We Are Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish

Before the recitation of the Angelus in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV recalled the “great celebration” to which the human family is destined—so different from the tragedies it endures because of present injustices. He also greeted the Delegation of the Church of England, in Rome for the proclamation of Saint John Henry Newman as a Doctor of the Church.

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During the Mass on the Solemnity of All Saints, also the culmination of the Jubilee of the World of Education, Pope Leo XIV proclaims Saint John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church. His legacy, the Pope emphasized, is to form people "so that they may shine like stars in their full dignity.”

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In an interview with Vatican News, Guila Clara Kessous, a UNESCO Artist for Peace, social entrepreneur and executive coach, talks about her recent proposal at the United Nations to implement quotas of women in peace negotiations.

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On Friday, Oct. 31, Archbishop Weisenburger helped seminarians at Sacred Heart Major Seminary distribute Halloween candy to hundreds of joy-filled families and kids in the neighborhood. Seminarians collected 229 tubs filled with 50 pounds of candy each — largely donated by Catholic parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Detroit. “This is one of the greatest things the seminary does for the neighborhood every year,” the archbishop said. “Children line up an hour before we open and are lined up around the block.”

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 17:57 pm (CNA).

The Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) minor basilica in Barcelona is now the tallest church in the world, standing at 535 ft., surpassing Ulm Germany’s main church, whose construction began in the 14th century.

According to the Sagrada Familia Expiatory Church Construction Board Foundation, as reported Oct. 30 by the Archdiocese of Barcelona, ​​"the first element that forms part of the cross on the tower of Jesus Christ" was installed, marking the beginning of the final phase of construction of the church’s central tower.

This latest addition consists of the lower portion of the cross, measuring over 20 ft. high and weighing 24 tons. “With a double-twist geometry, the lower portion has a square shape at the base that transforms into an octagonal shape at the top,” whose exterior is “clad with white glazed ceramic and glass, materials that stand out for their reflective properties and resistance to atmospheric conditions,” the news brief explains.

The tower of Jesus Christ is the tallest of the central towers of the church designed by Antoni Gaudí, who died a century ago. The completion of this structure “will be a historic milestone for Sagrada Familia and a tribute to its architect.”

More than 140 years of history

The first stone of Sagrada Familia Basilica was laid on March 19, 1882, according to the design of the architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. The following year, Antoni Gaudí took over the project, modifying it according to his architectural genius and renowned Modernist style. From 1914, Gaudí dedicated himself exclusively to this church until his death on June 10, 1926.

On April 14, 2025, Pope Francis declared the architect venerable, in accordance with the criteria set by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

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

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 31, 2025 / 17:30 pm (CNA).

President Donald Trump said he is designating Nigeria a "country of particular concern."

In a social media post Oct. 31, Trump said, "Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a 'COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN'".

Under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998, the U.S president must designate countries that engage in or tolerate “particularly severe violations of religious freedom” as CPCs. Violations include torture, prolonged detention without charges, and forced disappearence, according to the State Department. 

The last CPC designations were made by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in December 2023, when Blinken revoked Nigeria’s CPC designation that was put in place by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2020. 

Christian leaders delivered a letter to Trump on Oct. 15 that said 52,000 Christians have been killed and over 20,000 churches attacked and destroyed in Nigeria since 2009. In addition, it said, thousands of Christians have been murdered and raped in 2025, and “over 100 Christian pastors and Catholic priests have been taken hostage for ransom.”

Trump said in the social media post, "But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!” 

The president said he will charge Rep. Riley Moore, R-WVa., along with Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., “to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me.” 

The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries,” Trump stated, adding: “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”

Members of Congress and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also had sought to designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced legislation in September that would require the Trump administration to adopt the CPC designation in addition to imposing targeted sanctions against Nigerian government officials who facilitate or permit jihadist attacks against Christians and other religious minorities. 

Republican Senators Ted Budd of North Carolina, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and James Lankford of Oklahoma endorsed redesignating Nigeria in a Sept. 12 letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Budd posted on X.

Similarly, the USCIRF also recommended the State Department designate Nigeria as a CPC in its latest update on religious freedom in the country in late July. 

USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler welcomed the designation on social media: "We applaud @POTUS for making Nigeria a CPC.” Hartzler said, “The Trump admin can now use the various presidential actions outlined in IRFA to incentivize Nigeria to protect its citizens and hold perpetrators accountable."

ADF Senior Counsel Sean Nelson told CNA, "We at Alliance Defending Freedom International are deeply grateful for President Trump's recognition of the grave persecution of Christians ongoing in Nigeria and worldwide.”

Nelson added, “We hope that the Country of Particular Concern designation moves Nigerian officials to stop the denials and work strenuously to end the religious persecution happening in so much of the country.”

