mother

7 fascinating facts about St. Martin de Porres, the first Black saint of the Americas #Catholic St. Martin de Porres. / Credit: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons CNA Staff, Nov 3, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). On Nov. 3, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Martin de Porres, a Peruvian Dominican brother who lived a life of humble service and charity and became the first Black saint of the Americas.Here are seven fascinating facts about this inspiring saint:1. His father refused to acknowledge him. De Porres was born in Lima, Peru, in 1579. He was the son of a Spanish nobleman and former Panamanian Black slave. His father, Don Juan de Porres, refused to publicly acknowledge the boy as his own because Martin was Black, like his mother. Being biracial would prove challenging for Martin de Porres throughout his life. 2. He started practicing medicine before he was 13. De Porres served as an apprentice to a doctor, and before the age of 13 he began to learn the practice of medicine. He would eventually become a barber, which at the time performed minor medical and surgical procedures like pulling teeth or emptying abscesses. 3. He faced discrimination as a Dominican. De Porres entered the Dominican order in 1603. Becoming a Dominican brother proved to be challenging for de Porres because a Peruvian law at the time prevented people of mixed race from joining religious orders. Therefore, he lived with the community and did manual work, earning himself the nickname “the saint of the broom” for his diligence in cleaning the Dominicans’ quarters.Eventually he was allowed to enter the order, despite the law, and worked in the infirmary tending to the sick and among the impoverished of Peru. “I cure them, but God heals them,” de Porres would say when curing the sick. He also had the task of begging for alms that the community would use to clothe and feed the poor. He also established an orphanage and planted an orchard from which those in need could freely take a day’s supply of fruit. 4. He levitated and bilocated. De Porres was deeply prayerful, so much so that many of the brothers witnessed him levitating in intense prayer and embracing the crucified cross. De Porres reportedly also had the gift of bilocation, and some of his contemporaries said they encountered him in places as far off as Japan even as he remained in Lima. Some claimed he had appeared to them supernaturally behind locked doors or under otherwise impossible circumstances. 5. He refused to eat meat. De Porres loved animals. He refused to eat meat and ran a veterinary hospital for sick animals that seemed to seek out his help. Portrayals of the saint often include cats, dogs, and even the rats to whom he showed compassion.6. He is the patron saint of multiple manual labor occupations. De Porres was known for the various assignments he carried out and which earned him the title of patron saint of barbers, the sick, and street cleaners. On the 50th anniversary of St. Martin de Porres’ canonization, Father Juan Anguerri, director of the St. Martin de Porres Home for the Poor, said: “These are often thankless tasks, but yet through his humble service, St. Martin sent a message to revitalize these jobs.”7. He was canonized more than 300 years after his death. Martin de Porres died on Nov. 3, 1639, at age 60. He was canonized by Pope John XXIII on May 16, 1962. At his canonization Mass, John XXIII called him “Martin of Charity.”  This story was first published on Nov. 3, 2021, and has been updated.
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7 fascinating facts about St. Martin de Porres, the first Black saint of the Americas #Catholic St. Martin de Porres. / Credit: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons CNA Staff, Nov 3, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). On Nov. 3, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Martin de Porres, a Peruvian Dominican brother who lived a life of humble service and charity and became the first Black saint of the Americas.Here are seven fascinating facts about this inspiring saint:1. His father refused to acknowledge him. De Porres was born in Lima, Peru, in 1579. He was the son of a Spanish nobleman and former Panamanian Black slave. His father, Don Juan de Porres, refused to publicly acknowledge the boy as his own because Martin was Black, like his mother. Being biracial would prove challenging for Martin de Porres throughout his life. 2. He started practicing medicine before he was 13. De Porres served as an apprentice to a doctor, and before the age of 13 he began to learn the practice of medicine. He would eventually become a barber, which at the time performed minor medical and surgical procedures like pulling teeth or emptying abscesses. 3. He faced discrimination as a Dominican. De Porres entered the Dominican order in 1603. Becoming a Dominican brother proved to be challenging for de Porres because a Peruvian law at the time prevented people of mixed race from joining religious orders. Therefore, he lived with the community and did manual work, earning himself the nickname “the saint of the broom” for his diligence in cleaning the Dominicans’ quarters.Eventually he was allowed to enter the order, despite the law, and worked in the infirmary tending to the sick and among the impoverished of Peru. “I cure them, but God heals them,” de Porres would say when curing the sick. He also had the task of begging for alms that the community would use to clothe and feed the poor. He also established an orphanage and planted an orchard from which those in need could freely take a day’s supply of fruit. 4. He levitated and bilocated. De Porres was deeply prayerful, so much so that many of the brothers witnessed him levitating in intense prayer and embracing the crucified cross. De Porres reportedly also had the gift of bilocation, and some of his contemporaries said they encountered him in places as far off as Japan even as he remained in Lima. Some claimed he had appeared to them supernaturally behind locked doors or under otherwise impossible circumstances. 5. He refused to eat meat. De Porres loved animals. He refused to eat meat and ran a veterinary hospital for sick animals that seemed to seek out his help. Portrayals of the saint often include cats, dogs, and even the rats to whom he showed compassion.6. He is the patron saint of multiple manual labor occupations. De Porres was known for the various assignments he carried out and which earned him the title of patron saint of barbers, the sick, and street cleaners. On the 50th anniversary of St. Martin de Porres’ canonization, Father Juan Anguerri, director of the St. Martin de Porres Home for the Poor, said: “These are often thankless tasks, but yet through his humble service, St. Martin sent a message to revitalize these jobs.”7. He was canonized more than 300 years after his death. Martin de Porres died on Nov. 3, 1639, at age 60. He was canonized by Pope John XXIII on May 16, 1962. At his canonization Mass, John XXIII called him “Martin of Charity.”  This story was first published on Nov. 3, 2021, and has been updated.

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St. Martin de Porres. / Credit: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Nov 3, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

On Nov. 3, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Martin de Porres, a Peruvian Dominican brother who lived a life of humble service and charity and became the first Black saint of the Americas.

Here are seven fascinating facts about this inspiring saint:

1. His father refused to acknowledge him.

De Porres was born in Lima, Peru, in 1579. He was the son of a Spanish nobleman and former Panamanian Black slave. His father, Don Juan de Porres, refused to publicly acknowledge the boy as his own because Martin was Black, like his mother. Being biracial would prove challenging for Martin de Porres throughout his life. 

2. He started practicing medicine before he was 13.

De Porres served as an apprentice to a doctor, and before the age of 13 he began to learn the practice of medicine. He would eventually become a barber, which at the time performed minor medical and surgical procedures like pulling teeth or emptying abscesses. 

3. He faced discrimination as a Dominican.

De Porres entered the Dominican order in 1603. Becoming a Dominican brother proved to be challenging for de Porres because a Peruvian law at the time prevented people of mixed race from joining religious orders. Therefore, he lived with the community and did manual work, earning himself the nickname “the saint of the broom” for his diligence in cleaning the Dominicans’ quarters.

Eventually he was allowed to enter the order, despite the law, and worked in the infirmary tending to the sick and among the impoverished of Peru. “I cure them, but God heals them,” de Porres would say when curing the sick. He also had the task of begging for alms that the community would use to clothe and feed the poor. He also established an orphanage and planted an orchard from which those in need could freely take a day’s supply of fruit. 

4. He levitated and bilocated.

De Porres was deeply prayerful, so much so that many of the brothers witnessed him levitating in intense prayer and embracing the crucified cross. De Porres reportedly also had the gift of bilocation, and some of his contemporaries said they encountered him in places as far off as Japan even as he remained in Lima. Some claimed he had appeared to them supernaturally behind locked doors or under otherwise impossible circumstances. 

5. He refused to eat meat.

De Porres loved animals. He refused to eat meat and ran a veterinary hospital for sick animals that seemed to seek out his help. Portrayals of the saint often include cats, dogs, and even the rats to whom he showed compassion.

6. He is the patron saint of multiple manual labor occupations.

De Porres was known for the various assignments he carried out and which earned him the title of patron saint of barbers, the sick, and street cleaners. On the 50th anniversary of St. Martin de Porres’ canonization, Father Juan Anguerri, director of the St. Martin de Porres Home for the Poor, said: “These are often thankless tasks, but yet through his humble service, St. Martin sent a message to revitalize these jobs.”

7. He was canonized more than 300 years after his death.

Martin de Porres died on Nov. 3, 1639, at age 60. He was canonized by Pope John XXIII on May 16, 1962. At his canonization Mass, John XXIII called him “Martin of Charity.” 

This story was first published on Nov. 3, 2021, and has been updated.

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Preparing for death with the Sister Servants of Mary #Catholic The Sister Servants of Mary hold a procession with the statue of Our Lady of the Assumption at Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick CNA Staff, Nov 2, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). When a 93-year-old Catholic father from New Orleans had a stroke, he knew he was prepared to die.Clinton Jacob attended adoration and Mass daily and was “rarely without a prayer book or rosary in hand,” according to his daughter, Kim DeSopo.“[He] never spoke of death with fear or sadness,” she told CNA. “He would simply say, ‘I’ll be going home.’”But not everyone feels prepared for death.The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, is a Catholic community of sisters who dedicate their lives to caring for the sick and dying in New Orleans and around the world. As nurses, they are at the bedside of the dying through the long nights, whether their patients are lifelong Catholics or have never thought about religion.The sisters often encounter patients as well as family members who are struggling to accept “an illness or imminent death,” Sister Catherine Bussen, a Servant of Mary, told CNA.“Many times, there is a need for reconciliation within the family, for a return to their faith, for acceptance of their condition, etc.,” Bussen said.As medical professionals, the sisters provide physical treatment, but they also walk with their patients throughout their illnesses, encouraging patients and families “always with the hope of eternal life,” Bussen said. DeSopo, Jacob’s daughter, called the sisters for support. The next day, Bussen arrived at their doorstep, and every night for two weeks, she sat at Jacob’s bedside. Bussen’s presence was “a gift,” DeSopo said. “Sister Catherine brought peace and calm into a time filled with stress and sorrow.”“Her prayers, patience, and care provided comfort not only to my father but also to my mother, who could finally sleep knowing someone trustworthy and compassionate was by his side,” DeSopo said, recalling Bussen’s “selfless dedication” and “unwavering faith.” Bussen was with Jacob when he died on Sept. 26, 2024. She prepared his body, cleaning him and sprinkling him with holy water, and then prayed with his wife and daughter.“I will never forget the care and dignity she gave him, even after his final breath,” DeSopo said.Sister Catherine (left) and Sister Dorian Salvador (right) pray for the soul of Kim DeSopa’s father on Oct. 1, 2024, at St. Clement of Rome Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kim DeSopa and Sister CatherineMary at the foot of the cross “I was sick and you visited me.”This Scripture verse, Matthew 25:36, summarizes the charism of the Servants of Mary, according to Bussen. When they care for the sick, they care for Christ.The sisters will care for anyone in need, preferably within the sick person’s own home. In those who are suffering, the sisters “discover Jesus carrying his cross,” Bussen explained. “By caring for the sick, we believe that we are caring for Christ himself, who still suffers today in the suffering mystical body of Christ,” she said.Sister Angélica Ramos cares for Mrs. Hura, a resident of Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the SickFounded in Madrid, Spain, in the 1800s, the sisters care for the sick and dying in Louisiana, Kansas, and California as well as throughout Central and South America, Spain, France, England, Italy, Cameroon, the Philippines, and Indonesia. They run a hospital for the poor in Bamenda, Cameroon, as well as two missionary houses in Oaxaca, Mexico.The sisters look to Mary as an example as they accompany those who are suffering.“Although we are not able to take away someone’s cross, we are present to them, offering all to the Father, like Mary did at the cross of Jesus, that all suffering may be redemptive and fruitful,” Bussen said.“Every one of us sisters would tell you that it is an absolute privilege to be able to enter into the intimacy of a family’s home, listening to the dying, praying with them, and encouraging them on the final stage of their journey as their soul passes into eternity,” she said.Sister Servants of Mary Fatima Muñoz and Carmela Sanz (front) celebrate a May crowning in Kansas City, Kansas. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick“Our Catholic Christian faith is a beautiful comfort during these times because it is all about looking forward to the promised life to come, the whole goal of our lives, eternal life,” Bussen said.One woman from New Orleans received news no one wants to hear — she had a terminal illness. Though she was not religious, she knew she needed help and did not know who else to turn to, so she called the Servants of Mary.As they cared for her and helped her deal with her terminal diagnosis, the sisters learned the woman was “completely alone in the world,” said Bussen, who took care of her. Other people from the surrounding Catholic community volunteered to stay with her.During that time, the woman found a home in the Catholic Church and received the sacrament of baptism.Her “anxiety was transformed into peace,” said Bussen, who was with her as she died.“As the end drew near, she had a new faith family,” Bussen said. “She was no longer alone.”Remembering the dead The life of a sister Servant of Mary is “contemplative in action.” The sisters unite “our prayer life with our work — going about what we are doing, in all the business of daily life, in a prayerful spirit,” Bussen said.The sisters have time set aside for prayer and work, “but these two aspects cannot be separated from one another,” she continued. “The grace and light received in prayer flows into our work and ministry, and everything we experience in our ministry is taken to prayer.”The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick care for the sick and the dying. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the SickThroughout the year, the sisters take special care to remember the dead. In November especially, Bussen said the sisters “remember all our patients who have died with us by placing their names in our chapel and offering Masses for their eternal happiness.”“Even after a patient has passed,” she said, “and they no longer need physical care, our ministry continues by praying for their soul.”
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Preparing for death with the Sister Servants of Mary #Catholic The Sister Servants of Mary hold a procession with the statue of Our Lady of the Assumption at Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick CNA Staff, Nov 2, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). When a 93-year-old Catholic father from New Orleans had a stroke, he knew he was prepared to die.Clinton Jacob attended adoration and Mass daily and was “rarely without a prayer book or rosary in hand,” according to his daughter, Kim DeSopo.“[He] never spoke of death with fear or sadness,” she told CNA. “He would simply say, ‘I’ll be going home.’”But not everyone feels prepared for death.The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, is a Catholic community of sisters who dedicate their lives to caring for the sick and dying in New Orleans and around the world. As nurses, they are at the bedside of the dying through the long nights, whether their patients are lifelong Catholics or have never thought about religion.The sisters often encounter patients as well as family members who are struggling to accept “an illness or imminent death,” Sister Catherine Bussen, a Servant of Mary, told CNA.“Many times, there is a need for reconciliation within the family, for a return to their faith, for acceptance of their condition, etc.,” Bussen said.As medical professionals, the sisters provide physical treatment, but they also walk with their patients throughout their illnesses, encouraging patients and families “always with the hope of eternal life,” Bussen said. DeSopo, Jacob’s daughter, called the sisters for support. The next day, Bussen arrived at their doorstep, and every night for two weeks, she sat at Jacob’s bedside. Bussen’s presence was “a gift,” DeSopo said. “Sister Catherine brought peace and calm into a time filled with stress and sorrow.”“Her prayers, patience, and care provided comfort not only to my father but also to my mother, who could finally sleep knowing someone trustworthy and compassionate was by his side,” DeSopo said, recalling Bussen’s “selfless dedication” and “unwavering faith.” Bussen was with Jacob when he died on Sept. 26, 2024. She prepared his body, cleaning him and sprinkling him with holy water, and then prayed with his wife and daughter.“I will never forget the care and dignity she gave him, even after his final breath,” DeSopo said.Sister Catherine (left) and Sister Dorian Salvador (right) pray for the soul of Kim DeSopa’s father on Oct. 1, 2024, at St. Clement of Rome Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kim DeSopa and Sister CatherineMary at the foot of the cross “I was sick and you visited me.”This Scripture verse, Matthew 25:36, summarizes the charism of the Servants of Mary, according to Bussen. When they care for the sick, they care for Christ.The sisters will care for anyone in need, preferably within the sick person’s own home. In those who are suffering, the sisters “discover Jesus carrying his cross,” Bussen explained. “By caring for the sick, we believe that we are caring for Christ himself, who still suffers today in the suffering mystical body of Christ,” she said.Sister Angélica Ramos cares for Mrs. Hura, a resident of Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the SickFounded in Madrid, Spain, in the 1800s, the sisters care for the sick and dying in Louisiana, Kansas, and California as well as throughout Central and South America, Spain, France, England, Italy, Cameroon, the Philippines, and Indonesia. They run a hospital for the poor in Bamenda, Cameroon, as well as two missionary houses in Oaxaca, Mexico.The sisters look to Mary as an example as they accompany those who are suffering.“Although we are not able to take away someone’s cross, we are present to them, offering all to the Father, like Mary did at the cross of Jesus, that all suffering may be redemptive and fruitful,” Bussen said.“Every one of us sisters would tell you that it is an absolute privilege to be able to enter into the intimacy of a family’s home, listening to the dying, praying with them, and encouraging them on the final stage of their journey as their soul passes into eternity,” she said.Sister Servants of Mary Fatima Muñoz and Carmela Sanz (front) celebrate a May crowning in Kansas City, Kansas. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick“Our Catholic Christian faith is a beautiful comfort during these times because it is all about looking forward to the promised life to come, the whole goal of our lives, eternal life,” Bussen said.One woman from New Orleans received news no one wants to hear — she had a terminal illness. Though she was not religious, she knew she needed help and did not know who else to turn to, so she called the Servants of Mary.As they cared for her and helped her deal with her terminal diagnosis, the sisters learned the woman was “completely alone in the world,” said Bussen, who took care of her. Other people from the surrounding Catholic community volunteered to stay with her.During that time, the woman found a home in the Catholic Church and received the sacrament of baptism.Her “anxiety was transformed into peace,” said Bussen, who was with her as she died.“As the end drew near, she had a new faith family,” Bussen said. “She was no longer alone.”Remembering the dead The life of a sister Servant of Mary is “contemplative in action.” The sisters unite “our prayer life with our work — going about what we are doing, in all the business of daily life, in a prayerful spirit,” Bussen said.The sisters have time set aside for prayer and work, “but these two aspects cannot be separated from one another,” she continued. “The grace and light received in prayer flows into our work and ministry, and everything we experience in our ministry is taken to prayer.”The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick care for the sick and the dying. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the SickThroughout the year, the sisters take special care to remember the dead. In November especially, Bussen said the sisters “remember all our patients who have died with us by placing their names in our chapel and offering Masses for their eternal happiness.”“Even after a patient has passed,” she said, “and they no longer need physical care, our ministry continues by praying for their soul.”

