Catholic News

Religious faith in society may do more than provide spiritual comfort and moral guidance; it could also help protect against anxiety disorders, according to a recent study published in Developmental Science.

The research published in March explored if there were links between what societies value — such as independence and community — and anxiety disorder rates among children and adolescents over three decades.

The study by Leonard Konstantin Kulisch, Ana Lorena Domínguez Rojas, Silvia Schneider, and Babett Voigt analyzed preexisting records and data during the years 1989 to 2022 from the World Value Survey, Global Burden of Disease study, Human Development Report, and Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study.

The research found an emphasis on independence was linked to higher anxiety rates in "WEIRD" (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) nations, while a greater emphasis on religious faith and interdependence correlated with less anxiety disorders globally.

It also found that the importance of religious faith in socialization, and its link to interdependence, was associated with fewer anxiety disorders across 70 of the countries examined.

The study did not compare religious versus nonreligious people or compare specific countries.

While the effect sizes were small, it did find that "in countries where emphasis on religious faith in childrearing declined, youth anxiety rose," Brandon Vaidyanathan, professor of sociology at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News.

Country-based disparities

In WEIRD nations, the societies that have norms that are oriented toward independence were associated with more anxiety disorders, but the analyses found no significant association among the non-WEIRD countries.

In "developing societies [a] shift toward independence accompanies gains in growth and quality of life that may offset its psychological costs, but in already developed societies, it may only intensify competition and achievement-pressure," Vaidyanathan explained.

"The difference between WEIRD and non-WEIRD societies on the independence finding is quite interesting, and the authors suggest that it is stage-dependent," Vaidyanathan said.

"But religion is universal in providing goods that do not depend on development stage" including "belonging, order, meaning, purpose, routine."

Family versus society predictors

The study reports that religious socialization may serve as "a protective factor" against anxiety issues in children and adolescents, which "is at the communal level much more than the individual level," Vaidyanathan said.

So much so that the U.S. data suggested the society's religious norms predicted children's anxiety better than the mother's own beliefs.

"The religiosity of the surrounding social environment was a stronger predictor of children's anxiety level than the family's own faith, suggesting the protection comes from the society more than family," Vaidyanathan said.

The global protective factor was not communal values in general but religious faith specifically, which Vaidyanathan called "textbook sociology" of religion.

"Since Durkheim, sociologists have shown that integration into [a] shared moral community buffers individuals from anomie" or "normlessness," he said.

"Where the community has clear norms, attachments, obligations, limits … the individual doesn't have to shoulder the burden of ordering life themselves —which is where anxiety comes in."

"That's why the protection is at the group level more than individual or family level, and that is what gets eroded in a secularized society," he said.

Vaidyanathan also pointed to Peter Berger, a sociologist and Protestant theologian who coined the term "plausibility structures," which are the social, cultural, and institutional environments that make certain values or religious beliefs seem believable and normal to a group of people.

Berger's "famous concept of 'plausibility structures' helps us understand that a religious framework reduces anxiety, only while the surrounding society keeps it plausible — when the surrounding community keeps talking and living as if it were true."

"When that fails, religion becomes one option among many and even a devout household's commitment to their faith is not enough to shield a child in that society. So this is why community norms [or] religiosity matters much more than family belief," Vaidyanathan said.

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Blessed Zdenka Schelingová, a Slovak religious member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross (SCSC), may be one step closer to sainthood.

The postulator of her cause, Father Lucián Bogucki of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, handed the "positio super miro" to the archbishop of Bratislava, Stanislav Zvolenský, last month. The document, whose Latin title refers to a purported miracle, describes an alleged healing said to have occurred through her intercession in Denver.

"The very fact that the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints is dealing with the extraordinary healing through the intercession of Blessed Zdenka Schelingová is a gift from God and a great encouragement," Zvolenský told EWTN News.

The date for the meeting of the commission of cardinals that will discuss the document and the reported miracle is not yet known but may come within a few months. The final decision on canonization rests with the pope.

The cause is an opportunity to enter "spiritual communion with those whom the Church presents to us as saints and blessed, so that we can also turn to them with a request for their intercession," the archbishop said.

Zvolenský encouraged the faithful to "admire God's goodness as he always gives us extraordinary signs of his love."