Trump’s announcement to move forward with the CPC designation comes amid the ongoing government shutdown that has left legislation on the matter in limbo. 

Moore, who was a staff member and national security adviser for the House Foreign Affairs Committee before being elected to Congress, celebrated the designation on social media, writing: “Thank you @POTUS for your incredible leadership by designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. You have always been a champion for Christians around the world, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to work with you and Chairman Cole @houseappropsgop to defend our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being slaughtered by radical Islamists in Nigeria.”

This story was updated on Oct. 31, 2025, at 5:35 p.m. ET.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 31, 2025 / 17:10 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed.

White House official: Trump spoke with Xi Jinping about Jimmy Lai’s release

A White House official told EWTN News White House Correspondent Owen Jensen that U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping about imprisoned pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai. 

According to Jensen, the official stated: "As President Trump said, Jimmy Lai should be released and he wants to see that happen.”  Prior to leaving for Asia, Trump had told Jensen that he would appeal to the Chinese leader for Lai’s release amid concerns for his health while in solitary confinement.

Lai is a Catholic entrepreneur and founder of Apple Daily, a pro-democracy tabloid paper known for its critical reporting on China and the Hong Kong government who was arrested in December 2020 for charges including unauthorized assemblies, protesting, fraud, and participating in the 2020 Tiananmen Square vigil, a service commemorating those who died in the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989.

EWTN Poland honored with ‘Christoforos’ award 

EWTN Poland was honored with a “Christoforos” (Bearer of Christ) award at the 25th anniversary Gala of MIVA Poland, an organization dedicated to supporting missionaries by providing them with means of transportation. 

The award, which was co-granted by the Polish Bishops’ Conference Commission for Missions, was received by Piotr M. Pietrus, CEO and editor-in-chief of EWTN Poland. “We see this distinction as a confirmation of our mission. Through the media, we strive to carry Christ to places where it is often difficult to reach otherwise — just as missionaries do, thanks to MIVA Poland’s help,” he said upon being presented with the award. 

Syrian-Armenian foundation in Aleppo marks step toward broader social partnership

In a sign of renewal in northern Syria, Aleppo has witnessed the founding of the Syrian-Armenian Community Foundation, the first civil organization established by the Armenian community to reach beyond its own circles and serve all components of Syrian society, CNA’s Arabic language news partner, ACI Mena, reported on Oct. 28.

The foundation aims to strengthen social cohesion, preserve both tangible and intangible heritage, and empower women and youth through cultural and developmental programs. “We wanted to affirm our place within the Syrian social family,” said Ohannes Shahrayan, chairman of the board, explaining that post-war openness to civic initiatives made it possible to bring the idea to life.

Vice Chair Sonia Kabrielian emphasized that diversity of gender, age, and denomination is one of the foundation’s strengths. She said the foundation seeks to make Armenian heritage a living part of Syria’s national culture, not just through remembrance but through creative renewal that transforms tradition into a source of shared identity and opportunity.

Philippines bishop voices concern over dwindling vocations, says priests are ‘rare sight’

Bishop Roberto Gaa of Novaliches is expressing concerns about the dwindling number of priestly vocations in the Philippines. 

“Ordinations have become a rare sight not only in Novaliches but also in other places because no one wants to become a priest anymore,” said Gaa, according to a CBCP News report on Oct. 29. The remarks came as Gaa ordained two priests and two deacons in his diocese for the first time in roughly three years. The diocese of Novaliches, he said, has about one priest for every 70,000 parishioners. 

Bahrain to consecrate its oldest Catholic parish as apostolic shrine

Sacred Heart Church, the oldest Catholic church in Bahrain, will be consecrated as the official shrine of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia on Nov. 8, ACI Mena reported Oct. 27. The date will mark the church’s elevation and its 85th anniversary. 

Bishop Aldo Berardi, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, issued a decree raising the church to shrine status “to preserve its historical symbolism and strengthen its spiritual role.” The faithful attending the inaugural liturgy will be granted a partial indulgence under the usual conditions.

Built in 1940 on land donated by Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Sacred Heart Church has long served as a beacon of coexistence for Catholics of many nationalities. With its new designation, it is expected to become a center of devotion, pilgrimage, and interreligious understanding in the Gulf region.

Sudanese woman shares how she hid Bible pages in her hair during imprisonment

Mariam Ibrahim, a Sudanese woman who was arrested and imprisoned for being a Christian, shared how she hid pages of her Bible in her hair so that she could sneak them into prison. 

“Prayer was my strength in prison,” she said, according to a report from ACI Africa on Oct. 31. In her testimony at the launch of the 2025 Religious Freedom Report, she described how she managed to keep her Bible in prison. Mariam said, “I had to cut its pages and hide them in my hair so I could read them in the bathroom. That was the only place I could open it without being discovered. I still carry that prison Bible with me everywhere I go.” 

