Pope Leo meets with renowned singer Bob Dylan
Pope Leo XIV welcomed legendary American singer-songwriter and 2016 Nobel Prize in literature laureate Bob Dylan to the Vatican on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
During the meeting, for which Dylan wore a black-hooded jacket, the Holy Father presented him with a rosary, while the 85-year-old singer gifted the pontiff a copy of his autobiography, “Chronicles: Volume One,” according to Vatican News.
Dylan is in Rome for a Thursday, Nov. 5, concert at the Palazzo dello Sport as part of his “Rough and Rowdy Ways” tour, which also includes stops in Milan and Bologna.
Pope Leo XIV has quoted Dylan
In July, Pope Leo XIV quoted Dylan to criticize the arms race, which he described as something that “frightens and terrifies us today.”
"As singer-songwriter and poet Bob Dylan wrote, figuratively addressing the atomic bomb, in one of his poetic compositions: ‘I hate you cause yer man-made and man-owned an’ man-handled,’" the pope wrote, referring to the song "Go Away You Bomb" (1963).
The quote appears in an unpublished text from the book “Unarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift,” published by the Vatican Publishing House. It is the first anthology to collect various statements by Pope Leo XIV on the subject of peace, dating from his election on May 8, 2025.
A performance before St. John Paul II and a multitude of young people
Dylan’s audience with Pope Leo XIV was not the first time the singer-songwriter had met a pope.
In September 1997, Dylan was invited to perform at the 23rd National Eucharistic Congress in Bologna, Italy, before St. John Paul II and a crowd of approximately 300,000 young people.
The singer performed some of his hits, such as "Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door" — a song also popularized by Guns N’ Roses and Eric Clapton.
Although Dylan did not perform "Blowin’ in the Wind," the song’s theme was referenced by Pope John Paul II in his address to the gathering. In the song, the singer-songwriter asks, “How many roads must a man walk down before he can truly call himself a man?” — to which he himself provides the answer, in the song’s title: “The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.”
In his address, John Paul II revisited Dylan’s question, gave it a masterful twist, and offered an answer imbued with Christian realism: “One of your representatives has said, on your behalf, that the answer to the questions in your life ‘is blowin’ in the wind.’ That is true. But it is not the wind that scatters everything into the whirlpools of nothingness; rather, it is the wind that is the breath and voice of the Spirit.”
And he added: “You have asked me: ‘How many paths must a man travel to be able to recognize himself as a man?’ I answer you: one. There is only one path for man; it is Christ, who said: ‘I am the way’ (Jn 14:6). He is the way of truth, the way of life.”
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.
Bishops, pro-life movement react to abortion referendums, election results
Pro-abortion advocates prevailed in three of four ballot referendums, while Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in the Nov. 3 elections, prompting responses from some U.S. Catholic bishops and pro-life groups.
Voters in Virginia and Nevada adopted amendments to their state constitutions to create a legal right to abortion, with more than 62% support in both states. Voters in Missouri easily defeated a pro-life referendum that would have repealed their state constitution’s legal right to abortion, with 55.5% voting against it.
Alternatively, voters in Idaho decisively rejected a referendum that would have changed state law to create a legal right to abortion, with 56% of voters casting their ballots for “no.”
The balance of power in Congress shifted significantly. Democrats have flipped at least seven Republican Senate seats (two Republican-held seats are still too close to call). Democrats won control of the House and are on pace to have more than a 70-seat majority.
Reactions to abortion referendums
Catholic bishops were heavily involved in the four abortion referendum battles, seeking to rally the faithful behind the Church’s teaching about the sanctity of life and cast their ballots in line with the pro-life causes.
After a resounding 25-point victory for abortion in Virginia, the bishops in both Catholic dioceses in the commonwealth called the results “profoundly tragic.”
“Unless a court intervenes, this decision will embed virtually limitless abortion into the constitution,” Diocese of Richmond Bishop Barry C. Knestout and Diocese of Arlington Bishop Michael F. Burbidge said in a joint statement.
