The holy day for Jews involves fasting and atonement and is held in late September or early October. In 2026 it begins at sunset on Sept. 20 and ends by nightfall on Sept. 21.

In a video message released Sept. 18, Scranton Bishop Joseph Bambera, who chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ ecumenical committee, noted that the Jewish holiday “invites a searching examination of the year that has passed and a commitment to the year ahead.”

“At the heart of this observance is the recognition that our relationships with God and with one another call us continually to reflection, repentance, and renewal to consider how we can live more faithfully and more generously,” he said.

The relationship between Catholics and Jews, Bambera said, is “not simply a matter of dialogue” but rather is “rooted in the deep spiritual bonds” between the two ancient religions.

He noted the shared patrimony between the two faiths as well as the scriptural texts that both share. Building “genuine friendship and understanding” between the two religions “matters so deeply,” he said.

Bambera further noted the need to “reject anti-Semitism in all its forms.” Catholics, he said, are called to opposite that form of hatred as well as to deepen their understanding of Judaism and Jewish people.

The prelate cited the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra aetate, which in part refuted the practice of antisemitism “at any time and by anyone” and which stressed the links between the ancient Jewish faith and the origins of Christianity.

Interreligious dialogue “is not merely an exchange of ideas” but rather “creates friendships, builds trust, and helps us recognize our responsibilities toward one another,” Bambera said.

The bishop concluded the video by wishing Jewish viewers “Gmar Chatima Tov,” a traditional greeting during the Yom Kippur season.

Drafted by a group of more than 30 pastors from around the U.S., the Declaration for Life with Christian Leaders supports pro-life legislation, condemns chemical abortion, and affirms the dignity of unborn children from conception. The four-page declaration has been signed by 100 faith leaders from Missouri as well as 50,000 citizens.

“This Declaration for Life, written by pastors, is calling on everyday Christians across America to stand for life and confront the scourge of chemical abortion,” Hawley stated.

“It is the first duty of the Church to defend human dignity where it is denied,” the declaration says.

Tony Perkins, who heads the Family Research Council, a national Christian political advocacy group, has been outspoken in his support of the declaration, criticizing the Republican Party’s recent silence on abortion.

“There are Republican members of Congress and state leaders who continue to champion the unborn, but the Republican Party has gone all but silent on the issue of life,” Perkins stated. “The strong pro-life language that was a part of the GOP platform for decades was removed, and little is said about abortion.”

“We are called to defend the defenseless and speak for those whose voices have been silenced,” Perkins said.

South Korean bishops oppose abortion pill

South Korean Catholic bishops are opposing the government’s expansion of abortion pill use, calling it a "disregard for life.”

In response to South Korea’s announcement that it will allow the use of abortion pills through nine weeks of pregnancy, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (CBCK) released a statement opposing the move.

“The CBCK voices deep concerns as this measure would only institutionalize abortion in an ‘orderly’ manner, without changing its fundamental nature, while allowing a disregard for life to be more deeply rooted in our society,” the bishops stated.

“We eagerly ask the government and the National Assembly to deeply contemplate this and choose a path that both protects life while practically helping women,” the bishops continued.

Students for Life launches campus campaign showing human cost of abortion

A fall campaign titled “Abortion Victims: Every Abortion Has a Human Cost” by the pro-life group Students for Life of America (SFLA) will span 150 college campuses across the United States.

Educational displays will highlight the victims of abortion and what abortion procedures look like.

The campaign began Sept. 8, near the one-year anniversary of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination on Sept. 10, 2025.

“The goal is to continue his legacy of bringing the fight for free speech and the sanctity of life to college campuses across the nation,” the group said.

“So many people are harmed by abortion, most notably preborn children,” said SFLA Vice President of Field Programs Reagan Barklage. “Millions of children lose their lives every year at the hands of physicians betraying their oath to uphold life, and so many others experience forced abortions in trafficking and abuse. This tour tells their stories — and why we must act to keep others from suffering the same fate.”

EPA to test drinking water for pharmaceuticals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new study of drinking water that will screen for pharmaceutical pollutants.

Pro-life groups have been calling on the EPA to test for water pollution caused by abortion drugs. The EPA had previously said it would investigate.

Missourians split on abortion, poll finds

An August poll found narrow margins in public opinion on an amendment that would protect unborn children in Missouri.

In November, Missourians can vote on whether to repeal a 2024 pro-abortion amendment. In its place, a new amendment would protect unborn babies except those conceived by rape or incest, or in medical emergencies.

The Missouri polls found that 44% opposed the pro-life amendment and 43% supported it, while 13% were unsure.

The poll by SLU/YouGov was conducted Aug. 13–24 and had a margin of error of about 4 percentage points.

When polled in February, 50% of Missourians were in favor of reinstating the pro-life amendment.

California passes bill requiring community colleges to provide abortions

A California bill that would require community colleges to provide medical abortions is heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

The bill, which the California Senate passed with a 61-17 vote, would require community colleges with medical centers to offer chemical abortion drugs beginning Jan. 1, 2029. Newsom, a Democrat, is expected to sign the bill.

Wisconsin bishops denounce Planned Parenthood lawsuit seeking to overturn abortion safeguards

Wisconsin bishops are opposing a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin to overturn laws protecting women and unborn children.

The lawsuit, filed in Dane County, argues that two Wisconsin laws violate the state constitution. One law requires a 24-hour wait period between requesting an abortion and receiving one; the other law maintains that only licensed physicians can provide abortions.

Abortion in Wisconsin is legal up to 20 weeks after fertilization.

“These commonsense laws provide critical protection and medical safeguards for Wisconsin’s women and their children,” the statement by the Wisconsin Catholic Conference read. “The suit aims to eliminate these laws not for patient safety, but for profit and expediency. No woman should be rushed into an abortion. When human life is on the line, every moment counts.”

Idaho Supreme Court adjusts abortion amendment language following lawsuit

The Idaho Supreme Court overwrote a pro-abortion group’s objection to amendment language in a recent decision.

The court approved revised ballot statements for Proposition 1, an abortion amendment set to be voted on this November that would create a “right” to abortion.

The decision approves a clarification of the meaning of fetal viability and adds a more specific description of how a yes vote would be in support of “codifying a statutory reproductive right to freedom and privacy.”

Idahoans United for Women and Families, a pro-abortion group advocating for the abortion amendment, had filed a lawsuit over the language and objected to the newly revised statements.

Sansone, 27, was born and raised in a Catholic family. He and his five siblings grew up in St. Louis, where their faith played an important role in their daily lives.

“Catholicism was ingrained in just about every aspect of my childhood and my life growing up,” Sansone told EWTN News in an interview. “We were taught from a very young age that faith was extremely important. It came right before family and then two before hard work.”

He added: “We had a little prayer corner in every house that weʼve lived in that had a picture of Jesus and then right underneath was a kneeler and then a bunch of little pamphlets — prayer cards or funerals of loved ones, and things like that.”

Sansone was taught hard work on his family’s 170-acre soy, corn, and wheat farm located on his great-grandfather’s land. It was here that he learned about farm life.

Fast forward to 2024 and Sansone’s mother and sisters were watching Season 2 of “Farmer Wants a Wife,” a reality dating series that follows farmers as they search for love among a group of women willing to leave city life behind for a chance at a relationship and life on the farm. The show combines romance with the realities of rural life, as the farmers and contestants get to know one another with the possibility of building a future together.

“They were constantly telling me to come watch it and see an episode and things like that and I just kept saying, ‘No, not interested,’” he recalled.

Then Sansone received a direct message (DM) on Instagram from the creators of the show. After thinking about it and speaking to his family about it, he decided to take part in the show.

“Realistically, the motivation for me to actually entertain that DM and to ultimately go on the show was, hey, this is a fun, random, once in a lifetime thing. I can make the most of it … and perhaps even find a wife,” he said.

Despite Sansone not finding a wife on the show, he reflected that it “reinforced his faith.”

“There were no Catholics in my group. I was the only one … I think what it really did is reinforced my faith a little bit because we would have these faith-based conversations on the show and we would have conversations about our beliefs and things like that and it kind of forced me to reconcile with myself what I actually did believe. So I would say that in doing that it reinforced my faith,” he shared.

Coming off the show and once it aired, Sansone began to gain a following on social media. He explained that he came to the realization one day that he “didn’t do anything to earn it.”

“All of this kind of fame and publicity, I would say in air quotes, is not something that I earned,” he said. “So, my way of paying back that opportunity, that was obviously a gift from God, was to use my platform to promote my faith.”

Sansone, who goes by @notjohnsansone on Instagram, has 109,000 followers on the platform and uses his growing social media platform to share approachable Catholic content, often drawing from his own experiences to encourage others in their faith. His posts touch on Catholic teachings, prayer, and the realities of striving for holiness while acknowledging the imperfections and struggles of everyday life.

Instagram post

“The social media world is not the friendliest spot for that type of thing,” he said. “So, my way of doing it and my strategy is more so kind of to subtly incorporate that into everyday things and make it a relatable thing that people who donʼt understand the faith or maybe didnʼt grow up in it, itʼs something for them to relate to.”

Thanks to his content creating, Sansone admitted that it has “forced me to improve my faith” and has “strengthened it.”

“Iʼve met a lot of interesting people through it [social media]. People who are much stronger in their faith, know a lot more about the Catholic Church and her history,” he added. “And in being around them, I think Iʼve forced myself to kind of become better at my faith.”

Sansone’s content creation recently took him to Peoria, Illinois, ahead of the beatification of Venerable Fulton Sheen alongside a large group of other Catholic content creators. He called the experience “incredible” and that he also “learned a lot about my faith and it kind of made me realize how far I needed to go still.”

Reflecting on Sheen’s life and how his legacy can inspire Catholic content creators, Sansone said: “I think what was great about him is that a lot of his messages were, yes, based in the Catholic faith, but they were more relatable to an everyday person. You didnʼt have to be Catholic to utilize his messages and apply them to your own life. I feel like thatʼs one important thing that a lot of Catholic content creators can do. Itʼs what I try to do.”

As for what he hopes viewers of his content take away from it, Sansone emphasized that he wants “people to understand Catholicism for what it really is.”

These are the words of Sarah Taylor, a Catholic mother of three whose 9-year-old son, Reid, was excluded from parish activities because of his autism.

“As a mother, it was heartbreaking to see my child denied opportunities to participate in the very community where we sought belonging, acceptance, and spiritual growth,” Taylor told EWTN News.

Reid was asked to leave sacramental preparation classes and Vacation Bible School because the parish couldn’t accommodate his special needs. His mother described this as “devastating” — but she decided to do something about it.

“In the days that followed, I felt a wide range of emotions — sadness, frustration, disappointment, and a fierce determination to advocate for greater inclusion of individuals with disabilities within the Catholic Church,” Taylor said. “My husband and I knew that something needed to change, not only for our son, but for other families who might face similar barriers.”

Taylor reached out to her home diocese of Baton Rouge, who put them in contact with the All Are Welcome ministry. Through the ministry, she and her family found genuine, “life-changing” acceptance.

“We were welcomed not despite Reidʼs autism, but with an understanding that his differences are part of who he is,” Taylor said. “That sense of acceptance was life-changing for our entire family.”

“The ministry has also strengthened our faith journey in unexpected ways,” Taylor said. “During a time when we felt hurt and disconnected from the Church, the kindness, compassion, and support we received reminded us of what it truly means to be the body of Christ. Through the ministry, we experienced the love and inclusion that Jesus demonstrated throughout his ministry.”

An estimated 1 in 4 people have a disability, according to 2022 CDC data. About 3.2% of children — 1 in 31 children — have autism. But ministries designed for inclusivity can be hard to find.

Jodi Devore, who has three children with autism, founded All Are Welcome along with another Catholic mom, Edda Dupaquier, after having similar experiences. The Catholic special needs support ministry began as a backyard rosary group and has since expanded throughout the diocese.

“As we prayed and shared our stories, we realized we all carried the same desire,” Devore said of the backyard rosary group. “We didnʼt want a ministry beside the Church — we wanted our families to fully belong within the Church. We wanted our children to know Christ, receive the sacraments, build genuine friendships, and participate fully in parish life alongside everyone else.

“As we prayed and shared our stories, we realized we all carried the same desire,” Devore said of the backyard rosary group. “We didnʼt want a ministry beside the Church — we wanted our families to fully belong within the Church. We wanted our children to know Christ, receive the sacraments, build genuine friendships, and participate fully in parish life alongside everyone else.

The ministry has had a powerful impact on the diocese.

“Weʼve watched families return to Mass after years away. Children have received sacraments,” Devore said. “Parents who once felt alone have found a community that truly understands them. Most importantly, weʼve witnessed families rediscover that they have a place in the life of the Catholic Church.”

“Our hope has always been simple: that every individual with special and exceptional needs — and every parent, sibling, and caregiver who walks beside them — would know they are not just welcome in the Church, but that they are an essential part of the body of Christ,” Devore said.

Running to the altar: Sensory-friendly Masses

Mass is a key area where families with children with disabilities can feel excluded — but it’s one of the most important parts of being Catholic. Sensory-friendly Masses — designed for people with special needs like autism — are “one of the most meaningful parts of our ministry,” according to Devore.

These Masses feature lower lighting, softer music, and shorter and more literal homilies.

“Families know they can move around as needed without fear of judgment,” Devore explained. “Most importantly, everyone gets Jesus.”

Before and after Mass, the environment is full of excitement and beauty, according to Devore.

“Children and adults with disabilities often run to the altar with joy. They arenʼt afraid. They arenʼt worried about doing something wrong. Theyʼre simply drawn to Christ,” Devore said. “Every time I see it, Iʼm reminded thatʼs what the Church should feel like — a place where people are free to run toward Jesus.”

Attending Mass can be incredibly challenging for families with children with special needs.

“For many families, Sunday morning isnʼt as simple as getting everyone dressed and going to Mass,” Devore said. “Sometimes the clothes are too itchy. The smell of incense can be overwhelming. The music may be painfully loud. Sitting still for an hour can feel impossible. A child may need to move, vocalize, or leave the pew altogether.”

“As a parent, youʼre doing everything you can to help your child, but at the same time youʼre painfully aware of every glance, every stare, and every whispered comment around you,” Devore said.

“What hurts most isnʼt the noise or the outbursts. Itʼs the feeling that you and your child, your family, donʼt belong in the very place where you should feel most at home,” Devore said.

Taylor explained how children with autism may behave differently during Mass, but that doesn’t make them any less reverent.

“As a mother of a child with autism, my hope is that every member of the Catholic Church understands how important it is to welcome individuals with disabilities into the Mass — not just occasionally, but as a natural and expected part of parish life,” Taylor said.

“A child may wear noise-canceling headphones to manage the sounds of a crowded church,” Taylor said. “They may flap their hands when they are excited, rock back and forth for comfort, stim during the homily, or carry a beloved dinosaur up with them when they receive Communion. These behaviors are not distractions; they are part of how that child experiences and navigates the world. They do not lessen the reverence of their worship or the sincerity of their faith.”

“The Catholic Church is meant to be a home for everyone,” Taylor continued. “When individuals with disabilities are present at Mass, they are not interrupting the community — they are enriching it. Their presence reminds us that Godʼs love is not reserved for those who fit a certain mold. It is for all of his children.”

“What matters most is not whether a child sits perfectly still, remains silent, or follows every social expectation,” Taylor said. “What matters is that they are there. They are present. They are experiencing Jesus in the way they are able. They are witnessing the miracle of the Eucharist and participating in the life of the Church.”

“Our differences are not obstacles to Godʼs love; they are reflections of the beautiful diversity of his creation,” Taylor said. “If we truly believe that every person is made in the image and likeness of God, then every person deserves to be welcomed, valued, and embraced within our faith communities. A child with headphones, flapping hands, or a dinosaur in hand belongs at the Lordʼs table just as much as anyone else. And the Church is stronger, more compassionate, and more Christ-like because they are there.”

“These children of ours, they make the ground holy,” said Dupaquier, who helps lead the ministry alongside Devore and Deacon Randall Waguespack. “And they make us better people with more virtues, with more patience, with more understanding — capable of loving in ways that we weren’t sure that we could love.”

Coming home: Communities transformed

The ministry has helped bring families back into the Church; most importantly, it has made the Church feel like home.

Devore and her family experienced feeling “like outsiders in our own Church.”

“Not because people were intentionally unkind, but because many simply didnʼt understand what they were seeing,” Devore explained. “Over time, that judgment becomes exhausting, and for many families, it leads them to quietly stop coming.”

But Devore said the ministry has given her “hope.”

“Iʼve watched parishioners grow in understanding, volunteers embrace these families with incredible love, and parents finally take a deep breath because they know they donʼt have to apologize for their child simply being who God created them to be,” Devore said.

The All Are Welcome ministry hosts family retreats, support groups, and helps support persons with disabilities in participating in the liturgy, not only through sensory-friendly Masses but also through active lay participation.

“Weʼre also passionate about meaningful participation in the liturgy. Individuals with disabilities serve as altar servers, proclaim the readings when theyʼre able, bring forward the gifts, and participate in the Mass in visible and meaningful ways. They arenʼt simply attending church — theyʼre helping lead the worship of the Church,” Devore said.

Through the ministry, Devore has seen transformation not only of families but also of parishes.

“The greatest transformation weʼve witnessed isnʼt just that families return to Mass. Itʼs that they begin to believe they belong there,” Devore said.

“Parishioners begin seeing gifts instead of limitations. Entire parish communities are transformed because they discover that these families arenʼt guests in the Church — theyʼre an essential part of it,” Devore said.

“Weʼve seen families return to Mass after years away,” Devore said. “Weʼve celebrated children receiving the Eucharist when their parents once thought it might never happen. Weʼve watched parish communities discover the incredible gifts these individuals bring to the Church.”

“Our greatest hope is that one day no family will wonder whether thereʼs a place for them in the Catholic Church,” Devore said. “We want every individual, regardless of ability, to know Christ, receive the sacraments, discover their God-given gifts, and live a life rooted in faith.”

Understanding disability: Seeing as Christ sees

Devore and Taylor encouraged people to be accepting of people with special needs, sharing what they believe is most important for others to understand about disability.

“Families affected by disability often face barriers that many people never think about,” Devore said.

“I would want people to understand that no two children with disabilities are alike,” Taylor said. “My son may communicate differently, process information differently, or respond to situations in ways that others do not immediately understand, but those differences do not diminish his value, his intelligence, or his desire to belong. Like every child, he wants to be accepted, included, and loved for who he is.”

It’s not about big gestures, but more about the small moments, according to Taylor. “Simple acts of patience, understanding, and inclusion can make an enormous difference for our families,” she said.

But acceptance is also about how other people “see.”

“Perhaps most importantly, I would want people to move beyond seeing the disability and instead see the child: see their unique gifts, their personality, their sense of humor, their faith, their kindness, and their potential,” Taylor said.

“I would simply ask people to see one another through the eyes of Christ,” Devore said. “If you see a child making unexpected noises at Mass, an adult who communicates differently, or a family that seems overwhelmed, donʼt assume they donʼt care or donʼt want to be there.”

“More often than not, theyʼre doing everything they can just to be present,” Devore continued. “A smile. An invitation. Sitting beside them instead of moving away. Those simple acts of kindness can change someoneʼs entire experience of the Church.”

Addressing a new Vatican document commemorating the 60th anniversary of Vatican II’s Nostra Aetate — which discourages “defensive entrenchment” and single-minded proselytism — Barron clarified the distinction between aggressive pushiness and authentic Christian proclamation.

“In a way, I wish we would drop the word ‘proselytizing’ because it’s used now in so many different ways,” he said.

Recalling a conversation with Pope Francis during an ad limina visit, Barron noted that the pope defined proselytism as “obnoxious evangelization” — a browbeating, overbearing approach.

While supporting respectful dialogue, Barron insisted that sharing the faith remains nonnegotiable.

“We are really good at stressing how kind, respectful, and tolerant we should be. That’s great, and I’m all in favor of it. But we also announce Jesus — in a friendly way, in a nonthreatening way,” he said.

Expressing a desire for Church documents to place greater emphasis on proclamation, he added: “The Church is not a debating society. ... We are here to proclaim a word in love. It’s the truth in love. But by God, it’s the truth, and I think that’s obviously worth emphasizing.”

Advising the White House on religious freedom

The Word on Fire founder also responded to critics questioning his involvement with the Trump administration following his appointment to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

Clarifying his position, Barron pushed back against claims that his participation represents a political endorsement. “I’m not a member of the Trump administration!” he said. “The president invited me to be around the table to discuss issues about religious liberty so that policy in that regard could be better formulated. Why would I say no to that?”

Comparing his role to that of legendary Notre Dame president Father Theodore Hesburgh — who served on numerous presidential commissions across multiple administrations — Barron noted: “If Joe Biden had invited me to be on a commission considering issues of religious liberty, I would have said, ‘Sure!’ ... It’s not in any way a compromise or siding with one party.”

Advocating for Jimmy Lai and religious liberty in China

Turning to international affairs, Barron stressed his long-standing advocacy for imprisoned Hong Kong media tycoon and democracy activist Jimmy Lai. While noting he was unsure if his public advocacy influenced his appointment to USCIRF, the bishop made his intentions clear regarding his new watchdog role.

“For years now, I’ve been advocating on behalf of Jimmy Lai. I think it’s outrageous the way he’s been treated,” Barron said. “If Jimmy Lai isn’t brought up in the commission, I would certainly bring him up.”

When asked about the Vatican’s controversial agreement with Beijing regarding the appointment of bishops, Barron hesitated on the specifics of current Vatican diplomacy while pointing to a proven historical model: “I’m a John Paul II man, and the way he dealt with communism, I think, is the right way to deal with it.”

