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Priest walks from Illinois to New York against ‘inhumane’ immigration enforcement #Catholic Father Gary Graf walks down a rural road during his trek across America in support of immigrants on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary Graf CNA Staff, Nov 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). After a month and a half of walking an average of 17 miles a day, 67-year-old Father Gary Graf said he is starting to get “a little pain in one shin,” but his broken ribs are “getting much better.”On Oct. 6, Graf, a Catholic priest from Chicago, began a journey on foot from Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, to New York City to bring attention to the plight of immigrants amid the sometimes “inhumane” ways the Trump administration is treating them during its immigration enforcement actions.He hopes to arrive at the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island, where his own great-grandparents entered the country as immigrants, by Dec. 2.Father Gary Graf speaks to a fellow American at Red Horse Tavern in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary GrafA few weeks ago, when visiting a parish in Indiana, he was invited to ride a horse. He fell off as it galloped and broke several ribs, which led him to take one day off to recover. That day, friends walked in his stead.Graf, the pastor of the mostly Hispanic Our Lady of the Heights Catholic Church in Chicago Heights and a longtime member of Priests for Justice for Immigrants, has committed his life to helping immigrants. Ordained in 1984, he spent five years as a priest in Mexico serving a people “with whom I fell deeply in love.”He told CNA that after initially feeling helpless watching the raids taking place against his beloved community in his hometown of Chicago, he “felt a call that was directly from above” to start walking.Father Gary Graf poses before a sunrise near Fremont, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary GrafWithin weeks, he was on the road. He first spoke to an old friend about his idea, who immediately connected him with Lauren Foley, the head of a public relations firm. She “immediately embraced the idea,” and between her help and that of some “young people who understand social media,” a website as well as social media accounts were set up to chronicle his journey and to share the stories of immigrant families.Of the immigrants on whose behalf he is walking, Graf said: “I look to help people who get up every single morning to work and raise their families. If I can do this small gesture on their behalf, what a blessing it is, what a privilege.”Asked about the most profound insight he has gained thus far, Graf said his long days walking through the wide expanse of rural America have helped him understand better the ways of people who did not grow up in a multicultural city like he did.“We have to reverently appreciate and try to connect with those whose lives we’re passing through,” he said.As he has spoken with people in diners along his path, Graf has developed “a greater sensitivity,” discovering that “there’s not a lot of animosity against the immigrant.”Many of the people he has met simply do not know any, he said.Along the way, he has also experienced unity with Christians from other denominations, as well as with those without religious faith, who all care about the humane treatment of human beings.“I have seen so much goodness,” he said. “This has brought so many of us together: people from many different faith traditions, or none. This is an opportunity given to us.”During his quiet walks through rural farmland, he has marveled at the amount of labor it took to build the many roads, bridges, and overpasses he has seen. “I’m sure the hands of many immigrants helped build these things,” he reflected.Graf said he is delighted that both the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Pope Leo XIV addressed the immigration enforcement situation in the past week. The U.S. bishops issued a special message during its Fall Plenary Assembly two weeks ago, calling for “a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.” The bishops argued that “human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of goodwill work together.”The pope echoed the bishops’ message. On Nov. 18, he acknowledged to reporters that “every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter.”“But when people are living good lives, and many of them for 10, 15, 20 years, to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least — and there’s been some violence, unfortunately — I think that the bishops have been very clear in what they said.”“I think that I would just invite all people in the United States to listen to them,” the pope said. “Both the pope and the bishops used the word ‘indiscriminate’ to talk about the way people are being singled out and aggressively having their wrists zip-tied behind their backs as their faces are pushed to the ground in front of their children,” Graf said. “It is indeed indiscriminate. This reflects dishonesty on the administration’s part,” he said. “They said they were going after the ‘worst of the worst,’ criminals, but this isn’t the case, at least in Chicago. They’re grabbing people first and asking questions later.”“The violent way many of these people are being treated is amoral and un-American,” he said.Like the pope and the American bishops, Graf said he hopes the federal government will establish a more humane immigration system that respects the dignity of immigrants as well as the rule of law and the country’s right to regulate its borders.“I am not a politician,” he said. “My job is to mediate, to speak up, in God’s name, in the united name of the Church. But can we look for a way for those who are fulfilling their responsibilities; for them to one day receive the rights of citizens?” The priest, who appeared on “EWTN News Nightly” in October, said he has been “impressed by the media” and is grateful his message is being spread. “If we don’t hear the whole truth, the incredible ignorance and darkness we live in can paralyze us, and keep us from doing what we ought to do,” he said.
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Priest walks from Illinois to New York against ‘inhumane’ immigration enforcement #Catholic Father Gary Graf walks down a rural road during his trek across America in support of immigrants on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary Graf CNA Staff, Nov 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). After a month and a half of walking an average of 17 miles a day, 67-year-old Father Gary Graf said he is starting to get “a little pain in one shin,” but his broken ribs are “getting much better.”On Oct. 6, Graf, a Catholic priest from Chicago, began a journey on foot from Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, to New York City to bring attention to the plight of immigrants amid the sometimes “inhumane” ways the Trump administration is treating them during its immigration enforcement actions.He hopes to arrive at the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island, where his own great-grandparents entered the country as immigrants, by Dec. 2.Father Gary Graf speaks to a fellow American at Red Horse Tavern in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary GrafA few weeks ago, when visiting a parish in Indiana, he was invited to ride a horse. He fell off as it galloped and broke several ribs, which led him to take one day off to recover. That day, friends walked in his stead.Graf, the pastor of the mostly Hispanic Our Lady of the Heights Catholic Church in Chicago Heights and a longtime member of Priests for Justice for Immigrants, has committed his life to helping immigrants. Ordained in 1984, he spent five years as a priest in Mexico serving a people “with whom I fell deeply in love.”He told CNA that after initially feeling helpless watching the raids taking place against his beloved community in his hometown of Chicago, he “felt a call that was directly from above” to start walking.Father Gary Graf poses before a sunrise near Fremont, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary GrafWithin weeks, he was on the road. He first spoke to an old friend about his idea, who immediately connected him with Lauren Foley, the head of a public relations firm. She “immediately embraced the idea,” and between her help and that of some “young people who understand social media,” a website as well as social media accounts were set up to chronicle his journey and to share the stories of immigrant families.Of the immigrants on whose behalf he is walking, Graf said: “I look to help people who get up every single morning to work and raise their families. If I can do this small gesture on their behalf, what a blessing it is, what a privilege.”Asked about the most profound insight he has gained thus far, Graf said his long days walking through the wide expanse of rural America have helped him understand better the ways of people who did not grow up in a multicultural city like he did.“We have to reverently appreciate and try to connect with those whose lives we’re passing through,” he said.As he has spoken with people in diners along his path, Graf has developed “a greater sensitivity,” discovering that “there’s not a lot of animosity against the immigrant.”Many of the people he has met simply do not know any, he said.Along the way, he has also experienced unity with Christians from other denominations, as well as with those without religious faith, who all care about the humane treatment of human beings.“I have seen so much goodness,” he said. “This has brought so many of us together: people from many different faith traditions, or none. This is an opportunity given to us.”During his quiet walks through rural farmland, he has marveled at the amount of labor it took to build the many roads, bridges, and overpasses he has seen. “I’m sure the hands of many immigrants helped build these things,” he reflected.Graf said he is delighted that both the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Pope Leo XIV addressed the immigration enforcement situation in the past week. The U.S. bishops issued a special message during its Fall Plenary Assembly two weeks ago, calling for “a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.” The bishops argued that “human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of goodwill work together.”The pope echoed the bishops’ message. On Nov. 18, he acknowledged to reporters that “every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter.”“But when people are living good lives, and many of them for 10, 15, 20 years, to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least — and there’s been some violence, unfortunately — I think that the bishops have been very clear in what they said.”“I think that I would just invite all people in the United States to listen to them,” the pope said. “Both the pope and the bishops used the word ‘indiscriminate’ to talk about the way people are being singled out and aggressively having their wrists zip-tied behind their backs as their faces are pushed to the ground in front of their children,” Graf said. “It is indeed indiscriminate. This reflects dishonesty on the administration’s part,” he said. “They said they were going after the ‘worst of the worst,’ criminals, but this isn’t the case, at least in Chicago. They’re grabbing people first and asking questions later.”“The violent way many of these people are being treated is amoral and un-American,” he said.Like the pope and the American bishops, Graf said he hopes the federal government will establish a more humane immigration system that respects the dignity of immigrants as well as the rule of law and the country’s right to regulate its borders.“I am not a politician,” he said. “My job is to mediate, to speak up, in God’s name, in the united name of the Church. But can we look for a way for those who are fulfilling their responsibilities; for them to one day receive the rights of citizens?” The priest, who appeared on “EWTN News Nightly” in October, said he has been “impressed by the media” and is grateful his message is being spread. “If we don’t hear the whole truth, the incredible ignorance and darkness we live in can paralyze us, and keep us from doing what we ought to do,” he said.

unitedyam

Father Gary Graf walks down a rural road during his trek across America in support of immigrants on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary Graf

CNA Staff, Nov 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

After a month and a half of walking an average of 17 miles a day, 67-year-old Father Gary Graf said he is starting to get “a little pain in one shin,” but his broken ribs are “getting much better.”

On Oct. 6, Graf, a Catholic priest from Chicago, began a journey on foot from Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, to New York City to bring attention to the plight of immigrants amid the sometimes “inhumane” ways the Trump administration is treating them during its immigration enforcement actions.

He hopes to arrive at the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island, where his own great-grandparents entered the country as immigrants, by Dec. 2.

Father Gary Graf speaks to a fellow American at Red Horse Tavern in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary Graf
Father Gary Graf speaks to a fellow American at Red Horse Tavern in Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary Graf

A few weeks ago, when visiting a parish in Indiana, he was invited to ride a horse. He fell off as it galloped and broke several ribs, which led him to take one day off to recover. That day, friends walked in his stead.

Graf, the pastor of the mostly Hispanic Our Lady of the Heights Catholic Church in Chicago Heights and a longtime member of Priests for Justice for Immigrants, has committed his life to helping immigrants. Ordained in 1984, he spent five years as a priest in Mexico serving a people “with whom I fell deeply in love.”

He told CNA that after initially feeling helpless watching the raids taking place against his beloved community in his hometown of Chicago, he “felt a call that was directly from above” to start walking.

Father Gary Graf poses before a sunrise near Fremont, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary Graf
Father Gary Graf poses before a sunrise near Fremont, Ohio, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gary Graf

Within weeks, he was on the road. He first spoke to an old friend about his idea, who immediately connected him with Lauren Foley, the head of a public relations firm. She “immediately embraced the idea,” and between her help and that of some “young people who understand social media,” a website as well as social media accounts were set up to chronicle his journey and to share the stories of immigrant families.

Of the immigrants on whose behalf he is walking, Graf said: “I look to help people who get up every single morning to work and raise their families. If I can do this small gesture on their behalf, what a blessing it is, what a privilege.”

