Ss. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church

A 13th-century fresco of St. Francis of Assisi by the Florentine painter Cimabue, one of the earliest depictions of the saint, is located in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy.  / Credit: Jacob Stein/Crux Stationalis

Rome Newsroom, Oct 2, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Italy’s Senate Constitutional Affairs Committee, deliberating in session Wednesday, Oct. 1, approved a bill reinstating Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of Italy, as a national holiday. The measure had been approved in first reading by the Chamber of Deputies last month, with only two votes against.

Oct. 4 will therefore be a public holiday starting in 2026, after having been a public holiday until 1977.

“I welcome with joy and satisfaction,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented, “the news of the Senate’s final approval of the parliamentary bill reintroducing, after 50 years, Oct. 4, the day on which we celebrate St. Francis, the patron saint of Italy, as a national holiday. The government has wholeheartedly supported the [legislative] process of the bill, which has taken up and made its own the appeal launched a year ago by Davide Rondoni, poet and president of the National Committee for the Celebrations of the Eighth Centenary of the Death of the Poverello [Poor Man] of Assisi.”

“The bipartisan and virtually unanimous support for the bill is an important sign of the unity found in politics around one of the most representative and distinctive figures of [our] national identity. A saint beloved by the entire Italian people and in whom all Italians identify. The national holiday will be an opportunity to celebrate an extraordinary man and remind us, every year, who we are and what unites us profoundly,” Meloni said.

The president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, also released a comment following the Senate’s approval:

“We welcome with joy the news of the passage of the law restoring the national holiday of St. Francis of Assisi to Oct. 4. This decision offers an opportunity to rediscover the figure of the patron saint of Italy, who has profoundly shaped the character of our country. This is even more so in this time, torn by divisions, growing international tensions, and a dramatic escalation of global violence. St. Francis, whose primary goal was to proclaim peace, reminds us that a fraternal, unarmed world is possible, where everyone has their own space, starting with the poorest and most vulnerable.”

“His life and work,” the archbishop of Bologna continued, “can inspire political love and love for creation, so that the common good prevails over speculative logic and the logic of the strongest, over partisan interests and polarization.”

“By virtue of his faith,” the cardinal said, “he initiated a religious experience that, through his descendants, now eight centuries old, has contributed greatly to improving the history of humanity in our Italy and throughout the world. Celebrating the saint of Assisi, therefore, means believing that we can dialogue with everyone and that peace begins when we consider others as brothers and sisters. Francis of Assisi still encourages us today to be authentic Christians [wherever we may be in] the world.”

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

null / Credit: Petra Homeier/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Oct 2, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

During the month of October, the Catholic Church celebrates guardian angels.

Guardian angels are instruments of providence who help protect their charges from suffering serious harm and assist them on the path of salvation.

It is a teaching of the Church that every one of the faithful has his or her own guardian angel, and it is the general teaching of theologians that everyone has a guardian angel from birth.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their [angels’] watchful care and intercession. ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’ Already here on earth, the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God” (No. 336).

Several of our greatest saints have also shared their thoughts on guardian angels. Here’s what they had to say:

St. John Vianney

“Our guardian angels are our most faithful friends, because they are with us day and night, always and everywhere. We ought often to invoke them.”

St. John Bosco

“When tempted, invoke your angel. He is more eager to help you than you are to be helped. Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him; he trembles and flees at the sight of your guardian angel.”

St. Jerome

“How great is the dignity of souls, that each person has from birth received an angel to protect it.”

St. Thérèse of Lisieux

“My holy Guardian Angel, cover me with your wing. With your fire light the road that I’m taking. Come, direct my steps… help me, I call upon you. Just for today.”

St. Basil the Great

“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd, leading him to life.”

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

“We should show our affection for the angels, for one day they will be our co-heirs just as here below they are our guardians and trustees appointed and set over us by the Father.”

St. Francis de Sales

“Make yourself familiar with the angels, and behold them frequently in spirit. Without being seen, they are present with you.”

