Catholic News

A historic Catholic parish established in 1926 is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary on Oct. 18. Our Mother of Mercy Parish in Plateau, Alabama, has been serving the Catholic community in Africatown since its founding.

Africatown is a historic community located just north of Mobile, Alabama, founded by West African survivors of the Clotilda — the last known slave ship to illegally transport captive people to the United States. While Africatown is known for its major Baptist landmarks, the different denominations located in the area came together for an ecumenical event Sept. 22–24.

As part of the celebration leading up to the 100th anniversary — which will include a special Mass, music, food, and fellowship — the Archdiocese of Mobile hosted a tent revival in collaboration with all the churches of Africatown. The theme's revival was "Be Made Whole."

Father Victor Ingalls is the pastor of seven parishes in the Archdiocese of Mobile, a majority of which are historically Black Catholic churches, as well as one Hispanic church and another Native American church.

Ingalls explained in an interview with EWTN News that the Black Catholic community has a long tradition of holding revivals.

"It's really like having a Lenten mission or Advent mission, but kind of infused with Black culture … and it takes the best of Black culture and fuses it with the best of Catholicism," he said.

He pointed out that one of the staples of these revivals is that they have "always had an ecumenical flavor."

After hosting a successful revival earlier in the year, several non-Catholic ministers, who are friends of Ingalls', asked him when he was planning to host a revival in Mobile. He began to pray about it and met with those who suggested it to see what they could come up with. They suggested hosting it in Africatown seeing as Our Mother of Mercy Parish — located in Africatown — was coming up on its 100th anniversary.

Roughly 500 people of different denominations showed up for the tent revival in Africatown. In line with the theme, the first night's talks focused on being made whole as an individual, the second night covered being made whole as a community, and the last evening discussed being made whole as the body of Christ.

Ingalls said he believes ecumenical events like this are important for the Church today because they are a response to Jesus' prayer in John 17.

"I believe because of what Jesus Christ said, it is our disunity as Christians that keeps the world from believing," Ingalls said. "Our disunity is a condemnation against ourselves. We condemn ourselves and we undercut our efforts to try to spread the Gospel by being a dysfunctional family."

He added: "There's a reason why people don't take Christians seriously and it's because there's 40,000 different flavors of us. It's hard to take that seriously. It's like, 'Hey, come be a part of this.' They're like, 'Well, I've already got enough drama and dysfunction and division in my life, why would I want to be part of that?'"

Ingalls said he hopes those who attended the tent revival took with them that "it does not matter your circumstance as an individual or as part of any organization or even the Church, you can be made whole by Jesus Christ."

"Everyone loves to talk about how divided we are these days and how things are getting worse and people are so isolated and divided and depressed and anxious and we just addressed it and said, 'Well, we're trying to look at all these problems, but there's only one real solution and his name is Jesus Christ.'"

"It does not matter how messy your personal life is, it does not matter how messy your relationship with your family, your friends and your neighbors is … it is not beyond the reach of Jesus Christ," Ingalls emphasized. "He can make you whole. He can make us whole. And just the fact that nearly 500 people came and sat together under a tent in Africatown itself was a testimony to what God can do."

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The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE, by its Latin acronym) has reiterated its concerns over the possible deletion of baptismal records within the European Union. Their reaction follows the nonbinding opinion issued on Oct. 1 by Laila Medina, advocate general at the Court of Justice of the EU.

In her opinion regarding case C-12/25, "Bisdom Gent," (Diocese of Ghent) brought by a Belgian citizen who demanded that the Diocese of Ghent delete his baptismal data, Medina opened the door to the possibility that ecclesiastical archives could be required to erase the name of a baptized person who requests such removal after leaving the Church.

To date, the standard practice has been to make a marginal note recording the interested party's wish, without erasing the person's data.

In an Oct. 5 statement, COMECE noted that the ruling acknowledges that "the assessments required by the case are 'complex'" and, in several respects, "leaves room for the role of national courts" and also impinge upon "the relevance of Church autonomy and of its freedom of religion," as well as the importance to the Catholic Church of the "correct administration of the sacraments."

Concerns and questions

The representatives of the episcopal conferences to the EU emphasized that "several elements expressed in the opinion raise concerns and questions." In particular, the fact that it "rejects the solution of adding to the baptismal record a marginal annotation of the wishes of the relevant data subject."

For the Catholic Church, this stance represents a departure from the fact that "across diverse legal systems and state-church relations models — consistent national jurisprudence in the EU Member States has accepted this practice as an entirely adequate legal solution in case of erasure requests concerning baptismal registers."

