Catholic News

ANN ARBOR, Michigan — In the closing days of a hotly contested U.S. Senate race, Michigan Democratic candidate Abdulrahman "Abdul" El-Sayed released an ad on "Prayer" in which he says that as a Muslim he prays every day.

Commenting on the ad, Kelsey Reinhardt, president and CEO of the advocacy organization CatholicVote, said: "I take him at his word that he is a man of prayer and he, as an American Muslim, deserves the same religious liberty we Catholics have fought to protect for two centuries."

"What I question is something else," Reinhardt continued. "El-Sayed has repeatedly answered fair questions with false equivalences, and he has put Catholics and our Church at the center of them."

Reinhardt was referring to El-Sayed's repeated equation of Catholic canon law with sharia. Addressing concerns about his Islamic faith and fears over the imposition of sharia, in a video shared on social media El-Sayed emphasized that if elected to the Senate, "I'm going to swear an oath to that U.S. Constitution."

In the video, El-Sayed told a town hall questioner in Michigan, who identified himself as a Christian, that "because of the U.S. Constitution you have the right to live according to canon law and also because of the U.S. Constitution you don't get to enforce canon law on anyone else."

Reinhardt squarely accuses El-Sayed of drawing a "false equivalence" between the two systems. "The Code of Canon Law is the internal legal order of the Catholic Church. It governs how the Church administers sacraments, organizes dioceses, and disciplines its own clergy. It makes no claim over the criminal code of any nation," she explained.

"Classical sharia is a different kind of thing. Many American Muslims understand it as a matter of personal devotion, and that is their right," she continued. "In its historic jurisprudence, though, sharia is a comprehensive legal order. It reaches into family law, criminal punishment, and the governance of the state. That is why it is written into the constitutions of several nations, and canon law is written into none," Reinhardt pointed out.

"One can respect both traditions and still see that they are not the same. A Senate candidate should know the difference," she said.

The issue first came to the forefront during an Aug. 24 interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters, when El-Sayed asked, "Do you know what canon law is, Jesse? ... canon law is the name for Christian law … Nobody is trying to push sharia law on anyone else. Just like I hope nobody is trying to push canon law on anybody else, because we live in an America where you should have the freedom of your religion."

Following that exchange, Catholic Answers' Todd Aglialoro also pointed out the problematic comparison and why the issue is a relevant one.

"Sharia is a broad term for codes of Muslim conduct," Aglialoro explained. "In many countries that are predominantly Muslim, Sharia is deeply embedded into civil and criminal law, with its prescriptions, judgments, and punishments serving a governing function."

In the West, Aglialoro continued, sharia has become a flashpoint of controversy in places "where Muslim-dense locales experience conflict between local law enforcement, based on liberal Western values, and neighborhood Muslim councils dispensing gray-market Sharia judgments that often contradict those values."

"The majority of these hot spots are in Europe, but as Islam grows in certain regions of the United States, there has been talk of measures to prevent that kind of 'parallel justice' from taking root here," he noted.

Gabriel Said Reynolds, who serves on the Vatican Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue with Muslims and is a professor of Islamic Studies and Theology at the University of Notre Dame, told EWTN News that for Muslims, "God's will for humanity is sharia."

Sharia includes explicit implications for non-Muslims. For example, Islamic law allows for a head tax known as "jizya" on Jews and Christians. At different times Christians in the Islamic world have suffered from abduction, enslavement, subjugation, and forced conversion.

In contrast, the Code of Canon Law is neither "Christian law" nor a civil code for all Christians, but orders the life of the Catholic Church. Unlike sharia, as Aglialoro points out, "Catholic canon law is not about superimposing a full spectrum of doctrinal and moral teaching onto the everyday life of religious adherents. It is more like a thick binder of organizational bylaws." 

Professor David Long, who teaches canon law at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News that comparing canon law and sharia may help illustrate believers' "freedom to observe religious obligations" but "does not establish that canon law and sharia share the same sources of authority or jurisdiction."

