Catholic News

A coalition of religious sisters has joined Chicago's Cardinal Blase Cupich in suing the state of Illinois to prevent enforcement of its assisted suicide law.

The law, which was signed by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in December 2025, allows doctors in the state to prescribe lethal doses of medication to patients in order to help them end their own lives. Among other rules, patients must have a terminal illness in order to qualify for receiving help to kill themselves.

The rule has received strong criticism from Catholic bishops in the state.

On Sept. 3, meanwhile, the religious liberty law firm Becket announced that Cupich and two orders of religious sisters had filed a lawsuit against the state seeking to halt enforcement of the law against the Catholic plaintiffs.

The suit, filed in U.S. district court, argues that the sisters — who belong to the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Little Sisters of the Poor — will be forced to either "abandon their religious beliefs regarding the sanctity of life or face significant fines and penalties" if they refuse to participate in the suicide regime.

The suit notes that by Sept. 12, healthcare providers in Illinois, including the sisters through their care homes, will have to proactively discuss the "option" to commit suicide with those in their care. Caregivers will also "have to allow patients to commit suicide in their facilities," the suit says.

The suit argues that the First Amendment prohibits the state from requiring the Catholic caregivers to violate their faith by participating in the suicide regime.

In a statement announcing the filing, Cupich said the Catholic Church "oppose[s] efforts to undermine human dignity by pushing our brothers and sisters toward suicide."

"We pray that the courts will protect our freedom to continue advocating and caring for the sick and dying as our faith demands," he said.

Mother Mary Rose Heery, O. Carm., prioress general of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, said patients in their care "come to us at one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives" and that the sisters have a vocation "to give witness to them, through everything we do, that their lives remain precious and that they will never be abandoned."

"Illinois cannot ask us to replace that promise with help ending their lives," she said.

Becket President Mark Rienzi described the suicide law's provisions as "awful."

"The state should stop trying to make Catholic nuns help patients kill themselves," he said, arguing that sick patients "deserve the freedom to seek healing, hope, and accompaniment without the government forcing suicide into the conversation."

This is not the first lawsuit filed against a state assisted suicide measure, nor the first in Illinois.

In August, Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki joined a Lutheran nursing home and a group of doctors to sue the state over the assisted suicide law, with the coalition arguing that the state's suicide regime abandons "nearly two millennia of medical practice" while requiring objectors to participate in it.

The state agreed to a temporary block of the law later in the month, though the block only applied to the plaintiffs in that suit.

In July, meanwhile, Rockville Centre Bishop John Barres joined several communities of New York religious sisters in suing the state over its own assisted suicide law. Those plaintiffs also won a temporary block of the state's suicide law.

Separately, groups of disability advocates have filed lawsuits against the suicide laws in New York and Illinois, as well as in Colorado and Delaware, alleging that those laws discriminate against people with disabilities.

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A Maine father will be allowed to prevent his daughter from attending a local Christian church with her mother, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court said in a ruling this week.

The decision from the high court upheld a lower court ruling in favor of Matthew Bradeen that found it was "psychologically unsafe" for Emily Bickford to take their daughter to Calvary Chapel in the Portland region.

The young girl reportedly suffered from panic attacks and psychological distress after attending the church; she reportedly became fixated on the rapture (an end-times belief held by some Christians) as well.

The Maine high court said in its ruling that at one point the church's pastor openly prayed about the dispute between Bickford and Bradeen, including referencing both the parents and the child "by name almost 30 times."

The court dismissed Bickford's constitutional claims in the dispute. The father "is better suited to determine whether certain religious activities are in the child's best interest," it held.

In a press release, the legal group Liberty Counsel, which represented Bickford in the dispute, said it would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case. Mat Staver, the group's chair, said the ruling "rejects the First Amendment right" of Bickford and goes against U.S. court precedent.

"Depriving one parent their right to instill their religious views into their child and granting sole authority to the other parent fails to give proper protection to parental rights and religious freedom under the First Amendment," Staver argued.

He claimed that the ruling "pose[s] a serious threat to religious freedom" in the U.S.

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VATICAN CITY — "Ecology is the result of how the equation of the interaction between cosmology and anthropology is resolved. Therefore, an ecological approach that seeks to get to the root of the issues cannot avoid addressing both of these dimensions."

That is the premise of the lengthy and complex text by the International Theological Commission, "Caring for Our Common Home – A Responsible and Fraternal Response to the Triune God."

Released Sept. 2 during the Season of Creation, the document examines "a Trinitarian vision of the creation of the cosmos, highlighting the resulting Trinitarian imprint on creation and its repercussions."