Legacy of Fulton Sheen and resurgence of communism

Looking ahead to the upcoming beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen in St. Louis, Barron praised the pioneering Catholic broadcaster as a model for modern evangelists — highlighting both Sheen’s holiness as the “saint of the Holy Hour” and his courage in identifying ideological threats.

Barron noted that Sheen’s bold stance against communism in the mid-20th century carries striking relevance for contemporary culture. “The fact that Sheen took on communism back in the 1940s and ’50s, when he correctly discerned it was threat No. 1 ... well, it’s back,” the bishop observed. “It’s back in institutional form in different places around the world, but also in our own country.”

Explaining why Sheen’s critique remains essential today, Barron added: “What he noticed about communism was its deep antipathy toward God, the things of the spirit and the moral order, and he knew this was deeply disruptive to the values of the West. That’s a message that still needs to be heard.”

Modern culture and empathy

Concluding the conversation, Barron reflected on a recent article he penned regarding the limitations of empathy when elevated above all other virtues in public and ecclesial life.

“Empathy is a good thing — to feel with somebody else. ... However, there is a hierarchy of values, and empathy is not at the top. At the top of the hierarchy for a Christian has to be love,” Barron explicated, drawing on St. Thomas Aquinas’ definition of love as “willing the good of the other.”

“To love is not to spare the feelings of someone; to love is to will the good of the other. ... We don’t say, ‘God is empathy’; we say, ‘God is love.’”

Watch the full interview below:

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

Jeremiah Robinson from Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, was charged with making terroristic threats, which is a Class D felony that carries up to seven years in prison. He was charged on Sept. 16, according to a news release from the St. Louis prosecuting attorney’s office.

Brecht Mulvihill, executive director of communications for the archdiocese, expressed gratitude to law enforcement in a statement to EWTN News and said the archdiocese is praying for an end to hatred and threats of violence.

“First, we wish to extend our gratitude to the law enforcement officers who responded immediately to this incident, especially to the Shrewsbury Police Department,” Mulvihill said.

“The safety and wellbeing of the men and women who serve the Church are of the utmost importance, and we pray for an end to the hatred and threats of violence that have become so regrettably prevalent on social media,” he said.

Prosecutors alleged that Robinson posted a video on TikTok on Sept. 15 in which he said he was two minutes away from the archdiocese and that God had instructed him to use no discernment and that “everyone who walks into that church is guilty and to kill them.”

According to the prosecutors, Robinson posted a second video in the parking lot and turned his phone to show archdiocesan offices and said his directions were to leave no one breathing.

The news release states that the FBI’s national operations center contacted the Shrewsbury Police Department about the video.

It states the building was evacuated. The building was searched for bombs, which included the use of bomb-sniffing dogs, but there was nothing found.

Robinson is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond, according to prosecutors.

“Take this all of you and drink from it: For this is the chalice…” Father Brent Bowman prayed at the altar, followed by a six-second pause while celebrating Mass for the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in Hopkins, Minnesota, on Sept. 14.

He continued the consecration prayer through tears and then sobbed for nearly one minute at the altar, struggling to raise the chalice. He continued to cry as he raised the chalice and was weeping as he knelt before the blood of Christ after the consecration.

Instagram post

Bowman’s emotional response to the consecration was captured on video because the parish livestreams its daily Masses on YouTube and it spread across social media platforms, with many viewers wondering what prompted the reaction.

In his statement, he explained that he did not witness what the Church considers a “Eucharistic miracle,” such as when the accidents of the bread and wine apparently change in some way along with the substance. Rather, he said, “I had a private spiritual experience” during the Mass.

“During the consecration prayer over the wine at the altar, as I spoke the words, I was given what I believe to be internal knowledge of the power of these words being spoken and the reality of their effect to the point that I had difficulty speaking,” Bowman said in his statement.

“With each word, I became more physically overwhelmed as seen in the video,” he said. “At the same time, I was given sensory knowledge of the weight of God’s power coming down upon the altar, and I felt the heaviness of Jesus’s substantial presence in the chalice in my hands.”

“The chalice became too heavy to hold as I felt it pulled down to rest upon the altar,” Bowman said. “I felt my hands fixed to the chalice of the Precious Blood, and I could not physically move it. Attempting to elevate the Precious Blood, which I was not able to do for a period of time, I believe I was given grace to understand more deeply the bittersweetness of Our Lord’s Passion and how much blood Christ shed for the immense weight of all our sins.”

“I believe I experienced this weight in the chalice,” he said. “This spiritual experience emotionally and physically overwhelmed me as evident in the Mass recording.”

Bowman noted that spiritual experiences are “completely unmerited gifts and signs of God’s abundant love for all his people” but “not necessarily signs of any person’s holiness.”

“I pray this brief testimony moves all our hearts to contemplate more deeply the mysteries of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and the Precious Blood,” he said.

Although Bowman did not experience a “Eucharistic miracle” in the sense of the bread or the wine altering its appearance, God does perform a miracle at every Mass during consecration, known as transubstantiation.

When the priest consecrates the Eucharist, the “substance” of bread and wine does not remain, but instead the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the true body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ even though it maintains the physical appearance and chemical structure of bread and wine.

“The presence of Christʼs true body and blood in this sacrament cannot be detected by sense, nor understanding, but by faith alone, which rests upon Divine authority,” St. Thomas Aquinas wrote in the “Summa Theologica.”

St. Cyril of Alexandria, a patriarch and doctor of the Church, wrote about the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist in a sermon about the Last Supper, written in the early 400s: “Do not doubt that this is true, since Himself plainly says, ‘This is My body’ [and] ‘This is My blood,’ but rather receive in faith the Saviorʼs word; for He, being the Truth, cannot lie.”

“For the words of God are of course true, and in no manner whatsoever can they be false: for even though we understand not in what way God works acts such as these, yet He Himself knows the way of His works,” Cyril wrote.

The archbishop’s pastoral letter, “Uniting for Our Sacred Waters,” was released this month as fears of declining water reservoirs increased in New Mexico.

It also comes shortly after Pope Leo XIV issued a prayer intention for the care of water. The Holy Father described clean water as a “blessing” but noted that 25% of the world’s population lacks safe drinking water.

“Entire communities and nations need our action and our prayer for the care of water for the blessed relief,” the pope said.

The NASA Earth Observatory revealed this summer that the Elephant Butte Reservoir, the state’s largest, had shrunk to just 1.4% capacity, its lowest since 1971, driven by persistent drought conditions and early snowmelt.

Wester in the pastoral letter urged Catholics to recognize the deep connection between water and the Catholic faith.

“We bless ourselves with water when entering and leaving our churches,” he wrote. “Just as we share and celebrate the word of Christ, we share and celebrate the sacredness of water.”

“Together, let us reflect on our kinship with our waters and how we are responsible for protecting, conserving, and restoring them,” he said.

The archbishop cited Pope Francis’ warnings in Laudato Si’ about water scarcity and a potential “acute water shortage” across the world. Wester said human society must make “moral choices” that “equitably protect people, waters, lands, and wildlife.”

He lamented what he described as the “squander[ing]” of water in New Mexico, specifically the depletion of groundwater supplies there, as well as contamination of aquifers by local military activity and nuclear weapons laboratories.

Water, the archbishop said, is “an oasis for the good of all.” God teaches that humans should both share and steward such a resource, he wrote.

The archbishop urged authorities to hold those accountable who pollute waterways and to protect water sources from future pollution. “[E]ach of us,” meanwhile, “can pay attention, pray, and act in our personal, spiritual, and political lives.”

He urged Catholics to “consider what water means to you and to envision a better future for our sacred waters — and everyone who shares in them as God’s gift.”

This is not the first environmental warning the archbishop has issued. In May he warned the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration to stop expanding production of plutonium pits, with the prelate describing nuclear weapons as “immoral” and “genocidal.”

In June, meanwhile, he similarly warned the Arms Control Association about the concept of a “just” nuclear war and lamented the lack of momentum toward nuclear disarmament.

Wester is among the Church leaders — along with Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle; Archbishop Peter Nakamura of Nagasaki, Japan; and Bishop Alexis Shirahama of Hiroshima, Japan — who have formed a coalition of prelates called the Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons.

The bishops and archbishops all oversee dioceses or archdioceses with deep connections to nuclear technology. The Manhattan Project developed the first nuclear weapons just outside of Santa Fe in the 1940s, while Seattle is home to the largest stockpile of deployed nuclear weapons in the world.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki, meanwhile, were the first and to-date only places where nuclear weapons were used in acts of war.

Discussing the administration’s efforts in an interview with EWTN News White House correspondent Owen Jensen, White House Faith Office Director Jenny Korn emphasized the importance of having “a White House Faith Office that the president put in the West Wing as a direct report to him to work on policy that affects religious institutions and people of faith in their daily lives.”

The list of accomplishments covers 25 categories, including the protection of religious liberty, defending houses of worship, securing conscience rights, ending the weaponization of government, expanding school choice, upholding parental rights, restoring biological truth, and defending life.

Among the most recent items, Korn highlighted the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) guidance to all federal departments and agencies, directing them to protect religious liberty in all programs, policies, and practices.

That guidance includes lifting restrictions that prevented federally-funded faith-based organizations from including prayer and the religious aspect as part of their programs.

“We canʼt take away those rights. We canʼt take your faith out. Your faith is the part of the whole reason why you are serving the community,” Korn said.

The White House listed several “victories” tied to conscience rights, including strengthening protections for healthcare providers who object to abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide.

Among other measures, the Department of Health and Human Services has rescinded previous departmental guidance that could force pharmacists to stock and dispense abortion pills in violation of pharmacists’ religious beliefs.

The report also touts that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has conducted terminations and overseen resignations following an anti-Catholic memo authored by the FBI during the Biden administration.

In addition, the White House notes that the Department of Justice’s Weaponization Working Group released a report on how that department, under the previous administration, collaborated with pro-abortion groups to target pro-lifers and weaponize the FACE Act against pro-life defendants.

The Department of Justice has subsequently restricted “the misuse of the FACE Act against pro-life advocates, dismissing several cases aimed at persecuting pro-life Americans.”

Defending life

Nonetheless, pro-life leaders have also given some critical reviews during Trump’s second term.

While there has been praise for measures that include conscience protections and restrictions on abortion-related funding overseas, they have criticized the administration’s failure to sufficiently regulate abortion pills and completely defund Planned Parenthood, in addition to the administration’s support for in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The White House list indicates that the “Food and Drug Administration is conducting a review of the abortion drug mifepristone.” Korn said she has not had a specific conversation with Trump on where he stands on the abortion drug mifepristone.

IVF expansion on victories list

The list glaringly counts Trump’s expansion of IVF as a “victory,” stating Trump “took action to lower costs and expand access to IVF and high-quality fertility care.”

The Catholic Church strongly opposes the practice. “Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church states.

Addressing this issue, Korn said the “president is very pro-family. And so we want to be able to make sure that we are allowing Americans to be able to grow their family.”

“But we understand the nuances and we understand thereʼs some disagreements,” she acknowledged. Korn emphasized that “Catholics are at the table” as the administration’s policy deliberations continue and that she expects many additional favorable outcomes for people of faith during the rest of the president’s term.

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) agreed to a legal settlement with Jessica Bates, who was represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). It affirms the department will not consider her religious beliefs when evaluating her application for a certification to adopt children and will not attempt to regulate her speech about gender and sexuality.

“Every child deserves a loving home, and children suffer when the government excludes people of faith from foster care because of the state’s own ideological crusade,” ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse said in a statement following the Sept. 9 settlement.

“Oregon officials turned Jessica away just because of her common-sense belief that parents should help children become comfortable with who they are instead of pushing them down a path of confusion and medicalization,” he said. “We believe this settlement is a win-win that protects constitutional rights and puts children’s interests first.”

In September 2022, the ODHS denied Bates’ application because she would not comply with a state policy that requires applicants to agree they will “respect, accept and support the … sexual orientation, gender identity [and] gender expression … of a child or young adult” who is placed in the home, which ADF has characterized as a “gender ideology mandate.”

Bates sued ODHS in March 2023, arguing that the policy violated her First Amendment rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion. The lawsuit stated she told the certification officer she would love any child as her own but would not facilitate a child’s gender transition through hormone therapy, use pronouns inconsistent with a child’s biological sex, or encourage gender expression inconsistent with the child’s biological sex or same-sex attraction.

A federal district court initially ruled in favor of ODHS in December 2023, but an appellate panel of judges ruled in July 2025 that ODHS likely violated her constitutional rights and blocked the department from enforcing the rules against her while the lawsuit continued.

Legal settlement

Per the legal agreement, ODHS will allow Bates to apply for a certification and will not consider her religious views in any way.

It states ODHS will not deny the application “because of her religious beliefs that sexual activity should occur only within the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman, and a person should identify and seek to live consistent with his or her biological sex.”

The settlement adds that this extends to her “desire to respectfully speak about, live out, parent, and make day-to-day caregiving decisions consistent with these sincerely held religious beliefs.”

Under the agreement, ODHS also cannot require her to “agree to use prescribed words or language, including chosen pronouns, to express views about sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression inconsistent with her religious beliefs described above as a condition of certification.”

“[The] ODHS may not enforce any per se standard, rule, or policy that precludes Bates from being considered for any particular placement, based in whole or in part based on her religious belief,” the settlement agreement states.

It further prohibits ODHS from disqualifying Bates from consideration for any particular child placement based on her religious beliefs.

Yet, the settlement does not prevent ODHS from “deciding a child’s placement based on its individualized consideration of the child’s needs and of a foster parent’s concerns or limitations (including where religiously motivated) on their ability or willingness to meet the child’s specific needs, including with regard to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”

The Oregon attorney general’s office referred EWTN News to the Oregon Department of Human Services for comment. The department did not respond to a request for comment.

Popcak told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, why he felt compelled to add a Catholic voice to this headline-making conversation.

“I created it because Catholics aren’t immune from either physical or emotional illness, and, as Catholics, we have a unique, holistic perspective on healing that encourages us to use the medical, psychological, relational, and spiritual tools available to us to promote our healing and well-being."

Popcak emphasized the need for a faithful voice in a conversation that affects approximately 1 in 7 new mothers.

“As much as we might like to think otherwise, people of faith are just as affected by mental-health problems as anybody else,” Popcak emphasized.

“Research really does show that faith plays a protective element ... but we are still afflicted with these things. Being able to respond to this in a way that is reflective of our Catholic faith and the Catholic view of the person I thought was important.”

Breaking the stigma of guilt

A central focus of the e-book is addressing the unique layer of spiritual guilt that Catholic mothers often experience when struggling with mental health post-childbirth.

Popcak explained that many Catholic mothers internalize their symptoms as a personal or spiritual failing, incorrectly believing their distress signals a lack of gratitude for their child or a weak prayer life.

“These feelings are not the mom,” Popcak said during an interview on EWTN Radio. “They are the illness attacking your feelings. ... You’re not failing any more than you would be failing if you had the flu. You didn’t make yourself get postpartum depression either. It’s your body’s reaction to the normal crash of hormones that occurs after birth, plus a lot of other factors.”

The book opens with an urgent disclaimer encouraging mothers experiencing severe crisis or self-harm thoughts to seek immediate medical intervention, reminding them that “these feelings are not you; they are the illness talking.”

Distinguishing ‘baby blues’ from clinical needs

During the broadcast, Popcak outlined the critical differences between common short-term mood shifts — often referred to as the “baby blues” — and clinical postpartum depression or psychosis. While the “baby blues” typically peak around day five post-delivery and resolve within two weeks, symptoms lasting longer require professional medical evaluation.

Popcak advocated for routine screening at OB-GYN and pediatric visits, comparing mental health checkups to baseline physical assessments.

“When we go to the doctor, even if we’re not feeling lightheaded, they take our blood pressure,” Popcak noted. “A postpartum depression screening tool takes about four minutes to complete. ... It should be just as standard as getting your blood pressure taken.”

He also emphasized that treatment should address both physical and psychological dimensions, recommending psychological counseling alongside medical treatments like SSRIs (common prescription medications for depression and anxiety) to help mothers develop coping strategies and process underlying stressors.

Self-sacrifice vs. self-destruction

Addressing spiritual questions surrounding maternal sacrifice, Popcak distinguished between healthy, Christlike self-giving and harmful self-neglect.

“There is a difference between self-sacrifice and self-destruction,” Popcak warned, urging husbands and extended family to step up support for new mothers. “God gives us our body to work for the good of others. In a sense, it’s a tool, but it can only do the job it was created to do if we take care of it. ... It’s not irresponsible or selfish or self-indulgent for the carpenter to sharpen his saw.”

The new e-book is available as a free public service download for mothers, families, and pastoral care providers. 

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

Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix, Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares, and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego took part in a Sept. 9 ribbon‑cutting ceremony marking the opening.

“The people formed here will carry what they learned beyond these walls and into their parishes, their families and communities; into the lives of those who need their care, whether through priestly ministry or mental health services,” Dolan said at the event.

“This work is ultimately about accompanying people and helping them recognize they are cherished, made in God’s image and likeness — and that can never be annulled — and they are not alone,” he said.

The 3,132-square-foot education center will support both Nazareth Seminary and the Photina Center for Catholic Counseling. The center will offer in‑person courses for the University of Mary’s Catholic anthropology certificate, limited master’s‑level counseling courses, and professional development resources.

The Photina Center will support the work of the mental health ministry, including its program to place counselors in the diocese’s Catholic schools.

The center takes its name from St. Photina, whom Eastern Christian tradition identifies as the Samaritan woman who meets Jesus at the well in John’s Gospel. Photina means “light” to reflect the center’s goal to illuminate paths of hope and healing.

University of St. Thomas to host archbishop emeritus of Assisi for event honoring St. Francis

The University of St. Thomas in Minnesota will welcome Archbishop Emeritus Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi for a day of prayer and reflection during its St. Francis celebration on Sept. 18.

The event will include public veneration of sacred relics of St. Carlo Acutis, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Clare of Assisi, and a lecture by the archbishop.

The unveiling of the sacred relics and the opening of veneration will take place in the campus’ Chapel of St. Basil, where Mass will also be celebrated for attendees.

Following the day of prayer, Sorrentino’s lecture will explore how St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures” (“Canticle of the Sun”) serves as a summary of the saint’s life.

The school said the hymn is not simply a tribute to nature or an early example of Italian but a witness to St. Francis’ “love for God carried at length to the full extent of the created universe.”

Bridgeport Diocese launches kids education series starring animated Bishop Caggiano

The Diocese of Bridgeport is launching an educational series led by an animated Bishop Frank Caggiano to teach young children about the Catholic faith.

“Bishop Frank Teaches the Faith” is a weekly series from the diocese’s Institute for Catholic Formation. The series will include weekly two- to three-minute episodes that introduce young children and families to different topics of the Catholic faith.

“Every generation of the Church is called to find new and creative ways to proclaim the Gospel,” Caggiano said in a Sept. 15 statement.

“Our children are growing up in a world shaped by digital media, and we have an extraordinary opportunity to enter that world with them and introduce them more deeply to Jesus Christ and the beauty of our Catholic faith,” he said.

Each episode pairs animation and storytelling with Caggiano’s own voice. According to the diocese, the goal is to help kids recognize that the faith is an invitation into a relationship with Jesus Christ and a way of living each day.

“Anything we can do to help parents raise faith-filled children is a win,” said Patrick Donovan, executive director of the Institute for Catholic Formation.

“Our hope is that these short episodes will spark conversations at home, reinforce what children are learning in their parishes and schools, and, most importantly, help them grow closer to Jesus,” he said.

The series will launch on Sept. 18 with the release of the first 10 episodes, which will be available online. Following the initial release, episodes will become available every Friday.

Loyola University Maryland expands aid with guarantees for early decision, Catholic grads

Loyola University Maryland is introducing two financial aid guarantees for early decision students and graduates of Catholic high schools entering in fall 2027.

The university is guaranteeing at least $40,000 annually in Loyola-funded scholarships and grants for students admitted through early decision and eligible graduates of Catholic high schools.

“These new commitments reflect Loyolaʼs desire to make an exceptional Jesuit education more accessible while providing students and families with greater clarity about affordability earlier in the college search process,” said Terrence M. Sawyer, president of Loyola, in a statement.

"We want families to have confidence that a Loyola education can be financially within reach,” he said.

Loyola’s early decision commitment guarantees at least $40,000 a year in Loyola‑funded aid for students admitted in November or January. The schools’ Catholic high school commitment will similarly guarantee eligible graduates of Catholic high schools in the U.S. and abroad $40,000 annually.

In anticipation of Xiʼs visit to Washington on Sept. 24, Sebastien Lai, Jimmy Lai’s son, met with leaders to advocate for his father. He joined a Sept. 16 congressional hearing led by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey.

“Jimmy Lai is not being imprisoned because he committed any act of violence whatsoever,” Smith, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said.

“His son has emphasized that his father has never, never advocated violence. Rather, Jimmy Lai used his voice, his newspaper, and his public platform to support freedom and democracy,” he said.

Smith said he introduced legislation Sept. 16 that would require the State Department to quickly assess any death in custody of a Hong Kong political prisoner and impose sanctions on officials found responsible. He titled the bill the “Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026.”

At the hearing, Sebastien Lai offered testimony along with Steve Yates, a research fellow on China and national security policy, and Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.

“I want to thank America, President Trump, who has been a true champion of my fatherʼs, his administration, and the senators and members of both parties whose support has never wavered and only gotten stronger. That is moral courage, and my family does not take it for granted,” Sebastien Lai said.

“By the end of this year my father will have spent six years in a maximum-security prison in solitary. At 78, he is the oldest political prisoner in Hong Kong. With a 20-year sentence looming over him, if he’s not freed soon, he will most likely die in prison,” he said.

