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Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Thursday, October 1st, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. Thousands of pilgrims and civil and religious leaders are expected in Assisi this weekend as the town marks the feast of St. Francis and the 800th anniversary of his death. The October 3rd and 4th celebration serves as the centerpiece of the Jubilee year proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV, running through January 10th, 2027. According to the diocese of Assisi Nochera Umbra Gualdo Tadino, events begin Saturday with a procession and the traditional Franciscan Transitus, a prayer service commemorating the saint's passage into eternal life. Bells will ring at 11:59 p.m. in Assisi, an organizer's hope at churches worldwide, followed by a midnight mass celebrated by Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime, with pilgrims invited to pray overnight at St. Francis's tomb. On Sunday, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and other dignitaries will attend a solemn mass and votive candlelighting. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi said Francis' example shows that peace is a path, calling the weekend a precious opportunity to return to what is essential, the fraternity that St. Francis lived and held out to everyone, without borders or exclusions. Pope Leo XIV has dedicated his October prayer intention to mental health ministry, calling on Catholics to listen without judging and to accompany those who are suffering. In a video released by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, the Pope prayed that the church would become an open house where people facing mental health challenges find welcome, dignity, and hope. Holding an image of St. Dempna, patron saint of those with mental illness, Pope Leo prayed for people suffering from anxiety, depression, and other conditions, acknowledging God alone knows the silent wounds that sometimes no one sees. He also asked forgiveness for times when Christians have looked away, contributing to stigma and discrimination, and called on church communities to become safe spaces that accompany people without excluding them. The Pope additionally prayed for mental health professionals, family members, and volunteers caring for those who struggle. According to the World Health Organization, more than one billion people worldwide live with a mental health disorder, while government spending on mental health accounts for just 2% of health budgets globally. Assistant principal Vanessa Piquet told OSV News the school had originally planned a trip to Rome to mark the cake's anniversary, but in the end, it was the Pope who came to meet us. Six Catholic students prepared the cake and personally delivered it to the Vatican Nunciature in Paris on September 24th, where they were warmly received by Archbishop Celestino Migliore. Delorme said the idea took root after a chance meeting with another bishop at a pilgrimage in Brittany, who told him, nothing is impossible for God. But her attorney says she remained alive and loudly snoring afterward and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Governor Bill Lee halted the state's one remaining scheduled execution pending an investigation, saying executions must be carried out in a manner that is not only legal and constitutional, but is effective. Catholic opponents of the death penalty say the botched attempt exposes a deeper problem. Professor Richard Garnett, director of the University of Notre Dame's program on church, state, and society, said the incident illustrates yet again the delusion that by making executions look more medical, technical, or scientific, we are somehow changing what they are. Namely, he said, killings of helpless human beings by our governments in our names. With early voting already underway ahead of Virginia's November 3rd election, Bishop Michael Burbage of Arlington is calling on Catholics to combine spiritual discipline with civic action. In a video message released Wednesday, the bishop urged the faithful to pray, fast, and vote no on two proposed constitutional amendments, one enshrining a legislative right to abortion, the other to same-sex marriage, both of which stand at direct odds with Catholic teaching. The message builds on the Diocese of Arlington's ongoing Catholics vote no campaign. For the month of October, Bishop Burbage asked Catholics to pray the stations of the cross while fasting by eating only one full meal and no meat, and on Sundays to pray the rosary and fast from social media for a few hours around Mass. It would be a powerful force if all in the Diocese of Arlington were united in these efforts, he said, entrusting the outcome to the Lord's amazing grace. So all that is just, right, and true will be done in this election. 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.