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CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 16:18 pm (CNA).

Two children were killed and multiple victims injured in a shooting during an opening school year Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

In times of tragedy, the Church turns to prayer. The Catholic Church believes that prayer can effect real change — not just in the heart of the person praying but in the world. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Prayer and Christian life are inseparable” (CCC, 2745) and that prayer is a “vital necessity” (CCC, 2743).

The popular global prayer app Hallow has launched a prayer campaign for “healing for the injured, comfort for students, staff, and families, and the peace of Christ to be with all who were present.”

The Church also calls on the prayers of Mary and the saints to intercede for us. Below is a litany written specifically to be prayed after a school shooting.

Litany of prayer after a school shooting

Our Lady, Help of Christians, we turn to you, who watched your Son give his life for us, and stood strong at the foot of his cross, to ask for your consolation, your guidance, your motherly arms to embrace us. We stand in silence, praying beside you.

St. Joseph, great protector, pray for us.

Archangel Michael, defend us in every battle.

Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, parents who lost four children, pray for us.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, missionary to the United States, pray for us.

St. Emilia, mother of saints, pray for us.

St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine, pray for us.

Servant of God Dorothy Day, defender of all who lack protection, pray for us.

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, mothers who left their infants to die for Christ, pray for us.

St. Junipero Serra, lover of peace, pray for us.

Blessed Lucien Botovasova, a dad, a teacher, and a martyr, pray for us.

St. Rita of Cascia, mother, patron of impossible causes, pray for us.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who lost two children and is the first saint of the United States, and patron of educators, pray for us.

Sts. Jacinta and Francisco, sweet children, pray for us.

Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Girogio Frassati, soon to be declared saints and inspiring examples for all young people, pray for us.

Virgin Mother, we know that as a mother, you never took your eyes off of your children in Annunciation School, especially in those moments of dramatic confusion and fear; you accompanied them with your tenderness. 

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

May the souls of the departed rest in peace. Amen.

This litany was first published at Aleteia. It is reprinted here with permission and has been adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV prays during his Wednesday general audience on Aug. 13, 2025, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday said he was offering prayers for the victims of the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting, one he described as an “extremely difficult” and “terrible” tragedy.

Two children were killed in a shooting incident at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, with the gunman taking his own life after the deadly attack during the parochial school Mass.

Law enforcement were still working to determine a motive to the shooting on Wednesday afternoon. In his telegram to Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda, meanwhile, Leo said he was “profoundly saddened” at the news of the killings.

The pope “sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness” to the victims of the shooting, said the telegram, signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. 

Leo “sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child,” the message said. 

“While commending the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God, His Holiness prays for the wounded as well as the first responders, medical personnel, and clergy who are caring for them and their loved ones,” the message continued. 

The pope offered an apostolic blessing to the archdiocese “as a pledge of peace, fortitude, and consolation in the Lord Jesus.”

U.S. bishops: ‘Let us all beg the Lord for protection’

Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a statement lamenting the loss of life in the deadly shooting. 

“Whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children,” USCCB Vice President Archbishop William Lori said in the statement. 

“Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family.”

The remarks from the pope and the U.S. bishops come amid an outpouring of grief and support from around the U.S. and the world.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning said the White House was monitoring the situation. “Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” he wrote. The president subsequently ordered the U.S. flags at the White House to be lowered to half staff in honor of the victims of the shooting.

Numerous other U.S. bishops responded to the tragedy as well. “Please join me in praying for all those who were injured or lost their lives — along with their families,” Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron said. “Let us also pray for the students, faculty, and entire parish community.”

The New York State Catholic Conference, meanwhile, wrote that the state’s bishops were “devastated” by the shooting.

Skyline of Minneapolis. / Credit: Michael Hicks, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 15:10 pm (CNA).

After a shooter killed two children and injured 17 other people on Wednesday morning during Mass at a Minneapolis Catholic school, the community is reeling as leaders call for prayer.

The shooter opened fire from the parking lot through the church window during a school Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. The local Catholic school of almost 400 students has grades pre-K through eighth grade.    

The shooter killed an 8- and 10-year-old and injured 17 other people before killing himself. Fourteen children were injured and at least two are in critical condition.

