“I am deeply grateful to the skilled and compassionate medical professionals who are guiding my care and preparing my treatment plan,” Tobin said in an Oct. 28 statement, one day before the surgery.

“Above all, I place my complete trust in Christ our Redeemer, whose loving presence sustains me in all things,” Tobin said. “I humbly ask for your prayers and support during this time. God willing, I look forward to resuming my full duties within a few weeks after surgery.”

According to the archdiocese, doctors discovered a mass in one of the cardinal’s kidneys and he will undergo surgery to remove it. The announcement states doctors believe the mass is confined to the kidney and are optimistic about his outlook.

The news release states the doctor’s examination of the mass after the surgery will determine its nature and guide the cardinalʼs treatment moving forward.

The archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.

The accident occurred in Urda, Toledo province, at around 9 a.m. local time when a Renfe AVE train reportedly rear-ended another train operated by the Iryo company, causing at least two passenger cars of the second train to derail.

Authorities have reported a death toll of more than 60, surpassing the number of fatalities in the accident that occurred in Adamuz in January, which claimed the lives of 45 people.

Father Fernando Fernández de Bobadilla, the parish priest of Los Yébenes, a town near the site of the accident, spoke to COPE (a radio station owned by the Spanish Bishops’ Conference) from the disaster scene while attending to the victims.

“Right now, I’m holding an IV bag in one hand and another bag in the other. It’s horrific,” he said. “They’ve already begun removing the deceased. They place a black wristband on those who have died, a red one on those in critical condition, and a yellow one on those who can be treated. The two people I’m with right now have red wristbands, and I’m waiting for them to be taken away.”

In its message, the CEE expressed its “condolences to the families of the victims and prays for the eternal rest of the deceased and for the recovery of the injured,” while also joining “in the grief of those affected.”

The bishops called for prayers for all the victims during the religious services of the Christian community, so that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, comforter of the afflicted and queen of peace, the Lord may grant the gift of life to the victims, and hope to their families and all those affected.

The CEE also commended to God “all those involved in emergency response efforts, those caring for the injured, and those providing support to the families of the victims.”

Many prelates have likewise assured their prayers and closeness in the wake of the event.

The archbishop of Toledo and primate of Spain, Francisco Cerro, expressed on behalf of his entire diocesan Church his “profound concern” and closeness to all those affected, assuring that they are offering prayers “for those who have been injured and for all those going through moments of distress and uncertainty as a result of this accident.”

The primatial archbishop further stated that nearby parishes, the local vicariate, and the diocesan Caritas “make themselves available to all those affected and their families, to offer them the help, accompaniment, and support they may need during these difficult times.”

“The diocesan Church of Toledo, like a house with open doors, joins in the pain and worry that this event is causing, and invites the faithful to lift up their prayers for those affected, their families, and the first responders,” he added.

The archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal José Cobo, and the archbishop of Seville, José Ángel Saiz Meneses, have also shared expressions of consternation and prayers via social media. Saiz stated quite directly: “prayer, closeness, and support for the victims and their families.”

Meanwhile, the archbishop of Granada, José María Gil Tamayo, also offered his condolences, while the bishop of Getafe, Ginés García Beltrán, prayed “that the Lord may sustain and bring comfort to those affected.”

Messages in a similar vein have also been posted by the bishop of León, Luis Ángel de las Heras, who offered “our condolences and our prayers to the God of life” as well as by the bishop of Orihuela-Alicante, José Ignacio Munilla; the bishop of Málaga, José Antonio Satué; and the bishop of Vitoria, Juan Carlos Elizalde, who remarked: “May the Lord be their comfort, and may we, as brothers and sisters, accompany the injured and the families who have lost loved ones during these moments of sorrow.”

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The Oct. 28 report from Pew Research Center found that while religious practice in the U.S. has “remained stable” since 2020, a survey of young adults about religious practice uncovered “mixed signals.” The report is based on data from Pew’s probability-based, nationally representative 2026 National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS) and the center’s 2025 Cross-Sectional Engagement Survey.

Based on a June 2026 survey, Pew found that 34% of adults said they attended a religious service in the past month, while 45% said they either attended or watched a religious service online in the past month. “Both numbers are at their highest levels since the Center started asking these questions in July 2020,” the report said.

However, the report said that while young adults born from 2004 to 2008 are reporting “relatively high rates of attendance at religious services,” young adults born from 2000 to 2003 “are the least religious age group when it comes to how often they pray, how important religion is in their lives and how many of them identify with religion.” In addition, the share of the older demographic that say they attend religious services regularly “is among the lowest of any age group.”

The report noted that the youngest Republicans attend religious services at higher rates than older Republicans, but that “they are not solely responsible for the high levels of religious attendance among young adults,” and that younger Democrats also reported higher levels of attendance than older ones.

The youngest men reported higher levels of religious observance than the youngest women, the report said, noting that “this is something we have not seen before in our surveys.” However, the youngest women did report “relatively high rates” of attendance at religious observance compared with older women.

“Moreover, this is not the first time in recent decades that surveys have shown the youngest Americans entering adulthood with relatively high rates of religiousness,” the report said. “When this has happened in the past, the religiousness of the youngest adults has tended to fade with time, leaving them less religious than people in the preceding birth cohort. We have no way of knowing whether today’s youngest adults will follow that pattern or break it.”

The report highlighted how findings from other organizations contrast with their own. While Gallup polls showed an increase in young men who identified religion as important to them and who attend religious services, more so than young women, the report noted that “by contrast, an aggregation of Pew Research Center surveys from 2025 and 2026 finds that among people ages 18 to 29, more young men than women attend services regularly, while roughly equal shares of young men and women say religion is very important to them.”

The case followed the young men’s posting of a video in which they reenacted a scene from an Egyptian film.

In an interview with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Nader Shukry, a citizenship researcher and writer specializing in Coptic affairs, described the case and its broader implications. He highlighted challenges around understanding Egyptian law and using social media.

Shukry said the young men, who live in Ezbet Tanious in the village of Taha al-Amda, in the Samalut district of Minya, reenacted a scene from the 2018 film “Khalawis.” The scene does not mock religion, he said; it depicts prisoners known for bullying and violence trying to pray without knowing how.

Dozens of Egyptian Muslims also reenacted and posted the scene without provoking similar reactions, Shukry said. But when the Coptic young men posted it, one village resident objected and accused them of insulting Islam.

The young men deleted the video shortly after posting it because they did not realize some viewers might find it offensive, Shukry said. But incitement continued, prompting security forces to detain them in an effort to contain anger and prevent possible attacks on Christians and their property. He said extremist currents in Minya seek to inflame religious sentiment and create disorder.

Shukry said the young men were not held for long once it became clear they had not intended to insult religion. A de-escalation meeting was also held in the village, with the church taking part. He distinguished this meeting from customary reconciliation sessions, saying it aimed to counter incitement on social media and ease tensions among residents.

Shukry stressed the danger of attributing an individual’s actions, whether the person is guilty or innocent, to an entire religious community. A citizen should be held accountable for what that person did, he said; Christians as a whole, or an entire village, should not bear responsibility for one person’s actions.

He also pointed to pages that publish content insulting Christians without facing legal consequences comparable to those a Christian might face for discussing Islam.

The case involving the six young men remains open until the prosecutor general issues a decision to close it, Shukry said, although it has largely concluded in practice. He cited the short length of their detention compared with other cases involving alleged contempt of religion.

Shukry urged young people to exercise caution when dealing with religious matters and to avoid discussions that others might exploit or present as insults to religion. He distinguished such discussions from interreligious dialogue conducted by specialists.

Egyptian society faces a challenge of awareness, he said, noting that many Christians have previously become involved in cases involving alleged contempt of religion because they were unfamiliar with Egyptian law and how to use social media.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Father Richard Storey, who was accused in May of stealing $160,000 from Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood near Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to the theft on Oct. 27.

The Kansas City Archdiocese said in a statement that Storey had already repaid just under $160,000 to the parish as restitution. The priest will be sentenced in January.

The archdiocese said it would initiate a canonical investigation following the guilty plea. In addition to the theft, the diocese said it would investigate an “allegation involving an adult victim.”

The archdiocesan finance council’s audit committee will review the results of the investigation, the statement said, after which the committee would present its own analysis to the archdiocesan promoter of justice, who will suggest potential canonical actions to Archbishop Shawn McKnight.

The archbishop “will share the findings of the investigation with the Curé of Ars Parish and communicate its conclusion to the faithful,” the archdiocese said.

Storey allegedly utilized the stolen funds in part on cruises, including at least one apparent withdrawal from within a casino.

Tens of thousands of dollars, meanwhile, were reportedly spent on international travel. The archdiocesan statement said that Storey’s guilty plea fell under “severity level 7,” or a “non-person, non-drug felony.”

The Kansas City Star reported that the plea agreement recommended the priest receive probation including “substance abuse evaluation.”

In a joint pastoral letter on migration, published Oct. 24, the bishops also warned that restrictive policies are making it nearly impossible for refugees to enter their countries and defended well-integrated migrants against expulsion.

“Migrants must be carefully integrated into their new countries; otherwise, serious problems arise,” the bishops wrote.

The letter, titled “The Earth Is Our Common Home,” is signed by the six members of the Nordic Bishops' Conference, which covers Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Iceland. They are its president, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, Norway; its vice president, Bishop Raimo Goyarrola of Helsinki; Cardinal Anders Arborelius of Stockholm; Bishop Czeslaw Kozon of Copenhagen; Bishop David Tencer of Reykjavik, Iceland; and Bishop Fredrik Hansen of Oslo, Norway. The conference prepared it for Oct. 25, the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

At least 4.6 million people living in the five countries, about 1 in 6 residents, were born abroad, according to national statistics offices. In Sweden, 20.8% of residents were born abroad and in Finland 10.9%. Immigrants make up 19.6% of Icelandʼs population, 17.5% of Norwayʼs, and 13% of Denmarkʼs.

Duties and limits

“Each country naturally needs to assess how many migrants it is able to receive,” the bishops wrote. “When this does not happen, and when more people are received than can be integrated well, social problems result.”

Quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church, they said migrants are “obliged to respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens.” This “must not be seen to exclude their legitimate right to preserve their own heritage,” they added.

“There is a risk that migrants isolate themselves and fail even to attempt to adapt to their new circumstances,” the letter says. “Over time, this tendency generates unease and conflict.” Migrants “are to be encouraged to integrate but not subjected to forced assimilation.”

Refugees and the well integrated

The bishops said social problems arising from poor integration lead to “new strictures in policy, so that it becomes near impossible to enter within our borders even for refugees and asylum seekers, who stand under the protection of international norms to which our countries are obliged.”

“In some cases, this development has reached the point where it is considered good to send away as many people as possible, including those who are well integrated and who make significant contributions to our societies,” they wrote. “The Church must raise her voice in defense of those who are in danger of being subjected to unjust treatment without due cause.”

The bishops recalled that “the Catholic Church was rebuilt, after the centuries of persecution, in our Nordic countries by migrants who brought their Catholic faith to us.” Parishes, they wrote, “often function as integration workshop.”

“To foster love of oneʼs nation, to value its traditions and heritage, is a good thing,” the letter says. “Narrow-minded nationalism, however, must be abhorrent to Catholics and to all people of good will.”

Citing Pope Leo XIVʼs visits to the Canary Islands and Lampedusa and his call to “disarm our language,” the bishops said public coverage of and discourse about immigration “tend to become harsher, less nuanced, and more aggressive.”

“Europe is searching for a new balance in this area,” they wrote. “We must be realistic about our limitations, human and material. Still, we must be ready never to reject a suffering brother or sister who calls on us for help.”

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In an email to supporters on Oct. 23 she said she had been inundated by an avalanche of investigations and complaints about her views on issues including abortion and gender ideology.

“There are now more than 200 allegations and sub-allegations against me,” Howe stated on her website.

“Every single one relates to something I’ve said on a controversial topic. Not one relates to anything I’ve said or done in the classroom. My crime? Disagreeing with the leftwing orthodoxy of the academy.”

None of the complaints, she said, relates to her academic work. She is a Rhodes Scholar who is an expert on the legal regulation of temporary labor migration, labor law, and migration policy. She is the author of three books. She has a doctorate from the University of Oxford and was appointed a full professor in 2023.

Her fierce advocacy for unborn children has made her a national figure in the media. But this should not make her persona non grata in the university, she said.

“Universities should not be a monoculture. Academic freedom means nothing if it doesn’t protect views the activists don’t like,” she wrote.

“This isn’t just about me. It’s about every conservative student, every Christian, and every junior academic who has learned to keep their head down. And it’s about every Australian who has been told to keep quiet at work or face the consequences.”

Howe told the Adelaide Advertiser that other academics were cold-shouldering her over her views. “One colleague came out of the bathroom and, bizarrely, literally screamed in my face,” she said.

She said she wants Universities Australia to decree that “complaints that are made vexatiously or in bad faith” should be dismissed. 

She also wants universities to investigate complaints about academics’ research only “if they are made by a person who is a member of the academic staff of the university, a person of good standing in Australia’s academic research community, or a person directly affected by the alleged misconduct.”

This will not be the first time Howe and her employer have clashed.

In 2024 she took Adelaide University to the Fair Work Commission because the university had demanded that she comply with “corrective actions” even though she had been cleared in six investigations.

It wanted her to complete an anti-bias course and to have a formal discussion with her manager about her research. She won that battle: the university withdrew its “corrective actions.” But the complaints have continued. 

“Enough is enough,” Howe said. She said she is prepared to fight her case all the way to the High Court.

This story was first published in the Catholic Weekly. It has been adapted by EWTN News and reprinted here with permission.

“Persecuted and Forgotten?” outlines how Christians are being forced from their homes through conflict, extremism, and religiously motivated violence in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America between August 2024 and June 2026.

According to research by ACN, 220 million Christians are directly exposed to persecution worldwide. The latest data from Pew Research Center indicates that anti-Christian harassment, ranging from verbal abuse to killings, occurred in 165 countries in 2023, up from 160 in 2021.

At the launch of the report in Portcullis House, London, John Pontifex, head of press for ACN UK, told EWTN News: “By virtue of our shared faith, we identify, inevitably, particularly strongly, with those of our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, and we recognize that itʼs an accident of birth that sees them in that situation of persecution and us in a situation of much greater liberty.”

He added: “There are Christians that suffer persecution in more countries than is the case with any other faith group. Up to 165 countries are those where Christians suffer from discrimination, oppression, or persecution. Thatʼs far more than any other religious group, so we need to share their story, and to tell people, our friends, our family, our parish, our [politicians].”

The report outlines how the persecution of Christians by authoritarian regimes has grown to unprecedented levels in countries where there is an anti-West sentiment.

Chinese authorities have intensified their oppression of Christians, as they aim to align religious doctrine more closely with communist principles. This has led to mass detentions, clergy being jailed on legal technicalities, churches closing, and online religious content being controlled.

The report tells of the persecution in Nicaragua, where the regime increased its crackdown on Christians, arresting and exiling clergy, preventing ordinations, seizing Church institutions, and preventing people entering the country with Bibles.

The report also outlines how the arrests of Christians doubled within 12 months in Iran, as crackdowns have intensified.

“Weʼre calling on all countries around the world and the U.N. to fully implement Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrines religious freedom,” Pontifex said.

“Weʼre not calling for special treatment but simply calling for people to band together, to stop acts of oppression — be it people being kidnapped for their faith, be it people being forced from their jobs for reasons to do with their faith …  And indeed, for those who are unfairly tried and sentenced to life imprisonment, for crimes theyʼve not committed,” he said. “Like blasphemy laws, which are arbitrarily enforced. And then recognizing there are people who are often asked to pay the ultimate price. This should stop.”

Sub-Saharan Africa was one particular area of focus, listing Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as territories with the worst extremist attacks since the height of the Daesh (ISIS) violence in the Middle East.

The report outlines how jihadist violence in the Sahel region has led to militant groups now controlling 40% of the country.

“They often coerce villagers to follow Islamic customs, making women veil their faces in public and men grow beards. Those who refuse are expelled or even publicly executed. Where insurgents allow Christians to practice their faith, this is restricted to inside churches, and it cannot be taught to children,” Pontifex explained.

Speaking to the conference about the Christians suffering from this oppression, Caroline Hull, national director of ACN UK, said: “These are people just like you and me. If someone said, ‘Will you give up your faith or I will take your children?’
what would you do? If someone said, ‘Iʼll let you get out of prison if you turn your back on Jesus Christ’? These are fair questions to ask ourselves, and we need to remember that these are people just like us.”