Long said of El-Sayed's comparison: "As an appeal to the religious freedom protected by the Constitution, the analogy makes a useful point: Catholics and Muslims alike may seek freedom to observe their religious obligations without thereby claiming authority to impose those obligations on their fellow citizens. That constitutional argument does not depend on the two legal traditions being equivalent."

"Islamic jurisprudence also provides rules for civil government, including those affecting non-Muslims. The distinction is substantial, but it must be stated without reducing canon law to administrative rules or treating every Muslim's religious observance as a proposal for state enforcement," Long added.

For Christians, Long contends, the central issue concerning sharia is the distinction between religious freedom and coercive state authority.

At the time of publication, El-Sayed's campaign staff had not responded to an EWTN News request for the candidate to clarify his position on the matter.

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Pro-life advocates in Massachusetts say they have collected enough signatures to both suspend a far-reaching abortion law there and put the question before voters in the next presidential election cycle.

The state earlier this year became the latest in the U.S. to officially remove all limits on abortion. Lawmakers passed a law that permits abortion at any point in pregnancy for any reason; Democratic Gov. Maura Healey signed the bill on Aug. 10.

Opponents of abortion subsequently launched an effort to suspend and potentially repeal the law, seeking enough signatures to enact a "veto referendum" that would put the law up for a statewide vote in 2028.

The advocates needed to collect about 37,000 signatures to place the measure on the ballot; collecting just under 50,000 signatures, meanwhile, would suspend the law prior to that election.

Myrna Maloney Flynn, the president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, told EWTN News on Oct. 30 that the initiative had collected more than 100,000 signatures toward the effort.

The pro-life coalition will deliver the signatures to the Massachusetts secretary of state, she said. "Then we'll wait for his office to formally confirm the results."

"We do not know how long his office will take to verify," she said.

She said the governor could enact an "emergency preamble" that would nullify the presumptive suspension of the law, though Healey "has not indicated her intentions" in that regard. The governor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the initiative.

Upon its passage, the state abortion measure drew rebuke from the state's Catholic bishops, who described it as "a radical measure which is gravely immoral."

The advocacy group CatholicVote, meanwhile, called for Healey — who identifies as Catholic — to be excommunicated.

"Healey is a Catholic in a state of grave sin. She has publicly and now legislatively cooperated in the destruction of innocent human life," CatholicVote President Kelsey Reinhardt said at the time.

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Vietnamese Catholics are debating the limits of interreligious dialogue following a visit of some 100 Catholic sisters to a Buddhist temple in Ho Chi Minh City.

The sisters of the Theological Institute of the Inter-Congregations of Lovers of the Holy Cross learned basic principles of Buddhist prayers and "practiced seated meditations" at the visit to Minh Dang Quang Buddhist Monastery on Oct. 26, according to a UCA News report. Controversy followed after photos circulated online of the visit, the report said.

Redemptorist Father Peter Nguyen Van Khai said the visit, which included offering incense and praying in front of a Buddhist statue, was inconsistent with Catholic teaching. "Good subjective intentions are not sufficient to justify an action that is objectively incompatible with the faith," he said.

Number of bishops in Ireland to drop by a third following merger

The number of Catholic bishops in Ireland could decrease from 26 to 17 after a merger that was decided by Vatican consultations in which Pope Leo XIV participated prior to his election as pope.

The merger was planned during a meeting in February 2025 with Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin, Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly of Cashel and Emly, and Archbishop Francis Duffy of Tuam, according to an Oct. 27 report from the Irish Times.

"Since the meeting in Rome held in February 2025, between the four archbishops of Ireland with Cardinal Robert Prevost ... the subject of reconfiguration of dioceses within the province of Munster has been on the agenda of the regular meetings of the seven Munster bishops," a spokesperson for the bishops said in the report, noting a consultative process is underway that could take "a number of years."

At UN, Holy See calls for 'peaceful uses of outer space'

The apostolic nuncio to the United Nations, Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis, spoke out against the expansion of space activity at the expense of environmental damage at the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City.

"Outer space is a common good entrusted to the responsibility of the entire human family. Its exploration and use hold extraordinary promise for scientific advancement and integral human development," El-Kassis said in his Oct. 28 statement. "However, it is essential that such progress benefits all peoples, without creating new inequalities or exclusions."

