St. Louis Archdiocese sues over limits on sacraments for ICE detainees
The Archdiocese of St. Louis is challenging an immigration detention center’s visitation policies it says prevent Catholic detainees from receiving the sacraments, after a jail official suggested “clergy pass communion in a plastic bag to a prison guard who could then deliver it to the detainee.”
The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 5 by Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski and Father Christopher Schroeder of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, claims that Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center’s no-contact policy bars clergy from ministering to detainees while making exceptions to the rule for nonreligious visitors.
The archdiocese said in an Oct. 5 press release and in the filing that it had asked the facility to accommodate clergy seeking to provide sacraments to detainees but that facility officials refused to do so. “That refusal is troubling, given that other individuals—including lawyers and consular officials—are permitted to visit detained individuals under much more permissive circumstances,” the archdiocese said in the release.
Ste. Genevieve Detention Center houses about 150 immigration detainees and has held about 3,000 detainees, including one who died in the facility, since it began contracting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in mid-2025, according to the filing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the federal Cabinet department that oversees ICE, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
“The first and only time any jail official has proposed any accommodation for religious exercise was in response to a reporter,” the archdiocese said, which culminated in a suggestion from Maj. Jason Schott, who oversees the day-to-day operation of the jail, that clergy deliver Communion to detainees in a plastic bag by prison guards.
“This is no accommodation at all,” the filing states. “Because the celebration of communion is a central piece of the Catholic faith, and because the transubstantiation that occurs in this sacrament involves the real presence of Christ, the Catholic faith imposes strict rules on how communion may be administered. Communion may only be administered by a minister specifically appointed for the purpose.”
A person must be authorized to distribute Communion according to the norms of the diocese and the parish, ordinarily after suitable formation and commissioning by the pastor or bishop. While the Eucharist belongs to the whole Church, its distribution is carried out according to the Churchʼs sacramental and hierarchical order.
The archdiocese said the facility’s “scant defense” for its policies cited concerns for “safety and security risks” and that “priests might smuggle ‘contraband’ to the detainee.’”
“Schott does not explain how the host, which as consecrated is the body of Christ—the very thing priests want to ‘pass to detainees’—could be contraband,” the filing states.
The archdiocese also claimed priests have been barred from accessing the facility during the traditional four-hour window for visitation on Sundays and that “the jail allows clergy to visit only for a 4-hour window on Mondays.”
“The Catholic Church does not seek special treatment,” the archdiocese said in the release. “But only requests the same access as these other groups which, if provided, would allow clergy to offer the Catholic sacraments detainees desperately want.”
French bishop condemns ‘destructive’ protest violence, urges peaceful dialogue
Bishop Matthieu Rougé of the Diocese of Nanterre, France, has condemned the “destructive” violence at student-led protests throughout the country and encouraged peaceful dialogue to address students’ struggles and concerns.
Students began holding protests in late September, citing frustrations with education quality and a lack of funding and resources at schools. By early October, numerous protests became violent with arsons, lootings, and confrontations with police, leading to millions of dollars in damage and hundreds of injuries. More than 5,000 people have been arrested.
Rougé, who leads the French bishops’ conference’s Council for Catholic Education, told Vatican News that the violence reflects “the distress experienced by this generation of young people” in an Oct. 3 interview published by the Vatican-run news outlet.
“Violence expresses this distress: setting fire to some high schools, even newly built ones, manifests a destructive form of violence that cannot be condoned,” Rougé said, adding that it expresses “an inner violence among some young people who have not found meaning in their lives.”
The bishop said suffering is linked to the crisis of families, the climate crisis, the economic crisis, the social crisis, and the geopolitical crisis, “and so, consciously or unconsciously, these young people are afraid of the future; they do not see how it can also hold opportunities for them.”
Rougé said young people sometimes do not express this distress, which then “manifests itself through violence.” He said young people may not have “acquired sufficient maturity in language and self-expression to be able to express themselves in another way.”
The demonstrations, he said, are still “a call to be even more attentive to our young people, including in Catholic schools,” in which responsible adults can “help restore a sense of calm, creating spaces for listening and discussion, to accompany these young people.”
