Day: October 8, 2025

Seminarian a step from priesthood with Rome diaconal ordination #Catholic - Deacon Lucas Folan, a seminarian from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, studying in Rome, called his ordination to the diaconate on Oct. 2, alongside 15 other seminarians from the United States, a “gift of God’s love” that will help him “draw people to God.” Deacon Folan’s ordination as a temporary deacon, held at the Altar of St. Peter’s Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, marks his last step before being ordained to the diocesan priesthood next year. At 26, Deacon Folan, whose home parish is Notre Dame of Mount Carmel in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, was ordained by Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt of the Diocese of Grand Island, Neb. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was one of the concelebrants, along with priests from the diocese. Additionally, he assisted in vesting Deacon Folan in his stole and dalmatic during the Rite of Ordination at the Mass, which was livestreamed on EWTN. Deacon Folan recently started his fourth year of theology studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Bishop Sweeney participated in his ordination as part of a diocesan pilgrimage he was leading to Assisi and Rome, from Sept. 26 to Oct. 4 in observance of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, which the Universal Church is celebrating. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “I feel at peace. My ordination is a gift of God’s love. I am called to draw people to God. My duties as a deacon include preaching. However, my ordination is about transforming my soul so everything I do becomes a diaconal activity,” Deacon Folan said. “I’m happy that Bishop Sweeney was there to participate in the Mass and vest me.” Deacon Folan comes from an Irish-Hispanic family, and his fluent in Spanish. He has assisted with Spanish Masses at some parishes he served for summer assignments, including Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Boonton, N.J., and Our Lady of Victories/Our Lady of Lourdes in Paterson, N.J. His mother, Cristina Folan, is Colombian and serves as Notre Dame’s director of communications and evangelization. Cristina Folan, her husband, Ken, and their two other children, Mitchell and Teresa, were among the 1,200 friends and family members of the 16 deacons who attended the ordination Mass. On social media, Bishop Sweeney called Deacon Lucas’ ordination Mass in St. Peter’s a “beautiful and powerful, prayerful experience.” “God bless our diocesan seminarian, Deacon Lucas,” Bishop Sweeney said. The next day, Oct. 3, Bishop Sweeney was the main celebrant of a Mass at St. Mary Major in Rome, where Deacon Lucas first preached as a deacon. On social media, the bishop posted, “He did a wonderful job.” Deacon Folan has been involved in service in the seminary in Rome. During his first academic year there, he served lunch once a week to visitors at a refugee center located in a Jesuit church. This year, like last year, he is part of a five-person team that serves as chaplains to the study abroad program of St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y. Before heading to Rome in 2023, Deacon Folan completed studies in philosophy and pre-theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University in South Orange. Last summer, Deacon Lucas served at Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J. During his summer assignment, he led a few pastoral initiatives, including a book club and spiritual reflections. Father Cesar Jaramillo, the current pastor of the parish, concelebrated the ordination Mass of the deacon and the Mass of Thanksgiving, at which Deacon Lucas preached for the first time. On social media, Father Jaramillo called Deacon Lucas’ ordination “a joyful and momentous step on his journey to the priesthood.” The priest recalled his own ordination to the diaconate nine years ago under the dome of St. Peter’s. He said he was glad to represent Holy Spirit Parish and School, conveying the parishioners’ love and support for Deacon Lucas. “Deacon Lucas already has the heart of Christ the Servant, and through his preaching and service at the altar, he will continue to cultivate the virtues necessary for a fruitful ministry,” Father Jaramillo said. “Let us keep Deacon Lucas and his classmates in our prayers as they prepare for ordination to the priesthood, and let us continue to pray for more young men to answer the call to give their lives in service to Christ and to his Church.” Father Cesar Jaramillo contributed to this article. [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
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Seminarian a step from priesthood with Rome diaconal ordination #Catholic – Deacon Lucas Folan, a seminarian from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, studying in Rome, called his ordination to the diaconate on Oct. 2, alongside 15 other seminarians from the United States, a “gift of God’s love” that will help him “draw people to God.” Deacon Folan’s ordination as a temporary deacon, held at the Altar of St. Peter’s Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, marks his last step before being ordained to the diocesan priesthood next year. At 26, Deacon Folan, whose home parish is Notre Dame of Mount Carmel in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, was ordained by Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt of the Diocese of Grand Island, Neb. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was one of the concelebrants, along with priests from the diocese. Additionally, he assisted in vesting Deacon Folan in his stole and dalmatic during the Rite of Ordination at the Mass, which was livestreamed on EWTN. Deacon Folan recently started his fourth year of theology studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Bishop Sweeney participated in his ordination as part of a diocesan pilgrimage he was leading to Assisi and Rome, from Sept. 26 to Oct. 4 in observance of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, which the Universal Church is celebrating. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “I feel at peace. My ordination is a gift of God’s love. I am called to draw people to God. My duties as a deacon include preaching. However, my ordination is about transforming my soul so everything I do becomes a diaconal activity,” Deacon Folan said. “I’m happy that Bishop Sweeney was there to participate in the Mass and vest me.” Deacon Folan comes from an Irish-Hispanic family, and his fluent in Spanish. He has assisted with Spanish Masses at some parishes he served for summer assignments, including Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Boonton, N.J., and Our Lady of Victories/Our Lady of Lourdes in Paterson, N.J. His mother, Cristina Folan, is Colombian and serves as Notre Dame’s director of communications and evangelization. Cristina Folan, her husband, Ken, and their two other children, Mitchell and Teresa, were among the 1,200 friends and family members of the 16 deacons who attended the ordination Mass. On social media, Bishop Sweeney called Deacon Lucas’ ordination Mass in St. Peter’s a “beautiful and powerful, prayerful experience.” “God bless our diocesan seminarian, Deacon Lucas,” Bishop Sweeney said. The next day, Oct. 3, Bishop Sweeney was the main celebrant of a Mass at St. Mary Major in Rome, where Deacon Lucas first preached as a deacon. On social media, the bishop posted, “He did a wonderful job.” Deacon Folan has been involved in service in the seminary in Rome. During his first academic year there, he served lunch once a week to visitors at a refugee center located in a Jesuit church. This year, like last year, he is part of a five-person team that serves as chaplains to the study abroad program of St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y. Before heading to Rome in 2023, Deacon Folan completed studies in philosophy and pre-theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University in South Orange. Last summer, Deacon Lucas served at Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J. During his summer assignment, he led a few pastoral initiatives, including a book club and spiritual reflections. Father Cesar Jaramillo, the current pastor of the parish, concelebrated the ordination Mass of the deacon and the Mass of Thanksgiving, at which Deacon Lucas preached for the first time. On social media, Father Jaramillo called Deacon Lucas’ ordination “a joyful and momentous step on his journey to the priesthood.” The priest recalled his own ordination to the diaconate nine years ago under the dome of St. Peter’s. He said he was glad to represent Holy Spirit Parish and School, conveying the parishioners’ love and support for Deacon Lucas. “Deacon Lucas already has the heart of Christ the Servant, and through his preaching and service at the altar, he will continue to cultivate the virtues necessary for a fruitful ministry,” Father Jaramillo said. “Let us keep Deacon Lucas and his classmates in our prayers as they prepare for ordination to the priesthood, and let us continue to pray for more young men to answer the call to give their lives in service to Christ and to his Church.” Father Cesar Jaramillo contributed to this article. [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