A martyr under communism

Born Cecília Schelingová on Christmas Eve 110 years ago in the village of Krivá, in modern-day Slovakia, the future sister joined the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross and worked as a nurse and later in a hospital laboratory. She helped a Catholic priest escape from a hospital and attempted to do so again; the second time it was a trap, and she was arrested. She was tortured, accused of treason by the recently established communist regime, and imprisoned in various jails across then-Czechoslovakia.

Sister Zdenka was released in April 1955 and died on July 31, 1955, from the effects of torture and her ruined health. She was exonerated of all charges against her in 1970 and was beatified in 2003 by Pope John Paul II.

Respect and admiration for Sister Zdenka "is growing," as "we have seen this now during various events on her liturgical feast," which falls on July 30, said Sister Mária Terézia Dobrovicová, provincial superior of the Slovak province of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross. The congregation was founded 170 years ago in Switzerland, and soon afterward the sisters were invited to what is now Slovakia, she explained.

Bishop Tomáš Galis of the Diocese of Žilina celebrated Mass on the feast day, quoting Sister Zdenka: "Forgiveness is the greatest thing in life." The Confederation of Political Prisoners of Slovakia also organized a conference on the religious sisters who lived in secret under the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.

Pilgrims are visiting sites associated with her, including her native village of Krivá; Podunajské Biskupice, where her remains rest; and Trnava, the seat of the congregation in Slovakia.

Sister Mária Terézia said the sisters "receive various requests from people to pray for the intercession" of Sister Zdenka, "but we also have various testimonies about how prayers for her intercession have been heard." This is encouraging, "and we are happy about it," she stressed.

The official website dedicated to Sister Zdenka's memory, zdenka.sk, shares several testimonies from people whose prayers were answered after they prayed to her. It does not, however, include the case contained in the "positio super miro."

The Denver healing

A man in Denver was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and sent home. His wife knew someone who was a distant relative of Sister Zdenka and, together with her colleagues, reportedly began to pray for him.

The man had his tubes removed and was ready to die, yet his appetite returned and he regained his strength. He later suffered an embolism and died, according to one Slovak daily, which, however, did not cite a source. An autopsy confirmed that he had been cured of cancer, with no trace of the disease, and died three years after his recovery, though from a different diagnosis.

EWTN News contacted Bogucki for details about the case and the alleged healing. Instead, the priest — who is of Polish origin, lived in Slovakia for many years, and served as a confessor at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome — asked for prayers for the final phase before Sister Zdenka's possible canonization.

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Between ministering to their communities and traveling down the southern interstate from Macon, Georgia, to Birmingham, Alabama, the Dominican friars of The Hillbilly Thomists are balancing full-time religious life with the whirlwind of a regional tour.

The music group's latest project, "Strange Land," was released as a surprise drop just a couple of days into their summer tour, offering listeners a blend of deep theological reflection and traditional Americana music.

The surprise drop decision was driven largely by their demanding schedules. After writing and recording the tracks a year prior, the postproduction process had to fit around their primary duties as "hounds of the Lord."

"The postproduction process just takes a while because we are all full-time preachers and teachers and chaplains and pastors," said Dominican Father Justin Bolger, who spoke with the National Catholic Register, the sister news partner of EWTN News, along with his band brothers while on the road.

"After this kind of two-week stint that we do in the summer, the music takes a backseat to that ... So it kind of came out when it came out."

Musically, "Strange Land" ranges from spiritual anthems like "In-A-My Soul" and "Gloria" to playfully titled tracks like "Garrigou" and "Good Old Elvis."

Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White, one of the founding members of the band who also serves as rector at the Angelicum in Rome, noted that the variety reflects the band's distinct personalities while remaining grounded in shared themes.

"There are some themes that show up, like pilgrimage and hope and struggle, that are in all the songs," he explained. "It's very consistent with what we've done on other albums, and it just comes out organically or naturally from our songwriting."

The record marks a step forward in technical execution for the ensemble.

White described the album as representing a "slightly higher echelon of musical sophistication," aided by tighter harmonies and complex arrangements. Unlike previous albums where the friars handled all engineering themselves in retreat houses, they hired a professional recording engineer for "Strange Land."

"It frees up more of the band to just focus on the music and to collaborate and just have that be the focus," Bolger added.

