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Puebla, Mexico, Oct 9, 2025 / 16:53 pm (CNA).

The body of Father Bertoldo Pantaleón Estrada was found on Oct. 6. The Mexican priest had been reported missing on Saturday, Oct. 4, in the state of Guerrero.

The Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM) and the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa confirmed that, according to authorities, the priest's remains were found around 2 p.m. local time. Pantaleón Estrada was the parish priest in the town of Mezcala, located in the southeast of the country.

So far, there are no details regarding the cause of death. The Guerrero state attorney general's office reported that it has launched an investigation to "clarify what happened."

In a statement, the bishop of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, José de Jesús González Hernández, asked the authorities to "help us determine the responsibility of those involved in this unfortunate event."

At the same time, he stated that "as bishop, and on behalf of the entire diocesan community, I forgive those directly involved for these acts, leaving the administration of justice to God."

González Hernández also called for "the conversion of our hearts" and asked God that the entire population may continue "walking the path of peace and in favor of life."

Violence against the Catholic Church in Mexico

In their statement, the Mexican bishops thanked God "for the priestly ministry of Father Bertoldo, for his generous dedication to the service of the Gospel and the Church, especially among the communities entrusted to him."

They also lamented that the acts of violence have once again plunged the Catholic community into mourning.

This incident occurs almost a year after the death of Father Marcelo Pérez of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas, who was murdered after celebrating Mass.

According to the Catholic Multimedia Center, which tracks attacks against the clergy, one cardinal and approximately 60 priests have been murdered since 1990. Since 2018 alone, the organization reports 12 murders of priests; 14 attacks on priests and bishops; a weekly average of 26 churches attacked, desecrated, or assaulted; and nearly 900 cases of extortion and death threats against members of the Catholic Church.

In view of this situation, the CEM demanded that state and federal authorities conduct "a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation that will allow for the clarification of this crime and the just punishment of those responsible."

"As shepherds of the people of God, we raise our voices to remind everyone that no form of violence can have a place in a society that honors life and seeks goodness, truth, and peace for all its citizens," the country's bishops stated.

Finally, Mexico's bishops concluded their message by imploring Christ the Good Shepherd to "receive our brother into his kingdom and grant him a share in the eternal joy promised to his faithful servants."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 9, 2025 / 17:41 pm (CNA).

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls with ADF International voiced opposition to the practice of surrogacy at an Oct. 9 U.N. event hosted by the Italian government. 

Surrogacy is responsible for inflicting large-scale violence, abuse, and exploitation on women and children, said Reem Alsalem at the event, according to an ADF International press release. Alsalem is set to present her report on surrogacy before the U.N. General Assembly on Oct. 10. 

"Surrogacy should not be prohibited only domestically, but it should also be addressed internationally," said Eugenia Rocella, Italian minister for Family, Natality, and Equal Opportunities, adding: "The Italian government is convinced that … existing international treaties on the protection of women and children's rights should be updated to explicitly include surrogacy as a practice of undermining dignity and entailing exploitation." 

Italy recently became the first country to ban surrogacy both within and outside its borders, ADF noted in its release, adding that Slovakia also adopted a constitutional amendment banning the practice last month. 

"Surrogacy rests on a system of violence that dehumanizes women and children alike. States need to develop a coordinated international response to end the grave human rights violations inherent in this practice," said Giorgio Mazzoli, director of U.N. Advocacy at ADF International, at the event. "We commend the special rapporteur for exposing the harms of this exploitative industry and urge governments around the world to unite in ending surrogacy in all its forms at all levels, including through the adoption of a U.N. treaty banning the practice globally." 

The report was based on about 120 submissions in addition to video consultations with 78 people including commissioning parents, surrogacy agencies, and surrogate mothers. Alsalem called for member states to establish a universal ban on surrogacy, criminalizing the practice in all its forms. 

Through her consultative process, the U.N. expert found surrogate mothers, who are most often from low-income and vulnerable backgrounds, and their children increasingly endure physical, emotional, and financial exploitation as well as violence and human trafficking. 

Though the global surrogacy market reached $14.96 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $99.75 billion in 2033, the report said, surrogate mothers frequently receive "only a small fraction of the overall compensation, with the majority of the payment going to intermediaries." 

