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The Beatles arriving at JFK International Airport in 1964. On 18 August 1962, Ringo Starr officially joined The Beatles.
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![Catholic Hispanics welcome Bishop Sweeney for Mass in Branchville #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Parish in Branchville, N.J., on Aug. 23 to celebrate a Spanish Mass for the Hispanic community.
Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, pastor of OLQP and an advocate in the Tribunal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Dailon Lisabet, who provides pastoral care for the Spanish-speaking community in Sussex County, concelebrated the Mass.
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Bishop Sweeney preached about the importance of the Church and the sacraments and emphasized the Church’s and diocese’s commitment to welcoming and serving the Hispanic people.
A feast was held in OLQP’s parish hall after the Mass.
OLQP has a Hispanic Ministry, which aims to integrate Spanish-speaking people into all aspects of the Sussex County parish’s life. The parish has been holding events that bring together English and Spanish communities so they become more acquainted.
BEACON PHOTOS | DENNIS DALELIO
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/catholic-hispanics-welcome-bishop-sweeney-for-mass-in-branchville-catholic-bishop-kevin-j-sweeney-visited-our-lady-queen-of-peace-olqp-parish-in-branchville-n-j-on-aug-23-to-celebrate-a-span.jpg "Catholic Hispanics welcome Bishop Sweeney for Mass in Branchville #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Parish in Branchville, N.J., on Aug. 23 to celebrate a Spanish Mass for the Hispanic community.
Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, pastor of OLQP and an advocate in the Tribunal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Dailon Lisabet, who provides pastoral care for the Spanish-speaking community in Sussex County, concelebrated the Mass.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Bishop Sweeney preached about the importance of the Church and the sacraments and emphasized the Church’s and diocese’s commitment to welcoming and serving the Hispanic people.
A feast was held in OLQP’s parish hall after the Mass.
OLQP has a Hispanic Ministry, which aims to integrate Spanish-speaking people into all aspects of the Sussex County parish’s life. The parish has been holding events that bring together English and Spanish communities so they become more acquainted.
BEACON PHOTOS | DENNIS DALELIO
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]")
Catholic Hispanics welcome Bishop Sweeney for Mass in Branchville #Catholic – 
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Parish in Branchville, N.J., on Aug. 23 to celebrate a Spanish Mass for the Hispanic community.
Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, pastor of OLQP and an advocate in the Tribunal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Dailon Lisabet, who provides pastoral care for the Spanish-speaking community in Sussex County, concelebrated the Mass.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Bishop Sweeney preached about the importance of the Church and the sacraments and emphasized the Church’s and diocese’s commitment to welcoming and serving the Hispanic people.
A feast was held in OLQP’s parish hall after the Mass.
OLQP has a Hispanic Ministry, which aims to integrate Spanish-speaking people into all aspects of the Sussex County parish’s life. The parish has been holding events that bring together English and Spanish communities so they become more acquainted.
BEACON PHOTOS | DENNIS DALELIO
– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Parish in Branchville, N.J., on Aug. 23 to celebrate a Spanish Mass for the Hispanic community. Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, pastor of OLQP and an advocate in the Tribunal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Dailon Lisabet, who provides pastoral care for the Spanish-speaking community in Sussex County, concelebrated the Mass. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney preached about the importance of the Church and the sacraments and emphasized the Church’s and diocese’s commitment to welcoming and serving the Hispanic people. A feast was held
Obituary: Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock served at Wayne Catholic school, 82 #Catholic – 
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Aug. 19 at St. Joseph Villa in Flourtown, Penn., for Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, who died on Aug. 9. She was 82.
Sister Sherlock’s extensive teaching ministry included Our Lady of the Valley (OLV) School in Wayne, N.J., in the Paterson Diocese.
Formerly Sister Margaret Andrew, Sister Sherlock also ministered in numerous schools in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. They include St. Bartholomew School, Corpus Christi School, Our Mother of Sorrows School, St. Timothy School, St. Ambrose School, and Christ the King School (Morrell Park), all in Philadelphia; St. Matthew School in Conshohocken; and Nativity of Our Lord School in Warminster.
Including OLV in Wayne, Sister Sherlock also served the following schools outside the Philadelphia Archdiocese: Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Vienna, Va., in the Arlington Diocese; St. Mary School in Lebanon, Penn., in the Harrisburg Diocese; and St. Ambrose School in Schuylkill Haven, Penn., in the Allentown Diocese.
Sister Sherlock also ministered at the Sisters’ motherhouse in Philadelphia.
Sister Sherlock is preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Margaret Sherlock (nee Davis), and her brothers, Andrew, James, John, and Michael Sherlock.
She is survived by her sisters, Margaret Weir, Rosemary “Suzy” Graf, and Nancy Carey; her brother, Fred Sherlock; and their extended families. Members of her congregation also survive her: the Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia.
Please send memorial donations in Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock’s name to St. Joseph Villa, 110 W. Wissahickon Ave., Flourtown, Penn. 19031.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Aug. 19 at St. Joseph Villa in Flourtown, Penn., for Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, who died on Aug. 9. She was 82. Sister Sherlock’s extensive teaching ministry included Our Lady of the Valley (OLV) School in Wayne, N.J., in the Paterson Diocese. Formerly Sister Margaret Andrew, Sister Sherlock also ministered in numerous schools in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. They include St. Bartholomew School, Corpus Christi School, Our Mother of Sorrows School, St. Timothy School, St. Ambrose School, and Christ the King School (Morrell Park), all in
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, is seen in the two-seat IndyCar as he prepares for driver Conor Daly to take him on a lap in the fastest seat in sport ahead of the start of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
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The consecration to be carried out by the bishop is part of the “Great Reconquest” initiative promoted by the Hesed Institute with the arrival in Brazil of the pilgrim statue of St. Michael.
The pontiff’s Aug. 26 general audience addressed the reasons for the church’s recent liturgical reforms.
![Symposium in Brazil addresses the devil’s existence as part of Catholic doctrine – #Catholic – A recent symposium in Fortaleza, Brazil, on demonology and exorcism “focused on the theological affirmation of the devil’s existence as part of Catholic doctrine,” Father Diogo Jairo Rebouças told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. The priest is an exorcist for the Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state and coordinator of the gathering held Aug. 18–19.The symposium drew 240 participants, 76% of whom were laypeople. According to Rebouças, the event was open to this audience because its goal was not “to provide training for performing exorcisms” but rather “to reflect theologically in light of Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium on the reality of the angelic beings who chose damnation.”“We are convinced that this perspective is highly beneficial for deepening the faith of any and every Christian,” he said.The gathering was organized by Marian Community Oasis of Peace with the support of the Archdiocese of Fortaleza and took place in the central auditorium of the Catholic College of Fortaleza.Among the speakers were Bishop André Vital of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state; Father Pedro Paulo Alexandre, exorcist from the Archdiocese of Florianópolis in Santa Catarina state and member of the International Association of Exorcists (AIE, by its Portuguese acronym); Father Fellinto de Oliveira Britto, exorcist from the Diocese of Tianguá in Ceará state and a psychologist; Father Antônio Gomes Macedo Júnior, assistant exorcist; medical doctor Mauro Martins, also an assistant exorcist; and Father David Piter, exorcist from the Diocese of Quixadá in Ceará state and Rebouças.The lectures dealt, among other topics, with demonology in the Gospels and the liberating ministry of Christ, the Churchʼs guidelines for the ministry of exorcisms, the distinction between prayer for deliverance and exorcism, and the discernment between psychiatric pathologies and possible spiritual phenomena.Appointment by the bishop requiredAccording to Rebouças, the meeting presented the AIE’s guidelines to “make it clear that only priests duly appointed by the bishop may perform solemn exorcisms.”The priest stated that the guidance highlights “the Catholic Church’s commitment to pastoral ministry focused on discernment and mercy, rather than fear and sensationalism.”The symposium also addressed the necessary precautions during prayer for healing and deliverance, particularly regarding individuals who become highly distressed during such prayer.“Talks by both exorcists and mental health professionals addressed the need for prudence during prayer for healing and deliverance as it is frequently observed that highly suggestible individuals become emotionally destabilized during events that strongly appeal to the emotions,” Rebouças said.According to him, participants were instructed on “what procedure to follow when a member of the faithful experiences a crisis during [such prayer], in order to protect him from unnecessary exposure and avoid leading to hasty conclusions about possible activity by the evil one.”Moral certainty requiredAnother topic addressed was the discernment between possible extraordinary action by the devil and illnesses or other conditions of natural origin.“The guidelines for the exorcism ministry state that it is not permissible to perform an exorcism on a member of the faithful until the exorcist possesses moral certainty that the case involves extraordinary action by the evil one, rather than merely an illness or condition of natural origin,” Rebouças explained.Therefore, according to him, “mutual collaboration among the exorcist, family members, and healthcare professionals, especially mental health professionals, is extremely important.”“It is certainly not the exorcist’s role to provide a psychiatric diagnosis for the person nor is it the role of scientists to say whether the devil exists or not,” he said. “Each performs their respective role, observing signs of improvement or deterioration in the person throughout the process of accompaniment.”“Sometimes, a deeply devout but mentally ill believer refuses to take their medication until the priest comforts them by saying, ‘I will bless your medicines!’” he said. “And faith encourages the person to follow the treatment and therapies through which they find healing.”“An exorcist will never discourage a believer from making use of scientific therapeutic resources,” the priest added.“It is also not uncommon, in cases of genuine extraordinary demonic activity, for a doctor to tell the family: ‘We have done everything within our power!’ or even: ‘This defies scientific explanation!’” he said.“In this sense, the Church’s faith offers an explanation that addresses the human need regarding spiritual realities,” Rebouças said.The priest highlighted the importance of the training sessions for assistant exorcists offered by the Portuguese-language secretariat of the AIE in which laypeople and healthcare professionals may participate. The next training session will take place Nov. 27–29 at St. Benedict Monastery in Rio de Janeiro.This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/symposium-in-brazil-addresses-the-devils-existence-as-part-of-catholic-doctrine-catholic-a-recent-symposium-in-fortaleza-brazil-on-demonology-and-exorcism-focused-on-the-theol-scaled.jpg "Symposium in Brazil addresses the devil’s existence as part of Catholic doctrine – #Catholic – A recent symposium in Fortaleza, Brazil, on demonology and exorcism “focused on the theological affirmation of the devil’s existence as part of Catholic doctrine,” Father Diogo Jairo Rebouças told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. The priest is an exorcist for the Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state and coordinator of the gathering held Aug. 18–19.The symposium drew 240 participants, 76% of whom were laypeople. According to Rebouças, the event was open to this audience because its goal was not “to provide training for performing exorcisms” but rather “to reflect theologically in light of Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium on the reality of the angelic beings who chose damnation.”