St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church and Divine Infant of Prague Mission

From left to right: Actor Marcin Kwaśny as Maximilian Kolbe and Christopher Sherwood as Karl Fritzsch in “Triumph of the Heart.” / Credit: Triumph of the Heart movie/Sherwood Fellows

CNA Staff, Sep 6, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Anthony D’Ambrosio grew up Catholic and always viewed his faith as one of the most important aspects of his life — even entering seminary for a brief period of time. However, he felt called to leave seminary and go into youth ministry. He fell in love and was about to get engaged when he was diagnosed with a life-altering medical condition — a chronic mold infection with a major symptom being severe and even life-threatening insomnia.

D’Ambrosio’s relationship ended, he couldn’t maintain a job, and his faith unraveled. It was during the sleepless nights that he began to discover the story of St. Maximilian Kolbe, which led to creating a movie about the saint — “Triumph of the Heart.” It will be released in theaters on Sept. 12.

St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Franciscan friar, priest, and martyr who volunteered to die in place of another man in the German death camp of Auschwitz. Kolbe spent the last 14 days of his life in a starvation bunker alongside nine other men. “Triumph of the Heart” focuses on Kolbe’s last days on earth spent in the starvation bunker.

While writing the film, D’Ambrosio began to see his own battle with insomnia as “being a bit of a stand-in for starvation,” he told CNA in an interview. The fact that Kolbe was also able to accompany three other men “to that miracle of staying alive for 14 days without food or water with him” was also meaningful for D’Ambrosio because “I knew that if Kolbe could have helped men in that situation to find a reason to live, that he could help me to find a reason to live.”

As D’Ambrosio spent more and more time with Kolbe’s story, he began to “see what true sanctity looked like, what love looked like.”

“This idea that he had volunteered to take on the suffering of these men in order to be with them — that really began to melt my own heart and to open me back up to God’s presence,” he added.

It was then that D’Ambrosio began his journey to create the film. He began to write the script, pilgrimaged several times to Poland to learn more about Kolbe, lived with the Franciscan friars in Poland, studied his story with the librarian who handles his archives, and ultimately worked with an American crew and partnered with Poles to tell the martyr’s story.

Despite facing numerous challenges while making the film, D’Ambrosio said the most beautiful aspect was seeing “how generous the Catholic world has been.”

“Triumph of the Heart” was an entirely crowdfunded movie — meaning all production costs were covered thanks to donations from individuals.

D’Ambrosio shared that not only did everyday Catholics generously donate financially, but they also donated airline miles for the crew to be able to travel and many volunteered to go to Poland on their own dime to help with the production while the team was there for three months filming.

“I mean the whole movie is just a compilation of the stories of people who have sacrificed immensely in order to tell the story,” D’Ambrosio said.

When reflecting on the life and story of Kolbe, D’Ambrosio said it serves as a great reminder to Catholics that “when everything is hopeless, really, truly, love has the power to overcome darkness and to change the world.”

“The choice to have to maintain love and hope and faith in the face of darkness is the most powerful expression of God’s love and presence that any person can offer the world,” he added.

Despite having his life’s work destroyed by the Nazis and witness his country of Poland be conquered and destroyed by the Germans, Kolbe maintained his faith, and for D’Ambrosio “that has been the part of his life that has resounded the most throughout history and throughout time.”

“I think for anybody that is struggling in any way in their lives right now, they can look at his suffering and look at the fruit of it and make sense in many ways — maybe not make sense but they can like find a balm and find a compass for their own action the way that I did,” he said.

D’Ambrosio emphasized that the movie is primarily about hope and said he finds it “very apropos that this year was declared to be a Jubilee of Hope and that somehow Kolbe’s movie and his story is coming out in the jubilee year.”

The filmmaker said he hopes viewers “will come away with this catharsis — with this feeling of all of that was worth it if that’s what heaven is like.”

“I think that the way that the movie leaves people is like a little promise of ‘Hey, it’s going to be OK. The place we’re going is better and all of the suffering and trials and tribulations that you go through here now and all the crosses that you bear, they will be fully redeemed and you will be completely filled up and made new.’”

