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Our Sunday Visitor
Beatified Georgia martyrs ‘are on their way to being saints’
By Maria Wiering and Lauretta Brown, November 1, 2026
Abundant gratitude was expressed for the Oct. 31 beatification of five Franciscans known as the Georgia Martyrs in a Mass of thanksgiving at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist on Nov. 1, the solemnity of All Saints. The Church rejoices, he said, to see the day that the martyrs who “gave their lives in 1597 on the shores of Brunswick and Darien, St. Simons Island, and St. Catherine’s Island” were beatified. “They are on their way to being saints, saints of the Church, and we can pray through their intercession now, as they are blessed, for our own needs, for the needs of others,” said Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of Atlanta, who served as bishop of Savannah from 2011 until his appointment to Atlanta in 2020. The Franciscan friars were all killed within days of each other by the order of the soon-to-be chief Juanillo after Father Pedro de Corpa stood by the Church’s teaching on marriage when Juanillo wanted to take a second wife.
Related: The practice of declaring saint has come a long way - Matthew McDonald, National Catholic Register, November 1, 2026
National Catholic Register
NY Archbishop joins sisters in suing state over assisted suicide
By Daniel Payne/EWTN, October 31, 2026
New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks this week joined a lawsuit alongside several orders of religious sisters, suing to stop the state from forcing Catholics to adhere to its newly created suicide regime. The archbishop added his name to a lawsuit that includes Rockville Center Bishop John Barres, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, and the Little Sisters of the Poor. The Catholic plaintiffs in that suit argued that the state’s assisted suicide rules would force them to participate in the process of helping suicidal patients kill themselves, a violation of core Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life. Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, a federal court ordered that the state could not enforce the suicide rules against the Catholic objectors while the suit itself played out.
EWTN News
Senate candidate grilled for comparing canon law with sharia law
By Martin Barillas, October 30, 2026
In the closing days of a hotly contested U.S. Senate race, Michigan Democratic candidate Abdulrahman “Abdul” El-Sayed released an ad on “Prayer” in which he says that as a Muslim he prays every day. Commenting on the ad, Kelsey Reinhardt, president and CEO of the advocacy organization CatholicVote, said: “I take him at his word that he is a man of prayer and he, as an American Muslim, deserves the same religious liberty we Catholics have fought to protect for two centuries.” “What I question is something else,” Reinhardt continued. “El-Sayed has repeatedly answered fair questions with false equivalences, and he has put Catholics and our Church at the center of them.” Reinhardt was referring to El-Sayed’s repeated equation of Catholic canon law with sharia. Addressing concerns about his Islamic faith and fears over the imposition of sharia, El-Sayed emphasized in a video shared on social media that if elected to the Senate, “I’m going to swear an oath to that U.S. Constitution.”
Related: EWTN News explains: What’s the difference between canon law and sharia law? - By Daniel Payne. November 2, 2026
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PIMA Asia News
Arab vote’s success in Israel seen by Palestinians who want to vote
By Dario Salvi, October 30, 2026
Like many Palestinians, Samer Sinijlawi is very frustrated. As the leader of Masar Jadid (New Path), a political movement that seeks change in the West Bank and Gaza, he wants to end the Fatah-Hamas stranglehold on Palestinian politics. “Let’s do a comparison. A Palestinian Israeli who lives in Nazareth, Haifa or Umm al-Fahm, and who is 38 years old, has participated 11 times in national elections,” Samer Sinijlawi explained. “A Palestinian, 39-year-old, who lives in Nablus or Hebron, has never participated in a national election. He does not know what an election looks like or how to cast a vote. This is terrible.” Samer Sinijlawi’s party, strongly oriented toward youth and women, is among the few that spoke out against the cancellation of Palestinian elections scheduled for next month, following a decision by long-term Palestinian President Abu Mazen, in agreement with other traditional Palestinian parties. For him, the ballot box matters. As the election in Israel has shown, with the success of Arab parties, driven by the massive turnout at the ballot boxes, voting is crucial, while many Palestinians have never voted.
The Pillar
Vatican spokesman ‘not aware’ of TLM pilgrimage request
By Edgar Beltrán, October 29, 2026
In an ongoing dispute over a traditionalist pilgrimage in Rome, a Vatican spokesman said Thursday that he was unaware of letters published this week that appear to call into question previous Vatican claims about the group’s requests for accommodation at St. Peter’s Basilica. Organizers requested to celebrate Mass or process into Saint Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 24 — as they had in some prior years — but saw their requests rejected. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told The Pillar Oct. 29 that he was unaware of letters published Oct. 28 by an Italian traditionalist blog, which appear to show that the Ad Petri Sedem pilgrimage to St. Peter’s Basilica provided details, which the Vatican had previously claimed were missing when the group requested to process into the basilica. The Holy See Press Office told The Pillar that it had rejected a request for the pilgrimage to process into the basilica, but that if the group wanted Eucharistic adoration or time for prayer within the basilica, as in other years, “they should’ve made a specific request to that end.”
