Catholic news today

More than 30 pastors from across the United States drafted a declaration calling on lawmakers to ban the abortion drug mifepristone. The four page Declaration for Life with Christian Leaders affirms the dignity of unborn children from conception and supports pro-life legislation.

Josh Hawley led the declaration, which has been signed by 100 faith leaders from Missouri and 50,000 citizens. Hawley stated that the document asks Christians to confront chemical abortion and noted that the Church has a duty to defend human dignity.

Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council, expressed support for the declaration while criticizing the Republican Party for its recent silence on abortion. Perkins noted that the strong pro-life language previously included in the GOP platform was removed.

Pope Leo XIV wrote a letter to mark the 300th anniversary of the canonization of St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, stating that bishops have a duty to pass on clear teaching.

The Pope explained that a bishop does not pass on his own personal teachings but rather the faith of the Church. He noted that bishops must guard the deposit of faith, deepen it, and make it understandable for the people entrusted to their care.

Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., joined 145 diocesan priests from September 15 to 17 for the 2026 Convocation of Priests in Avalon. The gathering focused on priestly well-being, fraternity, and mission renewal.

Father Patrick McDevitt, president and CEO of St. Luke Institute, served as the keynote speaker and gave presentations on maintaining mental, physical, and spiritual health. During a Mass on September 16, Bishop O’Connell told the priests that their ministry must be rooted in charity and selfless love rather than just efficiency or competence.

Several priests noted the importance of personal health for effective ministry. Father Stephen Sansevere, pastor of St. James Parish in Pennington, St. George Parish in Titusville, and St. Alphonsus Parish in Hopewell, stated that priests must be well to help others. Father Mark Kreder, pastor of St. Justin the Martyr Parish in Toms River, added that self-care allows priests to better serve their people.

Petrus Tschickel, a canon and successor to Pius Parsch, suggests that Parsch might not have approved of the current Roman Rite liturgy.

Parsch originally launched the People’s Liturgical Renewal to bring Christ to the people through biblical and liturgical updates. While many in Austria and elsewhere responded positively, Parsch eventually became more cautious. He realized his efforts reached only a small audience, as the St. Gertrud chapel remained a small space that did not require him to move to a larger location.

The liturgy focuses on the Kingdom of God and the fulfillment of all things in Christ, according to Andrew TJ Kaethler. Writing for Adoremus, Kaethler suggests that while Catholic focus often emphasizes the incarnation, the eschatological dimension – the study of the end times and God's ultimate purpose – is central to liturgical theology.

Kaethler draws on the work of Eastern Orthodox liturgical theologian Alexander Schmemann to explain that eschatology serves as a dynamic inspiration for the entire Christian faith. Schmemann argued that the liturgy reveals eschatology in its fullness.

In this context, the eschaton represents the conclusion of history when God transforms the cosmos into the image of Christ. Kaethler notes that while the liturgy is centered on Jesus Christ, it specifically emphasizes the end, where Christ acts as the ultimate goal for all creation.

The upcoming beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen highlights his life as an example of faith, obedience, and love for the poor, according to OSV News. The Church recognizes Sheen as a man of heroic virtue as he approaches this formal recognition.

Sheen maintained a deep personal commitment to Jesus Christ through daily prayer. Upon his ordination, he promised to observe this daily practice, which informed his preaching and writings. OSV News reports that this devotion to prayer and study provided the spiritual foundation for his ministry.

The bishop has several scheduled appearances from September 20 to September 26.

On Sunday, September 20, the bishop will celebrate the annual Saint Padre Pio Mass at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Pompeii Church in Vineland. He will attend the Mass of the Holy Spirit at Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill on Monday, September 21, at 10:30 a.m.

Later in the week, the bishop will participate in the National Migration Week Evening of Prayer at Saint Thomas More Church in Cherry Hill on Thursday, September 24, at 6:30 p.m. He will conclude the week on Saturday, September 26, by celebrating a Mass for the Jubilee Year of Saint Francis of Assisi at 11 a.m. at the Church of the Incarnation in Mantua.

