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CNA Staff, Oct 24, 2025 / 11:32 am (CNA).

The state of Alabama on Thursday executed convicted murderer Anthony Boyd by nitrogen gas just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider requiring the state to execute him by firing squad instead.

Boyd reportedly took around 20 minutes to die from the execution method, according to the Associated Press. The news wire said he "clenched his fist, raised his head off the gurney slightly, and began shaking," after which he became still but continued with a series of "heaving breaths" for "at least 15 minutes."

The Alabama man was convicted of capital murder in the 1993 killing of Gregory Huguley in Talladega County. Huguley was taped up, doused with gasoline, and set on fire. 

Boyd proclaimed his innocence until the last minutes of his life. "I didn't kill anybody. I didn't participate in killing anybody," he said on Oct. 23 prior to being executed. 

The protracted execution came on the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider whether the execution by nitrogen gas violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. 

Nitrogen gas is a relatively new execution method in the U.S. In January 2024 Alabama executed Kenneth Smith with gas, the first time in U.S. history that such a method was used. 

Witnesses said Smith writhed for several minutes while being administered the gas and was observed breathing for a considerable amount of time during the execution itself. Advocates have warned that the process is drawn-out and painful for victims of execution. 

Boyd had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider requiring Alabama to execute him by firing squad. The Supreme Court declined to consider the case.

In a scathing dissent ahead of the execution, Justice Sonia Sotomayor accused the high court of "turn[ing] its back" on Boyd and on the Constitution. 

Sotomayor, who was joined by Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, pointed to several other executions by nitrogen gas, including Kenneth Smith's, noting reports that inmates have been seen "violent[ly] convulsing, eyes bulging, [and] thrashing against the restraints" while they are killed. 

All condemned prisoners suffer "distress" ahead of their executions, Sotomayor said. But drawn-out methods of execution like that of nitrogen gas create suffering "after the execution begins and while it is being carried out to completion."

Prisoners are not guaranteed a painless death under the Eighth Amendment, Sotomayor acknowledged.

"But when a state introduces an experimental method of execution that superadds psychological terror as a necessary feature of its successful completion, courts should enforce the Eighth Amendment's mandate against cruel and unusual punishment," she said.

Ahead of Boyd's execution, the anti-death penalty group Catholic Mobilizing Network said capital punishment "remind[s] us how critically important it is that we include the abolition of the death penalty in our respect life advocacy."

"May we see the dignity of [Boyd] and of every individual sentenced to death, remembering always that no person is defined by the worst thing they've ever done," the group said.

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National Catholic Register, Oct 24, 2025 / 12:02 pm (CNA).

Twelve-year-old Sophia Forchas is finally home after spending 57 days in the hospital with severe injuries sustained from the deadly shooting on Aug. 27 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis during the first school Mass of the year that claimed the lives of two students. 

Sophia received a fond farewell outside the hospital on Oct. 23. 

In a statement posted to the family's GoFundMe page, Sophia's parents, Tom and Amy Forchas, wrote: "Today marks one of the most extraordinary days of our lives! Our beloved daughter, Sophia, is coming home!!"

Speaking with gratitude for the team of doctors that worked diligently to save their daughter, the couple wrote: "We thank you from the depths of our hearts. We will never forget your world-class care that sustained her. Your commitment carried us through."

Sophia still has a long road ahead with outpatient therapy, but her parents said "our hearts are filled with indescribable joy as we witness her speech improving daily, her personality shining through once more, and her ability to walk, swim, and even dribble a basketball. Each step she takes is a living testament to the boundless grace of God and the miraculous power of prayer."

In a news conference Sept. 5, neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich of Hennepin County Medical Center told reporters that in treating Sophia's injuries he would attempt to "go through the normal brain to get there" and potentially cause more damage. Given the pressure in her brain, Sophia's survival was extremely low.

The neurosurgeon led a team in performing a decompressive craniectomy, which removed the left half of her skull to allow the pressure in her brain to be relieved.

"If you had told me at this juncture that, 10 days later, we'd be standing here with any ray of hope, I would have said, 'It would take a miracle,'" Galicich said tearfully to reporters back in September.