That spirit of collaboration is rooted deeply in their shared Dominican vocation. "We've known each other for years, and we're all united in the Dominican order, so it just makes for a real atmosphere of ease," said Dominican Father Jonah Teller, describing the mutual trust involved when bringing personal songs to the group.

As the band's popularity grows, so does a devoted grassroots fan base. White observed a natural overlap between people interested in Catholic intellectual life — such as participants in the Thomistic Institute — and fans of their bluegrass music.

That enthusiasm has even spilled over into unofficial merchandise crafted by fans. At recent shows, custom fan art has begun to emerge, including T-shirts designed by a college student featuring torch-bearing dogs alongside the caption "I'm a dog for my Lord," as well as custom "Good Tree" hats.

"You do see some kind of fan art emerge at these shows, which is charming," Bolger noted.

White deadpanned that the order was engaged in a "very serious lawsuit" to confiscate the student's assets and protect its intellectual property, prompting laughter from the rest of the band.

The group's reach has extended all the way to the Vatican.

Recalling a past meeting with Pope Leo XIV, White shared that while most gifts were set aside, the pontiff asked to keep The Hillbilly Thomists' CDs close by.

"So I don't know if he listens to them, but I do know he made the point of keeping them," White joked, adding: "It's unclear at this point in time whether any of our lyrics will be quoted in forthcoming encyclicals, but there's some speculation."

When asked about playing traditional American folk and bluegrass music, especially as the nation celebrates 250 years of independence, singer and mandolin player Dominican Father Austin Litke pointed out the unique place the band occupies within the genre.

"The Christian part of American culture has not always been predominantly Catholic," Litke noted.

"To be able to take up that form of music and infuse it with Catholic doctrine, Catholic culture, and certainly Thomistic culture ... we hope is part of the genius of the creativity that's come out of our fraternal work."

The 11-show tour concludes on Saturday, Aug. 8, fittingly on the feast of St. Dominic, with a performance alongside the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia at the Dominican Campus in Nashville, Tennessee.

As for how fans can support the new release, Bolger kept his message simple: "Let all the old people and the young people know that they can find it on Spotify."

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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Chiclayo, Peru, Bishop Edinson Farfán Córdova announced that in the coming months his diocese will begin the cause for the beatification and canonization of Monsignor Juan Tomis Stack.

Tomis, an American missionary priest who was born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, dedicated more than two decades of his life to northern Peru and has been cited by Pope Leo XIV on various occasions as a major inspiration for his own missionary vocation.

The announcement was made on Aug. 4 during Farfán's homily for the feast of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests. At the Mass, Farfán highlighted the witness of the man who founded Chiclayo's St. John Vianney Parish and asked the faithful to entrust the upcoming process to God.

"Everyone in our diocesan Church of Chiclayo knew Father Juan Tomis. I want to ask that we learn from him. If all goes well and the Lord accompanies and blesses us, the process for his beatification and canonization will begin before long," the prelate stated.

The bishop also highlighted that Tomis left his home country to dedicate his life to the most needy in Peru.

"How beautiful that he was born in those lands. He came from the United States to serve these communities in Santa Cruz — in the highlands — and later in our beloved Chiclayo, which holds him so dear. I pray, through the intercession of St. John Vianney, that we may begin this process with joy, gratitude, and hope," Farfán added.

The news comes just days after the presentation of the Spanish edition of the book "Bridgeport to Peru," originally written in English in 1989 by Monsignor Stephen M. DiGiovanni under the title "Bridgeport's Peru."

During the book's presentation, organized by the Friends of Father Juan Tomis group, journalist and researcher Larcery Díaz explained that the translation "was born as a tribute of gratitude to mark the centennial of the birth of the man who was the guide and spiritual father to all the inhabitants of this area: Monsignor Juan Tomis Stack," he stated.

Díaz recalled that it all began in 1963, when Bridgeport Bishop Walter Curtis, inspired by the Second Vatican Council, decided to send missionary priests to Latin America.

"The book tells us a story that began with a courageous 'yes,'" Díaz noted. Among those first volunteers was "a young, enthusiastic priest of Slovak descent, filled with faith: Father Juan Tomis."

The researcher recounted that the priest's early years were marked by enormous challenges in the province of Santa Cruz, Cajamarca.

