Catholic News

Tom Schwein was mere feet from the finish line of Ride the Rockies in 2015 when everything changed for him.

Earlier that day, he was told that Samaritan Cycling USA, a ministry he helped start in 2011 to support Catholic Charities' Samaritan House, had raised a cumulative $250,000 in just over four years. He was rightfully excited. He couldn't wait to high-five an injured teammate at the finish line.

Then came a dip in the pavement.

"The wheel went 90 degrees, and I went face-first into the pavement," he recalled. "I was out cold. I don't know for how long."

When he woke up, saved, he believes, by his helmet and divine providence, he remembers, clear as day, hearing the Holy Spirit tell him, "Peace be with you. You will recover."

He was rushed to the hospital. Two days later, after specialists reviewed the tests, he was told he was a walking miracle.

"You're a very lucky man," Schwein remembers one specialist telling him, shaking his head, incredulous. "You missed a brain bleed by a quarter of a millimeter."

That's roughly the size of a fine grain of table salt. To say it was a close call might be underselling things.

"I was never going to ride a bike again. I was done," Schwein said. "We raised a quarter million, and that's it. There's no way I'm riding again."

He prepared to sell his bikes and move on. But the Holy Spirit had other ideas, Schwein said.

"I'm not yet done with you here on Earth. Continue your ministry," he recalled hearing.

He prayed about it. He called his wife. He took a long bike ride, and hasn't stopped riding since.

"I said, 'God, I'm all in,'" he said. "That was 38,000 miles ago and a few million dollars ago."

Since then, Samaritan House Cycling has grown considerably, welcoming new teammates and raising more than $2.2 million for Northern Colorado's Samaritan House shelters.

This fall, the ministry is taking that mission farther than ever before: a 45-day, nearly 3,000-mile ride across the United States.

"God has called me to do this, which is why we're riding across America," Schwein said, choked up with emotion. "We're raising national awareness for the crisis of homelessness. God said, 'Go big or go home.' We're going big."

The 12-member team began their ride on Sunday, Oct. 4, two days after arriving in San Diego. Their 45-day trek will take them through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, where they will finish the ride in St. Augustine, Florida, where the first Catholic Mass of Thanksgiving in what is now the United States was celebrated in 1565.

The mission? Raising awareness and funds to provide shelter, stability, and hope to the homeless in Denver, in Colorado, and across the country.

"There are nearly 1 million people who are homeless every night in the United States, and no one pays attention to them. People walk by them," Schwein said. "So we're raising awareness to increase the attention of the United States to this national crisis. We have to do something about it, more than just raising money. It's about raising awareness so people understand what to do when they get to the corner of an intersection and they see a homeless person."

And it's already bearing fruit. Feet haven't hit pedals yet, and the team has already raised $350,000 to support Catholic Charities' five Samaritan House locations in Denver, Fort Collins, and Greeley, which provide emergency shelter, support services, and pathways toward stability for individuals and families.

Additionally, the Samaritan Cycling team is partnering with local Catholic Charities along their route to fundraise for ministries serving the homeless nationwide. As they ride across America, the team will also volunteer at Catholic Charities locations, helping shine a spotlight on local efforts to lovingly serve neighbors nationwide.

The timing is all the more meaningful: the ride comes as the United States marks 250 years, Catholic Charities of Denver approaches its 100th anniversary, Samaritan House in downtown Denver celebrates 40 years, and Samaritan Cycling USA marks 15 years.

"What began in 2011 as a small step of faith through Samaritan Cycling has become a lifelong commitment to serve," Schwein said. "Through cycling, we put faith into action —?transforming physical endurance into meaningful impact and heartfelt passion into real provision. We ride because we are called to be bearers of hope, and every mile is a testament to that calling."

First and foremost, Schwein said, the team needs prayer. Knowing firsthand just how dangerous a ride like this can be, Schwein specifically asked people of goodwill nationwide to pray for riders' safety and perseverance.

Then, those who feel called to give can donate per mile, with options beginning at 1 cent per mile, or offer a one-time gift. Supporters can give to a particular rider or to the general fund.

For Schwein, though, the most meaningful gift came from a father and his 12-year-old son.

After hearing Schwein speak about the effort after Mass at a local parish, the father approached him and pulled out his wallet, saying he wished he could make a donation but did not think he had anything to give. Surprised to find two dollars, he handed them to his son, who gave them to Schwein.

