Orion Mission Evaluation Room (MER) team member works during an Artemis II mission simulation on Aug. 19, 2025, from the new Orion MER inside the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Read MoreHeavenly Father,
you have given us the model of life
in the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Help us, O Loving Father,
to make our family another Nazareth
where love, peace and joy reign.
May it be deeply contemplative,
intensely eucharistic,
revived with joy.
Help us to stay together in joy
and sorrow in family prayer.
Teach us to see Jesus in the members of our families,
especially in their distressing disguise.
May the eucharistic heart of Jesus
make our hearts humble …
A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians
Col 1:21-23
Brothers and sisters:
You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds;
God has now reconciled you
in the fleshly Body of Christ through his death,
to present you holy, without blemish,
and irreproachable before him,
provided that you persevere in the faith,
firmly grounded, stable,
and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard,
which has been preached to every creature under heaven,
of which I, Paul, am a minister.
From the Gospel according to Luke
6:1-5
While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath,
his disciples were picking the heads of grain,
rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Some Pharisees said,
“Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Have you not read what David did
when he and those who were with him were hungry?
How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering,
which only the priests could lawfully eat,
ate of it, and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”
The power attributed to Christ over the Law, which implies a divine authority, is demonstrated by the fact that He does not create another Law by abolishing the old one: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them” (Mt 5:17). It is clear that God could not “abolish” the Law that He Himself gave. Rather, as Jesus does, He can clarify its full meaning, help people understand its true sense, correct false interpretations and arbitrary applications, to which the people and even their teachers and leaders, succumbing to the weaknesses and limitations of the human condition, have bent it. […]
We must also remember the response Jesus gave to the Pharisees, who reproached His disciples for plucking heads of grain in the fields to eat them on the Sabbath, thus violating the Mosaic Law. Jesus first cites the example of David and his companions, who did not hesitate to eat the “bread of the offering” to satisfy their hunger, and the example of the priests, who do not observe the law of rest on the Sabbath because they perform their duties in the temple. Then He concludes with two categorical statements, unheard of for the Pharisees: “But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here…” and: “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath” (Mt 12:6-8; cf. Mk 2:27-28). These statements clearly reveal Jesus’ awareness of His divine authority. To define Himself as “one greater than the temple” was a clear allusion to His divine transcendence. To proclaim Himself “Lord of the Sabbath,” that is, of a Law given by God Himself to Israel, was an open proclamation of His authority as the head of the messianic kingdom and the promulgator of the new Law.
Thus, it was not simply a matter of exceptions to the Mosaic Law, which were also allowed by the rabbis in very limited cases, but a reintegration, a completion, and a renewal that Jesus enunciates as timeless: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Mt 24:35). What comes from God is eternal, as God Himself is eternal. (St. John Paul II, General Audience, 1987)
null / Credit: maxuser/Shutterstock
London, England, Sep 5, 2025 / 16:36 pm (CNA).
The Catholic Church’s voice is vital in the global dialogue concerning the future of artificial intelligence (AI), experts highlighted during a symposium Sept. 2–3 at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Entrepreneurs, academics, and clergy came together in Scotland’s capital to tackle the ethics of emerging AI technologies in the context of Catholic social teaching, arguing that responsible regulation of emerging technologies depends on the wisdom, involvement, and action of the Church.
The conference was organized by St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, and attendees heard from a variety of speakers including Lucas Ernesto Wall, founder and CEO of almma, the first AI marketplace; Father Michael Baggot, professor aggregato of bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome; and Matthew Sanders, CEO of Longbeard and architect of Magisterium AI, Vulgate AI, and Christendom apps.
“The Catholic Church has been contemplating the question of what does it mean to be human for millennia,” Wall told CNA on Sept. 4. “We may be the best organization to help AI be dignified.”
In his conference presentation, which focused on “AI democratization,” Wall called for a deeper dialogue between the Church, academia, and the technology sector to ensure that “the algorhythmic age” focuses on human flourishing, especially for those who are marginalized.
Wall told CNA that he believes Pope Leo will make this a central aspect of his papacy and credited the Church for already taking great initiative under Pope Francis, illuminated through the promulgation of Antiqua et Nova.