Blessed Carlo Acutis (left) and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. / Credit: Diocese of Assisi/Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Vatican City, Sep 6, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).

Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati will be declared saints in the Catholic Church on Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Vatican.

Follow here for live updates and continuing coverage of the event:

null / Credit: maxuser/Shutterstock

London, England, Sep 5, 2025 / 16:36 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Church’s voice is vital in the global dialogue concerning the future of artificial intelligence (AI), experts highlighted during a symposium Sept. 2–3 at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Entrepreneurs, academics, and clergy came together in Scotland’s capital to tackle the ethics of emerging AI technologies in the context of Catholic social teaching, arguing that responsible regulation of emerging technologies depends on the wisdom, involvement, and action of the Church.

The conference was organized by St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, and attendees heard from a variety of speakers including Lucas Ernesto Wall, founder and CEO of almma, the first AI marketplace; Father Michael Baggot, professor aggregato of bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome; and Matthew Sanders, CEO of Longbeard and architect of Magisterium AI, Vulgate AI, and Christendom apps.

“The Catholic Church has been contemplating the question of what does it mean to be human for millennia,” Wall told CNA on Sept. 4. “We may be the best organization to help AI be dignified.”

In his conference presentation, which focused on “AI democratization,” Wall called for a deeper dialogue between the Church, academia, and the technology sector to ensure that “the algorhythmic age” focuses on human flourishing, especially for those who are marginalized.

Wall told CNA that he believes Pope Leo will make this a central aspect of his papacy and credited the Church for already taking great initiative under Pope Francis, illuminated through the promulgation of Antiqua et Nova.

“AI is impacting every aspect of life,” Wall explained, “and we have just begun to discover some of them. We need daily calls to action at the parish level; daily calls to action from everyone who is a Catholic in the world to engage in challenges around AI. This could prove to be the most powerful mobilization of the Church in generations. We do have a choice. We always have a choice. We must continue the conversation on this subject across religious and denominational lines. This affects all humans — not just Catholics.”

Sanders joined Wall in his optimistm about the potential for dialogue between AI labs and the Catholic Church.

“It is quite surprising how many heads of the AI labs are philosophically minded,” Sanders told CNA. “For example, Demis Hassabis is the CEO of Google’s DeepMind and a member of the Pontifical Council of Sciences and has spoken very publicly about the need for regulation, as has Dario Amodei, who is head of Anthropic. Overall, I think that AI labs do not want to be too prescriptive about what an AI world should look like, and they welcome the wisdom of the Church.”

CNA also spoke with Stephen Dolan, a lecturer in theology at St. Mary’s Twickenham.

“We had between 30-40 individuals join across both days in person and online,” he explained. “We had speakers travel in from North America or call in from India and the Philippines. Interest came from all across the globe, including from Ghana, India, and America. It is clear this topic is on the lips of many and came at the right time to bring such a variety of interested parties together.”

When asked what the overall conclusion of the conference was regarding the future of AI, Dolan said: “For me, the main takeaway is the uncertainty of what AI may mature to become. There was optimism and skepticism in the room with a healthy discussion about how AI will transform what the world needs.”

“It is clear that this uncertainty is an opportunity for the Church to be a global leader in reminding society that AI, like all technology, must serve a higher good, and when implemented with this vision it can be a force for good,” Dolan said.

“However, the Church is required to be the voice of the lonely, marginalized, and the future disenfranchised if unrelenting AI development fails to respect the intrinsic dignity of the human person.”

Dolan shared with CNA that “the [conference] room was alive with debate; optimism and skepticism coexisted because there was the hope and belief that the Church’s social teachings could ultimately hold all together and point society towards the greatest good.”

Pope Leo XIV on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, officially inaugurated the Laudato Si’ Village in Castel Gandolfo with a liturgical celebration highlighting the “vocation” of every person to care for creation, including a performance by Andrea Bocelli. / Credit: Vatican Media

Rome Newsroom, Sep 5, 2025 / 16:06 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Friday afternoon officially inaugurated the Laudato Si’ Village in Castel Gandolfo with a liturgical celebration highlighting the “vocation” of every person to care for creation. 

