Northwoods Catholic Churches -- St. Anne, Boulder Junction; St. Mary, Sayner; St. Rita, Presque Isle

U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks at the March for Life rally on Jan. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: EWTN News/Screenshot

Jan 23, 2026 / 15:29 pm (CNA).

Vice President JD Vance and Republican lawmakers defended President Donald Trump’s abortion-related policies at the 2026 March for Life on Jan. 23.

“You have an ally in the White House,” Vance said in his speech.

Vance was the first political speaker at the march, and he was followed by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, the longtime leader of the House pro-life caucus.

Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune addressed the marchers in prerecorded video messages.

In his speech, Vance said: “One of the things I most wanted in the United States of America is more families and more babies,” and touted the recent announcement that he and his wife, Usha, are expecting their fourth child.

“So let the record show that you have a vice president who practices what he preaches,” Vance said.

The vice president said Trump’s Supreme Court appointments were vital to overturning Roe v. Wade, which he called “the most important Supreme Court decision of my lifetime.”

He said the decision “put a definitive end to the tyranny of judicial rule on the question of human life” and allowed the people to settle these disputes democratically.

Vance spoke about some of the pro-life victories during the first year of Trump’s second term.

This included legislation that blocked Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements as well as reinstating and expanding the Mexico City Policy, which bans federal tax money from being used to support organizations that promote abortion abroad.

The vice president also spoke about the restoration of conscience protections for health care workers, the expansion of the child tax credit, and the pardoning of pro-life activists who were convicted of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

“Building a culture of life requires persuasion,” Vance said.

“That effort is going to take a lot of time, it’s going to take a lot of energy, and it’s going to take a little bit of money,” he said.

The vice president briefly addressed some criticism the administration has received from members of the pro-life movement who have been unhappy with certain developments.

Some pro-life advocates have expressed concern about the lack of action on the abortion pill mifepristone, which is under review by the Food and Drug Administration.

Others have raised objections to Trump urging lawmakers to be “flexible” on taxpayer-funded abortions in negotiations about extending Affordable Care Act tax credits.

Vance asked people to look at the successes.

“Look where the fight for life stood just one decade ago and look where it stands today,” he said.

In his video message, Trump celebrated many of the same pro-life policies as Vance and thanked marchers for their efforts to “stand up for the unborn.”

“We will continue to fight for the eternal truth that every child is a gift from God,” Trump said.

Johnson said a shift in policy from the Trump administration is that success is not just measured by the economy but also “the strength of the American family.”

He also spoke about the actions taken to ban Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements, saying: “We finally defunded big abortion and it was a long time coming.”

“Every single child deserves the opportunity to fulfill their God-given potential,” Johnson said.

Smith referenced the recent Marist Poll commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, which showed most Americans supporting at least some restrictions on abortion and approving of the work of pregnancy resource centers.

He also spoke strongly against the chemical abortion pill mifepristone, which he called “baby poison that kills the unborn child by starving the baby boy or baby girl to death” and said it poses health risks to women.

“We must today recommit to protecting the weakest and most vulnerable,” Smith said.

In a video message, Thune called abortion an “evil that’s too often brushed to the side.”

He said Republicans “will continue to do everything we can in Congress to support moms and protect preborn children.”

After the speeches from lawmakers, March for Life President Jennie Bradley Lichter urged participants to contact their senators amid ongoing negotiations related to health care.

Lichter encouraged them to ask their senators to oppose any health care legislation that excludes the Hyde Amendment, which bans taxpayer funding for abortion.

Sarah Hurm speaks at the March for Life on Jan. 23, 2026. | Credit: EWTN News/Screenshot

Jan 23, 2026 / 14:23 pm (CNA).

Pro-life speaker Sarah Hurm offered her testimony about facing her fourth unplanned pregnancy at a March for Life rally on the National Mall on Jan. 23.

“I am hear to tell you that abortion pill reversal can work. My life, and the life of my son, is living proof,” Hurm, who is a Catholic single mother of four, said at the rally.

Hurm described seeking an abortion. “The clinic had felt lifeless,” she said. After taking the abortion pill, she changed her mind and found the abortion pill reversal ministry.

“I realized ... I could fight for my child’s life. And so I did,” she said.

