United Yam – You Never Know

A Ride on This West Virginia Steam Train Offers Some of the Best Fall Foliage Views in the State #Travel All aboard the Greenbrier Express.

unitedyam September 19, 2026September 19, 2026

All aboard the Greenbrier Express.

unitedyam September 19, 2026September 19, 2026

Picture of the day

Turnix suscitator (Barred Buttonquail) in Bhigwan, Maharashtra, India.

unitedyam September 19, 2026September 19, 2026

UC Berkeley engineers and managers watch as the COSI (Compton Spectrometer and Imager) detector assembly is slowly raised from a table in this July 8, 2026, image.

unitedyam September 19, 2026September 19, 2026

Brighten lives of those in need through Diocesan Ministries Appeal #Catholic –

This weekend, Sept. 19 to 20, the Paterson Diocese, N.J., will commence its 2026 Diocesan Ministries Appeal (DMA) in parishes, inviting local faithful to “Be a Good Samaritan” — the theme for this year’s Appeal — in supporting the good works of the Church of Paterson for those in most need.

The annual DMA helps fund ministries that serve the poor, sick, and needy through diocesan Catholic Charities; city school students; educational needs for diocesan seminarians; and priests’ healthcare, including support for Nazareth Village, the diocesan home for retired priests in Chester.

For the Kick-Off Weekend, each parish’s Lay Appeal Chairperson will speak at Mass, encouraging participation in the 2026 DMA. The In-Pew Commitment Weekend will be Oct. 24 and 25. At that time, the pastor in each parish will play Bishop Sweeney’s DMA video or his audio homily at all Masses and lead the In-Pew process.

Last year, through the generosity of the faithful, the Appeal raised almost $5.7 million in pledges with almost $1.3 million in parish rebates.

In a video to promote the 2026 DMA, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney said Jesus teaches us through the Parable of the Good Samaritan “that we are called to go to those who are in need to help our brothers and sisters who are most in need.”

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“Your support of the Appeal helps us…serve as Jesus calls us to serve. Thank you for your prayerful consideration, and I hope that you’ll be able to make a gift or a pledge to our annual appeal, and truly be a Good Samaritan,” Bishop Sweeney said in the video.

Last year will be the final allocation of DMA funds for a three-year, $600,000 grant for the complete renovation of Father English Food Pantry in Paterson, N.J., at $200,000 annually, said Tim Potter, diocesan development director.

“The food pantry assists thousands of people each month, and the building needed to be retrofitted to expand space for food and clothing,” Potter said. “The new layout also allows for space for people needing emergency services as well as English as a Second Language and computer classes. The incredible generosity of the faithful helped make this possible,” he said.

In addition to the usual support for Catholic Charities’ work, this year’s DMA is also funding the At-Risk Youth program in Paterson and providing funds to purchase a handicapped-accessible van to support the important work of the Department for Persons with Disabilities of Catholic Charities, Potter said.

The largest percentage of Appeal funds supports Catholic Charities. The agency reaches out to give help and hope to people in poverty with programs such as food pantries in each of the diocese’s three counties and emergency housing and homelessness prevention.

Catholic Charities also has programs that aid at-risk youth, people with physical and developmental disabilities, people with HIV/AIDS, senior citizens, veterans, and men and women battling addiction through the agency’s Straight and Narrow substance treatment program in Paterson.

The DMA also helps seminarians preparing for a lifetime of service to the Church by funding their education, as well as retired priests who have faithfully served the diocese for decades. The DMA supports priests’ extraordinary healthcare needs as well as Nazareth Village, the diocesan priests’ retirement residence in Chester, N.J.

The generous support of the Diocesan Ministries Appeal has made it possible to provide a faith-filled, excellent Catholic education to students in economically challenged urban areas — a mission that continues to thrive.

Through the Parish Rebate program, half of the amount received over the parish goal is returned to parishes for their own needs. Last year’s Appeal returned almost $1.3 million directly to parishes.

Potter said the Appeal theme, “Be A Good Samaritan,” is “a reminder that we are called to care for our neighbors in need. The Diocesan Ministries Appeal is a concrete way to make that happen. When you give to the Appeal, you are truly transforming lives.”

There are ways to give to DMA:

• One-time gift or pledges paid over several months with reminders sent for your convenience.

• Credit card contributions- see information on your pledge card or call 973-777-8818, ext. 263 for details.

• Online gifts- go to www.2026appeal.org andfollow instructions for pledging.

• Recurring monthly gift– visit www.2026appeal.org and choose the Recurring Gift Option that will help people in need now and in the future. You can discontinue your recurring gift at any time. For more information, call 973-777-8818, ext. 263.

• Gifts can also be made through stocks, matching gifts, and/or an IRA. The EIN is 22-1493174. Make donations under the organization name: Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. Contact Aimee Landestoy at 973-777-8818 ext. 282 after you make your gift so we can credit your donation properly.

– This weekend, Sept. 19 to 20, the Paterson Diocese, N.J., will commence its 2026 Diocesan Ministries Appeal (DMA) in parishes, inviting local faithful to “Be a Good Samaritan” — the theme for this year’s Appeal — in supporting the good works of the Church of Paterson for those in most need. The annual DMA helps fund ministries that serve the poor, sick, and needy through diocesan Catholic Charities; city school students; educational needs for diocesan seminarians; and priests’ healthcare, including support for Nazareth Village, the diocesan home for retired priests in Chester. For the Kick-Off Weekend, each parish’s Lay Appeal

From ‘Farmer Wants a Wife’ to Catholic content creator: John Sansone’s journey of faith – #Catholic – In 2025, John Sansone made his television debut when he appeared on Fox’s reality dating show “Farmer Wants a Wife” as one of the farmers in search of love. Today, he has traded in the television screen for cellphone screens as a Catholic content creator.Sansone, 27, was born and raised in a Catholic family. He and his five siblings grew up in St. Louis, where their faith played an important role in their daily lives.“Catholicism was ingrained in just about every aspect of my childhood and my life growing up,” Sansone told EWTN News in an interview. “We were taught from a very young age that faith was extremely important. It came right before family and then two before hard work.”He added: “We had a little prayer corner in every house that weʼve lived in that had a picture of Jesus and then right underneath was a kneeler and then a bunch of little pamphlets — prayer cards or funerals of loved ones, and things like that.”Sansone was taught hard work on his family’s 170-acre soy, corn, and wheat farm located on his great-grandfather’s land. It was here that he learned about farm life.Fast forward to 2024 and Sansone’s mother and sisters were watching Season 2 of “Farmer Wants a Wife,” a reality dating series that follows farmers as they search for love among a group of women willing to leave city life behind for a chance at a relationship and life on the farm. The show combines romance with the realities of rural life, as the farmers and contestants get to know one another with the possibility of building a future together.“They were constantly telling me to come watch it and see an episode and things like that and I just kept saying, ‘No, not interested,’” he recalled.Then Sansone received a direct message (DM) on Instagram from the creators of the show. After thinking about it and speaking to his family about it, he decided to take part in the show.“Realistically, the motivation for me to actually entertain that DM and to ultimately go on the show was, hey, this is a fun, random, once in a lifetime thing. I can make the most of it … and perhaps even find a wife,” he said.Despite Sansone not finding a wife on the show, he reflected that it “reinforced his faith.”“There were no Catholics in my group. I was the only one … I think what it really did is reinforced my faith a little bit because we would have these faith-based conversations on the show and we would have conversations about our beliefs and things like that and it kind of forced me to reconcile with myself what I actually did believe. So I would say that in doing that it reinforced my faith,” he shared.Coming off the show and once it aired, Sansone began to gain a following on social media. He explained that he came to the realization one day that he “didn’t do anything to earn it.”“All of this kind of fame and publicity, I would say in air quotes, is not something that I earned,” he said. “So, my way of paying back that opportunity, that was obviously a gift from God, was to use my platform to promote my faith.”Sansone, who goes by @notjohnsansone on Instagram, has 109,000 followers on the platform and uses his growing social media platform to share approachable Catholic content, often drawing from his own experiences to encourage others in their faith. His posts touch on Catholic teachings, prayer, and the realities of striving for holiness while acknowledging the imperfections and struggles of everyday life.Instagram post“The social media world is not the friendliest spot for that type of thing,” he said. “So, my way of doing it and my strategy is more so kind of to subtly incorporate that into everyday things and make it a relatable thing that people who donʼt understand the faith or maybe didnʼt grow up in it, itʼs something for them to relate to.”Thanks to his content creating, Sansone admitted that it has “forced me to improve my faith” and has “strengthened it.”“Iʼve met a lot of interesting people through it [social media]. People who are much stronger in their faith, know a lot more about the Catholic Church and her history,” he added. “And in being around them, I think Iʼve forced myself to kind of become better at my faith.”Sansone’s content creation recently took him to Peoria, Illinois, ahead of the beatification of Venerable Fulton Sheen alongside a large group of other Catholic content creators. He called the experience “incredible” and that he also “learned a lot about my faith and it kind of made me realize how far I needed to go still.”Reflecting on Sheen’s life and how his legacy can inspire Catholic content creators, Sansone said: “I think what was great about him is that a lot of his messages were, yes, based in the Catholic faith, but they were more relatable to an everyday person. You didnʼt have to be Catholic to utilize his messages and apply them to your own life. I feel like thatʼs one important thing that a lot of Catholic content creators can do. Itʼs what I try to do.”As for what he hopes viewers of his content take away from it, Sansone emphasized that he wants “people to understand Catholicism for what it really is.”

unitedyam September 19, 2026September 19, 2026

After appearing on “Farmer Wants a Wife,” John Sansone is using his growing social media platform to share relatable Catholic content and encourage others in their faith.

How a special needs ministry is bringing families back to the Church – #Catholic – “I vividly remember driving home with tears streaming down my face, overwhelmed by the feeling that our young Catholic family had been excluded simply because our son experiences the world differently.”These are the words of Sarah Taylor, a Catholic mother of three whose 9-year-old son, Reid, was excluded from parish activities because of his autism.“As a mother, it was heartbreaking to see my child denied opportunities to participate in the very community where we sought belonging, acceptance, and spiritual growth,” Taylor told EWTN News.Reid was asked to leave sacramental preparation classes and Vacation Bible School because the parish couldn’t accommodate his special needs. His mother described this as “devastating” — but she decided to do something about it.“In the days that followed, I felt a wide range of emotions — sadness, frustration, disappointment, and a fierce determination to advocate for greater inclusion of individuals with disabilities within the Catholic Church,” Taylor said. “My husband and I knew that something needed to change, not only for our son, but for other families who might face similar barriers.”Taylor reached out to her home diocese of Baton Rouge, who put them in contact with the All Are Welcome ministry. Through the ministry, she and her family found genuine, “life-changing” acceptance.“We were welcomed not despite Reidʼs autism, but with an understanding that his differences are part of who he is,” Taylor said. “That sense of acceptance was life-changing for our entire family.”“The ministry has also strengthened our faith journey in unexpected ways,” Taylor said. “During a time when we felt hurt and disconnected from the Church, the kindness, compassion, and support we received reminded us of what it truly means to be the body of Christ. Through the ministry, we experienced the love and inclusion that Jesus demonstrated throughout his ministry.”An estimated 1 in 4 people have a disability, according to 2022 CDC data. About 3.2% of children — 1 in 31 children — have autism. But ministries designed for inclusivity can be hard to find.Jodi Devore, who has three children with autism, founded All Are Welcome along with another Catholic mom, Edda Dupaquier, after having similar experiences. The Catholic special needs support ministry began as a backyard rosary group and has since expanded throughout the diocese.“As we prayed and shared our stories, we realized we all carried the same desire,” Devore said of the backyard rosary group. “We didnʼt want a ministry beside the Church — we wanted our families to fully belong within the Church. We wanted our children to know Christ, receive the sacraments, build genuine friendships, and participate fully in parish life alongside everyone else.

Jodi Devore with her husband and three children. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jodi Devore

“As we prayed and shared our stories, we realized we all carried the same desire,” Devore said of the backyard rosary group. “We didnʼt want a ministry beside the Church — we wanted our families to fully belong within the Church. We wanted our children to know Christ, receive the sacraments, build genuine friendships, and participate fully in parish life alongside everyone else.The ministry has had a powerful impact on the diocese.“Weʼve watched families return to Mass after years away. Children have received sacraments,” Devore said. “Parents who once felt alone have found a community that truly understands them. Most importantly, weʼve witnessed families rediscover that they have a place in the life of the Catholic Church.”“Our hope has always been simple: that every individual with special and exceptional needs — and every parent, sibling, and caregiver who walks beside them — would know they are not just welcome in the Church, but that they are an essential part of the body of Christ,” Devore said.Running to the altar: Sensory-friendly MassesMass is a key area where families with children with disabilities can feel excluded — but it’s one of the most important parts of being Catholic. Sensory-friendly Masses — designed for people with special needs like autism — are “one of the most meaningful parts of our ministry,” according to Devore.These Masses feature lower lighting, softer music, and shorter and more literal homilies.

