Under the tax code, clergy may opt out of Social Security and Medicare taxes for ministerial work but cannot receive the benefits if they do. A person who opts out typically cannot reverse that decision, but the law, supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), opens a two-year window for members of clergy to opt back in if they have changed their minds.

The law, signed on Oct. 20, allows clergy members to opt back in during the 2029 or 2030 tax years, but they must still meet the standard contribution requirements to receive benefits. The House of Representatives passed the bill 350-5 on April 27, and the Senate cleared it by unanimous consent on Sept. 30.

According to a news release from the House Ways and Means Committee, about 2,000 people take the opt-out. This is the third time Congress offered a temporary window for clergy to reverse their opt-outs, with the last time being 1999.

“America’s pastors and faith leaders spend their lives caring for others,” Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement.

“Many chose to opt out of Social Security when they were young and just starting their ministry,” he said. “A single, sometimes ill-advised, decision made decades ago should not stand between them and a secure retirement.”

Support from Catholic bishops

When reached for comment, the USCCB referred EWTN News to an April 14 letter supportive of the bill, signed by Archbishop Shelton Fabre, chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Archbishop Ronald Hicks, chair of the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.

The letter states that the bill offers “much needed relief and support for priests and religious who previously opted out of Social Security and Medicare to opt back into the programs.”

“For one reason or another, many clergy members, often decades prior and due to inaccurate financial advice, opted out of contributing,” the letter states.

It adds that the bill helps clergy “move toward a more complete retirement” and offers a “more comprehensive financial and physical wellbeing as they transition into the next phase of their lives and ministries.”

“Priests and religious have spent their lives in service to Christ by ministering to the faithful and those in need,” the letter adds. “[The legislation helps] enable them to obtain better financial and physical health in their retirement.”

Vance, who is Catholic, was responding to a question from Sister Nancy Sylvester of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary religious order. The exchange took place during an Oct. 17 town hall broadcast on CBS News.

Sister Nancy told the vice president that some of the institute’s sisters minister at the southern border and that they are “constantly seeing families who are affected by our immigration policies,” including through family separations involving young children.

Speaking to Vance as a fellow Catholic, the religious sister asked him: “How would you justify to people of faith, especially those of us who try to follow the Gospel, how the behavior of the [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] men and women can constantly be justified in terms of the kind of values we want to live by?”

Telling Sister Nancy that he would pray for her, Vance responded that the government is “trying to strike the right balance” in its immigration policies.

“When you have a country where approximately 25 million illegal aliens have come in over the past 30 or so years, many of them completely unchecked and unvetted — weʼre trying to strike a balance between how [we do] law enforcement, but how do we also do it humanely, and how do we not do so little law enforcement that you actually empower some of the worst people in the world?” he said.

The Republican vice president referred to the issue as a “work in progress” that includes millions of immigrants in the country illegally and “hundreds and hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers.”

He admitted that federal agents make mistakes and at times “really screw up,” though he said the government “[doesn’t] always advertise” the disciplinary process.

“[W]e believe that people have to be judged in a court of law and through a normal investigatory process,” Vance said.

He cited the numerous criminal elements that sometimes accompany illegal immigration, including heavy drug trade and sex slavery. “[D]espite what some people say in the press, I promise you that we wake up every day and we try to balance law enforcement with humane law enforcement,” he said.

The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary are headquartered in Monroe, Michigan. Their ministries include hospitals, teaching, and long-term care facilities.

The order was founded by Mother Theresa Maxis Duchemin, the first U.S.-born Black woman to become a religious sister.

“When I look back on the journey that brought us to the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, I am in awe at what the Lord did to bring us to 2024 and what he continues to do,” Bishop Andrew Cozzens, chair of the board of the National Eucharistic Congress Inc., said in an Oct. 21 press release. “Today, I am filled with gratitude and excitement to announce that Indianapolis will once again host the National Eucharistic Congress in 2029.”

Organizers cited “careful consideration of potential host cities and venues across the country,” the release said, noting Indianapolis’ central location and existing infrastructure as key reasons behind the decision.

The 2029 congress was announced in February with Jason Shanks, CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress, saying at the time that the location would be revealed later.

“The Lord has already shown us what can happen when we place Jesus Christ in the Eucharist at the center and surrender our lives to Him,” said Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota. “I believe the Lord wants to do even more than He did before. I believe He is bringing about a great movement of evangelization in our country. 2029 in Indianapolis will be a powerful moment to invite the Holy Spirit to unite and strengthen us. God has already shown us He will not be outdone in generosity when the Church gathers to worship Him. See you in Indy in 2029!”

Organizers said they later will release information about dates, registration, programming, and participation.

The 2024 National Eucharistic Congress, the first such event to take place on U.S. soil since World War II, attracted tens of thousands of people for several massive sessions of Eucharistic adoration in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, numerous talks and workshops related to the Catholic faith, and a Eucharistic procession through downtown Indianapolis.

Data following the event also showed “renewed participation in Eucharistic adoration and Confession, greater reverence at Mass, increased confidence among clergy in preaching about the Real Presence, and growth in parish evangelization and service,” according to the press release.

The 2026 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore is set for Nov. 16–19, with public portions on Nov. 17–18.

The gathering, which has been livestreamed for the past 15 years, also will include addresses by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, USCCB president, and by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, papal nuncio to the United States.

Bishop Oscar Cantù of the Diocese of San José, California, will address the bishops on AI. He chairs the Task Force on Preserving Human Dignity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, which the USCCB created this year to advance the Church’s priorities on AI, as laid out in Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.

An address by Bishop Brendan J. Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas, who chairs the Committee on Migration, will provide an update one year after U.S. bishops adopted a special message that opposes “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”

Bishop Robert J. Brennan of Brooklyn, New York, who chairs the Committee for Cultural Diversity in the Church, will address the bishops on the Guadalupan Novena. The bishops are also expected to vote on an annual observance of a Day of Prayer for Racial Justice.

The bishops also plan to discuss evidence of increased conversions and a reported resurgence of religious interest among young adults in a panel presentation on new life in the Church.

Catholics can also expect votes on whether the bishops support investigating the canonization causes for Maria Middleton and Thomas Steven Vander Woude, two Americans whose causes are being investigated by their dioceses.

There will also be a vote on a new edition of the Lectionary for Mass and Book of the Gospels.

The bishops will vote on whether to approve the USCCB budget. There will also be a vote to approve a review and update of the pastoral plan for the Secretariat on Pro-Life Activities. The bishops also will vote on updates to the USCCB’s Diocesan Financial Reporting Guidelines and Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines.

With terms expiring for certain leadership positions, the USCCB will also elect replacements.

The bishops will elect a new secretary, choosing between Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, and Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio.

They will also vote on who will chair the committees on Catholic Education, Communications, Cultural Diversity in the Church, Doctrine, National Collections, and Pro-Life Activities.

Each bishop selected will serve as bishop-elect for one year and will then take over the role in the fall of 2027 and serve three-year terms.

The scholars — which include University of Dayton professor Jana Bennett, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum bioethics professor Father Michael Baggot, and Loyola University Chicago philosophy professor Joe Vukov — told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that it should support “defined normative boundaries” for the use of AI in warfare.

Amicus brief from Catholic moral theologians

The dispute stems from the U.S. Department of War’s usage of AI models from Anthropic, a major California-based AI developer. The company had been providing intelligence technology for the government but had forbidden its usage in both lethal autonomous warfare and mass surveillance of U.S. citizens.

The War Department ultimately ended its contract with Anthropic and subsequently labeled the company a national security risk. The D.C. appeals court upheld that decision in a September ruling.

In their filing supporting Anthropic’s request for an “en banc” hearing at the appeals court, the theologians said they were backing the company’s “principled ethical stance on AI use” by the military.

The scholars said they agreed that AI “ought not to be used for mass domestic surveillance,” citing the Catholic Church’s teachings on privacy. They pointed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s instruction that “no one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it.”

Privacy “is not an absolute right,” they acknowledged, but mass surveillance “clearly oversteps” the principle of privacy and would amount to a “clear violation” of human dignity.

Autonomous weapons, meanwhile, “obscure human agency” and shift responsibility “away from human decision-makers to machines.”

“They accelerate the already rapid military decision-making processes, perhaps to the point of eliminating even the possibility of human involvement,” the scholars said, arguing that “practical judgment and careful decision-making” should “inform all human decisions,” particularly involving life and death.

The theologians quoted Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical Spe Salvi, in which the late pope acknowledged that developing technology offers “new possibilities for good” as well as “appalling possibilities for evil.”

In the boundaries it set, Anthropic “was acting as a responsible and moral corporate citizen, not as a threat to the safety of the American supply chain,” the scholars argued.

Catholic leadership has been regularly warning of the risks of AI in recent months. The U.S. bishops launched a task force in September to help promote human dignity among the rapid rise of AI technology.

Pope Leo XIV, meanwhile, has been a global voice urging caution on AI, including with his landmark May encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, in which the Holy Father warned that the “pervasive technocratic paradigm” of which AI is a part “threatens to normalize an antihuman vision.”

Earlier this month, meanwhile, the pope cautioned against the spread of AI-produced art, with the pontiff citing the “urgent” need to “distinguish human art from what is produced by machines.”

Father Carlos Martins, host of “The Exorcist Files” and author of a book with the same title, filed the lawsuit, which is pending, in November 2025 against Jesse Romero (identified in court papers as Jesus O. Romero Jr.) and Kyle Clement. At the time, Romero was the principal host of the podcast “Jesus 911,” while Clement, director of formation and training for a religious society of priests that Ripperger founded, was a guest on Romero’s podcast.

The lawsuit also names as a defendant Catholic Resource Center Inc., of Los Angeles, which operates Virgin Most Powerful Radio, the broadcaster of “Jesus 911.” According to Martins’ complaint, Clement made false statements about Martins while appearing on the podcast in November 2024.

“Clement asserted that Fr. Martins ‘is not who he says he is’” and that Martins is “opining and talking about things which he does not know,” according to Martins’ complaint, which calls Clement’s statements “false and defamatory” because, it says, “Fr. Martins has functioned as an exorcist and has both the knowledge and experience to perform and speak on exorcism.”

“These statements harmed Fr. Martins’ credibility as a religious figure and exorcist and directly affected the sale and reception of ‘The Exorcist Files’ book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired,” states Martins’ complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. “In addition, these statements caused ‘The Exorcist Files’ to lose advertisers and listeners, which resulted in financial losses.”

But Romero and Clement “deny any allegation that they published false or misleading statements” about Martins during the podcasts and maintain that the priest is not an exorcist, according to a formal answer to Martins’ complaint filed in court in September 2026.

“It is Defendants[’] strongly held belief that Plaintiff is not an exorcist …,” the defendants state in court papers, questioning Martins’ credentials and describing the priest’s “traveling across the United States to perform exorcisms” as “both improper and out of the ordinary.”

Private inquiries

The statements Clement and Romero made about Martins during three late-2024 “Jesus 911” podcast episodes (Nov. 20, Nov. 27, and Dec. 4) followed inquiries Romero made privately in the summer of 2023.

Romero sent Martins an email message Aug. 29, 2023, asking for his “status as an exorcist” while identifying himself as a radio and podcast host and as a “member of the Liber Christo team under Fr Ripperger,” according to an exhibit filed in court by Martins’ lawyer.

Liber Christo is an organization founded by Ripperger and Clement for “training priests, deacons and laity in the ministry of liberation” from purported demonic possession.

Martins referred Romero to the priest’s website without answering his questions, according to court papers.

Romero also solicited an email message from Martins’ religious society, Companions of the Cross, about the priest, to which the society responded.

“In answer to your inquiry Fr. Carlos has not been appointed as an exorcist by a particular diocese. His full-time ministry is Treasures of the Church, however, due to his travels, he has been involved in exorcisms with the appropriate permission and or by request of the corresponding bishop,” the society’s email message states.

According to court papers, Romero quoted from the email message during a podcast episode released Nov. 27, 2024, but stopped at “Treasures of the Church” and left out the part about Martins receiving “appropriate permission” from diocesan bishops to perform exorcisms.

Crossing a line?

Romero’s partial quotation of the society’s email message about Martins during the podcast is a flashpoint in the case.

On Aug. 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge F. Kay Behm denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss the case, writing that “the court agrees that Plaintiff has the better argument.” The judge highlighted a particular statement that, according to her ruling, Romero made on the podcast about Martins: “I just don’t understand why he’s purporting to be an exorcist when his Order says he’s not.”

With that statement, the judge wrote, Romero “appear[s] to have crossed the line between an opinion that Fr. Martins is not an exorcist to statements of fact that the email from his own Order says he is not an exorcist.”

The email message from the Companions of the Cross “does not say that Plaintiff is not an exorcist,” the judge wrote.

The ruling allowed the lawsuit to proceed but did not determine whether the defendants had defamed Martins.

Two weeks later, on Sept. 4, 2026, the defendants in their formal answer to Martins’ complaint acknowledged that “Romero only read a portion of the e-mail in question” during the podcast but described it as a choice the defendants made “consistent with their beliefs” that Martins is not an exorcist.

Unspecified damages

Martins is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit for harm to his reputation, earning ability, and physical well-being allegedly caused by the podcasters’ statements about him.

On the financial side, Martins’ complaint says he had to cancel “worldwide speaking engagements” associated with the publication of his book “The Exorcist Files,” published in November 2024, and that his podcast lost advertisers and listeners.

Martins’ complaint says “multiple priests contacted” him following the “Jesus 911” podcasts in November and December 2024 and that “at least one priest advised Fr. Martins that multiple people in his parish were scandalized by the podcasts and asked if Fr. Martins was a fraud.”

“Everywhere he goes, he fears people believe him to be a fraud, who is not worthy of the priesthood and not to be trusted as an exorcist,” the complaint states.

Martins’ complaint also alleges that he “suffered severe emotional distress, including anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, dread, grief, and a sense of hopelessness,” as well as a brain injury called dendritic atrophy, allegedly caused by emotional distress. The complaint says the injury makes the brain “more susceptible to anxiety and depression.”

“Fr. Martins’ cognitive abilities have been permanently diminished because of the Defendants’ conduct,” the complaint states.

Neither Martins nor his religious community nor the lawyer representing him in the case could be reached for comment by the time this story was published.

Clement and a spokesman for Catholic Resource Center also could not be reached for comment.

A spokesman for Romero, who currently hosts “The Jesse Romero Show” podcast, declined an interview request from the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.

“Jesse would welcome an interview after the case is adjudicated and talk about the case from the beginning to end,” said Anita Romero, Jesse Romero’s event coordinator, by email.

The defendants’ lawyer, H. William Burdett, declined a request for comment.

Ripperger, who, at the request of Denver Archbishop James Golka, has agreed to a one-year moratorium on public speaking and interviews, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night. The Register attempted to contact him through the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother, known as the Doloran Fathers, a semi-contemplative society of priests he founded in the Archdiocese of Denver.

A scheduling conference in the case is set for Oct. 29.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

From Oct. 16 to Nov. 28, the public is invited to visit San Francisco’s Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption to view a special relic of St. Francis, pieces of art, and models of the historic 21 missions in California, and to pray before an illuminated manuscript of the “Canticle of the Creatures” commissioned by the Benedict XVI Institute.

The relic available to venerate is a first-class relic of St. Francis’ blood taken from the side wound of the stigmata he received, which is kept in La Verna, Italy. After experiencing a visitation from a crucified angel on Sept. 14, 1224, St. Francis developed wounds in his hands, feet, and side. The Franciscan friars of La Verna have guarded St. Francis’ blood for 800 years.

The art pieces in the exhibit include Dono Doni’s late-Renaissance Franciscan devotional painting “Stigmata of Saint Francis” and “Crucifixion of Saint Francis,” the Cimabue painting of “Saint Francis of Assisi” by Cenni di Peppo, the famous painting of the veil of St. Clare, Adamo di Cladaro’s “St. Francis,” and the 17th-century anonymous painting “St. Francis Watched Over by the Angels.”

“Itʼs incredible that itʼs in our city,” Angela Alioto, founder of the Knights of St. Francis, told ABC7 Eyewitness News Bay Area in an interview. “And I absolutely believe itʼs in our city because weʼre the city of St. Francis.”

Father Saul Tambini, OFM, from the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi, Italy, added: “We have to celebrate St. Francis because we know how much the Franciscan presence deeply shaped this place.”

Earlier this year, Pope Leo XIV decreed that from Jan. 10, 2026, to Jan. 10, 2027, “a special Year of St. Francis shall be proclaimed, in which every faithful Christian, following the example of the saint of Assisi, shall become a model of holiness of life and a constant witness of peace.”

Catholics around the world have honored this jubilee year in several different ways. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco designated several locations where the faithful can make a pilgrimage in order to receive a plenary indulgence — bearing in mind that all the conditions for receiving a plenary indulgence must be met.

While there are six total missions within the broader San Francisco Bay Area region — including Mission San José in Fremont, Mission Santa Clara, Mission Santa Cruz, Mission San Rafael, and Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma — only Mission Dolores resides directly inside the city of San Francisco. It was founded on June 29, 1776, when the first Mass was celebrated, and was formally dedicated on Oct. 9, 1776, by Father Francisco Palóu and St. Junípero Serra.

There are a total of 21 missions in the state of California spanning a 600-mile trail known as El Camino Real — stretching from San Diego in the south to Sonoma in the north. They were founded between 1769 and 1823 by Franciscan friars, starting with St. Junípero Serra and were built by the Spanish empire to secure the California coast, spread Catholicism, and integrate Native American populations into Spanish colonial society. Most are still standing today and function as active Catholic parishes, museums, and historical landmarks open to the public.