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The Sister Servants of Mary hold a procession with the statue of Our Lady of the Assumption at Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick

CNA Staff, Nov 2, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

When a 93-year-old Catholic father from New Orleans had a stroke, he knew he was prepared to die.

Clinton Jacob attended adoration and Mass daily and was “rarely without a prayer book or rosary in hand,” according to his daughter, Kim DeSopo.

“[He] never spoke of death with fear or sadness,” she told CNA. “He would simply say, ‘I’ll be going home.’”

But not everyone feels prepared for death.

The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick, is a Catholic community of sisters who dedicate their lives to caring for the sick and dying in New Orleans and around the world. As nurses, they are at the bedside of the dying through the long nights, whether their patients are lifelong Catholics or have never thought about religion.

The sisters often encounter patients as well as family members who are struggling to accept “an illness or imminent death,” Sister Catherine Bussen, a Servant of Mary, told CNA.

“Many times, there is a need for reconciliation within the family, for a return to their faith, for acceptance of their condition, etc.,” Bussen said.

As medical professionals, the sisters provide physical treatment, but they also walk with their patients throughout their illnesses, encouraging patients and families “always with the hope of eternal life,” Bussen said. 

DeSopo, Jacob’s daughter, called the sisters for support. The next day, Bussen arrived at their doorstep, and every night for two weeks, she sat at Jacob’s bedside. 

Bussen’s presence was “a gift,” DeSopo said. “Sister Catherine brought peace and calm into a time filled with stress and sorrow.”

“Her prayers, patience, and care provided comfort not only to my father but also to my mother, who could finally sleep knowing someone trustworthy and compassionate was by his side,” DeSopo said, recalling Bussen’s “selfless dedication” and “unwavering faith.” 

Bussen was with Jacob when he died on Sept. 26, 2024. She prepared his body, cleaning him and sprinkling him with holy water, and then prayed with his wife and daughter.

“I will never forget the care and dignity she gave him, even after his final breath,” DeSopo said.

Sister Catherine (left) and Sister Dorian Salvador (right) pray for the soul of Kim DeSopa’s father on Oct. 1, 2024, at St. Clement of Rome Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kim DeSopa and Sister Catherine
Sister Catherine (left) and Sister Dorian Salvador (right) pray for the soul of Kim DeSopa’s father on Oct. 1, 2024, at St. Clement of Rome Church in Metairie, Louisiana. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kim DeSopa and Sister Catherine

Mary at the foot of the cross 

“I was sick and you visited me.”

This Scripture verse, Matthew 25:36, summarizes the charism of the Servants of Mary, according to Bussen. 

When they care for the sick, they care for Christ.

The sisters will care for anyone in need, preferably within the sick person’s own home. In those who are suffering, the sisters “discover Jesus carrying his cross,” Bussen explained. 

“By caring for the sick, we believe that we are caring for Christ himself, who still suffers today in the suffering mystical body of Christ,” she said.

Sister Angélica Ramos cares for Mrs. Hura, a resident of Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick
Sister Angélica Ramos cares for Mrs. Hura, a resident of Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital in Newbury Park, California. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick

Founded in Madrid, Spain, in the 1800s, the sisters care for the sick and dying in Louisiana, Kansas, and California as well as throughout Central and South America, Spain, France, England, Italy, Cameroon, the Philippines, and Indonesia. They run a hospital for the poor in Bamenda, Cameroon, as well as two missionary houses in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The sisters look to Mary as an example as they accompany those who are suffering.

“Although we are not able to take away someone’s cross, we are present to them, offering all to the Father, like Mary did at the cross of Jesus, that all suffering may be redemptive and fruitful,” Bussen said.

“Every one of us sisters would tell you that it is an absolute privilege to be able to enter into the intimacy of a family’s home, listening to the dying, praying with them, and encouraging them on the final stage of their journey as their soul passes into eternity,” she said.

Sister Servants of Mary Fatima Muñoz and Carmela Sanz (front) celebrate a May crowning in Kansas City, Kansas. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick
Sister Servants of Mary Fatima Muñoz and Carmela Sanz (front) celebrate a May crowning in Kansas City, Kansas. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick

“Our Catholic Christian faith is a beautiful comfort during these times because it is all about looking forward to the promised life to come, the whole goal of our lives, eternal life,” Bussen said.

One woman from New Orleans received news no one wants to hear — she had a terminal illness. Though she was not religious, she knew she needed help and did not know who else to turn to, so she called the Servants of Mary.

As they cared for her and helped her deal with her terminal diagnosis, the sisters learned the woman was “completely alone in the world,” said Bussen, who took care of her. Other people from the surrounding Catholic community volunteered to stay with her.

During that time, the woman found a home in the Catholic Church and received the sacrament of baptism.

Her “anxiety was transformed into peace,” said Bussen, who was with her as she died.

“As the end drew near, she had a new faith family,” Bussen said. “She was no longer alone.”

Remembering the dead 

The life of a sister Servant of Mary is “contemplative in action.” 

The sisters unite “our prayer life with our work — going about what we are doing, in all the business of daily life, in a prayerful spirit,” Bussen said.

The sisters have time set aside for prayer and work, “but these two aspects cannot be separated from one another,” she continued. “The grace and light received in prayer flows into our work and ministry, and everything we experience in our ministry is taken to prayer.”

The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick care for the sick and the dying. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick
The Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick care for the sick and the dying. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick

Throughout the year, the sisters take special care to remember the dead. 

In November especially, Bussen said the sisters “remember all our patients who have died with us by placing their names in our chapel and offering Masses for their eternal happiness.”

“Even after a patient has passed,” she said, “and they no longer need physical care, our ministry continues by praying for their soul.”

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Prayers answered: Annunciation shooting survivor Sophia Forchas finally comes home #Catholic Annunciation School shooting survivor Sophia Forchas in a photo before the incident and then posing with neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich at Gillette Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis on a very happy day as she goes home to be with her family on Oct. 23, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas family National Catholic Register, Oct 24, 2025 / 12:02 pm (CNA). Twelve-year-old Sophia Forchas is finally home after spending 57 days in the hospital with severe injuries sustained from the deadly shooting on Aug. 27 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis during the first school Mass of the year that claimed the lives of two students. Sophia received a fond farewell outside the hospital on Oct. 23. In a statement posted to the family’s GoFundMe page, Sophia’s parents, Tom and Amy Forchas, wrote: “Today marks one of the most extraordinary days of our lives! Our beloved daughter, Sophia, is coming home!!”Speaking with gratitude for the team of doctors that worked diligently to save their daughter, the couple wrote: “We thank you from the depths of our hearts. We will never forget your world-class care that sustained her. Your commitment carried us through.”Sophia still has a long road ahead with outpatient therapy, but her parents said “our hearts are filled with indescribable joy as we witness her speech improving daily, her personality shining through once more, and her ability to walk, swim, and even dribble a basketball. Each step she takes is a living testament to the boundless grace of God and the miraculous power of prayer.”Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis told the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner: “I celebrate with the Annunciation community the return to home of Sophia Forchas. It was very moving that she was able to join us last evening for the daily 9:00 rosary outside of the Church. She and her father thanked the community for the many prayers that they have received throughout the time that Sophia had been in the hospital and at the rehabilitation center. Please join me in continuing to pray for the ongoing recovery of all of those affected by the tragedy at Annunciation, and especially for the families and loved ones of Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel.”In a news conference Sept. 5, neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich of Hennepin County Medical Center told reporters that in treating Sophia’s injuries he would attempt to “go through the normal brain to get there” and potentially cause more damage. Given the pressure in her brain, Sophia’s survival was extremely low.The neurosurgeon led a team in performing a decompressive craniectomy, which removed the left half of her skull to allow the pressure in her brain to be relieved.“If you had told me at this juncture that, 10 days later, we’d be standing here with any ray of hope, I would have said, ‘It would take a miracle,’” Galicich said tearfully to reporters back in September.Sophia Forchas smiles with her family and neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas familySophia’s mother, who works as a pediatric nurse in the critical care unit at the hospital where the victims were taken, had no idea that it was her children’s school that had been attacked that fateful day. She initially had no idea that one of the three patients was her own daughter.Sophia’s younger brother also witnessed the school shooting that day; by the grace of God, he was left unscathed, though he is still suffering from the trauma, given the horrific event and his sister’s dire injuries.After Sophia’s 57-day stint in the hospital, Galicich gave his young patient a big hug as she walked out of the Hennepin County Medical Center to cheers and applause from her family and classmates. Even the city’s police chief was present, taking her on a ride through the city in a stretch limo to mark the occasion. Speaking to The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Police Chief Brian O’Hara called Sophia’s homecoming “nothing short of a miracle.”Sophia Forchas smiles alongside Police Chief Brian O’Hara, other police officers, and her family on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas familyEcstatic parents Tom and Amy also noted how crucial prayer was in their daughter’s healing, writing in their statement: “Those prayers came from family, friends, and countless souls around the world; many of whom have never met Sophia, yet lifted her spirit with unconditional love. Your prayers have been a wellspring of comfort, hope, and healing for our entire family. We are certain that God heard every single one.”The Forchases expressed condolences to the families who lost their children during the shooting, saying: “We continue to pray for those whose lives were tragically lost on that heartbreaking day. May their memory be eternal.”“We also hold close those who were injured and bear lasting scars, and the families and loved ones forever changed,” the Forchases continued. “May God grant healing, consolation, and his peace to all who grieve. To those whose hearts are hardened in despair, may the grace of the all-Holy Spirit soften them. We pray that the Trinity fill the world with compassion and love.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.
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Prayers answered: Annunciation shooting survivor Sophia Forchas finally comes home #Catholic Annunciation School shooting survivor Sophia Forchas in a photo before the incident and then posing with neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich at Gillette Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis on a very happy day as she goes home to be with her family on Oct. 23, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas family National Catholic Register, Oct 24, 2025 / 12:02 pm (CNA). Twelve-year-old Sophia Forchas is finally home after spending 57 days in the hospital with severe injuries sustained from the deadly shooting on Aug. 27 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis during the first school Mass of the year that claimed the lives of two students. Sophia received a fond farewell outside the hospital on Oct. 23. In a statement posted to the family’s GoFundMe page, Sophia’s parents, Tom and Amy Forchas, wrote: “Today marks one of the most extraordinary days of our lives! Our beloved daughter, Sophia, is coming home!!”Speaking with gratitude for the team of doctors that worked diligently to save their daughter, the couple wrote: “We thank you from the depths of our hearts. We will never forget your world-class care that sustained her. Your commitment carried us through.”Sophia still has a long road ahead with outpatient therapy, but her parents said “our hearts are filled with indescribable joy as we witness her speech improving daily, her personality shining through once more, and her ability to walk, swim, and even dribble a basketball. Each step she takes is a living testament to the boundless grace of God and the miraculous power of prayer.”Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis told the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner: “I celebrate with the Annunciation community the return to home of Sophia Forchas. It was very moving that she was able to join us last evening for the daily 9:00 rosary outside of the Church. She and her father thanked the community for the many prayers that they have received throughout the time that Sophia had been in the hospital and at the rehabilitation center. Please join me in continuing to pray for the ongoing recovery of all of those affected by the tragedy at Annunciation, and especially for the families and loved ones of Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel.”In a news conference Sept. 5, neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich of Hennepin County Medical Center told reporters that in treating Sophia’s injuries he would attempt to “go through the normal brain to get there” and potentially cause more damage. Given the pressure in her brain, Sophia’s survival was extremely low.The neurosurgeon led a team in performing a decompressive craniectomy, which removed the left half of her skull to allow the pressure in her brain to be relieved.“If you had told me at this juncture that, 10 days later, we’d be standing here with any ray of hope, I would have said, ‘It would take a miracle,’” Galicich said tearfully to reporters back in September.Sophia Forchas smiles with her family and neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas familySophia’s mother, who works as a pediatric nurse in the critical care unit at the hospital where the victims were taken, had no idea that it was her children’s school that had been attacked that fateful day. She initially had no idea that one of the three patients was her own daughter.Sophia’s younger brother also witnessed the school shooting that day; by the grace of God, he was left unscathed, though he is still suffering from the trauma, given the horrific event and his sister’s dire injuries.After Sophia’s 57-day stint in the hospital, Galicich gave his young patient a big hug as she walked out of the Hennepin County Medical Center to cheers and applause from her family and classmates. Even the city’s police chief was present, taking her on a ride through the city in a stretch limo to mark the occasion. Speaking to The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Police Chief Brian O’Hara called Sophia’s homecoming “nothing short of a miracle.”Sophia Forchas smiles alongside Police Chief Brian O’Hara, other police officers, and her family on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas familyEcstatic parents Tom and Amy also noted how crucial prayer was in their daughter’s healing, writing in their statement: “Those prayers came from family, friends, and countless souls around the world; many of whom have never met Sophia, yet lifted her spirit with unconditional love. Your prayers have been a wellspring of comfort, hope, and healing for our entire family. We are certain that God heard every single one.”The Forchases expressed condolences to the families who lost their children during the shooting, saying: “We continue to pray for those whose lives were tragically lost on that heartbreaking day. May their memory be eternal.”“We also hold close those who were injured and bear lasting scars, and the families and loved ones forever changed,” the Forchases continued. “May God grant healing, consolation, and his peace to all who grieve. To those whose hearts are hardened in despair, may the grace of the all-Holy Spirit soften them. We pray that the Trinity fill the world with compassion and love.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

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Annunciation School shooting survivor Sophia Forchas in a photo before the incident and then posing with neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich at Gillette Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis on a very happy day as she goes home to be with her family on Oct. 23, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas family

National Catholic Register, Oct 24, 2025 / 12:02 pm (CNA).

