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CNA Staff, Oct 10, 2025 / 17:07 pm (CNA).

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the beloved Catholic nun who became known across the country at the age of 98 as the chaplain of the Loyola University Chicago men's basketball team, died Oct. 9 at the age of 106. 

"In many roles at Loyola over the course of more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom and grace for generations of students, faculty, and staff," said Mark C. Reed, Loyola president, in a statement. 

"While we feel grief and a sense of loss, there is great joy in her legacy. Her presence was a profound blessing for our entire community and her spirit abides in thousands of lives. In her honor, we can aspire to share with others the love and compassion Sister Jean shared with us," he added.

Sister Jean, as she was more commonly known, was born Dolores Bertha Schmidt on Aug. 21, 1919, to Joseph and Bertha Schmidt. She was raised in a devout Catholic home in San Francisco's Castro District.

Since the age of 8, Sister Jean had a calling to religious life. In her memoir, published in 2023, she recalled meeting a kind and joyful teacher who belonged to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM). Admiring this teacher, she would pray every day: "Dear God, help me understand what I should do, but please tell me I should become a BVM sister."

In 1937, she joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and took the name Sister Jean Dolores. In 1991, she joined the staff at Loyola Chicago and three years later became part of the basketball team, first as an academic adviser before transitioning to chaplain. 

Sister Jean burst onto the scene when her beloved Ramblers upset the University of Miami in the first round of the 2018 March Madness tournament with a down-to-the-wire three-point basket.

Following this win, Twitter (now X) featured Sister Jean in a Twitter moment, and she received shoutouts from high-profile accounts including ESPN and former President Barack Obama. The New York Times also ran a profile on her.

Sister Jean lead the team in prayer before each game — praying for her players to be safe, for the referees to be fair, and for God's assistance during the game. She also admitted to praying for the opposing team, but "not as hard."

In her memoir, she recalled her pregame prayers with the players where she would also get on the microphone at Gentile Arena and offer a prayer for all in attendance.

"Does God really care who wins a basketball game? Maybe he cares more than we think?" she wrote in her memoir.

"If nothing else, I imagine God must laugh sometimes when someone prays to win a game. God sees a lot of horrible stuff going on. Sometimes he needs a good laugh. I'd like to think I give him a chuckle every time I say into that microphone, 'Amen and go Ramblers!'"

When she turned 100, Loyola Chicago announced a scholarship fund in her honor to support students, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker proclaimed Aug. 21, 2019, "Sister Jean Day" across the state. At 103, the Chicago train station plaza at the Loyola campus was renamed in her honor, with a large sign that read "Home of the World Famous Sister Jean!"

She is survived by her sister-in-law, Jeanne Tidwell, and her niece, Jan Schmidt. Visitation and funeral arrangements will be announced soon by Loyola University.

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CNA Staff, Oct 10, 2025 / 17:39 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news:

Pro-life influencer's assault case dropped; Thomas More Society fights for justice

After New York City dropped the case against a woman who assaulted a pro-life influencer, the legal nonprofit Thomas More Society is advocating for justice. 

The pro-life influencer, Savannah Craven Antao, was punched in the face by a woman she was interviewing as part of her pro-life advocacy. The video went viral, but the city dropped the case.

Thomas More Society, on behalf of Craven Antao, asked the Manhattan district attorney to reconsider and to press felony and hate crime charges. 

"The defendant made disparaging remarks about Ms. Craven Antao's Christian beliefs and practices before brutally assaulting her," the letter read. 

Craven Antao, a friend of the late Charlie Kirk, who was violently murdered during a debate, said she takes inspiration from Kirk in her activism. 

The district attorney's office previously released an apology for dropping the case and said it is looking into it internally. 

Judge approves Missouri pro-life ballot proposal

A Cole County Circuit judge approved a Missouri ballot amendment that, if passed, would repeal the 2024 amendment that created a right to abortion in the state. 

The proposed ballot measure would protect unborn children throughout pregnancy, with some exceptions in cases of medical emergency, fetal anomalies, or rape and incest. 

The 2026 measure would amend the Missouri Constitution to require parental consent for minors seeking abortions and to "ensure women's safety during abortion." The measure would also prohibit transgender medical procedures for children.

