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Influencer son of evangelical pastors shares how he embraced the Catholic faith

Jonatan Medina, son of evangelical pastors, shares how he converted to the Catholic faith. / Credit: EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 26, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Jonatan Medina Espinal is a young Catholic influencer who, as the son of evangelical pastors, was considered unlikely to embrace the Catholic faith, but he did so five years ago after a long and intense spiritual journey.

Now, with clearer ideas about the faith, the young Peruvian has become a defender of Catholic doctrine, promoting it on his social media as well as in his Spanish-language book “Toward the Barque of Peter: My Journey from Protestantism to the Catholic Church.”

For Dante Urbina, a Catholic author, teacher, and lecturer who also influenced Medina’s conversion, the book is “a testimony of profound conversion and intellectual depth that invites us to enter and persevere in the Catholic Church.”

Medina is a professional audiovisual communicator and describes himself as “a truth seeker.” In an interview with “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News, he shared that he had already felt Catholic “at heart” since 2017, when he “began this journey that took [him] about two or three years.”

On Dec. 8, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Medina received the sacrament of baptism, officially becoming part of the Catholic Church.

Medina pointed out that it was necessary for him to receive the sacrament in the Church, considering that the one he had received in his Christian group might not have been entirely valid.

The entire process that led to his conversion, continued Medina — who is part of the Catholic Advancement Movement — began “paradoxically, with a period of agnosticism ... I was agnostic for a good few years of my life, then tried to embrace a more reasonable faith, one based on evidence.”

Guided by various Christian figures such as Protestant C.S. Lewis and Catholic G.K. Chesterton, Medina questioned his affiliation with an evangelical church. “I began to embrace a more historical faith, with greater cogency.”

After “discovering all the fragmentations … of Protestantism, I said: How can the Gospel be so divided? And I saw that the Church appears with its unity, although obviously that doesn’t imply that there aren’t tensions or certain divisions, but there is a teaching that helps us to be bound together and gives us that guarantee of unity.”

Professor Scott Hahn’s influence

“I earned a master’s degree in theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. I was with Professor Scott Hahn. I remember hearing his conversion testimony… He was converted by starting to pray the rosary, because he was practically convinced by all the arguments, but he didn’t know what he was missing until someone gave him a rosary,” Medina recounted in the interview with “EWTN Noticias.”

“He prayed it, an impossible situation was resolved for him, and then he forgot about the issue. Then he realized he had been ungrateful and began praying it regularly, and that cemented his conversion,” he explained.

“Without a doubt, the subject of Mary is always important, because as a Protestant by birth, I’ve never had any affection for her,” Medina emphasized.

Hahn grew up in the Presbyterian Church, eventually becoming a theologian and minister in that Christian denomination. His journey of conversion began after he and his wife, Kimberly, became convinced that contraception is contrary to God’s law, a concept abandoned by many Protestants during the 20th century but always upheld by the Catholic Church.

Hahn converted to Catholicism at Easter 1986. His wife followed him four years later, in 1990. They have six children, one of whom, Jeremiah, has been a Catholic priest since 2021.

Medina also explained that another milestone in his conversion was overcoming the Protestant concept of “sola Scriptura” (“Scripture alone”), which postulates that the Bible is the sole source of Christian faith and practice, ignoring tradition, a source of revelation that is accepted by the Catholic Church.

“I had discovered the error of sola Scriptura: I remember when I discovered it and realized that obviousness, that lack of logic, was so clear,” he recounted, and he understood “that Scripture itself was already tradition, only written down. That’s when I said, ‘Hey, this makes sense to me.’ Sola Scriptura began to fall apart for me.”

Medina, also the author of the short Spanish-language film “Neighbors” about guardian angels, is grateful for having come to love the Virgin Mary through the example of another convert, Urbina, a Catholic professor and lecturer and author of several Spanish-language books such as “Does God Exist?” and “What Is the True Religion?”

“He also worked at the university where I work, and it was providential that we met one day, and I started asking him questions about Mary specifically, and he helped me a lot. I definitely believe that Mary has been key in my conversion,” Medina emphasized.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Hungarian cardinal tortured by communists remembered 50 years after his death

Cardinal József Mindszenty in 1974. / Credit: Mieremet, Rob/Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL, via Wikimedia Commons

Rome, Italy, Oct 26, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Hungarian Church leaders recently gathered in Rome to commemorate Venerable Cardinal József Mindszenty, the persecuted prelate who died in exile 50 years ago and became an enduring symbol of resistance to totalitarian regimes.

“Rome and the homeland — these are the two stars, and two goals, which also indicate to me the direction to take.” This quote from Mindszenty is featured at an exhibition currently on display at the Hungarian Academy in Rome, highlighting the cardinal’s fidelity to the Holy See and his country during a time of brutal repression in Central Europe.

