Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. / Credit: “EWTN News in Depth”

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 11, 2025 / 18:37 pm (CNA).

Here’s a roundup of the latest Catholic education news in the United States:

Benedictine College launches AI center on Carlo Acutis’ canonization day

In response to calls by Pope Leo XIV to the rise of artificial intelligence, Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, launched its new Center for Technology and Human Dignity to promote Catholic digital and biomedical ethics on the same day as Carlo Acutis’ canonization on Sept. 7 in Rome. 

“We are excited to dedicate this center under the patronage of St. Carlo Acutis, a model of how Catholics should use new technology thoughtfully but without fear. And its biomedical emphasis will help as we pursue a medical school,” said Benedictine College President Stephen Minnis in a press release. 

The center will be directed by Benedictine College Professor of Theology and Bioethics Mariele Courtois, who is also a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education’s research group on artificial intelligence.

2 Marquette University lacrosse players killed in drunk driving incident 

In a Sept. 6 Mass celebrated at the Marquette University Theatre, students, faculty, and staff mourned the loss of two lacrosse players killed in a drunk driving incident, according to reports.

Two students, Noah Snyder and Scott Michaud, were killed in the accident, which occurred when an unidentified 41-year-old woman who was driving while intoxicated struck their car. Four other students, including three lacrosse players, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. 

“When only standing room was available in the 1,000-seat facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jesuit university, students, and members of the Marquette community lined the walls of the theater and watched the Mass from the lobby,” a report said. 

School to issue public apology after alleged racist incident

The parents of a student who was expelled from a Catholic school in Oregon after they confronted the administration over a racist incident that took place in March have reportedly reached an agreement with the school. 

According to local reports, the Madeleine School will issue a public apology to parents Karis Stoudamire-Phillips and her husband, Mike, who are African American, in addition to promising to rectify its actions after an incident in which their son was allegedly called the N-word on the playground. 

When the couple confronted the school, the school’s principal allegedly dismissed the incident. The principal has since been fired, and the school issued a pledge to “[maintain] an educational environment free from the scourge of racism.” 

Catholic Church in Oklahoma announces plan to open new school after SCOTUS ruling 

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma and the Diocese of Tulsa have announced plans to open a new Catholic virtual school after their plan to open the first religious charter school in the nation was blocked by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. 

St. Carlos Acutis Academy will officially open in August 2026 as a private Catholic institution, enrolling K–8 students for its first year and adding grades each year until the school reaches K–12, the Oklahoman reported.

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of St. Carlo Acutis Classical Academy,” said the school’s head, Misty Smith.“Our mission is to bring the richness of the Catholic intellectual tradition into homes through an online format embracing classical curriculum resources that combine both synchronous and asynchronous learning.”

“St. Carlo Acutis said: ‘To be with God, that is my life project,’” she added, “and everything we at the academy do walks us closer to unity with Christ.”

Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and a vocal evangelical Christian who was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025, speaks at an event in Texas in 2018. / Credit: Carrington Tatum/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 11, 2025 / 18:17 pm (CNA).

Just a few months before he was assassinated on Sept. 10, Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk — a conservative campus activist and an outspoken evangelical Christian — said that upon his death, he would want to be remembered for his Christian faith.

“If everything completely goes away, how do you want to be remembered?” Jack Selby, host of The Iced Coffee Hour, asked Kirk at the end of a June 29 interview.

“If I die?” Kirk responded.

“Everything just goes away,” Selby said. “If you could be associated with one thing, how would you want to be remembered?”

“I want to be remembered for courage for my faith,” Kirk answered. “That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith.”

Kirk was murdered early Wednesday afternoon while conversing with students at Utah Valley University as part of his “The American Comeback Tour.” He had set up a tent with a banner that read “Prove Me Wrong,” urging people to approach and debate his views if they object to his political, religious, or philosophical positions.

It began similarly to Kirk’s other campus tours, with students and others lining up to ask him questions. About 3,000 people attended to either watch or debate him.

Just 20 minutes into the event, an attendee asked Kirk about transgenderism and gun violence. He and Kirk had a brief back-and-forth before someone perched on a nearby roof fired a single bullet from a bolt-action rifle, which pierced the left side of Kirk’s neck and ended his life.

One witness named Brandon Russon told CBS News that shortly before Kirk was shot, he was discussing his Christian faith with a different attendee. In that conversation, Russon recalled Kirk proclaiming to the crowd that “Christ is Lord” and the Son of God had “defeated death.”

This was a common trend in his campus activism.

Earlier this year, Kirk debated an atheist student who asked him about working with atheist conservatives. Although Kirk said he would welcome anyone who supports good causes, he cautioned that atheism cannot produce a proper moral code.

“You must be an honest atheist and acknowledge that morality is definitionally subjective without a belief in God,” he said. “That you cannot be an atheist and believe in objective morality. It is an impossibility and true atheists will acknowledge this.”

Kirk noted that atheists have “ought” claims. They suggest that things ought to be a certain way, such as that “murder ought to be wrong,” but cannot proclaim objective moral standards “if there is not a divine eternal power over you.”

