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U.S. bishops celebrate pro-life pregnancy centers for Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is marking Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week by celebrating the work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers, which offer life-affirming support to pregnant women and mothers of young children in need.“We express our sincere gratitude for all those who work to provide necessary resources to women, babies, and families during pregnancy and beyond,” Bishop Daniel Thomas, chair of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said in an Oct. 27 statement.“Pregnancy help organizations, maternity homes, medical and resource help centers, and adoption agencies provide heroic services every day to anyone in need,” he said. “Many pregnancy care centers offer free medical services, including ultrasounds, prenatal and postnatal care, and referrals for free or low-cost childbirth.”“They also provide resources such as baby clothes and diapers, childcare, career services, referrals for housing, and much more,” the bishop said.Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week, which will be celebrated from Nov. 9-13 this year, is a celebration created by Heartbeat International — a network of pregnancy centers that offer pregnancy help as an alternative to abortion clinics.A report published last November by the Charlotte Lozier Institute found that in 2024, pro-life pregnancy resource centers provided over 2 million worth of support to women in crisis pregnancies and struggling women with young children, including medical care, support and education services, and material goods.The bishops’ statement noted that about 2,750 life-affirming pregnancy centers currently operate in the United States.To mark the celebration, Thomas also recognized “the life-changing help being provided by the countless volunteers in our parishes that accompany vulnerable women and families through our nationwide Walking with Moms in Need initiative,” a parish-based initiative, created by the bishops, to provide support to pregnant women and mothers who need support.“May all those who serve and protect life be encouraged by our prayers, our good works and our financial support to build a culture of life,” the bishop said.Florida attorney general talks fetal personhood with Lila RoseRepublican Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who is Catholic, discussed the prospect of “fetal personhood” — the belief that unborn children should be legally recognized as persons at the moment of conception — on a podcast this month with Live Action President Lila Rose.When Rose — who is also Catholic — asked Uthmeier whether there will be a day when abortion has fully come to an end in Florida, Uthmeier told her: “I certainly pray so; I do believe we have the truth on our side and the truth will prevail.”“But we as faith-driven people, as pro-life advocates, weʼve got to continue going out and educating and explaining, getting people to soften their hearts and listen,” he said.Uthmeier discussed his opposition to surrogacy and expressed concerns about people coming to Florida to “purchase a baby.” He called the practice “very dangerous and horrific,” but said he hopes it can raise discussions about whether this is a form of slavery.“It is going to bring the conversation of fetal personhood and life front and center,” Uthmeier said. “Is this a human being? Which I believe truthfully, factually, the answer is unequivocally yes. If it is a human being, you cannot contract to buy and sell this individual.”Pro-life activists mark 59 years since UK’s Abortion ActIn London on Oct. 27, pro-life advocates gathered in Parliament Square to mark 59 years since the passing of the UK’s Abortion Act, which legalized abortion in England, Wales, and Scotland under certain conditions. More than 11 million abortions have taken place in the UK since the act was passed, according to government statistics compiled by Right To Life UK.Bede Teeton from March For Life UK told EWTN News: “It is our duty to commemorate those who have been affected by abortion, and those who have sadly lost their lives through it too.”Former Conservative MP Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg told EWTN News: “59 years ago was a black day in the civilization of the UK. We did something that was fundamentally wrong, and itʼs gotten worse. We now allow abortion up to birth. We kill disabled babies because they are disabled. Society is quite schizophrenic about this, because we all have all sorts of disability rights acts, but then we murder disabled babies. So I think it is a day of infamy.”Pro-life runners complete global relayThousands of pro-life runners cumulatively completed a 5,124-mile relay this week, which concluded at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, with the men’s and the women’s cross-country and track teams finishing the final stretch.The 2026 A-Cross America Relay, which is organized by the pro-life organization LifeRunners, had 26,257 participants in 4,061 cities across 53 nations. EWTN Global Catholic Network was a sponsor of the event.Many of the runners wore jerseys displaying the Trinity and a cross with “Jer. 1:5,” written on it, in reference to the Bible verse: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”The jersey displays the text, “REMEMBER The Unborn,” as runners seek to promote a culture of life to the public in every location they run.Elliot Hartley contributed to this article.

