Divine Redeemer Parish

Pope Leo XIV addresses a delegation of political representatives and civic leaders from the Diocese of Créteil, France, on Aug. 28, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday encouraged Catholic politicians to live coherently as Christians and follow the Gospel, even when performing their public duties in a secular polity. 

During an Aug. 28 meeting with a delegation of political representatives and civic leaders from the Diocese of Créteil, France, accompanied by Bishop Dominique Blanchet, the Holy Father stated that “a more just, more human, more fraternal world” can only be “a world more imbued with the Gospel.”

Thus, he added, “in the face of the various deviations present in our Western societies, we can do nothing better, as Christians, than to turn to Christ and ask for his help in carrying out our responsibilities.”

For this reason, the pope highlighted the importance of political and social leaders being committed to acting in coherence with their faith, because “beyond mere personal enrichment, it carries great importance and usefulness for the men and women they serve.” 

In this regard, he underlined that such determination “is all the more praiseworthy considering that, in France, due to a sometimes-misunderstood secularism, it is not easy for an elected representative to act and decide consistently with their faith.” 

‘Christianity cannot be reduced to a mere private devotion’ 

Because the Christian message embraces every dimension of the human person, Leo XIV stressed that “Christianity cannot be reduced to a mere private devotion, since it entails a way of living in society infused with love for God and neighbor, who in Christ is no longer an enemy but a brother.” 

To face social challenges, the Holy Father said Catholic politicians must rely “on the virtue of charity that dwells within them since baptism,” a gift of God that, as he cited from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, constitutes a “force capable of inspiring new paths to address today’s problems and to renew profoundly from within structures, social organizations, and legal norms,” bringing charity from the personal realm into the social and political one because “it makes us love the common good and leads us to effectively seek the good of all.” 

Pope Leo XIV also noted that the Christian politician “is better prepared to face the challenges of today’s world, provided, of course, that he lives and bears witness to his faith in him, to his personal relationship with Christ.” 

In this sense, he warned against the temptation to promote values “however evangelical they may be, but ‘emptied’ of Christ, their author,” since they will be “incapable of changing the world.” 

Responding to Blanchet’s request for advice to Catholic politicians, Leo XIV replied: “The first and only one I will give you is to unite yourselves more and more to Jesus, to live and bear witness to him.” 

Coherence in public life 

“There is no split in the personality of a public figure: There is not, on one side, the politician and, on the other, the Christian. Rather, there is a politician who, under God’s gaze and before his conscience, lives his commitments and responsibilities as a Christian!” he added.

To achieve such coherence of life, the pope recalled the call for Catholic politicians “to strengthen themselves in faith, to deepen their knowledge of doctrine — especially social doctrine — that Jesus taught the world, and to put it into practice in carrying out their duties and in drafting laws.” 

He also affirmed the enduring validity of natural law, a norm “that all can recognize, even non-Christians. Therefore, we should not fear proposing it and defending it with conviction: It is a doctrine of salvation that seeks the good of every human being, the building of peaceful, harmonious, prosperous, and reconciled societies.”

Courage in the face of difficulties 

At the end of his address, the pope acknowledged that “an openly Christian commitment by a public official is not easy, especially in certain Western societies where Christ and his Church are marginalized, often ignored, and at times ridiculed.” 

Such a commitment also means facing political pressures, including that of “ideological colonization,” Leo said, using a term coined by his predecessor Pope Francis to refer to campaigns by wealthy countries and organizations to influence the values of developing nations.  Leo said that Christian public officials “need courage: the courage sometimes to say ‘no, I cannot,’ when the truth is at stake.” 

“Only union with Jesus — Jesus crucified! — will give you that courage to suffer for his name,” the pontiff declared, recalling Christ’s words: “In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage: I have overcome the world.” 

In conclusion, the pope expressed his support for Catholic politicians and encouraged them not to lose hope in a better world: “Remain certain that, united to Christ, your efforts will bear fruit and receive their reward.”

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

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse, New York, where a federal court accepted the diocese’s $176 million settlement plan. / Credit: debra millet/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

A federal bankruptcy court has accepted the Diocese of Syracuse, New York’s massive $176 million abuse settlement plan, Bishop Douglas Lucia said this week.