The amendment also contains language to "guarantee women's medical care for emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriages."

Missouri's current constitution, following the 2024 amendment, allows almost unfettered access to abortion as it says that "the right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, interfered with, delayed, or otherwise restricted" by the government.

Texas arrests 8 members of illegal abortion operation

Texas arrested eight people in connection with an alleged illegal abortion operation in the Houston area. 

Yaimara Hernandez Alvarez, Alina Valeron Leon, Dalia Coromoto Yanez, Yhonder Lebrun Acosta, Liunet Grandales Estrada, Gerardo Otero Aguero, Sabiel Bosch Gongora, and Jose Manuel Cendan Ley were arrested for allegedly providing illegal abortions and practicing medicine without proper licensing, according to an Oct. 8 press release from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office.

The Houston area medical clinics allegedly performing the abortions are owned by Maria Rojas, who was previously arrested for posing as a physician and operating the clinics.  

Louisiana sues FDA over abortion pill mailing  

Louisiana filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent other states from mailing illegal abortion drugs into Louisiana. 

Filed last week, Louisiana v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration challenges the loosening of safeguards around chemical abortion drugs by the Biden administration during the COVID-19 era.

Under President Joe Biden, the FDA approved abortion pills to be prescribed remotely, without any in-person interaction with a doctor or clinic.

Policy Director for Louisiana Right to Life Erica Inzina celebrated the lawsuit, saying the FDA "abandoned its duty to protect public health by allowing abortion pills to be distributed through the mail without proper medical supervision."

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Vatican City, Oct 10, 2025 / 09:33 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV met with participants in the Jubilee of Consecrated Life in the Vatican on Friday, thanking them for their fidelity to Christ and their witness of faith in the "most remote corners of the earth." 

During the audience, the Holy Father said the Church and the world need men and women consecrated to Jesus to reveal God's presence and his "great plan of peace and salvation" for humanity.

"Recalling what Pope Francis has already said to you, I too wish to declare that the Church needs you and all the diversity and richness of the forms of consecration and ministry that you represent," he said Oct. 10 in the Paul VI Hall.

"With your vitality and the witness of a life where Christ is the center and the Lord, you can contribute to 'awakening the world," he added, quoting his predecessor.

Expressing gratitude for the numerous good works and ministries carried out by consecrated men and women in different countries, Leo XIV stressed their need to "return to the heart" to "rediscover the spark" of the beginnings of their vocation journey. 

"It is in fact in the heart that the 'paradoxical connection between self-esteem and openness to others, between the most personal encounter with oneself and the gift of oneself to others' is produced," the pope said, citing Pope Francis' last encyclical letter Dilexit Nos.

During the private gathering, the Holy Father stressed the importance of consecrated men and women cultivating their interior lives. According to Leo, the "best fruits of goodness take root" as a result of "prayer and communion with God."   

With the conclusion of the two-day Jubilee of Consecrated Life in Rome, the Holy Father said it is necessary for men and women returning to their missions and daily duties abroad to reflect deeper on synodality, which he described as an "important theme for the Church of our time."

"St. Paul VI spoke of it in beautiful terms," Leo told those present at the Friday audience. "[St. Paul VI] wrote: 'How much we would like to enjoy this domestic dialogue in the fullness of faith, charity, and works."

Emphasizing the need for "domestic dialogue" within the Church, the Holy Father said consecrated men and women belonging to different institutes are in a privileged position to be "experts in synodality" and live values such as "mutual listening, participation, sharing of opinions and abilities, and the common search for paths according to the voice of the Spirit" on a daily basis.

"Today, the Church asks you to be special witnesses to all of this in the various dimensions of your lives, first and foremost by walking in communion with the whole great family of God," he said.

Toward the end of the audience, Pope Leo expressed his gratitude for their "fidelity and for the great good you do in the Church and in the world." 

"I promise you a special remembrance in my prayers and I bless you from my heart!" he said.

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Miami, Florida, Oct 10, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

"There's somebody here who wants to talk to you," the receptionist said to John Berry.