Sophia's mother, who works as a pediatric nurse in the critical care unit at the hospital where the victims were taken, had no idea that it was her children's school that had been attacked that fateful day. She initially had no idea that one of the three patients was her own daughter.

Sophia's younger brother also witnessed the school shooting that day; by the grace of God, he was left unscathed, though he is still suffering from the trauma, given the horrific event and his sister's dire injuries.

After Sophia's 57-day stint in the hospital, Galicich gave his young patient a big hug as she walked out of the Hennepin County Medical Center to cheers and applause from her family and classmates. Even the city's police chief was present, taking her on a ride through the city in a stretch limo to mark the occasion. 

Speaking to The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Police Chief Brian O'Hara called Sophia's homecoming "nothing short of a miracle."

Ecstatic parents Tom and Amy also noted how crucial prayer was in their daughter's healing, writing in their statement: "Those prayers came from family, friends, and countless souls around the world; many of whom have never met Sophia, yet lifted her spirit with unconditional love. Your prayers have been a wellspring of comfort, hope, and healing for our entire family. We are certain that God heard every single one."

The Forchases expressed condolences to the families who lost their children during the shooting, saying: "We continue to pray for those whose lives were tragically lost on that heartbreaking day. May their memory be eternal."

"We also hold close those who were injured and bear lasting scars, and the families and loved ones forever changed," the Forchases continued. "May God grant healing, consolation, and his peace to all who grieve. To those whose hearts are hardened in despair, may the grace of the all-Holy Spirit soften them. We pray that the Trinity fill the world with compassion and love."

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA's sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

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

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Bill proposed in Hungary could require priests to violate seal of confession

The Permanent Council of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference has expressed shock over the proposition of a bill that would require Catholic priests to violate the seal of confession. 

"This is in serious conflict with the agreement between the Republic of Hungary and the Holy See of Feb. 9, 1990, which states that the Catholic Church in our county operates on the basis of [canon law]," the council stated in an Oct. 17 press release. 

The council expressed regret over "extremely crude" and "baseless sentiment-mongering and slander" that has occurred during the ongoing election cycle. "We emphasize to our priests, all believers, and society that we are not a political organization, we do not wish to participate in the campaign," it stated. "Our mission is to serve the salvation of souls." 

Church in South Korea pledges help for Timorese migrants 

The Catholic Church in South Korea has pledged to help improve the situation for migrants from the small Catholic-majority island country of Timor-Leste.

During an Oct. 11–15 visit to the island, a 12-member delegation of South Korean Catholics from the Committee for Pastoral Care for Migrants of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea visited with groups that send migrant workers to South Korea, Cardinal Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, as well as President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, according to UCA News. 

The delegation pledged to help bring about "better protection and welfare of migrant communities" and to "improve better pastoral care program[s] for Timor-Leste migrants," of which there are approximately 7,000 living in South Korea.

Australian archbishop renews commitment to safeguarding children

Archbishop Tony Ireland of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia, has reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring all Catholic communities and workplaces throughout his diocese uphold safe environment standards. 

"The safety and well-being of all who engage with the Church is foremost in my mind and heart," the archbishop said in an Oct. 17 statement. "Ensuring that every person — regardless of age or circumstance — feels safe, valued, and respected is an essential part of our mission and witness." 

On behalf of his archdiocese, Ireland endorsed the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, stating: "Our commitment to these standards is unwavering, reflecting zero tolerance of any form of abuse, neglect, or exploitation." The archdiocese has remained engaged in its safeguarding measures since 2017. 

Madagascar cardinal urges international community to refrain from sanctioning country 

Cardinal Désiré Tsarahazana of Toamasina, Madagascar, is appealing to the international community not to sanction Madagascar in wake of a coup staged by military-backed youth protesters. 

The cardinal told Vatican media that imposing sanctions "would be illogical and immoral."??

"Supporting young people who demand a better life and then killing them with sanctions would make no sense," Vatican News Italy reported. 

