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Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Monday, September 14th, 2026. The staff at OSV News are wishing a happy 71st birthday to Pope Leo the 14th. With that, let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. Over the weekend, Pope Leo marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks during his Angelus address, offering prayers for victims and those who still carry the wounds of that tragic day. Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the first U.S.-born Pope prayed both for those who died and for the many who continue to suffer from the attack's lasting effects. Nearly 3,000 people died that day, with thousands more perishing in the years since from related illnesses. Amid ongoing conflicts around the world, Pope Leo urged the faithful to pray for God's gift of peace, saying the memory of September 11th should renew a commitment to peace entrusted to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. The anniversary carries personal weight for the Pope. Then Father Robert Privost was in Rome for the Augustinian general chapter when the attacks occurred and was elected prior general days later on his 46th birthday. In a homily that month, he said that while many seek revenge, Augustinians must bear witness to the gospel. On Friday, the judge granted a temporary restraining order to Cardinal Blaze Supich of Chicago, two orders of Catholic sisters, and an Illinois pharmacist, who filed suit earlier this month, arguing the law would force them to facilitate deaths in violation of their faith. Mother Mary Rose Heary, Prioress General of the Carmelite Sisters of the Aged and Infirm, said the agreement brings real peace of mind to our sisters, our residents, and their families. Cardinal Supic also welcomed the ruling, emphasizing that the church's aim is to stop the state from compelling Catholic health care providers to violate their conscience. The order follows a separate lawsuit that already shielded Catholic health entities under Bishop Thomas Popraki of Springfield, along with four Catholic doctors and a Lutheran nursing home in South Central Illinois. A prominent Catholic theologian has taken a leave of absence from his university post to join the Trump administration. Chad Pecknold, associate professor of systematic theology at the Catholic University of America and a vocal advocate for greater government involvement in promoting morality and national identity, has been named Principal Director of Cultural Outreach at the Department of Homeland Security's Public Engagement Office. A DHS spokesperson confirmed the appointment, including a comment from Pechnold saying he was excited to confirm I've joined the Trump administration. The department did not respond to OSV News questions about the position's scope, salary, or funding, and Pechnold has not yet responded to an interview request. His scholarly expertise in Augustinian thought, combined with his placement at the agency implementing the administration's mass deportation efforts, has prompted speculation that the hiring may serve as a counterbalance to criticism from Pope Leo XIV, himself an Augustinian, and from U.S. bishops on immigration policy. The Terminally Ill Adults bill was defeated Friday in a 286 to 270 vote, marking the fifth failed attempt in 12 years to decriminalize assisted suicide in the UK. Archbishop John Sherrington of Liverpool, the Bishop's Conference lead on life issues, thanked lawmakers and campaigners who opposed the measure, including medical professionals, disability advocates, faith groups, and those of no faith who stood up for the dignity and sanctity of every life. Society, he said, should respond to illness, disability, and old age with solidarity, care, and respect, adding that expanding access to palliative care remains the most effective answer to end-of-life suffering. During debate, Catholic Labor MP Ashley Dalton, who has stage four metastatic breast cancer, urged colleagues to reject the bill, arguing that excellent palliative care can already ensure a peaceful death. Two decades after Pope Benedict XVI's landmark Regensburg Address ignited worldwide controversy, Catholic leaders say the speech's defense of faith and reason has proven prophetic. Delivered in September 2006, the lecture sparked global protests after Pope Benedict cited a 14th-century emperor criticizing Islam. Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, who attended the lecture in person, told OSV News the fallout stemmed from a misinterpretation of an academic talk whose actual aim was proving that violence committed in God's name is fundamentally evil. Father Roberto Rigoli, president of the Vatican's Joseph Ratzinger, Benedict XVI Foundation, noted the controversy has long faded, leaving behind an enduring blueprint for cultural dialogue. He said Benedict's warning against reducing human dignity to scientific efficiency is especially vital as society navigates artificial intelligence, a concern Pope Leo XIV has also made central to his own teaching. When people fall into extremisms on either side or into fundamentalisms, Father McGoli said, violent conflicts are created that destroy what is human. And that's your OSV Newscast for today. I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News. Check out the show notes for direct links to the stories in this episode. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast, follow us on social media, and bookmark osvnews.com. Thanks so much for listening and God bless. This has been an OSV News production. To learn more, visit osvnews.com.