“My sister Claire was to testify beside me today. A few weeks ago, she was diagnosed with cancer,” he said.

“I was with her in London last week as she began chemotherapy. My father learned of his own daughterʼs diagnosis from a maximum-security prison. He cannot hold her hand. She wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight,“ he said.

“We hope the Chinese authorities will consider what compassionate release would mean for her, and for a 78-year-old man who has already suffered enough,” he said.

“America understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late,“ he said.

The appeal to Xi “is simple," Sebastien Lai said. “My father poses no threat. His imprisonment makes him a symbol of injustice; his death in prison would be a disgrace. Let Jimmy Lai come home to his family and let him sit beside his daughter in her hardest moment.”

America understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late.”

Sebastien Lai

Son of imprisoned Hong Kong media publisher and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai

Clifford, of the Washington‑based advocacy group promoting human rights in Hong Kong, spoke on behalf of his friend Jimmy Lai and to remind “people that Jimmy is just one of hundreds of political prisoners being held in often appalling conditions.”

“Iʼd like to emphasize the release of Jimmy Lai would be something President Trump, Republicans and Democrats, indeed, freedom-loving people around the world would applaud,” Clifford said. “It would be a unifying event at the time when the world really needs it.”

Yates said Jimmy Lai’s case is “a test of character, of Xi Jinping’s leadership, of the president’s relationship with his counterpart, and of whether there remains any credible basis for the assumptions on which American policy toward Hong Kong was long constructed.”

The case is “a litmus test of whether there remains any reason to believe there is a future in Xi Jinping’s China for the kind of man Jimmy Lai is: a child of God, a lover of the real China, and, it may fairly be said, one of China’s greatest entrepreneurs,” Yates said.

Lai’s health ‘is going to get worse’

At a subsequent event, Sebastien Lai spoke at a press conference at Georgetown University about his father.

Trump has previously met with Xi about Jimmy Lai’s case, which did not end with his release, but Sebastian Lai said he does not believe “it is a lost cause.” He said he hopes Trump raises his father’s case “again and again.”

Sebastian Lai detailed his father’s health, which “hasnʼt gotten any better” while in solitary confinement.

“He now has heart issues. His nails fall off. His teeth are rotting. During the summer, he bleeds all over his body because [of] his rashes,” he said.

His health was especially worrisome recently because “Hong Kong just had a record summer,” Sebastien Lai said. “The heat traps in there and essentially bakes in itself. So weʼre very, very worried.”

Caoilfhionn Gallagher, human rights lawyer and leader of the international legal team representing Jimmy Lai, further laid out the urgency of the case.

“It’s very clear that if someone is detained in solitary confinement for an extended period of time, there is a direct ramification for their mortality,” she said.

“The risk to prisoners detained in solitary confinement is particularly heightened if they’re elderly or diabetic, and Jimmy Lai is both. So this couldn’t be a more urgent and timely discussion,” she said.

Gallagher also noted the broader human rights issues and lack of democracy in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong “has become a place where you can be thrown in prison for singing the wrong song, or not singing the right song, or wearing the wrong T-shirt, printing the wrong newspaper. And I think Jimmy Laiʼs case is hugely important in itself because of who he is,” Gallagher said.

“Heʼs probably the worldʼs most famous political prisoner at the moment. His case is hugely important, but we think part of why theyʼve gone for Jimmy Lai is because by getting the biggest fish of all, it sends the message to the small fry across Hong Kong,” Gallagher said.

"It makes very clear that their message is keep silent or youʼll be next,” Gallagher said.

Xi’s visit to the U.S. offers “a particular opportunity to shine a light on this issue,” she said.

Barron, who already serves as a member of the domestically focused Religious Liberty Commission, was appointed to the position by President Donald Trump. The Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, bishop was selected for the post alongside former U.S. Domestic Policy Council Director Joe Grogan and former missionary Andrew Brunson.

In a statement to EWTN News on Sept. 16, Barron said he was “honored” to accept Trump’s invitation to serve on the commission.

The bishop noted that the commission itself is “strictly bi-partisan” with its members “chosen by leaders of both major political parties.”

He highlighted the numerous Catholics who have served on the commission over the years, including Princeton Professor Robert George, U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon, Jesuit Father Thomas Reese, Archbishop Charles Chaput, and Bishop William Murphy.

“I feel privileged to join their company,” Barron said.

An independent agency in the legislative branch, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom monitors global religious liberty issues and recommends policy to the U.S. government to advance religious liberty around the world.

It regularly publishes briefs on countries it identifies as consistent violators of religious liberty. It also advocates for those suffering from religious persecution, such as this week when it urged Trump to push for the release of religious prisoners in China and for the end of religious persecution by the Chinese government.

The appointments on Sept. 16 came shortly after Trump asked Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of famed late Southern Baptist evangelist Billy Graham, to serve as the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

The bishops said in a Sept. 16 announcement that the conference’s administrative committee also met with “representatives from a variety of tech firms and specialists” who work with AI.

Bishops’ spokeswoman Chieko Noguchi said the meeting “focused on ways to keep any system of Artificial Intelligence at the service of humanity” as well as “the urgent need to address the real and present dangers such technology presents.”

The meeting came amid warnings from numerous AI leaders of the risks posed by AI systems, which are undergoing rapid advancement and which critics say could one day threaten humanity with extinction if they become advanced enough.

In an apparent reference to those warnings, Noguchi in the press release referred to “recent events” she said “have only emphasized the great need for action by everyone involved.”

The bishops aimed to use the conversations to “help to identify ways the Church can contribute to the moral foundation of AI models and steps the companies can take to protect against misuse of their inventions and to guarantee human oversight of the technology.”

Following the meetings, the bishops’ administrative committee launched a task force aimed at “preserving human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence.” San Jose, California, Bishop Oscar Cantù will serve as task force chair, the bishops said.

“Over a dozen” bishops traveled to Capitol Hill after the meetings to press Congress for strong safety standards on artificial intelligence and to “support legislation to protect children online.”

Noguchi said the bishops and AI leaders also discussed “how the Church and industry can work together toward the goal of ensuring that technology is used in ways that keep it human-centered” while respecting human dignity and benefiting both the rich and the poor.

Church leaders have repeatedly called for meaningful AI oversight as the technology has progressed from a computer-based novelty to an embedded part of the global economy and of modern life.

Pope Leo XIV in May published his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, in which the Holy Father warned that AI “tends to amplify the power of those who already possess economic resources, expertise, and access to data.”

“In practice … technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise it, finance it, regulate it, and use it,” the pope wrote.

In August, meanwhile, the pope warned that decisions affecting human life are increasingly being entrusted to machines and called for safeguards governing artificial intelligence and other digital technologies.

Earlier this month the U.S. bishops acknowledged the “widespread concern” that AI will lead to “higher unemployment and to fewer jobs that can support a family.” The technology must be “carefully developed” to serve the common good, they said.

Also earlier this month Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States, noted the “perception that we need a moral voice” on the topic of AI.

“Not everything which is possible to be done should be done. Not everything that technology offers should be taken. This is a moral choice,” the archbishop said.

The Dorothea Project — named after two servants of God, Dorothy Day and Sister Thea Bowman — organized the Sept. 15 event to coincide with the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, one of the patrons of the organization.

Catholics gathered for Mass at St. Peter’s Church on Capitol Hill, celebrated by Washington, D.C., Auxiliary Bishop Gary Studniewski, and processed to Upper Senate Park, which is less than a mile from the parish and sits adjacent to the Capitol. They prayed the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary.

In his homily, Studniewski reflected on the Gospel reading from John 19 when Mary, the mother of God, stood before Christ on the cross. As Mary did, he said, “we want to stand at the foot of the cross of suffering, the suffering Christ, [and] we want to be present to our suffering brothers and sisters to offer our tears and our prayers and our consolation.”

The bishop said that “these days, in our own country, we are aware of so many who suffer the pains of injustice.” He said: “We gather today, mindful of the many men, women, and children — real families — who suffer the injustice of being mistreated as immigrants, migrants, strangers.”

“Like our Blessed Mother, we may appear to be powerless at the foot of the cross,” Studniewski said. “But the suffering of our brothers and sisters in need is somehow softened by our presence and by the agency of those who love them. They are not alone. They are accompanied in their suffering. They are loved.”

Anna Marie Gallagher, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), an organization that works closely with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), said the procession and rally come at a “difficult and frightening moment for immigrant communities in the United States.”

She said deportations impact people “who have lived, worked, worshipped, raised children, and have contributed to our community for years.” She said immigration status is more complicated than “legal” and “illegal,” noting that people can face deportation when protected status expires or have difficulty moving from temporary to permanent status.

People who follow the laws, Gallagher said, may “find that the rules have changed around them.”

Policies, she said, must protect “family safety and human life” and always be consistent with “human dignity.” She said policies should recognize every person, regardless of immigration status, as “a person created in the image and likeness of God.”

“You are part of our communities,” Gallagher said of migrant communities. “Your dignity does not depend upon your immigration status. You are not invisible and the Church will continue to walk with you.”

Many gathered for the procession carried signs, some of which were premade and depicted Our Lady of Sorrows with the text, “dignity, family, solidarity.” Art Laffin, a member of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker movement in Washington, D.C., carried a handwritten sign saying, “Love your neighbor means to welcome the immigrant, not to detain and deport them.”

Kathy O’Leary, who traveled from New Jersey, told EWTN News she came to connect with Catholics “taking action right now,” adding: “We need to show our love for our neighbors.” She said she’s grateful Pope Leo XIV and the U.S. bishops have spoken up for migrants, noting that their statements have encouraged more people to attend events like this.

Frank Panopoulos, a human rights attorney and activist, told EWTN News he also believes it’s “great that the bishops and the pope are speaking about it.” Yet, he said he does not believe the message has reached the pews to the point that it motivates more people to take action.

He said gatherings that defend the dignity of migrants should have “the same kind of crowd that Jesus got when he entered into Jerusalem.”

Ken Cooper, a retired religion teacher, told EWTN News he attended the event because “when you welcome the stranger, you welcome [Christ],” quoting from Matthew 25.

“If they’re here, you must treat all human beings like Christ,” he said.

Following the rally, the Dorothea Project took groups to several congressional offices with whom they coordinated meetings, including the office of Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia.

“We must build an immigration system that upholds American values and treats every person with the dignity they deserve,“ Beyer said in a statement to EWTN News. ”I’m grateful to the Dorothea Project for its partnership in this work, including its continued advocacy to protect our neighbors’ freedom to worship without fear and pass our Protecting Sensitive Locations Act into law.”

Katie Holler, founder of the Dorothea Project, told EWTN News the group “feels really blessed that so many people came from both near and far” for the event. The advocacy of Leo and the U.S. bishops on behalf of migrants, she said, “gives us fertile soil” to bring more Catholics into public advocacy for migrants.

This story was updated at 1:35 p.m. ET on Sept. 17, 2026, to include a statement by Rep. Don Beyer, D-Virginia.

The commission called on Trump to continue his efforts for the release of the prisoners ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to the U.S. on Sept. 24.

USCIRF called for the release of Catholic pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, numerous Christian leaders, and others in prison for practicing their religious beliefs.

“President Trump boldly demonstrated to President Xi during their meeting in Beijing earlier this year that the United States stands for religious freedom by calling for the release of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) prisoners,” said Asif Mahmood, chair of USCIRF.

“Speaking up again sends a clear and consistent signal that religious freedom for all is a priority for the United States and that it expects the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] to respect its population rather than persecute millions for practicing their faith,” he said.

The commission highlighted that after a direct appeal by Trump, Chinese authorities previously freed former prisoner Pastor Ezra Jin of the Zion Church in July. He was permitted to relocate to the United States and reunite with his family.

While Jin was released, eight other Zion Church leaders who were arrested alongside him remain detained.

“In releasing Pastor Jin, President Xi showed that he has the power to release FoRB prisoners if he so desires—and indeed he has an obligation to do so under international law,” said Cece Heil, vice chair of USCIRF.

USCIRF detailed the other leaders whose release the commission is urging and is asking Trump “to seize the opportunity during his upcoming summit with President Xi,” Heil said.

They called on Trump to discuss religious leaders including “Gulshan Abbas, Ekpar Asat, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Jimmy Lai, the Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family,” Heil said.

The commission also asked Trump “to urge the Chinese government to provide a passport to U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident, Pastor John Cao and allow him to reunite with his family and seek urgent medical treatment in the United States,” Heil said.

The appeal also precedes a planned hearing on Sept. 16 held by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, to discuss the release of Lai. Jimmy Lai’s son, Sebastien Lai, will offer testimony regarding his father’s immediate release and to examine the broader implications of his continued imprisonment.

In its 2026 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State redesignate China as a country of particular concern (CPC) for engaging “in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom,” according to the commission.

USCIRF urges special watchlist designation for Kyrgyz Republic

In a September report, USCIRF also reaffirmed its call for the Kyrgyz Republic to be placed on the U.S. Department of State’s special watchlist.

The brief was released to highlight “legal restrictions as well as recent violations that Kyrgyz officials have committed against independent Muslims and Christians from unregistered communities,” USCIRF reported.

“The Kyrgyz government regularly violates freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) as laid out in its constitution as well as in international documents such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which it is a signatory,” the report said.

USCIRF detailed that Kyrgyz officials apply a “vague label of extremism” to justify matters such as regularly raiding places of worship, issuing fines, seizing religious materials, imposing prison sentences, forcing individuals to renounce their beliefs, and engaging in physical abuse.

In early 2025, the nation’s president, Sadyr Japarov, amended a restrictive  religion law and approved other acts, which significantly tightened state control over religious groups.

“Enforcement of these laws—which often occurs in conjunction with broadly framed anti-extremism statues under the Criminal Code—often involves targeting religious groups that the government considers ‘nontraditional,’ particularly independent Muslims and members of unregistered Christian groups,” the report said.

The commissionʼs report noted that targeted Christian groups often face persecution “from harassment and fines to prison sentences and physical abuse,” according to the report.

Lynch, whose father, Franklin Graham, leads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, revealed the news on X on Sept. 15, saying Trump had asked her to serve as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

The role helps lead the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Lynch on X said it would be “a great honor and privilege” to serve in the role.

“If confirmed by the Senate, please pray that I would serve with excellence and make the most of every opportunity to protect our most precious and fundamental right—and one that far too many people around the world still live without—freedom of religion,” she wrote.

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Lynch has remained active in the religious advocacy and aid networks started by her grandfather and continue to be run by her family.

She has served as an adviser to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and at Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian aid organization also led by Franklin Graham.

On Sept. 15 Franklin Graham said his daughter is “uniquely” qualified for the role, the duties of which include promoting religious freedom abroad and advising the U.S. government when that right is violated internationally.

The government says the religious freedom ambassador serves as “a principal adviser to the president and the principal adviser to the secretary of state regarding matters affecting religious freedom abroad.” The ambassador‑at‑large also has served as a nonvoting member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which has three vacancies yet to be appointed by the president.

Franklin Graham said his daughter has “traveled the world and been a student of this issue for many years” and has “a broad worldview and knowledge of the issues facing religious freedom today.”

“I couldn’t be more proud of her, and I ask you to pray that God would give her wisdom and strength,” Graham wrote.

The group’s 95th annual educational conference, held in Phoenix Sept. 10–12, emphasized the early Church Fathers, whose influence was strongest in the East, in order to “promote a more comprehensive view and more respect for the mysteries of human health and disease,” said conference chair Dr. Mary Keen-Kirchoff.

“We’re embodied spirits, not just physical bodies,” she said at the opening. Healing, she added, “is a return to humanity’s original creation in the image and likeness of God.”

The conference theme was “Mysteries and Miracles: Restoring the Practice of Medicine to Heal the Whole Person.” Setting the tone, Father Andriy Chirovsky, a theologian and priest of the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome, and psychiatrist Dr. Donna C. Dobrowolsky shared the first plenary.

They moved between theology and clinical practice, saying they hoped to help medical professionals recover a holistic understanding of “the whole person, because thatʼs who all of us care about.” Theology without clinical reality stays abstract, they said; clinical work without a complete Christian anthropology becomes fragmented.

“If the human person is misunderstood, then healing will also be misunderstood and therefore less effective,” Chirovsky said. “Healing requires a true anthropology.”

He quoted Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, in which the pontiff wrote: “We Christians lift our eyes to the Incarnate God, knowing that it is ‘only the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of humanity truly becomes clear.’”

Why the East, and why now?

Chirovsky cited St. John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical Ut Unum Sint (That They May Be One), in which the pope, referring to the Eastern and Western Catholic churches, wrote that “the Church must breathe with her two lungs!”

Dobrowolsky noted that what the West calls sacraments, the East calls mysteries: rites “not fully comprehensible by human reason, but revealed by God.”

Chirovsky said Eastern spirituality and practice “preserve certain habits of thought that are especially needed at this moment in history.”

He was not arguing against the West, he said. Any strength can become distorted when it loses its complement. The East offers “a needed medicine for some of the pathologies of modern culture,” especially the idea that a person is the center of the universe, “self-defining,” and “the ground of truth.”

“We require revelation to understand our own selves,” he said.

“If the person is not self-explaining,” Dobrowolsky said, medicine has to be careful because lab values and symptom clusters aren’t enough to explain a person. They’re important, but they don’t tell us everything about who a human person is.”

The Catholic Church needs both the East and the West in the same way a healthy person must think with both hemispheres of the brain, the priest said, quoting neuroscientist Iain McGilchrist’s book “The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World.”

In his book, McGilchrist notes that the left side of the brain is analytical and narrow, while the right side focuses more on the big picture, and pathology results when the two sides don’t work together and one side dominates.

Chirovsky compared modern medicine’s laser focus on the analytical and quantifiable, using hyperspecialization in the medical field as an example, to a pathology with too much dependence on the left brain.

“The analytic mode is powerful, but when it dominates unchecked, the person becomes legible as data but less visible as mystery and as a person,” he said.

“Any practice of medicine that loses sight of the whole person as revealed in the incarnate Son of God is going to run into lots of trouble,” he added. “Modern medicine is doing exactly that.”

Dobrowolsky agreed, adding that “in medicine, that imbalance isn’t theoretical, we see it every day.”

Seeing the human being as mystery does not mean the person is unintelligible, she said. “We’re saying this human person is not exhausted by reductionist accounts. And that the deepest truth of the human person is disclosed in relation to Christ.”

“If a person is reduced to a collection of functions, risks, and measurable outputs, their care becomes reduced as well,” she continued, saying that while practitioners may “retain technical brilliance … the patient may begin to disappear beneath the technique.”

Indeed, the conference’s breakout sessions touched upon the necessity for a Christian anthropology informed by a Church “breathing with both lungs," with talks titled “Healing Is Not the Same as Curing: Patristic Anthropology and the Limits of Modern Medicine,” “The Neglected Soul: Ancient Monastic Teachings on Depression in the Modern World,” and “Psychedelics, AI, Spirituality, and More: Ancient Wisdom for Reenchanting Medicine.”

“My prayer before the conference was that all attendees receive abundant graces of understanding and hope for the future,” Keen-Kirchoff told EWTN News. “I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit was so present … and trust that attendees are more in tune with who we are in Christ and who we are to become in Christ.”

Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, won the CMA’s annual Evangelium Vitae award for his pastoral efforts surrounding mental health.

In May 2024, Conley published a pastoral letter titled “A Future with Hope,” concerning the Catholic response to mental health struggles. The honor sits close to the conference’s theme: care that views the person as a whole, in the mystery of body and spirit.

Khalil was arrested and detained Feb. 8, 2025. His daughter and advocacy group Christian Solidarity International (CSI) have urged U.S. governmental intervention.

Veronica Dudo, “EWTN News Nightly” anchor, interviewed Khalil’s daughter, Natalie Khalil, and Joel Veldkamp, CSI director for public advocacy, on Sept. 14 about the detention, the state of U.S.-Syrian relations, and Natalie’s recent letter to President Donald Trump appealing for help.

“It’s been 19 months since they got him. We don’t know why they got him. They didn’t claim that they have any charges against him. We weren’t allowed to get a lawyer. They came to our house and said, ‘He was wanted,’” she said.

Khalil, known for his Christian faith, gained wide respect in 2015 when he organized the defense of Sadad during an ISIS assault, an effort credited with saving more than 9,000 residents.

Veldkamp said: “Suleiman Khalil is very well known in Syria for saving the town.”

He received an early warning that ISIS, a violent extremist organization responsible for mass atrocities across Syria and Iraq, was approaching, Veldkamp said.

Khalil was not aligned with the former regime but was an independent Christian political figure who acted out of necessity to protect his community, Veldkamp said.

Veldkamp said it appears Khalil is being punished for those actions, a move that sends a stark warning to Christians across Syria about their place in the country. Veldkamp said such treatment threatens the survival of the Christian community in one of the world’s oldest centers of Christianity. The treatment of Khalil, Veldkamp said, undercuts the government’s own assurances to Washington.

“For the new Syrian government, which has only been in power for about two years, to tell the United States that they’re joining their fight against terrorism, and then to put a man like this in prison, it sends a very confusing message to the U.S. It sends a terrible message to Christians in Syria who are really uncertain about their future under this new government,” Veldkamp said.

“The new Syrian government is very dependent on the U.S. government — on the Trump administration. The Trump administration has high hopes for Syria,” Veldkamp said.

‘We weren’t allowed to be Christians’

Natalie Khalil said the family faced strict limits during their visits, including rules that barred them from expressing their Christian identity.

“Even when we went to visit, we weren’t allowed to be ourselves,” she said. “We were asked to wear hijab to cover the head and hair. We were to cover the whole body. Yet, my brother went wearing a necklace with a cross — they took it off his neck. We weren’t allowed to be Christians in that place.”

