’60 Minutes’ Begins Search For New Pompous Blowhard #BabylonBee – NEW YORK, NY — After the firing of longtime contributor Scott Pelley due to ongoing conflicts with producers, the long-running CBS News program 60 Minutes began its search for a new pompous blowhard.
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’60 Minutes’ Begins Search For New Pompous Blowhard #BabylonBee – NEW YORK, NY — After the firing of longtime contributor Scott Pelley due to ongoing conflicts with producers, the long-running CBS News program 60 Minutes began its search for a new pompous blowhard.

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NEW YORK, NY — After the firing of longtime contributor Scott Pelley due to ongoing conflicts with producers, the long-running CBS News program 60 Minutes began its search for a new pompous blowhard.

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California Announces They Have Finished Counting The Votes, Ronald Reagan Has Won The 1966 Governor’s Race #BabylonBee – SACRAMENTO — California officials announced on Wednesday that they had finally finished counting the votes and Ronald Reagan had officially won the 1966 governor’s race.
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California Announces They Have Finished Counting The Votes, Ronald Reagan Has Won The 1966 Governor’s Race #BabylonBee – SACRAMENTO — California officials announced on Wednesday that they had finally finished counting the votes and Ronald Reagan had officially won the 1966 governor’s race.

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SACRAMENTO — California officials announced on Wednesday that they had finally finished counting the votes and Ronald Reagan had officially won the 1966 governor’s race.

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Encíclica: Las opiniones del Papa León sobre la teoría de la guerra justa y la histórica disculpa de la Iglesia por la esclavitud #Catholic – CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — En su primera encíclica, el Papa León XIV aprovechó una amplia reflexión sobre la inteligencia artificial para cuestionar si el marco de la guerra justa de la Iglesia Católica, vigente desde hace siglos, sigue siendo válido en la guerra moderna, y para pedir perdón por el papel de la Iglesia en la esclavitud. La encíclica del Santo Padre, titulada “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnífica Humanidad”), se centra principalmente en el desarrollo ético de la inteligencia artificial y los peligros que plantean las armas autónomas, el poder tecnológico concentrado y la erosión de la dignidad humana. Pero en el documento, el Papa León también hace varias intervenciones más amplias sobre la guerra, la violencia y la injusticia histórica. Al abordar estos temas, cuestionó la enseñanza católica sobre la teoría de la guerra justa en la guerra moderna y abordó la esclavitud de una manera sin precedentes. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. La teoría de la guerra justa, desarrollada en gran medida a través de los escritos de San Agustín y Santo Tomás de Aquino, ha sido aceptada durante siglos dentro de la doctrina católica para determinar si la guerra podría justificarse moralmente bajo condiciones estrictas. Establece que una nación debe hacer todo lo posible por evitar la violencia, considerando el costo humano, una causa justa y el esfuerzo por entablar negociaciones diplomáticas. Recientemente ha sido invocada por la administración Trump para justificar el conflicto en curso en el Medio Oriente. Pero el Papa León escribió que la teoría se ha vuelto cada vez más inadecuada en una era marcada por el armamento avanzado y la inteligencia artificial y “ahora está desactualizada” (el pontífice usó la palabra “outdated” en inglés, que también se puede traducir como “desfasada”. Cabe mencionar que el párrafo en cuestión de la versión en español de la encíclica explica esto de la siguiente manera: “Hoy más que nunca es importante reiterar la superación de la teoría de la ‘guerra justa’, invocada con demasiada frecuencia para justificar cualquier guerra, sin perjuicio del derecho a la legítima defensa, entendida en el sentido más estricto”). “La humanidad cuenta con instrumentos mucho más eficaces y capaces de promover la vida humana para afrontar los conflictos, como el diálogo, la diplomacia y el perdón”, escribió el Papa León. “El recurso a la fuerza, a la violencia y a las armas testimonia una pobreza relacional que siempre tiene consecuencias desastrosas para las poblaciones civiles”. El pontífice también introdujo criterios adicionales que, según él, deben tenerse en cuenta antes de recurrir a la guerra, entre ellos garantizar una cadena de responsabilidad clara cuando se utilizan tecnologías automatizadas en combate, establecer un “tiempo del juicio moral” en una era en la que la inteligencia artificial puede acelerar las decisiones militares y salvaguardar a los civiles. En otra parte de la encíclica, el Papa León abordó la participación de la Iglesia Católica en el “flagelo de la esclavitud” en términos más amplios que muchos de sus predecesores. Los papas anteriores se han disculpado por casos más específicos, como la participación cristiana en el comercio transatlántico de esclavos, pero el Papa León pareció enmarcar la responsabilidad de la Iglesia en términos más institucionales. “Es inevitable sentir un profundo dolor al considerar el enorme sufrimiento y humillación que la esclavitud ha significado para tantas personas, en contraste con la dignidad sin límites de cada una de ellas, amadas infinitamente por el Señor”, escribió. “Por eso, en nombre de la Iglesia, pido sinceramente perdón”. Los comentarios del Papa llamaron inmediatamente la atención porque ambos temas –la teoría de la guerra justa y la responsabilidad institucional por la esclavitud– representan enfoques novedosos. Anna Rowlands, profesora de teología política y doctrina social católica en Durham University en Inglaterra, habló con Catholic News Service sobre la importancia de las declaraciones del Papa y cómo encajan dentro de los temas más amplios de “Magnifica Humanitas”. Esta entrevista ha sido editada para mayor claridad y brevedad: CNS: Hablando del hecho de que esta primera encíclica aborda muchos de los temas que ha planteado a lo largo de su papado, algo que realmente nos llamó la atención fue su teoría de la guerra justa y cómo dijo que estaba desactualizada (según la traducción en inglés de la encíclica). Me gustaría conocer su opinión al respecto. Si está desactualizada, ¿habrá una nueva teoría que la reemplace? ¿Ve elementos de eso a lo largo de esta encíclica Rowlands: Bueno, en realidad, el Papa León se suma a una conversación que lleva tiempo desarrollándose a través de encíclicas recientes y documentos eclesiásticos más amplios sobre cómo mantenemos exactamente el dinamismo del compromiso de la Iglesia con la paz como el único y verdadero objetivo final a la vista. Así que la tradición de la guerra justa se desarrolló, obviamente, desde la Iglesia primitiva, desde los primeros siglos –incluida la contribución muy significativa de Agustín a ella, la contribución de Santo Tomás de Aquino– y luego, en la era moderna, esa tradición se desarrolló para tratar de averiguar cómo mantener la paz en el mundo y fomentar la idea de que se podían construir comunidades humanas sostenibles, estables y comprometidas con la justicia. Así que la pregunta es: ¿en qué medida la teoría de la guerra justa –que es una teoría, una forma de pensar colectivamente sobre cómo alcanzar esos fines– sirve como marco, como una especie de arquitectura moral para pensar en el mundo en el que vivimos hoy? Y en los últimos papados –no solo el del Papa León en este momento, sino en los últimos papados– ha habido un intento de reevaluar la utilidad de esa teoría para el mundo moderno. Sin rechazar la teoría de plano, la valoración ha sido: a veces puede ser demasiado fácil invocar la teoría de la guerra justa en el mundo en el que vivimos ahora, demasiado rápido para justificar la violencia, la intervención y la fuerza, en lugar de hacer una pausa y tomar distancia de ella. Así que la pregunta es: ¿puede la teoría de la guerra justa utilizarse a veces para justificar la violencia donde tal vez queramos ver paz? No es que la Iglesia haya rechazado esa tradición –y vimos al Papa León hacerlo muy recientemente–; él se basó en la tradición de la guerra justa en relación con Irán y el conflicto allí, para decir que debemos recordar que esto no cumple con los criterios de la teoría de la guerra justa. Eso es lo que muchos de los obispos estadounidenses –los obispos de EE.UU.– también están diciendo. Así que seguimos basándonos en eso. Se puede ver su utilidad e importancia ahí. Pero lo que hace la encíclica es decir que no confiemos solo en eso y que debemos continuar este discernimiento permanente sobre el desempeño moral de la teoría de la guerra justa. ¿En qué medida nos ayuda a alcanzar los verdaderos fines, que son una paz justa para todos dentro de un orden global y también dentro de las naciones? Y así, en este momento, la encíclica nos insta a decir que no se puede utilizar la teoría de la guerra justa como un medio legítimo para precipitarse hacia la agresión y la violencia; y que necesitamos encontrar algo así como una teoría de la guerra justa plus para alcanzar verdaderamente los fines de la paz justa. Recuerden, ese es el enfoque. No es solo una consideración de libro de texto que nos permita legitimar la dominación. Y lo que es realmente importante aquí es que él está evaluando la teoría de la guerra justa en una era tecnológica. Porque todo en este documento analiza lo que significa vivir en un tiempo, una era, un momento en el que la tecnología –estamos aquí sentados con micrófonos, ahora tú estás frente a una computadora portátil– está totalmente presente en esta conversación. ¿Cómo afecta eso a la guerra Y él deja muy claro que conduce a la despersonalización, conduce a una aceleración, a una rapidez en las decisiones. Y parece significar que tenemos una comprensión mucho menos tangible de lo que realmente implica cualquier uso de la violencia –incluso si fuera en defensa propia, legítima– y de cómo se crean intervalos de reflexión, verdadera transparencia y rendición de cuentas. Así que, si leen la sección del documento que sigue a su crítica de la teoría de la guerra justa, él establece algunas condiciones –las llama criterios de juicio– que nos ayudan a considerar qué haríamos ahora dado el contexto de la guerra moderna en el que nos encontramos. Así que quiere que evaluemos moralmente tanto la práctica como la teoría, casi mirando más allá de ellas hacia un marco que las abarca pero que nos lleva más allá. Y nos ofrece nuevos criterios para una era de guerra altamente impulsada por la tecnología. CNS: Otra cosa que nos pareció muy interesante fue –creo que este fue uno de los raros momentos en los que lo vimos pedir perdón por la tolerancia de larga data de la Iglesia hacia la esclavitud. ¿Podrías hablarme un poco qué pensaste de eso y si crees que era el momento adecuado? ¿Crees que realmente tendrá un impacto? Rowlands: Sí. Cuando leí por primera vez esos párrafos del documento, me impactaron mucho. Y me impactaron por dos razones desde dos perspectivas diferentes. Una es que las disculpas que la Iglesia ha ofrecido a los esclavos en el pasado –desde la época de Juan Pablo II en adelante, incluidas las del Papa Francisco– han sido, en general, expresiones del más profundo dolor y arrepentimiento por la participación de cristianos individuales en la legitimación de lo que siempre es la propiedad ilegítima y la subyugación de otro ser humano. Lo que hace este texto es llevarnos un poco más allá hacia el debate sobre la Iglesia y el lenguaje de la Iglesia, no solo sobre los cristianos individuales. Así que hay un sentido mucho mayor de responsabilidad colectiva por lo que se hace en nombre de la Iglesia. Hay un cambio en el marco lingüístico aquí que, en mi opinión, tiene que ver con llevar el tema de la esclavitud y el legado de la esclavitud a un espacio colectivo de rendición de cuentas, responsabilidad y discernimiento. Esto enlaza con la segunda parte que más me llamó la atención, que es que no se trata solo de un momento repentino de pedir perdón por la esclavitud; sino que se da en el contexto de pensar en la esclavitud contemporánea hoy y en el hecho de que, en una era tecnológica donde existen nuevas formas de subyugación y esclavitud, la Dra. (Leocadie) Lushombo habló hoy en su intervención sobre esas nuevas formas de esclavitud en la era digital: las industrias extractivas, la minería, la trata de personas, etc. Básicamente nos está diciendo: no queremos encontrarnos dentro de 100 años en otro momento de la historia en el que, una vez más, tengamos que pedir perdón por no haber abordado la esclavitud de nuestra propia era hoy. Así que está diciendo que, si voy a hablar con autoridad –habiendo comprendido ahora la urgencia del asunto–, también debo enfrentarme al pasado histórico.
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Encíclica: Las opiniones del Papa León sobre la teoría de la guerra justa y la histórica disculpa de la Iglesia por la esclavitud #Catholic – CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — En su primera encíclica, el Papa León XIV aprovechó una amplia reflexión sobre la inteligencia artificial para cuestionar si el marco de la guerra justa de la Iglesia Católica, vigente desde hace siglos, sigue siendo válido en la guerra moderna, y para pedir perdón por el papel de la Iglesia en la esclavitud. La encíclica del Santo Padre, titulada “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnífica Humanidad”), se centra principalmente en el desarrollo ético de la inteligencia artificial y los peligros que plantean las armas autónomas, el poder tecnológico concentrado y la erosión de la dignidad humana. Pero en el documento, el Papa León también hace varias intervenciones más amplias sobre la guerra, la violencia y la injusticia histórica. Al abordar estos temas, cuestionó la enseñanza católica sobre la teoría de la guerra justa en la guerra moderna y abordó la esclavitud de una manera sin precedentes. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. La teoría de la guerra justa, desarrollada en gran medida a través de los escritos de San Agustín y Santo Tomás de Aquino, ha sido aceptada durante siglos dentro de la doctrina católica para determinar si la guerra podría justificarse moralmente bajo condiciones estrictas. Establece que una nación debe hacer todo lo posible por evitar la violencia, considerando el costo humano, una causa justa y el esfuerzo por entablar negociaciones diplomáticas. Recientemente ha sido invocada por la administración Trump para justificar el conflicto en curso en el Medio Oriente. Pero el Papa León escribió que la teoría se ha vuelto cada vez más inadecuada en una era marcada por el armamento avanzado y la inteligencia artificial y “ahora está desactualizada” (el pontífice usó la palabra “outdated” en inglés, que también se puede traducir como “desfasada”. Cabe mencionar que el párrafo en cuestión de la versión en español de la encíclica explica esto de la siguiente manera: “Hoy más que nunca es importante reiterar la superación de la teoría de la ‘guerra justa’, invocada con demasiada frecuencia para justificar cualquier guerra, sin perjuicio del derecho a la legítima defensa, entendida en el sentido más estricto”). “La humanidad cuenta con instrumentos mucho más eficaces y capaces de promover la vida humana para afrontar los conflictos, como el diálogo, la diplomacia y el perdón”, escribió el Papa León. “El recurso a la fuerza, a la violencia y a las armas testimonia una pobreza relacional que siempre tiene consecuencias desastrosas para las poblaciones civiles”. El pontífice también introdujo criterios adicionales que, según él, deben tenerse en cuenta antes de recurrir a la guerra, entre ellos garantizar una cadena de responsabilidad clara cuando se utilizan tecnologías automatizadas en combate, establecer un “tiempo del juicio moral” en una era en la que la inteligencia artificial puede acelerar las decisiones militares y salvaguardar a los civiles. En otra parte de la encíclica, el Papa León abordó la participación de la Iglesia Católica en el “flagelo de la esclavitud” en términos más amplios que muchos de sus predecesores. Los papas anteriores se han disculpado por casos más específicos, como la participación cristiana en el comercio transatlántico de esclavos, pero el Papa León pareció enmarcar la responsabilidad de la Iglesia en términos más institucionales. “Es inevitable sentir un profundo dolor al considerar el enorme sufrimiento y humillación que la esclavitud ha significado para tantas personas, en contraste con la dignidad sin límites de cada una de ellas, amadas infinitamente por el Señor”, escribió. “Por eso, en nombre de la Iglesia, pido sinceramente perdón”. Los comentarios del Papa llamaron inmediatamente la atención porque ambos temas –la teoría de la guerra justa y la responsabilidad institucional por la esclavitud– representan enfoques novedosos. Anna Rowlands, profesora de teología política y doctrina social católica en Durham University en Inglaterra, habló con Catholic News Service sobre la importancia de las declaraciones del Papa y cómo encajan dentro de los temas más amplios de “Magnifica Humanitas”. Esta entrevista ha sido editada para mayor claridad y brevedad: CNS: Hablando del hecho de que esta primera encíclica aborda muchos de los temas que ha planteado a lo largo de su papado, algo que realmente nos llamó la atención fue su teoría de la guerra justa y cómo dijo que estaba desactualizada (según la traducción en inglés de la encíclica). Me gustaría conocer su opinión al respecto. Si está desactualizada, ¿habrá una nueva teoría que la reemplace? ¿Ve elementos de eso a lo largo de esta encíclica Rowlands: Bueno, en realidad, el Papa León se suma a una conversación que lleva tiempo desarrollándose a través de encíclicas recientes y documentos eclesiásticos más amplios sobre cómo mantenemos exactamente el dinamismo del compromiso de la Iglesia con la paz como el único y verdadero objetivo final a la vista. Así que la tradición de la guerra justa se desarrolló, obviamente, desde la Iglesia primitiva, desde los primeros siglos –incluida la contribución muy significativa de Agustín a ella, la contribución de Santo Tomás de Aquino– y luego, en la era moderna, esa tradición se desarrolló para tratar de averiguar cómo mantener la paz en el mundo y fomentar la idea de que se podían construir comunidades humanas sostenibles, estables y comprometidas con la justicia. Así que la pregunta es: ¿en qué medida la teoría de la guerra justa –que es una teoría, una forma de pensar colectivamente sobre cómo alcanzar esos fines– sirve como marco, como una especie de arquitectura moral para pensar en el mundo en el que vivimos hoy? Y en los últimos papados –no solo el del Papa León en este momento, sino en los últimos papados– ha habido un intento de reevaluar la utilidad de esa teoría para el mundo moderno. Sin rechazar la teoría de plano, la valoración ha sido: a veces puede ser demasiado fácil invocar la teoría de la guerra justa en el mundo en el que vivimos ahora, demasiado rápido para justificar la violencia, la intervención y la fuerza, en lugar de hacer una pausa y tomar distancia de ella. Así que la pregunta es: ¿puede la teoría de la guerra justa utilizarse a veces para justificar la violencia donde tal vez queramos ver paz? No es que la Iglesia haya rechazado esa tradición –y vimos al Papa León hacerlo muy recientemente–; él se basó en la tradición de la guerra justa en relación con Irán y el conflicto allí, para decir que debemos recordar que esto no cumple con los criterios de la teoría de la guerra justa. Eso es lo que muchos de los obispos estadounidenses –los obispos de EE.UU.– también están diciendo. Así que seguimos basándonos en eso. Se puede ver su utilidad e importancia ahí. Pero lo que hace la encíclica es decir que no confiemos solo en eso y que debemos continuar este discernimiento permanente sobre el desempeño moral de la teoría de la guerra justa. ¿En qué medida nos ayuda a alcanzar los verdaderos fines, que son una paz justa para todos dentro de un orden global y también dentro de las naciones? Y así, en este momento, la encíclica nos insta a decir que no se puede utilizar la teoría de la guerra justa como un medio legítimo para precipitarse hacia la agresión y la violencia; y que necesitamos encontrar algo así como una teoría de la guerra justa plus para alcanzar verdaderamente los fines de la paz justa. Recuerden, ese es el enfoque. No es solo una consideración de libro de texto que nos permita legitimar la dominación. Y lo que es realmente importante aquí es que él está evaluando la teoría de la guerra justa en una era tecnológica. Porque todo en este documento analiza lo que significa vivir en un tiempo, una era, un momento en el que la tecnología –estamos aquí sentados con micrófonos, ahora tú estás frente a una computadora portátil– está totalmente presente en esta conversación. ¿Cómo afecta eso a la guerra Y él deja muy claro que conduce a la despersonalización, conduce a una aceleración, a una rapidez en las decisiones. Y parece significar que tenemos una comprensión mucho menos tangible de lo que realmente implica cualquier uso de la violencia –incluso si fuera en defensa propia, legítima– y de cómo se crean intervalos de reflexión, verdadera transparencia y rendición de cuentas. Así que, si leen la sección del documento que sigue a su crítica de la teoría de la guerra justa, él establece algunas condiciones –las llama criterios de juicio– que nos ayudan a considerar qué haríamos ahora dado el contexto de la guerra moderna en el que nos encontramos. Así que quiere que evaluemos moralmente tanto la práctica como la teoría, casi mirando más allá de ellas hacia un marco que las abarca pero que nos lleva más allá. Y nos ofrece nuevos criterios para una era de guerra altamente impulsada por la tecnología. CNS: Otra cosa que nos pareció muy interesante fue –creo que este fue uno de los raros momentos en los que lo vimos pedir perdón por la tolerancia de larga data de la Iglesia hacia la esclavitud. ¿Podrías hablarme un poco qué pensaste de eso y si crees que era el momento adecuado? ¿Crees que realmente tendrá un impacto? Rowlands: Sí. Cuando leí por primera vez esos párrafos del documento, me impactaron mucho. Y me impactaron por dos razones desde dos perspectivas diferentes. Una es que las disculpas que la Iglesia ha ofrecido a los esclavos en el pasado –desde la época de Juan Pablo II en adelante, incluidas las del Papa Francisco– han sido, en general, expresiones del más profundo dolor y arrepentimiento por la participación de cristianos individuales en la legitimación de lo que siempre es la propiedad ilegítima y la subyugación de otro ser humano. Lo que hace este texto es llevarnos un poco más allá hacia el debate sobre la Iglesia y el lenguaje de la Iglesia, no solo sobre los cristianos individuales. Así que hay un sentido mucho mayor de responsabilidad colectiva por lo que se hace en nombre de la Iglesia. Hay un cambio en el marco lingüístico aquí que, en mi opinión, tiene que ver con llevar el tema de la esclavitud y el legado de la esclavitud a un espacio colectivo de rendición de cuentas, responsabilidad y discernimiento. Esto enlaza con la segunda parte que más me llamó la atención, que es que no se trata solo de un momento repentino de pedir perdón por la esclavitud; sino que se da en el contexto de pensar en la esclavitud contemporánea hoy y en el hecho de que, en una era tecnológica donde existen nuevas formas de subyugación y esclavitud, la Dra. (Leocadie) Lushombo habló hoy en su intervención sobre esas nuevas formas de esclavitud en la era digital: las industrias extractivas, la minería, la trata de personas, etc. Básicamente nos está diciendo: no queremos encontrarnos dentro de 100 años en otro momento de la historia en el que, una vez más, tengamos que pedir perdón por no haber abordado la esclavitud de nuestra propia era hoy. Así que está diciendo que, si voy a hablar con autoridad –habiendo comprendido ahora la urgencia del asunto–, también debo enfrentarme al pasado histórico.

unitedyam

Encíclica: Las opiniones del Papa León sobre la teoría de la guerra justa y la histórica disculpa de la Iglesia por la esclavitud #Catholic –

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — En su primera encíclica, el Papa León XIV aprovechó una amplia reflexión sobre la inteligencia artificial para cuestionar si el marco de la guerra justa de la Iglesia Católica, vigente desde hace siglos, sigue siendo válido en la guerra moderna, y para pedir perdón por el papel de la Iglesia en la esclavitud.

La encíclica del Santo Padre, titulada “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnífica Humanidad”), se centra principalmente en el desarrollo ético de la inteligencia artificial y los peligros que plantean las armas autónomas, el poder tecnológico concentrado y la erosión de la dignidad humana. Pero en el documento, el Papa León también hace varias intervenciones más amplias sobre la guerra, la violencia y la injusticia histórica.

Al abordar estos temas, cuestionó la enseñanza católica sobre la teoría de la guerra justa en la guerra moderna y abordó la esclavitud de una manera sin precedentes.

Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí.

La teoría de la guerra justa, desarrollada en gran medida a través de los escritos de San Agustín y Santo Tomás de Aquino, ha sido aceptada durante siglos dentro de la doctrina católica para determinar si la guerra podría justificarse moralmente bajo condiciones estrictas. Establece que una nación debe hacer todo lo posible por evitar la violencia, considerando el costo humano, una causa justa y el esfuerzo por entablar negociaciones diplomáticas. Recientemente ha sido invocada por la administración Trump para justificar el conflicto en curso en el Medio Oriente.

Pero el Papa León escribió que la teoría se ha vuelto cada vez más inadecuada en una era marcada por el armamento avanzado y la inteligencia artificial y “ahora está desactualizada” (el pontífice usó la palabra “outdated” en inglés, que también se puede traducir como “desfasada”. Cabe mencionar que el párrafo en cuestión de la versión en español de la encíclica explica esto de la siguiente manera: “Hoy más que nunca es importante reiterar la superación de la teoría de la ‘guerra justa’, invocada con demasiada frecuencia para justificar cualquier guerra, sin perjuicio del derecho a la legítima defensa, entendida en el sentido más estricto”).

“La humanidad cuenta con instrumentos mucho más eficaces y capaces de promover la vida humana para afrontar los conflictos, como el diálogo, la diplomacia y el perdón”, escribió el Papa León. “El recurso a la fuerza, a la violencia y a las armas testimonia una pobreza relacional que siempre tiene consecuencias desastrosas para las poblaciones civiles”.

El pontífice también introdujo criterios adicionales que, según él, deben tenerse en cuenta antes de recurrir a la guerra, entre ellos garantizar una cadena de responsabilidad clara cuando se utilizan tecnologías automatizadas en combate, establecer un “tiempo del juicio moral” en una era en la que la inteligencia artificial puede acelerar las decisiones militares y salvaguardar a los civiles.