“AI is impacting every aspect of life,” Wall explained, “and we have just begun to discover some of them. We need daily calls to action at the parish level; daily calls to action from everyone who is a Catholic in the world to engage in challenges around AI. This could prove to be the most powerful mobilization of the Church in generations. We do have a choice. We always have a choice. We must continue the conversation on this subject across religious and denominational lines. This affects all humans — not just Catholics.”
Sanders joined Wall in his optimistm about the potential for dialogue between AI labs and the Catholic Church.
“It is quite surprising how many heads of the AI labs are philosophically minded,” Sanders told CNA. “For example, Demis Hassabis is the CEO of Google’s DeepMind and a member of the Pontifical Council of Sciences and has spoken very publicly about the need for regulation, as has Dario Amodei, who is head of Anthropic. Overall, I think that AI labs do not want to be too prescriptive about what an AI world should look like, and they welcome the wisdom of the Church.”
CNA also spoke with Stephen Dolan, a lecturer in theology at St. Mary’s Twickenham.
“We had between 30-40 individuals join across both days in person and online,” he explained. “We had speakers travel in from North America or call in from India and the Philippines. Interest came from all across the globe, including from Ghana, India, and America. It is clear this topic is on the lips of many and came at the right time to bring such a variety of interested parties together.”
When asked what the overall conclusion of the conference was regarding the future of AI, Dolan said: “For me, the main takeaway is the uncertainty of what AI may mature to become. There was optimism and skepticism in the room with a healthy discussion about how AI will transform what the world needs.”
“It is clear that this uncertainty is an opportunity for the Church to be a global leader in reminding society that AI, like all technology, must serve a higher good, and when implemented with this vision it can be a force for good,” Dolan said.
“However, the Church is required to be the voice of the lonely, marginalized, and the future disenfranchised if unrelenting AI development fails to respect the intrinsic dignity of the human person.”
Dolan shared with CNA that “the [conference] room was alive with debate; optimism and skepticism coexisted because there was the hope and belief that the Church’s social teachings could ultimately hold all together and point society towards the greatest good.”
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Pope Leo XIV on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, officially inaugurated the Laudato Si’ Village in Castel Gandolfo with a liturgical celebration highlighting the “vocation” of every person to care for creation, including a performance by Andrea Bocelli. / Credit: Vatican Media
Rome Newsroom, Sep 5, 2025 / 16:06 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Friday afternoon officially inaugurated the Laudato Si’ Village in Castel Gandolfo with a liturgical celebration highlighting the “vocation” of every person to care for creation.
Before celebrating a special Liturgy of the Word in a greenhouse complex, the Holy Father toured the estate in a golf buggy and stopped to greet staff and students collaborating on the environmental project inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’.
In his reflection on St. Matthew’s Gospel, the Holy Father said each human person has the great responsibility and privilege of respecting the “Creator’s plan.”
“Jesus emphasizes the special place reserved, in the creative act, for the human being: the most beautiful creature, made in the image and likeness of God,” Leo said in his short homily.
Pope Leo XIV inaugurated Borgo Laudato si’ Friday afternoon. The Holy Father said the village “presents itself as one of the Church’s initiatives aimed at realizing this ‘vocation to be guardians of God’s work.’” pic.twitter.com/CZyersGm1Q
— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) September 5, 2025
“The care of creation, therefore, represents a true vocation for every human being, a commitment to be carried out within creation itself, without ever forgetting that we are creatures among creatures, not creators,” he added.
Speaking about his predecessor Pope Francis — who initiated the project and the liturgy for the Mass for the Care of Creation — Leo said the village is a “seed of hope” for those committed to fostering humanity’s “ecological conversion” through education and catechesis.
“It is important, as my predecessor wrote, to ‘recover a serene harmony with creation, to reflect on our lifestyle and our ideals, to contemplate the Creator, who lives among us and in all that surrounds us,’” Leo said, quoting Francis’ 2015 encyclical letter.
“The Laudato Si’ Village, which we inaugurate today, is one of the Church’s initiatives aimed at realizing this ‘vocation to be custodians of God’s handiwork,’” he said.
The ecological complex includes state-of-the-art insulation, photovoltaic, and circular water management systems as well as spaces for educational activities for students.
At the end of the liturgy, Pope Leo blessed the village with holy water and all those present at the liturgy.
