Pope Leo XIV greets Catholic pilgrims from Russia during an audience in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 17, 2025 / 12:42 pm (CNA).Pope Leo XIV on Friday asked a group of Catholic pilgrims from Russia, in Rome on a Jubilee pilgrimage, to be an example of love and brotherhood upon their return home.In his Oct. 17 address at the Vatican, the Holy Father emphasized that the presence of the Russian pilgrims "is part of the journey of so many generations" who have traveled to Rome. For the Holy Father, "this city can be a symbol of human existence, in which the 'ruins' of past experiences, anguish, uncertainty, and anxiety are intertwined with the faith that grows every day and becomes active in charity.""And with the hope that does not disappoint and encourages us, because even on the ruins, despite sin and enmity, the Lord can build a new world and renewed life," he added.Bishop Joseph Werth of the Diocese of ...
Pope Leo XIV greets Catholic pilgrims from Russia during an audience in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.
ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 17, 2025 / 12:42 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Friday asked a group of Catholic pilgrims from Russia, in Rome on a Jubilee pilgrimage, to be an example of love and brotherhood upon their return home.
In his Oct. 17 address at the Vatican, the Holy Father emphasized that the presence of the Russian pilgrims "is part of the journey of so many generations" who have traveled to Rome.
For the Holy Father, "this city can be a symbol of human existence, in which the 'ruins' of past experiences, anguish, uncertainty, and anxiety are intertwined with the faith that grows every day and becomes active in charity."
"And with the hope that does not disappoint and encourages us, because even on the ruins, despite sin and enmity, the Lord can build a new world and renewed life," he added.
Bishop Joseph Werth of the Diocese of the Transfiguration in Novosibirsk, Russia, told EWTN News after the meeting that Pope Leo took the time to greet the entire group of around 100 pilgrims, despite being scheduled to only greet the people in the front rows.
"It's a sign that the pope wanted to dedicate time to us," Werth said.
Leo encouraged the Catholics from Russia to continue the path of Christian life upon returning home, appealing to their responsibility in their local Church.
"From your families, from your parish and diocesan communities, may an example of love, fraternity, solidarity, and mutual respect emerge for all the people among whom you live, work, and study," he urged them.
In this way, he affirmed that "the fire of Christian love can be kindled, capable of warming the coldness of hearts, even the most hardened."
In Rome, the pontiff specified, "the heart of the Christian soul beats" and it is where "the events of the faith — received and transmitted since apostolic times, from which so many peoples and nations have drunk abundantly and from which they still live today — are intertwined with the concerns and commitments of daily life."
Leo XIV also pointed out the monuments scattered throughout the Eternal City, "tangible signs of living faith, rooted in the hearts of people, capable of transforming consciences and motivating them to do good."
He emphasized that every Catholic "is a living stone in the building of the Church" who, even if small, placed by the Lord in the right place, "plays an important role in the stability of the entire structure."
Alexey Gotovskiy of EWTN News contributed to this report.
null / Credit: NMKStudio@ShutterstockCNA Staff, Oct 17, 2025 / 13:19 pm (CNA).A federal judge in California will allow a class action lawsuit to proceed for potentially millions of parents and teachers regarding school district rules that hide child "gender transitions" from parents. U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez ruled Oct. 15 that the lawsuit Mirabelli v. Olson will proceed as a class action, becoming what the Thomas More Society said is potentially "one of the largest civil rights class actions" in California history. Peter Breen, the head of litigation at the Thomas More Society, a public interest law firm, said in the group's Oct. 16 press release that parents have a "fundamental right" to direct their children's education and moral upbringing, and that California school officials "cannot override that right by keeping parents in the dark about major issues and developments in their child's life." In his ruling, Benitez said the lawsuit satisfies the crit...
null / Credit: NMKStudio@Shutterstock
CNA Staff, Oct 17, 2025 / 13:19 pm (CNA).
A federal judge in California will allow a class action lawsuit to proceed for potentially millions of parents and teachers regarding school district rules that hide child "gender transitions" from parents.
U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez ruled Oct. 15 that the lawsuit Mirabelli v. Olson will proceed as a class action, becoming what the Thomas More Society said is potentially "one of the largest civil rights class actions" in California history.
Peter Breen, the head of litigation at the Thomas More Society, a public interest law firm, said in the group's Oct. 16 press release that parents have a "fundamental right" to direct their children's education and moral upbringing, and that California school officials "cannot override that right by keeping parents in the dark about major issues and developments in their child's life."
In his ruling, Benitez said the lawsuit satisfies the criteria for class action status. School districts in California, he said, "are ultimately state agents under state control," and thus the issue of settling "statewide policy" means the class action structure is "superior to numerous individual actions by individual parents and teachers."
The class action ruling comes ahead of a Nov. 17 hearing in the same court, one that the Thomas More Society says may "potentially deliver a final ruling" on the dispute, including whether secretive school transgender policies violate parents' constitutional rights.