Adoration at a family retreat. | Credit: Photo courtesy of All Are Welcome

“Families know they can move around as needed without fear of judgment,” Devore explained. “Most importantly, everyone gets Jesus.”Before and after Mass, the environment is full of excitement and beauty, according to Devore.“Children and adults with disabilities often run to the altar with joy. They arenʼt afraid. They arenʼt worried about doing something wrong. Theyʼre simply drawn to Christ,” Devore said. “Every time I see it, Iʼm reminded thatʼs what the Church should feel like — a place where people are free to run toward Jesus.”Attending Mass can be incredibly challenging for families with children with special needs.“For many families, Sunday morning isnʼt as simple as getting everyone dressed and going to Mass,” Devore said. “Sometimes the clothes are too itchy. The smell of incense can be overwhelming. The music may be painfully loud. Sitting still for an hour can feel impossible. A child may need to move, vocalize, or leave the pew altogether.”“As a parent, youʼre doing everything you can to help your child, but at the same time youʼre painfully aware of every glance, every stare, and every whispered comment around you,” Devore said.“What hurts most isnʼt the noise or the outbursts. Itʼs the feeling that you and your child, your family, donʼt belong in the very place where you should feel most at home,” Devore said.Taylor explained how children with autism may behave differently during Mass, but that doesn’t make them any less reverent.“As a mother of a child with autism, my hope is that every member of the Catholic Church understands how important it is to welcome individuals with disabilities into the Mass — not just occasionally, but as a natural and expected part of parish life,” Taylor said.“A child may wear noise-canceling headphones to manage the sounds of a crowded church,” Taylor said. “They may flap their hands when they are excited, rock back and forth for comfort, stim during the homily, or carry a beloved dinosaur up with them when they receive Communion. These behaviors are not distractions; they are part of how that child experiences and navigates the world. They do not lessen the reverence of their worship or the sincerity of their faith.”

At an All Are Welcome family retreat, there are activities for kids as well as opportunities for moms, dads, and kids to share about their experiences. | Credit: Photo courtesy of All Are Welcome

“The Catholic Church is meant to be a home for everyone,” Taylor continued. “When individuals with disabilities are present at Mass, they are not interrupting the community — they are enriching it. Their presence reminds us that Godʼs love is not reserved for those who fit a certain mold. It is for all of his children.”“What matters most is not whether a child sits perfectly still, remains silent, or follows every social expectation,” Taylor said. “What matters is that they are there. They are present. They are experiencing Jesus in the way they are able. They are witnessing the miracle of the Eucharist and participating in the life of the Church.”“Our differences are not obstacles to Godʼs love; they are reflections of the beautiful diversity of his creation,” Taylor said. “If we truly believe that every person is made in the image and likeness of God, then every person deserves to be welcomed, valued, and embraced within our faith communities. A child with headphones, flapping hands, or a dinosaur in hand belongs at the Lordʼs table just as much as anyone else. And the Church is stronger, more compassionate, and more Christ-like because they are there.”

Edda Dupaquier, center, prays during Eucharistic adoration at a family retreat at St. John Activity Center. | Credit: Photo courtesy of All Are Welcome.

“These children of ours, they make the ground holy,” said Dupaquier, who helps lead the ministry alongside Devore and Deacon Randall Waguespack. “And they make us better people with more virtues, with more patience, with more understanding — capable of loving in ways that we weren’t sure that we could love.”Coming home: Communities transformedThe ministry has helped bring families back into the Church; most importantly, it has made the Church feel like home.Devore and her family experienced feeling “like outsiders in our own Church.”“Not because people were intentionally unkind, but because many simply didnʼt understand what they were seeing,” Devore explained. “Over time, that judgment becomes exhausting, and for many families, it leads them to quietly stop coming.”But Devore said the ministry has given her “hope.”“Iʼve watched parishioners grow in understanding, volunteers embrace these families with incredible love, and parents finally take a deep breath because they know they donʼt have to apologize for their child simply being who God created them to be,” Devore said.The All Are Welcome ministry hosts family retreats, support groups, and helps support persons with disabilities in participating in the liturgy, not only through sensory-friendly Masses but also through active lay participation.

Left to right: Edda Dupaquier, Deacon Randall Waguespack, and Jodi Devore lead the All Are Welcome ministry in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. | Credit: Photo courtesy of All Are Welcome

Jodi Devore and Edda Dupaquier hug at a family retreat. | Credit: Photo courtesy of All Are Welcome

“Weʼre also passionate about meaningful participation in the liturgy. Individuals with disabilities serve as altar servers, proclaim the readings when theyʼre able, bring forward the gifts, and participate in the Mass in visible and meaningful ways. They arenʼt simply attending church — theyʼre helping lead the worship of the Church,” Devore said.Through the ministry, Devore has seen transformation not only of families but also of parishes.“The greatest transformation weʼve witnessed isnʼt just that families return to Mass. Itʼs that they begin to believe they belong there,” Devore said.“Parishioners begin seeing gifts instead of limitations. Entire parish communities are transformed because they discover that these families arenʼt guests in the Church — theyʼre an essential part of it,” Devore said.“Weʼve seen families return to Mass after years away,” Devore said. “Weʼve celebrated children receiving the Eucharist when their parents once thought it might never happen. Weʼve watched parish communities discover the incredible gifts these individuals bring to the Church.”“Our greatest hope is that one day no family will wonder whether thereʼs a place for them in the Catholic Church,” Devore said. “We want every individual, regardless of ability, to know Christ, receive the sacraments, discover their God-given gifts, and live a life rooted in faith.”

Attendees at the All Are Welcome family retreat. | Credit: Photo courtesy of All Are Welcome

Understanding disability: Seeing as Christ seesDevore and Taylor encouraged people to be accepting of people with special needs, sharing what they believe is most important for others to understand about disability.“Families affected by disability often face barriers that many people never think about,” Devore said.“I would want people to understand that no two children with disabilities are alike,” Taylor said. “My son may communicate differently, process information differently, or respond to situations in ways that others do not immediately understand, but those differences do not diminish his value, his intelligence, or his desire to belong. Like every child, he wants to be accepted, included, and loved for who he is.”It’s not about big gestures, but more about the small moments, according to Taylor. “Simple acts of patience, understanding, and inclusion can make an enormous difference for our families,” she said.But acceptance is also about how other people “see.”“Perhaps most importantly, I would want people to move beyond seeing the disability and instead see the child: see their unique gifts, their personality, their sense of humor, their faith, their kindness, and their potential,” Taylor said.“I would simply ask people to see one another through the eyes of Christ,” Devore said. “If you see a child making unexpected noises at Mass, an adult who communicates differently, or a family that seems overwhelmed, donʼt assume they donʼt care or donʼt want to be there.”“More often than not, theyʼre doing everything they can just to be present,” Devore continued. “A smile. An invitation. Sitting beside them instead of moving away. Those simple acts of kindness can change someoneʼs entire experience of the Church.”

unitedyam September 19, 2026September 19, 2026

Two Louisiana Catholic moms with special-needs kids felt isolated so they founded a support ministry that has since transformed communities and brought families back to Mass.

unitedyam September 19, 2026September 19, 2026

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column. September 18: The Lizard’s brightest cluster Mars passed 6° due south of Pollux in Gemini at midnight on the 18th, and they now rise together in the early-morning sky. An hour before sunrise, the heads of Gemini have reached an altitude ofContinue reading “The Sky Today on Saturday, September 19: Mars meets Pollux”

The post The Sky Today on Saturday, September 19: Mars meets Pollux appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 18, 2026

Lord let me walk with You
Although my steps are small
Stay beside, hold my hand
And never let me fall.
Amen.

This Arizona Town Has Been Dubbed the ‘Heart of Route 66,’ With Quirky Attractions and Retro Diners #Travel Plus, it sits along the longest preserved stretch of the Mother Road.

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 18, 2026

Plus, it sits along the longest preserved stretch of the Mother Road.

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 19, 2026

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
15:35-37, 42-49

Brothers and sisters:
Someone may say, “How are the dead raised?
With what kind of body will they come back?”You fool!
What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies.
And what you sow is not the body that is to be
but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind.

So also is the resurrection of the dead.
It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible.
It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious.
It is sown weak; it is raised powerful.
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one.

So, too, it is written,
“The first man, Adam, became a living being,”
the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
But the spiritual was not first;
rather the natural and then the spiritual.
The first man was from the earth, earthly;
the second man, from heaven.
As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly,
and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly.
Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

From the Gospel according to Luke
8:4-15

When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another
journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable.
“A sower went out to sow his seed.
And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled,
and the birds of the sky ate it up.
Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew,
it withered for lack of moisture.
Some seed fell among thorns,
and the thorns grew with it and choked it.
And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew,
it produced fruit a hundredfold.”
After saying this, he called out,
“Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

Then his disciples asked him
what the meaning of this parable might be.
He answered,
“Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God
has been granted to you;
but to the rest, they are made known through parables
so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.

“This is the meaning of the parable.
The seed is the word of God.
Those on the path are the ones who have heard,
but the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts
that they may not believe and be saved.
Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear,
receive the word with joy, but they have no root;
they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation.
As for the seed that fell among thorns,
they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along,
they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life,
and they fail to produce mature fruit.
But as for the seed that fell on rich soil,
they are the ones who, when they have heard the word,
embrace it with a generous and good heart,
and bear fruit through perseverance.”

This Parable of the Sower is somewhat the ‘mother’ of all parables, because it speaks about listening to the Word. It reminds us that the Word of God is a seed which in itself is fruitful and effective; and God scatters it everywhere, paying no mind to waste. Such is the heart of God! Each one of us is ground on which the seed of the Word falls; no one is excluded! The Word is given to each one of us. We can ask ourselves: what type of terrain am I? Do I resemble the path, the rocky ground, the bramble bush? If we want, with the grace of God, we can become good soil, ploughed and carefully cultivated, to help ripen the seed of the Word. It is already present in our heart, but making it fruitful depends on us; it depends on the embrace that we reserve for this seed. Often one is distracted by too many interests, by too many enticements, and it is difficult to distinguish, among the many voices and many words, that of the Lord, the only one that makes us free. This is why it is important to accustom oneself to listening to the Word of God, to reading it. And I return once more to that advice: always keep a handy copy of the Gospel with you, a pocket edition of the Gospel, in your pocket, in your purse … and then, read a short passage every day, so that you become used to reading the Word of God, understanding well the seed that God offers you, and thinking with what soil do I receive it. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 12 July 2020)

From proselytism to politics: Bishop Barron addresses hot-button issues on EWTN #Catholic In a wide-ranging interview on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo,” Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, pushed back against the idea that the Catholic Church’s commitment to interreligious dialogue replaces its primary mission to preach the Gospel.Addressing a new Vatican document commemorating the 60th anniversary of Vatican II’s Nostra Aetate — which discourages “defensive entrenchment” and single-minded proselytism — Barron clarified the distinction between aggressive pushiness and authentic Christian proclamation.“In a way, I wish we would drop the word ‘proselytizing’ because it’s used now in so many different ways,” he said.Recalling a conversation with Pope Francis during an ad limina visit, Barron noted that the pope defined proselytism as “obnoxious evangelization” — a browbeating, overbearing approach.While supporting respectful dialogue, Barron insisted that sharing the faith remains nonnegotiable.“We are really good at stressing how kind, respectful, and tolerant we should be. That’s great, and I’m all in favor of it. But we also announce Jesus — in a friendly way, in a nonthreatening way,” he said.Expressing a desire for Church documents to place greater emphasis on proclamation, he added: “The Church is not a debating society. … We are here to proclaim a word in love. It’s the truth in love. But by God, it’s the truth, and I think that’s obviously worth emphasizing.”Advising the White House on religious freedomThe Word on Fire founder also responded to critics questioning his involvement with the Trump administration following his appointment to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).Clarifying his position, Barron pushed back against claims that his participation represents a political endorsement. “I’m not a member of the Trump administration!” he said. “The president invited me to be around the table to discuss issues about religious liberty so that policy in that regard could be better formulated. Why would I say no to that?”

Raymond Arroyo and Bishop Robert Barron discuss several topics in a wide-ranging interview on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo” on Sept. 17, 2026. | Credit: “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo”/Screenshot

Comparing his role to that of legendary Notre Dame president Father Theodore Hesburgh — who served on numerous presidential commissions across multiple administrations — Barron noted: “If Joe Biden had invited me to be on a commission considering issues of religious liberty, I would have said, ‘Sure!’ … It’s not in any way a compromise or siding with one party.”Advocating for Jimmy Lai and religious liberty in ChinaTurning to international affairs, Barron stressed his long-standing advocacy for imprisoned Hong Kong media tycoon and democracy activist Jimmy Lai. While noting he was unsure if his public advocacy influenced his appointment to USCIRF, the bishop made his intentions clear regarding his new watchdog role.“For years now, I’ve been advocating on behalf of Jimmy Lai. I think it’s outrageous the way he’s been treated,” Barron said. “If Jimmy Lai isn’t brought up in the commission, I would certainly bring him up.”When asked about the Vatican’s controversial agreement with Beijing regarding the appointment of bishops, Barron hesitated on the specifics of current Vatican diplomacy while pointing to a proven historical model: “I’m a John Paul II man, and the way he dealt with communism, I think, is the right way to deal with it.”Legacy of Fulton Sheen and resurgence of communismLooking ahead to the upcoming beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen in St. Louis, Barron praised the pioneering Catholic broadcaster as a model for modern evangelists — highlighting both Sheen’s holiness as the “saint of the Holy Hour” and his courage in identifying ideological threats.Barron noted that Sheen’s bold stance against communism in the mid-20th century carries striking relevance for contemporary culture. “The fact that Sheen took on communism back in the 1940s and ’50s, when he correctly discerned it was threat No. 1 … well, it’s back,” the bishop observed. “It’s back in institutional form in different places around the world, but also in our own country.”Explaining why Sheen’s critique remains essential today, Barron added: “What he noticed about communism was its deep antipathy toward God, the things of the spirit and the moral order, and he knew this was deeply disruptive to the values of the West. That’s a message that still needs to be heard.”Modern culture and empathyConcluding the conversation, Barron reflected on a recent article he penned regarding the limitations of empathy when elevated above all other virtues in public and ecclesial life.“Empathy is a good thing — to feel with somebody else. … However, there is a hierarchy of values, and empathy is not at the top. At the top of the hierarchy for a Christian has to be love,” Barron explicated, drawing on St. Thomas Aquinas’ definition of love as “willing the good of the other.” “To love is not to spare the feelings of someone; to love is to will the good of the other. … We don’t say, ‘God is empathy’; we say, ‘God is love.’”Watch the full interview below:This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 19, 2026

The Word on Fire founder clarifies the call to evangelize, defends his nonpartisan advisory role on religious liberty, and warns of resurgent communism.