Rougé said the Church calls for “peace,” for “a different way for young people to express themselves,” and for “listening to these young people.” He said the public education system should prioritize “enabling young people to build a future for themselves and to receive a rich education that will allow them to move forward in life.”
In the interview, the bishop also noted that Pope Leo XIV addressed young people in France, encouraging them to have “the courage to live out responsibly the mission of building peace.”
“The Holy Father called young people to true freedom, the freedom that Christ gives,” Rougé said. “And to these young people, some of whom also come from social environments that have not been given sufficient recognition, he opened up a sense of purpose for their lives — the path of true freedom.”
Father Christophe Danset, the bishops’ conference’s national delegate for youth ministry, told the Italian Catholic news outlet AgenSIR the violence expressed through these protests paints a very different image than the celebratory gatherings that marked the pope’s visit to the country late last month.
“The beauty of that gathering and the violence of this week are two sides of the same reality of French youth: on the one hand, a genuine thirst, and on the other, a human and spiritual crisis,” he said in an Oct. 2 article.
Argentine auxiliary bishop removed from office following allegations by 2 adults
Ricardo Seirutti has been removed from the office of auxiliary bishop and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Córdoba, Argentina, following a canonical process initiated due to “allegations made by two adults regarding conduct unbecoming of his episcopal ministry.”
The archdiocese, headed by Cardinal Ángel Sixto Rossi, made the announcement in an Oct. 2 statement. The judicial process was “ordered by the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and conducted by the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Buenos Aires,” the statement indicated.
According to the biography published by the Vatican Press Office, Seirutti, 70, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Córdoba in 1988 and was appointed auxiliary bishop of Córdoba by Pope Francis in 2015.
According to the Argentine archdiocese, the accusation filed by the two adults “led the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to order the process that concluded in recent weeks.” The nature of the complaint was not disclosed.
The ruling that concluded the process prohibits Seirutti “from receiving formal appointments or new offices and from administering the sacrament of penance or reconciliation for a period of five years.”
The prelate “retains the faculty to celebrate Mass and administer other sacraments, except for the one stipulated,” the statement adds.
The Archdiocese of Córdoba concluded by offering its support to the affected persons” and renewed its commitment “to continue working so that all the actions of our particular Church are in accord with the Gospel.”
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.
Red Mass marks opening of Supreme Court term in Washington
WASHINGTON — Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, underscored the importance of using the Holy Spirit’s guidance in public affairs at the annual Red Mass marking the opening of the Supreme Court term.
Seeking the Holy Spirit’s wisdom will help people reach their full potential in their work and responsibilities, Broglio said in the homily Oct. 4 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C.
“We also pray that our understanding of Godʼs presence and his commandments will inspire integrity, devotion to meaning, and the promotion of harmony,” he said.
Hosted by The John Carroll Society, the Red Mass drew more than 1,000 people, including Supreme Court justices, public officials, and Vice President JD Vance, to mark the opening of the judiciary term and pray for judges, attorneys, diplomats, and government leaders.
The name derives from the red color of the archbishops’, cardinals’, and priests’ vestments. All Church officials who participated wore red to represent the tongues of fire symbolizing the presence of the Holy Spirit.
This year marked the 74th anniversary of the Red Mass in Washington, one of several such celebrations held worldwide, such as in Rome, Paris, and London, to invoke blessings on justice administrators.
In response to last year’s Red Mass, when a New Jersey man threatened Catholics and Supreme Court justices, security measures were increased. Amid the increased security, attendees included law students and faculty from area schools such as Georgetown University and The Catholic University of America.
Mark Cummings, a member of the John Carroll Society, an adjunct professor at George Mason University, and a partner at Sher, Cummings, and Ellis, said attendance at the Mass would help students.
“Itʼs inspiring for them, and I think itʼs a very healthy thing to be able to mix with the Supreme Court justices, superior court judges and courts of appeals, as well as Vice President Vance,” Cummings said. “I donʼt know where else theyʼd have an opportunity to see so many people who have made it in the profession and are serving as Supreme Court justices.”
