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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 27, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

A Mexican-born Catholic priest who has served in the Diocese of Laredo, Texas, for nine years must leave the United States because his application for residency was denied and his religious worker visa is expiring.

Father Alan Sanchez, the pastor of St. Joseph Church in La Pryor and St. Patrick Mission in Batesville, will return to his native country of Mexico on Wednesday, Aug. 27, amid the visa issues. He will be received into the Archdiocese of Monterrey in northeastern Mexico when he arrives.

"Originally, I was hopeful … [this would] be resolved," Sanchez told CNA.

"I was sad [when I got the news] because of the community I was serving," he said. "This is a very small and poor community in Texas and this was my first role as a pastor."

Sanchez applied for residency two years ago but said the process was repeatedly delayed and then his application was eventually denied in November 2024. He appealed the denial and later applied for a different visa but said he ultimately "ran out of time." He still hopes the matter can be resolved so he can return to his parish at some point.

"I spoke to my bishop about it and the attorney, but there's nothing else that [I] can do except return to Mexico," he said.

Sanchez said the delay was caused by a backlog of applicants and that he was denied because of a lack of available spots for visas. He noted that asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors were given priority and that priests cannot have a "change of status for residency, because the spots are already taken."

He said the prioritization is "understandable" and "certainly fine" but added that many foreign-born priests also need to transition to residency.

"Because there is no availability, they are just denying it," Sanchez said.

Sanchez explained that "I don't think this is political" but rather "this is the process — this is what's going on."

"It's just like the process, the way it is, and of course it's heartbreaking to see that happening but it seems that it's out of my hands," he added.

Sanchez asked the faithful to pray for him and expressed hope that "this can be resolved." He also said he hopes this raises awareness about issues with the current immigration system and warned that other priests are facing the same struggle, which could ultimately exacerbate the priest shortage if it is not addressed by Congress.

"It's a call to make awareness that the immigration system needs to be expanded [to] a point and I think there is room for everybody as long as we can do it in a good way," Sanchez said.

Bishop James Tamayo of the Diocese of Laredo appointed Father Heleodoro Lozano — who is the parochial vicar of St. Jude Church in Laredo — to take over Sanchez's role beginning on Thursday, Aug. 28.

The diocese told CNA in a statement that Sanchez "will temporarily return to Mexico … until this process is resolved" and that the diocese helped him obtain legal counsel and will "continue to walk with him in prayer and assistance."

"We are profoundly grateful for the generosity of spirit, pastoral care, and joy [Sanchez] has brought to the people of St. Joseph and St. Patrick," the diocese said.

"His presence is deeply cherished, and we remain hopeful that he will soon return to continue his mission of faith and service among us," the statement added. "Like all dioceses, we long to keep our priests serving their communities, and we will continue to pray and work diligently so that Father Sánchez may once again minister among the faithful of our diocese."

Sanchez noted that some lawmakers are trying to address the concern with the bipartisan Religious Workforce Protection Act. The proposed legislation would ease the process for extending religious visas.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview earlier this month on EWTN's "The World Over with Raymond Arroyo" that President Donald Trump's administration is "committed" to fixing the backlog.

"I've been in touch with a number of our cardinals here in the United States and bishops about that as well," Rubio said, "and it's not only the Catholic Church — I mean there are other places that are being impacted, but we're trying to streamline that process."

Several bishops have endorsed the Religious Workforce Protection Act and have expressed concerns that without some type of action, the number of foreign-born priests being forced out of the United States will continue to increase.

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CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 10:41 am (CNA).

At least two victims are reportedly dead, with multiple injuries reported, after a mass shooting incident at a Minneapolis Catholic church and school.

A massive police presence descended on Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, with emergency responders having initiated a "mass casualty response" in response to a shooting incident. The K-8 Annunciation Catholic School is located next to the parish.

The active crime log on the city's website showed dozens of responses to a "shooting" near the parish on Wednesday morning. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday confirmed the shooting, saying he had been briefed on the incident.