Mark Gray, CARA director at Georgetown University, told anchor Veronica Dudo on “EWTN News Nightly” on Oct. 19 that the nationwide poll, conducted over the summer, will be released later this week.

Gray, who directs the Catholic research institute that conducts surveys, demographic studies, and social-science research on the Catholic Church, said respondents ranked marriage as the most important Church-related issue, ahead of life issues, but that economic concerns, including unemployment, ranked higher overall.

“We did ask respondents about the importance of Church teachings. And life issues are certainly important,” Gray said. “But also economic justice is also right there. Itʼs actually above the life issues at the current moment."

According to Gray, the majority of Catholics said “high cost of living and inflation and unemployment” rank ahead of life issues as the Nov. 3 elections loom.

Gray said he anticipated the Catholic vote will be most “important” in Midwest states and Florida. “Those tend to always be the places where Catholic voters are really important,” he said, noting that Catholic voters in Texas will also play a notable role as well.

Speaking on the impact of young Catholics in the midterms, Gray said that while the turnout for midterm elections is always lower than presidential ones, CARA’s polling found that “young voters do seem to be well-energized.”

Besides voting trends, CARA often studies topics such as Mass attendance, vocations, parish life, and Catholic demographics.

Pew’s findings on Catholic voters

Statistics from the CARA report come after polling by Pew Research Center found that Catholic registered voters prefer Democratic candidates over Republicans in the upcoming U.S. House of Representatives races by a narrow margin.

With the midterms approaching on Nov. 3, the survey found Catholics favoring Democratic House candidates by 3 percentage points. Pew polled 5,062 adults, which included 3,917 registered voters from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 for its American Trends Panel. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.6 percentage points.

The poll shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating plummeting among Catholics since he began his second term, with 30% approving of how he has handled his job as president and 67% disapproving. In January 2025, his approval was about 47% among Catholics.

The Fr. Chester P. Smith National Black Catholic Men’s Conference was created by Father Chester P. Smith, Father Charles Smith, and Father Kenneth Hamilton and invites Black Catholic men from across the United States for a weekend of faith, leadership, brotherhood, and cultural reflection.

This year’s conference — hosted by the Bowman Francis Ministry, the Society of the Divine Word Missionaries, and the Office of Black Catholic Ministry of the Diocese of Birmingham — had the theme of “The Rock I Stand On,” which aimed to equip participants with the spiritual and life skills needed to take on their roles as protectors and providers.

Attendees were able to experience a guided, firsthand look at Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights movement and engage in meaningful dialogue that connects faith, justice, and social responsibility. The Civil Rights Immersion Tour also included a Harambe Town Hall, which featured notable Birmingham community leaders debating todayʼs social and political climate.

Cameron Beatty serves as the conference’s program chair. For him, the conference holds a special place in his heart — Father Chester P. Smith was his godfather.

Beatty told EWTN News in an interview that he has been attending the conferences since they first started 24 years ago.

“I was in high school during the first one and I would be like a reader or an altar server … then I would start leading workshops or doing the youth workshops,” Beatty recalled. “Then it kind of evolved once he [Smith] passed away. [It was] like, ‘Hey, we need somebody to step up and take on some more leadership roles,’ because he would do a lot of the planning and the executing and thatʼs how I got involved in more of a leadership role once he passed.”

He added: “We want to make sure that his legacy lives on and his commitment to the ministry lives on, and I am very busy but this is something that Iʼm committed to because I believe in it strongly.”

Smith grew up in Chicago’s inner city and made history when he and his identical twin — Father Charles Smith — were ordained priests in 1988, becoming the first pair of African American twins to become priests in the United States. As a priest, he rose to become an international leader in African American ministry and youth outreach.

He founded Ambassadors of the Word, a peer group ministry program that fosters youth rites of passage and cross-cultural experiences. And he and his brother developed Boyhood to Manhood, a parish-based program to help young Black men realize their value, get in touch with their spirituality, and train future Church leaders. And he was a co-founder of the Bowman Francis Ministry, which is an outreach organization that evangelizes and ministers to Black Catholics.

Smith died on April 8, 2020, at the age of 60. Father Charles Smith is still alive.

Beatty called his godfather “an amazing, amazing person.”

“We would say they’re [the Smith brothers] the Ying and the Yang,” he shared. “Father Chester was the outgoing one, the boisterous one. He was the one that would go out and do revivals in Black Catholic communities, he would go out and do the Lent services. People from all over the country knew him because they would invite him to their parish as a guest priest or a guest homilist … Father Charles, heʼs a little — and Iʼll say this to his face — heʼs a little bit more reserved. He likes to keep to himself. He can still preach, he can still minister. But, them together were just a powerful force.”

Beatty explained that Smith’s great contribution to the Black Catholic community was that he remained “unapologetic” about the cultural aspect found in the identity of being a Black Catholic.

A couple of years before Smith passed away, Beatty recalled an instance where Smith gave a powerful message at the men’s conference. While Smith typically never chose to include himself in the list of speakers — he preferred remaining as the planner behind the scenes — that year he decided to preach.

“He preached that year and I just had never — Iʼve grown up with him, Iʼve known him my entire life — and Iʼve just never seen him preach that way,” Beatty shared. “He talked about the Promised Land, what does it mean to get to the Promised Land, and you canʼt just show up at the Promised Land, you have to work to get there … You hear it all the time, you hear the Scripture, you hear the reading, but I just had never heard it framed that way so passionately that it just resonated with me.”

He added: “I could see after he had preached, he was so drained and exhausted because he put everything, his whole body, his whole spirit, into that message. And I just had never felt that or seen that from him as many times as Iʼve seen him preach. And to me that was just transformative for me, and thatʼs why I commit to this and hope to see the conference go on for many, many years.”

Beatty said he believes a conference like the Fr. Chester P. Smith National Black Catholic Men’s Conference is needed “for folks to feel like they have a strong community.”

“Sometimes folks might be going to an African-American parish in their respective city or sometimes theyʼre the only Black family in their parish, given on where they live or practice their Catholicism,” he explained. “So, I think a conference like this gives folks an opportunity to come together with like-minded men … and itʼs an opportunity to have conversations that sometimes they canʼt have in their respective parishes.”

Beatty said he hopes that those who attended the conference took away “some energy to go back to their respective communities and still evangelize about what it means to be Catholic, about what it means to be Black and Catholic, about what it means to be a man that is Black and Catholic in terms of the leaders of their family, the leaders in their community, the leaders within their parishes, their churches, and take away some tools in order to enact those types of things of ministering to folks that might not have any idea of what it means to be Christian and to be Catholic.”

The bill calls for a report identifying Syrian officials suspected of involvement in the abuses and for consideration of targeted sanctions against them.

The bill is titled the “Syrian Religious and Ethnic Minorities Protection Act.” It was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, as well as the House Committees on the Judiciary and Financial Services, for consideration of matters within their respective jurisdictions.

On his website, Mackenzie said the measure aims to strengthen congressional oversight, identify those responsible for abuses, and ensure the United States uses the tools available to hold them accountable. He said protecting religious freedom and human rights should remain a priority as Syria builds its future.

The bill’s text, which is supported by In Defense of Christians, the American Syriac Union, and the Alawites Association of the United States, cites reports of unlawful detention, ongoing sectarian violence against minorities fueled by hate speech whose perpetrators go unpunished, the abduction of women and minors, mass dismissals from employment, enforced disappearances, intimidation and property seizures, forced displacement, police abuse of authority, government-backed looting, coercion to change religion, and extrajudicial killings.

The bill also draws on reports from international organizations, including the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, documenting continued violations of religious freedom and persecution based on religious and ethnic identity. It points to the Syrian transitional authorities’ failure to include minorities in governance and the transition, investigate crimes against them, and prosecute those responsible. It also cites reports that foreign fighters remain in senior positions within state and security institutions.

Under the bill, the U.S. secretary of state, in coordination with the director of national intelligence, would be required to submit a report to the relevant committees within 90 days of the bill’s enactment. The report would identify senior Syrian officials and people associated with them who are credibly suspected of participating in, directing, facilitating, or covering up the abuses, and assess whether measures should be imposed against them.

Possible measures include blocking property, visa and entry restrictions, financial restrictions, and other actions authorized under U.S. law.

The Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Curitiba, Brazil, announced a memorial Mass in honor of Marist Brother Rogério Renato Mateucci, who died on Oct. 16 after being struck on the head by a piece of roofing at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West home near Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mateucci was reportedly part of a walking tour at the historic home when high winds tore part of the roof off of the structure. He allegedly died instantly. The school held the memorial Mass on Oct. 19.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation said it an announcement that it “[extended] its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones” of Mateucci. The property would be closed until further notice, the foundation said.

The Brazilian pontifical university, meanwhile, said it had canceled two days of classes in the wake of Mateucci’s death.

Mateucci had been appointed to the rectorship of the university first in 2021. He had previously served as a vice rector there as well as on the school’s board of directors.

His death was also mourned at Kent State University in Ohio, where he gave a keynote commencement address in May 2025 in which he called on graduates to take risks “to offer affection and make life easier for those around you.”

“May you have the courage to say yes to the life that persists in you,” he told the assembly.

Paulo Mussi Augusto, associate vice president for global education at the Ohio school, said Mateucci “spoke and acted with a rare gentleness and had a remarkable ability to listen, always making room for others to be heard.”

“As a man of faith, he was steadfast, slow to judge and always willing to give people another chance,” Augusto said. “His legacy will continue to inspire all of us who had the privilege of knowing him.”

The agency said in multiple press releases that two companies from North Carolina and Georgia had settled with Muslim and Christian workers over discrimination allegations.

A detective agency in North Carolina said it would pay more than $65,000 to a Muslim worker who allegedly asked to be excused for a religious holiday but was denied the accommodation, the commission said. The company reportedly fired the worker without engaging in the necessary “interactive process” when she did not show up for work.

The company, N.C. Detective Agency, would also take “other corrective actions” including establishing “written policies prohibiting religious discrimination” and “procedures for addressing religious accommodation requests in the future.”

In another announcement, meanwhile, the commission said the Georgia-based Reynolds IGA Foodliner Inc. would pay $65,000 to a Christian worker who asked to have Sundays off to observe the Sabbath.

The employee worked at a Piggly Wiggly supermarket in Hazlehurst, Georgia, the federal agency said. The store reportedly denied her request, with a manager allegedly claiming that “if the store gave the employee Sundays off, it would have to do the same for all other employees.”

The supermarket eventually fired the worker after she repeatedly made the request. In addition to paying the employee tens of thousands of dollars, the company will update and clarify its religious accommodation polices and “provide specialized training to managers, supervisors and human resources personnel.”

Both incidents were alleged violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the employment commission said. Patricia Carrasco, the deputy director for the commission’s Charlotte district, described religious freedom as a “fundamental American right.”

“No American should have to choose between practicing their faith and keeping their job,” Carrasco said. “Federal law protects employees’ right to observe their religion, including participating in religious activities, and employers must provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so would impose an undue hardship.”

In September the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also announced that that it was suing the Texas-based Blue Bell Creameries Inc. for allegedly unlawfully firing a Jewish body shop technician after he requested a religious accommodation.

The ice cream company reportedly fired the employee less than a month after he refused to shave his beard as part of his employment there. The suit alleges that a company supervisor also “baselessly questioned the sincerity of the worker’s religious beliefs on multiple occasions.”

Ripperger agreed to the request, according to a statement from Kelly Clark, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Denver, provided to the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and LifeSiteNews and later posted to the archdiocese’s website.

“Archbishop Golka recently met with Fr. Chad Ripperger to discuss his ministry and his community, the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother,” Clark said. “During that conversation, the Archbishop asked Fr. Ripperger to consider a one-year fast from public speaking and interviews.”

“The time will allow him to devote himself to the Society and to the people it serves,” she continued. “Fr. Ripperger readily agreed. At the end of the year, they will review the arrangement together.”

Golka is “grateful for Fr. Ripperger’s priestly service, exorcism ministry, and for the generous spirit in which he received this request,” the statement continued. “We ask the faithful to join us in praying for Fr. Ripperger and for the Society.”

LifeSiteNews reported Oct. 19 that Ripperger — who in 2012 founded the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother (also known as the Doloran Fathers), a semi-contemplative society of priests located in Keenesburg, Colorado, that focuses on spiritual warfare and traditional Catholic liturgy — had canceled several speaking engagements, including one scheduled for the outlet’s 30th anniversary gala in April 2027.

The archdiocese’s statement did not clarify whether the request would affect any of his other priestly duties, or whether it was disciplinary in nature.

Ripperger has drawn a large audience through appearances on podcasts hosted by Tucker Carlson and Shawn Ryan. In his April interview with Carlson, he spoke about the role of exorcism in the Gospels and what he sees as a decline in belief in the devil among Christians.

“A lot of the Christians will just say, ‘Well, I believe in God, but I don’t necessarily believe in the devil,’” Ripperger told Carlson. “Well, then how can you not believe that this is one of the primary missions of Christ, was to save us from them, ultimately?”

The nearly two-hour conversation also covered psychology, the nature of demons, and the distinction between supernatural and preternatural phenomena.

In his March interview with Ryan, Ripperger took the discussion further, addressing UFOs and alien abductions. He suggested in the four-hour interview that some reported abduction experiences were demonic, saying that if “you strip the veneer of the alien aspect of it off,” what remains is “just demons.”

Discussing Jeffrey Epstein’s island, Ripperger said the layout and things he had read online suggested occult involvement, though he acknowledged he could not be certain about everything he had seen.

In a later July episode, Ryan gifted him a rifle, prompting Ripperger — who had mentioned in their previous interview that he carries a firearm and that his community has a target range — to respond: “We’ll have to use it later this afternoon.”

The archdiocese has not said whether Golka’s request had anything to do with Ripperger’s remarks in either interview.

The development comes amid a larger discussion within the Church about how exorcists should approach speaking to larger audiences through podcasts and media.

A July Register feature examined this recent trend, in which several priests and experts said these appearances help people learn about the Church’s ministry, while others raised concerns that sensational talk about demons can frighten people and take the focus away from Christ.

On June 3, another prominent priest, Monsignor Stephen Rossetti, was removed from his role as an exorcist in the Archdiocese of Washington. Rossetti had previously said in a YouTube video that he believes many UFO sightings are demonic in nature.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

After meeting with AI experts and tech company executives in September, the U.S. bishops announced the creation of the task force as a response to Pope Leo XIV’s urging in his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas to “‘build forms of cooperation’ and cultivate a culture of shared responsibility” concerning the technology. Bishop Oscar Cantù of the Diocese of San José, California, leads the task force.

Members include Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago; Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Seattle; Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of Louisville, Kentucky; Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond, Virginia; Auxiliary Bishop James Massa of Brooklyn, New York; Bishop Michael F. Olson of Fort Worth, Texas; and Auxiliary Bishop Slawomir Szkredka of Los Angeles.

Three academics will serve as consultants to the task force. They include Charles Camosy, professor of moral theology and ethics at The Catholic University of America; Kim Daniels, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University; and Meghan Sullivan, professor of philosophy and director of the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good and Ethics Initiative at the University of Notre Dame.

The group’s focus will be to promote “policies and practices that protect human dignity, religious liberty, democratic institutions, workers, families, and vulnerable populations,” according to the USCCB.

“The Church enters the conversation on this issue as a teacher rather than a customer,” Olson told EWTN News. “It brings 2,000 years of reflection on human dignity, work, relationships, and truth to this conversation. We will listen carefully to Silicon Valley, but we will not outsource our understanding of the human person to it.”

We will listen carefully to Silicon Valley, but we will not outsource our understanding of the human person to it.”

Bishop Michael Olson

Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas

The Fort Worth Diocese adopted AI policies before the release of Leo’s encyclical that binds both clergy and staff, Olson said. “AI must remain a tool in human hands. It can assist human judgment, but it must never replace it, least of all in the care of souls,” he said.

“Nothing from the confessional or spiritual direction may ever be entered into an AI tool,” he said. “Homilies and pastoral counsel must come from a priest’s own prayer and discernment. And decisions about people, such as hiring, discipline, and who receives help, are made by people.”

Olson expressed his concern about ways AI has hurt the elderly and people with disabilities through scams, children through “fake” relationships with chatbots, and students, who are “handing off the very work that forms their minds and critical thinking skills” to AI: “If a technology cannot be made safe for our most vulnerable, it is not ready for the market,” he said.

Knestout said in an Oct. 19 statement that “AI is already having a profound impact on many aspects of our lives and will continue to develop in the coming years,” and it is Catholics’ “responsibility to protect the dignity of the human person as AI takes root and transforms life around us.”

He said Pope Leo’s encyclical “will guide us as we navigate life with AI and face inevitable questions about what it means to be human, created in the image of God.”

The U.S. bishops said in the Oct. 16 announcement that “the task force will emphasize that AI must serve human dignity and the common good” and “will maintain constructive and ongoing dialogues with the frontier labs, research organizations, academic centers and other stakeholders across the United States.”

“Special attention will be given to helping Church leaders understand both the opportunities and risks posed by AI in areas such as education, communications, employment, healthcare, evangelization, governance, and the protection of children and vulnerable persons,” the bishops wrote.

USCCB spokesperson Chieko Noguchi said in September that after their meetings with tech executives and experts, the bishops hoped “to identify ways the Church can contribute to the moral foundation of AI models and steps the companies can take to protect against misuse of their inventions and to guarantee human oversight of the technology.”

“Technology offers extraordinary possibilities, but innovation alone does not tell us what is good,” Caccia said at the Oct. 15 event, according to the Fides News Agency, emphasizing the question of “Whether the progress we seek will truly serve the human person.”

