theology

Bill proposed in Hungary could require priests to violate seal of confession #Catholic null / Credit: AS photo studio/Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Bill proposed in Hungary could require priests to violate seal of confessionThe Permanent Council of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has expressed shock over the proposition of a bill that would require Catholic priests to violate the seal of confession. “This is in serious conflict with the agreement between the Republic of Hungary and the Holy See of Feb. 9, 1990, which states that the Catholic Church in our county operates on the basis of [canon law],” the council stated in an Oct. 17 press release. The council expressed regret over “extremely crude” and “baseless sentiment-mongering and slander” that has occurred during the ongoing election cycle. “We emphasize to our priests, all believers, and society that we are not a political organization, we do not wish to participate in the campaign,” it stated. “Our mission is to serve the salvation of souls.” Church in South Korea pledges help for Timorese migrants The Catholic Church in South Korea has pledged to help improve the situation for migrants from the small Catholic-majority island country of Timor-Leste.During an Oct. 11–15 visit to the island, a 12-member delegation of South Korean Catholics from the Committee for Pastoral Care for Migrants of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea visited with groups that send migrant workers to South Korea, Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, as well as President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, according to UCA News. The delegation pledged to help bring about “better protection and welfare of migrant communities” and to “improve better pastoral care program[s] for Timor-Leste migrants,” of which there are approximately 7,000 living in South Korea.Australian archbishop renews commitment to safeguarding childrenArchbishop Tony Ireland of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia, has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring all Catholic communities and workplaces throughout his diocese uphold safe environment standards. “The safety and well-being of all who engage with the Church is foremost in my mind and heart,” the archbishop said in an Oct. 17 statement. “Ensuring that every person — regardless of age or circumstance — feels safe, valued, and respected is an essential part of our mission and witness.” On behalf of his archdiocese, Ireland endorsed the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, stating: “Our commitment to these standards is unwavering, reflecting zero tolerance of any form of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.” The archdiocese has remained engaged in its safeguarding measures since 2017. Madagascar cardinal urges international community to refrain from sanctioning country Cardinal Désiré Tsarahazana of Toamasina, Madagascar, is appealing to the international community not to sanction Madagascar in wake of a coup staged by military-backed youth protesters. The cardinal told Vatican media that imposing sanctions “would be illogical and immoral.”​​“Supporting young people who demand a better life and then killing them with sanctions would make no sense,” Vatican News Italy reported. Religious conversion case against Christian university officials in India droppedThe Supreme Court of India has dropped a criminal case against three Christian university officials in Uttar Pradesh who were accused of violating the state’s stringent anti-conversion laws. The court dropped the case on Oct. 17, citing “legal defect” in the allegations filed by Himanshu Dixit, vice president of the World Hindu Council, according to UCA News. The Hindu leader had accused officials from the Presbyterian Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences of “unlawful conversion activities” in addition to “cheating, criminal intimidation, and forgery,” according to the report.The judges noted that under Uttar Pradesh law, only an “aggrieved” person — that is, a victim or close relative — of the violation is permitted to lodge a complaint. The court declined to dismiss charges related to cheating and forgery but ordered protection of the accused from arrest.Church in Mozambique proposes political guide for dialogueThe Episcopol Justice and Peace Commission in Mozambique has proposed a document outlining “concrete proposals for reforms of the state, the electoral system, natural resource policies, economic inclusion, and national reconciliation.”The document, “A Political Guide for National Dialogue,” proposes limited power for the president in appointing heads of state, that judges be elected among their peers, and that the position of secretary of state be eliminated in provinces for the sake of the country’s budget, according to an Oct. 20 report from Vatican News. The guide also recommends the elimination of electronic voting to combat fraud as well as economic and natural resource reforms. To address the county’s unrest, the document proposes “building a collective memory based on truth, exercising forgiveness and mutual listening, promoting a culture of dialogue and trust, and changing mentalities to value differences while combatting prejudices.”Latin American bishops host ‘virtual jubilee’ for Indigenous people The Episcopal Conference of Latin America hosted a virtual jubilee event for Indigenous people of Latin America and the Caribbean on Oct. 14–16. Organized by the Advisory Team on Indian Theology, together with the Pastoral Care of Indigenous People of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council and the Latin American Ecumenical Articulation of Indigenous Pastoral Care, the event centered on sharing experiences “as pilgrims of hope together with our Indigenous people, authentic custodians of culture, and our common home,” according to a message from Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the dicastery for promoting integral human development.“Your love for the earth, your respect for the elderly, your sense of community, and your ability to live in harmony with creation are a gift to the whole Church. You teach that life is best understood when lived simply, in relationship with God, with nature, and with others,” he said. 
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Bill proposed in Hungary could require priests to violate seal of confession #Catholic null / Credit: AS photo studio/Shutterstock Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Bill proposed in Hungary could require priests to violate seal of confessionThe Permanent Council of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has expressed shock over the proposition of a bill that would require Catholic priests to violate the seal of confession. “This is in serious conflict with the agreement between the Republic of Hungary and the Holy See of Feb. 9, 1990, which states that the Catholic Church in our county operates on the basis of [canon law],” the council stated in an Oct. 17 press release. The council expressed regret over “extremely crude” and “baseless sentiment-mongering and slander” that has occurred during the ongoing election cycle. “We emphasize to our priests, all believers, and society that we are not a political organization, we do not wish to participate in the campaign,” it stated. “Our mission is to serve the salvation of souls.” Church in South Korea pledges help for Timorese migrants The Catholic Church in South Korea has pledged to help improve the situation for migrants from the small Catholic-majority island country of Timor-Leste.During an Oct. 11–15 visit to the island, a 12-member delegation of South Korean Catholics from the Committee for Pastoral Care for Migrants of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea visited with groups that send migrant workers to South Korea, Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, as well as President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, according to UCA News. The delegation pledged to help bring about “better protection and welfare of migrant communities” and to “improve better pastoral care program[s] for Timor-Leste migrants,” of which there are approximately 7,000 living in South Korea.Australian archbishop renews commitment to safeguarding childrenArchbishop Tony Ireland of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia, has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring all Catholic communities and workplaces throughout his diocese uphold safe environment standards. “The safety and well-being of all who engage with the Church is foremost in my mind and heart,” the archbishop said in an Oct. 17 statement. “Ensuring that every person — regardless of age or circumstance — feels safe, valued, and respected is an essential part of our mission and witness.” On behalf of his archdiocese, Ireland endorsed the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, stating: “Our commitment to these standards is unwavering, reflecting zero tolerance of any form of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.” The archdiocese has remained engaged in its safeguarding measures since 2017. Madagascar cardinal urges international community to refrain from sanctioning country Cardinal Désiré Tsarahazana of Toamasina, Madagascar, is appealing to the international community not to sanction Madagascar in wake of a coup staged by military-backed youth protesters. The cardinal told Vatican media that imposing sanctions “would be illogical and immoral.”​​“Supporting young people who demand a better life and then killing them with sanctions would make no sense,” Vatican News Italy reported. Religious conversion case against Christian university officials in India droppedThe Supreme Court of India has dropped a criminal case against three Christian university officials in Uttar Pradesh who were accused of violating the state’s stringent anti-conversion laws. The court dropped the case on Oct. 17, citing “legal defect” in the allegations filed by Himanshu Dixit, vice president of the World Hindu Council, according to UCA News. The Hindu leader had accused officials from the Presbyterian Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences of “unlawful conversion activities” in addition to “cheating, criminal intimidation, and forgery,” according to the report.The judges noted that under Uttar Pradesh law, only an “aggrieved” person — that is, a victim or close relative — of the violation is permitted to lodge a complaint. The court declined to dismiss charges related to cheating and forgery but ordered protection of the accused from arrest.Church in Mozambique proposes political guide for dialogueThe Episcopol Justice and Peace Commission in Mozambique has proposed a document outlining “concrete proposals for reforms of the state, the electoral system, natural resource policies, economic inclusion, and national reconciliation.”The document, “A Political Guide for National Dialogue,” proposes limited power for the president in appointing heads of state, that judges be elected among their peers, and that the position of secretary of state be eliminated in provinces for the sake of the country’s budget, according to an Oct. 20 report from Vatican News. The guide also recommends the elimination of electronic voting to combat fraud as well as economic and natural resource reforms. To address the county’s unrest, the document proposes “building a collective memory based on truth, exercising forgiveness and mutual listening, promoting a culture of dialogue and trust, and changing mentalities to value differences while combatting prejudices.”Latin American bishops host ‘virtual jubilee’ for Indigenous people The Episcopal Conference of Latin America hosted a virtual jubilee event for Indigenous people of Latin America and the Caribbean on Oct. 14–16. Organized by the Advisory Team on Indian Theology, together with the Pastoral Care of Indigenous People of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council and the Latin American Ecumenical Articulation of Indigenous Pastoral Care, the event centered on sharing experiences “as pilgrims of hope together with our Indigenous people, authentic custodians of culture, and our common home,” according to a message from Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the dicastery for promoting integral human development.“Your love for the earth, your respect for the elderly, your sense of community, and your ability to live in harmony with creation are a gift to the whole Church. You teach that life is best understood when lived simply, in relationship with God, with nature, and with others,” he said. 