Police charge man for alleged terrorist threats against Archdiocese of St. Louis #Catholic A 32-year-old man is facing a felony charge for allegedly threatening to kill every person at the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis.Jeremiah Robinson from Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, was charged with making terroristic threats, which is a Class D felony that carries up to seven years in prison. He was charged on Sept. 16, according to a news release from the St. Louis prosecuting attorney’s office.Brecht Mulvihill, executive director of communications for the archdiocese, expressed gratitude to law enforcement in a statement to EWTN News and said the archdiocese is praying for an end to hatred and threats of violence. “First, we wish to extend our gratitude to the law enforcement officers who responded immediately to this incident, especially to the Shrewsbury Police Department,” Mulvihill said.“The safety and wellbeing of the men and women who serve the Church are of the utmost importance, and we pray for an end to the hatred and threats of violence that have become so regrettably prevalent on social media,” he said.Prosecutors alleged that Robinson posted a video on TikTok on Sept. 15 in which he said he was two minutes away from the archdiocese and that God had instructed him to use no discernment and that “everyone who walks into that church is guilty and to kill them.”According to the prosecutors, Robinson posted a second video in the parking lot and turned his phone to show archdiocesan offices and said his directions were to leave no one breathing.The news release states that the FBI’s national operations center contacted the Shrewsbury Police Department about the video.It states the building was evacuated. The building was searched for bombs, which included the use of bomb-sniffing dogs, but there was nothing found.Robinson is being held on a 0,000 cash-only bond, according to prosecutors.

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 19, 2026

“We pray for an end to the hatred and threats of violence that have become so regrettably prevalent on social media,” an archdiocesan spokesperson said.

Priest describes tearful ‘spiritual experience’ during consecration after video goes viral online – #Catholic – A video of a Catholic priest breaking down in tears and struggling to raise the chalice above his head while saying the consecration prayers during Mass spread across social media this week, prompting the priest to issue a statement through his diocese.“Take this all of you and drink from it: For this is the chalice…” Father Brent Bowman prayed at the altar, followed by a six-second pause while celebrating Mass for the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in Hopkins, Minnesota, on Sept. 14.He continued the consecration prayer through tears and then sobbed for nearly one minute at the altar, struggling to raise the chalice. He continued to cry as he raised the chalice and was weeping as he knelt before the blood of Christ after the consecration.Instagram postBowman’s emotional response to the consecration was captured on video because the parish livestreams its daily Masses on YouTube and it spread across social media platforms, with many viewers wondering what prompted the reaction.In his statement, he explained that he did not witness what the Church considers a “Eucharistic miracle,” such as when the accidents of the bread and wine apparently change in some way along with the substance. Rather, he said, “I had a private spiritual experience” during the Mass.“During the consecration prayer over the wine at the altar, as I spoke the words, I was given what I believe to be internal knowledge of the power of these words being spoken and the reality of their effect to the point that I had difficulty speaking,” Bowman said in his statement.“With each word, I became more physically overwhelmed as seen in the video,” he said. “At the same time, I was given sensory knowledge of the weight of God’s power coming down upon the altar, and I felt the heaviness of Jesus’s substantial presence in the chalice in my hands.”“The chalice became too heavy to hold as I felt it pulled down to rest upon the altar,” Bowman said. “I felt my hands fixed to the chalice of the Precious Blood, and I could not physically move it. Attempting to elevate the Precious Blood, which I was not able to do for a period of time, I believe I was given grace to understand more deeply the bittersweetness of Our Lord’s Passion and how much blood Christ shed for the immense weight of all our sins.”“I believe I experienced this weight in the chalice,” he said. “This spiritual experience emotionally and physically overwhelmed me as evident in the Mass recording.”Bowman noted that spiritual experiences are “completely unmerited gifts and signs of God’s abundant love for all his people” but “not necessarily signs of any person’s holiness.”“I pray this brief testimony moves all our hearts to contemplate more deeply the mysteries of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and the Precious Blood,” he said.Although Bowman did not experience a “Eucharistic miracle” in the sense of the bread or the wine altering its appearance, God does perform a miracle at every Mass during consecration, known as transubstantiation.When the priest consecrates the Eucharist, the “substance” of bread and wine does not remain, but instead the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the true body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ even though it maintains the physical appearance and chemical structure of bread and wine.“The presence of Christʼs true body and blood in this sacrament cannot be detected by sense, nor understanding, but by faith alone, which rests upon Divine authority,” St. Thomas Aquinas wrote in the “Summa Theologica.”St. Cyril of Alexandria, a patriarch and doctor of the Church, wrote about the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist in a sermon about the Last Supper, written in the early 400s: “Do not doubt that this is true, since Himself plainly says, ‘This is My body’ [and] ‘This is My blood,’ but rather receive in faith the Saviorʼs word; for He, being the Truth, cannot lie.”“For the words of God are of course true, and in no manner whatsoever can they be false: for even though we understand not in what way God works acts such as these, yet He Himself knows the way of His works,” Cyril wrote.

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The priest did not witness a Eucharistic miracle but felt “the weight of God’s power coming down upon the altar, and I felt the heaviness of Jesus’s substantial presence in the chalice in my hands.”

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 18, 2026

St. Carlo Acutis relic inspires faith at Wayne parish #Catholic –

On Sept. 13, young people, their families, catechists, and parishioners filled Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Church in Wayne, N.J., with joy as the parish embarked on the new religious education year. With help from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, the faith community also welcomed the arrival of a first-class relic of St. Carlo Acutis — canonized last year as the first millennial saint — to inspire people’s faith at its new home in IHM’s church.

Pope Leo XIV canonized two young men as saints, St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, on Sept. 7 last year in Rome. They have become models of the Catholic faith, especially for youth and young adults in the Church.

Considered to be the first millennial saint, British-born St. Carlo died from incurable leukemia in 2006 at age 15 in Italy. Active in parish life, he served as a catechist and helped inspire several people to convert to Catholicism. Called “God’s influencer,” St. Carlo received the Eucharist daily and used his digital media skills to share the joy of Christ’s Real Presence with the world. He developed what have become traveling exhibitions about Eucharistic miracles, which have visited the Paterson Diocese on several occasions.

On that Sept. 13, Sunday morning, Bishop Sweeney celebrated a Mass at IHM with Father Mateusz “Fr. Matt” Jasniewicz, its pastor. Children from the parish’s religious education program led the congregation in songs of praise during the liturgy.

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“It’s wonderful that one of St. Carlo’s relics has been entrusted to IHM and is available for prayer and veneration. It’s significant because St. Carlo shows young people and everybody that holiness is possible now — not only in the Middle Ages or in the future,” Father Jasniewicz said. “St. Carlo also had a devotion to the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. He can open youth to learning more about the Church and our faith and how to have a relationship with Jesus — to fall in love with him — and share that love with others,” he said.

After undergoing a formal process with the Diocese of Assisi in Italy that included Bishop Sweeney, Father Jasniewicz flew to Assisi in August to secure one of St. Carlo’s first-class relics — a snippet of his hair — for IHM. In Assisi, St. Carlo is entombed in the Shrine of Renunciation inside the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Housed in a reliquary, the St. Carlo relic is displayed in a shrine in the rear of IHM’s church near the confessional. It joins several other relics at the shrine in IHM, including ones of St. John Paul II, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Lucy Filippini.

St. Mary Parish in Dover, N.J., also has a first-class relic of St. Carlo from Assisi.

Father Jasniewicz also said St. Carlo is relatable to young people in their own lives — with backpacks, computers, and soccer balls.

“St. Carlo was a young person who loved life, technology, his friends, and above all, Jesus in the Eucharist. His life reminds our young people that becoming a saint does not mean becoming someone else. It means allowing God to work through who you are and the gifts He has given you,” Father Jasniewicz posted on social media after the Mass.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

– On Sept. 13, young people, their families, catechists, and parishioners filled Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Church in Wayne, N.J., with joy as the parish embarked on the new religious education year. With help from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, the faith community also welcomed the arrival of a first-class relic of St. Carlo Acutis — canonized last year as the first millennial saint — to inspire people’s faith at its new home in IHM’s church. Pope Leo XIV canonized two young men as saints, St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, on Sept. 7 last year in Rome. They

Picture of the day

Red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus) couple in flight in Mato Grosso, Brazil
#ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 18, 2026

Picture of the day

Red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus) couple in flight in Mato Grosso, Brazil

NASA Unveils Enterprise, the First Space Shuttle – The rollout ceremony for NASA’s first space shuttle, OV-101, coincided with Constitution Day of the nation’s bicentennial on Sept.17, 1976. Although the orbiter was originally planned to be named Constitution, Star Trek fans successfully convinced President Gerald Ford to name it Enterprise after the series’ fictional starship.

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 18, 2026

The rollout ceremony for NASA’s first space shuttle, OV-101, coincided with Constitution Day of the nation’s bicentennial on Sept.17, 1976. Although the orbiter was originally planned to be named Constitution, Star Trek fans successfully convinced President Gerald Ford to name it Enterprise after the series’ fictional starship.

unitedyam September 18, 2026September 18, 2026

Friday, September 18First Quarter Moon occurs at 4:44 P.M. EDT. The Moon then reaches apogee, the farthest point from Earth in its orbit, at 11 P.M. EDT. At that time, our satellite will be 251,171 miles (404,221 kilometers) away. Venus reaches greatest brilliancy at 9 P.M. EDT, shining at magnitude –4.8. It’s bright and easyContinue reading “The Sky This Week from September 18 to 25: Autumn begins”

The post The Sky This Week from September 18 to 25: Autumn begins appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 18, 2026

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
15:12-20

Brothers and sisters:
If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,
how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If there is no resurrection of the dead,
then neither has Christ been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching;
empty, too, your faith.
Then we are also false witnesses to God,
because we testified against God that he raised Christ,
whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

From the Gospel according to Luke
8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

Jesus (…) certainly chose from among his disciples 12 men as Fathers of the new Israel and appointed them "to be with him, and to be sent out to preach". This fact is obvious; but, in addition to the Twelve, pillars of the Church and fathers of the new People of God, many women were also chosen to number among the disciples. (…) In the first place, we think spontaneously of the Virgin Mary, who with her faith and maternal labours collaborated in a unique way in our Redemption. (…) Then there are various women with roles of responsibility who gravitated in their different capacities around the figure of Jesus. The women who followed Jesus to assist him with their own means, some of whose names Luke has passed down to us, are an eloquent example: Mary of Magdala, Joanna, Susanna and "many others" (cf. Lk 8: 2-3). (…) Nor was the female presence in the sphere of the primitive Church in any way secondary. (…) Without the generous contribution of many women, the history of Christianity would have developed very differently. This is why (…) the Church gives thanks for each and every woman. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 14 February 2007)

Oregon officials back off ‘gender ideology mandate’ for mom seeking to adopt #Catholic Oregon officials have agreed they will not “categorically disqualify” a Christian woman from adopting or fostering children based on her religious beliefs about gender and human sexuality, which settles a three-and-a-half-year legal battle.The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) agreed to a legal settlement with Jessica Bates, who was represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). It affirms the department will not consider her religious beliefs when evaluating her application for a certification to adopt children and will not attempt to regulate her speech about gender and sexuality.“Every child deserves a loving home, and children suffer when the government excludes people of faith from foster care because of the state’s own ideological crusade,” ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse said in a statement following the Sept. 9 settlement.“Oregon officials turned Jessica away just because of her common-sense belief that parents should help children become comfortable with who they are instead of pushing them down a path of confusion and medicalization,” he said. “We believe this settlement is a win-win that protects constitutional rights and puts children’s interests first.”In September 2022, the ODHS denied Bates’ application because she would not comply with a state policy that requires applicants to agree they will “respect, accept and support the … sexual orientation, gender identity [and] gender expression … of a child or young adult” who is placed in the home, which ADF has characterized as a “gender ideology mandate.”Bates sued ODHS in March 2023, arguing that the policy violated her First Amendment rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion. The lawsuit stated she told the certification officer she would love any child as her own but would not facilitate a child’s gender transition through hormone therapy, use pronouns inconsistent with a child’s biological sex, or encourage gender expression inconsistent with the child’s biological sex or same-sex attraction.A federal district court initially ruled in favor of ODHS in December 2023, but an appellate panel of judges ruled in July 2025 that ODHS likely violated her constitutional rights and blocked the department from enforcing the rules against her while the lawsuit continued.Legal settlementPer the legal agreement, ODHS will allow Bates to apply for a certification and will not consider her religious views in any way.It states ODHS will not deny the application “because of her religious beliefs that sexual activity should occur only within the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman, and a person should identify and seek to live consistent with his or her biological sex.”The settlement adds that this extends to her “desire to respectfully speak about, live out, parent, and make day-to-day caregiving decisions consistent with these sincerely held religious beliefs.”Under the agreement, ODHS also cannot require her to “agree to use prescribed words or language, including chosen pronouns, to express views about sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression inconsistent with her religious beliefs described above as a condition of certification.”“[The] ODHS may not enforce any per se standard, rule, or policy that precludes Bates from being considered for any particular placement, based in whole or in part based on her religious belief,” the settlement agreement states.It further prohibits ODHS from disqualifying Bates from consideration for any particular child placement based on her religious beliefs.Yet, the settlement does not prevent ODHS from “deciding a child’s placement based on its individualized consideration of the child’s needs and of a foster parent’s concerns or limitations (including where religiously motivated) on their ability or willingness to meet the child’s specific needs, including with regard to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”The Oregon attorney general’s office referred EWTN News to the Oregon Department of Human Services for comment. The department did not respond to a request for comment.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 18, 2026

The legal settlement ensures that Jessica Bates’ religious views will not be a factor in determining whether she can adopt children.

