Gospel and Word of the Day – 28 August 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 1:17-25 Brothers and sisters: Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside. Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.From the Gospel according to Matthew 25:1-13 Jesus told his disciples this parable: ?The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.  Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ?Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!?  Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.  The foolish ones said to the wise, ?Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.?  But the wise ones replied, ?No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.?  While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.  Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ?Lord, Lord, open the door for us!?  But he said in reply, ?Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.?  Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.?Today?s Gospel is a famous parable that speaks of ten maidens invited to a wedding feast, a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven and of eternal life (Mt 25:1-13). It is a happy image with which, however, Jesus teaches a truth that calls us into question. In fact five of those 10 maidens were admitted to the feast because when the bridegroom arrived they had brought the oil to light their lamps, whereas the other five were left outside because they had been foolish enough not to bring any. What is represented by this ?oil?, the indispensable prerequisite for being admitted to the nuptial banquet? St Augustine (cf. Discourses 93, 4), and other ancient authors interpreted it as a symbol of love that one cannot purchase but receives as a gift, preserves within one and uses in works. True wisdom is making the most of mortal life in order to do works of mercy, for after death this will no longer be possible. When we are reawoken for the Last Judgement, it will be made on the basis of the love we have shown in our earthly life (cf. Mt 25:31-46). And this love is a gift of Christ, poured out in us by the Holy Spirit. Those who believe in God-Love bear within them invincible hope, like a lamp to light them on their way through the night beyond death to arrive at the great feast of life. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 6 November 2011)

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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
1:17-25

Brothers and sisters:
Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel,
and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written:
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the learning of the learned I will set aside.
Where is the wise one?
Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age?
Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
For since in the wisdom of God
the world did not come to know God through wisdom,
it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation
to save those who have faith.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
?The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 
Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. 
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
?Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!? 
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. 
The foolish ones said to the wise,
?Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.? 
But the wise ones replied,
?No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.? 
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. 
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
?Lord, Lord, open the door for us!? 
But he said in reply,
?Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.? 
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.?

Today?s Gospel is a famous parable that speaks of ten maidens invited to a wedding feast, a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven and of eternal life (Mt 25:1-13). It is a happy image with which, however, Jesus teaches a truth that calls us into question. In fact five of those 10 maidens were admitted to the feast because when the bridegroom arrived they had brought the oil to light their lamps, whereas the other five were left outside because they had been foolish enough not to bring any. What is represented by this ?oil?, the indispensable prerequisite for being admitted to the nuptial banquet?

St Augustine (cf. Discourses 93, 4), and other ancient authors interpreted it as a symbol of love that one cannot purchase but receives as a gift, preserves within one and uses in works. True wisdom is making the most of mortal life in order to do works of mercy, for after death this will no longer be possible. When we are reawoken for the Last Judgement, it will be made on the basis of the love we have shown in our earthly life (cf. Mt 25:31-46). And this love is a gift of Christ, poured out in us by the Holy Spirit. Those who believe in God-Love bear within them invincible hope, like a lamp to light them on their way through the night beyond death to arrive at the great feast of life. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 6 November 2011)

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Padres afectados por el tiroteo de 2025 en la escuela Annunciation se reúnen para orar y reflexionar antes del nuevo año escolar #Catholic – EDINA, Minnesota — La iglesia católica Nuestra Señora de la Gracia se llenó hasta los topes durante la Misa del 19 de agosto, previa a “Una velada con los padres de la Anunciación: fe, esperanza y resiliencia”, un evento celebrado ocho días antes del primer aniversario del tiroteo mortal ocurrido en la cercana Annunciation Catholic School en Minneapolis. Tras la Misa vespertina de la parroquia, presidida por el arzobispo Bernard A. Hebda de St. Paul-Minneapolis, la reunión en el salón parroquial contó con una mesa redonda en la que participaron tres padres de alumnos de Annunciation y un recién graduado de esta escuela, que abarca desde preescolar hasta octavo grado. Relataron sus experiencias y lo que vivieron tras el tiroteo ocurrido en Annunciation Catholic Church (Iglesia Católica de la Anunciación) durante una Misa para toda la escuela el 27 de agosto de 2025, en el que murieron dos alumnos: Harper Moyski, de 10 años, y Fletcher Merkel, de 8. Los ponentes adultos fueron Laura Eiden, maestra de kindergarten de la escuela, y los padres de familia Tara Keegan y Dan Brady. Annunciation Light Alliance –un grupo de defensa liderado por padres– ayudó a organizar el evento. El padre Kevin Finnegan, párroco de Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, ayudó a moderar el debate y concelebró la Misa. El padre Dennis Zehren, párroco de Annunciation, fue uno de los concelebrantes. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. En su homilía, el arzobispo Hebda animó a todos a confiar en que Dios “nos trata como ese buen pastor”, un pastor con un gran amor por sus ovejas, “que se asegura de que no nos falte nada en esos verdes pastos a los que nos conduce”. “Ahora bien, hermanos y hermanas, hay momentos en los que los pastos no parecen tan verdes y, sin duda, para muchas familias de nuestra arquidiócesis ha sido difícil ver el verdor de los pastos desde el pasado 27 de agosto”, afirmó el arzobispo Hebda. “Y, sin embargo, también vemos bendiciones”, continuó. “Vemos esos indicios de la bondad de Dios, de su generosidad y de su corazón, y confiamos en que seguirá guiándonos hacia una visión más profunda de cómo es generoso con nosotros y de cómo nos ama con corazón de pastor”. Con el padre Finnegan como moderador, los cuatro ponentes compartieron su experiencia durante ese 27 de agosto. Algunos se encontraban en la iglesia durante el tiroteo, y otros se dirigían hacia allí tras enterarse de la noticia. Todos los ponentes compartieron su profundo dolor. Brady afirmó que encuentra esperanza en momentos como el evento celebrado en Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, donde “la gente sigue reuniéndose para escuchar estas historias, dar testimonio de ellas y actuar” con “la intención de hacerlo mejor”. Como profesora, Eiden comentó: “La gente me pregunta constantemente cómo estamos, cómo están los niños, cómo están los profesores”. “La realidad es que solo puedo responder a esa pregunta por mí misma”, explicó. “Dado que este camino hacia la sanación es increíblemente personal, ninguno tiene la misma experiencia de ese día, el camino (hacia la sanación) tampoco es el mismo. Lo que he podido ver por mí misma es que mi comunidad de Annunciation, mis niños y mis estudiantes me impulsan a seguir adelante. Me necesitan y yo los necesito”. Afirmo que los alumnos de Annunciation son una fuente de esperanza para ella. “¿Lo están pasando mal? Sí, la verdad es que sí. Y, sin embargo, se levantan cada día después de haber vivido lo que han vivido”, dijo. “Brillan, y siguen siendo la razón por la que estamos aquí y contamos estas historias”. Keegan habló de su lucha contra la ira y dijo que “cada vez que siento esa ira, me recuerdo a mí misma que lo que ocurrió no formaba parte del plan de Dios”. “Él no se quedó de brazos cruzados permitiendo que esto sucediera. Esto ocurrió a causa del mal, y por eso, cuando siento esa ira, cuando cualquiera de nosotros siente ira, depende de nosotros elegir qué vamos a hacer con esa ira”, afirmó. “El diablo, el mal, las tinieblas no desean otra cosa que no sea que nos enfademos con Dios”, continuó. “No desean otra cosa que no sea que le demos la espalda a Dios y que no volvamos a pisar una iglesia jamás. Depende de nosotros canalizar esa ira para hacer el bien. Tomar lo que el enemigo pretendía para el mal y convertirlo en algo bueno”. Poco a poco, contó Keegan, empezó a pasar más tiempo en la capilla de adoración eucarística. Rezaba un rosario todos los días y encontraba consuelo en la oración y en la presencia de Dios en la Misa y en la comunidad. “Es difícil, y cada día es diferente”, dijo Brady. “Creo que hay que ir paso a paso. A veces das pasos atrás. Pero esa es la realidad de lo que estamos intentando hacer aquí”. “Creo que una parte importante de ello es esta comunidad”, añadió Keegan. “No solo la de la Anunciación, sino más allá. La comunidad ha sido un gran apoyo para nosotros. Honestamente, sin ellos, no sé donde estaríamos. Cada día estoy agradecida por Annunciation”. El padre Finnegan dijo que estaba agradecido por la valentía y la sinceridad con las que los invitados habían compartido sus sentimientos. “Es un poderoso recordatorio de que todos llevamos el duelo, el sufrimiento y el dolor de manera diferente”, afirmó el padre Finnegan. “Pero también podemos aprender y crecer a partir de ello”. Joe Eiden, padre de un alumno de Annunciation, feligrés y esposo de Laura Eiden, habló en nombre de Annunciation Light Alliance (ALA). Afirmó que el grupo sigue recurriendo al personal y a los dirigentes de Annunciation en busca de orientación sobre “cómo encontrar la fuerza para avanzar hacia un futuro más seguro para todos ustedes”. En los últimos meses, la ALA ha establecido relaciones con legisladores de todo el espectro político, señaló. “Creemos que proteger a los niños de la violencia armada no es una cuestión política, sino una cuestión de conciencia”, afirmó Joe Eiden. “Seguimos creyendo que compartir nuestras experiencias puede conducir a la acción, y que la acción puede conducir al cambio. No podemos permitirnos creer que estas tragedias son inevitables. No lo son”. La velada concluyó con el arzobispo Hebda y el padre Finnegan encabezando una procesión desde el Cassidy Hall hasta la iglesia para dedicar un momento a la oración en silencio. Annunciation comienza el nuevo año escolar el 31 de agosto. Josh McGovern es reportero de The Catholic Spirit, periódico de la Arquidiócesis de St. Paul y Minneapolis. Este artículo fue publicado originalmente en inglés por The Catholic Spirit y se distribuye a través de una colaboración con OSV News.  
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Padres afectados por el tiroteo de 2025 en la escuela Annunciation se reúnen para orar y reflexionar antes del nuevo año escolar #Catholic – EDINA, Minnesota — La iglesia católica Nuestra Señora de la Gracia se llenó hasta los topes durante la Misa del 19 de agosto, previa a “Una velada con los padres de la Anunciación: fe, esperanza y resiliencia”, un evento celebrado ocho días antes del primer aniversario del tiroteo mortal ocurrido en la cercana Annunciation Catholic School en Minneapolis. Tras la Misa vespertina de la parroquia, presidida por el arzobispo Bernard A. Hebda de St. Paul-Minneapolis, la reunión en el salón parroquial contó con una mesa redonda en la que participaron tres padres de alumnos de Annunciation y un recién graduado de esta escuela, que abarca desde preescolar hasta octavo grado. Relataron sus experiencias y lo que vivieron tras el tiroteo ocurrido en Annunciation Catholic Church (Iglesia Católica de la Anunciación) durante una Misa para toda la escuela el 27 de agosto de 2025, en el que murieron dos alumnos: Harper Moyski, de 10 años, y Fletcher Merkel, de 8. Los ponentes adultos fueron Laura Eiden, maestra de kindergarten de la escuela, y los padres de familia Tara Keegan y Dan Brady. Annunciation Light Alliance –un grupo de defensa liderado por padres– ayudó a organizar el evento. El padre Kevin Finnegan, párroco de Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, ayudó a moderar el debate y concelebró la Misa. El padre Dennis Zehren, párroco de Annunciation, fue uno de los concelebrantes. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. En su homilía, el arzobispo Hebda animó a todos a confiar en que Dios “nos trata como ese buen pastor”, un pastor con un gran amor por sus ovejas, “que se asegura de que no nos falte nada en esos verdes pastos a los que nos conduce”. “Ahora bien, hermanos y hermanas, hay momentos en los que los pastos no parecen tan verdes y, sin duda, para muchas familias de nuestra arquidiócesis ha sido difícil ver el verdor de los pastos desde el pasado 27 de agosto”, afirmó el arzobispo Hebda. “Y, sin embargo, también vemos bendiciones”, continuó. “Vemos esos indicios de la bondad de Dios, de su generosidad y de su corazón, y confiamos en que seguirá guiándonos hacia una visión más profunda de cómo es generoso con nosotros y de cómo nos ama con corazón de pastor”. Con el padre Finnegan como moderador, los cuatro ponentes compartieron su experiencia durante ese 27 de agosto. Algunos se encontraban en la iglesia durante el tiroteo, y otros se dirigían hacia allí tras enterarse de la noticia. Todos los ponentes compartieron su profundo dolor. Brady afirmó que encuentra esperanza en momentos como el evento celebrado en Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, donde “la gente sigue reuniéndose para escuchar estas historias, dar testimonio de ellas y actuar” con “la intención de hacerlo mejor”. Como profesora, Eiden comentó: “La gente me pregunta constantemente cómo estamos, cómo están los niños, cómo están los profesores”. “La realidad es que solo puedo responder a esa pregunta por mí misma”, explicó. “Dado que este camino hacia la sanación es increíblemente personal, ninguno tiene la misma experiencia de ese día, el camino (hacia la sanación) tampoco es el mismo. Lo que he podido ver por mí misma es que mi comunidad de Annunciation, mis niños y mis estudiantes me impulsan a seguir adelante. Me necesitan y yo los necesito”. Afirmo que los alumnos de Annunciation son una fuente de esperanza para ella. “¿Lo están pasando mal? Sí, la verdad es que sí. Y, sin embargo, se levantan cada día después de haber vivido lo que han vivido”, dijo. “Brillan, y siguen siendo la razón por la que estamos aquí y contamos estas historias”. Keegan habló de su lucha contra la ira y dijo que “cada vez que siento esa ira, me recuerdo a mí misma que lo que ocurrió no formaba parte del plan de Dios”. “Él no se quedó de brazos cruzados permitiendo que esto sucediera. Esto ocurrió a causa del mal, y por eso, cuando siento esa ira, cuando cualquiera de nosotros siente ira, depende de nosotros elegir qué vamos a hacer con esa ira”, afirmó. “El diablo, el mal, las tinieblas no desean otra cosa que no sea que nos enfademos con Dios”, continuó. “No desean otra cosa que no sea que le demos la espalda a Dios y que no volvamos a pisar una iglesia jamás. Depende de nosotros canalizar esa ira para hacer el bien. Tomar lo que el enemigo pretendía para el mal y convertirlo en algo bueno”. Poco a poco, contó Keegan, empezó a pasar más tiempo en la capilla de adoración eucarística. Rezaba un rosario todos los días y encontraba consuelo en la oración y en la presencia de Dios en la Misa y en la comunidad. “Es difícil, y cada día es diferente”, dijo Brady. “Creo que hay que ir paso a paso. A veces das pasos atrás. Pero esa es la realidad de lo que estamos intentando hacer aquí”. “Creo que una parte importante de ello es esta comunidad”, añadió Keegan. “No solo la de la Anunciación, sino más allá. La comunidad ha sido un gran apoyo para nosotros. Honestamente, sin ellos, no sé donde estaríamos. Cada día estoy agradecida por Annunciation”. El padre Finnegan dijo que estaba agradecido por la valentía y la sinceridad con las que los invitados habían compartido sus sentimientos. “Es un poderoso recordatorio de que todos llevamos el duelo, el sufrimiento y el dolor de manera diferente”, afirmó el padre Finnegan. “Pero también podemos aprender y crecer a partir de ello”. Joe Eiden, padre de un alumno de Annunciation, feligrés y esposo de Laura Eiden, habló en nombre de Annunciation Light Alliance (ALA). Afirmó que el grupo sigue recurriendo al personal y a los dirigentes de Annunciation en busca de orientación sobre “cómo encontrar la fuerza para avanzar hacia un futuro más seguro para todos ustedes”. En los últimos meses, la ALA ha establecido relaciones con legisladores de todo el espectro político, señaló. “Creemos que proteger a los niños de la violencia armada no es una cuestión política, sino una cuestión de conciencia”, afirmó Joe Eiden. “Seguimos creyendo que compartir nuestras experiencias puede conducir a la acción, y que la acción puede conducir al cambio. No podemos permitirnos creer que estas tragedias son inevitables. No lo son”. La velada concluyó con el arzobispo Hebda y el padre Finnegan encabezando una procesión desde el Cassidy Hall hasta la iglesia para dedicar un momento a la oración en silencio. Annunciation comienza el nuevo año escolar el 31 de agosto. Josh McGovern es reportero de The Catholic Spirit, periódico de la Arquidiócesis de St. Paul y Minneapolis. Este artículo fue publicado originalmente en inglés por The Catholic Spirit y se distribuye a través de una colaboración con OSV News.  

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Padres afectados por el tiroteo de 2025 en la escuela Annunciation se reúnen para orar y reflexionar antes del nuevo año escolar #Catholic –

EDINA, Minnesota — La iglesia católica Nuestra Señora de la Gracia se llenó hasta los topes durante la Misa del 19 de agosto, previa a “Una velada con los padres de la Anunciación: fe, esperanza y resiliencia”, un evento celebrado ocho días antes del primer aniversario del tiroteo mortal ocurrido en la cercana Annunciation Catholic School en Minneapolis.

Tras la Misa vespertina de la parroquia, presidida por el arzobispo Bernard A. Hebda de St. Paul-Minneapolis, la reunión en el salón parroquial contó con una mesa redonda en la que participaron tres padres de alumnos de Annunciation y un recién graduado de esta escuela, que abarca desde preescolar hasta octavo grado.

Relataron sus experiencias y lo que vivieron tras el tiroteo ocurrido en Annunciation Catholic Church (Iglesia Católica de la Anunciación) durante una Misa para toda la escuela el 27 de agosto de 2025, en el que murieron dos alumnos: Harper Moyski, de 10 años, y Fletcher Merkel, de 8.

Los ponentes adultos fueron Laura Eiden, maestra de kindergarten de la escuela, y los padres de familia Tara Keegan y Dan Brady.

Annunciation Light Alliance –un grupo de defensa liderado por padres– ayudó a organizar el evento. El padre Kevin Finnegan, párroco de Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, ayudó a moderar el debate y concelebró la Misa. El padre Dennis Zehren, párroco de Annunciation, fue uno de los concelebrantes.

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

En su homilía, el arzobispo Hebda animó a todos a confiar en que Dios “nos trata como ese buen pastor”, un pastor con un gran amor por sus ovejas, “que se asegura de que no nos falte nada en esos verdes pastos a los que nos conduce”.

“Ahora bien, hermanos y hermanas, hay momentos en los que los pastos no parecen tan verdes y, sin duda, para muchas familias de nuestra arquidiócesis ha sido difícil ver el verdor de los pastos desde el pasado 27 de agosto”, afirmó el arzobispo Hebda.

“Y, sin embargo, también vemos bendiciones”, continuó. “Vemos esos indicios de la bondad de Dios, de su generosidad y de su corazón, y confiamos en que seguirá guiándonos hacia una visión más profunda de cómo es generoso con nosotros y de cómo nos ama con corazón de pastor”.

Con el padre Finnegan como moderador, los cuatro ponentes compartieron su experiencia durante ese 27 de agosto. Algunos se encontraban en la iglesia durante el tiroteo, y otros se dirigían hacia allí tras enterarse de la noticia. Todos los ponentes compartieron su profundo dolor.

Brady afirmó que encuentra esperanza en momentos como el evento celebrado en Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, donde “la gente sigue reuniéndose para escuchar estas historias, dar testimonio de ellas y actuar” con “la intención de hacerlo mejor”.

Como profesora, Eiden comentó: “La gente me pregunta constantemente cómo estamos, cómo están los niños, cómo están los profesores”.

“La realidad es que solo puedo responder a esa pregunta por mí misma”, explicó. “Dado que este camino hacia la sanación es increíblemente personal, ninguno tiene la misma experiencia de ese día, el camino (hacia la sanación) tampoco es el mismo. Lo que he podido ver por mí misma es que mi comunidad de Annunciation, mis niños y mis estudiantes me impulsan a seguir adelante. Me necesitan y yo los necesito”.

Afirmo que los alumnos de Annunciation son una fuente de esperanza para ella.

“¿Lo están pasando mal? Sí, la verdad es que sí. Y, sin embargo, se levantan cada día después de haber vivido lo que han vivido”, dijo. “Brillan, y siguen siendo la razón por la que estamos aquí y contamos estas historias”.

Keegan habló de su lucha contra la ira y dijo que “cada vez que siento esa ira, me recuerdo a mí misma que lo que ocurrió no formaba parte del plan de Dios”.

“Él no se quedó de brazos cruzados permitiendo que esto sucediera. Esto ocurrió a causa del mal, y por eso, cuando siento esa ira, cuando cualquiera de nosotros siente ira, depende de nosotros elegir qué vamos a hacer con esa ira”, afirmó.

“El diablo, el mal, las tinieblas no desean otra cosa que no sea que nos enfademos con Dios”, continuó. “No desean otra cosa que no sea que le demos la espalda a Dios y que no volvamos a pisar una iglesia jamás. Depende de nosotros canalizar esa ira para hacer el bien. Tomar lo que el enemigo pretendía para el mal y convertirlo en algo bueno”.

Poco a poco, contó Keegan, empezó a pasar más tiempo en la capilla de adoración eucarística. Rezaba un rosario todos los días y encontraba consuelo en la oración y en la presencia de Dios en la Misa y en la comunidad.

“Es difícil, y cada día es diferente”, dijo Brady. “Creo que hay que ir paso a paso. A veces das pasos atrás. Pero esa es la realidad de lo que estamos intentando hacer aquí”.

“Creo que una parte importante de ello es esta comunidad”, añadió Keegan. “No solo la de la Anunciación, sino más allá. La comunidad ha sido un gran apoyo para nosotros. Honestamente, sin ellos, no sé donde estaríamos. Cada día estoy agradecida por Annunciation”.

El padre Finnegan dijo que estaba agradecido por la valentía y la sinceridad con las que los invitados habían compartido sus sentimientos.

“Es un poderoso recordatorio de que todos llevamos el duelo, el sufrimiento y el dolor de manera diferente”, afirmó el padre Finnegan. “Pero también podemos aprender y crecer a partir de ello”.

Joe Eiden, padre de un alumno de Annunciation, feligrés y esposo de Laura Eiden, habló en nombre de Annunciation Light Alliance (ALA). Afirmó que el grupo sigue recurriendo al personal y a los dirigentes de Annunciation en busca de orientación sobre “cómo encontrar la fuerza para avanzar hacia un futuro más seguro para todos ustedes”.

En los últimos meses, la ALA ha establecido relaciones con legisladores de todo el espectro político, señaló.

“Creemos que proteger a los niños de la violencia armada no es una cuestión política, sino una cuestión de conciencia”, afirmó Joe Eiden. “Seguimos creyendo que compartir nuestras experiencias puede conducir a la acción, y que la acción puede conducir al cambio. No podemos permitirnos creer que estas tragedias son inevitables. No lo son”.

La velada concluyó con el arzobispo Hebda y el padre Finnegan encabezando una procesión desde el Cassidy Hall hasta la iglesia para dedicar un momento a la oración en silencio. Annunciation comienza el nuevo año escolar el 31 de agosto.

Josh McGovern es reportero de The Catholic Spirit, periódico de la Arquidiócesis de St. Paul y Minneapolis. Este artículo fue publicado originalmente en inglés por The Catholic Spirit y se distribuye a través de una colaboración con OSV News.