Media reports said at least two individuals had been killed at the shooting, with numerous injuries reported.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said he had been briefed on the incident and the White House would "continue to monitor this terrible situation."

And Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on Wednesday that he had received "reports of horrific violence" and was monitoring the situation as well.

A spokesman with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis declined to immediately comment on the shooting when reached via email.

This is a developing story.

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CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 11:13 am (CNA).

Authorities and media reports on Wednesday morning said a mass shooting had taken place at a Catholic parish and school in Minneapolis, one that police were reportedly treating as a "mass casualty" incident.

The local crime watch outlet Minnesota Crime said on Wednesday morning that police reported 20 victims of an "active shooter" at the site of Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, with emergency responders having initiated a "mass casualty response." Annunciation Catholic School is located next to the parish.

Follow here for live updates.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 26, 2025 / 17:27 pm (CNA).

This week hundreds of vocation directors, staff, and collaborators are gathering to draw closer to Christ, grow in brotherhood, and learn best practices for creating a culture of vocations at the annual National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors (NCDVD).

Every year members of the NCDVD organization travel from across the United States and from at least 10 different countries to gather for what many describe as "one of the highlights of their year." They not only receive spiritual renewal and practical knowledge but also enjoy activities and community with brother priests.

The NCDVD is a fraternity of vocation directors who provide one another support as they help guide men discerning priesthood. The organization encourages priests to collaborate on projects and offer insights from their personal experiences. It also welcomes religious brothers and sisters, vocation office personnel, and laypeople to collaborate in the ministry.

NCDVD focuses on a number of key aspects including community, regional gatherings, the annual convention, fundraising, and its Vocare Institute for New Vocation Directors — an in-depth training held for new directors held before the conference.

Vocation directors have a tremendous responsibility that can often draw a lot of pressure. The overall goal of the conference is to provide knowledge to help them feel properly equipped to tackle such an important role.

This year the conference, held at the Retreat and Conference Center of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, New York, welcomed Father Stephen Rossetti as the keynote speaker on Monday, Aug. 25. The well-known exorcist, psychologist, and author held a talk titled "Deliverance Ministry for Priests." He discussed how priests can "safely and effectively assist" the laity who come to them for guidance. 

On Tuesday, Aug. 26, priests also had the opportunity to hear from Father Boniface Hicks, OSB, about "the impact of the spiritual direction relationship on personal discernment and prayer." The discussion tapped into the importance of the formative relationship between a spiritual director and directee.

Throughout the week attendees also participate in workshops held by priests, sisters, and other Catholic leaders. They will address topics including how to operate an effective vocation office, strengthen campus ministries, and encourage younger generations to serve the Church.

Bishop Edward Lohse of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan, will also join to offer needed guidance for vocation directors as many often struggle to decipher "what can or should be asked of candidates and what should not."

While many aspects of the conference focus on resources and roles of the directors, a number of workshops also tackle hot topics that are relevant to the changing times.

This year Tanner Kalina will lead a workshop called "Create Digitally, Connect Personally" focused on social media. Kalina, who stars in EWTN's online series "James the Less," will discuss how to utilize the tool of social media "in a way that Jesus would if he were in our shoes."

Another workshop will be led by Miguel Naranjo, who is the director of the Religious Immigration Services section of Catholic Legal Immigration Network. He will address immigration issues in the United States with "attention to the religious worker immigration law programs."

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 26, 2025 / 13:53 pm (CNA).

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis announced a new initiative that will "meet families where they are" as it helps them reclaim the Sabbath as a day dedicated to prayer and rest. 

The initiative, "Reclaiming Sundays: Recover Sunday as a Day for the Lord and Family," includes both a video series and an online print edition that will "share ideas for building lasting habits to anchor our weeks in a joyful, prayerful, and restful observance of Sunday," Archbishop Bernard Hebda said in a video announcing the initiative.

