parish-honors-st-john-paul-ii-at-mass-catholic-the-shrine-of-st-john-paul-ii-holy-rosary-parish-in-passaic-concluded-a-weeklong-celebration-of-the-beloved-st-john-paul-ii-on-oct-25-with.jpg "Passaic parish honors St. John Paul II at Mass #Catholic – The Shrine of St. John Paul II/Holy Rosary Parish in Passaic concluded a weeklong celebration of the beloved St. John Paul II on Oct. 25 with a Mass presided over by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. The Church observes St. John Paul II’s feast day on Oct. 22.
Father Stephen Las, pastor of Holy Rosary, which serves an active Polish community, and Father Michal Dykalski, a parochial vicar, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. The bishop’s visit also included Eucharistic adoration.
St. John Paul II is remembered for guiding the Catholic Church into a new millennium by championing human dignity, traditional moral values, and a vigorous, worldwide new evangelization.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.")
Passaic parish honors St. John Paul II at Mass #Catholic – 
The Shrine of St. John Paul II/Holy Rosary Parish in Passaic concluded a weeklong celebration of the beloved St. John Paul II on Oct. 25 with a Mass presided over by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. The Church observes St. John Paul II’s feast day on Oct. 22.
Father Stephen Las, pastor of Holy Rosary, which serves an active Polish community, and Father Michal Dykalski, a parochial vicar, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. The bishop’s visit also included Eucharistic adoration.
St. John Paul II is remembered for guiding the Catholic Church into a new millennium by championing human dignity, traditional moral values, and a vigorous, worldwide new evangelization.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– The Shrine of St. John Paul II/Holy Rosary Parish in Passaic concluded a weeklong celebration of the beloved St. John Paul II on Oct. 25 with a Mass presided over by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. The Church observes St. John Paul II’s feast day on Oct. 22. Father Stephen Las, pastor of Holy Rosary, which serves an active Polish community, and Father Michal Dykalski, a parochial vicar, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. The bishop’s visit also included Eucharistic adoration. St. John Paul II is remembered for guiding the Catholic Church into a new millennium by championing human dignity, traditional
‘Alma Sana, Corazón Libre’ conference brings healing and renewal #Catholic – 
On Oct. 24 and 25, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the Paterson Diocese gathered at the St. Gerard Majella Parish gym in Paterson, N.J., for its Healing and Deliverance Conference, “Alma Sana, Corazón Libre” (Healthy Soul, Free Heart).
The weekend, held in Spanish, combined praise, Mass, preaching and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Father Alexis Coffi, parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, N.J., celebrated Mass and preached on the heart as the door that lets God in to transform our lives. Osvaldo Fernández led preaching and prayer. Father Yasid Salas, the Renewal’s spiritual director and pastor of St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., preached on how the soul is set free before Jesus in the Eucharist. Los Hijos Del Padre led the music.
Young people asked to join the Renewal, and others came forward to join a prayer group.
“The people left with a different glow: joyful, set free, healed,” said Teresa Amparo, coordinator of the Renewal in the diocese.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– On Oct. 24 and 25, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the Paterson Diocese gathered at the St. Gerard Majella Parish gym in Paterson, N.J., for its Healing and Deliverance Conference, “Alma Sana, Corazón Libre” (Healthy Soul, Free Heart). The weekend, held in Spanish, combined praise, Mass, preaching and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Father Alexis Coffi, parochial vicar of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, N.J., celebrated Mass and preached on the heart as the door that lets God in to transform our lives. Osvaldo Fernández led preaching and prayer. Father Yasid Salas, the Renewal’s spiritual director and pastor
The large sunshade of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor mission is inspected by a technician at BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems in Boulder, Colorado, in late July.
Read MoreThe Prospero satellite, which launched on Oct. 28, 1971, holds the distinction of being the first and only British satellite to be launched by a British rocket. (The first British satellite launched by any rocket had been Ariel 1, carried to space on a U.S. rocket in 1962.) British engineers developed the Black Arrow carrierContinue reading “Oct. 28, 1971: The U.K. launches a satellite”
The post Oct. 28, 1971: The U.K. launches a satellite appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More![Christian persecution worsened in 55% of countries assessed, report finds #Catholic LONDON — Oppression of Christians has worsened in 55% of countries assessed according to the latest report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) UK, without any country showing an improvement.“Persecuted and Forgotten?” outlines how Christians are being forced from their homes through conflict, extremism, and religiously motivated violence in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America between August 2024 and June 2026.