Mexican bishops demand ‘thorough investigation’ of priest’s murder #Catholic Mexico’s bishops are demanding that authorities conduct “a thorough investigation” to clarify the circumstances surrounding the murder of Father Román de la Cruz Hernández, pastor of Santa Cruz in Huejutla, Hidalgo state.In a Sept. 16 statement, the Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM, by its Spanish acronym) expressed its indignation and sadness over the crime as well as its solidarity with the Diocese of Huejutla, Hidalgo, to which De la Cruz belongedAccording to the bishops' conference, the priest’s murder took place on Sept. 15. The newspaper El Universal reported that the body of De la Cruz was found with gunshot wounds along a stretch of the Tolago-Tetlapaya highway in the Lolotla district of Hidalgo.“We stand in fraternal solidarity with José Hiraís Acosta Beltrán, bishop of Huejutla, his priests, consecrated religious, and the entire people of God of this local Church,” the CEM stated while “calling upon the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to clarify the facts and ensure that justice is served swiftly.”The Mexican bishops also prayed “for the eternal rest of Father Román,” asking God “to grant strength and comfort to his family, friends, parishioners, and all those who shared in his ministry and his life.”The CEM statement joins that of Acosta, who urged against speculating about the crime “to allow the relevant authorities to conduct the investigation and report on the tragedy.”At the same time, the bishop of Huejutla denounced “the alarming situation of violence going on in our country.”The prelate asked the faithful to work to build “a culture of peace and reconciliation, seeking the eradication of violence, and not to lose respect for the life of any person.”“Let us allow God, in his infinite goodness, to help us root out from the human heart every destructive sentiment of resentment, vengeance, and hatred that threatens the most precious gift he has bestowed upon us: life,” he emphasized.According to the Catholic Multimedia Center, 28 incidents of violence against Church members, including the murders of four priests, have been recorded during Claudia Sheinbaum’s term as president of Mexico so far.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.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 18, 2026

The priest was found dead with gunshot wounds along a stretch of highway. The local bishop urged people not to speculate about the crime and denounced the ongoing violence in the country.

Caritas Cuba to receive more humanitarian aid from U.S. in coming weeks – #Catholic – The U.S. Embassy in Cuba announced that more humanitarian aid will arrive in the coming weeks for distribution by Caritas to the most vulnerable people in five of the countryʼs provinces.The embassy made the announcement following a meeting between U.S. Chargé dʼAffaires Mike Hammer and the director of Caritas Cuba, Carmen María Nodal Martínez.In a post on X, the embassy stated that the additional aid will be directed to the provinces of Camagüey, Ciego de Ávila, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, and Pinar del Rio.Collaboration between the U.S. government and the Catholic Church in Cuba began in November 2025, when the bishops announced they had received an offer of million in aid for those affected by Hurricane Melissa.This initial humanitarian assistance began arriving in January 2026, and since then, the United States has made further offers of aid, which have been distributed by Caritas Cuba without the involvement of the Cuban communist regime.On Feb. 5, the U.S. State Department announced a new shipment of humanitarian aid worth million, “following the successful collaboration” with the Catholic Church in Cuba in distributing the initial million in aid.On May 13, the State Department announced its intention to provide 0 million in humanitarian assistance to Cuba, million of which would be distributed through Caritas.The first shipment of this aid package arrived in late July.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.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 18, 2026

The U.S. government has been sending and continues to send millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to be distributed by Caritas Cuba, thus bypassing the communist regime.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 17, 2026

Beyond The Beacon podcast 118 – A life devoted to prayer: Inside a Carmelite monastery #Catholic –

What does it mean to step away from the world and embrace a life of prayer, silence, and community? In this episode, we explore the quiet world of cloistered Carmelite life and the women who choose to dedicate themselves to God within the walls of a monastery.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Diocese of Paterson leads the thoughtful conversation about vocation, sacrifice, contemplation, and a way of life that remains largely unseen—but deeply spiritual.

The episode is recorded with the Discalced Carmelites of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel at their monastery in Morristown, N.J.

Joining Bishop Sweeney for interviews are Mother Therese Katulski, prioress of the Morristown and Malta monasteries; Sister Theresa Lee, F.M.A., chancellor and delegate for religious; Marcy Funk, a monastery volunteer; and Father Brendan Murray, who celebrates Masses with the sisters at their monastery in Morristown.

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

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– What does it mean to step away from the world and embrace a life of prayer, silence, and community? In this episode, we explore the quiet world of cloistered Carmelite life and the women who choose to dedicate themselves to God within the walls of a monastery. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Diocese of Paterson leads the thoughtful conversation about vocation, sacrifice, contemplation, and a way of life that remains largely unseen—but deeply spiritual. The episode is recorded with the Discalced Carmelites of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel at their monastery in Morristown, N.J. Joining Bishop

Postpartum depression: New e-book offers hope and healing for Catholic mothers – #Catholic – In response to growing national attention surrounding maternal mental health, Catholic psychologist and popular EWTN Radio host Gregory Popcak has released a free e-book designed to offer clinical guidance and spiritual support to women suffering from postpartum depression (PPD).Popcak told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, why he felt compelled to add a Catholic voice to this headline-making conversation.“I created it because Catholics aren’t immune from either physical or emotional illness, and, as Catholics, we have a unique, holistic perspective on healing that encourages us to use the medical, psychological, relational, and spiritual tools available to us to promote our healing and well-being."Popcak emphasized the need for a faithful voice in a conversation that affects approximately 1 in 7 new mothers.“As much as we might like to think otherwise, people of faith are just as affected by mental-health problems as anybody else,” Popcak emphasized.“Research really does show that faith plays a protective element … but we are still afflicted with these things. Being able to respond to this in a way that is reflective of our Catholic faith and the Catholic view of the person I thought was important.”Breaking the stigma of guiltA central focus of the e-book is addressing the unique layer of spiritual guilt that Catholic mothers often experience when struggling with mental health post-childbirth.Popcak explained that many Catholic mothers internalize their symptoms as a personal or spiritual failing, incorrectly believing their distress signals a lack of gratitude for their child or a weak prayer life.“These feelings are not the mom,” Popcak said during an interview on EWTN Radio. “They are the illness attacking your feelings. … You’re not failing any more than you would be failing if you had the flu. You didn’t make yourself get postpartum depression either. It’s your body’s reaction to the normal crash of hormones that occurs after birth, plus a lot of other factors.”The book opens with an urgent disclaimer encouraging mothers experiencing severe crisis or self-harm thoughts to seek immediate medical intervention, reminding them that “these feelings are not you; they are the illness talking.”Distinguishing ‘baby blues’ from clinical needsDuring the broadcast, Popcak outlined the critical differences between common short-term mood shifts — often referred to as the “baby blues” — and clinical postpartum depression or psychosis. While the “baby blues” typically peak around day five post-delivery and resolve within two weeks, symptoms lasting longer require professional medical evaluation.Popcak advocated for routine screening at OB-GYN and pediatric visits, comparing mental health checkups to baseline physical assessments.“When we go to the doctor, even if we’re not feeling lightheaded, they take our blood pressure,” Popcak noted. “A postpartum depression screening tool takes about four minutes to complete. … It should be just as standard as getting your blood pressure taken.”He also emphasized that treatment should address both physical and psychological dimensions, recommending psychological counseling alongside medical treatments like SSRIs (common prescription medications for depression and anxiety) to help mothers develop coping strategies and process underlying stressors.Self-sacrifice vs. self-destructionAddressing spiritual questions surrounding maternal sacrifice, Popcak distinguished between healthy, Christlike self-giving and harmful self-neglect.“There is a difference between self-sacrifice and self-destruction,” Popcak warned, urging husbands and extended family to step up support for new mothers. “God gives us our body to work for the good of others. In a sense, it’s a tool, but it can only do the job it was created to do if we take care of it. … It’s not irresponsible or selfish or self-indulgent for the carpenter to sharpen his saw.”The new e-book is available as a free public service download for mothers, families, and pastoral care providers. This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 18, 2026

Dr. Gregory Popcak addresses the unique layer of spiritual guilt that Catholic mothers often experience when struggling with mental health post-childbirth.

Seminaristas hispanos comparten su historia vocacional #Catholic – La Diócesis de Paterson celebró recientemente su primer Seminarian Media Day, una jornada en la que los seminaristas se pusieron frente a las cámaras para compartir un poco de sus vidas, su formación y su vocación.
La iniciativa nació de la Oficina de Vocaciones como una nueva manera de acercarse a los jóvenes que pueden estar preguntándose si Dios los llama al sacerdocio.
Al explicar la importancia de utilizar también los medios digitales para acompañar el discernimiento vocacional, el Padre Charles Lana, director de Vocaciones, señaló que “muchos jóvenes que están explorando una vocación primero buscan en línea información e inspiración”. Después, añadió, lo que encuentran puede llevarlos a conversar con sacerdotes, seminaristas y otras personas de la Iglesia.
Por eso, durante el Media Day fueron los propios seminaristas quienes ayudaron a crear contenido para promover las vocaciones. Para el Padre Lana, sus historias tienen un valor especial porque ellos mismos son testigos de lo que significa responder al llamado de Dios. Estas son tres de esas historias.

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

Diácono Carlos: un llamado desde la infancia
Dcn.Carlos Vargas nació en Barranquilla, Colombia, y su historia vocacional comenzó mucho antes de entrar al seminario.
Creció en una familia de fe. Recuerda especialmente a su abuela paterna, con quien iba a Misa todos los domingos y rezaba el rosario. Desde los siete años comenzó a sentir el deseo de ser sacerdote y sirvió en su parroquia como monaguillo.
Inició su formación en Colombia, donde estuvo un año en el seminario. Después continuó su camino en Estados Unidos. Primero estudió inglés y en 2022 se graduó de St. Andrew’s College Seminary. Actualmente estudia Teología en Immaculate Conception Seminary, en Seton Hall.
Una de sus clases favoritas es Cristología porque, dice, le permite conocer más profundamente la identidad de Jesús. Ciertamente su formación no ocurre solamente en las aulas. Carlos disfruta especialmente el trabajo pastoral en hospitales y parroquias, donde puede encontrarse directamente con las personas. Cuando habla de por qué quiere ser sacerdote, su respuesta es sencilla: quiere servir.
David: la pregunta después de la secundaria
La historia de David Marín Urquía es diferente. Nació en Estados Unidos y durante años estuvo vinculado a la Iglesia de Santa Margarita de Escocia, Morristown, donde creció en la fe.
Al graduarse de la secundaria (High School) en 2023 comenzó a preguntarse más seriamente por su vocación. Un profesor de Teología lo ayudó a encontrar un director espiritual, y esas conversaciones le permitieron hablar sobre su vida espiritual y, sobre todo, llevar la pregunta por su vocación a la oración.
La Virgen María también ha estado presente en ese camino. Desde pequeño, David rezaba el rosario con su familia y le pedía a María que lo ayudara a descubrir su vocación.
Buscando dar otros pasos, preguntó al entonces director de Vocaciones, el Padre Edward Rama, si había algún evento en el que pudiera participar. Así llegó a una peregrinación al santuario de los Mártires Norteamericanos, en Nueva York.
Después vinieron los retiros, la Misa diaria, la Adoración Eucarística, la lectura de las Sagradas Escrituras y de las vidas de los santos. También fueron importantes su servicio como monaguillo y lector, y el acompañamiento que recibió del Padre Sebastián Muñoz y del grupo Ágape de St. Margaret.
En medio de ese proceso fue descubriendo con mayor claridad su deseo de ser sacerdote. David siente una atracción especial hacia los sacramentos y considera un privilegio poder algún día celebrarlos y llevarlos a las personas.
Jairo: paz ante el Santísimo
Jairo Andrés Jaramillo Bernal también nació en Colombia, en San Alberto, departamento del Cesar. En su historia vocacional, dos experiencias han sido especialmente importantes: la fe que recibió de su abuela y el tiempo que pasó ante el Santísimo Sacramento.
Fue su abuela quien le enseñó a rezar el rosario y lo ayudó a conocer mejor la fe católica y el significado de la Eucaristía. Aunque el llamado al sacerdocio estuvo presente desde su infancia, comenzó a hacerse más claro durante su servicio militar en la Armada Nacional de Colombia.
Jairo recuerda que en aquel tiempo sentía un vacío interior. Comenzó entonces a pasar tiempo ante el Santísimo Sacramento y allí encontraba paz y tranquilidad. Poco a poco nació en él un deseo más profundo de conocer a Jesús y servirlo.
Después del servicio militar conoció al Padre Wilfrey Arenas y comenzó a conversar con él sobre su vocación. En 2017 ingresó al Seminario Nacional Cristo Sacerdote, en Colombia, y al año siguiente llegó a Estados Unidos para continuar su formación. Este otoño comienza su segundo año de Teología.
El servicio también ha sido importante para entender su vocación. Las misiones humanitarias, la ayuda a familias necesitadas, la evangelización y el trabajo en las comunidades le fueron mostrando que encontraba alegría cuando servía a los demás. Sus dos tíos sacerdotes también lo han acompañado y aconsejado durante su camino. De ellos admira especialmente la confianza que ofrecen a las personas y su disposición para estar presentes cuando alguien los necesita.
Para Jairo, allí está también la razón por la que quiere ser sacerdote: ha descubierto que su verdadera alegría y el sentido de su vida están en servir a los demás y acercarse más a Jesucristo.
Caminos distintos, un mismo llamado
Las historias de Carlos, David y Jairo muestran caminos distintos. Carlos comenzó a sentir el llamado siendo apenas un niño en Colombia. David empezó a discernirlo con mayor intensidad después de terminar la secundaria en Estados Unidos. Para Jairo, un momento decisivo llegó durante su servicio militar, cuando comenzó a pasar más tiempo ante el Santísimo. En los tres aparecen elementos muy sencillos: la familia, la oración, el servicio, buenos sacerdotes y otras personas que los ayudaron a discernir.
El Seminarian Media Day busca precisamente que historias como estas lleguen a otros jóvenes.
Al hablar sobre la formación de los seminaristas para la evangelización en el mundo actual, el Padre Lana explicó que “los futuros sacerdotes necesitan ser capaces de comunicar las verdades de la fe no solamente desde el púlpito, sino también a través de los medios modernos de comunicación que las personas utilizan todos los días”.
Este mes de septiembre, la Oficina de Vocaciones lanza una cuenta de Instagram dedicada a las vocaciones. El Padre Lana invitó a los fieles a seguirla, compartir su contenido y, especialmente, rezar por los seminaristas.
Quizá alguno de esos jóvenes llegue a hacerse la misma pregunta que Dcn.Carlos, David y Jairo se hicieron alguna vez: ¿Dios me estará llamando a mí?

