St. Mary Our Lady of the Rosary

Father Marcial Maciel. / Credit: DominikHoffmann, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

An HBO series on Marcial Maciel this month has once again placed the spotlight on the founder of the Legionaries of Christ and the complaints of sexual abuse against him.

The congregation in Rome confirmed to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that it had known about the production for years and agreed to be interviewed to address their past and show the changes the order has undertaken since the scandal.

“Yes, we are aware of the production,” the congregation told ACI Prensa. “At the end of 2022, we received an interview request from the documentary’s producers. The project, according to what they said, would address events that were mostly already publicly known thanks to complaints from victims, former members, and specialists, as well as investigations conducted by the congregation and the Holy See,” the congregation noted.

They specified that Father Andreas Schöggl, LC, former secretary-general and currently archivist of the congregation, was the only one to grant an interview, “due to his thorough knowledge of the history of the Legion and his ability to explain it accurately and transparently.”

The Legionnaires emphasized that “agreeing to the interview did not mean they were collaborating in the production or influencing” the final cut. “We answered every question with complete openness and clarity,” they said.

They noted that their website has a specific section on Marcial Maciel and five annual “Truth, Justice, and Healing” reports. They have also implemented a Safe Environments program and a process of outreach and reparation for victims.

Context of the series

The HBO Max documentary series examines the career of the founder of the Legionaries of Christ.

Maciel was considered a charismatic leader and effective fundraiser for decades, but it was later revealed that he had sexually abused at least 60 minors, battled addiction to a morphine derivative, led a hidden double life, and had at least one daughter.

The first season of the series directed by Matías Gueilburt consists of four episodes. The first, set in the 1940s in Mexico, chronicles the founding of the Legionaries of Christ and the initial warning signs about Maciel, which were ignored. 

The second episode, set in the 1950s, describes the Legion’s expansion to Spain and Italy, as well as the start of investigations after the first reports of abuse and his addiction to a morphine derivative became known. 

The third, set in the 1990s, depicts his closeness to Pope John Paul II, the launch of Regnum Christi, the revelation of his double life through a 1997 report, and the strategies employed to avoid exposure under growing international scrutiny. The fourth episode is scheduled to air on Thursday, Aug. 28. 

The series draws on archives, multiple sources such as journalists and specialists, and testimonies from victims, such as former Legionaries Juan Vaca, Alejandro Espinoza, and José Barba, who recount in detail the abuses perpetrated by Maciel. Throughout the episodes the documentary maintains a respectful tone toward the Church and the victims and uses dramatizations in certain scenes to create a powerful impact. 

The congregation explained that, from the beginning, it conditioned its participation on doing so “with openness and humility: facing up to our history, acknowledging the harm caused, and showing the path of renewal we have taken.”

The objective, the congregation stated, was to “contribute to a more complete account of the events” and, at the same time, reaffirm their “commitment to the truth and to the victims, make known the renewal process, to bear witness to the service we provide to the Church today, and to share information about the events verified and compared with multiple sources.” 

Producer Sebastián Gamba’s perspective

Sebastián Gamba, executive producer of Anima Films and the docuseries, explained in an interview with the Spanish-language edition of EWTN News that the Maciel case “really resonates in recent Mexican history” and that the decision to address it was made seven years ago.

Regarding the series’ title, he explained that the reference to Maciel as a “wolf” perfectly represents the person of Maciel, “a sinister character who hides behind religion to commit as much evil as possible.”

Gamba stated that the greatest challenge the production faced was telling a “very painful” story, protecting the victims and showing “the full scope, which is not only the most dramatic and darkest aspect — that of sexual abuse — but many other aspects.”

The producer noted the inclusion of journalists and researchers from various countries, such as Raúl Ormos (author of the Spanish-language investigative book “The Financial Empire of the Legionaries of Christ”), Jason Berry (one of the first to decry abuse in the U.S. in the 1990s), and Idoia Sota (who published a report in 2009 that revealed the existence of Norma Hilda Rivas Baños, a daughter Maciel allegedly conceived with a 17-year-old girl named Norma Baños), among others. “The great challenge was being able to include all these voices and, of course, the voices of the victims,” he said.

The production took almost four years because, according to Gamba, “there’s a whole process of getting to know each other, of understanding from every angle what the project is trying to accomplish, so that the other person really feels like participating or not.”

Regarding the Legionaries of Christ’s participation in the documentary, the producer said that “of course, they condemn Maciel’s entire life” and that “there wasn’t any kind of resistance or obstacles” coming from the congregation or the Vatican.

Regarding how they handled the victims’ testimony, Gamba emphasized that the amount of time allotted was essential to avoid sensationalism.

The subject matter “is treated very carefully. The interesting thing about making a series is that you can give a much more complete overview of these stories.” The person is first presented as a child, “fascinated by the world they found, and then comes the horrific part. This narrative arc avoids sensationalism,” he said.