"This is for you, sir," the boy said. "Good luck on your ride!"

"We had been getting lots of donations, but the most meaningful one was this man," Schwein said, pointing to the widow in the Gospels who gave all she had.

This story was first published in Denver Catholic and is reprinted here and adapted by EWTN News with permission.

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A study by scholars at the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute found that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "lacked sufficient evidence" to remove the in-person abortion pill dispensing rule.

Published in Issues in Law and Medicine, a journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, on Oct. 6, the report found that the FDA's studies on the abortion pill didn't reflect real-world conditions of abortion pill use.

According to the article, the FDA relied on analysis from groups with political incentives. Additionally, the FDA used "inadequate" adverse event reporting, authors Zachery Sluzala and Ingrid Skop found.

"When federal agencies remove regulations designed to safeguard patient health, those decisions should be grounded in evidence that reflects real-world practice," Skop, an OB-GYN who works for the Lozier Institute, said in a statement.

"Our analysis found that the FDA's review fell well short of that standard. Safety decisions should reflect the conditions in which women are using the drugs, not tightly controlled study conditions that fail to mimic real-world use."

Pro-life groups criticize FDA abortion pill update

In a court-ordered update of the agency's highly anticipated report on the safety of the abortion pill, the FDA said that it will complete the safety review in March 2027, an announcement that led to backlash from pro-life groups.

A federal judge in Louisiana ordered the status report on the safety review. According to its update, the FDA expects to have results by mid-December, with a final report in March 2027 — more than a year and a half after the group first promised the review.

Pro-life leader Marjorie Dannenfelser, who heads Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, called the FDA's update "alarming."

"The administration must correct course — and, more importantly, it must not wait for the study to conclude before acting," said Dannenfelser. "Peer-reviewed evidence shows that the Biden administration relied on insufficient evidence and flawed assumptions when it removed the in-person dispensing requirement.

"Action is long overdue," Dannenfelser said.

Students for Life of America leader Kristan Hawkins also criticized the timeline.

"It shouldn't take a judge to pry some answers from the FDA on the dangers of chemical abortion pills, nor should it take this long to get them," said Hawkins. "While we are glad to see the FDA giving attention to deadly drugs, this is not enough to address the harms that recklessly approving mifepristone in 2000 did to public health and fertility."

Alliance Defending Freedom spokeswoman Erin Hawley observed that "every month of additional delay puts nearly 15,000 additional babies at risk in states where mail-order abortion drugs are unlawful."

Mail-order abortions "don't empower women — they facilitate the abuse, coercion, and poisoning of women by making high-risk drugs accessible to bad actors at the click of a button," said Hawley.

Study: Colleges 'fail' pregnant and parenting students

A recent study found that hundreds of state colleges and universities are failing to provide resources to help pregnant and parenting students stay in school.

The study by Students for Life of America's Demetree Institute found that the average state college campus in the survey offered "barely half the recommended support" for student parents.

The study looked at more than 500 state colleges and universities, examining the housing policies, on-campus resources, financial assistance, medical attention, and accommodations and policy transparency they offer to student-parents.

The three lowest-ranked schools were Dalton State College in Georgia, Dakota State University in South Dakota, and Concord University in West Virginia.

About 98% of schools in the study were missing at least two recommended accommodations for pregnant and parenting students. On-campus housing for families was unavailable at more than 70% of schools. About 85% of schools did not offer scholarships targeted for pregnant or parenting students.

Men's march for life to be held in Boston

Men will gather in Boston on Nov. 1 for a national men's march for life.

The National Men's March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood first began in 2021. In the event, men march about three miles to a rally point where they meet up with their families, pray, and listen to speakers.

In an interview on EWTN's "At Home With Jim and Joy," the march's president, Jim Havens, said the march is focused on "getting men off the sidelines in the fight for equal protection of the preborn — of all human life."

"We're going to do it in authentic love; we're going to do it in a peaceful manner, the right way, standing up in public," he continued. "It really is powerful when we gather together and do this with Christ at the center."

Scottish bishops warn against proposal to expand abortion

The Scottish bishops are warning against a proposal that they say would allow abortion up to birth for any reason.

The proposal would decriminalize abortion in Scotland and remove existing legal safeguards protecting unborn children.

