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ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 12, 2025 / 16:03 pm (CNA).

The Diocese of Jaén in Spain will celebrate on Dec. 13 the beatification of 109 priests, 14 laypeople, and one Poor Clare nun martyred during the Spanish Civil War.

With the addition of these 124 new blesseds, the number of 20th-century martyrs in Spain recognized by the Catholic Church rises to 2,254, 11 of whom have been canonized.

The beatification ceremony will be presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and will take place in Assumption Cathedral in Jaén, where some of the new blesseds spent their last days before being murdered out of hatred for the faith. 

Bishop Sebastián Chico of Jaén in the pastoral letter published on the occasion of the beatification stated that "their blood, far from being sterile, has become a fertile seed that today nourishes the faith of our parishes, communities, families, and confraternities, and impels us to live Christ more deeply so that we, too, may be witnesses of hope in the midst of the world."

Chico also shared a reflection on the theological meaning of martyrdom, which he summarized as "the victory of love and the fullness of hope."

The prelate observed that Scripture "teaches us that blood shed for the love of God is a seed of fidelity, eternal life, and hope."

Regarding the Catholic Church's teaching on this mystery of self-sacrifice, Chico noted that each martyr "has been a grace from God for the Church and a rich legacy of charity and hope that we must know and preserve."

He also emphasized that "martyrdom is the supreme testimony of Christian hope," because it reminds us that "with the eloquence of their own lives, violence, hatred, or death do not have the last word."

The bishop of Jaén also pointed out that the martyrs "were not heroes, humanly speaking, nor ideological fighters, nor casualties in a war for earthly interests" but rather men and women "marked by weakness and sin, like any of us, but who conquered evil in the last moment of their lives with the sole strength of an unwavering faith in Christ. Their only weapon was love."

Jaén, the 'Holy Kingdom'

The Diocese of Jaén is traditionally known as the "Holy Kingdom," and throughout its history it has been marked by not a few martyrs, from the Roman soldiers Sts. Bonosus and Maximian to St. Potenciana, virgin, the priest St. Amador, and, in the Middle Ages, the bishop St. Peter Pascual.

Along with them, the new blesseds are not the only sons and daughters of the diocese martyred in the 20th century. In addition to a group beatified in Tarragona in 2013, St. Pedro Poveda, founder of the Teresian Institution, stands out: He was murdered in Madrid in 1936.

With the new blesseds, "Jaén sees its name confirmed and enriched: Holy Kingdom. It is not an empty or merely historical title but a profound spiritual truth," the prelate emphasized.

Of the 124 new blesseds, Chico highlighted three names "as examples of unwavering faith, generous love, and certain hope": the priest Francisco de Paula Padilla Gutiérrez, who "voluntarily offered to die in place of a father of six children"; the lay doctor Pedro Sandoica y Granados, who "was murdered for publicly confessing his faith, without fear of the consequences, moved by hope in the kingdom of God"; and the widow Obdulia Puchol, a "woman of profound charity who opened her home to transients and the most disadvantaged, and who was shot for her fidelity to Christ, keeping hope alive until her last breath."

The prelate said he believes the recognition of these martyrs should be considered "as yet another link in the chain of holiness that unites Jaén with the universal Church, from the first Christians to our own day."

The martyrs, through their lives and their final sacrifice, "are not just a memory of a heroic past but teachers for the present … In this sense, the witness of the martyrs does not belong solely to history; it is a living word that God addresses to the Church and to the society of today."

Chico emphasized that the martyrs invite us to renew our own hope because they "urge us to live our faith radically, without lukewarmness or compromise"; they teach people "to forgive, always, even in the midst of violence and injustice, following the example of Christ on the cross"; they call the faithful "to be builders of reconciliation and peace"; and they show that "holiness is possible in all vocations."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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CNA Staff, Dec 12, 2025 / 16:52 pm (CNA).

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law an assisted suicide bill that Catholic leaders have ardently opposed.

Pritzker, who met with Pope Leo XIV on Nov. 19, cited "freedom," "choice," and "autonomy" as his reasons for signing the bill, which allows doctors to give terminally ill patients life-ending drugs if they request them. According to the law, patients must be mentally capable and have a prognosis of six months or less to live. 

Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and other Illinois bishops had urged Pritzker to veto the bill. The Catholic Conference of Illinois, which speaks for the Catholic bishops in the state, condemned the law, calling it a "dangerous and heartbreaking path." 

