New York archbishop joins religious sisters in suing state over assisted suicide law
New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks this week joined a lawsuit alongside several orders of religious sisters, suing to stop the state from forcing Catholics to adhere to its newly created suicide regime.
The archbishop added his name to a lawsuit that includes Rockville Centre Bishop John Barres, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, and the Little Sisters of the Poor. Hicks’s addition to the suit was announced by the religious liberty law firm Becket on Oct. 30.
The New York Archdiocese joins the suit after it was launched in July of this year by Catholic objectors to the state’s new suicide law. The Catholic plaintiffs in that suit argued that the state’s assisted suicide rules would force them to participate in the process of helping suicidal patients kill themselves, a violation of core Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life.
Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, a federal court ordered that the state could not enforce the suicide rules against the Catholic objectors while the suit itself played out.
Hicks said on Oct. 30 that Catholics “are guided by the compassion of Jesus to serve those of every background who are in need of healing.”
“We refuse to allow New York to force us to harm the very ones we’ve been called to care for,” he said.
Hicks is the latest Catholic prelate to join the legal fight against assisted suicide in the U.S. A total of four bishops and dozens of religious sisters have sued the governments of New York and Illinois after the states enacted assisted suicide programs.
In addition to the New York ruling, the Catholic objectors in Illinois — which include the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Diocese of Springfield — have secured victories at federal court, with a judge ordering the state to hold off on enforcing suicide rules against them while the suits play out.
In New York, the Catholic healthcare ministry ArchCare also joined the lawsuit against the state. Among ArchCare’s facilities is Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, which offers hospice care for those with six months or less to live.
Becket describes the Calvary facility as “the only fully-accredited acute care hospital in the U.S. devoted exclusively to the palliative care of adult patients with life-limiting illnesses.”
Pope Leo XIV welcomes thousands from Notre Dame, Villanova to Vatican ahead of historic game
ROME - Pope Leo XIV welcomed around 7,000 team members, students, and fans from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame at the Vatican Saturday morning, the day before both schools’ men’s and womenʼs teams will kick off the college basketball season in a historic doubleheader.
Fans of all ages packed into the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall in Rome for an audience with the pope, who is himself a Villanova graduate.
“Growing up on the south side of Chicago, we oftentimes heard, ‘Go Irish!’” Pope Leo told the crowd. “But as you all know, Prevost graduated from Villanova. So, the pope doesn’t take sides. Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now,” he added, to cheers from the Villanova supporters.
The Nov. 1 event, called the Eternal City Tip-Off, will open the 2026-27 college basketball season for the Division 1 teams. Organized as a collaboration between Fox Sports, On Location, and Players Era, inspiration for the event came from Leo’s election as the first American pope.
Leading up to the Sunday games, supporters of both universities — including alumni, faculty, staff, students, and fans — were able to participate in a special Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica along with the papal audience.
Father Peter Donohue, OSA, president of Villanova, and Father Robert Dowd, CSC, president of Notre Dame, began the audience by addressing the pope on behalf of their universities. Four student-athletes from each school then presented the pope with gifts, including commemorative basketballs, jerseys, and a special prayer for athletes written by the late Holy Cross Father Theodore Hesburgh, a past president of Notre Dame.
Pope Leo drew laughs and cheers from the crowd when he began to dribble the basketball offered by Villanova team representatives.
The pope then addressed the gathered fans, speaking about a “vision of sport” proposed by the Catholic Church centered on “the dignity of the human person, on his or her integral development, on education, and on relationships with others.”
He pointed out that the games will take place on the feast of All Saints’ Day, saying that the occasion was a valuable reminder “that God calls everyone to be a saint. … We are invited, therefore, to ensure that every aspect of our lives, including our athletic endeavors, will help us to love God and our neighbor.”
Pope Leo emphasized the importance of sport as “a concrete means of bringing people together,” particularly in an age “marked by the distance that can be created by technology.” He added, “Sport is a medicine for both body and spirit when it is practiced well.”
Ambrose Weidmann, an architecture student from the University of Notre Dame studying abroad in Rome, attended the papal audience with his friends. “It was great to hear each school’s president’s viewpoint on sports, school, and faith, and even better to hear the Holy Father’s comments on sports and especially our universal calling to sainthood,” he said.
Eric Heinz, who was at the audience with his wife and two sons — one of whom graduated from Villanova, the other from Notre Dame — echoed Weidmann’s sentiments.