In October 2025, receiving an ACN delegation, Pope Leo XIV declared that religious freedom is “a cornerstone of any just society for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be informed and exercised… Religious freedom, therefore, is not merely a legal right or a privilege to us granted by governments; it is a foundational condition that makes reconciliation possible.”

ACN is a Catholic charity founded to help Christians in need where they are persecuted, oppressed, or in pastoral need through support, charitable work, and generating awareness.

On Nov. 18, ACN will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its #RedWednesday campaign, which raises awareness about the persecution of Christians worldwide.

The full report is available to read here.

The survey was published on Oct. 26 by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), which is a research center at Georgetown University that produces social scientific studies about the Catholic Church.

It found significant differences among racial and ethnic categories, with Indigenous and Black Catholics reporting the highest levels of racial discrimination. Non-Hispanic white Catholics reported the lowest levels of racial discrimination.

The survey found that 75% of Indigenous Catholics reported experiences of racial discrimination in their lives. About 15% said they have experienced it in their parishes and 23% have experienced it in Catholic education.

It found that 66% of Black Catholics said they have experienced racial discrimination at some point in their lives, with 26% experiencing it in their parish communities and 26% experiencing it in Catholic education.

About 54% of Hispanic Catholics reported experiencing racial discrimination in their lives, with 15% saying they have experienced it in their parishes and 16% saying they have experienced it in Catholic education.

Among Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian Catholics, 54% said they have experienced racial discrimination in their lives, with 11% saying they experienced it in their parishes and 14% saying they have experienced it in Catholic education.

For white non-Hispanic Catholics, 29% reported they have experienced racial discrimination in their lives, with 6% saying they experienced it in their parishes and 7% saying they experienced it in Catholic education.

The largest category of respondents was white non-Hispanic Catholics, who made up 49% of those surveyed. About 24% of respondents were Hispanic; 16% were Black; 6% were Asian, Pacific Islander, or Native Hawaiian; 2% were Indigenous; 1% were another race; and 1% were mixed.

Ali Mumbach, research assistant for CARA, told EWTN News: “The findings from this report are very revealing about racism in the U.S. Catholic Church.”

“There is one group that experiences racial discrimination within the walls of the Catholic Church in the U.S. more than any other,” Mumbach said. “Black Catholics are the most likely to attend a parish that has merged (26%), have experienced racial discrimination in their parish (26%) as well as in Catholic education (26%). Twenty-six percent is 1 in 4 Black Catholics, compared to 1 in 10 adult Catholics in their parish or in Catholic education.”

“Based on the findings in this study, adult Catholics are generally in agreement with Church teachings that racism is a sin,” she said. “However, the reality of living out anti-racism within the Church seems to be a different story.”

A large majority of each racial and ethnic group said they believe implicit and explicit racism exist in their local communities to some degree. Implicit racism refers to forms of discrimination, such as unfair housing, access to education, and job opportunities. Explicit racism refers to forms of discrimination, such as verbal name calling, being denied services, and racial profiling.

The survey found that 17% of Catholics believe implicit racism exists “very much” in their local communities. It found that 33% believe it exists “somewhat,” 28% believe it exists “a little,” and 22% said it does not exist at all in their communities.

It found that 19% of Catholics said they believe explicit racism exists “very much” in their local communities, 32% said it exists “somewhat,” 27% said it exists “a little” and 22% said it does not exist at all.

White Catholics were the least likely to say explicit and implicit racism exists “very much” in their local communities. Black Catholics were the most likely to say those forms of racism exist “very much” in their communities.

Views about racism

The survey also asked respondents about their views on racism, which CARA said is derived from Church documents that condemn and define racism. A majority of each racial and ethnic group strongly or somewhat agreed with each statement.

It found 75% of Catholics strongly or somewhat agree it is sinful to “exclude, ridicule, mistreat, or unjustly discriminate against persons on the basis of their race or ethnicity.” It found that 19% neither agree nor disagree and 7% either strongly or somewhat disagree.

The survey found that 73% of Catholics strongly or somewhat agree racism can also come in the form of a sin of omission “when individuals, communities, and even churches remain silent and fail to act against racial injustice when it is encountered.” Another 20% neither agree nor disagree and 7% either strongly or somewhat disagree.

It found 67% of Catholics strongly or somewhat agree “racism can only end if we contend with the policies and institutional barriers that perpetuate and preserve the inequality — economic and social — that we still see all around us.” Another 24% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 9% either strongly or somewhat disagreed.

Venezuelan outfielder Jackson Chourio put on a great performance in the postseason with the Brewers. At the beginning of October in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, he got a ninth-inning, 2-and-2-count hit off the San Diego Padres' star closer, Mason Miller, driving in two runs for the Brewers and winning the game.

Chourio led the Brewers to their first World Series appearance since 1982. He spoke on Oct. 22 with Venezuelan journalist Mari Montes about how his relationship with God has played a vital role in his athletic career. “It’s thanks to him that I am here, and he fills me with so many blessings. How could I not believe?” he said, speaking to El Extrabase on camera.

The 22-year-old ballplayer hails from Maracaibo, one of the Venezuelan cities most devoted to the Blessed Virgin. There, every Nov. 18, the city celebrates Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá, the patroness of both the city and the entire state of Zulia. This particular devotion is affectionately known as “la Chinita.”

“It means a great deal. All of us from Maracaibo believe. She is always in my prayers; I ask her for so much, that she grant me good health and continue to bestow so many blessings upon me,” Chourio said regarding the Virgin Chinita.

Another of the Brewers’ stars is catcher William Contreras, who was born in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. Immediately after the conclusion of the fourth game of the National League Championship Series in which Milwaukee swept the Los Angeles Dodgers, Contreras knelt at home plate, looked toward to heaven, raised his arms, and exclaimed in a distinctly Venezuelan way: “Thank you, Papa God!”

“Throughout these playoffs, I’ve been talking a lot with God, asking him to keep me healthy for the games. This is going to be a huge dream for me and my family. I always go out there to give my best, and that’s what I’ve been talking about with him, asking him to guide me and help me,” Contreras told El Extrabase.

The catcher also shared that he is a devotee of the Virgin of Coromoto, the patroness of Venezuela. “She’s the one my mom mentions the most,” he said. Contreras also mentioned the health of Pope Leo XIV, expressing his joy that the Holy Father is recovering extraordinarily well from his recent surgery.

Antonio Senzatela, a Venezuelan pitcher for the Brewers, also mentioned that he thanks God every day for having gotten to this point in his career. “I am a man of deep faith; I’ve gone to church since I was a little boy, that’s what my mom and dad taught me,” he said.

“Life has taken things away from me. He has taken things away; my mom and dad are no longer with me but I have a wife who loves me and wonderful children. I feel grateful to God for everything he gives me. There are difficult moments, but he also gives me many moments to laugh and be happy,” he added.

Similarly, Néstor Corredor, a key member of the Brewers’ coaching staff, shared that, until recently, he “called himself an atheist.” The Venezuelan noted that he did not have a “complete faith” but that in recent years, he has sought to understand God’s presence in his life.

“Every time you wake up in the morning, you have to thank God, because he’s the one who allowed you to wake up. For me, every single day, the first words I speak before checking my phone, before talking to my wife, and before seeing my children, are directed to God. Knowing that he is listening, wherever it may be, and that when you surrender yourself to him, you will be blessed and in 2026, I have been quite blessed,” he remarked.

Corredor, Chourio, Contreras, and Senzatela were all part of the Venezuelan national team roster that won the World Baseball Classic title in March after defeating a U.S. team packed with superstars.

On the other side is Víctor Mesa Jr., a young Cuban outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays. Before playing in his first World Series, Mesa reflected on his youth in Cuba, noting that faith is not a value that is typically instilled there.

“Since I arrived here I believe more. If I am here, it’s for a reason, I have always said that. That is one of my favorite sayings: Everything happens for a reason and thank God because look what more beautiful reason is this,” he commented.

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a public comment on Oct. 22 to the Commerce Department, which houses the Census Bureau, asking it to entirely withdraw the proposed changes, which the bishops say “conflict with our fundamental belief in the equal dignity of every person, the obligations of a just society, and legal precedent.”

The bishops compared the proposal to the Three-Fifths Compromise, calling to mind a constitutional provision rooted in slavery that was later changed and counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for purposes of congressional representation. They pointed to potential harm to federally funded healthcare, anti-poverty, family support, and infrastructure programs if millions of people are excluded from the census count.

The proposed rule changes, published Sept. 10 and open to public comment until Nov. 2, would count only citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) for apportionment, with the bureau stating that “illegal aliens (among others) should not be included in the apportionment count, as they are not true inhabitants, members of the body politic, or persons with a ‘usual residence’ in the United States due to their lack of a sufficient tie and allegiance to the United States.”

“Excluding from the census noncitizens without LPR status, including but not limited to members of the undocumented population, is effectively to deny they are ‘persons,’” the letter said.

The bishops called this change a “novel view,” challenging the Census Bureau’s interpretation of “usual residence,” which it says would generally be the place where a person lawfully spent the greatest number of days from Jan. 3 to April 1, consistent with tax records. The letter also notes some drafting ambiguity in the proposal about whether non-LPRs would be excluded from the census entirely or only from the apportionment base.

The bishops say relying on tax records without a clear methodology will be statistically impractical and risks inaccuracy, arguing that additional questions or new practices will become necessary to determine whether a person’s “usual residence” conforms with their legal immigration status. They cite research findings published by the U.S. Census Bureau showing “an adverse effect on response rate” when immigration status and citizenship questions are scrutinized.

They noted that every census since it began in 1790 has counted noncitizens, including those without permanent legal status.

The bishops also wrote that in addition to its primary purpose of determining the number of seats allotted to each state in the U.S. House of Representatives, which is determined by population, the census, mandated by the U.S. Constitution, produces data used to apportion federal funds to communities.

An undercount could severely harm the common good, the bishops argue, as programs that receive trillions in federal funding to provide healthcare, reduce poverty, support families, and provide crucial infrastructure utilized by all citizens will be impacted through excluding millions of persons from the apportionment count.

They note that Catholic ministries, which often operate at the government’s request to help implement programs guided by census data, would be hindered in their service to vulnerable populations if communities lose access to resources and if the data needed to understand local needs is less accurate.

The Census Bureau in the proposed rule change is also seeking to prohibit demographic questions concerning race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on questionnaires used to count the population, supporting the change by citing privacy concerns, saying certain questions may make individuals more identifiable, and noting that fewer questions on the census questionnaire will increase the response rate. The bureau also argues such questions do not advance the core constitutional purpose of a census for apportionment of House seats.

The bishops suggest including a “prefer not to disclose” option rather than removing questions about race and ethnicity altogether, writing that “demographic data can help identify and address inequity” due to racism. They note that the bureau “does not even attempt to address how the proposed restrictions on the collection of demographic information could adversely impact” the support various communities receive based on their particular community’s needs, which demographic data collected on the census helps determine.

The U.S. Census Bureau did not immediately respond to EWTN News’ request for comment.

In an Oct. 23 statement, the USCCB noted that the award was announced by Bishop Óscar Cantú of San José, California, chair of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, during the 2026 annual conference of the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry.

The conference, held Oct. 20–23 in Anaheim, California, brought together hundreds of leaders in Hispanic ministry from dioceses across the United States.

According to the statement, Cantú noted that Gomez “has advocated for the Hispanic community for decades. He has been a tireless champion for the Catholic Church and specifically for Hispanic Catholics, highlighting the gifts that they bring to the Church in the United States.”

“With the Encuentros Award, we wish to recognize his work and express our heartfelt appreciation for everything he has done across many years,” Cantú stated.

Gomez will receive the Encuentros Award during the U.S. bishops’ plenary assembly in November, which will take place in Baltimore.

The life of Archbishop José H. Gomez

Born in Monterrey in Nuevo León state in Mexico on Dec. 26, 1951, Gomez has three older sisters and one younger sister. His parents are Dr. José H. Gomez and Esperanza Velasco, according to a biography published by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

He was ordained a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei on Aug. 15, 1978, at the Shrine of Torreciudad in Spain.

Having studied accounting, philosophy, and theology, he earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Navarra in Spain.

He subsequently served as a priest in the Archdiocese of San Antonio and in what is now the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

In 2001, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Denver by Pope John Paul II. Four years later, again by the decision of the Polish saint, he became the archbishop of San Antonio.

In 2010, he was appointed coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles by Pope Benedict XVI and installed as archbishop in March 2011.

He served as president of the USCCB from 2019 to 2022, becoming the first Hispanic and the first immigrant to assume leadership of the U.S. episcopate. Gomez is a naturalized American citizen.

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Vance, who is widely considered to be a frontrunner for the 2028 Republican nomination, told Arroyo on the latter’s “Arroyo Grande” podcast on Oct. 21 that he was not thinking intensively about the prospect of a presidential race amid the contentious 2026 midterms.

“As soon as the midterms are over … Iʼm going to have to think seriously about it,” Vance said. He noted that he and his wife have four small children “and that’s a consideration.”

Asked by Arroyo if he felt God calling him to mount a presidential run, he responded: “I feel God calling me to do as good of a job as I can.”

“I feel God calling me to try to promote the common good and the job that Iʼm doing right now,” he said. “And I think that when I actually sit down with my wife and with my pastor and with just my own internal deliberation — I think at that point Iʼll either hear God telling me to do something or to not do something.”

“I havenʼt felt God telling me Iʼve got to do one thing or another,” he said, though he admitted: “Maybe that’ll change.”

The vice president and Arroyo spoke in a wide-ranging interview that focused on politics, family, faith, and other issues. Vance said during the exchange that his faith “influences how [he thinks] about public policy.”

“I think that what my faith calls me to do is to be more charitable towards people,” he said. “It forces me to ask questions: ‘How can we raise up the least among us? How do we ensure that people have good access to jobs, even if it isnʼt always the perfect thing for a corporate bottom line?’

“It also tells me to protect the weak and the vulnerable — of course, I think starting with the unborn, but a lot of other people on top of that,” he continued.

“So I do think that while Iʼm an imperfect practitioner of my faith, I think the very best version of myself is that which listens to that voice in my head that I think ultimately comes from God.”

Asked by Arroyo about his “greatest regret,” Vance said: “Not having kids sooner.”

Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance were married in 2014 and welcomed their first child in 2017. “I had been dating Usha for three weeks, I knew I wanted to marry her, I knew I wanted to have kids with her, and we should have just started sooner,” he said.

“I always tell young couples, you always think youʼre going to check all these boxes and finances are going to be perfect, and then youʼre going to have kids,” he said. “Nobody looks back on their life and says, ‘I had two kids too early.’”

The attacks come weeks after members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) urged parties involved in armed conflicts across the country to end hostilities and pursue dialogue, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

In a statement of condolence issued on Monday, Oct. 26, the General Assembly of the Holy Synod said it received “with profound sorrow” a report from the Arsi Eparchy about the deaths of faithful following “brutal and merciless attacks” in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia regional state.

“The horrific and appalling massacres, forced displacements, and physical and property damage inflicted upon our innocent Orthodox Christian faithful in the Arsi Eparchy and in various other parts of our country have continued unabated and have been worsening over time,” the synod said.

The Church leaders recounted that on Oct. 20 and Oct. 24, 14 of their faithful were killed at a place locally known as Gora Silingo, in Angada Kebele, Merti Woreda, and 46 others were killed at Tereta Chole Birbo in Sherka Woreda.

They added that the homes of 20 faithful were completely burned down and that more than 20 people sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment in hospitals. The synod recalled that numerous faithful have previously been killed in districts within the same zone.

The synod strongly condemned the attacks, saying they are “entirely unacceptable under the teachings of any religion and are incompatible with the human rights of all people.”

The killings, the Church leaders said, “violate the constitutional rights to religious freedom and to life, contradict both religious principles and the natural law of humanity, undermine our national values of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, and constitute inhumane acts that deserve unequivocal condemnation.”

The synod strongly urged the relevant government authorities to publicly condemn the attacks and uphold the constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and freedom of worship.

In addition to bringing the perpetrators to justice and ensuring the rule of law, the authorities were called upon to provide the necessary legal protections to prevent a recurrence.

“We call upon the government to provide the necessary protection to our faithful wherever they may be, so that they are not subjected to similar attacks,” the synod said.

It also urged the relevant security authorities to give the matter special attention, provide the necessary protection until the problem is resolved, and take effective measures to prevent further threats and attacks.