The producer clarified that the series does not seek to attack faith. “Here, neither religion nor the Catholic Church is called into question. It specifically talks about one person, Marcial Maciel, and his story, which is reprehensible and which absolutely no one defends today, for obvious reasons.”

“I think faith is a wonderful thing; the Catholic religion, for those who live it, is a wonderful thing. And it’s not about that, but rather about showing what human nature can come to, epitomized by a person who committed every evil and abuse within his reach,” he commented.

Background and reports on Maciel and the congregation

Father Marcial Maciel (1920–2008), founder of the Legionaries of Christ in 1941, was investigated by the Vatican in the 1950s for allegations of sexual abuse of minors and misuse of morphine.

He was temporarily removed from office in 1956 and then reinstated two years later. In 2006, 50 years after the Vatican investigation, Pope Benedict XVI removed Maciel from active ministry, based on an investigation the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith conducted when as Joseph Ratzinger he was at the helm before being elected pope in 2005. The pontiff asked Maciel to lead a life of prayer and penance.

On May 19, 2006, the Holy See issued a statement on the case with the following information: “After having subjected the results of the investigation to careful study, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under the guidance of the new prefect, His Eminence Cardinal William Levada, has decided, taking into account both Reverend Maciel’s advanced age and his poor health, to forgo a canonical process and invite the priest to a reserved life of prayer and penance, renouncing all public ministry. The Holy Father has approved these decisions. Regardless of the person of the founder, the worthy apostolate of the Legionaries of Christ and the Regnum Christi association is gratefully acknowledged.”

The progressive discovery of Maciel’s double life provoked a series of crises within both the Legion and Regnum Christi. The Holy See therefore deemed it necessary to conduct an apostolic visitation. The concluding statement of May 1, 2010, reads:

“The apostolic visitation was able to ascertain that the conduct of Father Marcial Maciel Degollado has given rise to serious consequences in the life and structure of the Legion, such as to require a process of profound reevaluation. The very grave and objectively immoral actions of Father Maciel, confirmed by incontrovertible testimonies, in some cases constitute real crimes and manifest a life devoid of scruples and authentic religious meaning. This life was unknown to the great majority of the Legionaries.” 

At the same time, the congregation’s superiors launched a process of institutional introspection.  

According to the Legionaries of Christ’s 1941–2019 Report, 175 minors were victims of sexual abuse committed by 33 priests of the congregation throughout its history and in different countries. This number includes at least 60 minors abused by Maciel, according to the report. The majority of the victims were adolescents between the ages of 11 and 16.

According to the fifth annual report “Truth, Justice, and Healing,” published in April of this year, since the presentation of the first report in 2019 and through Dec. 31, 2024, the congregation has received 20 additional complaints against Legionary priests not accounted for in the historical report and occurring in different decades.

The latest report also reveals that 61 people who suffered sexual abuse as minors are currently undergoing therapy for healing, 40 of whom are receiving care through the independent organization Eshmá. Since 2022, 21 victims have received financial compensation and comprehensive support.

The document also reports that the reaccreditation of safe environments has begun in various territories, with training programs and follow-up on historical cases. In addition, a study commission on the abuse of authority has been created, the results of which will be presented to the general chapter in January 2026.

A call to discernment

When asked whether Catholics could watch the series confident it accurately portrays the events, the Legionaries in Rome responded that “all information must be approached with discernment” and noted that they make available all the information “on the history of the congregation and aspects of Marcial Maciel’s life” for those who wish to learn more.

Regarding the potential impact of the production, they stated that “to the extent that the damage caused is recognized and the firm commitment to not repeating it, it is useful for the Church, the congregation, and society in general.”

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

null / Credit: HQuality/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Assisted suicide has become legal in a growing number of states since it was first adopted in 1997 in Oregon.

CNA has released three new interactive maps to show where each state in the U.S. stands on life issues — the protection of unborn life, the death penalty, and assisted suicide. The maps will be updated as new information on each issue becomes available.

Below is an analysis of the map that shows where each state stands on assisted suicide laws as of August 2025.

What is assisted suicide? 

Assisted suicide — sometimes also called physician-assisted suicide — is legal in 10 states as well as the District of Columbia. Assisted suicide is when a doctor or medical professional provides a patient with drugs to end his or her own life. Assisted suicide is not the same as euthanasia, which is the direct killing of a patient by a medical professional.

The term euthanasia includes voluntary euthanasia, a practice legal in some parts of the world when the patient requests to die; involuntary euthanasia is when a person is murdered against his or her wishes; and nonvoluntary euthanasia is when the person is not capable of giving consent.

Assisted suicide is legal in some U.S. states and around the world, while voluntary euthanasia is legal in a limited number of countries including Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal. In Belgium and the Netherlands, minors can be euthanized if they request it.

