Catholic News

The Vieira family from Blumenau, Brazil, has been home-schooling their seven children for over a decade, an approach that the parents, Diego and Patricia, view as an educational mission focused on human, spiritual, and academic formation.

"We have a well-structured routine. We value sound pedagogical planning. Each child has a plan tailored to their age, and we prioritize personalized education for each of them," the family explained to "EWTN Noticias," the Spanish-language nightly newscast of EWTN News.

For the Vieiras, home schooling is not merely an academic alternative but a mission directly linked to Christ's call to become holy.

"That is the goal of Catholic education: heaven, the pursuit of virtue, the pursuit of holiness, and the acquisition of wisdom to truly contemplate the truth," they stated.

Personalized family-based education

The children's daily schedule is organized according to their needs. In the mornings, they study the subjects in their educational plan, while in the afternoons, they engage in musical, athletic, and cultural activities, as well as practice chess.

However, this form of home schooling ended up in court.

In late July, a trial court judge ordered that four of Diego and Patricia's children be enrolled in and attend a traditional school. Additionally, the couple was ordered to pay a fine of nearly $13,000.

The parents said they believe the decision is linked to their public role in advocating for home schooling.

"Because we are public figures and are actively pushing for regulation, we firmly believe this is a case of persecution against leaders of the movement, as the persecution has escalated with each passing year," they stated.

They also noted that their Catholic identity has influenced how their stance is perceived.

"Because, whether we want to or not, we always uphold the banner of canon law, parental authority, and the family's authority in the education of children. And when we demonstrate this, we encounter a great deal of prejudice in various situations," they explained.

'Home schooling is unstoppable'

Diego Vieira is the president of the Santa Catarina Association of Homeschooling Families and serves on the board of the National Association for Homeschooling. For years, he has supported other families facing legal challenges for educating their children at home.

Together with Patricia, he also spearheads the "Educating for Heaven" project, which offers guidance and materials to families interested in home schooling.

The couple has been promoting this educational approach for over a decade. Their eldest son, Igor, 19, was home-schooled and is currently studying literature and history at a university; he also teaches classes and is a national chess master.

The young man noted that being home-schooled allowed him to develop his abilities at his own pace.

"I was taught to read and write at home, and from a very young age, my parents encouraged me to study. Being able to study at home gave me the freedom to develop at my own pace and have a flexible routine; I could devote more or less effort to tasks I found difficult and truly focus on studying what I enjoyed most," he stated.

A family active in their community

Despite criticisms leveled at home schooling, members of the Blumenau community highlighted the Vieira family's social engagement.

City councilman Flavio José Linhares stated that the family maintains an active presence in the city, particularly through sports and culture.

"In chess, the family has already won over 300 medals representing the municipality in the game. So, they lead an active life in the community," he noted.

The official also expressed his opposition to the court ruling against the family.

"When we saw the decision ordering the family to pay a fine equivalent to 40 minimum wages, we were outraged. We appreciate the quality, care, and love they show for their children's education," he stated.

The debate on home schooling in Brazil

There are no official statistics in Brazil regarding the number of families who home-school. The National Association for Homeschooling estimates there are more than 75,000 families and 150,000 students, although these figures come from the organization itself rather than government records.

Currently, home schooling is not regulated by federal law.

In 2018, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court ruled that, for the time being, families do not have a recognized legal right to educate their children exclusively at home. However, the court also noted that the constitution does not prohibit home schooling and that it is up to the congress to establish regulations.

A bill to regulate home schooling was approved by the Chamber of Deputies (lower house) and is proceeding through the Senate.

For Diego and Patricia, their defense is grounded in religious and legal principles as well as a matter of conscience.

"We base our position on our faith, our beliefs, Church law, natural law, and human rights. All treaties guarantee this freedom, as well as the primacy of parents," they stated.

"We're not doing anything wrong. Therefore, we have a clear conscience regarding this matter and will continue to fight. Home schooling is unstoppable," they added.

The family has already filed an appeal against the ruling and stated that, if the decision stands, they will take the case to higher courts.

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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Thousands of pro-life demonstrators took to the streets of Berlin and Cologne on Saturday, Sept. 19, for Germany's annual March for Life, which for the fourth time was held in both cities at once. Organizers put the combined turnout at about 6,000.

At the start of the Cologne rally on the Neumarkt square, counterdemonstrators threw paint at an information stand.

The Cologne rally, organized by Mona Schwaderlapp, a 27-year-old occupational therapist and mother of three, opened at 1 p.m. under the motto "The Right to Life Is a Human Right." The route passed the Basilica of the Holy Apostles and ran along Zeughausstrasse through the city center before returning to the Neumarkt, where the march ended around 4 p.m.