Twelve-year-old Sophia Forchas is finally home after spending 57 days in the hospital with severe injuries sustained from the deadly shooting on Aug. 27 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis during the first school Mass of the year that claimed the lives of two students. 

Sophia received a fond farewell outside the hospital on Oct. 23. 

In a statement posted to the family’s GoFundMe page, Sophia’s parents, Tom and Amy Forchas, wrote: “Today marks one of the most extraordinary days of our lives! Our beloved daughter, Sophia, is coming home!!”

Speaking with gratitude for the team of doctors that worked diligently to save their daughter, the couple wrote: “We thank you from the depths of our hearts. We will never forget your world-class care that sustained her. Your commitment carried us through.”

Sophia still has a long road ahead with outpatient therapy, but her parents said “our hearts are filled with indescribable joy as we witness her speech improving daily, her personality shining through once more, and her ability to walk, swim, and even dribble a basketball. Each step she takes is a living testament to the boundless grace of God and the miraculous power of prayer.”

Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis told the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner: “I celebrate with the Annunciation community the return to home of Sophia Forchas. It was very moving that she was able to join us last evening for the daily 9:00 rosary outside of the Church. She and her father thanked the community for the many prayers that they have received throughout the time that Sophia had been in the hospital and at the rehabilitation center. Please join me in continuing to pray for the ongoing recovery of all of those affected by the tragedy at Annunciation, and especially for the families and loved ones of Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel.”

In a news conference Sept. 5, neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich of Hennepin County Medical Center told reporters that in treating Sophia’s injuries he would attempt to “go through the normal brain to get there” and potentially cause more damage. Given the pressure in her brain, Sophia’s survival was extremely low.

The neurosurgeon led a team in performing a decompressive craniectomy, which removed the left half of her skull to allow the pressure in her brain to be relieved.

“If you had told me at this juncture that, 10 days later, we’d be standing here with any ray of hope, I would have said, ‘It would take a miracle,’” Galicich said tearfully to reporters back in September.

Sophia Forchas smiles with her family and neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas family
Sophia Forchas smiles with her family and neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas family

Sophia’s mother, who works as a pediatric nurse in the critical care unit at the hospital where the victims were taken, had no idea that it was her children’s school that had been attacked that fateful day. She initially had no idea that one of the three patients was her own daughter.

Sophia’s younger brother also witnessed the school shooting that day; by the grace of God, he was left unscathed, though he is still suffering from the trauma, given the horrific event and his sister’s dire injuries.

After Sophia’s 57-day stint in the hospital, Galicich gave his young patient a big hug as she walked out of the Hennepin County Medical Center to cheers and applause from her family and classmates. Even the city’s police chief was present, taking her on a ride through the city in a stretch limo to mark the occasion. 

Speaking to The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Police Chief Brian O’Hara called Sophia’s homecoming “nothing short of a miracle.”

Sophia Forchas smiles alongside Police Chief Brian O’Hara, other police officers, and her family on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas family
Sophia Forchas smiles alongside Police Chief Brian O’Hara, other police officers, and her family on Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Forchas family

Ecstatic parents Tom and Amy also noted how crucial prayer was in their daughter’s healing, writing in their statement: “Those prayers came from family, friends, and countless souls around the world; many of whom have never met Sophia, yet lifted her spirit with unconditional love. Your prayers have been a wellspring of comfort, hope, and healing for our entire family. We are certain that God heard every single one.”

The Forchases expressed condolences to the families who lost their children during the shooting, saying: “We continue to pray for those whose lives were tragically lost on that heartbreaking day. May their memory be eternal.”

“We also hold close those who were injured and bear lasting scars, and the families and loved ones forever changed,” the Forchases continued. “May God grant healing, consolation, and his peace to all who grieve. To those whose hearts are hardened in despair, may the grace of the all-Holy Spirit soften them. We pray that the Trinity fill the world with compassion and love.”

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

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In Virginia, a Founding Father’s Catholic daughter is laid to rest after 185 years #Catholic A color guard stands at attention as Eliza Monroe Hay’s remains are carried for reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA Richmond, Virginia, Oct 23, 2025 / 17:04 pm (CNA). Nearly two centuries after her death, the daughter of American Founding Father James Monroe has been laid to rest in Richmond, Virginia, joining her family’s historic burial plot in the city’s famed Hollywood Cemetery. The Diocese of Richmond held Eliza Monroe Hay’s reinterment at the top of Hollywood Cemetery overlooking the James River on Oct. 23. Hay, who died in 1840, converted to Catholicism several years before her death. Pallbearers prepare the casket of Eliza Monroe Hay during her reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNAState Sen. Bryce Reeves, who worked with the Eliza Project to repatriate Hay’s remains, said she was “far more than the daughter of a president.”He described Hay as strong-willed and intelligent. “She served this nation quietly but powerfully in its formative years,” he said. The historic reinterment came about from a yearslong effort by the Eliza Project to bring Hay’s mortal remains home from the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, a cemetery on the outskirts of Paris.Father Tony Marques blesses the grave of Eliza Monroe Hay during her reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA Born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1786, Hay grew up in both the U.S. and Paris, where her father was the American ambassador amid the ongoing French Revolution. She would later be known for serving as an unofficial First Lady of the White House during James Monroe’s presidency, as her mother Elizabeth’s health regularly kept her away from state functions. Hay’s husband, Virginia attorney George Hay, died in 1830, as did her mother. James Monroe died in 1831 and was by then one of a dwindling number of prominent U.S. citizens who had led the country through its founding and earliest years.Hay herself subsequently returned to Paris, where she converted to Catholicism before she died.A choir from the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart performs during the reinterment of Eliza Monroe Hay at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNAA happy endingDelivering Hay’s eulogy at the event, Virginia resident Barbara VornDick described Hay as “my friend from the past.”VornDick said in an Oct. 21 press release that the effort “has been a fascinating, enriching journey in many ways,” though she said the “most amazing aspect was how it enriched my faith.”She told the Arlington Catholic Herald in August that she spent years researching Hay’s life. She discovered that a popular family legend that Hay became a nun was untrue, but her conversion to Catholicism was confirmed by records at St.-Philippe-du-Roule Church in Paris, where her funeral Mass was held in 1840. Hay also reportedly received a piece of jewelry from the Vatican — a cameo of the head of Christ — along with a note from Pope Gregory XVI’s secretary of state. During her years at the White House, Hay gained a reputation as an unpleasant, demanding hostess. Reeves said at the Oct. 23 ceremony that Hay was at one time described by John Quincy Adams as an “obstinate little firebrand.”The Eliza Project, however, says she had a record of “good deeds and generosity” that history has largely forgotten. “She gained increasing admiration for her nursing of the sick: for family, for friends, and, during two epidemics, for the people of Washington,” the project said. She also exhibited “a sense of duty and loyalty, strength of character and fortitude, and compassion for the sick and suffering.”A color guard stands at attention during the reinterment of Eliza Monroe Hay at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNAThe Diocese of Richmond had earlier held a memorial Mass for Hay at the nearby Cathedral of the Sacred Heart before the interment at Hollywood Cemetery. Father Tony Marques, the rector of the cathedral, presided over the Rite of Committal on Oct. 23. The cathedral’s choir performed at the ceremony.Describing the yearslong project to repatriate Hay’s remains as a “grassroots effort,” Reeves told the assembled crowd on Tuesday: “The Virginian thing to do was bring Eliza home.”VornDick told the Herald that the yearslong effort to “bring Eliza home” was motivated by the likelihood that she “never intended to die” in Paris.“I just wanted to make it right for her,” she said.At the reinterment, meanwhile, VornDick described Hay as a “daughter, sister, wife, and grandmother,” one who stands out in history for her devotion, service, and forceful personality. “Today marks the end of the Bring Eliza Home Project,” she said. “But it is a happy ending.”
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In Virginia, a Founding Father’s Catholic daughter is laid to rest after 185 years #Catholic A color guard stands at attention as Eliza Monroe Hay’s remains are carried for reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA Richmond, Virginia, Oct 23, 2025 / 17:04 pm (CNA). Nearly two centuries after her death, the daughter of American Founding Father James Monroe has been laid to rest in Richmond, Virginia, joining her family’s historic burial plot in the city’s famed Hollywood Cemetery. The Diocese of Richmond held Eliza Monroe Hay’s reinterment at the top of Hollywood Cemetery overlooking the James River on Oct. 23. Hay, who died in 1840, converted to Catholicism several years before her death. Pallbearers prepare the casket of Eliza Monroe Hay during her reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNAState Sen. Bryce Reeves, who worked with the Eliza Project to repatriate Hay’s remains, said she was “far more than the daughter of a president.”He described Hay as strong-willed and intelligent. “She served this nation quietly but powerfully in its formative years,” he said. The historic reinterment came about from a yearslong effort by the Eliza Project to bring Hay’s mortal remains home from the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, a cemetery on the outskirts of Paris.Father Tony Marques blesses the grave of Eliza Monroe Hay during her reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA Born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1786, Hay grew up in both the U.S. and Paris, where her father was the American ambassador amid the ongoing French Revolution. She would later be known for serving as an unofficial First Lady of the White House during James Monroe’s presidency, as her mother Elizabeth’s health regularly kept her away from state functions. Hay’s husband, Virginia attorney George Hay, died in 1830, as did her mother. James Monroe died in 1831 and was by then one of a dwindling number of prominent U.S. citizens who had led the country through its founding and earliest years.Hay herself subsequently returned to Paris, where she converted to Catholicism before she died.A choir from the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart performs during the reinterment of Eliza Monroe Hay at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNAA happy endingDelivering Hay’s eulogy at the event, Virginia resident Barbara VornDick described Hay as “my friend from the past.”VornDick said in an Oct. 21 press release that the effort “has been a fascinating, enriching journey in many ways,” though she said the “most amazing aspect was how it enriched my faith.”She told the Arlington Catholic Herald in August that she spent years researching Hay’s life. She discovered that a popular family legend that Hay became a nun was untrue, but her conversion to Catholicism was confirmed by records at St.-Philippe-du-Roule Church in Paris, where her funeral Mass was held in 1840. Hay also reportedly received a piece of jewelry from the Vatican — a cameo of the head of Christ — along with a note from Pope Gregory XVI’s secretary of state. During her years at the White House, Hay gained a reputation as an unpleasant, demanding hostess. Reeves said at the Oct. 23 ceremony that Hay was at one time described by John Quincy Adams as an “obstinate little firebrand.”The Eliza Project, however, says she had a record of “good deeds and generosity” that history has largely forgotten. “She gained increasing admiration for her nursing of the sick: for family, for friends, and, during two epidemics, for the people of Washington,” the project said. She also exhibited “a sense of duty and loyalty, strength of character and fortitude, and compassion for the sick and suffering.”A color guard stands at attention during the reinterment of Eliza Monroe Hay at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNAThe Diocese of Richmond had earlier held a memorial Mass for Hay at the nearby Cathedral of the Sacred Heart before the interment at Hollywood Cemetery. Father Tony Marques, the rector of the cathedral, presided over the Rite of Committal on Oct. 23. The cathedral’s choir performed at the ceremony.Describing the yearslong project to repatriate Hay’s remains as a “grassroots effort,” Reeves told the assembled crowd on Tuesday: “The Virginian thing to do was bring Eliza home.”VornDick told the Herald that the yearslong effort to “bring Eliza home” was motivated by the likelihood that she “never intended to die” in Paris.“I just wanted to make it right for her,” she said.At the reinterment, meanwhile, VornDick described Hay as a “daughter, sister, wife, and grandmother,” one who stands out in history for her devotion, service, and forceful personality. “Today marks the end of the Bring Eliza Home Project,” she said. “But it is a happy ending.”

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A color guard stands at attention as Eliza Monroe Hay’s remains are carried for reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA

Richmond, Virginia, Oct 23, 2025 / 17:04 pm (CNA).

Nearly two centuries after her death, the daughter of American Founding Father James Monroe has been laid to rest in Richmond, Virginia, joining her family’s historic burial plot in the city’s famed Hollywood Cemetery. 

The Diocese of Richmond held Eliza Monroe Hay’s reinterment at the top of Hollywood Cemetery overlooking the James River on Oct. 23. Hay, who died in 1840, converted to Catholicism several years before her death. 

Pallbearers prepare the casket of Eliza Monroe Hay during her reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA
Pallbearers prepare the casket of Eliza Monroe Hay during her reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA

State Sen. Bryce Reeves, who worked with the Eliza Project to repatriate Hay’s remains, said she was “far more than the daughter of a president.”

He described Hay as strong-willed and intelligent. “She served this nation quietly but powerfully in its formative years,” he said. 

The historic reinterment came about from a yearslong effort by the Eliza Project to bring Hay’s mortal remains home from the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, a cemetery on the outskirts of Paris.

Father Tony Marques blesses the grave of Eliza Monroe Hay during her reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA
Father Tony Marques blesses the grave of Eliza Monroe Hay during her reinterment at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA

 Born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1786, Hay grew up in both the U.S. and Paris, where her father was the American ambassador amid the ongoing French Revolution. 

