In an April letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville, Kentucky, and Bishop Brendan Cahill of Victoria, Texas, expressed their support for the legislation (S. 2241 / H.R. 4307) on behalf of the USCCB’s Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development and Committee on Migration.

The bill, which the House passed in March, would require the Department of Labor to train its employees to detect human trafficking, identify suspected victims, and refer potential cases to the Department of Justice or other appropriate authorities.

“The Catholic Church is a steadfast voice against human trafficking and other forms of exploitation, as well as a longtime provider of services and pastoral care to victims of these crimes,” the bishops wrote.

Under the bill sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Michigan, the Labor secretary would tailor training for the departmentʼs Wage and Hour Division by taking into account the needs of those operating in states where oppressive child labor has recently surged. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, who is Catholic, introduced the Senate version of the measure with one cosponsor, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan. No committee action is scheduled.

“We urge the committee to report the bill favorably to the full Senate and for the chamber to join with the House in passing this measure to bolster the U.S. Department of Labor’s important role in combatting human trafficking,” the bishops said.

“We appreciate the bill’s specific mention of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, which plays such an instrumental role in detection and thwarting labor exploitation by unscrupulous employers, especially for children,” the bishops said.

As Congress has begun the appropriations process for fiscal 2027 and funding for the Department of Labor, “we renew our previous calls for the long underfunded agency to receive increased support to address its pervasive staffing and resource shortages, particularly given its role in thwarting child labor exploitation, as S. 2241 acknowledges,” they wrote.

Further support

The bishops also recently voiced support for H.R. 1144, a bill introduced by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, that would reauthorize a 2000 anti-trafficking bill.

“This is another important, bipartisan anti-trafficking measure that warrants immediate action as a further step to counter the scourge of human trafficking in our country and beyond,” the bishops wrote in a March letter to U.S. representatives.

The bill would update elements of the federal framework to prevent international trafficking, and establish and reauthorize anti-trafficking programs across the State Department, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Among other actions, the bill would authorize HHS to carry out a program to help victims of trafficking integrate or reintegrate into society. It also would require the Department of Stateʼs Trafficking in Persons Report to include information about trafficking for the purposes of organ removal.

“I … want to recognize and thank the amazing, heroic, and extraordinarily compassionate survivor-leaders who helped write this bill,” Smith said at a press conference on April 23. “Their courage, strength, tenacity, wisdom, and, above all, their love for the vulnerable not only inspires but helped us get it right.”

“This legislation is of, by, and for them — to help heal, restore, and empower,” said Smith, who is Catholic.

Reauthorizing the bill “is essential to sustaining a comprehensive, prevention-focused response to human trafficking,” Katie Boller Gosewisch, executive director of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking, an anti-trafficking organization founded and supported by U.S. Catholic sisters, told EWTN News.

“The bill strengthens the systems that protect those most at risk while ensuring survivors have access to the services and support needed for long-term stability and healing. The Alliance to End Human Trafficking urges Congress to act without delay to move this legislation forward in both the House and Senate and ensure its swift passage.”

“As people of faith, we are committed to policies rooted in justice and grounded in the promise of redemption,” the May 4 letter said.

“While we come from varied backgrounds and political stances, we stand together against state-sanctioned murder,” it said. “Instead, we are motivated by the restorative power of empathy and investments in transformation.”

The letter, led by the single-issue organization Ohioans to Stop Executions (OTSE), comes as Ohioans await a statement on the death penalty by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Last month, the governor said he would issue a statement in the week after the primary election, which is May 5.

DeWine, a Catholic, has delayed several executions as Ohio has had difficulty in obtaining the drugs needed to administer lethal injection.

In the letter, the faith leaders state that “now is the time for Ohio to rid itself of its outdated and immoral death penalty.”

“As people who are motivated by faith and sparked by profound love for the common good, we are calling on you to endorse the bipartisan, multi-faith effort to abolish the death penalty in Ohio,” they said.

The faith leaders affirmed they “hold deep care and respect for victims and co-victims of crime, and we most certainly are not opposed to accountability for rightfully convicted persons,” however: “We believe that the death penalty serves no moral purpose.”

“Instead, it is a hollow instrument of death that offers no redemption, no closure, and no transformation for anyone involved,” the letter said. “The death penalty monopolizes human and financial resources that would be better spent if applied to the co-victims whose glaring list of needs often goes unmet.“

The signatories included parish priests, Protestant pastors, and Catholic religious sisters. It also includes non-Christians, such as rabbis, Muslims, Zoroastrian, and unitarian universalists.

Marsha Forson, associate director of Social Concerns at the Catholic Conference of Ohio, spoke during a news conference to announce the letter, noting the continued celebration of the Easter season.

“What does this mystery grant us but the hope of life — life eternal,” she said. “Hope that one day all things will be placed in proper order by justice and peaceful reign and every tear will be wiped from our eyes.”

Forson said “each person’s fundamental identity and value is renewed not in the good or evil [that the person] has done but in the invaluable self-sacrificing love of one.” She said “there is no longer any value that can be placed on a human life other than the inestimable price of Christ’s sacrifice.”

The bishops did not sign onto the OTSE letter but instead sent their own separate letter in late March, which also urged Ohio lawmakers to abolish the death penalty.

Brian Hickey, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, said in a statement to EWTN News that lawmakers have “the unique opportunity” with House Bill 72, under consideration in a House committee.

That bill, he explained, would “end state-sanctioned death in Ohio by abolishing the death penalty while also ensuring state funds will not pay for abortion or assisted suicide.”

“We are actively meeting with Ohio legislators and urging them to stand against the culture of death and defend the sanctity of life in all stages and circumstances, as Pope Leo XIV continues to urge Catholics and all people of goodwill to do,” he said.

On April 24, Leo provided a message to activists at DePaul University celebrating the 15th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois, in which the Holy Father offered his “support to those who advocate for the abolition of the death penalty in the United States of America and around the world.”

“I pray that your efforts will lead to a greater acknowledgement of the dignity of every person and will inspire others to work for the same just cause,” Leo said.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New Orleans, ruled on Friday that the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) current policy undermined Louisiana state law. The court reinstated in-person dispensation for abortion pills, a restoration of FDA requirements revoked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two mifepristone manufacturers, Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, asked the Supreme Court to pause the lower court ruling, calling it “unprecedented” in their emergency request over the weekend.

In response, Justice Samuel Alito issued an administrative stay, putting the lower court order on hold, and temporarily restoring mail-order abortion drugs while the justices consider the companies’ request. The temporary stay will expire May 11 at 5 p.m. ET.

Alito instructed the FDA and Louisiana to respond by 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 7.

Chemical abortions, which rely on mifepristone and misoprostol, accounted for 63% of U.S. abortions in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The number of actual abortions might be higher due to underreporting, according to the organization, which was affiliated with Planned Parenthood until 2007.

In 2024, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to mifepristone’s availability, declining to rule on the legality of relaxed regulations under the Obama and Biden administrations.

Activists, lawmakers, and state attorneys general have been calling on the FDA to do a safety review of the drug, citing severe risks to women’s health.

A recent study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) found that the removal of in-person visit requirements led to an increase in adverse effects for women having chemical abortions. This study is one among several pointing to a higher rate of serious problems.

Multiple other studies have shown high rates of hospitalizations for women taking the abortion pill. Chemical abortion has a complication rate four times that of surgical abortion, according to one study. Another report found that abortion pill complications are often underreported or misclassified.

SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who celebrated the initial ruling pausing abortion drug shipments, called the current situation a “five-alarm crisis for the pro-life movement and for the GOP.”

“The ‘states-only’ strategy, promoted out of fear after Dobbs, is an abject failure in the face of blue states brazenly violating state sovereignty and nullifying hard-won pro-life gains,” Dannenfelser said in a statement shared with EWTN News.

“The GOP cannot win without its base and simply will not get the enthusiasm that drives turnout without leadership from the top,” Dannenfelser said. “With one-third of the most engaged primary voters sidelined and unheard, the Trump administration’s inaction puts lives and voter morale at risk every day it goes on.”

Dannenfelser also called for FDA Commissioner Marty Makary to be “fired immediately,” citing recent comments he made about mifepristone.

“Abortions are up, not down after Dobbs, with at least 1.1 million deaths a year,” Dannenfelser said. “More than 90,000 abortions occur each year just in states that protect babies in the law throughout all nine months of pregnancy — a direct result of Biden’s COVID-era mail-order abortion drug rule, which the Trump administration inexplicably allows to continue.”

“Without basic in-person medical supervision, male buyers have a frighteningly easy tool to abuse women, like abortion drug coercion survivor Rosalie Markezich, and their children,” Dannenfelser continued. “The Supreme Court will now decide whether this injustice ends here or whether it raises its ugly head over and over again.”

Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins called the situation “moral insanity.”

“The tragedy of chemical abortion pill distribution is that preborn babies die while we argue about how the abortion lobby and Big Pharma might be hurt,” she said in a statement shared with EWTN News.

“Enforcement of the Comstock Act is Step 1 for Trump administration’s Department of Justice, but we certainly hope they will fight more fiercely as Trump’s Food and Drug Administration has slow-walked a real review of deadly chemical abortion pills,” Hawkins said.

The American Association of Pro Life OB-GYNs (AAPLOG) expressed concerns for the safety of women and unborn children.

“Just when women and preborn children were about to receive bare minimum safety regulations, abortion manufacturers jumped in to save their bottom line,” the organization said in a statement shared with EWTN News.

“Women deserve real medicine, not a mail-order workaround that benefits only the abortion industry,” AAPLOG continued. “‘Telehealth distribution’ of mifepristone would actually provide medical oversight — instead there is none. No exam, no ultrasound, no screening for coercion and no doctor accountable when patients are harmed."

“This is a transaction, it’s not a medical interaction. Women and their preborn children deserve better,” AAPLOG stated. “The Supreme Court must allow the 5th Circuitʼs ruling to stand."

The conference held April 30 and May 1 was titled “Pope Leo XIV: From the Americas, For the World." It was the 17th annual World Catholicism Week conference organized by DePaul Universityʼs Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology in the popeʼs hometown.

Jesuit Father Philip Larrey, an associate professor of theology at Boston College and past dean of the philosophy department at the Vatican’s Pontifical Lateran University, said Pope Leo has a “fresh” and “humane” take on AI.

“Pope Leo XIV took his name because of Pope Leo XIII, who in the 19th century did for the Church in the industrial revolution what Pope Leo XIV wants to do for the Church and the world ... in what he calls the digital revolution,” Larrey said in his talk, “Pope Leo and the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence.”

Larrey, author of "Artificial Humanity: An Essay on the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence,” has collaborated with industry leaders, Vatican scholars, and the United Nations about the intersection of ethics and digital advancements.

The pope has a unique perspective as he is “very American, but heʼs also very Latin American,” Larrey said. “Heʼs very Peruvian. He loved his time as a missionary there.“

“Remember, Pope Leo is very, very savvy. He was the head of bishop[s] under Pope Francis, and so he knows a lot about politics within the Church,“ Larrey said. ”He knows a lot about … where the Church needs to go.”

“Heʼs a very complex person,” Larry said. In “his first message ... the day after he was elected pope, he says, ‘I want to help the world in this transition of artificial intelligence.’”

Then during the summer he wrote a series of messages, "when he referred to AI as ‘soulless machine,'" Larrey said. "It really conveys a profound message: ‘These machines do not have soul.’”

The matter of the soul

Larrey discussed the “urgent concerns” of AI replacing human interactions. As a professor on a college campus, he said “a lot of students have difficulties forming relationships.” They turn to AI rather than human connection.

“With an AI, itʼs artificial, itʼs not real,” Larrey said. Ultimately, it “does not have a soul.”

The Catholic Church “uses Aristotleʼs vision of the creation of a soul,” Larrey said. "Now I have to specify ... Aristotle, of course, was brought into the Catholic Church by Thomas Aquinas.”

“Now, Aristotle also believed that the man and the woman were not sufficient to cause a human being. You needed another principle, and that principle was the sun,” he said. “In ancient Greece, the sun was a divine entity. Look at how cool that translates into the Catholic theology, where you have the mother and the father, and then God.”

“Only God can be responsible for the creation of the soul,” Larrey said.

God “infuses the soul” in a new being, “and that is what distinguishes human beings from all other beings,” he said. “Aristotle said that all living beings have souls, but only the human being has an immortal soul.”

“Pope Leo has said machines can never have a soul,” Larrey said. At the World Day of Communications Pope Leo said: “If we fail in this task of preservation … digital technology threatens to alter radically some of the fundamental pillars of human civilization that at times are taken for granted.”

“By simulating human voices and faces … wisdom and knowledge, consciousness and responsibility, empathy and friendship — the systems known as artificial intelligence not only interfere with information ecosystems but also encroach upon the deepest level of communication, that of human relation.”

Consciousness and immortality

Larry detailed two matters Pope Leo has talked about “that are philosophical, but have profound ramifications in the area of AI” — consciousness and immortality.

With consciousness, “human beings are self-aware, which means that we know that we know,“ Larrey said. ”Other living animals are conscious, but theyʼre not self-conscious, which means they donʼt know that they know.”

“Now, some in … the tech industry are talking about consciousness with these machines. They are getting very good at simulating what we understand as conscious behavior,” he said.

“When a machine exhibits behavior we associate with consciousness, we will attribute consciousness to the machine,” he said. “That doesnʼt mean the machine is conscious. It just means that we will probably attribute consciousness to that machine.”

“The more sophisticated and the more complex these machines get, the more likely that is to happen,” he said.

Another issue is that there are many people who “are spending a lot of money for the search for immortality.”

Death “is part of life,” Larrey said. “Death is a meaningful part of it. And if you take that away… I think weʼre gonna lose a lot of meaning and purpose.”

Other panels at the DePaul conference discussed Pope Leoʼs connections across the globe, the future of the Church under his leadership, his recent papal trip to Africa, and his missionary work in Peru. Numerous speakers spoke about his perspective as the first American pope and a member of the Augustinian order.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April directing federal agencies to accelerate research, regulatory review, and limited patient access to psychedelic drugs as potential treatments for serious mental illnesses, including depression, PTSD, and other treatment-resistant conditions.

Titled “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness,” the executive order defines serious mental illness as “having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that substantially interferes with a person’s life and ability to function.”

“Despite massive federal investment into researching potential advancements in mental health care and treatment, our medical research system has yet to produce approved therapies that promote enduring improvements in the mental health condition” of the most complex patients, the order says.

“Innovative methods are needed to find long-term solutions for these Americans beyond existing prescription medications.”

The order promotes research into psychedelics such as ibogaine, a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid derived primarily from the root bark of an African shrub. It has shown promise in treating opioid addiction (by reducing withdrawal and cravings), as well as PTSD, depression, and traumatic brain injury in treatment-resistant cases.

In addition to ibogaine, most classic psychedelics — including psilocybin (magic mushrooms), LSD, DMT, and mescaline — remain illegal at the federal level. They are classified as Schedule I substances, meaning they have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use according to the Controlled Substances Act.

However, psychedelics are not known to produce the physical dependence, compulsive drug-seeking behavior or withdrawal syndromes seen with drugs like opioids, alcohol, stimulants, or nicotine. The potential for abuse comes from the recreational use of the drugs for their psychoactive effects.

Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin work mainly by activating certain serotonin receptors in the brain’s cortex, which can create chaotic, highly connected brain activity — producing vivid altered states, emotional breakthroughs, and ego dissolution. The experience is followed by days of heightened neuroplasticity that can rewire thinking patterns.

Ibogaine works through multiple brain systems at once. It affects glutamate, opioid, serotonin, and dopamine pathways while promoting brain repair in reward centers. This produces long dreamlike visions and a profound neurological “reset” that can dramatically reduce addiction cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

The Catholic response

Greg Bottaro, a psychologist and founder of the CatholicPsych Institute and creator of the CatholicPsych Model of Applied Personalism, told EWTN News he is “glad” the Trump administration is “bringing the conversation to the table.”

Bottaro has researched psychedelic drugs for a decade, has four years of professional training with psychedelics, and has a natural medicine license in Colorado, which along with Oregon is one of two states where some of the drugs are legal. He said he believes the therapeutic use of the drugs could make “real healing possible for people with deep suffering.”

Bottaro said he has seen “things are getting worse in many ways for some mental illnesses.”

The executive order notes that more than 14 million American adults now suffer from serious mental illness, a large rise from a decade ago, and suicide rates have rebounded after declining during Trump’s first term. Veterans are disproportionately affected, with a suicide rate more than double that of non-veteran adults.

Bottaro acknowledged, however, that new interventions such as psychedelics can be “dangerous if mishandled.”

“The world of the subconscious and interior life and psyche is uncharted territory,” he said. “Psychedelic drugs can activate neural pathways that give unqualified ‘certainty’ about a spiritual insight that isn’t measured against a person’s actual worldview.”

“You don’t want someone being treated to realize ‘love is all that matters’ and then leave his wife,” Bottaro said.

“A lot of protective factors need to be in place” to ensure “a Catholic anthropology” guides those treating patients.

Trump’s executive order instructs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue priority funding to psychedelic drugs that have received Breakthrough Therapy designation, speeding up reviews that could otherwise take months. The order says the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Administration must create a pathway for eligible patients to access investigational psychedelics under the Right to Try Act once basic safety requirements are met.

If any psychedelic drug completes Phase 3 trials and wins FDA approval, the attorney general must promptly review it for possible rescheduling under the Controlled Substances Act.

Justin Hendricks, a Catholic psychiatrist, told EWTN News that while he thinks Catholics can use drugs to treat serious mental illness, more research and time is needed regarding psychedelics. “Haste is not the best idea,” he said regarding pushing through FDA approvals. He said rushing to treat patients without more and thorough testing would be like “playing with fire.”

These drugs can “rewire” neural pathways affected by trauma, he said. “How do you standardize that? It’s tricky. We have to be careful. What are we ‘rewiring’ the brain to do?”

Terry Braciszewski, the president-elect of the Catholic Psychotherapy Association, agreed, telling EWTN News he supports the careful use of psychedelics but cautions against speeding up reviews or clinical trials.

“If a neurochemical substance can help a person, I’m all for it,” he said. “But slowing things down so we can establish appropriate safety measures and controls is important.”

Ibogaine can cause serious side effects, including cardiac arrhythmias (heart rhythm problems), which have led to fatalities in unsupervised settings.

Still, he sees potential in the use of psychedelics such as ibogaine, citing a 2024 Stanford study showing a reduction in symptoms from traumatic brain injuries in veterans, which he called “very promising.”

“When we think of being created in the image and likeness of God, it is remarkable that everything is produced by neurochemistry,” he said.