Broglio “talked about the importance of the Constitution, the importance of our laws, and that everybody, even the meekest and lowest of citizens, should have access to justice and how we should. Itʼs set up that way with our Constitution and Bill of Rights,” Cummings said.
Cummings said Broglio’s message was a call for those in the legal profession and public service to help ensure that everyone has equal access to justice.
Broglio also advised officials on how charity should guide all legal professions.
“Your service to order and the virtue of justice is deeply appreciated even by this canon lawyer,” said Broglio, who holds a doctorate in canon law.
Broglio said immigrants, past and present, have helped build the United States, and he urged legal professionals to be “architects of hope” to ensure that charity and fraternity shape the pursuit of justice.
“In his first encyclical, Pope Leo wrote that the way a society treats migrants, refugees, and those forced to move reveals whether its sense of justice is driven by fear or by the spirit of fraternity,” Broglio said.
“Perhaps if more of us directed our thoughts in the ways of peace, we would discover and develop a more civil society and and learn to live in harmony with our neighbors,” Broglio said.
Pope Leo urges Vatican police to guard their hearts as they protect others
Pope Leo XIV urged members of the Vatican Gendarmerie on Oct. 3 to nurture their faith as they protect others, telling them that their service requires hearts guarded by the Lord.
The pope celebrated Mass at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens in honor of the force’s patron, St. Michael the Archangel.
He described the gendarmes’ work as “a way of being laborers in the Lord’s vineyard,” stressing that their responsibilities extend beyond safeguarding buildings, grounds, and entrances to caring for people.
“One quality that stands out when we meet you is precisely this care: It is beautiful to see how you regard others not as problems to be solved but as people to be respected and protected,” he said.
Reflecting on the parable of the wicked tenants in Matthew 21:33-43, the pope said the gendarmes should understand that “what we receive is a responsibility to be safeguarded with humility and dedication, to be carried out with discretion and a sense of duty.”
“You know well that authority, in the light of the Gospel, is expressed above all in the ability to protect, listen, and accompany, with balance, firmness, and respect,” he added.
Just as the vineyard owner’s son stands at the center of the parable, Leo urged the gendarmes to place Jesus at the center of their lives.
“Before being gendarmes, you are men called to follow him. From him we learn strength that knows how to become gentleness, vigilance born of trust, authority that walks alongside humility, and the courage to intervene with a merciful heart,” he said.
The pope also reflected on the second reading, from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, which urges believers to bring their needs to God in prayer rather than give in to anxiety.
The gendarmes’ work, he said, would bring “quiet days and difficult days,” moments requiring quick decisions, and situations that cause fatigue and worry.
But prayer offers a way to bear those burdens.
“A gendarme does not carry everything alone: He prays, knows how to entrust himself to God, and knows how to find again in God the peace that allows him to act with clarity and a serene heart,” Leo said.
Those who protect others need hearts and minds “formed in goodness,” he said, because they “must first safeguard within themselves truth, justice, goodness, and respect. Protecting others requires a heart guarded by the Lord.”
“Your work certainly requires you to be vigilant, but today’s word invites you to something even deeper: to watch carefully over yourselves as well,” the pope added.
He urged the gendarmes to guard their hearts against becoming hardened, keeping them “always docile to God and attentive to others.”
He also called on them to safeguard their consciences and their bonds of fraternity. A group becomes a community, he said, when “its members care for one another and learn to walk together, supporting one another with simplicity and love.”
Leo concluded by thanking the gendarmes’ families for the sacrifices that make their service possible.
“This year, too, I conclude with a thought of affection and gratitude for your families. To parents, wives, children, and fiancées: Thank you! You know the sacrifices, the absences, the schedules, the worries, and also the burden of a service that is not always seen,” he 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.
15 parishioners killed in road accident on way to Kenya shrine for National Prayer Day
NAIROBI, Kenya — Fifteen pilgrims from Kenya’s Archdiocese of Mombasa who were heading to Subukia National Marian Shrine in the Diocese of Nakuru died on Saturday in a road accident.