The print guide called "Guide to Reclaiming Sundays for the Lord" lays out monthly themes and practical suggestions for families to begin this September and through August 2026. The guide kicks off with its first month focused solely on "Prayer" but includes months dedicated to a number of other topics including "Screen-free Sundays" and "Music and Prayer."

The video series will also begin in September and be uploaded to the archdiocese's social media accounts. Viewers can expect to hear from parents, grandparents, fellow parishioners, and Catholic leaders about "what has worked, and hasn't" when trying to "keep holy the Sabbath" and about how "to make meaningful connections with their families and communities as God intended," the archbishop said.

The initiative focuses on a proposition of the Archdiocesan Synod 2022 process: "Form and inspire parents to understand and fulfill their responsibility as the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith."

The guide was carefully tailored to what works best for parishioners and families as it grew out of recommendations made to the archbishop by the Blue Ribbon Commission on Parents as Primary Educators — a group made up of clergy, religious, educators, parents, and grandparents that works to create practical resources for parents.

"Sunday is essential for keeping family life centered and balanced, and yet so many families are struggling with a frantic pace of life and daily demands that keep them from experiencing the joy, peace, and renewal that God desires for all families," Hebda said.

"The intent of this initiative is not just another activity to add upon already over-scheduled calendars of parishes, schools, and families. Rather … this effort is designed to meet families where they are and help them take meaningful steps to reorient their Sundays (and their entire lives) to reflect the gift of the Lord's Day," he said.

Parish groups, school communities, and Catholic families are encouraged to watch the videos and follow the guide together.

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Houston, Texas, Aug 25, 2025 / 17:57 pm (CNA).

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has directed public schools across the state not enjoined by ongoing litigation to comply with Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), a new law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. 

A federal court ruling last week temporarily blocked its enforcement in nearly a dozen independent school districts (ISDs) across the state.

"Schools not enjoined by ongoing litigation must abide by [SB 10] and display the Ten Commandments," Paxton said in his directive, issued on Aug. 24.

On Aug. 20, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued a preliminary injunction after 16 families sued 11 Texas school districts, arguing the law violates the First Amendment's separation of church and state. 

The federal ruling halts the law's implementation, set to begin Sept. 1, in school districts in and around San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and includes Alamo Heights ISD, North East ISD, Lackland ISD, Northside ISD, Austin ISD, Lake Travis ISD, Dripping Springs ISD, Houston ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Cypress Fairbanks ISD, and Plano ISD. 

Paxton's office filed an appeal on Aug. 21, asserting that the law reflects Texas' historical and moral foundation.

"From the beginning, the Ten Commandments have been irrevocably intertwined with America's legal, moral, and historical heritage," Paxton said in an Aug. 25 press release. "The woke radicals seeking to erase our nation's history will be defeated. I will not back down from defending the virtues and values that built this country."

SB 10, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 21, requires all public elementary and secondary schools to display a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments, measuring at least 16 by 20 inches, in every classroom.

According to Paxton: "While no school is compelled to purchase Ten Commandments displays, schools may choose to do so. However, schools must accept and display any privately donated posters or copies that meet the requirements of SB 10."

Supporters, including Republican state Sen. Phil King, who introduced the legislation along with state Sen. Mayes Middleton, have argued the law promotes values foundational to Texas and U.S. law.

"The Ten Commandments are part of our Texas and American story," King said of the law earlier this year. "They are ingrained into who we are as a people and as a nation. Today, our students cry out for the moral clarity, for the statement of right and wrong that they represent. If our students don't know the Ten Commandments, they will never understand the foundation for much of American history and law."

Attorney Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, director of The Conscience Project, told CNA: "These laws requiring a passive display of the Ten Commandments do not violate either the establishment clause or the free exercise clause."

Of the appeal filed by Paxton, Picciotti-Bayer said: "The 5th Circuit en banc should examine challenges against them, and if it does not, the U.S. Supreme Court will likely make clear that such modest acknowledgements of faith and the foundations of law pass judicial scrutiny." 

The law's opponents, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), contend it unconstitutionally favors Christianity.