"Globally, most surrogate mothers come from lower-income backgrounds and have less social status compared with the commissioning parents," the report said, noting that "migrant women are either specifically targeted for surrogacy or transferred to other countries for the purpose of impregnation and childbirth, often to circumvent legal frameworks." 

Alternatively, commissioning mothers often come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, the report said, but often experience heightened anxiety surrounding the arrangement, especially in cross-border arrangements, where they are likely to experience fraud through surrogacy agencies, resulting in major financial losses. 

The report further highlighted the experience of surrogate mothers being pressured into abortions by commissioning parents, including beyond 12 weeks of gestation, "through coercive tactics such as financial incentives, threats of legal action, or the withdrawal of support to both the mother and baby." This often occurs when the child is found to have a disability, the report said. In cases where the surrogate becomes pregnant with multiple children at once, commissioning parents may "also enforce a selective reduction." 

"ADF International remains committed to protecting the dignity of human life and safeguarding women and children from exploitation," the organization said, describing the practice as "the commodification of human life."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 9, 2025 / 18:11 pm (CNA).

Nearly every Republican senator signed a letter Thursday urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reverse its decision to approve a "generic" version of the abortion pill mifepristone, which may come onto the market by January if no action is taken.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, joined by 50 of his colleagues, wrote that "we are deeply concerned" with the FDA's decision. The FDA approved the generic mifepristone in late September without a public announcement.

In the letter, the senators wrote that the approval "appears inconsistent" with recent comments from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who confirmed in early September that HHS is reviewing the safety of the abortion pill and said President Joe Biden's administration "twisted the data" to downplay health concerns about the drug.

"Out of respect for this important review, and with full confidence in your dedication to protecting women's health, states' rights, and unborn life, we urge you to take decisive action to reevaluate whether this generic version of mifepristone is suitable to enter the market," the senators wrote.

The letter urged the administration to "suspend the approval of any new generic versions of mifepristone" while the drug's review is ongoing and "commit to ensuring that all generic versions of mifepristone are included in the ongoing reevaluation."

The Republican senators also urged the FDA to reinstate safeguards that regulate the abortion pill, which includes an in-person dispensing requirement. The requirement was lifted under the Biden administration in 2021. Reinstating the requirement would prevent the drugs from being delivered through the mail. 

"These policies have enabled abortion pills to be obtained by abusers, traffickers, and even minors," the senators argued.

"The aftermath has not only been deadly for preborn babies but lethal to their mothers," the senators continued. "Contrary to the narrative peddled by the media that taking abortion pills is 'safer than taking Tylenol,' evidence shows that the risk of serious medical complications after taking mifepristone is at least 22 times higher than reported on the drug label. In fact, more than 1 in 10 women who take mifepristone will experience a serious adverse event."

"We are committed to continuing to work together to give a voice to the voiceless and protect women from the dangerous effects of unregulated access to chemical abortion drugs," they wrote. "The life, safety, freedom, and health of millions of Americans, born and unborn, depend on it."

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CNA Staff, Oct 9, 2025 / 12:25 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV addressed immigration policies and respect for vulnerable migrants in a meeting with Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and labor leaders at the Vatican on Thursday. 

"Please know of my appreciation for your welcome of immigrants and refugees, especially your support of food pantries and shelters. While recognizing that appropriate policies are necessary to keep communities safe, I encourage you to continue to advocate for society to respect the human dignity of the most vulnerable," the pontiff said. 

In his meeting with Chicago union leaders, the pope also praised their important work to "enhance the common good and help to create a society where all can flourish." 

By respecting the dignity of the weak, Leo noted, "you are putting into practice the call of my beloved predecessor, Pope Francis, who urged every union to be reborn each day at the peripheries."

The group traveled to Rome for the Jubilee of Hope. "In addition to passing through the Holy Doors and participating in other spiritual exercises, you are also spending time studying important issues related to the rights and obligations of workers," Leo said. "I pray that this time may be fruitful for both your minds and hearts." 

The pope's remarks came amid an ongoing debate in the U.S. regarding immigration and deportation, with the Trump administration aggressively pursuing severe immigration enforcement nationwide in its first months.  

