Christian persecution worsened in 55% of countries assessed, report finds
LONDON — Oppression of Christians has worsened in 55% of countries assessed according to the latest report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) UK, without any country showing an improvement.
“Persecuted and Forgotten?” outlines how Christians are being forced from their homes through conflict, extremism, and religiously motivated violence in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America between August 2024 and June 2026.
According to research by ACN, 220 million Christians are directly exposed to persecution worldwide. The latest data from Pew Research Center indicates that anti-Christian harassment, ranging from verbal abuse to killings, occurred in 165 countries in 2023, up from 160 in 2021.
At the launch of the report in Portcullis House, London, John Pontifex, head of press for ACN UK, told EWTN News: “By virtue of our shared faith, we identify, inevitably, particularly strongly, with those of our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, and we recognize that itʼs an accident of birth that sees them in that situation of persecution and us in a situation of much greater liberty.”
He added: “There are Christians that suffer persecution in more countries than is the case with any other faith group. Up to 165 countries are those where Christians suffer from discrimination, oppression, or persecution. Thatʼs far more than any other religious group, so we need to share their story, and to tell people, our friends, our family, our parish, our [politicians].”
The report outlines how the persecution of Christians by authoritarian regimes has grown to unprecedented levels in countries where there is an anti-West sentiment.
Chinese authorities have intensified their oppression of Christians, as they aim to align religious doctrine more closely with communist principles. This has led to mass detentions, clergy being jailed on legal technicalities, churches closing, and online religious content being controlled.
The report tells of the persecution in Nicaragua, where the regime increased its crackdown on Christians, arresting and exiling clergy, preventing ordinations, seizing Church institutions, and preventing people entering the country with Bibles.
The report also outlines how the arrests of Christians doubled within 12 months in Iran, as crackdowns have intensified.
“Weʼre calling on all countries around the world and the U.N. to fully implement Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrines religious freedom,” Pontifex said.
“Weʼre not calling for special treatment but simply calling for people to band together, to stop acts of oppression — be it people being kidnapped for their faith, be it people being forced from their jobs for reasons to do with their faith … And indeed, for those who are unfairly tried and sentenced to life imprisonment, for crimes theyʼve not committed,” he said. “Like blasphemy laws, which are arbitrarily enforced. And then recognizing there are people who are often asked to pay the ultimate price. This should stop.”
Sub-Saharan Africa was one particular area of focus, listing Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as territories with the worst extremist attacks since the height of the Daesh (ISIS) violence in the Middle East.
The report outlines how jihadist violence in the Sahel region has led to militant groups now controlling 40% of the country.
“They often coerce villagers to follow Islamic customs, making women veil their faces in public and men grow beards. Those who refuse are expelled or even publicly executed. Where insurgents allow Christians to practice their faith, this is restricted to inside churches, and it cannot be taught to children,” Pontifex explained.
Speaking to the conference about the Christians suffering from this oppression, Caroline Hull, national director of ACN UK, said: “These are people just like you and me. If someone said, ‘Will you give up your faith or I will take your children?’ what would you do? If someone said, ‘Iʼll let you get out of prison if you turn your back on Jesus Christ’? These are fair questions to ask ourselves, and we need to remember that these are people just like us.”
In October 2025, receiving an ACN delegation, Pope Leo XIV declared that religious freedom is “a cornerstone of any just society for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be informed and exercised… Religious freedom, therefore, is not merely a legal right or a privilege to us granted by governments; it is a foundational condition that makes reconciliation possible.”
ACN is a Catholic charity founded to help Christians in need where they are persecuted, oppressed, or in pastoral need through support, charitable work, and generating awareness.
On Nov. 18, ACN will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its #RedWednesday campaign, which raises awareness about the persecution of Christians worldwide.
Survey: 39% of Catholics have faced racial discrimination, 10% within parish community
A survey of 2,401 Catholic adults found that 39% said they have faced racial discrimination at some point in their lives, and 10% said they have faced racial discrimination within their parish community.
The survey was published on Oct. 26 by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), which is a research center at Georgetown University that produces social scientific studies about the Catholic Church.
It found significant differences among racial and ethnic categories, with Indigenous and Black Catholics reporting the highest levels of racial discrimination. Non-Hispanic white Catholics reported the lowest levels of racial discrimination.