In Canada, patients with any serious illness, disease, or disability may be eligible for what is known as medical aid in dying (MAID), even when their condition is not terminal or fatal. In 2027 Canada plans to allow MAID for those with mental health conditions; Belgium, Luxembourg, and Colombia already allow for this.

While most U.S. states have laws against assisted suicide, a growing number of state legislatures have attempted to legalize it.

Where does your state stand on assisted suicide?

Alabama: In 2017, Alabama passed legislation making it a crime for health care workers to administer life-ending drugs, in addition to pre-1997 legislation banning assistance of suicides.

Alaska: Alaska failed to pass laws enabling assisted suicide in 2017. Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Arizona: Arizona still has pre-1997 laws prohibiting assisted suicide in effect, but legislators have tried to legalize assisted suicide for years. A 2025 bill did not advance.

Arkansas: In 2019, Arkansas considered legalizing assisted suicide, but the bill did not go through. Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

California: In 2016, California legalized assisted suicide.

Colorado: In 2016, Colorado legalized assisted suicide via a proposition passed by voters.

Connecticut: Connecticut has repeatedly proposed legislation to legalize assisted suicide, but none has passed. Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Delaware: In 2025, Delaware legalized assisted suicide.

Florida: Proposed bills to legalize assisted suicide in Florida have not advanced in recent years. Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Georgia: In 2012, Georgia passed a law making assisted suicide a felony, renewing its legislation against assisted suicide.

Hawaii: In 2019, Hawaii legalized assisted suicide.

Idaho: In 2011, Idaho made assisted suicide a felony, renewing its legislation against assisted suicide.

Illinois: In 2025, a bill to legalize assisted suicide in Illinois stalled and will cross over to the 2026 session. Legislators have made efforts to pass pro-death legislation, but pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Indiana: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Indiana’s pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Iowa: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Iowa’s pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Kansas: In 2011, Kansas passed a law criminalizing assisted suicide, renewing its legislation against assisted suicide.

Kentucky: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Kentucky’s pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place.

Louisiana: Louisiana’s pre-1997 law against assisted suicide is still in place.

Maine: In 2019, Maine legalized assisted suicide.

Maryland: Maryland has yet to legalize assisted suicide, though legislators have made attempts to in recent years. The state has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide.

Massachusetts: In 2022, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that there is no right to assisted suicide in the commonwealth.

Michigan: Michigan has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. Legislators, however, have pushed to legalize assisted suicide in recent years.

Minnesota: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Minnesota’s pre-1997 law against assisted suicide is still in place.

Mississippi: Mississippi’s pre-1997 law against assisted suicide is still in place.

Missouri: While various bills to legalize assisted suicide have been proposed in recent years, Missouri’s pre-1997 law against assisted suicide is still in place.

Montana: Assisted suicide is a legal gray area in Montana. While legislators have not made assisted suicide legal, a 2009 Montana Supreme Court ruling said that a doctor can use patient consent in defense in a homicide case.

Nebraska: Assisting suicide is a felony in Nebraska.

Nevada: Nevada does not authorize assisted suicide. The governor recently vetoed a bill that would have legalized assisted suicide.

New Hampshire: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in New Hampshire. Legislators have pushed for assisted suicide legislation in recent years.

New Jersey: In 2019, New Jersey legalized assisted suicide.

New Mexico: New Mexico legalized assisted suicide in 2021.

New York: New York legislators approved an assisted suicide law that is awaiting signature by the New York governor.

North Carolina: North Carolina does not have a law legalizing assisted suicide.

North Dakota: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in North Dakota. Aiding a suicide is a felony in the state. Legislators have pushed to legalize assisted suicide in recent years.

Ohio: Assisting suicide is against Ohio law. Ohio added laws against assisting suicide in 2003 and 2017.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. Oklahoma code explicitly states that it does not condone assisted suicide.

Oregon: Oregon became the first state to implement assisted suicide legislation in 1997.

Pennsylvania: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Pennsylvania. Legislators have attempted to legalize assisted suicide in recent years.

Rhode Island: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Rhode Island. Assisting a suicide is a felony in the state.

South Carolina: South Carolina has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. South Carolina has never officially considered legalizing assisted suicide and has declared in recent years that health care professionals who participate in assisted suicide may have their licenses revoked.

South Dakota: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in South Dakota. The state does not condone euthanasia, “mercy killing,” or assisted suicide.

Tennessee: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Tennessee. Assisting suicide is a class D felony in the state.

Texas: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Texas. Aiding someone in committing suicide is a felony in the state if it results in bodily harm or causes death.

Utah: Utah has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. Legislators have attempted to legalize assisted suicide without success. The state amended its manslaughter statute to criminalize the prescription of medication intended to cause death.

Vermont: Vermont legalized assisted suicide in 2013.