The Mombasa Archdiocese announced the news on Saturday, Oct. 3, that pilgrims from St. Mathias Mulumba Mikindani Parish had died in a car crash in the small town of Salama, about a six-hour drive from the shrine.
The message from the office of the archbishop read: “We are saddened with lots of grief to announce the untimely passing on of [15] pilgrims from St. Mathias Mulumba, Mikindani, in an accident that occurred at Salama. The pilgrims were on their way to the National Shrine, Subukia, for the National Prayer Day.”
The statement from the office of Archbishop Martin Kivuva Musonde continued: “Let us pray for the repose of their souls as we pray for their families, St. Mathias Mulumba Parish and the Archdiocese as a whole, so that we may find solace and consolation in the Lord.”
In his opening address at the prayer event, the chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba, expressed the closeness of KCCB members with the Mombasa Archdiocese following the tragedy.
Muhatia also clarified that 15 people died, and not 17 as had earlier been reported by the archdiocese.
Welcoming participants to the event, the KCCB chairman said: “We remember in a special way other pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Mombasa who were headed here, but could not arrive due to a road accident. I express personal condolences and the solidarity of the Bishops’ Conference to Archbishop Martin Kivuva and Archbishop Dominic Kimengich for the loss of 15 pilgrims who were headed here.”
Muhatia added: “All of them were from one parish and all of them perished in the accident.”
The bishop of the Kisumu Archdiocese read out the names of the pilgrims who died and prayed for the repose of their souls.
The tragedy has been described as a major blow to the Kenyan archdiocese, which also lost a pilgrim during the 2025 National Prayer Day at the shrine. Marcella Mueni collapsed and died while she was getting ready for Mass. She was among more than 9,000 pilgrims who traveled from Mombasa for the annual spiritual gathering.
The 2026 National Prayer Day is being celebrated under the theme “Blessed Are the Peacemakers.” According to the KCCB, the theme is an invitation to the faithful to embrace their responsibility as agents of peace in their families, communities, and the country.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
Vatican to publish Pope Francis’ personal diary
An upcoming publication titled “The Private Diary of Pope Francis” promises a rare look into the inner spiritual life of the late pontiff. Announced on Monday and scheduled for publication on Nov. 24, the volume compiles intimate reflections, prayers, and personal notes, offering a window into his quiet moments of discernment.
Edited with commentary by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the project gathers material meant to be shared posthumously.
This is not the late pope’s first foray into personal literature; he previously released “Hope,” becoming the first living pope to publish an autobiography.
Known for his accessibility to journalists, Francis gave more than 70 book-length interviews during his pontificate, making this new collection an intriguing counterpart to his public voice.
The publication follows in the footsteps of St. John XXIII, whose spiritual diary was famously published posthumously as “Journal of a Soul.” Similarly to that classic work, Francis’ diary captures his deeply human side — revealing how he navigated trials, carried the burdens of leadership, and sought God in daily silence.
Pope Leo XIV, ahead of World Youth Day in 2027, praises Korean courage
At a Monday audience celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Korean Pontifical College’s inauguration in Rome, Pope Leo XIV met with Korean clergy and reflected on their remarkable journey of faith.
As preparations gather momentum for World Youth Day in Seoul in 2027, the meeting provided an occasion to celebrate how the Church in Korea has grown into a dynamic land of missionaries.
The pope emphasized that the Korean Church’s vibrant growth rests firmly on the testimony of its martyrs. Through relentless persecution, devastating wars, crippling poverty, and national partition, Korean Catholics have continuously overcome incredible hardship.
"The Korean people have demonstrated throughout history an extraordinary strength of character,” Leo remarked.
The pope said it was a powerful testament to God’s grace that the faithful kept “the ability to go through the ordeal without losing hope and without letting suffering harden the heart.”
Drawing pastoral inspiration from history, Leo highlighted the tireless witness of Venerable Thomas Choe Yang-Eop. Known for walking endless miles across Korea to connect remote, hidden villages and bring them the light of the Gospel, Father Choe serves as an enduring model for modern ministry, the pope said.
