Adam Carolla is a big fan of Republican Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, and praised his performance in the recent televised debate.
The post Adam Carolla Praises Los Angeles Mayor Candidate Spencer Pratt: ‘This is Super Easy for Him’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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During a recent appearance on a podcast, Maryland’s Democrat Governor Wes Moore was asked what he would do if his underaged son wanted to transition to female.
The post Democrat Governor of Maryland Wes Moore Suggests He Would Allow His Underaged Son to Transition to Female (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Something has shifted in the race for mayor of Los Angeles after Spencer Pratt’s amazing performance in the debate earlier this week.
The post HELL FREEZES OVER: CBS News ‘Fact Checks’ Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass From Debate, Says Spencer Pratt Was Right (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreO Almighty and merciful God, who hast commissioned Thy angels to guide and protect us, command them to be our assiduous companions from our setting out until our return; to clothe us with their invisible protection; to keep from us all danger of collision, of fire, of explosion, of fall and bruises, and finally, having preserved us from all evil, and especially from sin, to guide us to our heavenly home. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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This celestial image captured from a window on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station highlights the Milky Way rising above Earth’s atmospheric glow.
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African bishops highlighted the pope’s trip to Africa as a defining moment of his ministry as well as the pontiff’s emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation, missionary outreach, justice, and peace.
We already knew interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS came from somewhere far beyond our solar system. Now scientists have more information on how alien that somewhere really is — a corner of the universe colder than, less irradiated than, and chemically distinct from the conditions that shaped our home. A study published April 23 in Nature AstronomyContinue reading “3I/ATLAS came from a strange, cold world”
The post 3I/ATLAS came from a strange, cold world appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More![Spanish bishops: ‘We cannot simply stand by and watch the ship sink’ – #Catholic – Just weeks before Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic visit to Spain, the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) released a document that establishes seven pastoral priorities for the 2026–2030 period in which they embrace a bracing challenge: “We cannot just stand by and watch the ship sink.”The document, titled “Set Out on the Journey,” was approved during the plenary assembly in November 2025 but was not published until after the conferenceʼs meeting in April.Following an exercise in “conversation in the Spirit” — the same method used during the Synod on Synodality — the Spanish prelates established the following seven priority pastoral goals:1. Proclaiming the Gospel and initiation into the Christian lifeThe prelates observed that “in Spain, the era — firmly established for centuries — in which we would say, ‘I am Catholic because I was born in Spain,’ has passed. We can no longer take Christian conversion for granted.”Consequently, the catechumenate is an “indispensable” reality in the dioceses, serving to ensure the continued growth of impactful experiences following the initial proclamation of the Gospel. “Today, Christian initiation along with the creation of communities that accompany individuals through this process and welcome the newly initiated constitute a fundamental priority,” they stated.The bishops further emphasized that “in secularized Spanish society, the Church’s challenge is not so much atheism as it is the hunger for God, which manifests itself in very diverse ways,” such that all pastoral actions “should assess their impact on the initial proclamation.”2. Celebrating SundayAdded to the challenge of Christian initiation is “another great challenge of ecclesial life: the celebration of the Lord’s Day” — that is, participation in Sunday Mass, which, as the prelates underscored, “is not a mere act of private devotion or fulfilling an obligation but rather the experience of being an assembly of the called — those who, summoned by the Word, are gathered together as a people taking the form of the body of Christ, in order to be sent forth on mission.”In Spain, only about 8 million of the country’s 45 million inhabitants attend Mass regularly on Sundays.3. A Church with fewer people but a lot of parishesThe bishops' third pastoral concern stems from the realization that the Catholic Church in Spain has more than 22,000 parishes distributed across over 11,000 municipalities and smaller local entities, many of which have fewer than 100 inhabitants.This distribution reveals “a great asymmetry.” As the prelates expressed with concern, “many baptismal fonts ‘hold no water’ — that is to say, there is no Christian community that, under the action of the Spirit, possesses the capacity to bring forth new Christians.”On the other hand, in areas with larger populations, the parish community “possesses a very weak awareness of the responsibility entailed by the baptismal font.”Beyond the diocesan parochial structure, Spain is home to 1,400 monasteries and shrines as well as hundreds of non-parochial churches where the Sunday Eucharist is celebrated, institutions that are typically under the care of religious communities.In this regard, the prelates declared: “We cannot simply stand by and watch the ship sink.”4. Promoting formative communitiesGiven that “one has never been able to be a Christian alone,” the prelates consider it necessary to “offer a visible communal face” and to foster the creation of communities “where the integral formation of the heart may be lived out.”The bishops acknowledged that, despite experiences of initial proclamation, “at times there exists the difficulty of transforming emotion into virtue,” as noted in the recently published document “Cor ad cor loquitur” (“Heart Speaks to Heart”).In this regard, they consider the integration of Catholic immigrants to be a “great opportunity to revive and rejuvenate” the communities.5. Living the faith in a pluralistic societyThe Spanish prelates focused their attention on the pluralistic social reality in which “people of diverse ethnic origins, with diverse ideological, ethical, and religious worldviews” coexist — and not always “in a proper spirit of coexistence, but rather they fall into confrontation.”Given that “the religious map of Spain is changing” and there are “increasingly more adherents of other religions who do not come ‘from abroad,’” this poses “a new challenge for the Church, which must establish channels for coexistence based on mutual respect and the fundamental right to religious freedom.”6. Welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrantsThe bishops’ conference also takes into account the need to address the reality of increasing migration, in a twofold sense.“Catholics must be incorporated into the Christian community”; therefore, the CEE called for an effort to welcome them by “offering the possibility of a space of their own that does not break off communion with the whole.”With regard to those of other faiths, the prelates highlighted the “opportunity for interreligious dialogue and collaboration in the service of the common good,” while acknowledging that this constitutes “a challenge for Catholics, who must be formed in order to engage in dialogue based on mutual respect.”7. Bringing the love of the heart of Christ to the worldBeyond matters more specific to the Spanish context, the prelates, in their latest pastoral guidance, aim to make the love of God present beyond the confines of the Church: “It is essential to practice political charity in schools, in neighborhoods, in hospitals, and in our relationships with one another — fostering a presence, where possible, within institutional politics, the life of political parties, or other channels of institutional action.”In the charitable sphere, the bishops also warned that “we run the risk that our organizations — so dependent on the welfare state, its regulations, and its subsidies for the third sector — may offer the novelty of Christian love in a weak manner and be easily confused with NGOs [nongovernmental organizations]. The same could happen to us in our educational institutions or our media outlets.