Asked about the most profound insight he has gained thus far, Graf said his long days walking through the wide expanse of rural America have helped him understand better the ways of people who did not grow up in a multicultural city like he did.

“We have to reverently appreciate and try to connect with those whose lives we’re passing through,” he said.

As he has spoken with people in diners along his path, Graf has developed “a greater sensitivity,” discovering that “there’s not a lot of animosity against the immigrant.”

Many of the people he has met simply do not know any, he said.

Along the way, he has also experienced unity with Christians from other denominations, as well as with those without religious faith, who all care about the humane treatment of human beings.

“I have seen so much goodness,” he said. “This has brought so many of us together: people from many different faith traditions, or none. This is an opportunity given to us.”

During his quiet walks through rural farmland, he has marveled at the amount of labor it took to build the many roads, bridges, and overpasses he has seen. 

“I’m sure the hands of many immigrants helped build these things,” he reflected.

Graf said he is delighted that both the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Pope Leo XIV addressed the immigration enforcement situation in the past week. 

The U.S. bishops issued a special message during its Fall Plenary Assembly two weeks ago, calling for “a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.” The bishops argued that “human dignity and national security are not in conflict. Both are possible if people of goodwill work together.”

The pope echoed the bishops’ message. On Nov. 18, he acknowledged to reporters that “every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter.”

“But when people are living good lives, and many of them for 10, 15, 20 years, to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least — and there’s been some violence, unfortunately — I think that the bishops have been very clear in what they said.”

“I think that I would just invite all people in the United States to listen to them,” the pope said. 

“Both the pope and the bishops used the word ‘indiscriminate’ to talk about the way people are being singled out and aggressively having their wrists zip-tied behind their backs as their faces are pushed to the ground in front of their children,” Graf said. 

“It is indeed indiscriminate. This reflects dishonesty on the administration’s part,” he said. “They said they were going after the ‘worst of the worst,’ criminals, but this isn’t the case, at least in Chicago. They’re grabbing people first and asking questions later.”

“The violent way many of these people are being treated is amoral and un-American,” he said.

Like the pope and the American bishops, Graf said he hopes the federal government will establish a more humane immigration system that respects the dignity of immigrants as well as the rule of law and the country’s right to regulate its borders.

“I am not a politician,” he said. “My job is to mediate, to speak up, in God’s name, in the united name of the Church. But can we look for a way for those who are fulfilling their responsibilities; for them to one day receive the rights of citizens?” 

The priest, who appeared on “EWTN News Nightly” in October, said he has been “impressed by the media” and is grateful his message is being spread. 

“If we don’t hear the whole truth, the incredible ignorance and darkness we live in can paralyze us, and keep us from doing what we ought to do,” he said.

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Kids Catholic prayer app aims to bring 1 million children together for Advent campaign #Catholic Theo is a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents. / Credit: Theo CNA Staff, Nov 23, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA). Theo, a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents, plans to host the largest Advent celebration for children to help them discover the true meaning of the season.From Nov. 30 to Dec. 24, more than 1 million children are expected to take part in a 25-day journey filled with stories, songs, activities, and reflections.The Advent campaign will be led by Theodore, a cheerful animated donkey who is described as a direct descendant of the donkey that carried the Blessed Virgin Mary to Bethlehem. It will also feature several special guests including Catholic actor David Henrie and Father Ambrose Criste, among others.Participants will read through the first two chapters of Luke, which will be accompanied by some meditations and reflection questions for children to do with their parents as well as hearing the stories of several saints, listening to songs, and explaining activities that both parent and child can do together.Theo, a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents, plans to host the largest Advent celebration for children to help them discover the true meaning of the season. Credit: TheoFrancisco Cornejo, CEO of Theo, told CNA in an interview that this campaign will help children “hear the word of God” and “prepare their hearts for the birth of Jesus.”“We prepared these four weeks in a way that is engaging; it’s fun, but it’s also educational,” he added.While Theo can be used for children of all ages, Cornejo pointed out that the Advent campaign is best suited for children between the ages of 4 and 12.“The content tends to be on the more mature side of things, I would say, meaning 6 to 8 and older, but again this is the beauty of creating an app that is for the parent and the child — if the theme or the topic is a little hard to grasp or we want to go deeper in the learning, you have your parent by your side,” Cornejo said. “So you can discuss that and we’ll provide those discussion points and all the guidance there.”Theo launched seven months ago and already has over 2 million users. Cornejo attributes the app’s success first and foremost to God but also to the need among Catholics families for a tool like this.“We’ve seen over the last few years how families and how parents specifically wanted to have something like Theo because it’s not enough to take kids to Mass every Sunday or to get them through holy Communion preparation or confirmation preparation,” he said. “What happens every other day of the year or of their lives? So we really wanted to create a tool that makes faith accessible and teachings accessible for everyday kids and families regardless of where they are in their faith journey.”He added: “It’s not meant to replace all the good things that we parents have to do, but it’s meant to help make faith an everyday thing. Something that kids want to hear more because it’s packed in a way that it’s accessible for them.”The content on Theo includes daily Scripture readings, prayers, bedtime stories, faith-based affirmations, meditations, novenas, stories of the saints, the rosary, and much more. Cornejo also highlighted the importance of having both child and parent involved in using the app because “education needs to be done together.”“You need to exemplify what you want to try to teach and you have to do it with your kids — that’s the domestic Church. That’s what we are meant to do as parents,” he added. As for what he hopes children and their parents will take away from participating in the Advent campaign, Cornejo said: “I think the main thing is remembering and living the actual meaning of Advent — the waiting for Jesus’ birth, preparing our hearts as the manger to welcome Jesus into our hearts” and that participants “forget about the fluff and the gifts and the ‘me me me’ and start thinking about what this actually represents.”
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Kids Catholic prayer app aims to bring 1 million children together for Advent campaign #Catholic Theo is a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents. / Credit: Theo CNA Staff, Nov 23, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA). Theo, a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents, plans to host the largest Advent celebration for children to help them discover the true meaning of the season.From Nov. 30 to Dec. 24, more than 1 million children are expected to take part in a 25-day journey filled with stories, songs, activities, and reflections.The Advent campaign will be led by Theodore, a cheerful animated donkey who is described as a direct descendant of the donkey that carried the Blessed Virgin Mary to Bethlehem. It will also feature several special guests including Catholic actor David Henrie and Father Ambrose Criste, among others.Participants will read through the first two chapters of Luke, which will be accompanied by some meditations and reflection questions for children to do with their parents as well as hearing the stories of several saints, listening to songs, and explaining activities that both parent and child can do together.Theo, a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents, plans to host the largest Advent celebration for children to help them discover the true meaning of the season. Credit: TheoFrancisco Cornejo, CEO of Theo, told CNA in an interview that this campaign will help children “hear the word of God” and “prepare their hearts for the birth of Jesus.”“We prepared these four weeks in a way that is engaging; it’s fun, but it’s also educational,” he added.While Theo can be used for children of all ages, Cornejo pointed out that the Advent campaign is best suited for children between the ages of 4 and 12.“The content tends to be on the more mature side of things, I would say, meaning 6 to 8 and older, but again this is the beauty of creating an app that is for the parent and the child — if the theme or the topic is a little hard to grasp or we want to go deeper in the learning, you have your parent by your side,” Cornejo said. “So you can discuss that and we’ll provide those discussion points and all the guidance there.”Theo launched seven months ago and already has over 2 million users. Cornejo attributes the app’s success first and foremost to God but also to the need among Catholics families for a tool like this.“We’ve seen over the last few years how families and how parents specifically wanted to have something like Theo because it’s not enough to take kids to Mass every Sunday or to get them through holy Communion preparation or confirmation preparation,” he said. “What happens every other day of the year or of their lives? So we really wanted to create a tool that makes faith accessible and teachings accessible for everyday kids and families regardless of where they are in their faith journey.”He added: “It’s not meant to replace all the good things that we parents have to do, but it’s meant to help make faith an everyday thing. Something that kids want to hear more because it’s packed in a way that it’s accessible for them.”The content on Theo includes daily Scripture readings, prayers, bedtime stories, faith-based affirmations, meditations, novenas, stories of the saints, the rosary, and much more. Cornejo also highlighted the importance of having both child and parent involved in using the app because “education needs to be done together.”“You need to exemplify what you want to try to teach and you have to do it with your kids — that’s the domestic Church. That’s what we are meant to do as parents,” he added. As for what he hopes children and their parents will take away from participating in the Advent campaign, Cornejo said: “I think the main thing is remembering and living the actual meaning of Advent — the waiting for Jesus’ birth, preparing our hearts as the manger to welcome Jesus into our hearts” and that participants “forget about the fluff and the gifts and the ‘me me me’ and start thinking about what this actually represents.”

unitedyam

Theo is a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents. / Credit: Theo

CNA Staff, Nov 23, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Theo, a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents, plans to host the largest Advent celebration for children to help them discover the true meaning of the season.

From Nov. 30 to Dec. 24, more than 1 million children are expected to take part in a 25-day journey filled with stories, songs, activities, and reflections.

The Advent campaign will be led by Theodore, a cheerful animated donkey who is described as a direct descendant of the donkey that carried the Blessed Virgin Mary to Bethlehem. It will also feature several special guests including Catholic actor David Henrie and Father Ambrose Criste, among others.

Participants will read through the first two chapters of Luke, which will be accompanied by some meditations and reflection questions for children to do with their parents as well as hearing the stories of several saints, listening to songs, and explaining activities that both parent and child can do together.

Theo, a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents, plans to host the largest Advent celebration for children to help them discover the true meaning of the season. Credit: Theo
Theo, a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents, plans to host the largest Advent celebration for children to help them discover the true meaning of the season. Credit: Theo

Francisco Cornejo, CEO of Theo, told CNA in an interview that this campaign will help children “hear the word of God” and “prepare their hearts for the birth of Jesus.”

“We prepared these four weeks in a way that is engaging; it’s fun, but it’s also educational,” he added.

While Theo can be used for children of all ages, Cornejo pointed out that the Advent campaign is best suited for children between the ages of 4 and 12.

“The content tends to be on the more mature side of things, I would say, meaning 6 to 8 and older, but again this is the beauty of creating an app that is for the parent and the child — if the theme or the topic is a little hard to grasp or we want to go deeper in the learning, you have your parent by your side,” Cornejo said. “So you can discuss that and we’ll provide those discussion points and all the guidance there.”

Theo launched seven months ago and already has over 2 million users. Cornejo attributes the app’s success first and foremost to God but also to the need among Catholics families for a tool like this.

“We’ve seen over the last few years how families and how parents specifically wanted to have something like Theo because it’s not enough to take kids to Mass every Sunday or to get them through holy Communion preparation or confirmation preparation,” he said. “What happens every other day of the year or of their lives? So we really wanted to create a tool that makes faith accessible and teachings accessible for everyday kids and families regardless of where they are in their faith journey.”

