Northern Arabia’s apostolic vicar urges Christians to stand firm in hope – #Catholic – The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, has affirmed that churches throughout his vicariate remain open to all faithful and to anyone seeking prayer despite the uncertainty affecting the region.Berardi said parish life across the vicariate, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudia Arabia, remains strong, noting that “our churches are filled with the faithful during Masses and Eucharistic adoration.” At the same time, the bishop acknowledged that the uncertainties created by the ongoing war in Iran and the anxiety it has generated have led many Catholics to leave the Gulf after businesses closed and jobs were lost.Holding fast to hopeBerardi said the lack of clarity surrounding ongoing negotiations and the possibility of further escalation have raised serious concerns among Christians in the region.“Nevertheless, we remain hopeful and continue to witness to our hope,” he said. “Our faith is stronger than any challenge, and God alone is our help.”Berardi added that the Church continues to pray for peace throughout the Gulf region and in the Holy Land.“We never cease praying for peace in the Gulf and for the Holy Land, placing our trust in Christ. His resurrection is our hope as we face this difficult time,” he said.Pastoral visits across the vicariateIn recent weeks, Berardi carried out a series of pastoral visits throughout the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, reaffirming the Churchʼs closeness to the faithful and encouraging them to remain steadfast in unity, hope, and prayer amid rising tensions in the Gulf and across the broader Middle East.His visits included 10 parishes and two cathedrals serving Catholic communities in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. During his visits, he encouraged the faithful to deepen their relationship with Christ through the Eucharist, remain firm in the faith, and continue witnessing to the Gospel within their families, workplaces, and communities. The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, recently made pastoral visits and presided at Masses throughout the vicariate calling Christians to unity and faith in difficult times.| Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia (AVONA) Living unity in faithIn addition to celebrating Masses, Berardi administered the sacrament of confirmation to 155 candidates and inaugurated a jubilee year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. As part of the observance, one church was designated as a jubilee church where pilgrims may obtain jubilee indulgences.The bishop also attended the screening of the documentary “Our Lady of Arabia: A Legacy of Faith,” which recounts the history and spiritual heritage of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, Kuwait, and highlights its continuing mission.Throughout the visits, Berardi listened to the experiences, challenges, and hopes of the faithful, offering pastoral guidance to support their spiritual growth. He also called for greater collaboration, the promotion of missionary discipleship, and a spirit of service inspired by the Holy Spirit.He concluded by reminding the faithful that the Church “cannot fully accomplish her mission unless her members live in unity of faith, hope, and charity.”This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Northern Arabia’s apostolic vicar urges Christians to stand firm in hope – #Catholic – The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, has affirmed that churches throughout his vicariate remain open to all faithful and to anyone seeking prayer despite the uncertainty affecting the region.Berardi said parish life across the vicariate, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudia Arabia, remains strong, noting that “our churches are filled with the faithful during Masses and Eucharistic adoration.” At the same time, the bishop acknowledged that the uncertainties created by the ongoing war in Iran and the anxiety it has generated have led many Catholics to leave the Gulf after businesses closed and jobs were lost.Holding fast to hopeBerardi said the lack of clarity surrounding ongoing negotiations and the possibility of further escalation have raised serious concerns among Christians in the region.“Nevertheless, we remain hopeful and continue to witness to our hope,” he said. “Our faith is stronger than any challenge, and God alone is our help.”Berardi added that the Church continues to pray for peace throughout the Gulf region and in the Holy Land.“We never cease praying for peace in the Gulf and for the Holy Land, placing our trust in Christ. His resurrection is our hope as we face this difficult time,” he said.Pastoral visits across the vicariateIn recent weeks, Berardi carried out a series of pastoral visits throughout the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, reaffirming the Churchʼs closeness to the faithful and encouraging them to remain steadfast in unity, hope, and prayer amid rising tensions in the Gulf and across the broader Middle East.His visits included 10 parishes and two cathedrals serving Catholic communities in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. During his visits, he encouraged the faithful to deepen their relationship with Christ through the Eucharist, remain firm in the faith, and continue witnessing to the Gospel within their families, workplaces, and communities. The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, recently made pastoral visits and presided at Masses throughout the vicariate calling Christians to unity and faith in difficult times.| Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia (AVONA) Living unity in faithIn addition to celebrating Masses, Berardi administered the sacrament of confirmation to 155 candidates and inaugurated a jubilee year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. As part of the observance, one church was designated as a jubilee church where pilgrims may obtain jubilee indulgences.The bishop also attended the screening of the documentary “Our Lady of Arabia: A Legacy of Faith,” which recounts the history and spiritual heritage of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, Kuwait, and highlights its continuing mission.Throughout the visits, Berardi listened to the experiences, challenges, and hopes of the faithful, offering pastoral guidance to support their spiritual growth. He also called for greater collaboration, the promotion of missionary discipleship, and a spirit of service inspired by the Holy Spirit.He concluded by reminding the faithful that the Church “cannot fully accomplish her mission unless her members live in unity of faith, hope, and charity.”This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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As war in the region continues, Bishop Aldo Berardi reminded the faithful that “faith Is stronger than fear.”

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Pope Leo XIV appeals for peace and justice amid ‘alarming’ Ceuta crisis – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed concern over the “alarming situation” in Ceuta and appealed for solutions capable of bringing peace, stability and justice to the Spanish enclave facing a major migration and humanitarian crisis.“I am following with concern the alarming situation in Ceuta, praying to God that, through the intercession of Our Lady of Africa, solutions may be found to bring peace, stability and justice,” the pope said after leading the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on Aug. 2.His remarks followed the arrival of an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people from Morocco on July 30, many of whom attempted to reach Spanish territory by swimming around the border barriers.According to figures provided by Spanish authorities, at least 67 people died, most of them by drowning. The influx overwhelmed the autonomous city’s capacity to respond and prompted authorities to install additional barriers near the El Tarajal border crossing.The pope also renewed his appeal for an end to armed conflicts around the world.“Let us continue to pray for peace, that wars may cease throughout the world and diplomatic solutions to conflicts may be found,” he said.“Let us remember all the victims of hostilities, especially the weakest and most defenseless: children, the elderly and the sick,” he continued. “May the Lord comfort those who suffer and bless the work of those who bring aid and consolation.”Pope Leo also recalled the Pardon of Assisi, the plenary indulgence traditionally associated with the Porziuncola chapel in Assisi, Italy.“Saint Francis obtained this Indulgence from Pope Honorius III in 1216, having been inspired — while praying at the Porziuncola — by a vision of Jesus and Mary surrounded by angels,” he said.“Let us thank the Lord for this great gift and treasure it, especially in this eighth centenary year of the Transitus of the Poor Man of Assisi, who died at the Porziuncola on 3 October 1226.”Earlier, in his reflection before the Angelus, Pope Leo encouraged Catholics to rediscover the practice of blessing meals as a simple public witness to faith and a way of bringing the beauty of the Eucharist into everyday life.“As we savor the grace of the Eucharist, let us commit ourselves to bearing witness to its beauty in our daily actions, beginning with blessing meals at the table with family and friends,” he said.The pope reflected on the Gospel account of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, explaining that Christ’s miracles reveal both his care for humanity and the salvation he offers to the world.“When we listen to the Gospel, we frequently hear that Jesus performed signs, which are acts that reveal his special dedication to us and the salvation that he brings to the world,” he said. “The Lord is presented as the One who gives meaning to our lives, freeing us from evil and sin.”Pope Leo said Christ’s healing miracles were not merely extraordinary acts but signs that the kingdom of God was near.“By restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, Christ is doing more than merely performing miraculous deeds; he is proclaiming to all that the Kingdom of God is near,” he said.The Gospel, he continued, shows that Christ not only restores the senses but also fills them with good things, giving food to the hungry as well as sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf.“The account of the multiplication of the loaves shows us that the encounter with the Lord is a nourishing experience,” he said. “In the desert, that is, when we are in need, Christ is the bread of life.”The 12 baskets of food left over after the crowd had eaten, the pope explained, signify both the universal character of God’s gift and the constancy of his providential care.“Christ truly satisfies humanity’s hunger, our hunger for truth and life,” he said. “His gesture teaches us that nothing is discarded when it is shared.”Pope Leo contrasted that spirit of generosity with a culture driven by accumulation and waste.“Hoarding and waste, on the contrary, are two sides of the same evil: greed,” he said.He described greed as a spiritual sickness that dulls the senses and makes people indifferent to the suffering of others.“This spiritual sickness numbs the senses, which become intoxicated with wealth, to the point of making people forget those who weep from hunger and cry out from thirst,” he said.“And so, in the face of an opulence that reeks of decay, we find the outstretched hands of those who have no nourishment, the burned homes of those who have no peace.”Against the “deserts of war and arrogance,” the pope invited Christians to contemplate the actions of Jesus during the multiplication of the loaves: looking to heaven, blessing the bread, breaking it and giving it to the disciples to distribute.“In this miracle of charity, we recognize the characteristic actions of Jesus, which find their culmination in the Last Supper, for it was then that the Son of God gave us his very life as our brother in humanity,” he said.The pope concluded by encouraging Catholics to make their summer vacations an opportunity for fraternity and service.“In Jesus’ company, even vacations can become a time of fraternal serenity, if we reach out to our neighbors in need,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated, combined and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV appeals for peace and justice amid ‘alarming’ Ceuta crisis – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed concern over the “alarming situation” in Ceuta and appealed for solutions capable of bringing peace, stability and justice to the Spanish enclave facing a major migration and humanitarian crisis.“I am following with concern the alarming situation in Ceuta, praying to God that, through the intercession of Our Lady of Africa, solutions may be found to bring peace, stability and justice,” the pope said after leading the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on Aug. 2.His remarks followed the arrival of an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people from Morocco on July 30, many of whom attempted to reach Spanish territory by swimming around the border barriers.According to figures provided by Spanish authorities, at least 67 people died, most of them by drowning. The influx overwhelmed the autonomous city’s capacity to respond and prompted authorities to install additional barriers near the El Tarajal border crossing.The pope also renewed his appeal for an end to armed conflicts around the world.“Let us continue to pray for peace, that wars may cease throughout the world and diplomatic solutions to conflicts may be found,” he said.“Let us remember all the victims of hostilities, especially the weakest and most defenseless: children, the elderly and the sick,” he continued. “May the Lord comfort those who suffer and bless the work of those who bring aid and consolation.”Pope Leo also recalled the Pardon of Assisi, the plenary indulgence traditionally associated with the Porziuncola chapel in Assisi, Italy.“Saint Francis obtained this Indulgence from Pope Honorius III in 1216, having been inspired — while praying at the Porziuncola — by a vision of Jesus and Mary surrounded by angels,” he said.“Let us thank the Lord for this great gift and treasure it, especially in this eighth centenary year of the Transitus of the Poor Man of Assisi, who died at the Porziuncola on 3 October 1226.”Earlier, in his reflection before the Angelus, Pope Leo encouraged Catholics to rediscover the practice of blessing meals as a simple public witness to faith and a way of bringing the beauty of the Eucharist into everyday life.“As we savor the grace of the Eucharist, let us commit ourselves to bearing witness to its beauty in our daily actions, beginning with blessing meals at the table with family and friends,” he said.The pope reflected on the Gospel account of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, explaining that Christ’s miracles reveal both his care for humanity and the salvation he offers to the world.“When we listen to the Gospel, we frequently hear that Jesus performed signs, which are acts that reveal his special dedication to us and the salvation that he brings to the world,” he said. “The Lord is presented as the One who gives meaning to our lives, freeing us from evil and sin.”Pope Leo said Christ’s healing miracles were not merely extraordinary acts but signs that the kingdom of God was near.“By restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, Christ is doing more than merely performing miraculous deeds; he is proclaiming to all that the Kingdom of God is near,” he said.The Gospel, he continued, shows that Christ not only restores the senses but also fills them with good things, giving food to the hungry as well as sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf.“The account of the multiplication of the loaves shows us that the encounter with the Lord is a nourishing experience,” he said. “In the desert, that is, when we are in need, Christ is the bread of life.”The 12 baskets of food left over after the crowd had eaten, the pope explained, signify both the universal character of God’s gift and the constancy of his providential care.“Christ truly satisfies humanity’s hunger, our hunger for truth and life,” he said. “His gesture teaches us that nothing is discarded when it is shared.”Pope Leo contrasted that spirit of generosity with a culture driven by accumulation and waste.“Hoarding and waste, on the contrary, are two sides of the same evil: greed,” he said.He described greed as a spiritual sickness that dulls the senses and makes people indifferent to the suffering of others.“This spiritual sickness numbs the senses, which become intoxicated with wealth, to the point of making people forget those who weep from hunger and cry out from thirst,” he said.“And so, in the face of an opulence that reeks of decay, we find the outstretched hands of those who have no nourishment, the burned homes of those who have no peace.”Against the “deserts of war and arrogance,” the pope invited Christians to contemplate the actions of Jesus during the multiplication of the loaves: looking to heaven, blessing the bread, breaking it and giving it to the disciples to distribute.“In this miracle of charity, we recognize the characteristic actions of Jesus, which find their culmination in the Last Supper, for it was then that the Son of God gave us his very life as our brother in humanity,” he said.The pope concluded by encouraging Catholics to make their summer vacations an opportunity for fraternity and service.“In Jesus’ company, even vacations can become a time of fraternal serenity, if we reach out to our neighbors in need,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated, combined and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The pope also prayed for victims of war, recalled the Pardon of Assisi and urged Catholics to witness to the Eucharist by blessing meals and sharing with those in need.

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How vampires show us God’s mercy: Nun who writes vampire novels concludes trilogy – #Catholic – Vampires can teach us about ourselves and about God’s mercy, at least according to Sister Allison Gliot, a religious sister who wrote a vampire trilogy that concluded this summer. Gliot is part of the Daughters of St. Paul, a religious order with the mission to evangelize through media. The vampire trilogy is a part of that evangelizing mission. Gliot’s “In Aeternum” trilogy begins with Elizabeth, a Catholic teenager caught up in a fight between vampires who goes on the run with a vampire outcast named Christopher. The story concludes in the third book, “The Dawn We Seek,” which was released July 24.In an interview with EWTN News, Gliot shared about the spiritual journey of her writing process, what Catholics can learn from cryptids, and a prayer request.EWTN News: As you conclude this trilogy, what stays with you from the spiritual journey of writing it?Gliot: When I first started writing this series, it was a solitary endeavor — just me and Jesus. When I shared the books with my publishing house, the circle grew to include my sisters and editors.But now that actual readers have been engaging with these stories and sharing their thoughts, hopes, and spiritual struggles with me as a result, Jesus has really been encouraging me to carry the readers in my heart and prayers in a special way. This story isnʼt just mine anymore.I surrendered it to God and to the readers when I published it, and itʼs beautiful and profoundly humbling for me to see the fruit it’s bearing in so many lives. How can writing be a spiritual experience and how do you as a religious sister connect your faith with your writing?For me, storytelling is a spiritual experience because itʼs something I do with Jesus. He provides the initial inspiration and asks me to trust him enough to put the time and effort into writing it down. Then he stays with me during the writing, teaching me things through the experience and helping me make connections I never would have been able to see on my own.Writing stories that involve my faith helps me to explore and live that faith more deeply, and, at the same time, I often notice my spiritual struggles and faith epiphanies from religious life trickling into my writing in various (and sometimes surprising) ways. “The Dawn We Seek” by Sister Allison Gliot. | Credit: Courtesy of Pauline Books & Media How does the trilogy deal with sin, redemption, and our relationship with God, and what can we learn about ourselves through fictional cryptid characters?In the “In Aeternum” trilogy, vampires are a mirror of our wounded humanity at its worst. They are an exploration of just how far we can fall when we truly make the choice to embrace sin and evil.But because vampires embody such an extreme, they also provide an opportunity to show the extremity of Godʼs mercy and the lengths he will go to save us — if we let him. And if weʼre willing to change our ways and step toward Godʼs goodness, even if weʼve gone very far in the other direction, even if itʼs just a tiny step.No reader will have committed the same atrocities as the vampires in my books (I hope). But if there can be a possibility of repentance and redemption even for them, then I pray that even readers who feel like theyʼve hit rock bottom can find a ray of divine hope through these books. “The Dawn We Seek” by Sister Allison Gliot, a Pauline sister. | Credit: Courtesy of Pauline Books & Media How does Catholicism invite us to use our imagination and creativity? How does it expand our imagination rather than limit it?The Catholic Church teaches that God created our imaginations and gave us gifts of creativity — gifts that he desires us to delight in and to use for building up his kingdom.But God is the ultimate Creator, and his imagination far surpasses ours. He can speak to us through so many means — including beauty, story, and imaginative play. Catholicism, far from limiting our imagination, puts us in touch with Godʼs imagination and communicates his very life to us through the grace of the sacraments.When we fully embrace our faith, allowing God to infuse us with his grace and inspire us with his divine love, we find ourselves on fire with the same creativity he used to make the world and everything in it. Exercising that creativity through our minds, wills, and hearts in harmony with God is a powerful force to draw us even closer to him.What does the field of fiction-writing look like for Catholic authors? I’d like to ask anyone reading this to say a prayer for Catholic authors who are seeking to bring God and the faith into popular genres. Since I began publishing Catholic urban fantasy stories, I’ve had so many authors and aspiring authors reach out to me to share their hopes and dreams for their faith-based stories. But even though these stories are so needed in our world today and have so much evangelizing and catechetical potential, it isn’t an easy field to navigate or break into. So please pray for Catholic authors and storytellers, that the Holy Spirit can bring much good out of the work we strive to do in his name.To learn more about Gliot’s new book, visit Pauline Books & Media.
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How vampires show us God’s mercy: Nun who writes vampire novels concludes trilogy – #Catholic – Vampires can teach us about ourselves and about God’s mercy, at least according to Sister Allison Gliot, a religious sister who wrote a vampire trilogy that concluded this summer. Gliot is part of the Daughters of St. Paul, a religious order with the mission to evangelize through media. The vampire trilogy is a part of that evangelizing mission. Gliot’s “In Aeternum” trilogy begins with Elizabeth, a Catholic teenager caught up in a fight between vampires who goes on the run with a vampire outcast named Christopher. The story concludes in the third book, “The Dawn We Seek,” which was released July 24.In an interview with EWTN News, Gliot shared about the spiritual journey of her writing process, what Catholics can learn from cryptids, and a prayer request.EWTN News: As you conclude this trilogy, what stays with you from the spiritual journey of writing it?Gliot: When I first started writing this series, it was a solitary endeavor — just me and Jesus. When I shared the books with my publishing house, the circle grew to include my sisters and editors.But now that actual readers have been engaging with these stories and sharing their thoughts, hopes, and spiritual struggles with me as a result, Jesus has really been encouraging me to carry the readers in my heart and prayers in a special way. This story isnʼt just mine anymore.I surrendered it to God and to the readers when I published it, and itʼs beautiful and profoundly humbling for me to see the fruit it’s bearing in so many lives. How can writing be a spiritual experience and how do you as a religious sister connect your faith with your writing?For me, storytelling is a spiritual experience because itʼs something I do with Jesus. He provides the initial inspiration and asks me to trust him enough to put the time and effort into writing it down. Then he stays with me during the writing, teaching me things through the experience and helping me make connections I never would have been able to see on my own.Writing stories that involve my faith helps me to explore and live that faith more deeply, and, at the same time, I often notice my spiritual struggles and faith epiphanies from religious life trickling into my writing in various (and sometimes surprising) ways. “The Dawn We Seek” by Sister Allison Gliot. | Credit: Courtesy of Pauline Books & Media How does the trilogy deal with sin, redemption, and our relationship with God, and what can we learn about ourselves through fictional cryptid characters?In the “In Aeternum” trilogy, vampires are a mirror of our wounded humanity at its worst. They are an exploration of just how far we can fall when we truly make the choice to embrace sin and evil.But because vampires embody such an extreme, they also provide an opportunity to show the extremity of Godʼs mercy and the lengths he will go to save us — if we let him. And if weʼre willing to change our ways and step toward Godʼs goodness, even if weʼve gone very far in the other direction, even if itʼs just a tiny step.No reader will have committed the same atrocities as the vampires in my books (I hope). But if there can be a possibility of repentance and redemption even for them, then I pray that even readers who feel like theyʼve hit rock bottom can find a ray of divine hope through these books. “The Dawn We Seek” by Sister Allison Gliot, a Pauline sister. | Credit: Courtesy of Pauline Books & Media How does Catholicism invite us to use our imagination and creativity? How does it expand our imagination rather than limit it?The Catholic Church teaches that God created our imaginations and gave us gifts of creativity — gifts that he desires us to delight in and to use for building up his kingdom.But God is the ultimate Creator, and his imagination far surpasses ours. He can speak to us through so many means — including beauty, story, and imaginative play. Catholicism, far from limiting our imagination, puts us in touch with Godʼs imagination and communicates his very life to us through the grace of the sacraments.When we fully embrace our faith, allowing God to infuse us with his grace and inspire us with his divine love, we find ourselves on fire with the same creativity he used to make the world and everything in it. Exercising that creativity through our minds, wills, and hearts in harmony with God is a powerful force to draw us even closer to him.What does the field of fiction-writing look like for Catholic authors? I’d like to ask anyone reading this to say a prayer for Catholic authors who are seeking to bring God and the faith into popular genres. Since I began publishing Catholic urban fantasy stories, I’ve had so many authors and aspiring authors reach out to me to share their hopes and dreams for their faith-based stories. But even though these stories are so needed in our world today and have so much evangelizing and catechetical potential, it isn’t an easy field to navigate or break into. So please pray for Catholic authors and storytellers, that the Holy Spirit can bring much good out of the work we strive to do in his name.To learn more about Gliot’s new book, visit Pauline Books & Media.

