As the month of October draws closer to its end, Halloween reaches its commercialized crescendo of candy, costumes and black-and-orange decor. I’ve also noted that every year it seems more places have Trunk or Treat gatherings in parking lots, and while convenient (I’ll be going to one later today myself, don’t get me wrong), I’ll still opine it overly emphasizes the banality of this holiday that has much deeper, Catholic roots in the solemnities of All Saints and All Souls.
Keeping these roots in mind, we interviewed a priest/professor who’s written on pop culture about finding the sacred even in horror films. There’s also a need for more prayer at this time of year with increased dabbling in the occult, such as use of the Ouija board and a satanic black mass in Atlanta today. There are also 14 new saints to ask to pray for us this All Saints Day, and a new documentary to watch that profiles a possible future saint from the U.S.
Speaking of prayer, there are a couple novenas that will be starting up soon, including an annual ”Respect Life” novena beginning Oct. 22 and a novena for religious liberty starting Nov. 15, ahead of the Nov. 25 feast of Christ the King. There are also some headlines to pray over below, and you can find even more of our stories on osvnews.com and on social media @OSVNews.
Megan Marley
Digital Editor
P.S.: In case you hadn’t noticed, our roundup will look a little different here on out — the weekly OSV News Showcase is now the Week in Review.
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The countdown has begun for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral throughout the weekend of Dec. 7-8. As the last pieces of scaffolding are being removed on the outside, Culture Minister Rachida Dati has proposed introducing an entrance fee to visit Notre Dame, which has caused a stir.
LATIN MASS: “French priest proposes ordinariate for TLM Catholics as ‘constructive way’ forward for church“
CNS ROME: A world that has become “heartless” and indifferent to greed and war, and a Catholic Church in need of revitalizing its missionary joy need to open themselves up to Christ’s infinite love, Pope Francis wrote. On Oct. 24, the Vatican released his latest encyclical, “‘Dilexit nos’ (‘He loved us’): on the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ.”
FAITH FORMATION: “Contemplating the mysteries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus“
Some two dozen works of the late Pope Benedict XVI’s pre-papal writings will be made available in English, many for the first time, in a new translation project led by the academic division of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.
U.S. ELECTIONS: A number of U.S. Catholic dioceses and their bishops have issued statements disavowing fake Catholic newspapers that have resurfaced in swing states ahead of the presidential election to target Catholic voters on key issues.
STATE BALLOTS: “School choice among issues in 2024 ballot referendums in three states“
PENNSYLVANIA: “Benedictine Sisters accuse GOP operative of ‘public defamation’ over voter fraud claim“
CNS ROME: The 18 cardinals who head Vatican offices will find a little less in their pay envelopes starting Nov. 1.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS: “Vatican and China renew and extend agreement on naming bishops“
CARDINALS-DESIGNATE: “Indonesian bishop asks pope not to make him a cardinal“
LAY MOVEMENTS: “Pope Francis expels more Sodalitium members as calls increase for group’s suppression“
INTERVIEW: Charlie Camosy has a discussion about the state of Catholic hospitals with Steven White, a Catholic doctor and president of the Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance.
As Israeli drones could be heard flying overhead, OSV News sat down with Archbishop George Bacouni of Beirut and Jbeil at his Beirut residence to discuss faith, war and reconciliation.
An Indigenous Tzotzil priest and peace activist was murdered after celebrating Sunday Mass in Mexico’s southern Chiapas state, where the Catholic Church has denounced government inaction in the face of rising violence.
CNS ROME SYNOD COVERAGE: Even if some members of the Synod of Bishops end up feeling disappointed by the results of the synod, “God’s providence is at work in this assembly, bringing us to the Kingdom in ways that God alone knows,” the spiritual adviser to the synod on synodality told them.
CNS ROME: “Synod deliberates on doctrinal authority of bishops’ conferences“OSV NEWS ANALYSIS: “Permanent deacons are key to a ‘synodal missionary church’ — the synod needed them“