 

– EDINA, Minnesota — La iglesia católica Nuestra Señora de la Gracia se llenó hasta los topes durante la Misa del 19 de agosto, previa a “Una velada con los padres de la Anunciación: fe, esperanza y resiliencia”, un evento celebrado ocho días antes del primer aniversario del tiroteo mortal ocurrido en la cercana Annunciation Catholic School en Minneapolis. Tras la Misa vespertina de la parroquia, presidida por el arzobispo Bernard A. Hebda de St. Paul-Minneapolis, la reunión en el salón parroquial contó con una mesa redonda en la que participaron tres padres de alumnos de Annunciation y un recién graduado

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Para experimentar una verdadera relación con Dios en la liturgia, la participación de los fieles no puede ser pasiva, dice el Papa León #Catholic – CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Situada “en la línea de la tradición viva de la Iglesia”, la reforma litúrgica propuesta por el Concilio Vaticano II surgió de la necesidad de que los fieles celebraran la liturgia de manera más “consciente y activa”, y no “como extraños y mudos espectadores”, dijo el Papa León XIV. “Los fieles ‘no pueden ni deben permanecer mudos y pasivos. Su presencia material no puede conciliarse con su ausencia espiritual’”, dijo, citando al cardenal Giovanni Battista Montini de Milán, el futuro Papa Pablo VI y santo, quien asistía en ese momento a la primera sesión del concilio en 1962. Los Padres conciliares expresaron “una renovada conciencia del valor de la liturgia”, dijo el Papa León durante su discurso en la audiencia general en la Basílica de San Pedro el 26 de agosto, que se centró en la constitución sobre la liturgia sagrada, “Sacrosanctum Concilium”, y en las razones por las que el concilio buscó promover la reforma de la liturgia. Fue la última catequesis del Papa dedicada a la primera constitución del concilio tras haber iniciado el 7 de enero su nueva serie de charlas sobre los documentos del Concilio Vaticano II, con el fin de que las personas se sintieran motivadas a releerlos y reflexionar sobre ellos, en lugar de basar su comprensión de los textos en “rumores” y en las interpretaciones de otros, según había señalado. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. Si bien la reforma litúrgica impulsada por el concilio “se sitúa, por lo tanto, en la línea de la tradición viva de la Iglesia”, explicó el Papa León, la reforma también debe entenderse adecuadamente. “Su correcta comprensión permite también rechazar los abusos que se han verificado en algunos sectores de la Iglesia en la etapa postconciliar, y que lamentablemente a veces todavía hoy se verifican, absolutizando o comprendiendo mal algunos de los principios que estaban en la base de la misma reforma”, dijo. Durante la liturgia, “se realiza el memorial de la obra de la salvación”, y las acciones rituales de la Iglesia también brindan la oportunidad “de vivir la verdadera relación con Dios, entrando en contacto con el evento salvífico”, dijo el Papa. “Puesto que los gestos, las palabras de la sagrada liturgia son decisivos para realizar esta experiencia, la participación de los fieles no puede ser pasiva”. La reforma del concilio puso “en el centro lo que constituye el corazón de la experiencia eclesial”, señaló. Por lo tanto, la intención era “hacer resplandecer la liturgia como ‘la primera fuente de la vida divina que se nos comunica’”. Debido a la importancia del lenguaje, la enseñanza y la “inteligibilidad”, surgió “la exigencia de hacer más accesible a todos los fieles la riqueza de los textos bíblicos y de las oraciones, y de hacer más lineal el ordenamiento celebrativo respecto al previsto en los libros litúrgicos entonces vigentes”, afirmó. La liturgia es “una realidad viva”, señaló, y siempre ha estado sujeta a desarrollos y cambios a lo largo de los siglos. “No sorprende entonces que también el Concilio Vaticano II, con el máximo respeto por el patrimonio de la tradición, y precisamente con el fin de hacerlo más accesible, haya considerado necesaria una revisión de los libros litúrgicos”, dijo el Papa León. Citando la constitución conciliar, señaló: “Porque la Liturgia consta de una parte que es inmutable por ser la institución divina, y de otras partes sujetas a cambio, que en el decurso del tiempo pueden o incluso deben variar, si en ellas se han introducido elementos que no responden bien a la naturaleza íntima de la misma Liturgia o han llegado a ser menos apropiados”. Por lo tanto, los textos y los ritos se deben “ordenar de manera que expresen con mayor claridad las cosas santas que significan y, en lo posible, el pueblo cristiano pueda comprenderlas fácilmente y participar en ellas por medio de una celebración plena, activa y comunitaria”, dijo, citando la constitución. “De esta manera, el pueblo cristiano aprende a reconocer las realidades sagradas, a ofrecerse junto con el sacerdote y a través de sus manos, y a abrirse más a recibir la gracia de Dios”, afirmó en el resumen de su catequesis dirigido a los peregrinos de habla inglesa. En su catequesis principal en italiano, señaló que sigue siendo responsabilidad primordial de los obispos y sacerdotes “custodiar y promover una liturgia que, en el respeto de las normas litúrgicas, resplandezca por su noble sencillez y manifieste así a la Iglesia una, santa, católica y apostólica”. Tal como enseña el concilio, “las acciones litúrgicas no son acciones privadas”, sino celebraciones que atañen a todo el cuerpo de la Iglesia, “que es el ‘sacramento de unidad’, es decir, pueblo santo congregado y ordenado bajo la dirección de los obispos”, dijo, citando la constitución. “En cada celebración de los sacramentos, especialmente de la Eucaristía, pidamos la ayuda de Dios para fortalecernos en nuestro camino y entrar en una relación más profunda con el Señor”, dijo en su resumen en inglés.
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Para experimentar una verdadera relación con Dios en la liturgia, la participación de los fieles no puede ser pasiva, dice el Papa León #Catholic – CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Situada “en la línea de la tradición viva de la Iglesia”, la reforma litúrgica propuesta por el Concilio Vaticano II surgió de la necesidad de que los fieles celebraran la liturgia de manera más “consciente y activa”, y no “como extraños y mudos espectadores”, dijo el Papa León XIV. “Los fieles ‘no pueden ni deben permanecer mudos y pasivos. Su presencia material no puede conciliarse con su ausencia espiritual’”, dijo, citando al cardenal Giovanni Battista Montini de Milán, el futuro Papa Pablo VI y santo, quien asistía en ese momento a la primera sesión del concilio en 1962. Los Padres conciliares expresaron “una renovada conciencia del valor de la liturgia”, dijo el Papa León durante su discurso en la audiencia general en la Basílica de San Pedro el 26 de agosto, que se centró en la constitución sobre la liturgia sagrada, “Sacrosanctum Concilium”, y en las razones por las que el concilio buscó promover la reforma de la liturgia. Fue la última catequesis del Papa dedicada a la primera constitución del concilio tras haber iniciado el 7 de enero su nueva serie de charlas sobre los documentos del Concilio Vaticano II, con el fin de que las personas se sintieran motivadas a releerlos y reflexionar sobre ellos, en lugar de basar su comprensión de los textos en “rumores” y en las interpretaciones de otros, según había señalado. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. Si bien la reforma litúrgica impulsada por el concilio “se sitúa, por lo tanto, en la línea de la tradición viva de la Iglesia”, explicó el Papa León, la reforma también debe entenderse adecuadamente. “Su correcta comprensión permite también rechazar los abusos que se han verificado en algunos sectores de la Iglesia en la etapa postconciliar, y que lamentablemente a veces todavía hoy se verifican, absolutizando o comprendiendo mal algunos de los principios que estaban en la base de la misma reforma”, dijo. Durante la liturgia, “se realiza el memorial de la obra de la salvación”, y las acciones rituales de la Iglesia también brindan la oportunidad “de vivir la verdadera relación con Dios, entrando en contacto con el evento salvífico”, dijo el Papa. “Puesto que los gestos, las palabras de la sagrada liturgia son decisivos para realizar esta experiencia, la participación de los fieles no puede ser pasiva”. La reforma del concilio puso “en el centro lo que constituye el corazón de la experiencia eclesial”, señaló. Por lo tanto, la intención era “hacer resplandecer la liturgia como ‘la primera fuente de la vida divina que se nos comunica’”. Debido a la importancia del lenguaje, la enseñanza y la “inteligibilidad”, surgió “la exigencia de hacer más accesible a todos los fieles la riqueza de los textos bíblicos y de las oraciones, y de hacer más lineal el ordenamiento celebrativo respecto al previsto en los libros litúrgicos entonces vigentes”, afirmó. La liturgia es “una realidad viva”, señaló, y siempre ha estado sujeta a desarrollos y cambios a lo largo de los siglos. “No sorprende entonces que también el Concilio Vaticano II, con el máximo respeto por el patrimonio de la tradición, y precisamente con el fin de hacerlo más accesible, haya considerado necesaria una revisión de los libros litúrgicos”, dijo el Papa León. Citando la constitución conciliar, señaló: “Porque la Liturgia consta de una parte que es inmutable por ser la institución divina, y de otras partes sujetas a cambio, que en el decurso del tiempo pueden o incluso deben variar, si en ellas se han introducido elementos que no responden bien a la naturaleza íntima de la misma Liturgia o han llegado a ser menos apropiados”. Por lo tanto, los textos y los ritos se deben “ordenar de manera que expresen con mayor claridad las cosas santas que significan y, en lo posible, el pueblo cristiano pueda comprenderlas fácilmente y participar en ellas por medio de una celebración plena, activa y comunitaria”, dijo, citando la constitución. “De esta manera, el pueblo cristiano aprende a reconocer las realidades sagradas, a ofrecerse junto con el sacerdote y a través de sus manos, y a abrirse más a recibir la gracia de Dios”, afirmó en el resumen de su catequesis dirigido a los peregrinos de habla inglesa. En su catequesis principal en italiano, señaló que sigue siendo responsabilidad primordial de los obispos y sacerdotes “custodiar y promover una liturgia que, en el respeto de las normas litúrgicas, resplandezca por su noble sencillez y manifieste así a la Iglesia una, santa, católica y apostólica”. Tal como enseña el concilio, “las acciones litúrgicas no son acciones privadas”, sino celebraciones que atañen a todo el cuerpo de la Iglesia, “que es el ‘sacramento de unidad’, es decir, pueblo santo congregado y ordenado bajo la dirección de los obispos”, dijo, citando la constitución. “En cada celebración de los sacramentos, especialmente de la Eucaristía, pidamos la ayuda de Dios para fortalecernos en nuestro camino y entrar en una relación más profunda con el Señor”, dijo en su resumen en inglés.

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Para experimentar una verdadera relación con Dios en la liturgia, la participación de los fieles no puede ser pasiva, dice el Papa León #Catholic –

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Situada “en la línea de la tradición viva de la Iglesia”, la reforma litúrgica propuesta por el Concilio Vaticano II surgió de la necesidad de que los fieles celebraran la liturgia de manera más “consciente y activa”, y no “como extraños y mudos espectadores”, dijo el Papa León XIV.

“Los fieles ‘no pueden ni deben permanecer mudos y pasivos. Su presencia material no puede conciliarse con su ausencia espiritual’”, dijo, citando al cardenal Giovanni Battista Montini de Milán, el futuro Papa Pablo VI y santo, quien asistía en ese momento a la primera sesión del concilio en 1962.

Los Padres conciliares expresaron “una renovada conciencia del valor de la liturgia”, dijo el Papa León durante su discurso en la audiencia general en la Basílica de San Pedro el 26 de agosto, que se centró en la constitución sobre la liturgia sagrada, “Sacrosanctum Concilium”, y en las razones por las que el concilio buscó promover la reforma de la liturgia.

Fue la última catequesis del Papa dedicada a la primera constitución del concilio tras haber iniciado el 7 de enero su nueva serie de charlas sobre los documentos del Concilio Vaticano II, con el fin de que las personas se sintieran motivadas a releerlos y reflexionar sobre ellos, en lugar de basar su comprensión de los textos en “rumores” y en las interpretaciones de otros, según había señalado.

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

Si bien la reforma litúrgica impulsada por el concilio “se sitúa, por lo tanto, en la línea de la tradición viva de la Iglesia”, explicó el Papa León, la reforma también debe entenderse adecuadamente.

“Su correcta comprensión permite también rechazar los abusos que se han verificado en algunos sectores de la Iglesia en la etapa postconciliar, y que lamentablemente a veces todavía hoy se verifican, absolutizando o comprendiendo mal algunos de los principios que estaban en la base de la misma reforma”, dijo.

Durante la liturgia, “se realiza el memorial de la obra de la salvación”, y las acciones rituales de la Iglesia también brindan la oportunidad “de vivir la verdadera relación con Dios, entrando en contacto con el evento salvífico”, dijo el Papa. “Puesto que los gestos, las palabras de la sagrada liturgia son decisivos para realizar esta experiencia, la participación de los fieles no puede ser pasiva”.

La reforma del concilio puso “en el centro lo que constituye el corazón de la experiencia eclesial”, señaló. Por lo tanto, la intención era “hacer resplandecer la liturgia como ‘la primera fuente de la vida divina que se nos comunica’”.

Debido a la importancia del lenguaje, la enseñanza y la “inteligibilidad”, surgió “la exigencia de hacer más accesible a todos los fieles la riqueza de los textos bíblicos y de las oraciones, y de hacer más lineal el ordenamiento celebrativo respecto al previsto en los libros litúrgicos entonces vigentes”, afirmó.

La liturgia es “una realidad viva”, señaló, y siempre ha estado sujeta a desarrollos y cambios a lo largo de los siglos.

“No sorprende entonces que también el Concilio Vaticano II, con el máximo respeto por el patrimonio de la tradición, y precisamente con el fin de hacerlo más accesible, haya considerado necesaria una revisión de los libros litúrgicos”, dijo el Papa León.

Citando la constitución conciliar, señaló: “Porque la Liturgia consta de una parte que es inmutable por ser la institución divina, y de otras partes sujetas a cambio, que en el decurso del tiempo pueden o incluso deben variar, si en ellas se han introducido elementos que no responden bien a la naturaleza íntima de la misma Liturgia o han llegado a ser menos apropiados”.

Por lo tanto, los textos y los ritos se deben “ordenar de manera que expresen con mayor claridad las cosas santas que significan y, en lo posible, el pueblo cristiano pueda comprenderlas fácilmente y participar en ellas por medio de una celebración plena, activa y comunitaria”, dijo, citando la constitución.

“De esta manera, el pueblo cristiano aprende a reconocer las realidades sagradas, a ofrecerse junto con el sacerdote y a través de sus manos, y a abrirse más a recibir la gracia de Dios”, afirmó en el resumen de su catequesis dirigido a los peregrinos de habla inglesa.

En su catequesis principal en italiano, señaló que sigue siendo responsabilidad primordial de los obispos y sacerdotes “custodiar y promover una liturgia que, en el respeto de las normas litúrgicas, resplandezca por su noble sencillez y manifieste así a la Iglesia una, santa, católica y apostólica”.

Tal como enseña el concilio, “las acciones litúrgicas no son acciones privadas”, sino celebraciones que atañen a todo el cuerpo de la Iglesia, “que es el ‘sacramento de unidad’, es decir, pueblo santo congregado y ordenado bajo la dirección de los obispos”, dijo, citando la constitución.

“En cada celebración de los sacramentos, especialmente de la Eucaristía, pidamos la ayuda de Dios para fortalecernos en nuestro camino y entrar en una relación más profunda con el Señor”, dijo en su resumen en inglés.

– CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Situada “en la línea de la tradición viva de la Iglesia”, la reforma litúrgica propuesta por el Concilio Vaticano II surgió de la necesidad de que los fieles celebraran la liturgia de manera más “consciente y activa”, y no “como extraños y mudos espectadores”, dijo el Papa León XIV. “Los fieles ‘no pueden ni deben permanecer mudos y pasivos. Su presencia material no puede conciliarse con su ausencia espiritual’”, dijo, citando al cardenal Giovanni Battista Montini de Milán, el futuro Papa Pablo VI y santo, quien asistía en ese momento a la primera sesión del

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Hasan Piker Says Anyone Trying To Twist His Words As Antisemitic Is A Dirty Lying Jew #BabylonBee – WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA — One of the nation’s loudest progressive voices issued a strong defense on his own behalf this week, as commentator Hasan Piker said anyone who tries to twist his words as being "antisemitic" is a dirty, lying Jew.
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Hasan Piker Says Anyone Trying To Twist His Words As Antisemitic Is A Dirty Lying Jew #BabylonBee – WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA — One of the nation’s loudest progressive voices issued a strong defense on his own behalf this week, as commentator Hasan Piker said anyone who tries to twist his words as being "antisemitic" is a dirty, lying Jew.

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WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA — One of the nation’s loudest progressive voices issued a strong defense on his own behalf this week, as commentator Hasan Piker said anyone who tries to twist his words as being "antisemitic" is a dirty, lying Jew.

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El-Sayed: Beheading Infidel With A Machete No Different Than A Haircut #BabylonBee – LANSING, MI — During a live interview on Fox News, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed forcefully defended the beheading of infidels, explaining it was really the same thing as a haircut.
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El-Sayed: Beheading Infidel With A Machete No Different Than A Haircut #BabylonBee – LANSING, MI — During a live interview on Fox News, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed forcefully defended the beheading of infidels, explaining it was really the same thing as a haircut.

unitedyam

LANSING, MI — During a live interview on Fox News, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed forcefully defended the beheading of infidels, explaining it was really the same thing as a haircut.

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Paulist Fathers launch Communion Project to heal ‘toxic polarization’ within U.S. Church – #Catholic – The Communion Project initiative hopes to repair polarization in the U.S. Church and aid the Church in offering a better and more joyful witness in a divided country, organizers said.“Unfortunately, too often Catholics and Catholic leaders are acting more like thermometers instead of thermostats,” Jonathan Lewis, mission strategy officer for the Paulist Fathers and co-director of the Communion Project, told EWTN News.“Weʼre reading the temperature of the room or the culture, instead of setting the temperature according to our values and the truths of the Church,” he said.“So, part of what this effort is aimed to do is to lower the temperature of division and distrust, starting with those of us Catholics who call ourselves brothers and sisters, who are a real spiritual family,” Lewis said.“As we approach any election season, thereʼs always a need to help lower the temperature, have more thoughtful conversations, discern our Catholic values,” he said.The Catholic initiative hopes to heal toxic polarization in the Church by creating dialogue, providing resources, promoting unity through national communication methods, and by aiding local communities to create unification at their level, organizers said. Exact plans are still being formed. Participants gather at the Communion Project “Building Catholic Communion” national leader summit in Washington, D.C., in June 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jonathan Lewis “Weʼre just beginning … and trying to share,” Lewis said. “Weʼre starting with a lot of resources” and “adapting resources that already existed.”“Then weʼre planning, over the next year or two years, to develop programs for dioceses and organizations and religious communities, students in Catholic schools.”The movement to start the project began in 2022 at the Paulist Fathers’ general assembly.“One of the priorities of the Paulists is to read the signs of the times, like the Second Vatican Council tells us to do, so that we can respond in a spirit-filled way,” Lewis said.At the gathering, they discussed “the realities of the United States and the Church in the United States today that we need to respond to or engage,” he said. “And thatʼs when the topic of toxic polarization emerged.”"The polarization affecting the U.S. Catholic Church is not merely a matter of policy dispute or partisan loyalty,” said Father Ricky Manalo, CSP, co-director of the Communion Project. “It is a deeply spiritual and relational rupture, shaping how Catholics imagine moral life, celebrate the sacraments, interpret tradition, and remain in communion amid difference.”“Within Catholic life, polarization is more than disagreement; it is the loss of our capacity to remain in relationship, even amid difference, as one body in Christ,” he said.Inspired by Pope Francis, the group founded The Paulist Initiative on Polarization as a national partnership of Catholic leaders committed to strengthening unity across political, theological, and cultural divisions.In 2025, the effort was renamed the Communion Project following Pope Leo XIV’s public commitment to building communion in the Church.“This is really a priority of Pope Leo,” Lewis said. “In his first inaugural Mass, Pope Leo said his first great desire would be for a unified Church in communion. We really see this as an initiative that is trying to live out the message and the priority of the Holy Father.”Polarization in the U.S.When people think of polarization, they usually first think of “left and right politics, Republicans, Democrats,” Lewis said. “And certainly thatʼs one area, but I really see polarization showing up in a lot of different ways.”“This isnʼt only in public life or in politics, where one might expect, itʼs also in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States,” Lewis said.It can come up due to division surrounding the liturgy, or cultural or generational differences, but ultimately the goal is to remind Catholics of shared beliefs and values.The project hopes to help the faithful “see that while people might prioritize different dimensions of our Catholic social teaching, thereʼs unity within that work, and we need to bring people together,” Lewis said.For example, the Church has a mission to protect human dignity, and “some people focus on ending the death penalty,” while “other people might focus on ending abortion and the work of the pro-life movement,” Lewis explained. “Even if weʼre working in different areas, those areas are not in conflict.”Connection through communicationThe initiative’s resources and formation experiences are organized around three interconnected dimensions: the head, the heart, and the hands.The project offers a “development of resources that impact our head, meaning our knowledge and our self-awareness,” and “also our hearts in terms of our prayer and discernment,” Lewis said.There are also resources that impact “our hands,” which focus on “building skills and building relationships,” Lewis said.“So we want to help organizations and churches work with leaders in particular, to equip them with the resources and programming to help them make a positive impact in their local community,” he said.The resources can be found in the Communion Project’s “resource library” on its website, which offers a number of options for people to independently utilize or bring to a group. It also offers gatherings and workshops to aid its cause. In the online library, people can find upcoming events, online courses, prayers for communion, articles, learning sessions to be used in small groups, and a Communion Project podcast. It also has educational videos provided by outside organizations including Georgetown University, University of Notre Dame, and Boston College.So far the podcast has included conversations with Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore on what happens when the faithful stop seeing one another as brothers and sisters, and University of Notre Dameʼs Tim O’Malley on liturgical division and what it means to live in communion with people.The first episode featured a conversation “with Tim Busch, founder of Napa Institute, and Father James Martin from America Media, two people who speak to very different parts of the Church … but have developed a personal friendship,” Lewis said.“It was a great opportunity to put people in the same place to talk about their friendship, of their shared faith, realizing that what unites us is so much stronger than what divides us,” he said.“What matters most is gathering around a particular Eucharistic table and a particular family table and having hard conversations or sitting in discomfort, because love compels us to do hard things,” Lewis said.The initiative is only “just beginning in terms of programming and trying to share.” But since starting, “thereʼs a great interest” among local communities wanting to be involved.“The path of healing begins not in dominating strength, but in shared vulnerability. When both Church and nation dare to move toward one another — wounded yet willing — they may discover that grace lives precisely in the places we thought were beyond repair,” Manalo said.
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Paulist Fathers launch Communion Project to heal ‘toxic polarization’ within U.S. Church – #Catholic – The Communion Project initiative hopes to repair polarization in the U.S. Church and aid the Church in offering a better and more joyful witness in a divided country, organizers said.“Unfortunately, too often Catholics and Catholic leaders are acting more like thermometers instead of thermostats,” Jonathan Lewis, mission strategy officer for the Paulist Fathers and co-director of the Communion Project, told EWTN News.“Weʼre reading the temperature of the room or the culture, instead of setting the temperature according to our values and the truths of the Church,” he said.“So, part of what this effort is aimed to do is to lower the temperature of division and distrust, starting with those of us Catholics who call ourselves brothers and sisters, who are a real spiritual family,” Lewis said.“As we approach any election season, thereʼs always a need to help lower the temperature, have more thoughtful conversations, discern our Catholic values,” he said.The Catholic initiative hopes to heal toxic polarization in the Church by creating dialogue, providing resources, promoting unity through national communication methods, and by aiding local communities to create unification at their level, organizers said. Exact plans are still being formed. Participants gather at the Communion Project “Building Catholic Communion” national leader summit in Washington, D.C., in June 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jonathan Lewis “Weʼre just beginning … and trying to share,” Lewis said. “Weʼre starting with a lot of resources” and “adapting resources that already existed.”“Then weʼre planning, over the next year or two years, to develop programs for dioceses and organizations and religious communities, students in Catholic schools.”The movement to start the project began in 2022 at the Paulist Fathers’ general assembly.“One of the priorities of the Paulists is to read the signs of the times, like the Second Vatican Council tells us to do, so that we can respond in a spirit-filled way,” Lewis said.At the gathering, they discussed “the realities of the United States and the Church in the United States today that we need to respond to or engage,” he said. “And thatʼs when the topic of toxic polarization emerged.”"The polarization affecting the U.S. Catholic Church is not merely a matter of policy dispute or partisan loyalty,” said Father Ricky Manalo, CSP, co-director of the Communion Project. “It is a deeply spiritual and relational rupture, shaping how Catholics imagine moral life, celebrate the sacraments, interpret tradition, and remain in communion amid difference.”“Within Catholic life, polarization is more than disagreement; it is the loss of our capacity to remain in relationship, even amid difference, as one body in Christ,” he said.Inspired by Pope Francis, the group founded The Paulist Initiative on Polarization as a national partnership of Catholic leaders committed to strengthening unity across political, theological, and cultural divisions.In 2025, the effort was renamed the Communion Project following Pope Leo XIV’s public commitment to building communion in the Church.“This is really a priority of Pope Leo,” Lewis said. “In his first inaugural Mass, Pope Leo said his first great desire would be for a unified Church in communion. We really see this as an initiative that is trying to live out the message and the priority of the Holy Father.”Polarization in the U.S.When people think of polarization, they usually first think of “left and right politics, Republicans, Democrats,” Lewis said. “And certainly thatʼs one area, but I really see polarization showing up in a lot of different ways.”“This isnʼt only in public life or in politics, where one might expect, itʼs also in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States,” Lewis said.It can come up due to division surrounding the liturgy, or cultural or generational differences, but ultimately the goal is to remind Catholics of shared beliefs and values.The project hopes to help the faithful “see that while people might prioritize different dimensions of our Catholic social teaching, thereʼs unity within that work, and we need to bring people together,” Lewis said.For example, the Church has a mission to protect human dignity, and “some people focus on ending the death penalty,” while “other people might focus on ending abortion and the work of the pro-life movement,” Lewis explained. “Even if weʼre working in different areas, those areas are not in conflict.”Connection through communicationThe initiative’s resources and formation experiences are organized around three interconnected dimensions: the head, the heart, and the hands.The project offers a “development of resources that impact our head, meaning our knowledge and our self-awareness,” and “also our hearts in terms of our prayer and discernment,” Lewis said.There are also resources that impact “our hands,” which focus on “building skills and building relationships,” Lewis said.“So we want to help organizations and churches work with leaders in particular, to equip them with the resources and programming to help them make a positive impact in their local community,” he said.The resources can be found in the Communion Project’s “resource library” on its website, which offers a number of options for people to independently utilize or bring to a group. It also offers gatherings and workshops to aid its cause. In the online library, people can find upcoming events, online courses, prayers for communion, articles, learning sessions to be used in small groups, and a Communion Project podcast. It also has educational videos provided by outside organizations including Georgetown University, University of Notre Dame, and Boston College.So far the podcast has included conversations with Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore on what happens when the faithful stop seeing one another as brothers and sisters, and University of Notre Dameʼs Tim O’Malley on liturgical division and what it means to live in communion with people.The first episode featured a conversation “with Tim Busch, founder of Napa Institute, and Father James Martin from America Media, two people who speak to very different parts of the Church … but have developed a personal friendship,” Lewis said.“It was a great opportunity to put people in the same place to talk about their friendship, of their shared faith, realizing that what unites us is so much stronger than what divides us,” he said.“What matters most is gathering around a particular Eucharistic table and a particular family table and having hard conversations or sitting in discomfort, because love compels us to do hard things,” Lewis said.The initiative is only “just beginning in terms of programming and trying to share.” But since starting, “thereʼs a great interest” among local communities wanting to be involved.“The path of healing begins not in dominating strength, but in shared vulnerability. When both Church and nation dare to move toward one another — wounded yet willing — they may discover that grace lives precisely in the places we thought were beyond repair,” Manalo said.

