Archdiocese of Dubuque restructures amid declining Catholic population

Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Dubuque, Iowa, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. / Credit: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCNA Staff, Nov 5, 2025 / 12:50 pm (CNA).The Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, is in the midst of a restructuring plan called the "Journey in Faith" initiative that will result in parish mergers and other major changes due to declining church attendance, financial pressures, and priest shortages.At a homily he gave at the beginning of September, Archbishop Thomas Zinkula cited "dramatic shifts in population, culture, and finances within our archdiocese. We are using only 37% of our church capacities each weekend. Since 2006, Mass attendance is down 46% throughout the archdiocese."According to archdiocesan data, Catholic marriages have declined 57% and infant baptisms are down 22% since 2006. The only liturgical celebration that has increased is Catholic funerals, up 3% in the same time period.Regarding the priest shortage, ther...

2 Nigerian minor seminarians released months after kidnapping, 1 killed in captivity

On Nov. 4, 2025, the Catholic Diocese of Auchi in Nigeria announced the release of two seminarians who were abducted in July during an armed attack on Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivianokpodi while confirming the death of a third victim. / Credit: Catholic Diocese of AuchiACI Africa, Nov 5, 2025 / 14:04 pm (CNA).The Catholic Diocese of Auchi in Nigeria has announced the release of two seminarians who were abducted in July during an armed attack on Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary in Ivianokpodi while confirming the death of a third victim.In a statement issued Tuesday, the assistant director of communications of the diocese, Father Linus Imoedemhe, recalled that during the July 10 incident, seminarians Japhet Jesse, Joshua Aleobua, and Emmanuel Alabi were abducted."We are grateful to God for the safe release of Japhet Jesse much earlier and, most recently, Joshua Aleobua, who regained his freedom on Nov. 4," Imoedemhe said in the statement shared with ACI Africa,...

Archdiocese of Seville permits woman with Down syndrome to be a godmother

Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses of Seville, Spain. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Archdiocese of SevilleACI Prensa Staff, Nov 5, 2025 / 15:19 pm (CNA).The Archdiocese of Seville in Spain has announced that a young woman with Down syndrome who was initially prohibited from being a godmother at a baptism will be able to fulfill that role after "high-level" consultations with experts in canon law and pastoral care.In late October, the offended family took their case to the media because a priest had refused to accept Noelia, a 19-year-old woman with Down syndrome, as a godmother.In a Nov. 4 statement, the archdiocese explained that since the controversy broke out, it has gathered "all the relevant information and testimonies," and "in agreement with the pastor and the family of the child being baptized, the archdiocese authorizes the celebration of the sacrament of baptism on the scheduled date, allowing the parents to put forward the godparents they had initially chosen."ACI Pren...

Pennsylvania votes to keep high court majority that has upheld abortion access

null / Credit: Zolnierek/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 4, 2025 / 22:10 pm (CNA).Pennsylvania voters elected to retain three Democratic justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court following a campaign with outside groups casting the vote as a referendum on abortion access, election integrity, and the future balance of the court.The outcome means Democrats will maintain their 5-2 majority on the court.With more than 54% of the vote tallied, 62.3% voted to retain Christine Donohue, 62.5% voted to retain Kevin Dougherty, and 62.4% voted to retain David Wecht. None of the other justices were on the ballot for 2025.The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee celebrated the victory on X. "Thanks to tonight's victories, the court's Democratic majority will continue to protect fair maps, voting rights, and reproductive freedom for Pennsylvanians for years to come," the post read.In Pennsylvania, state Supreme Court justices are chosen through partisan elections to 10-...

Virginia, New Jersey races deliver victory to Democrats amid Trump's second term

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger delivers remarks during her election night rally at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Nov. 4, 2025, in Richmond, Virginia. / Credit: Win McNamee/Getty ImagesCNA Staff, Nov 4, 2025 / 22:17 pm (CNA).Off-year elections for state leadership roles in Virginia and New Jersey saw Democrats win key races in what pundits had predicted would be a referendum against Republican President Donald Trump's second term in the White House. Former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia, won the gubernatorial race in that state against current Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears to become the commonwealth's first woman governor, according to the Associated Press, while state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi won the race for lieutenant governor there. Democrat Jay Jones also won the state's attorney general race, beating incumbent Jason Miyares. In New Jersey, meanwhile, Democrat Mikie Sherrill beat Republican Jack Ciattarelli, with ...