"Parents should never be treated as strangers in their own children's lives," Breen said.
The legal group said the suit will now represent "all California parents and teachers affected by school district policies that conceal children's gender transitions from their families."
Those policies have been at the center of ongoing debate over transgenderism and gender ideology in recent years. LGBT advocates and school leaders around the country have argued that teachers and school administrators should be permitted to exclude parents from knowing if their children begin "identifying" as the opposite sex.
Activists have also argued that school officials should be allowed to facilitate child "gender transitions" without informing parents.
Rules allowing teachers to hide such sensitive information from parents have come under fire from advocates in recent years, including the Trump administration.
In February the White House launched an investigation into five school districts in northern Virginia to determine whether their transgender policies violated executive orders forbidding schools from facilitating "gender transitions."
In 2023, meanwhile, Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued directives affirming that parents in the state would enjoy broad oversight of their children while they are enrolled in public schools, reversing earlier rules that allowed teachers to keep children's transgender "identities" secret from parents.
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Square on September 28, 2025. / Vatican Media screenshotCNA Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 13:38 pm (CNA).Pope Leo XIV has responded to a letter from a grieving father with the encouragement that "death never has the last word."In the October issue of Piazza San Pietro magazine, the pontiff penned a letter to Francesco, a father of four, who wrote to the Holy Father about the death of his 12-year-old son, Domenico Maria, from a sudden illness 18 years ago.Despite the time that has passed, the father said he still felt like his son's premature death happened only yesterday. "Holiness, this letter of mine is intended only as a thought, as well as a remembrance for our son, so that God, in his infinite goodness and mercy as a Father, may welcome him into the kingdom of heaven…" Francesco wrote.In his response, Leo reminded the father that "the important thing is to always remain connected to the Lord, going through the greatest pain ...
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Square on September 28, 2025. / Vatican Media screenshot
CNA Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 13:38 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has responded to a letter from a grieving father with the encouragement that "death never has the last word."
In the October issue of Piazza San Pietro magazine, the pontiff penned a letter to Francesco, a father of four, who wrote to the Holy Father about the death of his 12-year-old son, Domenico Maria, from a sudden illness 18 years ago.
Despite the time that has passed, the father said he still felt like his son's premature death happened only yesterday.
"Holiness, this letter of mine is intended only as a thought, as well as a remembrance for our son, so that God, in his infinite goodness and mercy as a Father, may welcome him into the kingdom of heaven…" Francesco wrote.
In his response, Leo reminded the father that "the important thing is to always remain connected to the Lord, going through the greatest pain with the help of His Grace, which always comes — be sure of that — even in the darkest moments."
The pope also recalled the light of the love of God, who walks with us throughout our life, starting at our Baptism.
"All this begins with our Baptism and will never end," he said. "Baptism introduces us into communion with Christ and gives us true life, committing us to renounce a culture of death that is very present in our society."
"But death never has the last word! The last word, which opens the doors to eternity and joy that lasts forever, is the resurrection, which knows no discouragement or pain that imprisons us in the extreme difficulty of not finding meaning in our existence," the pontiff added.
In his letter, Francesco described his son's love of soccer and the community of friends he found through playing the sport.
Pope Leo said "authentic prayer, like authentic sport, practiced together, creates bonds and unites forever, as it united Domenico Maria with all those on his 'team' of true friendship, with bonds that go far beyond death."
Churches in Jerusalem. / Credit: Amizor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:Jerusalem church leaders welcome Gaza ceasefireThe Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem has hailed the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange, describing it as a "first real step toward ending the war," CNA's Arabic-language news partner, ACI MENA, reported Oct. 16. The statement thanked the international community, particularly mediators at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, for helping secure the deal and called for rapid humanitarian access to food, clean water, fuel, and medicine.The church leaders also voiced alarm over growing violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank, insisting that peace talks must lead to an independent Palestinian state living in safety beside Israel. They praised Christians in Gaza for their steadfa...
Churches in Jerusalem. / Credit: Amizor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:
Jerusalem church leaders welcome Gaza ceasefire
The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem has hailed the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange, describing it as a "first real step toward ending the war," CNA's Arabic-language news partner, ACI MENA, reported Oct. 16.
The statement thanked the international community, particularly mediators at the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, for helping secure the deal and called for rapid humanitarian access to food, clean water, fuel, and medicine.
The church leaders also voiced alarm over growing violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank, insisting that peace talks must lead to an independent Palestinian state living in safety beside Israel. They praised Christians in Gaza for their steadfast faith, calling the communities of St. Porphyrius Orthodox and Holy Family Catholic churches "a living witness of hope amid suffering."
Tokyo archbishop calls for end to death penalty
Cardinal Isao Kikuchi, archbishop of Tokyo, is calling on Japan to abolish the death penalty and grant clemency to two men charged with murder, according to a report by Crux.