“We know from Catholic theology, whatever we can do to maintain the temple of our body is an act of stewardship over our life, our health, involvement with loved ones, and our contribution to the greater body of the Church," he said.

“Sometimes when we think about mental health, and there could be a stigma, there could be fear, there could be shame in addressing wounds that we have, illnesses that we have,” Chylinski said in an April 30 video message on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to mark Mental Health Awareness Month, observed in May.

“But itʼs so important that God loves the whole person,” Chylinski said. “He loves us body and soul. And so, itʼs so important for us as members of the Church to reach out to those who are suffering, who are struggling, and to know that there is a great hope in the Lord.”

Know that no matter what you’re going through, no matter what you’re suffering, that in Christ there is always hope. You are never alone.”

Auxiliary Bishop Keith Chylinski

Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Chylinski, who studied clinical psychology as a priest, praised advances in medical science and psychotherapy over the past 50 years. He also encouraged those struggling with mental health challenges to seek resources offered by the Church.

“There is no shame in asking for help,” he said. “Because the Lord wants us to be healthy, mind, body, and soul, and the way that we live our spiritual lives affects us physically and vice versa, the way that we take care of our bodies, of our minds, affects us spiritually.”

“Know that no matter what youʼre going through, no matter what youʼre suffering, that in Christ there is always hope,” he concluded. “You are never alone.”

Several hundred supporters of this uniquely ecumenical think tank, which explicitly engages on pressing public policy questions within the context of the country’s historic Judeo-Christian moral framework, celebrated the milestone at an April 30 gala at the cavernous National Building Museum.

The event was headlined by New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, a Catholic, as keynote speaker. In an interview with EWTN News just prior to the event, Douthat credited the EPPC for both its success and resilience in “maintaining a place for a serious religious conservativism in American political discourse.”

Douthat contrasted the influence of EPPC’s scholars and the American experience with that of Western Europe, which he said suffers severely from a “suffocating secular-liberal, social and cultural liberal consensus in which religious arguments don’t find any purchase and in which ethical norms are all basically utilitarian, in which abortion and increasingly euthanasia are sort of taken for granted.”

For his part, EPPC President Ryan Anderson, also a Catholic, told EWTN News the think tank is part of the “secret sauce” of a country whose founders, such as President John Adams, firmly held that “our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

Citing the U.S. Declaration of Independence during his speech to the assembly, Anderson said EPPC stands for “the proposition that all men are created equal, that we’re endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights, and that amongst these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

“Our guiding lights 50 years ago remain the same today: the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, the natural law tradition, Western Civilization in general, and the American constitutional order in particular,” Anderson said.

Anderson pointed out that as the country celebrates its 250th and EPPC its 50th, “EPPC is needed now more than ever, to bear witness to the truth about the human person.”

He said EPPC conducts its work in an “intentionally ecumenical way” as a community of Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic scholars “developing and deploying the Jewish and Christian traditions to contemporary questions of law, culture, and politics.”

As they do in the country at large, Catholic scholars and related initiatives play a major role in the EPPC’s work. The institution runs ongoing programs in fields including bioethics, technology and human flourishing, and Catholic studies, and runs the Catholic Women’s Forum, the Person and Identity Project, and the Life and Family Initiative, among others.

In addition to Anderson, Catholic scholars who continue to occupy leadership roles at the EPPC include two of the institution’s former presidents, George Weigel and Ed Whelan, along with Mary Hasson, Stephen White, O. Carter Snead, Noelle Mering, Aaron Kheriaty, Theresa Farnan, Mary FioRito, Francis Maier, Jennifer Bryson, and Clare Morell, among others.

Toward the end of 2025, the diocese received the vehicle from Cody Coughlin, a drag racing and stock car driver from Delaware, Ohio. The race car driver “reverted” to the Catholic faith and entered into full communion with the Church a few years back at St. Paul the Apostle in Westerville, Ohio, and was eager to give back to the community.

“I’m deeply humbled and moved to be able to donate a vehicle to help nourish those in need throughout the Catholic Diocese of Columbus,” Coughlin said in the Catholic Times. “It’s a small way to support a mission that truly changes lives, and I’m grateful to be part of something that helps bring food and hope to families who need it most.”

From there, the diocese worked to come up with a plan on how the van could be properly used.

Deacon Dave Bezuko, director for Catholic Charities in the area and a permanent deacon at Our Lady of Lourdes in Marysville, Ohio, told EWTN News in an interview that they wanted it to be “something that would be useful for the parishes because … we didnʼt want to step on the toes of any of our established diocesan charities and our goal here was twofold: No. 1 letʼs equip parishes with something that they could use to support existing ministries, and [No. 2] take ministry off campus.”

Bezuko shared that it was important that the van also be covered in Catholic imagery so that it “could be like a rolling billboard of Catholicism and a sign of the Churchʼs presence out in the community, a sign of Christ’s presence in the community, a sign of hope.”

The van now features an image of Jesus at the feeding of the 5,000, an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the divine mercy image, a portrait of Mother Teresa, and the words from Matthew 25:40: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.”

The mobile outreach van was then blessed by Bishop Earl Fernandes on March 8 outside of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption in Lancaster, Ohio.

In its first couple months of service, the van has been used for a trip to support Mary’s Mission, which serves the needs of the homeless population, and transported approximately 6,000 food items collected by Fisher Catholic High School in Lancaster and the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption. The van was also used to transport furniture donated through a furniture ministry run by a deacon at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Logan, Ohio.

The diocese also hopes to use the van as an evangelization tool by taking it to the local Fourth of July parade, high school football games, visits to nursing homes, the annual county fair, and more.

“Thereʼs so many different opportunities to be an evangelization tool as well,” Bezuko said.

As for what he hopes the impact on the community will be, Bezuko said: “The hope on the impact of the community is No. 1, again, to share that Christ is present in our communities and not just where we have our churches and our schools and our properties.”

He added: “One of those things that happens at the end of Mass, the deacon says ‘Go forth, the Mass has ended.’ Weʼre sent out into the community to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world and to be his presence and to take that elsewhere. So, this is a literal opportunity to take Christ, to take our Church, to take that love, that compassion on the road and express it.”

The deacon said he hopes this mobile outreach ministry will continue to grow and that one day they will have a “whole fleet of these running around here before too long.”

Since its founding, the Papal Foundation has served the Catholic Church with collaboration of laity, clergy, and hierarchy. The United States-based organization is dedicated to fulfilling the requests of the Holy Father for the needs of the Church in developing countries.

The foundation has distributed more than $270 million in grants, scholarships, and humanitarian aid to more than 2,700 projects selected by Pope Leo XIV, Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI, and St. John Paul II.

During his recent papal trip to Africa April 13–23, Pope Leo prayed at the Basilica of St. Augustine in Annaba, Algeria, and he visited the restored Church of Notre Dame dʼAfrique. Both sites were restored through the generosity of The Papal Foundation, with investments of $90,000 each from the foundation in 2008.

This year, The Papal Foundation’s board of trustees approved $15 million, including $12,502,765 in current grants and an additional $3 million to be distributed in 2026 to further new projects.

The grants will fund initiatives across the globe including the construction and renovation of Catholic schools, classrooms, monasteries, orphanages, and medical clinics in numerous countries including Tanzania, the Central African Republic, and the Philippines.

“This year’s grants are a powerful testament to what can be accomplished through faithful stewardship and shared mission,” said Ward Fitzgerald, president of The Papal Foundation board of trustees, in a press release announcing the grants.

“Each project represents hope, meeting urgent needs and strengthening the resolve of the Catholic Church community in developing nations,” he said.

In Tanzania, the grant will aid the creation of a dormitory to rescue girls from early marriage, trafficking, and sexual abuse, and boys from school dropout. In India, a safe school for marginalized tribal children will be built.

The grants will fund the creation of a library and technology center in the Central African Republic and professional IT training for vulnerable women in the Philippines. Also, in the Republic of Guinea, a well and water tower will be built for the community.

“Supporting these life-changing grants is the core of the mission of The Papal Foundation,” Fitzgerald said. “The impact we have on the poor and most vulnerable is the organization’s gift to the Church and the Catholic Church’s gift to its people around the world.”

Requests for the grants come in from developing nations after local bishops identify the most urgent needs. They are then advanced by apostolic nuncios to the foundation’s grants committee.

The requests are then reviewed through the assessor’s office at the Vatican, led by its current assessor for general affairs of the secretariat Monsignor Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo.

Members of the foundation’s grants committee met with Ekpo this week to review proposals and begin building a working relationship.

“It was encouraging to meet Monsignor Ekpo at the start of his tenure and to hear his focus on expanding impact while strengthening efficiency and accountability,” Fitzgerald told EWTN News.

“Those are principles we take seriously. Our goal is to be the most highly disciplined and transparent steward of funds, and the most effective means to get resources to the most in need.”

Fitzgerald noted Ekpo’s work in Nigeria and in Australia, which he said has proven to be strength allowing him to bring "a clear understanding of the realities facing developing countries, along with firsthand experience in more advanced economies.”

“That perspective allows us to evaluate requests more effectively and align our resources with the priorities identified by the Holy Father,” Fitzgerald said.

Growing engagement

The Holy Father met with members of the Papal Foundation in an audience at the Vatican on May 2, where he said he was “deeply grateful” for the work of the foundation “to assist the Successor of Peter in his mission to care for the needs of the universal Church.”

“Your generosity has allowed countless people to experience in a concrete fashion the goodness and kindness of God in their own communities,” the pope said.

He pointed out that the charity workers “will probably never meet everyone who has benefitted from your kindness, so in their name I express heartfelt appreciation.”

The 2026 grants are the result of an evaluation process led by the foundation’s grants committee, chaired by Dr. Tammy Tenaglia of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, with assistance from the foundation’s mission fund committee.

The work of The Papal Foundation has been accomplished with the help of the foundation’s Stewards of Saint Peter, which is made up of North American Catholic philanthropists committed to bringing the love of Christ to those most in need.

Since Pope Leo’s election, the community of Stewards of Saint Peter has welcomed 25 new families committed to supporting the Holy Father’s mission to serve the poor.

“The growth we’re seeing is incredibly encouraging, as it reflects a shared commitment to serve, to give, and to bring the Church’s mission to life in meaningful ways across the globe,” said David Savage, executive director of The Papal Foundation.

The foundation’s annual pilgrimage to Rome the week of April 27 brought together 56 of the Steward families. Led by The Papal Foundation’s chairman, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the trip included a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica and an audience with Pope Leo XIV on Saturday, May 2.

The Walk to Mary is an annual pilgrimage held on the first Saturday of May. The first walk took place in 2013 and over the years thousands of Catholics from around the world have participated. The 22-mile pilgrimage starts at the National Shrine of St. Joseph and ends at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, which is the only approved Marian apparition site in the United States, in which the Blessed Mother appeared to Adele Brise in 1859.

For Kym Allex, a Catholic home schooling mother; her husband, Preston; and their eight children — ranging in age from 17 to 4 — the pilgrimage has become an annual tradition.

The “Allex tribe” — as they’re referred to by their community — first participated in the Walk to Mary when the eldest child was only 8 years old. At the time, there were seven children in the family and they all took part in the two-mile version of the pilgrimage for their first several walks.

The pilgrimage includes several “join in” points along the route that allow participants unable to walk the entire distance the ability to participate.

“For that childrenʼs walk — the little two-miler — it was so great to have seven kids just tromping around, excited to walk for Mary,” Allex told EWTN News in an interview.

She added: “It didnʼt seem like a very long walk to be able to have a 2-year-old in a backpack or my 5-year-old running as fast as he could because he wanted to catch up to Mary, which I donʼt think he ever did, but it was just a beautiful experience for our family for the first time and every year after.”

After their first couple of years participating in the two-mile version of the walk, the Allexes began to expand on the length they completed. This year, for the first time, they plan to walk the entire 22-mile route. And it wasn’t mom and dad who made this decision — it was the two eldest children.

“My 17-year-old daughter and my 16-year-old son came to my husband and [me] after last yearʼs 14-mile and they said, ‘Next year we have some big prayer intentions,’” she shared. “Theyʼre on the cusp of looking at colleges and figuring out where they want to go and where the Lord is calling them and so theyʼve stated, ‘Mom, Iʼm going to do the 22 miles if youʼre OK with it. Iʼd like for our whole family to join.’”

The Allexes then sat down as a family to discern what God was calling them to do and what goals they needed to reach in order for everyone to feel comfortable doing the entire pilgrimage. With this in mind, the entire family has been preparing physically and spiritually for this event.

“Even our little 4-year-old has been walking and biking in the neighborhood every day that she can to be able to get her sweet little legs ready for this beautiful opportunity,” Allex said.

She added that it is her oldest children who want to make sure that taking part in the Walk to Mary is always a part of the family’s culture.

“They take off of work, theyʼve told their sports coaches, ‘We wonʼt be able to go and do this race’ … because our family really wants to keep this part of our family tradition,” Allex said. “And itʼs great that itʼs my teenagers who are the ones that want to continue to pass this on. Thereʼs no fight because weʼve grown into this together.”

Allex admitted that she was hesitant when her children first brought up the idea of doing the full pilgrimage.

“I will tell you, this 22-miler makes me a little nervous and yet my kids are the ones who are like, ‘We can do this mom. Weʼve done 18 miles at Disney. So we can do 22 miles for Mary.’ Iʼm like, ‘That is such a beautiful thought, right? If I can do this for pleasure, I can surely do this for Mary, for my faith,’” she shared.

When reflecting on how her familyʼs faith has been impacted by taking part in the Walk to Mary, Allex shared that it has reminded them that “the Blessed Mother is such an incredible spiritual mom for all of us.”

She added: “Especially for me as a mom in this world today, I can get lost sometimes in the worry, the anxiety, the stress of life. And so to know that our Blessed Mother will wrap me like a swaddling blanket into her mantle and bring me to Jesus is so consoling.”

“The fact that my kids have seen that I go to the Blessed Mother when Iʼm struggling and ask for her help to get closer to her son, then they see the humanness of their own mom and theyʼre like, ‘Wow, mom might not have it all together, but she knows someone who does and sheʼs going to lean in on that.’”

The Catholic mother pointed out that the pilgrimage has also taught her children how to pray for others. She recalled an instance when one of her sons went up to a man during the walk and asked him if he had an intention he could lift in prayer for him. The man was from Brazil and was walking the pilgrimage asking for healing for his wife.

“My hope is that they feel inspired to be those missionary disciples … and that theyʼre cultivating hearts of missionary discipleship — walking with people, being inspired to go and pray with people,” she said.

Allex added that each member of the family has a prayer journal and the children have already been “collecting peopleʼs prayers and theyʼve already been wrapping them in our nightly rosary that we do every night.”

When the Blessed Mother appeared to Brise in the woods of Champion, Wisconsin, one of the messages she gave the young woman was to “gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.”

This is something that has deeply impacted Allex’s faith and a message she carries daily in her vocation of motherhood.

“Iʼve memorized it [the message] because that right there, that is the role for us as parents,” Allex said. “I think every one of our homes can feel like a wild country, you walk in and … for me sometimes it feels that way. It feels like a wild country. But if I can continue to gather my kids and teach them what they should know — I might not be preparing them for Harvard. Iʼm going to prepare them for heaven.”

Summarizing her experiences taking part in the Walk to Mary and how it has impacted the entire family, Allex concluded that “this walk truly is this pilgrimage of graces.”

The panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New Orleans, will require in-person distribution of the mifipristone at clinics.

The ruling found that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation that allows prescriptions of the medication that blocks progesterone without meeting with a physician “undermines” the state of Louisiana. In Louisiana, the state considers unborn children to be human beings from the moment of conception and legal persons.

Medication abortions, which rely on mifepristone and misoprostol, accounted for 63% of U.S. abortions in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The number of actual abortions might be higher due to underreporting, according to the organization, which was affiliated with Planned Parenthood until 2007.

Activists, lawmakers, and state attorneys general have been calling on the FDA to do a safety review of the drug, citing severe risks to women’s health.

A recent study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) found that the removal of in-person visit requirements led to an increase in adverse effects for women having drug-induced abortions. This study is one among several pointing to a higher rate of serious problems.

Multiple other studies have shown high rates of hospitalizations for women taking the abortion pill. “Chemical abortion has a complication rate four times greater than surgical abortion,” according to one study. Another report found that medication abortion complications are often underreported or misclassified.

The Holy Father offered these comments April 23 after he received a letter from parents of girls who died in the strike. More than 150 people were killed in the Feb. 28 strike, which the Defense Department says it is investigating.

“I have just seen a letter from families of children who were killed on the first day of the attack,” Leo said while speaking to journalists on a flight back to Rome after visiting four countries in Africa, according to the Vatican-run Vatican News.

“They speak about how they have lost their children, who died in that event,” he said. “The issue is not whether there is regime change or not; the issue is how to promote the values we believe in without the death of so many innocent people.”

Leo called the situation in Iran “complex” amid the ongoing ceasefire, stating that “one day Iran says yes and the United States says no, and vice versa.” The pope warned: “We do not know where things are heading.”

“This chaotic, critical situation for the global economy has been created, but there is also an entire population in Iran of innocent people suffering because of this war,” he said. “So, on regime change, yes or no: It is not even clear what regime currently exists after the first days of attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran.”

“Rather, I would encourage the continuation of dialogue for peace, that all sides make every effort to promote peace, remove the threat of war, and respect international law,” he said. “It is very important that innocent people are protected, as has not happened in several places.”

The letter from the parents of the victims was published in full by a reporter for Press TV, which is operated by the Iranian government. The letter is written in Farsi.

According to a partial English translation on Press TV, the parents said the pontiff’s consistent advocacy for peace “offered a healing touch to our broken hearts.”

“Today, instead of feeling the warmth of our children’s embrace, we are left to hold onto their charred bags and bloody journals,” the letter said, according to the translation.

“Our children will never return home to build a brighter future, but it is the prayer of us grieving parents that your message to ‘lay down the weapons’ be heard, at a time when the United States and the Israeli regime fuel the flames of these atrocities with their excessive demands,” it added.

When asked for comment, the Defense Department pointed EWTN News to comments made by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on April 24 when asked about the pope’s comment on Iran.

“We know what our mission is,” he said. “We know what authority we have. Weʼre very clear about that. We follow the orders of the president.”

“Weʼve got lawyers all over the place, looking at what weʼre doing and why weʼre doing it, and giving us every authority necessary under the Constitution and under our laws to execute it,” he added. “So we feel very confident across the spectrum about what weʼre doing and why weʼre doing it, and the legal justification that weʼre following in order to do it.”