Paint, smoke, and blockades in Cologne

The paint was thrown by two counterdemonstrators who had obtained the green vests worn by the pro-life marchers and moved unnoticed to the stand of the pro-life foundation Stiftung Ja zum Leben, according to the Catholic weekly Die Tagespost. CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News, observed on the scene in Cologne that the attackers also set off purple smoke bombs.

During the stage program, several counterdemonstrators pushed to the front of the stage with a banner. One counterdemonstrator, who sprayed the banner with paint during the march, faces a criminal complaint for property damage.

Cologne police said the march had been registered for 3,000 people and that the "pro-choice" counter-event was likewise expected to draw 3,000. Police gave no figures for actual turnout.

CNA Deutsch observed officers using drones to monitor the march. Apart from two sit-in blockades, the procession through the city center passed without major disruption.

"We are here today because there are people who need our help," said Ludwig Brühl of the federal board of the pro-life group Aktion Lebensrecht für Alle at the rally. He warned: "Surrogacy arrangements are being sold in the middle of Cologne."

Brühl said he and fellow campaigners had gone undercover to track down people taking in large sums from the business. "They know how to get around our laws," he said. "We have to stop these people."

Surrogacy and Down syndrome in Berlin

The group's federal chairwoman, Cornelia Kaminski, also spoke against surrogacy, in Berlin.

The 22nd March for Life took place in Berlin at the same time, drawing 4,200 people according to the German pro-life group Bundesverband Lebensrecht. Berlin police put the figure at about 2,200.

Five Bavarian bishops took part in the Berlin march, reported the Diocese of Regensburg. They were Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg, Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau, Auxiliary Bishop Josef Graf of Regensburg, Auxiliary Bishop Florian Wörner of Augsburg, and Bishop Emeritus Gregor Maria Hanke of Eichstätt.

Cologne Auxiliary Bishop Dominikus Schwaderlapp took part in the march there. Several other bishops had sent written greetings to the organizers ahead of the marches.

"In all, well over 6,000 people (4,200 Berlin, 2,100 Cologne) of all generations set out today to take to the streets for the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death," the Bundesverband Lebensrecht said.

The group's chairwoman, Alexandra Linder, said: "Democracy means universal human dignity, the right to life from conception to natural death, and a prohibition on the killing of the innocent."

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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For the first time in seven centuries, Aquileia, a city in northeastern Italy with a fascinating past, has reunited the three scattered fragments of a sixth-century manuscript that for centuries was venerated as if it were the Gospel written by St. Mark's own hand.

The author of the Gospel that bears his name was St. Peter's interpreter and secretary. He followed the apostle to Rome, where he witnessed his preaching in the homes of the first followers of Christ, who dared to defy the Roman Empire's laws governing worship.

St. Mark carefully recorded every courageous word of that early catechesis, and his notes became a firsthand source for the story of Jesus' life.

Today, Aquileia, a small town of just over 3,000 inhabitants, treasures St. Mark's memory as the founder of one of the most flourishing Christian communities of the Middle Ages.

After the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, the city, situated at the crossroads of East and West and serving as a bridge between the Mediterranean world and Slavic culture, became a center for the spread of Christianity into Central Europe and the Balkans.

By the fifth century, it had even been honored with the title of apostolic city, and its bishop held the rank of patriarch. That privilege was reserved only for dioceses that traced their origins to the preaching of an apostle.

"We preserve extraordinary medieval frescoes in the basilica depicting St. Mark arriving here to found the city's first Christian community. That is why we believe he truly came to Aquileia," Aquileia tour guide Anna Sairu told "EWTN Noticias," the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News.

The codex that became a relic

One of the principal witnesses to this tradition is the "Codex Forojuliensis," also known as the "Cividale Gospel Book." The sixth-century manuscript, written in uncial script, the calligraphy reserved for sacred texts, originally contained all four Gospels in St. Jerome's Latin translation.

Scholars believe it was most likely produced in Ravenna, Italy. From there it arrived in Aquileia during the second half of the ninth century, where it was authenticated by the signature of Theodemar, patriarch of Aquileia.

The presence of the codex strengthened the tradition linking St. Mark to the evangelization of the region. Its significance became so great that in 827 the Synod of Mantua recognized Aquileia's ecclesiastical supremacy over Grado.

Venice looked with suspicion on the growing religious prestige of its neighbor. Just a year later, in 828, Venetian merchants brought the relics attributed to the evangelist from Alexandria to the city on the lagoon. In doing so, "The Most Serene Republic" of Venice gained a patron of apostolic rank and strengthened the religious and political foundations of its power.

The fragmented Gospel

Between the 12th and 13th centuries, the seven quires — folded sheets of paper stitched into booklets — containing the Gospel of Mark were separated from the rest of the codex, rebound independently, and covered with an elaborate gilded silver binding that transformed the book into an object of veneration resembling a reliquary.

