TUCSON, AZ — Local man Dale Swanson declined to have his double scoops of mint chocolate chip and strawberry ice cream served in a delicious waffle cone, instead opting to have it in a blasphemous paper cup instead.
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U.S. — The Associated Press has warned that despite their deadly nature, medieval trebuchets are mostly exempt from firearm regulations in the United States.
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A Marmelade fly (Episyrphus balteatus) on flight.
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Los agustinos celebran un año del ‘don del Papa León’ con una Misa especial #Catholic – 
NEW LENOX, Illinois (OSV News) — Los hermanos agustinos del Papa León XIV y otras personas de la zona de Chicago recordaron con gratitud el año transcurrido desde la elección de uno de los suyos en una Misa especial celebrada el 8 de mayo.
Los agustinos de la provincia del Medio Oeste de Estados Unidos y las hermanas agustinas residentes en el área de Chicago asistieron a la Misa de acción de gracias por el primer año del Papa en la Iglesia Católica de San Judas, en New Lenox, al suroeste de Chicago. La parroquia, dirigida por los agustinos, es el lugar donde el Papa León XIV visitó por última vez Estados Unidos, en agosto de 2024, cuando aún era el cardenal Robert F. Prevost.
“Qué bendecidos y afortunados somos, y sé que muchos de nosotros, en algún momento, lo hemos conocido, hemos hablado con él, hemos pasado tiempo con él. Ahora bien, no mucha gente puede decir eso del pontífice”, dijo el padre agustino Anthony B. Pizzo al inicio de la Misa. El padre Pizzo es el superior saliente de los agustinos del Medio Oeste del país, un cargo que el mismo Papa ocupó anteriormente.
Cinco agustinos y el padre pasionista Enzo Del Brocco, presidente de Catholic Theological Union (Unión Teológica Católica), donde el Papa León obtuvo su máster en teología, concelebraron la Misa. Entre ellos se encontraba el padre John Lydon, amigo cercano del Papa desde la universidad y sus días como misionero en Perú. El sacerdote agustino y el futuro Papa vivieron en Trujillo durante 10 años –en la tumultuosa década de los noventa, marcada por la inestabilidad política– enseñando y guiando a los seminaristas agustinos.
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En su homilía, el padre Lydon recordó la visita del Papa ese mismo día, con motivo del primer aniversario, a Pompeya, Italia, en la festividad de Nuestra Señora de Pompeya –un lugar que, según dijo, trajo consigo conversión, milagros y “mucha esperanza”. El padre Lydon también señaló que ese mismo día, en la tradición agustina, se honra a Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, patrona de los agustinos en Perú.
Las lecturas de las fiestas marianas y la carta de San Pablo a los Gálatas, en la que dice que ya no somos esclavos, sino hijos de Dios, dijo, “nos ayudan a comprender el ministerio y la misión del Papa León”.
Tras la Misa, el padre Lydon compartió con OSV News que sus primeros pensamientos al cumplirse un año de la elección de su buen amigo al Papado eran “de gratitud al Señor” por “el don del Papa León”.
“Su espíritu es lo que guió a los cardenales a elegir a nuestro sumo pontífice”, dijo. Refiriéndose al Papa León, añadió: “Necesitamos su guía moral, su voz moral en nuestro mundo actual. Y él ha asumido valientemente esa responsabilidad”.
El padre Lydon dijo que “cuesta creer que haya pasado ya un año” desde que el Papa fue elegido, “pero es solo una señal de la gracia infinita de Dios para con todos nosotros… y aunque las nubes de tormenta parecen densas, tenemos la certeza de que el Hijo, H-i-j-o, se abre paso y el Papa León nos ayuda a dirigirnos hacia él”.
El padre agustino Ray Flores, párroco de San Judas y amigo de John Prevost, uno de los dos hermanos mayores del Papa, dijo que “ha sido un privilegio… cuando pienso en haber acompañado a John a diferentes entrevistas a lo largo del año” para conocer mejor al Papa, “lo cual he disfrutado de verdad”.
