Mass

43 Catholic Democrats pledge migrant solidarity, invoke Leo XIV, Francis #Catholic More than 40 Catholic Democrats in the House of Representatives signed onto a statement of principles regarding immigration, which urged “solidarity” with migrants and cited Catholic social teaching and the visions of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV to back up their positions.The statement comes as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) continues to speak out against indiscriminate mass deportations. Lawmakers are also negotiating an end to a partial government shutdown, which was spurred by debates about funding and potential reforms for immigration enforcement.“We feel called in solidarity to stand with immigrants — especially those who are poor, marginalized, or fleeing hardship — and to ensure they are treated with dignity, justice, and compassion,” the statement said.“As Catholics and elected officials, we believe that addressing long-standing inequities and expanding meaningful opportunities for immigrants is an essential part of our responsibility to community and to those most in need,” the lawmakers said.The statement was led by Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, and signed by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and 41 other Catholic Democrats. No Republicans signed onto the statement.The Catholic Democrats said their position is rooted in three principles of Catholic social teaching on immigration: that people have a right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families, that nations have a right to regulate borders, and that all enforcement must be consistent with justice and mercy.In their statement, they said Jesus Christ “identifies with the migrant” when he says in Matthew 25:35: “I was … a stranger and you welcomed me.” They also cited Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Dilexi Te, commenting on migration, in which he said the Church knows that “in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.”They quoted Pope Francis’ 2019 message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, in which the former pontiff said the Church’s response to immigration can be summed up in four verbs: “welcome, protect, promote, and integrate.”The statement recognizes that regulations on immigration are legitimate, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that “political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions.”“Catholic social teaching approaches migration with realism: It affirms the right of persons to seek safety and opportunity while recognizing the legitimate authority of nations to regulate their borders,” they said. “Sound immigration policy is ordered, humane, and sustainable, balancing solidarity with prudence in service of human dignity and the common good.”The Catholic Democrats said, however, that border enforcement “is never a license for cruelty, indifference, or dehumanization” but instead “must be governed by justice and mercy.” They accused Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of having “failed this moral standard.”“Their actions have separated families, removed law-abiding individuals from our communities, and, tragically, contributed to the deaths of detained migrants and citizens like Renee Good and Alex Pretti,” the statement read.The Catholic Democrats, in their statement, said their position on immigration is “guided by a living Catholic tradition that affirms the dignity of every human life.” Despite the USCCB having called “the threat of abortion” its “preeminent priority” in the 2024 election, the Democratic Party supports abortion access, identifying abortion as an essential component of health care.Negotiating ICE, CBP reformsThe signatories called on Congress to “bear the Church’s teachings in mind” when considering reforms to ICE and CBP, which are being negotiated.On Feb. 14, the government entered into a partial shutdown when Congress did not reach an agreement on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which operates both ICE and CBP.Many Democrats are proposing reforms that would restrict immigration enforcement as a condition of approving funds. Some have gone further, calling for the abolition of ICE altogether.Catholic administration officials have rejected the Democrats’ characterization that immigration enforcement has violated the human dignity of migrants.In December 2025, border czar Tom Homan told EWTN News that “we treat everybody with dignity.” He said “the most humane thing you can do is enforce the law, secure the border, because it saves lives” and asserted that the administration targets criminals and cited its work to combat fentanyl and sex trafficking.Nathaniel Madden, principal deputy assistant secretary for communications at DHS, told EWTN News in November 2025 that detainees “are going to be treated like a person, and your dignity is going to be respected.” He said dignity and immigration enforcement are compatible and “we have to take into account that laws were broken.”In January, U.S. citizens Pretti and Good were both shot and killed by federal immigration officers in separate incidents in Minneapolis.In November 2025, the USCCB issued a special message that opposed “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and called for an end to “dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.” The message was approved by a vote of 216-5.
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43 Catholic Democrats pledge migrant solidarity, invoke Leo XIV, Francis #Catholic More than 40 Catholic Democrats in the House of Representatives signed onto a statement of principles regarding immigration, which urged “solidarity” with migrants and cited Catholic social teaching and the visions of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV to back up their positions.The statement comes as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) continues to speak out against indiscriminate mass deportations. Lawmakers are also negotiating an end to a partial government shutdown, which was spurred by debates about funding and potential reforms for immigration enforcement.“We feel called in solidarity to stand with immigrants — especially those who are poor, marginalized, or fleeing hardship — and to ensure they are treated with dignity, justice, and compassion,” the statement said.“As Catholics and elected officials, we believe that addressing long-standing inequities and expanding meaningful opportunities for immigrants is an essential part of our responsibility to community and to those most in need,” the lawmakers said.The statement was led by Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, and signed by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and 41 other Catholic Democrats. No Republicans signed onto the statement.The Catholic Democrats said their position is rooted in three principles of Catholic social teaching on immigration: that people have a right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families, that nations have a right to regulate borders, and that all enforcement must be consistent with justice and mercy.In their statement, they said Jesus Christ “identifies with the migrant” when he says in Matthew 25:35: “I was … a stranger and you welcomed me.” They also cited Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Dilexi Te, commenting on migration, in which he said the Church knows that “in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.”They quoted Pope Francis’ 2019 message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, in which the former pontiff said the Church’s response to immigration can be summed up in four verbs: “welcome, protect, promote, and integrate.”The statement recognizes that regulations on immigration are legitimate, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that “political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions.”“Catholic social teaching approaches migration with realism: It affirms the right of persons to seek safety and opportunity while recognizing the legitimate authority of nations to regulate their borders,” they said. “Sound immigration policy is ordered, humane, and sustainable, balancing solidarity with prudence in service of human dignity and the common good.”The Catholic Democrats said, however, that border enforcement “is never a license for cruelty, indifference, or dehumanization” but instead “must be governed by justice and mercy.” They accused Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of having “failed this moral standard.”“Their actions have separated families, removed law-abiding individuals from our communities, and, tragically, contributed to the deaths of detained migrants and citizens like Renee Good and Alex Pretti,” the statement read.The Catholic Democrats, in their statement, said their position on immigration is “guided by a living Catholic tradition that affirms the dignity of every human life.” Despite the USCCB having called “the threat of abortion” its “preeminent priority” in the 2024 election, the Democratic Party supports abortion access, identifying abortion as an essential component of health care.Negotiating ICE, CBP reformsThe signatories called on Congress to “bear the Church’s teachings in mind” when considering reforms to ICE and CBP, which are being negotiated.On Feb. 14, the government entered into a partial shutdown when Congress did not reach an agreement on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which operates both ICE and CBP.Many Democrats are proposing reforms that would restrict immigration enforcement as a condition of approving funds. Some have gone further, calling for the abolition of ICE altogether.Catholic administration officials have rejected the Democrats’ characterization that immigration enforcement has violated the human dignity of migrants.In December 2025, border czar Tom Homan told EWTN News that “we treat everybody with dignity.” He said “the most humane thing you can do is enforce the law, secure the border, because it saves lives” and asserted that the administration targets criminals and cited its work to combat fentanyl and sex trafficking.Nathaniel Madden, principal deputy assistant secretary for communications at DHS, told EWTN News in November 2025 that detainees “are going to be treated like a person, and your dignity is going to be respected.” He said dignity and immigration enforcement are compatible and “we have to take into account that laws were broken.”In January, U.S. citizens Pretti and Good were both shot and killed by federal immigration officers in separate incidents in Minneapolis.In November 2025, the USCCB issued a special message that opposed “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and called for an end to “dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.” The message was approved by a vote of 216-5.

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Catholic U.S. House Democrats cited Church teaching in defense of the dignity of migrants as Trump administration officials defend immigration enforcement.

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U.S. clergy celebrate Masses in detention centers, urging humane treatment #Catholic U.S. Catholic clergy are bringing the sacraments to the nation’s immigrant detention centers, celebrating Masses and urging humane treatment for those held inside. As part of this effort, pastoral visits are aimed at ensuring detainees can access the Eucharist and receive spiritual support.In California, Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Diocese of Fresno is set to celebrate Mass on Feb. 15 at the California City Detention Facility, the state’s largest ICE center. While the diocese regularly provides sacraments in prisons and detention sites, this will be Brennan’s first Mass inside an ICE facility.In Oregon, Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland issued a Feb. 12 statement stressing the Church’s duty to safeguard detainees’ access to the sacraments and voicing concern about large‑scale deportations. “I just feel very strongly about this, that there has to be a better solution to solving the immigration problems we have in the United States,” he said.In December 2025, seven bishops celebrated Mass at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California.Chandler Marquez, director of public affairs and innovation at the Fresno Diocese, told EWTN News that there are “people who are in the facility [who] want the sacrament — they want the spiritual accompaniment,” which they are not able to access as frequently while in detention.Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Brian Nunes and Father Kris Sorenson, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in California City, will join for the Mass.With President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts still ongoing, Marquez said “the current climate has certainly motivated” Brennan’s decision to celebrate Mass at the facility. He said the bishop has been “vocal about the promotion of human dignity” for migrants.In January 2025, Brennan issued an open letter on “immigration challenges,” in which he said “it seemed as if we took a step back as a society, and the old days of immigration sweeps were upon us once again” when he saw the uptick of immigration enforcement within his diocese.“Our people are being asked to produce proof of citizenship, and it seems as if the request is based on how they look and how they speak,” he said at the time. “That is not, by way of example, going after hardened criminals or drug dealers which, I hope, none of us would take exception to. It is going after people who, rightly or wrongly, were allowed to cross a border and who are now being subjected to tactics that are causing much fear and anxiety among my people. It is an insult to human dignity, and it is simply wrong.” Bishop Joseph V. Brennan of Fresno, California. | Credit: Screenshot of Diocese of Fresno YouTube video Marquez noted the diocese has the largest detention facility and the “largest amount of prisons and detention centers” in the state, which is why the ministry at prisons and detention centers is “a very, very big part of our diocese.”“Our chaplains have a great relationship with the prisons and detention centers within our dioceses,” he said, adding that the diocese has not run into problems gaining access to the facilities to provide religious services.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which operates ICE, said it encourages clergy to request accommodations for religious services at long-term ICE detention centers.Catholic clergy ran into obstacles several times last year when trying to administer sacraments at an ICE field office in Broadview, Illinois, where detainees are processed. A federal judge said Feb. 12 that DHS must provide accommodations to ensure Catholic clergy could provide ashes and Communion for detainees on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18.
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U.S. clergy celebrate Masses in detention centers, urging humane treatment #Catholic U.S. Catholic clergy are bringing the sacraments to the nation’s immigrant detention centers, celebrating Masses and urging humane treatment for those held inside. As part of this effort, pastoral visits are aimed at ensuring detainees can access the Eucharist and receive spiritual support.In California, Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Diocese of Fresno is set to celebrate Mass on Feb. 15 at the California City Detention Facility, the state’s largest ICE center. While the diocese regularly provides sacraments in prisons and detention sites, this will be Brennan’s first Mass inside an ICE facility.In Oregon, Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland issued a Feb. 12 statement stressing the Church’s duty to safeguard detainees’ access to the sacraments and voicing concern about large‑scale deportations. “I just feel very strongly about this, that there has to be a better solution to solving the immigration problems we have in the United States,” he said.In December 2025, seven bishops celebrated Mass at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California.Chandler Marquez, director of public affairs and innovation at the Fresno Diocese, told EWTN News that there are “people who are in the facility [who] want the sacrament — they want the spiritual accompaniment,” which they are not able to access as frequently while in detention.Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Brian Nunes and Father Kris Sorenson, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in California City, will join for the Mass.With President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts still ongoing, Marquez said “the current climate has certainly motivated” Brennan’s decision to celebrate Mass at the facility. He said the bishop has been “vocal about the promotion of human dignity” for migrants.In January 2025, Brennan issued an open letter on “immigration challenges,” in which he said “it seemed as if we took a step back as a society, and the old days of immigration sweeps were upon us once again” when he saw the uptick of immigration enforcement within his diocese.“Our people are being asked to produce proof of citizenship, and it seems as if the request is based on how they look and how they speak,” he said at the time. “That is not, by way of example, going after hardened criminals or drug dealers which, I hope, none of us would take exception to. It is going after people who, rightly or wrongly, were allowed to cross a border and who are now being subjected to tactics that are causing much fear and anxiety among my people. It is an insult to human dignity, and it is simply wrong.” Bishop Joseph V. Brennan of Fresno, California. | Credit: Screenshot of Diocese of Fresno YouTube video Marquez noted the diocese has the largest detention facility and the “largest amount of prisons and detention centers” in the state, which is why the ministry at prisons and detention centers is “a very, very big part of our diocese.”“Our chaplains have a great relationship with the prisons and detention centers within our dioceses,” he said, adding that the diocese has not run into problems gaining access to the facilities to provide religious services.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which operates ICE, said it encourages clergy to request accommodations for religious services at long-term ICE detention centers.Catholic clergy ran into obstacles several times last year when trying to administer sacraments at an ICE field office in Broadview, Illinois, where detainees are processed. A federal judge said Feb. 12 that DHS must provide accommodations to ensure Catholic clergy could provide ashes and Communion for detainees on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18.

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Archbishop Alexander Sample issued a statement stressing the Church’s duty to safeguard detainees’ access to the sacraments.

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ICE must allow Communion, distribution of ashes at Illinois processing facility, judge says #Catholic The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois, must accommodate Catholic clergy who wish to provide detainees with ashes and Communion on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, according to a federal court ruling.Judge Robert W. Gettleman issued the Feb. 12 order in favor of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a nonprofit that helps facilitate Catholic services at ICE facilities among other initiatives. Its mission is rooted in liberation theology and focused on economic, environmental, racial, and social justice.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which operates ICE, denied repeated requests to administer the sacraments at the Broadview facility, including when clergy sought to bring Communion and pastoral care to immigration detainees on Christmas.“The whole world has seen the injustices of our federal immigration system,” Father Leandro Fossá, CS, a member of the CSPL Clergy Council, said in a statement.“We are eager to see how the federal government responds to the injunction and restores the fundamental religious rights of people in detention to receive pastoral visits, rights that had been honored previously,” he said.The order states that the government has substantially burdened the religious exercise of the clergy and that there is no compelling government interest to justify that burden. The judge cited the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.“Allowing plaintiffs to provide pastoral care to migrants and detainees will improve the condition of those detained at Broadview,” the judge’s order states. The judge ordered the government to permit ashes and Communion for Ash Wednesday and to coordinate with CSPL to establish an appropriate safety and security protocol. The order directs them to also meet and confer about future religious ministry at the facility.Father Dan Hartnett, SJ, a member of the CSPL Clergy Council, expressed hope that this ruling will set a trend.“The collective voices and faithful witness of Catholics and Christians in Chicago and across the country are making an impact,” he said. “As Lent begins, we pray this ruling restores religious freedom for those detained and moves our country closer to justice in honoring the dignity of all migrants.”Pope Leo XIV said in November 2025 the spiritual rights of migrants in detention must be considered.According to an CSPL statement, the nonprofit is awaiting a response from ICE about coordinating the Ash Wednesday services. Both priests and religious sisters are expected to visit the Broadview facility.Neither ICE nor DHS immediately responded to a request for comment. Auxiliary Bishop Jose María García-Maldonado attempts to visit detainees at the Broadview, Illinois, immigration facility and was not admitted Nov. 1, 2025. | Credit: Bryan Sebastian, courtesy of Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership The Broadview facility is an ICE field office used to process detainees before being transferred to a detention center. Although detainees are only meant to be held there for a few hours, with the maximum being 72 hours, some alleged last year that they were held there for several days and even up to one week.A large outdoor Mass with Scalabrinian Missionaries is set for Ash Wednesday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Melrose Park, led by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago. It will be followed by a procession through the Melrose Park community as participants say the rosary and sing as a sign of the Church’s presence and solidarity with immigrant families.
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ICE must allow Communion, distribution of ashes at Illinois processing facility, judge says #Catholic The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Broadview, Illinois, must accommodate Catholic clergy who wish to provide detainees with ashes and Communion on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, according to a federal court ruling.Judge Robert W. Gettleman issued the Feb. 12 order in favor of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL), a nonprofit that helps facilitate Catholic services at ICE facilities among other initiatives. Its mission is rooted in liberation theology and focused on economic, environmental, racial, and social justice.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which operates ICE, denied repeated requests to administer the sacraments at the Broadview facility, including when clergy sought to bring Communion and pastoral care to immigration detainees on Christmas.“The whole world has seen the injustices of our federal immigration system,” Father Leandro Fossá, CS, a member of the CSPL Clergy Council, said in a statement.“We are eager to see how the federal government responds to the injunction and restores the fundamental religious rights of people in detention to receive pastoral visits, rights that had been honored previously,” he said.The order states that the government has substantially burdened the religious exercise of the clergy and that there is no compelling government interest to justify that burden. The judge cited the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.“Allowing plaintiffs to provide pastoral care to migrants and detainees will improve the condition of those detained at Broadview,” the judge’s order states. The judge ordered the government to permit ashes and Communion for Ash Wednesday and to coordinate with CSPL to establish an appropriate safety and security protocol. The order directs them to also meet and confer about future religious ministry at the facility.Father Dan Hartnett, SJ, a member of the CSPL Clergy Council, expressed hope that this ruling will set a trend.“The collective voices and faithful witness of Catholics and Christians in Chicago and across the country are making an impact,” he said. “As Lent begins, we pray this ruling restores religious freedom for those detained and moves our country closer to justice in honoring the dignity of all migrants.”Pope Leo XIV said in November 2025 the spiritual rights of migrants in detention must be considered.According to an CSPL statement, the nonprofit is awaiting a response from ICE about coordinating the Ash Wednesday services. Both priests and religious sisters are expected to visit the Broadview facility.Neither ICE nor DHS immediately responded to a request for comment. Auxiliary Bishop Jose María García-Maldonado attempts to visit detainees at the Broadview, Illinois, immigration facility and was not admitted Nov. 1, 2025. | Credit: Bryan Sebastian, courtesy of Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership The Broadview facility is an ICE field office used to process detainees before being transferred to a detention center. Although detainees are only meant to be held there for a few hours, with the maximum being 72 hours, some alleged last year that they were held there for several days and even up to one week.A large outdoor Mass with Scalabrinian Missionaries is set for Ash Wednesday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Melrose Park, led by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of the Archdiocese of Chicago. It will be followed by a procession through the Melrose Park community as participants say the rosary and sing as a sign of the Church’s presence and solidarity with immigrant families.

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Clergy had argued they “have lost their own religious freedom, by blanket denial of any opportunity to provide spiritual consolation.”