She added: “I wasn’t able to get him a Bible inside to the prison.”

In a letter to Trump, Natalie expressed her plea for justice.

“My story is not unique. I don’t need special treatment; I just need the justice for my father’s case,” Natalie said.

“Daniel and the Fiery Furnace” stars Mena Massoud, best known for his role playing Aladdin in the live action version of the film, as Daniel and Elijah Alexander, known for his role playing Atticus in the series “The Chosen,” as King Nebuchadnezzar.

Co-directed and produced by brothers Matthew and Daniel Kooman, “Daniel and the Fiery Furnace" became one of the most successful recent faith-based crowdfunding campaigns. It raised $1.2 million in order to fund its production.

The movie will be released in theaters on Sept. 18.

EWTN News spoke to the stars of the movie and the Kooman brothers about the inspiration behind the film and what they hope audiences will take away from it.

Daniel Kooman explained that the inspiration for the film came from the “timeless relevance of the story.”

“It really felt like coming to it as an origin story of Daniel and his friends being young men at the time of the Jewish exile was something that hadnʼt been depicted — that weʼve seen — in [a] story before,” he said. “So imagining it, these young men coming up against intense and immense challenges coming into Babylon, which was the heart of the world … and seeing how they stood up under temptation, how they stood for their convictions, and their faith was something that inspired us so much as storytellers.”

When it came to making the movie, Matthew Kooman emphasized the importance placed on relying on Scripture to tell the story. While some creative liberties were still taken, he said that anytime Scripture was being spoken or used “we didnʼt stray from it.”

“The first three chapters that weʼre telling in this movie are really based on a lot of research about time and the world that they were living in and when things happened in sequence,” Matthew added. “But then when youʼre sharing the scriptural moments that everybody knows — that are accurate and what everybody has memorized or learned as kids — without straying from those things, making it interesting with kind of filling in some of the gaps that we donʼt know.”

As for the actors, both had always hoped to portray biblical figures.

Massoud, a Coptic Orthodox Christian, shared that he grew up taking part in church plays and played Jesus in the Stations of the Cross in elementary school, so he has wanted to take part in a faith-based project in his professional career for some time.

“I really wanted to get involved with a biblical, faith-based project and Daniel just seemed like the perfect fit,” he said.

He added: “A lot of biblical stories, I think, get the reputation of being older characters, older messages, but I think this is a story thatʼs really about young people taking charge of not only their own lives, but taking charge of their faith, of their relationship with God, and leading by example, which is, I think, the most powerful thing about Daniel and the kingʼs relationship is that they both lead by example and they both challenge each other in action as well.”

Alexander, who was born and raised Jewish, said he has wanted to portray an Old Testament figure since Hebrew school.

“Ever since Hebrew school when I was first introduced to the stories of the five books of Moses … I was fascinated by these remarkable stories, these huge epic stories of men and women who changed the course of history,” Alexander said.

“They were stories of particular and personal relationships with God,” he added. “And I was always inspired by that, by the idea of being close friends with God.”

A particularly powerful line from the movie — which the filmmakers call the theme of the film — is: “God does not put you through the fire to test you, he puts you through it to refine you.”

“One of the things that the Bible later tells us is that God disciplines those he loves and the one that he calls as a son or a daughter, he will actually refine you, he will make your life come more in line with his will and his ways,” Daniel Kooman said. “And that was something that Daniel and his friends actually embraced.”

“The furnace was literally seven times hotter, which is the temperature that can refine and purify gold. So these men walked in and they burned hotter than the flames. And they actually saw the refinement of their lives and their hearts and they submitted humbly to God,” he added. “They said in incredible reverence to the Almighty, ‘Even if God doesnʼt deliver us, because heʼs the Almighty, he can do what he wants, weʼre still going to follow him. We still choose Yahweh.’ And thatʼs just such an incredibly powerful theme. And they were refined by the flames.”

Massoud — who speaks the line in the film — said: “Young people and old people, people of any age, we often ask the question, ‘Why is this happening to me? Why is God putting me through this? Why am I being tested?’ And I think it is important to keep in mind that God doesnʼt throw anything at you that he knows you canʼt handle. He is not looking to defeat people. He is not looking to have people surrender to life, though, he is looking for people to surrender to him.”

“God is throwing things at you, challenges in your life, obstacles in your life, to help you become a better, stronger version of yourself,” he emphasized.

As for what they hope audiences take away from the film, Matthew Kooman said that “thereʼs a refining fire that we can walk through, we can be a part of, and that itʼs worth standing for your faith.”

The study, published in the Journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (JAHM), found that physicians rarely screen for coercion and pressure to abort, even though it is the highest predictive risk factor for negative outcomes.

The authors, David C. Reardon, Dr. Martha W. Shuping, and Dr. Patricia K. Giebink, called the failure to screen for this “medical negligence.”

“Women considering abortions should be evaluated for risk factors predictive of negative outcomes,” the study read. “The failure to screen for these risk factors is medical negligence. Screening and informing women of their personal risk factors as required by ethical and legal standards may lead to consideration of alternatives to abortion by women who consider the risks unacceptable.”

Michael New, a senior associate scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, a pro-life group that does abortion-related research, said it was a “methodologically strong study,” noting that 1,000 women were surveyed, 226 of whom had an abortion in the past.

“Pro-lifers and the medical community should learn several important lessons from this study,” New told EWTN News. “First, coerced abortions are not uncommon. Secondly, … this study adds to a body of research that finds that a substantial percentage of abortions are unwanted or are inconsistent with the values of the woman seeking the abortion.”

“Third, even though supporters of legal abortion claim that women obtaining abortions report low levels of mental health problems, they should acknowledge that mental health risks are substantially higher among the subset of women who are emotionally conflicted or who would prefer not to have the abortion,” he continued.

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a senior ethicist at The National Catholic Bioethics Center, urged physicians “to provide full disclosure of the risks and side effects to their patients.”

“The long list of bad mental, emotional, and health effects that regularly arise in the wake of an induced abortion should give pause to anyone seeking, or counseling, abortion, especially when it comes to medical professionals who themselves need to be fully informed regarding the seriousness of these risks,” Pacholczyk told EWTN News.

“I think it’s fair to say that a key duty of the physician or healthcare professional, in seeking to ‘do no harm,’ would be to try to dissuade their patients from acting on any desire to procure a direct abortion,” he continued. “And a candid discussion about the broad range of potential bad outcomes from the procedure provides an excellent starting point for dialoguing with their patients in a moment of crisis.”

Pacholczyk urged medical professionals to have references for pre-abortion counseling for women considering abortion.

“While medical professionals may not be able themselves to provide all the support a young woman requires when confronted with an unexpected pregnancy, they should be able to recommend or refer the woman to obtain additional helpful pre-abortion counseling so she can ponder, and bring to the surface, her own motives and fears, and by doing so, hopefully strengthen her to steer clear of the pseudo-remedy of abortion and instead address her situation with a heightened awareness of the care, accompaniment, and support coming from those around her,” Pacholczyk said. 

Though difficult to enforce, legislation to require medical professionals to screen for coercion may enable victims of coercion to sue abortion clinics, if put into effect, according to New.

“It is unsurprising that physicians performing abortions rarely screen for coercion,” New said. “Many abortion are done in high-volume clinics where abortion doctors spend very little time with women seeking abortions.”

Kelsey Pritchard, a spokeswoman for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the abortion industry doesn’t prioritize women.

“The abortion industry prioritizes profit — not women’s well-being, informed consent, or health, the overwhelming evidence shows,” Pritchard said.

“Previous peer-reviewed research by Charlotte Lozier Institute scholars indicates most women who’ve had abortions would have preferred not to if they had more support, with nearly a quarter describing their abortions as unwanted or coerced,” Pritchard continued.

She voiced concerns about the ease of abortion coercion due to mail-order abortion.

“Since Democrats made it as easy as ordering an Amazon package for anyone anywhere to buy and ship dangerous abortion drugs, even to states with pro-life laws, this hidden epidemic has gone from bad to worse, with alarming cases of women assaulted and poisoned across the country,” Pritchard said.

“Women pressured, coerced, or forced to abort go on to report higher levels of mental health and quality-of-life difficulties, which they all too often endure silently as they can face significant hurdles to coming forward,” Pritchard said.

“The loudest pro-abortion voices refuse to acknowledge the truth behind their narrative of ‘freedom’ and ‘choice,’” Pritchard said.

The diocese will begin gathering information — a key initial stage in the Catholic Church’s process of determining sainthood.

When Joseph, a teenager at the time, fell into a septic tank, Tom climbed into the tank with him, pushing him up toward the surface, away from the toxic fumes, saving his son’s life. Tom, 66, died on Sept. 8, 2008, in the accident, leaving behind his wife and seven sons.

His legacy didn’t end there, however. Because of his self-sacrificial act, a group of Catholics, formally called the Tom Vander Woude Guild, began to advocate for his cause.

“His final act of self-sacrificial love was widely regarded as the culmination of a Christian life marked by faith, charity, humility, fortitude, and generous service to others,” read Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge’s edict, also signed by Monsignor Paul deLadurantaye, the chancellor of the diocese.

After receiving a formal petition from the cause’s postulator, Waldery Hilgeman, the diocese is asking for all information that could affect the cause to be brought forward. The bishop is also collecting any writings by Vander Woude and any documents about him.

“We see in the life and death of Thomas Vander Woude a sincere response to the Christian call to sainthood,” Burbidge said. “As heroic as were the circumstances of Thomas Vander Woude’s death, this husband and father showed in a profound way that sanctity is to be sought first and foremost through personal faithfulness in daily life and to a consistent and sincere yes to God in the circumstances of one’s vocation and responsibilities.”

Burbidge spoke about the cause in a podcast on Sept. 10, describing Vander Woude as “a holy, faithful, selfless, sacrificial man who serves as an inspiration for us.”

“That’s what saints do,” he continued. “They show us that we, who are ordinary and flawed, can live heroic and holy lives."

“When you move forward in this cause, itʼs not just because of that one heroic event, but also the day-to-day faithfulness as a husband, as a father, as a citizen, as a man of God,” Burbidge said.

Chris Vander Woude, a son of Tom Vander Woude who is advocating for his cause, expressed his excitement at the progress.

“I am grateful to the Diocese of Arlington and Bishop Burbidge for taking this step in the investigative process; it is truly exciting and incredibly humbling at the same time,” Chris Vander Woude told EWTN News.

“Not a day goes by without missing Dad, but witnessing how his story continues to inspire so many is a consolation,” he said. “I think his commitment to his daily vocation as a husband and father, culminating in his sacrifice for my brother, resonates with all sorts of people — especially parents. We continue to pray that Godʼs will be done in this process.”

In January 2025, 196 dioceses were invited to take part in the annual Diocesan Natural Family Planning Ministry National 2025 Profile Report by the USCCB. Of the dioceses, 61 completed the questionnaire.

Similarly to past years, there is a wide gap between the numbers of couples who enroll in an introductory NFP education program and those who follow up with a full course.

The report found that a total of 18,211 individuals received some information or instruction on NFP across dioceses in 2025. In comparison, there were only 7,518 individuals who attended a full course in NFP.

The report noted that further research must be done among dioceses to understand the disparities and adjust NFP efforts to combat them.

It is important to strengthen NFP programs for many reasons but especially for the overall health of women, according to Dr. Annevay Conlee, vice president of the Women’s Health Service Line at OSF HealthCare, an integrated health system founded by the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis.

“When looking at the overall health of the couple, but also the woman in particular, fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) are better than artificial contraceptive methods when looking at the wellness aspect and monitoring health, recognizing abnormalities, and being able to help in a restorative way sustain and support health,” Conlee told EWTN News.

“It does not cause the side effects and long-term potential consequences that contraception does,” she said.

To best ensure that couples continue the NFP learning process, Conlee suggested dioceses and other NFP providers ensure that they offer different types of options to “fit the needs and time commitment of the couple,” she said.

Also, they should be “making sure that there is awareness of not only the ability to achieve and avoid pregnancy with this but also monitor health and wellness,” she said.

Report reveals few employees and low budget

The 2025 report also found that employment for NFP programs differs among dioceses.

Of the 2025 respondents, 30% reported they rely on paid part-time staff and volunteers, and 16% have a full-time paid NFP coordinator.

Most instructors are volunteers (58%) who do not receive any stipend, while some are volunteers who do receive a stipend (16%) to cover expenses.

Steve Mattern, senior vice president of mission services at OSF HealthCare, noted high levels of volunteers may contribute to some of the low numbers.

“It seems like volunteers staff much of the demands of this work and while some … pre-marriage work does involve expectation of education and training, many dioceses do not expect this nor have the ability to serve it if they did expect it,” Mattern said.

“Still, there are some wonderful things happening where the next generations of Catholics are stepping up to give witness talks, to help give orientation, and to support education,” he said.

Along with employees, the survey also found that limited funding continues to be a significant issue for NFP programs. Of dioceses surveyed, 68% budgeted less than $5,000 for NFP programs.

Most diocesan NFP programs rely on indirect funding from other sources including donations from parishes, grants from local Knights of Columbus councils, a fee for course instruction, and follow-up fees, according to the report.

Next steps for the Church

“We hear anecdotally in healthcare that fewer couples are coming to seek marriage in the Catholic Church,” Mattern said.

As “more people are living together and may be seeking marriage outside the Church when they do marry,” there is more of a question around what “needs to be in the required marriage prep pathway,” he said.

“Should the couple go through a course of their choosing within a range of offered methodologies for NFP, and should the diocese offer a coupon or resource for them to do this?”

“This has been tried and it does work; many do go on to take a course offering,” he said. “However, other dioceses may seek to do a very basic course … and may not really get to NFP or may make only a brief mention of it.”

“It seems like a strong and effective communication approach and partnership across both the diocese and the Catholic healthcare ministry, and its professionals can bring a stronger approach for life and for the good of these couples and their family life,” Mattern said.

Overall, “people still need basic awareness of what the fertility awareness-based methodologies offer and provide and so this work is ongoing and invites our creativity, hope, and imagination,” he said.

While discussion around NFP is usually in regard to pregnancy, “it is so much more important to start forming our minds and hearts when we are young and in the context of our families,” Sister M. Mikela Meidl, FSGM, president of OSF HealthCare, said.

“Learning about modesty, purity, and the beauty of our bodies as we grow and develop helps create an openness to understand ourselves long before we marry,” she said.

“Supporting and helping parents to hold these conversations without embarrassment and full of confidence and attentive listening will go a long way in making people desire what is true and good,” she said.

Throughout September, EWTN’s television, streaming, news, and digital platforms are providing comprehensive coverage leading up to and following the beatification, on-the-ground reporting of events from both Peoria, Illinois, and St. Louis, and special coverage exploring the life and legacy of Sheen.

“Archbishop Fulton Sheen was one of the great evangelists of the 20th century and a pioneer in using the media to proclaim the Gospel,” Michael P. Warsaw, chairman and CEO of EWTN, said in a statement.

“His beatification is a historic moment for the Church in the United States and a powerful reminder of the universal call to holiness. EWTN has always understood its mission as a service to the Church, and part of that service is bringing the great moments in the life of the Church to people wherever they may be,” he added. “It is a privilege to bring this celebration to audiences across the United States and around the world.”

From Sept. 15–23, EWTN will air nightly broadcasts of the nine-day novena of Holy Hours at 8 p.m. ET from the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria, Illinois.

On Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. ET viewers can watch the anniversary Mass of Sheen’s priestly ordination live from the Cathedral of St. Mary in Peoria. On Sept. 23, the solemn vespers at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis will be broadcast live at 6 p.m. ET.

On the day of Sheen’s beatification, Sept. 24, EWTN will have live, all-day coverage starting at 9 a.m. ET. The beatification Mass at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis will begin at 2 p.m. ET.

EWTN’s live coverage of the beatification Mass will be hosted by Lila Rose, host of “The Lila Rose Show” podcast, which airs on EWTN+; Father Aquinas Guilbeau, OP, vice president of ministry and mission and university chaplain at The Catholic University of America; and Matthew Bunson, vice president and editorial director of EWTN News, who will provide historical context, commentary, analysis, and reaction throughout the celebration.

For EWTN, this day carries significance. Decades before the network was founded, Sheen exemplified the potential of using emerging media to evangelize through his radio broadcasts and television series, “Life Is Worth Living,” which brought Catholic teaching into the homes of millions.

“Archbishop Sheen showed what was possible when someone with deep faith was willing to enter a new medium and use it boldly for Christ,” said Peter Gagnon, president of EWTN Studios. “Mother Angelica admired Sheen and was inspired by his ability to use television to reach people with the truths of the Catholic faith. In many ways, he helped blaze the trail that she would later follow. It is especially meaningful for EWTN to celebrate his beatification and to introduce his extraordinary legacy to a new generation.”

During the live event, EWTN News will also provide reporting before, during, and after the beatification across its television, print, and digital platforms, with feature stories, interviews, analysis, and more.

Mark Irons will serve as EWTN News’ broadcast and digital correspondent reporting from St. Louis and Peoria, while Jonah McKeown will provide coverage from St. Louis for EWTNNews.com and the National Catholic Register.

Other EWTN News team members will be stationed in both cities to cover the celebrations, pilgrimages, liturgies, and local communities at the center of the historic events.

From Peoria on Sept. 25, the Mass of thanksgiving will be aired at noon ET, followed by the Divine Liturgy of thanksgiving on Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. ET.

Additional special coverage

In celebration of Sheen, EWTN has featured special programming highlighting Sheen’s life, spirituality, ministry, and enduring influence, including: “The Spiritual Legacy of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen” (Seasons 1 and 2) running daily throughout September at 6:30 a.m. ET; “Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Servant of All” will air on Sept. 19 at 2 p.m. ET; and “A Matter of Faith — Mother’s Day with Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen” will be available on EWTN.com starting on Sept. 19.

Select “Life Is Worth Living” episodes can be watched online for a limited time at EWTN.com and on the EWTN YouTube Channel from Sept. 19–25.

EWTN Publishing will release “America’s Apostle: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Blessed Fulton J. Sheen,” which is the official commemorative book of the beatification, on Sept. 15 on the EWTN Religious Catalogue.

The faithful can also download multimedia resources and a free eBook titled “In His Presence: Fulton Sheen on Our Time with the Lord,” which is available here.

Since then, José Ignacio has had to learn a new way of loving, one that is deeper and more self-sacrificing, reaffirming his vocation and his desire to reach heaven together with Claudia.

“I am a man eternally in love with his wife, a family man who, before being in love with his wife, is a child of God who has found answers to many questions along the way, precisely through suffering,” he recounted in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

Claudia’s illness has changed many things in their marriage, but, he affirmed, it has not changed the promise they made on their wedding day.

“Love is a decision. Love is not a feeling. Love is a decision, and you have to decide to love every day,” he emphasized.

For him, their story is an opportunity to speak about the beauty of Catholic marriage and a promise that is not conditional on everything going well. It’s the story of a husband who, amid exhaustion, pain, and uncertainty, strives to remain by the side of the woman with whom he chose to share his life.

‘God blessed us with 30 years of a very happy marriage’

José Ignacio and Claudia, both Mexicans, met on a blind date on Aug. 31, 1997. When he saw her for the first time, José Ignacio said he remembers thinking, “Wow.” Over time, they discovered that they shared many interests and, above all, that they enjoyed being together.

They were married on March 20, 1999, at St. Engracia Parish in the Archdiocese of Monterrey in Mexico. Claudia was 24 and José Ignacio was 28. They raised a family with three children: María José, Federico José, and Anaisabel, who are their pride and joy.

They currently live in Houston; they have a 6-month-old grandson and are expecting the arrival of two more grandchildren.

From the time they were dating and throughout their married life, they have lived out a steadfast faith.

“We went to Mass every day from the time we got married,” said José Ignacio, noting that they were both aware their journey as a married couple was heading toward a destination far greater than themselves: heaven.

“God blessed us with 30 years of a very happy marriage though not without setbacks, like everyone else,” he related.

At the wedding, the priest shared a thought with them that José Ignacio still remembers: “You entered as single individuals; you will leave forever united as one.”

They looked at each other and understood that being one was not merely a nice expression.

“We truly are one,” they thought.

As the years went by, children, responsibilities, and difficult times came with it.

“Obviously, there were unpleasant moments. But I don’t remember them anymore, because I strive to always see her with love and for that love to grow,” he said.

The diagnosis that changed their lives

Claudia was 44 years old when she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimerʼs.

José Ignacio had already begun to notice some confusion, but he attributed it to fatigue. Moreover, the disease was not entirely unfamiliar to the family: Both her mother and her mother-in-law had suffered from it.

It was during a medical consultation that a neurologist noticed signs that led to further evaluations.

The diagnosis was devastating. Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that eventually leads to death.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ website, the disease “slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out even the simplest tasks.” Furthermore, “people with Alzheimer’s also experience changes in behavior and personality.”

It is estimated that more than 6 million people living in the United States, many of whom are 65 or older, have Alzheimerʼs disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, early-onset Alzheimerʼs affects 41 out of every 100,000 people between the ages of 30 and 64.

The disease impacts many more people, such as the patientʼs family members and, above all, the person who takes on the role of caregiver, as is the case with José Ignacio.

Full-time care

Claudiaʼs treatment began shortly after her diagnosis. There is no cure for the disease, but treatment helps slow its progression. Claudia receives infusion therapy at the hospital every two weeks, or sometimes even more frequently.

During the early years, the decline was not very noticeable. However, José Ignacio explained that over the last two years, the disease has become much more apparent, particularly regarding orientation and the performance of simple tasks.

Her memory, he explained, still holds onto many recollections. But other abilities have begun to fade, and with them, the family dynamic has changed as well.