The Bishops' Conference of Scotland expressed opposition to the proposal in a statement by Bishop John Keenan, who heads the bishops' Marriage, Family and Life Commission.

"There is a better way than abortion," Keenan said in the statement.

"Every human life possesses inherent dignity and worth; a dignity that does not depend upon age, size, ability, dependency or stage of development," Keenan said. "It begins at conception and continues until natural death. A just and compassionate society should recognize and protect the lives of both mother and child, especially when either is vulnerable."

Las Vegas archbishop urges vote against abortion measure

Las Vegas Archbishop George Leo Thomas called on Catholics in Nevada to vote "no" on a ballot measure that would roll back protections for unborn children, minors, and women and expand abortion up to birth.

The Nevada measure would expand the right to abortion, which is already legal in the state up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. The letter opposing the Nevada abortion ballot measure was read at Masses across the archdiocese Oct. 3-4.

"This question is not whether abortion is legal in Nevada; it already is under a law approved by Nevada voters in 1990," said Thomas. "The Legislature cannot amend or repeal that law; only a direct vote of the people can do so. This question is whether Nevada voters should expand the right to abortion in ways that can harm the health, safety, and welfare of women and minors. Moreover, this measure will have grave and lasting consequences for vulnerable unborn lives."

"Unborn children have no voice and cannot defend themselves," Thomas said. "As Catholics, our faith requires us to protect the inherent dignity of every human life and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves."

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The British government on Oct. 9 intervened in a simmering dispute in Northern Ireland, ruling that a planned unionist march through a Catholic enclave in the province would not take place due to a "risk of serious injury."

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Sir Chris Bryant said in a statement that Portadown District Loyal Orange Lodge — part of the national Protestant Orange Order fraternity — would not be permitted to hold its parade down Garvaghy Road through a historically Catholic section of Portadown in County Armagh.

The procession "cannot go ahead," Bryant said, citing local law enforcement opinion that it would lead to violence, disorder and "a wider contagion effect across Northern Ireland."

Bryant called for "all protests, rallies and demonstrations to be stood down," arguing that there is "no excuse for a continued ratcheting up of tensions."

The weeks-long tensions have stemmed from historical conflicts in the region between unionists in Northern Ireland who advocate continued rule of the province by the United Kingdom and Catholic-affiliated republicans who largely favor reunification with Ireland itself.

Garvaghy Road itself was the site of numerous conflicts amid the Troubles, the decades-long conflict that saw unionists and republicans engage in regular violent and often deadly clashes. The CAIN Archive at Ulster University estimates that more than 3,700 people were killed in the protracted fighting.

Police have largely banned loyalist marches from taking place on Garvaghy Road since the late 1990s due to regular instances of violence that broke out on that stretch of the unionist parade route.

The High Court of Northern Ireland, however, ruled in August against a ban on the march that had been instituted by the Parades Commission, offering unionists the potential opportunity to march down the street for the first time in years.

In his statement announcing the re-instituted ban on the march, Bryant urged residents to "work together to help repair the damage that has been done" over the past several weeks.

"The community in Portadown has been on the sharp end of intense attention for a number of weeks," he said. "It will take time to rebuild relations. The least we can all do now is give them breathing space."

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A youth retreat taking place in Ontario, Canada, aims to help young Catholics graduating from high school and entering college, as well as students graduating from college and entering the workforce, stay committed to their faith during these critical transitions in their lives.

Dead Man Walking is being hosted by Jesus Youth Ontario and will take place Oct. 16–18 at the Mother of God Retreat Center in Orangeville, Ontario. The retreat will include talks from Catholic author and speaker Jason Evert, international missionary George Devassy, and local young adults sharing their personal testimonies.

Jim Isaac, a member of the retreat's planning team, told EWTN News that the inspiration for the retreat came from conversations with parents where it was evident that there was "an overwhelming need."

"They felt that while children were in high school there were so many guardrails about who they can interact with, who can reach out to them, and all these things to ensure that they have a proper and safe childhood," he explained. "But, right when they leave high school, all those guardrails are sort of lifted and almost at the same time they also leave home."

He added that young people also feel "thrown into adulthood" and that this transition "was something that they were struggling with."

With this in mind, the Dead Man Walking youth retreat was created to give them a space where they can encounter Christ, help them understand the big questions they're grappling with, and instill in them a strong foundation to maintain their faith during this transition in their lives.

