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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 28, 2025 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

A Protestant congregation in Michigan is facing $4,500 in fines and ongoing restrictions on their religious activity imposed by Windsor Township, according to their lawyers.

The Sanctum of One God Church asserts the township has delayed permit processing and has imposed restrictions on the congregation that curtail its religious activity. The congregation's lawyers at First Liberty Institute argue that the township is violating First Amendment protections and other federal laws related to religious land use, and that the government's actions could affect any religious organization trying to establish a parish or ministry.

The township approved a "temporary certificate of occupancy," which restricts operating hours to Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., a year after the church opened its doors in October 2024. The township also permitted one morning service on Sundays.

Under the rules, the congregation is not permitted to host wedding receptions, meetings, community events, or fundraisers. The thousands of dollars in fines stem from hosting three weddings, the lawyers said in an Oct. 22 letter.

The township is restricting the church's capacity to 50 people, even though the property can hold 300 people in accordance with the Michigan Fire Code, according to the letter.

The letter argues: "No other secular assembly in the township is subjected to such restrictive operating hours or capacity limitations."

According to the letter, the congregation received "overwhelmingly positive" public support at a township hearing back in March. 

One of the strongest opponents, it notes, was Beth Shaw, the township's supervisor and zoning administrator, whose property is adjacent to the congregation. Shaw did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

"It's unthinkable that anyone in the Township of Windsor's leadership would be so anti-religious that they would oppose a neighborhood church's constitutionally protected right to freely engage in its religious activities," Ryan Gardner, who serves as senior counsel for First Liberty, said in a statement.

"The Constitution and federal law forbid government officials from intimidating and preventing churches from using their property as a place to exercise their religious beliefs," he said.

Gardner told CNA that he has recently seen "a lot of issues pop up around the country" with local governments restricting churches, food banks, homeless shelters, and other facilities by using zoning rules as a justification.

He also expressed concern about the potential conflict of interest from Shaw, who "does not want this church to be in her backyard."

Gardner noted that before the Sanctum of One God Church was formed, a separate church occupied the building for nearly 60 years without these types of restrictions. "This church has been there longer than her," he said.

He argued that such actions violate the First Amendment when a governmental body is "targeting someone who's using their property for religious [purposes]" or "interfering or preventing people from having religious services."

Gardner compared the case to restrictions during COVID-19, when Catholic churches and other religious groups sued state governments for facing stricter rules than secular organizations.

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Washington, D.C., Oct 28, 2025 / 18:21 pm (CNA).

Calls to deepen Jewish-Catholic relations echoed at an event marking the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Vatican II declaration by Pope Paul VI on the relation of the Church to non-Christian religions. 

At "Called to Friendship: Nostra Aetate at 60," an event organized by the Philos Project and the Saint John Paul II National Shrine, Jews and Catholics from across the country gathered on Oct. 28 to remember Nostra Aetate, a document many believe permanently altered the course of Catholic-Jewish relations.

"One of the challenges of Catholic-Jewish collaboration is getting more people in the room," Rabbi Joshua Stanton told CNA on the sidelines of the conference. "And getting more people asking new and challenging questions of each other from a place of love and respect." He further described Nostra Aetate as "miraculous" for its official establishment of Jewish-Catholic solidarity. 

Earlier in the day, Stanton, who is the associate vice president at the Jewish Federations in North America and oversees interfaith relations, said he had been inspired by the recent synodal process carried out by the late Pope Francis and called for a "Jewish-Catholic synod." 

"For a very long time, these dialogues have focused on clergy, which makes a great deal of sense," he continued in the interview. "At this point, if we are to see Nostra Aetate lived in full all around the world in different communities, we need laypeople to be more at the front of those conversations." 

Stanton noted a shift to expand lay leadership within Jewish communities and within certain Catholic spheres such as education or other ministries, which he said has led to laypeople "getting empowered more and more."

"And so I think they deserve a seat at the table for dialogue and also for helping us translate these really important documents and declarations into tangible change on the ground," he concluded.