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Seminarian a step from priesthood with Rome diaconal ordination #Catholic –

Deacon Lucas Folan, a seminarian from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, studying in Rome, called his ordination to the diaconate on Oct. 2, alongside 15 other seminarians from the United States, a “gift of God’s love” that will help him “draw people to God.” Deacon Folan’s ordination as a temporary deacon, held at the Altar of St. Peter’s Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, marks his last step before being ordained to the diocesan priesthood next year.

At 26, Deacon Folan, whose home parish is Notre Dame of Mount Carmel in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, was ordained by Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt of the Diocese of Grand Island, Neb. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was one of the concelebrants, along with priests from the diocese. Additionally, he assisted in vesting Deacon Folan in his stole and dalmatic during the Rite of Ordination at the Mass, which was livestreamed on EWTN.

Deacon Folan recently started his fourth year of theology studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Bishop Sweeney participated in his ordination as part of a diocesan pilgrimage he was leading to Assisi and Rome, from Sept. 26 to Oct. 4 in observance of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, which the Universal Church is celebrating.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“I feel at peace. My ordination is a gift of God’s love. I am called to draw people to God. My duties as a deacon include preaching. However, my ordination is about transforming my soul so everything I do becomes a diaconal activity,” Deacon Folan said. “I’m happy that Bishop Sweeney was there to participate in the Mass and vest me.”