Mindszenty was imprisoned under multiple regimes in Hungary. He served as bishop of Veszprém during World War II and was later appointed archbishop of Esztergom before being elevated to the College of Cardinals. After the communist takeover in Hungary in 1948, he was arrested on charges of “anti-government activity,” tortured, and imprisoned.

“Before his arrest in 1948, he naturally sought connections with other prelates in neighboring communist-dominated countries,” said Cardinal Péter Erdő, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, in comments to CNA.

He named Cardinal Josef Beran of Prague, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński of Krakow, and Blessed Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac of Zagreb as part of what he called a “great symphony” of episcopal leadership during a time of persecution under communism.

“This is why Pius XII, in a solemn letter, mentioned all these witnesses to the faith. It was a powerful phrase that acknowledged their testimony,” Erdő added.

‘Witnesses of Faith — Ray of Hope’

The Embassy of Hungary to the Holy See paid tribute to Mindszenty at an event titled “Witnesses of Faith — Rays of Hope,” held in the context of the Jubilee 2025, the theme of which is “Pilgrims of Hope.”

“It is no coincidence that this event is part of the jubilee,” said Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. “Cardinal Mindszenty honored the dignity of the cardinalate through his life and willingness to sacrifice.”

“He was imprisoned under both Nazism and communism. This means he stood firm and challenged the mainstream,” emphasized Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See, who also revealed that he carries a relic of the cardinal with him.

During the 1956 Hungarian uprising, Mindszenty was freed and took refuge in the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, where he remained for 15 years. In 1971, he was permitted to leave the country and began traveling extensively, primarily to visit Hungarian communities in the diaspora, including in the United States.

“After forced isolation, meeting people and living my vocation through active engagement brought me joy,” Mindszenty once said.

He died in exile in Vienna, Austria, in 1975.

Anti-communist or good shepherd?

While some critics viewed Mindszenty as overly political in his anti-communism and antisemitism, Hungarian Church leaders emphasized his pastoral mission.

“He was a good shepherd who, while not loud, spoke clearly against communism,” Bishop György Udvardy of Veszprém told CNA.

Erdő and Udvardy, both of whom took part in the Rome commemoration, noted that Mindszenty has been declared venerable — the Church’s recognition of his heroic virtues.

“History is complex, but we pray for his beatification,” Udvardy said.

During his years in exile, Mindszenty reportedly disagreed with Pope Paul VI’s decision to declare the Archdiocese of Esztergom vacant.

However, Erdő clarified: “The media exaggerated the disagreement. He was never disobedient. Once the Holy Father made his decision, Cardinal Mindszenty accepted it without resistance.”

A display at the exhibition features a quote from the cardinal: “Whatever happens, never believe that a priest can be the enemy of his faithful. The priest belongs to every family, and you belong to the big family of your pastor.”

PHOTOS: Cardinal Burke celebrates Latin Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica

Pilgrims participate in a Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, celebrated by Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke at the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Oct 25, 2025 / 14:00 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Raymond Burke celebrated a special Traditional Latin Mass for hundreds of pilgrims in St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 25 — a return to a prior custom, suspended since 2022, of an annual pilgrimage of Catholics devoted to the ancient liturgy

Burke celebrated the Solemn Pontifical Mass, a high Latin Mass said by a bishop, at the Altar of the Chair on the second day of the Oct. 24–26 Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage. The cardinal also celebrated a Latin Mass at the Altar of the Chair for the pilgrimage in 2014.

The Mass was preceded by a half-mile procession from the Basilica of Sts. Celso and Giuliano to St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage, in its 14th year, brings people “ad Petri Sedem” (“to the See of Peter”) to give “testimony of the attachment that binds numerous faithful throughout the whole world to the traditional liturgy,” according to the pilgrimage website.

The pilgrimage began on the evening of Oct. 24 with vespers in Rome’s Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, presided over by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna. A solemn closing Mass of Christ the King will be celebrated at the Church of Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini on the final day of the pilgrimage, Oct. 26.

In 2023 and 2024, the pilgrimage was not able to receive authorization to celebrate the Latin Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica from the basilica’s liturgy office, according to organizer Christian Marquant. 

The Office of Liturgical Ceremonies of St. Peter’s Basilica and the director of the Holy See Press Office did not respond to CNA’s request in September for comment on this assertion.

Burke — a champion of the Traditional Latin Mass and one of the most prominent critics in the hierarchy of the late Pope Francis, under whom he fell conspicuously out of favor — met Pope Leo in a private audience on Aug. 22.

Leo sent a letter of congratulations for Burke’s 50th anniversary of priestly ministry in July.