She would later be known for serving as an unofficial First Lady of the White House during James Monroe’s presidency, as her mother Elizabeth’s health regularly kept her away from state functions. 

Hay’s husband, Virginia attorney George Hay, died in 1830, as did her mother. James Monroe died in 1831 and was by then one of a dwindling number of prominent U.S. citizens who had led the country through its founding and earliest years.

Hay herself subsequently returned to Paris, where she converted to Catholicism before she died.

A choir from the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart performs during the reinterment of Eliza Monroe Hay at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA
A choir from the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart performs during the reinterment of Eliza Monroe Hay at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA

A happy ending

Delivering Hay’s eulogy at the event, Virginia resident Barbara VornDick described Hay as “my friend from the past.”

VornDick said in an Oct. 21 press release that the effort “has been a fascinating, enriching journey in many ways,” though she said the “most amazing aspect was how it enriched my faith.”

She told the Arlington Catholic Herald in August that she spent years researching Hay’s life. She discovered that a popular family legend that Hay became a nun was untrue, but her conversion to Catholicism was confirmed by records at St.-Philippe-du-Roule Church in Paris, where her funeral Mass was held in 1840. 

Hay also reportedly received a piece of jewelry from the Vatican — a cameo of the head of Christ — along with a note from Pope Gregory XVI’s secretary of state. 

During her years at the White House, Hay gained a reputation as an unpleasant, demanding hostess. Reeves said at the Oct. 23 ceremony that Hay was at one time described by John Quincy Adams as an “obstinate little firebrand.”

The Eliza Project, however, says she had a record of “good deeds and generosity” that history has largely forgotten. 

“She gained increasing admiration for her nursing of the sick: for family, for friends, and, during two epidemics, for the people of Washington,” the project said. 

She also exhibited “a sense of duty and loyalty, strength of character and fortitude, and compassion for the sick and suffering.”

A color guard stands at attention during the reinterment of Eliza Monroe Hay at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA
A color guard stands at attention during the reinterment of Eliza Monroe Hay at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Credit: Daniel Payne/CNA

The Diocese of Richmond had earlier held a memorial Mass for Hay at the nearby Cathedral of the Sacred Heart before the interment at Hollywood Cemetery. Father Tony Marques, the rector of the cathedral, presided over the Rite of Committal on Oct. 23. The cathedral’s choir performed at the ceremony.

Describing the yearslong project to repatriate Hay’s remains as a “grassroots effort,” Reeves told the assembled crowd on Tuesday: “The Virginian thing to do was bring Eliza home.”

VornDick told the Herald that the yearslong effort to “bring Eliza home” was motivated by the likelihood that she “never intended to die” in Paris.

“I just wanted to make it right for her,” she said.

At the reinterment, meanwhile, VornDick described Hay as a “daughter, sister, wife, and grandmother,” one who stands out in history for her devotion, service, and forceful personality. 

“Today marks the end of the Bring Eliza Home Project,” she said. “But it is a happy ending.”

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Trump administration expands IVF and other fertility treatment coverage #Catholic The Trump administration will expand access to in vitro fertilization drugs and procedures. / Credit: sejianni/Shutterstock CNA Staff, Oct 16, 2025 / 18:53 pm (CNA). President Donald Trump is expanding access to in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments by partnering with pharmaceutical companies and expanding insurance options. According to a White House announcement on Oct. 16, the Trump administration is working with major pharmaceutical companies to bring IVF drugs to the U.S. at lower prices. The administration is also expanding insurance coverage for fertility care.The agreement with leading pharmaceutical group EMD Serono will make IVF drugs available “at very, very heavily reduced prices — prices that you won’t even believe,” Trump said on Thursday in a livestream from the Oval Office. According to the announcement, women who buy directly from TrumpRx.gov, a website that will launch in January 2026, will get a discount equivalent to 796% of the negotiated price for GONAL-F, a widely used fertility drug.The FDA will also be expediting its review of an IVF drug that is not yet available in the U.S., which Trump said “would directly compete against a much more expensive option that currently has a monopoly in the American market, and this will bring down costs very significantly.”In addition, the Trump administration will enable employers to offer separate plans for fertility issues, comparable to the standard life, dental, and vision plans typically available from employers.“This will make all fertility care, including IVF, far more affordable and accessible,” Trump said. “And by providing coverage at every step of the way, it will reduce the number of people who ultimately need to resort to IVF, because couples will be able to identify and address problems early.” “The result will be healthier pregnancies, healthier babies, and many more beautiful American children,” Trump continued. These fertility benefits will include both IVF and other fertility treatments “that address the root causes of infertility,” according to the Oct. 16 announcement. “There’s no deeper happiness and joy [than] raising children, and now millions of Americans struggling with infertility will have a new chance to share the greatest experience of them all,” Trump said. IVF is a fertility treatment opposed by the Catholic Church in which doctors fuse sperm and eggs in a laboratory to create human embryos and implant them in the mother’s womb. To maximize efficiency, doctors create excess human embryos and freeze them. Undesired embryos are routinely destroyed or used in scientific research.Lila Rose, a devout Catholic and founder of the pro-life group Live Action, condemned the administration’s action, noting that “IVF kills more babies than abortion.”“Millions of embryos are frozen, discarded, or destroyed,” Rose said in a post on X on Oct. 16.“Only 7% of embryos created survive to birth,” she said. IVF is “not a solution to fertility struggles.”      In response to Trump’s announcement, the March for Life celebrated the White House’s focus on children and fertility, while cautioning the administration to protect human life at all its stages, even as embryos. “March for Life appreciates that President Trump has heard and is responding to so many Americans who dream of becoming parents,” the March for Life said in a statement shared with CNA. “The desire for parenthood is natural and good. Children are a blessing. Life is a gift. The White House’s announcement today is rooted in these core truths.” The March for Life noted that “every human life is precious — no matter the circumstances” and urged policymakers to protect human life. “We continue to encourage any federal government policymaking surrounding IVF to prioritize protecting human life in its earliest stages and to fully align with basic standards of medical ethics,” the statement read. The group also welcomed “the administration’s commitment to making groundbreaking advancements in restorative reproductive medicine more accessible and available to American women.”  Catholic institutes such as the Saint Paul VI Institute have pioneered a form of restorative reproductive medicine called NaProTechnology. “Naprotech” aims to discover and address the root cause of fertility issues via treatment and surgery if necessary. Some conditions that can affect fertility include endometriosis — which affects nearly 1 in 10 women — and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the leading cause of infertility.“RRM aims to resolve rather than ignore underlying medical issues, increasing health and wellness while also restoring fertility, and responding to the beautiful desire for children while avoiding any collateral loss of human life,” March for Life stated.
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Trump administration expands IVF and other fertility treatment coverage #Catholic The Trump administration will expand access to in vitro fertilization drugs and procedures. / Credit: sejianni/Shutterstock CNA Staff, Oct 16, 2025 / 18:53 pm (CNA). President Donald Trump is expanding access to in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments by partnering with pharmaceutical companies and expanding insurance options. According to a White House announcement on Oct. 16, the Trump administration is working with major pharmaceutical companies to bring IVF drugs to the U.S. at lower prices. The administration is also expanding insurance coverage for fertility care.The agreement with leading pharmaceutical group EMD Serono will make IVF drugs available “at very, very heavily reduced prices — prices that you won’t even believe,” Trump said on Thursday in a livestream from the Oval Office. According to the announcement, women who buy directly from TrumpRx.gov, a website that will launch in January 2026, will get a discount equivalent to 796% of the negotiated price for GONAL-F, a widely used fertility drug.The FDA will also be expediting its review of an IVF drug that is not yet available in the U.S., which Trump said “would directly compete against a much more expensive option that currently has a monopoly in the American market, and this will bring down costs very significantly.”In addition, the Trump administration will enable employers to offer separate plans for fertility issues, comparable to the standard life, dental, and vision plans typically available from employers.“This will make all fertility care, including IVF, far more affordable and accessible,” Trump said. “And by providing coverage at every step of the way, it will reduce the number of people who ultimately need to resort to IVF, because couples will be able to identify and address problems early.” “The result will be healthier pregnancies, healthier babies, and many more beautiful American children,” Trump continued. These fertility benefits will include both IVF and other fertility treatments “that address the root causes of infertility,” according to the Oct. 16 announcement. “There’s no deeper happiness and joy [than] raising children, and now millions of Americans struggling with infertility will have a new chance to share the greatest experience of them all,” Trump said. IVF is a fertility treatment opposed by the Catholic Church in which doctors fuse sperm and eggs in a laboratory to create human embryos and implant them in the mother’s womb. To maximize efficiency, doctors create excess human embryos and freeze them. Undesired embryos are routinely destroyed or used in scientific research.Lila Rose, a devout Catholic and founder of the pro-life group Live Action, condemned the administration’s action, noting that “IVF kills more babies than abortion.”“Millions of embryos are frozen, discarded, or destroyed,” Rose said in a post on X on Oct. 16.“Only 7% of embryos created survive to birth,” she said. IVF is “not a solution to fertility struggles.”      In response to Trump’s announcement, the March for Life celebrated the White House’s focus on children and fertility, while cautioning the administration to protect human life at all its stages, even as embryos. “March for Life appreciates that President Trump has heard and is responding to so many Americans who dream of becoming parents,” the March for Life said in a statement shared with CNA. “The desire for parenthood is natural and good. Children are a blessing. Life is a gift. The White House’s announcement today is rooted in these core truths.” The March for Life noted that “every human life is precious — no matter the circumstances” and urged policymakers to protect human life. “We continue to encourage any federal government policymaking surrounding IVF to prioritize protecting human life in its earliest stages and to fully align with basic standards of medical ethics,” the statement read. The group also welcomed “the administration’s commitment to making groundbreaking advancements in restorative reproductive medicine more accessible and available to American women.”  Catholic institutes such as the Saint Paul VI Institute have pioneered a form of restorative reproductive medicine called NaProTechnology. “Naprotech” aims to discover and address the root cause of fertility issues via treatment and surgery if necessary. Some conditions that can affect fertility include endometriosis — which affects nearly 1 in 10 women — and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the leading cause of infertility.“RRM aims to resolve rather than ignore underlying medical issues, increasing health and wellness while also restoring fertility, and responding to the beautiful desire for children while avoiding any collateral loss of human life,” March for Life stated.

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The Trump administration will expand access to in vitro fertilization drugs and procedures. / Credit: sejianni/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Oct 16, 2025 / 18:53 pm (CNA).

President Donald Trump is expanding access to in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments by partnering with pharmaceutical companies and expanding insurance options. 

According to a White House announcement on Oct. 16, the Trump administration is working with major pharmaceutical companies to bring IVF drugs to the U.S. at lower prices. The administration is also expanding insurance coverage for fertility care.

The agreement with leading pharmaceutical group EMD Serono will make IVF drugs available “at very, very heavily reduced prices — prices that you won’t even believe,” Trump said on Thursday in a livestream from the Oval Office. 

According to the announcement, women who buy directly from TrumpRx.gov, a website that will launch in January 2026, will get a discount equivalent to 796% of the negotiated price for GONAL-F, a widely used fertility drug.

The FDA will also be expediting its review of an IVF drug that is not yet available in the U.S., which Trump said “would directly compete against a much more expensive option that currently has a monopoly in the American market, and this will bring down costs very significantly.”

In addition, the Trump administration will enable employers to offer separate plans for fertility issues, comparable to the standard life, dental, and vision plans typically available from employers.

“This will make all fertility care, including IVF, far more affordable and accessible,” Trump said. “And by providing coverage at every step of the way, it will reduce the number of people who ultimately need to resort to IVF, because couples will be able to identify and address problems early.” 

“The result will be healthier pregnancies, healthier babies, and many more beautiful American children,” Trump continued. 

These fertility benefits will include both IVF and other fertility treatments “that address the root causes of infertility,” according to the Oct. 16 announcement. 

“There’s no deeper happiness and joy [than] raising children, and now millions of Americans struggling with infertility will have a new chance to share the greatest experience of them all,” Trump said. 

IVF is a fertility treatment opposed by the Catholic Church in which doctors fuse sperm and eggs in a laboratory to create human embryos and implant them in the mother’s womb. To maximize efficiency, doctors create excess human embryos and freeze them. Undesired embryos are routinely destroyed or used in scientific research.

Lila Rose, a devout Catholic and founder of the pro-life group Live Action, condemned the administration’s action, noting that “IVF kills more babies than abortion.”

“Millions of embryos are frozen, discarded, or destroyed,” Rose said in a post on X on Oct. 16.

“Only 7% of embryos created survive to birth,” she said. IVF is “not a solution to fertility struggles.”      

In response to Trump’s announcement, the March for Life celebrated the White House’s focus on children and fertility, while cautioning the administration to protect human life at all its stages, even as embryos. 

“March for Life appreciates that President Trump has heard and is responding to so many Americans who dream of becoming parents,” the March for Life said in a statement shared with CNA. “The desire for parenthood is natural and good. Children are a blessing. Life is a gift. The White House’s announcement today is rooted in these core truths.” 

The March for Life noted that “every human life is precious — no matter the circumstances” and urged policymakers to protect human life. 

“We continue to encourage any federal government policymaking surrounding IVF to prioritize protecting human life in its earliest stages and to fully align with basic standards of medical ethics,” the statement read. 

The group also welcomed “the administration’s commitment to making groundbreaking advancements in restorative reproductive medicine more accessible and available to American women.”  

Catholic institutes such as the Saint Paul VI Institute have pioneered a form of restorative reproductive medicine called NaProTechnology. “Naprotech” aims to discover and address the root cause of fertility issues via treatment and surgery if necessary. Some conditions that can affect fertility include endometriosis — which affects nearly 1 in 10 women — and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), the leading cause of infertility.

“RRM aims to resolve rather than ignore underlying medical issues, increasing health and wellness while also restoring fertility, and responding to the beautiful desire for children while avoiding any collateral loss of human life,” March for Life stated.