St. Josemaría Escrivá

“If you remembered the presence of your angel and the angels of your neighbors, you would avoid many of the foolish things which slip into your conversations.”

St. John Cassian

“Cherubim means knowledge in abundance. They provide an everlasting protection for that which appeases God, namely, the calm of your heart, and they will cast a shadow of protection against all the attacks of malign spirits.”

This story was first published on Oct. 2, 2022, and has been updated.

Portrait of Russell M. Nelson, 17th president of the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. / Credit: Deseret News, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 1, 2025 / 18:37 pm (CNA).

A small Catholic church in Heber City, Utah, will offer a Mass for the repose of the soul of Russell M. Nelson, the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), who died on Sept. 27 at the age of 101.

St. Lawrence Catholic Church, a mission church of St. Mary’s in Park City, will celebrate the Mass at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2. The community will pray a rosary for the repose of his soul at 8:45 a.m. before the weekday Mass begins.

Catholics offer prayers for the dead to ask God to grant graces to the recently deceased for the purification of their souls, which may not be complete at the moment of the person’s death.

The church extended an “open invitation” to everyone in the Heber Valley community to attend the Mass in a message posted to Facebook. It is open to any person who wants to join in prayer for Nelson, “especially our LDS neighbors,” according to the post.

“We are grateful for President Nelson’s kindness to the Catholic community especially in Utah,” the post read. “Over the years, he has led efforts to support our Catholic charity work as well as renovation projects at the Cathedral of the Madeleine — our mother church for the Diocese of Salt Lake City.”

Justin Hibbard, the mission administrator and director of evangelization at St. Mary’s, told CNA the Catholic community in Heber Valley has a “great relationship with our LDS neighbors here.”

He noted the area is predominantly LDS, and nearby congregations have volunteered to help with Catholic service projects. He said he suggested a Mass for the repose of the soul of Nelson to St. Mary’s pastor, Father Arokia Dass David, who felt it would be “a great way to show solidarity to our community and be good neighbors to our Mormon friends.”

“These are the types of things our community needs to bring us together and to do things together as a broader faith community,” Hibbard added.

Hibbard said he expects one of Nelson’s daughters to attend the Mass. He said the church will have rosaries and handouts explaining how to pray the rosary for non-Catholics who attend the Mass and are unfamiliar with the prayers. He said a member of a local LDS ward reached out to him to request materials to “help people with praying the rosary.”

The church has enough pews for about 130 people. Hibbard said the weekday morning Masses usually get about 25 to 30 people, but he expects a much larger number on Thursday because of the LDS members who are likely to be in attendance.

Father Christopher Gray, the rector of the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, said in a statement that he thanks Nelson and the LDS community for the support for the cathedral in recent years and expressed sorrow for his death.

“As the mother church for Catholics in Utah, the Cathedral of the Madeleine joins the world in mourning the passing of President Russell M. Nelson,” he said in a post on Facebook. “We offer our condolences to our brothers and sisters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Gray noted that Nelson offered his condolences when Pope Francis died earlier this year. Gray added: “With a heavy heart, I express my gratitude for [Nelson’s] lifetime of dedication, faith, and service, and I thank our LDS neighbors for generously sharing his teaching with us.”

Nelson met Francis at the Vatican in 2019, which was the first-ever meeting between a pope and an LDS president.

Gray told CNA he is “tremendously grateful for the charitable work of the [LDS] throughout the world, and the many ways it interfaces with the work of Catholic organizations like Catholic Relief Services.”

“In Utah, we work together closely and are grateful to the LDS members who, under the leadership of President Nelson, have so powerfully witnessed to the dignity of all people by working with the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s Catholic Community Services,” he said. “We are united in meaningfully assisting the poor, the afflicted, the refugees, and others in need here in Utah, and this same spirit can be seen at work around the world.”