"The Catholic Church in Japan opposes capital punishment, calling for the protection of all life as a gift from the Creator. The Church urges the government to abolish the death penalty and reform the Japanese criminal justice system," the cardinal said, adding: "I fundamentally believe that if we uphold the value of human life and dignity, we must not employ the same method as the criminals by taking a life away."
Protests in Cameroon overshadow presidential election despite bishops' call for peace
Despite repeated appeals by Catholic bishops for peace and transparency ahead of Cameroon's presidential elections, protests reportedly erupted in some cities in the country, ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 16.
In the country's capital of Douala, angry demonstrators accused authorities of electoral fraud in the Oct. 12 vote. This comes after members of the Cameroon bishops' conference called on authorities to address any electoral insecurities they said could possibly mar the country's presidential elections.
"Every human life is sacred and must be protected. It is everyone's duty to ensure that the sanctity of human life is preserved before, during, and after the upcoming elections," they said, adding: "We call on the competent authorities of the Republic to use their powers to prevent electoral insecurity and ensure a favorable environment, free from fear and intimidation."
Results for the election are expected by Oct. 26.
Pope Leo XIV meets Jordan's King Abdullah II: a renewed friendship
Pope Leo XIV welcomed King Abdullah II of Jordan and Queen Rania to the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City this week, their first meeting since the pope's election earlier this year, ACI MENA reported Oct. 14.
The encounter reaffirmed the long-standing friendship between the Holy See and the Hashemite Kingdom, centered on interfaith dialogue and shared concern for peace in the Middle East. The visit comes as King Abdullah tours Europe, including Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia, for talks on regional stability.
Observers note that the strong personal rapport once shared between Pope Francis and the Jordanian monarch is likely to continue under Pope Leo, whose pontificate has already signaled continuity in humanitarian outreach and mutual respect.
Korean Catholics call on government to protect workers under new law
Catholic officials are welcoming a change to Korea's labor laws that will help protect workers by strengthening unions and adding protections for workers in Korea's segmented labor market, according to an Oct. 15 report from UCA News.
"Nothing is more important than the happiness, well-being, and protection of the lives of workers and their families, so it is natural for the Church to stand on the side of workers," said Father Alexander Lee Young-hoon, the Bishops' Conference of Korea's secretary of labor.
"When the Church speaks out on labor and social issues, many believers perceive it as a political stance," said John Park Young-ki, attorney and member of the Seoul Archdiocese Labor Ministry Committee. "The path of a Church that stands with the poor and the vulnerable, as Pope Francis has said, is not to follow secular logic but to show concern for the vulnerable."
Germany names its head of foreign intelligence service as ambassador to Holy See
Pope Leo XIV received Bruno Kahl, Germany's new ambassador to the Holy See, on Oct. 11, according to a Vatican press bulletin.
Kahl presented Leo with his credential letters during the meeting, marking the official start of his post. The new ambassador has been in Rome for several weeks, according to reports, and previously met with Leo during a private audience with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. During his stint as head of German intelligence, Kahl was in Ukraine when Russia invaded at the start of the war and had to be evacuated by special forces from the country via car, according to several reports.
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn (left) shakes hands with now Archbishop-elect of Vienna Josef Grünwidl at the time of his appointment as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Vienna on Jan. 22, 2025, and on Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: Archdiocese of Vienna / Stephan SchönlaubRome Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 06:02 am (CNA).Pope Leo XIV on Friday appointed Father Josef Grünwidl to succeed Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, OP, as head of the Archdiocese of Vienna, Austria's most populous archdiocese.Grünwidl has overseen the Vienna archdiocese on an interim basis since January, when the 80-year-old Schönborn concluded three decades at its helm following the acceptance of his resignation by Pope Francis.The 62-year-old Grünwidl, born in lower Austria, was chairman of the Vienna Priests' Council and episcopal vicar of the Vienna archdiocese's southern vicariate before being named apostolic administrator.A former concert organist, the archbishop-elect has served in numerous roles in the a...
Cardinal Christoph Schönborn (left) shakes hands with now Archbishop-elect of Vienna Josef Grünwidl at the time of his appointment as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Vienna on Jan. 22, 2025, and on Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: Archdiocese of Vienna / Stephan Schönlaub
Rome Newsroom, Oct 17, 2025 / 06:02 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Friday appointed Father Josef Grünwidl to succeed Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, OP, as head of the Archdiocese of Vienna, Austria's most populous archdiocese.
Grünwidl has overseen the Vienna archdiocese on an interim basis since January, when the 80-year-old Schönborn concluded three decades at its helm following the acceptance of his resignation by Pope Francis.
The 62-year-old Grünwidl, born in lower Austria, was chairman of the Vienna Priests' Council and episcopal vicar of the Vienna archdiocese's southern vicariate before being named apostolic administrator.
A former concert organist, the archbishop-elect has served in numerous roles in the archdiocese since his ordination in 1988, including as a pastor and parish moderator. The priest was also secretary to Cardinal Schönborn from 1995 to 1998, at the beginning of Schönborn's term as archbishop of Vienna.