"Erasing the name and surname of the baptized person from the record of a baptism entirely deprives the registration of the baptism, as such, of its meaning, value and purpose," COMECE added, noting: "This crucial aspect seems to have been neglected."

At the same time, COMECE criticized the ruling for also lacking an analysis of the impact of erasure "on the interests and rights of third parties" — referring to parents, godparents, or the priest administering the sacrament.

Furthermore, COMECE pointed out that the "considerations regarding the possible emotional distress that could result from retaining a person's data in a baptismal register are also unconvincing."

'Significant legal uncertainty'

In addition COMECE expressed concern that, "if confirmed, the orientation provided by the opinion may create significant legal uncertainty for ecclesiastical data controllers" in EU member states, a situation it described as "particularly serious" because such uncertainty "would strike at baptismal registers, which are a central pillar of the Church's internal functioning and organization, and are vital to enabling it to carry out its mission."

Furthermore, representatives of the European Union prelates point out that "to avoid misconstructions, it is important to highlight that no general or automatic right to erase data from baptismal records is recognized in the opinion."

Finally, COMECE recalled that Pope Leo XIV, in a recent speech delivered in Metz, France, cited Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), noting "that the principle of secularism governing the life of states also presupposes respect by national and European authorities for the autonomy of the Churches and the promotion of their freedom of organization, expression, and worship." 

In its statement, COMECE went on to look forward to the ruling of the Court of Justice of the EU on the case, trusting "that it will establish a more favorable line with regard to the protection of baptismal registers from erasure." The COMECE Legal Affairs Commission is also working to prepare a more in-depth position paper on the ruling.

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

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Ricardo Seirutti has been removed from the office of auxiliary bishop and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Córdoba, Argentina, following a canonical process initiated due to "allegations made by two adults regarding conduct unbecoming of his episcopal ministry."

The archdiocese, headed by Cardinal Ángel Sixto Rossi, made the announcement in an Oct. 2 statement. The judicial process was "ordered by the Holy See's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and conducted by the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Buenos Aires," the statement indicated.

According to the biography published by the Vatican Press Office, Seirutti, 70, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Córdoba in 1988 and was appointed auxiliary bishop of Córdoba by Pope Francis in 2015.

According to the Argentine archdiocese, the accusation filed by the two adults "led the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to order the process that concluded in recent weeks." The nature of the complaint was not disclosed.

The ruling that concluded the process prohibits Seirutti "from receiving formal appointments or new offices and from administering the sacrament of penance or reconciliation for a period of five years."

The prelate "retains the faculty to celebrate Mass and administer other sacraments, except for the one stipulated," the statement adds.

The Archdiocese of Córdoba concluded by offering its support to the affected persons" and renewed its commitment "to continue working so that all the actions of our particular Church are in accord with the Gospel."

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

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Bishop Matthieu Rougé of the Diocese of Nanterre, France, has condemned the "destructive" violence at student-led protests throughout the country and encouraged peaceful dialogue to address students' struggles and concerns.

Students began holding protests in late September, citing frustrations with education quality and a lack of funding and resources at schools. By early October, numerous protests became violent with arsons, lootings, and confrontations with police, leading to millions of dollars in damage and hundreds of injuries. More than 5,000 people have been arrested.

Rougé, who leads the French bishops' conference's Council for Catholic Education, told Vatican News that the violence reflects "the distress experienced by this generation of young people" in an Oct. 3 interview published by the Vatican-run news outlet.

"Violence expresses this distress: setting fire to some high schools, even newly built ones, manifests a destructive form of violence that cannot be condoned," Rougé said, adding that it expresses "an inner violence among some young people who have not found meaning in their lives."

The bishop said suffering is linked to the crisis of families, the climate crisis, the economic crisis, the social crisis, and the geopolitical crisis, "and so, consciously or unconsciously, these young people are afraid of the future; they do not see how it can also hold opportunities for them."

Rougé said young people sometimes do not express this distress, which then "manifests itself through violence." He said young people may not have "acquired sufficient maturity in language and self-expression to be able to express themselves in another way."

The demonstrations, he said, are still "a call to be even more attentive to our young people, including in Catholic schools," in which responsible adults can "help restore a sense of calm, creating spaces for listening and discussion, to accompany these young people."

Rougé said the Church calls for "peace," for "a different way for young people to express themselves," and for "listening to these young people." He said the public education system should prioritize "enabling young people to build a future for themselves and to receive a rich education that will allow them to move forward in life."