The survey found that 75% of Indigenous Catholics reported experiences of racial discrimination in their lives. About 15% said they have experienced it in their parishes and 23% have experienced it in Catholic education.
It found that 66% of Black Catholics said they have experienced racial discrimination at some point in their lives, with 26% experiencing it in their parish communities and 26% experiencing it in Catholic education.
About 54% of Hispanic Catholics reported experiencing racial discrimination in their lives, with 15% saying they have experienced it in their parishes and 16% saying they have experienced it in Catholic education.
Among Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian Catholics, 54% said they have experienced racial discrimination in their lives, with 11% saying they experienced it in their parishes and 14% saying they have experienced it in Catholic education.
For white non-Hispanic Catholics, 29% reported they have experienced racial discrimination in their lives, with 6% saying they experienced it in their parishes and 7% saying they experienced it in Catholic education.
The largest category of respondents was white non-Hispanic Catholics, who made up 49% of those surveyed. About 24% of respondents were Hispanic; 16% were Black; 6% were Asian, Pacific Islander, or Native Hawaiian; 2% were Indigenous; 1% were another race; and 1% were mixed.
Ali Mumbach, research assistant for CARA, told EWTN News: “The findings from this report are very revealing about racism in the U.S. Catholic Church.”
“There is one group that experiences racial discrimination within the walls of the Catholic Church in the U.S. more than any other,” Mumbach said. “Black Catholics are the most likely to attend a parish that has merged (26%), have experienced racial discrimination in their parish (26%) as well as in Catholic education (26%). Twenty-six percent is 1 in 4 Black Catholics, compared to 1 in 10 adult Catholics in their parish or in Catholic education.”
“Based on the findings in this study, adult Catholics are generally in agreement with Church teachings that racism is a sin,” she said. “However, the reality of living out anti-racism within the Church seems to be a different story.”
A large majority of each racial and ethnic group said they believe implicit and explicit racism exist in their local communities to some degree. Implicit racism refers to forms of discrimination, such as unfair housing, access to education, and job opportunities. Explicit racism refers to forms of discrimination, such as verbal name calling, being denied services, and racial profiling.
The survey found that 17% of Catholics believe implicit racism exists “very much” in their local communities. It found that 33% believe it exists “somewhat,” 28% believe it exists “a little,” and 22% said it does not exist at all in their communities.
It found that 19% of Catholics said they believe explicit racism exists “very much” in their local communities, 32% said it exists “somewhat,” 27% said it exists “a little” and 22% said it does not exist at all.
White Catholics were the least likely to say explicit and implicit racism exists “very much” in their local communities. Black Catholics were the most likely to say those forms of racism exist “very much” in their communities.
Views about racism
The survey also asked respondents about their views on racism, which CARA said is derived from Church documents that condemn and define racism. A majority of each racial and ethnic group strongly or somewhat agreed with each statement.
It found 75% of Catholics strongly or somewhat agree it is sinful to “exclude, ridicule, mistreat, or unjustly discriminate against persons on the basis of their race or ethnicity.” It found that 19% neither agree nor disagree and 7% either strongly or somewhat disagree.
The survey found that 73% of Catholics strongly or somewhat agree racism can also come in the form of a sin of omission “when individuals, communities, and even churches remain silent and fail to act against racial injustice when it is encountered.” Another 20% neither agree nor disagree and 7% either strongly or somewhat disagree.
It found 67% of Catholics strongly or somewhat agree “racism can only end if we contend with the policies and institutional barriers that perpetuate and preserve the inequality — economic and social — that we still see all around us.” Another 24% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 9% either strongly or somewhat disagreed.
World Series stars share how God and the Virgin Mary sustain their careers
The Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays are facing each other in the Major League Baseball World Series in which both teams are seeking their first championship. In the run-up to the fall classic, several superstars from both teams spoke about their faith.
Venezuelan outfielder Jackson Chourio put on a great performance in the postseason with the Brewers. At the beginning of October in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, he got a ninth-inning, 2-and-2-count hit off the San Diego Padres' star closer, Mason Miller, driving in two runs for the Brewers and winning the game.
Chourio led the Brewers to their first World Series appearance since 1982. He spoke on Oct. 22 with Venezuelan journalist Mari Montes about how his relationship with God has played a vital role in his athletic career. “It’s thanks to him that I am here, and he fills me with so many blessings. How could I not believe?” he said, speaking to El Extrabase on camera.