Abortion pill reversal (APR) is recommended or dispensed by pro-life pregnancy centers to prevent the completion of an abortion shortly after a woman takes mifepristone to achieve a chemical abortion. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) does not recommend the use of APR, citing insufficient evidence. Alternatively, the American Association of Pro-Life OB-GYNs (AAPLOG) states the literature “clearly shows that the blockade is reversible with natural progesterone.”

Describing her son’s life as “one of the greatest joys,” Hurm encouraged participants to be intentional in helping women who are expecting.

“Saving a life can be as simple as answering a phone call, driving a friend to an ultrasound, or helping pick out a car seat,” Hurm said. “Small sacrifices can become enormous victories that support moms like me and children like mine. You have that power. Be that person that connects a woman to hope.”

Hurm further thanked the men in attendance at the March, saying: “Your voice carries weight, and we need you.”

“Join me in making a commitment of being living proof that life is a gift,” she concluded.

If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!

Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.

Franciscan Father Augusto Ramírez Monasterio is shown after his initial interrogation and torture; he is hiding the wounds on his hands and wrists. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Ana Morales Ramirez

Jan 23, 2026 / 12:34 pm (CNA).

On Jan. 22, Pope Leo XIV approved the decree recognizing the martyrdom of Servant of God Augusto Ramírez Monasterio, a Franciscan priest murdered in Guatemala in 1983, and the miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Maria Ignazia Isacchi, foundress of the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Asola in Italy.

Murdered in the street during the Guatemalan Civil War

Monasterio was last seen trying to escape his killers on one of the busiest streets in downtown Guatemala City. With his hands tied, he was crying out for help while dodging traffic going in the opposite direction. His desperate efforts were in vain: He was struck by eight bullets.

The future blessed thus joined the long list of priests murdered — apparently at the hands of Guatemalan security forces — during the 1960–1996 civil war that pitted the official security forces against the Catholic clergy, Marxist guerrillas, political dissidents, and the poor.

His murder was the culmination of months of persecution, death threats, and torture for refusing to break the seal of confession after hearing the confession of Fidel Coroy, a catechist and member of the Kaqchikel Maya people known for his involvement in peasant organizations such as the Committee of Peasant Unity and the Guerrilla Army of the Poor.

Accounts following Ramírez’s murder revealed that he had been tortured by his military captors, who stripped him naked and hung him by his wrists, subjecting him to beatings and burns and breaking several of his ribs.

At the time of his death, Ramírez was the superior of the Franciscans and a priest at St. Francis the Great Parish in the city of Antigua, known for its colonial churches. He was remembered as an exemplary priest and for his service to and protection of the poor of Guatemala.

Devotion of Maria Ignazia to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Following Thursday morning’s audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, the pope also approved the miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Maria Ignazia Isacchi, founder of the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Asola, Italy.

As highlighted by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Isacchi distinguished herself by a profound life of prayer and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, demonstrating heroic virtues of faith, hope, and charity, and dedicating her life to educational services and to those in need. Her reputation for holiness remains alive within the congregation she founded.

Miracle attributed to her intercession

In 1950, at age 23, Sister Maria Assunta became seriously ill with tuberculosis and did not respond to medical treatment. After a novena of prayer invoking Isacchi and a medal with her image was placed on Sister Maria Assunta, she experienced a sudden and complete recovery from Sept. 27–29, 1950. The healing was medically confirmed and considered miraculous, becoming one of the steps toward Isacchi’s beatification. Maria Assunta lived to be 92 years old, passing away in 2018.

New venerables

The Holy Father has also recognized the heroic virtues of Servant of God Maria Tecla Antonia Relucenti, co-founder of the Congregation of the Pious Sisters Workers of the Immaculate Conception in Italy.

The pope recognized the heroic virtues of Italians Servant of God Crocifissa Militerni, a religious sister of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist, and Servant of God Nerino Cobianchi, a lay member of the faithful and father of a family.

Pope Leo XIV also recognized on Jan. 22 the heroic virtues of Maria Immaculata of the Blessed Trinity, a Brazilian Discalced Carmelite and a key figure in the founding of the Carmel of the Holy Family in Pouso Alegre, Brazil, in 1943.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Father Philip Goyret, an ecclesiology professor at Rome’s Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Philip Goyret

Jan 23, 2026 / 12:04 pm (CNA).

Ecumenical dialogue is especially important in a time when Christian belief and practice are on the decline, said one Catholic expert during the Jan. 18–25 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

“What is happening today is that the secularization [of society] is incredibly strong … and the temptation among Christian traditions is to step back,” Father Philip Goyret, an ecclesiology professor at Rome’s Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, told EWTN News.