Jeff Cavins, a Minneapolis-based Catholic author with close ties to the parish, said that in the “vibrant Catholic community” of the Twin Cities, everybody is affected by the tragedy. 

“Everyone heard about it within minutes, and it’s in the heart of our city,” Cavins told EWTN News’ Abigail Galván. “So what happens to one person in our Catholic community, everybody else is affected.” 

Cavins, who attended the parish for several years when he was growing up, said the parish priest has “a pastor’s heart and love for children.” 

“My pastor is the pastor there, Father [Dennis] Zehren, who is one of the most outstanding priests in America, truly is, and probably one of the best homilists I’ve ever heard,” Cavins said. 

Cavins, who went to school at Annunciation as a kid, said that “what’s going through my mind is the vulnerability of these children in their first week of school.” 

Many of the children had likely just attended the state fair before the school year started, Cavins said. 

“But also, what’s going on in my mind is the responsibility of pastors and leaders in Catholic schools, and that they’re vulnerable as well,” Cavins said. “They’re putting their lives on the line to teach children in a world that we’re living in today, which, as we can see, anything can happen in your own backyard — and suddenly the world knows about it.”

Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney said the parents are “in shock.”

“Unbelievable that this could happen,” Kenney told the local KSTP 5 News. “It’s very sad for the community. It’s very sad for the families that have lost loved ones.”

The shooting took place at Mass during the responsorial psalm, according to local priest Father Paul Hedman.

“It was the opening school Mass, is my understanding,” Kenney said. “It’s a horrible, horrific way for all the students to begin the school year.” 

Police identified the shooter as a man in his early 20s. He had posted several disturbing videos with anti-religious messaging on social media on Wednesday morning before the shooting. He reportedly had ties to the parish through his mother, who had retired from a job at the parish several years ago. 

The Catholic community across the United States is uniting in prayer for the parish and local community.

Soon after the shooting, Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, called for prayers “for all those who were injured or lost their lives — along with their families” as well as “for the students, faculty, and entire parish community.”

Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver said “the pain of this tragedy is present in our hearts.” 

“At a time when young hearts were turned toward the Lord in prayer, violence entered the sanctuary, leaving wounds, fear, and deep sorrow,” he said in a statement Wednesday morning. 

“Let us lift every child, teacher, and family of Annunciation Catholic School to the Father, especially those who have been injured, asking Christ the Divine Physician to bring healing to them,” Aquila said. 

“We entrust the school and parish community to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, who stood faithfully by the cross of her Son and knows the anguish of a grieving heart,” he said.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ vice president Archbishop William Lori said the Church is following the tragic news with “heartbreaking sadness,” adding that “whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children. Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin relayed to Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda a message from the Holy Father, which reads: “His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was profoundly saddened to learn of the loss of life and injuries following the shooting that took place at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis” and “sends his heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child.”

“While commending the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God, His Holiness prays for the wounded as well as the first responders, medical personnel, and clergy who are caring for them and their loved ones,” the message added.

St. Augustine and St. Monica stained glass at St. Augustine Cathedral Catholic Church Basilica in Tucson, Arizona. / Credit: Bill Perry/Shutterstock

Rome Newsroom, Aug 27, 2025 / 13:40 pm (CNA).

Since the fourth century, Christians have revered St. Monica, the mother of Church Father St. Augustine, as a woman of unwavering faith in God.

In an interview with EWTN News reporter Valentina Di Donato, two Augustinian priests living in Rome explain why the woman they refer to as their “grandmother” continues to be a source of hope and inspiration, especially for Catholic wives and mothers.

Father Angelo Di Berardino, OSA, who has worked and lived at the Augustinian International College of Santa Monica in Rome for 50 years, said St. Monica had a great interior strength that influenced all members of her family.

“Respecting her husband, she was able to convert him,” Di Berardino told EWTN News. “Then, she was a strong woman to educate her three children, especially Augustine.”

“I think she was so strong in her life, in her prayer, that she had a great influence on the great theologian Augustine,” he added.

According to Order of St. Augustine procurator general Father Edward Daleng Daniang, OSA, St. Monica is the saint to turn to for spouses who feel alone in their desire to create a Christian family home.