Other jurisdictions with assisted suicide laws include: California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. The Illinois law, Pritzker said in a Dec. 12 statement, "enables patients faced with debilitating terminal illnesses to make a decision, in consultation with a doctor, that helps them avoid unnecessary pain and suffering at the end of their lives." 

Pritzker said he was "deeply impacted" by stories of the suffering of terminally ill patients and their families who argued in favor of the bill. 

"I have been moved by their dedication to standing up for freedom and choice at the end of life in the midst of personal heartbreak," Pritzker said.  

Pritzker signed the measure into law on the beloved feast day for Catholics in North America of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is known as the patroness of the pro-life movement. 

Concerns for the vulnerable 

Opponents of assisted suicide say that assisted suicide is not "true compassion" and constitutes "abandonment" of patients in need of care. 

"This law ignores the very real failures in access to quality care that drive vulnerable people to despair," according to the Catholic Conference of Illinois' statement. "It does nothing to ensure patients are offered services, protected from coercion, or surrounded by loved ones when they kill themselves." 

"Rather than investing in real end-of-life support such as palliative and hospice care, pain management, and family-centered accompaniment, our state has chosen to normalize killing oneself," the statement continued. 

The conference called the passage "alarming," saying that "by enacting this law, Illinois is endorsing the death option while claiming compassion." 

Matt Vallière, who heads the Patients Rights' Action Fund, said that by signing the bill, Pritzker "has endangered the rights and lives of vulnerable patients."

The Patients Rights' Action Fund opposes assisted suicide, saying it is discriminatory against patients with terminally-ill diagnoses. 

"By signing the bill to legalize assisted suicide, he has cracked the ice beneath patients whose care is already fragile," Vallière said in a statement shared with CNA. 

"Assisted suicide plunges Illinoisans with disabilities and other vulnerable people into conversations about death instead of the care and support they deserve from their medical teams," Vallière said.

Thomas Olp — a spokesman for Thomas More Society, a Catholic law firm defending life and family — said the law "places vulnerable lives at risk."

"When the state signals that some lives are no longer worth living, the most vulnerable pay the price," Olp said in a statement shared with CNA. 

"State law should never endorse the idea that suffering or sickness makes a life disposable," he continued.

"Instead of offering true compassion, support, and care, this law offers a fatal prescription," Olp concluded. "That is not mercy. It is abandonment." 

Cultural effect 

The Catholic Conference of Illinois raised concerns about the cultural implications of legalizing a form of suicide. 

"This message will be heard by vulnerable groups not as a balm for the dying but as a societally acceptable alternative to living," the conference said. 

"Indeed, studies show that where assisted suicide has been made legal, the number of all suicides has risen," the conference statement continued. "How can we urge teens and young adults — knowing suicide is the second-leading cause of death in their age group — not to choose death, while our own laws say that suicide can be a 'medical option'?"

"We may fund suicide prevention hotlines, expand suicide prevention programs, and train communities, but those efforts are hollow when we are simultaneously signaling that some lives are too burdensome or too expensive to save," the statement continued. "Can we depend on distressed youth and others to understand the difference between their pain and that of the dying?"

Conscience rights concerns 

Olp, whose law firm helps defend conscience rights, said the new law "erodes the foundational conscience rights of medical professionals and religious medical practices."

The law requires doctors who are morally opposed to assisted suicide to refer patients to a practitioner who will provide patients with life-ending drugs.

"The state is forcing doctors to become active participants and cooperators in a patient's suicide — no matter if their faith, ethics, or Hippocratic Oath forbid it," Olp said.

"This is unconscionable coercion, plain and simple," he continued. "No doctor should be ordered by the government to participate directly or indirectly in a process that deliberately ends a human life."

"We will defend the right of every health care professional to practice medicine consistent with their conscience and oath, and we will fight any state effort to force religious health care institutions to violate their beliefs," Olp said.

Vallière noted that the American Medical Association (AMA) continues to oppose assisted suicide, saying it is in opposition to the role of healer.

"The AMA Code of Medical Ethics continues to state that 'Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician's role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose serious societal risks,'" he said.

Looking ahead

The law is set to go into effect in September 2026.  

"This legislation will be thoughtfully implemented so that physicians can consult patients on making deeply personal decisions with authority, autonomy, and empathy," Pritzker said.

Opponents said they are planning to continue defending human life.