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After skipping installation, New York mayor meets Archbishop Hicks #Catholic Mayor Zohran Mamdani broke a long-standing New York tradition when he missed the Feb. 6 installation Mass for Archbishop Ronald Hicks at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and met with the archbishop four days later.Joseph Zwilling, director of communications for the Archdiocese of New York, told EWTN News that “the mayor and the archbishop were together at a [New York Police Department] event” Feb. 10 and “then spoke by phone later in the day.”The archdiocese confirmed that Mamdani was invited to the installation Mass. Prior to Hicks’ installation, a sitting mayor was present for at least the past five archbishop installations, which were in 2009, 2000, 1984, 1968, and 1939. Hicks replaced Cardinal Timothy Dolan following his retirement.In Mamdani’s absence, Helen Arteaga, deputy mayor for Health and Human Services, attended the Feb. 6 installation Mass. Prior to the meeting and phone call, Mamdani congratulated Hicks on social media. “Congratulations to Archbishop Ronald Hicks on today’s installment and welcome to New York City,” Mamdani said in a post on X. “I know that Archbishop Hicks and I share a deep and abiding commitment to the dignity of every human being and look forward to working together to create a more just and compassionate city where every New Yorker can thrive.”TweetThe mayor’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Mamdani became the first Muslim and first democratic-socialist mayor of the city on Jan. 1.Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, a Catholic advocacy group, criticized Mamdani for missing the Mass, saying in a statement that Mamdani “ghosted the event.”“He could easily have been there,” Donohue said. “Instead, he attended to business as usual.”“One in 3 New Yorkers are Catholic, making them the largest faith community in the city,” he added. “Mamdani’s professed interest in diversity and inclusion obviously hits a brick wall when it comes to Catholics. He wants nothing to do with them.”Donohue also criticized some of Mamdani’s policy positions, which he said includes “rabid support for abortion, gay marriage, and transgenderism (including the child abuse inherent in sex-reassignment surgery for minors).”During his campaign, Mamdani vowed to increase public funding for abortion, hormone therapy drugs, and surgeries designed to make a person appear like the opposite sex.Mamdani defeated two candidates with nearly 51% of the vote in the November 2025 election. His plans include free buses, city-owned grocery stores, no-cost child care, raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour, and freezing the rent for people in rent-stabilized apartments.“Mamdani has been in office for just over a month, and already he is signaling to Catholics that they are not welcome,” Donohue said.
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After skipping installation, New York mayor meets Archbishop Hicks #Catholic Mayor Zohran Mamdani broke a long-standing New York tradition when he missed the Feb. 6 installation Mass for Archbishop Ronald Hicks at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and met with the archbishop four days later.Joseph Zwilling, director of communications for the Archdiocese of New York, told EWTN News that “the mayor and the archbishop were together at a [New York Police Department] event” Feb. 10 and “then spoke by phone later in the day.”The archdiocese confirmed that Mamdani was invited to the installation Mass. Prior to Hicks’ installation, a sitting mayor was present for at least the past five archbishop installations, which were in 2009, 2000, 1984, 1968, and 1939. Hicks replaced Cardinal Timothy Dolan following his retirement.In Mamdani’s absence, Helen Arteaga, deputy mayor for Health and Human Services, attended the Feb. 6 installation Mass. Prior to the meeting and phone call, Mamdani congratulated Hicks on social media. “Congratulations to Archbishop Ronald Hicks on today’s installment and welcome to New York City,” Mamdani said in a post on X. “I know that Archbishop Hicks and I share a deep and abiding commitment to the dignity of every human being and look forward to working together to create a more just and compassionate city where every New Yorker can thrive.”TweetThe mayor’s press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Mamdani became the first Muslim and first democratic-socialist mayor of the city on Jan. 1.Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, a Catholic advocacy group, criticized Mamdani for missing the Mass, saying in a statement that Mamdani “ghosted the event.”“He could easily have been there,” Donohue said. “Instead, he attended to business as usual.”“One in 3 New Yorkers are Catholic, making them the largest faith community in the city,” he added. “Mamdani’s professed interest in diversity and inclusion obviously hits a brick wall when it comes to Catholics. He wants nothing to do with them.”Donohue also criticized some of Mamdani’s policy positions, which he said includes “rabid support for abortion, gay marriage, and transgenderism (including the child abuse inherent in sex-reassignment surgery for minors).”During his campaign, Mamdani vowed to increase public funding for abortion, hormone therapy drugs, and surgeries designed to make a person appear like the opposite sex.Mamdani defeated two candidates with nearly 51% of the vote in the November 2025 election. His plans include free buses, city-owned grocery stores, no-cost child care, raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour, and freezing the rent for people in rent-stabilized apartments.“Mamdani has been in office for just over a month, and already he is signaling to Catholics that they are not welcome,” Donohue said.

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A sitting mayor attended the past five archbishop installations in New York dating back to 1939.

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Replica of Manila’s famed ‘Black Nazarene’ arrives in Los Angeles Archdiocese #Catholic The centuries-old devotion to Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno of Quiapo, Manila, in the Philippines has formally reached the U.S. West Coast as an official replica of the revered image was turned over to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and entrusted to Holy Family Parish in Artesia and the archdiocese’s Filipino ministry.The replica, gifted by the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesús Nazareno in Manila, will be enthroned at Holy Family Parish and serve as a pilgrim image, visiting parishes across the archdiocese’s five pastoral regions as part of a broader evangelization initiative. Father John Cordero displays the official replica of the Jesús Nazareno from Manila’s Quiapo Church in 2025. | Credit: Holy Family Catholic Church Artesia The arrival of the image marks the fruit of an evangelization effort spearheaded by then-rector of Quiapo Church, now Bishop Rufino Sescon of Balanga, Bataan. According to Father John Cordero of the Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross, pastor of Holy Family Parish, the development unfolded providentially.“The real starting point of this development was the evangelization initiative of the National Shrine of Jesús Nazareno in Manila, spearheaded by then-rector and now bishop of Balanga, Rufino ‘Jun’ Sescon,” Cordero told EWTN News.The replica was initially offered to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles through Father Rodel Balagtas, priest liaison to the Filipino Ministry. Although another parish had first expressed willingness to host the image, no final arrangements had been made.Months later, Sescon personally contacted Cordero — a former graduate school classmate — to reestablish communication between Quiapo Church and a receiving parish. What seemed at first a closed matter reopened, and Cordero discerned that the parish could accommodate the image by converting a religious goods store in the vestibule into a shrine.“I noticed something that had slipped my attention: We have space,” Cordero said. After consultation with Filipino Ministry leaders, including its president and parishioner Noel Motus, the parish agreed to receive the image. “It is a gift from the national shrine, and our parish was merely chosen to be the caretakers.”Formal reception and MassSescon will celebrate the Mass marking the official arrival and reception of the replica in Los Angeles on Feb. 14. Later this year, the image will also be brought to the annual Religious Education Congress, further expanding its exposure to thousands of catechists and ministry leaders.Bishop Oscar Solis of Salt Lake City — the first Filipino-born bishop to lead a diocese in the United States — is also scheduled to celebrate a Mass in connection with the image’s visit.While there was no prior organized clamor among parishioners for a Nazareno image, Cordero said the parishioners’ response after learning that their parish will be the home of the replica has been one of “sheer joy,” with Filipino and Hispanic faithful alike rallying around the new shrine.“As a pastor explaining this new devotion to my multicultural parish, I would like to point to our mutual interconnectedness with this image,” he said. “This is primarily an image of Jesus, the focal point of our Christian unity.”Historical connectionsThe original image of the Jesús Nazareno, which arrived in Manila from Mexico in 1606, bears deep historical ties to both the Philippines and the Americas. California itself was once part of Mexico, and devotion to Jesús Nazareno has long-standing roots throughout Latin America.“The image, touched by hundreds of millions of pilgrims throughout its four centuries of devotional history, connects us with the everyday faith stories of all who identify with the suffering of Our Lord,” Cordero said.In a gesture underscoring that spiritual continuity, “like the Galileans who were content with touching the tassels of the cloak of Jesus for their healing,” Cordero requested Father Jade Licuanan, the current Quiapo Basilica rector, to have the replica be touched to the original image in Quiapo before being shipped to the United States. Cordero described this as an “intimate act of blessing and sending.”Mass devotion in ManilaThe devotion to the image once known as the “Black Nazarene” is among the largest Catholic expressions of popular piety in the world. Each January, millions of barefoot devotees join the Traslación procession in Manila, accompanying the dark wooden image of Christ carrying the cross through the streets of Quiapo. Manila’s feast of the Black Nazarene draws 9.6 million devotees Cordero, who recently visited the basilica, described the scale of devotion as “mind-boggling,” noting that even hourly Masses draw thousands of worshippers.Now, he believes, the image comes to Los Angeles at a providential moment.“Amid a sociopolitical climate marked by fear and division, this symbol of our connection in the Lord and with one another, embodied in this rustic image of Jesus carrying the cross, offers us consolation and mission,” he said.Citing the U.S. bishops’ pastoral letter “A Treasured Presence,” which describes Filipino Catholics as a vital but often unseen minority in the United States, Cordero said the Nazareno highlights the “prophetic resiliency and joy” they bring to the Church.“The Jesús Nazareno reassures us that we are not alone in bearing our crosses,” he said. “In this strange new world, our Catholic faith has been our familiar refuge of connection, support, and strength.”Revitalizing faithBalagtas said he hopes the popular Filipino icon that has a rich tradition in Latin America will help revitalize the faith of the people of the largest and most ethnically diverse archdiocese in the United States, thanks to the vibrant devotion of Filipino Catholics. Father John Cordero, MMHC, signs the “Memorandum of Agreement” formalizing Holy Family Parish’s reception of the official replica of the Jesús Nazareno on behalf of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as Father Jade Licuanan, rector of the Basilica and National Shrine of Jesús Nazareno in Manila, looks on in 2025. | Credit: Holy Family Catholic Church Artesia “The people who are filling the pews of the churches in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as in other dioceses, are Filipino Catholics.”From Quiapo, Manila’s narrow streets, where millions gather each year for the Traslación, to the sprawling parishes of Southern California, the cross-bearing Christ now stands in a new land — inviting the faithful not only to venerate but also to follow him.
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Replica of Manila’s famed ‘Black Nazarene’ arrives in Los Angeles Archdiocese #Catholic The centuries-old devotion to Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno of Quiapo, Manila, in the Philippines has formally reached the U.S. West Coast as an official replica of the revered image was turned over to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and entrusted to Holy Family Parish in Artesia and the archdiocese’s Filipino ministry.The replica, gifted by the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesús Nazareno in Manila, will be enthroned at Holy Family Parish and serve as a pilgrim image, visiting parishes across the archdiocese’s five pastoral regions as part of a broader evangelization initiative. Father John Cordero displays the official replica of the Jesús Nazareno from Manila’s Quiapo Church in 2025. | Credit: Holy Family Catholic Church Artesia The arrival of the image marks the fruit of an evangelization effort spearheaded by then-rector of Quiapo Church, now Bishop Rufino Sescon of Balanga, Bataan. According to Father John Cordero of the Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross, pastor of Holy Family Parish, the development unfolded providentially.“The real starting point of this development was the evangelization initiative of the National Shrine of Jesús Nazareno in Manila, spearheaded by then-rector and now bishop of Balanga, Rufino ‘Jun’ Sescon,” Cordero told EWTN News.The replica was initially offered to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles through Father Rodel Balagtas, priest liaison to the Filipino Ministry. Although another parish had first expressed willingness to host the image, no final arrangements had been made.Months later, Sescon personally contacted Cordero — a former graduate school classmate — to reestablish communication between Quiapo Church and a receiving parish. What seemed at first a closed matter reopened, and Cordero discerned that the parish could accommodate the image by converting a religious goods store in the vestibule into a shrine.“I noticed something that had slipped my attention: We have space,” Cordero said. After consultation with Filipino Ministry leaders, including its president and parishioner Noel Motus, the parish agreed to receive the image. “It is a gift from the national shrine, and our parish was merely chosen to be the caretakers.”Formal reception and MassSescon will celebrate the Mass marking the official arrival and reception of the replica in Los Angeles on Feb. 14. Later this year, the image will also be brought to the annual Religious Education Congress, further expanding its exposure to thousands of catechists and ministry leaders.Bishop Oscar Solis of Salt Lake City — the first Filipino-born bishop to lead a diocese in the United States — is also scheduled to celebrate a Mass in connection with the image’s visit.While there was no prior organized clamor among parishioners for a Nazareno image, Cordero said the parishioners’ response after learning that their parish will be the home of the replica has been one of “sheer joy,” with Filipino and Hispanic faithful alike rallying around the new shrine.“As a pastor explaining this new devotion to my multicultural parish, I would like to point to our mutual interconnectedness with this image,” he said. “This is primarily an image of Jesus, the focal point of our Christian unity.”Historical connectionsThe original image of the Jesús Nazareno, which arrived in Manila from Mexico in 1606, bears deep historical ties to both the Philippines and the Americas. California itself was once part of Mexico, and devotion to Jesús Nazareno has long-standing roots throughout Latin America.“The image, touched by hundreds of millions of pilgrims throughout its four centuries of devotional history, connects us with the everyday faith stories of all who identify with the suffering of Our Lord,” Cordero said.In a gesture underscoring that spiritual continuity, “like the Galileans who were content with touching the tassels of the cloak of Jesus for their healing,” Cordero requested Father Jade Licuanan, the current Quiapo Basilica rector, to have the replica be touched to the original image in Quiapo before being shipped to the United States. Cordero described this as an “intimate act of blessing and sending.”Mass devotion in ManilaThe devotion to the image once known as the “Black Nazarene” is among the largest Catholic expressions of popular piety in the world. Each January, millions of barefoot devotees join the Traslación procession in Manila, accompanying the dark wooden image of Christ carrying the cross through the streets of Quiapo. Manila’s feast of the Black Nazarene draws 9.6 million devotees Cordero, who recently visited the basilica, described the scale of devotion as “mind-boggling,” noting that even hourly Masses draw thousands of worshippers.Now, he believes, the image comes to Los Angeles at a providential moment.“Amid a sociopolitical climate marked by fear and division, this symbol of our connection in the Lord and with one another, embodied in this rustic image of Jesus carrying the cross, offers us consolation and mission,” he said.Citing the U.S. bishops’ pastoral letter “A Treasured Presence,” which describes Filipino Catholics as a vital but often unseen minority in the United States, Cordero said the Nazareno highlights the “prophetic resiliency and joy” they bring to the Church.“The Jesús Nazareno reassures us that we are not alone in bearing our crosses,” he said. “In this strange new world, our Catholic faith has been our familiar refuge of connection, support, and strength.”Revitalizing faithBalagtas said he hopes the popular Filipino icon that has a rich tradition in Latin America will help revitalize the faith of the people of the largest and most ethnically diverse archdiocese in the United States, thanks to the vibrant devotion of Filipino Catholics. Father John Cordero, MMHC, signs the “Memorandum of Agreement” formalizing Holy Family Parish’s reception of the official replica of the Jesús Nazareno on behalf of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as Father Jade Licuanan, rector of the Basilica and National Shrine of Jesús Nazareno in Manila, looks on in 2025. | Credit: Holy Family Catholic Church Artesia “The people who are filling the pews of the churches in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as in other dioceses, are Filipino Catholics.”From Quiapo, Manila’s narrow streets, where millions gather each year for the Traslación, to the sprawling parishes of Southern California, the cross-bearing Christ now stands in a new land — inviting the faithful not only to venerate but also to follow him.

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An official replica of Manila’s centuries-old Jesús Nazareno image has been entrusted to Holy Family Parish in Artesia, California, bringing one of the world’s largest Catholic devotions to the U.S.

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Notre Dame, Villanova finalizing plans to open college basketball season in Rome #Catholic Pope Leo XIV may get the opportunity to watch his alma mater play basketball in person during the 2026-2027 season. According to a report from CBS Sports, the Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s basketball teams have received special clearance from the NCAA to open their seasons in Rome for a doubleheader on Nov. 1.The college basketball season officially starts on Nov. 2 but, according to the report, the NCAA approved a waiver in January to allow the teams to start one day before given the precedence of these games.Both universities are prominent Catholic schools that have ties to the pope. Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, is a 1977 alumnus of Villanova University. As for the University of Notre Dame, it is regarded as the most prominent Catholic institution of higher learning in the world and has an outpost in Rome.It is well known that Pope Leo is an avid sports fan. He has already welcomed several athletes to the Vatican during his papacy, including the SSC Napoli soccer team after its league championship in May 2025 and Italian professional tennis player Jannik Sinner. Many have also seen the viral image of the pope attending game 1 of the Chicago White Sox’s World Series run in 2005.The teams will play the doubleheader at the Palazzetto dello Sport, also known as the PalaTiziano. The arena seats 3,500 people and was built in the late 1950s for the 1960 Olympics in Rome. It is about 30 minutes away from the pope’s residence in Vatican City.The director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told EWTN News it was “too early to tell” if Leo will participate in the historic game.According to the report, officials from both universities have been in contact with the pope and people around the Holy See. Leadership from Notre Dame had a private meeting with Pope Leo in November 2025 and Villanova officials attended the pope’s inaugural Mass.For the men’s teams, it is believed this will be the first season opener outside of the U.S. in men’s college basketball history. For the Notre Dame women, this will be their second regular season game outside of the country. They opened the 2023-2024 season against South Carolina in Paris.Hannah Brockhaus contributed to this report from Rome.
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Notre Dame, Villanova finalizing plans to open college basketball season in Rome #Catholic Pope Leo XIV may get the opportunity to watch his alma mater play basketball in person during the 2026-2027 season. According to a report from CBS Sports, the Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s basketball teams have received special clearance from the NCAA to open their seasons in Rome for a doubleheader on Nov. 1.The college basketball season officially starts on Nov. 2 but, according to the report, the NCAA approved a waiver in January to allow the teams to start one day before given the precedence of these games.Both universities are prominent Catholic schools that have ties to the pope. Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, is a 1977 alumnus of Villanova University. As for the University of Notre Dame, it is regarded as the most prominent Catholic institution of higher learning in the world and has an outpost in Rome.It is well known that Pope Leo is an avid sports fan. He has already welcomed several athletes to the Vatican during his papacy, including the SSC Napoli soccer team after its league championship in May 2025 and Italian professional tennis player Jannik Sinner. Many have also seen the viral image of the pope attending game 1 of the Chicago White Sox’s World Series run in 2005.The teams will play the doubleheader at the Palazzetto dello Sport, also known as the PalaTiziano. The arena seats 3,500 people and was built in the late 1950s for the 1960 Olympics in Rome. It is about 30 minutes away from the pope’s residence in Vatican City.The director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told EWTN News it was “too early to tell” if Leo will participate in the historic game.According to the report, officials from both universities have been in contact with the pope and people around the Holy See. Leadership from Notre Dame had a private meeting with Pope Leo in November 2025 and Villanova officials attended the pope’s inaugural Mass.For the men’s teams, it is believed this will be the first season opener outside of the U.S. in men’s college basketball history. For the Notre Dame women, this will be their second regular season game outside of the country. They opened the 2023-2024 season against South Carolina in Paris.Hannah Brockhaus contributed to this report from Rome.

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Pope Leo XIV is a 1977 alumnus of Villanova University and an avid sports fan.