“We still need the kind of judgment that asks whom progress is serving and whether it is serving them well,” he said.

Caccia further emphasized the need for every generation to shape the times in accordance with human dignity for themselves and the well-being of future generations.

The apostolic nuncio then read from a message sent by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on behalf of Pope Leo, who expressed hope that the event would be “a shining example of the solidarity of the human family.”

Leo also called for deepening of ties between nations in support of “the universal principles of human dignity, religious freedom, and common good.” The pope further called for “gentleness and respect” in discussions among attendees and conveyed his prayers and “an abundance of the Most High’s blessings” for the forum’s success.

The forum’s opening day featured a public discussion on overcoming political divisions with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox; David Beasley, former governor of South Carolina and former executive director of the U.N. World Food Programme; and Martin Luther King III, human rights advocate and son of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.; as well as the presentation of a Jewish-Muslim declaration promoting stronger interfaith cooperation.

According to the university’s independent newspaper The Stanford Review, 16 adults were baptized at the 2026 Easter Vigil and 46 candidates were received into full communion with the Catholic Church — a major increase from the historical average of just four per year over the last three decades.

​The growth at Stanford reflects a wider trend among young adults seeking stability, meaning, and purpose.

The surge in interest in Catholic sacramental life at Stanford follows a shift within the campus ministry, led by the Dominican friars, or Order of Preachers, who have served the university for more than 35 years.

​“Stanford is our mission field, and if excellence is on the mind of the people that weʼre serving, we also need to make excellence a part of our ministry,” said Dominican Father Bart Hutcherson, pastor of the CC@S for the past two years.

“There has been a shift in the last couple of years because we decided two years ago that we were really going to focus on the student community. Our real mission, our real reason for existence as a parish on the university campus, is to serve the needs, the spiritual needs, the religious needs of the student population.”

​Hutcherson also noted a shift in student preferences toward sacred history and rich heritage of Catholic culture and theology compared with previous decades.

“Now, I find itʼs shifted so that students are really attracted to a more traditional kind of worship, and we worship in the beautiful church here on Stanfordʼs campus,” the priest said. “It lends itself to more traditional forms of worship, and so my attitude is that our liturgy has to be as majestic and beautiful as the place that we worship. I find that young people are responding to beauty. Beauty is one of those things that, you know, in Catholic tradition, we call it ‘transcendental.’ So many people are responding to that in a really glorious way, and so what we’ve seen is an increase in the number of people that participate in our worship on Sunday.”

​Longtime faculty members have also witnessed this shift firsthand across the campus community.

Stanford professor and director of its Religious Liberty Clinic James Sonne said increased interest in the Catholic faith is one of the most remarkable developments he has seen in his time on campus, which is more than a decade.

​“From my perspective, Stanford is a particularly encouraging place for students of all faiths,” he told EWTN News. “For Catholics, the vibrancy of that community here reflects in many ways a new springtime for the Church, rooted in hope, love, and mercy, that Pope John Paul II famously envisioned.”

​Sonne also highlighted the unique contribution of Dominican friars serving the university’s intellectual and spiritual needs, stating that their joy and hope are one of the best gifts they have to offer the community, as valuable as their intellect and understanding of the Catholic Church.

Sonne noted how defending religious freedom fosters human connection across diverse backgrounds.​ “In a program that honors religious liberty as a universal right through supervised advocacy for clients of all faiths, our students’ thoughtful and collaborative work for individuals and communities who suffer for their beliefs has illustrated that such liberty can and should be a uniting human value for those of any or no religious faith,” he said.

At an institution like Stanford, where graduate students make up a significant portion of its student body, intellectual inquiry and community play essential roles in attracting newcomers and religious seekers. Doctoral candidate Lisa Archuleta, who also serves as co-president of the Stanford Graduate Catholic Student Association (GCSA), recalled her initial arrival on campus and her desire to stay close to her faith.

​“My faith is always something that I’ve taken with me wherever I’ve gone,” Archuleta told EWTN News. “I knew coming to Stanford wouldn’t be any different. Stepping into leadership was something that called me during my second year of my Ph.D., but I didn’t actually help until my third year. Now, I’m serving as co-president, and I have the opportunity to connect with students intentionally and intimately. Our mission focuses on empowering grad students to flourish in all aspects of their life. Every year since I’ve been a grad student, we’ve grown as a community and expanded the different events we host.”

For Archuleta and many others, GCSA’s offering of space where rigorous academic inquiry and Catholic dogma intersect is a saving grace.

​“GCSA hosts monthly dinners and talks where we invite speakers from all over to speak on topics from ‘Art and AI’ to ‘How to Pray in Grad School’ to ‘Being Gay and Catholic.’ The wide range of topics allows for students to bring their curiosities and intellectual interests into conversation with the Catholic faith,” Archuleta explained.

​Hutcherson told EWTN News that Stanford students are drawn specifically to Catholicism’s 2,000-year philosophical and theological tradition rooted in consistent teaching and the philosophy of the West.

​“I think that the intellectual minds of a place like Stanford, who are not looking for quick, easy answers, I think that the intellectual tradition of the Church really does give them something to sink their teeth into,” he said.

​For many students navigating demanding academic loads and heavily packed schedules, frequent access to Eucharistic adoration, daily Mass, and personal fellowship provides an essential spiritual anchor.

​“During my time here, I’ve definitely noticed a huge shift toward Catholicism, and more generally, community amongst grad students over the past two years,” Archuleta said. “One major initiative that Father Chrysostom {Mijinke, OP] and Father Bart have provided at CC@S is multiple opportunities for weekly Eucharistic adoration and confessions. For me, this was huge. I knew that there were set times where I could encounter the Blessed Sacrament, which provided a solid foundation for my continual spiritual development.”

​Beyond structured lectures and classes, personal encounters and peer mentorship remain the heart of evangelization on campus. Archuleta reflected on how one of the most fulfilling moments during her time at Stanford was meeting a dear friend through one of their mutual classes and connecting through Mass, guiding each other through their faith journeys. A quarter of the school year later, he asked Archuleta to be his confirmation sponsor.

​While hesitant to declare a nationwide trend based on local figures alone, Hutcherson recognized that in his 30 years of working in the university’s campus ministry, something remarkable is taking place among Gen Z Catholics at Stanford and beyond.

​“Iʼve been hesitant to call it a revival. I donʼt think that we have enough data to say itʼs a revival,” Hutcherson said. “The Spirit is moving in remarkable ways. And thatʼs what Iʼm seeing now in a way that I havenʼt seen in a while … thereʼs a group of people that are willing to express their love for Jesus and his Church and her teachings. So Godʼs doing great things.”

Kaczmarzyk’s solution involved an electric scooter, a little comedy, and a willingness to step outside his comfort zone by using social media — all in the hope of helping more people encounter Jesus Christ.

Born and raised in Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland, Kaczmarzyk lived there with his parents and younger brother until he was 25, after which he moved to the United States to attend seminary.

He remembers first thinking about becoming a priest at the age of 6. However, as he grew up, he realized that being a priest meant sacrificing having a family. After high school, he went to college in Warsaw and planned to become a nuclear physicist.

“I went to like a Polish MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] in Warsaw. And thatʼs actually what I called my Damascus — like Paul riding to Damascus, I was riding on a train to Warsaw to pursue my dreams and thatʼs when God caught me,” he told EWTN News.

When he arrived at the university, Kaczmarzyk met several people who began to encourage him to pray, read the Bible, and get more involved in his faith.

“Slowly this desire since childhood came back to the surface level,” he said. “And I kind of felt weird because my love for physics, for science, was going down, and then my love for God was increasing day by day.”

After six months, Kaczmarzyk dropped out of college and entered the seminary. Originally, he felt called to become a missionary priest, with the desire “to be like the apostles.”

“I didn’t want to be just the boring priest of a parish in Poland. Thatʼs not me. I wanted to go into Africa, Asia, other cultures, languages, [and] dangers,” he said. “I told my parents I want to become a missionary… Well, my parents thought I was crazy. Even my dad was like, ‘You might get killed,’ and Iʼm like, ‘Thatʼs even better. I will be a martyr, that’s an express path to heaven, sign me up.’”

While Kaczmarzyk did not end up becoming a missionary priest, two years into his time at the diocesan seminary in Poland he still had the desire to go somewhere else. After an online search looking for Polish seminaries outside of Poland, Kaczmarzyk ended up transferring to Sts. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan. He was then invited by the Archdiocese of Denver to become one of its diocesan priests, and in 2019 he was ordained to the priesthood.

New assignment brings opportunity

Kaczmarzyk’s new tenure at Christ on the Mountain Parish is his first as a pastor. He had previously been a parochial vicar at several other parishes in the archdiocese. When he received the assignment from Archbishop Samuel Aquila, former archbishop of Denver, he was told to help get people back into the Church and on fire for Christ.

“I pray my Holy Hour at 6 a.m. every morning and Iʼm just sitting with my cup of coffee and my pj’s in front of the Blessed Sacrament in the rectory and Iʼm like, ‘Jesus, I need your help because, I donʼt know, I mean, comparing my parish to five loaves and two fish, feels like not much, but you can do something with it,’” he recalled.

This became Kaczmarzyk’s daily prayer. Then, he came across the parish’s Facebook page.

“It only had like 200 followers. No one knew the password from my staff,” he said. “They’re like, ‘Father, there was a girl who set it up but sheʼs gone and no one knows the password.’ So, Iʼm like, ‘Well, letʼs call this Project Lazarus and see what happens because itʼs right now dead and I need to ask Jesus to resurrect it.’”

Thinking he could use social media as a way to engage with his parishioners and potentially attract more people to the parish, Kaczmarzyk began to post. But it wasn’t until he posted a picture of himself riding an electric scooter to Mass that the page took off.

Kaczmarzyk explained that the rectory is half a mile away from the parish. Instead of driving his car, he wanted to save gas money so he bought the cheapest electric scooter he could find on Amazon and began riding it to Mass on Sundays — even while wearing his cassock.

One day after Mass, a parishioner took a picture of Kaczmarzyk on the scooter and sent it to him. He then made a simple post on Facebook with the photo. The next morning, he had an inbox full of positive messages, even emails from the local Denver news channels wanting to speak with him.

“Iʼm like, why are we excited about a priest riding a scooter? I’m always telling people we have 2,000 years of history, so many saints … I’m just riding my scooter and that’s more popular than Thomas Aquinas? I’m like, ‘What are you doing, people?’”

After that, Kaczmarzyk began to realize the potential social media could have to reach more people with the message of the Gospel and continued to share photos and videos on the parish’s Facebook page and on his own Instagram and TikTok pages.

Kaczmarzyk is also well known for using humor during his homilies. At his previous parish, he even headlined a sold-out comedy show event for the parishioners alongside the parish’s pastor.

The priest now combines his sense of humor with the truths the Catholic Church teaches to make funny yet applicable reels and memes, and more serious content such as his one-minute homily video series.

But behind the humorous videos and creative outreach is a priest who admits that putting himself out there doesnʼt come naturally.

“I’m an introvert, a classic one,” Kaczmarzyk said.

However, his desire to bring people closer to Christ has forced him to push himself beyond his comfort zone, he said. Whether heʼs posting short videos online, hosting comedy shows, or gathering parishioners for informal conversations over a pint, he sees each one as an opportunity to reach people who might not otherwise walk through his church doors.

“Social media, it helps because you have so many people on each platform, people maybe who do not practice their faith anymore, and if I use my humor, it helps,” he said. “Itʼs not like a serious message all the time … When I do some kind of funny skit or whatever, then people see first of all, Iʼm normal, Iʼm human, I can be funny and then maybe they want to come to church on Sunday because thatʼs the goal, of course — for people to come back to the Church, to Jesus — not to me.”

He added: “The main goal is, of course, to bring people in so they come to Jesus, they meet him through the sacraments, specifically the Eucharist [and] confession. So social media is great tool, but itʼs just a tool; itʼs not the end of all of it. Itʼs just the tool to bring people in so they can fall in love with God.”

Hunt pushed back, drawing applause when she said the Bible does address abortion, as one of the Ten Commandments is “Thou shalt not kill,” and that Catholics are insulted when it is suggested otherwise.

Following the exchange, Hunt told EWTN News she thinks Talarico was trying to appear as a “centrist” to undecided voters, or Republicans unhappy with the party, but she does not think he was convincing.

“While it’s important to look at the whole picture of a candidate when discerning who to vote for,” she said, “respect for human life must drive everything else.”

Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson agreed, responding to the exchange on social media: “The right to life is the premier moral issue because all human rights depend upon the human person being alive. The right to life is the common ground for the morality of all issues considered in policies involving human dignity and the common good.”

“I’ve yet to see a candidate where I really have to think about it, where they’re pro-abortion but align with me on other issues,” Hunt added.

During the town hall, Talarico made a point of calling Pope Francis and Pope Leo  XIV “two of my favorite spiritual heroes” for being “consistently pro-life” on poverty, climate change, and war as well as abortion.

“I appreciate that he highlighted some of the social causes Catholics care about and mentioned the popes,” Hunt said. “But he was sidestepping. I thought it was a very politician-thing to do.”

Hunt said if she had the opportunity to push back more, she would have pressed him on how Catholics can trust he will do the right thing concerning climate change or the poor when he won’t defend the lives of the most vulnerable.

“If we can’t trust him to protect the most innocent among us, we can’t trust he’ll do anything he says,” Hunt explained.

Talarico went on to reframe abortion as “a public policy problem” rather than a  moral issue, saying both sides share the goal of fewer “unplanned or unwanted pregnancies,” to be achieved through “scientifically valid sex education” and access to contraception, the use of which is intrinsically wrong, the Church teaches.

“If I believed that abortion was murder or that it was against the Ten Commandments, then of course I would be against it, but we can just agree to disagree,” he said.

Susan Hanssen, a history professor at the University of Dallas, told EWTN News she was “shocked at how deceptive he [Talarico] is.”

“He lies to Christians about their own beliefs, and he does it very smoothly,” she said, noting his inconsistency in his claim that the Bible is silent on abortion. On “The Joe Rogan Experience” in 2025, recalling the biblical story of the Annunciation to support his position on abortion, Talarico said: “God asks for Mary’s consent … so to me, that is an affirmation in one of our most central stories that creation has to be done with consent. You cannot force someone to create.”

“He also tried to put the idea that abortion is murder into the category of debatable belief,” Hanssen said. “No one in their right mind thinks that abortion kills anything but a baby human. It’s not a statement of religious belief, it’s just a statement of science and biology.”

In the aftermath of the exchange, the University of Dallas beamed about how Hunt handled the moment.

“Dr. Hunt demonstrated how to stand firmly in oneʼs faith while engaging respectfully with those who hold different views,” the university said, adding that she “exemplifies UDʼs mission to form leading citizens who bring their convictions into the public square with courage, clarity, and respect.”

Catholic commentator Kathryn Jean Lopez also praised Hunt’s participation, saying that in the exchange with Talarico she “demonstrated what it means to be a responsible Catholic engaged in our political life.”

This story was updated at 1:15 p.m. ET on Oct. 19, 2026, with Talarico’s quotes from the Joe Rogan podcast.

Season 6 of “The Chosen” will include six episodes — the first three of which will debut on Nov. 15 on Prime Video, followed by the release of a weekly episode through Dec. 6.

The season finale will be a stand-alone theatrical release on March 12, 2027.

“It was painful to shoot, and it’s painful to contemplate,” Dallas Jenkins, creator of the show, wrote on the show’s Instagram account.

He added: “But if there’s one thing I want you to take away from this season, it’s that Jesus chose this path. He even tells the apostles he could be rescued from it if he wanted. He chose surrender and humility and sacrifice. Knowing that should make this story a little less painful.”

“Season 5 was the powder keg. In Season Six, it explodes,” he concluded.

The trailer depicts the moments leading up to Jesus’ scourging and crucifixion. The episodes will depict the events from the perspective of those who were close to Jesus and those who took part in his condemnation — the Pharisees speak of justice, the Romans of peace, and Jesus’ followers see it as a murder.

In a press release earlier this year, Jenkins said: “Everyone knows the basics of this part of the story, but not everyone knows the ‘why’ of the crucifixion and the extraordinary events of these 24 hours. We realized this not only deserved a season of television but a standalone full-length theatrical event as well. We wrote and filmed all of it with this in mind.”

The show’s star, actor Jonathan Roumie, has spoken about his experience portraying Jesus’ passion and crucifixion.

In an interview with EWTN News at ChosenCon on Feb. 20 he said: “For the first few months afterwards going to Mass — and even thinking about it now — I just get weepy. I get emotional. It’s hard. It’s left an indelible impression on me — mentally and emotionally sharing even just a percentage, a micron of a percentage, of the Lord’s passion; playing it and reenacting it has left me absolutely humbled and moved.”

The new trailer already has over 1 million views on YouTube in the 24 hours since its release.

“Even if you have not been personally affected by the increased immigration enforcement in our region, many of those who sit alongside you in the pews have been affected, with some already having been detained,” wrote Brennan, whose diocese covers a large portion of the southern Central Valley.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have not announced any specific operations targeting California or its Central Valley. However, local media have reported a surge in enforcement in recent weeks.

In his pastoral letter, Brennan said pastors reported to him that “members of their congregations have been taken away abruptly and with little or no information coming from federal agents.” He said he has been in contact with priests and interfaith and advocacy partners about ways to “help, comfort and accompany our people” amid the reported surge.”

“It breaks my heart,” the bishop wrote. “... Many of those caught up in this recent immigration enforcement in our Valley are not strangers to us — they are family, neighbors, and parishioners who are being uprooted from the lives they have built over many years among us.”