En otra parte de la encíclica, el Papa León abordó la participación de la Iglesia Católica en el “flagelo de la esclavitud” en términos más amplios que muchos de sus predecesores. Los papas anteriores se han disculpado por casos más específicos, como la participación cristiana en el comercio transatlántico de esclavos, pero el Papa León pareció enmarcar la responsabilidad de la Iglesia en términos más institucionales.

“Es inevitable sentir un profundo dolor al considerar el enorme sufrimiento y humillación que la esclavitud ha significado para tantas personas, en contraste con la dignidad sin límites de cada una de ellas, amadas infinitamente por el Señor”, escribió. “Por eso, en nombre de la Iglesia, pido sinceramente perdón”.

Los comentarios del Papa llamaron inmediatamente la atención porque ambos temas –la teoría de la guerra justa y la responsabilidad institucional por la esclavitud– representan enfoques novedosos. Anna Rowlands, profesora de teología política y doctrina social católica en Durham University en Inglaterra, habló con Catholic News Service sobre la importancia de las declaraciones del Papa y cómo encajan dentro de los temas más amplios de “Magnifica Humanitas”.

Esta entrevista ha sido editada para mayor claridad y brevedad:

CNS: Hablando del hecho de que esta primera encíclica aborda muchos de los temas que ha planteado a lo largo de su papado, algo que realmente nos llamó la atención fue su teoría de la guerra justa y cómo dijo que estaba desactualizada (según la traducción en inglés de la encíclica). Me gustaría conocer su opinión al respecto. Si está desactualizada, ¿habrá una nueva teoría que la reemplace? ¿Ve elementos de eso a lo largo de esta encíclica

Rowlands: Bueno, en realidad, el Papa León se suma a una conversación que lleva tiempo desarrollándose a través de encíclicas recientes y documentos eclesiásticos más amplios sobre cómo mantenemos exactamente el dinamismo del compromiso de la Iglesia con la paz como el único y verdadero objetivo final a la vista. Así que la tradición de la guerra justa se desarrolló, obviamente, desde la Iglesia primitiva, desde los primeros siglos –incluida la contribución muy significativa de Agustín a ella, la contribución de Santo Tomás de Aquino– y luego, en la era moderna, esa tradición se desarrolló para tratar de averiguar cómo mantener la paz en el mundo y fomentar la idea de que se podían construir comunidades humanas sostenibles, estables y comprometidas con la justicia.

Así que la pregunta es: ¿en qué medida la teoría de la guerra justa –que es una teoría, una forma de pensar colectivamente sobre cómo alcanzar esos fines– sirve como marco, como una especie de arquitectura moral para pensar en el mundo en el que vivimos hoy?

Y en los últimos papados –no solo el del Papa León en este momento, sino en los últimos papados– ha habido un intento de reevaluar la utilidad de esa teoría para el mundo moderno. Sin rechazar la teoría de plano, la valoración ha sido: a veces puede ser demasiado fácil invocar la teoría de la guerra justa en el mundo en el que vivimos ahora, demasiado rápido para justificar la violencia, la intervención y la fuerza, en lugar de hacer una pausa y tomar distancia de ella.

Así que la pregunta es: ¿puede la teoría de la guerra justa utilizarse a veces para justificar la violencia donde tal vez queramos ver paz? No es que la Iglesia haya rechazado esa tradición –y vimos al Papa León hacerlo muy recientemente–; él se basó en la tradición de la guerra justa en relación con Irán y el conflicto allí, para decir que debemos recordar que esto no cumple con los criterios de la teoría de la guerra justa. Eso es lo que muchos de los obispos estadounidenses –los obispos de EE.UU.– también están diciendo. Así que seguimos basándonos en eso. Se puede ver su utilidad e importancia ahí.

Pero lo que hace la encíclica es decir que no confiemos solo en eso y que debemos continuar este discernimiento permanente sobre el desempeño moral de la teoría de la guerra justa. ¿En qué medida nos ayuda a alcanzar los verdaderos fines, que son una paz justa para todos dentro de un orden global y también dentro de las naciones? Y así, en este momento, la encíclica nos insta a decir que no se puede utilizar la teoría de la guerra justa como un medio legítimo para precipitarse hacia la agresión y la violencia; y que necesitamos encontrar algo así como una teoría de la guerra justa plus para alcanzar verdaderamente los fines de la paz justa. Recuerden, ese es el enfoque. No es solo una consideración de libro de texto que nos permita legitimar la dominación.

Y lo que es realmente importante aquí es que él está evaluando la teoría de la guerra justa en una era tecnológica. Porque todo en este documento analiza lo que significa vivir en un tiempo, una era, un momento en el que la tecnología –estamos aquí sentados con micrófonos, ahora tú estás frente a una computadora portátil– está totalmente presente en esta conversación.

¿Cómo afecta eso a la guerra Y él deja muy claro que conduce a la despersonalización, conduce a una aceleración, a una rapidez en las decisiones. Y parece significar que tenemos una comprensión mucho menos tangible de lo que realmente implica cualquier uso de la violencia –incluso si fuera en defensa propia, legítima– y de cómo se crean intervalos de reflexión, verdadera transparencia y rendición de cuentas. Así que, si leen la sección del documento que sigue a su crítica de la teoría de la guerra justa, él establece algunas condiciones –las llama criterios de juicio– que nos ayudan a considerar qué haríamos ahora dado el contexto de la guerra moderna en el que nos encontramos. Así que quiere que evaluemos moralmente tanto la práctica como la teoría, casi mirando más allá de ellas hacia un marco que las abarca pero que nos lleva más allá. Y nos ofrece nuevos criterios para una era de guerra altamente impulsada por la tecnología.

CNS: Otra cosa que nos pareció muy interesante fue –creo que este fue uno de los raros momentos en los que lo vimos pedir perdón por la tolerancia de larga data de la Iglesia hacia la esclavitud. ¿Podrías hablarme un poco qué pensaste de eso y si crees que era el momento adecuado? ¿Crees que realmente tendrá un impacto?

Rowlands: Sí. Cuando leí por primera vez esos párrafos del documento, me impactaron mucho. Y me impactaron por dos razones desde dos perspectivas diferentes. Una es que las disculpas que la Iglesia ha ofrecido a los esclavos en el pasado –desde la época de Juan Pablo II en adelante, incluidas las del Papa Francisco– han sido, en general, expresiones del más profundo dolor y arrepentimiento por la participación de cristianos individuales en la legitimación de lo que siempre es la propiedad ilegítima y la subyugación de otro ser humano. Lo que hace este texto es llevarnos un poco más allá hacia el debate sobre la Iglesia y el lenguaje de la Iglesia, no solo sobre los cristianos individuales.

Así que hay un sentido mucho mayor de responsabilidad colectiva por lo que se hace en nombre de la Iglesia. Hay un cambio en el marco lingüístico aquí que, en mi opinión, tiene que ver con llevar el tema de la esclavitud y el legado de la esclavitud a un espacio colectivo de rendición de cuentas, responsabilidad y discernimiento.

Esto enlaza con la segunda parte que más me llamó la atención, que es que no se trata solo de un momento repentino de pedir perdón por la esclavitud; sino que se da en el contexto de pensar en la esclavitud contemporánea hoy y en el hecho de que, en una era tecnológica donde existen nuevas formas de subyugación y esclavitud, la Dra. (Leocadie) Lushombo habló hoy en su intervención sobre esas nuevas formas de esclavitud en la era digital: las industrias extractivas, la minería, la trata de personas, etc. Básicamente nos está diciendo: no queremos encontrarnos dentro de 100 años en otro momento de la historia en el que, una vez más, tengamos que pedir perdón por no haber abordado la esclavitud de nuestra propia era hoy. Así que está diciendo que, si voy a hablar con autoridad –habiendo comprendido ahora la urgencia del asunto–, también debo enfrentarme al pasado histórico.

– CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — En su primera encíclica, el Papa León XIV aprovechó una amplia reflexión sobre la inteligencia artificial para cuestionar si el marco de la guerra justa de la Iglesia Católica, vigente desde hace siglos, sigue siendo válido en la guerra moderna, y para pedir perdón por el papel de la Iglesia en la esclavitud. La encíclica del Santo Padre, titulada “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnífica Humanidad”), se centra principalmente en el desarrollo ético de la inteligencia artificial y los peligros que plantean las armas autónomas, el poder tecnológico concentrado y la erosión de la dignidad humana. Pero en

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Ambiente seguro, causas de canonización y el Sagrado Corazón en la agenda de la reunión de los obispos de EEUU #Catholic – (OSV News) – La agenda de los obispos católicos de Estados Unidos para su reunión anual de primavera incluye temas como protocolos de entorno seguro, causas de canonización, el sínodo sobre la sinodalidad y la consagración de los Estados Unidos al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. La Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos se reunirá del 10 al 12 de junio para una asamblea plenaria de primavera en Orlando, Florida. Las sesiones públicas de la reunión, que tendrán lugar el 10 y 11 de junio, se transmitirán en vivo a través del sitio web de la USCCB (como se le conoce a la conferencia episcopal, por sus siglas en inglés) en usccb.org, según un comunicado de prensa emitido el 18 de mayo por la conferencia. El arzobispo Paul S. Coakley, de Oklahoma City, abrirá las sesiones públicas con su primer discurso como presidente de la USCCB, tras haber sido elegido durante la reunión anual de otoño de la conferencia en noviembre de 2025. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. También se dirigirá a los obispos el arzobispo Gabriele G. Caccia, quien fue nombrado nuncio papal en los Estados Unidos en marzo, tras haber servido anteriormente como observador permanente de la Santa Sede ante las Naciones Unidas. El arzobispo Caccia sucedió al cardenal Christophe Pierre, quien cumplió 80 años en enero y había ocupado el cargo desde 2016. La USCCB señaló en su comunicado que la agenda de la asamblea de junio “aún no se ha finalizado y está sujeta a cambios”, pero afirmó que se espera que se voten varios puntos de acción. Entre esos puntos se encuentra una revisión del “Estatuto para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes” de la USCCB (“Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People”), adoptada en 2002 a raíz de la aparición de varios escándalos de abusos por parte del clero. Conocido comúnmente como el Estatuto de Dallas (o la Carta de Dallas), el documento establece un conjunto exhaustivo de procedimientos para abordar las denuncias de abuso sexual de menores por parte del clero católico, e incluye directrices para la reconciliación, la sanación, la rendición de cuentas y la prevención del abuso. Sin especificar la revisión propuesta, la USCCB indicó en su comunicado que el punto del orden del día se refiere a “elementos de la Carta que los obispos han determinado que necesitan mejoras o un mayor desarrollo”. La revisión “se alinearía con la intención original de la Carta de salvaguardar a los menores”, al tiempo que reafirma el “compromiso continuo” de la USCCB con la prevención del abuso y el establecimiento de mecanismos para responder a las denuncias, señaló el comunicado. La USCCB señaló que su Comité para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes, presidido por el obispo Barry C. Knestout de Richmond, Virginia, busca “equilibrar su atención y sensibilidad hacia las víctimas sobrevivientes, con una conciencia del debido proceso, los derechos de los acusados” y “los aspectos pertinentes” del derecho canónico y otros documentos clave sobre el manejo de las denuncias de abuso por parte del clero. El comunicado de prensa citó en particular “Vox Estis Lux Mundi” (“Sois la luz del mundo”), el motu proprio del Papa Francisco que establece los procedimientos jurídicos a nivel mundial sobre cómo debe actuar la Iglesia ante los casos de abuso sexual por parte del clero, incluidos los incidentes que involucran a adultos vulnerables y los procedimientos para investigar a los obispos. Además, los obispos considerarán las posibles revisiones de los estatutos a la luz del Vademécum de junio de 2022 del Dicasterio para la Doctrina de la Fe del Vaticano, o guía para obispos, sobre los procedimientos para manejar los casos de abuso por parte del clero. También figuran en la agenda las consultas episcopales para dos causas de canonización: la de monseñor Joseph Francis Buh, un sacerdote misionero esloveno del siglo XIX que prestó su ministerio al pueblo ojibwe del norte de Minnesota; y la de John Rick Miller, un empresario estadounidense del siglo XX que fundó For the Love of God Worldwide, una asociación privada de fieles que promueve la consagración a Dios a través del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús y el Inmaculado Corazón de María. Las consultas forman parte del proceso establecido por la Iglesia para las evaluaciones de santidad. Si se obtiene la aprobación de la Santa Sede tras las consultas, el obispo diocesano puede convocar un tribunal diocesano para examinar más a fondo la vida del candidato. El Comité de Culto Divino de la USCCB completará los puntos de acción de la agenda, presentando fragmentos de dos textos para su consideración: una nueva edición del Leccionario para la Misa, que proporciona las lecturas de las Escrituras y el salmo para la liturgia de cada día; y el Suplemento del Misal Romano-Liturgia de las Horas de 2025. En la reunión de noviembre de la USCCB, el obispo Steven J. Lopes, presidente del Comité de Culto Divino, anunció que el Vaticano había aprobado una nueva edición de la Liturgia de las Horas, la antigua oración litúrgica diaria de la Iglesia que combina las Escrituras, los textos sagrados y los himnos para el culto en diversas horas. La asamblea de primavera también incluirá actualizaciones sobre una serie de temas adicionales, dijo la USCCB en su comunicado. Los obispos debatirán sobre la implementación y la evaluación del Sínodo sobre la sinodalidad, así como sobre las opiniones recabadas en los diálogos celebrados en noviembre en torno a “Formando la conciencia para ser ciudadanos files”, el documento doctrinal de la USCCB sobre la responsabilidad política de los católicos. Además, analizarán el 25.º aniversario de la implementación de “Ex Corde Ecclesia”, la constitución apostólica de San Juan Pablo II sobre las universidades católicas. Las discusiones también examinarán la pastoral carcelaria católica; la participación de la USCCB en la Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana en honor al 500.º aniversario de las apariciones marianas en lo que hoy es la Ciudad de México; y la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud 2027, que tendrá lugar en Seúl, Corea del Sur. Gina Christian es reportera multimedia de OSV News. Sígala en X en @GinaJesseReina.  
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Ambiente seguro, causas de canonización y el Sagrado Corazón en la agenda de la reunión de los obispos de EEUU #Catholic – (OSV News) – La agenda de los obispos católicos de Estados Unidos para su reunión anual de primavera incluye temas como protocolos de entorno seguro, causas de canonización, el sínodo sobre la sinodalidad y la consagración de los Estados Unidos al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. La Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos se reunirá del 10 al 12 de junio para una asamblea plenaria de primavera en Orlando, Florida. Las sesiones públicas de la reunión, que tendrán lugar el 10 y 11 de junio, se transmitirán en vivo a través del sitio web de la USCCB (como se le conoce a la conferencia episcopal, por sus siglas en inglés) en usccb.org, según un comunicado de prensa emitido el 18 de mayo por la conferencia. El arzobispo Paul S. Coakley, de Oklahoma City, abrirá las sesiones públicas con su primer discurso como presidente de la USCCB, tras haber sido elegido durante la reunión anual de otoño de la conferencia en noviembre de 2025. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. También se dirigirá a los obispos el arzobispo Gabriele G. Caccia, quien fue nombrado nuncio papal en los Estados Unidos en marzo, tras haber servido anteriormente como observador permanente de la Santa Sede ante las Naciones Unidas. El arzobispo Caccia sucedió al cardenal Christophe Pierre, quien cumplió 80 años en enero y había ocupado el cargo desde 2016. La USCCB señaló en su comunicado que la agenda de la asamblea de junio “aún no se ha finalizado y está sujeta a cambios”, pero afirmó que se espera que se voten varios puntos de acción. Entre esos puntos se encuentra una revisión del “Estatuto para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes” de la USCCB (“Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People”), adoptada en 2002 a raíz de la aparición de varios escándalos de abusos por parte del clero. Conocido comúnmente como el Estatuto de Dallas (o la Carta de Dallas), el documento establece un conjunto exhaustivo de procedimientos para abordar las denuncias de abuso sexual de menores por parte del clero católico, e incluye directrices para la reconciliación, la sanación, la rendición de cuentas y la prevención del abuso. Sin especificar la revisión propuesta, la USCCB indicó en su comunicado que el punto del orden del día se refiere a “elementos de la Carta que los obispos han determinado que necesitan mejoras o un mayor desarrollo”. La revisión “se alinearía con la intención original de la Carta de salvaguardar a los menores”, al tiempo que reafirma el “compromiso continuo” de la USCCB con la prevención del abuso y el establecimiento de mecanismos para responder a las denuncias, señaló el comunicado. La USCCB señaló que su Comité para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes, presidido por el obispo Barry C. Knestout de Richmond, Virginia, busca “equilibrar su atención y sensibilidad hacia las víctimas sobrevivientes, con una conciencia del debido proceso, los derechos de los acusados” y “los aspectos pertinentes” del derecho canónico y otros documentos clave sobre el manejo de las denuncias de abuso por parte del clero. El comunicado de prensa citó en particular “Vox Estis Lux Mundi” (“Sois la luz del mundo”), el motu proprio del Papa Francisco que establece los procedimientos jurídicos a nivel mundial sobre cómo debe actuar la Iglesia ante los casos de abuso sexual por parte del clero, incluidos los incidentes que involucran a adultos vulnerables y los procedimientos para investigar a los obispos. Además, los obispos considerarán las posibles revisiones de los estatutos a la luz del Vademécum de junio de 2022 del Dicasterio para la Doctrina de la Fe del Vaticano, o guía para obispos, sobre los procedimientos para manejar los casos de abuso por parte del clero. También figuran en la agenda las consultas episcopales para dos causas de canonización: la de monseñor Joseph Francis Buh, un sacerdote misionero esloveno del siglo XIX que prestó su ministerio al pueblo ojibwe del norte de Minnesota; y la de John Rick Miller, un empresario estadounidense del siglo XX que fundó For the Love of God Worldwide, una asociación privada de fieles que promueve la consagración a Dios a través del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús y el Inmaculado Corazón de María. Las consultas forman parte del proceso establecido por la Iglesia para las evaluaciones de santidad. Si se obtiene la aprobación de la Santa Sede tras las consultas, el obispo diocesano puede convocar un tribunal diocesano para examinar más a fondo la vida del candidato. El Comité de Culto Divino de la USCCB completará los puntos de acción de la agenda, presentando fragmentos de dos textos para su consideración: una nueva edición del Leccionario para la Misa, que proporciona las lecturas de las Escrituras y el salmo para la liturgia de cada día; y el Suplemento del Misal Romano-Liturgia de las Horas de 2025. En la reunión de noviembre de la USCCB, el obispo Steven J. Lopes, presidente del Comité de Culto Divino, anunció que el Vaticano había aprobado una nueva edición de la Liturgia de las Horas, la antigua oración litúrgica diaria de la Iglesia que combina las Escrituras, los textos sagrados y los himnos para el culto en diversas horas. La asamblea de primavera también incluirá actualizaciones sobre una serie de temas adicionales, dijo la USCCB en su comunicado. Los obispos debatirán sobre la implementación y la evaluación del Sínodo sobre la sinodalidad, así como sobre las opiniones recabadas en los diálogos celebrados en noviembre en torno a “Formando la conciencia para ser ciudadanos files”, el documento doctrinal de la USCCB sobre la responsabilidad política de los católicos. Además, analizarán el 25.º aniversario de la implementación de “Ex Corde Ecclesia”, la constitución apostólica de San Juan Pablo II sobre las universidades católicas. Las discusiones también examinarán la pastoral carcelaria católica; la participación de la USCCB en la Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana en honor al 500.º aniversario de las apariciones marianas en lo que hoy es la Ciudad de México; y la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud 2027, que tendrá lugar en Seúl, Corea del Sur. Gina Christian es reportera multimedia de OSV News. Sígala en X en @GinaJesseReina.  

unitedyam

Ambiente seguro, causas de canonización y el Sagrado Corazón en la agenda de la reunión de los obispos de EEUU #Catholic –

(OSV News) – La agenda de los obispos católicos de Estados Unidos para su reunión anual de primavera incluye temas como protocolos de entorno seguro, causas de canonización, el sínodo sobre la sinodalidad y la consagración de los Estados Unidos al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús.

La Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos se reunirá del 10 al 12 de junio para una asamblea plenaria de primavera en Orlando, Florida.
Las sesiones públicas de la reunión, que tendrán lugar el 10 y 11 de junio, se transmitirán en vivo a través del sitio web de la USCCB (como se le conoce a la conferencia episcopal, por sus siglas en inglés) en usccb.org, según un comunicado de prensa emitido el 18 de mayo por la conferencia.

El arzobispo Paul S. Coakley, de Oklahoma City, abrirá las sesiones públicas con su primer discurso como presidente de la USCCB, tras haber sido elegido durante la reunión anual de otoño de la conferencia en noviembre de 2025.

Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí.

También se dirigirá a los obispos el arzobispo Gabriele G. Caccia, quien fue nombrado nuncio papal en los Estados Unidos en marzo, tras haber servido anteriormente como observador permanente de la Santa Sede ante las Naciones Unidas. El arzobispo Caccia sucedió al cardenal Christophe Pierre, quien cumplió 80 años en enero y había ocupado el cargo desde 2016.

La USCCB señaló en su comunicado que la agenda de la asamblea de junio “aún no se ha finalizado y está sujeta a cambios”, pero afirmó que se espera que se voten varios puntos de acción.

Entre esos puntos se encuentra una revisión del “Estatuto para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes” de la USCCB (“Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People”), adoptada en 2002 a raíz de la aparición de varios escándalos de abusos por parte del clero. Conocido comúnmente como el Estatuto de Dallas (o la Carta de Dallas), el documento establece un conjunto exhaustivo de procedimientos para abordar las denuncias de abuso sexual de menores por parte del clero católico, e incluye directrices para la reconciliación, la sanación, la rendición de cuentas y la prevención del abuso.

Sin especificar la revisión propuesta, la USCCB indicó en su comunicado que el punto del orden del día se refiere a “elementos de la Carta que los obispos han determinado que necesitan mejoras o un mayor desarrollo”.

La revisión “se alinearía con la intención original de la Carta de salvaguardar a los menores”, al tiempo que reafirma el “compromiso continuo” de la USCCB con la prevención del abuso y el establecimiento de mecanismos para responder a las denuncias, señaló el comunicado.

La USCCB señaló que su Comité para la Protección de Niños y Jóvenes, presidido por el obispo Barry C. Knestout de Richmond, Virginia, busca “equilibrar su atención y sensibilidad hacia las víctimas sobrevivientes, con una conciencia del debido proceso, los derechos de los acusados” y “los aspectos pertinentes” del derecho canónico y otros documentos clave sobre el manejo de las denuncias de abuso por parte del clero.

El comunicado de prensa citó en particular “Vox Estis Lux Mundi” (“Sois la luz del mundo”), el motu proprio del Papa Francisco que establece los procedimientos jurídicos a nivel mundial sobre cómo debe actuar la Iglesia ante los casos de abuso sexual por parte del clero, incluidos los incidentes que involucran a adultos vulnerables y los procedimientos para investigar a los obispos.

Además, los obispos considerarán las posibles revisiones de los estatutos a la luz del Vademécum de junio de 2022 del Dicasterio para la Doctrina de la Fe del Vaticano, o guía para obispos, sobre los procedimientos para manejar los casos de abuso por parte del clero.

También figuran en la agenda las consultas episcopales para dos causas de canonización: la de monseñor Joseph Francis Buh, un sacerdote misionero esloveno del siglo XIX que prestó su ministerio al pueblo ojibwe del norte de Minnesota; y la de John Rick Miller, un empresario estadounidense del siglo XX que fundó For the Love of God Worldwide, una asociación privada de fieles que promueve la consagración a Dios a través del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús y el Inmaculado Corazón de María.

Las consultas forman parte del proceso establecido por la Iglesia para las evaluaciones de santidad. Si se obtiene la aprobación de la Santa Sede tras las consultas, el obispo diocesano puede convocar un tribunal diocesano para examinar más a fondo la vida del candidato.

El Comité de Culto Divino de la USCCB completará los puntos de acción de la agenda, presentando fragmentos de dos textos para su consideración: una nueva edición del Leccionario para la Misa, que proporciona las lecturas de las Escrituras y el salmo para la liturgia de cada día; y el Suplemento del Misal Romano-Liturgia de las Horas de 2025.

En la reunión de noviembre de la USCCB, el obispo Steven J. Lopes, presidente del Comité de Culto Divino, anunció que el Vaticano había aprobado una nueva edición de la Liturgia de las Horas, la antigua oración litúrgica diaria de la Iglesia que combina las Escrituras, los textos sagrados y los himnos para el culto en diversas horas.

La asamblea de primavera también incluirá actualizaciones sobre una serie de temas adicionales, dijo la USCCB en su comunicado.

Los obispos debatirán sobre la implementación y la evaluación del Sínodo sobre la sinodalidad, así como sobre las opiniones recabadas en los diálogos celebrados en noviembre en torno a “Formando la conciencia para ser ciudadanos files”, el documento doctrinal de la USCCB sobre la responsabilidad política de los católicos.

