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ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 1, 2025 / 16:05 pm (CNA).

Late Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV answered several questions from journalists at Villa Barberini, the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he addressed various issues.

Asked about the plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve the crisis in Gaza, the pontiff stated: "We hope they accept it. So far, it seems to be a realistic proposal."

"It's important, nonetheless, that there be a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. But there are elements there that I think are very interesting, and I hope Hamas will accept it within the established time frame," he added.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sept. 29 that they have agreed on a plan to end the war, although it is unknown whether Hamas will accept the terms. The 20-point plan seeks to halt the war between Israel and Hamas through a temporary governing body in Gaza, headed by Trump and also including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The plan does not require population displacement and calls for an immediate end to hostilities if both sides agree. It also demands that the remaining hostages be released within 72 hours of Israel's acceptance of the agreement. Trump assured that Israel would have the "full support" of the United States to defeat Hamas if the armed group rejects the proposal.

The Holy Father also referred to the arrival on the coast of Gaza of vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla, sent with humanitarian aid and with the purpose of breaking the naval blockade imposed by Israel, despite warnings from the Israeli government, which has demanded the suspension of the mission.

"It's very difficult. There's a desire to respond to a true humanitarian emergency, but there are many elements [involved] there, and all sides are saying that we hope there will be no violence and that people will be respected. That's very important," he noted.

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 1, 2025 / 16:35 pm (CNA).

On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the papal encyclical Fratelli Tutti, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a clear exhortation to the faithful, saying: "I beg you to see Christ in every person, even those whose politics you oppose."

Pope Francis' 2020 encyclical letter on fraternity and social friendship was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi's call for "love that transcends the barriers of geography and distance." On the anniversary of the letter, as terrifying acts of violence continue to occur in the U.S., Broglio encouraged Americans to reflect on the value of every human life.

Broglio's pastoral invitation comes in the wake of "shocking acts of political violence" across the nation, stemming from "hostility and division," Broglio wrote in a USCCB statement. "Places once regarded as safe harbors to grow and learn — our schools, universities, and churches — have become sites of heartbreaking tragedy and bloodshed."

"Pope Francis outlined steps our world must take to rebuild a sense of communion in the wake of what he described as 'shattered dreams,'" Broglio said. "As the encyclical prophetically points out, people are being manipulated 'to serve as tools for domination, as meaningless tags that can be used to justify any action.'"

"We have seen the manifestation of this notion in the perverse idea that one can serve the common good by becoming an instrument of violence," Broglio said. "This happens when we refuse to see the face of Christ in the other person and only see an enemy that must be dominated or destroyed." 

Pope Franics wrote: "The path to social unity always entails acknowledging the possibility that others have, at least in part, a legitimate point of view, something worthwhile to contribute, even if they were in error or acted badly." 

Therefore, building peace in our nation "requires us to place at the center of all political, social, and economic activity the human person from conception to natural death, who enjoys the highest dignity, and respect for the common good."

To follow Pope Francis' call, Broglio calls on each of us to "examine our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions and ask ourselves how we contribute to the polarization and animosity plaguing our nation."

To "begin to heal the rifts between us," Broglio called on people to perform corporal works of mercy including feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and visiting the sick and imprisoned. He also encouraged people to fast from social media and take time to pray for their enemies.

In his encyclical, Pope Francis said "authentic reconciliation does not flee from conflict but is achieved in conflict, resolving it through dialogue and open, honest, and patient negotiation." 

Broglio said: "Listen and talk with those you with whom you disagree — especially within your own family. Disagree, debate civilly, stand for your rights, but always remember in your heart that we are all children of God and deserve dignity and life."

"On this fifth anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti, let us pray 'so that we may discover anew that all are important and all are necessary, different faces of the one humanity that God so loves. Amen.'"

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 1, 2025 / 17:20 pm (CNA).

After the U.S. government shut down on Oct. 1 because Congress failed to reach an agreement on the federal spending budget, Catholic organizations called for a swift resolution to mitigate the potential harm to government-funded programs serving the poor and vulnerable, such as food assistance, housing support, and refugee services.

The government shutdown and the "crippling partisanship will be felt far beyond the halls of Washington," Kerry Alys Robinson, president of Catholic Charities USA, said in a statement.

Catholic Charities USA, which supports a network of agencies across the country, reported the shutdown will "take a particular toll on the most vulnerable among us, from hungry children and parents living paycheck to paycheck to seniors struggling to afford medications and groceries."