Zeale
How non-citizen voting could shape the midterm elections
By S.A. McCarthy, November 1, 2026
History shows that only a few hundred votes can change an election's outcome. The 250,000 non-citizen voters federal authorities have identified so far could easily determine the winner of the midterm elections. The 2000 presidential race between then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush, a Republican, and then-Vice President Al Gore, a Democrat, hinged on Florida and the Sunshine State’s electoral votes. That night, Bush was declared the winner of Florida by a narrow margin of 537 votes. Perhaps the narrowest election in U.S. history came down to only two votes. In 1974, Democrat John Durkin was elected to represent New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate by a margin of 355 votes, defeating Republican Rep. Louis Wyman. More recently, Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks defeated Democrat Rita Hart by a mere six votes to represent Iowa’s second congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Aleteia
Is Pope Leo happy?
By Cerith Gardiner, November 2, 2026
Asked whether he was happy, the Pope offered a surprisingly useful way to rethink what happiness means. During his journey to France, Italian journalist Franca Giansoldati of Il Messaggero asked the Pope whether he was happy. His initial response, according to the account of their exchange, drew laughter from those around him: “I don’t know if I look sad to you... but I am happy and content.” He then offered a more thoughtful explanation. Despite the difficulties he encounters, he said his faith gives him strength. His happiness comes from a decision made many years ago, one he continues to renew: following Jesus. The pope's response touches on that distinction. He doesn't suggest that his responsibilities are easy or that faith has spared him difficulties. “I tell myself that following Jesus is the happiest thing in life."
Related: Woman donates kidney to ex-husband for the sake of their children, by Dolors Massot, Aleteia, September 15, 2019
Zenit
New Zealand: Mass attendance is on the rise
By ZENIT Staff, October 30, 2026
The number of Mass attendees in New Zealand grew by more than 8% between 2024 and 2025, according to data collected by the country’s six Catholic dioceses. Christchurch Diocese saw the greatest increase in that period, with the Mass count rising from 10,711 to 12,594 – an increase of 17.6%. Auckland Diocese, which has about 48% of the country’s practicing Catholics, saw an 8% increase, while Dunedin Diocese saw 11.9% more people in the pews regularly. Bishop Michael Gielen of Christchurch said two significant factors are driving the large increase in Mass attendance in his diocese, which covers all of Canterbury and Westland. “As the population of the greater Christchurch area continues to increase, we see the number of Catholics, including from some countries and regions with strong Catholic roots, growing quickly,” he said. “But we’re also mindful of the increasing number of people who have chosen to become Catholic, including as adults, across our diocese and around much of the western world. Many people are also returning to the Church of their childhood. That is a source of much joy.”
Keep informed - 11/2/26 news for Catholics:
Snippets: EWTN News, Aleteia, & Catholic World News
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — November 2, 2026
EWTN News provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, with updates on the Holy Father's words and the Holy See.
Notre Dame bests Villanova in Vatican City Tip-Off basketball games - By Abby Strelow - Notre Dame defeated Villanova in the D1 college basketball season openers on Sunday, Nov. 1, with scores of 74-72 for the men’s and 99-75 for the women’s. The Eternal City Tip-Off games, held in Rome, pitted two schools with “shared faith-based traditions and championship pedigrees.”
Theology of the body meets psychology: Catholics seek healing through JPII’s personalism - By Amira Abuzeid - Catholics gathered to explore how St. John Paul II’s understanding of the person can integrate with psychological science to address anxiety and the search for lasting love and healing.
Peru loses second bishop in 2 days as Pope Leo’s visit nears - By Diego F. López Marina - Bishop Jorge Carrión Pavlich, who led the Diocese of Puno for more than 24 years, has died, after Alarcón, 74, died on Friday, Oct. 30, after a battle with cancer. Alarcón had been helping prepare for the popeʼs stop in Cusco on Nov. 15. Pope Leo expressed sorrow at his death. He died at 76, two days after Archbishop Richard Alarcón of Cusco.
Aleteia
Aleteia’s free access to Catholic news
Launched in 2013, Aleteia is a free online daily news publication. The site is available in six languages (French, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, and Slovenian). Aleteia reaches nearly 50 million people worldwide, making it one of the leading online Catholic media outlets.
Americans are divided over empathy. The tradition is not - A new survey found a “partisan empathy gap” dividing Americans ahead of the midterm elections. Democrats (84%) and Independents (70%) see empathy as a benefit to society; Republicans are split, with 43% describing it as a danger — specifically, a danger “if it leads society away from God.”
Hallow becomes first prayer app to reach Top 10 in App Store - In a major milestone, Hallow has become the world’s most popular prayer companion app, surpassing 10 million downloads and 225 million prayers completed by the last week of April. Hallow was already the first faith-based app to make the App Store's Top 10 list, beating out Netflix, Spotify, Instagram, Amazon, TikTok, and even YouTube to take the number 3 spot.