The book also addresses "the foundation and scope of the role of the human being in the Common Home" as well as "a series of guidelines and guiding principles for care of the Common Home and ecological conversion."

The full text is currently available from the Vatican only in Italian, with the official Vatican News outlet providing an English-language summary.

The text is complex, but summaries at the end of each chapter offer guidance emphasizing the theological meaning of creation. "The ultimate purpose of creation is not exhausted by the usefulness it may have for the human being and for the development of human life," one summary notes.

Humans "cannot claim the right to indiscriminately subject creation to [their] own purposes, reducing its meaning and value to the merely instrumental usefulness it can provide: This is the temptation of absolute anthropocentrism," the document says.

The human being is a servant and steward of creation, and "this role of the human being among the other creatures and the fulfillment of God's plan finds its deepest inspiration in the celebration of the Eucharist: The human being offers creation to God in Christ and, in return, implores God's blessing in Christ for all things."

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

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The Lourdes Shrine in France has confirmed that 150,000 of the faithful will be in attendance for Pope Leo XIV's visit to the site of the Virgin Mary's apparitions to St. Bernadette Soubirous. The pontiff is scheduled to arrive on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 26, and will celebrate Mass the following day.

With the official registration period now closed, shrine officials reported that, due to the "exceptionally high turnout expected," they will ensure "the best possible conditions for welcoming visitors, safety, and organization," as the site reaches "maximum capacity."

"There will be 150,000 of us praying with the pope at the shrine. Millions more will be tuning in via television and radio," the shrine said in its latest news bulletin.

The shrine noted that registrations can no longer be modified and that instructions regarding the assignment of sectors and access routes to the venue will be sent via email in the coming days.

Preparations for Leo XIV's visit

In recent weeks, preparations have continued at the venue to welcome the pontiff, including permanent improvements that will remain in place after the pope's departure.

Marking the 150th anniversary of the Marian apparitions, Leo's visit will take place 18 years after the last visit by a pontiff — that of Benedict XVI in 2008.

With that visit in mind, the shrine states that "enthusiasm is already palpable here in Lourdes at the prospect of praying with the successor of Peter."

Various departments are putting forth great effort to ensure the event is unforgettable — from the sewing workshop, where Sister Martha is quietly making the liturgical vestments to be worn by Pope Leo XIV, to the workshops where "the large podium cross is gradually taking shape." In addition, those responsible for decorating the venue are designing ways to ensure the shrine looks suitably adorned for the occasion.

Leo XIV will land in Paris on Sept. 25 where, after the official reception at the Elysée Palace, he will visit the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) headquarters and hold a meeting with young people. The next day, he will visit the Maison Bakita Center for Accompaniment and Social Integration, which provides support services for migrants, and will hold a meeting with the members of the Provincial Synodal Assembly, the catechumens and the neophytes at the Catholic Institute of Paris.

After celebrating Mass in the Place de la Concorde, he will fly to Lourdes. At the end of his stay at the shrine, he will head to the city of Metz, where he will hold an interreligious meeting at the Robert Schumann Congress Center and celebrate Mass in the cathedral before returning to Rome.

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 Diocese of Ogdensburg, New York, is moving to settle its long-running bankruptcy proceedings with an $83 million fund for abuse victims, Bishop Terry LaValley has announced, with a significant portion of that amount coming from insurance providers.

The bishop announced the proposed settlement in an Aug. 25 letter to the diocese. The diocese had earlier announced a $45 million agreement in May.

A diocesan spokeswoman confirmed that the additional roughly $38 million would come from insurance contributions.

In his August letter, LaValley said the diocese was hoping to have the plan approved by the bankruptcy court "in the next few months." The Ogdensburg Diocese filed for bankruptcy in July 2023, the sixth diocese in New York state to do so.

The bishop urged Catholics to pray for both abuse victims as well as the diocese itself. He described the reparation payments as a "moral obligation" on the part of the diocese.

'Rapid pre-pack' bankruptcy

In his letter, LaValley said the parishes in the diocese will undergo a notable bankruptcy proceeding called "rapid pre-pack Chapter 11," one that will settle current abuse allegations while protecting parishes from future litigation.

"Each of our parishes will file a Chapter 11 case at the very last moment, after we know whether we have sufficient votes to confirm the plan," the bishop said. Parishes are anticipated to be in bankruptcy for about 48 hours before emerging "quickly," he said.

"The result is that the diocese and parishes will receive a bankruptcy discharge of all alleged abuse claims as of the date the parish's pre-packed bankruptcy is filed," the bishop said. "Going forward, no abuse claims may be brought against parishes from prior to that date."