“It will put women’s health and safety at severe risk and leave parents out of life-altering and irreversible decisions involving their minor daughters,” they said. “Most fundamentally, this extreme, radical, dangerous and deadly constitutional amendment is a complete rejection of the immeasurable value of human life, created in God’s image and likeness.”
Olivia Gans Turner, president of Virginia Society for Human Life, expressed concern about how far-reaching the referendum would go and said: “The winners of this vote will be abortion businesses who will be able to operate unregulated and without any serious accountability in the commonwealth. The losers of tonight’s vote are the women and unborn children who will now be without any legal protections going forward.”
The Nevada Catholic Conference — which represents the state’s two dioceses, the Diocese of Reno and the Archdiocese of Las Vegas — also issued a statement following the 26-point win for abortion rights in their state.
“A vote can change Nevadaʼs constitution, but it cannot change the dignity and value of every human life,” the statement read. “We are deeply disappointed by the passage of Question 6. However, this election does not end our responsibility to the unborn or to mothers who need our help.”
“The Nevada Catholic Conference remains committed to protecting human life and supporting women and families,” it added. “We will keep speaking up for the unborn and all human life from conception to natural death.”
The Missouri Catholic Conference also issued a statement — signed by the bishops of all four dioceses — which said it is “profoundly saddened” voters rejected the pro-life amendment.
“This result, however, does not mark the end of our work,” the statement read. “The Catholic Church in Missouri will continue to advocate for policies that uphold the dignity of every person, protect the most vulnerable among us, and provide compassionate support to those in need, as she has always done.”
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to accompany mothers and fathers facing hardship in their pregnancies and to offer hope and healing to those who have been wounded by the scourge of abortion,” the bishops added.
Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, said the pro-life defeat “will continue to open the door to abortion throughout pregnancy” but that “tonight’s results are a setback, but it’s not the final word.”
“An election cannot diminish the humanity of an unborn child or end our responsibility to speak for those whose lives are at risk,” Tobias said.
The Diocese of Boise, the only Catholic diocese in Idaho, has not yet issued a statement on the pro-life victory in the state. The diocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment, though Bishop Peter Christensen had been encouraging priests to emphasize the teaching on the sanctity of human life at every Mass leading up to the vote.
Emily Naugle, president of Right to Life of Idaho, said in a statement that “Idaho voters saw through a campaign designed to pit women against their unborn babies and recognized that our current laws protect both.”
“Pro-Life advocates came together and fought as though lives depended on it, because they do. They worked tirelessly to expose the truth about Proposition 1,” Naugle said. “We are relishing this victory and are proud to stand among the many voices who spoke up for the most vulnerable in our society this election.”
Reaction to election results
There have not been many reactions from bishops about the congressional results, although the Colorado Catholic Conference — which represents all of the state’s bishops — put out a statement congratulating all winners and urging them to support the common good.
“We call upon our elected leaders to implement policies that defend and uplift the most vulnerable members of our human family,” the statement read, according to the Denver Catholic.
“We also urge you to firmly protect the religious liberty of all individuals and faith-based organizations, safeguarding their right to serve the community according to their convictions,” it added. “May your governance be guided by a steadfast commitment to justice, peace and the flourishing of our entire state.”
Some pro-life organizations have expressed concern about the Democrats’ congressional wins due to the pro-abortion stances of the bulk of the party’s candidates.
Tobias said in a statement that many pro-life politicians were “replaced with rabidly anti-life candidates” but noted “we’ve faced difficult times before — and we’re still here.”
“We will continue to push for laws that protect babies and help their moms, while looking for new and innovative ways to love them both,” she said. “We will work to make sure that every pregnant woman knows she is not alone. And we will continue to promote the value of innocent human life so that, even if abortion is legal, no woman will want one.”
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser asserted in a statement that Republican turnout was low because the Republican Party has watered down its pro-life stances.