“I think it’s really great to have so many people that you know [in the room],” he said, citing the thousands of supporters from both universities who filled the hall. “It’s really attributed, I think, to the love of not just their schools, but Pope Leo, and having an American as the pope. … Everyone’s in a great mood about it.”
Shannon Murphy and Gabriel Alvarez, sitting a few rows down from the Heinz family, had already planned on a trip to Rome for their honeymoon, but when they saw that the dates lined up perfectly with the Eternal City Tip-Off weekend, they were thrilled.
“We put it on the calendar, and the minute they went for sale we were refreshing [the page] to get the best tickets we could that were available… we’re very excited,” said Murphy, who is a Villanova alumna. She added that sharing both an alma mater and the Catholic faith with Pope Leo made seeing him “pretty great.”
Before the papal audience, fans had the chance to attend a special morning Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mass was presided over by Archbishop Nelson Perez of Philadelphia and concelebrated by the presidents of both universities.
During the homily, Perez praised the discipline, perseverance, and sacrifice of the student-athletes, quoting St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians to remind the faithful that sport is a model for the spiritual life, and offering Mary as a model of this excellence: “She played the game of life, the game of grace, in such a beautiful, powerful, profound way,” he said, offering Mary’s humility and service as an example of “true greatness.”
Weidmann commented that the Vatican events on Saturday tied basketball and Catholicism together in an “ideal connection” between faith and sports, and even served as a means of evangelization.
“I know a few of my peers who are atheist or agnostic, but went to the papal audience and Mass today and got to hear the voice of the Church calling to them through the Word of God and the pope’s words, which I thought was a really great way to expose more people to our faith,” he said.
Villanova and Notre Dame will face off on Sunday beginning with the men’s basketball game at 3:30 pm CET (9:30 am EST), which can be viewed on Fox. The women’s game, aired on FS1, will follow at 6:00 pm CET (12 pm EST).
Cardinal Simoni says faith sustained him through death sentence for Mass honoring President Kennedy
In 1963, Albanian Cardinal Ernest Simoni was arrested and sentenced to death by Albaniaʼs communist, officially atheist government after celebrating a Mass for the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy for the repose of his soul.
In an interview with Mark Irons of “EWTN News In Depth,” the 98-year-old Simoni explained how he escaped death through remaining steadfast in faith.
Simoni was imprisoned and tortured for practicing his faith, and eventually his death sentence was commuted to forced labor. Simoni continued secretly to say daily Mass as the Communist Party tried to eradicate religion across their region.
Though many understood the risks involved, no one informed the communist authorities. Had the regime discovered what he was doing, he said, he likely would have been hanged. He credited his survival solely to Godʼs grace.
After the Party of Labor of Albania was dissolved in 1991, Simoni was freed from manual labor under state surveillance. He doesn’t speak much about torture he experienced.
“They also took me into the army…and had me march, for 16 hours marching...without eating, or drinking, I was dying,” Simoni said. “Thank God, he wanted me to be saved. There it was the Hand of God that protected me.”
In 2014, Pope Francis was moved by this priest’s testimony and named him one of 17 international bishops and priests to the College of Cardinals in 2016. Pope Francis described him as “a living martyr.”
Simoni travels across countries bringing the Gospel to all people while also speaking of his experience in communist Albania. His visit to the United States this November comes 63 years after the assassination of Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.
Simoni said he holds no resentment toward those who persecuted him and his fellow Catholics. Earlier this year he returned to the prison where he was tortured and was able to celebrate Mass publicly.
"We are required to pray for every enemy, that God has mercy, to see them all in heaven, because Christ has shed his blood for us all,” he said.
U.S. bishops celebrate pro-life pregnancy centers for Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is marking Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week by celebrating the work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers, which offer life-affirming support to pregnant women and mothers of young children in need.
“We express our sincere gratitude for all those who work to provide necessary resources to women, babies, and families during pregnancy and beyond,” Bishop Daniel Thomas, chair of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said in an Oct. 27 statement.
“Pregnancy help organizations, maternity homes, medical and resource help centers, and adoption agencies provide heroic services every day to anyone in need,” he said. “Many pregnancy care centers offer free medical services, including ultrasounds, prenatal and postnatal care, and referrals for free or low-cost childbirth.”
“They also provide resources such as baby clothes and diapers, childcare, career services, referrals for housing, and much more,” the bishop said.
Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week, which will be celebrated from Nov. 9-13 this year, is a celebration created by Heartbeat International — a network of pregnancy centers that offer pregnancy help as an alternative to abortion clinics.
A report published last November by the Charlotte Lozier Institute found that in 2024, pro-life pregnancy resource centers provided over $452 million worth of support to women in crisis pregnancies and struggling women with young children, including medical care, support and education services, and material goods.
The bishops’ statement noted that about 2,750 life-affirming pregnancy centers currently operate in the United States.
To mark the celebration, Thomas also recognized “the life-changing help being provided by the countless volunteers in our parishes that accompany vulnerable women and families through our nationwide Walking with Moms in Need initiative,” a parish-based initiative, created by the bishops, to provide support to pregnant women and mothers who need support.
“May all those who serve and protect life be encouraged by our prayers, our good works and our financial support to build a culture of life,” the bishop said.
Florida attorney general talks fetal personhood with Lila Rose
Republican Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who is Catholic, discussed the prospect of “fetal personhood” — the belief that unborn children should be legally recognized as persons at the moment of conception — on a podcast this month with Live Action President Lila Rose.
When Rose — who is also Catholic — asked Uthmeier whether there will be a day when abortion has fully come to an end in Florida, Uthmeier told her: “I certainly pray so; I do believe we have the truth on our side and the truth will prevail.”
“But we as faith-driven people, as pro-life advocates, weʼve got to continue going out and educating and explaining, getting people to soften their hearts and listen,” he said.
Uthmeier discussed his opposition to surrogacy and expressed concerns about people coming to Florida to “purchase a baby.” He called the practice “very dangerous and horrific,” but said he hopes it can raise discussions about whether this is a form of slavery.
“It is going to bring the conversation of fetal personhood and life front and center,” Uthmeier said. “Is this a human being? Which I believe truthfully, factually, the answer is unequivocally yes. If it is a human being, you cannot contract to buy and sell this individual.”
Pro-life activists mark 59 years since UK’s Abortion Act
In London on Oct. 27, pro-life advocates gathered in Parliament Square to mark 59 years since the passing of the UK’s Abortion Act, which legalized abortion in England, Wales, and Scotland under certain conditions.
More than 11 million abortions have taken place in the UK since the act was passed, according to government statistics compiled by Right To Life UK.
Bede Teeton from March For Life UK told EWTN News: “It is our duty to commemorate those who have been affected by abortion, and those who have sadly lost their lives through it too.”
Former Conservative MP Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg told EWTN News: “59 years ago was a black day in the civilization of the UK. We did something that was fundamentally wrong, and itʼs gotten worse. We now allow abortion up to birth. We kill disabled babies because they are disabled. Society is quite schizophrenic about this, because we all have all sorts of disability rights acts, but then we murder disabled babies. So I think it is a day of infamy.”
Pro-life runners complete global relay
Thousands of pro-life runners cumulatively completed a 5,124-mile relay this week, which concluded at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, with the men’s and the women’s cross-country and track teams finishing the final stretch.
The 2026 A-Cross America Relay, which is organized by the pro-life organization LifeRunners, had 26,257 participants in 4,061 cities across 53 nations. EWTN Global Catholic Network was a sponsor of the event.
Many of the runners wore jerseys displaying the Trinity and a cross with “Jer. 1:5,” written on it, in reference to the Bible verse: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”
The jersey displays the text, “REMEMBER The Unborn,” as runners seek to promote a culture of life to the public in every location they run.
Elliot Hartley contributed to this article.
Here’s how Catholics can get 8 plenary indulgences during the first week of November
Many Catholics may be unaware that they can obtain not one but eight plenary indulgences for departed souls in the first week of November.
For centuries, the Catholic Church widely observed All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) as an octave, extending the holy celebration to eight days.
The observance was established by Pope Sixtus IV in the 15th century and demoted in the liturgical calendar around the middle of the 20th century, although some Catholics still mark the eight-day observance.
Notably, the Church itself still indirectly acknowledges the ancient eight-day octave in its granting of plenary indulgences for the first week of November.
What is a plenary indulgence?
A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove the temporal punishment due to sin.
It is not a forgiveness of sin but the remission of punishment for sins already forgiven. It may apply either to oneself or to souls already in purgatory.
In order to obtain a plenary indulgence the faithful must — in addition to being in the state of grace — both have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin (even venial sin), have sacramentally confessed their sins and received the Eucharist (either within or outside of Mass), and must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.
What about the All Saints’ octave?
The Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary, in its “Enchiridion Indulgentiarum” (“Handbook of Indulgences”), states that the faithful can obtain a plenary indulgence for the faithful departed “every day, from the 1st to the 8th of November,” if, in addition to fulfilling the normal terms of a plenary indulgence, one “devoutly visit[s] a cemetery and at least mentally pray[s] for the dead.”
The conditions for a plenary indulgence can be fulfilled a few days before or after performing the works to gain the indulgence, but it is appropriate that Communion and the prayer take place on the same day that the work is completed.
The All Saints’ octave was notably extended throughout the entire month of November in both 2020 and 2021 amid concerns about avoiding large gatherings of people in churches or cemeteries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This article was updated on Oct. 31, 2026.
Pope Leo XIV presented with book on Eucharistic miracle he promoted as bishop
A priest presented Pope Leo XIV with a book documenting the pilgrimage of the Divine Child of the Miracle (“Divino Niño del Milagro”) in Lima and Callao in Peru, a devotion encouraged by the pope himself, which was inspired by Peru’s only Eucharistic miracle, dating back to 1649.
Father Edwin Limas Falcón, an Oblate of St. Joseph, presented the Spanish-language book titled “Itinerary of Faith: The Child of Eten Arrives in Lima and Callao" to the Holy Father.
The book summarizes the work of the lay group Eucharistic Miracle Peru 1649, led by researcher Jesús León Ángeles. The presentation took place during an audience held to mark the 150th anniversary of the Canon Law Department of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
The book documents a pilgrimage through 21 parishes in Lima and Callao including the cathedrals of Lima, Carabayllo, and St. Peter in Lurín as well as the parishes of St. John Mary Vianney and St. Luke, among others.
“We have witnessed the grace of God expressed through the piety of thousands of families who come to adore the Lord in the Eucharist. We know well that Pope Leo XIV deeply values each of these steps, for he himself taught us in Chiclayo that Jesus continues to become alive and present among us in every Eucharistic celebration,” Ángeles told EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.
When he was bishop of Chiclayo, Pope Leo encouraged the recognition of Ciudad Eten, the site of a Eucharistic miracle, as a “Eucharistic City.” He personally secured an 11-hectare plot of land (about 27 acres) for the construction of Peru’s first Eucharistic shrine.
In 2024, as Ángeles recalled, during the 53rd International Eucharistic Congress, he received a call from Monsignor Edgar Rimaycuna, personal secretary to the then-Cardinal Robert Prevost, who encouraged them to “seek every possible opportunity to make the miracle known.”
The Eucharistic miracle of Eten
On June 2, 1649, in the town of Santa Magdalena de Eten, during the Mass on the eve of the solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Divine Child appeared within the consecrated host.
The miracle occurred again on July 22 of the same year during the Mass celebrated in honor of the town’s patroness, St. Mary Magdalene. Two apparitions took place that day: first, the Child appeared once more, and in second, three intertwined hearts appeared, symbolizing the Most Holy Trinity.
Although the hosts in which the Divine Child of the Miracle appeared have not been preserved, the then-bishop of Chiclayo told ACI Prensa in 2019 that “the history, the data, and the devotion spanning these 370 years are quite well documented …. It was never submitted to the Vatican for formal Church approval, and we are working on that now."
Formal approval of the Eucharistic miracle by the Vatican now rests with Pope Leo XIV.
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.
New EWTN docuseries offers inside look at the Catholic Church’s rite of exorcism
A new three-part documentary series is set to explore the reality of evil, exorcism, demonic oppression, and the spiritual battle for the human soul.
“In Jesus’ Name” takes viewers into the world of what an exorcist does and why exorcisms were established, and offers guidance on things that the faithful should consider staying away from in order to keep themselves safe.
The docuseries features prominent exorcists, theologians, and survivors of demonic oppression and examines how evil operates, how it enters human lives, and how it can be overcome. Through personal testimonies and expert insight, the docuseries explores the tension between good and evil, biblical teaching on exorcism, the reality of spiritual warfare, and, above all, the hope and power of Jesus Christ.
The creators of “In Jesus’ Name” seek to take exorcisms out of the sensational and instead provide an accurate view of how they are conducted and how people have found deliverance.
“With ‘In Jesus’ Name,’ we wanted to demystify the rite of exorcism and invite audiences to see how the Church responds to the presence of evil in an authoritative but compassionate and deeply human way,” Peter Gagnon, president of EWTN Studios, said in a press release.