Además, analizarán el 25.º aniversario de la implementación de “Ex Corde Ecclesia”, la constitución apostólica de San Juan Pablo II sobre las universidades católicas.

Las discusiones también examinarán la pastoral carcelaria católica; la participación de la USCCB en la Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana en honor al 500.º aniversario de las apariciones marianas en lo que hoy es la Ciudad de México; y la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud 2027, que tendrá lugar en Seúl, Corea del Sur.

Gina Christian es reportera multimedia de OSV News. Sígala en X en @GinaJesseReina.

 

– (OSV News) – La agenda de los obispos católicos de Estados Unidos para su reunión anual de primavera incluye temas como protocolos de entorno seguro, causas de canonización, el sínodo sobre la sinodalidad y la consagración de los Estados Unidos al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. La Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos se reunirá del 10 al 12 de junio para una asamblea plenaria de primavera en Orlando, Florida. Las sesiones públicas de la reunión, que tendrán lugar el 10 y 11 de junio, se transmitirán en vivo a través del sitio web de la USCCB (como se

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Islamic State Killing Christians Across Congo: More Than 1,100 Dead and No End in Sight – While Christians are being slaughtered and kidnapped on a daily basis in Nigeria, Christians are also being massacred in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The post Islamic State Killing Christians Across Congo: More Than 1,100 Dead and No End in Sight appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Islamic State Killing Christians Across Congo: More Than 1,100 Dead and No End in Sight – While Christians are being slaughtered and kidnapped on a daily basis in Nigeria, Christians are also being massacred in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The post Islamic State Killing Christians Across Congo: More Than 1,100 Dead and No End in Sight appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Group of masked individuals holding firearms in a forest setting, associated with militant activities.

Group of masked individuals holding firearms in a forest setting, associated with militant activities.

While Christians are being slaughtered and kidnapped on a daily basis in Nigeria, Christians are also being massacred in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The post Islamic State Killing Christians Across Congo: More Than 1,100 Dead and No End in Sight appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Cause of Death for Missing Scientist and Nuclear Lab Employee Reportedly Revealed – The cause of death for the missing scientist who was discovered dead in a New Mexico forest has been reportedly revealed, but it is simply raising more questions. The post Cause of Death for Missing Scientist and Nuclear Lab Employee Reportedly Revealed appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Cause of Death for Missing Scientist and Nuclear Lab Employee Reportedly Revealed – The cause of death for the missing scientist who was discovered dead in a New Mexico forest has been reportedly revealed, but it is simply raising more questions. The post Cause of Death for Missing Scientist and Nuclear Lab Employee Reportedly Revealed appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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A woman wearing a cap smiles for a selfie outdoors against a clear blue sky and rolling hills.

A woman wearing a cap smiles for a selfie outdoors against a clear blue sky and rolling hills.

The cause of death for the missing scientist who was discovered dead in a New Mexico forest has been reportedly revealed, but it is simply raising more questions.

The post Cause of Death for Missing Scientist and Nuclear Lab Employee Reportedly Revealed appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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New DOJ Indictment Alleges Southern Poverty Law Center Funds Went to Hoods and Cross Burnings – On June 3, a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama returned a superseding indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, a second, expanded set of charges building on an original April 21 indictment,  alleging that .1 million in tax-exempt funds paid informants inside extremist organizations who then recruited new members and purchased materials for cross burnings and Ku Klux Klan robes and hoods. The post New DOJ Indictment Alleges Southern Poverty Law Center Funds Went to Hoods and Cross Burnings appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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New DOJ Indictment Alleges Southern Poverty Law Center Funds Went to Hoods and Cross Burnings – On June 3, a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama returned a superseding indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, a second, expanded set of charges building on an original April 21 indictment,  alleging that $4.1 million in tax-exempt funds paid informants inside extremist organizations who then recruited new members and purchased materials for cross burnings and Ku Klux Klan robes and hoods. The post New DOJ Indictment Alleges Southern Poverty Law Center Funds Went to Hoods and Cross Burnings appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Detective examining financial documents related to a hate group financing investigation, with a magnifying glass, computer, and legal scales in the background.

Detective examining financial documents related to a hate group financing investigation, with a magnifying glass, computer, and legal scales in the background.

On June 3, a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Alabama returned a superseding indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, a second, expanded set of charges building on an original April 21 indictment,  alleging that $4.1 million in tax-exempt funds paid informants inside extremist organizations who then recruited new members and purchased materials for cross burnings and Ku Klux Klan robes and hoods.

The post New DOJ Indictment Alleges Southern Poverty Law Center Funds Went to Hoods and Cross Burnings appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 04 June 2026 – A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a Moses said to the people: "Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God, has directed all your journeying in the desert, so as to test you by affliction and find out whether or not it was your intention to keep his commandments.  He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger, and then fed you with manna, a food unknown to you and your fathers, in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD. "Do not forget the LORD, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery; who guided you through the vast and terrible desert with its saraph serpents and scorpions, its parched and waterless ground; who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock and fed you in the desert with manna, a food unknown to your fathers."   A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians  10:16-17 Brothers and sisters: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.  From the Gospel according to John 6:51-58 Jesus said to the Jewish crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"  Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.  Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven.  Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever."Christ is God’s answer to our human hunger, because his Body is the bread of eternal life: Take this and eat of it, all of you! Jesus’ invitation reflects our daily experience: in order to remain alive, we need to nourish ourselves with life, drawing it from plants and animals. Yet eating something dead reminds us that we too, no matter how much we eat, will one day die. On the other hand, when we partake of Jesus, the living and true Bread, we live for him. By offering himself completely, the crucified and risen Lord delivers himself into our hands, and we realize that we were made to partake of God. Our hungry nature bears the mark of a need that is satisfied by the grace of the Eucharist. As Saint Augustine writes, Christ is truly bread that restores and does not run short; bread that can be eaten but not exhausted. The Eucharist, in fact, is the true, real, and substantial presence of the Saviour (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1413), who transforms bread into himself in order to transform us into himself. Living and life-giving, the Corpus Domini makes us, the Church herself, the Body of the Lord. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 22 June 2025)

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A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy
8:2-3, 14b-16a

Moses said to the people:
"Remember how for forty years now the LORD, your God,
has directed all your journeying in the desert,
so as to test you by affliction
and find out whether or not it was your intention
to keep his commandments. 
He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger,
and then fed you with manna,
a food unknown to you and your fathers,
in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the LORD.

"Do not forget the LORD, your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
that place of slavery;
who guided you through the vast and terrible desert
with its saraph serpents and scorpions,
its parched and waterless ground;
who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock
and fed you in the desert with manna,
a food unknown to your fathers."

 

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 
10:16-17

Brothers and sisters:
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.
 

From the Gospel according to John
6:51-58

Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."

The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you. 
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day. 
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink. 
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him. 
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me. 
This is the bread that came down from heaven. 
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."

Christ is God’s answer to our human hunger, because his Body is the bread of eternal life: Take this and eat of it, all of you! Jesus’ invitation reflects our daily experience: in order to remain alive, we need to nourish ourselves with life, drawing it from plants and animals. Yet eating something dead reminds us that we too, no matter how much we eat, will one day die. On the other hand, when we partake of Jesus, the living and true Bread, we live for him. By offering himself completely, the crucified and risen Lord delivers himself into our hands, and we realize that we were made to partake of God. Our hungry nature bears the mark of a need that is satisfied by the grace of the Eucharist. As Saint Augustine writes, Christ is truly bread that restores and does not run short; bread that can be eaten but not exhausted. The Eucharist, in fact, is the true, real, and substantial presence of the Saviour (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1413), who transforms bread into himself in order to transform us into himself. Living and life-giving, the Corpus Domini makes us, the Church herself, the Body of the Lord. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 22 June 2025)

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Miami Catholic schools receive million in state security funding after ‘months of advocacy’ #Catholic Catholic schools in Miami will receive million in security funding from the state government after successful petitioning by Floridaʼs Catholic bishops, the Archdiocese of Miami has announced. The archdiocese said the eight-figure security package was part of the newly approved state budget, which was passed by legislators in Tallahassee on May 29. The funding came about after “months of advocacy and budget negotiations,” the archdiocese said. "We prioritize the safety of our students in a day and age that has seen more anti-Catholic violence and generally more violence against schools,” archdiocesan schools Superintendent Jim Rigg said in the announcement. The archdiocese said that a “broader statewide reimbursement program” for Catholic school security failed to pass the Legislature. Rigg said in the archdiocesan announcement that schools have been using money to fund security measures “that could otherwise go toward textbooks, technology, and teacher salaries.”“In some cases, schools are collecting special security fees from parents," he said. Catholic schools have increased security amid shooting fearsNumerous Catholic and other Christian schools around the country have lately adopted enhanced security measures, particularly after the August 2025 shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. That shooting came after Catholic bishops in Minnesota had petitioned state lawmakers to provide security funding for nonpublic schools; the state government had failed to grant those requests. Some schools have opted to hire security guards, while others have considered the possibility of allowing teachers to be armed while on campus.Still others have turned to technology to increase student safety. Trinity Catholic School in Fort Smith, Arkansas, recently adopted an AI-bolstered security system that can spot school shooters and quickly alert law enforcement ahead of a potential mass shooting. A Catholic school in Ohio has also deployed that system on its own campus.After the Minneapolis shooting, Jason Adkins, the executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, told “EWTN News In Depth” that school security is “a basic public safety issue that should be available to all students, irrespective of where they go to school.”“Looking at school safety programs, nonprofit security grants, all these things — we have to take an all-of-the-above approach to looking at public policy solutions that limit gun violence in our communities,” he said.
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Miami Catholic schools receive $15 million in state security funding after ‘months of advocacy’ #Catholic Catholic schools in Miami will receive $15 million in security funding from the state government after successful petitioning by Floridaʼs Catholic bishops, the Archdiocese of Miami has announced. The archdiocese said the eight-figure security package was part of the newly approved state budget, which was passed by legislators in Tallahassee on May 29. The funding came about after “months of advocacy and budget negotiations,” the archdiocese said. "We prioritize the safety of our students in a day and age that has seen more anti-Catholic violence and generally more violence against schools,” archdiocesan schools Superintendent Jim Rigg said in the announcement. The archdiocese said that a “broader statewide reimbursement program” for Catholic school security failed to pass the Legislature. Rigg said in the archdiocesan announcement that schools have been using money to fund security measures “that could otherwise go toward textbooks, technology, and teacher salaries.”“In some cases, schools are collecting special security fees from parents," he said. Catholic schools have increased security amid shooting fearsNumerous Catholic and other Christian schools around the country have lately adopted enhanced security measures, particularly after the August 2025 shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. That shooting came after Catholic bishops in Minnesota had petitioned state lawmakers to provide security funding for nonpublic schools; the state government had failed to grant those requests. Some schools have opted to hire security guards, while others have considered the possibility of allowing teachers to be armed while on campus.Still others have turned to technology to increase student safety. Trinity Catholic School in Fort Smith, Arkansas, recently adopted an AI-bolstered security system that can spot school shooters and quickly alert law enforcement ahead of a potential mass shooting. A Catholic school in Ohio has also deployed that system on its own campus.After the Minneapolis shooting, Jason Adkins, the executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, told “EWTN News In Depth” that school security is “a basic public safety issue that should be available to all students, irrespective of where they go to school.”“Looking at school safety programs, nonprofit security grants, all these things — we have to take an all-of-the-above approach to looking at public policy solutions that limit gun violence in our communities,” he said.

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The Florida bishops had petitioned the state Legislature for the funding, though a broader statewide measure failed to pass.

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Pope calls on Catholic universities to be authentic, instill ‘passion for the truth’ #Catholic Catholic universities should reflect “authenticity as true disciples of Christ” as they guide students’ desire for knowledge into a passion for the truth, Pope Leo XIV told university presidents from the United States on Wednesday.“As young men and women come to your colleges and universities looking to study a specific degree, oftentimes motivated by future job perspectives, yours is the noble task of guiding that desire for knowledge so that they may also ‘learn to seek and love the truth, to reflect on the meaning of life, and to recognize the dignity of every person,’” the pope said June 3, quoting from his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, published in May.Instilling a love for the truth “is not an easy feat,” he continued. “As you are well aware, seeking the truth requires not only learning and mentorship but also great effort. Unless Catholic education instills in students a true passion for the truth — and not only intellectual truth, but the truth that is Christ himself (cf. John 14:6) — we can hardly expect people to be willing to put forth the effort required to recognize truth and adapt one’s life accordingly.”Leo addressed presidents, senior administrators, and faculty leaders from Catholic institutions of higher education belonging to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. During the Rome Seminar, June 1–5, university leaders are meeting with senior Vatican officials and others to reflect on the opportunities and challenges faced by higher education today.In his speech, the pope acknowledged the challenge of “the increasing fragmentation of knowledge.”“While it is easy to find people who are experts in a particular field of study, many of these individuals ‘struggle to find direction in their lives, partly due to an inability to connect information with deeper knowledge or maintain a sense of purpose,’” he said, quoting from Magnifica Humanitas.Specialized experts “often lack a global vision of reality that is capable of uniting not only the various fields of knowledge but also the multiple aspects of life and the inner longings of the human heart,” he said.He invited Catholic educational institutions to be a “living environment in which the Christian vision permeates every discipline and every interaction,” as Leo wrote in his 2025 apostolic letter Drawing New Maps of Hope.“Your authenticity as true disciples of Christ,” he said, “will certainly assist you in transmitting the living Gospel in such a way that those entrusted to you can truly encounter the Lord and discover in the Catholic faith the unifying vision that truth alone can provide.”On the challenges of technological advances, the pope reflected on the prolific use of artificial intelligence, making it “increasingly difficult to evaluate the work of students, requiring educators to adapt their methods creatively to ensure the integral human formation of those in their care.”“We must be willing to invest generously in the education of future generations,” he said. “It is crucial that young men and women learn to engage positively with new technologies, while at the same time truly developing their God-given skills and capacities to reason, to think critically and commit knowledge to memory, thus preparing them to shape responsibly the world to come.”
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Pope calls on Catholic universities to be authentic, instill ‘passion for the truth’ #Catholic Catholic universities should reflect “authenticity as true disciples of Christ” as they guide students’ desire for knowledge into a passion for the truth, Pope Leo XIV told university presidents from the United States on Wednesday.“As young men and women come to your colleges and universities looking to study a specific degree, oftentimes motivated by future job perspectives, yours is the noble task of guiding that desire for knowledge so that they may also ‘learn to seek and love the truth, to reflect on the meaning of life, and to recognize the dignity of every person,’” the pope said June 3, quoting from his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, published in May.Instilling a love for the truth “is not an easy feat,” he continued. “As you are well aware, seeking the truth requires not only learning and mentorship but also great effort. Unless Catholic education instills in students a true passion for the truth — and not only intellectual truth, but the truth that is Christ himself (cf. John 14:6) — we can hardly expect people to be willing to put forth the effort required to recognize truth and adapt one’s life accordingly.”Leo addressed presidents, senior administrators, and faculty leaders from Catholic institutions of higher education belonging to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. During the Rome Seminar, June 1–5, university leaders are meeting with senior Vatican officials and others to reflect on the opportunities and challenges faced by higher education today.In his speech, the pope acknowledged the challenge of “the increasing fragmentation of knowledge.”“While it is easy to find people who are experts in a particular field of study, many of these individuals ‘struggle to find direction in their lives, partly due to an inability to connect information with deeper knowledge or maintain a sense of purpose,’” he said, quoting from Magnifica Humanitas.Specialized experts “often lack a global vision of reality that is capable of uniting not only the various fields of knowledge but also the multiple aspects of life and the inner longings of the human heart,” he said.He invited Catholic educational institutions to be a “living environment in which the Christian vision permeates every discipline and every interaction,” as Leo wrote in his 2025 apostolic letter Drawing New Maps of Hope.“Your authenticity as true disciples of Christ,” he said, “will certainly assist you in transmitting the living Gospel in such a way that those entrusted to you can truly encounter the Lord and discover in the Catholic faith the unifying vision that truth alone can provide.”On the challenges of technological advances, the pope reflected on the prolific use of artificial intelligence, making it “increasingly difficult to evaluate the work of students, requiring educators to adapt their methods creatively to ensure the integral human formation of those in their care.”“We must be willing to invest generously in the education of future generations,” he said. “It is crucial that young men and women learn to engage positively with new technologies, while at the same time truly developing their God-given skills and capacities to reason, to think critically and commit knowledge to memory, thus preparing them to shape responsibly the world to come.”

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Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday addressed presidents and senior administrators from Catholic institutions belonging to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

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Children reminded of Jesus’ love for them in Eucharist #Catholic - On May 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged first communicants from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and their families to remember Jesus’ love as they received the Eucharist during the annual Catechesis. The event at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., gathered first communicants for an afternoon of catechesis, adoration, and celebration. Dressed as they were on the day of their First Holy Communion, the participating children represented their home parishes. The goal for the day was to remind them that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a special gift and an essential part of their lives. Bishop Sweeney engaged the children with catechesis on the Eucharist, conducting the session in a question-and-answer format. Most were second-graders, and they responded with thoughtful questions, which generated a meaningful dialogue. During his homily, Bishop Sweeney asked, “What do you remember about your first Holy Communion?” The children answered, “receiving the body and blood of Jesus,” “being proud of myself,” “my reading,” and “pictures.” Bishop Sweeney then reminded the children that at every Mass, Jesus says, “This is my body. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me,” as at the Last Supper. He explained, “Why is it important to remember? To honor him because he died for us. He wants us to remember his love.” Bishop Sweeney incorporated the children’s earlier answers, making his message personal. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Additionally, in his homily, Bishop Sweeney urged the first communicants to say “please, thank you, and I love you” when praying to God. The event also included the recitation of the Litany of St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, as well as a Scripture reading, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic procession, Benediction, Eucharistic blessing, and the Divine Praises. Many attendees experienced a deeper love for the Eucharist. The diocesan Office Catechesis and Faith Formation and the Office of Worship coordinated the Eucharistic Catechesis. Father Yojaneider Garcia Ramirez, director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation and pastor of Resurrection Parish, was among the priests who participated. Diocesan seminarians also assisted. Bishop Sweeney gave each child a rosary to aid meditation on Jesus’ life and relationship with him, as well as a prayer card for each first communicant. The event ended with a reception, during which the bishop posed for pictures with each first communicant and their families. During the Eucharistic Catechesis, Bishop Sweeney took a moment to thank all those who helped prepare the children to receive their first Holy Communion, especially their parents. In his introduction, Bishop Sweeney told the children, “We give thanks for the great gift of Jesus you received in First Holy Communion. Hopefully, you will be receiving Jesus every Sunday.” BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Children reminded of Jesus’ love for them in Eucharist #Catholic – On May 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged first communicants from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and their families to remember Jesus’ love as they received the Eucharist during the annual Catechesis. The event at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., gathered first communicants for an afternoon of catechesis, adoration, and celebration. Dressed as they were on the day of their First Holy Communion, the participating children represented their home parishes. The goal for the day was to remind them that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a special gift and an essential part of their lives. Bishop Sweeney engaged the children with catechesis on the Eucharist, conducting the session in a question-and-answer format. Most were second-graders, and they responded with thoughtful questions, which generated a meaningful dialogue. During his homily, Bishop Sweeney asked, “What do you remember about your first Holy Communion?” The children answered, “receiving the body and blood of Jesus,” “being proud of myself,” “my reading,” and “pictures.” Bishop Sweeney then reminded the children that at every Mass, Jesus says, “This is my body. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me,” as at the Last Supper. He explained, “Why is it important to remember? To honor him because he died for us. He wants us to remember his love.” Bishop Sweeney incorporated the children’s earlier answers, making his message personal. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Additionally, in his homily, Bishop Sweeney urged the first communicants to say “please, thank you, and I love you” when praying to God. The event also included the recitation of the Litany of St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, as well as a Scripture reading, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic procession, Benediction, Eucharistic blessing, and the Divine Praises. Many attendees experienced a deeper love for the Eucharist. The diocesan Office Catechesis and Faith Formation and the Office of Worship coordinated the Eucharistic Catechesis. Father Yojaneider Garcia Ramirez, director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation and pastor of Resurrection Parish, was among the priests who participated. Diocesan seminarians also assisted. Bishop Sweeney gave each child a rosary to aid meditation on Jesus’ life and relationship with him, as well as a prayer card for each first communicant. The event ended with a reception, during which the bishop posed for pictures with each first communicant and their families. During the Eucharistic Catechesis, Bishop Sweeney took a moment to thank all those who helped prepare the children to receive their first Holy Communion, especially their parents. In his introduction, Bishop Sweeney told the children, “We give thanks for the great gift of Jesus you received in First Holy Communion. Hopefully, you will be receiving Jesus every Sunday.” BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Children reminded of Jesus’ love for them in Eucharist #Catholic –

On May 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged first communicants from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and their families to remember Jesus’ love as they received the Eucharist during the annual Catechesis. The event at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., gathered first communicants for an afternoon of catechesis, adoration, and celebration.

Dressed as they were on the day of their First Holy Communion, the participating children represented their home parishes. The goal for the day was to remind them that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a special gift and an essential part of their lives.

Bishop Sweeney engaged the children with catechesis on the Eucharist, conducting the session in a question-and-answer format. Most were second-graders, and they responded with thoughtful questions, which generated a meaningful dialogue.

During his homily, Bishop Sweeney asked, “What do you remember about your first Holy Communion?” The children answered, “receiving the body and blood of Jesus,” “being proud of myself,” “my reading,” and “pictures.”

Bishop Sweeney then reminded the children that at every Mass, Jesus says, “This is my body. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me,” as at the Last Supper.

He explained, “Why is it important to remember? To honor him because he died for us. He wants us to remember his love.” Bishop Sweeney incorporated the children’s earlier answers, making his message personal.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Additionally, in his homily, Bishop Sweeney urged the first communicants to say “please, thank you, and I love you” when praying to God.

The event also included the recitation of the Litany of St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, as well as a Scripture reading, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic procession, Benediction, Eucharistic blessing, and the Divine Praises. Many attendees experienced a deeper love for the Eucharist.

The diocesan Office Catechesis and Faith Formation and the Office of Worship coordinated the Eucharistic Catechesis. Father Yojaneider Garcia Ramirez, director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation and pastor of Resurrection Parish, was among the priests who participated. Diocesan seminarians also assisted.

Bishop Sweeney gave each child a rosary to aid meditation on Jesus’ life and relationship with him, as well as a prayer card for each first communicant.

The event ended with a reception, during which the bishop posed for pictures with each first communicant and their families.

During the Eucharistic Catechesis, Bishop Sweeney took a moment to thank all those who helped prepare the children to receive their first Holy Communion, especially their parents.

In his introduction, Bishop Sweeney told the children, “We give thanks for the great gift of Jesus you received in First Holy Communion. Hopefully, you will be receiving Jesus every Sunday.”

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– On May 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged first communicants from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and their families to remember Jesus’ love as they received the Eucharist during the annual Catechesis. The event at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., gathered first communicants for an afternoon of catechesis, adoration, and celebration. Dressed as they were on the day of their First Holy Communion, the participating children represented their home parishes. The goal for the day was to remind them that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a special gift and an essential part of their lives. Bishop Sweeney engaged the children

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June 3, 1948: Hale Telescope dedicated

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The brainchild of George Ellery Hale, the 200-inch Hale Telescope was dedicated June 3, 1948, at Palomar Observatory in California. In promoting and fundraising for the project, Hale had a firm science agenda for the scope, but also wrote more fancifully of “the lure of the uncharted seas of space”; though he died in 1938,Continue reading “June 3, 1948: Hale Telescope dedicated”

The post June 3, 1948: Hale Telescope dedicated appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Disney Attempts To Win Star Wars Fans Back With New Jar Jar Binks Trilogy #BabylonBee – BURBANK, CA — In an effort to win back disgruntled fans, Disney executives announced a brand-new Star Wars film trilogy centered entirely around Jar Jar Binks, one of the most popular characters in the franchise.
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Disney Attempts To Win Star Wars Fans Back With New Jar Jar Binks Trilogy #BabylonBee – BURBANK, CA — In an effort to win back disgruntled fans, Disney executives announced a brand-new Star Wars film trilogy centered entirely around Jar Jar Binks, one of the most popular characters in the franchise.

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BURBANK, CA — In an effort to win back disgruntled fans, Disney executives announced a brand-new Star Wars film trilogy centered entirely around Jar Jar Binks, one of the most popular characters in the franchise.