In the interview, the bishop also noted that Pope Leo XIV addressed young people in France, encouraging them to have "the courage to live out responsibly the mission of building peace."

"The Holy Father called young people to true freedom, the freedom that Christ gives," Rougé said. "And to these young people, some of whom also come from social environments that have not been given sufficient recognition, he opened up a sense of purpose for their lives — the path of true freedom."

Father Christophe Danset, the bishops' conference's national delegate for youth ministry, told the Italian Catholic news outlet AgenSIR the violence expressed through these protests paints a very different image than the celebratory gatherings that marked the pope's visit to the country late last month.

"The beauty of that gathering and the violence of this week are two sides of the same reality of French youth: on the one hand, a genuine thirst, and on the other, a human and spiritual crisis," he said in an Oct. 2 article.

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The Archdiocese of St. Louis is challenging an immigration detention center's visitation policies it says prevent Catholic detainees from receiving the sacraments, after a jail official suggested "clergy pass communion in a plastic bag to a prison guard who could then deliver it to the detainee."

The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 5 by Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski and Father Christopher Schroeder of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, claims that Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center's no-contact policy bars clergy from ministering to detainees while making exceptions to the rule for nonreligious visitors.

The archdiocese said in an Oct. 5 press release and in the filing that it had asked the facility to accommodate clergy seeking to provide sacraments to detainees but that facility officials refused to do so. "That refusal is troubling, given that other individuals—including lawyers and consular officials—are permitted to visit detained individuals under much more permissive circumstances," the archdiocese said in the release.

Ste. Genevieve Detention Center houses about 150 immigration detainees and has held about 3,000 detainees, including one who died in the facility, since it began contracting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in mid-2025, according to the filing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the federal Cabinet department that oversees ICE, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

"The first and only time any jail official has proposed any accommodation for religious exercise was in response to a reporter," the archdiocese said, which culminated in a suggestion from Maj. Jason Schott, who oversees the day-to-day operation of the jail, that clergy deliver Communion to detainees in a plastic bag by prison guards.

"This is no accommodation at all," the filing states. "Because the celebration of communion is a central piece of the Catholic faith, and because the transubstantiation that occurs in this sacrament involves the real presence of Christ, the Catholic faith imposes strict rules on how communion may be administered. Communion may only be administered by a minister specifically appointed for the purpose."

A person must be authorized to distribute Communion according to the norms of the diocese and the parish, ordinarily after suitable formation and commissioning by the pastor or bishop. While the Eucharist belongs to the whole Church, its distribution is carried out according to the Church's sacramental and hierarchical order.

The archdiocese said the facility's "scant defense" for its policies cited concerns for "safety and security risks" and that "priests might smuggle 'contraband' to the detainee.'"

"Schott does not explain how the host, which as consecrated is the body of Christ—the very thing priests want to 'pass to detainees'—could be contraband," the filing states.

The archdiocese also claimed priests have been barred from accessing the facility during the traditional four-hour window for visitation on Sundays and that "the jail allows clergy to visit only for a 4-hour window on Mondays."

"The Catholic Church does not seek special treatment," the archdiocese said in the release. "But only requests the same access as these other groups which, if provided, would allow clergy to offer the Catholic sacraments detainees desperately want." 

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An upcoming publication titled "The Private Diary of Pope Francis" promises a rare look into the inner spiritual life of the late pontiff. Announced on Monday and scheduled for publication on Nov. 24, the volume compiles intimate reflections, prayers, and personal notes, offering a window into his quiet moments of discernment.

Edited with commentary by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the project gathers material meant to be shared posthumously.

This is not the late pope's first foray into personal literature; he previously released "Hope," becoming the first living pope to publish an autobiography.

Known for his accessibility to journalists, Francis gave more than 70 book-length interviews during his pontificate, making this new collection an intriguing counterpart to his public voice.

The publication follows in the footsteps of St. John XXIII, whose spiritual diary was famously published posthumously as "Journal of a Soul." Similarly to that classic work, Francis' diary captures his deeply human side — revealing how he navigated trials, carried the burdens of leadership, and sought God in daily silence.

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NAIROBI, Kenya — Fifteen pilgrims from Kenya's Archdiocese of Mombasa who were heading to Subukia National Marian Shrine in the Diocese of Nakuru died on Saturday in a road accident.

The Mombasa Archdiocese announced the news on Saturday, Oct. 3, that pilgrims from St. Mathias Mulumba Mikindani Parish had died in a car crash in the small town of Salama, about a six-hour drive from the shrine.

