Catholic News

Denver Archbishop James Golka this week defended his participation in a prayer event with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Oval Office, citing the gathering as an opportunity to publicly pray and evangelize the faith.

Golka, who was installed in the Denver Archdiocese in March after serving as the bishop of Colorado Springs for several years, led a prayer during an Oct. 22 meeting at the Oval Office between Trump and several U.S. bishops.

During the gathering the archbishop in part prayed for the Holy Spirit to "surround our country, to protect us against any influence of evil."

The prayer event generated some backlash for what critics have argued was a politically motivated photo opportunity on the part of the White House. Golka this week said he "knew people might be upset" at the event and that it could be "use[d] for political purposes."

"But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders," he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic.

Golka said during the meeting he articulated Church teachings to the president. "As Catholics, we're called to share our faith in season and out of season and to witness to the dignity of every human person," he told the Denver Catholic.

He denied that the event, including video of the prayer shared on social media, constituted an "endorsement" of the president. "That was never my intention," he said.

"The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party," he said. "I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine."

The archbishop said he has received criticism from friends about the decision and that he has responded by telling them: "I was being a Catholic priest."

He described himself as "heartbroken" at the anger over the event. He urged Christians to "look beyond the headlines, which are often crafted to provoke, towards the full truth."

"I will keep praying for our president, our governor and everyone who serves in public office, regardless of their party or position on divisive topics," he said.

The Archdiocese of Denver said after the event that praying for public leaders "is a long Catholic practice" that dates back to Apostolic Age.

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The death toll from the armed attack on St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud, in southern Jordan's Karak governorate, has risen to nine, with others wounded. The attack took place during a funeral Friday, and security authorities are continuing their investigation and search for the perpetrators.

According to authorities, three gunmen arrived at the church in a blue pickup truck. One wore a mask and carried a Kalashnikov rifle, while the other two had their faces uncovered and carried handguns. The shooting began near the church's main entrance, where mourners had gathered.

Al Jazeera's Arabic-language website reported that the attackers carried substantial quantities of ammunition and changed their weapons' magazines several times during the assault. They also fired again at some people after they had fallen to the ground. According to the same report, all those killed were near the church entrance when the shooting began.

Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya described the assault as a terrorist attack carried out by an extremist group. Public Security Director Maj. Gen. Obeidallah al-Maaytah said authorities were continuing to gather information and investigate to identify the perpetrators, arrest them, and bring them to justice.

As of Saturday morning, Jordanian authorities had not officially linked the attackers to a specific organization or announced any arrests. Media reports, citing Jordanian government and security sources, said the perpetrators espoused a takfiri ideology, an extremist outlook that declares other Muslims to be unbelievers.

A public prosecutor ordered a ban on publishing details of the investigation as authorities continued their search.

King Abdullah II pledged that the perpetrators would face the harshest penalties.

"Those who imagined that treacherous bullets could divide Jordanians have been thwarted by our resilience and unity," he said, emphasizing Jordanians' shared homeland and solidarity.

In their response, the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem described the targeting of mourners at prayer as "a grave crime against God and humanity." They expressed solidarity with Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Jordan, and the victims' families.

They called on all churches in the region to ring their bells at noon Saturday Jordanian time and to pray for the victims and the recovery of the wounded. They stressed that the attack would not succeed in undermining the unity and cohesion of Jordanian society.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said the attack violated the sanctity of places of worship and the right to life and to worship freely and with dignity. It described Jordan's national unity as "a safeguard against terrorism and extremism," emphasizing that the country's Muslims and Christians form one family bound by a shared history and destiny.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, under whose jurisdiction the targeted church falls, affirmed that the attack would not undermine the Christian presence or Christians' ties to their homeland.

"We are the children of this land, its living roots, and partners in its history, present, and future. We will remain here as witnesses to the faith, however great the challenges," the patriarchate said.

The Jordan Council of Churches said the attack on the church and the mourners targeted social peace and coexistence. It emphasized solidarity among all communities in Jordan and rejected attempts to sow religious division.

The statements from Jordan were accompanied by condemnations from churches across the region, including the Middle East Council of Churches and several churches and patriarchates. Their responses emphasized the protection of places of worship, the need to confront extremist rhetoric and hate speech, and the fact that Christians are an integral part of the region's societies, with deep roots in their homelands.

Church bells rang across Jordan and Palestine at noon Saturday in remembrance of those killed and in solidarity with their families and the wounded, answering the appeal of the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem.