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Sister Allison Regina Gliot, a Daughter of St. Paul, speaks on God’s mercy and creativity as she concludes her Catholic young adult vampire trilogy.

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The Sky Today on Sunday, August 2: Mercury at greatest western elongation

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709 Mercury reaches its greatest western elongation at 4 A.M. EDT, standing 19° from the Sun. The tiny planet reaches an altitude of almost 5° above the eastern horizon an hour before sunrise, glowing at magnitude 0.2.Continue reading “The Sky Today on Sunday, August 2: Mercury at greatest western elongation”

The post The Sky Today on Sunday, August 2: Mercury at greatest western elongation appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Picture of the day Photograph of Machu Picchu taken in 1912 by Hiram Bingham during the Yale Peruvian Expedition. The site, an important Inca citadel in the Andes of Peru, had been visited earlier by local people such as Agustín Lizárraga in 1902, and was later brought to international attention through Bingham’s expeditions of 1911 and 1912. Today marks the anniversary of Bingham’s 1911 visit, which contributed to its worldwide recognition. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Photograph of Machu Picchu taken in 1912 by Hiram Bingham during the Yale Peruvian Expedition. The site, an important Inca citadel in the Andes of Peru, had been visited earlier by local people such as Agustín Lizárraga in 1902, and was later brought to international attention through Bingham’s expeditions of 1911 and 1912. Today marks the anniversary of Bingham’s 1911 visit, which contributed to its worldwide recognition.
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‘Only Elite Assassins Can Do This,’ Says Candace Owens Of 6-Month-Old Crawling Across Kitchen Floor #BabylonBee – NASHVILLE, TN — Podcast host Candace Owens explained to listeners that only the most highly-trained commandos could execute the crawling technique being shown as she played a video of a six-month-old baby inching across the floor.
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‘Only Elite Assassins Can Do This,’ Says Candace Owens Of 6-Month-Old Crawling Across Kitchen Floor #BabylonBee – NASHVILLE, TN — Podcast host Candace Owens explained to listeners that only the most highly-trained commandos could execute the crawling technique being shown as she played a video of a six-month-old baby inching across the floor.

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NASHVILLE, TN — Podcast host Candace Owens explained to listeners that only the most highly-trained commandos could execute the crawling technique being shown as she played a video of a six-month-old baby inching across the floor.

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Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home – Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for his memorable portrayal of Salvatore Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos, has died at age 80. The post Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home – Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for his memorable portrayal of Salvatore Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos, has died at age 80. The post Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for his memorable portrayal of Salvatore Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos, has died at age 80.

The post Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 – An illegal alien who just completed a federal prison sentence for reentering the country illegally is now being deported for a third time. The post Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 – An illegal alien who just completed a federal prison sentence for reentering the country illegally is now being deported for a third time. The post Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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An illegal alien who just completed a federal prison sentence for reentering the country illegally is now being deported for a third time.

The post Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President – Was Fedorov a rival inside Zelensky’s government? The post Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President – Was Fedorov a rival inside Zelensky’s government? The post Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Was Fedorov a rival inside Zelensky’s government?

The post Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 02 August 2026 – A reading from the Book of Isaiah 55:1-3 Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David.   A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:35, 37-39 Brothers and sisters: What will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?  No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.From the Gospel according to Matthew 14:13-21 When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over— twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.Precisely when the day is ending and hunger sets in, as the Apostles themselves ask him to dismiss the crowds, Christ surprises us with his mercy. He feels compassion for those who are hungry and he invites his disciples to provide for them. Hunger is not foreign to the preaching of the Kingdom and the message of salvation. On the contrary, it speaks to us of our relationship with God. At the same time, five loaves and two fish seem completely inadequate to feed the people. The disciples’ calculations, apparently so reasonable, reveal their lack of faith. For where the Lord is present, we find all that we need to give strength and meaning to our lives. Jesus responds to the appeal of hunger with the sign of sharing: he raises his eyes, recites the blessing, breaks the bread, and feeds all present (…) The Lord’s example is a yardstick that should guide our actions and our service: we are called to share our bread, to multiply hope and to proclaim the coming of God’s Kingdom. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 22 June 2025)

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A reading from the Book of Isaiah
55:1-3

Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.

 

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans
8:35, 37-39

Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ? 
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? 
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us. 
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
14:13-21

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.

Precisely when the day is ending and hunger sets in, as the Apostles themselves ask him to dismiss the crowds, Christ surprises us with his mercy. He feels compassion for those who are hungry and he invites his disciples to provide for them. Hunger is not foreign to the preaching of the Kingdom and the message of salvation. On the contrary, it speaks to us of our relationship with God. At the same time, five loaves and two fish seem completely inadequate to feed the people. The disciples’ calculations, apparently so reasonable, reveal their lack of faith. For where the Lord is present, we find all that we need to give strength and meaning to our lives.

Jesus responds to the appeal of hunger with the sign of sharing: he raises his eyes, recites the blessing, breaks the bread, and feeds all present (…)

The Lord’s example is a yardstick that should guide our actions and our service: we are called to share our bread, to multiply hope and to proclaim the coming of God’s Kingdom. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 22 June 2025)

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NASA’s Newest Wind Tunnel Opens at NASA Langley – NASA opened its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on Friday, providing a critical resource for the agency and its partners to test the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, and space exploration vehicles.

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NASA opened its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on Friday, providing a critical resource for the agency and its partners to test the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, and space exploration vehicles.

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March for Life president steps down to become ‘full-time mom’ #Catholic March for Life president steps down to focus on familyJennie Bradley Lichter, the president of the March for Life, is stepping down to devote more time to her family as a “full-time mom,” the leader said this week.“I have been humbled and inspired by the stories — so many stories, everywhere I go — of how the March for Life has changed people’s minds and hearts, how for so many Marchers it has sparked a lifetime of action and advocacy on behalf of the unborn, and in some cases, how it has changed the entire trajectory of their lives,” Bradley Lichter wrote in a farewell statement.She and her husband “are raising two tweens and a rising kindergartner, and it has become very clear that my family needs more of my time and my active presence than I’m able to give while leading the March for Life,” she said in the statement “My most important titles of all are not ‘President’ — but ‘wife’ and ‘Mom,’” she said.Bradley Lichter said that her role has been “the highlight of my professional life.”The resignation is effective July 31. The March for Life Board is actively searching for a new president.The annual demonstration draws tens of thousands to the nation’s capital yearly to advocate for the rights of unborn babies.Abortion drug present in municipal water, study findsA study published on July 20 in the Journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine highlighted the need for “significant additional investigation into the levels of various hormones and [endocrine-disrupting chemicals], including mifepristone, in water sources,” with researchers finding high levels of the abortion drug in municipal water supplies.Mifepristone is used in chemical abortions, as well as in treatment for miscarriages, and works by blocking progesterone, a hormone necessary for pregnancy. The investigation found “significant levels of mifepristone (up to 0.041 μgram/l) in the water of all but one of the nine sampling classes,” the study read. Water samples “were collected from sites upstream and downstream of water treatment facilities, and from municipal tap water,” from multiple American cities.“Because of the plethora of effects of progesterone, this contaminant could affect the physiology of aquatic animals; and human health, including fertility, pregnancy and fetal development,” the researchers said. Justice Department settles with pro-life father after FBI raidThe U.S. Department of Justice reached a seven-figure settlement with pro-life father Paul Vaughn after his home was raided by the FBI in connection with his pro-life work.The settlement affirmed that under the Biden administration, the government’s actions “were an abuse of government power,” according to a July 28 press release by the Thomas More Society, the legal nonprofit that defended Vaughn.Vaughn, a Catholic father of 11, was arrested at gunpoint after the FBI raided his house in connection with his protest at an abortion clinic. He is one of several pro-life advocates prosecuted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act during the Biden administration.“My family has been through a traumatic ordeal that never should have happened. But today brings an end to this portion of the story,” Vaughn said in a statement.“This chapter is finally closed, and our family looks forward with gratitude and hope, as we continue to serve God, advocating for the most vulnerable among us without fear.”Catholic bishops of Massachusetts speak out against late-term abortion billThe Catholic bishops of Massachusetts spoke out this week against a bill that will legalize late-term abortion in the state.“As Catholic bishops we have a moral responsibility to present and uphold Catholic teaching and the sacred God-given dignity of every human life from conception to the natural death,” the bishops said in July 29 statement signed by Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston, Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, and Bishop Edgar da Cunha of Fall River.The state legislature passed the bill in July, with the Massachusetts Senate voting in favor of it on July 31. The measure, if signed into law, will remove the stateʼs 24-week limit on abortion.“The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral,” the bishops’ statement read. The advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is also strongly opposing the bill; the group’s president Marjorie Dannenfelser called for nationwide protections for unborn children.“If Gov. [Maura] Healey signs this bill into law, Massachusetts will join 10 states and Washington, D.C. with an all-trimester abortion policy where babies are killed after the point they can survive outside of the womb,” Dannenfelser told EWTN News. “These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the ‘states-only’ philosophy on abortion,” she said.
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March for Life president steps down to become ‘full-time mom’ #Catholic March for Life president steps down to focus on familyJennie Bradley Lichter, the president of the March for Life, is stepping down to devote more time to her family as a “full-time mom,” the leader said this week.“I have been humbled and inspired by the stories — so many stories, everywhere I go — of how the March for Life has changed people’s minds and hearts, how for so many Marchers it has sparked a lifetime of action and advocacy on behalf of the unborn, and in some cases, how it has changed the entire trajectory of their lives,” Bradley Lichter wrote in a farewell statement.She and her husband “are raising two tweens and a rising kindergartner, and it has become very clear that my family needs more of my time and my active presence than I’m able to give while leading the March for Life,” she said in the statement “My most important titles of all are not ‘President’ — but ‘wife’ and ‘Mom,’” she said.Bradley Lichter said that her role has been “the highlight of my professional life.”The resignation is effective July 31. The March for Life Board is actively searching for a new president.The annual demonstration draws tens of thousands to the nation’s capital yearly to advocate for the rights of unborn babies.Abortion drug present in municipal water, study findsA study published on July 20 in the Journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine highlighted the need for “significant additional investigation into the levels of various hormones and [endocrine-disrupting chemicals], including mifepristone, in water sources,” with researchers finding high levels of the abortion drug in municipal water supplies.Mifepristone is used in chemical abortions, as well as in treatment for miscarriages, and works by blocking progesterone, a hormone necessary for pregnancy. The investigation found “significant levels of mifepristone (up to 0.041 μgram/l) in the water of all but one of the nine sampling classes,” the study read. Water samples “were collected from sites upstream and downstream of water treatment facilities, and from municipal tap water,” from multiple American cities.“Because of the plethora of effects of progesterone, this contaminant could affect the physiology of aquatic animals; and human health, including fertility, pregnancy and fetal development,” the researchers said. Justice Department settles with pro-life father after FBI raidThe U.S. Department of Justice reached a seven-figure settlement with pro-life father Paul Vaughn after his home was raided by the FBI in connection with his pro-life work.The settlement affirmed that under the Biden administration, the government’s actions “were an abuse of government power,” according to a July 28 press release by the Thomas More Society, the legal nonprofit that defended Vaughn.Vaughn, a Catholic father of 11, was arrested at gunpoint after the FBI raided his house in connection with his protest at an abortion clinic. He is one of several pro-life advocates prosecuted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act during the Biden administration.“My family has been through a traumatic ordeal that never should have happened. But today brings an end to this portion of the story,” Vaughn said in a statement.“This chapter is finally closed, and our family looks forward with gratitude and hope, as we continue to serve God, advocating for the most vulnerable among us without fear.”Catholic bishops of Massachusetts speak out against late-term abortion billThe Catholic bishops of Massachusetts spoke out this week against a bill that will legalize late-term abortion in the state.“As Catholic bishops we have a moral responsibility to present and uphold Catholic teaching and the sacred God-given dignity of every human life from conception to the natural death,” the bishops said in July 29 statement signed by Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston, Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, and Bishop Edgar da Cunha of Fall River.The state legislature passed the bill in July, with the Massachusetts Senate voting in favor of it on July 31. The measure, if signed into law, will remove the stateʼs 24-week limit on abortion.“The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral,” the bishops’ statement read. The advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is also strongly opposing the bill; the group’s president Marjorie Dannenfelser called for nationwide protections for unborn children.“If Gov. [Maura] Healey signs this bill into law, Massachusetts will join 10 states and Washington, D.C. with an all-trimester abortion policy where babies are killed after the point they can survive outside of the womb,” Dannenfelser told EWTN News. “These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the ‘states-only’ philosophy on abortion,” she said.

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Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.

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Massachusetts lawmakers pass bill removing all restrictions from abortion throughout pregnancy #Catholic The Massachusetts government this week moved to strip all restrictions from abortion and allow the procedure up until birth so long as a doctor approves of it.The state Senate passed Bill H.5595 on July 31, a little over a week after the state House passed the same measure. The bill now awaits Democratic Gov. Maura Healey’s signature. The legislation removes all of the state’s current restrictions on abortion after 24 weeks, instead dictating that a late-term abortion may be done based upon “the professional judgment of the physician” performing it. Current state law, which H.5595 would change, only allows late-term abortions if they are necessary to preserve the life or “physical or mental health” of the mother, or if the baby has been diagnosed with a fatal condition. Abortions are also allowed to be performed in the state if a baby would require “extraordinary medical interventions” to survive after birth. If signed into law, the bill would make Massachusetts the 11th state to impose no limits whatsoever on abortion. Healey, who has served as the state’s governor since 2023, is an outspoken supporter of abortion. The passage of the bill drew rebuke from SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who said in a July 31 statement that the state’s already-generous abortion policy “isn’t enough for Democrats whose party holds the position of no limits on abortion whatsoever.”“These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the ‘states-only’ philosophy on abortion,” she argued. “The GOP must abandon the failed ‘leave it to the states’ position and move the country toward a national protection for unborn children across this nation,” she said. Ahead of the July 31 vote, the state’s Catholic bishops had also criticized the measure. “The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral,” the bishops’ July 29 statement read. The bishops urged Catholics “to pray for a renewal of reverence for all human life.”
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Massachusetts lawmakers pass bill removing all restrictions from abortion throughout pregnancy #Catholic The Massachusetts government this week moved to strip all restrictions from abortion and allow the procedure up until birth so long as a doctor approves of it.The state Senate passed Bill H.5595 on July 31, a little over a week after the state House passed the same measure. The bill now awaits Democratic Gov. Maura Healey’s signature. The legislation removes all of the state’s current restrictions on abortion after 24 weeks, instead dictating that a late-term abortion may be done based upon “the professional judgment of the physician” performing it. Current state law, which H.5595 would change, only allows late-term abortions if they are necessary to preserve the life or “physical or mental health” of the mother, or if the baby has been diagnosed with a fatal condition. Abortions are also allowed to be performed in the state if a baby would require “extraordinary medical interventions” to survive after birth. If signed into law, the bill would make Massachusetts the 11th state to impose no limits whatsoever on abortion. Healey, who has served as the state’s governor since 2023, is an outspoken supporter of abortion. The passage of the bill drew rebuke from SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who said in a July 31 statement that the state’s already-generous abortion policy “isn’t enough for Democrats whose party holds the position of no limits on abortion whatsoever.”“These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the ‘states-only’ philosophy on abortion,” she argued. “The GOP must abandon the failed ‘leave it to the states’ position and move the country toward a national protection for unborn children across this nation,” she said. Ahead of the July 31 vote, the state’s Catholic bishops had also criticized the measure. “The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral,” the bishops’ July 29 statement read. The bishops urged Catholics “to pray for a renewal of reverence for all human life.”

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The measure, if signed by Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, will remove the last few restrictions on abortion in the state and replace them with “the professional judgment of the physician.”

