Catholic News

Ahead of the start of the school year in Poland, local bishops there again raised concerns about changes introduced by the Ministry of National Education. They call for the full restoration of religious education and warn about mandatory "health education."

We feel "obligated to speak out in the spirit of pastoral care for the young," the episcopate writes in a statement titled "A Young Person Deserves More."

The document was published Aug. 24 and signed by the presidency of the Polish Bishops' Conference headed by Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda of Gdansk.

"Religion classes are not a privilege of the Church" but "a constitutional right" based on "freedom of conscience and religion and the right of parents to raise their children in accordance with their own beliefs," the document stresses.

They also say religious classes can help nonbelievers in schools better understand the history of the nation and Europe as well as the arts, culture, and literature. "Especially in times of crisis," the document says, religion is a "guiding light that prevents them from getting lost."

The episcopacy raised concerns that the Ministry of National Education placed "religious education classes before or after other school activities," reduced "teaching time to one hour per week," eased mixing of such classes, and removed their grade from the grade point average. They said these measures marginalize religious formation in schools and called for "the immediate restoration of these classes to their proper place and for a genuine dialogue with representatives of religious communities."

At the same time, the episcopate says "formation of values" is not "opposed to pluralism," as it "enables respectful dialogue and building community." Thus, it is not opposed to the choice between religion and ethics classes.

Polish Catholic leaders also voiced reservations about the new compulsory subject "health education." Although it leaves the theme of sexuality optional, they said it "does not solve the problem," since such "a sensitive area of human life must respect parents' right to decide" on its form.

They also argue that sexuality should be presented in the context of marital and family relationships, because in this context it serves the true good of humanity. They add that "the lack of a clear position that marriage is a union between a man and a woman is also concerning."

So far, the proposed changes have sparked controversy due to conflicting views of education. Apart from bishops, the Coalition to Save the Polish Schools opposed "health education" for its allegedly "anti-family and gender-ideology character."

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A man is in police custody on charges of arson after a historic church in the Canadian province of New Brunswick burned to the ground.

Saint-Simon Catholic Church near the town of Caraquet was reduced to ashes and was considered a "total loss," the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said on Aug. 25.

The fire, which consumed the church on Aug. 24, had been "intentionally set," according to authorities. Police said in a news release that they arrested 68-year-old Gilles Mallet on suspicion of starting the blaze.

In a Facebook post, meanwhile, the town of Caraquet called the parish "a true emblem of our heritage."

"Far more than just a building, this church held a significant place in our region's collective memory and cultural life," the town's post said.

The parish "welcomed generations of families, hosted gatherings and performances, and was the setting for countless moments that brought our community to life."

Monica Albert Légère, who lives near the parish, echoed those remarks when she told EWTN News on Aug. 26 that the church was "more than just a building."

"It was a gathering place — it was the soul and the heart of Saint-Simon," she said.

She said some commentators blamed immigrants for the blaze, though "no one in Saint-Simon" has leveled such blame. She described local immigrants as "all very kind."

"We are all heartbroken, of course, but we are united and standing together, and we will get back on our feet as one," she said.

In an Aug. 24 statement, Bathurst Bishop Michel Proulx, O Praem, said he was "devastated" by the blaze.

"This event has plunged us into deep sorrow," the bishop wrote, describing the burned parish as an "immeasurable loss."

"So many memories are tied to this beautiful wooden church: baptisms, weddings, funerals, and so many other significant events," he said. "Several generations of Christians celebrated their faith there, and it was the precious legacy of our ancestors."

The bishop said he was offering prayers and support to the Saint-Simon community.

The parish's roots stretch back more than a century. News reports indicated the church dated to 1918, while the Bathurst directory says that the parish began as a mission in 1910.

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A recent symposium in Fortaleza, Brazil, on demonology and exorcism "focused on the theological affirmation of the devil's existence as part of Catholic doctrine," Father Diogo Jairo Rebouças told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. The priest is an exorcist for the Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state and coordinator of the gathering held Aug. 18–19.

The symposium drew 240 participants, 76% of whom were laypeople. According to Rebouças, the event was open to this audience because its goal was not "to provide training for performing exorcisms" but rather "to reflect theologically in light of Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium on the reality of the angelic beings who chose damnation."

"We are convinced that this perspective is highly beneficial for deepening the faith of any and every Christian," he said.