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

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The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Central Giza announced that a small fire broke out inside the Church of the Virgin Mary in the Barak al-Khiyam area of Giza in Egypt on Thursday, Oct. 22, after a man entered the church and set fire to some of its furnishings. No injuries were reported, and security forces arrested the suspect.

In a statement, the diocese said the incident occurred around 6 a.m., when an unidentified man entered the church under the pretext of praying, carrying a bottle of gasoline in a bag. He then broke through the door of a small chapel on the building's ground floor, set fire to several curtains, and damaged wooden Gospel stands and carpeting. Security forces arrived at the scene and began investigating the circumstances and motive behind the incident.

In a second statement, Bishop Theodosius, the Coptic Orthodox bishop of Central Giza, said he went to the church as soon as he was informed of the fire. Together with several priests, he reviewed surveillance footage showing the man entering the church.

The bishop confirmed that the damage was limited and that no one had been injured.

Egypt's Interior Ministry said the suspect was apprehended while sitting on a bench, having removed his upper clothing and speaking incoherently. According to the ministry, surveillance footage showed him entering with a plastic water bottle containing a white substance, without being stopped by security personnel at the gate.

The ministry said its assessment indicated that the suspect had mental health problems associated with an addiction to crystal methamphetamine and had previously been admitted to a psychiatric facility. Legal proceedings were initiated, and the public prosecutor's office took over the investigation.

The incident prompted questions about security procedures at church entrances, where police officers and church-appointed security personnel are expected to check visitors' identities and screen them before entry. Those concerns come amid rising hate speech in Egypt and around the world.

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

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"He died doing what he loved, the Eucharist" is how Father Pedro Calle remembered his fellow Redemptorist, Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, who died Oct. 17 after a large crucifix broke loose from the sanctuary wall and fell on him during Mass.

"It's not so easy to process or come to terms with this situation, given the way it happened," Calle shared in an interview with EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. "I could break down at any moment because of the pain I feel inside."

Calle lives in Quito, Ecuador, and manages the administrative needs of the Redemptorist congregation in the Andean-Caribbean Province, which comprises Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. He is currently in Guayaquil serving also as the legal representative to handle matters related to Sánchez's death. He is also taking part in the Oct. 19–27 novena for the repose of his soul.

"He died embracing the cross. The crucifix was not damaged, save for the part of the leg [of the corpus]. It is striking how he celebrated the Lord's passover, and the Lord celebrated his passover with him… And Patricio died doing what he loved: the Eucharist," the priest emphasized.

He loved the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary

Calle described Sánchez as a man "with a pure heart and a ready smile, a smile that created a sense of closeness. People were drawn to him because of his purity of heart, in which there was no trace of ill intent. He was always so very calm, patient, and tolerant."

"He very much loved the Blessed Sacrament. Wherever he went to any parish he would always emphasize this devotion. And he was always the first one there; he wouldn't just expose the Blessed Sacrament for a while and then leave, he would stay to pray," the priest recounted.

Sánchez served in Loja, in southern Ecuador, and later in a mission area called Vinces. He also spent nine years at a parish in Manta, and finally about four years in Guayaquil, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. He served as the pastor there, and it was in that church that he died.

"He also loved the Most Holy Virgin Mary. We can describe Patricio as someone who throughout his ministry everyone felt his closeness to them, absolutely everyone," the Redemptorist priest highlighted.

"He was always a very dedicated man, always spiritual and pastoral. He would say 'yes' to everyone. We could say, then, that he was a hardworking man, very self-sacrificing, very devoted," he remarked.

Calle further noted that "Patricio was a very simple person, very approachable and full of human warmth. That's why his homilies were so simple."

"My enduring memory of Patricio," he added, "is that he was a very welcoming person, always concerned with making sure one had something to eat or drink. He enjoyed going to the cinema and was an athletic person; he liked going for a walk and swimming."

'A sign of grace'

The priest shared that he never had a conversation with Sánchez about how he would have liked to be remembered, but he highlighted one aspect he has been reflecting on in recent days following the tragic death of his fellow priest.

"Patricio's death will become, or is already becoming, a sign of grace for Catholics and for humanity, given the fact that he was in the midst of broadcasting [the Mass] and that the tragedy unfolded in precisely this way, rather than any other. That was a message for everyone," Calle remarked.