Chicago has in recent days become the center of protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has lately carried out enhanced enforcement measures in that city against immigrants in the country illegally. The Trump administration has dubbed the undertaking "Operation Midway Blitz." 

The federal agency has reportedly detained approximately 1,000 immigrants there, using helicopters and aggressive door-to-door enforcement to arrest those allegedly in the U.S. illegally. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has claimed the agents are "making [the city] a war zone."

Tensions heightened on Oct. 6 when Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an order that prohibited immigration officials from "using any city-owned property in their ongoing operations in Chicago." The Trump administration has since deployed National Guard troops to the city to protect federal property.

ICE officials have engaged in several high-profile conflicts with residents, meanwhile, including the firing of nonlethal rounds at a Presbyterian minister, who is currently suing the Trump administration over the incident.

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Washington, D.C., Oct 9, 2025 / 12:55 pm (CNA).

Pro-life leaders from across the country gathered this week to discuss how faith-based ministries are helping to cultivate a society that promotes human dignity and how others can advance the cause.

The Leading with Love Conference at The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C., was sponsored by the Human Life Foundation and the Center for Law and the Human Person at The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. It was aimed at "empowering Christians to cultivate a culture of life within their local communities."

Jennie Bradley Lichter, president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, spoke to attendees Oct. 8 about the power of faith-based ministries, including The Guadalupe Project. Lichter founded the initiative in 2022 to provide resources and encouragement to parents within the CUA community.

To cultivate this encouragement, we must figure out how we can "create more of a revolution of love," Lichter said. "Christ started this revolution of love, but it's now up to each one of us in our particular time and place."

"Caring for unborn babies and their mothers is one of the most urgent challenges of our time, Lichter said. "Six out of 10 women who have chosen abortion would have preferred to choose life if they had the emotional and financial support they felt necessary." 

The Guadalupe Project's goal was to combat this by "[making] sure every woman on campus knows that resources exist and knows exactly how to find them," Lichter said. "It's meant to support all parents on campus, not just students, and not just mothers in unexpected or challenging circumstances."

"We wanted to foster a culture on campus where each life is celebrated, knowing that a positive, vibrant, and joyful culture of life is truly life-giving in so many ways," Lichter said.

The initiative "revamped all of the university's pregnancy resource materials for students" and created "a poster campaign, including one designed specifically for the men's dorms," Lichter said.

It also promoted the placement of stickers in every women's restroom stall on campus with a QR code leading to these pregnancy materials. The campus started allotting more maternity and paternity leave, designating maternity parking spots on campus, providing free diapers and wipes at the campus food pantry, holding maternity clothing drives, and "affirming the goodness of family life and that new babies are a moment to celebrate," Lichter said.

The 2026 theme for the March for Life is "Life Is a Gift," Lichter said. The initiative helps carry that out, because "life is something to be celebrated."

She added: "[Life] is not a burden for which someone needs support, or not solely that. It is really a cause for celebration." 

Faith-based communities can use The Guadalupe Project as "prototype," Lichter suggested. She shared that other universities have reached out to talk about the initiative as they were inspired to consider doing something similar.

"We need to make sure that pregnant women never reach the point of despair that drives them into the arms of the abortion clinics," Lichter said. "We need to meet that moment of loneliness, fear, or emptiness with encouragement and empowerment."

Hopes and suggestions for faith-based ministries 

Other leaders from prominent pro-life ministries discussed what gives them hope for the future of the pro-life movement, including Kat Talalas of Walking with Moms in Need, Amy Ford of Embrace Grace, Christopher Bell of Good Counsel Homes, and Sister Maria Frassati of the Sisters of Life.

Talalas, who is the assistant director of pro-life communications for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Walking with Moms in Need started five years ago but has already reached countless communities. 

The parish-based initiative is "to the point where we don't even know a lot of the time what new diocese or parish is starting a Walking with Moms in Need, what new lives are being saved, [and] what new women are being accompanied," Talalas said. "It's taken on a life of its own. That's the work of the Holy Spirit — the Holy Spirit convicting hearts."

"God guides us, we have each other, and we're not alone. Just as we tell [mothers] that they're not alone, we're not alone in this movement. So what's giving me hope is seeing the Holy Spirit catch fire and individual people saying: 'I want to start talking with moms in need,' and women saying: 'I can do this,'" Talalas said. 