‘Indiscriminate’ raids

Brennan noted that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) voted 216-5 to approve a special message that the bishops oppose “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” during the 2025 Fall Plenary Assembly. He then expressed concern that Central Valley raids appear to be indiscriminate.

“These people are valued and beloved, they are part of the fabric of our community,” he said. “It is frightening to them and disturbing to us that these current operations seem to have taken on an indiscriminate nature with little regard for the dignity of the human person.”

“Our Church teaches that every human person possesses an inherent dignity,” the bishop continued. “This dignity is not granted by governments, economic status, citizenship, or legal documentation. It is given by God.”

A spokesperson for DHS did not confirm any specific operation targeting California.

“For operational security and the safety of our officers, ICE will not disclose or discuss law enforcement operations,” the spokesperson said. “Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country including in California.”

The spokesperson defended ongoing immigration enforcement: “To most Americans our ICE officers are heroes as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists.”

The spokesperson provided a list of five people they labeled as “public safety threats” arrested in California, which included people convicted of vehicular manslaughter, aggravated assault with a gun, burglary, homicide, and selling drugs.

Church ‘will not be silent’

In his pastoral letter, Brennan said the Church “will not be silent” and “will accompany our vulnerable neighbors in concrete, sustained ways.”

“We will strive to be a loving presence in our society for our brothers and sisters,” Brennan said.

“Our parishes will be present to them for healing and comfort,” he said. “Accompaniment might take the shape of walking with families through long and complicated legal proceedings, showing up at immigration court, organizing transportation and childcare, and refusing to let anyone face this situation alone. We will speak up for them and will encourage one another to see this work of justice as a part of our baptismal call.”

Accompaniment might take the shape of walking with families through long and complicated legal proceedings, showing up at immigration court, organizing transportation and childcare, and refusing to let anyone face this situation alone. We will speak up for them and will encourage one another to see this work of justice as a part of our baptismal call.”

Bishop Joseph Brennan

Diocese of Fresno, California

The bishop called for “real change and real reform,” saying “our country and our elected officials must do better,” calling for “tangible results that reflect meaningful and just immigration reform.”

“Until such reform is achieved, the dignity of our immigrant brothers and sisters must remain in the forefront of whatever shape our efforts might take,” he wrote. “In the midst of those efforts, to be sure, we are navigating in a chaotic and emotionally charged time. I encourage the faithful to pray for one another and to act out of a spirit of communion in all things, bridging divisions and treating one another peacefully and with compassion.”

“We are in this together,” Brennan wrote. “God bless you and those you love, always and in every way.”

According to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz, a 16-year-old forced his way into the elementary school by shooting through locked doors before opening fire inside. The gunman killed three children, ages 5, 8, and 11, alongside a teacher before he was shot and killed at the scene by a bystander who had spotted him entering the building. A 7-year-old student and another teacher were rushed to a local hospital with critical injuries.

A teacher who was in a classroom on campus during the entire ordeal, Kathy Sheil Smith, spoke with CNN affiliate KPTV on Thursday night, saying of the students: “They were so afraid. The looks on their faces was really hard to see.” 

Speaking to what occurred on the ground, she saw the shooter enter the school from her classroom window. After alerting the main office, she moved her students to a corner of the classroom to shelter in place. “Some kids were praying; some kids were consoling other kids,” Smith said.

As shots were heard across the school, she said some teachers imagined they wouldn’t make it out alive.

“I’m sure that every teacher at the school thought, ‘Today is the day that I am going to die,’” she said through tears.

The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of pastoral care and community support across the state, with hundreds attending a candelight vigil Thursday night.

“We expect that our schools are safe places for our children and all who pass through their doors. When a tragedy like this occurs, it shakes us to our core,” wrote Bishop Thomas Hennen of the Diocese of Baker — which encompasses the city of Bend — in a letter offering his “heartfelt prayers for those whose lives were taken in the shooting.”

Acknowledging the overwhelming wave of emotions confronting the city, Hennen pointed to faith, solidarity, and action as the path forward.

“It is only natural that we would be flooded with emotions at a time like this — shock, grief, fear, confusion, anger,” Hennen wrote. “Even as more is known about what happened, there are no adequate answers for why this happened. We can only mourn, support each other, and pledge ourselves to doing everything in our power to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

The prelate said the entire “Catholic community of central and eastern Oregon mourns with the families of the victims, the Silver Rail community and the city of Bend.”

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, emergency responders transported surviving students and staff by bus to a nearby church, where families and guardians were reunified with their loved ones.

Speaking at an evening media briefing, Krantz noted that law enforcement notified all victim families and that an active, thorough investigation remains underway.

Local officials and state leaders emphasized the need for communal healing, counseling, and mutual support in the days ahead.

“In the coming days, there will be opportunities to gather, including a community vigil tonight, to mourn together, honor those affected and those lost, and begin the difficult process of healing,” Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler said.

At the state level, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek confirmed that the Department of Emergency Management is actively coordinating resources to assist the local community.

“We must come together and support each other, neighbor to neighbor, Oregonian to Oregonian,” Kotek said.

Crisis counselors have also been mobilized across the school district to help students and families.

Archbishop Alexander Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland also issued a statement, offering spiritual closeness to the grieving families and the broader community.

“No family should ever have to experience such fear and heartbreak. Please know that you are not alone,” Sample said. “I hold you close in prayer, and the Church stands with you in this time of sorrow.”

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

In November 2025, the charity faced a potential six-year debarment based on concerns DHS identified after a review of CCRGV’s administration of several federal programs, including the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s Emergency Food and Shelter program and its Shelter and Services Program.

CCRGV received approximately $16.2 million in federal grant awards from the DHS for fiscal year 2024, its last funded cycle before the program ended. The money came through FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program in two rounds: $7,421,965 in the April 2024 and an additional $8,788,186 that September, according to figures released by Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, whose district includes part of the Rio Grande Valley.

Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of CCRGV, said in February 2025, however, that the organization left much of the fiscal year 2024 money undrawn as the number of migrants arriving at its McAllen respite center fell to nearly zero after President Trump took office.

In an interview with EWTN News, Pimentel said that after DHS had reviewed the organization’s records, “there was a percentage of incorrect data” that had been entered by staff who were “inputting, registering, and taking down [immigrants’] information.”

She said that previously, a large influx of immigrant families “were arriving on a daily basis,” and “100% of them were brought to us by the U.S. Border Patrol.”

DHS told EWTN News that it had found “deficiencies in grant-related recordkeeping, data accuracy, and internal controls,” including missed deadlines and inaccuracies in migrant intake data.

In a statement she made concerning the matter last November, Pimentel said: “I take very seriously every single dollar entrusted to us,” adding that CCRGV was “committed to compliance with federal grant requirements” and would “work expeditiously with DHS to resolve this matter.”

Pimentel, a sister of the Missionaries of Jesus, said that after a meeting with DHS this past spring, the federal agency “notified us that the debarment was lifted as long as we proceeded to follow through with our commitment to report how we were using the funding in the future” in order “to make sure that those errors would not happen again.”

DHS said the matter was resolved this past May through an administrative agreement that remains in effect for 36 months and requires CCRGV to “maintain enhanced compliance and oversight measures.”

“Failure to comply may result in further administrative action, including suspension or debarment,” DHS said.

In its November 2025 letter to CCRGV obtained by Fox News, DHS Acting General Counsel Joseph Mazzarra told Pimentel that “regardless of whether these problems stem from gross mismanagement or an affirmative intent to facilitate lawlessness, this pattern must end.”

Pimentel told EWTN News that “the good thing about funding being restored is that we receive funding for many reasons, not just for immigrants,” including “for emergency assistance for our communities, one of the poorest areas in the United States.”

She said that though the flow of immigrants has stopped, the agency still materially aids many individuals and families in the Rio Grande Valley.

“No matter how limited we are in resources, even when we can barely make it,  we are still wanting to help our neighbor that is struggling,” Pimentel said. “Itʼs so important that you donʼt hold back from doing whatʼs good.”

The ballot measure, titled “Prohibit Government Closure of Places of Worship During Emergencies Amendment (2026),” would alter Section 18 of Article I of Wisconsin’s state constitution to include the sentence: “nor shall the state or a political subdivision of the state order the closure of or forbid gatherings in places of worship in response to a state of emergency at the national, state, or local level, including an emergency related to public health.”

“Although the Wisconsin Catholic Conference did not take a position on the constitutional amendment, we discussed possible changes with the authors,” David Earleywine, executive director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, told EWTN News. Earleywine declined to elaborate on what changes were discussed.

“Religious liberty is the fundamental right to practice one’s faith openly without fear or coercion. Pope Leo XIV recently said that it is the ‘cornerstone of any just society,’” he said. “Freedom to gather for worship is only one important aspect of religious liberty and religious conduct, both of which extend beyond the four walls of a house of worship.”

The measure comes more than six years after the Diocese of Madison threatened to sue the local government of Dane County over its imposition of a 50-person cap on Mass attendance in 2020.

Bishop Donald Hying of Madison told EWTN News at the time that “as bishop, it is my duty to ensure that our sacraments are available to the Catholic faithful, while following best practices when it comes to public health.”

"Religious liberty enshrines freedom of conscience, the right to worship, and the right of religious organizations to serve the common good in the public square. A ballot initiative this fall speaks to that right,” Hying said in his Oct. 15 column in the Madison Catholic Herald.

Similarly, in an Oct. 2 video message on voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Hying addressed the ballot initiative, saying: "Thereʼs a ballot initiative in Wisconsin this year that speaks about the importance of the primacy for houses of worship to remain open during potential future pandemics.”

“We know that that right to worship, that religious liberty, is a foundational part of our Constitution but also our life as Christians,” Hying said. “The Mass for us is everything.”

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee declined requests for an interview or comment.

In a Oct. 14 letter, six Catholic leaders expressed concern over a June 18 legal opinion in which the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) reversed its long-standing interpretation of Olmstead v. L.C.

Olmstead v L.C. is a 1999 Supreme Court decision that ruled that unjustified institutional isolation of people with disabilities is a form of unlawful discrimination under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In its June opinion, the OLC said that neither Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) nor Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act imposes a general legal obligation on states to provide services to people with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.

The OLC also said that the Supreme Court’s decision did not establish the broad integration mandate that the DOJ and most federal courts had understood it to require, and that the ADA does not require community placement whenever a treating professional considers it appropriate, an individual wants it, and community services can reasonably be provided.

The OLC opinion also argued that these factors are relevant but do not necessarily exhaust the justifications states may offer for institutional care. It stressed that the Supreme Court had not conclusively resolved which justifications are legally permissible.

The practical implication of the OLC’s interpretation is that it would give states greater latitude to maintain institutional care and narrow the legal basis for requiring states to expand or provide community-based alternatives.

The Catholic signatories to the letter described the OLC opinion as “deeply troubling” and urged Congress to “do everything in its power to affirm the rights of persons living with disabilities to flourish in their families and communities.”

“Congress must act to protect the programs, policies, and resources that persons with disabilities and their families rely on to thrive,” the letter stated.

The letter’s signatories include Archbishop Shelton Fabre, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Bishop Edward Burns, chair of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth; Sister Mary Haddad, RSM, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association of the United States; Leo Zanchettin, board chair of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability; Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA; and Father Chris Kellerman, SJ, secretary of justice and ecology for the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.

The leaders grounded their appeal in Catholic teaching on the dignity and rights of people with disabilities. The 1978 “Pastoral Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops on Persons with Disabilities” states that the Church’s defense of the right to life “implies the defense of other rights that enable the disabled individual to achieve the fullest measure of personal development of which he or she is capable.” These include equal opportunities in education, employment, and housing as well as access to public accommodations, facilities, and services.

With this in mind, “institutionalization should be a last resort because it deprives persons of these rights and opportunities while also stripping communities of the presence and participation of such persons,” the letter declared.

The letter emphasized that parishes, schools, and social and health ministries across the country “are enriched and blessed by the opportunity to worship with, serve alongside, and learn from persons with disabilities.”

The signatories of the letter said that the path forward begins with the family, “which Church teaching regards as essential for persons to flourish.”

“In this vein, when the Supreme Court decided Olmstead in 1999, it recognized that most persons with disabilities can thrive with their families or in community-based settings, and that the government has an obligation to support them to the extent possible,” the letter stated. “As a result, Catholic hospitals, charities, schools, ministries, and parishes across the country work with public services to ensure persons with disabilities and their families have the resources they need to live healthy, vibrant, and productive lives.”

Therefore, the Catholic leaders called Olmstead v L.C. a “linchpin” of this system and warned that “without its civil rights framework, persons with disabilities, their families, and the community organizations that support them simply will not have access to the resources they need and deserve.”

The signatories expressed support for members of Congress who have already called on the administration to rescind the OLC opinion and encouraged other lawmakers to join the effort.

“Congress should do everything in its power to protect persons living with disabilities — including reaffirming that the ADA requires states and local governments to provide services to persons with disabilities in their communities when appropriate,” the letter stated.

“Tell your readership how important it is to be praying for the dioceses that are facing this, what I would describe as a very diabolical initiative,” Las Vegas Archbishop George Leo Thomas told EWTN News.

On Nov. 3, the public in three states will vote on referendums to establish a “right” to abortion: Nevada, Virginia, and Idaho. In Missouri, people will vote on a pro-life referendum that would repeal the state’s constitutional right to abortion.

Bishops in each state have advocated against abortion for months. In many cases, this includes statements on the referendums, flyers, and prayer cards at parishes, and asking priests to teach congregations about the sanctity of life. In some cases, it extends to calls for fasting and efforts to register voters and get them to the polls.

American bishops do not endorse political candidates. Yet, bishops have advocated for or against specific ballot initiatives when Church teachings, such as the sanctity of life, are implicated.

Nevada bishops wage ‘uphill battle’

The bishops in Nevada are waging what Thomas called “an uphill battle” to defeat a referendum to establish “a fundamental right to abortion” in the state constitution.

In Nevada, amendments need a majority vote via referendum in two consecutive elections. In the last statewide election in 2024, the referendum won support from 64% of voters. Another majority this year would complete the process.

Thomas said he and Diocese of Reno Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg have worked closely to align their messaging and strategy to defeat the amendment. This includes printed material offered to parishes, created by the Nevada Catholic Conference, and a planned full-page advertisement for newspapers in Las Vegas and Reno.

Both bishops wrote pastoral letters labeling the referendum dangerous. Thomas instructed priests in his archdiocese to read it aloud at Mass for Respect Life Sunday on Oct. 4.

“Unborn children have no voice and cannot defend themselves,” he wrote in the letter, available in both English and Spanish. “As Catholics, our faith requires us to protect the inherent dignity of every human life and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Thomas said every priest is obligated to “very clearly and lucidly teach Catholic social and moral teaching in his community,” noting each life is created in the image of God “from conception until natural death.”

Although the referendum allows the state to restrict abortion access after fetal viability, which is the point at which a child can survive outside the womb, the proposal’s definition says this is determined by the “treating health care practitioner," who is often the abortion doctor. It states abortion access extends through the ninth month of pregnancy if needed to “protect the life or health” of the mother, but the measure does not separately define “health.”

Current Nevada law prohibits abortion 26 weeks after the woman’s last menstrual period. The archbishop said the referendum extends abortion rights through “potentially the ninth month of pregnancy,” though courts have not ruled on that interpretation.

The referendum would extend abortion access to “all individuals,” which Thomas argued would eliminate parental notification laws for minors who seek abortion. The referendum permits abortion by “a qualified health care practitioner” and does not specify a “physician.”

“It’s another very serious and damaging expansion of an already liberal law,” the archbishop said.

Virginia bishops push voter registration

The two dioceses in Virginia — Arlington and Richmond — are battling a similar referendum to enshrine “a fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” which includes “abortion care,” in their state constitution, which would be adopted with a majority vote.

Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington and Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond penned a letter instructing Catholics of their “sacred duty to form our consciences prayerfully and correctly, and to vote NO” on the abortion referendum and a separate referendum that would enshrine same-sex marriage in the constitution, which was read aloud at parishes throughout the commonwealth.

Burbidge called Catholics to pray and fast ahead of the vote, and his diocese is operating the Catholics Vote No campaign and encouraging the diocesan faithful to sign on to a pledge to vote no on both referendums.

Amy McInerny, director of Respect Life at the Diocese of Arlington’s Office of Marriage, Family, and Respect Life, told EWTN News: “Some demons are only driven out by prayer and fasting,” citing Christ’s words in Matthew 17.

The dioceses, working through the Virginia Catholic Conference, published prayer cards for “protection from the extreme abortion amendment” and “an end to the grave evil of abortion” for parishes. They provided parishes with flyers about the referendum and abortion laws in the state, along with a flyer containing voter registration information.

“These two ballot questions are moral issues,” McInerny said.

Some parishes are actively registering Catholics to vote and holding voter registration drives. McInerny said there’s a strong effort to “turn out the vote,” and the Arlington Diocese encourages parishes to “check in with their homebound and those who are in nursing homes” and college students “who might need help to get absentee ballots.”

The referendum would allow some abortion restrictions in the third trimester, but not if abortion is necessary to protect “the life or physical or mental health.” It does not define this standard, leaving it to the discretion of the physician, who is often the abortion doctor. The legal right to abortion is extended to “every individual” and not just adults.

McInerny said the language essentially allows abortion “even for healthy babies, up until birth,” though courts have not ruled on that interpretation, and “will include minor girls,” which jeopardizes parental consent laws. She said it would create “a safe space for groomers and predators and traffickers who want to prey on our girls.”

Virginia law allows abortion access through the 26th week of pregnancy.