The theme of the retreat comes from John 11, specifically the raising of Lazarus. Isaac explained that many times "we feel that we are going through the motions [and] we are almost like dead people."

Each day focuses on a specific part of the raising of Lazarus. The theme for Day 1 is "Dead for Four Days," focusing on the idea that there is always hope even when we're at our lowest point. Day 2 is called "come out," encouraging the participants to take part in the Church and in their faith and ends with the opportunity for attendees to go to confession and attend Mass. The last day is called "untie and unbind," which will call the young people gathered to go out on mission and spread the Gospel message.

Isaac emphasized that their "primary objective is that they [the attendees] have an encounter with Christ at this crucial juncture of their lives."

"We want these youngsters, who probably are, within their own realities, bombarded with a lot of contemporary and secular media, to understand the richness of the Church," he added.

"We are hoping that something might resonate with them and that might help them build their interior life and thereby reach out to the people within the community. At the end of the day, it is about reaching out to people and giving them a call for mission. That's what we are hoping for by the end of it."

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The Archdiocese of St. Louis this month sued the federal government and several other defendants for what it said are policies that prevent Catholic immigrant detainees from obtaining the sacraments, including the Eucharist.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court, alleged among other claims that the government is violating the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) by barring clergy access to those detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One prison official reportedly suggested that priests could "pass communion in a plastic bag to a prison guard who could then deliver it to the detainee."

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act is invoked regularly in federal lawsuits by those who argue that the government is excessively burdening their religion. But how does this more-than-30-year-old law work, and how exactly does it protect religious liberty in the U.S.?

Government may not 'substantially burden' religion

A rare example of bipartisan unity, the federal law was proposed in 1993, passed unanimously in the U.S. House and near-unanimously in the U.S. Senate, and signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton.

The impetus for the law arose in large part due to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Employment Division v. Smith. That 1990 decision held that Oregon was permitted to deny unemployment benefits to two Native American residents who had been fired after using peyote in a religious ritual.

Outrage from a large cross-section of civil liberties groups and religious rights organizations led Congress to draft and pass the law. Clinton upon signing the measure said the law "reestablishes a standard that better protects all Americans of all faiths in the exercise of their religion."

The law directs that the government generally "shall not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion" even if the burden stems from a "rule of general applicability."

The rule does allow for such burdens if the government demonstrates that a restriction is "in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest" and is "the least restrictive means" of accomplishing that goal.

Matt Sharp, who serves as senior counsel and vice president of public policy at Alliance Defending Freedom, told EWTN News the rule "puts the responsibility on the government" to demonstrate that its policies do not violate the law.

"The government has to show that it has a compelling reason to do something" that burdens someone's religious liberty, Sharp said. "It can't just say, 'We like this law.' It has to be a government interest of the highest order, such as national security or public safety."

Alliance Defending Freedom has handled numerous RFRA lawsuits over the years. Among them was the case Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Burwell, brought by a Mennonite Christian family who argued that the Obama administration's contraceptive mandate violated the federal religious freedom law.

The family ultimately prevailed, with the U.S. Supreme Court holding that the federal government had violated RFRA in requiring the family to cover contraceptives via its company's insurance policies.

Sharp, however, acknowledged that the rule has never been a "religion automatically wins" law.

"It definitely makes [U.S. law] more favorable and protective of religion," he said. But in some cases religious objectors aren't successful in their challenges, such as the Native American coalition that sued under RFRA to protect one of its sacred sites but which lost at the Supreme Court in 2025.

The Little Sisters of the Poor, meanwhile, have cited in part the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in their 15-year battle over contraceptive mandates.

Yet although the law can sometimes yield a mixed bag, protections for religious freedom have grown steadily in the U.S. in recent years. A total of 30 states so far have adopted a version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act or a similar form of legislation.

Sharp said RFRA requires the government to ensure that in cases where it is imposing on religious practice it is doing so in a "narrowly tailored" way with "the bare minimum possible" imposition.

"It's a high burden," he said. "In practice it has been hugely important and beneficial to people of faith."

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Father Eduardo Chávez has been named representative of the Primate Archdiocese of Mexico for the celebrations of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which will take place in 2031.

In a letter signed on Sept. 22, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, primate archbishop of Mexico, appointed Chávez, the magisterial Guadalupan theologian of the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, "representative of this particular church, especially in everything concerning the content of this marvelous Guadalupan event, in the preparation and in the celebrations of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Holy Mary of Tepeyac."