According to Austria's public broadcasting service, ORF, Grünwidl is a former member of the controversial "Pastor's Initiative," a dissident Catholic group founded in Austria in 2006 on a call to "disobedience" on certain Church issues. The group advocates for the ordination of women, optional priestly celibacy, and Communion for the divorced-and-remarried and members of other Christian faiths.
ORF reports that Grünwidl, who is not listed among current members of the "Pastor's Initiative," has "recently emphasized that celibacy is a consciously chosen way of life for him personally, but 'not a matter of faith' and should therefore not be a mandatory requirement for priests."
"On the subject of women in the Church, he identified an 'urgent need for clarification,'" ORF continued. "The diaconate for women should be discussed further, and Grünwidl also considers the admission of women to the College of Cardinals to be conceivable."
Speaking on the broadcaster's program "Orientation" early this year, Grünwidl said he left the "Pastor's Initiative" because he felt that Pope Francis' ideas had "overtaken" the group's proposals, and he could no longer support a motto of "disobedience." He emphasized "critical obedience," and said he "can't imagine an open opposition to the bishop in the Church."
The Catholic news agency Kathpress describes the archbishop-elect as a "pastorally grounded leader, valued preacher, and insightful conversationalist."
Archbishop emeritus Cardinal Schönborn
Schönborn, a theologian who led the Archdiocese of Vienna for 30 years, helped write the Catechism of the Catholic Church and chaired the Austrian bishops' conference for 22 years.
The Church leader was born to a titled family in 1945 in Bohemia in what was then Nazi Germany and is now part of the Czech Republic.
He grew up in western Austria, close to the border with Switzerland, and joined the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans, in 1963.
He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Vienna in 1970. He went on to study sacred theology in Paris and in Regensburg, Germany, under the then-Father Joseph Ratzinger — the future Pope Benedict XVI.
Schönborn was awarded a doctorate in sacred theology in the 1970s and was later made a member of the prestigious International Theological Commission of the Vatican.
He was editorial secretary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in 1991, Pope John Paul II named the theologian an auxiliary bishop of Vienna.
After being appointed coadjutor archbishop of Vienna in April 1995, he succeeded Cardinal Hans Hermann Groër, OSB, as archbishop of Vienna on Sept. 14, 1995.
Schönborn was made a cardinal by St. Pope John Paul II in 1998.
The president of the Pontifical International Marian Academy (PAMI), Franciscan friar Stefano Cecchin, OFM. / Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN NewsVatican City, Oct 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).Father Stefano Cecchin, OFM, president of the Pontifical International Marian Academy, (PAMI by its Italian acronym), which reports directly to the Roman Curia, said in a recent interview that the Church faces persistent challenges regarding truths about the Virgin Mary. Cecchin told ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, that PAMI encounters challenges every day from Protestants as well as certain groups within the Catholic Church, both openly and indirectly, who deny the dogma of the virginity of Mary established at the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431 and the Lateran Council of 649."There are theologians and biblical scholars who are saying that the virginity of Mary is a myth, and this is very dangerous because the … Fathers of the Church, and even the Quran, defend the virgin...
The president of the Pontifical International Marian Academy (PAMI), Franciscan friar Stefano Cecchin, OFM. / Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN News
Vatican City, Oct 17, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Father Stefano Cecchin, OFM, president of the Pontifical International Marian Academy, (PAMI by its Italian acronym), which reports directly to the Roman Curia, said in a recent interview that the Church faces persistent challenges regarding truths about the Virgin Mary.
Cecchin told ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, that PAMI encounters challenges every day from Protestants as well as certain groups within the Catholic Church, both openly and indirectly, who deny the dogma of the virginity of Mary established at the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431 and the Lateran Council of 649.
"There are theologians and biblical scholars who are saying that the virginity of Mary is a myth, and this is very dangerous because the … Fathers of the Church, and even the Quran, defend the virginity of Mary," the priest stated.
Devil is behind attacks on Immaculate Conception
Cecchin is an expert in Mariology and the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, which refers to Mary's preservation from original sin from the moment of her conception in her mother's womb and was officially defined by Pope Pius IX on Dec. 8, 1854.
Mary has always been the target of attacks from the devil, Cecchin explained, especially because of her role in the economy of salvation.
"The devil works hard; I've seen it a great deal, especially against the Immaculate Conception," he said. "I see how he continues to attack the figure of Mary, and right now he's attacking her within the Church with those who, for example, say that Mary is not a virgin."
"The first attack against Christ was an attack on the virginity of Mary, who [supposedly] had slept with a Roman soldier, so Jesus was not the true son of God. If we question Mary's virginity, we put into doubt all of Christianity," he pointed out.
Cecchin recalled that, from a biblical and theological perspective, Mary occupies a unique place in the history of salvation as the mother of God and a figure of the Church. He explained that her role is not limited to the Incarnation in the past, but she continues to be active in the spiritual life of believers.