“We are convinced that this perspective is highly beneficial for deepening the faith of any and every Christian,” he said.The gathering was organized by Marian Community Oasis of Peace with the support of the Archdiocese of Fortaleza and took place in the central auditorium of the Catholic College of Fortaleza.Among the speakers were Bishop André Vital of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state; Father Pedro Paulo Alexandre, exorcist from the Archdiocese of Florianópolis in Santa Catarina state and member of the International Association of Exorcists (AIE, by its Portuguese acronym); Father Fellinto de Oliveira Britto, exorcist from the Diocese of Tianguá in Ceará state and a psychologist; Father Antônio Gomes Macedo Júnior, assistant exorcist; medical doctor Mauro Martins, also an assistant exorcist; and Father David Piter, exorcist from the Diocese of Quixadá in Ceará state and Rebouças.The lectures dealt, among other topics, with demonology in the Gospels and the liberating ministry of Christ, the Churchʼs guidelines for the ministry of exorcisms, the distinction between prayer for deliverance and exorcism, and the discernment between psychiatric pathologies and possible spiritual phenomena.Appointment by the bishop requiredAccording to Rebouças, the meeting presented the AIE’s guidelines to “make it clear that only priests duly appointed by the bishop may perform solemn exorcisms.”The priest stated that the guidance highlights “the Catholic Church’s commitment to pastoral ministry focused on discernment and mercy, rather than fear and sensationalism.”The symposium also addressed the necessary precautions during prayer for healing and deliverance, particularly regarding individuals who become highly distressed during such prayer.“Talks by both exorcists and mental health professionals addressed the need for prudence during prayer for healing and deliverance as it is frequently observed that highly suggestible individuals become emotionally destabilized during events that strongly appeal to the emotions,” Rebouças said.According to him, participants were instructed on “what procedure to follow when a member of the faithful experiences a crisis during [such prayer], in order to protect him from unnecessary exposure and avoid leading to hasty conclusions about possible activity by the evil one.”Moral certainty requiredAnother topic addressed was the discernment between possible extraordinary action by the devil and illnesses or other conditions of natural origin.“The guidelines for the exorcism ministry state that it is not permissible to perform an exorcism on a member of the faithful until the exorcist possesses moral certainty that the case involves extraordinary action by the evil one, rather than merely an illness or condition of natural origin,” Rebouças explained.Therefore, according to him, “mutual collaboration among the exorcist, family members, and healthcare professionals, especially mental health professionals, is extremely important.”“It is certainly not the exorcist’s role to provide a psychiatric diagnosis for the person nor is it the role of scientists to say whether the devil exists or not,” he said. “Each performs their respective role, observing signs of improvement or deterioration in the person throughout the process of accompaniment.”“Sometimes, a deeply devout but mentally ill believer refuses to take their medication until the priest comforts them by saying, ‘I will bless your medicines!’” he said. “And faith encourages the person to follow the treatment and therapies through which they find healing.”“An exorcist will never discourage a believer from making use of scientific therapeutic resources,” the priest added.“It is also not uncommon, in cases of genuine extraordinary demonic activity, for a doctor to tell the family: ‘We have done everything within our power!’ or even: ‘This defies scientific explanation!’” he said.“In this sense, the Church’s faith offers an explanation that addresses the human need regarding spiritual realities,” Rebouças said.The priest highlighted the importance of the training sessions for assistant exorcists offered by the Portuguese-language secretariat of the AIE in which laypeople and healthcare professionals may participate. The next training session will take place Nov. 27–29 at St. Benedict Monastery in Rio de Janeiro.This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.")
Besides affirming the existence of demons based on Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium, the symposium emphasized the need to discern between genuine demonic activity and mental illness.
Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column. August 25: Messier 73 One of the most famous stars in the sky lies in Ophiuchus the Serpent-bearer, still high in the west and southwest (it’s a big constellation) two hours after sunset. In its northeastern corner is Barnard’s star — althoughContinue reading “The Sky Today on Wednesday, August 26: Catch Barnard’s star”
The post The Sky Today on Wednesday, August 26: Catch Barnard’s star appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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After reviewing a joint investigation, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, has approved Father Michael Pfleger to return to ministry “effective immediately.”
A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians
3:6-10, 16-18
We instruct you, brothers and sisters,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to shun any brother
who walks in a disorderly way
and not according to the tradition they received from us.
For you know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked,
so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that
if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.
May the Lord of peace himself
give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with all of you.
This greeting is in my own hand, Paul?s.
This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
23:27-32
Jesus said,
?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You are like whitewashed tombs,
which appear beautiful on the outside,
but inside are full of dead men?s bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,
but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.
?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
and you say, ?If we had lived
in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them
in shedding the prophets? blood.?
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those
who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!?
The hearts of these people, of this small group, had hardened so much over time that it was impossible for them to listen to the Lord?s voice. And from being sinners, they had slipped further and become corrupt. It is very difficult for a corrupt person to change his ways. A sinner can, because the Lord is merciful and awaits us all. But the corrupt are set in their ways, and these people were corrupt. And that is why they justify themselves: because Jesus, with His simplicity, yet with the power of God, annoyed them. (?) They rejected the Lord?s love, and this rejection meant they were on a path that was not that of the dialectic of freedom offered by the Lord, but that of the logic of necessity, where there is no place for the Lord. In the dialectic of freedom there is the good Lord, who loves us, who loves us a great deal! Instead, in the logic of necessity there is no place for God: one must do, this, one must do that, one must? They have become mere creatures of habit. Men of good manners and bad habits. Jesus calls them ?whited sepulchres?. (?) Those who justify themselves understand neither mercy nor compassion. Instead, those people who loved Jesus so much needed mercy and compassion, so they went to the Lord to ask for them. (Pope Francis, Homily, Holy Mass for Italian Parliamentarians, 27 March 2014)
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Altar of the church of the Monastery of Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal. The monastery, founded in 1490, is one of the oldest buildings in Manueline style (Portuguese version of Gothic) and served as a monastery of Poor Clare nuns.
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Last year, 18-year-old Lexi Arguello died after complications from a late-term abortion. Activists say staff waited too long to call 911 — and note that women continue to be injured at the clinic.
The pristine white sand on Whitehaven Beach in Queensland is never too hot to walk across.
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From left, Expedition 75 flight engineers Anil Menon of NASA (partially obscured and wearing the spacesuit with a red stripe on the legs) and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) work together during a six‑hour and 23‑minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
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France’s highest constitutional authority has carved out conscience protections for Catholic institutions and pharmacists, which was welcomed by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Gary will each receive $100,000 to aid in their efforts for Midwest storm relief.
Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column. August 24: Iapetus at eastern elongation Charles Messier’s famous list of non-cometary objects largely contains star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies — faint fuzzies it could be easy to confuse for a cometary nucleus in a telescope of the type the comet-hunter wasContinue reading “The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 25: Messier 73”
The post The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 25: Messier 73 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Catholic parishes and Catholic Charities in Nevada are responding with aid amid an ongoing wildfire that has caused mass evacuations in the Reno area.
A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians
2:1-3a, 14-17
We ask you, brothers and sisters,
with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our assembling with him,
not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly,
or to be alarmed either by a ?spirit,? or by an oral statement,
or by a letter allegedly from us
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.
Let no one deceive you in any way.
To this end he has also called you through our Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm
and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught,
either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement
and good hope through his grace,
encourage your hearts and strengthen them
in every good deed and word.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
23:23-26
Jesus said:
?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!?Woe to
you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean.?
Hypocrisy is the greatest danger because it can ruin even the most sacred realities. Hypocrisy is a serious danger. This is why (?) Jesus (?) was harsh with hypocrites. We can read, for example, chapter 23 of Matthew, in which Jesus speaks so strongly to the hypocrites of that time. (?)
Are we not at times a bit like those Pharisees? Perhaps we look at others from top to bottom, thinking that we are better than them, that we have our lives under control, that we do not need God or the Church, or our brothers or sisters, every day. We forget that it is legitimate to look down on someone else only in one case: when it is necessary to help them get up. This is the only case. The others are not legitimate. (?)
There is only one way, the way of humility ? to purify ourselves from the sense of superiority, from formalism and hypocrisy, to see others as our brothers and sisters, sinners like ourselves, and to see Jesus as the Saviour who comes for us, not for others, for us, just as we are, with our poverty, misery and failings, above all with our need to be raised up, forgiven and saved.
And let us remember another thing: with Jesus, there is always the possibility of beginning again. It is never too late. There is always the possibility to begin again. Take courage. He is close to us and this is a time of conversion. Each of us can think: ?I have this situation inside, this problem that I am ashamed of…?. But Jesus is beside you. Begin again. There is always the possibility of taking a step forward. He is waiting for us and never grows tired of us. He never tires! (Pope Francis, Angelus, 4 December 2022)
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With Archbishop Paul Gallagher’s visit to Moscow this week, the Vatican continues to try to be a facilitator in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war.
| Picture of the day |
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Tea plantations around Mattupetty lake near Munnar, Kerala, India. The country—which celebrates its independence day today—is the second largest producer and exporter of tea in the world, and also its largest consumer with a vibrant and diverse tea culture.