Before celebrating a special Liturgy of the Word in a greenhouse complex, the Holy Father toured the estate in a golf buggy and stopped to greet staff and students collaborating on the environmental project inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’.

In his reflection on St. Matthew’s Gospel, the Holy Father said each human person has the great responsibility and privilege of respecting the “Creator’s plan.”

“Jesus emphasizes the special place reserved, in the creative act, for the human being: the most beautiful creature, made in the image and likeness of God,” Leo said in his short homily. 

“The care of creation, therefore, represents a true vocation for every human being, a commitment to be carried out within creation itself, without ever forgetting that we are creatures among creatures, not creators,” he added.

Speaking about his predecessor Pope Francis — who initiated the project and the liturgy for the Mass for the Care of Creation — Leo said the village is a “seed of hope” for those committed to fostering humanity’s “ecological conversion” through education and catechesis.

“It is important, as my predecessor wrote, to ‘recover a serene harmony with creation, to reflect on our lifestyle and our ideals, to contemplate the Creator, who lives among us and in all that surrounds us,’” Leo said, quoting Francis’ 2015 encyclical letter.

“The Laudato Si’ Village, which we inaugurate today, is one of the Church’s initiatives aimed at realizing this ‘vocation to be custodians of God’s handiwork,’” he said.

The ecological complex includes state-of-the-art insulation, photovoltaic, and circular water management systems as well as spaces for educational activities for students.

At the end of the liturgy, Pope Leo blessed the village with holy water and all those present at the liturgy.

Italian singer Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo, who were among the guests invited to the celebration, offered the Holy Father a song to mark the occasion.

Pope Francis with the king and queen of Belgium during his visit to the country in 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 15:36 pm (CNA).

Sept. 26 marks one year since Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to Belgium to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Catholic universities of Leuven and Leuven-la-Neuve, an event that involved a significant financial and logistical effort.

In a recent statement, the Belgian bishops announced a new collection to raise the remaining 800,000 euros ($940,000) to cover the debts owed for the historic event. The Argentinian pope’s visit — lasting two and a half days — cost more than 3 million euros ($3.5 million). Patrick du Bois, who was responsible for logistics during the papal visit, confirmed the figure to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

Ensuring the necessary security for the bishop of Rome, preparing the city for the pope’s visit, and preparing large spaces for heavily attended Masses entailed a considerable investment, according to Du Bois.

“The organizational efforts are enormous, on the one hand because large crowds gather around the Holy Father, and on the other because his security requires very strict measures,” said Du Bois, who led the organization and logistics of the papal visit at the request of Archbishop Luc Terlinden, president of the Belgian Bishops’ Conference.

Du Bois said the state was responsible for security on public roads, “while everything that happens inside a venue — stadium or basilica — is the responsibility of the local Church.”

He confirmed that the bishops’ conference had to cover all expenses, “including lodging, meals, and even laundry services for all members of the Vatican accompanying the Holy Father.” A total of 65 Vatican personnel traveled for the visit to Belgium, some for 15 days.

“The Vatican requires that all public acts of the Holy Father be filmed and that the images be made available at no charge to all media outlets worldwide. If local television refuses to produce these images, the bishops’ conference must hire private companies and assume the cost,” Du Bois explained.

He also noted that “all travel expenses, including those of numerous journalists, are also the responsibility of the bishops’ conference.”

Funded by the generosity of the faithful

In their message, the Belgian prelates recalled that 40,000 people participated in the Mass celebrated at King Baudouin Stadium and more than 5,000 young people attended the “Hope Happening” festival, which the pope attended, held on the Heysel esplanade.

The bishops explained that the pastoral component was funded primarily through donations from the laity, raising nearly 2 million euros ($2.35 million). This sum was used, among other things, to rent the King Baudouin Stadium and provide security for the faithful who attended free of charge.