He added: “It’s not meant to replace all the good things that we parents have to do, but it’s meant to help make faith an everyday thing. Something that kids want to hear more because it’s packed in a way that it’s accessible for them.”

The content on Theo includes daily Scripture readings, prayers, bedtime stories, faith-based affirmations, meditations, novenas, stories of the saints, the rosary, and much more. 

Cornejo also highlighted the importance of having both child and parent involved in using the app because “education needs to be done together.”

“You need to exemplify what you want to try to teach and you have to do it with your kids — that’s the domestic Church. That’s what we are meant to do as parents,” he added. 

As for what he hopes children and their parents will take away from participating in the Advent campaign, Cornejo said: “I think the main thing is remembering and living the actual meaning of Advent — the waiting for Jesus’ birth, preparing our hearts as the manger to welcome Jesus into our hearts” and that participants “forget about the fluff and the gifts and the ‘me me me’ and start thinking about what this actually represents.”

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5 Catholic resources to help you grow closer to Christ this Advent #Catholic null / Credit: Kara Monroe via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) CNA Staff, Nov 23, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). As Advent quickly approaches and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins to make its way into our lives, here are five resources to help you prepare to welcome Jesus this Christmas. From Ascension: Join Father Mike Schmitz this Advent for “Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz” on the Ascension app. Beginning Nov. 30, a 26-day video series will guide viewers on becoming aware of how God is shaping them through seasons of waiting and how to wait well. Each day a five-minute video will be released and feature a reflection from Schmitz that unpacks the daily Mass reading as well as Scripture versus, catechism excerpts, and reflection questions to encourage participants to go deeper into the meaning of Advent. Ascension’s “Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz” video series. Credit: AscensionSchmitz’s weekly homily videos during Advent are part of the “Waiting Well” series and available for free on YouTube. However, the daily reflections will only be available on the Ascension app with a subscription or free trial.This year’s video reflections will also be accompanied by the “Waiting Well” printed journal for individuals, parishes, and small-group study. It is designed to help readers slow down for 15 minutes a day as they prepare to meet Christ in the manger. Each day includes a word or Scripture verse to pray with, a reflection, and a prompt to write down your thoughts and insights. From Hallow:Hallow’s annual “Advent Prayer Challenge” is back once again. Beginning Dec. 1, “Pray25: Be Still” features Jonathan Roumie; Chris Pratt; Gwen Stefani; Father John Burns; Mother Natalia; Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT; and Father Pierre Toussaint, CFR. This Advent, listeners are invited to discover deeper stillness amid the chaos of the holiday season, just like the Blessed Mother did that first Christmas. Roumie and Heidland will lead reflections on “The Reed of God” by Caryll Houselander, while Pratt will guide sessions on “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer. Stefani and Mother Natalia will guide sessions focusing on being still, using the lives of saints as inspiration. Burns will guide listeners through sessions of imaginative prayer and Toussaint will offer homily reflections each Sunday during Advent.From Blessed Is She:Blessed Is She has Advent devotionals for the whole family this year — women, men, and children. “In Time: An Advent Devotional for Women” invites readers to reflect on God’s continuous presence in our lives. Written by Claire Dwyer, this devotional helps women see that waiting is filled with God’s loving action. “Feast: An Advent Devotional for Men” is written by Paul George, rooted in Scripture, and inspired by the story of the prodigal son. This devotional invites men to return to God the Father with courage, humility, and hope. It also aims to encourage those seeking renewal, healing, and deeper faith during Advent. Both the devotionals for men and women include daily Scripture readings, prayer, and reflection.Lastly, “Watch and Wait: A Kids Advent Devotional” written by Olivia Spears helps kids prepare for Christmas with daily prayers, reflections, and simple Scripture-based activities. This devotional teaches children to wait with hope and joy as they prepare for the birth of Christ. It is recommended for children older than 7 years old.The Augustine Institute’s campus in St. Louis. Credit: Courtesy of the Augustine InstituteFrom the Augustine Institute:The Augustine Institute is inviting Catholics to enter into the Advent season with renewed purpose and joyful expectation with a new video series titled “How To Advent.” The video series will consist of four 12- to 15-minute-long episodes that explore the beauty and meaning of Advent traditions in an engaging and meaningful way and highlight a different cherished Advent tradition — the Advent calendar, Advent wreath, Jesse Tree, and Nativity scene. The video series is available on Formed. From EWTN’s Religious Catalogue:The EWTN Religious Catalogue offers a wide variety of Advent devotionals including “Encountering Emmanuel: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation” by Heather Khym, cohost of the “Abiding Together” podcast, and “The True Gifts of Christmas” by Megan Alexander, which takes readers on a journey through the deeper meaning of our most cherished Christmas traditions. (Editor’s note: EWTN is CNA’s parent company.)
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5 Catholic resources to help you grow closer to Christ this Advent #Catholic null / Credit: Kara Monroe via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) CNA Staff, Nov 23, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). As Advent quickly approaches and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins to make its way into our lives, here are five resources to help you prepare to welcome Jesus this Christmas. From Ascension: Join Father Mike Schmitz this Advent for “Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz” on the Ascension app. Beginning Nov. 30, a 26-day video series will guide viewers on becoming aware of how God is shaping them through seasons of waiting and how to wait well. Each day a five-minute video will be released and feature a reflection from Schmitz that unpacks the daily Mass reading as well as Scripture versus, catechism excerpts, and reflection questions to encourage participants to go deeper into the meaning of Advent. Ascension’s “Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz” video series. Credit: AscensionSchmitz’s weekly homily videos during Advent are part of the “Waiting Well” series and available for free on YouTube. However, the daily reflections will only be available on the Ascension app with a subscription or free trial.This year’s video reflections will also be accompanied by the “Waiting Well” printed journal for individuals, parishes, and small-group study. It is designed to help readers slow down for 15 minutes a day as they prepare to meet Christ in the manger. Each day includes a word or Scripture verse to pray with, a reflection, and a prompt to write down your thoughts and insights. From Hallow:Hallow’s annual “Advent Prayer Challenge” is back once again. Beginning Dec. 1, “Pray25: Be Still” features Jonathan Roumie; Chris Pratt; Gwen Stefani; Father John Burns; Mother Natalia; Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT; and Father Pierre Toussaint, CFR. This Advent, listeners are invited to discover deeper stillness amid the chaos of the holiday season, just like the Blessed Mother did that first Christmas. Roumie and Heidland will lead reflections on “The Reed of God” by Caryll Houselander, while Pratt will guide sessions on “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer. Stefani and Mother Natalia will guide sessions focusing on being still, using the lives of saints as inspiration. Burns will guide listeners through sessions of imaginative prayer and Toussaint will offer homily reflections each Sunday during Advent.From Blessed Is She:Blessed Is She has Advent devotionals for the whole family this year — women, men, and children. “In Time: An Advent Devotional for Women” invites readers to reflect on God’s continuous presence in our lives. Written by Claire Dwyer, this devotional helps women see that waiting is filled with God’s loving action. “Feast: An Advent Devotional for Men” is written by Paul George, rooted in Scripture, and inspired by the story of the prodigal son. This devotional invites men to return to God the Father with courage, humility, and hope. It also aims to encourage those seeking renewal, healing, and deeper faith during Advent. Both the devotionals for men and women include daily Scripture readings, prayer, and reflection.Lastly, “Watch and Wait: A Kids Advent Devotional” written by Olivia Spears helps kids prepare for Christmas with daily prayers, reflections, and simple Scripture-based activities. This devotional teaches children to wait with hope and joy as they prepare for the birth of Christ. It is recommended for children older than 7 years old.The Augustine Institute’s campus in St. Louis. Credit: Courtesy of the Augustine InstituteFrom the Augustine Institute:The Augustine Institute is inviting Catholics to enter into the Advent season with renewed purpose and joyful expectation with a new video series titled “How To Advent.” The video series will consist of four 12- to 15-minute-long episodes that explore the beauty and meaning of Advent traditions in an engaging and meaningful way and highlight a different cherished Advent tradition — the Advent calendar, Advent wreath, Jesse Tree, and Nativity scene. The video series is available on Formed. From EWTN’s Religious Catalogue:The EWTN Religious Catalogue offers a wide variety of Advent devotionals including “Encountering Emmanuel: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation” by Heather Khym, cohost of the “Abiding Together” podcast, and “The True Gifts of Christmas” by Megan Alexander, which takes readers on a journey through the deeper meaning of our most cherished Christmas traditions. (Editor’s note: EWTN is CNA’s parent company.)

unitedyam

null / Credit: Kara Monroe via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

CNA Staff, Nov 23, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

As Advent quickly approaches and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins to make its way into our lives, here are five resources to help you prepare to welcome Jesus this Christmas. 

From Ascension: 

Join Father Mike Schmitz this Advent for “Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz” on the Ascension app. 

Beginning Nov. 30, a 26-day video series will guide viewers on becoming aware of how God is shaping them through seasons of waiting and how to wait well. Each day a five-minute video will be released and feature a reflection from Schmitz that unpacks the daily Mass reading as well as Scripture versus, catechism excerpts, and reflection questions to encourage participants to go deeper into the meaning of Advent. 

Ascension's "Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz" video series. Credit: Ascension
Ascension’s “Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz” video series. Credit: Ascension

Schmitz’s weekly homily videos during Advent are part of the “Waiting Well” series and available for free on YouTube. However, the daily reflections will only be available on the Ascension app with a subscription or free trial.

This year’s video reflections will also be accompanied by the “Waiting Well” printed journal for individuals, parishes, and small-group study. It is designed to help readers slow down for 15 minutes a day as they prepare to meet Christ in the manger. Each day includes a word or Scripture verse to pray with, a reflection, and a prompt to write down your thoughts and insights. 

From Hallow:

Hallow’s annual “Advent Prayer Challenge” is back once again. Beginning Dec. 1, “Pray25: Be Still” features Jonathan Roumie; Chris Pratt; Gwen Stefani; Father John Burns; Mother Natalia; Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT; and Father Pierre Toussaint, CFR. This Advent, listeners are invited to discover deeper stillness amid the chaos of the holiday season, just like the Blessed Mother did that first Christmas. 

Roumie and Heidland will lead reflections on “The Reed of God” by Caryll Houselander, while Pratt will guide sessions on “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer. Stefani and Mother Natalia will guide sessions focusing on being still, using the lives of saints as inspiration. Burns will guide listeners through sessions of imaginative prayer and Toussaint will offer homily reflections each Sunday during Advent.

From Blessed Is She:

Blessed Is She has Advent devotionals for the whole family this year — women, men, and children. “In Time: An Advent Devotional for Women” invites readers to reflect on God’s continuous presence in our lives. Written by Claire Dwyer, this devotional helps women see that waiting is filled with God’s loving action. 