Mariachiara Giorda, a professor of the history of religions at Roma Tre University, addressed the Religions and Peace conference in Subiaco. The event was organized by the Tavolo Sublacense della Pace e della Nonviolenza in collaboration with Roma Tre University, the local municipality, and the international ShaRP network.

Giorda argued that every religious tradition in human history has produced both rhetoric and practices of war and peace within the same contexts. She stated that attempting to rank religions by how peaceful or violent they are is a mistake. Instead, she noted that no religion is exempt from a complex relationship with both conflict and peace.

Giorda suggested that it is more important to distinguish between wars actually motivated by religion and conflicts where religion is merely used as a justification. She explained that religions are deeply intertwined with politics, culture, society, and the economy, making it an error to view religion as separate from the real world.

Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo, the Archbishop of Jakarta and Military Ordinary for Indonesia, said the Church is praying for the victims and families following a ferry disaster in the Java Sea. Speaking to Crux Now, Suharyo noted that Indonesia has recently faced many challenges, including floods, earthquakes, droughts, and volcanic eruptions. He praised the government's response to the ferry tragedy but mentioned the human element involved in the country's frequent disasters.

The Virgo Transport 8 lost contact with its operator during the early hours of Sunday, Sept. 13, while traveling from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. The vessel was carrying 243 passengers and crew when it encountered bad weather approximately 93 miles south of Banjarmasin. While 108 people were rescued, the National Search and Rescue Agency reported that 126 people remain missing.

Divers recovered three bodies on Friday and began salvage operations this weekend to retrieve more victims and right the capsized ship. Authorities decided to right the vessel on Friday to help recovery efforts after strong currents and large waves hindered rescue work for five days.

A water project led by the Nepal Nazareth Society has improved health and daily life for more than 680 families in Koshidekha, Nepal. Completed in December 2020, the project installed 4.5 km of pipe to bring potable water from the Sunkoshi River to the village, which sits 300 meters above the river.

Sister Aisha Kavalakattu, the former project director, reported that the new water taps at doorsteps have changed the routines of local women. Before the project, women woke at 3 a.m. to walk nearly three hours to the river to collect water for their families.

The availability of clean water has helped reduce waterborne diseases among children, leading to more regular school attendance. Villagers also report better hygiene and improved diets. Students in the community have begun planting flower gardens at home and school to practice water conservation.

Carl E. Olson reports that the parable of the workers in the vineyard offers complex interpretations within the readings for September 19, 2026.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Edgewater is celebrating 50 years since it was officially established as a parish in 1976. Originally led by Redemptorists, the parish transitioned to leadership by archdiocesan priests in 1996.

The parish is now part of the Pastorate of Our Lady, which it joined with Our Lady of Sorrows in West River in 2018. Father Michael Triplett, who has served as pastor for two years, noted that between three weekend Masses, approximately 450 to 500 people attend. The church also celebrates a weekend Mass in Spanish to serve its growing Hispanic community.

The community's history dates back to 1939 when it functioned as a mission church for St. Mary in Annapolis. After celebrating Mass at various locations including Cape St. Rose and local restaurants, the parish opened its first church building in 1952 in Woodland Beach. It celebrated its first Mass at its current location on Easter Sunday in 1980. Today, the parish operates a weekly food pantry and maintains a Respect Life committee.

On the September 19, 2026, edition of Register Radio, Daniel Payne discusses his book, Be Fruitful, regarding the Church's vision for marriage and family, while Jonah McKeown examines why some Catholic schools are removing screens from classrooms.

Noelle Javurek serves as the campus ministry coordinator for Warhawk Catholic at UW-Whitewater. Originally from Rockford, Illinois, and St. Bridget Parish in Loves Park, Illinois, Javurek holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Loras College.

Javurek credits her high school youth group with teaching her that God desires a personal relationship with her. This experience led her to seek out Catholic communities at Loras College and through Brew City Catholic and Warhawk Catholic. She stated that her faith challenges her to surrender each day to God's will, which she says brings her freedom and joy during her encounters with others in ministry.

Pope Leo XIV presided over the Assembly of the Church of Rome on September 18 at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Cardinal Vicar Baldassare Reina greeted the Pope at the start of the diocesan assembly.