José Ignacio left his job in the financial sector and now devotes himself full time to caring for Claudia.

‘Marriage is about making your wife happy’

For José Ignacio, however, there is something that has not changed: the presence of God.

“When you have God in the midst, God dwells among Christian spouses and never leaves them,” he maintained.

That is why he views marriage not merely as living together or as a feeling that lasts only as long as circumstances are favorable.

“Marriage is about making your wife happy, and your wife’s role is to make you happy. You must dedicate yourself to your wife and choose to love her every day, because you have to nurture that love,” he explained.

Illness made the meaning of a promise even clearer to him. “When you get married, you make a promise. It is a promise in sickness and in health, for all the days of my life,” he added.

Adversity, he said, is not something couples usually imagine when they marry, yet it is part of life.

“Illness comes along. The last thing on your mind is illness, but the reality of marriage is that the very illness you vowed to face together does arrive. It will happen to one of you or the other, sooner or later.”

‘God does not send suffering’

José Ignacio rejects the idea that God is the one who sends suffering.

“God does not send suffering. Suffering happens because that is simply how life is. Quite the opposite: God is with you in your suffering; he doesn’t like to see you suffer, he weeps with you, and he gives you or tries to give you the joy to move forward and he gives you the strength,” he stated.

That conviction is what by his own account enables him to do things every day that he often feels he could not accomplish on his own. Bathing Claudia, dressing her, and assisting her with her daily activities have become part of his life.

“I couldn’t take care of Claudia on my own; the pain is overwhelming. Yet God does it — it is not to my own credit. God takes care of Claudia.”

There are even seemingly small moments that for him reflect the dignity with which he wishes to continue treating his wife: “I apply her makeup because she needs to leave the house with the dignity of a queen. And it is God who does that through me.”

“I couldn’t do it alone. Without God, I am nothing,” he emphasized.

St. Joseph and a new way of caring

When the illness began, José Ignacio turned especially to St. Joseph.

“St. Joseph, help me care for Claudia. How would you care for the Virgin if she had Alzheimer’s? [I want to do it] just like that, exactly the same way. Don’t let me fail,” he said he always prays.

St. Joseph thus became a model of a husband and caregiver: a man called to protect and serve without seeking the spotlight. Yet, José Ignacio admits it’s far from easy.

“I don’t want to lie to you by saying I don’t get tired, or that I don’t feel the urge to run, to just run away; that would be lying to you,” he acknowledged.

Loving even when illness changes the other person

One of the most difficult aspects of Alzheimer’s is the gradual loss of the reciprocity that characterizes married life.

“I know that perhaps due to the illness itself she sometimes cannot offer the reciprocity one expects, but I look for it in small gestures,” he said.

For José Ignacio, love does not vanish when the other person is no longer able to respond in the same way. On the contrary, that is precisely when the marriage vow takes on a new meaning.

“Authentic love bears the mark of permanence, of spending oneself, wearing oneself down, and giving until you can give no more... yet as long as you live, you will be able to give,” he maintained.

José Ignacio has also had to learn to take care of himself in order to be able care for his wife. His routine includes professional and spiritual guidance during the week as well as support from friends and family.

However, he points out that there is one priority above all others: “The first priority is the spiritual one. If you don’t have it, if you don’t hold fast to your spiritual life, to God, you can’t do it. We are God’s creatures. And without God, we are nothing.”

A family also learning to live with Alzheimer’s

Claudia’s illness affects more than just José Ignacio; it has also changed the lives of their three children.

One of their daughters feels the pain of losing the chance to have her mother present in the way she had envisioned for her own family. Their son wonders if his mother will be able to attend important milestones, such as his graduation. And the youngest daughter has lost the mother with whom she could talk and share her worries.

The illness has taught them that the family, too, needs to stand by and support one another.

‘Pain has taught me to try hard to be happy’

Among the things that move José Ignacio the most is the way he looks at Claudia now.

Illness has transformed her face and the way she relates to the world. He speaks of a kind of innocence he perceives in her.

And then he asks himself: “How could you not fall more in love with that every day?”

His answer lies not in denying the pain but in discovering that love can take on new forms. “Pain has taught me to try hard to be happy,” he explained.

But he also does it for Claudia. When she sees him sad, he knows his sadness affects her as well. That is why he strives for joy.

José Ignacio often says he is “God’s favorite.” Not because his life is easy, but because, despite the suffering, he recognizes that he has received the strength to keep loving.

“Because I love her more every day,” he said.

And in the most difficult moments, he said he feels they are not alone: “I know that God weeps with me, and sometimes I feel that St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary wipe away our tears.”

A promise that lives on

José Ignacio knows that Claudia’s Alzheimer’s is progressing, but his focus is on something he considers even more important.

“I have to work to earn my place in heaven. She doesn’t, but I do. So I say, ‘My God, I am increasingly aware that my work here is to earn my place in heaven.’ And at the same time, I want to be with her, walking that path.”

With each passing day, José Ignacio chooses to love. He chooses to stay. He chooses to care. He chooses to start over. Because, for him, marriage is not about hoping the cross never comes, but rather discovering that when it does, the spouses don’t have to shoulder the burden alone.

“It is very painful to walk that Way of the Cross, but what a joy it is to do so with God by your side.”

And that is perhaps the lesson he wants to leave to other husbands: that love in marriage does not lose its beauty when dark days arrive. On the contrary, it reveals the depth of the promise made one day before God.

“Love is a decision,” José Ignacio often says.

Those who wish to support José Ignacio and Claudia on this journey may do so through prayer and financial assistance. Having left his job to care for his wife, José Ignacio, along with his family, is facing the challenges brought about by the progression of Claudia’s Alzheimer’s disease.

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

Ember days — the Christian periods of prayer, fasting, and thanksgiving — take place for three days over the four seasons each year. The next ember days will be Sept. 16, 18, and 19.

“The Church, although it doesnʼt require it, still encourages it,” Father Dave Brokke, SOLT priest and vocations director, told EWTN News.

“Even in terms of the [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops] document on fasting,” he explained. “It encourages people to do the ember days, and you can find different canons about it still today.”

The document clarifies that “Vigils and Ember Days, as most now know, no longer oblige to fast and abstinence.”

“However, the liturgical renewal and the deeper appreciation of the joy of the holy days of the Christian year will, we hope, result in a renewed appreciation as to why our forefathers spoke of ‘a fast before a feast,’” the bishops wrote.

While the prayer is not required, the SOLT chapter voted on the addition of ember days to create a more intentional way of asking God for vocations. It passed in 2023 and over the past three years, the community has seen almost as many men enter into formation as it had in the previous 10 years.

Ember days

The phrase “ember days” is an alteration of the Latin phrase “quatuor tempora,” meaning “four seasons.” Ember days are documented as being celebrated as early as the fifth century and are among the oldest traditions of the Church’s liturgical calendar.

Their original purpose was to thank God for the gifts of nature, notably the crops used to make bread and wine for the Eucharist.

“Jesus said: ‘Ask the master of the harvest to send laborers into the vineyard.’”

“With the master of the harvest, thereʼs this understanding that we have the need to ask Our Lord for help in providing the grain and the wheat and the grapes,” Brokke said.

In total, there are 12 ember days throughout the liturgical year.

“From an early time in the Church,” it was established that the ember days “would be a Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.”

The “penitential days” were “Wednesday, because that was the day that Judas betrayed Jesus, Friday because of the Passion, and then Saturday because Our Lord was in the tomb.”

“The way that I remember it is ‘Lenty, Penty, Crucy, and Lucy,’” Brokke said.

“Lenty” is to indicate the full Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of ember days that follow Ash Wednesday in the springtime, and “Penty” is the ember days after Pentecost in summer. The “Crucy” ember days then follow the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in fall, and “Lucy” is for the days after the memorial of St. Lucy in winter.

“They correspond to the time of both the sowing of the seeds and the reaping of the harvest of the wheat and the grape. So even then it is connected to the elements that is used for the Eucharist,” he said.

The Church would “fast and pray not only for a good harvest but also for vocations, for laborers in the vineyard to the priesthood, and they would often ordain men on the Saturdays of ember days,” Brokke said.

SOLT witnesses ‘lots of good fruit’

Brokke and the General Chapter of the Clerical Branch of the SOLT began looking into embers days as a way of “community fasting and praying for vocations,” Brokke said.

“We do have a prayer that we say every day for vocations,” which “started from the very foundation of our community,” Brokke said.

SOLT is “a community of priests, brothers, sisters, and members who work together to show the relationship of Our Lady with the most Holy Trinity,” Brokke said.

The community reflects how “the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct, but not separate. Theyʼre united.”

“Similarly, the vocations are distinct, but theyʼre not separate. So we strive to live with a united will of charity and our service to areas of deep need,” Brokke said.

“We go where a bishop has identified his deepest need and serve as missionaries in the world, trying to bring that communion of the Most Holy Trinity in imitation of Our Lady, who leads us into those relationships because she was mother of the Son and daughter of the Father, spouse of the spirit.”

For more vocations, SOLT wanted to add another act “specifically geared towards vocations,” in addition to its daily prayer.

“I mentioned the ember days,” which would “dedicate at least 12 days a year to fasting and praying and to be more intentional with it,” he said. “When we started discussing it, we didnʼt focus so much on the agricultural aspect but the vocational aspect.”

When the idea of incorporating the days of prayer was under discussion, Brokke looked up some of the prayers for ember days.

“We discovered that the prayer that we have prayed every day from our foundation of the community is actually one of the ember day prayers for vocations,” he said.

Shortly after the community began the traditional prayer, vocation numbers began to rise.

“The first September doing ember days … one guy showed up from a mission in Honduras at our mission in Belize and expressed his interest in the community. He is now a novice with our community.”

“On the Saturday of that first ember days, we had 27 men from Franciscan University show up for the priestly discernment program to learn more about our community. The man who led that is now an aspirant with our community.”

“The year that we started, we had seven men in formation. And in three years, we now have 18 men in formation,” Brokke said. Before, “we were maybe averaging one or two to enter a year. In that very first year we had nine men.”

“Weʼve seen lots of good fruit,” he said.

“I know thereʼs a mystical body of Christ and weʼre all connected. The Lord is going to use it, like heʼll use everything, and nothing goes to waste.”

Lawyers with Jeff Anderson & Associates, a law firm that specializes in abuse cases, announced at a press event on Sept. 10 that they had settled with the archdiocese for $5.5 million to be paid out to nine survivors of abuse in the Church.

Attorney Jeff Anderson described the development as a “tipping point and a turning point” regarding allegations of abuse in the archdiocese. He said the settlements were a matter of both “reckoning” and “accountability.”

“It is about the courage of every survivor with whom we and others have had the privilege to work to bring about change, change in the Archdiocese of Chicago and change across the state of Illinois and change across this country,” the lawyer said.

The Chicago Archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement. But the archdiocese has paid out major settlements to abuse victims numerous times in recent years.

In 2022 leaders settled multiple cases with abuse victims, one totaling $1.2 million and another $1.75 million.

In 2024, meanwhile, the archdiocese settled one abuse case for $950,000.

Multiple settlements by the archdiocese have involved allegations regarding disgraced former priest Daniel McCormack, who pleaded guilty to abusing numerous children years ago and who spent more than a decade in prison on those charges.

In 2025 the archdiocese filed a lawsuit alleging a “racketeering enterprise” against multiple plaintiffs who had reportedly filed fake abuse lawsuits regarding McCormack.

Archdiocesan attorney James Geoly said at the time that the lawsuit was meant to protect “the interests of legitimate victims.”

“We do not want [the racketeering lawsuit] to deter any legitimate victim from coming forward. I would encourage anybody who’s had a problem with a priest or cleric to do that,” he told the archdiocesan news outlet.

U.S. District Judge Franklin Valderrama’s Sept. 11 order said the state would be blocked from enforcing the suicide law against the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Little Sisters of the Poor who had brought the lawsuit.

Chicago archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich is also a plaintiff in the suit. The order applies only to the sisters and the archdiocese, the judge said; the state is free to enforce the suicide law elsewhere.

The Catholic objectors brought the lawsuit on Sept. 3, arguing that the suicide law infringes on religious liberty by requiring Catholics to participate in helping patients end their own lives. The lawsuit was filed by lawyers with the religious liberty law firm Becket.

On Sept. 11 Cupich said in a statement that the law should be struck down “permanently.”

“To be clear, the Church’s objection to this statute is not an attempt to impose Catholic teaching on non-Catholics,” the archbishop said. Rather, “it is an effort to stop the State from compelling Catholic health care providers to violate their conscience.”

Mother Mary Rose Heery, O Carm, prioress general of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, said the temporary order “brings real peace of mind to our Sisters, our residents, and their families.”

“It allows us to continue our vocation of showing Christ’s unbounded love to those who need it most — a love that endures in every circumstance and through every hardship,” she said.

Catholic health groups join another Illinois lawsuit

Illinois has become a battleground in recent weeks over its suicide law, which Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker signed in December 2025. The measure allows residents with a terminal illness to receive lethal prescriptions from doctors in order to take their own lives before they die naturally.

In August, Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki, a Lutheran care home, and four Illinois-based doctors filed a lawsuit in federal court arguing similarly to the Chicago lawsuit that the state suicide law infringes on their religious freedom and their ability to care for their patients.

Later in the month the state agreed to not enforce the law against the plaintiffs while the suit plays out. In the meantime, multiple additional Catholic objectors have joined the Springfield Diocese’s lawsuit against the suicide policy.

The Thomas More Society announced on Sept. 11 that five religious healthcare associations had joined Paprocki’s suit, including the Illinois Catholic Health Association and the National Association of Catholic Nurses. A doctor and a nurse also joined the suit.

The Thomas More Society said the plaintiffs “represent 95% of Catholic health institutions in Illinois and more than 13,000 health care professionals nationwide.”

Peter Breen, the head of litigation at the legal group, said attorneys were seeking to extend the protection secured by the initial plaintiffs to the “thousands of Catholic and Christian health care professionals” represented in the new filing.

"The First Amendment protects the rights of Catholic and Christian doctors, hospitals, and healthcare ministries to reject assisted suicide and heal and care for the ill and infirm in accord with their consciences,” Breen said.

He argued that the suicide law “flagrantly violates those rights by forcing dedicated healthcare professionals to promote deadly drugs to their patients.”

Speaking from the Catholic Medical Association’s annual educational conference in Phoenix, meanwhile, Dr. Mary Keen Kirchoff — one of the doctors participating in the suit alongside Paprocki — told EWTN News she was “so pleased” that the Chicago Archdiocese had won the temporary block.

“We must all work together to oppose this law, which is not only discriminatory against those of us with deeply held religious beliefs but also against our brothers and sisters with fragile financial circumstances and those with disabilities who may feel pressured to seek physician assisted killing due to social prejudice against them,” she said.

This story was updated at 3:45 p.m. ET on Sept. 12, 2026, with a comment from Dr. Mary Keen Kirchoff.

“This summer I received a cancer diagnosis and will be undergoing treatment in the UK,” Claire Lai said in a statement first reported by the Daily Wire on Sept. 8. “I am optimistic about the outcome but will be unable to travel and attend functions for the duration. I am endlessly grateful for my parents’ example of perseverance. Our Christian faith teaches — and my father bears witness — that suffering can be redemptive. Mine is but a fraction of my father’s, but I hope to bear it as a grace as well as he has. I deeply wish that dad was here, and pray that he will be released soon. I am so very grateful to everyone who continues to work toward securing his freedom.”

Iraq to build largest Marian shrine in the country

Inishke, a Chaldean village overlooking the Sapna Valley, is preparing for a 59-foot-tall monument to Our Lady of the Sapna Valley, planned as the largest Marian shrine in Iraq.

The design brings together Marian devotion and Iraqi heritage. Sculptor Thabit Mikhail has given Mary and the child Jesus Middle Eastern features, while Maryʼs two braids represent Iraqi mothers and grandmothers, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Sept. 5. The 43-foot-wide base takes inspiration from the spiral form of Samarraʼs famous minaret and ancient Mesopotamian architecture.

A chapel inside the base and another prayer space near the statue will give pilgrims places for prayer and candle lighting. Funded by donations from people from Inishke around the world, the project has been under development for more than a decade and is expected to become a new destination for religious tourism in northern Iraq.

Canonization cause opens for murdered Northern Ireland priests

The causes of canonization for two priests killed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by members of the British Army in the 1970s has officially been opened.

The Diocese of Down and Connor confirmed that the canonization cause has been opened for Father Hugh Mullan and Father Noel Fitzpatrick, who were shot in two separate instances while administering last rites to parishioners in Corpus Christi Parish in Ballymurphy, according to a report from the Irish Catholic on Sept. 10.

News of their canonization cause comes after an official inquest into the deaths of the two priests and other victims at the hands of the British Army found that the soldiers had “lost control,” the report said. Bishop Alan McGuckian said during a Mass for victims’ families in May that the finding “restores dignity to the deceased, and it brings a measure of justice to those who grieve.”

Christian doctor in Canada fined for refusing to give teen puberty blockers

A Canadian human rights tribunal has ordered family physician Dr. Henry Ajaero to pay $28,100 after he denied a teen puberty blockers at his clinic in March 2021.

Ajaero told the tribunal that “he did not feel comfortable administering” the hormone medication Lupron and that “doing so would go against his religious beliefs” and “because it is outside the scope of his practice,” according to a Sept. 9 CBC report.

The tribunal ruled that Alaero’s testimonial did not establish sufficient proof that administering the drug was in conflict with his religious belief or professional expertise.

While the tribunal acknowledged Ajaero likely made the decision quickly and in the context of a busy day, it ultimately ruled that "this context is an explanation for Dr. Ajaero’s decision, but it does not justify his decision to deny medical services to a vulnerable trans youth because of her gender identity,” according to the report.

Saydnaya, Syria, looks beyond its annual Marian celebrations

The feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary once again brought pilgrims from Syria and abroad to Saydnaya, where prayers and the traditional procession with an icon of Mary marked one of the cityʼs most important celebrations. Yet the occasion has also renewed discussion about Saydnayaʼs future.

Researcher Elias Azar, founder of the Saydnaya Center for Studies and Research, is working on a nonprofit initiative to preserve the cityʼs history while developing religious tourism, environmental projects, traditional agriculture, and local media, ACI MENA reported Sept. 9.

The effort comes after years of war and emigration. Azar estimated that Saydnaya has lost about half of its Christian population since 2011, although it remains a Christian-majority city. Residents are also calling for greater security, which they see as essential to protecting daily life and Saydnayaʼs place as a major Christian pilgrimage destination in Syria.

Vatican UN Permanent Observer Mission speaks against nuclear testing

Monsignor Robert Murphy, chargé d’affaires of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, called for renewed international commitment to ending nuclear weapons testing in a letter to the president of the U.N. General Assembly.

The Sept. 1 letter came amid a high-level plenary meeting marking International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

“The suffering caused by nuclear testing should have reinforced the common conviction that peace cannot be preserved by developing ever more destructive weapons,” Murphy said. “However, today renewed reliance on nuclear deterrence, increasingly aggressive nuclear rhetoric and attempts to question the long-standing international norm against nuclear testing risk undermining this conviction.” Murphy further called for an entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

St. Charbel communities in Poland call Catholics back to prayer

The sixth national gathering of St. Charbel communities in Poland focused on a simple question: Can people become so occupied with religious activities that they leave little time for God?

Maronite priest Father Fabio M. Lattouf warned against replacing a personal relationship with God with a search only for inner peace, constant Church activities, or an endless stream of religious content, ACI MENA reported on Sept. 8.

Bishop Andrzej Siemieniewski presented St. Charbel as another way forward, pointing to the Lebanese saintʼs long hours of silence before the Eucharist as an example of a spiritual life centered on Christ rather than activity.

At Bkerke, 26 couples choose marriage amid Lebanonʼs difficulties

Twenty-six brides and grooms took part in the 17th collective wedding organized by the Maronite League at Bkerke, continuing an initiative launched in 2009 to help young Lebanese couples establish families despite growing financial pressures.

The collective weddings have so far helped form 404 families, which now include 521 children, ACI MENA reported Sept. 6.

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai told the newlyweds that forming a family in difficult circumstances is an “act of faith in the future” and prayed that their homes would be marked by love, fidelity, forgiveness, faith, and peace.

“Families today are struggling to achieve what they so badly want: to have the kind of relationships we’re made for, beginning in the home, especially between spouses and between parents and children,” Cuddeback said. “They know they want something different, something better, but they feel hamstrung. In a culture that works against them in many ways, they are frustrated because they lack clear vision and examples to pattern themselves after.”

Cuddeback, who teaches a course on family and household and is also the author of “True Friendship,” spoke to EWTN News about how he hopes his book conveys that “[a]nyone can choose to be intentional about their household and make real progress with dramatic fruits in the lives of those we love most.”

EWTN News: What do you see as the biggest challenge to building and maintaining an intentional home?

Cuddebach: It all begins with priorities. As a society we have turned away from the intense focus that our household requires — and this is evident in how we struggle in marriage, raising children, and relating to the elderly. Even many traditionally-minded folks struggle to realize and enact the demanding, even while ordinary, aspects of God’s plan for our homes.

Aristotle says that a society tends to produce the kind of people it honors. We do not honor those who prioritize home life — either women or men. This means that many of the structures, practices, and assumptions of our age are at odds with the real good of home life. This is especially evident in our obsession with the latest technologies.

This book is a call to all of us to do something radically different and profoundly better — while always recognizing we must be people of our time and place. It calls us to discover that looking first to what our children and our elderly really need is the high road to deeper fulfillment for all of us.

How has Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas influenced your thought on how technology should be incorporated in the home?