"Gov. Pritzker and legislators who supported this legislation had a choice to build a future in which every person, especially the sick and vulnerable, is cared for with dignity, love, and support — or to open the door to a system where death becomes a permissible alternative," the Catholic Conference of Illinois' statement said.

"With SB 1950 now law, we must speak even more strongly that true compassion means helping people live, not helping them die," the statement concluded.  

"We urge Illinoisans, people of faith, dedicated medical professionals, and all who cherish human life to stand with us in fighting to defend the vulnerable and protect fundamental freedoms," Olp said.

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Vatican City, Dec 12, 2025 / 17:46 pm (CNA).

On Dec. 12, Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Mass on the solemnity of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whom he asked to come to his aid "so that she may confirm in the one true path that leads to the blessed Fruit of your womb all those who have been entrusted to me."

A large number of the faithful, mostly from the Mexican community residing in Rome as well as clergy and members of the Roman Curia, attended the ceremony held in St. Peter's Basilica at 4 p.m. local time.

The Holy Father delivered a homily in Spanish in the form of a prayer addressed to the patroness of Mexico and empress of the Americas.

The pontiff recalled that Mary allows the Word of God "to enter her life and transform it," bringing "that joy wherever human joy is insufficient, wherever the wine has run out." 

For the Holy Father, at Tepeyac, the Virgin Mary "awakens in the inhabitants of America the joy of knowing they are loved by God." Thus, "amidst ceaseless conflicts, injustices, and sorrows that seek relief," Mary of Guadalupe proclaims the core of her message: "Am I not here, I who am your mother?"

"It is the voice," the pope continued, "that echoes the promise of divine fidelity, the presence that sustains us when life becomes unbearable."

The pope then focused his message on the motherhood of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Before her image, he expressed his desire that the faithful might feel like "true children of yours," and he asked for her guidance to maintain their faith "when strength fails and shadows grow."

"Mother, teach the nations that wish to be your children not to divide the world into irreconcilable factions, not to allow hatred to mark their history nor lies to write their memory. Show them that authority must be exercised as service and not as domination. Instruct their leaders in their duty to safeguard the dignity of every person at every stage of life. Make these peoples, your children, places where every person can feel welcome," he continued.

He also prayed to the Virgin for young people, "that they may obtain from Christ the strength to choose what is good and the courage to remain steadfast in the faith, even when the world pushes them in another direction." He also prayed that nothing would trouble their hearts and that "they may embrace God's plans without fear."

"Protect them from the threats of crime, addiction, and the danger of a meaningless life," he added.

The Holy Father turned to those who have distanced themselves from the Church and asked the Virgin Mary to bring them "back home" with the power of her love. He also prayed for those who sow discord, asking Mary to restore them to charity.

He also implored Our Lady of Guadalupe to strengthen families and, following her example, to help "parents educate with tenderness and firmness, so that every home may be a school of faith."

He also asked her to sustain the clergy and consecrated life "in daily fidelity" and to renew their first love. "Guard their inner lives in prayer, protect them from temptation, encourage them in their weariness, and comfort those who are discouraged," he added.

"Assist us so that we may not tarnish with our sin and misery the holiness of the Church, which, like you, is a mother," he said.

In his conclusion, the Holy Father asked that the mother "of the true God for whom we live come to the aid of the successor of Peter, so that he may confirm in the one path that leads to the blessed Fruit of your womb all those entrusted to me."

"Remember this son of yours, 'to whom Christ entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven for the good of all,' that these keys may serve 'to bind and loose and to redeem all human misery,'" he said, quoting a 1994 homily by St. John Paul II.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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CNA Deutsch, Dec 12, 2025 / 10:11 am (CNA).

On Dec. 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a prayer rally against an exhibition called "Du sollst dir ein Bild machen" ("You shall make yourself an image") took place in front of the Vienna Künstlerhaus Vereinigung, a cultural center for artists.

The prayer rally's organizers said the show, which includes a crucified frog and a depiction of the Virgin Mary as a transgender woman, is an attack on the Catholic faith.

Organized by the Austrian Society for the Protection of Tradition, Family, and Private Property (TFP), the rosary rally featured participants carrying placards calling for an immediate stop to blasphemy.

Protesters said the exhibition strikes "at the heart of the Catholic faith with abominable depictions, including a crucified green frog mocking Our Lord, a bearded man dressed as the Mother of God holding a child, a naked parody of the Pietà."