The pope urged the assembled clergy to imitate Choe’s zeal: “In our time we have much need for men and women who have the courage to do good even when it costs them.”
Recognizing the diverse dioceses and backgrounds represented among the clergy, the pope called for a renewed commitment to synodality. By listening to one another and moving past regional differences, priests embody a unified Church walking together on the same path through Christ, he said.
Finally, looking ahead to hosting the world’s Catholic youth in 2027, the pope reminded the clergy to ground all their preparations in constant prayer, seeking the intercession of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, patron of Korean clergy.
“Young people from all over the world will arrive in a land where the Gospel has grown through the testimony of the martyrs,” Leo said.
Pope Leo XIV to Vatican employees: AI cannot replace human work
Pope Leo XIV affirmed to the Vatican labor associations the irreplaceable nature of human work in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).
The pontiff held a private audience on Monday with a delegation of the Vatican Lay Employees Association and the Women in the Vatican Association. The groups are the only two labor associations in Vatican City State, with the Vatican Lay Employees Association having been founded in 1979 and the Women in the Vatican Association in 2016.
‘Keep attention on human work, not AI developments’
In his remarks, Leo emphasized the dignity of human work in an age when AI developments can change how work is valued and performed.
“In the face of todayʼs challenges in the world of work, especially those posed by developments in artificial intelligence, it is more important than ever to keep attention focused on the irreplaceable centrality of the human person and the inalienable dignity of work,” Leo said.
Drawing from his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, Leo explained that work is not merely a tool but a requirement for personal fulfillment.
“Work is not a simple tool,” Leo said.
“It is a requirement inscribed in the human condition, an ordinary path toward maturity, development, and personal fulfillment,” the pope added.
The pope invited his audience to foster dialogue and noted in particular women’s contributions in this regard.
“The presence of women is a richness that must be increasingly recognized and valued,” the pope said. “Their expertise, discernment, creativity, and practicality enhance the life of institutions and contribute to a broader perspective on reality and the problems encountered.”
Pope Leo XIV meets USCCB leadership and other prominent American bishops
Pope Leo XIV met on Monday at the Vatican with several prominent U.S. bishops and the leadership of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
From Oct. 1–5, the U.S.-born pontiff held private audiences with six U.S. bishops and is scheduled to meet with three U.S. cardinals in a Vatican conference marking the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Amoris Laetitia, to be held from Oct. 7–14.
On Oct. 5, Leo met separately with four U.S. bishops, including the USCCB president, Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, and the vice president, Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas. They will represent the USCCB at the meeting “Ten Years After Amoris Lætitia: Proclaiming the Gospel with Families Today.”
Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, met with Leo on Oct. 1. The evangelist and founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries also served as a keynote speaker at a conference at the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See in Rome on Sept. 30, where he described Catholicism as deeply aligned with American ideals. He also ordained 18 deacons for the Pontifical North American College at St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 1, the same day as his private audience with the pontiff.
Three U.S. cardinals will also join Coakley and Flores on the U.S. delegation. Cardinals Blase Cupich of Chicago, Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C., and Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, will be present at the meeting as the only three U.S. cardinals who are diocesan bishops.
Leo XIV also met with Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria, Illinois, 11 days after the bishop participated in the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, also of Peoria. Tylka also announced the first-ever parish named after Sheen in Peoria on Sept. 26.
Tylka said he presented the pope with a relic of Sheen.
“To place a relic of this son of the Diocese of Peoria into the hands of the first American pope, both of whom are from Illinois, was an especially moving moment. My hope is that this relic will serve as a reminder of who Fulton Sheen was and of the mission he embraced so completely: to bring Jesus Christ to the world,” Tylka said in a statement.
The pope also met with Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle and Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami. As required by canon law, Wenski submitted his resignation to the pope upon reaching his 75th birthday in October 2025.
This story was updated at 1:43 p.m. ET on Oct. 5, 2026, to include a statement from Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria, Illinois.