“But if [Christians] step back, we lose our identity, and we cannot be united,” he said. “That is a serious concern.”

Goyret said it is evident that the theological principles of “unity” and “communion” have become important policies of Leo’s pontificate, as summarized in his papal motto, “In Illo uno unum” (“In the one Christ we are one”).

“Leo, from the very beginning, has said that he wants to be the pope of unity, and that is extremely linked with ecumenism,” he added.

When Leo first stepped out onto the Loggia of Blessings of St. Peter’s Basilica in May last year, he said humanity needs God and stressed the need for a “united Church” in Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, let us move forward,” the pope said in his May 8 address. “We are disciples of Christ. Christ goes before us. The world needs his light.”

Two months after his election, Pope Leo shed further light on his desire to forge the belief, identity, and mission of the Church.

“I believe very strongly in Jesus Christ and believe that that’s my priority, because I’m the bishop of Rome and successor of Peter, and the pope needs to help people understand, especially Christians, Catholics, that this is who we are,” the pope told the Catholic website Crux in July 2025.

Noting the Holy Father’s particular emphasis on Christian identity and witness as key to advancing ecumenical relations among churches, Goyret said Leo’s predecessors have also shown commitment to promoting unity among the faithful through different approaches.

Pope Francis placed great attention to engaging in dialogue with Eastern and Orthodox Churches, while Pope Benedict XVI is recognized for his 2009 apostolic constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, which structurally supported Anglicans seeking full communion with the Catholic Church.

“Pope Francis presented himself as ‘bishop of Rome,’ and that’s very significant because that title is the way that Eastern non-Catholic Christians understand the Petrine ministry,” he said, recalling the late pope’s first urbi et orbi address in 2013. “It was an invitation for dialogue.”

By focusing on the Vatican II documents Unitatis Redintegratio (Restoration of Unity) and Lumen Gentium (Light of the Nations), Goyret said Pope Benedict’s approach to ecumenical dialogue encouraged academic study and the faithful living of Christian traditions.

“If you dig and dig into these different traditions, you will eventually discover the Church as Jesus Christ wished it,” he said.

Speaking on the theme of the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, “One Body, One Spirit,” Goyret said there is a great need for Christians to be united in prayer and hope to strengthen faith in God in a secularized world.

“Pope Leo said that we have to pray in this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,” he said. “The Church needs our prayers especially because the unity of the Church is a gift of God.”

“We don’t build it ourselves through negotiation. It’s not diplomatic and it’s not political,” he added. “If we want to restore unity to the Church, we have to ask God for it.”

Credit: Carl DMaster/Shutterstock

Jan 23, 2026 / 11:34 am (CNA).

At around 10 weeks, an unborn baby is about the size of a gummy bear. Some mothers may find this out from pregnancy apps or conversations with friends.

Dora Esparza, an abortion drug survivor, found out when she saw her own child in the bathroom after she endured a chemical abortion.

Esparza almost died due to complications from the abortion drug. She made the decision to get an abortion with her boyfriend but quickly regretted it.

Many women have successfully reversed chemical abortions before taking the second pill by taking progesterone. But when Esparza told medical staff at the abortion clinic, they told her that her baby would be born with severe problems if she tried to keep it. So, she took the second pill.

“I saw my baby. No one warned me that that was even a possibility,” Esparza told reporters on Thursday. “Two weeks later, I almost died.” 

Amid claims of being the most pro-life president in history, President Donald Trump’s administration has yet to push through a promised review of the abortion drug mifepristone.

Though many studies have come out showing the danger that unrestricted chemical abortions pose to women, the Trump administration approved a generic version of the drug, further contributing to its spread.

“The push to normalize mail-order abortion drugs is so dangerous and so dishonest,” Esparza said. “Abortion drugs distributed to me in person at a facility almost killed me. How much more dangerous are they when they’re shipped through the mail with no ultrasound, no information of gestational age, no follow-up appointment, and no real accountability?”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of SBA Pro-Life America, said the Trump administration has the power to implement safety restrictions.

“The bottom line is, just as the policy that we seek was instituted in the Trump 1 [his first administration], it could be instituted today or tomorrow while they study,” Dannenfelser told reporters on Thursday.

“The only response that we have been given is: ‘It’s important to abide by scientific guidelines and we are going to study it,’” she said. “We’ve also heard, through a Bloomberg story, that there is a strong desire to wait until after midterms, which is a political, nonscientific reason to fail to do this study.” 