To raise the remaining funds, the Belgian Bishops’ Conference has asked for the support of the country’s faithful, announcing that funds raised during Masses on Sept. 20-21 will be used for this purpose.

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

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, speaks on Aug. 29, 2025, the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. / Credit: Holy See Mission to the United Nations

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 15:06 pm (CNA).

The Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, highlighted the Vatican’s concern about significant increases in military spending and nuclear arms development worldwide on the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.

In a speech during the high-level plenary session of the general assembly on Aug. 29, Caccia emphasized that the pursuit of “a world free of nuclear weapons” is not only a matter of strategic and vital necessity but also a profound moral responsibility.

“Instead of moving toward disarmament and a culture of peace, we are witnessing a resurgence of aggressive nuclear rhetoric, the development of increasingly destructive weapons, and a significant increase in military spending, often to the detriment of investments in integral human development and the promotion of the common good,” Caccia said.

According to Vatican News, the Holy See’s representative noted that since the first nuclear test, conducted on July 16, 1945, in the New Mexico desert, more than 2,000 nuclear tests have been carried out on land, in the atmosphere, underground, and in the oceans.

“These actions have affected everyone, particularly Indigenous populations, women, children, and the unborn. The health and dignity of many continue to be compromised in silence and, too often, without any kind of compensation,” he said.

“It is particularly worrying that, in the face of this important shared responsibility, the global response seems to be going in the opposite direction,” the prelate warned.

He quoted Pope Leo XIV when he emphasized in his speech the need to “reject the lure of powerful and sophisticated weapons as a temptation.”

Caccia said what is required is “a renewed effort toward multilateral dialogue and the resolute implementation of disarmament treaties as well as concrete support for communities that continue to suffer the long-term consequences of nuclear testing and weapons.”

The archbishop reiterated the importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the full implementation of the International Monitoring System and its verification mechanisms.

The Holy See, he stated, reaffirms its “unconditional support” for this international commitment, calling for a “strengthening of the global norm against explosive nuclear tests as an essential step toward authentic and lasting peace.”

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

Father Mike Schmitz speaks at the revival session of the National Eucharistic Congress at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on July 18, 2024. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno

CNA Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 14:25 pm (CNA).

Popular podcasting priest Father Mike Schmitz — best known for the “Bible in a Year” podcast — is back at it planning a new podcast titled “Called.”

Inspired by the Scripture verse Matthew 25:40, the podcast will be made up of episodes featuring conversations with individuals who have answered God’s call to serve others. From teachers and entrepreneurs to parents and community leaders, the podcast aims to inspire the faithful to put their faith into action.

The Catholic Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to renewing the Church and serving those most in need, has partnered with Ascension to create the podcast. An official release date has not yet been announced.

“This ‘Called’ podcast is giving flesh to the fact that every one of us is called to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” Schmitz said in a video released Sept. 3 announcing the new podcast.

The priest began the video by retelling the parable told by Jesus in Matthew 25. In this parable Jesus welcomes into the heavenly kingdom those who fed him when he was hungry, gave him something to drink when he was thirsty, and clothed him when he was naked. However, for others who did not do these things, they are told to “depart from him.” Schmitz called this parable “one of the most convicting.”

“Every time I read through it, every time I hear it proclaimed, every time I even think of it, I think, ‘Well, here is Jesus — he’s giving us the answer to the test when it comes to the end of our lives,’” Schmitz explained.

He continued: “Jesus makes it very, very clear we’re not being judged on what did you believe — although that’s very important — but here in this parable he’s not highlighting that part, he’s highlighting what did you do? Not just what did you do in your life, but what did you do for the least of my brethren?”

Schmitz said one example of someone who lived this parable was Pier Giorgio Frassati, who will be declared a saint on Sept. 7 in Rome. He explained that the young man would often return to his home without shoes on because he would give them to someone who did not have a pair of shoes.

Therefore, the podcast aims to answer the question: How is God calling each of us to live this out in our daily lives?

“On this podcast ‘Called’ you’ll be able to see ‘Oh, here’s how people right now do this.’ So it takes out some of the mystery and actually gives you and me the strength and the vision and the direction to be able to say, ‘That’s how they live that out. I can totally live that out in my life right now,’” Schmitz said.