If leaders from both parties do not end the shutdown soon, "even more Americans will fall into poverty, and the recovery from this setback could take months or even years," Robinson said. "In the meantime, Catholic Charities agencies around the country, inspired by the Gospel, will continue to do their best to fill in the gaps and provide life-giving, compassionate aid to those suffering most in their communities." 

Sister Mary Haddad, RSM, president and CEO of Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), said in a statement the shutdown "jeopardizes the health and stability of millions of families."

She added: "The ripple effects of inaction extend across the economy, deepening hardship for those already most vulnerable."

Haddad said CHA is urging "Congress to come together to fund the government for fiscal year 2026 and extend vital health and safety net programs that millions rely on" and is encouraging "lawmakers to swiftly work together to end the shutdown and preserve critical health programs." 

A spokesperson for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) told CNA the organization hopes "lawmakers will work earnestly to come to a bipartisan agreement that ends the government shutdown as quickly as possible," as it "harms families and individuals who rely on federal services."

Apart from charities and agencies working with Americans in need, the shutdown may impact the nation's cyber and security measures. In the midst of a potential shutdown in 2023, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reported it would be "forced to suspend both physical and cybersecurity assessments for government and industry partners."

The CISA, which works to "maintain safe and secure houses of worship," reported a new plan for the 2025 shutdown in the wake of recent Michigan and Minnesota attacks at religious institutions. The federal agency said in an Oct. 1 statement it "remains fully committed to safeguarding the nation's critical infrastructure."

"While a government shutdown can disrupt federal operations, CISA will sustain essential functions and provide timely guidance to minimize disruptions," a spokesperson for CISA said.  "Yet Democrats' refusal to act is forcing many of our frontline cybersecurity experts to work without pay even as nation-states intensify efforts to exploit Americans and critical systems — an unacceptable and unnecessary strain on our national defenses."

It is not clear how long the shutdown will last, but until a decision regarding the budget is reached the funding for numerous U.S. government services will remain cut off.

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Denver, Colorado, Oct 1, 2025 / 18:07 pm (CNA).

After years of court battles over the Colorado government's exclusion of two Catholic preschools from its Universal Preschool Program, a U.S. appeals court ruled against the parishes on Tuesday. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals of the 10th Circuit, in a 54-page decision, ruled that Colorado may continue to exclude the Catholic preschools because of their religious beliefs.  

The decision comes after a series of court cases involving the state of Colorado's attempts to exclude the schools from the inception of the program. 

Becket, a law firm that defends religious freedom, first filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Catholic parish preschools of the Archdiocese of Denver in August 2023. A federal court in June 2024 ruled that Colorado state discriminated against the Catholic preschools, but ultimately the courts upheld the state's exclusion of them. The preschools then appealed to the United States Court of Appeals of the 10th Circuit.  

Calling the state's actions "anti-religious" after the court's ruling, Nick Reaves, senior counsel at Becket, said that Becket will keep fighting the decision.

"Colorado is punishing religious schools and the families they serve for following their faith," Reaves said in a statement shared with CNA.

"The 10th Circuit's decision allows the state's anti-religious gamesmanship to continue," Reaves continued. "We will keep fighting to ensure that every preschooler in Colorado can access quality, affordable education."

The Denver Catholic, Denver's archdiocesan news outlet, called the decision "a blow to Colorado Catholic families with preschool-aged children."

"The court's decision thereby perpetuates the faith-based discrimination that faces these Catholic schools and families, who already sacrifice tremendously to provide an excellent, faith-based education for their children," read the Sept. 30 article by the Denver Catholic.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis celebrated the decision, saying it protects students from "discrimination."

"We are building a Colorado for all, where every student is free from discrimination," Polis said in a Sept. 30 statement.

In their admissions process, Catholic preschools in Denver seek to ensure that teachers and families uphold their religious mission, including teachings on sexuality and gender identity — a practice that comes into conflict with the universal pre-K program's nondiscrimination clause on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

Specifically, the Denver Archdiocese requires that staff and parents sign a "Statement of Community Beliefs," pledging to live according to Catholic Church teaching, which does not recognize gender "transitions" or same-sex marriages.  

The court ruled that the program's restrictive admissions requirements, which prevent the Catholic schools from participating, were "in harmony with the First Amendment."  

The court briefing also said that the Colorado program "went to great effort to be welcoming and inclusive of faith-based preschools' participation." 

Polis claimed that "many faith based and secular providers are operating terrific preschools that serve parents and children well" and said that the universal pre-K program enrolls "approximately 70% of all eligible 4-year-olds." 