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Inspired by Pope Leo’s call for communion, the Catholic initiative is working to build unity in the Church and the nation.

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Possible Eucharistic miracle in Guatemala: Church urges ‘prudence and restraint’ – #Catholic – An alleged “Eucharistic manifestation” has drawn the attention of the faithful in Guatemala, where a consecrated host reportedly remained intact inside a glass of water, bearing apparent stains of what “could be blood.”While the event has captured the attention of the Catholic community in the country, the Church has urged the faithful to exercise “prudence and restraint.”A consecrated host that reportedly failed to dissolveThe Niño Dios (Child God) Cathedral of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima announced in a statement that the occurrence took place on July 30 during a Mass for Eucharistic Missionary Week held at a private school in Cuilapa, a city located approximately 40 miles southeast of Guatemala City.According to the statement, during Communion, the priest celebrating the Mass noticed that one of the young people who had received the Eucharist “was taking the sacred host out of his mouth; he quickly approached him and was able to prevent him from discarding it on the floor.”“Following the guidelines for such cases, the priest placed the sacred host in a glass vessel containing water in the rectory chapel,” the statement explained.The intention was for the host to dissolve naturally. However, according to the statement, “the following Thursday [Aug. 13], while cleaning the chapel, a parish volunteer noticed that the host had not dissolved and bore red stains that could be blood.”The discovery was reported to the parish priest, who questioned and took a statement from the volunteer who had noticed the situation. Subsequently, the matter was reported to Bishop José Cayetano Parra Novo of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima.‘Prudence and restraint’The cathedral explicitly urged the faithful to exercise “prudence and restraint.”“Throughout history, the Church has received testimony regarding the real and substantial presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, under this unique form of manifestation,” the cathedral noted in its statement, cautioning that such cases “have been neither common nor easy to discern; therefore, they cannot be called miracles until a full investigation, which must be carried out and will take time, is concluded.”The cathedral also announced that the host is being reserved “in a special place and will not be on public display,” while Parra Novo is providing “guidelines for the necessary discernment and to enable a study of this possible Eucharistic manifestation” of the Real Presence.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Possible Eucharistic miracle in Guatemala: Church urges ‘prudence and restraint’ – #Catholic – An alleged “Eucharistic manifestation” has drawn the attention of the faithful in Guatemala, where a consecrated host reportedly remained intact inside a glass of water, bearing apparent stains of what “could be blood.”While the event has captured the attention of the Catholic community in the country, the Church has urged the faithful to exercise “prudence and restraint.”A consecrated host that reportedly failed to dissolveThe Niño Dios (Child God) Cathedral of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima announced in a statement that the occurrence took place on July 30 during a Mass for Eucharistic Missionary Week held at a private school in Cuilapa, a city located approximately 40 miles southeast of Guatemala City.According to the statement, during Communion, the priest celebrating the Mass noticed that one of the young people who had received the Eucharist “was taking the sacred host out of his mouth; he quickly approached him and was able to prevent him from discarding it on the floor.”“Following the guidelines for such cases, the priest placed the sacred host in a glass vessel containing water in the rectory chapel,” the statement explained.The intention was for the host to dissolve naturally. However, according to the statement, “the following Thursday [Aug. 13], while cleaning the chapel, a parish volunteer noticed that the host had not dissolved and bore red stains that could be blood.”The discovery was reported to the parish priest, who questioned and took a statement from the volunteer who had noticed the situation. Subsequently, the matter was reported to Bishop José Cayetano Parra Novo of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima.‘Prudence and restraint’The cathedral explicitly urged the faithful to exercise “prudence and restraint.”“Throughout history, the Church has received testimony regarding the real and substantial presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, under this unique form of manifestation,” the cathedral noted in its statement, cautioning that such cases “have been neither common nor easy to discern; therefore, they cannot be called miracles until a full investigation, which must be carried out and will take time, is concluded.”The cathedral also announced that the host is being reserved “in a special place and will not be on public display,” while Parra Novo is providing “guidelines for the necessary discernment and to enable a study of this possible Eucharistic manifestation” of the Real Presence.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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As in all such cases of an apparent manifestation of the Real Presence, the local Church is duly investigating the phenomenon and urging the faithful not to draw any conclusions.

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Parish pays tribute to Annunciation shooting victims through sacred fresco – #Catholic – When a deadly shooting devastated Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, 2025, a neighboring Catholic parish quietly provided support to the school, opening its doors for the parish school’s needs.Now, Our Lady of Grace is memorializing that connection in a fresco by Minnesota-based artist Mark Balma.Balma is in the process of painting two large frescoes at the altar of Our Lady of Grace. On the right, already finished, is an image of Mary and the angel at the Annunciation. Green and blue ribbons painted in the bottom-right corner pay tribute to the school and the community. Our Lady of Guadalupe with the unfinished fresco, left, and the completed Annunciation fresco, right. | Credit: Photo by Rámond Mitchell “In the centuries-old tradition of Catholic sacred art, images have always carried more than beauty — they carry the prayers, memories, and stories of the communities who create and encounter them,” Rámond Mitchell, director of liturgy for Our Lady of Grace, told EWTN News.“Sacred art has a unique ability to hold memory, communicate faith, and invite people into prayer,” Mitchell continued.“Because our two communities had walked so closely with one another through such a difficult time, we wanted to create a lasting remembrance within our own sacred space as a reminder of the people we accompanied, the lives that were forever changed, and the hope and faith that sustained us,” Mitchell said.Meaning of the ribbonsBalma painted blue-and-green ribbons onto a vase within his Annunciation fresco as a tribute to the community of Annunciation Church and School.Mitchell explained how blue-and-green ribbons were an important symbol to the community after the shooting.“Following the shooting, people throughout the surrounding community tied blue-and-green ribbons to doors, trees, lampposts, fences, and other places as a visible sign of solidarity and remembrance,” Mitchell said.“In the fresco, the ribbons are tied around a water jug beside Mary. We wanted the ribbons to feel integrated into the scene rather than separate from it,” Mitchell continued. “The water jug is an ordinary object, much like the ordinary details of daily life that surrounded Mary when the angel appeared to her.” Close-up of Mark Balma’s Annunciation fresco. | Credit: Photo by Rámond Mitchell “In that way, the ribbons become part of an ordinary moment that has been transformed by the presence of God and a reminder of the Annunciation community and of the sacredness of their lives and stories,” Mitchell continued.Balma, who was in the Twin Cities at the time of the shooting, was asked to “find a way to honor the Annunciation community.”“This tragedy really touched me and I prayed for guidance at how to best honor the children and families,” Balma told EWTN News.“As a painter I try to find within Scriptures a word or concept that might help me unlock a vision to reveal a fresh way to transform the words into images,” Balma said. “For instance in the Annunciation fresco, the line ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’ became the focal point of the imagery.”“My concept for the Annunciation fresco is different than most historical depictions. They usually place an older-looking Mary in a room or cloister visited by Gabriel and the Holy Spirit,” Balma said. “As I studied the Scriptures, I found no reference to her being in a room.”Balma pointed out that at the time of the Annunciation, Mary “was not that much older than the children” of Annunciation School.“I imagined the 14-year-old Mary as carrying on her daily chores like going to the well for water,” Balma said. “So full of beautiful symbolism, the water vase then became the place I could attach the ribbons that were placed in the community in remembrance of the children.”“Water is healing, and tying the ribbons around the vase seemed to be the heartfelt way to honor the children,” Balma said. A detail in a fresco by Mark Balma pays tribute to victims of the Annunciation school shooting. |Credit: Courtesy of Our Lady of Grace Parish Sister communitiesThe community at Our Lady of Grace stepped up after the shooting; it was a tragedy that struck them deeply.“Annunciation is not far from Our Lady of Grace, and there have long been many connections between our two communities,” Mitchell said. “Some of our parishioners attended Annunciation themselves, while others have children or grandchildren who attended the school. Our teachers knew teachers there, and some members of our parish community were neighbors or friends of students, staff, and families affected by the shooting.” Study of vase by Mark Balma at the altar at Our Lady of Guadalupe. | Credit: Photo by Rámond Mitchell “Because of those relationships, the tragedy was felt very deeply at Our Lady of Grace,” Mitchell said. “In the aftermath, our parish and school community was able to offer a place of safety, hospitality, prayer, and support. Our campus became a place where members of the Annunciation community could simply be together when so much of their world had been disrupted.”The principal of Annunciation was present at the live painting session when Balma painted the ribbons into the fresco, which was a particularly significant moment, Mitchell said.“Having members of the Annunciation community participate in and witness the creation of the work has made the memorial even more meaningful,” Mitchell said. Other artwork by Mark Balma. | Credit: Courtesy of Mark Balma Triptych by Mark Balma. | Credit: Courtesy of Mark Balma
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Parish pays tribute to Annunciation shooting victims through sacred fresco – #Catholic – When a deadly shooting devastated Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, 2025, a neighboring Catholic parish quietly provided support to the school, opening its doors for the parish school’s needs.Now, Our Lady of Grace is memorializing that connection in a fresco by Minnesota-based artist Mark Balma.Balma is in the process of painting two large frescoes at the altar of Our Lady of Grace. On the right, already finished, is an image of Mary and the angel at the Annunciation. Green and blue ribbons painted in the bottom-right corner pay tribute to the school and the community. Our Lady of Guadalupe with the unfinished fresco, left, and the completed Annunciation fresco, right. | Credit: Photo by Rámond Mitchell “In the centuries-old tradition of Catholic sacred art, images have always carried more than beauty — they carry the prayers, memories, and stories of the communities who create and encounter them,” Rámond Mitchell, director of liturgy for Our Lady of Grace, told EWTN News.“Sacred art has a unique ability to hold memory, communicate faith, and invite people into prayer,” Mitchell continued.“Because our two communities had walked so closely with one another through such a difficult time, we wanted to create a lasting remembrance within our own sacred space as a reminder of the people we accompanied, the lives that were forever changed, and the hope and faith that sustained us,” Mitchell said.Meaning of the ribbonsBalma painted blue-and-green ribbons onto a vase within his Annunciation fresco as a tribute to the community of Annunciation Church and School.Mitchell explained how blue-and-green ribbons were an important symbol to the community after the shooting.“Following the shooting, people throughout the surrounding community tied blue-and-green ribbons to doors, trees, lampposts, fences, and other places as a visible sign of solidarity and remembrance,” Mitchell said.“In the fresco, the ribbons are tied around a water jug beside Mary. We wanted the ribbons to feel integrated into the scene rather than separate from it,” Mitchell continued. “The water jug is an ordinary object, much like the ordinary details of daily life that surrounded Mary when the angel appeared to her.” Close-up of Mark Balma’s Annunciation fresco. | Credit: Photo by Rámond Mitchell “In that way, the ribbons become part of an ordinary moment that has been transformed by the presence of God and a reminder of the Annunciation community and of the sacredness of their lives and stories,” Mitchell continued.Balma, who was in the Twin Cities at the time of the shooting, was asked to “find a way to honor the Annunciation community.”“This tragedy really touched me and I prayed for guidance at how to best honor the children and families,” Balma told EWTN News.“As a painter I try to find within Scriptures a word or concept that might help me unlock a vision to reveal a fresh way to transform the words into images,” Balma said. “For instance in the Annunciation fresco, the line ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’ became the focal point of the imagery.”“My concept for the Annunciation fresco is different than most historical depictions. They usually place an older-looking Mary in a room or cloister visited by Gabriel and the Holy Spirit,” Balma said. “As I studied the Scriptures, I found no reference to her being in a room.”Balma pointed out that at the time of the Annunciation, Mary “was not that much older than the children” of Annunciation School.“I imagined the 14-year-old Mary as carrying on her daily chores like going to the well for water,” Balma said. “So full of beautiful symbolism, the water vase then became the place I could attach the ribbons that were placed in the community in remembrance of the children.”“Water is healing, and tying the ribbons around the vase seemed to be the heartfelt way to honor the children,” Balma said. A detail in a fresco by Mark Balma pays tribute to victims of the Annunciation school shooting. |Credit: Courtesy of Our Lady of Grace Parish Sister communitiesThe community at Our Lady of Grace stepped up after the shooting; it was a tragedy that struck them deeply.“Annunciation is not far from Our Lady of Grace, and there have long been many connections between our two communities,” Mitchell said. “Some of our parishioners attended Annunciation themselves, while others have children or grandchildren who attended the school. Our teachers knew teachers there, and some members of our parish community were neighbors or friends of students, staff, and families affected by the shooting.” Study of vase by Mark Balma at the altar at Our Lady of Guadalupe. | Credit: Photo by Rámond Mitchell “Because of those relationships, the tragedy was felt very deeply at Our Lady of Grace,” Mitchell said. “In the aftermath, our parish and school community was able to offer a place of safety, hospitality, prayer, and support. Our campus became a place where members of the Annunciation community could simply be together when so much of their world had been disrupted.”The principal of Annunciation was present at the live painting session when Balma painted the ribbons into the fresco, which was a particularly significant moment, Mitchell said.“Having members of the Annunciation community participate in and witness the creation of the work has made the memorial even more meaningful,” Mitchell said. Other artwork by Mark Balma. | Credit: Courtesy of Mark Balma Triptych by Mark Balma. | Credit: Courtesy of Mark Balma

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Through sacred art, a neighboring parish is paying tribute to the Annunciation parish community in Minneapolis after the deadly shooting last year.

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The Sky Today on Thursday, August 27: A deep partial lunar eclipse

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 26: Catch Barnard’s star A partial eclipse of the Moon occurs tonight, following August 12th’s total eclipse of the Sun. The deep lunar eclipse is visible across North and South America, Africa, and western Europe. The Moon rises around 7:30 P.M.Continue reading “The Sky Today on Thursday, August 27: A deep partial lunar eclipse”

The post The Sky Today on Thursday, August 27: A deep partial lunar eclipse appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Augustinian priests: St. Monica had ‘great interior strength’ #Catholic Since the fourth century, Christians have revered St. Monica, the mother of Church Father St. Augustine, as a woman of unwavering faith in God.In an interview with EWTN News reporter Valentina Di Donato, two Augustinian priests living in Rome explained why the woman they refer to as their “grandmother” continues to be a source of hope and inspiration, especially for Catholic wives and mothers.Augustinian Father Angelo Di Berardino, who has worked and lived at the Augustinian International College of Santa Monica in Rome for 50 years, said St. Monica had a great interior strength that influenced all members of her family.“Respecting her husband, she was able to convert him,” Di Berardino told EWTN News. “Then, she was a strong woman to educate her three children, especially Augustine.”“I think she was so strong in her life, in her prayer, that she had a great influence on the great theologian Augustine,” he added.According to Augustinian Father Edward Daleng Daniang, vice regent of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household and former general counsellor and procurator general of the Order of St. Augustine, St. Monica is the saint to turn to for spouses who feel alone in their desire to create a Christian family home.“St. Monica did not have it easy with her husband Patrick,” he said. “She tried to win him with her love, with her patience and endurance and tolerance and, above all, bringing her husband to God through prayer.”Describing the ancient saint as a “living example” of a mother who does not give up on her children, Daniang said those struggling with their children can have hope that their prayers, and tears, are never wasted.“St. Monica was struggling with her son St. Augustine who wandered away from home,” he said. “He left Monica, his mother, to come to Italy in those days and Monica did not give up.”“He left the faith which she tried to transmit to him but she did not give up,” he emphasized.Following her son to Italy, Daniang said her main intention of leaving Africa was not to bring her son back home but to lead her son to Jesus Christ for the salvation of his soul.“St. Monica stands as someone who led her husband to God, to Christ, and also brought her son St. Augustine to Christ,” he said.“That’s bringing the unity of family together,” he added.This story was first published on Aug. 27, 2025, and has been updated.
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Augustinian priests: St. Monica had ‘great interior strength’ #Catholic Since the fourth century, Christians have revered St. Monica, the mother of Church Father St. Augustine, as a woman of unwavering faith in God.In an interview with EWTN News reporter Valentina Di Donato, two Augustinian priests living in Rome explained why the woman they refer to as their “grandmother” continues to be a source of hope and inspiration, especially for Catholic wives and mothers.Augustinian Father Angelo Di Berardino, who has worked and lived at the Augustinian International College of Santa Monica in Rome for 50 years, said St. Monica had a great interior strength that influenced all members of her family.“Respecting her husband, she was able to convert him,” Di Berardino told EWTN News. “Then, she was a strong woman to educate her three children, especially Augustine.”“I think she was so strong in her life, in her prayer, that she had a great influence on the great theologian Augustine,” he added.According to Augustinian Father Edward Daleng Daniang, vice regent of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household and former general counsellor and procurator general of the Order of St. Augustine, St. Monica is the saint to turn to for spouses who feel alone in their desire to create a Christian family home.“St. Monica did not have it easy with her husband Patrick,” he said. “She tried to win him with her love, with her patience and endurance and tolerance and, above all, bringing her husband to God through prayer.”Describing the ancient saint as a “living example” of a mother who does not give up on her children, Daniang said those struggling with their children can have hope that their prayers, and tears, are never wasted.“St. Monica was struggling with her son St. Augustine who wandered away from home,” he said. “He left Monica, his mother, to come to Italy in those days and Monica did not give up.”“He left the faith which she tried to transmit to him but she did not give up,” he emphasized.Following her son to Italy, Daniang said her main intention of leaving Africa was not to bring her son back home but to lead her son to Jesus Christ for the salvation of his soul.“St. Monica stands as someone who led her husband to God, to Christ, and also brought her son St. Augustine to Christ,” he said.“That’s bringing the unity of family together,” he added.This story was first published on Aug. 27, 2025, and has been updated.

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Two Augustinian priests living in Rome explain why the woman they refer to as their “grandmother” continues to be a source of hope and inspiration.

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New Details Emerge About Armed Man Arrested at Trump’s California Golf Course Earlier This Month (VIDEO) – New details are being reported about Jeanine John Taele, the heavily armed man who was arrested earlier this month at Trump’s golf course in California shortly before a planned visit by the President. The post New Details Emerge About Armed Man Arrested at Trump’s California Golf Course Earlier This Month (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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New Details Emerge About Armed Man Arrested at Trump’s California Golf Course Earlier This Month (VIDEO) – New details are being reported about Jeanine John Taele, the heavily armed man who was arrested earlier this month at Trump’s golf course in California shortly before a planned visit by the President. The post New Details Emerge About Armed Man Arrested at Trump’s California Golf Course Earlier This Month (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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New details are being reported about Jeanine John Taele, the heavily armed man who was arrested earlier this month at Trump’s golf course in California shortly before a planned visit by the President.

The post New Details Emerge About Armed Man Arrested at Trump’s California Golf Course Earlier This Month (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Frustrated FOX News Liberal Jessica Tarlov Now Says She Wishes Trump Had Won in 2020 (VIDEO) – Jessica Tarlov, one the liberal contributors on FOX News, is now saying that she wishes Trump had won the 2020 election. The post Frustrated FOX News Liberal Jessica Tarlov Now Says She Wishes Trump Had Won in 2020 (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Frustrated FOX News Liberal Jessica Tarlov Now Says She Wishes Trump Had Won in 2020 (VIDEO) – Jessica Tarlov, one the liberal contributors on FOX News, is now saying that she wishes Trump had won the 2020 election. The post Frustrated FOX News Liberal Jessica Tarlov Now Says She Wishes Trump Had Won in 2020 (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Jessica Tarlov, one the liberal contributors on FOX News, is now saying that she wishes Trump had won the 2020 election.

The post Frustrated FOX News Liberal Jessica Tarlov Now Says She Wishes Trump Had Won in 2020 (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Los Angeles Residents Disgusted by Their Choices for Mayor: ‘I Wish They Could Both Lose’ – Lots of people who live in Los Angeles are disgusted by the two choices they have for mayor this year, Democrat incumbent Karen Bass and radical DSA candidate Nithya Raman. The post Los Angeles Residents Disgusted by Their Choices for Mayor: ‘I Wish They Could Both Lose’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Los Angeles Residents Disgusted by Their Choices for Mayor: ‘I Wish They Could Both Lose’ – Lots of people who live in Los Angeles are disgusted by the two choices they have for mayor this year, Democrat incumbent Karen Bass and radical DSA candidate Nithya Raman. The post Los Angeles Residents Disgusted by Their Choices for Mayor: ‘I Wish They Could Both Lose’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Lots of people who live in Los Angeles are disgusted by the two choices they have for mayor this year, Democrat incumbent Karen Bass and radical DSA candidate Nithya Raman.

The post Los Angeles Residents Disgusted by Their Choices for Mayor: ‘I Wish They Could Both Lose’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Prayer for Choosing a State of Life: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, August 27, 2026 – #Prayer – From all eternity, O Lord, You planned my very existence and my destiny. You wrapped me in Your love in baptism and gave me the Faith to lead me to an eternal life of happiness with You. You have showered me with Your graces and You have been always ready with Your mercy and forgiveness when I have fallen. Now I beg You for the light I so earnestly need that I may find the way of life in which lies the best fulfillment of Your will. Whatever state this may be, give me the grace necessary to …

unitedyam

From all eternity, O Lord, You planned my very existence and my destiny. You wrapped me in Your love in baptism and gave me the Faith to lead me to an eternal life of happiness with You. You have showered me with Your graces and You have been always ready with Your mercy and forgiveness when I have fallen. Now I beg You for the light I so earnestly need that I may find the way of life in which lies the best fulfillment of Your will. Whatever state this may be, give me the grace necessary to …

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Israeli court acquits nun’s attacker, orders up to 6 years in psychiatric care #Catholic An Israeli court has acquitted a West Bank settler who assaulted a French Catholic sister near Mount Zion in Jerusalem earlier this year, ordering up to six years in a psychiatric facility, Israeli media reported.Jerusalem Magistrate Court Judge Ophir Tischler acquitted Yona Schreiber citing an assessment from a district psychiatrist that found Schreiber was experiencing a psychotic episode during the attack and could not be found criminally responsible, according to The Jerusalem Post.The Aug. 26 ruling ordered Schreiber to be committed to an inpatient treatment facility for a maximum six years, though he may be released early if a psychiatric council determines his mental condition to be improved.The psychiatric assessment further diagnosed Schreiber with schizophrenia, media reports said. The assessment noted that a lack of conclusive evidence showing how Schreiber’s mental state led him to carry out the attack on the religious sister but said the illness influenced his actions nonetheless.Schreiber was arrested and charged in April with assault and hostility toward a religious group for pushing a Catholic sister to the ground and kicking her in the head. The April 28 assault took place on Mount Zion near King David’s Tomb, steps from Dormition Abbey.Videos of the attack circulated on social media, fueling a backlash and further outrage over persistent attacks against Christians in Israel and the West Bank.At the time, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it strongly condemned Schreiber’s actions, writing in an April 29 social media post: “Israel remains firmly committed to safeguarding freedom of religion and freedom of worship for all faiths, and to ensuring that Jerusalem remains a city where every community can live, pray, and practice its faith in safety and dignity.”
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Israeli court acquits nun’s attacker, orders up to 6 years in psychiatric care #Catholic An Israeli court has acquitted a West Bank settler who assaulted a French Catholic sister near Mount Zion in Jerusalem earlier this year, ordering up to six years in a psychiatric facility, Israeli media reported.Jerusalem Magistrate Court Judge Ophir Tischler acquitted Yona Schreiber citing an assessment from a district psychiatrist that found Schreiber was experiencing a psychotic episode during the attack and could not be found criminally responsible, according to The Jerusalem Post.The Aug. 26 ruling ordered Schreiber to be committed to an inpatient treatment facility for a maximum six years, though he may be released early if a psychiatric council determines his mental condition to be improved.The psychiatric assessment further diagnosed Schreiber with schizophrenia, media reports said. The assessment noted that a lack of conclusive evidence showing how Schreiber’s mental state led him to carry out the attack on the religious sister but said the illness influenced his actions nonetheless.Schreiber was arrested and charged in April with assault and hostility toward a religious group for pushing a Catholic sister to the ground and kicking her in the head. The April 28 assault took place on Mount Zion near King David’s Tomb, steps from Dormition Abbey.Videos of the attack circulated on social media, fueling a backlash and further outrage over persistent attacks against Christians in Israel and the West Bank.At the time, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it strongly condemned Schreiber’s actions, writing in an April 29 social media post: “Israel remains firmly committed to safeguarding freedom of religion and freedom of worship for all faiths, and to ensuring that Jerusalem remains a city where every community can live, pray, and practice its faith in safety and dignity.”