Religious conversion case against Christian university officials in India dropped

The Supreme Court of India has dropped a criminal case against three Christian university officials in Uttar Pradesh who were accused of violating the state's stringent anti-conversion laws. 

The court dropped the case on Oct. 17, citing "legal defect" in the allegations filed by Himanshu Dixit, vice president of the World Hindu Council, according to UCA News. The Hindu leader had accused officials from the Presbyterian Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology, and Sciences of "unlawful conversion activities" in addition to "cheating, criminal intimidation, and forgery," according to the report.

The judges noted that under Uttar Pradesh law, only an "aggrieved" person — that is, a victim or close relative — of the violation is permitted to lodge a complaint. The court declined to dismiss charges related to cheating and forgery but ordered protection of the accused from arrest.

Church in Mozambique proposes political guide for dialogue

The Episcopol Justice and Peace Commission in Mozambique has proposed a document outlining "concrete proposals for reforms of the state, the electoral system, natural resource policies, economic inclusion, and national reconciliation."

The document, "A Political Guide for National Dialogue," proposes limited power for the president in appointing heads of state, that judges be elected among their peers, and that the position of secretary of state be eliminated in provinces for the sake of the country's budget, according to an Oct. 20 report from Vatican News. 

The guide also recommends the elimination of electronic voting to combat fraud as well as economic and natural resource reforms. 

To address the county's unrest, the document proposes "building a collective memory based on truth, exercising forgiveness and mutual listening, promoting a culture of dialogue and trust, and changing mentalities to value differences while combatting prejudices."

Latin American bishops host 'virtual jubilee' for Indigenous people 

The Episcopal Conference of Latin America hosted a virtual jubilee event for Indigenous people of Latin America and the Caribbean on Oct. 14–16. 

Organized by the Advisory Team on Indian Theology, together with the Pastoral Care of Indigenous People of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council and the Latin American Ecumenical Articulation of Indigenous Pastoral Care, the event centered on sharing experiences "as pilgrims of hope together with our Indigenous people, authentic custodians of culture, and our common home," according to a message from Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the dicastery for promoting integral human development.

"Your love for the earth, your respect for the elderly, your sense of community, and your ability to live in harmony with creation are a gift to the whole Church. You teach that life is best understood when lived simply, in relationship with God, with nature, and with others," he said. 

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Dublin, Ireland, Oct 24, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Seven pivotal priorities emerged from the Irish bishops' Pre-Synodal Assembly meetings on Oct. 18 in Kilkenny, reflecting the hopes and concerns of the Irish faithful, drawing upon a series of gatherings held throughout the country from February to May.

The assembly brought together delegates from parish communities across Ireland to discern how the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church today.

Father Gerry O'Hanlon, SJ, one of the delegates, welcomed the process. "Building on the trust that has been established, we need to face difficult issues and embrace conflict and difference on the way," he told CNA. "The Pre-Synodal Assembly was characterized by a constructive spirit of speaking and listening in a spirit of prayer. As we go forward, we probably need a more concrete focus, with input from theology and the other sciences. We have made a good start."

Of the priorities under discussion, three emerged as particularly strong: healing, the role of women in the Church, and youth engagement. The assembly discernment process identified these as areas that demand urgent attention as the Church seeks to navigate the complexities of modern life while remaining true to its mission.

The focus on healing was emphasized as was the need to acknowledge wounds, especially those caused by abuse; committing to accountability, justice, and reconciliation; and ensuring safe spaces for survivors and all who carry pain. 

"The priority attached to healing all of the hurt caused by abuse in the Church, as part of the path to renewal, is welcome," Aidan Gordon, another delegate, said. "A recognition that the healing must be authentic and rooted in a commitment to justice reflects a genuine listening to the voices of victims and survivors."

The role of women in the Church and the importance of recognizing and including women's gifts, leadership, and co-responsibility at every level of Church life as a matter of justice and credibility was also emphasized.

The assembly additionally recognized the importance of youth engagement, highlighting the need to connect with young people in authentic and meaningful ways. 

"These kinds of events really allow young people to have their voice heard, and that's what gives a whole new energy and perspective to the Church in Ireland today," Natalie Doherty, a delegate at the assembly, told CNA.