“Los dos queremos compartir la buena nueva de su hermano, del Papa León y de los agustinos, así como el mensaje de paz del que el Papa León ha hablado desde el primer día de forma tan hermosa y elocuente”, afirmó. “La gente quiere eso”.
El padre Flores, que anteriormente era sacerdote diocesano, ingresó en la Orden de San Agustín en 2017, cuando el Papa León era aún el obispo Prevost de la Diócesis de Chiclayo, en Perú. Sabía que el Papa era afable cada vez que lo saludaba y llegó a conocerlo mejor hace cuatro años mientras colaboraba con él en la parroquia. Uno de los primeros feligreses que el padre Flores conoció en San Judas en enero de 2023 fue John Prevost.
Recién llegado de un viaje a Nueva York para una entrevista con la CNN, John Prevost asistió a la Misa, pero mantuvo un perfil bajo ante los medios de comunicación, tras un año vertiginoso en el que había concedido entrevistas con regularidad.
En el vestíbulo, fuera del santuario de San Judas, las personas que asistieron a la Misa charlaban con los agustinos y entre ellas. La frase “somos tan afortunados” se oía una y otra vez.
Simone Orendain es corresponsal de OSV News. Escribe desde Chicago.
– NEW LENOX, Illinois (OSV News) — Los hermanos agustinos del Papa León XIV y otras personas de la zona de Chicago recordaron con gratitud el año transcurrido desde la elección de uno de los suyos en una Misa especial celebrada el 8 de mayo. Los agustinos de la provincia del Medio Oeste de Estados Unidos y las hermanas agustinas residentes en el área de Chicago asistieron a la Misa de acción de gracias por el primer año del Papa en la Iglesia Católica de San Judas, en New Lenox, al suroeste de Chicago. La parroquia, dirigida por los agustinos, es
Democrats don’t want to admit it publicly, but they are still the same party that tried to ‘Defund the Police’ a few years ago.
The post 173 House Democrats Refused to Vote for a Resolution Honoring Law Enforcement Officers During National Police Week appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has confirmed that illegal aliens are responsible for approximately 50% of all murders in the affluent, and deep blue, Northern Virginia suburb of Fairfax County, just outside Washington, D.C.
The post WATCH: DHS Secretary Confirms 50% of All Murders in Fairfax County, Virginia, Committed by Illegal Aliens — ‘That’s Just in Fairfax!’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The Supreme Court stood for a basic principle: Americans should not be divided by race for political power.
The post Lawyer Who Took Louisiana Redistricting Fight to Supreme Court Now Warns of “Rampant Racial Discrimination” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The pontiff marked World Communications Day by urging technology to remain centered on human dignity.
Founded amid hardship and change, the centennial of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Jackson, Michigan, brings together generations to honor a diverse parish that continues to thrive.
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 1:12-14
After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles
returned to Jerusalem
from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,
a sabbath day’s journey away.
When they entered the city
they went to the upper room where they were staying,
Peter and John and James and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,
together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Peter
4:13-16
Beloved:
Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ,
so that when his glory is revealed
you may also rejoice exultantly.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
But let no one among you be made to suffer
as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as an intriguer.
But whoever is made to suffer as a Christian should not be ashamed
but glorify God because of the name.
From the Gospel according to John
17:1-11a
Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said,
“Father, the hour has come.
Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you,
just as you gave him authority over all people,
so that your son may give eternal life to all you gave him.
Now this is eternal life,
that they should know you, the only true God,
and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
I glorified you on earth
by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do.
Now glorify me, Father, with you,
with the glory that I had with you before the world began.
“I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world.
They belonged to you, and you gave them to me,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that everything you gave me is from you,
because the words you gave to me I have given to them,
and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you,
and they have believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours
and everything of yours is mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
And now I will no longer be in the world,
but they are in the world, while I am coming to you.”