The Austrian TFP also launched an online petition calling for the immediate closure of the exhibition, gathering signatures from Austria and internationally, with support from the American TFP.

Criticism rejected by curator

The management of the Künstlerhaus defended the exhibition against calls for its closure, rejecting criticism and invoking the legal protection of artistic freedom.

Günther Oberhollenzer, artistic director and curator of the exhibition, and Tanja Prušnik, president of the Künstlerhaus Vereinigung, said in the statement on Dec. 2: "We strongly oppose the calls for closure as well as all anti-art statements in this context. In Austria, freedom of art is a constitutionally protected fundamental principle that shapes democratic culture, enables critical social reflection, and is actively supported by the state."

Oberhollenzer and Prušnik also said the exhibition was not intended to offend religious beliefs.

"We respect that people may feel irritated or even offended by works of art. Whether a work of art is provocative is often in the eye of the beholder. Many visitors, including Christians and high-ranking Catholic clergy, were very impressed by the exhibition, and there were repeated harmonious, profound discussions and conversations on an equal footing."

Bishop Hermann Glettler of Innsbruck praised the controversial exhibition, calling it "evidence of the endless struggle to somehow do justice to the mystery of God, who has inscribed himself into a wounded world."

The Austrian prelate explicitely mentioned the "crucified frog" and other pieces on display in Vienna in his statement on Instagram.

Pope Benedict XVI intervened in 2008

Back in 2008, the "crucified frog" caused international controversy when it was exhibited in Bolzano in northern Italy's South Tyrol region. At that time, Pope Benedict XVI, among others, intervened in the debate.

In a letter to Franz Pahl, president of the South Tyrolean Regional Council, the Bavarian-born pontiff wrote at the time that the work offended the religious sensibilities of many people "who see the cross as a symbol of God's love and our salvation, which demands recognition and religious veneration."

Despite these words from the pope, the museum decided at the time to keep the exhibit, which is now on display again in Vienna.

This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, CNA's German-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

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Vatican City, Dec 11, 2025 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Dec. 11 emphasized the academic, cultural, and ecclesial value of archaeology and called for the promotion of "cultural diplomacy" to overcome borders and prejudices.

Receiving members of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology in an audience, the pope emphasized that its literary and monumental sources constitute an essential part of the "roots" of European society and nations.

"Take part through your studies in that cultural diplomacy that the world so desperately needs in our day," the pope urged, addressing the faculty, students, and staff of the center.

To introduce his reflection, he referenced the motu proprio I Primitivi Cemeteri ("The Primitive Cemeteries"), published exactly a century ago by Pius XI, in which he emphasized the Church's responsibility for protecting its sacred heritage.

Pius XI then decided to add a new body to the work of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology and the Pontifical Roman Academy of Archaeology: the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, created to "guide willing young people from all countries and nations toward the study and scientific research of the monuments of Christian antiquity."

A century later, Leo XIV affirmed, this mission remains fully relevant.

The scientific dignity of Christian archaeology

The pope took the opportunity to present to those present his new apostolic letter, in which he emphasizes the importance of Christian archaeology. He pointed out that this field, focused on the monuments of the first centuries of Christianity, possesses its own "epistemological status," with specific "chronological, historical, and thematic coordinates."

However, he lamented that in some circles it continues to be included without distinction within medieval archaeology.

"In this regard, I suggest that they become upholders of the specificity of their discipline, in which the adjective 'Christian' is not intended to be an expression of a confessional perspective but rather a qualifier of the discipline itself with scientific and professional dignity," he urged.

A bridge to ecumenism

Leo XIV emphasized the ecumenical nature of Christian archaeology, alluding to its capacity to recall a time when the Church remained united. Its study, he affirmed, is "a valuable instrument for ecumenism," as it allows the various Christian traditions to recognize a common heritage.

He also recounted that during his recent apostolic journey to Iznik — ancient Nicaea — in Turkey, where he commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council with representatives of other churches, he was able to personally witness this reality: "The presence of the remains of ancient Christian buildings was moving and motivating for all of us."

The pope also welcomed the fact that the institute had dedicated a day of study to the topic, in collaboration with the Dicastery for Evangelization.

The power of 'cultural diplomacy'

For the pope, rigorous study and historical research constitute a privileged way of building bridges: "Through culture, the human spirit transcends the boundaries of nations and overcomes the barriers of prejudice to place itself at the service of the common good. You too can contribute to building bridges, fostering encounters, and nurturing harmony."