“It’s a very important truth claim because when you do not have objective truth anchoring your society, then it becomes a power struggle,” Kirk warned. “If you do not have truth, then power will reign. Whoever can get the most amount of power then ends up having the most amount of say over society. We believe what is objectively right, true, good, and beautiful should be transcendent over society.”

Kirk often discussed his faith in interviews, including one with prominent atheist Bill Maher on the “Club Random” podcast this year, where Kirk explained the Christian doctrines of grace and atonement. 

“We believe [Christ] … suffering the death that he did on the cross was him atoning for our sins, the sins of humanity” Kirk told Maher. “... It is at a core a statement of human equality, that we’re all sinners, we’re all screwed up. We all got problems. We all got vices. … We all fall short of God’s standard and Jesus makes us whole.”

Throughout his career, Kirk encouraged young people to get married and start families, argued against abortion and gender ideology, and worked to inspire college students to follow Christ.

Charlie Kirk’s relationship with the Catholic Church

Although Kirk was Protestant, he often engaged in theological discussions with Catholics. His wife, Erika, is a baptized Catholic, and the couple and their two children have been seen at a Catholic church in Scottsdale, Arizona.

During a podcast this year, Kirk told a caller: “Catholics are just fabulous in so many different ways.”

“They fight for life, they fight for marriage, they fight against transgenderism,” he said.

The caller asked Kirk about Catholic Mariology, an issue where Kirk said he believes Catholics go “too far.” Yet, Kirk said he would be “happy to debate it” and that evangelicals could “do a better job of remembering, studying, talking about and pointing towards Mary because she was a vessel chosen by God Almighty that brought Our Lord into this world.”

“We as Protestants, evangelicals, under-venerate Mary,” he said. “She was very important. She was a vessel for Our Lord and Savior. I think that we … overcorrected. We don’t talk about Mary enough, we don’t venerate her enough. Mary was clearly important to early Christians. There’s something there. In fact, I believe one of the ways that we fix toxic feminism in America is: Mary is the solution.”

Kirk also spoke about the trend that “many young men are going back to church” when he was interviewed by Tucker Carlson this year. He called church a “life raft in this tsunami of chaos and disorder” and noted that many are attending Catholic Mass because “they want something that has lasted” and “they want something that is ancient and beautiful.”

Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, posted on X that Kirk “genuinely believed in and loved Jesus Christ” and “had a profound faith.” Vance noted that Kirk was a friend, and they would often debate theological subjects.

“We used to argue about Catholicism and Protestantism and who was right about minor doctrinal questions,” he said. “Because he loved God, he wanted to understand him.”

Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron posted on X that he had breakfast with Kirk about four years ago and discussed theology. Kirk was scheduled to appear on his show “Bishop Barron Presents” in less than two weeks.

“He was indeed a great debater and also one of the best advocates in our country for civil discourse, but he was, first and last, a passionate Christian,” Barron said. 

“In fact, when we had that breakfast in Phoenix, we didn’t talk much about politics,” Barron said. “We talked about theology, in which he had a deep interest, and about Christ. I know I’m joining millions of people around the world in praying that he rests now in the peace of the Lord.”

Kirk also joined in grieving for the victims of the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting last month in Minneapolis. On his show, he discussed how one can believe in God even amid tragedy.

“The cross is God’s answer to evil,” Kirk said. “... The question should not be ‘why does evil exist?’ Instead, it should be ‘what has God done about it?’ And the cross is the answer.”

Police gather at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, 2025, following a mass shooting that killed two children and injured 17 others, 14 of them children. / Credit: Chad Davis, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Sep 11, 2025 / 17:27 pm (CNA).

After two children died and more than 20 people were injured by a transgender-identifying man in Minneapolis in August, Catholic schools around the country have been evaluating their security measures, with some hiring security guards and others allowing teachers and staff to be armed.

The Diocese of Buffalo this week announced it has hired armed security guards for the 29 Catholic elementary schools in its jurisdiction and has also engaged a “security consultant” to help create “comprehensive safety plans tailored to each school community.”

Catholic schools superintendent Joleen Dimitroff sent a letter to parents informing them of the decisions, which she said are “a reflection of our shared belief that the safety of our children is priceless and must be protected with the highest level of care.”

Parents’ reactions have been mixed. Marc Bruno, a longtime Buffalo public school teacher, called the move “a necessary step.”

“No one wants to see guns in the schools,” he told local ABC news station WKBW. However, he continued, “if you look at some of the previous shootings, principals have thrown their bodies at the gunman, and you know, our bodies don’t stand a chance against a bullet.”

One mother opposed the move, saying having armed security guards will put “children’s lives in danger.” She said she will not continue sending her child to school with armed guards present, emphasizing that her child “isn’t allowed to have peanut butter in his classroom to protect kids, but you want a stranger strolling the halls with a gun?”

Arming teachers

A less-talked-about solution among Catholic schools is the practice of arming school staff, including teachers. 

In Ohio, nearly 100 public school districts — and even some private Christian schools — have anonymous armed staff this year, up from 67 the year before, according to a roster released by the Ohio Department of Public Safety.