In addition to these three focal areas, the assembly identified several other significant priorities for the Irish Church: 

— Belonging: fostering a Church of welcome, inclusion, and safety where every person finds a home in community and in Christ

— Co-responsibility and lay ministry: empowering all the baptized, men and women alike, to share responsibility for leadership and mission through new models of ministry and decision-making

— Family: supporting the domestic Church as the primary place of faith transmission and strengthening its connection with parishes and schools

— Formation and catechesis: deepening faith through lifelong formation that is Christ-centered and equips the baptized for discipleship in today's world

In embracing these priorities, the Irish Church hopes to not only address the needs of its members but also reaffirms its commitment to living out the Gospel in a way that resonates with the realities of today. 

Welcoming the attendees to the Kilkenny meeting, Bishop Niall Coll of Ossory said: "A synodal Church encourages a more open culture of debate, discussion, and discernment within the Church. Our presence here today means that there are voices in Ireland attuned to the need to read the 'signs of the times' and anxious to follow the direction for renewal and reform that Pope Francis charted."

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Vatican City, Oct 24, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The rise in violence and attacks against places of worship and believers, traditionally associated with regions of conflict, has seen a worrying upturn in recent years in Europe, South America, and North America.

According to the latest report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), in 2023, France recorded nearly 1,000 attacks on churches, and more than 600 acts of vandalism were documented in Greece.

Similar increases were observed in Spain, Italy, and the United States, where attacks not only target church property but also include disruptions of worship services and attacks on clergy.

"These attacks reflect a climate of ideological hostility toward religion," said José Luis Bazán, one of the report's authors, in a statement to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner.

For Bazán, the incidents are no longer just isolated episodes: "Attacks or acts of vandalism against places of worship are pandemic."

Bazán focused on a phenomenon that crosses continents: "I'm talking basically about Europe and the Anglo-Saxon world — Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Australia — and, by extension, also Latin America, particularly the Southern Cone: Chile and Argentina."

In Chile, he explained, approximately 300 attacks of vandalism against churches have been recorded, some linked to far-left groups and associated with times of social tension, with examples such as fires being set and attacks in the country's south.

"We have fragmentary elements here and there, but if you put them all together, you realize the upward trend," he said.

Bazán also mentioned coordinated episodes of vandalism on occasions such as International Women's Day on March 8 in various Latin American and European countries. He noted that in Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, "there are radical feminist attacks against churches."

"Sometimes what they do is vandalize them with slogans, as in Spain as well, like 'Get your rosaries off our ovaries,' or an even harsher one, which said something like 'You will drink the blood of our abortions.' They put this in front of the Logroño co-cathedral," he lamented.

Bazán also mentioned the case of artist Abel Azcona, who "stole from churches, attended more than 200 Masses, and stole the consecrated hosts," writing the word "pedophilia" on the ground with them. 

"The case reached the European Court of Human Rights, which unfortunately doesn't fully understand the meaning of consecrated hosts to Christians and thought it was simply an object like any other," he explained.

The expert emphasized the seriousness of the fact that this judicial interpretation has given "room for desecration, and from now on, anyone can steal consecrated hosts."

Most attacks go unpunished

Bazán, who is a legal adviser on religious freedom for COMECE (Commission of the Episcopal Conferences of the European Union), also decried the fact that most attacks go unpunished.

He noted that in the case of vandalism, "it is sometimes difficult to know who is doing it."

"These are attacks that occur at night, in remote churches, without cameras," pointing out just how vulnerable religious heritage is.

"We're talking about tens of thousands of churches in Europe, many of them vulnerable and in areas with difficult access," he explained, after noting that the large number of farflung churches, small shrines, and chapels in rural areas makes prevention and investigation difficult.

'Soft persecution'

The ACN report also warns of growing pressure on freedom of conscience in Europe. To explain this, the expert echoed the definition given by Pope Francis: "He denounced this [soft] persecution. Basically, what's happening is an attempt to hijack people's consciences," Bazán pointed out.