Apostolic administrator appointed for Libya

The Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization has appointed Father Magdi Helmy Ibrahim Mansour, OFM, as apostolic administrator of the Latin Vicariate of Tripoli, Libya, ACI Mena reported this week. The move, following Bishop George Bugeja’s resignation, underscores the Catholic Church’s enduring pastoral and humanitarian mission in the country.

Earlier this year, Pope Leo XIV honored Helmy with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal for his service and his collaboration with Vatican diplomacy. Serving in Libya since 2006, Helmy has ministered to migrant communities and described the local church as a “modern Pentecost,” a gathering of languages and cultures united in faith. Despite dwindling numbers after the 2011 conflict, Mass continues in St. Francis Church in Tripoli, one of the few Catholic sites still active in the country.

Myanmar bishops express closeness with faithful amid war

Catholic bishops of Myanmar issued a statement expressing their closeness with the country’s people as elections organized by the ruling military junta approach. 

“In these times of great pain, uncertainty, and confusion, we may not be here in person, but we are with you in spirit. From north to south, from east to west, our beloved country is facing a crisis unprecedented in history,” the bishops said in a message published by Asia News on Oct. 30, citing war, displacement, economic crisis, and social breakdown. “This is not the time to give up,” they continued: “Peace is possible, peace is the only way. Let us not let hatred define us. Let us not let despair conquer us. Let us simply carry out our actions with the principles of “compassion in action, truth in gentleness, and peace without rest.”

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 16:48 pm (CNA).

The passage of Hurricane Melissa left a trail of destruction in Cuba, significantly damaging the Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, the country's patroness.

The hurricane made landfall in Cuba on Oct. 29 at 3:05 a.m. striking the Guamá area in Santiago de Cuba province as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph, primarily affecting the eastern part of the country.

The town of El Cobre, located at the foot of the Sierra del Cobre mountains, about 12 miles west of the city of Santiago de Cuba, was one of the hardest-hit areas.

Father Rogelio Dean, rector of the shrine, said on Facebook that during the hurricane there were “extremely tense, stressful and worrisome moments.” Speaking on behalf of the community, the priest explained that “they had never seen anything like it.”

Regarding the damage to the church, Dean explained that Melissa “tore up the shrine…some stained-glass windows are unfortunately damaged. Water came in, and well, it has been a very difficult time.”

Despite precautionary measures, such as mounting aluminum frames to protect the stained-glass windows, “this hurricane tore down masonry from the walls.” 

Regarding the consequences for the population, the priest noted that making his rounds he has observed that “people have lost practically everything. We are experiencing a very painful situation right now. Very, very painful.”

In addition, Caritas Cuba reported the overflowing of local rivers in the wake of the hurricane, flooding a high percentage of homes and institutions in the eastern region.

Faced with this emergency, Dean called on society and institutions to “turn their attention to eastern Cuba at this time.”

“We are activating parish-based Caritas to provide food, which is what we can do for the moment. Obviously, we still have no electricity,” the priest explained.

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba called Melissa’s impact “a catastrophe of enormous proportions” and noted that this disaster adds “to the already difficult daily reality of our people.”

The prelates asked for “everything” for the victims: food, clothing, mattresses, household items, and shelter, “especially for the many elderly people living alone and all those who are naturally experiencing this time with sadness and discouragement.”

Finally, they appealed for solidarity “from Cubans in other parts of the world and throughout the country, to all those who with goodwill want to and are able to help us.”

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

Vatican City, Oct 31, 2025 / 16:20 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV said Catholic educators can learn four fundamental values from St. Augustine’s teachings: interiority, unity, love, and joy.  

During his Oct. 31 audience with teachers in Rome for the Oct. 27 to Nov. 1 Jubilee of the World of Education, the Holy Father said these four values, taught by the “Doctor of Grace,” are key elements to be incorporated into the mission and work of all educators. 

Regarding the value of interiority, Pope Leo said both teachers and students need to “get in touch with their inner selves” in order to discover truth and overcome superficiality in a world dominated by “technological screens.”

According to the Holy Father, the lack of material resources in classrooms is not the main obstacle for teachers, but rather the “real risk” is becoming “tired and overburdened with bureaucratic tasks.”

“Truth does not spread through sounds, walls, and corridors, but in the profound encounter between people, without which any educational endeavor is doomed to fail,” he said.

On the value of unity, Pope Leo said the “dimension of ‘with’ is consistently present in the writings of St. Augustine” and is fundamental as it challenges educators to “de-center” themselves and focus on their pupils.

“‘Your soul belongs not just to you but to your brothers and sisters,’” he said, quoting St. Augustine.