Virginia: Virginia has renewed its legislation against assisted suicide since 1997, the year Oregon legalized assisted suicide. Virginia explicitly bans assisted suicide, and health care professionals who assist a suicide are subject to the suspension or removal of their licenses.

Washington: Washington state legalized assisted suicide in 2008.

West Virginia: West Virginia approved a constitutional amendment in November 2024 prohibiting medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing, becoming the first state to do so.

Wisconsin: Pre-1997 laws against assisted suicide are still in place in Wisconsin. State statutes currently define any case of assisting suicide as a Class H felony.

Wyoming: Wyoming law does not condone assisted suicide, though legislators have attempted to legalize assisted suicide in recent years.

Washington, D.C.: Washington, D.C., legalized assisted suicide in 2017.

Where does the Church stand on assisted suicide?

The Catholic Church condemns both assisted suicide and euthanasia, instead encouraging palliative care, which means supporting patients with pain management and care as the end of their lives approaches. Additionally, the Church advocates for a “special respect” for anyone with a disability or serious health condition (CCC, 2276). 

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “intentional euthanasia, whatever its forms or motives, is murder” and “gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and the respect due to the living God, his Creator” (CCC, 2324).

Any action or lack of action that intentionally “causes death in order to eliminate suffering constitutes a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator” (CCC, 2277).

Catholic teaching also states that patients and doctors are not required to do everything possible to avoid death, but if a life has reached its natural conclusion and medical intervention would not be beneficial, the decision to “forego extraordinary or disproportionate means” to keep a dying person alive is not euthanasia, as St. John Paul II noted in Evangelium Vitae.

The Minnesota state capitol in St. Paul. / Credit: Steve Heap/Shutterstock

National Catholic Register, Aug 28, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

After a pair of out-of-state school shootings in 2022 and 2023 shocked the nation, Minnesota’s bishops implored state lawmakers to provide security funding for local nonpublic schools. 

Now, two years after their appeals went unheeded, tragedy has struck one of their own.

On the morning of Aug. 27, a gunman opened fire during an all-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, killing two students, aged 10 and 8; 14 other students and three adults were injured.

The tragedy comes after the Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), the public policy voice of Minnesota’s six dioceses, made requests to state officials to extend funds for security upgrades and emergency-response training to nonpublic schools in both 2022 and 2023.

The appeals, which came after deadly school shootings at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, argued that students at Catholic and other nonpublic schools should receive the same level of protection as their public-school peers.

“We need to ensure that all our schools have the resources to respond to and prevent these attacks from happening to our schools,” wrote Jason Adkins, MCC’s executive director, in an April 14, 2023, letter to Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who are both Democrats. The letter was also signed by Tim Benz, president of a Minnesota independent school organization.

If MCC’s request had been granted, Catholic schools like Annunciation would have been able to use state funds for enhancements like secure entries to facilities or even to hire school resource officers. 

But the Minnesota bishops’ appeals were rebuffed in both years, as related bills stalled in the state Legislature, resulting in no additional funding for nonpublic school security. Meanwhile, for the 2023 legislative session, Minnesota enjoyed a historic $17.6 billion surplus.

In the aftermath of the Annunciation school shooting, the issue will assuredly be revisited — including why lawmakers failed to act on the bishops’ request.

Responding to a request for comment, Walz’s office underscored that the governor “cares deeply about the safety of students” and has “signed into law millions in funding for school safety.” The National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, confirmed, however, that none of the previously signed funding bills applied to nonpublic school safety.

“We remain committed to working with anyone who is willing to work with us to stop gun violence and keep our students safe,” said the spokesman, noting that Walz meets with MCC on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Republican state Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia, told the Register that the tragedy is prompting her to reflect on her “responsibility as an elected official.”

“There are no easy answers, but I know our children — our most precious assets — must be protected,” said Coleman, a Catholic. “Now is the time to make school security funding a priority.”

In his first public remarks following the shooting, Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis begged for prayers for those affected. He also called for an end to gun violence.

“Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent,” he wrote in a statement. “They are far too commonplace.”

Adkins declined to comment at this time.

Previous requests

The Minnesota bishops’ efforts to secure school security funding came after state lawmakers had passed “Safe Schools” legislation in 2019 that provided money for security enhancements to public schools but not to nonpublic ones.

In 2022, after a bill to expand the funding to nonpublic schools stalled, Minnesota’s bishops urged Walz to call a special session and pass an expansion to Safe Schools. The measure would have provided $44 per student for security costs, regardless of their school’s affiliation.

“Although no legislation can stop the manifestation of evil, this Safe Schools legislation is an important, commonsense first step to establishing an ongoing funding source for schools to increase security staff, enhance building security, and strengthen violence prevention programs and mental health initiatives,” Hebda wrote in a May 2022 letter.

The House version of the bill was supported by multiple members of the Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party, the Minnesota affiliate of the national Democratic Party, indicating bipartisan support. However, Walz did not call a special session to pass the legislation.