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Catholic advocate warns of safety risks as New York assisted suicide law looms – #Catholic – Ahead of New York’s assisted suicide law taking effect, Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said the initial legislation “was easily the most dangerous bill ever written on assisted suicide.”Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit organization, defends the rights of all people as they approach the end of life.On Aug. 5, New York will become the 13th state in the country, along with the District of Columbia, to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation (S.138/A.136) into law on Feb. 6, 2025.“We shouldnʼt be offering the false solution of suicide. Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Towey said in an interview with Catherine Hadro of “EWTN News In Depth.”When New York’s state Legislature passed its assisted suicide bill, “it didnʼt include any waiting periods out of the gate,” which are intended “to protect against rash decision-making,” he said.There also “wasnʼt a residential requirement,” he said. So people “could come from any state in the country and get assisted suicide in New York without any waiting period.”“Now, the law, as it was signed by Gov. Hochul, included certain stipulations for those. But I can promise you that this is just the beginning because theyʼre going to come back. They always do,” he said.Aging with DignityFounded in 1996 by Jim Towey, legal counsel and close adviser to St. Teresa of Calcutta, also known as Mother Teresa, the Aging with Dignity organization “was informed almost entirely by his experiences working with Mother Teresa of Calcutta for the last 12 years of her life,” said Jamie Towey, son of Jim Towey.For Mother Teresa, “dying was more than a medical moment. It was an emotional and a spiritual moment where people werenʼt just there to have their pain managed or their checklist of symptoms addressed … They needed to be accompanied,” he said.“They needed, in Motherʼs words, to love and to be loved. And so when dad founded Aging with Dignity, he wanted to take Motherʼs example and bring that to the United States and give people the right to have that opportunity to age with dignity,” he said. Mother Teresa during a visit to the White House and meeting with President Ronald Reagan on June 13, 1986. | Credit: Mark Reinstein/Shutterstock Today, the organization continues its mission through numerous programs including its Assisted Suicide Watch. The program tracks the data and researches the consequences that follow when physician-assisted suicide becomes law.Its research has found that the situation is “a mess,” Jamie Towey said. “We were promised that this would be transparent,” but "in reality we have very poor insights into whatʼs happening with the data.”New Mexico and Montana have “never submitted an annual report on assisted suicide data,” he said. “Our nationʼs capital of Washington, D.C., hasnʼt submitted one in years.”Washington state has lifted some of its reporting requirements, Hawaii’s health department has recommended repealing portions of its reporting rules, and Vermont releases its data biennially.There are also “tremendously conflicting reporting standards across the states,” because “one state will report who died from the drugs, one state will report just how many people were prescribed the drugs,” he said.“But for the data that we do have, you see some very concerning things,” he said.Even though “every law has a requirement for psychiatric evaluations, “only one out of the 13 where this is legal tracks psychiatric evaluations, and thatʼs Oregon,” he said. “Last year, between four and 500 people were prescribed these drugs in Oregon. Two were referred for psychiatric evaluations.”Some studies show “as high as 20% of people with a terminal cancer diagnosis suffer from severe depression,” he said. “One of the symptoms of severe depression is suicidal ideation. So this is a population that is very exposed to suicide. And Oregon is doing nothing to screen for that.”Increase in assisted suicide led by ‘culture of death’“To take a step back and put yourself in the shoes of someone who has a terminal diagnosis or whoʼs just living in a nursing home … and is aging alone,”  Towey said. “Maybe they donʼt have good access to pain control” or “they donʼt have good access to care.”“If you put yourself in those shoes, you can understand the impulse of wanting to just escape somehow,” he said.“Now, those desires are playing out in a culture of death. And we have organizations like Compassion and Choices, which are million a year organizations, tens of millions in assets, that have been behind this push in every single state where itʼs been legalized. And so theyʼre moving in on the vulnerable,” he said.To people who feel this way, Towey’s message is to remember that “your life has meaning, and itʼs hard, and that suffering is real and that you deserve accompaniment.”“You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if youʼre not getting those, thatʼs an indictment on our healthcare system, and thatʼs what we ought to fix,” he said. You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if you’re not getting those, that’s an indictment on our healthcare system, and that’s what we ought to fix.” Jamie TowiePresident, Aging with Dignity To combat the culture of death, the organization offers its Five Wishes legal document, which is an advanced care planning program so people can establish their wishes for care ahead of a serious illness.“Every patient has the right to determine the kind of care that he or she wants. Thatʼs guaranteed in federal law,” he said.Five Wishes “has been used by 44 million Americans” and “40,000 organizations,” he said. “We are just trying to empower patients to make decisions about the kind of care that they want, and to name the people that can speak for them.”“I think for Catholics in particular, every Catholic wants to finish life faithfully. They want to be in a position where they can have that hopeful vision at the end of life and really live out those moments with their loved ones,” he said.
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Catholic advocate warns of safety risks as New York assisted suicide law looms – #Catholic – Ahead of New York’s assisted suicide law taking effect, Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said the initial legislation “was easily the most dangerous bill ever written on assisted suicide.”Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit organization, defends the rights of all people as they approach the end of life.On Aug. 5, New York will become the 13th state in the country, along with the District of Columbia, to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation (S.138/A.136) into law on Feb. 6, 2025.“We shouldnʼt be offering the false solution of suicide. Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Towey said in an interview with Catherine Hadro of “EWTN News In Depth.”When New York’s state Legislature passed its assisted suicide bill, “it didnʼt include any waiting periods out of the gate,” which are intended “to protect against rash decision-making,” he said.There also “wasnʼt a residential requirement,” he said. So people “could come from any state in the country and get assisted suicide in New York without any waiting period.”“Now, the law, as it was signed by Gov. Hochul, included certain stipulations for those. But I can promise you that this is just the beginning because theyʼre going to come back. They always do,” he said.Aging with DignityFounded in 1996 by Jim Towey, legal counsel and close adviser to St. Teresa of Calcutta, also known as Mother Teresa, the Aging with Dignity organization “was informed almost entirely by his experiences working with Mother Teresa of Calcutta for the last 12 years of her life,” said Jamie Towey, son of Jim Towey.For Mother Teresa, “dying was more than a medical moment. It was an emotional and a spiritual moment where people werenʼt just there to have their pain managed or their checklist of symptoms addressed … They needed to be accompanied,” he said.“They needed, in Motherʼs words, to love and to be loved. And so when dad founded Aging with Dignity, he wanted to take Motherʼs example and bring that to the United States and give people the right to have that opportunity to age with dignity,” he said. Mother Teresa during a visit to the White House and meeting with President Ronald Reagan on June 13, 1986. | Credit: Mark Reinstein/Shutterstock Today, the organization continues its mission through numerous programs including its Assisted Suicide Watch. The program tracks the data and researches the consequences that follow when physician-assisted suicide becomes law.Its research has found that the situation is “a mess,” Jamie Towey said. “We were promised that this would be transparent,” but "in reality we have very poor insights into whatʼs happening with the data.”New Mexico and Montana have “never submitted an annual report on assisted suicide data,” he said. “Our nationʼs capital of Washington, D.C., hasnʼt submitted one in years.”Washington state has lifted some of its reporting requirements, Hawaii’s health department has recommended repealing portions of its reporting rules, and Vermont releases its data biennially.There are also “tremendously conflicting reporting standards across the states,” because “one state will report who died from the drugs, one state will report just how many people were prescribed the drugs,” he said.“But for the data that we do have, you see some very concerning things,” he said.Even though “every law has a requirement for psychiatric evaluations, “only one out of the 13 where this is legal tracks psychiatric evaluations, and thatʼs Oregon,” he said. “Last year, between four and 500 people were prescribed these drugs in Oregon. Two were referred for psychiatric evaluations.”Some studies show “as high as 20% of people with a terminal cancer diagnosis suffer from severe depression,” he said. “One of the symptoms of severe depression is suicidal ideation. So this is a population that is very exposed to suicide. And Oregon is doing nothing to screen for that.”Increase in assisted suicide led by ‘culture of death’“To take a step back and put yourself in the shoes of someone who has a terminal diagnosis or whoʼs just living in a nursing home … and is aging alone,”  Towey said. “Maybe they donʼt have good access to pain control” or “they donʼt have good access to care.”“If you put yourself in those shoes, you can understand the impulse of wanting to just escape somehow,” he said.“Now, those desires are playing out in a culture of death. And we have organizations like Compassion and Choices, which are $20 million a year organizations, tens of millions in assets, that have been behind this push in every single state where itʼs been legalized. And so theyʼre moving in on the vulnerable,” he said.To people who feel this way, Towey’s message is to remember that “your life has meaning, and itʼs hard, and that suffering is real and that you deserve accompaniment.”“You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if youʼre not getting those, thatʼs an indictment on our healthcare system, and thatʼs what we ought to fix,” he said. You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if you’re not getting those, that’s an indictment on our healthcare system, and that’s what we ought to fix.” Jamie TowiePresident, Aging with Dignity To combat the culture of death, the organization offers its Five Wishes legal document, which is an advanced care planning program so people can establish their wishes for care ahead of a serious illness.“Every patient has the right to determine the kind of care that he or she wants. Thatʼs guaranteed in federal law,” he said.Five Wishes “has been used by 44 million Americans” and “40,000 organizations,” he said. “We are just trying to empower patients to make decisions about the kind of care that they want, and to name the people that can speak for them.”“I think for Catholics in particular, every Catholic wants to finish life faithfully. They want to be in a position where they can have that hopeful vision at the end of life and really live out those moments with their loved ones,” he said.

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“Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said in an interview with “EWTN News In Depth.”

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Scottish bishop excommunicates rector of Redemptorists after illicit ordination – #Catholic – Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Scotland, has pronounced Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.“Regrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism. He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments,” Gilbert said in a statement released July 25.Gilbert’s statement came after Sim’s participation in an illicit ordination, which the bishop described as “a clear break with the Church.” Gilbert added that Sim and his congregation “have removed themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church, and the faithful of the diocese should have no dealings with them.”Augustinian nuns evacuate monastery amid wildfires in SpainA community of Augustinian nuns at the Monasterio de la Conversión in Avila, Spain, is “waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home” after being evacuated amid wildfires.The sisters said in a statement on Monday that they have been staying with another community of Augustinian sisters at the convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, about 26 miles from their community. “We are here sharing as sisters and waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home,” the sisters said. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are trying to extinguish the fires without rest. We ask the Virgin of Remedies to protect us all.”Priest calls for prayers as fuel crisis brings Gaza to standstillFather Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza called for prayers as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a worsening fuel shortage, crippling transportation across the territory, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported July 28. Romanelli said residents are struggling to reach hospitals, workplaces, and even loved ones, while soaring prices have made alternative means of transport almost impossible to afford. The parish has not been spared. Most of its vehicles are now out of service because of damaged engines and a lack of spare parts, yet it continues caring for displaced families and organizing summer activities for children, asking the faithful to keep Gaza and its people in their prayers.Antilles bishops issue pastoral guidance on sexual and gender identityThe bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have distributed guidance to Catholics in the Caribbean on the Church’s theological teachings about human biology amid rising “tides of ideologies that seek to redefine the human person, love, and sexuality.”“In a context where language has been redefined and ideologies are presented as compassion, we must proclaim a truth that liberates rather than constrains,” the bishops said in the document published on Sunday titled “Pastoral Letter on Sexual and Gender Identity.” The bishops further called on the faithful to “resist narratives that suggest the human person is a self-made project, detached from biological reality or moral order.”Christians in Syria call for lasting securityAnother security incident has renewed fears in the predominantly Christian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in western Syria, where residents say recurring outbreaks of armed violence can no longer be addressed with temporary measures alone, ACI MENA reported.Following the latest unrest, demonstrators gathered to demand tighter control over illegal weapons and greater protection for the city. In a separate statement, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate confirmed that a break-in at its Damascus headquarters was an isolated criminal act with no religious or political motive, while urging the public to avoid speculation and rumors.French bishops urge Catholics to foster solidarity in response to wildfiresThe presidency of the Bishops’ Conference of France is calling on Catholics to “take a generous part in the momentum of solidarity that is being put in place” in the aftermath of recent wildfires.“We encourage parishes to leave their churches open, when possible: Many offer a refuge of freshness in the heart of the summer heat,” the conferenceʼs leadership said in a statement signed this week by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille and president of the conference; Bishop Vincent Jordy, archbishop of Tours and vice president; and Bishop Benoît Bertrand, bishop of Pontoise and vice president. “We know that the heat wave will continue and that these extreme weather events may be repeated,” the bishops said. “That is why, at this time when many take a few days of rest, we also call on the Christian communities not to forget the sick, elderly, or isolated people but to redouble their attention to them and to organize themselves, in parish, to show them a fraternal and faithful presence.”Summer becomes time of faith for thousands in United Arab EmiratesNearly 2,000 children are spending part of their summer in Catholic parishes across the United Arab Emirates, where faith formation is being combined with games, workshops, music, and community life.Each parish has adopted its own spiritual theme, ranging from sacred Scripture to the jubilee and the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, ACI MENA reported. Apostolic Vicar Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFMCap, described the gatherings as a hopeful sign for the Church, thanking the many young volunteers who are helping children grow in faith while discovering that Christian life is also a call to service.2 Irish dioceses consolidated under one bishopBishop Gerard Nash of the Diocese of Ferns in Ireland will now also serve as the bishop of Ossory, the Vatican announced on July 29, uniting the two dioceses “in persona Episcopi.”“I am deeply honored to have been asked by Pope Leo to become bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns,” Nash said in a statement following the announcement. “The challenge of being one bishop for two dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish,” he said, noting that one area the two dioceses could work together on would be fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Patriarch Nona makes Lebanon his first overseas visitLebanon has become the first stop abroad for Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona since his election in April, reflecting the close ties between the Chaldean and Maronite Churches.During the visit, he met President Joseph Aoun, visited fellow Eastern patriarchs, and joined celebrations surrounding the beatification of Patriarch Elias Hoyek, ACI MENA reported. The patriarch also highlighted Lebanonʼs importance for Christians across the Middle East, describing the country as a strategic pillar for the regionʼs Christian presence while expressing support for Iraqi refugees living there.Bishop Zaidan expresses solidarity with bishops, faithful of South SudanBishop Elias Zaidan expressed his “solidarity and fraternal unity” with the Catholic Church in South Sudan amid ongoing instability in the region.“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express our continued solidarity and fraternal unity with the bishops and faithful of South Sudan,” Zaidan, who currently serves as chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in a letter on Tuesday addressed to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio.“Be assured of our steadfast prayers for the South Sudanese people at this time of severe economic hardship, deadly violence, environmental and food insecurity, and contestation surrounding the country’s Transitional Constitution framework.”
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Scottish bishop excommunicates rector of Redemptorists after illicit ordination – #Catholic – Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Scotland, has pronounced Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.“Regrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism. He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments,” Gilbert said in a statement released July 25.Gilbert’s statement came after Sim’s participation in an illicit ordination, which the bishop described as “a clear break with the Church.” Gilbert added that Sim and his congregation “have removed themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church, and the faithful of the diocese should have no dealings with them.”Augustinian nuns evacuate monastery amid wildfires in SpainA community of Augustinian nuns at the Monasterio de la Conversión in Avila, Spain, is “waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home” after being evacuated amid wildfires.The sisters said in a statement on Monday that they have been staying with another community of Augustinian sisters at the convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, about 26 miles from their community. “We are here sharing as sisters and waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home,” the sisters said. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are trying to extinguish the fires without rest. We ask the Virgin of Remedies to protect us all.”Priest calls for prayers as fuel crisis brings Gaza to standstillFather Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza called for prayers as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a worsening fuel shortage, crippling transportation across the territory, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported July 28. Romanelli said residents are struggling to reach hospitals, workplaces, and even loved ones, while soaring prices have made alternative means of transport almost impossible to afford. The parish has not been spared. Most of its vehicles are now out of service because of damaged engines and a lack of spare parts, yet it continues caring for displaced families and organizing summer activities for children, asking the faithful to keep Gaza and its people in their prayers.Antilles bishops issue pastoral guidance on sexual and gender identityThe bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have distributed guidance to Catholics in the Caribbean on the Church’s theological teachings about human biology amid rising “tides of ideologies that seek to redefine the human person, love, and sexuality.”“In a context where language has been redefined and ideologies are presented as compassion, we must proclaim a truth that liberates rather than constrains,” the bishops said in the document published on Sunday titled “Pastoral Letter on Sexual and Gender Identity.” The bishops further called on the faithful to “resist narratives that suggest the human person is a self-made project, detached from biological reality or moral order.”Christians in Syria call for lasting securityAnother security incident has renewed fears in the predominantly Christian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in western Syria, where residents say recurring outbreaks of armed violence can no longer be addressed with temporary measures alone, ACI MENA reported.Following the latest unrest, demonstrators gathered to demand tighter control over illegal weapons and greater protection for the city. In a separate statement, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate confirmed that a break-in at its Damascus headquarters was an isolated criminal act with no religious or political motive, while urging the public to avoid speculation and rumors.French bishops urge Catholics to foster solidarity in response to wildfiresThe presidency of the Bishops’ Conference of France is calling on Catholics to “take a generous part in the momentum of solidarity that is being put in place” in the aftermath of recent wildfires.“We encourage parishes to leave their churches open, when possible: Many offer a refuge of freshness in the heart of the summer heat,” the conferenceʼs leadership said in a statement signed this week by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille and president of the conference; Bishop Vincent Jordy, archbishop of Tours and vice president; and Bishop Benoît Bertrand, bishop of Pontoise and vice president. “We know that the heat wave will continue and that these extreme weather events may be repeated,” the bishops said. “That is why, at this time when many take a few days of rest, we also call on the Christian communities not to forget the sick, elderly, or isolated people but to redouble their attention to them and to organize themselves, in parish, to show them a fraternal and faithful presence.”Summer becomes time of faith for thousands in United Arab EmiratesNearly 2,000 children are spending part of their summer in Catholic parishes across the United Arab Emirates, where faith formation is being combined with games, workshops, music, and community life.Each parish has adopted its own spiritual theme, ranging from sacred Scripture to the jubilee and the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, ACI MENA reported. Apostolic Vicar Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFMCap, described the gatherings as a hopeful sign for the Church, thanking the many young volunteers who are helping children grow in faith while discovering that Christian life is also a call to service.2 Irish dioceses consolidated under one bishopBishop Gerard Nash of the Diocese of Ferns in Ireland will now also serve as the bishop of Ossory, the Vatican announced on July 29, uniting the two dioceses “in persona Episcopi.”“I am deeply honored to have been asked by Pope Leo to become bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns,” Nash said in a statement following the announcement. “The challenge of being one bishop for two dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish,” he said, noting that one area the two dioceses could work together on would be fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Patriarch Nona makes Lebanon his first overseas visitLebanon has become the first stop abroad for Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona since his election in April, reflecting the close ties between the Chaldean and Maronite Churches.During the visit, he met President Joseph Aoun, visited fellow Eastern patriarchs, and joined celebrations surrounding the beatification of Patriarch Elias Hoyek, ACI MENA reported. The patriarch also highlighted Lebanonʼs importance for Christians across the Middle East, describing the country as a strategic pillar for the regionʼs Christian presence while expressing support for Iraqi refugees living there.Bishop Zaidan expresses solidarity with bishops, faithful of South SudanBishop Elias Zaidan expressed his “solidarity and fraternal unity” with the Catholic Church in South Sudan amid ongoing instability in the region.“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express our continued solidarity and fraternal unity with the bishops and faithful of South Sudan,” Zaidan, who currently serves as chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in a letter on Tuesday addressed to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio.“Be assured of our steadfast prayers for the South Sudanese people at this time of severe economic hardship, deadly violence, environmental and food insecurity, and contestation surrounding the country’s Transitional Constitution framework.”

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An illicit ordination in Scotland leads to excommunication, nuns flee monastery in Spain wildfires, priest asks for prayers as Gaza, and more in this week’s Catholic world news roundup.

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Inspired by Duolingo, Catholic missionary launches Creedo faith app - #Catholic - One day, while doing his daily Duolingo lesson, Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach had a realization: “Why can’t learning the Catholic faith feel this approachable?”The epiphany inspired Burbach to eventually launch Creedo, an app that utilizes the format of the beloved language-learning platform Duolingo to gamify lessons about Catholic teaching.Creedo’s platform includes digestible lessons about the sacraments, Mary, the Trinity, angels, demonology, social teaching, and more. According to Burbach, the app avoids reinterpretation and draws its content from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other classic Catholic works. Screenshot of Creedo App Section 13, “Justification: Faith, Grace, and Works in Harmony,” July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach “I wanted to build a platform that made it easier to engage consistently with Scripture and the Churchʼs rich tradition in small, manageable steps,” he told EWTN News. “Today, Creedo helps individuals grow in their faith while also giving parishes a unified platform to manage formation programs like OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation of Adults], sacramental preparation, Bible studies, and more.”Burbach shared more about his vision for the app and how he hopes it will serve the Church in an interview with EWTN News.EWTN News: What gap does Creedo fill in Catholic catechesis, and what sets it apart from other Catholic apps?Burbach: One of the things that makes Creedo different is that it transforms the Churchʼs incredible treasury of teaching into a daily habit. The Church has never lacked great content. What itʼs often lacked is a format that people genuinely look forward to engaging with every day.Creedo doesnʼt just put the Churchʼs teaching in your pocket. It gives you an app you actually want to take out of your pocket. Delightful animations, rewarding progression, and even a wingman character accompany users throughout their formation. Weʼve been amazed to see users of all ages come back day after day because learning the faith has become something they genuinely enjoy. Creedo App promotional image, July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach That same philosophy also shaped our parish platform. We wanted to make it just as enjoyable for parish leaders to accompany people through the faith. Instead of juggling paper forms, PDFs, spreadsheets, and multiple software tools, parishes can manage OCIA, Bible studies, sacramental preparation, and other formation programs in one place while members complete lessons, documents, and questionnaires in the same app.What has been the response to Creedo among users?The most rewarding part has been watching people build consistent habits around Scripture and the Churchʼs teaching. Users have completed tens of thousands of lessons on Scripture, Augustineʼs “Confessions,” the “Summa Theologica,” “Story of a Soul” [by St. Thérèse of Lisieux], and many other works in numbers I honestly never expected.For thousands of people, Creedo has become part of their morning routine: a few minutes spent in Scripture, a daily meditation, or even a Catholic word puzzle before the rest of the day begins. Itʼs also been exciting to see parishes embrace our parish platform for programs like OCIA. In one parish, participants completed more than 2,000 lessons on Scripture and Catholic teaching before a single lesson had even been assigned for an OCIA session. That kind of enthusiasm is incredibly humbling to witness.Instagram postHow does Creedo embody Pope Leo XIVʼs call in Magnifica Humanitas to use technology for human flourishing?I believe technology is at its best when it helps people encounter Christ, and thatʼs what Creedo is built to do. We spend so much of our lives building habits around our phones. The important question isnʼt simply whether we have habits but what those habits are forming us to become.Creedo is designed to be a simple five-minute daily habit. During those five minutes, youʼre reading Scripture, engaging with the Churchʼs teaching, and exploring the writings of the saints and other classic Catholic works. Rather than competing with the Churchʼs traditional resources, our goal is to help people return to them consistently. The technology isnʼt the point. Itʼs simply the vehicle that helps make those encounters a regular part of everyday life.If Creedo helps someone discover the beauty of Scripture or the wisdom of the saints for the first time, then weʼve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.
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Inspired by Duolingo, Catholic missionary launches Creedo faith app – #Catholic – One day, while doing his daily Duolingo lesson, Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach had a realization: “Why can’t learning the Catholic faith feel this approachable?”The epiphany inspired Burbach to eventually launch Creedo, an app that utilizes the format of the beloved language-learning platform Duolingo to gamify lessons about Catholic teaching.Creedo’s platform includes digestible lessons about the sacraments, Mary, the Trinity, angels, demonology, social teaching, and more. According to Burbach, the app avoids reinterpretation and draws its content from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other classic Catholic works. Screenshot of Creedo App Section 13, “Justification: Faith, Grace, and Works in Harmony,” July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach “I wanted to build a platform that made it easier to engage consistently with Scripture and the Churchʼs rich tradition in small, manageable steps,” he told EWTN News. “Today, Creedo helps individuals grow in their faith while also giving parishes a unified platform to manage formation programs like OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation of Adults], sacramental preparation, Bible studies, and more.”Burbach shared more about his vision for the app and how he hopes it will serve the Church in an interview with EWTN News.EWTN News: What gap does Creedo fill in Catholic catechesis, and what sets it apart from other Catholic apps?Burbach: One of the things that makes Creedo different is that it transforms the Churchʼs incredible treasury of teaching into a daily habit. The Church has never lacked great content. What itʼs often lacked is a format that people genuinely look forward to engaging with every day.Creedo doesnʼt just put the Churchʼs teaching in your pocket. It gives you an app you actually want to take out of your pocket. Delightful animations, rewarding progression, and even a wingman character accompany users throughout their formation. Weʼve been amazed to see users of all ages come back day after day because learning the faith has become something they genuinely enjoy. Creedo App promotional image, July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach That same philosophy also shaped our parish platform. We wanted to make it just as enjoyable for parish leaders to accompany people through the faith. Instead of juggling paper forms, PDFs, spreadsheets, and multiple software tools, parishes can manage OCIA, Bible studies, sacramental preparation, and other formation programs in one place while members complete lessons, documents, and questionnaires in the same app.What has been the response to Creedo among users?The most rewarding part has been watching people build consistent habits around Scripture and the Churchʼs teaching. Users have completed tens of thousands of lessons on Scripture, Augustineʼs “Confessions,” the “Summa Theologica,” “Story of a Soul” [by St. Thérèse of Lisieux], and many other works in numbers I honestly never expected.For thousands of people, Creedo has become part of their morning routine: a few minutes spent in Scripture, a daily meditation, or even a Catholic word puzzle before the rest of the day begins. Itʼs also been exciting to see parishes embrace our parish platform for programs like OCIA. In one parish, participants completed more than 2,000 lessons on Scripture and Catholic teaching before a single lesson had even been assigned for an OCIA session. That kind of enthusiasm is incredibly humbling to witness.Instagram postHow does Creedo embody Pope Leo XIVʼs call in Magnifica Humanitas to use technology for human flourishing?I believe technology is at its best when it helps people encounter Christ, and thatʼs what Creedo is built to do. We spend so much of our lives building habits around our phones. The important question isnʼt simply whether we have habits but what those habits are forming us to become.Creedo is designed to be a simple five-minute daily habit. During those five minutes, youʼre reading Scripture, engaging with the Churchʼs teaching, and exploring the writings of the saints and other classic Catholic works. Rather than competing with the Churchʼs traditional resources, our goal is to help people return to them consistently. The technology isnʼt the point. Itʼs simply the vehicle that helps make those encounters a regular part of everyday life.If Creedo helps someone discover the beauty of Scripture or the wisdom of the saints for the first time, then weʼve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.