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Archbishop Coakley: Encyclical urges keeping human dignity central in judging tech – #Catholic – Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Pope Leoʼs first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, calls for keeping the dignity of the human person, created in God’s image, at the center of any discernment about emerging technologies.Coakley spoke at a virtual panel June 2 held by Georgetown Universityʼs Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life.The dialogue explored what the encyclical is asking, how technological changes can enhance humanity’s relationship with God, and also what aspects of human creation technologies can never replace.The group also addressed the Church’s important role in the matter and why it must use its voice to speak about the emerging technologies.Kim Daniels, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, moderated the conversation with numerous panelists including Irish Bishop Paul Tighe, secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education and a leading Vatican expert on AI.The discussion also welcomed Meghan Sullivan, founding director of Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good; Emilce Cuda, Argentinian theologian and secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Holy See; and Daniel Daly, founding executive director of the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health.“When dealing with something new and complex” as the faithful read the encyclical, Coakley reminded them to focus on “the main thing.”Magnifica Humanitas is being “proposed and discussed as an encyclical on artificial intelligence,” Coakley said. “But I think the main thing is the need to keep the human person, made of the image and likeness of God, at the center of our discernment about these new technologies.”“So itʼs, not really, fundamentally … about the technologies. I think itʼs really about anthropology — having an adequate anthropology to really address the challenges that are being proposed by these developing and emerging technologies,” he said.Why the Church’s voice on AI mattersIn the encyclical, Coakley said, "itʼs significant that prior to beginning his reflections on AI, the Holy Father first answers a foundational question, which is ‘Why does the Church have the ability to speak at all?’”“In doing so, he affirms that it is central to the Churchʼs mission to walk alongside humanity … and be responsive to the contemporary challenges that men and women in every age, and certainly today, are facing,” Coakley said. Pope Leo “connects with what all of us, whether we are believers or unbelievers alike, at our very core understand and know instinctively to be true, and that is that the human person possesses an ontological and infinite dignity and therefore must be at the center of all of our deliberations” about AI, Coakley said.“Thatʼs the center and heart of it,” Coakley said. “I think people are concerned about whatʼs happening now and what they envision or fear might happen in the future,” he said. Pope Leo is “bringing in this essential lens to the conversation, which has the ability, I think, to activate … the consciences of all — all who create, all who regulate, all who use or all who are impacted by artificial intelligence,” he said.The Churchʼs voice on the matter goes back to “Vatican II, where the Church realized we shared our destiny with other people," Tighe said. “We journeyed together on this world. We canʼt be exempt from the struggles of our fellow brothers and sisters. We live together,” he said.Since AI is “going to impact so much what it is to be human, how we live our lives” and “impact the destiny of so many of our brothers and sisters and of ourselves, we cannot but take it seriously,” Tighe said.The Church also has a voice when it comes to how AI affects jobs, as "Pope Leo has been deeply inspired by the first encyclical to ever come out in the Catholic social tradition, Rerum Novarum,” which addresses “What does it mean to think that our work is part of our human dignity?" Sullivan said. “The Church has an incredible teaching on this,” she said. The Church says “work is an essential part of our dignity, because work is nothing more and nothing less than our ability and call to serve the common good. And so we do not want to live in a society where AI has replaced work in that sense,” she said.  The Church also must help guide the conversation as technologies impact health care. “Jesus invites his followers to proclaim the kingdom by healing the sick. So Catholic healthcare has to be a sign that God loves all persons, especially those who are poor, sick, disabled, suffering, rejected,” Daly said.“So this culture of encounter and accompaniment needs to be animated by Christ and is sacrosanct in Catholic healthcare,” Daly said. Healthcare professionals “must remain the norm,” he said. “AI can augment the care that humans provide but must not replace them.”Artificial intelligences “canʼt care for patients, they canʼt do the works of mercy. They canʼt express empathy, as Leo writes. They cannot witness the healing ministry of Jesus.”Daly did note that AI may have benefits in healthcare despite its inability to replace human beings' care.AI “could allow marginalized communities to access expert-level care in areas like radiology,” he said. “AI translation services may help patients who speak languages other than the dominant language in the area to communicate and have their concerns be listened to.”
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Archbishop Coakley: Encyclical urges keeping human dignity central in judging tech – #Catholic – Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Pope Leoʼs first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, calls for keeping the dignity of the human person, created in God’s image, at the center of any discernment about emerging technologies.Coakley spoke at a virtual panel June 2 held by Georgetown Universityʼs Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life.The dialogue explored what the encyclical is asking, how technological changes can enhance humanity’s relationship with God, and also what aspects of human creation technologies can never replace.The group also addressed the Church’s important role in the matter and why it must use its voice to speak about the emerging technologies.Kim Daniels, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, moderated the conversation with numerous panelists including Irish Bishop Paul Tighe, secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education and a leading Vatican expert on AI.The discussion also welcomed Meghan Sullivan, founding director of Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good; Emilce Cuda, Argentinian theologian and secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Holy See; and Daniel Daly, founding executive director of the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health.“When dealing with something new and complex” as the faithful read the encyclical, Coakley reminded them to focus on “the main thing.”Magnifica Humanitas is being “proposed and discussed as an encyclical on artificial intelligence,” Coakley said. “But I think the main thing is the need to keep the human person, made of the image and likeness of God, at the center of our discernment about these new technologies.”“So itʼs, not really, fundamentally … about the technologies. I think itʼs really about anthropology — having an adequate anthropology to really address the challenges that are being proposed by these developing and emerging technologies,” he said.Why the Church’s voice on AI mattersIn the encyclical, Coakley said, "itʼs significant that prior to beginning his reflections on AI, the Holy Father first answers a foundational question, which is ‘Why does the Church have the ability to speak at all?’”“In doing so, he affirms that it is central to the Churchʼs mission to walk alongside humanity … and be responsive to the contemporary challenges that men and women in every age, and certainly today, are facing,” Coakley said. Pope Leo “connects with what all of us, whether we are believers or unbelievers alike, at our very core understand and know instinctively to be true, and that is that the human person possesses an ontological and infinite dignity and therefore must be at the center of all of our deliberations” about AI, Coakley said.“Thatʼs the center and heart of it,” Coakley said. “I think people are concerned about whatʼs happening now and what they envision or fear might happen in the future,” he said. Pope Leo is “bringing in this essential lens to the conversation, which has the ability, I think, to activate … the consciences of all — all who create, all who regulate, all who use or all who are impacted by artificial intelligence,” he said.The Churchʼs voice on the matter goes back to “Vatican II, where the Church realized we shared our destiny with other people," Tighe said. “We journeyed together on this world. We canʼt be exempt from the struggles of our fellow brothers and sisters. We live together,” he said.Since AI is “going to impact so much what it is to be human, how we live our lives” and “impact the destiny of so many of our brothers and sisters and of ourselves, we cannot but take it seriously,” Tighe said.The Church also has a voice when it comes to how AI affects jobs, as "Pope Leo has been deeply inspired by the first encyclical to ever come out in the Catholic social tradition, Rerum Novarum,” which addresses “What does it mean to think that our work is part of our human dignity?" Sullivan said. “The Church has an incredible teaching on this,” she said. The Church says “work is an essential part of our dignity, because work is nothing more and nothing less than our ability and call to serve the common good. And so we do not want to live in a society where AI has replaced work in that sense,” she said.  The Church also must help guide the conversation as technologies impact health care. “Jesus invites his followers to proclaim the kingdom by healing the sick. So Catholic healthcare has to be a sign that God loves all persons, especially those who are poor, sick, disabled, suffering, rejected,” Daly said.“So this culture of encounter and accompaniment needs to be animated by Christ and is sacrosanct in Catholic healthcare,” Daly said. Healthcare professionals “must remain the norm,” he said. “AI can augment the care that humans provide but must not replace them.”Artificial intelligences “canʼt care for patients, they canʼt do the works of mercy. They canʼt express empathy, as Leo writes. They cannot witness the healing ministry of Jesus.”Daly did note that AI may have benefits in healthcare despite its inability to replace human beings' care.AI “could allow marginalized communities to access expert-level care in areas like radiology,” he said. “AI translation services may help patients who speak languages other than the dominant language in the area to communicate and have their concerns be listened to.”

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Coakley spoke at a virtual panel held by Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life that explored what the encyclical is asking.

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Pope’s AI warnings come as Americans grapple with data center expansions – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV issued stark warnings against building “a new Tower of Babel” when developing artificial intelligence (AI) in his recently released encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, at a time when many people are growing concerned with the impact of the new technology and the rapid data center expansion that supports it.His encyclical, the title of which means "magnificent humanity,” pleads for AI development that safeguards Earth’s natural resources, preserves the dignity of work, builds up human solidarity, and does not concentrate power in the hands of a few but rather ensures all people benefit from the innovation.As American companies move fast to expand AI data centers — with over 4,000 operating and thousands more under construction — projects face local protests and critics cite environmental concerns, noise pollution, lack of long-term employment, and broader skepticism of AI’s impact on society.Although a March Gallup poll of 1,000 Americans found 71% oppose local AI data centers and only 27% support them, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum promoted data center expansion on Fox Business on May 26, citing productivity benefits across many sectors of the economy.The protests, he claimed, are “foreign-directed propaganda” campaigns from nations competing with the United States. He dismissed Leo’s guidance while laughing and said: "I didnʼt know that tech editorializing was part of the role of being pope.”Yet AI skepticism is quite prominent among the American public. A June 2025 Pew survey of 5,000 people found 50% are more concerned than excited about AI, 38% are equally excited and concerned, and just 10% are more excited than concerned. An NBC poll of 1,000 people in March found that 57% believe the risks of AI outweigh the benefits and 34% said the opposite.David Cloutier, a Notre Dame theology professor and academic director of the Business Ethics and Society Program, told EWTN News: “I think the resistance to data centers is rooted in a larger suspicion of the technology itself.”“They are a really tempting symbolic target,” he said, adding that data centers “symbolize a future that is all computer and machine and no people.”“I think people experience the arrival of this technology as something that they did not ask for and seems overwhelming to them,” Cloutier added.Dignity of work and power concentrationData centers often receive significant state and local tax incentives. At least 28 states offer tax incentives specific to data centers: Each waives certain sales tax, 14 offer energy subsidies, and 11 provide property tax reductions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.In a small number of states with significant data center growth — such as Texas and Virginia — data centers are receiving more than $1 billion annually in tax incentives. Apart from temporary construction jobs, smaller data centers often employ fewer than 150 permanent workers, while larger ones may employ a few hundred.Father Philip Larrey, a philosophy professor at Boston College, told EWTN News “it doesn’t make sense to me” to offer those incentives because “you don’t need many people to actually run these things.”“What advantage is there for the local people to have a data center in their city?” he questioned. “Probably none.”Cloutier noted the difference between incentives given to data centers and to factories, saying “the factory can only work if workers come to the factory,” but “data centers don’t employ people like factories do.”“The question is a question about power and who controls these very important entities and whether they share the wealth that is generated by these entities,” he said, pointing to Leo’s concern about the centralization of power and dignity of work.In the encyclical, Leo contrasted the Tower of Babel with the Book of Nehemiah, which details the construction of new walls for Jerusalem. The Holy Father said AI development should mirror the priorities outlined in that text: “Safeguarding humanity and the common good.”Cloutier encouraged local government officials to question “Who’s truly being benefited by these developments?” and “Is this really benefiting my local community?” when considering projects.“Listen to the community and ask questions of the company in ways that attempt to make the project more like Nehemiah building the wall,” he said.The backlash to data centers also fuels concerns about AI replacing people in the workforce, with Cloutier noting “they’re enormous but empty of people.”As the technology improves, Larrey expressed concern about the long-term impact on the labor force, saying it will be hard to convince a company to hire a person if it can achieve “the same result from an AI that you get from a human being and they cost almost nothing.” Yet, he urged employers to consider the human impact and encouraged employees to incorporate AI into their work if it can help prevent replacement.“Just because you can replace a person with AI doesn’t mean that you should,” he said.Judith McGill, marketing and content specialist for DataBank — a data center developer — and a practicing Catholic, told EWTN News that she believes critics' objections about employment are misleading, because although the centers themselves do not employ “a lot of people,” the services benefit “all of the employees of our customers” who use AI.She said governments would not offer incentives if investments were not “a net economic benefit to those communities.” Despite incentives, she said: “We pay taxes and, in fact, contribute to schools and roads.”For example, McGill said DataBank aligns itself with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines for multinational enterprises, which prioritizes issues like labor rights and the environment.“Our focus is on those organizations which are building technical skills for students entering the workforce and for teachers,” she said.Environment and resourcesIn his encyclical, Leo warned of a “tendency to overlook the environmental impact” of AI and the “enormous amounts of energy and water” needed for data centers, which puts “heavy demands on natural resources” and influences carbon dioxide emissions.A report from the Electric Power Research Institute found 4%-5% of national energy is consumed by data centers, but that will rise to somewhere between 9% and 17% by 2030, mostly because of AI. It could exceed 20% in seven states and be somewhere between 39% and 57% in Virginia. Many data centers use water to cool machines.Cloutier said environmental concerns are “a very important point that is very easy to miss,” adding that “the amount of computer work that has to go on in order for the AI company to answer [a] question is very, very large.”“The environmental impact is downstream from the way we use that technology,” he said, noting that if AI progresses to be “completely embedded in our lives,” it will exacerbate the concerns.Larrey said water and energy are two concerns people have as data centers continue to be built: “They need huge data centers in order to run the servers that give us these large AI models that are only going to get larger and larger as time goes on.”Larrey said innovation can ease concerns and cited OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s investments in small nuclear reactors that could increase opportunities to employ clean energy. He referenced Nobel-Prize winning AlphaFold as well, developed by DeepMind, which significantly reduced the time and energy needed for AI protein structure prediction.“You need massive data centers in order to keep up with the competition,” he said. “Now the companies have to come up with a way of making these more efficient and using less electricity. … It’s becoming a real problem for the companies because people are protesting, actually in the street.”McGill, speaking for DataBank, said Leo’s environmental concerns and broader concerns are “well taken” and even though data center developers are not religious organizations, it “doesn’t absolve us from behaving responsibly.”She said DataBank is experimenting with hydrogenated vegetable oil for power. The company also designs the data centers with a closed-loop water cooling system, which means the water is continuously recycled through the system rather than consuming additional water.McGill added that “data centers pay for their power.” She acknowledged power consumption as a "legitimate concern” but criticized the narrative of the data center industry as “one big scary monster,” making them “the scapegoat” for higher consumption and rate hikes. She noted that inflation and foreign policy in the Middle East have a major effect on energy costs.“What we are doing toward responsible behavior, toward human beings, and toward the environment is absolutely in line with the pope’s encyclical,” she said.Amid growing protests and guidelines coming down from the Vatican, McGill said a parishioner at the parish she attends asked her how a Catholic could work for a data center company, but she said this incorrectly “implied there was a disconnection.”“My conscience is clear,” she said. “This is an industry that is not just avoiding doing bad things but actively seeking out ways to do the right thing.”
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Pope’s AI warnings come as Americans grapple with data center expansions – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV issued stark warnings against building “a new Tower of Babel” when developing artificial intelligence (AI) in his recently released encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, at a time when many people are growing concerned with the impact of the new technology and the rapid data center expansion that supports it.His encyclical, the title of which means "magnificent humanity,” pleads for AI development that safeguards Earth’s natural resources, preserves the dignity of work, builds up human solidarity, and does not concentrate power in the hands of a few but rather ensures all people benefit from the innovation.As American companies move fast to expand AI data centers — with over 4,000 operating and thousands more under construction — projects face local protests and critics cite environmental concerns, noise pollution, lack of long-term employment, and broader skepticism of AI’s impact on society.Although a March Gallup poll of 1,000 Americans found 71% oppose local AI data centers and only 27% support them, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum promoted data center expansion on Fox Business on May 26, citing productivity benefits across many sectors of the economy.The protests, he claimed, are “foreign-directed propaganda” campaigns from nations competing with the United States. He dismissed Leo’s guidance while laughing and said: "I didnʼt know that tech editorializing was part of the role of being pope.”Yet AI skepticism is quite prominent among the American public. A June 2025 Pew survey of 5,000 people found 50% are more concerned than excited about AI, 38% are equally excited and concerned, and just 10% are more excited than concerned. An NBC poll of 1,000 people in March found that 57% believe the risks of AI outweigh the benefits and 34% said the opposite.David Cloutier, a Notre Dame theology professor and academic director of the Business Ethics and Society Program, told EWTN News: “I think the resistance to data centers is rooted in a larger suspicion of the technology itself.”“They are a really tempting symbolic target,” he said, adding that data centers “symbolize a future that is all computer and machine and no people.”“I think people experience the arrival of this technology as something that they did not ask for and seems overwhelming to them,” Cloutier added.Dignity of work and power concentrationData centers often receive significant state and local tax incentives. At least 28 states offer tax incentives specific to data centers: Each waives certain sales tax, 14 offer energy subsidies, and 11 provide property tax reductions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.In a small number of states with significant data center growth — such as Texas and Virginia — data centers are receiving more than $1 billion annually in tax incentives. Apart from temporary construction jobs, smaller data centers often employ fewer than 150 permanent workers, while larger ones may employ a few hundred.Father Philip Larrey, a philosophy professor at Boston College, told EWTN News “it doesn’t make sense to me” to offer those incentives because “you don’t need many people to actually run these things.”“What advantage is there for the local people to have a data center in their city?” he questioned. “Probably none.”Cloutier noted the difference between incentives given to data centers and to factories, saying “the factory can only work if workers come to the factory,” but “data centers don’t employ people like factories do.”“The question is a question about power and who controls these very important entities and whether they share the wealth that is generated by these entities,” he said, pointing to Leo’s concern about the centralization of power and dignity of work.In the encyclical, Leo contrasted the Tower of Babel with the Book of Nehemiah, which details the construction of new walls for Jerusalem. The Holy Father said AI development should mirror the priorities outlined in that text: “Safeguarding humanity and the common good.”Cloutier encouraged local government officials to question “Who’s truly being benefited by these developments?” and “Is this really benefiting my local community?” when considering projects.“Listen to the community and ask questions of the company in ways that attempt to make the project more like Nehemiah building the wall,” he said.The backlash to data centers also fuels concerns about AI replacing people in the workforce, with Cloutier noting “they’re enormous but empty of people.”As the technology improves, Larrey expressed concern about the long-term impact on the labor force, saying it will be hard to convince a company to hire a person if it can achieve “the same result from an AI that you get from a human being and they cost almost nothing.” Yet, he urged employers to consider the human impact and encouraged employees to incorporate AI into their work if it can help prevent replacement.“Just because you can replace a person with AI doesn’t mean that you should,” he said.Judith McGill, marketing and content specialist for DataBank — a data center developer — and a practicing Catholic, told EWTN News that she believes critics' objections about employment are misleading, because although the centers themselves do not employ “a lot of people,” the services benefit “all of the employees of our customers” who use AI.She said governments would not offer incentives if investments were not “a net economic benefit to those communities.” Despite incentives, she said: “We pay taxes and, in fact, contribute to schools and roads.”For example, McGill said DataBank aligns itself with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines for multinational enterprises, which prioritizes issues like labor rights and the environment.“Our focus is on those organizations which are building technical skills for students entering the workforce and for teachers,” she said.Environment and resourcesIn his encyclical, Leo warned of a “tendency to overlook the environmental impact” of AI and the “enormous amounts of energy and water” needed for data centers, which puts “heavy demands on natural resources” and influences carbon dioxide emissions.A report from the Electric Power Research Institute found 4%-5% of national energy is consumed by data centers, but that will rise to somewhere between 9% and 17% by 2030, mostly because of AI. It could exceed 20% in seven states and be somewhere between 39% and 57% in Virginia. Many data centers use water to cool machines.Cloutier said environmental concerns are “a very important point that is very easy to miss,” adding that “the amount of computer work that has to go on in order for the AI company to answer [a] question is very, very large.”“The environmental impact is downstream from the way we use that technology,” he said, noting that if AI progresses to be “completely embedded in our lives,” it will exacerbate the concerns.Larrey said water and energy are two concerns people have as data centers continue to be built: “They need huge data centers in order to run the servers that give us these large AI models that are only going to get larger and larger as time goes on.”Larrey said innovation can ease concerns and cited OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s investments in small nuclear reactors that could increase opportunities to employ clean energy. He referenced Nobel-Prize winning AlphaFold as well, developed by DeepMind, which significantly reduced the time and energy needed for AI protein structure prediction.“You need massive data centers in order to keep up with the competition,” he said. “Now the companies have to come up with a way of making these more efficient and using less electricity. … It’s becoming a real problem for the companies because people are protesting, actually in the street.”McGill, speaking for DataBank, said Leo’s environmental concerns and broader concerns are “well taken” and even though data center developers are not religious organizations, it “doesn’t absolve us from behaving responsibly.”She said DataBank is experimenting with hydrogenated vegetable oil for power. The company also designs the data centers with a closed-loop water cooling system, which means the water is continuously recycled through the system rather than consuming additional water.McGill added that “data centers pay for their power.” She acknowledged power consumption as a "legitimate concern” but criticized the narrative of the data center industry as “one big scary monster,” making them “the scapegoat” for higher consumption and rate hikes. She noted that inflation and foreign policy in the Middle East have a major effect on energy costs.“What we are doing toward responsible behavior, toward human beings, and toward the environment is absolutely in line with the pope’s encyclical,” she said.Amid growing protests and guidelines coming down from the Vatican, McGill said a parishioner at the parish she attends asked her how a Catholic could work for a data center company, but she said this incorrectly “implied there was a disconnection.”“My conscience is clear,” she said. “This is an industry that is not just avoiding doing bad things but actively seeking out ways to do the right thing.”

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Catholic scholars echo Leo’s focus on the dignity of work, the environment, and avoiding power concentration as one data center spokesperson says her work is consistent with Leo’s vision.