Heather Weaver, an attorney with the ACLU's Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, who represented the plaintiffs, acknowledged that Biery's ruling, "as a technical matter," only "covers the school district defendants." Despite this, she went on to say: "Every school district should heed it, even if they are not a defendant in the case."

The 11 school districts affected by the temporary injunction have a combined enrollment of approximately 680,790 students. This represents about 12.38% of the total 5.5 million public school students in Texas for the 2024-2025 school year.

As of the 2024-2025 school year, Texas has 1,246 public school districts, according to the Texas Education Agency. This number includes 1,026 ISDs and 220 charter school districts.

The legal fight mirrors similar battles in Louisiana and Arkansas, where courts have also blocked Ten Commandments display laws. Paxton's appeal could escalate the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 25, 2025 / 18:27 pm (CNA).

In a bid to help strengthen marriages across the state, the California Catholic Conference (CCC)
has launched its first-ever statewide partnership with Communio, a nonprofit organization that equips parishes to "evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages, and families." 

News of the agreement follows the CCC''s efforts over the past year to promote marriage and family through its "Radiate Love" initiative, which is set to end on Sept. 26 with a marriage summit in Oakland, where the CCC's partnership with Communio will officially launch. 

"The goal is to quantifiably strengthen marriage, either by self-reported happiness in marriage, by rising marriage rates, or by encouraging people to marry," Communio's director of church growth, Damon Owens, told CNA. 

Ordinarily, Communio partners on a diocesan and parish level to build out the most optimal version of its Full Circle Relationship Ministry Model to suit the needs of the community. Owens said he was inspired about a year and a half ago by the Radiate Love initiative to reach out to the conference about a partnership. 

After speaking with California Catholic Conference Executive Director Kathleen Domingo for some months and traveling to California to deliver talks centered on the theology of the body and marriage and family issues, the partnership — which includes all 12 bishops and dioceses in the state — came to fruition.  

The agreement, Owens said, marks the first time that every bishop across an entire state has bought in to bringing the program to every parish in his diocese.

"Every parish in California will now have access to Communio's relationship ministry model, which is credited with a 24% drop in the divorce rate in Jacksonville, Florida," the conference said in an Aug. 20 press release announcing the arrangement.

"I've been watching the progression of Communio over the years and hearing really great things from our marriage and family life directors, who have always told us that Communio is the gold standard," Domingo said in the release.

She added: "If they could have any tool in their toolbox to help parishioners and parish families, it would be Communio."

"In John 10:10, the Lord said that he came so that we would have life and have it more abundantly. We know that strong marriages and healthy families help us to have this abundant life, so we are excited to partner with Communio," Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer of the Diocese of Orange and executive officer for the CCC also said in the release.

Inside the data-driven effort to reach parishioners

"The core of what we offer is data insight to know what the problems are, but also access to technology and consulting that helps to build a plan of events and encounters where new people come to the parish and parishioners themselves want to come," he explained.

"We have a unique technology that helps to do both the data gathering but also determining which programs are a good fit for them," Owens continued. "So part of the consulting is literally going through almost like an Amazon page where you're selecting facilitator-led programs or on your own or workbook or group or individual."

Communio provides programs tailored to one of four areas: singles, marriage preparation, marriage enrichment, and marriage in crisis. They work with a team of five to six people in a parish to build a calendar of events for the year in a sequence that best helps "to draw people into the Church, but addresses the top needs first."

"It's a very customized way of making sure that they get the results that they want because people are telling us what their needs are through the surveys," he said, noting that this addresses the "deepest concern" for pastors regarding the "specific needs that their people have."

"California represents probably the whole spectrum of the type of parishes that we work around the country. You've got the poor rural, you've got the wealthy suburbs, you've got big cities, you've got mountains, you've got large parishes, small parishes," Owens pointed out. 

"I think for each of those pastors, they want to know, is investing in Communio to invest in those marriages going to bring to them the success that we've been able to achieve around the country?" he said. "And that's why we're so confident and excited about it, because we know that we can."