From that point on, the manuscript ceased to be viewed as merely an ancient copy and began to be regarded as an autograph written by St. Mark himself. Medieval inventories of the Patriarchal Treasury of Aquileia reflect this belief.

"The Gospel was fragmented when it was removed from the Gospel book containing all four Gospels and began to be regarded as an autograph of the evangelist himself. This is connected to the tradition that St. Mark evangelized this region of Italy, Aquileia, and its surrounding territory. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Gospel of Mark acquired a life of its own and came to be regarded as an extraordinary relic," Cristiano Tiussi, director of the Aquileia Foundation and curator of the exhibition, told "EWTN Noticias."

The emperor who wanted a piece of St. Mark

The fame of the supposed authentic Gospel of St. Mark quickly spread across Europe. In 1354, while traveling to Rome to receive the imperial crown, Charles IV of Luxembourg stopped in Aquileia. At the time, his half-brother, Nicholas of Luxembourg, served as patriarch there.

The emperor requested part of the revered manuscript and received two of the seven quires that comprised the Gospel of Mark. Those pages were taken to Prague, where they were deposited in St. Vitus Cathedral alongside the relics of St. Wenceslaus. Over the centuries, they became the oldest written document preserved in Czech libraries.

The exhibition even displays the original documents recording Charles IV's request to the patriarch of Aquileia.

"Possessing part of the Gospel of St. Mark meant owning not only a religious relic but also a symbol of prestige, legitimacy, and power," Tiussi noted.

The conquest of Venice

The remainder of the manuscript remained in Aquileia until May 30, 1420, when Doge Tommaso Mocenigo conquered the city. Venice then claimed the remaining fragments, arguing that they belonged beside the evangelist's tomb in the Basilica of St. Mark.

Their transfer symbolized Aquileia's definitive incorporation into the Venetian sphere.

The gesture also carried an unmistakable political significance. If Venice had claimed custody of the evangelist's body since 828, it now also acquired part of the manuscript believed by tradition to have been written by his hand.

As a result, the Gospel of Mark became permanently divided among the cities of Cividale del Friuli, Venice, and Prague.

For the manuscript itself, however, the consequences proved devastating. Humidity from the Venetian lagoon gradually damaged the pages until they became almost illegible. Today, those remnants are preserved in a reliquary display case within the Treasury of St. Mark.

A medieval Facebook

The exhibition offers visitors a second surprise. Before it was dismantled, the manuscript served as a "Liber Vitae," or "Book of the Living." More than 1,500 names were entered into its pages by people who wished to be remembered in the prayers of the monastic community that safeguarded the codex.

"This is one of the features that makes this Gospel book exceptional. In Italy, we know of only two Carolingian-era 'libri vitae.' This is one of them. These inscriptions, written in a hand different from the original uncial script, were initially simple liturgical annotations. They are notes written on the Gospel between the seventh and eighth centuries indicating which passages should be read during particular periods of the year or providing other instructions for the book's liturgical use," said Luca Villa, another curator of the exhibition.

Beginning in the second half of the ninth century, the names of benefactors, nobles, pilgrims, and distinguished visitors were added.

Among them were figures as notable as Emperor Louis II the Younger and his wife Engelberga, the Moravian prince Svatopluk, and envoys from the newly Christianized Kingdom of Bulgaria.

"There are more than 1,500 important figures who wrote their names in the Gospel, not merely to leave a record of themselves but because they believed that by doing so they would share in the liturgical celebrations every time the book was used in the church where it was kept," Villa told "EWTN Noticias."

For historians, these lists provide an extraordinary window into medieval Europe. They reveal a network of contacts, pilgrimages, and cultural exchanges linking distant regions centuries before the emergence of modern nation-states.

A European story

Now, for the first time in roughly 700 years, the three surviving portions of the Gospel have been reunited.

The quires preserved in Prague have left the Czech Republic for the first time. The fragments kept in Venice have temporarily departed St. Mark's Basilica. Together with the pages preserved in Friuli, they reconstruct a story that had remained fragmented since the Middle Ages.

Czech curator Martina Dlabajová said she believes the reunion also symbolizes the very essence of Europe.

"What is beautiful is that, while acknowledging that each fragment has had a different history and followed a different path, by bringing them together we have chosen to embrace that shared history. That is why the exhibition's title speaks of 'Seven Centuries, Three Fragments, One European Story,' because the three fragments never ceased to be part of a common narrative, and that narrative is a European one," she explained.

"I also like to emphasize that Europe itself should recognize differences, accept that distinct histories exist, and understand that those different histories from various countries enrich our shared history," she added in comments to "EWTN Noticias."

The exhibition, "The Gospel of Mark: Seven Centuries. Three Fragments. One European Story," will remain open through April 2027. Due to the fragility of the parchment, however, restrictions are necessary. The original manuscripts will be on display only during the exhibition's first six weeks. They will then be replaced by high-resolution digital reproductions.