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Anti-surrogacy advocates urge UN scrutiny of Greece and Ireland – #Catholic – In November, the United Nations Human Rights Council will conduct its universal periodic review of Greece and Ireland, a process that holds every U.N. member state accountable for its human rights record roughly once every four and a half years.Organizations working for the abolition of surrogacy are using this moment to challenge both countries' surrogacy frameworks. The practice was among 13 violations of human dignity condemned in the Vatican declaration Dignitas Infinita, issued in April 2024.Among the groups raising concerns is Juristes pour lʼEnfance, a French association of legal professionals dedicated to defending childrenʼs rights. The group has submitted two formal observations to the Human Rights Council, arguing that Ireland and Greece have repackaged what is fundamentally a commercial arrangement in the language of compassion and altruism, while children ultimately bear the consequences.EWTN News spoke with Matthieu Le Tourneur, a French jurist with Juristes pour lʼEnfance. He said the organizationʼs central concern is that “a child must never be the object of a contract” since that commodifies them. He added that “surrogacy, whether commercial or presented as altruistic or regulated, involves treating a human being as goods. This is unacceptable.”‘Children are not contracts,’ advocates sayOf the European Unionʼs 27 member states, 16 explicitly prohibit surrogacy and seven have no clear legal framework. Only four — Greece, Ireland, Cyprus, and Portugal — formally permit it.Greece and Ireland are viewed as having the broadest legal openings for surrogacy, while both heavily describe their systems as “altruistic,” meaning no direct payment is made to the surrogate mother for carrying and delivering the child.Juristes pour lʼEnfance disputes that characterization. Le Tourneur explained that under Irelandʼs Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024, a surrogate may receive compensation for up to 12 months of lost income as well as reimbursement for a wide range of expenses. In Greece, fixed payments of 10,000 euros — rising to 15,000 euros for multiple pregnancies — are permitted as compensation for what the law calls “suffering” or “fatigue.”“Altruistic for whom?” Le Tourneur asked. “It is never altruistic for the child, who will carry for life the invisible mark of having been sold or given away, of having been the object of a contract. The term ‘altruistic surrogacy’ concerns only adults; it does not concern the child.”Advocates for abolition frequently cite the 1989 U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically Article 7, which guarantees a childʼs right to know and be raised by its parents. They argue that surrogacy deliberately severs the childʼs maternal bond at birth and constitutes a form of child sale under Article 35 and its Optional Protocol, even when the arrangement bears no overt price tag.Trafficking, vulnerability, and the limits of regulationThe limits of surrogacy regulation became starkly visible in 2023, when Greek authorities uncovered an alleged criminal network operating out of the Mediterranean Fertility Institute in Crete. Investigators found evidence of trafficked migrant women, primarily from Eastern Europe, who had been recruited as surrogates. The case involved falsified documents, fraudulent embryo transfers, and what prosecutors described as industrial-scale handling of embryos.“Legalizing a practice never eliminates trafficking outside the legal framework,” Le Tourneur said. “In some cases, the existence of a legal market even strengthens illegal trafficking.” He drew a parallel to debates around drug legalization, where legal supply has not always suppressed black markets.He further noted that legalization can act as a pull factor for vulnerable women, since they know that for roughly 12 months they will receive financial support, care, and “sometimes accommodation.”These concerns have increasingly been echoed by U.N. experts. Le Tourneur pointed to the 2018 findings of former special rapporteur Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, a 2019 report by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and a 2025 report by Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem — all of which raised concerns about surrogacy as a form of exploitation affecting women and children.A defining debate for EuropeThis focus on surrogacy comes at a time when Europe is increasingly split on the topic. While surrogacyʼs proponents frame it as an act of generosity between willing adults, the majority of EU member states — including France, Germany, Spain, and Poland — continue to treat it as a form of exploitation incompatible with human dignity.Italy has taken one of Europeʼs toughest stances, classifying surrogacy as a universal crime. Under a law that took effect in November 2024, Italian citizens can face prosecution for obtaining surrogacy services abroad, even in countries where the practice is legal. Convictions carry prison sentences of up to two years and fines ranging from 600,000 euros to 1 million euros.Against that backdrop, Le Tourneur said Greece and Ireland matter not only for what is happening within their borders but also for the precedent they set. If the Human Rights Council issues recommendations against their surrogacy laws, it would send a powerful signal to other governments weighing similar legislation.“We hope that, thanks to our alerts, the council will urge the countries concerned to amend their national legislation,” Le Tourneur said. “Such recommendations may also deter other countries from adopting laws that the Human Rights Council would consider to be violations of human rights.”
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Anti-surrogacy advocates urge UN scrutiny of Greece and Ireland – #Catholic – In November, the United Nations Human Rights Council will conduct its universal periodic review of Greece and Ireland, a process that holds every U.N. member state accountable for its human rights record roughly once every four and a half years.Organizations working for the abolition of surrogacy are using this moment to challenge both countries' surrogacy frameworks. The practice was among 13 violations of human dignity condemned in the Vatican declaration Dignitas Infinita, issued in April 2024.Among the groups raising concerns is Juristes pour lʼEnfance, a French association of legal professionals dedicated to defending childrenʼs rights. The group has submitted two formal observations to the Human Rights Council, arguing that Ireland and Greece have repackaged what is fundamentally a commercial arrangement in the language of compassion and altruism, while children ultimately bear the consequences.EWTN News spoke with Matthieu Le Tourneur, a French jurist with Juristes pour lʼEnfance. He said the organizationʼs central concern is that “a child must never be the object of a contract” since that commodifies them. He added that “surrogacy, whether commercial or presented as altruistic or regulated, involves treating a human being as goods. This is unacceptable.”‘Children are not contracts,’ advocates sayOf the European Unionʼs 27 member states, 16 explicitly prohibit surrogacy and seven have no clear legal framework. Only four — Greece, Ireland, Cyprus, and Portugal — formally permit it.Greece and Ireland are viewed as having the broadest legal openings for surrogacy, while both heavily describe their systems as “altruistic,” meaning no direct payment is made to the surrogate mother for carrying and delivering the child.Juristes pour lʼEnfance disputes that characterization. Le Tourneur explained that under Irelandʼs Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024, a surrogate may receive compensation for up to 12 months of lost income as well as reimbursement for a wide range of expenses. In Greece, fixed payments of 10,000 euros — rising to 15,000 euros for multiple pregnancies — are permitted as compensation for what the law calls “suffering” or “fatigue.”“Altruistic for whom?” Le Tourneur asked. “It is never altruistic for the child, who will carry for life the invisible mark of having been sold or given away, of having been the object of a contract. The term ‘altruistic surrogacy’ concerns only adults; it does not concern the child.”Advocates for abolition frequently cite the 1989 U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically Article 7, which guarantees a childʼs right to know and be raised by its parents. They argue that surrogacy deliberately severs the childʼs maternal bond at birth and constitutes a form of child sale under Article 35 and its Optional Protocol, even when the arrangement bears no overt price tag.Trafficking, vulnerability, and the limits of regulationThe limits of surrogacy regulation became starkly visible in 2023, when Greek authorities uncovered an alleged criminal network operating out of the Mediterranean Fertility Institute in Crete. Investigators found evidence of trafficked migrant women, primarily from Eastern Europe, who had been recruited as surrogates. The case involved falsified documents, fraudulent embryo transfers, and what prosecutors described as industrial-scale handling of embryos.“Legalizing a practice never eliminates trafficking outside the legal framework,” Le Tourneur said. “In some cases, the existence of a legal market even strengthens illegal trafficking.” He drew a parallel to debates around drug legalization, where legal supply has not always suppressed black markets.He further noted that legalization can act as a pull factor for vulnerable women, since they know that for roughly 12 months they will receive financial support, care, and “sometimes accommodation.”These concerns have increasingly been echoed by U.N. experts. Le Tourneur pointed to the 2018 findings of former special rapporteur Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, a 2019 report by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and a 2025 report by Special Rapporteur Reem Alsalem — all of which raised concerns about surrogacy as a form of exploitation affecting women and children.A defining debate for EuropeThis focus on surrogacy comes at a time when Europe is increasingly split on the topic. While surrogacyʼs proponents frame it as an act of generosity between willing adults, the majority of EU member states — including France, Germany, Spain, and Poland — continue to treat it as a form of exploitation incompatible with human dignity.Italy has taken one of Europeʼs toughest stances, classifying surrogacy as a universal crime. Under a law that took effect in November 2024, Italian citizens can face prosecution for obtaining surrogacy services abroad, even in countries where the practice is legal. Convictions carry prison sentences of up to two years and fines ranging from 600,000 euros to 1 million euros.Against that backdrop, Le Tourneur said Greece and Ireland matter not only for what is happening within their borders but also for the precedent they set. If the Human Rights Council issues recommendations against their surrogacy laws, it would send a powerful signal to other governments weighing similar legislation.“We hope that, thanks to our alerts, the council will urge the countries concerned to amend their national legislation,” Le Tourneur said. “Such recommendations may also deter other countries from adopting laws that the Human Rights Council would consider to be violations of human rights.”

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A French children’s rights group has filed formal observations with the U.N. Human Rights Council ahead of November reviews of Greece and Ireland.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 03 June 2026 – A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God for the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dear child: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.  For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God. He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher. On this account I am suffering these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know him in whom I have believed and am confident that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.From the Gospel according to Mark 12:18-27 Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her." Jesus said to them, "Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,  and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled."Here, Christ encounters men who consider themselves expert and authoritative interpreters of the Scriptures. To these men – that is, to the Sadducees – Jesus replies that a mere literal knowledge of Scripture is not enough. In fact, Scripture is above all a means of knowing the power of the living God, who reveals Himself in it, just as he revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. In this revelation, He called himself “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and of Jacob” – that is, of those who had been the forefathers of Moses in the faith that springs from the revelation of the living God. All of them have long since died; yet Christ completes the reference to them with His affirmation that God “is not the God of the dead, but of the living”. This key statement, in which Christ interprets the words addressed to Moses from the burning bush, can only be understood if one acknowledges the reality of a life that death does not bring to an end. Moses’ forefathers in the faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, are living persons for God, even though, by human standards, they must be counted among the dead. To read Scripture correctly, and in particular the aforementioned words of God, means to know and accept by faith the power of the Giver of life, who is not bound by the law of death, which reigns supreme in the earthly history of mankind. (Saint John Paul II, General Audience, 18 November 1981)

unitedyam

A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy
1:1-3, 6-12

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
for the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
to Timothy, my dear child:
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God,
whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,
as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. 
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel
with the strength that comes from God.

He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the Gospel,
for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher.
On this account I am suffering these things;
but I am not ashamed,
for I know him in whom I have believed
and am confident that he is able to guard
what has been entrusted to me until that day.

From the Gospel according to Mark
12:18-27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,
came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying,
"Teacher, Moses wrote for us,
If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child,
his brother must take the wife
and raise up descendants for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers.
The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants.
So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants,
and the third likewise.
And the seven left no descendants.
Last of all the woman also died.
At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?
For all seven had been married to her."
Jesus said to them, "Are you not misled
because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?
When they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but they are like the angels in heaven.
As for the dead being raised,
have you not read in the Book of Moses,
in the passage about the bush, how God told him,
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, 
and the God of Jacob?
He is not God of the dead but of the living.
You are greatly misled."

Here, Christ encounters men who consider themselves expert and authoritative interpreters of the Scriptures. To these men – that is, to the Sadducees – Jesus replies that a mere literal knowledge of Scripture is not enough. In fact, Scripture is above all a means of knowing the power of the living God, who reveals Himself in it, just as he revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. In this revelation, He called himself “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and of Jacob” – that is, of those who had been the forefathers of Moses in the faith that springs from the revelation of the living God. All of them have long since died; yet Christ completes the reference to them with His affirmation that God “is not the God of the dead, but of the living”. This key statement, in which Christ interprets the words addressed to Moses from the burning bush, can only be understood if one acknowledges the reality of a life that death does not bring to an end. Moses’ forefathers in the faith, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, are living persons for God, even though, by human standards, they must be counted among the dead. To read Scripture correctly, and in particular the aforementioned words of God, means to know and accept by faith the power of the Giver of life, who is not bound by the law of death, which reigns supreme in the earthly history of mankind. (Saint John Paul II, General Audience, 18 November 1981)

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DHS Chief Markwayne Mullin Crushes Democrat Senator Chris Murphy’s Lies (VIDEO) – DHS Chief Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday testified before the Senate on his department’s 2027 budget. The post DHS Chief Markwayne Mullin Crushes Democrat Senator Chris Murphy’s Lies (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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DHS Chief Markwayne Mullin Crushes Democrat Senator Chris Murphy’s Lies (VIDEO) – DHS Chief Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday testified before the Senate on his department’s 2027 budget. The post DHS Chief Markwayne Mullin Crushes Democrat Senator Chris Murphy’s Lies (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, speaks during a Senate hearing, addressing key security issues with an attentive audience behind him.

Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, speaks during a Senate hearing, addressing key security issues with an attentive audience behind him.

DHS Chief Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday testified before the Senate on his department’s 2027 budget.

The post DHS Chief Markwayne Mullin Crushes Democrat Senator Chris Murphy’s Lies (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Rubio Claps Back Hard With Facts After Senator Chris Van Hollen — The Guy Who Grabs Margs With MS-13 Gang Member — Says “There Is No Evidence That Cuba Is Engaged In State-Sponsored Terrorism” – Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) — the same guy The Gateway Pundit previously reported on for flying to El Salvador last year for a humiliating photo op, where he was caught sipping margaritas with a MS-13 gang member and deported criminal (Bukele’s team even posted the evidence and dubbed it “Margaritagate”) — tried to lecture Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday about Cuba’s status as a state sponsor of terrorism. The post Rubio Claps Back Hard With Facts After Senator Chris Van Hollen — The Guy Who Grabs Margs With MS-13 Gang Member — Says “There Is No Evidence That Cuba Is Engaged In State-Sponsored Terrorism” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Rubio Claps Back Hard With Facts After Senator Chris Van Hollen — The Guy Who Grabs Margs With MS-13 Gang Member — Says “There Is No Evidence That Cuba Is Engaged In State-Sponsored Terrorism” – Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) — the same guy The Gateway Pundit previously reported on for flying to El Salvador last year for a humiliating photo op, where he was caught sipping margaritas with a MS-13 gang member and deported criminal (Bukele’s team even posted the evidence and dubbed it “Margaritagate”) — tried to lecture Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday about Cuba’s status as a state sponsor of terrorism. The post Rubio Claps Back Hard With Facts After Senator Chris Van Hollen — The Guy Who Grabs Margs With MS-13 Gang Member — Says “There Is No Evidence That Cuba Is Engaged In State-Sponsored Terrorism” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Senators Marco Rubio and Chris Van Hollen participate in a congressional hearing, discussing key legislative issues with fellow committee members in attendance.

Senators Marco Rubio and Chris Van Hollen participate in a congressional hearing, discussing key legislative issues with fellow committee members in attendance.

Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) — the same guy The Gateway Pundit previously reported on for flying to El Salvador last year for a humiliating photo op, where he was caught sipping margaritas with a MS-13 gang member and deported criminal (Bukele’s team even posted the evidence and dubbed it “Margaritagate”) — tried to lecture Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday about Cuba’s status as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The post Rubio Claps Back Hard With Facts After Senator Chris Van Hollen — The Guy Who Grabs Margs With MS-13 Gang Member — Says “There Is No Evidence That Cuba Is Engaged In State-Sponsored Terrorism” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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“Thanks for the Geography Lesson”: Black Crowes’ Singer Chris Robinson Shuts Down Patriotic Tampa Crowd, Sparks Mass Walkout (Video) – Over the weekend, as part of the Black Crowes’ “Southern Hospitality Tour” along with Whiskey Myers, Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson tried to shut down the patriotic Tampa crowd and instead watched a steady stream of concertgoers leave mid-set rather than listen to his woke nonsense. The post “Thanks for the Geography Lesson”: Black Crowes’ Singer Chris Robinson Shuts Down Patriotic Tampa Crowd, Sparks Mass Walkout (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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“Thanks for the Geography Lesson”: Black Crowes’ Singer Chris Robinson Shuts Down Patriotic Tampa Crowd, Sparks Mass Walkout (Video) – Over the weekend, as part of the Black Crowes’ “Southern Hospitality Tour” along with Whiskey Myers, Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson tried to shut down the patriotic Tampa crowd and instead watched a steady stream of concertgoers leave mid-set rather than listen to his woke nonsense. The post “Thanks for the Geography Lesson”: Black Crowes’ Singer Chris Robinson Shuts Down Patriotic Tampa Crowd, Sparks Mass Walkout (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

Four men stand together on stage, holding drinks and dressed in casual attire, with musical instruments visible in the background.

Four men stand together on stage, holding drinks and dressed in casual attire, with musical instruments visible in the background.

Over the weekend, as part of the Black Crowes’ “Southern Hospitality Tour” along with Whiskey Myers, Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson tried to shut down the patriotic Tampa crowd and instead watched a steady stream of concertgoers leave mid-set rather than listen to his woke nonsense.

The post “Thanks for the Geography Lesson”: Black Crowes’ Singer Chris Robinson Shuts Down Patriotic Tampa Crowd, Sparks Mass Walkout (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Preparing for Consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: The Novena, the Litany, and Dilexit Nos #Catholic – THIS IS THE HEART THAT HAS LOVED SO GREATLY 48. Devotion to the heart of Christ is not the veneration of a single organ apart from the Person of Jesus. What we contemplate and adore is the whole Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, represented by an image that accentuates his heart. That heart of flesh is seen as the privileged sign of the inmost being of the incarnate Son and his love, both divine and human. More than any other part of his body, the heart of Jesus is “the natural sign and symbol of his boundless love.” DILEXIT NOS (24 October 2024) BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY On June 3, 2026, a Novena will begin across the United States as part of the preparation to Consecrate our Country to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, as we look forward to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence (on July 4). If you are reading this column on June 4 or 5, or any time before or on June 12, you still “have time” to participate in the consecration that will take place on June 11 and 12, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Novena begins on June 3, but you can “join” any time over the course of the nine days. You can find all the information you need to participate in the novena by going to the USCCB website.   You will see that there is a theme for each day of the novena and a brief section each day with ways that you can “Pray,” “Learn,” and “Act.” Another way to participate in the Novena is to take some time, each day or as often as possible, to pray the “Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” during the days of the Novena. For those who may not be familiar with the “Litany,” in general, as a form of prayer or the Litany of the Sacred Heart, in particular, you can find more information here. There are many ways to participate and many resources available for those who may want to learn more about the history and development of devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. One of the best sources is Pope Francis’s final Encyclical Letter, Dilexit Nos, quoted and cited above. The subtitle of Dilexit Nos (He loved us) is: “On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ.” The Encyclical is neither brief nor “light reading,” but it is a beautiful invitation to reflect on the relevance of this devotion in our lives today, as Pope Francis writes in the beginning of Chapter One: THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEART 2. The symbol of the heart has often been used to express the love of Jesus Christ. Some have questioned whether this symbol is still meaningful today. Yet living as we do in an age of superficiality, rushing frenetically from one thing to another without really knowing why, and ending up as insatiable consumers and slaves to the mechanisms of a market unconcerned about the deeper meaning of our lives, all of us need to rediscover the importance of the heart. DILEXIT NOS In Chapters 3 and 4, Pope Francis offers an excellent summary of the development of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, from the Scriptures and Teaching of the Church (Magisterium). He also describes the history of the development of the spirituality of the devotion in the life of the Church and through the lives of the saints, such as St. John Eudes, St. Francis de Sales, St. Margaret Mary Alocoque, St. Claude de la Colombiere, St. Charles de Foucauld, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, and others. Taking the time to prayerfully read all or parts of Dilexit Nos would be a wonderful way of preparing for the consecration. Two other resources I would like to offer are: The Lives of the Saints: Take some time to Google any of the Saints mentioned above or read the section on them in Dilexit Nos. I have shared before that I have found Franciscan Media’s (Catholic) “Saint of the Day” to be a very good resource for concise, brief, and insightful summaries on the Lives of the Saints. Here are links to a few: Margaret Mary Alocoque  John Eudes Charles de Foucauld  The “Sacred Heart Enthronement Network”: As I wrote this column, I found the website of the “Sacred Heart Enthronement Network” where you can find an excellent “Brief History of the Sacred Heart Devotion” and this reminder: In 1899, Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since then, his successors have exhorted the faithful to turn to the Sacred Heart and make acts of personal consecration. They have also begged the faithful to offer prayers and penances to the Sacred Heart in reparation for the many sins of the world. The Sacred Heart Enthronement Network desires to follow in the footsteps of Saints who came before and hold true to the basic request of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary, “I will bless the home in which the Image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.”  In November of last year, Pope Leo XIV declared St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church.  A “doctor” of the Church is someone who gives us special insight into God’s life and Divine Revelation through their words and example. Newman’s motto is Cor ad cor loquitur – Heart speaks to heart. The Holy Father noted that Newman teaches us that, “Beyond all our thoughts and ideas, the Lord saves us by speaking to our hearts from his Sacred Heart.”  As we approach the 250th anniversary of our independence, it is a fitting moment to examine how deeply our own hearts receive the loving message of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Do we express openness to our brothers and sisters who seek the American dream of freedom and security? In our contributions to the fabric of our country, do we foster dialogue and respectful reception of ideas that we might not share? Is the memory of those who have laid down their lives so that freedom is preserved and human rights protected honored through our words and actions as responsible citizens? The Sacred Heart of Jesus himself gives us the resolve to answer those questions in the affirmative, but our hearts must be open to the wonders of his love to access that grace. We pray that we actively open our hearts to the Sacred Heart and ask him to speak to us as we pray, “Heart of Jesus, in whom there are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  
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Preparing for Consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: The Novena, the Litany, and Dilexit Nos #Catholic – THIS IS THE HEART THAT HAS LOVED SO GREATLY 48. Devotion to the heart of Christ is not the veneration of a single organ apart from the Person of Jesus. What we contemplate and adore is the whole Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, represented by an image that accentuates his heart. That heart of flesh is seen as the privileged sign of the inmost being of the incarnate Son and his love, both divine and human. More than any other part of his body, the heart of Jesus is “the natural sign and symbol of his boundless love.” DILEXIT NOS (24 October 2024) BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY On June 3, 2026, a Novena will begin across the United States as part of the preparation to Consecrate our Country to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, as we look forward to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence (on July 4). If you are reading this column on June 4 or 5, or any time before or on June 12, you still “have time” to participate in the consecration that will take place on June 11 and 12, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Novena begins on June 3, but you can “join” any time over the course of the nine days. You can find all the information you need to participate in the novena by going to the USCCB website.   You will see that there is a theme for each day of the novena and a brief section each day with ways that you can “Pray,” “Learn,” and “Act.” Another way to participate in the Novena is to take some time, each day or as often as possible, to pray the “Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” during the days of the Novena. For those who may not be familiar with the “Litany,” in general, as a form of prayer or the Litany of the Sacred Heart, in particular, you can find more information here. There are many ways to participate and many resources available for those who may want to learn more about the history and development of devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. One of the best sources is Pope Francis’s final Encyclical Letter, Dilexit Nos, quoted and cited above. The subtitle of Dilexit Nos (He loved us) is: “On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ.” The Encyclical is neither brief nor “light reading,” but it is a beautiful invitation to reflect on the relevance of this devotion in our lives today, as Pope Francis writes in the beginning of Chapter One: THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEART 2. The symbol of the heart has often been used to express the love of Jesus Christ. Some have questioned whether this symbol is still meaningful today. Yet living as we do in an age of superficiality, rushing frenetically from one thing to another without really knowing why, and ending up as insatiable consumers and slaves to the mechanisms of a market unconcerned about the deeper meaning of our lives, all of us need to rediscover the importance of the heart. DILEXIT NOS In Chapters 3 and 4, Pope Francis offers an excellent summary of the development of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, from the Scriptures and Teaching of the Church (Magisterium). He also describes the history of the development of the spirituality of the devotion in the life of the Church and through the lives of the saints, such as St. John Eudes, St. Francis de Sales, St. Margaret Mary Alocoque, St. Claude de la Colombiere, St. Charles de Foucauld, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, and others. Taking the time to prayerfully read all or parts of Dilexit Nos would be a wonderful way of preparing for the consecration. Two other resources I would like to offer are: The Lives of the Saints: Take some time to Google any of the Saints mentioned above or read the section on them in Dilexit Nos. I have shared before that I have found Franciscan Media’s (Catholic) “Saint of the Day” to be a very good resource for concise, brief, and insightful summaries on the Lives of the Saints. Here are links to a few: Margaret Mary Alocoque  John Eudes Charles de Foucauld  The “Sacred Heart Enthronement Network”: As I wrote this column, I found the website of the “Sacred Heart Enthronement Network” where you can find an excellent “Brief History of the Sacred Heart Devotion” and this reminder: In 1899, Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since then, his successors have exhorted the faithful to turn to the Sacred Heart and make acts of personal consecration. They have also begged the faithful to offer prayers and penances to the Sacred Heart in reparation for the many sins of the world. The Sacred Heart Enthronement Network desires to follow in the footsteps of Saints who came before and hold true to the basic request of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary, “I will bless the home in which the Image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.”  In November of last year, Pope Leo XIV declared St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church.  A “doctor” of the Church is someone who gives us special insight into God’s life and Divine Revelation through their words and example. Newman’s motto is Cor ad cor loquitur – Heart speaks to heart. The Holy Father noted that Newman teaches us that, “Beyond all our thoughts and ideas, the Lord saves us by speaking to our hearts from his Sacred Heart.”  As we approach the 250th anniversary of our independence, it is a fitting moment to examine how deeply our own hearts receive the loving message of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Do we express openness to our brothers and sisters who seek the American dream of freedom and security? In our contributions to the fabric of our country, do we foster dialogue and respectful reception of ideas that we might not share? Is the memory of those who have laid down their lives so that freedom is preserved and human rights protected honored through our words and actions as responsible citizens? The Sacred Heart of Jesus himself gives us the resolve to answer those questions in the affirmative, but our hearts must be open to the wonders of his love to access that grace. We pray that we actively open our hearts to the Sacred Heart and ask him to speak to us as we pray, “Heart of Jesus, in whom there are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  

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Preparing for Consecration to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: The Novena, the Litany, and Dilexit Nos #Catholic –

THIS IS THE HEART THAT HAS LOVED SO GREATLY

48. Devotion to the heart of Christ is not the veneration of a single organ apart from the Person of Jesus. What we contemplate and adore is the whole Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, represented by an image that accentuates his heart. That heart of flesh is seen as the privileged sign of the inmost being of the incarnate Son and his love, both divine and human. More than any other part of his body, the heart of Jesus is “the natural sign and symbol of his boundless love.”

DILEXIT NOS
 (24 October 2024)

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

On June 3, 2026, a Novena will begin across the United States as part of the preparation to Consecrate our Country to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, as we look forward to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence (on July 4). If you are reading this column on June 4 or 5, or any time before or on June 12, you still “have time” to participate in the consecration that will take place on June 11 and 12, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Novena begins on June 3, but you can “join” any time over the course of the nine days. You can find all the information you need to participate in the novena by going to the USCCB website.  

You will see that there is a theme for each day of the novena and a brief section each day with ways that you can “Pray,” “Learn,” and “Act.”

Another way to participate in the Novena is to take some time, each day or as often as possible, to pray the “Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” during the days of the Novena. For those who may not be familiar with the “Litany,” in general, as a form of prayer or the Litany of the Sacred Heart, in particular, you can find more information here.

There are many ways to participate and many resources available for those who may want to learn more about the history and development of devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. One of the best sources is Pope Francis’s final Encyclical Letter, Dilexit Nos, quoted and cited above. The subtitle of Dilexit Nos (He loved us) is: “On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ.” The Encyclical is neither brief nor “light reading,” but it is a beautiful invitation to reflect on the relevance of this devotion in our lives today, as Pope Francis writes in the beginning of Chapter One:

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEART

2. The symbol of the heart has often been used to express the love of Jesus Christ. Some have questioned whether this symbol is still meaningful today. Yet living as we do in an age of superficiality, rushing frenetically from one thing to another without really knowing why, and ending up as insatiable consumers and slaves to the mechanisms of a market unconcerned about the deeper meaning of our lives, all of us need to rediscover the importance of the heart.