Rorate Caeli, a prominent website for devotees of the Traditional Latin Mass, called the celebration of a Solemn Pontifical Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica again an “important sign” of increased tolerance for the traditional liturgy. Pope Francis severely restricted the use of the Latin Mass in 2021 and with subsequent legislation.

Pope Leo XIV gives advice for living with hope in a ‘troubled era’

Pope Leo XIV claps with pilgrims during an audience for the Jubilee of Hope in St. Peter's Square on Oct. 25, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.

Vatican City, Oct 25, 2025 / 13:00 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday said the key to living in a difficult time, when the Church’s teachings are often challenged, is to embrace the hope that is “not knowing.” 

“As pilgrims of hope, we must view our troubled times in the light of the resurrection,” the pope said in an audience with jubilee pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square Oct. 25.

Leo brought attention to Nicholas of Cusa — a Catholic cardinal and theologian from Germany, who lived in the 15th century — as a model for how to live one’s faith “during a turbulent era that involved serious spiritual divisions.”

The pope described Nicholas of Cusa as “a great thinker and servant of unity” who “can teach us that hoping is also ‘not knowing.’”

“As St. Paul writes, ‘How can one hope for what one already sees?’” Leo said. “Nicholas of Cusa could not see the unity of the Church, shaken by opposing currents and divided between East and West. He could not see peace in the world and among religions, at a time when Christianity felt threatened from outside.”

But instead of living in fear like many of his contemporaries, Nicholas chose to associate with those who had hope, the pontiff explained.

Nicholas, Leo said, “understood that there are opposites to be held together, that God is a mystery in which what is in tension finds unity. Nicholas knew that he did not know, and so he understood reality better and better. What a great gift for the Church! What a call to renewal of the heart! Here are his teachings: make space, hold opposites together, hope for what is not yet seen.”

Pope Leo said the Church is experiencing the same thing today: questions challenging the Church’s teaching, from young people, from the poor, from women, from those without a voice or who are different from the majority.

“We are in a blessed time: so many questions!” he said. “The Church becomes an expert in humanity if it walks with humanity and has the echo of its questions in its heart.”

“To hope is not to know,” Leo underlined. “We do not already have the answers to all the questions. But we have Jesus. We follow Jesus. And so we hope for what we do not yet see.”

Pope Leo XIV: There’s no template for synodality across all countries

Pope Leo XIV sits next to Cardinal Mario Grech, general secretary of the Vatican's synod office, during the jubilee of synod teams and participatory bodies in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall on Oct. 24, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 25, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

There is no single model for what synodality should look like in all countries and cultures, Pope Leo XIV said in a discussion with synod leaders from around the globe, held at the Vatican on Friday.

“We have to be very clear, we’re not looking for a uniform model. And synodality will not come with a template where everybody and every country will say this is how you do it,” the pope said in the Paul VI Hall Oct. 24.

“It is, rather, a conversion to a spirit of being Church, and being missionary, and building up, in that sense, the family of God.”

Leo spoke about synodality in unscripted remarks in English, Spanish, and Italian during the opening session of a meeting for the jubilee of synodal teams and participatory bodies, taking place in Rome Oct. 24-26, part of the Church’s wider 2025 Jubilee of Hope.

Around 2,000 people are attending the synod-focused jubilee, which includes a two-day meeting “aimed at translating the orientations of the [Synod on Synodality’s] Final Document into pastoral and structural choices consistent with the synodal nature of the Church,” according to the Vatican’s synod office.

The pope joined part of the program on Friday evening to listen to representatives from different regions give reports on the implementation of synodality in their parts of the world, and to answer their questions about the synodal process. 

Synodality, Leo said, “is to help the Church fulfill its primary role in the world, which is to be missionary, to announce the Gospel.”

He added that synodality “is not a campaign. It’s a way of being and a way of being Church. It’s a way of promoting an attitude, which begins with learning to listen to one another.”

The pope recalled the value of listening, “beginning with listening to the Word of God, listening to one another, listening to the wisdom we find in men and in women, in members of the Church, and those who are searching who might not yet be members of the Church.”

He also addressed resistance to the synodal process, such as worry by some that it is an attempt to weaken the authority of the bishop.

“I would like to invite all of you … to reflect upon what synodality is about and to invite the priests particularly, even more than the bishops, to somehow open their hearts and take part in these processes,” Leo said. “Often the resistance comes out of fear and lack of knowledge.”

He emphasized the need to prioritize formation and preparation at every educational level.

“Sometimes ready answers are given without the proper, necessary preparation to arrive at the conclusion that maybe some of us have already drawn, but others are not ready for or capable to understand,” he said.