Dannenfelser said she hopes the Trump administration will announce a change in the abortion pill policy Jan. 23 at the March for Life.

“What an incredible thing it would be to address the most urgent and consequential issue in the pro-life movement right now — and that would be the reinstitution of Trump’s policy from his first administration.

“It would give states back their sovereignty,” she said. “States would be allowed to enforce their laws because as you should know by now, the abortion rate has gone way up, over a million, at least, as far as we can track. Abortion rates are going up in pro-life states.”

Chemical abortion drugs can be easily transported across state lines, stockpiled, or even slipped into women’s drinks.

Multiple cases have been reported where the father of the unborn child has allegedly coerced or poisoned the mother with the abortion drug.

Dr. Ingrid Skop, a spokesperson for the Charlotte Lozier Institute and an OB-GYN, said the traumatic harm of the abortion drug shows a “lack of informed consent.”

“The pregnancy centers I work with have received frequent frantic calls from girls and women encountering the recognizable body of their child in the toilet about the size of a gummy bear at 10 weeks’ gestation,” Skop said. “What should she do now? Flush him? Bury him? The emotional harms of this experience can’t be quantified.”

“What these women experience and the trauma that follows demonstrate clearly they are not receiving adequate informed consent,” Skop said. “Many are genuinely shocked by the degree of pain, bleeding, and emotional distress they endure — proof that abortion drugs are being sold to women without honest counseling about what they actually do.”

“This lack of informed consent is made worse by the FDA’s deregulation of these abortion drugs,” she continued. “Today, no in-person exam or labs are required, no ultrasound is mandated, no physician must be present, no follow-up is considered necessary, and there is no federal requirement for complication reporting unless it results in a woman’s death.” 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media during a press briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on Jan. 20, 2026, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Jan 23, 2026 / 11:04 am (CNA).

U.S. President Donald Trump this week said he would “always be a voice for the voiceless” and vowed to “never tire in fighting to protect the intrinsic dignity of every child, born and unborn,” delivering bold promises just ahead of the March for Life 2026.

The president’s message, published on Jan. 22, came on National Sanctity of Human Life Day, an observance first declared by President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and pronounced by every Republican president since then.

In his message — delivered just hours before the 53rd annual March for Life — the president said the U.S. in marking the date “uphold[s] the eternal truth that every human being is created in the holy image and likeness of God, blessed with infinite worth and boundless potential.”

Urging Americans to take part in “honoring the dignity of every human life,” including unborn life, the president also called on Americans to offer support for women with unplanned pregnancies and to support both foster care and adoption “so every child can have a loving home.”

The president further urged Americans “to listen to the sound of silence caused by a generation lost to us and then to raise their voices for all affected by abortion, both seen and unseen.”

Pro-life activists have criticized the Trump administration after Trump indicated a willingness to allow for federal taxpayer funding of abortion, a practice largely outlawed. Trump asked Republicans to be “flexible” on the Hyde Amendment during negotiations about extending health care subsidies related to the Affordable Care Act.

The Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal tax money from being spent on abortion, has been included in spending bills since 1976, shortly after Roe v. Wade was decided.

In his message the Republican president touted what he said has been his “decisive action to protect the unborn” while in office.

He pointed to his reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy in January 2025 as well as his pardoning of nearly two dozen pro-life activists that same month after they had been targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice for protesting at abortion clinics.

Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, offers the homily at the closing Mass for the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 23, 2026. | Credit: EWTN

Jan 23, 2026 / 10:34 am (CNA).

Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley said life is a “precious gift from a loving God” ahead of the 2026 annual March for Life.

O’Malley, archbishop emeritus of Boston, celebrated Mass on Jan. 23 before the March for Life, concluding the annual National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

“I know that many of you are tired and have made many sacrifices to be here,” O’Malley said. “I assure you, you could not be doing anything more important than being here today. And your presence is not by accident. The Lord in his providence has brought all of us here today.”

The Mass featured prayers for the pro-life movement and provided a moment to strengthen commitment to defending human life ahead of the march.

“Abortion is the greatest moral crisis faced by our country and by our world. It’s a matter of life and death in a very grand scale," O’Malley said. “It’s been a joy and a privilege for me to be at every March for Life here in Washington for the past 53 years.”