He also noted that the institute is symbolically situated between two major jubilee themes: peace, the central theme of the holy year of 1925, and hope, the focus of the current jubilee. "And, in fact, you are bearers of peace and hope wherever you operate with your excavations and research, so that, recognizing your white and red banner with the image of the Good Shepherd, doors may be opened wide to you not only as bearers of knowledge and science but also as heralds of peace."

Christianity, the root of Europe

Finally, Leo XIV recalled the words of St. John Paul II on the Christian roots of Europe, remembering his affirmation that the continent "needs Christ and the Gospel, because here lie the roots of all its peoples."

"Among the roots of European society and nations is undoubtedly Christianity, with its literary and monumental sources; and the work of archaeologists is a response to the call I have just evoked," he stated.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 11, 2025 / 13:00 pm (CNA).

A majority of Catholic voters in the United States support the death penalty for convicted murderers in spite of the Catechism of the Catholic Church calling capital punishment "inadmissible," according to a poll published by EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research.

The survey of 1,000 Catholic voters between Nov. 9 and Nov. 11 found that 55% support the death penalty "for a person convicted of murder." Only 20% said they oppose the death penalty in such situations, and another 25% are unsure.

Based on the poll, Catholics who attend Mass regularly are much more likely to say they oppose the death penalty than Catholics whose attendance is less frequent.

Among Catholics who attend Mass at least once per week, 52% say they support the death penalty for convicted murderers, 26% say they oppose it, and 22% are unsure. For Catholics who attend less than once per week, 57% say they support the death penalty, just 16% oppose it, and 27% are unsure.

Although many Catholics still support the death penalty, a 2024 analysis of The Association of Religion Data Archives' General Social Survey shows a decline in Catholic support for the death penalty in recent decades, especially among those who attend weekly Mass.

The Catechism, per the 2018 revision, states: "The Church teaches, in the light of the Gospel, that 'the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,' and she works with determination for its abolition worldwide."

Prior to the Francis pontificate revising the language, the text stated that the Church "does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor."

Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, who serves on the advisory board for the U.S. Campaign to End the Death Penalty, told CNA that many Catholics remain "pro-life for innocent life," such as the lives taken through abortion, but when a person is guilty of a serious crime, "people readily say 'yeah, they should die.'"

The revision to the Catechism, she said, recognizes that taking life "is against human dignity" and "the Gospel of Jesus calls us to give that dignity — not just to innocent people — but even to the guilty."

Prejean said when people are asked whether they support the death penalty for serious crimes, "most of the time, people say yes." Yet, she said when polls give an alternative for life in prison, the support drops significantly. She noted that juries have been less likely to impose the death penalty recently because "most people really want to have a chance to give people life."

With one in four Catholics saying that they are "unsure" whether they would support the death penalty in certain situations, Prejean said "that's where the seed can grow."

"There's a part of their soul that hasn't said 'yes' to this and they're thinking about it," she said.

Prejean, whose vocation was depicted in the 1995 movie "Dead Man Walking," said she became active in opposition to the death penalty after communicating with a person who was on death row and attending his execution. Prior to that experience, she said she often did not think about the subject, but "we grow in moral issues by experiences of the faithful."

"Once you have a personal connection with somebody, they're not a category anymore," she said. "They're a person."

Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, the executive director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network, told CNA that "defending the sacred dignity of life, while core to our beliefs, is not always easy."

"But even when it's hard to understand, our Church gives us good guidance and has definitively said that capital punishment has no place in our society," said Murphy, whose organization works closely with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to oppose the death penalty.

"Given its firm commitment to human dignity and the sacred value of life, it is clear that the Catholic Church is not backing down from its pro-life position on the death penalty," she added. "More formation and catechesis are needed to increase awareness and deepen understanding of the Church's teaching on capital punishment so it can be applied in a meaningful way in the lives of Catholics."

Murphy noted that Pope St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and now Pope Leo XIV all hold a pro-life view on capital punishment. American Church leadership, including the newly elected USCCB president, Archbishop Paul Coakley, have called for the abolition of the death penalty. 

"Any disconnect between Church doctrine and polling is a reminder that more education and formation on the life issue of ending the death penalty remains worthy," she said. "After all, human lives hang in the balance."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 11, 2025 / 06:30 am (CNA).

Congress is set to vote on two plans regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits that are scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2025. 