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani wins New York City mayoral race

Democratic Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani speaks to members of the media during a press conference after voting on Nov. 4, 2025. / Credit: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty ImagesWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 4, 2025 / 22:25 pm (CNA).Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who promotes gender ideology and abortion access, won his bid for mayor of New York City on Nov. 4, decisively defeating his two main opponents: former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and talk show host Curtis Sliwa.Mamdani, a 34-year-old member of the New York State Assembly and the Democratic Party's nominee for mayor, took 50.4% of the vote on Tuesday. As of 9:42 p.m. ET, 75% of the vote had been tallied.Cuomo, who served as governor as a Democrat and ran as an independent for mayor, received 41.3% of the vote. Sliwa, the Republican nominee, finished third with 7.5% of the vote.Mamdani, set to be sworn in on Jan. 1, 2026, will be the city's first Muslim mayor. He will succeed Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, who suspended hi...

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy takes book about Jesus to prison with him

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy. / Credit: Thomas Bresson from Belfort, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsACI Prensa Staff, Nov 4, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).On Oct. 21, Nicolas Sarkozy became the first former French president to walk through a prison gate to begin serving a sentence behind bars.The former president arrived at La Santé prison in Paris to serve a five-year sentence for illegally financing his 2007 presidential campaign through the regime of Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. Sarkozy notably took with him two books: "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Jesus of History."The choice of these two titles has not gone unnoticed. In a statement to ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, the author of the second book, historian and theologian Jean-Christian Petitfils, explained that Sarkozy confessed to him that he had been "deeply affected by reading" the book about Jesus, which was published in 2011.Petitfils said when he met Sarkozy in person about f...

Vatican nixes use of 'Co-Redemptrix,' 'Mediatrix' as titles for Mary

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, prays before an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Child during the rosary vigil for Pope Francis at the Vatican on Feb. 28, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAVatican City, Nov 4, 2025 / 08:15 am (CNA).The Vatican's doctrinal office said Tuesday the titles of "Co-Redemptrix" and "Mediatrix" are not appropriate ways to describe Mary's participation in salvation.In Mater Populi Fidelis ("The Mother of the Faithful People of God"), the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) said when an expression requires frequent explanation to maintain the correct meaning, it becomes unhelpful."In this case, the expression 'co-redemptrix' does not help extol Mary as the first and foremost collaborator in the work of redemption and grace, for it carries the risk of eclipsing the exclusive role of Jesus Christ," according to the doctrinal note, released Nov. 4.Pope Leo XIV approved the document, sign...

Image of Argentina's patroness destroyed, chapel burned down

Skyline view of Buenos Aires, Argentina. / Credit: Sebasiddi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsBuenos Aires, Argentina, Nov 4, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).The destruction of an image of Our Lady of Luján, the patroness of Argentina, and the burning of a chapel has shocked two communities in Argentina. Authorities are currently investigating the acts of vandalism. Father Lucas Arguimbau, a priest at St. Cajetan Shrine, a church in Buenos Aires, announced Nov. 2 that the outdoor small shrine to the Blessed Mother located down the street was the target of vandalism this past weekend in which the image of Our Lady of Luján kept there was smashed to pieces.The news shocked the community, as the small shrine is located in a busy area monitored by security cameras and near a police station. A woman who lives in the neighborhood found fragments of the destroyed image and brought them to the shrine.After the 11 a.m. All Souls' Day Mass on Nov. 2 at St. Cajetan's, the parochial vicar sa...

Trump administration will partially fund SNAP as Catholic groups try to fill gap

President Donald Trump's administration says Nov. 3, 2025, that it will partially fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits after several states sued to force a court order. / Credit: Jonathan Weiss/ShutterstockWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 3, 2025 / 17:08 pm (CNA).President Donald Trump's administration will partially fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits amid the ongoing government shutdown as Catholic nonprofits are working to accommodate people's needs through charitable giving.Food stamp benefits from SNAP came to a temporary halt Nov. 1 after Congress failed to reach an agreement to end the government shutdown or approve a stand-alone SNAP funding bill.Several states sued, which led a federal court to order the administration to fully or partially fund the program. According to a Nov. 3 court filing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreed to drain the SNAP contingency fund to ensure some benefits are received this m...