The priest remarked, in closing, that he does not know where the story of this priest will ultimately lead but that it certainly will not leave anyone indifferent.

"I don't know if his mission is beginning now. I cannot offer any certainty or assurance; it is simply a personal perception, based on the context and the way he died."

'One day, all of us here will also die'

Sánchez was born on Nov. 6, 1973, in Cuenca, Ecuador. He made his profession in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) on Aug. 15, 2000, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was ordained a priest on Oct. 15, 2005.

He was pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in south Guayaquil. He served as the superior of his religious community, where he lived alongside a fellow religious brother who had taken his perpetual vows.

In his final homily, on the day of his death, he spoke about the importance of making time for God. "He must come first," he said, adding: "Dear brothers and sisters, one day, all of us here will also die. Sometimes, the time we have spent on material things does not hold as much meaning as the time we dedicate to God, that quality time we give to God, to our brothers and sisters, to our wife, our husband, to our children, and to our families. That is time spent in the best possible way."

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

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On June 24, 2026, María Elena Rocha was in Caracas. That Wednesday, a public holiday in Venezuela, she decided to set out on a pilgrimage with two friends to visit sites associated with Venezuela's first saints: St. Carmen Rendiles and St. José Gregorio Hernández.

Her devotion made the circuitous, hour-long  journey from her home in La Guaira to the capital city feel shorter. María Elena lived in La Guaira's Caribbean Golf I building with her family: her husband, Wilson, and their sons, 25-year-old Ricardo and 22-year-old Enrique, all three of whom chose to stay home that day.

In Caracas, the day unfolded normally. María Elena and her friends visited the Colegio Belén, where the remains of Mother Carmen rest. Afterward, they went to the José Gregorio Hernández House Museum and concluded their pilgrimage with a Mass at Our Lady of La Candelaria Parish, where the remains of the "doctor of the poor" also rest.

Earthquakes and uncertainty

At 6:04 p.m., María Elena and her friends were in line to buy ice cream. Dark gray clouds over Caracas signaled an approaching storm, but the roar would not come from the sky but from the earth. At that moment, the ground shook with extreme violence, and panic reigned. The three of them managed to get out of the shopping mall where they had been.

Soon, the power grid failed and both the internet and telephone lines went down. Two hours later, the group was finally able to retrieve their car from where it was parked and began the journey back home, a trip that, this time, seemed to last forever.

María Elena told EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that what she encountered in La Guaira looked like something out of a horror movie. Late into the night, only fires broke the darkness. Entire buildings had collapsed. People were searching desperately through the rubble, while others were stealing and looting. There were shrieks, wailing, and weeping.

The journey home was difficult, not only because of the damaged state of the road, but also because of the shock evoked by the scene. Every meter covered, every sight of pain and destruction, dealt a blow to the hope María Elena still clung to: the hope of reuniting with her loved ones. She could only reach her home on foot.

María Elena faces unimaginable pain

It was nearly midnight when María Elena saw that where the Caribbean Golf I building had once stood there was now only a massive pile of rubble. The 49-year-old woman said that paradoxically she felt a great sense of inner peace despite the tragedy. Amidst the confusion, she was told that one of her children was alive but trapped in the rubble. With great effort, María Elena made her way to the spot.

It was Enrique, her youngest son. He was severely injured but was able to communicate with his mother. The first few hours following the earthquakes were chaotic in La Guaira; rescue efforts had to be carried out by hand because the necessary equipment for a swift response was not available. It was a very long night during which Enrique asked María Elena not to abandon him. "Don't worry, son, I will never leave you alone," she told him.

And so, morning came, followed by the afternoon. Trapped and in pain, Enrique could hold on no longer. María Elena, always close by, said she heard his final breath: "He waited for me to take his last breath." Enrique died right there, alongside his father and his older brother. It was days later that rescuers managed to recover their bodies, which María Elena was then able to give a Christian burial.

"My faith grew stronger," María Elena said. Her journey, however, has not been easy. It has been filled with pain, reproaches, and at times even anger toward God. María Elena was left on her own, and many times she sought answers.

"I fought with God. I was filled with rage. 'Why did you leave me here? Am I so bad that I have to stay here?' Yet, I surrendered all my suffering to God for the sanctification of their souls," she shared.

Her greatest refuge has always been faith. Now she regularly attends a prayer group at a parish in Caracas, which she says has been very beneficial. She seeks indulgences for her husband and children and says she always tries to be cheerful and "let others see God in me."