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The Aug. 26 ruling ordered Yona Schreiber to be committed to an inpatient treatment facility for a maximum six years, though he may be released early at the discretion of the facility.

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Catholic Hispanics welcome Bishop Sweeney for Mass in Branchville #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Parish in Branchville, N.J., on Aug. 23 to celebrate a Spanish Mass for the Hispanic community. Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, pastor of OLQP and an advocate in the Tribunal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Dailon Lisabet, who provides pastoral care for the Spanish-speaking community in Sussex County, concelebrated the Mass. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney preached about the importance of the Church and the sacraments and emphasized the Church’s and diocese’s commitment to welcoming and serving the Hispanic people. A feast was held in OLQP’s parish hall after the Mass. OLQP has a Hispanic Ministry, which aims to integrate Spanish-speaking people into all aspects of the Sussex County parish’s life. The parish has been holding events that bring together English and Spanish communities so they become more acquainted. BEACON PHOTOS | DENNIS DALELIO [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Catholic Hispanics welcome Bishop Sweeney for Mass in Branchville #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Parish in Branchville, N.J., on Aug. 23 to celebrate a Spanish Mass for the Hispanic community. Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, pastor of OLQP and an advocate in the Tribunal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Dailon Lisabet, who provides pastoral care for the Spanish-speaking community in Sussex County, concelebrated the Mass. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney preached about the importance of the Church and the sacraments and emphasized the Church’s and diocese’s commitment to welcoming and serving the Hispanic people. A feast was held in OLQP’s parish hall after the Mass. OLQP has a Hispanic Ministry, which aims to integrate Spanish-speaking people into all aspects of the Sussex County parish’s life. The parish has been holding events that bring together English and Spanish communities so they become more acquainted. BEACON PHOTOS | DENNIS DALELIO [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Catholic Hispanics welcome Bishop Sweeney for Mass in Branchville #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Parish in Branchville, N.J., on Aug. 23 to celebrate a Spanish Mass for the Hispanic community.

Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, pastor of OLQP and an advocate in the Tribunal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Dailon Lisabet, who provides pastoral care for the Spanish-speaking community in Sussex County, concelebrated the Mass.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Bishop Sweeney preached about the importance of the Church and the sacraments and emphasized the Church’s and diocese’s commitment to welcoming and serving the Hispanic people.

A feast was held in OLQP’s parish hall after the Mass.

OLQP has a Hispanic Ministry, which aims to integrate Spanish-speaking people into all aspects of the Sussex County parish’s life. The parish has been holding events that bring together English and Spanish communities so they become more acquainted.

BEACON PHOTOS | DENNIS DALELIO

– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Our Lady Queen of Peace (OLQP) Parish in Branchville, N.J., on Aug. 23 to celebrate a Spanish Mass for the Hispanic community. Father Philip-Michael Tangorra, pastor of OLQP and an advocate in the Tribunal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Dailon Lisabet, who provides pastoral care for the Spanish-speaking community in Sussex County, concelebrated the Mass. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney preached about the importance of the Church and the sacraments and emphasized the Church’s and diocese’s commitment to welcoming and serving the Hispanic people. A feast was held

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Obituary: Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock served at Wayne Catholic school, 82 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Aug. 19 at St. Joseph Villa in Flourtown, Penn., for Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, who died on Aug. 9. She was 82. Sister Sherlock’s extensive teaching ministry included Our Lady of the Valley (OLV) School in Wayne, N.J., in the Paterson Diocese. Formerly Sister Margaret Andrew, Sister Sherlock also ministered in numerous schools in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. They include St. Bartholomew School, Corpus Christi School, Our Mother of Sorrows School, St. Timothy School, St. Ambrose School, and Christ the King School (Morrell Park), all in Philadelphia; St. Matthew School in Conshohocken; and Nativity of Our Lord School in Warminster. Including OLV in Wayne, Sister Sherlock also served the following schools outside the Philadelphia Archdiocese: Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Vienna, Va., in the Arlington Diocese; St. Mary School in Lebanon, Penn., in the Harrisburg Diocese; and St. Ambrose School in Schuylkill Haven, Penn., in the Allentown Diocese. Sister Sherlock also ministered at the Sisters’ motherhouse in Philadelphia. Sister Sherlock is preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Margaret Sherlock (nee Davis), and her brothers, Andrew, James, John, and Michael Sherlock. She is survived by her sisters, Margaret Weir, Rosemary “Suzy” Graf, and Nancy Carey; her brother, Fred Sherlock; and their extended families. Members of her congregation also survive her: the Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia. Please send memorial donations in Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock’s name to St. Joseph Villa, 110 W. Wissahickon Ave., Flourtown, Penn. 19031. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Obituary: Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock served at Wayne Catholic school, 82 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Aug. 19 at St. Joseph Villa in Flourtown, Penn., for Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, who died on Aug. 9. She was 82. Sister Sherlock’s extensive teaching ministry included Our Lady of the Valley (OLV) School in Wayne, N.J., in the Paterson Diocese. Formerly Sister Margaret Andrew, Sister Sherlock also ministered in numerous schools in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. They include St. Bartholomew School, Corpus Christi School, Our Mother of Sorrows School, St. Timothy School, St. Ambrose School, and Christ the King School (Morrell Park), all in Philadelphia; St. Matthew School in Conshohocken; and Nativity of Our Lord School in Warminster. Including OLV in Wayne, Sister Sherlock also served the following schools outside the Philadelphia Archdiocese: Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Vienna, Va., in the Arlington Diocese; St. Mary School in Lebanon, Penn., in the Harrisburg Diocese; and St. Ambrose School in Schuylkill Haven, Penn., in the Allentown Diocese. Sister Sherlock also ministered at the Sisters’ motherhouse in Philadelphia. Sister Sherlock is preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Margaret Sherlock (nee Davis), and her brothers, Andrew, James, John, and Michael Sherlock. She is survived by her sisters, Margaret Weir, Rosemary “Suzy” Graf, and Nancy Carey; her brother, Fred Sherlock; and their extended families. Members of her congregation also survive her: the Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia. Please send memorial donations in Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock’s name to St. Joseph Villa, 110 W. Wissahickon Ave., Flourtown, Penn. 19031. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Obituary: Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock served at Wayne Catholic school, 82 #Catholic –

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Aug. 19 at St. Joseph Villa in Flourtown, Penn., for Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, who died on Aug. 9. She was 82.

Sister Sherlock’s extensive teaching ministry included Our Lady of the Valley (OLV) School in Wayne, N.J., in the Paterson Diocese.

Formerly Sister Margaret Andrew, Sister Sherlock also ministered in numerous schools in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. They include St. Bartholomew School, Corpus Christi School, Our Mother of Sorrows School, St. Timothy School, St. Ambrose School, and Christ the King School (Morrell Park), all in Philadelphia; St. Matthew School in Conshohocken; and Nativity of Our Lord School in Warminster.

Including OLV in Wayne, Sister Sherlock also served the following schools outside the Philadelphia Archdiocese: Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Vienna, Va., in the Arlington Diocese; St. Mary School in Lebanon, Penn., in the Harrisburg Diocese; and St. Ambrose School in Schuylkill Haven, Penn., in the Allentown Diocese.

Sister Sherlock also ministered at the Sisters’ motherhouse in Philadelphia.

Sister Sherlock is preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Margaret Sherlock (nee Davis), and her brothers, Andrew, James, John, and Michael Sherlock.

She is survived by her sisters, Margaret Weir, Rosemary “Suzy” Graf, and Nancy Carey; her brother, Fred Sherlock; and their extended families. Members of her congregation also survive her: the Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia.

Please send memorial donations in Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock’s name to St. Joseph Villa, 110 W. Wissahickon Ave., Flourtown, Penn. 19031.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Aug. 19 at St. Joseph Villa in Flourtown, Penn., for Sister Margaret Andrew Sherlock, a Sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia, who died on Aug. 9. She was 82. Sister Sherlock’s extensive teaching ministry included Our Lady of the Valley (OLV) School in Wayne, N.J., in the Paterson Diocese. Formerly Sister Margaret Andrew, Sister Sherlock also ministered in numerous schools in the Philadelphia Archdiocese. They include St. Bartholomew School, Corpus Christi School, Our Mother of Sorrows School, St. Timothy School, St. Ambrose School, and Christ the King School (Morrell Park), all in

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NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman at Freedom 250 Grand Prix – NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, is seen in the two-seat IndyCar as he prepares for driver Conor Daly to take him on a lap in the fastest seat in sport ahead of the start of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

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NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, is seen in the two-seat IndyCar as he prepares for driver Conor Daly to take him on a lap in the fastest seat in sport ahead of the start of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

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Diocese in Brazil to become 36th consecrated to St. Michael the Archangel – #Catholic – On Aug. 30, the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu in Paraná state in southern Brazil will become the 36th diocese in the country to be consecrated to St. Michael the Archangel. The consecration will take place during the 20th diocesan pilgrimage with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Sergio de Deus Borges at Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral.The consecration of Brazilian dioceses to St. Michael the Archangel is part of the “Great Reconquest” initiative promoted by the Hesed Institute, a religious institute “dedicated to perpetual adoration and devotion to the blood of Christ, whose charism is to experience, live, and sing of Godʼs mercy through prayer and humble, simple works that transform into powerful intercession.” The initiative began in July 2025 with the arrival in Brazil of the pilgrim statue of St. Michael from the shrine dedicated to the archangel on Monte Gargano in Italy, the site of the archangelʼs apparitions. To date, 35 Brazilian dioceses have been consecrated.“Consecrating the diocese to the archangel aims to renew faith and seek spiritual protection against adversities,” Borges explained on the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu’s website. The diocese noted that the consecration is in response to a request from the bishop.Diocesan pilgrimageThe 20th diocesan pilgrimage aims “to bring the Catholic community together for a moment of faith and devotion to the Most Holy Mother of God,” the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu stated.The event begins with a triduum Aug. 26–28 held across 30 parishes in 14 cities within the diocese.On Aug. 29, the day the Church commemorates the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu, a Mass with the participation of the youth ministry will be celebrated at 7 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Parish in downtown Foz.On Aug. 30, the day of consecration, the program begins with a gathering at 7 a.m. at Mitre Square. At 7:30 a.m., pilgrims will walk in procession to the cathedral carrying the pilgrim images of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the cathedralʼs patron saint) and St. John the Baptist.The Mass consecrating the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu to St. Michael the Archangel will take place at 9:30 a.m.Afterward, there will be the recitation of the rosary and confessions. The Mass for the Sick will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Starting at 3 p.m., the Hesed Institute will lead a time of praise, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the “Combat Rosary.”The Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu invited everyone to donate "clothing in good condition, nonperishable food, and personal hygiene and cleaning products for those in need.This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Diocese in Brazil to become 36th consecrated to St. Michael the Archangel – #Catholic – On Aug. 30, the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu in Paraná state in southern Brazil will become the 36th diocese in the country to be consecrated to St. Michael the Archangel. The consecration will take place during the 20th diocesan pilgrimage with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Sergio de Deus Borges at Our Lady of Guadalupe Cathedral.The consecration of Brazilian dioceses to St. Michael the Archangel is part of the “Great Reconquest” initiative promoted by the Hesed Institute, a religious institute “dedicated to perpetual adoration and devotion to the blood of Christ, whose charism is to experience, live, and sing of Godʼs mercy through prayer and humble, simple works that transform into powerful intercession.” The initiative began in July 2025 with the arrival in Brazil of the pilgrim statue of St. Michael from the shrine dedicated to the archangel on Monte Gargano in Italy, the site of the archangelʼs apparitions. To date, 35 Brazilian dioceses have been consecrated.“Consecrating the diocese to the archangel aims to renew faith and seek spiritual protection against adversities,” Borges explained on the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu’s website. The diocese noted that the consecration is in response to a request from the bishop.Diocesan pilgrimageThe 20th diocesan pilgrimage aims “to bring the Catholic community together for a moment of faith and devotion to the Most Holy Mother of God,” the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu stated.The event begins with a triduum Aug. 26–28 held across 30 parishes in 14 cities within the diocese.On Aug. 29, the day the Church commemorates the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu, a Mass with the participation of the youth ministry will be celebrated at 7 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Parish in downtown Foz.On Aug. 30, the day of consecration, the program begins with a gathering at 7 a.m. at Mitre Square. At 7:30 a.m., pilgrims will walk in procession to the cathedral carrying the pilgrim images of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the cathedralʼs patron saint) and St. John the Baptist.The Mass consecrating the Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu to St. Michael the Archangel will take place at 9:30 a.m.Afterward, there will be the recitation of the rosary and confessions. The Mass for the Sick will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Starting at 3 p.m., the Hesed Institute will lead a time of praise, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the “Combat Rosary.”The Diocese of Foz do Iguaçu invited everyone to donate "clothing in good condition, nonperishable food, and personal hygiene and cleaning products for those in need.This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The consecration to be carried out by the bishop is part of the “Great Reconquest” initiative promoted by the Hesed Institute with the arrival in Brazil of the pilgrim statue of St. Michael.

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Pope Leo: Vatican II reformed the liturgy to promote active participation – #Catholic – VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has described the liturgical reforms following the Second Vatican Council as necessary to encourage active participation by the faithful.“Since the gestures and words of the sacred liturgy are critical to realizing this experience, the participation of the faithful cannot be passive,” Leo said. “The liturgical reform promoted by the Second Vatican Council is thus firmly rooted in the living tradition of the Church.”During his general audience at the Vatican on Aug. 26, the pontiff concluded his summer catechesis on the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium. The audience was held in St. Peter’s Basilica because of Rome’s high summer temperatures.The faithful cannot be passive during the liturgyLeo defended the Council Fathers’ decision at the Second Vatican Council to reform the liturgy, citing a letter St. Paul VI wrote as Archbishop of Milan to encourage the faithful’s participation.“Motivated by these convictions, the future Pope Saint Paul VI affirmed that the faithful ‘cannot and must no longer remain silent and passive. Their physical presence cannot be reconciled with their spiritual absence,’” Leo said. The pope also explained that the liturgy has divine aspects that cannot change and human elements that can change to promote the faithful’s participation.“When the Church carries out a reform of the liturgy — a constant process of development across the centuries — there is an important distinction to be made between the divine, immutable elements, and the human elements, which may undergo various modifications.”“The need arose for the faithful to celebrate the liturgies more consciously and actively, not ‘as strangers and silent spectators,’ but participating fully in the salvific mystery,” Leo addedLiturgical reform began long before Vatican IIThe church’s present liturgy was established in 1969 following the Second Vatican Council. It replaced the older Tridentine liturgy, standardized since the Council of Trent in 1570.The Tridentine liturgy, also called the Traditional Latin Mass, was largely replaced after the council. Pope Benedict XVI allowed greater access to it in 2007, but Pope Francis restricted access in 2021.The pope also explained that the liturgical reform began long before the Second Vatican Council, under several popes.“The assertion that the faithful should not attend celebrations ’as strangers or silent spectators’ had already been raised in Pius XI’s Apostolic Constitution Divini Cultus.” TweetLeo also recalled Pope Pius XII’s reform of the Tridentine Holy Week liturgy in 1955, in which he “rescheduled to the hours corresponding to the events of Easter, after they had for centuries been brought forward to the morning hours.”The pope also recalled the interventions of St. John XXIII, who called for the Second Vatican Council in 1959. Leo explained that John XXIII contributed to the church’s liturgical reform by simplifying “the rubrics of the Breviary and the Missal,… in which he referred the proposal of fundamental principles for a reform of the liturgy.”“Indeed, since the liturgy is a living entity, throughout the centuries it has always been subject to developments and changes,” Leo added.
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Pope Leo: Vatican II reformed the liturgy to promote active participation – #Catholic – VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has described the liturgical reforms following the Second Vatican Council as necessary to encourage active participation by the faithful.“Since the gestures and words of the sacred liturgy are critical to realizing this experience, the participation of the faithful cannot be passive,” Leo said. “The liturgical reform promoted by the Second Vatican Council is thus firmly rooted in the living tradition of the Church.”During his general audience at the Vatican on Aug. 26, the pontiff concluded his summer catechesis on the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium. The audience was held in St. Peter’s Basilica because of Rome’s high summer temperatures.The faithful cannot be passive during the liturgyLeo defended the Council Fathers’ decision at the Second Vatican Council to reform the liturgy, citing a letter St. Paul VI wrote as Archbishop of Milan to encourage the faithful’s participation.“Motivated by these convictions, the future Pope Saint Paul VI affirmed that the faithful ‘cannot and must no longer remain silent and passive. Their physical presence cannot be reconciled with their spiritual absence,’” Leo said. The pope also explained that the liturgy has divine aspects that cannot change and human elements that can change to promote the faithful’s participation.“When the Church carries out a reform of the liturgy — a constant process of development across the centuries — there is an important distinction to be made between the divine, immutable elements, and the human elements, which may undergo various modifications.”“The need arose for the faithful to celebrate the liturgies more consciously and actively, not ‘as strangers and silent spectators,’ but participating fully in the salvific mystery,” Leo addedLiturgical reform began long before Vatican IIThe church’s present liturgy was established in 1969 following the Second Vatican Council. It replaced the older Tridentine liturgy, standardized since the Council of Trent in 1570.The Tridentine liturgy, also called the Traditional Latin Mass, was largely replaced after the council. Pope Benedict XVI allowed greater access to it in 2007, but Pope Francis restricted access in 2021.The pope also explained that the liturgical reform began long before the Second Vatican Council, under several popes.“The assertion that the faithful should not attend celebrations ’as strangers or silent spectators’ had already been raised in Pius XI’s Apostolic Constitution Divini Cultus.” TweetLeo also recalled Pope Pius XII’s reform of the Tridentine Holy Week liturgy in 1955, in which he “rescheduled to the hours corresponding to the events of Easter, after they had for centuries been brought forward to the morning hours.”The pope also recalled the interventions of St. John XXIII, who called for the Second Vatican Council in 1959. Leo explained that John XXIII contributed to the church’s liturgical reform by simplifying “the rubrics of the Breviary and the Missal,… in which he referred the proposal of fundamental principles for a reform of the liturgy.”“Indeed, since the liturgy is a living entity, throughout the centuries it has always been subject to developments and changes,” Leo added.

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The pontiff’s Aug. 26 general audience addressed the reasons for the church’s recent liturgical reforms.

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Symposium in Brazil addresses the devil’s existence as part of Catholic doctrine – #Catholic – A recent symposium in Fortaleza, Brazil, on demonology and exorcism “focused on the theological affirmation of the devil’s existence as part of Catholic doctrine,” Father Diogo Jairo Rebouças told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. The priest is an exorcist for the Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state and coordinator of the gathering held Aug. 18–19.The symposium drew 240 participants, 76% of whom were laypeople. According to Rebouças, the event was open to this audience because its goal was not “to provide training for performing exorcisms” but rather “to reflect theologically in light of Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium on the reality of the angelic beings who chose damnation.”“We are convinced that this perspective is highly beneficial for deepening the faith of any and every Christian,” he said.The gathering was organized by Marian Community Oasis of Peace with the support of the Archdiocese of Fortaleza and took place in the central auditorium of the Catholic College of Fortaleza.Among the speakers were Bishop André Vital of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state; Father Pedro Paulo Alexandre, exorcist from the Archdiocese of Florianópolis in Santa Catarina state and member of the International Association of Exorcists (AIE, by its Portuguese acronym); Father Fellinto de Oliveira Britto, exorcist from the Diocese of Tianguá in Ceará state and a psychologist; Father Antônio Gomes Macedo Júnior, assistant exorcist; medical doctor Mauro Martins, also an assistant exorcist; and Father David Piter, exorcist from the Diocese of Quixadá in Ceará state and Rebouças.The lectures dealt, among other topics, with demonology in the Gospels and the liberating ministry of Christ, the Churchʼs guidelines for the ministry of exorcisms, the distinction between prayer for deliverance and exorcism, and the discernment between psychiatric pathologies and possible spiritual phenomena.Appointment by the bishop requiredAccording to Rebouças, the meeting presented the AIE’s guidelines to “make it clear that only priests duly appointed by the bishop may perform solemn exorcisms.”The priest stated that the guidance highlights “the Catholic Church’s commitment to pastoral ministry focused on discernment and mercy, rather than fear and sensationalism.”The symposium also addressed the necessary precautions during prayer for healing and deliverance, particularly regarding individuals who become highly distressed during such prayer.“Talks by both exorcists and mental health professionals addressed the need for prudence during prayer for healing and deliverance as it is frequently observed that highly suggestible individuals become emotionally destabilized during events that strongly appeal to the emotions,” Rebouças said.According to him, participants were instructed on “what procedure to follow when a member of the faithful experiences a crisis during [such prayer], in order to protect him from unnecessary exposure and avoid leading to hasty conclusions about possible activity by the evil one.”Moral certainty requiredAnother topic addressed was the discernment between possible extraordinary action by the devil and illnesses or other conditions of natural origin.“The guidelines for the exorcism ministry state that it is not permissible to perform an exorcism on a member of the faithful until the exorcist possesses moral certainty that the case involves extraordinary action by the evil one, rather than merely an illness or condition of natural origin,” Rebouças explained.Therefore, according to him, “mutual collaboration among the exorcist, family members, and healthcare professionals, especially mental health professionals, is extremely important.”“It is certainly not the exorcist’s role to provide a psychiatric diagnosis for the person nor is it the role of scientists to say whether the devil exists or not,” he said. “Each performs their respective role, observing signs of improvement or deterioration in the person throughout the process of accompaniment.”“Sometimes, a deeply devout but mentally ill believer refuses to take their medication until the priest comforts them by saying, ‘I will bless your medicines!’” he said. “And faith encourages the person to follow the treatment and therapies through which they find healing.”“An exorcist will never discourage a believer from making use of scientific therapeutic resources,” the priest added.“It is also not uncommon, in cases of genuine extraordinary demonic activity, for a doctor to tell the family: ‘We have done everything within our power!’ or even: ‘This defies scientific explanation!’” he said.“In this sense, the Church’s faith offers an explanation that addresses the human need regarding spiritual realities,” Rebouças said.The priest highlighted the importance of the training sessions for assistant exorcists offered by the Portuguese-language secretariat of the AIE in which laypeople and healthcare professionals may participate. The next training session will take place Nov. 27–29 at St. Benedict Monastery in Rio de Janeiro.This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Symposium in Brazil addresses the devil’s existence as part of Catholic doctrine – #Catholic – A recent symposium in Fortaleza, Brazil, on demonology and exorcism “focused on the theological affirmation of the devil’s existence as part of Catholic doctrine,” Father Diogo Jairo Rebouças told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. The priest is an exorcist for the Diocese of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state and coordinator of the gathering held Aug. 18–19.The symposium drew 240 participants, 76% of whom were laypeople. According to Rebouças, the event was open to this audience because its goal was not “to provide training for performing exorcisms” but rather “to reflect theologically in light of Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium on the reality of the angelic beings who chose damnation.”“We are convinced that this perspective is highly beneficial for deepening the faith of any and every Christian,” he said.The gathering was organized by Marian Community Oasis of Peace with the support of the Archdiocese of Fortaleza and took place in the central auditorium of the Catholic College of Fortaleza.Among the speakers were Bishop André Vital of Limoeiro do Norte in Ceará state; Father Pedro Paulo Alexandre, exorcist from the Archdiocese of Florianópolis in Santa Catarina state and member of the International Association of Exorcists (AIE, by its Portuguese acronym); Father Fellinto de Oliveira Britto, exorcist from the Diocese of Tianguá in Ceará state and a psychologist; Father Antônio Gomes Macedo Júnior, assistant exorcist; medical doctor Mauro Martins, also an assistant exorcist; and Father David Piter, exorcist from the Diocese of Quixadá in Ceará state and Rebouças.The lectures dealt, among other topics, with demonology in the Gospels and the liberating ministry of Christ, the Churchʼs guidelines for the ministry of exorcisms, the distinction between prayer for deliverance and exorcism, and the discernment between psychiatric pathologies and possible spiritual phenomena.Appointment by the bishop requiredAccording to Rebouças, the meeting presented the AIE’s guidelines to “make it clear that only priests duly appointed by the bishop may perform solemn exorcisms.”The priest stated that the guidance highlights “the Catholic Church’s commitment to pastoral ministry focused on discernment and mercy, rather than fear and sensationalism.”The symposium also addressed the necessary precautions during prayer for healing and deliverance, particularly regarding individuals who become highly distressed during such prayer.“Talks by both exorcists and mental health professionals addressed the need for prudence during prayer for healing and deliverance as it is frequently observed that highly suggestible individuals become emotionally destabilized during events that strongly appeal to the emotions,” Rebouças said.According to him, participants were instructed on “what procedure to follow when a member of the faithful experiences a crisis during [such prayer], in order to protect him from unnecessary exposure and avoid leading to hasty conclusions about possible activity by the evil one.”Moral certainty requiredAnother topic addressed was the discernment between possible extraordinary action by the devil and illnesses or other conditions of natural origin.“The guidelines for the exorcism ministry state that it is not permissible to perform an exorcism on a member of the faithful until the exorcist possesses moral certainty that the case involves extraordinary action by the evil one, rather than merely an illness or condition of natural origin,” Rebouças explained.Therefore, according to him, “mutual collaboration among the exorcist, family members, and healthcare professionals, especially mental health professionals, is extremely important.”“It is certainly not the exorcist’s role to provide a psychiatric diagnosis for the person nor is it the role of scientists to say whether the devil exists or not,” he said. “Each performs their respective role, observing signs of improvement or deterioration in the person throughout the process of accompaniment.”“Sometimes, a deeply devout but mentally ill believer refuses to take their medication until the priest comforts them by saying, ‘I will bless your medicines!’” he said. “And faith encourages the person to follow the treatment and therapies through which they find healing.”“An exorcist will never discourage a believer from making use of scientific therapeutic resources,” the priest added.“It is also not uncommon, in cases of genuine extraordinary demonic activity, for a doctor to tell the family: ‘We have done everything within our power!’ or even: ‘This defies scientific explanation!’” he said.“In this sense, the Church’s faith offers an explanation that addresses the human need regarding spiritual realities,” Rebouças said.The priest highlighted the importance of the training sessions for assistant exorcists offered by the Portuguese-language secretariat of the AIE in which laypeople and healthcare professionals may participate. The next training session will take place Nov. 27–29 at St. Benedict Monastery in Rio de Janeiro.This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Besides affirming the existence of demons based on Scripture, tradition, and the magisterium, the symposium emphasized the need to discern between genuine demonic activity and mental illness.