“We have to understand that we do not all run at the same speed. And sometimes we have to be patient with one another,” Leo said. “And rather than a few people running ahead and leaving a lot behind, which could cause even a break in an ecclesial experience, we need to look for ways, very concrete ways at times, of understanding what’s happening in each place, where the resistances are or where they come from, and what we can do to encourage more and more the experience of communion in this Church which is synodal.”

Asked if groupings of churches, such as regional bishops’ conferences, will continue to grow in the life of the Church, Leo said, “the brief answer is yes, I do expect that, and I hope that the different groupings of churches can continue to grow as expressions of communion in the Church using the gifts we are all receiving through this exercise if you will, this life, this expression of synodality.”

The pontiff also weighed in on the topic of women and their participation in the Church, though he set aside the most controversial questions, which he said are being examined in a separate study group.

“So leaving aside the most difficult themes,” he said, “there are cultural obstacles, there are opportunities, but there are cultural obstacles. And this has to be recognized, because women could play a key role in the Church, but in some cultures women are considered second-class citizens and in some realities they do not enjoy the same rights as men.”

“In these cases, there is a challenge for the Church, for all of us, because we need to understand how we can promote the respect for the rights of everyone, men and women,” he encouraged.

The Church can promote a culture in which there is co-participation of every member of society, each according to their vocation, Leo continued. “We have to understand how the Church can be a strength to transform cultures according to the values of the Gospel.”

Trump says he will ask Chinese president to release Jimmy Lai: ‘It’s on my list’

U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on Oct. 24, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Trump is traveling to Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit (ASEAN), Japan, and to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC). / Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

CNA Staff, Oct 25, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

President Donald Trump on Oct. 24 indicated that he would ask Chinese President Xi Jinping about the possible release of long-imprisoned Catholic activist Jimmy Lai, suggesting he may bring pressure on the communist country's leadership to allow Lai to walk free ahead of his likely conviction in a national security trial.

Asked by EWTN News White House Correspondent Owen Jensen if he planned to speak with Xi on the topic of Lai, Trump — who was boarding Marine One at the White House en route to Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland — responded: “I might do that, yeah.” Trump is scheduled to meet with Xi next week.

Earlier in the day a bipartisan group of senators, including Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, published an open letter urging Trump to use his meeting with Xi to advocate for Lai’s release. Trump on Friday acknowledged that letter.

“Well, I have a lot of respect for Rick Scott. And a lot of them that are asking me to do that,” he said. “And it’s on my list. I’m gonna ask.”

“Look, they’re big enemies,” he said of Lai and Xi. “But we’ll see what happens, you know. Jimmy Lai, Jimmy Lai and President Xi are big enemies but it’s been a long time and I will be … it’ll be on my list.”

Lai ‘must be released immediately,’ senators say

In their Oct. 24 letter, the U.S. senators — including Republicans Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz along with Democrats Tim Kaine and Raphael Warnock — praised Trump’s “outspoken advocacy” for Lai. The president earlier this year vowed to do “everything [he] can” to “save” Lai, who has been imprisoned for years and convicted of numerous charges including fraud and unlawful assembly.

“The humanitarian case for Mr. Lai’s release is stronger and more dire than ever, which is why this must be addressed at the highest possible level,” the senators wrote. They noted reports of Lai’s ongoing poor health and the threat that he may die in prison.

“We have great confidence that, should you, as the leader of the free world, raise Jimmy Lai’s case, President Xi will understand the importance of releasing Jimmy Lai now, before it is too late,” the lawmakers said.

Advocates of Lai have for years called for his release from prison. A longtime activist and advocate of democracy, Lai was first arrested in 2020 under China’s then-new national security law and has been arrested and convicted on numerous other charges since then.

Supporters have argued that China is targeting Lai for his criticism of communist politics and his support for democratic values. Lai himself pleaded not guilty to charges of violating the national security law.

Lai, who converted to Catholicism in 1997, has received global support amid his imprisonment and trials. A congressional commission in 2023 urged the United States government to sanction Hong Kong prosecutors and judges if they failed to release Lai.

That same year a global group of Catholic bishops and archbishops called for his release, arguing that his legal trials under the communist government had “gone on long enough.”

Lai has received multiple awards and accolades for his advocacy, including this year the 2025 Bradley Prize.

New York, California pour money into Planned Parenthood after federal defunding

New York and California are pouring taxpayer dollars into Planned Parenthood, joining several other states in counteracting the federal defunding of the abortion giant.  / Credit: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Oct 25, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

New York and California are pouring taxpayer dollars into Planned Parenthood, joining several other states in counteracting the federal defunding of the abortion giant. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged $140 million to Planned Parenthood locations in California on Oct. 24. On the same day, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul committed $35 million in funding to Planned Parenthood locations in New York.