The decision comes after a yearslong negotiation process between the diocese and victims of clergy abuse as well as between the diocese and insurers that will pay into the settlement fund.

Lucia said in an Aug. 27 letter that the diocese will contribute $100 million to the fund, as diocesan leaders first announced in 2023.

Fifty million dollars will come from the diocese itself, with $45 million from parishes and $5 million from “other Catholic entities” associated with the Syracuse Diocese.

The remaining $76 million will be contributed by diocesan insurance companies, the bishop said.

Further “nonmonetary items” in the agreement include provisions such as strengthening diocesan safe environment policies.

The diocese initiated the bankruptcy process in 2020. In his letter, Lucia thanked his fellow Catholics “who throughout these five years have prayed for this resolution and for those whose hearts were broken by the betrayal that came at the hands of Church members.”

“Together I now pray we will grow ever more as the body of Christ in this part of the world community,” he said.

The Syracuse decision comes amid a wave of high-value abuse settlement payouts from U.S. dioceses, including throughout New York.

Abuse victims in New York last month agreed to a massive settlement from the Diocese of Rochester, which is set to pay $246 million to survivors of clergy abuse there.

The Diocese of Buffalo, New York, earlier this year agreed to pay out a $150 million sum as part of its own abuse settlement.

The largest diocesan-level bankruptcy settlement in U.S. history thus far has been from the Diocese of Rockville Centre — also in New York — which last year agreed to pay $323 million to abuse victims.

The largest Church abuse payout total in U.S. history thus far has been at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which last year agreed to a near-$1 billion payment to abuse victims.

People attend a vigil following a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School on Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. / Credit: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).

The leaders of the Minneapolis Catholic school where two children were shot and killed during a mass shooting incident on Wednesday say the school will remain closed for the time being as the community continues to deal with the “unfathomable” deadly incident.

The shooting took place during the all-school Mass at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Aug. 27. The gunman, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, born Robert Westman, shot through the church’s stained-glass windows with a rifle, killing the two children and injuring nearly 20 children and adults before taking his own life.

The shooting generated global headlines and drew prayers and support from leaders including Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday evening, Annunciation Catholic School Principal Matthew DeBoer and parish pastor Father Dennis Zehren described the crisis as an “impossible situation.”

“No words can capture what we have gone through, what we are going through, and what we will go through in the coming days and weeks,” they wrote. “But we will navigate this — together.”

The leaders indicated the school would remain closed for at least the rest of the week and possibly longer. “As we process and navigate this unfathomable time together, we will be in touch this weekend regarding when school will resume,” they said. 

The statement noted that law enforcement are still carrying out “essential work” on the school’s campus, located several miles south of downtown Minneapolis.

Families in the parish will have access to support services, they said.

“In this time of darkness, let us commit to being the light to our children, each other, and our community,” the statement said. “We will rebuild our future filled with hope — together.”

Pope Leo XIV after the shooting sent his “heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness” to the victims of the shooting, while Catholic bishops and leaders from around the country likewise called for prayers and support for the school community.

The deadly shooting came after Minnesota’s bishops had implored state lawmakers to provide security funding for local nonpublic schools.

Those appeals from the bishops came after deadly school shootings at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee.

The prelates had argued that students at Catholic and other nonpublic schools should receive the same level of protection as their public-school peers, though bills to that effect stalled in the state Legislature.

The offices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

Over 60 Catholic military chaplains and other priests who serve the U.S. military gathered in San Diego this month for a convocation focused on pastoral issues related to gender and deliverance ministry, according to a news release from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. 

The event, part of a series organized by Military Services Archbishop Timothy Broglio, marks the beginning of a broader initiative to address contemporary challenges faced by chaplains serving some 1.8 million Catholics across 220 military installations worldwide.

The San Diego convocation is the first of four scheduled gatherings, with Broglio planning additional sessions in Washington, D.C., from Sept. 1–5; San Antonio from Sept. 15–19; and Rome from Oct. 13–17.

Broglio, who will direct all four meetings, regularly hosts the same five-day gatherings at different locations in order to make it “more affordable and convenient for the more than 200 priests on active duty worldwide, as well as those serving the military as civilians, to attend one nearest them.” 

The archdiocese highlighted the gatherings as opportunities for liturgical celebrations, prayer, reflection, dialogue, and expert-led presentations, with this year’s theme centered on “Military Chaplaincy and Contemporary Pastoral Issues in Gender and Deliverance Ministry.”

