Catholic News

The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has condemned the Oct. 24 killing of more than 60 people in two attacks in Ethiopia's Oromia regional state, calling on the government to protect Orthodox Christians and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The attacks come weeks after members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) urged parties involved in armed conflicts across the country to end hostilities and pursue dialogue, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

In a statement of condolence issued on Monday, Oct. 26, the General Assembly of the Holy Synod said it received "with profound sorrow" a report from the Arsi Eparchy about the deaths of faithful following "brutal and merciless attacks" in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia regional state.

"The horrific and appalling massacres, forced displacements, and physical and property damage inflicted upon our innocent Orthodox Christian faithful in the Arsi Eparchy and in various other parts of our country have continued unabated and have been worsening over time," the synod said.

The Church leaders recounted that on Oct. 20 and Oct. 24, 14 of their faithful were killed at a place locally known as Gora Silingo, in Angada Kebele, Merti Woreda, and 46 others were killed at Tereta Chole Birbo in Sherka Woreda.

They added that the homes of 20 faithful were completely burned down and that more than 20 people sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment in hospitals. The synod recalled that numerous faithful have previously been killed in districts within the same zone.

The synod strongly condemned the attacks, saying they are "entirely unacceptable under the teachings of any religion and are incompatible with the human rights of all people."

The killings, the Church leaders said, "violate the constitutional rights to religious freedom and to life, contradict both religious principles and the natural law of humanity, undermine our national values of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, and constitute inhumane acts that deserve unequivocal condemnation."

The synod strongly urged the relevant government authorities to publicly condemn the attacks and uphold the constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and freedom of worship.

In addition to bringing the perpetrators to justice and ensuring the rule of law, the authorities were called upon to provide the necessary legal protections to prevent a recurrence.

"We call upon the government to provide the necessary protection to our faithful wherever they may be, so that they are not subjected to similar attacks," the synod said.

It also urged the relevant security authorities to give the matter special attention, provide the necessary protection until the problem is resolved, and take effective measures to prevent further threats and attacks.

The Orthodox Church leaders extended their condolences to the families of the deceased and to all Ethiopians.

"We pray that God Almighty will grant rest to the souls of our brothers and sisters who lost their lives unjustly and bestow upon them the honor of martyrdom. The Holy Church continues to pray for them and wishes comfort and consolation to all those who mourn," they said.

The General Assembly resolved that on Oct. 27 following the Divine Liturgy, memorial prayer services are to be conducted in all monasteries and churches of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church throughout the world.

The synod also resolved that an appointment be arranged for the General Assembly to meet and hold discussions with the relevant senior government official, after which "appropriate efforts shall be undertaken to achieve a lasting solution to this problem."

Catholic bishops respond

In their statement dated Oct. 1, the CBCE members expressed sorrow over violence in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, and other regions, saying that war destroys lives, communities, and property and leaves hatred, resentment, and vengeance that can endure for generations.

"Rather than resolving differences, war serves only to deepen divisions and multiplies suffering," the Catholic leaders said.

They highlighted the suffering of vulnerable people, particularly children, women, the elderly, and the sick, and appealed to Ethiopians to regard the lives and suffering of others as their own, saying that peace is a shared responsibility.

"It is our heartfelt prayer that all disputes may be settled through genuine dialogue and that all forms of conflict may cease," the Catholic bishops said.

The CBCE members called for peace rooted in truth, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

"Such a peace reflects the values of the Gospel, advances the common good, upholds the sacred dignity of the human person, and corresponds to the will of God for His people," they said.

The CBCE members' statement followed Pope Leo XIV's Sept. 30 appeal for dialogue amid renewed hostilities in Tigray and the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.

Ethiopia is facing renewed fighting nearly four years after the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. Tensions between the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) remain unresolved, including disputes over political power, regional autonomy, disarmament, and territory.

In September, the TPLF joined six other armed groups in an alliance reportedly seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali's government.

A Sept. 29 Al Jazeera report described intensified fighting between federal forces and the TPLF and its allies. Government forces and their allies claimed to have captured Alamata, a strategic town about 75 miles south of Mekelle, following days of fighting.