He said he made the decision in light of Chávez's "preparation and experience in the subject of the Guadalupan event."

In the letter, the cardinal recognized the Mexican priest's work as postulator of the cause of St. Juan Diego, the visionary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as well as his leadership of the Higher Institute of Guadalupan Studies, which for more than 25 years has borne "fruit in continuing research, in the formation of formators, and in spreading the message of love to so many peoples."

"May God, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and St. Juan Diego continue to enlighten, inspire, and strengthen you in this mission," Aguiar wrote.

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego between Dec. 9 and 12, 1531, asking him to intercede with the first bishop of Mexico, Friar Juan de Zumárraga, so that a "sacred little house" would be built at the foot of Tepeyac Hill to exalt God: "he who is my compassionate gaze, he who is my help, he who is my salvation."

On Dec. 12, as proof for the bishop that the apparitions were true, the Virgin sent Juan Diego with roses that had miraculously bloomed on the barren Tepeyac, carried in his tilma, or cloak. When the Indigenous man opened his tilma before de Zumárraga, the image of Mary had been miraculously imprinted on the cloth.

Nearly 500 years later, St. Juan Diego's tilma with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is still preserved in her shrine in Mexico City.

'A great honor, but also a great responsibility'

In remarks to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, on Oct. 7, Chávez, known as the leading expert on the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, said Aguiar's appointment fills him "with tremendous enthusiasm."

"It is a great honor, but also a great responsibility," he said. "It will be a lot of work, but work done with so much affection that you hardly feel it. It is joyful work for Our Lady of Guadalupe."

The celebration of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he said, is meant to promote "the exaltation of, devotion to, and above all adoration of Jesus, her beloved Son, because that is the center of her message."

He said the celebration, now only five years away, "should unite us all: unite us in love and in enthusiasm to celebrate her who is our Mother and who offers us, gives us, and entrusts to us her Son Jesus Christ."

"She is our Mother, she protects us, and she is the source of our joy," he said.

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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The State Department released its 2026 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on Oct. 8, showing criminal organizations and repressive governments are using trafficking for profit in new ways.

The report, released more than three months after the June 30 deadline, said the spread of industrial-scale online scam operations "pose a direct threat to US national security."

Transnational crime organizations, mostly run by Chinese nationals and long based in Southeast Asia, have moved into Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America, destabilizing local communities and cheating people out of billions of dollars each year, according to the report.

Fraudulent online romance, gambling, and cryptocurrency schemes have defrauded people in more than 125 countries, with Americans, the primary targets, losing at least $18.2 billion in 2025 to compounds operating out of Southeast Asia, according to the report.

The organizations recruited people from at least 80 countries over the past few years through fraudulent schemes, often pushing them into forced labor and holding them in guarded compounds and manipulating them through violence, sexual exploitation, intimidation, and other acts. They are often coerced into committing crimes, the report found.

The report, an annual assessment required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, covers April 1, 2025, through March 31.

The State Department said it relied on information from embassy reporting, government officials, nongovernmental and international organizations, published reports, news articles, and other sources.

The State Department said that governments that fail to punish traffickers and protect victims should be held accountable.

12 governments cited

Twelve governments are cited in the report for a "policy or pattern" of state-sponsored human trafficking: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, South Sudan, and Sudan. This designation covers "trafficking in government-funded programs, forced labor in government-affiliated medical services or other sectors, sexual slavery in government camps, or the employment or recruitment of child soldiers."

Under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act, the department listed 14 countries whose forces or state-backed militias recruited or used children in any capacity during hostilities, including as sex slaves: Afghanistan, Burma, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Among country rankings reported so far, Israel returned to Tier 1, the highest category, for the first time since 2021, after five years on Tier 2. The Republic of Congo was downgraded to Tier 3, the lowest, for failing to meet minimum standards and not making significant efforts. A Tier 3 listing can restrict certain U.S. assistance, including security assistance, the report said.

A Tier 1 ranking does not mean that a country has no human trafficking. Instead, according to the report, "a Tier 1 ranking indicates that a government has made efforts to address the problem … and met the TVPA's minimum standards."

Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, said in a statement on Oct. 8 that the report's findings are "a stark reminder that modern-day slavery remains a global scourge — and that governments must be held accountable when they fail to protect vulnerable people."