The message from the office of the archbishop read: "We are saddened with lots of grief to announce the untimely passing on of [15] pilgrims from St. Mathias Mulumba, Mikindani, in an accident that occurred at Salama. The pilgrims were on their way to the National Shrine, Subukia, for the National Prayer Day."

The statement from the office of Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde continued: "Let us pray for the repose of their souls as we pray for their families, St. Mathias Mulumba Parish and the Archdiocese as a whole, so that we may find solace and consolation in the Lord."

In his opening address at the prayer event, the chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, expressed the closeness of KCCB members with the Mombasa Archdiocese following the tragedy.

Muhatia also clarified that 15 people died, and not 17 as had earlier been reported by the archdiocese.

Welcoming participants to the event, the KCCB chairman said: "We remember in a special way other pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Mombasa who were headed here, but could not arrive due to a road accident. I express personal condolences and the solidarity of the Bishops' Conference to Archbishop Martin Kivuva and Archbishop Dominic Kimengich for the loss of 15 pilgrims who were headed here."

Muhatia added: "All of them were from one parish and all of them perished in the accident."

The bishop of the Kisumu Archdiocese read out the names of the pilgrims who died and prayed for the repose of their souls.

The tragedy has been described as a major blow to the Kenyan archdiocese, which also lost a pilgrim during the 2025 National Prayer Day at the shrine. Marcella Mueni collapsed and died while she was getting ready for Mass. She was among more than 9,000 pilgrims who traveled from Mombasa for the annual spiritual gathering.

The 2026 National Prayer Day is being celebrated under the theme "Blessed Are the Peacemakers." According to the KCCB, the theme is an invitation to the faithful to embrace their responsibility as agents of peace in their families, communities, and the country.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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Pope Leo XIV urged members of the Vatican Gendarmerie on Oct. 3 to nurture their faith as they protect others, telling them that their service requires hearts guarded by the Lord.

The pope celebrated Mass at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens in honor of the force's patron, St. Michael the Archangel.

He described the gendarmes' work as "a way of being laborers in the Lord's vineyard," stressing that their responsibilities extend beyond safeguarding buildings, grounds, and entrances to caring for people.

"One quality that stands out when we meet you is precisely this care: It is beautiful to see how you regard others not as problems to be solved but as people to be respected and protected," he said.

Reflecting on the parable of the wicked tenants in Matthew 21:33-43, the pope said the gendarmes should understand that "what we receive is a responsibility to be safeguarded with humility and dedication, to be carried out with discretion and a sense of duty."

"You know well that authority, in the light of the Gospel, is expressed above all in the ability to protect, listen, and accompany, with balance, firmness, and respect," he added.

Just as the vineyard owner's son stands at the center of the parable, Leo urged the gendarmes to place Jesus at the center of their lives.

"Before being gendarmes, you are men called to follow him. From him we learn strength that knows how to become gentleness, vigilance born of trust, authority that walks alongside humility, and the courage to intervene with a merciful heart," he said.

The pope also reflected on the second reading, from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians, which urges believers to bring their needs to God in prayer rather than give in to anxiety.

The gendarmes' work, he said, would bring "quiet days and difficult days," moments requiring quick decisions, and situations that cause fatigue and worry.

But prayer offers a way to bear those burdens.

"A gendarme does not carry everything alone: He prays, knows how to entrust himself to God, and knows how to find again in God the peace that allows him to act with clarity and a serene heart," Leo said.

Those who protect others need hearts and minds "formed in goodness," he said, because they "must first safeguard within themselves truth, justice, goodness, and respect. Protecting others requires a heart guarded by the Lord."

"Your work certainly requires you to be vigilant, but today's word invites you to something even deeper: to watch carefully over yourselves as well," the pope added.

He urged the gendarmes to guard their hearts against becoming hardened, keeping them "always docile to God and attentive to others."

He also called on them to safeguard their consciences and their bonds of fraternity. A group becomes a community, he said, when "its members care for one another and learn to walk together, supporting one another with simplicity and love."

Leo concluded by thanking the gendarmes' families for the sacrifices that make their service possible.

"This year, too, I conclude with a thought of affection and gratitude for your families. To parents, wives, children, and fiancées: Thank you! You know the sacrifices, the absences, the schedules, the worries, and also the burden of a service that is not always seen," he said.

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

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WASHINGTON — Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, underscored the importance of using the Holy Spirit's guidance in public affairs at the annual Red Mass marking the opening of the Supreme Court term.

Seeking the Holy Spirit's wisdom will help people reach their full potential in their work and responsibilities, Broglio said in the homily Oct. 4 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C.