Colorado State Capitol in Denver. / Credit: RebeccaDLev/Shutterstock

Denver, Colorado, Oct 1, 2025 / 18:07 pm (CNA).

After years of court battles over the Colorado government’s exclusion of two Catholic preschools from its Universal Preschool Program, a U.S. appeals court ruled against the parishes on Tuesday. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals of the 10th Circuit, in a 54-page decision, ruled that Colorado may continue to exclude the Catholic preschools because of their religious beliefs.  

The decision comes after a series of court cases involving the state of Colorado’s attempts to exclude the schools from the inception of the program. 

Becket, a law firm that defends religious freedom, first filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Catholic parish preschools of the Archdiocese of Denver in August 2023. A federal court in June 2024 ruled that Colorado state discriminated against the Catholic preschools, but ultimately the courts upheld the state’s exclusion of them. The preschools then appealed to the United States Court of Appeals of the 10th Circuit.  

Calling the state’s actions “anti-religious” after the court’s ruling, Nick Reaves, senior counsel at Becket, said that Becket will keep fighting the decision.

“Colorado is punishing religious schools and the families they serve for following their faith,” Reaves said in a statement shared with CNA.

“The 10th Circuit’s decision allows the state’s anti-religious gamesmanship to continue,” Reaves continued. “We will keep fighting to ensure that every preschooler in Colorado can access quality, affordable education.”

The Denver Catholic, Denver’s archdiocesan news outlet, called the decision “a blow to Colorado Catholic families with preschool-aged children.”

“The court’s decision thereby perpetuates the faith-based discrimination that faces these Catholic schools and families, who already sacrifice tremendously to provide an excellent, faith-based education for their children,” read the Sept. 30 article by the Denver Catholic.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis celebrated the decision, saying it protects students from “discrimination.”

“We are building a Colorado for all, where every student is free from discrimination,” Polis said in a Sept. 30 statement.

In their admissions process, Catholic preschools in Denver seek to ensure that teachers and families uphold their religious mission, including teachings on sexuality and gender identity — a practice that comes into conflict with the universal pre-K program’s nondiscrimination clause on sexual orientation and gender identity. 

Specifically, the Denver Archdiocese requires that staff and parents sign a “Statement of Community Beliefs,” pledging to live according to Catholic Church teaching, which does not recognize gender “transitions” or same-sex marriages.  

The court ruled that the program’s restrictive admissions requirements, which prevent the Catholic schools from participating, were “in harmony with the First Amendment.”  

The court briefing also said that the Colorado program “went to great effort to be welcoming and inclusive of faith-based preschools’ participation.” 

Polis claimed that “many faith based and secular providers are operating terrific preschools that serve parents and children well” and said that the universal pre-K program enrolls “approximately 70% of all eligible 4-year-olds.” 

The program also excludes the Denver Jewish Day School’s preschool, according to the school’s website.  

The Universal Preschool Program gives taxpayer funding to preschool families for up to 15 hours of preschool to attend qualifying preschools. 

“Colorado’s highly popular, free Universal Preschool saves families more than $6,000 per year, gives students a strong start, and has skyrocketed Colorado from 27th in preschool enrollment to third,” Polis said.

Due to the court’s ruling this week, families who wish for their preschool-age children to attend Catholic archdiocesan preschools will be unable to participate in the program.

Catholic organizations are urging lawmakers in Congress to come to a swift resolution to end the government shutdown. / Credit: Traci L. Clever/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 1, 2025 / 17:20 pm (CNA).

After the U.S. government shut down on Oct. 1 because Congress failed to reach an agreement on the federal spending budget, Catholic organizations called for a swift resolution to mitigate the potential harm to government-funded programs serving the poor and vulnerable, such as food assistance, housing support, and refugee services.

The government shutdown and the “crippling partisanship will be felt far beyond the halls of Washington,” Kerry Alys Robinson, president of Catholic Charities USA, said in a statement.