Broglio emphasized the importance of these gatherings, saying: “Together we learn to grow in the ministry of caring for the men and women in uniform and their families. These privileged moments of the convocations allow me time to spend with the priests who serve the faithful of the [archdiocese], to hear their concerns, and to draw near to the Lord together in prayer.”

“In a special way this year, we are uniting ourselves to the prayers of Pope Leo for world peace,” Broglio said.

The convocations will feature input from notable figures, including Monsignor Stephen J. Rossetti, a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and an exorcist from the Diocese of Syracuse, New York. He is the author of more than a dozen books including the 2021 bestseller “Diary of an American Exorcist: Demons, Possession, and the Modern-Day Battle Against Ancient Evil.”

Additionally, the Nesti Center for Faith and Culture at the University of St. Thomas in Houston will contribute through presentations by its director, Kevin Stuart, and research fellow Amy Hamilton, who will explore the intersection of faith and contemporary issues, including gender.

People attend a vigil at Lynnhurst Park to mourn the dead and pray for the wounded after a gunman opened fire on students at Annunciation Catholic School on Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. / Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 10:45 am (CNA).

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

Follow here for live updates.

Devastating flooding after in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. / Credit: News Muse via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 10:30 am (CNA).

On the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, two U.S. bishops called on Catholics to remember the victims of the tragedy and to “renew our commitment to racial equity and justice in all sectors of public life.”

Washington Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr., chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Subcommittee on African American Affairs, and Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry, chairman of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, issued a joint statement on the occasion.

“As we mark the 20th anniversary of this tragedy, we remember those who were lost and displaced but also renew our commitment to racial equity and justice in every sector of public life,” the prelates stated.

A still open wound

Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, left more than 1,800 dead and forced thousands of families, mostly African American, to flee their homes.

The bishops emphasized that “the impacts of ongoing mental and physical injuries remain and today the cost of the injuries is borne unequally.”

In particular, they recalled the devastation in neighborhoods like the predominantly African American Ninth Ward, where residents were forced to take refuge in attics and on rooftops to escape the floodwaters. There, they noted, not only human lives were lost but also “the loss of irreplaceable items handed down through generations such as photos, videos, diaries, genealogical records, documents, and other mementos.”

The role of the Catholic Church

In the face of a delayed and inadequate response from the federal government, the bishops highlighted the role of the Church.

“The powerful witness of the Catholic Church filled the gaps of an inadequate governmental response to the tragedy. It was people of faith, moved by their hearts, who assisted in resettlement efforts in new cities and supported rebuilding when people attempted to return home,” they stated.

They mentioned several of the Church’s actions in the aftermath of the devastation. Catholic Charities USA mobilized hundreds of volunteer teams to clean and rebuild thousands of homes, providing critical support to affected communities. The Catholic Home Missions Appeal allocated more than $3 million in immediate financial assistance to five dioceses. 

Additionally, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development provided $665,000 in grants to low-income communities across 11 dioceses. The Knights of Columbus contributed $2 million in relief assistance, further bolstering the Church’s response. Through the work of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, by Oct. 1, 2005, 95% of Catholic school students in the city were enrolled in Catholic schools in other parts of the country.

A present reality

The bishops pointed out that Hurricane Katrina revealed not only the fragility of cities in the face of natural disasters but also the reality of poverty and deep-rooted racial inequalities in the United States.

They urged the faithful to reflect on the words of Pope Leo XIV: “In our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of the other, and an economic system that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest.”

Finally, they called on the Church to be a sign of hope amid inequalities: “As Church, let us be a lifeboat in the floodwaters of injustice.”

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

Father Marcial Maciel. / Credit: DominikHoffmann, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

An HBO series on Marcial Maciel this month has once again placed the spotlight on the founder of the Legionaries of Christ and the complaints of sexual abuse against him.

The congregation in Rome confirmed to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that it had known about the production for years and agreed to be interviewed to address their past and show the changes the order has undertaken since the scandal.

“Yes, we are aware of the production,” the congregation told ACI Prensa. “At the end of 2022, we received an interview request from the documentary’s producers. The project, according to what they said, would address events that were mostly already publicly known thanks to complaints from victims, former members, and specialists, as well as investigations conducted by the congregation and the Holy See,” the congregation noted.