Hametown Christian Academy, a private school in Norton, Ohio, allows armed staff. 

Associate pastor and head of school safety at the school Rick Wright told the Akron Beacon Journal on Aug. 25 that the school board decided it was “prudent to arm teachers and staff members” due to the increase in school shootings in recent years. 

“A gun is not evil,” Wright said. “It is a tool, and the fact that some of our staff may be armed is a deterrent.”

The names and numbers of teachers and other school staff carrying guns are not publicly available, nor are the total number of armed staff in each district. All armed staff are trained to use their weapons, according to Wright.

Schools post signs alerting visitors of the gun policy, hoping the knowledge that staff are armed will serve as “a deterrent,” Wright said.

If you “put up a no gun zone sign,” Wright said, “you’re telling somebody you can come in here and shoot all you want.” 

“It works the opposite (of the intent); you’ve made yourself a soft target,” he said.

An independent Catholic school in the South that wishes to remain unnamed told CNA that after extensive discussion about campus security, administrators arrived at an “informal” security policy that involves armed staff.

“We’re pretty sure some of the teachers have guns in their cars,” an administrator told CNA. 

When asked whether teachers were also carrying concealed weapons, the administrator said he does not know, and the school has “never said yes or no” to the practice.

Because of the “high quality of the teachers” at the school, the administrator said the leadership “came to the conclusion that the teachers would go after a guy with a gun rather than run away.” The school would “call the police and then the teachers with weapons would use … deadly force” if necessary to protect students. 

“We’re willing to bet that would be a sufficient response,” he said.

Funding for security measures

Funding for the new security measures in the Buffalo Diocese for the 2025-2026 school year has been provided by the Foundation for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, according to Dimitroff. Tuition will increase in subsequent years to cover the cost, which might also be covered by public funding.

James Cultrara, the director for education for the New York State Catholic Conference, told CNA after the 2012 school shooting in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, that New York state lawmakers had instituted two funding streams to address school security: one for public schools and one for private schools. 

The private school funding program has expanded tenfold, from $7 million initially to more than $70 million. Schools can use the funds to address anything related to “health, safety, and security.” Environmental hazard mitigation as well as security cameras, security guards, and remote door locks are covered by the funding, Cultrara said.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference released a statement on Sept. 5 saying it “welcomes a broader legislative discussion about preventing gun violence” and asking the state Legislature to address security funding disparities between public and private schools.

Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, noted that while the Catholic Church in Minnesota “has long supported commonsense gun regulations, such as protective orders and expanded background checks,” neither of those measures prevented “the Annunciation tragedy.”

Adkins noted that while “Americans have a right to possess firearms,” that right comes with responsibilities, including that of public officials to address the “deeper causes of violence — mental health struggles, family breakdown, and a growing despair often worsened by harmful ideologies, substance abuse, and the effects of the absence of God in people’s lives.”

Adkins urged the Legislature to reconsider recently-enacted laws that loosen restrictions on THC (a cannabis plant derivative) and “the widely debated treatment of young people experiencing gender dysphoria.”

A controversial Minnesota law prohibits mental health counselors from practicing so-called conversion therapy on LGBT youth, which in practice means that therapists who want to help people who do not want to embrace a LGBT identity are fearful of doing so, according to Christian therapist Dr. David Kirby, who testified against the legislation before it passed.

Memorial lights commemorate the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. / Credit: Brian E Kushner/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 11, 2025 / 13:34 pm (CNA).

On the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Catholic and U.S. leaders offered prayers and paid tribute to those who lost their lives that day and for all those who continue to grieve.

“Today we remember Sept. 11, 2001,” Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York wrote in a joint post to social media. “We continue to pray for the souls lost that day, the families who still mourn, the heroes who served, and all those who have since died from 9/11-related illnesses or continue to suffer.”

Dolan’s post offered a prayer to be said on the anniversary: “Lord, on this Sept. 11, we remember all who died 24 years ago in our city and throughout the country. We hold in our hearts those who still carry loss and grief from that day.”

“Grant eternal rest to the departed, strength to survivors and their families, and protection for first responders and all who serve our communities with courage and dedication. Lord God, continue to watch over our city and country, and help us turn hearts toward compassion and peace. Amen.”

In a post to X, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also offered a prayer in memory of the attack: “God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events. Grant that those whose lives were spared may live so that the lives lost here may not have been lost in vain.”

“Comfort and console us, strengthen us in hope, and give us the wisdom and courage to work tirelessly for a world where true peace and love reign among nations and in the hearts of all.”

U.S. leaders also commemorated the day and paid tribute to the victims. 

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended an event at the Pentagon in Virginia on Thursday morning where prayers were offered for all the victims, first responders, those who continue to grieve, and U.S. active military members. 

“To every family member that still feels a void every day of your lives, the First Lady and I unite with you in sorrow,” Trump said at the event. “And today, as one nation, we renew our sacred vow that we will never forget Sept. 11, 2001.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also spoke, asking the crowd to honor the memory of the victims and to acknowledge “the decades of courage that followed” the attack. 