A Defense Department official told EWTN News that the strike on the school in Minab “is currently under investigation” and “more details will be provided [when] they become available.” The Pentagon has not claimed responsibility for the strike.

Joseph Cooney and Molly Gaston, career prosecutors at the Justice Department rather than political appointees, played a role in prosecuting President Donald Trump during former President Joe Biden’s administration. Both were fired shortly after Trump became president a second time and are legal partners at Gaston & Cooney PLLC. Cooney is running for Congress in Virginia.

While texting on government-issued devices, Gaston wrote about a photo published by The New York Times from Trump’s "Stop the Steal” rally, which preceded the Jan. 6 attack, saying: “I just noticed for the first time the nuns near the oathkeepers in one of the NYT photographs.”

Cooney said, “I know!” to which Gaston replied: “I would like to take a special assignment of finding and prosecuting them.”

Cooney, who worked in the Justice Departmentʼs Public Integrity Section, responded to her comments about prosecuting the women by saying “I’m with you” and adding: “Although Iʼd like to prosecute any nun who still wears the head habit.” Gaston, who was a lead prosecutor in the special counsel’s Jan. 6-related case involving allegations of efforts to overturn the 2020 election, replied to the message with “hahaha.”

The photo shows three women wearing traditional habits standing on the National Mall near the stage for the rally and does not show them trying to breach restricted areas or enter the U.S. Capitol. The women appear to be associated with a convent that is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church and does not have canonical standing with the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan, where they are located.

Another photo of the women at the rally published by The Conversation also does not show anyone trying to enter restricted areas or the Capitol. EWTN News could not reach the women in the photos.

The text messages also show Gaston saying “people are insane” for wanting priests to deny Communion to Biden. The two also discussed the COVID-19-era restrictions on the Mass, with Gaston saying she has been “really bad about [tuning into] video Mass” and Cooney saying “video Mass is really hard.”

Nearly all Catholic sisters and nuns wore habits prior to the Second Vatican Council, although the practice since then often depends on the religious community to which the person belongs or can come down to personal choice.

The Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles explain on their website that a habit is “economical, simple, modest, and above all a sign, a symbol, of God and his love for each of us.”

“Our habit calls out silently to people we meet or even pass by in the street, the store, even the beach,” the website states. “It says, ‘Look up; for greater things you were born.’ It says, ‘Hold on, this too shall pass, and God is with you always leading you in the way you are to go.’ It says, ‘I am a symbol, a reminder, of God’s presence in our world. You can’t actually see him, but in seeing me you are reminded of him.’”

The Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province state on their website that their habit is “a sign of our consecration to God and witness to poverty.”

“We are vested with a white tunic, a black belt with a rosary attached, a white scapular, a veil, and cappa,” it states. “Symbolically, black reminds us that we have been called from the death valley of sin toward a life of intensified grace in Christ (white). The visible habit furthermore reflects the simplicity of life, innocence, renunciation, penance, and mortification, a hidden life in Christ.”

‘I was appalled’

EWTN News received copies of the text exchange, first reported by the Daily Wire, from the office of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. EWTN News contacted Cooney’s campaign and the law firm where both are partners to request a comment and did not receive a response.

The messages were provided to Grassley’s office by the Justice Department in relation to a Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into federal efforts to prosecute Trump during Biden’s presidency.

“Freedom of religion is a cherished First Amendment right enshrined in our Constitution by the Founding Fathers,” Grassley, chair of the Judiciary Committee, said in a statement provided to EWTN News.

“I was appalled, but sadly not surprised, to discover evidence of Biden DOJ prosecutors threatening to use the power of the federal justice system to target people of faith,” he said. “Time and again, my oversight has shown the Biden Justice Department, including these prosecutors who went on to advance Jack Smith’s Arctic Frost investigation, showed total disdain for equal justice.”

Nearly 1,600 people were prosecuted in Jan. 6 cases for a range of offenses connected to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including unlawful entry, assault, property destruction, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy, with President Trump later granting clemency to about 1,500 of them.

It does not appear the photographed women faced prosecution, although some Catholic sisters have fended off federal encroachment into their religious activities in recent years.

Most famously, the Little Sisters of the Poor won a U.S. Supreme Court case in 2020 following a nine-year-long battle against the mandate to cover contraception in their insurance plans, per rules in the Affordable Care Act. In spite of that victory, the sisters are still fighting federal contraception rules in court.

In New York, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who provide care to terminally ill people, faced a warning from the state Department of Health for “refusing to assign a room to a resident other than in accordance with the resident’s gender identity.” They are also fighting the rules in court.

On April 30, Trump’s DOJ published a report on “anti-Christian bias” it alleges plagued the federal government under Biden’s presidency. It documents rules and regulations that damaged religious liberty related to abortion, contraception, and gender policies. It alleges weaponization of the government against Christians, including pro-life protesters.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS), which had urged lawmakers ahead of the vote to preserve and strengthen global food aid programs, said in an emailed statement to EWTN News that it was “encouraged that key international food security and nutrition programs were protected.”

“Several steps remain in the process,” it continued, “and we look forward to continuing to work with both parties to lift up these essential programs as conversations move forward.”

The bill’s passage marks a step forward in a farm bill process that has stalled in recent years since the 2018 reauthorization. Senate consideration is next, where lawmakers are expected to consider revisions amid ongoing debate over how the federal government should structure food assistance at home and abroad.

At the center of the international provisions is Food for Peace, the U.S. flagship global hunger program that provides food assistance to countries facing war, natural disasters, or severe economic instability, often serving as a key source of emergency food aid worldwide.

Under the House-passed bill, Food for Peace would be permanently transferred from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a shift long debated by policymakers. USAID has been largely dismantled under the Trump administration, with most of its programs absorbed into the U.S. Department of State.

The legislation also would require that at least 50% of Food for Peace funding be used to purchase and transport U.S.-grown agricultural commodities. Additionally, the bill includes a $200 million earmark for ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF), nutrient-dense products used to treat severe malnutrition in children.

Supporters argue the changes would strengthen ties between U.S. farmers and international aid programs, while humanitarian groups have raised concerns that they could reduce flexibility in responding to emergencies.

The House Agriculture Committee has defended the changes as strengthening the connection between U.S. agriculture and international food assistance while maintaining the program’s humanitarian purpose.

The House-passed bill also would reauthorize the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program, which supports efforts to reduce hunger and improve literacy in low-income countries. Organizations such as Save the Children and Bread for the World, a Christian advocacy group focused on reducing global hunger, praised the provision, framing it as consistent with broader humanitarian goals.

Hunger as a ‘moral issue’

Catholic organizations have consistently framed international food assistance as part of a broader moral responsibility toward vulnerable populations, a theme reflected in recent joint advocacy from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), CRS, and other Catholic agencies.

In earlier outreach to Congress ahead of the vote, CRS warned that limiting flexibility or resources could weaken the ability of the United States to respond quickly when families face hunger driven by forces beyond their control.

“Programs like Food for Peace have a long track record of saving lives, and it’s critical they remain well funded and able to adapt to complex emergencies,” CRS said in a statement, describing hunger as not just a policy issue “but a moral one.”

Much of the broader House debate also centered on domestic nutrition policy, particularly the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as lawmakers considered amendments addressing eligibility rules and restrictions on certain food purchases like rotisserie chickens.

Debate on the bill also included contentious provisions related to pesticide regulation and other agricultural policy issues, reflecting broader divisions over the direction of federal farm policy.

Lawmakers considered more than 300 amendments during the process, with roughly 49 ultimately adopted or incorporated into the final package.

U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Marsh Blackburn, R-Tennessee; Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana; and others introduced the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which would ban Title X family planning grants from going to any group that provides abortion or funds abortion providers.

The bill makes exceptions for Medicaid coverage in cases of rape, incest, or situations that threaten the life of the mother. The prohibition also does not apply to hospitals, as long as the hospitals don’t fund clinics that provide abortions.

“Organizations that perform abortions should not receive any taxpayer dollars,” Cruz said in a statement. “I have long fought to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood and to ensure that Title X family planning grants are not awarded to entities that perform abortions or fund abortion providers.”

EPA to test drinking water for drug used in chemical abortions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will test drinking water for misoprostol, a pill used in chemical abortions.

The move to test the water for the drug follows recent efforts by activists and lawmakers to protect the environment from chemical abortion pill drugs, given the increase in their use.

In December 2025, Students for Life of America called on the EPA to add the abortion drug mifepristone to a list of drinking water contaminants tracked by public utilities.

Legislators in several states are introducing bills restricting abortion pills, citing concerns about water contamination. New legislation in Arizona, Idaho, Maine, West Virginia, and Wyoming would require abortion providers to have their patients collect expelled medical waste from at-home abortions.

Chemical abortions now make up 63% of all abortions in the United States, according to 2023 data by the Guttmacher Institute, in a more than 50% increase since 2020.

Poll finds slight decrease in support for abortion legality

A recent poll on abortion found a slight decrease in pro-abortion support.

From 2024 to 2025, the percent of people who say abortion should be legal in most or all cases fell slightly, by two points, according to the recent poll by the Public Religion Research Institute.

The institute surveyed more than 21,000 adults between February and December 2025.

According to the poll, 6 in 10 Americans said abortion should be legal in most or all cases.

The poll also found that Americans who attend religious services with some frequency are more likely to oppose abortion. Of Americans who attend services weekly or more, only 32% supported abortion. Of those who rarely or never attend religious services, 76% supported abortion.

Since 2010, there has been an overall upward trend toward supporting abortion. For instance, the percent of Americans who say abortion should always be illegal has dropped from 15% in 2010 to 8% in 2025, according to the institute’s poll.

CVS denies ‘partnership’ with New York Planned Parenthood

CVS is denying a strategic partnership with Planned Parenthood of Greater New York after the abortion provider referenced a partnership between the two organizations.

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York said it had a “strategic partnership” with CVS for abortion pill access, language that has since been removed from the abortion provider’s website.

CVS said it does not have a formal partnership with Planned Parenthood, though it does fill prescriptions for chemical abortions.

“We don’t have a partnership with Planned Parenthood,” CVS said in a statement to EWTN News. “As we do for all physicians, we dispense medicines as prescribed and consistent with the law.”

Wyoming judge blocks heartbeat law

A judge in Wyoming blocked a “heartbeat” law that protects unborn children throughout most of pregnancy, beginning when their heartbeats are detectable.

In January the state Supreme Court struck down protections for unborn children, finding the laws violated the state constitution.

Natrona County District Judge Dan Forgey granted a temporary restraining order against the law, saying the law would likely be struck down for similar reasons.

Wyoming — the least populated state in the United States with just under 600,000 residents — has one abortion clinic.

Four states have heartbeat laws to protect unborn children when cardiac activity can be detected, usually at about six weeks’ gestation.

Introduced by Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Florida, along with Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Bob Onder, R-Missouri, on April 30, the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act of 2026 would prohibit dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion procedures in the United States.

The bill protects women from being prosecuted, as only abortionists would be prosecuted under the act and not women who have abortions. Abortionists who knowingly perform these abortions would face fines and/or imprisonment for up to two years, according to the legislation. Women who experienced trauma from these abortions would also have legal recourse to seek damages.

The 2003 Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act is the only federal law that prohibits a specific abortion procedure, leaving every other procedure unregulated. Lawmakers introduced similar legislation to ban dismemberment abortion in 2023.

Cammack, who is also mother to a newborn, described dismemberment abortion as “inhuman.”

“Under our current system, abortion procedures exist in a legal gray area with no federal standards and no accountability,” Cammack said. “Providers can perform inhumane extraction methods and face zero consequences. That ends now.”

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, who is introducing companion legislation in the Senate, described dismemberment abortions as “among the most brutal methods of abortion, accounting for around 80% of second-trimester abortions.”

“Our legislation would make performing a dismemberment abortion a criminal offense, with the doctor or healthcare provider who performs it liable to fines and up to two years in prison,” Rounds stated.

Supporters of the bill point out that unborn children in the second trimester can often feel pain.

“The fact that this horrifying procedure is still being done to children who can feel pain in the womb is why we need to enact the Dismemberment Abortion Ban Act,” said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, who introduced the companion legislation with Rounds.

Studies vary on exactly when unborn children can feel pain. There is some evidence suggesting they can feel pain as early as 12 weeks’ gestation, before the second trimester even begins, while babies delivered preterm as early as 21 weeks’ gestation have been documented to react to pain.

Jennie Bradley Lichter, president of March for Life Action and a practicing Catholic, voiced her support for the bill.

“March for Life Action thanks Rep. Cammack for this important piece of legislation that would stop the barbaric practice of tearing preborn babies apart limb from limb — which is often performed at a point in pregnancy when babies have the capacity to feel pain,” Lichter stated.

Hon. Marilyn Musgrave, vice president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called the practice “barbaric,” noting that it “takes the lives of 60,000 to 70,000 developed babies every year.”

“Dismemberment abortions, the most common second trimester abortion method, ends the life of an unborn baby by tearing off her arms and legs, removing her torso, then crushing her tiny head,” Musgrave said.

Rep. Andy Harris, R-Maryland, co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and a medical doctor who formerly worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital, said the practice “violates both medical ethics and human dignity.”

“As a physician, I believe the practice of medicine requires a commitment to protect and preserve human life, never to take it,” Harris said. “This legislation defends the sanctity of unborn life, holds providers who perform this procedure accountable, and recognizes rare medical emergencies in which a physician must intervene to save the life of the mother.”

Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Indiana, pointed out that the bill would “allow women to receive compensation for the harms done to them.”

“Medical providers that cause the slow, painful death of an unborn child ought to be held criminally responsible,” Stutzman said. “In addition, this bill allows women to seek damages for physical and psychological harm that often accompanies these horrific procedures.”

A 2026 peer-reviewed study by the Charlotte Lozier Institute documented the trauma that women often experience because of abortion. According to the study, nearly 25% of women who had abortions reported high levels of grief, depression, and regret; they also said they frequently thought of their aborted child.

Another recent study found that nearly 40% of women who suffer pregnancy loss from abortion or miscarriage experience persistent grief for about 20 years after.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus along with Harris, said the law “exposes the reality of abortion practices and protects unborn babies from the excruciating pain of being dismembered alive.”

“The truth is that unborn babies are society’s youngest patients: They deserve respect, love, and access to healing, life-affirming medical care and interventions,” he said.

The New York-based law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates said in a press release on May 1 that the archdiocese had agreed with an abuse victims' committee to recommend a settlement of $800 million, which would be paid “into a trust for approximately 1,300 survivors who have brought sexual abuse claims” under the stateʼs Child Victims Act.

The proposal will still be subject to “full survivor agreement” before it can be finalized, the law firm said.

The firm said the amount, if confirmed, would be paid in two installments of $615 million and $185 million within 15 months.

The archdiocese, meanwhile, will be required “to maintain their list of credibly accused clergy on their website and continue to update it with any new, substantiated abuse claims.”

The agreement also would result in a “temporary stoppage” of litigation against the diocese regarding alleged abuse.

Attorney Jeff Anderson described the proposal as “a transcendent triumph of courage by the survivors who have endured so much for so long.”

“It is far from full accountability, but it is a measure of responsibility and required transparency by the archdiocese that also requires the release of documents pertaining to sexual offenders,” he said.

In a statement on May 1, meanwhile, New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the proposal.

“It cannot be denied that this has been a painful process — most significantly so for the victim-survivors and their families and loved ones who have suffered, in most cases, for decades,” the prelate said.

“I pray that all of us, as the family of God, will come together to support and affirm these individuals and take these next steps to bring about some healing and peace,” he added.

The nearly $1 billion payout would be among the largest in U.S. Church history. In October 2024 the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to a slightly larger $880 million settlement.

The New York proposal, meanwhile, is considerably larger than an earlier reported proposed settlement of $300 million the diocese was said to be considering in December 2025.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan said at the time that the archdiocese had made “a series of very difficult financial decisions” to help fund the settlement, including staff layoffs and a 10% reduction in the archdioceseʼs operating budget.

The New York Archdiocese also has been engaged in a bitter dispute with its longtime insurer Chubb over payouts to victims. In February of this year, the archdiocese accused Chubb of running a “shadow campaign” against it by posing as a victims' rights group.

The archdiocese in 2024 launched a lawsuit against Chubb, claiming the insurer was “attempting to evade their legal and moral contractual obligation” to pay out claims to abuse victims.

On May 1 lawyers for abuse victims said the proposed settlement also would allow victims “an opportunity to pursue recoveries from the Archdiocese of New Yorkʼs insurance companies.”

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a press release that Father John Gomez was appointed bishop-designate of the Diocese of Laredo, Texas, upon the retirement of Bishop James Tamayo from the position.

Tamayo has served in that role for more than a quarter-century, having been appointed to the post in 2000 by Pope John Paul II. At 76, he has reached the customary age of retirement for bishops.

Gomez was born in Colombia on Dec. 15, 1975. He received a master of divinity degree from the University of St. Thomas in Houston and was ordained in the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, on May 23, 2009.

He has served at multiple parishes in Tyler and in multiple roles for the diocese itself, including as judicial vicar and on the diocesan review board. He also served as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Tyler Diocese from 2015 to 2023 and again from 2025.

West Virginia diocese gets new bishop; 2 new auxiliary bishops for Washington

In West Virginia, Wheeling-Charleston Bishop Mark Brennan will retire to be replaced by Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, who currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of Washington. Brennan, 79, is four years past the customary retirement age; he was installed at his present post in 2019.

Menjivar-Ayala, born Aug. 14, 1970, is a native of El Salvador; he is the first Salvadoran bishop in the history of the United States.

A graduate of St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, he attended the Pontifical North American College in Rome before receiving a masterʼs degree in theology from the Angelicum. Ordained in the Archdiocese of Washington on May 29, 2004, he has served as parochial vicar and pastor at several parishes.

He was named vicar general of the archdiocese in 2023 and has served on the priest personnel board and the priest council. He was ordained as an auxiliary bishop there on Feb. 21, 2023.

With Menjivar-Ayalaʼs departure from Washington, meanwhile — and as archdiocesan Auxiliary Bishop Roy Campbell Jr. retires — the archdiocese will receive two new auxiliary bishops: Father Gary Studniewski and Father Robert Boxie III.

Bishop-designate Studniewski is presently a priest of the archdiocese, where he serves as pastor at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the District of Columbia. He was ordained on June 24, 1995, in the archdiocese and served as a military chaplain for nearly a decade.

Bishop-designate Boxie is also a priest in the diocese, currently serving as a chaplain at Howard University. He received engineering and law degrees from Vanderbilt University and Harvard, respectively, before studying at the pontifical universities in Rome. He was ordained on June 25, 2016.