Pope Leo makes clear that we have come to a crisis point. The time is now to be honest, serious, and persistent in examining our use of technology in view of real human flourishing. This must start in the home. No one else is going to do this for us.

But as the pope makes clear, right practice must flow from an understanding of who we are and what we’re made for. “The Intentional Household” offers the rich and positive view of daily life in the home that grounds such an examination. It gives the “yes” that strengthens the “nos” we need to say. It gives direction for rising to the challenges of our age, including how to channel technology to true human flourishing.

Approaching homelife intentionally — especially attending to the ordinary in good work and true leisure as essential to our relationships — we can take real steps to become those biblical good stewards so honored by the Lord.

How does this apply to those across all walks of life, including single people, married couples without children, those who are divorced or separated?

The principles of a vibrant home life are both perennial and flexible. Wherever we find ourselves we can discover how the plan that God wrote into human nature is much better than we have realized.

Brokenness and suffering today are widespread. God’s plan encompasses these realities. By the grace of God, anyone who is humble and willing to take an intentional approach can affect real, and indeed dramatic change by applying the book’s eight principles. We can all take real steps to make our homes a place of vibrant life, with deep belonging, connection, and presence.

One of the thinkers you cite in your book is Wendell Berry. In light of his recent passing can you speak to his influence on your life and thinking?

Wendell Berry saw clearly how the loss of activities of work and leisure in the home has led to our experience of disconnection and isolation. Home should be a place of deep connection: between us and loved ones and neighbors, between soul and body, between us and the earth.

One of Berry’s pivotal insights is the key role of a certain kind of work in the home. Berry has pointed out that the work of traditional home arts is much more important than we have realized. He argues that as the breakdown of home life came especially through the loss of good work, the renewal will likewise come through a rediscovery of work that connects us to one another as it connects us to our bodies and to the earth, and ultimately to God.

Wendell Berry was a prophet of the extraordinary beauty and importance of the ordinary. Making our home an intentional household means rediscovering the power of ordinary things, such as mealtimes with the whole household, shared work in the kitchen and other home arts, and “porch time” and other such leisure times. Attention to these things can transform our marriage, parenting, and other key relationships.

Bringing together leading technological officers from around the globe, Montse Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News, spoke with industry professionals about the growing use of AI in a Sept. 9 special, “Beyond Fear: A Catholic Vision for Artificial Intelligence.”

Pope Leo XIV framed the intensifying debate over AI with the May 25 launch of his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas. Tech leaders said AI is rapidly reshaping society and the Church, offering powerful tools for ministry while also requiring firm ethical boundaries, human‑centered leadership, and faith‑guided discernment to ensure the technology strengthens human dignity.

“There’s a good side to that exponential innovation because it helps us get to the most vulnerable people faster,” said Joel Chakra, president of Tim Tebow Foundation and venture capitalist in AI technology companies.

“It can it can really rob us of our true humanity, or it can enhance our lives. And the choice is ours,” said Arthur C. Brooks, American author and academic who wrote the foreword to Magnifica Humanitas.

Brooks said the technology can either diminish or deepen human dignity, depending on how it is used. He added that despite real concerns about job loss and disruption, he remains optimistic because humans are “unbelievably ingenious” and made to solve problems.

“Iʼm not a pessimist. Iʼm an optimist. I do realize that thereʼs displacement. I do realize that thereʼs a lot to be concerned about. But I also know that humans are unbelievably ingenious that the Lord made us to solve problems,” Brooks said.

Vic Gundotra, former senior vice president at Google and a Catholic convert, said: “AI helped in my conversion to becoming Catholic. I was raised as a Jehovahʼs Witness and I had never read the early Church Fathers, but AI showed me what the Catholic Church taught was mirrored in the early Church Fathers.”

While AI shaped his own path to Catholicism, Gundotra also cautioned that the same technology can magnify human failings, noting that “any tool can be used to amplify the worst in human capability” and “augment and worsen the worst human characteristics as well.”

Gundotra warned that AI carries real risks for young people and said parents still need to guide how it’s used, noting that the technology is powerful but comes with clear downsides.

Sara Anderson of Pushpay, a digital‑giving and church‑management platform, said her team uses AI to streamline parish administration so staff can spend more time on ministry. The goal is not to replace human connection but to free priests, volunteers, and parish workers from tedious data entry and outdated systems, she said.

“There’s a moment in our Catholic Church where there’s so many people wanting to to join the Church to learn about the Church and … the tools are outdated,” Anderson said. “Technology is making their lives better.”

Chakra and Anderson are encouraging faith-filled individuals to hold more technological leadership positions as artificial intelligence becomes more apparent in our daily lives.

“I think for too long, we have taken a back seat to some of the highest leadership positions and taken a back seat to innovation, when in reality, our faith and our heritage is driven by some of the smartest people to ever exist in the world,” Chakra said.

“That is one of the things I try to help the parish admins and the office staff learn to be brave. We need them to explore; we need them to meet the moment of technology and faith. We need them to be leaders,” Anderson said.

As AI spreads, speakers said the Church needs more leaders engaged in technology while also setting clear limits to ensure digital tools support, not replace, human ministry.

“Boundaries are needed to help create the best use [of] technology. And the other way is through AI policies, ethics, and framework,” Anderson said.

McKenna West, an Alaska nurse and surrogate mother, gave birth to the baby boy on Aug. 12. She is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block a court order that recognized the boy’s biological parents as having full custody and being the authority in medical decisions.

The unborn child was diagnosed with a treatable heart defect at about 20 weeks into pregnancy. His biological parents demanded West abort the child because of the defect and threatened her with financial penalties if she did not, according to the petition filed by West’s lawyers at Alliance Defending Freedom.

West refused and fled to Texas because the state’s pro-life laws prohibit most abortions. The boy is receiving lifesaving medical treatment at this time due to a court order in Texas. However, the petition states the biological parents “refused to commit to authorizing any life-saving care” for as long as needed to treat the condition.

“Since [West] is now completely excluded from the life of the medically fragile infant she brought into the world, much less from the ability to make critical health decisions that protect him, time is of the essence,” the petition states.

The petition warns that without immediate Supreme Court action, “the child could be removed from the Texas hospital and taken to California for hospice — despite his treatable condition — around September 17, if not sooner.”

“Relief is all the more warranted here, given that the stakes involve the child’s life,” the petition adds.

The panel, titled “AI, Catholic Social Teaching, and Pope Leoʼs Invitation to Dialogue with the World,” examined Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and its call for a shared human effort to develop technology that serves the common good rather than harms it.

Speakers noted that the Holy Father’s encyclical stopped short of prescribing specific policy ideas for addressing the moral and ethical concerns, but the nuncio said “there is the perception that we need a moral voice” on the subject.

“A moral voice is what?” he said. “Not everything which is possible to be done should be done. Not everything that technology offers should be taken. This is a moral choice.”

Caccia stressed that decisions affecting human lives should not be handed over to AI, citing distinctions between AI algorithms and the human conscience, as the Holy Father discussed in Magnifica Humanitas.

Leo drew a distinction between artificial intelligence and human intelligence in the encyclical, focusing on how each approaches moral questions. The pope wrote that he rejected ideas of “artificial moral agents” and the notion that a machine can “distinguish between right and wrong with greater consistency than a human being.”

“Moral judgment cannot be reduced to calculation, for it involves conscience, personal responsibility and the recognition of the other as a person,” Leo wrote. “Therefore, it is not permissible to entrust lethal or otherwise irreversible decisions to artificial systems.”

Caccia said during the panel discussion that, as a society, “we have to keep the value of the human relationship.”

“The problem is that [if] life and death is decided by a machine, not by the human being, who is accountable?” he said. “So these are very important, important questions. But I am confident, as I said, that together we can face this situation and find a way.”

The nuncio said he has similar concerns about the use of AI in other types of decision-making that impacts humans.

“I hear very troubling accounts of algorithms that can block access to healthcare, employment, and security on the basis of data tainted by prejudice and injustice,” he said. “And Iʼve heard the silence of those who have no voice. When decisions are made, decisions [are] likely to generate new forms of exclusion and suffering.”

Quoting the encyclical, Caccia affirmed the pope’s call that AI “needs to be disarmed.”

“The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences, and indicating paths forward for humanity,” he said. “This is more or less a framework in which we can go on with the conversation.”

Speaking to EWTN News after the panel, Caccia said the pope’s call to address moral concerns of AI is not just a call to Church leadership but to every Catholic.

“There is, of course, the voice of the bishops,” he said. “But there is also the voice of Catholic people who are in the business or are engineers who are in the economy, who are in the field. So itʼs not just for those who have pastoral responsibility, but for the bigger community.”

Pope’s impact on AI discussion

Several panelists discussed the importance of Magnifica Humanitas in providing a type of moral guidance on AI development that focuses on the common good of humanity.

Jasmine Sun, a journalist who writes about AI and Silicon Valley, said she “was actually surprised by how much folks I knew in Silicon Valley, in the AI industry did pay attention to Magnifica Humanitas.”

“It was a lot more engagement, I think, than I expected,” she said. “And once again, I think itʼs because there is this sense that the profit motive that has driven Silicon Valley, that continues to drive Silicon Valley, is not enough.”

Molly Kinder, CEO of the Breakwater Initiative, said the Church provides “wisdom and moral leadership” and believes its broad focus on humanity is why people listened.

“Iʼm struck that in the opening pages of the Bible, there is a discussion of Adam and Eve being put on Earth to till the land as our fundamental reason for existing,” she said. “And it feels to me sometimes when Iʼm in Silicon Valley … they almost talk about almost a new Garden of Eden that AI is going to bring about, that maybe our purpose is not to work, or maybe itʼs leisure or a check and a hobby.”

Caccia too said he was “positively surprised” by the reaction to the encyclical, saying “it seems that there was a need to do something about this.”

“It didnʼt pretend to have the answers,” he said, “but he put questions, common questions that we have to tackle together to decide where we want to go.”

There were “no allegations involving minors,” the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, said on Sept. 11, while Landry in a statement further said there were “no allegations of sexual activity whatsoever.”

The Fall River Diocese where Landry serves as a priest said in its statement that it had received allegations that included violations of priestly codes of conduct for both the Fall River Diocese and the Archdiocese of New York, the latter in which Landry currently serves.

Diocesan leaders determined “that sufficient evidence exists to restrict [Landry] from the public exercise of priestly ministry, pending the resolution of this matter,” a decision it said was in line with its own policy.

The statement said Landry “is entitled to the presumption of innocence while the investigation continues.”

In his own statement also released on Sept. 11, Landry said he himself opted for a voluntary leave of absence from the pontifical mission directorship, a departure he described as “temporary.”

The priest said he had been told by the Fall River Diocese that the accusations “involve alleged violations of prudence, pastoral boundaries, and diocesan codes of conduct with adults.”

“There are no allegations of sexual activity whatsoever or of misconduct of any kind with a minor,” he said. “I maintain my innocence of any canonical violation or crime and will continue to defend my reputation to the best of my ability under the law of the Church.”

“Those who have raised concerns deserve to be heard,” he continued. “I am grateful that canon law respects my natural human right to be presumed innocent and the right to protect the good reputation I have enjoyed throughout the many years the Lord has given me the privilege to serve Him and His holy people.”

He asked for prayers “for me and all those concerned,” including Fall River Bishop Edgar Moreira da Cunha, SDV, as well as those involved with the investigation and “those who have brought these accusations.”

In a separate statement on Sept. 11, the Pontifical Mission Societies USA said its chief operating officer Douglas Culp would serve as interim national director following Landry’s leave of absence.

Landry, who was ordained to the priesthood by then-Fall River Bishop Seán Patrick OʼMalley in 1999, has served a variety of prominent roles in the U.S. Church.

He was named by the Vatican as the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA in September 2024. That position came after he had served a leadership role in that year’s National Eucharistic Pilgrimage as a chaplain along the pilgrimage’s Seton Route.

At the time of that appointment he was also serving as chaplain at Columbia University in New York, having been appointed there by Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

He had previously served at the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and was named a Missionary of Mercy by Pope Francis in 2016. He was named a monsignor by Pope Francis in 2024.

He has been a contributor to EWTN for many years, writing columns regularly for the National Catholic Register and frequently appearing as a guest on programs such as “Conversations with Consequences.”

Landry has also served as an expert commentator for the network’s television coverage, including during the 2025 conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV.

In a statement on Sept. 11, Michael Warsaw, chairman of the board and CEO of EWTN Global Catholic Network, said EWTN was “deeply grateful for Monsignor Roger Landry’s 27 years of faithful priestly ministry and service to the universal Church.”

“We are heartbroken by this painful situation involving Monsignor Landry, a longtime friend and valued collaborator who has contributed greatly to the Network’s mission of evangelization,” Warsaw said. “EWTN takes concerns of this nature seriously and is following its established internal protocols while awaiting the outcome of the diocesan investigation.”

“It is essential that those who have raised concerns be treated with dignity, respect, and pastoral care, and that Monsignor Landry be afforded fairness, a timely process, and the presumption of innocence,” Warsaw continued, adding that the network holds “everyone involved in our prayers, asking that this matter be resolved in truth and charity, without unnecessary delay, and trusting that Monsignor Landry may soon return to active priestly ministry in service to the Church.”

Canonical process involves investigation, diocesan review

Monsignor William King, a professor of canon law at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News on Sept. 11 that typically in such situations a diocese will respond first by launching a preliminary investigation.

The diocesan bishop would appoint an investigator, which may or may not be a priest. “The investigator has pretty broad powers to ask questions and seek evidence, and then when that’s finished, he would bring it back to the bishop and the bishop would decide if there’s sufficient evidence to move on to the next step,” King said.

The bishop would then likely consult with canon law experts. After the preliminary process is complete, King said, a bishop will determine whether or not to proceed with a penal process, which could involve a tribunal or else an administrative process.

Landry in his statement on Sept. 11 said he was told the process “might take up to several months.”

“I am cooperating fully with the investigation, with trust that a fair investigation will establish the truth that the Lord promises will set us free,” he said.

This story was updated on Sept. 11 at 2:20 p.m. ET with information from a statement by the Pontifical Mission Societies USA.

In an interview with Colm Flynn on “EWTN News Nightly” that aired Sept. 10, Gielen said New Zealand’s laity desired to rebuild their church.

“They want another one. They want something that they can celebrate in, and it can unify us,” Gielen said. “So, we’ve responded. We’ve chosen a design; it’s a Romanesque Gothic design, and we’ve now presented it to the people we’ve fundraised over. We’re very hopeful that in the next few years we’ll be able to get started and build it.”

Worshippers used a temporary parish during the past 15 years since the 2011 earthquakes that collapsed buildings and killed nearly 200 people throughout the city.

Gielen said the restoration work has become a symbol of something larger — a reminder that the diocese’s rebuilding is both physical and spiritual.

“It is a metaphor. Rebuild my church, but we’re actually. It’s not only the cathedral we’re rebuilding. We lost 30 or 35 of our churches — damaged or demolished — in the last 15 years,” Gielen said. “So, it’s a real example of how faith is. There’s a resurgence of faith in the West and in New Zealand as well.”

Gielen said the rebuilding has stirred energy across the diocese.

“People are very excited, and it shows the wider community that our people are still hope-filled and they believe in this; and even secular society has gotten behind this, and they’re very excited about it as well,” he said.

A perpetual adoration chapel is going to be attached to the cathedral, Gielen said.

Carris worked for the Port Authority, and his office was on the 71st floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. That morning, before going to work, he had attended 8 a.m. Mass at a small chapel near Battery Park.

Shortly afterward, he was sitting at his desk overlooking Manhattan when he heard the roar of a jet engine. Before he could process what was happening, there was an enormous impact. Flames and debris began falling outside his window.

“The building tilted, and it tilted so much, books fell off my bookshelf, and for a split second, I thought it was gonna keep going over,” Carris told me in a recent interview. As people ran for the stairs, he noticed a woman in distress. Her name was Judith Toppin. She suffered from sarcoidosis and had a defibrillator in her chest. She was struggling physically.

At that moment, Carris made a split-second decision that would define the rest of their lives. Supporting her on one side, while she clung to the banister on the other, he began the long, slow descent with her — 70 stories, one step at a time.

Toppin was moving slowly and Carris knew they had a long way to go. Yet what is striking is how calm they said the people on the stairwell remained.

‘The Lord is my shepherd’

In 2001, there were relatively few cellphones and no social media.

People watching news coverage of the attacks on television in Australia knew more about what was happening than those inside the towers.

Carris and Toppin did not know that a passenger jet had deliberately struck the building. They did not know another plane had hit the South Tower. And they had no idea that the building they were in was about to collapse.

Then, partway down, something incredible happened.

“Judith was really struggling, and suddenly she started to pray out loud, ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’ And when she started doing that, I said, ‘I better start praying, too.’”

Eventually they emerged from the tower and stepped onto the street.

“When we got out, it was like the Twilight Zone. There was complete chaos.”

As they moved away, Carris began to realize that among the surrounding debris were the bodies of people who had fallen or jumped from the towers.

He told Toppin not to look at the ground, just to look ahead and muster up the last bit of energy she had to get away. Then, when they were barely a block away, the North Tower, from which they had just escaped, came crashing down.

Toppin would later write an essay called “Angels Walk Among Us,” describing Carris as the man who saved her life. But as he would eventually tell me, he soon realized that it was actually Toppin who saved him.

Recently I traveled through New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington making an EWTN News documentary to mark the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11. I wanted to remember what happened that day, but also to ask a more difficult question: Where was God in the midst of such evil?

The stories I would go on to hear from priests and religious who responded on that day, and how faith helped survivors and family members of victims cope, provided a lot of inspiration. In midtown Manhattan, not far from where the Twin Towers once stood, I sat down with Franciscan Father Brian Jordan, who ministered for months at Ground Zero after the attacks.

He remembered seeing the very best and the very worst of humanity side by side.

“We saw goodness at its best. We also saw evil at its worst,” he told me. “But good always triumphs over evil.”

He watched firefighters, police officers, construction workers, and volunteers work together in the ruins. When human remains were found, work would stop, and prayers would be said.

But there’s one image that stayed with him the most. Days after the attacks, a construction worker approached him and said, “Hey, Father, you wanna see God’s house?” He led Jordan into the wreckage, where there were two steel beams, one standing vertically, the other horizontally. “Oh my God, it was the shape of a cross,” Jordan remembered. “God meant this for a reason. Now I know why you call this God’s house.”

Jordan remembers that for everyone at Ground Zero that steel-beamed cross became a powerful sign that faith had not disappeared beneath the rubble and that God was with them.

Shanksville’s sacred stillness

In contrast to the rumble and noise of lower Manhattan, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, is quiet and tranquil. As I stood overlooking the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93, I looked at the trees, rolling fields, and an enormous expanse of sky. There is an almost sacred stillness to the place. It is difficult to imagine an airliner hurtling toward this peaceful patch of Pennsylvania before smashing into the ground.

But in the minutes before that impact, something extraordinary happened aboard the aircraft. Through telephone calls, passengers knew their plane was part of a terrorist attack and decided to fight back.

Todd Beamer asked a telephone operator to pray the Lord’s Prayer with him before he attempted with other passengers to storm the cockpit and try to overthrow the hijackers. And because of their brave efforts, rather than the plane hitting the White House or Capitol Hill, killing hundreds if not thousands more, the plane crashed at 500 miles an hour, completely upside down, here into this field.

Father Joseph McCaffrey, a Catholic priest and FBI chaplain, arrived at the crash site the following morning.

“When I first arrived the trees were still smoking. And the first thing I did when I came was I prayed, and I consecrated the ground. I prayed the prayers of interment for all who perished here,” he tells me there at the site. And as grieving families began arriving, McCaffrey was there to meet them.

“My approach was to listen, and then based on what I heard, I would offer a word of the hope of eternal life, of God’s ultimate compassion and mercy, and that they’re not alone, that God enters into their suffering.”

From Shanksville, my journey took me back toward Washington and the Pentagon. The Pentagon Memorial feels more intimate. Beside the enormous military headquarters are 184 individual memorial units, one for each person killed there and aboard American Airlines Flight 77.

Each consists of a cantilevered bench above a shallow pool of flowing water, arranged according to the ages of the victims.

The benches are pointed toward the direction in which the plane flew that morning.

Newly ordained

Father Stephen McGraw was a newly ordained priest when he was stuck in traffic near the Pentagon that morning. He sat in his car as the plane flew so low overhead that it struck a lamppost. Moments later, he watched it smash into the Pentagon. He immediately ran toward the Pentagon.

Sitting with me on one of the memorial benches, he said, “I had the sense that God had placed me there. This is what I’ve signed up for. I want to give the sacraments. But it was beyond anything that I had done. It was just that God had placed me there as an instrument, a humble, weak servant priest at his disposal to be a witness of his closeness and his presence, to say that God was here.”

For those on board the plane, or in the direct area of impact, there was no hope of survival, but other victims ran from the building onto the Pentagon lawn, many with horrific burns. They lay down in the grass in agony, and while paramedics ran around from person to person, McGraw knelt beside them. “I was telling them, ‘Jesus is with you.’ And I repeated that to them several times, and more than once, there was actually a positive response.”

He remembered kneeling beside one badly burned man as medics worked to save him. “I said to him, with more conviction, with more vigor, I said, ‘I tell you, Jesus is with you now.’ And I remember he said, ‘Yes, I know.’”

Back in New York, Paul Carris, the Port Authority worker who escaped the North Tower with Judith Toppin, told me that for years after 9/11, the trauma of that day affected him deeply. But something else troubled him too. Toppin kept portraying him as an angel, as the man who had done everything right. It forced Carris to look at the way he had been living his own life.