This report was made possible thanks to the support of the Aquileia Foundation.

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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Pope Leo XIV flies to France on Friday, where across four days in three cities he will proclaim Catholic teaching to the heart of secular Europe on matters that include end-of-life questions, immigration, and artificial intelligence.

The visit "will truly be a moment in which Leo's project of making the Church's social doctrine better known can take shape," said Father Patrick Valdrini, a former rector of the Institut Catholique de Paris.

France is statistically more secular than it was in 2008, when Pope Benedict XVI made a pastoral visit to the country. The latest data on religious identity in France, in 2019-2020, found that 51% of adults in France say they have no religious affiliation, an 8% increase from a decade before. While 29% of the population identifies as Catholic, the survey found only 8% say they go to Church regularly, according to the Institut National D'Etudes Démographiques.

Yet according to Cyprien Viet, a journalist with the French agency I.Media, the country has become more open to Catholicism in recent years. The reasons for this shift include sympathy for Christianity following attacks on churches and the 2016 killing by Islamist terrorists of Father Jacques Hamel, enhanced appreciation for France's Christian heritage after the 2019 burning of Notre-Dame Cathedral, and gratitude for the Church's charitable service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More recently, "Pope Leo's encyclical on artificial intelligence [Magnifica Humanitas] has had a fairly strong impact in France, and people recognize that there is a need to explore these issues more deeply. The pope is helping greatly in providing points of reference," Viet said.

The challenge of laïcité

During his Sept. 25–28 visits to Paris, Lourdes, and Metz, Leo's approach to sharing the Catholic Church's teaching on political and social issues will draw wide attention, not least because of France's tradition of "laïcité," a strict legal separation of Church and state.

This policy has always involved a certain distrust, even hostility, toward the idea that faith can contribute something good to society, Valdrini said.

"The concept of 'laïcité' emerged especially during the French Revolution, rooted in the view that religion hinders freedom and reason, that it is something burdensome rather than liberating," he said.

Among the most sensitive issues that the pope is expected to address are end-of-life questions. France legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia this summer, becoming the fifth European country to do so after Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Spain. In addition, Switzerland and Austria permit assisted suicide.

Euthanasia is the intentional ending of a person's life to relieve suffering. It differs from assisted dying, in which the patient takes life-ending drugs himself, under a physician's guidance. Both practices are prohibited by Catholic teaching.

Charles Personnaz, France's ambassador to the Holy See, says he expects the pope to speak out on the issue but to leave the political debate to the French bishops, who were already outspoken in their vigorous condemnation of the euthanasia bill before it passed in July.

"I think the pope will certainly repeat what is the Catholic doctrine: the preservation of life from the beginning to … the natural end," the ambassador said. "But he will also leave to … the French Catholic Church the debate with the political parties in France and the institutions. That is the subsidiarity that is at the heart of Catholic doctrine as well."

A message about human dignity

On a visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, Pope Leo is expected to deliver a message about the inherent dignity of every human person, even when suffering from illness or disability.

Meeting and praying with the sick and vulnerable at one of the most visited Catholic shrines in the world, the Holy Father will give a concrete sign of faith in the value of every human life.

At the shrine he will also meet privately with victims of abuse in the Catholic Church in France and with the country's bishops.

Leo is expected to address the global challenges posed by artificial intelligence when he speaks at the headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, in Paris on Sept. 25. On his last day, he will reflect on interreligious dialogue and the future of Europe at meetings in Metz.

The pope's visit to a migrant integration center run by the Archdiocese of Paris will touch on one of the most volatile political issues in Europe and beyond, and one closely tied to next year's presidential election in France, in which the anti-immigration politician Marine Le Pen is the current frontrunner.

Personnaz said he expects the pope's comments on immigration to be well received, calling the pontiff's previous statements on the topic "very balanced" with a focus on the responsibility of nations to help people stay in their homeland.

State visit or apostolic journey?

Pope Francis visited France three times during his pontificate, but Leo will be making the first state visit by a pope to France since Benedict XVI's apostolic journey in 2008.

The French Catholic newspaper La Croix has reported that the Holy See has refused some requests by the government, including a proposal that President Emmanuel Macron accompany the pontiff into Notre-Dame Cathedral for a prayer service on Sept. 25. The Holy See Press Office and the Élysée Palace, the official residence and office of the French president, did not respond to requests for comment on the report.

According to Valdrini, Leo is following in the tradition of St. Paul VI, who sought to emphasize the pastoral character of his travel — the visit to a local Church by the successor of Peter — rather than his role as a head of state.

"It will still be a state visit, and there will be official ceremonies, but it is clear that the pope wanted to emphasize, as previous popes did, this [apostolic] dimension of the journey," Valdrini said.

Catholicism grows

Despite a lack of religious practice in France, enthusiasm for Pope Leo's visit is high, as demonstrated by the response to his events with the public in France's capital.