He served at several Maryland parishes before his appointment at Howard and has also taught at the archdiocesan permanent diaconate program.

At a press conference in Washington on May 1, Studniewski said he “fell in love with” the local Church in D.C. when he was first stationed there in the U.S. Army prior to his ordination.

“I was blessed to encounter the diversity of the Church in Washington,” he said, describing the community as  “tremendous” and “exciting.”

Also at the press conference, Boxie — who was at times visibly emotional — described himself as “both overwhelmed and deeply humbled” to be appointed to the post.

“Godʼs plans are not always our plans,” he said, describing the popeʼs decision as “unexpected.” He praised the archdiocese for its “vibrancy,” “diversity” and “vitality.”

Speaking directly to the students he has served at Howard, meanwhile, he told them: “You made your chaplain a bishop, and Holy Mother Church thanks you.”

This story was updated at 12:20 p.m. ET on May 1, 2026, with details from a press conference in the Archdiocese of Washington.

Save Our Buffalo Churches said in an April 30 press release that the Dicastery for the Clergy had revoked multiple “assessment allocation decrees” levied by Bishop Michael Fisher amid the diocesan “Road to Renewal” plan.

That plan, first announced in 2024, moved to close and/or merge around a third of the dioceseʼs parishes, driven in part by priest shortages and declining attendance.

Save Our Buffalo Churches has protested against the plan since its inception, winning several victories at the Vatican regarding the closures. The Vatican had said it would also examine the dioceseʼs assessment plan that levied significant cash requirements on closing and merging parishes to pay into the diocesan abuse settlement.

In its April 30 press statement, Save Our Buffalo Churches said that eight parish groups had received word from the Vatican that Fisherʼs assessment decrees had been revoked.

Several other parishes were awaiting word from the Vatican on their own appeals. The parish group said it “fully expects” those parishes to receive similar decrees.

The parish preservation group said that the Vatican in its decrees cited canon law violations regarding parish fund procurement “as well as the amounts and methods undertaken to procure those monies.”

“The amounts assessed, as well as the allocation procedures themselves, are wholly unsupported by canon law,” the group claimed, stating the diocese has engaged in a “significant lack of adherence” to both canon law and nonprofit religious corporation law.

In a statement on April 30, the Buffalo Diocese said that the Vaticanʼs decisions “affect only those parishes that appealed their determined contribution levels” to the diocesan abuse settlement. The settlement plan itself will continue unaffected, the diocese said.

The diocese disputed the groupʼs claim that the Vatican had ordered the funds transferred “back” to the parishes.

“It is important to note that no parish funds have ever left the possession or administration of parishes,” the statement said. “Parish funds designated for the settlement have been segregated into a separate account administered by the parish until which time they will be turned over to fulfill [the abuse settlement].”

The diocese pointed to Fisherʼs decision in March to have the diocese contribute an extra $10 million to the abuse settlement fund while lightening the contribution requirements for some parishes. The April 30 statement also denied a claim by the parish group that contribution amounts above $15,000 must be approved by the Vatican.

“The bishop has every intention to abide by the rulings of the offices of the Holy See, as he has confirmed repeatedly,” the diocese said. “Several parishes have prevailed in their appeals to the bishop’s decree that they merge with another parish or close. Bishop Fisher has accepted those determinations and will continue to monitor those parishes for their ability to be self-sustaining and viable.”

The parish advocates had sought civil relief last year by taking their case against the Buffalo Diocese all the way to the New York Supreme Court. That court tossed the lawsuit out in September 2025, citing a long-standing “prohibition against court involvement in the governance and administration of a hierarchal church.”

It is unclear if the Vaticanʼs decrees will affect any civil disputes still active in the New York court system, though the Buffalo parish group indicated on April 30 that advocates may pursue more court action in light of the Vaticanʼs rulings.

“[Save Our Buffalo Churches] now looks forward to the effect these decisions will have on the current civil proceedings,” the group said. “The victims must receive their settlement, but from legal sources.”

In January, lawyers for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) asked the Supreme Court to consider the case, which was originally brought by Rhode Island resident David OʼConnell against the bishops over the Peterʼs Pence offering.

Peterʼs Pence, variants of which date back centuries to around at least the early Middle Ages, is an annual donation the USCCB describes as “a gesture of solidarity” with the popeʼs charitable undertakings.

The donation is geared toward “humanitarian initiatives and social promotion projects, as well [as] the support of the Holy See,” according to the bishops.

OʼConnell filed a class action suit against the bishops in January 2020, alleging that the prelates had misled Catholics about the nature of the donation. He claimed he had been led to believe that the offering was strictly for emergency assistance to victims of war and poverty but that he subsequently found out it was used in part to “defray Vatican administrative expenses.”

The U.S. bishops argued in court that the suit should be dismissed on the grounds of the “church autonomy doctrine,” a long-standing principle in U.S. case law that bars the government from exercising control over internal church decisions.

Yet a district court and an appeals court both ruled against the bishops, leading lawyers with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, who represent the bishops, to appeal to the Supreme Court in January over the matter.

Daniel Blomberg, the vice president of Becket and a senior attorney there, told EWTN News on April 30 that popes have been using the Peterʼs Pence fund for centuries to “carry out the ministry of the Church in a variety of different ways.”

The plaintiff in the suit, however, contends that he “heard something during Mass” that “made him think that his offering to Peterʼs Pence would only go to one purpose and no others,” Blomberg said.

“He not only wants his own offering back, but he also wants the offerings returned for millions of other Catholics around the country,” he said.

Blomberg said both of the lower courts ruled against the bishops on the grounds that the case could be decided under “neutral principles of law” that do not implicate the First Amendment. But he described the demands sought by the lawsuit as “wildly unconstitutional.”

The plaintiff “wants the courts to tell the Catholic Church how to talk about Peter’s Pence and how to preach about Peter’s Pence,” he said.

Multiple religious advocates have come out in favor of the bishops in the dispute. A coalition of organizations including the Thomas More Society, the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, and several other groups filed an amicus brief at the Supreme Court in January arguing that their respective religious beliefs involve “matters of internal governance that must be protected from government entwinement.”

In another amicus filing to the Supreme Court in March, John Garvey, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame Law School, said the lawsuit “requires courts to resolve inherently religious questions about church polity, doctrine, and governance.”

The suit would force the court to “decide for itself who within the Church controls (or who can control) the contents of homilies, whether a particular homily is inconsistent with Catholic teaching about Peter’s Pence, what a reasonable parishioner should believe about Catholic doctrine, and — most importantly — how donated funds should be administered by the pope,” Garvey argued.

The suit “effectively invites a civil court to second guess the pope — the successor of St. Peter — on directing Peter’s Pence toward keeping the lights on in St. Peter’s itself,” Garvey wrote.

Blomberg, meanwhile, said the bishops expect to hear from the Supreme Court in the next month or so.

“We’re in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to ask them to put the First Amendment first, not last, and to treat it as the threshold of the case,” he said.

“We want the court to not force the Church to go through years of litigation just to determine that the First Amendment applies here,” he added.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sent a letter to Congress on April 29 laying out concerns with the bill (H.R. 8119), which its sponsor, Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, named Helping to Optimize Patients’ Experience (HOPE) with Fertility Services Act.

Under the bill, which has support from 18 Republicans and Democrats, insurance companies would face civil penalties of $100 per day if they offer plans that exclude coverage of IVF. The text does not clearly show any exemptions for religious employers, even though IVF is opposed by both the USCCB and the Southern Baptist Convention.

In the letter, the bishops express concern about the loss of embryonic human life integral to the IVF process, stating that, as practiced in the U.S., it “represents a relatively unregulated industry that creates hundreds of thousands or even millions of preborn children who will be interminably frozen, expended in attempts to place them within a mother, or discarded and killed (often in a selective, eugenic manner).”

“In addition to such mass death, IVF poses health risks to both women and the children who are born as a result of it,” the letter states. “IVF also commodifies human beings, including children and, in many cases, donors or surrogates. This, furthermore, disregards the right of children to be conceived naturally, free from technological manipulation, by their own married mother and father.”

The bishops in their letter also expressed religious freedom concerns. They note that supporters claim that putting the mandate in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) would prevent it from impacting religious employers.

“The fact is many religious employers that are otherwise exempt from ERISA, however, choose to provide their employees’ health insurance under ERISA anyway precisely because ERISA’s preemption of state law allows them to avoid having their consciences violated by state-level insurance requirements (including for IVF),” the bishops state.

“A mandate within ERISA would therefore place these employers in a new bind between its requirements and those of problematic state laws,” they said. “At the same time, certain other religious employers’ plans, such as those of independent religious schools, may not qualify as ‘church plans’ exempt from ERISA in the first place.”

The bishops showed concern that an insurance mandate could lead to a problem similar to “the well-known legal saga of the Little Sisters of the Poor in fending off the ‘contraceptive mandate.’”

“Any new health coverage mandate is very likely to ignite years of painful litigation for both charitable, faith-based employer organizations as well as private, for-profit employers who are people of faith,” they warn.

In the letter, the bishops express grief for “the growing number of families suffering infertility” but advocate for “life-affirming” fertility treatments that seek to address the root cause of infertility as opposed to creating human embryos in a lab. These treatments are often called restorative reproductive medicine.

“The profound desire of couples to have children is both good and natural,” they said. “When this is frustrated by an experience of infertility, holistic and individualized restorative approaches to fertility care exist that can often help identify and successfully address the root causes.”

“As pastors, we see the suffering that infertility can cause and the deep desire of couples to grow their family,” the bishops said. “We strongly encourage licit means of easing this suffering, both medically and emotionally.”

The letter is signed by Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, chair of the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty; Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities; and Bishop Edward J. Burns, chair of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth.

“Infertility impacts millions of families and it doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone who wants to start or grow a family,” bill cosponsor Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, said in a statement. “I know firsthand. Thanks to IVF, my husband and I conceived our twins, now both healthy young adults. But after enduring that struggle, I’ve fought to expand insurance coverage for the prohibitively costly fertility treatments that can make this only accessible to the very few who can afford it.”

Nunn told EWTN News April 30 that “if a health plan already covers having a baby, it should also cover trying to have one.”

"Thatʼs what this bill does, and it builds on President Trumpʼs executive order to expand access to fertility care," he said. "Nothing in it compels any individual to undergo treatment, and nothing changes the religious freedom protections every American already has under federal law. As a dad of six, including two adopted daughters, I know every familyʼs journey is different — and our goal is to give Iowa families more options, not fewer.”

This story was updated at 3:45 p.m ET on May 4, 2026 to include a comment by Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa.

Bishop Michael Barber described the move as a necessary next step in an April 28 letter describing the diocese’s Mission Alignment Process (MAP), an initiative begun in 2021 “to address a growing gap between the mission of the Church and the operational realities” of mounting challenges.

“The status quo is not sustainable nor is it serving God’s people,” Barber stated. “We must focus on the activities that foster prayerful celebrations of the Mass, prioritize works of mercy, and form missionary disciples.”

He pointed to long-term trends that include falling Mass attendance, reduced sacramental participation, and declining Catholic school enrollment.

These challenges are compounded by the diocese’s record-low number of priests serving its roughly 80 parishes, along with an aging clergy and persistent budget shortfalls at churches and diocesan schools.

The parishes slated for closure include Mary Help of Christians in Oakland, Our Lady of Guadalupe at Blacow Road in Fremont, Our Lady of Lourdes in Oakland, Sacred Heart in Oakland, St. Albert the Great in Alameda, St. Andrew Kim Korean Pastoral Center in Oakland, St. Augustine in Oakland, St. Barnabas in Alameda, St. Paschal Baylon in Oakland, St. Patrick in Oakland, St. Rose of Lima in Crockett, St. Stephen in Walnut Creek, and Transfiguration in Castro Valley.

Barber acknowledged the emotional toll of the decision, saying: “I deeply understand the sacrifice this will require. We cannot allow nostalgia and sentimentality to hold back the message of the Gospel. While we love our local church building, the church has never been solely a building. The church has always been a people called by God and united in faith. The faith of our people will continue, just in a different place and with new people.”

The bishop said that as he has “full responsibility for the pastoral care of every Catholic in our diocese,” he is making it a “priority to ensure all affected parishioners are welcomed at a nearby parish.”

“I make a heartfelt plea to the ‘receiving’ parishes to open your hearts wide to your fellow Catholics who will be joining you,” he said. “Love them, make room for them not only in the pew alongside you but in the activities of your parish. Welcome them as your own, for we are all one as Christ’s body.”

The restructuring occurs as the diocese faces significant legal and financial difficulties. In response to hundreds of lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by clergy members, the diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2023 to manage claims through a unified court process and reach settlements.

“May you all help lead this suffering world to the promised land of a world free of nuclear weapons,” wrote five bishops whose dioceses were shaped by nuclear weapons, either as the birthplace of the bomb, a deployment hub, or the site of atomic devastation. The bishops issued the statement April 27 on the convening of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty’s 11th review conference.

“For 56 years the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has acted as the cornerstone of nuclear weapons nonproliferation,” said Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Seattle; Archbishop Peter Michiaki Nakamura of Nagasaki, Japan; Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki, Japan; Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Bishop Alexis Mitsuru Shirahama of Hiroshima, Japan.

The bishops represent the Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons, an international Catholic coalition formed in 2023 by the bishops of Seattle, Santa Fe, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki to promote nuclear disarmament and protect life from all nuclear harm. It was established on the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. 

The bishops described the NPT as “now badly frayed, perhaps even in danger of collapsing,” citing “the never-ending refusal of the nuclear weapons states to enter into serious negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament.” They further noted that the past two NPT review conferences “have utterly failed to outline any concrete steps toward nuclear disarmament.”

“Clearly the nuclear threats are escalating,” they said. “The brutal practice of might makes right is ascendant, arms control treaties are gone, and we are sliding backwards with massive modernization programs to keep nuclear weapons forever.”

We fervently hope and pray for a favorable outcome that genuinely leads to nuclear disarmament. However, if past is prologue, that outcome is unlikely.”

American and Japanese bishops

Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons

The bishops said nuclear states that have failed to disarm on the basis of deterrence are guilty of “deflect[ing] the blame from their own possession of immoral, genocidal weapons.”

“One must ask, why is it that Russia and the United States have always rejected the minimal deterrence of just a few hundred nuclear warheads in order to keep thousands of warheads for nuclear war-fighting?” the bishops said. “Why is it that all nine nuclear weapons powers are now spending enormous sums on so-called ‘modernization’ programs to keep nuclear weapons forever?”

The NPT calls for a review of the treaty’s operation every five years, a provision in place since 2000. The ongoing April 27 to May 22 conference was scheduled for 2026 following COVID-19-related delays to the review cycle, according to the conference’s website.

“We wish all of you at this Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference the very best of luck,” the bishops said. “We fervently hope and pray for a favorable outcome that genuinely leads to nuclear disarmament. However, if past is prologue, that outcome is unlikely.”

Charging documents obtained by EWTN News allege that Deacon John Sommer engaged in a scheme to use parish funds for “personal interests” from March to October of that year.

The documents do not identify the parish in question, referring to it only as “the church,” though local Tulsa news reports identified it as Christ the King Parish just outside of the city center. An archived version of the parishʼs website lists Sommer as a deacon there.

The charging documents, filed in U.S. District Court by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, state that Sommer served as both business manager and parish manager at the church, where he was “primarily responsible for the administrative and financial functions” of the parish.

He was authorized to initiate financial transactions of up to $30,000 per day, the prosecutors said. Over the months that he allegedly perpetrated the scheme, he carried out dozens of unauthorized transfers that ultimately totaled about $1.4 million, according to the U.S. attorneyʼs office.

The deacon further allegedly “altered the churchʼs accounting records” to make it appear as if the transfers were legitimate.

The documents state that Sommer, if convicted, will forfeit the money to the U.S. government. He could face up to decades in prison according to the statutes under which he is charged.

The parish told local news outlets that most of the money had been recovered via insurance.

The Diocese of Tulsa says on its website that Sommer is on a “leave of absence.” The deaconʼs LinkedIn page says he took the role of the parishʼs business manager in 2011.

Bishops, shrine organizers, city officials, and the faithful gathered at St. Boniface Church in Quincy, Illinois, on April 29 to announce the shrine will be a holy site of the first recognized Black priest in the United States and will offer pilgrims an opportunity to learn about his life and pray where he prayed.

“This is an extraordinary moment not only for our area but for the Catholic Church in our country,” Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield said.

The shrine will be located at the closed St. Boniface Church, which was built on the site of Tolton’s first solemn high Mass in Quincy, making it a fitting site for a shrine dedicated to his life and growing legacy.

“To restore St. Boniface as a shrine dedicated to Father Tolton means preserving sacred history while creating a living place of prayer, hope, and renewal — all tied to a holy priest whose life is an example of authentic discipleship of Christ," Paprocki said. "This shrine will place Quincy firmly on the spiritual map for pilgrims seeking inspiration, healing, and deeper faith."

Honoring Toltonʼs life that shows the faithful we “can do extraordinary things and live a heroic Christian life,” Paprocki said.

The shrine will be a sacred place where pilgrims can pray for Tolton’s intercession and attend daily Mass. It is intended for all the faithful’s prayers, but especially for seminarians and priests, for patience, reconciliation, and harmony, and all that Tolton endured in his life, organizers said.

Father Tolton

Tolton, whose first name is sometimes rendered as Augustine, Augustus, or August, was born into slavery in 1854, but in 1862, his mother and siblings made an escape across the Mississippi River to the free state of Illinois, eventually settling in Quincy. There, he attended St. Peter’s Catholic School and discerned a call to the priesthood.

Despite his calling, no American seminary would accept him as a Black man. He chose to leave and go to Rome to study where he was later ordained a priest. Though he believed he would serve in Africa, he was instead sent back to Quincy.

“Father Tolton overcame the odds of slavery, prejudice, and racism to become a humble priest and someone after whom we should model our lives,” Paprocki said.

Known for his powerful preaching and singing, Tolton ministered in Quincy for several years before later transferring to Chicago. He died on July 9, 1897, at the age of 43 and is buried at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Quincy.

Bishop Joseph Perry, retired auxiliary bishop of Chicago and past vice president of the board of the National Black Catholic Congress, is leading the cause for the canonization of Tolton.

The cause was formally opened in 2010 by the Archdiocese of Chicago and on June 12, 2019, Pope Francis declared him “venerable.” The cause is now focused on documenting a miracle attributed to Tolton’s intercession.

“Father Tolton’s own struggles pose a shining example of how to grapple with disappointment, protracted disappointments that constrain our lives, as well as how to endure when endurance may appear illogical,” Perry said at the event. “In the end, his faith, hope, and love were found intact.”