The report said fighting was continuing across Tigray, Amhara, and Afar, with TPLF forces also taking Erebti in Afar.

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

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The Vatican announced Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV will hold "several meetings" with victims of clerical sexual abuse during his apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from Nov. 6–17.

"During the days of the Holy Father's upcoming apostolic journey to Latin America, several meetings are planned with people who are victims of abuse by members of the clergy and the Church," the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.

The Vatican also explained that these meetings "reflect the Pope's desire to express his closeness to those who have suffered, and continue to suffer, because of this violence."

However, the Vatican did not specify the number of meetings or how they were to be conducted. Its statement, however, emphasized that the pope's objective is "to work with [abuse victims] in building paths of healing accessible to anyone in need, and to ensure that the Church is a safe and spiritually healthy place that lives and proclaims the Gospel."

The announcement of these meetings is not unprecedented. During his September visit to France, the Holy See Press Office also confirmed in advance the pope's intention to meet with abuse victims at the Lourdes shrine. However, during his June visit to Spain, the Vatican did not announce in advance the meeting the pope held with victims at the apostolic nunciature in Madrid. The meeting was held privately and made public afterward.

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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U.S. Vice President JD Vance this month said he had not yet made a determination on whether he would run for president in 2028, telling EWTN News host Raymond Arroyo that he would listen to God when ultimately deciding what to do.

Vance, who is widely considered to be a frontrunner for the 2028 Republican nomination, told Arroyo on the latter's "Arroyo Grande" podcast on Oct. 21 that he was not thinking intensively about the prospect of a presidential race amid the contentious 2026 midterms.

"As soon as the midterms are over … I'm going to have to think seriously about it," Vance said. He noted that he and his wife have four small children "and that's a consideration."

Asked by Arroyo if he felt God calling him to mount a presidential run, he responded: "I feel God calling me to do as good of a job as I can."

"I feel God calling me to try to promote the common good and the job that I'm doing right now," he said. "And I think that when I actually sit down with my wife and with my pastor and with just my own internal deliberation — I think at that point I'll either hear God telling me to do something or to not do something."

"I haven't felt God telling me I've got to do one thing or another," he said, though he admitted: "Maybe that'll change."

The vice president and Arroyo spoke in a wide-ranging interview that focused on politics, family, faith, and other issues. Vance said during the exchange that his faith "influences how [he thinks] about public policy."

"I think that what my faith calls me to do is to be more charitable towards people," he said. "It forces me to ask questions: 'How can we raise up the least among us? How do we ensure that people have good access to jobs, even if it isn't always the perfect thing for a corporate bottom line?'

"It also tells me to protect the weak and the vulnerable — of course, I think starting with the unborn, but a lot of other people on top of that," he continued.

"So I do think that while I'm an imperfect practitioner of my faith, I think the very best version of myself is that which listens to that voice in my head that I think ultimately comes from God."

Asked by Arroyo about his "greatest regret," Vance said: "Not having kids sooner."

Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance were married in 2014 and welcomed their first child in 2017. "I had been dating Usha for three weeks, I knew I wanted to marry her, I knew I wanted to have kids with her, and we should have just started sooner," he said.

"I always tell young couples, you always think you're going to check all these boxes and finances are going to be perfect, and then you're going to have kids," he said. "Nobody looks back on their life and says, 'I had two kids too early.'"

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Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles will receive the Encuentros Award, an honor presented by the Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) that recognizes individuals who "have made significant contributions to Hispanic/Latino ministry" in the country.

In an Oct. 23 statement, the USCCB noted that the award was announced by Bishop Óscar Cantú of San José, California, chair of the USCCB's Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, during the 2026 annual conference of the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry.

The conference, held Oct. 20–23 in Anaheim, California, brought together hundreds of leaders in Hispanic ministry from dioceses across the United States.

According to the statement, Cantú noted that Gomez "has advocated for the Hispanic community for decades. He has been a tireless champion for the Catholic Church and specifically for Hispanic Catholics, highlighting the gifts that they bring to the Church in the United States."