The 22-year-old ballplayer hails from Maracaibo, one of the Venezuelan cities most devoted to the Blessed Virgin. There, every Nov. 18, the city celebrates Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá, the patroness of both the city and the entire state of Zulia. This particular devotion is affectionately known as “la Chinita.”
“It means a great deal. All of us from Maracaibo believe. She is always in my prayers; I ask her for so much, that she grant me good health and continue to bestow so many blessings upon me,” Chourio said regarding the Virgin Chinita.
Another of the Brewers’ stars is catcher William Contreras, who was born in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. Immediately after the conclusion of the fourth game of the National League Championship Series in which Milwaukee swept the Los Angeles Dodgers, Contreras knelt at home plate, looked toward to heaven, raised his arms, and exclaimed in a distinctly Venezuelan way: “Thank you, Papa God!”
“Throughout these playoffs, I’ve been talking a lot with God, asking him to keep me healthy for the games. This is going to be a huge dream for me and my family. I always go out there to give my best, and that’s what I’ve been talking about with him, asking him to guide me and help me,” Contreras told El Extrabase.
The catcher also shared that he is a devotee of the Virgin of Coromoto, the patroness of Venezuela. “She’s the one my mom mentions the most,” he said. Contreras also mentioned the health of Pope Leo XIV, expressing his joy that the Holy Father is recovering extraordinarily well from his recent surgery.
Antonio Senzatela, a Venezuelan pitcher for the Brewers, also mentioned that he thanks God every day for having gotten to this point in his career. “I am a man of deep faith; I’ve gone to church since I was a little boy, that’s what my mom and dad taught me,” he said.
“Life has taken things away from me. He has taken things away; my mom and dad are no longer with me but I have a wife who loves me and wonderful children. I feel grateful to God for everything he gives me. There are difficult moments, but he also gives me many moments to laugh and be happy,” he added.
Similarly, Néstor Corredor, a key member of the Brewers’ coaching staff, shared that, until recently, he “called himself an atheist.” The Venezuelan noted that he did not have a “complete faith” but that in recent years, he has sought to understand God’s presence in his life.
“Every time you wake up in the morning, you have to thank God, because he’s the one who allowed you to wake up. For me, every single day, the first words I speak before checking my phone, before talking to my wife, and before seeing my children, are directed to God. Knowing that he is listening, wherever it may be, and that when you surrender yourself to him, you will be blessed and in 2026, I have been quite blessed,” he remarked.
Corredor, Chourio, Contreras, and Senzatela were all part of the Venezuelan national team roster that won the World Baseball Classic title in March after defeating a U.S. team packed with superstars.
On the other side is Víctor Mesa Jr., a young Cuban outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays. Before playing in his first World Series, Mesa reflected on his youth in Cuba, noting that faith is not a value that is typically instilled there.
“Since I arrived here I believe more. If I am here, it’s for a reason, I have always said that. That is one of my favorite sayings: Everything happens for a reason and thank God because look what more beautiful reason is this,” he commented.
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.
U.S. bishops urge Census Bureau to withdraw proposed rule changes
U.S. bishops are opposing proposed Census Bureau rule changes that would determine who is counted for congressional apportionment in the 2030 census, arguing that excluding noncitizens without lawful permanent resident status would effectively deny them recognition as persons.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a public comment on Oct. 22 to the Commerce Department, which houses the Census Bureau, asking it to entirely withdraw the proposed changes, which the bishops say “conflict with our fundamental belief in the equal dignity of every person, the obligations of a just society, and legal precedent.”
The bishops compared the proposal to the Three-Fifths Compromise, calling to mind a constitutional provision rooted in slavery that was later changed and counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for purposes of congressional representation. They pointed to potential harm to federally funded healthcare, anti-poverty, family support, and infrastructure programs if millions of people are excluded from the census count.
The proposed rule changes, published Sept. 10 and open to public comment until Nov. 2, would count only citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) for apportionment, with the bureau stating that “illegal aliens (among others) should not be included in the apportionment count, as they are not true inhabitants, members of the body politic, or persons with a ‘usual residence’ in the United States due to their lack of a sufficient tie and allegiance to the United States.”
“Excluding from the census noncitizens without LPR status, including but not limited to members of the undocumented population, is effectively to deny they are ‘persons,’” the letter said.