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Diocese of Pittsburgh: 7 churches to close next month #Catholic The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh announced the permanent closure of seven churches, effective March 12.The decision was formally communicated to parishioners during Masses on Feb. 8 at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, where a letter from Bishop Mark A. Eckman was read aloud.In the letter, Eckman explained that St. Joseph the Worker Parish was established on July 1, 2020, through the merger of seven parishes serving communities in Braddock, Churchill, Forest Hills, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, Wilmerding, and surrounding areas.Since the merger, all eight church buildings initially remained open for worship. However, due to persistent declining Mass attendance and ongoing financial constraints, the parish has gradually reduced the number of active worship sites.After a yearlong review in 2025, including consultations with clergy, advisory councils, the facilities mission team, and parish senate sessions, it became clear that sustaining all current buildings was not feasible. Parishioner feedback was gathered through emails, phone messages, and meetings, with many acknowledging the challenges and the necessity for change.Father Michael Stumpf, the current pastor at St. Joseph the Worker, along with parish leadership, petitioned the bishop to close the church buildings of Good Shepherd, Madonna del Castello, Sacred Heart, St. Anselm, St. Colman, St. John Fisher, and St. Jude the Apostle.Eckman consulted diocesan officials in November 2025, who supported the rationale. He subsequently issued decrees approving the closures.St. Maurice Church in Forest Hills will remain the sole open worship site for the parish.Eckman acknowledged the emotional impact of the decision, noting that parishioners have invested years of faith, prayer, and service into the churches.“I recognize that this news brings a time of significant change and a sense of loss,” Eckman said in the letter. “For many years, you have poured your lives into these sacred buildings, strengthening your communities with holy faith, fervent prayer, and tireless service.”“We are a people of the Resurrection,” he said. ”And even in seasons of pruning, there is promise for new life. This decision is made with prayerful intent to better resource your parish, ensuring that the corporal and spiritual works of mercy may continue to reach the hearts of Braddock, Churchill, Forest Hills, Swissville, Turtle Creek, and Wilmerding for generations to come.”This announcement comes amid broader trends in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, including previous mergers and consolidations aimed at addressing similar demographic and financial pressures.
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Diocese of Pittsburgh: 7 churches to close next month #Catholic The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh announced the permanent closure of seven churches, effective March 12.The decision was formally communicated to parishioners during Masses on Feb. 8 at St. Joseph the Worker Parish, where a letter from Bishop Mark A. Eckman was read aloud.In the letter, Eckman explained that St. Joseph the Worker Parish was established on July 1, 2020, through the merger of seven parishes serving communities in Braddock, Churchill, Forest Hills, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, Wilmerding, and surrounding areas.Since the merger, all eight church buildings initially remained open for worship. However, due to persistent declining Mass attendance and ongoing financial constraints, the parish has gradually reduced the number of active worship sites.After a yearlong review in 2025, including consultations with clergy, advisory councils, the facilities mission team, and parish senate sessions, it became clear that sustaining all current buildings was not feasible. Parishioner feedback was gathered through emails, phone messages, and meetings, with many acknowledging the challenges and the necessity for change.Father Michael Stumpf, the current pastor at St. Joseph the Worker, along with parish leadership, petitioned the bishop to close the church buildings of Good Shepherd, Madonna del Castello, Sacred Heart, St. Anselm, St. Colman, St. John Fisher, and St. Jude the Apostle.Eckman consulted diocesan officials in November 2025, who supported the rationale. He subsequently issued decrees approving the closures.St. Maurice Church in Forest Hills will remain the sole open worship site for the parish.Eckman acknowledged the emotional impact of the decision, noting that parishioners have invested years of faith, prayer, and service into the churches.“I recognize that this news brings a time of significant change and a sense of loss,” Eckman said in the letter. “For many years, you have poured your lives into these sacred buildings, strengthening your communities with holy faith, fervent prayer, and tireless service.”“We are a people of the Resurrection,” he said. ”And even in seasons of pruning, there is promise for new life. This decision is made with prayerful intent to better resource your parish, ensuring that the corporal and spiritual works of mercy may continue to reach the hearts of Braddock, Churchill, Forest Hills, Swissville, Turtle Creek, and Wilmerding for generations to come.”This announcement comes amid broader trends in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, including previous mergers and consolidations aimed at addressing similar demographic and financial pressures.

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Parishioners learned that seven churches will be closed in March due to financial constraints and lower Mass attendance.

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Democratic lawmaker asks ICE director if he’s ‘going to hell’ in fiery hearing #Catholic A Democratic lawmaker asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons whether he believes he is “going to hell” in a contentious hearing with the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 10.Lyons — along with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott — testified before the committee as Congress negotiates potential reforms and funding for the agencies.On Feb. 3, Congress voted to extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which operates the three agencies, until Feb. 13 to end a four-day partial government shutdown. A deal has not yet been reached to extend funding further.At the hearing, Democratic lawmakers accused ICE of terrorizing the streets, using excessive force, and lacking accountability. Republicans defended ICE and rebuked Democratic officials in certain states for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.One of the fiercest exchanges came from Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-New Jersey, who praised protesters for “peacefully rejecting your cruel agenda in the streets.” She said ICE believes it is “the highest power who decides which people deserve dignity, protection, and due process” and said “you are wrong [and] we are here for answers.”“How do you think judgment day will work for you, with so much blood on your hands?” McIver asked Lyons, to which he responded that he would not entertain the question.“Do you think you’re going to hell?” she followed up, before being chastised by Committee Chair Andrew Garbarino, R-New York, who told her to avoid personal attacks on witnesses and maintain decorum.McIver said “you guys are always talking about religion here, and the Bible.” She changed the subject slightly and asked Lyons whether he could name agencies that “routinely kill American citizens and still get funding,” which he also said was a question he was “not going to entertain.”“Once again, questions that you cannot answer and that is exactly why … we should not be funding this agency,” McIver said. “The people are watching you; they are watching you. And this is why we need to abolish ICE.”Lawmakers debate ICE operations, future of agencyThe killings of two American citizens at ICE protests — Renée Good and Alex Pretti — were a focal point of the hearing, and two examples that Democrats used to accuse ICE of excessive force and lacking accountability.Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, referenced both killings and criticized DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for referring to those who died as “domestic terrorists.” He asked Lyons whether he would apologize to the families or reject that characterization.Lyons said he would not comment on an ongoing investigation but would welcome a private conversation with the families.Democrats are split on whether to reform ICE or abolish it altogether.Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-Rhode Island, brought up instances in which he believes ICE used excessive force and suggested reforms are necessary before Congress awards funding.“It’s not just the actions of the agents in the field,” he said. “It is the lack of accountability from the top that has caused public trust to erode, and there needs to be major reforms before we vote to give any of you any more funding.”Alternatively, Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Illinois, called for abolishing ICE and the entire DHS, which Congress formed to address terrorism threats after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Ramirez said DHS was created to “violate our rights under the pretense of securing our safety.”“I’m going to say it loud and clear and I’m proud to stand by what I say,” she said. “DHS cannot be reformed. It must be dismantled and something new must take its place.”Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, commented during the hearing that Democratic lawmakers “have called to abolish ICE [and] now they’re trying to shut it down” amid the negotiations and discussion during the hearing.He criticized the lack of coordination from Democratic-led “sanctuary” states and cities, which do not cooperate with ICE, saying the policies in Minneapolis “created a perfect storm for our officers being thrown into this situation.”Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, similarly expressed concern about ICE funding moving forward, based on the debates between the two parties.“It seems like one side of the aisle is in favor of open borders and wants to abolish ICE … and the other side of the aisle wants to enforce laws that are on the books,” he said.During the question and answer, Lyons expressed worry about the rhetoric from Democrats and noted that threats and assaults against ICE agents are on the rise. He said agents are trying to “keep America safe, restore order to our communities, [and] return the rule of law to this country.”“Those who illegally enter our country must be held accountable,” he said.Scott also showed concerns about the ongoing debate and expressed hope that DHS could receive support from both Republicans and Democrats.“I believe consistency and seeing support from the leadership on both sides of this building and the president is very important for our security,” he said. “I think the rhetoric and the … politicizing of law enforcement in general detracts from the general morale of our personnel.”Andrew Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, told “EWTN News Nightly” that he sees “much of [the Democratic threats to halt funding] as political theater,” noting that ICE will continue to operate regardless of whether Congress passes the funding bill.He said Democrats hope to take away an issue that made Trump popular during the 2024 election “and turn it into a bad issue for Republicans” in the midterms.Arthur said there may be some shifts in ICE’s approach in Minneapolis now that Border Czar Tom Homan is involved in seeking the “cooperation of state and city governments” that have been “reluctant, if not hostile” to immigration enforcement over the past year.The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2025 approved a special message with a 216-5 vote that declared opposition to “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”Late last month, about 300 Catholic leaders — including 15 bishops — asked Congress to reject ICE funding if the legislation fails to include reforms that have protections for migrants.
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Democratic lawmaker asks ICE director if he’s ‘going to hell’ in fiery hearing #Catholic A Democratic lawmaker asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons whether he believes he is “going to hell” in a contentious hearing with the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 10.Lyons — along with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott — testified before the committee as Congress negotiates potential reforms and funding for the agencies.On Feb. 3, Congress voted to extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which operates the three agencies, until Feb. 13 to end a four-day partial government shutdown. A deal has not yet been reached to extend funding further.At the hearing, Democratic lawmakers accused ICE of terrorizing the streets, using excessive force, and lacking accountability. Republicans defended ICE and rebuked Democratic officials in certain states for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.One of the fiercest exchanges came from Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-New Jersey, who praised protesters for “peacefully rejecting your cruel agenda in the streets.” She said ICE believes it is “the highest power who decides which people deserve dignity, protection, and due process” and said “you are wrong [and] we are here for answers.”“How do you think judgment day will work for you, with so much blood on your hands?” McIver asked Lyons, to which he responded that he would not entertain the question.“Do you think you’re going to hell?” she followed up, before being chastised by Committee Chair Andrew Garbarino, R-New York, who told her to avoid personal attacks on witnesses and maintain decorum.McIver said “you guys are always talking about religion here, and the Bible.” She changed the subject slightly and asked Lyons whether he could name agencies that “routinely kill American citizens and still get funding,” which he also said was a question he was “not going to entertain.”“Once again, questions that you cannot answer and that is exactly why … we should not be funding this agency,” McIver said. “The people are watching you; they are watching you. And this is why we need to abolish ICE.”Lawmakers debate ICE operations, future of agencyThe killings of two American citizens at ICE protests — Renée Good and Alex Pretti — were a focal point of the hearing, and two examples that Democrats used to accuse ICE of excessive force and lacking accountability.Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, referenced both killings and criticized DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for referring to those who died as “domestic terrorists.” He asked Lyons whether he would apologize to the families or reject that characterization.Lyons said he would not comment on an ongoing investigation but would welcome a private conversation with the families.Democrats are split on whether to reform ICE or abolish it altogether.Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-Rhode Island, brought up instances in which he believes ICE used excessive force and suggested reforms are necessary before Congress awards funding.“It’s not just the actions of the agents in the field,” he said. “It is the lack of accountability from the top that has caused public trust to erode, and there needs to be major reforms before we vote to give any of you any more funding.”Alternatively, Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Illinois, called for abolishing ICE and the entire DHS, which Congress formed to address terrorism threats after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Ramirez said DHS was created to “violate our rights under the pretense of securing our safety.”“I’m going to say it loud and clear and I’m proud to stand by what I say,” she said. “DHS cannot be reformed. It must be dismantled and something new must take its place.”Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, commented during the hearing that Democratic lawmakers “have called to abolish ICE [and] now they’re trying to shut it down” amid the negotiations and discussion during the hearing.He criticized the lack of coordination from Democratic-led “sanctuary” states and cities, which do not cooperate with ICE, saying the policies in Minneapolis “created a perfect storm for our officers being thrown into this situation.”Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, similarly expressed concern about ICE funding moving forward, based on the debates between the two parties.“It seems like one side of the aisle is in favor of open borders and wants to abolish ICE … and the other side of the aisle wants to enforce laws that are on the books,” he said.During the question and answer, Lyons expressed worry about the rhetoric from Democrats and noted that threats and assaults against ICE agents are on the rise. He said agents are trying to “keep America safe, restore order to our communities, [and] return the rule of law to this country.”“Those who illegally enter our country must be held accountable,” he said.Scott also showed concerns about the ongoing debate and expressed hope that DHS could receive support from both Republicans and Democrats.“I believe consistency and seeing support from the leadership on both sides of this building and the president is very important for our security,” he said. “I think the rhetoric and the … politicizing of law enforcement in general detracts from the general morale of our personnel.”Andrew Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, told “EWTN News Nightly” that he sees “much of [the Democratic threats to halt funding] as political theater,” noting that ICE will continue to operate regardless of whether Congress passes the funding bill.He said Democrats hope to take away an issue that made Trump popular during the 2024 election “and turn it into a bad issue for Republicans” in the midterms.Arthur said there may be some shifts in ICE’s approach in Minneapolis now that Border Czar Tom Homan is involved in seeking the “cooperation of state and city governments” that have been “reluctant, if not hostile” to immigration enforcement over the past year.The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2025 approved a special message with a 216-5 vote that declared opposition to “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”Late last month, about 300 Catholic leaders — including 15 bishops — asked Congress to reject ICE funding if the legislation fails to include reforms that have protections for migrants.

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Top U.S. immigration officials defended their policies during a contentious hearing as lawmakers continue to negotiate potential ICE funding and reforms.

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Mississippi diocese advances canonization cause of Sister Thea Bowman #Catholic The Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, this week officially closed its proceedings regarding the potential sainthood of Servant of God Sister Mary Thea Bowman, a Catholic convert whose work during the 20th century helped the U.S. Catholic Church refine its ministry toward Black American Catholics. Jackson Bishop Joseph Kopacz celebrated a Mass on Feb. 9 as part of the closing ceremony of the diocesan phase of Bowman’s cause for canonization. The diocese, which opened Bowman’s cause in 2018, officially sealed the documents and other materials it gathered over the course of that phase; the records will be sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican. “This moment marks an important milestone in the Church’s careful and prayerful discernment of Sister Thea Bowman’s witness to the Gospel,”  Kopacz said prior to the ceremony. “Her life continues to inspire faith, hope, and joy, not only within our diocese but throughout the Church in the United States and beyond,” he said. Born Dec. 29, 1937, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Bowman — whose grandfather had been born into slavery — converted from Methodism to the Catholic Church when she was 9 years old. She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration at age 15, enrolling at the same time in Viterbo University, which was run by the Franciscan sisters. The school retains its Catholic identity in the present day. While studying at The Catholic University of America — from which she earned a doctorate in English in 1972 — Bowman helped found the National Black Sisters’ Conference. She would go on to teach for years in La Crosse, Wisconsin.She was a major contributor to the development of “Lead Me, Guide Me,” the Black Catholic hymnal first published in 1987. She would eventually become known for her wide-ranging evangelization efforts; theology professor Christopher Pramuk wrote in 2014 that she “awakened a sense of fellowship in people both within and well beyond the Catholic world,” in part because of her “willingness to speak the truth about racial injustice” both in the Church and in society. Addressing the U.S. bishops’ conference in 1989 and reflecting on “what it means to be Black in the Church and in society,” Bowman famously sang several lines from the Negro spiritual “Motherless Child” while declaring: “Jesus told me that the Church is my home.” Regularly invoking laughter and applause from the bishops, Bowman during her talk reflected that the Church “teaches us that the Church is a family of families” and “the family got to stay together.”Bowman died on March 30, 1990, from breast cancer. She was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee, alongside her parents.
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Mississippi diocese advances canonization cause of Sister Thea Bowman #Catholic The Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, this week officially closed its proceedings regarding the potential sainthood of Servant of God Sister Mary Thea Bowman, a Catholic convert whose work during the 20th century helped the U.S. Catholic Church refine its ministry toward Black American Catholics. Jackson Bishop Joseph Kopacz celebrated a Mass on Feb. 9 as part of the closing ceremony of the diocesan phase of Bowman’s cause for canonization. The diocese, which opened Bowman’s cause in 2018, officially sealed the documents and other materials it gathered over the course of that phase; the records will be sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican. “This moment marks an important milestone in the Church’s careful and prayerful discernment of Sister Thea Bowman’s witness to the Gospel,”  Kopacz said prior to the ceremony. “Her life continues to inspire faith, hope, and joy, not only within our diocese but throughout the Church in the United States and beyond,” he said. Born Dec. 29, 1937, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Bowman — whose grandfather had been born into slavery — converted from Methodism to the Catholic Church when she was 9 years old. She joined the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration at age 15, enrolling at the same time in Viterbo University, which was run by the Franciscan sisters. The school retains its Catholic identity in the present day. While studying at The Catholic University of America — from which she earned a doctorate in English in 1972 — Bowman helped found the National Black Sisters’ Conference. She would go on to teach for years in La Crosse, Wisconsin.She was a major contributor to the development of “Lead Me, Guide Me,” the Black Catholic hymnal first published in 1987. She would eventually become known for her wide-ranging evangelization efforts; theology professor Christopher Pramuk wrote in 2014 that she “awakened a sense of fellowship in people both within and well beyond the Catholic world,” in part because of her “willingness to speak the truth about racial injustice” both in the Church and in society. Addressing the U.S. bishops’ conference in 1989 and reflecting on “what it means to be Black in the Church and in society,” Bowman famously sang several lines from the Negro spiritual “Motherless Child” while declaring: “Jesus told me that the Church is my home.” Regularly invoking laughter and applause from the bishops, Bowman during her talk reflected that the Church “teaches us that the Church is a family of families” and “the family got to stay together.”Bowman died on March 30, 1990, from breast cancer. She was buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee, alongside her parents.

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The religious sister worked to advance the U.S. Church’s ministry toward Black Americans.