Idaho’s ‘most important issue’ until November

Diocese of Boise Bishop Peter Christensen is actively engaging with parish priests to ensure pro-life messaging is heard regularly at Mass throughout his diocese, which covers the entire state, ahead of its vote on an abortion referendum.

Unlike Virginia and Nevada, the referendum in Idaho would change state law rather than amend the constitution. It would supersede the current state law, which prohibits most abortion access, and create a right to “reproductive freedom,” which includes “abortion.”

“This is the most important issue for all of us until November,” Christian Welp, director of diocesan projects, told EWTN News.

Welp said the diocese provided a package to every priest offering guidelines on pro-life messaging in homilies and prayer intentions ahead of the vote. It includes prayer cards, which priests are asked to read at every daily and Sunday Mass. The bishop also wrote a letter, which was read aloud at Mass throughout the diocese.

“By coming together as a family in prayer, raising awareness, and taking meaningful action, we can make a powerful difference in responding to this anti-life, anti-family initiative by advocating for the protection of the most vulnerable members of our society,” Christensen wrote.

The referendum would allow lawmakers to restrict abortion at the point of fetal viability, which is determined by the physician, who is often the abortion doctor, but cannot restrict late-term abortion if there is a medical emergency. It would also extend abortion rights to “every person,” not just adults.

Welp said the referendum “allows for abortion up to viability, but then redefines viability,” saying the language could allow abortions “well into the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy.” He said the extension of this right to every person would include minors and effectively “does away with parental consent.”

“Even if youʼre pro-choice, this goes too far,” Welp said. “This is too extreme.”

Missouri seeks to reverse trend

Missouri is the only state in which voters will be presented with a pro-life referendum, which would repeal the state’s constitutional right to abortion that was adopted via referendum in 2024 with support from 51.6% of voters.

“It has been a major focus of all four dioceses and of all four bishops,” Kathleen Lavery, communications director of the Missouri Catholic Conference — which represents the state’s dioceses — told EWTN News.

Lavery said the dioceses are working toward “trying to pass [the] amendment.” The referendum itself would not ban abortions or set a week-based limit but rather allow lawmakers to pass laws to restrict it in most cases. It would only prevent laws that ban abortion in cases of incest or rape within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy or in medical emergencies at any point in pregnancy.

The conference provided printed material, signs, and palm cards for parishes, and a webpage to “help people educate themselves about the amendment,” she said. Speakers from diocesan Respect Life offices are speaking at the end of Mass and visiting Catholic events, such as Knights of Columbus gatherings.

All four bishops unified on the message early, putting out a joint statement that the dignity of the human person is “threatened by the pro-abortion amendment passed in 2024.” They called for Catholics “and all people of good will” to join in prayer and fasting for the referendum’s success.

“We have put together information for our priests as well to help them educate the faithful,” Lavery said.

She noted there are “get out the vote” efforts at the parish level and said: “This amendment’s really going to come down to which side can activate its base and get people to the polls.”

“I’m very cautiously optimistic,” Lavery said. “I think we have a very good chance of winning this.”

In an Oct. 14 message, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley, said that while Americans might be feeling discouraged from voting because we live in “a time of deep political division,” such discouragement “is not a Christian virtue.”

Coakley emphasized that for citizens in a representative democracy, “participation in public life — including voting — is both a right and a responsibility.”

“I would ask all Catholics to put their faith before politics,” Coakley exhorted, as he called on the faithful to “judge candidates and elected officials by their actions, not merely their promises, and how those actions promote the common good.”

Meanwhile, the advocacy group CatholicVote on Oct. 15 issued voter guides for key races in seven states. The guides evaluate where the candidates in these races stand on abortion, religious freedom, school choice, gender ideology, judicial appointments, and immigration law enforcement.

“We have chosen seven states — a total of 24 races or ballot initiatives — where we know the Catholic turnout can be the make-or-break difference,” said CatholicVote Director of Political Operations Logan Church. The organization’s guides are targeted to specific races in the states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

In addition to state-specific information on candidates and issues, the CatholicVote effort includes links to help Catholics register to vote, request an absentee ballot, or find a polling place to vote. As CatholicVote President Kelsey Reinhardt sees it, “if Christians do not take up their duty in political life, we will be governed by those whose values are antithetical to our own.”

At present, the group is urging Catholics to vote early, which “ensures your vote is counted because nothing keeps you away from the ballot box on Election Day.”

The latest USCCB midterms message, meanwhile, features a more general, blanket exhortation to Catholics to form their consciences and listen “to the Gospel call to love God and all our neighbors.”

“May Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, bless our nation as we turn once more to elections, that we might respect the dignity of each person and promote the common good of all,” Coakley concluded.

The president said in a Truth Social post on Oct. 15 that while he still believes “streaming the execution for all to see might have been a strong deterrent for the World to witness how America deals with Terrorists and SCUM like Hasan … many very good and well meaning people would rather not watch him die, through streaming, or through any other visual device.” 

Trump said the execution of the convicted mass shooter will still take place by firing squad on Dec. 3 and the victims’ immediate families will still be allowed to attend.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell had announced Oct. 5 on X that Trump had approved Hasan’s execution. On Oct. 8, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an interview with Real Americaʼs Voice that the execution would be livestreamed from Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, where Hasan, a psychiatrist and former Army major, killed 14 people, including an unborn baby, and wounded 32 others in the terrorist attack.

The U.S. bishops have strongly opposed the decision to livestream the execution. Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, issued a joint statement with the Texas Catholic bishops Oct. 12 urging the president to reconsider the decision, which he characterized as “barbarically killing our adversaries.”

Broglio reiterated the Church’s revised position on capital punishment, saying “the dignity of the human person is at stake.”

In a social media post on Oct. 10, World Day Against the Death Penalty, Pope Leo XIV wrote: “The death penalty is inadmissible because it attacks the inviolability and dignity of the person.”

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated on Oct. 9 that plans to broadcast the execution live are unacceptable. “It is truly incomprehensible that anyone would want to resort to this method in this day and age,” he said.

Broglio also wrote that he was obliging “any Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request to be excused from this action contrary to the teaching of the Church.”

Bishop Daniel E. Garcia of the Diocese of Austin, which encompasses Fort Hood, said the public broadcast of Hasan’s execution “would make a spectacle of death.”

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote of his “shock and great sorrow” of the government’s decision to livestream the execution in an Oct. 9 statement.

Trump also faced backlash from members of both political parties concerning the decision.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, said in a social media post that “Public executions are what oppressive dictatorships like Iran and Afghanistan do,” calling it “beyond disgusting.”

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, called the decision to broadcast the execution “disgusting” and “medieval.”

Massachusetts became the latest state in the U.S. to remove all restrictions on abortion when Democratic Gov. Maura Healey signed the law on Aug. 10. It allows women to obtain abortions at any point in pregnancy for any reason.

Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), called the policy “shocking” and “horrendous” shortly after the law was signed. He described the measure as “an affront against the dignity of life.”

A pro-life coalition, meanwhile, is leading an effort to roll back the law, aiming to place the policy before voters on a statewide ballot and potentially suspend the law prior to that vote.

The Repeal 188 initiative is seeking up to 50,000 signatures to potentially roll back the law. The process — known as a “veto referendum” — requires advocates to collect signatures equal to at least 1.5% of votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election in order to put the repeal question on the 2028 statewide ballot.

If petitioners are able to collect signatures equal to 2% of the total number of those votes, meanwhile, they can suspend the law prior to the election. The effort says it needs 37,289 signatures to qualify for the ballot and 49,716 to suspend the law.

Steve Petrarca, a Massachusetts resident and a member of his parish’s pro-life committee, told EWTN News that “many” parishioners at his church were unaware of the effort. Petrarca himself is helping to gather signatures. 

He said advocates may aim to collect closer to 100,000 signatures in order to ensure they meet the threshold to suspend the law. A distribution requirement in Massachusetts means no more than 25% of signatures on a petition can come from any one single county in the state.

The abortion measure drew rebuke from the state’s Catholic bishops, who described it as “a radical measure which is gravely immoral.” The advocacy group CatholicVote, meanwhile, called for Healey — who identifies as Catholic — to be excommunicated.

“Healey is a Catholic in a state of grave sin. She has publicly and now legislatively cooperated in the destruction of innocent human life,” CatholicVote President Kelsey Reinhardt said.

In a video released amid the campaign, Massachusetts Citizens for Life President Myrna Flynn said signatories must be registered voters in the state and under state law can only sign petitions that are local to them.

“If we receive 50,000 signatures by October 23, Massachusetts voters — not activist politicians — will get to decide this very important issue in 2028,” she said.

Dr. Jeff McGovern, a pulmonologist, and Dr. Juanita Mora, spokesperson for the American Lung Association, appeared on “EWTN News Nightly” on Oct. 14 to discuss the Holy Father’s health following surgery. The Oct. 13 surgery involved the removal of the lower lobe of his right lung and confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

The most common type of lung cancer in both smokers and nonsmokers is non-small cell lung cancer, said McGovern, a CMA member. He said “treatments can be varying depending on the size” and can involve chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation in addition to the surgical removal of the lower part of the lung.

The type of ongoing treatment the pope receives will depend on the results of a pathology test, which will reveal the stage of the cancer and whether it is contained or has spread to other areas, McGovern said.

The pathology test “usually takes a couple of days,” or sometimes even longer, he said, but noted that because the patient is the Holy Father, “I would expect the pathology would be available a lot sooner than usual.”

“In the best of all possible worlds, if it is contained, then going forward, as far as treatment, itʼs a CT scan every six months and then after about two or three years, a year thereafter. And that would be the treatment, and that would be the ideal setting for the Holy Father,” he said.

Mora, a Catholic who is also from Chicago, Pope Leo’s hometown, said if the Holy Father’s pathology report reveals that the cancer has not spread, the survival rate is 80% to 90%. A spread would determine “whether he will get chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or whether he will need actual immunotherapy thatʼs geared exactly to the biomarkers of the tumor that turn positive.”

Mora said the Holy Father is “someone who is active,” playing tennis and staying in shape. “He’s a 71-year-old healthy, strong man. This is what Pope Leo has going for him,” she said.

“We know that heʼs going to be at higher risk for some viral respiratory infections,” she said. “So, it is important for him to get his COVID-19 vaccine, his flu vaccine, and his RSV vaccine for those that are eligible.”

In terms of travel, Mora said his doctors may determine he needs anticoagulation, or blood thinners, “so that heʼs at less risk of developing any clots, especially with the long flight that he has, [as well as] all the respiratory virus infections.”

By the numbers: Impact of lung cancer

“One person is diagnosed with lung cancer every 2.5 minutes,” Mora said. “In the United States, we lose 238,000 people a year due to lung cancer. And itʼs the No. 1 cause of mortality from cancer in both men and women in the United States.”

In addition to smoking, Mora highlighted several other causes of lung cancer, including radon gas, “a colorless, odorless gas that can seep in through cracks in our ground, in our home, or through cracks in walls,” ozone pollution, and particle contamination.

This story was updated at 9 a.m. ET on Oct. 15, 2026, to clarify that the most common type of lung cancer in both smokers and nonsmokers is non-small cell lung cancer, according to pulmonologist Jeff McGovern.

Bishop Brendan Cahill, who chairs the USCCB Committee on Migration, signed onto the five-page document along with NAE President Walter Kim, as part of a joint effort called the Evangelical-Catholic Dialogue on Immigration (ECDI).

“We write as Christian leaders who love our country and our immigrant neighbors,” they wrote in an Oct. 13 statement titled “A Call for Christian Compassion and Wisdom in the Immigration Debate.”

“As Catholic and evangelical Christians, we have doctrinal differences, but we are united in our conviction that God calls us to stand both with our fellow Americans who are experiencing economic and cultural anxieties and with our immigrant neighbors who are facing existential challenges,” they indicated.

According to a USCCB news release, ECDI timed the statement to correspond with an increase in reported detentions and deportations, as well as the ending of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of several countries, including Haitians and Syrians.

The document puts a “special focus” on children and families, citing Matt. 18:5, in which Christ says, “whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.”

Cahill and Kim emphasized all people, regardless of where they are born or their immigration status, are made in the image of God, adding: “This dignity comes from God, not government, and no earthly power may erase it.”

“The stranger is not merely a burden to bear,” they wrote. “Again and again, God has blessed his people through the outsider. From Ruth the Moabite to the present day, immigrants can bring renewal to congregations and communities that welcome them. We lament approaches that pit citizens against noncitizens.”

Both leaders said that they recognize the government’s responsibility to secure and manage borders, but that governments must also uphold religious liberty, protect the persecuted, and facilitate pathways for legal immigration.

Cahill and Kim encouraged “a better path forward,” which they argued would be consistent with all of those obligations.

“Catholic and evangelical Christians make up a large portion of our American citizenry,” the letter added. “Majorities of evangelicals and Catholics support immigration reform that would provide meaningful opportunities for longtime residents to regularize their status.”

According to the document, one element is secure borders and targeted immigration enforcement that protects family unity and prioritizes action against people who are a threat to public safety.

Other elements include limiting detentions of non-violent people, access to chaplains, and more legal pathways to permanent status for workers, family members, and humanitarian populations.

Cahill and Kim asked Christians to pray for their leaders as commanded in 1 Tim. 2:1-2, which reads: “First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.”

“Our promise of prayer extends to our law enforcement officers, our policymakers, our judges, and all in our communities who play an essential role in building up the common good,” they wrote.

“Every Christian deserves to know that he or she has been made a new creation in Christ and is a member of his Body — no matter what the particular circumstances of duty or residence,” the document points out.

At that time, Espaillat would become the youngest bishop in the United States. And he brought with him a passion for evangelization and the Blessed Sacrament, the likes of which would join an ever-growing movement, the National Eucharistic Revival, which was in its infancy.

About a year later, after photographing a priestly ordination at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a photographer friend of mine nudged me and asked if I was going to the Eucharistic procession in Times Square. To which I glanced at him and asked, “What procession?”

I was sitting on 51st Street with a sandwich and a cold cup of coffee, sorting photos and writing down a few thoughts. The procession wasn’t until late afternoon, and I was already pretty tired. I wasn’t planning to go. So I left it in God’s hands, which, once again, proved to be the best idea.

Hours later, I found myself in Father Duffy Square, surrounded by thousands of people praying before the Blessed Sacrament. And there at the center of it all was Espaillat, his energy and joy unmistakable. The atmosphere was electric.

In a place the world knows for its lights and spectacle, people had gathered to adore Christ. I’d nearly missed it because I was “tired.” Now I was standing in the middle of Times Square, trying to take in something utterly breathtaking.

And now, another invitation to follow him into the streets.

On Oct. 13, the Napa Institute returned to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for its annual Eucharistic procession.

And that same bishop, whose anointing filled the cathedral with laughter, and whose joy I encountered in Father Duffy Square, celebrated the 4 p.m. Mass and preached the homily. He was joined by Dominican Father Gregory Pine and Father John Burns, who led Eucharistic meditations before Mass. After Mass, the Eucharistic procession spilled from the cathedral onto the crowded city streets to bring the presence of Christ and the witness of faith of countless thousands made through Midtown.

Napa’s New York procession began in 2021. Its invitation simple: accompany Christ in the Blessed Sacrament through the city. It takes a faith nourished at the altar into the streets, where anyone passing by might encounter it.

Since then it’s been the inspiration of countless Eucharistic processions around the world. Even the National Eucharistic Revival that launched in June 2022 carried that same desire to renew Catholics’ relationship with Christ in the Eucharist.

In his homily, Espaillat preached about the people we too easily pass by. His homily was grounded in the day’s readings: Jesus at the Pharisee’s table and the cup polished outside while something remained wrong within. The remedy was almsgiving, a heart learning to give. He spoke of mercy made concrete, turning us toward the needs of another.

Near the end, he recalled Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis telling young people that they were a mystery to be encountered. Then he extended that invitation to babies, immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, and inmates on death row.

“Young people are not a problem to be figured out. They are a mystery to be encountered!” he said.

And then came the challenge.

The bishop was asking us to look honestly at our own hearts, and he gave us somewhere to begin. Support a food pantry. Walk with someone who is lonely or anxious. Sit down with someone whose views differ from our own and have a Christ-like conversation. Give quietly, without announcing it on social media.

“Be kind. Give out of love, not out of obligation.”

The cathedral was standing room only. The Sisters of Life, the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal and Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, the Dominicans, and dozens of other religious filled the cathedral.

And above it all was an absolutely breathtaking sky, with New York’s rush hour below.

The afternoon concluded with Benediction, led by Espaillat.

Once dismissed as “Hughes’ Folly” for standing too far outside the city, St. Patrick’s now stands at its heart.

And the invitation reaches beyond its doors, into the places where we work, the people we pass, and the lives we too easily overlook.

In a city that stands as the worldʼs cultural capital, a new culture is emerging: the culture of Christ.

New generations of Catholics are forming new communities. Churches once quiet are now filled to capacity. And it’s no surprise when you realize that by bringing his Presence to the streets, grace overflows.

Christ is here. His love is for every person on these streets.

The culture of Christ begins there.

And, by his grace, it can begin again in us.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

Weaver’s appointment makes her the first woman president in the universityʼs history, according to an Oct. 12 press release. She succeeds University of Dayton President Eric Spina and is set to begin the role on July 1, 2027.

“Darlene has an innate understanding of the University of Dayton, a deep belief in our Catholic, Marianist mission and a demonstrated ability to move important work forward,” Deborah Tobias, chair of the University of Dayton Board of Trustees and the presidential search advisory committee, said in the release.