“This podcast isn’t just to highlight and spotlight the heroes among us. What it’s meant to do is inspire us, to give us that new vision of what this could look like in your life and in my life.”

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is backing a coalition of New Jersey pregnancy centers asking the U.S. Supreme Court (pictured) to halt a state investigation into their donor lists.  / Credit: Wolfgang Schaller/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is backing a coalition of New Jersey pregnancy centers as they ask the U.S. Supreme Court to halt a state investigation into their donor lists and other sensitive documents.

First Choice Women’s Resource Centers is asking the high court to block a demand from New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin to turn over extensive donor lists with identifying information. The prosecutor is demanding the records as part of an investigation into compliance with “consumer protection” laws.

In their amicus filing at the Supreme Court, the USCCB argued that compelling the donor disclosures would negatively affect groups beyond the pregnancy centers, including churches. The bishops alleged it would hollow out the “long-established protection of religious autonomy” established by the high court.

Compelling donor lists would “pressure a church to change the way it raises funds and maintains its financial records” and would “reveal private information about a church’s internal operations,” the bishops said.

“Coercive tactics could be used against religious groups of all creeds, social views, and political persuasions,” the bishops wrote. “Wherever a particular group’s religious calling takes it outside the predominant ethic and mores of the day, it will be at risk of similar attempts to interfere, redirect, chill, or quash.”

The USCCB argued that financial donations constitute an “act of speech” and of religious expression. 

“When a state compels a religious organization to disclose its donor lists, it assails nearly every First Amendment right with a single blow,” it said.

The bishops urged the Supreme Court to block Platkin’s subpoena efforts and “affirm and strengthen its precedents protecting religious exercise and association.”

The U.S. bishops in their filing joined a broad coalition of advocacy groups and associations in opposing the state attorney general’s investigation, including the U.S. government, multiple members of Congress, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Democrats for Life, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, the Second Amendment Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union, the state of Florida, and the 2001-era internet trade association NetChoice.

Erin Hawley, a senior attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the pregnancy centers before the Supreme Court, said in a press release that the legal group was “grateful for the diverse voices” coming out in opposition to the New Jersey prosecutor’s investigation.

“The Constitution protects First Choice and its donors from demands by a hostile state official to disclose their identities, and First Choice is entitled to vindicate those rights in federal court,” Hawley said.

“Carlo Acutis, God’s Influencer” brings to life the story of the Church’s first millennial saint who used his passion for technology and the internet to spread his love for the Eucharist and his Catholic faith to people around the world. / Credit: CCC of America

CNA Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

A new animated movie depicting the life of Carlo Acutis will be released on Sept. 7 — the same day the young boy, beloved by Catholics around the world, will be declared a saint by the Catholic Church.

“Carlo Acutis, God’s Influencer” brings to life the story of the Church’s first millennial saint who used his passion for technology and the internet to spread his love for the Eucharist and the Catholic faith to people around the world.

The animated film offers children and their families a way to learn about the life of Acutis, depicting his perseverance in faith and the importance of placing one’s talents in the service of God and others.

The film was made by CCC of America in association with the Augustine Institute and will be available for streaming on Formed, a digital platform run by the Augustine Institute that provides faith-informed content for Catholics.

The movie will join several other films on Acutis including documentaries such as EWTN’s “Blessed Carlo Acutis — From London to the World” and “I Am With You — A Documentary on Carlo Acutis,” which can be streamed on EWTN OnDemand, as well as a book by CNA Vatican Reporter Courtney Mares called “Blessed Carlo Acutis – A Saint in Sneakers.”

Juan Carlos Carredano, the executive producer of the film, told CNA in an interview that CCC of America has been creating films based on the lives of the saints since 1983 and they “continually receive requests from people to share more stories.”

“That is why we decided to bring Carlo Acutis’ amazing story to the new generations,” he said. 