unitedyam October 31, 2026November 1, 2026

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

What the Catholic Church in Egypt is doing to keep youths attached to their faith #Catholic CAIRO — The Catholic Church in Egypt faces the challenge of keeping its young population attached to the faith, a bishop in the country said, noting that many youths abandon the Catholic faith at marriage.Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Emmanuel Bishay of Egypt’s Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Luxor clarified that relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches are good.However, he pointed out the challenge of keeping youths in the Church, noting that to deepen the Catholic faith, the Church runs formation programs alongside initiatives that make it easier for young Catholics to meet and forge relationships.“At the official level, relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches are good. There is affection, and people exchange greetings on religious occasions,” Bishay said in an Oct. 19 ACN report.“Unfortunately, if a young Catholic man or woman marries an Orthodox person, they may be required to become Orthodox and to follow the Orthodox Church’s requirements,” he said. “This is a major challenge for us as a Church: How can we help our young people deepen their Catholic faith and remain attached to their Church?”“I believe that the formation we provide, especially through catechesis, is an important service. We also create many opportunities for young Catholics to meet one another,” he said.In Egypt, Catholics are described as “a minority within a minority” in the ACN report. The charity organization says that the largest Christian denomination in Egypt is the historic Coptic Orthodox Church.“Though there are no official numbers, estimates point to between 10 and 15 million Copts in the country, making it the biggest Christian community in the Middle East, by a large margin. Muslims make up the vast majority of the rest of Egypt’s 120 million people,” the ACN report said.The Catholic Coptic Church, on the other hand, has only around 300,000 faithful living in Egypt, but according to Bishay, they are playing an important part in forging good relations between different religious communities and also for their contributions to health, education, and culture.“As one travels farther into Upper Egypt, people can be somewhat more rigid in their attitudes. We make every effort to build relationships with the Orthodox community and with Muslims, who are the majority, even if we encounter some difficulties, especially in villages and small settlements,” Bishay was quoted as explaining.Regarding relations with the Muslim community, the Catholic bishop admitted that there have been difficult periods but said the situation has improved.“The hard-line voices that used to be heard are no longer as prominent, while another voice, the moderate one, is growing. The change is slow but noticeable: People are listening to those with moderate views, and the government is giving them room to act. The process is moving in this direction. I believe that if Egypt continues along this path, things will keep getting better,” the Church leader said.Bishay further said that the Catholic Church plays an outsized role in the services it provides in Egypt, especially in the poorer regions, but its faithful continue to face difficult challenges as a minority within a large country.“The Catholic Church is small in numbers but strong in services. Some of the best schools in Egypt are Catholic schools, and the fact that state officials regularly turn to Catholic schools is evidence of this. We also work in healthcare. Our diocese alone has 14 clinics, most of which are staffed by religious sisters who devote much of their time to this work. Another contribution is through cultural centers and libraries,” Bishay explained.He added: “The Catholic Church has not only provided these services; it has also shown Egyptian society how to provide them. The Coptic Orthodox Church learned to provide them from us and, more recently, mosques have also begun providing services of this kind, following our example. The Catholic Church has been a pioneer in this field.”The bishop went on to say that the services are particularly important in the Eparchy of Luxor.“Upper Egypt receives less attention than the Delta and the north of the country, which means that services are less adequate, particularly in healthcare. Hospitals do not always meet the required standard, and there are also shortcomings in education and childcare. This requires a great deal of effort from us as the Catholic Church.”He added: “The figures indicate that we are among the poorest governorates in Egypt. This affects people’s abilities and talents, whether intellectual or otherwise. It saddens me to see talented people whose abilities are not given their due, or whose surroundings do not give them the opportunity to develop and fulfill their potential,” the bishop said.He expressed gratitude to ACN, which he said continues to support the Catholic Church in Egypt in many different fields. “ACN is a very important support for us. What is especially valuable is that the foundation looks at our priorities, rather than imposing its own agenda. That is very important!”This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