The program also excludes the Denver Jewish Day School's preschool, according to the school's website.  

The Universal Preschool Program gives taxpayer funding to preschool families for up to 15 hours of preschool to attend qualifying preschools. 

"Colorado's highly popular, free Universal Preschool saves families more than $6,000 per year, gives students a strong start, and has skyrocketed Colorado from 27th in preschool enrollment to third," Polis said.

Due to the court's ruling this week, families who wish for their preschool-age children to attend Catholic archdiocesan preschools will be unable to participate in the program.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 1, 2025 / 18:37 pm (CNA).

A small Catholic church in Heber City, Utah, will offer a Mass for the repose of the soul of Russell M. Nelson, the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), who died on Sept. 27 at the age of 101.

St. Lawrence Catholic Church, a mission church of St. Mary's in Park City, will celebrate the Mass at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2. The community will pray a rosary for the repose of his soul at 8:45 a.m. before the weekday Mass begins.

Catholics offer prayers for the dead to ask God to grant graces to the recently deceased for the purification of their souls, which may not be complete at the moment of the person's death.

The church extended an "open invitation" to everyone in the Heber Valley community to attend the Mass in a message posted to Facebook. It is open to any person who wants to join in prayer for Nelson, "especially our LDS neighbors," according to the post.

"We are grateful for President Nelson's kindness to the Catholic community especially in Utah," the post read. "Over the years, he has led efforts to support our Catholic charity work as well as renovation projects at the Cathedral of the Madeleine — our mother church for the Diocese of Salt Lake City."

Justin Hibbard, the mission administrator and director of evangelization at St. Mary's, told CNA the Catholic community in Heber Valley has a "great relationship with our LDS neighbors here."

He noted the area is predominantly LDS, and nearby congregations have volunteered to help with Catholic service projects. He said he suggested a Mass for the repose of the soul of Nelson to St. Mary's pastor, Father Arokia Dass David, who felt it would be "a great way to show solidarity to our community and be good neighbors to our Mormon friends."

"These are the types of things our community needs to bring us together and to do things together as a broader faith community," Hibbard added.

Hibbard said he expects one of Nelson's daughters to attend the Mass. He said the church will have rosaries and handouts explaining how to pray the rosary for non-Catholics who attend the Mass and are unfamiliar with the prayers. He said a member of a local LDS ward reached out to him to request materials to "help people with praying the rosary."

The church has enough pews for about 130 people. Hibbard said the weekday morning Masses usually get about 25 to 30 people, but he expects a much larger number on Thursday because of the LDS members who are likely to be in attendance.

Father Christopher Gray, the rector of the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, said in a statement that he thanks Nelson and the LDS community for the support for the cathedral in recent years and expressed sorrow for his death.

"As the mother church for Catholics in Utah, the Cathedral of the Madeleine joins the world in mourning the passing of President Russell M. Nelson," he said in a post on Facebook. "We offer our condolences to our brothers and sisters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

Gray noted that Nelson offered his condolences when Pope Francis died earlier this year. Gray added: "With a heavy heart, I express my gratitude for [Nelson's] lifetime of dedication, faith, and service, and I thank our LDS neighbors for generously sharing his teaching with us."

Nelson met Francis at the Vatican in 2019, which was the first-ever meeting between a pope and an LDS president.

Gray told CNA he is "tremendously grateful for the charitable work of the [LDS] throughout the world, and the many ways it interfaces with the work of Catholic organizations like Catholic Relief Services."

"In Utah, we work together closely and are grateful to the LDS members who, under the leadership of President Nelson, have so powerfully witnessed to the dignity of all people by working with the Diocese of Salt Lake City's Catholic Community Services," he said. "We are united in meaningfully assisting the poor, the afflicted, the refugees, and others in need here in Utah, and this same spirit can be seen at work around the world."

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ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 1, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Speaking at the School of Theology of Northern Spain in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the relator for the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca, noted that the lives of the canonized saints "raise incisive questions that pierce our conscience."

"Our hope lies in the beauty of a life lived to the fullest and its power to attract. The saints appear before us with the radiance of a life that attracts and invites," he emphasized at an academic event on Sept. 26 marking the beginning of the school year.

During his inaugural lecture, Sánchez de Toca also stated that "the saints, along with Christian art, are the Church's true apologetics. They are the credibility of the Gospel, incarnated not in ideas but in people of flesh and blood, because they reflect Christ."