Adolescents and young adults have snapped up tickets for a prayer vigil in the 81,000-seat Stade de France and an open-air Mass in Place de la Concorde. Paris' largest public square may draw some of the biggest crowds of his pontificate thus far, with 600,000 people expected to fill the square and a nearly two-mile stretch of avenue connecting to the Arc de Triomphe. This enthusiasm is also reflected in an atypical outpouring of donations to the dioceses to cover organizational costs.

Leo will address France's Catholics at a critical juncture in their history, as they welcome rising numbers of converts. He is likely to encourage the nation traditionally known as "the eldest daughter of the Church" to rediscover her Catholic roots.

This Easter, France recorded more than 20,000 adult and adolescent baptisms, a 20% increase from the already record-high number in 2025, which saw a 45% increase from 2024 figures.

The phenomenon has prompted the bishops of Île de France, the ecclesiastical region that includes the Archdiocese of Paris, to convene a special council on how to respond to the huge influx of Catholic converts.

"Today people have not inherited their faith ... and so they are kind of ignorant about the Catholic heritage," Personnaz said. "But when they discover it, they have no prejudices about it. And in a world where the youth are searching for a sense to [their] life, the Catholic proposal remains very interesting."

Francis X. Rocca and Victoria Cardiel contributed to this report.

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John Cavadini, a professor of patristic theology at the University of Notre Dame, will receive the 2026 Ratzinger Prize.

The Vatican Foundation Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI announced Cavadini as the winner of the prestigious award at a press briefing in Rome on Sept. 22. The foundation also said Pope Leo XIV will present the award to Cavadini on Dec. 19 at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.

Present to announce the winner on Sept. 22 at the Holy See Press Office were Father Roberto Regoli, president of the Vatican Foundation Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI, and Pierluca Azzaro, secretary of the foundation.

Cavadini will also be the third faculty member from the University of Notre Dame to receive the award, following Cyril O'Regan (2024) and Jesuit Father Brian E. Daley (2012). Since the award was established in 2011, the university has had the most winners of any institution.

In a press release from the foundation, Cavadini expressed gratitude for the award, saying he sought to conduct his theology "as a man of the Church and, at the same time, as a man of academia."

The unique contributions of American theologians

Cavadini has been affiliated with the University of Notre Dame since joining its faculty of theology in 1990. He also served as the director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life from 2000–2026.

His research and teaching have focused on the theology of St. Augustine, an influential figure of the patristic era.

Regoli praised Cavadini's work for the "rigor of his theological
publications, his commitment and zeal in university teaching." Speaking to EWTN News on the sidelines of Tuesday's press conference, he noted the unique contributions of theologians hailing from the United States.

"Undoubtedly, the cultural debates in the United States of America do not concern only America; they are followed around the rest of the world," Regoli told EWTN News. "Our cultural traditions have been more influenced by the thought of the United States of America, and for this reason it is important to look toward the Anglo-Saxon world, because in the different fields of science it has taken on a leadership role for several decades."

The renewed interest in the theology of Joseph Ratzinger

The 2026 Ratzinger Prize is part of numerous initiatives to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Ratzinger, who was later elected Pope Benedict XVI, in 2027.

Regoli also noted the renewed academic interest worldwide in Ratzinger's life and theological legacy ahead of the anniversary year.

"The legacy of Ratzinger speaks for itself," Regoli told journalists on the sidelines.

"If we look around us at an international level, even in recent years, Ratzinger chairs have been born everywhere: in Europe, in the United States, in Latin America, and in Africa. Many doctoral theses on him, books on him, or his books continue to be edited; they are numerous, and even for the centenary, many more will come out," Regoli added.

One of the foundation's focuses during the anniversary year will be Ratzinger's legacy in Africa, with Azzaro telling EWTN News that, as pope, Ratzinger "strongly believed that Africa had the spiritual reserves necessary for the West to flourish again."

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A dozen U.S. states could see Catholic governors elected in 2026, and in two states — Texas and Massachusetts — the outcome is nearly assured because both major-party nominees are Catholic.

Catholics are positioned to play a visible role in this year's 36 gubernatorial contests, with at least 14 candidates across both parties publicly identifying as Catholic.

The number of Catholics has the potential to increase in governors' mansions nationwide. If every Catholic candidate were to win, the number of Catholic governors would climb from 20 to 22.

About half of gubernatorial races are open races, with the incumbent either term-limited or retiring. According to The Eagleton Center on the American Governor, 20 U.S. governors publicly identify as Catholic.

In Massachusetts, Democratic Gov. Maura Healey faces Republican Michael Minogue, and in Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott faces Democrat Gina Hinojosa, meaning both states have Catholic nominees from each major party.