DILEXIT NOS

In Chapters 3 and 4, Pope Francis offers an excellent summary of the development of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, from the Scriptures and Teaching of the Church (Magisterium). He also describes the history of the development of the spirituality of the devotion in the life of the Church and through the lives of the saints, such as St. John Eudes, St. Francis de Sales, St. Margaret Mary Alocoque, St. Claude de la Colombiere, St. Charles de Foucauld, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, and others. Taking the time to prayerfully read all or parts of Dilexit Nos would be a wonderful way of preparing for the consecration.

Two other resources I would like to offer are:

  1. The Lives of the Saints: Take some time to Google any of the Saints mentioned above or read the section on them in Dilexit Nos. I have shared before that I have found Franciscan Media’s (Catholic) “Saint of the Day” to be a very good resource for concise, brief, and insightful summaries on the Lives of the Saints. Here are links to a few:
  1. The “Sacred Heart Enthronement Network”: As I wrote this column, I found the website of the “Sacred Heart Enthronement Network” where you can find an excellent “Brief History of the Sacred Heart Devotion” and this reminder:

In 1899, Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Since then, his successors have exhorted the faithful to turn to the Sacred Heart and make acts of personal consecration. They have also begged the faithful to offer prayers and penances to the Sacred Heart in reparation for the many sins of the world. The Sacred Heart Enthronement Network desires to follow in the footsteps of Saints who came before and hold true to the basic request of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary, “I will bless the home in which the Image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored.” 

In November of last year, Pope Leo XIV declared St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church.  A “doctor” of the Church is someone who gives us special insight into God’s life and Divine Revelation through their words and example. Newman’s motto is Cor ad cor loquitur – Heart speaks to heart. The Holy Father noted that Newman teaches us that, “Beyond all our thoughts and ideas, the Lord saves us by speaking to our hearts from his Sacred Heart.” 

As we approach the 250th anniversary of our independence, it is a fitting moment to examine how deeply our own hearts receive the loving message of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Do we express openness to our brothers and sisters who seek the American dream of freedom and security? In our contributions to the fabric of our country, do we foster dialogue and respectful reception of ideas that we might not share? Is the memory of those who have laid down their lives so that freedom is preserved and human rights protected honored through our words and actions as responsible citizens? The Sacred Heart of Jesus himself gives us the resolve to answer those questions in the affirmative, but our hearts must be open to the wonders of his love to access that grace. We pray that we actively open our hearts to the Sacred Heart and ask him to speak to us as we pray, “Heart of Jesus, in whom there are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.”

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– THIS IS THE HEART THAT HAS LOVED SO GREATLY 48. Devotion to the heart of Christ is not the veneration of a single organ apart from the Person of Jesus. What we contemplate and adore is the whole Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, represented by an image that accentuates his heart. That heart of flesh is seen as the privileged sign of the inmost being of the incarnate Son and his love, both divine and human. More than any other part of his body, the heart of Jesus is “the natural sign and symbol of his boundless

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More than 50 children celebrate first Communion amid ongoing missile attacks in southern Lebanon #Catholic Amid a rocket attack launched by Hezbollah on residential homes in the village of Rmeish in southern Lebanon, more than 50 children celebrated their first Communion in a testament to faith, resilience, and hope in the midst of war.In comments to local media, Rmeish Municipality Head Hanna Al-Amil said a missile fell between inhabited homes on Sunday morning and “narrowly avoided causing a major disaster.”Al-Amil stressed that the village contains no military forces, armed groups, or weapons, emphasizing that residents “simply want to live safely on their land, away from confrontation and escalation.”The people of Rmeish remain attached to their land and continue their lives “despite difficult circumstances,” he said, calling for the protection of civilians and for the village and its residents not to be placed at risk. The incident is not an isolated one. It comes amid a series of missile launches affecting Christian villages in the south, increasing fears among local residents. On Friday, several Hezbollah rockets fired toward Israeli forces operating in the town of Dibbin landed in residential and civilian areas of Marjayoun, causing significant property damage. According to local reports, one rocket struck the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, damaging parts of the church, while another landed within the grounds of the Sacred Hearts Secondary School, leaving extensive destruction to the building and its surroundings.Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Rizkallah Alam, a resident of Rmeish whose daughter received her first Communion, said villagers have effectively been living in a state of war since Oct. 8, 2023. “We have been living the reality of war since then,” he said, adding that the village has not experienced a genuine ceasefire at any point. “The children and their parents live in constant anxiety. We asked to postpone the first Communion to another time, but our parish priest refused and insisted that it take place.”Alam described the daily reality facing children in the village, saying they live without a sense of security or psychological stability. “My children pray and sing hymns all the time, and they live according to the news cycle. Some days schools are open, and other days they are not. Today the situation has become even worse because of the siege.”He said the restrictions affecting the village have impacted even the most basic aspects of daily life. “Everything has become unavailable. We wait for the aid convoy and hope it will be allowed to reach the village.”In previous years, families would hold large celebrations for first Communion. This year, however, circumstances forced them to scale back their plans. “This year the celebration was limited to family homes, with no large festivities,” he said. “The number of children was also lower than in previous years because families are scattered. Some are in Beirut, while others have left the country.”Alam described the immense uncertainty facing both parents and children. “The situation is extremely difficult. We cannot even plan for tomorrow,” he said. “As we speak, rockets have fallen in Rmeish again, one person has been injured, and a car has caught fire.”Between missiles and first Communion, Rmeish embodies one of southern Lebanonʼs most painful paradoxes: a village that wants to live, families determined to remain, and children learning faith in a time of fear. This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated for and adapted by EWTN News English.
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More than 50 children celebrate first Communion amid ongoing missile attacks in southern Lebanon #Catholic Amid a rocket attack launched by Hezbollah on residential homes in the village of Rmeish in southern Lebanon, more than 50 children celebrated their first Communion in a testament to faith, resilience, and hope in the midst of war.In comments to local media, Rmeish Municipality Head Hanna Al-Amil said a missile fell between inhabited homes on Sunday morning and “narrowly avoided causing a major disaster.”Al-Amil stressed that the village contains no military forces, armed groups, or weapons, emphasizing that residents “simply want to live safely on their land, away from confrontation and escalation.”The people of Rmeish remain attached to their land and continue their lives “despite difficult circumstances,” he said, calling for the protection of civilians and for the village and its residents not to be placed at risk. The incident is not an isolated one. It comes amid a series of missile launches affecting Christian villages in the south, increasing fears among local residents. On Friday, several Hezbollah rockets fired toward Israeli forces operating in the town of Dibbin landed in residential and civilian areas of Marjayoun, causing significant property damage. According to local reports, one rocket struck the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, damaging parts of the church, while another landed within the grounds of the Sacred Hearts Secondary School, leaving extensive destruction to the building and its surroundings.Speaking to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, Rizkallah Alam, a resident of Rmeish whose daughter received her first Communion, said villagers have effectively been living in a state of war since Oct. 8, 2023. “We have been living the reality of war since then,” he said, adding that the village has not experienced a genuine ceasefire at any point. “The children and their parents live in constant anxiety. We asked to postpone the first Communion to another time, but our parish priest refused and insisted that it take place.”Alam described the daily reality facing children in the village, saying they live without a sense of security or psychological stability. “My children pray and sing hymns all the time, and they live according to the news cycle. Some days schools are open, and other days they are not. Today the situation has become even worse because of the siege.”He said the restrictions affecting the village have impacted even the most basic aspects of daily life. “Everything has become unavailable. We wait for the aid convoy and hope it will be allowed to reach the village.”In previous years, families would hold large celebrations for first Communion. This year, however, circumstances forced them to scale back their plans. “This year the celebration was limited to family homes, with no large festivities,” he said. “The number of children was also lower than in previous years because families are scattered. Some are in Beirut, while others have left the country.”Alam described the immense uncertainty facing both parents and children. “The situation is extremely difficult. We cannot even plan for tomorrow,” he said. “As we speak, rockets have fallen in Rmeish again, one person has been injured, and a car has caught fire.”Between missiles and first Communion, Rmeish embodies one of southern Lebanonʼs most painful paradoxes: a village that wants to live, families determined to remain, and children learning faith in a time of fear. This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated for and adapted by EWTN News English.

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A resident of Rmeish whose daughter received her first Communion said villagers there have effectively been living in a state of war since Oct. 8, 2023.

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This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of June #Catholic Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of June is for the value of sports.“In times of war and extreme polarization, sport is one of the few things that bring us closer together,” the pope said in a video released on X on June 2.He added: “Let us pray this June that sport may be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that it may promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.”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:In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.Lord of life,we thank you for the gift of sport,for those who glorify God through the exercise of their bodies,for the friendships born on the fieldand the joy of playing as a team.You teach us that in life, as in the game,no one is saved alone.We need others to grow,to learn respect, to overcome our limits,and to celebrate together the victories we achieve.We ask that sport may always bea school of fraternity, not of empty rivalry,a space of encounter, not exclusion,a path of peace, not violence.May those who play, train, or cheerdiscover in sport a universal languagethat brings cultures together, unites peoples,and sows respect, solidarity, and personal growth.Lord Jesus,may every sport become a parable of life lived with you,working with joy and effort,living with humility in defeatand with gratitude in the victory you offer in your resurrection.May your Spirit never be lacking in us,making us one team, united with youto build communion and fraternity in history.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 June #Catholic Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of June is for the value of sports.“In times of war and extreme polarization, sport is one of the few things that bring us closer together,” the pope said in a video released on X on June 2.He added: “Let us pray this June that sport may be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that it may promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.”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:In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.Lord of life,we thank you for the gift of sport,for those who glorify God through the exercise of their bodies,for the friendships born on the fieldand the joy of playing as a team.You teach us that in life, as in the game,no one is saved alone.We need others to grow,to learn respect, to overcome our limits,and to celebrate together the victories we achieve.We ask that sport may always bea school of fraternity, not of empty rivalry,a space of encounter, not exclusion,a path of peace, not violence.May those who play, train, or cheerdiscover in sport a universal languagethat brings cultures together, unites peoples,and sows respect, solidarity, and personal growth.Lord Jesus,may every sport become a parable of life lived with you,working with joy and effort,living with humility in defeatand with gratitude in the victory you offer in your resurrection.May your Spirit never be lacking in us,making us one team, united with youto build communion and fraternity in history.Amen.“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.

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“In times of war and extreme polarization, sport is one of the few things that bring us closer together,” the pope said in a video released on X on June 2.

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Parishes in Buffalo Diocese will undergo ‘rapid’ bankruptcy as part of Chapter 11 process – #Catholic – Parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, will undergo “rapid” bankruptcy proceedings as part of a larger Chapter 11 process, the diocese has told the faithful. A statement included in parish bulletins on May 31 said all parishes in the diocese would file “rapid prepackaged bankruptcy” cases in federal court “in an effort to bring the bankruptcy proceedings of the Diocese of Buffalo to a successful conclusion.”The Buffalo Diocese has been moving through the bankruptcy process for a notable length of time. The diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and has been working to finalize a major settlement since April 2025. The announcement at parishes on May 31 said the parish bankruptcy filings would occur “immediately before a hearing on confirmation of the plan.” The move “will happen if and only if sufficient votes [from abuse victims] are received for approval of the plan,” the statement said, adding that the approach “has the support of pastors and the diocese.”“The parish bankruptcy cases will not be commenced until later this year and will come at the very last minute before the ‘confirmation’ hearing on approval of the diocese’s plan,” the statement said, adding that it was “anticipated that parishes will emerge from bankruptcy within 48 hours.”Similar approaches have been taken in other dioceses undergoing bankruptcy, the statement said, including the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York as well as the Archdiocese of New Orleans.“With the prospect of officially achieving this goal, we look to the future with renewed commitment and focus on our mission and work in service to the Catholic faithful throughout Western New York and our broader community,” the diocese said in its statement. In addition to its yearslong bankruptcy proceedings, the Buffalo Diocese has also fended off both legal and ecclesial challenges from parishioners who have objected to an ongoing diocesan merger plan. Opposition to proposed closures and mergers in the diocese reached the New York Supreme Court in 2025; the state court ultimately tossed the suit out, ruling that it did not have jurisdiction over Church governance disputes.In December 2025, after appeals from parishioners, the Vatican ordered the reversal of several parish closures in the Buffalo Diocese.In April the Vatican also said that multiple parishes would not have to contribute disputed amounts of cash into the diocesan abuse settlement plan.
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Parishes in Buffalo Diocese will undergo ‘rapid’ bankruptcy as part of Chapter 11 process – #Catholic – Parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, will undergo “rapid” bankruptcy proceedings as part of a larger Chapter 11 process, the diocese has told the faithful. A statement included in parish bulletins on May 31 said all parishes in the diocese would file “rapid prepackaged bankruptcy” cases in federal court “in an effort to bring the bankruptcy proceedings of the Diocese of Buffalo to a successful conclusion.”The Buffalo Diocese has been moving through the bankruptcy process for a notable length of time. The diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and has been working to finalize a major settlement since April 2025. The announcement at parishes on May 31 said the parish bankruptcy filings would occur “immediately before a hearing on confirmation of the plan.” The move “will happen if and only if sufficient votes [from abuse victims] are received for approval of the plan,” the statement said, adding that the approach “has the support of pastors and the diocese.”“The parish bankruptcy cases will not be commenced until later this year and will come at the very last minute before the ‘confirmation’ hearing on approval of the diocese’s plan,” the statement said, adding that it was “anticipated that parishes will emerge from bankruptcy within 48 hours.”Similar approaches have been taken in other dioceses undergoing bankruptcy, the statement said, including the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York as well as the Archdiocese of New Orleans.“With the prospect of officially achieving this goal, we look to the future with renewed commitment and focus on our mission and work in service to the Catholic faithful throughout Western New York and our broader community,” the diocese said in its statement. In addition to its yearslong bankruptcy proceedings, the Buffalo Diocese has also fended off both legal and ecclesial challenges from parishioners who have objected to an ongoing diocesan merger plan. Opposition to proposed closures and mergers in the diocese reached the New York Supreme Court in 2025; the state court ultimately tossed the suit out, ruling that it did not have jurisdiction over Church governance disputes.In December 2025, after appeals from parishioners, the Vatican ordered the reversal of several parish closures in the Buffalo Diocese.In April the Vatican also said that multiple parishes would not have to contribute disputed amounts of cash into the diocesan abuse settlement plan.

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In an effort to bring its bankruptcy proceedings to a successful conclusion, the Diocese of Buffalo announced all its parishes will file “rapid prepackaged bankruptcy” cases.

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Scientists used a method from ecology to identify whether icy moons could hold conditions for life

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New observatories and spacecraft missions are probing environments in our solar system that could potentially host life but have long remained hidden. Icy moons like Saturn’s Enceladus and Jupiter’s Europa likely contain oceans beneath frozen outer shells. But a layer of ice prohibits space probes from sampling them directly. Exploring these icy moons is almost forensic: Their surfaces keep aContinue reading “Scientists used a method from ecology to identify whether icy moons could hold conditions for life”

The post Scientists used a method from ecology to identify whether icy moons could hold conditions for life appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Pakistan police shooting of Christian driver renews ‘encounter’ concerns – #Catholic – A Christian motorcycle ride-hailing driver is battling for his life after allegedly being shot nine times by members of a police anti-crime patrol, renewing concerns over police conduct and the use of force in Pakistanʼs Punjab province.Alyan Johnson, 22, was critically injured in a shooting involving personnel of the Dolphin Force in Rawalpindi, the garrison city adjoining Islamabad, on the night of May 26.According to his family, Johnson had just dropped off a passenger when police arrived in pursuit of a suspected armed man. The suspect allegedly fired into the air and attempted to flee, after which officers opened fire.Johnson, who joined a ride-hailing company six months ago to help support his family, remains hospitalized.His family has filed a complaint at Sadiqabad police station, demanding an impartial investigation, strict action against those responsible, and compensation for the injuries and losses suffered.Four Dolphin Force personnel allegedly involved in the shooting have been suspended and charged on the orders of the Rawalpindi city police officer.Joseph Michael, Johnsonʼs uncle, said the family was dissatisfied with what he described as a limited official response.“We demand justice and imprisonment for the shooters who misused their authority,” Michael told EWTN News. “Johnson raised his hands and identified himself as a rider in a loud voice, but the shooting continued. He had no weapon and no criminal record. He only wanted to help his father, who works as a sanitary worker.”Michael said Johnson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and two fractures in his right leg.“Anything could have happened. We are grateful he survived,” he added.Raja Abdul Hanif, chairman of the Punjab chief ministerʼs inspection team, visited Johnson in the hospital on May 29 and assured the family of justice. He directed authorities to ensure all medicines and treatment costs were provided by the hospital.“The law is equal for everyone and action will be taken against those involved in the incident following a transparent investigation,” Hanif said.Police have yet to issue a detailed public explanation of the shooting.The incident has triggered strong reactions among Christian activists and rights advocates.A delegation led by Tariq Mehmood Ghouri, coordinator of the Catholic bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace in the Islamabad-Rawalpindi Diocese, visited the hospital and pledged legal and moral support to the family.“The situation was mishandled. Doctors are still uncertain whether the young laborer will ever walk normally again,” Ghouri said.“For many poor families, motorcycle ride-hailing is one of the few ways to earn a living amid soaring inflation and fuel prices. The state must recognize these realities and act with compassion.”Ghouri said the shooting raised serious questions about police training and operational procedures.“The incident is an eye-opener for those who claim that religious minorities enjoy equal rights and protection in Pakistan,” he said.A pattern of police ‘encounters’ in PunjabThe shooting comes amid growing scrutiny of police encounter practices in Punjab.A fact-finding report released in February by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) concluded that Punjabʼs Crime Control Department has pursued a policy of staged police encounters, often resulting in extrajudicial killings and undermining constitutional safeguards and the rule of law.Based on media reports, the commission documented at least 670 Crime Control Department-led encounters during the first eight months of 2025, resulting in the deaths of 924 suspects, while only two police officers were reported killed.“In genuine armed confrontations, such a ratio appears to be statistically implausible,” the report states. “This imbalance suggests deliberate executions and reckless disregard for the sanctity of life.”The report also documented allegations of intimidation against victims' families, including pressure to bury relatives quickly, obstacles to independent medical examinations, and threats against those seeking justice.Concerns over Dolphin Force operations are not new. In 2022, members of the unit shot dead a dismissed police constable and injured two others in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, after allegedly mistaking them for robbers.
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Pakistan police shooting of Christian driver renews ‘encounter’ concerns – #Catholic – A Christian motorcycle ride-hailing driver is battling for his life after allegedly being shot nine times by members of a police anti-crime patrol, renewing concerns over police conduct and the use of force in Pakistanʼs Punjab province.Alyan Johnson, 22, was critically injured in a shooting involving personnel of the Dolphin Force in Rawalpindi, the garrison city adjoining Islamabad, on the night of May 26.According to his family, Johnson had just dropped off a passenger when police arrived in pursuit of a suspected armed man. The suspect allegedly fired into the air and attempted to flee, after which officers opened fire.Johnson, who joined a ride-hailing company six months ago to help support his family, remains hospitalized.His family has filed a complaint at Sadiqabad police station, demanding an impartial investigation, strict action against those responsible, and compensation for the injuries and losses suffered.Four Dolphin Force personnel allegedly involved in the shooting have been suspended and charged on the orders of the Rawalpindi city police officer.Joseph Michael, Johnsonʼs uncle, said the family was dissatisfied with what he described as a limited official response.“We demand justice and imprisonment for the shooters who misused their authority,” Michael told EWTN News. “Johnson raised his hands and identified himself as a rider in a loud voice, but the shooting continued. He had no weapon and no criminal record. He only wanted to help his father, who works as a sanitary worker.”Michael said Johnson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and two fractures in his right leg.“Anything could have happened. We are grateful he survived,” he added.Raja Abdul Hanif, chairman of the Punjab chief ministerʼs inspection team, visited Johnson in the hospital on May 29 and assured the family of justice. He directed authorities to ensure all medicines and treatment costs were provided by the hospital.“The law is equal for everyone and action will be taken against those involved in the incident following a transparent investigation,” Hanif said.Police have yet to issue a detailed public explanation of the shooting.The incident has triggered strong reactions among Christian activists and rights advocates.A delegation led by Tariq Mehmood Ghouri, coordinator of the Catholic bishops' National Commission for Justice and Peace in the Islamabad-Rawalpindi Diocese, visited the hospital and pledged legal and moral support to the family.“The situation was mishandled. Doctors are still uncertain whether the young laborer will ever walk normally again,” Ghouri said.“For many poor families, motorcycle ride-hailing is one of the few ways to earn a living amid soaring inflation and fuel prices. The state must recognize these realities and act with compassion.”Ghouri said the shooting raised serious questions about police training and operational procedures.“The incident is an eye-opener for those who claim that religious minorities enjoy equal rights and protection in Pakistan,” he said.A pattern of police ‘encounters’ in PunjabThe shooting comes amid growing scrutiny of police encounter practices in Punjab.A fact-finding report released in February by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) concluded that Punjabʼs Crime Control Department has pursued a policy of staged police encounters, often resulting in extrajudicial killings and undermining constitutional safeguards and the rule of law.Based on media reports, the commission documented at least 670 Crime Control Department-led encounters during the first eight months of 2025, resulting in the deaths of 924 suspects, while only two police officers were reported killed.“In genuine armed confrontations, such a ratio appears to be statistically implausible,” the report states. “This imbalance suggests deliberate executions and reckless disregard for the sanctity of life.”The report also documented allegations of intimidation against victims' families, including pressure to bury relatives quickly, obstacles to independent medical examinations, and threats against those seeking justice.Concerns over Dolphin Force operations are not new. In 2022, members of the unit shot dead a dismissed police constable and injured two others in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, after allegedly mistaking them for robbers.