“UD’s mission has never been more important,” Weaver said. “In a world shaped by technological change, social division and questions about the value of higher education, the University of Dayton has a distinctive role to play in serving the common good. We educate students not only for professional success, but for lives of meaning, responsibility and service. That is the promise of a Catholic, Marianist education, and it will guide the work ahead.”

Cleveland diocesan school launches ‘Pathways’ initiative for young men

Benedictine High School in Cleveland announced the start of Pathways, an initiative aimed at empowering young men to explore their passions while preparing for college.

“Rather than following a one-size-fits-all educational model, Pathways allows students to engage in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences aligned with their interests and future aspirations with concentrations in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), business-entrepreneurship, fine and performing arts and vocations,” the diocese said in an Oct. 6 press release.

Students will have the opportunity to continue exploring courses in fields already offered by the school, including STEM, business, entrepreneurship, and fine arts. “Launching with electives in computer repair, media production, construction and manufacturing, the vocations pathway will provide students with hands-on experiences, opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials and meaningful exposure to technical careers,” the release said.

Omaha Archdiocese announces pilot program for career, technical training

Archbishop Michael McGovern is launching a pilot program for technical vocational training at six Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska.

“Archbishop Michael McGovern is proud to announce this initiative to expand opportunities in Career and Technical Education in Catholic schools across Northeast Nebraska,” according to the program’s website. “This multi-year initiative is the first such effort by a diocesan school system in the United States and will begin with a pilot at six schools in 2027-2028.”

The program will feature “trade bootcamps” in fields such as auto repair, construction, and HVAC; career exploration days; and a “Lunch and Learn” series for women in technical areas.

Participating schools include Norfolk Catholic Junior and High School, St. Joseph Elementary School, Christ the King Catholic School, Skutt Catholic High School, All Saints Catholic School, and Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School.

“Career & Technical Education expands the ways students in Archdiocese of Omaha schools can discover their gifts, apply their knowledge in hands-on lessons, explore meaningful careers and prepare for life beyond high school,” the website said.

Hawley questioned whether the study is accurately measuring risks to women of the abortion drug, which since 2021 has been available by mail. The FDA halted in-person dispensing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic and formally modified the policy in 2023, continuing to allow abortion pills by mail.

He expressed concern that the study did not provide dates for what it called “relevant time periods” during which the drug’s effects were measured. He wrote that the study relies on Sentinel, a database of insurance claims and health records, but does not provide the time frame being analyzed. He expressed concern that data must include dates “after the Biden Administration gutted safety regulations in 2023.”

Hawley noted that Louisiana is challenging the FDA in a federal suit alleging the government did not adequately ascertain the drug’s safety before removing safeguards.

The senator asked Diamantas to provide answers in writing by Oct. 22.

Catholics join LDS Church in Idaho in opposing ballot measure expanding abortion access

The Diocese of Boise, Idaho, has joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) in a campaign opposing Proposition 1, an initiative that expands abortion access.

Last week, the diocese donated $300,000 to the political action committee Too Extreme for Idaho, to which the LDS church had already donated $1 million, according to the Idaho secretary of state.

Boise Bishop Peter F. Christensen in July and again in September urged Catholics to vote against the measure, which he called “too extreme” for the state, saying if passed, it “would remove nearly all protections for pre-born babies and put vulnerable women at risk.”

He emphasized that the measure, if passed, would undermine parental rights by no longer requiring parental consent for abortions as well as other medical procedures on minors and would remove the current legal requirement that only physicians perform abortions.

“Proposition 1 concerns matters of profound moral significance, particularly abortion, human dignity, freedom and the protection owed to unborn human life,” he wrote in September. “These questions cannot be separated from our Catholic faith simply because they appear on a ballot. The voting booth does not somehow stand outside our relationship with Christ.”

Fired teacher sues school in England for discriminating against her Christian faith

A teacher in England is suing after she was fired in March for telling a student who asked her about her views on abortion that she was pro-life.

Anita Meston, a 63-year-old who taught history at Biddick Academy in Washington, Sunderland, is suing the school for discriminating against her Christian faith, which she says is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.

“If our national education system continues to claim to foster inclusion and tolerance, this must include tolerance of perspectives with which others disagree,” Meston said in a press release from Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal group representing her.

“In a free and just society, teachers should not be fired for honestly expressing their deeply held beliefs in response to questions in the classroom,” she said. “What happened to me is nothing short of censorship, and this precedent cannot be allowed to stand.”

Pro-abortion protesters block pro-life group at student fair in England

Protesters blocked the stall of the Pro-Life Society, a pro-life student group, at a student fair held at the University of Manchester in England on Sept. 25.

While the protesters, some of them members of Manchester Leftist Action, did not touch the stall, they held a banner in front of it that said “Destroy Pro-Life Soc.” They also collected money for and passed out leaflets on pro-abortion groups as well as links to an Instagram account called @stopmanchesterprolife, according to The Mancunion.

A Pro-Life Society spokesperson told The Mancunion the roughly four-hour blockade limited their free speech and prevented students from approaching the stall, adding that university staff’s requests for protesters to move were largely ineffective.

The society has faced campus opposition since its founding according to the report, including earlier protests and an unsuccessful disbandment petition.

A spokesperson for Manchester Leftist Action stated that, because the university would not act against what they described as “bigotry and dangerous pseudoscience,” they chose to counter the stall by engaging students and raising funds for abortion care. They said they would continue opposing the society’s efforts on campus.

With the midterms approaching on Nov. 3, the survey found Catholics favoring Democrats by 3 percentage points. Pew polled 5,062 adults, which included 3,917 registered voters from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 for its American Trends Panel. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.6 percentage points.

The survey found that Catholics favor Democratic House candidates by a narrow margin, 42% to 39%, though white Catholics and Hispanic Catholics differ significantly in their political preferences.

Among white Catholics, 50% said they plan to vote Republican and 32% Democratic, while 59% of Hispanic Catholics said they plan to vote Democratic and 19% Republican.

Catholic voter approval of Trump falls to 30%

The poll shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating plummeting among Catholics since he began his second term, with 30% approving of how he has handled his job as president and 67% disapproving. In January 2025, his approval was about 47% among Catholics.

About 18% of Hispanic Catholics approve of Trump’s presidency and 78% disapprove. Among white Catholics, about 39% approve and 59% disapprove.

Among all voters, the survey found 44% of registered voters favoring Democratic candidates for the House and 36% favoring the Republican candidate. It found 30% of voters approve of Trump’s job as president and 68% disapprove.

The poll found that white evangelical Protestants and white Catholics were more likely to support Republican House candidates in the Nov. 3 elections, while Black Protestants, Hispanic Catholics, atheists, agnostics, and people with no particular religion were more likely to support Democratic candidates.

Father John Abubakar, chief sustainability officer at Villanova University, told “EWTN News Nightly” on Oct. 12 that the goal of Villanova faculty at the Oct. 12–15 conference, themed “Responding to the Cries of the Earth and the Poor,” is “to bring in the ethical and moral dimension of our responsibility to care for our common home.”

The conference comes after Pope Leo XIV announced that he will admitted to the hospital for surgery on Oct. 13 to remove a “small nodule” found in his lung. The Holy Father had been scheduled to present Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, with the conference’s inaugural Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal.

“The Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal Ceremony will take place on Oct. 13 at the originally announced time and location. We are in close coordination with the Vatican regarding the medal presentation in light of the Holy Fatherʼs upcoming surgery,” Villanova said in a statement. “We are awaiting official confirmation as to whether Pope Leo XIV will present the medal. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Holy Father. May God grant the Holy Father strength, healing and a full recovery in the days ahead.”

Abubakar said the aim of the inaugural award is to fill “an important gap” in the sustainability sphere by emphasizing both “the ethical and moral dimension of caring for our common home and also caring for the poor.”

Measures such as carbon footprints and other environmental benchmarks are important tools for understanding ecological systems, he said, but they alone are not enough.

Villanova professors scheduled to present are David Dinehart, a professor of civil and environmental engineering; Manuela Priesemuth-Payan and Jonathan Doh, professors of business; and Ruth McDermott-Levy, co-director of the Mid-Atlantic Center for Children’s Health and the Environment.

“It is our hope that the research being done will not only emphasize the technical aspects of caring for our common home, but that the moral and the ethical dimension will also be fully embraced,” Abubakar said.

“When you look at Catholic social teaching, the principles are applicable to social settings,” he said. “We speak about the preferential option for the poor, for instance. Such a principle directly applies to those who are engaged in business endeavors. And when you think also about solidarity, when you think about what engineering does in terms of maybe humanitarian engineering, that we have a department at Villanova, they show great sense of solidarity, which is another Catholic social teaching principle.”

In a joint statement with Broglio issued Oct. 12 by the Texas Catholic bishops, Bishop Daniel E. Garcia of the Diocese of Austin said the public broadcast of Hasan’s execution “would make a spectacle of death.” He wrote that “True justice cannot be achieved through further violence or vengeance.”

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced Oct. 5 on X that President Donald Trump had approved the execution of Hasan, the Army psychiatrist convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting. On Oct. 8, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an interview with Real Americaʼs Voice that Hasanʼs execution would be livestreamed from Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, where Hasan killed 14 people, including an unborn baby, and wounded more than 30 others in the attack.

“The tragedy at Fort Hood has traumatized the loved ones of those killed, the survivors, and the entire military community,” Garcia, whose diocese encompasses Fort Hood, said. “Carrying out this execution at Fort Hood, especially as a public broadcast, will only exacerbate that trauma.”

Garcia asked Catholics to pray for military service members “called upon to participate in the execution.” In a letter issued the same day, Broglio went further, writing that he obliges “any Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request to be excused from this action contrary to the teaching of the Church.”

I oblige any Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request to be excused from this action contrary to the teaching of the Church.”

Archbishop Timothy Broglio

Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA

Broglio, who was received by Pope Leo XIV on Oct. 12, added that “it is my duty to express my disapproval of what is proposed regarding the execution of the terrorist Hasan in the Archdiocese entrusted to my spiritual care to be done by those for whose salvation I have been constituted as the Archbishop for the Military Services, USA,” pointing out the “moral injury … the members of the firing squad might experience.”

He also expressed his sympathy for the family and friends of the victims of Hasan’s attack, which he said “disregarded the dignity of the human person,” and reiterated the Church’s opposition to the death penalty, saying that it too offends human dignity.

Broglio called Hasan’s crime “heinous,” and asked if “exposing the public to his execution” would serve any purpose. “Will the exposure of a live-stream to the young and impressionable during the 250th anniversary year of our independence be able to be repaired?” Broglio asked.

He urged that the decision be reconsidered, and if not, for “the young and impressionable” to be protected from viewing the livestream of the execution.

He asked if Americans “really want to imitate the terrorists of this world and make a public spectacle of barbarically killing our adversaries?”

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, agreed. He also issued a statement on Oct. 12, calling the upcoming execution “performative barbarism.”

“Do we really want our children, who will inevitably view it, exposed to the pornography of a state-sponsored slaying?” he asked.

Cupich said a televised execution will not prevent future crimes and might even encourage the conferral of “martyrdom on the Fort Hood killer.”

He also said the livestreamed execution further “contributes to the characterization of our nation as a violent, vengeful place. Forgiveness bestows grace. Murder by the state is an insult to Our Lord who teaches that all life is sacred.”

Broglio concurred, asking “if there really is a value to throwing [the U.S. military] in the same boat with terrorists by broadcasting the image of the execution of a man in a wheel chair to the whole world? Does this decision reflect the dignity of the human person?”

Last week, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote in an Oct. 9 statement: “It is with shock and great sorrow that I have learned of the Department of War’s decision to publicly livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan.”

“Our God is the God of life,” Coakley said. “In no way can Hasan’s actions be condoned but this decision is a barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered.”

Citing Romans 12:17, which commands: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil,” Coakley continued: “The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people.”

“I pray for the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel that we as a nation may always choose life even in the most trying times and circumstances.”

Last year Zacharia, now herself a mother of four, described in an interview with “We The People with Gates Garcia” how the precise circumstances of her birth became the foundation of her pro-life convictions.

She told Garcia that she was “approximately 20, 30 minutes away from being aborted” when her mother, Ruth, changed her mind.

Ruth, whom Zacharia described as having a “tough background of sexual abuse,” was about to head to her abortion appointment when the biological father called, pushing the abortion.

Ruth was about to walk out the door to head to the clinic when the phone rang again. Ruth walked back to the phone to answer it, and the Christian counselor who’d called urged her to “consider an open adoption rather than an abortion, so you have an opportunity to know who this child could be and give this child an opportunity to live.”

The counselor told her she did not understand “how painful” abortion would be for her, because along with “the loss of [her] baby,” there would be “ensuing psychological, physical … trauma.”

Zacharia said her mother decided not to go through with the abortion “to the anger and dismay of her family,” which allowed Zacharia to be adopted as a newborn. She later met her biological mother at age 18, who told her the story. She said that “seconds of a phone call … saved my life,” calling her story “a miracle” that explains why the issue is “so near and dear” to her.

Zacharia, who while in law school at Pepperdine University served as president of the university’s Christian Legal Society chapter, has also served on the board of advisers for the White Rose Resistance, a group founded by Seth Gruber that advocates for legal protection for the unborn.

Zacharia has been a frequent commentator on Fox News, Newsmax, and other outlets. She also previously worked as general counsel for Fix California, a conservative nonprofit.

In February, she became deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security under then-Secretary Kristi Noem. She resigned after roughly a month, citing the strain on her family of commuting between California, her home, and Washington, D.C. In June, she joined Trump Media & Technology Group/Truth Social as a senior communications adviser.

Zacharia succeeds Karoline Leavitt, who in an interview with Sean Hannity last month explained that she left the position to spend more time with her growing family.

Trump said Zacharia would begin her new role on Oct. 12 and hold an introductory news conference on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 9:30 a.m. ET in the White House press briefing room.

Published in Issues in Law and Medicine, a journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, on Oct. 6, the report found that the FDA’s studies on the abortion pill didn’t reflect real-world conditions of abortion pill use.

According to the article, the FDA relied on analysis from groups with political incentives. Additionally, the FDA used “inadequate” adverse event reporting, authors Zachery Sluzala and Ingrid Skop found.

“When federal agencies remove regulations designed to safeguard patient health, those decisions should be grounded in evidence that reflects real-world practice,” Skop, an OB-GYN who works for the Lozier Institute, said in a statement.

“Our analysis found that the FDA’s review fell well short of that standard. Safety decisions should reflect the conditions in which women are using the drugs, not tightly controlled study conditions that fail to mimic real-world use.”

Pro-life groups criticize FDA abortion pill update

In a court-ordered update of the agency’s highly anticipated report on the safety of the abortion pill, the FDA said that it will complete the safety review in March 2027, an announcement that led to backlash from pro-life groups.

A federal judge in Louisiana ordered the status report on the safety review. According to its update, the FDA expects to have results by mid-December, with a final report in March 2027 — more than a year and a half after the group first promised the review.

Pro-life leader Marjorie Dannenfelser, who heads Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called the FDA’s update “alarming.”

“The administration must correct course — and, more importantly, it must not wait for the study to conclude before acting,” Dannenfelser said. “Peer-reviewed evidence shows that the Biden administration relied on insufficient evidence and flawed assumptions when it removed the in-person dispensing requirement.

“Action is long overdue,” Dannenfelser said.

Students for Life of America leader Kristan Hawkins also criticized the timeline.

“It shouldn’t take a judge to pry some answers from the FDA on the dangers of chemical abortion pills, nor should it take this long to get them,” Hawkins said. “While we are glad to see the FDA giving attention to deadly drugs, this is not enough to address the harms that recklessly approving mifepristone in 2000 did to public health and fertility.”

Alliance Defending Freedom spokeswoman Erin Hawley observed that “every month of additional delay puts nearly 15,000 additional babies at risk in states where mail-order abortion drugs are unlawful.”

Mail-order abortions “don’t empower women — they facilitate the abuse, coercion, and poisoning of women by making high-risk drugs accessible to bad actors at the click of a button,” Hawley said.

Study: Colleges ‘fail’ pregnant and parenting students

A recent study found that hundreds of state colleges and universities are failing to provide resources to help pregnant and parenting students stay in school.

The study by Students for Life of America’s Demetree Institute found that the average state college campus in the survey offered “barely half the recommended support” for student parents.

The study looked at more than 500 state colleges and universities, examining the housing policies, on-campus resources, financial assistance, medical attention, and accommodations and policy transparency they offer to student-parents.

The three lowest-ranked schools were Dalton State College in Georgia, Dakota State University in South Dakota, and Concord University in West Virginia.

About 98% of schools in the study were missing at least two recommended accommodations for pregnant and parenting students. On-campus housing for families was unavailable at more than 70% of schools. About 85% of schools did not offer scholarships targeted for pregnant or parenting students.

Men’s march for life to be held in Boston

Men will gather in Boston on Nov. 1 for a national men’s march for life.

The National Men’s March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood first began in 2021. In the event, men march about three miles to a rally point where they meet up with their families, pray, and listen to speakers.

In an interview on EWTN’s “At Home With Jim and Joy,” the march’s president, Jim Havens, said the march is focused on “getting men off the sidelines in the fight for equal protection of the preborn — of all human life.”

“We’re going to do it in authentic love; we’re going to do it in a peaceful manner, the right way, standing up in public,” he continued. “It really is powerful when we gather together and do this with Christ at the center.”

Scottish bishops warn against proposal to expand abortion

The Scottish bishops are warning against a proposal that they say would allow abortion up to birth for any reason.

The proposal would decriminalize abortion in Scotland and remove existing legal safeguards protecting unborn children.