According to Pope Leo, the third value, love, should never be separated from teaching.

“Sharing knowledge is not enough for teaching: Love is needed. Only then will knowledge be beneficial to those who receive it, in itself and above all, for the charity it conveys,” he said.

“The love of God is the First Commandment, the love of neighbor is the first practice,” he said, quoting St. Augustine’s work, “Ten Sermons on the First Epistle of John.”

The fourth and last value Pope Leo asked teachers to consider during their jubilee journey was joy. He said true teachers “educate with a smile” in order to “awaken smiles in the depths of their students’ souls.” 

Noting the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and its capacity to impart knowledge in a technical, cold, and standardized way, the pontiff warned teachers to not “further cut off students who are already isolated.”

“The role of educators, on the other hand, is a human endeavor; and the very joy of the educational process is a fully human engagement, a ‘flame to melt our souls together, and out of many to make but one,'” he said, quoting St. Augustine’s “Confessions.”

Australian pilgrim Clare Andreallo, a senior institutional researcher and insights analyst for the University of Notre Dame Australia, attended the papal audience and said it was “affirming to see Catholic education academics, professional staff, students from around the world come together” in St. Peter’s Square on Friday morning.   

CNA Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 15:48 pm (CNA).

Authorities announced this week that the killer of 9-year-old Carol Ann Dougherty, raped and murdered in a Pennsylvania Catholic church 63 years ago, has finally been identified as William Schrader, who died in 2002.

The Bucks County Investigation Grand Jury found that Schrader is “definitively linked” to the murder “through the combination of decades-old evidence” and a recent breakthrough in the case, the district attorney’s office said in a statement.

The breakthrough came last year when Pennsylvania State Police interviewed Schrader’s stepson, Robert Leblanc, in November 2024, who said Schrader “confessed to him on two separate occasions that he murdered a little girl in a Pennsylvania church.”

Schrader allegedly told his stepson he lured Carol Ann inside the church, raped her and “had to kill the girl in Bristol to keep her from talking.”

“We believe it may be the only rape and murder of a little girl in a church in the United States,” Bucks County D.A. Jennifer Schorn said at a news conference on Oct 29.

In 1962, a witness reported seeing Schrader — who lived a block and a half from the church — outside the church around the time of the murder, and police initially questioned him, the D.A.’s office said. 

Schrader failed a polygraph test and lied to investigators about his alibi, saying he had been at work at the time of the murder. He also provided a pubic hair sample, authorities said. 

Knowing he was under investigation, Schrader fled Pennsylvania and moved to Florida and then Texas, eventually settling in Louisiana.

The pubic hair was tested in 1993, and it showed “significant similarities” to hair found in Carol Ann’s hand, according to the DA. Of samples collected from 176 men over the years, 141 pubic hair samples were tested during the decadeslong investigation, and “all other individuals were eliminated,” officials said.

The grand jury’s findings, detailed in a 53-page report approved this week by Judge Raymond McHugh, identified Schrader as an “absolute predator” whose criminal history included assaults with deadly weapons in multiple states.  

According to the prosecutor, “Schrader’s life was marked by a pattern of violence and sexual violence, particularly against young, pre-pubescent, and adolescent females.”

The grand jury found that Schrader also “sexually abused nearly every female child he lived with or had access to, including his own biological daughter and granddaughters.”

He was convicted in 1985 in Louisiana for the death of 12-year-old Catherine Smith after he intentionally set fire to his own house, knowing she and her family were still inside.

On Oct. 22, 1962, Carol Ann, an avid reader excited to check out the next book in a mystery series she was reading, was riding her bike to the Bristol Borough Free Library to meet her friends, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s office. 

On her way, she had stopped to buy a soda and candy and was last seen alive outside of the doors to St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church in Bristol, where she was raped and strangled to death. 

Her parents began to look for her when she did not return home for dinner. Her father found her body inside the church.

Carol Ann’s sister, Kay Dougherty, speaking at Wednesday’s news conference, expressed her gratitude to Vincent Faragali, the Bristol police chief at the time of her sister’s murder, who kept a framed photograph of Carol Ann on his desk throughout his career to remind him of “a promise he made to seek justice for her.”

She also thanked Faragali’s nephew, Mike Misanelli, a journalist who in 2024 produced a podcast that brought attention to the case. 

Doughterty said :“My parents both passed away without knowing on this earth who murdered their daughter. ... After so many decades of unknowing, this finding finally brings closure and a truth to a wound that never healed.”

“Our family lived without answers,” Dougherty said, crying, “and the uncertainty surrounding Carol’s death became a part of who we were, a shadow that touched every day of our lives.”

“Though I know nothing can bring Carol back,” Dougherty said, “we can finally let her rest in peace knowing that her story has been told, her truth revealed, and her memory honored.”