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U.S., Hungarian thought leaders share ethical concerns over mass migration #Catholic “The Crisis of Migration for Families and Nations” was the subject of a Feb. 4 symposium that brought together American and Hungarian thought leaders who share concerns about the phenomenon of mass migration and its impact on the common good of their respective nations. The event coincided with the release of a new paper titled “Migration and Ethics: The Axioms of a Christian Migration Policy” by the Budapest-based Axioma Center, a Christian think tank. The Catholic University of America’s Chad Pecknold (left) endorses the Hungarian think tank’s approach to Christian migration policy. | Credit: Ken Oliver-Méndez/EWTN News The paper, which was endorsed by Chad Pecknold, associate professor of systematic theology at The Catholic University of America, notes that “the Christian perspective on immigration has historically emphasized compassion and solidarity with refugees, along with a welcoming attitude towards foreigners.”However, the paper continues, the Christian perspective on immigration “also calls for a prudent balance between these values and the legitimate responsibility of rulers to protect their people.” In this context, the paper explains, “national security, cultural and moral traditions, the rule of law, public order, and social cohesion are all essential components of what constitutes the common good.” In the face of illegal immigration, the authors assert that “mass deportations may be a legitimate response to mass migration.”At the event, Samuel Samson, a senior adviser at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, said he does not see large-scale migration as a “moral necessity” but rather the opposite.“It is actually fundamentally disordered and impacts the well-being and the common good of society,” he said. Samson said the Trump administration has sought to “shift the general narrative” about migration to bring this awareness to the fore.In the United States, more than 14% of the population was born outside the country. In the European Union (EU), nearly 10% of the population was born in a country that is not an EU member. The panel was moderated by the America First Policy Institute’s Kristen Ziccarelli (left) and included the participation of Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian (right). | Credit: Ken Oliver-Méndez/EWTN News For his part, Heritage Foundation Vice President for Economic and Domestic Policy Roger Severino contended that the United States is not essentially a “nation of immigrants” but “a country of pioneers who took on immigrants who bought into the ethos of the United States.”Addressing the issue of the assimilation of immigrants, Severino, who is Catholic and the son of Colombian immigrants, lamented that the “salad bowl” (as opposed to “melting pot”) concept of immigration encourages “separate independent cultures that, in practice, don’t even end up talking to each other.”Severino also faulted the largesse and abuses of the modern welfare state for not serving the interests of either the nation or immigrants.In his remarks, Pecknold reflected on the corrosion of the understanding of the family and the understanding of the nation. “A nation comes from a commonwealth of families that bring life,” he said.Pecknold said the wealth of nations is not simply the GDP but rather, in Christian terms, has been “providentially given” by God and said the erosion of borders, heritage, language, customs, and religion is an “attempt to deconstruct the very belief of God as the providential provider” of families and nations.Pecknold also contended that mass migration has negative impacts on family for both the immigrants and the native-born population.For migrants, he said “it almost inevitably breaks up the family,” with some leaving their home country and others staying behind or sometimes trying to enter illegally. He said it also hurts the American family by filling the workforce with cheap labor, saying: “You actually are taking jobs away from … young Americans who deserve those jobs.”Pecknold encouraged Christians to take into account the faith’s long tradition on the subject of immigration, citing St. Thomas Aquinas as a prime example. In the Summa Theologiae, Aquinas speaks about the need for assimilation and that danger could otherwise arise if someone who does “not yet having the common good firmly at heart” is given full citizenship.“Christians have to take some of these principles and think outside of the bounds of liberalism,” he said.USCCB approachThe United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has recently raised concerns on immigration that markedly differ from those presented at the Hungarian embassy symposium, particularly when it comes to the Trump administration’s mass deportation program.In November 2025, the bishops voted 216-5 to issue a special message rejecting “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.” It noted that Scripture commands Christians to care for vulnerable people, including “the stranger,” and said Catholic teaching instructs nations “to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants.”The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs prosperous nations “to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner.” It also instructs immigrants “to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.”According to the catechism, political authorities can regulate immigration “for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible.”
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U.S., Hungarian thought leaders share ethical concerns over mass migration #Catholic “The Crisis of Migration for Families and Nations” was the subject of a Feb. 4 symposium that brought together American and Hungarian thought leaders who share concerns about the phenomenon of mass migration and its impact on the common good of their respective nations. The event coincided with the release of a new paper titled “Migration and Ethics: The Axioms of a Christian Migration Policy” by the Budapest-based Axioma Center, a Christian think tank. The Catholic University of America’s Chad Pecknold (left) endorses the Hungarian think tank’s approach to Christian migration policy. | Credit: Ken Oliver-Méndez/EWTN News The paper, which was endorsed by Chad Pecknold, associate professor of systematic theology at The Catholic University of America, notes that “the Christian perspective on immigration has historically emphasized compassion and solidarity with refugees, along with a welcoming attitude towards foreigners.”However, the paper continues, the Christian perspective on immigration “also calls for a prudent balance between these values and the legitimate responsibility of rulers to protect their people.” In this context, the paper explains, “national security, cultural and moral traditions, the rule of law, public order, and social cohesion are all essential components of what constitutes the common good.” In the face of illegal immigration, the authors assert that “mass deportations may be a legitimate response to mass migration.”At the event, Samuel Samson, a senior adviser at the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, said he does not see large-scale migration as a “moral necessity” but rather the opposite.“It is actually fundamentally disordered and impacts the well-being and the common good of society,” he said. Samson said the Trump administration has sought to “shift the general narrative” about migration to bring this awareness to the fore.In the United States, more than 14% of the population was born outside the country. In the European Union (EU), nearly 10% of the population was born in a country that is not an EU member. The panel was moderated by the America First Policy Institute’s Kristen Ziccarelli (left) and included the participation of Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian (right). | Credit: Ken Oliver-Méndez/EWTN News For his part, Heritage Foundation Vice President for Economic and Domestic Policy Roger Severino contended that the United States is not essentially a “nation of immigrants” but “a country of pioneers who took on immigrants who bought into the ethos of the United States.”Addressing the issue of the assimilation of immigrants, Severino, who is Catholic and the son of Colombian immigrants, lamented that the “salad bowl” (as opposed to “melting pot”) concept of immigration encourages “separate independent cultures that, in practice, don’t even end up talking to each other.”Severino also faulted the largesse and abuses of the modern welfare state for not serving the interests of either the nation or immigrants.In his remarks, Pecknold reflected on the corrosion of the understanding of the family and the understanding of the nation. “A nation comes from a commonwealth of families that bring life,” he said.Pecknold said the wealth of nations is not simply the GDP but rather, in Christian terms, has been “providentially given” by God and said the erosion of borders, heritage, language, customs, and religion is an “attempt to deconstruct the very belief of God as the providential provider” of families and nations.Pecknold also contended that mass migration has negative impacts on family for both the immigrants and the native-born population.For migrants, he said “it almost inevitably breaks up the family,” with some leaving their home country and others staying behind or sometimes trying to enter illegally. He said it also hurts the American family by filling the workforce with cheap labor, saying: “You actually are taking jobs away from … young Americans who deserve those jobs.”Pecknold encouraged Christians to take into account the faith’s long tradition on the subject of immigration, citing St. Thomas Aquinas as a prime example. In the Summa Theologiae, Aquinas speaks about the need for assimilation and that danger could otherwise arise if someone who does “not yet having the common good firmly at heart” is given full citizenship.“Christians have to take some of these principles and think outside of the bounds of liberalism,” he said.USCCB approachThe United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has recently raised concerns on immigration that markedly differ from those presented at the Hungarian embassy symposium, particularly when it comes to the Trump administration’s mass deportation program.In November 2025, the bishops voted 216-5 to issue a special message rejecting “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.” It noted that Scripture commands Christians to care for vulnerable people, including “the stranger,” and said Catholic teaching instructs nations “to recognize the fundamental dignity of all persons, including immigrants.”The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs prosperous nations “to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner.” It also instructs immigrants “to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.”According to the catechism, political authorities can regulate immigration “for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible.”

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A Hungarian think tank’s new paper “Migration and Ethics: The Axioms of a Christian Migration Policy” prompts a meeting of the minds.

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‘Hoodies from Heaven’ brings warmth to children in need #Catholic After retiring in 2021, Patrick McBee began subbing as an aide at local schools in Morgan County, West Virginia. He quickly realized that many children did not have the appropriate clothes to keep them warm during the winter months. Unable to wear their coats during the school day due to security reasons, McBee had an idea to help underprivileged children stay warm — hoodies.A member of the Knights of Columbus for over 20 years, McBee turned to his council for help bringing his idea to fruition. The council at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church — the only Catholic Church in Morgan Country — loved the idea and began the Hoodies from Heaven initiative, which solicits donations of new or gently used hoodies to give to children in need at local schools.Since its launch in 2024, Hoodies from Heaven has donated over 300 hoodies to children in six local schools. Each hoodie that is given to a child in need comes with a note that says “God loves you.”McBee told EWTN News that he knew something needed to be done after speaking with the school board and found out that over 1,000 families in Morgan County “identify as needy … and that’s not even counting the ones that do not go to DHHR — Department of Health and Human Resources.”McBee’s wife, Judy, added that “there wasn’t anything specific to help the school-aged children. There’s lots of support for unwed mothers or single mothers with babies and things, but there wasn’t anything for elementary, middle, and high school kids.”She added that part of the Knights’ mission is to “take care of children, widows, and orphans,” and “we knew that the babies were being taken care of. We saw that there were older children suffering and wanted to help them out and let them know that they’re not forgotten about by God.”The married couple explained that the hoodies are handed out by teachers and bus drivers “because they’re the first line of defense. … They distribute them to the kids that they see need them,” Judy said.Despite serving primarily in their local area, Hoodies from Heaven has helped others outside of their county. In September 2025, southwestern West Virginia experienced severe flooding, with many neighborhoods severely damaged or wiped out. The McBees sent over 60 hoodies and some sweatpants that were donated to the Catholic church in the area to be handed out to families in need.The McBees agreed that they would love to “plant the seeds in other Knights of Columbus councils — to do this is so easy,” Judy said.“The people, they just come forth with their generosity … I would say very rarely has a weekend passed that Patrick and I don’t go to Mass and come home with a bag or two of hoodies. It’s awesome how people just step up, but we think that if this word could get out to others, then they could start their own little programs and just specifically to help the older kids who get neglected sometimes.”Patrick shared a story he was told about a little boy who received one of the hoodies. When the boy received it, he asked if he had to give it back. When the teacher told him no and that it was for him to keep, he was “elated.”“When I heard that, that broke my heart,” Judy added.Judy shared that growing up in an affluent town in New Jersey, she “was very fortunate growing up and never wanted for anything as a kid. And I come here, here I am retired, and I see what I see and it just absolutely breaks my heart, but these children here are special.”“They’re very appreciative. They’re not spoiled. They’re not entitled. They know that they don’t come from an entitled background. They’re very humble. The kids here are just extraordinary, just absolutely extraordinary.”As for their hope for Hoodies from Heaven, Judy said: “If we could just make just a couple of kids happy and warm, feel that they’re that valued, and then the little note that goes with them telling them that God loves them too. We hope that that brings a message to them that plants a seed that as they grow older that they’ll know to rely on God, because God provides everything we need.”
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‘Hoodies from Heaven’ brings warmth to children in need #Catholic After retiring in 2021, Patrick McBee began subbing as an aide at local schools in Morgan County, West Virginia. He quickly realized that many children did not have the appropriate clothes to keep them warm during the winter months. Unable to wear their coats during the school day due to security reasons, McBee had an idea to help underprivileged children stay warm — hoodies.A member of the Knights of Columbus for over 20 years, McBee turned to his council for help bringing his idea to fruition. The council at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church — the only Catholic Church in Morgan Country — loved the idea and began the Hoodies from Heaven initiative, which solicits donations of new or gently used hoodies to give to children in need at local schools.Since its launch in 2024, Hoodies from Heaven has donated over 300 hoodies to children in six local schools. Each hoodie that is given to a child in need comes with a note that says “God loves you.”McBee told EWTN News that he knew something needed to be done after speaking with the school board and found out that over 1,000 families in Morgan County “identify as needy … and that’s not even counting the ones that do not go to DHHR — Department of Health and Human Resources.”McBee’s wife, Judy, added that “there wasn’t anything specific to help the school-aged children. There’s lots of support for unwed mothers or single mothers with babies and things, but there wasn’t anything for elementary, middle, and high school kids.”She added that part of the Knights’ mission is to “take care of children, widows, and orphans,” and “we knew that the babies were being taken care of. We saw that there were older children suffering and wanted to help them out and let them know that they’re not forgotten about by God.”The married couple explained that the hoodies are handed out by teachers and bus drivers “because they’re the first line of defense. … They distribute them to the kids that they see need them,” Judy said.Despite serving primarily in their local area, Hoodies from Heaven has helped others outside of their county. In September 2025, southwestern West Virginia experienced severe flooding, with many neighborhoods severely damaged or wiped out. The McBees sent over 60 hoodies and some sweatpants that were donated to the Catholic church in the area to be handed out to families in need.The McBees agreed that they would love to “plant the seeds in other Knights of Columbus councils — to do this is so easy,” Judy said.“The people, they just come forth with their generosity … I would say very rarely has a weekend passed that Patrick and I don’t go to Mass and come home with a bag or two of hoodies. It’s awesome how people just step up, but we think that if this word could get out to others, then they could start their own little programs and just specifically to help the older kids who get neglected sometimes.”Patrick shared a story he was told about a little boy who received one of the hoodies. When the boy received it, he asked if he had to give it back. When the teacher told him no and that it was for him to keep, he was “elated.”“When I heard that, that broke my heart,” Judy added.Judy shared that growing up in an affluent town in New Jersey, she “was very fortunate growing up and never wanted for anything as a kid. And I come here, here I am retired, and I see what I see and it just absolutely breaks my heart, but these children here are special.”“They’re very appreciative. They’re not spoiled. They’re not entitled. They know that they don’t come from an entitled background. They’re very humble. The kids here are just extraordinary, just absolutely extraordinary.”As for their hope for Hoodies from Heaven, Judy said: “If we could just make just a couple of kids happy and warm, feel that they’re that valued, and then the little note that goes with them telling them that God loves them too. We hope that that brings a message to them that plants a seed that as they grow older that they’ll know to rely on God, because God provides everything we need.”

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Amid the freezing temperatures hitting many parts of the U.S., one Knights of Columbus council is providing warmth to children in need through an initiative called “Hoodies from Heaven.”

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Catholic convert Eva Vlaardingerbroek on censorship and immigration in Europe #Catholic Catholic Dutch political commentator and activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek said “the rule of law is dead” in Europe and detailed the issues of censorship and immigration on the continent.Vlaardingerbroek is an attorney and Catholic convert who has been outspoken about European immigration, national sovereignty, and free speech. Recently, the U.K. government banned her from entering the country due to her outspoken views.“Out of the blue, I saw that I had received an email from the U.K. government,” she told Raymond Arroyo on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo.” It was “just a couple of sentences saying that my ETA, which is the travel authorization that Europeans need to travel to the U.K., had been revoked.”The reason they stated “was that I am ‘not conducive to the public good,’” she said. Vlaardingerbroek said she believes the ban occurred because she criticized the prime minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, on social media three days before receiving the email.The situation shows that “the rule of law is dead in Europe,” Vlaardingerbroek said. “Because if you get a notification like that out of the blue, you have no ability, no means to defend yourself … I  don’t have a criminal record. I didn’t commit a crime.”“I got converted to Catholicism in the United Kingdom, so I have a couple of really dear friends there. Now, I’m no longer able to go because I say the wrong things, apparently. That is the state of Europe right now … They either throw you in jail or they make sure that you can’t enter the country. That’s what happens in the United Kingdom if you go against the grain,” she said.European immigrationVlaardingerbroek has also been outspoken about illegal immigration in Europe and said that mass immigration has destabilized Europe and led to spikes in violent crimes.“Anyone with two eyes can see that it’s true,” she said. Everyone who lives here, apart from maybe people living in ivory towers or in areas where there are no immigrants, everyone who lives in the real world knows that it’s true.”“I will continue speaking the truth about what I see happening to this beautiful continent of ours because it’s being destroyed,” she said. “We see churches burning down every week here in Europe, and that’s not a coincidence. That didn’t happen for hundreds of years, and suddenly now … they’re burning down faster than I can count.”“You can break the law coming here. It’s not being punished. In fact, it’s rewarded because people get to stay, people get free housing, people get free health care, and they’re able to just roam around even awaiting whether they are going to get their asylum approved or not.”“The governments and the legal system seem to be working hand in hand” and the “judges are complicit,” Vlaardingerbroek said. In Europe, the migrants that commit crimes are not held accountable because judges believe “they are traumatized because they come from a war zone” or due to their “their mental state.”“Then what ends up happening is these immigrants who rape, kill, and assault the native population, they just don’t get any real prison time, and they definitely do not get deported,” she said.“I think that this is a holdover from World War II,” she continued. Institutions including the European Union have “given evil one face and one face only” and “they refuse to see the difference between a Nazi and a conservative Christian.”“To them, it’s all the same, and that’s the way that they treat us,” she said. “I don’t think they’re afraid to acknowledge it. I think they honestly don’t care. I mean, the churches that are being burned down in France that we see, that’s a physical thing unfolding in front of our eyes.”The burning of churches “is powerful imagery that should wake people up to something else, something invisible, which is the agenda that is being carried out here to erode Christianity,” Vlaardingerbroek said.When the European Union discusses European culture, identity, and history, “they never mention Christianity,” Vlaardingerbroek said.“They actively removed it from their documents. They talk about the Enlightenment, but Christianity is never mentioned. They are actively eroding and erasing Christianity here in Europe because it threatens their agenda, because these people see [themselves] as God,” she said.U.S. immigrationAs debates over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and law enforcement continue in the U.S, Vlaardingerbroek also discussed the status of immigration on this side of the pond.“As a Catholic, of course, we can be charitable. Nobody’s saying that we cannot allow some immigration or that we cannot help those in need. That is, of course, a Catholic ideal. That is a Catholic value … That’s what our legal system reflects,” she said.“That doesn’t mean, however, that when you come here illegally, which is what happens the majority of the time, and you break [the] laws, that we have to sit by and watch that happen.”ICE agents “are doing their job,” Vlaardingerbroek said. “They are enforcing the law. I think it’s a disgrace the way that they are being treated.”“I wish actually that here in Europe, we would have our version of ICE and that they would … send back home the people who come here illegally and who do not belong in these countries and who actively fight everything that we stand for, both in America and here in Europe,” Vlaardingerbroek said.
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Catholic convert Eva Vlaardingerbroek on censorship and immigration in Europe #Catholic Catholic Dutch political commentator and activist Eva Vlaardingerbroek said “the rule of law is dead” in Europe and detailed the issues of censorship and immigration on the continent.Vlaardingerbroek is an attorney and Catholic convert who has been outspoken about European immigration, national sovereignty, and free speech. Recently, the U.K. government banned her from entering the country due to her outspoken views.“Out of the blue, I saw that I had received an email from the U.K. government,” she told Raymond Arroyo on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo.” It was “just a couple of sentences saying that my ETA, which is the travel authorization that Europeans need to travel to the U.K., had been revoked.”The reason they stated “was that I am ‘not conducive to the public good,’” she said. Vlaardingerbroek said she believes the ban occurred because she criticized the prime minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, on social media three days before receiving the email.The situation shows that “the rule of law is dead in Europe,” Vlaardingerbroek said. “Because if you get a notification like that out of the blue, you have no ability, no means to defend yourself … I  don’t have a criminal record. I didn’t commit a crime.”“I got converted to Catholicism in the United Kingdom, so I have a couple of really dear friends there. Now, I’m no longer able to go because I say the wrong things, apparently. That is the state of Europe right now … They either throw you in jail or they make sure that you can’t enter the country. That’s what happens in the United Kingdom if you go against the grain,” she said.European immigrationVlaardingerbroek has also been outspoken about illegal immigration in Europe and said that mass immigration has destabilized Europe and led to spikes in violent crimes.“Anyone with two eyes can see that it’s true,” she said. Everyone who lives here, apart from maybe people living in ivory towers or in areas where there are no immigrants, everyone who lives in the real world knows that it’s true.”“I will continue speaking the truth about what I see happening to this beautiful continent of ours because it’s being destroyed,” she said. “We see churches burning down every week here in Europe, and that’s not a coincidence. That didn’t happen for hundreds of years, and suddenly now … they’re burning down faster than I can count.”“You can break the law coming here. It’s not being punished. In fact, it’s rewarded because people get to stay, people get free housing, people get free health care, and they’re able to just roam around even awaiting whether they are going to get their asylum approved or not.”“The governments and the legal system seem to be working hand in hand” and the “judges are complicit,” Vlaardingerbroek said. In Europe, the migrants that commit crimes are not held accountable because judges believe “they are traumatized because they come from a war zone” or due to their “their mental state.”“Then what ends up happening is these immigrants who rape, kill, and assault the native population, they just don’t get any real prison time, and they definitely do not get deported,” she said.“I think that this is a holdover from World War II,” she continued. Institutions including the European Union have “given evil one face and one face only” and “they refuse to see the difference between a Nazi and a conservative Christian.”“To them, it’s all the same, and that’s the way that they treat us,” she said. “I don’t think they’re afraid to acknowledge it. I think they honestly don’t care. I mean, the churches that are being burned down in France that we see, that’s a physical thing unfolding in front of our eyes.”The burning of churches “is powerful imagery that should wake people up to something else, something invisible, which is the agenda that is being carried out here to erode Christianity,” Vlaardingerbroek said.When the European Union discusses European culture, identity, and history, “they never mention Christianity,” Vlaardingerbroek said.“They actively removed it from their documents. They talk about the Enlightenment, but Christianity is never mentioned. They are actively eroding and erasing Christianity here in Europe because it threatens their agenda, because these people see [themselves] as God,” she said.U.S. immigrationAs debates over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and law enforcement continue in the U.S, Vlaardingerbroek also discussed the status of immigration on this side of the pond.“As a Catholic, of course, we can be charitable. Nobody’s saying that we cannot allow some immigration or that we cannot help those in need. That is, of course, a Catholic ideal. That is a Catholic value … That’s what our legal system reflects,” she said.“That doesn’t mean, however, that when you come here illegally, which is what happens the majority of the time, and you break [the] laws, that we have to sit by and watch that happen.”ICE agents “are doing their job,” Vlaardingerbroek said. “They are enforcing the law. I think it’s a disgrace the way that they are being treated.”“I wish actually that here in Europe, we would have our version of ICE and that they would … send back home the people who come here illegally and who do not belong in these countries and who actively fight everything that we stand for, both in America and here in Europe,” Vlaardingerbroek said.