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/spanish-bishops-we-cannot-simply-stand-by-and-watch-the-ship-sink-catholic-just-weeks-before-pope-leo-xivs-apostolic-visit-to-spain-the-spanish-bishops-confe-scaled.jpg "Spanish bishops: ‘We cannot simply stand by and watch the ship sink’ – #Catholic – Just weeks before Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic visit to Spain, the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE, by its Spanish acronym) released a document that establishes seven pastoral priorities for the 2026–2030 period in which they embrace a bracing challenge: “We cannot just stand by and watch the ship sink.”The document, titled “Set Out on the Journey,” was approved during the plenary assembly in November 2025 but was not published until after the conferenceʼs meeting in April.Following an exercise in “conversation in the Spirit” — the same method used during the Synod on Synodality — the Spanish prelates established the following seven priority pastoral goals:1. Proclaiming the Gospel and initiation into the Christian lifeThe prelates observed that “in Spain, the era — firmly established for centuries — in which we would say, ‘I am Catholic because I was born in Spain,’ has passed. We can no longer take Christian conversion for granted.”Consequently, the catechumenate is an “indispensable” reality in the dioceses, serving to ensure the continued growth of impactful experiences following the initial proclamation of the Gospel. “Today, Christian initiation along with the creation of communities that accompany individuals through this process and welcome the newly initiated constitute a fundamental priority,” they stated.The bishops further emphasized that “in secularized Spanish society, the Church’s challenge is not so much atheism as it is the hunger for God, which manifests itself in very diverse ways,” such that all pastoral actions “should assess their impact on the initial proclamation.”2. Celebrating SundayAdded to the challenge of Christian initiation is “another great challenge of ecclesial life: the celebration of the Lord’s Day” — that is, participation in Sunday Mass, which, as the prelates underscored, “is not a mere act of private devotion or fulfilling an obligation but rather the experience of being an assembly of the called — those who, summoned by the Word, are gathered together as a people taking the form of the body of Christ, in order to be sent forth on mission.”In Spain, only about 8 million of the country’s 45 million inhabitants attend Mass regularly on Sundays.3. A Church with fewer people but a lot of parishesThe bishops' third pastoral concern stems from the realization that the Catholic Church in Spain has more than 22,000 parishes distributed across over 11,000 municipalities and smaller local entities, many of which have fewer than 100 inhabitants.This distribution reveals “a great asymmetry.” As the prelates expressed with concern, “many baptismal fonts ‘hold no water’ — that is to say, there is no Christian community that, under the action of the Spirit, possesses the capacity to bring forth new Christians.”On the other hand, in areas with larger populations, the parish community “possesses a very weak awareness of the responsibility entailed by the baptismal font.”Beyond the diocesan parochial structure, Spain is home to 1,400 monasteries and shrines as well as hundreds of non-parochial churches where the Sunday Eucharist is celebrated, institutions that are typically under the care of religious communities.In this regard, the prelates declared: “We cannot simply stand by and watch the ship sink.”4. Promoting formative communitiesGiven that “one has never been able to be a Christian alone,” the prelates consider it necessary to “offer a visible communal face” and to foster the creation of communities “where the integral formation of the heart may be lived out.”The bishops acknowledged that, despite experiences of initial proclamation, “at times there exists the difficulty of transforming emotion into virtue,” as noted in the recently published document “Cor ad cor loquitur” (“Heart Speaks to Heart”).In this regard, they consider the integration of Catholic immigrants to be a “great opportunity to revive and rejuvenate” the communities.5. Living the faith in a pluralistic societyThe Spanish prelates focused their attention on the pluralistic social reality in which “people of diverse ethnic origins, with diverse ideological, ethical, and religious worldviews” coexist — and not always “in a proper spirit of coexistence, but rather they fall into confrontation.”Given that “the religious map of Spain is changing” and there are “increasingly more adherents of other religions who do not come ‘from abroad,’” this poses “a new challenge for the Church, which must establish channels for coexistence based on mutual respect and the fundamental right to religious freedom.”6. Welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrantsThe bishops’ conference also takes into account the need to address the reality of increasing migration, in a twofold sense.“Catholics must be incorporated into the Christian community”; therefore, the CEE called for an effort to welcome them by “offering the possibility of a space of their own that does not break off communion with the whole.”With regard to those of other faiths, the prelates highlighted the “opportunity for interreligious dialogue and collaboration in the service of the common good,” while acknowledging that this constitutes “a challenge for Catholics, who must be formed in order to engage in dialogue based on mutual respect.”7. Bringing the love of the heart of Christ to the worldBeyond matters more specific to the Spanish context, the prelates, in their latest pastoral guidance, aim to make the love of God present beyond the confines of the Church: “It is essential to practice political charity in schools, in neighborhoods, in hospitals, and in our relationships with one another — fostering a presence, where possible, within institutional politics, the life of political parties, or other channels of institutional action.”In the charitable sphere, the bishops also warned that “we run the risk that our organizations — so dependent on the welfare state, its regulations, and its subsidies for the third sector — may offer the novelty of Christian love in a weak manner and be easily confused with NGOs [nongovernmental organizations]. The same could happen to us in our educational institutions or our media outlets.”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.")
In Spain, only about 8 million of the country’s 45 million inhabitants attend Mass regularly on Sundays.
The Holy Father marked the first anniversary of his pontificate on May 8 by visiting the historic cities in southern Italy.
![Leo XIV makes Marian pilgrimage on 1-year anniversary as pope #Catholic POMPEI, Italy — Pope Leo XIV placed his pontificate under the protection of Mary during a visit to two cities in southern Italy on Friday — the first anniversary of his election to the papacy on May 8, 2025.Leo celebrated Mass for an estimated 20,000 people outside the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei, whose feast day is May 8, during the day trip to Pompei and Naples.“Exactly one year ago,” the pope said in his homily, amid thunderous applause from the assembled faithful, “when the ministry of successor of Peter was entrusted to me, it was precisely the day of the Supplication to the Virgin, this beautiful day of the Supplication to the Virgin of the Holy Rosary of Pompei! I therefore had to come here, to place my service under the protection of the Holy Virgin.”“Having then chosen the name Leo places me in the footsteps of Leo XIII, who, among his many merits, also developed a rich magisterium on the holy rosary. Added to all of this is the recent canonization of St. Bartolo Longo, apostle of the rosary,” Leo added.Before Mass, the pope — who flew about 150 miles from Rome to Pompei by helicopter early on May 8 — visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompei. Despite forecasts of rain, thousands of people filled Bartolo Longo Square from the first light of dawn.At the shrine, the Holy Father met the “Temple of Charity,” an organization that welcomes and assists people coming from situations of hardship.
Pope Leo XIV meets the “Temple of Charity,” an organization that welcomes and assists people coming from situations of hardship, during a pastoral visit to Pompei, Italy, on May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media
“Good morning, Pompei! Our Mother Mary — our mom — is always with us,” the pope said, informally greeting the faithful who were waiting for Mass. Before the Eucharistic celebration, Leo also greeted the sick and people with disabilities inside the shrine.The pope’s homily at the outdoor Mass focused on the power of the rosary.“The Hail Mary repeated in the holy rosary is an act of love,” he said. “Generations of believers have been shaped and safeguarded by this prayer — simple and popular, yet at the same time capable of mystical heights and a treasure chest of the most essential Christian theology.”He also called the Hail Mary prayer “an invitation to joy.”“It tells Mary, and in her all of us, that upon the ruins of our humanity, tried by sin and therefore always inclined to abuses, oppression, and war, the caress of God has come — the caress of mercy, which in Jesus takes on a human face. Mary thus becomes the mother of mercy.”“When St. John Paul II proclaimed the Year of the Rosary [2002–2003], he wished to place it in a special way under the gaze of the Virgin of Pompei,” Leo XIV continued. “Times have not improved since then. The wars still being fought in so many regions of the world call for renewed commitment, not only economic and political, but also spiritual and religious.”“Peace is born within the heart,” he added. “We cannot resign ourselves to the images of death that the news presents to us every day. St. Bartolo Longo, reflecting on Mary’s faith, called her ‘omnipotent by grace.’ Through her intercession, may an abundant outpouring of mercy come from the God of peace — touching hearts, calming resentments and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who bear special responsibilities of governance. No earthly power will save the world, but only the divine power of love.”At the conclusion of Mass, Pope Leo prayed together with the faithful the traditional Supplication to Our Lady of Pompei.The Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary of Pompei was written in 1883 by St. Bartolo Longo. It is solemnly recited twice a year, at noon on May 8 and on the first Sunday of October. The supplication was composed in response to the invitation that Pope Leo XIII addressed to Catholics in his first encyclical on the rosary, Supremi Apostolatus Officio, calling for a spiritual commitment to confront the evils of society.