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Catholic justice officials and rights advocates say the shooting of a Christian driver in Rawalpindi reflects a broader pattern of deadly police “encounters” in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

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Magnifica Humanitas seen deepening Church-tech ties, former Silicon Valley exec says – #Catholic – Magnifica Humanitas has opened the doors for deeper conversations between the Church and the tech industry regarding “how AI is going to affect humanity,” priest and former Silicon Valley executive Father Brendan McGuire said.McGuire, pastor of St. Simon Parish in Los Altos, California, told “EWTN News Nightly” that tech companies are searching for “wisdom” right now, and Pope Leo’s encyclical can offer it.The Church has “been working with the different tech companies for a number of years … directly from Rome, in the Vatican, and also here locally,” he said.In 2024 Anthropic, an AI safety company and creator of the Claude AI system that filed to go public June 1, reached out to the Vatican for ethical guidance. McGuire helped shape Claudeʼs Constitution, the 23,000-word document governing how Claude reasons through complex moral questions.McGuire also co-founded the Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture — a formal partnership between Santa Clara Universityʼs Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and the Vaticanʼs Dicastery for Culture and Education. Earlier he had worked for the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), an industry consortium of computer hardware manufacturers.The Irish priest holds degrees in engineering and computer science from Trinity College Dublin and has a theology degree from St. Patrickʼs Seminary and University.‘Engaged in deeper conversations’“More intensely over this last year, weʼve been more deliberately, and more intentionally, engaged in deeper conversations monthly … mostly with Anthropic, and we believe this document now will be able to deepen these relationships even more,” he said.These relationships will prompt “real dialogue as to how AI is going to affect humanity,” he said.“I love the reframing that the pope has done” by asking “How do we have all of humanity … flourish inside of AI? Instead of the other way around,” McGuire said. “Itʼs a reframing of the whole issue.”While some wonder if tech companies will listen to the pope’s call, McGuire said he believes they will, as people in the industry “are looking for wisdom.”Those in the tech industry “are men and women of goodwill, and they want this AI to go well,” he said. “And if itʼs going to go well, then theyʼre going to have to have people outside of the programmers, and the mathematicians, and the technology people, and engineers.”“They need wisdom from outside. Itʼs not just the Catholic Church. Every religious tradition needs to lean into this moment,” he said.Reading the pope’s encyclical is ‘the most important thing’The encyclical comes years after AI really took off, but “itʼs not true” when people say the pope’s call is too late, McGuire said.“The technology people themselves say that itʼs not true. But I do believe that the window is closing,” he said.The “whole intention” of the popeʼs encyclical is “to start asking those more difficult questions,” McGuire said. The pope has asked: “What [does it] mean for a human being to flourish? What is good for all of humanity? And not what is just good for a handful of people, but what is good for all of us?”“So what weʼve done here is raised questions more than got answers,” McGuire said. Now we must “bring about a dialogue to go for those answers.”The “first thing I implore everyone to do is to read it,” he said. Reading it is “the most important thing” and “not relying … on soundbites from somebody else.”The first half of the encyclical “is a survey of the previous documents of the Church and social doctrine” and it is “a great summary of them,” he said.Then, focus on reading “Chapter 3 on artificial intelligence” and “Chapter 4 [on] the impact of it.”Pope Leo “uses two biblical metaphors” that “are beautiful and really important”: the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem by Nehemiah, he said.He is “basically saying we donʼt want to go back to the Tower of Babel, where everyone builds it for their own … purposes,” he said. Instead, it must be like the city Jerusalem where “everyone has a role. Every family, every person, every engineer, every journalist, every philosopher.”“Everyone needs to play a role, and we need to engage with this because it will, in large part, determine our future as a humanity,” McGuire said.
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Magnifica Humanitas seen deepening Church-tech ties, former Silicon Valley exec says – #Catholic – Magnifica Humanitas has opened the doors for deeper conversations between the Church and the tech industry regarding “how AI is going to affect humanity,” priest and former Silicon Valley executive Father Brendan McGuire said.McGuire, pastor of St. Simon Parish in Los Altos, California, told “EWTN News Nightly” that tech companies are searching for “wisdom” right now, and Pope Leo’s encyclical can offer it.The Church has “been working with the different tech companies for a number of years … directly from Rome, in the Vatican, and also here locally,” he said.In 2024 Anthropic, an AI safety company and creator of the Claude AI system that filed to go public June 1, reached out to the Vatican for ethical guidance. McGuire helped shape Claudeʼs Constitution, the 23,000-word document governing how Claude reasons through complex moral questions.McGuire also co-founded the Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture — a formal partnership between Santa Clara Universityʼs Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and the Vaticanʼs Dicastery for Culture and Education. Earlier he had worked for the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), an industry consortium of computer hardware manufacturers.The Irish priest holds degrees in engineering and computer science from Trinity College Dublin and has a theology degree from St. Patrickʼs Seminary and University.‘Engaged in deeper conversations’“More intensely over this last year, weʼve been more deliberately, and more intentionally, engaged in deeper conversations monthly … mostly with Anthropic, and we believe this document now will be able to deepen these relationships even more,” he said.These relationships will prompt “real dialogue as to how AI is going to affect humanity,” he said.“I love the reframing that the pope has done” by asking “How do we have all of humanity … flourish inside of AI? Instead of the other way around,” McGuire said. “Itʼs a reframing of the whole issue.”While some wonder if tech companies will listen to the pope’s call, McGuire said he believes they will, as people in the industry “are looking for wisdom.”Those in the tech industry “are men and women of goodwill, and they want this AI to go well,” he said. “And if itʼs going to go well, then theyʼre going to have to have people outside of the programmers, and the mathematicians, and the technology people, and engineers.”“They need wisdom from outside. Itʼs not just the Catholic Church. Every religious tradition needs to lean into this moment,” he said.Reading the pope’s encyclical is ‘the most important thing’The encyclical comes years after AI really took off, but “itʼs not true” when people say the pope’s call is too late, McGuire said.“The technology people themselves say that itʼs not true. But I do believe that the window is closing,” he said.The “whole intention” of the popeʼs encyclical is “to start asking those more difficult questions,” McGuire said. The pope has asked: “What [does it] mean for a human being to flourish? What is good for all of humanity? And not what is just good for a handful of people, but what is good for all of us?”“So what weʼve done here is raised questions more than got answers,” McGuire said. Now we must “bring about a dialogue to go for those answers.”The “first thing I implore everyone to do is to read it,” he said. Reading it is “the most important thing” and “not relying … on soundbites from somebody else.”The first half of the encyclical “is a survey of the previous documents of the Church and social doctrine” and it is “a great summary of them,” he said.Then, focus on reading “Chapter 3 on artificial intelligence” and “Chapter 4 [on] the impact of it.”Pope Leo “uses two biblical metaphors” that “are beautiful and really important”: the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem by Nehemiah, he said.He is “basically saying we donʼt want to go back to the Tower of Babel, where everyone builds it for their own … purposes,” he said. Instead, it must be like the city Jerusalem where “everyone has a role. Every family, every person, every engineer, every journalist, every philosopher.”“Everyone needs to play a role, and we need to engage with this because it will, in large part, determine our future as a humanity,” McGuire said.

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Relationships between tech companies and the Church will prompt “real dialogue as to how AI is going to affect humanity,” Father Brendan McGuire said.

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State Where P-51 Mustang Was Built In 102 Days Now Taking 4 Years To Build Bridge For Butterflies #BabylonBee – AGOURA HILLS, CA — Officials working on new construction in California were surprised to learn that their own state, which was struggling to build a bridge for butterflies over the course of four years at a cost of over 0 million, had apparently once developed and built the P-51 Mustang in just 102 days.
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State Where P-51 Mustang Was Built In 102 Days Now Taking 4 Years To Build Bridge For Butterflies #BabylonBee – AGOURA HILLS, CA — Officials working on new construction in California were surprised to learn that their own state, which was struggling to build a bridge for butterflies over the course of four years at a cost of over $100 million, had apparently once developed and built the P-51 Mustang in just 102 days.

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AGOURA HILLS, CA — Officials working on new construction in California were surprised to learn that their own state, which was struggling to build a bridge for butterflies over the course of four years at a cost of over $100 million, had apparently once developed and built the P-51 Mustang in just 102 days.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 02 June 2026 – A reading from the Second Letter of St. Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18 Beloved: Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation. Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.From the Gospel according to Mark 12:13-17 Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion. You do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” They brought one to him and he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They replied to him, “Caesar’s.” So Jesus said to them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” They were utterly amazed at him.From the question posed to him by the Pharisees, Jesus draws a more radical and vital question for each of us, a question we can ask ourselves: to whom do I belong? To family, to the city, to friends, to work, to politics, to the State? Yes, of course. But first and foremost — Jesus reminds us — you belong to God. This is the fundamental belonging. It is He who has given you all that you are and have. And therefore, day by day, we can and must live our life in recognition of this fundamental belonging and in heartfelt gratitude toward our Father, who creates each one of us individually, unrepeatable, but always according to the image of his beloved Son, Jesus. It is a wondrous mystery. Christians are called to commit themselves concretely in the human and social spheres without comparing “God” and “Caesar”; comparing God and Caesar would be a fundamentalist approach. Christians are called to commit themselves concretely in earthly realities, but illuminating them with the light that comes from God. The primary entrustment to God and hope in him do not imply an escape from reality, but rather the diligent rendering to God that which belongs to him. This is why a believer looks to the future reality, that of God, so as to live earthly life to the fullest, and to meet its challenges with courage. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 22 October 2017)

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A reading from the Second Letter of St. Peter
3:12-15a, 17-18

Beloved:
Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames
and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,
be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled
and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

From the Gospel according to Mark
12:13-17

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,
“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.

From the question posed to him by the Pharisees, Jesus draws a more radical and vital question for each of us, a question we can ask ourselves: to whom do I belong? To family, to the city, to friends, to work, to politics, to the State? Yes, of course. But first and foremost — Jesus reminds us — you belong to God. This is the fundamental belonging. It is He who has given you all that you are and have. And therefore, day by day, we can and must live our life in recognition of this fundamental belonging and in heartfelt gratitude toward our Father, who creates each one of us individually, unrepeatable, but always according to the image of his beloved Son, Jesus. It is a wondrous mystery.

Christians are called to commit themselves concretely in the human and social spheres without comparing “God” and “Caesar”; comparing God and Caesar would be a fundamentalist approach. Christians are called to commit themselves concretely in earthly realities, but illuminating them with the light that comes from God. The primary entrustment to God and hope in him do not imply an escape from reality, but rather the diligent rendering to God that which belongs to him. This is why a believer looks to the future reality, that of God, so as to live earthly life to the fullest, and to meet its challenges with courage. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 22 October 2017)

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Adult confirmations celebrated at Passaic church #Catholic - On Pentecost Sunday, May 24, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Church in Passaic, N.J., celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation during a special 3 p.m. Mass. About 90 adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation surrounded by their sponsors, families, and parish community. The Mass was celebrated by Father Rolands Uribe, with Deacon Gil Martinez assisting, and marked an important moment for those who completed their preparation and officially received the sacrament. The celebration brought together members of the parish community to support and pray for the newly confirmed as they continue growing in their faith. PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  
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Adult confirmations celebrated at Passaic church #Catholic – On Pentecost Sunday, May 24, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Church in Passaic, N.J., celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation during a special 3 p.m. Mass. About 90 adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation surrounded by their sponsors, families, and parish community. The Mass was celebrated by Father Rolands Uribe, with Deacon Gil Martinez assisting, and marked an important moment for those who completed their preparation and officially received the sacrament. The celebration brought together members of the parish community to support and pray for the newly confirmed as they continue growing in their faith. PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  

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Adult confirmations celebrated at Passaic church #Catholic –

On Pentecost Sunday, May 24, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Church in Passaic, N.J., celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation during a special 3 p.m. Mass. About 90 adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation surrounded by their sponsors, families, and parish community.

The Mass was celebrated by Father Rolands Uribe, with Deacon Gil Martinez assisting, and marked an important moment for those who completed their preparation and officially received the sacrament.

The celebration brought together members of the parish community to support and pray for the newly confirmed as they continue growing in their faith.

PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

 

– On Pentecost Sunday, May 24, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Church in Passaic, N.J., celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation during a special 3 p.m. Mass. About 90 adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation surrounded by their sponsors, families, and parish community. The Mass was celebrated by Father Rolands Uribe, with Deacon Gil Martinez assisting, and marked an important moment for those who completed their preparation and officially received the sacrament. The celebration brought together members of the parish community to support and pray for the newly confirmed as they continue growing in their faith. PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ

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Graham ” Nazi Tattoo” Platner Drags Out Unhappy Wife as He Finally Breaks His Silence on Massive Sexting Scandal Embroiling His Campaign (VIDEO) – Far-left Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner has finally broken his silence about the latest scandal threatening his campaign, and he is using his wife as a shield. The post Graham ” Nazi Tattoo” Platner Drags Out Unhappy Wife as He Finally Breaks His Silence on Massive Sexting Scandal Embroiling His Campaign (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Graham ” Nazi Tattoo” Platner Drags Out Unhappy Wife as He Finally Breaks His Silence on Massive Sexting Scandal Embroiling His Campaign (VIDEO) – Far-left Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner has finally broken his silence about the latest scandal threatening his campaign, and he is using his wife as a shield. The post Graham ” Nazi Tattoo” Platner Drags Out Unhappy Wife as He Finally Breaks His Silence on Massive Sexting Scandal Embroiling His Campaign (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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A man and woman speak during a press event, emphasizing community support and collaboration in a professional setting.

A man and woman speak during a press event, emphasizing community support and collaboration in a professional setting.

Far-left Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner has finally broken his silence about the latest scandal threatening his campaign, and he is using his wife as a shield.

The post Graham ” Nazi Tattoo” Platner Drags Out Unhappy Wife as He Finally Breaks His Silence on Massive Sexting Scandal Embroiling His Campaign (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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U.S. bishops unveil prayer service for America’s 250th anniversary centered on migrants #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has released a national prayer service for the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary that places immigration, justice, and the dignity of migrants at the center of America’s semiquincentennial observance.Titled “A National Prayer Service Honoring the Many Journeys that Shaped America,” the resource was developed by the Committee on Migration and the Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation.Designed as a template for dioceses and parishes across the country, the prayer service invites Catholics to reflect on the nation’s history through the lens of migration, displacement, slavery, and faith while encouraging advocacy for vulnerable migrant populations.“In observance of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, and rooted in the Church’s pastoral mission of welcome, accompaniment, and solidarity,” the instructions state, the service seeks “to acknowledge and honor the many diverse communities that have journeyed to the United States in search of hope, safety, and opportunity.”The document also highlights “the voices, sufferings, and enduring contributions of those who were forcibly brought to this land.”A prayer service rooted in hospitalityThe proposed service combines hymns, Scripture readings, intercessory prayers, testimonies, and guided reflections focused heavily on migrants, refugees, victims of trafficking, and immigrant communities.Organizers are encouraged to adapt the service to local needs and cultures by incorporating music and devotional practices that reflect “the lived experiences of migration, displacement, resilience, and faith.”The service opens with the hymn “All Are Welcome” by Marty Haugen and includes prayers asking Catholics to “walk in deeper solidarity with immigrant communities” and to advocate for “greater protection, justice, and accompaniment for vulnerable and at-risk migrant populations.”A prayer to St. Frances Xavier Cabrini — patroness of immigrants and herself an immigrant to the United States — asks for protection for migrant families separated from one another and for the grace to “welcome every stranger as Christ in our midst.”The document also includes a “call to action” encouraging Catholics to reflect on “concrete and compassionate ways to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants, immigrants, and refugees” while advocating for “just and humane immigration reform that upholds the dignity of every human person created in the image of God.”The service concludes with a “Prayer for Migrants” asking God to help the Church “welcome, protect, promote, and integrate those who knock at our doors.”Scripture and civil rights themes woven throughoutThe Scripture passages selected for the service strongly emphasize hospitality toward foreigners and care for society’s most vulnerable.A reading from Deuteronomy 10:12-22 exhorts believers: “So you too must befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.”  The Gospel reading from Matthew 25:31-46 centers on Christ’s words, “I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”The template also incorporates themes of racial justice and historical memory. Intercessions address slavery and modern human trafficking, praying both for victims of exploitation and for “perpetrators of slavery” to repent.The service further recommends “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black national anthem and rooted in Black church worship and civic life in the U.S., as an intermediate hymn. It also includes optional excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream" speech for use in a homily or guided reflection, alongside passages from the bishops’ 2025 special pastoral message on immigration.Dignity of migrantsIn recent years, U.S. bishops have consistently advocated for immigration reform while emphasizing the dignity of migrants, opposition to family separation, and support for refugees and trafficking victims.The prayer service places those concerns within the broader context of the nation’s identity ahead of America’s 250th anniversary observances.“This prayer service seeks to provide a sacred space for reflection, remembrance, lament, and hope,” the document states, inviting participants to encounter one another “as members of the one human family and the one body of Christ.”EWTN News reached out to the USCCB for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
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U.S. bishops unveil prayer service for America’s 250th anniversary centered on migrants #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has released a national prayer service for the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary that places immigration, justice, and the dignity of migrants at the center of America’s semiquincentennial observance.Titled “A National Prayer Service Honoring the Many Journeys that Shaped America,” the resource was developed by the Committee on Migration and the Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation.Designed as a template for dioceses and parishes across the country, the prayer service invites Catholics to reflect on the nation’s history through the lens of migration, displacement, slavery, and faith while encouraging advocacy for vulnerable migrant populations.“In observance of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, and rooted in the Church’s pastoral mission of welcome, accompaniment, and solidarity,” the instructions state, the service seeks “to acknowledge and honor the many diverse communities that have journeyed to the United States in search of hope, safety, and opportunity.”The document also highlights “the voices, sufferings, and enduring contributions of those who were forcibly brought to this land.”A prayer service rooted in hospitalityThe proposed service combines hymns, Scripture readings, intercessory prayers, testimonies, and guided reflections focused heavily on migrants, refugees, victims of trafficking, and immigrant communities.Organizers are encouraged to adapt the service to local needs and cultures by incorporating music and devotional practices that reflect “the lived experiences of migration, displacement, resilience, and faith.”The service opens with the hymn “All Are Welcome” by Marty Haugen and includes prayers asking Catholics to “walk in deeper solidarity with immigrant communities” and to advocate for “greater protection, justice, and accompaniment for vulnerable and at-risk migrant populations.”A prayer to St. Frances Xavier Cabrini — patroness of immigrants and herself an immigrant to the United States — asks for protection for migrant families separated from one another and for the grace to “welcome every stranger as Christ in our midst.”The document also includes a “call to action” encouraging Catholics to reflect on “concrete and compassionate ways to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants, immigrants, and refugees” while advocating for “just and humane immigration reform that upholds the dignity of every human person created in the image of God.”The service concludes with a “Prayer for Migrants” asking God to help the Church “welcome, protect, promote, and integrate those who knock at our doors.”Scripture and civil rights themes woven throughoutThe Scripture passages selected for the service strongly emphasize hospitality toward foreigners and care for society’s most vulnerable.A reading from Deuteronomy 10:12-22 exhorts believers: “So you too must befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.”  The Gospel reading from Matthew 25:31-46 centers on Christ’s words, “I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”The template also incorporates themes of racial justice and historical memory. Intercessions address slavery and modern human trafficking, praying both for victims of exploitation and for “perpetrators of slavery” to repent.The service further recommends “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black national anthem and rooted in Black church worship and civic life in the U.S., as an intermediate hymn. It also includes optional excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream" speech for use in a homily or guided reflection, alongside passages from the bishops’ 2025 special pastoral message on immigration.Dignity of migrantsIn recent years, U.S. bishops have consistently advocated for immigration reform while emphasizing the dignity of migrants, opposition to family separation, and support for refugees and trafficking victims.The prayer service places those concerns within the broader context of the nation’s identity ahead of America’s 250th anniversary observances.“This prayer service seeks to provide a sacred space for reflection, remembrance, lament, and hope,” the document states, inviting participants to encounter one another “as members of the one human family and the one body of Christ.”EWTN News reached out to the USCCB for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

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The prayer service invites Catholics to reflect on the nation’s history through the lens of migration, displacement, slavery, and faith while encouraging advocacy for vulnerable migrant populations.

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WATCH: Canadian MS NOW Host Says He Feels “Deep Unease” About Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary Because of Racism, Says America “Never Fully Reckoned With Slavery” – MS NOW’s Ali Velshi, during a recent segment, gave an insane take on America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, insinuating that Americans should have “conflicting feelings” about celebrating the Fourth of July this year because of slavery.  Velshi, a Kenyan-born Canadian citizen who just got his US citizenship in 2015, felt the need to lecture Americans about “racial dynamics” and attack our history. The post WATCH: Canadian MS NOW Host Says He Feels “Deep Unease” About Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary Because of Racism, Says America “Never Fully Reckoned With Slavery” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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WATCH: Canadian MS NOW Host Says He Feels “Deep Unease” About Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary Because of Racism, Says America “Never Fully Reckoned With Slavery” – MS NOW’s Ali Velshi, during a recent segment, gave an insane take on America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, insinuating that Americans should have “conflicting feelings” about celebrating the Fourth of July this year because of slavery.  Velshi, a Kenyan-born Canadian citizen who just got his US citizenship in 2015, felt the need to lecture Americans about “racial dynamics” and attack our history. The post WATCH: Canadian MS NOW Host Says He Feels “Deep Unease” About Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary Because of Racism, Says America “Never Fully Reckoned With Slavery” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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News segment featuring a host discussing the concept of an "Imperfect Union" alongside a worn American flag, symbolizing national challenges and resilience.

News segment featuring a host discussing the concept of an "Imperfect Union" alongside a worn American flag, symbolizing national challenges and resilience.

MS NOW’s Ali Velshi, during a recent segment, gave an insane take on America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, insinuating that Americans should have “conflicting feelings” about celebrating the Fourth of July this year because of slavery.  Velshi, a Kenyan-born Canadian citizen who just got his US citizenship in 2015, felt the need to lecture Americans about “racial dynamics” and attack our history.

The post WATCH: Canadian MS NOW Host Says He Feels “Deep Unease” About Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary Because of Racism, Says America “Never Fully Reckoned With Slavery” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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ABLECHILD: The Crisis Creators – Why Behavioral Health Makes Everything Worse – The Crisis Creators: Why Behavioral Health Makes Everything Worse Republished with permission from AbleChild. The post ABLECHILD: The Crisis Creators – Why Behavioral Health Makes Everything Worse appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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ABLECHILD: The Crisis Creators – Why Behavioral Health Makes Everything Worse – The Crisis Creators: Why Behavioral Health Makes Everything Worse Republished with permission from AbleChild. The post ABLECHILD: The Crisis Creators – Why Behavioral Health Makes Everything Worse appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Colorful illustration highlighting various behavioral health issues, including depression, anxiety, and ADHD, with prescription bottles symbolizing treatment and diagnostic challenges.

Colorful illustration highlighting various behavioral health issues, including depression, anxiety, and ADHD, with prescription bottles symbolizing treatment and diagnostic challenges.

The Crisis Creators: Why Behavioral Health Makes Everything Worse Republished with permission from AbleChild.

The post ABLECHILD: The Crisis Creators – Why Behavioral Health Makes Everything Worse appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Fulton Sheen’s missionary legacy hailed by Pope Leo XIV #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Monday praised the missionary legacy of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the famed American evangelist who will be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, calling him “a light of faith, hope, and love.”The pope made his remarks June 1 during an audience with participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, recalling Sheen’s long service as national director of the societies in the United States.The pope noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Pope Pius XI’s establishment of the penultimate Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday, a day devoted to “prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization.”Leo expressed his gratitude to those who promote the annual observance, which supports the Church’s missionary work throughout the world.“For 100 years, this day has been set apart for prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization, especially in areas where the proclamation of the Gospel is only just beginning and where the Church is still young,” the pope said.He added that “every Catholic community is invited to pray and offer spiritual and material sacrifices for the missionary efforts in areas of first evangelization and for the support of young Churches.”World Mission Sunday also reminds older and more established Churches “how important it is that they too join in the missionary spirit of the whole Church,” he said.The pope said the funds raised through World Mission Sunday make it possible for the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith to assist more than 1,130 ecclesiastical jurisdictions that depend on the Dicastery for Evangelization’s section for first evangelization and new particular Churches.Those funds, he said, help establish Church infrastructure, support missionary initiatives, and contribute to the administration of five colleges in Rome for the ongoing formation of priests and consecrated men and women who later return to serve their local Churches.Leo also highlighted the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, founded by Blessed Paolo Manna, later declared pontifical by Pope Pius XII and described by St. Paul VI as the “soul” of the other Pontifical Mission Societies.“I encourage all to participate in its mission of fostering among all the baptized an ever more fervent missionary spirituality and a deeper commitment to the Church’s universal mission of evangelization in this new missionary age,” he said.The pope then turned again to Sheen, noting that his beatification is scheduled for Sept. 24 in St. Louis.“It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in St. Louis, Missouri, a renowned national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified,” Leo said.“Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades,” the pope continued. “I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization.”“May our new blessed be an example for all of the national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies throughout the world,” he added.Leo also underscored the importance of the Pontifical Mission Societies in a world “increasingly marked by division, war, and conflict among nations and peoples.”He said the Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood carries out “a particularly precious mission” by bringing faith and Christian charity to children around the world, especially in places afflicted by hatred and violence. He also praised the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle for sustaining the formation of Indigenous clergy and consecrated religious in mission territories.The theme for this year’s World Mission Sunday, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” highlights the unity of believers and the 100th anniversary of the global celebration, the pope said.The theme “invites all of the members of the Church to a deeper communion in Christ and to a fuller unity in his divine mission of love,” he said.“I therefore encourage you to keep this teaching in mind, to live an authentic spirituality of missionary unity and communion centered on Christ, and to promote it through your activities among the faithful,” Leo told the assembly.Citing the Second Vatican Council’s decree Ad Gentes, the pope recalled that the “Church on earth is by her very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.”He urged participants to recognize “the urgency of embracing an ongoing missionary conversion” and to seek together ways of “being a missionary Church for the healing of our world, so fraught with tensions, conflicts, and wars.”“In all that we do for the work of evangelization, may we always place Jesus Christ at the center,” Leo said, invoking the words of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”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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Fulton Sheen’s missionary legacy hailed by Pope Leo XIV #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Monday praised the missionary legacy of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the famed American evangelist who will be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, calling him “a light of faith, hope, and love.”The pope made his remarks June 1 during an audience with participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, recalling Sheen’s long service as national director of the societies in the United States.The pope noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Pope Pius XI’s establishment of the penultimate Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday, a day devoted to “prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization.”Leo expressed his gratitude to those who promote the annual observance, which supports the Church’s missionary work throughout the world.“For 100 years, this day has been set apart for prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization, especially in areas where the proclamation of the Gospel is only just beginning and where the Church is still young,” the pope said.He added that “every Catholic community is invited to pray and offer spiritual and material sacrifices for the missionary efforts in areas of first evangelization and for the support of young Churches.”World Mission Sunday also reminds older and more established Churches “how important it is that they too join in the missionary spirit of the whole Church,” he said.The pope said the funds raised through World Mission Sunday make it possible for the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith to assist more than 1,130 ecclesiastical jurisdictions that depend on the Dicastery for Evangelization’s section for first evangelization and new particular Churches.Those funds, he said, help establish Church infrastructure, support missionary initiatives, and contribute to the administration of five colleges in Rome for the ongoing formation of priests and consecrated men and women who later return to serve their local Churches.Leo also highlighted the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, founded by Blessed Paolo Manna, later declared pontifical by Pope Pius XII and described by St. Paul VI as the “soul” of the other Pontifical Mission Societies.“I encourage all to participate in its mission of fostering among all the baptized an ever more fervent missionary spirituality and a deeper commitment to the Church’s universal mission of evangelization in this new missionary age,” he said.The pope then turned again to Sheen, noting that his beatification is scheduled for Sept. 24 in St. Louis.“It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in St. Louis, Missouri, a renowned national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified,” Leo said.“Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades,” the pope continued. “I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization.”“May our new blessed be an example for all of the national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies throughout the world,” he added.Leo also underscored the importance of the Pontifical Mission Societies in a world “increasingly marked by division, war, and conflict among nations and peoples.”He said the Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood carries out “a particularly precious mission” by bringing faith and Christian charity to children around the world, especially in places afflicted by hatred and violence. He also praised the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle for sustaining the formation of Indigenous clergy and consecrated religious in mission territories.The theme for this year’s World Mission Sunday, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” highlights the unity of believers and the 100th anniversary of the global celebration, the pope said.The theme “invites all of the members of the Church to a deeper communion in Christ and to a fuller unity in his divine mission of love,” he said.“I therefore encourage you to keep this teaching in mind, to live an authentic spirituality of missionary unity and communion centered on Christ, and to promote it through your activities among the faithful,” Leo told the assembly.Citing the Second Vatican Council’s decree Ad Gentes, the pope recalled that the “Church on earth is by her very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.”He urged participants to recognize “the urgency of embracing an ongoing missionary conversion” and to seek together ways of “being a missionary Church for the healing of our world, so fraught with tensions, conflicts, and wars.”“In all that we do for the work of evangelization, may we always place Jesus Christ at the center,” Leo said, invoking the words of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”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 pontiff praised Venerable Sheen, who will be beatified Sept. 24, as “a light of faith, hope, and love” whose radio and television broadcasts brought the Gospel to millions.