Catholic Charities USA, which supports a network of agencies across the country, reported the shutdown will “take a particular toll on the most vulnerable among us, from hungry children and parents living paycheck to paycheck to seniors struggling to afford medications and groceries.”

If leaders from both parties do not end the shutdown soon, “even more Americans will fall into poverty, and the recovery from this setback could take months or even years,” Robinson said. “In the meantime, Catholic Charities agencies around the country, inspired by the Gospel, will continue to do their best to fill in the gaps and provide life-giving, compassionate aid to those suffering most in their communities.” 

Sister Mary Haddad, RSM, president and CEO of Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), said in a statement the shutdown “jeopardizes the health and stability of millions of families.”

She added: “The ripple effects of inaction extend across the economy, deepening hardship for those already most vulnerable.”

Haddad said CHA is urging “Congress to come together to fund the government for fiscal year 2026 and extend vital health and safety net programs that millions rely on” and is encouraging “lawmakers to swiftly work together to end the shutdown and preserve critical health programs.” 

A spokesperson for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) told CNA the organization hopes “lawmakers will work earnestly to come to a bipartisan agreement that ends the government shutdown as quickly as possible,” as it “harms families and individuals who rely on federal services.”

Apart from charities and agencies working with Americans in need, the shutdown may impact the nation’s cyber and security measures. In the midst of a potential shutdown in 2023, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reported it would be “forced to suspend both physical and cybersecurity assessments for government and industry partners.”

The CISA, which works to “maintain safe and secure houses of worship,” reported a new plan for the 2025 shutdown in the wake of recent Michigan and Minnesota attacks at religious institutions. The federal agency said in an Oct. 1 statement it “remains fully committed to safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure.”

“While a government shutdown can disrupt federal operations, CISA will sustain essential functions and provide timely guidance to minimize disruptions,” a spokesperson for CISA said.  “Yet Democrats’ refusal to act is forcing many of our frontline cybersecurity experts to work without pay even as nation-states intensify efforts to exploit Americans and critical systems — an unacceptable and unnecessary strain on our national defenses.”

It is not clear how long the shutdown will last, but until a decision regarding the budget is reached the funding for numerous U.S. government services will remain cut off.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio speaks with Rep. Nancy Pelosi after a Mass held at the U.S. Capitol on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12, 2024. / Credit: Migi Fabara/CNA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 1, 2025 / 16:35 pm (CNA).

On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the papal encyclical Fratelli Tutti, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a clear exhortation to the faithful, saying: “I beg you to see Christ in every person, even those whose politics you oppose.”

Pope Francis’ 2020 encyclical letter on fraternity and social friendship was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi’s call for “love that transcends the barriers of geography and distance.” On the anniversary of the letter, as terrifying acts of violence continue to occur in the U.S., Broglio encouraged Americans to reflect on the value of every human life.

Broglio’s pastoral invitation comes in the wake of “shocking acts of political violence” across the nation, stemming from “hostility and division,” Broglio wrote in a USCCB statement. “Places once regarded as safe harbors to grow and learn — our schools, universities, and churches — have become sites of heartbreaking tragedy and bloodshed.”

“Pope Francis outlined steps our world must take to rebuild a sense of communion in the wake of what he described as ‘shattered dreams,’” Broglio said. “As the encyclical prophetically points out, people are being manipulated ‘to serve as tools for domination, as meaningless tags that can be used to justify any action.’”

“We have seen the manifestation of this notion in the perverse idea that one can serve the common good by becoming an instrument of violence,” Broglio said. “This happens when we refuse to see the face of Christ in the other person and only see an enemy that must be dominated or destroyed.” 

Pope Franics wrote: “The path to social unity always entails acknowledging the possibility that others have, at least in part, a legitimate point of view, something worthwhile to contribute, even if they were in error or acted badly.” 

Therefore, building peace in our nation “requires us to place at the center of all political, social, and economic activity the human person from conception to natural death, who enjoys the highest dignity, and respect for the common good.”