Pope Leo XIV prays at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media
Visit to NaplesAfter lunch in private, Pope Leo took a helicopter about 16 miles northwest to Naples, the capital city of the Campania region of Italy, where he met with priests and religious brothers and sisters in the Naples cathedral.During his visit to the cathedral, Leo stopped in the Chapel of the Treasure of St. Januarius, where the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius had taken place on May 3. The pope kissed the relic and with it blessed those in the packed cathedral.After some time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the pope addressed the Catholic community: “What I therefore ask of you is this: Listen to one another, walk together, create a symphony of charisms and ministries, and in this way find ways to move from a pastoral ministry of maintenance to a missionary pastoral ministry, capable of engaging with the concrete lives of people.”“In a city marked by inequality, youth unemployment, school dropout rates, and fragile family situations, the proclamation of the Gospel cannot be separated from a concrete and supportive presence that involves everyone — priests, religious, and laypeople alike,” he added.Pope Leo XIV then arrived in the popemobile to Piazza del Plebiscito, the main square of Naples, where authorities estimate about 50,000 people were present.The pope’s address focused on peace and justice: a peace that “begins in the human heart, passes through relationships, takes root in neighborhoods and on the outskirts, and expands to embrace the entire city and the world.” A peace that needs justice “to be authentic” and that “can never be separated from charity.”Leo also spoke about the “Neapolitan paradox:” on the one hand, the significant increase in tourism, which however struggles to correspond to “economic dynamism capable of truly involving the entire social community.” He described a city “marked by a social divide that no longer separates the center from the outskirts but is even evident within every area, with existential peripheries nested even in the heart of the historic center.” Faced with these disparities, Pope Leo XIV recalled the presence of the state as “more necessary than ever, to provide security and confidence to citizens and to take space away from organized crime.”He then encouraged moving forward with the projects of hope taking shape in the city: “Gather your strength, work together, walk united — institutions, Church, and civil society — to connect the city, protect your children from the snares of hardship and evil, and restore to Naples its vocation to be a capital of humanity and hope.”This story was first published in multiple parts by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/leo-xiv-makes-marian-pilgrimage-on-1-year-anniversary-as-pope-catholic-pompei-italy-pope-leo-xiv-placed-his-pontificate-under-the-protection-of-mary-during-a-visit-to-two-cities-in-souther-scaled.jpg)
Pope Leo XIV traveled around 150 miles south of Rome to the Italian cities of Pompei and Naples on the first anniversary of his election.
An archdiocesan investigation in 2018 claimed Bishop Michael Bransfield engaged in multiple instances of sexual harassment and financial malfeasance of diocesan funds.
CAMBRIDGE — A paper published by professors at the University of Cambridge affirmed a long-speculated theory about Heaven, that everyone gets their own G.I. Joe Aircraft Carrier toy.
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Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring is among the best films ever made, but it’s long. Clocking in at almost three hours for the theatrical release (3h 48m for the extended edition), it’s hard to know when the best time to watch it is. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.
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| Picture of the day |
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Golden jackal (Canis aureus) in azureum flowers (Jim Corbett National Park, India)
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From tropical luxury to frosty serenity, there’s an island to suit every traveler’s taste.
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Democrats seem to think that they are on the verge of a blue wave in the 2026 midterms this fall, but so far, the numbers are not backing that up.
The post REPORT: Six Months From 2026 Midterms, Republicans Have Outraised Democrats by More Than $10 Million appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Today on The Five, Greg Gutfeld took aim at leftists who have destroyed relationships with friends and even family members, over lies that they believe about Trump, such as the often repeated ‘Trump is Hitler’ lie.
The post Greg Gutfeld Slams Leftists for Destroying Relationships With Others Over Lies They Believe About Trump (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Mollie Hemingway, political commentator and editor of The Federalist, recently appeared on the FOX Business Network and tore into former President Obama for his recent comments about Republicans.
The post Mollie Hemingway RIPS Obama for Trash Talking GOP: ‘Reprehensible Commentary From the Man Who Instigated the Russia Collusion Hoax’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreBreathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.
Read MoreA reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 15:22-31
The Apostles and presbyters, in agreement with the whole Church,
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:
“The Apostles and the presbyters, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
‘It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right. Farewell.’“
And so they were sent on their journey.
Upon their arrival in Antioch
they called the assembly together and delivered the letter.
When the people read it, they were delighted with the exhortation.
From the Gospel according to John
15:12-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”
In his long farewell discourse to his disciples, Jesus says this: “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” (Jn 15:15-16). But this is a blank cheque: “whatever you ask the Father in my name, I will give to you”! God is a friend, an ally, a spouse. In prayer one can establish an intimate relationship with him, so much so that in the “Our Father” Jesus taught us to address to him a series of questions. We can ask God everything, everything; explain everything, recount everything. It does not matter if we feel flawed in our relationship with God: we are not good friends, we are not grateful children, we are not faithful spouses. He continues to love us. (…) God is always close to our heart’s door and he waits for us to open it to him. And sometimes he knocks on the heart, but he is not intrusive: he waits. God’s patience with us is the patience of a father, of one who loves us dearly. I would say it is the combined patience of a father and a mother. Always close to our heart, and when he knocks he does so with tenderness and with much love. (Pope Francis, General audience, 13 May 2020)
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Obituary: Father Peter Andrew Oddo, served Sussex County parishes, 90 #Catholic – 
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, May 9, at noon at Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) Church in the Swartswood neighborhood of Newton, N.J., for Father Peter Andrew Oddo, a retired priest of the Newark Archdiocese and U.S. Navy veteran, who died on May 4, at Merry Heart in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township, N.J. He was 90.
After retiring, Father Oddo served in Sussex County parishes of the Paterson Diocese, including Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Branchville, N.J., and OLMC as a weekend associate. These roles followed his service in the Newark Archdiocese and his Navy career.
Father Oddo was born and grew up in Lodi, N.J. He was the son of Andrew and Angelina Oddo. He graduated from Pope Pius XII High School in Passaic, N.J. He earned a bachelor’s degree in classical languages and a master’s in psychology from Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., and a master’s in theology from Immaculate Conception School of Theology in Darlington, N.J.
Father Oddo was ordained to the priesthood for the Newark Archdiocese on May 27, 1961. He first served in parish assignments and then ministered to individuals with alcohol and drug addiction before beginning his service in the U.S. Navy.
Following these assignments, Father Oddo joined the U.S. Navy, where he served for 24 years and achieved the rank of captain.
During his service, Father Oddo traveled widely on the U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CVN-70), a U.S. Navy supercarrier and flagship for Carrier Strike Group 1. He served in the Persian Gulf War and earned the Navy Commendation Medal, two Navy Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Southwest Asia Service Medal.
After retiring from the Navy, Father Oddo made his home in Swartswood in Newton. He served Our Lady Queen of Peace and OLMC. He was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, spending time in nature, and was a member of local hunting clubs.
Father Oddo is survived by his brother, Rosario Oddo, and his wife, Angela, and his sister-in-law, Mary Anne Oddo, the wife of his late brother Andrew M. Oddo. His nieces and nephews are Mary Anne Montelbano and her husband, Keith; Carole Anne Cavanagh and her husband, Brian; Andrew P. Oddo and his wife, Meg; and Jessica Carlin and her husband, John. He is also survived by five great-nieces, seven great-nephews, and many cousins and extended family members.