They specified that Father Andreas Schöggl, LC, former secretary-general and currently archivist of the congregation, was the only one to grant an interview, “due to his thorough knowledge of the history of the Legion and his ability to explain it accurately and transparently.”

The Legionnaires emphasized that “agreeing to the interview did not mean they were collaborating in the production or influencing” the final cut. “We answered every question with complete openness and clarity,” they said.

They noted that their website has a specific section on Marcial Maciel and five annual “Truth, Justice, and Healing” reports. They have also implemented a Safe Environments program and a process of outreach and reparation for victims.

Context of the series

The HBO Max documentary series examines the career of the founder of the Legionaries of Christ.

Maciel was considered a charismatic leader and effective fundraiser for decades, but it was later revealed that he had sexually abused at least 60 minors, battled addiction to a morphine derivative, led a hidden double life, and had at least one daughter.

The first season of the series directed by Matías Gueilburt consists of four episodes. The first, set in the 1940s in Mexico, chronicles the founding of the Legionaries of Christ and the initial warning signs about Maciel, which were ignored. 

The second episode, set in the 1950s, describes the Legion’s expansion to Spain and Italy, as well as the start of investigations after the first reports of abuse and his addiction to a morphine derivative became known. 

The third, set in the 1990s, depicts his closeness to Pope John Paul II, the launch of Regnum Christi, the revelation of his double life through a 1997 report, and the strategies employed to avoid exposure under growing international scrutiny. The fourth episode is scheduled to air on Thursday, Aug. 28. 

The series draws on archives, multiple sources such as journalists and specialists, and testimonies from victims, such as former Legionaries Juan Vaca, Alejandro Espinoza, and José Barba, who recount in detail the abuses perpetrated by Maciel. Throughout the episodes the documentary maintains a respectful tone toward the Church and the victims and uses dramatizations in certain scenes to create a powerful impact. 

The congregation explained that, from the beginning, it conditioned its participation on doing so “with openness and humility: facing up to our history, acknowledging the harm caused, and showing the path of renewal we have taken.”

The objective, the congregation stated, was to “contribute to a more complete account of the events” and, at the same time, reaffirm their “commitment to the truth and to the victims, make known the renewal process, to bear witness to the service we provide to the Church today, and to share information about the events verified and compared with multiple sources.” 

Producer Sebastián Gamba’s perspective

Sebastián Gamba, executive producer of Anima Films and the docuseries, explained in an interview with the Spanish-language edition of EWTN News that the Maciel case “really resonates in recent Mexican history” and that the decision to address it was made seven years ago.

Regarding the series’ title, he explained that the reference to Maciel as a “wolf” perfectly represents the person of Maciel, “a sinister character who hides behind religion to commit as much evil as possible.”

Gamba stated that the greatest challenge the production faced was telling a “very painful” story, protecting the victims and showing “the full scope, which is not only the most dramatic and darkest aspect — that of sexual abuse — but many other aspects.”

The producer noted the inclusion of journalists and researchers from various countries, such as Raúl Ormos (author of the Spanish-language investigative book “The Financial Empire of the Legionaries of Christ”), Jason Berry (one of the first to decry abuse in the U.S. in the 1990s), and Idoia Sota (who published a report in 2009 that revealed the existence of Norma Hilda Rivas Baños, a daughter Maciel allegedly conceived with a 17-year-old girl named Norma Baños), among others. “The great challenge was being able to include all these voices and, of course, the voices of the victims,” he said.

The production took almost four years because, according to Gamba, “there’s a whole process of getting to know each other, of understanding from every angle what the project is trying to accomplish, so that the other person really feels like participating or not.”

Regarding the Legionaries of Christ’s participation in the documentary, the producer said that “of course, they condemn Maciel’s entire life” and that “there wasn’t any kind of resistance or obstacles” coming from the congregation or the Vatican.

Regarding how they handled the victims’ testimony, Gamba emphasized that the amount of time allotted was essential to avoid sensationalism.

The subject matter “is treated very carefully. The interesting thing about making a series is that you can give a much more complete overview of these stories.” The person is first presented as a child, “fascinated by the world they found, and then comes the horrific part. This narrative arc avoids sensationalism,” he said.