“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you” (Jn 17:1). The glorification that Jesus asks for himself as High Priest, is the entry into full obedience to the Father, an obedience that leads to his fullest filial condition: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made” (Jn 17:5). This readiness and this request are the first act of the new priesthood of Jesus, which is a total gift of himself on the Cross and on the Cross itself — the supreme act of love — he is glorified because love is the true glory, the divine glory. The second moment of this prayer is the intercession that Jesus makes for the disciples who have been with him. They are those of whom Jesus can say to the Father: “I have manifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world; yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word” (Jn 17:6). This “manifesting God’s name to m en” is the fulfilment of a new presence of the Father among the people, for humanity. This “manifesting” is not only a word, but is reality in Jesus; God is with us, and so his name — his presence with us, his being one of us — is “fulfilled”. This manifestation is thus realized in the Incarnation of the Word. In Jesus God enters human flesh, he becomes close in a new and unique way. And this presence culminates in the sacrifice that Jesus makes in his Pasch of death and Resurrection. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 25 January 2012)
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Obituary: Josephine Jane Hiemer, former co-owner of Clifton stained-glass studio, 92 #Catholic – 
Josephine Jane Hiemer (nee Zekoski), former co-owner of Hiemer & Company stained glass studio in Clifton, N.J., died March 13 at The Retreat Home in Jasper, Ga., after a brief illness. She was 92.
Hiemer was born in 1934 in Wyoming, Penn, to Polish immigrants. After marrying Gerhard Hiemer, she moved to New Jersey, where together they owned and operated Hiemer & Company Stained Glass Studio in Clifton.
The studio has served the Catholic Church since 1931, before the establishment of the Paterson Diocese in1937. Notable projects in the diocese, include stained glass for St. Joseph Church in Mendham, N.J., St. Paul Church in Clifton, and St. Luke Church in the Long Valley neighborhood of Washington Township, N.J.
Before retiring to Florida, Gerhard and Josephine encouraged the advancement of the stained glass craft for several years through the studio’s apprenticeship program and ran a craft supply gift shop for hobbyists.
The Hiemers belonged to Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, N.J., where their four children received their sacraments and early education. In addition, Josephine supported the Church’s activities through volunteer work at Holy Angels School and St. Joseph Hospital (now St. Joseph’s University Medical Center) in Paterson, N.J.
Hiemer is survived by four daughters and their spouses: Judith (James) Van Wie, current owners of Hiemer & Company; Clare Closs Avery of Lakeland, Fla.; Linda Hiemer (Jen Wallace) of Seattle, Wash.; and Rita (Ted) Lammot of Blairsville, Ga. She also leaves three grandchildren: Jeremy Closs (and wife Trish), Jessica, and Jane Van Wie.
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– Josephine Jane Hiemer (nee Zekoski), former co-owner of Hiemer & Company stained glass studio in Clifton, N.J., died March 13 at The Retreat Home in Jasper, Ga., after a brief illness. She was 92. Hiemer was born in 1934 in Wyoming, Penn, to Polish immigrants. After marrying Gerhard Hiemer, she moved to New Jersey, where together they owned and operated Hiemer & Company Stained Glass Studio in Clifton. The studio has served the Catholic Church since 1931, before the establishment of the Paterson Diocese in1937. Notable projects in the diocese, include stained glass for St. Joseph Church in Mendham, N.J.,
Two new priests begin ministry following June 13 ordination #Catholic – 
On Saturday, June 13, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will ordain two seminarians of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., as priests “ready to teach, love, and serve” during a Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, which will start at 10 a.m.
At St. John’s, the Mother Church of the diocese, Bishop Sweeney will ordain Rev. Mr. Lucas Folan, a member of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, N.J. The bishop will also ordain Colombian-born Jender Arley Medina Palencia, who serves at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J.
“These two men will enter the cathedral as deacons and leave as priests, forever changed. Not only will God change their lives, but he will also use them to lead others to Christ,” said Father Charles Lana, diocesan vocations director. “The Church is being gifted with two wonderful priests, who are humble and generous. They will be shepherds ready to teach, love, and serve. May God bless their lives and ministries,” he said.
The Mass, rooted in early Church tradition, will be celebrated in English and Spanish. The bishop will preside and deliver the homily. Priests from the diocese and beyond will concelebrate. Deacons and seminarians will assist.
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The Ordination Mass will be live-streamed.