Visitation for Father Oddo will be held on Friday, May 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Newton. His Mass of Christian Burial will follow at noon on Saturday, May 9, at OLMC.
Please keep Father Oddo, his family and friends, and the priests of the Newark Archdiocese and Paterson Diocese in your prayers.
– A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, May 9, at noon at Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) Church in the Swartswood neighborhood of Newton, N.J., for Father Peter Andrew Oddo, a retired priest of the Newark Archdiocese and U.S. Navy veteran, who died on May 4, at Merry Heart in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township, N.J. He was 90. After retiring, Father Oddo served in Sussex County parishes of the Paterson Diocese, including Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Branchville, N.J., and OLMC as a weekend associate. These roles followed his service in the
![Beatification candidate Fulton Sheen forged strong ties in Paterson #Catholic - Sometime in 1974, Lo Anne Mayer, formerly of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, N.J., received a surprise phone call. On the other end was Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the world-renowned Catholic radio and TV evangelist. They met briefly after a talk he gave at another parish in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and here he was asking her, “What do you think about St. Joseph?” — the topic of an upcoming presentation.
“I realized that Archbishop Sheen called people to get their views on particular topics — the Blessed Mother or St. Joseph — to make his talks more relevant to his audience. I was impressed; I didn’t know any priest who did that,” said Mayer, who first heard him speak at Christ the King Church in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., in 1974. “I saw Christ in Archbishop Sheen. His total dedication to the Lord was part of his persona. I felt as if I were in the presence of a saint,” she said.
So it was no surprise when Mayer, 85, now living in Manchester, N.J., heard the news on March 25 that Archbishop Sheen — now Venerable Fulton J. Sheen — is getting a step closer to sainthood. With joy, she plans to attend with her family the Mass of his beatification, where he will be designated as “blessed.” This will take place on Thursday, Sept. 24, at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo.
That first conversation in 1974 blossomed into a close family friendship. Venerable Sheen often spoke with Mayer at length on the phone and visited their home for dinner. Through Mayer, he became reacquainted with the Discalced Carmelites of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel in Morristown, N.J. He also baptized her and her husband Raymond’s youngest child, Michael, at Corpus Christi in 1975.
“I couldn’t be happier about Archbishop Sheen’s beatification,” said Mayer, who had started helping promote his cause before his home diocese in Peoria, Ill., opened it in 2002. “I know Archbishop Sheen would not have wanted this [beatification], but he needs to be recognized. People around the globe know him for his powerful preaching and are still interested in him,” she said.
Mayer will discuss Venerable Sheen and his beatification this Friday, May 8, his birthday, while recording an episode of the Beyond the Beacon podcast with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish. The episode will be available on all major podcast platforms on March 14, 2026.
Venerable Sheen earned worldwide renown as one of the 20th century’s leading English-speaking Catholic preachers. He used books, radio, and TV to reach a broad audience. Decades later, his program, “Life Is Worth Living,” resonates with younger Catholics through EWTN reruns. In 1979, Sheen died in New York at age 84.
“Archbishop Sheen was down to earth, speaking simply from the heart for everybody to understand,” said Mayer. She recalled how he spoke to her children before dinner, mesmerizing them with his message and presence. “As a young mother, Archbishop Sheen helped my faith. He was understanding and kind,” she said.
In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI declared Archbishop Sheen “venerable” for his heroic virtue. In 2019, Pope Francis recognized a miracle attributed to Sheen, paving the way for beatification. The Vatican, however, paused the process to investigate — and ultimately cleared him of — allegations from Sheen’s tenure as bishop of Rochester, N.Y. Mayer remains optimistic that a second miracle will be recognized to advance him to sainthood.
In 1984, Mayer participated in the first national gathering of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation at the Madison Hotel in Madison, N.J. She later chaired the organization and now serves on its advisory board. Mayer traveled to Peoria to witness the sealing of roughly 500 pages of documents for the cause for review in Rome.
Over the years, Mayer heard Venerable Sheen speak at other local parishes. She also invited him to the Carmelite monastery in Morristown, where he delivered the homily at the dedication Mass of the chapel in 1941. He quickly became friends with the community and made subsequent visits. “He made the Carmelites happy,” Mayer said.
Previously, Venerable Sheen had another diocesan connection: Yolanda Holliger of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Wayne, N.J. He married her to his cousin, Tom, baptized their six children, and remained close to their family. Both Holligers testified in his cause and have since died.
“Archbishop Sheen had a saintly aura,” Holliger told The Beacon in a 2008 interview. “With him, you felt you were in heaven — perfect happiness.”
Mayer encourages local faithful to watch Venerable Sheen’s beatification Mass on EWTN on Sept. 24, starting at 3 p.m. EST.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/beatification-candidate-fulton-sheen-forged-strong-ties-in-paterson-catholic-sometime-in-1974-lo-anne-mayer-formerly-of-corpus-christi-parish-in-chatham-township-n-j-received-a-surprise-phone.jpg)
Beatification candidate Fulton Sheen forged strong ties in Paterson #Catholic – 
Sometime in 1974, Lo Anne Mayer, formerly of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, N.J., received a surprise phone call. On the other end was Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the world-renowned Catholic radio and TV evangelist. They met briefly after a talk he gave at another parish in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and here he was asking her, “What do you think about St. Joseph?” — the topic of an upcoming presentation.
“I realized that Archbishop Sheen called people to get their views on particular topics — the Blessed Mother or St. Joseph — to make his talks more relevant to his audience. I was impressed; I didn’t know any priest who did that,” said Mayer, who first heard him speak at Christ the King Church in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., in 1974. “I saw Christ in Archbishop Sheen. His total dedication to the Lord was part of his persona. I felt as if I were in the presence of a saint,” she said.
So it was no surprise when Mayer, 85, now living in Manchester, N.J., heard the news on March 25 that Archbishop Sheen — now Venerable Fulton J. Sheen — is getting a step closer to sainthood. With joy, she plans to attend with her family the Mass of his beatification, where he will be designated as “blessed.” This will take place on Thursday, Sept. 24, at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo.
That first conversation in 1974 blossomed into a close family friendship. Venerable Sheen often spoke with Mayer at length on the phone and visited their home for dinner. Through Mayer, he became reacquainted with the Discalced Carmelites of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel in Morristown, N.J. He also baptized her and her husband Raymond’s youngest child, Michael, at Corpus Christi in 1975.
“I couldn’t be happier about Archbishop Sheen’s beatification,” said Mayer, who had started helping promote his cause before his home diocese in Peoria, Ill., opened it in 2002. “I know Archbishop Sheen would not have wanted this [beatification], but he needs to be recognized. People around the globe know him for his powerful preaching and are still interested in him,” she said.
Mayer will discuss Venerable Sheen and his beatification this Friday, May 8, his birthday, while recording an episode of the Beyond the Beacon podcast with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish. The episode will be available on all major podcast platforms on March 14, 2026.
Venerable Sheen earned worldwide renown as one of the 20th century’s leading English-speaking Catholic preachers. He used books, radio, and TV to reach a broad audience. Decades later, his program, “Life Is Worth Living,” resonates with younger Catholics through EWTN reruns. In 1979, Sheen died in New York at age 84.
“Archbishop Sheen was down to earth, speaking simply from the heart for everybody to understand,” said Mayer. She recalled how he spoke to her children before dinner, mesmerizing them with his message and presence. “As a young mother, Archbishop Sheen helped my faith. He was understanding and kind,” she said.