unitedyam

null / Credit: AS photo studio/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

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

Bill proposed in Hungary could require priests to violate seal of confession

The Permanent Council of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has expressed shock over the proposition of a bill that would require Catholic priests to violate the seal of confession. 

“This is in serious conflict with the agreement between the Republic of Hungary and the Holy See of Feb. 9, 1990, which states that the Catholic Church in our county operates on the basis of [canon law],” the council stated in an Oct. 17 press release. 

The council expressed regret over “extremely crude” and “baseless sentiment-mongering and slander” that has occurred during the ongoing election cycle. “We emphasize to our priests, all believers, and society that we are not a political organization, we do not wish to participate in the campaign,” it stated. “Our mission is to serve the salvation of souls.” 

Church in South Korea pledges help for Timorese migrants 

The Catholic Church in South Korea has pledged to help improve the situation for migrants from the small Catholic-majority island country of Timor-Leste.

During an Oct. 11–15 visit to the island, a 12-member delegation of South Korean Catholics from the Committee for Pastoral Care for Migrants of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea visited with groups that send migrant workers to South Korea, Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, as well as President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, according to UCA News. 

The delegation pledged to help bring about “better protection and welfare of migrant communities” and to “improve better pastoral care program[s] for Timor-Leste migrants,” of which there are approximately 7,000 living in South Korea.

Australian archbishop renews commitment to safeguarding children

Archbishop Tony Ireland of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia, has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring all Catholic communities and workplaces throughout his diocese uphold safe environment standards. 

“The safety and well-being of all who engage with the Church is foremost in my mind and heart,” the archbishop said in an Oct. 17 statement. “Ensuring that every person — regardless of age or circumstance — feels safe, valued, and respected is an essential part of our mission and witness.” 

On behalf of his archdiocese, Ireland endorsed the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, stating: “Our commitment to these standards is unwavering, reflecting zero tolerance of any form of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.” The archdiocese has remained engaged in its safeguarding measures since 2017. 

Madagascar cardinal urges international community to refrain from sanctioning country 

Cardinal Désiré Tsarahazana of Toamasina, Madagascar, is appealing to the international community not to sanction Madagascar in wake of a coup staged by military-backed youth protesters. 

The cardinal told Vatican media that imposing sanctions “would be illogical and immoral.”​​

“Supporting young people who demand a better life and then killing them with sanctions would make no sense,” Vatican News Italy reported. 

Religious conversion case against Christian university officials in India dropped

The Supreme Court of India has dropped a criminal case against three Christian university officials in Uttar Pradesh who were accused of violating the state’s stringent anti-conversion laws. 

The court dropped the case on Oct. 17, citing “legal defect” in the allegations filed by Himanshu Dixit, vice president of the World Hindu Council, according to UCA News. The Hindu leader had accused officials from the Presbyterian Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences of “unlawful conversion activities” in addition to “cheating, criminal intimidation, and forgery,” according to the report.

The judges noted that under Uttar Pradesh law, only an “aggrieved” person — that is, a victim or close relative — of the violation is permitted to lodge a complaint. The court declined to dismiss charges related to cheating and forgery but ordered protection of the accused from arrest.

Church in Mozambique proposes political guide for dialogue

The Episcopol Justice and Peace Commission in Mozambique has proposed a document outlining “concrete proposals for reforms of the state, the electoral system, natural resource policies, economic inclusion, and national reconciliation.”

The document, “A Political Guide for National Dialogue,” proposes limited power for the president in appointing heads of state, that judges be elected among their peers, and that the position of secretary of state be eliminated in provinces for the sake of the country’s budget, according to an Oct. 20 report from Vatican News. 

The guide also recommends the elimination of electronic voting to combat fraud as well as economic and natural resource reforms. 

To address the county’s unrest, the document proposes “building a collective memory based on truth, exercising forgiveness and mutual listening, promoting a culture of dialogue and trust, and changing mentalities to value differences while combatting prejudices.”

Latin American bishops host ‘virtual jubilee’ for Indigenous people 

The Episcopal Conference of Latin America hosted a virtual jubilee event for Indigenous people of Latin America and the Caribbean on Oct. 14–16. 

Organized by the Advisory Team on Indian Theology, together with the Pastoral Care of Indigenous People of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council and the Latin American Ecumenical Articulation of Indigenous Pastoral Care, the event centered on sharing experiences “as pilgrims of hope together with our Indigenous people, authentic custodians of culture, and our common home,” according to a message from Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the dicastery for promoting integral human development.

“Your love for the earth, your respect for the elderly, your sense of community, and your ability to live in harmony with creation are a gift to the whole Church. You teach that life is best understood when lived simply, in relationship with God, with nature, and with others,” he said. 

