Catholic News

A long-running dispute between the Greek Orthodox Church and the Egyptian government over St. Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula and its surrounding lands appears to be nearing resolution after more than a year of negotiations.

The development follows an agreement by Archbishop Symeon Papadopoulos, the monastery's abbot, to sign a contract regulating its legal status. The proposed settlement is expected to be signed in December and to "ensure the continuation of monastic life at the monastery under Egyptian sovereignty" and bring ongoing legal proceedings to an end.

However, some provisions remain unclear, and opposition persists within certain Church circles.

Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty had received a letter from Papadopoulos confirming his willingness to sign the agreement concerning the monastery and its surrounding lands.

Abdelatty welcomed the move, reaffirming Egypt's commitment to preserving the monastery and its religious significance as a historic landmark embodying the values of tolerance and coexistence among religions and civilizations.

Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Nader Shukry, a researcher specializing in citizenship issues and Coptic affairs, said an agreement was close to being finalized following lengthy negotiations.

According to Shukry, the proposed settlement has been welcomed by Greece and the three Greek Orthodox patriarchates of Jerusalem, under whose jurisdiction the monastery falls, Constantinople (the Ecumenical Patriarchate), and Alexandria.

Shukry explained that the agreement's full provisions have not yet been officially disclosed. However, information circulating about the negotiations suggests that the settlement will address the status of 72 plots of land surrounding the monastery, some of which have been cultivated by its monks.

In 2015, the South Sinai Governorate filed a lawsuit concerning the properties. In May 2025, an appeals court ruled that the monastery had no legal entitlement to the disputed lands, imposed a fine of 10 million Egyptian pounds, and ordered the monks to vacate the properties.

According to the reported terms of the proposed agreement, the monks would be allowed to continue using the lands they cultivate under a lease arrangement involving a nominal rent. However, the fate of all 72 plots remains uncertain, including whether the monks will be required to vacate some of them.

Shukry also noted that a hearing before Egypt's Court of Cassation, originally scheduled for October, has been postponed until Dec. 27 to allow sufficient time for the agreement to be signed before the court issues its ruling.

He attributed the delay in finalizing the agreement to Papadopoulos' health condition, noting that the archbishop is currently in Greece.

The settlement is also expected to address the residency status of the monastery's monks, all of whom are foreign nationals, by facilitating the renewal of their residence permits.

Following the agreement, a presidential decree is also expected to formally recognize Papadopoulos as head of the monastery, enabling him to conduct banking transactions and complete official administrative procedures.

Shukry pointed to the precedent of Papadopoulos' predecessor, Archbishop Damianos, whose position was formally recognized by a similar decree issued by the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. Damianos was also granted Egyptian citizenship.

Shukry believes the settlement will bring greater stability to the monastery while allowing the Egyptian government to proceed with its Great Transfiguration project, an initiative aimed at transforming the St. Catherine area into an international religious tourism destination.

He emphasized that the development project does not affect the monastery itself, rejecting reports suggesting that Egyptian authorities intend to expel the monks or take control of the historic religious site.

Shukry said he expects the agreement to be signed before the Dec. 27 court hearing.

Nevertheless, opposition remains among some monks and clergy, including former abbot Damianos, who reject any agreement recognizing Egyptian state ownership of the monastery and its surrounding lands.

Those opposing the proposed settlement maintain that historical documents preserved at the monastery establish the Church's ownership rights over the property.

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

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MAKURDI, Nigeria — Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe of Nigeria's Diocese of Makurdi has faulted the government over persistent attacks in Benue state and other parts of the country, saying authorities have the capacity to end the violence but lack the political will.

In a Nov. 3 interview with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, Anagbe alleged that repeated warnings before the deadly attack on the Yelwata community went unheeded.

"If the government wants this problem to stop, it can stop. Nigeria is capable of handling this issue, but they are not willing to do so. It is not that they lack the capacity; they lack the willingness," he said.

The bishop spoke while attending a national workshop for lay leaders of various Church groups organized by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN).

Referring to the attack on the Yelwata community, he said warnings were issued about a month and three weeks before the violence, and again 24 hours before the attack.

According to Anagbe, local vigilantes responsible for alerting the people issued the warnings, but no preventive action followed.

He said the attack lasted about four hours, which he believed provided sufficient time for security personnel to intervene.

"But no help came," he lamented.