"With the Encuentros Award, we wish to recognize his work and express our heartfelt appreciation for everything he has done across many years," Cantú stated.

Gomez will receive the Encuentros Award during the U.S. bishops' plenary assembly in November, which will take place in Baltimore.

The life of Archbishop José H. Gomez

Born in Monterrey in Nuevo León state in Mexico on Dec. 26, 1951, Gomez has three older sisters and one younger sister. His parents are Dr. José H. Gomez and Esperanza Velasco, according to a biography published by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

He was ordained a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei on Aug. 15, 1978, at the Shrine of Torreciudad in Spain.

Having studied accounting, philosophy, and theology, he earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Navarra in Spain.

He subsequently served as a priest in the Archdiocese of San Antonio and in what is now the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

In 2001, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Denver by Pope John Paul II. Four years later, again by the decision of the Polish saint, he became the archbishop of San Antonio.

In 2010, he was appointed coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles by Pope Benedict XVI and installed as archbishop in March 2011.

He served as president of the USCCB from 2019 to 2022, becoming the first Hispanic and the first immigrant to assume leadership of the U.S. episcopate. Gomez is a naturalized American citizen.

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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U.S. bishops are opposing proposed Census Bureau rule changes that would determine who is counted for congressional apportionment in the 2030 census, arguing that excluding noncitizens without lawful permanent resident status would effectively deny them recognition as persons.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a public comment on Oct. 22 to the Commerce Department, which houses the Census Bureau, asking it to entirely withdraw the proposed changes, which the bishops say "conflict with our fundamental belief in the equal dignity of every person, the obligations of a just society, and legal precedent."

The bishops compared the proposal to the Three-Fifths Compromise, calling to mind a constitutional provision rooted in slavery that was later changed and counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for purposes of congressional representation. They pointed to potential harm to federally funded healthcare, anti-poverty, family support, and infrastructure programs if millions of people are excluded from the census count.

The proposed rule changes, published Sept. 10 and open to public comment until Nov. 2, would count only citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) for apportionment, with the bureau stating that "illegal aliens (among others) should not be included in the apportionment count, as they are not true inhabitants, members of the body politic, or persons with a 'usual residence' in the United States due to their lack of a sufficient tie and allegiance to the United States."

"Excluding from the census noncitizens without LPR status, including but not limited to members of the undocumented population, is effectively to deny they are 'persons,'" the letter said.

The bishops called this change a "novel view," challenging the Census Bureau's interpretation of "usual residence," which it says would generally be the place where a person lawfully spent the greatest number of days from Jan. 3 to April 1, consistent with tax records. The letter also notes some drafting ambiguity in the proposal about whether non-LPRs would be excluded from the census entirely or only from the apportionment base.

The bishops say relying on tax records without a clear methodology will be statistically impractical and risks inaccuracy, arguing that additional questions or new practices will become necessary to determine whether a person's "usual residence" conforms with their legal immigration status. They cite research findings published by the U.S. Census Bureau showing "an adverse effect on response rate" when immigration status and citizenship questions are scrutinized.

They noted that every census since it began in 1790 has counted noncitizens, including those without permanent legal status.

The bishops also wrote that in addition to its primary purpose of determining the number of seats allotted to each state in the U.S. House of Representatives, which is determined by population, the census, mandated by the U.S. Constitution, produces data used to apportion federal funds to communities.

An undercount could severely harm the common good, the bishops argue, as programs that receive trillions in federal funding to provide healthcare, reduce poverty, support families, and provide crucial infrastructure utilized by all citizens will be impacted through excluding millions of persons from the apportionment count.

They note that Catholic ministries, which often operate at the government's request to help implement programs guided by census data, would be hindered in their service to vulnerable populations if communities lose access to resources and if the data needed to understand local needs is less accurate.

The Census Bureau in the proposed rule change is also seeking to prohibit demographic questions concerning race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on questionnaires used to count the population, supporting the change by citing privacy concerns, saying certain questions may make individuals more identifiable, and noting that fewer questions on the census questionnaire will increase the response rate. The bureau also argues such questions do not advance the core constitutional purpose of a census for apportionment of House seats.