The Orthodox Church leaders extended their condolences to the families of the deceased and to all Ethiopians.

“We pray that God Almighty will grant rest to the souls of our brothers and sisters who lost their lives unjustly and bestow upon them the honor of martyrdom. The Holy Church continues to pray for them and wishes comfort and consolation to all those who mourn,” they said.

The General Assembly resolved that on Oct. 27 following the Divine Liturgy, memorial prayer services are to be conducted in all monasteries and churches of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church throughout the world.

The synod also resolved that an appointment be arranged for the General Assembly to meet and hold discussions with the relevant senior government official, after which “appropriate efforts shall be undertaken to achieve a lasting solution to this problem.”

Catholic bishops respond

In their statement dated Oct. 1, the CBCE members expressed sorrow over violence in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, and other regions, saying that war destroys lives, communities, and property and leaves hatred, resentment, and vengeance that can endure for generations.

“Rather than resolving differences, war serves only to deepen divisions and multiplies suffering,” the Catholic leaders said.

They highlighted the suffering of vulnerable people, particularly children, women, the elderly, and the sick, and appealed to Ethiopians to regard the lives and suffering of others as their own, saying that peace is a shared responsibility.

“It is our heartfelt prayer that all disputes may be settled through genuine dialogue and that all forms of conflict may cease,” the Catholic bishops said.

The CBCE members called for peace rooted in truth, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

“Such a peace reflects the values of the Gospel, advances the common good, upholds the sacred dignity of the human person, and corresponds to the will of God for His people,” they said.

The CBCE members’ statement followed Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 30 appeal for dialogue amid renewed hostilities in Tigray and the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.

Ethiopia is facing renewed fighting nearly four years after the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. Tensions between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) remain unresolved, including disputes over political power, regional autonomy, disarmament, and territory.

In September, the TPLF joined six other armed groups in an alliance reportedly seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s government.

A Sept. 29 Al Jazeera report described intensified fighting between federal forces and the TPLF and its allies. Government forces and their allies claimed to have captured Alamata, a strategic town about 75 miles south of Mekelle, following days of fighting.

The report said fighting was continuing across Tigray, Amhara, and Afar, with TPLF forces also taking Erebti in Afar.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

Father José Alejandro García, parish priest at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus in the Diocese of St. Rose of Lima, within whose jurisdiction the events took place, explained in an interview with EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that his bishop, José Cayetano Parra, has assembled a team of specialists to investigate the case.

The group consists of a biologist, a physician with experience in similar cases, a psychologist, a nurse, a layperson chosen from among the faithful who participate in the community, and a priest who is not part of the local parish clergy.

As the priest explained, one of the team’s objectives is to determine “whether the reddish stain is blood” and to understand how it is that “a piece of bread may be found to have certain human properties or characteristics.”

What happened to the consecrated host?

During a Mass celebrated on July 30 at a school in the city of Cuilapa, the celebrant noticed that one of the young people had removed the Eucharist from his mouth; the priest approached him to prevent him from tossing it on the floor. After retrieving the host, the priest took it and later placed it in a glass vessel containing water, located in the chapel in the cathedral’s rectory.

The intention was for the host to dissolve naturally. However, on Aug. 6, it was observed that this had not occurred; instead, red stains had appeared on it.

Since then, the case has sparked interest among the faithful.

Prudence, prayer, and reflection

García emphasized that this is a matter that “will require time for study and reflection,” clarifying that neither the multidisciplinary team nor the bishop can confirm whether this is a Eucharistic miracle. Any eventual authorization for public veneration rests with the Holy See.

For now, he asked the faithful to use this time for “exercising prudence, for prayer, and reflection,” and to avoid drawing hasty conclusions that could “hinder the investigation.”

On behalf of Parra, the priest invited the community to maintain “great faith, much prayer, and patience.”

Increased participation by the faithful

García said that since the news became known, there has been “greater participation by thousands of people” who have come to the church to attend Mass, go to confession, and take part in Eucharistic adoration.

The priest noted that the chapel set aside for adoration has begun to fill with more people than usual, so it is now open from 5 a.m. until midnight.

He also noted that there is “an increase in people looking to go to confession.”

“We offer confession, especially on Sundays, and we have ministered to a large number of people, including some who had not been to confession for years,” he added.

“For my community, it has been a rebirth,” the priest stated, pointing out that this awakening has been reflected in a strengthening of “faith in Jesus in the Eucharist, which is evident in the increased attendance of the faithful at Mass and at Eucharistic adoration.”

For the priest, what occurred is a call for Catholics to “strengthen our faith,” and for those who are not yet Catholic, “it is a cry from Jesus telling us: I am alive; I am the bread that has come down from heaven.”

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The initiative, which has already reached more than 260 seminarians at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Makurdi, Benue state, seeks to prepare future priests to recognize different forms of abuse, support survivors, and promote safer communities through their pastoral ministry.

Speaking in an interview with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, during the three-day “Training and Capacity Building on the Prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence” for seminarians, the secretary-general of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) said the disturbing prevalence of sexual and other forms of violence in Nigeria calls for deliberate efforts to ensure respect for every human person, particularly for those who are most vulnerable.

According to Father Michael Banjo: “Seminarians must receive formation that prepares them for the responsibility of protecting people from abuse, educating the faithful, and promoting a culture in which violence is neither tolerated nor concealed.”

“The disturbing prevalence of sexual and other forms of violence in Nigeria calls us to make the Christian message of love concrete through the protection of human dignity. Every person is created in the image and likeness of God, and every act of abuse violates that dignity,” he said during the Oct. 21 interview.

The episcopal secretary of the Family and Human Life unit of CSN, Sister Cor Jesu Maria Ijeoma Eke, whose office has the mandate of training the seminarians, explained to ACI Africa at the training that the formation of seminarians was essential to extending awareness of sexual and gender-based violence beyond existing Church groups to families and communities across the country.

“These are the future priests, future bishops, the future shepherds that we will have in the Church. We decided to take this training down to them so that if we can get them to understand what sexual and gender-based violence is all about, its manifestations, its forms and everything surrounding it, it will be a better way of spreading this knowledge and seeing how we can work towards the prevention of this ill,” she said.

Eke disclosed that the training of 1,000 seminarians formed part of a capacity-building project designed to raise awareness and strengthen the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence among Catholic Church stakeholders in Nigeria.

She explained that the program aimed to ensure seminarians acquired the necessary knowledge before assuming pastoral responsibilities, particularly when individuals and families turn to the Church for guidance and assistance.

The Nigerian sister noted that priests regularly interact with people from different backgrounds through homilies, pastoral visits, apostolic work, and meetings with Church organizations, placing them in a strategic position to promote awareness and help prevent abuse.

“They are going to use the pulpit, they go for apostolic work, and they meet with other leaders and Church organizations. They can use this opportunity as future priests and all those who are really in this field to make sure that this project, this awareness creation, as well as the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, is brought under control,” she said.

Eke expressed the hope that sustained awareness and preventive action would help the Church and society move toward a future in which sexual and gender-based violence would be significantly reduced.

Eke disclosed that the project initially aimed to reach at least 1,000 seminarians across the selected major seminaries, but the number could increase as the training progresses.

In a separate interview with ACI Africa, the executive director of the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Father George Omaku Ehusani, said the initiative was introduced to the Church in Nigeria by his foundation, identifying harmful cultural practices, domestic violence, and unequal treatment of women as some of the issues the initiative seeks to address.

“In this country, there are places where a man dies, and the wife is chased away from home, and the brothers can just come and pack all his things. Till today, the wife with children can be left empty, and the brothers will come and carry everything [away],” he said.

The initiative also addresses the treatment of domestic workers, particularly young girls brought from rural communities to work as house helps or nannies in wealthier households.

“You bring a girl from the village who is the same age as your own daughter, and put that girl through the most harrowing experiences as a house girl, as a nanny. If she breaks a plate, they beat the nonsense out of this girl. The kind of work you canʼt give your child at 12 years old, you give this girl,” he said.

According to him, the initiative uses the Gospel, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other Church teachings to encourage Christians to reject abuse and treat vulnerable people with compassion.

“You cannot be a Christian and be violating people. You canʼt be a Christian and be brutalizing people,” he said and added: “The Ford Foundation is supporting, but it has nothing to say as to the agenda. Lux Terra developed it,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

On Oct. 22, the White House posted a video that showed Denver Archbishop James Golka leading a prayer with Trump, surrounded by about a dozen other bishops, who stood beside the president’s spiritual adviser Paula White-Cain and White House Faith Office Director Jennifer Korn.

The video was shared by Margo Martin, a White House communications adviser, with no news release to accompany it, nor any description of what was discussed. Golka shared the video on archdiocesan social media and clarified it was not a political endorsement.

Bishops who attended the meeting and the prayer have stated they were invited by the White House Faith Office to discuss issues of importance to Catholics: the right to life, the dignity of migrants, religious liberty, and school choice. Several have echoed Golka, emphasizing the meeting and prayer was not a political endorsement, while two have expressed regret for going.

On Oct. 25, Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a “public apology” for any confusion the video caused, saying he did not know it would be shared publicly and it was not meant to be an endorsement of the president.

A second bishop — Des Moines, Iowa, Bishop William Joensen — also emphasized that it was not an endorsement and conveyed regret over the video being used for political purposes.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had no role in the meeting.

‘Exploited’ for politics

On Oct. 24, two days after the meeting, Joensen issued a statement saying: “I would have done well to be more mindful of Jesus’ admonition [in the Gospel of Matthew]: ‘Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.’”

“I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes,” Joensen said. “I pray I am more prudent and wise going forward, even as I remain resolute in my openness to engaging and praying for political leaders at all levels.”

Joensen did not say who he was accusing of exploiting the meeting, and a spokesperson for the diocese did not respond to a request for clarification from EWTN News.

In his statement, Joensen said he was invited by officials associated with the Faith Office to talk about a variety of issues: immigration, the exploitation of the poor, visas for international clergy, advancement of a culture of life as an alternative to abortion, and support for private education.

“There was also a concluding opportunity to pray for and with our president, that God would guide his heart and impel him to lead in a way consistent with the dignity of his office,” he said.

Joensen said “there are many things” linked to the administration “at odds with our Catholic faith.” Yet, he said he attended to “have a conversation” and was informed officials “would be interested in hearing our perspective.”

When reached by EWTN News for comment, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement: “There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it.”

“He stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation’s children, and protected parents’ rights,” Rogers said but did not respond to a follow-up request for a response to the comments made by Joensen and Grob.

Explanations by other bishops

In addition to Golka, Grob, and Joensen, a few other bishops have issued statements about the reasons they met and prayed with Trump in the Oval Office and what they talked about with administration officials.

The Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota, provided a statement to EWTN News on behalf of Bishop Scott Bullock, which said the delegation discussed Catholic priorities: abortion, school choice, and the ethical implications of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

According to the diocesan statement, the bishops’ prayer over Trump is not an “endorsement” but is rather based in Scripture and following the instruction of St. Paul, who said “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.”

“We went there and we prayed, and we asked the Lord to instill our leaders with wisdom and also to help them remain humble,” Bullock said.

A spokesperson for Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico’s Bishop James Wall told EWTN News that “Bishop Wall does want to express that he would accept a meeting with any politician, if invited, to discuss important church matters, regardless of the time of year and the political party, and that he offers prayers for all who hold political office, that they lead with integrity and not division.”

The office of Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann, who led the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, before retirement, also released a statement indicating that during the meeting the prelate voiced concerns about chemical abortion and IVF while advocating for pro-life reproductive healthcare. He also discussed religious liberty, immigration, school choice, and protecting children from pornography.

According to the statement, Trump expressed gratitude to the bishops “for prayers asking God to bless and guide the president, his staff and the nation.” The archbishop’s office emphasized this was not an endorsement and that the bishops “were assured that no photographs would be made public.”

“They came to have a discussion on important policy matters,” the statement indicated. “As Catholic bishops, they pray with everyone, but do not endorse candidates or political parties.”

The following bishops also attended the meeting, according to the White House: Bishop Edward Burns of the Diocese of Dallas; Bishop Steven Raica of the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama; Bishop Thomas Hennen of the Diocese of Baker, Oregon; Bishop Michael Barber of the Diocese of Oakland, California; Bishop Francis Kalabat of the Chaldean Catholic Church; and Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Catholic Church.

Bishop Jesús Rodríguez of Palm Beach, Florida — who did not attend the meeting — opined on the matter on X, saying any action perceived as a political endorsement by a member of the Church hierarchy “must not be construed as representing the official position of the Catholic Church.”

The meeting was also attended by Mario Enzler of the Heritage Foundation, though the Heritage Foundation has stated it did not organize it.

Why Machado returned

After the July 28, 2024, presidential election, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council, controlled by the ruling socialist regime, declared incumbent President Nicolás Maduro to be the winner. However, opposition candidate Edmundo González claimed victory, and his organization said it had the vote tallies to prove it.

In a sense, Machado, very popular among voters, was the power behind González because although she had been banned from running for office by the Maduro regime, she campaigned openly in support of González.

To quell protests after the election, the repressive apparatus of the Maduro regime unleashed an unprecedented campaign of persecution against opposition politicians, activists, and protesters, and Machado went into hiding.

She left the country in December 2025 in a complex extraction operation coordinated from the United States that took her to Oslo, Norway.

On Jan. 3, 2026, U.S. special forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia, and extradited them to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges. Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was named acting president but the future of the socialist regime and democracy remained very unclear.

Machado arrives in Venezuela

“I am here. With you,” Machado, who is the coordinator of the Vente Venezuela party, wrote on X around midday on Sunday, Oct. 25. Shortly thereafter, she arrived at the Shrine of the Divine Shepherdess located in Barquisimeto.

The Divine Shepherdess, taken metaphorically, is a Marian devotion that every Jan. 14 draws millions of people to the streets for one of the largest religious processions in the region and the world.

Machado attended Sunday Mass while crowds gathered inside and outside the shrine calling out, “Freedom!” Following the Eucharist, Machado boarded a vehicle to join a caravan heading toward the capital, Caracas, where she arrived the afternoon of Oct. 25.

Reactions from the United States

In Washington, D.C., President Trump stated that he was unaware of the Venezuelan leader’s return. “I don’t know anything about it,” he replied when asked by the press. “But I think she’s a very nice woman. She gave me her Nobel Prize, so how can I say anything else? And I hope she’s safe,” he remarked.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Machado’s return is a direct result of “reconciliation talks” between the socialist government and a segment of the Venezuelan opposition, talks supported by the U.S. administration. These dialogue sessions, Rubio noted on X, have already led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners and the safe return of many exiles.

“The United States expects the freedoms of all sectors of Venezuelan politics to continue to be respected,” Rubio wrote.

“Likewise, we expect all political actors to support these talks which represent the best chance Venezuela has had in thirty years to peacefully achieve not just a free and fair election but an enduring democracy,” he added.

This week, interim president Rodríguez, a devoted and avowed follower of Sai Baba, an Indian spiritual guru now deceased, revealed that she had sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV, prior to his lung surgery, in which she wished him good health and also requested the swift canonization of Blessed María de San José as well as the beatification of Bishop Salvador Montes de Oca.

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The settlement, first announced in May, required unanimous agreement of all 1,300 victims, which has been established, attorneys for hundreds of victims said on Oct. 24.

The agreement comes after years of litigation following New York’s 2019 passage of the New York Child Victims’ Act, which permanently extended the civil statute of limitations so victims of childhood sexual abuse can file claims until age 55 and opened a temporary revival window (extended through August 2021) that allowed previously time-barred claims to be filed by victims of any age.

The settlement also requires the archdiocese to maintain and update a list of credibly accused clergy on its website, attorneys said.

The archdiocese and a plaintiffs’ liaison committee, composed of attorneys from eight law firms representing the majority of claimants, negotiated for months to arrive at the agreement.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks called the news of the settlement “encouraging” in an Oct. 24 letter to priests provided to EWTN News by the archdiocese.

“We are on the verge of being able to, please God, bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all victim-survivors,” Hicks wrote. “This agreement will also allow the archdiocese to turn its full attention once again to its mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, caring for the poor and needy, welcoming the stranger, and educating our children.”

He instructed priests to assure their parishioners that parish life “should continue uninterrupted” if asked about the settlement, saying they will be informed through a message when the deal is finalized. The settlement agreement is scheduled to be signed Nov. 6.

In his letter to priests, Hicks thanked Cardinal Timothy Dolan, “under whose leadership the process began.”