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![Catholic conversions surge on college campuses, Hallow data shows – #Catholic – Registration for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) has “more than doubled” on college campuses across the country as Catholic conversions continue to rise, according to recent data.“On campuses of various sizes, all across the United States, Catholicism is on the rise,” Hallow reported in an Aug. 19 study that found that OCIA participation increased by 87.6% from the 2024-25 school year to 2025-26.Schools with the largest number of OCIA participants include Texas A&M, Arizona State University, the University of Illinois, the University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Nebraska, and Harvard University. Hallow said it obtained OCIA data from nearly 60 U.S. colleges and universities.Texas A&M saw the largest number of OCIA participants, increasing to 204 candidates and catechumens in 2025-26 from 121 in 2024-25.Hallow said campus conversion growth is outpacing diocesan trends, noting that university parishes and Newman Centers reported faster increases than dioceses, which saw a 38% rise in 2025‑26.“College-age young people may be entering the Church at a faster rate than the general American population,” Hallow said. “And when they enter or return to the Church, they’re doing so with a fire that spreads across various ministries.”Hallow’s report noted that growth is not limited to college towns alone but that “campus ministries in and around some of America’s largest cities are reporting similar increases.”“USC [University of Southern California], located in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, saw a 76% increase in OCIA participation this past school year,” the report said. “Further north, Stanford, located in the heart of Silicon Valley between San Jose and San Francisco, tripled its number of OCIA candidates and catechumens during the 2025-26 school year.”New York University also reported an 88% increase in OCIA participation while its daily Mass attendance tripled, the Hallow report said.The Hallow report said adult baptisms at Stanford University were unusually high this year. Dominican Father Bart Hutcherson said in the Hallow report that the parish typically sees about four adult baptisms annually, but he baptized 16 this Easter, nearly all of them Stanford students.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/catholic-conversions-surge-on-college-campuses-hallow-data-shows-catholic-registration-for-the-order-of-christian-initiation-of-adults-ocia-has-more-than-doubled-on-college-c.jpg "Catholic conversions surge on college campuses, Hallow data shows – #Catholic – Registration for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) has “more than doubled” on college campuses across the country as Catholic conversions continue to rise, according to recent data.“On campuses of various sizes, all across the United States, Catholicism is on the rise,” Hallow reported in an Aug. 19 study that found that OCIA participation increased by 87.6% from the 2024-25 school year to 2025-26.Schools with the largest number of OCIA participants include Texas A&M, Arizona State University, the University of Illinois, the University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Nebraska, and Harvard University. Hallow said it obtained OCIA data from nearly 60 U.S. colleges and universities.Texas A&M saw the largest number of OCIA participants, increasing to 204 candidates and catechumens in 2025-26 from 121 in 2024-25.Hallow said campus conversion growth is outpacing diocesan trends, noting that university parishes and Newman Centers reported faster increases than dioceses, which saw a 38% rise in 2025‑26.“College-age young people may be entering the Church at a faster rate than the general American population,” Hallow said. “And when they enter or return to the Church, they’re doing so with a fire that spreads across various ministries.”Hallow’s report noted that growth is not limited to college towns alone but that “campus ministries in and around some of America’s largest cities are reporting similar increases.”“USC [University of Southern California], located in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, saw a 76% increase in OCIA participation this past school year,” the report said. “Further north, Stanford, located in the heart of Silicon Valley between San Jose and San Francisco, tripled its number of OCIA candidates and catechumens during the 2025-26 school year.”New York University also reported an 88% increase in OCIA participation while its daily Mass attendance tripled, the Hallow report said.The Hallow report said adult baptisms at Stanford University were unusually high this year. Dominican Father Bart Hutcherson said in the Hallow report that the parish typically sees about four adult baptisms annually, but he baptized 16 this Easter, nearly all of them Stanford students.")
Texas A&M University posted the biggest jump, rising about 69% from 121 to 204 adults entering the Church over the past two academic years.
Coming to Theatres near us – American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story #Catholic – 
“One day we were joking (during the preparations), and he looked at me and said, ‘When they kill me, don’t cry for me. Put up the paschal candle and put up the Easter banner,” emphasized Sister Herlinda Yos, one of the Carmelites. “He started all that, the experience of the Resurrection. That’s why the liturgies are very solid in Atitlan. Padre Francisco invoked a sense of celebration in the liturgy…”
— The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run by Maria Ruiz Scarperlanda
BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY
In retrospect, I believe that the first time I heard of Father Stanley Rother was sometime between 2017 and 2019. A very faithful parishioner and volunteer sacristan, Antonio, who was originally from Guatemala, whom I had gotten to know in my years as pastor of St. Michael’s in Brooklyn, told me the story of an American priest who had been serving in Guatemala, had been killed, and had recently been beatified. It sounded like a “nice story.” The priest had certainly made a strong impression on Antonio, who shared with me how this priest had become so close to the parishioners he served in a small town in Guatemala.
A number of years later, in 2022 or 2023, someone gave me a book called The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run — Fr. Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma. Somewhere in the course of reading the book and learning the story of Father Rother, I realized that “this was the priest Antonio had been telling me about.” I remember being so impressed by Father Rother’s life, vocation, and ministry that I thought I might give a copy of the book to all our seminarians. I also remember hesitating and thinking, “If all or most of our seminarians read this book, we may “lose” some of them because they will be inspired to serve as missionaries in Guatemala or some other area of the world where there are people in poverty who would be blessed by a priest who could serve them, get to know them, and “become one of them.”
As I reflect again on the story of Father Rother, I think of priests from my home diocese of Brooklyn and other places in the United States, who spent time serving as missionaries in Latin America and other places, who inspired me and encouraged me to appreciate how much we can learn and receive from individuals, families, and communities, whose language, culture, and food may be very different from ours. They taught me that taking the time to not only visit, but spend some time living with them and getting to know them, can be a wonderful way to share our faith and experience “the Church.” We are all members of the “one (mystical) Body of Christ,” and one of the most beautiful blessings of our Catholic (Universal) Faith and Church is the way it is received, lived, and shared by people and cultures, literally, all over the world.
While not everyone will have the opportunity to visit a different country and culture for the purpose of sharing the faith, many parishes and other groups within the Church offer “mission trips,” both within the United States and to other countries, to facilitate those opportunities and experiences. Hearing the stories of those who are able to travel on a mission trip can be a blessing for those who are not physically able to make the trip but support the “mission” and missionaries by their donations and especially their prayers.
Hearing and learning the story of someone who discerns and lives a missionary vocation can also be a great blessing and inspiration to all the baptized. That was my experience as I learned the story of Father Stanley Rother. Thanks to a new “feature-length” documentary film, “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story, narrated by Martin Sheen, many more will now have the opportunity to “get to know” Father Rother and his inspiring life, which led to his martyrdom on July 28, 1981. I was fortunate to be able to view an advance screening of “American Martyr,” and I would highly recommend watching it when you have an opportunity.
If you are reading this on or before Thursday, Aug. 27, you can see the movie at a local theatre, in its limited release on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Aug. 25-27. It will be shown at Cinemark Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, AMC Clifton Commons, AMC Garden State in Paramus, and many other theatres in our area. Click here for more information.
His full name was Stanley Francis Rother. Among the innumerable beautiful aspects of Father Rother’s life and ministry is his struggle with academics, especially Latin, during his first six years in the seminary, in San Antonio, Texas. His academic struggles were so serious that, after six years, the seminary faculty believed that he either did not have a vocation to the priesthood or the necessary intellectual ability to be ordained. He spent almost a year back at home, but Stanley’s pastor and, eventually, his bishop, the Most Reverend Victor Reed of the Diocese of Oklahoma City, believed that Stanley did have a vocation. They found a seminary that would accept him and give him another chance, Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, in Emmetsburg, Md.
I hope that you will have the opportunity to see the movie, read the book, and learn the “full story” of Father Stanley’s life, ministry, and martyrdom. I mentioned his middle name because, once Father Stanley arrived in Guatemala and began to get to know the people of the parish and surrounding communities of Atitlan, he realized that he would not only need to learn Spanish, but also the native, indigenous language of the Mayan people he would serve; both the language and the people are called “Tz’utujil.” The seminarian who couldn’t pass his Latin classes would become the missionary priest who would translate the entire Bible into “Tz’utujil.” The “Tz’utujil” people, however, were unable to translate or pronounce Stanley or Rother. They did have an indigenous translation for Francis, “Apla’s.” Father Stanley Rother became know and loved as “Padre Apla’s.”
In the final Chapter of The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run, the author speaks of the Church’s process for someone to be canonized, officially named a Saint, and then speaks of the people whom Father Stanley knew, loved, and served in Guatemala — and how they came to know and love him:
“Once the Holy Father affirms that Father Stanley Rother died a martyr, permission will be granted for his immediate beatification. (**Pope Francis officially confirmed his martyrdom in December 2016, and he was beatified on September 23, 2027.) … Father Stanley Rother would then be on his way to potentially becoming the first male saint born in the United States. But his people in Santiago, Atitlan don’t need an official declaration. They already affirm Padre Apla’s as a saint, their saint, and they come to him daily asking for help and intercession — much as they did during the 13 years he served as their priest.
Since his beatification, Father Stanley Rother’s mortal remains have been reinterred in an inspiring new shrine in Oklahoma City. No doubt, many will be drawn to that holy place in our country where the first beatified American-born martyr rests. Blessed Stanley Rother’s heart remains in the parish church of Saint James the Apostle (San Santiago Apóstol) in Atitlán, Guatemala. Inscribed on the marker over his heart are the words of the Lord Jesus from John’s gospel, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (15:13). Blessed Stanley Rother’s life is a shining example, in our own time, of what is possible when we open our hearts to the power of God’s grace. When we make our faith the foundation of our lives, we too are able to make sacrifices out of love for God and others, so that his kingdom comes into clearer view through our actions and words.
– “One day we were joking (during the preparations), and he looked at me and said, ‘When they kill me, don’t cry for me. Put up the paschal candle and put up the Easter banner,” emphasized Sister Herlinda Yos, one of the Carmelites. “He started all that, the experience of the Resurrection. That’s why the liturgies are very solid in Atitlan. Padre Francisco invoked a sense of celebration in the liturgy…” — The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run by Maria Ruiz Scarperlanda BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY In retrospect, I believe that the first time I heard of Father Stanley Rother was sometime
![Why the Church should promote religious tourism: An expert explains – #Catholic – Religious tourism draws hundreds of millions of people to various sites each year, generating billions of dollars, and the Americas have some of the most frequently visited shrines and basilicas.However, religious tourism is far from reaching its full potential, according to Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. The situation, he said, represents an opportunity that the Church should not let slip by.
Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. | Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News
In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Lomello explained that while pilgrimages constitute a phenomenon that has existed for centuries, the question is what pilgrimage destinations effectively provide visitors and how such sites can be enhanced to better welcome pilgrims while maintaining the integrity of their religious identity.
Pilgrims arrive at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. | Credit: Leonardo Em/Shutterstock
A phenomenon that attracts millionsAccording to data from the World Religious Tourism Network, around 400 million people travel to faith-based destinations each year, accounting for approximately 20% of global tourism.Pilgrimage tourism alone generates economic activity worth nearly billion, according to the network.Latin America in particular plays a significant role in this sector. The region receives around 80 million pilgrims annually, and the segment is seeing estimated yearly growth of between 6% and 8%, based on data from the World Religious Tourism Network.A few examples illustrate the scale of the phenomenon.The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, for example, receives nearly 22 million visitors each year. In Brazil, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida annually draws approximately 12 million pilgrims.