The bishops suggest including a "prefer not to disclose" option rather than removing questions about race and ethnicity altogether, writing that "demographic data can help identify and address inequity" due to racism. They note that the bureau "does not even attempt to address how the proposed restrictions on the collection of demographic information could adversely impact" the support various communities receive based on their particular community's needs, which demographic data collected on the census helps determine.

The U.S. Census Bureau did not immediately respond to EWTN News' request for comment.

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ABUJA, Nigeria — The Catholic Church in Nigeria is equipping future priests with the knowledge and skills to identify, prevent, and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

The initiative, which has already reached more than 260 seminarians at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Makurdi, Benue state, seeks to prepare future priests to recognize different forms of abuse, support survivors, and promote safer communities through their pastoral ministry.

Speaking in an interview with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, during the three-day "Training and Capacity Building on the Prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence" for seminarians, the secretary-general of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) said the disturbing prevalence of sexual and other forms of violence in Nigeria calls for deliberate efforts to ensure respect for every human person, particularly for those who are most vulnerable.

According to Father Michael Banjo: "Seminarians must receive formation that prepares them for the responsibility of protecting people from abuse, educating the faithful, and promoting a culture in which violence is neither tolerated nor concealed."

"The disturbing prevalence of sexual and other forms of violence in Nigeria calls us to make the Christian message of love concrete through the protection of human dignity. Every person is created in the image and likeness of God, and every act of abuse violates that dignity," he said during the Oct. 21 interview.

The episcopal secretary of the Family and Human Life unit of CSN, Sister Cor Jesu Maria Ijeoma Eke, whose office has the mandate of training the seminarians, explained to ACI Africa at the training that the formation of seminarians was essential to extending awareness of sexual and gender-based violence beyond existing Church groups to families and communities across the country.

"These are the future priests, future bishops, the future shepherds that we will have in the Church. We decided to take this training down to them so that if we can get them to understand what sexual and gender-based violence is all about, its manifestations, its forms and everything surrounding it, it will be a better way of spreading this knowledge and seeing how we can work towards the prevention of this ill," she said.

Eke disclosed that the training of 1,000 seminarians formed part of a capacity-building project designed to raise awareness and strengthen the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence among Catholic Church stakeholders in Nigeria.

She explained that the program aimed to ensure seminarians acquired the necessary knowledge before assuming pastoral responsibilities, particularly when individuals and families turn to the Church for guidance and assistance.

The Nigerian sister noted that priests regularly interact with people from different backgrounds through homilies, pastoral visits, apostolic work, and meetings with Church organizations, placing them in a strategic position to promote awareness and help prevent abuse.

"They are going to use the pulpit, they go for apostolic work, and they meet with other leaders and Church organizations. They can use this opportunity as future priests and all those who are really in this field to make sure that this project, this awareness creation, as well as the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, is brought under control," she said.

Eke expressed the hope that sustained awareness and preventive action would help the Church and society move toward a future in which sexual and gender-based violence would be significantly reduced.

Eke disclosed that the project initially aimed to reach at least 1,000 seminarians across the selected major seminaries, but the number could increase as the training progresses.

In a separate interview with ACI Africa, the executive director of the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Father George Omaku Ehusani, said the initiative was introduced to the Church in Nigeria by his foundation, identifying harmful cultural practices, domestic violence, and unequal treatment of women as some of the issues the initiative seeks to address.

"In this country, there are places where a man dies, and the wife is chased away from home, and the brothers can just come and pack all his things. Till today, the wife with children can be left empty, and the brothers will come and carry everything [away]," he said.

The initiative also addresses the treatment of domestic workers, particularly young girls brought from rural communities to work as house helps or nannies in wealthier households.

"You bring a girl from the village who is the same age as your own daughter, and put that girl through the most harrowing experiences as a house girl, as a nanny. If she breaks a plate, they beat the nonsense out of this girl. The kind of work you can't give your child at 12 years old, you give this girl," he said.