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CNA Staff, Aug 25, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

When it comes to unborn life, only 19 states in the U.S. protect unborn children from abortion during the first trimester of their lives. As far as assisted suicide goes, in 10 states as well as the District of Columbia, it is legal. And in about half of U.S. states, the death penalty is legal.

CNA is unveiling three new interactive maps to show where each state in the U.S. stands on life issues. The maps will be updated as new information on each issue becomes available.

Here's an analysis of the maps and of the laws around life issues across the United States as of August 2025.

Abortion

After the overturn of Roe v. Wade, abortion legislation returned to the states. But in 2024, Americans had more than 1 million abortions, according to the latest data.

Twelve states now protect life throughout pregnancy with some exceptions. Soon after Roe was overturned in 2022, Texas prohibited almost all abortions, leading the charge alongside a few other states whose pro-life trigger laws went into effect.

Seven states protect unborn children within the first trimester, usually at the times when the child's heartbeat can be detected, which is about five to six weeks. Ohio led the charge for heartbeat legislation — laws that protect unborn children once a heartbeat can be detected. Florida also passed a heartbeat law in 2023 under Gov. Ron DeSantis. Nebraska passed a pro-life constitutional amendment protecting life after 12 weeks.

In 18 states, laws protect life after 18-24 weeks. Most of these states protect life only after "fetal viability," the time when a baby can survive outside the womb with medical support. Viability is usually estimated to be between 22 and 23 weeks by most doctors, but it continues to advance thanks to improving technology. For instance, a baby born last year celebrated his first birthday after being born at 21 weeks.

Abortion is legal up to birth in nine states and Washington, D.C. Alaska, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont have no protections for unborn children at any stage of development. In most of these states, taxpayer dollars fund abortion.

Several states have passed ballot measures in recent years declaring a "right to abortion" or "reproductive freedom" under the state constitution. These states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, and New York. In states with a right to abortion, the constitutional amendments leave room to expand already existing laws. While California currently allows abortion up to viability and up to birth in cases of the mother's life or health, pro-life advocates warn that the constitutional right to abortion could lead to an expansion of abortion in the state.

Four states have ongoing litigation over abortion laws, including in Missouri, where courts are determining how the state's constitutional right to abortion will be enforced. In 2024, Montana also approved a constitutional right to abortion in 2024 that is currently being challenged in court. Abortion laws in North Dakota and Wyoming are also in flux.

Assisted suicide

Assisted suicide — sometimes also called physician-assisted suicide — is when a doctor or medical professional provides a patient with drugs to end his or her own life. It is to be differentiated from euthanasia, which is the direct killing of a patient by a medical professional.

The term euthanasia includes voluntary euthanasia, a practice legal in some parts of the world when the patient requests to die; involuntary euthanasia is when a person is murdered against his or her wishes, and "nonvoluntary" euthanasia is when the person is not capable of giving consent. 

Assisted suicide is legal in some U.S. states and around the world, while voluntary euthanasia is legal in a limited number of countries including Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal. In Belgium and the Netherlands, minors can be euthanized if they request it.

In Canada, patients with any serious illness, disease, or disability may be eligible for what is known as medical aid in dying (MAID), even when their condition is not terminal or fatal. In 2027 Canada plans to allow MAID for those with mental health conditions; Belgium, Luxembourg, and Colombia already allow for this.

While most U.S. states have laws against assisted suicide, a growing number of state legislatures have attempted to legalize it.

Thirty-eight states in the U.S. have laws against assisted suicide. Some states specify that assisted suicide is illegal, while other state codes say they do not "authorize" assisted suicide.

Other states maintain laws that were enacted before assisted suicide was popularized in the late 1990s. Often, these states ban the practice of "assisting suicide."

Some states have established newer legislation against the practice in recent decades including Maryland, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.

The state of West Virginia has taken the lead in opposing assisted suicide. In 2024, the state became the first to approve a constitutional amendment banning assisted suicide.