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New Catholic sports coaching program focuses on mind, body, and soul #Catholic Rachael Isaac speaks to student athletes at Franciscan University of Steubenville, hosted by Franciscan University Athletic’s Athlete Center for Excellence (ACE), in October 2024. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Counselors CNA Staff, Oct 20, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). As a competitive figure skater growing up, Rachael Popcak Isaac experienced firsthand the pressure that comes with competitive sports. Now as a devout Catholic and a professional counselor she has launched a new program for athletes inspired by St. John Paul II’s theology of the body.The Faith-Based Success and Performance Coaching Program is offered by CatholicCounselors.com, where Isaac is chief operating officer.In an interview with CNA, Isaac shared about her Catholic approach to the sports counseling program, which will offer resources such as tele-counseling, group workshops, and performance coaching.Rachael Popcak Isaac has launched a sports counseling program inspired by St. John Paul II’s theology of the body called the Faith-Based Success and Performance Coaching Program. Credit: Marie Sales PhotographyCNA: What does sports therapy from a Catholic perspective look like? How does your approach differ from a traditional secular sports psychologist?Rachael Popcak Isaac: From a Catholic perspective, sports therapy isn’t just about performance — it’s about the whole person: mind, body, and soul. Traditional sports psychology often focuses only on mental skills to improve performance. Those tools are valuable, but they can feel incomplete.My approach integrates the science of performance with the truth of our identity being rooted in God and who God created us to be. That means I don’t just help athletes manage nerves or sharpen focus — I help them see their sport as part of their vocation, a way to glorify God and grow in virtue.We work on confidence, resilience, and discipline, yes — but we root it in the deeper purpose of becoming the person God is calling them to be, on and off the field.What inspired you to go into counseling and develop a Catholic-based coaching program? Will you tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to this work?My background is twofold. I grew up as a dancer and competitive figure skater. So I saw the pressures, perfectionism, and anxiety that comes with sports, performance, competing, etc. I lived it. But I did the work to grow my skills and tools to manage stress and build my confidence in healthy ways and even learned to love performing rather than being afraid of it.Likewise, I’ve always been fascinated by what helps people flourish. I studied psychology, became a licensed clinical social worker, and worked with individuals and families in traditional counseling. But I also saw the hunger people had for guidance that went deeper than just coping skills.My own Catholic faith has always shaped how I see the human person — that we are created in the image of God, with dignity and purpose. CatholicCounselors.com integrates the best of psychology and performance science with the richness of our Catholic faith. I want people — athletes, professionals, parents — to know that they can build confidence and resilience not by becoming “perfect” but by living fully as the person God created them to be.Rachael Isaac presents at an event for WISE Pittsburgh (Women In Sports and Events) in November 2024. Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic CounselorsHow do you integrate St. John Paul II’s theology of the body into your sessions? Why are these teachings so important in your work?The theology of the body reminds us that our bodies matter — they are not separate from who we are but integral to our identity. In performance work, this truth is huge. So often people live in their heads, battling anxiety, doubt, or perfectionism. I help clients reconnect with their bodies, not as machines to be pushed harder but as gifts to be honored and trained in a way that reflects their dignity. Whether it’s an athlete learning to regulate their nervous system before competition or a professional learning to manage stress in their body during a high-stakes presentation, we use the body as a pathway to healing and growth. St. John Paul II’s teaching gives language to the deeper meaning of this work: that our body reveals our call to relationship, to love, and to living fully alive.What are the most common struggles that your clients face, and how does a Catholic approach help with these struggles? What would you tell Catholics facing similar struggles?Most of my clients struggle with confidence, anxiety, and perfectionism. They’re often high-achievers who feel the weight of expectations — from themselves, others, or culture.The Catholic approach helps because it grounds their worth in something unshakable: They are loved by God, regardless of wins, losses, or mistakes. That shift changes everything. Instead of seeing failure as proof they’re not enough, they can see it as part of the growth process — even as a way God is forming them.I tell Catholics facing these struggles: Your confidence doesn’t come from never falling but from knowing who you are and who walks with you. Every challenge can be a chance to grow in resilience and trust.
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New Catholic sports coaching program focuses on mind, body, and soul #Catholic Rachael Isaac speaks to student athletes at Franciscan University of Steubenville, hosted by Franciscan University Athletic’s Athlete Center for Excellence (ACE), in October 2024. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Counselors CNA Staff, Oct 20, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). As a competitive figure skater growing up, Rachael Popcak Isaac experienced firsthand the pressure that comes with competitive sports. Now as a devout Catholic and a professional counselor she has launched a new program for athletes inspired by St. John Paul II’s theology of the body.The Faith-Based Success and Performance Coaching Program is offered by CatholicCounselors.com, where Isaac is chief operating officer.In an interview with CNA, Isaac shared about her Catholic approach to the sports counseling program, which will offer resources such as tele-counseling, group workshops, and performance coaching.Rachael Popcak Isaac has launched a sports counseling program inspired by St. John Paul II’s theology of the body called the Faith-Based Success and Performance Coaching Program. Credit: Marie Sales PhotographyCNA: What does sports therapy from a Catholic perspective look like? How does your approach differ from a traditional secular sports psychologist?Rachael Popcak Isaac: From a Catholic perspective, sports therapy isn’t just about performance — it’s about the whole person: mind, body, and soul. Traditional sports psychology often focuses only on mental skills to improve performance. Those tools are valuable, but they can feel incomplete.My approach integrates the science of performance with the truth of our identity being rooted in God and who God created us to be. That means I don’t just help athletes manage nerves or sharpen focus — I help them see their sport as part of their vocation, a way to glorify God and grow in virtue.We work on confidence, resilience, and discipline, yes — but we root it in the deeper purpose of becoming the person God is calling them to be, on and off the field.What inspired you to go into counseling and develop a Catholic-based coaching program? Will you tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to this work?My background is twofold. I grew up as a dancer and competitive figure skater. So I saw the pressures, perfectionism, and anxiety that comes with sports, performance, competing, etc. I lived it. But I did the work to grow my skills and tools to manage stress and build my confidence in healthy ways and even learned to love performing rather than being afraid of it.Likewise, I’ve always been fascinated by what helps people flourish. I studied psychology, became a licensed clinical social worker, and worked with individuals and families in traditional counseling. But I also saw the hunger people had for guidance that went deeper than just coping skills.My own Catholic faith has always shaped how I see the human person — that we are created in the image of God, with dignity and purpose. CatholicCounselors.com integrates the best of psychology and performance science with the richness of our Catholic faith. I want people — athletes, professionals, parents — to know that they can build confidence and resilience not by becoming “perfect” but by living fully as the person God created them to be.Rachael Isaac presents at an event for WISE Pittsburgh (Women In Sports and Events) in November 2024. Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic CounselorsHow do you integrate St. John Paul II’s theology of the body into your sessions? Why are these teachings so important in your work?The theology of the body reminds us that our bodies matter — they are not separate from who we are but integral to our identity. In performance work, this truth is huge. So often people live in their heads, battling anxiety, doubt, or perfectionism. I help clients reconnect with their bodies, not as machines to be pushed harder but as gifts to be honored and trained in a way that reflects their dignity. Whether it’s an athlete learning to regulate their nervous system before competition or a professional learning to manage stress in their body during a high-stakes presentation, we use the body as a pathway to healing and growth. St. John Paul II’s teaching gives language to the deeper meaning of this work: that our body reveals our call to relationship, to love, and to living fully alive.What are the most common struggles that your clients face, and how does a Catholic approach help with these struggles? What would you tell Catholics facing similar struggles?Most of my clients struggle with confidence, anxiety, and perfectionism. They’re often high-achievers who feel the weight of expectations — from themselves, others, or culture.The Catholic approach helps because it grounds their worth in something unshakable: They are loved by God, regardless of wins, losses, or mistakes. That shift changes everything. Instead of seeing failure as proof they’re not enough, they can see it as part of the growth process — even as a way God is forming them.I tell Catholics facing these struggles: Your confidence doesn’t come from never falling but from knowing who you are and who walks with you. Every challenge can be a chance to grow in resilience and trust.

unitedyam

Rachael Isaac speaks to student athletes at Franciscan University of Steubenville, hosted by Franciscan University Athletic’s Athlete Center for Excellence (ACE), in October 2024. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Counselors

CNA Staff, Oct 20, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

As a competitive figure skater growing up, Rachael Popcak Isaac experienced firsthand the pressure that comes with competitive sports. Now as a devout Catholic and a professional counselor she has launched a new program for athletes inspired by St. John Paul II’s theology of the body.

The Faith-Based Success and Performance Coaching Program is offered by CatholicCounselors.com, where Isaac is chief operating officer.

In an interview with CNA, Isaac shared about her Catholic approach to the sports counseling program, which will offer resources such as tele-counseling, group workshops, and performance coaching.

Rachael Popcak Isaac has launched a sports counseling program inspired by St. John Paul II’s theology of the body called the Faith-Based Success and Performance Coaching Program. Credit: Marie Sales Photography
Rachael Popcak Isaac has launched a sports counseling program inspired by St. John Paul II’s theology of the body called the Faith-Based Success and Performance Coaching Program. Credit: Marie Sales Photography

CNA: What does sports therapy from a Catholic perspective look like? How does your approach differ from a traditional secular sports psychologist?

Rachael Popcak Isaac: From a Catholic perspective, sports therapy isn’t just about performance — it’s about the whole person: mind, body, and soul. Traditional sports psychology often focuses only on mental skills to improve performance. Those tools are valuable, but they can feel incomplete.

My approach integrates the science of performance with the truth of our identity being rooted in God and who God created us to be. That means I don’t just help athletes manage nerves or sharpen focus — I help them see their sport as part of their vocation, a way to glorify God and grow in virtue.