“It’s such a joy to be with you here today in this March for Life. This is a pilgrimage for life, and it begins with prayer, here in Mary’s shrine. I thank God for all of you,” he said.

‘Life Is a gift’

O’Malley spoke about the 2026 March for Life theme: “Life Is a Gift.”

“What a powerful theme,” O’Malley said. “Sadly, life is not always seen as a gift. For some, it seems a burden or a curse.”

The cardinal detailed a recent poll that found “for the very first time in the history of our nation, the majority of Americans say they do not want to have children.” O’Malley called it “an alarming statistic.”

“Life is a gift, a gift given by a loving God,” he said. “Life is beautiful, especially when it is received with gratitude and love.”

We must “love as God loves,” O’Malley said. “We must love first, forgive first, give first. That’s why we’re here in this Mass for life.”

“We’re here because life is a gift. God has given us this precious gift. We must be grateful and express our gratitude by proclaiming the gospel of life,” he said.

Future of the pro-life movement

O’Malley, who has been active in the pro-life movement for decades, said the opposition once believed the pro-life advocates would “die off,” but “we’re still here, proclaiming the gospel of life.”

“Our mission is not a political crusade. It’s a response to God’s command to love and to care for each other. And God bless us, the crowd is getting younger and younger. You are beautiful,” he said.

To end abortion, “our task is not to judge others but to bring healing,” O’Malley said. We must be “gentle” like Jesus was with “the Samaritan woman, the poor, the tax collector, the adulterous woman, the good thief,” he said.

“Our task is to build a society that takes care of everybody, where every person counts, where every life is important. Political polarization, racism, economic injustice will only continue to fuel abortion in a post-Roe v. Wade world,” O’Malley said.

“Our world is wracked by divisions and violence. Pope Leo is inviting us to be messengers of unity and of peace. But we do not want to get in the way of the message,” O’Malley said.

“Together, we can protect and nurture that gift of life. We must look for opportunities to be apostles of life, building a civilization of love and ethic of care,” he said.

“The antidote to abortion is love. Love manifests in community, compassion, and solidarity. Life is a gift. Every person is a gift. Every person counts. All are important. Our mission is to work so that no child be left behind. Every baby will be welcomed, loved, cared for, nurtured, and protected,” he said.

“Thank God for the gift of life. Thank God for love. Thank God for you,” O’Malley concluded.

EWTN News’ coverage of the 2026 March for Life can be found here.

If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!

Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.

Pope Leo XIV shakes hands with Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of Rome, during a meeting with priests of the Rome Diocese at the Vatican on June 12, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 23, 2026 / 10:04 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV will visit five Catholic parishes of Rome in February and March, in continuity with his predecessors, the Diocese of Rome announced Friday.

The visits, which will take place on Sundays during the penitential season of Lent, will include the celebration of Mass.

The pope will also meet with Rome’s priests for the second time on Feb. 19 at the Vatican. His first encounter with priests of the diocese took place one month into his pontificate.

The pope is not only the head of the universal Catholic Church, he is also the bishop of the Diocese of Rome, though he does not manage the diocese like a typical diocesan bishop. A cardinal vicar general, vice regent (deputy), and auxiliary bishops are responsible for the ordinary running of the diocese.

Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the vicar general of Rome, said last year there were 8,020 priests and deacons in the diocese, of whom 809 were permanent Rome diocesan priests, and most of the remaining were part of religious communities or doing advanced studies.

The first parishes selected for papal visits in 2026 are located in each of the five sectors of the diocese: north, south, east, west, and center. Leo reinstated the central sector in November 2025 after Pope Francis had eliminated it the year prior.

Pope Leo’s predecessors also visited parishes in the Diocese of Rome during their papacies.

John Paul II managed  to visit 317 of 333 parishes throughout his long pontificate. During his final years, when he was too ill to travel to them, he invited the remaining 16 parishes to come to the Vatican.

Pope Francis in his 12 years as pope made  20-some pastoral visits to parishes in Rome, mostly concentrated in the city’s outskirts, part of his great attention to the peripheries, which was also reflected in his visits to many of the city’s prisons and charitable entities.

Sisters of Life and All the Living Band perform at Life Fest on Jan. 23, 2026, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland. | Credit: Madalaine Elhabbal/EWTN News English

Jan 23, 2026 / 09:34 am (CNA).

Young Catholics who traveled from across the country for the March for Life started their day singing and praying with the Sisters of Life early Friday morning.