“St. Monica did not have it easy with her husband Patrick,” he said. “She tried to win him with her love, with her patience and endurance and tolerance and, above all, bringing her husband to God through prayer.”

Describing the ancient saint as a “living example” of a mother who does not give up on her children, Daniang said those struggling with their children can have hope that their prayers, and tears, are never wasted.

“St. Monica was struggling with her son St. Augustine who wandered away from home,” he said. “He left Monica, his mother, to come to Italy in those days and Monica did not give up.”

“He left the faith which she tried to transmit to him but she did not give up,” he emphasized.

Following her son to Italy, Daniang said her main intention of leaving Africa was not to bring her son back home but to lead her son to Jesus Christ for the salvation of his soul.

“St. Monica stands as someone who led her husband to God, to Christ, and also brought her son St. Augustine to Christ,” he said.

“That’s bringing the unity of family together,” he added.

Police and first responders work at the scene of a shooting near Annunciation Church and Catholic School in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, 2025. / Credit: TOM BAKER/AFP via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 10:41 am (CNA).

Law enforcement on Wednesday said two children had been killed at a shooting incident during a Mass held at a Minneapolis Catholic church, with the gunman reportedly taking his own life after the deadly attack.

During a press conference around noon local time, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the incident at Annunciation Catholic Church as an “unthinkable tragedy.”

The shooting took place during the opening Mass of the parish’s parochial school, O’Hara said.

“During the Mass, a gunman approached the building on the outside and began firing a rifle, [and] shooting through the windows,” the chief said. “He struck children and worshippers that were inside the building.”

The shooter was armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, O’Hara said. He reportedly fired all three of the weapons during the incident.

The suspected gunman took his own life after the shooting, the police chief said.

“This deliberate act of violence is a sign of cruelty that is beyond comprehension,” O’Hara said. “Our hearts are broken for everyone that has been affected by this tragedy.”

Also at the press conference, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said there were “no words that can capture the horror and the evilness of this unspeakable act.”

“You cannot put into words the gravity, tragedy, or absolute pain of this situation,” Frey said, pointing out that the victims of the shooting were “literally praying” when they were attacked.

National, Church leaders offer prayers, support

O’Hara at the press conference said the suspect was a lone shooter in his 20s.

“He does not have a known criminal history,” the chief said. “We are looking through information left behind to try and determine some type of motive.”

Multiple victims, including nine children, had reportedly been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, with several of the children in critical condition, according to media reports.

The shooting generated headlines around the world and led to an outpouring of support from civic and religious leaders around the country.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning said the White House was monitoring the situation. “Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” he wrote.

Vice President JD Vance similarly offered prayers after the shooting, as did Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

“I am heartbroken by the horrific violence [at the school],” Klobuchar wrote on X. “My prayers are with the students, teachers, and families, and I am grateful for the first responders who are on the scene.”

Church leaders also responded with support and prayers. “Please join me in praying for all those who were injured or lost their lives — along with their families,” Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron wrote on X. “Let us also pray for the students, faculty, and entire parish community.”

Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila also called for prayers for the victims. “We entrust the school and parish community to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, who stood faithfully by the cross of her Son and knows the anguish of grieving hearts,” he said in a statement.

The New York State Catholic Conference, meanwhile, wrote that the state’s bishops were “devastated” by the shooting.

“We join the bishops of [Minnesota] and all Americans in praying for all who are impacted and for an end to gun violence,” the conference wrote.

The tragedy comes just one day after another mass shooting at Minneapolis’ Cristo Rey Jesuit High School located just a few miles from the Annunciation parish. Authorities on Wednesday did not indicate that the two shootings were related.

Mass shooting events at Catholic churches in the U.S. are exceedingly rare.

Notably, on June 10, 2002, a 71-year-old gunman entered Conception Abbey in rural Conception, Missouri, and opened fire, killing three monks before taking his own life. The motive for that shooting remains unclear.

This story was updated Aug. 27, 2025, at 1:11 p.m. ET with new information from the police chief and mayor. Follow here for live updates.

Father Alan Sanchez with parishioners at St. Joseph Church in La Pryor, Texas. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Alan Sanchez

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 27, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

A Mexican-born Catholic priest who has served in the Diocese of Laredo, Texas, for nine years must leave the United States because his application for residency was denied and his religious worker visa is expiring.