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Catholic convert Eva Vlaardingerbroek discussed immigration and the state of free speech in Europe on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo.”

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Department of Justice investigates vandalism at California Catholic school #Catholic Federal officials are investigating after a Los Angeles-area Catholic school was targeted in a major act of vandalism that included the beheading of a statue of the Blessed Mother. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said on X on Feb. 2 that the Department of Justice’s civil rights division “will open an investigation into [the] awful crime” against Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach.TweetCyril Cruz, the principal of the school, told EWTN News that she came into the school early on the morning of Feb. 2 and discovered the vandalism in the hall where the school holds Mass. “Our statue of the Virgin Mary was smashed, and the tabernacle was removed and thrown to the floor in an apparent attempt to force it open,” she said. “The atrium lovingly prepared by the Carmelite Sisters for our scholars was completely destroyed.” “Audio equipment and lighting were ripped from the walls, speakers and instruments loaded onto carts, and the missals our students use daily were soaked and ruined.” Photos shared with EWTN News showed the vandalization in multiple rooms, including the destroyed statue, overturned shelves, scattered papers and Mass materials, and other scenes of destruction. Destruction is seen at Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach, California, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Holy Innocents Catholic School Cruz said Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Marc Trudeau was scheduled to hold a reparation Mass at the school on Feb. 3. The pastor of Holy Innocents Catholic Church and School, Father Peter Irving, was also scheduled to lead a Eucharistic procession around the school “as we entrust our community to Christ and respond with prayer, faith, and hope.”Irving told EWTN News that the community was “very sad,” though they were “very grateful” that the Blessed Sacrament was “not violated,” he said. “The tabernacle was not breached although it was left damaged,” he said. “Investigators said that this was the worst desecration that they have seen.” Missals are tipped over and thrown around at Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach, California, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Holy Innocents Catholic School The vandalism has received national media coverage. A GoFundMe campaign, meanwhile, had raised nearly $76,000 by the morning of Feb. 3. That campaign said Trudeau described the incident as “the worst case of vandalism that he’s ever seen in the region.”Still, Cruz said, amid the destruction, “our community came together — scholars, families, and Knights of Columbus — to clean, restore, and prepare the hall so that Mass could once again be celebrated.” “Yesterday, our school community gathered in prayer to pray the rosary for healing and also for the conversion and mercy for those who committed this act,” she added. “We are grateful no one was physically harmed, and we are responding as a faith community with prayer, reparation, and trust in Christ,” she said.
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Department of Justice investigates vandalism at California Catholic school #Catholic Federal officials are investigating after a Los Angeles-area Catholic school was targeted in a major act of vandalism that included the beheading of a statue of the Blessed Mother. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said on X on Feb. 2 that the Department of Justice’s civil rights division “will open an investigation into [the] awful crime” against Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach.TweetCyril Cruz, the principal of the school, told EWTN News that she came into the school early on the morning of Feb. 2 and discovered the vandalism in the hall where the school holds Mass. “Our statue of the Virgin Mary was smashed, and the tabernacle was removed and thrown to the floor in an apparent attempt to force it open,” she said. “The atrium lovingly prepared by the Carmelite Sisters for our scholars was completely destroyed.” “Audio equipment and lighting were ripped from the walls, speakers and instruments loaded onto carts, and the missals our students use daily were soaked and ruined.” Photos shared with EWTN News showed the vandalization in multiple rooms, including the destroyed statue, overturned shelves, scattered papers and Mass materials, and other scenes of destruction. Destruction is seen at Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach, California, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Holy Innocents Catholic School Cruz said Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Marc Trudeau was scheduled to hold a reparation Mass at the school on Feb. 3. The pastor of Holy Innocents Catholic Church and School, Father Peter Irving, was also scheduled to lead a Eucharistic procession around the school “as we entrust our community to Christ and respond with prayer, faith, and hope.”Irving told EWTN News that the community was “very sad,” though they were “very grateful” that the Blessed Sacrament was “not violated,” he said. “The tabernacle was not breached although it was left damaged,” he said. “Investigators said that this was the worst desecration that they have seen.” Missals are tipped over and thrown around at Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach, California, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Holy Innocents Catholic School The vandalism has received national media coverage. A GoFundMe campaign, meanwhile, had raised nearly $76,000 by the morning of Feb. 3. That campaign said Trudeau described the incident as “the worst case of vandalism that he’s ever seen in the region.”Still, Cruz said, amid the destruction, “our community came together — scholars, families, and Knights of Columbus — to clean, restore, and prepare the hall so that Mass could once again be celebrated.” “Yesterday, our school community gathered in prayer to pray the rosary for healing and also for the conversion and mercy for those who committed this act,” she added. “We are grateful no one was physically harmed, and we are responding as a faith community with prayer, reparation, and trust in Christ,” she said.

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The DOJ’s civil rights division will investigate the “awful crime” at Holy Innocents Catholic School.

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‘The antidote to abortion is love,’ Cardinal O’Malley says ahead of March for Life #Catholic Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, offers the homily at the closing Mass for the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23, 2026. | Credit: EWTN Jan 23, 2026 / 10:34 am (CNA). Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley said life is a “precious gift from a loving God” ahead of the 2026 annual March for Life.O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, celebrated Mass on Jan. 23 before the March for Life, concluding the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.“I know that many of you are tired and have made many sacrifices to be here,” O’Malley said. “I assure you, you could not be doing anything more important than being here today. And your presence is not by accident. The Lord in his providence has brought all of us here today.”The Mass featured prayers for the pro-life movement and provided a moment to strengthen commitment to defending human life ahead of the march.“Abortion is the greatest moral crisis faced by our country and by our world. It’s a matter of life and death in a very grand scale," O’Malley said. “It’s been a joy and a privilege for me to be at every March for Life here in Washington for the past 53 years.”“It’s such a joy to be with you here today in this March for Life. This is a pilgrimage for life, and it begins with prayer, here in Mary’s shrine. I thank God for all of you,” he said.‘Life Is a gift’O’Malley spoke about the 2026 March for Life theme: “Life Is a Gift.”“What a powerful theme,” O’Malley said. “Sadly, life is not always seen as a gift. For some, it seems a burden or a curse.”The cardinal detailed a recent poll that found “for the very first time in the history of our nation, the majority of Americans say they do not want to have children.” O’Malley called it “an alarming statistic.”“Life is a gift, a gift given by a loving God,” he said. “Life is beautiful, especially when it is received with gratitude and love.”We must “love as God loves,” O’Malley said. “We must love first, forgive first, give first. That’s why we’re here in this Mass for life.”“We’re here because life is a gift. God has given us this precious gift. We must be grateful and express our gratitude by proclaiming the gospel of life,” he said.Future of the pro-life movementO’Malley, who has been active in the pro-life movement for decades, said the opposition once believed the pro-life advocates would “die off,” but “we’re still here, proclaiming the gospel of life.”“Our mission is not a political crusade. It’s a response to God’s command to love and to care for each other. And God bless us, the crowd is getting younger and younger. You are beautiful,” he said.To end abortion, “our task is not to judge others but to bring healing,” O’Malley said. We must be “gentle” like Jesus was with “the Samaritan woman, the poor, the tax collector, the adulterous woman, the good thief,” he said.“Our task is to build a society that takes care of everybody, where every person counts, where every life is important. Political polarization, racism, economic injustice will only continue to fuel abortion in a post-Roe v. Wade world,” O’Malley said.“Our world is wracked by divisions and violence. Pope Leo is inviting us to be messengers of unity and of peace. But we do not want to get in the way of the message,” O’Malley said.“Together, we can protect and nurture that gift of life. We must look for opportunities to be apostles of life, building a civilization of love and ethic of care,” he said.“The antidote to abortion is love. Love manifests in community, compassion, and solidarity. Life is a gift. Every person is a gift. Every person counts. All are important. Our mission is to work so that no child be left behind. Every baby will be welcomed, loved, cared for, nurtured, and protected,” he said.“Thank God for the gift of life. Thank God for love. Thank God for you,” O’Malley concluded.EWTN News’ coverage of the 2026 March for Life can be found here.If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.
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‘The antidote to abortion is love,’ Cardinal O’Malley says ahead of March for Life #Catholic Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, offers the homily at the closing Mass for the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23, 2026. | Credit: EWTN Jan 23, 2026 / 10:34 am (CNA). Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley said life is a “precious gift from a loving God” ahead of the 2026 annual March for Life.O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, celebrated Mass on Jan. 23 before the March for Life, concluding the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.“I know that many of you are tired and have made many sacrifices to be here,” O’Malley said. “I assure you, you could not be doing anything more important than being here today. And your presence is not by accident. The Lord in his providence has brought all of us here today.”The Mass featured prayers for the pro-life movement and provided a moment to strengthen commitment to defending human life ahead of the march.“Abortion is the greatest moral crisis faced by our country and by our world. It’s a matter of life and death in a very grand scale," O’Malley said. “It’s been a joy and a privilege for me to be at every March for Life here in Washington for the past 53 years.”“It’s such a joy to be with you here today in this March for Life. This is a pilgrimage for life, and it begins with prayer, here in Mary’s shrine. I thank God for all of you,” he said.‘Life Is a gift’O’Malley spoke about the 2026 March for Life theme: “Life Is a Gift.”“What a powerful theme,” O’Malley said. “Sadly, life is not always seen as a gift. For some, it seems a burden or a curse.”The cardinal detailed a recent poll that found “for the very first time in the history of our nation, the majority of Americans say they do not want to have children.” O’Malley called it “an alarming statistic.”“Life is a gift, a gift given by a loving God,” he said. “Life is beautiful, especially when it is received with gratitude and love.”We must “love as God loves,” O’Malley said. “We must love first, forgive first, give first. That’s why we’re here in this Mass for life.”“We’re here because life is a gift. God has given us this precious gift. We must be grateful and express our gratitude by proclaiming the gospel of life,” he said.Future of the pro-life movementO’Malley, who has been active in the pro-life movement for decades, said the opposition once believed the pro-life advocates would “die off,” but “we’re still here, proclaiming the gospel of life.”“Our mission is not a political crusade. It’s a response to God’s command to love and to care for each other. And God bless us, the crowd is getting younger and younger. You are beautiful,” he said.To end abortion, “our task is not to judge others but to bring healing,” O’Malley said. We must be “gentle” like Jesus was with “the Samaritan woman, the poor, the tax collector, the adulterous woman, the good thief,” he said.“Our task is to build a society that takes care of everybody, where every person counts, where every life is important. Political polarization, racism, economic injustice will only continue to fuel abortion in a post-Roe v. Wade world,” O’Malley said.“Our world is wracked by divisions and violence. Pope Leo is inviting us to be messengers of unity and of peace. But we do not want to get in the way of the message,” O’Malley said.“Together, we can protect and nurture that gift of life. We must look for opportunities to be apostles of life, building a civilization of love and ethic of care,” he said.“The antidote to abortion is love. Love manifests in community, compassion, and solidarity. Life is a gift. Every person is a gift. Every person counts. All are important. Our mission is to work so that no child be left behind. Every baby will be welcomed, loved, cared for, nurtured, and protected,” he said.“Thank God for the gift of life. Thank God for love. Thank God for you,” O’Malley concluded.EWTN News’ coverage of the 2026 March for Life can be found here.If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.

unitedyam

Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, offers the homily at the closing Mass for the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23, 2026. | Credit: EWTN

Jan 23, 2026 / 10:34 am (CNA).

Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley said life is a “precious gift from a loving God” ahead of the 2026 annual March for Life.

O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, celebrated Mass on Jan. 23 before the March for Life, concluding the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

“I know that many of you are tired and have made many sacrifices to be here,” O’Malley said. “I assure you, you could not be doing anything more important than being here today. And your presence is not by accident. The Lord in his providence has brought all of us here today.”

The Mass featured prayers for the pro-life movement and provided a moment to strengthen commitment to defending human life ahead of the march.

“Abortion is the greatest moral crisis faced by our country and by our world. It’s a matter of life and death in a very grand scale," O’Malley said. “It’s been a joy and a privilege for me to be at every March for Life here in Washington for the past 53 years.”

“It’s such a joy to be with you here today in this March for Life. This is a pilgrimage for life, and it begins with prayer, here in Mary’s shrine. I thank God for all of you,” he said.

‘Life Is a gift’

O’Malley spoke about the 2026 March for Life theme: “Life Is a Gift.”

“What a powerful theme,” O’Malley said. “Sadly, life is not always seen as a gift. For some, it seems a burden or a curse.”

The cardinal detailed a recent poll that found “for the very first time in the history of our nation, the majority of Americans say they do not want to have children.” O’Malley called it “an alarming statistic.”

“Life is a gift, a gift given by a loving God,” he said. “Life is beautiful, especially when it is received with gratitude and love.”

We must “love as God loves,” O’Malley said. “We must love first, forgive first, give first. That’s why we’re here in this Mass for life.”

“We’re here because life is a gift. God has given us this precious gift. We must be grateful and express our gratitude by proclaiming the gospel of life,” he said.

Future of the pro-life movement

O’Malley, who has been active in the pro-life movement for decades, said the opposition once believed the pro-life advocates would “die off,” but “we’re still here, proclaiming the gospel of life.”

“Our mission is not a political crusade. It’s a response to God’s command to love and to care for each other. And God bless us, the crowd is getting younger and younger. You are beautiful,” he said.

To end abortion, “our task is not to judge others but to bring healing,” O’Malley said. We must be “gentle” like Jesus was with “the Samaritan woman, the poor, the tax collector, the adulterous woman, the good thief,” he said.

“Our task is to build a society that takes care of everybody, where every person counts, where every life is important. Political polarization, racism, economic injustice will only continue to fuel abortion in a post-Roe v. Wade world,” O’Malley said.

“Our world is wracked by divisions and violence. Pope Leo is inviting us to be messengers of unity and of peace. But we do not want to get in the way of the message,” O’Malley said.

“Together, we can protect and nurture that gift of life. We must look for opportunities to be apostles of life, building a civilization of love and ethic of care,” he said.

“The antidote to abortion is love. Love manifests in community, compassion, and solidarity. Life is a gift. Every person is a gift. Every person counts. All are important. Our mission is to work so that no child be left behind. Every baby will be welcomed, loved, cared for, nurtured, and protected,” he said.

“Thank God for the gift of life. Thank God for love. Thank God for you,” O’Malley concluded.

EWTN News’ coverage of the 2026 March for Life can be found here.

If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!

Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.

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How to watch the March for Life 2026: EWTN’s live coverage #Catholic Pro-life advocates march through Washington, D.C., to protest abortion during the 2025 March for Life on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. | Credit: Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/Middle East Images via AFP/Getty Images Jan 21, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA). With tens of thousands of pro-life Americans gathering for the 53rd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 23, EWTN will provide live coverage of the event.The yearly national pro-life event marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, drawing together thousands to protest abortion and advocate for life. This year’s theme is “Life Is a Gift,” which the March for Life official website says emphasizes the “unshakeable conviction that life is very good and worthy of protection, no matter the circumstances.”Thursday, Jan. 22: March for Life prayer vigil5 p.m. ET: EWTN’s National March for Life coverage kicks off before the march with a night of prayer at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The National Prayer Vigil for Life is held annually on the eve of the March for Life, bringing thousands of pilgrims across the nation together to pray for an end to abortion. At 5 p.m. ET, EWTN will stream the opening Mass followed by the Holy Hour of the National Prayer Vigil for Life at 7 p.m. as pro-lifers pray and prepare for the upcoming march.Friday, Jan. 23: March for Life8 a.m. ET: The all-night prayer vigil will conclude with the closing Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the shrine, televised live by EWTN.9:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET: EWTN will air coverage of the March for Life, featuring a keynote by Sarah Hurm, a single mom of four who went through a chemical abortion reversal to save the life of her child.Other speakers include Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana; Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey; and March for Life President Jennie Bradley Lichter. The march will also feature pro-life entrepreneurs including Shawnte Mallory, founder of Labir Love And Care, and Debbie Biskey, CEO of Options for Her, as well as student activist Elizabeth Pillsbury Oliver, a convert to Catholicism who heads Georgetown University’s Right to Life group. Rev. Irinej Dobrijevic, a Serbian Orthodox bishop of the Diocese of Eastern America, and Cissie Graham Lynch, spokesperson for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will also speak at the event.In addition, the Christian band Sanctus Real will perform at the rally and the Friends of Club 21 choir — a chorus of young adults with Down syndrome — will perform the national anthem.4 p.m. ET: EWTN will broadcast the second annual Life Fest Mass, sponsored by the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus as part of the Life Fest Rally. The Life Fest Rally begins the evening before the march with live music from Matt Maher and other Christian bands.Saturday: Walk for Life West Coast2:30 p.m. ET: The 21st annual Walk for Life West Coast will begin with a rally followed by the walk. EWTN will livestream coverage of the walk.5 p.m. ET: EWTN will televise highlights from One Life (Una Vida), a one-day event centered on witnessing human dignity with a focus on the pro-life issues as well as other issues such as human trafficking and homelessness. The coverage will be hosted by Astrid Bennett and Patricia Sandoval, along with EWTN producers, during the march.8 p.m. ET: EWTN will televise a pro-life Mass from Los Angeles, concluding the weekend’s pro-life coverage.
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How to watch the March for Life 2026: EWTN’s live coverage #Catholic Pro-life advocates march through Washington, D.C., to protest abortion during the 2025 March for Life on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. | Credit: Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/Middle East Images via AFP/Getty Images Jan 21, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA). With tens of thousands of pro-life Americans gathering for the 53rd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 23, EWTN will provide live coverage of the event.The yearly national pro-life event marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, drawing together thousands to protest abortion and advocate for life. This year’s theme is “Life Is a Gift,” which the March for Life official website says emphasizes the “unshakeable conviction that life is very good and worthy of protection, no matter the circumstances.”Thursday, Jan. 22: March for Life prayer vigil5 p.m. ET: EWTN’s National March for Life coverage kicks off before the march with a night of prayer at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The National Prayer Vigil for Life is held annually on the eve of the March for Life, bringing thousands of pilgrims across the nation together to pray for an end to abortion. At 5 p.m. ET, EWTN will stream the opening Mass followed by the Holy Hour of the National Prayer Vigil for Life at 7 p.m. as pro-lifers pray and prepare for the upcoming march.Friday, Jan. 23: March for Life8 a.m. ET: The all-night prayer vigil will conclude with the closing Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the shrine, televised live by EWTN.9:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET: EWTN will air coverage of the March for Life, featuring a keynote by Sarah Hurm, a single mom of four who went through a chemical abortion reversal to save the life of her child.Other speakers include Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana; Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey; and March for Life President Jennie Bradley Lichter. The march will also feature pro-life entrepreneurs including Shawnte Mallory, founder of Labir Love And Care, and Debbie Biskey, CEO of Options for Her, as well as student activist Elizabeth Pillsbury Oliver, a convert to Catholicism who heads Georgetown University’s Right to Life group. Rev. Irinej Dobrijevic, a Serbian Orthodox bishop of the Diocese of Eastern America, and Cissie Graham Lynch, spokesperson for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will also speak at the event.In addition, the Christian band Sanctus Real will perform at the rally and the Friends of Club 21 choir — a chorus of young adults with Down syndrome — will perform the national anthem.4 p.m. ET: EWTN will broadcast the second annual Life Fest Mass, sponsored by the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus as part of the Life Fest Rally. The Life Fest Rally begins the evening before the march with live music from Matt Maher and other Christian bands.Saturday: Walk for Life West Coast2:30 p.m. ET: The 21st annual Walk for Life West Coast will begin with a rally followed by the walk. EWTN will livestream coverage of the walk.5 p.m. ET: EWTN will televise highlights from One Life (Una Vida), a one-day event centered on witnessing human dignity with a focus on the pro-life issues as well as other issues such as human trafficking and homelessness. The coverage will be hosted by Astrid Bennett and Patricia Sandoval, along with EWTN producers, during the march.8 p.m. ET: EWTN will televise a pro-life Mass from Los Angeles, concluding the weekend’s pro-life coverage.