The settlement amount is the second highest in history, near the record $880 million the Archdiocese of Los Angeles paid in 2024 and half a billion dollars higher than the $300 million settlement Dolan announced in December 2025.

Dolan said at the time that the archdiocese had made “a series of very difficult financial decisions” to help fund the then-$300 million settlement, including staff layoffs, a 10% reduction in the archdioceseʼs operating budget, and the sale of real estate holdings, including the $100 million sale of the former diocesan headquarters in Manhattan.

The settlement allows the Archdiocese of New York to avoid filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Along with the Diocese of Brooklyn, it is one of only two of New York’s eight Catholic dioceses that have not sought bankruptcy protection.

The archdiocese confirmed to EWTN News that is is still engaged in litigation with its longtime insurer Chubb, which it sued in 2024, claiming the company was “attempting to evade their legal and moral contractual obligation” to pay out claims to sex-abuse victims.

"Despite accepting millions in premiums from the archdiocese, Chubb has steadfastly refused to honor the policies it issued,” Dolan said in December 2025.

The decisions came at the close of the bishops' 406th plenary assembly in Zakopanel.

In their final communiqué, the bishops said the bills passed by the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, weaken the legal protection of unborn children. Even if the bills fail later, “the mere fact of processing them fosters the shaping of social acceptance of abortion as a morally neutral solution,” they wrote. The bishops also urged lasting help for women in difficult circumstances.

The Sejm passed both bills on Oct. 20. The first, a penal code amendment approved 217-213, would remove the offense of helping or persuading a woman to have an abortion outside the law. It would also shield medical staff from prosecution for abortions performed to protect a womanʼs life or health or in cases of severe fetal impairment.

The second bill, approved 233-203, would restore abortion up to viability when tests show a high likelihood of severe and irreversible fetal impairment or an incurable life-threatening illness. It would make abortion free in the public health system and require it within 72 hours of consent.

Since a 2020 Constitutional Tribunal ruling, abortion in Poland has been legal only when the pregnancy threatens the womanʼs life or health or results from a crime.

The bills went to the Senate on Oct. 21, but no vote date has been set. President Karol Nawrocki said in January 2025, before his election, that he would not sign a law restoring the rules in place before the 2020 ruling.

“The bishops express their opposition to such a policy, which does not build but destroys,” Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda of Gdańsk, the conference president, told a press conference.

Abuse commission

The bishops also approved a revised statute for the Commission of Independent Experts to Study the Sexual Abuse of Minors in the Catholic Church in Poland and chose Piotr Franaszek, a historian at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, as its chairman.

The commission, established in March after three years of preparation, is to study abuse since 1945. It cannot begin work until it gains legal status, which requires approval from the Interior Ministry. The revised statute answers the ministryʼs comments and will be resubmitted; it will be published only after government review.

“We are at the very beginning, but we have an appointed commission, a statute, and a chairman,” Franaszek told reporters.

Grob said that over the last few days, he had “received many questions and comments about the October 22 meeting I and 11 other bishops attended at the White House, which was soon thereafter publicized by the administration without the consent of the participants.”

He went on to say that his “intention was never to cause confusion, anger, or disappointment among the people entrusted to my care” and that he issued the Oct. 25 statement to provide context for the meeting.

The meeting “was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party,” Grob said.

Last month, Grob explained, he was invited along with other bishops to a meeting to discuss “matters of importance to the Church and our people, including immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, and human dignity.” The meeting was the second of two such gatherings organized by the Heritage Foundation, he said.

“We were told the meeting was to be a private discussion, that several Catholic members of the cabinet might make an appearance, and that there could be an opportunity to pray privately with the president,” he continued.

After about an hour and a half of meeting on Oct. 22 with White House staff and policy advisers, the archbishop said, the group entered the Oval Office, where they were greeted by President Donald Trump. After being presented with commemorative tokens, Grob said, the group was directed to stand behind the president to pray, and photos were taken afterward.

“Unbeknownst to the group of bishops a video was also taken. But permission for the public distribution or posting of either the video or photos was not given by the bishops,” Grob said in his statement. Not long after, photos and the video of the prayer were posted online.

“I soon began receiving messages of serious concern over the possibility that I had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before a national election,” Grob said. “I also heard from some who felt wounded because of the ways they or their family had been harmed by the president’s policies.”

“I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way,” he continued. “We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few. We should never have been put in that position by the White House.”

Grob concluded his statement by saying that he did not go to the meeting “without reservations” and that he wished he “had heeded them.”

“I apologize for any damage my actions have done,” he said.

EWTN News reached out to the White House for comment regarding Grob’s assertion that the photos and video were shared without the bishops’ consent and received the following response from White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers: “There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it: he stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation’s children, and protected parents’ rights.”

Grob’s statement comes after another participant at the Oct. 22 meeting, Denver Archbishop James Golka, who led the prayer in the Oval Office, defended his participation in the event.

Golka said he “knew people might be upset” at the event and that it could be "use[d] for political purposes.”

“But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders,” he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic on Oct. 23.

Golka, like Grob, also denied that the meeting was in any way an endorsement of the president or his policies.

“The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party,” Golka said. “I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine.”

This story was updated at 5:22 p.m. ET on Oct. 25, 2026, with the White House statement.

In an Oct. 22 report, the legal advocacy organization said the six, who range in age from 17 to 23, were detained and questioned on charges of “exploiting” and “insulting” the religion of Islam.

“We urge the authorities to release these six young men and drop any investigations against them immediately,” said Kelsey Zorzi, ADF’s senior counsel and vice president of international advocacy.

The video posted on Oct. 4 featured audio from a popular Egyptian comedy film depicting prisoners unfamiliar with Quranic prayers. According to ADF, the six reenacted the scene.

“These young men did nothing but share a lighthearted video with a voiceover from a popular and uncontroversial film, as many others on the platform have done. There is no reason to charge or imprison them,” Zorzi said.

ADF said the post attracted comments inciting violence against the young men and their families, and that some villagers reported them to the authorities.

On Oct. 6, the six were handed over to police for questioning, with the understanding that they would be released once tensions in their village had calmed, according to the organization. They remained in detention as of the Oct. 22 report.

Zorzi described their detention as part of a wider pattern of discrimination against Christians in Egypt.

“This is tragically common in Egypt, where Christians face threats, discrimination, and ultimately imprisonment for speech that is only seen as problematic because they are not part of the majority religion,” she said.

ADF estimated that Christians constitute 10% to 15% of Egypt’s population. The organization said they continue to face discrimination, violence, and imprisonment despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.

It said the continued use of blasphemy and related “insult” laws has perpetuated the persecution of Coptic Christians.

According to ADF, scores of members of religious minorities have been prosecuted and imprisoned over the past year for social media posts deemed blasphemous amid a wider crackdown on online content considered offensive to Islam.

The organization cited Augustinos Samaan, a YouTuber who, it said, was sentenced to five years of hard labor for teaching the Christian faith on his channel.

It also highlighted the case of Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, a Christian father of five, imprisoned on blasphemy charges after sharing his beliefs in a Christian Facebook group. ADF said he was subsequently released with its support and had relocated safely to another country.

“Christian persecution has been a persistent problem in Egypt for many years. We have seen countless cases of individuals who are targeted and punished for nothing more than expressing their beliefs. Egypt must take action to address this crisis and protect freedom of speech and religious freedom for all,” Zorzi said.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Emmanuel Bishay of Egypt’s Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Luxor clarified that relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches are good.

However, he pointed out the challenge of keeping youths in the Church, noting that to deepen the Catholic faith, the Church runs formation programs alongside initiatives that make it easier for young Catholics to meet and forge relationships.

“At the official level, relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches are good. There is affection, and people exchange greetings on religious occasions,” Bishay said in an Oct. 19 ACN report.

“Unfortunately, if a young Catholic man or woman marries an Orthodox person, they may be required to become Orthodox and to follow the Orthodox Church’s requirements,” he said. “This is a major challenge for us as a Church: How can we help our young people deepen their Catholic faith and remain attached to their Church?”

“I believe that the formation we provide, especially through catechesis, is an important service. We also create many opportunities for young Catholics to meet one another,” he said.

In Egypt, Catholics are described as “a minority within a minority” in the ACN report. The charity organization says that the largest Christian denomination in Egypt is the historic Coptic Orthodox Church.

“Though there are no official numbers, estimates point to between 10 and 15 million Copts in the country, making it the biggest Christian community in the Middle East, by a large margin. Muslims make up the vast majority of the rest of Egypt’s 120 million people,” the ACN report said.

The Catholic Coptic Church, on the other hand, has only around 300,000 faithful living in Egypt, but according to Bishay, they are playing an important part in forging good relations between different religious communities and also for their contributions to health, education, and culture.

“As one travels farther into Upper Egypt, people can be somewhat more rigid in their attitudes. We make every effort to build relationships with the Orthodox community and with Muslims, who are the majority, even if we encounter some difficulties, especially in villages and small settlements,” Bishay was quoted as explaining.

Regarding relations with the Muslim community, the Catholic bishop admitted that there have been difficult periods but said the situation has improved.

“The hard-line voices that used to be heard are no longer as prominent, while another voice, the moderate one, is growing. The change is slow but noticeable: People are listening to those with moderate views, and the government is giving them room to act. The process is moving in this direction. I believe that if Egypt continues along this path, things will keep getting better,” the Church leader said.

Bishay further said that the Catholic Church plays an outsized role in the services it provides in Egypt, especially in the poorer regions, but its faithful continue to face difficult challenges as a minority within a large country.

“The Catholic Church is small in numbers but strong in services. Some of the best schools in Egypt are Catholic schools, and the fact that state officials regularly turn to Catholic schools is evidence of this. We also work in healthcare. Our diocese alone has 14 clinics, most of which are staffed by religious sisters who devote much of their time to this work. Another contribution is through cultural centers and libraries,” Bishay explained.

He added: “The Catholic Church has not only provided these services; it has also shown Egyptian society how to provide them. The Coptic Orthodox Church learned to provide them from us and, more recently, mosques have also begun providing services of this kind, following our example. The Catholic Church has been a pioneer in this field.”

The bishop went on to say that the services are particularly important in the Eparchy of Luxor.

“Upper Egypt receives less attention than the Delta and the north of the country, which means that services are less adequate, particularly in healthcare. Hospitals do not always meet the required standard, and there are also shortcomings in education and childcare. This requires a great deal of effort from us as the Catholic Church.”

He added: “The figures indicate that we are among the poorest governorates in Egypt. This affects people’s abilities and talents, whether intellectual or otherwise. It saddens me to see talented people whose abilities are not given their due, or whose surroundings do not give them the opportunity to develop and fulfill their potential,” the bishop said.

He expressed gratitude to ACN, which he said continues to support the Catholic Church in Egypt in many different fields.

“ACN is a very important support for us. What is especially valuable is that the foundation looks at our priorities, rather than imposing its own agenda. That is very important!”

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

The conference brought together dozens of diocesan directors and leaders of Hispanic and Latino ministry from various parts of the United States. Conference speakers included Bishop Óscar Cantú of San José, California; Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés, CO, of Corpus Christi, Texas; and Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, MSpS, auxiliary bishop of Seattle.

Monsignor Eduardo Chávez of the Archdiocese of Mexico City, considered the foremost expert on the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, spoke to the gathering on “The Truth of Guadalupe,” which is also the title of his book on the subject.

“It has been a moment of such joy and spirituality, of such devotion and emotion, to go on discovering who Holy Mary of Guadalupe and her humble messenger, St. Juan Diego, are during this encounter,” Chávez told EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

“The Virgin of Guadalupe, through St. Juan Diego, helps us open our hearts to the presence of Christ the King, the love of God, which our people need so much,” emphasized Chávez, who also served as the postulator for the canonization cause of St. Juan Diego, the visionary of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The meeting with the leaders of U.S. Hispanic pastoral ministry, he noted, “has been the best way to prepare ourselves for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Holy Mary of Guadalupe, which help us prepare for the Jubilee of the Redemption in 2033.”

“There are not enough words to thank God and His Most Holy Mother, our Mother, Holy Mary of Guadalupe,” he said.

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to the Indigenous man St. Juan Diego at the foot of Tepeyac Hill, north of Mexico City, Dec. 9–12, 1531. There she asked him to intercede with the then-bishop of Mexico, Friar Juan de Zumárraga, so that a “sacred little house” might be built in her honor.

As proof of the authenticity of the apparitions, the Virgin asked Juan Diego to gather some roses that had bloomed on Tepeyac and place them in his tilma (a type of cloak or cape). When he unfolded the cloth before the bishop, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was found to be miraculously imprinted upon it.

To this day, nearly 500 years later, the tilma of St. Juan Diego is preserved in the Guadalupe Basilica at the foot of Tepeyac.

Our Lady of Guadalupe ‘leads us to Jesus’

Chávez emphasized that the Virgin “leads us to Jesus” and that, as one examines the event of Guadalupe, “there are no longer any walls or divisions — not only physical ones, but also those related to language, culture, or traditions — because she makes us brothers and sisters to one another, something that all our peoples need so much.”

Our Lady of Guadalupe, he recalled, “is the mother of humanity. She said as much to Juan Diego: ‘I am your mother, the mother of all those who dwell in this land, and of all the various ancestries and nations; the mother of those who love me, who seek me, who cry out to me, and who place their trust in me.’”

Chávez was recently appointed by Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes as the representative of the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico for the preparation and celebrations of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

According to authorities, three gunmen arrived at the church in a blue pickup truck. One wore a mask and carried a Kalashnikov rifle, while the other two had their faces uncovered and carried handguns. The shooting began near the church’s main entrance, where mourners had gathered.

Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language website reported that the attackers carried substantial quantities of ammunition and changed their weapons’ magazines several times during the assault. They also fired again at some people after they had fallen to the ground. According to the same report, all those killed were near the church entrance when the shooting began.

Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described the assault as a terrorist attack carried out by an extremist group. Public Security Director Maj. Gen. Obeidallah al-Maaytah said authorities were continuing to gather information and investigate to identify the perpetrators, arrest them, and bring them to justice.

As of Saturday morning, Jordanian authorities had not officially linked the attackers to a specific organization or announced any arrests. Media reports, citing Jordanian government and security sources, said the perpetrators espoused a takfiri ideology, an extremist outlook that declares other Muslims to be unbelievers.

A public prosecutor ordered a ban on publishing details of the investigation as authorities continued their search.

King Abdullah II pledged that the perpetrators would face the harshest penalties.

“Those who imagined that treacherous bullets could divide Jordanians have been thwarted by our resilience and unity,” he said, emphasizing Jordanians’ shared homeland and solidarity.

In their response, the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem described the targeting of mourners at prayer as “a grave crime against God and humanity.” They expressed solidarity with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Jordan, and the victims’ families.

They called on all churches in the region to ring their bells at noon Saturday Jordanian time and to pray for the victims and the recovery of the wounded. They stressed that the attack would not succeed in undermining the unity and cohesion of Jordanian society.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said the attack violated the sanctity of places of worship and the right to life and to worship freely and with dignity. It described Jordan’s national unity as “a safeguard against terrorism and extremism,” emphasizing that the country’s Muslims and Christians form one family bound by a shared history and destiny.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, under whose jurisdiction the targeted church falls, affirmed that the attack would not undermine the Christian presence or Christians’ ties to their homeland.

“We are the children of this land, its living roots, and partners in its history, present, and future. We will remain here as witnesses to the faith, however great the challenges,” the patriarchate said.

The Jordan Council of Churches said the attack on the church and the mourners targeted social peace and coexistence. It emphasized solidarity among all communities in Jordan and rejected attempts to sow religious division.

The statements from Jordan were accompanied by condemnations from churches across the region, including the Middle East Council of Churches and several churches and patriarchates. Their responses emphasized the protection of places of worship, the need to confront extremist rhetoric and hate speech, and the fact that Christians are an integral part of the region’s societies, with deep roots in their homelands.

Church bells rang across Jordan and Palestine at noon Saturday in remembrance of those killed and in solidarity with their families and the wounded, answering the appeal of the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Golka, who was installed in the Denver Archdiocese in March after serving as the bishop of Colorado Springs for several years, led a prayer during an Oct. 22 meeting at the Oval Office between Trump and several U.S. bishops.

During the gathering the archbishop in part prayed for the Holy Spirit to “surround our country, to protect us against any influence of evil.”

The prayer event generated some backlash for what critics have argued was a politically motivated photo opportunity on the part of the White House. Golka this week said he “knew people might be upset” at the event and that it could be "use[d] for political purposes.”