The missionaries encountered a population lacking electricity and potable water, nearly impassable roads, high rates of childhood malnutrition, and strong resistance to any pastoral or social change.

In the face of these challenges, Tomis spearheaded road construction, fostered priestly vocations, helped build a clinic to care for the poorest, and worked to recover Church property that had been illegally occupied.

"Upon arriving during a cold winter, the missionaries faced a reality very different from what they had envisioned. Yet, it was their perseverance that allowed the seed of the Gospel to bear fruit on Peruvian soil," Díaz noted.

In 1967, the mission relocated to Chiclayo, where Tomis founded St. John Vianney Parish, a community that, as Díaz recalled, he never wanted to turn into merely an institution.

"He did not want just an institution, but a 'parish family.' His tools were active charity and human kindness," he explained.

From there, he spearheaded initiatives that remain etched in the memories of thousands of Chiclayo residents: the Useful Vacations program for children, the establishment of Scout troops, medical clinics, libraries, religious song festivals, and fondly remembered televised Masses.

"Father Juan's work transformed Chiclayo. That is undeniable," the journalist affirmed.

His dedication was also recognized by the Holy See: In 1979, Pope John Paul II bestowed upon him the title of monsignor.

Tomis passed away on June 29, 1986. His funeral drew a crowd of some 20,000 people who accompanied the procession through the streets of Chiclayo, one of the largest outpourings of affection the city has ever seen.

"The outpouring of people from the entire community was spontaneous," Díaz recalled, reading from an article he wrote 10 years after the priest's death.

"I can still see the thousands upon thousands of white handkerchiefs fluttering in the wind, bidding him a final farewell, Díaz recalled. "He was a priest who came to fulfill his duty, always bringing a delicate touch of tenderness, a warm spirit of love for his neighbor, and an unwavering devotion to the needy and the downtrodden," he continued.

The journalist noted that Tomis "sowed love because he loved love, the hallmark of Christianity" and affirmed that his legacy lives on through the pastoral, social, and educational initiatives he spearheaded in Chiclayo.

At the conclusion of the book's presentation, Díaz summarized the priest's impact in a sentence that takes on special significance today, following the announcement of his future cause for beatification.

"Today, as we open these pages, we do not merely read a historical chronicle; we reconnect with the friend, the teacher, and the guide. This book stands as a testament to how the love of God, when translated into service, can change the history of a community."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Aug. 8 marks the feast day of St. Dominic, the 13th-century priest known for founding the Order of Preachers, commonly called the Dominicans, and for spreading devotion to the rosary.

Surprisingly, though, the Dominicans don't usually do much to celebrate the saint's Aug. 8 feast day.

While the August feast "is for us certainly always a feast," Dominican Father Angelo Giuseppe Urru told EWTN News in 2018, it's not the primary one.

Instead, the order celebrates "more solemnly" May 24, which is the solemnity of the Translation of St. Dominic.

This unusual feast day commemorates the day St. Dominic's remains were moved, or "translated," from their original burial spot behind an altar of the church of San Nicolo della Vigne in Bologna, Italy, to a more prominent place in the church in 1233.

For many Dominican provinces, this day is the big celebration, Urru said.

The move of St. Dominic's body was carried out at the request of Pope Gregory IX about one year before the saint's canonization on July 13, 1234, only 13 years after his death.

As recorded in a letter by Blessed Jordan of Saxony, one of the first leaders of the Dominicans, the brothers were very anxious before the move of the body, because they were worried that when the wooden coffin was un-interred from the stone sepulcher, the body would give off a foul odor, since it had been buried in a poorly constructed tomb, exposed to water and heat.

But they received a great surprise, because when the tomb was opened, a wonderful and sweet perfume emanated from the coffin instead.

"Its sweetness astonished those present, and they were filled with wonder at this strange occurrence. Everyone shed tears of joy, and fear and hope rose in all hearts," Blessed Jordan wrote.

He reported that the odor remained and if anyone touched a hand or some object to the body, the odor immediately attached itself and lingered for a long time.

"The body was carried to the marble sepulcher where it would rest — it and the perfume that it poured forth. This marvelous aroma which the holy body emitted was evidence to all how much the saint had truly been the good odor of Christ," he wrote.

By 1240, the church containing St. Dominic's remains had been expanded into a basilica and renamed for the saint.

