Paul Braune watched calmly as the police ransacked his rectory office in Lubetal, Germany. Arrested by SS chief Reinhard Heydrich himself on August 12, 1941, Braune was accused of having “sabotaged measures of the regime and the Party in an irresponsible manner.” Officers rifled through his papers—from the German Confessing Church and the Association of [...] The post The pastors who defied Hitler’s euthanasia regime first appeared on The Bridgehead .
“We are deeply disturbed that the Scottish Greens believe abortion should be treated ‘like any other healthcare procedure’,” the Scottish bishops said Saturday.
Every Sunday, women who have had abortions sit in church and hear that God forgives sin. But when abortion is never named, many conclude that the promise doesn't include them, and they take the pastor's silence as judgment.
Two hundred Virginia pastors have publicly opposed a proposed abortion amendment, citing the Sixth Commandment in their appeal to voters. Their unified stance urges Christians to reject legalizing abortion up to birth.
Bishop William Byrne and the Catholic bishops of Massachusetts are urging Catholics to sign a petition to repeal Chapter 188, a new law allowing abortion throughout pregnancy, including after 24 weeks for any reason and in non-hospital settings. The repeal effort, called Repeal 188, requires collecting certified signatures to place the question on the 2028 ballot and suspend the law until voters decide, while parishes are holding petition drives and promoting support for women facing unplanned pregnancies during Respect Life Month.
Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, has called on Catholics in his diocese to pray and fast throughout October to oppose two ballot initiatives related to abortion and gay marriage. He specifically requested that on Fridays, Catholics pray the Stations of the Cross and fast by eating one full meal without meat, and on Sundays, pray the Rosary and fast from social media for several hours, especially around Mass.
A Virginia Catholic bishop called on the faithful to pray and fast in opposition to proposed state constitutional amendments that would enshrine abortion and same-sex marriage. The bishop warned these measures threaten the sanctity of life and family values.
Catholic bishops and religious sisters in New York and Illinois have filed lawsuits against their states' assisted suicide laws, winning temporary court rulings that prevent enforcement of these laws against them while litigation continues. These lawsuits argue that the laws compel Catholic healthcare providers to violate their conscience by participating in or promoting assisted suicide, which the Church opposes as contrary to its mission and moral teachings.
Virginia is holding a significant election with constitutional amendments on abortion and marriage that have drawn opposition from Catholic bishops and over 200 pastors, who warn the ballot language is deceptive and designed to punish dissenters and boost Democrats. In Ohio, two key races are considered toss-ups, including a Senate special election and the governor's race, with data centers and immigration issues prominent, while in Texas, the Senate race between Ken Paxton and James Talarico is close, with controversies around Talarico's religious affiliations and local concerns about visas, data centers, and mosque construction influencing conservative voters.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has designated October as Respect Life Month with the theme 'Mary, Mother of Life,' encouraging prayer and action against the increased use of abortion pills.
Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ), which represents Catholic religious communities including the Jesuits' northeast province and the Diocese of Albany, has two board members who also hold executive roles at Planned Parenthood. IASJ has received funding from donor groups that also support Planned Parenthood, and some of its Catholic affiliates have publicly supported LGBT ideology, raising concerns about the alignment of IASJ's activities with Catholic teachings.
Pope Leo XIV visited France on a pilgrimage focused on human dignity, where he met with abuse victims, embraced people with disabilities, and emphasized that life is more than avoiding suffering, opposing euthanasia. During the trip, he also spent meaningful time with three adult men with profound disabilities, offering them fraternity and equality, while other news highlights included a Zambian archbishop's court appearance, Vatican clarification on abuse by Fr.
Joe Biden received the Sonia Schorr Sloan Service Award from Planned Parenthood on September 24, recognizing his political career dedicated to protecting abortion rights. Despite being a prominent Catholic, Biden's support for abortion has not been publicly condemned by bishops in his home diocese or in Washington, D.C., even though Catholic teaching strictly forbids abortion and considers it a mortal sin.
Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington instructed priests in all 70 parishes to read his letter opposing Virginia's Question 1 abortion amendment aloud at Masses, urging Catholics to pray, fast, and vote against it. Some Catholics avoided attending Mass in the diocese that weekend to not hear the message, but Burbidge and Bishop Barry Knestout warned the amendment would allow abortion up to birth and urged opposition despite significant financial support for the amendment's proponents.
Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington is urging Catholics to fast on Fridays in October and vote against Virginia ballot questions that would expand abortion access and redefine marriage. He has directed priests to read a letter during Masses encouraging opposition to these amendments, emphasizing prayer, fasting, and voting as essential actions to protect unborn life and traditional marriage definitions.
Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington is urging Catholics to fast on Fridays in October and vote against two constitutional amendments on abortion and marriage appearing on the November 3 ballot in Virginia. He has directed priests to read a letter during Masses opposing the amendments, which would expand abortion access and redefine marriage, and has led prayer efforts while acknowledging both support and criticism from parishioners.
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Arlington diocese in Virginia urged Catholics to vote no on a constitutional amendment that would create a legal right to unregulated abortion at any time during pregnancy and extend abortion rights to minors without parental involvement.
On Saturday 5th September 2026, over 10,000 people gathered in London for the March for Life UK event, which included a family summit, religious services, and a march through Westminster to Parliament Square. The event featured speakers sharing personal testimonies, discussions on fatherhood and motherhood, and concluded with prayers led by Christian leaders and 15 Roman Catholic bishops, emphasizing the pro-life message and opposition to abortion and assisted suicide in the UK.
The South Korean government announced plans to permit the use of abortion pills for women up to nine weeks pregnant by early 2027, with prescriptions and dispensing handled by physicians for the first two years. Christian groups in South Korea, including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the United Christian Churches, have strongly condemned this decision, emphasizing the abortion pill's lethal effect on unborn children and calling for social support systems for women in crisis pregnancies instead.
The South Korean government announced plans to legalize and regulate the abortion pill Mifegymiso by March 2027, initially prescribing it in hospitals and later expanding distribution to pharmacies. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea expressed strong opposition, warning that the measure institutionalizes abortion and calls for the government to choose a path that protects life while supporting women.
Christian leaders, led by Senator Josh Hawley and over 30 pastors, have issued a Declaration for Life calling for a ban on the abortion drug mifepristone and affirming the dignity of unborn children from conception. South Korean Catholic bishops have also opposed their government's expansion of abortion pill use, while pro-life groups in the U.S.
Virginia Democrats have proposed a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights, including personal decisions about prenatal care and abortion access, which will appear on the November ballot. Catholic leaders from the Dioceses of Arlington and Richmond have strongly opposed the amendment, urging their congregations to vote no, citing concerns about the health and safety of mothers, parental rights, and the sanctity of marriage.
Virginia Bishop Michael Burbidge directed priests in the Diocese of Arlington to read a letter at every Sunday Mass urging Catholics to vote 'no' on two proposed amendments to the state constitution that would broaden abortion access and introduce gender ideology. He described the amendments as 'radically unjust,' emphasizing the threats they pose to the sacredness of human life and traditional marriage, and encouraged participation in the 'Catholics Vote No' campaign to oppose these measures.
Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints oppose an Idaho ballot initiative that would establish a right to abortion in the state and have encouraged church members to voice their opposition in a respectful manner during worship services. The church's position opposes elective abortion except in cases of rape, incest, serious risk to the mother's life or health, or severe fetal defects, and aligns with other faith groups in Idaho, such as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise, which also opposes the initiative.
Pope Leo XIV recalled the Second Vatican Council's condemnation of abortion, euthanasia, and voluntary suicide as acts "against life itself" during his general audience in St. Peter's Square, emphasizing that Catholics should use this teaching to evaluate contemporary political projects.
Catholic Bishop Michael Burbidge says he has never before asked every priest in his diocese to do what he requested this weekend: read a letter at Mass urging Catholics to oppose two Virginia constitutional amendments on abortion and marriage. Across 70 parishes serving more than 430,000 Catholics in Northern Virginia, worshippers heard Burbidge warn against […] The post Catholic Bishop Has Every Church Read Letter Opposing Abortion Up to Birth Amendment appeared first on LifeNews.com .
Virginia Bishop Michael Burbidge instructed every priest in his diocese to read a letter at Mass urging Catholics to oppose two constitutional amendments on abortion and marriage ahead of the November 3 election. He argued that Ballot Question 1 would expand abortion rights beyond reasonable limits and that Ballot Question 2 would remove the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, enshrining gender ideology in the state constitution.
Andorran Prime Minister Xavier Espot announced that the government plans to decriminalize abortion next year despite opposition from the Vatican, emphasizing that the decision will not jeopardize the country's institutional system. Currently, abortion is illegal in all cases in Andorra, a predominantly Catholic country governed as a parliamentary diarchy with co-princes including the bishop of La Seu d’Urgell, but officials aim to pass legislation by April that may limit prosecution to physicians while protecting women who seek abortions.