The Nigerian member of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CMF/Claretian Missionaries) maintained that local vigilante groups could contribute to addressing the violence if the government demonstrated sufficient commitment.

"If the government wants, even the vigilantes in the villages can handle this issue. I am not even talking about the police," he said.

The bishop also expressed concern about the government's approach to former insurgents described as repentant fighters, warning of the possibility of such individuals infiltrating security structures.

Remembering the victims of Yelwata

Anagbe assured families affected by the violence that the Church had not forgotten their suffering.

He said the victims were initially denied a proper burial. The Church later gave them a Christian burial and inscribed their individual names on a memorial in Yelwata.

"The message is simple: The people must know that the Church has not forgotten them. We remember what they went through, how they died, and the fact that they did not have a proper burial," he said.

The bishop, who began his episcopal ministry in October 2014 as coadjutor bishop of Makurdi Diocese, said the memorial would preserve the victims' identities for future generations.

"By putting their names on the memorial, we ensure that their memory is preserved for generations. These are not fictitious names; each victim's name is recorded there," he said.

Catholic faith in public service

Anagbe, who chairs the Episcopal Commission for Laity at the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), also urged lay Catholics to translate their faith into action through political leadership, education, economic development, and the promotion of justice.

Describing the laity as the backbone of the Church, he said they have many apostolates in which they must participate fully. Their presence in different professions and institutions, he added, gives them significant opportunities to influence society.

"They are the salt of the earth and the light of the world," he said.

"Let them truly be the salt that enlivens, refreshes, and gives taste and meaning to life and society. When you eat food without salt, it becomes tasteless. And without light, you can easily stumble and fall," he added.

Anagbe said baptism and confirmation call lay Catholics to bear witness to Christ beyond their participation in Church activities. He identified politics, socioeconomic development, sports, and education as areas in which they should demonstrate their commitment to the Gospel.

Their professional roles and positions of authority, he said, give them greater opportunities than clergy to influence these sectors.

The bishop expressed concern that some Catholic politicians fail to reflect Christian values in public office, stressing that religious affiliation alone does not guarantee authentic Christian witness.

"We do not simply need politicians who identify as Catholics. Some may belong to the Church, but their actions show that they are not living the faith in their public responsibilities," he said.

He urged Catholic politicians to demonstrate consistency between their religious identity and the way they exercise public responsibility.

"You must be a genuine Catholic and a politician at the same time. It is not enough to attend Mass and worship God during election campaigns while failing to live the Christian life in your daily responsibilities," he said.

"Being a Catholic must be evident in both words and deeds. That is what it means to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world."

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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A newly-published book shares the stories of a veteran flight attendant who has traveled with popes St. John Paul II to Leo XIV.

The book "Stories in Flight: 80 Years of Air Transport in Italy" recounts stories of flying with the popes from the perspective of veteran ITA Airways flight attendant Rino Anastasio. Anastasio, 67, has served as a flight attendant coordinator for special flights — including those of the pope — for over 45 years.

Co-authored in Italian with Filippo Anastasi, the Amalfi Coast native shares personal anecdotes about caring for the popes on board, ranging from worries about insufficient fuel to an unexpected birthday surprise.

History of papal flights

The Vatican does not own airplanes or helicopters for the pope to use. Instead, it charters commercial airliners, using ITA Airways (Italy's national carrier) for flights departing from Rome and local carriers for the pope's return flights from abroad.

St. Paul VI was the first pope to travel by airplane when he visited Jordan and Israel in January 1964. He was also the first pope to leave the Italian peninsula since Pope Pius VII was captured and taken to France by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1809.

Since Paul VI, papal travel has remained an important means of outreach for the popes. St. John Paul II completed 109 apostolic journeys outside Italy, visiting 129 countries worldwide during his 26-year pontificate.

Pope Benedict XVI completed 24 apostolic journeys, while Pope Francis completed 47.

Pope Leo XIV has also made travel a feature of his ministry, including visits to Africa, Turkey, Lebanon, Spain, and France, before traveling to South America from Nov. 6–17.

Jet escorts, fuel concerns, and a festive birthday flight

Speaking with Vatican News' Andrea Tornielli, Anastasio recounted his experiences with the popes, beginning with John Paul II.

"With John Paul II there was a very strict protocol," Anastasio said. "I remember one time there were two fighter jets escorting us towards Kazakhstan right after Sept. 11, 2001."

"John Paul II called me and asked: 'But what are those?' I replied: 'Holy Father, those are our guardian angels escorting us.'"