The nuncio further called for "greater international cooperation," especially so that developing countries may benefit from any possible advances. "The Holy See therefore encourages States to pursue their common efforts to preserve outer space as a realm of peace, stability, and cooperation, for the benefit of present and future generations," he said.

Displaced Christians in southern Lebanon appeal for protection, return home

Families from Qouzah, a Christian village in southern Lebanon, are appealing to the Vatican and the United States for help returning to their homes after months of displacement.

Residents have called for their village to be protected from further conflict, while Father Antonios Hanna, the parish priest, reported extensive damage to homes and the 120-year-old St. Joseph Church, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported on Oct. 27.

Before the latest displacement, approximately 54 families lived in the village. Many now face unemployment, rent payments, and difficulties meeting basic needs. Hanna emphasized that residents want neither conflict nor confrontation but lasting peace that will allow them to return to their homes, churches, and farmland.

Syrian curriculum changes spark controversy over religion, women

Changes to Syrian school textbooks have sparked criticism over the removal or alteration of material concerning women, the arts, civic education, and national history.

According to documented comparisons of older and revised textbooks, images of women and girls were removed or digitally altered to include Islamic coverings, ACI MENA reported Oct. 26. References to traditional dances, famous artworks, and historical figures were also deleted. Some lessons on citizenship, democracy, and respect for the law were replaced or removed, while changes to historical and geographical references raised further concerns.

Critics argue that the revisions promote a narrower religious and cultural perspective at the expense of Syria's diverse heritage. The controversy has renewed debate over the role of education in preserving historical accuracy, encouraging critical thinking, and respecting the country's social and religious diversity.

African Church leaders urge quality formation as priestly vocations grow

Catholic leaders and formation personnel in Africa are calling for careful discernment of candidates, qualified formators, and continuing formation for clergy and laypeople as the continent records growth in priestly vocations.

In responses shared with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, they said the increase in major seminarians calls for attention to candidates' motivations, human and spiritual maturity, pastoral preparation, and safeguarding.

"Rigorous discernment at the entry level should be the norm," Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of Abuja, Nigeria, said. "Careful vetting matters more than recruitment drives." The archbishop further urged psychological and human screening, and for willingness to turn away candidates who are deemed unfit for the priesthood.

Bishop reflects on 20 years of faith and service in Arabian Peninsula

After nearly two decades of service in the Arabian Peninsula, Swiss Capuchin Bishop Paul Hinder is preparing to return home, carrying with him memories of a diverse and deeply faithful Church.

Appointed apostolic vicar of Arabia in 2005 and of Southern Arabia in 2011, he served communities across six countries, visiting Christians in Yemen and witnessing the devotion of migrant Catholics in Saudi Arabia, ACI MENA reported Oct. 23.

Hinder helped build more than seven churches, supported the growth of the clergy, and encouraged lay participation, vocations, and Catholic education. He said his most lasting contribution was helping form people, whom he called the "living stones" of the Church. As he departs, he urged the faithful to remain united, resist hatred, and become peacemakers.

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The president of the Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference, Bishop Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez, announced that the Holy See has postponed the ad limina visit of the Central American country's bishops, citing a lack of "appropriate conditions" for the Nicaraguan prelates.

"The Holy See has postponed it until next year with no specific date set as of yet because the appropriate conditions do not exist for the bishops who are members of the episcopal conference," explained the prelate, who also serves as the bishop of Jinotega, in a statement to EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

The "ad limina apostolorum" visit ("to the threshold of the apostles") is a visit made to the Vatican by bishops from around the world, organized by country and occurring every five years to report to the various dicasteries on the situation in their respective dioceses. These visits conclude with an audience with the pope, who recently met separately with the bishops from Honduras and Panama.

Herrera, who has been in exile since November 2024 after being expelled by the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo, in Nicaragua, participated in a recent meeting regarding the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which brought together the presidents of bishops' conferences from around the world. In that context, the Nicaraguan prelate was able to meet personally with Pope Leo XIV on Oct. 12.