Deacon Folan comes from an Irish-Hispanic family, and his fluent in Spanish. He has assisted with Spanish Masses at some parishes he served for summer assignments, including Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Boonton, N.J., and Our Lady of Victories/Our Lady of Lourdes in Paterson, N.J. His mother, Cristina Folan, is Colombian and serves as Notre Dame’s director of communications and evangelization.

Cristina Folan, her husband, Ken, and their two other children, Mitchell and Teresa, were among the 1,200 friends and family members of the 16 deacons who attended the ordination Mass.

On social media, Bishop Sweeney called Deacon Lucas’ ordination Mass in St. Peter’s a “beautiful and powerful, prayerful experience.”

“God bless our diocesan seminarian, Deacon Lucas,” Bishop Sweeney said.

The next day, Oct. 3, Bishop Sweeney was the main celebrant of a Mass at St. Mary Major in Rome, where Deacon Lucas first preached as a deacon. On social media, the bishop posted, “He did a wonderful job.”

Deacon Folan has been involved in service in the seminary in Rome. During his first academic year there, he served lunch once a week to visitors at a refugee center located in a Jesuit church. This year, like last year, he is part of a five-person team that serves as chaplains to the study abroad program of St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y.

Before heading to Rome in 2023, Deacon Folan completed studies in philosophy and pre-theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University in South Orange.

Last summer, Deacon Lucas served at Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J. During his summer assignment, he led a few pastoral initiatives, including a book club and spiritual reflections.

Father Cesar Jaramillo, the current pastor of the parish, concelebrated the ordination Mass of the deacon and the Mass of Thanksgiving, at which Deacon Lucas preached for the first time.

On social media, Father Jaramillo called Deacon Lucas’ ordination “a joyful and momentous step on his journey to the priesthood.” The priest recalled his own ordination to the diaconate nine years ago under the dome of St. Peter’s. He said he was glad to represent Holy Spirit Parish and School, conveying the parishioners’ love and support for Deacon Lucas.

“Deacon Lucas already has the heart of Christ the Servant, and through his preaching and service at the altar, he will continue to cultivate the virtues necessary for a fruitful ministry,” Father Jaramillo said. “Let us keep Deacon Lucas and his classmates in our prayers as they prepare for ordination to the priesthood, and let us continue to pray for more young men to answer the call to give their lives in service to Christ and to his Church.”

Father Cesar Jaramillo contributed to this article.

[See image gallery at beaconnj.org] – Deacon Lucas Folan, a seminarian from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, studying in Rome, called his ordination to the diaconate on Oct. 2, alongside 15 other seminarians from the United States, a “gift of God’s love” that will help him “draw people to God.” Deacon Folan’s ordination as a temporary deacon, held at the Altar of St. Peter’s Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, marks his last step before being ordained to the diocesan priesthood next year. At 26, Deacon Folan, whose home parish is Notre Dame of Mount Carmel in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township,