The gathering was organized by Marian Community Oasis of Peace with the support of the Archdiocese of Fortaleza and took place in the central auditorium of the Catholic College of Fortaleza.

Among the speakers were Bishop André Vital of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state; Father Pedro Paulo Alexandre, exorcist from the Archdiocese of Florianópolis in Santa Catarina state and member of the International Association of Exorcists (AIE, by its Portuguese acronym); Father Fellinto de Oliveira Britto, exorcist from the Diocese of Tianguá in Ceará state and a psychologist; Father Antônio Gomes Macedo Júnior, assistant exorcist; medical doctor Mauro Martins, also an assistant exorcist; and Father David Piter, exorcist from the Diocese of Quixadá in Ceará state and Rebouças.

The lectures dealt, among other topics, with demonology in the Gospels and the liberating ministry of Christ, the Church's guidelines for the ministry of exorcisms, the distinction between prayer for deliverance and exorcism, and the discernment between psychiatric pathologies and possible spiritual phenomena.

Appointment by the bishop required

According to Rebouças, the meeting presented the AIE's guidelines to "make it clear that only priests duly appointed by the bishop may perform solemn exorcisms."

The priest stated that the guidance highlights "the Catholic Church's commitment to pastoral ministry focused on discernment and mercy, rather than fear and sensationalism."

The symposium also addressed the necessary precautions during prayer for healing and deliverance, particularly regarding individuals who become highly distressed during such prayer.

"Talks by both exorcists and mental health professionals addressed the need for prudence during prayer for healing and deliverance as it is frequently observed that highly suggestible individuals become emotionally destabilized during events that strongly appeal to the emotions," Rebouças said.

According to him, participants were instructed on "what procedure to follow when a member of the faithful experiences a crisis during [such prayer], in order to protect him from unnecessary exposure and avoid leading to hasty conclusions about possible activity by the evil one."

Moral certainty required

Another topic addressed was the discernment between possible extraordinary action by the devil and illnesses or other conditions of natural origin.

"The guidelines for the exorcism ministry state that it is not permissible to perform an exorcism on a member of the faithful until the exorcist possesses moral certainty that the case involves extraordinary action by the evil one, rather than merely an illness or condition of natural origin," Rebouças explained.

Therefore, according to him, "mutual collaboration among the exorcist, family members, and healthcare professionals, especially mental health professionals, is extremely important."

"It is certainly not the exorcist's role to provide a psychiatric diagnosis for the person nor is it the role of scientists to say whether the devil exists or not," he said. "Each performs their respective role, observing signs of improvement or deterioration in the person throughout the process of accompaniment."

"Sometimes, a deeply devout but mentally ill believer refuses to take their medication until the priest comforts them by saying, 'I will bless your medicines!'" he said. "And faith encourages the person to follow the treatment and therapies through which they find healing."

"An exorcist will never discourage a believer from making use of scientific therapeutic resources," the priest added.

"It is also not uncommon, in cases of genuine extraordinary demonic activity, for a doctor to tell the family: 'We have done everything within our power!' or even: 'This defies scientific explanation!'" he said.

"In this sense, the Church's faith offers an explanation that addresses the human need regarding spiritual realities," Rebouças said.

The priest highlighted the importance of the training sessions for assistant exorcists offered by the Portuguese-language secretariat of the AIE in which laypeople and healthcare professionals may participate. The next training session will take place Nov. 27–29 at St. Benedict Monastery in Rio de Janeiro.

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

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VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has described the liturgical reforms following the Second Vatican Council as necessary to encourage active participation by the faithful.

"Since the gestures and words of the sacred liturgy are critical to realizing this experience, the participation of the faithful cannot be passive," Leo said. "The liturgical reform promoted by the Second Vatican Council is thus firmly rooted in the living tradition of the Church."

During his general audience at the Vatican on Aug. 26, the pontiff concluded his summer catechesis on the Second Vatican Council's constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium. The audience was held in St. Peter's Basilica because of Rome's high summer temperatures.

The faithful cannot be passive during the liturgy

Leo defended the Council Fathers' decision at the Second Vatican Council to reform the liturgy, citing a letter St. Paul VI wrote as Archbishop of Milan to encourage the faithful's participation.

"Motivated by these convictions, the future Pope Saint Paul VI affirmed that the faithful 'cannot and must no longer remain silent and passive. Their physical presence cannot be reconciled with their spiritual absence,'" Leo said.