Father Alan Sanchez, the pastor of St. Joseph Church in La Pryor and St. Patrick Mission in Batesville, will return to his native country of Mexico on Wednesday, Aug. 27, amid the visa issues. He will be received into the Archdiocese of Monterrey in northeastern Mexico when he arrives.

“Originally, I was hopeful … [this would] be resolved,” Sanchez told CNA.

“I was sad [when I got the news] because of the community I was serving,” he said. “This is a very small and poor community in Texas and this was my first role as a pastor.”

Sanchez applied for residency two years ago but said the process was repeatedly delayed and then his application was eventually denied in November 2024. He appealed the denial and later applied for a different visa but said he ultimately “ran out of time.” He still hopes the matter can be resolved so he can return to his parish at some point.

“I spoke to my bishop about it and the attorney, but there’s nothing else that [I] can do except return to Mexico,” he said.

Sanchez said the delay was caused by a backlog of applicants and that he was denied because of a lack of available spots for visas. He noted that asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors were given priority and that priests cannot have a “change of status for residency, because the spots are already taken.”

He said the prioritization is “understandable” and “certainly fine” but added that many foreign-born priests also need to transition to residency.

“Because there is no availability, they are just denying it,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez explained that “I don’t think this is political” but rather “this is the process — this is what’s going on.”

“It’s just like the process, the way it is, and of course it’s heartbreaking to see that happening but it seems that it’s out of my hands,” he added.

Sanchez asked the faithful to pray for him and expressed hope that “this can be resolved.” He also said he hopes this raises awareness about issues with the current immigration system and warned that other priests are facing the same struggle, which could ultimately exacerbate the priest shortage if it is not addressed by Congress.

“It’s a call to make awareness that the immigration system needs to be expanded [to] a point and I think there is room for everybody as long as we can do it in a good way,” Sanchez said.

Bishop James Tamayo of the Diocese of Laredo appointed Father Heleodoro Lozano — who is the parochial vicar of St. Jude Church in Laredo — to take over Sanchez’s role beginning on Thursday, Aug. 28.

The diocese told CNA in a statement that Sanchez “will temporarily return to Mexico … until this process is resolved” and that the diocese helped him obtain legal counsel and will “continue to walk with him in prayer and assistance.”

“We are profoundly grateful for the generosity of spirit, pastoral care, and joy [Sanchez] has brought to the people of St. Joseph and St. Patrick,” the diocese said.

“His presence is deeply cherished, and we remain hopeful that he will soon return to continue his mission of faith and service among us,” the statement added. “Like all dioceses, we long to keep our priests serving their communities, and we will continue to pray and work diligently so that Father Sánchez may once again minister among the faithful of our diocese.”

Sanchez noted that some lawmakers are trying to address the concern with the bipartisan Religious Workforce Protection Act. The proposed legislation would ease the process for extending religious visas.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview earlier this month on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo” that President Donald Trump’s administration is “committed” to fixing the backlog.

“I’ve been in touch with a number of our cardinals here in the United States and bishops about that as well,” Rubio said, “and it’s not only the Catholic Church — I mean there are other places that are being impacted, but we’re trying to streamline that process.”

Several bishops have endorsed the Religious Workforce Protection Act and have expressed concerns that without some type of action, the number of foreign-born priests being forced out of the United States will continue to increase.

Pilgrims reach out to Pope Leo XIV at the general audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall, Vatican City, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Aug 27, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

We find true hope when we give of ourselves freely and with love — encountering suffering, not running away from it, Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly audience with the public on Wednesday.

Addressing thousands of pilgrims in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall, the pope emphasized Jesus’ embrace of suffering, when he gave himself up to be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion.

Jesus “is not the victim of an arrest but the giver of a gift,” Leo said on Aug. 27. “In this gesture, he embodies a hope of salvation for our humanity: to know that, even in the darkest hour, one can remain free to love to the end.”

The pontiff said Jesus’ actions show us what it is to be free.

“In life, it is not necessary to have everything under control. It is enough to choose to love freely every day,” he underlined.