The Senate is expected to vote Dec. 11 on a Democratic proposal to extend existing ACA tax credits for three years, as 24 million Americans use ACA marketplaces for health insurance. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, told reporters Tuesday after a Senate Republican meeting that lawmakers also will vote on a Republican alternative measure. 

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, who leads the Finance panel, announced the legislation on Monday. 

The measure (S. 3386) would set requirements for Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions and direct that the money cannot be used for abortion or "gender transitions." It would require states to verify citizenship and immigration status before coverage.

Catholic bishops weigh in

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have said they favor extending the taxpayer subsidies that lower health insurance costs under the ACA, but said lawmakers must ensure that the tax credits are not used for abortions or other procedures that violate Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life. 

The enhanced premium tax credits "should be extended but must not continue to fund plans that cover the destruction of human life, which is antithetical to authentic health care,"  the bishops wrote in an Oct. 10 letter to members of Congress. 

There needs to be a policy that serves "all vulnerable people – born and preborn" and applies full Hyde Amendment protections to them, ensuring not only that government funding does not directly pay for the procuring of an abortion, but also that plans offered by health insurance companies on ACA exchanges cannot cover elective abortion," they wrote. 

The Hyde Amendment, passed by Congress in 1977, prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother's life is at risk.

Activists respond

A coalition of more than 300 faith leaders including NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Church Of God In Christ Social Justice Ministry, Faith in Action Network, and  Franciscan Action Network, delivered a joint letter to Congress Dec. 8 urging legislators to pass a bipartisan bill that protects and expands the ACA premium tax credits.

"Each life is sacred, therefore, there is a moral imperative to provide care for the sick and alleviate suffering particularly for those who lack resources to pay," the letter wrote. There must be action to ensure everyone has "the health care they need to live and thrive, as people are currently making choices about coverage for 2026."

"The letter notes that renewing the tax credits will keep healthcare premiums under the ACA from spiking by an average of 114 percent in 2026," NETWORK reported. "This would cause an estimated 4.8 million people to lose their health coverage because they cannot afford it. Subsequently, some 50,000 people could lose their lives without their health coverage."

Other pro-life organizations have warned against expanding the subsidies. 

"As Congress continues to face pressure to extend Obamacare's abortion-funding premium subsidies, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA) is making the facts clear on how Obamacare does not include the Hyde amendment and forces Americans to pay for abortions," Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, said in a statement.

"The enactment of Obamacare ruptured the bipartisan legacy of the Hyde amendment and resulted in the largest expansion of abortion funding since the 1970s," she said. "Obama and the Democratic leadership at the time intentionally drafted the program to avoid annual appropriations bills, bypassing the Hyde amendment."

"Instead of stopping funding for health insurance plans that cover elective abortion, Section 1303 of Obamacare expressly permits subsidies for Obamacare plans that cover abortion using elaborate accounting requirements and an abortion surcharge to justify the funding," she said.

SBA and more than 100 other pro-life organizations are demanding that any extensions to Obamacare include a complete application of the Hyde policy. The groups sent a September letter and an October letter to lawmakers calling on Congress to ensure pro-life provisions. 

"Preventing taxpayer funding of abortion is a minimum requirement for any new Obamacare spending advanced by a Republican Congress and Administration," Dannenfelser said.

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Puebla, Mexico, Dec 11, 2025 / 07:10 am (CNA).

Although millions of faithful recognize Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City as the site of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, not many know that the miracle of the imprinting of her image did not occur there, but in a place that is now practically forgotten.

According to tradition, in December 1531, the Virgin appeared to an indigenous man named Juan Diego and asked him to request that the first bishop of Mexico, Friar Juan de Zumárraga, build a "sacred little house," a chapel at the foot of Tepeyac.

As a sign for the bishop, the Virgin Mary caused roses to bloom in the middle of winter on the arid hill and asked Juan Diego to carry them in his cloak. When he arrived at the bishop's residence to show the bishop the roses, he unfolded his cloak, and the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was miraculously imprinted on it.

After the miracle, the cloak was placed under the care of Friar de Zumárraga in this house, while a small chapel was ordered to be built at Tepeyac, which would be the first shrine for Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The old archbishop's palace

Father José de Jesús Aguilar, a priest of the Archdiocese of Mexico and a researcher of the Guadalupe event, posted a video in which he pointed out that "many people know that the Virgin appeared at Tepeyac, but they don't know where the miracle of the imprinting of the image occurred."