“We gather to pay tribute to the first responders who charged into the flames and up the stairs, to those trapped on planes fighting their final fight, and to the families whose lives were forever altered by that fateful day,” Hegseth said.  

“I thank God for all of you and all of our fighters from that day, to today and beyond. May God bless our warriors as they ruthlessly seek out enemies on behalf of the fellow citizens they love.”

A makeshift memorial is seen at Timpanogos Regional Hospital in honor of political activist Charlie Kirk on Sept. 11, 2025, in Orem, Utah. / Credit: George Frey/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 11, 2025 / 13:04 pm (CNA).

Faith leaders and political leaders are uniting their voices to condemn politically motivated violence following the assassination of Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk.

Following the confirmation of Kirk’s death by President Donald Trump, some hours after the TPUSA founder was shot at a Utah Valley University event on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 10, countless faith and political leaders began to speak out against the scourge of political violence.

In a statement, Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, railed against the “vicious pattern of political and social disorder” of the past several weeks, citing the Annunciation Catholic school shooting, the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, “and now the political assassination of Charlie Kirk, known for his commitment to civil and rational discourse.” 

“What we see unfolding in our nation is a vicious pattern of hatreds rooted in the rejection of God, of the dignity of the human person, and the sanctity of the family,” the bishop observed.

“We are living through a perilous moment,” Burbridge continued. “Our challenge is not only one of partisan disagreement, law, and policy, but in a deeper way our challenge is to uphold the central goods of American political life: of faith, of families, and of a national commitment to live together in harmony as brothers and sisters.”

Kirk’s assasination hit Bishop Barron particularly hard

“I am devastated by the news of Charlie Kirk’s death,” Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron said after news of Kirk’s death was confirmed by President Donald Trump. 

Barron went on to reveal that Kirk had been scheduled to appear on his show, “Bishop Barron Presents,” in 10 days. The founder of Word on Fire called Kirk “a great debater and also one of the best advocates in our country for civil discourse, but he was, first and last, a passionate Christian,” recalling that when they first met four years ago, “we didn’t talk much about politics. We talked about theology, in which he had a deep interest, and about Christ. I know I’m joining millions of people around the world in praying that he rests now in the peace of the Lord.”

Moral theologian on root of problem

“You have to be willfully blind not to see that the root of the problem is political hatred, and that that hatred is no more obvious than in those who cannot restrain themselves from badmouthing a man even when he lay dying,” said Edward Feser, a Catholic philosopher and professor at Pasadena City College.

In a joint post showcasing their shared perspective across ideological divides, Princeton legal scholar Robert George and Harvard theology and philosophy professor Cornel West said: “For our nation, this is a moment for deep healing and for bearing witness to the precious humanity of all our brothers and sisters — those with whom we agree and those with whom we disagree.” The pair had appeared together on Kirk’s show recently.

Meanwhile, CatholicVote President Kelsey Reinhardt said the tragic shooting “was not merely an assault on one man: It was an assault on the principles of free dialogue, civic order, and human dignity.” 

“As Catholics, we affirm with unwavering conviction that every human life is sacred,” Reinhardt continued, offering prayers for the repose of Kirk’s soul. “I call upon every leader, regardless of party or persuasion, to condemn this murder unequivocally. To remain silent in the face of such evil is to be complicit in its advance. Let this tragedy awaken America to the urgent need to recover respect for life, civility in discourse, and courage in the pursuit of truth.”

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts also weighed in, writing: “What a horrific day in American history.” 

“To Charlie’s family, friends, and @TPUSA colleagues: We must never, never, never, never, never, never stop fighting to build the America that he helped make possible,” Roberts added. 

Netanyahu: Kirk ‘stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined world leaders in condemning Kirk’s assasination, writing: “Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization.” 

Netanyahu revealed he had spoken to Kirk “only two weeks ago” and had invited the late TPUSA founder to visit Israel.

“Sadly, that visit will not take place,” the prime minister said. “We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact.” 

In another tribute, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who hosted Kirk as the first guest on his new podcast, said: “His senseless murder is a reminder of how important it is for all of us, across the political spectrum, to foster genuine discourse on issues that deeply affect us all without resorting to political violence.” 

“The best way to honor Charlie’s memory is to continue his work: Engage with each other, across ideology, through spirited discourse,” he continued. “In a democracy, ideas are tested through words and good-faith debate — never through violence.”

Newsom added: “Honest disagreement makes us stronger; violence only drives us further apart and corrodes the values at the heart of this nation.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden both took to social media as well, with Biden writing in a post: “There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.” 

“I am deeply disturbed by the shooting in Utah. Doug and I send our prayers to Charlie Kirk and his family,” Harris wrote, adding: “Let me be clear: Political violence has no place in America. I condemn this act, and we all must work together to ensure this does not lead to more violence.”

Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau at his episcopal consecration Mass as the new auxiliary bishop of Newark, New Jersey, on Sept. 8, 2025. / Credit: Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 11, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

“Today, we Nicaraguans are making history again. Do not forget: God is with us and God is with Nicaragua!” said Pedro Bismarck Chau, the new auxiliary bishop of Newark, New Jersey, at the Sept. 8 Mass for his episcopal consecration, making him the first Nicaraguan-born bishop in the United States.