On a trip to France with Benedict XVI in 2008, Anastasio recalled that the pontiff was reading a newspaper with a headline about ITA Airways' (Alitalia at the time) bankruptcy troubles that year.

"In the newspaper, it was written in huge letters that Alitalia doesn't even have the money to pay for fuel. Pope Benedict, with his little glasses, looked up from the newspaper and said to me: 'But you did put fuel in the plane, right?'"

It was Anastasio's birthday when he accompanied Pope Francis to Marseille, France. He recounted how Francis surprised him on the return flight to Rome.

"It was my birthday. In the morning, the pope asked the gendarmes to buy six giant cakes and 12 bottles of champagne to celebrate my birthday, but I wasn't supposed to know anything," Anastasio said.

"When the curtain opened, and these cakes arrived, I was truly moved there. Perhaps it was one of the most beautiful joys of my life."

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Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, expressed his hope this week that the results of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections will foster future collaboration.

The diplomat spoke on Nov. 5 on the sidelines of the conference "The Universal Face of the Church in China," held at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. The elections saw major victories for the Democratic Party, which regained majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Parolin, responding to a question about whether democracy had won in these U.S. elections, said that he hoped for collaboration for the good of the country.

"It is difficult to make such categorical statements as 'democracy has won,'" Parolin said. "Let's hope there is a capacity to collaborate."

"We will try to find ways of working together for the good of the country. This is important, and this is what we hope for."

Parolin also said he expected the Democratic Party's recent victories to bring changes to the U.S.

"This will surely bring changes; it's logical. Now we will see how they manage it. But let's hope that reason and common sense prevail," Parolin remarked.

He also noted the unprecedented nature of Pope Leo XIV voting in the U.S. election, the first of any pontiff in history.

"It never happened with Italian popes, nor with Polish popes, nor with German popes, but in the end at least he was a citizen. I believe he remains a U.S. citizen and therefore has every right to do so."

Parolin also expressed his hope that new leadership in the U.S. would advance peace in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

"Right now it's very difficult to predict who knows what changes. For a long time we have been hoping and trying to do everything possible to close the very painful chapter of Ukraine and many other conflicts around the world. But it's difficult to say right now what will happen. We live and wait."

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Catholic members of the U.S. military and their families are set to gather in northern Virginia Nov. 9–11 for the first conference of its kind hosted by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, head of the archdiocese, spoke about the inaugural Catholic Military Conference in an interview with "EWTN News Nightly" anchor Veronica Dudo. He said the event, whose theme is "Living and Serving Justly," is intended to bring together the faithful of the archdiocese, which is one of the most geographically widespread in the world.

"We wanted to invite the faithful from this archdiocese to gather together in northern Virginia, suburban Washington … for a conference on living justly … and basically practicing the Catholic faith, but with an eye very much to military service," Broglio said.

"'Justly,'" he said, "means to live in accordance with the law of God, which is a basic tenet of our faith. It means allowing our conscience to dictate how we respond to the situations that we're called to face."

He said a central topic will be just war theory and its ramifications in the present day, saying it will be a "good opportunity to review" the Church's teachings on just war for "those who are on active duty" as well as to respond to any questions service members may have about the teachings.

Broglio noted that the gathering represents a shift from the archdiocese's usual practice: "Normally the auxiliary bishops and I visit the faithful where they are. This is one of the first times that we're inviting them to come and join us all together for an archdiocesan gathering."

The conference will also include a synodal exercise aimed at listening to the faithful about their concerns and needs.

Participants will have opportunities for daily Mass, confession, Eucharistic adoration, and breakout sessions on different aspects of military life and living the faith. He also said attendees will share meals, because to "break bread together" is "a happy part of human human encounters and human endeavors."

For Catholic service members deployed around the world who cannot attend in person, the archdiocese plans to record as much of the conference as possible, Broglio said.

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Father Fabricio Forcat is an Argentine priest who has just been appointed a member of the International Theological Commission (ITC). He recently explained how this Vatican body, which assists the Holy See in "examining doctrinal questions of major importance," carries out its work.

What is the International Theological Commission?

Established by St. Paul VI in 1969, the ITC operates under the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. According to the Vatican website, it is composed of "theologians from diverse schools and nations, noted for their knowledge and faithfulness to the Magisterium of the Church."

