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National Catholic Register
Why the Pro-Life movement is gaining ground
By Shawn Carney, September 12, 2026
After the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, many pro-life advocates started preaching — and falsely continue to preach — that we are worse off than ever before in the pro-life movement. This is certainly not accurate. Just ask Planned Parenthood. The abortion giant closed a record number of facilities in 2025 and continues to close more in 2026. Many pro-life advocates contend this simply reflects a market shift to pill-induced abortions. But according to the abortion-advocacy organization Guttmacher Institute, 73% of abortions are still distributed through brick-and-mortar facilities rather than ordered through the mail. Furthermore, as the largest distributor of abortion pills, Planned Parenthood should benefit from the proliferation of abortion pills — and hasn’t. For the past 19 years, 40 Days for Life has stood toe-to-toe with the culture of death. Dozens of states have since implemented pro-life laws and only six enshrined abortion in their constitutions, ending any possibility of state-level legal victories there.
EWTN News
Apostolic nuncio calls for ‘moral voice’ in AI development
By Tyler Arnold, September 11, 2026
Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States, discussed the need for a “moral voice” in artificial intelligence (AI) development during a panel discussion hosted by Georgetown University on Sept. 9. Speakers noted that the Holy Father’s encyclical stopped short of prescribing specific policy ideas for addressing the moral and ethical concerns, but the nuncio said “there is the perception that we need a moral voice” on the subject. “A moral voice is what?” he said. “Not everything which is possible to be done should be done. Not everything that technology offers should be taken. This is a moral choice.” Caccia stressed that decisions affecting human lives should not be handed over to AI, citing distinctions between AI algorithms and the human conscience, as the Holy Father discussed in Magnifica Humanitas. In the encyclical, Leo distinguished between artificial intelligence and human intelligence, focusing on how each approaches moral questions and rejected ideas of “artificial moral agents.”
Related: Catholic tech leaders urge ethical boundaries for AI - By Emma R.C. Lyons, EWTN News, September 11, 2026
Aleteia
The oldest Bible text ever found fits in your palm
By D. R. Esparza, September 12, 2026
On the western slope of the valley southwest of Jerusalem’s Old City, below the Scottish Church of St. Andrew, a 13-year-old volunteer on the dig, exploring a narrow chamber, discovered a cache of artifacts that had been missed by looters: pottery, jewelry, arrowheads — and two small rolled pieces of silver, corroded and fragile. Both scrolls contain versions of the Priestly Blessing from Numbers 6:24-26: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” The scrolls date to the late 7th or early 6th century BC — roughly 600 BC, in the final decades before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. This makes them about 400 years older than the oldest Dead Sea Scrolls and roughly 1,000 years older than the Masoretic manuscripts that form the basis of most modern Old Testament translations. The scrolls also demonstrate a remarkable textual stability. The Priestly Blessing as inscribed on the Ketef Hinnom amulets is recognizably the same text found in the Hebrew Bible today.
The Pillar
Prominent U.S. priest restricted from ministry
By The Pillar, September 11, 2026
The Diocese of Fall River, Mass., announced Friday that Msgr. Roger Landry has been restricted from public ministry after allegations of misconduct were made against the priest by “multiple individuals.” There are no allegations involving minors, the diocese emphasized, but he has been accused of “violations of the Codes of Conduct for Priests for both the Diocese of Fall River and Archdiocese of New York.” Landry, 55, is a widely respected and influential figure in the Church in the United States. The priest serves as the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies. He was appointed to the role in 2024, when he was also granted the title of Monsignor. He previously served for seven years as an attaché to the Holy See’s diplomatic corps as the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York, and he is a regular speaker, media commentator, and contributor to Catholic publications on Church news and events.
OSV News
Ballot access for eligible voters part of faithful citizenship
By Kate Scanlon, September 11, 2026
Participation in elections is a key component of faithful citizenship for U.S. Catholics, as is advocating for free and fair elections, Catholic leaders said Sept. 11. At a press briefing that also included theologians and representatives of Catholic advocacy organizations and religious orders, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami pointed to the U.S. bishops’ document “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship” as a reference point for Catholic voters this November. “We have to just keep on telling people in the pews to vote,” Archbishop Wenski said. “A significant percentage of American citizens who can vote don’t vote, and we have to tell everybody that they have to be faithful citizens by exercising their right to vote.” Only U.S. citizens may vote in federal elections in the U.S. under federal law. Hardline immigration enforcement actions have left some immigrants — naturalized U.S. citizens and eligible to vote — concerned over immigration enforcement efforts at polling places, where they might be mistakenly included in those actions.