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland expressed opposition to the proposal in a statement by Bishop John Keenan, who heads the bishops’ Marriage, Family, and Life Commission.

“There is a better way than abortion,” Keenan said in the statement.

“Every human life possesses inherent dignity and worth; a dignity that does not depend upon age, size, ability, dependency or stage of development,” Keenan said. “It begins at conception and continues until natural death. A just and compassionate society should recognize and protect the lives of both mother and child, especially when either is vulnerable.”

Las Vegas archbishop urges vote against abortion measure

Las Vegas Archbishop George Leo Thomas called on Catholics in Nevada to vote no on a ballot measure that would roll back protections for unborn children, minors, and women and expand abortion up to birth.

The Nevada measure would expand the right to abortion, which is already legal in the state up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. The letter opposing the Nevada abortion ballot measure was read at Masses across the archdiocese Oct. 3-4.

“This question is not whether abortion is legal in Nevada; it already is under a law approved by Nevada voters in 1990,” Thomas said. “The Legislature cannot amend or repeal that law; only a direct vote of the people can do so. This question is whether Nevada voters should expand the right to abortion in ways that can harm the health, safety, and welfare of women and minors. Moreover, this measure will have grave and lasting consequences for vulnerable unborn lives.”

“Unborn children have no voice and cannot defend themselves,” Thomas said. “As Catholics, our faith requires us to protect the inherent dignity of every human life and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Earlier that day, he was told that Samaritan Cycling USA, a ministry he helped start in 2011 to support Catholic Charities’ Samaritan House, had raised a cumulative $250,000 in just over four years. He was rightfully excited. He couldn’t wait to high-five an injured teammate at the finish line.

Then came a dip in the pavement.

“The wheel went 90 degrees, and I went face-first into the pavement,” he recalled. “I was out cold. I don’t know for how long.”

When he woke up, saved, he believes, by his helmet and divine providence, he remembers, clear as day, hearing the Holy Spirit tell him, “Peace be with you. You will recover.”

He was rushed to the hospital. Two days later, after specialists reviewed the tests, he was told he was a walking miracle.

“You’re a very lucky man,” Schwein remembers one specialist telling him, shaking his head, incredulous. “You missed a brain bleed by a quarter of a millimeter.”

That’s roughly the size of a fine grain of table salt. To say it was a close call might be underselling things.

“I was never going to ride a bike again. I was done,” Schwein said. “We raised a quarter million, and that’s it. There’s no way I’m riding again.”

He prepared to sell his bikes and move on. But the Holy Spirit had other ideas, Schwein said.

“I’m not yet done with you here on Earth. Continue your ministry,” he recalled hearing.

He prayed about it. He called his wife. He took a long bike ride, and hasn’t stopped riding since.

“I said, ‘God, I’m all in,’” he said. “That was 38,000 miles ago and a few million dollars ago.”

Since then, Samaritan House Cycling has grown considerably, welcoming new teammates and raising more than $2.2 million for Northern Colorado’s Samaritan House shelters.

This fall, the ministry is taking that mission farther than ever before: a 45-day, nearly 3,000-mile ride across the United States.

“God has called me to do this, which is why we’re riding across America,” Schwein said, choked up with emotion. “We’re raising national awareness for the crisis of homelessness. God said, ‘Go big or go home.’ We’re going big.”

The 12-member team began their ride on Sunday, Oct. 4, two days after arriving in San Diego. Their 45-day trek will take them through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, where they will finish the ride in St. Augustine, Florida, where the first Catholic Mass of Thanksgiving in what is now the United States was celebrated in 1565.

The mission? Raising awareness and funds to provide shelter, stability, and hope to the homeless in Denver, in Colorado, and across the country.

“There are nearly 1 million people who are homeless every night in the United States, and no one pays attention to them. People walk by them,” Schwein said. “So we’re raising awareness to increase the attention of the United States to this national crisis. We have to do something about it, more than just raising money. It’s about raising awareness so people understand what to do when they get to the corner of an intersection and they see a homeless person.”

And it’s already bearing fruit. Feet haven’t hit pedals yet, and the team has already raised $350,000 to support Catholic Charities’ five Samaritan House locations in Denver, Fort Collins, and Greeley, which provide emergency shelter, support services, and pathways toward stability for individuals and families.

Additionally, the Samaritan Cycling team is partnering with local Catholic Charities along their route to fundraise for ministries serving the homeless nationwide. As they ride across America, the team will also volunteer at Catholic Charities locations, helping shine a spotlight on local efforts to lovingly serve neighbors nationwide.

The timing is all the more meaningful: the ride comes as the United States marks 250 years, Catholic Charities of Denver approaches its 100th anniversary, Samaritan House in downtown Denver celebrates 40 years, and Samaritan Cycling USA marks 15 years.

“What began in 2011 as a small step of faith through Samaritan Cycling has become a lifelong commitment to serve,” Schwein said. “Through cycling, we put faith into action — transforming physical endurance into meaningful impact and heartfelt passion into real provision. We ride because we are called to be bearers of hope, and every mile is a testament to that calling.”

First and foremost, Schwein said, the team needs prayer. Knowing firsthand just how dangerous a ride like this can be, Schwein specifically asked people of goodwill nationwide to pray for riders’ safety and perseverance.

Then, those who feel called to give can donate per mile, with options beginning at 1 cent per mile, or offer a one-time gift. Supporters can give to a particular rider or to the general fund.

For Schwein, though, the most meaningful gift came from a father and his 12-year-old son.

After hearing Schwein speak about the effort after Mass at a local parish, the father approached him and pulled out his wallet, saying he wished he could make a donation but did not think he had anything to give. Surprised to find two dollars, he handed them to his son, who gave them to Schwein.

“This is for you, sir,” the boy said. “Good luck on your ride!”

“We had been getting lots of donations, but the most meaningful one was this man,” Schwein said, pointing to the widow in the Gospels who gave all she had.

This story was first published in Denver Catholic and is reprinted here and adapted by EWTN News with permission.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court, alleged among other claims that the government is violating the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) by barring clergy access to those detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One prison official reportedly suggested that priests could “pass communion in a plastic bag to a prison guard who could then deliver it to the detainee.”

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act is invoked regularly in federal lawsuits by those who argue that the government is excessively burdening their religion. But how does this more-than-30-year-old law work, and how exactly does it protect religious liberty in the U.S.?

Government may not ‘substantially burden’ religion

A rare example of bipartisan unity, the federal law was proposed in 1993, passed unanimously in the U.S. House and near-unanimously in the U.S. Senate, and signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton.

The impetus for the law arose in large part due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Employment Division v. Smith. That 1990 decision held that Oregon was permitted to deny unemployment benefits to two Native American residents who had been fired after using peyote in a religious ritual.

Outrage from a large cross-section of civil liberties groups and religious rights organizations led Congress to draft and pass the law. Clinton upon signing the measure said the law “reestablishes a standard that better protects all Americans of all faiths in the exercise of their religion.”

The law directs that the government generally “shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion” even if the burden stems from a “rule of general applicability.”

The rule does allow for such burdens if the government demonstrates that a restriction is “in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest” and is “the least restrictive means” of accomplishing that goal.

Matt Sharp, who serves as senior counsel and vice president of public policy at Alliance Defending Freedom, told EWTN News the rule “puts the responsibility on the government” to demonstrate that its policies do not violate the law.

“The government has to show that it has a compelling reason to do something” that burdens someone’s religious liberty, Sharp said. “It can’t just say, ‘We like this law.’ It has to be a government interest of the highest order, such as national security or public safety.”

Alliance Defending Freedom has handled numerous RFRA lawsuits over the years. Among them was the case Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Burwell, brought by a Mennonite Christian family who argued that the Obama administration’s contraceptive mandate violated the federal religious freedom law.

The family ultimately prevailed, with the U.S. Supreme Court holding that the federal government had violated RFRA in requiring the family to cover contraceptives via its company’s insurance policies.

Sharp, however, acknowledged that the rule has never been a “religion automatically wins” law.

“It definitely makes [U.S. law] more favorable and protective of religion,” he said. But in some cases religious objectors aren’t successful in their challenges, such as the Native American coalition that sued under RFRA to protect one of its sacred sites but which lost at the Supreme Court in 2025.

The Little Sisters of the Poor, meanwhile, have cited in part the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in their 15-year battle over contraceptive mandates.

Yet although the law can sometimes yield a mixed bag, protections for religious freedom have grown steadily in the U.S. in recent years. A total of 30 states so far have adopted a version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act or a similar form of legislation.

Sharp said RFRA requires the government to ensure that in cases where it is imposing on religious practice it is doing so in a “narrowly tailored” way with “the bare minimum possible” imposition.

“It’s a high burden,” he said. “In practice it has been hugely important and beneficial to people of faith.”

“Iron Mike,” as Ditka was known, had a famously explosive temper, which often boiled over on the sidelines and in postgame press conferences. Ditka, who led the Bears to a Super Bowl XX victory in 1986, once broke his right hand after punching a hard object over frustration with the play of a rookie offensive lineman — then, before the next game, told his team to “win this one for Lefty.”

Less well known was Ditka’s commitment to his Catholic faith, for which he credited his convert mother and the nuns of his parochial school in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, where he was raised.

“Growing up, the most important thing was the sacraments with my family,” Ditka told an interviewer with the Catholic website “One Peter Five” in August 2018. “We loved everything about the faith. Going to Catholic school and learning the faith, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

“I don’t care how many times I got hit by a nun,” Ditka said, “it was good for me.”

Football success

Born Michael Dyczko in 1939, Ditka was the son of a non-churchgoing Ukrainian and Polish steelworker father and an Irish and German mother who converted to Catholicism.

He played tight end for the University of Pittsburgh and then in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys. In 1988 Ditka was honored as the first tight end ever to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After retiring from playing, Ditka served as an assistant coach before getting his unlikely chance as the head coach of the Bears in 1982.

His 1985 Bears went 15-1 during the regular season and stomped their way through the playoffs to a Super Bowl victory. So confident were the players of that dominant team that they recorded a rap song called “The Super Bowl Shuffle” during the regular season. (Ditka later said he didn’t know about it, but he didn’t criticize the players for doing it.)

Ditka’s success, toughness, temper, and sense of humor made him a cultural phenomenon, inspiring a recurring skit (and guest appearances) on “Saturday Night Live” and launching a career as a motivational speaker.

When the team’s fortunes plummeted, he was fired in 1992. He later coached the New Orleans Saints but was fired after three years.

Off-field philanthropy

Ditka made millions as a pitchman for dozens of products after he left football, and he used some of that wealth to help others.

“Ditka was very supportive of Misericordia and other charities that supported children with special needs and disabilities,” Mary FioRito, an attorney, lifelong Chicagoan, and Cardinal Francis George Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.

And not just with checks.

“He spoke at fundraisers, and surprised observers could catch him privately visiting with residents he knew by name,” reported the suburban Chicago Daily Herald.

Ditka was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and participated in the organization’s charitable activities.

‘Constant turmoil’

In his 1986 autobiography “Ditka,” published at the peak of his success, Ditka admitted to having had “no spiritual life at all” during the 1970s, before two other coaches got him involved in a Bible study that reintroduced him to God.

“I always had faith, but I never had understanding,” Ditka said. “I always knew what was going on in life. I was raised right. I did all the things you were supposed to do. But I never understood why I was supposed to do them, because I never had a total understanding of what was going on.”

He also acknowledged what he called “constant turmoil inside,” and he compared himself unfavorably to longtime Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry (1924–2000), whom he admired for always keeping his cool on the sidelines and for his involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

“My priorities can get mixed up. I don’t think he ever gets his priorities mixed up,” Ditka said in the book.

Ditka said he discovered that following his faith was hard work.

“Sometimes you take for granted that your faith will always be there and everything will be fine. But without making the effort, that’s just not a fact. You have to make a real effort to live your faith daily,” Ditka said in the book.

“Nobody is going to do it every day. Nobody is going to do it perfectly,” he continued. “But unless you make the effort you’ve got no chance at all.”

Ditka married in 1961, got divorced in 1973, and then remarried in 1977. Both wives survive him, as do his four children, according to an obituary in the Daily Herald.

“I’m far from perfect now, and I’m never going to be perfect,” Ditka said in his autobiography. “When I die, I’m going to be still trying to get better than I am.”

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

The report, released more than three months after the June 30 deadline, said the spread of industrial-scale online scam operations “pose a direct threat to US national security.”

Transnational crime organizations, mostly run by Chinese nationals and long based in Southeast Asia, have moved into Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America, destabilizing local communities and cheating people out of billions of dollars each year, according to the report.

Fraudulent online romance, gambling, and cryptocurrency schemes have defrauded people in more than 125 countries, with Americans, the primary targets, losing at least $18.2 billion in 2025 to compounds operating out of Southeast Asia, according to the report.

The organizations recruited people from at least 80 countries over the past few years through fraudulent schemes, often pushing them into forced labor and holding them in guarded compounds and manipulating them through violence, sexual exploitation, intimidation, and other acts. They are often coerced into committing crimes, the report found.

The report, an annual assessment required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, covers April 1, 2025, through March 31.

The State Department said it relied on information from embassy reporting, government officials, nongovernmental and international organizations, published reports, news articles, and other sources.

The State Department said that governments that fail to punish traffickers and protect victims should be held accountable.

12 governments cited

Twelve governments are cited in the report for a “policy or pattern” of state-sponsored human trafficking: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, South Sudan, and Sudan. This designation covers “trafficking in government-funded programs, forced labor in government-affiliated medical services or other sectors, sexual slavery in government camps, or the employment or recruitment of child soldiers.”

Under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act, the department listed 14 countries whose forces or state-backed militias recruited or used children in any capacity during hostilities, including as sex slaves: Afghanistan, Burma, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Among country rankings reported so far, Israel returned to Tier 1, the highest category, for the first time since 2021, after five years on Tier 2. The Republic of Congo was downgraded to Tier 3, the lowest, for failing to meet minimum standards and not making significant efforts. A Tier 3 listing can restrict certain U.S. assistance, including security assistance, the report said.

A Tier 1 ranking does not mean that a country has no human trafficking. Instead, according to the report, “a Tier 1 ranking indicates that a government has made efforts to address the problem … and met the TVPA’s minimum standards.”

Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, said in a statement on Oct. 8 that the report’s findings are “a stark reminder that modern-day slavery remains a global scourge — and that governments must be held accountable when they fail to protect vulnerable people.”

“Human trafficking is an assault on human dignity and freedom,” the congressman wrote. “The United States must continue to use every tool at its disposal — including the TIP Report — to expose human trafficking whenever it rears its ugly head, protect survivors, and press foreign governments to end this blight upon humanity.”

“China remains on Tier 3 — the lowest ranking,” Smith continued, “reflecting its continued failure to meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) use and enabling of forced labor — including the systematic exploitation of Uyghurs and other persecuted minorities — is deeply troubling and deserves the greatest level of scrutiny.”

“Moreover, the horrific, ongoing consequences of China’s one-child per couple policy can still be seen and felt today, as the Report notes that a gross disparity — tens of millions more boys than girls — has driven the demand for commercial sex trafficking and coercive marriages in the country,” Smith wrote.

“Governments on Tier 3 — including China, North Korea, Iran, Russia, Burma, Belarus, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, Nicaragua, Sudan, South Sudan, and Venezuela — can and must do more. Tier 3 must never become a permanent designation; it should serve as a dire warning and a call to action,” Smith wrote.

“It is with shock and great sorrow that I have learned of the Department of War’s decision to publicly livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan,” Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the USCCB, said in a statement on Oct. 9.

“Our God is the God of life,” he said. “In no way can Hasan’s actions be condoned but this decision is a barbaric promotion of a culture of death and must be reconsidered.”

Coakley quoted Romans 12:17, which commands: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil.”

“The public execution even of one who has done grave harm will only further undermine the moral fabric of our nation and be a blight on the conscience of its people,” the archbishop said. “I pray for the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel that we as a nation may always choose life even in the most trying times and circumstances.”

Hasan, a man from Arlington, Virginia, was convicted of murdering 13 people and injuring 32 others in a mass shooting at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2009, while working as a psychiatrist for the Army. Public witnesses said he screamed “Allahu Akbar” immediately before he began firing. He had email communications with Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born al-Qaeda recruiter.

On Oct. 2, President Donald Trump approved a military execution via firing squad for Hasan, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Dec. 3 at Fort Hood. On Oct. 8, Hegseth said in an interview with the news outlet Real Americaʼs Voice that the execution will be livestreamed and later reaffirmed this plan on social media.

The announcement of the execution and livestream also faced criticism from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Archbishop Timothy Broglio reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s opposition to the death penalty in a statement to EWTN News.

“Catholic teaching about the death penalty is clear,” Broglio said. “Already the Catechism of the Catholic Church, even before its revision by the late Pope Francis, indicated that in a country such as the United States where the means exist to protect society from such criminals, the death penalty was inadmissible.”

The archbishop said that now, “the teaching is even clearer and more universal” and cited CCC 2267: “Consequently, the Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’ and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide.”

Broglio added: “Even in the case of the most heinous crimes, the Church begs for clemency.”

‘A grotesque display of hatred’

The Catholic Mobilizing Network, which works closely with the USCCB on efforts to oppose the death penalty, condemned both the decision to execute Hasan and the decision to livestream his death.

“Beyond the fact that executions do not deter crime or increase safety, it’s appalling that a public official would try to introduce it as a livestream arcade,” Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, said in a statement.

“It’s been almost a century since our country’s last public execution, and we must not fall into the abyss of such a vengeful practice,” she said. “We undermine our own humanity when we treat another person’s death as something to watch, celebrate, or use for entertainment. It is [reminiscent] of the horrors of lynching in our nation’s past, and would be a grotesque display of hatred witnessed in the public executions of some authoritarian countries today.”