"Despite the great loss I've experienced, I've held onto my sense of humor. That's one of the things I asked of God when my son Enrique passed away. I accepted his death with deep pain and entrusted him to God, but I prayed that he wouldn't take away my joy because I had always been the source of joy in our home. That's what my children and my husband used to say," she remarked.

"I want my husband and my children to feel proud of their wife and mother. I know that if I am happy, they will be happy, too. Happiness is a decision, and I decided to entrust my happiness to God because he wants all of us to be happy," she added.

Oct. 24 marks four months since that terrible day. More than 6,000 Venezuelans lost their lives in a matter of seconds; thousands were left injured, and many others remain missing.

"Despite everything, I thank God for the fact that I was able to speak with my youngest son at that moment. I am grateful to God for life," María Elena says, though she adds with that sense of humor she hasn't lost: "Although I do ask him to take me soon."

"I ask that I might fulfill my mission quickly so that I can go to Heaven, because that's what I long for most these days. Even before, I had no fear of death, because that is our destiny: to die in order to live and I want to live with God," she said.

María Elena says she doesn't yet know what will become of her life, but affirms that she has "surrendered herself" to whatever Providence may decide.

A message on the value of suffering

The Church teaches us that God does not desire suffering for its own sake, nor is he its direct cause.

The explanation of how God can permit evil without being its author is profound, yet it does not fully resolve the pain of any given loss. Through faith, we believe that God can bring good even out of evil; however, this does not make the death of innocent people a good thing, nor does it justify tragedies.

Such suffering can take on meaning when experienced in union with Christ. As has been evidenced in the case in Venezuela following the earthquakes, pain can awaken solidarity and mutual responsibility; it can even prompt a society to reflect on how it might improve. This is María Elena's conviction.

"We have been suffering for years. Just try it, you'll see: when you entrust that suffering to Christ, all the little things we go through, those moments of anger and indignation, offering them to Jesus for the sake of someone else, you will see how the blessings follow," she said.

"And another thing: thank God for everything. It's incredible, when you thank God for both the bad things and the good, blessings will follow. I'm not saying that problems won't continue to arise; I still have plenty of things to deal with myself, but when we are with God, our burdens are lighter," María Elena reflected.

"I am not alone, because I have God; I have the Most Holy Virgin Mary, who has always been with me and I have felt her presence. And who better than she who knows what this pain is like?" she said.

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

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Students for Life of America and Turning Point USA teamed up this month to launch a new tour on college campuses, in which students are invited to debate the ethics of abortion with a pro-life speaker.

The tour, titled "Feminists Lied: Prove Me Wrong," features Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins. It began on Oct. 20 to challenge the view that feminism and a legal right to abortion have helped women rather than hurt them.

"For decades, young women were told that career success, a degree, and independence were the keys to happiness, and that abortion was the price of equality," Hawkins, who is Catholic, said in a statement.

"Many Millennial women now ask whether those promises delivered, and Gen Z deserves to hear that conversation before they make the same choices," she said. "Motherhood is not a weakness to be overcome. If equality requires a woman to end her pregnancy to succeed, then we haven't liberated her at all. We've just handed her a different burden and called it freedom."

The tour includes visits to eight campuses: the University of North Texas, Grand Valley State University, the University of Cincinnati, Boise State University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Arizona, Southern Oregon University, and the University of Washington.

Following the first event at the University of North Texas, Hawkins posted on X that her pro-life tour is intended to be in line with "Charlie's legacy," referencing Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025 during a college speaking and debating tour.

Kirk, who was a conservative activist, frequently challenged abortion and encouraged young people to start families. He was an evangelical Christian who often blended political activism with evangelism.

CatholicVote reaches Hispanics on Virginia abortion initiative

The conservative organization CatholicVote has teamed up with Eduardo Verástegui — a Mexican actor and star in Sound of Freedom — to reach Hispanic voters in Virginia and encourage them to vote against a referendum that would enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution.

The advertisement, in Spanish, informs voters of the "very important" referendum, and notes that the state's bishops have spoken with clarity against the proposal. The bishops of both dioceses in the state have said Catholics have a "sacred duty" to vote no.

Verástegui also highlighted the bishops' opposition to a separate ballot initiative to enshrine same-sex marriage in the state constitution.

English archbishop voices concern over euthanasia law in Isle of Man

Archbishop John Sherrington expressed sadness that an "assisted dying" bill will become law on the Isle of Man, which is a self-governing Crown Dependency of the British Crown.