“Feast: An Advent Devotional for Men” is written by Paul George, rooted in Scripture, and inspired by the story of the prodigal son. This devotional invites men to return to God the Father with courage, humility, and hope. It also aims to encourage those seeking renewal, healing, and deeper faith during Advent. Both the devotionals for men and women include daily Scripture readings, prayer, and reflection.

Lastly, “Watch and Wait: A Kids Advent Devotional” written by Olivia Spears helps kids prepare for Christmas with daily prayers, reflections, and simple Scripture-based activities. This devotional teaches children to wait with hope and joy as they prepare for the birth of Christ. It is recommended for children older than 7 years old.

The Augustine Institute’s campus in St. Louis. Credit: Courtesy of the Augustine Institute
The Augustine Institute’s campus in St. Louis. Credit: Courtesy of the Augustine Institute

From the Augustine Institute:

The Augustine Institute is inviting Catholics to enter into the Advent season with renewed purpose and joyful expectation with a new video series titled “How To Advent.” 

The video series will consist of four 12- to 15-minute-long episodes that explore the beauty and meaning of Advent traditions in an engaging and meaningful way and highlight a different cherished Advent tradition — the Advent calendar, Advent wreath, Jesse Tree, and Nativity scene. The video series is available on Formed. 

From EWTN’s Religious Catalogue:

The EWTN Religious Catalogue offers a wide variety of Advent devotionals including “Encountering Emmanuel: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation” by Heather Khym, cohost of the “Abiding Together” podcast, and “The True Gifts of Christmas” by Megan Alexander, which takes readers on a journey through the deeper meaning of our most cherished Christmas traditions. (Editor’s note: EWTN is CNA’s parent company.)

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Bishops discuss faith formation before National Catholic Youth Conference #Catholic Organizers of Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming digital dialogue with young people Nov. 21 at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis speak to the media at the site of the United States Catholic Bishops’ Conference Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore on Nov. 12, 2025. Left to right: Cardinal Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States; Montse Alvarado, president and COO of EWTN News; Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, Archdiocese of Philadelphia; Christina Lamas, executive director of National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry; and Archbishop Charles Thompson, Archdiocese of Indianapolis. / Credit: Shannon Mullen/National Catholic Register Baltimore, Maryland, Nov 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA). Bishops discussed young Catholics’ place in the Church ahead of the National Catholic Youth Conference.At the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, bishops spoke about the young generation as many prepare to attend NCYC. The conference will take place Nov. 20–22 in Indianapolis for prayer, community, evangelization, and service among Catholic teenagers.During NCYC, Pope Leo XIV will hold a digital dialogue with teens from across the nation. “When the pope speaks, he speaks to the world, and this will be a wonderful, wonderful moment. This encounter will engage young people in real time,” said Archbishop Nelson Pérez of Philadelphia. At a Nov. 12 press conference at the USCCB fall plenary, Pérez said “there is a deep significance to this encounter.” He added: “It reflects the Holy Father’s desire to connect with young people, with our youth, whom his predecessor … Pope Francis, called ‘the now of God.’”Pérez said during his time as a priest and bishop, he has noticed teenagers “want a place in the Church.” He said: “They want to be seen, heard, and valued, which is so beautiful ... They want to be loved by the Church.”“Even in today’s interconnected world, the Church can seem far away from young people. The Holy Father’s choice to encounter the American youth ... is an expression of his closeness to the youth of the world.”“This moment will mark a powerful opportunity for young people to witness the beauty of the universal Church with our Holy Father and to express their concerns, voices, experience, [and] what’s in their hearts,” Pérez said.Bishop Joseph Espaillat, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of New York, has attended NCYC more than a dozen times. He told CNA “the energy and the vibrancy of the young people” is why he returns each year.“It’s not just the local parish or the local diocese, but it’s the national Church and there’s something powerful when we come together,” Espaillat said.​This year’s event is “the first time ever the Holy Father has a live online interview like this,” at NCYC, Espaillat said. “What I love about it is that the Church in the United States is leading right now. The young people being the focus with our Holy Father is going to be great, and it’s going to produce a lot of positive energy in our Church.”Espaillat encouraged attendees “to be open and allow yourself to be surprised by the Holy Spirit.” He added: “Don’t go in with a preconceived notion. It is a great event in which there are many, many fruits. I’ve seen young people just come to life at the event.”Youth draw closer to the ChurchAs thousands of teenagers plan to gather at the national conference, U.S. bishops further explained why so many young Catholics are looking to the Church. A number of bishops highlighted the Catholic presence on social media is helping to draw them in.Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Massachusetts, told CNA the exponential growth of young Catholics coming to the Church is “amazing and exciting.” Byrne, who served as chair for the USCCB’s committee on communications, detailed how much its online presence has grown its outreach to the young generation and wider population. “Beginning with the illness of our beloved Pope Francis, through the funeral, and then the transition to Pope Leo, we’ve actually had a 226% growth in our social media on the four platforms we use — TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube,” he said.“The amazing thing is, it’s still growing. It means that people are seeing it, sharing it,” Byrne said. He specifically noted it’s the “young people” spreading the message online. “So we see that we are reaching people,” Byrne said. “But our goal is not to get people locked on their phones. Our goal is to get people locked on Jesus Christ and have the impression be Jesus Christ and his bride, the Church.”“This is an exciting time. It’s not without its challenges, but it’s also a wonderful opportunity,” Byrne said. “We’re reaching young people who are curious and hungry. It’s so exciting to see the Church continue to speak to the world, because the Church has never lost her relevance.”The start of the Catholic online presence followed the movement of the new atheists, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, said. He told CNA the movement was made up of “people who were really shaping the culture, saying: ‘There’s no purpose of life. We come from nowhere. We go nowhere. There’s no objective moral value.’”“A lot of people, myself included, began to get on social media with a religious voice,” Barron said. “People who had not heard a religious voice or who were disaffiliated … could find people like me and many others who were actually talking about God and about religion.”“But I think as a whole generation came of age, they realized what a desperately sad and empty message that is,” Barron said. “There’s this hunger in the heart for God, and so that just reasserts itself. I think a lot of younger people who were raised on this very vapid philosophy began to look to religion.”As more young Catholics get involved in youth formation whether in their parishes or at larger gatherings like NCYC, Barron said he encourages them to use the opportunities to “build community and build a sense of family with other believers.”Barron, who is the founder of the Catholic media organization Word on Fire, has gained nearly 3 million YouTube subscribers and millions of other followers across social media platforms. But, he said, “one drawback of social media is that it’s a little private world. It can be a lot of people accessing it, but privately.”“Maybe through social media an individual finds a path to religion, but then to look around a room and see thousands of other people that are on a similar path — that’s a great thing,” Barron said.
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Bishops discuss faith formation before National Catholic Youth Conference #Catholic Organizers of Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming digital dialogue with young people Nov. 21 at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis speak to the media at the site of the United States Catholic Bishops’ Conference Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore on Nov. 12, 2025. Left to right: Cardinal Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States; Montse Alvarado, president and COO of EWTN News; Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, Archdiocese of Philadelphia; Christina Lamas, executive director of National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry; and Archbishop Charles Thompson, Archdiocese of Indianapolis. / Credit: Shannon Mullen/National Catholic Register Baltimore, Maryland, Nov 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA). Bishops discussed young Catholics’ place in the Church ahead of the National Catholic Youth Conference.At the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, bishops spoke about the young generation as many prepare to attend NCYC. The conference will take place Nov. 20–22 in Indianapolis for prayer, community, evangelization, and service among Catholic teenagers.During NCYC, Pope Leo XIV will hold a digital dialogue with teens from across the nation. “When the pope speaks, he speaks to the world, and this will be a wonderful, wonderful moment. This encounter will engage young people in real time,” said Archbishop Nelson Pérez of Philadelphia. At a Nov. 12 press conference at the USCCB fall plenary, Pérez said “there is a deep significance to this encounter.” He added: “It reflects the Holy Father’s desire to connect with young people, with our youth, whom his predecessor … Pope Francis, called ‘the now of God.’”Pérez said during his time as a priest and bishop, he has noticed teenagers “want a place in the Church.” He said: “They want to be seen, heard, and valued, which is so beautiful … They want to be loved by the Church.”“Even in today’s interconnected world, the Church can seem far away from young people. The Holy Father’s choice to encounter the American youth … is an expression of his closeness to the youth of the world.”“This moment will mark a powerful opportunity for young people to witness the beauty of the universal Church with our Holy Father and to express their concerns, voices, experience, [and] what’s in their hearts,” Pérez said.Bishop Joseph Espaillat, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of New York, has attended NCYC more than a dozen times. He told CNA “the energy and the vibrancy of the young people” is why he returns each year.“It’s not just the local parish or the local diocese, but it’s the national Church and there’s something powerful when we come together,” Espaillat said.​This year’s event is “the first time ever the Holy Father has a live online interview like this,” at NCYC, Espaillat said. “What I love about it is that the Church in the United States is leading right now. The young people being the focus with our Holy Father is going to be great, and it’s going to produce a lot of positive energy in our Church.”Espaillat encouraged attendees “to be open and allow yourself to be surprised by the Holy Spirit.” He added: “Don’t go in with a preconceived notion. It is a great event in which there are many, many fruits. I’ve seen young people just come to life at the event.”Youth draw closer to the ChurchAs thousands of teenagers plan to gather at the national conference, U.S. bishops further explained why so many young Catholics are looking to the Church. A number of bishops highlighted the Catholic presence on social media is helping to draw them in.Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Massachusetts, told CNA the exponential growth of young Catholics coming to the Church is “amazing and exciting.” Byrne, who served as chair for the USCCB’s committee on communications, detailed how much its online presence has grown its outreach to the young generation and wider population. “Beginning with the illness of our beloved Pope Francis, through the funeral, and then the transition to Pope Leo, we’ve actually had a 226% growth in our social media on the four platforms we use — TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube,” he said.“The amazing thing is, it’s still growing. It means that people are seeing it, sharing it,” Byrne said. He specifically noted it’s the “young people” spreading the message online. “So we see that we are reaching people,” Byrne said. “But our goal is not to get people locked on their phones. Our goal is to get people locked on Jesus Christ and have the impression be Jesus Christ and his bride, the Church.”“This is an exciting time. It’s not without its challenges, but it’s also a wonderful opportunity,” Byrne said. “We’re reaching young people who are curious and hungry. It’s so exciting to see the Church continue to speak to the world, because the Church has never lost her relevance.”The start of the Catholic online presence followed the movement of the new atheists, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, said. He told CNA the movement was made up of “people who were really shaping the culture, saying: ‘There’s no purpose of life. We come from nowhere. We go nowhere. There’s no objective moral value.’”“A lot of people, myself included, began to get on social media with a religious voice,” Barron said. “People who had not heard a religious voice or who were disaffiliated … could find people like me and many others who were actually talking about God and about religion.”“But I think as a whole generation came of age, they realized what a desperately sad and empty message that is,” Barron said. “There’s this hunger in the heart for God, and so that just reasserts itself. I think a lot of younger people who were raised on this very vapid philosophy began to look to religion.”As more young Catholics get involved in youth formation whether in their parishes or at larger gatherings like NCYC, Barron said he encourages them to use the opportunities to “build community and build a sense of family with other believers.”Barron, who is the founder of the Catholic media organization Word on Fire, has gained nearly 3 million YouTube subscribers and millions of other followers across social media platforms. But, he said, “one drawback of social media is that it’s a little private world. It can be a lot of people accessing it, but privately.”“Maybe through social media an individual finds a path to religion, but then to look around a room and see thousands of other people that are on a similar path — that’s a great thing,” Barron said.

unitedyam

Organizers of Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming digital dialogue with young people Nov. 21 at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis speak to the media at the site of the United States Catholic Bishops’ Conference Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore on Nov. 12, 2025. Left to right: Cardinal Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States; Montse Alvarado, president and COO of EWTN News; Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, Archdiocese of Philadelphia; Christina Lamas, executive director of National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry; and Archbishop Charles Thompson, Archdiocese of Indianapolis. / Credit: Shannon Mullen/National Catholic Register

Baltimore, Maryland, Nov 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Bishops discussed young Catholics’ place in the Church ahead of the National Catholic Youth Conference.