'We would be left without shepherds'

When asked about the suspension of the ad limina visit, a priest currently serving in Nicaragua, who requested anonymity to avoid reprisals from the regime, told EWTN News Español that there is a factor "related to the reality, the context in which we live here in Nicaragua, that must be taken into account: [the bishops] can't leave, and the fear is real. If someone leaves [to go to Rome], it's possible they might not be allowed to return."

"Imagine if all the bishops currently in the country were to leave, and the government suddenly decided not to allow them back in — we would be left without a single bishop. Therefore, it's a matter of prudence not to go on the ad limina visit, because we would be left without shepherds here in the Church" of Nicaragua, he added.

"In any case, the Nicaraguan Bishops' Conference was already represented there, in a sense, through its president, Bishop Herrera," the priest said.

Another Nicaraguan priest in exile, who also requested anonymity for the safety of his family and friends in Nicaragua, concurred, stating that "the bishops did indeed have the visit scheduled, but there are two factors at play: government pressure against them and the fear of being stuck outside the country."

Nicaragua currently has nine active bishops, four of whom are in exile: Herrera; Bishop Silvio Báez, auxiliary bishop of Managua, who was forced to leave the country in 2019 for being critical of the dictatorship; Bishop Isidoro Mora of Siuna; and Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí. The latter two were expelled from the country in January 2024.

The dictatorship maintains a ban on the ordination of deacons and priests in the dioceses of Jinotega, Siuna, Matagalpa, and Estelí, where bishops are not present.

Furthermore, Bishop Abelardo Mata, the 80-year-old bishop emeritus of Estelí, has become the latest target of the dictatorship in recent months. He was arrested for praying for the persecuted Church in Nicaragua and confined to his home in Tisma (Masaya district), from which he is apparently not allowed to leave.

Dictatorship doesn't allow any mention of 'bishops in exile'

Martha Patricia Molina, author of the report "Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church," which documents thousands of attacks by the dictatorship against the Catholic Church since 2018, told EWTN News Español that, according to her sources, "the visit was suspended because the relationship between the Church and the Nicaraguan dictatorship is undergoing serious problems, and for that reason, it was not considered appropriate to carry it out."

Molina also noted that the last ad limina visit by the bishops of Nicaragua took place nine years ago in 2017 and that "given the current context in which the Church in Nicaragua finds itself, it's impossible for the bishops to meet especially when the dictatorship doesn't even allow the names of the exiled bishops to be mentioned."

"If the bishops currently in Nicaragua were to travel, they would be denied reentry into the country. I believe the Holy See is aware of this situation and chose not to take that risk," she emphasized. Molina described this as a "prudent" decision, given the "severe conditions of religious persecution that our Church in Nicaragua is facing."

The Holy See Press Office has not yet responded to an inquiry from EWTN News Español regarding the suspension of the ad limina visit by the Nicaraguan episcopate.

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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Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope in Catholic Church history to cast a ballot in a U.S. election, the Vatican confirmed on Oct. 30.

Leo, who has mostly lived outside of the U.S. since the 1980s, "has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so," the Holy See said in a statement provided to EWTN News.

The Vatican confirmed that "in keeping with this long-standing practice of civic participation, [Leo] has submitted his mail-in ballot in Chicago" ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections.

Leo confirmed through the Vatican's statement that "during his years of residence in Peru he exercised his right to vote whenever he was eligible to do so."

"The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the statement added.

Leo's absentee ballot marks the first time a Catholic pope has voted in a U.S. election in Church history. The United States was established in 1776, about 18 centuries after the founding of the Catholic Church.

The Holy Father, the first pope from the United States, is still a U.S. citizen and also holds Peruvian citizenship, though his election to the papacy raised esoteric questions about those national statuses, such as whether or not he would still pay taxes in the U.S. while serving as head of the Catholic Church.

A 2025 bill proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives moved to "protect the citizenship of, and provide tax-exempt status to, any American elected as the supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church," a clear reference to Leo's then-new papacy. The bill ultimately stalled in committee.