unitedyam

Pro-life advocates march through Washington, D.C., to protest abortion during the 2025 March for Life on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. | Credit: Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/Middle East Images via AFP/Getty Images

Jan 21, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA).

With tens of thousands of pro-life Americans gathering for the 53rd annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 23, EWTN will provide live coverage of the event.

The yearly national pro-life event marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, drawing together thousands to protest abortion and advocate for life. This year’s theme is “Life Is a Gift,” which the March for Life official website says emphasizes the “unshakeable conviction that life is very good and worthy of protection, no matter the circumstances.”

Thursday, Jan. 22: March for Life prayer vigil

5 p.m. ET: EWTN’s National March for Life coverage kicks off before the march with a night of prayer at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The National Prayer Vigil for Life is held annually on the eve of the March for Life, bringing thousands of pilgrims across the nation together to pray for an end to abortion.

At 5 p.m. ET, EWTN will stream the opening Mass followed by the Holy Hour of the National Prayer Vigil for Life at 7 p.m. as pro-lifers pray and prepare for the upcoming march.

Friday, Jan. 23: March for Life

8 a.m. ET: The all-night prayer vigil will conclude with the closing Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the shrine, televised live by EWTN.

9:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET: EWTN will air coverage of the March for Life, featuring a keynote by Sarah Hurm, a single mom of four who went through a chemical abortion reversal to save the life of her child.

Other speakers include Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana; Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey; and March for Life President Jennie Bradley Lichter. The march will also feature pro-life entrepreneurs including Shawnte Mallory, founder of Labir Love And Care, and Debbie Biskey, CEO of Options for Her, as well as student activist Elizabeth Pillsbury Oliver, a convert to Catholicism who heads Georgetown University’s Right to Life group.

Rev. Irinej Dobrijevic, a Serbian Orthodox bishop of the Diocese of Eastern America, and Cissie Graham Lynch, spokesperson for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will also speak at the event.

In addition, the Christian band Sanctus Real will perform at the rally and the Friends of Club 21 choir — a chorus of young adults with Down syndrome — will perform the national anthem.

4 p.m. ET: EWTN will broadcast the second annual Life Fest Mass, sponsored by the Sisters of Life and the Knights of Columbus as part of the Life Fest Rally. The Life Fest Rally begins the evening before the march with live music from Matt Maher and other Christian bands.

Saturday: Walk for Life West Coast

2:30 p.m. ET: The 21st annual Walk for Life West Coast will begin with a rally followed by the walk. EWTN will livestream coverage of the walk.

5 p.m. ET: EWTN will televise highlights from One Life (Una Vida), a one-day event centered on witnessing human dignity with a focus on the pro-life issues as well as other issues such as human trafficking and homelessness. The coverage will be hosted by Astrid Bennett and Patricia Sandoval, along with EWTN producers, during the march.

8 p.m. ET: EWTN will televise a pro-life Mass from Los Angeles, concluding the weekend’s pro-life coverage.

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Catholics express mixed views on first year of Trump’s second term #Catholic With Speaker of the House Mike Johnson by his side, President Donald Trump speaks to the press following a House Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol on May 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Jan 20, 2026 / 12:21 pm (CNA). Catholics are offering mixed reactions to the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, which included domestic policy actions that align with U.S. bishops on gender-related issues, and also tensions over immigration, expansion of the death penalty, and reduced funding for organizations that provide food and basic support to people in need.Trump secured his electoral victory in 2024 with the help of Catholics, who supported him by a double-digit margin, according to exit polls. A Pew Research Center report found that nearly a quarter of Trump’s voters in 2024 were Catholic.Throughout his first year, Trump — who calls himself a nondenominational Christian — has invoked Christianity and created a White House Faith Office. He created a Religious Liberty Commission by executive order in May 2025 and became the first president to issue a proclamation honoring the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception in December.Last year, the president also launched the “America Prays” initiative, which encouraged people to dedicate one hour of prayer for the United States and its people in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.Immigration, poverty, and NGOsJohn White, professor of politics at The Catholic University of America, said the first year of Trump’s second term “challenged Catholics on many levels.”“The brutality of ICE has caused the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to issue an extraordinary statement at the prompting of Pope Leo XIV,” White said, referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a special message in November opposing indiscriminate mass deportations, calling for humane treatment, urging meaningful reform, and affirming the compatibility of national security with human dignity.The Trump administration, with JD Vance, the second Catholic vice president in U.S. history, cut billions of dollars in funding to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which financially damaged several Catholic nonprofits that had received funding. Trump also signed into law historic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.“The cuts to NGO funding, SNAP, and Medicaid benefits, alongside the huge increases in health care costs, have hurt the poor and middle class at home and around the world,” he said. “Instead of being the good Samaritan, Trump has challenged our Catholic values and narrowed our vision of who we are and what we believe. JD Vance’s interpretation of ‘Ordo Amoris’ of a hierarchy to those whom we love rather than a universal love is a case in point and has been repudiated by Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV,” he said.The cuts aligned federal policy with the administration’s agenda, which included strict immigration enforcement, mass deportations of immigrants who are in the country illegally, and less foreign aid support.Catholic Charities USA was previously receiving more than $100 million annually for migrant services, and the Trump administration cut off those funds. In response, the organization scaled back its services.Since Trump took office, the administration said it has deported more than 600,000 people.Karen Sullivan, director of advocacy for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), which provides legal services to migrants, said she is “very concerned about the way that immigration enforcement has been carried out,” adding her organization is “very concerned that human dignity of all persons [needs to] be respected.”Sullivan said the administration is “enabling their officers to use excessive force as they are taking people into custody” and “denying access to oversight at their detention centers.” She also expressed concern about the administration increasing fees for asylum applications and giving agents more leeway to conduct immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, such as churches, schools, and hospitals.She said the large number of deportations and the increase in expedited removals has “been a strain” on organizations that seek to provide legal help to migrants.CLINIC receives inquiries from people who are facing deportation and also those who fear they may be deported. She said: “The worry and the fear among those people [who may face deportation] makes them seek out assistance and advice even more often.”“The pace of the changes that have been happening in the past year have been very difficult to manage,” she said. “We are having to respond very quickly to changes."Executive actions on genderSusan Hanssen, a history professor at the University of Dallas (a Catholic institution), viewed the first year of Trump’s second term in mostly successful terms.“As Catholics we know that the law educates, and during Trump’s first year in office we witnessed an actual shift in public opinion on the LGBT/transgender ideology due to his asserting the scientific and natural common sense that there are only male and female,” Hanssen said.Trump took executive action to prohibit what he called the “chemical and surgical mutilation” of children, such as hormone therapy and surgical transition. He signed a policy restricting participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports. He legally recognized only two genders, determined by biology: male and female.“His strong executive action on this essential point — domestically in making the executive branch remove its trans-affirming language, the executive department of education stop subverting parental rights over their children, and women’s rights in sports, and (importantly) putting an end to USAID’s [U.S. Agency for International Development] pushing this gender agenda on the countries who need our economic assistance,” she said.“This has led to a genuine public shift, with fewer independent corporations choosing to enforce June as LGBT Pride month on their customer base, fewer DEI programs pushing the gender agenda on hiring, and a shift (especially among young men) towards disapproval of gender transitioning children and even towards disapproval of the legalization of so-called same sex ‘marriage,’” she added. “We will need to see how these executive branch victories will affect judicial and legislative action moving forward.”Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center, had a similar view of some of the social changes.“The current administration has focused significant energy on the important task of ‘putting folks on notice,’ so it’s hard to deny, for example, that the misguided medico-pharmaceutical industry that has profited handsomely from exploiting vulnerable youth and other gender dysphoric individuals can no longer miss the loud indicators that these practices will not be able to continue unabated,” he said.Death penaltyTrump signaled a renewed and more aggressive federal capital-punishment policy in 2025, in opposition to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office directing the Justice Department to actively pursue the federal death penalty for serious crimes. He also directed federal prosecutors to seek death sentences in Washington, D.C., homicide cases. His administration lifted a moratorium on executions, reversing a pause in federal executions and following President Joe Biden’s commutations of federal death sentences.Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, then-president of the USCCB, in a Jan. 22, 2025, statement called Trump’s support for expanding the federal death penalty “deeply troubling.” Newly elected USCCB president Archbishop Paul Coakley likewise called for the abolition of the death penalty.
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Catholics express mixed views on first year of Trump’s second term #Catholic With Speaker of the House Mike Johnson by his side, President Donald Trump speaks to the press following a House Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol on May 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images Jan 20, 2026 / 12:21 pm (CNA). Catholics are offering mixed reactions to the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, which included domestic policy actions that align with U.S. bishops on gender-related issues, and also tensions over immigration, expansion of the death penalty, and reduced funding for organizations that provide food and basic support to people in need.Trump secured his electoral victory in 2024 with the help of Catholics, who supported him by a double-digit margin, according to exit polls. A Pew Research Center report found that nearly a quarter of Trump’s voters in 2024 were Catholic.Throughout his first year, Trump — who calls himself a nondenominational Christian — has invoked Christianity and created a White House Faith Office. He created a Religious Liberty Commission by executive order in May 2025 and became the first president to issue a proclamation honoring the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception in December.Last year, the president also launched the “America Prays” initiative, which encouraged people to dedicate one hour of prayer for the United States and its people in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.Immigration, poverty, and NGOsJohn White, professor of politics at The Catholic University of America, said the first year of Trump’s second term “challenged Catholics on many levels.”“The brutality of ICE has caused the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to issue an extraordinary statement at the prompting of Pope Leo XIV,” White said, referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a special message in November opposing indiscriminate mass deportations, calling for humane treatment, urging meaningful reform, and affirming the compatibility of national security with human dignity.The Trump administration, with JD Vance, the second Catholic vice president in U.S. history, cut billions of dollars in funding to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which financially damaged several Catholic nonprofits that had received funding. Trump also signed into law historic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.“The cuts to NGO funding, SNAP, and Medicaid benefits, alongside the huge increases in health care costs, have hurt the poor and middle class at home and around the world,” he said. “Instead of being the good Samaritan, Trump has challenged our Catholic values and narrowed our vision of who we are and what we believe. JD Vance’s interpretation of ‘Ordo Amoris’ of a hierarchy to those whom we love rather than a universal love is a case in point and has been repudiated by Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV,” he said.The cuts aligned federal policy with the administration’s agenda, which included strict immigration enforcement, mass deportations of immigrants who are in the country illegally, and less foreign aid support.Catholic Charities USA was previously receiving more than $100 million annually for migrant services, and the Trump administration cut off those funds. In response, the organization scaled back its services.Since Trump took office, the administration said it has deported more than 600,000 people.Karen Sullivan, director of advocacy for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), which provides legal services to migrants, said she is “very concerned about the way that immigration enforcement has been carried out,” adding her organization is “very concerned that human dignity of all persons [needs to] be respected.”Sullivan said the administration is “enabling their officers to use excessive force as they are taking people into custody” and “denying access to oversight at their detention centers.” She also expressed concern about the administration increasing fees for asylum applications and giving agents more leeway to conduct immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, such as churches, schools, and hospitals.She said the large number of deportations and the increase in expedited removals has “been a strain” on organizations that seek to provide legal help to migrants.CLINIC receives inquiries from people who are facing deportation and also those who fear they may be deported. She said: “The worry and the fear among those people [who may face deportation] makes them seek out assistance and advice even more often.”“The pace of the changes that have been happening in the past year have been very difficult to manage,” she said. “We are having to respond very quickly to changes."Executive actions on genderSusan Hanssen, a history professor at the University of Dallas (a Catholic institution), viewed the first year of Trump’s second term in mostly successful terms.“As Catholics we know that the law educates, and during Trump’s first year in office we witnessed an actual shift in public opinion on the LGBT/transgender ideology due to his asserting the scientific and natural common sense that there are only male and female,” Hanssen said.Trump took executive action to prohibit what he called the “chemical and surgical mutilation” of children, such as hormone therapy and surgical transition. He signed a policy restricting participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports. He legally recognized only two genders, determined by biology: male and female.“His strong executive action on this essential point — domestically in making the executive branch remove its trans-affirming language, the executive department of education stop subverting parental rights over their children, and women’s rights in sports, and (importantly) putting an end to USAID’s [U.S. Agency for International Development] pushing this gender agenda on the countries who need our economic assistance,” she said.“This has led to a genuine public shift, with fewer independent corporations choosing to enforce June as LGBT Pride month on their customer base, fewer DEI programs pushing the gender agenda on hiring, and a shift (especially among young men) towards disapproval of gender transitioning children and even towards disapproval of the legalization of so-called same sex ‘marriage,’” she added. “We will need to see how these executive branch victories will affect judicial and legislative action moving forward.”Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center, had a similar view of some of the social changes.“The current administration has focused significant energy on the important task of ‘putting folks on notice,’ so it’s hard to deny, for example, that the misguided medico-pharmaceutical industry that has profited handsomely from exploiting vulnerable youth and other gender dysphoric individuals can no longer miss the loud indicators that these practices will not be able to continue unabated,” he said.Death penaltyTrump signaled a renewed and more aggressive federal capital-punishment policy in 2025, in opposition to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office directing the Justice Department to actively pursue the federal death penalty for serious crimes. He also directed federal prosecutors to seek death sentences in Washington, D.C., homicide cases. His administration lifted a moratorium on executions, reversing a pause in federal executions and following President Joe Biden’s commutations of federal death sentences.Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, then-president of the USCCB, in a Jan. 22, 2025, statement called Trump’s support for expanding the federal death penalty “deeply troubling.” Newly elected USCCB president Archbishop Paul Coakley likewise called for the abolition of the death penalty.

unitedyam

With Speaker of the House Mike Johnson by his side, President Donald Trump speaks to the press following a House Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol on May 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Jan 20, 2026 / 12:21 pm (CNA).

Catholics are offering mixed reactions to the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, which included domestic policy actions that align with U.S. bishops on gender-related issues, and also tensions over immigration, expansion of the death penalty, and reduced funding for organizations that provide food and basic support to people in need.

Trump secured his electoral victory in 2024 with the help of Catholics, who supported him by a double-digit margin, according to exit polls. A Pew Research Center report found that nearly a quarter of Trump’s voters in 2024 were Catholic.

Throughout his first year, Trump — who calls himself a nondenominational Christian — has invoked Christianity and created a White House Faith Office. He created a Religious Liberty Commission by executive order in May 2025 and became the first president to issue a proclamation honoring the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception in December.

Last year, the president also launched the “America Prays” initiative, which encouraged people to dedicate one hour of prayer for the United States and its people in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.

Immigration, poverty, and NGOs

John White, professor of politics at The Catholic University of America, said the first year of Trump’s second term “challenged Catholics on many levels.”

“The brutality of ICE has caused the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to issue an extraordinary statement at the prompting of Pope Leo XIV,” White said, referring to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a special message in November opposing indiscriminate mass deportations, calling for humane treatment, urging meaningful reform, and affirming the compatibility of national security with human dignity.

The Trump administration, with JD Vance, the second Catholic vice president in U.S. history, cut billions of dollars in funding to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which financially damaged several Catholic nonprofits that had received funding. Trump also signed into law historic cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“The cuts to NGO funding, SNAP, and Medicaid benefits, alongside the huge increases in health care costs, have hurt the poor and middle class at home and around the world,” he said. “Instead of being the good Samaritan, Trump has challenged our Catholic values and narrowed our vision of who we are and what we believe. JD Vance’s interpretation of ‘Ordo Amoris’ of a hierarchy to those whom we love rather than a universal love is a case in point and has been repudiated by Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV,” he said.

The cuts aligned federal policy with the administration’s agenda, which included strict immigration enforcement, mass deportations of immigrants who are in the country illegally, and less foreign aid support.

Catholic Charities USA was previously receiving more than $100 million annually for migrant services, and the Trump administration cut off those funds. In response, the organization scaled back its services.

Since Trump took office, the administration said it has deported more than 600,000 people.

Karen Sullivan, director of advocacy for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), which provides legal services to migrants, said she is “very concerned about the way that immigration enforcement has been carried out,” adding her organization is “very concerned that human dignity of all persons [needs to] be respected.”

Sullivan said the administration is “enabling their officers to use excessive force as they are taking people into custody” and “denying access to oversight at their detention centers.” She also expressed concern about the administration increasing fees for asylum applications and giving agents more leeway to conduct immigration enforcement at sensitive locations, such as churches, schools, and hospitals.