“Republican consultants got the campaign they wanted — and the defeat they earned,” she said. “You cannot spend years telling your base to sit down and shut up, then act surprised when they don’t stand up for you on Election Day. Republicans must stop running from the pro-life fight and start giving voters a reason to fight for them.”
A poll released by the Pew Research Center in October found that 43% of Republicans listed abortion as a “very important” factor in their vote. However, 82% listed the economy as “very important” and many other issues surpassed abortion in terms of importance for Republican voters, such as immigration, foreign policy, and violent crime.
Vatican publishes digital atlas honoring Pope Francis’ ecological vision
Ten years after the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, the Vatican has launched a new digital atlas to advance his ecological vision.
The Laudato Si’ Platform launched the Atlas of Laudato Si’ at a press conference Wednesday at the Holy See Press Office in Rome. The organization also presented its fifth annual report at the conference, highlighting 13,600 participants since 2021 and new tools to implement integral ecology within the Church.
Presenters included Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Bishop Allwyn D’Silva, auxiliary bishop emeritus of the Archdiocese of Bombay, India.
Care for creation is not optional
Among the themes discussed at the conference was the need to continue concrete actions toward care for the environment.
In her presentation, Smerilli said Catholic commitment to caring for creation is “not optional.”
“Living our vocation as guardians of Godʼs work is ‘not something optional nor a secondary aspect of Christian experience,’” Smerilli said. “Caring for creation and caring for humanity are one and the same task.”
Participants also reflected on the impact of Laudato Si’ since its publication.
"The seeds sown by Laudato Si' have borne much fruit in different parts of the world,” DʼSilva said.
A new digital Catholic atlas
The press conference also presented a new digital atlas to demonstrate the Church’s commitment to integral ecology worldwide. The atlas uses data from the Leonum Institute of the Catholic University of America and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.
The Atlas of Laudato Si’ will allow users to explore ecological initiatives by institutions and dioceses, and also access data on natural disasters.
Molly Burhans, an American cartographer who pioneered the data collection and curation for the project, explained the importance of atlases and defended the integral ecology’s importance for Catholics.
“If you want to make environmental action, you should understand the environment,” Burhans told EWTN News. “And the best way to understand the environment is maps.”
“We are here to care for the garden. That’s in Genesis. If someone believes there’s a political agenda behind caring for the environment, I think they should go back and read the Bible.”
Pope Leo XIV appoints youngest bishop in France
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Martial Bernard as the new bishop of Soissons in France. At 48 years of age, he will become the youngest bishop in France on Dec. 20, when he receives his episcopal consecration.
According to the website Catholic-Hierarchy, which specializes in information about bishops worldwide, the previous youngest bishop in France was Étienne Guillet, bishop of Saint-Denis, a 50-year-old prelate who was also 48 when he was appointed bishop.
“I accept this appointment with confidence. I have always trusted the Church, and so I say that if it calls me to this mission, I respond ‘yes’ with confidence,” the bishop-designate stated in an interview with KTO.
Bernard shared that over the last eight years as vicar general he has had the “joy of accompanying his brother priests,” and he expressed his desire to get to know and to “journey together,” guided by the Gospel with “the people of God who have been entrusted to me.”
Bernard will receive episcopal consecration and take possession of the Diocese of Soissons on Dec. 20 at 3 p.m. local time at Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais Cathedral in Soissons.
Who is the youngest bishop in France?
Bernard was born on Jan. 26, 1978, in Bourg-la-Reine in the Diocese of Nanterre. According to an Oct. 31 statement from the Vatican Press Office, he studied at the Saint-Sulpice Seminary in Issy-lès-Moulineaux and completed an internship at the Municipal Conservatory of Viry-Châtillon.
After studying at the Saint-Paul Seminary in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, he earned a licentiate degree in theology, specializing in catechetical and practical theology at the Catholic Institute of Paris. He was ordained a priest on June 25, 2005, for the Diocese of Évry-Corbeil-Essonnes.