Fundraising efforts

The Quincy-based Committee for the Shrine for Father Augustine Tolton estimates that the church building will require $5 million in renovations, plus an additional $5 million to $7 million for campus expansion and continued care.

“This shrine will only be possible through the generosity of the faithful,” Father Steven Arisman, chair of the Committee for The Shrine for Father Augustine Tolton, said.

“I encourage Catholics everywhere to prayerfully consider supporting this project. By helping build this shrine, you are helping preserve Father Tolton’s legacy and offering future generations a place where hearts can be lifted to God and lives transformed by grace," he said.

The merger, reportedly the most drastic reduction of Catholic parishes in Minnesota history, will affect many parishioners in the area.

The diocese has only 62 priests for its original 131 parishes. While across the U.S., the ratio of priest to parish is 1:1, in Saint Cloud, it is 1:2.4, according to the diocese’s numbers.

The Diocese of Saint Cloud is home to about 120,000 Catholics and spans 16 counties in central Minnesota. As a reference point, the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., is home to five times as many Catholics and has 140 parishes. The Diocese of Phoenix — one of the fastest-growing dioceses in the U.S. — has 94 parishes and 2 million Catholics.

Similar restructuring has taken place in other U.S. dioceses, both large and small, including in the archdioceses of Dubuque, Iowa; St. Louis; Detroit; and Seattle.

Bishop Patrick Neary, who took leadership partway through the planning of the reorganization in 2023, said the reorganization “is rooted in a desire to strengthen the mission of our parishes and to ensure that our diocese remains vibrant and sustainable for generations to come.”

“This moment invites us to look honestly at our realities, our demographics, our resources, and the needs of our people — and to respond with faith, creativity, and courage," Neary told EWTN News.

Brenda Kresky, director of pastoral planning for the Diocese of Saint Cloud, said there are “many factors that are prompting a restructuring process." Namely, she cited declining Catholic attendance, financial sustainability concerns, and a lack of priests.

While the population in the Diocese of Saint Cloud has grown by 7% since 2019, the number of Catholic parishioners in the diocese has decreased by nearly the same percentage.

Mass attendance, weddings, baptisms, first Communions, and confirmations have all declined significantly since 2010, according to the diocese’s numbers.

“Four out of 5 parishes are operating with a consistent budget deficit from annual giving,” Kresky noted.

Why are there fewer active Catholic parishioners?

Kresky noted that “there are many interconnected reasons for the decline in Catholic participation.”

At a parish level, there are "challenges around engagement,” Kresky said.

“In our largely rural diocese, many communities are small and deeply rooted, which is a great strength, but can also make it difficult for newcomers or younger families to feel fully included,” Kresky said. “Change can be hard, especially when long‑held traditions and roles are closely tied to personal identity and resistance to new approaches can unintentionally create barriers that leave some feeling disconnected from parish life.”

She also noted that “many rural areas across the diocese are seeing population decline and aging communities as people move toward urban centers.”

“At the same time, families are smaller than in past generations, which has a long‑term impact on parish participation and vitality,” Kresky noted.

“Some Catholics are turning to other Christian communities that emphasize strong relationships, engaging worship, and openness about faith,” Kresky said. “This shift highlights a broader desire for meaningful community and relevant faith experiences, prompting many Catholic parishes to examine how they connect with and engage people today.”

“Many of these trends reflected across the Diocese of Saint Cloud are also seen across the country,” Kresky said.

“Broader cultural shifts have played a role as society has become increasingly secular; many people no longer see organized religion as central or necessary in their lives,” Kresky said. “We see a rise in those who describe themselves as ‘spiritual but not religious,’ along with a gradual erosion of faith practice and a perception that the Church is less relevant to daily life than it once was.”

Kresky also noted “the lasting impact of the clergy sexual abuse crisis,” citing abuse claims in the Diocese of Saint Cloud.

“The abuse itself, as well as failures in leadership and accountability, deeply damaged trust in the Church,” Kresky said. “Our diocese entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2020 related to more than 70 abuse claims, and the consequences of that history continue to affect participation, confidence, and engagement today.”

Kresky also cited a “growing disconnect between some Catholics and Church teaching.”

“For a variety of reasons, individuals may struggle with or disagree with teachings on issues such as marriage, sexuality, social questions, or family life,” Kresky said. ”In many cases, people drift away quietly, sometimes due to disagreement and sometimes due to misunderstanding or lack of formation around what the Church teaches and why.”

A December 2025 Pew Research study found that leading reasons for U.S. adults leaving the Catholic Church included not believing in the Church’s teaching, scandals involving religious leaders, and being unhappy with teachings on social and political issues.

Other top reasons U.S. adults cited were that the faith was simply not important to their own lives, or their spiritual needs were not being met.

Pew Research also found that Gen Z is the least church-attending generation in American history, with only 17% attending weekly.

How is the Church responding?

The Diocese of Saint Cloud’s response is more than just merging parishes, according to Kresky.

The merger is a part of a larger pastoral planning initiative named “All Things New.”

“While restructuring is one visible outcome of the process, the broader goal is renewal — strengthening parish life by helping communities focus more intentionally on evangelization, discipleship, leadership development, and stewardship,” Kresky said.

The parish merges is a major step in an initiative that began more than a decade ago.

The bishop will lead a diocesan-wide prayer service on Sunday, May 3, at 7 p.m.  local time to pray for unity for the newly-merged parishes, according to the pastoral planning website.

"My hope is that this process will renew our sense of unity and deepen our commitment to being a missionary Church,” Neary said.

“I believe the Holy Spirit is guiding us toward a future where our communities are more connected, our ministries more focused, and our parishes better equipped to form disciples,” Neary continued.

The diocese hopes to “help parishes move from a mindset of simply maintaining aging structures to becoming vibrant centers of faith where people are welcomed, accompanied, formed, and sent forth in mission,” according to Kresky.

“This includes supporting parishes in developing stronger leadership teams, fostering collaboration across churches, and using resources — human, spiritual, and financial — more effectively so ministry can flourish rather than merely survive,” Kresky said.

“Our hope is that, through this pastoral process, parish life will become more sustainable, more welcoming, and more mission‑focused,” Kresky said.

“While the process includes difficult decisions and real experiences of loss, the diocese’s long‑term vision is one of hope: that the Church in central Minnesota will be well positioned to serve future generations with vitality, authenticity, and faithfulness to the Gospel," Kresky said.

“While change is never easy, I am confident that God is doing something new in our midst, and I am grateful for the openness and trust our people have shown as we walk this path together,” Neary added.

Monsignor Robert Coll, a retired priest of the Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania, died on April 20 in Naples, Florida.

Born on Aug. 13, 1930, Coll grew up in the Philadelphia area in a devout Catholic family. After attending St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, he felt called to the priesthood, attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, and was ordained a priest on May 7, 1959.

Early in his priesthood, Coll was a professor at Notre Dame High School in Easton and the chaplain at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In 1961, he became a priest for the then-newly established Diocese of Allentown.

From 1966 to 1980, Coll served as the founding pastor of St. Thomas More Church in Allentown and it was here, in 1975, that he created Operation Rice Bowl.

Operation Rice Bowl was a Lenten response to hunger in Africa and encouraged families to donate the money they saved from fasting and eating meatless meals during Lent to those suffering from hunger.

Today, Rice Bowl is a national program of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and has raised more than $350 million in 12,000 parishes nationwide.

In response to Collʼs passing, Sean Callahan, president and CEO of CRS said in a statement: “It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the passing of Monsignor Robert Coll, a visionary priest whose legacy of faith and service will endure for generations through CRS Rice Bowl, a program he founded more than 50 years ago.”

He added: “Through CRS Rice Bowl, Monsignor Coll gave U.S. Catholics a way to live the Church’s call to solidarity — recognizing the God-given dignity of every person and the shared responsibility to care for our neighbors, especially those living in poverty — so we might truly feel connected to our sisters and brothers across borders and oceans. Millions of families use the program each year to put their faith into action and become one global Catholic family.”

In 1980, Coll joined CRS as assistant executive director in New York City and later served as its European director in Rome until 1985. His ministry took him into some of the world’s most urgent humanitarian crises in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America.

During the Lebanese Civil War, Coll accompanied Mother Teresa through active war zones in order to reach her community, who were caring for children with disabilities and elderly victims.

He also acted as an on-air guide for Mike Wallace, one of the original correspondents featured on CBS news program “60 Minutes,” on his report about the devastating Ethiopian famine and helped bring global attention to the crisis.

Speaking on this work, Callahan said: “That commitment to the global Church was never more evident than when he answered the call in 1983 and traveled to Ethiopia to lead the Joint Relief Partnership for the Church’s response to the devastating famine. His presence on the ground was a turning point — bringing urgency, organization, and humanity to CRS’ response at a moment when the world desperately needed them.”

Coll returned to parish ministry in 1987 as pastor of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Bethlehem where he served until his retirement in 1996. During his retirement, the priest helped establish St. Agnes Catholic Church in Naples, Florida. He also regularly helped celebrate Mass at St. John the Evangelist Parish, which is where his burial Mass will take place on May 12.

“His faith never wavered. His enthusiasm never faded,” Callahan said. “And the warmth and inspiration he gave to those around him lives on in every Rice Bowl collected and every hungry family fed.”

On Saturday, April 25, more than 100 people gathered to celebrate the newly named street — Sister Susanne Lachapelle Way — named for the life and legacy of Lachapelle and her contributions as a registered nurse, advocate, and Little Sister of the Assumption (LSA).

“With a heart rooted in justice, she dedicated herself to serving the vulnerable through home visits, healthcare, and tireless advocacy, both locally and globally,” Rosario Jimenez, director for LSA Family in Mission, told EWTN News.

The event and street naming flowed from Lachapelleʼs work with Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service, a community-based nonprofit based in East Harlem. Founded by the Little Sisters, the organization offers numerous programs to help vulnerable families and children meet their basic needs.

The group has been in the city for almost 70 years and Lachapelle “really helped to set the trajectory for the organization,” Ray Lopez, chief program officer of LSA Family Health Service, told EWTN News.

She was “a foundational visionary staff person and a leader who really, to this day, has a very profound impact on many of us who are on the staff and worked shoulder to shoulder with her, learning from her,” he said.

“Since her passing, weʼve all … redoubled our efforts to find a way to keep LSAʼs original mission and vision going in this current environment,” Lopez said. “We really wanted to find ways to keep her name out there and the legacy going.”

The street is on the southeast corner of East 115th Street and First Avenue. "Itʼs almost the exact midpoint of where Sister Susanne Lachapelle lived in the Little Sisters of the Assumption brownstone and where the LSA Family Health Service … center is located,” Lopez said.

“She walked there every day for at least two decades,” he said. “We thought it was the appropriate place.”

Sister Susanne and the Little Sisters: ‘Unsung heroes’

Lachapelle entered the LSA order in 1962 and took the religious name Sister Susanne Mary of the Sacred Heart. She made her final vows in 1971.

In her 60 years of religious life, she served in numerous areas and worked with many ministries. But for 45 years she made the community of East Harlem her home, helping to spearhead the LSA Family Health Service’s programs.

As a nurse, Lachapelle conducted home visits, which “was a foundational program of LSA Family Health Service,” Lopez said. “All of the programs grew out of those interactions, those early interactions of nurses going into the homes to treat the sick and poor and really seeing conditions firsthand, sitting with families at their kitchen table, hearing their stories.”

“Sister Susanne and the rest of the leadership created other programs to really provide wraparound services for families,” he said. "The Little Sisters set up a food pantry and a thrift store just to make sure that people had the very basics.”

“From there, the services were about connecting people with public benefits, providing support around education, education enrichment, education navigation. A lot of … programs focused on maternal child health and early childhood development.”

Along with her support for health and families, Lachapelle also had a passion for protecting the environment through her commitment to Pope Francis' Laudato Si', a call to protect our common home.

Lachapelle decided to initiate “an environmental health component to the work that the Little Sisters were doing,” Lynn Tiede, a volunteer for LSA Health Service who worked with Lachapelle, told EWTN News.

“She worked with the families and saw problems like asthma and other debilitating health things, she realized that … itʼs mold, itʼs the air quality, itʼs these other things that are really at the root of these health problems.”

“Everybody was just so inspired … to see her traipsing into rough, rough buildings and just without any hesitation,” Tiede said. “If you went into a home and people were dealing with asthma, you … send in the environmental health team and then they try to work to get the building management to actually address those things.”

With the success of her work, she even collaborated with the human rights group and nongovernmental organization Vivat International, where she helped bring voices and environmental issues to the United Nations, but she always remained “very, very humble,” Tiede said.

Due to her humility “there were a few people who were against [the street-naming] when we proposed it, because they thought she would hate it — because she was so humble,” Tiede said.

Ultimately they chose to honor Lachapelle and the Little Sisters because they are “unsung heroes — these quiet heroes,” Tiede said.

The process to get the street renamed began in 2024 and it was found to be an easier process than expected, as the city council was eager to acknowledge Lachapelle and the Little Sisters.

Sister Susanne’s lasting impact

At the street naming celebration organizers “were expecting around 80 participants, but I think it was maybe 150 or a little bit more,” Jimenez said. “There were community members, families that she served, youth that she served, … volunteers, and of course, our board members and benefactors.”

It honored her “simplicity and the way that she used to be a leader,” which was “was grounded in integrity, purpose, love,” Jimenez said. “Having a street named after her will honor all of that.”

Reflecting on the event, Lopez said: “[It] feels like a dream because so many people came that worked with her in the past.”

Despite having to move the event inside to avoid the cold and rain, the crowd of people stayed to celebrate. It “was crowded with people, and our center lobby was filled completely,” Lopez said. “It was just a very festive atmosphere.”

He added: “It was really moving to have so many people there from so long ago that still feel it in their hearts, [how] the work here in East Harlem impacted their careers, impacted their lives, and that itʼs still a very significant thing for them,” he said.

Jonathan Liedl, EWTN News correspondent and managing editor of the National Catholic Register, takes viewers to northern Peru to take a look at the communities the Holy Father served. These cities include Chulucanas, where the then-young priest had his first missionary experience; the city of Trujillo, where he grew as a pastor; and the Diocese of Chiclayo, where he served as bishop.

Through on-location reporting, interviews, and local testimonies, the documentary highlights the impact of the pope’s ministry among the many parish communities and those on the margins and captures the perspectives of those who knew him best during those years.

“The word I heard over and over from Peruvians who had known Pope Leo is that he was ‘un amigo’ — a friend,” Liedl said in a press release. “From soup kitchen volunteers to cathedral rectors, former altar servers to fellow bishops, Pope Leo drew close and listened to everyone, leading others more deeply to Christ in the process.”

The documentary also depicts a portrait of a local Church that helped form a global shepherd, providing context for Pope Leo XIV’s priorities as he leads the universal Church today.

“As we near the one-year anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election, this news special helps us reflect on the experiences that he brings into his papacy,” said Montse Alvarado, president of EWTN News. “From his emphasis on the poor to his focus on healing divided communities, it’s clear that the good work he began in Peru has carried over to how he now leads us all from Rome. Understanding the Holy Father’s heart is the essence of this report.”

“Pope Leo’s Peru” will air on EWTN on May 1 at 8 p.m. ET and will be available on EWTNNews.com and the EWTN News YouTube channel.

“When Christian beliefs about morality and human nature conflicted with the Biden administration’s views, religious rights often suffered,” the executive summary says.

“The Biden administration generally tolerated religious beliefs that were privately held but zealously pursued actions to limit Christians’ ability to act in accordance with their faith,” the report says. “This affected matters of deep personal importance to nearly every American: life, family, marriage, and self-identity.”

The report, titled “Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias within the Federal Government,” was issued by the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, which Trump established in February 2025.

The review lists Biden-era regulations related to abortion, contraception, gender, and human sexuality, among other issues, which often pitted the government against religious institutions, such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Similar issues also exist in “state and local governments and the private sector,” it notes, which had either “limited interference” or “tacit support” from the Biden administration.

It also alleges a “weaponization” of the government against Christians, which includes concerns about the Richmond office of the FBI investigating what it called “radical traditionalist Catholics” along with criminal convictions of pro-life protesters under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

The report notes that the Trump administration has worked to rescind those regulations and end those practices. It also states the administration has sought to incorporate faith into public life.

“No American should live in fear that the federal government will punish them for their faith,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the chair of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, said in a statement.

“As our report lays out, the Biden administration’s actions devastated the lives of many Christian Americans,“ he said. ”That devastation ended with President Trump. The Department of Justice will continue to expose bad actors who targeted Christians and work tirelessly to restore religious liberty for all Americans of faith.”

Biden-era regulations

A major issue noted in the DOJ report is the Biden administration’s reading of the 2019 Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which found the Civil Rights Act bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The report notes the first Trump administration issued a memorandum on Bostock instructing the DOJ to interpret that ruling without violating religious liberty.

Yet the Biden administration rescinded that memorandum and issued a new one that the report states “applied the ruling to sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools and sports.”

“The Biden DOJ also considered requests for religious exemptions as harmful conduct to be regulated and pushed its incorrect Bostock interpretation in amicus briefs, even though federal courts repeatedly rejected it,” it states.

In one example, the report notes that the U.S. Department of Agriculture tied this interpretation of Bostock to the National School Lunch Program. Initially, religious freedom objections were considered on a case-by-case basis, but the administration eventually issued a memo that acknowledged religious exemptions.

“The policy left Christian schools and ministries with a coercive choice: If they wanted to feed the hungry using these programs, they would need to abandon the Bible’s teachings on sex and marriage,” it states.

“As a result, the Biden USDA pushed many Christians out of the programs,” it adds. “The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis, for example, chose to remove all of its parochial schools from the National School Lunch Program, even after the Biden USDA issued its memo acknowledging Title IX’s religious exemption.”

This interpretation was also applied to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rules for what the Biden administration called “gender affirming care for minors.” The report notes that “many providers interpreted [this] as a requirement with limited or no religious exemptions.” Similar to the lunch program, religious exemptions were looked at on a case-by-case basis.

Similar rules were applied to workplaces through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Other regulations scaled back conscience protections related to abortion and contraception. It notes, for example, that HHS and DOJ withdrew a notice of violation against the University of Vermont Medical Center after it “coerced a Christian nurse into participating in an abortion despite her religious objections.”

In other examples, HHS issued guidance that required hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, to offer abortions in certain circumstances under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. The Biden administration also interpreted the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to force employers to accommodate an employee’s abortion, “regardless of whether doing so would conflict with an employer’s religious rights,” the report states.