The producer clarified that the series does not seek to attack faith. “Here, neither religion nor the Catholic Church is called into question. It specifically talks about one person, Marcial Maciel, and his story, which is reprehensible and which absolutely no one defends today, for obvious reasons.”

“I think faith is a wonderful thing; the Catholic religion, for those who live it, is a wonderful thing. And it’s not about that, but rather about showing what human nature can come to, epitomized by a person who committed every evil and abuse within his reach,” he commented.

Background and reports on Maciel and the congregation

Father Marcial Maciel (1920–2008), founder of the Legionaries of Christ in 1941, was investigated by the Vatican in the 1950s for allegations of sexual abuse of minors and misuse of morphine.

He was temporarily removed from office in 1956 and then reinstated two years later. In 2006, 50 years after the Vatican investigation, Pope Benedict XVI removed Maciel from active ministry, based on an investigation the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith conducted when as Joseph Ratzinger he was at the helm before being elected pope in 2005. The pontiff asked Maciel to lead a life of prayer and penance.

On May 19, 2006, the Holy See issued a statement on the case with the following information: “After having subjected the results of the investigation to careful study, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the guidance of the new prefect, His Eminence Cardinal William Levada, has decided, taking into account both Reverend Maciel’s advanced age and his poor health, to forgo a canonical process and invite the priest to a reserved life of prayer and penance, renouncing all public ministry. The Holy Father has approved these decisions. Regardless of the person of the founder, the worthy apostolate of the Legionaries of Christ and the Regnum Christi association is gratefully acknowledged.”

The progressive discovery of Maciel’s double life provoked a series of crises within both the Legion and Regnum Christi. The Holy See therefore deemed it necessary to conduct an apostolic visitation. The concluding statement of May 1, 2010, reads:

“The apostolic visitation was able to ascertain that the conduct of Father Marcial Maciel Degollado has given rise to serious consequences in the life and structure of the Legion, such as to require a process of profound reevaluation. The very grave and objectively immoral actions of Father Maciel, confirmed by incontrovertible testimonies, in some cases constitute real crimes and manifest a life devoid of scruples and authentic religious meaning. This life was unknown to the great majority of the Legionaries.” 

At the same time, the congregation’s superiors launched a process of institutional introspection.  

According to the Legionaries of Christ’s 1941–2019 Report, 175 minors were victims of sexual abuse committed by 33 priests of the congregation throughout its history and in different countries. This number includes at least 60 minors abused by Maciel, according to the report. The majority of the victims were adolescents between the ages of 11 and 16.

According to the fifth annual report “Truth, Justice, and Healing,” published in April of this year, since the presentation of the first report in 2019 and through Dec. 31, 2024, the congregation has received 20 additional complaints against Legionary priests not accounted for in the historical report and occurring in different decades.

The latest report also reveals that 61 people who suffered sexual abuse as minors are currently undergoing therapy for healing, 40 of whom are receiving care through the independent organization Eshmá. Since 2022, 21 victims have received financial compensation and comprehensive support.

The document also reports that the reaccreditation of safe environments has begun in various territories, with training programs and follow-up on historical cases. In addition, a study commission on the abuse of authority has been created, the results of which will be presented to the general chapter in January 2026.

A call to discernment

When asked whether Catholics could watch the series confident it accurately portrays the events, the Legionaries in Rome responded that “all information must be approached with discernment” and noted that they make available all the information “on the history of the congregation and aspects of Marcial Maciel’s life” for those who wish to learn more.

Regarding the potential impact of the production, they stated that “to the extent that the damage caused is recognized and the firm commitment to not repeating it, it is useful for the Church, the congregation, and society in general.”

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

null / Credit: HQuality/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Assisted suicide has become legal in a growing number of states since it was first adopted in 1997 in Oregon.

CNA has released three new interactive maps to show where each state in the U.S. stands on life issues — the protection of unborn life, the death penalty, and assisted suicide. The maps will be updated as new information on each issue becomes available.

Below is an analysis of the map that shows where each state stands on assisted suicide laws as of August 2025.

What is assisted suicide? 

Assisted suicide — sometimes also called physician-assisted suicide — is legal in 10 states as well as the District of Columbia. Assisted suicide is when a doctor or medical professional provides a patient with drugs to end his or her own life. Assisted suicide is not the same as euthanasia, which is the direct killing of a patient by a medical professional.