Speakers at the event included John Paul II biographer George Weigel; National Review Editor Kathryn Jean Lopez; Coalition of Catholics Against Antisemitism co-founder Mary Eberstadt; Sister Maris Stella, SV, vicar general of the Sisters of Life; Gavin D'Costa of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome; and Philos Catholic Director Simone Rizkallah. 

Ahead of the event, a group called Catholics United Against the Jews tweeted against the conference, writing: "The 'Hebrew Catholics' like Gideon Lazar and their patron Paul Singer's (Jewish) Philos Project refuse to interpret Nostra Aetate in light of tradition. They use it to smuggle dual covenant theology and Jewish worship into the Church. Faithful Catholics should shun them entirely."

"A group styling itself 'Catholics United Against the Jews' claims fidelity to the Second Vatican Council — yet in its very name and activity repudiates not only the magisterial teaching of Pope St. John XXIII, Pope Paul VI, and Pope St. John Paul II but also the sacred Scriptures and the living tradition of the Church," Rizkallah told CNA in response to the post.

"To profess acceptance of Vatican II while embracing a posture that directly violates these foundational teachings is neither coherent nor faithful; it is a betrayal of both the Gospel and the magisterium," she added.

"It is difficult to see Catholics, especially younger Catholics, finding themselves drawn to conspiratorial movements such as 'Catholics United Against the Jews,'" she said, further reflecting on broader trends of antisemitism among Catholics. "The new antisemitism reveals a deeper spiritual and cultural crisis: the epidemic of loneliness, exacerbated by digital overuse, confusion about one's vocational call, and Western material comfort that dulls the soul."

"Beneath it lies a sincere but misdirected hunger for radical truth. Yet in the absence of a compelling and incarnate proposal of the Gospel — what [Communion and Liberation founder] Monsignor Luigi Giussani called the risk of education — that desire is easily hijacked by false ideologies."

She concluded: "The Church must respond not with condemnation alone but with the fullness of truth and love that only our Jewish messiah offers." 

Charlie Cohen, a Jewish student of Middle East policy studies from Omaha, Nebraska, came to the event at Rizkallah's invitation. Describing what Nostra Aetate means to him as Jewish person, he told CNA: "I think it's very important in setting the foundation of the continuation of productive relations between the Catholic and Jewish communities, for sure."

Growing up in a predominantly Catholic community in Omaha, Cohen emphasized the importance of the spread of Nostra Aetate's message, saying: "What tends to sometimes get brushed over very quickly [between Catholics and Jews] is negative feelings towards each other, which is just mainly ignorance." 

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Houston, Texas, Oct 28, 2025 / 18:45 pm (CNA).

The Carrera Antorcha Guadalupana (the "Guadalupan Torch Run") is an annual pilgrimage where runners honor the Blessed Mother and pray for immigrants as they carry a torch from the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. 

Pilgrim runners began their journey on Aug. 30 in Mexico City and so far have carried it through nine Mexican states and over 30 cities. Altogether, they will pass through 14 U.S. states as they journey over 3,000 miles before arriving in New York on Dec. 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

As they pass through each town, the runners are joined by locals, who accompany them for a portion of the route.

The running pilgrims arrived in San Antonio, Texas, on Oct. 27, where they will remain for three days. Catholics at several parishes there are organizing Masses and celebrations, which will include Indigenous Mexican dancers known as "Matachines," who have performed traditional dances in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe for hundreds of years. 

The torch, known as the Torchana Guadalupana, is lit from the flame at the basilica and is never extinguished during the journey. It "represents the light of faith and the spirit of resilience among immigrants," according to the group's San Antonio organizer, Luis Garcia. 

Garcia, who is an immigrant himself and has benefited from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program established by President Barack Obama in 2012, started running in the pilgrimage as a high schooler in 2009. He became a leader five years ago.

Garcia said it brings "religious hope to those who need it, both in the U.S. and Mexico, and it shows them that Mother Mary is looking out for her children here and in Mexico."

He told CNA the pilgrimage, organized by a New York-based group called Asociación Tepeyac, began in 2002 as a memorial Mass and run to honor Hispanics who died in the World Trade Center terrorist attack. Its purpose evolved over the years into two themes: honoring the Virgin Mary and praying for human rights and justice for immigrants. 