In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI declared Archbishop Sheen “venerable” for his heroic virtue. In 2019, Pope Francis recognized a miracle attributed to Sheen, paving the way for beatification. The Vatican, however, paused the process to investigate — and ultimately cleared him of — allegations from Sheen’s tenure as bishop of Rochester, N.Y. Mayer remains optimistic that a second miracle will be recognized to advance him to sainthood.
In 1984, Mayer participated in the first national gathering of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation at the Madison Hotel in Madison, N.J. She later chaired the organization and now serves on its advisory board. Mayer traveled to Peoria to witness the sealing of roughly 500 pages of documents for the cause for review in Rome.
Over the years, Mayer heard Venerable Sheen speak at other local parishes. She also invited him to the Carmelite monastery in Morristown, where he delivered the homily at the dedication Mass of the chapel in 1941. He quickly became friends with the community and made subsequent visits. “He made the Carmelites happy,” Mayer said.
Previously, Venerable Sheen had another diocesan connection: Yolanda Holliger of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Wayne, N.J. He married her to his cousin, Tom, baptized their six children, and remained close to their family. Both Holligers testified in his cause and have since died.
“Archbishop Sheen had a saintly aura,” Holliger told The Beacon in a 2008 interview. “With him, you felt you were in heaven — perfect happiness.”
Mayer encourages local faithful to watch Venerable Sheen’s beatification Mass on EWTN on Sept. 24, starting at 3 p.m. EST.
– Sometime in 1974, Lo Anne Mayer, formerly of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, N.J., received a surprise phone call. On the other end was Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the world-renowned Catholic radio and TV evangelist. They met briefly after a talk he gave at another parish in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and here he was asking her, “What do you think about St. Joseph?” — the topic of an upcoming presentation. “I realized that Archbishop Sheen called people to get their views on particular topics — the Blessed Mother or St. Joseph — to make his talks more relevant
Recent excavations at the site match the account of an eighth-century Bavarian bishop who wrote about a church in Bethsaida that was built over the home of Sts. Peter and Andrew.
The pontiff met with the secretary of state amid Trump’s ongoing criticism of the Holy Father and the Vatican.
Vaonis Vespera II — X Edition VaonisMontpellier, France The Vespera II — X Edition is a version of Vaonis’ f/5 imaging system that has a limited run of 150 units; it features a clear shell that shows off its internal components. It uses a Sony IMX 585, an 8.3-megapixel color sensor. Its field of viewContinue reading “May we present this month’s new astronomy products”
The post May we present this month’s new astronomy products appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Father Gerardo F. Saco Jr. cited “human limitations” in withdrawing from the Diocese of Tagbilaran weeks before his scheduled May 26 episcopal ordination.
![Inspiring toe-picking guitarist amps up hope at Dover concert #Catholic - On May 1, Tony Meléndez, a renowned toe-picking Catholic guitarist born without arms, delivered the message, “Don’t be afraid with our good Lord,” through inspiring music and personal stories of faith during a joyful bilingual concert at Sacred Heart and Holy Rosary Parish in Dover, N.J.
Meléndez has played at 11 World Youth Days, sharing the stage with St. Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. He has visited all 50 U.S. states and more than 44 foreign countries. Recognized as an ambassador of hope and resilience, Meléndez appeals to all generations.
At the May 1 concert, Meléndez, originally from Rivas, Nicaragua, sang and played a mix of original and popular religious songs, with occasional secular tunes such as “La Bamba,” throughout the evening.
In both English and Spanish, Meléndez told the audience that he was born without arms and a clubbed foot due to the drug Thalidomide, which his mother was prescribed for morning sickness. His family later immigrated to the United States so he could undergo seven corrective surgeries on his left foot to enable him to walk.
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These challenges shaped his journey, as Meléndez learned to do almost everything with his feet. When he was 16, he taught himself to play the guitar with his toes and, over time, became proficient as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter.
“I would pray with my music when I first started to play guitar, with whatever came out of my voice—my heart,” said Meléndez, who is married with two children. “God blessed me to be able to play guitar with my toes. I thank him with all my heart.”
Meléndez’s inspirational career reached a turning point when he performed for St. Pope John Paul II during a major youth teleconference at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1987, as part of the pontiff’s 10-day U.S. tour.
That Friday evening began with Father Leonardo López, pastor of Sacred Heart/Holy Rosary, introducing the concert, with support from Father Cerilo Javinez and Father Edgar Rivera, the parish’s parochial vicars, who set a welcoming tone for the event. Father Rivera booked and organized the concert.
Adding a personal touch, Meléndez’s older brother, Jose, who serves as his manager and ministry partner, also spoke about the featured performer’s life during the event.
Meléndez will be featured on Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Beyond The Beacon podcast later this month.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/inspiring-toe-picking-guitarist-amps-up-hope-at-dover-concert-catholic-on-may-1-tony-melendez-a-renowned-toe-picking-catholic-guitarist-born-without-arms-delivered-the-message-don.jpg)
Inspiring toe-picking guitarist amps up hope at Dover concert #Catholic – 
On May 1, Tony Meléndez, a renowned toe-picking Catholic guitarist born without arms, delivered the message, “Don’t be afraid with our good Lord,” through inspiring music and personal stories of faith during a joyful bilingual concert at Sacred Heart and Holy Rosary Parish in Dover, N.J.
Meléndez has played at 11 World Youth Days, sharing the stage with St. Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. He has visited all 50 U.S. states and more than 44 foreign countries. Recognized as an ambassador of hope and resilience, Meléndez appeals to all generations.
At the May 1 concert, Meléndez, originally from Rivas, Nicaragua, sang and played a mix of original and popular religious songs, with occasional secular tunes such as “La Bamba,” throughout the evening.
In both English and Spanish, Meléndez told the audience that he was born without arms and a clubbed foot due to the drug Thalidomide, which his mother was prescribed for morning sickness. His family later immigrated to the United States so he could undergo seven corrective surgeries on his left foot to enable him to walk.
These challenges shaped his journey, as Meléndez learned to do almost everything with his feet. When he was 16, he taught himself to play the guitar with his toes and, over time, became proficient as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter.
“I would pray with my music when I first started to play guitar, with whatever came out of my voice—my heart,” said Meléndez, who is married with two children. “God blessed me to be able to play guitar with my toes. I thank him with all my heart.”
Meléndez’s inspirational career reached a turning point when he performed for St. Pope John Paul II during a major youth teleconference at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1987, as part of the pontiff’s 10-day U.S. tour.
That Friday evening began with Father Leonardo López, pastor of Sacred Heart/Holy Rosary, introducing the concert, with support from Father Cerilo Javinez and Father Edgar Rivera, the parish’s parochial vicars, who set a welcoming tone for the event. Father Rivera booked and organized the concert.
Adding a personal touch, Meléndez’s older brother, Jose, who serves as his manager and ministry partner, also spoke about the featured performer’s life during the event.
Meléndez will be featured on Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Beyond The Beacon podcast later this month.
– On May 1, Tony Meléndez, a renowned toe-picking Catholic guitarist born without arms, delivered the message, “Don’t be afraid with our good Lord,” through inspiring music and personal stories of faith during a joyful bilingual concert at Sacred Heart and Holy Rosary Parish in Dover, N.J. Meléndez has played at 11 World Youth Days, sharing the stage with St. Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis. He has visited all 50 U.S. states and more than 44 foreign countries. Recognized as an ambassador of hope and resilience, Meléndez appeals to all generations. At the May 1 concert,
Lithuania’s only consistently pro-life maternity home — once blessed by St. John Paul II — faces closure under a government merger plan opposed by more than 12,000 petitioners.
