Catholic bishops pray with President Trump

In addition to praying with Trump, topics discussed during the meeting included religious freedom, school choice, religious visas, and life policy.



The view of the White House from the South Lawn with the U.S. flag on April 18, 2026. | Credit: Ivan Ventura/Shutterstock

By Tyler Arnold

October 22, 2026 at 6:52 PM ET · 

Denver Archbishop James Golka and over half a dozen fellow U.S. Catholic bishops met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Oct. 22.

White House Faith Director Jenny Korn told EWTN News the meeting was organized by the White House Faith Office “as part of our ongoing engagement with faith leaders of all denominations from across the country.”

In addition to praying with Trump, Korn said several topics were discussed during the meeting, including “religious freedom, the role of the White House Faith Office, school choice, religious visas, and life policy.”

Participants included Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles; Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas; Bishop James Wall of Gallup, New Mexico; Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas; Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, Iowa; Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee; and Bishop Michael Barber, SJ, of Oakland, California.

Before concluding the meeting, Golka and his brother bishops gathered around Trump at the Oval Office’s iconic Resolute desk to pray.

Can churches help make an alternative asylum system a reality?

Dr Torsten Moritz, general secretary of the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), reflects on a recent conference, “Protecting People More Than Borders,” and how churches can help make an alternative asylum system a reality.

Photo:
Joy Eva Bohol/CCME/UMCOR
08 October 2026

Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe
Refugees and migration


What were your biggest takeaways from the conference?

Dr Moritz: We met 28-30 September with some 30 participants representing churches from all over Europe. Discussions were around a draft paper outlining what elements of an alternative, protection-oriented asylum system in Europe could look like – a system which protects people more than borders.

These were very earnest discussions. They showed how important it is in asylum policy and practice to put the human being first - and how often this is not the case in Europe these days. There is thus great support for the draft paper. At the same time, there is a fear that any policy reform might even more be influenced by the extreme right and those following their agenda. Last not least, the message protecting people more than borders is a good common message, but it needs to be translated and contextualised into the different languages and contexts of churches in Europe.

What is the most crucial information for churches to know right now?

Dr Moritz: We – that is the CCME office and a task force from among members – will be working with the input we received from churches in Europe.

In early 2027 we will make an updated version of the proposals for an alternative asylum system in Europe available. It will be mainly policy-oriented and will contain specific suggestions for organising recognition of people asking for protection in Europe, their reception and integration, how this can happen while social cohesion increases, and how it doesn’t have to cost more than the current policy of dissuasion. The proposals are informed by good practices, as we could for example find them in the protection of Ukrainians fleeing in and since 2022. We will present an outline which shows that protecting people is not an a lofty illusion, but a real option if we dare to be values-based and realistic at the same time.

We will also provide accompanying information templates – like an explanation of policy proposals in a less technical language, which non-expert church members and members of the public can relate to. Throughout 2027, we will spread this information—online but also through events across Europe – to a church audience and policymakers, but also a broader public.

What is your urgent call to churches?

Dr Moritz: First of all, continue your work around the principle of protecting people more than borders. With hardening of policy and practice towards the most vulnerable, damage control is essential. Churches in many places make a different for upholding the dignity of persons seeking protection in Europe, while working to uphold social cohesion for all.

And, secondly, work with us on making an alternative asylum system a reality. Let us know what will help you in making an argument for a policy which prioritises protecting people – what information do you need, do you want us to visit and explain, and whom would you like to reach with your arguments? We all know that times are difficult and our resource at different levels are limited, but if we work together, we can have impact!

Source

Vatican Secretary of State Addresses United Nations General Debate, 81st Session | #UNGA

74th Annual Red Mass

Event Details
Date & Time2026-10-04October 4, 2026
9:00 am - 10:30 am
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OrganizerThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and The John Carroll Society
communications@adw.org

The Red Mass invokes God’s blessings and guidance in the administration of justice under the power of the Holy Spirit and is a tradition that dates back many centuries to Rome, Paris, and London. The name comes from the color of the vestments worn by the celebrants and the color of fire, a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It is celebrated annually at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, traditionally on the Sunday before the first Monday in October, which marks the opening of the Supreme Court’s annual term.

This Mass is the work of the John Carroll Society.

His Eminence Cardinal McElroy is the Principal Celebrant and homilist for this Mass.

The Red Mass is open to the public but with limited seating. Doors open at 7:45 a.m.

Rhode Island Avenue from 17th Street to Connecticut Avenue will be closed.

Security will be screening all attendees, and no bags will be allowed inside the Cathedral.

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US Ambassador to the Vatican meets with Trump, Vance, Rubio

Brian Burch, co-founder of CatholicVote, is serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, discussing with the U.S. political leaders this week ways to work with the Vatican on cultivating peace and religious freedom.

Ambassador Burch meets with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Credit: U.S. in Holy See)

McKenna Snow

August 27, 2026 

U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch met with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week in Washington, D.C., according to an Aug. 27 statement from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See.

They met “to discuss how we can partner with the Holy See to promote global peace and religious freedom,” the embassy said in the statement.

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JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2026

JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2026

Proclamations
May 4, 2026

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

This Jewish American Heritage Month, we honor the countless contributions of Jewish Americans throughout our Nation’s 250 glorious years of independence, and we celebrate their unwavering commitment to the values that make our country great — faith, family, and freedom.

In his letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1790, President George Washington beautifully said, “May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.” Since the earliest days of our Republic, Jewish Americans have helped build the cause of liberty and sustain the greatness of our Nation. Among them was the iconic Haym Salomon, an early supporter of the war for independence. As stories tell us, Salomon was instrumental in the success of our Continental Congress and Founding Fathers, and rallied support for freedom. He was a zealous advocate against tyranny, and even after imprisonment by the British Crown, he continued his work in defense of freedom. In the end, he gave everything to the success of the American Revolution. Like so many Jewish Americans who follow in his footsteps, Salomon’s legacy stands as a testament to the unshakable belief in the American promise.