The term euthanasia includes voluntary euthanasia, a practice legal in some parts of the world when the patient requests to die; involuntary euthanasia is when a person is murdered against his or her wishes; and nonvoluntary euthanasia is when the person is not capable of giving consent.

Assisted suicide is legal in some U.S. states and around the world, while voluntary euthanasia is legal in a limited number of countries including Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal. In Belgium and the Netherlands, minors can be euthanized if they request it.

In Canada, patients with any serious illness, disease, or disability may be eligible for what is known as medical aid in dying (MAID), even when their condition is not terminal or fatal. In 2027 Canada plans to allow MAID for those with mental health conditions; Belgium, Luxembourg, and Colombia already allow for this.

While most U.S. states have laws against assisted suicide, a growing number of state legislatures have attempted to legalize it.

Where does your state stand on assisted suicide?

Alabama: In 2017, Alabama passed legislation making it a crime for health care workers to administer life-ending drugs, in addition to pre-1997 legislation banning assistance of suicides.

Alaska: Alaska failed to pass laws enabling assisted suicide in 2017. Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Arizona: Arizona still has pre-1997 laws prohibiting assisted suicide in effect, but legislators have tried to legalize assisted suicide for years. A 2025 bill did not advance.

Arkansas: In 2019, Arkansas considered legalizing assisted suicide, but the bill did not go through. Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

California: In 2016, California legalized assisted suicide.

Colorado: In 2016, Colorado legalized assisted suicide via a proposition passed by voters.

Connecticut: Connecticut has repeatedly proposed legislation to legalize assisted suicide, but none has passed. Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Delaware: In 2025, Delaware legalized assisted suicide.

Florida: Proposed bills to legalize assisted suicide in Florida have not advanced in recent years. Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Georgia: In 2012, Georgia passed a law making assisted suicide a felony, renewing its legislation against assisted suicide.

Hawaii: In 2019, Hawaii legalized assisted suicide.

Idaho: In 2011, Idaho made assisted suicide a felony, renewing its legislation against assisted suicide.

Illinois: In 2025, a bill to legalize assisted suicide in Illinois stalled and will cross over to the 2026 session. Legislators have made efforts to pass pro-death legislation, but pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Indiana: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Indiana’s pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Iowa: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Iowa’s pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Kansas: In 2011, Kansas passed a law criminalizing assisted suicide, renewing its legislation against assisted suicide.

Kentucky: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Kentucky’s pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Louisiana: Louisiana’s pre-1997 law against assisted suicide is still in place.

Maine: In 2019, Maine legalized assisted suicide.

Maryland: Maryland has yet to legalize assisted suicide, though legislators have made attempts to in recent years. The state has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide.

Massachusetts: In 2022, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that there is no right to assisted suicide in the commonwealth.

Michigan: Michigan has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. Legislators, however, have pushed to legalize assisted suicide in recent years.

Minnesota: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Minnesota’s pre-1997 law against assisted suicide is still in place.

Mississippi: Mississippi’s pre-1997 law against assisted suicide is still in place.

Missouri: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Missouri’s pre-1997 law against assisted suicide is still in place.

Montana: Assisted suicide is a legal gray area in Montana. While legislators have not made assisted suicide legal, a 2009 Montana Supreme Court ruling said that a doctor can use patient consent in defense in a homicide case.

Nebraska: Assisting suicide is a felony in Nebraska.

Nevada: Nevada does not authorize assisted suicide. The governor recently vetoed a bill that would have legalized assisted suicide.

New Hampshire: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in New Hampshire. Legislators have pushed for assisted suicide legislation in recent years.

New Jersey: In 2019, New Jersey legalized assisted suicide.

New Mexico: New Mexico legalized assisted suicide in 2021.

New York: New York legislators approved an assisted suicide law that is awaiting signature by the New York governor.

North Carolina: North Carolina does not have a law legalizing assisted suicide.

North Dakota: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in North Dakota. Aiding a suicide is a felony in the state. Legislators have pushed to legalize assisted suicide in recent years.

Ohio: Assisting suicide is against Ohio law. Ohio added laws against assisting suicide in 2003 and 2017.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. Oklahoma code explicitly states that it does not condone assisted suicide.