Both states are known for their abortion shield laws, which protect abortionists who mail abortion pills into states where they are illegal. Several women are suing California and New York abortionists after being poisoned by or coerced into taking the abortion pill by the fathers of their children.

New York and California join several other states that have made similar moves in light of the yearlong federal defunding of Planned Parenthood. Colorado, Massachusetts, and Washington have all taken similar steps to replace lost federal funding for Planned Parenthood over the past few months.

Newsom said on Thursday that California is “protecting access to essential health care” by providing funding for more than 100 locations across the state. 

“Trump’s efforts to defund Planned Parenthood put all our communities at risk as people seek basic health care from these community providers,” Newsom said in a statement.

Hochul in a similar vein said she is putting funding toward the 47 Planned Parenthood clinics in New York, alleging that pro-life politicians will “stop at nothing to undermine women’s health care.”

“In the face of congressional Republicans voting to defund Planned Parenthood, I’ve directed the state to fund these vital services, protecting access to health care that thousands of New Yorkers rely on,” Hochul said in a Friday statement.

Hundreds of alternative clinics exist in both states 

A spokeswoman for Heartbeat International, a network that supports life-affirming pregnancy centers, told CNA there are many low-cost and even free alternatives to Planned Parenthood across the country — including hundreds of clinics and pregnancy centers in both New York and California. 

Andrea Trudden said that “women in California and New York already have access to a vast network of life-affirming care.” 

“California has more than 300 pregnancy help organizations and New York nearly 200,” Trudden said, citing Heartbeat International’s Worldwide Directory of Pregnancy Help.

“These centers offer practical support, compassionate care, and resources to women facing unplanned pregnancies, empowering them to choose life for their children and themselves,” she continued. 

For women who need health care not related to pregnancy, Trudden noted that both states are “well served” by Federally Qualified Health Centers, which are centers that provide “comprehensive, low-cost medical care for women and families.” 

As of 2024, California had more than 170 of these clinics, while New York had more than 60, Trudden said, citing a report by KFF, a health policy institute. 

“If leaders truly cared about women’s health, they would invest in these community-based organizations that meet the needs of women before, during, and after pregnancy — not in the nation’s largest abortion provider,” Trudden added. 

Kelsey Pritchard, a spokeswoman at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, told CNA that in California, Planned Parenthood “is choosing to shutter primary care rather than give up profiting from abortions.”

In Orange and San Bernardino counties, Planned Parenthood will continue to offer abortions while closing primary care facilities. 

“In California, New York, and across the country, Planned Parenthoods are outnumbered by far better options and the pro-life movement is happy to help women locate the care they need,” Pritchard said, citing reports by the Charlotte Lozier Institute on community care centers and pregnancy centers for women. 

Jennie Bradley Lichter, the president of the March for Life, criticized politicians for prioritizing abortion funding instead of care for women and children. 

“Political leaders who prioritize funding for Planned Parenthood leave no doubt where their priorities lie: and it is not with women and children,” Bradley Lichter told CNA.

“It’s a shame that the leaders of states like California and New York aren’t choosing to pour their resources into institutions that truly support moms, like the huge number of pregnancy resource centers located in each of those states,” she said.

Women deserve better than the “tragedy” of abortion, Bradley Lichter said.

“We at March for Life want women to know that when their state leaders fall short and leave them in the hands of Big Abortion, pro-life Americans will stand in the gap and help them find the love and care they need,” she continued.

Defunding Planned Parenthood: a ‘life-saving’ act 

A spokesman for Live Action called the defunding of Planned Parenthood “one of the most lifesaving acts Congress has taken in decades,” noting that the federal government stopped funding the organization that “kills over 400,000 children every year.”

“That victory must be made permanent when the one-year cutoff expires next July,” Noah Brandt told CNA. “Yet pro-abortion states like California and New York are working to undo that progress, using taxpayer money to expand abortion through all nine months and to ship abortion pills nationwide.”

“Federal funding for Planned Parenthood must never return, and states that promote abortion should be held accountable for enabling the mass killing and sterilization of American children,” Brandt said.

Pritchard added that although Planned Parenthood is “constantly scheming to grow their grip on taxpayer money,” the pro-life movement has seen wins around the nation — most especially, the federal defunding of Planned Parenthood.

“Make no mistake, they are losing big in Congress, in courts, and increasingly in the hearts and minds of Americans,” Pritchard said.