Unique among world leaders, the pope serves simultaneously as the universal spiritual head of the Catholic Church and as the head of the Holy See, a distinct sovereign entity under international law that serves as the central government of the Catholic Church.

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A Polish bishop has been convicted of failing to promptly notify law enforcement about the sexual abuse of minors by two priests of his diocese.

A district court in Tarnów, southern Poland, on Oct. 29 found Bishop Andrzej Jez of Tarnów guilty and sentenced him to two years' "restriction of liberty," a noncustodial penalty. Instead of prison, 1,000 zlotys (about $254) of his monthly salary will go to a children's charity.

The court also ordered him to pay 10,000 zlotys (about $2,538) on each count into a state victims' fund. Prosecutor Marcin Stepien had sought a suspended sentence and a fine of 20,000 zlotys (about $5,075).

The verdict is the outcome of the first criminal trial of a Polish bishop on that charge. The diocese has announced it will appeal.

The court's reasoning

"The court believes that the defendant's task was merely, and yet as much as, to file the appropriate notifications, not to assess individual cases," Judge Malgorzata Adamczyk said.

She found the bishop's testimony not credible.

The curia said it "does not agree with the court's decision" and stressed that, in both cases, the curia made formal notifications to law enforcement authorities. It expressed "deep regret for the harm and suffering of all persons harmed by sexual crimes."

At the trial's opening in February, Jez, who has led the diocese since 2012, pleaded not guilty and apologized to those harmed.

Since July 2017, Polish law has required that authorities be immediately informed of credible knowledge of the sexual abuse of a child under 15.

The first case concerns former priest Stanislaw P., who prosecutors found had harmed at least 95 children in Poland and Ukraine. Prosecutors closed the case in 2022 as time-barred.

The curia said the bishop had concrete information only in 2019 and notified prosecutors in 2020. Stepien countered that a Church tribunal had found the priest guilty in a 2013 decree issued by Jez and that this earlier finding meant the delay left the abuse of 23 boys time-barred.

The second case concerns a priest, Tomasz K., accused of abusing minors between 2008 and 2010. The curia said the bishop learned only in late 2021 that a victim may have been under 15 and reported it that December, while prosecutors said the curia knew in 2017. The priest's case is pending in Nowy Sacz.

Other Polish bishops, including Bishop Jan Tyrawa and Archbishop Andrzej Dziega, have resigned after Vatican inquiries into their handling of abuse claims. None faced criminal charges.

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Pope Leo XIV has appointed Italian Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa and Salesian Sister Elena Massimi, a professor of liturgy and sacramental theology at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome, as the new undersecretaries of the General Secretariat of the Synod.

The appointments mark a leadership change at the body responsible for overseeing the Catholic Church's synodal process. They follow the departure of Sister Nathalie Becquart, who had served as undersecretary since February 2021.

In recent years, Becquart became one of the most prominent figures in the synodal process initiated by Pope Francis and continued by Leo XIV. She was also the first woman to have voting rights at an assembly of the Synod of Bishops, a milestone in the Church's recent history.

A Jesuit deeply involved in the synodal process

Costa, the new undersecretary, was born in Genoa in 1967 and entered the Society of Jesus in 1992. Trained as a sociologist, he earned a diploma of advanced studies in political and moral sociology from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris.

Costa is well known in Italian Church circles. From 2010 to 2021, he served as editor of the journal Aggiornamenti Sociali, and from 2007 to 2025, he chaired the San Fedele Cultural Foundation in Milan.

He has been closely involved in the synodal process, serving as special secretary for both the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, dedicated to young people in 2018, and the 16th Ordinary General Assembly on synodality, held from 2021 to 2024.

Until now, he had served as a consultor to the General Secretariat of the Synod.

A liturgy expert

Alongside Costa, the pope appointed Sister Elena Massimi, a member of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, also known as the Salesian Sisters, as undersecretary.

Born in Rome in 1975, Massimi made her perpetual profession in 2009 and earned a doctorate in theology, specializing in pastoral liturgy, from the Santa Giustina Institute of Pastoral Liturgy in Padua, Italy, which is affiliated with the Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm.