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The Sky Today on Wednesday, August 26: Catch Barnard’s star

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 25: Messier 73 One of the most famous stars in the sky lies in Ophiuchus the Serpent-bearer, still high in the west and southwest (it’s a big constellation) two hours after sunset. In its northeastern corner is Barnard’s star — althoughContinue reading “The Sky Today on Wednesday, August 26: Catch Barnard’s star”

The post The Sky Today on Wednesday, August 26: Catch Barnard’s star appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Chicago priest reinstated after being cleared in sex abuse investigation #Catholic Father Michael Pfleger, a priest known for his activism in Chicago, has been cleared by the archdiocese of an accusation of sex abuse.In July, the Archdiocese of Chicago withdrew Pfleger — longtime pastor of St. Sabina Church — from ministry to review an allegation of sexual abuse. A woman claimed that Pfleger abused her when she was a child more than 30 years ago. This is the fifth of several accusations of sexual abuse against Pfleger, all of which the archdiocese has cleared him of.After reviewing a joint investigation, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, has approved Pfleger to return to ministry “effective immediately.”The archdiocese announced that “there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation.”“The Independent Review Board, assisted by our Office of Child Protection and outside investigators, thoroughly reviewed the allegation,” Cupich’s letter, addressed to the St. Sabina Parish community, read.“An independent inquiry assures the public and the person making the accusation of a fair and impartial review of all matters related to such cases,” the letter continued. “It also protects the rights and interests of the accused cleric, especially if the board concludes there is no reason to believe the accused is guilty of the allegation. In that case, the cleric has the freedom to return to ministry without a cloud of suspicion over him.”“In short, no one should underestimate the value of an independent and disciplined inquiry, even if it is made public and requires a substantial amount of time,” the letter continued.“Thank you God,” Pfleger wrote in a Facebook post. “And thanks to all who have stood with me.”Cupich also wrote about suffering in his letter and thanked the parish for its “prayers and support” for Pfleger.“This coming weekend, Jesus tells us that being a disciple is about taking up our crosses and following him,” Cupich wrote. “Notice that Jesus redefines our sufferings in life. Sufferings are not punishments or even tests of our endurance for pain. Rather, Jesus calls them crosses and thus associates them with his own,” Cupich pointed out.“He wants us to see discipleship as participating in the salvation of the world; discipleship involves joining our sufferings, our crosses to His on Calvary. Following Him, being a disciple, is then not a demanding chore, but a great gift. As we carry our crosses alongside Jesus, He transforms our sufferings into something much bigger than we ever imagined,” Cupich continued.“It is in this spirit that I want to recognize the suffering you and Father Mike have endured, for I know his absence has been real and painful,” Cupich said.Pfleger has pastored the predominantly Black parish St. Sabina, located on the South Side of Chicago, since 1981. While most priest’s assignments last about seven years, Pfleger’s has lasted 45 years.Pfleger has a storied history in Chicago, leading fierce activism against drugs and guns along with outreach to prostitutes and drug dealers.Some of the priest’s words and actions have put him at the center of controversy. The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago suspended Pfleger in 2011 after the priest threatened to leave the priesthood if George reassigned him. The cardinal reinstated him as St. Sabina’s pastor after Pfleger apologized. In 2019, Cupich publicly denounced Pfleger’s decision to invite Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to speak at St. Sabina.“Remember your dignity as disciples, those who can claim that Jesus joins your sufferings to His for the salvation of the world,” Cupich concluded in his letter to the parish. “You will have my support and prayers as you continue to be a light in the community, a great witness that has distinguished St. Sabina’s for generations.”The parish will hold a press conference on Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. Pfleger did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
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Chicago priest reinstated after being cleared in sex abuse investigation #Catholic Father Michael Pfleger, a priest known for his activism in Chicago, has been cleared by the archdiocese of an accusation of sex abuse.In July, the Archdiocese of Chicago withdrew Pfleger — longtime pastor of St. Sabina Church — from ministry to review an allegation of sexual abuse. A woman claimed that Pfleger abused her when she was a child more than 30 years ago. This is the fifth of several accusations of sexual abuse against Pfleger, all of which the archdiocese has cleared him of.After reviewing a joint investigation, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, has approved Pfleger to return to ministry “effective immediately.”The archdiocese announced that “there is no reason to believe Father Pfleger is guilty of this allegation.”“The Independent Review Board, assisted by our Office of Child Protection and outside investigators, thoroughly reviewed the allegation,” Cupich’s letter, addressed to the St. Sabina Parish community, read.“An independent inquiry assures the public and the person making the accusation of a fair and impartial review of all matters related to such cases,” the letter continued. “It also protects the rights and interests of the accused cleric, especially if the board concludes there is no reason to believe the accused is guilty of the allegation. In that case, the cleric has the freedom to return to ministry without a cloud of suspicion over him.”“In short, no one should underestimate the value of an independent and disciplined inquiry, even if it is made public and requires a substantial amount of time,” the letter continued.“Thank you God,” Pfleger wrote in a Facebook post. “And thanks to all who have stood with me.”Cupich also wrote about suffering in his letter and thanked the parish for its “prayers and support” for Pfleger.“This coming weekend, Jesus tells us that being a disciple is about taking up our crosses and following him,” Cupich wrote. “Notice that Jesus redefines our sufferings in life. Sufferings are not punishments or even tests of our endurance for pain. Rather, Jesus calls them crosses and thus associates them with his own,” Cupich pointed out.“He wants us to see discipleship as participating in the salvation of the world; discipleship involves joining our sufferings, our crosses to His on Calvary. Following Him, being a disciple, is then not a demanding chore, but a great gift. As we carry our crosses alongside Jesus, He transforms our sufferings into something much bigger than we ever imagined,” Cupich continued.“It is in this spirit that I want to recognize the suffering you and Father Mike have endured, for I know his absence has been real and painful,” Cupich said.Pfleger has pastored the predominantly Black parish St. Sabina, located on the South Side of Chicago, since 1981. While most priest’s assignments last about seven years, Pfleger’s has lasted 45 years.Pfleger has a storied history in Chicago, leading fierce activism against drugs and guns along with outreach to prostitutes and drug dealers.Some of the priest’s words and actions have put him at the center of controversy. The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago suspended Pfleger in 2011 after the priest threatened to leave the priesthood if George reassigned him. The cardinal reinstated him as St. Sabina’s pastor after Pfleger apologized. In 2019, Cupich publicly denounced Pfleger’s decision to invite Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to speak at St. Sabina.“Remember your dignity as disciples, those who can claim that Jesus joins your sufferings to His for the salvation of the world,” Cupich concluded in his letter to the parish. “You will have my support and prayers as you continue to be a light in the community, a great witness that has distinguished St. Sabina’s for generations.”The parish will hold a press conference on Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. Pfleger did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

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After reviewing a joint investigation, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, has approved Father Michael Pfleger to return to ministry “effective immediately.”

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 26 August 2026 – A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18 We instruct you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who walks in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. This greeting is in my own hand, Paul?s. This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.From the Gospel according to Matthew 23:27-32 Jesus said, ?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men?s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing. ?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the memorials of the righteous,  and you say, ?If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets? blood.? Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets; now fill up what your ancestors measured out!?The hearts of these people, of this small group, had hardened so much over time that it was impossible for them to listen to the Lord?s voice. And from being sinners, they had slipped further and become corrupt. It is very difficult for a corrupt person to change his ways. A sinner can, because the Lord is merciful and awaits us all. But the corrupt are set in their ways, and these people were corrupt. And that is why they justify themselves: because Jesus, with His simplicity, yet with the power of God, annoyed them. (?) They rejected the Lord?s love, and this rejection meant they were on a path that was not that of the dialectic of freedom offered by the Lord, but that of the logic of necessity, where there is no place for the Lord. In the dialectic of freedom there is the good Lord, who loves us, who loves us a great deal! Instead, in the logic of necessity there is no place for God: one must do, this, one must do that, one must? They have become mere creatures of habit. Men of good manners and bad habits. Jesus calls them ?whited sepulchres?. (?) Those who justify themselves understand neither mercy nor compassion. Instead, those people who loved Jesus so much needed mercy and compassion, so they went to the Lord to ask for them. (Pope Francis, Homily, Holy Mass for Italian Parliamentarians, 27 March 2014)

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A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians
3:6-10, 16-18

We instruct you, brothers and sisters,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to shun any brother
who walks in a disorderly way
and not according to the tradition they received from us.
For you know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked,
so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that
if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.

May the Lord of peace himself
give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with all of you.

This greeting is in my own hand, Paul?s.
This is the sign in every letter; this is how I write.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
23:27-32

Jesus said,
?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You are like whitewashed tombs,
which appear beautiful on the outside,
but inside are full of dead men?s bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,
but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous, 
and you say, ?If we had lived
in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them
in shedding the prophets? blood.?
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those
who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!?

The hearts of these people, of this small group, had hardened so much over time that it was impossible for them to listen to the Lord?s voice. And from being sinners, they had slipped further and become corrupt. It is very difficult for a corrupt person to change his ways. A sinner can, because the Lord is merciful and awaits us all. But the corrupt are set in their ways, and these people were corrupt. And that is why they justify themselves: because Jesus, with His simplicity, yet with the power of God, annoyed them. (?) They rejected the Lord?s love, and this rejection meant they were on a path that was not that of the dialectic of freedom offered by the Lord, but that of the logic of necessity, where there is no place for the Lord. In the dialectic of freedom there is the good Lord, who loves us, who loves us a great deal! Instead, in the logic of necessity there is no place for God: one must do, this, one must do that, one must? They have become mere creatures of habit. Men of good manners and bad habits. Jesus calls them ?whited sepulchres?. (?) Those who justify themselves understand neither mercy nor compassion. Instead, those people who loved Jesus so much needed mercy and compassion, so they went to the Lord to ask for them. (Pope Francis, Homily, Holy Mass for Italian Parliamentarians, 27 March 2014)

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Picture of the day Altar of the church of the Monastery of Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal. The monastery, founded in 1490, is one of the oldest buildings in Manueline style (Portuguese version of Gothic) and served as a monastery of Poor Clare nuns. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Altar of the church of the Monastery of Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal. The monastery, founded in 1490, is one of the oldest buildings in Manueline style (Portuguese version of Gothic) and served as a monastery of Poor Clare nuns. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Altar of the church of the Monastery of Jesus, Setúbal, Portugal. The monastery, founded in 1490, is one of the oldest buildings in Manueline style (Portuguese version of Gothic) and served as a monastery of Poor Clare nuns.
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Watchdog group flags safety concerns at Colorado abortion clinics after death of teenager #Catholic In Colorado, advocates for life are gathering to remember a young woman who died during a second-trimester abortion at a Planned Parenthood — and to call for better safety regulations.Alexis “Lexi” Arguello died of complications during an abortion at the Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins; her grandparents claimed the clinic waited too long to call 911.The three-day “Justice for Lexi” campaign, taking place Aug. 27–29, aims to draw attention to the “the tragic death of Lexi Arguello and the numerous abortion injuries sustained by other unprotected women in unregulated abortion clinics across the state,” according to Operation Rescue, a watchdog group working to end abortion in the U.S. In the 1980s and 1990s, the group organized peaceful sit-ins and blockades in front of abortion clinics, which sometimes led to arrests.A press conference on Aug. 28 will be held on the sidewalk in front of the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood, where 12 other women have been injured, according to the group. Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez-Novelo of the Archdiocese of Denver will speak at the prayer rally following the press conference.Dr. Catherine Wheeler, a former abortionist who now heads the Colorado Chapter of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a group that promotes patients’ rights for unborn babies and mothers, is set to speak at the event.“The tragic loss of Lexi’s life and at least 13 ambulances from Fort Collins since January 2025 witness to the dangers of later abortion, magnified by lack of oversight, transparency and accountability,” Wheeler stated in an Aug. 24 press release.“Women and Coloradans do not understand the dangers of abortion after the first trimester, and are not told the facilities are not regulated or inspected to be sure that anesthesia is safe, sterilization protocols are enforced, clinicians are adequately trained, or that the staff and facility are prepared, equipped and capable to manage emergencies like hemorrhage, uterine perforation or acute respiratory failure, known complications,” Wheeler continued.Dr. Tom Perille, who heads Democrats for Life of Colorado, insists that women’s safety must come first.“For two consecutive years, bills have been introduced in the Colorado Assembly to grant the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment the authority to license, regulate, and inspect second and third trimester abortion facilities like they do other high risk healthcare facilities,” Perille said in the release. “Both times, the bills were defeated along party lines at the bequest of the abortion industry.”“Putting the abortion industry’s financial interests above the health and safety of Colorado women must stop,” he said.Operation Rescue has been monitoring the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood since Arguello’s death last year, according to the press release.“Since Lexi’s tragic death, our team has documented at least 12 more women injured at this same Planned Parenthood,” Sarah Neely, COO of Operation Rescue, said in a statement. “Another late-term Planned Parenthood located in Denver has injured nine women. Not one incident has been investigated, not even the death of Lexi, when evidence and testimony suggested Planned Parenthood staff waited too long to call 911.”In one case on July 9, Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins called 911 for a “hemorrhaging” patient.Attorney Alexandra Snyder of Life Legal Defense Foundation, a pro-life nonprofit defending unborn children, called for more safety regulations for abortion.“The need for adequate regulations is most pronounced in facilities that perform second- and third-trimester abortions, like the one that treated Lexi before she died,” Snyder said. “Colorado’s legislature has twice rejected attempts to impose even basic safety requirements. We will continue to fight for laws that protect women in Colorado from this unconscionable neglect on the part of the Legislature.”“We hope that Lexi’s death will finally compel lawmakers to require abortion clinics to meet the same patient safety standards required of other medical facilities,” Snyder said.
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Watchdog group flags safety concerns at Colorado abortion clinics after death of teenager #Catholic In Colorado, advocates for life are gathering to remember a young woman who died during a second-trimester abortion at a Planned Parenthood — and to call for better safety regulations.Alexis “Lexi” Arguello died of complications during an abortion at the Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins; her grandparents claimed the clinic waited too long to call 911.The three-day “Justice for Lexi” campaign, taking place Aug. 27–29, aims to draw attention to the “the tragic death of Lexi Arguello and the numerous abortion injuries sustained by other unprotected women in unregulated abortion clinics across the state,” according to Operation Rescue, a watchdog group working to end abortion in the U.S. In the 1980s and 1990s, the group organized peaceful sit-ins and blockades in front of abortion clinics, which sometimes led to arrests.A press conference on Aug. 28 will be held on the sidewalk in front of the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood, where 12 other women have been injured, according to the group. Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez-Novelo of the Archdiocese of Denver will speak at the prayer rally following the press conference.Dr. Catherine Wheeler, a former abortionist who now heads the Colorado Chapter of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a group that promotes patients’ rights for unborn babies and mothers, is set to speak at the event.“The tragic loss of Lexi’s life and at least 13 ambulances from Fort Collins since January 2025 witness to the dangers of later abortion, magnified by lack of oversight, transparency and accountability,” Wheeler stated in an Aug. 24 press release.“Women and Coloradans do not understand the dangers of abortion after the first trimester, and are not told the facilities are not regulated or inspected to be sure that anesthesia is safe, sterilization protocols are enforced, clinicians are adequately trained, or that the staff and facility are prepared, equipped and capable to manage emergencies like hemorrhage, uterine perforation or acute respiratory failure, known complications,” Wheeler continued.Dr. Tom Perille, who heads Democrats for Life of Colorado, insists that women’s safety must come first.“For two consecutive years, bills have been introduced in the Colorado Assembly to grant the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment the authority to license, regulate, and inspect second and third trimester abortion facilities like they do other high risk healthcare facilities,” Perille said in the release. “Both times, the bills were defeated along party lines at the bequest of the abortion industry.”“Putting the abortion industry’s financial interests above the health and safety of Colorado women must stop,” he said.Operation Rescue has been monitoring the Fort Collins Planned Parenthood since Arguello’s death last year, according to the press release.“Since Lexi’s tragic death, our team has documented at least 12 more women injured at this same Planned Parenthood,” Sarah Neely, COO of Operation Rescue, said in a statement. “Another late-term Planned Parenthood located in Denver has injured nine women. Not one incident has been investigated, not even the death of Lexi, when evidence and testimony suggested Planned Parenthood staff waited too long to call 911.”In one case on July 9, Planned Parenthood in Fort Collins called 911 for a “hemorrhaging” patient.Attorney Alexandra Snyder of Life Legal Defense Foundation, a pro-life nonprofit defending unborn children, called for more safety regulations for abortion.“The need for adequate regulations is most pronounced in facilities that perform second- and third-trimester abortions, like the one that treated Lexi before she died,” Snyder said. “Colorado’s legislature has twice rejected attempts to impose even basic safety requirements. We will continue to fight for laws that protect women in Colorado from this unconscionable neglect on the part of the Legislature.”“We hope that Lexi’s death will finally compel lawmakers to require abortion clinics to meet the same patient safety standards required of other medical facilities,” Snyder said.

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Last year, 18-year-old Lexi Arguello died after complications from a late-term abortion. Activists say staff waited too long to call 911 — and note that women continue to be injured at the clinic.