At the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, bishops spoke about the young generation as many prepare to attend NCYC. The conference will take place Nov. 20–22 in Indianapolis for prayer, community, evangelization, and service among Catholic teenagers.

During NCYC, Pope Leo XIV will hold a digital dialogue with teens from across the nation. “When the pope speaks, he speaks to the world, and this will be a wonderful, wonderful moment. This encounter will engage young people in real time,” said Archbishop Nelson Pérez of Philadelphia. 

At a Nov. 12 press conference at the USCCB fall plenary, Pérez said “there is a deep significance to this encounter.” He added: “It reflects the Holy Father’s desire to connect with young people, with our youth, whom his predecessor … Pope Francis, called ‘the now of God.’”

Pérez said during his time as a priest and bishop, he has noticed teenagers “want a place in the Church.” He said: “They want to be seen, heard, and valued, which is so beautiful … They want to be loved by the Church.”

“Even in today’s interconnected world, the Church can seem far away from young people. The Holy Father’s choice to encounter the American youth … is an expression of his closeness to the youth of the world.”

“This moment will mark a powerful opportunity for young people to witness the beauty of the universal Church with our Holy Father and to express their concerns, voices, experience, [and] what’s in their hearts,” Pérez said.

Bishop Joseph Espaillat, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of New York, has attended NCYC more than a dozen times. He told CNA “the energy and the vibrancy of the young people” is why he returns each year.

“It’s not just the local parish or the local diocese, but it’s the national Church and there’s something powerful when we come together,” Espaillat said.

​This year’s event is “the first time ever the Holy Father has a live online interview like this,” at NCYC, Espaillat said. “What I love about it is that the Church in the United States is leading right now. The young people being the focus with our Holy Father is going to be great, and it’s going to produce a lot of positive energy in our Church.”

Espaillat encouraged attendees “to be open and allow yourself to be surprised by the Holy Spirit.” He added: “Don’t go in with a preconceived notion. It is a great event in which there are many, many fruits. I’ve seen young people just come to life at the event.”

Youth draw closer to the Church

As thousands of teenagers plan to gather at the national conference, U.S. bishops further explained why so many young Catholics are looking to the Church. A number of bishops highlighted the Catholic presence on social media is helping to draw them in.

Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Massachusetts, told CNA the exponential growth of young Catholics coming to the Church is “amazing and exciting.” Byrne, who served as chair for the USCCB’s committee on communications, detailed how much its online presence has grown its outreach to the young generation and wider population. 

“Beginning with the illness of our beloved Pope Francis, through the funeral, and then the transition to Pope Leo, we’ve actually had a 226% growth in our social media on the four platforms we use — TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube,” he said.

“The amazing thing is, it’s still growing. It means that people are seeing it, sharing it,” Byrne said. He specifically noted it’s the “young people” spreading the message online. 

“So we see that we are reaching people,” Byrne said. “But our goal is not to get people locked on their phones. Our goal is to get people locked on Jesus Christ and have the impression be Jesus Christ and his bride, the Church.”

“This is an exciting time. It’s not without its challenges, but it’s also a wonderful opportunity,” Byrne said. “We’re reaching young people who are curious and hungry. It’s so exciting to see the Church continue to speak to the world, because the Church has never lost her relevance.”

The start of the Catholic online presence followed the movement of the new atheists, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, said. He told CNA the movement was made up of “people who were really shaping the culture, saying: ‘There’s no purpose of life. We come from nowhere. We go nowhere. There’s no objective moral value.’”

“A lot of people, myself included, began to get on social media with a religious voice,” Barron said. “People who had not heard a religious voice or who were disaffiliated … could find people like me and many others who were actually talking about God and about religion.”

“But I think as a whole generation came of age, they realized what a desperately sad and empty message that is,” Barron said. “There’s this hunger in the heart for God, and so that just reasserts itself. I think a lot of younger people who were raised on this very vapid philosophy began to look to religion.”

As more young Catholics get involved in youth formation whether in their parishes or at larger gatherings like NCYC, Barron said he encourages them to use the opportunities to “build community and build a sense of family with other believers.”

Barron, who is the founder of the Catholic media organization Word on Fire, has gained nearly 3 million YouTube subscribers and millions of other followers across social media platforms. But, he said, “one drawback of social media is that it’s a little private world. It can be a lot of people accessing it, but privately.”

“Maybe through social media an individual finds a path to religion, but then to look around a room and see thousands of other people that are on a similar path — that’s a great thing,” Barron said.

Read More
Mother Frances Cabrini: The unsinkable saint who missed the Titanic #Catholic A photo of St. Frances Cabrini from 1880, the year she founded her order, is seen against a 1913 painting by Harry J. Jansen, “The Steamship Titanic.” / Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England, public domain via Wikimedia Commons National Catholic Register, Nov 13, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). In April 1912, Mother Frances Cabrini was in Italy with her sisters. Her plans were to visit her foundations in France, Spain, and England before sailing back to the United States in mid-April to continue work in New York City. Her sisters in England were eagerly awaiting this visit from their 62-year-old founder and superior. To help make her journey back to the U.S. more comfortable, they bought her a ticket and booked passage on a new ocean liner, the RMS Titanic.Although an intrepid traveler who would eventually make 24 transatlantic crossings to establish her foundation, hospitals, and orphanages, Mother Cabrini was not a fan of ocean voyages since she had almost drowned as a child.While the sisters in England waited, word got to Mother Cabrini that there was trouble at the Columbus Hospital she had established in New York. It was overflowing and there was urgent business to settle connected to a new expansion. She could not wait. She had to get back to raise desperately needed money to proceed with the project. So she changed her plans and left early, sailing from Naples, disappointing the sisters in England who had booked her passage on the Titanic.The prefix “RMS” in “RMS Titanic” stood for “Royal Mail Ship” because it would also carry mail under contract to the British Royal Mail — an important bit of context for something she wrote in a May 5, 1912, letter to a Sister Gesuina Dotti:“Only two of your letters I have received so far, and if you have sent five, then it must be said that it went down into the depths with the Titanic. If I was going to London, I might have left with it, but Divine Providence, which is constantly watching, did not allow it. God be blessed.”Another close call at seaThis was not Frances Cabrini’s only miss with an iceberg.In 1890, on her second trip to New York, she was among 1,000 passengers on a ship called La Normandie. The seas were very heavy one night and most skipped dinner and stayed in their cabins — except Mother Cabrini and five other souls. She knew of the dangerous situation and back in the cabin remained ready to save her sisters and herself if the call came to go to the lifeboats. She would later report that “the Good Lord … lulled us all to sleep on a great seesaw, rocking us back and forth.”But that was only the beginning. As the storm raged on the next day, she braved going on deck, finding a chair in a relatively safe place, and continued writing a letter. In it, she wrote:“You should see how beautiful the sea is in its great movement, how it swells and foams! It is truly a marvel! … If you were all here with me, daughters, crossing this immense ocean, you would exclaim, ‘Oh how great and wonderful is God in his works!’”Now that is enlightenment from someone who did not like sailing one bit. Maybe because two days earlier she had, as told in an article about her, “compared the tranquility of the sea to the joy experienced by a soul abiding in the peace of God’s grace. No matter what the circumstances, she was able to see the love of Jesus shining through.”That was not all on this trip. Next, around midnight, “we felt a strong jolt and the ship stopped suddenly,” she would write about one such event after another on this journey. She and her sisters dressed and readied to board lifeboats if necessary. The trouble turned out to be something wrong with the engine. At that point “the sea became calm and beautiful” and the ship remained practically motionless until the engine was fixed by the morning and the ship was again able to continue. The breakdown caused an 11-hour delay — a delay that likely saved the ship and passengers from a disaster.Two days later, Mother Cabrini said, “toward 11 we saw ourselves surrounded by icebergs on every part of the horizon … they were about 12 times the size of our ship.” The captain reduced the ship’s speed to weave slowly and carefully through the ice field to avoid colliding with the “immense, jagged fortresses.”A story recorded at her shrine described it this way: “Mother Cabrini noted that though they had complained when the engine broke, the crisis was a great grace. Without that delay, the ship’s encounter with the icebergs would have occurred in the dark, most likely with dire consequences.”‘Supported by my Beloved’Then there was the time the train she was riding from one orphanage to another was shot at outside of Dallas by enemies of the railroad. She remained unruffled and recounted later how one bullet “aimed at my head fell to my side, while it should have pierced my cranium.” When those aboard were aghast about her escape, she told them: “It was the Sacred Heart to whom I had entrusted the journey.”Shortly after this incident, she wrote a letter stating: “Didn’t I write and tell you that I am alive miraculously?”From the Titanic to La Normandie to Dallas, there was no question about divine providence in Mother Cabrini’s life. As she would write: “Supported by my Beloved, none of these adversities can shake me. But if I trust in myself, I will fall.” And: “In whatever difficulty I may encounter I want to trust in the goodness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who will never abandon me.”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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Mother Frances Cabrini: The unsinkable saint who missed the Titanic #Catholic A photo of St. Frances Cabrini from 1880, the year she founded her order, is seen against a 1913 painting by Harry J. Jansen, “The Steamship Titanic.” / Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England, public domain via Wikimedia Commons National Catholic Register, Nov 13, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). In April 1912, Mother Frances Cabrini was in Italy with her sisters. Her plans were to visit her foundations in France, Spain, and England before sailing back to the United States in mid-April to continue work in New York City. Her sisters in England were eagerly awaiting this visit from their 62-year-old founder and superior. To help make her journey back to the U.S. more comfortable, they bought her a ticket and booked passage on a new ocean liner, the RMS Titanic.Although an intrepid traveler who would eventually make 24 transatlantic crossings to establish her foundation, hospitals, and orphanages, Mother Cabrini was not a fan of ocean voyages since she had almost drowned as a child.While the sisters in England waited, word got to Mother Cabrini that there was trouble at the Columbus Hospital she had established in New York. It was overflowing and there was urgent business to settle connected to a new expansion. She could not wait. She had to get back to raise desperately needed money to proceed with the project. So she changed her plans and left early, sailing from Naples, disappointing the sisters in England who had booked her passage on the Titanic.The prefix “RMS” in “RMS Titanic” stood for “Royal Mail Ship” because it would also carry mail under contract to the British Royal Mail — an important bit of context for something she wrote in a May 5, 1912, letter to a Sister Gesuina Dotti:“Only two of your letters I have received so far, and if you have sent five, then it must be said that it went down into the depths with the Titanic. If I was going to London, I might have left with it, but Divine Providence, which is constantly watching, did not allow it. God be blessed.”Another close call at seaThis was not Frances Cabrini’s only miss with an iceberg.In 1890, on her second trip to New York, she was among 1,000 passengers on a ship called La Normandie. The seas were very heavy one night and most skipped dinner and stayed in their cabins — except Mother Cabrini and five other souls. She knew of the dangerous situation and back in the cabin remained ready to save her sisters and herself if the call came to go to the lifeboats. She would later report that “the Good Lord … lulled us all to sleep on a great seesaw, rocking us back and forth.”But that was only the beginning. As the storm raged on the next day, she braved going on deck, finding a chair in a relatively safe place, and continued writing a letter. In it, she wrote:“You should see how beautiful the sea is in its great movement, how it swells and foams! It is truly a marvel! … If you were all here with me, daughters, crossing this immense ocean, you would exclaim, ‘Oh how great and wonderful is God in his works!’”Now that is enlightenment from someone who did not like sailing one bit. Maybe because two days earlier she had, as told in an article about her, “compared the tranquility of the sea to the joy experienced by a soul abiding in the peace of God’s grace. No matter what the circumstances, she was able to see the love of Jesus shining through.”That was not all on this trip. Next, around midnight, “we felt a strong jolt and the ship stopped suddenly,” she would write about one such event after another on this journey. She and her sisters dressed and readied to board lifeboats if necessary. The trouble turned out to be something wrong with the engine. At that point “the sea became calm and beautiful” and the ship remained practically motionless until the engine was fixed by the morning and the ship was again able to continue. The breakdown caused an 11-hour delay — a delay that likely saved the ship and passengers from a disaster.Two days later, Mother Cabrini said, “toward 11 we saw ourselves surrounded by icebergs on every part of the horizon … they were about 12 times the size of our ship.” The captain reduced the ship’s speed to weave slowly and carefully through the ice field to avoid colliding with the “immense, jagged fortresses.”A story recorded at her shrine described it this way: “Mother Cabrini noted that though they had complained when the engine broke, the crisis was a great grace. Without that delay, the ship’s encounter with the icebergs would have occurred in the dark, most likely with dire consequences.”‘Supported by my Beloved’Then there was the time the train she was riding from one orphanage to another was shot at outside of Dallas by enemies of the railroad. She remained unruffled and recounted later how one bullet “aimed at my head fell to my side, while it should have pierced my cranium.” When those aboard were aghast about her escape, she told them: “It was the Sacred Heart to whom I had entrusted the journey.”Shortly after this incident, she wrote a letter stating: “Didn’t I write and tell you that I am alive miraculously?”From the Titanic to La Normandie to Dallas, there was no question about divine providence in Mother Cabrini’s life. As she would write: “Supported by my Beloved, none of these adversities can shake me. But if I trust in myself, I will fall.” And: “In whatever difficulty I may encounter I want to trust in the goodness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who will never abandon me.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