To follow Pope Francis’ call, Broglio calls on each of us to “examine our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions and ask ourselves how we contribute to the polarization and animosity plaguing our nation.”

To “begin to heal the rifts between us,” Broglio called on people to perform corporal works of mercy including feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and visiting the sick and imprisoned. He also encouraged people to fast from social media and take time to pray for their enemies.

In his encyclical, Pope Francis said “authentic reconciliation does not flee from conflict but is achieved in conflict, resolving it through dialogue and open, honest, and patient negotiation.” 

Broglio said: “Listen and talk with those you with whom you disagree — especially within your own family. Disagree, debate civilly, stand for your rights, but always remember in your heart that we are all children of God and deserve dignity and life.”

“On this fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti, let us pray ‘so that we may discover anew that all are important and all are necessary, different faces of the one humanity that God so loves. Amen.’”

Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois. / Credit: Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

CNA Staff, Oct 1, 2025 / 15:35 pm (CNA).

Various U.S. bishops expressed relief and happiness after U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, announced his decision to decline an award from the Chicago Archdiocese following backlash over his pro-abortion views.

Late Tuesday, Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich said Durbin had decided to back away from receiving the award after numerous U.S. bishops criticized the archdiocese for selecting Durbin to receive the honor.

The Illinois senator was scheduled to receive a “Lifetime Achievement Award for support to immigrants” at an archdiocesan event in November. Cupich described the senator as embodying “unwavering support of immigrants, which is so needed in our day.”

Springfield, Illinois, Bishop Thomas Paprocki, who presides over Durbin’s home diocese, had in September said Durbin was “unfit to receive any Catholic honor.” In an Oct. 1 statement on X, the bishop said he was “grateful” that the senator ultimately declined the award. 

Noting that October is Respect Life Month, Paprocki urged Catholics to “continue to pray for our Church, our country, and for the human dignity of all people to be respected in all stages of life including the unborn and immigrants.”

Arlington, Virginia, Bishop Michael Burbidge, meanwhile — who previously served as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pro-life committee — said on Oct. 1 that he was “relieved” at Durbin’s decision. 

“The Church must continue to boldly proclaim the gospel of life in its entirety,” he said. “Our public witness to the Gospel, to convincingly move hearts and minds to conversion, will always require that the Church show the hierarchy and unity of all truths.”

In his Sept. 30 statement announcing Durbin’s withdrawal from the award, Cupich said he was proposing “synodal gatherings” for Catholics “to experience listening to each other with respect on these issues.” 

Burbidge in turn noted that productive conversations “occur only when participants share a basic commitment to certain objective moral realities about what is good and evil.”

Among those, he said, is “the human right to life.”

“True dialogue cannot take place when a purportedly Catholic lawmaker turns a blind eye to the killing of innocent persons,” he said. 

Durbin’s withdrawal from the award came just hours after Pope Leo XIV addressed the controversy, with the Holy Father — himself a Chicago native — arguing that such political disputes are “complex.” 

“I understand the difficulty and the tensions. But I think as I myself have spoken in the past, it’s important to look at many issues that are related to the teachings of the Church,” the pope said. 

Numerous other U.S. bishops had previously expressed disapproval over the proposed award, including Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska; Bishop James Wall of Gallup, New Mexico; and San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.

In a statement on X on Oct. 1, Cordileone extended Durbin “complements” for withdrawing from the award, which the prelate described as a “great display of magnanimity.” 

“In such a contentious issue that threatens even greater division, Sen. Durbin chose to take the higher moral ground,” the prelate said. “Such an act required tremendous humility on his part. We need more humility in our country.”

null / Credit: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

London, England, Oct 1, 2025 / 14:35 pm (CNA).

One of the United Kingdom’s leading experts in bioethics has warned that hospices may be forced to offer assisted death out of fear of losing their funding.