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Astronauts Anil Menon and Sophie Adenot on Spacewalk – From left, Expedition 75 flight engineers Anil Menon of NASA (partially obscured and wearing the spacesuit with a red stripe on the legs) and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) work together during a six‑hour and 23‑minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

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From left, Expedition 75 flight engineers Anil Menon of NASA (partially obscured and wearing the spacesuit with a red stripe on the legs) and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) work together during a six‑hour and 23‑minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

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French Council protects conscience rights for Catholics, pharmacists as euthanasia law takes effect – #Catholic – The official promulgation of France’s end-of-life law in the Journal Officiel on Aug. 19 came with a significant victory for religious and conscience freedom. Catholic hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes will not be forced to allow euthanasia or assisted suicide on their premises, and pharmacists cannot be compelled to prepare or dispense the lethal substance. This conscience-clause win, secured by interpretive reservations by the Constitutional Council on Aug. 14, has received less attention than the law itself, adopted by the Parliament in July, and which the progressive government of President Emmanuel Macron had vigorously defended since 2023.In a press release on its ruling, the council — France’s highest constitutional authority — specified that the exemption applies when hosting assisted dying would be “manifestly contrary” to an institution’s statutory mission or project, and only if that opposition is formally written into its governing statutes or an ethical charter, and only if other establishments are able to meet local needs. For pharmacists, the council issued a separate reservation grounded in Article 10 of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, ruling that preparing or dispensing the lethal substance “is liable to offend” personal convictions.As originally adopted, the text required that when a person is hospitalized or living in certain covered facilities, “the head of the establishment must allow the intervention of the professionals participating in the procedure” as well as access for anyone accompanying the person requesting to die — with no exception for an institution’s own objections.Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris welcomed the reservations in his Aug. 19 message to the faithful marking the law’s promulgation, calling them “an opportunity.” He expressed his hope that institutions built around care for the gravely ill and expertise in palliative care would “find in these reservations an encouragement to maintain their particular character, and to remain places where no one will be killed.”The Aug. 14 exemption followed formal submissions to the council from several Catholic and pro-life organizations, including the Fondation Jérôme Lejeune and the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), a Strasbourg-based advocacy group, which argued that forcing institutions to accommodate mobile euthanasia teams “constitutes a clear violation of their freedom.”While the bill was still moving through the French Parliament, Sister Agnès, a physician with the Little Sisters of the Poor, on March 3 spoke on behalf of French Catholic congregations that run hospitals and nursing homes during an interactive dialogue with the U.N. Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief in Geneva. She told the rapporteur the draft law would force those congregations to accept euthanasia on their premises or risk up to two years in prison and a 30,000-euro fine, warning they could be forced to “renege on Godʼs commandments” to keep operating.Legal scholars have noted the unusual character of this reversal and highlighted the weight of the advocacy of Catholic organizations. Roseline Letteron, a professor of public law who publishes the blog “Libertés, Libertés chéries,” wrote that the council built the institutions’ exemption on different legal ground than the pharmacists’ clause: not the individual right to conscience but the right to form an association and the right to run a business as one sees fit, combined with an older idea, borrowed from a 1959 law on religious schools, that an institution can have a distinct “character” worth protecting. French courts had rejected comparable institutional opt-outs before, for civil-status registrars who refused to perform same-sex marriages in 2013 and hospital department heads who objected to abortion in 2001. Letteron asked directly whether the council “wanted to give symbolic satisfaction to the Catholic lobby,” concluding that “the answer is yes.”Meanwhile, ECLJ Director Grégor Puppinck called the Aug. 14 decision “a great victory,” saying in a statement that the group would now “continue this fight in other countries that have already legalized euthanasia, in order to guarantee the freedom of faith-based institutions there as well.” A French constitutional ruling does not bind courts abroad, but the ECLJ — which has published its own comparative-law study of the question — intends to press the same argument through European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence on institutional autonomy, contending that freedom of religion protects “communities and institutions,” not only individuals, and that “the right to refuse to kill must be accepted completely” for both.The Fondation Jérôme Lejeune, whose own submission had focused especially on the law’s lack of protection for people with intellectual disabilities — a concern it says it had also raised repeatedly with the U.N. — called the council’s ruling “scandalously minimal” in an Aug. 14 statement. “The Fondation Jérôme Lejeune will never resign itself,” said its president, Jean-Marie Le Méné. “The fight is far from over.” The foundation said it would watch closely as the government drafts implementing decrees, continuing to press its demand for protections for people with intellectual disabilities.
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French Council protects conscience rights for Catholics, pharmacists as euthanasia law takes effect – #Catholic – The official promulgation of France’s end-of-life law in the Journal Officiel on Aug. 19 came with a significant victory for religious and conscience freedom. Catholic hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes will not be forced to allow euthanasia or assisted suicide on their premises, and pharmacists cannot be compelled to prepare or dispense the lethal substance. This conscience-clause win, secured by interpretive reservations by the Constitutional Council on Aug. 14, has received less attention than the law itself, adopted by the Parliament in July, and which the progressive government of President Emmanuel Macron had vigorously defended since 2023.In a press release on its ruling, the council — France’s highest constitutional authority — specified that the exemption applies when hosting assisted dying would be “manifestly contrary” to an institution’s statutory mission or project, and only if that opposition is formally written into its governing statutes or an ethical charter, and only if other establishments are able to meet local needs. For pharmacists, the council issued a separate reservation grounded in Article 10 of the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man, ruling that preparing or dispensing the lethal substance “is liable to offend” personal convictions.As originally adopted, the text required that when a person is hospitalized or living in certain covered facilities, “the head of the establishment must allow the intervention of the professionals participating in the procedure” as well as access for anyone accompanying the person requesting to die — with no exception for an institution’s own objections.Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris welcomed the reservations in his Aug. 19 message to the faithful marking the law’s promulgation, calling them “an opportunity.” He expressed his hope that institutions built around care for the gravely ill and expertise in palliative care would “find in these reservations an encouragement to maintain their particular character, and to remain places where no one will be killed.”The Aug. 14 exemption followed formal submissions to the council from several Catholic and pro-life organizations, including the Fondation Jérôme Lejeune and the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), a Strasbourg-based advocacy group, which argued that forcing institutions to accommodate mobile euthanasia teams “constitutes a clear violation of their freedom.”While the bill was still moving through the French Parliament, Sister Agnès, a physician with the Little Sisters of the Poor, on March 3 spoke on behalf of French Catholic congregations that run hospitals and nursing homes during an interactive dialogue with the U.N. Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief in Geneva. She told the rapporteur the draft law would force those congregations to accept euthanasia on their premises or risk up to two years in prison and a 30,000-euro fine, warning they could be forced to “renege on Godʼs commandments” to keep operating.Legal scholars have noted the unusual character of this reversal and highlighted the weight of the advocacy of Catholic organizations. Roseline Letteron, a professor of public law who publishes the blog “Libertés, Libertés chéries,” wrote that the council built the institutions’ exemption on different legal ground than the pharmacists’ clause: not the individual right to conscience but the right to form an association and the right to run a business as one sees fit, combined with an older idea, borrowed from a 1959 law on religious schools, that an institution can have a distinct “character” worth protecting. French courts had rejected comparable institutional opt-outs before, for civil-status registrars who refused to perform same-sex marriages in 2013 and hospital department heads who objected to abortion in 2001. Letteron asked directly whether the council “wanted to give symbolic satisfaction to the Catholic lobby,” concluding that “the answer is yes.”Meanwhile, ECLJ Director Grégor Puppinck called the Aug. 14 decision “a great victory,” saying in a statement that the group would now “continue this fight in other countries that have already legalized euthanasia, in order to guarantee the freedom of faith-based institutions there as well.” A French constitutional ruling does not bind courts abroad, but the ECLJ — which has published its own comparative-law study of the question — intends to press the same argument through European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence on institutional autonomy, contending that freedom of religion protects “communities and institutions,” not only individuals, and that “the right to refuse to kill must be accepted completely” for both.The Fondation Jérôme Lejeune, whose own submission had focused especially on the law’s lack of protection for people with intellectual disabilities — a concern it says it had also raised repeatedly with the U.N. — called the council’s ruling “scandalously minimal” in an Aug. 14 statement. “The Fondation Jérôme Lejeune will never resign itself,” said its president, Jean-Marie Le Méné. “The fight is far from over.” The foundation said it would watch closely as the government drafts implementing decrees, continuing to press its demand for protections for people with intellectual disabilities.

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France’s highest constitutional authority has carved out conscience protections for Catholic institutions and pharmacists, which was welcomed by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris.

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Chicago Bears announce donation to Catholic Charities for Midwest storm relief – #Catholic – The Chicago Bears announced Aug. 22 a donation of 0,000 to Catholic Charities’ work to support those impacted by severe storms and flooding across the southern suburbs of Chicago and northwest Indiana.Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, will each receive 0,000 to aid in their efforts to help address immediate and ongoing needs in the affected communities including food, clothing, housing assistance, and other resources to help in recovery while many families are still without power, displaced from their homes, and begin to consider rebuilding plans.On Aug. 11, high winds, heavy rain, and tornado activity swept through northwest Indiana and east Chicago causing severe damage to homes and other buildings. Gary, Indiana, was reported as being the hardest-hit city.NIPSCO, one of Indiana’s largest natural gas and electric companies, reported nearly 400,000 outages after the storm. The company described the storm as the most destructive ever to strike its service area, causing historic damage to the electric system and producing its largest power outage ever.As of Aug. 24, roughly 10,000 individuals remain without power in Gary.“We are very grateful for this generous gift from the Bears, which will immediately benefit many people in need who have been impacted by recent storms and provide for ongoing recovery efforts,” Bishop Robert J. McClory of the Diocese of Gary said in a statement.“Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary has been responding to local needs from day one. The support from the Bears and many other partners will help elevate efforts to reach the most vulnerable in our communities,” he added. “I encourage everyone to continue to pray, reach out to our neighbors who are suffering, and support efforts by Catholic Charities and others to assist those in need.”Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary Executive Director Terry Seljan said: "The devastating impact of the storms across northwest Indiana has turned lives upside down for thousands of families, leaving them to face unexpected challenges and uncertainty.”He explained that currently their focus "is on helping our neighbors access the support and resources they need to stabilize so they can begin to recover and move forward.”He added: “We are incredibly grateful to the Chicago Bears organization for their generous support and for the care and concern they have shown for our Northwest Indiana community. Their commitment is a powerful reminder of what can happen when people come together to help their neighbors in times of need. We hope others who are able will join them in supporting the Storm Relief Fund and helping bring relief, hope, and healing to families across our region."Sally Blount, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, also expressed her gratitude."We deeply value and respect the long-standing philanthropic leadership of the Chicago Bears organization. As one of our regionʼs largest human services providers, we are honored to be entrusted with distributing this critical funding,” she said. “An unexpected expense of even a few hundred dollars can amount to a crisis for an individual or family already living on a very limited budget. This funding will make a big difference to families affected by the storm," she said.
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Chicago Bears announce donation to Catholic Charities for Midwest storm relief – #Catholic – The Chicago Bears announced Aug. 22 a donation of $200,000 to Catholic Charities’ work to support those impacted by severe storms and flooding across the southern suburbs of Chicago and northwest Indiana.Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, will each receive $100,000 to aid in their efforts to help address immediate and ongoing needs in the affected communities including food, clothing, housing assistance, and other resources to help in recovery while many families are still without power, displaced from their homes, and begin to consider rebuilding plans.On Aug. 11, high winds, heavy rain, and tornado activity swept through northwest Indiana and east Chicago causing severe damage to homes and other buildings. Gary, Indiana, was reported as being the hardest-hit city.NIPSCO, one of Indiana’s largest natural gas and electric companies, reported nearly 400,000 outages after the storm. The company described the storm as the most destructive ever to strike its service area, causing historic damage to the electric system and producing its largest power outage ever.As of Aug. 24, roughly 10,000 individuals remain without power in Gary.“We are very grateful for this generous gift from the Bears, which will immediately benefit many people in need who have been impacted by recent storms and provide for ongoing recovery efforts,” Bishop Robert J. McClory of the Diocese of Gary said in a statement.“Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary has been responding to local needs from day one. The support from the Bears and many other partners will help elevate efforts to reach the most vulnerable in our communities,” he added. “I encourage everyone to continue to pray, reach out to our neighbors who are suffering, and support efforts by Catholic Charities and others to assist those in need.”Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary Executive Director Terry Seljan said: "The devastating impact of the storms across northwest Indiana has turned lives upside down for thousands of families, leaving them to face unexpected challenges and uncertainty.”He explained that currently their focus "is on helping our neighbors access the support and resources they need to stabilize so they can begin to recover and move forward.”He added: “We are incredibly grateful to the Chicago Bears organization for their generous support and for the care and concern they have shown for our Northwest Indiana community. Their commitment is a powerful reminder of what can happen when people come together to help their neighbors in times of need. We hope others who are able will join them in supporting the Storm Relief Fund and helping bring relief, hope, and healing to families across our region."Sally Blount, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, also expressed her gratitude."We deeply value and respect the long-standing philanthropic leadership of the Chicago Bears organization. As one of our regionʼs largest human services providers, we are honored to be entrusted with distributing this critical funding,” she said. “An unexpected expense of even a few hundred dollars can amount to a crisis for an individual or family already living on a very limited budget. This funding will make a big difference to families affected by the storm," she said.

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Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Gary will each receive $100,000 to aid in their efforts for Midwest storm relief.

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The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 25: Messier 73

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 24: Iapetus at eastern elongation Charles Messier’s famous list of non-cometary objects largely contains star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies — faint fuzzies it could be easy to confuse for a cometary nucleus in a telescope of the type the comet-hunter wasContinue reading “The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 25: Messier 73”

The post The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 25: Messier 73 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Nevada Catholic churches open doors amid northern Nevada wildfires #Catholic A Nevada wildfire that has leveled homes near Reno, Nevada, and caused the evacuation of about 90,000 residents is expected to burn for another 48 hours.Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada is preparing its response for short- and long-term aid while evacuating employees and volunteers.Marie Baxter, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, said she had a family of six — and their two cats, dog, and rabbit — staying in her office Saturday night.“We have 200 employees and, on a rough estimate, would say that 20% of our staff are evacuated,” she told EWTN News. “We are also navigating assisting our volunteers, as many of whom also are evacuated. Volunteers provide critical manpower in our dining rooms and our food pantry.”Catholic Charities worked with the Red Cross over the weekend while planning to step in for a long-term response.Both St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral and Holy Cross Catholic Church in Sparks opened doors for overnight guests, according to Baxter.“Over the weekend, we were in regular communication with the Red Cross ready to provide volunteers, food, and other resources,” she said.“Our most intensive role actually comes after the fire as we do all of the long-term case management for individuals referred to us by the Red Cross,” she said. “Red Cross and Washoe County Human Services Agency does the short-term stabilization; we take it from there.”“We are also scaling up our food resources in our food pantry as we know we will see a surge of individuals once they are able to return home and have to throw out perishable foods due to extended power loss,” she said. “Many of those displaced on the north/northwest border of the fire live in lower-income neighborhoods or are seniors on fixed incomes.”Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada has responded to wildfires “in and around our area the past seven years,” according to Baxter.“We help with bridge housing, grocery replacement, household item replacement, et cetera,” she said. “We also help individuals replace essential documents, work with their insurance company (if they have insurance) and generally help them move back toward stability.”“Where this fire burned, there are a lot of lower-income families and a lot of renters,” Baxter said. “There are often multiple families living in houses/trailers on a single land plot. When they are displaced, they are truly displaced.”“Even when they are let back in, they could have damage or loss that makes it impossible for them to stay,” Baxter continued. “Just finding a new place and coming up with first/last monthʼs rent can be a huge barrier; tack on replacing your food, getting your kiddos back in school … this is where we shine at accompaniment.”Hawk Fire Service did not yet have an anticipated timeline for when the nearly 90,000 evacuated people will be able to return to the area. The cause for the fire was identified as “human” by Hawk Fire. Officials anticipated that hot, dry, breezy conditions will spread the fire. There were a reported six people injured, three of whom were emergency responders.“While the evacuation orders are still in place, we are stocking our pantry with additional food and extending what is available in our Essentials Closet so we can help individuals who need items while at the evacuation shelters or while they are staying with friends and family,” Baxter said.
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Nevada Catholic churches open doors amid northern Nevada wildfires #Catholic A Nevada wildfire that has leveled homes near Reno, Nevada, and caused the evacuation of about 90,000 residents is expected to burn for another 48 hours.Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada is preparing its response for short- and long-term aid while evacuating employees and volunteers.Marie Baxter, chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, said she had a family of six — and their two cats, dog, and rabbit — staying in her office Saturday night.“We have 200 employees and, on a rough estimate, would say that 20% of our staff are evacuated,” she told EWTN News. “We are also navigating assisting our volunteers, as many of whom also are evacuated. Volunteers provide critical manpower in our dining rooms and our food pantry.”Catholic Charities worked with the Red Cross over the weekend while planning to step in for a long-term response.Both St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral and Holy Cross Catholic Church in Sparks opened doors for overnight guests, according to Baxter.“Over the weekend, we were in regular communication with the Red Cross ready to provide volunteers, food, and other resources,” she said.“Our most intensive role actually comes after the fire as we do all of the long-term case management for individuals referred to us by the Red Cross,” she said. “Red Cross and Washoe County Human Services Agency does the short-term stabilization; we take it from there.”“We are also scaling up our food resources in our food pantry as we know we will see a surge of individuals once they are able to return home and have to throw out perishable foods due to extended power loss,” she said. “Many of those displaced on the north/northwest border of the fire live in lower-income neighborhoods or are seniors on fixed incomes.”Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada has responded to wildfires “in and around our area the past seven years,” according to Baxter.“We help with bridge housing, grocery replacement, household item replacement, et cetera,” she said. “We also help individuals replace essential documents, work with their insurance company (if they have insurance) and generally help them move back toward stability.”“Where this fire burned, there are a lot of lower-income families and a lot of renters,” Baxter said. “There are often multiple families living in houses/trailers on a single land plot. When they are displaced, they are truly displaced.”“Even when they are let back in, they could have damage or loss that makes it impossible for them to stay,” Baxter continued. “Just finding a new place and coming up with first/last monthʼs rent can be a huge barrier; tack on replacing your food, getting your kiddos back in school … this is where we shine at accompaniment.”Hawk Fire Service did not yet have an anticipated timeline for when the nearly 90,000 evacuated people will be able to return to the area. The cause for the fire was identified as “human” by Hawk Fire. Officials anticipated that hot, dry, breezy conditions will spread the fire. There were a reported six people injured, three of whom were emergency responders.“While the evacuation orders are still in place, we are stocking our pantry with additional food and extending what is available in our Essentials Closet so we can help individuals who need items while at the evacuation shelters or while they are staying with friends and family,” Baxter said.

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Catholic parishes and Catholic Charities in Nevada are responding with aid amid an ongoing wildfire that has caused mass evacuations in the Reno area.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 25 August 2026 – A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians 2:1-3a, 14-17 We ask you, brothers and sisters, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a ?spirit,? or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no one deceive you in any way. To this end he has also called you through our Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.From the Gospel according to Matthew 23:23-26 Jesus said: ?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. But these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.?Hypocrisy is the greatest danger because it can ruin even the most sacred realities. Hypocrisy is a serious danger. This is why (?) Jesus (?) was harsh with hypocrites. We can read, for example, chapter 23 of Matthew, in which Jesus speaks so strongly to the hypocrites of that time. (?) Are we not at times a bit like those Pharisees? Perhaps we look at others from top to bottom, thinking that we are better than them, that we have our lives under control, that we do not need God or the Church, or our brothers or sisters,  every day. We forget that it is legitimate to look down on someone else only in one case: when it is necessary to help them get up. This is the only case. The others are not legitimate. (?) There is only one way, the way of humility ? to purify ourselves from the sense of superiority, from formalism and hypocrisy, to see others as our brothers and sisters, sinners like ourselves, and to see Jesus as the Saviour who comes for us, not for others, for us, just as we are, with our poverty, misery and failings, above all with our need to be raised up, forgiven and saved. And let us remember another thing: with Jesus, there is always the possibility of beginning again. It is never too late. There is always the possibility to begin again. Take courage. He is close to us and this is a time of conversion. Each of us can think: ?I have this situation inside, this problem that I am ashamed of…?. But Jesus is beside you. Begin again. There is always the possibility of taking a step forward. He is waiting for us and never grows tired of us. He never tires! (Pope Francis, Angelus, 4 December 2022)

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A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians
2:1-3a, 14-17

We ask you, brothers and sisters,
with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our assembling with him,
not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly,
or to be alarmed either by a ?spirit,? or by an oral statement,
or by a letter allegedly from us
to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand.
Let no one deceive you in any way.

To this end he has also called you through our Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm
and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught,
either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement
and good hope through his grace,
encourage your hearts and strengthen them
in every good deed and word.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
23:23-26

Jesus said:
?Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier things of the law:
judgment and mercy and fidelity.
But these you should have done, without neglecting the others.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel!?Woe to
you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You cleanse the outside of cup and dish,
but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup,
so that the outside also may be clean.?

Hypocrisy is the greatest danger because it can ruin even the most sacred realities. Hypocrisy is a serious danger. This is why (?) Jesus (?) was harsh with hypocrites. We can read, for example, chapter 23 of Matthew, in which Jesus speaks so strongly to the hypocrites of that time. (?)

Are we not at times a bit like those Pharisees? Perhaps we look at others from top to bottom, thinking that we are better than them, that we have our lives under control, that we do not need God or the Church, or our brothers or sisters,  every day. We forget that it is legitimate to look down on someone else only in one case: when it is necessary to help them get up. This is the only case. The others are not legitimate. (?)

There is only one way, the way of humility ? to purify ourselves from the sense of superiority, from formalism and hypocrisy, to see others as our brothers and sisters, sinners like ourselves, and to see Jesus as the Saviour who comes for us, not for others, for us, just as we are, with our poverty, misery and failings, above all with our need to be raised up, forgiven and saved.

And let us remember another thing: with Jesus, there is always the possibility of beginning again. It is never too late. There is always the possibility to begin again. Take courage. He is close to us and this is a time of conversion. Each of us can think: ?I have this situation inside, this problem that I am ashamed of…?. But Jesus is beside you. Begin again. There is always the possibility of taking a step forward. He is waiting for us and never grows tired of us. He never tires! (Pope Francis, Angelus, 4 December 2022)

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High-ranking Vatican official to meet with Putin’s adviser in Russia #Catholic The Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, will travel to Russia this week to hold meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as well as visit the country’s Catholic community.The announcement was made by the Vatican Secretariat of State on its X account and was described by Vatican News as “a mission of dialogue and peace.”According to the schedule, the first meeting will take place Aug. 25 with Lavrov. Subsequently, Gallagher will meet with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Gallagher will meet with Ushakov, the foreign policy adviser to Putin. Vatican News noted that “the schedule confirms the Holy See’s determination to continue along the path of dialogue, even at one of the most difficult moments in international relations at the global level.”The Vatican representative will visit the Catholic community on Aug. 27. Gallagher will first meet with clergy and religious and then celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary in Moscow. Finally, he will meet with the bishops.Gallagher is scheduled to return to the Holy See on Aug. 28. His previous visit to Russia took place in November 2021, when he met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Lavrov, and the then-head of the Moscow Patriarchateʼs Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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High-ranking Vatican official to meet with Putin’s adviser in Russia #Catholic The Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, will travel to Russia this week to hold meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as well as visit the country’s Catholic community.The announcement was made by the Vatican Secretariat of State on its X account and was described by Vatican News as “a mission of dialogue and peace.”According to the schedule, the first meeting will take place Aug. 25 with Lavrov. Subsequently, Gallagher will meet with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Gallagher will meet with Ushakov, the foreign policy adviser to Putin. Vatican News noted that “the schedule confirms the Holy See’s determination to continue along the path of dialogue, even at one of the most difficult moments in international relations at the global level.”The Vatican representative will visit the Catholic community on Aug. 27. Gallagher will first meet with clergy and religious and then celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary in Moscow. Finally, he will meet with the bishops.Gallagher is scheduled to return to the Holy See on Aug. 28. His previous visit to Russia took place in November 2021, when he met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Lavrov, and the then-head of the Moscow Patriarchateʼs Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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With Archbishop Paul Gallagher’s visit to Moscow this week, the Vatican continues to try to be a facilitator in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war.

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Picture of the day Tea plantations around Mattupetty lake near Munnar, Kerala, India. The country—which celebrates its independence day today—is the second largest producer and exporter of tea in the world, and also its largest consumer with a vibrant and diverse tea culture. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Tea plantations around Mattupetty lake near Munnar, Kerala, India. The country—which celebrates its independence day today—is the second largest producer and exporter of tea in the world, and also its largest consumer with a vibrant and diverse tea culture.
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Catholic conversions surge on college campuses, Hallow data shows – #Catholic – Registration for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) has “more than doubled” on college campuses across the country as Catholic conversions continue to rise, according to recent data.“On campuses of various sizes, all across the United States, Catholicism is on the rise,” Hallow reported in an Aug. 19 study that found that OCIA participation increased by 87.6% from the 2024-25 school year to 2025-26.Schools with the largest number of OCIA participants include Texas A&M, Arizona State University, the University of Illinois, the University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Nebraska, and Harvard University. Hallow said it obtained OCIA data from nearly 60 U.S. colleges and universities.Texas A&M saw the largest number of OCIA participants, increasing to 204 candidates and catechumens in 2025-26 from 121 in 2024-25.Hallow said campus conversion growth is outpacing diocesan trends, noting that university parishes and Newman Centers reported faster increases than dioceses, which saw a 38% rise in 2025‑26.“College-age young people may be entering the Church at a faster rate than the general American population,” Hallow said. “And when they enter or return to the Church, they’re doing so with a fire that spreads across various ministries.”Hallow’s report noted that growth is not limited to college towns alone but that “campus ministries in and around some of America’s largest cities are reporting similar increases.”“USC [University of Southern California], located in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, saw a 76% increase in OCIA participation this past school year,” the report said. “Further north, Stanford, located in the heart of Silicon Valley between San Jose and San Francisco, tripled its number of OCIA candidates and catechumens during the 2025-26 school year.”New York University also reported an 88% increase in OCIA participation while its daily Mass attendance tripled, the Hallow report said.The Hallow report said adult baptisms at Stanford University were unusually high this year. Dominican Father Bart Hutcherson said in the Hallow report that the parish typically sees about four adult baptisms annually, but he baptized 16 this Easter, nearly all of them Stanford students.
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Catholic conversions surge on college campuses, Hallow data shows – #Catholic – Registration for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) has “more than doubled” on college campuses across the country as Catholic conversions continue to rise, according to recent data.“On campuses of various sizes, all across the United States, Catholicism is on the rise,” Hallow reported in an Aug. 19 study that found that OCIA participation increased by 87.6% from the 2024-25 school year to 2025-26.Schools with the largest number of OCIA participants include Texas A&M, Arizona State University, the University of Illinois, the University of Oklahoma, Kansas State University, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Nebraska, and Harvard University. Hallow said it obtained OCIA data from nearly 60 U.S. colleges and universities.Texas A&M saw the largest number of OCIA participants, increasing to 204 candidates and catechumens in 2025-26 from 121 in 2024-25.Hallow said campus conversion growth is outpacing diocesan trends, noting that university parishes and Newman Centers reported faster increases than dioceses, which saw a 38% rise in 2025‑26.“College-age young people may be entering the Church at a faster rate than the general American population,” Hallow said. “And when they enter or return to the Church, they’re doing so with a fire that spreads across various ministries.”Hallow’s report noted that growth is not limited to college towns alone but that “campus ministries in and around some of America’s largest cities are reporting similar increases.”“USC [University of Southern California], located in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, saw a 76% increase in OCIA participation this past school year,” the report said. “Further north, Stanford, located in the heart of Silicon Valley between San Jose and San Francisco, tripled its number of OCIA candidates and catechumens during the 2025-26 school year.”New York University also reported an 88% increase in OCIA participation while its daily Mass attendance tripled, the Hallow report said.The Hallow report said adult baptisms at Stanford University were unusually high this year. Dominican Father Bart Hutcherson said in the Hallow report that the parish typically sees about four adult baptisms annually, but he baptized 16 this Easter, nearly all of them Stanford students.