In the first years of the pilgrimage, then-Archbishop Edward Egan of New York provided logistical and spiritual backing to Asociación Tepeyac, even suggesting it begin a pilgrimage that would start in Mexico and end in New York.

The pilgrimage has come to symbolize "the enduring bond between the Mexican and American communities," according to Garcia, and the "lit torch is a symbol of faith, hope, and unity" among Christians and between families who are separated by the border.

San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller said in a statement to CNA that the Guadalupan Torch run "carries the flame of faith with devotion, honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. In our pilgrimage on this earth, she shows us that salvation is not a reward for our own merits but a free gift of God's love." 

"May this torch continue to light our path, bringing us ever closer to her Son, who is our savior and who brings us to our final destination, which is his glory with the Father," the archbishop concluded.

As an undocumented immigrant who was brought here as a child and who hopes to become a citizen eventually, Garcia said he is "a little worried" for himself, but he is still pushing through and hoping to bring faith, hope, and awareness to people. 

Because he is undocumented, he cannot travel to Mexico to visit the basilica. He said that through the pilgrimage, however "a little piece of Mexico comes over." 

"I can travel with the Virgin and, through her intercession, can pray for all of these people who don't have a true home." 

Recent immigration raids have led to dwindling numbers of participants, Garcia said, but 8,000 runners' hands will still have touched the torch by the time it reaches St. Patrick's Cathedral. 

The torch is made of galvanized metal, he said, and by the end of the journey, the bottom of it becomes shiny from wear.

"That so many hands have touched this torch," Garcia said, "is powerful. Families that participated in Mexico and are divided from their family here by the border have that connection: 'I held the torch and I know my family in the U.S. has touched it, too. We held something together.'"

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Washington, D.C., Oct 28, 2025 / 15:25 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Timothy Broglio told investors at the Christian Institutional Investors Conference (CIIC) at The Catholic University of America (CUA) that investing should be "wise, prudent, and faithful."

Broglio, who serves as archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), welcomed guests as the keynote speaker for the annual conference, highlighting the faithful's place in investing.

Broglio asked that throughout the conference participants pray together, study together, and share tools and frameworks, because there needs to be an "integration of principle morals into how companies invest their funds."

The two-day conference hosted by Innovest, the Archdiocese of Denver, Alliance Defending Freedom, Catholic Benefits Association, CUA, and AmPhil welcomed more than 100 guests to the events Oct. 27–28.

The conference, which is usually held in Denver, is taking place in the nation's capital, and organizers called it a "transformative gathering of Christian institutional leaders, investors, and decision-makers dedicated to aligning financial stewardship with faith-based values." 

The CIIC is "designed to inspire, educate, and empower executives and board members to make impactful investment decisions that reflect their Christian beliefs," organizers said.

The group is set to hear from dozens of leaders from the financial field and discuss the theology of investing. Discussions will focus on aligning investments with values, faith-based approaches to finances, investing in human flourishing, and building a Christian investment movement.

As attendees participate in workshops and discuss the topics, Broglio said, they need to reflect on three guiding questions. Start by asking, "What is the truth?" and then, he said, discuss "What's the right next step?" Then plan: "How will we do it together?"

Christians' place in investing

Catholic and Christian investors "are not merely participants … we are controlling owners," Broglio said. He said Christian institutions hold nearly half of investments and assets in the United States, adding up to trillions of dollars.

Christians in "conversation about markets, capital, and stewardship is not new," Broglio shared. It goes back to the Latin West and moral theology and law. He added: "Finance was born from courage and prudence and justice and fidelity."

"'Fides,' or faith, should not be secularized," Broglio said. There should be a push for public life to be "shaped by the Gospels" and "harmonizing science culture with faith."

Within a culture that often "separates faith from life," Broglio reminded the crowd that Christians "do have a voice." Investors must keep faith at the center of their positions to one day enter the kingdom and be told: "Well done, good and faithful servant," Broglio said.

"United we will strengthen our service to God," Broglio said. The collaboration of Catholic and Christian companies and investors allows the faithful to "do more together than anyone can do alone."