unitedyam

A photo of St. Frances Cabrini from 1880, the year she founded her order, is seen against a 1913 painting by Harry J. Jansen, “The Steamship Titanic.” / Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

National Catholic Register, Nov 13, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

In April 1912, Mother Frances Cabrini was in Italy with her sisters. Her plans were to visit her foundations in France, Spain, and England before sailing back to the United States in mid-April to continue work in New York City. Her sisters in England were eagerly awaiting this visit from their 62-year-old founder and superior. To help make her journey back to the U.S. more comfortable, they bought her a ticket and booked passage on a new ocean liner, the RMS Titanic.

Although an intrepid traveler who would eventually make 24 transatlantic crossings to establish her foundation, hospitals, and orphanages, Mother Cabrini was not a fan of ocean voyages since she had almost drowned as a child.

While the sisters in England waited, word got to Mother Cabrini that there was trouble at the Columbus Hospital she had established in New York. It was overflowing and there was urgent business to settle connected to a new expansion. She could not wait. She had to get back to raise desperately needed money to proceed with the project. So she changed her plans and left early, sailing from Naples, disappointing the sisters in England who had booked her passage on the Titanic.

The prefix “RMS” in “RMS Titanic” stood for “Royal Mail Ship” because it would also carry mail under contract to the British Royal Mail — an important bit of context for something she wrote in a May 5, 1912, letter to a Sister Gesuina Dotti:

“Only two of your letters I have received so far, and if you have sent five, then it must be said that it went down into the depths with the Titanic. If I was going to London, I might have left with it, but Divine Providence, which is constantly watching, did not allow it. God be blessed.”

Another close call at sea

This was not Frances Cabrini’s only miss with an iceberg.

In 1890, on her second trip to New York, she was among 1,000 passengers on a ship called La Normandie. The seas were very heavy one night and most skipped dinner and stayed in their cabins — except Mother Cabrini and five other souls. She knew of the dangerous situation and back in the cabin remained ready to save her sisters and herself if the call came to go to the lifeboats. She would later report that “the Good Lord … lulled us all to sleep on a great seesaw, rocking us back and forth.”

But that was only the beginning. As the storm raged on the next day, she braved going on deck, finding a chair in a relatively safe place, and continued writing a letter. In it, she wrote:

“You should see how beautiful the sea is in its great movement, how it swells and foams! It is truly a marvel! … If you were all here with me, daughters, crossing this immense ocean, you would exclaim, ‘Oh how great and wonderful is God in his works!’”

Now that is enlightenment from someone who did not like sailing one bit. Maybe because two days earlier she had, as told in an article about her, “compared the tranquility of the sea to the joy experienced by a soul abiding in the peace of God’s grace. No matter what the circumstances, she was able to see the love of Jesus shining through.”

That was not all on this trip.

Next, around midnight, “we felt a strong jolt and the ship stopped suddenly,” she would write about one such event after another on this journey. She and her sisters dressed and readied to board lifeboats if necessary. The trouble turned out to be something wrong with the engine. At that point “the sea became calm and beautiful” and the ship remained practically motionless until the engine was fixed by the morning and the ship was again able to continue. The breakdown caused an 11-hour delay — a delay that likely saved the ship and passengers from a disaster.

Two days later, Mother Cabrini said, “toward 11 we saw ourselves surrounded by icebergs on every part of the horizon … they were about 12 times the size of our ship.” The captain reduced the ship’s speed to weave slowly and carefully through the ice field to avoid colliding with the “immense, jagged fortresses.”

A story recorded at her shrine described it this way: “Mother Cabrini noted that though they had complained when the engine broke, the crisis was a great grace. Without that delay, the ship’s encounter with the icebergs would have occurred in the dark, most likely with dire consequences.”

‘Supported by my Beloved’

Then there was the time the train she was riding from one orphanage to another was shot at outside of Dallas by enemies of the railroad. She remained unruffled and recounted later how one bullet “aimed at my head fell to my side, while it should have pierced my cranium.” When those aboard were aghast about her escape, she told them: “It was the Sacred Heart to whom I had entrusted the journey.”

Shortly after this incident, she wrote a letter stating: “Didn’t I write and tell you that I am alive miraculously?”

From the Titanic to La Normandie to Dallas, there was no question about divine providence in Mother Cabrini’s life. As she would write: “Supported by my Beloved, none of these adversities can shake me. But if I trust in myself, I will fall.” And: “In whatever difficulty I may encounter I want to trust in the goodness of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who will never abandon me.”

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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Meet the college student sharing bumper stickers to save unborn lives #Catholic Gabriel Dionisi, a 22-year-old college student who makes pro-life bumper stickers with the goal of spreading the pro-life message and spread awareness to others, displays one of his works. / Credit: Gabriel Dionisi CNA Staff, Nov 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Born and raised Catholic, 22-year-old Gabriel Dionisi always knew that life begins at conception and that it’s wrong to kill an unborn child in the womb. But it wasn’t until he was a teenager that he became more interested in his faith and started to read more Catholic news, which led to him learning more about the abortion issue. Feeling called to do more for the unborn, he created a pro-life ministry using bumper stickers to help spread awareness. “I’d heard the word abortion before, I knew it was a sin, but I didn’t realize how widespread it was,” Dionisi told CNA in an interview. One day at Mass, he read a pamphlet explaining the different abortion procedures and was left “disturbed” after reading about how many unborn babies are dismembered in certain kinds of abortion procedures.He said he was also surprised to hear how many women are pressured into abortion.“I remember being struck by reading about how many women didn’t want to have abortions — felt pressured or coerced or it wasn’t their first choice — and that was also surprising to me because it made me think, ‘OK, we could actually do something about this,’” he said.Gabriel Dionisi’s pro-life bumper sticker rests on an information table with other resources for pregnant women. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kevin JorreyIn 2018 Dionisi decided to create bumper stickers encouraging individuals to “choose life.” For women who might be in crisis pregnancies, the stickers include the URL to Option Line, a website run by Heartbeat International that offers a map of pregnancy resource centers around the country. The site also offers a 24/7 helpline with counselors who speak both English and Spanish.Dionisi explained that he chose to create bumper stickers because they’re inexpensive to print and “there’s such a good return on investment because if you put a bumper sticker on your car and let’s say 20 people see it every day as you drive, you multiply that by 365, that’s over 7,000 a year.”Since launching his pro-life ministry, Dionisi has shared over 10,000 bumper stickers with people in 45 out of the 50 states.Speaking to the importance of defending the unborn, Dionisi said: “It’s foundational. If we want to see our country succeed and thrive, we need to respect that value of equal human dignity.”He added: “The magnitude of the problem is that so many babies are being lost and not just that, but so many women who are being hurt, men who are being hurt, and it affects our whole society when people are just carrying that wound around with them.”Dionisi said he hopes his bumper stickers are helping to spread awareness of the many resources available for pregnant women in need.“I think it’s important to spread this awareness to everybody because you never know when someone in your own life might be going through a situation where they need help,” he said.“The amazing thing about the pro-life movement is that there are so many opportunities for us, just as regular people, to literally save the lives of others. This is especially important as Catholics, because we know that every human being is made in the image of God and has an enormous potential to bring more love into the world.”Dionisi’s free pro-life bumper stickers can be found here.
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Meet the college student sharing bumper stickers to save unborn lives #Catholic Gabriel Dionisi, a 22-year-old college student who makes pro-life bumper stickers with the goal of spreading the pro-life message and spread awareness to others, displays one of his works. / Credit: Gabriel Dionisi CNA Staff, Nov 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA). Born and raised Catholic, 22-year-old Gabriel Dionisi always knew that life begins at conception and that it’s wrong to kill an unborn child in the womb. But it wasn’t until he was a teenager that he became more interested in his faith and started to read more Catholic news, which led to him learning more about the abortion issue. Feeling called to do more for the unborn, he created a pro-life ministry using bumper stickers to help spread awareness. “I’d heard the word abortion before, I knew it was a sin, but I didn’t realize how widespread it was,” Dionisi told CNA in an interview. One day at Mass, he read a pamphlet explaining the different abortion procedures and was left “disturbed” after reading about how many unborn babies are dismembered in certain kinds of abortion procedures.He said he was also surprised to hear how many women are pressured into abortion.“I remember being struck by reading about how many women didn’t want to have abortions — felt pressured or coerced or it wasn’t their first choice — and that was also surprising to me because it made me think, ‘OK, we could actually do something about this,’” he said.Gabriel Dionisi’s pro-life bumper sticker rests on an information table with other resources for pregnant women. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kevin JorreyIn 2018 Dionisi decided to create bumper stickers encouraging individuals to “choose life.” For women who might be in crisis pregnancies, the stickers include the URL to Option Line, a website run by Heartbeat International that offers a map of pregnancy resource centers around the country. The site also offers a 24/7 helpline with counselors who speak both English and Spanish.Dionisi explained that he chose to create bumper stickers because they’re inexpensive to print and “there’s such a good return on investment because if you put a bumper sticker on your car and let’s say 20 people see it every day as you drive, you multiply that by 365, that’s over 7,000 a year.”Since launching his pro-life ministry, Dionisi has shared over 10,000 bumper stickers with people in 45 out of the 50 states.Speaking to the importance of defending the unborn, Dionisi said: “It’s foundational. If we want to see our country succeed and thrive, we need to respect that value of equal human dignity.”He added: “The magnitude of the problem is that so many babies are being lost and not just that, but so many women who are being hurt, men who are being hurt, and it affects our whole society when people are just carrying that wound around with them.”Dionisi said he hopes his bumper stickers are helping to spread awareness of the many resources available for pregnant women in need.“I think it’s important to spread this awareness to everybody because you never know when someone in your own life might be going through a situation where they need help,” he said.“The amazing thing about the pro-life movement is that there are so many opportunities for us, just as regular people, to literally save the lives of others. This is especially important as Catholics, because we know that every human being is made in the image of God and has an enormous potential to bring more love into the world.”Dionisi’s free pro-life bumper stickers can be found here.

