NATION
MINNEAPOLIS (OSV News) – Sophia Forchas, who was critically injured in an Aug. 27 shooting during an all-school Mass at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, has been discharged from the hospital and was greeted with signs and cheers Oct. 23 in Minneapolis. Sophia, 12, was in critical condition for two weeks after suffering a gunshot wound to the head. Then, Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis reported on Sept. 11 that she had moved into serious condition – defined as having “a chance for improved prognosis.” On her way home from Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul Oct. 23, where she was receiving inpatient rehabilitation, Sophia was escorted to Hennepin Healthcare. She was greeted by staff who clapped and cheered. Some staff cried and hugged each other. They held signs that included birthday messages and sang the “Happy Birthday” song to her. Sophia, a seventh grader, turns 13 on Oct. 25. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was part of the escort. Sophia’s neurosurgeon, Dr. Walt Galicich, credited staff at Hennepin Healthcare for assisting in the girl’s recovery. Sophia’s family, members of St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, stated her healing progress was “nothing short of miraculous; an undeniable testament to the mercy and intervention of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

WASHINGTON (OSV News) – A coalition of Catholic organizations held prayer vigils across the country on Oct. 22 for what organizers called “a national day of public witness for our immigrant brothers and sisters.” The vigils came amid growing concern from some faith communities – including a Catholic parish in Chicago – about the impact of the Trump administration’s rollback of a policy that prohibited immigration enforcement in sensitive locations, such as churches, schools, and hospitals. The “One Church, One Family: Catholic Public Witness for Immigrants,” vigils took place in multiple locations around the country on Oct. 22, with a second series of events scheduled for Nov. 13, the feast day of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, universal patroness of immigrants. The protest and prayer vigil in the nation’s capital took place in front of the headquarters for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as employees entered the building and as rush-hour drivers occasionally honked at the group in apparent acknowledgement. Judy Coode, communications director for Pax Christi USA told OSV News at the Washington vigil, “We wanted to be a witness.” “Both as Catholics and also as U.S. citizens, we have a responsibility to bear witness to injustices that we see,” Coode said.

VATICAN
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The pursuit of synodality should strengthen the Catholic Church’s mission of proclaiming the Gospel and help all Catholics learn to collaborate to make the world a better place, Pope Leo XIV said. “As Pope Francis reminded us on numerous occasions,” the pope said, the purpose of synodality “is to help the church fulfill its primary role in the world, which is to be missionary, to announce the Gospel, to give witness to the person of Jesus Christ in every part of the world, to the ends of the earth.” That witness includes speaking up for justice, caring for the planet and promoting peace, Pope Leo said during a meeting late Oct. 24 with participants in the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies. “The church has a voice, and we need to be courageous in raising our voice to change the world, to make it a better place,” he told the pilgrims, who included about 150 representatives from the United States with 15 U.S. bishops.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and its Creed, as well as reaffirming hopes for peace in the Middle East, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Turkey and Lebanon Nov. 27-Dec. 2. The Vatican released the itinerary for Pope Leo’s first foreign trip Oct. 27. The trip to Iznik, Turkey, site of the ancient Nicaea, initially was planned for Pope Francis. But Pope Leo, just days after his election in May, announced his intention to commemorate the anniversary with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. The patriarch announced at a liturgy in Istanbul Oct. 22 that he had invited the three other patriarchs of the ancient “pentarchy” to join him and the pope for the Nicaea celebration, according to the Orthodox Times website. The heads of churches invited are: Greek Orthodox Patriarchs Theophilos III of Jerusalem, Theodore II of Alexandria and John X of Antioch.

WORLD
PARIS (OSV News) – Students from Trinity High School in Whitesville, Kentucky, found comfort in faith after witnessing chaos in Paris. The group of 20 sophomores, juniors and seniors, along with three chaperones, were visiting the Louvre on Oct. 19 when a dramatic jewel heist unfolded just hours before their flight home. Principal Emily Hernandez, who led the group, said they were in line by 8:45 a.m for their 9 a.m. tour, and they first went to see the “Mona Lisa.” Then they headed to the Gallery of Apollo when one student heard what sounded like “power tools.” Moments later, crowds were ushered out of the museum. Not “until we were out of the Louvre,” Hernandez said, did the group learn of the robbery, in which nine items were stolen from the Gallery of Apollo by several masked thieves. Hernandez said she believes the sound of power tools heard by the student turned out to be the chainsaw used to break open the window into the gallery. The experience left students shaken but safe. They attended Mass together at Notre Dame Cathedral later that day. “After Mass, everyone was calm,” Hernandez said. “They really took care of each other.”
TEHRAN, Iran (OSV News) – In Iran, a new metro station in Tehran dedicated to the Virgin Mary is drawing attention – and reflection. Belgian Cardinal Dominique Mathieu, who leads the Archdiocese of Tehran-Isfahan, says the “Maryam-e Moghadass” or “Holy Mary” station offers commuters a daily reminder of God’s love for all. Writing Oct. 22 in Fides agency, the cardinal described the bas-relief images of Jesus, Mary, and a dove representing the Holy Spirit that decorate the station. He said their serene faces “invite those passing by to contemplate the love of the one God” and to walk the path of peace. Located near the Armenian Cathedral of St. Sarkis, the station also honors Iran’s Armenian Christian community – the country’s largest minority. While the artwork signals interreligious respect, religious freedom in Iran remains limited. A U.S. commission reports Christians still face imprisonment and persecution for practicing or sharing their faith. The Marian images at the metro station feature various verses from “Surah Maryam,” the 19th chapter of the Quran dedicated to Mary. As the mother of Jesus, the third chapter of the Quran states that Mary, who is highly venerated in Islam, was chosen by God “from all the women of the world.”