In a statement to EWTN News, Abbott, first elected governor in 2014, said: "My Catholic faith is integral to my work as Governor, especially the protection of life from the youngest to the oldest members of the Texas family. Specifically, Jesus and His Church's teachings on abortion, euthanasia, justice for victims, and the dignity of workers inform every decision I make from the Governor's desk. As Governor, I will continue to keep Texas the shining city on the hill for the rest of the world as we prioritize uniting all of God's children in love of neighbor."

Meanwhile Hinojosa, who has served in the Texas House since her election in 2016, told EWTN News: "My faith is my moral compass. It grounds me in purpose and gives me the courage to do what is right regardless of obstacles or consequences."

Several other gubernatorial candidates also shared with EWTN News how their Catholic faith either shapes or would shape their approach to governing.

Gov. Jim Pillen, R-Nebraska, who faces Democratic former state senator Lynne Walz in the November election, said: "My Catholic faith is the foundation of who I am and how I serve. I begin each day praying to do God's will. As Governor, my faith shapes my commitment to protecting life, serving others with humility, respecting human dignity, and working to build safer, stronger communities."

In Connecticut, Republican Ryan Fazio, facing Democratic incumbent Gov. Ned Lamont, said: "I am a Catholic who believes in Jesus Christ and a responsibility to glorify God and act in a morally upright way in the world to save our own souls and help others. As governor, I would carry the same ethos that our faith teaches us to serve others in a righteous way. Those in leadership must serve humbly and always reject the temptations of power."

Meanwhile in Idaho, Democrat Terri Pickens Manweiler is challenging Republican Gov. Brad Little. She said: "I am a non-practicing Roman Catholic. My faith governs my personal actions and beliefs. I firmly believe in the separation of church and state. I would not impose my beliefs onto others, especially through the political process or governance."

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Lebanon's successive crises have taken a visible toll on its economy and institutions, but they also endanger something less tangible: the memory, faith, and traditions through which a people understands its identity.

As emigration threatens both the continued presence of Christian communities in their homeland and the transmission of their heritage, the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) has made its preservation a mission for the future. Its work goes beyond protecting historical objects and documents: It safeguards the living witness of a people rooted in this land for nearly two millennia and ensures that this inheritance continues to shape Lebanon, inspire younger generations, and enrich the universal Church.

A mission rooted in Maronite history

Father Joseph Moukarzel, president of USEK, told EWTN News that preserving Christian heritage is not simply one of the university's missions but lies at the heart of its identity.

USEK is the first university in Lebanon to be established by Lebanese citizens. Founded by the Lebanese Maronite Order in 1950, it continues the centuries-old role of Maronite monasteries as guardians of faith, knowledge, and culture. For generations, these monasteries protected manuscripts, liturgical traditions, sacred art, and the intellectual legacy of Christianity in the Middle East, including during some of the most difficult periods in Lebanon's history.

Today, the university carries this mission forward through conservation, digitization, research, and education. Its library and archives hold thousands of manuscripts, rare books, maps, photographs, newspapers, and other collections documenting the religious, cultural, and intellectual history of Lebanon and the wider region.

Nearly 2,000 manuscripts are written in Syriac, Arabic, Greek, and Latin, many reflecting the spiritual and theological heritage of the Maronite Church and other Eastern Christian traditions.

A defining step came in 2002, when the Lebanese Maronite Order entrusted USEK with manuscripts gathered from nearly 30 monastic libraries. Moukarzel stressed that the university's work extends beyond manuscripts. Its Conservation and Restoration Center treats icons, paintings, textiles, and archaeological objects, while the USEK Museum preserves collections tracing Lebanon's spiritual and cultural journey.

The Phoenix Center for Lebanese Studies also houses political, ecclesiastical, artistic, musical, legal, and historical archives that shed light on the development of Lebanon and its Christian communities.

USEK also prepares future scholars, conservators, archivists, theologians, and heritage professionals, based on the conviction that heritage can survive only when transmitted to a new generation. It works with monasteries, dioceses, religious orders, patriarchal institutions, and international partners to preserve and promote these collections.

For Moukarzel, this mission is about far more than protecting historical objects; it safeguards the memory of a Christian people rooted in Lebanon for nearly 2,000 years. At a time of uncertainty and displacement across the Middle East, he described this work as both an act of faith and an act of hope.

Preserving heritage amid mounting challenges

Moukarzel added that financial instability has placed cultural and educational institutions under severe pressure. Conservation laboratories, digitization projects, archival preservation, and the specialized infrastructure needed to protect fragile collections all require sustained, long-term investment.

Yet the greatest challenge, he said, may be human rather than material. As Christian communities across the Middle East shrink and families leave in search of security and opportunity, the continuity of memory and tradition is also at risk. He also stressed that much of the Middle East's Christian heritage remains little known beyond the region. Making it accessible through scholarship, conservation, and digitization is therefore not only a Lebanese responsibility but also an ecclesial mission requiring international solidarity.