unitedyam

Gabriel Dionisi, a 22-year-old college student who makes pro-life bumper stickers with the goal of spreading the pro-life message and spread awareness to others, displays one of his works. / Credit: Gabriel Dionisi

CNA Staff, Nov 10, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Born and raised Catholic, 22-year-old Gabriel Dionisi always knew that life begins at conception and that it’s wrong to kill an unborn child in the womb. But it wasn’t until he was a teenager that he became more interested in his faith and started to read more Catholic news, which led to him learning more about the abortion issue. Feeling called to do more for the unborn, he created a pro-life ministry using bumper stickers to help spread awareness. 

“I’d heard the word abortion before, I knew it was a sin, but I didn’t realize how widespread it was,” Dionisi told CNA in an interview. 

One day at Mass, he read a pamphlet explaining the different abortion procedures and was left “disturbed” after reading about how many unborn babies are dismembered in certain kinds of abortion procedures.

He said he was also surprised to hear how many women are pressured into abortion.

“I remember being struck by reading about how many women didn’t want to have abortions — felt pressured or coerced or it wasn’t their first choice — and that was also surprising to me because it made me think, ‘OK, we could actually do something about this,’” he said.

Gabriel Dionisi’s pro-life bumper sticker rests on an information table with other resources for pregnant women. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kevin Jorrey
Gabriel Dionisi’s pro-life bumper sticker rests on an information table with other resources for pregnant women. Credit: Photo courtesy of Kevin Jorrey

In 2018 Dionisi decided to create bumper stickers encouraging individuals to “choose life.” For women who might be in crisis pregnancies, the stickers include the URL to Option Line, a website run by Heartbeat International that offers a map of pregnancy resource centers around the country. The site also offers a 24/7 helpline with counselors who speak both English and Spanish.

Dionisi explained that he chose to create bumper stickers because they’re inexpensive to print and “there’s such a good return on investment because if you put a bumper sticker on your car and let’s say 20 people see it every day as you drive, you multiply that by 365, that’s over 7,000 a year.”

Since launching his pro-life ministry, Dionisi has shared over 10,000 bumper stickers with people in 45 out of the 50 states.

Speaking to the importance of defending the unborn, Dionisi said: “It’s foundational. If we want to see our country succeed and thrive, we need to respect that value of equal human dignity.”

He added: “The magnitude of the problem is that so many babies are being lost and not just that, but so many women who are being hurt, men who are being hurt, and it affects our whole society when people are just carrying that wound around with them.”

Dionisi said he hopes his bumper stickers are helping to spread awareness of the many resources available for pregnant women in need.

“I think it’s important to spread this awareness to everybody because you never know when someone in your own life might be going through a situation where they need help,” he said.

“The amazing thing about the pro-life movement is that there are so many opportunities for us, just as regular people, to literally save the lives of others. This is especially important as Catholics, because we know that every human being is made in the image of God and has an enormous potential to bring more love into the world.”

Dionisi’s free pro-life bumper stickers can be found here.

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Volunteering at a maternity home for crisis pregnancies: What to know #Catholic A baby girl at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia. / Credit: Courtesy of Mary’s Comfort CNA Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA). After a homily inspired a group of parishioners to live out their pro-life beliefs and start a maternity home in Springfield, Virginia, for mothers with crisis pregnancies, one woman shared her experience working there.Kathleen Moyer, president of the Mary’s Comfort Board of Directors and a dedicated volunteer, shared about what it is like to volunteer with the maternity home in an interview with CNA.CNA: What inspired you to volunteer at the maternity home? How does your faith play a role in your volunteer work?Moyer: My faith is at the core of my volunteerism and specifically my involvement in Mary’s Comfort. Let me explain: The call to serve others is one I take seriously as a Christian and Catholic. As for Mary’s Comfort, the initial inspiration for a small group of volunteers to take on the challenge of creating it came from my pastor at St. Bernadette, Father Don Rooney, who challenged the congregation to live out our pro-life beliefs. He noted that pregnant women in crisis — whether financial, physical, or otherwise — don’t really have a viable option to bring new life into this world. They need to know there is support out there. They need to be given a reason to hope. So, that’s how it all started. That was three years ago. I’m sometimes amazed by how far we’ve come. I want to be clear, though, that we welcome women of all backgrounds and creeds. We are fortunate to have donors and supporters from several faiths, as well as secular groups. Our volunteers are diverse, too. Many of us are Catholic, but certainly not all. I think it speaks volumes that it is an interfaith effort.What would you say to a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy? What would you say to someone considering volunteering at a maternity clinic?  Here’s what I would like to say to women facing unexpected pregnancies: We’re here for you. There is reason to hope. There are people who care. Mary’s Comfort is a safe haven where you can take a deep breath, regroup, reassess, and contemplate the future with a clear mind. Of course, there are other shelters for pregnant moms waiting to welcome you, too. You are not alone.To those considering volunteering at a home for pregnant moms, I would say take the leap — you’ll never regret it. You might miss a rerun of your favorite TV show, have a little less time to read, or slow your ascent to becoming a pickleball pro, but I would ask you to stack any of those sacrifices against the joy of knowing you helped bring hope to someone desperately in need of it. Even more special, you may get the chance to play a role in welcoming a new life into this world. There are no words to describe the emotions that flooded over me the first time I held one of the babies born to a Mary’s Comfort mom. It’s powerful.What is it like to be with these women as they choose life? Is there a particular moment that stands out to you?  There isn’t just one single moment that stands out to me because there are so many important moments between the time our guests arrive and when we get to welcome new life into this world. For example, one of our guests walked into Mary’s Comfort for the first time and just cried. They were tears of joy. She said she never expected it to be so nice and welcoming. Another guest kept asking, “Why would you do this for me?” Their utter disbelief that strangers would care so deeply about them was striking. We helped another guest attend a class to achieve a higher level of certification and get a better job. When she passed the test, a collective cheer rang out among the volunteers. It was a small but critical milestone on the road to independence and self-sufficiency.Of course, the crowning moment was when I met the first baby born to a Mary’s Comfort mom. As I said before, there are no words to describe the emotions that flooded over me. It’s powerful stuff.A baby girl at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mary’s ComfortWhat is it like to volunteer at a maternity home? What is a day or week in your life like? How do you balance volunteering with your other responsibilities? Volunteering at a home for pregnant moms is incredibly rewarding and also full of surprises — no two months have been the same. The needs and challenges each guest faces have been different, so we must be nimble and creative to provide the level of support needed to give them hope and confidence. Similarly, there is no typical week for me. I work a full-time job in addition to being president of the Mary’s Comfort board of directors and an active volunteer who jumps in when needed. If I had a message for those who might be thinking about volunteering but worry it would be too much with a full-time job, I’d say go for it! Many of our volunteers work full time and still find ways to contribute in very meaningful ways. As an all-volunteer-run charity, we are very flexible and, frankly, wouldn’t succeed without volunteers of many different backgrounds and stages in life — working and retired.Kathleen Moyer has been volunteering at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia, for several years. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mary’s ComfortYou asked how I balance volunteering and other parts of life. I guess my mindset is that volunteering is an important part of life if I’m living the life I believe I was called to live. But volunteering is not just about checking the box on a moral obligation, it’s about doing something that brings joy to others, and in this case, has played some small role in new life being welcomed into this world. It has brought new perspective and new joy to the rest of my life, so finding balance isn’t so hard.If you could put your experience at Mary’s Comfort into one word, what would that word be and why?  Grateful. Why? Because this experience has taught me to be grateful on so many levels: grateful for all the blessings in my life; grateful to work alongside such committed volunteers who just don’t give up no matter what challenges lie before us; grateful for the opportunity to serve others in this consequential way. 
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Volunteering at a maternity home for crisis pregnancies: What to know #Catholic A baby girl at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia. / Credit: Courtesy of Mary’s Comfort CNA Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA). After a homily inspired a group of parishioners to live out their pro-life beliefs and start a maternity home in Springfield, Virginia, for mothers with crisis pregnancies, one woman shared her experience working there.Kathleen Moyer, president of the Mary’s Comfort Board of Directors and a dedicated volunteer, shared about what it is like to volunteer with the maternity home in an interview with CNA.CNA: What inspired you to volunteer at the maternity home? How does your faith play a role in your volunteer work?Moyer: My faith is at the core of my volunteerism and specifically my involvement in Mary’s Comfort. Let me explain: The call to serve others is one I take seriously as a Christian and Catholic. As for Mary’s Comfort, the initial inspiration for a small group of volunteers to take on the challenge of creating it came from my pastor at St. Bernadette, Father Don Rooney, who challenged the congregation to live out our pro-life beliefs. He noted that pregnant women in crisis — whether financial, physical, or otherwise — don’t really have a viable option to bring new life into this world. They need to know there is support out there. They need to be given a reason to hope. So, that’s how it all started. That was three years ago. I’m sometimes amazed by how far we’ve come. I want to be clear, though, that we welcome women of all backgrounds and creeds. We are fortunate to have donors and supporters from several faiths, as well as secular groups. Our volunteers are diverse, too. Many of us are Catholic, but certainly not all. I think it speaks volumes that it is an interfaith effort.What would you say to a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy? What would you say to someone considering volunteering at a maternity clinic?  Here’s what I would like to say to women facing unexpected pregnancies: We’re here for you. There is reason to hope. There are people who care. Mary’s Comfort is a safe haven where you can take a deep breath, regroup, reassess, and contemplate the future with a clear mind. Of course, there are other shelters for pregnant moms waiting to welcome you, too. You are not alone.To those considering volunteering at a home for pregnant moms, I would say take the leap — you’ll never regret it. You might miss a rerun of your favorite TV show, have a little less time to read, or slow your ascent to becoming a pickleball pro, but I would ask you to stack any of those sacrifices against the joy of knowing you helped bring hope to someone desperately in need of it. Even more special, you may get the chance to play a role in welcoming a new life into this world. There are no words to describe the emotions that flooded over me the first time I held one of the babies born to a Mary’s Comfort mom. It’s powerful.What is it like to be with these women as they choose life? Is there a particular moment that stands out to you?  There isn’t just one single moment that stands out to me because there are so many important moments between the time our guests arrive and when we get to welcome new life into this world. For example, one of our guests walked into Mary’s Comfort for the first time and just cried. They were tears of joy. She said she never expected it to be so nice and welcoming. Another guest kept asking, “Why would you do this for me?” Their utter disbelief that strangers would care so deeply about them was striking. We helped another guest attend a class to achieve a higher level of certification and get a better job. When she passed the test, a collective cheer rang out among the volunteers. It was a small but critical milestone on the road to independence and self-sufficiency.Of course, the crowning moment was when I met the first baby born to a Mary’s Comfort mom. As I said before, there are no words to describe the emotions that flooded over me. It’s powerful stuff.A baby girl at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mary’s ComfortWhat is it like to volunteer at a maternity home? What is a day or week in your life like? How do you balance volunteering with your other responsibilities? Volunteering at a home for pregnant moms is incredibly rewarding and also full of surprises — no two months have been the same. The needs and challenges each guest faces have been different, so we must be nimble and creative to provide the level of support needed to give them hope and confidence. Similarly, there is no typical week for me. I work a full-time job in addition to being president of the Mary’s Comfort board of directors and an active volunteer who jumps in when needed. If I had a message for those who might be thinking about volunteering but worry it would be too much with a full-time job, I’d say go for it! Many of our volunteers work full time and still find ways to contribute in very meaningful ways. As an all-volunteer-run charity, we are very flexible and, frankly, wouldn’t succeed without volunteers of many different backgrounds and stages in life — working and retired.Kathleen Moyer has been volunteering at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia, for several years. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mary’s ComfortYou asked how I balance volunteering and other parts of life. I guess my mindset is that volunteering is an important part of life if I’m living the life I believe I was called to live. But volunteering is not just about checking the box on a moral obligation, it’s about doing something that brings joy to others, and in this case, has played some small role in new life being welcomed into this world. It has brought new perspective and new joy to the rest of my life, so finding balance isn’t so hard.If you could put your experience at Mary’s Comfort into one word, what would that word be and why?  Grateful. Why? Because this experience has taught me to be grateful on so many levels: grateful for all the blessings in my life; grateful to work alongside such committed volunteers who just don’t give up no matter what challenges lie before us; grateful for the opportunity to serve others in this consequential way. 