Sculpture of St. Michael the Archangel on Tepeyac Hill, overlooking the old and new basilicas of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. | Credit: Eduardo BR/Shutterstock
Another lesser-known example is La Tirana in northern Chile. During its religious celebrations, a town of about 1,500 inhabitants receives more than 150,000 pilgrims, coming mainly from Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.“Regardless of how they are organized, those people will keep coming year after year because they are driven by a deep spiritual motivation,” Lomello explained.Latin America specifically has over 3,000 registered shrines, hundreds of pilgrimage routes, major religious celebrations, and a heritage built up over centuries.However, that heritage is not always accompanied by the infrastructure, information, services, or policies needed to make the most of it.“Today, it’s an invisible sector. It goes unnoticed by churches, the public sector, and businesses alike,” Lomello stated.The specialist noted that dioceses tend to focus on maintaining their churches and carrying out pastoral work. Governments, meanwhile, address other needs, while businesses seek out commercial opportunities.The result is a constant flow of pilgrims, yet often no one takes charge of organizing everything that happens around them.“We have extraordinary resources, but a resource on its own does not create development. It must be transformed into a tourism product,” he noted.This does not mean turning a shrine into just another tourist attraction. It means, Lomello explained, “creating the conditions so that visitors can get around, find food, rest, explore the site, and understand its history.”
National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil, one of the major religious tourism destinations in South America. Credit: Flickr Rafael 1984 (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Having a shrine is not enoughLomello emphasized that a church, a basilica, or a pilgrimage with huge numbers of participants is not enough to build a religious tourism destination. “You need to have products; you need to develop products,” he explained.“The product consists of a narrative, a presence on social media, signage, adequate infrastructure, restrooms, good cuisine, the route itself, transportation, and communication,” he replied.For example, a person might visit a shrine to attend a celebration and return home shortly after. However, if the surrounding area offers museums, tourist routes, local cuisine, heritage sites, cultural activities, and other attractions to explore, the experience can be extended.“This is what we want cities to do, offer other things: good cuisine, engaging activities, museums, and events,” he stated.
Basilica of Our Lady of Luján in Argentina. | Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News
The money doesnʼt just stay at the shrineFor Lomello, one of the advantages of religious tourism is precisely that the money can be distributed among various sectors of the community.
Thousands of people come to venerate the Lord of Miracles during a procession in downtown Lima, Peru. | Credit: DJSully/Shutterstock
“The pilgrim arrives, spends money locally, buys handicrafts, stays overnight — perhaps an extra day — and visits a museum. The economic benefits spread throughout the entire community,” he explained.This can benefit hotels, restaurants, merchants, artisans, transportation providers, and other workers. It can also help preserve the churches and religious sites themselves.“Religious tourism is not going to take away the Churchʼs leading role, it is going to give it resources,” he said.However, Lomello emphasized that religious tourism cannot be reduced to an economic issue, since “the spiritual benefit is fundamental.”
Religious tourism is not going to take away the Church’s leading role, it is going to give it resources.”
Adrián LomelloWorld Religious Tourism Network
A pilgrim who arrives at a shrine may be looking for more than just getting to know a place. He may want to pray, go to confession, attend a Mass, or simply reconnect with his faith.“The impact of a good spiritual narrative is conversion. It’s when someone, through religious tourism, arrives and is deeply moved by the story [behind the place] and the religious images, and asks for confession. That’s conversion,” he noted.The Camino de Santiago modelOne of the experiences that can serve as a model is the Camino de Santiago in Spain.According to data shared by the network, the route welcomes around 530,000 pilgrims annually and generates an estimated annual economic impact of over 0 million, following decades of planning.This comparison is of particular interest to Latin America, where there are numerous religious routes and destinations that attract large numbers of people but still lack planning.“The difference lies not only in its heritage. It lies in policy decisions. Destinations that ignore their spiritual heritage are not making a cultural mistake; they are making a strategic economic development mistake,” Lomello asserted.
Pilgrims walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. | Credit: Nadezhda Bolotina/Shutterstock
‘Lift up your gaze’Lomello said he believes the Church has an important role to play in this process, but it cannot do it alone. Coordination is needed between dioceses, parishes, authorities, businessmen, and local communities.Data is also needed. The region needs to know how many pilgrims it receives, where they come from, how long they stay, what services they use, and what their needs are.The World Religious Tourism Network proposes, among other measures, doing market analysis, developing specific public policies, putting the destinations online, training those who work with pilgrims, and creating avenues for exchanging information among the various stakeholders.For Lomello, the first step is to change the way the phenomenon is viewed.“As the pope said in Spain: ‘Lift up your gaze.’ Lift up your gaze. Look at the religious tourism sector: an opportunity for development,” he urged.And that opportunity, he emphasized, should not be viewed as competing with the Churchʼs mission.“This is a time to lift up our gaze, to say: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, there is an opportunity here.’ Let us all work together, because this is for the benefit of all,” he affirmed.Top 10 destinations in Latin AmericaAccording to data compiled by the World Religious Tourism Network, these are the top 10 religious destinations and celebrations in Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean, ranked by estimated annual visitor numbers:1. Mexico — Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe: 20 million2. Brazil — Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida: 12 million3. Argentina — Shrine of Our Lady of Luján: 10 million4. Peru — Shrine of the Lord of Miracles: 5 million5. Colombia — Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá: 4 million6. Guatemala — Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary: 3.5 million7. Ecuador — Shrine of Our Lady of El Quinche: 2.5 million8. Venezuela — Basilica of Our Lady of Coromoto: 2 million9. Chile — Shrine of the Virgin of Lo Vásquez: 1.5 million10. Dominican Republic — Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia: 1.5 millionThis 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.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/why-the-church-should-promote-religious-tourism-an-expert-explains-catholic-religious-tourism-draws-hundreds-of-millions-of-people-to-various-sites-each-year-generating-billions-of-dollars-and.jpg "Why the Church should promote religious tourism: An expert explains – #Catholic – Religious tourism draws hundreds of millions of people to various sites each year, generating billions of dollars, and the Americas have some of the most frequently visited shrines and basilicas.However, religious tourism is far from reaching its full potential, according to Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. The situation, he said, represents an opportunity that the Church should not let slip by.
Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. | Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News
In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Lomello explained that while pilgrimages constitute a phenomenon that has existed for centuries, the question is what pilgrimage destinations effectively provide visitors and how such sites can be enhanced to better welcome pilgrims while maintaining the integrity of their religious identity.
Pilgrims arrive at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. | Credit: Leonardo Em/Shutterstock
A phenomenon that attracts millionsAccording to data from the World Religious Tourism Network, around 400 million people travel to faith-based destinations each year, accounting for approximately 20% of global tourism.Pilgrimage tourism alone generates economic activity worth nearly billion, according to the network.Latin America in particular plays a significant role in this sector. The region receives around 80 million pilgrims annually, and the segment is seeing estimated yearly growth of between 6% and 8%, based on data from the World Religious Tourism Network.A few examples illustrate the scale of the phenomenon.The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, for example, receives nearly 22 million visitors each year. In Brazil, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida annually draws approximately 12 million pilgrims.
Sculpture of St. Michael the Archangel on Tepeyac Hill, overlooking the old and new basilicas of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. | Credit: Eduardo BR/Shutterstock
Another lesser-known example is La Tirana in northern Chile. During its religious celebrations, a town of about 1,500 inhabitants receives more than 150,000 pilgrims, coming mainly from Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.“Regardless of how they are organized, those people will keep coming year after year because they are driven by a deep spiritual motivation,” Lomello explained.Latin America specifically has over 3,000 registered shrines, hundreds of pilgrimage routes, major religious celebrations, and a heritage built up over centuries.However, that heritage is not always accompanied by the infrastructure, information, services, or policies needed to make the most of it.“Today, it’s an invisible sector. It goes unnoticed by churches, the public sector, and businesses alike,” Lomello stated.The specialist noted that dioceses tend to focus on maintaining their churches and carrying out pastoral work. Governments, meanwhile, address other needs, while businesses seek out commercial opportunities.The result is a constant flow of pilgrims, yet often no one takes charge of organizing everything that happens around them.“We have extraordinary resources, but a resource on its own does not create development. It must be transformed into a tourism product,” he noted.This does not mean turning a shrine into just another tourist attraction. It means, Lomello explained, “creating the conditions so that visitors can get around, find food, rest, explore the site, and understand its history.”
National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil, one of the major religious tourism destinations in South America. Credit: Flickr Rafael 1984 (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Having a shrine is not enoughLomello emphasized that a church, a basilica, or a pilgrimage with huge numbers of participants is not enough to build a religious tourism destination. “You need to have products; you need to develop products,” he explained.“The product consists of a narrative, a presence on social media, signage, adequate infrastructure, restrooms, good cuisine, the route itself, transportation, and communication,” he replied.For example, a person might visit a shrine to attend a celebration and return home shortly after. However, if the surrounding area offers museums, tourist routes, local cuisine, heritage sites, cultural activities, and other attractions to explore, the experience can be extended.“This is what we want cities to do, offer other things: good cuisine, engaging activities, museums, and events,” he stated.
Basilica of Our Lady of Luján in Argentina. | Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News
The money doesnʼt just stay at the shrineFor Lomello, one of the advantages of religious tourism is precisely that the money can be distributed among various sectors of the community.
Thousands of people come to venerate the Lord of Miracles during a procession in downtown Lima, Peru. | Credit: DJSully/Shutterstock
“The pilgrim arrives, spends money locally, buys handicrafts, stays overnight — perhaps an extra day — and visits a museum. The economic benefits spread throughout the entire community,” he explained.This can benefit hotels, restaurants, merchants, artisans, transportation providers, and other workers. It can also help preserve the churches and religious sites themselves.“Religious tourism is not going to take away the Churchʼs leading role, it is going to give it resources,” he said.However, Lomello emphasized that religious tourism cannot be reduced to an economic issue, since “the spiritual benefit is fundamental.”
Religious tourism is not going to take away the Church’s leading role, it is going to give it resources.”
Adrián LomelloWorld Religious Tourism Network
A pilgrim who arrives at a shrine may be looking for more than just getting to know a place. He may want to pray, go to confession, attend a Mass, or simply reconnect with his faith.“The impact of a good spiritual narrative is conversion. It’s when someone, through religious tourism, arrives and is deeply moved by the story [behind the place] and the religious images, and asks for confession. That’s conversion,” he noted.The Camino de Santiago modelOne of the experiences that can serve as a model is the Camino de Santiago in Spain.According to data shared by the network, the route welcomes around 530,000 pilgrims annually and generates an estimated annual economic impact of over 0 million, following decades of planning.This comparison is of particular interest to Latin America, where there are numerous religious routes and destinations that attract large numbers of people but still lack planning.“The difference lies not only in its heritage. It lies in policy decisions. Destinations that ignore their spiritual heritage are not making a cultural mistake; they are making a strategic economic development mistake,” Lomello asserted.