Italian singer Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo, who were among the guests invited to the celebration, offered the Holy Father a song to mark the occasion.
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Pope Francis with the king and queen of Belgium during his visit to the country in 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News
ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 15:36 pm (CNA).
Sept. 26 marks one year since Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to Belgium to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Catholic universities of Leuven and Leuven-la-Neuve, an event that involved a significant financial and logistical effort.
In a recent statement, the Belgian bishops announced a new collection to raise the remaining 800,000 euros ($940,000) to cover the debts owed for the historic event. The Argentinian pope’s visit — lasting two and a half days — cost more than 3 million euros ($3.5 million). Patrick du Bois, who was responsible for logistics during the papal visit, confirmed the figure to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.
Ensuring the necessary security for the bishop of Rome, preparing the city for the pope’s visit, and preparing large spaces for heavily attended Masses entailed a considerable investment, according to Du Bois.
“The organizational efforts are enormous, on the one hand because large crowds gather around the Holy Father, and on the other because his security requires very strict measures,” said Du Bois, who led the organization and logistics of the papal visit at the request of Archbishop Luc Terlinden, president of the Belgian Bishops’ Conference.
Du Bois said the state was responsible for security on public roads, “while everything that happens inside a venue — stadium or basilica — is the responsibility of the local Church.”
He confirmed that the bishops’ conference had to cover all expenses, “including lodging, meals, and even laundry services for all members of the Vatican accompanying the Holy Father.” A total of 65 Vatican personnel traveled for the visit to Belgium, some for 15 days.
“The Vatican requires that all public acts of the Holy Father be filmed and that the images be made available at no charge to all media outlets worldwide. If local television refuses to produce these images, the bishops’ conference must hire private companies and assume the cost,” Du Bois explained.
He also noted that “all travel expenses, including those of numerous journalists, are also the responsibility of the bishops’ conference.”
Funded by the generosity of the faithful
In their message, the Belgian prelates recalled that 40,000 people participated in the Mass celebrated at King Baudouin Stadium and more than 5,000 young people attended the “Hope Happening” festival, which the pope attended, held on the Heysel esplanade.
The bishops explained that the pastoral component was funded primarily through donations from the laity, raising nearly 2 million euros ($2.35 million). This sum was used, among other things, to rent the King Baudouin Stadium and provide security for the faithful who attended free of charge.
To raise the remaining funds, the Belgian Bishops’ Conference has asked for the support of the country’s faithful, announcing that funds raised during Masses on Sept. 20-21 will be used for this purpose.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, speaks on Aug. 29, 2025, the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. / Credit: Holy See Mission to the United Nations
ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 15:06 pm (CNA).
The Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, highlighted the Vatican’s concern about significant increases in military spending and nuclear arms development worldwide on the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.
In a speech during the high-level plenary session of the general assembly on Aug. 29, Caccia emphasized that the pursuit of “a world free of nuclear weapons” is not only a matter of strategic and vital necessity but also a profound moral responsibility.
“Instead of moving toward disarmament and a culture of peace, we are witnessing a resurgence of aggressive nuclear rhetoric, the development of increasingly destructive weapons, and a significant increase in military spending, often to the detriment of investments in integral human development and the promotion of the common good,” Caccia said.
According to Vatican News, the Holy See’s representative noted that since the first nuclear test, conducted on July 16, 1945, in the New Mexico desert, more than 2,000 nuclear tests have been carried out on land, in the atmosphere, underground, and in the oceans.
“These actions have affected everyone, particularly Indigenous populations, women, children, and the unborn. The health and dignity of many continue to be compromised in silence and, too often, without any kind of compensation,” he said.
“It is particularly worrying that, in the face of this important shared responsibility, the global response seems to be going in the opposite direction,” the prelate warned.
He quoted Pope Leo XIV when he emphasized in his speech the need to “reject the lure of powerful and sophisticated weapons as a temptation.”
Caccia said what is required is “a renewed effort toward multilateral dialogue and the resolute implementation of disarmament treaties as well as concrete support for communities that continue to suffer the long-term consequences of nuclear testing and weapons.”
The archbishop reiterated the importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the full implementation of the International Monitoring System and its verification mechanisms.