Pia Matthews, senior lecturer in health care ethics at St. Mary’s University, London, told CNA on Oct. 1 that if assisted dying is legalized in the U.K. this November, “there is real risk that funding to a hospice will depend on whether the hospice engages in the practice of facilitating assisted deaths, and this will put further pressure not only on staff but also on the survival of some hospices, which are already underfunded… Given that the very nature of assisted dying means that it is the cheaper option, this will inevitably have serious consequences for the funding of hospice care.”

She continued: “The argument in favor of assisted dying is that assisted dying offers choice to patients. Purely on a cost basis, choice will be taken away if hospices are not adequately funded and more people will be implicitly coerced into assisted suicide because they will feel they have no choice.”

The law on assisted suicide is expected to change in England and Wales after Member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater successfully introduced a private member’s bill in November 2024 called the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. The bill would legalize “assisted dying” for terminally ill adults with less than six months to live. Under current law in England and Wales, assisted suicide is illegal with the potential for imprisonment for up to 14 years.

Although Leadbeater’s bill passed successfully through the House of Commons, its passage has now slowed due to growing concerns about its safety and application. In a vote in the House of Lords on Sept. 19, peers voted in support of establishing a select committee to further scrutinize the highly controversial law.

Against this political climate, a report by BBC News on Sept. 29 revealed that hospices are being forced to cut services, despite growing demand.

Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK, told the BBC: “Over the last three years, hospice charities have seen accumulated cost pressures, but the money that they’ve received from the government has stayed flat, and that’s seen services cut back.”

“What would it say about us as a country if someone decided to opt for an assisted death because they were worried that they wouldn’t be able to get the care they needed to control their pain or manage their symptoms, or that their family wouldn’t be properly supported?”

Matthews told CNA that the very ethos of “assisted dying” was a threat to hospice care. 

“Hospice care does offer real choice at the end of life: choice about where to die, who will accompany the person, treatment and care options. This model of care is under threat from inadequate funding and it is under threat from the contrary ethos of assisted suicide because assisted suicide tells people that their fears are correct — they may die in pain and no one can help them, they can only rely on themselves, and their only recourse is to go for assisted suicide,” she said.

“Where hospice care is about solidarity and hope, assisted suicide entrenches fear of loss of control and therefore despair. If assisted dying is legalized, the line between recognizing when treatment is burdensome or futile for this patient and so should be withdrawn and deciding that this patient’s life is no longer of any worth so the patient can choose to have death hastened, will be blurred. Recognizing when treatment is appropriate is good medical practice; helping patients to take their own lives is not.”

Meanwhile, pro-life campaigners in the U.K. have also echoed concerns about the future of hospices under an “assisted dying” regime. 

Catherine Robinson, spokesperson for Right to Life UK, told CNA that “the apparent commitment in the form of a ‘blank check’ to fund a state-assisted suicide service, and the lack of any corresponding commitment to ensure full state funding for palliative or hospice care, risks creating a perverse push towards assisted suicide since one service could be readily available while the other is not.”

She added: “For vulnerable people near the end of their lives, it is especially concerning that assisted suicide could end up becoming the default, simply because it is available and better funded than palliative or hospice care.”

Robinson further said that “hospices urgently need more funding to perform their current duties of care.” She explained that introducing assisted suicide “would stretch an already over-encumbered sector dangerously thin.”

“It is also worrying that hospices would not be able to opt out of assisted suicide being provided on their premises,” she said. “This would likely mean that many hospices opposed to facilitating the deliberate ending of patients’ lives could be forced to close, further reducing the availability of end-of-life care.”

Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca, relator of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. / Credit: Diocese of Vitoria

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 1, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Speaking at the School of Theology of Northern Spain in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the relator for the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca, noted that the lives of the canonized saints “raise incisive questions that pierce our conscience.”

“Our hope lies in the beauty of a life lived to the fullest and its power to attract. The saints appear before us with the radiance of a life that attracts and invites,” he emphasized at an academic event on Sept. 26 marking the beginning of the school year.