According to him, the initiative uses the Gospel, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other Church teachings to encourage Christians to reject abuse and treat vulnerable people with compassion.

"You cannot be a Christian and be violating people. You can't be a Christian and be brutalizing people," he said and added: "The Ford Foundation is supporting, but it has nothing to say as to the agenda. Lux Terra developed it," he said.

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

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A multidisciplinary team is investigating an alleged Eucharistic miracle that took place in Cuilapa, Guatemala, after a consecrated host remained undissolved in a glass of water and developed reddish stains.

Father José Alejandro García, parish priest at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus in the Diocese of St. Rose of Lima, within whose jurisdiction the events took place, explained in an interview with EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that his bishop, José Cayetano Parra, has assembled a team of specialists to investigate the case.

The group consists of a biologist, a physician with experience in similar cases, a psychologist, a nurse, a layperson chosen from among the faithful who participate in the community, and a priest who is not part of the local parish clergy.

As the priest explained, one of the team's objectives is to determine "whether the reddish stain is blood" and to understand how it is that "a piece of bread may be found to have certain human properties or characteristics."

What happened to the consecrated host?

During a Mass celebrated on July 30 at a school in the city of Cuilapa, the celebrant noticed that one of the young people had removed the Eucharist from his mouth; the priest approached him to prevent him from tossing it on the floor. After retrieving the host, the priest took it and later placed it in a glass vessel containing water, located in the chapel in the cathedral's rectory.

The intention was for the host to dissolve naturally. However, on Aug. 6, it was observed that this had not occurred; instead, red stains had appeared on it.

Since then, the case has sparked interest among the faithful.

Prudence, prayer, and reflection

García emphasized that this is a matter that "will require time for study and reflection," clarifying that neither the multidisciplinary team nor the bishop can confirm whether this is a Eucharistic miracle. Any eventual authorization for public veneration rests with the Holy See.

For now, he asked the faithful to use this time for "exercising prudence, for prayer, and reflection," and to avoid drawing hasty conclusions that could "hinder the investigation."

On behalf of Parra, the priest invited the community to maintain "great faith, much prayer, and patience."

Increased participation by the faithful

García said that since the news became known, there has been "greater participation by thousands of people" who have come to the church to attend Mass, go to confession, and take part in Eucharistic adoration.

The priest noted that the chapel set aside for adoration has begun to fill with more people than usual, so it is now open from 5 a.m. until midnight.

He also noted that there is "an increase in people looking to go to confession."

"We offer confession, especially on Sundays, and we have ministered to a large number of people, including some who had not been to confession for years," he added.

"For my community, it has been a rebirth," the priest stated, pointing out that this awakening has been reflected in a strengthening of "faith in Jesus in the Eucharist, which is evident in the increased attendance of the faithful at Mass and at Eucharistic adoration."

For the priest, what occurred is a call for Catholics to "strengthen our faith," and for those who are not yet Catholic, "it is a cry from Jesus telling us: I am alive; I am the bread that has come down from heaven."

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 denounced all religious wars in a video message on Tuesday, marking the 40th anniversary of the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi, Italy.

"There is no such thing as a holy war: Only peace is holy," Leo said in his message. "War can never be waged in the name of God."

The pontiff, originally scheduled to travel to Assisi for the gathering, canceled his trip on his doctors' advice, as he continues to recover from thoracic surgery performed on Oct. 13. The Vatican announced the cancellation on Oct. 23, adding that he would send a message for the event.

St. John Paul II established the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi in 1986 as an interreligious prayer service for peace during the Cold War.

Another call to end 'holy wars'

In his message, Leo highlighted a growing trend among nations to resort to armed conflict. He described the trend as a betrayal of the memory of those who lost their lives in wars during the last century.

"As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states," Leo said, "'the accumulation of arms strikes many as a paradoxically suitable way of deterring potential adversaries from war. They see it as the most effective means of ensuring peace among nations,' thus betraying the memory of the 20th century and the senseless slaughter of millions of human lives."

"Precisely in these times marked by a 'culture of power,' there is a need to cultivate the spirit of Assisi, which entails a rejection of the religious justification of war," the pope added.