“But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders,” he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic.

Golka said during the meeting he articulated Church teachings to the president. “As Catholics, we’re called to share our faith in season and out of season and to witness to the dignity of every human person,” he told the Denver Catholic.

He denied that the event, including video of the prayer shared on social media, constituted an “endorsement” of the president. “That was never my intention,” he said.

“The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party,” he said. “I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine.”

The archbishop said he has received criticism from friends about the decision and that he has responded by telling them: “I was being a Catholic priest.”

He described himself as “heartbroken” at the anger over the event. He urged Christians to “look beyond the headlines, which are often crafted to provoke, towards the full truth.”

“I will keep praying for our president, our governor and everyone who serves in public office, regardless of their party or position on divisive topics,” he said.

The Archdiocese of Denver said after the event that praying for public leaders “is a long Catholic practice” that dates back to Apostolic Age.

The tour, titled “Feminists Lied: Prove Me Wrong,” features Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins. It began on Oct. 20 to challenge the view that feminism and a legal right to abortion have helped women rather than hurt them.

“For decades, young women were told that career success, a degree, and independence were the keys to happiness, and that abortion was the price of equality,” Hawkins, who is Catholic, said in a statement.

“Many Millennial women now ask whether those promises delivered, and Gen Z deserves to hear that conversation before they make the same choices,” she said. “Motherhood is not a weakness to be overcome. If equality requires a woman to end her pregnancy to succeed, then we haven’t liberated her at all. We’ve just handed her a different burden and called it freedom.”

The tour includes visits to eight campuses: the University of North Texas, Grand Valley State University, the University of Cincinnati, Boise State University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Arizona, Southern Oregon University, and the University of Washington.

Following the first event at the University of North Texas, Hawkins posted on X that her pro-life tour is intended to be in line with “Charlie’s legacy,” referencing Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025, during a college speaking and debating tour.

Kirk, who was a conservative activist, frequently challenged abortion and encouraged young people to start families. He was an evangelical Christian who often blended political activism with evangelism.

CatholicVote reaches Hispanics on Virginia abortion initiative

The conservative organization CatholicVote has teamed up with Eduardo Verástegui — a Mexican actor and star in “Sound of Freedom” — to reach Hispanic voters in Virginia and encourage them to vote against a referendum that would enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution.

The advertisement, in Spanish, informs voters of the “very important” referendum and notes that the state’s bishops have spoken with clarity against the proposal. The bishops of both dioceses in the state have said Catholics have a “sacred duty” to vote no.

Verástegui also highlighted the bishops’ opposition to a separate ballot initiative to enshrine same-sex marriage in the state constitution.

English archbishop voices concern over euthanasia law in Isle of Man

Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool, England, expressed sadness that an "assisted dying” bill will become law on the Isle of Man, which is a self-governing Crown Dependency of the British Crown.

“The Catholic Church continues to teach that life is a most precious gift of God and that we are stewards entrusted with this gift to protect it, treat illness, and care for the good of life,” said Sherrington, whose jurisdiction includes the Isle of Man.

“As such, a person should never intentionally end his or her life,” he said. “Catholic teaching, shared by many Christians and others of goodwill, proposes a different approach from that which has been passed into law by the Tynwald.”

The law will allow people who are terminally ill to receive physician-assisted suicide.

Arizona man wins lawsuit against abortion clinic

An Arizona man named Mario Villegas won a lawsuit against the Phoenix-based abortion clinic Camelback Family Planning after a court found that the clinic failed to follow the state’s informed consent law when his then-wife was prescribed chemical abortion drugs.

Villegas was awarded $5,000 in statutory damages and $62,500 in compensatory damages for his psychological, emotional, and physical injuries. He had argued in court that the clinic did not adequately inform his wife, from whom he is now divorced, about the development of the unborn child, risks associated with abortion, and possible alternatives.

In awarding Villegas damages, the court outlined that he was unable to properly function, eat, or sleep after his wife decided she wanted an abortion. The court highlighted his statements about feeling guilty after the abortion, saying: "[M]y baby was no longer living, and [I was wondering], ‘was there anything else I could have [done] to change the outcome?’”

The court noted that he had spoken about his grief, with him expressing his “feeling of loss” and saying, “I lost an opportunity to have somebody in my life.”

Villegas carries the ultrasound photo of his unborn child everywhere he goes, according to the court.

Her devotion made the circuitous, hourlong journey from her home in La Guaira to the capital city feel shorter. María Elena lived in La Guaira’s Caribbean Golf I building with her family: her husband, Wilson, and their sons, 25-year-old Ricardo and 22-year-old Enrique, all three of whom chose to stay home that day.

In Caracas, the day unfolded normally. María Elena and her friends visited the Colegio Belén, where the remains of Mother Carmen rest. Afterward, they went to the José Gregorio Hernández House Museum and concluded their pilgrimage with a Mass at Our Lady of La Candelaria Parish, where the remains of the “doctor of the poor” also rest.

Earthquakes and uncertainty

At 6:04 p.m., María Elena and her friends were in line to buy ice cream. Dark gray clouds over Caracas signaled an approaching storm, but the roar would not come from the sky but from the earth. At that moment, the ground shook with extreme violence, and panic reigned. The three of them managed to get out of the shopping mall where they had been.

Soon, the power grid failed and both the internet and telephone lines went down. Two hours later, the group was finally able to retrieve their car from where it was parked and began the journey back home, a trip that, this time, seemed to last forever.

María Elena told EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that what she encountered in La Guaira looked like something out of a horror movie. Late into the night, only fires broke the darkness. Entire buildings had collapsed. People were searching desperately through the rubble, while others were stealing and looting. There were shrieks, wailing, and weeping.

The journey home was difficult, not only because of the damaged state of the road but also because of the shock evoked by the scene. Every meter covered, every sight of pain and destruction, dealt a blow to the hope María Elena still clung to: the hope of reuniting with her loved ones. She could only reach her home on foot.

María Elena faces unimaginable pain

It was nearly midnight when María Elena saw that where the Caribbean Golf I building had once stood there was now only a massive pile of rubble. The 49-year-old woman said that paradoxically she felt a great sense of inner peace despite the tragedy. Amid the confusion, she was told that one of her children was alive but trapped in the rubble. With great effort, María Elena made her way to the spot.

It was Enrique, her youngest son. He was severely injured but was able to communicate with his mother. The first few hours following the earthquakes were chaotic in La Guaira; rescue efforts had to be carried out by hand because the necessary equipment for a swift response was not available. It was a very long night during which Enrique asked María Elena not to abandon him. “Don’t worry, son, I will never leave you alone,” she told him.

And so, morning came, followed by the afternoon. Trapped and in pain, Enrique could hold on no longer. María Elena, always close by, said she heard his final breath: “He waited for me to take his last breath.” Enrique died right there, alongside his father and his older brother. It was days later that rescuers managed to recover their bodies, after which María Elena was then able to give them a Christian burial.

“My faith grew stronger,” María Elena said. Her journey, however, has not been easy. It has been filled with pain, reproaches, and at times even anger toward God. María Elena was left on her own, and many times she sought answers.

“I fought with God. I was filled with rage. ‘Why did you leave me here? Am I so bad that I have to stay here?’ Yet, I surrendered all my suffering to God for the sanctification of their souls,” she shared.

Her greatest refuge has always been faith. Now she regularly attends a prayer group at a parish in Caracas, which she says has been very beneficial. She seeks indulgences for her husband and children and says she always tries to be cheerful and “let others see God in me.”

“Despite the great loss I’ve experienced, I’ve held onto my sense of humor. That‘s one of the things I asked of God when my son Enrique passed away. I accepted his death with deep pain and entrusted him to God, but I prayed that he wouldn’t take away my joy because I had always been the source of joy in our home. That’s what my children and my husband used to say,” she remarked.

“I want my husband and my children to feel proud of their wife and mother. I know that if I am happy, they will be happy, too. Happiness is a decision, and I decided to entrust my happiness to God because he wants all of us to be happy,” she added.

Oct. 24 marks four months since that terrible day. More than 6,000 Venezuelans lost their lives in a matter of seconds; thousands were left injured, and many others remain missing.

“Despite everything, I thank God for the fact that I was able to speak with my youngest son at that moment. I am grateful to God for life,” María Elena says, though she adds with that sense of humor she hasn’t lost: “Although I do ask him to take me soon.”

“I ask that I might fulfill my mission quickly so that I can go to heaven, because that’s what I long for most these days. Even before, I had no fear of death, because that is our destiny: to die in order to live and I want to live with God,” she said.

María Elena said she doesn’t yet know what will become of her life but affirmed that she has “surrendered herself” to whatever Providence may decide.

A message on the value of suffering

The Church teaches us that God does not desire suffering for its own sake, nor is he its direct cause.

The explanation of how God can permit evil without being its author is profound, yet it does not fully resolve the pain of any given loss. Through faith, Catholics believe that God can bring good even out of evil; however, this does not make the death of innocent people a good thing, nor does it justify tragedies.

Such suffering can take on meaning when experienced in union with Christ. As has been evidenced in the case in Venezuela following the earthquakes, pain can awaken solidarity and mutual responsibility; it can even prompt a society to reflect on how it might improve. This is María Elena’s conviction.

“We have been suffering for years. Just try it, you’ll see: When you entrust that suffering to Christ, all the little things we go through, those moments of anger and indignation, offering them to Jesus for the sake of someone else, you will see how the blessings follow,” she said.

“And another thing: Thank God for everything. It’s incredible, when you thank God for both the bad things and the good, blessings will follow. I’m not saying that problems won’t continue to arise; I still have plenty of things to deal with myself, but when we are with God, our burdens are lighter,” María Elena reflected.

“I am not alone, because I have God; I have the Most Holy Virgin Mary, who has always been with me, and I have felt her presence. And who better than she who knows what this pain is like?” she said.

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“It’s not so easy to process or come to terms with this situation, given the way it happened,” Calle shared in an interview with EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. “I could break down at any moment because of the pain I feel inside.”

Calle lives in Quito, Ecuador, and manages the administrative needs of the Redemptorist congregation in the Andean-Caribbean Province, which comprises Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. He is currently in Guayaquil serving also as the legal representative to handle matters related to Sánchez’s death. He is also taking part in the Oct. 19–27 novena for the repose of his soul.

“He died embracing the cross. The crucifix was not damaged, save for the part of the leg [of the corpus]. It is striking how he celebrated the Lord’s passover, and the Lord celebrated his passover with him… And Patricio died doing what he loved: the Eucharist,” the priest emphasized.

He loved the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary

Calle described Sánchez as a man “with a pure heart and a ready smile, a smile that created a sense of closeness. People were drawn to him because of his purity of heart, in which there was no trace of ill intent. He was always so very calm, patient, and tolerant.”

“He very much loved the Blessed Sacrament. Wherever he went to any parish he would always emphasize this devotion. And he was always the first one there; he wouldn’t just expose the Blessed Sacrament for a while and then leave, he would stay to pray,” the priest recounted.

Sánchez served in Loja, in southern Ecuador, and later in a mission area called Vinces. He also spent nine years at a parish in Manta, and finally about four years in Guayaquil, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. He served as the pastor there, and it was in that church that he died.

“He also loved the Most Holy Virgin Mary. We can describe Patricio as someone who throughout his ministry everyone felt his closeness to them, absolutely everyone,” the Redemptorist priest highlighted.

“He was always a very dedicated man, always spiritual and pastoral. He would say ‘yes’ to everyone. We could say, then, that he was a hardworking man, very self-sacrificing, very devoted,” he remarked.

Calle further noted that “Patricio was a very simple person, very approachable and full of human warmth. That’s why his homilies were so simple.”

“My enduring memory of Patricio,” he added, “is that he was a very welcoming person, always concerned with making sure one had something to eat or drink. He enjoyed going to the cinema and was an athletic person; he liked going for a walk and swimming.”

‘A sign of grace’

The priest shared that he never had a conversation with Sánchez about how he would have liked to be remembered, but he highlighted one aspect he has been reflecting on in recent days following the tragic death of his fellow priest.

“Patricio’s death will become, or is already becoming, a sign of grace for Catholics and for humanity, given the fact that he was in the midst of broadcasting [the Mass] and that the tragedy unfolded in precisely this way, rather than any other. That was a message for everyone,” Calle remarked.

The priest remarked, in closing, that he does not know where the story of this priest will ultimately lead but that it certainly will not leave anyone indifferent.

“I don’t know if his mission is beginning now. I cannot offer any certainty or assurance; it is simply a personal perception, based on the context and the way he died.”

‘One day, all of us here will also die’

Sánchez was born on Nov. 6, 1973, in Cuenca, Ecuador. He made his profession in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) on Aug. 15, 2000, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was ordained a priest on Oct. 15, 2005.

He was pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in south Guayaquil. He served as the superior of his religious community, where he lived alongside a fellow religious brother who had taken his perpetual vows.

In his final homily, on the day of his death, he spoke about the importance of making time for God. “He must come first,” he said, adding: “Dear brothers and sisters, one day, all of us here will also die. Sometimes, the time we have spent on material things does not hold as much meaning as the time we dedicate to God, that quality time we give to God, to our brothers and sisters, to our wife, our husband, to our children, and to our families. That is time spent in the best possible way.”

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

In a statement, the diocese said the incident occurred around 6 a.m., when an unidentified man entered the church under the pretext of praying, carrying a bottle of gasoline in a bag. He then broke through the door of a small chapel on the building’s ground floor, set fire to several curtains, and damaged wooden Gospel stands and carpeting. Security forces arrived at the scene and began investigating the circumstances and motive behind the incident.

In a second statement, Bishop Theodosius, the Coptic Orthodox bishop of Central Giza, said he went to the church as soon as he was informed of the fire. Together with several priests, he reviewed surveillance footage showing the man entering the church.

The bishop confirmed that the damage was limited and that no one had been injured.

Egypt’s Interior Ministry said the suspect was apprehended while sitting on a bench, having removed his upper clothing and speaking incoherently. According to the ministry, surveillance footage showed him entering with a plastic water bottle containing a white substance, without being stopped by security personnel at the gate.

The ministry said its assessment indicated that the suspect had mental health problems associated with an addiction to crystal methamphetamine and had previously been admitted to a psychiatric facility. Legal proceedings were initiated, and the public prosecutor’s office took over the investigation.

The incident prompted questions about security procedures at church entrances, where police officers and church-appointed security personnel are expected to check visitors’ identities and screen them before entry. Those concerns come amid rising hate speech in Egypt and around the world.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

“As you calmed the winds and the waves on the Sea of Galilee, we humbly ask ...” the prayer begins, before asking Jesus to clear the haze from the region. It was prayed at a faith formation session at the parish on Oct. 13.

At 7 p.m. on Oct. 16, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index stood at 225 in Singaporeʼs central region, with three of the city-stateʼs five regions in the “very unhealthy” range, according to the National Environment Agency. The same day, Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Fu said some of the haze had come from fires on the lands of seven companies in Indonesia, which would receive preventive measure notices under Singaporeʼs Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

Reports from Kalimantan

The haze was discussed at the assembly of the Franciscan Network for Peace and Integral Ecology in Asia, held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, from Oct. 5–11, said Friar John Wong, OFM, general definitor for Asia-Oceania of the Order of Friars Minor. Participants discussed how the haze affects the most vulnerable communities and how Franciscans are responding, he said.

A Capuchin Franciscan from Kalimantan, Indonesia, told the assembly that in one area, schools had been closed for a month because of the haze and that in other areas, poor families had lost their homes to the peatland fires, Wong said.

Friar Taucen Girsang, OFM, the orderʼs assistant general director for justice, peace, and integrity of creation, reported that friars in Indonesia have been working with local bishops and governors, and that the Order of Friars Minor and the Capuchins are cooperating to provide clean water and help rebuild homes destroyed by fire in Kalimantan, according to Wong. The assembly focused on natural disaster management, preventing environmental destruction, and reducing disaster risks.

Capuchin Father Pionius Hendi, who chairs Inter-Franciscans for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Indonesia, said the Church’s response must go beyond relief. “The Church is not called only to be present when disaster strikes but also to fight so that disasters that can be prevented do not keep happening,” he said in written answers in Indonesian.

“We are not called only to help people survive in the midst of the ecological crisis but also to fight for a world in which people and all creation can live with dignity,” he said.

“The Franciscan response always begins with fraternal solidarity with those who suffer, especially the poor and vulnerable,” said Wong, who is based in Rome.