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A baby girl at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia. / Credit: Courtesy of Mary’s Comfort

CNA Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

After a homily inspired a group of parishioners to live out their pro-life beliefs and start a maternity home in Springfield, Virginia, for mothers with crisis pregnancies, one woman shared her experience working there.

Kathleen Moyer, president of the Mary’s Comfort Board of Directors and a dedicated volunteer, shared about what it is like to volunteer with the maternity home in an interview with CNA.

CNA: What inspired you to volunteer at the maternity home? How does your faith play a role in your volunteer work?

Moyer: My faith is at the core of my volunteerism and specifically my involvement in Mary’s Comfort. Let me explain: The call to serve others is one I take seriously as a Christian and Catholic. As for Mary’s Comfort, the initial inspiration for a small group of volunteers to take on the challenge of creating it came from my pastor at St. Bernadette, Father Don Rooney, who challenged the congregation to live out our pro-life beliefs. 

He noted that pregnant women in crisis — whether financial, physical, or otherwise — don’t really have a viable option to bring new life into this world. They need to know there is support out there. They need to be given a reason to hope. So, that’s how it all started. 

That was three years ago. I’m sometimes amazed by how far we’ve come. I want to be clear, though, that we welcome women of all backgrounds and creeds. We are fortunate to have donors and supporters from several faiths, as well as secular groups. Our volunteers are diverse, too. Many of us are Catholic, but certainly not all. I think it speaks volumes that it is an interfaith effort.

What would you say to a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy? What would you say to someone considering volunteering at a maternity clinic?  

Here’s what I would like to say to women facing unexpected pregnancies: We’re here for you. There is reason to hope. There are people who care. Mary’s Comfort is a safe haven where you can take a deep breath, regroup, reassess, and contemplate the future with a clear mind. Of course, there are other shelters for pregnant moms waiting to welcome you, too. You are not alone.

To those considering volunteering at a home for pregnant moms, I would say take the leap — you’ll never regret it. You might miss a rerun of your favorite TV show, have a little less time to read, or slow your ascent to becoming a pickleball pro, but I would ask you to stack any of those sacrifices against the joy of knowing you helped bring hope to someone desperately in need of it. 

Even more special, you may get the chance to play a role in welcoming a new life into this world. There are no words to describe the emotions that flooded over me the first time I held one of the babies born to a Mary’s Comfort mom. It’s powerful.

What is it like to be with these women as they choose life? Is there a particular moment that stands out to you?  

There isn’t just one single moment that stands out to me because there are so many important moments between the time our guests arrive and when we get to welcome new life into this world. For example, one of our guests walked into Mary’s Comfort for the first time and just cried. They were tears of joy. She said she never expected it to be so nice and welcoming. 

Another guest kept asking, “Why would you do this for me?” Their utter disbelief that strangers would care so deeply about them was striking. 

We helped another guest attend a class to achieve a higher level of certification and get a better job. When she passed the test, a collective cheer rang out among the volunteers. It was a small but critical milestone on the road to independence and self-sufficiency.

Of course, the crowning moment was when I met the first baby born to a Mary’s Comfort mom. As I said before, there are no words to describe the emotions that flooded over me. It’s powerful stuff.

A baby girl at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mary’s Comfort
A baby girl at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mary’s Comfort

What is it like to volunteer at a maternity home? What is a day or week in your life like? How do you balance volunteering with your other responsibilities? 

Volunteering at a home for pregnant moms is incredibly rewarding and also full of surprises — no two months have been the same. The needs and challenges each guest faces have been different, so we must be nimble and creative to provide the level of support needed to give them hope and confidence. 

Similarly, there is no typical week for me. I work a full-time job in addition to being president of the Mary’s Comfort board of directors and an active volunteer who jumps in when needed. 

If I had a message for those who might be thinking about volunteering but worry it would be too much with a full-time job, I’d say go for it! Many of our volunteers work full time and still find ways to contribute in very meaningful ways. As an all-volunteer-run charity, we are very flexible and, frankly, wouldn’t succeed without volunteers of many different backgrounds and stages in life — working and retired.

Kathleen Moyer has been volunteering at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia, for several years. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mary’s Comfort
Kathleen Moyer has been volunteering at Mary’s Comfort maternity home in Springfield, Virginia, for several years. Credit: Photo courtesy of Mary’s Comfort

You asked how I balance volunteering and other parts of life. I guess my mindset is that volunteering is an important part of life if I’m living the life I believe I was called to live. But volunteering is not just about checking the box on a moral obligation, it’s about doing something that brings joy to others, and in this case, has played some small role in new life being welcomed into this world. 

It has brought new perspective and new joy to the rest of my life, so finding balance isn’t so hard.

If you could put your experience at Mary’s Comfort into one word, what would that word be and why?  

Grateful. Why? Because this experience has taught me to be grateful on so many levels: grateful for all the blessings in my life; grateful to work alongside such committed volunteers who just don’t give up no matter what challenges lie before us; grateful for the opportunity to serve others in this consequential way. 

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 15 April 2024

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A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 6:8-15

Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyreneans, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.
Then they instigated some men to say,
“We have heard him speaking blasphemous words
against Moses and God.”
They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes,
accosted him, seized him,
and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
They presented false witnesses who testified,
“This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law.
For we have heard him claim
that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place
and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”
All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him
and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

From the Gospel according to John
Jn 6:22-29

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]
The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea
saw that there had been only one boat there,
and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,
but only his disciples had left.
Other boats came from Tiberias
near the place where they had eaten the bread
when the Lord gave thanks.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me
not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

This is an example of how Jesus corrects the attitude of the people, of the crowd, because as they were journeying they gradually strayed from that first moment, from the first spiritual consolation, and took a path that was not the right one, a path more worldly than evangelical.

This makes us understand how many times we ourselves have started out on the path of following Jesus, with the values of the Gospel, and then halfway down the road we get another idea, we see some sign or other, and we stray and conform to something more temporal, more material, more worldly – let’s say – and we lose the memory of that first enthusiasm we had when we heard Jesus speak. The Lord always makes us return to that first encounter, the first moment when He looked at us, He spoke to us and He inspired in us the desire to follow Him. This is a grace to ask of the Lord, because in life we will always have this temptation to stray because we see something else: “But that will go really well, but that’s a good idea”, and we distance ourselves. The grace to return to the first call, the first moment: to not forget, to not forget my history, when Jesus looked at me with love and said to me, “This is your path”; when Jesus, through many people, made me understand what the path of the Gospel is, and not other paths that are more worldly, with other values. To return to the first encounter. (Santa Marta, 27 April 2020)

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sublimate

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verb tr.: 1. To divert basic or instinctual impulses to something more socially acceptable. 2. To refine or purify. verb tr., intr.: To directly transform from solid to gas, or vice versa, bypassing the liquid state. adjective: Refined; purified; elevated; exalted. noun: A substance obtained by sublimating.

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