Forming the next generation of custodians

On the role of younger generations, Moukarzel said Christian heritage should not be treated as something confined to museums and archives but as a living inheritance present in faith, liturgy, language, traditions, monasteries, and villages. USEK therefore encourages students to encounter it directly through research, archival work, conservation projects, field visits, and engagement with local communities. Students are also invited to use digital storytelling, documentary filmmaking, social media, and other technologies to share Eastern Christianity with wider audiences.

Through initiatives such as the AJYAL Lebanese Heritage Education Program, the university connects young people in Lebanon and the diaspora with their cultural roots. Moukarzel stressed that young Christians are not merely heirs to this history but its future authors, responsible for enriching it and passing it on. Whether they remain in Lebanon or build lives abroad, they can serve as custodians of memory and ambassadors of a heritage belonging to Lebanon and the universal Church.

Asked why preserving Christian heritage still matters in a country facing profound crises, Moukarzel said Lebanon's recovery cannot be measured solely by the restoration of its economy and institutions. Rebuilding the country also requires safeguarding the values, history, and faith that have shaped its people for centuries.

"For Christians, this heritage is not simply a collection of monuments or ancient manuscripts. It is the living testimony of communities that have proclaimed the Gospel in this region since the earliest centuries of Christianity. Lebanon is one of the few places in the Middle East where this Christian presence has never been broken. Our monasteries, churches, liturgical traditions, sacred music, manuscripts, and the Syriac and Arabic Christian patrimony tell the story of generations who remained faithful to Christ despite persecution, conflict, and hardship."

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Pope Leo XIV has encouraged the Poor Clares not to be discouraged by their lack of vocations but to view it as a call to renew their commitment.

The pontiff made these remarks during a private audience with a delegation from the Federation of Capuchin Poor Clare Nuns of Italy on Sept. 21. The Capuchin Poor Clares, a branch of the Poor Clares, was founded in 1535 by the Spanish nun Blessed Maria Lorenza Longo.

Addressing the lack of vocations to their order and throughout Italy, Leo encouraged them not to give in to hopelessness and to renew their commitment to their spiritual values.

"The numerical decline of communities, and the fear of losing their autonomy that may result from it, should neither trouble you nor deprive you of hope," Leo said. "Rather, it should encourage a renewal of your way of life and an even greater commitment to the spiritual accompaniment of those who knock on the doors of your monasteries."

Leo also explained to them the true origins of vocations, stating that vocations do not come from campaigns but from "prayer, familiarity with the Gospel, silence, acceptance of oneself with one's imperfections, and a sense of belonging."

The pope also encouraged the nuns to prioritize ongoing formation, fostering deep communion with the Church in a society dominated by noise.

"Be formed, and form others, in a cloistered life lived in a spirit of deep communion among yourselves and with the Church; in a silence that, within a society dominated by haste and noise, awakens the need for times and spaces to stop, discern, and reflect," he said.

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An estimated 2,200 pro-life advocates gathered in Zurich's outer district of Oerlikon on Saturday for the annual March for Life, delivering a message focused on restoring family life and encouraging fatherhood under the banner "Together for Life!"

For six consecutive years, municipal authorities have barred the march from gathering in Zurich's city center, citing security risks posed by the threat of hostile counterprotesters. Organizers pointed out that municipal officials routinely permit other demonstrations in the heart of the city, applying a clear double standard to the pro-life witness.

Similar to previous years, the Sept. 19 event faced opposition. One group of roughly 200 masked protesters on bicycles attempted to disrupt the event by setting off firecrackers, overturning trash bins onto the roadway, and attempting to block the route.?

Swiss police maintained control of the situation by shielding marchers, conducting identity checks, and using two water cannons to disperse protesters. The Zurich March for Life proceeded without any reported injuries to participants.

While organizers estimated about 2,200 advocates, police counted more than 1,000 participants.

The fact that security was maintained in Oerlikon shows that law enforcement can manage counterprotests, undermining the city's justification for keeping the march out of central Zurich, according to observers. ?

Restrictions prompt legal challenge

Speaking previously to CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News, Beatrice Gall, president of the Swiss March for Life, pointed out that municipal officials routinely allow other groups permits to hold demonstrations in Zurich city center yet relocate the Zurich March for Life to the city outskirts. This results in reduced visibility and logistical issues, Gall said.

By restricting the march to the commercial and residential district of Oerlikon, city officials argue they are minimizing potential public order disruptions and protecting urban infrastructure.

Critics argue that authorities are effectively rewarding the violence of counterprotesters by allowing hostile agitators to veto a peaceful group's constitutional rights to freedom of assembly and free expression.

To challenge this policy, organizers have launched a public petition and initiated legal proceedings against the City of Zurich, demanding equal access to the city center and insisting that police maintain law and order without suppressing peaceful pro-life voices.