The bishops called this change a “novel view,” challenging the Census Bureau’s interpretation of “usual residence,” which it says would generally be the place where a person lawfully spent the greatest number of days from Jan. 3 to April 1, consistent with tax records. The letter also notes some drafting ambiguity in the proposal about whether non-LPRs would be excluded from the census entirely or only from the apportionment base.
The bishops say relying on tax records without a clear methodology will be statistically impractical and risks inaccuracy, arguing that additional questions or new practices will become necessary to determine whether a person’s “usual residence” conforms with their legal immigration status. They cite research findings published by the U.S. Census Bureau showing “an adverse effect on response rate” when immigration status and citizenship questions are scrutinized.
They noted that every census since it began in 1790 has counted noncitizens, including those without permanent legal status.
The bishops also wrote that in addition to its primary purpose of determining the number of seats allotted to each state in the U.S. House of Representatives, which is determined by population, the census, mandated by the U.S. Constitution, produces data used to apportion federal funds to communities.
An undercount could severely harm the common good, the bishops argue, as programs that receive trillions in federal funding to provide healthcare, reduce poverty, support families, and provide crucial infrastructure utilized by all citizens will be impacted through excluding millions of persons from the apportionment count.
They note that Catholic ministries, which often operate at the government’s request to help implement programs guided by census data, would be hindered in their service to vulnerable populations if communities lose access to resources and if the data needed to understand local needs is less accurate.
The Census Bureau in the proposed rule change is also seeking to prohibit demographic questions concerning race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation on questionnaires used to count the population, supporting the change by citing privacy concerns, saying certain questions may make individuals more identifiable, and noting that fewer questions on the census questionnaire will increase the response rate. The bureau also argues such questions do not advance the core constitutional purpose of a census for apportionment of House seats.
The bishops suggest including a “prefer not to disclose” option rather than removing questions about race and ethnicity altogether, writing that “demographic data can help identify and address inequity” due to racism. They note that the bureau “does not even attempt to address how the proposed restrictions on the collection of demographic information could adversely impact” the support various communities receive based on their particular community’s needs, which demographic data collected on the census helps determine.
The U.S. Census Bureau did not immediately respond to EWTN News’ request for comment.
Archbishop Gomez to be recognized for his work in U.S. Hispanic ministry
Archbishop José Gomez of Los Angeles will receive the Encuentros Award, an honor presented by the Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) that recognizes individuals who “have made significant contributions to Hispanic/Latino ministry” in the country.
In an Oct. 23 statement, the USCCB noted that the award was announced by Bishop Óscar Cantú of San José, California, chair of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, during the 2026 annual conference of the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry.
The conference, held Oct. 20–23 in Anaheim, California, brought together hundreds of leaders in Hispanic ministry from dioceses across the United States.
According to the statement, Cantú noted that Gomez “has advocated for the Hispanic community for decades. He has been a tireless champion for the Catholic Church and specifically for Hispanic Catholics, highlighting the gifts that they bring to the Church in the United States.”
“With the Encuentros Award, we wish to recognize his work and express our heartfelt appreciation for everything he has done across many years,” Cantú stated.
Gomez will receive the Encuentros Award during the U.S. bishops’ plenary assembly in November, which will take place in Baltimore.
The life of Archbishop José H. Gomez
Born in Monterrey in Nuevo León state in Mexico on Dec. 26, 1951, Gomez has three older sisters and one younger sister. His parents are Dr. José H. Gomez and Esperanza Velasco, according to a biography published by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
He was ordained a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei on Aug. 15, 1978, at the Shrine of Torreciudad in Spain.
Having studied accounting, philosophy, and theology, he earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Navarra in Spain.
He subsequently served as a priest in the Archdiocese of San Antonio and in what is now the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
In 2001, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Denver by Pope John Paul II. Four years later, again by the decision of the Polish saint, he became the archbishop of San Antonio.
In 2010, he was appointed coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles by Pope Benedict XVI and installed as archbishop in March 2011.
He served as president of the USCCB from 2019 to 2022, becoming the first Hispanic and the first immigrant to assume leadership of the U.S. episcopate. Gomez is a naturalized American citizen.
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.
JD Vance on 2028 presidential run: I’ll listen to what God tells me to do
U.S. Vice President JD Vance this month said he had not yet made a determination on whether he would run for president in 2028, telling EWTN News host Raymond Arroyo that he would listen to God when ultimately deciding what to do.