The pope also explained that the liturgy has divine aspects that cannot change and human elements that can change to promote the faithful's participation.

"When the Church carries out a reform of the liturgy — a constant process of development across the centuries — there is an important distinction to be made between the divine, immutable elements, and the human elements, which may undergo various modifications."

"The need arose for the faithful to celebrate the liturgies more consciously and actively, not 'as strangers and silent spectators,' but participating fully in the salvific mystery," Leo added

Liturgical reform began long before Vatican II

The church's present liturgy was established in 1969 following the Second Vatican Council. It replaced the older Tridentine liturgy, standardized since the Council of Trent in 1570.

The Tridentine liturgy, also called the Traditional Latin Mass, was largely replaced after the council. Pope Benedict XVI allowed greater access to it in 2007, but Pope Francis restricted access in 2021.

The pope also explained that the liturgical reform began long before the Second Vatican Council, under several popes.

"The assertion that the faithful should not attend celebrations 'as strangers or silent spectators' had already been raised in Pius XI's Apostolic Constitution Divini Cultus."

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Leo also recalled Pope Pius XII's reform of the Tridentine Holy Week liturgy in 1955, in which he "rescheduled to the hours corresponding to the events of Easter, after they had for centuries been brought forward to the morning hours."

The pope also recalled the interventions of St. John XXIII, who called for the Second Vatican Council in 1959. Leo explained that John XXIII contributed to the church's liturgical reform by simplifying "the rubrics of the Breviary and the Missal,… in which he referred the proposal of fundamental principles for a reform of the liturgy."

"Indeed, since the liturgy is a living entity, throughout the centuries it has always been subject to developments and changes," Leo added.

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On Aug. 30, the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu in Paraná state in southern Brazil will become the 36th diocese in the country to be consecrated to St. Michael the Archangel. The consecration will take place during the 20th diocesan pilgrimage with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Sergio de Deus Borges at Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral.

The consecration of Brazilian dioceses to St. Michael the Archangel is part of the "Great Reconquest" initiative promoted by the Hesed Institute, a religious institute "dedicated to perpetual adoration and devotion to the blood of Christ, whose charism is to experience, live, and sing of God's mercy through prayer and humble, simple works that transform into powerful intercession."

The initiative began in July 2025 with the arrival in Brazil of the pilgrim statue of St. Michael from the shrine dedicated to the archangel on Monte Gargano in Italy, the site of the archangel's apparitions. To date, 35 Brazilian dioceses have been consecrated.

"Consecrating the diocese to the archangel aims to renew faith and seek spiritual protection against adversities," Borges explained on the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu's website. The diocese noted that the consecration is in response to a request from the bishop.

Diocesan pilgrimage

The 20th diocesan pilgrimage aims "to bring the Catholic community together for a moment of faith and devotion to the Most Holy Mother of God," the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu stated.

The event begins with a triduum Aug. 26–28 held across 30 parishes in 14 cities within the diocese.

On Aug. 29, the day the Church commemorates the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu, a Mass with the participation of the youth ministry will be celebrated at 7 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Parish in downtown Foz.

On Aug. 30, the day of consecration, the program begins with a gathering at 7 a.m. at Mitre Square. At 7:30 a.m., pilgrims will walk in procession to the cathedral carrying the pilgrim images of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the cathedral's patron saint) and St. John the Baptist.

The Mass consecrating the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu to St. Michael the Archangel will take place at 9:30 a.m.

Afterward, there will be the recitation of the rosary and confessions. The Mass for the Sick will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Starting at 3 p.m., the Hesed Institute will lead a time of praise, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the "Combat Rosary."

The Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu invited everyone to donate "clothing in good condition, nonperishable food, and personal hygiene and cleaning products for those in need.

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

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Hundreds of faith leaders and organizations sent the Trump administration a letter urging it to review and extend temporary protected status (TPS) for El Salvador before it expires on Sept. 9.

The letter, sent to President Donald Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, called for an extension because conditions in El Salvador remain "unsafe" and the removal of those living in the U.S. would be "detrimental" to communities.

"We believe that sending hundreds of thousands of Salvadoran TPS holders back into an unstable and unfamiliar country that does not have the capability to support its own nationals is a danger to those individuals and a decision that would have severe negative consequences for years to come," the letter said.