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 17, 2026

Seminaristas hispanos comparten su historia vocacional #Catholic –

La Diócesis de Paterson celebró recientemente su primer Seminarian Media Day, una jornada en la que los seminaristas se pusieron frente a las cámaras para compartir un poco de sus vidas, su formación y su vocación.

La iniciativa nació de la Oficina de Vocaciones como una nueva manera de acercarse a los jóvenes que pueden estar preguntándose si Dios los llama al sacerdocio.

Al explicar la importancia de utilizar también los medios digitales para acompañar el discernimiento vocacional, el Padre Charles Lana, director de Vocaciones, señaló que “muchos jóvenes que están explorando una vocación primero buscan en línea información e inspiración”. Después, añadió, lo que encuentran puede llevarlos a conversar con sacerdotes, seminaristas y otras personas de la Iglesia.

Por eso, durante el Media Day fueron los propios seminaristas quienes ayudaron a crear contenido para promover las vocaciones. Para el Padre Lana, sus historias tienen un valor especial porque ellos mismos son testigos de lo que significa responder al llamado de Dios. Estas son tres de esas historias.

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

Diácono Carlos: un llamado desde la infancia

Dcn.Carlos Vargas nació en Barranquilla, Colombia, y su historia vocacional comenzó mucho antes de entrar al seminario.

Creció en una familia de fe. Recuerda especialmente a su abuela paterna, con quien iba a Misa todos los domingos y rezaba el rosario. Desde los siete años comenzó a sentir el deseo de ser sacerdote y sirvió en su parroquia como monaguillo.

Inició su formación en Colombia, donde estuvo un año en el seminario. Después continuó su camino en Estados Unidos. Primero estudió inglés y en 2022 se graduó de St. Andrew’s College Seminary. Actualmente estudia Teología en Immaculate Conception Seminary, en Seton Hall.

Una de sus clases favoritas es Cristología porque, dice, le permite conocer más profundamente la identidad de Jesús. Ciertamente su formación no ocurre solamente en las aulas. Carlos disfruta especialmente el trabajo pastoral en hospitales y parroquias, donde puede encontrarse directamente con las personas. Cuando habla de por qué quiere ser sacerdote, su respuesta es sencilla: quiere servir.

David: la pregunta después de la secundaria

La historia de David Marín Urquía es diferente. Nació en Estados Unidos y durante años estuvo vinculado a la Iglesia de Santa Margarita de Escocia, Morristown, donde creció en la fe.

Al graduarse de la secundaria (High School) en 2023 comenzó a preguntarse más seriamente por su vocación. Un profesor de Teología lo ayudó a encontrar un director espiritual, y esas conversaciones le permitieron hablar sobre su vida espiritual y, sobre todo, llevar la pregunta por su vocación a la oración.

La Virgen María también ha estado presente en ese camino. Desde pequeño, David rezaba el rosario con su familia y le pedía a María que lo ayudara a descubrir su vocación.

Buscando dar otros pasos, preguntó al entonces director de Vocaciones, el Padre Edward Rama, si había algún evento en el que pudiera participar. Así llegó a una peregrinación al santuario de los Mártires Norteamericanos, en Nueva York.

Después vinieron los retiros, la Misa diaria, la Adoración Eucarística, la lectura de las Sagradas Escrituras y de las vidas de los santos. También fueron importantes su servicio como monaguillo y lector, y el acompañamiento que recibió del Padre Sebastián Muñoz y del grupo Ágape de St. Margaret.

En medio de ese proceso fue descubriendo con mayor claridad su deseo de ser sacerdote. David siente una atracción especial hacia los sacramentos y considera un privilegio poder algún día celebrarlos y llevarlos a las personas.

Jairo: paz ante el Santísimo

Jairo Andrés Jaramillo Bernal también nació en Colombia, en San Alberto, departamento del Cesar. En su historia vocacional, dos experiencias han sido especialmente importantes: la fe que recibió de su abuela y el tiempo que pasó ante el Santísimo Sacramento.

Fue su abuela quien le enseñó a rezar el rosario y lo ayudó a conocer mejor la fe católica y el significado de la Eucaristía. Aunque el llamado al sacerdocio estuvo presente desde su infancia, comenzó a hacerse más claro durante su servicio militar en la Armada Nacional de Colombia.

Jairo recuerda que en aquel tiempo sentía un vacío interior. Comenzó entonces a pasar tiempo ante el Santísimo Sacramento y allí encontraba paz y tranquilidad. Poco a poco nació en él un deseo más profundo de conocer a Jesús y servirlo.

Después del servicio militar conoció al Padre Wilfrey Arenas y comenzó a conversar con él sobre su vocación. En 2017 ingresó al Seminario Nacional Cristo Sacerdote, en Colombia, y al año siguiente llegó a Estados Unidos para continuar su formación. Este otoño comienza su segundo año de Teología.

El servicio también ha sido importante para entender su vocación. Las misiones humanitarias, la ayuda a familias necesitadas, la evangelización y el trabajo en las comunidades le fueron mostrando que encontraba alegría cuando servía a los demás. Sus dos tíos sacerdotes también lo han acompañado y aconsejado durante su camino. De ellos admira especialmente la confianza que ofrecen a las personas y su disposición para estar presentes cuando alguien los necesita.

Para Jairo, allí está también la razón por la que quiere ser sacerdote: ha descubierto que su verdadera alegría y el sentido de su vida están en servir a los demás y acercarse más a Jesucristo.

Caminos distintos, un mismo llamado

Las historias de Carlos, David y Jairo muestran caminos distintos. Carlos comenzó a sentir el llamado siendo apenas un niño en Colombia. David empezó a discernirlo con mayor intensidad después de terminar la secundaria en Estados Unidos. Para Jairo, un momento decisivo llegó durante su servicio militar, cuando comenzó a pasar más tiempo ante el Santísimo. En los tres aparecen elementos muy sencillos: la familia, la oración, el servicio, buenos sacerdotes y otras personas que los ayudaron a discernir.

El Seminarian Media Day busca precisamente que historias como estas lleguen a otros jóvenes.

Al hablar sobre la formación de los seminaristas para la evangelización en el mundo actual, el Padre Lana explicó que “los futuros sacerdotes necesitan ser capaces de comunicar las verdades de la fe no solamente desde el púlpito, sino también a través de los medios modernos de comunicación que las personas utilizan todos los días”.

Este mes de septiembre, la Oficina de Vocaciones lanza una cuenta de Instagram dedicada a las vocaciones. El Padre Lana invitó a los fieles a seguirla, compartir su contenido y, especialmente, rezar por los seminaristas.

Quizá alguno de esos jóvenes llegue a hacerse la misma pregunta que Dcn.Carlos, David y Jairo se hicieron alguna vez: ¿Dios me estará llamando a mí?

– La Diócesis de Paterson celebró recientemente su primer Seminarian Media Day, una jornada en la que los seminaristas se pusieron frente a las cámaras para compartir un poco de sus vidas, su formación y su vocación. La iniciativa nació de la Oficina de Vocaciones como una nueva manera de acercarse a los jóvenes que pueden estar preguntándose si Dios los llama al sacerdocio. Al explicar la importancia de utilizar también los medios digitales para acompañar el discernimiento vocacional, el Padre Charles Lana, director de Vocaciones, señaló que “muchos jóvenes que están explorando una vocación primero buscan en línea información e

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 18, 2026

Inspired by the zeal of the venerable Fulton Sheen, a man who lived life to the fullest #Catholic –

I wonder where I’ve been all this time, as I didn’t know Archbishop Fulton Sheen until relatively recently. It wasn’t until I arrived in Chicago in 2019 that his name began to ring a bell.

One evening, while browsing YouTube for material for my parish ministry, I came across a video from the 1950s in which an eloquent and lively bishop shared words of wisdom on the meaning of our existence. It was the now Venerable Fulton John Sheen in one of the episodes of his well known TV show “Life Is Worth Living.” I was immediately captivated.

Hearing Fulton Sheen for the first time, I felt a sense of nostalgia that wasn’t my own; nostalgia for something great that I hadn’t experienced at the time, but which I realized had been a watershed moment for the American Church in the last century. A man of substance, filled with God, spoke with courage and enthusiasm about the Triune God on national television, wearing the vestments of a consecrated Catholic bishop with pride and joy. Brilliant! I got goosebumps straight away!

His work, like all of God’s work, endures to this day, spreading throughout the world. For example, I was certainly familiar with the missionary rosary and had indeed prayed it with the very same intention with which Sheen had conceived it in 1951.

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I came across words attributed to the Chilean writer Isabel Allende that really struck a chord with me: I am not afraid of death; I am afraid of a lack of passion, of not having lived with sufficient intensity. St. Irenaeus of Lyon had already alluded to this in the second century of Christianity when he stated: “The glory of God is man fully alive, and true life for man is the vision of God.”

For me, Fulton Sheen is the epitome of a human being who embodies these statements. He was a man overflowing with divine grace and wisdom, capable of affirming through his testimony — despite his many trials and tribulations — that life is worth living, cherishing and sharing in every second that is granted to us.

In May 2024, I fulfilled a goal I had set myself before leaving Chicago: to visit the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Museum, located at the Diocese of Peoria’s Spalding Pastoral Center. After all, it couldn’t be true that, living in the same state where my dear Fulton Sheen was born and lived, I wouldn’t go to see it.
I prepared briefly for my visit there by reading a heart-warming memoir written by Joan Sheen Cunningham (one of the bishop’s nieces) entitled “My Uncle Fulton Sheen.” I booked a room in a hotel near the museum for a couple of days and, filled with the Pentecostal enthusiasm of those days, set off on a train journey to Peoria.

The museum is just a short walk from the Cathedral of St Mary of the Immaculate Conception, where the young Fulton Sheen was ordained a priest in 1919, and where his mortal remains now rest. Although it is, in reality, a small and simple space, I felt an overwhelming emotion there that I had to contain, as I had made this pilgrimage on my own and had no one there with whom to share it.

During my stay in Peoria, I visited the museum and the cathedral twice. I tried to take in as much as possible of all the exquisitely selected information and all the objects so harmoniously displayed. I watched at my leisure a film shown in a room in the museum decorated to look like the set of the show “Life Is Worth Living.” I loved it. I bought a copy of the film so that I could share its content with my community later.

It is easy to imagine the joy I felt when the Vatican announced the official date of Sheen’s beatification. To celebrate, I proposed “Treasure in Clay,” his spiritual autobiography, as the title for my Catholic book club last April.

I rejoice with the whole Church. I rejoice because another of our own is being raised to the altars. I am eager to share this admiration for him, his fidelity to Christ and the way in which he taught us to live. I constantly present my pastoral and professional intentions (which are one and the same) to Sheen, and I pray that others may not go through this life — as I did for so long — without having the joy of knowing of the existence of this remarkable human being.

Ely Segura is a laywoman and creator of the Teófilo project, an initiative for the faith formation of Hispanic adults in the United States (proyectoteofilo.com).

– I wonder where I’ve been all this time, as I didn’t know Archbishop Fulton Sheen until relatively recently. It wasn’t until I arrived in Chicago in 2019 that his name began to ring a bell. One evening, while browsing YouTube for material for my parish ministry, I came across a video from the 1950s in which an eloquent and lively bishop shared words of wisdom on the meaning of our existence. It was the now Venerable Fulton John Sheen in one of the episodes of his well known TV show “Life Is Worth Living.” I was immediately captivated. Hearing Fulton

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 19, 2026

French Church awaits ‘breath of new life’ from Pope Leo XIV’s visit #Catholic –

PARIS (OSV News) — With a little over a week left in France to welcome Pope Leo XIV, the country’s Catholics hope for a “breath” of “new life” into their Church from the pope.

They don’t know the pontiff well, but are still counting on the “Leo effect,” a newly released survey has shown.

According to the Sept. 15 poll conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion, or IFOP, and commissioned by Catholic media outlets Famille Chrétienne, Aleteia and RCF Notre Dame, more than a quarter of respondents — 26% — said Pope Leo’s apostolic visit could “breathe new life into the Church in France.”

Asked what they would like Pope Leo to address in the country, nearly 1 in 3, or 28%, said “peace and global conflicts,” with the respondents also hoping “he will speak candidly about the issue of sexual abuse.”

While 58% of French respondents don’t have an opinion on whether Pope Leo defends Catholic values well, 32% of those who will welcome the pope for the Sept. 25-28 visit to Paris, Lourdes and Metz said the American pope defends them “quite well.”

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French commentators point out that the country’s Catholic community is looking forward to “Leo’s effect.”

For Jérôme Fourquet, director of the opinion department at IFOP, French Catholics are looking for a momentum similar to the one seen during World Youth Day 1997 with St. John Paul II.

“One of the goals of (Pope) Leo XIV’s visit to France is precisely to create such moments of fervor,” he told Famille Chrétienne, commenting on the newest survey.

For Bishop Pierre-Antoine Bozo, spokesman for the French bishops’ conference, “there is a genuine thirst in the heart of modern man,” and in France, “this spiritual curiosity is awakening” and is seen widely through a record number of baptized Catholics.