"We also pray that our understanding of God's presence and his commandments will inspire integrity, devotion to meaning, and the promotion of harmony," he said.

Hosted by The John Carroll Society, the Red Mass drew more than 1,000 people, including Supreme Court justices, public officials, and Vice President JD Vance, to mark the opening of the judiciary term and pray for judges, attorneys, diplomats, and government leaders.

The name derives from the red color of the archbishops', cardinals', and priests' vestments. All Church officials who participated wore red to represent the tongues of fire symbolizing the presence of the Holy Spirit.

This year marked the 74th anniversary of the Red Mass in Washington, one of several such celebrations held worldwide, such as in Rome, Paris, and London, to invoke blessings on justice administrators.

In response to last year's Red Mass, when a New Jersey man threatened Catholics and Supreme Court justices, security measures were increased. Amid the increased security, attendees included law students and faculty from area schools such as Georgetown University and The Catholic University of America.

Mark Cummings, a member of the John Carroll Society, an adjunct professor at George Mason University, and a partner at Sher, Cummings, and Ellis, said attendance at the Mass would help students.

"It's inspiring for them, and I think it's a very healthy thing to be able to mix with the Supreme Court justices, superior court judges and courts of appeals, as well as Vice President Vance," Cummings said. "I don't know where else they'd have an opportunity to see so many people who have made it in the profession and are serving as Supreme Court justices."

Broglio "talked about the importance of the Constitution, the importance of our laws, and that everybody, even the meekest and lowest of citizens, should have access to justice and how we should. It's set up that way with our Constitution and Bill of Rights," Cummings said.

Cummings said Broglio's message was a call for those in the legal profession and public service to help ensure that everyone has equal access to justice.

Broglio also advised officials on how charity should guide all legal professions.

"Your service to order and the virtue of justice is deeply appreciated even by this canon lawyer," said Broglio, who holds a doctorate in canon law.

Broglio said immigrants, past and present, have helped build the United States, and he urged legal professionals to be "architects of hope" to ensure that charity and fraternity shape the pursuit of justice.

"In his first encyclical, Pope Leo wrote that the way a society treats migrants, refugees, and those forced to move reveals whether its sense of justice is driven by fear or by the spirit of fraternity," Broglio said.

"Perhaps if more of us directed our thoughts in the ways of peace, we would discover and develop a more civil society and and learn to live in harmony with our neighbors," Broglio said.

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Two Christian women were killed early on Oct. 3 in an Israeli strike on a residential apartment in western Gaza City, according to Palestinian and Church sources. The women had recently moved into the apartment after spending a prolonged period sheltering at Holy Family Catholic Church during the ongoing war.

The victims were identified as Maysaa Khader Ibrahim Abu Dawoud and Mary Hafez Michel al-Najjar. They had been living in an apartment in the Institutions area of western Gaza City.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strike.

In a statement to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, George Anton, the director of operations for the Latin Patriarchate in Gaza, said the two women had stayed at Holy Family Catholic Church throughout the war before recently moving into a rented apartment in an effort to resume a more stable life after months of displacement and sheltering at the church.

Anton said the apartment was struck early on Oct. 3, killing both women. He said their deaths had "left deep sorrow among Christian families in the Gaza Strip."

In a statement of mourning issued by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa expressed his "profound sorrow and grief" over the deaths of the two women in the strike on Gaza City.

Pizzaballa in the statement offered his condolences to their families and to Gaza's Christian community, praying that God would grant their loved ones consolation and strength during the painful time.

Holy Family Catholic Parish and the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza also mourned the two women and offered condolences to the Abu Dawoud, Ayyad, and al-Najjar families.

Anton pointed to figures recently cited by Pizzaballa showing a sharp decline in Gaza's Christian population since the outbreak of the war, as members of the community have either died or left the Gaza Strip.

In September, Pizzaballa said the number of Christians remaining in Gaza — Catholics and Orthodox combined — had fallen to 541, down from 1,017 before the war.

Churches in Gaza have sheltered hundreds of displaced people during the conflict, Anton said, including people who lost their homes or were forced to flee them.

Holy Family Catholic Church and St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church have provided shelter to Christian and non-Christian families, while some families later moved into alternative housing as the war and widespread destruction continued.

The deaths of the two women underscore the precarious situation facing Christians who have remained in the Gaza Strip. Like other Palestinians in Gaza, they continue to endure displacement, the loss of relatives and homes, and deteriorating humanitarian conditions while seeking to preserve their Christian presence and religious life under extremely difficult circumstances.

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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