"A thoughtful review of the current conditions in El Salvador, consideration of their contributions as TPS holders to the United States and the administration's obligation to respect the statutory framework which governs TPS, supports an extension of El Salvador's TPS designation," the letter said.

The 97 faith-based organizations and 174 faith leaders "have a shared purpose in respecting human life, upholding the inherent dignity of every individual person, maintaining the family unit, and protecting those who are unable to safely return to their home country due to conflict, natural disasters, or some other extraordinary condition," the leaders wrote.

The letter was signed by many Catholic leaders and institutions including Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, Archbishop Gregory Hartmayer of Atlanta, and Bishop Stephen Parkes of Savannah, Georgia, as well as individuals from numerous religious orders.

The letter detailed that about 20% of TPS holders from El Salvador entered the U.S. when they were 16 or younger and "later became adults; some married and had children who were born in the United States."

"They are our neighbors, our friends, and loved ones, and this administration should view them as such and value their contribution to the nation," the letter said. Terminating TPS will cause the individuals "trauma and hardship" if separated from their families, the letter said.

Leaders call conditions 'harmful' as U.S. government cites low risk

"The current conditions in El Salvador remain harmful for TPS holders who face a possible return to their country," the leaders said.

El Salvador has remained in a state of emergency since March 2022. The declaration was "in response to its efforts to tame organized crime, suspending basic human rights protections," the letter said.

While the letter noted that returning to the nation is unsafe due to mass incarceration, enforced disappearances, and dangerous environmental conditions, the U.S. State Department lists El Salvador under a Level 1 advisory — "exercise normal precautions — as of June 2026.

The designation is the lowest safety and security risk level in the U.S. Department of State's travel advisory system.

While the nation was once one of the most violent countries, a 2025 Congressional Research Service report said data from Salvadoran police authorities revealed a measurable reduction in homicides in the country since 2015.

From 2015 through 2024, the homicide rate declined by more than 98%, according to Salvadoran security officials. The Salvadoran government claimed its crackdown on gang activity reduced El Salvador's homicide rate to 1.9 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024, down from 53.1 per 100,000 in 2018.

The U.S. Embassy in El Salvador noted that over the past few years "there has been a significant reduction in gang-related activity," but there is still "violent crime" throughout the country.

A 2026 World Report by Human Rights Watch found that the state of emergency "remains in effect, suspending constitutional rights."

"Authorities have committed widespread abuses, including mass arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment of detainees, and due process violations," the report said.

While the violations continue, it did report that gang violence has "markedly declined."

"Temporary Protected Status is exactly that — temporary," according to DHS. "For too long, TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program despite Congress never intending it to be permanent."

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In Colorado, advocates for life are gathering to remember a young woman who died during a second-trimester abortion at a Planned Parenthood — and to call for better safety regulations.

Alexis "Lexi" Arguello died of complications during an abortion at the Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins; her grandparents claimed the clinic waited too long to call 911.

The three-day "Justice for Lexi" campaign, taking place Aug. 27–29, aims to draw attention to the "the tragic death of Lexi Arguello and the numerous abortion injuries sustained by other unprotected women in unregulated abortion clinics across the state," according to Operation Rescue, a watchdog group working to end abortion in the U.S. In the 1980s and 1990s, the group organized peaceful sit-ins and blockades in front of abortion clinics, which sometimes led to arrests.

A press conference on Aug. 28 will be held on the sidewalk in front of the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood, where 12 other women have been injured, according to the group. Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez-Novelo of the Archdiocese of Denver will speak at the prayer rally following the press conference.

Dr. Catherine Wheeler, a former abortionist who now heads the Colorado Chapter of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a group that promotes patients' rights for unborn babies and mothers, is set to speak at the event.

"The tragic loss of Lexi's life and at least 13 ambulances from Fort Collins since January 2025 witness to the dangers of later abortion, magnified by lack of oversight, transparency and accountability," Wheeler stated in an Aug. 24 press release.

"Women and Coloradans do not understand the dangers of abortion after the first trimester, and are not told the facilities are not regulated or inspected to be sure that anesthesia is safe, sterilization protocols are enforced, clinicians are adequately trained, or that the staff and facility are prepared, equipped and capable to manage emergencies like hemorrhage, uterine perforation or acute respiratory failure, known complications," Wheeler continued.

Dr. Tom Perille, who heads Democrats for Life of Colorado, insists that women's safety must come first.