During his inaugural lecture, Sánchez de Toca also stated that “the saints, along with Christian art, are the Church’s true apologetics. They are the credibility of the Gospel, incarnated not in ideas but in people of flesh and blood, because they reflect Christ.”

“There are lives of servants of God that are truly heroic, more admirable than imitable, imposing because of the radical nature of what they demand; there are lives hidden with Christ in God, in the solitude of the cloister, in the intimacy of a Christian home; and there are beautiful, truly luminous lives. Theology cannot do without any of them,” he added.

Divorce between holiness and theology

Appointed relator for the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in March 2023 after 20 years working in the Dicastery for Culture and Education, Sánchez de Toca explained that while “knowledge and holiness have gone hand in hand in the lives of the great pastors and theologians of the great centuries,” there has increasingly been at work “an ever-widening divorce between holiness and theology.”

He noted that “after the great figures of St. Anselm, St. Thomas, and St. Bonaventure, it is difficult to find great saints among the teachers of theology.”

“The 20th century has been rich in great theological figures of the first order who can be counted among humanity’s greatest thinkers, but none of them has deserved the glory of the altars,” he explained.

Sánchez de Toca argued that “the knowledge of God proper to the saints develops far from the classrooms and corridors of theology schools: It grows in the street, in the factories, in poor neighborhoods, in family life, or in the society of a monastery, but rarely in theology classrooms.”

According to the relator, it seems “as if the knowledge of God proper to the saints is moving away from the university environment and at the same time, the knowledge of the faith taught in classrooms is disregarding the knowledge of the saints and any connection with them.”

Restoring the lost unity of theology

Sánchez de Toca also maintained that “there already exists in this life a certain imperfect participation in the divine light, either through the understanding of faith, the ‘scientia fidei’ (the knowledge of faith), or through intimate and personal union with God, the ‘scientia amoris’ (the knowledge of love).”

“It is necessary to reconcile these two theologies,” he emphasized, adding that “we need to restore the lost unity of theology, so that it may truly nourish the faith and not just the intellect, but rather be an introduction to the mysteries of God.”

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

St. Thérèse of Lisieux. / Credit: Public domain

CNA Staff, Oct 1, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, also known as the Little Flower, on Oct. 1.

Born to Zelie and Louis Martin in 1873 — both canonized saints — Thérèse was the youngest of five siblings. Devout from a young age, she experienced a miraculous healing at around the age of 9 from an unknown illness for which doctors could not find a treatment. After turning to the Blessed Virgin Mary for her intercession, young Thérèse was healed and felt called to religious life.

In 1888, at the age of 15, she entered a Carmelite monastery in Lisieux, France. Her ability to live her ordinary life in an extraordinary way became known as the “Little Way” — a journey toward Christ made up of small acts of love in everyday life.

In 1896, Thérèse was diagnosed with tuberculosis and passed away at the age of 24 the following year. Pope Pius XI canonized her in 1925, making her the youngest canonized saint at the time. In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared her a doctor of the Church for her significant spiritual contribution to the universal Church. 

Over the years, the St. Thérèse Novena has become popular for those seeking to live a life of love and simplicity. While many pray it leading up to her feast day, the nine-day novena can be prayed any time of the year. Here’s how to pray it:

— Begin by making the sign of the cross.

— Recite the Holy Spirit prayer: 

Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of divine love.

— Recite the following prayer:

Dearest St. Thérèse of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth.

Your trust in God was complete. Pray that he may increase my trust in his goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions: [state your intentions]

Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me and one day see the face of God, whom you loved so deeply.

St. Thérèse, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior.

Loving God, you blessed St. Thérèse with a capacity for a great love. Help me to believe in your unconditional love for each of your children, especially for me.

I love you, Lord. Help me to love you more!

— Recite the “Glory Be” prayer:

Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

— Conclude by making the sign of the cross.