Zeale
UK parliament rejects assisted suicide bill after 2-year debate
By McKenna Snow, September 11, 2026
The UK House of Commons voted against a bill to legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill people Sept. 11, bringing to a close a multi-year debate on the issue that has concerned disability advocates, pro-life witnesses, Catholics, and many others wanting to protect human life. The Members of Parliament (MPs) voted 286-270 to reject the bill after a four-hour debate in the House of Commons. In June 2025, the House of Commons had voted 314-291 in favor of legalizing assisted suicide, as Zeale News reported. The “End of Life” bill's progress ended in the House of Lords, where some peers tabled hundreds of amendments and effectively talked it out. One Labour MP, Janet Darby, reversed her position on the issue after initially voting in favor of it. The BBC reported Darby changed her mind after having “nightmares about dying and death” following her initial vote.
Related: Scotland was the first country to allow abortion until the baby Is born - Elizabeth Owens, Zenit - September 10, 2026
Related: Scottish bishop tells Crux Now proposed change to Scotland’s abortion law could limit conscientious objection - By Charles Collins, CRUX, September 11, 2026
Zenit
Nigeria: 3,000 people killed and 3,000 kidnapped
By Elizabeth Owens, September 10, 2026
Nigeria’s Christian communities are facing another devastating year of bloodshed, according to a new report claiming that at least 3,083 Christians were killed and 3,193 abducted during the first eight months of 2026. The organization also reported attacks on 400 churches and said that 25 priests and pastors were killed or abducted between January and August. In July and August, 437 Christians were reportedly killed and 393 kidnapped. The statistics are difficult to verify independently in every individual case, but they add to an increasingly urgent body of evidence documenting the extraordinary vulnerability of Christian communities in Africa’s most populous country. Few places illustrate the scale of the crisis more starkly than the Diocese of Wukari in Taraba State. Between September 2025 and August 2026, nearly 239 churches were reportedly attacked or destroyed there, while almost 100,000 worshippers were forced from their communities. More than 200 Christian settlements were said to have been raided, with 16 Catholic priests fleeing their homes and eight priests’ residences destroyed.
Rod Dreher’s Diary
Jonathan Cahn’s report of Arthur Lundeen’s demon on flight 618
By Rod Dreher, September 8, 2026
Pastor Jonathan Cahn released a video yesterday identifying “what precipitated the violent outburst” on flight 618 that ended with duct taping and zip-tying Arthur Lundeen, 67, into his seat on the airplane. His account is chilling. Cahn said Lundeen started a pleasant, if distracting, conversation about what he does for a living. When Cahn told him he is a Christian (Messianic Jewish) pastor who writes books, Lundeen said he’s an atheist. Lundeen began behaving violently, blaspheming, cursing, and using racial epithets. Cahn was working on his laptop on his latest book, The Altar Of Pergamon, a fantasy mystery novel about a famous ancient pagan relic. It had been published a day or so earlier. When Lundeen touched the screen, blackness spread all over it, so that Cahn couldn’t work anymore. Lundeen later broke Cahn’s laptop and injured his arm before passengers intervened to restrain him.
Keep informed - 9/12/26 matters for Catholics:
Snippets: EWTN News, aciafrica, & Word on Fire
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — September 12, 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.
Catholic professor calls families to reclaim the home in a technological age - By Madalaine Elhabbal - Christendom College professor John Cuddeback spoke to EWTN News about his new book “The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter,” and treating our homes as places of human flourishing.
Filmmakers bet on human craft over AI for animated St. Francis musical - By Aaron Leong - A 3D animated musical trilogy on St. Francis of Assisi is taking shape in Singapore, with its creators choosing a human-led animation process over AI at a moment when the industry is racing toward it. Director Benjamin Tanaka, executive producer Gabriel Patrick, and composer Ethan Hsu call the project “The Francis Chronicles.”
Aparecida shrine in Brazil set to unveil more artwork linked to Rupnik - By Nathália Queiroz - Rupnik faces accusations of spiritual, psychological, and sexual abuse against dozens of nuns — incidents that, in some cases, occurred within the context of his artistic work. He was expelled from the Society of Jesus in June 2023 for disobeying a superiorʼs order not to preach publicly and is currently facing a canonical trial.
aciafrica
aciafrica’s top headlines — September 12, 2026
ACI Africa was founded in 2019 to provide free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Catholic Church in Africa, with particular emphasis on the Holy Father's words and the Holy See's activities.
Nigeria’s Enugu Diocese Dissociates from Society of Saint Pius X, Urges Faithful to Remain United with Pope - The Catholic Diocese of Enugu in Nigeria has dissociated itself from the activities of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) within its jurisdiction. The traditionalist group, which incurred excommunication in July, is not in full communion with the Catholic Church.
Missing Zimbabwean Catholic Priest Found Dead at Harare Hospital Mortuary - According to recent police sources, Fr. Chikuni is believed to have been involved in a hit-and-run road accident near the intersection of Prince Edward Road and Samora Machel Avenue in Harare while attempting to cross the road. Police sources said the vehicle involved was a Honda Fit.
Cardinal Onaiyekan Proposes Stronger Discernment Processes for Young Men Entering the Priesthood in Nigeria - Not every young man who enters the priesthood in Nigeria does so with the right intentions, John Cardinal Onaiyekan has said, underlining the need for formators to intensify the processes for those entering Seminaries.