Talalas said the work all begins with prayer. "It's sitting in the presence of the love of God, letting him love you, and seeing how the Holy Spirit convicts you … It begins with that individual conviction. If we're not following God's law, it doesn't matter what we're doing."

Ford, who leads Embrace Grace, which provides mothers support through local churches, said she has "noticed there's a lot of people that seem like they have more of an open heart about Christianity, about spirituality … especially with the younger generation."

She added: "I think that's something we can all have hope about."

To get involved, Ford said people need to carry out "the good works that God's called us to do." She posed the question: "What strengths and gifts did God put inside each of you that you can do?" 

While Bell's ministry, Good Counsel, provides services including housing for homeless mothers and children and post-abortion healing services, he said every person can help by simply praying. He specifically called on people to pray in front of an abortion center. 

"If you have done it, do it again. If you've never done it, just go ... You don't have to say anything. You didn't have to look up. You don't have to open your eyes. But your presence will mean the world," Bell said. "The babies who will die there that day will know that you loved them … That's the most important thing to do."

Sister Maria Frassati shared that "we could really grow in having more faith in what [God] is doing."

"The truth is that God is actually really working in so many ways," she said. "God is faithful, and that really gives me a lot of hope that nothing that you give is ever wasted. Even if you walk with a woman who's not receptive, there's really no gift that has been offered to him that he has not kept sacred and precious in his heart."

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Vatican City, Oct 9, 2025 / 13:25 pm (CNA).

Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, said immigration is a "Gospel issue" before it is a "political issue" in the United States. 

In an exclusive interview with EWTN News reporter Valentina Di Donato, Seitz said the Church has a responsibility to reaffirm Catholic social teaching regarding the preferential option for the poor. 

"It's always the role of the bishop to speak the Gospel, to reflect on that Gospel and its implications for our daily lives," the prelate told EWTN News. 

"We have a task to form people based on that teaching of love and mercy and compassion that applies not just in exceptional cases, not just to certain people, but in a special way to the poor and the vulnerable, and that includes immigrants," he said. 

Speaking about the "inalienable rights" every person is endowed with by God, the bishop said the rights of immigrants should not only be a concern of the Church but should also be "respected in law."

"While we are not politicians — it's not our task to develop rules and laws — we are responsible to help form consciences and bring people back to the basic underlying principles, which, by the way, are principles upon which our country was built," he said.

According to the bishop, U.S. asylum law is not being respected "right now," as several migrant families living in the El Paso Diocese, located near the U.S.-Mexico border, no longer feel protected and fear deportation. 

"We should practice that [respect for] human dignity when we are dealing with a person who simply fled here because they had no other option," he told EWTN News.

Having ministered to families who have felt threatened by criminal drug gangs, Seitz said it is unjust to deny asylum or security for those seeking protection outside of their countries of origin, especially when the gangs' activities are "supported by our drug addiction in the United States." 

Earlier this week, Pope Leo XIV met with Seitz, El Paso Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Celino, and Dylan Corbett of Hope Border Institute in a private Oct. 8 meeting at the Vatican. 

During the meeting, the bishop shared a four-minute video and handwritten letters from migrant families expressing their faith as well as their fears about the future.

"I said, 'Holy Father, we're so happy to stand with you,'" Seitz said, recalling the encounter. "Later on in the meeting [the pope] came back to that and he said, 'In matters of injustice, the Church has to speak and, in that, I stand with you.'"

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 9, 2025 / 14:28 pm (CNA).

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has chosen Catholic media companies Ascension and Word on Fire to publish the Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition.

The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, is a set of daily prayers that priests and religious are obliged to pray and that many lay Catholics also partake in. The prayers are set according to the Church calendar and are composed of psalms, hymns, and readings from Scripture.

In November 2012, the U.S. bishops voted to revise the translation, following English translations of the Roman Missal, Third Edition, and the 2001 Vatican document Liturgiam Authenticam. The approval process was completed in November 2024 and on May 29 of this year, the USCCB sent the completed manuscript to the Holy See for confirmation.