Breaking the silence

Speaking to EWTN News, Gall described the current social climate surrounding abortion in Switzerland as "one of silence."

"There is no public debate and no objective examination of the facts; instead, people remain silent about the high abortion rates, the suffering this causes many people, and the consequences thereof," Gall said.

She noted that since Switzerland introduced its 12-week deadline regulation in 2002, at least 200,000 abortions have taken place. Estimating that five or more people are affected per procedure, including fathers and extended family, Gall stressed that over 1 million Swiss citizens carry the impact, making public awareness vital. This further justified the march in the city center so that greater "communication, dialogue, and discussions with people can begin."

Pushing back against opponents and media outlets attempting to portray the pro-life movement as regressive, Gall rejected the stereotype. "Advocating for human life is not backward — it's forward-looking!" she asserted, pointing to a "new wave of interest and strong commitment" among the younger generation.

Gall stressed that a mother's womb should be "the safest place in the world, not the most dangerous," calling on men to support their partners rather than leaving them isolated or pressuring them into abortion. "Even if you're surprised by the pregnancy, be there for your partner and your child," Gall urged. "They need you, even before birth."

Call for responsibility and dialogue

Nicolas Kolly, a Swiss People's Party national councilor and former member of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, addressed participants, encouraging society to "give a voice to those who do not yet have one," and summarized his core message simply as "Protect life."

He also urged comprehensive support for women facing difficult pregnancies, arguing that offering viable alternatives must be a societal duty. Furthermore, Kolly stressed paternal duty, stating that a man's priority is "to take responsibility. To support. To listen. To protect." Ultimately, Kolly framed maternal assistance and child protection as inseparable priorities, concluding that "these two ideas must go hand in hand: the protection of the child and the support of the mother."

Among those who addressed the crowd was also Jonas Streule, regional director of ProLife Europe in Switzerland. Speaking to EWTN News, Streule acknowledged the broader hurdles facing pro-life advocacy in Switzerland, pointing specifically to distorted social media stereotypes that damage public perception.

"What people associate with the word 'pro-life' comes from screaming videos in the TikTok world of short clips," Streule said. "That is not what actually happens when you engage in pro-life work."

Turning to ProLife Europe's outreach on university campuses, Streule explained that the organization prioritizes personal encounters over hostility. "Abortion is a severe matter, and it deserves to be touched face to face, in a loving way," he noted, stressing that compassion and clarity go hand in hand.

According to Streule, few students he encounters actively view abortion as desirable. Instead, the primary challenge lies in helping young people realize they can play an active role in building a culture that supports life.

"We rarely leave a conversation without having made someone think about an opinion they simply adopted from the dominant culture," Streule said. He added that across numerous Swiss campus outreaches, he has "never once received a bad word from the person I was talking to."

For Streule, direct street outreach serves as a vital bridge to those personal conversations. By creating spaces for face-to-face dialogue, he said, he believes advocates can break through online misconceptions, encourage people to reconsider deep-seated assumptions, and foster genuine reflection on the value of human life.

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Magdalena Wolinska-Riedi, a Polish correspondent for EWTN News and a longtime Vatican affairs expert, was crowned Poland's speech champion on Sept. 19.

She received the honor at the 26th edition of the Master of Polish Speech (Mistrz Mowy Polskiej) Social Program awards ceremony in Ostrowiec, Poland. The prestigious award was decided by a nationwide poll in Poland, with the winner selected by text votes.

Among those in attendance were Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and Ostrowiec Mayor Artur Lakomiec.

The award "Master of Polish Speech Vox Populi" was established in 2000 as a nationwide initiative to promote the Polish language and culture. Wolinska-Riedi, who joined EWTN News as a Vatican correspondent in 2024, described the award as recognition of the valuable contributions of Poles living in the diaspora.

"I did not think they would think about me," Wolinska-Riedi told EWTN News. "Usually, the winners are important and very famous actors and journalists from Poland, hosts of different Polish programs, and scientists and so on. To be recognized after having spent so many years abroad in Rome as a journalist was an honor."

Wolinska-Riedi joined the EWTN News Vatican Bureau after spending more than 20 years living and working inside Vatican City. After completing her doctorate in Church studies from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, she continued to serve there as the Polish correspondent in Italy for Telewizja Polska, the oldest and largest Polish television network. She has also translated works from Polish to Italian and Latin for the Roman Rota, the Church's highest court of appeals.

While living in Vatican City, where she is also a citizen by marriage, she developed a close friendship with St. John Paul II, who was Polish.

Speaking to EWTN News, she acknowledged the challenges of staying connected to her native Poland while living and working abroad in another language. She also said that while receiving the award was a profound honor, her greatest honor is being a proud mother of two daughters who speak Polish.

"My two daughters have grown up really with the Polish language, and I'm very proud of it," she said.

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