The bishop said the unique strategy emerged after a June 2024 Supreme Court decision on bankruptcy, likely a reference to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that month in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P.

That ruling on a complex provision of U.S. bankruptcy law meant that individual parishes and schools in diocesan abuse proceedings could be sued, greatly expanding the possibility of large numbers of expensive lawsuits against Catholic entities.

LaValley said the diocese had been advised that the "rapid" bankruptcy proceeding "is the only viable and realistic way to obtain comprehensive relief" for all diocesan entities there.

A similar strategy had been used in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, and the Archdiocese of New Orleans, he said.

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"Big news. God exists. Christ is Lord, and he established the Catholic Church."

That's how Joe Schmid announced his conversion to Catholicism on his YouTube channel, "Majesty of Reason," on Aug. 21.

Conversion is always a cause for celebration, but in Schmid's case it was likely unexpected among his channel's 55,000 subscribers.

For years, Schmid has used his YouTube channel to explore a broad variety of philosophical and naturalistic arguments and principles — and Schmid himself has openly identified as an agnostic for most of that time.

Schmid, who was raised Catholic, told EWTN News that he adopted atheism and then eventually agnosticism in high school. He said he was originally led to atheism because of "the problem of evolutionary animal suffering," a well-known topic of philosophical and theological debate.

Philosophers such as Joshua Rasmussen and Alexander Pruss led him to consider "contingency arguments" in favor of God's existence, he said, but his own "arduous conversion process" would ultimately last a decade.

Schmid launched his YouTube channel in April 2020. Broadly, "my videos focused primarily on philosophy of religion, and secondarily on other areas of philosophy like metaphysics, metaethics, and epistemology," Schmid told EWTN News, and "criticizing arguments for God's existence was one of my central focuses."

To that end, he created a wide variety of videos, including interviews and debates with scholars, lengthy lectures, and episodes responding to other YouTube content, "primarily theist and Christian and Catholic creators." 

Those videos have undergone a marked shift in recent weeks. Videos over the last year have included debates about whether Jesus rose from the dead and an extended case for veganism, among numerous other topics.

On Aug. 21, however, Schmid posted a nearly half-hour-long video revealing his conversion to Catholicism, and in the roughly two weeks since then his videos have focused on topics such as "the best-ever cumulative case for God" and "the best objections to Catholicism answered."

Schmid, who is a a fourth-year doctoral candidate in philosophy at Princeton University, told EWTN News his return to the faith "wasn't my own making."

"Conversion is a gift of God's grace, and I've seen its transformative impact in my life," he said. "So God is ultimately what led me to Catholicism."

Yet, he said a "huge confluence of factors" convinced him of the truth of the Catholic faith "on an intellectual level." Chief among them are the "vindicatory miracles," or "miracles wrought by God in confirmation of distinctive Catholic doctrines."

He cited the charisms of Padre Pio, the healing miracles at Lourdes, the apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima, Eucharistic miracles, "and much more besides."

"I converted after a long process of working through my many objections to Catholicism and appreciating the many powerful arguments in its favor," he said. In his video he described the process as a "culmination" of "head factors and heart factors."

"God is good," he told his viewers.

The high-profile conversion was noted by the Aquinas Institute, the Catholic campus ministry at Princeton, which urged the Catholic community there to "pray for Joe as he continues to grow in his Catholic faith and begins this new chapter of his public work."

Schmid also appeared recently in a two-hour-long interview with Catholic apologist Trent Horn, who described Schmid as "one of my smartest critics." Horn praised Schmid's rigorous approach to philosophical and theological debate even when Schmid himself was an agnostic.

"I've learned a lot from you in your rebuttals, and it has helped in my own path and trying to grow as an apologist and a philosopher," Horn told Schmid during the interview.

Speaking to his own viewers when announcing his conversion, Schmid said he has significant plans to continue his YouTube channel in service to Catholicism, and "we will see where the Lord takes me."

"Debates and discussions will be continuing," he said. He asked for patience from viewers during the transition.

"And I also ask for your prayers," he added. "Know that I will be praying for you."

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Father Silas Bogati, apostolic administrator of the apostolic vicariate of Nepal, said the Catholic Church, a small minority of about 10,000 faithful in the Asian nation, is committed to aiding those affected by the recent major flooding.

According to authorities, the number of dead from last week's flood exceeds 1,000, while more than 4,000 people remain missing across both countries, CNN reported.

"By being there, providing relief now and, later, contributing to reconstruction, we give hope. Our presence among those who are suffering will give them hope," the priest said in an interview with the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).