Pope to lead Corpus Christi procession in Madrid, Vatican says as it releases Spain schedule #Catholic – 
(OSV News) — The Vatican released the official schedule for Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic visit to Spain, a seven-day trip that will take the pontiff to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands for meetings with Spain’s royal family and political leaders, as well as migrants, prisoners, young people and Catholic communities across the country.
The packed June 6-12 itinerary also included public Masses, a Corpus Christi procession in Madrid, an encounter with volunteers, a visit to Barcelona’s Basilica of the Holy Family, known as Sagrada Família, and stops at migrant reception centers in the Canary Islands.
Coinciding with the Vatican’s release of the pope’s schedule, the Spanish bishops’ conference hosted a press briefing with the bishops of Madrid, Barcelona, the Canary Islands and Tenerife.
At the briefing, Archbishop Luis Argüello of Valladolid, president of the Spanish bishops’ conference, said the papal visit comes at a moment when Pope Leo has emerged as a “reference point in the current situation of the world.”
“For this reason, his words — undoubtedly words of dialogue, encounter, communion and peace — will help all of us,” Archbishop Argüello said.
According to the official schedule, upon his arrival June 6, the pope will meet with Spanish King Felipe VI and his wife, Queen Letizia, followed by meetings with government authorities and the country’s diplomatic corps.
Noting the country’s climate of political and social tensions, Cardinal José Cobo of Madrid said the pope’s meetings with political and government leaders during his stop in the Spanish capital were highly anticipated.
“There was a hunger for a visit of this kind at a special moment in our political, social and economic life, because there is also a hunger for reference points, and I believe the pope can be a reference point to give light and direction to many who are searching,” Cardinal Cobo said.
In the evening, the pope will visit an emergency homeless shelter operated by Caritas Madrid, before a meeting with young people at the Plaza de Lima, where St. John Paul II celebrated Mass during his 1982 visit to the country.
Cardinal Cobo said the meeting will serve as a “platform” for the pope to “speak with the youth of the entire world.”
The following day, the pope will celebrate Mass on the feast of Corpus Christi at Madrid’s Plaza de Cibeles, a celebration Cardinal Cobo confirmed would include a procession reflecting the city’s local traditions.
“The Corpus Christi procession will be beautiful,” he said. “A great many people are involved: those preparing floral carpets, those carrying the platforms, numerous associations. It will not be excessively long for reasons of time and space because we are expecting an enormous crowd.”
After the Mass, the pope will meet privately with members of the Augustinian order, followed by a meeting at Movistar Arena with representatives of the “world of culture, art, economy and sport,” the Vatican said.
On his final day in Madrid June 8, Pope Leo will meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, followed by a highly anticipated address to members of the Spanish Parliament.
When asked if he was concerned that the pope’s address to parliamentarians “could be politically or ideologically manipulated,” Archbishop Argüello said that “while it can always happen,” it was important to note that the decision to invite the pope to speak was “unanimous.”
“Over the years, popes have spoken in academic and political institutions throughout the world. Any later interpretations are beyond our control,” he said.
Adding that the pope would prepare “the speeches as he sees fit,” Archbishop Argüello told journalists that the church was awaiting “a possible new encyclical that seems likely to emphasize the centrality of the human person, human dignity, the common good, dialogue and encounter.”
The president of the Spanish bishops’ conference did not indicate if the encyclical would be released before the visit.
Pope Leo will depart for Barcelona June 9 where he will preside over midday prayer at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and St. Eulalia and in the evening will take part in a prayer vigil at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.
For Cardinal Juan José Omella of Barcelona, there is “enormous expectation” for the pontiff’s visit and that Pope Leo’s “words and gestures are reaching people very deeply.”
“The classical thinkers said that God has three attributes: ‘bonum, verum et pulchrum’ (the good, the true and the beautiful),” the cardinal said. “I believe that in some way we are expressing this through the Pope’s visit — the communion of a diverse Church. And we see it every day: diverse, yet united around the universal shepherd, who is the pope. I think this unity will become visible.”
Pope Leo will begin his first full day in Barcelona with a visit to the Brians 1 Penitentiary Center, followed by a visit to the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, where he will pray the rosary and have lunch with the Benedictine community.
Cardinal Omella said the penitentiary represented “the world of sorrow, the deprivation of freedom and everything connected to prison ministry, which is something very present in the life of the Church,” and that the pope “wants to make himself present there.”
Additionally, the abbey, he continued, represented all the monasteries in Spain and “the world of contemplatives, which is the praying Church.”
The cardinal also said anticipation was high for the pope’s evening Mass June 10 at one of the world’s most iconic churches, the Sagrada Família, where he will inaugurate the tower of Jesus Christ. At more than 564 feet tall, the tower makes the basilica the tallest Catholic church in the world.
The pope’s visit to the basilica coincides with the 100th anniversary of the death of the basilica’s architect, Antoni Gaudí. While there were hopes for a beatification ceremony at the Mass, the official schedule did not include it.
Cardinal Omella told journalists that a miracle attributed to Gaudí’s intercession was being studied and “in a very advanced phase in Rome, but there is nothing further yet.”
On June 11, Pope Leo will depart for the Canary Islands, a trip that his predecessor, Pope Francis, had wanted to make.
The archipelago, geographically located in Africa, is the destination every year for thousands of sub-Saharan migrants seeking a better future. They arrive in precarious and fragile boats called “cayucos,” and many die on the way.
According to the schedule, the pope will meet with organizations working with migrants at the port of Arguineguín, followed by a meeting with bishops, clergy and religious men and women at the Cathedral of St. Anne. In the evening, he will celebrate Mass at the Gran Canaria Stadium.
Noting the rarity of a pontiff visiting the islands, which are geographically distant from mainland Spain, Bishop José Mazuelos Pérez of the Canary Islands said the pope’s visit was “a blessing from God.”
“People are absolutely delighted,” the bishop said. “I especially want to emphasize the joy and excitement. For example, I go to the market to buy something and people immediately come up to me saying, ‘The pope is coming, the pope is coming!’”
Noting that the pope’s visit will place “greater emphasis on the reality of migration,” Bishop Mazuelos also noted anticipation for the pope’s meeting with clergy and religious “who are working tirelessly and who are eager to embark upon new paths of evangelization.”
“There is a strong secularization in the Canary Islands. There are many people who have left the Church,” he said. “But there are also many people who have deep needs and a thirst for encountering the Gospel and the Lord. And the pope comes to strengthen us, encourage us and help us continue fighting — never giving up, but rather winning hearts through the proclamation of the Gospel.”
On the pope’s final day in Spain June 12, he will depart for Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, where he will meet with migrants living at the “Las Raices Center” followed by a meeting with organizations helping to integrate migrants.
Bishop Eloy Alberto Santiago of Tenerife told journalists that at one point, the center had housed 4,000 migrants who came “from the deadly Atlantic route as well as from Latin America.”
Before departing for Rome, Pope Leo will also preside over an outdoor Mass at the port of Santa Cruz, which the bishop noted was “the ideal place because of its closeness to the sea, where so many people arrive.”
“This closeness to the sea also allows us to enter into communion and harmony with the migratory reality and with the ecclesial reality,” he said.
Bishop Santiago noted that while the pope will visit the island for “five or six very intense hours,” he was joyful that his diocese will be the final place Pope Leo will visit.
“Our Diocese of Tenerife is a diocese that welcomes many migrants, and in this case, it will also warmly bid farewell to the Holy Father after his first visit to Spain,” he said.
Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.