She said the large number of deportations and the increase in expedited removals has “been a strain” on organizations that seek to provide legal help to migrants.

CLINIC receives inquiries from people who are facing deportation and also those who fear they may be deported. She said: “The worry and the fear among those people [who may face deportation] makes them seek out assistance and advice even more often.”

“The pace of the changes that have been happening in the past year have been very difficult to manage,” she said. “We are having to respond very quickly to changes."

Executive actions on gender

Susan Hanssen, a history professor at the University of Dallas (a Catholic institution), viewed the first year of Trump’s second term in mostly successful terms.

“As Catholics we know that the law educates, and during Trump’s first year in office we witnessed an actual shift in public opinion on the LGBT/transgender ideology due to his asserting the scientific and natural common sense that there are only male and female,” Hanssen said.

Trump took executive action to prohibit what he called the “chemical and surgical mutilation” of children, such as hormone therapy and surgical transition. He signed a policy restricting participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports. He legally recognized only two genders, determined by biology: male and female.

“His strong executive action on this essential point — domestically in making the executive branch remove its trans-affirming language, the executive department of education stop subverting parental rights over their children, and women’s rights in sports, and (importantly) putting an end to USAID’s [U.S. Agency for International Development] pushing this gender agenda on the countries who need our economic assistance,” she said.

“This has led to a genuine public shift, with fewer independent corporations choosing to enforce June as LGBT Pride month on their customer base, fewer DEI programs pushing the gender agenda on hiring, and a shift (especially among young men) towards disapproval of gender transitioning children and even towards disapproval of the legalization of so-called same sex ‘marriage,’” she added. “We will need to see how these executive branch victories will affect judicial and legislative action moving forward.”

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center, had a similar view of some of the social changes.

“The current administration has focused significant energy on the important task of ‘putting folks on notice,’ so it’s hard to deny, for example, that the misguided medico-pharmaceutical industry that has profited handsomely from exploiting vulnerable youth and other gender dysphoric individuals can no longer miss the loud indicators that these practices will not be able to continue unabated,” he said.

Death penalty

Trump signaled a renewed and more aggressive federal capital-punishment policy in 2025, in opposition to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”

Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office directing the Justice Department to actively pursue the federal death penalty for serious crimes. He also directed federal prosecutors to seek death sentences in Washington, D.C., homicide cases. His administration lifted a moratorium on executions, reversing a pause in federal executions and following President Joe Biden’s commutations of federal death sentences.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, then-president of the USCCB, in a Jan. 22, 2025, statement called Trump’s support for expanding the federal death penalty “deeply troubling.” Newly elected USCCB president Archbishop Paul Coakley likewise called for the abolition of the death penalty.

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Catholic women discuss beauty, difficulty, redemptive nature of Church’s teachings on sexuality #Catholic Keynote speakers at “The Beauty of Truth: Navigating Society Today as a Catholic Woman” conference, held Jan. 9-10, 2026, in Houston (left to right): Erika Bachiochi, Mary Eberstadt, Angela Franks, Pia de Solenni, and Leah Sargeant. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the University of St. Thomas Jan 18, 2026 / 10:26 am (CNA). This past week, nearly a quarter of U.S. states sued the federal government for defining biological sex as binary, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for and against legally allowing males to compete against females in sports, and a Vatican official called surrogacy a “new form of colonialism” that commodifies women and their children.These are just the latest legal and cultural effects of a “mass cultural confusion” surrounding the meaning and purpose of the human body, and particularly women’s bodies, according to Leah Jacobson, program coordinator of the Catholic Women’s and Gender Studies Program at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.On Jan. 9–10, the program sponsored a symposium titled “The Beauty of Truth: Navigating Society Today as a Catholic Woman,” which brought together a group of Catholic women who have used their gifts of intellect and faith to serve as what Jacobson calls an “antidote” to the “chaos and confusion” of the cultural moment.The speakers presented on a wide range of topics concerned with the beauty, truth, and necessity of the Church’s teachings on human sexuality, while also acknowledging how difficult living according to those teachings can sometimes be.‘Each of these acts is an act of human subtraction’In one of the first talks, writer Mary Eberstadt argued that the question “Who am I?” became harder to answer due to the widespread use of the birth control pill, which has led to huge increases in abortion, divorce, fatherlessness, single parenthood, and childlessness. “Each of these acts is an act of human subtraction,” Eberstadt said. “I’m not trying to make a point about morality, but arithmetic.”“The number of people we can call our own” became smaller, she said. While she acknowledged that not everyone has been affected equally, “members of our species share a collective environment. Just as toxic waste affects everyone," she said, the reduction in the number of human connections “amounts to a massive disturbance to the human ecosystem,” leading to a crisis of human identity.This reduction in the number of people in an individual's life, she argued, resulted in widespread confusion over gender identity and the meaning and purpose of the body.Eberstadt also attributed the decline in religiosity to the smaller number of human connections modern people have.“The sexual revolution subtracted the number of role models,” she said. “Many children have no siblings, no cousins, no aunts or uncles, no father; yet that is how humans conduct social learning.”“Without children, adults are less likely to go to church,” she said. “Without birth, we lose knowledge of the transcendent. Without an earthly father, it is hard to grasp the paradigm of a heavenly father.”‘A love deficit’“Living without God is not liberating people,” she continued. “It’s tearing some individuals apart, making people miserable and lonely.”When the sexual revolution made sex "recreational and not procreative, what it produced above all is a love deficit,” Eberstadt said.At the same time, secularization produced “troubled, disconnected souls drifting through society without gravity, shattering the ability to answer ‘Who am I?’”“The Church is the answer to the love deficit because Church teachings about who we are and what we’re here for are true,” she said.She concluded with a final note on hope, saying “it is easy to feel embattled, but we must never lose sight of the faces of the sexual revolution’s victims,” she said, “who are sending up primal screams for a world more ordered than many of today’s people now know; more ordered to mercy, to community and redemption.”The Church’s teachings were ’truly beautiful’ but 'very, very hard to live'Erika Bachiochi, a legal scholar and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center who has taught a class for the graduate program, shared her experience as a mother of seven who tried to live according to the Church’s “difficult” teachings.As her children began to arrive at “a breakneck pace” and each pregnancy was “a bit of a crucible,” Bachiochi said being a mother was “very hard” for her, partly due to wounds from her youth (among other troubles, her own mother had been married and divorced three times), and partly because of a lack of community. Echoing Eberstadt’s “arithmetic” problem, Bachiochi described having very few examples of Catholic family life and a very small support system.Bachiochi said she believes God heals us from our wounds through our “particular vocations,” however.Of motherhood, she said: “I think God really healed me through being faithful to teachings that I found quite hard, but truly beautiful. I was intellectually convinced by them and found them spiritually beautiful, but found them to be very, very hard to live.” “Motherhood has served to heal me profoundly," she said, encouraging young mothers to have faith that though it might be difficult now, there is an “amazing future” awaiting them. “It’s really an incredible gift that Church has given me … the gift of obedience,” she said. She also said by God’s grace, she was given an “excellent husband” and has found that “just as the Church promises, that leaning into motherhood, into the little things, the daily needs, the constant requests for my attention, has truly been a school of virtue.” The Catholic Women’s and Gender Studies Program is a new part of the Nesti Center for Faith and Culture at the University of St. Thomas, a recognized Catholic cultural center of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education.
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Catholic women discuss beauty, difficulty, redemptive nature of Church’s teachings on sexuality #Catholic Keynote speakers at “The Beauty of Truth: Navigating Society Today as a Catholic Woman” conference, held Jan. 9-10, 2026, in Houston (left to right): Erika Bachiochi, Mary Eberstadt, Angela Franks, Pia de Solenni, and Leah Sargeant. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the University of St. Thomas Jan 18, 2026 / 10:26 am (CNA). This past week, nearly a quarter of U.S. states sued the federal government for defining biological sex as binary, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for and against legally allowing males to compete against females in sports, and a Vatican official called surrogacy a “new form of colonialism” that commodifies women and their children.These are just the latest legal and cultural effects of a “mass cultural confusion” surrounding the meaning and purpose of the human body, and particularly women’s bodies, according to Leah Jacobson, program coordinator of the Catholic Women’s and Gender Studies Program at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.On Jan. 9–10, the program sponsored a symposium titled “The Beauty of Truth: Navigating Society Today as a Catholic Woman,” which brought together a group of Catholic women who have used their gifts of intellect and faith to serve as what Jacobson calls an “antidote” to the “chaos and confusion” of the cultural moment.The speakers presented on a wide range of topics concerned with the beauty, truth, and necessity of the Church’s teachings on human sexuality, while also acknowledging how difficult living according to those teachings can sometimes be.‘Each of these acts is an act of human subtraction’In one of the first talks, writer Mary Eberstadt argued that the question “Who am I?” became harder to answer due to the widespread use of the birth control pill, which has led to huge increases in abortion, divorce, fatherlessness, single parenthood, and childlessness. “Each of these acts is an act of human subtraction,” Eberstadt said. “I’m not trying to make a point about morality, but arithmetic.”“The number of people we can call our own” became smaller, she said. While she acknowledged that not everyone has been affected equally, “members of our species share a collective environment. Just as toxic waste affects everyone," she said, the reduction in the number of human connections “amounts to a massive disturbance to the human ecosystem,” leading to a crisis of human identity.This reduction in the number of people in an individual's life, she argued, resulted in widespread confusion over gender identity and the meaning and purpose of the body.Eberstadt also attributed the decline in religiosity to the smaller number of human connections modern people have.“The sexual revolution subtracted the number of role models,” she said. “Many children have no siblings, no cousins, no aunts or uncles, no father; yet that is how humans conduct social learning.”“Without children, adults are less likely to go to church,” she said. “Without birth, we lose knowledge of the transcendent. Without an earthly father, it is hard to grasp the paradigm of a heavenly father.”‘A love deficit’“Living without God is not liberating people,” she continued. “It’s tearing some individuals apart, making people miserable and lonely.”When the sexual revolution made sex "recreational and not procreative, what it produced above all is a love deficit,” Eberstadt said.At the same time, secularization produced “troubled, disconnected souls drifting through society without gravity, shattering the ability to answer ‘Who am I?’”“The Church is the answer to the love deficit because Church teachings about who we are and what we’re here for are true,” she said.She concluded with a final note on hope, saying “it is easy to feel embattled, but we must never lose sight of the faces of the sexual revolution’s victims,” she said, “who are sending up primal screams for a world more ordered than many of today’s people now know; more ordered to mercy, to community and redemption.”The Church’s teachings were ’truly beautiful’ but 'very, very hard to live'Erika Bachiochi, a legal scholar and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center who has taught a class for the graduate program, shared her experience as a mother of seven who tried to live according to the Church’s “difficult” teachings.As her children began to arrive at “a breakneck pace” and each pregnancy was “a bit of a crucible,” Bachiochi said being a mother was “very hard” for her, partly due to wounds from her youth (among other troubles, her own mother had been married and divorced three times), and partly because of a lack of community. Echoing Eberstadt’s “arithmetic” problem, Bachiochi described having very few examples of Catholic family life and a very small support system.Bachiochi said she believes God heals us from our wounds through our “particular vocations,” however.Of motherhood, she said: “I think God really healed me through being faithful to teachings that I found quite hard, but truly beautiful. I was intellectually convinced by them and found them spiritually beautiful, but found them to be very, very hard to live.” “Motherhood has served to heal me profoundly," she said, encouraging young mothers to have faith that though it might be difficult now, there is an “amazing future” awaiting them. “It’s really an incredible gift that Church has given me … the gift of obedience,” she said. She also said by God’s grace, she was given an “excellent husband” and has found that “just as the Church promises, that leaning into motherhood, into the little things, the daily needs, the constant requests for my attention, has truly been a school of virtue.” The Catholic Women’s and Gender Studies Program is a new part of the Nesti Center for Faith and Culture at the University of St. Thomas, a recognized Catholic cultural center of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education.

unitedyam

Keynote speakers at “The Beauty of Truth: Navigating Society Today as a Catholic Woman” conference, held Jan. 9-10, 2026, in Houston (left to right): Erika Bachiochi, Mary Eberstadt, Angela Franks, Pia de Solenni, and Leah Sargeant. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the University of St. Thomas

Jan 18, 2026 / 10:26 am (CNA).

This past week, nearly a quarter of U.S. states sued the federal government for defining biological sex as binary, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for and against legally allowing males to compete against females in sports, and a Vatican official called surrogacy a “new form of colonialism” that commodifies women and their children.

These are just the latest legal and cultural effects of a “mass cultural confusion” surrounding the meaning and purpose of the human body, and particularly women’s bodies, according to Leah Jacobson, program coordinator of the Catholic Women’s and Gender Studies Program at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

On Jan. 9–10, the program sponsored a symposium titled “The Beauty of Truth: Navigating Society Today as a Catholic Woman,” which brought together a group of Catholic women who have used their gifts of intellect and faith to serve as what Jacobson calls an “antidote” to the “chaos and confusion” of the cultural moment.

The speakers presented on a wide range of topics concerned with the beauty, truth, and necessity of the Church’s teachings on human sexuality, while also acknowledging how difficult living according to those teachings can sometimes be.

‘Each of these acts is an act of human subtraction’

In one of the first talks, writer Mary Eberstadt argued that the question “Who am I?” became harder to answer due to the widespread use of the birth control pill, which has led to huge increases in abortion, divorce, fatherlessness, single parenthood, and childlessness.

“Each of these acts is an act of human subtraction,” Eberstadt said. “I’m not trying to make a point about morality, but arithmetic.”

“The number of people we can call our own” became smaller, she said.

While she acknowledged that not everyone has been affected equally, “members of our species share a collective environment. Just as toxic waste affects everyone," she said, the reduction in the number of human connections “amounts to a massive disturbance to the human ecosystem,” leading to a crisis of human identity.

This reduction in the number of people in an individual's life, she argued, resulted in widespread confusion over gender identity and the meaning and purpose of the body.

Eberstadt also attributed the decline in religiosity to the smaller number of human connections modern people have.

“The sexual revolution subtracted the number of role models,” she said. “Many children have no siblings, no cousins, no aunts or uncles, no father; yet that is how humans conduct social learning.”

“Without children, adults are less likely to go to church,” she said. “Without birth, we lose knowledge of the transcendent. Without an earthly father, it is hard to grasp the paradigm of a heavenly father.”

‘A love deficit’

“Living without God is not liberating people,” she continued. “It’s tearing some individuals apart, making people miserable and lonely.”

When the sexual revolution made sex "recreational and not procreative, what it produced above all is a love deficit,” Eberstadt said.

At the same time, secularization produced “troubled, disconnected souls drifting through society without gravity, shattering the ability to answer ‘Who am I?’”

“The Church is the answer to the love deficit because Church teachings about who we are and what we’re here for are true,” she said.

She concluded with a final note on hope, saying “it is easy to feel embattled, but we must never lose sight of the faces of the sexual revolution’s victims,” she said, “who are sending up primal screams for a world more ordered than many of today’s people now know; more ordered to mercy, to community and redemption.”

The Church’s teachings were ’truly beautiful’ but 'very, very hard to live'

Erika Bachiochi, a legal scholar and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center who has taught a class for the graduate program, shared her experience as a mother of seven who tried to live according to the Church’s “difficult” teachings.

As her children began to arrive at “a breakneck pace” and each pregnancy was “a bit of a crucible,” Bachiochi said being a mother was “very hard” for her, partly due to wounds from her youth (among other troubles, her own mother had been married and divorced three times), and partly because of a lack of community.

Echoing Eberstadt’s “arithmetic” problem, Bachiochi described having very few examples of Catholic family life and a very small support system.

Bachiochi said she believes God heals us from our wounds through our “particular vocations,” however.

Of motherhood, she said: “I think God really healed me through being faithful to teachings that I found quite hard, but truly beautiful. I was intellectually convinced by them and found them spiritually beautiful, but found them to be very, very hard to live.”

“Motherhood has served to heal me profoundly," she said, encouraging young mothers to have faith that though it might be difficult now, there is an “amazing future” awaiting them.

“It’s really an incredible gift that Church has given me … the gift of obedience,” she said.

She also said by God’s grace, she was given an “excellent husband” and has found that “just as the Church promises, that leaning into motherhood, into the little things, the daily needs, the constant requests for my attention, has truly been a school of virtue.”

The Catholic Women’s and Gender Studies Program is a new part of the Nesti Center for Faith and Culture at the University of St. Thomas, a recognized Catholic cultural center of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education.