"The Catholic Church continues to teach that life is a most precious gift of God and that we are stewards entrusted with this gift to protect it, treat illness, and care for the good of life," said Sherrington, whose jurisdiction includes the Isle of Man.

"As such, a person should never intentionally end his or her life," he said. "Catholic teaching, shared by many Christians and others of goodwill, proposes a different approach from that which has been passed into law by the Tynwald."

The law will allow people who are terminally ill to receive physician-assisted suicide.

Arizona man wins lawsuit against abortion clinic

An Arizona man named Mario Villegas won a lawsuit against the Phoenix-based abortion clinic Camelback Family Planning after a court found that the clinic failed to follow the state's informed consent law when his then-wife was prescribed chemical abortion drugs.

Villegas was awarded $5,000 in statutory damages and $62,500 in compensatory damages for his psychological, emotional, and physical injuries. He had argued in court that the clinic did not adequately inform his wife, from whom he is now divorced, about the development of the unborn child, risks associated with abortion, and possible alternatives.

In awarding Villegas damages, the court outlined that he was unable to properly function, eat, or sleep after his wife decided she wanted an abortion. The court highlighted his statements about feeling guilty after the abortion, saying "my baby was no longer living, and [I was wondering], 'was there anything else I could have [done] to change the outcome?'"

The court noted that he had spoken about his grief, with him expressing his "feeling of loss" and saying, "I lost an opportunity to have somebody in my life."

Villegas carries the ultrasound photo of his unborn child everywhere he goes, according to the court.

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The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea has elected Bishop Augustine Kim Jong-su of Daejeon as its new president and approved guidelines on sexual violence in the Church in the country, CPBC, the South Korean Catholic broadcaster, reported Oct. 22.

Kim, 70, chaired the conference's special committee on sexual violence in the Church, which drew up the guidelines. At their Oct. 19–21 plenary assembly in Seoul, the bishops also elected Bishop John Baptist Jung Shin-chul of Incheon as vice president and Archbishop Simon Ok Hyun-jin of Gwangju as secretary, each for a three-year term.

The bishops also approved a question-and-answer guide on artificial intelligence and a sign-language Order of Mass. They asked all dioceses to join a year of prayer for peace on the Korean Peninsula from Dec. 8 ahead of World Youth Day Seoul 2027. Asked about potential plans to introduce abortion pills in South Korea, Kim told reporters that people have "no right to lay a hand on life itself," Yonhap reported.

Catholic Church in Burundi supports over 80,000 Congolese refugees

The Catholic Church in Burundi is working with humanitarian organizations to support more than 80,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the local ordinary of the Diocese of Bururi said.

The Catholic Church in Burundi is providing assistance to the refugees in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Children's Fund, ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, reported Oct. 23. "Until recently, my diocese was hosting more than 30,000 of them, but they have since been transferred to other parts of the country," Bishop Salvator Niciteretse said in the report.

"We are seeking to heal the social fabric through meetings and initiatives aimed at forming consciences to respect life, human dignity, and the common good," he said. "At the national level, we have organized gatherings attended by several thousand young people, who have been hosted by families."

Scotland bishop steps back from ministry due to medical advice

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland announced that its president, Bishop John Keenan, would be "stepping back from his daily duties until further notice, following medical advice."

"Bishop Keenan has been undergoing medical investigations and will require further tests and examinations over the coming weeks," the conference said in an Oct. 22 statement. "During this time, Vicar General Monsignor Joe Burke will oversee the day-to-day running of the Diocese of Paisley. Bishop Keenan hopes to provide a further update once these investigations are concluded and is grateful for your prayers at this time."

Maronite patriarch ends historic Greece visit with pilgrimage route launch

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai concluded the first visit to Greece by a Maronite patriarch, strengthening relations with the Orthodox Church and meeting the local Maronite community.

During visits to Mount Athos, Athens, Thessaloniki, and Corinth, Rai explored the shared Christian heritage of Greece and Lebanon, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Oct. 20. The visit led to plans for a pilgrimage route linking Corinth with Lebanon's Qadisha Valley (the holly valley), building on cooperation established in 2019. Comparing Mount Athos with Lebanon's historic monasteries, Rai lamented the neglect and emigration affecting the Qadisha Valley and called attention to the government's responsibility for preserving its heritage and supporting local communities.