Now the president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdp USA), Berry was serving the Georgia branch when a woman arrived at the office with a check. The stranger wanted to support the organization's goals of helping people overcome poverty. Her donation was large, but her reason for donating was even more astounding.

"A number of years ago, I was down on my luck, and you all helped me," she said. "I'm in a position now where I can help you."

Berry recalled the encounter while pondering Pope Leo XIV's first apostolic exhortation, Dilexi Te, published Oct. 9, centering on compassion for the poor. The exhortation's introductory phrase — from which the title is derived — is "I have loved you," from Revelation 3:9.

Indeed, the first American pope's message is about the necessary exchange of love between the poor and those who serve, as mirrored by Berry and the donor.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami recognized the major papal milestone by holding a press conference Thursday to unpack Pope Leo's words. He summarized the pope's message: "We are to love the poor, not to blame them for their poverty but to assist them so they can discover and own their … dignity as human beings."

During the press conference at the Archdiocese of Miami pastoral center, the archbishop spoke about one of the key ideas in Dilexi Te, "accompaniment," which informs the SVdP donor's story.

"Accompaniment would be treating them as a brother or sister and not lording it over [them]," Wenski said. Otherwise, "they themselves feel offended in their dignity, and then what we're doing is not so much trying to help them but [instead] trying to make us feel good."

On the contrary, accompaniment can be far from the feel good.

"Accompaniment means that we roll up our sleeves and work with them, and oftentimes when doing so we're not going to feel good because it's going to require a lot of sweat and tears," the archbishop added. 

Indeed, SVdP USA strives to embody the Catholic mindset of accompaniment, as volunteers dialogue with impoverished families and individuals to tailor the method of aid to their specific situations. Some of SVdP USA's offerings include monetary aid, food pantries, free pharmacy programs, shelters, clinics, and education centers.

"We're not the kind of agency where somebody who's in need walks in the door, fills out a form, slips it under a hole in a glass wall, and then next thing you know, somebody says, 'OK, we'll pay your bill' or hands over a box of food," Berry explained. "Ours is a sit-down conversation, a personal encounter, where we talk with people and create a solution together. We find out from them what are their needs, what are the things that are challenging them."

In the Archdiocese of Miami, Catholic Legal Services represents immigrants in need, and people struggling with the English language can attend parish-based ESL (English as a second language) classes.

As Wenski put it: "The Christian is supposed to answer the question 'Who is my neighbor?', and the answer is: 'The one who needs me.'"

"It is significant because these first apostolic exhortations tend to be the putting forth of a strategic plan for the priorities of the pope for his pontificate," he added.

Both the archbishop and Berry pointed out that Pope Leo's missionary outreach in Peru likely informs his perspective on the poor within the exhortation as someone who walked the walk. 

"This is his heart," Berry said.

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Vatican City, Oct 9, 2025 / 15:01 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Square on the occasion of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life.

Since Wednesday, religious men and women, monks and contemplatives, members of secular institutes, consecrated virgins, hermits, and members of various institutes throughout the world have participated in the jubilee event, which concluded Thursday afternoon.

'Abandon yourself like children in the Father's arms'

After greeting all the jubilee participants, the Holy Father began his homily by reflecting on the phrase from the Gospel of St. Luke: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you" (Lk 11:9). With these words, he explained, "Jesus invites us to turn with confidence to the Father in all our needs."

Addressing consecrated persons in particular, the pontiff reminded them that "living one's vows means abandoning oneself like children in the Father's arms."

In this regard, he emphasized that "to ask" is to recognize, in poverty, "that everything is a gift from the Lord and to give thanks for everything"; "to seek" is to open oneself, "in obedience, to discover each day the path we must follow to attain holiness, according to God's designs"; and "to call" is to ask and offer to the brothers "the gifts received with a pure heart, striving to love everyone with respect and gratuity."

Pope Leo XIV then exhorted them to remember the gratuitousness of their vocation, "beginning from the origins of the congregations to which they belong to the present moment, from the first steps of their personal journey to this moment."

Thus, he reminded them that God "has willed and chosen us from the beginning" and that it is essential "to look back on one's own life, bringing to mind and heart all that the Lord has done over the years to multiply talents, to increase and purify faith, to make charity more generous and free."