Pilgrims walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. | Credit: Nadezhda Bolotina/Shutterstock
‘Lift up your gaze’Lomello said he believes the Church has an important role to play in this process, but it cannot do it alone. Coordination is needed between dioceses, parishes, authorities, businessmen, and local communities.Data is also needed. The region needs to know how many pilgrims it receives, where they come from, how long they stay, what services they use, and what their needs are.The World Religious Tourism Network proposes, among other measures, doing market analysis, developing specific public policies, putting the destinations online, training those who work with pilgrims, and creating avenues for exchanging information among the various stakeholders.For Lomello, the first step is to change the way the phenomenon is viewed.“As the pope said in Spain: ‘Lift up your gaze.’ Lift up your gaze. Look at the religious tourism sector: an opportunity for development,” he urged.And that opportunity, he emphasized, should not be viewed as competing with the Churchʼs mission.“This is a time to lift up our gaze, to say: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, there is an opportunity here.’ Let us all work together, because this is for the benefit of all,” he affirmed.Top 10 destinations in Latin AmericaAccording to data compiled by the World Religious Tourism Network, these are the top 10 religious destinations and celebrations in Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean, ranked by estimated annual visitor numbers:1. Mexico — Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe: 20 million2. Brazil — Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida: 12 million3. Argentina — Shrine of Our Lady of Luján: 10 million4. Peru — Shrine of the Lord of Miracles: 5 million5. Colombia — Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá: 4 million6. Guatemala — Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary: 3.5 million7. Ecuador — Shrine of Our Lady of El Quinche: 2.5 million8. Venezuela — Basilica of Our Lady of Coromoto: 2 million9. Chile — Shrine of the Virgin of Lo Vásquez: 1.5 million10. Dominican Republic — Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia: 1.5 millionThis 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.")
An expert in religious tourism explains the importance of the work of shrines and pilgrimage routes to reach their full potential, both in terms of economic and spiritual benefits.
A reading from the Book of Revelation
21:9b-14
The angel spoke to me, saying,
"Come here.
I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendor of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall,
with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed
and on which names were inscribed,
the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
There were three gates facing east,
three north, three south, and three west.
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,
on which were inscribed the twelve names
of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.
From the Gospel according to John
1:45-51
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
"We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth."
But Nathanael said to him,
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Philip said to him, "Come and see."
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Nathanael is placed in the scene of his calling, recounted in John’s Gospel, next to Philip, in other words, the place that Bartholomew occupies in the lists of the Apostles mentioned in the other Gospels.
Philip told this Nathanael that he had found "him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (Jn 1: 45). As we know, Nathanael’s retort was rather strongly prejudiced: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (Jn 1: 46). In its own way, this form of protestation is important for us. Indeed, it makes us see that according to Judaic expectations the Messiah could not come from such an obscure village as, precisely, Nazareth (see also Jn 7: 42).
But at the same time Nathanael’s protest highlights God’s freedom, which baffles our expectations by causing him to be found in the very place where we least expect him. (?)
Nathanael’s reaction suggests another thought to us: in our relationship with Jesus we must not be satisfied with words alone. In his answer, Philip offers Nathanael a meaningful invitation: "Come and see!" (Jn 1: 46). Our knowledge of Jesus needs above all a first-hand experience: someone else’s testimony is of course important. (?)
However, we ourselves must then be personally involved in a close and deep relationship with Jesus. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 4 October 2006)
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On Aug. 8 and Aug. 23, 1991, scientists from CalTech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory turned the 70-meter dish antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex on Mercury. The goal was to produce a radar map of the portions of Mercury not photographed by Mariner 10 during its 1974-75 flybys. But to the researchers’Continue reading “Aug. 23, 1991: Water on Mercury”
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![How the skull of St. Rose of Lima is preserved – #Catholic – The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Rose of Lima (1586–1617) on Aug. 23, calling attention to the most significant first-class relic of the beloved saint: her skull, which is preserved in the Basilica of the Most Holy Rosary at St. Dominic Convent in the Peruvian capital of Lima. Friar Luis Enrique Ramírez, a Dominican priest and rector of the basilica located in Lima’s historic center, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, how the relic is preserved and where it is kept within this historic church entrusted to the Order of Preachers.“St. Rose’s skull has been here in the basilica since the late 1800s, around the time this neoclassical altarpiece was created,” the priest explained, standing before the reliquary housing the first-class relic. The reliquary, which also holds significant relics of St. Martin de Porres and St. John Macías, “consists of two parts: One section holds the skull itself, which wears a crown of roses that was originally gold but is now silver,” the priest noted, adding that the original crown was stolen.The other part is a small box containing some of her bones, he said.There is also a tablecloth she embroidered, which serves as an example “of the work she used to do.”The Dominican friar also noted that over time, her bones “have been divided into minuscule fragments, and relics of St. Rose of Lima are found in a great number of places all over the world.”St. Rose’s house, located very close to St. Dominic Convent, preserves 10 objects belonging to the first saint of the Americas, such as her betrothal ring to the Lord, soil from her grave, and a handwritten letter.Why are there relics of saints like St. Rose of LimaRamírez explained that the relics of saints represent “a way for the faithful to share in the holiness of the person they venerate. Being close to the saint is a very ancient tradition in the Church.”By being near saints’ relics, the faithful can “share in their holiness; it’s a way to find encouragement. It’s also a way to help you, in some sense, to strive to live your life in a state of grace.”The Dominican priest noted that given the current trade in relics and the risk of counterfeits, the Holy See has established clearer and stricter regulations for handling requests for a saintʼs relics, particularly to verify their authenticity. This process requires authorization from a bishop and, in the case of St. Rose, from the Dominicans.Plaque commemorating the mystical betrothal of St. Rose of LimaInside the basilica, on the left side of the nave, there is a plaque on the floor marking the exact spot where St. Rose of Lima’s mystical betrothal took place in 1617 — the moment she consecrated herself entirely to the Lord after hearing the words “Rose, be my spouse.”According to Ramírez, the saint had come to the site of the former Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary to bid farewell, as she was preparing to become a Poor Clare nun; her friends had raised funds to enable her to enter the convent with the required dowry, as was the custom at the time.“She came to bid farewell to Our Lady of the Rosary represented by the image that at that time was in her chapel, right where the plaque is now, and that is where the phenomenon occurred in which she became so heavy she could not be lifted, and where the mystical betrothal to the Infant Jesus also took place,” the Dominican friar explained.“She realized that God did not want her to be a nun but rather a laywoman, so she decided to join the Dominican Third Order as a laywoman, here at St. Dominic Convent in Lima,” he added.The ‘new’ chapel of St. Rose of Lima and another first-class relicDuring a tour of the St. Dominic Convent Museum, Ramírez showed EWTN News a “new” chapel, erected about 10 years ago in a space that had previously been the room of another Dominican friar.“On the main altar stands the image of St. Rose of Lima, the patron saint of Peru, America, and the Philippines, which is carried on a litter during the Aug. 29–30 processions,” the priest explained.Beneath the image “lies a relic: the shoulder blade of St. Rose of Lima. And everything in the chapel is dedicated to her. We have paintings, both old and new, including of St. Catherine of Siena, to whom St. Rose was devoted, as well as images of St. Rose’s ‘Doctorcito’ [‘Little Doctor,’ her affectionate name for the Child Jesus], the image to which she held great devotion.” There is also Our Lady of the Rosary of the Creoles’ Confraternity and “the most important sculpture: the marble work by Melchiorre Cafà, which was present at St. Rose’s beatification ceremony at Santa Sabina Basilica” in Rome in 1668.What lessons can Catholics today learn from St. Rose of Lima“Let’s remember that St. Rose of Lima was a laywoman; that is, she was not a religious sister but someone who lived in her own home,” the Dominican priest noted.Ramírez recalled how the saint worked at various tasks such as embroidery and helping in other households to contribute to the support of her family. At the same time, he continued, “St. Rose was fully aware of God’s presence in her life and engaged in profound mystical prayer, imitating St. Catherine of Siena in what is known as the inner cell.”This, he said, means that “she did not have a physical cell to retreat to, as in a monastery, but she did have an inner cell where she could take refuge, and indeed she had many mystical experiences in that regard.”Rose of St. Mary, as she is also known, lived a life “deeply committed to the suffering and the needy in her society, to the poor who needed her help not just with her counsel but also with medical care, comforting, and assistance in general.”In this way, Ramírez emphasized, St. Rose of Lima is “a very contemporary example” for any Catholic today. Like St. Rose, he said, “you can work to earn a living, you can commit yourself to mystical prayer, and you can commit yourself to social work in the service of the needy,” living a “committed life within our Church and, furthermore, in the spirit of our Dominican charism.”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.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/how-the-skull-of-st-rose-of-lima-is-preserved-catholic-the-catholic-church-celebrates-the-feast-day-of-st-rose-of-lima-1586-1617-on-aug-23-calling-attention-to-the-most-significant-scaled.jpg "How the skull of St. Rose of Lima is preserved – #Catholic – The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Rose of Lima (1586–1617) on Aug. 23, calling attention to the most significant first-class relic of the beloved saint: her skull, which is preserved in the Basilica of the Most Holy Rosary at St. Dominic Convent in the Peruvian capital of Lima. Friar Luis Enrique Ramírez, a Dominican priest and rector of the basilica located in Lima’s historic center, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, how the relic is preserved and where it is kept within this historic church entrusted to the Order of Preachers.“St. Rose’s skull has been here in the basilica since the late 1800s, around the time this neoclassical altarpiece was created,” the priest explained, standing before the reliquary housing the first-class relic. The reliquary, which also holds significant relics of St. Martin de Porres and St. John Macías, “consists of two parts: One section holds the skull itself, which wears a crown of roses that was originally gold but is now silver,” the priest noted, adding that the original crown was stolen.The other part is a small box containing some of her bones, he said.There is also a tablecloth she embroidered, which serves as an example “of the work she used to do.”The Dominican friar also noted that over time, her bones “have been divided into minuscule fragments, and relics of St. Rose of Lima are found in a great number of places all over the world.”St. Rose’s house, located very close to St. Dominic Convent, preserves 10 objects belonging to the first saint of the Americas, such as her betrothal ring to the Lord, soil from her grave, and a handwritten letter.Why are there relics of saints like St. Rose of LimaRamírez explained that the relics of saints represent “a way for the faithful to share in the holiness of the person they venerate. Being close to the saint is a very ancient tradition in the Church.”By being near saints’ relics, the faithful can “share in their holiness; it’s a way to find encouragement. It’s also a way to help you, in some sense, to strive to live your life in a state of grace.”The Dominican priest noted that given the current trade in relics and the risk of counterfeits, the Holy See has established clearer and stricter regulations for handling requests for a saintʼs relics, particularly to verify their authenticity. This process requires authorization from a bishop and, in the case of St. Rose, from the Dominicans.Plaque commemorating the mystical betrothal of St. Rose of LimaInside the basilica, on the left side of the nave, there is a plaque on the floor marking the exact spot where St. Rose of Lima’s mystical betrothal took place in 1617 — the moment she consecrated herself entirely to the Lord after hearing the words “Rose, be my spouse.”According to Ramírez, the saint had come to the site of the former Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary to bid farewell, as she was preparing to become a Poor Clare nun; her friends had raised funds to enable her to enter the convent with the required dowry, as was the custom at the time.