In 10 states and in Washington, D.C., assisted suicide is legal. Oregon was the first state to legalize assisted suicide in 1997.

In another two states — Montana and New York — legislation that could legalize the practice is still pending. New York's legislation awaits the signature of the state governor, while pro-life voices such as Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan are outspoken against the bill.

Death penalty

The United States is split on the death penalty, which is also known as capital punishment. Twenty-three states have the death penalty, while 23 states have abolished it. In the remaining four states, executions have been temporarily paused via executive action, but the death penalty has not been abolished.

Of the states that have abolished the death penalty, Michigan took the lead, becoming the first state to abolish the death penalty in 1847. Alaska and Hawaii — both newer states — have never had the death penalty.

Five states (Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah) allow the death penalty via firing squad as an alternative to lethal injection.

The federal death penalty can be used for certain federal crimes in all 50 states as well as U.S. territories.

A total of 16 federal executions have occurred since the modern federal death penalty was instituted in 1988. The federal death penalty was found unconstitutional in the Supreme Court's decision Furman v. Georgia in 1972 but was later reinstated for certain offenses and then expanded by the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994. In 2024, President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 men, leaving three men on death row.

Where does the Catholic Church stand on life issues?

On abortion: The Catholic Church opposes direct abortions in all cases, teaching that human life must be protected at all stages. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception" (CCC, 2270).

"Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion," the catechism says. "This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable" (CCC, 2271).

Notably, the Church does not teach that the life of the child must be preferred to the life of the mother but rather instructs doctors "to make every effort to save the lives of both, of the mother and the child."

On assisted suicide: The Catholic Church condemns both assisted suicide and euthanasia, instead encouraging palliative care. 

The Church advocates for a "special respect" for anyone with a disability or serious condition (CCC, 2276). Any action or lack of action that intentionally "causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator," the catechism reads (CCC, 2277).

On the death penalty: In 2018, the Vatican developed the Church's teaching on the death penalty, with Pope Francis updating the Catechism of the Catholic Church to reflect that the death penalty is "inadmissible" in the contemporary landscape. 

St. John Paul II's previous teaching in the catechism permitted the death penalty in "very rare" cases, saying that "cases of absolute necessity for suppression of the offender 'today ... are very rare, if not practically nonexistent" (CCC, 2267, pre-2018). 

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 24, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

As federal budget cuts halt programs for people in need, Catholic Social Services (CSS) in Columbus, Ohio, is encouraging volunteers to step up and become community heroes. Modeling the good Samaritan, people are being invited to join the new "Super Neighbor" initiative to lend a hand to others in need, beginning with seniors who need help.

"You don't have to wear a cape to show up and be a super neighbor," president and CEO of CSS, Kelley Henderson, told CNA. As the program kicks off, the organization is calling on people who want to "make an impact by being present, showing up, and serving with the love of Christ."

CSS is a Catholic Charities member agency for the Diocese of Columbus. It works with 168 other agencies across the country to support the needs of the local ordinary but also works on national policy issues, national funding, and advocacy work.

In the Columbus Diocese, CSS serves communities within 23 counties in Central and Southern Ohio through "a myriad of programs that operate to address acute and crisis needs, whether they're of an older adult, a family with children, or a person living with a disability," Henderson explained.

The organization's work is "grounded in the good Samaritan parable in Luke 10" that reminds us that everyone is our neighbor. "It's a core part of our Catholic social teaching, is this solidarity."

'Neighbors serving neighbors'

CSS programs stem from its motto: "Neighbors Serving Neighbors." The Super Neighbor initiative was formed out of a belief that volunteerism is "an easy, structured way for people in a local parish to get involved and serve," Henderson said. 

Super Neighbor was designed "to pair a volunteer from the parish with an older adult who might be living alone. They'll go by and visit with them, play cards, go get a haircut, or meal plan … It's really designed to go deep and build relationships with people."