– (OSV News) — The Vatican released the official schedule for Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic visit to Spain, a seven-day trip that will take the pontiff to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands for meetings with Spain’s royal family and political leaders, as well as migrants, prisoners, young people and Catholic communities across the country. The packed June 6-12 itinerary also included public Masses, a Corpus Christi procession in Madrid, an encounter with volunteers, a visit to Barcelona’s Basilica of the Holy Family, known as Sagrada Família, and stops at migrant reception centers in the Canary Islands. Coinciding with the
CHURCH, VA — Employees at a local shrimp house were reportedly traumatized following a surprise visit by President Trump who, upon arriving, vowed that a civilization would die that night.
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The internet has been abuzz once again about the dueling claims and court cases between actress Blake Lively and actor Justin Baldoni. With so much contradictory information, it’s hard to know what’s real or where to begin. Here, collected at last in one space, is everything you need to know about the Lively-Baldoni saga:
Read More| Picture of the day |
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Pilot boat outside Öja island (Landsort), Stockholm Archipelago’s most southern point.
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Please continue to pray for Rudy Giuliani.
The post Top Advisor Ted Goodman Provides Critical Update to Rudy Giuliani’s Health Battle appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Former President Barack Obama is complaining about the “politicization” of the Department of Justice, a topic about which he himself is very well versed.
The post Barack Obama Complains About ‘Politicization’ of DOJ — Then Encourages Stephen Colbert to Run For President! (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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On the night of April 5, a Christian village called Nding, located in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Nigeria, came under attack by Fulani extremists.
The post Reporting from Nigeria: Nigerian Christian Funeral Attacked by Fulani Islamists appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreO heavenly Father, Almighty God, we humbly beseech Thee to bless and sanctify this house and all who dwell therein and everything else in it, and do Thou vouchsafe to fill it with all good things; grant to them, O Lord, the abundance of heavenly blessings and from the richness of the earth every substance necessary for life, and finally direct their desires to the fruits of Thy mercy. At our entrance, therefore, deign to bless and sanctify this house as Thou didst deign to bless the house of …
Read MoreA reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 15:7-21
After much debate had taken place,
Peter got up and said to the Apostles and the presbyters,
“My brothers, you are well aware that from early days
God made his choice among you that through my mouth
the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe.
And God, who knows the heart,
bore witness by granting them the Holy Spirit
just as he did us.
He made no distinction between us and them,
for by faith he purified their hearts.
Why, then, are you now putting God to the test
by placing on the shoulders of the disciples
a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear?
On the contrary, we believe that we are saved
through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they.”
The whole assembly fell silent,
and they listened
while Paul and Barnabas described the signs and wonders
God had worked among the Gentiles through them.
After they had fallen silent, James responded,
“My brothers, listen to me.
Symeon has described how God first concerned himself
with acquiring from among the Gentiles a people for his name.
The words of the prophets agree with this, as is written:
After this I shall return
and rebuild the fallen hut of David;
from its ruins I shall rebuild it
and raise it up again,
so that the rest of humanity may seek out the Lord,
even all the Gentiles on whom my name is invoked.
Thus says the Lord who accomplishes these things,
known from of old.
It is my judgment, therefore,
that we ought to stop troubling the Gentiles who turn to God,
but tell them by letter to avoid pollution from idols,
unlawful marriage, the meat of strangled animals, and blood.
For Moses, for generations now,
has had those who proclaim him in every town,
as he has been read in the synagogues every sabbath.”
From the Gospel according to John
15:9-11
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.
“I have told you this so that
my joy might be in you and
your joy might be complete.”
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you” (Jn 15:9). The love Jesus gives us is the same with which the Father loves him: pure unconditional love, freely given love. It cannot be bought, it is free. By giving it to us, Jesus treats us like friends — with this love —, letting us know the Father; and he involves us in his same mission for the life of the world. And then, we can ask ourselves the question, how do we abide in this love? Jesus says: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love” (v. 10). (…) Dear brothers and sisters, where does this abiding in the Lord’s love lead? Where does it lead us? Jesus told us: “That my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (v. 11). And the Lord wants that the joy he possesses, because he is in complete communion with the Father, also be in us insofar as we are united to him. The joy of knowing we are loved by God despite our infidelities enables us to face the trials of life confidently, makes us live through crises so as to emerge from them better. Our being true witnesses consists in living this joy, because joy is the distinctive sign of a true Christian. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 9 May 2021)
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A newly discovered object may be a key to unlocking the true nature of a mysterious class of sources that astronomers have found in the early universe in recent years.
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“The pontiff is a strong advocate of climate and environmental protection, and we hope that his voice may serve as an example for humanity,” researchers wrote.
Antelope Basecamp will act as a gateway to the world’s largest International Dark Sky Sanctuary.
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![India’s state elections deliver split verdict for Christian community #Catholic The results of staggered elections in four key Indian states held in April have drawn diverse reactions from the Christian community following the May 4 counting of the votes.While the poll outcomes from the two southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been soothing for Christians, the results from West Bengal and Assam in eastern and northeastern India have come as frustrating for Christian communities.Kerala: A ‘clear verdict’ against propagandaIn the southern Christian heartland of Kerala, the ruling communist alliance was decimated to 35 seats while the opposition Congress-led alliance won 102 seats in the 140-member assembly of Kerala, a state of 35 million people, 18% of whom are Christian.“The result has shown that the people cannot be misled by propaganda and they have given a clear verdict against it,” Father Thomas Tharayil, deputy secretary of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council, told EWTN News on May 6.The remark came against the backdrop of anti-Christian propaganda by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with prominent Christians in the BJP even attacking Church leaders for the Churchʼs protest against the draconian amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.Christians in Kerala were relieved after four prominent Christians who had allied with the BJP lost the polls despite making much noise against church leadership: P.C. George, a seven-time Kerala legislator; his son Shone George; federal Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian; and Anoop Antony, son of veteran Congress party leader and former Kerala chief minister A.K. Antony.Half a dozen other Christian candidates the BJP fielded in Christian pockets under its lotus symbol also lost, while the party won just three seats with its Hindu candidates.Tamil Nadu: A ‘genuinely historic’ TVK upsetIn neighboring Tamil Nadu, with a population of 77 million, the new political party TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam — Victory Party of Tamil Nadu), founded by Catholic actor Joseph Vijay, stunned the Dravidian parties that had held power for nearly six decades between them.Under Vijayʼs leadership, the TVK he founded in 2024 won 108 of the 234 seats in the state legislature, with the ruling DMK reduced to 73 and the opposition AIADMK left with 53 seats.Describing the TVK victory that stunned even poll forecasts as “genuinely historic,” Father Charles Antony, editor of the Catholic fortnightly New Leader based in Chennai, told EWTN News: “Vijayʼs victory is real, consequential, and disruptive [of the] bipolar politics” in the state, which has more than 5 million Christians.