Well-wishers — including family, friends, priests, parishioners, and diocesan faithful — are invited to attend the ordination and support the new priests.
Biographies of the two men to be ordained are presented below:
• • •
Rev. Mr. Lucas Folan, 27, was born on Jan. 13, 1999, in Denville, N.J., to Ken and Cristina Folan. He belongs to Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township.
Rev. Mr. Folan graduated from Parsippany Hills High School in 2017. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music with a minor in philosophy from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., in 2020. In 2023, he completed his philosophy studies at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. He completed his theological studies at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome in 2026.
Last year, Rev. Mr. Folan was ordained a transitional deacon. He was ordained with his classmates from the Pontifical North American College in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
“Experiences of service, especially trips to Guatemala, Georgia, the Dominican Republic, and West Virginia as a teenager and college student, opened my heart to the poor and the desire to serve,” Rev. Mr. Folan said. “I discovered my vocation to the priesthood through my friends and experiences in the Newman Club at Hofstra University,” he said.
• • •
Rev. Mr. Jender Arley Medina Palencia, 37, was born on Jan. 31, 1989, in San José de Cúcuta, Colombia, to Carlos Ariel Medina Pérez and Ligia Rosa Palencia Camacho.
Originally from Colombia, Rev. Mr. Medina belonged to Holy Apostles Parish (Santos Apóstoles). For the past four years in the U.S., he has been a member of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Clifton, and he is currently assigned as a deacon at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J.
Rev. Mr. Medina graduated from high school from INEM José Eusebio Caro in 2005. He also completed eight semesters of Public Accounting at Francisco de Paula Santander University and Uniremington University.
“As a child, I was an altar boy. When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would say, ‘a priest,’” said Rev. Mr. Medina. He worked as an accounting assistant, a retail salesperson, and a sales representative at Samsung Electronics. “I was an atheist for about 12 years until I had a profound encounter with God through the Virgin Mary,” he said.
– On Saturday, June 13, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will ordain two seminarians of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., as priests “ready to teach, love, and serve” during a Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, which will start at 10 a.m. At St. John’s, the Mother Church of the diocese, Bishop Sweeney will ordain Rev. Mr. Lucas Folan, a member of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, N.J. The bishop will also ordain Colombian-born Jender Arley Medina Palencia, who serves at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J.
On May 5, 21 men in formation for the priesthood at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and School of Theology in Cincinnati participated in the 28th annual Flying Pig Marathon.
Nicknamed the “Mother of Hubble,” Nancy Grace Roman spent years pushing for the use of the newest technology to better understand the universe. Roman was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on May 16, 1925. She was always interested in looking up at the stars and spearheaded an astronomy club at 11 years old. Despite being dissuadedContinue reading “May 16, 1925: The birth of Nancy Grace Roman”
The post May 16, 1925: The birth of Nancy Grace Roman appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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U.S. — According to overnight reports, a dumbfounded nation at last realized that Chelsea Handler has actually been trying to be funny this whole time.
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FT. WORTH, TX — Local millennial Chad McCallister finally figured out how to appropriately use "6-7" in casual conversation, thus effectively ending the popularity of the fad.
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Small waterfall on Gunung Lambak, one of several along the stream that flows next to the main path up the mountain. This is a focus stack of 2 photographs, and a neutral density filter was used to allow a long exposure time of 2 seconds.
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Auxiliary Bishop Joshy George Pottackal, O.Carm., is the first bishop in a German diocese born outside Europe.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this view of a rock nicknamed “Atacama” on May 6, 2026, the 4,877th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The rock had gotten stuck to the drill on the end of Curiosity’s robotic arm on April 25.
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There is now an episcopal presence in Tarsus; dioceses in Ireland and Canada are celebrating ordinations; a Nigerian priest is freed, and more in this week’s roundup of world news.
Stephen Colbert’s last show is next week, and while millions of Americans will celebrate not having to see his hateful, one-trick-pony show ever again, his fans in the liberal media are very upset.
The post Slimy Jake Tapper of CNN Weaves Vast, Trump-Driven Conspiracy as Reason for Colbert Cancellation – Waves Away Millions Lost Annually by the Show (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Walgreens has announced that it is closing a store in the Chatham neighborhood of Chicago.