“By giving viewers rare access to experienced exorcists, theologians and those who have confronted profound spiritual darkness firsthand, the series reveals not only the reality of spiritual warfare but the truth at its heart: the battle is real, but God’s love and grace is greater,” Gagnon said.
Father Dan Reehil, pastor at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Columbia, Tennessee, and an appointed exorcist for the Diocese of Nashville, is one of the authoritative figures in the docuseries, alongside Father Vincent Lampert, who served for nearly 20 years as the designated exorcist for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, as well as Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee, a theological expert on the history of the Catholic rite of exorcism.
In an interview with “EWTN News Nightly,” Reehil emphasized that “the devil is real" and that while “thereʼs a lot of banter on social media and also the internet about the devil,” the faithful should focus their time “on God, particularly on Jesus Christ, who is the one who crushes Satan.”
He explained that when Lucifer rejected Godʼs plan and one-third of the angels followed Lucifer, those angels became the demons that were cast down to earth.
“Theyʼre cast down to earth, and now they roam the earth, and their No. 1 enemy, according to Revelation Chapter 12, is theyʼre making war against those who keep Godʼs commands and bear witness to Jesus Christ,” he said. “So if thatʼs you, you should at least be aware thereʼs a target on your back, [but] not to be afraid of it. Itʼs actually a badge of honor because youʼre in this great elect group of people that he hates because of who we are.”
Reehil shared that “the best thing you can do is have a very robust prayer life, have a deep relationship with Jesus Christ as a true disciple. And we use the same weapons. We use obedience to God, we use humility, we use purity, all the aspects of Our Lady would be the weapons we use in this battle.”
Created by EWTN Studios and Cumberland Creative, “In Jesus’ Name” is available for streaming on EWTN+ and EWTN.com as of Oct. 28. The first episode will also be available on the EWTN YouTube channel.
Archbishop in Ecuador announces safety plan following death of priest struck by cross
Cardinal Luis Cabrera, archbishop of Guayaquil in Ecuador, has announced a safety plan aimed at preventing accidents such as the one that claimed the life of Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, who was killed when a large crucifix broke loose from the sanctuary wall behind him and struck him on the head as he said Mass.
The cardinal expressed his gratitude to those who “showed their solidarity through prayers and expressions of affection and appreciation for the community” of the Redemptorist priest, the pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, who passed away on Oct. 17.
“As a security measure, and in coordination with the fire department and other state institutions, we will proceed with a technical inspection of the structures of churches and parish buildings, as well as the mountings of religious objects that could potentially cause similar injuries,” Cabrera explained during an Oct. 28 press conference held in anticipation of the Mass marking the 100th anniversary of the feast of Christ the King, which he will celebrate on Saturday, Oct. 31.
“Accidents are not planned; they are chance occurrences … Some can be logically foreseen, and appropriate precautions can be taken to avoid them,” he added, noting that “there are 161 parishes, and each parish must ensure that its structures are in good condition.”
On Thursday, EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, was told that the archdiocesan technical department, in collaboration with the fire department and other experts, will review the structural, electrical, water flow, and technical aspects of each parish.
This will be done, the archdiocese explained, according to the availability of the parish priests who will be present for the inspection, taking into account that with Advent approaching, there is an increase in church activities.
What will happen to the cross that fell on Sánchez?
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish told EWTN News Español that the cross that fell on Sánchez has not been put back up. “What the media are saying is false,” the parish noted, referring to some reports stating that the crucifix had been returned to the wall where it had previously hung.
Father Pedro Calle, a Redemptorist priest who was in Guayaquil to participate in the novena for Sánchez, told EWTN News Español on Oct. 29 that whether or not the crucifix is put back up “depends on the new parish priest who will be assigned. It is a matter of time and internal organization.”
El Niño phenomenon
At the press conference, Cabrera also addressed the El Niño weather phenomenon that is wreaking havoc in Guayaquil with heavy rains. According to the National Secretariat for Risk Management, it is estimated that 32,000 people have been affected by the rains.
The cardinal stated that each parish has “a team of volunteers ready to assist those in need. Furthermore, in each of the seven episcopal vicariates, locations have been designated for the collection of food and other supplies.”
A collection taken up at the Mass on Saturday, Oct. 31, will assist those affected.