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Study: Biblical definition of marriage high among churchgoers, definition of family less so #Catholic null / Credit: Ivan Galashchuk/Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 14, 2025 / 13:38 pm (CNA). A recent study found that among adults who attend Christian worship at least monthly, 68% agreed marriage is between one man and one woman, but only 46% defined “family” in corresponding terms of a husband and wife, their children, and relatives.Family Research Council in partnership with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released findings this week from a new national survey of 1,003 churchgoing adults. The survey, “Social Issues and Worldview,” was conducted in July to build off a similar 2023 study. The research identified beliefs of the faithful in regard to social topics and family life.Of the 9 in 10 respondents identifying as Christian, 39% were Catholic, 20% mainline Protestant, 18% evangelical, 9% independent or nondenominational Christian, and 4% Pentecostal.Among the respondents, about 22% claimed the definition of family changes over time and across cultures. About 20% said family is any group of people who care for one another, 6% said family is any group of people who live together, and 6% said they did not know how to describe family.No demographic or Christian group was found to have a clear majority in support of the biblical definition of family, but the highest support came from theologically defined born-again Christians (59%) and Pentecostal churchgoers (56%). The majority of respondents did agree on a number of other family-related topics. Of churchgoing adults, 70% said it is important for society to facilitate families with a father, mother, and children living together and 68% said they believe marriage is only between a man and a woman.Christian stances on social issues and need for discipleship The report found churchgoers are open to more discipleship and teaching on a number of current social issues. A large majority reported that additional worldview training is desirable in areas regarding religious freedom (88%), social and political responsibility (76%), and abortion and the value of life (60%).The research revealed more specific Christian views on pro-life topics including abortion and euthanasia. About 25% of churchgoing respondents said they would prefer their church to preach or teach about abortion at worship services more often, while 18% said they would prefer teachings on the topic less often. Those interested in increasing preaching on the topic mostly attend either evangelical (31%) or Pentecostal churches (31%), while adults who align with independent and nondenominational churches were the least interested in increasing the number of sermons on abortion (19%). Interest among Catholics in increasing the frequency fell from 41% to 29% since 2023.Respondents were asked their beliefs in regard to the statement: “Euthanasia is morally wrong.” Less than half of churchgoers (43%) said they agreed, another 23% said they disagreed, and 35% said they were unsure and did not know whether euthanasia was right or wrong.Overwhelming majorities agreed that people should be able to practice “peaceful, genuinely held religious beliefs without being punished by the government, even if those beliefs are not culturally popular” (83%), that “every person is made in the likeness of God” (84%), and that “every human being has undeniable value and dignity” (83%).
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Study: Biblical definition of marriage high among churchgoers, definition of family less so #Catholic null / Credit: Ivan Galashchuk/Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 14, 2025 / 13:38 pm (CNA). A recent study found that among adults who attend Christian worship at least monthly, 68% agreed marriage is between one man and one woman, but only 46% defined “family” in corresponding terms of a husband and wife, their children, and relatives.Family Research Council in partnership with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released findings this week from a new national survey of 1,003 churchgoing adults. The survey, “Social Issues and Worldview,” was conducted in July to build off a similar 2023 study. The research identified beliefs of the faithful in regard to social topics and family life.Of the 9 in 10 respondents identifying as Christian, 39% were Catholic, 20% mainline Protestant, 18% evangelical, 9% independent or nondenominational Christian, and 4% Pentecostal.Among the respondents, about 22% claimed the definition of family changes over time and across cultures. About 20% said family is any group of people who care for one another, 6% said family is any group of people who live together, and 6% said they did not know how to describe family.No demographic or Christian group was found to have a clear majority in support of the biblical definition of family, but the highest support came from theologically defined born-again Christians (59%) and Pentecostal churchgoers (56%). The majority of respondents did agree on a number of other family-related topics. Of churchgoing adults, 70% said it is important for society to facilitate families with a father, mother, and children living together and 68% said they believe marriage is only between a man and a woman.Christian stances on social issues and need for discipleship The report found churchgoers are open to more discipleship and teaching on a number of current social issues. A large majority reported that additional worldview training is desirable in areas regarding religious freedom (88%), social and political responsibility (76%), and abortion and the value of life (60%).The research revealed more specific Christian views on pro-life topics including abortion and euthanasia. About 25% of churchgoing respondents said they would prefer their church to preach or teach about abortion at worship services more often, while 18% said they would prefer teachings on the topic less often. Those interested in increasing preaching on the topic mostly attend either evangelical (31%) or Pentecostal churches (31%), while adults who align with independent and nondenominational churches were the least interested in increasing the number of sermons on abortion (19%). Interest among Catholics in increasing the frequency fell from 41% to 29% since 2023.Respondents were asked their beliefs in regard to the statement: “Euthanasia is morally wrong.” Less than half of churchgoers (43%) said they agreed, another 23% said they disagreed, and 35% said they were unsure and did not know whether euthanasia was right or wrong.Overwhelming majorities agreed that people should be able to practice “peaceful, genuinely held religious beliefs without being punished by the government, even if those beliefs are not culturally popular” (83%), that “every person is made in the likeness of God” (84%), and that “every human being has undeniable value and dignity” (83%).

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null / Credit: Ivan Galashchuk/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 14, 2025 / 13:38 pm (CNA).

A recent study found that among adults who attend Christian worship at least monthly, 68% agreed marriage is between one man and one woman, but only 46% defined “family” in corresponding terms of a husband and wife, their children, and relatives.

Family Research Council in partnership with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released findings this week from a new national survey of 1,003 churchgoing adults. The survey, “Social Issues and Worldview,” was conducted in July to build off a similar 2023 study. The research identified beliefs of the faithful in regard to social topics and family life.

Of the 9 in 10 respondents identifying as Christian, 39% were Catholic, 20% mainline Protestant, 18% evangelical, 9% independent or nondenominational Christian, and 4% Pentecostal.

Among the respondents, about 22% claimed the definition of family changes over time and across cultures. About 20% said family is any group of people who care for one another, 6% said family is any group of people who live together, and 6% said they did not know how to describe family.

No demographic or Christian group was found to have a clear majority in support of the biblical definition of family, but the highest support came from theologically defined born-again Christians (59%) and Pentecostal churchgoers (56%). 

The majority of respondents did agree on a number of other family-related topics. Of churchgoing adults, 70% said it is important for society to facilitate families with a father, mother, and children living together and 68% said they believe marriage is only between a man and a woman.

Christian stances on social issues and need for discipleship 

The report found churchgoers are open to more discipleship and teaching on a number of current social issues. A large majority reported that additional worldview training is desirable in areas regarding religious freedom (88%), social and political responsibility (76%), and abortion and the value of life (60%).

The research revealed more specific Christian views on pro-life topics including abortion and euthanasia. About 25% of churchgoing respondents said they would prefer their church to preach or teach about abortion at worship services more often, while 18% said they would prefer teachings on the topic less often. 

Those interested in increasing preaching on the topic mostly attend either evangelical (31%) or Pentecostal churches (31%), while adults who align with independent and nondenominational churches were the least interested in increasing the number of sermons on abortion (19%). Interest among Catholics in increasing the frequency fell from 41% to 29% since 2023.

Respondents were asked their beliefs in regard to the statement: “Euthanasia is morally wrong.” Less than half of churchgoers (43%) said they agreed, another 23% said they disagreed, and 35% said they were unsure and did not know whether euthanasia was right or wrong.

Overwhelming majorities agreed that people should be able to practice “peaceful, genuinely held religious beliefs without being punished by the government, even if those beliefs are not culturally popular” (83%), that “every person is made in the likeness of God” (84%), and that “every human being has undeniable value and dignity” (83%).

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The Rosary Team: Bringing hope to seniors in their final years #Catholic Residents at a senior care home in the Archdiocese of Denver join together to pray the rosary thanks to the ministry of The Rosary Team. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Teresa Rodriguez Denver, Colorado, Oct 11, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA). After finishing the rosary with her fellow residents and volunteers from The Rosary Team, Martha “Marty” Todd smiled with peaceful joy. Over her lifetime, she has witnessed miracles through prayer — healings in her family, conversions of loved ones, and graces that could only have come from God.Now, in her later years, she treasures the weekly visits from The Rosary Team, whose volunteers gather to pray with elderly residents in care facilities across the archdiocese. Their presence brings comfort, companionship, and a reminder that no one is ever forgotten in God’s love.“We all love our mother,” Todd said, her eyes brightening as she spoke of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Sometimes, when I get uptight about things or worried, praying the rosary brings comfort and kind of eases my whirling mind.”Martha “Marty” Todd, an independent resident in Denver. Credit: Teresa RodriguezA life marked by graceTodd’s journey to her nursing facility began unexpectedly after a seizure during a family Christmas visit made her realize that she “wasn’t infallible.” What could have been a frightening transition became a blessing, bringing her closer to her children, grandchildren, and extended family.Her voice caught with emotion as she recalled a miracle that transformed her entire family. One of her closest relatives was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.“We just prayed our heads off,” Todd said.After surgery and biopsy, the surgeon returned with impossible news: There was no cancer.“We just know she had a healing,” she continued.That miracle rippled through her family, drawing more relatives into the Catholic Church as they recognized “the value of Catholic prayer.” Her grandson Andrew, once a quiet and thoughtful boy, began attending daily Mass in high school. Today, he is Brother Francis, serving as assistant to the abbot at Conception Abbey.“He was always kind of a quiet, pondering kid,” Todd reflected. “We realized he had a call.”Teresa Rodriguez with her mother, Marian Buchheit. Credit: Paul BuchheitA husband’s final gracePerhaps the most unexpected conversion came from Todd’s husband, Richard, who was not Catholic. During a visit to their son Rob in Missouri, Richard was diagnosed with cancer. Their son gently asked him: “Don’t you think it’s time you were baptized?” Richard simply replied: “I guess so.”A priest baptized him in the hospital, giving him what Marty Todd calls “a direct line to heaven” before he passed away four months later.These profound experiences of grace and conversion have shaped Todd’s deep appreciation for the spiritual care she now receives at Morningstar, her nursing facility. Having witnessed how powerfully God works in the final moments of life, she knows the vital importance of bringing faith to those approaching their final years.The Rosary Team’s presenceWhen volunteers from The Rosary Team arrive, something special happens. Their visits bring “more connection with people,” Todd explained. “They are doing something nice for us.”The presence of volunteers transforms the experience from routine prayer into relationship. They become bridges to the wider community, especially for those in assisted living or memory care who have limited mobility.“It’s quite a wake-up call when you move into a facility like this,” Todd said.Since arriving, she has seen about 20 to 25 people pass away in a single year — some who “seemed really vital and just didn’t wake up one morning.”That reality shapes how residents think about faith.“We all realize we’re getting closer to the end of life,” she noted. “I think we ponder a little more about what it will be.”Among her neighbors are “fallen-away Catholics” she prays for.“It’s never too late as long as you’re still breathing,” she said.A legacy of faithThe Rosary Team’s ministry is more than weekly visits. It is a lifeline that shows seniors they are cared for and remembered. Volunteers bring statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary, lead familiar prayers and embody Christ’s love for those society too often forgets.Todd sees the fruit of such faith passed down through her family. Her granddaughter, Alex Martinez, daughter of Rich and Joanie Todd, recently graduated as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Todd attended her graduation in Nashville — a joy she credits to being closer to family since moving to Morningstar.In Alex’s healing work, like Brother Francis’ monastic vocation, Todd sees how prayer echoes through generations, bearing fruit in both religious and professional service.Resident Dan Cummings prays the rosary. Credit: Cris FanelliExpanding a vital missionTodd’s story highlights why The Rosary Team’s mission is so crucial. Across the country, nursing facilities house thousands of elderly residents, many of whom suffer spiritual isolation. While activities may include exercise and entertainment, few offer the kind of deep spiritual care needed as residents face mortality.Requests for The Rosary Team’s presence continue to grow nationwide. The ministry runs entirely on the generosity of donors who believe in supporting the spiritual welfare of the elderly — fulfilling both corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Their gifts make possible the training, coordination, and expansion of this mission of prayer.To learn more about supporting The Rosary Team, visit www.therosaryteam.org.This story was first published by the Denver Catholic and has been reprinted on CNA with permission.
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The Rosary Team: Bringing hope to seniors in their final years #Catholic Residents at a senior care home in the Archdiocese of Denver join together to pray the rosary thanks to the ministry of The Rosary Team. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Teresa Rodriguez Denver, Colorado, Oct 11, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA). After finishing the rosary with her fellow residents and volunteers from The Rosary Team, Martha “Marty” Todd smiled with peaceful joy. Over her lifetime, she has witnessed miracles through prayer — healings in her family, conversions of loved ones, and graces that could only have come from God.Now, in her later years, she treasures the weekly visits from The Rosary Team, whose volunteers gather to pray with elderly residents in care facilities across the archdiocese. Their presence brings comfort, companionship, and a reminder that no one is ever forgotten in God’s love.“We all love our mother,” Todd said, her eyes brightening as she spoke of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Sometimes, when I get uptight about things or worried, praying the rosary brings comfort and kind of eases my whirling mind.”Martha “Marty” Todd, an independent resident in Denver. Credit: Teresa RodriguezA life marked by graceTodd’s journey to her nursing facility began unexpectedly after a seizure during a family Christmas visit made her realize that she “wasn’t infallible.” What could have been a frightening transition became a blessing, bringing her closer to her children, grandchildren, and extended family.Her voice caught with emotion as she recalled a miracle that transformed her entire family. One of her closest relatives was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.“We just prayed our heads off,” Todd said.After surgery and biopsy, the surgeon returned with impossible news: There was no cancer.“We just know she had a healing,” she continued.That miracle rippled through her family, drawing more relatives into the Catholic Church as they recognized “the value of Catholic prayer.” Her grandson Andrew, once a quiet and thoughtful boy, began attending daily Mass in high school. Today, he is Brother Francis, serving as assistant to the abbot at Conception Abbey.“He was always kind of a quiet, pondering kid,” Todd reflected. “We realized he had a call.”Teresa Rodriguez with her mother, Marian Buchheit. Credit: Paul BuchheitA husband’s final gracePerhaps the most unexpected conversion came from Todd’s husband, Richard, who was not Catholic. During a visit to their son Rob in Missouri, Richard was diagnosed with cancer. Their son gently asked him: “Don’t you think it’s time you were baptized?” Richard simply replied: “I guess so.”A priest baptized him in the hospital, giving him what Marty Todd calls “a direct line to heaven” before he passed away four months later.These profound experiences of grace and conversion have shaped Todd’s deep appreciation for the spiritual care she now receives at Morningstar, her nursing facility. Having witnessed how powerfully God works in the final moments of life, she knows the vital importance of bringing faith to those approaching their final years.The Rosary Team’s presenceWhen volunteers from The Rosary Team arrive, something special happens. Their visits bring “more connection with people,” Todd explained. “They are doing something nice for us.”The presence of volunteers transforms the experience from routine prayer into relationship. They become bridges to the wider community, especially for those in assisted living or memory care who have limited mobility.“It’s quite a wake-up call when you move into a facility like this,” Todd said.Since arriving, she has seen about 20 to 25 people pass away in a single year — some who “seemed really vital and just didn’t wake up one morning.”That reality shapes how residents think about faith.“We all realize we’re getting closer to the end of life,” she noted. “I think we ponder a little more about what it will be.”Among her neighbors are “fallen-away Catholics” she prays for.“It’s never too late as long as you’re still breathing,” she said.A legacy of faithThe Rosary Team’s ministry is more than weekly visits. It is a lifeline that shows seniors they are cared for and remembered. Volunteers bring statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary, lead familiar prayers and embody Christ’s love for those society too often forgets.Todd sees the fruit of such faith passed down through her family. Her granddaughter, Alex Martinez, daughter of Rich and Joanie Todd, recently graduated as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Todd attended her graduation in Nashville — a joy she credits to being closer to family since moving to Morningstar.In Alex’s healing work, like Brother Francis’ monastic vocation, Todd sees how prayer echoes through generations, bearing fruit in both religious and professional service.Resident Dan Cummings prays the rosary. Credit: Cris FanelliExpanding a vital missionTodd’s story highlights why The Rosary Team’s mission is so crucial. Across the country, nursing facilities house thousands of elderly residents, many of whom suffer spiritual isolation. While activities may include exercise and entertainment, few offer the kind of deep spiritual care needed as residents face mortality.Requests for The Rosary Team’s presence continue to grow nationwide. The ministry runs entirely on the generosity of donors who believe in supporting the spiritual welfare of the elderly — fulfilling both corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Their gifts make possible the training, coordination, and expansion of this mission of prayer.To learn more about supporting The Rosary Team, visit www.therosaryteam.org.This story was first published by the Denver Catholic and has been reprinted on CNA with permission.

unitedyam

Residents at a senior care home in the Archdiocese of Denver join together to pray the rosary thanks to the ministry of The Rosary Team. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Teresa Rodriguez

Denver, Colorado, Oct 11, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

After finishing the rosary with her fellow residents and volunteers from The Rosary Team, Martha “Marty” Todd smiled with peaceful joy. Over her lifetime, she has witnessed miracles through prayer — healings in her family, conversions of loved ones, and graces that could only have come from God.