Now, every year Dominican friars, sisters, and laity all over the world celebrate St. Dominic on May 24.

Mass is celebrated at the Basilica of Santa Sabina, the mother church of the Dominicans in Rome, for this feast.

The tradition is for a priest of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly called the Franciscans, to say the Mass and preach. After Mass, the procession of friars stops at the first side chapel, where the Blessed Sacrament is kept, to sing the "O Lumen," the Dominican antiphon to St. Dominic.

Besides the tomb with the saint's body, which is in the basilica in Bologna, there are few relics of St. Dominic in existence.

One relic, a piece of his skull, can be found in Rome. It is at the church of Santa Maria del Rosario, part of a Dominican monastery located on Monte Mario, the tallest hill of Rome.

Urru said he was not sure how it came to be kept in the monastery but that it originated when some students in Bologna stole it to have in their chapel.

"There is also the breviary of St. Dominic, a small breviary," he said.

In 2016, the Dominicans celebrated the 800th anniversary of their founding with a jubilee year, culminating in an International Congress for the Mission of the Order, which took place Jan. 17–21 in Rome.

Urru voiced gratitude for the blessing of vocations, which allow the order's work to continue.

Thankfully, though there are some provinces that are very small, many are growing and are very strong, he noted, such as those in Vietnam and Africa. The United States as well has seen a good number of new vocations, he said.

Around the world, "there are many initiatives of the order," and they are working hard still, just as they have the last 800 years.

Ultimately, though, he said, the future of the order is "in the hands of God."

This story was first published on Aug. 8, 2017, and has been updated.

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The Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference raised concern over rising antisemitism in its second 2026 Social Justice Statement, "Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division," released Aug. 7.

"In Australia, the strain on social cohesion has been made painfully visible by a disturbing rise in antisemitism," the statement said, citing the Bondi Beach shooting attack and other forms of targeting that have "left many to feel unsafe in places that should be secure, such as schools, synagogues, streets, and public events."

"Such hatred is an affront to God," the bishops said, calling on Catholics to live the Gospel by remaining close to Christ through prayer and the sacraments, encountering other cultures with openness, and "exercising restraint in what we say — especially online — rejecting gossip, slander, dehumanizing labels, and sharing unverified claims." 

Canadian military bishop says prayer restrictions came after insufficient consultation

Bishop Scott McCaig of the Roman Catholic Military Ordinariate of Canada said members of the Interfaith Committee on Canadian Military Chaplaincy were not included in the drafting of new policies that restrict prayer at official ceremonies.

McCaig said the Department of National Defence drafted the policy without consulting members and that they were asked to assist only with "word-crafting" and "final touches," according to a report from the Catholic Register on Aug. 6.

"There are a number of us who are very concerned about the lack of consultation," the bishop said. Under the new policy, faith leaders are not allowed to include faith-specific language in spiritual reflections at public events, the report said.

Syrian authorities release Kurdish evangelical pastor

Syrian authorities have released the Rev. Nihad Hassan, pastor of the Kurdish Evangelical Church in Beirut, following two weeks in detention.

His attorney said Hassan's vehicle and personal belongings were also returned, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported.

The pastor had traveled through official crossings to his hometown in the Afrin region before security personnel detained him the following day. A criminal investigation reportedly accused him of publishing online material offensive to a religion or its sacred rites and of provoking sectarian tensions. The Kurdish Lawyers Union welcomed his release while calling for the protection of civil liberties, due process, and the rule of law.

Franciscan youth in Egypt make a 'Passage to Life'

Egypt's 33rd Franciscan youth journey marked the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi's death with 10 days of retreat, prayer, and service held July 25 through Aug. 3.

For the first time, participants began their spiritual exercises in the Siwa Oasis, where silence and reflection offered space to consider their vocations and relationship with God, ACI MENA reported Aug. 6. Returning to Cairo, they visited Melkite, Maronite, and Chaldean Catholic churches; learned about the Dominican mission of Christian-Muslim dialogue; and served in shelters, elder-care homes, and medical institutions.

Father Mokhles Masri, who leads the initiative, said the theme "Passage to Life" presented St. Francis' death as an entry into eternal life, while the accompanying motto, "Enlighten the darkness of my heart," invited participants to encounter God's light amid struggles with faith, hope, and love.