The 100th anniversary of the feast of Christ the King
On Oct. 31, Cabrera will celebrate the Mass to commemorate the feast of Christ the King, established 100 years ago by Pope Pius XI, which left a lasting mark on life in Guayaquil and led to the custom of the faithful adorning their balconies with an image of the Lord and the flag of Ecuador.
In Ecuador, this feast is celebrated with the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to whom the country was consecrated on March 25, 1874, a consecration that was renewed this June. Ecuador was the first country in the world to be officially consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the conclusion of yesterday’s press conference, Cabrera blessed the image that will be displayed during Saturday’s Eucharist.
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
EWTN to end shortwave radio operations after 34 years
EWTN Global Catholic Network (EWTN) will cease the operation of its long-running shortwave radio service this month, EWTN Chairman of the Board and CEO Michael Warsaw announced on Oct. 30.
The shortwave service, which has operated under the call sign WEWN since its launch in 1992, will shut down on Oct. 31. EWTN’s board of governors recently confirmed the decision.
Warsaw pointed to the decline of shortwave radio consumption as one of the driving factors leading to the station’s closure. A widely used media source in the 20th century, shortwave’s popularity has decreased in the 21st century amid the rapid global uptake in streaming and digital platforms.
Operating costs at the WEWN network have been high relative to the declining number of shortwave listeners, Warsaw said, and the aging facility was in need of significant and expensive repairs, which he said would not be a “prudent stewardship of our resources.”
“As we shift the use of shortwave to newer and more far-reaching distribution channels, we remain grateful for the co-workers and benefactors who sustained the service for so long,” he said.
Among them, Warsaw recalled the late Dutch Catholic entrepreneur Piet Derkson and his wife, Trudy, whose $26 million gift made the construction of WEWN possible and helped Mother Angelica, EWTN’s foundress, advance the network’s mission of sharing the truth of the Gospel around the world.
“We are also mindful that it was Shortwave which inspired and allowed the growth of EWTN Radio,” he noted. Since its launch, EWTN Radio has grown to currently broadcast over 600 AM/FM stations worldwide, in addition to airing on satellite and digital platforms.
In 2008, EWTN had previously ceased direct shortwave broadcasts to North America. Since then, its English-language shortwave service had reached audiences primarily in Africa and the Middle East. The Spanish-language shortwave coverage was directed to Latin America.
EWTN Radio’s content continues to reach these audiences through its digital platforms, online streaming services, mobile applications, podcasts, satellite distribution, and its extensive network of AM/FM affiliates.
EWTN News announces expanded U.S. midterm elections coverage
EWTN News is set to provide expanded coverage of the 2026 midterm elections in the United States, elections that will not only determine which political party controls a majority in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives but also decide other issues of keen interest to Catholic voters across the country.
The award-winning team at the global Catholic network’s flagship nightly newscast, “EWTN News Nightly,” will kick off election night coverage at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with an hourlong, scene-setting special.
Anchors Veronica Dudo and Erik Rosales will be joined by EWTN News Vice President and Editorial Director Matthew Bunson, along with correspondents Owen Jensen, Roselle Reyes, Paola Flynn, “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly” host Abi Galván, and other colleagues on election night.
At 9 p.m. ET on election night, the network will return to the air with a half-hour special as early results come in.
The programming will include coverage of referendums on abortion in Virginia, Nevada, Idaho, and Missouri; key House, Senate, and gubernatorial races; and several other referendum questions Catholics are following closely.
Joining the team for analysis of the elections and the issues surrounding it will be Josh Altic of Ballotpedia, political analyst Tim Rosales, Kelsey Pritchard of SBA Pro-Life America, Alejandro Ramos of Ramos Research Institute, and Kristi Hamrick of Students for Life of America, among others.
"EWTN News offers vital and timely coverage and analysis of the midterm elections from the Catholic perspective,” Bunson said of the coverage.
“We provide reporting and commentary across multiple platforms and multiple languages, but above all we deliver professional award-winning journalism that is faithful to Catholic teaching and that touches on all of the issues that are of concern to Catholics,” he said.
“EWTN News is uniquely positioned to be the go-to news outlet for a proper understanding of the results of the vote and their implications for Catholics in the United States and around the world,” Bunson added.
To Bunson’s point, on Nov. 4, the network will also offer an expanded one-hour edition of “EWTN News Nightly” recapping all of the major results.
The coverage will be accessible on multiple platforms, including cable television, YouTube, EWTN.com, Roku, Amazon Fire, and the EWTN app, which is free in the Google Play and Apple stores.