Murphy quoted a Sept. 28 address from Pope Leo XIV, in which he said “the greatness of a civilization is not measured by its material achievements, but by the way it cares for, protects, and upholds the human person.”

She warned that “we violate human dignity” with every execution “because every person is created in the image of God.” She said “the Church instructs us to not seek cruel retribution, but a justice that holds people accountable without perpetuating the cycle of death.”

“What Mr. Hasan did at Fort Hood in 2009 ought not be condoned in any way,” she said. “He inflicted horrible pain and caused terrifying trauma. … But we must not be blinded by bloodlust. The macabre spectacle proposed by Secretary Hegseth is not what our Lord asks of us—it will neither honor victims nor bring healing.”

Walsh said in an Oct. 2 letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that Iowa City resident Fatou Traore has resided in that community for more than two decades and has been a legal resident since a 2011 withholding of removal order. A withholding of removal order bars deportation to a country where an immigration judge found the person would likely face persecution.

Davenport Letter

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrested Traore on Sept. 24. The federal agency told the Cedar Rapids Gazette that she “admitted to using a fake birth certificate and fake passport” to enter the U.S.

Traore’s family has denied those allegations. Walsh, meanwhile, said in his letter that Traore “has raised her family [in Iowa], lived peacefully, and has no criminal history.”

Traore’s family has said the government is preparing to deport her to Sierra Leone, a country with which, Walsh said, “she has no connection and where violence and human rights violations remain serious concerns.”

The bishop said he was “deeply troubled” by the government’s actions, which he argued were proceeding “despite the absence of any lawful or humanitarian justification.”

“Proceeding with this deportation is [a] grave violation of [Traore’s] human dignity and the rights that are intrinsic to each one of us,” the bishop said. He urged the government to stay the deportation and allow Traore to return to her family.

Walsh in his entreaty joined several other religious and community leaders in Iowa in urging the government to hold off on the deportation. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is not the first time the leader of the Davenport Diocese had advocated on behalf of immigrants.

In 2020, then-Bishop Thomas Zinkula — now the Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa — urged the government to release several Guatemalan immigrants from custody, citing the risks of COVID infection while in detainment.

Murua, a native of Peru who is director of digital strategy and social media for EWTN News, succeeds Montse Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News since 2023, whom Pope Leo XIV appointed in June as prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication. Alvarado takes up the Vatican post the same day.

A story that began with Mother Angelica

Murua’s path into journalism is linked to EWTN’s foundress. When Mother Angelica visited Peru, she gave a talk that Murua, then 20, covered for the then-fledgling ACI Prensa, EWTN Chairman of the Board and CEO Michael P. Warsaw told staff in a message announcing the appointment.

“Mother could not have known that one of the young women listening to her would someday help take that same message around the world and eventually be entrusted with leading one of the divisions of the apostolate she founded,” Warsaw wrote. “In many ways, it feels designed by Providence.”

Murua’s career in Catholic media spans more than 30 years and predates EWTN’s acquisition of ACI Prensa. At EWTN, she has held leadership roles across digital, editorial, and broadcast operations, including on the team of “EWTN Noticias,” the network’s flagship Spanish-language nightly newscast.

She played a central role in launching the network’s social media presence and has led digital coverage of three papal conclaves, multiple World Youth Days and jubilees, International Eucharistic Congresses, and Synods of Bishops.

“Ursula understands both the mission of EWTN and the rapidly changing ways people encounter news, faith, and one another,” Warsaw said in a statement. “She has helped shape the digital transformation of EWTN News from within while remaining deeply committed to the truth of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church.”

In a first comment on her appointment, Murua said: "I have had the extraordinary privilege of watching Catholic media transform from radio and broadcast to websites, social media and mobile platforms, and now confront the challenge and promise of artificial intelligence.”

“But the reason we do this work has never changed. People are hungry for truth, for meaning, and ultimately for Christ. Our responsibility is to understand where they are, how they are searching, and how we can faithfully meet them there.”

Speaking of her successor, Alvarado noted Murua, in her role as president of EWTN News, will “continue the work we began together, expanding EWTN News’ digital presence and developing new ways to reach audiences while strengthening our commitment to journalism rooted in fidelity to the Gospel.”

“I have watched Ursula devote particular attention to understanding audiences at every point in their journey of faith, from deeply engaged Catholics to people encountering the Church, or even the Gospel, for the first time. That audience-centered approach has shaped EWTN News' digital strategy and offers a powerful model for how digital missionary discipleship can be done well.”

From EWTN News to the Vatican

Alvarado joined EWTN in 2021 as host of “EWTN News In Depth.” As prefect, she will be the first woman who is not a religious sister to head a dicastery of the Holy See. She succeeds Paolo Ruffini, who has led the dicastery since 2018.

Her tenure brought a global overhaul of EWTN News. In January, EWTN brought Catholic News Agency and the ACI Group under a single EWTN News identity and launched EWTNNews.com. Spanish- and Portuguese-language versions of the site are due to launch next.

About EWTN

In its 46th year, EWTN is the largest Catholic media organization in the world. EWTN’s 11 global TV channels and numerous regional channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 435 million television households in more than 160 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 600 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; one of the most visited Catholic websites in the U.S.; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.

About EWTN News

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., EWTN News is the global, multilingual news service of the EWTN Global Catholic Network. With language teams based in the United States, Peru, the Vatican, Kenya, Brazil, Germany, Italy, and Iraq, along with correspondents throughout the world, EWTN News delivers coverage in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, and Arabic, serving Catholic audiences worldwide on its new platform: ewtnnews.com. EWTN News operates leading digital and print platforms including ChurchPOP and the National Catholic Register, a nearly 100-year-old biweekly newspaper with a robust digital presence. It also produces television news programs such as “EWTN News Nightly,” “EWTN Noticias,” “EWTN News In Depth,” “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly,” “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo,” and “Vaticano.”

American bishops will meet for their fall plenary assembly from Nov. 16–19 in Baltimore, which will include the election of bishops to the positions. Each bishop will serve as bishop-elect for one year, before taking over the role at the end of the 2027 fall plenary assembly. They serve three-year terms.

The most senior office up for election is USCCB secretary, which also leads the Committee on Priorities and Planning. This bishop helps set conference-wide priorities for the bishops.

Two bishops were nominated for the role: Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, and Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio. Rhoades holds the position because he was elected in 2025 to finish the term of Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, whose election to the USCCB presidency left a vacancy.

There are also two nominees for each of the committee chairs:

• The Committee on Catholic Education: Bishop James D. Conley, Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Bishop Edmund J. Whalen, auxiliary bishop, Archdiocese of New York
• The Committee on Communications: Bishop Daniel J. Felton, Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota, and Bishop Louis Tylka, Diocese of Peoria, Illinois
• The Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church: Bishop Steven J. Maekawa, OP, Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Bishop Michael M. Pham, Diocese of San Diego
• The Committee on Doctrine: Bishop William M. Joensen, Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, and Bishop Steven J. Lopes, Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter
• The Committee on National Collections: Bishop Mark A. Eckman, Diocese of Pittsburgh, and Bishop Gerald L. Vincke, Diocese of Salina, Kansas
• The Committee on Pro-Life Activities: Bishop John T. Folda, Diocese of Fargo, North Dakota, and Bishop Donald J. Hying, Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois earlier this year ruled in favor of multiple Catholic plaintiffs, including Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki and Chicago archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich, barring the state from requiring them to participate in the suicide regime there. Multiple groups of religious sisters have also been included in those protective orders.

The Thomas More Society, a legal group representing Paprocki and several others in their lawsuit, announced on Oct. 8 that “nearly every Catholic health care institution in Illinois” had been included in an expanded court order blocking the suicide law from being enforced.

Among the protected entities are the Catholic Medical Association, the Catholic Psychotherapy Association, and numerous Catholic healthcare affiliates in the Diocese of Springfield.

The order is temporary and will last only so long as the lawsuit against the state suicide law plays out, but Thomas More Society litigation head Peter Breen said in a news release that the law firm would “keep fighting until that protection is permanent.”

“Catholic and Christian health care providers, from hospitals and nursing homes to physicians, nurses, and therapists, strive to heal, not harm, and for generations, have cared for the sick and dying in keeping with their faith,” Breen said, arguing that the state has “no right or authority” to coerce them into helping patients kill themselves.

Narrow opt-out laws mean the Catholic care providers were not obligated to actively facilitate the specific act of suicide. But the state law still requires them to participate in the suicide regime in various other ways, including touting the alleged benefits of taking one’s own life.

Elsewhere in the U.S., Rockville Centre, New York, Bishop John Barres and a coalition of four communities of religious sisters won a victory in July when a U.S. district judge said the state would be barred from enforcing its new suicide law against the Catholic plaintiffs while their own federal suit played out.

Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis argued for an end to capital punishment during a meeting of the Third Committee on Oct. 7, saying the defense of human rights must be “consistent and universal, extending to every person, at every stage and in every circumstance.”

El-Kassis’ remarks come after Tennessee’s Sept. 30 botched execution of convicted murderer Christa Pike, who survived the administration of two syringes of lethal pentobarbital and is receiving medical treatment. A week later, Texas executed a man, marking the 30th execution carried out in the United States in 2026. Separately, President Donald Trump on Oct. 5 approved an execution by a military firing squad.

“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,” El-Kassis said, quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “This God-given dignity is never forfeited, no matter the gravity of the crime. Advances in penal systems now allow states to protect society effectively without foreclosing the possibility of repentance and redemption.”

El-Kassis emphasized that “there is no recourse” if the death penalty is carried out against an innocent person.

“Conversely, the victims and their families are entitled to solidarity, support, and a justice that is prompt, impartial, and humane. However, the taking of another life cannot restore what has been lost,” he said. “The purpose of punishment is not vengeance, but rather to repair the social bond, protect the common good, and reintegrate the offender.”

He concluded by calling on states in the U.S. where the practice is legal to “consider establishing, without delay, a moratorium on executions as a step towards abolition,” commute existing sentences, ensure fair trials, and enhance rehabilitation efforts.

Drug trafficking

El-Kassis also spoke on the topic of drug trafficking addressing those gathered at the Third Committee meeting on “Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice” with a call to uphold the law for the protection of human dignity and rights of others.

“Renewed determination is required in the face of expanding drug markets and the links between drug trafficking, corruption, and criminal activity around the world,” he said during the Oct. 7 session. “Furthermore, organized criminal groups are exploiting technology and innovation to expand their reach and diversify their operations.”

Quoting Pope Leo XIV, El-Kassis highlighted that prevention against drug use and trafficking must be accompanied by education that begins within the family and continues in schools, “imparting accurate scientific knowledge of the ruinous effects of narcotics upon the brain, the body, personal conduct, and the common good of the community.”

“The Catholic Church will continue to contribute to the common good and the inalienable, God-given dignity of every human person,” he said.

Indigenous peoples

El-Kassis also spoke during a session of the Third Committee on the “Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

“Every human person is endowed with inherent dignity and equal rights. Indigenous peoples, with their unique histories, cultures, spiritualities, and ancestral bonds to the land, form an indispensable part of the human family,” he said. “Their rights must be respected, protected, and promoted as a matter of justice and of the common good.”

El-Kassis further emphasized that “Indigenous peoples are not objects of development policies, but subjects and protagonists of their own destinies.”

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the law in June 2025. The measure ordered that a “durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments” be hung in each Texas public elementary or secondary school classroom.

The law has been subject to legal challenges since its passage. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery blocked the law in August 2025, but the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later upheld the law, finding that it does not violate the First Amendment.

In an amicus filing on Sept. 28, scholars with the Lindsay & Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic at the Notre Dame Law School urged the Supreme Court to take up the case, arguing that the high court can provide “urgently needed guidance” regarding the extent of the establishment clause in the First Amendment.

The Texas law “forces state-sponsored religious instruction on children” and “strikes at the heart of the Constitution’s protections” while going against Supreme Court precedent, the filing says.

The appeals court ruling “misstates the history underpinning the First Amendment, defies [Supreme Court] cases, and imperils religious freedom,” the brief argues.

The placement of the Ten Commandments per the state’s rule “guarantees” that students will be effectively coerced into religious instruction, it says.

The purpose of the law is to “teach government-approved religious truth,” the scholars say, in violation of the Constitution and U.S. precedent.

The Supreme Court has ruled on public displays of the Ten Commandments in multiple cases. In 2005 it held that a display at the Texas Capitol was constitutional, though in the same year it struck down Ten Commandments displays at multiple Kentucky courthouses.

In 2024, meanwhile, a federal judge blocked a Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public school classrooms, but the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later reversed the ruling, finding that Supreme Court precedent left the constitutional question unresolved.

Poll chaplains, sometimes called peacekeepers, volunteer outside of polling locations to help provide nonpartisan election information to voters, seek to mediate tensions that arise, and peacefully intervene and document attempts to intimidate voters or infringe on voting rights.

Even though a poll chaplain is not an official Church or government position, Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said during a virtual conference in late September that Catholics should be proactive in the democratic process, which includes the protection of voting rights with the help of nonpartisan poll watchers and poll chaplains.

We are in an especially fraught and significant moment in our nation’s history, with active, and, at times, successful attempts to gerrymander the vote or suppress turnout in areas that might not be favorable to a preferred candidate.”

Archbishop Edward Weisenburger

Archdiocese of Detroit

“We are in an especially fraught and significant moment in our nation’s history, with active, and, at times, successful attempts to gerrymander the vote or suppress turnout in areas that might not be favorable to a preferred candidate,” Weisenburger said.

“The Church is well within its theological mandate to be an instrument of activity, seeking out voters and registering them to vote, especially in areas that are being targeted for voter suppression or where tactics of intimidation might be used to discourage voting,” Weisenburger said at the Participation, Dignity, and Elections conference on Sept. 16.

“Inviting and training people to be nonpartisan poll watchers or poll chaplains, and to stand firm in the face of intimidation [is also part of that mandate],” the archbishop said.

The conference, organized by Catholics in Communion, included panels about voter support, electoral participation, political polarization, and the Church’s relationship to democracy, along with other subjects related to elections.

“Democracy can be a vehicle for Godʼs care for the human family, but it requires a state that understands its limitations and is not overreaching in its responsibility to create public good order,” Weisenburger said.

“It requires citizens and freely created associations and groups to recognize the responsibilities and duties that flow from freedom,” he said. “It requires a Church that is willing to boldly proclaim the Gospel and apply that Gospel to the task of building a just and thriving society.”

“May we all embrace that responsibility so that our Democratic Republic of the United States can be such an instrument of Godʼs care for us all,” the archbishop said.

Poll chaplains train for midterms

Various organizations have been recruiting and training people to serve as poll chaplains for the 2026 midterm elections. It is a role that has developed within faith communities in the past few election cycles.

The Rev. Jim Wallis, an evangelical preacher who directs Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice, told EWTN News that the center is part of the coalition Faiths United to Save Democracy (FUSD), which has trained more than 1,000 of numerous faith backgrounds to serve as poll chaplains for the November elections. The last scheduled training is on Oct. 15.

“This isn’t political or partisan for us,” he said. “It’s really theological.”

Wallis, who works to articulate the moral and theological framing for why poll chaplains go to voting locations, said the mission is rooted in Genesis 1:26, when God says, “Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness,” which expresses the inviolable dignity of every person.

“This foundational biblical teaching about the dignity of every human being made in the image of God is fundamental to all of our human rights, civil rights, and voting rights,” he said. “... To suppress a vote is to assault the image of God.”

Wallis said FUSD trains people of all faiths and participants include Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists. He said they have trained a “good mix” of laypeople and clergy, which include Catholic priests. Clergy are encouraged to wear religious garb.

Apart from the usual de-escalation training, Wallis expressed concerns about what he called “threats” from President Donald Trump’s administration to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and the National Guard to polling locations.

“Polling places have lots of people,” he said. “There’s partisan actors, there’s poll workers. The administration has suggested there be people monitoring elections. … [The chaplains are] a calming presence, they’re often a trusted presence and they’re there to intervene if necessary if intimidation occurs.”

One of the Catholic activist groups involved in recruiting poll chaplains is the Franciscan Action Network (FAN), which alone has recruited 321 volunteers, which include friars, sisters, and lay Franciscans, along with other lay Catholics and Christians.

Robert Christian, director of strategy for FAN, told EWTN News that poll chaplaincy is “deeply compatible with our mission and Franciscan values,” noting that the order is “known for their commitment to peace.”

“Free, fair, peaceful elections allow for the peaceful resolution of differences,” Christian said.

He said “every single person has dignity” and a “right to participate economically, socially, and politically.” Within FAN’s network, he said there’s strong care for “the integrity of elections” and volunteers “want to do their part to make sure everyone feels comfortable showing up on Election Day and [don’t] have to worry about their vote being counted or being turned away.”

Christian said the training focuses mostly on partisan tensions boiling over into the voting line or conflicts between poll workers and a voter. He also said talks about federal intervention, such as ICE agents stationed near voting locations, have caused people to be “nervous.”

“There have been growing concerns around democratic norms and people accepting the outcome of elections,” Christian said. “... It’s a pretty tense atmosphere in the lead-up to the elections.”

The 2026 midterm elections are less than one month away on Nov. 3. Every member of the House of Representatives is up for reelection and there are 35 Senate elections. Many states have local elections and ballot referendums, and there are 36 gubernatorial elections.

This story was updated at 1:44 p.m. ET on Oct. 8, 2026, to clarify that the poll chaplain training is not conducted by Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice but rather by Faiths United to Save Democracy (FUSD); the center is part of FUSD.