As he explained, this form of harassment "goes unnoticed, because in general, in the West, people can go to church, practice rituals, sacraments, and so on." However, "the question is what also happens in social life."

Freedom of conscience under pressure

The jurist offered concrete examples of these restrictions: "What happens, for example, in universities when there is a professor who defends a position in accordance with religious principles, or a doctor or nurse who decides not to perform an abortion and does not want to be, let's say, subject to any victimization or sanction?" he explained, citing the example of Spain, where an attempt is being made to create a list of doctors who object to abortion, which would have practical consequences for their careers.

"They probably won't be able to serve on the hospital's ethics committee, they probably won't ever be considered to head a department [of] for example gynecology. In other words, there are many consequences," he explained, extending this to any professional field.

Self-censorship: The most sophisticated form

Another worrying area in the West is "indirect censorship or self-censorship" in which the person, on his or her own and without the intervention of censors, "understands that it's better not to [speak out] because otherwise there will be consequences."

Bazán identified these new forms of indirect censorship, which he characterized as the most sophisticated form of classic censorship, "through proxies, for example, or through online platforms that are forced to establish a content moderation policy that introduces prohibitive elements imposed by the state." In these cases, "it's not the state that censors, it's the platform."

The result, he explained, is that "the censored person will simply see that the message no longer appears because it has disappeared from the platform. And he may even receive a message stating that he will not be able to post anything on social media for x amount of time."

In many cases, he added, "fact-checkers, who are often ideologically biased NGOs [nongovernmental organizations], simply try to censor certain types of messages that go against a particular way of understanding society."

'An invisible wall' and restrictive European rules

Bazán pointed out that "dissent is avoided" and that Christians "can see how they find themselves up against a kind of invisible wall, which no one denounces. In many cases, the wall isn't even established by the state but is rather a combination of state and non-state elements in which it is very difficult to determine who is ultimately creating this situation."

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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Dublin, Ireland, Oct 23, 2025 / 18:04 pm (CNA).

King Charles III has acted contrary to the oath made at his coronation and should now "let someone else take his place, who is a true Protestant and who will take their vows seriously," a prominent Free Presbyterian minister from Northern Ireland said after the king prayed with Pope Leo XIV on Thursday in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican.

Rev. Kyle Paisley, the son of firebrand Democratic Unionist Party founder Ian Paisley, made the statements in a letter to Newspapers in Northern Ireland and subsequently in an interview on BBC Radio as well as other media outlets. 

In the Sistine Chapel prayer service, King Charles, the supreme governor of the Church of England, accompanied by Queen Camilla, sat at Pope Leo's left-hand side as the pope and Anglican Archbishop Stephen Cottrell led prayers.

The historic meeting and prayer service was also publicly lamented by the Orange Order, an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants. The group decried the ecumenical prayers as a "sad day for Protestantism," expressing "great sadness" and raising its objections in the "strongest possible terms." 

In his comments, Paisley questioned whether the historic prayer in Rome was "cynical timing" coming 500 years after the printing of the New Testament in English by William Tyndale, something he claims still has the papacy "licking its wounds."

"At his coronation, the king affirmed that he was a true Protestant and promised to uphold the religion of the established church in England as well as that of the Church of Scotland, which is historically Protestant," Paisley said. "Our king has denied the Christian Gospel, flown in the face of holy Scripture, given the lie to his oath, and shown that he is not at all what he says he is — a true Protestant."

He added: "Protestantism takes the Bible as the sole rule of faith and practice. Romanism does not. Her rule of faith and practice is the Scriptures as interpreted by the Church — that is, by the Roman Catholic Church — and tradition. This effectively makes the Church the rule of faith and practice. God's word on its own is not enough for her."

Wallace Thompson of the Evangelical Protestant Society in Northern Ireland agreed with Paisley, though he did not call for the king's abdication. He told the BBC: "The issues that were there at the time of the Reformation are still there — deep, deep doctrinal differences. The two churches are so far apart that you shouldn't feel you can engage in joint prayer — conversation, yes. This is symbolic. The king gives certain values at his coronation to maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant reformed religion established by law. He is sending out a signal now that really deep down, he doesn't want to do that."