He clarified that although this has sometimes happened in joyful circumstances, other times through paths more difficult to understand, "and even through the mysterious crucible of suffering," it has always been "in the embrace of that paternal goodness that characterizes his action in us and through us, for the good of the Church."

'The Lord is everything'

In this context, he affirmed that God is the fullness and meaning of our lives: "The Lord is everything. He is everything in different ways, whether as creator and source of existence, as love that calls and challenges, as a force that impels and encourages self-giving."

"Without him, nothing exists, nothing has meaning, nothing is worthwhile, and your 'asking,' 'seeking,' and 'knocking,' both in prayer and in life, refer to this truth," he noted.

As is customary in his homilies, Pope Leo XIV evoked St. Augustine to remind consecrated persons "of the need for the infinite that dwells in the heart of every man and woman in this world."

Precisely for this reason, he insisted that the Church entrusts them with the task of being, by stripping themselves of everything, "living witnesses to the primacy of God in their lives, also helping as much as they can the other brothers and sisters they will meet to cultivate their friendship with him."

He also affirmed that "history teaches us that generous impulses of charity always spring from an experience of God," as has happened in the lives of its founders.

In response to the current trend of those who claim that it is "useless to serve God," the pope explained that it is "a way of thinking that leads to a true paralysis of the soul, whereby one is content with a life made up of fleeting moments, superficial and intermittent relationships, passing fads — all of which leave the heart empty."

"To be truly happy, man does not need these things, but rather consistent, lasting, and solid experiences of love," he affirmed.

Finally, the Holy Father reflected on the eschatological dimension of Christian life, "which wants us to be committed to the world but at the same time constantly oriented toward eternity."

Consecrated as witnesses of 'future good things'

In this regard, he cited the Second Vatican Council, which states that "consecrated persons are called in a particular way to be witnesses of 'future good things.'"

The pope noted that the Lord, to whom they have given everything, "has responded to them with such beauty and richness," and he urged them to treasure and cultivate this, recalling the words of Paul VI: "Preserve the simplicity of the least of the Gospel."

"Know how to find it in the most intimate and cordial relationship with Christ or in direct contact with your brothers and sisters. You will then know 'the overflowing of joy through the action of the Holy Spirit' that belongs to those who are introduced to the secrets of the kingdom," he said.

Finally, he invited them to be "truly poor, meek, hungry for holiness, merciful, pure of heart; be those through whom the world will know the peace of God."

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

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Puebla, Mexico, Oct 9, 2025 / 16:53 pm (CNA).

The body of Father Bertoldo Pantaleón Estrada was found on Oct. 6. The Mexican priest had been reported missing on Saturday, Oct. 4, in the state of Guerrero.

The Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM) and the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa confirmed that, according to authorities, the priest's remains were found around 2 p.m. local time. Pantaleón Estrada was the parish priest in the town of Mezcala, located in the southeast of the country.

So far, there are no details regarding the cause of death. The Guerrero state attorney general's office reported that it has launched an investigation to "clarify what happened."

In a statement, the bishop of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, José de Jesús González Hernández, asked the authorities to "help us determine the responsibility of those involved in this unfortunate event."

At the same time, he stated that "as bishop, and on behalf of the entire diocesan community, I forgive those directly involved for these acts, leaving the administration of justice to God."

González Hernández also called for "the conversion of our hearts" and asked God that the entire population may continue "walking the path of peace and in favor of life."

Violence against the Catholic Church in Mexico

In their statement, the Mexican bishops thanked God "for the priestly ministry of Father Bertoldo, for his generous dedication to the service of the Gospel and the Church, especially among the communities entrusted to him."

They also lamented that the acts of violence have once again plunged the Catholic community into mourning.

This incident occurs almost a year after the death of Father Marcelo Pérez of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de las Casas, who was murdered after celebrating Mass.

According to the Catholic Multimedia Center, which tracks attacks against the clergy, one cardinal and approximately 60 priests have been murdered since 1990. Since 2018 alone, the organization reports 12 murders of priests; 14 attacks on priests and bishops; a weekly average of 26 churches attacked, desecrated, or assaulted; and nearly 900 cases of extortion and death threats against members of the Catholic Church.