Catholics in Egypt celebrate 100 years of World Mission Sunday

Marking the centenary of World Mission Sunday, Catholics of the Latin rite in Egypt gathered for Mass in Cairo under the theme "One in Christ, United in Mission."

Monsignor Antoine Tawfik reminded the faithful that every Christian shares responsibility for spreading the Gospel through prayer, love, and service, ACI MENA reported Oct. 20. Drawing on the examples of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, he warned that neglecting this mission threatens the Church's ability to pass on the faith to future generations.

Catholic child beaten with pipes by sectarian gang in Northern Ireland

A sectarian gang in Northern Ireland targeted a 13-year-old Catholic boy in a random attack, beating the child with metal pipes until he crawled under a car to escape, Irish News reported Oct. 23.

The attack took place in Derry following rising tensions among Protestants and Catholics over a planned unionist march through a Catholic neighborhood, which was eventually blocked by the U.K. government. The boy suffered injuries to his face and was rushed to the hospital, the report said, noting that the attack appeared to have been carried out by adult masked men. The boy did not sustain any life-threatening injuries.

Catholic schools in Syria invest in early childhood education

Around 115 kindergarten teachers from 18 Catholic schools in Syria participated in a new training initiative organized by the General Secretariat of Catholic Educational Institutions in cooperation with Shaghaf Academy and with support from L'Œuvre d'Orient.

The program focused on child psychology, classroom management, and effective communication, helping teachers better understand children's emotional and educational needs, ACI MENA reported Oct. 19. Church leaders emphasized that education is not simply about delivering information but also about building character, confidence, and values. They expressed hope that the initiative would strengthen Catholic education in Syria and eventually expand to other grade levels.

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SINGAPORE — As smoke from forest and peatland fires in Indonesia blanketed Singapore this month, parishioners at the Church of the Holy Family turned to a prayer written by one of their own.

"As you calmed the winds and the waves on the Sea of Galilee, we humbly ask ..." the prayer begins, before asking Jesus to clear the haze from the region. It was prayed at a faith formation session at the parish on Oct. 13.

At 7 p.m. on Oct. 16, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index stood at 225 in Singapore's central region, with three of the city-state's five regions in the "very unhealthy" range, according to the National Environment Agency. The same day, Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Fu said some of the haze had come from fires on the lands of seven companies in Indonesia, which would receive preventive measure notices under Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

Reports from Kalimantan

The haze was discussed at the assembly of the Franciscan Network for Peace and Integral Ecology in Asia, held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, from Oct. 5–11, said Friar John Wong, OFM, general definitor for Asia-Oceania of the Order of Friars Minor. Participants discussed how the haze affects the most vulnerable communities and how Franciscans are responding, he said.

A Capuchin Franciscan from Kalimantan, Indonesia, told the assembly that in one area, schools had been closed for a month because of the haze and that in other areas, poor families had lost their homes to the peatland fires, Wong said.

Friar Taucen Girsang, OFM, the order's assistant general director for justice, peace, and integrity of creation, reported that friars in Indonesia have been working with local bishops and governors, and that the Order of Friars Minor and the Capuchins are cooperating to provide clean water and help rebuild homes destroyed by fire in Kalimantan, according to Wong. The assembly focused on natural disaster management, preventing environmental destruction, and reducing disaster risks.

Capuchin Father Pionius Hendi, who chairs Inter-Franciscans for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Indonesia, said the Church's response must go beyond relief. "The Church is not called only to be present when disaster strikes but also to fight so that disasters that can be prevented do not keep happening," he said in written answers in Indonesian.

"We are not called only to help people survive in the midst of the ecological crisis but also to fight for a world in which people and all creation can live with dignity," he said.

"The Franciscan response always begins with fraternal solidarity with those who suffer, especially the poor and vulnerable," said Wong, who is based in Rome.

"Laudato Si' [Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical] reminds us that care for creation and care for people belong together," he said. "The poor are often the first to suffer from environmental damage, even though they may have contributed least to the problem."

St. Francis' Canticle of the Creatures, he said, calls Franciscans "to a change of heart, but also to a change in how we live, produce, consume, and care for the world entrusted to us."

"The effects of these fires cross national borders. This makes the haze a shared regional concern that calls for solidarity, cooperation, and a sense of shared responsibility," he said. Caring for our common home "is a matter of faith, justice, and our responsibility to future generations."