Since his election in 2025, the pope has often rejected all forms of religiously inspired violence. During his homily for Mass on Palm Sunday that year, Leo said that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war."

Assisi 40 years after John Paul II

Leo also paid tribute to St. John Paul II in his message and urged those gathered at Assisi to remember his call for peace.

Citing his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and paying tribute to St. John Paul II, Leo urged those gathered to continue promoting peace in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, whose 800th anniversary of death is this year.

"The path of Assisi calls religious leaders to foster a climate of dialogue amongst the faithful and within society, so that the language of arrogance may give way to the language of peace, negotiation, and understanding," Leo said.

"May [God] make us unarmed instruments of his peace. 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.'"

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María Corina Machado, recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, returned to Venezuela on Oct. 25 after nearly a year in exile. In her first public appearance on Venezuelan soil, the political leader arrived at the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Shepherdess in the city of Barquisimeto.

Why Machado returned

After the July 28, 2024, presidential election, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council, controlled by the ruling socialist regime, declared incumbent President Nicolás Maduro to be the winner. However, opposition candidate Edmundo González claimed victory, and his organization said it had to vote tallies to prove it.

In a sense, Machado, very popular among voters, was the power behind González because although she had been banned from running for office by the Maduro regime, she campaigned openly in support of González.

To quell protests after the election, the repressive apparatus of the Maduro regime unleashed an unprecedented campaign of persecution against opposition politicians, activists, and protesters, and Machado went into hiding.

She left the country in December 2025 in a complex extraction operation coordinated from the United States that took her to Oslo, Norway.

On Jan. 3, 2026, U.S special forces captured Maduro and his wife Cilia and extradited them to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges. Venezuela's Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, was named acting president but the future of the socialist regime and democracy remained very unclear.

Machado arrives in Venezuela

"I am here. With you," Machado, who is the coordinator of the Vente Venezuela party, wrote on X around midday on Sunday, Oct. 25. Shortly thereafter, she arrived at the Shrine of the Divine Shepherdess located in Barquisimeto.

The Divine Shepherdess, taken metaphorically, is a Marian devotion that every Jan. 14 draws millions of people to the streets for one of the largest religious processions in the region and the world.

Machado attended Sunday Mass while crowds gathered inside and outside the shrine calling out, "Freedom!" Following the Eucharist, Machado boarded a vehicle to join a caravan heading toward the capital, Caracas, where she arrived the afternoon of Oct. 25.

Reactions from the United States

In Washington, D.C., President Trump stated that he was unaware of the Venezuelan leader's return. "I don't know anything about it," he replied when asked by the press. "But I think she's a very nice woman. She gave me her Nobel Prize, so how can I say anything else? And I hope she's safe," he remarked.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Machado's return is a direct result of "reconciliation talks" between the socialist government and a segment of the Venezuelan opposition, talks supported by the U.S. administration. These dialogue sessions, Rubio noted on X, have already led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners and the safe return of many exiles.

"The United States expects the freedoms of all sectors of Venezuelan politics to continue to be respected," Rubio wrote. "Likewise, we expect all political actors to support these talks which represent the best chance Venezuela has had in thirty years to peacefully achieve not just a free and fair election but an enduring democracy," he added.

This week, interim president Delcy Rodríguez, a devoted and avowed follower of Sai Baba, an Indian spiritual guru now deceased, revealed that she had sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV, prior to his lung surgery, in which she wished him good health and also requested the swift canonization of Blessed María de San José, as well as the beatification of Bishop Salvador Montes de Oca.

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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A second bishop is expressing regret over a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House last week and complained that it has been "exploited" for political gain, while others who attended are clarifying the reasons they went.

On Oct. 22, the White House posted a video that showed Denver Archbishop James Golka leading a prayer with Trump, surrounded by about a dozen other bishops, who stood beside the president's spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain and White House Faith Office Director Jennifer Korn.

The video was shared by Margo Martin, a White House communications advisor, with no news release to accompany it, nor any description of what was discussed. Golka shared the video on archdiocesan social media and clarified it was not a political endorsement.