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Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach wanted to make Church teaching more accessible and easy to digest — so he designed Creedo to do just that.

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The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  July 31: Mercury brightening With the Moon rising later each night as it wanes, there’s a slightly longer dark window tonight for deep-sky observing. Let’s use it to track down NGC 6709, a lovely open cluster in the constellation Aquila the Eagle. Continue reading “The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709”

The post The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August #Catholic Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.“Roughly half of us live in cities. Jesus himself walked city streets, in Cana, in Jericho, in Jerusalem, and just as in those cities Christ is present in ours — teaching, praying, celebrating, but also suffering among the poor, the forgotten, the imprisoned," the Holy Father said in a video released July 31 on X.He added: “This month, let us pray for the courage to recognize him [Jesus] there and through our work and witness to bring the Gospel to the streets and homes of our metropolises.”In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention:“Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd,You walk through our streets and squares,enter tall buildings and humble neighborhoods,and silently accompany millionswho seek meaning amid noise and haste.You know, Lord, the heart of the city:its lights and shadows, its noise and loneliness.We know that cities are called to be places of freedom and opportunity,but they can also become spaces of anonymity and isolation.That’s why today we ask you for a renewed gaze,able to discover in urban lifefertile ground for proclaiming your Gospel.Give us a creative and deep faith,that doesn’t remain in words,but becomes flesh through simple and loving gestures.Make us a Church that goes forth,able to reach out to the peripheries,to console those who are lonely,and to sow fraternity and connection instead of giving in to indifference.Lord, may our urban communitiesbe open and welcoming homes,places where hope is shared,where no one feels invisible,and where the joy of your Gospel shinesin the hidden lives of so many brothers and sisters.Make us your witnesses in the city,bold and creative missionaries,who proclaim your love with their lives—a love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.Amen.”“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.
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This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August #Catholic Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.“Roughly half of us live in cities. Jesus himself walked city streets, in Cana, in Jericho, in Jerusalem, and just as in those cities Christ is present in ours — teaching, praying, celebrating, but also suffering among the poor, the forgotten, the imprisoned," the Holy Father said in a video released July 31 on X.He added: “This month, let us pray for the courage to recognize him [Jesus] there and through our work and witness to bring the Gospel to the streets and homes of our metropolises.”In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention:“Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd,You walk through our streets and squares,enter tall buildings and humble neighborhoods,and silently accompany millionswho seek meaning amid noise and haste.You know, Lord, the heart of the city:its lights and shadows, its noise and loneliness.We know that cities are called to be places of freedom and opportunity,but they can also become spaces of anonymity and isolation.That’s why today we ask you for a renewed gaze,able to discover in urban lifefertile ground for proclaiming your Gospel.Give us a creative and deep faith,that doesn’t remain in words,but becomes flesh through simple and loving gestures.Make us a Church that goes forth,able to reach out to the peripheries,to console those who are lonely,and to sow fraternity and connection instead of giving in to indifference.Lord, may our urban communitiesbe open and welcoming homes,places where hope is shared,where no one feels invisible,and where the joy of your Gospel shinesin the hidden lives of so many brothers and sisters.Make us your witnesses in the city,bold and creative missionaries,who proclaim your love with their lives—a love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.Amen.”“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.

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Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.

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3 Catholic churches desecrated in a single French archdiocese #Catholic The Archdiocese of Tours in France reported that three Catholic churches within its jurisdiction have been desecrated and announced that Masses of reparation will be held at the affected churches.“In recent days, three churches in our diocese in Chambray-lès-Tours, Luynes, and Tours (St.Joan of Arc Church) have been targeted by malicious individuals,” the archdiocese said in a July 28 statement.The text specifies that “offering boxes were looted and damaged, doors forced open, sacred vessels damaged, a tabernacle forced open, and the Blessed Sacrament desecrated.”“These painful and hurtful events for the Catholic community unfortunately reveal the extent to which our society is permeated by disturbing forms of violence, a lack of culture, and a lack of civility,” the statement laments.Finally, the text notes without specifying dates that “Masses of reparation will be celebrated in the desecrated churches.”Michel Lamy, the mayor of Chambray-lès-Tours, condemned the desecration of the church in his town, stating: “These acts fill me with deep indignation and are simply unacceptable.”“Nothing can justify an attack on a place of worship, our heritage, and what it represents for many residents of Chambray,” the mayor stated on his Facebook page.The mayor posted photos of the desecration, showing Communion hosts scattered on the ground and excrement on the floor.Facebook post“I condemn this desecration in the strongest possible terms and offer my full support to the parish community, Father François Xavier Olayemy Oniossou, and all those deeply shocked by these events,” the mayor added.“In Chambray-lès-Tours, as elsewhere, respect for places of worship, regardless of one’s convictions, is a fundamental value,” he stated.In November 2024, similar acts of desecration occurred at four churches in the Archdiocese of Tours. Archbishop Vincent Jordy stated at the time that “there may be people who wish to express at times hatred toward the Church, or toward what she represents.” Facebook post“There is this type of phenomenon that unfortunately exists — we say it in the communique — and which manifests a lack of culture and a form of contempt for peopleʼs [way of] life and faith,” the prelate lamented at the time.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.
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3 Catholic churches desecrated in a single French archdiocese #Catholic The Archdiocese of Tours in France reported that three Catholic churches within its jurisdiction have been desecrated and announced that Masses of reparation will be held at the affected churches.“In recent days, three churches in our diocese in Chambray-lès-Tours, Luynes, and Tours (St.Joan of Arc Church) have been targeted by malicious individuals,” the archdiocese said in a July 28 statement.The text specifies that “offering boxes were looted and damaged, doors forced open, sacred vessels damaged, a tabernacle forced open, and the Blessed Sacrament desecrated.”“These painful and hurtful events for the Catholic community unfortunately reveal the extent to which our society is permeated by disturbing forms of violence, a lack of culture, and a lack of civility,” the statement laments.Finally, the text notes without specifying dates that “Masses of reparation will be celebrated in the desecrated churches.”Michel Lamy, the mayor of Chambray-lès-Tours, condemned the desecration of the church in his town, stating: “These acts fill me with deep indignation and are simply unacceptable.”“Nothing can justify an attack on a place of worship, our heritage, and what it represents for many residents of Chambray,” the mayor stated on his Facebook page.The mayor posted photos of the desecration, showing Communion hosts scattered on the ground and excrement on the floor.Facebook post“I condemn this desecration in the strongest possible terms and offer my full support to the parish community, Father François Xavier Olayemy Oniossou, and all those deeply shocked by these events,” the mayor added.“In Chambray-lès-Tours, as elsewhere, respect for places of worship, regardless of one’s convictions, is a fundamental value,” he stated.In November 2024, similar acts of desecration occurred at four churches in the Archdiocese of Tours. Archbishop Vincent Jordy stated at the time that “there may be people who wish to express at times hatred toward the Church, or toward what she represents.” Facebook post“There is this type of phenomenon that unfortunately exists — we say it in the communique — and which manifests a lack of culture and a form of contempt for peopleʼs [way of] life and faith,” the prelate lamented at the time.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.

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For the seventh time in two years, churches in the Archdiocese of Tours have been desecrated.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 01 August 2026 – A reading from the Book of Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24 The priests and prophets said to the princes and to all the people, “This man deserves death; he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.” Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people: “It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and city all that you have heard. Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the LORD your God, so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you. As for me, I am in your hands;  do with me what you think good and right. But mark well: if you put me to death, it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves, on this city and its citizens. For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you, to speak all these things for you to hear.” Thereupon the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve death; it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.”  So Ahikam, son of Shaphan, protected Jeremiah, so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.From the Gospel according to Matthew 14:1-12 Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.I would simply advise you not to dwell on this too much, but to remember the image, the four characters: the corrupt king, the woman who knew only how to hate, the vain young woman who is oblivious to everything, and the beheaded prophet alone in his cell. Look at that, and let each of you open your heart so that the Lord may speak to you about this. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 8 February 2019)

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A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
26:11-16, 24

The priests and prophets said
to the princes and to all the people,
“This man deserves death;
he has prophesied against this city,
as you have heard with your own ears.”
Jeremiah gave this answer
to the princes and all the people:
“It was the LORD who sent me to
prophesy against this house and city
all that you have heard.
Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds;
listen to the voice of the LORD your God,
so that the LORD will repent
of the evil with which he threatens you.
As for me, I am in your hands; 
do with me what you think good and right.
But mark well: if you put me to death,
it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves,
on this city and its citizens.
For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you,
to speak all these things for you to hear.”
Thereupon the princes and all the people
said to the priests and the prophets,
“This man does not deserve death;
it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.”
 So Ahikam, son of Shaphan, protected Jeremiah,
so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
14:1-12

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

I would simply advise you not to dwell on this too much, but to remember the image, the four characters: the corrupt king, the woman who knew only how to hate, the vain young woman who is oblivious to everything, and the beheaded prophet alone in his cell. Look at that, and let each of you open your heart so that the Lord may speak to you about this. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 8 February 2019)

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Understanding How Martian Auroras Are Made – This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN mission.
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Understanding How Martian Auroras Are Made – This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN mission.

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This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN mission.

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Chester Police chaplain retires after 47 years of service #Catholic – On July 29, members of the Chester Police Department, law enforcement leaders from across Morris County and New Jersey, and friends gathered to honor Msgr. Raymond Lopatesky, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., upon his retirement as chaplain to the Chester Police Department after 47 years of faithful service. The celebration was held in Hoffman Hall at the Chester Fire House. Msgr. Lopatesky’s ministry became an integral part of both his life and the lives of those he served. For nearly five decades, Msgr. Lopatesky ministered to police officers and their families through every season of life — whether comforting families after the loss of a loved one, celebrating weddings and the baptisms of their children, or simply being available to listen. His ministry extended far beyond the walls of the Church. As he described it, “They became my unique parish, my family.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Serving under 13 chiefs of the Chester Police Department, Msgr. Lopatesky remained a constant source of encouragement, compassion, and hope for countless officers and their families. In addition to his role as chaplain, he mentored new police officers and police academy recruits, helping to instill the values of integrity, service, and compassion in future generations of law enforcement professionals. Msgr. Lopatesky is also the founder and director of the Morris County Police Critical Incident Debriefing Team. His service also extended beyond Chester as a chaplain to the Washington Township Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. Among those attending Msgr. Lopatesky’s retirement celebration were Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Chester Police Chief Ryan T. McNamee, retired N.J. State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, active and retired members of the Chester Police Department, members of the N.J. State Police, and many law enforcement chiefs and officers from throughout the region. Msgr. Ray Lopatesky’s legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Chester Police Department and the broader law enforcement community. He touched countless lives through his presence in joyful and difficult moments. He stood beside those who wear the badge, becoming not only their chaplain but also a trusted friend. Although he is retiring from his official duties, Msgr. Lopatesky will continue to remember them in his daily prayers.  
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Chester Police chaplain retires after 47 years of service #Catholic – On July 29, members of the Chester Police Department, law enforcement leaders from across Morris County and New Jersey, and friends gathered to honor Msgr. Raymond Lopatesky, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., upon his retirement as chaplain to the Chester Police Department after 47 years of faithful service. The celebration was held in Hoffman Hall at the Chester Fire House. Msgr. Lopatesky’s ministry became an integral part of both his life and the lives of those he served. For nearly five decades, Msgr. Lopatesky ministered to police officers and their families through every season of life — whether comforting families after the loss of a loved one, celebrating weddings and the baptisms of their children, or simply being available to listen. His ministry extended far beyond the walls of the Church. As he described it, “They became my unique parish, my family.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Serving under 13 chiefs of the Chester Police Department, Msgr. Lopatesky remained a constant source of encouragement, compassion, and hope for countless officers and their families. In addition to his role as chaplain, he mentored new police officers and police academy recruits, helping to instill the values of integrity, service, and compassion in future generations of law enforcement professionals. Msgr. Lopatesky is also the founder and director of the Morris County Police Critical Incident Debriefing Team. His service also extended beyond Chester as a chaplain to the Washington Township Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. Among those attending Msgr. Lopatesky’s retirement celebration were Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Chester Police Chief Ryan T. McNamee, retired N.J. State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, active and retired members of the Chester Police Department, members of the N.J. State Police, and many law enforcement chiefs and officers from throughout the region. Msgr. Ray Lopatesky’s legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Chester Police Department and the broader law enforcement community. He touched countless lives through his presence in joyful and difficult moments. He stood beside those who wear the badge, becoming not only their chaplain but also a trusted friend. Although he is retiring from his official duties, Msgr. Lopatesky will continue to remember them in his daily prayers.  

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Chester Police chaplain retires after 47 years of service #Catholic –

On July 29, members of the Chester Police Department, law enforcement leaders from across Morris County and New Jersey, and friends gathered to honor Msgr. Raymond Lopatesky, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., upon his retirement as chaplain to the Chester Police Department after 47 years of faithful service. The celebration was held in Hoffman Hall at the Chester Fire House.

Msgr. Lopatesky’s ministry became an integral part of both his life and the lives of those he served.

For nearly five decades, Msgr. Lopatesky ministered to police officers and their families through every season of life — whether comforting families after the loss of a loved one, celebrating weddings and the baptisms of their children, or simply being available to listen. His ministry extended far beyond the walls of the Church. As he described it, “They became my unique parish, my family.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Serving under 13 chiefs of the Chester Police Department, Msgr. Lopatesky remained a constant source of encouragement, compassion, and hope for countless officers and their families. In addition to his role as chaplain, he mentored new police officers and police academy recruits, helping to instill the values of integrity, service, and compassion in future generations of law enforcement professionals.

Msgr. Lopatesky is also the founder and director of the Morris County Police Critical Incident Debriefing Team. His service also extended beyond Chester as a chaplain to the Washington Township Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service.

Among those attending Msgr. Lopatesky’s retirement celebration were Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Chester Police Chief Ryan T. McNamee, retired N.J. State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, active and retired members of the Chester Police Department, members of the N.J. State Police, and many law enforcement chiefs and officers from throughout the region.

Msgr. Ray Lopatesky’s legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Chester Police Department and the broader law enforcement community. He touched countless lives through his presence in joyful and difficult moments. He stood beside those who wear the badge, becoming not only their chaplain but also a trusted friend.

Although he is retiring from his official duties, Msgr. Lopatesky will continue to remember them in his daily prayers.

 

– On July 29, members of the Chester Police Department, law enforcement leaders from across Morris County and New Jersey, and friends gathered to honor Msgr. Raymond Lopatesky, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., upon his retirement as chaplain to the Chester Police Department after 47 years of faithful service. The celebration was held in Hoffman Hall at the Chester Fire House. Msgr. Lopatesky’s ministry became an integral part of both his life and the lives of those he served. For nearly five decades, Msgr. Lopatesky ministered to police officers and their families through every season of life —

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Obituary: Sister of Charity Dolores Lew, 84 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 29 at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister Dolores Lew, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth, who died on July 24 at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was 84. Sister Lew was a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth for 46 years. Born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1941, Sister Lew was the daughter of Robert Lew and Nellie Pang Lai. She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1979 in response to a call she felt to serve God’s people in a medical setting. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sister Lew began her ministry of service as a Dominican Sister of Caldwell in Caldwell, N.J. She graduated from Caldwell College, now Caldwell University, with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She earned a master’s degree in biology from Villanova University in Villanova, Penn. In addition, Sister Lew earned a certification in medical technology from the School of Medical Technology at St. Joseph Hospital in Paterson, and she received a blood bank certificate from the American Red Cross in Baltimore, Md. Sister Lew also received licensing as a physician assistant. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in that profession from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Rutgers. She was the first Sister of Charity to become a physician assistant. Sister Lew was a laboratory technologist and chief of the Blood Bank at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (Trinitas) in Elizabeth, N.J. She was the first physician assistant to join the staff of St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Sister Dolores was a physician assistant in the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s for 24 years until her retirement in 2019. Sister Dolores enjoyed cooking for family and friends, gardening, and sharing the vegetables from her garden. She received the Best Age Strong Garden award in the 2024 Greenest Place in Paterson Garden Contest. During the final years of her life, Sister Dolores lived with a serious illness, which she faced with courage and resolve. Sister Lew was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Shirley Calderone. Her Sisters of Charity community survives her; her friend, Sister Edna Francis Hersinger; her nieces, Christine Velarde, Michele Cavallaro and Toni Anne Caracappa; her nephew, Joseph Calderone; her brothers, Robert, John, David, Peter, and Joseph; her sisters, Kammoy King and Joanne Chin; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Burial took place in Holy Family Cemetery in Convent Station. Please make donations in memory of Sister Dolores Lew to the Sisters of Charity Office of Legacy and Mission Advancement, P. O. Box 476, Convent Station, N.J., 07961.
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Obituary: Sister of Charity Dolores Lew, 84 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 29 at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister Dolores Lew, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth, who died on July 24 at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was 84. Sister Lew was a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth for 46 years. Born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1941, Sister Lew was the daughter of Robert Lew and Nellie Pang Lai. She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1979 in response to a call she felt to serve God’s people in a medical setting. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sister Lew began her ministry of service as a Dominican Sister of Caldwell in Caldwell, N.J. She graduated from Caldwell College, now Caldwell University, with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She earned a master’s degree in biology from Villanova University in Villanova, Penn. In addition, Sister Lew earned a certification in medical technology from the School of Medical Technology at St. Joseph Hospital in Paterson, and she received a blood bank certificate from the American Red Cross in Baltimore, Md. Sister Lew also received licensing as a physician assistant. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in that profession from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Rutgers. She was the first Sister of Charity to become a physician assistant. Sister Lew was a laboratory technologist and chief of the Blood Bank at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (Trinitas) in Elizabeth, N.J. She was the first physician assistant to join the staff of St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Sister Dolores was a physician assistant in the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s for 24 years until her retirement in 2019. Sister Dolores enjoyed cooking for family and friends, gardening, and sharing the vegetables from her garden. She received the Best Age Strong Garden award in the 2024 Greenest Place in Paterson Garden Contest. During the final years of her life, Sister Dolores lived with a serious illness, which she faced with courage and resolve. Sister Lew was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Shirley Calderone. Her Sisters of Charity community survives her; her friend, Sister Edna Francis Hersinger; her nieces, Christine Velarde, Michele Cavallaro and Toni Anne Caracappa; her nephew, Joseph Calderone; her brothers, Robert, John, David, Peter, and Joseph; her sisters, Kammoy King and Joanne Chin; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Burial took place in Holy Family Cemetery in Convent Station. Please make donations in memory of Sister Dolores Lew to the Sisters of Charity Office of Legacy and Mission Advancement, P. O. Box 476, Convent Station, N.J., 07961.

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Obituary: Sister of Charity Dolores Lew, 84 #Catholic –

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 29 at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister Dolores Lew, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth, who died on July 24 at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was 84.

Sister Lew was a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth for 46 years.

Born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1941, Sister Lew was the daughter of Robert Lew and Nellie Pang Lai. She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1979 in response to a call she felt to serve God’s people in a medical setting.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Sister Lew began her ministry of service as a Dominican Sister of Caldwell in Caldwell, N.J. She graduated from Caldwell College, now Caldwell University, with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She earned a master’s degree in biology from Villanova University in Villanova, Penn.

In addition, Sister Lew earned a certification in medical technology from the School of Medical Technology at St. Joseph Hospital in Paterson, and she received a blood bank certificate from the American Red Cross in Baltimore, Md.

Sister Lew also received licensing as a physician assistant. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in that profession from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Rutgers. She was the first Sister of Charity to become a physician assistant.

Sister Lew was a laboratory technologist and chief of the Blood Bank at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (Trinitas) in Elizabeth, N.J. She was the first physician assistant to join the staff of St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Sister Dolores was a physician assistant in the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s for 24 years until her retirement in 2019.