"There are lives of servants of God that are truly heroic, more admirable than imitable, imposing because of the radical nature of what they demand; there are lives hidden with Christ in God, in the solitude of the cloister, in the intimacy of a Christian home; and there are beautiful, truly luminous lives. Theology cannot do without any of them," he added.

Divorce between holiness and theology

Appointed relator for the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in March 2023 after 20 years working in the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Sánchez de Toca explained that while "knowledge and holiness have gone hand in hand in the lives of the great pastors and theologians of the great centuries," there has increasingly been at work "an ever-widening divorce between holiness and theology."

He noted that "after the great figures of St. Anselm, St. Thomas, and St. Bonaventure, it is difficult to find great saints among the teachers of theology."

"The 20th century has been rich in great theological figures of the first order who can be counted among humanity's greatest thinkers, but none of them has deserved the glory of the altars," he explained.

Sánchez de Toca argued that "the knowledge of God proper to the saints develops far from the classrooms and corridors of theology schools: It grows in the street, in the factories, in poor neighborhoods, in family life, or in the society of a monastery, but rarely in theology classrooms."

According to the relator, it seems "as if the knowledge of God proper to the saints is moving away from the university environment and at the same time, the knowledge of the faith taught in classrooms is disregarding the knowledge of the saints and any connection with them."

Restoring the lost unity of theology

Sánchez de Toca also maintained that "there already exists in this life a certain imperfect participation in the divine light, either through the understanding of faith, the 'scientia fidei' (the knowledge of faith), or through intimate and personal union with God, the 'scientia amoris' (the knowledge of love)."

"It is necessary to reconcile these two theologies," he emphasized, adding that "we need to restore the lost unity of theology, so that it may truly nourish the faith and not just the intellect, but rather be an introduction to the mysteries of God."

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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Vatican City, Oct 1, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday expressed his concern over the recent violent clashes between law enforcement and young protesters in Madagascar, which have left several dead and around 100 injured. 

Following the catechesis at the general audience on Oct. 1, the pontiff said: "Let us pray to the Lord that all forms of violence may always be avoided and that the constant pursuit of social harmony may be fostered through the promotion of justice and the common good."

Madagascar is experiencing a serious social and political crisis following a series of mass protests that have left at least 22 dead and more than 100 injured. The demonstrations, led mostly by young people, erupted in the capital, Antananarivo, due to prolonged power and water outages that have affected the population for weeks. The protests quickly spread to other cities such as Mahajanga, Fenoarivo, and Diego Suárez, reflecting widespread discontent with the government of President Andry Rajoelina.

At the end of his public audience, Leo also recalled the Oct. 1 feast day of "St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, doctor of the Church and patron saint of missions."

"May her example encourage each of us to follow Jesus on the path of life, bearing joyful witness to the Gospel everywhere," he said.

Before the audience in St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo stopped to bless an Italian-made replica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, in France, crafted entirely out of wheat stalks.

The Church's mission

In his spiritual message at the audience, Pope Leo spoke about the Church's mission to communicate the joy of the Resurrection without exerting power over others.

"This is the heart of the mission of the Church: not to administer power over others but to communicate the joy of those who are loved precisely when they did not deserve it," he said.

He reminded Christians of their responsibility "to be instruments of reconciliation in the world."

The pontiff dedicated his catechesis this week to the Resurrection and to Christ's appearance afterward to the disciples in the Upper Room.

The risen Christ's appearance, Leo said, "is not a bombastic triumph, nor is it revenge or retaliation against his enemies. It is a wonderful testimony to how love is capable of rising again after a great defeat in order to continue its unstoppable journey."

The pope described how Christ appears to the apostles with meekness, demonstrating "the joy of a love greater than any wound and stronger than any betrayal."

Appearing in the upper room, Jesus does not force his friends, the apostles, to accept the reality of his resurrection, he said. "His only desire is to return to communion with them, helping them to overcome the sense of guilt."

Leo noted that it could be considered strange that Christ displayed his wounds to those who had disowned and abandoned him: "Why not hide those signs of pain and avoid reopening the wound of shame?"

The reason, he continued, is because Jesus is fully reconciled with what he has suffered. He has no resentment, he holds no grudges. "The wounds serve not to reproach but to confirm a love stronger than any infidelity."

"They are the proof that, even in the moment of our failure, God did not retreat. He did not give up on us," he added.