"Social isolation is a real challenge in our community, and as Catholics, we're called to respond to the signs of our time, and isolation is a major sign," Henderson said. "We really see that it not only has negative health impacts on people who are isolated, but it really is not being a good neighbor. We reach out and spend time with people."

The initiative follows other senior-oriented programs that CSS has offered including the Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs, which were both catered to community relationships with seniors.

Both programs were mostly federally funded for the last 30 years, primarily through the AmeriCorps agency. The funds helped "lower-income seniors receive a little support money and travel reimbursement to be able to go out and spend time with others in the community." But as federal funding cuts have been made across the nation, the programs are unable to operate as usual.

"Regardless, we're committed to serving," Henderson said. "We'll find new innovative ways to serve, and Super Neighborhood is one of them." 

"I really see beauty and value in volunteerism. I think volunteers can not only see the face of Christ in those we serve but be the face of Christ. And be the hands and feet of who we're called to be in the community."

What is unique about Super Neighbor is it doesn't just have one type of volunteer. The program opens the doors for all kinds of people to serve and be served.

Historically, volunteers are people who have extra time. Henderson explained that it tends to be people who have retired, those winding down their careers, or parents with children in school, but CSS and Super Neighbor bring in an even larger demographic.

"We're beginning to not only see the folks that have that discretionary time, but we're seeing people make time available," Henderson said. "One of our local Catholic high schools started a Catholic Social Services Club, and the kids are making time to volunteer."

Employers around the diocese are even beginning to offer volunteer time off, including CSS, which gives its staff allotted time to serve the community. "They can take two hours a quarter to volunteer at a place of their choosing," Henderson said. 

"The culture of giving back is really inspiring to see right now. And we're using that as an opportunity to be that resource for people."

The future of 'Super Neighbor' 

Although it is a new initiative, three parishes have committed to be a part of the effort. There are already 60 volunteers that have signed up who will begin the program with home visits with seniors in late September.

While prioritizing seniors, CSS is working to expand Super Neighbor to reach even more groups of people. It is working to place volunteers in local schools to be "homework helpers or tutors," to connect with younger generations.

"My hope is by the Advent season, we have a couple hundred super neighbors signed up, which is really important because the impetus of the launch of this program was to have a hope-filled response to some of the cuts that we're facing federally."

Despite "a tightening fiscal environment … it's an opportunity for the Church to show up," Henderson said. "The Church is generally the one that shows up first."

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CNA Staff, Aug 23, 2025 / 11:15 am (CNA).

Lincoln, Nebraska Bishop James Conley this week said a proposed federal immigrant detention facility in the state must allow Catholic ministers to provide sacramental and pastoral care.

The bishop made the announcement after Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced the repurposing of the state Work Ethic Camp in McCook to house immigrants in the country illegally.

The state website says the camp presently offers "an integrated program that combines evidence-based practices with treatment and educational opportunities" for prisoners. Pillen told local media this week that the facility "would be converted and provide capacity for 300 migrants," according to the Nebraska Examiner.

In his own statement this week, Conley said the Diocese of Lincoln has been allowed to administer the sacraments and pastoral care to detainees at the camp "for decades." The diocese has been allowed to say Mass there "on a weekly basis," he said.

"It will be of utmost importance that any person detained in the federal immigration detention center in McCook can also access regular and ongoing pastoral care," the bishop said. "This is fundamental to the dignity of every human person, as each of us is called to union with God."

Conley further urged that the facility should not be used to detain immigrants who are only in the country illegally, but rather "those who have committed crimes that endanger public safety."

"To do otherwise would undermine the facility's moral legitimacy and erode public trust," he argued.

Conley said he remains "committed to safeguarding human dignity which maintains public safety and respects our migrant brothers and sisters."

The bishop's letter comes a few weeks after Catholic leaders in Florida were allowed pastoral access to the state's so-called "Alligator Alcatraz" immigrant detainment facility in the Everglades.

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski had previously expressed concern that Catholic ministers were not being allowed access to the facility, though the state ultimately allowed Mass to be celebrated there earlier this month.

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