Sister Dolores enjoyed cooking for family and friends, gardening, and sharing the vegetables from her garden. She received the Best Age Strong Garden award in the 2024 Greenest Place in Paterson Garden Contest.

During the final years of her life, Sister Dolores lived with a serious illness, which she faced with courage and resolve.

Sister Lew was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Shirley Calderone. Her Sisters of Charity community survives her; her friend, Sister Edna Francis Hersinger; her nieces, Christine Velarde, Michele Cavallaro and Toni Anne Caracappa; her nephew, Joseph Calderone; her brothers, Robert, John, David, Peter, and Joseph; her sisters, Kammoy King and Joanne Chin; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Burial took place in Holy Family Cemetery in Convent Station.

Please make donations in memory of Sister Dolores Lew to the Sisters of Charity Office of Legacy and Mission Advancement, P. O. Box 476, Convent Station, N.J., 07961.

– A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 29 at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister Dolores Lew, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth, who died on July 24 at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was 84. Sister Lew was a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth for 46 years. Born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1941, Sister Lew was the daughter of Robert Lew and Nellie Pang Lai. She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1979 in response to a call she felt

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The Sky Today on Friday, July 31: Mercury brightening

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  July 30: Meteors may shine Mercury has now brightened to magnitude 0.5 in the early-morning sky and should be even easier to see than it was earlier in the week. It is now just a few days from greatest western elongation.  IfContinue reading “The Sky Today on Friday, July 31: Mercury brightening”

The post The Sky Today on Friday, July 31: Mercury brightening appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 31 July 2026 – A reading from the Book of Jeremiah 26:1-9 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, this message came from the LORD:   Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the house of the LORD and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD; whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing. Perhaps they will listen and turn back,  each from his evil way, so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them for their evil deeds. Say to them:  Thus says the LORD:  If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them, I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth shall refer when cursing another.Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD. When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people, the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying, “You must be put to death!  Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD: ‘This house shall be like Shiloh,’ and ‘This city shall be desolate and deserted’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.From the Gospel according to Matthew 13:54-58 Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.In today’s liturgy, the Gospel recounts Jesus’ first sermon in his home town, Nazareth. The outcome is bitter: instead of receiving approval, Jesus finds incomprehension and even hostility. His fellow villagers wanted miracles and prodigious signs rather than a word of truth. The Lord does not perform them and they reject him, because they say they already knew him as a child: he is Joseph’s son, and so on. Jesus therefore utters a phrase that has become proverbial: “No prophet is acceptable in his own country”. These words reveal that Jesus’ failure was not entirely unexpected. He knew his people, he knew the heart of his people, he knew the risk he was running. He took rejection into account. And, so, we may ask ourselves: but if it was like this, if he foresaw a failure, why did he go to his home town all the same? Why do good to people who are not willing to accept you? It is a question that we too often ask ourselves. But it is a question that helps us understand God better. Faced with our closures, he does not withdraw: he does not put brakes on his love. Faced with our closures, he goes forward. We see a reflection of this in parents who are aware of the ingratitude of their children, but do not stop loving them and doing good to them, because of this. God is the same, but at a much higher level. And today he invites us too to believe in good, to leave no stone unturned in doing good. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 30 January 2022)

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A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
26:1-9

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim,
son of Josiah, king of Judah,
this message came from the LORD:  
Thus says the LORD:
Stand in the court of the house of the LORD
and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah
who come to worship in the house of the LORD;
whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.
Perhaps they will listen and turn back, 
each from his evil way,
so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds.
Say to them:  Thus says the LORD: 
If you disobey me,
not living according to the law I placed before you
and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets,
whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them,
I will treat this house like Shiloh,
and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth
shall refer when cursing another.Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people
heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
When Jeremiah finished speaking
all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people,
the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying,
“You must be put to death! 
Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD:
‘This house shall be like Shiloh,’ and
‘This city shall be desolate and deserted’?”
And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.

In today’s liturgy, the Gospel recounts Jesus’ first sermon in his home town, Nazareth. The outcome is bitter: instead of receiving approval, Jesus finds incomprehension and even hostility. His fellow villagers wanted miracles and prodigious signs rather than a word of truth. The Lord does not perform them and they reject him, because they say they already knew him as a child: he is Joseph’s son, and so on. Jesus therefore utters a phrase that has become proverbial: “No prophet is acceptable in his own country”. These words reveal that Jesus’ failure was not entirely unexpected. He knew his people, he knew the heart of his people, he knew the risk he was running. He took rejection into account. And, so, we may ask ourselves: but if it was like this, if he foresaw a failure, why did he go to his home town all the same? Why do good to people who are not willing to accept you? It is a question that we too often ask ourselves. But it is a question that helps us understand God better. Faced with our closures, he does not withdraw: he does not put brakes on his love. Faced with our closures, he goes forward. We see a reflection of this in parents who are aware of the ingratitude of their children, but do not stop loving them and doing good to them, because of this. God is the same, but at a much higher level. And today he invites us too to believe in good, to leave no stone unturned in doing good. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 30 January 2022)

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Israeli strike damages Christian-run hospital in Gaza, Catholic aid group says #Catholic Israeli airstrikes on an apartment building adjacent to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City damaged the hospital on the evening of July 29, blowing out windows and doors, and frightening patients and medical staff, according to a report by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).“The repeated explosions create confusion among medical staff and place additional psychological pressure on patients,” Mousa Ayad, manager at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, told CNEWA’s Diaa Ostaz.Ayad told CNEWA he could not rule out another airstrike: “This is war, and no one knows where the next danger will be. But given the hospital’s humanitarian and medical role, we do not believe that the hospital is the intended target.”According to CNEWA, Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense, said emergency response crews were not able to immediately reach the struck building, which is beside the hospital and a shelter for displaced people, because responders feared a second strike.“The fire burned for more than 15 minutes before our crews could move in,” he said, according to CNEWA. “We continue to work with severe shortages of firefighting vehicles, water tankers and fuel, making every emergency response more difficult.”CNEWA reported that, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, nearly 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and another 3,900 injured since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025.Ayad told CNEWA that despite the ceasefire, Gaza’s health sector is still in dire circumstances.“The situation has not improved significantly. Hospitals continue to face shortages of medical supplies, equipment and essential consumables,” he said. “Thousands of patients remain on waiting lists for surgery, while many others still need to travel outside Gaza for specialized treatment.”Last year, he told CNEWA that the hospital was operating at 350% capacity and a total evacuation would be “a major humanitarian challenge.”This is not the first time the hospital has been struck.On Oct. 17, 2023, an airstrike on the hospital killed 500 people and injured many others. More than 5,000 people were sheltering at the hospital at the time, reported Joseph Hazboun, regional director for CNEWA’s Jerusalem office.Then, in June 2025 airstrikes, six people, including four journalists, were killed and 30 others were injured.Three months later, Israel Defense Forces killed one person and injured several others after it launched a missile that landed in the hospital’s courtyard, according to CNEWA.The Catholic aid group has long supported Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, and since January 2025, it has partnered with the hospital to provide urgent medical services.Pope Pius XI founded CNEWA in 1926 as “an instrument of love and a sign of hope for those in need scattered throughout the historic but unstable lands of the ancient Eastern churches — the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe,” according to the group’s website.
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Israeli strike damages Christian-run hospital in Gaza, Catholic aid group says #Catholic Israeli airstrikes on an apartment building adjacent to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City damaged the hospital on the evening of July 29, blowing out windows and doors, and frightening patients and medical staff, according to a report by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).“The repeated explosions create confusion among medical staff and place additional psychological pressure on patients,” Mousa Ayad, manager at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, told CNEWA’s Diaa Ostaz.Ayad told CNEWA he could not rule out another airstrike: “This is war, and no one knows where the next danger will be. But given the hospital’s humanitarian and medical role, we do not believe that the hospital is the intended target.”According to CNEWA, Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense, said emergency response crews were not able to immediately reach the struck building, which is beside the hospital and a shelter for displaced people, because responders feared a second strike.“The fire burned for more than 15 minutes before our crews could move in,” he said, according to CNEWA. “We continue to work with severe shortages of firefighting vehicles, water tankers and fuel, making every emergency response more difficult.”CNEWA reported that, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, nearly 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and another 3,900 injured since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025.Ayad told CNEWA that despite the ceasefire, Gaza’s health sector is still in dire circumstances.“The situation has not improved significantly. Hospitals continue to face shortages of medical supplies, equipment and essential consumables,” he said. “Thousands of patients remain on waiting lists for surgery, while many others still need to travel outside Gaza for specialized treatment.”Last year, he told CNEWA that the hospital was operating at 350% capacity and a total evacuation would be “a major humanitarian challenge.”This is not the first time the hospital has been struck.On Oct. 17, 2023, an airstrike on the hospital killed 500 people and injured many others. More than 5,000 people were sheltering at the hospital at the time, reported Joseph Hazboun, regional director for CNEWA’s Jerusalem office.Then, in June 2025 airstrikes, six people, including four journalists, were killed and 30 others were injured.Three months later, Israel Defense Forces killed one person and injured several others after it launched a missile that landed in the hospital’s courtyard, according to CNEWA.The Catholic aid group has long supported Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, and since January 2025, it has partnered with the hospital to provide urgent medical services.Pope Pius XI founded CNEWA in 1926 as “an instrument of love and a sign of hope for those in need scattered throughout the historic but unstable lands of the ancient Eastern churches — the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe,” according to the group’s website.

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The Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) reported emergency response crews were not able to immediately reach the struck building because responders feared a second strike.

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Church in Venezuela to ‘remain at the side of the suffering’ following earthquakes #Catholic One month after the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, the Catholic Church is focused on “remaining at the side of the suffering,” according to Father Ricardo Guillén, episcopal vicar for pastoral ministry of the Archdiocese of Caracas.In an interview with the archdiocesan press office, the priest explained how “physical presence, active listening, and organized charity” have been the cornerstones of the Church’s response to the tragedy, which claimed the lives of thousands of people and severely affected tens of thousands more.“Our immediate priority was to be present where the suffering was most acute; we showed up and shared close up with the vulnerability of our people,” he said.From the very first hours following the earthquakes, he continued, the Church understood that this accompaniment “could not take place from a distance” but rather “required being physically present in the places of greatest uncertainty to support those who had lost everything.”“For this reason, we deployed directly to the areas most critical to the emergency,” he added. Consecrated personnel and lay volunteers assessed the scale of the disaster, offering special support to people at the morgues “to embrace and share in the families’ painful silence” and bringing the comfort of the sacraments.“In each of those places, our mission was simply to be present, to listen, and not to leave anyone alone,” Guillén added.‘God never abandons us’After highlighting “the profound vocation of service and solidarity,” which he said especially characterizes the new generations of Venezuelans and which enabled the enormous logistical response to the emergency, the episcopal vicar noted that it is precisely “in closeness and compassion” that God’s presence is revealed amid so much pain.Beyond providing material aid, the Catholic Church’s “fundamental mission” was to “be a living presence of the Lord and sustain the faith where suffering was the greatest,” regardless of the difficulties posed by the earthquakes. Thus, the Church “had to take to the streets,” transforming plazas, parks, and sports fields into “open-air altars” for religious services and encouraging the most popular devotions in Caracas and La Guaira.“One of the most moving services was accompanying people in their grief,” he said. “We priests were present in morgues, hospitals, and cemeteries in Caracas and La Guaira, supporting those who were suffering, often offering nothing more than a hug, weeping with those who wept, praying together, or maintaining a respectful silence in the face of such immense pain.”“Bringing grace and comfort to places where suffering reigned was living proof that God never abandons us,” he added.What are lessons the earthquakes taught the Church?Guillén emphasized that “the earthquake left deep scars, but it also revealed the immense spiritual and solidarity reserves of our people.”“Far from plunging us into despair, this tragedy becomes an urgent call to make fraternity a permanent way of life, oriented toward the common good and the recognition of every person’s dignity,” he said.He remarked that “true consolation requires neither explanations nor grand speeches,” but rather manifests itself “in quiet presence, in an outstretched hand, in attentive listening that takes in the pain, and in respectful silence that helps heal the wounds of the soul.”The earthquakes “leave us with profound lessons” for the Church in Venezuela and have confronted the entire country with “the urgent need to organize ourselves better in the face of contingencies of this magnitude,” he said. In that sense, he continued, Cáritas must strengthen itself and become “a true network of solidarity capable of reaching even the most remote areas” of Venezuela. “Ultimately, this time confirms for us that the faith lived out is authenticated through charity and tangible dedication to the most vulnerable,” Guillén said.“For this reason, the Church in Caracas reaffirms its unwavering commitment to continue accompanying those affected. We are not pulling out now that the immediate phase of the emergency has ended; we will be there for the long road of rebuilding society and the integral healing of our people’s lives,” he pledged.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.
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Church in Venezuela to ‘remain at the side of the suffering’ following earthquakes #Catholic One month after the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, the Catholic Church is focused on “remaining at the side of the suffering,” according to Father Ricardo Guillén, episcopal vicar for pastoral ministry of the Archdiocese of Caracas.In an interview with the archdiocesan press office, the priest explained how “physical presence, active listening, and organized charity” have been the cornerstones of the Church’s response to the tragedy, which claimed the lives of thousands of people and severely affected tens of thousands more.“Our immediate priority was to be present where the suffering was most acute; we showed up and shared close up with the vulnerability of our people,” he said.From the very first hours following the earthquakes, he continued, the Church understood that this accompaniment “could not take place from a distance” but rather “required being physically present in the places of greatest uncertainty to support those who had lost everything.”“For this reason, we deployed directly to the areas most critical to the emergency,” he added. Consecrated personnel and lay volunteers assessed the scale of the disaster, offering special support to people at the morgues “to embrace and share in the families’ painful silence” and bringing the comfort of the sacraments.“In each of those places, our mission was simply to be present, to listen, and not to leave anyone alone,” Guillén added.‘God never abandons us’After highlighting “the profound vocation of service and solidarity,” which he said especially characterizes the new generations of Venezuelans and which enabled the enormous logistical response to the emergency, the episcopal vicar noted that it is precisely “in closeness and compassion” that God’s presence is revealed amid so much pain.Beyond providing material aid, the Catholic Church’s “fundamental mission” was to “be a living presence of the Lord and sustain the faith where suffering was the greatest,” regardless of the difficulties posed by the earthquakes. Thus, the Church “had to take to the streets,” transforming plazas, parks, and sports fields into “open-air altars” for religious services and encouraging the most popular devotions in Caracas and La Guaira.“One of the most moving services was accompanying people in their grief,” he said. “We priests were present in morgues, hospitals, and cemeteries in Caracas and La Guaira, supporting those who were suffering, often offering nothing more than a hug, weeping with those who wept, praying together, or maintaining a respectful silence in the face of such immense pain.”“Bringing grace and comfort to places where suffering reigned was living proof that God never abandons us,” he added.What are lessons the earthquakes taught the Church?Guillén emphasized that “the earthquake left deep scars, but it also revealed the immense spiritual and solidarity reserves of our people.”“Far from plunging us into despair, this tragedy becomes an urgent call to make fraternity a permanent way of life, oriented toward the common good and the recognition of every person’s dignity,” he said.He remarked that “true consolation requires neither explanations nor grand speeches,” but rather manifests itself “in quiet presence, in an outstretched hand, in attentive listening that takes in the pain, and in respectful silence that helps heal the wounds of the soul.”The earthquakes “leave us with profound lessons” for the Church in Venezuela and have confronted the entire country with “the urgent need to organize ourselves better in the face of contingencies of this magnitude,” he said. In that sense, he continued, Cáritas must strengthen itself and become “a true network of solidarity capable of reaching even the most remote areas” of Venezuela. “Ultimately, this time confirms for us that the faith lived out is authenticated through charity and tangible dedication to the most vulnerable,” Guillén said.“For this reason, the Church in Caracas reaffirms its unwavering commitment to continue accompanying those affected. We are not pulling out now that the immediate phase of the emergency has ended; we will be there for the long road of rebuilding society and the integral healing of our people’s lives,” he pledged.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.

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While the Church’s response to the earthquakes in Venezuela certainly involved material aid, a major part was simply being present to minister to survivors, offering consolation and the sacraments.

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Beyond The Beacon podcast 115: Opportunities of faith during triennial pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. #Catholic – This October, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will lead a Marian pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. On this episode, Bishop Sweeney and co-host Communications Director Jai Agnish are joined by Father Michael Rodak, diocesan pilgrimage director and pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, to discuss this triennial event hosted by the Diocese of Paterson. In this episode, Father Rodak also interviews Bobby Duke, curator of the Museum of the Bible, a visit offered for the two-day trip option. Participants can choose a one-day pilgrimage to the basilica on Saturday, Oct. 17, featuring a catechesis on prayer in English and Spanish, recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Mass with Bishop Sweeney and concelebrating priests, and an opportunity to receive reconciliation. Pilgrims can also choose a two-day trip from Friday, Oct. 16, to Saturday, Oct. 17, which includes a visit to the Museum of the Bible and a banquet dinner with Bishop Sweeney on Oct. 16 before visiting the basilica the next day for the pilgrimage. Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Beyond The Beacon podcast 115: Opportunities of faith during triennial pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. #Catholic – This October, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will lead a Marian pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. On this episode, Bishop Sweeney and co-host Communications Director Jai Agnish are joined by Father Michael Rodak, diocesan pilgrimage director and pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, to discuss this triennial event hosted by the Diocese of Paterson. In this episode, Father Rodak also interviews Bobby Duke, curator of the Museum of the Bible, a visit offered for the two-day trip option. Participants can choose a one-day pilgrimage to the basilica on Saturday, Oct. 17, featuring a catechesis on prayer in English and Spanish, recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Mass with Bishop Sweeney and concelebrating priests, and an opportunity to receive reconciliation. Pilgrims can also choose a two-day trip from Friday, Oct. 16, to Saturday, Oct. 17, which includes a visit to the Museum of the Bible and a banquet dinner with Bishop Sweeney on Oct. 16 before visiting the basilica the next day for the pilgrimage. Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Beyond The Beacon podcast 115: Opportunities of faith during triennial pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. #Catholic –

This October, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will lead a Marian pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. On this episode, Bishop Sweeney and co-host Communications Director Jai Agnish are joined by Father Michael Rodak, diocesan pilgrimage director and pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, to discuss this triennial event hosted by the Diocese of Paterson. In this episode, Father Rodak also interviews Bobby Duke, curator of the Museum of the Bible, a visit offered for the two-day trip option.

Participants can choose a one-day pilgrimage to the basilica on Saturday, Oct. 17, featuring a catechesis on prayer in English and Spanish, recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Mass with Bishop Sweeney and concelebrating priests, and an opportunity to receive reconciliation. Pilgrims can also choose a two-day trip from Friday, Oct. 16, to Saturday, Oct. 17, which includes a visit to the Museum of the Bible and a banquet dinner with Bishop Sweeney on Oct. 16 before visiting the basilica the next day for the pilgrimage.

Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– This October, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will lead a Marian pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. On this episode, Bishop Sweeney and co-host Communications Director Jai Agnish are joined by Father Michael Rodak, diocesan pilgrimage director and pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, to discuss this triennial event hosted by the Diocese of Paterson. In this episode, Father Rodak also interviews Bobby Duke, curator of the Museum of the Bible, a visit offered for the two-day trip option. Participants can choose a one-day pilgrimage to the basilica on

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Ukrainian ambassador says papal visit would give major boost to peace – #Catholic – A potential visit by Pope Leo XIV to Ukraine could make a significant contribution to international efforts to end the war and achieve a lasting peace, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See said.“We are absolutely sure that his possible visit would be a great input into the process of reaching peace there,” Ambassador Andrii Yurash said in an interview with “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News.He said the presence on Ukrainian soil of “probably the most respectable spiritual leader of the world,” carrying “a message of peace” and “a message of justice,” would be “the greatest input into this process.”Yurash spoke after Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, said the Vatican was seriously considering the possibility of a papal visit to Ukraine.Gallagher spent six days in the country last week. On July 20, he met in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who thanked the Holy See for its continued support for Ukraine amid the war with Russia.“We continuously express our wish to have His Holiness as quick as possible in Ukraine,” Yurash said.The diplomat said expectations among the Ukrainian population for a papal visit were extremely high.“The pope is the most wanted foreign representative in Ukraine,” he said, adding that Ukrainians would like to receive and embrace him and “listen to his messages expressed directly on the Ukrainian land.”Yurash said he was confident the pope understood those expectations.“I hope he is thinking very seriously about that, and I hope he is looking for some really appropriate moment when it can be realized,” he said.Repeated invitationsPope Leo XIV has received several official invitations to visit Ukraine.Yurash said the invitations had been extended at every level since Zelenskyy first met the pope on the day of his inauguration. The Ukrainian president and the pontiff have since held two other meetings, according to the ambassador.The latest invitation came on Good Friday, when Zelenskyy formally asked Pope Leo XIV to make an apostolic visit to the country.During the conversation, the pope expressed his closeness to Ukrainians suffering because of the war and emphasized the urgent need to guarantee humanitarian assistance. He also expressed his hope for an end to hostilities and a just and lasting peace with Russia.Gallagher’s visit was preceded by a second mission to Ukraine by Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, the pope’s special envoy.The archbishop of Bologna recently completed a four-day visit to Lviv and Kyiv, during which he emphasized the exchange of prisoners, the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, and the delivery of humanitarian aid.Yurash said the missions demonstrated the Holy See’s commitment to Ukraine.“I think the message is very obvious,” he said.“The message is that His Holiness understands realities of the war in Ukraine, and in this way of sending two very high representatives of the Holy See, he is trying to show that he is supporting Ukraine in general and any attempts to reach, to achieve just peace for Ukraine, as he expressed many, many times,” Yurash said. “So I think the message is absolutely clear.”Ukraine is not aloneThe ambassador also highlighted the moral and spiritual support that he said the Holy See continues to offer Ukraine.“The Holy See shows that Ukraine is not alone, that the Holy See is trying to do everything possible to support spiritually Ukrainian people, to give some hope, to inspire people to be strong,” he said.Yurash said that support was also rooted in the defense of international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.“The value of international law is recognized by everybody, and the Holy See always repeatedly speaks that the Holy See supports territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he said.“The Holy See, the whole civilized world, is against the violation of international law,” Yurash continued. “And in this spiritual, Church way, the Holy See expressed one more time this very concrete message for us.”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.
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Ukrainian ambassador says papal visit would give major boost to peace – #Catholic – A potential visit by Pope Leo XIV to Ukraine could make a significant contribution to international efforts to end the war and achieve a lasting peace, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See said.“We are absolutely sure that his possible visit would be a great input into the process of reaching peace there,” Ambassador Andrii Yurash said in an interview with “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News.He said the presence on Ukrainian soil of “probably the most respectable spiritual leader of the world,” carrying “a message of peace” and “a message of justice,” would be “the greatest input into this process.”Yurash spoke after Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, said the Vatican was seriously considering the possibility of a papal visit to Ukraine.Gallagher spent six days in the country last week. On July 20, he met in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who thanked the Holy See for its continued support for Ukraine amid the war with Russia.“We continuously express our wish to have His Holiness as quick as possible in Ukraine,” Yurash said.The diplomat said expectations among the Ukrainian population for a papal visit were extremely high.“The pope is the most wanted foreign representative in Ukraine,” he said, adding that Ukrainians would like to receive and embrace him and “listen to his messages expressed directly on the Ukrainian land.”Yurash said he was confident the pope understood those expectations.“I hope he is thinking very seriously about that, and I hope he is looking for some really appropriate moment when it can be realized,” he said.Repeated invitationsPope Leo XIV has received several official invitations to visit Ukraine.Yurash said the invitations had been extended at every level since Zelenskyy first met the pope on the day of his inauguration. The Ukrainian president and the pontiff have since held two other meetings, according to the ambassador.The latest invitation came on Good Friday, when Zelenskyy formally asked Pope Leo XIV to make an apostolic visit to the country.During the conversation, the pope expressed his closeness to Ukrainians suffering because of the war and emphasized the urgent need to guarantee humanitarian assistance. He also expressed his hope for an end to hostilities and a just and lasting peace with Russia.Gallagher’s visit was preceded by a second mission to Ukraine by Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, the pope’s special envoy.The archbishop of Bologna recently completed a four-day visit to Lviv and Kyiv, during which he emphasized the exchange of prisoners, the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia, and the delivery of humanitarian aid.Yurash said the missions demonstrated the Holy See’s commitment to Ukraine.“I think the message is very obvious,” he said.“The message is that His Holiness understands realities of the war in Ukraine, and in this way of sending two very high representatives of the Holy See, he is trying to show that he is supporting Ukraine in general and any attempts to reach, to achieve just peace for Ukraine, as he expressed many, many times,” Yurash said. “So I think the message is absolutely clear.”Ukraine is not aloneThe ambassador also highlighted the moral and spiritual support that he said the Holy See continues to offer Ukraine.“The Holy See shows that Ukraine is not alone, that the Holy See is trying to do everything possible to support spiritually Ukrainian people, to give some hope, to inspire people to be strong,” he said.Yurash said that support was also rooted in the defense of international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.“The value of international law is recognized by everybody, and the Holy See always repeatedly speaks that the Holy See supports territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he said.“The Holy See, the whole civilized world, is against the violation of international law,” Yurash continued. “And in this spiritual, Church way, the Holy See expressed one more time this very concrete message for us.”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.

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Andrii Yurash said a visit by Pope Leo XIV would bring a message of peace and justice, while recent Vatican missions show that Ukraine is not alone.

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Catholics in Haiti help the underserved as country prepares for elections – #Catholic – Despite the unchecked violence of criminal gangs and the political crisis that has been roiling Haiti for several years, a Catholic community there has set to work addressing the needs of an underserved area.“Just two days ago, we began work to extend the village water system by about one kilometer down into the valley,” said Father Massimo Miraglio, explaining to the Fides agency the details of a project destined to “make a tangible difference” in the daily lives of the small community of Pourcine Pic Makaya.The project aims to bring spring water to “two new distribution points,” which will make it possible to "serve three additional hamlets near the plateau where Pourcine is located,” the Camillian missionary explained.“For many families, this will mean a real improvement in everyday life: Children and young people, who are usually responsible for carrying water for their households, will have much shorter distances to walk and a far lighter burden,” he added.The community hired several local residents for the aqueduct expansion project. The work is expected to be completed in a few weeks. With improved water quality, the Catholic community will help “prevent many diseases linked to the use of contaminated water,” Miraglio said.“Healthcare remains one of Haitiʼs most fragile sectors. A significant sign of hope came on July 14 with the inauguration of the new St. Camillus Hospital in Jérémie, created to provide essential healthcare services to the local population,” the priest stated.These initiatives unfold amid a nation still locked in a profound crisis. While media coverage centers on gang violence, political instability, and migration, deeper humanitarian emergencies, such as internal displacement, hunger, and the growing vulnerability of women and children, persist unresolved.Date set for first presidential election in a decadeOn July 27, Haitiʼs electoral council set the date for the first presidential and legislative elections in a decade. The schedule sets the first round for Dec. 13, while the runoff will take place on Feb. 21, 2027.The final results will be announced on March 7, 2027. Additionally, the electoral council specified that citizens will also be able to vote on constitutional changes and elect other local representatives. Initially, the first round of elections was scheduled for this August but was postponed due to security concerns.The last elections in the Caribbean nation were held in 2016 and were marred by controversy. Following that process, Jovenel Moïse became president, holding office until his assassination in 2021.Since then, Haiti has spiraled into political chaos and violence, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs operate with free rein and control much of the territory.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.
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Catholics in Haiti help the underserved as country prepares for elections – #Catholic – Despite the unchecked violence of criminal gangs and the political crisis that has been roiling Haiti for several years, a Catholic community there has set to work addressing the needs of an underserved area.“Just two days ago, we began work to extend the village water system by about one kilometer down into the valley,” said Father Massimo Miraglio, explaining to the Fides agency the details of a project destined to “make a tangible difference” in the daily lives of the small community of Pourcine Pic Makaya.The project aims to bring spring water to “two new distribution points,” which will make it possible to "serve three additional hamlets near the plateau where Pourcine is located,” the Camillian missionary explained.“For many families, this will mean a real improvement in everyday life: Children and young people, who are usually responsible for carrying water for their households, will have much shorter distances to walk and a far lighter burden,” he added.The community hired several local residents for the aqueduct expansion project. The work is expected to be completed in a few weeks. With improved water quality, the Catholic community will help “prevent many diseases linked to the use of contaminated water,” Miraglio said.“Healthcare remains one of Haitiʼs most fragile sectors. A significant sign of hope came on July 14 with the inauguration of the new St. Camillus Hospital in Jérémie, created to provide essential healthcare services to the local population,” the priest stated.These initiatives unfold amid a nation still locked in a profound crisis. While media coverage centers on gang violence, political instability, and migration, deeper humanitarian emergencies, such as internal displacement, hunger, and the growing vulnerability of women and children, persist unresolved.Date set for first presidential election in a decadeOn July 27, Haitiʼs electoral council set the date for the first presidential and legislative elections in a decade. The schedule sets the first round for Dec. 13, while the runoff will take place on Feb. 21, 2027.The final results will be announced on March 7, 2027. Additionally, the electoral council specified that citizens will also be able to vote on constitutional changes and elect other local representatives. Initially, the first round of elections was scheduled for this August but was postponed due to security concerns.The last elections in the Caribbean nation were held in 2016 and were marred by controversy. Following that process, Jovenel Moïse became president, holding office until his assassination in 2021.Since then, Haiti has spiraled into political chaos and violence, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs operate with free rein and control much of the territory.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.

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A Catholic community is quietly working on a water project that will improve the health and daily lives of many as the first presidential elections in a decade have been announced.

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Official Seoul World Youth Day song to be released Aug. 3 – #Catholic – With roughly one year to go before World Youth Day (WYD) in Seoul, South Korea, in 2027, organizers have announced the launch dates for its official theme song. In a July 30 press release, the local organizing committee announced the start of the event’s implementation phase, continuing preparations for services to welcome pilgrims.Pope Leo XIV will also attend the global event, to be held Aug. 3–8, 2027. His attendance will continue the trend of a regular papal presence at WYD since St. John Paul II established it in 1985. WYD 2027 will be the first WYD to be celebrated in a non-Christian country and only the second in Asia.Theme song and tree-planting campaign to launch Aug. 3On Aug. 3, the WYD 2027 countdown will begin, and its official theme song will premiere on its official YouTube channel. The song, “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum” (“Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World,” in Latin), was the winning composition from 434 submissions and was written by Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim. Pilgrims hold the WYD Seoul 2027 flag at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport (DIL) in Dili, Timor-Leste, on Aug. 23, 2025. | Credit: WYD Seoul 2027 Local Organizing Committee. That same day, the Breath of Life Global Tree-Planting Campaign will launch, inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’. The campaign will encourage young people to practice ecological stewardship in line with the vision laid out in that encyclical.The registration window for WYD 2027 will open in the latter half of 2026, offering pilgrims accommodation, meals, transportation, and insurance services. Volunteers will also be able to register at that time.WYD 2027: A celebration of Korean hospitalityIn the press release, Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul, president of the local organizing committee, expressed hope that the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims expected in Seoul will experience the hospitality of the South Korean people.“We will do everything possible to make WYD Seoul 2027 a celebration of hope and a witness to the hospitality and solidarity of Korea and Seoul,” Chung said in the release.“Over the past three years, we have concentrated on laying the foundations for the event. The year ahead will be the time to complete our preparations and welcome young people from every part of the world.”
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Official Seoul World Youth Day song to be released Aug. 3 – #Catholic – With roughly one year to go before World Youth Day (WYD) in Seoul, South Korea, in 2027, organizers have announced the launch dates for its official theme song. In a July 30 press release, the local organizing committee announced the start of the event’s implementation phase, continuing preparations for services to welcome pilgrims.Pope Leo XIV will also attend the global event, to be held Aug. 3–8, 2027. His attendance will continue the trend of a regular papal presence at WYD since St. John Paul II established it in 1985. WYD 2027 will be the first WYD to be celebrated in a non-Christian country and only the second in Asia.Theme song and tree-planting campaign to launch Aug. 3On Aug. 3, the WYD 2027 countdown will begin, and its official theme song will premiere on its official YouTube channel. The song, “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum” (“Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World,” in Latin), was the winning composition from 434 submissions and was written by Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim. Pilgrims hold the WYD Seoul 2027 flag at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport (DIL) in Dili, Timor-Leste, on Aug. 23, 2025. | Credit: WYD Seoul 2027 Local Organizing Committee. That same day, the Breath of Life Global Tree-Planting Campaign will launch, inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’. The campaign will encourage young people to practice ecological stewardship in line with the vision laid out in that encyclical.The registration window for WYD 2027 will open in the latter half of 2026, offering pilgrims accommodation, meals, transportation, and insurance services. Volunteers will also be able to register at that time.WYD 2027: A celebration of Korean hospitalityIn the press release, Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul, president of the local organizing committee, expressed hope that the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims expected in Seoul will experience the hospitality of the South Korean people.“We will do everything possible to make WYD Seoul 2027 a celebration of hope and a witness to the hospitality and solidarity of Korea and Seoul,” Chung said in the release.“Over the past three years, we have concentrated on laying the foundations for the event. The year ahead will be the time to complete our preparations and welcome young people from every part of the world.”

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Pope Leo XIV is expected to attend the event, which will run from Aug. 3–8, 2027, and to join thousands of young pilgrims.

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Pope Leo on his ancestry, and how he’s a ‘pope who happens to be American’ #Catholic – (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV spoke with Tom Llamas of NBC News July 29 about being the first American pope, his diverse ancestry and whether he might be coming to the U.S. soon. “You are the first American pope. It’s something you don’t speak about often,” Llamas noted, asking, “How important is being American to you, and what do you love about America” “First of all, just to clarify, I think of myself more as the pope who happens to be American,” Pope Leo responded, “not to belittle what it means to be American. I was born in the United States, my family is still in the United States. I have great love for America. But I understand my mission, having a very important dimension, which is precisely being pastor of a universal Church and having a voice and opportunity to speak to people throughout the world. So, I will put things in that order.” “And yet, at the same time,” he added, “I will acknowledge that for myself as well as the people of the United States, judging by the response that we’ve seen since May 8 of last year, that there is great significance in being the first American pope.” Speaking to Llamas at a July 29 Concert for Peace at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, which featured Andrea Bocelli and an interfaith choir of 200 children from conflict-affected regions around the world, Pope Leo said he loves “so many things” about America: “What America stands for, the sense of freedom, the sense of opportunity, the sense of having invited, for generations, people from around the world to be part of America.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Discussing his ancestry, he noted that, “I come from a family that — my grandparents were immigrants. On my mother’s side, we have people who were both slaves and slave owners. There’s a history of, if you will, growing up in the kind of experience that helps me to recognize, myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States. And I continue to hold the principles that have been a part of being American for so many years. That will continue.” Llamas asked if Americans can expect a papal visit soon. “They will see me there,” Pope Leo replied, “by coincidence, today we were looking at the calendar for the next couple of years. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I certainly hope to be there soon.” Julio Vaqueiro, anchor of Noticias Telemundo, also spoke with Pope Leo following the pope’s concert. Pope Leo told Vaqueiro that the concert “featuring children from various countries, of different races, perhaps from different traditions — all singing together to beautiful music,” offered “a beauty that I believe was an invitation to all of us to look beyond, to see the beauty that can be created or in which we can share when we set aside certain differences and recognize the richness of being one — of all being created in the image of God.”
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Pope Leo on his ancestry, and how he’s a ‘pope who happens to be American’ #Catholic – (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV spoke with Tom Llamas of NBC News July 29 about being the first American pope, his diverse ancestry and whether he might be coming to the U.S. soon. “You are the first American pope. It’s something you don’t speak about often,” Llamas noted, asking, “How important is being American to you, and what do you love about America” “First of all, just to clarify, I think of myself more as the pope who happens to be American,” Pope Leo responded, “not to belittle what it means to be American. I was born in the United States, my family is still in the United States. I have great love for America. But I understand my mission, having a very important dimension, which is precisely being pastor of a universal Church and having a voice and opportunity to speak to people throughout the world. So, I will put things in that order.” “And yet, at the same time,” he added, “I will acknowledge that for myself as well as the people of the United States, judging by the response that we’ve seen since May 8 of last year, that there is great significance in being the first American pope.” Speaking to Llamas at a July 29 Concert for Peace at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, which featured Andrea Bocelli and an interfaith choir of 200 children from conflict-affected regions around the world, Pope Leo said he loves “so many things” about America: “What America stands for, the sense of freedom, the sense of opportunity, the sense of having invited, for generations, people from around the world to be part of America.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Discussing his ancestry, he noted that, “I come from a family that — my grandparents were immigrants. On my mother’s side, we have people who were both slaves and slave owners. There’s a history of, if you will, growing up in the kind of experience that helps me to recognize, myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States. And I continue to hold the principles that have been a part of being American for so many years. That will continue.” Llamas asked if Americans can expect a papal visit soon. “They will see me there,” Pope Leo replied, “by coincidence, today we were looking at the calendar for the next couple of years. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I certainly hope to be there soon.” Julio Vaqueiro, anchor of Noticias Telemundo, also spoke with Pope Leo following the pope’s concert. Pope Leo told Vaqueiro that the concert “featuring children from various countries, of different races, perhaps from different traditions — all singing together to beautiful music,” offered “a beauty that I believe was an invitation to all of us to look beyond, to see the beauty that can be created or in which we can share when we set aside certain differences and recognize the richness of being one — of all being created in the image of God.”

unitedyam

Pope Leo on his ancestry, and how he’s a ‘pope who happens to be American’ #Catholic –

(OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV spoke with Tom Llamas of NBC News July 29 about being the first American pope, his diverse ancestry and whether he might be coming to the U.S. soon.

“You are the first American pope. It’s something you don’t speak about often,” Llamas noted, asking, “How important is being American to you, and what do you love about America”

“First of all, just to clarify, I think of myself more as the pope who happens to be American,” Pope Leo responded, “not to belittle what it means to be American. I was born in the United States, my family is still in the United States. I have great love for America. But I understand my mission, having a very important dimension, which is precisely being pastor of a universal Church and having a voice and opportunity to speak to people throughout the world. So, I will put things in that order.”

“And yet, at the same time,” he added, “I will acknowledge that for myself as well as the people of the United States, judging by the response that we’ve seen since May 8 of last year, that there is great significance in being the first American pope.”

Speaking to Llamas at a July 29 Concert for Peace at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, which featured Andrea Bocelli and an interfaith choir of 200 children from conflict-affected regions around the world, Pope Leo said he loves “so many things” about America: “What America stands for, the sense of freedom, the sense of opportunity, the sense of having invited, for generations, people from around the world to be part of America.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Discussing his ancestry, he noted that, “I come from a family that — my grandparents were immigrants. On my mother’s side, we have people who were both slaves and slave owners. There’s a history of, if you will, growing up in the kind of experience that helps me to recognize, myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States. And I continue to hold the principles that have been a part of being American for so many years. That will continue.”

Llamas asked if Americans can expect a papal visit soon.

“They will see me there,” Pope Leo replied, “by coincidence, today we were looking at the calendar for the next couple of years. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I certainly hope to be there soon.”

Julio Vaqueiro, anchor of Noticias Telemundo, also spoke with Pope Leo following the pope’s concert.

Pope Leo told Vaqueiro that the concert “featuring children from various countries, of different races, perhaps from different traditions — all singing together to beautiful music,” offered “a beauty that I believe was an invitation to all of us to look beyond, to see the beauty that can be created or in which we can share when we set aside certain differences and recognize the richness of being one — of all being created in the image of God.”