In view of this situation, the CEM demanded that state and federal authorities conduct "a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation that will allow for the clarification of this crime and the just punishment of those responsible."

"As shepherds of the people of God, we raise our voices to remind everyone that no form of violence can have a place in a society that honors life and seeks goodness, truth, and peace for all its citizens," the country's bishops stated.

Finally, Mexico's bishops concluded their message by imploring Christ the Good Shepherd to "receive our brother into his kingdom and grant him a share in the eternal joy promised to his faithful servants."

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

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 9, 2025 / 17:41 pm (CNA).

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls with ADF International voiced opposition to the practice of surrogacy at an Oct. 9 U.N. event hosted by the Italian government. 

Surrogacy is responsible for inflicting large-scale violence, abuse, and exploitation on women and children, said Reem Alsalem at the event, according to an ADF International press release. Alsalem is set to present her report on surrogacy before the U.N. General Assembly on Oct. 10. 

"Surrogacy should not be prohibited only domestically, but it should also be addressed internationally," said Eugenia Rocella, Italian minister for Family, Natality, and Equal Opportunities, adding: "The Italian government is convinced that … existing international treaties on the protection of women and children's rights should be updated to explicitly include surrogacy as a practice of undermining dignity and entailing exploitation." 

Italy recently became the first country to ban surrogacy both within and outside its borders, ADF noted in its release, adding that Slovakia also adopted a constitutional amendment banning the practice last month. 

"Surrogacy rests on a system of violence that dehumanizes women and children alike. States need to develop a coordinated international response to end the grave human rights violations inherent in this practice," said Giorgio Mazzoli, director of U.N. Advocacy at ADF International, at the event. "We commend the special rapporteur for exposing the harms of this exploitative industry and urge governments around the world to unite in ending surrogacy in all its forms at all levels, including through the adoption of a U.N. treaty banning the practice globally." 

The report was based on about 120 submissions in addition to video consultations with 78 people including commissioning parents, surrogacy agencies, and surrogate mothers. Alsalem called for member states to establish a universal ban on surrogacy, criminalizing the practice in all its forms. 

Through her consultative process, the U.N. expert found surrogate mothers, who are most often from low-income and vulnerable backgrounds, and their children increasingly endure physical, emotional, and financial exploitation as well as violence and human trafficking. 

Though the global surrogacy market reached $14.96 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $99.75 billion in 2033, the report said, surrogate mothers frequently receive "only a small fraction of the overall compensation, with the majority of the payment going to intermediaries." 

"Globally, most surrogate mothers come from lower-income backgrounds and have less social status compared with the commissioning parents," the report said, noting that "migrant women are either specifically targeted for surrogacy or transferred to other countries for the purpose of impregnation and childbirth, often to circumvent legal frameworks." 

Alternatively, commissioning mothers often come from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, the report said, but often experience heightened anxiety surrounding the arrangement, especially in cross-border arrangements, where they are likely to experience fraud through surrogacy agencies, resulting in major financial losses. 

The report further highlighted the experience of surrogate mothers being pressured into abortions by commissioning parents, including beyond 12 weeks of gestation, "through coercive tactics such as financial incentives, threats of legal action, or the withdrawal of support to both the mother and baby." This often occurs when the child is found to have a disability, the report said. In cases where the surrogate becomes pregnant with multiple children at once, commissioning parents may "also enforce a selective reduction." 

"ADF International remains committed to protecting the dignity of human life and safeguarding women and children from exploitation," the organization said, describing the practice as "the commodification of human life."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 9, 2025 / 18:11 pm (CNA).

Nearly every Republican senator signed a letter Thursday urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reverse its decision to approve a "generic" version of the abortion pill mifepristone, which may come onto the market by January if no action is taken.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, joined by 50 of his colleagues, wrote that "we are deeply concerned" with the FDA's decision. The FDA approved the generic mifepristone in late September without a public announcement.

In the letter, the senators wrote that the approval "appears inconsistent" with recent comments from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who confirmed in early September that HHS is reviewing the safety of the abortion pill and said President Joe Biden's administration "twisted the data" to downplay health concerns about the drug.