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Victoria, Canada, Oct 28, 2025 / 15:55 pm (CNA).

The furtive establishment of a stand-alone, private euthanasia house in Victoria, the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, has sparked criticism from pro-lifers and exposed yet another way in which medical assistance in dying (MAID) is spreading throughout America's neighbor to the North.

A Toronto-based nonprofit called MAiDHouse opened the euthanasia facility at an undisclosed location in the provincial capital in February. It launched a Toronto MAID house in 2021.

Euthanasia opponents are troubled by the under-the-radar expansion of MAID facilities, especially since the unidentified houses may be in residential neighborhoods.

The MAID houses appear to have the full backing of the federal government. Not only has the Canada Revenue Agency granted MAiDHouse, also known as Assisted-Dying Resource Centres Canada, full charity status, but Health Canada lists it as one of 10 national "resources."

"I can't figure out how an organization that kills people can be a charity," said Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. "Every time you think Canada's MAID pandemic can't get worse, you learn that it's reached a new low."

Schadenberg said MAiDHouse portrays its facilities as comforting and friendly, "but it's actually pretty insane if you think about it because they exist solely to kill people."

MAiDHouse did not respond to repeated B.C. Catholic requests for comment about the Victoria facility's location, whether it received permits or zoning approval from the city, or whether nearby residents are aware of its operation.

According to information published by MAiDHouse, "those eligible for MAID, along with their supporters, come to MAiDHouse only on the day of their provision. Individuals meeting a potential MAiD provider for an assessment attend only on the day of that meeting and may rebook the space for their provision if found eligible. Anyone considering booking MAiDHouse is also welcome to schedule a tour of the space in advance."

The B.C. Catholic reached out to the city of Victoria for comment but received no reply. An online search did not show any Victoria business licenses for 2025 in the name of MAiDHouse, Assisted-Dying Resource Centres Canada, or any employees or board members.

The secrecy and the silence are disconcerting, said Christian McCay, spokesman for Choose Life Victoria.

"I am deeply disturbed that MAiDHouse has been quietly operating a stand-alone euthanasia house in Victoria," McCay said in an emailed statement. "Finding out that it has been here for half a year without the public being told is in itself deeply wrong, to say the least."

He noted that Victoria has long been seen as the euthanasia capital of the world, and MAiDHouse's operating "only makes it worse."

A spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria referred questions about MAiDHouse's existence in the city to Bishop Gary Gordon's 2022 pastoral letter on MAID.

In that letter, Gordon wrote: "The ideology of euthanasia [MAID] is understandable on many levels in contemporary society, as the experience of loss and abandonment is a powerful force of fear and anxiety."

He said Catholics cannot judge the level of such fear and anguish in a person who chooses euthanasia.

"However," Gordon continued, "we can say unequivocally to the faithful Catholic people of God that choosing euthanasia [MAID] is never a choice that is the will of the Creator, as revealed in the sacred texts of divine revelation, the Word of God, and the constant teaching of the Catholic and apostolic faith."

In that letter, Gordon pointed to the parable of the good Samaritan as a model for Christian response to suffering.

He noted that the Samaritan "did not offer to alleviate the suffering of the nearly-dead robbed person with euthanasia." The commandment is clear, he said: "'Thou shalt not kill.' Our faith continues to clearly and unequivocally reject euthanasia and assisted suicide as a response to pain and suffering of body, mind, and soul."

At the same time, Gordon acknowledged the fear and anguish that can drive a person toward MAID.

"But leaving a person abandoned by the side of the road of existence when robbed of health and strength is never the choice of a good neighbor or a just and caring civil society. Choosing euthanasia is never a choice that is the will of the Creator," he emphasized.

Victoria pro-life advocate Marie Peeters-Ney, a member of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, was saddened by the news of MAiDHouse's arrival in her community, but she called it predictable.

"Once you start killing, there's like a feeding frenzy, and it just gets bigger and bigger," said Peeters-Ney, whose husband, prominent pro-life child and family psychiatrist Dr. Philip Ney, died in January.