Amid a festive atmosphere and before a packed Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark, where he had been rector since 2020, Chau received episcopal consecration through the laying on of hands by several bishops. The principal consecrator was Cardinal Joseph Tobin, the archbishop of Newark.

As part of the celebration, Cardinal Christoph Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, read the letter in which Pope Leo XIV officially appointed Chau as bishop and encouraged him to allow himself to be strengthened “by the grace of this jubilee year and you will have reason to be confident in the gift of hope, which does not disappoint. May God continue to bless you and may he bless the people of God in this archdiocese.”

The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep

In his homily in English and Spanish, Tobin encouraged the new bishop to remember that “you have been called from among the people of God and for the people of God. Not for yourself, but for the things that belong to God. Indeed, episcopacy is the name of a service, not an honor, for a bishop should strive to serve rather than rule.”

“According to the Master’s commandment, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all … Be a faithful steward and dispenser of the mysteries of Christ. Always follow the example of the Good Shepherd, who knows his sheep and is known by them, and who did not hesitate to give his life for them.”

The cardinal then recalled that “Pope Francis never tired of repeating to bishops that there are three aspects to a bishop’s closeness to the people he serves: closeness to God in prayer, the first task; closeness to the priests and deacons of the Church; and closeness to the people of God. … Do not forget your roots, do not forget those who have passed on the faith to you.”

‘God is with Nicaragua!’

At the beginning of his address as a newly consecrated bishop, Chau thanked the Deaf community in sign language, recalling that for 17 years they have been a great support and encouragement in his ministry, offering them his prayers and concluding with a clear: “I love you!”

Speaking later in Spanish, he addressed his “dear Hispanic community: Thank you for the faith and devotion you possess. You are a great gift of life for the Church in the United States. Continue, brothers, to be a Church that goes out in search of the lost sheep.”

“I would also like to acknowledge the presence this afternoon,” Chau continued, “of a group of people here from a very small country but with a big and resilient heart that cries out with a phrase that no other country has: ‘Who causes so much joy? The conception of Mary. Mary of Nicaragua! Nicaragua of Mary!’”

The prelate addressed his family, especially his mother: “Thank you, my dearest mother, for everything and for praying so many rosaries for me, three, four, and five times a day that you pray for me. I need them, so don’t stop praying those rosaries for me. OK, Mommy?”

“I love you very much,” he told his family, “you know I love you with all my heart.”

The example of the Virgin Mary

Chau said he hopes to “follow the example of Mary, whose birthday we celebrate today. Happy birthday, Mary! She trusted in God’s plan even though she didn’t know what she was being called to or where it would take or lead her. She renounced all the dreams and aspirations that a young girl would have and put God’s will first.”

Then addressing all those assembled he said: “I humbly ask you to remember me in your prayers to the Lord and to ask the Virgin to watch over me and bring me closer to her son, Jesus, so that I may reflect for you the image of the Good Shepherd. Thank you, and may God bless you all!” he said.

Words of Bishop Silvio Báez

Following the Mass, Bishop Silvio Báez, the exiled auxiliary bishop of Managua, Nicaragua, who has been living in the U.S. since 2019, said the episcopal consecration of Chau was a “historic celebration. The first Nicaraguan, born in Nicaragua, to be ordained a bishop in the United States. He was baptized and took his first steps in the faith in Nicaragua.”

“This is a sign of the richness and fruitfulness of the Church of Nicaragua and a message of hope for all the people of God in our country. The fact that Bismarck came from Nicaragua and settled in the United States shows that it is possible to move forward despite the difficulties one may encounter,” he added.

When asked about his meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in August, along with two other exiled Nicaraguan bishops — Carlos Herrera and Isidoro Mora — the prelate said: “The interview with the Holy Father was a moment of grace, a moment of hope, seeing how deeply he holds Nicaragua in his heart as well as the situation the Nicaraguan people are experiencing at this time.”

Who is Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau?

Pedro Bismarck Chau was born on June 28, 1967, in Managua, Nicaragua. He studied at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

He completed his ecclesiastical studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange and later earned a master’s degree in counseling from Seton Hall University.

He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark on May 24, 2008.

He served as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Mount Virgin in Garfield, New Jersey, from 2008–2012; as director of vocations from 2012–2016; and as head of campus ministry at Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology from 2015–2020.

He also served as pastor of the Pro-Cathedral of Sts. John and Patrick in Newark from 2015–2020 and rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart since 2020.

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

null / Credit: roibu/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 11, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

A new Pew Research Center study found that religion does not play a large role in how most Americans vote in U.S. elections. 

The research was conducted as part of Pew’s “About the American Trends Panel.” It was conducted May 5–11 and surveyed a representative sample of 8,937 U.S. adults. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.

Of the responding participants, 56% of Americans said religion shapes how they vote “a little” or “not at all,” 18% said religion shapes how they vote “some,” and 25% said religion affects how they vote “a great deal” or “quite a bit.”