Vance, who is widely considered to be a frontrunner for the 2028 Republican nomination, told Arroyo on the latter’s “Arroyo Grande” podcast on Oct. 21 that he was not thinking intensively about the prospect of a presidential race amid the contentious 2026 midterms.
“As soon as the midterms are over … Iʼm going to have to think seriously about it,” Vance said. He noted that he and his wife have four small children “and that’s a consideration.”
Asked by Arroyo if he felt God calling him to mount a presidential run, he responded: “I feel God calling me to do as good of a job as I can.”
“I feel God calling me to try to promote the common good and the job that Iʼm doing right now,” he said. “And I think that when I actually sit down with my wife and with my pastor and with just my own internal deliberation — I think at that point Iʼll either hear God telling me to do something or to not do something.”
“I havenʼt felt God telling me Iʼve got to do one thing or another,” he said, though he admitted: “Maybe that’ll change.”
The vice president and Arroyo spoke in a wide-ranging interview that focused on politics, family, faith, and other issues. Vance said during the exchange that his faith “influences how [he thinks] about public policy.”
“I think that what my faith calls me to do is to be more charitable towards people,” he said. “It forces me to ask questions: ‘How can we raise up the least among us? How do we ensure that people have good access to jobs, even if it isnʼt always the perfect thing for a corporate bottom line?’
“It also tells me to protect the weak and the vulnerable — of course, I think starting with the unborn, but a lot of other people on top of that,” he continued.
“So I do think that while Iʼm an imperfect practitioner of my faith, I think the very best version of myself is that which listens to that voice in my head that I think ultimately comes from God.”
Asked by Arroyo about his “greatest regret,” Vance said: “Not having kids sooner.”
Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance were married in 2014 and welcomed their first child in 2017. “I had been dating Usha for three weeks, I knew I wanted to marry her, I knew I wanted to have kids with her, and we should have just started sooner,” he said.
“I always tell young couples, you always think youʼre going to check all these boxes and finances are going to be perfect, and then youʼre going to have kids,” he said. “Nobody looks back on their life and says, ‘I had two kids too early.’”
Pope Leo XIV to meet with abuse victims during his trip to Latin America
The Vatican announced Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV will hold “several meetings” with victims of clerical sexual abuse during his apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from Nov. 6–17.
“During the days of the Holy Father’s upcoming apostolic journey to Latin America, several meetings are planned with people who are victims of abuse by members of the clergy and the Church,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.
The Vatican also explained that these meetings “reflect the Pope’s desire to express his closeness to those who have suffered, and continue to suffer, because of this violence.”
However, the Vatican did not specify the number of meetings or how they were to be conducted. Its statement, however, emphasized that the popeʼs objective is “to work with [abuse victims] in building paths of healing accessible to anyone in need, and to ensure that the Church is a safe and spiritually healthy place that lives and proclaims the Gospel.”
The announcement of these meetings is not unprecedented. During his September visit to France, the Holy See Press Office also confirmed in advance the pope’s intention to meet with abuse victims at the Lourdes shrine. However, during his June visit to Spain, the Vatican did not announce in advance the meeting the pope held with victims at the apostolic nunciature in Madrid. The meeting was held privately and made public afterward.
This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Catholic campus ministries eligible for Lilly grant of up to $7.5 million
Catholic campus ministries such as Newman Ministry and FOCUS are eligible to participate in the Lilly Endowment’s "National Initiative to Strengthen Christian Campus Ministries at Colleges and Universities,” the charitable organization confirmed.
The Lilly Endowment told EWTN News that archdioceses and church-related networks that minister to students on multiple college and university campuses are eligible to apply for grants through the initiative.
According to the grant page, the Lilly Endowment “intends to award grants of up to $7.5 million each to approximately 20 national and regional charitable organizations.”
Matt Zerrusen, Newman Ministry co-founder and chief innovative discipleship officer, told EWTN News that Newman Ministry is in the process of applying for the grant now.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity,” Zerrusen said. “There’s not many times where something like this opens up in campus ministry just because it’s been an overlooked part of ministry in the Church.”
Zerrusen expressed hope that other Catholic campus ministries like FOCUS, Saint Paul’s Outreach, and the Catholic Campus Ministry Association would apply for the program as well, calling for ministry organizations to unify their efforts.