Paisley's statements also took issue with King Charles and other British royals attending the recent Requiem Mass for the Duchess of Kent, herself a Catholic.

Doubling down on his views, Paisley posted a statement on social media ahead of the Sistine Chapel prayer: "It is a crying shame that no evangelical Christian MP [member of Parliament], or member of the House of Lords, has spoken out publicly about the king's blatant compromise of his oath, evidenced in the planned act of corporate worship with the pope."

He continued: "The chair in St. Paul's Basilica, which has the king's emblem on it, is not an empty ornament but is there for him to use on any occasion he visits."

Seeing in this honor Rome's long-term aim of a complete reversal of the Reformation, Paisley said: "The deadly beast has been licking the wounds inflicted on it by the Reformation and now sees her way to complete healing, aided and abetted by a king who is not true to his word and by a British government and foreign office, and a British prime minister, who are about as godless as they come."

Paisley's father, the late Rev. Ian Paisley — the fiery Ulster evangelical Protestant and politician — was virulently anti-Catholic. In 1959 following the visit of the Queen Mother, King Charles' grandmother, and Princess Margaret, his aunt, with Pope John XXIII in Rome, he accused them of "fornication and adultery with the antichrist." 

Upon the death of John XXIII, the senior Paisley proclaimed: "This Romish man of sin is now in hell."

In 1988, Ian Paisley was physically ejected from the European Parliament for bellowing: "I denounce you, antichrist" at Pope John Paul II during his official visit. Pope John Paul II watched calmly as the Ulsterman was removed from the building. 

Afterward Paisley told reporters he had been "assaulted" by Roman Catholic deputies. He added: "The European Parliament is Roman Catholic dominated. Mary is the Madonna of the Common Market."

Despite his similar views of the Catholic faith, Kyle Paisley on the death of Pope Francis offered his sympathy to "devout Roman Catholics who looked up to him as the head of their Church and the guide of their faith."

King Charles III has met the last three popes — most notably meeting Francis shortly before his death in April. 

Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI both traveled to Britain, but meetings with the members of the royal family did not include joint prayers.

Prince William, the heir to the throne, attended the funeral of Pope Francis, and Prince Edward, brother of the king, was present at Pope Leo's inauguration Mass in May.

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Richmond, Virginia, Oct 23, 2025 / 17:04 pm (CNA).

Nearly two centuries after her death, the daughter of American Founding Father James Monroe has been laid to rest in Richmond, Virginia, joining her family's historic burial plot in the city's famed Hollywood Cemetery. 

The Diocese of Richmond held Eliza Monroe Hay's reinterment at the top of Hollywood Cemetery overlooking the James River on Oct. 23. Hay, who died in 1840, converted to Catholicism several years before her death. 

State Sen. Bryce Reeves, who worked with the Eliza Project to repatriate Hay's remains, said she was "far more than the daughter of a president."

He described Hay as strong-willed and intelligent. "She served this nation quietly but powerfully in its formative years," he said. 

The historic reinterment came about from a yearslong effort by the Eliza Project to bring Hay's mortal remains home from the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, a cemetery on the outskirts of Paris.

 Born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1786, Hay grew up in both the U.S. and Paris, where her father was the American ambassador amid the ongoing French Revolution. 

She would later be known for serving as an unofficial First Lady of the White House during James Monroe's presidency, as her mother Elizabeth's health regularly kept her away from state functions. 

Hay's husband, Virginia attorney George Hay, died in 1830, as did her mother. James Monroe died in 1831 and was by then one of a dwindling number of prominent U.S. citizens who had led the country through its founding and earliest years.

Hay herself subsequently returned to Paris, where she converted to Catholicism before she died.

A happy ending

Delivering Hay's eulogy at the event, Virginia resident Barbara VornDick described Hay as "my friend from the past."

VornDick said in an Oct. 21 press release that the effort "has been a fascinating, enriching journey in many ways," though she said the "most amazing aspect was how it enriched my faith."