“Laudato Si' [Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical] reminds us that care for creation and care for people belong together," he said. "The poor are often the first to suffer from environmental damage, even though they may have contributed least to the problem."

St. Francis' Canticle of the Creatures, he said, calls Franciscans “to a change of heart, but also to a change in how we live, produce, consume, and care for the world entrusted to us.”

“The effects of these fires cross national borders. This makes the haze a shared regional concern that calls for solidarity, cooperation, and a sense of shared responsibility,” he said. Caring for our common home “is a matter of faith, justice, and our responsibility to future generations.”

A friar in Assisi

Writing from Assisi, Italy, Friar John-Paul Tan, OFM, a Singaporean Franciscan friar and director of Fraternitas, the orderʼs ministry to young adults, said: “These last days, the thought of the haze and the sufferings of so many people have been on my mind.”

“How can the natural resources be seen as a blessing and a collective asset that is to be cared, managed, and protected from exploitation and abuse?” he asked.

He suggested that old oil palm trees could be used for pulp and paper, mulch, and chipboard rather than being disposed of by fire. “There is a ready source of renewable material from old palm trees,” he said.

“The conversion of these individuals that have the agency and resources, and the collective mindsets, is critical if we are to have an effective response to this ecological crisis at our doorsteps,” he said.

‘A common good’

G. Clare Westwood, regional director of the Roman Catholic Episcopal Commission for Creation Justice of Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, said: “The haze is air pollution. Air pollution is a violation of our right to a safe environment and our right to health. When it prevents people from working or children from going to school, then it also affects our right to livelihood and education.”

She too cited Laudato Si', which raises concern over air pollution and describes climate as a common good.

“We stand in solidarity with those who suffer, and we seek to work with others to prevent further harm, care for those affected, and build a more sustainable future,” Wong said.

Kim, 70, chaired the conference’s special committee on sexual violence in the Church, which drew up the guidelines. At their Oct. 19–21 plenary assembly in Seoul, the bishops also elected Bishop John Baptist Jung Shin-chul of Incheon as vice president and Archbishop Simon Ok Hyun-jin of Gwangju as secretary, each for a three-year term.

The bishops also approved a question-and-answer guide on artificial intelligence and a sign-language Order of Mass. They asked all dioceses to join a year of prayer for peace on the Korean Peninsula from Dec. 8 ahead of World Youth Day Seoul 2027. Asked about potential plans to introduce abortion pills in South Korea, Kim told reporters that people have “no right to lay a hand on life itself,” Yonhap reported.

Catholic Church in Burundi supports over 80,000 Congolese refugees

The Catholic Church in Burundi is working with humanitarian organizations to support more than 80,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the local ordinary of the Diocese of Bururi said.

The Catholic Church in Burundi is providing assistance to the refugees in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Children’s Fund, ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, reported Oct. 23. “Until recently, my diocese was hosting more than 30,000 of them, but they have since been transferred to other parts of the country,” Bishop Salvator Niciteretse said in the report.

“We are seeking to heal the social fabric through meetings and initiatives aimed at forming consciences to respect life, human dignity, and the common good,” he said. “At the national level, we have organized gatherings attended by several thousand young people, who have been hosted by families.”

Scotland bishop steps back from ministry due to medical advice

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland announced that its president, Bishop John Keenan, would be “stepping back from his daily duties until further notice, following medical advice.”

“Bishop Keenan has been undergoing medical investigations and will require further tests and examinations over the coming weeks,” the conference said in an Oct. 22 statement. “During this time, Vicar General Monsignor Joe Burke will oversee the day-to-day running of the Diocese of Paisley. Bishop Keenan hopes to provide a further update once these investigations are concluded and is grateful for your prayers at this time.”

Maronite patriarch ends historic Greece visit with pilgrimage route launch

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai concluded the first visit to Greece by a Maronite patriarch, strengthening relations with the Orthodox Church and meeting the local Maronite community.

During visits to Mount Athos, Athens, Thessaloniki, and Corinth, Rai explored the shared Christian heritage of Greece and Lebanon, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Oct. 20. The visit led to plans for a pilgrimage route linking Corinth with Lebanonʼs Qadisha Valley (the holly valley), building on cooperation established in 2019. Comparing Mount Athos with Lebanonʼs historic monasteries, Rai lamented the neglect and emigration affecting the Qadisha Valley and called attention to the governmentʼs responsibility for preserving its heritage and supporting local communities.

Catholics in Egypt celebrate 100 years of World Mission Sunday

Marking the centenary of World Mission Sunday, Catholics of the Latin rite in Egypt gathered for Mass in Cairo under the theme “One in Christ, United in Mission.”

Monsignor Antoine Tawfik reminded the faithful that every Christian shares responsibility for spreading the Gospel through prayer, love, and service, ACI MENA reported Oct. 20. Drawing on the examples of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, he warned that neglecting this mission threatens the Churchʼs ability to pass on the faith to future generations.

Catholic child beaten with pipes by sectarian gang in Northern Ireland

A sectarian gang in Northern Ireland targeted a 13-year-old Catholic boy in a random attack, beating the child with metal pipes until he crawled under a car to escape, Irish News reported Oct. 23.

The attack took place in Derry following rising tensions among Protestants and Catholics over a planned unionist march through a Catholic neighborhood, which was eventually blocked by the U.K. government. The boy suffered injuries to his face and was rushed to the hospital, the report said, noting that the attack appeared to have been carried out by adult masked men. The boy did not sustain any life-threatening injuries.

Catholic schools in Syria invest in early childhood education

Around 115 kindergarten teachers from 18 Catholic schools in Syria participated in a new training initiative organized by the General Secretariat of Catholic Educational Institutions in cooperation with Shaghaf Academy and with support from LʼŒuvre dʼOrient.

The program focused on child psychology, classroom management, and effective communication, helping teachers better understand childrenʼs emotional and educational needs, ACI MENA reported Oct. 19. Church leaders emphasized that education is not simply about delivering information but also about building character, confidence, and values. They expressed hope that the initiative would strengthen Catholic education in Syria and eventually expand to other grade levels.

The observance marks the Oct. 27, 1998, signing of the International Religious Freedom Act by President Bill Clinton.

Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, and Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, said in a joint statement that “millions of people continue to suffer violations of the basic human right to religious freedom, and rapidly developing technological tools, such as artificial intelligence, have the potential to expand such abuses, increasing the scope of surveillance and persecution of religious groups.”

“In this era of technological change, all of society—including the private sector—is called to work together to ensure that technological tools are not used to facilitate new and intensified forms of religious discrimination,” the statement said.

Zaidan chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Sample chairs the Committee for Religious Liberty.

The bishops noted Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas said the “right to religious freedom is rooted in human dignity, providing ‘decisive criteria’ for protecting individuals and societies. As brother bishops, we affirm that, in the age of AI, human dignity remains at the heart of defending religious freedom.”

Zaidan and Sample pointed to the bishops' conferenceʼs collaboration with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as an example of how government and faith leaders can work together to address religious freedom violations worldwide.

“This partnership is a testament to the power of joint efforts by government and faith leaders to protect this most cherished right,” the bishops said.

“In this 250th year commemorating American independence, may the Sacred Heart of Jesus, burning with love for all of humanity, make us beacons of hope for our brothers and sisters through the world by defending religious freedom in the digital age,” the bishops said.

Barron received the Josef Pieper Prize in Münster in July 2025, a decision that generated protests from Catholic groups and political organizations. The protesters criticized the bishop as promoting “exclusionary identity politics,” among other allegations.

The German news website katholisch.de reported on Oct. 21 that Barron’s 2025 receipt of the award was “still having repercussions.” It cited the Josef Pieper Foundation as reportedly having “acknowledged mistakes” in how it handled the controversy; the foundation is also reportedly developing a conference “on Barron and his theology.”

In a statement posted to X on Oct. 22, Barron quipped: “Gosh, I’d love to attend this debate. But I’m pretty sure I have a MAGA rally to attend that night…”

“If you have any doubt that the German Catholic academy has fallen into clownish irrelevance, look no further than this inane and ginned-up ‘controversy,’” the Chicago-born prelate wrote.

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He critically dismissed the “protest” over his receipt of the award as having consisted of “25 desultory septuaginarians holding signs and a statement from the theological faculty of the University of Munster.”

He described that faculty statement as “an undergraduate level of sophistication … which betrayed not the slightest indication of any familiarity with my work.”

The bishop, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Oct. 23 via a spokesman, further suggested that the German foundation’s namesake Josef Pieper was “turning in his grave” over the controversy. The foundation also did not immediately respond to a request for comment from EWTN News.

The Josef Pieper Prize honors the legacy of the German Catholic philosopher (1904–1997), who was renowned for his accessible writings on Thomistic philosophy and his insights into leisure, contemplation, and the relationship between faith and reason.

Amid the July 2025 controversy, Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau in Bavaria delivered a defense of Barron while sharply condemning what the Bavarian bishop called “beige Catholicism” in Germany.

The country has been home to “a mostly well-financed Catholicism of appeasement,” he argued, which “has essentially lost its spiritual power and attraction.”

The Catholic Church has not issued a definitive judgment that embryo adoption is morally licit. The issue remains debated among Catholic theologians. In the 2008 Vatican document Dignitas Personae, the Church affirmed the dignity and rights of frozen embryos and expressed reservations about proposals for prenatal adoption.

John Haas, president emeritus of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, argued that embryo adoption is morally illicit as it requires the artificial transfer of a frozen embryo into the womb of a woman who is unrelated to the unborn child — a practice he said both violates the Church’s teachings about sexual ethics in marriage and deliberately endangers the lives of embryos in the thawing process.

Haas further argued that the only moral solution to the question of what to do with frozen embryos is to keep them frozen, as bringing them to life or disposing of them in any way would always be considered illicit. To support this claim, he cited the 1987 Vatican document Donum Vitae, which states: “In consequence of the fact that they have been produced in vitro, those embryos which art not transferred into the body of the mother and are called ‘spare’ are exposed to an absurd fate, with no possibility of their being offered safe means of survival which can be licitly pursued.”

Organized by the pro-life organization Defend Life, the event took place after a Mass in honor of St. John Paul II and was livestreamed on the organization’s website.

Elizabeth Rex, an associate scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, argued in favor of embryo adoption, saying that neither the Vatican nor the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have “ever formally ruled against embryo transfer or embryo adoption.”

While acknowledging the Church’s teaching that in vitro fertilization (IVF) is immoral, Rex argued that the process of IVF and the transfer of the embryo into a mother’s womb should not be separated.

“They go together. You donʼt do IVF just to leave [the embryo] in the petri dish or put it in the freezer. That would be an abortion,” she said. “The baby would die. So, the baby now has been conceived, and it needs to be transferred into the womb. Itʼs a person. Itʼs a child. Itʼs a patient, and it needs medical assistance. And that is what the Church teaches there.”

Haas countered Rex’s argument that the Church has not ruled out embryo adoption, saying: “The only statement from the magisterium of the Church that has fueled this debate is one half of one sentence from Dignitas Personae that the supporters of embryo adoption often donʼt bother to finish when they quote it.”

The paragraph he cited in the document states: “It has also been proposed, solely in order to allow human beings to be born who are otherwise condemned to destruction, that there could be a form of ‘prenatal adoption.’ This proposal, praiseworthy with regard to the intention of respecting and defending human life, presents however various problems not dissimilar to those mentioned above. All things considered, it needs to be recognized that the thousands of abandoned embryos represent a situation of injustice which in fact cannot be resolved.”

Haas argued that the ends do not justify the means with regard to embryo adoption and that the Holy See has not made “a single statement on behalf of embryo adoption.”

The Lilly Endowment told EWTN News that archdioceses and church-related networks that minister to students on multiple college and university campuses are eligible to apply for grants through the initiative.

According to the grant page, the Lilly Endowment “intends to award grants of up to $7.5 million each to approximately 20 national and regional charitable organizations.”

Matt Zerrusen, Newman Ministry co-founder and chief innovative discipleship officer, told EWTN News that Newman Ministry is in the process of applying for the grant now.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity,” Zerrusen said. “There’s not many times where something like this opens up in campus ministry just because it’s been an overlooked part of ministry in the Church.”

Zerrusen expressed hope that other Catholic campus ministries like FOCUS, Saint Paul’s Outreach, and the Catholic Campus Ministry Association would apply for the program as well, calling for ministry organizations to unify their efforts.

“There’s so much competition in the Catholic world that itʼs like, ‘Well, hang on here. What are we doing?’” he said. “Weʼre both trying to solve the same problem.”

Pope Leo XIV appoints Catholic University of America professor to pontifical academy

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Gregory Doolan, the Monsignor John F. Wippel chair in Thomistic metaphysics at The Catholic University of America (CUA), to serve on the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.

“It is a great honor to have been named to the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas,” Doolan said in a CUA press release on Oct. 16. “The Academy brings together philosophers and theologians from around the world in conversation about Aquinas, and I am grateful for the opportunity both to learn from its members and to contribute my own work in Thomistic metaphysics, showing its enduring relevance in the 21st century.”

“My appointment by Pope Leo XIV has a fitting connection to The Catholic University of America, since another Leo, Leo XIII, founded the Academy in 1879 and also granted Catholic University its pontifical charter just a decade later,” he said.

St. Carlos Acutis’ mother gifts Franciscan University with first-class relic of her son

The mother of St. Carlo Acutis, Antonia Salzano, has given the president of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, a first-class relic of her son.

“Weʼre deeply grateful to Antonia for this extraordinary gift and for sharing her sonʼs witness with the Franciscan University community,” the university said in an Oct. 15 social media post announcing the gift to Father Dave Pivonka, TOR. The university said Salzano shared a message with the university: “Holiness is for everyone.”

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“Carlo became a saint not because he lived an extraordinary life by the worldʼs standards, but because he made Jesus the center of his ordinary life,” the university said. “His secret? The Eucharist. His motherʼs advice? Start small. Make time for prayer. Receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Love the people around you. And remember that you, too, are called to become a saint.”

Archbishop Sample urges ‘significant renewal of Catholic education’ in Portland, Oregon

Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, is calling for the revitalization of “mission passionate Catholic education” in his archdiocese.

“Would we call a Spanish-language immersion school successful if its graduates could barely understand Spanish?” Sample wrote in an Oct. 15 social media post. “We should take the mission of our Catholic schools just as seriously. Academic excellence matters. So does forming students who know Jesus Christ and can understand, articulate and live the faith.”

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“Therefore, I am calling for a significant and genuine renewal of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Portland, beginning in our Catholic elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools and eventually extending to the religious education and faith formation programs in our parishes,” he said.

Sample’s message comes as part of a wider mission renewal initiative in the archdiocese announced on Oct. 1.

The Society of Catholic Social Scientists (SCSS), founded in 1992 by political scientist Stephen M. Krason, will hold its 34th National Meeting on Oct. 23–24 at John Carroll University, located in University Heights, Ohio, a suburb east of Cleveland.

Ahead of the conference, Krason — professor emeritus of political science at Franciscan University of Steubenville — told EWTN News a primary goal of SCSS is to “bring Catholic teaching and a Catholic understanding and a Catholic worldview to the work they do in their disciplines.”

Conference talks will include discussions on hot-button issues such as artificial intelligence (AI), immigration policy, just war doctrine, and euthanasia. There are also discussions about Catholic history in the United States, in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of the founders signing the Declaration of Independence.

According to SCSS’ website, the organization seeks to follow St. John XXIII’s instruction in his encyclical Mater et Magistra for Christians to “conform their behavior in economic and social affairs to the teachings of the Church.”

Krason said SCSS reaches out to members ahead of the conference for proposals on papers, which constitute the subject of the talk and are often submitted to SCSS’ scholarly journal, the Catholic Social Science Review (CSSR).

To be a full member, Krason said, “you have to sign a profession of faith [that] you accept the Church’s teachings” and noted that people come to the organization “looking for a solid orthodox Catholic organization.” Before the talks, papers are reviewed to ensure faithfulness to Catholic teaching, though he said this is typically not an issue for members.

Krason said most presenters are SCSS members, but sometimes a few are not. He said SCSS also accepts associate members who are not Catholic. They also accept student members who are working toward their master’s degrees.

The organization, which states that its programs are designed to reflect views “compatible with Catholic orthodoxy,” welcomes scholars from various social sciences, including political science, economics, history, psychology, sociology, counseling, and law, among others.

Upcoming conference

Scholars will discuss a broad range of topics. Krason noted that topics are decided based on the submissions, but the conference is not built around specific themes.