The following year, MCC implored Minnesota’s lawmakers to make nonpublic schools eligible recipients of a $50 million security grant program included in the state’s education finance bill. 

The 2023 letter cosigned by MCC described “the exclusion of one sector of schools” from security funding as “a discriminatory act against our students.”

An attack on any school, whether it is a public, nonpublic, charter or another school site, cannot be tolerated or allowed to happen in Minnesota,” the letter writers said.

Meeting, but no funding

According to comments Adkins made to The Daily Wire, Minnesota’s bishops had raised their concerns with Walz, a former public school teacher, in a meeting. 

“He communicated his belief that people should feel safe in their schools and places of worship,” Adkins said. “But the appropriation was not created.”

As governor, Walz exerts significant influence over the budget process, including by proposing the initial biennial budget legislators are tasked to work with.

The Daily Wire article suggested that Walz focused on other priorities that year, such as securing Minnesota’s status as a “trans sanctuary” state.

MCC’s support for nonpublic school security in 2022 and 2023 is part of a more comprehensive effort to reduce gun violence. The bishops have also supported “red flag” orders, which temporarily restrict firearm access to individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others, and expanded background checks.

The Minnesota bishops did not take a public stance on security funding for Catholic schools in 2024 or 2025. Instead, MCC’s Catholic school-related efforts in those years included opposing the exclusion of religious colleges from postsecondary enrollment programs and securing religious exemptions from new legislation that included “gender identity” as a protected class under state law.

This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

St. Augustine of Hippo. / Credit: Cathopic

CNA Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church honors St. Augustine of Hippo, an early Church Father, doctor of the Church, and foundational theologian, on Aug. 28.

Augustine was brought up as a Christian in his early childhood but drifted from the Church, fathering a child out of wedlock and falling into the heresy of Manichaeism. His mother, Monica, a woman of deep faith who was later canonized herself, never stopped praying for his return to the Church.

Of the more than 5 million words that St. Augustine wrote during his lifetime (A.D. 354–430), his “Confessions” have had a particularly lasting influence as a philosophical, theological, mystical, and literary work. Written in about A.D. 400, “Confessions” details how God worked in Augustine’s life and reads not just as a story but as a prayer.

Here are five powerful quotes from St. Augustine’s “Confessions”:  

1. “Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee” (Book I).

2. “To Carthage I came, where there sang all around me in my ears a cauldron of unholy loves. I loved not yet, yet I loved to love, and out of a deep-seated want, I hated myself for wanting not … For within me was a famine of that inward food, Thyself, My God” (Book III).

3. “But what am I to myself without Thee, but a guide to mine own downfall?” (Book IV).

4. “I cast myself down I know not how, under a certain fig-tree, giving full vent to my tears; and the floods of mine eyes gushed out an acceptable sacrifice to thee” (Book VIII).

5.  “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace” (Book X).

This story was first published on Aug. 28, 2024, and has been updated.

Law enforcement vehicles sit parked outside a reported residence of a suspect following a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School on Aug. 27, 2025 in Richfield, Minnesota. / Credit: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 27, 2025 / 20:15 pm (CNA).

The man who killed two children and injured 17 other people in the Minneapolis Catholic church shooting posted a YouTube video before the attack, which showed an anti-Christian motivation for the murders and an affinity for mass shooters, Satanism, antisemitism, and racism.

Robin Westman — who was born “Robert” and identified as a transgender woman — died by suicide on Wednesday, Aug. 27, after shooting through the windows of Annunciation Catholic Church during a weekday Mass. Most of the worshippers were children who attend the parish elementary school next to the church.

Mocking Christ and giving nod to Satanism

In a video posted ahead of the attack, which YouTube has since removed from its website, the shooter showed a written apology to his friends and family but clarified “that’s the only people I’m sorry to” and then disparaged the children he planned to shoot.

Westman wrote that he has “wanted this for so long” and acknowledged: “I’m not well. I’m not right. I am a sad person, haunted by these thoughts that do not go away. I know this is wrong, but I can’t seem to stop myself.”

During the video, Westman zooms in on an image of Jesus Christ wearing the crown of thorns that he attached to the head of a human-shaped shooting target. The photo of Christ displayed the text “He came to pay a debt he didn’t owe because we owe a debt we cannot repay” below the image.

Westman laughed while pointing the camera at the shooting target, and then moved the camera to show anti-Christian messages and drawings on his guns and loaded magazines.

One message read: “Where’s your God?” and another: “Where’s your [expletive] God now?” A third read: “Do you believe in God?” while another stated “[expletive] everything you stand for.”

Another message on a rifle stated “take this all of you and eat,” which mocks the words Jesus Christ said at the Last Supper and the words said in the Eucharistic prayer during every Mass. 