He invited Catholics to follow Jesus' example and to not give in to the temptations of revenge or retaliation. "When we get up again after a trauma caused by others, often the first reaction is anger, the desire to make someone pay for what we have suffered. The Risen One does not react in this way," said.

Another temptation after betrayal, the pontiff said, is to "mask our wounds out of pride, or for fear of appearing weak. We say, 'it doesn't matter,' 'it is all in the past,' but we are not truly at peace with the betrayals that have wounded us."

"At times we prefer to hide our effort to forgive so as not to appear vulnerable and to risk suffering again," he added. "Jesus does not. He offers his wounds as a guarantee of forgiveness. And he shows that the Resurrection is not the erasure of the past but its transfiguration into a hope of mercy."

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Vatican City, Oct 1, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV said he will not interfere in the court case of Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the former deputy Vatican secretary of state convicted of embezzlement, aggravated fraud, and abuse of office.

In response to a journalist who asked the pontiff about the "Becciu trial" on Tuesday evening outside Castel Gandolfo, Leo said "the trial must go forward" and that "he has no intention of interfering" in the legal proceedings underway.  

The pope's comments were made about one week after the commencement of Becciu's hearing before the Vatican Court of Appeal on Sept. 22, nearly two years after his conviction by the Vatican City State criminal court.

In December 2023, after a two-and-a-half-year trial, the Italian cardinal and former deputy Vatican secretary of state was convicted, alongside eight other defendants, of financial malfeasance. 

Becciu, the first cardinal to be tried by the Vatican tribunal, was dealt a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence, an 8,000 euro (about $9,400) fine, and a permanent disqualification from holding public office.

The other defendants who were also tried and found guilty were also given a variety of sentences. Five of those defendants — Raffaele Mincione, Enrico Crasso, Gianluigi Torzi, Fabrizio Tirabassi, and Cecilia Marogna — also received prison sentences of varying length.

The former Vatican deputy secretary of state has consistently protested his innocence, maintaining that he acted with papal approval or authority when he invested money or issued payments using Vatican funds.

The Vatican realized a $200 million loss following a highly speculative real estate deal in London's Sloane Avenue negotiated by the Vatican Secretariat of State in 2014 while Becciu was in office.

The cardinal was also found guilty of making at least 125,000 euros (about $148,000) in unauthorized payments to his brother's charity in Sardinia as well as approving more than 500,000 euros (about $590,000) be paid to geopolitical expert Marogna who, instead of using it for intelligence and a humanitarian mission to help free a kidnapped religious sister in Mali, was accused of spending the funds on luxury goods and travel.

Last October, the Vatican released its reasons for convicting Becciu, stating he was involved in the illicit use of Holy See funds despite having no "profit-making purpose" and stressing that the trial was fair.

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ACI Africa, Oct 1, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Testimonies of Nigerians kidnapped by jihadist Fulani herdsmen have revealed that hundreds of Christians are still being held by the Islamist group in the infamous Rijana Forest in the southern part of Nigeria's Kaduna state.

In a statement shared with ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, on Sept. 28, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) decried the persecution of Christians allegedly being held near a military post and said the victims must be freed.

Intersociety researchers quoted a report by TruthNigeria earlier this month called "Inside Rijana: Nigeria's Forest of Hostage" that gathered testimonies from victims of jihadist attacks who reported being marched to the infamous Rijana enclave, a sprawling settlement hidden in the forest, "like a secret village of its own."

The victims who were held by their kidnappers for months recounted seeing 11 major camps in Rijana, each holding more than 50 captives. They also saw 10 smaller camps with around 30 captives in each of them. The total number of Christian captives believed to be in the village as of August was 850.

Researchers at Intersociety said they find it inconceivable that the captives are held near military bases and that nothing is being done to rescue them.

"No fewer than 850 Christian hostages are languishing inside Rijana Forest, near a Nigerian army base and others in Kachia County, southern part of Kaduna state," the researchers say, quoting the TruthNigeria report.

Decrying the laxity of Nigerian authorities when it comes to the situation of the Christians still languishing in Rijana, Intersociety researchers said: "The forest is located along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway and home to the Nigerian Army Table Hill Training Area and Army School of Artillery, among other military sites."

Intersociety researchers noted that Kaduna state is "likely to have recorded the largest number of kidnapped Christians in Nigeria in the past nine or 10 months," between Dec. 2, 2024, and Sept. 28, "with no fewer than 1,100 cases."

Victims' testimonies 

The TruthNigeria report details experiences of 32-year-old Esther Emmanuel and her 10-month-old daughter, Anita, who were kidnapped from their home in Gaude village, Kaduna state, on the night of June 4.