The post Walgreens Closing Chicago Location Due to Massive Theft, Local Political Leaders Who Enable the Crime Are Outraged appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Heather Cox Richardson is a historian and academic who teaches at Boston College.
The post Liberal ‘Historian’ Claims Republicans Accuse Other People of What They Are Doing, Just Like the Nazis (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital allegedly continued to perform procedures on children despite a Texas law prohibiting them, with Governor Greg Abbott calling such interventions “child abuse.”
Through a special program sponsored by the Diocese of Rome, Sapienza University and the Sant’Egidio Community, 72 young people from Gaza will be able to continue studies cut short by the war.
In his homily at a Mass that was part of an event organized by the Cuban Embassy to the Holy See, Cardinal Czerny said that any decisions and any aid to Cuba should be for the welfare of the people.
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 18:23-28
After staying in Antioch some time,
Paul left and traveled in orderly sequence
through the Galatian country and Phrygia,
bringing strength to all the disciples.
A Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria,
an eloquent speaker, arrived in Ephesus.
He was an authority on the Scriptures.
He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord and,
with ardent spirit, spoke and taught accurately about Jesus,
although he knew only the baptism of John.
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue;
but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him,
they took him aside
and explained to him the Way of God more accurately.
And when he wanted to cross to Achaia,
the brothers encouraged him
and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.
After his arrival he gave great assistance
to those who had come to believe through grace.
He vigorously refuted the Jews in public,
establishing from the Scriptures that the Christ is Jesus.
From the Gospel according to John
16:23b-28
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.
Until now you have not asked anything in my name;
ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
“I have told you this in figures of speech.
The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures
but I will tell you clearly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you.
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have come to believe that I came from God.
I came from the Father and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
We can say that this passage of the Gospel of John is the declaration of ascent to the Father. The Father was always present in Jesus’s life , and Jesus spoke about Him. Jesus prayed to the Father. And many times, He spoke about the Father who cares for us, as He cares for the birds, the lilies of the field… the Father. And when the disciples asked to learn how to pray, Jesus taught them to pray to the Father: “Our Father” (Mt 6:9). He always addresses the Father. But in this passage it is very strong; it is also as if He opened the doors of the omnipotence of prayer. (…) This trust in the Father, trust in the Father who is capable of doing everything, This courage to pray, because it takes courage to pray! (…) Praying is going with Jesus to the Father who will give you everything. Courage in prayer, boldness in prayer. (Pope Francis, Homily Santa Marta, 10 May 2020)
Read MoreThere comes a point in many astrophotographers’ lives when we realize that our standard DSLR just isn’t going to cut it anymore, and there’s just one reason why. There’s a noticeable lack of red in astroimages, and the stock UV/IR filter over the sensor is the culprit. To better mimic the human eye, these filtersContinue reading “Modifying your DSLR for astrophotography”
The post Modifying your DSLR for astrophotography appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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With graduation season underway, here is a roundup of individuals who will receive honorary degrees from Catholic colleges at commencement ceremonies across the country.
The Vatican said on May 13 that the Society of St. Pius X’s plan to consecrate new bishops without papal mandate will be a schismatic act resulting in excommunication.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Disturbing reports out of the San Francisco County Detention Center revealed that inmates were using their iPad access to watch the San Francisco Giants.
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LONDON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer, amidst calls for his immediate resignation, sheepishly admitted to having no idea how to pronounce his own name.
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Fields in the Nilgiri mountains in early morning light, near Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India
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You’re allowed to play with your food when you’re on the International Space Station! To celebrate a delivery of fresh food, NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway (bottom left), Jessica Meir (middle left), and Chris Williams (bottom right), and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot (top right) pose for a group photo.
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Just in time for America’s 250th birthday celebrations, the liberal Associated Press is suddenly floating the idea of gun control for muskets.
The post BEYOND PARODY: The Associated Press Floats Idea of Gun Control for… MUSKETS (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Under Gavin Newsom, California has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to give electronic devices to prisoners.