Ascension and Word on Fire, both known for their print, online, and video works, announced Oct. 7 that they will each publish the new version of the Liturgy of the Hours. A release date for the daily prayer will be shared upon final approval from the Vatican. 

The current edition was translated and designed in the 1970s, making the new version the first updated English translation of the prayer in more than 50 years. It has been developed over the past decade by the USCCB in collaboration with the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). 

"Our goal is to create a reverent and beautiful edition that embodies the dignity of the Church's common prayer. This new translation marks an extraordinary moment for Catholics everywhere," said Jonathan Strate, president and CEO of Ascension, in an announcement. Strate said Ascension is "honored to serve the Church" by being one of the publishers.

Ascension, known for its popular podcast "The Bible in a Year with Mike Schmitz," reported publishing the prayers "furthers its mission in creating resources to help Catholics deepen their prayer life, joining the universal Church in encountering the truth and beauty of the Catholic faith."

"When you pray the Liturgy of the Hours, you are uniting your prayer to the entire Church," Schmitz said in a recent video explaining the Liturgy of the Hours. He added: "It gives us the opportunity to create holy time… by stopping at various moments throughout the day and calling upon the Lord, renewing our mind with his word."

"This is more than a publishing project — it is a spiritual mission," Word on Fire founder Bishop Robert Barron said in a press release. "We want to help thousands of priests, religious, and laypeople pray more deeply and more beautifully each day." The new version, he said, is "a profound service to the Church and to the world."

Word on Fire has "spent the past three years introducing tens of thousands of Catholics to this rhythm of daily prayer through our monthly booklets," said Brandon Vogt, senior publishing director at Word on Fire. "This four-volume series is the next step … that will draw countless more into the Church's ancient prayer, day by day, hour by hour." 

The Liturgy of the Hours is "the Church's highest prayer outside the Mass and sacraments," Vogt said. "Our aim is simple — to create the most beautiful, most prayerful, most accessible edition of the Liturgy of the Hours ever produced."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 8, 2025 / 17:13 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV became "visibly emotional" upon receiving messages on Oct. 8 from immigrants fearing deportation in the United States, a member of a U.S. delegation said.

Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Celino, and Dylan Corbett of Hope Border Institute gave the pope a collection of handwritten letters from migrant families expressing fear and faith. They showed the pope a video with immigrants' voices saying mass deportations in the United States are breaking family bonds and stripping children of safety.

"We live in a state of constant anxiety, never knowing if tomorrow will bring separation," an immigrant says in the video.

Corbett posted on X that Leo told the delegation, which included immigrants: "The Church cannot stay silent before injustice. You stand with me, and I stand with you." 

One letter writer expressed fear of leaving the house, even to see a doctor, and asked for prayers for President Donald Trump that his heart may be filled with love, compassion, and empathy. The Trump administration is undertaking a massive expansion of enforcement, detention, and border control efforts.

'You could see tears in his eyes'

Corbett, founding executive director of Hope Border Institute, described the 25-minute encounter with Pope Leo to CNA.

"Bishop Seitz spoke about the Church in the United States' commitment to walking alongside immigrants and refugees in our country," Corbett recalled, noting Seitz's remarks had been unscripted. "And the Holy Father quickly said he wanted the Church in the United States to be more united and forceful on this issue, and that what's happening right now is an injustice." 

"We were then able to share from our perspective some of what we're seeing across the United States right now in terms of the campaign of mass deportations," he continued, adding: "The Holy Father grew visibly emotional about that."

The group presented Leo with "over 100 letters from immigrants across the country who are at risk of deportation or who are in mixed families." The delegation also presented the Holy Father with a video featuring "voices drawn from those letters that tell the story of the anxieties and fears, and also the hopes, right now of the immigrant community." 

At this point, Corbett said Leo "became emotional and you could see tears in his eyes." 

"He was very supportive and encouraging," Corbett said, noting several representatives from the immigrant community were also present for the meeting and offered their testimonies. 

Fernie Ceniceros, a spokesperson for the El Paso Diocese, told CNA: "The Diocese of El Paso is thrilled to know that the Holy Father was able to meet with Bishop Mark Seitz and our Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Celino and a small delegation of local immigration advocates that included clergy from with the diocese."