“The findings presented by the task force raise serious concerns about whether certain Biden-era policies and practices were administered in a manner consistent with the Constitution and applicable federal law,” the report states.

“These concerns implicate core American commitments — religious liberty, equal treatment, and the rule of law — that protect all Americans of faith and conscience,” it adds.

The event, which coincided with the academy’s 30th anniversary, was headlined by Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke along with Auxiliary Bishop William Waltersheid of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In his remarks on the occasion, Burke noted that the academy’s students often courageously join older TFP members at pro-life and other events that witness to eternal truths that are rejected by many in modern society.

“Millions of Americans have seen, through the videos of TFP Student Action, how the young men formed here go onto university campuses to confront the prevailing ideology,” Burke noted. “They do so not with anger, not with disorder, but with clarity, charity, and courage. They calmly dismantle anti-Christian fallacies. They endure ridicule, threats, and even physical intimidation with dignity. And in every instance, they emerge victorious — not because they shout the loudest, but because they stand with the truth.”

In a nod to the TFP apostolateʼs Brazilian roots, Prince Bertrand of Orleans-Braganza, head of the Imperial House of Brazil, was invited to cut the ribbon at the inauguration of the new school building. Instead of using scissors, he chose to employ a ceremonial sword for the task.

“At this academy, the notion of spiritual combat is at the forefront of daily life,” Prince Bertrand, a direct descendant of French Crusader king St. Louis IX, noted.

“The sacraments, the rosary, and religion classes are complemented by fencing, debate practices, and pro-life campaigns. All of these things give the academy students the training they need to become upright, generous, and brave soldiers of Christ,” he observed.

Nebraska bishop praises university’s creation of ethics panel after ‘drag Mass’

Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, expressed gratitude to the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, for creating in ethics panel following a “drag Mass” staged by a doctoral student.

“I appreciate the willingness of the university leaders to meet with us to discuss issues of concern to the Catholic community,” Conley said in his April 24 “Bishop’s Column” reacting to the university’s creation of an ethics panel to address the incident, which came after he met with University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold to express his opposition to the performance.

The event was put on in April 2025 by music doctoral student Joseph Willette, who claimed the performance was meant to “bridge the gap between queerness and spirituality.” The demonstration “imitated various parts of the Mass, including the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei.”

“President Gold and his team have made good on their promise to keep us updated on their progress so far,” Conley said. “I would like to know more about the membership of the committee that President Gold and [Creighton University President] Father [Daniel] Hendrickson have put together, but I also understand to some degree their reluctance to share more about it given committee members’ request for anonymity.”

“I believe we can all agree there is more work that needs to be done, and my hope and prayer is that we all continue to strive to eliminate unjust discrimination of any kind on our campuses… and in our world,” Conley said. “I am also hopeful that continued engagement with community leaders at the university and elsewhere will help not only to prevent future problems but will also assist in the continued development of a culture that is respectful of religion and of the Catholic presence in and contribution to our state and its universities.”

Christendom College launches master’s for public policy program

Christendom College has expanded its graduate school offerings with the debut of its Center for Public Policy.

Started in partnership with the Heritage Foundation, the new center is “designed to equip leaders with the philosophical, ethical, and practical tools necessary for service in public life, nonprofit leadership, education, and policy-related professions,” according to a college press release.

Classes for the center’s flagship program will start this fall.

“For too long, public leaders and their supporters have led movements, crafted laws, and developed policies that assume presuppositions that are antithetical to human flourishing and the common good,” Christendom College President George A. Harne said in the release.

“By forming a new generation of leaders who understand classical Catholic social teaching and can apply it to the most pressing needs of today, Christendom College will lead in the restoration of the public square in a way that is deeply consistent with the college’s founding principles,” he said. “This unique program — oriented to real political change through the development of wise public policies and the formation of the next generation of leaders — is the next logical step in the fulfillment of Christendom College’s founding mission.”

Catholic Massachusetts college to close after 80 years following ‘financial pressure’

Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts, announced “with profound grief” that it will close its doors at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 academic year.

“The decision reflects years of financial pressure that we were ultimately unable to overcome and the honest recognition that continuing would not be responsible to the students, faculty, and staff who depend on us,” the college said in an April 23 statement signed by Anna Maria College President Sean J. Ryan and Board of Trustees Chair David Trainor.

The college cited “months” of attempts by leadership, the board of trustees, and the Sisters of St. Anne to “examine every option.”

“We tried to find a way,” the college said. “We are grateful to everyone who tried alongside us. And we are deeply, genuinely sorry we found no viable path forward.”

The college assured graduating seniors they would receive their degrees and walk in their graduation ceremony and non-graduating students that “clear paths forward are in place.” The college also said it has finalized partnerships with institutions for transfer students.

Anna Maria College was founded in 1946 by the Sisters of St. Anne.

Theology school offers chance to audit summer course free of charge

St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Rochester, New York, will allow anyone to audit any one of its summer courses for free via Zoom.

“Thanks to the generous support of the Knights of Columbus Finger Lakes Chapter, St. Bernardʼs is delighted to offer the opportunity of auditing one summer course for free,” the college said on its website. “We are a Catholic graduate school committed to featuring courses that enhance the truths of our faith, and as such, wish to share our offerings with as many people as possible.”

Available courses include “American Saints and Blesseds” and “Tolkien the Artist: Creativity and the Image of God.” Prospective students have the chance to audit courses from either the first session, which runs from May 11 to June 26, or the second session, which runs from June 29 to Aug. 14.

Enrollment is currently open for students in grades 9–12, both inside and outside of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, including those living in other states or countries.

“We know this type of offering can have an impact on a global scale, and we are excited about that opportunity,” said Kim Shields, facilitator of the program and an associate superintendent of the Catholic school office of the archdiocese. “Our commitment starts with the communities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, but we will welcome anyone who feels our program will meet their child’s learning needs."

The archdiocese designed the program with home-schooling students and students with flexible learning needs in mind, according to Shields.

“Sacred Heart Virtual Academy was created in response to home-schooling groups and others in the archdiocese who are looking for more flexible options for high school,” Shields told EWTN News.

“This program will also enable us to meet the needs of rural students, students with diverse learning needs, and any other student who just needs an alternative to a brick-and-mortar school,” Shields continued.

The archdiocese is partnering with Catholic Education Services, a provider of Catholic virtual education, to provide courses. The group has “partnered with several archdioceses to provide programs for Catholic schools,” according to Shields.

Organizers hope to expand courses to provide more opportunities for students, including a course in American Sign Language.

“We have an inclusion program in the archdiocese, and we are hoping to offer some alternative courses for foreign language such as American Sign Language through the virtual academy for students who need that opportunity,” Shields said.

Students will follow a traditional school year schedule from late August to late May. Optional summer classes are also offered.

“Students will need to complete 24 credits to graduate, and this requirement is in alignment with our current brick-and-mortar high schools,” Shields added. “Class offerings will be synchronous and asynchronous depending on the course.”

Full-time tuition for one year is $7,200, while individual classes cost between $500 and $600.

“The diploma and transcripts will be issued from the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and we are proud to be able to offer that to any student who completes our high school program,” Shields said.

Quoting from the value statements of the Office of Catholic Schools, Shields said the branch is “committed to providing an excellent education in an environment of spiritual, moral, intellectual, and physical formation in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.”

“Our vision is to provide all families and children in the Archdiocese of Atlanta with faith-filled, high-quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities,” Shields continued.

“We also believe that all of God’s children deserve a Catholic education, and to live our mission, it is our responsibility to meet the needs of all students as best we can,” Shields added.

Sacred Heart Virtual Academy applications are currently open. For more information, visit here.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem terminated the temporary protected status (TPS) designation for migrants from Syria, Haiti, and other countries. If the court rules that her actions are lawful, the administration could order the removal of more than 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians.

The Trump administration argued April 29 that the executive branch has broad discretion to terminate TPS for any country. The challengers, representing the migrants, argued Noem failed to follow the proper procedure and accused officials of unlawfully using racist beliefs about migrants to make their determinations.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged the administration to extend TPS status for both countries.

Migrants’ lawyers challenge Trump

Ahilan Arulanantham, who argued on behalf of the Syrians, recognized that the administration has “broad” discretion in determining TPS status but argued that Noem failed to follow proper procedure in her decision-making.

Even though he said Noem can make the final decision to terminate TPS, he noted that the law requires Noem to consult with relevant agencies before deciding. He argued that Noem did not adequately consult with agencies prior to making the decision.

“We cannot challenge on the ground that she’s wrong,” Arulanantham acknowledged, ”… [but] what is reviewable is whether she actually asks anything and gets any information about country conditions.”

He said that one basis for Syria’s TPS designation was armed conflict, “but the secretary never consulted the State Department about the armed conflict.” Rather, he argued, “she terminated based on the national interest.”

“We don’t argue about the levels; we don’t argue about the amount,” Arulanantham said. “All we say is [there] has to be deliberation about a subject. They have to talk about country conditions.”

Justices questioned those arguments, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett pressing Arulanantham, asking him whether Noem could have consulted with the State Department on those subjects, and terminated the status, even if there was strong evidence in favor of extending it.

Arulanantham said she could have, which led Barrett to assert the procedure appears to simply be a “box-checking exercise.”

Justice Samuel Alito argued that if the administration has broad discretion in the “determination” of whether TPS status is extended: “If we apply the ordinary meaning of that term here, I really don’t understand how you can prevail.”

Justice Elena Kagan appeared sympathetic to the claim that the court could review whether the administration followed procedures but that scrutinizing whether Noem consulted with agencies about proper or improper subjects “seems harder to me than the procedural argument.”

Geoffrey Pipoly, who represented the Haitians, argued Noem’s review of the termination for his clients “was a sham,” saying the decision was “a preordained result driven by the president’s resolve to end TPS for Haiti no matter what.”

He accused the president of “racial animus toward non-white immigrants and bare dislike of Haitians in particular,” citing Trump’s remark that Haiti is an “[expletive]-hole country” and his assertion that migrants were “eating the dogs and eating the cats.”

Kagan questioned the argument, noting the Trump administration broadly scaled immigration back, stating: “I don’t quite see how that operates when all of these programs went.”

Alito pressed Pipoly on what constitutes “white” and “non-white,” and said: “You have a really broad definition of who’s white and who’s not white. As I said, I don’t like dividing people of the world into these groups.”

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson defended the argument, noting that only predominantly non-white countries have TPS status.

‘Broad discretion’

U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the law does not permit judicial review of Noem’s decision to terminate TPS, arguing that Noem had “broad discretion” over how she considered whether to extend the status for those countries.

“Any determination — with respect to designation, extension, or termination — is not subject to judicial review,” Sauer told the justices.

Sauer said the secretary can determine which agencies are appropriate to consult and could even determine there are no proper agencies to consult. He accused the other side of simply claiming her consultation “wasn’t quite enough.”

“Seeking input is consultation, seeking advice from someone knowledgeable is a form of consultation,” he said, arguing the secretary has broad discretion to decide what constitutes consultation.

Sauer said these decisions are “traditionally entrusted to the political branches” and accused the district courts that halted TPS terminations of “appointing themselves junior varsity secretaries of state.”

He also rejected the allegations of racism, saying “not a single one of [Trump’s comments] mentions race or relates to race.” He said they always refer to “crime, poverty, welfare dependency, drugs, [and] drug importation,” among other issues.

Kagan challenged the suggestion there could be no judicial review at all, noting that Congress enacted a statute that requires consultation and “it set forth procedural steps that have to be followed.”

“The Constitution … [says] due process applies to any alien who lives in the United States,” she said. “It applies to all people living here. … They’re entitled to due process. Now Congress has given them a process. It may not be a court process, but that’s OK. It’s a process and you’re saying … it’s unreviewable whether the president has followed that process.”

Andrew Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies and a former immigration judge, told “EWTN News Nightly” that terminating the status would not remove every person who entered through TPS if the administration succeeds in court because some people have other forms of lawful status, such as a student visa.

“If they are here and they are not in lawful status and they donʼt have removal orders, [the Department of Homeland Security] is then going to have to take them all and put them into removal proceedings, get a removal order, and then remove them from the United States,” he said.

Among the new board members are R.R. “Rusty” Reno, editor of First Things; Adam Laxalt, the former attorney general of Nevada; and Mary Eberstadt, writer and senior research fellow at the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington, D.C.

Reno told EWTN News he would like to see the school become a leader on the American Catholic academic scene.

“It’s a Thomistic institute,” said Reno, a former theology professor, “and there’s a unique opportunity to put forward the Thomistic tradition in the context of American Catholic higher education in an intellectually strong and robust way.”

The new members join the university board as the school “is poised to take its place among the leading Catholic institutions in our country,” school President Sinda Vanderpool said in a press release April 28.

“The university’s governance now draws upon voices who have shaped national conversations in faith, culture, law, and public life,” said board chairman Craig Jarchow in the press release.

“We live in a time when the academic culture, which is secular and progressive, exerts tremendous influence over the formation of young people,” Reno said. “A Catholic university requires a very clear and explicit mission to avoid drifting and becoming like any other university with a chapel. You don’t want that.”

Eberstadt told EWTN News “the fact that UST has this enthusiastic, unapologetically Catholic leadership“ is ”what drew me to the school.”

“Against the backdrop of secularization, and all the things that we know are wrong in the West,” the writer said she is seeing what she calls “the next American awakening.”

Seeing “new forms of fellowship and outreach, Catholic and Protestant alike, including on campuses where there had never been such things before,” is exciting, she said.

“It is clear that something is stirring, and so when I saw this in action at UST, I wanted to be a part of it and not just to keep telling people this was out there, but to participate in building it.”

The school is now “the Catholic ‘room where it happens,’” Eberstadt said.

Laxalt, a former naval officer and Iraq veteran, agreed, telling EWTN News that there is "an orthodox Catholic revival going on in the U.S. and our youth are seeking more depth and formation in their education.”

“One of the things I have most cherished, both in and out of public service, is mentoring young people,” he said. “I am honored to support UST in grounding students in the Catholic intellectual tradition.”

Eberstadt said she hopes that as a board member, she can help “enhance the social lives of the students because I know from my research, and we all know after COVID, thereʼs been a real collapse of socializing, in Gen Z especially.”

She said she hopes this will build “community that will be part of their battle armor that they will take into their lives after they leave the university, so they will be grounded in a spiritual network and a network of fellowship.”

Practically, she said she would like to see the university add square dances to its cultural repertoire.

“It’s very small ‘d’ democratic,” she laughed. “You have to dance with everybody, you don’t have to have a partner, and it has the spiritual dimension of bringing students together who would otherwise be looking at their phones.”

“And the fact that it’s an American pastime … It’s an American thing, perfect for the 250th anniversary of our country,” she said.

Other new board members include philanthropist Charlene Brandau, attorney and UST alumnus Habeeb “Hobbs” Gnaim, energy executive David Preng, and retired Southwestern Energy Company CEO Bill Way.

The University of St. Thomas is a comprehensive Catholic university offering programs in the traditional liberal arts, professional, and skilled-based disciplines.

It ranks as the second-largest institution by enrollment among colleges and universities listed in the Newman Guide, published by the Cardinal Newman Society, which recognizes institutions committed to the Church’s principles of education.

The bill, proposed by a bipartisan group of U.S. congresswomen and announced on April 29, would move to “address misuse of the bankruptcy system by organizations facing lawsuits for child sex abuse,” according to a press release from Rep. Deborah Ross, D-North Carolina.

Ross noted that bankruptcy filings, including those by U.S. dioceses facing voluminous child abuse allegations, trigger stays in civil litigation that block plaintiffs from further discovery while the Chapter 11 process plays out.

Ross said U.S. bankruptcy law contains “unacceptable loopholes” that allow organizations to “avoid the consequences of their negligence and abuse.”

The proposed bill would allow abuse victims to continue the discovery process even amid bankruptcy filings. It would also allow victims to submit impact statements within the Chapter 11 proceedings themselves.

The bill would also “require forensic accountants to assess the debtor’s estate and nondebtor holdings in child sex abuse cases.”

The measure, titled the “Closing Bankruptcy Loopholes for Child Predators Act,” was previously introduced in 2024, though it stalled in the House of Representatives.

Bankruptcy generally offers more payouts for victims

Numerous U.S. dioceses have filed for bankruptcy in recent years, particularly amid the passage of state-level laws that have expanded or removed the statute of limitations for filing child abuse claims.

Marie Reilly, a professor of law at Penn State University and an expert in bankruptcy litigation, told EWTN News in 2025 that bankruptcy filings are generally advantageous not just for a diocese but for those seeking compensation from it.

The alternative, she said, is for a plaintiff to “prove their case on a trial of evidence against the diocese,” which requires considerably more effort with less chance of payment.

Committees of survivors usually agree that bankruptcy is the better option, she said, insofar as it ensures that everyone gets some form of compensation instead of just a few big payouts being limited to the quickest litigants.

“Outside of bankruptcy, we call it ‘the race of the diligent,’ where the speediest get the spoils,” she told EWTN News.

Still, the U.S. representatives sponsoring the latest bankruptcy reform bill argue that such procedures should not limit victims from being able to seek evidence in their suits against organizations including Catholic dioceses.

Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Ohio, said in the press release that abuse victims “deserve justice, accountability, and transparency at every step of the process.”

"No one should be able to use bankruptcy proceedings as a shield to avoid responsibility," she said, arguing that the bill "closes those loopholes so survivors can continue their pursuit of justice and bad actors are held fully accountable.”

CUA Executive Vice President and Provost Aaron Dominguez was serving as vice chairman of the National Science Board (NSB) while CUA Vice Provost Victor McCrary was serving as NSB chair before the Trump administration fired all 22 board members on April 24.

“On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as a member of the National Science Board is terminated, effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” NSB members were informed in an April 24 email from the White House, a spokesperson for the National Science Foundation confirmed to EWTN News.

“The Supreme Court’s reasoning in U.S. v. Arthrex in 2021 raised constitutional questions about whether non-Senate confirmed appointees can exercise the authorities that Congress gave the National Science Board,” a White House official told EWTN News in a statement. “We look forward to working with the Hill to update the statute and ensure the NSB can perform its duties as Congress intended. The National Science Foundation’s work continues uninterrupted.”

The NSB oversees the National Science Foundation, advises the president and Congress on science and engineering policy, approves NSF funding awards, and publishes key reports on the state of U.S. science. Members serve staggered six-year terms.

The case cited by the administration, U.S. v. Arthrex, says federal boards whose members wield unreviewable executive power must be structured so that a properly appointed principal officer, one appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can review or overrule their decisions.