“She came to bid farewell to Our Lady of the Rosary represented by the image that at that time was in her chapel, right where the plaque is now, and that is where the phenomenon occurred in which she became so heavy she could not be lifted, and where the mystical betrothal to the Infant Jesus also took place,” the Dominican friar explained.“She realized that God did not want her to be a nun but rather a laywoman, so she decided to join the Dominican Third Order as a laywoman, here at St. Dominic Convent in Lima,” he added.The ‘new’ chapel of St. Rose of Lima and another first-class relicDuring a tour of the St. Dominic Convent Museum, Ramírez showed EWTN News a “new” chapel, erected about 10 years ago in a space that had previously been the room of another Dominican friar.“On the main altar stands the image of St. Rose of Lima, the patron saint of Peru, America, and the Philippines, which is carried on a litter during the Aug. 29–30 processions,” the priest explained.Beneath the image “lies a relic: the shoulder blade of St. Rose of Lima. And everything in the chapel is dedicated to her. We have paintings, both old and new, including of St. Catherine of Siena, to whom St. Rose was devoted, as well as images of St. Rose’s ‘Doctorcito’ [‘Little Doctor,’ her affectionate name for the Child Jesus], the image to which she held great devotion.” There is also Our Lady of the Rosary of the Creoles’ Confraternity and “the most important sculpture: the marble work by Melchiorre Cafà, which was present at St. Rose’s beatification ceremony at Santa Sabina Basilica” in Rome in 1668.What lessons can Catholics today learn from St. Rose of Lima“Let’s remember that St. Rose of Lima was a laywoman; that is, she was not a religious sister but someone who lived in her own home,” the Dominican priest noted.Ramírez recalled how the saint worked at various tasks such as embroidery and helping in other households to contribute to the support of her family. At the same time, he continued, “St. Rose was fully aware of God’s presence in her life and engaged in profound mystical prayer, imitating St. Catherine of Siena in what is known as the inner cell.”This, he said, means that “she did not have a physical cell to retreat to, as in a monastery, but she did have an inner cell where she could take refuge, and indeed she had many mystical experiences in that regard.”Rose of St. Mary, as she is also known, lived a life “deeply committed to the suffering and the needy in her society, to the poor who needed her help not just with her counsel but also with medical care, comforting, and assistance in general.”In this way, Ramírez emphasized, St. Rose of Lima is “a very contemporary example” for any Catholic today. Like St. Rose, he said, “you can work to earn a living, you can commit yourself to mystical prayer, and you can commit yourself to social work in the service of the needy,” living a “committed life within our Church and, furthermore, in the spirit of our Dominican charism.”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.")
Dominican Friar Luis Enrique Ramírez explains fascinating facts about the first canonized saint from the Americas.
![American priest walks Lebanon’s St. Charbel Trail, encourages more pilgrims to follow – #Catholic – American priest Father Michael Sliney, LC, recently took part in a pilgrimage along the St. Charbel Trail in Lebanon and said he was deeply marked by the experience, describing the discovery as a “hidden gem.” Now back in the United States, he said he hopes to promote the trail among American Catholics, especially Lebanese Americans, and encourage them to experience it for themselves.St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, is a 80.8-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.The trail is currently divided into two main routes. The northern route stretches roughly 50 miles, beginning at the Monastery of St. Anthony of Qozhaya in the Qadisha Valley and continuing through sites including St. Charbel’s birthplace and the Monastery of St. Maroun in Annaya, where Pope Leo XIV prayed during his visit to Lebanon in 2025.The southern route covers approximately 31 miles, beginning at the Maronite Patriarchal See in Bkerke and passing through Harissa, home to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, one of the country’s most important Marian pilgrimage sites, and ending at St. Charbel’s tomb in Annaya.A landscape shaped by centuries of faithSliney, who has spent more than 27 years in priestly ministry serving young people and families in Washington, D.C., and New York City, said the trail “creates a peaceful, silent environment where you can actually hear God.”That sense was especially strong, he said, in the Qadisha Valley, also known as the Valley of the Saints, a historic center of Maronite monastic life. “I felt this is where the heart of God is beating,” he said. “It’s beating in the Valley of the Saints. It’s beating in these monasteries.”
Father Michael Sliney, LC. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Michael Sliney, LC
For Sliney, walking through the valley felt “almost like going back to a time capsule.” He said he was struck by the continuity of monastic life there, where Christians have prayed for centuries in monasteries and caves carved into the mountains.At the Cave of St. Anthony, which dates back to the fourth century, that history became particularly tangible. “For 1,700 years people have been coming here to pray,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine… really since the time of Christ almost, people have been praying in that particular cave.”The people along the trailMore than the monasteries, caves, and churches, what affected Sliney most during the pilgrimage, he said, were the people he encountered, especially the monks and nuns.He described the nuns he met as “dynamic,” “happy,” and “joyful.” The monks left a similar impression. “I was very, very impressed by the fervor, the humility, the joy, and the dedication of these monks,” he said. “I really believe the Valley of the Saints is such a holy place because of these monks and these nuns.”Sliney said he was also deeply marked by the resilience, hospitality, and spirit of service he encountered among Lebanese people more broadly.He recalled being welcomed to celebrate Mass in the house of St. Charbel and being invited to wear Maronite vestments. He was also moved by small, personal gestures from people he had only just met.At one monastery, a monk gave him a bag of medals of the saints that he had collected since childhood, asking him to distribute them among the pilgrims. The monk then offered him a rosary he had made for himself.Family life also stood out to him. He recalled entering restaurants and seeing families of 15 or 20 people gathered around the same table.A path back to faith and heritageSliney wants more people to experience the trail. He said he believes American Catholics would benefit from making the pilgrimage but says Lebanese Americans in particular should be among the first to rediscover it.“I think they need to rediscover the beauty of their faith and the beauty of their heritage,” he said. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled.”
Father Michael Sliney, LC, presides at a Mass along the St. Charbel Trail route, a unique 80-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.| Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Michael Sliney, LC
While acknowledging the opportunities American life has offered many Lebanese families, Sliney said he worries that they can also become absorbed by “materialism” and “noise.”“I think Lebanon — the peace, the serenity, the simplicity of this country and of the people — is something not just they need, but I think we need as Americans,” he said. “Our culture could use the silence so we can hear the whisper of God.”For Lebanese living abroad, he sees the trail as more than a pilgrimage route. He believes it could become a way of reconnecting them with a faith and heritage that may have weakened across generations. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled,” he said.“I really believe St. Charbel is behind this trail. Our world today needs to learn from the simplicity and the humility and the joy of the monks and of the nuns and of the people of Lebanon. And I think the trail will allow them to experience that.”
Pilgrims making their way along the St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, pause for a photo. The trail winds its way through Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition. | Credit: Father Michael Sliney, LC
Is Lebanon safe for pilgrims?Sliney also pushed back against perceptions of Lebanon as uniformly unsafe. He said he felt safer in Lebanon than in Washington, D.C., while acknowledging the ongoing war in the south, which he did not visit.“Lebanon being a very unsafe [place] to go to is a false narrative. And I feel it does an injustice to the country,” he noted.He also described the hiking as “pretty intense,” with steep climbs and descents — despite being a marathon runner himself.As parts of the trail are still being developed and funds are being raised, he said he plans to return to Lebanon to complete it once more sections are open.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/american-priest-walks-lebanons-st-charbel-trail-encourages-more-pilgrims-to-follow-catholic-american-priest-father-michael-sliney-lc-recently-took-part-in-a-pilgrimage-along-the-st.jpg "American priest walks Lebanon’s St. Charbel Trail, encourages more pilgrims to follow – #Catholic – American priest Father Michael Sliney, LC, recently took part in a pilgrimage along the St. Charbel Trail in Lebanon and said he was deeply marked by the experience, describing the discovery as a “hidden gem.” Now back in the United States, he said he hopes to promote the trail among American Catholics, especially Lebanese Americans, and encourage them to experience it for themselves.St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, is a 80.8-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.The trail is currently divided into two main routes. The northern route stretches roughly 50 miles, beginning at the Monastery of St. Anthony of Qozhaya in the Qadisha Valley and continuing through sites including St. Charbel’s birthplace and the Monastery of St. Maroun in Annaya, where Pope Leo XIV prayed during his visit to Lebanon in 2025.The southern route covers approximately 31 miles, beginning at the Maronite Patriarchal See in Bkerke and passing through Harissa, home to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, one of the country’s most important Marian pilgrimage sites, and ending at St. Charbel’s tomb in Annaya.A landscape shaped by centuries of faithSliney, who has spent more than 27 years in priestly ministry serving young people and families in Washington, D.C., and New York City, said the trail “creates a peaceful, silent environment where you can actually hear God.”That sense was especially strong, he said, in the Qadisha Valley, also known as the Valley of the Saints, a historic center of Maronite monastic life. “I felt this is where the heart of God is beating,” he said. “It’s beating in the Valley of the Saints. It’s beating in these monasteries.”
Father Michael Sliney, LC. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Michael Sliney, LC
For Sliney, walking through the valley felt “almost like going back to a time capsule.” He said he was struck by the continuity of monastic life there, where Christians have prayed for centuries in monasteries and caves carved into the mountains.At the Cave of St. Anthony, which dates back to the fourth century, that history became particularly tangible. “For 1,700 years people have been coming here to pray,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine… really since the time of Christ almost, people have been praying in that particular cave.”The people along the trailMore than the monasteries, caves, and churches, what affected Sliney most during the pilgrimage, he said, were the people he encountered, especially the monks and nuns.He described the nuns he met as “dynamic,” “happy,” and “joyful.” The monks left a similar impression. “I was very, very impressed by the fervor, the humility, the joy, and the dedication of these monks,” he said. “I really believe the Valley of the Saints is such a holy place because of these monks and these nuns.”Sliney said he was also deeply marked by the resilience, hospitality, and spirit of service he encountered among Lebanese people more broadly.He recalled being welcomed to celebrate Mass in the house of St. Charbel and being invited to wear Maronite vestments. He was also moved by small, personal gestures from people he had only just met.At one monastery, a monk gave him a bag of medals of the saints that he had collected since childhood, asking him to distribute them among the pilgrims. The monk then offered him a rosary he had made for himself.Family life also stood out to him. He recalled entering restaurants and seeing families of 15 or 20 people gathered around the same table.A path back to faith and heritageSliney wants more people to experience the trail. He said he believes American Catholics would benefit from making the pilgrimage but says Lebanese Americans in particular should be among the first to rediscover it.“I think they need to rediscover the beauty of their faith and the beauty of their heritage,” he said. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled.”