"For two consecutive years, bills have been introduced in the Colorado Assembly to grant the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment the authority to license, regulate, and inspect second and third trimester abortion facilities like they do other high risk healthcare facilities," Perille said in the release. "Both times, the bills were defeated along party lines at the bequest of the abortion industry."

"Putting the abortion industry's financial interests above the health and safety of Colorado women must stop," he said.

Operation Rescue has been monitoring the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood since Arguello's death last year, according to the press release.

"Since Lexi's tragic death, our team has documented at least 12 more women injured at this same Planned Parenthood," Sarah Neely, COO of Operation Rescue, said in a statement. "Another late-term Planned Parenthood located in Denver has injured nine women. Not one incident has been investigated, not even the death of Lexi, when evidence and testimony suggested Planned Parenthood staff waited too long to call 911."

In one case on July 9, Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins called 911 for a "hemorrhaging" patient.

Attorney Alexandra Snyder of Life Legal Defense Foundation, a pro-life nonprofit defending unborn children, called for more safety regulations for abortion.

"The need for adequate regulations is most pronounced in facilities that perform second- and third-trimester abortions, like the one that treated Lexi before she died," Snyder said. "Colorado's legislature has twice rejected attempts to impose even basic safety requirements. We will continue to fight for laws that protect women in Colorado from this unconscionable neglect on the part of the Legislature."

"We hope that Lexi's death will finally compel lawmakers to require abortion clinics to meet the same patient safety standards required of other medical facilities," Snyder said.

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Father Michael Pfleger, a priest known for his activism in Chicago, has been cleared by the archdiocese of an accusation of sex abuse.

In July, the Archdiocese of Chicago withdrew Pfleger — longtime pastor of St. Sabina Church — from ministry to review an allegation of sexual abuse. A woman claimed that Pfleger abused her when she was a child more than 30 years ago. This is the fifth of several accusations of sexual abuse against Pfleger, all of which the archdiocese has cleared him of.

After reviewing a joint investigation, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, has approved Pfleger to return to ministry "effective immediately."

The archdiocese announced that "there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation."

"The Independent Review Board, assisted by our Office of Child Protection and outside investigators, thoroughly reviewed the allegation," Cupich's letter, addressed to the St. Sabina Parish community, read.

"An independent inquiry assures the public and the person making the accusation of a fair and impartial review of all matters related to such cases," the letter continued. "It also protects the rights and interests of the accused cleric, especially if the board concludes there is no reason to believe the accused is guilty of the allegation. In that case, the cleric has the freedom to return to ministry without a cloud of suspicion over him."

"In short, no one should underestimate the value of an independent and disciplined inquiry, even if it is made public and requires a substantial amount of time," the letter continued.

"Thank you God," Pfleger wrote in a Facebook post. "And thanks to all who have stood with me."

Cupich also wrote about suffering in his letter and thanked the parish for its "prayers and support" for Pfleger.

"This coming weekend, Jesus tells us that being a disciple is about taking up our crosses and following him," Cupich wrote. "Notice that Jesus redefines our sufferings in life. Sufferings are not punishments or even tests of our endurance for pain. Rather, Jesus calls them crosses and thus associates them with his own," Cupich pointed out.

"He wants us to see discipleship as participating in the salvation of the world; discipleship involves joining our sufferings, our crosses to His on Calvary. Following Him, being a disciple, is then not a demanding chore, but a great gift. As we carry our crosses alongside Jesus, He transforms our sufferings into something much bigger than we ever imagined," Cupich continued.

"It is in this spirit that I want to recognize the suffering you and Father Mike have endured, for I know his absence has been real and painful," Cupich said.

Pfleger has pastored the predominantly Black parish St. Sabina, located on the South Side of Chicago, since 1981. While most priest's assignments last about seven years, Pfleger's has lasted 45 years.

Pfleger has a storied history in Chicago, leading fierce activism against drugs and guns along with outreach to prostitutes and drug dealers.

Some of the priest's words and actions have put him at the center of controversy. The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago suspended Pfleger in 2011 after the priest threatened to leave the priesthood if George reassigned him. The cardinal reinstated him as St. Sabina's pastor after Pfleger apologized. In 2019, Cupich publicly denounced Pfleger's decision to invite Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to speak at St. Sabina.