“There’s so much competition in the Catholic world that itʼs like, ‘Well, hang on here. What are we doing?’” he said. “Weʼre both trying to solve the same problem.”
Pope Leo XIV appoints Catholic University of America professor to pontifical academy
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Gregory Doolan, the Monsignor John F. Wippel chair in Thomistic metaphysics at The Catholic University of America (CUA), to serve on the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.
“It is a great honor to have been named to the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas,” Doolan said in a CUA press release on Oct. 16. “The Academy brings together philosophers and theologians from around the world in conversation about Aquinas, and I am grateful for the opportunity both to learn from its members and to contribute my own work in Thomistic metaphysics, showing its enduring relevance in the 21st century.”
“My appointment by Pope Leo XIV has a fitting connection to The Catholic University of America, since another Leo, Leo XIII, founded the Academy in 1879 and also granted Catholic University its pontifical charter just a decade later,” he said.
St. Carlos Acutis’ mother gifts Franciscan University with first-class relic of her son
The mother of St. Carlo Acutis, Antonia Salzano, has given the president of Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, a first-class relic of her son.
“Weʼre deeply grateful to Antonia for this extraordinary gift and for sharing her sonʼs witness with the Franciscan University community,” the university said in an Oct. 15 social media post announcing the gift to Father Dave Pivonka, TOR. The university said Salzano shared a message with the university: “Holiness is for everyone.”
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“Carlo became a saint not because he lived an extraordinary life by the worldʼs standards, but because he made Jesus the center of his ordinary life,” the university said. “His secret? The Eucharist. His motherʼs advice? Start small. Make time for prayer. Receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Love the people around you. And remember that you, too, are called to become a saint.”
Archbishop Sample urges ‘significant renewal of Catholic education’ in Portland, Oregon
Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, is calling for the revitalization of “mission passionate Catholic education” in his archdiocese.
“Would we call a Spanish-language immersion school successful if its graduates could barely understand Spanish?” Sample wrote in an Oct. 15 social media post. “We should take the mission of our Catholic schools just as seriously. Academic excellence matters. So does forming students who know Jesus Christ and can understand, articulate and live the faith.”
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“Therefore, I am calling for a significant and genuine renewal of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Portland, beginning in our Catholic elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools and eventually extending to the religious education and faith formation programs in our parishes,” he said.
Sample’s message comes as part of a wider mission renewal initiative in the archdiocese announced on Oct. 1.
Ethiopian Orthodox Church condemns killings in Oromia as Catholic bishops call for reconciliation
The Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has condemned the Oct. 24 killing of more than 60 people in two attacks in Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state, calling on the government to protect Orthodox Christians and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The attacks come weeks after members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) urged parties involved in armed conflicts across the country to end hostilities and pursue dialogue, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
In a statement of condolence issued on Monday, Oct. 26, the General Assembly of the Holy Synod said it received “with profound sorrow” a report from the Arsi Eparchy about the deaths of faithful following “brutal and merciless attacks” in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia regional state.
“The horrific and appalling massacres, forced displacements, and physical and property damage inflicted upon our innocent Orthodox Christian faithful in the Arsi Eparchy and in various other parts of our country have continued unabated and have been worsening over time,” the synod said.
The Church leaders recounted that on Oct. 20 and Oct. 24, 14 of their faithful were killed at a place locally known as Gora Silingo, in Angada Kebele, Merti Woreda, and 46 others were killed at Tereta Chole Birbo in Sherka Woreda.
They added that the homes of 20 faithful were completely burned down and that more than 20 people sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment in hospitals. The synod recalled that numerous faithful have previously been killed in districts within the same zone.
The synod strongly condemned the attacks, saying they are “entirely unacceptable under the teachings of any religion and are incompatible with the human rights of all people.”
The killings, the Church leaders said, “violate the constitutional rights to religious freedom and to life, contradict both religious principles and the natural law of humanity, undermine our national values of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, and constitute inhumane acts that deserve unequivocal condemnation.”
The synod strongly urged the relevant government authorities to publicly condemn the attacks and uphold the constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and freedom of worship.
In addition to bringing the perpetrators to justice and ensuring the rule of law, the authorities were called upon to provide the necessary legal protections to prevent a recurrence.
“We call upon the government to provide the necessary protection to our faithful wherever they may be, so that they are not subjected to similar attacks,” the synod said.