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Texas A&M University posted the biggest jump, rising about 69% from 121 to 204 adults entering the Church over the past two academic years.

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Coming to Theatres near us – American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story #Catholic – “One day we were joking (during the preparations), and he looked at me and said, ‘When they kill me, don’t cry for me. Put up the paschal candle and put up the Easter banner,” emphasized Sister Herlinda Yos, one of the Carmelites. “He started all that, the experience of the Resurrection. That’s why the liturgies are very solid in Atitlan. Padre Francisco invoked a sense of celebration in the liturgy…” — The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run by Maria Ruiz Scarperlanda BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY In retrospect, I believe that the first time I heard of Father Stanley Rother was sometime between 2017 and 2019. A very faithful parishioner and volunteer sacristan, Antonio, who was originally from Guatemala, whom I had gotten to know in my years as pastor of St. Michael’s in Brooklyn, told me the story of an American priest who had been serving in Guatemala, had been killed, and had recently been beatified. It sounded like a “nice story.” The priest had certainly made a strong impression on Antonio, who shared with me how this priest had become so close to the parishioners he served in a small town in Guatemala. A number of years later, in 2022 or 2023, someone gave me a book called The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run — Fr. Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma. Somewhere in the course of reading the book and learning the story of Father Rother, I realized that “this was the priest Antonio had been telling me about.” I remember being so impressed by Father Rother’s life, vocation, and ministry that I thought I might give a copy of the book to all our seminarians. I also remember hesitating and thinking, “If all or most of our seminarians read this book, we may “lose” some of them because they will be inspired to serve as missionaries in Guatemala or some other area of the world where there are people in poverty who would be blessed by a priest who could serve them, get to know them, and “become one of them.” As I reflect again on the story of Father Rother, I think of priests from my home diocese of Brooklyn and other places in the United States, who spent time serving as missionaries in Latin America and other places, who inspired me and encouraged me to appreciate how much we can learn and receive from individuals, families, and communities, whose language, culture, and food may be very different from ours. They taught me that taking the time to not only visit, but spend some time living with them and getting to know them, can be a wonderful way to share our faith and experience “the Church.” We are all members of the “one (mystical) Body of Christ,” and one of the most beautiful blessings of our Catholic (Universal) Faith and Church is the way it is received, lived, and shared by people and cultures, literally, all over the world. While not everyone will have the opportunity to visit a different country and culture for the purpose of sharing the faith, many parishes and other groups within the Church offer “mission trips,” both within the United States and to other countries, to facilitate those opportunities and experiences. Hearing the stories of those who are able to travel on a mission trip can be a blessing for those who are not physically able to make the trip but support the “mission” and missionaries by their donations and especially their prayers. Hearing and learning the story of someone who discerns and lives a missionary vocation can also be a great blessing and inspiration to all the baptized. That was my experience as I learned the story of Father Stanley Rother. Thanks to a new “feature-length” documentary film, “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story, narrated by Martin Sheen, many more will now have the opportunity to “get to know” Father Rother and his inspiring life, which led to his martyrdom on July 28, 1981. I was fortunate to be able to view an advance screening of “American Martyr,” and I would highly recommend watching it when you have an opportunity. If you are reading this on or before Thursday, Aug. 27, you can see the movie at a local theatre, in its limited release on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Aug. 25-27. It will be shown at Cinemark Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, AMC Clifton Commons, AMC Garden State in Paramus, and many other theatres in our area. Click here for more information.  His full name was Stanley Francis Rother. Among the innumerable beautiful aspects of Father Rother’s life and ministry is his struggle with academics, especially Latin, during his first six years in the seminary, in San Antonio, Texas. His academic struggles were so serious that, after six years, the seminary faculty believed that he either did not have a vocation to the priesthood or the necessary intellectual ability to be ordained. He spent almost a year back at home, but Stanley’s pastor and, eventually, his bishop, the Most Reverend Victor Reed of the Diocese of Oklahoma City, believed that Stanley did have a vocation. They found a seminary that would accept him and give him another chance, Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, in Emmetsburg, Md. I hope that you will have the opportunity to see the movie, read the book, and learn the “full story” of Father Stanley’s life, ministry, and martyrdom. I mentioned his middle name because, once Father Stanley arrived in Guatemala and began to get to know the people of the parish and surrounding communities of Atitlan, he realized that he would not only need to learn Spanish, but also the native, indigenous language of the Mayan people he would serve; both the language and the people are called “Tz’utujil.” The seminarian who couldn’t pass his Latin classes would become the missionary priest who would translate the entire Bible into “Tz’utujil.” The “Tz’utujil” people, however, were unable to translate or pronounce Stanley or Rother. They did have an indigenous translation for Francis, “Apla’s.” Father Stanley Rother became know and loved as “Padre Apla’s.” In the final Chapter of The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run, the author speaks of the Church’s process for someone to be canonized, officially named a Saint, and then speaks of the people whom Father Stanley knew, loved, and served in Guatemala — and how they came to know and love him: “Once the Holy Father affirms that Father Stanley Rother died a martyr, permission will be granted for his immediate beatification. (**Pope Francis officially confirmed his martyrdom in December 2016, and he was beatified on September 23, 2027.) … Father Stanley Rother would then be on his way to potentially becoming the first male saint born in the United States. But his people in Santiago, Atitlan don’t need an official declaration. They already affirm Padre Apla’s as a saint, their saint, and they come to him daily asking for help and intercession — much as they did during the 13 years he served as their priest. Since his beatification, Father Stanley Rother’s mortal remains have been reinterred in an inspiring new shrine in Oklahoma City. No doubt, many will be drawn to that holy place in our country where the first beatified American-born martyr rests. Blessed Stanley Rother’s heart remains in the parish church of Saint James the Apostle (San Santiago Apóstol) in Atitlán, Guatemala. Inscribed on the marker over his heart are the words of the Lord Jesus from John’s gospel, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (15:13). Blessed Stanley Rother’s life is a shining example, in our own time, of what is possible when we open our hearts to the power of God’s grace. When we make our faith the foundation of our lives, we too are able to make sacrifices out of love for God and others, so that his kingdom comes into clearer view through our actions and words.    
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Coming to Theatres near us – American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story #Catholic – “One day we were joking (during the preparations), and he looked at me and said, ‘When they kill me, don’t cry for me. Put up the paschal candle and put up the Easter banner,” emphasized Sister Herlinda Yos, one of the Carmelites. “He started all that, the experience of the Resurrection. That’s why the liturgies are very solid in Atitlan. Padre Francisco invoked a sense of celebration in the liturgy…” — The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run by Maria Ruiz Scarperlanda BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY In retrospect, I believe that the first time I heard of Father Stanley Rother was sometime between 2017 and 2019. A very faithful parishioner and volunteer sacristan, Antonio, who was originally from Guatemala, whom I had gotten to know in my years as pastor of St. Michael’s in Brooklyn, told me the story of an American priest who had been serving in Guatemala, had been killed, and had recently been beatified. It sounded like a “nice story.” The priest had certainly made a strong impression on Antonio, who shared with me how this priest had become so close to the parishioners he served in a small town in Guatemala. A number of years later, in 2022 or 2023, someone gave me a book called The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run — Fr. Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma. Somewhere in the course of reading the book and learning the story of Father Rother, I realized that “this was the priest Antonio had been telling me about.” I remember being so impressed by Father Rother’s life, vocation, and ministry that I thought I might give a copy of the book to all our seminarians. I also remember hesitating and thinking, “If all or most of our seminarians read this book, we may “lose” some of them because they will be inspired to serve as missionaries in Guatemala or some other area of the world where there are people in poverty who would be blessed by a priest who could serve them, get to know them, and “become one of them.” As I reflect again on the story of Father Rother, I think of priests from my home diocese of Brooklyn and other places in the United States, who spent time serving as missionaries in Latin America and other places, who inspired me and encouraged me to appreciate how much we can learn and receive from individuals, families, and communities, whose language, culture, and food may be very different from ours. They taught me that taking the time to not only visit, but spend some time living with them and getting to know them, can be a wonderful way to share our faith and experience “the Church.” We are all members of the “one (mystical) Body of Christ,” and one of the most beautiful blessings of our Catholic (Universal) Faith and Church is the way it is received, lived, and shared by people and cultures, literally, all over the world. While not everyone will have the opportunity to visit a different country and culture for the purpose of sharing the faith, many parishes and other groups within the Church offer “mission trips,” both within the United States and to other countries, to facilitate those opportunities and experiences. Hearing the stories of those who are able to travel on a mission trip can be a blessing for those who are not physically able to make the trip but support the “mission” and missionaries by their donations and especially their prayers. Hearing and learning the story of someone who discerns and lives a missionary vocation can also be a great blessing and inspiration to all the baptized. That was my experience as I learned the story of Father Stanley Rother. Thanks to a new “feature-length” documentary film, “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story, narrated by Martin Sheen, many more will now have the opportunity to “get to know” Father Rother and his inspiring life, which led to his martyrdom on July 28, 1981. I was fortunate to be able to view an advance screening of “American Martyr,” and I would highly recommend watching it when you have an opportunity. If you are reading this on or before Thursday, Aug. 27, you can see the movie at a local theatre, in its limited release on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Aug. 25-27. It will be shown at Cinemark Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, AMC Clifton Commons, AMC Garden State in Paramus, and many other theatres in our area. Click here for more information.  His full name was Stanley Francis Rother. Among the innumerable beautiful aspects of Father Rother’s life and ministry is his struggle with academics, especially Latin, during his first six years in the seminary, in San Antonio, Texas. His academic struggles were so serious that, after six years, the seminary faculty believed that he either did not have a vocation to the priesthood or the necessary intellectual ability to be ordained. He spent almost a year back at home, but Stanley’s pastor and, eventually, his bishop, the Most Reverend Victor Reed of the Diocese of Oklahoma City, believed that Stanley did have a vocation. They found a seminary that would accept him and give him another chance, Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, in Emmetsburg, Md. I hope that you will have the opportunity to see the movie, read the book, and learn the “full story” of Father Stanley’s life, ministry, and martyrdom. I mentioned his middle name because, once Father Stanley arrived in Guatemala and began to get to know the people of the parish and surrounding communities of Atitlan, he realized that he would not only need to learn Spanish, but also the native, indigenous language of the Mayan people he would serve; both the language and the people are called “Tz’utujil.” The seminarian who couldn’t pass his Latin classes would become the missionary priest who would translate the entire Bible into “Tz’utujil.” The “Tz’utujil” people, however, were unable to translate or pronounce Stanley or Rother. They did have an indigenous translation for Francis, “Apla’s.” Father Stanley Rother became know and loved as “Padre Apla’s.” In the final Chapter of The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run, the author speaks of the Church’s process for someone to be canonized, officially named a Saint, and then speaks of the people whom Father Stanley knew, loved, and served in Guatemala — and how they came to know and love him: “Once the Holy Father affirms that Father Stanley Rother died a martyr, permission will be granted for his immediate beatification. (**Pope Francis officially confirmed his martyrdom in December 2016, and he was beatified on September 23, 2027.) … Father Stanley Rother would then be on his way to potentially becoming the first male saint born in the United States. But his people in Santiago, Atitlan don’t need an official declaration. They already affirm Padre Apla’s as a saint, their saint, and they come to him daily asking for help and intercession — much as they did during the 13 years he served as their priest. Since his beatification, Father Stanley Rother’s mortal remains have been reinterred in an inspiring new shrine in Oklahoma City. No doubt, many will be drawn to that holy place in our country where the first beatified American-born martyr rests. Blessed Stanley Rother’s heart remains in the parish church of Saint James the Apostle (San Santiago Apóstol) in Atitlán, Guatemala. Inscribed on the marker over his heart are the words of the Lord Jesus from John’s gospel, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (15:13). Blessed Stanley Rother’s life is a shining example, in our own time, of what is possible when we open our hearts to the power of God’s grace. When we make our faith the foundation of our lives, we too are able to make sacrifices out of love for God and others, so that his kingdom comes into clearer view through our actions and words.    

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Coming to Theatres near us – American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story #Catholic –

“One day we were joking (during the preparations), and he looked at me and said, ‘When they kill me, don’t cry for me. Put up the paschal candle and put up the Easter banner,” emphasized Sister Herlinda Yos, one of the Carmelites. “He started all that, the experience of the Resurrection. That’s why the liturgies are very solid in Atitlan. Padre Francisco invoked a sense of celebration in the liturgy…”

— The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run by Maria Ruiz Scarperlanda

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

In retrospect, I believe that the first time I heard of Father Stanley Rother was sometime between 2017 and 2019. A very faithful parishioner and volunteer sacristan, Antonio, who was originally from Guatemala, whom I had gotten to know in my years as pastor of St. Michael’s in Brooklyn, told me the story of an American priest who had been serving in Guatemala, had been killed, and had recently been beatified. It sounded like a “nice story.” The priest had certainly made a strong impression on Antonio, who shared with me how this priest had become so close to the parishioners he served in a small town in Guatemala.

A number of years later, in 2022 or 2023, someone gave me a book called The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run — Fr. Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma. Somewhere in the course of reading the book and learning the story of Father Rother, I realized that “this was the priest Antonio had been telling me about.” I remember being so impressed by Father Rother’s life, vocation, and ministry that I thought I might give a copy of the book to all our seminarians. I also remember hesitating and thinking, “If all or most of our seminarians read this book, we may “lose” some of them because they will be inspired to serve as missionaries in Guatemala or some other area of the world where there are people in poverty who would be blessed by a priest who could serve them, get to know them, and “become one of them.”

As I reflect again on the story of Father Rother, I think of priests from my home diocese of Brooklyn and other places in the United States, who spent time serving as missionaries in Latin America and other places, who inspired me and encouraged me to appreciate how much we can learn and receive from individuals, families, and communities, whose language, culture, and food may be very different from ours. They taught me that taking the time to not only visit, but spend some time living with them and getting to know them, can be a wonderful way to share our faith and experience “the Church.” We are all members of the “one (mystical) Body of Christ,” and one of the most beautiful blessings of our Catholic (Universal) Faith and Church is the way it is received, lived, and shared by people and cultures, literally, all over the world.

While not everyone will have the opportunity to visit a different country and culture for the purpose of sharing the faith, many parishes and other groups within the Church offer “mission trips,” both within the United States and to other countries, to facilitate those opportunities and experiences. Hearing the stories of those who are able to travel on a mission trip can be a blessing for those who are not physically able to make the trip but support the “mission” and missionaries by their donations and especially their prayers.

Hearing and learning the story of someone who discerns and lives a missionary vocation can also be a great blessing and inspiration to all the baptized. That was my experience as I learned the story of Father Stanley Rother. Thanks to a new “feature-length” documentary film, “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story, narrated by Martin Sheen, many more will now have the opportunity to “get to know” Father Rother and his inspiring life, which led to his martyrdom on July 28, 1981. I was fortunate to be able to view an advance screening of “American Martyr,” and I would highly recommend watching it when you have an opportunity.

If you are reading this on or before Thursday, Aug. 27, you can see the movie at a local theatre, in its limited release on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Aug. 25-27. It will be shown at Cinemark Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, AMC Clifton Commons, AMC Garden State in Paramus, and many other theatres in our area. Click here for more information. 

His full name was Stanley Francis Rother. Among the innumerable beautiful aspects of Father Rother’s life and ministry is his struggle with academics, especially Latin, during his first six years in the seminary, in San Antonio, Texas. His academic struggles were so serious that, after six years, the seminary faculty believed that he either did not have a vocation to the priesthood or the necessary intellectual ability to be ordained. He spent almost a year back at home, but Stanley’s pastor and, eventually, his bishop, the Most Reverend Victor Reed of the Diocese of Oklahoma City, believed that Stanley did have a vocation. They found a seminary that would accept him and give him another chance, Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, in Emmetsburg, Md.

I hope that you will have the opportunity to see the movie, read the book, and learn the “full story” of Father Stanley’s life, ministry, and martyrdom. I mentioned his middle name because, once Father Stanley arrived in Guatemala and began to get to know the people of the parish and surrounding communities of Atitlan, he realized that he would not only need to learn Spanish, but also the native, indigenous language of the Mayan people he would serve; both the language and the people are called “Tz’utujil.” The seminarian who couldn’t pass his Latin classes would become the missionary priest who would translate the entire Bible into “Tz’utujil.” The “Tz’utujil” people, however, were unable to translate or pronounce Stanley or Rother. They did have an indigenous translation for Francis, “Apla’s.” Father Stanley Rother became know and loved as “Padre Apla’s.”

In the final Chapter of The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run, the author speaks of the Church’s process for someone to be canonized, officially named a Saint, and then speaks of the people whom Father Stanley knew, loved, and served in Guatemala — and how they came to know and love him:

“Once the Holy Father affirms that Father Stanley Rother died a martyr, permission will be granted for his immediate beatification. (**Pope Francis officially confirmed his martyrdom in December 2016, and he was beatified on September 23, 2027.) … Father Stanley Rother would then be on his way to potentially becoming the first male saint born in the United States. But his people in Santiago, Atitlan don’t need an official declaration. They already affirm Padre Apla’s as a saint, their saint, and they come to him daily asking for help and intercession — much as they did during the 13 years he served as their priest.

Since his beatification, Father Stanley Rother’s mortal remains have been reinterred in an inspiring new shrine in Oklahoma City. No doubt, many will be drawn to that holy place in our country where the first beatified American-born martyr rests. Blessed Stanley Rother’s heart remains in the parish church of Saint James the Apostle (San Santiago Apóstol) in Atitlán, Guatemala. Inscribed on the marker over his heart are the words of the Lord Jesus from John’s gospel, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (15:13). Blessed Stanley Rother’s life is a shining example, in our own time, of what is possible when we open our hearts to the power of God’s grace. When we make our faith the foundation of our lives, we too are able to make sacrifices out of love for God and others, so that his kingdom comes into clearer view through our actions and words.

 

 

– “One day we were joking (during the preparations), and he looked at me and said, ‘When they kill me, don’t cry for me. Put up the paschal candle and put up the Easter banner,” emphasized Sister Herlinda Yos, one of the Carmelites. “He started all that, the experience of the Resurrection. That’s why the liturgies are very solid in Atitlan. Padre Francisco invoked a sense of celebration in the liturgy…” — The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run by Maria Ruiz Scarperlanda BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY In retrospect, I believe that the first time I heard of Father Stanley Rother was sometime