She currently teaches liturgy and sacramental theology at the Pontifical Salesian University, serves as president of the Italian Association of Professors and Scholars of Liturgy, and oversees music for the liturgy at the National Liturgical Office of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

Her appointment strengthens women's representation in one of the Roman Curia's most important bodies and brings recognized academic and pastoral expertise in liturgy to the synodal leadership team.

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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Pope Leo XIV has approved a reform of the disciplinary rules governing personnel of the Roman Curia, introducing new safeguards for employees facing proceedings for serious misconduct, including the possibility of legal representation and a longer period in which to submit their defense.

The changes were approved by the pontiff on Oct. 19 through a "Rescriptum ex Audientia Sanctissimi," a Latin expression referring to a decision or provision approved by the pope following an audience granted to a curial official or ecclesiastical authority.

The document is signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state, and amends Articles 62 §3, 68 §2, and 68 §4 of the Regulations for Personnel of the Roman Curia.

Changes to the role of the disciplinary commission

The reform introduces a clarification to article 62 §3 to define more precisely the responsibilities of the Roman Curia's Disciplinary Commission.

The new wording states that the commission shall act in determining certain disciplinary sanctions, "with the exception of suspension for a period of up to 30 days." As a result, shorter suspensions will no longer require the commission's involvement, while more serious sanctions will continue to be examined by the body.

The change means that, when an employee commits an offense, the head of a dicastery may now impose a sanction directly, including suspension from work for up to 30 days. Beyond that threshold, the Disciplinary Commission must be involved to assess the appropriateness of the sanction.

Previously, even suspensions of less than 30 days required review by the Disciplinary Commission. Under the new rules, such review is necessary only for suspensions exceeding 30 days.

Another significant change concerns proceedings that could result in a lengthy suspension or dismissal.

Until now, the regulations provided employees with 10 days to submit their explanations after receiving notice of the alleged violations.

The new rule maintains that deadline for ordinary cases but introduces an additional safeguard for more serious situations. Specifically, when the alleged conduct is considered by the head of the department to be "liable to result in a suspension exceeding 30 days or dismissal," the employee will be granted "15 days to present his or her defense."

Right to legal assistance

The reform also explicitly incorporates the employee's right to legal assistance in the most serious disciplinary proceedings.

The new text states that the employee may present a defense "making use, if appropriate, of a lawyer chosen from among the members of the Corps of Lawyers of the Holy See or the Register of Lawyers of the Roman Curia."

This is a significant innovation within the Curia's internal regulations, as it expressly provides for legal representation when the potential sanction could involve a lengthy suspension or termination of employment.

Obligation to inform the employee

The amendment to article 68 §4 also establishes new notification requirements for heads of Vatican departments and institutions.

When the head of an entity considers that a "suspension exceeding 30 days or dismissal" is warranted, he or she must forward the case file to the Roman Curia's Disciplinary Commission and inform the employee "of the measure adopted and of the possibility of making use of his or her own lawyer" from among those authorized under the regulations.

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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Catholics are required to attend Mass every Sunday and on specific holy days of obligation. In 2026, one of those days also falls on a Sunday, and it's happening this weekend. On Nov. 1, the solemnity of All Saints will replace the 31st Sunday of Ordinary Time.

On Saturday, Oct. 31, and on Sunday, Nov. 1, Evening Prayer 1 of the Liturgy of the Hours is for All Saints and the vigil Mass on Saturday will observe the Mass of All Saints.

What is the solemnity of All Saints?

Solemnities rank above feasts and memorials and are the highest liturgical celebrations in the Catholic Church. They honor significant mysteries of the Christian faith, including events in the lives of Jesus and Mary, as well as key saints.

The solemnity of All Saints celebrates all Christian saints — those formally canonized by the Church and those who are not but have attained heaven. It is typically a holy day of obligation.

The observance of the solemnity begins with evening prayer (first vespers) the evening before on Oct. 31 — known as All Hallows' Eve or Halloween — and is followed on Nov. 2 by All Souls' Day, a day in which the entire Church prays for all of the dead.