Bogati explained that in Nepal, "the Catholic Church has 13 parishes and 10,000 Catholics, but it has always worked for the Nepali population irrespective of their religion, and we will continue to do so as they suffer in this hour of need."

Caritas Nepal has set up community kitchens and dispatched food supplies for 300 affected families to last for 15 days. Given the forecast of additional rainfall and the fact that many people are still sleeping outdoors, the organization said there is a need for tarpaulins, blankets, and sleeping mats.

After noting that "no Catholic churches or chapels have been destroyed," the Nepalese priest recalled that "the Holy Father, Pope Leo, was the first to pray and to show his sympathy and closeness to the victims of these flash floods. In the same way, we are receiving prayers and support from the Catholic Church around the world."

Leo XIV has encouraged prayers for those affected and for rescue teams, and has urged the international community to provide aid in a spirit of solidarity.

Bogati described the affected area of Rasuwa, located on Nepal's border with Tibet. He said an important trade route with Tibet runs through the region, as well as the city of Syabrubesi, "one of the main departure points for tourists traveling toward the Langtang Valley."

One of this concerns is that "members of one of the Catholic communities [who] go down to Syabrubesi to work … may have been swept away by the waters. We do not have any figures yet."

"All these hotels and settlements were swept away. There has been a high death toll in this area, and the river continued downstream, wreaking havoc across five districts. The flood has caused enormous devastation, as a huge mass of water surged downstream, destroying everything in its path. Some communities are still cut off, and search and rescue operations are proving difficult," he recounted.

The apostolic administrator asked for prayers for all the victims and those affected by the tragedy, and expressed gratitude for ACN's closeness and solidarity.

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 U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is calling for government officials to hold religious freedom violators in India accountable after the leader of the country's Hindu nationalist party visited the U.S. 

"Religious-freedom conditions in India continue to deteriorate as violence and incitement are increasingly used to target minority faith communities," USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood said in an Aug. 26 statement, issued after Mohan Bhagwat — chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a prominent Hindu nationalist volunteer organization accused of targeting Christians — visited the United States Aug. 25–29.

"We urge the U.S. government to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials complicit in religious freedom violations, including revoking the visa issued to Mohan Bhagwat and making him ineligible for future entry into the United States," Mahmood said.

Bhagwat's tour also extended to Canada and the United Kingdom, part of the RSS' effort to strengthen ties with overseas Hindu communities during its centenary year.

"The U.S. government has an opportunity to hold India accountable and signal that the United States stands for religious freedom for the people of India," Vice Chair CeCe Heil said in the release. "Without this accountability, religious freedom will only deteriorate further, as vigilante mobs continue to attack religious minorities and their houses of worship under the guise of enforcing anti-conversion laws and other harmful policies."

In a May USCIRF briefing on Capitol Hill, witnesses called for U.S. intervention to end ongoing persecution of religious minorities in India amid warnings of escalating attacks against Christians in India, including mob violence and property destruction. The Catholic population in India is about 23 million, about 1.6% of the country's population, according to the Vatican.

USCIRF recommended in its 2026 annual report that the U.S. State Department designate India as a country of particular concern.

Congressional support

Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, told "EWTN News Nightly" on Sept. 2 he is concerned about "growing intolerance as it relates to Christianity in India" as India's government considers changes to its Foreign Contributions Regulations Act that could restrict Catholic charities from receiving foreign aid.

"The Indian government does and should prevent foreign money from interfering in the day-to-day activities or the governance of their country," Moore said, but he added that Catholic hospitals aren't doing that and instead provide essential care to the communities they serve.

Moore said questions remain about how India treats its Christian population, noting the Catholic Church's humanitarian work, including that of Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity.

"Her feast day is coming up here on the fifth," he said. "It's just a reminder of why it's so important for us to raise our voice in concern when we see what I view as certainly an issue as it relates to Christian intolerance in certain parts of either the government or the country of India."

This story was updated at 2:55 p.m. ET on Sept. 2, 2026, to include comments by Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia.

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The Diocese of Bridgeport and the apostolate His Way At Work will launch a  guild to consecrate Connecticut businesses to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The diocesan partnership was conceived by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano with the goal of transforming the workplace with the help of His Way At Work, an international apostolate inspiring business owners to consecrate their companies to the Sacred Heart and place God at the center.

His Way At Work, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 2008 by Peter Freissle, an entrepreneur and CEO. His Way At Work reports that it has reached nearly 500,000 employees and their families. It also has aided more than 300 companies, serving in more than 12 countries. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco serves as the episcopal adviser to His Way At Work.