A friar in Assisi

Writing from Assisi, Italy, Friar John-Paul Tan, OFM, a Singaporean Franciscan friar and director of Fraternitas, the order's ministry to young adults, said: "These last days, the thought of the haze and the sufferings of so many people have been on my mind."

"How can the natural resources be seen as a blessing and a collective asset that is to be cared, managed, and protected from exploitation and abuse?" he asked.

He suggested that old oil palm trees could be used for pulp and paper, mulch, and chipboard rather than being disposed of by fire. "There is a ready source of renewable material from old palm trees," he said.

"The conversion of these individuals that have the agency and resources, and the collective mindsets, is critical if we are to have an effective response to this ecological crisis at our doorsteps," he said.

'A common good'

G. Clare Westwood, regional director of the Roman Catholic Episcopal Commission for Creation Justice of Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, said: "The haze is air pollution. Air pollution is a violation of our right to a safe environment and our right to health. When it prevents people from working or children from going to school, then it also affects our right to livelihood and education."

She too cited Laudato Si', which raises concern over air pollution and describes climate as a common good.

"We stand in solidarity with those who suffer, and we seek to work with others to prevent further harm, care for those affected, and build a more sustainable future," Wong said.

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Montse Alvarado came to EWTN in 2021 as the founding host of the global Catholic network's weekly news magazine show "EWTN News In Depth." Just a few years later, in 2023, she was promoted to president and chief operating officer of EWTN News.

Now she is preparing to begin, on Nov. 1, another challenging new role, one that is taking her to the Eternal City as prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication.

In an "EWTN News In Depth" interview with Colm Flynn, Alvarado reflected on where her life has taken her so far, her vocation, and what's ahead.

Since 2023, Alvarado has led EWTN News' global and multilingual news operations across television, radio, print, digital, and social media platforms.

Before joining EWTN, she spent 14 years at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, where she also rose to a position of leadership and worked extensively on issues related to religious freedom and human dignity.

Born in Mexico City, Alvarado came to the United States as a young girl. She studied at Florida International University and The George Washington University, served her church, and even discerned religious life.

She shared that she's "done none of this alone" and that as she has walked into each new chapter, "there's an incredible team there to work with, mentors that are more generous than I could ever deserve."

After ending her time at Becket, she recalled "thinking about the importance of religious freedom and the Constitution and the American Dream and I said, 'Well, what's it all for if not for heaven?'"

"I looked at EWTN and Mother Angelica and she spoke to my heart. That desperate desire for people to go to heaven … and so coming in here and having an environment where I was only talking about Jesus every day and only trying to communicate him to the world was a great honor for me and my spiritual life, but also seemed like a very logical thing to do when I thought about it from a calling and spiritual perspective," she explained.

Alvarado credited Mother Angelica and EWTN for playing a major role in the lead-up to her appointment to her new position.

She explained that due to EWTN's role in collaborating with the Holy See for several large events — including Pope Leo XIV's first-ever live dialogue with young people in Indianapolis in November 2025 and EWTN's collaboration with the dicastery to create a video reflection ahead of the release of the Holy Father's first encyclical Magnifica Humanitas — she was able to meet with the pope and "get to know the inner workings."

Alvarado will be making history as she takes on this new responsibility — becoming the first laywoman appointed prefect of a dicastery of the Holy See. She said she believes she was chosen for the position because "we are in a moment where digital communications and traditional communications are coming together," and the Holy Father "was looking for a next-generation professional, that's clear, and God willing, I'll be able to fill those shoes."

When asked if her response to the Holy Father's reaching out to her about the appointment prompted an immediate yes, Alvarado admitted that it "took a little more prayer than I would care to admit."

"My entire life has been a surrender to Jesus Christ and his Church in the hopes that others would have a relationship with him. But I'm human, Colm, and moving to a new country, learning a new language, all of those pieces, leaving everything behind, they're big to overcome," she said. "And so I think it took a little more prayer than I would care to admit. I'm a little more human than I would care to admit in my willingness to say yes."

As prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication, Alvarado will oversee all of the Holy See's media and communication outlets, which include Vatican News, Vatican Media, Vatican Radio, L'Osservatore Romano, the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican publishing house, the Vatican internet service, the Vatican printing press, and the Vatican's photography service.

"It's enormous," Alvarado said.