"Human trafficking is an assault on human dignity and freedom," the congressman wrote. "The United States must continue to use every tool at its disposal — including the TIP Report — to expose human trafficking whenever it rears its ugly head, protect survivors, and press foreign governments to end this blight upon humanity."

"China remains on Tier 3 — the lowest ranking," Smith continued, "reflecting its continued failure to meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) use and enabling of forced labor — including the systematic exploitation of Uyghurs and other persecuted minorities — is deeply troubling and deserves the greatest level of scrutiny."

"Moreover, the horrific, ongoing consequences of China's one-child per couple policy can still be seen and felt today, as the Report notes that a gross disparity — tens of millions more boys than girls — has driven the demand for commercial sex trafficking and coercive marriages in the country," Smith wrote.

"Governments on Tier 3 — including China, North Korea, Iran, Russia, Burma, Belarus, Cambodia, Cuba, Laos, Nicaragua, Sudan, South Sudan, and Venezuela — can and must do more. Tier 3 must never become a permanent designation; it should serve as a dire warning and a call to action," Smith wrote.

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Former professional football coach Mike Ditka, a practicing Catholic who occasionally served as lector at the 7 a.m. team Mass on game-day Sundays during his decade leading the Chicago Bears, died Friday. He was 86.

"Iron Mike," as Ditka was known, had a famously explosive temper, which often boiled over on the sidelines and in postgame press conferences. Ditka, who led the Bears to a Super Bowl XX victory in 1986, once broke his right hand after punching a hard object over frustration with the play of a rookie offensive lineman — then, before the next game, told his team to "win this one for Lefty."

Less well known was Ditka's commitment to his Catholic faith, for which he credited his convert mother and the nuns of his parochial school in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, where he was raised.

"Growing up, the most important thing was the sacraments with my family," Ditka told an interviewer with the Catholic website "One Peter Five" in August 2018. "We loved everything about the faith. Going to Catholic school and learning the faith, I wouldn't trade that for anything."

"I don't care how many times I got hit by a nun," Ditka said, "it was good for me."

Football success

Born Michael Dyczko in 1939, Ditka was the son of a non-churchgoing Ukrainian and Polish steelworker father and an Irish and German mother who converted to Catholicism.

He played tight end for the University of Pittsburgh and then in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys. In 1988 Ditka was honored as the first tight end ever to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After retiring from playing, Ditka served as an assistant coach before getting his unlikely chance as the head coach of the Bears in 1982.

His 1985 Bears went 15-1 during the regular season and stomped their way through the playoffs to a Super Bowl victory. So confident were the players of that dominant team that they recorded a rap song called "The Super Bowl Shuffle" during the regular season. (Ditka later said he didn't know about it, but he didn't criticize the players for doing it.)

Ditka's success, toughness, temper, and sense of humor made him a cultural phenomenon, inspiring a recurring skit (and guest appearances) on "Saturday Night Live" and launching a career as a motivational speaker.

When the team's fortunes plummeted, he was fired in 1992. He later coached the New Orleans Saints but was fired after three years.

Off-field philanthropy

Ditka made millions as a pitchman for dozens of products after he left football, and he used some of that wealth to help others.

"Ditka was very supportive of Misericordia and other charities that supported children with special needs and disabilities," Mary FioRito, an attorney, lifelong Chicagoan, and Cardinal Francis George Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.

And not just with checks.

"He spoke at fundraisers, and surprised observers could catch him privately visiting with residents he knew by name," reported the suburban Chicago Daily Herald.

Ditka was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and participated in the organization's charitable activities.

'Constant turmoil'

In his 1986 autobiography "Ditka," published at the peak of his success, Ditka admitted to having had "no spiritual life at all" during the 1970s, before two other coaches got him involved in a Bible study that reintroduced him to God.

"I always had faith, but I never had understanding," Ditka said. "I always knew what was going on in life. I was raised right. I did all the things you were supposed to do. But I never understood why I was supposed to do them, because I never had a total understanding of what was going on."

He also acknowledged what he called "constant turmoil inside," and he compared himself unfavorably to longtime Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry (1924–2000), whom he admired for always keeping his cool on the sidelines and for his involvement in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

"My priorities can get mixed up. I don't think he ever gets his priorities mixed up," Ditka said in the book.