Within that particular Church, he held several positions, including: diocesan delegate for the pastoral care of altar servers (2005–2009); “parochus in solidum” (sharing responsibility for more than one parish) in the deanery of Brétigny (2006–2008); and diocesan delegate for vocations, as well as a member of the Council for the Protection of Catholic Education (2008–2011).
He also served as parish priest and dean of Brétigny (2009–2014); “parochus in solidum” and dean of Évry-Corbeil-Essonnes, as well as rector of the cathedral of Évry (2014–2018); and episcopal vicar for Catholic education and diocesan delegate for the formation of seminarians (2015–2018).
Furthermore, he has served as vicar general and moderator of the Évry curia; as a member of the Diocesan Council for Financial Affairs, the Parish Mutual Aid Fund, the Board of Directors, the General Assembly, and the Association of Friends of the Cathedral (since 2018); as coordinator of pastoral sector leaders (since 2021); and as head of the Fidei Donum program for foreign priests (2021–2022).
Until now he was responsible for the permanent diaconate, childrenʼs catechesis, ecumenism, pilgrimages, relations with Judaism, and prison and hospital chaplaincies.
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.
Catholic fire chaplain hails ‘selfless, sacrificial’ Cleveland fireman who died in line of duty
A Cleveland-area community is mourning the loss of a local firefighter after he died in what a Catholic fire chaplain described as the “selfless” and Christ-like act of fighting a fire there.
The North Royalton Fire Department — located several miles outside of Cleveland — announced on Nov. 3 that one of its firefighters, Ryan Milligan, had died after fighting a fire in Broadview Heights the day before.
Milligan, 36, had served in the department since 2016. He and his wife, Laura, shared two children; Milligan himself had been pursuing the role of fire lieutenant.
Also injured in the blaze was firefighter Andrew Protsman, who survived and is recovering in the hospital. The two had been present at the fire after responding to a neighboring department’s request for mutual aid, where fire departments request assistance from nearby firefighters.
‘He was a hero’
Milligan’s death and Protsman’s hospitalization have resulted in an outpouring of support from the local community, according to Father Doug Brown, who serves as a chaplain for the Cleveland Division of Fire.
Brown, who also serves as pastor at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Cleveland, told EWTN News that he had worked as a chaplain in the Cleveland Police Department for years before taking up the role in the city’s fire department.
He said his ministry includes regular visits to local firehouses, spiritual counseling, and administering the sacraments, including weddings and baptisms for firefighting families.
Brown said the tragedy occurred when both Milligan and Protsman fell through the floor at the house in which they were battling the blaze. He said the community has been gripped by “great sorrow and great sadness” after the incident.
The priest said he has heard one particular Scripture verse repeated in the days after the tragedy: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
“Over and over we are seeing that Scripture verse repeated,” he said. “People know that this was a selfless, sacrificial act, done in the service of this community.”
Though the firefighters were from the North Royalton department and Brown is a chaplain with the Cleveland Fire Department, the priest said that on the night of the fire he went to the local hospital, located about a mile and a half from his parish, to pray with the families there.
“I kept saying, ‘He’s a hero,’” Brown said. “Because that’s what he is.”
Milligan himself was Lutheran, Brown said. The priest said he was as-yet unaware of any funeral arrangements. But he said Milligan exemplified the self-giving spirit of Christ, as do all firefighters.
“I feel like these are men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives in the same way that Christ gave his life for us,” he said.
Brown told local news that he has urged the community to both give the grieving families the space they need while continuing to offer consolation past the point when community support often fades away.
“[D]onʼt disappear on them," he urged. "Keep reaching out to them."
The priest told EWTN News, meanwhile, that as a chaplain he feels called to minister to people doing some of the most difficult work in civil society.
“The demands of their jobs can be intense and demanding,” he said. “Finding time for spiritual consolation is difficult for many of them. I like to be able to provide that in any way possible. That’s what drives me.”
Pope Leo XIV encourages Middle Eastern Christians to become ‘servants of peace’
Pope Leo XIV urged Christians in the Middle East and Eastern Europe to continue working for peace in regions where Christian persecution persists.