The NSBʼs actions are advisory, policy‑setting, and subject to oversight by a Senate‑confirmed agency head. While not holding final executive authority, board members oversee a federal agency and approve billions in grants.

The board issued policy‑shaping publications such as Science and Engineering Indicators, Vision 2030, and its Skilled Technical Workforce reports, which influenced federal science priorities and congressional decision‑making. The board also issues merit‑review analyses that guide how the National Science Foundation allocates billions in research funding.

The Catholic University of America declined to comment on the firings. Dominguez and McCrary did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“HHS not renewing funding to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami will result in 85 staff members being laid off as of May 31, 2026,” Peter Routsis-Arroyo, the organization’s CEO, said in a statement to EWTN News.

He said another 20 employees will be let go on June 30.

For decades, CCADM partnered with the federal government to serve vulnerable children and families. The termination of the contract ended a more than 65-year relationship that began with Operation Pedro Pan, which resettled about 14,000 Cuban children who were fleeing the Castro regime in the U.S.

The layoffs follow the announcement that CCADM "had to make the difficult decision to close the Msgr. Bryan Walsh Children’s Village,” Devika Austin, chief administrative officer of CCADM, wrote in an April 24 letter.

The Msgr. Bryan O. Walsh Children’s Village, formerly known as Boys Town, is a CCADM program sheltering unaccompanied, undocumented immigrant children with the ability to house up to 81 children.

It is baffling that the U.S. government would shut down a program that would be hard-pressed to replicate at the level of competence and excellence that Catholic Charities has achieved, if and when future waves of unaccompanied minors reach our shores.”

Archbishop Thomas Wenski

Archdiocese of Miami

“This week all affected employees received notice," she wrote. "We are working with our employees to assist them during this difficult transition."

Due to the unforeseen circumstances, CCADM reported in the letter it was “unable to provide 60 days’ notice” to employees and noted that the “layoffs are permanent.”

More than half of the staff laid off was made up of youth care workers in the program, along with numerous others including clinicians, case managers, and medical coordinators.

During a press conference on April 15 following the funding cuts, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami urged the government to reinstate the funds noting that services for unaccompanied minors would “be forced to shut down within three months.”

“It is baffling that the U.S. government would shut down a program that would be hard-pressed to replicate at the level of competence and excellence that Catholic Charities has achieved, if and when future waves of unaccompanied minors reach our shores,” he said.

The court in a unanimous ruling April 29 decided the case could proceed in federal court, reversing a lower court decision that had deemed the lawsuit premature.

The pregnancy center had raised First Amendment concerns about whether it could immediately assert its right to challenge a state subpoena demanding donor information — including names, addresses, and places of employment — in federal court, or whether it must first proceed through the state court system.

The ruling was a victory for First Choice Women’s Resource Centers. Diverse groups including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members of Congress, the Trump administration, and the ACLU had agreed that First Choice should be able to challenge the subpoena in federal court without first litigating the issue in New Jersey state court.

The case, First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport, involves a 2023 subpoena issued by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin seeking donor information from First Choice. In 2022, Platkin had begun investigating crisis pregnancy centers like First Choice, saying they are organizations that may provide “false or misleading information about the safety and legality of abortion.”

First Choice described itself in a Supreme Court brief as a faith-based nonprofit serving New Jersey women by offering material support and medical services such as ultrasounds and pregnancy tests. The organization said it does not provide or refer for abortions.

Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee (USCCB) on Pro-Life Activities, said in a statement, “We are very grateful to see the unanimous Court decision protecting the freedom of pregnancy help centers to serve mothers and children in need without harmful and unconstitutional government intrusion.”

The USCCB told the court in an amicus brief: “Compelling disclosure of a religious organization’s financial support violates the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion.”

It contended that compelling disclosure would undermine the group’s religious mission and chill the free‑exercise rights of donors who give anonymously in keeping with their beliefs.

This story was updated at 4:40 p.m. ET on April 29, 2026, to include comments from Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee (USCCB) on Pro-Life Activities.

The House of Lords, the upper chamber of the U.K. Parliament, halted consideration of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on April 24. More than 1,300 amendments were tabled during the committee stage, a record for any parliamentary bill. The debate lasted over 75 hours, consuming the available parliamentary timetable and preventing the bill from advancing.

There is a “big pushback happening” against assisted suicide, Alex Schadenberg, executive director for the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, said in an April 28 interview with “EWTN News Nightly.”

The House of Lords “actually did what theyʼre supposed to do,” Schadenberg said. “They debated the bill and the government actually expected them to just have a short debate, have it go to committee, and then have it pass through. And in fact, they did have a thorough debate of the bill.”

The bill was introduced by Kim Leadbeater, a British Labour Party politician, and it passed in the House of Commons in June 2025. It would have allowed terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to request medical help to end their own lives.

While proponents said they expect to resurrect the proposal, it is “definitely at this moment losing momentum,” Schadenberg said. “I think it has a lot to do with the fact that it was recently defeated also in Scotland.”

The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill "was originally passed by 70 to 56, then it went into committee, then they had the final vote on it and it was defeated,” he said. “The vote flipped around; it was 69 to 57. It was defeated. This is the same group of people who first passed it and then defeated it.”

“We also have the effect of Slovenia, who had a referendum and they overturned their assisted suicide law,” Schadenberg said.

Also in Canada, “thereʼs been a lot of pushback now on euthanasia … So weʼre seeing this big pushback happening, which had not been happening before, partially because our government is very pro-euthanasia,” he said.

‘Language’ of euthanasia matters

In the U.K., and other nations, the language of euthanasia is not always clear, but it is “when a doctor, or in my country of Canada, a nurse practitioner, intentionally kills you,” Schadenberg said.

“This is not about giving you lethal poison and you take it yourself, which is what happens in the U.S. with assisted suicide. This is them actually killing you,” he said.

When "debate actually happens and people get a chance to actually discuss it openly, you realize pretty quickly that the support for it just starts disappearing because the euthanasia movement bases their big push on emotions,” Schadenberg said.

“They want us to fear. They tell us stories of people who were going through difficult health conditions, and the answer for them was killing them," he said. "So I see that when you get this proper debate, things start turning around."

In Canada there is “a committee looking at euthanasia for mental illness alone,” he said. “This whole committee is starting to reverse in direction because weʼre actually discussing, ‘What does this actually mean?’”

The committee is “willing to discuss this openly, and the euthanasia lobby is getting very nervous because people are starting to back off from their support,” he said.

While in the U.S., “there are now 13 states … that have legalized assisted suicide,” we “have to be willing to talk about what it is, always compassionately though,” Schadenberg said.

“Iʼm not opposed to euthanasia or assisted suicide just because of how bad this is. Iʼm opposed to killing people,” he said.

If “you allow the language of the other side to rule the debate, you end up losing the debate because people start thinking of it in a fuzzy way rather than for what it actually is,” Schadenberg said.

Servant of God Joseph Dutton was a Civil War veteran who dedicated the later part of his life to serving people with leprosy alongside Father Damien De Veuster (St. Damien of Molokai) — who called him “Brother Joseph” — in Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai, Hawaii.

“Brother Joseph Dutton’s life is a powerful reminder of what it means to serve others with humility and compassion,” Green said in a press release. “By establishing this day of recognition, Hawaii ensures that his legacy continues to inspire future generations to act with kindness and selflessness.”

“As state senator representing Molokai, this recognition is deeply meaningful to our community,” Sen. Lynn DeCoite said. “Brother Joseph Dutton stood alongside the people of Kalaupapa during one of the most difficult chapters in our history, bringing care, dignity, and hope to those who needed it most. Establishing April 27 as Brother Joseph Dutton Day ensures that his legacy and the strength and resilience of Kalaupapa will continue to be honored for generations to come.”

“For 44 years Joseph Dutton was an important member of the Kalaupapa community, embracing aloha and compassion in giving of his life of service to the patients living during challenging times,” said Dr. Maria Devera, board president of the Joseph Dutton Guild. “It is fitting that we take time to recall and honor that life of service and take a moment and reflect on our call to service.”

Dutton was born Ira Dutton to Protestant parents in Stowe, Vermont, on April 27, 1843. In 1883 he became Catholic and took Joseph as his baptismal name.

The next year he entered a Trappist monastery in Kentucky, where he stayed for almost two years but discerned that a better way for him to offer penance would be through an active spiritual life.

In July 1886, Dutton arrived at Kalaupapa after discovering the work St. Damien was doing on the island. He quickly became an expert in caring for the sick, specifically those with Hansen’s disease, or leprosy, and continued his work after Damien died in 1889 from leprosy. He served the sick in Kalaupapa for 44 years.

Dutton died in 1931 at the age of 87 at St. Francis Hospital in Honolulu.

His cause for canonization opened on May 10, 2022, at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu. On Jan. 21, 2024, the local phase of his cause concluded and was sent to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Rome for review.

In recent days, one of the countryʼs most prominent bishops in the public arena, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, contended that itʼs not even the role of the Churchʼs leaders to make a final determination about whether a particular war is just or not.

“The role of the Church,” Barron wrote in an X post on April 20, “is to call for peace and to urge that any conflict be strictly circumscribed by the moral constraints of the just war criteria,” which is outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 2309).

However, he continued, “it is not the role of the Church to evaluate whether a particular war is just or unjust.” To buttress his argument, Barron cited the catechism’s explicit “just war” doctrine teaching (No. 2309) that “the evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.”

“So, is the war in question truly the last resort?” Barron asked, referencing just war criteria. “Is there really a balance between the good to be attained and the destruction caused by the war? Are combatants and noncombatants being properly distinguished in the waging of the conflict? Do the belligerents have right intention? Is there a reasonable hope of success? The posing of those questions — indeed the insistence upon their moral relevance — belongs rightly to the Church, but the answering of them belongs to the civil authorities,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, other clergy with significant public influence, such as Archdiocese of New York priest Father Gerald Murray, a former U.S. Navy chaplain, hold outright that the U.S. military action against Iran does qualify as a just war.

In an extensive appraisal of the situation in the light of just war teaching, Murray wrote in The Free Press that “the justice of the United States attack on Iran is confirmed by the Iranian regime’s admissions.”

Murray cited U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff, who revealed that in the days just prior to the outbreak of the war “both Iranian negotiators said to us [Witkoff and fellow U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner] directly with, you know, no shame, that they controlled 460 kilograms of 60% [enriched uranium] and they’re aware that that could make 11 nuclear bombs, and that was the beginning of their negotiating stance.” The Iranian negotiators told their U.S. counterparts, Witkoff continued, that “they had the inalienable right to enrich all their nuclear fuel that they possessed.”

“A nuclear-armed Iran with ballistic missiles is an imminent threat to the United States, Israel, and many other countries,” Murray said.

“The advanced state of uranium enrichment meant that the United States and Israel faced an imminent threat. The clear intent of the Iranian regime to build nuclear weapons has not changed. Given that, it was just for the United States and Israel to attack Iran in order to eliminate the nuclear threat,” Murray affirmed, calling the joint military action “an act of protection, rather than aggression, under just war theory.”

Murray also pointed out that the negotiations that preceded the attack on Iran “show the length to which the United States was willing to go to avoid war — evidence that the strike was a last resort.”

Furthermore, he noted that when Witkoff and Kushner told the Iranian negotiators that the United States would provide non-weapons-grade uranium to Iran for 10 years if it stopped pursuing nuclear weapons, they were rebuffed by the Iranians.

“They rejected that, which told us at that very moment that they had no notion of doing anything other than retaining enrichment for the purpose of weaponizing,” Witkoff recounted.

“I do believe this is a just war precisely because of the nature of the threat that a nuclear-armed Iran poses to the United States, Israel, and its allies,” Murray said in a separate interview. “The just war criteria, in my opinion, does not require that we first absorb a nuclear attack before we can actually then respond to try to destroy their nuclear weapons.”

The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February but have been in a ceasefire since April 8, which President Donald Trump extended indefinitely amid negotiations. No side has agreed to long-term peace.

Pope Leo XIV criticized the war and urged peace while Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the attack “does not seem to meet the conditions” of just war. 

On April 23, Leo doubled down on his opposition to war, saying he encourages “the continuation of dialogue for peace” amid the ceasefire negotiations. 

“As a pastor, I cannot be in favor of war, and I would like to encourage everyone to make every effort to seek responses that come from a culture of peace and not of hatred,” the Holy Father said.

Tyler Arnold contributed to this report.

As part of its investigation into alleged abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the state attorney generalʼs office had sought to make public the details of a grand jury report, including the identities of individuals who have not been charged with a crime but who allegedly failed to stop abuse from occurring.

A lower court granted the attorney generalʼs request to publish the information, with an appellate court partly upholding that decision. Yet in its April 27 ruling, the Maryland Supreme Court reversed those decisions, holding that the attorney generalʼs office did not “meet [the] burden” of justifying the release of the identities.

“Many grand jury investigations obtain damaging information and allegations about uncharged individuals that the public might benefit from learning,” the high court acknowledged.

But “one of the primary purposes of grand jury secrecy is to protect uncharged persons from public disgrace in the absence of a criminal charge and a forum in which to seek vindication,” it said.

“A court may not order disclosure of secret grand jury material, over the objection of an uncharged individual, for the purpose of holding that person accountable in the court of public opinion,” the justices said.

The court noted that the attorney generalʼs office had argued that the “intensity of public interest” in the case could justify revealing the identities.

Yet “the interests promoted by grand jury secrecy do not increase or decrease based on how much the public wants to learn the information contained in grand jury materials,” the court said.

The decision comes amid ongoing court proceedings in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which filed for bankruptcy in September 2023 ahead of a wave of sex abuse claims filed against it under the Maryland Child Victims Act.

Earlier this month, the archdiocesan insurer Hartford Insurance Group proposed contributing $100 million to a settlement for abuse victims. The archdiocese in 2024 sued multiple insurers over what it claimed was a failure to pay abuse claims for which the insurers were contractually obligated.

In 2024 Archbishop William Lori attended two court-ordered “listening sessions” with alleged victims of sexual abuse, with the prelate describing himself as "deeply moved by their very powerful testimony.”

The dioceseʼs "Trinity Village," located just a few blocks from Pensacola Bay on the Florida Panhandle, will offer the "tiny homes" at "affordable rents to individuals experiencing housing insecurity."

The “target population” for the small parcel of homes is senior citizens, the diocese says, pointing out that the senior demographic is “one of the more vulnerable segments of the population” regarding housing costs.

Groundbreaking for the project took place in September 2024. The site of the village was previously a vacant lot; the parcel is located directly behind the diocesan pastoral center.

Construction of the homes took place throughout 2025. The roughly 300-square-foot houses include a sleeping area, kitchen, living room, dining room and a bathroom, as well as on-site laundry.

Deacon Ray Aguado, the executive director of the Trinity House project, told EWTN News that the Pensacola population has increased “significantly” in recent years, while housing stock has not kept pace.

“Rents in the area have increased and, in some cases, have more than doubled in the past 12-24 months,” he said. “Many citizens, especially seniors, make sacrifices in order to cover their higher cost of housing.”

“These sacrifices include foregoing health care, cutting back on buying healthy foods, or missing meals altogether,” he noted.

“Trinity Village will offer these tiny homes at affordable rents to these seniors,” he said. “Trinity Village will also offer case management and mentoring services to support residents in their personal growth and ensure they maintain sound physical and financial health.”

Rent is expected to run $500 for the homes, with that price including utilities.

At the outset of the project, Pensacola-Tallahassee Bishop William Wack described the project as a “wonderful way for this community to come together” and support a vulnerable population.

“This is what we do as a Church. We donʼt just come together to pray, though that is an important part of what we do,” he said. “We come together [also] to build up the kingdom, to serve our brothers and sisters.”

“I am filled with deep gratitude and great joy as we announce the schedule of events surrounding the long-awaited Mass of beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen," Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria said in a press release. "This is a momentous occasion not only for our diocese but for the Church in the United States and throughout the world.”

Events kick off on Sept. 20 with an anniversary Mass of Sheen’s ordination at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Peoria.

From Sept. 23–24, events will be taking place in St. Louis. Vespers at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis will take place on Sept. 23 followed by the beatification Mass at The Dome at America’s Center on Sept. 24. Before the beatification Mass, the faithful will be able to take part in adoration and confession. After the Mass, a relic of Sheen will be available for veneration.

The website for the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation states that the choice for holding the beatification in St. Louis “was driven by the desire to include the largest number of people possible.”

While the largest venue in Peoria would only hold 15,000 people, The Dome at America’s Center — which hosted a papal visit from Pope John Paul II in 1999 — has a capacity of 100,000. St. Louis is also within a reasonable driving distance from Peoria, taking roughly two and a half hours.

Events will then head back to Peoria with Masses of thanksgiving, parish talks, and an award gala taking place on Sept. 25. The celebration concludes with a Byzantine-rite Mass of thanksgiving at the Cathedral of St. Mary on Sept. 26.

The faithful are also encouraged to take part in a nine-day novena beginning on Sept. 15.

Tylka explained that all of the events have been “thoughtfully planned as part of a pilgrimage to help us enter more deeply into the spiritual richness of this occasion and to encounter the Lord in a meaningful way.”

He added: “The beatification Mass itself will be the central moment of this sacred time, but it is surrounded by opportunities for formation, fellowship, and prayer that we hope will touch hearts and inspire renewed faith. The events that follow the beatification Mass in Peoria, including Masses of Thanksgiving and presentations, will allow us to continue reflecting on the gift of Archbishop Sheen and how his witness calls us forward as missionary disciples.”

“I am truly grateful for the many individuals and teams who have worked tirelessly to prepare for this moment, and I look forward with great anticipation to welcoming pilgrims from near and far,” Tylka said. “My hope is that through this beatification, many will come to know more deeply the love of Jesus Christ, be renewed in their faith, and be inspired to live as joyful witnesses of the Gospel in their own lives.”

Abbott has spent more than 15 years and nearly 5,000 hours answering the Relief & Hope emergency services hotline and accompanying callers, many of whom are at their lowest and most vulnerable points.

The Catholic Charities Maine hotline provides immediate support for individuals and families experiencing crises. Abbott helps with a number of challenges related to finances, mental health, job loss, car repairs, housing, hunger, or any other situation callers may find themselves in.

“When my years of home schooling my children ended, I searched for places where I could feel useful and talk freely about Jesus,” Abbot said in a press release. “I often came home feeling depressed about the need around me and how little I was able to help.”

“Callers thank me for just being willing to listen and empathize. I really feel good after those calls. And I appreciate working with people who put their faith into action every day at work," she said.

"Catholic Charities is such a nice, friendly, godly place to work. I don’t feel I do enough to have earned this award. I am flabbergasted to have received it,” she said.