“He visited churches, temples, and mosques alike during the campaign, successfully projecting himself as a leader for all communities. This secular messaging helped his party distance itself from identity-based polarization,” he added.While Vijay is “Catholic,” Antony emphasized that “his Christian identity is incidental to his politics. Attacks from the BJP [on his Christian identity] with ‘minority’ tag against him, paradoxically, may have helped consolidate minority votes.”West Bengal: ‘A terrible result many had feared’The likely outcome in West Bengal — the state bordering Bangladesh — had been the subject of much conjecture even before voting, due to the controversial, hurried action of the Election Commission of India that disenfranchised more than 9 million, or 12%, of its 76 million voters under a Special Intensive Revision of the voter list.The Trinamool Congress, which had ruled the state since 2011 across three consecutive terms, lost the election badly — as many had feared — winning a mere 80 seats while the BJP captured power in the state for the first time, with 205 seats in the 294-seat state assembly.“This is a terrible result many had feared,” Sunil Lucas, former president of Signis India, told EWTN News, while prominent Church leaders declined to comment on the results that bring the Hindu nationalist BJP to power in West Bengal — with Kolkata as its capital — for the first time.“Decoding BJPʼs Bengal sweep: 77 seats won in 2021 retained, 129 wrested from TMC,” Indian Express summed up the results, which were flayed by the ruling party and the opposition parties other than the BJP.On May 5, the national news channel NDTV carried a similar report with graphic details on how the ruling Trinamool Congress party “performed in seats with high voter deletions.” In constituencies where more than 25,000 voters had been disenfranchised, the BJP had won 95 of 147 seats, the report pointed out.Assam: ‘Democracy becomes a failure’In Assam state in the northeast, the BJP improved its tally with allies to 102 of the stateʼs 126 seats, securing a third consecutive term.“When the ruling party with over two-thirds majority has no member of the minorities in the legislature, democracy becomes a failure,” Allen Brooks, a Catholic and spokesperson for the ecumenical Assam Christian Forum, told EWTN News.While none of the 82 BJP winners are from the Muslim community, which accounts for 34% of Assamʼs population, Brooks also lamented that “there is not a single Christian in the Assam Assembly now, though Christians account for 3.7%” of the stateʼs 31 million people.Commenting on the election results, Cardinal Anthony Poola, president of the Catholic Bishops' conference of India, in a May 6 statement said: “The true measure of a vibrant democracy lies not just in the successful conduct of elections but in the steadfast commitment of elected leaders to serve the most vulnerable. We urge the new governments to work hand-in-hand with all institutions to build a more just, inclusive, and equitable India.”This story was updated at 12:29 p.m. ET on May 6, 2026, to include Cardinal Anthony Poolaʼs statement.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/indias-state-elections-deliver-split-verdict-for-christian-community-catholic-the-results-of-staggered-elections-in-four-key-indian-states-held-in-april-have-drawn-diverse-reactions-from-the.jpg "India’s state elections deliver split verdict for Christian community #Catholic The results of staggered elections in four key Indian states held in April have drawn diverse reactions from the Christian community following the May 4 counting of the votes.While the poll outcomes from the two southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been soothing for Christians, the results from West Bengal and Assam in eastern and northeastern India have come as frustrating for Christian communities.Kerala: A ‘clear verdict’ against propagandaIn the southern Christian heartland of Kerala, the ruling communist alliance was decimated to 35 seats while the opposition Congress-led alliance won 102 seats in the 140-member assembly of Kerala, a state of 35 million people, 18% of whom are Christian.“The result has shown that the people cannot be misled by propaganda and they have given a clear verdict against it,” Father Thomas Tharayil, deputy secretary of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council, told EWTN News on May 6.The remark came against the backdrop of anti-Christian propaganda by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with prominent Christians in the BJP even attacking Church leaders for the Churchʼs protest against the draconian amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.Christians in Kerala were relieved after four prominent Christians who had allied with the BJP lost the polls despite making much noise against church leadership: P.C. George, a seven-time Kerala legislator; his son Shone George; federal Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian; and Anoop Antony, son of veteran Congress party leader and former Kerala chief minister A.K. Antony.Half a dozen other Christian candidates the BJP fielded in Christian pockets under its lotus symbol also lost, while the party won just three seats with its Hindu candidates.Tamil Nadu: A ‘genuinely historic’ TVK upsetIn neighboring Tamil Nadu, with a population of 77 million, the new political party TVK (Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam — Victory Party of Tamil Nadu), founded by Catholic actor Joseph Vijay, stunned the Dravidian parties that had held power for nearly six decades between them.Under Vijayʼs leadership, the TVK he founded in 2024 won 108 of the 234 seats in the state legislature, with the ruling DMK reduced to 73 and the opposition AIADMK left with 53 seats.Describing the TVK victory that stunned even poll forecasts as “genuinely historic,” Father Charles Antony, editor of the Catholic fortnightly New Leader based in Chennai, told EWTN News: “Vijayʼs victory is real, consequential, and disruptive [of the] bipolar politics” in the state, which has more than 5 million Christians.“He visited churches, temples, and mosques alike during the campaign, successfully projecting himself as a leader for all communities. This secular messaging helped his party distance itself from identity-based polarization,” he added.While Vijay is “Catholic,” Antony emphasized that “his Christian identity is incidental to his politics. Attacks from the BJP [on his Christian identity] with ‘minority’ tag against him, paradoxically, may have helped consolidate minority votes.”West Bengal: ‘A terrible result many had feared’The likely outcome in West Bengal — the state bordering Bangladesh — had been the subject of much conjecture even before voting, due to the controversial, hurried action of the Election Commission of India that disenfranchised more than 9 million, or 12%, of its 76 million voters under a Special Intensive Revision of the voter list.The Trinamool Congress, which had ruled the state since 2011 across three consecutive terms, lost the election badly — as many had feared — winning a mere 80 seats while the BJP captured power in the state for the first time, with 205 seats in the 294-seat state assembly.“This is a terrible result many had feared,” Sunil Lucas, former president of Signis India, told EWTN News, while prominent Church leaders declined to comment on the results that bring the Hindu nationalist BJP to power in West Bengal — with Kolkata as its capital — for the first time.“Decoding BJPʼs Bengal sweep: 77 seats won in 2021 retained, 129 wrested from TMC,” Indian Express summed up the results, which were flayed by the ruling party and the opposition parties other than the BJP.On May 5, the national news channel NDTV carried a similar report with graphic details on how the ruling Trinamool Congress party “performed in seats with high voter deletions.” In constituencies where more than 25,000 voters had been disenfranchised, the BJP had won 95 of 147 seats, the report pointed out.Assam: ‘Democracy becomes a failure’In Assam state in the northeast, the BJP improved its tally with allies to 102 of the stateʼs 126 seats, securing a third consecutive term.“When the ruling party with over two-thirds majority has no member of the minorities in the legislature, democracy becomes a failure,” Allen Brooks, a Catholic and spokesperson for the ecumenical Assam Christian Forum, told EWTN News.While none of the 82 BJP winners are from the Muslim community, which accounts for 34% of Assamʼs population, Brooks also lamented that “there is not a single Christian in the Assam Assembly now, though Christians account for 3.7%” of the stateʼs 31 million people.Commenting on the election results, Cardinal Anthony Poola, president of the Catholic Bishops' conference of India, in a May 6 statement said: “The true measure of a vibrant democracy lies not just in the successful conduct of elections but in the steadfast commitment of elected leaders to serve the most vulnerable. We urge the new governments to work hand-in-hand with all institutions to build a more just, inclusive, and equitable India.”This story was updated at 12:29 p.m. ET on May 6, 2026, to include Cardinal Anthony Poolaʼs statement.")
Christian leaders welcomed the Kerala and Tamil Nadu outcomes but voiced alarm at the BJP’s historic sweep of West Bengal and a third-term win in Assam.
Dutch astronomer Willem de Sitter, born May 6, 1872, studied mathematics and physics at the University of Groningen, developing an interest in astronomy there and furthering it with work at Cape Observatory in South Africa. In 1908, he was appointed professor of astronomy at Leiden University, becoming the director of the Leiden Observatory in 1919.Continue reading “May 6, 1872: The birth of Willem de Sitter”
The post May 6, 1872: The birth of Willem de Sitter appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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