Swiss defense minister apologizes for draft law change affecting clergy

Swiss Defense Minister Martin Pfister has issued an apology for removing exemptions from military service for clergy members without consulting church leaders.

Pfister said in a July 21 letter that the Federal Council's decision to end exemptions for clergy was "an oversight" and that church leaders should "unquestionably" have been consulted prior to the change going into effect on June 1.

"We ask your forgiveness," he wrote. The Federal Council had defended the reform by arguing that the exemption had become obsolete. It said the provision was originally intended to ensure civilians would continue receiving spiritual care during wars and national emergencies.

In its reasoning, the government stated that "the increasing secularization of society means that fewer and fewer people feel connected to the Church's offerings," concluding that pastoral ministry can no longer be regarded as "an activity essential to maintaining social life."

Saidnaya churches in Syria cancel feast celebrations

Christian parish committees in Saidnaya, Syria, have canceled public celebrations for several upcoming feasts in protest of the continued detention of local residents, ACI MENA reported.

Representatives of the Melkite Greek Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox communities said churches would hold prayers indoors but suspend festivities for the Transfiguration, Our Lady, the Cross, and Hagia Sophia until detainees are released, abducted residents return, and security concerns are addressed. Their joint statement also cited prolonged scrutiny of Saidnaya residents at the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing, online threats, and a rise in thefts and kidnappings.

The decision follows the cancellation of the Christian village of Marmarita's annual carnival for a second consecutive year amid concerns about public safety.

Indonesian Catholics mourn last foreign missionary priest

Catholics on the eastern Indonesian island of Lembata bid farewell to their last foreign missionary priest, Father Nicholas Strawn, an American, who died on Aug. 4, according to UCA News. 

"We remember him as a priest who was very close to the people, willing to visit remote areas and greet us warmly, while reminding us to study well," Anselmus Deri, a Catholic and journalist from Lembata, said in the report.

Strawn, 92, had served parishes in the Diocese of Larantuka since 1963, helping to foster vocations to the priesthood and religious life, according to the report, which noted the diocese has about 50 priests and dozens of nuns.

Historical society to record interiors of more than 3,000 Irish churches

The Catholic Historical Society of Ireland is launching an initiative to digitally record the interiors of Catholic churches across Ireland.

The project will be carried out by Maynooth University and the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs, according to a report from the Catholic Herald on Aug. 4. The team of researchers will compile an online database of photos and other historical records that will be freely accessible for research purposes, the report said.

British historian to walk 'In the Footsteps of the Martyrs' for charity

The walk "In the Footsteps of the Martyrs" will take place in London on Sept. 13 in support of Aid to the Church in Need, the charitable organization announced on Aug. 6.

Historian and journalist Joanna Bogle will lead the walk along the Thames River retracing the path of Catholic martyrs in the Reformation era in solidarity with those suffering persecution today.

"Our Catholic story is richer than just the Catholic martyrs of the Reformation era, but we're focusing on that to link with the millions of people globally who are being persecuted today," Bogle said. "On the way we will pray and unite ourselves with people who suffered in the past and we are praying for people who are suffering for their faith today."

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The Atlantic City, New Jersey, Rescue Mission's leader said the nation must confront mental-health drivers of homelessness after a Vatican call for action.

"What we've come to understand is that mental illness has really come to the forefront as a very big factor in those who are experiencing homelessness," , told "EWTN News Nightly" on Aug. 7.

"Over the years it's been addiction, both alcohol and narcotic kind, and then just traumatic family events, death of a loved one, things like that," he said. "But the largest number in recent years is really dealing with mental health."

The Atlantic City Rescue Mission is one of the nation's oldest homeless outreach centers, providing shelter, meals, addiction recovery, job training, mental health services, and long-term support for individuals experiencing homelessness.

"We're the largest shelter in southern new Jersey," Brown said. "An interesting note, during COVID, we were the only shelter that actually remained open during the whole time of COVID. So we really have seen it all."

The Vatican released a message July 30 urging the United Nations to include the homeless in efforts to create sustainable cities, stating that the "persistence of homelessness should trouble the conscience of the international community."

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)'s annual Point-In-Time (PIT) report, 745,652 people were homeless in the U.S. in 2025, including 266,320 people living on the street on a single night in January 2025. While the total number of homeless people in the U.S. has increased by 27% since 2013, the number decreased by 3% from 2024 to 2025.