"The point is that it is not we who seek God, but he who seeks us. And that is why, after Jesus ascended to heaven, the angels said [the apostles] would not see him again until he returned on the glorious day. But Jesus entrusts the Church to Mary: 'Behold, your mother.' That is why Mary continues to care for us and tries to bring us back to him," he explained.
'God doesn't want anyone to go to hell'
The director of PAMI, which is charged with coordinating all Mariological scholars and societies around the world, emphasized that Marian apparitions and calls to conversion must be understood as expressions of divine mercy, not as manifestations of fear or punishment.
"All the apparitions, the calls she makes regarding hell, are not to frighten us, but to convert us, because God doesn't want to punish us; he wants to convert us. This is a fundamental point taught by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. God doesn't want anyone to go to hell, but if you don't behave well, you will go to hell, because hell exists and is not empty," he explained.
Cecchin also emphasized that the defense of Marian dogmas is not a secondary or devotional issue but a pillar of the Christian message. He recalled that, according to St. Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of St. Peter and one of the earliest Fathers of the Church, denying the virginity of Mary means jeopardizing the truth about the incarnation of the Son of God.
"St. Ignatius of Antioch speaks of Mary and of Mary's virginity. That is why it is important to educate oneself," Cecchin said, "and to see that our Franciscan vision, according to which God desires the salvation of all, compels us to evangelize. The evangelization we propose today is a Marian evangelization."
The friar noted that throughout the history of the Church, controversies and heresies have also been opportunities to delve deeper into the truth.
"In the struggle for the Immaculate Conception, for example, there were those who thought one thing and those who thought another. The Church is always alive, and we normally see that, in history, heretics help us delve deeper into the truth. They are an incentive to delve deeper, but we must defend the truth," he maintained.
"Its only task is to study, not to give opinions," emphasized the Italian Franciscan, who noted that apparitions have always existed throughout history. "All shrines have a story behind them, an experience of encounter with the divine."
Pilgrims in the iconic blue carts attend Mass in the grotto of the Lourdes Shrine in France. Credit: Photo courtesy of Ana Melgar
"We want shrines to be not only a place of prayer but also of healing," he added.
Currently, the International Observatory on Apparitions and Mystical Phenomena is conducting a theological and historical analysis of Marian shrines.
"We are conducting a study of the sanctuaries from Nazareth, which is the shrine that housed the relics of the Virgin, which were then taken to Constantinople, to Blacherne ... We have seen that in the Middle Ages there are always minor apparitions that are at the origin of the shrines we have around the world," he explained.
With Guadalupe, the great apparitions begin
Over time, these manifestations of faith took on an increasingly universal dimension. The great apparition of the Virgin Mary to the Indian St. Juan Diego in 1531 begins a long series of great apparitions, according to Cecchin.
"The first ones were a little more local, but with Guadalupe, the apparitions that interest nations, that interest continents, begin. Then come Lourdes, Fátima, Medjugorje, Kibeho… all these great apparitions that attract people because the shrine is always a special place where the Mother asks to see, as in all apparitions, the construction of a shrine," he explained.
Cecchin pointed out that shrines, from a biblical perspective, are always a place of encounter.
"In the Old Testament, in the apparitions of God, there was always a place, a shrine. Therefore, the shrine becomes a moment of encounter with God through Mary, what Paul VI called the clinics of the spirit. That's why we truly want shrines to be not only places of prayer but also of healing, of well-being, because Jesus told us: 'Preach and heal,'" he emphasized.
A pilgrim with the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, who appeared to the Indian St. Juan Diego in 1531. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News
PAMI's work extends to the creation of study centers and the promotion of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue.
"Our task is to create centers and societies to study the figure of Mary in diverse cultures and also in dialogue with other Christian churches and other religions, because Mary plays this fundamental role in the history of the Church," he explained.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri. / Credit: Office of Senator Josh Hawley, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsCNA Staff, Oct 16, 2025 / 18:12 pm (CNA).Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.Senator introduces bill to ban Obamacare-funded abortionsU.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, on Oct. 15 introduced a bill to protect unborn children from abortion and minors from so-called gender transition.The bill would prevent taxpayer dollars from going toward abortions or transgender procedures for minors via Obamacare. While the Hyde Amendment already prohibits federal funding of abortion, Hawley's bill would "write Hyde language directly into the federal coverage terms of health plans," according to a press release from Hawley's office.Jamie Dangers, director of federal affairs at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, expressed gratitude "to Sen. Hawley for recognizing that Obamacare funds abortion and must be fixed.""This bill would do what should have been done...
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri. / Credit: Office of Senator Josh Hawley, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
CNA Staff, Oct 16, 2025 / 18:12 pm (CNA).
Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.
Senator introduces bill to ban Obamacare-funded abortions
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, on Oct. 15 introduced a bill to protect unborn children from abortion and minors from so-called gender transition.
The bill would prevent taxpayer dollars from going toward abortions or transgender procedures for minors via Obamacare. While the Hyde Amendment already prohibits federal funding of abortion, Hawley's bill would "write Hyde language directly into the federal coverage terms of health plans," according to a press release from Hawley's office.