Pope Leo XIV has approved a diocesan inquiry into the life, virtues, and reputation for holiness of Don Luigi Di Liegro.

Bishop Guerino Di Tora, a former auxiliary bishop of Rome, discussed the decision in an interview with L'Osservatore Romano. Di Tora previously served as a collaborator and later as the successor to Di Liegro in the role of director for the diocesan Caritas. The inquiry will examine Di Liegro's life and his reputation as a figure who served the marginalized.

Pope Leo XIV opened a contemporary art exhibition at the Vatican on his 71st birthday.

Pope Leo XIV spoke about the healing light of love during his Angelus address on Sunday, September 13.

Andrea Pinchi's 2017 artwork, Redemption Song, will serve as the cover for Women Church World.

The piece features four divers moving through deep waters while four arrow-shaped hearts rise toward the surface above them. Pinchi depicts the hearts as uncontrollable forces that break free from the divers to find independence. According to the artist, the divers act as jailers of women's hearts but ultimately lose control, allowing the hearts to fly off to find the freedom to be genuine and express themselves.

Pinchi's artistic practice uses the figure of the diver to explore human consciousness and the psyche. His works often depict nocturnal cities and mental landscapes using deep blues and sudden bursts of light to represent the depths of human experience.

The Institute for Advanced Studies on Women at the Pontifical University of Regina Apostolorum is organizing a seminar on gender equality. The event is being held in collaboration with the International Network of Women Leaders.

The seminar will feature seven panels that examine the relationship between work and parenthood. Discussions will address the long-standing perception that motherhood and professional careers are inherently in conflict with one another.

Clelia Piperno has translated two-thirds of the Babylonian Talmud as part of the Italian Translation Project. Piperno, a former constitutional law teacher at the University of Teramo, launched the project fifteen years ago to make the complex text accessible to a wider audience.

The Babylonian Talmud consists of 63 tractates written in ancient Hebrew and Aramaic. To complete the work, Piperno used a software program called Traduco.

Fabrizia Paternò leads the Pio Monte charity, becoming the first woman to head the organization in its history. Founded centuries ago by seven young nobles, the charity has always been led by men until Paternò was elected to the position four years ago.

Paternò previously worked as a speech and language therapist at the Policlinico of Naples. She noted that her former profession of helping people find their voice taught her to care for the family as a system.

Nuns are supporting the Buscadoras, groups of women searching for missing persons.

Dolores Ramírez Ramírez, a Carmelite of the Sacred Heart known as Mother Lolita, said the group wanted to establish a place of comfort for families traveling from distant locations and for those from Guadalajara.

Paola Clerico, a nun from the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, has participated in hundreds of field missions alongside the relatives of the missing. Clerico stated that these experiences taught her how to be a nun.

Parishes in the Diocese of Camden are adopting Family Evangelizing Catechesis to involve parents more directly in their children's religious education. This approach, also called family faith formation, moves away from traditional models where children attend separate classes while parents remain uninvolved.

Father John Picinic, pastor of Christ Our Light Parish in Cherry Hill, said his parish is transitioning more fully to this model in the coming year. He noted that while older methods helped children build peer relationships, they offered limited opportunities to build a wider community involving parents and the parish. Father Picinic said this new approach allows parents to reclaim their role as the primary teachers of faith to their children.

Bishop Joseph A. Williams established a new role for Laurie Power to serve as the diocesan coordinator for Family Evangelizing Catechesis. Power is responsible for supporting priests and parish catechetical leaders who want to implement family-based models.

Olena Voichyk, the deputy director of the Roman Catholic aid organization Caritas Spes Ukraine, urged European society to maintain its support for Ukraine during an event in Freising, Germany.

Voichyk stated that social cohesion is a daily necessity for the people living in Ukraine. She expressed a desire for the people in Germany to learn and practice this same sense of solidarity.

Father Raymond J. de Souza wrote that Archbishop Fulton Sheen faced significant suffering within the Church with grace, viewing those challenges as a necessary part of his discipleship and holiness.

An editorial in the National Catholic Register describes a priest's experience during the Consecration at a school Mass in Minnesota to illustrate what occurs on the altar.