“I would add that the pope’s message has the power to resonate with the existential aspirations of many French people,” he said. “He comes to light a spark on fertile ground,” he told Famille Chrétienne.

Fourquet predicts that “those who are 15, 20 or 25 years old today” and who take part in events with the pope — “will later be able to testify to the extraordinary impact it had on their lives.” For some “it will even shape their life choices,” he said, pointing out to many priests admitting in the past they found their vocation through WYD 1997.

While “Leo XIV is not very well known to the French public,” Bishop Bozo added, this apostolic journey “is precisely the opportunity for them to get to know him — to meet him not only as the head of the Church but also as Robert Prevost, with his own distinct personality.”

What French Catholics greatly appreciate, and wait for, the survey has shown, is the papal message of peace.

“In a world defined by sound and fury, (Pope) Leo XIV’s personality stands out very clearly indeed,” Forquet emphasized. “He is a figure of an era where aggression has become the norm,” and in this moment “There is a real need for a stabilizing force,” he said. Pope Leo “answers this latent expectation among a segment of the population.”

Nearly 600,000 people have registered to attend the pope’s Mass in Paris on Sept. 26 — a truly massive turnout, according to observers.

Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris described it as “a number that exceeds all our expectations” in a Sept. 16 press release.

“Given this large turnout, the Archdiocese of Paris is setting up an additional area, secured by law enforcement,” he said, announcing that the area for participants was extended but registration has been closed for that event.

Still, sociologist Yann Raison du Cleuziou cautioned that enthusiasm does not signal a broad Catholic revival.

For Raison du Cleuziou, professor of political science, historian, sociologist of religion and one of the most renowned experts on French Catholicism, the numbers are not yet proving a comeback of Catholicism as a major force in French society.

“We should not conclude from this that Catholicism is regaining significant influence” as “secularization continues in France,” he told OSV News.

“The enthusiasm for the reopening of Notre Dame in 2024 was genuine,” he said, noting “renewed spiritual vitality in certain parishes and movements, and an objective increase in adult baptisms in recent years,” but the number of practicing Catholics, he said, “continues to decline.”

According to Raison du Cleuziou, it’s not communities or the Church as an institution that introduces change in society these days. “Individuality plays a decisive role in society far more so than communities and institutions,” he said, “and the voice of the Catholic Church as such is no longer taken into account.”

“In this context, the future of the Church in France depends on those who remain,” Raison du Cleuziou noted. “In general, it is the most conservative Catholics — those who are very devout and closely follow the Church’s teachings — who have been most successful in passing on the Catholic faith from one generation to the next. Three-quarters of today’s seminarians come from these families.”

For Raison du Cleuziou, today’s younger generations of Catholics in France are very different from those in the 1970s. They are not ashamed of their Catholicism — on the contrary — they want to show off that they’re proud of who they are.

“They want to clearly display their identity, rather than fade into the background, at the risk of being diluted by the dominant secular culture. Seminarians, for example, are increasingly in favor of wearing the cassock, at least occasionally, whereas it had almost completely disappeared after the (Second Vatican) Council.”

“Young people also feel the need for beautiful, meaningful liturgies that combine both a sense of inner reflection and solemnity in the liturgy, along with traditional theological instruction, and clear guidelines for everyday life,” Raison du Cleuziou noted. “And they are reviving individual devotions and collective expressions of popular piety that had been set aside by their elders, such as processions with banners or devotion to the Sacred Heart.”

Still, the “dominant group in France today,” about 70% of the French population, is the “nonreligious,” Raison du Cleuziou told OSV News.

“Among those over (the age of) 60, nearly one in two still identifies as Catholic, but among 18- to 29-year-olds, that figure has dropped to just 15%,” the expert pointed out. “Young Catholics therefore feel like a very small minority. And they are closely followed by Muslims, who now make up 13% of their age group and openly embrace their faith and religious practices without any hesitation.”

In this context, he said, “the presence of Catholics who have immigrated to France, for example, those from Africa, is important,” as immigrant Catholics “embrace their faith openly, calmly and simply,” he said, adding they integrate well into parishes, which are now more vibrant in cities than in the countryside.

For Raison du Cleuziou, the phenomenon of catechumens and neophytes, who often come from families that were once Catholic, is an important indicator of the state of French Catholicism.

“They say they had an ‘experience of encountering Jesus’ that has transformed their lives,” he explained. “It was this encounter that led them to seek to deepen an intimate relationship with Christ they have discovered.”

“For these newly baptized individuals, belonging to the Church as an institution was not a priority at first,” Raison du Cleuziou concluded. “They are not very familiar with the Holy See and the pope. Nevertheless, the visit of Pope Leo XIV, who will meet with some of them, is sure to intrigue them and should pique their interest.”

Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris.

– PARIS (OSV News) — With a little over a week left in France to welcome Pope Leo XIV, the country’s Catholics hope for a “breath” of “new life” into their Church from the pope. They don’t know the pontiff well, but are still counting on the “Leo effect,” a newly released survey has shown. According to the Sept. 15 poll conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion, or IFOP, and commissioned by Catholic media outlets Famille Chrétienne, Aleteia and RCF Notre Dame, more than a quarter of respondents — 26% — said Pope Leo’s apostolic visit could “breathe new

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 18, 2026

The French bishops’ conference is still short more than 21 million euros to cover the cost of Pope Leo’s Sept. 25–28 visit. Meanwhile, demand for the Paris Mass forced a major expansion of the route.

The Tallest Underground Waterfall You Can Visit in the U.S. Is Hidden Over 1,000 Feet Beneath a Tennessee Mountain Peak #Travel You may come to Lookout Mountain for Ruby Falls, but you’ll stay for the scenic views and outdoor adventures.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 17, 2026

You may come to Lookout Mountain for Ruby Falls, but you’ll stay for the scenic views and outdoor adventures.

Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau – Anak Krakatau erupts ash and volcanic gases in this image acquired with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 on Sept. 5, 2026.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 17, 2026

Anak Krakatau erupts ash and volcanic gases in this image acquired with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 on Sept. 5, 2026.

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 17, 2026

Picture of the day

Sunset over Trommekilen, a part of Brofjorden, as seen from Norrkila, Lysekil Municipality, Sweden

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

Paterson priest honored with national addiction counselors’ award #Catholic –

The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (NAADAC) on Aug. 28 presented Father Ed Reading, a priest of the Paterson Diocese who serves outside the diocese, with the Addiction Educator of the Year Award during the EMPOWER 2026 NAADAC Annual Conference, held last month in Kansas City, Mo.

Father Reading is a N.J.-licensed drug and alcohol counselor and an educator and scholar in the addiction field. Also known as Dr. Reading, he has been in the addiction field since 1969 — long before there was an organized profession of addiction studies. He lives in Ortley Beach, N.J.

Father Reading has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels at more than six colleges and universities in New Jersey, as well as providing professional training and education to medical professionals, law enforcement professionals, and professional clergy. For more than 50 years, he has been a nationally recognized leader in the field of addictions, authoring professional publications and presenting professional lectures throughout the United States and four provinces of Canada.

In addition, Father Reading has served on the N.J. State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, where he has chaired the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee for more than 30 years. The committee certifies and licenses addiction counselors. The priest has been a driving force in state licensure regulation. His New Jersey license number is “1.” He is the longest-serving state licensing board member in the country.

Also, Father Reading has served elected terms as president of
the International Coalition for Addiction Studies Education and is the current president of the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission. He is currently employed at Ocean County College in New Jersey, where, for more than a decade, he has taught and mentored students in the Addiction Studies Program.

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Ordained a Catholic priest of the diocese in 1972, Father Reading worked as a healthcare professional at Straight and Narrow in Paterson, the drug- and alcohol-treatment program of diocesan Catholic Charities, from 1969 to 1980, when he began ministering outside the diocese.

Father Reading has also served as a board member of diocesan Catholic Charities and as a weekend assistant at Good Shepherd Parish in Andover, N.J. He earned a doctorate in pastoral counseling from LaSalle University in Mandeville, La. in 2002.

Ted McCadden, program director of human services, counseling, and social work and president-elect of the International Coalition for Addiction Studies Education and a commissioner of the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission, was one of several professionals who enthusiastically submitted letters of recommendation for Father Reading’s award.

McCadden wrote, “It is difficult to imagine the Addiction Education field without Dr. Reading’s influence; he was a trailblazer in this field of study as it moved from the fringes and into the academic mainstream. Dr. Reading’s teaching career spans nearly 50 years, during which he has trained innumerable addiction professionals.”

“More than that, Dr. Reading’s contributions to the field of addiction education include establishing addiction counseling training programs at several institutions, mentoring programs to meet national standards for addiction studies education, and serving as a consultant to several state, national, and international institutions and agencies,” McCadden wrote.

McCadden also wrote that Father Reading’s vocation as a priest has allowed him to build a ministry of “healing the healers,” providing pastoral counseling services and focusing his vocation on addictions, treatment, prevention, education, and research for over 45 years.

“Through this ministry, he provides ‘boots on the ground’ _training for those who may encounter substance use in their own ministries—a truly unique application of his talents as an addiction educator,” McCadden wrote about Father Reading.

– The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (NAADAC) on Aug. 28 presented Father Ed Reading, a priest of the Paterson Diocese who serves outside the diocese, with the Addiction Educator of the Year Award during the EMPOWER 2026 NAADAC Annual Conference, held last month in Kansas City, Mo. Father Reading is a N.J.-licensed drug and alcohol counselor and an educator and scholar in the addiction field. Also known as Dr. Reading, he has been in the addiction field since 1969 — long before there was an organized profession of addiction studies. He lives in Ortley Beach, N.J. Father Reading

9 Great Ways To Teach Kids About The Gospel #BabylonBee – Everyone needs to hear the Gospel, even kids. But it’s sometimes hard to get them to pay attention when you’re trying to talk Bible.

unitedyam September 16, 2026

Everyone needs to hear the Gospel, even kids. But it’s sometimes hard to get them to pay attention when you’re trying to talk Bible.

Game Of Risk Enters Fourth Week #BabylonBee – NAPERVILLE, IL — Sources confirmed on Wednesday that a local game group’s night of playing classic RISK had now entered its fourth week.

unitedyam September 16, 2026

NAPERVILLE, IL — Sources confirmed on Wednesday that a local game group’s night of playing classic RISK had now entered its fourth week.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

Bishop’s video for Tri-County award taped at Paterson school #Catholic –

St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., warmly welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and staff from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund on Sept. 9 during their visit that morning. The visit included the taping of video that will be shown on Monday, Nov. 2, at Tri-County’s 45th Annual Awards Dinner, during which Bishop Sweeney will be honored.

During the gala, to be held at the Legacy Castle in Pompton Plains, N.J., Bishop Sweeney and two other distinguished honorees will be recognized for their commitment to providing educational opportunity to financially disadvantaged New Jersey children and for their many other contributions to the community.

Those present for the Sept. 9 taping at St. Gerard’s included Prudence Pigott, Tri-County’s president; Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard Majella Parish; and Filippini Sister Jo-Ann Pompa, principal of St. Gerard School, along with students. Founded in 1981, Tri-County has supported St. Gerard’s with student scholarships over the years.

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Bishop Sweeney will receive Tri-County’s Making a Difference Award for his dedicated ministry to the community and vocational leadership throughout the New York and New Jersey area.

Also at the gala, Tri-County will honor Lindsay Hans, president and co-head of Merrill Wealth Management and a member of Bank of America Corporation’s executive management team, and Deidre Meehan, worldwide vice president and general counsel, Innovative Medicine at Johnson & Johnson.

Founded in 1981, Tri-County Scholarship Fund addresses educational inequities by providing partial scholarships to financially disadvantaged K-12 students in New Jersey. The organization partners with accredited, independent elementary and secondary schools to offer students safe, values-based educational opportunities that foster academic and personal growth. Tri-County’s scholarships help deserving students reach their full potential.

The Annual Awards Dinner is the largest fundraiser for the New Jersey nonprofit, which has provided over $44 million in scholarships to more than 40,000 students since its inception in 1981. To learn more about Tri-County Scholarship Fund, visit tcsfund.org.

To purchase a sponsorship, table, or ticket, please visit tcsfund.org/2026gala.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

– St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., warmly welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and staff from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund on Sept. 9 during their visit that morning. The visit included the taping of video that will be shown on Monday, Nov. 2, at Tri-County’s 45th Annual Awards Dinner, during which Bishop Sweeney will be honored. During the gala, to be held at the Legacy Castle in Pompton Plains, N.J., Bishop Sweeney and two other distinguished honorees will be recognized for their commitment to providing educational opportunity to financially disadvantaged New Jersey children and for their many other contributions to

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
15:1-11

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,
of the Gospel I preached to you,
which you indeed received and in which you also stand.
Through it you are also being saved,
if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once,
most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to James,
then to all the Apostles.
Last of all, as to one born abnormally,
he appeared to me.
For I am the least of the Apostles,
not fit to be called an Apostle,
because I persecuted the Church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;
not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.
Therefore, whether it be I or they,
so we preach and so you believed.