It also urged the relevant security authorities to give the matter special attention, provide the necessary protection until the problem is resolved, and take effective measures to prevent further threats and attacks.
The Orthodox Church leaders extended their condolences to the families of the deceased and to all Ethiopians.
“We pray that God Almighty will grant rest to the souls of our brothers and sisters who lost their lives unjustly and bestow upon them the honor of martyrdom. The Holy Church continues to pray for them and wishes comfort and consolation to all those who mourn,” they said.
The General Assembly resolved that on Oct. 27 following the Divine Liturgy, memorial prayer services are to be conducted in all monasteries and churches of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church throughout the world.
The synod also resolved that an appointment be arranged for the General Assembly to meet and hold discussions with the relevant senior government official, after which “appropriate efforts shall be undertaken to achieve a lasting solution to this problem.”
Catholic bishops respond
In their statement dated Oct. 1, the CBCE members expressed sorrow over violence in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, and other regions, saying that war destroys lives, communities, and property and leaves hatred, resentment, and vengeance that can endure for generations.
“Rather than resolving differences, war serves only to deepen divisions and multiplies suffering,” the Catholic leaders said.
They highlighted the suffering of vulnerable people, particularly children, women, the elderly, and the sick, and appealed to Ethiopians to regard the lives and suffering of others as their own, saying that peace is a shared responsibility.
“It is our heartfelt prayer that all disputes may be settled through genuine dialogue and that all forms of conflict may cease,” the Catholic bishops said.
The CBCE members called for peace rooted in truth, justice, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
“Such a peace reflects the values of the Gospel, advances the common good, upholds the sacred dignity of the human person, and corresponds to the will of God for His people,” they said.
The CBCE members’ statement followed Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 30 appeal for dialogue amid renewed hostilities in Tigray and the neighboring Afar and Amhara regions.
Ethiopia is facing renewed fighting nearly four years after the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement. Tensions between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) remain unresolved, including disputes over political power, regional autonomy, disarmament, and territory.
In September, the TPLF joined six other armed groups in an alliance reportedly seeking to remove Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s government.
A Sept. 29 Al Jazeera report described intensified fighting between federal forces and the TPLF and its allies. Government forces and their allies claimed to have captured Alamata, a strategic town about 75 miles south of Mekelle, following days of fighting.
The report said fighting was continuing across Tigray, Amhara, and Afar, with TPLF forces also taking Erebti in Afar.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
‘There is no such thing as a holy war’: Pope Leo marks 40 years of Assisi peace meeting
Pope Leo XIV denounced all religious wars in a video message on Tuesday, marking the 40th anniversary of the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi, Italy.
“There is no such thing as a holy war: Only peace is holy,” Leo said in his message. “War can never be waged in the name of God.”
The pontiff, originally scheduled to travel to Assisi for the gathering, canceled his trip on his doctors’ advice, as he continues to recover from thoracic surgery performed on Oct. 13. The Vatican announced the cancellation on Oct. 23, adding that he would send a message for the event.
St. John Paul II established the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi in 1986 as an interreligious prayer service for peace during the Cold War.
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Another call to end ‘holy wars’
In his message, Leo highlighted a growing trend among nations to resort to armed conflict. He described the trend as a betrayal of the memory of those who lost their lives in wars during the last century.
“As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states,” Leo said, “‘the accumulation of arms strikes many as a paradoxically suitable way of deterring potential adversaries from war. They see it as the most effective means of ensuring peace among nations,’ thus betraying the memory of the 20th century and the senseless slaughter of millions of human lives.”
“Precisely in these times marked by a ‘culture of power,’ there is a need to cultivate the spirit of Assisi, which entails a rejection of the religious justification of war,” the pope added.
Since his election in 2025, the pope has often rejected all forms of religiously inspired violence. During his homily for Mass on Palm Sunday that year, Leo said that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”
Assisi 40 years after John Paul II
Leo also paid tribute to St. John Paul II in his message and urged those gathered at Assisi to remember his call for peace.
Citing his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and paying tribute to St. John Paul II, Leo urged those gathered to continue promoting peace in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, whose 800th anniversary of death is this year.
“The path of Assisi calls religious leaders to foster a climate of dialogue amongst the faithful and within society, so that the language of arrogance may give way to the language of peace, negotiation, and understanding,” Leo said.
“May [God] make us unarmed instruments of his peace. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.’”