"Out of respect for this important review, and with full confidence in your dedication to protecting women's health, states' rights, and unborn life, we urge you to take decisive action to reevaluate whether this generic version of mifepristone is suitable to enter the market," the senators wrote.

The letter urged the administration to "suspend the approval of any new generic versions of mifepristone" while the drug's review is ongoing and "commit to ensuring that all generic versions of mifepristone are included in the ongoing reevaluation."

The Republican senators also urged the FDA to reinstate safeguards that regulate the abortion pill, which includes an in-person dispensing requirement. The requirement was lifted under the Biden administration in 2021. Reinstating the requirement would prevent the drugs from being delivered through the mail. 

"These policies have enabled abortion pills to be obtained by abusers, traffickers, and even minors," the senators argued.

"The aftermath has not only been deadly for preborn babies but lethal to their mothers," the senators continued. "Contrary to the narrative peddled by the media that taking abortion pills is 'safer than taking Tylenol,' evidence shows that the risk of serious medical complications after taking mifepristone is at least 22 times higher than reported on the drug label. In fact, more than 1 in 10 women who take mifepristone will experience a serious adverse event."

"We are committed to continuing to work together to give a voice to the voiceless and protect women from the dangerous effects of unregulated access to chemical abortion drugs," they wrote. "The life, safety, freedom, and health of millions of Americans, born and unborn, depend on it."

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CNA Staff, Oct 9, 2025 / 12:25 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV addressed immigration policies and respect for vulnerable migrants in a meeting with Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and labor leaders at the Vatican on Thursday. 

"Please know of my appreciation for your welcome of immigrants and refugees, especially your support of food pantries and shelters. While recognizing that appropriate policies are necessary to keep communities safe, I encourage you to continue to advocate for society to respect the human dignity of the most vulnerable," the pontiff said. 

In his meeting with Chicago union leaders, the pope also praised their important work to "enhance the common good and help to create a society where all can flourish." 

By respecting the dignity of the weak, Leo noted, "you are putting into practice the call of my beloved predecessor, Pope Francis, who urged every union to be reborn each day at the peripheries."

The group traveled to Rome for the Jubilee of Hope. "In addition to passing through the Holy Doors and participating in other spiritual exercises, you are also spending time studying important issues related to the rights and obligations of workers," Leo said. "I pray that this time may be fruitful for both your minds and hearts." 

The pope's remarks came amid an ongoing debate in the U.S. regarding immigration and deportation, with the Trump administration aggressively pursuing severe immigration enforcement nationwide in its first months.  

Chicago has in recent days become the center of protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has lately carried out enhanced enforcement measures in that city against immigrants in the country illegally. The Trump administration has dubbed the undertaking "Operation Midway Blitz." 

The federal agency has reportedly detained approximately 1,000 immigrants there, using helicopters and aggressive door-to-door enforcement to arrest those allegedly in the U.S. illegally. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has claimed the agents are "making [the city] a war zone."

Tensions heightened on Oct. 6 when Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an order that prohibited immigration officials from "using any city-owned property in their ongoing operations in Chicago." The Trump administration has since deployed National Guard troops to the city to protect federal property.

ICE officials have engaged in several high-profile conflicts with residents, meanwhile, including the firing of nonlethal rounds at a Presbyterian minister, who is currently suing the Trump administration over the incident.

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Washington, D.C., Oct 9, 2025 / 12:55 pm (CNA).

Pro-life leaders from across the country gathered this week to discuss how faith-based ministries are helping to cultivate a society that promotes human dignity and how others can advance the cause.

The Leading with Love Conference at The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C., was sponsored by the Human Life Foundation and the Center for Law and the Human Person at The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. It was aimed at "empowering Christians to cultivate a culture of life within their local communities."

Jennie Bradley Lichter, president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, spoke to attendees Oct. 8 about the power of faith-based ministries, including The Guadalupe Project. Lichter founded the initiative in 2022 to provide resources and encouragement to parents within the CUA community.

To cultivate this encouragement, we must figure out how we can "create more of a revolution of love," Lichter said. "Christ started this revolution of love, but it's now up to each one of us in our particular time and place."