One topic is Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which focuses on AI and other elements of Catholic social teaching. The talks will discuss concerns about human dignity, along with an Augustinian approach to concerns about transhumanism — a movement to blend humanity and machine.

The conference includes talks about immigration, in light of President Donald Trump’s policy of mass deportations. This includes discussions about balancing national sovereignty and human dignity and the social impact of migration.

Other talks delve into political theory and the subjects of natural law and labor, as well as a Thomistic analysis of usury and modern banking. A few talks are focused on the American South, including one about the principle of subsidiarity in Catholic social teaching and the political theory of John C. Calhoun, who favored strong decentralization of government.

There are talks on just war doctrine, one of which looks into the approaches of various popes in the 20th and 21st centuries.

The organization will also give out the Blessed Frederic Ozanam Award for Catholic Social Action, which will be received by Clark Massey, founder of A Simple House, which is a missionary organization.

Another award, the Pope Pius XI Award for Contributions Toward the Building Up of a True Catholic Social Science, will be given to Notre Dame political scientist and author Patrick J. Deneen.

Deneen told EWTN News he’s “honored to receive” the award and “grateful for the existence and work of the SCSS in fostering and advancing a true science of social phenomena.”

“Those who work in the largely disfavored school of Catholic social science understand that its object of study is neither the determined and unfree entities studied by natural science, nor the infinitely malleable substances that modern technology claims to command, but creatures — men and women — who are simultaneously free and subject to natural laws not of our making,” Deneen said.

“A true social science recognizes that we are most free when we acknowledge and follow those laws within even the wide boundaries they establish,” he said. “How much healthier our society would be if more of our social science began with these premises, and suffused our social and political order with its findings.”

Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said unidentified gunmen opened fire inside a church in Karak province, causing deaths and injuries. It said security forces were pursuing those involved. Its initial statement did not specify the number of casualties or identify the shooters.

Jordan’s Al-Mamlaka television channel, citing a source, reported that two gunmen got out of a vehicle and opened fire during a funeral at the church in Hamoud.

Reuters quoted a funeral attendee as saying that one gunman carried a rifle and the other a handgun. The witness said the shooting lasted several minutes and targeted a gathering of dozens of mourners. The news agency also reported that security forces had deployed around the church and begun searching for the two suspects.

Jordanian authorities have not yet announced the suspects’ identities or a motive for the shooting. No group has claimed responsibility.

Jordan’s minister of government communication, Mohammad Momani, said security agencies were responding at the scene and that information would be released once verified. He urged the public to allow the authorities to complete their work and to rely on official sources.

The Public Security Directorate also warned against circulating unofficial information about the incident, urging the public to follow statements issued by the relevant authorities.

Hamoud lies in Karak province, which is home to historic Christian communities alongside Muslim residents. The circumstances and motives behind the shooting remain unknown, pending the findings of the investigation and further official information.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

The prince “will therefore withhold” approval from the bill adopted by the principalityʼs parliament, the Princely House said in an Oct. 20 statement.

Under the constitution of Liechtenstein, a nation of about 40,000 people between Switzerland and Austria, no law takes effect without the reigning princeʼs approval.

The statement said Alois “remains convinced that the proposed reform is not compatible with ensuring adequate protection of unborn life as a fundamental legal value.”

The statement added that Alois supports better information, counseling, and support for women before, during, and after pregnancy.

The bill would have allowed abortion up to 12 weeks. The activists behind the initiative pushing for legalization also sought to lift the advertising ban and have health insurance cover abortions.

Abortion remains a crime in Liechtenstein except in cases of rape or grave danger to the womanʼs life or health. Since 2015, women who have abortions abroad, usually in Switzerland or Austria, have not been prosecuted.

The initiative gathered 4,970 signatures, nearly a quarter of eligible voters. Liechtenstein’s parliament, the Landtag, approved it by 13-12 and, by the same margin, declined to put it to a popular vote, EWTN News reported in September.

Alois had said in June that he would veto the measure.

Voters narrowly rejected legalizing abortion in a 2011 referendum after Alois said he would veto it if approved. In 2012, more than three-quarters of voters rejected a proposal to remove the princeʼs veto over laws approved by referendum.

The initiative committee said the veto was the first Alois has used during his reign, SRF reported. Its members had met Alois at Vaduz Castle hours before the announcement. The committee called for a protest in Vaduz on Saturday.

There are no official statistics on abortions in Liechtenstein.

Before the Landtag vote, Bishop Benno Elbs, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Vaduz, said in an Aug. 21 statement that the existing rules had proven themselves and that protecting unborn life must go hand in hand with counseling and practical help for parents. The archdiocese had not commented publicly on the veto as of Oct. 23.

According to Church teaching, human life is under Godʼs special protection from the moment of conception.

“With the authority conferred by Christ upon Peter and his successors, I therefore affirm, in communion with the bishops of the Catholic Church, that the direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always a grave moral offense,” St. John Paul II declared in 1995 in Evangelium Vitae.

The Canadian nonprofit was founded in 2025 by Eden O’Brien and Monica Sifert. The two met while attending Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College in Ontario and maintained the friendship over the years after graduating in 2018. A shared passion for Catholic arts and culture led to their decision to create a society for Catholic artists.

The inspiration behind Theopolis also came from the story of the apostle Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. In the story, Philip asks the eunuch if he understands what he’s reading. The eunuch responds no, how can he unless someone explains it to him?

“So once itʼs explained to him, he wants to be baptized in essentially a puddle on the side of the road. And so that was really inspiring because it went to show how people can engage with media that they donʼt 100% understand,” O’Brien told EWTN News in an interview. “It was Scripture in this case, but it can still prepare the soul for baptism. So that passage has become a kind of motif for our project.”

Theopolis — which means “city of God” — works to serve Canadian artists and provide them with visibility and the support and resources they need to be able to focus on their craft and become successful.

O’Brien told EWTN News in an interview that there are “two wings of the project.” One is the community side where the group helps to support the artists they work with and supports them “across their professional lives … connecting them with mentors, resources.” And second is building “an audience that helps appreciate our artists.”

“The other wing to the project is this intersection between faithful and secular audiences,” O’Brien shared. “So, things like our public lecture, our exhibition, any kind of public event is based around creating an audience that can learn more about what our artists are doing either in a direct way — as with the exhibition — or in a couple steps removed like with the lecture. It just gets the conversation going.”

In May, Theopolis hosted its first exhibition called “The Drama of the Soul.” Twelve Canadian Catholic artists participated and created pieces of art that “explored the human soul as the protagonist of a journey that extends beyond life, death, and time,” O’Brien explained.

Since then Theopolis has held an event each month. On Oct. 24, it will host its inaugural Gaudí Lecture, titled “The Christian Imagination and the Question of Autonomous Art,” and will feature Jonathan Pageau, a French-Canadian icon carver, YouTuber, and public speaker who will discuss symbolism, religion, and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

The goal for the lecture “is to make a public defense of the importance, impact, and enduring relevance of the Christian imagination, generally and specifically in Canada,” O’Brien said.

Venerable Antoni Gaudí was chosen as the namesake “by the fact that he came to the faith through his artistic practice,” she shared.

O’Brien explained that these public events serve as a way to “reignite interest in faith, culture, and the arts within our province and also to turn our artists' artwork to a kind of evangelical purpose by bringing it to Ontarioʼs public square.”

“Canada right now, itʼs different from the States in that with faith people donʼt wear it on their sleeve in the same way as they do in America,” she added. “So itʼs a bit of a different environment here and so being able to speak to people about the faith through the arts, which kind of bypasses some of the maybe intellectual blockage points that people would have, is really important in Canada at this time.”

The impact of AI on Catholic art

Pope Leo XIV recently told a group of Catholic artists at the Vatican that there is a fundamental difference between the art humans create and what artificial intelligence can make based on the work of others.

“The Church needs you,” the pope said. “This is especially true in this age of artificial intelligence, in which we urgently need to distinguish human art from what is produced by machines.”

As a Catholic artist herself, Sifert said, “itʼs certainly a threat, but I still think that people are going to want the human touch to art.”

She added: “I think that the human touch to art will never go away and that you can really tell, especially from an icon perspective, you can really tell when art has been created by AI or not. It might be difficult [to tell], but still, the sacramentality behind art is not going to go away if you have the human touch to it.”

While O’Brien thinks AI can be “a great assistant,” she said that “when it comes to the creative side of things, there really is the threat that it stifles the creative power.”

“I do think that there is this very real threat that imagination, and that kind of faculty, becomes seriously weakened,” she added. “I use AI, as I said, just as an assistant, but even having that habit can weaken your own skills in more basic functions. So I can only imagine how within our own souls itʼs going to weaken that.”

Looking at Theopolis as a whole and its mission, said she O’Brien hopes it will continue “to support the vocation of Catholic artists within the province. Stemming from that, we would like the effect of that to be a kind of creative renaissance of Catholic art within our province.”

“We want this art to be brought to the public square in Ontario so that it can be accessed by a wide audience of both people who are Christians themselves and particularly people who arenʼt practicing the faith, or a faith at all, just so they can have this opportunity to be inspired and, going back to our conviction, that no matter your background or the type of media the Holy Spirit can choose to use it in whatever way he wants.”

The 7.5-magnitude earthquake impacted various sectors throughout the country, including in the nation’s capital city.

According to an Oct. 19 statement from the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC, by its Spanish acronym), the earthquake injured 27 people and immediately killed one person. More than 9,000 homes sustained some form of damage.

The natural disaster also caused damage to Catholic Church properties. On Oct. 19, the Panamanian Bishops' Conference (CEP, by its Spanish acronym) published a report detailing the condition of the country’s cathedrals, parishes, and chapels.

The document classified the damage to two churches in the Diocese of Santiago de Veraguas as “totally destroyed”: St. Isidore the Farmer parish church in Soná, and Jesus of Nazareth Minor Basilica in the district of Atalaya.

The report classifies the damage of several churches in other regions of the country as serious. For example, in the Diocese of Penonomé, St. John the Baptist Parish has “damage to the bell tower, debris on the ground, and cracks in the side walls and the choir balcony.”

In the Diocese of Chitré, St. Athanasius Church “suffered the loss of the top level of its tower, debris on the ground, and cracks in its walls”; while in the Diocese of David, “subsidence [some sinking] and cracks in the tower, as well as outward tilting of walls,” were recorded at Our Lady of Remedies Parish.

The list of affected buildings also includes churches of high historical value. Among them is the St. John the Baptist Cathedral in the Diocese of Penonomé, which suffered the “partial loss of the upper section of its oldest tower,” while the other tower is tilted and has severe damage to its cupola and cross.

Another site affected was Old St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Panama City, where cracks, severe fissures, and damage to the sacristy dome were identified. According to the report, one issue that “requires special attention” is the “apparent leaning of the bell in the south tower, accompanied by cracking at its base.”

According to the tally mentioned in the report, the Diocese of Chitré accounts for 118 damaged sites, primarily rural chapels. It is followed by the Diocese of Penonomé with 13, the Archdiocese of Panama and the Diocese of Veraguas with eight each, and the Diocese of David with two.

The CEP clarified that the data presented are “preliminary” in nature, and many church-owned properties still require “specialized technical inspections” to determine the exact extent of the damage.

The report concludes by noting that Catholic Church buildings possess more than just “architectural value”; they serve as “meeting places, the celebration of faith, and collective memory, and are closely linked to the history and identity of Panamanian communities.”

The Panamanian episcopate expressed its closeness to the affected communities and highlighted the importance of “protecting people’s lives, addressing the safety conditions of the buildings, and ensuring the preservation of these places of worship.”

This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Vance spoke with Arroyo in a wide-ranging interview that included politics, immigration, economics, and faith.

The vice president has been especially forthcoming about his own faith journey, one which began in Appalachian Protestant churches and eventually led him to the Catholic Church. He attended Christian churches while growing up but was drawn to what in June he described as the “beautiful ancient Church” of Catholicism.

Speaking with Arroyo, Vance described a religious experience in which he was driving on mountain roads back from his grandmother’s funeral and nearly drove off the road.

“And just like right at that point where Iʼm like, all right, Iʼm about to go over the side of the mountain, the car just comes to a completely restful stop,” he said. “Like God put his hand on that car and made it stop.”

The experience “gnawed at me,” Vance said, describing the event as “a door opening.”

“[W]e are ultimately Godʼs ambassadors here on Earth,” he said, describing what he said is the “powerful” witness of Christians “doing good things.”

Arroyo and Vance discussed several other topics in the interview, including the ongoing civil unrest and rioting in France.

“I donʼt think you can talk about whatʼs happening in France without acknowledging the role of migration,” Vance said. “Because in the neighborhoods where you see the most significant violence, the most significant outburst, the burning of these beautiful historical buildings — you often have neighborhoods with extremely high immigrant populations.”

Western societies “want to be welcoming to people,” the vice president said. But “when we allow someone into our country, are they culturally compatible? Are they willing to assimilate into Western values and Western society?”

Asked about Church leadership on immigration issues, Vance — who has publicly disagreed with the U.S. bishops on some aspects of the immigration debate — said he would “never accuse the Church of being naive.”

The Church “will say two things that I fundamentally believe in and agree with, but I think 90% of people agree with, which is: One, you must be welcoming towards a stranger. On the other hand, nations are allowed to control their borders.”

As Vance sees it, the Church leadership in the U.S. has “missed an opportunity” to strike a balance on immigration in an age of high migration. He noted that the airplane is “less than 100 years old” and that rapid large-scale immigration is “a very new phenomenon.”

“I do think the Church has to figure out what should the immigration policy of an advanced economy be in a world of mass transit,” he said.

He noted that Christians are called “to be fundamentally hopeful [of] the future.” He disputed arguments that France is on the verge of “civilizational death,” describing it instead as “civilizational risk.”

“[I] think that if France returns to its Christian roots, it can be welcoming to the stranger. It can also protect its borders and in a way that preserves its civilization,” he said.

White House Faith Director Jenny Korn told EWTN News the meeting was organized by the White House Faith Office “as part of our ongoing engagement with faith leaders of all denominations from across the country.”

In addition to praying with Trump, Korn said several topics were discussed during the meeting, including “religious freedom, the role of the White House Faith Office, school choice, religious visas, and life policy.”

Participants included Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles; Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas; Bishop James Wall of Gallup, New Mexico; Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas; Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, Iowa; Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee; and Bishop Michael Barber, SJ, of Oakland, California.

Before concluding the meeting, Golka and his brother bishops gathered around Trump at the Oval Office’s iconic Resolute desk to pray.

Leading the intercession, Golka thanked God “for the gift of our beautiful nation, the gift of our government, and the gift of this office of the presidency” and asked for God’s blessing upon Trump.

Continuing his prayer, Golka also thanked God for “the gift of your Son, Jesus. He’s right here with us. He redeems us, saves us, gives us immense mercy, guidance.”

Golka also invoked the Holy Spirit, asking the Holy Spirit to “surround our country, to protect us against any influence of evil.”

Following the meeting, Golka said in a statement that he “hopes the encounter will foster further dialogue on the sanctity of life, human dignity and other issues of concern to the Catholic Church.”

The Archdiocese of Denver went on to note that “praying for those in public office is a long Catholic practice, rooted in St. Paul’s instruction to pray for all who hold authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2).” The archdiocese underscored that “it is not an endorsement of any specific candidate or party.”

Korn also emphasized that the meeting was “not politics” but “policy in action ending with meaningful prayer with and for the president.” In addition to Korn, Paula White-Cain, the president’s longtime spiritual adviser, also attended the meeting.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said it had no role in the event.

“This was not something that the USCCB organized. It is not affiliated with the Conference,” said Chieko Noguchi, USCCB spokesperson.

The USCCB and the Trump administration have been aligned on various issues, including religious liberty and gender ideology, along with some of Trump’s pro-life initiatives.

There have also been sharp disagreements on other issues, including the administration’s failure to reverse the Biden administration’s policy on mail-order abortion drugs, the president’s support of IVF, and the administration’s mass deportation efforts.

This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 23, 2026, with an additional statement from the Archdiocese of Denver.

Joseph Malham is a Chicago-based iconographer who was commissioned to do the piece by Michael Airdo, an attorney from Chicago who had a planned trip to visit the pope and wanted to give him a special gift. Given the Holy Father’s Augustinian roots, Airdo decided to give him an image of Our Lady of Good Counsel, which holds a special place in the Augustinian tradition.

The devotion is rooted in a centuries-old image of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child venerated at the Basilica Sanctuary of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Italy, entrusted to the Augustinians. The order has promoted devotion to Mary under this title for centuries.