The award also acknowledges Abbott’s work in developing a large database of resources covering Maine’s 16 counties. Due to its success, the state’s 2-1-1 operators, who provide residents with local health and human services information, have even been known to call her for guidance on how to refer their own callers to the appropriate services.

“Julie Abbott’s service to Catholic Charities Maine shows that sometimes, the quietest contributions can make the greatest impact,” said Kerry Alys Robinson, CCUSA president and CEO.

“Julie’s gift of presence and attention allow struggling neighbors to retain their dignity even in their most distressing and vulnerable moments. She is truly a good and faithful servant to those in need,” Robinson said.

The award has been given annually since 1998 and is bestowed on an individual “who embodies the mission of CCUSA to provide critical services to those in need, advocate for justice in social structures, and call the entire Church and other people of goodwill to do the same,” according to CCUSA.

More than 200,000 people volunteer at Catholic Charities agencies around the country each year, and agencies nominate their most deserving volunteers for the honor. Abbott was also a 2021 Volunteer of the Year finalist for her work.

Abbott will receive the award at CCUSA’s 2026 annual gathering in Richmond, Virginia, later this year.

Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement: “We are grateful the lives of the president, those who protect him, and everyone in attendance last night were spared from serious harm. Let us all pray for our elected leaders and public officials that they may receive God’s blessings. Because human life is a precious gift, there is no room for violence of any kind in our society.”

Attendees heard gunshots shortly after the White House Correspondents' Dinner began at the Washington Hilton hotel. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several Cabinet members were evacuated by federal agents. Trump said in a press conference at the White House following the shooting that a lone suspect was taken into police custody and one federal agent was hospitalized after being hit in his bulletproof vest.

Bishop David Bonnar of Youngstown, Ohio, said the issue of gun violence requires attention.

Bonnar said in a statement: “The United States is built on freedom and respect for all. There is no room for violence that endangers the life of any human being. Moreover, the issue of gun violence must be addressed. Violence is never the answer. We all must look deeper into the human heart to build each other up rather than tear each other down. We pray for peace in moments of disagreement and discord. As we celebrate our 250th birthday may we live as a nation under God with liberty and justice for all.”

Bonnar also offered a prayer for healing.

We all must look deeper into the human heart to build each other up rather than tear each other down.”

Bishop David Bonnar

Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio

Since 2025, the United States has seen a marked escalation in political violence, including assassination attempts and lethal attacks linked to ideological extremism, threats against elected officials, and armed incidents surrounding political events.

High‑profile political actor Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator, was assassinated in Utah in September 2025. In Minnesota, Rep. Melissa Hortman, the top Democratic leader of the state House of Representatives, was assassinated in her home in June 2025, and her husband was killed in the same attack. Hortman, who had served as Minnesota House speaker, was a Roman Catholic catechist.

Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, posted on X on April 26: “Iʼm grateful that the president and his entourage are unhurt after this latest attack. May I raise my voice against the viciousness and tribalism that are so prevalent on the internet and that contribute mightily to the violence we see in our political culture. Can we please remember that it is possible to disagree with a politicianʼs ideas without demonizing and dehumanizing him? Jesus commanded us to love our enemies, and that includes our ideological opponents.”

The online confrontation began after Sikorski responded to Sa’ar’s post apologizing for the destruction of the statue, which he called “grave and disgraceful.” Sikorski wrote that the IDF soldier “should be punished” and that “IDF soldiers themselves admit to war crimes. They killed not only civilian Palestinians but even their own hostages.”

Sa’ar condemned the response, describing the IDF as “a professional and ethical army” adding: “One should be cautious about making irresponsible statements that can ultimately lead to dangerous consequences.”

Catholic Church in South Korea surpasses major population milestone

South Korea’s Catholic population has surpassed 6 million people for the first time, according to statistics released by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea.

The numbers released on Tuesday indicated that while the total population of Catholics in the country did not change from the previous year at 11.4%, the total number of Catholics rose by 9,178 from the year prior to 6,006,832, according to a Seoul Economic Daily Report Thursday.

Jesus mosaic created by refugee fleeing Nazis to be preserved

A mosaic of Jesus created by a refugee of Nazi persecution will be preserved, along with the historic Catholic church it is housed in, according to The Tablet.

The mural depicting Jesus on the cross created by Jewish Hungarian emigre artist George Mayer-Marton in 1955 will remain at Holy Rosary Church in Manchester, England, after the Oldham Mural & Cultural Heritage Trust launched a plan to turn the church into an arts and culture center.

Report alleges violations during Syria cost-of-living protest

A report on the April 17 protest in Damascus, Syria, says a peaceful civic demonstration calling for better living conditions, anti-corruption measures, justice, and accountability was met by intimidation, incitement, and multiple violations, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Sunday.

The “Justice for All” report said five people were injured, journalists were targeted in attacks, and a car attempted to drive into the protest, where between 900 and 1,200 Syrians staged a sit-in in Yusuf al-Azma Square.

The report also noted verbal threats against the protesters, who remained peaceful and carried only the Syrian flag, while some opponents used inflammatory slogans, filmed demonstrators, and challenged them over their political history. It urged independent investigations, prosecution of those responsible for incitement and abuse, stronger protections for journalists, and better safeguards for the right to peaceful assembly.

Beloved Italian missionary in Indonesia dies after five decades of ministry

Father Natalino Belingheri, the last surviving member of the first group of Italian missionaries assigned to Indonesia’s North Kalimantan province, has died.

“Thousands” of Indigenous Dayak in North Kalimantan attended Belingheri’s funeral, according to a Licas News report on Monday.

Belingheri, who was known locally by his Dayak name, “Wan Abung,” died April 10. He had been serving in remote areas across the northern province of Indonesia since 1977 and played a significant part in the establishment of the Diocese of Tanjung Selor in 2001, according to the report.

Catholic Nobel laureate urges Church not to ignore political prisoners in Belarus

Ales Bialiatski, a Catholic and Nobel laureate, is calling on Church leaders to intervene on behalf of political prisoners in Belarus in the wake of recent crackdowns on religious freedom.

“Western Church leaders and Vatican diplomats should be helping more against current restrictions,” Bialiatski told OSV News Thursday.

Bialiatski’s remarks come after the March 16 arrest of Father Anatoly Parakhnevich, a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Minsk-Mohilev, by KGB agents and the closure of his church.

Bialiatski has been detained multiple times, including in 2021 amid government crackdowns on nationwide protests following President Alexander Lukashenko’s contested election. “I know from my own experience how good it is to be free, with time to recover and rebuild oneself — and if I get to meet the pope, Iʼll inform him of our Churchʼs needs,” Bialiatski said.

Thailand Catholics mourn seminarians killed in car accident

A funeral for four teenaged boys, including two seminarians, in Thailand drew hundreds of attendees, according to a report from Licas News on Monday.

“With their character and faith, they were the hope of their families and of the Thabom community, who longed to see them become priests,” said Father Nicholas Sarawut Sahaikaen, rector of the Prince of Peace Seminary in Udon Thani, in his eulogy for the two seminarians. He noted that one of the boys had also applied to seminary but was unable to attend due to family circumstances.

The ministryʼs initial sale of the pro-life pillow raised roughly $40,000 shortly after they began, Schaefer told EWTN News. “With the sale of the pillow, we were featured in an article, and that’s how the first invitations to schools started to emerge in 2015.”

“So, itʼs been 11 years since weʼve been in schools,” Schaefer said. “Since that first presentation, all kinds of things have come forth: We have presented in eight different states, we are all over the state of Nebraska, we have developed a K-4 Celebration of Life program, a fifth through sixth program, a middle school, and a high school and beyond program.”

Founded in Omaha, Nebraska, Heart of a Child Ministries is growing into a multistate presence, with two new fetal certified educators in Illinois, one in Springfield and another set to be trained in Mokena in October. The organization also now has certified educators in Alabama and Idaho. 

Fetal development education for every level

Heart of a Child’s fetal development education brings live ultrasounds to classrooms in a way that is specially tailored to suit each grade level. Its K–4 program centers on “fun fetal facts for kids” and includes “all kinds of hands-on things,” such as a team of musicians who play songs, according to Schaefer. “The kids absolutely love it,” she said. “We’re just putting the joy of life in front of them.”

Having the foundation of a K–4 program is crucial, according to Schaefer. “It really solidifies the deal — it puts the truth in their hearts from the very beginning so that when the lies start coming in middle school through social media, through their friends, they’ve already seen an ultrasound; they’ve already learned all these amazing facts about what’s happening.”

Through middle school, the curriculum progresses with more detailed fetal development facts, adoption stories, and begins addressing the abortion issue. In high school, the live ultrasound and fetal development education is supplemented with more detailed information about abortion, a testimonial speaker, and a panel discussion.

The ministry’s first college event on March 30, sponsored by Turning Point USA, utilized this format. The event took place at Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Nebraska, and included a panel of two OB-GYN doctors, a representative for the abortion pill reversal (APR), Teresa Kenney, host of the Hormone Genius podcast, and other pro-life experts.

“We feel confident that when kids walk away from that, their hearts are changed, their hearts are moved, and we have the statistics to prove that,” Schaefer said, noting their events have had “a 56% conversion rate on average” among students regarding the topic of abortion.

Schaefer emphasized that the root of the program’s success is its holistic approach, acknowledging that each child processes information differently depending on age, personality, and maturity.

“Every piece that we do is extremely important because it hits kids at different levels,” she said. “Some kids are more logical, right? They want the facts. Some kids are more heart. They want to hear a testimonial for some from someone who had an abortion, and it affected them. That’s what’s going to touch their hearts.”

9 months of pregnancy for 9 months of school

Apart from its latest multistate expansion, Heart of a Child has also debuted a fetal development curriculum for teachers to implement in their classrooms year-round.

Titled “The Journey Within,” the teacher-led curriculum takes students through nine months of pregnancy during nine months of the school year, with posters, fetal development PowerPoints, ultrasound videos, studies, and images of babies in the womb.

A version of the curriculum is available for both public and Catholic schools and has been vetted by a medical panel for accuracy, Schaefer noted.

“For Catholic schools, we have a spiritual component where each month the teachers go through Scripture readings or a Church teaching, and the kids reflect on that, write about that, and go deeper,” she said. The faith-based curriculum operates under a “4S model” that incorporates Scripture, science, stories, and service. Each faith-based school that Heart of a Child presents to completes a service project, such as raising money to buy diapers for pro-life pregnancy centers.

Schaefer emphasized the importance of fetal development curriculum today, noting that “right now the buzz in pro-life education and the pro-life movement in general is that different states have passed a law requiring fetal development education.”

States that have laws requiring fetal development education in public schools include Tennessee, Idaho, North Dakota, Indiana, West Virginia, Iowa, and Ohio. Lobbying efforts in Nebraska to pass similar legislation have yet to be successful, Schaefer said, citing difficulty in finding a senator to prioritize a bill with precise language.

“We’ve been meeting with senators, and unfortunately the bill they came up with [had] the potential for a Planned Parenthood to get in there and do fetal development education because it was too loose,” she said. “So weʼve recommended the senators to go back and redo the language, and it might be where certain fetal development programs are required in the state of Nebraska.”

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has signaled his support of efforts to pass legislation requiring education on fetal development in Nebraska public schools, telling EWTN News in an interview earlier this year: “I am 100% behind it and am supportive of it.”

In a recent advocacy appeal, the organization called on Americans to contact their representatives in support of global food aid programs, emphasizing that such efforts reflect a commitment to human dignity, solidarity, and the common good. The House is expected to take up the farm bill (H.R. 7567) during the week of April 27.

“Hunger is a daily reality for families around the world — and the decisions Congress makes right now will shape the future of our global family,” the statement reads. “With the House vote approaching, a narrow window offers a critical opportunity to speak up.”

In an emailed statement to EWTN News, CRS emphasized that U.S. international food assistance — particularly Food for Peace — must remain strong and flexible as “around the world, needs are rising, and these programs are often the difference between families getting through a crisis or not.”

The organization said it is “particularly concerned about anything that would limit flexibility or reduce resources at a time when global hunger is already at historic levels.”

“Programs like Food for Peace have a long track record of saving lives,” it continued, “and it’s critical they remain well funded and able to adapt to complex emergencies.”

It added that in “fast-moving crises, delays or limitations can mean families go without food when they need it most” and framed the issue more broadly: “At its core, this is about human dignity. Hunger isn’t just a policy issue — it’s a moral one.”

“CRS is encouraging both Catholics and policymakers to keep the needs of the most vulnerable at the center of these decisions,” the organization said.

The push comes as lawmakers will decide whether to vote on more than 300 amendments to the legislation, revealing sharp disagreement over whether the bill should focus primarily on domestic nutrition programs or maintain a significant role in global humanitarian food assistance.

Much of the debate has centered on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative. Some proposed changes would tighten eligibility requirements, alter benefit structures, or restrict the types of foods eligible for purchase, including sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods. Other proposals would expand access through measures such as universal school meals, increased nutrition incentives, and additional support for food-insecure communities.

Together, the competing proposals highlight differing visions for federal food policy — whether it should be narrowly focused on alleviating hunger or also used to influence dietary outcomes and public health.

Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, chair of the House Agriculture Committee, has led Republican negotiations on the bill, while Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, the committee’s ranking Democrat, has served as the lead Democratic negotiator.

In a statement shared with EWTN News, a House Agriculture Committee aide for Thompson said the “Food for Peace program has a long history of helping both American farmers and hungry communities around the world.”

“The House Committee on Agriculture was proud to include a provision in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 that designates the United States Department of Agriculture as this program’s permanent home,” the statement continued. “Chairman Thompson continues to advocate for this program in the halls of Congress as debate on the farm bill advances.”

Craigʼs office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Catholic teaching frames hunger as global responsibility

Catholic organizations have long emphasized that hunger policy extends beyond national borders, a theme reflected in recent advocacy surrounding the farm bill.

In February, a joint Catholic letter to Congress from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), CRS, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Rural Life, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul urged lawmakers to strengthen both domestic and international food assistance programs.

The letter highlighted initiatives such as Food for Peace, which provides U.S. food aid abroad; McGovern-Dole Food for Education, which supports reducing hunger and improving literacy and primary education in low-income countries; and Food for Progress, which helps developing nations strengthen agricultural systems.

The letter’s emphasis on global responsibility reflects broader Catholic teaching on hunger, echoed in recent remarks by Pope Leo XIV.

Speaking at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome for World Food Day in October 2025, the pope noted that “whoever suffers from hunger is not a stranger. He is my brother, and I must help him without delay.”

He expanded on that theme more recently while speaking to reporters aboard the papal flight returning from Africa on April 23, reflecting on the responsibility of wealthier nations to address conditions in poorer regions of the world.

“I ask myself: What are we doing in richer countries to change the situation in poorer countries?” he said. “Why can we not try, both through state aid and through the investments of large wealthy companies and multinationals, to change the situation in countries like those we visited on this visit?”

I ask myself: What are we doing in richer countries to change the situation in poorer countries?”

Pope Leo XIV

Faith-based organizations, including CRS, have pointed to such statements in urging policymakers to maintain international food assistance as part of U.S. humanitarian leadership.

Amendments reflect long-standing debates

Several amendments reflect long-standing debates — often highlighted in Catholic advocacy — over how U.S. policy should balance domestic nutrition programs with international hunger relief.

An amendment by Rep. Jim Costa, D-California, would increase funding for the administration of Food for Peace, a program that provides U.S. food aid abroad, often using uses American agricultural commodities.

Introduced by Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-New York, and Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, another amendment would extend Food for Peace through 2031 and expand its scope to address child wasting, a severe form of malnutrition, through the use of specialized therapeutic foods.

Other amendments focus on domestic programs such as one introduced by Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tennessee, that would expand allowable SNAP purchases to include sliced meats and cheeses from delis.

Reps. Kim Schrier, D-Washington, and Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, proposed creating a grant program under the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) to support purchases from small and undeserved agricultural producers for distribution through emergency feeding organizations.

The House Rules Committee is set to decide April 27 whether to allow floor votes on any of the amendments.

Expert highlights food system links

Speaking more broadly about the farm bill debate, Stephanie Scott, a senior policy analyst at the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality, said domestic nutrition programs and international food assistance are more closely linked than they are often treated in policy discussions.

“I think when it comes to the food priorities for both domestic and international, they’re kind of the same in what we as a nation would like,” she told EWTN News, noting that programs such as SNAP and international food aid both function as core tools for addressing hunger.

Scott said international food assistance programs also respond to crises driven by conflict, climate shocks, and economic instability, and raised concerns about whether funding levels are sufficient to meet rising need both domestically and abroad.

“Prioritizing international food security,” she added, “is not only a human right and a basic need but a strategic one.”

The U.S. Department of Justice said on April 24 that it was moving to once again “seek, obtain, and implement lawful capital sentences,” restarting the federal death penalty process that had been indefinitely stalled under the Biden administration.

Among the measures that the Justice Department said it will take include “expanding the protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad” as well as “streamlining” administrative processes to hasten executions by the federal government.

The government said it would also seek to restart carrying out lethal injections by pentobarbital, a barbiturate that prisoner advocates have said can cause extreme pain and suffering when used in executions.

In an accompanying report released on April 24, the Justice Department called pentobarbital “the gold standard of lethal injection drugs.” It described the drug as “more humane” than other modes of execution and pointed out that it has been used in assisted suicide procedures in the U.S. for those suffering from terminal illnesses.

Pope Leo XIV urges abolition of death penalty

The governmentʼs announcement came roughly at the same time on April 24 that Pope Leo XIV addressed, via video message, a gathering of activists at DePaul University celebrating the 15th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois.

The pope in his message noted that the Catholic Church teaches that “the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person."

The Holy See updated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 2018 to explicitly call for the abolition of capital punishment worldwide. Leo likewise told the pro-life advocates in his hometown of Chicago that the Church “affirm[s] that the dignity of the person is not lost even after very serious crimes are committed.”

The Holy Father said he joined the advocates in celebrating the stateʼs 2011 abolition of the death penalty; he wrote that he offered his “support to those who advocate for the abolition of the death penalty in the United States of America and around the world.”

“I pray that your efforts will lead to a greater acknowledgement of the dignity of every person and will inspire others to work for the same just cause,” the pope wrote.

Leoʼs message comes one day after he spoke out forcefully against executions aboard the papal plane returning from his apostolic visit to Africa.

Asked about Iranʼs reported large-scale executions, the pope said: “I condemn the taking of people’s lives. I condemn capital punishment. I believe that human life is to be respected and that all people — from conception to natural [death] — their lives should be respected and protected.”