Ditka said he discovered that following his faith was hard work.

"Sometimes you take for granted that your faith will always be there and everything will be fine. But without making the effort, that's just not a fact. You have to make a real effort to live your faith daily," Ditka said in the book.

"Nobody is going to do it every day. Nobody is going to do it perfectly," he continued. "But unless you make the effort you've got no chance at all."

Ditka married in 1961, got divorced in 1973, and then remarried in 1977. Both wives survive him, as do his four children, according to an obituary in the Daily Herald.

"I'm far from perfect now, and I'm never going to be perfect," Ditka said in his autobiography. "When I die, I'm going to be still trying to get better than I am."

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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A priest from the Diocese of Derry in Ireland has admitted to 109 child sex offense charges from June 22, 2023, to April 18, 2025.

Bishop Michael Router said he would ask the Vatican to dismiss Father Edward Gallagher from the clerical state after he admitted to the charges, which include possession of child pornography, attempted solicitation of sexual activity from a child, and attempted sexual communication with a minor, the BBC reported Oct. 5. Gallagher awaits sentencing on Dec. 9.

"I have already instructed that the documentation required by the Holy See be finalized and transmitted without delay," Router said in a statement on Oct. 5, according to a BelfastLive report.

"The Church cannot undo the harm that has been caused. Nor can any canonical penalty remove the suffering experienced by victims and survivors. Nevertheless, the Church has a responsibility to respond truthfully, justly, and decisively."

New Vatican ambassador appointed to United Arab Emirates

Polish priest Monsignor Grzegorz Piotr Bielaszka has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to be the Vatican's new ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), raising him to the rank of archbishop, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Oct. 5.

Born in Poland in 1974 and ordained in 1999, Bielaszka entered the Holy See's diplomatic service in 2006. His assignments have included Iraq, Panama, Hungary, Peru, and Gabon. He succeeds Archbishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, who was appointed the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations in July.

The appointment comes amid continuing tensions in the Gulf following military confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. The Vatican has repeatedly called for dialogue and negotiations, while maintaining close diplomatic relations with the UAE, particularly since Pope Francis' historic 2019 visit to Abu Dhabi and the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity.

Catholic Church in Korea switches to Italian, Australian liturgical wine

Parishes across Korea will no longer use domestic wine for liturgical celebrations after the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea announced on Oct. 7 that an Australian and an Italian brand would become the country's official liturgical wines.

"Starting from this year's Advent season (the four weeks before Christmas), the Australian 'Seven Hill' and Italian 'Alagna Vini' wines have been selected as the liturgical wines to be used in all Catholic Masses across Korea," they said in a statement, according to an Oct. 8 Chosun report.

The change is due to aging grape farmers and diminishing land in Korea, the report said. It marks the first in 49 years since the conference signed a contract in 1977 to use local Majuang liturgical wine.

Ethiopia bishop urges reconciliation amid renewed fighting

Bishop Lisane-Christos Matheos Semahun of Ethiopia's Eparchy of Bahir Dar-Dessie has urged Christians to reject hatred and refrain from rejoicing over the suffering or death of those they regard as enemies as renewed fighting intensifies in parts of the country.

"Every life lost is a tragedy," the bishop said in an Oct. 3 reflection, ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, reported. Lisane-Christos further called on Catholics to pray for their enemies, care for people affected by the conflict, and support efforts toward dialogue, justice, reconciliation, and peace.

The bishop's statement comes as BBC reports that Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of an "all-out invasion" in northern Tigray, and Eritrea says in response that it is facing "an unprovoked war of aggression" by Ethiopia.

Hundreds of Catholic young people celebrate care for creation in Baghdad

More than 300 young Catholics gathered in Baghdad for a spiritual event marking the Season of Creation, an annual Christian observance dedicated to prayer and care for the environment.

Through Scripture readings, prayer, and reflections on Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', participants were encouraged to see protecting nature as part of their responsibility toward God and others, ACI MENA reported Oct. 5. Father Amir Kammu explained that environmental problems are also spiritual and moral concerns, particularly because their consequences often fall hardest on the poor.

At the end of the gathering, each participant received a small plant or fish to care for, turning the message of environmental responsibility into a personal commitment.

Glasgow Archdiocese to reduce parishes by half

Archbishop William Nolan has announced widespread cuts to the Archdiocese of Glasgow in Scotland amid dwindling attendance and a shortage in available priests.