He explained that in 1529, Friar de Zumárraga acquired the so-called Casa de Medel, located in what is now known as the Old Archbishop's Palace, next to the metropolitan cathedral of Mexico City, which was under construction at the time.

He established his residence at that site in 1530, and it was there that he received Juan Diego. However, he noted that "it is necessary to understand that, although the location is the same, we won't see the building as it [appeared] in Juan Diego's time because it has undergone changes."

In 1629, the edifice was damaged by a flood that affected Mexico City. Almost a century later, in 1720, it was expanded by Archbishop José Pérez de Lanciego Eguiluz y Mirafuentes. Between 1730 and 1747, the building was completely rebuilt by Archbishop and Viceroy Juan Antonio Vizarrón y Eguiarreta.

Currently, the building where 33 archbishops once resided retains its red façade, and on either side of the main entrance, it features Latin inscriptions from the Book of Revelation. On the left, it reads, "He who sat on the throne said," and on the right, "I am making all things new."

Restoration efforts

According to Aguilar, this building served as the residence of the archbishops until the Reform Laws, in the mid-19th century, forced the Church to vacate it. In 1867, it housed the offices of the Chief Accounting Office, and later the Treasury Archives, the Pension Payment Office, and a printing press.

Currently, the building functions as the Museum of the Secretariat of Finance.

Aguilar recounted that an effort was made to recognize the religious value of the site, for which a sculpture of Juan Diego and Friar Juan de Zumárraga was commissioned. He said that it was blessed by St. John Paul II and "was made with the intention of placing it somewhere in the former archbishop's palace, or even on the street in front of it, to commemorate that it was the site of the miracle."

"Unfortunately, the civil authorities did not allow it," said the priest, who was the deputy director of radio and television for the Archdiocese of Mexico at the time. The artwork was finally installed on the side of the metropolitan cathedral, a location that, in his opinion, "loses its meaning."

"But with or without the sculpture, with or without a plaque, let's hope that little by little, the news that the image was imprinted on the tilma in this place will lead more and more people to learn about this fact," he added.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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CNA Staff, Dec 11, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

When Virginia father Tom Vander Woude's 19-year-old son, a boy with Down syndrome, fell into a toxic sewage tank, Tom jumped into the tank with him, pushing him to the surface even as the toxic fumes filled his own lungs.

The father of seven, whose sainthood cause is now under investigation, will be posthumously awarded this year's Walk for Life "Saint Gianna Molla Award for Pro-Life Heroism" on Jan. 24, 2026 at the West Coast Walk for Life in San Francisco. 

"When we heard Tom's story years ago, we were touched by the love of a father for his child," Dolores Meehan, co-chair of the West Coast Walk for Life, told CNA. "The fact that his son has Down syndrome made it all the more important to share his story of love and sacrifice and joy."

Unborn children with Down syndrome often become victims of abortion.

The award named for St. Gianna Molla — an Italian doctor who chose to carry her child to term after a cancer diagnosis at the cost of her own life — honors those who show "heroic virtue in the defense of the unborn and their mothers and fathers, usually to the extent of profound sacrifice," according to Meehan.

Chris Vander Woude, who is travelling the U.S. and promoting his father's cause, told CNA that "Dad was deeply committed to honoring and safeguarding the sanctity of human life."     

"He lived by these values right up to his last breath when he saved my brother Joseph's life," said Vander Woude. "Following St. Gianna's example, Dad selflessly gave his life out of love for his child." 

"In a world that often devalues people with Down Syndrome, Dad's final act of love for my brother serves as a powerful testament to the sanctity and dignity of every human life," Vander Woude continued. 

Openness to life 

"I don't think Dad ever missed a March for Life," Chris said. "It didn't matter if it was snowing or super cold, Dad would take as many family members as possible because he understood the importance of standing up for innocent unborn babies and their right to life." 

Tom, who worked as a farmer and a commercial pilot, made time for his family, faith, and pro-life beliefs. 

Held in late January, the March for Life is the pro-life movement's annual march in Washington, D.C. to oppose abortion and defend human life.  

Tom and his wife also frequently prayed the Rosary outside of an abortion clinic  that has since closed and is now a life-affirming medical clinic that serves women in need, according to Vander Woude. 

Tom and his wife also taught Natural Family Planning (NFP), a life-affirming fertility-awareness method of family planning, to young couples.  