Bishops who attended the meeting and the prayer have stated they were invited by the White House Faith Office to discuss issues of importance to Catholics: the right to life, the dignity of migrants, religious liberty, and school choice. Several have echoed Golka, emphasizing the meeting and prayer was not a political endorsement, while two have expressed regret for going.

On Oct. 25, Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a "public apology" for any confusion the video caused, saying he did not know it would be shared publicly and it was not meant to be an endorsement of the president.

A second bishop — Des Moines Bishop William Joensen — also emphasized that it was not an endorsement and conveyed regret over the video being used for political purposes.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had no role in the meeting.

'Exploited' for politics

On Oct. 24, two days after the meeting, Joensen issued a statement saying "I would have done well to be more mindful Jesus' admonition [in the Gospel of Matthew]: 'Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.'"

"I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes," Joensen said. "I pray I am more prudent and wise going forward, even as I remain resolute in my openness to engaging and praying for political leaders at all levels."

Joensen did not say who he was accusing of exploiting the meeting and a spokesperson for the diocese did not respond to a request for clarification from EWTN News.

In his statement, Joensen said he was invited by officials associated with the Faith Office to talk about a variety of issues: immigration, the exploitation of the poor, visas for international clergy, advancement of a culture of life as an alternative to abortion, and support for private education.

"There was also a concluding opportunity to pray for and with our president, that God would guide his heart and impel him to lead in a way consistent with the dignity of his office," he said.

Joensen said "there are many things" linked to the administration "at odds with our Catholic faith." Yet, he said he attended to "have a conversation" and was informed officials "would be interested in hearing our perspective."

When reached by EWTN News for comment, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement, "there has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it."

"He stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation's children, and protected parents' rights," Rogers said, but did not respond to a follow up request for a response to the comments made by Joensen and Grob.

Explanations by other bishops

In addition to Golka, Grob, and Joensen, a few other bishops have issued statements about the reasons they met and prayed with Trump in the Oval Office and what they talked about with administration officials.

The Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota provided a statement to EWTN News on behalf of Bishop Scott Bullock, which said the delegation discussed Catholic priorities: abortion, school choice, and the ethical implications of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

According to the diocesan statement, the bishops' prayer over Trump is not an "endorsement," but is rather based in Scripture and following the instruction of St. Paul, who said "supplications, prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity."

"We went there and we prayed, and we asked the Lord to instill our leaders with wisdom and also to help them remain humble," Bullock said.

A spokesperson for Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico's Bishop James Wall told EWTN News that "Bishop Wall does want to express that he would accept a meeting with any politician, if invited, to discuss important church matters, regardless of the time of year and the political party, and that he offers prayers for all who hold political office, that they lead with integrity and not division."

The office of Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann, who led the Archdiocese of Kansas City before retirement, also released a statement indicating that during the meeting the prelate voiced concerns about chemical abortion and IVF, while advocating for pro-life reproductive health care. He also discussed religious liberty, immigration, school choice, and protecting children from pornography.

According to the statement, Trump expressed gratitude to the bishops "for prayers asking God to bless and guide the president, his staff and the nation." The archbishop's office emphasized this was not an endorsement and that the bishops "were assured that no photographs would be made public."

"They came to have a discussion on important policy matters," the statement indicated. "As Catholic bishops, they pray with everyone, but do not endorse candidates or political parties."

The following bishops also attended the meeting, according to the White House: Bishop Edward Burns of the Diocese of Dallas, Bishop Steven Raica of the Diocese of Birmingham, Bishop Thomas Hennen of the Diocese of Baker, Bishop Michael Barber of the Diocese of Oakland, Bishop Francis Kalabat of the Chaldean Catholic Church, and Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Catholic Church.

Bishop of Palm Beach Jesús Rodríguez — who did not attend the meeting — opined on the matter on X, saying any action perceived as a political endorsement by a member of the Church hierarchy "must not be construed as representing the official position of the Catholic Church."

The meeting was also attended by Mario Enzler of the Heritage Foundation, though the Heritage Foundation has stated it did not organize it.

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