“I had to face up to the fact that I had not always lived my life like the Catholic that I was being portrayed as. I separated my faith from the secular world. It has caused some issues in my marriage over the years, and so on. And Judith wrote this piece that described me as an angel.”

Carris began therapy with a priest and later attended a spiritual retreat. This had a profound effect on him, and in time his faith deepened and he entered formation for the permanent diaconate for the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. Judith, who died in 2021, was there when he was ordained.

“She said to me, ‘You saved me,’ and I replied, ‘No, you saved me. In fact, God saved both of us that day.’”

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

Three people who spoke with EWTN News reported that Idemma was routinely late in paying them for their work and missed payments that have still not been fulfilled. In some cases, late payments are more than a year overdue, subcontractors said. Each person said Idemma initially promised to make them whole and then eventually stopped responding to emails or phone calls.

Michael Aldeguer, administrative assistant for Idemma, told EWTN News “the overwhelming majority” of obligations were paid, and acknowledged “a limited number of contractor accounts that remain under review or resolution.”

He said the company is “firmly committed to honoring our contractual obligations and resolving legitimate outstanding amounts.” He said Idemma plans to “make substantial progress toward resolving the remaining matters by year-end.”

On Sept. 10, Aldeguer said Idemma would reach out to every subcontractor “today” to “ensure they have received our recent communications and are aware of the latest updates.”

The Pentagon referred an inquiry by EWTN News to the military service departments, which oversee the contracts.

Contractor describes worsening payment lag

Paulette Padua began working as a Catholic religious education coordinator at Beale Air Force Base in California in 2013, initially as an independent contractor. In 2020, Padua was underbid by Idemma, which took over the contract but kept her in the role.

Initially, Padua said payments came as agreed upon, but “something happened” in 2025 and “payment became later and later every month.” Her contract ended in September, and she said there is still more than $8,000 in outstanding payments owed to her.

“I kept having to beg for my pay,” she said, and was “sending constant, constant emails” to the company to receive her payments. An email chain that Padua shared with EWTN News shows an Idemma employee repeatedly promising to complete the payments, but with her responding that only partial payments were being made.

Padua said Idemma promised to pay her back in increments in 2026, but she only received a $200 check. She said the company no longer responds to her emails about payments, complaining that “they just ghost [me].”

“It was causing me so much stress that it was making me sick so at a certain point I had to let go and let God have his way,” Padua said. “I can’t let them give me a heart attack.”

Padua, who was crying when recalling the situation, said losing payments “was very difficult physically, emotionally, and financially,” adding: “I worked for them for so long and I love that military community and I was good at my job and just to be done so dirty it feels terrible.”

She said she was “counting on” those payments and was reassured “you’re going to get paid.”

“Should I tell that to my mortgage company? For my car loans? For my bills?” she asked.

Another subcontractor who said she faced similar issues is Dianne Hodges, who had two contracts with Idemma, one of which was paid late and the other which is still not paid off. She said most of it was paid off by June 2026, about a year after she’d completed the initial contract.

Hodges said they still owe her $3,200 for the other contract she worked but that Idemma did not respond to her most recent emails in August about the remaining balance, saying “they’ve gone radio silent on me” and worrying “I guess I’ll never see it.”

“It’s been a nightmare,” Hodges said. “It’s been an absolute nightmare.”

Hodges said the delayed payments led to trouble with creditors and late fees on credit cards that she couldn’t pay off. She had to pull money out of her 401K to pay her bills and shop for Christmas gifts in 2024.

“It was tough for me sometimes to make ends meet,” she said, adding that when she called Idemma about the financial struggles she faced that year, “I broke down in tears, I was telling them this is not how a business works.”

Morgan Loftis, who worked as a director of religious education at the Marine Corps Air Station New River from September 2025 through May 2026, told EWTN News she is also still owed thousands of dollars in payments from Idemma.

Loftis said she was owed $12,300 but was only paid $4,875, which leaves $7,425 unpaid.

In May 2026, before she left the role, she said Idemma “offered to pay me in full … if I stayed onto the next year because they were about to lose the contract.” She said she considered the offer and requested “an actual payment plan in writing” but never received one. Now, she said “they won’t take my calls.”

“I think they know our numbers and they’re just not going to respond,” she said, referring to the subcontractors who are still owed money.

Loftis said she took the role even though she heard other subcontractors were not getting paid, but “I wanted there to be a faith formation program and it looked like there wasn’t going to be one.”

Yet, as she and her husband are expecting their fifth child and bought a new car, she said, “it would be really nice to have had the full pay. That could really alleviate how hard that car payment hits.”

Archbishop Broglio: Allegations ‘deeply troubling’

Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, expressed concern about the lack of payments.

“The archdiocese … has no contractual or business relationship with Idemma, which operates under direct contract with the federal government,” Broglio said in a statement to EWTN News.

“Even so, the allegations of late or missed payments, if true, are deeply troubling,” he said. “Idemma has a moral responsibility to meet its payroll obligations in a timely fashion. I strongly encourage the company to do so.”

In email exchanges about the missed payments, Idemma responded to the specific cases of the three subcontractors who spoke with EWTN News.

For Hodges, Aldeguer noted that one contract was “recently cleared and paid in full” and said “payments have continued to be made toward the remaining balance, and we have also added interest.”

For Padua, he said Idemma has “agreed to pay interest, which we also confirmed to her in writing.” He said in her situation, “we agreed to pay her more than what we received under the contract” because she was the chaplainʼs first choice. He said: “This arrangement worked until our other live music business was essentially wiped out by COVID.”

For Loftis, Aldeguer said “we are still verifying the amounts owed” and “she should have received a request to upload her invoices related to the contract.”

“Each situation is different, and we are making our best efforts to get everything cleared as soon as possible, with interest being applied to the final remaining balances where agreed,” Aldeguer said. “Ultimately, we are a small team that is extremely dedicated to getting these matters resolved, even in situations where we ourselves sustained significant losses on the underlying contracts.”

He said Idemma has implemented a centralized invoice-submission process for contractors with unresolved accounts to collect outstanding invoices and documents in one place to compare them to their records, identify discrepancies, and resolve outstanding balances.

Aldeguer requested that EWTN News delay publication while the company worked to resolve outstanding contractor accounts, saying recent progress wasnʼt being reflected.

“I really enjoy the gift of a Black Catholicism, Black Catholic spirituality, and it certainly does have a place in the universal Church,” said Boxie, an auxiliary bishop of Washington.

Boxie is a former lawyer and graduate of Vanderbilt University and Harvard Law School. He is now the youngest bishop in the United States.

“The last time that an African American bishop had been ordained was 10 years prior. When I was appointed a couple of months ago, I became the second African American bishop in the entire United States,” Boxie explained in an interview with “Vatican Access,” a Catholic News Service podcast.

“We have a total of four active Black bishops, but there are only two African American bishops,” he said. “We need Black bishops in the United States … And I am OK with being a voice for the Black community that needs to be in the hierarchy of the Church.”

When asked why there are so few Black bishops, Boxie said: “The short answer is racism.”

“People may not want to hear that. People may not agree with that. But the short answer is racism.”

“For a long time, Black men were not accepted or allowed in seminary,” he said. “We had the first recognized African American priest, Father Augustus Tolton, Venerable Augustus Tolton, whose cause for canonization is currently underway ... But it took so much more than an arm and a leg for him to even be … allowed to study for the priesthood.”

“So after him, it was a while before dioceses, and bishops, and religious communities would accept African American men. And when they did accept them, they experienced racism and discrimination and injustice and all the things that we would not associate, or should not associate with, the Church.”

Racism within the Church

Boxie shared his own personal experience with racism in the Church, even during his time in seminary.

“There was a time in seminary where my next-door neighbor … had a Confederate flag in their room and … I was totally taken aback by that,” Boxie said.

“I would never go in his room … We would talk outside in the hall. I wouldnʼt go in his room as long as he had that flag up,” Boxie said.

“Eventually he did take it down and he eventually discerned out of seminary. And so we didnʼt really talk … much about it.”

About seven years later, “during COVID, during 2020, and the summer of George Floyd … all of these things were sort of being revealed and uncovered in the United States — disparities within our country.”

During that time, he said, “I got a Facebook message from him saying that … he was working at a Catholic school with a large minority population, large number of African American students and Hispanic students.”

“He realized, for himself, how wrong that was seven years prior for him to have that Confederate flag in his room, especially at a seminary. And he wanted to have a conversation to apologize.”

“We had a really wonderful conversation” and “I accepted his apology,” Boxie said. “We had a real honest conversation about race, the Church, and how we can be healers.”

The conversation addressed “how we can help to bridge these gaps, these disparities, the misunderstanding, all the things that pull us apart, how we can in fact be healers and bridge builders in the Church,” Boxie said.

In the interview, Boxie noted other areas where Black Catholics lack presence in the Church, specifically noting “images” in Catholic churches.

“In our churches, we often only see white saints,” he said. “I have no problem with that. Thereʼs nothing wrong with that. But thatʼs not the only view, or the only image, or icon of holiness that we can aspire to.”

He noted that seven Black Catholics who lived in the United States are currently in line for canonization.

“I feel as though every parish in the United States should have images of them in their church in some form or fashion, because these were Americans who were raised and formed in this country who have an authentic … Catholic American spirituality,” he said.

The Church has the answers on race

Boxie has previously said that “culture does not have the answers” in regard to race. In his recent interview, he was asked whether the Church has the answers, to which he said that it does.

Itʼs “not just Catholic social teaching, which … Pope Leo very beautifully expresses in Magnifica Humanitas, but this goes all the way back to the very beginning … just the dignity of the human person."

“Thatʼs a core tenet of what we believe as Catholics and certainly part of the foundation for Catholic social teaching.”

It is about “the human person being made in the image and likeness of God, with an inherent dignity, an infinite dignity, a magnificent dignity that transcends race and culture and geography and language and land,” Boxie said.

“The Church has proclaimed, from the beginning, the dignity of the human person — thatʼs from her teaching, her doctrine, Scriptures. The problem is that we have not always been faithful to that.”

“When we have turned away from that, or when we have been unfaithful to that teaching and gone astray, then thatʼs when problems such as this racism have arisen,” Boxie said.

Being labeled a ‘DEI bishop’

Boxie also addressed the subject of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which he said has been “hijacked."

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are “biblical” concepts and are “part of our Catholic tradition,” he said. DEI was originally “trying to correct a number of institutional wrongs that have occurred in our country,” in employment, education, housing, healthcare, and other “disparities.”

Now, Boxie said he believes there is a “negative association” with DEI.

It is now seen as taking “something away from a white person who deserves it, who merits” and “giving it to a Black person, or a brown person, or a minority who doesnʼt deserve it, who doesnʼt merit it. Thatʼs what the association is right now, and itʼs just not true.”

“Some people may believe that I have been selected, picked, because Iʼm Black,” Boxie said about his appointment as bishop.

“Iʼve thought about this, Iʼve reflected on this. And you know what? Iʼm actually OK with that … because I think my background, my formation, my experience, even though it has been … limited, I think it has prepared me for this moment.”

“I do fundamentally believe that even though in my mind ... we never feel ready for whatever the Lord calls us to, but I know that he … has been providing the grace.”

Also, “we need Black bishops in the United States,” he said. “We need the voice of African American bishops, men in the hierarchy in the Church structure to be more of an advocate for the Black Catholic community.”

“I think that the pope has realized that this voice needs to be at the table. And what better way to have a Black Catholic voice than a Black Catholic bishop?”

“Twenty-five years later, its memory lives on; in a new skyline, in simple plaques and great memorials, and in the photographs of first responders who were lost, still displayed outside of firehouses and police stations,” Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York said in a statement.

“We remember those who died and the extraordinary courage, service, sacrifice, and compassion that followed,” Hicks said.

Hicks will celebrate an invitation-only Vigil Mass on Sept. 10 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to commemorate all those affected by the terrorist attacks. It also will be available via livestream.

The archdiocese reported the Mass will remember those who died as a result of the tragedy and mourn with their loved ones.

In honor of the anniversary, the archdiocese also shared words from Cardinal Edward Egan, who served as New Yorkʼs archbishop in 2001 and died in 2015.

“We will not pretend that words can deal with this adequately. The healing will take time, as it always does,” Egan said. “Still, we insist that the extraordinary goodness of our people has marched alongside the pain and the hurt.”

“Amidst the tragedy, the sadness and the grief, there was this real genuine kindness and fraternal love in the city of New York of all places,” Bishop John Bonnici of Rochester, New York, previously said in an interview with the diocese’s news publication.

“The Lord was able to use people to reach out to others and allow for the healing that was so necessary,” said Bonnici, who served as a priest in New York at the time of the attack.

In the nation’s capital, the faithful also will gather to remember those who died. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who leads the Archdiocese for the Military Services,  USA, will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., inside its Crypt Church.

The Mass will “honor the brave first responders and members of our Armed Forces who answered the nation’s call in its aftermath, and entrust to the mercy of God all affected by that tragic day,” the basilica reported.

It will be held at the 5:15 p.m. on Sept. 11 and will be livestreamed.

President of U.S. bishops encourages commitment to be ‘instruments of peace’

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City invited Catholics to join “in prayer for the victims taken from us in acts of unjustifiable violence 25 years ago at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in rural Pennsylvania.”

“In a special way, we lovingly embrace in prayer the victims’ families and friends, who still mourn the irretrievable loss of their loved ones on that day,” said Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

“We also remember the first responders and emergency workers, so many who gave their lives in selfless acts of courage,” he said in the statement.

Coakley said that amid the fear and uncertainty following the attacks, “our faith lifted us up and sustained us,” as the nation turned to God in prayer with “a new intensity and a sense of unity.”

“As conflicts intensify around the world, let us renew our commitment to be Christ’s instruments of peace in an increasingly fractured and divided world,” Coakley said.

He echoed Pope Leo XIV, who said peace “is more than just a goal, it is a presence and a journey.”

Bishops offer personal reflections of 9/11 attacks

Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, who was then the bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut, reflected on Sept. 11, calling it an “unthinkable morning.”

After learning about the attacks, “I quickly realized that many of my parishioners worked in the World Trade Center,” Lori wrote in an article for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

“Driven by an urgent need to be with my flock, I arranged to offer Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport. As the hours unfolded, I also celebrated unannounced, yet well attended, Masses at St. John’s in Stamford and St. Thomas Aquinas in Fairfield.”

Throughout the day, Lori met “incoming trains from New York, simply to stand with commuters emerging dazed and traumatized by what they had witnessed,” he said.

Lori also said he checked local hospitals for burn victims but realized “the vast majority had not survived.”

“What followed was a relentless, agonizing search through the rubble,” Lori said. “As names were identified, the agonizing weeks of funerals began. I sat with spouses, children and parents trying to make sense of the unimaginable.”

“Nearly 3,000 souls perished that day, including 343 firefighters, 72 law enforcement officers and 55 military personnel, followed by thousands more responders whose later illnesses stemmed from their selfless recovery efforts at Ground Zero,” he said.

“To truly honor those we lost and the legendary courage of our first responders, we must never forget,” Lori said. “Let no one believe that terrorism or violence can ever resolve injustice.”

Bishop Frank Caggiano of Bridgeport also recalled his experience and what his community taught him afterward.

“Twenty-five years is long enough for a wound to close into a scar, and long enough for a generation to grow up knowing that morning only as a chapter in a textbook. It is not nearly long enough for the families I serve,” Caggiano said.

“In Fairfield County the loss has never been abstract. Our trains carried neighbors into those towers, and that evening they came back with empty seats,” he said.

“In the years since, I have sat with some of them: parents who lost children, children who were infants then and are grown now, colleagues who still wonder why they were late to work that day,” he said.

Caggiano said they have taught him numerous lessons, including “that resilience is not the same thing as moving on” and “that fear must not be allowed to govern us.”

“The third lesson is the hardest, and I offer it carefully,” Caggiano said. “It is mercy.”

“It is not forgetting, excusing, or indifference to justice. Justice without mercy becomes vengeance, and mercy without justice becomes indulgence. Forgiveness begins with a full acknowledgment of the wound and then refuses to let that wound dictate the rest of a life,” he said.

“It is not a feeling that arrives one morning but a deliberate decision, sometimes one that must be made again and again over years,” he said.

Ukrainian Catholic bishops: ‘What is the legacy of September 11?’

The Ukrainian Catholic Bishops of the United States issued a pastoral letter   about the attack and the legacy it left.

The bishops said Christians must do more than remember. They asked: “What is the legacy of September 11? What have we learned? What can that terrible day teach us today?”

The tragedy “confronts us with the terrible reality of the capacity of fallen humanity for evil,” they said. “When hatred is allowed to take possession of the human heart, when another person is no longer seen as a child of God but as an enemy to be destroyed, the consequences can be horrifying.”

Sept. 11 also revealed “an even greater capacity for goodness, courage, compassion, sacrifice and love,” the bishops wrote.

“We saw strangers helping strangers. We saw firefighters climbing stairways toward almost certain death. We saw ordinary people performing extraordinary acts of courage. We saw communities opening their doors, people donating blood, churches filling with worshippers, and a nation and the entire world coming together in grief and solidarity,” he said.

“Even in the midst of tragedy, God gives us opportunities to become instruments of His love,” they said.

The bishops concluded with the words of St. Paul: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Chad Pecknold, who has taught theology at The Catholic University of America (Catholic University) since 2008, is now the principal director of public outreach for the department’s Office of Public Engagement.

In a statement provided to the National Catholic Register, the sister news partner of EWTN News, Pecknold said he was “excited” to confirm he had taken the position.

“It is truly an honor to serve my country in this capacity,” he added.

The Department of Homeland Security was established in 2003 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and is responsible for protecting the United States against terrorist attacks and other threats to its security. The department also serves as the enforcement arm of U.S. immigration policy, overseeing both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

According to Pecknold’s LinkedIn page, he is “on leave for public service” from Catholic University. His profile also describes his new position as focused on “cultural outreach” and indicates that he began the role in August.

The Catholic theologian’s appointment to the department comes amid ongoing clashes between the U.S. bishops and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement.

The Trump administration has prioritized curbing illegal immigration, including carrying out a mass deportation campaign, securing the border, and making legal immigration and asylum claims more selective and difficult.

In response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops took the rare step of issuing a joint statement in November 2025, expressing opposition to “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and calling for an end to “dehumanizing rhetoric and violence” against both immigrants and law enforcement.”

Shortly after, Pope Leo XIV commented on immigration enforcement in the U.S., urging those involved “to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have,” while following legal protocols.

Views on immigration

On the issue of immigration, Pecknold has consistently argued that defending the country’s borders is not in contradiction with Catholic teaching. Rather, he argues, it is necessary to achieve the common good.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, he told EWTN News in 2023, “teaches that nations have the right to borders and self-definition, so there is no sense in which Catholic teaching supports the progressive goal of ‘open borders.’”

“There is a ‘duty of care’ which is owed to those fleeing from danger,” he said, “but citizenship is not owed to anyone who can make it across a national border, and illegal entry or asylum cannot be taken as a debt of citizenship.”

In a recent essay for The American Mind, Pecknold took issue with the U.S. bishops’ amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in defense of birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented migrants.

In the article, Pecknold argues that in asserting that every child has a “natural right” to citizenship, the bishops are committing a “logical fallacy.” They are confusing, he writes, “conventional rights — how a nation determines who is and is not eligible for citizenship — with natural rights, which come from God and which inhere in human beings as such.”

Pecknold has also endorsed a February statement released by a Christian think tank in Hungary that contends that “mass deportations may be a legitimate response to mass migration.”

And in April 2024, amid Catholic criticism of a Texas state law that gave local authorities authorization to make immigration-related arrests, Pecknold cited St. Thomas Aquinas’ theology as a basis for immigration restrictions, noting that Aquinas distinguished showing hospitality to wayfarers from offering permanent resettlement.

“Every human being having dignity does not immediately and obviously supersede the sovereignty of nations,” Pecknold told EWTN News at the time. “Statesmen have a sacred duty to safeguard the political common good of their country, and this will sometimes mean restricting who can legally enter and remain in their countries.”

Postliberal theologian

The Catholic University professor is part of what some refer to as the “postliberal” movement, which contends that American politics have been overly focused on individual liberty at the expense of the common good. Pecknold co-founded the Substack “Postliberal Order” with Notre Dame political science professor Patrick Deneen and Harvard constitutional law scholar Adrian Vermeule.

Pecknold is also known to be close to Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert and self-described postliberal. The background image of the professor’s X social media profile is a photo of Pecknold with Deneen and Vance.

Pecknold is the author of several books that examine cultural and political questions through the lens of St. Augustine’s philosophy and theology, including “Transforming Postliberal Theology” (2005), “The Promise of Scriptural Reasoning” (2006), “Time, Liturgy, and the Politics of Redemption” (2008), and “Christianity and Politics” (2010). 

In a roundtable published in the Register in 2023, Pecknold argued that Catholics have a duty to engage in politics.

“Catholics who are well-formed by the laws of the heavenly city must pray and work for the peace of our very troubled country — for even the nations are restless until they rest in God. Catholics have a duty to intercede, to cure, and to govern,” Pecknold said.

It is not clear what Pecknold’s duties will be as director of public outreach at the federal department. The agency did not respond to a request for an explanation of his new role in time for publication, and Pecknold did not respond to a request for an interview.

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

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops joined with the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission in filing an amicus brief in support of Daniel Grand, who is petitioning the high court to rule in his favor in a legal dispute with the city of University Heights, Ohio.

Grand filed a lawsuit against the city in September 2022 after the city blocked his efforts to convene a minyan, or Jewish prayer group, of about a dozen friends at his home.

A federal district court dismissed his case on the grounds of a legal concept known as “finality,” a legal principle requiring property owners to obtain a land-use decision from local officials before bringing certain federal court challenges. A federal appeals court also ruled against Grand in the dispute.