– (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV spoke with Tom Llamas of NBC News July 29 about being the first American pope, his diverse ancestry and whether he might be coming to the U.S. soon. “You are the first American pope. It’s something you don’t speak about often,” Llamas noted, asking, “How important is being American to you, and what do you love about America” “First of all, just to clarify, I think of myself more as the pope who happens to be American,” Pope Leo responded, “not to belittle what it means to be American. I was born in the

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Urban planning must address homelessness to promote human dignity, Vatican’s UN mission says #Catholic – (Vatican News) — Homelessness must be addressed to create sustainable cities that enable every person to flourish and contribute to the common good, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations said July 28. “The persistence of homelessness should trouble the conscience of the international community,” the mission said in a message issued for the United Nations’ 2026 high-level meeting on the world body’s New Urban Agenda. “Everybody deserves a place to call home, where they can build relationships, nurture family life, and participate fully in their community,” the message said. “Housing should therefore be viewed not just as a commodity or financial asset, but as a cornerstone of society at the service of the common good.” The New Urban Agenda is a global roadmap for sustainable inclusive, and resilient urban development, according to the United Nations. Approved at the U.N. Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, on Oct. 20, 2016, and endorsed by the U.N. General Assembly, it provides guiding principles for managing cities through 2036. The high-level meeting celebrated the 10th anniversary of the agenda’s adoption. “When cities are shaped by solidarity, inclusion and care for those most in need, they become more than mere places of residence and of work; they become places of encounter, fraternity and hope,” the Holy See mission said in its message. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. It quoted Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas,” on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence, to underline how “development is truly human when it places people at the center.” “This principle should guide the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in the decade ahead,” the Holy See mission emphasized. “Not having a home means more than just lacking shelter; it means being deprived of security, stability, privacy, and a sense of belonging,” it explained in its message. “Homelessness undermines the ability to exercise many fundamental human rights and often traps individuals and families in cycles of exclusion and poverty.” Homelessness is an “affront to human dignity,” it said. The Holy See mission encouraged cities and countries to invest more “in affordable and adequate housing, as well as integrated social services,” and address the root causes of homelessness, such “as poverty, unemployment, drug addiction, mental health issues, family breakdown, displacement and conflict.” This must be done through “meaningful participation of local communities, civil society, faith-based organizations” and those who have experienced homelessness themselves, it said. The mission also noted the importance of pushing for housing policies that promote an integrated approach that takes into consideration the “strong links between education, employment, housing and health.” “This will also help to prevent exclusion and segregation,” it pointed out. The Holy See mission also emphasized the importance of “renewed international solidarity” through international cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building and adequate financing, especially to help least developed countries that struggle with rapid urbanization. “Urban development cannot be measured solely by the height of its buildings or the strength of its economy,” the mission said, “but above all by its ability to enable every person to flourish by participating fully in society and contributing to the common good.” Every city is a community of people, each endowed with its God given-dignity, it said. “The true measure of a sustainable city lies in how it treats all its members, and, consequently, in its capacity to address multiple forms of poverty, persistent inequalities and environmental degradation.” Isabella H. de Carvalho writes for Vatican News. This story was originally published by Vatican News and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.  
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Urban planning must address homelessness to promote human dignity, Vatican’s UN mission says #Catholic – (Vatican News) — Homelessness must be addressed to create sustainable cities that enable every person to flourish and contribute to the common good, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations said July 28. “The persistence of homelessness should trouble the conscience of the international community,” the mission said in a message issued for the United Nations’ 2026 high-level meeting on the world body’s New Urban Agenda. “Everybody deserves a place to call home, where they can build relationships, nurture family life, and participate fully in their community,” the message said. “Housing should therefore be viewed not just as a commodity or financial asset, but as a cornerstone of society at the service of the common good.” The New Urban Agenda is a global roadmap for sustainable inclusive, and resilient urban development, according to the United Nations. Approved at the U.N. Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, on Oct. 20, 2016, and endorsed by the U.N. General Assembly, it provides guiding principles for managing cities through 2036. The high-level meeting celebrated the 10th anniversary of the agenda’s adoption. “When cities are shaped by solidarity, inclusion and care for those most in need, they become more than mere places of residence and of work; they become places of encounter, fraternity and hope,” the Holy See mission said in its message. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. It quoted Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas,” on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence, to underline how “development is truly human when it places people at the center.” “This principle should guide the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in the decade ahead,” the Holy See mission emphasized. “Not having a home means more than just lacking shelter; it means being deprived of security, stability, privacy, and a sense of belonging,” it explained in its message. “Homelessness undermines the ability to exercise many fundamental human rights and often traps individuals and families in cycles of exclusion and poverty.” Homelessness is an “affront to human dignity,” it said. The Holy See mission encouraged cities and countries to invest more “in affordable and adequate housing, as well as integrated social services,” and address the root causes of homelessness, such “as poverty, unemployment, drug addiction, mental health issues, family breakdown, displacement and conflict.” This must be done through “meaningful participation of local communities, civil society, faith-based organizations” and those who have experienced homelessness themselves, it said. The mission also noted the importance of pushing for housing policies that promote an integrated approach that takes into consideration the “strong links between education, employment, housing and health.” “This will also help to prevent exclusion and segregation,” it pointed out. The Holy See mission also emphasized the importance of “renewed international solidarity” through international cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building and adequate financing, especially to help least developed countries that struggle with rapid urbanization. “Urban development cannot be measured solely by the height of its buildings or the strength of its economy,” the mission said, “but above all by its ability to enable every person to flourish by participating fully in society and contributing to the common good.” Every city is a community of people, each endowed with its God given-dignity, it said. “The true measure of a sustainable city lies in how it treats all its members, and, consequently, in its capacity to address multiple forms of poverty, persistent inequalities and environmental degradation.” Isabella H. de Carvalho writes for Vatican News. This story was originally published by Vatican News and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.  

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Urban planning must address homelessness to promote human dignity, Vatican’s UN mission says #Catholic –

(Vatican News) — Homelessness must be addressed to create sustainable cities that enable every person to flourish and contribute to the common good, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations said July 28.

“The persistence of homelessness should trouble the conscience of the international community,” the mission said in a message issued for the United Nations’ 2026 high-level meeting on the world body’s New Urban Agenda.

“Everybody deserves a place to call home, where they can build relationships, nurture family life, and participate fully in their community,” the message said. “Housing should therefore be viewed not just as a commodity or financial asset, but as a cornerstone of society at the service of the common good.”

The New Urban Agenda is a global roadmap for sustainable inclusive, and resilient urban development, according to the United Nations. Approved at the U.N. Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, on Oct. 20, 2016, and endorsed by the U.N. General Assembly, it provides guiding principles for managing cities through 2036. The high-level meeting celebrated the 10th anniversary of the agenda’s adoption.

“When cities are shaped by solidarity, inclusion and care for those most in need, they become more than mere places of residence and of work; they become places of encounter, fraternity and hope,” the Holy See mission said in its message.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

It quoted Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas,” on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence, to underline how “development is truly human when it places people at the center.”

“This principle should guide the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in the decade ahead,” the Holy See mission emphasized.

“Not having a home means more than just lacking shelter; it means being deprived of security, stability, privacy, and a sense of belonging,” it explained in its message. “Homelessness undermines the ability to exercise many fundamental human rights and often traps individuals and families in cycles of exclusion and poverty.”

Homelessness is an “affront to human dignity,” it said.

The Holy See mission encouraged cities and countries to invest more “in affordable and adequate housing, as well as integrated social services,” and address the root causes of homelessness, such “as poverty, unemployment, drug addiction, mental health issues, family breakdown, displacement and conflict.”

This must be done through “meaningful participation of local communities, civil society, faith-based organizations” and those who have experienced homelessness themselves, it said.

The mission also noted the importance of pushing for housing policies that promote an integrated approach that takes into consideration the “strong links between education, employment, housing and health.” “This will also help to prevent exclusion and segregation,” it pointed out.

The Holy See mission also emphasized the importance of “renewed international solidarity” through international cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building and adequate financing, especially to help least developed countries that struggle with rapid urbanization.

“Urban development cannot be measured solely by the height of its buildings or the strength of its economy,” the mission said, “but above all by its ability to enable every person to flourish by participating fully in society and contributing to the common good.”

Every city is a community of people, each endowed with its God given-dignity, it said. “The true measure of a sustainable city lies in how it treats all its members, and, consequently, in its capacity to address multiple forms of poverty, persistent inequalities and environmental degradation.”

Isabella H. de Carvalho writes for Vatican News. This story was originally published by Vatican News and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.

 

– (Vatican News) — Homelessness must be addressed to create sustainable cities that enable every person to flourish and contribute to the common good, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations said July 28. “The persistence of homelessness should trouble the conscience of the international community,” the mission said in a message issued for the United Nations’ 2026 high-level meeting on the world body’s New Urban Agenda. “Everybody deserves a place to call home, where they can build relationships, nurture family life, and participate fully in their community,” the message said. “Housing should therefore be viewed not just

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Wildfires in Spain force Augustinian nuns to evacuate monastery #Catholic – (OSV News) — Wildfires burning through central Spain forced a community of Augustinian nuns to evacuate their monastery as flames threatened the region. In a statement published July 27, the sisters of the Monastery of the Conversion in Sotillo de la Adrada said they were evacuated July 25 and “had no choice but to leave the monastery.” The community said they were offered shelter at the Augustinian convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, located roughly 26 miles south of their monastery. “We are here, sharing as sisters, awaiting a grace that will allow us to return home,” the statement read. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are tirelessly working to extinguish the fires.” Wildfires across Spain and France have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. Firefighters face an uphill battle in combatting the flames as extreme heatwaves in both countries have made it difficult to extinguish the fires. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Spain’s interior minister, said taming the wildfire would be crucial before a major heatwave was forecasted to last until Aug. 2. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “We have to stay positive; we have control of the emergency. We do have to acknowledge that we are moving slowly because the weather conditions are not helping us at all,” Grande-Marlaska told El País. Over 120,000 acres of land in the province of Ávila alone have been burned and destroyed, making it the largest and most aggressive wildfire in Spain’s recorded history, El País reported. The Diocese of Ávila said July 26 it was cooperating with authorities to coordinate relief efforts and made the diocesan seminary and retreat house available to accommodate evacuees. “The parish priests of the affected areas were evacuated along with their parishioners to designated shelters and remain with their neighbors,” the diocese said. “Other priests in the area remain with the families of the affected villages, offering them support and making this difficult time more bearable.” In an interview with the Spanish Catholic weekly Alfa y Omega, Mother Prado González, superior of the Monastery of the Conversion, said the decision to evacuate was made in cooperation with police and military authorities. “We wanted a small group of us to stay behind, but ultimately they evacuated all of us,” she said. “The situation was very complicated, and the flames had been approaching for days.” While praising the orderly evacuation of the monastery and surrounding villages, Mother González said she and her sisters felt “tremendous grief” not just for leaving their home “but for everything that is happening.” “Seeing that natural heritage destroyed — such a beautiful creation — causes immense pain. It is an ecological tragedy, a human tragedy and a social tragedy,” the superior told Alfa y Omega. Expressing her gratitude to the sisters of the Convent of Saint Ildefonso for receiving them, Mother González said she and her community were “experiencing true communion with the sisters and feel very supported.” “Above all, we are praying a lot for all the people who are still working there to control the fire, and for our neighbors who are going through a very hard time,” she said. Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.  
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Wildfires in Spain force Augustinian nuns to evacuate monastery #Catholic – (OSV News) — Wildfires burning through central Spain forced a community of Augustinian nuns to evacuate their monastery as flames threatened the region. In a statement published July 27, the sisters of the Monastery of the Conversion in Sotillo de la Adrada said they were evacuated July 25 and “had no choice but to leave the monastery.” The community said they were offered shelter at the Augustinian convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, located roughly 26 miles south of their monastery. “We are here, sharing as sisters, awaiting a grace that will allow us to return home,” the statement read. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are tirelessly working to extinguish the fires.” Wildfires across Spain and France have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. Firefighters face an uphill battle in combatting the flames as extreme heatwaves in both countries have made it difficult to extinguish the fires. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Spain’s interior minister, said taming the wildfire would be crucial before a major heatwave was forecasted to last until Aug. 2. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “We have to stay positive; we have control of the emergency. We do have to acknowledge that we are moving slowly because the weather conditions are not helping us at all,” Grande-Marlaska told El País. Over 120,000 acres of land in the province of Ávila alone have been burned and destroyed, making it the largest and most aggressive wildfire in Spain’s recorded history, El País reported. The Diocese of Ávila said July 26 it was cooperating with authorities to coordinate relief efforts and made the diocesan seminary and retreat house available to accommodate evacuees. “The parish priests of the affected areas were evacuated along with their parishioners to designated shelters and remain with their neighbors,” the diocese said. “Other priests in the area remain with the families of the affected villages, offering them support and making this difficult time more bearable.” In an interview with the Spanish Catholic weekly Alfa y Omega, Mother Prado González, superior of the Monastery of the Conversion, said the decision to evacuate was made in cooperation with police and military authorities. “We wanted a small group of us to stay behind, but ultimately they evacuated all of us,” she said. “The situation was very complicated, and the flames had been approaching for days.” While praising the orderly evacuation of the monastery and surrounding villages, Mother González said she and her sisters felt “tremendous grief” not just for leaving their home “but for everything that is happening.” “Seeing that natural heritage destroyed — such a beautiful creation — causes immense pain. It is an ecological tragedy, a human tragedy and a social tragedy,” the superior told Alfa y Omega. Expressing her gratitude to the sisters of the Convent of Saint Ildefonso for receiving them, Mother González said she and her community were “experiencing true communion with the sisters and feel very supported.” “Above all, we are praying a lot for all the people who are still working there to control the fire, and for our neighbors who are going through a very hard time,” she said. Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.  

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Wildfires in Spain force Augustinian nuns to evacuate monastery #Catholic –

(OSV News) — Wildfires burning through central Spain forced a community of Augustinian nuns to evacuate their monastery as flames threatened the region.

In a statement published July 27, the sisters of the Monastery of the Conversion in Sotillo de la Adrada said they were evacuated July 25 and “had no choice but to leave the monastery.”

The community said they were offered shelter at the Augustinian convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, located roughly 26 miles south of their monastery.

“We are here, sharing as sisters, awaiting a grace that will allow us to return home,” the statement read. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are tirelessly working to extinguish the fires.”

Wildfires across Spain and France have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. Firefighters face an uphill battle in combatting the flames as extreme heatwaves in both countries have made it difficult to extinguish the fires.

In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El País, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Spain’s interior minister, said taming the wildfire would be crucial before a major heatwave was forecasted to last until Aug. 2.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“We have to stay positive; we have control of the emergency. We do have to acknowledge that we are moving slowly because the weather conditions are not helping us at all,” Grande-Marlaska told El País.

Over 120,000 acres of land in the province of Ávila alone have been burned and destroyed, making it the largest and most aggressive wildfire in Spain’s recorded history, El País reported.

The Diocese of Ávila said July 26 it was cooperating with authorities to coordinate relief efforts and made the diocesan seminary and retreat house available to accommodate evacuees.

“The parish priests of the affected areas were evacuated along with their parishioners to designated shelters and remain with their neighbors,” the diocese said. “Other priests in the area remain with the families of the affected villages, offering them support and making this difficult time more bearable.”

In an interview with the Spanish Catholic weekly Alfa y Omega, Mother Prado González, superior of the Monastery of the Conversion, said the decision to evacuate was made in cooperation with police and military authorities.

“We wanted a small group of us to stay behind, but ultimately they evacuated all of us,” she said. “The situation was very complicated, and the flames had been approaching for days.”

While praising the orderly evacuation of the monastery and surrounding villages, Mother González said she and her sisters felt “tremendous grief” not just for leaving their home “but for everything that is happening.”

“Seeing that natural heritage destroyed — such a beautiful creation — causes immense pain. It is an ecological tragedy, a human tragedy and a social tragedy,” the superior told Alfa y Omega.

Expressing her gratitude to the sisters of the Convent of Saint Ildefonso for receiving them, Mother González said she and her community were “experiencing true communion with the sisters and feel very supported.”

“Above all, we are praying a lot for all the people who are still working there to control the fire, and for our neighbors who are going through a very hard time,” she said.

Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.

 

– (OSV News) — Wildfires burning through central Spain forced a community of Augustinian nuns to evacuate their monastery as flames threatened the region. In a statement published July 27, the sisters of the Monastery of the Conversion in Sotillo de la Adrada said they were evacuated July 25 and “had no choice but to leave the monastery.” The community said they were offered shelter at the Augustinian convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, located roughly 26 miles south of their monastery. “We are here, sharing as sisters, awaiting a grace that will allow us to return home,” the statement read.

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Pope Leo XIV: I still have a great love for America – #Catholic – Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States, has emphasized his continued love for his native country, even as head of the global Catholic Church.The pontiff made these remarks in an interview with Tom Llamas of NBC News on July 29 at Castel Gandolfo. The interview followed the “Canticle of Peace” music prayer service for peace at the Borgo Laudato Si’, part of the Pontifical Gardens at Castel Gandolfo, featuring music by the renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.Leo, in discussing his love for America, clarified that his identity is now of a universal pastor.“I have great love for America,” Leo told NBC News. “But I understand my mission as having a very important dimension, which is precisely being pastor of a universal church.”“I think of myself more as the Pope who happens to be American.”The pope also acknowledged the historic significance of being the first U.S.-born Bishop of Rome.“I will acknowledge that for myself, as well as for the people of the United States… that there is great significance in being the first American Pope,” Leo said.He also outlined his favorite aspects of the U.S., including a sense of freedom and opportunity for generations of migrants, including his ancestors, some of whom were enslaved.“We have people who were both slaves and slave owners.”“I come from a family [where] my grandparents were immigrants on my motherʼs side,” the pope said. “There’s a history, if you will, of growing up in the kind of experience that helps me recognize myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States.”Addressing the likelihood of a future visit to the U.S., Leo explained that the Vatican was considering the timing of such a visit.“Today we were looking at the calendar for the next couple of years. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I certainly hope to be there soon,” Leo said.The pontiff briefly returned to Castel Gandolfo on July 29 for the “Canticle of Peace” after recently concluding his vacation there from July 5-27 and returning to the Vatican.
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Pope Leo XIV: I still have a great love for America – #Catholic – Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States, has emphasized his continued love for his native country, even as head of the global Catholic Church.The pontiff made these remarks in an interview with Tom Llamas of NBC News on July 29 at Castel Gandolfo. The interview followed the “Canticle of Peace” music prayer service for peace at the Borgo Laudato Si’, part of the Pontifical Gardens at Castel Gandolfo, featuring music by the renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.Leo, in discussing his love for America, clarified that his identity is now of a universal pastor.“I have great love for America,” Leo told NBC News. “But I understand my mission as having a very important dimension, which is precisely being pastor of a universal church.”“I think of myself more as the Pope who happens to be American.”The pope also acknowledged the historic significance of being the first U.S.-born Bishop of Rome.“I will acknowledge that for myself, as well as for the people of the United States… that there is great significance in being the first American Pope,” Leo said.He also outlined his favorite aspects of the U.S., including a sense of freedom and opportunity for generations of migrants, including his ancestors, some of whom were enslaved.“We have people who were both slaves and slave owners.”“I come from a family [where] my grandparents were immigrants on my motherʼs side,” the pope said. “There’s a history, if you will, of growing up in the kind of experience that helps me recognize myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States.”Addressing the likelihood of a future visit to the U.S., Leo explained that the Vatican was considering the timing of such a visit.“Today we were looking at the calendar for the next couple of years. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I certainly hope to be there soon,” Leo said.The pontiff briefly returned to Castel Gandolfo on July 29 for the “Canticle of Peace” after recently concluding his vacation there from July 5-27 and returning to the Vatican.

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The U.S.-born pontiff expressed affection for his homeland in an interview with NBC News on July 29.

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Family Blessing at Bedtime: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, July 30, 2026 – #Prayer – Heavenly Father, Bless (name) and keep him (her) in Your love. Grant him (her) a good rest tonight, And send Your angels to protect him (her). In the Name of the Father, And the + Son, And of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

unitedyam

Heavenly Father,
Bless (name) and keep him (her) in Your love.
Grant him (her) a good rest tonight,
And send Your angels to protect him (her).
In the Name of the Father,
And the + Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

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‘Canticle of Peace’: Leo XIV presents the beauty of music as a path to God #Catholic Pope Leo XIV stated Wednesday that “the beauty of music invites us to encounter the One who is beauty itself,” during the “Canticle of Peace” prayer and fraternal gathering held at Castel Gandolfo’s Borgo Laudato Si’ gardens.Leo XIV also prayed for peace to reign “in all those places in the world that continue to suffer from violenceThe gathering, organized by the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF), took place as part of the celebrations marking the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi.Addressing the young members of the ABF Voices choir who came from Uganda, the Holy Land, and Italy, Leo XIV assured them: “Know also that the Holy Father loves you and prays for you, for your families, and for your countries.”After listening to the performance by tenor Andrea Bocelli and the choir, the pope thanked them for the effort put into preparing the recital and congratulated their conductors, noting that “music has the extraordinary capacity to bring different voices together in unison, where each contributes something unique to the whole.”“In this sense, the choir becomes an ideal symbol of harmony and cooperation,” he added. Andrea Bocelli during his performance at the “Canticle of Peace” before Pope Leo XIV and the young people gathered at the Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo on July 29, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media. In his message, Leo XIV noted the significance of the fact that Sacred Scripture and the Church’s liturgy speak of “choirs of angels and saints” when describing the joy of heaven.This does not mean, he explained, that they are “literally singing all the time,” but rather that, “united in love, they contemplate God together and find the fullness of happiness in him.”The Holy Father then invited the young people to reflect on what had taken place during their performance: “As you sang, did you notice how music drew all of us into a new experience — something greater than anything any one of us could have created alone?”“This is the experience of beauty. It opens up a new horizon before us and awakens within us the desire to move towards it,” he continued.The pope explained that “when we journey toward that horizon, we do not simply discover something, but Someone. We encounter God, our Creator.” Pope Leo XIV speaking to the young participants in the “Canticle of Peace,” held at the Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo on July 29, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Leo XIV encouraged the young people to continue cultivating the gifts God has bestowed upon them and to allow those talents to lead them to him, for “He is all we seek in life, the only one who can calm our restless hearts.”The pontiff also reminded them that “you were made for great things and that the whole world is not enough to satisfy your thirst for meaning and happiness.”Before concluding, Leo XIV thanked the Andrea Bocelli Foundation for its work on behalf of young people facing educational and social disadvantages, and highlighted that “through the power of music, you are contributing to the Church’s mission of promoting the integral development of every human person in service of the common good. May God bless your efforts.”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.
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‘Canticle of Peace’: Leo XIV presents the beauty of music as a path to God #Catholic Pope Leo XIV stated Wednesday that “the beauty of music invites us to encounter the One who is beauty itself,” during the “Canticle of Peace” prayer and fraternal gathering held at Castel Gandolfo’s Borgo Laudato Si’ gardens.Leo XIV also prayed for peace to reign “in all those places in the world that continue to suffer from violenceThe gathering, organized by the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation (ABF), took place as part of the celebrations marking the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi.Addressing the young members of the ABF Voices choir who came from Uganda, the Holy Land, and Italy, Leo XIV assured them: “Know also that the Holy Father loves you and prays for you, for your families, and for your countries.”After listening to the performance by tenor Andrea Bocelli and the choir, the pope thanked them for the effort put into preparing the recital and congratulated their conductors, noting that “music has the extraordinary capacity to bring different voices together in unison, where each contributes something unique to the whole.”“In this sense, the choir becomes an ideal symbol of harmony and cooperation,” he added. Andrea Bocelli during his performance at the “Canticle of Peace” before Pope Leo XIV and the young people gathered at the Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo on July 29, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media. In his message, Leo XIV noted the significance of the fact that Sacred Scripture and the Church’s liturgy speak of “choirs of angels and saints” when describing the joy of heaven.This does not mean, he explained, that they are “literally singing all the time,” but rather that, “united in love, they contemplate God together and find the fullness of happiness in him.”The Holy Father then invited the young people to reflect on what had taken place during their performance: “As you sang, did you notice how music drew all of us into a new experience — something greater than anything any one of us could have created alone?”“This is the experience of beauty. It opens up a new horizon before us and awakens within us the desire to move towards it,” he continued.The pope explained that “when we journey toward that horizon, we do not simply discover something, but Someone. We encounter God, our Creator.” Pope Leo XIV speaking to the young participants in the “Canticle of Peace,” held at the Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo on July 29, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Leo XIV encouraged the young people to continue cultivating the gifts God has bestowed upon them and to allow those talents to lead them to him, for “He is all we seek in life, the only one who can calm our restless hearts.”The pontiff also reminded them that “you were made for great things and that the whole world is not enough to satisfy your thirst for meaning and happiness.”Before concluding, Leo XIV thanked the Andrea Bocelli Foundation for its work on behalf of young people facing educational and social disadvantages, and highlighted that “through the power of music, you are contributing to the Church’s mission of promoting the integral development of every human person in service of the common good. May God bless your efforts.”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.