Susan Hanssen, a professor of history at the University of Dallas, told CNA the data is “striking” because “it does not follow a normal curve.”

“One would expect that on the edges of the sociological spectrum, a small portion of people would not vote according to their religious beliefs, the majority of people would vote somewhat in accordance with their religious beliefs, and a small number of people would vote absolutely based on their religious beliefs. But this curve is the opposite.”

“This follows what we know to be true about people who say grace before meals,” Hanssen explained. “People either always say grace before meals and vote according to their religious beliefs, or they never say grace before meals and do not vote according to religious beliefs. Very few people only say grace every once in a while, and only consider God every once in a while while voting. It seems to be a kind of all or nothing thing with God.”

Hanssen explained a possible reason behind the research findings. She said: “The fact that a majority of people are on one end of the spectrum, not taking God or religion into account when voting, matches perfectly with our deplorable birth rate.” 

“Clearly people are living for their immediate economic benefit and not thinking about either the next generation (their children and grandchildren) nor eternity. The widespread contraceptive mentality has undermined people’s habit of voting for family, values, and religious principles.”

Catholic subset

Among Catholic respondents, 24% said religion affects their voting patterns “a great deal” or “quite a bit,” 22% said “some,” and 54% said “a little” or “not at all.” 

The majority (67%) of Catholics also said “God does not get involved in U.S. presidential elections.” The research found that 26% of Catholics reported they agree Trump’s election “must be part of God’s overall plan, but doesn’t necessarily mean God approves of Trump’s policies.” Only 5% said “God chose Trump to become president, because God approves of his policies.”

The Pew report revealed that religion affects how evangelical Christians vote the most among religious affiliations. Out of respondents, more than half (51%) of white evangelical Christians said their religion affects how they voted “a great deal” or “quite a bit.” 

Voters least affected by religious beliefs were unsurprisingly self-identified atheists, with 88% reporting that it affects them “a little” or “not at all.” Out of religiously affiliated, nonevangelical Christians were least likely to report their religious beliefs affect how they vote.

Republicans (34%) were almost twice as likely as Democrats (18%) to report religion shapes how they vote. Republicans were also more likely to believe that recent election results must be part of God’s overall plan, even if God doesn’t necessarily approve of the winner’s policies.

In regard to the most recent presidential election, the survey posed a question to Christians about what “good Christians” should think of Trump. It found that 80% of U.S. Christians said “good Christians can disagree about Donald Trump,” 11% said “opposing Trump is essential to being a good Christian,” and 7% said “supporting Trump is essential to being a good Christian.”

Erik Dike, a rising senior nursing student at Belmont Abbey College, carries a patient onboard a hospital ship in Madagascar during a two-week program with Mercy Ships. / Credit: Joshua Kiew Wing Chau

CNA Staff, Sep 11, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Three nursing students from a Catholic liberal arts school in North Carolina spent two weeks on a hospital ship in Madagascar this summer.

Emma Harris, who will graduate from Belmont Abbey College in Charlotte in May 2026, joined fellow students Caroline Gutierrez and Eric Dike on a service-oriented internship in Madagascar with an international faith-based group called Mercy Ships. After returning to the U.S., Harris said she was “transformed.”

Mercy Ships operates the two largest nongovernmental hospital ships worldwide, delivering free surgeries and health care services “to those with little access to safe medical care,” according to the organization. The three Belmont students, along with two other students, were selected to make up the first-ever cohort of The Mercyship, the hospital ship’s summer internship program.

Harris joined Mercy Ships because she wanted to follow Jesus’ example.

“Being on Mercy Ships completely transformed me,” Harris said. “I went in with my whole life mapped out, but the experience changed my perspective and priorities.”

Mercy Ships, which has been operating for nearly 50 years, brings medical care to people in need around the world while incorporating the faith. 

Kerry Peterson, senior vice president of advancement at Mercy Ships, said its mission is “not just about providing medical care but creating a community centered on love, service, and faith.” 

More than 2,500 volunteers serve on the two ships. Students work with volunteer professionals “and witness firsthand how transformative health care can restore hope and dignity,” Peterson said. 

“Serving with Mercy Ships is a unique experience because it brings people from all over the world together with one purpose: using their skills and gifts to bring healing and hope to those who need it most,” Harris said.

Faith and service in a ‘medical desert’ 

Madagascar is a “medical desert,” Peterson said. It is a country of more than 28 million residents, 75% living under the poverty line, and for every 1,000 people, there are 0.2 physicians, according to Peterson.

The Africa Ship, one of the two hospital ships, arrived in Madagascar in February 2024 and will remain there until the end of 2025.

“Access to safe surgical care is extremely limited, making it one of the world’s medical deserts where patients would otherwise go untreated for conditions that are easily treatable,” Peterson said.

But the Mercy Ships program helps in “cultivating the next generation of faith-inspired health care leaders who will carry forward our commitment to bringing hope and healing to those who need it most,” Peterson said.

“We hope students leave with a transformed understanding of what health care can be when delivered with compassion and cultural humility, seeing how healing encompasses dignity and hope far beyond clinical procedures alone,” Peterson said.