Westman drew an inverted pentagram on one of the magazines, which is a symbol often used to promote Satanism but is sometimes used in other occult practices. The number “666” was also written on the magazine. He also drew an inverted cross on the barrel of one of the rifles, which is a traditional Christian symbol that has since been co-opted by Satanists.

Affinity for mass shooters, antisemitism, and racism

Westman wrote the names of about a dozen mass murderers on his weapons, including largely writing “Rupnow” on one of his guns, referencing Natalie Rupnow, the Abundant Life Christian School shooter.

One mass murderer that Westman wrote on his magazines and rifles more than once was the Norwegian neo-Nazi Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people and injured 319 others in two mass casualty attacks.

Most of the names were written on magazines, while some were written on the rifles. This also included the New Zealand Christchurch mosque shooter Brenton Harrison Tarrant, the Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza, and the Aurora movie theater shooter James Holmes written on a loaded magazine.

Several written messages were antisemitic, such as “6 million wasn’t enough,” in reference to the number of Jewish people killed during the Holocaust. A smoke grenade he showed had “Jew gas” written on it, which is another Holocaust reference. There were also several anti-Israel messages.

Other messages targeted several ethnic and racial groups. One message used a slur for Hispanic people and another said “Nuke India.” One message read “remove kebab,” which is a reference to a meme disparaging Arab and Muslim people. Another written message referenced a meme mocking Black people.

Several messages also disparaged and threatened to kill President Donald Trump. 

One message on a loaded magazine read “for the kids” and another read Mashallah, which is Arabic for “God has willed it.” Others referenced various memes and two of them referenced the movie “Joker.”

Concerning Satanic and racist association in other shootings

In his video, Westman flashed the “OK” hand symbol one time when showing his weapons. This appeared to be a reference to the Abundant Life Christian School shooter, Rupnow, who posted an image of herself displaying the same symbol before her attack.

Although use of the “OK” hand symbol is usually benign, it has also been used by some white supremacists as a sign of their ideology.

Researchers who tracked Rupnow’s social media activity found that the 15-year-old shooter was deeply involved in online networks that espouse neo-Nazi, racist, and Satanic beliefs, according to a joint report from Wisconsin Watch and ProPublica. These communities also promote violence and some have praised mass shootings.

One of the communities noted in the joint Wisconsin Watch and ProPublica report was “764,” which is a Satanic neo-Nazi community associated with the Order of Nine Angles, another Satanic neo-Nazi community. Several people involved in these communities have been arrested for grooming and sexually exploiting children online. In several examples, community members have urged people to harm or kill themselves.

In April of this year, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that two “764” leaders were arrested for allegedly running a “global child exploitation enterprise.” The DOJ alleges that they “ordered their victims to commit acts of self-harm and engaged in psychological torment and extreme violence against minors

Although Westman directly referenced Rupnow and used rhetoric promoting both Satanism and neo-Nazi ideology, so far there is no direct evidence that connects Westman to these communities.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul-Minneapolis. / Credit: Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 27, 2025 / 16:57 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who leads the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, released a statement following the deadly shooting that took place on Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic School in southern Minneapolis.

“My heart is broken as I think about students, teachers, clergy and parishioners and the horror they witnessed in a church, a place where we should feel safe,” Hebda wrote in a statement Wednesday afternoon, hours after police confirmed two children were killed and 17 injured in the shooting.

Hebda expressed gratitude to Pope Leo XIV, who sent his condolences to Hebda after the attack, and all those around the world who have offered prayers following the shooting that occurred during a Mass for the K–8 school early Wednesday morning.

“I beg for the continued prayers of all of the priests and faithful of this archdiocese, as well for the prayers of all men and women of goodwill,” Hebda continued, “that the healing that only God can bring will be poured out on all those who were present at this morning’s Mass and particularly for the affected families who are only now beginning to comprehend the trauma they sustained.”

The Twin Cities archbishop further pledged the souls of the two children who lost their lives to God through the intercession of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, and called for an end to gun violence, which he described as “far too commonplace.”

He noted the Annunciation School shooting comes just 24 hours after another shooting near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School that reportedly left one dead and six injured on Tuesday.

“Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent,” Hebda wrote. “While we need to commit to working to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies, we also need to remind ourselves that we have a God of peace and of love, and that it is his love that we will need most as we strive to embrace those who are hurting so deeply.”

Hebda revealed that archdiocesan staff are currently working with the parish and school to “make sure they have the support and resources they need at this time and beyond.” 

A prayer service is set to take place at 7 p.m. CT at the Academy of the Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota. 

We have to be men and women of hope,” Hebda also said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. While he was speaking, a church bell rang in the background.

“A bell in the Catholic Church is always a call to prayer,” he continued, adding: “And we have to recognize that it’s through prayer … that we can indeed make a difference. That has to be the source of our hope.”