Its members are appointed by the Holy Father for a five-year term, upon the proposal of the dicastery's cardinal prefect and following consultation with the episcopal conferences. They meet in a plenary assembly once a year, and the results of their studies are presented to the pope. One of the pontiff's most recent requests has been for them to conduct the necessary studies to define what is meant by the tradition of the Church.

The commission consists of a maximum of 30 members. For the 2026–2031 term, eight women have been appointed — six laywomen and two women religious — along with four laymen and 20 clerics.

The commission's work

Forcat explained to EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that the increased presence of women and laypeople on the commission is "to a large extent the result of the entire process of receiving the Second Vatican Council."

"It's a fruit that is ripening as a result of truly walking together with the entire great human family, which is enveloped in a mystery of love, that of God the creator and God the redeemer," he added.

The Argentine theologian, who was appointed to be a member of the commission on Oct. 19, called the work of the entity "a very important service: to gather, collect, and integrate the voices of various theologians, men and women from across the globe who in their own way help mature our understanding of evangelization, ensuring it is suited to our times, and of a theology that serves the work of evangelization," he explained.

This, he noted, is "so that the word of God may remain present and alive within the heart of new sensibilities, and within the realities we encounter among different peoples and cultures."

Pope Leo XIV in Argentina

Regarding this month's visit of Pope Leo XIV to Argentina, part of a tour that also includes Uruguay and Peru, the theologian noted that the pontiff "comes to strengthen the faith; he comes to bring joy to a Church that must rise up, meet the demands of the current era, and creatively find ways to reach the hearts of the people of our time."

"We expect this to be a truly intense moment of joy and evangelization. Just recently, we had the youth pilgrimage to the Shrine of Luján," in which some 2.7 million pilgrims took part, he noted.

The priest also highlighted the importance of popular religiosity and the need for theology to engage with this reality as well.

"Hopefully, God willing, this will be able to find expression during the days we will experience with the pope's visit. Let's also hope the weather is on our side and that the El Niño phenomenon [which brings heavy rains] allows for it," he added.

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

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After Democrats won every major statewide office in Tuesday's midterm elections and gained a majority in the Texas House of Representatives, Texas' Catholic bishops offered prayers for the winners and continued to emphasize public policy priorities aligned with Catholic social teaching.

In a Nov. 5 message, the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops congratulated the winners, telling them that the bishops are praying "that God grants them wisdom as they take on the responsibilities of public office."

The bishops reiterated their legislative priorities in a previously finalized agenda: "As we look ahead to the 90th Texas Legislative Session, the principles of Catholic social and moral teaching that guide our work remain unchanged," the bishops wrote. They said they will continue to advocate for policies that "uphold human dignity, strengthen families, care for the vulnerable and creation, and promote the common good."

In the agenda, the bishops stated: "Human life is intrinsically valuable and should be protected by law from conception, which happens at fertilization, to natural death. Moreover, the natural family is the sanctuary of life in which parents teach children how they ought to live."

Specific policy positions the bishops took in their legislative agenda include supporting funding for abortion alternatives and assistance for parents (including kinship, foster, and adoptive families); opposing euthanasia, in vitro fertilization, and surrogacy; and opposing "the advancement of gender ideology, especially in places where young people are affected." They also promoted safeguards for "the inviolable dignity of the human person through the ethical development of Artificial Intelligence (AI)" and reasonable steps to address gun-related violence.

The bishops stated they continue to oppose "efforts to weaken the protection of unborn human life."

Newly elected attorney general says he won't enforce Texas abortion laws

These stances come as the incoming Democratic administration is expected to pursue pro-abortion measures.

Attorney general-elect and pro-abortion Democrat Nathan Johnson has already said he will not continue outgoing Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawsuits against out-of-state providers who have illegally mailed abortion pills into Texas, saying he will respect other states' shield laws but will not enforce Texas' pro-life laws.

John Seago, president of Texas Right to Life, a Christian pro-life advocacy group, called Johnson's position "absolutely ridiculous."

"His new job as attorney general is to enforce the laws of Texas, regardless of his personal feelings about them," Seago told EWTN News.

"The abortion pill trafficking enables abusive men that are ordering pills from other states and sneaking them into the drinks of Texas mothers," he said. "Nathan Johnson is taking a position that he will defend an industry that enables this type of assault on Texas' pregnant women."

Johnson did not respond to a request for comment from EWTN News by the time of publication.