The Holy See, he stated, reaffirms its “unconditional support” for this international commitment, calling for a “strengthening of the global norm against explosive nuclear tests as an essential step toward authentic and lasting peace.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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Father Mike Schmitz speaks at the revival session of the National Eucharistic Congress at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on July 18, 2024. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
CNA Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 14:25 pm (CNA).
Popular podcasting priest Father Mike Schmitz — best known for the “Bible in a Year” podcast — is back at it planning a new podcast titled “Called.”
Inspired by the Scripture verse Matthew 25:40, the podcast will be made up of episodes featuring conversations with individuals who have answered God’s call to serve others. From teachers and entrepreneurs to parents and community leaders, the podcast aims to inspire the faithful to put their faith into action.
The Catholic Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to renewing the Church and serving those most in need, has partnered with Ascension to create the podcast. An official release date has not yet been announced.
“This ‘Called’ podcast is giving flesh to the fact that every one of us is called to be the hands and feet of Jesus,” Schmitz said in a video released Sept. 3 announcing the new podcast.
The priest began the video by retelling the parable told by Jesus in Matthew 25. In this parable Jesus welcomes into the heavenly kingdom those who fed him when he was hungry, gave him something to drink when he was thirsty, and clothed him when he was naked. However, for others who did not do these things, they are told to “depart from him.” Schmitz called this parable “one of the most convicting.”
“Every time I read through it, every time I hear it proclaimed, every time I even think of it, I think, ‘Well, here is Jesus — he’s giving us the answer to the test when it comes to the end of our lives,’” Schmitz explained.
He continued: “Jesus makes it very, very clear we’re not being judged on what did you believe — although that’s very important — but here in this parable he’s not highlighting that part, he’s highlighting what did you do? Not just what did you do in your life, but what did you do for the least of my brethren?”
Schmitz said one example of someone who lived this parable was Pier Giorgio Frassati, who will be declared a saint on Sept. 7 in Rome. He explained that the young man would often return to his home without shoes on because he would give them to someone who did not have a pair of shoes.
Therefore, the podcast aims to answer the question: How is God calling each of us to live this out in our daily lives?
“On this podcast ‘Called’ you’ll be able to see ‘Oh, here’s how people right now do this.’ So it takes out some of the mystery and actually gives you and me the strength and the vision and the direction to be able to say, ‘That’s how they live that out. I can totally live that out in my life right now,’” Schmitz said.
“This podcast isn’t just to highlight and spotlight the heroes among us. What it’s meant to do is inspire us, to give us that new vision of what this could look like in your life and in my life.”
Read MoreAlthough Aquila ranks 22nd in size among the 88 constellations, it contains no Messier objects or emission nebulae and few bright star clusters. Still, you’ll want to point your telescope 3.8° north-northwest of magnitude 3.4 Delta Aquilae to observe the wonderful planetary nebula NGC 6781. It glows at magnitude 11.4 and has a diameter ofContinue reading “Michael’s Miscellany: Observe NGC 6781”
The post Michael’s Miscellany: Observe NGC 6781 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Father Edwin Román (left) with Bishop Silvio Báez. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Edwin Román
ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 5, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).
Father Edwin Román talked about his life in exile in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, expressing his hopes for the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, which is suffering persecution at the hands of the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo.
The priest, who is now parochial vicar at St. Agatha Parish in Miami, noted that Aug. 3 marked four years since he left Nicaragua to go into exile for being critical of the dictatorship.
“My plane ticket was for 10 days [abroad], but due to direct threats from Rosario Murillo and a pro-government journalist threatening to imprison me — and after being the victim of much harassment — traffic stops on the highway — and efforts to defame me, I decided to stay and apply for asylum,” he said.
“Since then, I’ve been at St. Agatha Parish, welcomed by the pastor, Father Marcos Somarriba, and the community. I’ve also been supporting neighboring parishes,” said the 65-year-old priest, who was ordained Dec. 12, 1990, for the Archdiocese of Managua.
Somarriba recently spoke with the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and expressed his concerns about the persecution of Catholics in Nicaragua and the Trump administration announcing it will deport thousands of his fellow Nicaraguans who have been in the United States for decades.