The pontiff held a private audience on Wednesday with a delegation from L’Œuvre d’Orient and the Institut Chrétiens d’Orient (ICO), which will host a conference in Rome on peace in the Middle East from Nov. 5–6. L’Œuvre d’Orient is a prominent French nonprofit that has supported persecuted Christians in these regions since 1856.
In his address, delivered in French, Leo reflected on the conference’s theme of peace-building and said that interdisciplinary dialogue remains crucial to achieving reconciliation.
“Dialogue between faith and reason, culture and history is the indispensable path to justice and reconciliation,” Leo said. “Dialogue between philosophy and other disciplines makes it possible to rediscover the meaning of the words and concepts that are used, which is probably one of the principal challenges of our time.”
Christian persecution worldwide, including in much of the Holy Land, continues to rise. According to Aid to the Church in Need’s 2024–2026 report, 220 million Christians face persecution, and 413 million people live in countries where religious freedom remains under threat.
Amid ongoing hostility toward Christians in these regions, Leo encouraged them to continue for “peace that is unarmed and disarming.”
“Thus, by reflecting on the criteria of a just and enduring peace, especially in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, you become servants of a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering,” the pope said.
“Therefore, be sowers of hope through your reflection and your action, keeping the humility taught by the Gospel: ‘One is the sower, another the reaper’ (Jn 4:37).”
Pope Leo XIV warns of the dangers an unjust economy poses to world peace
VATICAN CITY — During Wednesday’s general audience, the last before his trip to South America Nov. 6–17, Pope Leo XIV pointed to the “threat to world peace” posed by the imbalances of an unjust economic system.
“The council fathers highlight, first of all, the threat to world peace deriving from the imbalances linked to an economic development that is neither equitable nor respectful of creation. This is a farsighted vision, which was unfortunately borne out towards the end of the last century and which we see even more clearly today,” the pontiff said, continuing his series of lessons on the Second Vatican Council’s pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes.
He noted that technical solutions alone are not enough to address these problems. Citing the conciliar text, he recalled that “many reforms in the socioeconomic realm and a change of mentality and attitude are required of all.”
The pope also underscored the continuing relevance of the Church’s calls to “commit to eliminating discrimination against the most vulnerable social groups and migrants.”
The pontiff stressed that the social dimension is an integral part not only “of our faith in Christ Jesus” but is also “the precious legacy we receive from the incarnation of the Son of God.”
‘The heart of the economy is work’
One of the central themes of the catechesis was the dignity of human work. Leo XIV said that “the heart of the economy is work,” which “must never be distorted to the detriment of people, the common good, or creation.”
He also warned that work must never become a source of exploitation or harm to people. “Unemployment, exploitation, and working conditions that endanger health and life itself are unacceptable,” he emphasized.
The pope also defended the principle that “workers have the right and the duty to participate in decisions affecting their work” and to resolve conflicts through “dialogue and nonviolent action.”
An economy at the service of all
In his catechesis, the Holy Father said the Second Vatican Council recalls that one of the fundamental principles of the Church’s social teaching is the “universal destination of earthly goods.”
According to the pope, this principle also applies “to the financial sphere.” He said that those responsible for investments and planning the economy, “whether they be individuals or groups of public authorities,” are bound “to recognize their serious obligation of watching, on the one hand, that provision be made for the necessities required for a decent life both of individuals and of the whole community.”
The economy, the pope insisted, must always be “at the service of humankind and under human control,” echoing the vision of integral development later developed by St. Paul VI in the encyclical Populorum Progressio.
Politics as service to the common good
Addressing the political dimension, Leo XIV said that political authority must always be directed toward the common good, taking into account local and historical circumstances while keeping “the good of the entire human family at heart.”
He also recalled the teaching of Gaudium et Spes on relations between the Church and the state, noting that both institutions are autonomous in their respective spheres but can cooperate in order to serve people more effectively.