“Persecuted and Forgotten?” is Aid to the Church in Need UK’s latest report outlining the persecution of Christians in 18 selected countries, Oct. 27, 2026. | Credit: Elliot Hartley
According to research by ACN, 220 million Christians are directly exposed to persecution worldwide. The latest data from Pew Research Center indicates that anti-Christian harassment, ranging from verbal abuse to killings, occurred in 165 countries in 2023, up from 160 in 2021.At the launch of the report in Portcullis House, London, John Pontifex, head of press for ACN UK, told EWTN News: “By virtue of our shared faith, we identify, inevitably, particularly strongly, with those of our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, and we recognize that itʼs an accident of birth that sees them in that situation of persecution and us in a situation of much greater liberty.”He added: “There are Christians that suffer persecution in more countries than is the case with any other faith group. Up to 165 countries are those where Christians suffer from discrimination, oppression, or persecution. Thatʼs far more than any other religious group, so we need to share their story, and to tell people, our friends, our family, our parish, our [politicians].”The report outlines how the persecution of Christians by authoritarian regimes has grown to unprecedented levels in countries where there is an anti-West sentiment. Chinese authorities have intensified their oppression of Christians, as they aim to align religious doctrine more closely with communist principles. This has led to mass detentions, clergy being jailed on legal technicalities, churches closing, and online religious content being controlled.The report tells of the persecution in Nicaragua, where the regime increased its crackdown on Christians, arresting and exiling clergy, preventing ordinations, seizing Church institutions, and preventing people entering the country with Bibles. The report also outlines how the arrests of Christians doubled within 12 months in Iran, as crackdowns have intensified.“Weʼre calling on all countries around the world and the U.N. to fully implement Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrines religious freedom,” Pontifex said. “Weʼre not calling for special treatment but simply calling for people to band together, to stop acts of oppression — be it people being kidnapped for their faith, be it people being forced from their jobs for reasons to do with their faith … And indeed, for those who are unfairly tried and sentenced to life imprisonment, for crimes theyʼve not committed,” he said. “Like blasphemy laws, which are arbitrarily enforced. And then recognizing there are people who are often asked to pay the ultimate price. This should stop.”Sub-Saharan Africa was one particular area of focus, listing Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as territories with the worst extremist attacks since the height of the Daesh (ISIS) violence in the Middle East.The report outlines how jihadist violence in the Sahel region has led to militant groups now controlling 40% of the country. “They often coerce villagers to follow Islamic customs, making women veil their faces in public and men grow beards. Those who refuse are expelled or even publicly executed. Where insurgents allow Christians to practice their faith, this is restricted to inside churches, and it cannot be taught to children,” Pontifex explained.
Attendees at the launch of the Aid to the Church UK’s report “Persecuted and Forgotten?” in Portcullis House, London, Oct. 27, 2026.| Credit: Elliot Hartley
Speaking to the conference about the Christians suffering from this oppression, Caroline Hull, national director of ACN UK, said: “These are people just like you and me. If someone said, ‘Will you give up your faith or I will take your children?’
what would you do? If someone said, ‘Iʼll let you get out of prison if you turn your back on Jesus Christ’? These are fair questions to ask ourselves, and we need to remember that these are people just like us.”In October 2025, receiving an ACN delegation, Pope Leo XIV declared that religious freedom is “a cornerstone of any just society for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be informed and exercised… Religious freedom, therefore, is not merely a legal right or a privilege to us granted by governments; it is a foundational condition that makes reconciliation possible.”ACN is a Catholic charity founded to help Christians in need where they are persecuted, oppressed, or in pastoral need through support, charitable work, and generating awareness.On Nov. 18, ACN will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its #RedWednesday campaign, which raises awareness about the persecution of Christians worldwide.The full report is available to read here.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/christian-persecution-worsened-in-55-of-countries-assessed-report-finds-catholic-london-oppression-of-christians-has-worsened-in-55-of-countries-assessed-according-to-the-latest-report-fro-scaled.jpg "Christian persecution worsened in 55% of countries assessed, report finds #Catholic LONDON — Oppression of Christians has worsened in 55% of countries assessed according to the latest report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) UK, without any country showing an improvement.“Persecuted and Forgotten?” outlines how Christians are being forced from their homes through conflict, extremism, and religiously motivated violence in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America between August 2024 and June 2026.