We work on confidence, resilience, and discipline, yes — but we root it in the deeper purpose of becoming the person God is calling them to be, on and off the field.

What inspired you to go into counseling and develop a Catholic-based coaching program? Will you tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to this work?

My background is twofold. I grew up as a dancer and competitive figure skater. So I saw the pressures, perfectionism, and anxiety that comes with sports, performance, competing, etc. I lived it. But I did the work to grow my skills and tools to manage stress and build my confidence in healthy ways and even learned to love performing rather than being afraid of it.

Likewise, I’ve always been fascinated by what helps people flourish. I studied psychology, became a licensed clinical social worker, and worked with individuals and families in traditional counseling. But I also saw the hunger people had for guidance that went deeper than just coping skills.

My own Catholic faith has always shaped how I see the human person — that we are created in the image of God, with dignity and purpose. CatholicCounselors.com integrates the best of psychology and performance science with the richness of our Catholic faith. 

I want people — athletes, professionals, parents — to know that they can build confidence and resilience not by becoming “perfect” but by living fully as the person God created them to be.

Rachael Isaac presents at an event for WISE Pittsburgh (Women In Sports and Events) in November 2024. Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Counselors
Rachael Isaac presents at an event for WISE Pittsburgh (Women In Sports and Events) in November 2024. Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Counselors

How do you integrate St. John Paul II’s theology of the body into your sessions? Why are these teachings so important in your work?

The theology of the body reminds us that our bodies matter — they are not separate from who we are but integral to our identity. In performance work, this truth is huge. So often people live in their heads, battling anxiety, doubt, or perfectionism. 

I help clients reconnect with their bodies, not as machines to be pushed harder but as gifts to be honored and trained in a way that reflects their dignity. Whether it’s an athlete learning to regulate their nervous system before competition or a professional learning to manage stress in their body during a high-stakes presentation, we use the body as a pathway to healing and growth. 

St. John Paul II’s teaching gives language to the deeper meaning of this work: that our body reveals our call to relationship, to love, and to living fully alive.

What are the most common struggles that your clients face, and how does a Catholic approach help with these struggles? What would you tell Catholics facing similar struggles?

Most of my clients struggle with confidence, anxiety, and perfectionism. They’re often high-achievers who feel the weight of expectations — from themselves, others, or culture.

The Catholic approach helps because it grounds their worth in something unshakable: They are loved by God, regardless of wins, losses, or mistakes. That shift changes everything. Instead of seeing failure as proof they’re not enough, they can see it as part of the growth process — even as a way God is forming them.

I tell Catholics facing these struggles: Your confidence doesn’t come from never falling but from knowing who you are and who walks with you. Every challenge can be a chance to grow in resilience and trust.