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Help prevent child sexual abuse as a facilitator #Catholic – The Office of Child and Youth Protection of the Paterson Diocese is looking for volunteer facilitators to conduct ongoing awareness sessions to help employees, volunteers, and parents of the diocese prevent child sexual abuse. The next six-hour facilitator training will be held on Friday, Nov. 14 starting at 9 a.m. at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. Using VIRTUS program materials provided by the diocese, facilitators show two 35-minute videos with information on child protection during each awareness session. Then, they help participants — faithful who work with or minister to children or vulnerable people — through a workbook on the subject. Facilitators also encourage discussion among the participants by reviewing materials and answering questions from a provided workbook. Participants learn about the context and reality of abuse, acquire tools to prevent it, and get inspired to become part of the solution. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sessions last three hours and are held in the facilitator’s parish, neighboring parish, or another location. Twenty to 60 people attend the sessions. The facilitator might spend additional time securing VIRTUS materials, setting up for the presentation, traveling to and from the location, and answering questions. “Facilitators help safeguard childhoods and create a better and safer world for children and the vulnerable,” said Eric Wilson, director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection, which he called a “vital ministry for our diocese to help create and maintain safe ministries and help people learn ways to advocate for and protect children, the vulnerable, and survivors.” A facilitator should have strong verbal and presentation skills. A facilitator should be engaging enough so that people feel they can speak freely, have patience for questions and concerns, have empathy for the participants and their issues, and be able to keep a steady, professional demeanor throughout the session. “We look for someone who can create a conversation with others and has a passion for protecting children,” Wilsusen said. A facilitator must know how to run a television, DVR, or laptop computer and how to use the Internet to access their continued training. They must understand and speak fluent English. A person who can speak other languages can also be an excellent facilitator. The number of sessions each facilitator will conduct each year depends on the number of facilitators and the number of participants in the diocese. For the first year, training to become a facilitator requires a day of training or about six hours. More preparation time is needed before his or her first session in addition to nine hours of continued training online annually. For more information or to volunteer to be a facilitator, call Eric Wilsusen at 973-777-8818 ext. 257 or email him at ewilsusen@patersondiocese.org  
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Help prevent child sexual abuse as a facilitator #Catholic – The Office of Child and Youth Protection of the Paterson Diocese is looking for volunteer facilitators to conduct ongoing awareness sessions to help employees, volunteers, and parents of the diocese prevent child sexual abuse. The next six-hour facilitator training will be held on Friday, Nov. 14 starting at 9 a.m. at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. Using VIRTUS program materials provided by the diocese, facilitators show two 35-minute videos with information on child protection during each awareness session. Then, they help participants — faithful who work with or minister to children or vulnerable people — through a workbook on the subject. Facilitators also encourage discussion among the participants by reviewing materials and answering questions from a provided workbook. Participants learn about the context and reality of abuse, acquire tools to prevent it, and get inspired to become part of the solution. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sessions last three hours and are held in the facilitator’s parish, neighboring parish, or another location. Twenty to 60 people attend the sessions. The facilitator might spend additional time securing VIRTUS materials, setting up for the presentation, traveling to and from the location, and answering questions. “Facilitators help safeguard childhoods and create a better and safer world for children and the vulnerable,” said Eric Wilson, director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection, which he called a “vital ministry for our diocese to help create and maintain safe ministries and help people learn ways to advocate for and protect children, the vulnerable, and survivors.” A facilitator should have strong verbal and presentation skills. A facilitator should be engaging enough so that people feel they can speak freely, have patience for questions and concerns, have empathy for the participants and their issues, and be able to keep a steady, professional demeanor throughout the session. “We look for someone who can create a conversation with others and has a passion for protecting children,” Wilsusen said. A facilitator must know how to run a television, DVR, or laptop computer and how to use the Internet to access their continued training. They must understand and speak fluent English. A person who can speak other languages can also be an excellent facilitator. The number of sessions each facilitator will conduct each year depends on the number of facilitators and the number of participants in the diocese. For the first year, training to become a facilitator requires a day of training or about six hours. More preparation time is needed before his or her first session in addition to nine hours of continued training online annually. For more information or to volunteer to be a facilitator, call Eric Wilsusen at 973-777-8818 ext. 257 or email him at ewilsusen@patersondiocese.org  

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Help prevent child sexual abuse as a facilitator #Catholic –

The Office of Child and Youth Protection of the Paterson Diocese is looking for volunteer facilitators to conduct ongoing awareness sessions to help employees, volunteers, and parents of the diocese prevent child sexual abuse. The next six-hour facilitator training will be held on Friday, Nov. 14 starting at 9 a.m. at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J.

Using VIRTUS program materials provided by the diocese, facilitators show two 35-minute videos with information on child protection during each awareness session. Then, they help participants — faithful who work with or minister to children or vulnerable people — through a workbook on the subject.

Facilitators also encourage discussion among the participants by reviewing materials and answering questions from a provided workbook. Participants learn about the context and reality of abuse, acquire tools to prevent it, and get inspired to become part of the solution.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Sessions last three hours and are held in the facilitator’s parish, neighboring parish, or another location. Twenty to 60 people attend the sessions. The facilitator might spend additional time securing VIRTUS materials, setting up for the presentation, traveling to and from the location, and answering questions.

“Facilitators help safeguard childhoods and create a better and safer world for children and the vulnerable,” said Eric Wilson, director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection, which he called a “vital ministry for our diocese to help create and maintain safe ministries and help people learn ways to advocate for and protect children, the vulnerable, and survivors.”