Father Michael Sliney, LC, presides at a Mass along the St. Charbel Trail route, a unique 80-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.| Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Michael Sliney, LC
While acknowledging the opportunities American life has offered many Lebanese families, Sliney said he worries that they can also become absorbed by “materialism” and “noise.”“I think Lebanon — the peace, the serenity, the simplicity of this country and of the people — is something not just they need, but I think we need as Americans,” he said. “Our culture could use the silence so we can hear the whisper of God.”For Lebanese living abroad, he sees the trail as more than a pilgrimage route. He believes it could become a way of reconnecting them with a faith and heritage that may have weakened across generations. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled,” he said.“I really believe St. Charbel is behind this trail. Our world today needs to learn from the simplicity and the humility and the joy of the monks and of the nuns and of the people of Lebanon. And I think the trail will allow them to experience that.”
Pilgrims making their way along the St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, pause for a photo. The trail winds its way through Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition. | Credit: Father Michael Sliney, LC
Is Lebanon safe for pilgrims?Sliney also pushed back against perceptions of Lebanon as uniformly unsafe. He said he felt safer in Lebanon than in Washington, D.C., while acknowledging the ongoing war in the south, which he did not visit.“Lebanon being a very unsafe [place] to go to is a false narrative. And I feel it does an injustice to the country,” he noted.He also described the hiking as “pretty intense,” with steep climbs and descents — despite being a marathon runner himself.As parts of the trail are still being developed and funds are being raised, he said he plans to return to Lebanon to complete it once more sections are open.")
St. Charbel Trail is a pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites.
![‘You are home’: Pope Leo XIV meets with sick, disabled residents at Rimini #Catholic Pope Leo XIV met with sick and disabled residents of the city of Rimini, Italy on Aug. 22, urging them to “follow the Lord by taking an active part in the life of the Church.” The meeting came at the end of a whirlwind day of travel for the pope, who visited the tiny landlocked country of San Marino before making an appearance at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini.
Pope Leo XIV is handed flowers by a woman in a wheelchair at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media
In his meeting with those suffering from illness and disabilities, which took place at Rimini Cathedral, the pope said the ancient church signified to the sick and poor: “You are home.”Jesus, the Holy Father said, worked to “heal [sick people] and restore to them a life worthy of their dignity.”
Pope Leo XIV speaks at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media
He urged the assembly to take part in Church life “in the parish, in associations, and in places of welcome and service.”The pope subsequently said Mass at the Port of Rimini, where in his homily he told the faithful that “everything we are and have is a gift from God.”He said every baptized Christian is oriented toward “embracing, gathering, welcoming, liberating, forgiving [and] emancipating anyone who is a prisoner of sin and its consequence.”Referring to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the pope said: “God is simple, because he is pure charity, and calls us also to love with a heart similar to his, conforming our ways to his ways and our thoughts to his thoughts.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/you-are-home-pope-leo-xiv-meets-with-sick-disabled-residents-at-rimini-catholic-pope-leo-xiv-met-with-sick-and-disabled-residents-of-the-city-of-rimini-italy-on-aug-22-urging-t-scaled.jpg "‘You are home’: Pope Leo XIV meets with sick, disabled residents at Rimini #Catholic Pope Leo XIV met with sick and disabled residents of the city of Rimini, Italy on Aug. 22, urging them to “follow the Lord by taking an active part in the life of the Church.” The meeting came at the end of a whirlwind day of travel for the pope, who visited the tiny landlocked country of San Marino before making an appearance at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini.
Pope Leo XIV is handed flowers by a woman in a wheelchair at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media
In his meeting with those suffering from illness and disabilities, which took place at Rimini Cathedral, the pope said the ancient church signified to the sick and poor: “You are home.”Jesus, the Holy Father said, worked to “heal [sick people] and restore to them a life worthy of their dignity.”
Pope Leo XIV speaks at Rimini Cathedral, Aug. 22, 2026, during a meeting with people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. | Credit: Vatican Media
He urged the assembly to take part in Church life “in the parish, in associations, and in places of welcome and service.”The pope subsequently said Mass at the Port of Rimini, where in his homily he told the faithful that “everything we are and have is a gift from God.”He said every baptized Christian is oriented toward “embracing, gathering, welcoming, liberating, forgiving [and] emancipating anyone who is a prisoner of sin and its consequence.”Referring to St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the pope said: “God is simple, because he is pure charity, and calls us also to love with a heart similar to his, conforming our ways to his ways and our thoughts to his thoughts.”")
The pope urged the assembly to take part in Church life “in the parish, in associations, and in places of welcome and service.”
A reading from the Book of Isaiah
22:19-23
Thus says the LORD to Shebna, master of the palace:
"I will thrust you from your office
and pull you down from your station.
On that day I will summon my servant
Eliakim, son of Hilkiah;
I will clothe him with your robe,
and gird him with your sash,
and give over to him your authority.
He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and to the house of Judah.
I will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim’s shoulder;
when he opens, no one shall shut,
when he shuts, no one shall open.
I will fix him like a peg in a sure spot,
to be a place of honor for his family."
A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans
11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord
or who has been his counselor?
Or who has given the Lord anything
that he may be repaid?
For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
16:13-20
Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and
he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ.
At the heart of today?s Gospel lies the question that Jesus asked his disciples. Today he asks us that same question, challenging us to examine whether our faith life retains its energy and vitality, and whether the flame of our relationship with the Lord still burns bright: ?Who do you say that I am?? (Mt 16:15).
Every day, at every moment in history, we must always take this question to heart. If we want to keep our identity as Christians from being reduced to a relic of the past, as Pope Francis often reminded us, it is important to move beyond a tired and stagnant faith. We need to ask ourselves: Who is Jesus Christ for us today? What place does he occupy in our lives and in the life of the Church? How can we bear witness to this hope in our daily lives and proclaim it to those whom we meet?
Brothers and sisters, the exercise of a discernment born of these questions can enable our faith and the faith of the Church to be constantly renewed and to find new paths and new approaches to preaching the Gospel. This, together with communion, must be our greatest desire. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 29 June 2025)
Read More![At friendship meeting in Italy, Pope Leo calls for fraternity: ‘Love is the law of life’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV arrived in the Italian city of Rimini on Aug. 22 to visit the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples, telling about 60,000 attendees that “love is the force that can transform the world.”Upon arrival after a brief visit to the country of San Marino, Leo addressed a spontaneous greeting to the people gathered in the auditorium, expressing his joy and pointing out that “the loudest applause should be for Jesus Christ.”
Pope Leo XIV greets attendees at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini, Italy, Aug. 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media
“Our hearts, so big and capable of loving, should never be closed. Letʼs find the way together to build a world of peace and love,” he said.In his speech to the gathering, Pope Leo recounted the teachings of his immediate predecessors on social friendship, fraternity and union, highlighting the value of Riminiʼs meeting to achieve these ideals. The annual event is hosted by the international organization Communion and Liberation. He assured the assembly that “in recognizing our dignity as children of God, we come into contact with what originally unites human beings, beyond all diversity, separation or conflict.”“We can identify with each other, listen to each other and establish friendship, between individuals and, therefore, also between peoples. Before borders, definitions and institutions, there are always people,” he added.Reflecting on the pastoral constitution Gaudium et spes of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Leo did not hesitate to affirm that “it is a time of responsibility” among men and that it is love that is the foundation of a fraternal society.“Following Jesus Christ after the tragedies and the new beginnings of the twentieth century implies, in fact, a clear awareness: Evil is not fought with evil. As in heaven, as on earth, love is the law of life, the method of redemption of the crucified Messiah,” he said.“Faced with the false realism that rearms minds, words and nations, the current Catholic culture must counteract the realism of mercy, which maintains that enemies cannot exist and that everyone, even adversaries, are brothers to whom they look into the eyes and receive with sincerity,” he added.Addressing especially young people, Leo told them that they “are a sign that the future is a promise, not a threat” and witnesses of a love that “continues to inspire hope.”“Love moves, drives, awakens from lethargy, inspires new vocations and calls us to take risks. Get involved! Open up to true universality, expanding your ties beyond any too close affiliation,” he said."In every corner of the world, especially in the margins and among those who suffer, you will find those willing to build the civilization of love. Do not allow anyone to belittle this word, which is the very name of God: 'God is love,'" said the Holy Father.“In love, there is never coercion or indoctrination; there is never seduction, deception or manipulation. Love resides only in freedom, in sincere exchange, in generous self-giving.”Finally, he invited young people to remain devoted to Christ to testify, without boasting, in the midst of todayʼs world."May the Holy Spirit instruct us in the practice of communion. That gives us pleasure for [the Holy Spirit], appreciation for him and hope in him. May he continue to guide us, dear brothers and sisters, with that love 'that moves the sun and the other stars'," he concluded.This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/at-friendship-meeting-in-italy-pope-leo-calls-for-fraternity-love-is-the-law-of-life-catholic-pope-leo-xiv-arrived-in-the-italian-city-of-rimini-on-aug-22-to-visit-the-47th-scaled.jpg "At friendship meeting in Italy, Pope Leo calls for fraternity: ‘Love is the law of life’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV arrived in the Italian city of Rimini on Aug. 22 to visit the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples, telling about 60,000 attendees that “love is the force that can transform the world.”Upon arrival after a brief visit to the country of San Marino, Leo addressed a spontaneous greeting to the people gathered in the auditorium, expressing his joy and pointing out that “the loudest applause should be for Jesus Christ.”