‘My songs will be sung in churches’: A Bangladeshi sister’s living legacy

Sister Mary Amiya plays her Harmonium at Shanti Bhabon in Gazipur, Sept. 27, 2025. / Credit: Sumon Corraya

Dhaka, Bangladesh, Oct 25, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Sister Mary Minoti still remembers the moment she first heard that voice in the convent — a melodious sound singing worship songs that captivated her immediately. The 63-year-old didn’t realize then that the singer was Sister Mary Amiya, whose hymns she had been singing since childhood during evening prayers and Sunday Mass.

Now, Minoti serves as house superior at St. Mary’s Convent in Toomilia, Bangladesh, and leads worship hymns herself, having once been Amiya’s student. She is a member of the Associates of Mary Queen of the Apostles congregation, known as the SMRA Sisters.

Sister Amiya, who also belongs to the congregation, spent 42 years as a teacher and has been a passionate composer of Christian hymns, writing lyrics for over 100 songs. Twenty of her compositions and melodies are included in Geetaboli, the official hymnbook used in Mass and other liturgical celebrations across Bangladesh.

The book, published by the Christian Communications Center under the Episcopal Commission for Social Communications, contains over 1,000 songs. Amiya is the most prolific contributor among religious sisters.

“Amiya is a gifted songwriter and singer,” Minoti said. “Now, due to age, she sings and conducts less.”

Minoti remembered how Amiya taught songs to the young sisters. “Her mastery of Christian music amazed me. My respect for her grew. She is a treasure for the Catholic community and for Bangladeshi church music.”

Touching hearts through beauty

Amiya’s hymns are known for deepening devotion and inspiring love for God, Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. She still writes music and is often invited to compose for occasions like jubilees or ordinations.

“I love singing Amiya’s songs,” said Swapna Gomes, a housewife who leads church singing in Dhaka. “Her lyrics and melodies are sweet and harmonious. That’s why many have become popular across the country.”

“Amiya has great musical talent, which she has used beautifully,” said Father Kamal Corraya, former director of the Christian Communication Center and editor of “Geetaboli,” a Bengali Catholic (and broadly Christian) hymn book used for liturgy and worship. He is also a songwriter and serves as the parish priest of Solepur Parish in Munshiganj.

He added: “Her songs touch hearts. As a religious sister, her music feels even more perfect. She meditates and practices deeply before writing and singing. Her long teaching career has helped her understand people’s emotions.”

“My parents encouraged me to write songs,” Amiya said. “I’ve written more than 50 songs for schools, associations, birthdays, and jubilees. After singing, people have hugged me. That means a lot.”

In addition to her work in “Geetaboli,” she published a solo songbook titled “Amritta Sangit” (“Tasty Song”) in 2009. It features 27 of her compositions with musical notation.

In the introduction to that book, then-bishop of Dinajpur, Moses Costa, CSC — who later became archbishop of Chittagong — wrote that God had bestowed on Amiya “many gifts,” including the ability to compose and direct music. He recalled her musical direction at his priestly ordination with “gratitude and joy.” He hoped her work would enrich daily worship and foster personal prayer among the faithful.

Costa passed away from COVID-19 on July 13, 2020.

Advice for young musicians

When asked for advice from young musicians, Amiya said: “First, you must know whether you’re singing the song correctly. If you’re performing in public, practice it repeatedly before presenting it.”

She said she believes music can promote Christian values. “Songs are an art. They can win hearts and attract people. Sad songs can express sorrow and touch emotions. Joyful songs can uplift and draw attention.”

Inspired by her father

In Bangladesh, singing is a vital part of worship. Each Mass or prayer service includes six to 12 hymns. “Singing makes worship more lively. It enhances its beauty,” she said.

“Seeing my musical skills, Archbishop Theotonius Amal Ganguly, CSC, added me to the worship committee in 1974.”

Ganguly was later declared a servant of God — the first from Bangladesh’s small Catholic community on the path to canonization.

Amiya was born in Tuital Parish, Dhaka. She passed her SSC (Secondary School Certificate, which is the nationwide Grade 10 public school-leaving exam) in 1964 and joined the SMRA congregation the same year. She took her final vows in 1973. From 1970 to 1972, she studied music at Sangeet College in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.

She served on the Christian Community Building Commission at the CBCB Center from 2009 to 2011. Her writing journey began in high school, where she contributed stories, poems, and articles to the school publication. Her father was her inspiration.

Her elder sister joined Mother Teresa’s community. At age 6, Amiya visited Kolkata. “Mother Teresa held me in her arms, stroked my hair, and caressed me,” she recalled.

Later, she studied at the SMRA Sisters’ boarding school. “I admired the sisters and began preparing myself to serve humanity. My religious life has been long and joyful. I’ve been a sister for 58 years,” she said.

A living legacy

Now retired due to illness, Amiya lives at Shanti Bhabon in Gazipur. She suffers from breathing difficulties and spinal pain, and walks only within the convent. Every two years, her relatives take her to visit her village home in Tuital.