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The Holy Father made his remarks at an event organized by the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation.

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Archbishop Wenski meets lawmakers to gain support for Haitian migrants amid deportation fears #Catholic Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski traveled to Washington, D.C., on July 28 to advocate on behalf of Haitian migrants who fear they will soon be targets of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.Wenski’s meetings with lawmakers came one day after the expiration of the automatic work‑permit extension under temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians. The Supreme Court ruled last month that the administration has the authority to terminate TPS, which ended their work authorization and could subject them to deportation orders. “Haiti is a house on fire,” Wenski told “EWTN News Nightly” Capitol Hill correspondent Erik Rosales before entering the office of Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia.The archbishop said TPS expiration and possible deportation of hundreds of thousands of Haitians is bad for the migrants — who would be sent back to an unstable country — and for the American communities in which the migrants live and work. About 353,000 Haitian nationals hold TPS status in the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).“To think that we can send 350,000 people back to Haiti without that having very bad consequences in Haiti — but also here because these people are working, they’re not on the dole, they’re working, and if they’re removed from their jobs, if they lose their work permits, that’s going to have a negative economic impact on the communities in which they live,” Wenski said.As Haitian TPS status ends, some lawmakers have introduced bills to compel the DHS to extend the status. In April, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation, H.R. 1689, that would extend TPS for Haitians for three more years. No legislative efforts have gained traction in the Senate.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has advocated strongly on behalf of Haitian migrants, asking the Trump administration and lawmakers to extend TPS. About two-thirds of Haiti is Catholic.Chieko Noguchi, spokeswoman for the USCCB, told EWTN News that Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, USCCB Committee on Migration chair, “has encouraged his brother bishops across the country to engage with their elected officials” on Haitian TPS status and broader immigration reform efforts.“As pastors committed to upholding the common good, the bishops are actively engaging in this dialogue and continue to be grateful for the opportunity to do so, which they acknowledged in their special message last November,” she said.In November 2025, the USCCB adopted a message in a 216-5 vote that opposed the “indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and policies that revoke the legal status of migrants, such as the terminations of TPS for various groups of migrants.Kaine, an advocate for extending TPS, told EWTN News after meeting with Wenski that he was glad “to discuss the critical need for Congress to do what is right and protect TPS holders who have been in the U.S. legally for years” and looks forward to working with the USCCB to advocate for TPS holders.TPS holders “have made countless contributions in important sectors such as healthcare and construction, and developed deep roots in our communities through their U.S. citizen families and businesses,” he added. “Many TPS holders, such as those from Haiti, should not be forced to return to the extremely dangerous conditions that made them seek safety in the United States.”Status of Haitian migrantsOn July 27, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin reposted a DHS post on X, which said “temporary protected status is exactly that — TEMPORARY” and urged anyone whose TPS has expired to self-deport out of the U.S.“For those with terminated TPS: it’s closing time,” the post read. “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”When asked whether DHS intends to specifically target Haitians for deportation amid the TPS expiration, a spokesperson told EWTN News that the department “does not discuss ongoing or future operations” but is conducting law enforcement activities daily.“For too long, TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program despite Congress never intending it to be permanent,” the spokesperson said.Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and a resident fellow in law and policy for the Center for Immigration Studies, told EWTN News that TPS was initially approved for Haiti in 2010 after a devastating earthquake.Although Haiti continues to face serious safety and political stability concerns, he said the effects of the earthquake no longer impact the country. He noted that Haitians can apply for permanent status under other programs, such as if they are eligible for asylum, but that TPS is not a permanent resettlement program.Arthur said Haitians who are in the U.S. under temporary legal status “had the opportunity to work in the United States and make money” and learn skills, which they can take back “to Haiti and [it can] help them make Haiti a better country.”The former judge said he expects immigration enforcement toward Haitians to be part of “the larger enforcement efforts” rather than a targeted campaign against Haitians, with a priority toward people who have been convicted of crimes.“The response [now] is foreign aid on the part of the United States and aid from the Catholic Church toward making Haiti a better place,” Arthur said.TPS status for Syrian migrants also ended on July 27. El Salvador’s TPS designation is set to expire Sept. 9.
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Archbishop Wenski meets lawmakers to gain support for Haitian migrants amid deportation fears #Catholic Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski traveled to Washington, D.C., on July 28 to advocate on behalf of Haitian migrants who fear they will soon be targets of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.Wenski’s meetings with lawmakers came one day after the expiration of the automatic work‑permit extension under temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians. The Supreme Court ruled last month that the administration has the authority to terminate TPS, which ended their work authorization and could subject them to deportation orders. “Haiti is a house on fire,” Wenski told “EWTN News Nightly” Capitol Hill correspondent Erik Rosales before entering the office of Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia.The archbishop said TPS expiration and possible deportation of hundreds of thousands of Haitians is bad for the migrants — who would be sent back to an unstable country — and for the American communities in which the migrants live and work. About 353,000 Haitian nationals hold TPS status in the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).“To think that we can send 350,000 people back to Haiti without that having very bad consequences in Haiti — but also here because these people are working, they’re not on the dole, they’re working, and if they’re removed from their jobs, if they lose their work permits, that’s going to have a negative economic impact on the communities in which they live,” Wenski said.As Haitian TPS status ends, some lawmakers have introduced bills to compel the DHS to extend the status. In April, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation, H.R. 1689, that would extend TPS for Haitians for three more years. No legislative efforts have gained traction in the Senate.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has advocated strongly on behalf of Haitian migrants, asking the Trump administration and lawmakers to extend TPS. About two-thirds of Haiti is Catholic.Chieko Noguchi, spokeswoman for the USCCB, told EWTN News that Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, USCCB Committee on Migration chair, “has encouraged his brother bishops across the country to engage with their elected officials” on Haitian TPS status and broader immigration reform efforts.“As pastors committed to upholding the common good, the bishops are actively engaging in this dialogue and continue to be grateful for the opportunity to do so, which they acknowledged in their special message last November,” she said.In November 2025, the USCCB adopted a message in a 216-5 vote that opposed the “indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and policies that revoke the legal status of migrants, such as the terminations of TPS for various groups of migrants.Kaine, an advocate for extending TPS, told EWTN News after meeting with Wenski that he was glad “to discuss the critical need for Congress to do what is right and protect TPS holders who have been in the U.S. legally for years” and looks forward to working with the USCCB to advocate for TPS holders.TPS holders “have made countless contributions in important sectors such as healthcare and construction, and developed deep roots in our communities through their U.S. citizen families and businesses,” he added. “Many TPS holders, such as those from Haiti, should not be forced to return to the extremely dangerous conditions that made them seek safety in the United States.”Status of Haitian migrantsOn July 27, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin reposted a DHS post on X, which said “temporary protected status is exactly that — TEMPORARY” and urged anyone whose TPS has expired to self-deport out of the U.S.“For those with terminated TPS: it’s closing time,” the post read. “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”When asked whether DHS intends to specifically target Haitians for deportation amid the TPS expiration, a spokesperson told EWTN News that the department “does not discuss ongoing or future operations” but is conducting law enforcement activities daily.“For too long, TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program despite Congress never intending it to be permanent,” the spokesperson said.Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and a resident fellow in law and policy for the Center for Immigration Studies, told EWTN News that TPS was initially approved for Haiti in 2010 after a devastating earthquake.Although Haiti continues to face serious safety and political stability concerns, he said the effects of the earthquake no longer impact the country. He noted that Haitians can apply for permanent status under other programs, such as if they are eligible for asylum, but that TPS is not a permanent resettlement program.Arthur said Haitians who are in the U.S. under temporary legal status “had the opportunity to work in the United States and make money” and learn skills, which they can take back “to Haiti and [it can] help them make Haiti a better country.”The former judge said he expects immigration enforcement toward Haitians to be part of “the larger enforcement efforts” rather than a targeted campaign against Haitians, with a priority toward people who have been convicted of crimes.“The response [now] is foreign aid on the part of the United States and aid from the Catholic Church toward making Haiti a better place,” Arthur said.TPS status for Syrian migrants also ended on July 27. El Salvador’s TPS designation is set to expire Sept. 9.

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The Department of Homeland Security defended its policy, saying temporary protected status was not meant to be permanent.

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Brownsville, Texas, bishop addresses plight of nun, others like her facing deportation – #Catholic – While he is thankful and relieved that Sister Leticia Ugboaja will be able to remain serving in the Rio Grande Valley as her immigration case continues, Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, Bishop Daniel Flores said July 29 that the outcome of her situation is still “an open question,” as it is for many others in similar circumstances.    The Texas bishop, who also serves as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), released a statement following Ugboaja’s July 28 ICE check-in, at which she was informed third-country removal was not off the table. “We are grateful to God for Tuesday’s news that Sister Leticia ‘Letty’ Ugboaja will be able remain in our community while her case is allowed to move forward,” Flores said. While the Church feels “some relief” at the moment, he added, “we also remember that it is important to continue praying for and accompanying the many individuals and families who live in fear and anxiety as they seek a way to resolve their immigration status.”“The prospect of deportation to a third country frightens many persons who, like Sister Letty, have violated no laws, and who have been granted permission to stay while conditions in their country of origin remain life-threatening,” Flores said. Flores recalled the special message the USCCB issued in November 2025 in which the bishops urged meaningful immigration reform. “We can be a nation of both respect for law and of well-considered compassion for persons at risk in their own countries,” Flores pointed out, calling for political consensus that “defends the common good, protects the vulnerable, and treats all persons whose immigration status is being reviewed with humanity.”“May God guide us in building a society reflecting both justice and mercy,” he emphasized.Status of Sister LettyOn July 28, Ugboaja’s attorney, Carlos Garcia, told reporters gathered outside the ICE field office where her check-in took place that the possibility of third-country removal “is very concerning for us … That is obviously not what we want. And that’s why we are exploring all our legal alternatives.”Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, was detained by two ICE agents on Sunday, June 28, as she walked to Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, where she serves as a Eucharistic minister.She was released the same day after the intervention of several political leaders. Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, where Sister Leticia Ugboaja was headed from her residence a block away when she was detained by ICE agents on June 28, 2026. | Credit: Amira Abuzeid/EWTN News At a press conference last week, Garcia said an immigration judge denied Ugboaja’s application for asylum in 2019 but did grant her protection from removal to Nigeria under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, finding it was likely she would be tortured if she returned there.Garcia said this protection legally bars the U.S. government from deporting her to Nigeria, though she remains under a final order of removal and could be sent to a third country.After Ugboaja’s July 28 check-in, her attorney expressed gratitude that the nun, who has lived in the United States for nearly two decades and has never missed an immigration appointment, was not detained and not required to wear an ankle monitor, possibilities he had discussed last week. The nun has another check-in scheduled for Jan. 28, 2027.
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Brownsville, Texas, bishop addresses plight of nun, others like her facing deportation – #Catholic – While he is thankful and relieved that Sister Leticia Ugboaja will be able to remain serving in the Rio Grande Valley as her immigration case continues, Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, Bishop Daniel Flores said July 29 that the outcome of her situation is still “an open question,” as it is for many others in similar circumstances.    The Texas bishop, who also serves as vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), released a statement following Ugboaja’s July 28 ICE check-in, at which she was informed third-country removal was not off the table. “We are grateful to God for Tuesday’s news that Sister Leticia ‘Letty’ Ugboaja will be able remain in our community while her case is allowed to move forward,” Flores said. While the Church feels “some relief” at the moment, he added, “we also remember that it is important to continue praying for and accompanying the many individuals and families who live in fear and anxiety as they seek a way to resolve their immigration status.”“The prospect of deportation to a third country frightens many persons who, like Sister Letty, have violated no laws, and who have been granted permission to stay while conditions in their country of origin remain life-threatening,” Flores said. Flores recalled the special message the USCCB issued in November 2025 in which the bishops urged meaningful immigration reform. “We can be a nation of both respect for law and of well-considered compassion for persons at risk in their own countries,” Flores pointed out, calling for political consensus that “defends the common good, protects the vulnerable, and treats all persons whose immigration status is being reviewed with humanity.”“May God guide us in building a society reflecting both justice and mercy,” he emphasized.Status of Sister LettyOn July 28, Ugboaja’s attorney, Carlos Garcia, told reporters gathered outside the ICE field office where her check-in took place that the possibility of third-country removal “is very concerning for us … That is obviously not what we want. And that’s why we are exploring all our legal alternatives.”Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, was detained by two ICE agents on Sunday, June 28, as she walked to Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, where she serves as a Eucharistic minister.She was released the same day after the intervention of several political leaders. Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, where Sister Leticia Ugboaja was headed from her residence a block away when she was detained by ICE agents on June 28, 2026. | Credit: Amira Abuzeid/EWTN News At a press conference last week, Garcia said an immigration judge denied Ugboaja’s application for asylum in 2019 but did grant her protection from removal to Nigeria under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, finding it was likely she would be tortured if she returned there.Garcia said this protection legally bars the U.S. government from deporting her to Nigeria, though she remains under a final order of removal and could be sent to a third country.After Ugboaja’s July 28 check-in, her attorney expressed gratitude that the nun, who has lived in the United States for nearly two decades and has never missed an immigration appointment, was not detained and not required to wear an ankle monitor, possibilities he had discussed last week. The nun has another check-in scheduled for Jan. 28, 2027.

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“We can be a nation of both respect for law and of well-considered compassion for persons at risk in their own countries,” Bishop Daniel Flores said.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 30 July 2026 – A reading from the Book of Jeremiah 18:1-6 This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Rise up, be off to the potter’s house; there I will give you my message. I went down to the potter’s house and there he was,  working at the wheel. Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand,  he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.From the Gospel according to Matthew 13:47-53 Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of discernment with images taken from ordinary life; for example, he describes the fishers who select the good fish and discard the bad ones. (…) It takes intelligence, skill, and also will to make a good choice. And there is also a price required for discernment to become effective. To perform his trade to the best of his ability, the fisherman reckons with hard work, long nights spent at sea, and then the fact of discarding some of the catch, accepting a loss of profit for the sake of those for whom it is intended. (…) Everyone has to make decisions; there is no one to make them for us. At a certain point, adults can freely ask for advice, reflect, but the decision is our own. We can’t say, ‘I lost this, because my husband decided, my wife decided, my brother decided’. No. You have to decide, each of us has to decide. (…) In the final judgement God will exercise discernment — the great discernment — with regard to us. (…) And in a good decision, correct, there is an encounter between God’s will and our will. (…)  Discernment is demanding but indispensable for living. It requires that I know myself, that I know what is good for me here and now. Above all, it requires a filial relationship with God. God is Father and He does not leave us alone, He is always willing to advise us, to encourage us, to welcome us. But He never imposes His will. Why? Because He wants to be loved and not feared. And also, God wants children, not slaves: free children. And love can only be lived in freedom. (…) Let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us! Let us invoke Him every day, especially when we have choices to make. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 31 agosto 2022)

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A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
18:1-6

This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Rise up, be off to the potter’s house;
there I will give you my message.
I went down to the potter’s house and there he was, 
working at the wheel.
Whenever the object of clay which he was making
turned out badly in his hand, 
he tried again,
making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
Can I not do to you, house of Israel,
as this potter has done? says the LORD.
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of discernment with images taken from ordinary life; for example, he describes the fishers who select the good fish and discard the bad ones. (…) It takes intelligence, skill, and also will to make a good choice. And there is also a price required for discernment to become effective. To perform his trade to the best of his ability, the fisherman reckons with hard work, long nights spent at sea, and then the fact of discarding some of the catch, accepting a loss of profit for the sake of those for whom it is intended. (…) Everyone has to make decisions; there is no one to make them for us. At a certain point, adults can freely ask for advice, reflect, but the decision is our own. We can’t say, ‘I lost this, because my husband decided, my wife decided, my brother decided’. No. You have to decide, each of us has to decide. (…) In the final judgement God will exercise discernment — the great discernment — with regard to us. (…) And in a good decision, correct, there is an encounter between God’s will and our will. (…)  Discernment is demanding but indispensable for living. It requires that I know myself, that I know what is good for me here and now. Above all, it requires a filial relationship with God. God is Father and He does not leave us alone, He is always willing to advise us, to encourage us, to welcome us. But He never imposes His will. Why? Because He wants to be loved and not feared. And also, God wants children, not slaves: free children. And love can only be lived in freedom. (…) Let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us! Let us invoke Him every day, especially when we have choices to make. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 31 agosto 2022)

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UK’s Burnham says assisted dying debate must follow fixes to palliative care – #Catholic – U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said debates on assisted suicide should be delayed until the country’s palliative and social care systems have been reformed."Personally, I think thereʼs something that needs to happen first, and thatʼs the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” Burnham said on July 29. "I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care.”Burnham spoke with reporters after outlining his social‑care reform plans at Jewish Care in Golders Green, a northwest London suburb. Burnham, a Catholic, praised the facility for its “model of community” and the Jewish values that shape its care in a July 29 op-ed following the speech.“They understand that care means treating people not as the sum of their different ailments, but as a human being with history and character, deserving of all the dignity and respect that comes with that,” he wrote. “Building a stronger care system and building a stronger country begin with the same belief: that every person belongs, that every community matters, and that no one should ever be made to feel like a stranger in the place they call home.”Burnham said England must urgently fix social care, which supports people with daily living needs. The U.K.’s publicly funded national health system cannot recover without it, Burnham said.Burnham’s speech came after the House of Commons passed the end-of-life bill, but the measure did not advance in the House of Lords. The bill will be debated again in the next parliamentary session.
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UK’s Burnham says assisted dying debate must follow fixes to palliative care – #Catholic – U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said debates on assisted suicide should be delayed until the country’s palliative and social care systems have been reformed."Personally, I think thereʼs something that needs to happen first, and thatʼs the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” Burnham said on July 29. "I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care.”Burnham spoke with reporters after outlining his social‑care reform plans at Jewish Care in Golders Green, a northwest London suburb. Burnham, a Catholic, praised the facility for its “model of community” and the Jewish values that shape its care in a July 29 op-ed following the speech.“They understand that care means treating people not as the sum of their different ailments, but as a human being with history and character, deserving of all the dignity and respect that comes with that,” he wrote. “Building a stronger care system and building a stronger country begin with the same belief: that every person belongs, that every community matters, and that no one should ever be made to feel like a stranger in the place they call home.”Burnham said England must urgently fix social care, which supports people with daily living needs. The U.K.’s publicly funded national health system cannot recover without it, Burnham said.Burnham’s speech came after the House of Commons passed the end-of-life bill, but the measure did not advance in the House of Lords. The bill will be debated again in the next parliamentary session.

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“Personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first, and that’s the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said.

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Is NASA’s Swift Boost Mission spinning away?

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The one-off spacecraft built to save a struggling NASA space telescope is now in trouble of its own. Over the weekend, Katalyst Space’s LINK spacecraft lost two of its three reaction wheels, sending it into an uncontrolled spin and interrupting its communications link with the ground. What is LINK? The Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocketContinue reading “Is NASA’s Swift Boost Mission spinning away?”

The post Is NASA’s Swift Boost Mission spinning away? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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