Now, in her later years, she treasures the weekly visits from The Rosary Team, whose volunteers gather to pray with elderly residents in care facilities across the archdiocese. Their presence brings comfort, companionship, and a reminder that no one is ever forgotten in God’s love.

“We all love our mother,” Todd said, her eyes brightening as she spoke of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Sometimes, when I get uptight about things or worried, praying the rosary brings comfort and kind of eases my whirling mind.”

Martha “Marty” Todd, an independent resident in Denver. Credit: Teresa Rodriguez
Martha “Marty” Todd, an independent resident in Denver. Credit: Teresa Rodriguez

A life marked by grace

Todd’s journey to her nursing facility began unexpectedly after a seizure during a family Christmas visit made her realize that she “wasn’t infallible.” What could have been a frightening transition became a blessing, bringing her closer to her children, grandchildren, and extended family.

Her voice caught with emotion as she recalled a miracle that transformed her entire family. One of her closest relatives was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

“We just prayed our heads off,” Todd said.

After surgery and biopsy, the surgeon returned with impossible news: There was no cancer.

“We just know she had a healing,” she continued.

That miracle rippled through her family, drawing more relatives into the Catholic Church as they recognized “the value of Catholic prayer.” Her grandson Andrew, once a quiet and thoughtful boy, began attending daily Mass in high school. Today, he is Brother Francis, serving as assistant to the abbot at Conception Abbey.

“He was always kind of a quiet, pondering kid,” Todd reflected. “We realized he had a call.”

Teresa Rodriguez with her mother, Marian Buchheit. Credit: Paul Buchheit
Teresa Rodriguez with her mother, Marian Buchheit. Credit: Paul Buchheit

A husband’s final grace

Perhaps the most unexpected conversion came from Todd’s husband, Richard, who was not Catholic. During a visit to their son Rob in Missouri, Richard was diagnosed with cancer. Their son gently asked him: “Don’t you think it’s time you were baptized?” Richard simply replied: “I guess so.”

A priest baptized him in the hospital, giving him what Marty Todd calls “a direct line to heaven” before he passed away four months later.

These profound experiences of grace and conversion have shaped Todd’s deep appreciation for the spiritual care she now receives at Morningstar, her nursing facility. Having witnessed how powerfully God works in the final moments of life, she knows the vital importance of bringing faith to those approaching their final years.

The Rosary Team’s presence

When volunteers from The Rosary Team arrive, something special happens. Their visits bring “more connection with people,” Todd explained. “They are doing something nice for us.”

The presence of volunteers transforms the experience from routine prayer into relationship. They become bridges to the wider community, especially for those in assisted living or memory care who have limited mobility.

“It’s quite a wake-up call when you move into a facility like this,” Todd said.

Since arriving, she has seen about 20 to 25 people pass away in a single year — some who “seemed really vital and just didn’t wake up one morning.”

That reality shapes how residents think about faith.

“We all realize we’re getting closer to the end of life,” she noted. “I think we ponder a little more about what it will be.”

Among her neighbors are “fallen-away Catholics” she prays for.

“It’s never too late as long as you’re still breathing,” she said.

A legacy of faith

The Rosary Team’s ministry is more than weekly visits. It is a lifeline that shows seniors they are cared for and remembered. Volunteers bring statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary, lead familiar prayers and embody Christ’s love for those society too often forgets.

Todd sees the fruit of such faith passed down through her family. Her granddaughter, Alex Martinez, daughter of Rich and Joanie Todd, recently graduated as a pediatric nurse practitioner. Todd attended her graduation in Nashville — a joy she credits to being closer to family since moving to Morningstar.

In Alex’s healing work, like Brother Francis’ monastic vocation, Todd sees how prayer echoes through generations, bearing fruit in both religious and professional service.

Resident Dan Cummings prays the rosary. Credit: Cris Fanelli
Resident Dan Cummings prays the rosary. Credit: Cris Fanelli

Expanding a vital mission

Todd’s story highlights why The Rosary Team’s mission is so crucial. Across the country, nursing facilities house thousands of elderly residents, many of whom suffer spiritual isolation. While activities may include exercise and entertainment, few offer the kind of deep spiritual care needed as residents face mortality.

Requests for The Rosary Team’s presence continue to grow nationwide. The ministry runs entirely on the generosity of donors who believe in supporting the spiritual welfare of the elderly — fulfilling both corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Their gifts make possible the training, coordination, and expansion of this mission of prayer.

To learn more about supporting The Rosary Team, visit www.therosaryteam.org.

This story was first published by the Denver Catholic and has been reprinted on CNA with permission.

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Mother Cabrini Institute aims to change ‘mental pattern’ of associating immigrants with crime
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Mother Cabrini Institute aims to change ‘mental pattern’ of associating immigrants with crime

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null / Credit: Amy Lutz/Shutterstock

Vatican City, Oct 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

A new institute at Pope Leo XIV’s undergraduate alma mater wants to change the “mental pattern” that associates immigrants with crime.

In the 19th century, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini embraced the travails of millions of recently arrived Italian immigrants to the United States. Inspired by this legacy of the first American saint, Villanova University — the flagship institution of the Order of St. Augustine — has just launched the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration.

It was from this institution of higher learning in Philadelphia that Robert Francis Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV — earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1977.

The initiative is based on the Augustinian values ​​of “veritas, unitas, and caritas” (truth, unity, and charity) and seeks to bring together the academic community and other external stakeholders to promote concrete actions to address the contemporary challenges of migration.

“Currently, there is a mentality that associates immigrants with crime, drug trafficking, or human trafficking. However, immigrants are the ones who care for our children and our elders; we open the doors of our homes to them so they can clean our homes. We invite them into the most intimate parts of our lives, yet the media generates contrary images that make it difficult to recognize their humanity,” explained Professor Michele Pistone, director of the center, which was inaugurated at the Vatican on Sept. 30.

Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration Director Michele Pristone is shown here accompanied by Father Joseph Lawrence Farrell, OSA, prior general of the Augustinians. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration
Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration Director Michele Pristone is shown here accompanied by Father Joseph Lawrence Farrell, OSA, prior general of the Augustinians. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration

The institute seeks to reverse negative perceptions through an interdisciplinary approach based on four pillars: teaching, research, advocacy, and service.

“We want to transform hearts and minds, work with all Villanova colleges, and connect with centers, alumni, and community partners to create systemic change,” the professor said.

For Pistone, the university is an ideal setting for this type of work. “What better place to do it than at a university, where we can study it, be active on the ground, learn from the experience, and teach students — the future leaders of our country and businesses — to understand the migrant experience?”

The scholar also participated in the event “Refugees and Migrants in Our Common Home,” which took place in Rome from Oct. 1–3 ahead of the Jubilee of Migrants (Oct. 4–5). The more than 200 participants in the global gathering from over 40 countries were welcomed to the Vatican last week by Pope Leo XIV.

As Pistone explained in conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, the seed of the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration was planted in 2022 when Pope Francis called on universities to research and teach more about migrants and refugees.

“I was in the front row and felt like he was speaking directly to me. I felt a personal calling to be part of the solution,” said the law professor at Villanova’s Charles Widger School of Law.

Personal inspiration and lifelong commitment

Pistone’s passion for migration is deeply rooted in her family history. During her studies in Italy, she visited Sicily in search of the origins of her grandparents, who immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century.

Professor Michele Pistone is director of the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration. Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News
Professor Michele Pistone is director of the Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration. Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News

“Seeing my relatives, who didn’t know my father, and seeing how they rejoiced in his accomplishments in New York, changed my life. I began to understand the history of migrants from a lived perspective, and that led me to work with asylum seekers since 1999,” Pistone said.

For Pistone, migration is part of the identity and mission of the United States. “My state, Pennsylvania, was founded as a refuge for those fleeing religious persecution. That’s what asylum is all about: offering refuge to those who cannot live according to their beliefs or express themselves freely,” she explained.

Inspired by the life and work of Mother Cabrini, canonized by Pius XII in 1946, Pistone emphasized the value of the newly inaugurated center as an intellectual and social hub: “Mother Cabrini was a visionary and social entrepreneur. Her charisma guides us today in asking ourselves: What is Mother Cabrini’s work in the contemporary world? We want to carry out that mission through education, research, public advocacy, and service.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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California law allowing anonymous abortion pill prescriptions endangers women, experts say
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California law allowing anonymous abortion pill prescriptions endangers women, experts say

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Members of Students for Liberty protest chemical abortions at March for Life, Jan. 24, 2025. / Credit: Tyler Arnold/CNA

CNA Staff, Oct 6, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill last week allowing doctors to anonymously prescribe abortion pills, a move ethicists and medical professionals say will endanger women.  

The law, designed to protect abortionists, allows them to prescribe the pill anonymously, protecting them from any professional, legal, or ethical oversight and from lawsuits filed by other states. 

California abortionists are already facing lawsuits for prescribing abortion drugs in states where they are illegal. In some cases, women maintain that they were coerced or deceived into taking the drugs by the father of their unborn child.

According to the new law, the doctor remains anonymous — even to the patient being prescribed the pill. His or her identity is only accessible via a subpoena within the state of California. 

Even the pharmacists dispensing the abortion drug may do so without including their names, or the names of the patient or prescriber, on the bottle. 

Abandoning women 

Dolores Meehan, a nurse practitioner and the executive director of Bella Primary Care in San Francisco, said the law is “codifying a type of back-alley abortion.”

“There’s no safety oversight at all from the perspective of the patient,” she told CNA. “It’s such a violation of patients’ rights.”

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center, called the policy “patient abandonment.” 

Health care professionals “have a duty to provide careful medical supervision and oversight to patients who seek to obtain dangerous pharmaceuticals,” he told CNA.

“This oversight calls for significant patient scrutiny, medical testing, interviews, and in-person exams to assure that any prescribed medications will be appropriate for the specific medical situation of the patient,” Pacholczyk continued. “Such attentive oversight gets thrown to the wind when lawmakers and politicians like Gov. Newsom seek to pass unprincipled laws.”

Offering anonymous prescriptions, Pacholczyk said, “is a significant dereliction of duty.”

To do so implies “a willingness to look past important procedural requirements and duties, whether it’s health screening of the woman, obtaining her emergency contact information, or assuring follow-up care and support for her,” he continued.

The policy, Pacholczyk said, “works to corrode the very core of authentic medicine.”

Meehan expressed similar concerns about the anonymity of doctors prescribing abortion pills. 

She noted that licenses exist to ensure that “individuals are clear of any malfeasance or any malpractice.” 

“You can look up my license, and you can look up everything about me,” she said. “But if you don’t know my license, you don’t know who I am, you can’t.”

She noted that patients are turned into consumers but without any recourse should something go wrong. 

“You might as well go on Craigslist,” Meehan said. 

Not an informed choice

After he signed the bill, Newsom said that “California stands for a woman’s right to choose.” 

But Meehan noted that women don’t always know what they are choosing when they take the abortion pills. 

“It’s not about women’s rights, and it’s certainly not about women’s safety, and women’s health, and women’s choice,” Meehan said. “Because choice should always, always, always be accompanied by informed consent.”

“The gross misunderstanding about the abortion pill is that it’s somehow easy,” Meehan said. “But what so many women don’t understand is that they’re going to miscarry at home.” 

They’ll go through this “loss,” she noted, “by themselves.” 

“Women are really ill-prepared for what’s going to happen in their bodies. There’s the whole idea of women’s choice, but you’re not giving them informed choice,” she said. 

Pacholczyk shared similar concerns for women undergoing chemical abortions, saying that self-administered chemical abortions are a “harsh reality.”  

The abortion “often takes place in a bathroom, with psychological trauma experienced by a mother who may see her aborted baby floating in a toilet,” he said.  

Chemical abortions can sometimes lead to “serious medical complications — including sepsis, hemorrhage, or a need for repeated attempts to expel the child’s body” — for 1 in 10 women within 45 days of taking the abortion pill, he added. 

If a woman has an ectopic pregnancy, “administering the abortion pill could increase the risk of complications or delay urgently needed treatment,” he added.  

“Rather than treating women as anonymous entities and forcing them into greater isolation … mothers deserve the supportive medical attention and active care of their health care team,” he said. 

“Ideally, such attentive care should help them feel strengthened and empowered to carry their pregnancies to term rather than defaulting to a fear-driven and desperate attempt to end their child’s life,” he said.

Lower standard of care 

Jordan Butler, spokesperson for pro-life advocacy group Students for Life of America, called the policy “reckless.” 

“Eliminating requirements for identification and pregnancy verification creates dangerous loopholes that allow sexual abusers to evade accountability,” Butler said. 

Through the policy, Newsom and the abortion industry are “exploiting vulnerable women and children for profit,” she said. 

Pacholczyk and Meehan expressed similar concerns for the lower standard of care women — especially vulnerable women — would receive under the law. 

For women and girls facing human trafficking or coercion, protections “don’t exist,” Meehan said.  

“You could have your local pedophile, a sex offender, stockpiling them,” Meehan said.  

“Politicians, the media, and many in the medical profession have decided that abortion deserves an entirely different and lower standard than the rest of medicine,” Pacholczyk said. 

“We would never sanction such a loose approach with other potent pharmaceuticals like opioids or cancer medications,” Pacholczyk said.

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New film tells story of how broken Virgin Mary statue changed the life of a radio host
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New film tells story of how broken Virgin Mary statue changed the life of a radio host

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The broken Virgin Mary statue Kevin Matthews found in a dumpster. / Credit: ODB Films

CNA Staff, Oct 4, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Kevin Matthews was at the top of his game as one of the most famous on-air radio personalities in Chicago in the 1980s and ’90s. He was partying with professional athletes and celebrities and posting 10 million listeners a week at the peak of his popularity. 

All of that changed when he received a life-altering medical diagnosis. Yet the biggest change in his life happened when he found a broken Virgin Mary statue in the trash. 