Oregon: Oregon became the first state to implement assisted suicide legislation in 1997.

Pennsylvania: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Pennsylvania. Legislators have attempted to legalize assisted suicide in recent years.

Rhode Island: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Rhode Island. Assisting a suicide is a felony in the state.

South Carolina: South Carolina has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. South Carolina has never officially considered legalizing assisted suicide and has declared in recent years that health care professionals who participate in assisted suicide may have their licenses revoked.

South Dakota: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in South Dakota. The state does not condone euthanasia, “mercy killing,” or assisted suicide.

Tennessee: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Tennessee. Assisting suicide is a class D felony in the state.

Texas: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Texas. Aiding someone in committing suicide is a felony in the state if it results in bodily harm or causes death.

Utah: Utah has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. Legislators have attempted to legalize assisted suicide without success. The state amended its manslaughter statute to criminalize the prescription of medication intended to cause death.

Vermont: Vermont legalized assisted suicide in 2013.

Virginia: Virginia has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. Virginia explicitly bans assisted suicide, and health care professionals who assist a suicide are subject to the suspension or removal of their licenses.

Washington: Washington state legalized assisted suicide in 2008.

West Virginia: West Virginia approved a constitutional amendment in November 2024 prohibiting medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing, becoming the first state to do so.

Wisconsin: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Wisconsin. State statutes currently define any case of assisting suicide as a Class H felony.

Wyoming: Wyoming law does not condone assisted suicide, though legislators have attempted to legalize assisted suicide in recent years.

Washington, D.C.: Washington, D.C., legalized assisted suicide in 2017.

Where does the Church stand on assisted suicide?

The Catholic Church condemns both assisted suicide and euthanasia, instead encouraging palliative care, which means supporting patients with pain management and care as the end of their lives approaches. Additionally, the Church advocates for a “special respect” for anyone with a disability or serious health condition (CCC, 2276). 

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder” and “gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and the respect due to the living God, his Creator” (CCC, 2324).

Any action or lack of action that intentionally “causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator” (CCC, 2277).

Catholic teaching also states that patients and doctors are not required to do everything possible to avoid death, but if a life has reached its natural conclusion and medical intervention would not be beneficial, the decision to “forego extraordinary or disproportionate means” to keep a dying person alive is not euthanasia, as St. John Paul II noted in Evangelium Vitae.

The Minnesota state capitol in St. Paul. / Credit: Steve Heap/Shutterstock

National Catholic Register, Aug 28, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

After a pair of out-of-state school shootings in 2022 and 2023 shocked the nation, Minnesota’s bishops implored state lawmakers to provide security funding for local nonpublic schools. 

Now, two years after their appeals went unheeded, tragedy has struck one of their own.

On the morning of Aug. 27, a gunman opened fire during an all-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, killing two students, aged 10 and 8; 14 other students and three adults were injured.

The tragedy comes after the Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), the public policy voice of Minnesota’s six dioceses, made requests to state officials to extend funds for security upgrades and emergency-response training to nonpublic schools in both 2022 and 2023.

The appeals, which came after deadly school shootings at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, argued that students at Catholic and other nonpublic schools should receive the same level of protection as their public-school peers.

“We need to ensure that all our schools have the resources to respond to and prevent these attacks from happening to our schools,” wrote Jason Adkins, MCC’s executive director, in an April 14, 2023, letter to Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who are both Democrats. The letter was also signed by Tim Benz, president of a Minnesota independent school organization.

If MCC’s request had been granted, Catholic schools like Annunciation would have been able to use state funds for enhancements like secure entries to facilities or even to hire school resource officers. 

But the Minnesota bishops’ appeals were rebuffed in both years, as related bills stalled in the state Legislature, resulting in no additional funding for nonpublic school security. Meanwhile, for the 2023 legislative session, Minnesota enjoyed a historic $17.6 billion surplus.

In the aftermath of the Annunciation school shooting, the issue will assuredly be revisited — including why lawmakers failed to act on the bishops’ request.

Responding to a request for comment, Walz’s office underscored that the governor “cares deeply about the safety of students” and has “signed into law millions in funding for school safety.” The National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, confirmed, however, that none of the previously signed funding bills applied to nonpublic school safety.