“The Church and the political community in their own fields are autonomous and independent from each other. Yet both, under different titles, are devoted to the personal and social vocation of the same men. The more that both foster sounder cooperation between themselves with due consideration for the circumstances of time and place, the more effective will their service be exercised for the good of all,” he quoted.
Peace is built through economics and politics
Recalling a statement by his predecessor, Pope Francis, he reiterated that “war is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil.”
In contrast, he called for a form of politics that “tends to the wounds of peoples and of those who suffer injustice” and offers “grounds for hope for the future of humanity.”
Finally, he encouraged young people to “follow the example of those men and women who have borne faithful witness” in public life and renewed his appeal to Christian communities to “revive formation in the social doctrine of the Church.”
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.
Abortion wins in 3 states amid major Democratic victories in U.S. midterms
Voters in multiple states across the U.S. voted in favor of abortion on Nov. 3 as Democrats retook the U.S. House and Senate in a stinging rebuke of President Donald Trump’s final term.
The Democratic Party flipped roughly three dozen seats across the House and Senate on election night, giving them strong majorities in both chambers, including a 10-seat advantage in the Senate.
The results were hailed by Democrat supporters as a sharp backlash to Trump’s second and last term in the White House, during which the president has presided over an unpopular war with Iran along with record-high gas prices and continuing high costs of groceries and other consumer goods.
Abortion expanded, protected in multiple states
Abortion advocates, meanwhile, recorded significant wins at the state level on Election Day, with voters in multiple states passing measures expanding abortion or else voting down efforts to restrict it.
In Virginia, voters passed an amendment to the state constitution guaranteeing abortion rights to “every individual.” Critics have argued that the measure will extend unfettered abortion rights even to children, undermining parental rights and putting young girls at risk. Though passed, the measure is still the subject of legal actions challenging its validity.
In Nevada, meanwhile, voters approved a constitutional amendment that will allow unborn babies in the state to be aborted up to the point of “viability” with no restrictions. The proposal passed overwhelmingly with more than 60% support.
Elsewhere, in Missouri, voters rejected a proposal to reinstitute a state ban on abortion there. About 55% of the state’s voters rejected the proposal, which leaves in place the rule allowing abortion through “fetal viability.”
Amid major victories for abortion supporters on Election Day, however, Idaho voters rejected an effort there to expand abortion rights.
The measure, which was voted down roughly 56% to 44%, would have established “a right to reproductive freedom and privacy” in the state and would have ordered that the government could not interfere with most abortion-related decisions.
Catholic bishops and advocates in the contested states had urged voters to reject the abortion proposals. Virginia’s two bishops had mounted a “Catholics Vote No” campaign to rally Catholic voters against the amendment.
Las Vegas Archbishop George Leo Thomas, meanwhile, had described the Nevada proposal as a “very serious and damaging expansion” of abortion law there. As in Virginia, the newly passed Nevada measure extends abortion rights to “individuals”; pro-life advocates have warned that such language potentially opens the door for doctors to perform unregulated abortions on underage girls.
Also in Virginia, voters repealed the state’s long-standing ban on same-sex “marriage,” a largely symbolic gesture given the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalized those arrangements throughout the U.S.
Digital missionary: The bane of hate-filled speech on social media
Given the prominent role that social media has come to play in daily life, Father José Juan Montalvo, known as “Padre Borre,” has called for reflection on the impact that criticism, mockery, and hate speech can have on the emotional well-being of young people.
In an interview with EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the founder of digital ministry for the Archdiocese of Monterrey in Mexico acknowledged that virtual platforms “are already part of our lives; they are yet another space where we interact, relate to each other, and seek to feel part of something.”
The priest from the Archdiocese of Monterrey also noted that these spaces offer “good things” such as receiving messages of support and finding communities that provide companionship, but he warned that “today, it has become all too easy for us to criticize on social media.”
This happens, he explained, because behind a screen, people can “write things that we would likely never dare to say to someone face-to-face,” without fully grasping “the harm we might cause.”