Kevin Matthews, former radio personality, speaks at a Catholic parish. His true story is told in the new documentary "Broken Mary: The Kevin Matthews Story." Credit: ODB Films
Kevin Matthews, former radio personality, speaks at a Catholic parish. His true story is told in the new documentary “Broken Mary: The Kevin Matthews Story.” Credit: ODB Films

“Broken Mary: The Kevin Matthews Story” is a new documentary recounting Matthews’ true story of fame, brokenness, and finding redemption in Jesus Christ thanks to his devotion to the Blessed Mother. The documentary will be in theaters for one night only on Oct. 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Matthews was born and raised in Pontiac, Michigan, in a Catholic household. As a child he struggled to read and write, though it wasn’t until he was an adult that he discovered he was dyslexic.

In order to prevent himself from getting beaten up by both kids in his neighborhood and his physically abusive father, he used comedy and making others laugh as a shield he could hide behind.

Kevin Matthews, former radio personality, wheels "Broken Mary" into a Catholic parish. Credit: ODB Films
Kevin Matthews, former radio personality, wheels “Broken Mary” into a Catholic parish. Credit: ODB Films

In college Matthews was first introduced to radio through his roommate’s hosting of a show at the student station. In 1987, he began his career with “The Loop” AM 1000 in Chicago. It was here that he rose to fame and became known for his edgy humor, sharp wit, and comedic characters — the most popular being “Jim Shorts.”

Yet after years of mega-success, his life began to unravel when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2008. It became more difficult to be on-air and new radio personalities were on the rise. But it wasn’t until 2011 that he had a life-changing experience.

Matthews told CNA in an interview that while driving on his way home from just having been fired from his job, he “heard the Holy Spirit say, ‘Go and get your wife some flowers.’” He pulled into a flower shop he happened to be passing at the time. 

“I got out of my car and I’m starting to walk towards the door and over by the dumpster, I see a statue of the Virgin Mary,” he recalled. “I walked over to it and there she is on the ground broken in half. She’s looking up at me. Her hands are broken. She’s sunk in the mud, so she’s been there for a while, she’s got garbage on her.” 

“And I’m a zombie Catholic at that point, I’m not religious,” he said, “but I knew at that moment, no one treats our Blessed Mother like that.”

“I just was appalled, but then I heard the voice of Christ say to me, ‘Will you deny me? Will you deny my mother?’ And I was like, ‘What do I do?’”

Matthews entered the store and told the store clerk that he wanted to buy the broken Mary statue out by the dumpster. Though the store clerk said it was not for sale, he recognized Matthews’ voice from the radio and allowed him to take the statue. 

The statue weighed 73 pounds and due to his MS and a recent snowstorm, it took Matthews nearly an hour to get the broken Mary statue from out of the ground and into the back of his car. 

“I remember I turned the heat up and I said, ‘Mary, I will take care of you for the rest of my life,’” Matthews shared.

He called a priest friend and told him about the broken statue. The priest told him about a sculptor who could fix her. Matthews took the broken Mary and was told that she could be completely restored.

“That was the first time I really cried in front of a total stranger and said, ‘Don’t you dare touch her.’ I said, ‘That is me.’ And I said, ‘She’s broken like me. Just keep her broken. Just put her together, keep her hands broken, don’t paint her — she’s broken Mary,” he said.

From then on, Matthews began to go back to Mass, he learned how to pray the rosary, and he completely left his life of luxury to instead take his broken statue of Mary to parishes across the country to share how his life was radically changed by the Blessed Mother. 

Matthews said he hopes the film will show “that we’re all broken, but we’re loved by God and just go to him … I’ve never been happier in my life.”

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Texas boys school establishes policy to destroy smartphones
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Texas boys school establishes policy to destroy smartphones

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Boys swing on a rope during recess at Western Academy in Houston, Texas. / Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy

Houston, Texas, Oct 4, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

After years of boys (and their parents) repeatedly ignoring the rules, a private boys school in Houston is taking a novel approach to its smartphone and digital device policy: Bring it to school, and “we will destroy it.”

Western Academy, an independent, liberal arts school that states its goal is to educate young men “in the good, the true, and the beautiful,” has never allowed students to bring electronic devices to school.

In the past, if a boy was caught with a phone or other device at the school or a school-sponsored event, faculty would confiscate the device, which would be returned to the parents only after they had met with headmaster Jason Hebert. He would explain the harms to boys caused by smartphone use and why parents “should not put the phone back into your son’s hands.”

Boys look for toads in a pond during recess. Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy
Boys look for toads in a pond during recess. Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy

Under the new policy, which Hebert laid out in a four-page letter to parents last month, after the device is discovered and destroyed, the boy will be suspended. If it happens again, the boy will be automatically expelled. 

Along with its singular smartphone policy, the school, which has 230 students in third through eighth grade, takes a unique approach to education. The boys are free to play throughout the park-like, rambling grounds, where they climb and swing from trees, build forts, shoot Nerf guns, and care for (or chase) chickens before and after school and multiple times throughout the school day. 

The all-male faculty expects respect and responsibility from the boys at a young age, according to Hebert. The teachers have the boys rise when an adult visits a classroom and encourage parents to let their sons learn to endure hardship and experience natural consequences when they forget their homework or their lunch at home.

Jason Hebert, headmaster at Western Academy in Houston. Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy
Jason Hebert, headmaster at Western Academy in Houston. Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy

A Catholic priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei serves as chaplain to the school, which was founded in 2010, and oversees the religious education program.

The model is popular: Even with middle-school tuition close to $28,000 a year, every grade has extensive waitlists, and the school may start wait-listing boys beginning as early as kindergarten. 

At the beginning of each school year, the boys are sorted into one of four houses that compete throughout the year in games such as capture the flag and “The Hero’s Race,” where the boys in each house choose one boy to race across campus, climbing over obstacles and crawling through mud. There is also a poetry recitation competition known as “The Bard.” One mother, Stephanie Creech, told CNA her sons are so happy at the school they “beg to get to school early and to stay afterward to play.”

Hebert sat down with CNA and discussed what brought about the change in the smartphone policy, saying he chose the words in his letter very carefully. 

Hebert speaks to the boys on the first day of school as the faculty looks on. Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy
Hebert speaks to the boys on the first day of school as the faculty looks on. Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy

Witnessing the damage 

“Smartphones are causing significant, unimagined damage to the students who have them,” Hebert wrote in his letter to parents, “as well as to the sons of those parents who have chosen not to give phones to their sons.” 

“The damage these phones have caused to our children,” he told CNA in the interview, “it literally has never been imagined.” 

“It’s not just pornography,” Hebert continued. “YouTube actors and other characters just trying to get clicks perform the most shameless actions on video. They just have zero respect for the dignity of their bodies and for life, zero. And these boys want to emulate these people.”

Hebert said the last straw came after a mother called him complaining her son saw a graphic, violent video on a smartphone at a school event. 

After that, Hebert said he and the other administrators agreed: “That’s it. We’re done.” 

Asked why the school did not just consider automatic expulsion after the first offense rather than the destruction of the devices, Hebert said with a laugh: “To be perfectly candid, I want to destroy the phone. I want to give the boys an opportunity to have life without it.”

He ordered a metal grinder for the purpose.

“Look, I am not an alarmist. I am not reactionary. But the bottom line is this: These devices are not neutral. The research is definitive: They are bad for our kids. I have dealt with hundreds and hundreds of boys over two decades in education and I have yet to see an exception to this,” he said.

Hebert said that over the years, he has noticed a degradation in the quality of the boys’ conversation. “You can’t imagine the level of shamelessness” among some of the boys,” many of whom are generally considered “good kids.”

“This type of behavior is unprecedented in my tenure as an educator, and even as a professional athlete,” he said. 

Boys cheer their teammates on as the houses compete in a game of "Thud," in which two boys throw a medicine ball at one another as hard as they can until one of them drops it or gives up. Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy
Boys cheer their teammates on as the houses compete in a game of “Thud,” in which two boys throw a medicine ball at one another as hard as they can until one of them drops it or gives up. Credit: Courtesy of Western Academy

In the early 2000s, before beginning his teaching career, which included teaching at The Heights School in Maryland, he spent one year as a professional football player on practice squads for three NFL teams: the Chargers, the Titans, and the Raiders. 

“I never played in a regular-season game. This is what I tell people: I made it to the NFL. I did not make it in the NFL,” he said, laughing.

“Let me make it clear: I was an athlete around some of the most earthy human beings on the planet,” he said. “These men were not ashamed to say anything in the locker room. Yet these same men would have blushed if they heard some of the things these boys talk about! This is so unimaginable. Yet it is becoming more common now, thanks to these devices.”

Parents on board 

Asked if he was worried parents would leave over the school’s new policy, Hebert said if parents are not on board with the school’s values, it might be better if they left and one of the many others on the waitlist could take their spot.

In his letter to parents, Hebert wrote that the “school is a true partnership with parents. We say this not for poetic effect, but because it must be so for the authentic growth of your sons to become a reality.”

He told CNA parents should ask themselves: “How valuable is the phone to you? Are you willing to leave this place for it? This place where your son is so abundantly happy? Is your phone worth that? And if it is, well, it’s a mismatch of vision.”

Since the change in policy, however, Hebert said parental response has been “100% positive.”

After hearing about the school’s new policy, a mother whose son graduated from the school several years ago dropped off a financial donation at the front desk recently “for the phone grinder.”

“Everybody just knows it’s right. Parents might be frustrated because saying no to their sons makes their lives harder, but they know it’s right,” he said.

Hebert, a father of seven, said he and his wife do not allow their children to have smartphones or social media. “My children may not know a lot of the lingo or some of the jokes or about all the parties. They’re on the outside, to a degree.”

“And even though that’s a big deal,” he continued, “the alternative overrides that. It’s a bigger deal.”

“The alternative is not worth it,” he said.

“We all want the truth,” he said, “and the truth is these devices are severely hurting kids. I’m not a doomsday guy, but some day these kids will be in charge of society. Think about that.”

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Pro-life group pledges million to Georgia and Michigan Senate races
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Pro-life group pledges $9 million to Georgia and Michigan Senate races

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null / Credit: Andy via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

CNA Staff, Sep 26, 2025 / 16:28 pm (CNA).

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

Pro-life group pledges $9 million to Georgia and Michigan Senate races

A pro-life advocacy group is launching a massive $9 million campaign in the Senate races of Georgia and Michigan.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and its partner group, Women Speak Out PAC, are working to flip the U.S. Senate in Michigan, pouring $4.5 million into a field effort for the state’s open Senate seat.

Focused in Lansing, Detroit, and Grand Rapids, the pro-life groups aim to expand the U.S. Senate’s pro-life majority. In Michigan, four Planned Parenthoods have closed this year after Congress paused funding for abortion providers.

In Georgia, the same groups will pour $4.5 million into a field effort for Georgia’s U.S. Senate election. The campaign — aiming to defeat U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia senator who has backed pro-abortion policies — will be focused in Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, and Chattanooga.

SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a Sept. 24 statement that the group aims to “stop the abortion lobby from clawing back $500 million in annual Medicaid dollars for their own political machine.” 

“No American should be forced to bankroll a brutal industry that kills over 1.1 million unborn children each year, harms women with substandard care, and funnels millions into partisan politics — especially when better, more accessible health care alternatives outnumber Planned Parenthood 15 to 1,” Dannenfelser said.

Pro-life groups celebrate as Google admits to political censorship 

Pro-life groups that have experienced censorship in the past are celebrating after Google admitted to political censorship under the Biden administration.

The tech giant admitted the censorship to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and said it was taking steps to open previously banned YouTube accounts.

Kelsey Pritchard, the political communications director for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said companies like Google have a pattern of targeting pro-life advocacy groups.  

“We are not at all surprised by Google’s admissions of censorship,” Pritchard told CNA. 

“For years, tech giants have demonstrated a pattern of bias, actively undermining, suppressing, and censoring groups like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, who share the pro-life message in a highly effective way.”

In a timeline on its website, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America detailed censorship and suppression of pro-life groups since 2015 by sites such as Facebook, Yelp, and Google. 

For instance, in 2022, Google allegedly shadow banned an online educational resource by Life Issues Institute. In 2021, Google banned Live Action and Heartbeat International’s abortion pill reversal advertisements, including Live Action’s Baby Olivia video, detailing the growth of an unborn child. 

SBA Pro-Life America also criticized the Biden administration for allegedly targeting pro-life activists with the law. 

“The Biden administration, too, weaponized federal might to target pro-life Americans and even put peaceful activists in jail,” Pritchard said. “The right to voice one’s convictions is a foundational American value and the pro-life movement will always fight back against censorship.”

Students for Life of America spokesperson Jordan Butler, meanwhile, told CNA that the pro-life group “is no stranger to the challenges of free speech in the digital age.”

“While we’ve been fortunate to avoid censorship on platforms like YouTube and Google, TikTok has proven to be a battleground: banning our content 180 times in just 24 hours,” Butler said. 

After outcry from pro-life advocates, Butler said the TikTok account, belonging to Lydia Taylor Davis, was restored. 

She sees this as “proof that when we stand together, we can push back.” 

“That’s why unity matters now more than ever in defending pro-life free speech across America,” Butler said.

“Abortion propaganda is everywhere online, saturating platforms from social media to search engines,” she continued. “Whether it’s digital censorship or campus pushback, we fight relentlessly to protect our voice and our values.”

‘Second-chance-at-life’ bill could protect unborn children across the nation

A group of U.S. congressmen is introducing a bill that could give unborn children a second chance at life even if a mother takes the first pill in the chemical abortion regimen.

U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, recently introduced the Second Chance at Life Act, which is designed to protect unborn children and mothers from the harms of abortion.

The act, co-sponsored by 16 representatives from 13 states, would establish federal informed consent requirements for abortion pills. This would require abortion providers to inform women seeking to terminate their pregnancies that a chemical abortion can be reversible after the first abortion pill is taken.

Pfluger said many women “are pressured into taking the abortion pill without being fully informed of all their options” and later “express deep regret as they come to terms with the loss of their unborn child.” 

“It is unacceptable that so many women are never told by their provider that the effects of the first pill can be reversible,” Pfluger said in a Sept. 18 statement.  

Pfluger said the legislation will “empower women to make fully informed choices at every stage of the process, protecting their right to know the full details” about the drugs. 

Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, supported the bill in a statement, noting that women are often pressured into abortion.  

“Many mothers regret their abortions and wish they had been told about abortion pill reversal before it was too late,” she said. “And too many women are exposed to the deadly pills by those who are coercing them.”

Senate investigates alleged abortion facilitation by Virginia school faculty 

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, is investigating allegations that school officials in Virginia facilitated an abortion for a minor and attempted to do the same for another student without notifying their parents. 

Cassidy, who chairs the U.S. Senate Health Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, sent a letter to Superintendent Michelle Reid demanding answers after an investigative reporter broke the news that officials at Fairfax County’s Centreville High School reportedly pressured students to have abortions.

Missouri judge approves pro-life ballot measure, requires plainer language  

A Cole County Circuit judge approved a ballot measure that would protect minors and unborn children from transgender surgeries and abortion, respectively, if passed by Missouri voters.  

Because the ballot combines protections for minors against transgender surgeries and pro-life protections, activists challenged it in court. But Judge Daniel Green approved the combination in a Sept. 19 ruling, with the caveat that the ballot measure language must explicitly state that it would repeal a previous ballot measure.