Dike, a senior from Wake Forest, North Carolina, said: “Being part of this program was both eye-opening and deeply fulfilling.”

“While I was there, I could see how God was working through the staff to bring healing to those who need it most,” Dike told CNA. “None of the staff are paid, yet they serve with so much joy and love — a rare and inspiring thing to witness.”

Harris said she “was inspired to join Mercy Ships because of my faith in Jesus and my desire to follow his example of serving others with compassion.”

“Mercy Ships’ mission to bring hope and healing through love perfectly reflects the calling I feel to use my gifts in service,” Harris said. “I have always had a passion for caring for others, especially children and families, and the vision of Mercy Ships, to provide free medical care and show God’s love in practical, life-changing ways was the perfect way to do that.”

For Harris, Mercy Ships is a “tangible” connection to Christ.

“For me, it connects deeply to my walk with Jesus, because he calls us to care for the sick, love our neighbors, and serve with humility,” she said.

“Being part of this program is important to me because it lets me live out my faith by serving others, growing in my walk with God, and using my gifts to make a difference,” Harris said.

Gutierrez, a senior in the nursing program at Belmont Abbey from North Carolina, joined the program because she said she felt “drawn to helping people in some of their toughest, most vulnerable, painful moments, because we are called as Christians to heal the sick, feed the poor, and show love to those rebuked by the world.”

“At Mercy Ships, they start the day with prayer and worship, offering up their work and service up to God,” Gutierrez said. “Everyone is there out of love of God and love of others — I found this to be the unifying key to the mission of mercy ships.”

“Mercy Ships is truly something bigger than yourself,” Dike said, adding that the program helped him realize “how beautiful people’s hearts can be.”

“Everyone on the ship speaks passionately about how much they love being a part of Mercy Ships and how it has become a lifelong calling for many of them,” he said. “I was grateful to share even a small part of that by caring for patients and witnessing their joy and gratitude.”

Communicating beyond words

Mercy Ships gives students the opportunity to “witness how our volunteer medical professionals combine clinical excellence with genuine care for each patient’s whole being,” Peterson said.

Dike said it was a “unique experience” and “very different from nursing in America.” 

Health care practitioners on board “rely on translators for every patient,” he noted.  

“This taught me the importance of communicating beyond words, through body language and facial expressions, when language barriers exist,” Dike said.

Peterson hopes students view “their work not just as jobs but as callings to serve.”

“This immersive experience shows them that faith, service, and clinical excellence aren’t separate components but integrated aspects of transformative health care that treats each patient with dignity and compassion,” Peterson said.

After the transformative experience, Harris said she is setting her sights on a future of service. 

“Now, the one thing I know for certain is that I want to finish my degree and get back on the ship as soon as I can,” Harris said. “It showed me what it really means to serve, to live in community, and to trust God with my future.”

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Close to 200 clerics who had been named bishops in the past year were not the only ones in the Vatican's New Synod Hall to have been thrust into new ministries and leadership roles.

"Maybe some of you are still saying: Why was I chosen? At least I ask myself that," Pope Leo XIV said Sept. 11 during a meeting with bishops in Rome for the Vatican's annual formation courses for new bishops.

"The gift you have received is not for yourselves, but to serve the cause of the Gospel. You have been chosen and called to be sent out as apostles of the Lord and as servants of the faith," the pope told them. 

The courses -- sometimes casually referred to as "Baby Bishops' School" or "Bishops' Boot Camp" -- are sponsored by the dicasteries for Bishops, for Evangelization and for Eastern Churches. The courses include sessions on topics such as what canon law says about administering a diocese, investigating abuse allegations and communication, but they also introduce the bishops to Vatican officials and offices and give them a chance to pray and meet with their peers from around the world.

Since the courses are a fixture on the Vatican calendar, Pope Leo said he had expected to be there as Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.

"I thought I'd be here, but dressed in black like you are," he said. Instead, he was wearing papal white. 

Pope Leo spent more than three hours with the bishops; he read a prepared text, which the Vatican published, and then he spent some 90 minutes listening to their concerns and responding to their questions behind closed doors. The pope ended the morning by posing for a photo with each bishop separately.

"The bishop is a servant, the bishop is called to serve the faith of the people," the pope told the group, which included about a dozen bishops named to U.S. dioceses.

Service, he said, "is not an external characteristic or just a way of exercising a role" but is an essential part of the call.

"Those whom Jesus calls as disciples and proclaimers of the Gospel -- especially the Twelve -- are called to interior freedom, poverty of spirit and a willingness to serve that is born of love, in order to embody the very choice of Jesus, who became poor to make us rich," he said.

Jesus showed his disciples "the style of God, who does not reveal himself through power, but through the love of a Father who calls us into communion with him," the pope said.

"Always stay vigilant and walk in humility and prayer, so that you may become servants of the people to whom the Lord sends you," Pope Leo asked the bishops.

Knowing one is called to serve is not enough, he told them. The "spirit of service" must be "translated into an apostolic style, into the various forms of care and pastoral governance (and) into a deep longing to proclaim the Gospel, expressed in diverse and creative ways depending on the concrete situations you will face." 