Pope Leo XIV greets attendees at the 47th Meeting for Friendship Among the Peoples in Rimini, Italy, Aug. 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media
“Our hearts, so big and capable of loving, should never be closed. Letʼs find the way together to build a world of peace and love,” he said.In his speech to the gathering, Pope Leo recounted the teachings of his immediate predecessors on social friendship, fraternity and union, highlighting the value of Riminiʼs meeting to achieve these ideals. The annual event is hosted by the international organization Communion and Liberation. He assured the assembly that “in recognizing our dignity as children of God, we come into contact with what originally unites human beings, beyond all diversity, separation or conflict.”“We can identify with each other, listen to each other and establish friendship, between individuals and, therefore, also between peoples. Before borders, definitions and institutions, there are always people,” he added.Reflecting on the pastoral constitution Gaudium et spes of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Leo did not hesitate to affirm that “it is a time of responsibility” among men and that it is love that is the foundation of a fraternal society.“Following Jesus Christ after the tragedies and the new beginnings of the twentieth century implies, in fact, a clear awareness: Evil is not fought with evil. As in heaven, as on earth, love is the law of life, the method of redemption of the crucified Messiah,” he said.“Faced with the false realism that rearms minds, words and nations, the current Catholic culture must counteract the realism of mercy, which maintains that enemies cannot exist and that everyone, even adversaries, are brothers to whom they look into the eyes and receive with sincerity,” he added.Addressing especially young people, Leo told them that they “are a sign that the future is a promise, not a threat” and witnesses of a love that “continues to inspire hope.”“Love moves, drives, awakens from lethargy, inspires new vocations and calls us to take risks. Get involved! Open up to true universality, expanding your ties beyond any too close affiliation,” he said.\"In every corner of the world, especially in the margins and among those who suffer, you will find those willing to build the civilization of love. Do not allow anyone to belittle this word, which is the very name of God: 'God is love,'\" said the Holy Father.“In love, there is never coercion or indoctrination; there is never seduction, deception or manipulation. Love resides only in freedom, in sincere exchange, in generous self-giving.”Finally, he invited young people to remain devoted to Christ to testify, without boasting, in the midst of todayʼs world.\"May the Holy Spirit instruct us in the practice of communion. That gives us pleasure for [the Holy Spirit], appreciation for him and hope in him. May he continue to guide us, dear brothers and sisters, with that love 'that moves the sun and the other stars',\" he concluded.This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.")
“Our heart, so big and capable of loving, should never be closed. Let’s find the way together to build a world of peace and love,” the pope said to a crowd of thousands.
![In San Marino, Pope Leo XIV tells young people: ‘We only find authentic freedom in Jesus Christ’ – #Catholic – In the small landlocked country of San Marino on Aug. 22, Pope Leo XIV called on young people to open "the door of their heart" to God, assuring them that the faithful “only find authentic freedom in Jesus Christ."After his arrival in San Marino, one of the smallest and oldest republics in the world, and following a meeting with the country’s captains regent, the pope went to the Basilica of San Marino. There, together with priests and the faithful, he worshiped the Blessed Sacrament and venerated the relics of Saint Marinus.
Pope Leo XIV speaks to pilgrims at the Basilica di San Marino, Aug. 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media
“Iʼm glad to meet you in this basilica,” the pope said in a speech after the moment of prayer. “I would like us to live this moment together as a pause in our common path in the footsteps of Christ.”Addressing especially young people, the Holy Father recalled the words spoken by his predecessor Benedict XVI when visiting San Marino in 2011: “Do not stay in the partial, immediate answers […], easier at first and more comfortable, which can give some moments of happiness, of exaltation, of drunkenness, but that do not lead you to the true joy of living.”Benedict XVI had told pilgrims at the time: “Your heart is an open window to infinity!” Addressing the faithful on Aug. 22, Pope Leo said: “Well, dear young people: keep that window open!” “Follow with the gaze of the soul the paths that trace in you the great longings for beauty, goodness and life that you carry in your heart," the pope said.“If you carefully observe their journey and listen to your voice, they will lead you to the top, to meet God, where He seeks and waits for you; and, with his help, your dreams will have the necessary strength to leave a mark on history and improve it,” he added.As a “second call,” the pope said to young people: “Enthusiastically embrace your mission in the world! Do it, first of all, trying to understand what the call is for you, unique for each one, and value its greatness.”“Then, give yourself to him and invest without reservation all the richness of the gifts that God has granted you,” he continued, encouraging them not to be “fear of making demanding decisions, such as marriage, consecration, orderly ministry, professional life or social and political commitment.”The Holy Father also expressed his “sincere gratitude to the priests, catechists and educators,” who “work for the human and Christian growth of young people,” and highlighted their “hidden, but very important” work of helping parents, who are “first responsible for the education of their children in faith.”“The family, in fact, is the first place of formation in the faith, the natural bosom in which the Gospel is learned from childhood and breathed on a daily basis," he said.He encouraged the faithful to establish “an educational pact, so that parents feel involved, rediscover the faith themselves in a new way and have the joy of transmitting to their children the Christian values of which they are custodians.”While warning that “we live in a world wounded by numerous conflicts,” the pope assured the assembly that, in the face of “these disturbing tendencies,” the response of believers “can be no other than to travel the path of the Gospel with an even greater conviction.”Towards the end of his address inside the basilica, the pope encouraged the faithful to live in communion, giving “testimony of unity in our communities: among the parishes and, within them, between pastors and faithful, among the different charisms and ministries.”After concluding the meeting inside the basilica, the Holy Father addressed a greeting to the faithful who were outside and spoke again in a special way the young people present: “Open the door of your heart, always listen to Jesus Christ and never be afraid to listen to what Jesus wants to say to each of you.”“Recognize in yourselves the value of life. The value of your life, of you, who were created by God and are loved by God: your life has a great value for us, for the Church, for your family and for the whole world,” said the pope.This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/in-san-marino-pope-leo-xiv-tells-young-people-we-only-find-authentic-freedom-in-jesus-christ-catholic-in-the-small-landlocked-country-of-san-marino-on-aug-22-pope-leo-xiv-called-on-young-scaled.jpg "In San Marino, Pope Leo XIV tells young people: ‘We only find authentic freedom in Jesus Christ’ – #Catholic – In the small landlocked country of San Marino on Aug. 22, Pope Leo XIV called on young people to open \"the door of their heart\" to God, assuring them that the faithful “only find authentic freedom in Jesus Christ.\"After his arrival in San Marino, one of the smallest and oldest republics in the world, and following a meeting with the country’s captains regent, the pope went to the Basilica of San Marino. There, together with priests and the faithful, he worshiped the Blessed Sacrament and venerated the relics of Saint Marinus.
Pope Leo XIV speaks to pilgrims at the Basilica di San Marino, Aug. 22, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media
“Iʼm glad to meet you in this basilica,” the pope said in a speech after the moment of prayer. “I would like us to live this moment together as a pause in our common path in the footsteps of Christ.”Addressing especially young people, the Holy Father recalled the words spoken by his predecessor Benedict XVI when visiting San Marino in 2011: “Do not stay in the partial, immediate answers […], easier at first and more comfortable, which can give some moments of happiness, of exaltation, of drunkenness, but that do not lead you to the true joy of living.”Benedict XVI had told pilgrims at the time: “Your heart is an open window to infinity!” Addressing the faithful on Aug. 22, Pope Leo said: “Well, dear young people: keep that window open!” “Follow with the gaze of the soul the paths that trace in you the great longings for beauty, goodness and life that you carry in your heart,\" the pope said.“If you carefully observe their journey and listen to your voice, they will lead you to the top, to meet God, where He seeks and waits for you; and, with his help, your dreams will have the necessary strength to leave a mark on history and improve it,” he added.As a “second call,” the pope said to young people: “Enthusiastically embrace your mission in the world! Do it, first of all, trying to understand what the call is for you, unique for each one, and value its greatness.”“Then, give yourself to him and invest without reservation all the richness of the gifts that God has granted you,” he continued, encouraging them not to be “fear of making demanding decisions, such as marriage, consecration, orderly ministry, professional life or social and political commitment.”The Holy Father also expressed his “sincere gratitude to the priests, catechists and educators,” who “work for the human and Christian growth of young people,” and highlighted their “hidden, but very important” work of helping parents, who are “first responsible for the education of their children in faith.”“The family, in fact, is the first place of formation in the faith, the natural bosom in which the Gospel is learned from childhood and breathed on a daily basis,\" he said.He encouraged the faithful to establish “an educational pact, so that parents feel involved, rediscover the faith themselves in a new way and have the joy of transmitting to their children the Christian values of which they are custodians.”While warning that “we live in a world wounded by numerous conflicts,” the pope assured the assembly that, in the face of “these disturbing tendencies,” the response of believers “can be no other than to travel the path of the Gospel with an even greater conviction.”Towards the end of his address inside the basilica, the pope encouraged the faithful to live in communion, giving “testimony of unity in our communities: among the parishes and, within them, between pastors and faithful, among the different charisms and ministries.”After concluding the meeting inside the basilica, the Holy Father addressed a greeting to the faithful who were outside and spoke again in a special way the young people present: “Open the door of your heart, always listen to Jesus Christ and never be afraid to listen to what Jesus wants to say to each of you.”“Recognize in yourselves the value of life. The value of your life, of you, who were created by God and are loved by God: your life has a great value for us, for the Church, for your family and for the whole world,” said the pope.This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.")
The Holy Father urged youth to “embrace their mission in the world” and give themselves to God.
The pope undertook the visit to “encourage the Christian testimony” of San Marino’s people and contribute to “the construction of the common good.”
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The patriarch said the hope and resilience strengthens him to continue in the footsteps of his forebears and live the faith according to their example.
On Aug. 20, 1977, Voyager 2 launched from Cape Canaveral and began its epic journey to the outer planets – and beyond. Twelve years later, the spacecraft photographed Neptune as it approached the ice giant. Two days after that, on Aug. 22, 1989, NASA announced that Neptune had a ring system; the images had revealedContinue reading “Aug. 22, 1989: Voyager 2 reveals Neptune”
The post Aug. 22, 1989: Voyager 2 reveals Neptune appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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There are a lot of religions out there, but only one can be the religion of peace. How can you be sure you’re on the right path?
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Authorities responded on Friday afternoon to an apparent turf war at Kenwood Park, where tennis players and pickleballers fought to the death over the right to use the park’s facilities.
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Aurora borealis captured during the peak of the Perseids meteor shower at the beach of Norderney on August 13th, 2024
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This NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope Picture of the Month takes us to a fantastical realm within our home galaxy, where piercing starlight and billowing winds sculpt dust clouds into inventive shapes. This scene is from the Carina Nebula, which lies just 7500 light-years away in the constellation Carina (the Keel).
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Read MoreMy Lord Jesus Christ,
I believe that You are really here in this Sacrament.
Night and day You remain here compassionate and loving.
You call, You wait for,
You welcome everyone who comes to visit You.
I thank You, Jesus my Divine Redeemer
for coming upon the earth for our sake
and for instituting the Adorable Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
in order to remain with us until the end of the world.
I thank You for hiding beneath the Eucharistic species
Your infinite …