Bishop: ‘Indiscriminate’ ICE raids incite anxiety, fear in California’s Central Valley #Catholic Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Diocese of Fresno, California, warned that immigration raids in California’s Central Valley are instilling “unrest, anxiety and even fear” in the community and that many of his priests are reporting that their parishes have been affected.“Even if you have not been personally affected by the increased immigration enforcement in our region, many of those who sit alongside you in the pews have been affected, with some already having been detained,” wrote Brennan, whose diocese covers a large portion of the southern Central Valley.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have not announced any specific operations targeting California or its Central Valley. However, local media have reported a surge in enforcement in recent weeks.In his pastoral letter, Brennan said pastors reported to him that “members of their congregations have been taken away abruptly and with little or no information coming from federal agents.” He said he has been in contact with priests and interfaith and advocacy partners about ways to “help, comfort and accompany our people” amid the reported surge.”“It breaks my heart,” the bishop wrote. “… Many of those caught up in this recent immigration enforcement in our Valley are not strangers to us — they are family, neighbors, and parishioners who are being uprooted from the lives they have built over many years among us.”‘Indiscriminate’ raidsBrennan noted that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voted 216-5 to approve a special message that the bishops oppose “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” during the 2025 Fall Plenary Assembly. He then expressed concern that Central Valley raids appear to be indiscriminate.“These people are valued and beloved, they are part of the fabric of our community,” he said. “It is frightening to them and disturbing to us that these current operations seem to have taken on an indiscriminate nature with little regard for the dignity of the human person.”“Our Church teaches that every human person possesses an inherent dignity,” the bishop continued. “This dignity is not granted by governments, economic status, citizenship, or legal documentation. It is given by God.”A spokesperson for DHS did not confirm any specific operation targeting California.“For operational security and the safety of our officers, ICE will not disclose or discuss law enforcement operations,” the spokesperson said. “Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in California.”The spokesperson defended ongoing immigration enforcement: “To most Americans our ICE officers are heroes as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists.”The spokesperson provided a list of five people they labeled as “public safety threats” arrested in California, which included people convicted of vehicular manslaughter, aggravated assault with a gun, burglary, homicide, and selling drugs.Church ‘will not be silent’In his pastoral letter, Brennan said the Church “will not be silent” and “will accompany our vulnerable neighbors in concrete, sustained ways.”“We will strive to be a loving presence in our society for our brothers and sisters,” Brennan said.“Our parishes will be present to them for healing and comfort,” he said. “Accompaniment might take the shape of walking with families through long and complicated legal proceedings, showing up at immigration court, organizing transportation and childcare, and refusing to let anyone face this situation alone. We will speak up for them and will encourage one another to see this work of justice as a part of our baptismal call.” Accompaniment might take the shape of walking with families through long and complicated legal proceedings, showing up at immigration court, organizing transportation and childcare, and refusing to let anyone face this situation alone. We will speak up for them and will encourage one another to see this work of justice as a part of our baptismal call.” Bishop Joseph BrennanDiocese of Fresno, California The bishop called for “real change and real reform,” saying “our country and our elected officials must do better,” calling for “tangible results that reflect meaningful and just immigration reform.”“Until such reform is achieved, the dignity of our immigrant brothers and sisters must remain in the forefront of whatever shape our efforts might take,” he wrote. “In the midst of those efforts, to be sure, we are navigating in a chaotic and emotionally charged time. I encourage the faithful to pray for one another and to act out of a spirit of communion in all things, bridging divisions and treating one another peacefully and with compassion.”“We are in this together,” Brennan wrote. “God bless you and those you love, always and in every way.”