Catholic priest forced to leave Texas amid visa backlog and residency denial

Father Alan Sanchez with parishioners at St. Joseph Church in La Pryor, Texas. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Alan SanchezWashington, 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 proces...

BREAKING: At least 2 dead after mass shooting at Minneapolis Catholic church

null / Credit: CNACNA 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." 'The White House will cont...

LIVE UPDATES: Shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis

Parents await news of their children after a reported mass shooting at Annunciation Church on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. / Credit: Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via APCNA 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.

Vocation directors conference kicks off to help those 'forming healthy and holy priests'

Monsignor Stephen Rossetti is the keynote speaker at the 2025 National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors conference. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Monsignor Stephen RossettiWashington, 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 collab...

New initiative seeks to help families 'reclaim' the Sabbath

null / Credit: maxim ibragimov/ShutterstockWashington, 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 Pr...

Texas attorney general orders schools unaffected by lawsuit to display Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments outside the Texas state capitol building. / Credit: BLundin via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)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 district...

Communio launches first-ever statewide partnership with California Catholic Conference

null / Credit: Ground Picture/ShutterstockWashington, 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 v...

Where does the United States stand on life issues? 

A young pro-lifer holds a sign that says "No human is a mistake" at the Colorado March for Life in Denver on Friday, April 11, 2025. / Credit: Kate Quiñones/CNACNA 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.AbortionAfter 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 ...

Amid federal cuts, 'Super Neighbor' program helps those in need

St. Joseph Cathedral in Columbus, Ohio. / Credit: LO Kin-hei/ShutterstockWashington, 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 ...

Bishop Conley says Nebraska immigrant detention camp must allow sacraments, pastoral care

Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska in St. Peter's Square, a day before the canonization Mass of St. John Henry Newman, Oct. 12, 2019. / Daniel Ibanez/CNACNA 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 sacra...