Leo’s general audience message centered on the scene that begins Jesus’ passion: his arrest. Despite knowing what is going to happen to him, the Lord does not retreat but “gives himself up” out of love to the soldiers who have come to arrest him.

“In the middle of the night, when everything seems to be falling apart, Jesus shows that Christian hope is not evasion, but decision,” the pope said.

Speaking to a packed hall, he recalled that Jesus prepared every day of his life for the moment of his arrest and subsequent passion and death. “For this reason, when it arrives, he has the strength not to seek a way of escape. His heart knows well that to lose life for love is not a failure.”

“Jesus too is troubled when faced with a path that seems to lead only to death and to the end,” Leo continued. “But he is equally persuaded that only a life lost for love, at the end, is ultimately found.”

“This,” the pontiff said, “is what true hope consists of: not in trying to avoid pain but in believing that even in the heart of the most unjust suffering, the seed of new life is hidden.”

He asked those listening to reflect on their lives and to think about how often they defend themselves and their own plans, without realizing that it leaves them, ultimately, alone.

“The logic of the Gospel is different: Only what is given flourishes; only the love that becomes free can restore trust even where everything seems lost,” he said, adding that “this is true hope: knowing that, even in the darkness of trial, God’s love sustains us and ripens the fruit of eternal life in us.”

During his greeting to Spanish-speaking pilgrims, Pope Leo recalled the Church’s Aug. 27 celebration of the feast of St. Monica and the Aug. 28 feast of St. Augustine, Monica’s son.

“Let us ask the Lord, through the intercession of these beloved saints, that we may know — following the logic of the Gospel — how to love and give our lives freely and generously, as Christ, our hope, did,” he said.

At the end of the Wednesday audience, the pope added an appeal for the end of wars, especially the conflict in the Holy Land.

“I implore that all hostages be released, that a permanent ceasefire be reached, that safe access for humanitarian aid be facilitated, and that humanitarian rights be fully respected: in particular, the obligation to protect all civilian areas and the prohibition of collective punishment, indiscriminate use of force, and forced displacement of the population,” he said.

“We implore Mary, Queen of Peace, source of consolation and hope, to intercede for reconciliation and peace in that land so dear to us all,” Leo added.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops headquarters in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Washington D.C., Aug 27, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

As lawmakers prepare to return next week from their August recess, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) wants them to get to work on immigration reform and bolstering federal safety net programs, among other issues, framing its advocacy work around protecting human dignity and supporting the most vulnerable.

“As a nonpartisan organization, the USCCB is engaged with members of Congress, their staff, and the White House and the administration to advance the common good for all and uphold the sacredness of human life and the God-given dignity of the human person,” Chieko Noguchi, the USCCB’s executive director for public affairs, told CNA.

“This means that the care for immigrants, refugees, and the poor is part of the same teaching of the Church that requires us to protect the most vulnerable among us, especially unborn children, the elderly, and the infirm,” Noguchi noted.

Addressing the conference’s ongoing public policy priorities, Noguchi referenced a letter to members of Congress earlier this year from USCCB President Archbishop Timothy Broglio that in addition to immigration reform called for legislation that supports vulnerable communities, especially children and low-income families.

But following this summer’s passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act spending package, Broglio faulted that measure for including “unconscionable cuts to health care and food assistance, tax cuts that increase inequality, immigration provisions that harm families and children, and cuts to programs that protect God’s creation.”

A recently emerging issue for the bishops is digital safety. In a joint letter this July with other faith-based and family organizations, the USCCB voiced support for the Kids Online Safety Act. The measure would place greater responsibility on technology companies to design platforms that protect minors from harmful content and addictive features. The bishops described the legislation as consistent with their commitment to safeguarding children and promoting environments where families can thrive.

This fall, immigration remains central to USCCB advocacy efforts. The bishops continue to press Congress to provide permanent protections for so-called “Dreamers,” referring to people who were brought to the U.S. as children.

“The continued uncertainty associated with the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program is untenable and unjust, depriving hardworking people the ability to be fully recognized members of our society,” the conference maintains.

The bishops also oppose changes to social safety net programs that would limit eligibility for mixed-status families (those with both legal and unauthorized members). They cite, for example, the Child Tax Credit, which currently only requires the benefiting child to have a Social Security number.