FBI Director Kash Patel announced in a social media post Wednesday afternoon that the FBI is investigating the shooting “as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.” He also confirmed the identity of the shooter as Robin Westman, a trans-identifying male born as Robert Westman.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered American flags at the White House, across the country, and at all U.S. embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad to be flown at half staff until sunset on Aug. 31 “as a mark of respect for the victims” of the deadly shooting. 

null / Credit: Deemerwha studio/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 16:18 pm (CNA).

Two children were killed and multiple victims injured in a shooting during an opening school year Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

In times of tragedy, the Church turns to prayer. The Catholic Church believes that prayer can effect real change — not just in the heart of the person praying but in the world. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Prayer and Christian life are inseparable” (CCC, 2745) and that prayer is a “vital necessity” (CCC, 2743).

The popular global prayer app Hallow has launched a prayer campaign for “healing for the injured, comfort for students, staff, and families, and the peace of Christ to be with all who were present.”

The Church also calls on the prayers of Mary and the saints to intercede for us. Below is a litany written specifically to be prayed after a school shooting.

Litany of prayer after a school shooting

Our Lady, Help of Christians, we turn to you, who watched your Son give his life for us, and stood strong at the foot of his cross, to ask for your consolation, your guidance, your motherly arms to embrace us. We stand in silence, praying beside you.

St. Joseph, great protector, pray for us.

Archangel Michael, defend us in every battle.

Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, parents who lost four children, pray for us.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, missionary to the United States, pray for us.

St. Emilia, mother of saints, pray for us.

St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine, pray for us.

Servant of God Dorothy Day, defender of all who lack protection, pray for us.

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity, mothers who left their infants to die for Christ, pray for us.

St. Junipero Serra, lover of peace, pray for us.

Blessed Lucien Botovasova, a dad, a teacher, and a martyr, pray for us.

St. Rita of Cascia, mother, patron of impossible causes, pray for us.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, who lost two children and is the first saint of the United States, and patron of educators, pray for us.

Sts. Jacinta and Francisco, sweet children, pray for us.

Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Girogio Frassati, soon to be declared saints and inspiring examples for all young people, pray for us.

Virgin Mother, we know that as a mother, you never took your eyes off of your children in Annunciation School, especially in those moments of dramatic confusion and fear; you accompanied them with your tenderness. 

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

May the souls of the departed rest in peace. Amen.

This litany was first published at Aleteia. It is reprinted here with permission and has been adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV prays during his Wednesday general audience on Aug. 13, 2025, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday said he was offering prayers for the victims of the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting, one he described as an “extremely difficult” and “terrible” tragedy.

Two children were killed in a shooting incident at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, with the gunman taking his own life after the deadly attack during the parochial school Mass.

Law enforcement were still working to determine a motive to the shooting on Wednesday afternoon. In his telegram to Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda, meanwhile, Leo said he was “profoundly saddened” at the news of the killings.

The pope “sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness” to the victims of the shooting, said the telegram, signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. 

Leo “sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child,” the message said. 

“While commending the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God, His Holiness prays for the wounded as well as the first responders, medical personnel, and clergy who are caring for them and their loved ones,” the message continued. 

The pope offered an apostolic blessing to the archdiocese “as a pledge of peace, fortitude, and consolation in the Lord Jesus.”

U.S. bishops: ‘Let us all beg the Lord for protection’

Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a statement lamenting the loss of life in the deadly shooting. 

“Whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children,” USCCB Vice President Archbishop William Lori said in the statement. 

“Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family.”

The remarks from the pope and the U.S. bishops come amid an outpouring of grief and support from around the U.S. and the world.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning said the White House was monitoring the situation. “Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” he wrote. The president subsequently ordered the U.S. flags at the White House to be lowered to half staff in honor of the victims of the shooting.

Numerous other U.S. bishops responded to the tragedy as well. “Please join me in praying for all those who were injured or lost their lives — along with their families,” Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron said. “Let us also pray for the students, faculty, and entire parish community.”

The New York State Catholic Conference, meanwhile, wrote that the state’s bishops were “devastated” by the shooting.

Skyline of Minneapolis. / Credit: Michael Hicks, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 15:10 pm (CNA).

After a shooter killed two children and injured 17 other people on Wednesday morning during Mass at a Minneapolis Catholic school, the community is reeling as leaders call for prayer.

The shooter opened fire from the parking lot through the church window during a school Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. The local Catholic school of almost 400 students has grades pre-K through eighth grade.    

The shooter killed an 8- and 10-year-old and injured 17 other people before killing himself. Fourteen children were injured and at least two are in critical condition.

Jeff Cavins, a Minneapolis-based Catholic author with close ties to the parish, said that in the “vibrant Catholic community” of the Twin Cities, everybody is affected by the tragedy. 