Learning to place less weight on social media
According to Montalvo, one of the primary risks in digital interaction arises when people attach too much importance to the feedback they receive to the point where “our self-esteem begins to depend on the approval of others,” through likes and comments.
He warned that this pursuit of recognition can even lead to the creation of “a persona, a version of our life that we wish to present,” which is far removed from reality.
Consequently, even if a person receives positive comments, “a single, deeply hurtful remark is enough to occupy his thoughts for the entire day.”
In light of this, the priest suggested taking stock of the place that digital platforms hold in our daily lives, noting that “it’s not a matter of getting off social media, but rather learning to use it without neglecting our lives outside of it.”
The hope that Christ offers
Montalvo urged people to pay attention to those going through a difficult time, noting that social media can also serve as a tool for identifying warning signs such as when someone “undergoes a significant change in behavior, expresses feelings of loneliness, says they can no longer cope, or feels that his life lacks meaning.”
In such situations, he emphasized the importance of reaching out, listening, and letting these individuals know that their worth as persons “doesn’t depend on social media.”
“You are not worth more because you have many followers, nor are you worth less because no one ‘liked’ your post,” he emphasized.
He also noted that digital missionaries have the task of conveying a message of hope rooted in faith to young people, reminding them that “we are loved by God for who we are — not for what we appear to be, nor for what others think of us.”
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.
Virginia approves pro-abortion referendum
Voters in Virginia adopted a referendum to enshrine a right to abortion in their state constitution, while voters in Missouri, Nevada, and Idaho await the final results for referendums that would change abortion policies.
With more than 87% of the vote counted in Virginia as of 11 p.m. ET, 61.5% of people voted for the referendum and 38.5% voted against it.
The people of Missouri are voting on a pro-life referendum to repeal a state constitutional right to abortion. The outcome is too early to call with more than 85% of the vote counted, but the referendum is currently losing, with 55.5% of people voting against it and 44.5% in favor.
Votes have yet to be counted in Nevada or Idaho, where polls closed later.
Catholic bishops in all four states were heavily involved throughout the races, emphasizing the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life and asking the faithful to cast pro-life votes on the state referendums.
The state referendums
The referendum in Virginia will establish a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom” in the state constitution, which includes “abortion care.” The amendment extends this right to “every individual,” rather than restricting it to just adults.
Although the amendment allows abortion restrictions in the third trimester, it does not allow any restrictions when necessary to protect “the life or physical or mental health” of the mother at any point in the pregnancy. It does not define what constitutes a threat to one’s “mental health” but rather leaves this up to the discretion of the treating physician, who is often the abortionist.
The referendum in Missouri would repeal the state constitutional right to abortion and it would allow state lawmakers to restrict abortion. If it fails, the constitution will continue to maintain a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom," which includes “abortion care.”
Missouri’s constitution allows lawmakers to restrict abortions after fetal viability, which is when the unborn child can survive outside the womb. However, lawmakers cannot restrict abortion at any point in the pregnancy when necessary to “protect the life or physical or mental health” of the mother. Fetal viability and whether the mother’s health is at risk is determined by the treating physician, who is often the abortionist.
The referendum in Nevada, if it passes, would establish “a fundamental right to abortion” in the state constitution. It would allow lawmakers to impose restrictions after the point of fetal viability, which are determined by the “treating health care practitioner,” which is often the abortionist.
The right would extend through the entire pregnancy when needed to “protect the life or health” of the mother, but “health” is not defined. The right would extend to all individuals, not just adults.
Idaho’s referendum would not amend the state constitution, but it would change state law to establish a right to “reproductive freedom,” which includes “abortion.” It would supersede the current state law, which prohibits abortion except to prevent the death of the mother and, in the first trimester, in reported cases of rape or incest.
The referendum would allow lawmakers to restrict abortion at the point of fetal viability, but this would be determined by the treating physician, who is often the abortionist. It would not allow lawmakers to restrict abortion at any point in the pregnancy when there is a medical emergency. The right would be extended to all individuals, not just adults.