"Communicating Christ to the world is the mandate of the communications dicastery, and it will be done in concert with the Holy Father … We're getting to know what this is, what it should be, what the desire of his heart is, and what the Holy Spirit has really given him as the mandate for his pontificate," she added. "And my job is to serve him and the Church and to serve the dicasteries and serve the Curia. In no way am I imposing a vision. I'm very much receiving one and executing it."

She shared that while people have been telling her that by going into the Vatican she has to be careful "because I might lose my faith seeing the humanity of the Church," that excites her and she prefers to "turn that on its head and say I'm going to see the humanity of the Church, which for me has always been an affirmation that Jesus Christ is real and his Church is the true Church. Because in seeing the way things work, I actually find that it's miraculous."

"I feel like seeing the inner workings and the reality, even overcoming my own imperfections and sinfulness, as a child of God, the fact that God could use me as an instrument for something so great is incredibly humbling."

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Catholic social scientists are gathering near Cleveland this weekend for a conference on topics that blend Catholic theology and social teachings with the academic work in their various disciplines.

The Society of Catholic Social Scientists (SCSS), founded in 1992 by political scientist Stephen M. Krason, will hold its 34th National Meeting on Oct. 23–24 at John Carroll University, located in University Heights, Ohio, a suburb east of Cleveland.

Ahead of the conference, Krason — professor emeritus of political science at Franciscan University of Steubenville — told EWTN News a primary goal of SCSS is to "bring Catholic teaching and a Catholic understanding and a Catholic worldview to the work they do in their disciplines."

Conference talks will include discussions on hot-button issues such as artificial intelligence (AI), immigration policy, just war doctrine, and euthanasia. There are also discussions about Catholic history in the United States, in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of the founders signing the Declaration of Independence.

According to SCSS' website, the organization seeks to follow St. John XXIII's instruction in his encyclical Mater et Magistra for Christians to "conform their behavior in economic and social affairs to the teachings of the Church."

Krason said SCSS reaches out to members ahead of the conference for proposals on papers, which constitute the subject of the talk and are often submitted to SCSS' scholarly journal, the Catholic Social Science Review (CSSR).

To be a full member, Krason said, "you have to sign a profession of faith [that] you accept the Church's teachings" and noted that people come to the organization "looking for a solid orthodox Catholic organization." Before the talks, papers are reviewed to ensure faithfulness to Catholic teaching, though he said this is typically not an issue for members.

Krason said most presenters are SCSS members, but sometimes a few are not. He said SCSS also accepts associate members who are not Catholic. They also accept student members who are working toward their master's degrees.

The organization, which states that its programs are designed to reflect views "compatible with Catholic orthodoxy," welcomes scholars from various social sciences, including political science, economics, history, psychology, sociology, counseling, and law, among others.

Upcoming conference

Scholars will discuss a broad range of topics. Krason noted that topics are decided based on the submissions, but the conference is not built around specific themes.

One topic is Pope Leo XIV's recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which focuses on AI and other elements of Catholic social teaching. The talks will discuss concerns about human dignity, along with an Augustinian approach to concerns about transhumanism — a movement to blend humanity and machine.

The conference includes talks about immigration, in light of President Donald Trump's policy of mass deportations. This includes discussions about balancing national sovereignty and human dignity and the social impact of migration.

Other talks delve into political theory and the subjects of natural law and labor, as well as a Thomistic analysis of usury and modern banking. A few talks are focused on the American South, including one about the principle of subsidiarity in Catholic social teaching and the political theory of John C. Calhoun, who favored strong decentralization of government.

There are talks on just war doctrine, one of which looks into the approaches of various popes in the 20th and 21st centuries.

The organization will also give out the Blessed Frederic Ozanam Award for Catholic Social Action, which will be received by Clark Massey, founder of A Simple House, which is a missionary organization.

Another award, the Pope Pius XI Award for Contributions Toward the Building Up of a True Catholic Social Science, will be given to Notre Dame political scientist and author Patrick J. Deneen.

Deneen told EWTN News he's "honored to receive" the award and "grateful for the existence and work of the SCSS in fostering and advancing a true science of social phenomena."

"Those who work in the largely disfavored school of Catholic social science understand that its object of study is neither the determined and unfree entities studied by natural science, nor the infinitely malleable substances that modern technology claims to command, but creatures — men and women — who are simultaneously free and subject to natural laws not of our making," Deneen said.

"A true social science recognizes that we are most free when we acknowledge and follow those laws within even the wide boundaries they establish," he said. "How much healthier our society would be if more of our social science began with these premises, and suffused our social and political order with its findings."

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