"For years now there has been much talk of the need to restructure and reduce the number of parishes in the archdiocese. A plan for that restructuring has now been drawn up, reducing the number of parishes by half and seeing the closure of two dozen churches," Nolan said in an Oct. 7 statement on Facebook.

The statement noted the number of parishes will be reduced by half and 24 churches will be closed as part of the restructuring plan.

"There are too many parishes but too few people, too many churches but too few priests," he said. "As for priests, I have been archbishop for less than five years and the number of our active priests is down by a third in that time. Only one of our priests is under the age of 45, most are over the age of 60. Thank goodness we have foreign priests and religious willing to serve in the archdiocese, otherwise the situation would be even more critical than it is."

Irish priest blocks Nathan Carter concert from taking place at parish

A concert by country music singer Nathan Carter set to take place at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Boyle, Ireland, has been canceled after its parish priest objected to the event.

Father John Gannon contacted Carter and informed the musician he could no longer perform at the church after approval had been given to the singer by the parish's former pastor, according to an Oct. 5 report from the Irish Independent.

Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran backed up the priest's decision, telling the Irish Independent that the diocesan policy barring such concerts was to "preserve the sacredness of the church as a place of worship." He added: "That does not mean that it has to be specifically liturgical music, but it should be spiritual, and where singing is involved, the lyrics should be consistent with the message of the Gospel."

Catholic Church in Egypt opens beatification cause for former Coptic patriarch

The Catholic Church in Egypt has formally begun the cause for the beatification and canonization of Cardinal Stephanos II Ghattas, who served as Coptic Catholic patriarch of Alexandria from 1986 to 2006.

The Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, led by Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac, has invited the faithful to submit information about Ghattas, who died in Cairo in 2009, ACI MENA reported Oct. 6. The request includes testimonies both supporting and questioning his reputation for holiness, as well as personal writings, letters, and other documents that could assist the investigation.

The opening of the cause marks an important step in examining the life and legacy of the former patriarch but does not mean he has yet been declared blessed or a saint.

Canada hosts rosary rallies across the country

A Catholic group in Canada is hosting rosary rallies across the country on Oct. 10 to pray for its conversion.

The campaign from Canada Needs Our Lady started in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, and has grown from 1,083 to more than 1,550 rallies, according to an Oct. 8 report from Independent Catholic News. "The reaction from Canadians has been very encouraging," Joseph Gensens, Fatima custodian for Canada Needs Our Lady, said in the report. "We hear from people who are so grateful to have the opportunity to come together and pray the Rosary publicly — not only for Canada, but for their families and their communities."

Canada Needs Our Lady is an organization that advocates for a return to Christian values in Canada.

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Bishop Dennis Walsh of Davenport, Iowa, is joining a chorus of voices calling for the federal government to release an immigrant mother facing deportation as advocates argue that she is legally permitted to be in the country.

Walsh said in an Oct. 2 letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin that Iowa City resident Fatou Traore has resided in that community for more than two decades and has been a legal resident since a 2011 withholding of removal order. A withholding of removal order bars deportation to a country where an immigration judge found the person would likely face persecution.

Davenport Letter

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrested Traore on Sept. 24. The federal agency told the Cedar Rapids Gazette that she "admitted to using a fake birth certificate and fake passport" to enter the U.S.

Traore's family has denied those allegations. Walsh, meanwhile, said in his letter that Traore "has raised her family [in Iowa], lived peacefully, and has no criminal history."

Traore's family has said the government is preparing to deport her to Sierra Leone, a country with which, Walsh said, "she has no connection and where violence and human rights violations remain serious concerns."

The bishop said he was "deeply troubled" by the government's actions, which he argued were proceeding "despite the absence of any lawful or humanitarian justification."

"Proceeding with this deportation is [a] grave violation of [Traore's] human dignity and the rights that are intrinsic to each one of us," the bishop said. He urged the government to stay the deportation and allow Traore to return to her family.

Walsh in his entreaty joined several other religious and community leaders in Iowa in urging the government to hold off on the deportation. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This is not the first time the leader of the Davenport Diocese had advocated on behalf of immigrants.

In 2020, then-Bishop Thomas Zinkula — now the Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa — urged the government to release several Guatemalan immigrants from custody, citing the risks of COVID infection while in detainment.

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