She told the Arlington Catholic Herald in August that she spent years researching Hay's life. She discovered that a popular family legend that Hay became a nun was untrue, but her conversion to Catholicism was confirmed by records at St.-Philippe-du-Roule Church in Paris, where her funeral Mass was held in 1840. 

Hay also reportedly received a piece of jewelry from the Vatican — a cameo of the head of Christ — along with a note from Pope Gregory XVI's secretary of state. 

During her years at the White House, Hay gained a reputation as an unpleasant, demanding hostess. Reeves said at the Oct. 23 ceremony that Hay was at one time described by John Quincy Adams as an "obstinate little firebrand."

The Eliza Project, however, says she had a record of "good deeds and generosity" that history has largely forgotten. 

"She gained increasing admiration for her nursing of the sick: for family, for friends, and, during two epidemics, for the people of Washington," the project said. 

She also exhibited "a sense of duty and loyalty, strength of character and fortitude, and compassion for the sick and suffering."

The Diocese of Richmond had earlier held a memorial Mass for Hay at the nearby Cathedral of the Sacred Heart before the interment at Hollywood Cemetery. Father Tony Marques, the rector of the cathedral, presided over the Rite of Committal on Oct. 23. The cathedral's choir performed at the ceremony.

Describing the yearslong project to repatriate Hay's remains as a "grassroots effort," Reeves told the assembled crowd on Tuesday: "The Virginian thing to do was bring Eliza home."

VornDick told the Herald that the yearslong effort to "bring Eliza home" was motivated by the likelihood that she "never intended to die" in Paris.

"I just wanted to make it right for her," she said.

At the reinterment, meanwhile, VornDick described Hay as a "daughter, sister, wife, and grandmother," one who stands out in history for her devotion, service, and forceful personality. 

"Today marks the end of the Bring Eliza Home Project," she said. "But it is a happy ending."

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ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 23, 2025 / 17:34 pm (CNA).

In an audience with the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Pope Leo XIV thanked them for their humble service to the communities of the Holy Land, where they are called to bear witness "that life conquers death."

At the beginning of his address, the pope recalled the mission with which the order was established in 1098: to protect the Holy Sepulchre, care for pilgrims, and sustain the Church of Jerusalem.

The Holy Father thanked the members of the order present for continuing the work they do "with the humility, dedication, and spirit of sacrifice that characterize chivalric orders," especially for their witness and solidarity with the Christians of the Holy Land.

In particular, the pontiff emphasized that even today they help the communities of the Holy Land "without any fanfare or seeking publicity" and support the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in its various activities, such as charitable works and humanitarian projects.

"You show that protecting the sepulchre of Christ does not simply mean preserving a historical, archaeological, or artistic heritage — no matter how important that may be — but rather sustaining a Church made of living stones, which was born around it and still lives today as an authentic sign of Easter hope," he noted.

Leo XIV then reflected on the order's mission and affirmed that remaining at the sepulchre of the Lord "means renewing one's faith in the God who keeps his promises, whose power no human force can overcome."

"In a world where arrogance and violence seem to prevail over charity," he continued, "you are called to bear witness that life conquers death, that love conquers hatred, that forgiveness conquers revenge, and that mercy and grace conquer sin."

He also exhorted the members of the order to preside over the holy places with faith, thus helping the faithful "to pause with their hearts at Christ's tomb, where pain finds its answer in trust."

To achieve this, he advised them to have an "intense sacramental life" as well as to listen to and meditate on the word of God through personal and liturgical prayer and spiritual formation.

The pope also reflected on the hope embodied in the women who went to the tomb to seek Jesus, which he described as "the face of service," reiterating his gratitude to the order "for the great good you do, following the ancient tradition of assistance that characterizes you." 

"How often, thanks to your work, a ray of light opens for individuals, families, and entire communities who risk being overwhelmed by terrible tragedies, at every level, especially in the places where Jesus lived," he noted.

He also noted that the image of St. Peter and St. John rushing to the sepulcher and finding Jesus' tomb empty represents "the gesture of pilgrimage, a symbol of the search for the ultimate meaning of life."

Pope Leo thus invited them to experience their pilgrimage to Rome "as a stage from which to resume the journey toward the only true and definitive goal: full and eternal communion with God in paradise."