By joining the association of consecrated companies, the Bridgeport Diocese said it hopes the owners will adopt a Catholic framework and encourage care for employees.

The guild will be entrusted to its patrons — Sts. Louis and Marie-Azélie Martin. The pair were two small business owners in 19th-century France. They were also the parents of five nuns, including the beloved St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and the first married couple to be canonized.

"His Way At Work aligned perfectly with the guild system the bishop established, and naming it after a canonized man and woman, who were successful and faithful business owners, seemed a perfect fit," Deacon Patrick Toole, chancellor of the diocese, said in a diocesan announcement of the guild.

Caggiano established the Guilds of the Diocese of Bridgeport "to offer a unique way for the faithful to deepen their spiritual lives and grow in community through shared vocations and interests," according to the diocese.

Each of the guilds serves a mission in the community, from fostering Eucharistic adoration to supporting healthcare. The initiative is expanding its reach with a guild focused on supporting business leaders.

"Our hope is that it creates a community of faith among business owners so they can support each other and grow closer spiritually and professionally," Toole said.

"By consecrating their businesses to the Sacred Heart, their customers will realize there is something different and special about these businesses — something that sets them apart," he said.

The announcement of the guild follows the diocese's reconsecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which took place in June. The diocese joined the Catholic Church throughout the U.S. in "a great act of faith and love as our bishops consecrate our nation to the Sacred Heart," Caggiano wrote in a message.

Next steps for companies hoping to add faith to their work

For interested businesses in the diocese, Caggiano will hold an informational session in conjunction with the His Way At Work team. It will be held on Oct. 22 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Fairfield.

Business owners will receive a guidebook and pray a nine-day novena to the Sacred Heart. Members will receive certificates of consecration and be encouraged to take part in monthly formation meetings offered by the guild with His Way At Work.

The initiative will be funded by the diocese, which will provide members free access to formation materials.

The Diocese of Bridgeport joins numerous other diocesan communities who work alongside His Way At Work to bring God's presence to the workplace.

The organization works in partnership with the Archdiocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, and the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina. It also operates internationally, aiding the the Archdiocese of Mexico in Mexico City and the Archdiocese of Monterrey in northern Mexico.

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VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for "unmasking the contradictions" of the contemporary world and said that believers are called to take on "the burdens of their brothers and sisters, especially those who are crushed by injustice, discrimination, and violence."

The pontiff made this appeal during his general audience in St. Peter's Square on Sept. 2, during which he inaugurated a new series of catecheses dedicated to the pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes, one of the Church's most significant responses to the challenges and expectations of the modern world.

The document of the Second Vatican Council, approved and promulgated on Dec. 7, 1965, highlights, as Leo explained, the essentially pastoral nature of the Church, born of "a renewed fidelity to the mystery of Christ who, by becoming incarnate, chooses to share our life."

For this reason, he recalled that the conciliar constitution Gaudium et Spes opens with the famous statement that the Church makes her own "the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted."

This commitment, the pontiff added, calls Christians "to leave behind all passivity and indifference in the face of current events, history, and people's lives, especially in the face of the rapid and profound changes we are experiencing today."

He emphasized that closeness to humanity allows for a deeper understanding both of historical events and of revelation itself. From that perspective, he noted that Gaudium et Spes recalls that "the Church has always had the duty of scrutinizing the signs of the times and of interpreting them in the light of the Gospel."

The Holy Father clarified that this attitude does not stem solely from a "merely moral imperative." To explain this, he cited the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, considered the roadmap of Pope Francis' pontificate, which reminds us that for the Church "the option for the poor is primarily a theological category rather than a cultural, sociological, political, or philosophical one."

"Christian solidarity commits us to engaging with reality and also to unmasking the contradictions that characterize personal and social life in the contemporary world," the pope said.

He then listed some examples of those contradictions. On the one hand, he pointed to "scientific and technological progress, which constantly offers new possibilities, but only to some"; on the other, a clearer understanding of the "laws of society," accompanied, however, by uncertainties "about the direction to give" them.

He also highlighted the paradox of possessing "wealth, resources, and economic power" while, at the same time, "a huge proportion of the world's citizens are still tormented by hunger and poverty." Likewise, he lamented that there is growing awareness that the future of the planet is at stake and yet a persistent inability to renounce "selfish consumption" and "the illusion that war is an effective means of building peace."

"In a time marked by profound changes, giving rise to worrying imbalances, the Church is called to serve the human person, listening to and welcoming the deepest questions of their heart and the longings that dwell within them," the Holy Father 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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