“Everyone heard about it within minutes, and it’s in the heart of our city,” Cavins told EWTN News’ Abigail Galván. “So what happens to one person in our Catholic community, everybody else is affected.” 

Cavins, who attended the parish for several years when he was growing up, said the parish priest has “a pastor’s heart and love for children.” 

“My pastor is the pastor there, Father [Dennis] Zehren, who is one of the most outstanding priests in America, truly is, and probably one of the best homilists I’ve ever heard,” Cavins said. 

Cavins, who went to school at Annunciation as a kid, said that “what’s going through my mind is the vulnerability of these children in their first week of school.” 

Many of the children had likely just attended the state fair before the school year started, Cavins said. 

“But also, what’s going on in my mind is the responsibility of pastors and leaders in Catholic schools, and that they’re vulnerable as well,” Cavins said. “They’re putting their lives on the line to teach children in a world that we’re living in today, which, as we can see, anything can happen in your own backyard — and suddenly the world knows about it.”

Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney said the parents are “in shock.”

“Unbelievable that this could happen,” Kenney told the local KSTP 5 News. “It’s very sad for the community. It’s very sad for the families that have lost loved ones.”

The shooting took place at Mass during the responsorial psalm, according to local priest Father Paul Hedman.

“It was the opening school Mass, is my understanding,” Kenney said. “It’s a horrible, horrific way for all the students to begin the school year.” 

Police identified the shooter as a man in his early 20s. He had posted several disturbing videos with anti-religious messaging on social media on Wednesday morning before the shooting. He reportedly had ties to the parish through his mother, who had retired from a job at the parish several years ago. 

The Catholic community across the United States is uniting in prayer for the parish and local community.

Soon after the shooting, Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, called for prayers “for all those who were injured or lost their lives — along with their families” as well as “for the students, faculty, and entire parish community.”

Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver said “the pain of this tragedy is present in our hearts.” 

“At a time when young hearts were turned toward the Lord in prayer, violence entered the sanctuary, leaving wounds, fear, and deep sorrow,” he said in a statement Wednesday morning. 

“Let us lift every child, teacher, and family of Annunciation Catholic School to the Father, especially those who have been injured, asking Christ the Divine Physician to bring healing to them,” Aquila said. 

“We entrust the school and parish community to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, who stood faithfully by the cross of her Son and knows the anguish of a grieving heart,” he said.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ vice president Archbishop William Lori said the Church is following the tragic news with “heartbreaking sadness,” adding that “whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children. Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family.”

On Wednesday afternoon, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin relayed to Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda a message from the Holy Father, which reads: “His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was profoundly saddened to learn of the loss of life and injuries following the shooting that took place at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis” and “sends his heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child.”

“While commending the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God, His Holiness prays for the wounded as well as the first responders, medical personnel, and clergy who are caring for them and their loved ones,” the message added.

St. Augustine and St. Monica stained glass at St. Augustine Cathedral Catholic Church Basilica in Tucson, Arizona. / Credit: Bill Perry/Shutterstock

Rome Newsroom, Aug 27, 2025 / 13:40 pm (CNA).

Since the fourth century, Christians have revered St. Monica, the mother of Church Father St. Augustine, as a woman of unwavering faith in God.

In an interview with EWTN News reporter Valentina Di Donato, two Augustinian priests living in Rome explain why the woman they refer to as their “grandmother” continues to be a source of hope and inspiration, especially for Catholic wives and mothers.

Father Angelo Di Berardino, OSA, who has worked and lived at the Augustinian International College of Santa Monica in Rome for 50 years, said St. Monica had a great interior strength that influenced all members of her family.

“Respecting her husband, she was able to convert him,” Di Berardino told EWTN News. “Then, she was a strong woman to educate her three children, especially Augustine.”

“I think she was so strong in her life, in her prayer, that she had a great influence on the great theologian Augustine,” he added.

According to Order of St. Augustine procurator general Father Edward Daleng Daniang, OSA, St. Monica is the saint to turn to for spouses who feel alone in their desire to create a Christian family home.

“St. Monica did not have it easy with her husband Patrick,” he said. “She tried to win him with her love, with her patience and endurance and tolerance and, above all, bringing her husband to God through prayer.”

Describing the ancient saint as a “living example” of a mother who does not give up on her children, Daniang said those struggling with their children can have hope that their prayers, and tears, are never wasted.

“St. Monica was struggling with her son St. Augustine who wandered away from home,” he said. “He left Monica, his mother, to come to Italy in those days and Monica did not give up.”

“He left the faith which she tried to transmit to him but she did not give up,” he emphasized.

Following her son to Italy, Daniang said her main intention of leaving Africa was not to bring her son back home but to lead her son to Jesus Christ for the salvation of his soul.

“St. Monica stands as someone who led her husband to God, to Christ, and also brought her son St. Augustine to Christ,” he said.

“That’s bringing the unity of family together,” he added.