After Pope Leo was elected, he traveled to Genazzano — which is about 40 miles southeast of Rome — to pray before the image located in the basilica.

Airdo sent Malham an email inquiring if the icon could be completed, but there was a catch — he only had one week to do it.

“I said, ‘It can be done,’” Malham told “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo on Oct. 21. “I’m single so who cares if I don’t sleep and don’t eat for a week. The question is, can I do it? And I did it.”

He added: “A week later, when Michael [Airdo] was in Rome, he sent me a photo of the Holy Father holding the icon presented to him in a personal, private audience in his library.”

Airdo shared with Malham that Pope Leo was moved when he saw the image and said he would be keeping it on a shelf in his bedroom.

Malham also wrote the Holy Father a letter because he “felt very connected with him.”

“I wrote him and I said how difficult it is — please keep me in your prayers — because it is difficult, it’s a long journey being a self-published artist and an iconographer,” he shared. “But I said, so is being any vocation. So was being married and being a priest and in religious life and being the successor of St. Peter. We’re all together. Itʼs the communion of saints. And I felt that kind of closed the distance and bonded us together.”

In the popeʼs response, he mentioned praying for Malham and his vocation and asked the iconographer to keep him in his prayers as well.

As for how this experience has made him feel, Malham said: “It’s almost too overwhelming to know that the successor of St. Peter not only has my icon, but is going to personally journey with it in his prayer life and he’s going to keep it close to him.”

“No words suffice. I could rest in the silence of the beauty of that moment and that connectivity is the sacred connection.”

On Oct. 19, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) posted an alert saying Ukrainian TPS beneficiaries would continue to retain protections, including employment authorization, pending an announcement “made at the appropriate time.” The agency posted a similar announcement about El Salvador TPS as a Sept. 9 expiration deadline passed.

TPS is an immigration status granted to eligible foreign nationals from designated countries that are deemed unsafe to return to due to ongoing conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions.

U.S. bishops said with more than 170,000 Salvadorans and about 100,000 Ukrainians estimated to hold TPS, the administration should “carefully consider conditions in countries of origin and the threats to human life that could come with forcibly repatriating people.” The bishops urged the government to provide meaningful notice about the future of the designations so that families, employers, and communities can plan accordingly, a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) statement said.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which determines whether to extend or end TPS, said in a statement to EWTN News on Oct. 22 that Ukrainians and Salvadorans with TPS will “retain protection” under the program until the agency announces a final decision on the future of the designations.

El Salvador first received TPS in 2001 after devastating earthquakes, and the designation has been repeatedly renewed since then. The U.S. first granted TPS to Ukrainians in April 2022, after Russiaʼs full-scale invasion starting Feb. 24, 2022, made conditions unsafe for many Ukrainians to return home. The United Nations has verified more than 13,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine, while warning the actual toll is likely much higher.

Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, chair-elect of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, said many Ukrainians relying on TPS in the United States have no home to go back to, according to the USCCB update.

“In recent months, DHS terminated TPS designations for various countries, often while existing conditions in those countries make return of large numbers of people unsafe or impractical,” according to a USCCB statement on Sept. 24.

The Trump administration has moved to end TPS for people from more than a dozen countries since 2025, and Lebanon TPS is set to end Nov. 27. TPS for Haiti ended July 27.

Pathway to legal status

U.S. bishops have continued to support legislative efforts “to provide a pathway to permanent legal status for longtime residents of the United States.” Bishops have supported legislation such as H.R. 1589 that would provide a pathway to permanent residency for certain “dreamers” (those brought to the U.S. illegally as children by family) and other immigrants with temporary protections while expanding access to green cards for some TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure recipients.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, “would create a long-term solution for those in this situation who have contributed positively to the fabric of American life and have established equities in the country, such as having U.S.-citizen spouses and children, owning businesses, and more,” the USCCB statement said.

Another bill (H.R. 10740) introduced in the U.S. House on Oct. 5 would extend temporary protected status for eligible Ukrainians by redesignating protections until July 1, 2029.

In April, the House passed legislation, H.R. 1689, that would extend TPS for Haitians for three more years. No legislative efforts have gained traction in the Senate.

‘In limbo’

Without any formal notice from DHS about the status of El Salvador’s TPS, it has left communities “in limbo,” said Lizbeth Iniguez, immigration attorney at Alba Law in Long Beach, California.

“At the moment, we hear a lot of fear, especially in the Salvadoran community … we can only tell them how to prepare,” Iniguez said.

David Spicer, USCCB’s policy and engagement director for migration, said Catholic Charities and other Church ministries are seeing growing demand as families lose legal protections and work authorization.

“They’re seeing people having to grapple with the loss of the legal protection, their work authorization, families struggling to make ends meet. Then more people turn to Catholic services for things like food and housing assistance,” Spicer said.

Uncertainty about TPS status could expose longtime U.S. residents to deportation, family separation, and the loss of work authorization, according to U.S. bishops.

“I think Haiti is probably the most serious example of this. It is objectively unsafe for large numbers of people to be forcibly repatriated to Haiti at this time,” Spicer said. “When you consider that this is also a factor in several other countries where there are no longer TPS designations … it really does set up the opportunity, if not the loss of human life, then the harm that could be inflicted on the people.”

Spicer said the TPS uncertainty also was “going to hurt employers … they’re having an even harder time because they’ve lost workers who were relying on employment authorization that they had through TPS.”

Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, received CMN’s Archbishop Fiorenza Dignity and Life Award, named after civil rights advocate and death penalty abolitionist Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston, at the Oct. 21 event.

Coakley, a longtime advocate against the death penalty including in his home state of Oklahoma, earlier this month condemned the Trump administration’s plan to livestream the military execution of the Fort Hood mass shooter, Nidal Hasan. “Our God is the God of life,” he said in an Oct. 9 statement. “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.”

“It goes without saying that Iʼm very humbled and honored by this this award,” Coakley said during his acceptance speech. “Archbishop Fiorenza was a true champion whom I knew as the president of the bishops’ conference when I was a brand-new bishop, and I had always admired his work and his convictions and his principles.”

“Being in the United States of America at this time has really turned my attention more toward advocating for the condemned on death row and the need for us as a people, as a Church, as a nation to recognize the injustice and the inhumanity of what is being done in our name,” he said.

Being in the United States of America at this time has really turned my attention more toward advocating for the condemned on death row and the need for us as a people, as a Church, as a nation to recognize the injustice and the inhumanity of what is being done in our name.”

Archbishop Paul Coakley

Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Coakley shared that he first became aware of the importance of advocating for life in 1973, the year Roe v. Wade was passed into law and the year he graduated from high school. The law, he said, allowed “the wholesale destruction of the most vulnerable and innocent of human lives on a massive scale.”

“So for many years, in terms of life issues, opposing abortion and advocating for the right to the life of the unborn was really my primary passion and concern,” he said. “Only later did I come to appreciate the meaning of respect for life from conception to its natural end.”

Coakley reflected that over time, “seeing up close that life is sacred and that it is to be preserved” ultimately led to him to the conclusion “that human dignity cannot be forfeited, no matter how heinous the crime that a man or woman has committed.” 

He noted that during his time as an archbishop in Oklahoma, he was struck by the notion that his home state, like Florida and Texas, “was very solidly pro-life in terms of supporting the right to life of the unborn” but was “unforgiving” in its embrace of capital punishment.

Coakley spoke out in August against the execution of a condemned murderer in Oklahoma, calling for prayers for both the killer’s victims and the killer himself while urging a “more humane form of justice.”

Concluding his speech, Coakley expressed gratitude to CMN for its advocacy.

“Iʼm encouraged and hopeful, especially in view of some of the things that have been in the news of late, that weʼll all find renewed courage and determination to continue this fight to advocate for the sanctity, the dignity of every human life, from conception to its natural end,” he said.

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the U.S., delivered a message from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressing his closeness to those gathered for the event.

Elizabeth Bruening, a Catholic and two-time Pulitzer-Prize finalist and writer for The Atlantic, also received a Reimagining Justice Award at the event.

The unsigned order rejected the Bureau of Prison’s petition to reverse rulings from both the U.S. district court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said they would have granted the government’s request.

The high court’s decision means that the bureau may not implement a policy passed in February that forbids the use of hormone therapy on prisoners who believe themselves to be the opposite sex. The rule also forbids “social accommodations” including wigs and makeup.

The suit against the Bureau of Prisons was brought by several inmates who identify as transgender.

LGBT-related policy at federal prisons has been in flux following President Donald Trump’s 2024 election. Earlier that year, the Biden Justice Department had signaled that prisons throughout the United States must provide prisoners with transgender-related medical care, including “hormone therapy” and other gender-related requests.

Just after taking office in January 2025, on the other hand, Trump issued an executive order that purported to combat “efforts to eradicate the biological reality of sex.” Among the provisions of that order was a directive ordering the Bureau of Prisons to “[revise] its policies concerning medical care” to move away from gender-related provisions.

Calling the violence “not an isolated incident,” leaders have urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable and protect residents.

The attack followed another violent incident in the Palestinian village of Abu Falah, north of Ramallah, when a Washington Post photojournalist was attacked and seriously injured by Israeli settlers while she and other journalists were covering the olive harvest there.

In a statement following the Oct. 17 attack, the church leaders said Palestinian villages across the West Bank were experiencing widespread settler violence during the olive harvest, when families return to their land to gather their crops and renew ties stretching back generations.

“This wild attack on the Christian village of Taybeh and against its peaceful population is not an isolated incident. In the past weeks the Palestinian villages of the West Bank have been exposed to a wide-scale terror by settlers, which is reaching a peak during this time of the olive harvest, when families go to their lands to collect what they need to live and renew their generations-long bond with their lands,” the statement said.

The leaders also expressed concern over a recently published religious ruling permitting Jews to take Palestinians’ olives, describing it as “unfounded, very worrying and dangerous, and absolutely unacceptable.” They welcomed the public rejection of the ruling by several rabbis and other Jewish voices.

Those targeted in the attack included diplomats from France, Belgium, and Poland. The mayor of Aulnoye-Aymeries in northern France, Bernard Baudoux, was physically assaulted, and a Belgian consular vehicle was damaged. Independent international reporting corroborated the attack.

Israeli authorities said they had opened an investigation and later announced arrests.

The attack occurred during a harvest that provides a vital source of income for Palestinian families and reflects farmers’ generations-long connection to their land. The targeting of a delegation that included European diplomats also brought wider international diplomatic attention to the violence facing Palestinian farmers.

The church leaders welcomed Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s condemnation of the attack and the steps taken by Israeli police. They said, however, that conditions on the ground showed the attacks were continuing because of the perpetrators’ “impunity.” They expressed hope that law enforcement would continue “in a serious and consistent manner” rather than remain a one-time response.

In August, the Israeli military declared Taybeh a closed military zone, restricting access to nonresidents in what it described as an effort to curb attacks by Israelis in the area. Attacks nevertheless continued, including the Oct. 17 assault on farmers and the visiting European diplomatic delegation.

Taybeh is one of the West Bank’s most prominent remaining Palestinian Christian communities. The church leaders’ appeal therefore concerns more than the protection of a religious site: It addresses the safety of a Christian community whose residents live and work in the town, facing threats to their security, land, and livelihoods, as well as uncertainty over the future of their families and young people.

The church leaders called on the relevant authorities to bring those responsible to justice and urged the international community to intensify efforts to protect the people of Taybeh and the wider West Bank, along with visitors expressing solidarity with them. They reaffirmed their support for Taybeh’s churches and community and pledged to continue working to preserve the Christian presence there.

The leaders’ statement came a day after a high-level U.S. delegation visited Taybeh. The delegation included Brian Burch, U.S. ambassador to the Holy See; Riley Barnes, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor; and other U.S. diplomatic and security officials.

The delegation met with Father Bashar Fawadleh, pastor of the Latin Patriarchate parish in Taybeh, and the executive director of the Christian Presence Observatory — Holy Land. They heard accounts of the attacks and their effects on residents’ lives and livelihoods.

Members of the delegation said they took those concerns seriously. Participants in the meeting called for practical measures to protect civilians, ensure access to agricultural land, strengthen accountability, and help Palestinian Christian communities remain in their homeland.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

During a visit to the United States, Filoni, the grand master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, discussed the book, “My Days Are in Your Hands: Men and Women in the Footsteps of Jesus,” with Erik Rosales on “EWTN News Nightly.”

“They are not extraordinary,” Filoni said of the holy figures in the book; rather, “they became extraordinary.”

“They were normal people, as all the others in the world, as we are normal people,” he said. “What is important in their life to become extraordinary? They were touched by the grace of God, and they answered to this grace of God.”

Filoni also discussed the book on “EWTN Live” with Father Mitch Pacwa. The book is “not a biography” of the people, Filoni explained to Pacwa, but rather a  more specific analysis of their unique relationships with God, how God worked in their lives, and how those experiences relate to God’s relationships with people today.

It evaluates people “who are touched by the finger of God, in their sufferings, in their problems, in their difficult lives, [and how] they were touched by the grace of God,” Filoni said.

Filoni told Pacwa the book gets into the “trauma men like Abraham had in their life,” such as his anxiety that “I have no children” and “my wife cannot bear anyone,” before God called him to be a father to biological children and to be the father of many nations.

Another section examines the struggles of Moses while wandering the desert after escaping Egypt, when some of the people were unfaithful, unhappy, and critical. The book lays out how God strengthened Moses by appearing as a burning bush and instructing him “to go home and not to lose faith in his Word.”

People today, Filoni said, may be struggling “because they are neglected, because they are addicted to drugs, they are abandoned.” He asked whether they can have the courage of God amid fear and doubt, saying of all people: “We need the courage of God in our lives.”

Filoni also referenced the archangel Gabriel’s visit to Mary, when he asked her to bear Christ, the Son of God: “If you say yes,” Filoni said, “you have to trust and at the moment, you have to put your life in the hand of God.”

Filoni said Joseph’s role “was not so easy,” because he needed to trust that “this is coming from the Holy Spirit.”

He said the spiritual journeys of both Mary and Joseph are important for men and women looking toward marriage. People today, he said, also have the “mission to give life to this world.”

Some of the other personalities featured in the book include Ezekiel, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, Helena, Augustine, and Thomas Aquinas. The book focuses on not portraying them simply as heroes but rather focuses on their humanity and their struggles and how surrendering to God transformed them.

The bills passed the lower house, Sejm, but still need Senate approval and the presidentʼs signature.

Reuters reported that Nawrocki has signaled he would block any liberalization and that the legislation is “almost certain to be vetoed.”

The first bill, an amendment to the penal code, passed 217-213 with three abstentions, according to the Polish news agency PAP. Opponents included the Law and Justice (PiS) party and 14 members of the Polish Peopleʼs Party (PSL), a partner in the governing coalition.

It would repeal the provision under which anyone who terminates a pregnancy with the womanʼs consent outside the law faces up to three years in prison. Helping or persuading a woman to have such an abortion would also no longer be a crime. Women themselves are not penalized under current law. A similar bill failed 218-215 in July 2024.

The second bill passed 233-203 with one abstention. It seeks to reverse an Oct. 22, 2020, Constitutional Tribunal ruling that abortion for severe and irreversible fetal impairment is unconstitutional. Such abortions have not been legal since the ruling was published in January 2021.

Abortion is now legal only when the pregnancy threatens the womanʼs life or health, or up to 12 weeks if it resulted from a crime.

PiS lawmaker Marcin Warchoł criticized Prime Minister Donald Tuskʼs coalition, saying abortion is murder and that the law shapes consciences, according to the Catholic weekly Niedziela. He said the “December 13 coalition,” a reference to the date Tuskʼs government took office in 2023, wants “a soulless and amoral society.”

The coalition lacks the three-fifths majority in the Sejm needed to override a veto, according to the news portal naTemat.

As a candidate in January 2025, Nawrocki said on Polsat News he would not sign a law restoring the so-called abortion compromise in place before the 2020 ruling. He said he could not allow children with Down syndrome to be aborted, PAP reported at the time.

Catholic perspective

“As a person and a bishop of the Church, I will not change my mind,” Bishop Artur Ważny of Sosnowiec wrote in a statement published the same day by the Polish edition of Aleteia.

He added that the defense of the defenseless, especially the unborn human being, is an absolute foundation he cannot and does not want to abandon.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception and that formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense (Nos. 2270, 2272).

In his 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae, St. John Paul II wrote that direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely immoral.

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.