“Today, it is more important than ever to share real stories about people who made a difference — true saints and heroes who changed the world [and] recent stories that teenagers can relate to,” he added. “And who better than Carlo to show us that sainthood is for everyone?”

“Carlo is transforming thousands of hearts through his life and testimony, which revealed the true presence of God. I believe that is what makes him a real influencer,” he said. 

“His witness is an urgent call for each of us to share the good news, to reflect the beauty of the Gospel and of creation, to serve the truth, and to ‘live as originals, not photocopies,’ as Carlo said.”

Carredano said he hopes viewers “will receive the key messages that [Carlos’ mother] Mrs. Antonia Acutis recommended for this film: a true belief that Christ is present in the Eucharist, a deep love and closeness to Our Lady, the importance of living in a state of grace, and the call to love everyone — especially those in need.”

null / Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 5, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

A federal court has blocked the government from enforcing an abortion accommodation rule against the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and other Catholic entities as a lawsuit over the provision plays out. 

The abortion rule, finalized by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in April 2024, forces employers to provide accommodations for workers to obtain or recover from abortions, surrogacy, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures, all three of which conflict with Catholic teaching.

Under the Sept. 3 court order issued by Judge David Joseph, the EEOC is prohibited from enforcing the final rule in any way that would force the bishops and the other Catholic entities to accommodate actions that are “in violation of their sincerely held religious beliefs.”

The order states that the EEOC cannot launch investigations against the bishops or the other entities based on a refusal to provide accommodations for procedures that conflict with Catholic teaching.

The block will remain in place until the lawsuit against the EEOC challenging the rule concludes.

Daniel Blomberg, vice president of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and lead attorney for the bishops in the case, told CNA the court order is in line with what the bishops had requested.

He said the EEOC had previously “agreed to not enforce the mandate” on the bishops and other Catholic entities but had not agreed to the court-ordered injunction. He said the injunction requested by the bishops and provided by the court “memorializes the agreement.”

CNA reached out to the EEOC for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

The bishops’ lawsuit continues

The EEOC imposed this rule as part of the regulatory framework for the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, adopted by Congress and signed by former President Joe Biden in 2024.

The law itself, which makes no mention of abortion, requires employers to provide workplace accommodations to women for limitations caused by pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions.

Under the Biden-era regulations that enforce the law, the EEOC determined that related medical conditions included “having or choosing not to have an abortion.” The regulation only provided religious exemptions on a case-by-case basis, which would be determined after accommodation requests were denied.

Blomberg pointed out that the bishops “were very supportive” of the law itself because they believed it would “protect [pregnant women] and lead to healthier moms and healthier babies.” 

Yet the EEOC “turned that protection for pregnant women into a mandate for abortion,” he said, and the bishops and many other organizations were forced to file lawsuits to maintain religious liberty protections threatened by the subsequent regulation.

The lawsuit to determine the legality of the mandate is still ongoing. The bishops’ challenge to the abortion accommodation rule is in front of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. The bishops’ challenge to accommodation rules related to surrogacy, IVF, contraception, and other practices that conflict with Catholic teaching are in front of a federal district court. 

Blomberg said the bishops are “challenging the understanding that the [law] itself requires any sort of accommodation for abortion.” 

“We think that’s completely not right,” he said.

If the law were enforced, Blomberg explained religious workplaces would need to change their internal policies. He noted that the rule would also prevent religious employees from promoting pro-life values in the workplace because “there can’t be any sort of pressure or coercion, even by other employee speech in the ministry.”

A violation would be treated the same as any other employment discrimination case, such as through court-ordered injunctions or forcing employers to pay monetary damage for refusing to accommodate abortions.

The Sept. 3 court order expands on a previous court order that had only blocked the EEOC from enforcing the abortion accommodation against the bishops when the abortion is considered elective. 

Under the previous order, the bishops would have still needed to accommodate abortions when justified by medical conditions that included “minor” anxiety, depression, nausea, and changes in hormone levels caused by the pregnancy.

Under the current order, however, bishops are now exempt from accommodating all abortions and other practices that violate Catholic teaching.

The bishops, Blomberg said, “are protected for the time being.”