Solemnities that fall on Saturdays and Mondays

Sometimes a solemnity that falls on a Sunday will be moved to a Monday.

For example, in 2024, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8 fell on a Sunday in Advent so the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) transferred the solemnity to the Monday.

The Vatican has clarified that Catholics in the United States must still attend Mass on holy days of obligation even when they are transferred to Mondays or Saturdays, correcting a long-standing practice in the U.S. Church.

The USCCB liturgical calendars for 2026 and 2027 can be found here and here.

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Only a week remains until Pope Leo XIV's arrival in Uruguay, and anticipation is growing among locals: For many, it will be their first experience of this kind, while others recall the visit of St. John Paul II in 1987, the last time a pontiff visited the country.

The date is not just another day on the calendar: The Holy Father's visit to Uruguay coincides with the feast day of the country's patroness, Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, a figure deeply rooted in the spirituality and history of the most secular republic in the region.

Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Uruguay experienced an unusually harsh process of separating church and state, which is why there are officially no religious holidays or symbols in public institutions. In Uruguay, presidents do not take their oath of office on the Bible, there are no chaplains for the armed forces, Holy Week is referred to as "Tourism Week," and Christmas is called "Family Day."

Nevertheless, in anticipation of the pope's arrival, the Church and the state are currently working side by side and with "great expectation" to welcome him and to offer the best possible experience, explained the archbishop of Montevideo, Cardinal Daniel Sturla, during a conference titled "Pope Leo XIV's Visit to South America," organized by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN International).

In a continent with a strong Catholic presence, the cardinal acknowledged, "Uruguay is the exception, a country that has experienced intense secularization for over 100 years."

Citing data from the latest survey, while noting that survey results should be viewed with some caution, Sturla explained that "only 33% of Uruguayans identify as Catholic; 28% believe in God but do not belong to any specific church or religion; 11% follow other religions; and 28% are agnostics or atheists." These figures "set it apart from the rest of Latin America," he observed.

However, he described Uruguayan society as "pluralistic and democratic," with 3.5 million inhabitants, nearly half of whom live in the city of Montevideo.

In Uruguay, "the Church has freedom of action," he acknowledged. "Although it has often been sidelined, there are high expectations; in fact, the current president of Uruguay himself traveled to Rome and extended an invitation to Pope Leo to come and visit us," he noted.

When addressing the reasons for the country's extensive secularization, he acknowledged that there are several, some rooted in history, among other factors, and noted that this process "has taken deep root among the population; it has been very intense and has left its mark on Uruguayan culture." Nevertheless, he observed that, within this context, "the Church proclaims Jesus Christ and maintains a presence throughout the entire national territory."

A Church that works tirelessly

"I like to say that in this context, the Church in Uruguay 'keeps on rowing,' [works tirelessly]. It is a Church that I describe as poor and free, small and beautiful," he noted.

In Uruguay, "being a priest is not, let's put it this way, a badge of honor; ambition is not involved. Rather, it is a service rendered with great simplicity. It's not necessarily a position of prestige simply by virtue of being a priest, but rather through how he lives his life and his self-giving," he explained.

"We await the pope with great affection, while also working, as I mentioned, in coordination with the state," he said, noting that the visit "will have a civic dimension, but it will be, above all, a pastoral visit."

One aspect of the visit that the cardinal said he finds particularly beautiful is that "in Montevideo, the pope will visit a very needy, impoverished neighborhood, the area with the highest concentration of the Catholic Church's presence in the entire country," he said, referring to the Borro neighborhood, located in the Casavalle basin.

"There, in the parish that the pope will visit [Our Lady of Guadalupe] within an area spanning just a few blocks, a few hundred meters, there are around 20 Catholic initiatives, including parishes and chapels, but above all social projects that address issues such as housing, education, care for the elderly, and vocational training," he enumerated. "In other words, there is a very tangible, very vibrant reality."

In Uruguay, Sturla noted, "there is an expectation that extends beyond the 33% who are Catholic. Surveys indicate that 60% of Uruguayans are very hopeful about the pope's visit; there is virtually no opposition to it — on the contrary, there is a desire to welcome him in the best way possible."

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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