Were the bishops duped? A dozen showed up In a White House political video, praying with the president. Two have apologized. Where are the rest? We’ll get the reports of how it happened after a refreshing moment to honor All Saints through the lens of social justice, with Barbara Molinari Quinby. Scroll down for news and commentaries and a unique apology from a bishop: “I would have done well to be more mindful of Jesus’ admonition: ‘Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves.’”
All Saints Day
All Saints’ Day is an opportunity to reflect on what it means to
live as children of God, says Barbara Molinari Quinby. “And what better way than to look at the lives of saints through the lens of some themes of Catholic social teaching. Check the Justice Bulletin Board for details.
What happened at the White House
Just head of elections, the White House shared a video of Catholic bishops praying over Trump. From National Catholic Reporter.
Multiple Catholic bishops who were seen praying over President Donald Trump in the widely shared video last week now say they felt manipulated by White House officials, with one Iowa prelate citing Scripture to compare the experience to being sent as “sheep in the midst of wolves.” From Religion News Service.
Who were the 12? The White House named them, and defended the president’s record. From National Catholic Reporter.
The apologies
Denver Archbishop James Golka and other brother bishops spoke with President Trump about religious freedom, school choice, family tax credits, religious visas and life, according to the White House Faith Director Jenny Korn. Following the meeting, the Archdiocese of Denver published the following statement, printed in full. From the Archdiocese of Denver.
Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a public apology and said his “intention was never to cause confusion, anger, or disappointment among the people entrusted to my care” and that the meeting was publicized without consent. From the National Catholic Register.
Bad optics
The bishops insist their meeting with President Trump was not a political endorsement, but critics question its timing just days before the midterm elections. And the National Catholic Register reports on the criticism of the political optics.
Election news, views
While Texas Gov. Abbott has been a vocal opponent of what he calls the ‘Islamification’ of Texas, he also has received more than $15 million in donations from S. Javaid Anwar, a Muslim philanthropist and oil industry executive. From Religion News Service.
Hispanic evangelicals are turning on Trump. Religion News Service asks, “But will they vote for Democrats?” Religion News Service says it’s an open question whether Hispanic evangelicals defecting from Trump will hold their nose to vote for Democrats or Republicans — or whether they’ll sit the race out altogether.
An ‘empathy gap’ divides Americans. A PRRI report released Oct. 20 found that Republicans and evangelicals increasingly see empathy as a danger that can lead society away from God. The survey found that more than half of Americans see President Trump as a threat to democracy. Religion News Service.
Voting is the “means by which we exercise our faith,” a Muslim cleric told a Dallas interfaith group Oct. 23. From Baptist News Global. Muhammad Abdullah, an imam at Masjid Al-Islam, was part of “The Vote Is Sacred” bus tour.
One-fourth of independents who voted for Trump regret their choice. That’s according to new data from Public Religion Research Institute’s 2026 American Values Survey. From Baptist News Global.
Voting in church buildings
There is renewed debate about churches being used as polling places. Baptist News Global examines some locations and concerns.
How Americans Voted in 2024
Explore the results of the election by race, gender, age and education, prepared by the New York Times.
US rabbi barred from olive harvest
The annual olive harvest is of economic and cultural importance in the occupied West Bank but has become a flashpoint of tension with Israeli settlers over recent years. From Religion News Service.
Gaza’s children are recovering from hunger
But doctors fear it won’t last. From National Catholic Reporter.
Abuse settlement reached in New York
New York’s archdiocese and survivors of clergy abuse agree to $800 million legal settlement, ending more than seven years of lawsuits. From Religion News Service.
U.S. bishops’ fall assembly
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2026 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, Md., Nov.16-19. The public sessions on Nov. 17 and 18 will be livestreamed on the USCCB website. From the USCCB.
The livestream of the public portions of the plenary on November 17 and 18 will be available at: www.usccb.org/meetings.
Melania ‘hogging all the credit’
Independent Catholic News reports a White House announcement ignored Pope Leo’s role in securing the Ukraine ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky. The ceasefire is to begin October 29 to allow humanitarian aid and evacuations of elderly residents.
Bishop Barron slams ‘clownish irrelevance’
Controversy over Bishop Robert Barronʼs acceptance of a 2025 award from a German Catholic institution resurfaced this week. Barron issued the blistering statement, reported by EWTN News, “of what he described as “inane” controversy over his award.
Supporting detained immigrants
A North Texas coalition of congregations, clergy and attorneys is helping asylum seekers connect with legal support and challenge detentions. Their efforts have reached more than 1,200 people over the past year, organizers estimate. From Religion News Service.