“I’m waiting for death,” she said softly. “I won’t remain, but my songs will be sung in churches. My memory will live on. That is my greatest achievement.”

Amiya served as an assistant teacher and headmistress in schools across the Mymensingh Diocese and the Archdiocese of Dhaka. She received the T.A. Ganguly Award and an award from the Bangladesh Christian Writers Forum for her contributions to Christian music and writing.

“My greatest reward as a lyricist is the love of countless people,” she said with a gentle smile.

How the ‘baseball priest’ uses the sport to spread the Gospel

Father Burke Masters speaks to Veronica Dudo on "EWTN News Nightly" on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025 / Credit: EWTN News

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 25, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Father Burke Masters’ first dream was to be a major league baseball player, but after feeling a call from God to the priesthood he now uses the sport “to speak about Jesus and the Church.”

“I played college baseball at Mississippi State University, and then played briefly in the minor leagues,” Masters said. “That was my dream to be a major league baseball player, but that didn't work out.”

“God eventually called me to be a priest,” Masters said in an Oct. 24 interview with “EWTN News Nightly.” He added: “It really wasn’t what I wanted, but it was this persistent and gentle call from the Lord.”

“I went to seminary fully thinking I would go … not like it, and then go back to my plans,” Masters said. “Yet when I got to seminary I just felt this overwhelming peace, and that’s one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.”

Masters was ordained in 2002, serving as priest in Illinois. Eventually though, baseball did become a part of his career when he was named the chaplain of the Chicago Cubs in 2013.

“God brought baseball back into my life in a way that I never expected,” Masters said. “Since then, people have called me the ‘baseball priest,’ because I love to connect faith with sports.”

While Masters’ “full-time job” was as a pastor in the Diocese of Joliet, he attended all the Cubs’ home games. As the “baseball priest,” Masters was chaplain when they won the World Series in 2016.

“One of my big messages to the players then and to the players now would be: ‘Just remember your identity, you’re beloved sons of God. Your identity is not in the sport of baseball.’ And what I find that helps players … relax to say: ‘Yes, this is a big game. Millions of people are watching, but in the end, it’s still just a game. And life goes on,’” he said.

Connecting faith and sports

In 2023, Masters published a book, “A Grand Slam for God: A Journey from Baseball Star to Catholic Priest.” He wrote about his childhood outside of Chicago, his success in baseball, his conversion to Catholicism, and his acceptance of his vocation.

His story discusses his doubts and personal loss, and how he learned to embrace his identity not as an athlete but as a son of God and spiritual leader. 

“Baseball taught me a lot of things, among them, discipline, hard work, and how to work with people of a lot of different backgrounds,” Masters said. “I find that to be so helpful in my life as a priest, as a vocation director, as a pastor, that I try to invest a lot of time in my spiritual life.”

“Also, baseball has given me a way to … reach people who are not close to God at the moment by bringing stories about baseball and my sports background,” Masters said. “It gives me an opening to speak about Jesus and the Church. It’s just been a great gift."

In homilies, Masters said he will “bring up the sport of baseball.” He added: “I can see some of the people who love the sport perk up and then can bring the Gospel message to them more easily.”

Ahead of the 2025 World Series on Oct. 24, Masters shared with EWTN his predictions for the outcome. He said: “If I go off my head, the Dodgers will win, but I love pulling for the underdog. So my heart is going with the Toronto Blue Jays.”

‘Every execution should be stopped’: How U.S. bishops work to save prisoners on death row

null / Credit: txking/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Oct 25, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Bishops in multiple U.S. states are leading efforts to spare the lives of condemned prisoners facing execution — urging clemency in line with the Catholic Church’s relatively recent but unambiguous declaration that the death penalty is not permissible and should be abolished. 

Executions in the United States have been increasingly less common for years. Following the death penalty’s re-legalization by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976, executions peaked in the country around the turn of the century before beginning a gradual decline.

Still, more than 1,600 prisoners have been executed since the late 1970s. The largest number of those executions has been carried out in Texas, which has killed 596 prisoners over that time period.

As with other states, the Catholic bishops of Texas regularly petition the state government to issue clemency to prisoners facing death. Jennifer Allmon, the executive director of the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, told CNA that the state’s bishops regularly urge officials to commute death penalty sentences to life in prison. 

“We refer to it as the Mercy Project,” she said. 

Though popular perception holds that the governor of a state is the ultimate arbiter of a condemned prisoner’s fate, Allmon said in Texas that’s not the case. 

“The state Board of Pardons and Paroles has the ultimate authority,” she said. “The governor is only allowed to issue a 30-day stay on an execution one time. He doesn’t actually have the power to grant a permanent clemency.” 