"He and Mom were always open to life in their marriage," Vander Woude said. "Dad believed in the age-old saying that 'it takes a village to raise a child,' and he was quick to do his part in 'the village' to help,"

"They had many reasons not to have a large family, but they chose the courageous path of faith, hope, and openness to God's will," Chris said. 

When a woman tracks her cycle using an NFP method, NFP works with her fertility rather than against it. Because various NFP methods don't obstruct conception like contraception does, the Catholic Church accepts it as a form of family planning that is open to life. 

Bob and Karen Fioramonti still remember going to NFP classes with the Vander Woude's in the early 1990s as a young married couple. 

"We learned about NFP, but we learned even more about what it looked like to be a faithful couple who had been open to life," Karen Fioramonti told CNA. 

"At that point, neither of us knew any big families and the Vander Woude's were a joyful couple raising seven sons encouraging us to trust God's plan for our family," said Karen Fioramonti. "They shared what a blessing each child is and that a parents' mission is to raise saints. In short, they shared their faith."

"Years later, we have raised our own seven sons and two daughters, and we are so grateful for that message shared many years ago," Bob Fioramonti said.  

A pro-life hero 

As Vander Woude has been sharing the story of his father's self-sacrifice with parishes around the U.S., he has seen how his father's story moves people of all ages. 

"I've seen the story move people to tears and motivate them to follow Dad's sacrificial example," Vander Woude said. 

Meehan said that she hopes Tom Vander Woude's story will inspire men to take up the pro-life mantle. 

"Men are so in need of heroes," said Meehan. "Our hope is that the men who hear his story will be encouraged, inspired, and motivated to emulate not just his final act of sacrifice, but his life of sacrifice and the joy he derived from his pro-life heart." 

"Men need to hear that they, too, can be the pro-life hero to their family — to step up and be present day in and day out," Meehan said. 

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CNA Staff, Dec 10, 2025 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

Pro-life advocates are calling for action as top federal health officials deny reports that they are delaying a promised safety review of the abortion pill. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "has delayed a promised review of safety data" until after midterm elections at Commissioner Marty Makary's request, a Tuesday report by Bloomberg Law claimed, citing unnamed sources.  

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has denied the claim, saying it is "baseless." 

"Assertions that the FDA is slow walking this review for political purposes are baseless," an HHS spokesperson told CNA. 

"FDA takes the time necessary to conduct comprehensive scientific reviews, and that is what Dr. Makary is ensuring as part of the Department's commitment to gold-standard science and evidence-based reviews," the statement continued. 

In response, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri — an outspoken advocate for reviewing abortion pill safety regulations — called the FDA's actions "unacceptable." 

In a letter addressed to Makary, Hawley urged the FDA to conduct a safety review and reinstate safety regulations that were removed during the pandemic  under the Biden administration.

"It is unclear whether you are conducting an independent safety review at all," Hawley said in the Dec. 10 letter. "I cannot emphasize enough the danger of playing politics with women's health." 

In June of this year, Makary told Hawley that he would conduct a review of the abortion drug. In May, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also said the FDA would do a review of the drug. 

Since then, the FDA has not completed a safety review, but has approved a generic version of the abortion drug mifepristone. 

"There are more abortions in America now than when Roe was still law," Hawley said in the letter.

Pro-life advocates are demanding action from the FDA, saying the issue is urgent because of the lives that are at risk given the danger of mail-order prescriptions of the drug.    

Two recent, peer-reviewed studies found that one in 10 women experience serious adverse reactions after having a chemical abortion. 

FDA regulations allow abortion pills to be shipped to patients without a telehealth visit. Multiple cases have been reported where the father of the unborn child has allegedly coerced or poisoned the mother with the abortion drug. 

"The FDA must act NOW to protect children and their mothers," said Lila Rose, founder of Live Action.  

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser has called for Makary to be fired, saying he is "undermining President Trump and Vice President Vance's pro-life credentials and their position that states should have the right to enact and enforce pro-life protections."

"The FDA is doing nothing while every single day abortion drugs take the lives of children, put women and girls at serious risk, empower abusers and trample state pro-life laws," Dannenfelser said in a Dec. 9 statement shared with CNA. 

Dr. Christina Francis, head of the American Association of Pro Life OBGYNs (AAPLOG) called on the FDA to review the drug immediately and to reinstate safeguards around the drug. 

"We are tired of empty promises," Francis said in a statement. "Women's health matters more than political elections."

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