From the Gospel according to Luke
7:36-50

A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Jesus was used to accepting invitations to eat, and not only from “publicans”, but also from the “pharisees”, who were His bitterest adversaries. For example, we read in Luke: “One of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him, and He went into the Pharisee’s house, and took His place at table” (Lk 7:36). (…) During this meal, an event took place that sheds yet more light on Jesus’ behaviour towards poor humanity, made up of so many “sinners” whom the so-called “righteous” despise and condemn. Now, a woman known in the city as a sinner was among those present; weeping, she kissed Jesus’ feet and anointed them with perfumed oil. A conversation then ensued between Jesus and the host, during which Jesus established an essential link between the forgiveness of sins and the love inspired by faith: “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much”. Then He says to her: “Your sins are forgiven … Your faith has saved you; go in peace”. (…) Jesus acted in the spirit of a great love for humanity, based on the profound solidarity He felt for those whom God had created in His own image and likeness. What does this solidarity consist of? It is the manifestation of the love that has its source in God Himself. The Son of God came into the world to reveal this love. (John Paul II, Catechesis of 10 February 1988)

Jimmy Lai’s family, advocates press for his release before Xi-Trump meeting #Catholic Family members and advocates of imprisoned Catholic pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai offered urgent pleas for his release ahead of President Xi Jinping’s planned trip to the U.S. to meet with President Donald Trump.In anticipation of Xiʼs visit to Washington on Sept. 24, Sebastien Lai, Jimmy Lai’s son, met with leaders to advocate for his father. He joined a Sept. 16 congressional hearing led by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey.“Jimmy Lai is not being imprisoned because he committed any act of violence whatsoever,” Smith, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said. “His son has emphasized that his father has never, never advocated violence. Rather, Jimmy Lai used his voice, his newspaper, and his public platform to support freedom and democracy,” he said. Smith said he introduced legislation Sept. 16 that would require the State Department to quickly assess any death in custody of a Hong Kong political prisoner and impose sanctions on officials found responsible. He titled the bill the “Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026.”At the hearing, Sebastien Lai offered testimony along with Steve Yates, a research fellow on China and national security policy, and Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.“I want to thank America, President Trump, who has been a true champion of my fatherʼs, his administration, and the senators and members of both parties whose support has never wavered and only gotten stronger. That is moral courage, and my family does not take it for granted,” Sebastien Lai said.“By the end of this year my father will have spent six years in a maximum-security prison in solitary. At 78, he is the oldest political prisoner in Hong Kong. With a 20-year sentence looming over him, if he’s not freed soon, he will most likely die in prison,” he said. “My sister Claire was to testify beside me today. A few weeks ago, she was diagnosed with cancer,” he said. “I was with her in London last week as she began chemotherapy. My father learned of his own daughterʼs diagnosis from a maximum-security prison. He cannot hold her hand. She wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight,“ he said.

Claire Lai, daughter of imprisoned pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, discusses her father’s sentencing on “EWTN News Nightly” on Feb. 9, 2026. | Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”/Screenshot

“We hope the Chinese authorities will consider what compassionate release would mean for her, and for a 78-year-old man who has already suffered enough,” he said.“America understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late,“ he said.The appeal to Xi “is simple," Sebastien Lai said. “My father poses no threat. His imprisonment makes him a symbol of injustice; his death in prison would be a disgrace. Let Jimmy Lai come home to his family and let him sit beside his daughter in her hardest moment.”

America understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late.”

Sebastien LaiSon of imprisoned Hong Kong media publisher and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai

Clifford, of the Washington‑based advocacy group promoting human rights in Hong Kong, spoke on behalf of his friend Jimmy Lai and to remind “people that Jimmy is just one of hundreds of political prisoners being held in often appalling conditions.”“Iʼd like to emphasize the release of Jimmy Lai would be something President Trump, Republicans and Democrats, indeed, freedom-loving people around the world would applaud,” Clifford said. “It would be a unifying event at the time when the world really needs it.”Yates said Jimmy Lai’s case is “a test of character, of Xi Jinping’s leadership, of the president’s relationship with his counterpart, and of whether there remains any credible basis for the assumptions on which American policy toward Hong Kong was long constructed.”The case is “a litmus test of whether there remains any reason to believe there is a future in Xi Jinping’s China for the kind of man Jimmy Lai is: a child of God, a lover of the real China, and, it may fairly be said, one of China’s greatest entrepreneurs,” Yates said. Lai’s health ‘is going to get worse’At a subsequent event, Sebastien Lai spoke at a press conference at Georgetown University about his father.Trump has previously met with Xi about Jimmy Lai’s case, which did not end with his release, but Sebastian Lai said he does not believe “it is a lost cause.” He said he hopes Trump raises his father’s case “again and again.”Sebastian Lai detailed his father’s health, which “hasnʼt gotten any better” while in solitary confinement.“He now has heart issues. His nails fall off. His teeth are rotting. During the summer, he bleeds all over his body because [of] his rashes,” he said.His health was especially worrisome recently because “Hong Kong just had a record summer,” Sebastien Lai said. “The heat traps in there and essentially bakes in itself. So weʼre very, very worried.”Caoilfhionn Gallagher, human rights lawyer and leader of the international legal team representing Jimmy Lai, further laid out the urgency of the case.“It’s very clear that if someone is detained in solitary confinement for an extended period of time, there is a direct ramification for their mortality,” she said.“The risk to prisoners detained in solitary confinement is particularly heightened if they’re elderly or diabetic, and Jimmy Lai is both. So this couldn’t be a more urgent and timely discussion,” she said. Gallagher also noted the broader human rights issues and lack of democracy in Hong Kong.Hong Kong “has become a place where you can be thrown in prison for singing the wrong song, or not singing the right song, or wearing the wrong T-shirt, printing the wrong newspaper. And I think Jimmy Laiʼs case is hugely important in itself because of who he is,” Gallagher said.“Heʼs probably the worldʼs most famous political prisoner at the moment. His case is hugely important, but we think part of why theyʼve gone for Jimmy Lai is because by getting the biggest fish of all, it sends the message to the small fry across Hong Kong,” Gallagher said. "It makes very clear that their message is keep silent or youʼll be next,” Gallagher said. Xi’s visit to the U.S. offers “a particular opportunity to shine a light on this issue,” she said.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

“America understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late,” Sebastien Lai said.

Venezuela: Talks with opposition, oil deal, Delcy Rodríguez in New York, and the Church’s stance #Catholic Sept. 15 marked the start of the second round of negotiations between a Venezuelan opposition delegation and the country’s ruling socialist regime, a process promoted and driven by the U.S. government with an eye toward potential presidential elections in the South American nation.Dinorah Figuera, who leads the opposition delegation, arrived in Venezuela on Sept. 13 and before national and international media explained that once this weekʼs discussions conclude, the country could expect an announcement regarding the agreements reached.Meanwhile, Jorge Millán, who is also part of the opposition delegation, stated that they would continue “pursuing a Supreme Court of Justice with honorable, independent, and impartial judges capable of providing Venezuela with an upstanding judicial system after so many years. At the end of the cycle [of talks], we will present clear and verifiable objectives.”He also stated that this round of negotiations would also address the status of political parties, political guarantees, and “the dismantling of the repressive apparatus” established by Chavismo (the socialist government established by President Hugo Chávez and continued by President Nicolás Maduro) for over two decades. The state of freedom of expression in Venezuela will also be one of the items on the agenda.“The foundation for achieving a full democracy requires creating the conditions for elections to be held in Venezuela as soon as possible, as quickly as possible. We are laying the groundwork to reach those important areas that will enable all Venezuelans to elect our leaders very soon, with the speed we desire but also allowing for the time this will take,” Millán added.Concerns and proposals from the Catholic ChurchLast week, Cardinals Baltazar Porras and Diego Padrón, together with Bishop Emeritus Ramón Ovidio Pérez Morales, once again spoke out regarding the political and social situation in Venezuela. The prelates had previously raised their voices at the start of negotiations, offering to serve as guarantors of the process.On this occasion, they addressed the state of “indeterminacy, confusion, and uncertainty” prevailing in the country, offering “certain opinions, judgments, and proposals” that seek to “open the way” to help overcome the current crisis and achieve solid institutional stability and the national common good.Following the capture and extradition of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by U.S. forces on Jan. 3, the prelates noted that “changes have occurred, yet neither the desired and expected change nor a shift toward the structuring and functioning of the country in line with the preamble and fundamental principles of the 1999 Constitution is perceptible.”The cardinals and the bishop cite as examples of this lack of change that there are still political prisoners and a climate of repression as well as a state monopoly on the media and the continued centralization of power. Although these issues have been placed on the negotiating tableʼs agenda, the prelates maintain that these talks “operate within a framework of limited scope and authority.”In this regard, they pointed out that the state is operating on “shaky and legally undefined ground,” while the executive branch is “illegitimate regarding both its origins and its exercise of power.” Consequently, they emphasized the urgent need to call for elections soon.Oil deals with few detailsA few weeks ago, the Trump administration and the Chavista regime signed a massive energy deal granting the United States effective control over approximately one-third of Venezuelan oil, some 65 billion barrels of proven reserves.Beyond the economic aspects, the agreement has sparked particular controversy by including Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt López as an intermediary. He has been the subject of several investigations regarding alleged corruption, inflated prices in electricity contracts, and money laundering linked to the oil sector.Within Venezuela, Betancourt is singled out as one of the key figures responsible for the serious deterioration of the electrical grid, which has led to daily, hourslong blackouts across the country for years, severely impacting the populationʼs daily lives and even resulting in loss of life due to various causes.While acknowledging they are not experts in the field, Porras, Padrón, and Pérez Morales call for greater transparency in the negotiations and recommend “prudence and a gradual approach regarding commitments.” This, they state, reflects the prevailing sentiment among the Venezuelan people, who are concerned about the fate and use of the “vast sums of money” the state is set to receive.Greater emphasis on the need to call electionsIn light of the foregoing, the cardinals and the bishop underscored the priority of allowing the sovereign people of Venezuela to have a “a defined and clear mandate” regarding the nation’s future, a step that would also offer a sure path toward “encounter, social reconciliation, and peace.”“God has given us this country as a setting in which to build a ‘new society,’ the ideal of the civilization of love. We Venezuelans, through our own efforts and by invoking divine assistance, must keep hope alive and continue working on this compelling task, striving to reap its fruits of peace, freedom, justice, and fraternity,” the prelates stated.Delcy Rodríguez in New York?According to a Sept. 14 Bloomberg report, Venezuelaʼs interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, is considering a trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, which takes place next week.If the trip goes ahead, Rodríguez would be in the same city where Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are in U.S. custody. When asked about a possible meeting with the Chavista leader, President Donald Trump simply replied: “Maybe, maybe.”Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that an in-person meeting “probably will happen” if the presence of the interim regimeʼs president is confirmed.Rodríguezʼs presence on U.S. soil would mark a milestone in relations between Washington and Caracas, following more than two decades of tension and discord. Within Venezuela, the growing rapprochement between the U.S. government and the remnants of Chavismo is fueling concern and uncertainty regarding the possibility of real political change.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.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

Ongoing talks between the socialist regime and the opposition in Venezuela are making some progress while the Church is trying to contribute to the transition to democracy and freedom.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

Today I’ll be telling you about 10 of my favorite autumn deep-sky objects, with suggestions for viewing them. I hope you’ll enjoy this list, and I’ll share some other deep-sky favorites of mine from time to time in the future. What’s a large telescope? The notion of what’s big changes from observer to observer, butContinue reading “Autumn observing targets for large telescopes”

The post Autumn observing targets for large telescopes appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Bishop Robert Barron named to serve on U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom – #Catholic – Bishop Robert Barron this week was named to serve on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, the commission announced on Sept. 16.Barron, who already serves as a member of the domestically focused Religious Liberty Commission, was appointed to the position by President Donald Trump. The Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, bishop was selected for the post alongside former U.S. Domestic Policy Council Director Joe Grogan and former missionary Andrew Brunson.In a statement to EWTN News on Sept. 16, Barron said he was “honored” to accept Trump’s invitation to serve on the commission. The bishop noted that the commission itself is “strictly bi-partisan” with its members “chosen by leaders of both major political parties.” He highlighted the numerous Catholics who have served on the commission over the years, including Princeton Professor Robert George, U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon, Jesuit Father Thomas Reese, Archbishop Charles Chaput, and Bishop William Murphy.“I feel privileged to join their company,” Barron said.An independent agency in the legislative branch, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom monitors global religious liberty issues and recommends policy to the U.S. government to advance religious liberty around the world.It regularly publishes briefs on countries it identifies as consistent violators of religious liberty. It also advocates for those suffering from religious persecution, such as this week when it urged Trump to push for the release of religious prisoners in China and for the end of religious persecution by the Chinese government.The appointments on Sept. 16 came shortly after Trump asked Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of famed late Southern Baptist evangelist Billy Graham, to serve as the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

Barron, who already serves as a member of the domestically focused Religious Liberty Commission, was appointed to the position by President Donald Trump.

U.S. bishops launch task force to promote human dignity amid rise of artificial intelligence – #Catholic – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced a task force to ensure human dignity is protected as artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly develops, and more than a dozen bishops went to Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to adopt meaningful safety guardrails for the technology.The bishops said in a Sept. 16 announcement that the conference’s administrative committee also met with “representatives from a variety of tech firms and specialists” who work with AI. Bishops’ spokeswoman Chieko Noguchi said the meeting “focused on ways to keep any system of Artificial Intelligence at the service of humanity” as well as “the urgent need to address the real and present dangers such technology presents.”The meeting came amid warnings from numerous AI leaders of the risks posed by AI systems, which are undergoing rapid advancement and which critics say could one day threaten humanity with extinction if they become advanced enough.In an apparent reference to those warnings, Noguchi in the press release referred to “recent events” she said “have only emphasized the great need for action by everyone involved.”The bishops aimed to use the conversations to “help to identify ways the Church can contribute to the moral foundation of AI models and steps the companies can take to protect against misuse of their inventions and to guarantee human oversight of the technology.”Following the meetings, the bishops’ administrative committee launched a task force aimed at “preserving human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence.” San Jose, California, Bishop Oscar Cantù will serve as task force chair, the bishops said. “Over a dozen” bishops traveled to Capitol Hill after the meetings to press Congress for strong safety standards on artificial intelligence and to “support legislation to protect children online.” Noguchi said the bishops and AI leaders also discussed “how the Church and industry can work together toward the goal of ensuring that technology is used in ways that keep it human-centered” while respecting human dignity and benefiting both the rich and the poor. Church leaders have repeatedly called for meaningful AI oversight as the technology has progressed from a computer-based novelty to an embedded part of the global economy and of modern life.Pope Leo XIV in May published his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, in which the Holy Father warned that AI “tends to amplify the power of those who already possess economic resources, expertise, and access to data.”“In practice … technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise it, finance it, regulate it, and use it,” the pope wrote. In August, meanwhile, the pope warned that decisions affecting human life are increasingly being entrusted to machines and called for safeguards governing artificial intelligence and other digital technologies.Earlier this month the U.S. bishops acknowledged the “widespread concern” that AI will lead to “higher unemployment and to fewer jobs that can support a family.” The technology must be “carefully developed” to serve the common good, they said. Also earlier this month Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States, noted the “perception that we need a moral voice” on the topic of AI.“Not everything which is possible to be done should be done. Not everything that technology offers should be taken. This is a moral choice,” the archbishop said.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

The bishops said they are hoping to contribute to the “moral foundation” of rapidly developing AI models.