In the same letter to the Hebrew Congregation at Newport, President Washington proclaimed that the United States “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” Under my leadership, we are aggressively fighting the violence against Jewish Americans that increased under my predecessor, prosecuting hateful criminals to the fullest extent of the law, and working to end the scourge of anti-Semitism throughout our institutions, especially on college campuses. As President, I will never stop fighting to protect our birthright of religious freedom — a sacred right that continues to guide our Nation, drawing us closer to the Almighty each and every day.

Throughout this historic year, we rejoice in the triumph of the American spirit and rededicate ourselves to the cause of liberty and justice for all. In special honor of 250 glorious years of American independence and on the weekend of Rededicate 250 — a national jubilee of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving — Jewish Americans are encouraged to observe a national Sabbath. From sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16, friends, families, and communities of all backgrounds may come together in gratitude for our great Nation. This day will recognize the sacred Jewish tradition of setting aside time for rest, reflection, and gratitude to the Almighty.

This month, we celebrate the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to our way of life, we honor their role in shaping the story of our Nation, and we remember that religious devotion, learning, and service to others are enduring pillars of a thriving culture. Through every trial and triumph, the contributions of Jewish Americans have shaped our past, have strengthened our communities, and will continue to inspire American greatness for generations to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month. I call upon Americans to celebrate the heritage and contributions of Jewish Americans and to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies. I further call on all Americans to celebrate their faith and freedom throughout this year, during this month, and especially on Shabbat to celebrate our 250th year.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.

​​​​​​DONALD J. TRUMP

Source

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A Call to Welcome: Archbishop Moth visits Jesuit Refugee Service

Eileen Cole

Mar 24th, 2026

Archbishop Moth with JRS team

Source: JRS UK

Archbishop Richard Moth today highlighted the Catholic Church's commitment to welcoming and supporting people seeking sanctuary in the UK, during a visit to Jesuit Refugee Service UK (JRS UK).

At the Hurtado Jesuit Centre, in the Archdiocese of Westminster, the Archbishop met refugees served by JRS UK, as well as volunteers and staff providing accompaniment, advice and practical support.

Archbishop Richard said: "The root of the call of the Gospel to welcome the stranger is that recognition of the value of the human person, which comes from recognizing that God is present in everyone, and keeping ourselves rooted in that space is so important. If we lose touch with that, then people become numbers, they become statistics. We lose sight of the value of that human person for who they are. So that welcome is a key part of the Gospel.

Jesus says we're going to be judged on it and so making that welcome available to all is absolutely key. JRS UK lives that out so clearly and is a sign to the society in which we live of what all of us are called to do.

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Catholic congressional Dems rebuke Mike Johnson’s biblical defense of ICE

by Jack Jenkins - Religion News Service

February 13, 2026

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, surrenders her electronic devices as she arrives for a closed Defense Subcommittee markup hearing on the Fiscal Year 2024 spending bill for the Pentagon, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 15, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite



WASHINGTON (RNS) — Some 40-plus Catholic Democrats in Congress have issued what amounts to a theological rebuke of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s scriptural defense for President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda, outlining a series of religious principles as a deadline looms for lawmakers to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

The group’s Friday (Feb. 13) statement, led by Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and shared first with Religion News Service, lists a series of ideals drawn from Catholic social teaching that the lawmakers say they consider when approaching immigration issues.

“First, we affirm that people have the right to migrate to sustain their lives and the lives of their families,” the statement reads. “Sacred Scripture consistently reminds us of our obligation toward the vulnerable and displaced. Jesus himself identifies with the migrant when he says, ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’”

The statement refers to Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation, “Dilexi Te,” noting that the pontiff argues the Catholic Church “knows that in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.”

The statement also says a nation has the right to “regulate its borders and to control immigration,” but doing so “is never a license for cruelty, indifference, or dehumanization.” It adds: “Border enforcement must be governed by justice and mercy.”

The lawmakers then pivot to a critique of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, saying federal agents working for the agencies have “too often … failed this moral standard.” DHS agents, the lawmakers say, have “separated families, removed law abiding individuals from our communities, and tragically, contributed to the deaths of detained migrants and citizens like Renee Good and Alex Pretti.”

The statement adds: “As leaders in Congress negotiate reforms to ICE and CBP, we must bear the Church’s teachings in mind to ensure we are supporting our immigrant brothers and sisters.”

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Sec. Hegseth’s "Spiritual Readiness" Push Sparks Constitutional Debate

 

"Spiritual Readiness" Push Sparks Constitutional Debate

Defense Now

Department of War | Pentagon Press Secretary Drops Major Announcement | US Senate Armed Services Committee

The Story: Today's Pentagon Prayer Service Today's event—scheduled for 12:00 PM EST in the Pentagon Auditorium—is the latest in a series of monthly "Christian prayer and worship services" instituted by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. 

The Angle: The core tension surrounding today's service is the invitation list. Recent emails were sent not only to active-duty personnel but also to U.S. defense contractors. This has drawn immediate scrutiny and formal complaints from watchdog groups like the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), who argue the outreach violates the separation of church and state. Several contractors have anonymously expressed feeling caught between a "rock and a hard place," fearing they might miss out on networking or government work if they don't attend. 

In response, the Pentagon maintains that the services are 100% voluntary, attendance is not tracked, and the gatherings are constitutionally protected events meant to boost morale and "spiritual readiness."