She said Canadians need to clear their heads of the "virtual reality" that allows them to condemn killing when it comes to the death penalty or genocide, while ignoring realities like MAiDHouse. "We are paying people to kill our loved ones."

Vancouver podcaster Kelsi Sheren, a critic of Canada's MAID regime, devoted a recent episode of her show to MAiDHouse, saying its business model "thrives on nothing but despair."

Sheren, a Canadian Forces combat veteran, said MAiDHouse operators are morally bankrupt and are "predators at best" who practice "death care," not health care.

McCay, who was elected leader of the Christian Heritage Party of B.C. on Oct. 18, called for the provincial government to provide better care for the sick and the dying, including MAID-free public hospices.

"True quality palliative care and medical care is being denied," he said. "Instead, patients are being coerced, abandoned, and pressured to see death as their only option. That is not dignity, that is despair."

According to the most recent Health Canada report, B.C. recorded 2,759 MAID deaths in 2023, 18% of Canada's 15,343 total. The report also stated that, at 37.8%, private residences were the most frequent location for MAID deaths, followed by hospitals at 32.7%.

This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic and has been adapted by CNA.

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ACI MENA, Oct 28, 2025 / 11:32 am (CNA).

In a sign of diversity and coexistence in post-transition Syria, Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi of Antioch and All the East on Sunday received Ahmad al-Shar'a, the head of Syria's transitional administration, at the patriarchal residence in Damascus.

Al-Shar'a was accompanied by Maher al-Shar'a, secretary-general of the presidency, and Maher Marwan Idlibi, governor of Damascus, at the Oct. 26 meeting.

According to a post published on the official X account of the Syrian presidency, the purpose of the visit was to "learn about the situation of the Christian community." The presidency added that the visit "reflects the shared commitment to strengthen national values and foster unity among the people of the nation."

During the meeting, Yazigi presented to Al-Shar'a the so-called "Muhammadan Covenant" or "Prophetic Charter," a document attributed to the Prophet Muhammad said to guarantee the religious and social rights of Christians. Although scholars debate the authenticity of the text and whether it dates back to the seventh century, the patriarch's reference to it served as a symbolic call to renew efforts to protect Christians and build bridges of understanding between Muslims and Christians.

For his part, Al-Shar'a wrote in the patriarchal guest book the Quranic verse "You will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, 'We are Christians.' That is because among them are priests and monks, and because they are not arrogant."

He concluded with the inscription: "Damascus is the cradle of the first coexistence known to humanity… Preserving it is a covenant, a pledge, and a duty… With all love."

Although it was not the first encounter between Al-Shar'a and Christian religious leaders, the meeting was significant because it was his first official visit to a church since taking office in January. It also marks his second meeting with Yazigi, the spiritual leader of Syria's largest Christian community.

Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, head of the Syriac Orthodox Church worldwide, was the first patriarch to meet with Al-Shar'a in April. Aphrem recently described that meeting as "constructive and positive," saying: "We were able to understand from President al-Shar'a his direction and vision. He certainly provided us with reassurances about Syria's future, a Syria that embraces all its sons and daughters."

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

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 27, 2025 / 15:53 pm (CNA).

The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology is launching a new Bible study program to help Catholics prepare for the Advent and Christmas seasons. 

The Bible study, titled "Bible Across America," is set to begin Nov. 5 and aims to gather Catholics "around God's Word to prayerfully study Scripture, grow in discipleship, and build one another up in the Lord," the organization announced. The course represents the latest addition to the St. Paul Center, whose offerings include online courses, academic books on Scripture and theology, and in-person events for clergy and laity across the country.

Based in Steubenville, Ohio, the St. Paul Center is an independent, nonprofit research and educational institution dedicated, according to its website, to promoting "life-transforming Scripture study from the heart of the Church" and through its programming seeks "to raise up a new generation of priests who are fluent in the Bible and laypeople who are biblically literate."

The initiative builds on the center's previous "Journey Through Scripture" video Bible studies, which have as their goal empowering "Catholics and Christians across North America to experience an 'Emmaus moment,' encountering Christ in the pages of sacred Scripture and through the doctrine of the Catholic Church."