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Israelis, Gazan Christians, Catholics in U.S. weigh in on historic peace deal #Catholic Daniel Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and former foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks with “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo on Oct. 10, 2025.  / Credit: “EWTN News Nightly” Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 11, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA). Former Israeli government officials, representatives for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and Catholic advocates for Israel in the U.S. spoke with EWTN News this week following the historic peace deal brokered by the Trump administration between Israel and Hamas. News of the peace agreement came as “a joy for the entire population of Gaza, for the families of the hostages, and for our parish, our little parish there in Gaza,” according to Farid Jabran, the public and government affairs adviser for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.In an Oct. 10 interview with “EWTN News Nightly,” Jabran noted there is still an air of “expectation” as the region waits to “see what happens.”Jabran revealed that Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa had spoken to the pastor of Gaza’s only Catholic Church, Father Gabriel Romanelli. “They are all very happy that they are not hearing more bombings,” Jabran said of the Gazan parish community. “They expect a better future, but still they wait to see what is going to happen … They’re all waiting to see what happens after the release of the hostages.” “The Catholic Church, as the patriarch, as the pope, as many said, will give anything in its power to to offer assistance, to offer good services when it’s asked to do so,” said Jabran, noting that the Latin Patriarchate has “big plans for Gaza,” including the construction of a new hospital in the southern region of the enclave. “We’ll have more details on that that will be supported by the Italian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Latin Patriarchate,” he revealed, adding: “We are planning to create field hospitals in several places and to work on schools and education for the children, not only for the Christian community [but] for everyone.”Breaking down the peace deal In an Oct. 10 appearance on “EWTN News Nightly,” Daniel Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and former foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shared how the historic peace deal brokered by the Trump administration will play out in the coming days. Though both Israel and Hamas signed on to the first phase of the peace plan set out by the Trump administration on Wednesday, reports of ongoing bombardment from the IDF in northern Gaza was reported on Friday morning. Avalon explained that “there was a threat that the IDF depicted, and they had to take care of it.” “We have enough experience with Hamas that even though they agree on a ceasefire, they continue their aggression,” he told “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo. “But we adhere, or Israel adheres to the agreement and to the ceasefire terms … We started right on time, and we are now back off the former position, and hopefully we will see our hostages within the next 72 hours.” President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Wednesday that both parties had agreed to the first phase of his 20-point peace plan for the Middle East, in which he noted: “ALL of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace.”“I think that we should all acknowledge the leadership and the negotiation capabilities of President Trump and his team,” Ayalon said. “I believe that they found the right moment to really bring together an assembly of protagonists in the region that could really be instrumental, namely, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, that put a lot of pressure on Hamas that was not there before.” Given that the first phase goes according to plan, Ayalon said, Israel will release its Palestinian prisoners, and IDF troops will continue to withdraw, allowing Gazans to return to their homes. After which, he said, comes the precarious task of disarming Hamas, which will include dismantling its vast network of tunnels. This task, he predicted, could take several months. “I think the people of Gaza deserve this,” Ayalon reflected. “After these two horrendous years … they were actually held hostage by Hamas, which used them as cannon fodder or as human shields.” The former ambassador further expressed hope that Gazans ensure “no more terror organizations will grow there to a monstrous dimension, as we did with Hamas.”Looking ahead, Ayalon expressed hope for a broader normalization of relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, such as Saudi Arabia and others, as well as other major Islamic countries such as Indonesia or Pakistan, to take place alongside reconstruction. He also floated the start of “a political process with the Palestinians,” noting Hamas will no longer govern the enclave. “It probably will be the Palestinian Authority,” he said, noting that under the agreement the governing body is mandated to promote peaceful coexistence and to “do away with terror” and indoctrination in its schools. “Then we can talk about real peace between Israel and the Palestinians, which may be a cornerstone of a much broader peace with the region,” he said, adding: “And we all deserve it — the world deserves it, and I think it will be to the benefit and the prosperity of all here.”Remembering Oct. 7On the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, Philos Catholic Director Simone Rizkallah told CNA: “This is not a day to discuss U.S. foreign policy or to analyze political dynamics.” Even with the Trump administration’s efforts in the background to make a peace deal between the Hamas terrorist group and Israel, Rizkallah emphasized, “Oct. 7 is a day to live out the beatitude ‘Blessed are they who mourn.’” Philos Catholic is an arm of the U.S-based nonprofit organization, the Philos Project, which works to foster Catholic-Jewish relations. Over 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans were confirmed killed, and thousands more wounded in the wake of Hamas’ large-scale surprise attack on Israel. An additional 251 were taken hostage into the Gaza Strip.“We mourn with the Jewish people and with Israel as if we are mourning for our own selves — because, in truth, we are,” she said. “To stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters today is not a political act, and it is certainly not a partisan one. The Church is not a political entity. This is about faith and the culture that faith gives birth to.”According to Rizkhallah: “To speak up and stand with our Jewish friends is not sentimental — it is an act of spiritual realism and solidarity with our own people in the faith.” To do so, she continued, is not a partisan act but a “part of orthodox Catholic theology, rooted in the heart of the Church’s self-understanding.”Catholics, she urged, should “incarnate this love by showing up in the flesh” for their Jewish friends and neighbors. “Call your Jewish friends,” she said. “Reach out to your local synagogue or Jewish community center. Drop off white roses in the wake of antisemitic attacks — a symbol of Christian resistance to hatred, inspired by the White Rose movement that opposed Nazi Germany.”Philos Catholic will host an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate this year at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., which will be available to attend both in person and virtually.
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Israelis, Gazan Christians, Catholics in U.S. weigh in on historic peace deal #Catholic Daniel Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and former foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks with “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo on Oct. 10, 2025.  / Credit: “EWTN News Nightly” Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 11, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA). Former Israeli government officials, representatives for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and Catholic advocates for Israel in the U.S. spoke with EWTN News this week following the historic peace deal brokered by the Trump administration between Israel and Hamas. News of the peace agreement came as “a joy for the entire population of Gaza, for the families of the hostages, and for our parish, our little parish there in Gaza,” according to Farid Jabran, the public and government affairs adviser for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.In an Oct. 10 interview with “EWTN News Nightly,” Jabran noted there is still an air of “expectation” as the region waits to “see what happens.”Jabran revealed that Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa had spoken to the pastor of Gaza’s only Catholic Church, Father Gabriel Romanelli. “They are all very happy that they are not hearing more bombings,” Jabran said of the Gazan parish community. “They expect a better future, but still they wait to see what is going to happen … They’re all waiting to see what happens after the release of the hostages.” “The Catholic Church, as the patriarch, as the pope, as many said, will give anything in its power to to offer assistance, to offer good services when it’s asked to do so,” said Jabran, noting that the Latin Patriarchate has “big plans for Gaza,” including the construction of a new hospital in the southern region of the enclave. “We’ll have more details on that that will be supported by the Italian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Latin Patriarchate,” he revealed, adding: “We are planning to create field hospitals in several places and to work on schools and education for the children, not only for the Christian community [but] for everyone.”Breaking down the peace deal In an Oct. 10 appearance on “EWTN News Nightly,” Daniel Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and former foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shared how the historic peace deal brokered by the Trump administration will play out in the coming days. Though both Israel and Hamas signed on to the first phase of the peace plan set out by the Trump administration on Wednesday, reports of ongoing bombardment from the IDF in northern Gaza was reported on Friday morning. Avalon explained that “there was a threat that the IDF depicted, and they had to take care of it.” “We have enough experience with Hamas that even though they agree on a ceasefire, they continue their aggression,” he told “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo. “But we adhere, or Israel adheres to the agreement and to the ceasefire terms … We started right on time, and we are now back off the former position, and hopefully we will see our hostages within the next 72 hours.” President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Wednesday that both parties had agreed to the first phase of his 20-point peace plan for the Middle East, in which he noted: “ALL of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace.”“I think that we should all acknowledge the leadership and the negotiation capabilities of President Trump and his team,” Ayalon said. “I believe that they found the right moment to really bring together an assembly of protagonists in the region that could really be instrumental, namely, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, that put a lot of pressure on Hamas that was not there before.” Given that the first phase goes according to plan, Ayalon said, Israel will release its Palestinian prisoners, and IDF troops will continue to withdraw, allowing Gazans to return to their homes. After which, he said, comes the precarious task of disarming Hamas, which will include dismantling its vast network of tunnels. This task, he predicted, could take several months. “I think the people of Gaza deserve this,” Ayalon reflected. “After these two horrendous years … they were actually held hostage by Hamas, which used them as cannon fodder or as human shields.” The former ambassador further expressed hope that Gazans ensure “no more terror organizations will grow there to a monstrous dimension, as we did with Hamas.”Looking ahead, Ayalon expressed hope for a broader normalization of relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, such as Saudi Arabia and others, as well as other major Islamic countries such as Indonesia or Pakistan, to take place alongside reconstruction. He also floated the start of “a political process with the Palestinians,” noting Hamas will no longer govern the enclave. “It probably will be the Palestinian Authority,” he said, noting that under the agreement the governing body is mandated to promote peaceful coexistence and to “do away with terror” and indoctrination in its schools. “Then we can talk about real peace between Israel and the Palestinians, which may be a cornerstone of a much broader peace with the region,” he said, adding: “And we all deserve it — the world deserves it, and I think it will be to the benefit and the prosperity of all here.”Remembering Oct. 7On the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, Philos Catholic Director Simone Rizkallah told CNA: “This is not a day to discuss U.S. foreign policy or to analyze political dynamics.” Even with the Trump administration’s efforts in the background to make a peace deal between the Hamas terrorist group and Israel, Rizkallah emphasized, “Oct. 7 is a day to live out the beatitude ‘Blessed are they who mourn.’” Philos Catholic is an arm of the U.S-based nonprofit organization, the Philos Project, which works to foster Catholic-Jewish relations. Over 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans were confirmed killed, and thousands more wounded in the wake of Hamas’ large-scale surprise attack on Israel. An additional 251 were taken hostage into the Gaza Strip.“We mourn with the Jewish people and with Israel as if we are mourning for our own selves — because, in truth, we are,” she said. “To stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters today is not a political act, and it is certainly not a partisan one. The Church is not a political entity. This is about faith and the culture that faith gives birth to.”According to Rizkhallah: “To speak up and stand with our Jewish friends is not sentimental — it is an act of spiritual realism and solidarity with our own people in the faith.” To do so, she continued, is not a partisan act but a “part of orthodox Catholic theology, rooted in the heart of the Church’s self-understanding.”Catholics, she urged, should “incarnate this love by showing up in the flesh” for their Jewish friends and neighbors. “Call your Jewish friends,” she said. “Reach out to your local synagogue or Jewish community center. Drop off white roses in the wake of antisemitic attacks — a symbol of Christian resistance to hatred, inspired by the White Rose movement that opposed Nazi Germany.”Philos Catholic will host an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate this year at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., which will be available to attend both in person and virtually.

unitedyam

Daniel Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and former foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks with “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo on Oct. 10, 2025.  / Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 11, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Former Israeli government officials, representatives for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and Catholic advocates for Israel in the U.S. spoke with EWTN News this week following the historic peace deal brokered by the Trump administration between Israel and Hamas. 

News of the peace agreement came as “a joy for the entire population of Gaza, for the families of the hostages, and for our parish, our little parish there in Gaza,” according to Farid Jabran, the public and government affairs adviser for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

In an Oct. 10 interview with “EWTN News Nightly,” Jabran noted there is still an air of “expectation” as the region waits to “see what happens.”

Jabran revealed that Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa had spoken to the pastor of Gaza’s only Catholic Church, Father Gabriel Romanelli.

“They are all very happy that they are not hearing more bombings,” Jabran said of the Gazan parish community. “They expect a better future, but still they wait to see what is going to happen … They’re all waiting to see what happens after the release of the hostages.” 

“The Catholic Church, as the patriarch, as the pope, as many said, will give anything in its power to to offer assistance, to offer good services when it’s asked to do so,” said Jabran, noting that the Latin Patriarchate has “big plans for Gaza,” including the construction of a new hospital in the southern region of the enclave. 

“We’ll have more details on that that will be supported by the Italian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Latin Patriarchate,” he revealed, adding: “We are planning to create field hospitals in several places and to work on schools and education for the children, not only for the Christian community [but] for everyone.”

Breaking down the peace deal 

In an Oct. 10 appearance on “EWTN News Nightly,” Daniel Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and former foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shared how the historic peace deal brokered by the Trump administration will play out in the coming days. 

Though both Israel and Hamas signed on to the first phase of the peace plan set out by the Trump administration on Wednesday, reports of ongoing bombardment from the IDF in northern Gaza was reported on Friday morning. Avalon explained that “there was a threat that the IDF depicted, and they had to take care of it.” 

“We have enough experience with Hamas that even though they agree on a ceasefire, they continue their aggression,” he told “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo. “But we adhere, or Israel adheres to the agreement and to the ceasefire terms … We started right on time, and we are now back off the former position, and hopefully we will see our hostages within the next 72 hours.” 