Word on Fire
Fresh insights from the Word on Fire Institute - September 12, 2026
Word on Fire reaches millions every year by effectively sharing the Gospel via podcasts, videos, books, articles, Scripture studies, and Gospel meditations.
An Alternative to Helicopter Parenting - Sarah Larkin - Many are choosing not to have a second child, and I suspect one major factor is that parents are often exhausted from micromanaging their first one. Helicopter parenting is hard work. Having a couple of kids is not the end of an enjoyable life, as many believe.
The Virtue of Stability in the Vocation of the Writer - Peter Keepman - A hidden gem of O’Connor’s corpus, however, is her own thought on the vocation of the fiction writer, a vocation animated by an almost Benedictine spirit of stability. In a post-modern milieu where genius is associated with madness and those who pursue writing, art, music, or poetry are characterized by eccentricity, O’Connor reveals a different model for the Catholic creative and intellectual.
The Danger of Theologianology - Jack F. Trent - Theology’s God-centered nature can be subtly replaced by a theologian-centered nature. Instead of studying God (i.e., doing theology), we may become content to merely study theologians (i.e., doing theologianology). This subtle change is a tragic problem.
September 12, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Catholic commentary:
National Catholic Register
How will Pope Leo XIV respond to the culture of death?
By Andrea Gagliarducci, September 10, 2026
One theme lingers in the background of all the major debates surrounding the Catholic Church: Life. The question of life is so powerful and compelling that it cannot be ignored, and certainly will not be ignored by Leo XIV. The political agendas surrounding end-of-life care extend beyond the EU, such as Canada’s MAID program, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives by euthanasia since its 2016 legalization. In the United Kingdom, meanwhile, assisted suicide remains illegal. In France, where Pope Leo is set to land on Sept. 25, the bishops took to the front lines against the country’s end-of-life legislation, facing a political agenda that was difficult to dismantle. In his visit to a country that is weeks out from legalizing assisted suicide, how will Leo address the topic of human dignity at all stages of life? So far, Leo XIV has been very clear on the issue, but also very cautious.
First Things
The seismic shift in Southern Baptist baptisms
By R. Albert Mohler Jr. September 11, 2026
Recent statistical reports indicate that baptisms in Southern Baptist congregations rose for a fifth consecutive year, with 263,075 recorded in 2025. That is sweet news for the SBC, but it needs context. In the 1950s, the SBC was growing like the nation, fast and furiously. The largest share of those baptized today are adults aged thirty and older. To outsiders, this must be interesting news. In an increasingly secular age, how do we account for this many adults professing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and then obeying and testifying of Christ in the waters of baptism? And, keep in mind, these are baptisms by immersion. Baptists believe that obedience to Christ requires a whole lot of water—not just a little bit. Southern Baptists do not baptize infants, who cannot make a personal confession of faith in Christ Jesus. But, over the course of the twentieth century, Southern Baptists did baptize a lot of children and teenagers—millions of them.
The Imaginative Conservative
In defense of those who protect us
By Louis Marko, September 10, 2026
In the beautiful and heroic but dangerous and elegiac world of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Tolkien takes his time developing his epic fantasy, allowing his readers to fall in love with the Shire, the pastoral home of the hobbits. Though perhaps a bit too bourgeois and self-satisfied in their creature comforts, the hobbits nevertheless lead a charmed life that allows them to take full enjoyment in what Tolkien, in his Prologue, tells us they most love: “peace and quiet and good tilled earth.” The Shire is a safe haven protected from the pains and hazards of the wide world. Though the hobbits do not know it, and though they feel no gratitude for it, their idyllic existence relies upon the vigilance and military prowess of the Rangers, descendants of the Men of the West who, under the leadership of Aragorn, the rightful king of Middle-earth, patrol the borders of the Shire and of the neighboring town of Bree. Tolkien, like his friend C.S. Lewis, fought in World War I, and both were apologists for the medieval knight—including that most misunderstood of knights, the crusader—who dedicated his life to patrolling the perilous borders of civilization.
The Catholic Thing
Harken to the sorrows of young Zoomers
By Auguste Meyrat, September 11, 2026
With many members of the Gen Z cohort (b. 1997-2012) coming of age and entering public life, it behooves older generations to understand them better. Unfortunately, with Gen Z, the differences may be so vast and deep that understanding them will prove more difficult. So much of their formative experience is unprecedented. Not only have they grown up with smartphones, high-speed Internet, and now AI, but they have also experienced a number of widespread social disruptions, including the COVID lockdowns. Altogether, this makes their integration into adult life especially challenging – and I say this as a teacher who has worked closely with Zoomers for decades. On the outside, they have the world's knowledge at their fingertips. And they enjoy countless amenities. Inside, many still feel empty and resentful. In response, Jeremy Adams, in his book Hollowed Out, calls for a nationwide intervention to help these youths discover the blessings of American democracy and Western wisdom.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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