The same night, the Fulani terrorists behind the kidnapping also took 35-year-old farmer Maureen Mica.

Describing the Fulani terrorists' hideout in Rijana, Mica told TruthNigeria: "I saw many big camps, about five, but there could be more. Each of them held over 50 hostages. There were also smaller camps with about 30 people each — more than 10 of those. Esther and I were kept in one of the smaller camps, numbering 30. Each camp is named after its commander. Ours was called Sanda, after the commander."

She recounted that life inside the camp was brutal and that hostages survived on cornmeal, often without soup, and were regularly beaten.

"We sometimes went seven days without food," Mica said, adding: "If baby Anita cried, the terrorists flogged both the baby, her mother, and me."

Confirming the cruelty, Emmanuel told TruthNigeria: "They warned us never to speak, never to look them in the eye, and never to say Christian prayers. Once, when my baby cried, I tried to breastfeed her. One terrorist snatched her from me. Instead of soothing her, he covered her mouth and nose, choking her. I had to wrestle her back."

"Prayer was our only consolation," she said. "In our camp, they executed two people because their parents could not pay ransom. In the bigger camps, executions were more frequent. Anytime we heard gunfire, we knew someone had been killed. Four bursts usually meant two people had been executed."

Meanwhile, the Intersociety researchers called on the military in Nigeria to go back to how it was before it lost the people's trust.

The researchers said that before June 2015, the Nigerian military was known for "neutrality, secularity, and semi-professionalism" — qualities they said raised its public trust and confidence among Nigerians.

Over the years, the trust that Intersociety estimates was at 45% "drastically reduced to less than 20% … especially among civilian citizens of the east and members of minority ethnic and religious groupings in the north."

Intersociety researchers pointed out a lack of neutrality among the military authorities, as the situation is characterized by "romance with jihadist bandits and their allies in the north," they said.

The group decried "negotiations and pacifications" between the military and jihadist bandits, noting that the situation has made it difficult for the Nigerian government and the country's security forces and their commanders to successfully extricate themselves from involvement in attacks, especially those targeting Christians.

The researchers said they find it inconceivable that while jihadists are freely brandishing guns in their attacks against vastly Christian populations, Christians on the other hand are not allowed to keep any weapons to defend themselves.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

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CNA Staff, Sep 30, 2025 / 12:56 pm (CNA).

A West Virginia circuit court judge has tossed out a lawsuit aiming to block a state government agency from providing a $5 million grant to an Ohio Catholic trade school.

Judge Richard Lindsay said in the Sept. 25 ruling that the seven-figure grant from the West Virginia Water Development Authority was constitutional, nixing the effort by the American Humanist Association to block the funds for the College of St. Joseph the Worker in Steubenville, which is looking to expand into West Virginia.

Lindsay had blocked the grant in July after the secular humanist group argued in its lawsuit that the state government's grant would violate Article III of the West Virginia Constitution.

That section forbids the government from using tax funds "for the erection or repair of any house for public worship or for the support of any church or ministry."

In his Sept. 25 ruling, however, Lindsay said the court had received documentation that the entirety of the grant is "being used for the purpose of economic development only" and "therefore is constitutional."

The West Virginia water authority is empowered to issue grants to "encourage economic growth," Lindsay noted in his ruling. The government agency told the court that the grant to the Steubenville school would be used only for "real estate acquisition, site development, construction, infrastructure improvement," and other nonreligious endeavors.

School president Michael Sullivan, meanwhile, agreed that none of the grant would be spent on "religious advocacy of any kind." Grant money would also not go toward teacher salaries, Sullivan said.

Lindsay said in his ruling that the humanist group had "rightly" challenged the grant under the impression that it would fund religious advocacy.

But since the school and the West Virginia government agreed that the funds would only go toward secular concerns, there is "no genuine issue of material fact" in the case, Lindsay said, and there is "no question of constitutional law" remaining.

The Ohio school did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision on Sept. 30. The humanist group, meanwhile, said on Sept. 26 that it was "satisfied" with the ruling.

The group alleged that the original grant was an "affront to West Virginia taxpayers" and a "blatant violation of church-state separation."

St. Joseph the Worker teaches construction-related trades such as carpentry, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing. It also offers a bachelor's degree in Catholic studies along with the trade lessons.

The school says on its website that its Catholic studies program is "designed to prepare [students] for the lay vocation: sanctifying your family, your workplace, and your community."

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