'Remain engaged in civic life'

Separately, Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio issued his own postelection statement. He recalled the U.S. bishops' preelection call for Catholics to place faith before politics and noted that Pope Leo XIV cast a mail-in ballot from the Vatican.

The archbishop highlighted issues the Holy Father has emphasized: "protecting human life; protecting religious freedom and human rights; promoting the family; upholding the human dignity of all, including migrants and prisoners; and also promoting political dialogue and building consensus, so that we may find common ground among our diversity."

"Following [Tuesday's] election results, I strongly encourage all to remain actively engaged in civic life," García-Siller wrote. "Let us further the Biblical values of the Kingdom. We do not need more division after a particularly bruising campaign season, but rather, we need unity to be fostered in order to move forward in freedom to discuss difficult topics more deeply in light of the Gospel."

He ended his statement with prayers for peace and for all officeholders to receive "wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit," invoking Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and of the archdiocese, to help "build up a civilization of love."

Republicans retained control of the Texas Senate, a fact noted by some pro-life advocates as a potential check on legislative changes.

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The prominent anti-death penalty group Catholic Mobilizing Network praised California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Nov. 5 for his commutation of the death sentences of every prisoner on the state's death row.

In a publicly released letter, Newsom said he had "decided to exercise [his] constitutional clemency authority to commute all California death sentences to life without the possibility of parole."

The Democratic governor, who identifies as Catholic, said in the letter that he had come to "firmly believe that state-sanctioned killing is incompatible with California's values," that it "undermines the foundations of our legal system," and that it "diminishes each of us."

The governor described life in prison without parole as "the most severe punishment I can lawfully impose." The convicted criminals "will die in prison but not by our hand," he said.

The commutation covered all 548 prisoners condemned to death in the state. Newsom's executive order in 2019 ensured executions would not occur while he remained governor.

Responding to the news on Nov. 5, Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, executive director of Catholic Mobilizing Network, called the decision "an incredibly encouraging and historic witness for life and human dignity." She described the order as "the largest commutation in world history."

The Catholic group regularly advocates death sentence commutations and the national abolition of the death penalty itself. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states bluntly that the death penalty is "inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person."

Vaillancourt Murphy in her statement said the mass clemency "demonstrates how justice can be rooted in mercy and restoration instead of death and retribution."

Newsom "has given each of [the condemned criminals] a tangible sign of hope and a chance for rehabilitation," she said.

The decision "underscores the sacred value" of the lives of the prisoners, she said, though she stressed the need to "bear witness to the incomparable suffering that the families and loved ones of murder victims endure."

"We hear the cry for justice and accountability that grave harm rightly deserves, and we continue to hold them in prayer," Vaillancourt Murphy said.

Newsom in his statement noted that the state Supreme Court will have to weigh in on some of the commutations according to the state constitution, though the governor said he was "confident that this act of categorical clemency" was in line with state law.

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A Catholic priest has admitted to sexually abusing a boy in Baltimore in the mid-1970s, authorities said this week.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said Father Laurence LaPointe, 81, admitted to the abuse after an investigation led by the attorney general's office.

The prosecutor's office said in a release that LaPointe pleaded guilty on Nov. 4 to a fourth-degree sex offense and common-law assault.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Charles Dorsey III sentenced the priest to three years in prison, which the judge immediately suspended; LaPointe was also sentenced to five years of supervised probation.

Among the terms of his probation is the stipulation that LaPointe "have no direct contact with minors under the age of 18" and that he "not volunteer or work in any educational setting involving individuals under the age of 18."

LaPointe's victim offered a victim impact statement during the court proceedings, according to the attorney general's office; the victim said that with the guilty plea, the "heavy burden" of the priest's abuse "passes from me to [LaPointe]."

"I hope he will find the courage to acknowledge any other misconduct, voluntarily and fully, without requiring other victims to endure years of investigation, the prospect of a trial, and the emotional burden of having to prove what happened to them," the victim said.

"Those who were sexually assaulted as children continue to carry the burden of that trauma long after they reach adulthood," Brown said in the press release. "No matter how much time passes, we will help lift that weight off survivors' shoulders and hold accountable anyone who abuses a position of trust to inflict such devastating harm on our children."

LaPointe is currently a priest in the Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut. The diocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his status there.

The Norwich Diocese had announced that LaPointe had been placed on ministry leave in March when the allegations surfaced. He had been serving as pastor of Corpus Christi Parish at the time.

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