“Persecuted and Forgotten?” is Aid to the Church in Need UK’s latest report outlining the persecution of Christians in 18 selected countries, Oct. 27, 2026. | Credit: Elliot Hartley
According to research by ACN, 220 million Christians are directly exposed to persecution worldwide. The latest data from Pew Research Center indicates that anti-Christian harassment, ranging from verbal abuse to killings, occurred in 165 countries in 2023, up from 160 in 2021.At the launch of the report in Portcullis House, London, John Pontifex, head of press for ACN UK, told EWTN News: “By virtue of our shared faith, we identify, inevitably, particularly strongly, with those of our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, and we recognize that itʼs an accident of birth that sees them in that situation of persecution and us in a situation of much greater liberty.”He added: “There are Christians that suffer persecution in more countries than is the case with any other faith group. Up to 165 countries are those where Christians suffer from discrimination, oppression, or persecution. Thatʼs far more than any other religious group, so we need to share their story, and to tell people, our friends, our family, our parish, our [politicians].”The report outlines how the persecution of Christians by authoritarian regimes has grown to unprecedented levels in countries where there is an anti-West sentiment. Chinese authorities have intensified their oppression of Christians, as they aim to align religious doctrine more closely with communist principles. This has led to mass detentions, clergy being jailed on legal technicalities, churches closing, and online religious content being controlled.The report tells of the persecution in Nicaragua, where the regime increased its crackdown on Christians, arresting and exiling clergy, preventing ordinations, seizing Church institutions, and preventing people entering the country with Bibles. The report also outlines how the arrests of Christians doubled within 12 months in Iran, as crackdowns have intensified.“Weʼre calling on all countries around the world and the U.N. to fully implement Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrines religious freedom,” Pontifex said. “Weʼre not calling for special treatment but simply calling for people to band together, to stop acts of oppression — be it people being kidnapped for their faith, be it people being forced from their jobs for reasons to do with their faith … And indeed, for those who are unfairly tried and sentenced to life imprisonment, for crimes theyʼve not committed,” he said. “Like blasphemy laws, which are arbitrarily enforced. And then recognizing there are people who are often asked to pay the ultimate price. This should stop.”Sub-Saharan Africa was one particular area of focus, listing Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as territories with the worst extremist attacks since the height of the Daesh (ISIS) violence in the Middle East.The report outlines how jihadist violence in the Sahel region has led to militant groups now controlling 40% of the country. “They often coerce villagers to follow Islamic customs, making women veil their faces in public and men grow beards. Those who refuse are expelled or even publicly executed. Where insurgents allow Christians to practice their faith, this is restricted to inside churches, and it cannot be taught to children,” Pontifex explained.
Attendees at the launch of the Aid to the Church UK’s report “Persecuted and Forgotten?” in Portcullis House, London, Oct. 27, 2026.| Credit: Elliot Hartley
Speaking to the conference about the Christians suffering from this oppression, Caroline Hull, national director of ACN UK, said: “These are people just like you and me. If someone said, ‘Will you give up your faith or I will take your children?’
what would you do? If someone said, ‘Iʼll let you get out of prison if you turn your back on Jesus Christ’? These are fair questions to ask ourselves, and we need to remember that these are people just like us.”In October 2025, receiving an ACN delegation, Pope Leo XIV declared that religious freedom is “a cornerstone of any just society for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be informed and exercised… Religious freedom, therefore, is not merely a legal right or a privilege to us granted by governments; it is a foundational condition that makes reconciliation possible.”ACN is a Catholic charity founded to help Christians in need where they are persecuted, oppressed, or in pastoral need through support, charitable work, and generating awareness.On Nov. 18, ACN will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its #RedWednesday campaign, which raises awareness about the persecution of Christians worldwide.The full report is available to read here.")
Aid to the Church in Need’s new report ““Persecuted and Forgotten?” outlines how Christians were persecuted in 18 countries across the globe between August 2024 and June 2026.
Almighty and Eternal God,
Give me, I beseech You,
the great gift of inward peace.
Command the winds and storms
of my unruly passions.
Subdue, by Your grace,
my proneness to love
created things too much.
Give me a love of suffering for Your sake.
make me forbearing and kind to others,
that I may avoid quarrels and contentions.
And teach me constantly to seek after
and to acquire that perfect resignation
to Your Holy Will
which alone brings interior peace.
Amen.
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