Renowned exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth’s 7 lessons on actions of the devil – #Catholic – Father Gabriele Amorth, a renowned Italian exorcist who passed away 10 years ago on Sept. 16, 2016, left behind a valuable legacy of lessons about the devil, drawn from Amorth’s many years of ministry. Here are seven lessons he shared throughout his life:1. “Satan is always active. He has been the tempter from the beginning.”In a June 2004 interview with Italian Vatican expert Sandro Magister, Amorth discussed the state of Satanism and the devil’s influence on contemporary culture. “In general terms, Satan is always active. He has been the tempter from the beginning. He does everything he can to make man sin, and whenever evil is committed, he is behind it — though it remains clear that man freely chooses his own actions. But there is also an extraordinary form of action by the evil one: diabolical possession,” he said at the time.2. “The world is under the power of the devil.”In the book “The Last Exorcist,” co-authored with Vatican expert Paolo Rodari, Amorth stated that “the world is under the power of the devil. And alongside Satan are many of his prophets — people whom the Bible calls false prophets. False because they lead to lies rather than the truth.”“These people exist both outside and within the Church. They are easily recognizable: They claim to speak on behalf of the Church, yet they speak on behalf of the world. They demand that the Church assume the roles of the world, and in doing so, they confuse the faithful and steer the Church into waters that are not its own. They are the waters of the evil one,” he added.3. “Satan attacks the pope above all.”In his book “The Last Exorcist,” Amorth also noted that “Satan attacks the pope above all. His hatred for the successor of Peter is fierce. I have experienced this in my exorcisms.”“After the pope, Satan attacks cardinals, bishops, and all priests and religious. It is only natural for this to be the case. No one should be scandalized by it. Priests and religious are called to a fierce spiritual battle.”4. Invoking St. John Paul II is effective against the devil.In May 2011, Amorth told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that St. John Paul II had become, in recent years, “a powerful intercessor in the fight against the devil.”“I have asked the devil more than once: ‘Why are you so afraid of John Paul II?’ And I received two different answers, both interesting. The first was: ‘Because he dismantled my plans.’ And I believe that refers to the fall of communism in Russia and Eastern Europe — the collapse of communism.”“Another answer the devil gave me was: ‘Because he snatched many young people from my hands.’ There are many young people who converted thanks to John Paul II. Perhaps some were already Christians but not practicing, and then, through John Paul II, they returned to the practice of the faith,” he explained.5. The devil “wants the death of the Church because she is the mother of the saints.”Amorth addressed the smear campaign against then-Pope Benedict XVI, whom some accused of covering up sexual abuse committed by members of the clergy, when in reality it was he who established the zero-tolerance policy. The exorcist denounced at the time that the devil “uses” priests to cast blame on the entire Church.“The devil has it in for the Church; he wants the death of the Church because she is the mother of the saints. He fights the Church through men of the Church, but he cannot prevail against the Church itself,” he noted.The experienced exorcist also stated that “the devil tempts men of the Church, so it should not surprise us if even priests — who possess every divine aid, such as prayer and the sacraments — fall into temptation. They, too, live in the world and can fall just like men of the world.”6. The most effective intercessor of all is the Virgin Mary.In May 2002, when asked about the most effective intercessor of all, Amorth told ACI Prensa that “of course, the Virgin is the most effective. And especially when you invoke her as Mary!”“I once asked Satan: ‘But why are you more afraid when I invoke Our Lady than when I invoke Jesus Christ?’ He answered: ‘Because it humiliates me more to be defeated by a human creature than to be defeated by him.’”7. The devil is in “everything that denies God.”Speaking to the Peruvian newspaper El Comercio, Amorth recounted an occasion when a cardinal told him: “Be honest, the devil doesn’t exist.” The priest replied: “You ought to read a book that will be very useful to you: the Gospel.”Furthermore, the exorcist described the devil as being present in “everything that denies God,” such as “abortion, divorce, homosexuality, satanic rock music, or programs featuring violence and sex on television.”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.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

On the 10th anniversary of his death, a recollection of the renowned Italian exorcist’s lessons about the devil.

10 Best Aviation Museums in the U.S. for History Buffs and Plane Enthusiasts #Travel Put these fun and informative institutions on your radar.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

Put these fun and informative institutions on your radar.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik (left) and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano view progress on the solid rocket booster integration in High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.

Picture of the day

Peggy Bridgeman at the left demonstrates to Ruth Harris the correct technique of welding. Today is Labor Day in the United States.
#ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

Picture of the day

Peggy Bridgeman at the left demonstrates to Ruth Harris the correct technique of welding. Today is Labor Day in the United States.

Iran-Backed Houthis Attempt Strike on Mecca in Saudi Arabia – Islam’s Holiest City! – The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launched an attack on Mecca in Saudi Arabia early Wednesday!
The post Iran-Backed Houthis Attempt Strike on Mecca in Saudi Arabia – Islam’s Holiest City! appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launched an attack on Mecca in Saudi Arabia early Wednesday!

The post Iran-Backed Houthis Attempt Strike on Mecca in Saudi Arabia – Islam’s Holiest City! appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

BREAKING: Horrifying Moment Los Angeles News Chopper Crashes In Giant Fireball During Live Shot – 3 DEAD (VIDEO) – At least three people are dead after a Los Angeles news chopper crashed during a live shot on Tuesday evening.
The post BREAKING: Horrifying Moment Los Angeles News Chopper Crashes In Giant Fireball During Live Shot – 3 DEAD (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

At least three people are dead after a Los Angeles news chopper crashed during a live shot on Tuesday evening.

The post BREAKING: Horrifying Moment Los Angeles News Chopper Crashes In Giant Fireball During Live Shot – 3 DEAD (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Rep. Brandon Gill Has Perfect Response to Reporter From Far Left Outlet Who’s Trying to Grill Him: ‘You Guys Can Get Lost’ (VIDEO) – Republican Rep.
The post Rep. Brandon Gill Has Perfect Response to Reporter From Far Left Outlet Who’s Trying to Grill Him: ‘You Guys Can Get Lost’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

Man in a suit speaking at a microphone during a formal event, displaying a focused expression and styled hair.

Republican Rep.

The post Rep. Brandon Gill Has Perfect Response to Reporter From Far Left Outlet Who’s Trying to Grill Him: ‘You Guys Can Get Lost’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 15, 2026

Pope Leo XIV names Bishop Michael Saporito to lead Diocese of Metuchen #Catholic –

VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Michael A. Saporito of Newark, New Jersey, as the new bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, the Vatican announced Sept. 15.

Bishop Saporito, 64, succeeds Metuchen’s former Bishop James F. Checchio, whom Pope Leo named archbishop of New Orleans earlier this year. The Diocese of Metuchen has been without a bishop since November 2025, when Archbishop Checchio was installed as coadjutor of the New Orleans Archdiocese.

“I am deeply grateful and humbled that Pope Leo XIV has called me to serve as the Bishop of Metuchen,” Bishop Saporito said in a statement following the announcement. “While it is not easy to leave the people and places that have formed and sustained me, I welcome this new mission with trust in the Holy Spirit.”

Born in Newark in 1962, Bishop Saporito has served as an auxiliary bishop in his home archdiocese since 2020, assisting Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin in overseeing the archdiocese, which is home to 1.3 million Catholics.

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Throughout his ministry, Bishop Saporito has had a focus on the new evangelization, serving on the Archdiocese of Newark’s Evangelization Commission and as a board member of Christlife, an evangelization apostolate based in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. In Newark, he led the pastoral initiative “We Are His Witnesses” and served on the archdiocesan synod team.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Rutgers University Newark and worked as an accountant for three years before entering the archdiocesan seminary in 1987. He was ordained a priest in 1992 by then-Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick.

As the sixth bishop of Metuchen, Bishop Saporito will lead a diocese of about 1.5 million people, of whom more than 670,000 are Catholic. The New Jersey diocese encompasses Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset and Warren counties, and is served by 192 priests, 196 deacons, and 193 men and women religious.

“I look forward to meeting the priests, deacons, religious and lay faithful of the Diocese, walking with them as we seek to follow Jesus Christ and bear witness to the hope of the Gospel,” Bishop Saporito said.

The Vatican also announced the resignation of Bishop Francis I. Malone of Shreveport, Louisiana. Bishop Malone, 76, submitted his resignation to the pope last year at the age of 75, as required by canon law. Bishop Robert W. Marshall of Alexandria, Louisiana, will serve as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Shreveport until the appointment and installation of a new bishop.

Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.

– VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Michael A. Saporito of Newark, New Jersey, as the new bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, the Vatican announced Sept. 15. Bishop Saporito, 64, succeeds Metuchen’s former Bishop James F. Checchio, whom Pope Leo named archbishop of New Orleans earlier this year. The Diocese of Metuchen has been without a bishop since November 2025, when Archbishop Checchio was installed as coadjutor of the New Orleans Archdiocese. “I am deeply grateful and humbled that Pope Leo XIV has called me to serve as the Bishop of Metuchen,” Bishop Saporito said

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
12:31-13:13

Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, love is not pompous,
it is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

From the Gospel according to Luke
7:31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

It is indeed the ruling class that closes the door on the way in which God wishes to save us. And so we can understand Jesus’s heated exchanges with the ruling class of his time: they argue with Him, put Him to the test, set traps for Him to see if He will fall, because they are resisting being saved. Jesus says to them: “But I don’t understand you! You are like those children: we played the flute for you and you did not dance; we sang a dirge for you and you did not weep. But what do you want?”; ‘We want things our way: we want to achieve salvation in our own way!”. There is always this refusal to accept God’s way. (…) They do not believe in mercy and forgiveness; they believe in sacrifices. “I want mercy, not sacrifices”. They believe in having everything in its place, neatly arranged, everything clear. This is the tragedy of resistance to salvation. We too, each one of us has this tragedy within. But it will do us good to ask ourselves: (…) “Do I believe that Jesus is the master who teaches us salvation, or do I go about hiring gurus to teach me something else? A safer path, or do I take refuge under the roof of rules and the many commandments made by men? And so, I feel safe, and with this – it is rather harsh to say this – sense of security, do I buy my salvation, which Jesus gives freely through God’s generosity?” It would do us good today to ask ourselves these questions. And the last one: “Am I resisting Jesus’ salvation?” (Pope Francis, Homily of 3 October 2014)

This North Carolina Railroad Runs Through an Iconic National Park—and It’s a Perfect Leaf-peeping Trip #Travel All aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 15, 2026

All aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

Older Posts

A Ride on This West Virginia Steam Train Offers Some of the Best Fall Foliage Views in the State #Travel All aboard the Greenbrier Express.

Picture of the day Turnix suscitator (Barred Buttonquail) in Bhigwan, Maharashtra, India. #ImageOfTheDay

COSI Telescope Comes Together – UC Berkeley engineers and managers watch as the COSI (Compton Spectrometer and Imager) detector assembly is slowly raised from a table in this July 8, 2026, image.

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The Sky Today on Saturday, September 19: Mars meets Pollux

Lord Let Me Walk With You: Prayer of the Day for Saturday, September 19, 2026 – #Prayer – Lord let me walk with You Although my steps are small Stay beside, hold my hand And never let me fall. Amen.

This Arizona Town Has Been Dubbed the ‘Heart of Route 66,’ With Quirky Attractions and Retro Diners #Travel Plus, it sits along the longest preserved stretch of the Mother Road.

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Picture of the day Red-and-green macaw (Ara chloropterus) couple in flight in Mato Grosso, Brazil #ImageOfTheDay

The Sky This Week from September 18 to 25: Autumn begins

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The Tallest Underground Waterfall You Can Visit in the U.S. Is Hidden Over 1,000 Feet Beneath a Tennessee Mountain Peak #Travel You may come to Lookout Mountain for Ruby Falls, but you’ll stay for the scenic views and outdoor adventures.

Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau – Anak Krakatau erupts ash and volcanic gases in this image acquired with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 on Sept. 5, 2026.

Picture of the day Sunset over Trommekilen, a part of Brofjorden, as seen from Norrkila, Lysekil Municipality, Sweden #ImageOfTheDay

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9 Great Ways To Teach Kids About The Gospel #BabylonBee – Everyone needs to hear the Gospel, even kids. But it’s sometimes hard to get them to pay attention when you’re trying to talk Bible.

Game Of Risk Enters Fourth Week #BabylonBee – NAPERVILLE, IL — Sources confirmed on Wednesday that a local game group’s night of playing classic RISK had now entered its fourth week.

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Autumn observing targets for large telescopes

10 Best Aviation Museums in the U.S. for History Buffs and Plane Enthusiasts #Travel Put these fun and informative institutions on your radar.

Picture of the day Peggy Bridgeman at the left demonstrates to Ruth Harris the correct technique of welding. Today is Labor Day in the United States. #ImageOfTheDay

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This North Carolina Railroad Runs Through an Iconic National Park—and It’s a Perfect Leaf-peeping Trip #Travel All aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.