A facilitator should have strong verbal and presentation skills. A facilitator should be engaging enough so that people feel they can speak freely, have patience for questions and concerns, have empathy for the participants and their issues, and be able to keep a steady, professional demeanor throughout the session.

“We look for someone who can create a conversation with others and has a passion for protecting children,” Wilsusen said.

A facilitator must know how to run a television, DVR, or laptop computer and how to use the Internet to access their continued training. They must understand and speak fluent English. A person who can speak other languages can also be an excellent facilitator.

The number of sessions each facilitator will conduct each year depends on the number of facilitators and the number of participants in the diocese.

For the first year, training to become a facilitator requires a day of training or about six hours. More preparation time is needed before his or her first session in addition to nine hours of continued training online annually.

For more information or to volunteer to be a facilitator, call Eric Wilsusen at 973-777-8818 ext. 257 or email him at ewilsusen@patersondiocese.org

 

– The Office of Child and Youth Protection of the Paterson Diocese is looking for volunteer facilitators to conduct ongoing awareness sessions to help employees, volunteers, and parents of the diocese prevent child sexual abuse. The next six-hour facilitator training will be held on Friday, Nov. 14 starting at 9 a.m. at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. Using VIRTUS program materials provided by the diocese, facilitators show two 35-minute videos with information on child protection during each awareness session. Then, they help participants — faithful who work with or minister to children or vulnerable people — through a

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Native American group loses religious freedom appeal at Supreme Court #Catholic On Oct. 6, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a rehearing of the case filed by Apache Stronghold, a coalition of Native Americans and their supporters, that would have prevented the sale of a Native American sacred site to a mining company. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Becket CNA Staff, Oct 8, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA). A Native American group working to stop the destruction of a centuries-old religious ritual site has lost a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the transfer and obliteration of the Arizona parcel.The Supreme Court in an unsigned order on Oct. 6 said Apache Stronghold’s petition for a rehearing had been denied. The court did not give a reason for the denial.Justice Neil Gorsuch would have granted the request, the order noted. Justice Samuel Alito, meanwhile, “took no part in the consideration or decision” of the order. The denial likely deals a death blow to the Apache group’s attempts to halt the destruction of Oak Flat, which has been viewed as a sacred site by Apaches and other Native American groups for hundreds of years and has been used extensively for religious rituals. The federal government is selling the land to the multinational Resolution Copper company, which plans to destroy the site as part of a copper mining operation. The coalition had brought the lawsuit to the Supreme Court earlier this year under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, arguing that the sale of the site would violate the decades-old federal statute restricting the government’s ability to encroach on religious liberty. The high court in May refused to hear the case. Gorsuch dissented from that decision as well, arguing that the court “should at least have troubled itself to hear [the] case” before “allowing the government to destroy the Apaches’ sacred site.”Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the May ruling as well, though he did not add his dissent to the Oct. 6 denial of the appeal. In a statement, Apache Stronghold said that while the decision was "deeply disappointing, the fight to protect Oak Flat is far from over." The group vowed to "continue pressing our cases in the lower courts.""Oak Flat deserves the same respect and protection this country has long given to other places of worship," the group said. The coalition has garnered support from major Catholic backers in its religious liberty bid. Last year the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joined an amicus brief arguing that lower court decisions allowing the sale of Oak Flat represent “a grave misunderstanding” of religious freedom law. The Knights of Columbus similarly filed a brief in support of the Apaches, arguing that the decision to allow the property to be mined applies an “atextual constraint” to the federal religious freedom law with “no grounding in the statute itself.”Though Apache Stronghold appears to have exhausted its legal options, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit said on Aug. 18 that the Oak Flat site would not be transferred to Resolution Copper amid emergency petitions from the San Carlos Apache Tribe as well as the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition. That dispute is still playing out at federal court.
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Native American group loses religious freedom appeal at Supreme Court #Catholic On Oct. 6, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a rehearing of the case filed by Apache Stronghold, a coalition of Native Americans and their supporters, that would have prevented the sale of a Native American sacred site to a mining company. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Becket CNA Staff, Oct 8, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA). A Native American group working to stop the destruction of a centuries-old religious ritual site has lost a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the transfer and obliteration of the Arizona parcel.The Supreme Court in an unsigned order on Oct. 6 said Apache Stronghold’s petition for a rehearing had been denied. The court did not give a reason for the denial.Justice Neil Gorsuch would have granted the request, the order noted. Justice Samuel Alito, meanwhile, “took no part in the consideration or decision” of the order. The denial likely deals a death blow to the Apache group’s attempts to halt the destruction of Oak Flat, which has been viewed as a sacred site by Apaches and other Native American groups for hundreds of years and has been used extensively for religious rituals. The federal government is selling the land to the multinational Resolution Copper company, which plans to destroy the site as part of a copper mining operation. The coalition had brought the lawsuit to the Supreme Court earlier this year under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, arguing that the sale of the site would violate the decades-old federal statute restricting the government’s ability to encroach on religious liberty. The high court in May refused to hear the case. Gorsuch dissented from that decision as well, arguing that the court “should at least have troubled itself to hear [the] case” before “allowing the government to destroy the Apaches’ sacred site.”Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the May ruling as well, though he did not add his dissent to the Oct. 6 denial of the appeal. In a statement, Apache Stronghold said that while the decision was “deeply disappointing, the fight to protect Oak Flat is far from over.” The group vowed to “continue pressing our cases in the lower courts.””Oak Flat deserves the same respect and protection this country has long given to other places of worship,” the group said. The coalition has garnered support from major Catholic backers in its religious liberty bid. Last year the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joined an amicus brief arguing that lower court decisions allowing the sale of Oak Flat represent “a grave misunderstanding” of religious freedom law. The Knights of Columbus similarly filed a brief in support of the Apaches, arguing that the decision to allow the property to be mined applies an “atextual constraint” to the federal religious freedom law with “no grounding in the statute itself.”Though Apache Stronghold appears to have exhausted its legal options, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit said on Aug. 18 that the Oak Flat site would not be transferred to Resolution Copper amid emergency petitions from the San Carlos Apache Tribe as well as the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition. That dispute is still playing out at federal court.