In preparation for Advent and Christmas, the new course will help Catholics understand "who Christ is as 'Teacher and Lord' (Jn 13:13)." The Bible study will include seven weekly sessions starting Nov. 5 that will each focus on a different theme including the Infancy Narratives, exorcisms, the Sermon on the Mount, the healing of the synagogue ruler's daughter, Martha and Mary, the Lost Sheep and Luke 15, and the Transfiguration of Jesus. 

The center's "Bible Across America" initiative is billing itself as "a nationwide Catholic Bible movement," encouraging Catholics to create and organize Bible study groups with their families, friends, or fellow parishioners. Leaders can register with St. Paul Center to receive a guide to help conduct discussions with their groups. Use of the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, which was released last year and whose general editor is St. Paul Center founder Scott Hahn, is also being promoted as part of the initiative.

As "Bible Across America" is expected to simultaneously welcome thousands of participants, St. Paul Center anticipated it will be the "largest Bible study" in the United States. The organization is working in partnership with other Catholic organizations on the project, including Hallow, FOCUS, and Mount St. Mary's University. The sessions are slated to include insights from Benedictine Father Boniface Hicks, Heather Khym, Shane Owens, Katie McGrady, and Alex Jones, the CEO of Hallow.

"By witnessing the transformative power of studying Scripture in community, 'Bible Across America' will inspire Catholics across the nation to introduce communal Scripture study in their own homes and parishes," the center noted.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 27, 2025 / 17:08 pm (CNA).

Russian President Vladimir Putin is voicing concern about the ongoing internal problem of "falling birth rates" in his own country and suggesting state action to address the issue.

Putin said in an Oct. 23 meeting with the Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy that drops in birth rates have become "a global trend and a global challenge in the modern world" that is especially affecting economically developed countries, "and Russia is unfortunately no exception."

Russia, he noted, has had "demographic pitfalls" from losses in World War II and problems that coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Though he did not mention the ongoing war with Ukraine, Russia has also lost between 137,000 and 228,000 soldiers in the war approaching its fourth year, according to an analysis by The Economist.

Putin said some countries respond to falling birth rates with "uncontrolled, and even chaotic migration to replace the native population" but that Russia's approach would be different.

"Our choice is unequivocal," the president said. "We support the family as the fundamental basis of Russian society and aim to protect and preserve genuine family values and traditions, which have united and strengthened our country for centuries."

The country's fertility rate is less than 1.5 children per woman — which is far less than the 2.1 births per woman that's needed to simply maintain a nation's population. It's less than half of what Putin sees as his ideal, which is that "families with three or more children should be seen as a standard and natural way of life in our country."

Russia is the ninth most populous country in the world, but it has dropped from 147.6 million people in 1990 to about 146.1 million today, according to The Independent. The latter number includes 2 million people gained from the annexation and occupation of Crimea.

Putin said "no pressure should be exerted" to force couples to have children, because it is "a private and personal matter." Yet, he said Russia should ensure young people "would sincerely aspire to a happy motherhood, would aim to effectively raise their children, and that they would feel confident that the state will support them whenever necessary."

"It is now very important … to promote and uphold the internal attitude that I have mentioned … so that the desire to create a family, to marry and to have many children becomes prevalent in the public mentality," Putin said.

State solutions to incentivize families

Putin sees the government as an essential partner in addressing the falling birth rates. He noted Russia's low-interest mortgages and flat-rate benefits for low-income families and an initiative scheduled for early next year to reduce income tax for low-income families raising at least two children.

Another concern Putin noted is that young people postpone starting families when they focus on studying or their early career. He said young people should "not have to choose one path over another" and highlighted the country's increase in pregnancy and childbirth benefits for full-time students, along with some universities offering day care. 

"Fatherhood and motherhood are a source of joy, and there is no need to postpone happiness," Putin said. "That is what truly matters."

Putin noted that housing expansions and better infrastructure are also needed, along with the promotion of "fundamental value-based attitudes" and engagement with cultural figures and the mass media.

Concerns of Orthodox and Catholic leaders

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has similarly expressed concerns about the declining birth rates in the country. Last year, he highlighted the "tragedy" of abortion as a contributing factor.