“My people, the Nicaraguan people, are dumbfounded. They don’t know where to go, what to do, and I think the regime is not going to be open to this. They disappear people; they put people in jail; they exile people and don’t let them come back into the country,” the priest said.
Parochial vicar at St. Agatha’s
On Aug. 17, Román thanked Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami on X for appointing him as parochial vicar of St. Agatha, the church where Bishop Silvio Báez, auxiliary bishop of Managua who went into exile in 2019, also celebrates Mass.
As parochial vicar, Román explained, he supports “evangelization with parish groups and lay leadership, celebrates the sacraments, assists in caring for the faithful in the office, and visits the sick.”
“It has been very difficult to adapt. The pain remains of not having said goodbye to my parish, nor the faithful to me, their pastor. Thank God, we have found priests and bishops who have opened the doors of their parishes to us. Bishops who, like good shepherds, have listened to us and opened their hearts, as Archbishop Thomas Wenski did for me,” the priest shared.
The persecuted Catholic Church in Nicaragua
When asked what he knows about the current persecution of the Catholic Church in his homeland by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship, Román emphasized that “the Catholic faithful haven’t stopped going to Mass, filling their churches during Holy Week, the feast day of [the parish’s] patron saint, and Sundays. People continue to pray and have not lost hope for better times.”
All of this continues, the priest pointed out, despite “the harassment, parishes being infiltrated, prohibitions against the Prayer of the Faithful at Mass, and requirements that priests send their homilies to police stations for review. Processions and prayer group meetings in homes are also prohibited.”
The dictatorship of Ortega and Murillo in Nicaragua has banned more than 16,500 processions and acts of piety in recent years and has perpetrated 1,010 attacks against the Catholic Church.
This is all detailed in the seventh installment of the report “Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church” by exiled lawyer and researcher Martha Patricia Molina, which was released on Aug. 27.
Pope Leo XIV and Nicaragua
Pope Leo XIV received on Aug. 23 at the Vatican three Nicaraguan bishops in exile: Báez; Bishop Isidoro Mora of Siuna; and Bishop Carlos Herrera of Jinotega, president of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference.
Báez recounted on X that he, his brother bishops, and Pope Leo XIV spoke “at length about Nicaragua and the situation of the Church in particular.”
The Holy Father, the prelate said, encouraged him “to continue with my episcopal ministry and confirmed me as auxiliary bishop of Managua. I sincerely thank him for his fraternal welcome and his encouraging words.”
Regarding the meeting between the bishops and Leo XIV, Román told ACI Prensa that “the pope expressed his closeness to the Nicaraguan people and to the Church. This visit has undoubtedly been a very encouraging one for us.”
“The pope is familiar with our Latin American reality” considering his many years as a missionary and bishop in Peru, Román said.
How can the faithful help the Church in Nicaragua
Román told ACI Prensa that “one day someone told me: ‘Find a benevolent bishop.’ I have already found that bishop” in the archbishop of Miami, who has also warmly welcomed Báez.
“I thank the many Nicaraguans and people of other nationalities who have welcomed me and made me part of their families,” the priest added.
Asked how the faithful can help Catholics in his homeland, the priest responded: “By praying for this pilgrim Church in Nicaragua, including us in the prayers of the faithful in all parishes, and that Catholic and fair-minded media continue to denounce the injustice experienced by the Nicaraguan people and the persecution of the Church.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
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Holy Spirit welcomes new pastor at start of 69th year – 
Holy Spirit School in Pequannock, N.J., is filled with anticipation for its 69th school year. We are thrilled to welcome our new students, staff, and their families to our Holy Spirit family for the 2025-2026 school year. Each year, our students are presented with new opportunities for academic and spiritual growth, service to others, and living out their faith within the school community and beyond. This year, we are pleased to welcome Father Cesar Jaramillo, our new pastor, to Holy Spirit. He will join Filippini Sister Marie Antonelli, our principal, and Paul Hirsch, dean of academics, in leading our school
Father Rony Salim, chancellor of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul, shared with ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, that the bishop has called Qaraqosh the “City of Hosanna” due to its uniquely spirited celebration marked by hymns, prayers, and massive crowds of worshippers. / Credit: Ismael Adnan/ACI MENA
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 5, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).
Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:
Syriac Catholic archpriest attacked in Syria
Tensions in Syria deepened this week after a brutal assault on Archpriest Michel Naaman of the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Homs. Returning home one evening, Naaman was ambushed by two masked men who beat him, threatened him at gunpoint, and stripped him of his gold cross and cash, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Thursday.
The attack is part of a troubling pattern of insecurity hitting Christian communities across Syria. In recent months, robberies, kidnappings, and even attacks on churches have become increasingly common in Homs, Aleppo, and beyond. For many, the assault on Naaman is another chilling reminder of the dangers Christians still face in a country fractured by war and lawlessness.
European Commission to examine EU abortion funding initiative
The European Commission has said it will examine the European Citizens’ Initiative’s call for EU funding for “safe and accessible” abortion after an initiative reached over 1 million signatures across 19 member states, according to a European News Room report.
A Slovenian nonprofit organization, Institute 8th March, led the initiative, alongside several other EU nongovernmental organizations. “We want the European Union to establish a financial mechanism that would allow countries to provide abortion services to those individuals who do not have access to abortion in their own countries,” Institute 8th March Director Nika Kovač said. The commission said it will provide a response by March 2026.
Internal displacement camps in Nigeria ‘competing for space’ amid ongoing violence
Refugee camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Nigeria are experiencing heightened pressure amid ongoing violence across the West African country, according to Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja.
“People are losing their homes. The growing number of IDP camps is competing for space with estates in the cities,” he said in an Aug. 31 statement posted to his Facebook account. The archbishop further called on the government to “rise up to the occasion and take definitive action to stop the incessant killings, terrorism, banditry, and economic hardships ravaging our people.”
South Sudan bishop expresses solidarity with victims after landslide
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Tombura-Yambio Diocese in South Sudan has expressed his solidarity with the victims of a devastating landslide that reportedly wiped out the village of Tarasin in the southwest Darfur region.
“It is with a heart full of sorrow and solidarity that I write to you in the wake of the devastating landslide that has erased the village of Tarasin and claimed so many innocent lives. The scale of this tragedy defies words, yet it is our shared humanity, our common faith, and our spiritual responsibility that compel us to speak to comfort, to support, and to hope,” the bishop said in a Sept. 3 letter shared with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa. “Please accept my deepest condolences and heartfelt prayers for all those affected. I stand with you in mourning but also in courage and in the pursuit of justice, dignity, and healing for the survivors.”
South Korean priests urge government not to build airport over wetland
The Catholic Priests’ Association for Justice in South Korea is protesting against government proposals to build an airport near the Saemangeum wetland, according to a UCA News report.
The association celebrated Mass on Sept. 1 outside the presidential office in Seoul to express its opposition to the project, which it said “is destroying the environment and people’s livelihoods.” Parish priest Father Song Yeon-hong, who presided over the Mass, spoke out against the project, saying: “Many lives are dying due to the project, migratory birds that once visited Saemangeum have vanished, and local fishermen are leaving.”
St. Anne’s Church in Syria reopens
In a rare scene of celebration from Syria’s battered northwest, hundreds of worshippers gathered in the village of Yacoubiyah for the rededication of St. Anne’s Church, ACI MENA reported Monday. The centuries-old site, scarred by war and earthquakes, has been restored thanks to the efforts of Franciscan friars and local Christians.
The liturgy, led by Bishop Magar Ashkarian of the Armenian Orthodox Church, was filled with music, bells, and the sight of parishioners reclaiming a sacred space long denied to them. St. Anne’s, first built in the 14th century, had suffered destruction and neglect through war and extremism. Only in recent years, under shifting local conditions, were Christians permitted to return and celebrate their patron saint’s feast. For villagers from Yacoubiyah, al-Quniyah, and al-Jadida, and pilgrims from across Syria, the reopening was more than a religious event; it was a sign of endurance and hope.
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U.S. — In anticipation of what promised to be a highly competitive pro football season, Calvinist sports analysts at The Babylon Bee predicted that each NFL team would win the games they were predestined to win by the Creator.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Interest in the Senate Finance Committee’s questioning of the Health and Human Services Secretary reached a new high today, as Stephen Colbert’s dancing vaccines were called to testify at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s hearing.
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Children play with bicycle tires among large conical piles of rice at a processing mill in Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh
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