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What does the term ‘supersonic’ mean in astronomy?

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Occasionally I see references in Astronomy to the speed of something as “supersonic.” I’m having trouble reconciling this term with velocities typically found among astronomical objects. Wouldn’t “relativistic” be closer to the truth? Anything close to sonic speeds in Earth’s atmosphere wouldn’t cover much distance in outer space. Peter IanchiouTucson, Arizona One would certainly thinkContinue reading “What does the term ‘supersonic’ mean in astronomy?”

The post What does the term ‘supersonic’ mean in astronomy? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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‘Invisible, silent, misunderstood work’: The pope’s school for diplomats at 325 years – #Catholic – The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, the school in Rome that trains young priests to serve as ambassadors for the pope, is celebrating the 325th anniversary of its founding this year.Located at Romeʼs Piazza della Minerva and established in its current form in 1850, the academy is a crucial part of the Holy Seeʼs worldwide diplomatic mission and among the oldest institutions of its kind.Pope Leo XIV marked the anniversary with a visit to the academy on April 27, reminding the community of its primary responsibility as shepherds and of the mission “to bear witness to the truth that is Christ, bringing his message to the forum of nations.”The academy has trained apostolic nuncios — representatives of the pope and the Holy See to other countries — since 1701. It was founded by Pope Clement XI, initially to train the sons of noble families and later to train diocesan priests for diplomatic service on behalf of the papacy.An important but often misunderstood serviceThe academy has produced more than 2,000 Church diplomats since its founding in 1701 and has many notable alumni, including five popes, among them Leo XIII and St. Paul VI. Its roster of graduates also includes eight Vatican secretaries of state, the latest being Cardinal Pietro Parolin.Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, reflected on the institutionʼs importance with EWTN News. He explained that while the academy is not well known among ordinary Catholics, it is highly relevant to the life of the universal Church.“Certainly, the academy seems a somewhat obscure and closed place, but in fact it is open to the world,” Pennacchio told EWTN News. “Naturally, we do not put ourselves in the newspapers, but I remember these words of Paul VI: ‘an invisible, silent, misunderstood work.’” Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, at the grounds of the academy in Rome on May 22, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News That work involves helping to maintain the Holy Seeʼs diplomatic relations with 183 countries. At times, it is delicate, ranging from negotiating with hostile governments to providing aid during natural disasters. Pennacchio himself served for 44 years as an apostolic nuncio and explained that alumni who become papal diplomats in these countries help bring the pope closer to areas he cannot go in person.“In my years as an apostolic nuncio, I served in post-genocide Rwanda and later in Thailand, where I oversaw six other Southeast Asian countries and made over 200 pastoral trips in seven years. A crucial aspect of the nuncioʼs role is representing the Holy Fatherʼs solidarity in places he cannot personally reach, providing both spiritual encouragement and material aid by mobilizing organizations like Caritas during natural disasters and conflicts,” Pennacchio said.Academic, spiritual, and pastoral formationCurrently, 37 priests from 28 countries are in formation at the academy to become papal diplomats. Pennacchio explained to EWTN News that there are three aspects of formation for the future ambassadors of the pope.“The first level is the academic-intellectual level. Each priest has a specific path, so they also receive training in canon law. Furthermore, they take language courses. At a minimum, they learn at least two other languages and must learn Italian because it is somewhat the language of communication of the Curia.”“The second level is the spiritual aspect. There are priests here who already have experience as priests in their parishes or in other countries, with at least two years of pastoral life. In the period that we are together, we live as a community.” Commemorative book of the 325th anniversary of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy on May 22, 2026, in Rome. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News “And then the third level is the pastoral one, because the students must continue to be priests. They must not abandon their apostolic zeal, and on weekends, they are assigned to parishes, hospitals, and prisons, where they can develop and exercise their pastoral ministry. Pope Francis also introduced a missionary year. Before being assigned to a diplomatic post, they must complete a year of missionary experience in the country to which they are assigned. After a year there, they return and then receive their first diplomatic post.”Vatican versus civil diplomacyPennacchio also explained the distinction between Holy See diplomacy and civil diplomacy.“I often compare our role to a train track with two parallel rails. While nuncios serve as ambassadors presenting credentials to the state, we simultaneously represent the Holy Father to the local Church. Unlike civil diplomats who focus on national, commercial, or military interests, ours is a unique, deeply spiritual mission. In the political sphere, our primary goal is always to bring a message of peace and inspire negotiations rather than war,” Pennacchio said.
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‘Invisible, silent, misunderstood work’: The pope’s school for diplomats at 325 years – #Catholic – The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, the school in Rome that trains young priests to serve as ambassadors for the pope, is celebrating the 325th anniversary of its founding this year.Located at Romeʼs Piazza della Minerva and established in its current form in 1850, the academy is a crucial part of the Holy Seeʼs worldwide diplomatic mission and among the oldest institutions of its kind.Pope Leo XIV marked the anniversary with a visit to the academy on April 27, reminding the community of its primary responsibility as shepherds and of the mission “to bear witness to the truth that is Christ, bringing his message to the forum of nations.”The academy has trained apostolic nuncios — representatives of the pope and the Holy See to other countries — since 1701. It was founded by Pope Clement XI, initially to train the sons of noble families and later to train diocesan priests for diplomatic service on behalf of the papacy.An important but often misunderstood serviceThe academy has produced more than 2,000 Church diplomats since its founding in 1701 and has many notable alumni, including five popes, among them Leo XIII and St. Paul VI. Its roster of graduates also includes eight Vatican secretaries of state, the latest being Cardinal Pietro Parolin.Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, reflected on the institutionʼs importance with EWTN News. He explained that while the academy is not well known among ordinary Catholics, it is highly relevant to the life of the universal Church.“Certainly, the academy seems a somewhat obscure and closed place, but in fact it is open to the world,” Pennacchio told EWTN News. “Naturally, we do not put ourselves in the newspapers, but I remember these words of Paul VI: ‘an invisible, silent, misunderstood work.’” Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, at the grounds of the academy in Rome on May 22, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News That work involves helping to maintain the Holy Seeʼs diplomatic relations with 183 countries. At times, it is delicate, ranging from negotiating with hostile governments to providing aid during natural disasters. Pennacchio himself served for 44 years as an apostolic nuncio and explained that alumni who become papal diplomats in these countries help bring the pope closer to areas he cannot go in person.“In my years as an apostolic nuncio, I served in post-genocide Rwanda and later in Thailand, where I oversaw six other Southeast Asian countries and made over 200 pastoral trips in seven years. A crucial aspect of the nuncioʼs role is representing the Holy Fatherʼs solidarity in places he cannot personally reach, providing both spiritual encouragement and material aid by mobilizing organizations like Caritas during natural disasters and conflicts,” Pennacchio said.Academic, spiritual, and pastoral formationCurrently, 37 priests from 28 countries are in formation at the academy to become papal diplomats. Pennacchio explained to EWTN News that there are three aspects of formation for the future ambassadors of the pope.“The first level is the academic-intellectual level. Each priest has a specific path, so they also receive training in canon law. Furthermore, they take language courses. At a minimum, they learn at least two other languages and must learn Italian because it is somewhat the language of communication of the Curia.”“The second level is the spiritual aspect. There are priests here who already have experience as priests in their parishes or in other countries, with at least two years of pastoral life. In the period that we are together, we live as a community.” Commemorative book of the 325th anniversary of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy on May 22, 2026, in Rome. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News “And then the third level is the pastoral one, because the students must continue to be priests. They must not abandon their apostolic zeal, and on weekends, they are assigned to parishes, hospitals, and prisons, where they can develop and exercise their pastoral ministry. Pope Francis also introduced a missionary year. Before being assigned to a diplomatic post, they must complete a year of missionary experience in the country to which they are assigned. After a year there, they return and then receive their first diplomatic post.”Vatican versus civil diplomacyPennacchio also explained the distinction between Holy See diplomacy and civil diplomacy.“I often compare our role to a train track with two parallel rails. While nuncios serve as ambassadors presenting credentials to the state, we simultaneously represent the Holy Father to the local Church. Unlike civil diplomats who focus on national, commercial, or military interests, ours is a unique, deeply spiritual mission. In the political sphere, our primary goal is always to bring a message of peace and inspire negotiations rather than war,” Pennacchio said.

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The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome was founded in 1701 as a training ground for the pope’s ambassadors.

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Catholic scientists to gather near Chicago to discuss human sexuality, future of the universe – #Catholic – The Society of Catholic Scientists (SCS) is preparing to gather for its ninth annual conference June 5–7 at Mundelein Seminary northwest of Chicago, with plans to discuss some of the major issues facing the scientific community. The society exists as an answer to the call of St. John Paul II that “members of the Church who are active scientists” be of service to those who are attempting to “integrate the worlds of science and religion in their own intellectual and spiritual lives.” SCS does this through annual and regional conferences, college chapters, lectures, and other activities, as well as by a large archive of educational material and articles on its website.Founded in 2016, SCS has quickly grown to over 2,700 members from 65 countries (75% are from the U.S. and Canada, followed by Spain, Poland, and the UK). Many hundreds of scientists have attended its conferences — along with theologians, philosophers, and historians — while thousands, from professors to high school students, regularly attend its local events.Stephen Barr, a physicist at the University of Delaware and founder of the group, told EWTN News that SCS gains about 250 new members each year. He expects this year’s convention to attract approximately 130 attendees, including a significant number of young participants. Barr explained his impetus for founding SCS. “Thereʼs this big perception in society that science and religion are at odds — this has become the conventional wisdom. It’s going to take a lot of work to overcome that,” he said. “We are there to proclaim that they are not at odds. The mere fact that we exist shows people that there are not just a handful of scientists who are religious, but a large number of scientists who are religious — and not only that, but a large number who are believing, practicing, faithful Catholics.”Historically, many prominent scientists were Catholic, and several of this year’s talks will highlight that joint history.Nuno Castel-Branco, a historian of science and Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, will speak about “The Anatomy of a Conversion: Nicolaus Steno and the Search for Certainty in the Scientific Revolution.”Steno was a Danish scientist in the 1600s. A pioneer in both anatomy and geology, he became a Catholic bishop in his later years and has been beatified by the Catholic Church.Ignasi Rosell of the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera will share a presentation called “John Henry Newman, New Doctor of the Church: His Vision of the University and the Place of the Sciences,” and Berta Moritz of "Science Meets Faith" will present “Gregor Mendel in Brno and Vienna: An On-Site Perspective.”Part of SCS' mission is being a public witness to the compatibility of faith and science and a first-of-its-kind event at this yearʼs conference will address that issue directly: an event designed to prepare Catholic scientists to deliver effective talks on science and faith. Science and Faith Speaker Training is a one-and-a-half-day workshop that will take place before the main conference begins. A grant from The Templeton Religious Trust supports this event.Another top-of-mind topic for science-curious Catholics is human biology and sexuality, and two talks from prominent scientists will clarify aspects of these issues.James J. Lee, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota, will discuss “The Evolution of Sexual Reproduction and Differentiation” and Maureen L. Condic, a professor at The Catholic University of America whose research focuses on the role of stem cells in development and regeneration, will present a lecture on “The Biology of Human Nature and Human Individuation.”“A lot of social issues nowadays touch upon the meaning of sex and what it means to be human,” Barr told EWTN News. “What is sex? What is a human being? We donʼt necessarily aim to have talks that address hot-button issues — actually, we try to steer clear of highly contentious social issues — but clearly a lot of theological questions revolve around the nature of sex and the nature of human beings.”Another conference presentation will illuminate the latest research about the future of the universe. Robert J. Scherrer, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Vanderbilt University, where he also served as department chair for 13 years, will present “How the Universe Will End.”“The universe is accelerating, but it seems that will end at some point,“ Barr said. ”Itʼs not so clear anymore whether the universe is going to expand forever or collapse, and that is a very interesting question. It also has some theological interest if weʼre thinking about the end of the world and the next world and how theyʼre connected.”Computer scientist Gregory F. Johnson, principal software engineer at Zap Surgical Systems, a spin-off of the Stanford Medical School, will discuss Gödelʼs Incompleteness Theorem and how it launched “a mathematical and philosophical revolution.”“That talk is personally interesting to me, as Gödelʼs Theorem is regarded as having great philosophical implications,” Barr said. “But I think all the talks this year Iʼm going to learn something from, and thatʼs exciting. I like it when I go to a talk and come out knowing more than I did when I went in.”The 2026 conference is open to SCS members and associates and will be livestreamed for free. The conference schedule and speaker biographies can be found here.
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Catholic scientists to gather near Chicago to discuss human sexuality, future of the universe – #Catholic – The Society of Catholic Scientists (SCS) is preparing to gather for its ninth annual conference June 5–7 at Mundelein Seminary northwest of Chicago, with plans to discuss some of the major issues facing the scientific community. The society exists as an answer to the call of St. John Paul II that “members of the Church who are active scientists” be of service to those who are attempting to “integrate the worlds of science and religion in their own intellectual and spiritual lives.” SCS does this through annual and regional conferences, college chapters, lectures, and other activities, as well as by a large archive of educational material and articles on its website.Founded in 2016, SCS has quickly grown to over 2,700 members from 65 countries (75% are from the U.S. and Canada, followed by Spain, Poland, and the UK). Many hundreds of scientists have attended its conferences — along with theologians, philosophers, and historians — while thousands, from professors to high school students, regularly attend its local events.Stephen Barr, a physicist at the University of Delaware and founder of the group, told EWTN News that SCS gains about 250 new members each year. He expects this year’s convention to attract approximately 130 attendees, including a significant number of young participants. Barr explained his impetus for founding SCS. “Thereʼs this big perception in society that science and religion are at odds — this has become the conventional wisdom. It’s going to take a lot of work to overcome that,” he said. “We are there to proclaim that they are not at odds. The mere fact that we exist shows people that there are not just a handful of scientists who are religious, but a large number of scientists who are religious — and not only that, but a large number who are believing, practicing, faithful Catholics.”Historically, many prominent scientists were Catholic, and several of this year’s talks will highlight that joint history.Nuno Castel-Branco, a historian of science and Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, will speak about “The Anatomy of a Conversion: Nicolaus Steno and the Search for Certainty in the Scientific Revolution.”Steno was a Danish scientist in the 1600s. A pioneer in both anatomy and geology, he became a Catholic bishop in his later years and has been beatified by the Catholic Church.Ignasi Rosell of the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera will share a presentation called “John Henry Newman, New Doctor of the Church: His Vision of the University and the Place of the Sciences,” and Berta Moritz of "Science Meets Faith" will present “Gregor Mendel in Brno and Vienna: An On-Site Perspective.”Part of SCS' mission is being a public witness to the compatibility of faith and science and a first-of-its-kind event at this yearʼs conference will address that issue directly: an event designed to prepare Catholic scientists to deliver effective talks on science and faith. Science and Faith Speaker Training is a one-and-a-half-day workshop that will take place before the main conference begins. A grant from The Templeton Religious Trust supports this event.Another top-of-mind topic for science-curious Catholics is human biology and sexuality, and two talks from prominent scientists will clarify aspects of these issues.James J. Lee, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota, will discuss “The Evolution of Sexual Reproduction and Differentiation” and Maureen L. Condic, a professor at The Catholic University of America whose research focuses on the role of stem cells in development and regeneration, will present a lecture on “The Biology of Human Nature and Human Individuation.”“A lot of social issues nowadays touch upon the meaning of sex and what it means to be human,” Barr told EWTN News. “What is sex? What is a human being? We donʼt necessarily aim to have talks that address hot-button issues — actually, we try to steer clear of highly contentious social issues — but clearly a lot of theological questions revolve around the nature of sex and the nature of human beings.”Another conference presentation will illuminate the latest research about the future of the universe. Robert J. Scherrer, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Vanderbilt University, where he also served as department chair for 13 years, will present “How the Universe Will End.”“The universe is accelerating, but it seems that will end at some point,“ Barr said. ”Itʼs not so clear anymore whether the universe is going to expand forever or collapse, and that is a very interesting question. It also has some theological interest if weʼre thinking about the end of the world and the next world and how theyʼre connected.”Computer scientist Gregory F. Johnson, principal software engineer at Zap Surgical Systems, a spin-off of the Stanford Medical School, will discuss Gödelʼs Incompleteness Theorem and how it launched “a mathematical and philosophical revolution.”“That talk is personally interesting to me, as Gödelʼs Theorem is regarded as having great philosophical implications,” Barr said. “But I think all the talks this year Iʼm going to learn something from, and thatʼs exciting. I like it when I go to a talk and come out knowing more than I did when I went in.”The 2026 conference is open to SCS members and associates and will be livestreamed for free. The conference schedule and speaker biographies can be found here.

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The 2026 Conference of the Society of Catholic Scientists will take place June 5–7 at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago.

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Vatican cardinal returns to native city for beatification of priests killed by communists – #Catholic – A Vatican cardinal born in the Czech city of Brno will return there on June 6 to preside at the beatification of two priests executed by the communist regime in what was then Czechoslovakia.“To go and be there, near where I was born and where my family is from, is of course a very moving experience, and I am looking forward very much to it,” Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, told EWTN News.Czerny was born 80 years ago, but due to a communist threat his family soon emigrated to Canada. Though he remembers the 1950s in Montreal, he said, “I never imagined what was happening behind the Iron Curtain.”Getting to know Jan Bula and Václav DrbolaThe Diocese of Brno, which will mark its 250th anniversary next year, will celebrate the first beatifications in its history. The diocese expects thousands of visitors at the cityʼs exhibition center, where a spiritual and cultural program will run all day, and it prepared a novena for the nine days leading up to the beatification.“The coming days should help us get to know Jan Bula and Václav Drbola personally better, so that they will be close to us and become our spiritual friends,” Bishop Pavel Konzbul explained, stressing that he does not want “the beatification to be a one-time event.”Jan Bula (1920–1952) and Václav Drbola (1912–1951) faced increasing pressure from the communist regime that took power in 1948 in Czechoslovakia. The regime imprisoned them without cause and accused them of complicity in a shooting that killed three communists, although both were already in prison at the time. They were condemned to death in staged trials in the early 1950s.To prepare the faithful, the diocese has published educational, prayer, and catechetical materials. A six-minute animated film about the martyrs' lives was produced using AI, along with a documentary. Around 40 catechists also went on a pilgrimage this year to places linked with the two priests.The organizer said the catechists were given “firsthand experience to get to know the churches, parishes, and other places where both martyrs worked” to “spread the story and legacy of Jan Bula and Václav Drbola among children and youth.”Life as a hymn of praiseThe two priests' witness was also recounted at a May 20 conference in Rome, “The Blessed Martyrs of Communism,” organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic to the Holy See at the Czech Pontifical College Nepomucenum, where Czerny reflected on their martyrdom. The date marked the anniversary of Bulaʼs execution in 1952.“Their life was a hymn of praise that burst out of the depths of promise and rose up above the tumult of the world,” Czerny said at the opening, adding that the two priests “turned the courtroom into a pulpit and the prison into an altar.”When the bishops in Czechoslovakia decided to inform the faithful about the worsening situation in 1949 through pastoral and circular letters, many priests did not read them out. “They were afraid of the consequences,” said Father Karel Orlita, head of the diocesan phase of the beatification process. Bula and Drbola, however, read the pastoral letter in church, which testified to their courage, Orlita underscored. ‘Truthful, respectful’: Czech bishop backs Sudeten German gathering in Brno The postulator of the Roman phase of the process, Maria Bresciani, said “the profound reason for their persecution was their Christian identity, influence on the faithful, loyalty to the pope and the Church, and their ability to shape peopleʼs consciences, mainly of the young.”Both speakers agreed that Bula and Drbola were not stubborn or fanatics but simply decided to remain faithful to Christ, in peace and without hatred. Communists even singled out Bulaʼs influence on peopleʼs consciences as problematic, claiming he “abused the trust among people that he had as a priest.”“They were popular with their parishioners and active in community life, and the reverence for them has a long tradition after their death,” said Eva Vybíralová of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.She noted that Bishop Felix Davídek, who was secretly ordained in Czechoslovakia and had known Bula from the seminary, considered him a “candidate for canonization and one of the protectors of the secret Church.”Bula and Drbola were rehabilitated in 1990 and will become the first beatified victims of the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century on the territory of todayʼs Czech Republic.
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Vatican cardinal returns to native city for beatification of priests killed by communists – #Catholic – A Vatican cardinal born in the Czech city of Brno will return there on June 6 to preside at the beatification of two priests executed by the communist regime in what was then Czechoslovakia.“To go and be there, near where I was born and where my family is from, is of course a very moving experience, and I am looking forward very much to it,” Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, told EWTN News.Czerny was born 80 years ago, but due to a communist threat his family soon emigrated to Canada. Though he remembers the 1950s in Montreal, he said, “I never imagined what was happening behind the Iron Curtain.”Getting to know Jan Bula and Václav DrbolaThe Diocese of Brno, which will mark its 250th anniversary next year, will celebrate the first beatifications in its history. The diocese expects thousands of visitors at the cityʼs exhibition center, where a spiritual and cultural program will run all day, and it prepared a novena for the nine days leading up to the beatification.“The coming days should help us get to know Jan Bula and Václav Drbola personally better, so that they will be close to us and become our spiritual friends,” Bishop Pavel Konzbul explained, stressing that he does not want “the beatification to be a one-time event.”Jan Bula (1920–1952) and Václav Drbola (1912–1951) faced increasing pressure from the communist regime that took power in 1948 in Czechoslovakia. The regime imprisoned them without cause and accused them of complicity in a shooting that killed three communists, although both were already in prison at the time. They were condemned to death in staged trials in the early 1950s.To prepare the faithful, the diocese has published educational, prayer, and catechetical materials. A six-minute animated film about the martyrs' lives was produced using AI, along with a documentary. Around 40 catechists also went on a pilgrimage this year to places linked with the two priests.The organizer said the catechists were given “firsthand experience to get to know the churches, parishes, and other places where both martyrs worked” to “spread the story and legacy of Jan Bula and Václav Drbola among children and youth.”Life as a hymn of praiseThe two priests' witness was also recounted at a May 20 conference in Rome, “The Blessed Martyrs of Communism,” organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic to the Holy See at the Czech Pontifical College Nepomucenum, where Czerny reflected on their martyrdom. The date marked the anniversary of Bulaʼs execution in 1952.“Their life was a hymn of praise that burst out of the depths of promise and rose up above the tumult of the world,” Czerny said at the opening, adding that the two priests “turned the courtroom into a pulpit and the prison into an altar.”When the bishops in Czechoslovakia decided to inform the faithful about the worsening situation in 1949 through pastoral and circular letters, many priests did not read them out. “They were afraid of the consequences,” said Father Karel Orlita, head of the diocesan phase of the beatification process. Bula and Drbola, however, read the pastoral letter in church, which testified to their courage, Orlita underscored. ‘Truthful, respectful’: Czech bishop backs Sudeten German gathering in Brno The postulator of the Roman phase of the process, Maria Bresciani, said “the profound reason for their persecution was their Christian identity, influence on the faithful, loyalty to the pope and the Church, and their ability to shape peopleʼs consciences, mainly of the young.”Both speakers agreed that Bula and Drbola were not stubborn or fanatics but simply decided to remain faithful to Christ, in peace and without hatred. Communists even singled out Bulaʼs influence on peopleʼs consciences as problematic, claiming he “abused the trust among people that he had as a priest.”“They were popular with their parishioners and active in community life, and the reverence for them has a long tradition after their death,” said Eva Vybíralová of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes.She noted that Bishop Felix Davídek, who was secretly ordained in Czechoslovakia and had known Bula from the seminary, considered him a “candidate for canonization and one of the protectors of the secret Church.”Bula and Drbola were rehabilitated in 1990 and will become the first beatified victims of the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century on the territory of todayʼs Czech Republic.

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Cardinal Michael Czerny, whose family fled communism, will preside as two executed priests become the first martyrs of communism beatified in the Czech Republic.

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