"Remember your dignity as disciples, those who can claim that Jesus joins your sufferings to His for the salvation of the world," Cupich concluded in his letter to the parish. "You will have my support and prayers as you continue to be a light in the community, a great witness that has distinguished St. Sabina's for generations."

The parish will hold a press conference on Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. Pfleger did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

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Some Catholic hospitals and several other religious objectors in Illinois will not have to promote the state's assisted suicide regime while a lawsuit challenging the policy plays out in federal court.

Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki had earlier in August brought the lawsuit against the state in U.S. district court alongside a Lutheran care home and several Christian doctors. The suit argues that the Illinois "End-of-Life Options" law requires doctors to participate in helping patients kill themselves even if the doctors conscientiously object to doing so.

On Aug. 21, the district court said the state would be restrained from enforcing the suicide rules against the objectors while the lawsuit continues through the federal court system. The Thomas More Society, which is representing the plaintiffs in the suit, announced the order in a press release on Aug. 24.

Peter Breen, the head of litigation at the Catholic legal group, described the order as "a critical first victory" for the religious objectors in the case.

Dr. Mary Keen Kirchoff, one of the doctors participating in the suit, said in the press release that the federal order "means I can go back to focusing on caring for my patients instead of wondering whether staying true to who I am is going to cost me my career."

The doctor said she was "grateful I can keep practicing medicine according to my integrity and my faith without that threat hanging over me," though she admitted that the arrangement was only "for now."

In issuing its order, the district court noted that the block on the suicide rules only applies to the plaintiffs in the lawsuit and that the state can otherwise broadly enforce the suicide law.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the law in December 2025. The measure permits doctors to help "qualified terminally ill patients" kill themselves with lethal doses of medication.

Patients must have the "mental capacity … to make medical decisions" and must be facing death within six months as determined by two physicians.

Pritzker in signing the law claimed the suicide rule "honors [the] strength and courage" of state residents suffering from terminal illnesses. 

This is not the first victory opponents of assisted suicide have won in U.S. courts this year. In July the state of New York agreed to a similar order after a coalition of religious sisters brought suit against the state's assisted suicide law in federal court.

As in Illinois, the New York agreement applies only to the plaintiffs in that lawsuit and only while the suit itself is litigated in federal court.

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Remarks about Catholic doctrine were at the center of a charged dispute on Aug. 24 in the ongoing high-profile murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, who stands accused of strangling her three children before she attempted to take her own life.

The trial in Plymouth Superior Court has ignited a national debate around mental health and postpartum psychosis. Supporters have argued that Clancy — who strangled her three small children on Jan. 24, 2023, at her Duxbury, Massachusetts, home — was suffering from postpartum mental conditions that mitigated her alleged responsibility in the killings.

Her legal team has conceded that she killed the children but has argued that she was not responsible for her actions. Clancy tried to take her own life just after she allegedly carried out the murders.

On Aug. 24 Kirk Heilbrun, a professor of psychology at Drexel University, appeared as a witness for the prosecution at the trial. During his testimony he said Clancy claimed to have told her children "Go to God, baby" as she was strangling them.

"That was part of her expectation that she and the children would be together in heaven with God," Heilbrun said. "She was raised as a Catholic, and this, as I understand Catholic considerations — that's not necessarily what happens."

"But when I asked her about that, when I said, 'Isn't suicide a mortal sin?'" he continued, at which point Judge William Sullivan halted the proceedings and held a discussion with attorneys.

After a 20-minute recess, Clancy's attorney Kevin Reddington asked for a mistrial, claiming that the prosecution was guilty of "intentional misconduct" for "injecting" religion into the proceedings. He cited another instance earlier in the trial in which the Catholic faith was discussed.

Prosecutors argued against the request. Sullivan ultimately denied the request for the mistrial, though he said he would tell the jury to "disregard" Heilbrun's remarks about Catholicism.

"I'm going to tell them it's an inappropriate area of inquiry, and that this witness' understanding of Catholic dogma or Catholic teaching is irrelevant," Sullivan said.

The trial continued on Aug. 25 with several more witnesses. Heilbrun himself returned to the stand, stating that he felt Clancy was "criminally responsible" for the alleged murders of her children.

"She retained an awareness of the illegality of killing others, including her children," he told the court. "Her moral awareness of this killing was influenced by her strong desire to die and, if she was dead, not to leave her children behind."

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