“We remain committed to working with anyone who is willing to work with us to stop gun violence and keep our students safe,” said the spokesman, noting that Walz meets with MCC on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Republican state Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia, told the Register that the tragedy is prompting her to reflect on her “responsibility as an elected official.”

“There are no easy answers, but I know our children — our most precious assets — must be protected,” said Coleman, a Catholic. “Now is the time to make school security funding a priority.”

In his first public remarks following the shooting, Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis begged for prayers for those affected. He also called for an end to gun violence.

“Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent,” he wrote in a statement. “They are far too commonplace.”

Adkins declined to comment at this time.

Previous requests

The Minnesota bishops’ efforts to secure school security funding came after state lawmakers had passed “Safe Schools” legislation in 2019 that provided money for security enhancements to public schools but not to nonpublic ones.

In 2022, after a bill to expand the funding to nonpublic schools stalled, Minnesota’s bishops urged Walz to call a special session and pass an expansion to Safe Schools. The measure would have provided $44 per student for security costs, regardless of their school’s affiliation.

“Although no legislation can stop the manifestation of evil, this Safe Schools legislation is an important, commonsense first step to establishing an ongoing funding source for schools to increase security staff, enhance building security, and strengthen violence prevention programs and mental health initiatives,” Hebda wrote in a May 2022 letter.

The House version of the bill was supported by multiple members of the Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party, the Minnesota affiliate of the national Democratic Party, indicating bipartisan support. However, Walz did not call a special session to pass the legislation.

The following year, MCC implored Minnesota’s lawmakers to make nonpublic schools eligible recipients of a $50 million security grant program included in the state’s education finance bill. 

The 2023 letter cosigned by MCC described “the exclusion of one sector of schools” from security funding as “a discriminatory act against our students.”

An attack on any school, whether it is a public, nonpublic, charter or another school site, cannot be tolerated or allowed to happen in Minnesota,” the letter writers said.

Meeting, but no funding

According to comments Adkins made to The Daily Wire, Minnesota’s bishops had raised their concerns with Walz, a former public school teacher, in a meeting. 

“He communicated his belief that people should feel safe in their schools and places of worship,” Adkins said. “But the appropriation was not created.”

As governor, Walz exerts significant influence over the budget process, including by proposing the initial biennial budget legislators are tasked to work with.

The Daily Wire article suggested that Walz focused on other priorities that year, such as securing Minnesota’s status as a “trans sanctuary” state.

MCC’s support for nonpublic school security in 2022 and 2023 is part of a more comprehensive effort to reduce gun violence. The bishops have also supported “red flag” orders, which temporarily restrict firearm access to individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others, and expanded background checks.

The Minnesota bishops did not take a public stance on security funding for Catholic schools in 2024 or 2025. Instead, MCC’s Catholic school-related efforts in those years included opposing the exclusion of religious colleges from postsecondary enrollment programs and securing religious exemptions from new legislation that included “gender identity” as a protected class under state law.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

St. Augustine of Hippo. / Credit: Cathopic

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church honors St. Augustine of Hippo, an early Church Father, doctor of the Church, and foundational theologian, on Aug. 28.

Augustine was brought up as a Christian in his early childhood but drifted from the Church, fathering a child out of wedlock and falling into the heresy of Manichaeism. His mother, Monica, a woman of deep faith who was later canonized herself, never stopped praying for his return to the Church.

Of the more than 5 million words that St. Augustine wrote during his lifetime (A.D. 354–430), his “Confessions” have had a particularly lasting influence as a philosophical, theological, mystical, and literary work. Written in about A.D. 400, “Confessions” details how God worked in Augustine’s life and reads not just as a story but as a prayer.

Here are five powerful quotes from St. Augustine’s “Confessions”:  

1. “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee” (Book I).

2. “To Carthage I came, where there sang all around me in my ears a cauldron of unholy loves. I loved not yet, yet I loved to love, and out of a deep-seated want, I hated myself for wanting not … For within me was a famine of that inward food, Thyself, My God” (Book III).

3. “But what am I to myself without Thee, but a guide to mine own downfall?” (Book IV).

4. “I cast myself down I know not how, under a certain fig-tree, giving full vent to my tears; and the floods of mine eyes gushed out an acceptable sacrifice to thee” (Book VIII).

5.  “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace” (Book X).

This story was first published on Aug. 28, 2024, and has been updated.