ICE raids on churches
A divided D.C. Circuit panel Oct. 20 reversed a lower court ruling and allowed a multifaith coalition to continue its challenge to a Trump administration policy reducing restrictions on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship. From National Catholic Reporter.
Anti-Hindu hatred
What the failed attack on an Illinois temple reveals about anti-Hindu hate in the United States. Religion New Service delves into a long history of prejudice portraying the faith’s followers as idolaters, argues a scholar of Hindu studies.
Japan ‘transforming ancestral traditions’
Religion News Service says expensive funerals and declining birth rates are transforming ancestral traditions. With fewer people to care for their ancestors’ graves, many in Japan are looking for innovative solutions.
‘Complexified’
Check out this weekly interview podcast from the Iliff Institute for Religion, Politics & Culture and Religion News Service, hosted by Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson. Each episode dives into the most pressing news stories at the crossroads of religion and politics, exploring the nuances that often go overlooked. Recently, ‘How competing ideas about sacred life shape punishment, politics and who counts as Christian.’
A Question on Reformation Sunday
What is power for? As Haitian Christians lead a pilgrimage across Ohio, their witness offers a different vision of Christian power — and a reminder of what happens when churches forget whom they serve. From Religion News Service.
Assisi and the nuclear threat
“In a world threatened by nuclear arms we choose life.” From Independent Catholic News.
At the Vatican
Pope Leo’s doctors confirm his visit to Latin America two weeks after lung surgery. From National Catholic Reporter.
Vatican Denies Traditional Pilgrim Group Permission to Pray Together in St. Peter’s. Organizers say more than 1,500 pilgrims were refused a collective visit to pray at the Apostle’s tomb after their request for a Pontifical Mass was also rejected. From National Catholic Register.
For First Time in 500 Years, Pope and King of England Bestow Religious Titles on Each Other. King Charles III was given the title royal confrater and Pope Leo XIV was given the title papal confrater. Just as there is already a chair for the King of England at the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, a similar chair for the pope will soon be unveiled in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor. From National Catholic Register.
Pope Leo’s encyclical is a north star for new space race — and alien encounters, too. A ‘guest voice’ published by National Catholic Reporter.
Much ado about a ‘Mass of Welcome’
God’s mercy is infinitely more than we can think or imagine, says Ruben C. Mendoza who holds a doctorate in Theology from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and teaches theology at Ateneo de Manila University. Writing for the Union of Catholic Asian News, he reports on an LGBTQ event.
Commentaries and Features
What Catholics Should Remember About Texas’ Ten Commandments Law. The history of early public schools should make Catholics wary of allowing public officials to dictate religious affairs. From National Catholic Reporter.
Notre Dame Law Takes a Wrong Turn on the Ten Commandments. A religious liberty clinic at the Catholic law school should be the first to defend the presence of religious texts in public education. Instead, it has embraced an erroneous understanding of the Establishment Clause and a faulty view of free exercise. From National Catholic Register.
Barth’s refusal
When the intelligentsia attempted to enthrone German culture as divine, he would not join them. From the Christian Century.
The Department of Homeland Security goons who have taken to the streets of US cities to act as an armed gang enforcing the white supremacist whims of the current regime—they are not some distant people group. They are us. From the Christian Century.
Find a Path Toward Healing Through ‘What We Inherit’ — Bringing long-overlooked stories of enslavement to light, the traveling exhibit What We Inherit: Truth, Repair, and a Promise to the Future challenges visitors to reckon with history while embracing the possibility of healing, accountability, and a more hopeful future. From Black Catholic Messenger.
Slaves and Save owners. Pope Leo XIV speaks on his genealogy in an interview. The pontiff more fully acknowledged his family history in response to a question about his connection to the U.S. as the first American Pope. From Black Catholic Messenger.
Decades before ‘Who am I to judge,’ a gay Jesuit served LGBTQ people. From National Catholic Reporter.
The ‘Spirit of Assisi’ at 40: “If we are to be faithful to the Spirit of Assisi in this generation, it is going to require that we, too, find our own way of living out the truth of the Catholic faith in a way that deepens our understanding as we walk with people of other faiths,” Chris Crawford writes. From National Catholic Reporter.
The Real Lesson in the Story of Jonah Isn’t the Fish
Why do so many Catholics walk away from the faith? The story of Jonah offers a surprising perspective. From Black Catholic Messenger.
Support Wisdom Wednesday
We hope you have enjoyed this roundup of recent news about faith, politics, and culture. We will return next week with another edition of Wisdom Wednesday.
If you’d like to support our continued work to bring you wisdom each week, please consider making a donation. Your support provides the breath that makes our voice heard in the U.S. and beyond.
The AUSCP is a 501c3 organization and your donation is tax-deductible.