"We are blessed to know that the Holy Father expressed his support of migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border along with migrants all over the world," he added. 

Ceniceros shared several images of the letters given to Leo, including one in English and one in Spanish. 

One of the letters sent by an El Paso priest on loan from the Srikakulam Diocese in Andhra Pradesh, India, described "feeling a sort of insecurity … due to the immigration situation" and noted that many are "scared to move comfortably even with legal documentation." 

The letter further appealed to the Holy Father for papal support in being "a voice for the voiceless" while also "uphold[ing]  the right of nations to regulate borders and the right of people to seek a better life."

Another letter from an anonymous immigrant lacking legal status in California told Leo: "These days we are living with a lot of fear, confusion, and sadness." The letter appealed to the Holy Father to "continue petitioning our God and to continue listening to the voice of the needy immigrant community, raising his voice alongside our brothers and sisters from separated families." 

"Thank you for listening to us," it concluded. 

Messages from migrants

One letter said:

"Dear Pope Leo, there are two members of my family without documents. I feel afraid to go out to work and that I could be separated from my family. I think that there should be demand for the immigration agents not to be allowed to get close to parishes, and the raids should stop, because they only create pain and fear. I think the pope should be openly against the raids, and the unjust treatment that's affecting the community. Speaking clearly and concisely about the situation that we are in and condemning the way in which so-called Christians in power are acting."

Another letter said:

"We are a mixed family. I am very sad, with a lot of pain and fear. I have not gone out for two weeks and when I do go out, I'm afraid, even when I have to go to the doctor. I think that the Church could help us in getting immigration lawyers to support us and all of those who have been detained. The Church could also give protection to families that remain here. Pope Leo, you know the whole situation that the world is living in, that there is a lot of pain and that we don't have peace. We ask for your prayers and that you would speak to those who you should speak to. I also ask for prayers for Donald Trump for his heart to be filled with love, compassion, and empathy."

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Rome Newsroom, Oct 8, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

For the first time, the body of St. Francis of Assisi will be visible to all, from Feb. 22 to March 22, 2026. This religious and historical event was announced on the memorial of the saint of Assisi (Oct. 4) and will coincide with the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis in 1226.

The announcement was made from the Loggia delle Benedizioni by Fray Giulio Cesareo, director of the press office of the Sacred Convent, following Mass celebrated in the Upper Basilica of the Umbrian city, presided over by Monsignor Camillo Cibotti, president of the Episcopal Conference of Abruzzo and Molise, along with Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, papal legate for the papal basilicas of Assisi, the bishop of Assisi, and the general and provincial ministries of the Franciscan families.

In his homily, Cibotti emphasized the "newness of life" that Francis presents to the world. "A new way of feeling, of thinking, of living Christ," Cibotti noted. The mayor of L'Aquila, Pierluigi Biondi, lit the votive lamp of the Municipalities of Italy, representing the Italian people during the celebration.

The first part of the celebration for the feast of St. Francis, patron saint of Italy, concluded with speeches from the authorities from the loggia of the sacred convent. Reference was also made to the reinstatement of Oct. 4 as a national holiday in that country.

"In recent days, Parliament approved the law making Oct. 4 a national holiday," declared the custos of the Sacred Convent, Friar Marco Moroni, OFMConv, at the beginning of the celebration in the basilica. "This is not just a tribute to the patron saint of Italy, but a recognition of values ??that speak to everyone. For this celebration to be truly fruitful, everyone must draw concrete consequences from it: our communities with their daily lives; local governments with their choices for justice and inclusion; Parliament and the government with laws and policies consistent with what is proclaimed today; each of us with sober and fraternal lifestyle choices." 

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, also present at the celebration, addressed Italy from the loggia of the Sacred Convent: "The devotion of Italians to St. Francis is strong, authentic, and visceral, which can be seen in the faces of the pilgrims present here. Today the Italian people turn their gaze here, to Assisi, because St. Francis is one of the founding figures of the Italian identity. Francis of Assisi was a man of action, extreme but not extremist. Today we celebrate Francis not because he needs us, but because we need him."