Jamie Dangers, director of federal affairs at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, expressed gratitude "to Sen. Hawley for recognizing that Obamacare funds abortion and must be fixed."
"This bill would do what should have been done 15 years ago by applying the Hyde Amendment to Obamacare so that health care plans don't pay for elective abortions with taxpayer dollars," Dangers said.
"Until a bill like this becomes law, however, Republicans must make Hyde protections nonnegotiable in any funding for Obamacare, which currently uses taxpayer dollars to fund abortion on demand," Dangers concluded.
Louisiana woman sues FDA after boyfriend pressured her into a chemical abortion
A Louisiana woman who was pressured into abortion by her then-boyfriend is joining the state of Louisiana in a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In October 2023, Rosalie Markezich, out of fear for her safety, took abortion drugs that her boyfriend at the time had obtained via mail from a doctor in California.
An in-person visit used to be a baseline requirement for obtaining abortion drugs, but under the Biden administration, the FDA removed the safeguard in 2023.
"If the Biden FDA had not removed in-person dispensing, my then-boyfriend would not have been able to obtain abortion drugs and pressure me to take them against my will," Rosalie said in a statement.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the "FDA's reckless actions also opened wide the door for women to suffer reproductive coercion and assault."
"We are simply asking the FDA to restore this basic safety standard for women's health," Murrill said in a statement.
Rosalie Markezich, a Louisiana woman coerced into taking abortion drugs that her then-boyfriend obtained via mail from a doctor in California. Credit: Alliance Defending Freedom
Florida bill would allow for wrongful-death lawsuits for unborn children
A Florida bill could allow parents to file wrongful-death lawsuits for the death of an unborn child.
Proposed by Vero Beach Republican Sen. Erin Grall, the bill defines an unborn child as "a member of the species Homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb."
The bill wouldn't allow civil suits to be brought against medical personnel, such as in cases related to in vitro fertilization (IVF).
In addition, Boca Raton House Democrat Kelly Skidmore filed a bill that would nix a Florida program that provides funding for crisis pregnancy centers.
Abortions are illegal in Florida after six weeks of pregnancy, a time when many women do not yet know they are pregnant.
Referring to the crisis pregnancy centers, Skidmore asked: "What crisis pregnancies are they helping with?"
"When we live in a state that has a six-week ban, how many crisis pregnancies do you think there are that we still need to fund $29.5 million for these centers?"
The Florida Pregnancy Support Services Program reportedly helped provide more than 20,000 women with more than 130,000 counseling services and more than 18,000 pregnancy tests, according to recent data.
Nigerian security officers during a military operation ahead of the gubernatorial elections in Benin City, Edo, Nigeria, on Sept. 17, 2020. / Credit: Oluwafemi Dawodu/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 16, 2025 / 13:18 pm (CNA).Christian leaders delivered a letter to President Donald Trump on Oct. 15 urging him to redesignate Nigeria as a country of particular concern on the U.S. government's international religious freedom watch list. "We fervently urge you to redesignate Nigeria as a 'country of particular concern' (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom [IRF] Act, as you did in your first term," the letter states. "The last several years have seen a burgeoning of violent attacks specifically targeting rural Christians in the country's Middle Belt, while the government in Abuja barely lifts a finger to protect them." The letter's signatories included San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone; Nina Shea, Hudson Institute senior fellow and director...
Nigerian security officers during a military operation ahead of the gubernatorial elections in Benin City, Edo, Nigeria, on Sept. 17, 2020. / Credit: Oluwafemi Dawodu/Shutterstock
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 16, 2025 / 13:18 pm (CNA).
Christian leaders delivered a letter to President Donald Trump on Oct. 15 urging him to redesignate Nigeria as a country of particular concern on the U.S. government's international religious freedom watch list.
"We fervently urge you to redesignate Nigeria as a 'country of particular concern' (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom [IRF] Act, as you did in your first term," the letter states. "The last several years have seen a burgeoning of violent attacks specifically targeting rural Christians in the country's Middle Belt, while the government in Abuja barely lifts a finger to protect them."
The letter's signatories included San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone; Nina Shea, Hudson Institute senior fellow and director for the Center for Religious Freedom; Kelsey Reinhardt, CatholicVote president and CEO; Robert Royal, editor-in-chief of The Catholic Thing; and Luke Moon, executive director of the Philos Project.
"The Nigerian government is directly violating religious freedom by enforcing Islamic blasphemy laws that carry the death penalty and harsh prison sentences against citizens of various religions," the letter continued. "It also demonstrably tolerates relentless aggression uniquely against Christian farming families by militant Fulani Muslim herders, who appear intent on forcibly Islamizing the Middle Belt."
In a statement to CNA on Monday, Shea said the Nigerian government "refuses to enforce the law against Fulani militants who are relentlessly and systematically invading rural Christian areas in the Middle Belt and massacring and driving out the civilians while crying the jihadi war cry "Allahu Akbar."
