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Hello, I'm Gina Christian, and you're listening to our OSV newscast for Friday, October 23rd, 2026. Today's the feast of St. John of Capistrano. He was born in Italy in 1386, and he died in 1456 in what's now Austria. He's sometimes called the Soldier Saint, and he's a patron of military chaplains, judges, and jurists. He was a member of the Franciscan Order, and he also led an army that freed the city of Belgrade from a Turkish invasion. Here in the U.S., he's commemorated by the San Juan Capistrano Mission in California, where, according to tradition, Cliff Swallows depart on this day for their winter grounds in Argentina and return to the mission on St. Joseph's Day in March. Saint John of Capistrano, pray for us. Now let's catch you up on the Catholic news of the day. Here we go. Pope Leo XIV urged educators to recognize the challenges facing young people today, saying that many struggle with digital loneliness, broken families, and anxiety about the future. The Pope addressed participants in the student ministry conference that took place at the Vatican from October 22nd to the 23rd. The Pope said many students may feel anonymous as they walk the halls of our schools and universities. He warned that a culture focused on constant comparison, achievement, and performance can leave young people afraid of making mistakes and discouraged before they even begin pursuing their goals. Pope Leo said Catholic schools should be places where students feel known, welcomed, and valued. He encouraged educators and campus ministers to focus on forming the heart by fostering compassion, gratitude, and concern for others. The Pope also highlighted volunteer service and outreach to the poor as experiences where young hearts learn to expand. He said schools should have an important role in helping students seek truth, develop discernment, and build confidence through relationships of trust. The Vatican Conference was organized by the Dicastery for Culture and Education, and it also examined the impact of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies on education. Several U.S. Catholic bishops met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on October 22nd. A White House official indicated the gathering included discussions on topics like religious freedom and school choice. Video footage of the meeting was posted by Margot Martin, a special assistant to the president and a communications advisor at the White House. The clip showed the bishops praying over Trump. The meeting comes after many U.S. bishops strongly objected to a proposed and later canceled live stream of a military execution. It also follows a recent survey by the Nonpartisan Pew Research Center, which found Trump's approval rating among U.S. Catholics has dropped from 47% at the beginning of his second term to 30% as of this month. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has long held that it will not endorse or oppose specific candidates for public office. Instead, the conference refers Catholics to its document on forming consciences for faithful citizenship. The document serves as a reference point for discerning choices at the ballot box. Chieko Noguchi, a spokesperson for the U.S. Bishops Conference, told OSV News the organization had no role in the Oval Office meeting. As space-based technologies and exploration expand, Archbishop Christophe El Cassis, the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, is warning against the militarization of outer space and the lack of a sufficiently strong legal framework to counter such a threat. The Archbishop shared his thoughts in an October 21st statement he delivered at a scheduled session on outer space held by the UN amid the 81st session of its General Assembly. The Archbishop noted the rapid developments in and dependence upon space-based technologies, and he pointed to the dire consequences of weapons in space. The UN's 1967 Outer Space Treaty bans nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. But the Archbishop said the legal framework still has critical gaps, and he called for a comprehensive ban on weapons in space. He said outer space must remain a domain of peaceful cooperation and shared responsibility, preserved for the benefit of all humanity and for present and future generations. A new study has been launched by the Catholic University of America to explore why some priests choose to exit their ministry within a few years of ordination. University official Sarah Perlis said, There is a perception among some bishops and other Catholic leaders that there has been an increase in the number of men leaving priestly ministry in their early years. We wanted to find out whether that has any basis in the numbers, and if so, what might be contributing to it? The university's research initiative is being funded by the Knights of Columbus, with results expected in 2027. Lead researcher Brandon Vijinaten is a professor of sociology at the university and director of its institutional flourishing lab. He said the study will deepen understanding of the factors behind why Catholic priests decide to leave public ministry. The survey will combine quantitative and qualitative methods, and the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University is compiling the anonymized data set of those who have left the priesthood that's out of the estimated 9,000 priests ordained for U.S. diocese from the years 2006 to 2025. Perla and Vijanaten said the study will provide valuable insights for bishops while enhancing appreciation for priests who persevere in their vocations. Ranhild Otland Hoen is the public affairs officer for Norway's Council of Catholic Bishops, and she said increased interest in the faith, especially among young people, has coincided with a decline in anti-Catholic prejudice. She said the Church is gaining strength thanks to an upsurge in Catholic conversions. She also told OSV News many young people are discovering Catholicism after what she called terrifying experiences with pagan and new age practices. At the same time, parishes are seeing more confirmations and adult faith formation candidates. In Denmark, Nick Bredholt of Copenhagen's St. Ansgars Cathedral said interest is also growing there, although more gradually. Bredholdt said that many are discovering the Catholic Church via the Internet and coming to our masses in a genuine search for God. Something significant is clearly happening. The region's Catholic population has expanded over the past decade through immigration and high-profile converts, including Nobel laureate Ion Fosse and Cardinal Lash Anders Arborelius. Church leaders are also launching new evangelization and synodal initiatives. That's your OSV Newscast for today. I'm Gina Christian. Check out the show notes for a link to our website. That's where you can find the stories in this episode. As always, please do make sure to subscribe to this podcast, give us a follow on social media, and check out our videos, and bookmark osvnews.com. Hello to all of our listeners around the world. We love to see you checking in. We'll be back on Monday. Hope Leo, we continue to pray for you as you recover from surgery. Thanks so much for listening, and God bless.

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