The pontiff asked them to bear witness and to invite the faithful "to experience the things of this world with the freedom and joy of those who know they are on their way toward the infinite horizon of eternity."

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 23, 2025 / 13:20 pm (CNA).

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, attended a private Mass celebrated by Franciscan monks at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Thursday during a three-day diplomatic trip to Israel.

Vance, the nation's second Catholic vice president, met with a group of bishops and went to confession prior to Mass, according to the White House Pool Report.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was constructed in the early fourth century during the reign of Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. It is jointly operated by the Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, and four Oriental Orthodox churches.

According to tradition, the church is built on the site of Jesus Christ's crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. It is a premier pilgrimage destination for Christians who visit the Holy Land.

"What an amazing blessing to have visited the site of Christ's death and resurrection," Vance later said in a post on X. "I am immensely grateful to the Greek, Armenian, and Catholic priests who care for this most sacred of places. May the Prince of Peace have mercy on us and bless our efforts for peace."

During his visit, Vance knelt in silent prayer in front of The Stone of Anointing. Many believe this to be the stone on which Jesus Christ's body was anointed with oils and balms before his burial.

He also prayed before the Calvary Altar, which is believed to be the location where Christ was crucified.

According to the pool report, Vance and his wife both lit candles in the church. Vance also lit two candles with fire from Christ's tomb to bring back to the United States.

"We are sending these lights to the White House," an Armenian Orthodox bishop said, according to the pool report. "May God bless America, the United States, and Armenia and our friendship."

Vance's trip to Israel comes as the White House is working with Israel and Hamas to maintain a ceasefire, which halted a two-year-long war in Gaza. Earlier during his trip, he asked Christians to pray for peace in the region.

"Christians have many titles for Jesus Christ — and one of them is the Prince of Peace," the vice president said. "And I'd ask people of all faiths, in particular my fellow Christians, to pray that the Prince of Peace can continue to work a miracle in this region of the world."

"I think with your prayers and with God's providence, and with a very good team behind me, I think we're going to get it done," he said.

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Vatican City, Oct 23, 2025 / 15:26 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday decried the devastating impact of opioid addiction in the U.S., criticizing the pharmaceutical industry for its lack of "a global ethic" for the sake of profits.

In an Oct. 23 meeting with participants of the fifth World Meeting of Popular Movements held inside the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall, the pope directly spoke out against "unbridled consumerism" and its negative impacts on people living in both poor and wealthy nations.

"In the current culture, with the help of advertising and publicity, a cult of physical well-being is being promoted, almost an idolatry of the body and, in this vision, the mystery of pain is reduced to something totally inhuman," he said.

"This can lead also to dependence on pain medications, the sale of which obviously goes to increasing the earnings of the same pharmaceutical companies," he continued. "This also leads to dependence on opioids, as has been devastating particularly in the United States." 

Describing fentanyl as the "drug of death" and the "second most common cause of death among the poor" in the U.S., the pope said the harm of such synthetic drugs extends beyond the country's borders.

"The spread of new synthetic drugs, ever more lethal, is not only a crime involving trafficking of drugs but really has to do with the production of pharmaceuticals and their profit, lacking a global ethic," he said on Thursday.

Besides the pharmaceutical industry, the Holy Father also criticized the influence of big tech in promoting unhealthy, consumerist behaviors among people of all ages.

"How can a poor young person live with hope and without anxiety when the social media constantly exalt an unbridled consumerism and a totally unrealizable level of economic success?" he said.

"Another problem not often recognized is represented by the dependency on digital gambling," he continued. "The platforms are designed to create compulsive dependence and generate addictive habits that create addiction." 

Throughout the Oct. 23 gathering, the Holy Father expressed his solidarity with social leaders who are "moved by the desire of love" in order to "find solutions in a society dominated by unjust systems" present in the world today.

"Your many and creative initiatives can become new public policies and social rights. Yours is a legitimate and necessary effort," he told those present at the audience.

"This makes you champions of humanity, witnesses to justice, poets of solidarity," he added.

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