"Many Middle Belt Christian leaders are reporting that this is a concerted land grab from Christian communities in order to forcibly Islamicize Nigeria," she added. The letter describes the Fulani herdsmen as "the biggest threat facing Nigeria's Christians."
The letter called attention to "innocent Muslims and Christians alike" who have been "brutally victimized by Boko Haram and other Islamic State and al-Qaeda-linked terror groups seeking religious and political domination within that country."
Citing research from various groups, the letter noted that 52,000 Christians have been killed and over 20,000 churches attacked and destroyed since 2009. In addition, it said, thousands of Christians have been murdered and raped in 2025, and "over 100 Christian pastors and Catholic priests have been taken hostage for ransom."
"We are concerned that your administration may be considering listing Nigeria on the IRF Act's 'Special Watch List' instead of designating it as a CPC," the letter said, noting the decision, likely influenced by the "misconception" that a CPC designation requires the U.S. to sanction Nigeria, would be a mistake.
"In fact, the IRF Act does not mandate automatic sanctions and, moreover, provides for a sanctions waiver and cites a range of other possible policy responses," it stated.
"We believe that, after nearly five years of simply 'watching' the arrest of individuals on harsh blasphemy charges and the relentless massacre and persecution of defenseless Christians solely for their faith, assigning only Special Watch List status would be a weak and legally inadequate response," the letter concluded. "Such a move would dishonor religious freedom as a core pillar of U.S. foreign policy and further reinforce the previous administration's downgrade and sidelining of the targeted killing of Christians."
In November 2021, the Biden administration, through then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken, removed Nigeria from the list of countries of particular concern.
The number of young Americans who are self-identifying as transgender or nonheterosexual declined in 2024 and 2025, according to an Oct. 10, 2025, report. / Credit: Andrii Yalanskyi/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 16, 2025 / 14:11 pm (CNA).The number of young Americans who self-identify as transgender or nonheterosexual declined in 2024 and 2025, according to a report from the Centre for Heterodox Social Science (CHSS), which compiled data from undergraduate student surveys and broader surveys of young people.The Oct. 10 report, titled "The Decline of Trans and Queer Identity Among Young Americans," found an overall decline in people who identify with the broader "LGBTQ+" community, with a bulk of the decline in those who identify as bisexual, transgender, and queer.Eric Kaufmann, director of CHSS and a politics professor at the University of Buckingham, led the study.The report noted a surge in young people identifying with those segments in the 2010s and the 2020s,...
The number of young Americans who are self-identifying as transgender or nonheterosexual declined in 2024 and 2025, according to an Oct. 10, 2025, report. / Credit: Andrii Yalanskyi/Shutterstock
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 16, 2025 / 14:11 pm (CNA).
The number of young Americans who self-identify as transgender or nonheterosexual declined in 2024 and 2025, according to a report from the Centre for Heterodox Social Science (CHSS), which compiled data from undergraduate student surveys and broader surveys of young people.
The Oct. 10 report, titled "The Decline of Trans and Queer Identity Among Young Americans," found an overall decline in people who identify with the broader "LGBTQ+" community, with a bulk of the decline in those who identify as bisexual, transgender, and queer.
Eric Kaufmann, director of CHSS and a politics professor at the University of Buckingham, led the study.
The report noted a surge in young people identifying with those segments in the 2010s and the 2020s, which peaked in 2023. Since then, the report concluded that "trans, queer, and bisexual identities are in rapid decline among young educated Americans."
It found that the number of young people identifying as "nonbinary" — neither male nor female — dropped significantly in three of five data sources reviewed in the report. Both of the other surveys, however, showed stability in "nonbinary" identification.
According to the report, the Andover Phillips Academy survey saw the total number of students identifying as "nonbinary" drop from 9% to 3% from 2023 to 2025. A much larger sample from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) saw a decline from 6.8% to 3.6% in the same time period. The Brown University student survey showed a drop from 5% to 2.6%.
The other data sources — the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) and the Cooperative Election Study (CCES) — alternatively found "nonbinary" identification to be stable.
According to the report, the number of students identifying as "gay" and "lesbian" was stable in the time period measured, but researchers found a decrease in other nonheterosexual identification, such as "questioning," "asexual," "pansexual," and "other."
The report noted the Andover survey showed nonheterosexual identification peak in 2023, when 63.5% of the student body identified as heterosexual.
In that survey, identification as bisexual peaked in 2023 at 17% of the student body and decreased to 12% by 2025. "Queer" and "other" identifications also peaked in 2023 to 17%, dropped to 9% in 2024, and went back up to 12% in 2025.
According to the FIRE data, identification as heterosexual was at 68% in 2023 and increased to 77% in 2025, with strong decreases in the "queer" and "other" categories of sexual orientation.
The HERI data showed heterosexual identification drop to 77% in 2023 and increase to 82% in 2024, which is the most recent year data is available. The Brown survey found that heterosexual identification reached its low point of 60% in its 2022-2023 data and increased to 68% in fall 2025.