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From Baptist pastor to Catholic priest: A unique journey to priesthood #Catholic Father Travis Moger on the day of his ordination alongside his son, Mark; wife, Amelia; mother; and daughter, Maddy. | Credit: EWTN News screenshot Jan 17, 2026 / 11:00 am (CNA). Father Travis Moger has been a Catholic priest for just nine months, and his journey to ordination was a unique one. A former Baptist pastor and Navy chaplain, he was ordained in May 2025 in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, seven years after he, his wife, and his son entered the Catholic Church.“I didn’t come into the Church in order to be a priest; God used prayer to draw me to the Catholic Church,” Moger told EWTN News reporter Julia Convery.During a military campaign as a Navy chaplain, Moger; his wife, Amelia; and his son, Mark, all separately began to feel the call toward Catholicism. While Moger was away, his wife had begun attending RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, which is now called OCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults).Father Thomas Falkenthal, Moger’s former Navy chaplain supervisor, witnessed the seeds being planted in Moger’s heart.“He was connecting with the liturgy. The Catholic Mass was certainly far from his tradition. I could tell it was touching him,” Falkenthal shared with Convery.“He didn’t realize it, but all the way back home in the United States his wife, Amelia, was going to RCIA and preparing to join the Catholic Church. So when he came home from that deployment, they both had something to share with each other. Now I think that’s an amazing movement of the Spirit to keep that couple so close," Falkenthal said.“It was definitely a God thing definitely to draw her towards the Catholic Church,” Moger added.After a five-year journey of study and conversion, Moger, his wife, and his son were received into the Catholic Church on Easter Sunday 2018.“I entered the Church not knowing if there would be a path to the priesthood for me,” Moger shared.Bishop Mark Brennan of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston explained that Pope Francis eventually granted Moger a dispensation from the usual requirement of celibacy for the Catholic priesthood, allowing him to be ordained a priest. The bishop also pointed out that he believes having a desire for a family is a trait that makes a good priest.“When I was a vocations director, I always looked for would this man make a good husband and father? If he would, then he’d probably make a good priest,” Brennan said.Moger also highlighted this trait as one that allows him to have a unique perspective into his now-spiritual fatherhood.“There’s something about being able to bring a child into the world and then nurture them and you’re fully invested in another person. And I think that experience does inform the way you look at spiritual fatherhood and the way you look at God’s fatherhood,” Moger said.Moger’s son, Mark, told EWTN News that his father’s newly found spiritual fatherhood has brought a “deeper spirituality” into their family.Maddy Cordle, Moger’s daughter, added: “I’ve had the privilege of watching his conversion from the beginning — same with my mom and my brother —and I just got to watch how it brought them so much closer to each other in their marriage, together as a family, but also really, really strengthened their relationship with God.”“To him there’s nothing more important than the impoverished and the cast aside. That’s his charism and you’ll see it throughout his ministry,” Mark added.Despite his unconventional journey to the priesthood, Moger sees it as the result of saying “yes” to God.“God honors it when we start moving in the direction that he’s leading us, trusting that he’s going to work it out,” he said.
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From Baptist pastor to Catholic priest: A unique journey to priesthood #Catholic Father Travis Moger on the day of his ordination alongside his son, Mark; wife, Amelia; mother; and daughter, Maddy. | Credit: EWTN News screenshot Jan 17, 2026 / 11:00 am (CNA). Father Travis Moger has been a Catholic priest for just nine months, and his journey to ordination was a unique one. A former Baptist pastor and Navy chaplain, he was ordained in May 2025 in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, seven years after he, his wife, and his son entered the Catholic Church.“I didn’t come into the Church in order to be a priest; God used prayer to draw me to the Catholic Church,” Moger told EWTN News reporter Julia Convery.During a military campaign as a Navy chaplain, Moger; his wife, Amelia; and his son, Mark, all separately began to feel the call toward Catholicism. While Moger was away, his wife had begun attending RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, which is now called OCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults).Father Thomas Falkenthal, Moger’s former Navy chaplain supervisor, witnessed the seeds being planted in Moger’s heart.“He was connecting with the liturgy. The Catholic Mass was certainly far from his tradition. I could tell it was touching him,” Falkenthal shared with Convery.“He didn’t realize it, but all the way back home in the United States his wife, Amelia, was going to RCIA and preparing to join the Catholic Church. So when he came home from that deployment, they both had something to share with each other. Now I think that’s an amazing movement of the Spirit to keep that couple so close," Falkenthal said.“It was definitely a God thing definitely to draw her towards the Catholic Church,” Moger added.After a five-year journey of study and conversion, Moger, his wife, and his son were received into the Catholic Church on Easter Sunday 2018.“I entered the Church not knowing if there would be a path to the priesthood for me,” Moger shared.Bishop Mark Brennan of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston explained that Pope Francis eventually granted Moger a dispensation from the usual requirement of celibacy for the Catholic priesthood, allowing him to be ordained a priest. The bishop also pointed out that he believes having a desire for a family is a trait that makes a good priest.“When I was a vocations director, I always looked for would this man make a good husband and father? If he would, then he’d probably make a good priest,” Brennan said.Moger also highlighted this trait as one that allows him to have a unique perspective into his now-spiritual fatherhood.“There’s something about being able to bring a child into the world and then nurture them and you’re fully invested in another person. And I think that experience does inform the way you look at spiritual fatherhood and the way you look at God’s fatherhood,” Moger said.Moger’s son, Mark, told EWTN News that his father’s newly found spiritual fatherhood has brought a “deeper spirituality” into their family.Maddy Cordle, Moger’s daughter, added: “I’ve had the privilege of watching his conversion from the beginning — same with my mom and my brother —and I just got to watch how it brought them so much closer to each other in their marriage, together as a family, but also really, really strengthened their relationship with God.”“To him there’s nothing more important than the impoverished and the cast aside. That’s his charism and you’ll see it throughout his ministry,” Mark added.Despite his unconventional journey to the priesthood, Moger sees it as the result of saying “yes” to God.“God honors it when we start moving in the direction that he’s leading us, trusting that he’s going to work it out,” he said.

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Father Travis Moger on the day of his ordination alongside his son, Mark; wife, Amelia; mother; and daughter, Maddy. | Credit: EWTN News screenshot

Jan 17, 2026 / 11:00 am (CNA).

Father Travis Moger has been a Catholic priest for just nine months, and his journey to ordination was a unique one. A former Baptist pastor and Navy chaplain, he was ordained in May 2025 in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, seven years after he, his wife, and his son entered the Catholic Church.

“I didn’t come into the Church in order to be a priest; God used prayer to draw me to the Catholic Church,” Moger told EWTN News reporter Julia Convery.

During a military campaign as a Navy chaplain, Moger; his wife, Amelia; and his son, Mark, all separately began to feel the call toward Catholicism. While Moger was away, his wife had begun attending RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, which is now called OCIA — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults).

Father Thomas Falkenthal, Moger’s former Navy chaplain supervisor, witnessed the seeds being planted in Moger’s heart.

“He was connecting with the liturgy. The Catholic Mass was certainly far from his tradition. I could tell it was touching him,” Falkenthal shared with Convery.

“He didn’t realize it, but all the way back home in the United States his wife, Amelia, was going to RCIA and preparing to join the Catholic Church. So when he came home from that deployment, they both had something to share with each other. Now I think that’s an amazing movement of the Spirit to keep that couple so close," Falkenthal said.

“It was definitely a God thing definitely to draw her towards the Catholic Church,” Moger added.

After a five-year journey of study and conversion, Moger, his wife, and his son were received into the Catholic Church on Easter Sunday 2018.

“I entered the Church not knowing if there would be a path to the priesthood for me,” Moger shared.

Bishop Mark Brennan of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston explained that Pope Francis eventually granted Moger a dispensation from the usual requirement of celibacy for the Catholic priesthood, allowing him to be ordained a priest.

The bishop also pointed out that he believes having a desire for a family is a trait that makes a good priest.

“When I was a vocations director, I always looked for would this man make a good husband and father? If he would, then he’d probably make a good priest,” Brennan said.

Moger also highlighted this trait as one that allows him to have a unique perspective into his now-spiritual fatherhood.

“There’s something about being able to bring a child into the world and then nurture them and you’re fully invested in another person. And I think that experience does inform the way you look at spiritual fatherhood and the way you look at God’s fatherhood,” Moger said.

Moger’s son, Mark, told EWTN News that his father’s newly found spiritual fatherhood has brought a “deeper spirituality” into their family.

Maddy Cordle, Moger’s daughter, added: “I’ve had the privilege of watching his conversion from the beginning — same with my mom and my brother —and I just got to watch how it brought them so much closer to each other in their marriage, together as a family, but also really, really strengthened their relationship with God.”

“To him there’s nothing more important than the impoverished and the cast aside. That’s his charism and you’ll see it throughout his ministry,” Mark added.

Despite his unconventional journey to the priesthood, Moger sees it as the result of saying “yes” to God.

“God honors it when we start moving in the direction that he’s leading us, trusting that he’s going to work it out,” he said.

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Bishop of Columbus grants Mass dispensation to immigrants who fear deportation #Catholic Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio, carries the Blessed Sacrament during a procession at Pickaway Correctional Institution on June 28, 2024, at one of the stops on the Seton Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. Credit: Catholic Times/Ken Snow Dec 29, 2025 / 14:18 pm (CNA). The bishop of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, has granted a dispensation from Mass for parishioners who fear deportation by immigration enforcement officers, who have increased activity in the area since mid-December.Bishop Earl Fernandes announced in a letter and video last week that those who fear immigration enforcement action are free from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass until Jan. 11, 2026. The bishop said the dispensation was precipitated by increased immigration enforcement activity in Ohio stemming from Operation Buckeye, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiative launched Dec. 16 that is allegedly targeting “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Columbus and throughout Ohio.”Fernandes told EWTN News on Monday that after he began receiving messages from pastors throughout his diocese informing him that Hispanic parishioners were afraid to attend Mass due to the increased enforcement by ICE officers, he asked diocesan personnel in the Office of Catholic Social Doctrine and the Hispanic ministry office to help him get a clearer picture of “what is happening on the ground.”“They told me there were ICE trucks in front of parishes; even in front of schools,” Fernandes said. “All of a sudden, there were half or fewer attendees at the Posadas [traditional pre-Christmas] celebrations.”He said he decided to issue the dispensation “even though I did not want to” because “people need Mass and the sacraments more than ever” and he wanted families to be together without fear for Christmas.During a Mass he celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 20, Fernandes told EWTN News the pastor of the church remained at the front door and saw an ICE truck nearby. Because of this, the Posada [traditional pre-Christmas] procession was moved from outdoors to a hallway inside the building because “the people were too afraid to go outside.”The procession took place inside the building. “We had a meal, there was a piñata and some celebrations,” Fernandes said. “But it was clear there were a lot of people who weren’t there.”The bishop said he began receiving calls from pastors more than two hours from Columbus who were reporting ICE’s presence.Sharp drops in Mass attendance“The atmosphere of fear was keeping people away,” he said. One pastor reported that only one-third of his congregation attended weekend Mass. Another said only one-quarter were present, Fernandes said.Of the increased enforcement against immigrants, Fernandes reflected: “It’s easy to say immigrants should have come to our country legally. But what if your parents came here illegally and you are a U.S. citizen? … What if one spouse is documented and the other is not. What’s in the best interest of their children and society at large?”Of the Mexican population in Columbus, Fernandes said that “many are the grandchildren of the Cristeros,” resistors to the Mexican government’s attempts in the 1920s to suppress Catholicism in the country.He said a large group of Hispanics came to the midnight Mass on Christmas at the cathedral because they did not think ICE would be there. “I think they felt safe at the cathedral.”Fernandes said the Diocese of Columbus also has large numbers of Catholic African migrants who have “tons of children” and make up “young communities full of life and full of faith.”Fernandes said he talked to the pastor of a multiethnic parish made up of Nigerians, Filipinos, and others, and “they’re afraid too.”He is concerned for the Haitian community as well, whose temporary protected status (TPS) is set to expire on Feb. 3, 2026.He said the Mass dispensation expires on Jan. 11, the end of the Christmas season, at which time he will reevaluate the situation.
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Bishop of Columbus grants Mass dispensation to immigrants who fear deportation #Catholic Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio, carries the Blessed Sacrament during a procession at Pickaway Correctional Institution on June 28, 2024, at one of the stops on the Seton Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. Credit: Catholic Times/Ken Snow Dec 29, 2025 / 14:18 pm (CNA). The bishop of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, has granted a dispensation from Mass for parishioners who fear deportation by immigration enforcement officers, who have increased activity in the area since mid-December.Bishop Earl Fernandes announced in a letter and video last week that those who fear immigration enforcement action are free from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass until Jan. 11, 2026. The bishop said the dispensation was precipitated by increased immigration enforcement activity in Ohio stemming from Operation Buckeye, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiative launched Dec. 16 that is allegedly targeting “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Columbus and throughout Ohio.”Fernandes told EWTN News on Monday that after he began receiving messages from pastors throughout his diocese informing him that Hispanic parishioners were afraid to attend Mass due to the increased enforcement by ICE officers, he asked diocesan personnel in the Office of Catholic Social Doctrine and the Hispanic ministry office to help him get a clearer picture of “what is happening on the ground.”“They told me there were ICE trucks in front of parishes; even in front of schools,” Fernandes said. “All of a sudden, there were half or fewer attendees at the Posadas [traditional pre-Christmas] celebrations.”He said he decided to issue the dispensation “even though I did not want to” because “people need Mass and the sacraments more than ever” and he wanted families to be together without fear for Christmas.During a Mass he celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 20, Fernandes told EWTN News the pastor of the church remained at the front door and saw an ICE truck nearby. Because of this, the Posada [traditional pre-Christmas] procession was moved from outdoors to a hallway inside the building because “the people were too afraid to go outside.”The procession took place inside the building. “We had a meal, there was a piñata and some celebrations,” Fernandes said. “But it was clear there were a lot of people who weren’t there.”The bishop said he began receiving calls from pastors more than two hours from Columbus who were reporting ICE’s presence.Sharp drops in Mass attendance“The atmosphere of fear was keeping people away,” he said. One pastor reported that only one-third of his congregation attended weekend Mass. Another said only one-quarter were present, Fernandes said.Of the increased enforcement against immigrants, Fernandes reflected: “It’s easy to say immigrants should have come to our country legally. But what if your parents came here illegally and you are a U.S. citizen? … What if one spouse is documented and the other is not. What’s in the best interest of their children and society at large?”Of the Mexican population in Columbus, Fernandes said that “many are the grandchildren of the Cristeros,” resistors to the Mexican government’s attempts in the 1920s to suppress Catholicism in the country.He said a large group of Hispanics came to the midnight Mass on Christmas at the cathedral because they did not think ICE would be there. “I think they felt safe at the cathedral.”Fernandes said the Diocese of Columbus also has large numbers of Catholic African migrants who have “tons of children” and make up “young communities full of life and full of faith.”Fernandes said he talked to the pastor of a multiethnic parish made up of Nigerians, Filipinos, and others, and “they’re afraid too.”He is concerned for the Haitian community as well, whose temporary protected status (TPS) is set to expire on Feb. 3, 2026.He said the Mass dispensation expires on Jan. 11, the end of the Christmas season, at which time he will reevaluate the situation.

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Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio, carries the Blessed Sacrament during a procession at Pickaway Correctional Institution on June 28, 2024, at one of the stops on the Seton Route of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. Credit: Catholic Times/Ken Snow

Dec 29, 2025 / 14:18 pm (CNA).

The bishop of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, has granted a dispensation from Mass for parishioners who fear deportation by immigration enforcement officers, who have increased activity in the area since mid-December.

Bishop Earl Fernandes announced in a letter and video last week that those who fear immigration enforcement action are free from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass until Jan. 11, 2026. The bishop said the dispensation was precipitated by increased immigration enforcement activity in Ohio stemming from Operation Buckeye, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiative launched Dec. 16 that is allegedly targeting “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in Columbus and throughout Ohio.”

Fernandes told EWTN News on Monday that after he began receiving messages from pastors throughout his diocese informing him that Hispanic parishioners were afraid to attend Mass due to the increased enforcement by ICE officers, he asked diocesan personnel in the Office of Catholic Social Doctrine and the Hispanic ministry office to help him get a clearer picture of “what is happening on the ground.”

“They told me there were ICE trucks in front of parishes; even in front of schools,” Fernandes said. “All of a sudden, there were half or fewer attendees at the Posadas [traditional pre-Christmas] celebrations.”

He said he decided to issue the dispensation “even though I did not want to” because “people need Mass and the sacraments more than ever” and he wanted families to be together without fear for Christmas.

During a Mass he celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 20, Fernandes told EWTN News the pastor of the church remained at the front door and saw an ICE truck nearby. Because of this, the Posada [traditional pre-Christmas] procession was moved from outdoors to a hallway inside the building because “the people were too afraid to go outside.”

The procession took place inside the building. “We had a meal, there was a piñata and some celebrations,” Fernandes said. “But it was clear there were a lot of people who weren’t there.”

The bishop said he began receiving calls from pastors more than two hours from Columbus who were reporting ICE’s presence.

Sharp drops in Mass attendance

“The atmosphere of fear was keeping people away,” he said. One pastor reported that only one-third of his congregation attended weekend Mass. Another said only one-quarter were present, Fernandes said.

Of the increased enforcement against immigrants, Fernandes reflected: “It’s easy to say immigrants should have come to our country legally. But what if your parents came here illegally and you are a U.S. citizen? … What if one spouse is documented and the other is not. What’s in the best interest of their children and society at large?”

Of the Mexican population in Columbus, Fernandes said that “many are the grandchildren of the Cristeros,” resistors to the Mexican government’s attempts in the 1920s to suppress Catholicism in the country.

He said a large group of Hispanics came to the midnight Mass on Christmas at the cathedral because they did not think ICE would be there. “I think they felt safe at the cathedral.”

Fernandes said the Diocese of Columbus also has large numbers of Catholic African migrants who have “tons of children” and make up “young communities full of life and full of faith.”

Fernandes said he talked to the pastor of a multiethnic parish made up of Nigerians, Filipinos, and others, and “they’re afraid too.”

He is concerned for the Haitian community as well, whose temporary protected status (TPS) is set to expire on Feb. 3, 2026.

He said the Mass dispensation expires on Jan. 11, the end of the Christmas season, at which time he will reevaluate the situation.

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The Calabash clash – The Calabash Nebula, pictured here — which has the technical name OH 231.8+04.2 — is a spectacular example of the death of a low-mass star like the Sun. This image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the star going through a rapid transformation from a red giant to a planetary nebula, during which it blows its outer layers of gas and dust out into the surrounding space. The recently ejected material is spat out in opposite directions with immense speed — the gas shown in yellow is moving close to a million kilometres an hour. Astronomers rarely capture a star in this phase of its evolution because it occurs within the blink of an eye — in astronomical terms. Over the next thousand years the nebula is expected to evolve into a fully fledged planetary nebula. The nebula is also known as the Rotten Egg Nebula because it contains a lot of sulphur, an element that, when combined with other elements, smells like a rotten egg — but luckily, it resides over 5000 light-years away in the constellation of Puppis (The Poop deck).
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The Calabash clash – The Calabash Nebula, pictured here — which has the technical name OH 231.8+04.2 — is a spectacular example of the death of a low-mass star like the Sun. This image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the star going through a rapid transformation from a red giant to a planetary nebula, during which it blows its outer layers of gas and dust out into the surrounding space. The recently ejected material is spat out in opposite directions with immense speed — the gas shown in yellow is moving close to a million kilometres an hour. Astronomers rarely capture a star in this phase of its evolution because it occurs within the blink of an eye — in astronomical terms. Over the next thousand years the nebula is expected to evolve into a fully fledged planetary nebula. The nebula is also known as the Rotten Egg Nebula because it contains a lot of sulphur, an element that, when combined with other elements, smells like a rotten egg — but luckily, it resides over 5000 light-years away in the constellation of Puppis (The Poop deck).

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The Calabash Nebula, pictured here — which has the technical name OH 231.8+04.2 — is a spectacular example of the death of a low-mass star like the Sun. This image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the star going through a rapid transformation from a red giant to a planetary nebula, during which it blows its outer layers of gas and dust out into the surrounding space. The recently ejected material is spat out in opposite directions with immense speed — the gas shown in yellow is moving close to a million kilometres an hour. Astronomers rarely capture a star in this phase of its evolution because it occurs within the blink of an eye — in astronomical terms. Over the next thousand years the nebula is expected to evolve into a fully fledged planetary nebula. The nebula is also known as the Rotten Egg Nebula because it contains a lot of sulphur, an element that, when combined with other elements, smells like a rotten egg — but luckily, it resides over 5000 light-years away in the constellation of Puppis (The Poop deck).

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Stellar Jet – Webb’s image of the enormous stellar jet in Sh2-284 provides evidence that protostellar jets scale with the mass of their parent stars—the more massive the stellar engine driving the plasma, the larger the resulting jet.
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Stellar Jet – Webb’s image of the enormous stellar jet in Sh2-284 provides evidence that protostellar jets scale with the mass of their parent stars—the more massive the stellar engine driving the plasma, the larger the resulting jet.

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Webb’s image of the enormous stellar jet in Sh2-284 provides evidence that protostellar jets scale with the mass of their parent stars—the more massive the stellar engine driving the plasma, the larger the resulting jet.

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A Brief Outburst
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A Brief Outburst

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The Sun blew out a coronal mass ejection along with part of a solar filament over a three-hour period on Feb. 24, 2015. While some of the strands fell back into the Sun, a substantial part raced into space in a bright cloud of particles (as observed by the NASA-ESA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory spacecraft). Because this occurred way over near the edge of the Sun, it was unlikely to have any effect on Earth.

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