The previous ballot measure, passed in 2024, created a right to abortion in the Missouri Constitution.

Wisconsin Planned Parenthood pauses abortions after federal funding cut 

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin will stop scheduling abortions beginning Oct. 1 following federal funding cuts by the Trump administration.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin President and CEO Tanya Atkinson said the pause is meant to be temporary as the group deals with Medicaid funding cuts following the “Big Beautiful Bill.” The location will continue to operate and offer other services in the meantime.

The Trump administration temporarily paused any funding for abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood. At least 40 Planned Parenthoods are closing this year.

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Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte charged with murder
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Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte charged with murder

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Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte gives a speech during a campaign rally at Southorn Stadium on March 9, 2025, in Hong Kong, China. / Credit: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 26, 2025 / 14:36 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte charged with murder

After Filipino Catholic bishops welcomed the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte in March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has now charged Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, with murder.

The three charges laid against Duterte, made public on Sept. 22, were dated back to July, according to the BBC. The first charge relates to Duterte’s involvement in the murder of 19 people in Davao City while he served as mayor from 2013 to 2016. The remaining charges relate to Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which saw the murder of 14 people across the country and the attempted murder of 45 others.

Caritas Philippines President Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan called Duterte’s detention a critical step toward justice, Vatican News reported in March. “For years Duterte has claimed that he is ready to face the consequences of his actions. Now is the time for him to prove it,” the bishop said. 

Syriac Catholic bishop discusses role of Christians in rebuilding Syria

In a meeting with the Levantine National Council, Syriac Catholic Bishop Hanna Jallouf discussed the role of Christians in public life as the country rebuilds after the fall of the Assad regime last winter.

According to a report from the Syriac Press, the meeting took place on Sept. 25 at the Monastery of St. Lazarus in Daramsuq (Damascus). “The meeting featured an in-depth discussion on the country’s current challenges, focusing on ways to enhance the role of Christians in public life while also addressing their concerns and fears amid ongoing instability,” the report said. 

Jallouf reportedly advocated for “citizenship and pluralism as the foundation for Syria’s stability” and encouraged the council to continue its efforts “to preserve the Church’s witness and unity” amid a period marked by fear for Christians and other religious minorities in the country.

Christians in India suffer harassment, arrests at hands of Hindu groups 

Police in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh arrested 14 Christians on Sept. 19 for allegedly violating the state’s stringent anti-conversion law and the national criminal code, according to UCA News.

The report also noted that a group of 19 girls accompanied by a Catholic nun and two staff members of a nongovernmental organization were also arrested Sept. 19 in Jharkhand, which borders Uttar Pradesh from the south, for violating the conversion law as well. The group was released the following day. According to Church sources cited in the report, the arrests were made after “allegations by some right-wing Hindu groups as the girls were traveling to attend a training program, and the nuns came to the railway station to welcome them.” 

Chair of Philippines Bishops’ Conference speaks out against corruption 

Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Taytay in Palawan, Philippines, chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Office on Stewardship, has published a pastoral letter condemning the normalization of corruption in the country. 

“We must not accept corruption as the norm — it is stealing the people’s taxes,” he said in the letter, according to local reports, pointing out that government funds have been redirected away from critical services such as hospitals, clean water initiatives, safe roads, and electricity for political reasons. “If we want to reduce corruption, we must stop voting for relatives in power,” the bishop added. 

Chaldean Catholics return to ancestral homeland in Turkey after nearly half a century

A Chaldean Catholic community from the southeast village of Köreli in the Şirnak Silopi district of Turkey returned to their ancestral homeland after nearly half a century, according to a local report on Sept. 25.

About 150 pilgrims, who traveled from across Turkey and abroad, participated in the 10-day visit and celebrated a “deeply symbolic Mass and offered prayers at the village cemetery.”

According to the report, Turkey’s Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Sabri Anar expressed gratitude to the government and for those who welcomed the group. “Our aim is to reconcile those who left this land with their past and show them that the region is safe,” he noted. “Each visit fills us with happiness. In the eyes of our people, we can see the longing for homeland, for soil, and for history.”

Australian bishop returned to public ministry after abuse allegation dismissed

Bishop Richard Umbers of the Archdiocese of Sydney has been reinstated to public ministry after an independent investigation determined abuse allegations lodged against him were “not sustained,” according to an internal email cited in a Sept. 24 report by the Pillar.

“The report from the independent investigator highlighted information given by the complainant that was inconsistent with other evidence obtained and therefore, the investigator could not be satisfied that the alleged conduct occurred,” the email by archdiocesan vicar general Father Samuel Lynch said. 

The claim of historical abuse against the Opus Dei bishop had been made in early July, after which he stepped down in accordance with archdiocesan protocol. 

Bangladesh Catholics fear Muslim extremist persecution as elections loom

The Catholic community in Bangladesh is “living in fear” of persecution as Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise and elections loom in the coming February, according to a Sept. 24 Crux report.

“We are afraid of the upcoming elections. Because, before and after the elections, we have been subjected to many injustices and this time there is a greater possibility of it. So, we are constantly praying to God to protect us,” Welcome Lamba, a leader of the Khasi Indigenous village of Pratappur Punjee, told Crux, which noted that there were over 1,000 cases of human rights violations against religious minorities in the country from 2023 to 2024. 

Australia donates vehicles to Catholic Church Health Services in Papua New Guinea 

After government officials in Papua New Guinea (PNG) announced in June a nationwide HIV emergence, the Australian government has now donated “a fleet of vehicles” to the Catholic Church Health Services in PNG to help aid efforts to expand access to treatment for HIV, according to a local report on Sept. 25. 

“The vehicles will support outreach services that include community-based HIV testing, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and referrals to other clinics and social services,” the report stated.

Angolan bishop speaks out against deforestation, poaching

Bishop Martín Lasarte Topolansky in Lwena, Angola, spoke out this week against escalating environmental destruction in eastern Angola, particularly in border areas with Zambia, where illegal logging and poaching are severely impacting the population, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Thursday.

“It is with a heavy heart that I see the felling of precious trees and the disappearance of animals that are part of our environmental heritage. We are witnessing a true plunder of what belongs to the Angolan people,” Lasarte told ACI Africa, while recalling a recent pastoral visit to communities in Eastern Moxico.

The bishop also noted “illegal exploitation of our forests by foreign citizens crossing our border,” likely by Zambians taking advantage of weak local enforcement. He further called on the Angolan government to secure the country’s eastern border and establish stricter environmental laws. “This land is a gift from God, and we will be accountable for how we treat it,” he said.

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Mothers urge lawmakers to ban assault weapons after Minneapolis Catholic school shooting
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Mothers urge lawmakers to ban assault weapons after Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

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Police gather at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, 2025, following a mass shooting that killed two children and injured 17 others, 14 of them children. / Credit: Chad Davis, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Sep 22, 2025 / 17:17 pm (CNA).

At a town hall meeting in Plymouth, Minnesota, over the weekend, three mothers whose children survived the school shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in August advocated for stricter gun laws. 

Two children were killed and 21 people were injured after Robin Westman, 23, a man who identified as a woman, shot through the stained-glass windows of the church during a school Mass on Aug. 27. 

Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed in the attack. 

Carla Maldonado, who has two children at Annunciation Catholic School, said “taking action” by tightening gun laws would honor the deaths of the two children and “all lives taken by gun violence.”

“We cannot accept a world where civilians have access to weapons designed for battlefields,” she said, referring to assault weapons and calling for their prohibition.

Another mother, Malia Kimbrell, who also supports an assault weapons ban, asked: “If the next mass shooting happens at your child’s school, what type of weapon are you comfortable with the shooter being armed with?”

Kimbrell, whose daughter Vivian, 9, is recovering after she was shot multiple times, advocated for “more mental health resources and safer gun storage and better background checks and detecting potential threats online and improved security measures.” 

Stephanie Moscetti said her son “was an honorary pallbearer at his friend’s [Merkel’s] funeral; how is this our reality?” 

“Our kids deserve safe schools, they deserve safe childhoods where they can play and learn,” she said.

Rep. Kelly Morrison, a Democrat who represents Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, organized the town hall meeting, which focused on the prevention of gun violence. 

Several of the mothers at the town hall also testified last week before a working group of state lawmakers who deliberated over proposed reforms dealing with gun violence.

At the hearing, Rob Doar, senior vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, asked lawmakers to strengthen the law surrounding mental health resources access, pointing out that none of the proposals put forward would have prevented the shooting because Westman legally purchased the weapons. 

Westman used three firearms during the August attack: a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, all of which were purchased legally under existing state law. The rifle was likely an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, which is considered an assault weapon. 

Laws limiting those with mental health disorders from gun possession

Though Westman struggled with his gender identity, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed “gender identity disorder” from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and replaced it with “gender dysphoria” in the revised version, known as the DSM-5, published in 2013. 

This change marked a significant shift in how struggles with a person’s sexual identity are classified, with health care professionals no longer calling it a mental illness.

The new classification of gender dysphoria, though it is still in the APA’s manual of mental disorders, addresses the symptoms, or the distress, associated with gender incongruence and not the incongruence itself. 

Minnesota, along with 29 other states, bars people with mental health issues who have been involuntarily committed or found to be a danger to self or others from possessing a gun. 

This law did not come into play in the August shooting, however.

Gov. Tim Walz in early September called for a special session, which has yet to take place, that will focus on gun safety. He proposed banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazine clips as well as more safety regulations concerning storage and a stronger red flag law.

Minnesota’s current red flag law allows family or local and state officials to ask for an extreme risk protection order, or ERPO, which allows them to petition the court to have an at-risk person’s guns removed or to temporarily prohibit that person from buying a gun.

“We passed a red flag law. It was passed in 2023 and it was supposed to deal with a situation like this,” Minnesota House Republican leader Harry Niska said in early September after Walz proposed the special session. “So I hope everyone is asking serious questions about why — why did this incident not trigger either a background check flag or a red flag?”

Walz will need the support of Republican lawmakers in the special session, and they have different proposals. They want to make private school security eligible for state funding, something the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of Minnesota’s six Catholic dioceses, has asked for multiple times.

Republicans also want to allow doctors more discretion concerning transgender medical procedures, more funds for mental health facilities, and harsher penalties for certain gun crimes. 

Ten states ban assault weapons, but the proposal in Minnesota failed to come up for a vote in 2023. Just over half of rural residents opposed an assault weapons ban in a 2022 MinnPost poll, while 69% of urban dwellers supported it. Overall, the poll found that nearly 54% supported it.

Minnesota already has one of the nation’s stronger gun regulation frameworks, according to Everytown Research, which ranks the state 14th in the country for gun safety policies.

The state requires universal background checks for all firearm sales, including private transfers, and domestic violence protections prohibit access for those under restraining orders or with misdemeanor convictions, among many other regulations.

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Report: Charlie Kirk was ‘this close’ to becoming Catholic just prior to his death
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Report: Charlie Kirk was ‘this close’ to becoming Catholic just prior to his death

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Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk speaks at the Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. / Credit: Maxim Elramsisy/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Sep 19, 2025 / 12:02 pm (CNA).

Slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk was reportedly strongly considering becoming Catholic just prior to his assassination, according to a bishop who spoke to him shortly before his killing. 

Robert Brennan, a Los Angeles-based writer and the brother of Fresno, California, Bishop Joseph Brennan, said in a Sept. 18 column in the Los Angeles archdiocesan newspaper Angelus that Kirk had a “personal exchange” with the California prelate about a week before Kirk’s murder at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. 

The writer Brennan, who said Bishop Brennan gave him permission to share the story, wrote that Kirk had spoken to the prelate at a prayer breakfast in Visalia. The conservative activist “told the bishop about his Catholic wife and children and how he attended Mass with them.” 

Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Diocese of Fresno in California. Credit: Thank You (22 Millions+) views from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bishop Joseph Brennan of the Diocese of Fresno in California. Credit: Thank You (22 Millions+) views from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kirk acknowledged “speculation” about his possible interest in becoming Catholic, Brennan wrote in Angelus; he subsequently told Bishop Brennan: “I’m this close” to converting. 

In his Angelus column Brennan pointed to a recent video Kirk made in which he acknowledged some “big disagreements” with Catholicism but claimed that Protestants “under-value” the Blessed Mother. 

“We don’t talk about Mary enough. We don’t venerate her enough,” Kirk said, arguing that Mary is “the solution” to “toxic feminism” in the U.S. 

“[H]ow fitting one of Charlie Kirk’s last videos was about the preeminent mediatrix of all time and space,” Robert Brennan wrote in Angelus. “In his own way he was reaching out to her, and now, I am convinced, she is returning the favor.”

Kirk was fatally shot while taking questions from audience members during a stop at Utah Valley University as part of his “American Comeback Tour.” He is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son.

Prominent Catholics around the world have joined in the chorus of voices mourning Kirk’s death in the days since he was killed. German Catholic Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller referred to Kirk this week as “a martyr for Jesus Christ” and condemned the “satanic celebration” of his death by some of his detractors.

Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life of America and Students for Life Action and a close friend of Kirk’s, said on Sept. 13 that the activist’s death “will be a turning point” for the country. 

And Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said Kirk’s activism “restored optimism about the American future for millions of Americans.”

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Picture of the day This painting on the ceiling in Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, a church on Via Veneto in Rome, depicts the Virgin Mary being assumed body and soul into heaven. Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary in much of Western Christianity or the Dormition of the Mother of God in Eastern Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day This painting on the ceiling in Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, a church on Via Veneto in Rome, depicts the Virgin Mary being assumed body and soul into heaven. Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary in much of Western Christianity or the Dormition of the Mother of God in Eastern Christianity. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
This painting on the ceiling in Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, a church on Via Veneto in Rome, depicts the Virgin Mary being assumed body and soul into heaven. Today is the Feast of the Assumption of Mary in much of Western Christianity or the Dormition of the Mother of God in Eastern Christianity.
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Picture of the day Ceiling of the Oratory of Saint Mary Queen and Mother, Málaga, Spain. The church was constructed in 2008 and is host of the Confraternity of the Sorrows. The paintings in the ceiling, done with acrylic paint, are work of Raúl Berzosa Fernández and were executed in different phases between 2008 and 2014. The 140 square metres (1,500 sq ft) surface is dedicated to the Coronation of the Virgin. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Ceiling of the Oratory of Saint Mary Queen and Mother, Málaga, Spain. The church was constructed in 2008 and is host of the Confraternity of the Sorrows. The paintings in the ceiling, done with acrylic paint, are work of Raúl Berzosa Fernández and were executed in different phases between 2008 and 2014. The 140 square metres (1,500 sq ft) surface is dedicated to the Coronation of the Virgin. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Ceiling of the Oratory of Saint Mary Queen and Mother, Málaga, Spain. The church was constructed in 2008 and is host of the Confraternity of the Sorrows. The paintings in the ceiling, done with acrylic paint, are work of Raúl Berzosa Fernández and were executed in different phases between 2008 and 2014. The 140 square metres (1,500 sq ft) surface is dedicated to the Coronation of the Virgin.
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