Pope Leo’s beautiful reflection on the saints - “The saints are the most beautiful and powerful sign of the Kingdom of God that is coming — or rather, as Jesus teaches us, is already among us (cf. Lk 17:20-21). Holiness is not a privilege reserved for a few, but a universal vocation that speaks to each of us where we live.”
Catholic World News
CatholicCulture.org from Trinity Communications
Catholic World News (CWN) is an independent Catholic news service staffed by lay Catholic journalists, dedicated to providing accurate global news from a distinctly Catholic perspective.
Bishop Barron Shouldn’t Have to Do This Alone - Peter Wolfgang - I’m not saying that every bishop has to be a “culture warrior.” Or that the Church should be an arm of the Republican Party. But we do need a Church whose leaders don’t seem embarrassed by their own faith. Pope Leo can provide the leadership that would make Bishop Barron’s interventions less, well, lonely.
Pope Leo XIII on the Authority of the State - In his 1881 encyclical Diuturnum, Pope Leo XIII reaffirmed the Scriptural teaching that all civil rulers derive their authority from God, not solely from the consent of the governed. You can read the article version or listen to the podcast.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Doctor of The Little Way - Thérèse (1873 - 1897) is the youngest Doctor of the Church, but wrote more than some of the other Doctors. She has been called a doctor for the new millennium, and offers a striking contrast to our culture’s obsession with being rich and famous, by giving us an example of holiness as seeking to be poor and anonymous.
November 2, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
Today’s Catholic commentary:
Caeli
Work is meant to support our leisure
By Caeli Catholic & Ava Frecker, November 1, 2026
A few Sundays ago, our pastor challenged us to take a good look at our sins and pinpoint our most common stumbling block. He suggested that if you work hard on overcoming that main vice, the rest will follow. “[S]loth, St. Thomas says, is not simply laziness. It is no mere spiritual lassitude such as might possess anyone after a long morning’s work and a heavy lunch. Rather, sloth is, in its deadliest form, “sorrow for spiritual good.” Sloth is sorrow occasioned by God’s will. In its final moment, it is sorrow for heaven itself. It’s not simply about choosing whether to complete a task. Because if I know I’m going to do the laundry, does it matter when? Is it really a problem if I schedule that appointment today or a week from now? And isn’t it important to make time for leisure? This is where true self-knowledge is important. Yes, leisure is important. But work is meant to support our leisure, not the other way around.
Catholic Weekly
Why do we have Mass?
By Fr John Flader, October 30, 2026
The Mass is the principal way in which the Church offers worship to God. It makes present the very sacrifice of Christ on the Cross of Calvary, by which Christ redeemed mankind from original sin and personal sins, and by which he offered the supreme act of worship to the Father. He gave the apostles the command to continue his sacrifice down the ages when he told them, after instituting the Eucharist in the Last Supper: “Do this in memory of me.” So, the Mass is the principal act of what we call the liturgy, the Church’s official public worship of God. And why do we want to worship God? Because God is everything: the supreme being, who exists from all eternity and is the cause of everything else that exists; the one who made all mankind in his image and likeness. In a word, we are dependent on God for absolutely everything. How could we not worship God?
Our Sunday Visitor
Poland’s constitutional crisis spills into streets
By Katarzyna Szalajko, November 2, 2026
Poland’s president cut short a foreign trip, police intervened outside the Constitutional Tribunal, and protesters gathered in Warsaw as a bitter struggle over control of the country’s highest constitutional court escalated. Amid the growing political crisis, bishops in a majority-Catholic country issued urgent appeals for peace, restraint and respect for the rule of law. “It is not the Church’s role to determine the causes of this dispute or who is responsible for its failure to be resolved,” the bishops said as they called for an end to the escalation, constructive dialogue and peaceful solutions, urging Poles to support efforts toward national agreement and reconciliation. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the archbishop of Lódz and a longtime Vatican official who served as papal almoner throughout the pontificate of Pope Francis, urged Catholics to go further by considering fasting and personal sacrifices for their country.
Crisis Magazine
Young Catholic group pressing for tougher immigration enforcement
By Brandon Goldman, November 2, 2026
A group called Young Catholics for Ordered Migration, or YCOM, defends the traditional view of the nation and advocates for just immigration laws. The group describes itself as a response to what it views as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) soft stance on immigration, one that fails to weigh both sides of the immigration issue. Support for YCOM was immediate. Its X account rocketed to 10,000 followers within 24 hours of its launch and now sits at 13,000. The southern border towns were hardest hit at first, but Denver, Chicago, New York, and countless other cities soon scrambled to put up migrants in hotels and school gyms—really wherever there was room. Local communities took the brunt of the pain, with school and medical systems strained and a housing crisis exacerbated by a sharp increase in demand. We saw a steady stream of news stories about the drunk-driving deaths of locals, hit by illegal migrant drivers. Much of the mainstream media doesn’t report on these problems, but they’re very real.
Image of Walnut from Pixabay
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