The need for creativity and new approaches to ministry is clear, he said. 

"The crisis of faith and its transmission, along with the struggles related to belonging and ecclesial practice, call us to rediscover the passion and courage for a new proclamation of the Gospel," he said. "At the same time, many people who seem distant from the faith often return to knock at the doors of the church or open themselves to a new search for spirituality -- one that sometimes does not find adequate language or form in our usual pastoral approaches."

Many of the bishops also will be called to respond to other challenges, too, he said, including "the tragedy of war and violence, the suffering of the poor, the longing of many for a more fraternal and united world, the ethical challenges that question us about the value of life and freedom -- and the list could certainly go on."

Amid all those challenges, he told the bishops, "the church sends you as caring, attentive shepherds -- shepherds who know how to walk with their people, to share in their questions, anxieties and hopes; shepherds who long to be guides, fathers and brothers to priests and to their sisters and brothers in the faith."

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The U.S. bishops who attended the course are seen in the photo, from left to right: Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Timothy J. O'Malley; Auxiliary Bishop Kevin T. Kenney of St. Paul and Minneapolis; Bishop Scott E. Bullock of Rapid City, South Dakota; Bishop-designate Ralph B. O'Donnell of Jefferson City, Missouri; Chicago Auxiliary Bishop John S. Siemianowski; Bishop-designate Thomas J. Hennen of Baker, Oregon; Bishop Richard F. Reidy of Norwich, Connecticut; Bishop John E. Keehner of Sioux City, Iowa; Chicago Auxiliary Robert M. Fedek; Bishop Artur Bubnevych of the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix; Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Lawrence J. Sullivan; and Chicago Auxiliary Bishop José Maria Garcia Maldonado. Auxiliary Bishop Dennis E. Spies of Joliet, Illinois, also attended the course but is not pictured.
 

Police officers are on the scene at Evergreen High School where a shooting occured earlier in the day, in Evergreen, Colorado, on Sept. 10, 2025. A shooting at Evergreen High School in Colorado critically injured three studentsincluding the suspected shooter. Authorities say there is no longer an active threat. / Credit: CHET STRANGE/AFP via Getty Images

Denver, Colo., Sep 10, 2025 / 20:14 pm (CNA).

The suspect in a school shooting in Evergreen, Colorado, has died of self-inflicted wounds after shooting two of his peers.

After a shooting at Evergreen High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, on Wednesday, one student remains in critical condition while the other was released from the hospital in stable condition, according to the hospital’s trauma director, Dr. Brian Blackwood. 

The suspected shooter, identified as Desmond Holly, 16, had been “radicalized,” according to the sheriff’s office. Social media accounts apparently belonging to Holly featured white supremacist content and “explicitly antisemitic” posts, as well as posts suggesting an interest in mass shootings, according to a report by the Denver Post.  

The students were treated at CommonSpirit St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colorado. One of the two victims was identified as Matthew Silverstone, 18. The family has asked for privacy “as we continue to heal and navigate the road ahead,” the Silverstone family said in a statement.

The shooting took place at midday about 30 miles southwest of Denver at a high school of 900 students. Hundreds of law enforcement rushed to the scene. The school has since been cleared by law enforcement and there is no longer an ongoing threat, according to local police.   

“My heart is with the students, parents, and teachers at Evergreen High School. Today, we grieve for those critically shot and those left frightened and shaken,” Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver said in a statement. 

“We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement on the scene, whose courage brought calm amid chaos, and for the doctors and medical teams working tirelessly to care for the injured,” he continued. “The victims have been taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital, a Catholic hospital, where they are receiving compassionate care.”

“To our young people, know that Jesus is near you, hears your cries, and his mother Mary holds you close,” Aquila said. “To hurting families, the Church is with you, and we lift you and your children up in prayer.” 

“May Christ bring comfort to your hearts and may Mary at the foot of the cross wrap you in her tender care,” he said.

The nearby parish, Christ the King Parish, is offering ministry for students, families, and staff amid the tragic event, according to the archdiocese. 

A team of deacons “trained to serve in disasters and critical incidents” has also been put on alert. 

“These deacons, who have partnered with the American Red Cross in past crises, stand ready to offer pastoral outreach and guidance should they be needed at the hospital or school,” read a statement from the archdiocese.

“Students should be able to attend school safely and without fear across our state and nation,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. “We are all praying for the victims and the entire community.”

FBI Director Kash Patel posted about the tragedy, saying that the FBI was “on the scene and in full support of local authorities to ensure everyone’s safety.” 

This is at least the seventh school shooting in Colorado since the 1999 Columbine High School shooting.

The shooting took place within hours of the shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at a rally at Utah Valley University.  

“In addition to praying for Charlie Kirk, please also pray for my hometown Evergreen, Colorado, where there is a school shooting and at least two students have been shot,” said Catholic commentator and Daily Wire show host Isabel Brown.

This story was updated most recently on Sept. 12, 2025, at 1:24 p.m. ET.