“We don’t encourage phone calls to the governor because it’s not going to be a meaningful order,” she pointed out. “The board has a lot more authority.”

Allmon said the bishops advocate on behalf of every condemned prisoner in the state. 

“We send a letter to the Board of Pardons and Paroles and copy the governor for every single execution during the time period when the board is reviewing clemency applications,” she said. “Typically they hold reviews about 21 days before the execution. We time our letters to arrive shortly before that.” 

“We research every single case,” she said. “We speak to the defendant’s legal counsel for additional information. We personalize each letter to urge prayer for the victims and their families, we mention them by name, and we share any mitigating circumstances or reason in particular that the execution is unjust, while always acknowledging that every execution should be stopped.”

Some offenders, Allmon said, want to be executed. “We do a letter anyway. We think it’s important that on principle we speak out for every execution.”

In Missouri, meanwhile, the state’s Catholic bishops similarly advocate for every prisoner facing execution by the government. 

Missouri has been among the most prolific executors of condemned prisoners since 1976. More than half of the 102 people executed there over the last 50 years have been under Democratic governors; then-Gov. Mel Carnahan oversaw 38 state executions from 1993 to 2000 alone. 

Jamie Morris, the executive director of the Missouri Catholic Conference, told CNA that the state bishops “send a clemency request for every prisoner set to be executed, either through a letter from the Missouri Catholic Conference or through a joint letter of the bishops.”

“We also highlight every upcoming execution through our MCC publications and encourage our network to contact the governor to ask for clemency,” he said. Individual dioceses, meanwhile, carry out education and outreach to inform the faithful of the Church’s teaching on the death penalty. 

What does the Church actually teach?

The Vatican in 2018 revised its teaching on the death penalty, holding that though capital punishment was “long considered an appropriate response” to some crimes, evolving standards and more effective methods of imprisonment and detention mean the death penalty is now “inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person.”

The Church “works with determination for its abolition worldwide,” says the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the revision of which was approved by Pope Francis. 

The Church’s revision came after years of increasing opposition to the death penalty by popes in the modern era. Then-Pope John Paul II in 1997 revised the catechism to reflect what he acknowledged was a “growing tendency, both in the Church and in civil society, to demand that [the death penalty] be applied in a very limited way or even that it be abolished completely.”

The Death Penalty Information Center says that 23 states and the District of Columbia have abolished capital punishment. Morris told CNA that bills to abolish the death penalty are filed “every year” in Missouri, though he said those measures have “not been heard in a legislative committee” during his time at the Catholic conference. 

Bishops have thus focused their legislative efforts on advocating against a provision in the Missouri code that allows a judge to sentence an individual to death when a jury cannot reach a unanimous decision on the death penalty. 

Brett Farley, who heads the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, said the state’s bishops have been active in opposing capital punishment there after a six-year moratorium on the death penalty lapsed in 2021 and executions resumed. 

Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley and Tulsa Bishop David Konderla “have been very outspoken both in calling for clemency of death row inmates and, generally, calling for an end to the death penalty,” Farley said. The prelates have called for abolition via Catholic publications and in op-eds, he said.

The state’s bishops through the Tulsa Diocese and Oklahoma City Archdiocese have also instituted programs in which clergy and laity both minister to the condemned and their families, Farley said. 

The state Catholic conference, meanwhile, has led the effort to pass a proposed legislative ban on the death penalty. That measure has moved out of committee in both chambers of the state Legislature, Farley said. 

“We have also commissioned recent polls that show overwhelming support for moratorium among Oklahoma voters, which demonstrate as many as 78% agreeing that ‘a pause’ on executions is appropriate to ensure we do not execute innocent people,” he said. 

Catholics across the United States have regularly led efforts to abolish the death penalty. The Washington, D.C.-based group Catholic Mobilizing Network, for instance, arose out of the U.S. bishops’ 2005 Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty. 

The group urges activists to take part in anti-death penalty campaigns in numerous states, including petitioning the federal government to end the death penalty, using a “three-tiered approach of education, advocacy, and prayer.”

Catholics have also worked to end the death penalty at the federal level. Sixteen people have been executed by the federal government since 1976. 

Executions in the states have increased over the last few years, though they have not come near the highs of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Allmon said Texas is seeing “fewer executions in general” relative to earlier years. 

The number of executions was very high under Gov. Rick Perry, she said; the Republican governor ultimately witnessed the carrying out of 279 death sentences over his 15 years as governor. Since 2015, current Gov. Greg Abbott has presided over a comparatively smaller 78 executions. 

“It still shouldn’t happen,” she said, “but it’s a huge reduction.”