President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Wednesday that both parties had agreed to the first phase of his 20-point peace plan for the Middle East, in which he noted: “ALL of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace.”

“I think that we should all acknowledge the leadership and the negotiation capabilities of President Trump and his team,” Ayalon said. “I believe that they found the right moment to really bring together an assembly of protagonists in the region that could really be instrumental, namely, Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, that put a lot of pressure on Hamas that was not there before.” 

Given that the first phase goes according to plan, Ayalon said, Israel will release its Palestinian prisoners, and IDF troops will continue to withdraw, allowing Gazans to return to their homes. After which, he said, comes the precarious task of disarming Hamas, which will include dismantling its vast network of tunnels. This task, he predicted, could take several months. 

“I think the people of Gaza deserve this,” Ayalon reflected. “After these two horrendous years … they were actually held hostage by Hamas, which used them as cannon fodder or as human shields.” The former ambassador further expressed hope that Gazans ensure “no more terror organizations will grow there to a monstrous dimension, as we did with Hamas.”

Looking ahead, Ayalon expressed hope for a broader normalization of relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, such as Saudi Arabia and others, as well as other major Islamic countries such as Indonesia or Pakistan, to take place alongside reconstruction. He also floated the start of “a political process with the Palestinians,” noting Hamas will no longer govern the enclave. “It probably will be the Palestinian Authority,” he said, noting that under the agreement the governing body is mandated to promote peaceful coexistence and to “do away with terror” and indoctrination in its schools. 

“Then we can talk about real peace between Israel and the Palestinians, which may be a cornerstone of a much broader peace with the region,” he said, adding: “And we all deserve it — the world deserves it, and I think it will be to the benefit and the prosperity of all here.”

Remembering Oct. 7

On the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, Philos Catholic Director Simone Rizkallah told CNA: “This is not a day to discuss U.S. foreign policy or to analyze political dynamics.”

Even with the Trump administration’s efforts in the background to make a peace deal between the Hamas terrorist group and Israel, Rizkallah emphasized, “Oct. 7 is a day to live out the beatitude ‘Blessed are they who mourn.’” 

Philos Catholic is an arm of the U.S-based nonprofit organization, the Philos Project, which works to foster Catholic-Jewish relations. 

Over 1,200 Israelis and 22 Americans were confirmed killed, and thousands more wounded in the wake of Hamas’ large-scale surprise attack on Israel. An additional 251 were taken hostage into the Gaza Strip.

“We mourn with the Jewish people and with Israel as if we are mourning for our own selves — because, in truth, we are,” she said. “To stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters today is not a political act, and it is certainly not a partisan one. The Church is not a political entity. This is about faith and the culture that faith gives birth to.”

According to Rizkhallah: “To speak up and stand with our Jewish friends is not sentimental — it is an act of spiritual realism and solidarity with our own people in the faith.” To do so, she continued, is not a partisan act but a “part of orthodox Catholic theology, rooted in the heart of the Church’s self-understanding.”

Catholics, she urged, should “incarnate this love by showing up in the flesh” for their Jewish friends and neighbors. “Call your Jewish friends,” she said. “Reach out to your local synagogue or Jewish community center. Drop off white roses in the wake of antisemitic attacks — a symbol of Christian resistance to hatred, inspired by the White Rose movement that opposed Nazi Germany.”

Philos Catholic will host an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate this year at the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C., which will be available to attend both in person and virtually.

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Burned-out pastor builds global mental health resources for churches
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Burned-out pastor builds global mental health resources for churches

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Young people listen to the stories of Christian youth with lived experience of mental health challenges as part of “The Sanctuary Youth Series” by Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries

CNA Staff, Oct 4, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Daniel Whitehead knew it was time for a change when his wife told him she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him smile. With the strain of constantly meeting with people who were struggling, the Christian pastor said he had “gone numb.”

“I realized in that moment, it had been well over a year that I’d felt any emotion,” he told CNA. “No laughter, no tears, just numbness.”

Then he discovered Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. At the time, it was a small, local ecumenical group creating resources for mental health in pastoral ministry. Nine years later, Whitehead has become its leader and Sanctuary has become a large-scale resource operating across the world. 

Daniel Whitehead is the CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. Credit: Photo courtesy of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries
Daniel Whitehead is the CEO of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. Credit: Photo courtesy of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries

Working through burnout “was really confusing,” Whitehead said of his own experience.

“I didn’t have language, or self-permission, or a framework to really understand what I was going through,” he said. “But how I would describe it was a feeling of fear, anxiety, and feeling trapped.”

Looking back at his challenges in ministry, Whitehead said he was experiencing “emotional overwhelm” from “moving from meeting to meeting, feeling the weight of people’s expectations, having to be there for people when they’re at their worst, and not really having an outlet to process that with.” 

This experience helped him “realize the great need that exists in the church for support in this area,” he said. 

“From that moment throughout my recovery journey I was looking for a cause to give myself to, and Sanctuary was that cause,” he said. “I very much felt called to the work.” 

Reaching young people 

Whitehead told CNA that amid an ongoing mental health crisis, the church can be a great resource. 

“The church is so perfectly placed to offer hope, belonging, community, and purpose to people in crisis — all of which are vital components of a person’s recovery and all of which are areas that the church has a monopoly on,” Whitehead said.

In the United States, depression and anxiety rates rose by more than 50% from 2010 to 2019 and suicide rates for adolescents ages 10 to 19 rose 48%. 

“It really is an opportunity for the church to step in and offer Christ’s hope to people in crisis,” Whitehead said. 

Youth pilot "The Sanctuary Youth Series" at The Way Church’s youth ministry in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in summer 2024. Credit: Photo courtesy of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries
Youth pilot “The Sanctuary Youth Series” at The Way Church’s youth ministry in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in summer 2024. Credit: Photo courtesy of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries

Sanctuary’s resources guide both the church and people struggling with mental health. 

The ministry “creates high-quality resources that anyone anywhere can access,” which Whitehead said “makes us quite a unique proposition globally speaking.”

Resources include video courses designed to be taken in small-group settings.  

Since its launch, more than 365,000 Christians in 102 countries have participated in the Sanctuary Course, according to the organization. 

Sanctuary’s work “allows people who are experiencing crisis to feel seen and gives the church more confidence to know what its role is and what its role isn’t when walking with a person in crisis,” Whitehead explained. 

This year, the organization is developing resources to reach young people. 

It recently launched “The Sanctuary Youth Series,” which is all about starting “important conversations” with youth in youth ministry, explained Bryana Russell, Sanctuary’s director of engagement and interim director of development.

The series, Russell told CNA, “targets the pressing questions young people are asking about mental health” and is designed “to raise awareness and reduce stigma” about mental health. 

“We know young people want to talk about the intersection of faith and mental health,” Russell said. “This series is one of the few resources available to help faith communities do so.”

“Our hope is that the next generation will experience the Church as a supportive place and that youth ministry leaders, parents and caregivers, and youth will all be equipped to have conversations about mental health,” Russell said.

Sanctuary Ambassador and Grammy nominated artist Matt Maher sings at an event hosted at the Archdiocese of Vancouver, where Sanctuary was presenting on mental health and faith on July 21, 2025. Credit: Nicholas Elbers/The BC Catholic
Sanctuary Ambassador and Grammy nominated artist Matt Maher sings at an event hosted at the Archdiocese of Vancouver, where Sanctuary was presenting on mental health and faith on July 21, 2025. Credit: Nicholas Elbers/The BC Catholic

The series is “designed to be used in groups” to help “young people connect with trusted adults in their church or school community,” Russell said, noting that being in community helps mental health.

“Young people benefit from the support of trusted adults, but few are having the conversations they need to,” she said.

Working together

The ecumenicism of Sanctuary is what drew Whitehead to the group nine years ago.