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On Oct. 6, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a rehearing of the case filed by Apache Stronghold, a coalition of Native Americans and their supporters, that would have prevented the sale of a Native American sacred site to a mining company. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Becket

CNA Staff, Oct 8, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

A Native American group working to stop the destruction of a centuries-old religious ritual site has lost a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the transfer and obliteration of the Arizona parcel.

The Supreme Court in an unsigned order on Oct. 6 said Apache Stronghold’s petition for a rehearing had been denied. The court did not give a reason for the denial.

Justice Neil Gorsuch would have granted the request, the order noted. Justice Samuel Alito, meanwhile, “took no part in the consideration or decision” of the order. 

The denial likely deals a death blow to the Apache group’s attempts to halt the destruction of Oak Flat, which has been viewed as a sacred site by Apaches and other Native American groups for hundreds of years and has been used extensively for religious rituals. 

The federal government is selling the land to the multinational Resolution Copper company, which plans to destroy the site as part of a copper mining operation. 

The coalition had brought the lawsuit to the Supreme Court earlier this year under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, arguing that the sale of the site would violate the decades-old federal statute restricting the government’s ability to encroach on religious liberty. 

The high court in May refused to hear the case. Gorsuch dissented from that decision as well, arguing that the court “should at least have troubled itself to hear [the] case” before “allowing the government to destroy the Apaches’ sacred site.”

Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the May ruling as well, though he did not add his dissent to the Oct. 6 denial of the appeal. 

In a statement, Apache Stronghold said that while the decision was “deeply disappointing, the fight to protect Oak Flat is far from over.”

The group vowed to “continue pressing our cases in the lower courts.”

“Oak Flat deserves the same respect and protection this country has long given to other places of worship,” the group said.

The coalition has garnered support from major Catholic backers in its religious liberty bid. Last year the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joined an amicus brief arguing that lower court decisions allowing the sale of Oak Flat represent “a grave misunderstanding” of religious freedom law. 

The Knights of Columbus similarly filed a brief in support of the Apaches, arguing that the decision to allow the property to be mined applies an “atextual constraint” to the federal religious freedom law with “no grounding in the statute itself.”

Though Apache Stronghold appears to have exhausted its legal options, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit said on Aug. 18 that the Oak Flat site would not be transferred to Resolution Copper amid emergency petitions from the San Carlos Apache Tribe as well as the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition. That dispute is still playing out at federal court.

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