Ultimately, when addressing the underlying causes of homelessness, Brown emphasized the need to provide hope to those who arrive at the mission.

"When someone steps through the doorway into the mission, it's their worst day," he said. "Our job is to serve them as we've been called to be servants to the poor and servants to the homeless, which is to really provide them with hope."

"If we just feed and house and don't share the Gospel, we've really done an injustice to that individual. So that's paramount," Brown said.

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U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as attorney general, Todd Blanche, said he would protect pro-life states from outside actors that seek to undermine their policies if he is confirmed for the role.

Blanche, who is currently the acting attorney general nominated to replace former Attorney General Pam Bondi, made the commitment during a July 30 phone call with pro-life leaders, which was leaked online.

The nominee specifically said he intends to protect pro-life states from outside organizations that mail chemical abortion drugs into pro-life states where the drugs are illegal. Some states, such as New York and California, have enacted policies or laws to prevent prosecutions of abortionists who engage in that practice.

"If states have said we are … going to protect the unborn and we're going to protect every life from the moment of conception, we're putting practices and policies in place so that other states and other organizations can't attack that and they can't do things like they're doing with mailing in mail-order drugs and things like that," Blanche said on the call.

"It's a process that takes a lot of time, and that's why it's been 19 months and we don't have complete victory yet, but we will have victory and victory will be soon and it will be permanent and that's the important thing [for] everybody [to] remember," he said.

Blanche said this will be part of the administration's efforts "to get permanent solutions so that the Dobbs decision becomes permanent in every single state." The Dobbs decision reversed Roe v. Wade and allowed states to restrict abortion.

He said he is also working with agencies and the White House to reverse "the pro-abortion work" of former President Joe Biden's administration.

To be elevated to the position officially, Blanche needs to be confirmed by a simple majority in the Senate.

Kansas voters reject referendum

Voters in Kansas overwhelmingly rejected a referendum that had support from pro-life leaders in the state, with 61.4% opposed and only 38.6% in support of it.

The referendum itself was not about abortion. Rather, it would have made the state's Supreme Court justices democratically elected. In 2019, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution guarantees a right to abortion, and pro-life advocates saw the proposed change as an opportunity to combat that interpretation.

Kansans for Life Executive Director Peter Northcott told "EWTN Pro-Life Weekly" on July 30 that the Kansas Supreme Court "is one of the reasons why abortions have tripled over the last five years" and the amendment would have allowed "the opportunity to have a fair day in court."

3 Planned Parenthood locations in Michigan shut down

Planned Parenthood of Michigan announced it will close three locations, citing a loss in federal funding as the cause. The locations closing are in Lansing, Livonia, and Warren.

"We have to reshape how we deliver care so Planned Parenthood of Michigan can continue serving patients for generations to come," Paula Thornton Greear, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Michigan, said in a statement.

"That means concentrating our resources at regional access points and procedural sites and continuing to expand virtual care across Michigan," she said.

Chemical abortions in Missouri

A Planned Parenthood affiliate in Springfield, Missouri, has begun to offer chemical abortions at its location.

Sam Lee, the executive director of Campaign Life Missouri and a Catholic deacon, called the development "very distressing news" in a statement.

"Because of the passage of the amendment in 2024 and the ruling by Judge [Jerri] Zhang last month, it's clear that Planned Parenthood is greatly expanding their abortion activity, and it wouldn't surprise me if they start doing abortions at even more clinics in Missouri," he said.

Lee said this news shows that it is "essential" that the people of Missouri pass Amendment 3, which would repeal the 2024 referendum that established a state-level constitutional right to abortion.

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Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York celebrated his first public Mass since undergoing eye surgery in July.

Hicks returned to St. Patrick's Cathedral to serve as the principal celebrant at the profession of vows of the Sisters of Life on Aug. 6, the feast of the Transfiguration. The day also marked the six-month anniversary of his installation as archbishop of New York.

After only being able to celebrate Mass privately following surgery, "it was a great joy to be back at the main altar and to share that beautiful occasion with the Sisters of Life, their families, and friends," Hicks wrote in a statement.