“Our staff represent a range of church traditions, the majority of which are Protestant, but I would suggest that the spiritual practices that many of us draw from both individually and corporately are often more liturgical in nature,” Whitehead said. 

“I think we all have a deep appreciation for the richness and vitality that different church traditions and denominations bring to the table,” Whitehead said.  

Sanctuary works with various churches, including Catholic dioceses and parishes.  

“Across the United States and Canada, many other dioceses are providing the leadership and support for mental health ministry,” Russell said. 

Sanctuary’s course for Catholics — designed specifically for Catholic parishes and in use in parishes around the world — features Catholic voices including Archbishop J. Michael Miller of Vancouver and Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver.

“The Sanctuary Course for Catholics plays an important role in opening the conversation and equipping parishes to begin such a ministry,” Russell said. 

This year, Sanctuary officially teamed up with the Archdiocese of Vancouver, which is formally launching a Mental Health Ministry with the help of Sanctuary. 

“We are delighted that our resources will be a part of their designed reach to build this ministry of presence,” Russell said. 

To kick off the event, Sanctuary and the archdiocese hosted Matt Maher, a Catholic contemporary Christian worship musician and Sanctuary’s ambassador.

Matt Maher and Bryana Russell (Sanctuary’s director of engagement and interim director of development) speak about Sanctuary, mental health, and faith at an event hosted at the Archdiocese of Vancouver on July 21, 2025. Credit: Nicholas Elbers/The BC Catholic
Matt Maher and Bryana Russell (Sanctuary’s director of engagement and interim director of development) speak about Sanctuary, mental health, and faith at an event hosted at the Archdiocese of Vancouver on July 21, 2025. Credit: Nicholas Elbers/The BC Catholic

“Through stories, conversation, and song, themes of psychology, theology, and lived experience were introduced, offering an accessible and inspiring call to this ministry,” Russell said of the launch event.

“What makes Sanctuary unique is our ability to bring psychology and theology together to really validate and sanctify peoples’ stories,” Whitehead said. “Which means that in order to hold mental health well we have to really take each of these disciplines seriously.”

He added: “I’m inspired to continue this work when I look at the great need and also the great opportunity we have for the church to step into a gap that exists in society.”

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Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael: The 3 great archangels of the Bible
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Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael: The 3 great archangels of the Bible

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A stained-glass window in St. Sulpice Church in Fougeres, France, depicts (from left to right) the archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel. / Credit: Tiberiu Stan/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Sep 29, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Many Catholics can, at the drop of a hat, recite the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel — the famous petition to that venerable saint to “defend us in battle” and “cast into hell Satan.”

In the culture of the Church, Michael is often accompanied by his two fellow archangels — Sts. Gabriel and Raphael — with the three forming a phalanx of protection, healing, and petition for those who ask for their intercession. The Church celebrates the three archangels with a joint feast day on Sept. 29.

St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel is hailed in the Book of Daniel as “the great prince who has charge of [God’s] people.”

Michael Aquilina, the executive vice president and trustee of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology in Steubenville, Ohio, described Michael among angels as “the one most often named — and most often invoked — and most often seen in history-changing apparitions.”

Devotion to Michael, Aquilina told CNA, “has been with the Church from the beginning. And Michael has been with God’s people since before the beginning of the Church.”

Michael’s history in the Bible is depicted through Daniel, in Jude (in which he battles Satan for possession of Moses’ body), and in Revelation as he “wag[es] war with the dragon” alongside his fellow angels. 

Michael, Aquilina said, was “a supremely important character who was there from the beginning of the story.” Rabbinic tradition holds that Michael was at the center of many of the great biblical dramas even if not explicitly mentioned. 

He was an early subject of veneration in the Church, though Aquilina noted that the Reformation led to a steep decline in devotion to the angels — until the end of the 19th century, when Michael began an “amazing comeback journey” in the life of the Church. 

Following a vision of Satan “running riot” on the planet, “Pope Leo composed three prayers to St. Michael, ranging from short to long,” Aquilina said. “The brief one, he commanded, should be prayed at the end of every Mass.” 

This was a regular feature of the Mass until the Vatican II era, after which it came to an end — though Pope John Paul II in 1994 urged Catholics to make the prayer a regular part of their lives.

“St. Michael is there for us in the day of battle, which is every day,” Aquilina said.

The St. Michael Prayer: St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil / May God rebuke him, we humbly pray / And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the divine power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

St. Gabriel the Archangel

Gabriel appears regularly in Scripture as a messenger of God’s word, both in the Old and New Testaments. Daniel identifies Gabriel as a “man” who came “to give [him] insight and understanding,” relaying prophetic answers to Daniel’s entreaties to God. 

In the New Testament, Luke relays Gabriel’s appearances to both Zechariah and the Virgin Mary. At the former, he informs the priest that his wife, Elizabeth, will soon conceive a child; at the latter he informs Mary herself that she will do the same. The two children in question, of course, were respectively John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. 

Christian tradition further associates Gabriel with the apostle Paul’s reference in his First Letter to the Thessalonians to the “archangel’s call” and “the sound of the trumpet of God.”

“Judgment will begin with the archangel’s call and the sound of the horn,” Aquilina told CNA. “Thus we hear often of Gabriel’s trumpet.”

Media workers in particular have “good professional reasons to go to Gabriel,” Aquilina said.

“Since he is the Bible’s great communicator — the great teller of good news — he is the natural patron of broadcasters and all those who work in electronic media,” he said. 

“For the same reason, he’s the patron saint of preachers … but also of postal workers, diplomats, and messengers.”

The St. Gabriel Prayer: O Blessed Archangel Gabriel, we beseech thee, do thou intercede for us at the throne of divine mercy in our present necessities, that as thou didst announce to Mary the mystery of the Incarnation, so through thy prayers and patronage in heaven we may obtain the benefits of the same, and sing the praise of God forever in the land of the living. Amen.

St. Raphael the Archangel

Lesser-known among the three great archangels, Raphael’s mission from God “is not obvious to the casual reader” of the Bible, Aquilina said. Yet his story, depicted in the Book of Tobit, is “something unique in the whole Bible.” In other depictions of angels, they come to Earth only briefly, to deliver a message or to help God’s favored people in some way. 

“Raphael is different,” Aquilina said. “He stays around for the whole story, and by the end he’s become something more than an angel … he’s become a friend.”

In Tobit, Raphael accompanies Tobias, the son of the book’s namesake, as he travels to retrieve money left by his father in another town, helping him along the way and arranging for his marriage to Sarah. 

The biblical account “has in every generation provided insight and consolation to the devout,” Aquilina said. 

Notably, Raphael deftly uses the natural world to work God’s miracles: “What we would ordinarily call catastrophes — blindness, multiple widowhood, destitution, estrangement — all these become providential channels of grace by the time the threads of the story are all wound up in the end.”

“Raphael is patron of many kinds of people,” Aquilina said. “Of course, he’s the patron of singles in search of a mate — and those in search of a friend. He is the patron of pharmacists because he provided the salve of healing. He is a patron for anyone in search of a cure.” 

He is also the patron saint of blind people, travelers, sick people, and youth. 

“Raphael’s story,” Aquilina said, “remains a model for those who would enjoy the friendship of the angels.”

Prayer to St. Raphael: St. Raphael, of the glorious seven who stand before the throne of him who lives and reigns, angel of health, the Lord has filled your hand with balm from heaven to soothe or cure our pains. Heal or cure the victim of disease. And guide our steps when doubtful of our ways. Amen.

This story was first published on Sept. 29, 2023, and has been updated.

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Trump, Vance among those honoring Charlie Kirk’s Christian legacy 
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Trump, Vance among those honoring Charlie Kirk’s Christian legacy 

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Erika Kirk embraces U.S. President Donald Trump at the conclusion of the memorial service held for Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona, on Sept. 21, 2025. / Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 22, 2025 / 09:35 am (CNA).