Putin did not mention abortion at last week's meeting. In Russia, elective abortion is legal up to the 12th week of pregnancy, but the government has banned promoting "child-free propaganda," and many regions have banned people from pressuring women to have abortions.

Last year, Kirill sent letters to encourage women early in their pregnancies to carry their unborn children until birth. He wished them "good health, peace of mind, and many blessings from Christ, the giver of life" and discussed the blessing of children.

Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV expressed concern about declining birth rates in Italy when he met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. He urged a "concerted effort" to promote family and protect life "in all its phases."

"In particular, I wish to emphasize the importance of guaranteeing all families the indispensable support of dignified work, in fair conditions and with due attention to the needs related to motherhood and fatherhood," Leo said. "Let us do everything possible to give confidence to families — especially young families — so that they may look to the future with serenity and grow in harmony."

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Vatican City, Oct 27, 2025 / 17:49 pm (CNA).

In separate audiences on Monday, Pope Leo XIV received two political leaders with very different views on the migration issue. In the morning, he met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and in the afternoon he met with Magnus Brunner, European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration.

Orbán maintains a restrictionist stance on migration and has repeatedly criticized the migrant redistribution policies promoted by the European Union. For his part, Brunner defends a common migration policy and supports the implementation of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, an agreement the Hungarian leader firmly rejects.

Orbán arrived promptly at 9 a.m. at the Courtyard of San Damaso in the Apostolic Palace for his first official meeting with the Holy Father. He later met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with states and international organizations.

The Vatican did not provide details on the content of the private audience with the pope nor did it specify whether the migration issue was among the topics discussed. For his part, the Hungarian prime minister stated on his X account that he requested the pope's support in his country's efforts for peace.

During the meeting at the Secretariat of State, the strong bilateral relations and appreciation for the Catholic Church's commitment to promoting social development and the well-being of the Hungarian community were highlighted.

According to the Vatican, special attention was paid to the role of the family and the formation and future of young people as well as the importance of protecting the most vulnerable Christian communities.

The discussions also addressed European issues, especially the conflict in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

Last Thursday, during his meeting with delegates from popular movements, Pope Leo XIV defended each state's right and duty to protect its borders, which he said must be balanced with "the moral obligation to provide refuge" and warned against "inhumane" measures that treat migrants as if they were "garbage."

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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Vatican City, Oct 27, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV drew laughter and applause on Oct. 24 when he recalled asking his mother in the 1970s whether she wanted equality with men. "No," she replied, "because we're already better."

The pope shared the memory during a discussion on the role of women in the Church at the opening of the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies, a three-day gathering for representatives involved in implementing the global synodal process.

The story, he explained, came from a time when debates about equality between men and women were just beginning to take hold in his native United States. His mother's response, he said, was not a joke but an affirmation of women's distinctive gifts. "There are many gifts that women have," he added, recalling their vital roles in family and parish life.

Pope Leo then described a community of sisters in Peru whose charism is to serve where there are no priests. "They baptize, assist at marriages, and carry out a wonderful missionary work that is a testimony even for many priests," he said.

But the pope warned that in many parts of the world, cultural barriers still prevent women from exercising their rightful roles.

"Not all bishops or priests want to allow women to exercise what could very well be their role," he said. "There are cultures where women still suffer as if they were second-class citizens."

The task of the Church, he added, is to help transform those cultures "according to the values of the Gospel," so that discrimination can be eliminated and "the gifts and charisms of every person are respected and valued."

Turning to the wider synodal process, the pope insisted that synodality "is not a campaign, it is a way of being and a way of being for the Church." He said the goal is not to impose a "uniform model" but to foster a spirit of conversion and communion through listening and mission.

Responding to questions from representatives of the Church in Africa, Oceania, and North America, Pope Leo emphasized the importance of patience and formation.

"Not all things move at the same rhythm or speed," he said. "Oftentimes, the resistances come out of fear and lack of knowledge." Without proper formation, he warned, "there are going to be resistances and a lack of understanding."

On the environment, he called for courage in responding to the "cry of the earth," urging Catholics not to remain passive but to "raise our voice to change the world and make it a better place."

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