“This is consistent with the goals of such programs, which exist to empower families and to prevent them from falling into poverty,” the USCCB asserts.

Religious Workforce Protection Act

The bishops are also urging passage of the Religious Workforce Protection Act, which as of Aug. 22 had 10 Democrat and three Republican lawmakers cosponsoring the House bill and would authorize the continuation of lawful nonimmigrant status for certain religious workers affected by the current backlog for religious worker immigrant visas.

A similar bill in the Senate now has five Republicans and one Democrat cosponsoring. Numerous Catholic institutions such as parishes and schools depend on international clergy. In an Aug. 7 interview with EWTN, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration is committed to fixing the ongoing backlog of religious worker visas.

Despite the fact that earlier this year the USCCB ended its decades-long partnership with the federal government to resettle refugees due to funding cuts and suspended agreements that made the program unsustainable, the bishops continue to call for generous resettlement policies and humane border enforcement.

Housing is also an increasing policy focus. In an Aug. 8 letter, the bishops pressed Congress to strengthen funding for affordable housing and community development in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process.

Meanwhile, the USCCB’s advocacy around health care policy remains linked to the Church’s pro-life stance. The bishops have been strongly supportive of congressional efforts to ensure that federal programs such as Medicaid do not fund abortion. In July, a federal judge blocked a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was aimed at defunding Planned Parenthood for one year and ordered the federal government to resume Medicaid reimbursements to the abortion giant while litigation over the law continues.

The USCCB also supports expanding access to maternal health services, pediatric care, and palliative care. Broadly on fiscal policy, the USCCB has called for a federal budget that prioritizes the poor and reflects Catholic principles of solidarity centered on the common good.

The bishops also continue to press for robust support for international humanitarian aid. As global crises intensify, the bishops have asked Congress to provide funding for humanitarian and development assistance in the fiscal year 2026 budget. Funding for the current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. The USCCB frames these legislative priorities as connected parts of a single mission. 

“The decisions you make in your important work on behalf of our nation will have a lasting impact on the well-being and common good of many people,” Broglio wrote. Congress returns from its summer break on Sept. 2.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV appealed to Israel and Hamas to stop the violence that has caused "so much terror, destruction and death."

"I plead for all hostages to be freed, a permanent ceasefire to be reached, the safe entry of humanitarian aid to be facilitated and humanitarian law to be fully respected," the pope said at the end of his weekly general audience Aug. 27.

Without naming Israel, Pope Leo specified that he was calling for full observance of "the duty to protect civilians and the prohibitions against collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of populations."

The pope said he endorsed the statement made Aug. 26 by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, and Patriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, calling for an end to "this spiral of violence, to put an end to the war and to give priority to the common good." 

The two patriarchs, who both have parishes in Gaza City sheltering the displaced, said, "It seems that the Israeli government's announcement that 'the gates of hell will open' is indeed taking on tragic forms" as the Israeli military campaign against Hamas intensified.

Local media reported that Israel wants civilians in Gaza City, including the hundreds of people in the Greek Orthodox compound of St. Porphyrius and the Catholic Holy Family compound, to evacuate to southern Gaza.

But "among those who have sought shelter within the walls of the compounds, many are weakened and malnourished due to the hardships of the last months," the patriarchs wrote. "Leaving Gaza City and trying to flee to the south would be nothing less than a death sentence. For this reason, the clergy and nuns have decided to remain and continue to care for all those who will be in the compounds."

Praying for the conversion of hearts and for peace, the patriarchs said, "There has been enough devastation, in the (Palestinian) territories and in people's lives. There is no reason to justify keeping civilians as prisoners and hostages in dramatic conditions. It is now time for the healing of the long-suffering families on all sides."

Pope Leo ended the audience asking that "Mary, queen of peace, source of consolation and hope," would intercede "to obtain reconciliation and peace in that land so dear to all."
 

Pope Leo appeals for peace in Holy Land

At the end of his general audience Aug. 27, Pope Leo appealed for peace in the Holy Land.

WASHINGTON – In response to the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minn., Archbishop William E. Lori, vice-president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement.

“As a Church, we are following the tragic news from Annunciation School in Minneapolis with heartbreaking sadness. Whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children. Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family.”

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