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Erika Kirk, and more than a dozen others gave speeches to honor the late Charlie Kirk at Sunday’s memorial service, highlighting his efforts to promote conservative values to young people and promote the Gospel on campus.

Some 90,000 people gathered for the memorial service at State Farm Stadium and an adjacent venue in Glendale, Arizona, on Sept. 21. Bishop Robert Barron, who had scheduled Kirk to come on his show, was among those in attendance.

Kirk, an evangelical Christian, was assassinated on Sept. 10 during an event at Utah Valley University while debating students on campus. At the time, Kirk was conversing with a young ideological opponent about transgenderism and gun violence. Prior to the question, he had been discussing his Christian faith with another questioner, something he often included in his conservative campus activism.

“What was even more important to Charlie than politics and service was the choice he made in the fifth grade — which he called the most important decision of his life — to become a Christian and a follower of his Savior Jesus Christ,” Trump, a self-identified nondenominational Christian, said during his speech.

Trump praised Kirk’s legacy of evangelizing the message of Christ and his activism to promote conservative values on campus, saying Kirk was “inspired by faith and his love of freedom” to establish the conservative campus organization Turning Point USA when he was just 18 years old.

“Charlie Kirk started with an idea only to change minds on college campuses and instead he ended up with a far greater achievement: changing history,” the president said. “… Today Charlie Kirk rests in heaven for all eternity. He has gone from speaking on campuses in Wisconsin to kneeling at the throne of God.”

Vance, a Catholic who often discussed theology with Kirk, spoke about Kirk’s devotion to honest debate in his campus activism, saying his “unshakable belief in the Gospel led him to see differences in opinion, not as battlefields to conquer but as waystations in the pursuit of truth.”

“He knew it was right to love others, your neighbor, your interlocutor, your enemy,” Vance said.
“But he also understood his duty to say what is right and what is wrong, to distinguish what is false from what is true.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks during the memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona, on Sept. 21, 2025. Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images
U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks during the memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Glendale, Arizona, on Sept. 21, 2025. Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The vice president noted that even after death, Kirk’s message to defend life, to get married and start a family, and to follow Christ, continue to reach people. Vance said his own public appearances have been particularly influenced by Kirk after the assassination.

“I was telling somebody backstage that I always felt a little uncomfortable talking about my faith in public, as much as I love the Lord, as much as it was an important part of my life,” Vance told the crowd. “I’ve talked more about Jesus Christ in the past two weeks than I have my entire time in public life. And that is the undeniable legacy of the great Charlie Kirk. You know, he loved God and because he wanted to understand God’s creation and the men and women made in his image.”

Kirk’s widow forgives assassin

Kirk’s wife, Erika, said her husband’s devotion to Christ has influenced many Americans in the aftermath of the assassination.

“This past week, we saw people open a Bible for the first time in a decade, we saw people pray for the first time since they were children, we saw people go to a church service for the first time in their entire lives,” Erika Kirk said.

“Pray again, read the Bible again, go to Church next Sunday and the Sunday after that, and break free from the temptations and shackles of this world,” she urged the audience.

“Being a follower of Christ is not easy,” she continued. “It’s not supposed to be easy. Jesus said ‘if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.’ He said he would be persecuted, he said we would be persecuted, and Charlie knew that and happily carried his cross all the way to the end.”

Erika Kirk said he had gone onto Utah Valley University’s campus to show people, especially young men, “a better path and a better life that was right there for the taking.” She added: “He wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life.”

Appealing to the Gospel message, Erika Kirk also extended forgiveness to the man who shot her husband. 

“On the cross, our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,’” she said. “That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer, we know from the Gospel, is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”

‘I want to be remembered for courage for my faith’

Other speakers also highlighted Kirk’s emphasis on Christ in his campus activism. 

Donald Trump Jr. reminded the crowd that Kirk said just months before his death that if he were to die, “I want to be remembered for my courage for my faith.” 

“Those were not empty words,” Trump Jr. said. “Last week, Charlie joined a long line of courageous men and women who were martyred for what they believe.”

The country’s Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Catholic, said Kirk’s devotion to God modeled St. Francis of Assisi’s instruction to try to live one’s life in imitation of Christ.

“Charlie understood the great paradox: That it’s only by surrender to God that God’s power can flow into our lives and make us effective human beings,” Kennedy said. “Christ died at 33 years old, but he changed the trajectory of history. Charlie died at 31 years old, but because he had surrendered, he also now has changed the trajectory of history.” 

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth similarly noted that Kirk “was a true believer,” one who understood that “Only Christ is King, our Lord and Savior.” 

“Our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus,” Hegseth said. “Fear God and fear no man. That was Charlie Kirk.” 

Political commentator Tucker Carlson said Kirk was essentially “a Christian evangelist” who “was bringing the Gospel to the country.” 

“He also knew that politics wasn’t the final answer,” Carlson said. “It can’t answer the deepest questions, actually. That the only real solution is Jesus.”

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Toledo bishop’s letter on gender ideology ‘timely’ and ‘loving,’ Mary Rice Hasson says
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Toledo bishop’s letter on gender ideology ‘timely’ and ‘loving,’ Mary Rice Hasson says

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Ethics and Public Policy Center scholar Mary Rice Hasson praised the Bishop of Toledo's recent pastoral letter, titled "The Body Reveals the Person: A Catholic Response to the Challenges of Gender Ideology." / Credit: "EWTN News Nightly"/Screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 18, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Toledo, Ohio, Bishop Daniel Thomas’ recently released pastoral letter offering guidance on sex and gender identity issues received praise from the head of the Ethics and Public Policy Center’s (EPPC) Person and Identity Project, Mary Rice Hasson.

“[Thomas] really hones in so beautifully in this document on the truth that we are body and soul, and that our bodies reveal something wonderful about who we are,” Rice told “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo on Sept. 17. “And so, rejecting the body, which is really what’s going on in the transgender issue, it’s sex rejection, rejection of yourself, is really turning back on yourself and hating and destroying something that is really, really good.” 

Thomas’ letter, “The Body Reveals the Person: A Catholic Response to the Challenges of Gender Ideology,” is the longest statement by a U.S. bishop dealing exclusively with gender ideology.

Drawing on Scripture, theology, philosophy, and social sciences, the letter presents Church teaching in a form the bishop said he hopes is “readable, digestible, accessible, and charitable.”“I think it’s tremendously important that we have a bishop speaking out and giving such timely, but really comprehensive, loving, and hopeful guidance,” Rice said, noting the letter comes in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

Kirk was shot while answering a question about transgenderism and gun violence. Tyler Robinson, the man charged with murdering Kirk, has been romantically linked to his transgender roommate, Lance Twiggs, a biological male.

Kirk had said he supported an effort to ban transgender people from owning firearms in light of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minnesota last month, which was also carried out by a man who identified as transgender.

EPPC scholar calls on more bishops to emulate Thomas

While some dioceses have offered “terrific responses” to the transgender issue, Rice acknowledged, “there are some dioceses where there’s nothing, there’s not even a statement about how people should understand this issue [and] what the Church’s teaching is.” 

“I encourage bishops, if they have not written and spoken to this issue to please do that,” she continued. “People want to hear that. And that’s what I hear from people when I travel all over the U.S. talking about this issue.” 

Rice pointed out that while social media can be used well to form connections with other people, “it really has become a channel of evil in many respects,” especially regarding sexual orientation and gender identity issues. 

“Our youth are particularly vulnerable because they’re young,” she said. “They don’t have the prudence, the discretion, to be able to judge what’s the truth of what’s coming at them. They’re very subject to manipulation and peer pressure.”

Rice further encouraged parents to be vigilant in monitoring social media usage among their children. 

“We have to speak the truth, and we have to be really clear that this is evil,” Rice said of transgenderism. “There are wonderful holistic ways to deal with difficult feelings,” she said, adding: “God loves everyone so much, and he wants something better than what is on offer right now from the culture on this issue.”

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