"Caring for unborn babies and their mothers is one of the most urgent challenges of our time, Lichter said. "Six out of 10 women who have chosen abortion would have preferred to choose life if they had the emotional and financial support they felt necessary." 

The Guadalupe Project's goal was to combat this by "[making] sure every woman on campus knows that resources exist and knows exactly how to find them," Lichter said. "It's meant to support all parents on campus, not just students, and not just mothers in unexpected or challenging circumstances."

"We wanted to foster a culture on campus where each life is celebrated, knowing that a positive, vibrant, and joyful culture of life is truly life-giving in so many ways," Lichter said.

The initiative "revamped all of the university's pregnancy resource materials for students" and created "a poster campaign, including one designed specifically for the men's dorms," Lichter said.

It also promoted the placement of stickers in every women's restroom stall on campus with a QR code leading to these pregnancy materials. The campus started allotting more maternity and paternity leave, designating maternity parking spots on campus, providing free diapers and wipes at the campus food pantry, holding maternity clothing drives, and "affirming the goodness of family life and that new babies are a moment to celebrate," Lichter said.

The 2026 theme for the March for Life is "Life Is a Gift," Lichter said. The initiative helps carry that out, because "life is something to be celebrated."

She added: "[Life] is not a burden for which someone needs support, or not solely that. It is really a cause for celebration." 

Faith-based communities can use The Guadalupe Project as "prototype," Lichter suggested. She shared that other universities have reached out to talk about the initiative as they were inspired to consider doing something similar.

"We need to make sure that pregnant women never reach the point of despair that drives them into the arms of the abortion clinics," Lichter said. "We need to meet that moment of loneliness, fear, or emptiness with encouragement and empowerment."

Hopes and suggestions for faith-based ministries 

Other leaders from prominent pro-life ministries discussed what gives them hope for the future of the pro-life movement, including Kat Talalas of Walking with Moms in Need, Amy Ford of Embrace Grace, Christopher Bell of Good Counsel Homes, and Sister Maria Frassati of the Sisters of Life.

Talalas, who is the assistant director of pro-life communications for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Walking with Moms in Need started five years ago but has already reached countless communities. 

The parish-based initiative is "to the point where we don't even know a lot of the time what new diocese or parish is starting a Walking with Moms in Need, what new lives are being saved, [and] what new women are being accompanied," Talalas said. "It's taken on a life of its own. That's the work of the Holy Spirit — the Holy Spirit convicting hearts."

"God guides us, we have each other, and we're not alone. Just as we tell [mothers] that they're not alone, we're not alone in this movement. So what's giving me hope is seeing the Holy Spirit catch fire and individual people saying: 'I want to start talking with moms in need,' and women saying: 'I can do this,'" Talalas said. 

Talalas said the work all begins with prayer. "It's sitting in the presence of the love of God, letting him love you, and seeing how the Holy Spirit convicts you … It begins with that individual conviction. If we're not following God's law, it doesn't matter what we're doing."

Ford, who leads Embrace Grace, which provides mothers support through local churches, said she has "noticed there's a lot of people that seem like they have more of an open heart about Christianity, about spirituality … especially with the younger generation."

She added: "I think that's something we can all have hope about."

To get involved, Ford said people need to carry out "the good works that God's called us to do." She posed the question: "What strengths and gifts did God put inside each of you that you can do?" 

While Bell's ministry, Good Counsel, provides services including housing for homeless mothers and children and post-abortion healing services, he said every person can help by simply praying. He specifically called on people to pray in front of an abortion center. 

"If you have done it, do it again. If you've never done it, just go ... You don't have to say anything. You didn't have to look up. You don't have to open your eyes. But your presence will mean the world," Bell said. "The babies who will die there that day will know that you loved them … That's the most important thing to do."

Sister Maria Frassati shared that "we could really grow in having more faith in what [God] is doing."

"The truth is that God is actually really working in so many ways," she said. "God is faithful, and that really gives me a lot of hope that nothing that you give is ever wasted. Even if you walk with a woman who's not receptive, there's really no gift that has been offered to him that he has not kept sacred and precious in his heart."

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