After returning from a pilgrimage to Rome in the beginning of July, Hicks was diagnosed with a detached retina in his left eye. He underwent surgery involving "a vitrectomy, two sutures to reattach the retina, and the insertion of a gas bubble," to aid the healing process.

The surgery was successful, but the archbishop has been in a quiet recovery period since, he said.

"Thanks be to God, my eye and vision continue to heal from the surgery. I am deeply grateful for the excellent medical care I have received," Hicks said. "Following doctors' orders, I have been taking things slowly during my recovery. As many of you know, that is not always easy for me."

While the gas bubble is in his eye, Hicks shared he is unable to travel by airplane but will "gradually and carefully" add public Masses and other responsibilities to his schedule.

"I look forward to being with you more frequently in the weeks ahead," he said.

"This period of recovery has also been a gift. It has provided more time than usual to sit quietly before the Lord in prayer. In the stillness, I have been reminded once again how much we all depend on God's grace each day," he wrote.

"During these weeks, I have also been praying for you and your intentions, and will continue to do so," he said. "Please, also, continue to pray for me. Your prayers are the greatest gift you can offer me at this time, and I am deeply grateful for each one."

"May the Lord Jesus, who healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, and brought hope to those in need, bless you with light, peace, and love," he concluded.

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The historic settlement agreement between Texas Children's Hospital, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and the state of Texas has been fully executed, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said this week.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, first announced by Paxton's office in May, Texas Children's, the largest children's hospital in the United States, said it would no longer provide "gender-transition" interventions, including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, to minors, per Texas law.

"This historic settlement is a resounding defeat for the radical gender ideology that has preyed on Texas children under the guise of 'care,'" Paxton said in a press release Aug. 5.

Per the executed agreement, Texas Children's "will pay a total of $10 million to resolve these claims," with $8,576,000 going to the state of Texas. It will also fund, for five years, a detransition clinic offering free restorative medical care to patients who previously underwent such procedures. The clinic must open by the end of October.

"Texas Children's has agreed to pay millions back to Texas," Paxton said. "The detransition clinic, which is the first of its kind, must open within months. Activist doctors who harmed children have been fired."

The agreement also required the permanent termination and revocation of privileges for five physicians who performed these interventions.

The hospital is permanently barred from rehiring or credentialing the doctors and must implement new compliance measures, including bylaw changes that will automatically revoke privileges for any physician who violates Texas law prohibiting such procedures on children.

"This settlement sends an unmistakable message," Paxton said. "If you put radical ideology over children's health, my office will go after you. We will continue to lead the way in stopping the far-left's radical gender agenda."

The settlement agreement resolves a yearslong investigation of the hospital by the DOJ and the state of Texas that began after whistleblower allegations surfaced claiming the hospital had continued performing sex-change procedures on minors in secret even after state lawmakers made such procedures illegal.

The Justice Department said in May that the Houston-based hospital had agreed to pay millions in civil penalties and damages for allegedly falsely billing Medicaid and other insurers for "pediatric sex-rejecting procedures."

The federal government had alleged that the hospital violated the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the False Claims Act, and federal fraud and conspiracy laws.

Following the publication of a directive by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that transgender procedures on minors that could be considered "child abuse" under existing state law, Texas Children's announced in 2022 that it would cease "sex-change" therapies and procedures, citing concerns that these practices were potentially illegal.

In 2023 Texas passed a law that explicitly banned puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and gender-transition surgeries for minors under 18.

Nevertheless, at least three doctors associated with Texas Children's — Richard Roberts, David Paul, and Kristy Rialon — continued to perform "sex-rejecting" procedures on children throughout 2022 and 2023, according to whistleblower evidence published by Christopher Rufo, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

Rufo claimed that Rialon had been performing surgeries on minors ranging in age from 15 to as young as 1.

Calling the settlement "historic," Paxton said in May that it "will ensure that the deranged child mutilators who hurt our kids are fired and held accountable."

According to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the DOJ "will use every weapon at its disposal to end the destructive and discredited practice of so-called 'gender-affirming care' for children."

The Department of Justice noted that Texas Children's cooperated with the investigation and took proactive steps that contributed to the resolution. The claims resolved in the settlement remain allegations, with no determination of liability.

"I am grateful that Texas Children's wants to be part of the solution and no longer the problem," said Brett Shumate, assistant attorney general for the Civil Division.

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