In June the Supreme Court said it would consider the finality question. Grand is being represented by the legal group Alliance Defending Freedom.

In their filing, the U.S. bishops and the Baptist leaders said the lower courts erred by misapplying certain finality standards to Grand’s case.

“Forcing a religious plaintiff to exhaust an administrative process before vindicating his rights does not prevent premature adjudication; it imposes the very burden the Constitution forbids,” the religious groups said.

Grand’s religious liberty objections are clear regardless of the outcome of the administrative process, the leaders said.

“His rights are priceless and he has already been prevented from praying and continues to be prevented from praying,” they said, describing the injury to his religious rights as “complete” and “immediately knowable.”

The alleged misapplication of the “finality” rule, they said, requires plaintiffs to “complete a potentially years-long administrative process and wait for a final adverse decision even though the act of subjecting [their] religious practice to that process is itself the constitutional and statutory injury.”

The bishops and the Baptist convention urged the court to reverse the lower court rulings, arguing that religious objectors have standing to bring a lawsuit “as soon as a credible threat arises.”

Grand in his filing with the Supreme Court argued that the finality rule offers “a playbook for government-sponsored religious discrimination.”

Numerous other groups, meanwhile, have filed amicus briefs in support of Grand’s case, including the Religious Freedom Institute, the American Hindu Coalition, the American Muslim League, the American Association of Jewish Lawyers, and several others.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa officially launched the forum, “Within Your Gates: The Forum for the Universal Vocation of Jerusalem,” on Sept. 7, according to a university press release. The launch event took place at the university’s academic center in Jerusalem.

“The forum will produce applied interdisciplinary research rooted in Jerusalem’s particular realities and oriented toward questions of daily life that resonate beyond the city and the surrounding region, exploring themes such as the theological significance of Jerusalem, the cityʼs universal vocation, the language of conflict and reconciliation, and agency under conditions of constraint,” the release said.

The forum will be led by Daniel Schwake, director of Notre Dame’s Jerusalem campus, while Pizzaballa will serve as chair on the forum’s Board of Promoters.

Ave Maria University celebrates partnership with Cistercian community

Students and faculty at Ave Maria University’s Ireland campus will celebrate the start of a budding friendship with the Cistercian community at Mount Melleray Abbey with a Mass on Sept. 20. 

“Home to a Cistercian monastic community for almost 200 years, Mount Melleray Abbey now enters a new chapter through a partnership between the Cistercian community and Ave Maria University,” the university said in a Sept. 9 press release. “Building upon the Abbey’s enduring tradition of prayer, work and hospitality, the partnership will see Mount Melleray welcome Ave Maria University students as part of the University’s new Ireland study-abroad program beginning this autumn.”

The Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan of Waterford and Lismore.

“Mount Melleray Abbey has been a place of prayer and hospitality for generations, and we are honored to have the opportunity to contribute to the next chapter in its remarkable history,” Daniel Schreck, chief strategy officer for Ave Maria University, said in the release. “The Abbey forms part of the cultural and spiritual heritage of Ireland, and we take very seriously the responsibility entrusted to us through our partnership with the Cistercian community. The Mass on Sept. 20 represents an important moment for the Cistercians, Ave Maria University, and our many friends in Ireland as we work together to preserve the living tradition of Mount Melleray.”

The launch of the program this fall comes after Ave Maria acquired the abbey following its January 2025 closure due to dwindling numbers among the Cistercian community.

National Catholic Educational Association launches faith-based STEM series

The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and the professional development organization Eduscape are launching a summit series to promote the integration of religion into STEM education for Catholic schools across the country.

The “STREAM Made Simple Summit Series” is a professional development program for Catholic school teachers and principals that “adds religion to the familiar STEAM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math,” according to a Sept. 8 press release.

“Summits will be held across the country with many hosted in partnership with a Catholic diocese and each designed to serve up to 300 educators,” the release said.

“The barrier for many Catholic schools has never been conviction. It has been capacity. Teachers are often asked to lead integrated instruction they were never trained to deliver,” the release said. “The STREAM Made Simple approach starts from the opposite end: it invests in teachers first rather than equipment, and it is built so that a school can begin on Monday with the classrooms already in place.”

University of Mary to host fifth annual St. Gianna Medical Professionals Conference

The University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, has announced that the theme of its annual Catholic medical bioethics conference will be “Accompanying the Vulnerable: Catholic Bioethics in a Time of Technological Change.”

“Advances in medicine and technology must always serve the person, especially those who are most vulnerable,” Mary Dockter, dean of the College of Health Professions at the University of Mary, said in an Aug. 31 press release. “While our graduates must be competent in technological advancements, our hope is that they always ask themselves, just because we can do something, should we?”

The Dec. 4-5 conference will feature nine speakers, including Marilyn Coors, associate professor emerita of bioethics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Mariele Courtois, director of the Center for Technology and Human Dignity and assistant professor of moral theology at Benedictine College; and Natalie King, a palliative medicine physician, according to the release.

The speakers will address artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, end-of-life care, reproductive loss, mental health, and the relationship between technology and human dignity.

Viewers will get a unique look into places like Antioch, the birthplace of Christianity, the underground cities of Cappadocia, Ephesus, Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), and other key spots where the early Church was formed.

Stotts is a longtime on-location storyteller who has spent more than 20 years exploring the world, most notably in his series “Drive Thru History” aired on TBN. With a deep passion for the story of Christianity and how it has spread across the world, he brings viewers face-to-face with the places that have shaped the faith and invites audiences to rediscover the important figures and saints who impacted modern Christianity.

In an interview with EWTN News, Stotts explained that during his time doing “Drive Thru History” he “experienced firsthand the impact that Christian history can have.”

“In ‘The Road Less Traveled,’ we go even further — down forgotten roads and off the beaten path — to come face-to-face with the lives of saints, martyrs, and heroes of the Catholic past. Seeing their witness has the power to ignite our own faith in powerful ways today,” he said. “We wanted to explore this history on location and inspire viewers through a fast-paced, adventurous learning experience.”

The travel-show host explained that the first season of “The Road Less Traveled” begins “where the Gospel first spread — Syrian Antioch, where believers were first called ‘Christians’ and where the Cave Church of St. Peter still stands.”

“From there, we follow the roads to the underground churches of Cappadocia, then to the breathtaking ruins of ancient Ephesus, where St. Paulʼs preaching turned the cityʼs paganism upside down. Next, we travel to the seven churches of Revelation and explore each of the letters St. John wrote to them in the Book of Revelation,” Stotts explained.

While in ancient Myra, the show uncovers the story of St. Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop whose legacy lives on today as Santa Claus.

Viewers are then taken to ancient Nicaea, where the Church formulated Christianityʼs most foundational creed.

“Finally, we end the series in ancient Constantinople — present-day Istanbul — where we stand in the breathtaking Hagia Sophia and discover how the Christian faith helped shape history itself,” Stotts said.

Recalling one of the most impactful moments he had while recording the series, Stotts spoke about descending nearly 200 feet to the lowest level of Derinkuyu in ancient Cappadocia.

“There we explored what was once a hidden, rock-hewn, cross-shaped church— carved entirely out of volcanic rock,” he recalled. “It was inspiring to see the lengths, and depths, that persecuted Christians were willing to go to practice their faith. I came away challenged to live my own faith with that same kind of courage today.”

He added: “It can be easy to take the faith weʼve inherited for granted. But exploring history has the power to give us a fresh appreciation for the faith we practice today.”

Stotts said he hopes viewers “will not only see the world-shaping impact of the early Christians but also be inspired to pattern our own lives after their courageous witness.”

“The Road Less Traveled” debuts on Sept. 17 and can be watched for free on EWTN+ and on EWTN.com.

The mother, identified in court papers as Jane Doe, wanted her son, C.F., to start at Waverly School in Eastchester this month and is seeking a religious exemption to required vaccines. New York dropped religious exemptions from school vaccine rules in 2019 after a measles outbreak, however, though medical exemptions remain.

Doe had asked the Supreme Court for a temporary injunction so C.F. could start school as the fight continues in court.

Two other courts had already denied her request for a temporary injunction. A federal judge in New York and then a three-judge U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit panel turned her down. The application was then presented to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the circuit justice for the 2nd Circuit, who referred it to the full Supreme Court, which denied it. Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have granted it.

The unsigned order does not address the case’s merits, and Doe’s underlying appeal remains pending in the 2nd Circuit.

State officials have said a religious carve-out would undercut efforts to keep disease from spreading among children, pointing to an earlier appeals court ruling that left the vaccine law in place.

Doe, who is Catholic, says the state policy puts her faith and her child’s schooling at odds. In an April statement she gave the school, she wrote that her beliefs now “require me to categorically refuse vaccination for myself and for my children.”

Referring to the abortions from which fetal cells were taken to produce the original vaccines, she said: “The taking of an innocent human life is a grave sin. My Catholic beliefs have always held this.” She said that for her and her son, vaccination would be “a genuine, serious sin.”

“I will not do it,” she stated.

She also expressed serious reservations about other aspects of vaccine development: “Defiling the blood by mixing it with the blood of animals, with the remains of aborted human beings, or with foreign biological material, violates God’s Word,” she said, according to her statement of religious beliefs filed in the case. “Vaccination injects biological material derived from unclean sources directly into the bloodstream. My faith forbids this.”

Church teaching on conscience and vaccination

While the Church does not teach that the use of biological materials from nonhuman animals is categorically wrong, it absolutely condemns abortion and the use of tissue from aborted fetuses used to create the original cell lines. It teaches that a parent may receive or give a child a vaccine developed with those cell lines when there is no alternative and there is a serious health reason. The vaccine recipient’s participation in the evil act of abortion, the Church teaches, is “remote,” and therefore permitted.

However, in the 2008 instruction Dignitas Personae, the Church said that Catholics utilizing vaccines have “a duty” to let drugmakers and their healthcare providers know they oppose the way the vaccines were developed and demand vaccines created without the use of aborted fetal cells.

A 2020 note from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith says vaccination “is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and that, therefore, it must be voluntary.” Those who refuse for reasons of conscience, it adds, should take other steps so they do not spread disease.

New York law has a provision that children unvaccinated for medical reasons must stay at home during outbreaks, and Doe agreed to abide by that if granted an exemption.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a person must not be forced to act against a conscience formed well through Scripture, reason, and Church teaching, even when others would make a different choice. Forcing one to act against his or her conscience could be a sin against charity, which calls for others to respect the consciences of others.

The catechism also teaches that “[m]an has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. ‘He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience.’”

In a legal filing to the Supreme Court, the USCCB and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) argued that stronger due process protections would help uphold the human dignity of noncitizens and safeguard the common good, based on Catholic teaching.

The bishops sent the petition in relation to the ongoing case Genalo v. Keisy G.M., in which a U.S. permanent resident from the Dominican Republic argues that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) violated his Fifth Amendment right to due process.

Keisy G.M., whose full name is not public, was detained for 21 months. Although he did appear before a judge, he did not receive a bond hearing to determine whether he could be released on bond.

In spite of his permanent residency status, he faced deportation proceedings after he was convicted of felonious assault. He was later pardoned by the State of New York, ending the threat of deportation.

Dignity of the human person

In their legal brief, the bishops argued that due process protections are consistent with the law, American tradition, and Catholic teaching, saying “executive detention has never been wholly insulated from judicial scrutiny,” adding that “this accords with Catholic social teaching, which recognizes both the legitimate authority of the state and the dignity of the individual.”

“Indefinite confinement without individualized review by a neutral tribunal is anathema to our constitutional system and the ordered liberty it enshrines,” the bishops said. “The consequences of abandoning that system are severe and concrete.”

“Prolonged detention can cost people their jobs, homes, health, and the ability to participate meaningfully in their own legal proceedings,” they said. “It can separate parents from children, destabilize entire families, and inflict harms that cannot be undone by eventual release. Although such detention may at times be necessary to further important state interests, such as ensuring public safety, it must be subject to justification before a neutral tribunal.”

In the court filing, they cited Pope John XXIII’s 1963 encyclical Pacem in Terris, which teaches that “the common good is best safeguarded when personal rights and duties are guaranteed.”

Quoting from the document, they said authorities must “ensure that these rights are recognized, respected, co-ordinated, defended and promoted, and that each individual is enabled to perform his duties more easily” because “safeguard[ing] the inviolable rights of the human person” and “facilitat[ing] the performance of his duties” is “the principal duty of every public authority.”

The bishops also quoted Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Holy See’s secretary for relations with states, from his statement during the general debate at the opening of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly’s high‑level week.

In his statement, Gallagher said the “principles of equality before the law, accountability, the equitable application of the law, the separation of [four] powers, legal certainty, due process, the prevention of arbitrariness, as well as transparency in both procedural and legal matters, must always be observed.”

“Those principles,” the bishops continued, “are effectuated by procedures that require the government to justify significant deprivations of liberty based on individualized circumstances rather than categorical assumptions.”

Oral arguments for the case are scheduled for Oct. 13. Keisy G.M. is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other civil liberties organizations.

The case before the high court, Viramontes v. Cook County, concerns a regulation enacted by Cook County, Illinois, banning more than 100 types of semiautomatic weapons, including the popular AR-15 platform.

Two plaintiffs, Cutberto Viramontes and Christopher Khaya, sued to dispute the regulations under the Second and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit argues that the Supreme Court should rule on the case “to guarantee fundamental Second Amendment rights and to address the confusion in the lower courts” regarding Supreme Court precedent.

In their amicus brief regarding the legal dispute, the U.S. bishops urge the court to “[preserve] the traditional authority of political communities to regulate weapons.”

The “autonomy of local authority” is a significant part of “America’s historical tradition of federalism,” the bishops write, comparing it to the long-standing Catholic principle of subsidiarity, which holds that the authority closest to a local need is best suited to tackle the issue.

The principle of federalism does not allow for the wholesale redefinition of the Second Amendment, the bishops write. But, they argue, a “uniform constitutional standard need not require uniform firearm policy.”

Guns have historically been regulated differently throughout the U.S. depending on the locality, the bishops say, and the U.S. Constitution “does not require every community to exercise … its authority to regulate weapons identically.”

The prelates further argue that modern advances in weaponry mean firearms like AR-15s are “fundamentally dissimilar” from the standards of the 18th century; such weapons are “dangerous and unusual,” the bishops suggest, and are thus open to reasonable regulation.

Though the issue was brought to trial due to the local regulation, the ultimate question before the Supreme Court is whether the Second Amendment “guarantee[s] the right to possess [the] AR-15 platform and similar semiautomatic rifles.”

In the past 20 years the Supreme Court has significantly affirmed Second Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution, including in the landmark 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, which upheld the right to own a firearm unconnected with service in a state militia.

Those rights were broadly expanded in subsequent Supreme Court rulings such as 2010’s McDonald v. Chicago and the 2022 decision NYSRPA v. Bruen. The latter decision upheld a constitutional right to carry firearms for self-defense.

In the 2024 decision United States v. Rahimi, on the other hand, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment does allow for individuals to be disarmed if they have been found to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of someone else.

Diocesan officials learned in June that Father Alex Vargas was the subject of several “serious allegations,” Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez said in a Sept. 5 letter to the diocese.

The diocese reported the allegations to law enforcement, Rodríguez said, after which it launched its own independent investigation headed by an investigating agency.

That investigation was ultimately presented to the diocese’s adult allegation board; Rodríguez noted that there were no credible allegations leveled against Vargas regarding the abuse of minors.

The diocesan board determined it credible that Vargas had committed sexual misconduct, “financial malfeasance,” abuse of power, and several violations of the diocesan code of conduct.

Vargas has been deemed unsuitable for ministry “for the time being,” the bishop said; his ministerial faculties “shall continue to be withdrawn,” he noted.

The priest “remains innocent until proven guilty,” the prelate continued, adding that Vargas will be allowed to participate in a judicial process at a future date.

Another priest has been designated the administrator of St. Thomas More Parish where Vargas previously served, Rodriguez said, while members of the Diocesan Healing Intervention Team had already been sent to the parish “to offer support, answer questions, and provide a compassionate space for conversation and healing.”

Vargas had been installed as pastor of St. Thomas More Parish in July 2025. He had previously served as a parochial administrator and parochial vicar there.

Coakley, who serves as the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), wrote the letter due to his “deep pastoral concern in relation to the growing number of Haitians being forcibly repatriated to Haiti from the United States.”

The archbishop detailed the violence in Haiti, including a fatal attack that took place in the nationʼs capital of Port-au-Prince in August.

“Recently, at least 47 people were brutally murdered, more than 20 injured, and over 50 kidnapped in an unconscionable act of violence perpetrated by gang members in Port-au-Prince,” Coakley said.

“Perhaps worst of all, the victims were displaced families—young children among them—taking shelter at a church,” Coakley said.

Due to the attacks, and following the end of temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians living in the United States, Coakley urged Trump to exercise his authority under the Constitution to delay deportations for Haitians living and working in the United States.

“I very much wish this recent and tragic example of human life being extinguished, virtually with impunity, was an irregularity in Haiti. Unfortunately, it is not,” Coakley said.

“I implore you to avoid further endangering innocent human life by ceasing the deportation of large numbers of people to Haiti at this time, particularly while there is not an adequate system in place to provide for their safe and orderly reception and reintegration,” he said.

The archbishop echoed the words of Pope Leo XIV following the attacks.

Speaking to the press in Castel Gandolfo on Aug. 30, Pope Leo said: “I express my spiritual closeness to the victims and their families and call for the immediate release of all hostages.”

“I make a heartfelt appeal to all those in positions of authority to take concrete steps in order to ensure the safety of the population and put an end to all forms of violence,” the Holy Father added.

Call for ‘reform of our nation’s immigration laws’

“As citizens of this great country, we have been entrusted with a tremendous moral responsibility, and this is true most of all for you as our head of state, Mr. President,” Coakley said.

“To this end, I respectfully ask: What good is the immense wealth, prosperity, and influence with which we have been blessed as a nation if not used in service of our humanity?”

To this end, I respectfully ask: What good is the immense wealth, prosperity, and influence with which we have been blessed as a nation if not used in service of our humanity?”

Archbishop Paul Coakley

President, USCCB

While calling for a solution for Haitian nationals, Coakley said he understands “the importance of regulating immigration and enforcing federal immigration law.”

“I also acknowledge that the troubles in Haiti long precede your time in office, in addition to being complex and multifaceted,” he said.

The archbishop clarified that the call for ceased departures is for “Haitians peacefully residing in the United States,” and “individual Haitians could still be disqualified from this relief on a case-by-case basis, preserving your Administration’s ability to advance justice and public safety.”

“Beyond this short-term relief, you can be assured of the U.S. bishops’ abiding support and prayers for the long-overdue reform of our nation’s immigration laws,” Coakley said.

The U.S. bishops “pledge to continue working with your Administration and Congress to achieve this for the benefit of our country and all Americans,” Coakley said.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The proposal is set out in “One Tilma, One Heart: Walking with Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Footsteps of Saint Juan Diego” and is part of the Intercontinental Guadalupe Novena’s 2025–2028 strategic plan, which aims at “a profound spiritual renewal and unity under the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe.”

Bishops from Mexico, the U.S., and Canada each carried home tilma replicas after their historic meeting last week at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB); Bishop Oscar Cantú of San José, California; Bishop Eugenio Lira Rugarcía of Matamoros, Mexico; and Bishop Pierre Goudreault of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière, Canada, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, attended the meeting.

Under the plan, each diocese in the U.S. will receive a tilma for enthronement in its cathedral followed by two years of missionary activity including pilgrimages, service, and catechesis as the image travels to parishes beginning in 2027.

The original tilma, the cactus-fiber cloak on which Mary’s image miraculously appeared on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico in 1531, remains at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

The replicated images are printed on cloth similar to the original, and those touched to the original tilma will be treated as third-class relics.

The pastoral plan presents the tilma not only as an object of devotion but also as a “living catechetical witness” meant to make Catholics messengers of hope like St. Juan Diego.

Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn, New York, said at the bishops’ June plenary that a tilma for each diocese could be ordered at a low cost and that images would be presented to ordinaries in Baltimore in November for veneration in cathedrals or other sites designated by the local bishop.

After enthronement, the image is to travel through parishes and what organizers call “contemporary Tepeyacs,” or places marked by suffering, exclusion, migration, and violence. Local missionaries known as Juandieguitos will accompany the image, listen to community concerns, and help establish “sacred little houses” as sites of welcome, reconciliation, and Guadalupan formation, according to the pastoral plan.

A bilingual Order of Enthronement of the Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, originally prepared by the Mexican bishops’ liturgy commission, was also posted by the USCCB. The rite envisions a solemn diocesan Mass with procession, a prayer of consecration, and a blessing of the community “under the mantle of Mary.”

The bishops noted that the effort is in preparation both for the 2031 anniversary of Mary’s apparitions at Tepeyac and for the Great Jubilee of 2033, the Church’s planned extraordinary Holy Year of Redemption, marking 2,000 years since Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection.

Citing Pope Francis’ Dec. 12, 2022, homily at the beginning of the Guadalupan novena, hoped-for fruits of the effort include the “renewal of a Christocentric faith through Marian mediation,” reconciliation of polarized communities, strengthening of Hispanic cultural identity, and a network of Marian shrines as “privileged spaces for the rebirth of hope.”

Francis said in his 2022 homily on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe that “although this horizon seems bleak and disconcerting ... this too is a propitious time of salvation, in which the Lord, through the Virgin Mother, continues to give us his Son.”

A suggested timeline has dioceses naming Guadalupan ambassadors in late 2026, initial formation in January 2027, and diocesan enthronements from February through December 2027, with pastoral follow-up continuing through 2031.