Life Fest 2026 participants gathered at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, to get energized, sing songs, and receive the sacraments before heading to the National Mall for the March for Life 2026.

The event, organized by the Sisters of Life and Knights of Columbus, began at 6 a.m. with music, pro-life testimonies, and chances to go to confession and venerate the relics of numerous saints. Several nuns played music as a part of the All the Living Band alongside Father Isaiah Marie Hofmann, CFR, while participants in the crowd sang along and clapped.

The crowd included everyone from young children to elderly people, Sisters of Life, Dominican brothers and priests, and the Knights of Columbus, who sponsored the event.

Students from Lansing Catholic High School in Lansing, Michigan, waited in a line to venerate relics of St. Carlos Acutis and St. John Paul II.

The event featured pro-life testimony from women and families who experienced crisis pregnancies and chose life, including the Schachle family, whose son Michael McGivny Schachle, who helped make his namesake a “blessed” through the miracle of his birth.

Schachle’s parents, Michelle and Daniel, gave their testimony while he stood alongside them on stage.

If you’re attending the March for Life, don’t forget to use #ewtnprolife on all your posts across X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook!

Want to relive interviews and special moments from the march? Visit ewtnnews.com/watch and subscribe to youtube.com/@EWTNNews for full coverage.

Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Jan 23, 2026 / 06:50 am (CNA).

The Holy See’s labor office is pushing back on claims of widespread worker dissatisfaction after an internal survey by the Association of Vatican Lay Employees (ADLV) alleged distrust of leadership and instances of workplace bullying.

In an interview with the official Vatican News outlet, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi, president of the Office of Labor of the Apostolic See (ULSA), said his office “always has its doors open” and stressed that its mission is to ensure “there are no situations in which employees’ rights are not respected or are violated in any way.”

“It doesn’t seem to me that the discontent is widespread,” Sprizzi said, noting that the survey sample was “very small,” amounting to “less than 5% of employees.”

According to the report, 250 people responded to the survey, with about 80% of respondents belonging to the ADLV. The Holy See has around 4,200 workers, though Vatican News estimated the overall figure at more than 6,000 when including retirees.

Sprizzi added that even a single complaint must be taken seriously. “We listen to everyone. We are a structure of dialogue,” he said.

New statutes, broader representation

Sprizzi also pointed to new statutes for ULSA approved in December 2025 by Pope Leo XIV, which he said strengthen the office’s mission of unity, representativeness, and the promotion of labor rights in line with the Church’s social teaching.

“Rowing in the same direction does not mean reducing the protection of workers but promoting it in a spirit of dialogue and mutual trust,” he said.

Sprizzi said ULSA remains in constant contact with employees, Vatican administrations, and the ADLV, describing the relationship as marked by “constructive and frequent” discussions. He said technical working groups and commissions have been created to examine solutions to specific situations “in the interest of everyone: the employees and also the Holy See.”

‘More positive’ overall — but wages still a concern

Against perceptions of general dissatisfaction, Sprizzi said that, in his experience, “the most widespread feeling is rather positive.”

He cited the Vatican’s decision during the COVID-19 pandemic not to lay off employees or reduce salaries despite financial difficulties. He also pointed to employee family services such as a daycare center and summer camp, as well as recent measures by Pope Leo XIV aimed at improving accessibility for persons with disabilities.

At the same time, Sprizzi acknowledged areas that still need improvement, including aligning salary levels more closely with actual responsibilities. “In some cases the necessary adjustments have not been made, but we are working on it to do justice to those who have a right to it,” he said.

Harassment claims: ‘I am not aware of any case’

Asked about allegations of workplace harassment referenced in the survey, Sprizzi said: “Personally, I am not aware of any case.” He noted that legal mechanisms exist to report abuse and said that if such situations were present, “the first to intervene would be the Holy Father.”

“One thing is rumors, another is verifying the truth,” he said, adding that the moral demands of justice in the world of work have been a priority of the Church since Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII.

A path of dialogue

Sprizzi insisted the Vatican’s approach is dialogue rather than conflict, saying those who work for the Holy See share a common mission.

“We are like an orchestra in which each instrument must contribute to harmony,” he said, adding that ULSA aims to strengthen dialogue with workers — individually and through their associations — and to serve as a bridge with Vatican employers.

“The goal is for this dialogue to be increasingly constructive and serene, rooted in the light of the Gospel and the social magisterium of the Church, in a spirit of ecclesial communion and effective respect for workers’ rights,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.