At the celebration the exposition of the remains of St. Francis in 2026 was also announced. The press release from the Sacred Convent of Assisi stated: "This exposition, rooted in the evangelical theme of the seed that dies to bear fruit in love and brotherhood, invites us to consider the life of the saint, who continues to bear fruit after 800 years and to inspire all humanity on the path of peace, brotherhood, service to the least, joy and care for creation."

"The eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis, in 2026, is a time of remembrance and renewal. We do not celebrate death, but, recognizing it as a 'sister' to St. Francis, we celebrate the life that blossoms from the gift and offering of self," the statement continued.

"It is in this spirit that, thanks to the approval granted by the Holy Father Leo XIV through the Vatican Secretariat of State, the public display of his mortal remains will take place," the statement said.

The body of St. Francis will be moved from his tomb, located in the crypt, and placed at the foot of the papal altar in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis. The tomb's history itself holds significant historical and religious significance: after the death of the Poverello saint, "the body was made inaccessible," the press office of the Sacred Convent explained, "beneath the basilica's high altar to prevent any possible theft. It remained hidden for centuries, until, after a long and arduous search, it was finally discovered on the night between Dec. 12 and 13, 1818."

The first official recognition took place in 1819, confirming the identity of the remains of the saint of Assisi. There are also other recognitions, such as the one in 1978, in preparation for the 750th anniversary of his death, and the most recent one in 2015.

For more information: www.sanfrancescovive.org

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, CNA's Italian-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA/ACI Prensa.

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CNA Staff, Oct 8, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

The U.S. Catholic bishops sharply criticized the Trump administration's recent approval of the generic abortion drug mifepristone, saying that women and children deserve better care. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug even as the administration is currently investigating the abortion drug for safety concerns. 

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has previously acknowledged concerns over the safety of the drug and said in a hearing last month that the investigation is ongoing. Even so, the FDA's approval of the generic version will make the drug even more accessible. 

"Mothers in need and their preborn children deserve better," said Bishop Daniel Thomas, who heads the U.S. bishops' pro-life committee, in response to the FDA's decision. 

In a statement, Thomas called the decision "jarring" and "contradictory."

"At the same time that the Food and Drug Administration is conducting a much-needed review of the supposed safety of the abortion pill for women, it is nonetheless approving a new generic for this deadly drug," Thomas said.

"The FDA took shortcuts in originally approving and loosening protocols for mifepristone, which enabled the killing of more children and placed the health of more women in danger," he continued.

More than 1 in 10 women who take the abortion pill mifepristone to complete a chemical abortion will suffer a serious health complication within 45 days of taking the drug, a study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center found.

The study also found that the rate of serious adverse side effects occurs at 22 times the rate that the FDA-approved drug label currently indicates.

"Even if it eventually had to be approved as a generic version of the same drug, to do so now and make it more available before a recently-announced safety study can be completed and potentially save lives, is a shocking inconsistency," Thomas said. 

Dangers of drug 

Dr. Susan Bane, vice chair of the board of directors of American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, called the FDA's decision "a serious misjudgment that will have deadly consequences." 

Mifepristone poses a danger "not only to preborn babies but to unsuspecting pregnant women as well," Bane, an OB-GYN with more than 25 years of experience in women's health care, told CNA.

"When the side effects of this drug are already misreported and under-investigated, expanding access to it is the wrong course of action," she said. 

Jennie Bradley Lichter, March for Life president, said she is "devastated" by the decision. 

"I'm devastated that this dangerous drug, which has serious adverse effects for 11% of women who take it, is getting a stronger and stronger foothold," she said in a statement shared with CNA. 

Noting that the agency "has limited discretion under the law to decline approval for a generic that matches an approved name-brand drug," Lichter expressed concerns for women and children.  

"Every day that mifepristone remains on the market, with very few safeguards in place around it, heaps danger upon danger for American women and results in more and more babies being killed," Lichter said. 

Evita Solutions, LLC, the pro-abortion company producing the generic drug, has said it seeks to "normalize abortion." 

But Thomas highlighted the importance of support and care for women and children.

Mothers and children "deserve the fullest, most authentic care that we can offer in all respects," the bishop said.

Thomas looked ahead to the FDA investigation of the abortion drug mifepristone.

"I pray that the forthcoming review of mifepristone will undo many of these tragic developments and that we may, instead, meet women with hope and meaningful support," he said.

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