The post California Bought iPads for People in Prison and You’ll Never Guess What the Inmates Are Using Them For appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Chloe Cole is a young woman who was ‘transitioned’ to male as a young teen and then returned to female a few years later.
The post Detransitioner Forced to Cancel Talk at University of Washington Due to Alleged Threats From Antifa (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Canada’s March for Life takes in place in May to mark the month in 1969 when the omnibus bill that decriminalized abortion in Canada was passed. This year’s march fell on the anniversary of the vote.
Despite the “uphill battle” families face, Hebda encourages them: “Dear families, please take heart. You are not alone. The Church journeys with you, the Church loves you, and the Church needs you!”
“There are conflicts and issues in the world that cannot be solved diplomatically, no matter how hard you try,” Rubio said.
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 18:9-18
One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision,
"Do not be afraid.
Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.
No one will attack and harm you,
for I have many people in this city."
He settled there for a year and a half
and taught the word of God among them.
But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia,
the Jews rose up together against Paul
and brought him to the tribunal, saying,
"This man is inducing people to worship God contrary to the law."
When Paul was about to reply, Gallio spoke to the Jews,
"If it were a matter of some crime or malicious fraud,
I should with reason hear the complaint of you Jews;
but since it is a question of arguments over doctrine and titles
and your own law, see to it yourselves.
I do not wish to be a judge of such matters."
And he drove them away from the tribunal.
They all seized Sosthenes, the synagogue official,
and beat him in full view of the tribunal.
But none of this was of concern to Gallio.
Paul remained for quite some time,
and after saying farewell to the brothers he sailed for Syria,
together with Priscilla and Aquila.
At Cenchreae he had shaved his head because he had taken a vow.
From the Gospel according to John
16:20-23
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."
And we must be truthful with ourselves: not all of Christian life is a celebration. Not all of it! We weep, very often we weep. When you are sick; when you have a problem in the family, with your son, with your daughter, your wife, your husband; when you realize that your salary won’t last until the end of the month and you have a sick child; when you realize you cannot pay your mortgage and have to move out… So many problems, so many that we have. But Jesus tells us: “Do not be afraid!” “Yes, you will be sad, you will weep, and there will even be people who take pleasure in this, people who are against you”. … “Your sadness will turn into joy”. But it is difficult, when you go to a man or woman who is sick, who is suffering a lot, to say: “Take heart! Take heart! Tomorrow you will have joy!” No, you cannot say this. We must make them feel how Jesus made them feel. We too, when we are in the midst of darkness, seeing nothing: “I know, Lord, that this sorrow will turn into joy. I don’t know how, but I know it!” An act of faith in the Lord. An act of faith! To be courageous in suffering and to think that afterwards comes the Lord, afterwards comes joy, after the darkness comes the sun. May the Lord give all of us. This joy in hope. (Pope Francis, Homily at Santa Marta, 30 May 2014)
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Beyond The Beacon podcast 111: Walking with a future saint? Lo Anne Mayer on her friendship with Fulton Sheen #Catholic – 
What was it like to be friends with possible future saint Archbishop Fulton Sheen? For this episode, we hear from Lo Anne Mayer, formerly of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, N.J., of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J.
Mayer struck up a friendship with the beloved, world-renowned Catholic radio and TV evangelist in 1974 after hearing him speak at Christ the King Church in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J.
The two would speak a couple of times a week over the phone until he died in 1979. Archbishop Sheen sought out her views on particular topics to help make his talks more relevant to his audience.
Sheen baptized Lo Anne and her husband Raymond’s youngest child, Michael, at Corpus Christi in 1975.
She joins Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., and co-host Communications Director Jai Agnish to recount the stories of her close friendship with Archbishop Sheen. We also discuss some of Archbishop Sheen’s other ties to the Diocese of Paterson.
Lo Anne, 85, now living in Manchester, N.J., heard the news on March 25 that Archbishop Sheen — now Venerable Fulton J. Sheen — is getting a step closer to sainthood. With joy, she plans to attend with her family the Mass of his beatification, where he will be designated as “blessed.” This will take place on Thursday, Sept. 24, at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo.
Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel.
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– What was it like to be friends with possible future saint Archbishop Fulton Sheen? For this episode, we hear from Lo Anne Mayer, formerly of Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township, N.J., of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. Mayer struck up a friendship with the beloved, world-renowned Catholic radio and TV evangelist in 1974 after hearing him speak at Christ the King Church in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J. The two would speak a couple of times a week over the phone until he died in 1979. Archbishop Sheen sought out her views on particular topics to
Church leaders in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu call the election of actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay a source of pride in a country where Christians face growing persecution.
Organizers of the Würzburg congress told EWTN News the group’s guidelines contain ‘no contradiction with the Catechism.’
The saint who settled a violent conflict #Catholic – 
The little town of Cascia, Italy, in the mountainous region of Umbria, is a pilgrimage destination for those wishing to visit the relics of St. Rita of Cascia. Today, St. Rita’s incorrupt remains are housed in the Basilica that bears her name and which was built in the early 20th century. But the town of Cascia has been a destination for pilgrims ever since her death on May 22nd, 1457, and we now celebrate her feast day on May 22nd.
Pilgrims continue to visit Cascia to pray for St. Rita’s intercession just as they have for hundreds of years. Carved into the holy door and façade of the basilica are scenes from her life. Many turn to her in difficult circumstances because she is a patron of impossible causes.
St. Rita wanted to become a nun from a young age but was given in marriage to a violent man embroiled in feuding that consumed Cascia. She worked tirelessly to convert her husband—and there are reports that she succeeded to a degree. But he eventually died a violent death at the hands of his enemies. Rita’s sons took up their father’s feud but later died of illness before they could exact revenge.
Having publicly forgiven her husband’s killers, Rita was happy to see her sons follow in her footsteps on their deathbeds by renouncing their feud and offering forgiveness. She mourned the loss of her sons but hoped to meet them again in heaven, confident in the state of their souls as they passed.
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At the age of 36, Rita decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a nun. But the Augustinian convent in Cascia she sought to enter was wary of her association with the feuding families of the town, so the nuns made a stipulation: “Bring peace to Cascia and you may enter the convent.”
What Rita accomplished next earned her the title “Peacemaker of Cascia.” To many, it seemed almost miraculous that she was able to intercede with factions at the center of the conflict to bring peace to the town and earn acceptance into the convent. Some also considered it a near miracle that Abbess Maria Teresa Fasce, head of the Augustinian convent in Cascia from 1920 to 1947, succeeded in having a basilica built to honor the enduring impact of St. Rita’s life.
But those who have shared a devotion to St. Rita throughout the centuries have always understood the importance of her example and her worthiness of such an honor. When St. Rita passed away in 1457, a local carpenter who had been partially paralyzed lamented the simple preparations for burial being made for her.
“If only I were well,” he said, “I would have prepared a place more worthy of you.” The moment he spoke those words, the carpenter was healed, and he crafted a beautiful coffin for her.
Today, the Basilica of St. Rita of Cascia displays her incorrupt body behind glass, where pilgrims can glimpse the miraculous and meditate upon the hope of being restored and reunited in peace with those we love.
The life story of St. Rita of Cascia demonstrates the immense influence we have on the world when we devote ourselves to cultivating peace. St. Rita made such a profound mark that she continues to inspire devotion. May she intercede on behalf of all those who turn to her, especially those in trying circumstances seeking help from God with the most impossible causes.
For free copies of the Christopher News Note NURTURING SEEDS OF FAITH AND HOPE, write: The Christophers, 264 West 40th Street, Room 603, New York, NY 10018; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org
– The little town of Cascia, Italy, in the mountainous region of Umbria, is a pilgrimage destination for those wishing to visit the relics of St. Rita of Cascia. Today, St. Rita’s incorrupt remains are housed in the Basilica that bears her name and which was built in the early 20th century. But the town of Cascia has been a destination for pilgrims ever since her death on May 22nd, 1457, and we now celebrate her feast day on May 22nd. Pilgrims continue to visit Cascia to pray for St. Rita’s intercession just as they have for hundreds of years. Carved