The General Social Survey saw heterosexual identification drop to its low point of 71% in 2022 and rise to 81% in 2024. The CCES survey alternatively showed a stable increase in nonheterosexual identification through 2024.
"To the extent that the youngest represent the leading edge of new trends, this suggests that trans, bisexual, and queer identities are declining in popularity with each new cohort," the report noted.
The report concluded the decline is not likely related to political, cultural, or religious beliefs, but suggested a correlation with improved mental health, which "appears to be part of the explanation for the decline of BTQ+ identification."
"Only time will tell if the substantial decline of BTQ+ identification will continue among young Americans," the report's conclusion read. "If so, this represents a momentous and unanticipated post-progressive cultural shift in American society."
Mary Rice Hasson, director of the Person and Identity Project at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told CNA the research "is interesting and somewhat encouraging, but I wouldn't pop the champagne corks and celebrate a victory yet."
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed a "troubling rise" in transgender identification among high schoolers, Hasson said.
"Even with a possible decrease, young Americans are still self-identifying as 'trans' in radically higher numbers than in past generations, when only a fraction of a fraction of a percent self-identified as 'trans,'" she added.
Even with the decrease in nonheterosexuality among college students, Hasson said "the 'improvement' still leaves nearly a quarter of our youngest generation as self-identified 'nonheterosexuals' … which means they reject the nature and truth of the body and human sexuality."
"The overall concern remains — too many young people do not know the truth of 'who they are' and don't accept the sexual identity God has given to them," Hasson added. "So, it doesn't change the work we do — we continue to pray and speak the truth, to reach those who are lost and searching for the truth and love that only God can give."
The Legislative Palace of Uruguay. / Credit: Coquimbo58, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsACI Prensa Staff, Oct 16, 2025 / 14:41 pm (CNA).On Wednesday, Oct. 15, Uruguay's Senate passed the Death with Dignity bill, which opens the door to euthanasia in the country.Following a favorable vote by 20 senators (out of 31 present), the bill, which had previously been approved in August by Uruguay's lower house, will go to the office of President Yamandú Orsi, a member of the Broad Front, the political coalition that promoted the legislative initiative.Orsi can sign the bill into law or veto it, either entirely or partially. The measure approved by the Senate would allow any person over the age of 18 in Uruguay who "suffers from one or more chronic, incurable, and irreversible pathologies or health conditions that seriously impair their quality of life, causing unbearable suffering" to have access to euthanasia.With this outcome, Uruguay would become the first country in South America to...
The Legislative Palace of Uruguay. / Credit: Coquimbo58, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 16, 2025 / 14:41 pm (CNA).
On Wednesday, Oct. 15, Uruguay's Senate passed the Death with Dignity bill, which opens the door to euthanasia in the country.
Following a favorable vote by 20 senators (out of 31 present), the bill, which had previously been approved in August by Uruguay's lower house, will go to the office of President Yamandú Orsi, a member of the Broad Front, the political coalition that promoted the legislative initiative.
Orsi can sign the bill into law or veto it, either entirely or partially.
The measure approved by the Senate would allow any person over the age of 18 in Uruguay who "suffers from one or more chronic, incurable, and irreversible pathologies or health conditions that seriously impair their quality of life, causing unbearable suffering" to have access to euthanasia.
With this outcome, Uruguay would become the first country in South America to legalize euthanasia through a legislative process. Countries such as Colombia and Ecuador have opened the door to this practice through judicial mechanisms.
Bishops lament law that promotes 'culture of death'
In a statement released after the Senate vote, the Uruguayan Bishops' Conference said that "this law promotes the 'culture of death.'"
"In a country with a high suicide rate, with serious difficulties in addressing the issue of mental health, this law goes against the value and dignity of human life and puts us on a risky path of normalizing the search for death as a solution to life situations that can be addressed in other ways," the Uruguayan bishops pointed out.
Reiterating a message released in June of this year, the bishops asserted that "every human life appears before us as something unique, unrepeatable, and irreplaceable; its value is independent of health status, ethnicity, sex, culture, socioeconomic status, or any other circumstance."
"Dying with dignity means dying without pain or other poorly controlled symptoms; dying in one's natural time, without life being unnecessarily shortened or prolonged; dying surrounded by the love of family and friends; dying with the opportunity to have been adequately informed, choosing, if possible, the place (hospital or home) and participating in all important decisions that affect one; dying with the spiritual support one needs," they emphasized.
The prelates said that "as the Church on pilgrimage in Uruguay, we want to continue working to protect life and its dignity, as is also recognized by our Constitution and the several international treaties our country has signed."
"We are convinced that sharing our moments of greatest human weakness can become a great opportunity to discover together the transcendent and profound meaning of our lives," the bishops noted.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Pope Leo XIV greets Catholic pilgrims from Russia during an audience in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on Oct. 17, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.