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Why the Church should promote religious tourism: An expert explains – #Catholic – Religious tourism draws hundreds of millions of people to various sites each year, generating billions of dollars, and the Americas have some of the most frequently visited shrines and basilicas.However, religious tourism is far from reaching its full potential, according to Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. The situation, he said, represents an opportunity that the Church should not let slip by. Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. | Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Lomello explained that while pilgrimages constitute a phenomenon that has existed for centuries, the question is what pilgrimage destinations effectively provide visitors and how such sites can be enhanced to better welcome pilgrims while maintaining the integrity of their religious identity. Pilgrims arrive at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. | Credit: Leonardo Em/Shutterstock A phenomenon that attracts millionsAccording to data from the World Religious Tourism Network, around 400 million people travel to faith-based destinations each year, accounting for approximately 20% of global tourism.Pilgrimage tourism alone generates economic activity worth nearly billion, according to the network.Latin America in particular plays a significant role in this sector. The region receives around 80 million pilgrims annually, and the segment is seeing estimated yearly growth of between 6% and 8%, based on data from the World Religious Tourism Network.A few examples illustrate​​ the scale of the phenomenon.The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, for example, receives nearly 22 million visitors each year. In Brazil, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida annually draws approximately 12 million pilgrims. Sculpture of St. Michael the Archangel on Tepeyac Hill, overlooking the old and new basilicas of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. | Credit: Eduardo BR/Shutterstock Another lesser-known example is La Tirana in northern Chile. During its religious celebrations, a town of about 1,500 inhabitants receives more than 150,000 pilgrims, coming mainly from Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.“Regardless of how they are organized, those people will keep coming year after year because they are driven by a deep spiritual motivation,” Lomello explained.Latin America specifically has over 3,000 registered shrines, hundreds of pilgrimage routes, major religious celebrations, and a heritage built up over centuries.However, that heritage is not always accompanied by the infrastructure, information, services, or policies needed to make the most of it.“Today, it’s an invisible sector. It goes unnoticed by churches, the public sector, and businesses alike,” Lomello stated.The specialist noted that dioceses tend to focus on maintaining their churches and carrying out pastoral work. Governments, meanwhile, address other needs, while businesses seek out commercial opportunities.The result is a constant flow of pilgrims, yet often no one takes charge of organizing everything that happens around them.“We have extraordinary resources, but a resource on its own does not create development. It must be transformed into a tourism product,” he noted.This does not mean turning a shrine into just another tourist attraction. It means, Lomello explained, “creating the conditions so that visitors can get around, find food, rest, explore the site, and understand its history.” National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil, one of the major religious tourism destinations in South America. Credit: Flickr Rafael 1984 (CC BY-NC 2.0) Having a shrine is not enoughLomello emphasized that a church, a basilica, or a pilgrimage with huge numbers of participants is not enough to build a religious tourism destination. “You need to have products; you need to develop products,” he explained.“The product consists of a narrative, a presence on social media, signage, adequate infrastructure, restrooms, good cuisine, the route itself, transportation, and communication,” he replied.For example, a person might visit a shrine to attend a celebration and return home shortly after. However, if the surrounding area offers museums, tourist routes, local cuisine, heritage sites, cultural activities, and other attractions to explore, the experience can be extended.“This is what we want cities to do, offer other things: good cuisine, engaging activities, museums, and events,” he stated. Basilica of Our Lady of Luján in Argentina. | Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News The money doesnʼt just stay at the shrineFor Lomello, one of the advantages of religious tourism is precisely that the money can be distributed among various sectors of the community. Thousands of people come to venerate the Lord of Miracles during a procession in downtown Lima, Peru. | Credit: DJSully/Shutterstock “The pilgrim arrives, spends money locally, buys handicrafts, stays overnight — perhaps an extra day — and visits a museum. The economic benefits spread throughout the entire community,” he explained.This can benefit hotels, restaurants, merchants, artisans, transportation providers, and other workers. It can also help preserve the churches and religious sites themselves.“Religious tourism is not going to take away the Churchʼs leading role, it is going to give it resources,” he said.However, Lomello emphasized that religious tourism cannot be reduced to an economic issue, since “the spiritual benefit is fundamental.” Religious tourism is not going to take away the Church’s leading role, it is going to give it resources.” Adrián LomelloWorld Religious Tourism Network A pilgrim who arrives at a shrine may be looking for more than just getting to know a place. He may want to pray, go to confession, attend a Mass, or simply reconnect with his faith.“The impact of a good spiritual narrative is conversion. It’s when someone, through religious tourism, arrives and is deeply moved by the story [behind the place] and the religious images, and asks for confession. That’s conversion,” he noted.The Camino de Santiago modelOne of the experiences that can serve as a model is the Camino de Santiago in Spain.According to data shared by the network, the route welcomes around 530,000 pilgrims annually and generates an estimated annual economic impact of over 0 million, following decades of planning.This comparison is of particular interest to Latin America, where there are numerous religious routes and destinations that attract large numbers of people but still lack planning.“The difference lies not only in its heritage. It lies in policy decisions. Destinations that ignore their spiritual heritage are not making a cultural mistake; they are making a strategic economic development mistake,” Lomello asserted. Pilgrims walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. | Credit: Nadezhda Bolotina/Shutterstock ‘Lift up your gaze’Lomello said he believes the Church has an important role to play in this process, but it cannot do it alone. Coordination is needed between dioceses, parishes, authorities, businessmen, and local communities.Data is also needed. The region needs to know how many pilgrims it receives, where they come from, how long they stay, what services they use, and what their needs are.The World Religious Tourism Network proposes, among other measures, doing market analysis, developing specific public policies, putting the destinations online, training those who work with pilgrims, and creating avenues for exchanging information among the various stakeholders.For Lomello, the first step is to change the way the phenomenon is viewed.“As the pope said in Spain: ‘Lift up your gaze.’ Lift up your gaze. Look at the religious tourism sector: an opportunity for development,” he urged.And that opportunity, he emphasized, should not be viewed as competing with the Churchʼs mission.“This is a time to lift up our gaze, to say: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, there is an opportunity here.’ Let us all work together, because this is for the benefit of all,” he affirmed.Top 10 destinations in Latin AmericaAccording to data compiled by the World Religious Tourism Network, these are the top 10 religious destinations and celebrations in Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean, ranked by estimated annual visitor numbers:1. Mexico — Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe: 20 million2. Brazil — Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida: 12 million3. Argentina — Shrine of Our Lady of Luján: 10 million4. Peru — Shrine of the Lord of Miracles: 5 million5. Colombia — Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá: 4 million6. Guatemala — Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary: ​​3.5 million7. Ecuador — Shrine of Our Lady of El Quinche: 2.5 million8. Venezuela — Basilica of Our Lady of Coromoto: 2 million9. Chile — Shrine of the Virgin of Lo Vásquez: 1.5 million10. Dominican Republic — Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia: 1.5 millionThis story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Why the Church should promote religious tourism: An expert explains – #Catholic – Religious tourism draws hundreds of millions of people to various sites each year, generating billions of dollars, and the Americas have some of the most frequently visited shrines and basilicas.However, religious tourism is far from reaching its full potential, according to Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. The situation, he said, represents an opportunity that the Church should not let slip by. Adrián Lomello, director for the Americas of the World Religious Tourism Network. | Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Lomello explained that while pilgrimages constitute a phenomenon that has existed for centuries, the question is what pilgrimage destinations effectively provide visitors and how such sites can be enhanced to better welcome pilgrims while maintaining the integrity of their religious identity. Pilgrims arrive at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. | Credit: Leonardo Em/Shutterstock A phenomenon that attracts millionsAccording to data from the World Religious Tourism Network, around 400 million people travel to faith-based destinations each year, accounting for approximately 20% of global tourism.Pilgrimage tourism alone generates economic activity worth nearly $18 billion, according to the network.Latin America in particular plays a significant role in this sector. The region receives around 80 million pilgrims annually, and the segment is seeing estimated yearly growth of between 6% and 8%, based on data from the World Religious Tourism Network.A few examples illustrate​​ the scale of the phenomenon.The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, for example, receives nearly 22 million visitors each year. In Brazil, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida annually draws approximately 12 million pilgrims. Sculpture of St. Michael the Archangel on Tepeyac Hill, overlooking the old and new basilicas of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. | Credit: Eduardo BR/Shutterstock Another lesser-known example is La Tirana in northern Chile. During its religious celebrations, a town of about 1,500 inhabitants receives more than 150,000 pilgrims, coming mainly from Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.“Regardless of how they are organized, those people will keep coming year after year because they are driven by a deep spiritual motivation,” Lomello explained.Latin America specifically has over 3,000 registered shrines, hundreds of pilgrimage routes, major religious celebrations, and a heritage built up over centuries.However, that heritage is not always accompanied by the infrastructure, information, services, or policies needed to make the most of it.“Today, it’s an invisible sector. It goes unnoticed by churches, the public sector, and businesses alike,” Lomello stated.The specialist noted that dioceses tend to focus on maintaining their churches and carrying out pastoral work. Governments, meanwhile, address other needs, while businesses seek out commercial opportunities.The result is a constant flow of pilgrims, yet often no one takes charge of organizing everything that happens around them.“We have extraordinary resources, but a resource on its own does not create development. It must be transformed into a tourism product,” he noted.This does not mean turning a shrine into just another tourist attraction. It means, Lomello explained, “creating the conditions so that visitors can get around, find food, rest, explore the site, and understand its history.” National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil, one of the major religious tourism destinations in South America. Credit: Flickr Rafael 1984 (CC BY-NC 2.0) Having a shrine is not enoughLomello emphasized that a church, a basilica, or a pilgrimage with huge numbers of participants is not enough to build a religious tourism destination. “You need to have products; you need to develop products,” he explained.“The product consists of a narrative, a presence on social media, signage, adequate infrastructure, restrooms, good cuisine, the route itself, transportation, and communication,” he replied.For example, a person might visit a shrine to attend a celebration and return home shortly after. However, if the surrounding area offers museums, tourist routes, local cuisine, heritage sites, cultural activities, and other attractions to explore, the experience can be extended.“This is what we want cities to do, offer other things: good cuisine, engaging activities, museums, and events,” he stated. Basilica of Our Lady of Luján in Argentina. | Credit: Diego López Marina/EWTN News The money doesnʼt just stay at the shrineFor Lomello, one of the advantages of religious tourism is precisely that the money can be distributed among various sectors of the community. Thousands of people come to venerate the Lord of Miracles during a procession in downtown Lima, Peru. | Credit: DJSully/Shutterstock “The pilgrim arrives, spends money locally, buys handicrafts, stays overnight — perhaps an extra day — and visits a museum. The economic benefits spread throughout the entire community,” he explained.This can benefit hotels, restaurants, merchants, artisans, transportation providers, and other workers. It can also help preserve the churches and religious sites themselves.“Religious tourism is not going to take away the Churchʼs leading role, it is going to give it resources,” he said.However, Lomello emphasized that religious tourism cannot be reduced to an economic issue, since “the spiritual benefit is fundamental.” Religious tourism is not going to take away the Church’s leading role, it is going to give it resources.” Adrián LomelloWorld Religious Tourism Network A pilgrim who arrives at a shrine may be looking for more than just getting to know a place. He may want to pray, go to confession, attend a Mass, or simply reconnect with his faith.“The impact of a good spiritual narrative is conversion. It’s when someone, through religious tourism, arrives and is deeply moved by the story [behind the place] and the religious images, and asks for confession. That’s conversion,” he noted.The Camino de Santiago modelOne of the experiences that can serve as a model is the Camino de Santiago in Spain.According to data shared by the network, the route welcomes around 530,000 pilgrims annually and generates an estimated annual economic impact of over $580 million, following decades of planning.This comparison is of particular interest to Latin America, where there are numerous religious routes and destinations that attract large numbers of people but still lack planning.“The difference lies not only in its heritage. It lies in policy decisions. Destinations that ignore their spiritual heritage are not making a cultural mistake; they are making a strategic economic development mistake,” Lomello asserted. Pilgrims walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. | Credit: Nadezhda Bolotina/Shutterstock ‘Lift up your gaze’Lomello said he believes the Church has an important role to play in this process, but it cannot do it alone. Coordination is needed between dioceses, parishes, authorities, businessmen, and local communities.Data is also needed. The region needs to know how many pilgrims it receives, where they come from, how long they stay, what services they use, and what their needs are.The World Religious Tourism Network proposes, among other measures, doing market analysis, developing specific public policies, putting the destinations online, training those who work with pilgrims, and creating avenues for exchanging information among the various stakeholders.For Lomello, the first step is to change the way the phenomenon is viewed.“As the pope said in Spain: ‘Lift up your gaze.’ Lift up your gaze. Look at the religious tourism sector: an opportunity for development,” he urged.And that opportunity, he emphasized, should not be viewed as competing with the Churchʼs mission.“This is a time to lift up our gaze, to say: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, there is an opportunity here.’ Let us all work together, because this is for the benefit of all,” he affirmed.Top 10 destinations in Latin AmericaAccording to data compiled by the World Religious Tourism Network, these are the top 10 religious destinations and celebrations in Latin America, Central America, and the Caribbean, ranked by estimated annual visitor numbers:1. Mexico — Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe: 20 million2. Brazil — Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida: 12 million3. Argentina — Shrine of Our Lady of Luján: 10 million4. Peru — Shrine of the Lord of Miracles: 5 million5. Colombia — Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá: 4 million6. Guatemala — Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary: ​​3.5 million7. Ecuador — Shrine of Our Lady of El Quinche: 2.5 million8. Venezuela — Basilica of Our Lady of Coromoto: 2 million9. Chile — Shrine of the Virgin of Lo Vásquez: 1.5 million10. Dominican Republic — Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia: 1.5 millionThis story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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An expert in religious tourism explains the importance of the work of shrines and pilgrimage routes to reach their full potential, both in terms of economic and spiritual benefits.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 24 August 2026 – A reading from the Book of Revelation 21:9b-14 The angel spoke to me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west. The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.From the Gospel according to John 1:45-51 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth." But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."Nathanael is placed in the scene of his calling, recounted in John’s Gospel, next to Philip, in other words, the place that Bartholomew occupies in the lists of the Apostles mentioned in the other Gospels. Philip told this Nathanael that he had found "him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (Jn 1: 45). As we know, Nathanael’s retort was rather strongly prejudiced:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (Jn 1: 46). In its own way, this form of protestation  is  important  for  us.  Indeed, it makes us see that according to Judaic expectations the Messiah could not come from such an obscure village as, precisely, Nazareth (see also Jn 7: 42). But at the same time Nathanael’s protest highlights God’s freedom, which baffles our expectations by causing him to be found in the very place where we least expect him. (?) Nathanael’s reaction suggests another thought to us: in our relationship with Jesus we must not be satisfied with words  alone. In  his  answer,  Philip offers Nathanael a meaningful invitation:  "Come and see!" (Jn 1: 46). Our knowledge of Jesus needs above all a first-hand experience: someone else’s testimony is of course important. (?) However, we ourselves must then be personally involved in a close and deep relationship with Jesus. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 4 October 2006)

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A reading from the Book of Revelation
21:9b-14

The angel spoke to me, saying,
"Come here.
I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendor of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall,
with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed
and on which names were inscribed,
the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
There were three gates facing east,
three north, three south, and three west.
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,
on which were inscribed the twelve names
of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

From the Gospel according to John
1:45-51

Philip found Nathanael and told him,
"We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth."
But Nathanael said to him,
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Philip said to him, "Come and see."
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" 
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Nathanael is placed in the scene of his calling, recounted in John’s Gospel, next to Philip, in other words, the place that Bartholomew occupies in the lists of the Apostles mentioned in the other Gospels.

Philip told this Nathanael that he had found "him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (Jn 1: 45). As we know, Nathanael’s retort was rather strongly prejudiced:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (Jn 1: 46). In its own way, this form of protestation  is  important  for  us.  Indeed, it makes us see that according to Judaic expectations the Messiah could not come from such an obscure village as, precisely, Nazareth (see also Jn 7: 42).

But at the same time Nathanael’s protest highlights God’s freedom, which baffles our expectations by causing him to be found in the very place where we least expect him. (?)

Nathanael’s reaction suggests another thought to us: in our relationship with Jesus we must not be satisfied with words  alone. In  his  answer,  Philip offers Nathanael a meaningful invitation:  "Come and see!" (Jn 1: 46). Our knowledge of Jesus needs above all a first-hand experience: someone else’s testimony is of course important. (?)

However, we ourselves must then be personally involved in a close and deep relationship with Jesus. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 4 October 2006)

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Pope Leo XIV remembers victims of Ebola and mining disaster in Central Africa #Catholic During his Aug. 23 Angelus address at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV remembered the victims of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of a deadly mining landslide in the Central African Republic.“In my prayers, I often remember the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in light of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which is sadly claiming many lives. I encourage on the part of the international community a response that also involves local communities in efforts of prevention, so that many human lives may be saved,” Leo said.The recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo was first declared in May 2026, claiming the lives of close to 2,500 people, according to an Aug. 21 BBC report. The country is currently distributing a vaccine against the virus, and public health officials have declared it the deadliest outbreak in the country’s history.On Aug. 18, a landslide at a gold mine near Zamboyé in western Central African Republic buried and killed more than 100 workers, according to an Aug. 19 BBC report. Rescue efforts are ongoing for potential survivors, and Pope Leo prayed for all those who lost their lives in the disaster.“I am also close to the people of the Central African Republic, who are mourning the victims of the collapse at a mine in Zamboyé. May the Lord receive those who have lost their lives and sustain efforts to ensure safety and respect for the law at mining sites,” the pope said.‘Who is Jesus for me?’During his Angelus, Leo also preached on the Gospel of the day, in which Jesus asks his disciples about his identity and Peter’s confesses his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.The pope noted that the question of Jesus’ identity is decisive for one’s everyday experience of discipleship.“The question that is put to us each day — who is Jesus for me, and what does his presence mean in my life? — emerges especially in prayer and when we meditate on the Gospel,” Leo explained. The faithful gathered in St. Peterʼs Square for Pope Leo XIVʼs Angelus address on Aug. 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media “In our daily lives, in short, we can discover whether the Lord Jesus is for us merely a great figure of history … or the Christ of God, the One sent to bring us into the love of the Father and to transform our lives and the world in which we live,” the pope added.The pope then encouraged the faithful not to be content with their own convictions about Christ, but to “remain open to an authentic relationship with Christ.”“Yet Jesus calls us to give a personal response, to know him more closely and to allow ourselves to be shaped by friendship with him through an ever new encounter. This may also ask us to follow unfamiliar paths and to make choices different from those we had imagined.”
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Pope Leo XIV remembers victims of Ebola and mining disaster in Central Africa #Catholic During his Aug. 23 Angelus address at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV remembered the victims of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and of a deadly mining landslide in the Central African Republic.“In my prayers, I often remember the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in light of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which is sadly claiming many lives. I encourage on the part of the international community a response that also involves local communities in efforts of prevention, so that many human lives may be saved,” Leo said.The recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo was first declared in May 2026, claiming the lives of close to 2,500 people, according to an Aug. 21 BBC report. The country is currently distributing a vaccine against the virus, and public health officials have declared it the deadliest outbreak in the country’s history.On Aug. 18, a landslide at a gold mine near Zamboyé in western Central African Republic buried and killed more than 100 workers, according to an Aug. 19 BBC report. Rescue efforts are ongoing for potential survivors, and Pope Leo prayed for all those who lost their lives in the disaster.“I am also close to the people of the Central African Republic, who are mourning the victims of the collapse at a mine in Zamboyé. May the Lord receive those who have lost their lives and sustain efforts to ensure safety and respect for the law at mining sites,” the pope said.‘Who is Jesus for me?’During his Angelus, Leo also preached on the Gospel of the day, in which Jesus asks his disciples about his identity and Peter’s confesses his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.The pope noted that the question of Jesus’ identity is decisive for one’s everyday experience of discipleship.“The question that is put to us each day — who is Jesus for me, and what does his presence mean in my life? — emerges especially in prayer and when we meditate on the Gospel,” Leo explained. The faithful gathered in St. Peterʼs Square for Pope Leo XIVʼs Angelus address on Aug. 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media “In our daily lives, in short, we can discover whether the Lord Jesus is for us merely a great figure of history … or the Christ of God, the One sent to bring us into the love of the Father and to transform our lives and the world in which we live,” the pope added.The pope then encouraged the faithful not to be content with their own convictions about Christ, but to “remain open to an authentic relationship with Christ.”“Yet Jesus calls us to give a personal response, to know him more closely and to allow ourselves to be shaped by friendship with him through an ever new encounter. This may also ask us to follow unfamiliar paths and to make choices different from those we had imagined.”

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During his Angelus on Aug. 23, the pontiff expressed closeness to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.

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Aug. 23, 1991: Water on Mercury

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On Aug. 8 and Aug. 23, 1991, scientists from CalTech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory turned the 70-meter dish antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex on Mercury. The goal was to produce a radar map of the portions of Mercury not photographed by Mariner 10 during its 1974-75 flybys. But to the researchers’Continue reading “Aug. 23, 1991: Water on Mercury”

The post Aug. 23, 1991: Water on Mercury appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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‘An unborn child is a child’: Lawyer questions lack of empathy regarding pregnancy loss #Catholic Ecuadorian lawyer Pablo Proaño questioned the lack of empathy for families who lose a child during pregnancy and called for protocols to support them.His remarks followed the death due to a pregnancy complication of Stefano, the son of Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and his wife, Lavinia Valbonesi.On Aug. 15, Interior Minister Nataly Morillo announced the news and offered her condolences to the presidential family.Many comments appeared on social media questioning the characterization of the loss as the death of a “child” rather than an embryo or fetus, or arguing that the matter should have remained private.For Proaño, a lawyer with the firm Dignidad y Derecho (Dignity and Law), these reactions reveal “a lack of understanding regarding pregnancy loss and a lack of empathy that goes beyond the political debate over the way the president is running the country.”“Many people approached this topic by first claiming it’s a ‘fake news’ story — arguing that it’s not a child, but rather an embryo or a fetus — and secondly, by insisting that it’s a matter that should remain private. And this reveals, as I said, a profound lack of empathy,” he noted in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.‘There’s already an expectation’ of welcoming the childThe lawyer explained that regardless of gestational age, “parents who already know, long for, and look forward to welcoming this baby are already forming an expectation, both on the psychological and social level.”He said there can be “severe psychological impact following the loss” but also “long-term effects when the time comes to decide whether or not to try for another child.”The lawyer also noted that this suffering can arise in everyday situations, particularly when the mother encounters other women with babies.Proaño said he believes the scale of the phenomenon makes it important for society to learn how to support those going through this type of grief. “According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 women has experienced pregnancy loss at some point in her life,” he stated.The lawyer noted that while the circumstances of a miscarriage or an abortion may differ, both situations can involve suffering and grief.“Induced abortion often entails a greater sense of guilt,” he said.Regarding miscarriage, he said there is also “a great deal of suffering regarding why the pregnancy could not be carried to term.” “Many questions remain unanswered, and this creates a great deal of anxiety and can even lead to cases of severe depression in women and families going through this grief,” he continued.The need for protocols regarding pregnancy lossProaño said he believes healthcare systems should have protocols in place to care for women who lose their babies during pregnancy.“The first and most important aspect is institutional support from a medical standpoint. In many Latin American countries, there are protocols known as ‘butterfly protocols’ for the care of women experiencing pregnancy loss,” he explained.In this practice, the silhouette of a butterfly is placed on the headboard of the patient’s bed, alerting the hospital staff to be particularly sensitive to her emotional state. The butterfly symbolizes a brief life, fragility, and transformation.Ecuador does not currently have an official protocol from the Ministry of Health. “There are foundations promoting these types of protocols, and individual hospitals may implement them, but it largely depends on whether the hospital authorities choose to adopt them,” Proaño stated.These protocols, he explained, aim to prevent situations that could increase the suffering of a woman who has just lost her child.“What do these ‘butterfly protocols’ mean? It means healthcare staff are sensitized that they don’t say things like, ‘Oh, right. Well, it would have been better if you’d done this or that, and then you wouldn’t have lost the baby,’” he explained.He also emphasized the need to avoid placing a woman who has just suffered a loss “in the maternity ward, where you can hear and see other women with their babies.”Proaño even proposes identifying these patients: “They should be given a separate room and identified by a symbol or a sign on the door, so that when a nurse or doctor walks by, no one makes the mistake of asking, ‘And where is your baby? Why haven’t they brought your baby to you?’” he said.In addition, the woman should receive psychological care, he noted.Employers should also have to make allowancesAccording to Proaño, families also need “social recognition that extends to the workplace.”“In Ecuador, these cases often only qualify for three days of leave for a family emergency, and three days is not enough,” he maintained.“Many of these people go through episodes of severe depression, return to work, and are then fired because the enhanced job protection afforded to pregnant women because they are carrying a child does not apply. But if the baby dies, they don’t benefit from this leave,” he added.Parents' right to say goodbye to their childAnother aspect the lawyer deems necessary to review is what happens to the babyʼs remains following a pregnancy loss.Measures should be in place “to ensure the baby can be given a proper burial," he stated.Proaño explained that, according to Ecuadorian regulations, there is a distinction regarding the release of remains based on whether the pregnancy has reached 22 weeks of gestation.“In Ecuador, up to the 22nd week of pregnancy, hospitals are not required to hand over the child — the body or remains of the fetus — and may simply dispose of it, donate it for research, or even sell it to institutions,” he stated.He said this situation can deprive parents of a step that is important for the grieving process.“This baby is the child of a family that deserves and needs, for the sake of their grieving process, to bury him and have a place to go to mourn his death,” he noted.In his view, families should receive clear information about their rights and be able to decide what happens to their childʼs remains.“Parents should be provided with informed consent that explains this possibility and their rights, so they can make a decision. And if they ultimately decide not to take the fetus, they should also be able to decide on its final disposition,” he explained.‘An unborn child is a child’Beyond the legal and medical aspects, Proaño said he believes there is a cultural challenge: “A great deal of work to raise awareness and foster understanding” needs to be done, he noted.“Because an unborn child is a child; it’s not merely a fetus,” he emphasized.The lawyer lamented that many families do not even receive condolences after losing a child during pregnancy. He also questioned certain responses that may seem well-intentioned but ultimately minimize the pain.For example, he said, “there are many doctors who say, ‘You can get pregnant again; there’s no problem.’ As if that loss could simply be erased from a mother’s heart.”An issue that also involves the stateProaño maintained that the response should include public policies focused on prevention, support, and family protection.“At the state level, there are these three points: promoting the implementation of support protocols; ensuring proper informed consent when the disposition of the fetuses is to be decided; and enacting workplace reforms to grant parents more time to grieve the loss of their child in accordance with the law,” he explained.“And also, having awareness-raising campaigns. Furthermore — taking it a step further — it would be very important for the state to take up this issue as a public policy necessity,” he added.Proaño said he also believes that proper preventive care during pregnancy can help reduce some pregnancy losses. He cited, among other factors, medical monitoring during pregnancy and the detection of potential vitamin or hormonal deficiencies.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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‘An unborn child is a child’: Lawyer questions lack of empathy regarding pregnancy loss #Catholic Ecuadorian lawyer Pablo Proaño questioned the lack of empathy for families who lose a child during pregnancy and called for protocols to support them.His remarks followed the death due to a pregnancy complication of Stefano, the son of Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and his wife, Lavinia Valbonesi.On Aug. 15, Interior Minister Nataly Morillo announced the news and offered her condolences to the presidential family.Many comments appeared on social media questioning the characterization of the loss as the death of a “child” rather than an embryo or fetus, or arguing that the matter should have remained private.For Proaño, a lawyer with the firm Dignidad y Derecho (Dignity and Law), these reactions reveal “a lack of understanding regarding pregnancy loss and a lack of empathy that goes beyond the political debate over the way the president is running the country.”“Many people approached this topic by first claiming it’s a ‘fake news’ story — arguing that it’s not a child, but rather an embryo or a fetus — and secondly, by insisting that it’s a matter that should remain private. And this reveals, as I said, a profound lack of empathy,” he noted in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.‘There’s already an expectation’ of welcoming the childThe lawyer explained that regardless of gestational age, “parents who already know, long for, and look forward to welcoming this baby are already forming an expectation, both on the psychological and social level.”He said there can be “severe psychological impact following the loss” but also “long-term effects when the time comes to decide whether or not to try for another child.”The lawyer also noted that this suffering can arise in everyday situations, particularly when the mother encounters other women with babies.Proaño said he believes the scale of the phenomenon makes it important for society to learn how to support those going through this type of grief. “According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 women has experienced pregnancy loss at some point in her life,” he stated.The lawyer noted that while the circumstances of a miscarriage or an abortion may differ, both situations can involve suffering and grief.“Induced abortion often entails a greater sense of guilt,” he said.Regarding miscarriage, he said there is also “a great deal of suffering regarding why the pregnancy could not be carried to term.” “Many questions remain unanswered, and this creates a great deal of anxiety and can even lead to cases of severe depression in women and families going through this grief,” he continued.The need for protocols regarding pregnancy lossProaño said he believes healthcare systems should have protocols in place to care for women who lose their babies during pregnancy.“The first and most important aspect is institutional support from a medical standpoint. In many Latin American countries, there are protocols known as ‘butterfly protocols’ for the care of women experiencing pregnancy loss,” he explained.In this practice, the silhouette of a butterfly is placed on the headboard of the patient’s bed, alerting the hospital staff to be particularly sensitive to her emotional state. The butterfly symbolizes a brief life, fragility, and transformation.Ecuador does not currently have an official protocol from the Ministry of Health. “There are foundations promoting these types of protocols, and individual hospitals may implement them, but it largely depends on whether the hospital authorities choose to adopt them,” Proaño stated.These protocols, he explained, aim to prevent situations that could increase the suffering of a woman who has just lost her child.“What do these ‘butterfly protocols’ mean? It means healthcare staff are sensitized that they don’t say things like, ‘Oh, right. Well, it would have been better if you’d done this or that, and then you wouldn’t have lost the baby,’” he explained.He also emphasized the need to avoid placing a woman who has just suffered a loss “in the maternity ward, where you can hear and see other women with their babies.”Proaño even proposes identifying these patients: “They should be given a separate room and identified by a symbol or a sign on the door, so that when a nurse or doctor walks by, no one makes the mistake of asking, ‘And where is your baby? Why haven’t they brought your baby to you?’” he said.In addition, the woman should receive psychological care, he noted.Employers should also have to make allowancesAccording to Proaño, families also need “social recognition that extends to the workplace.”“In Ecuador, these cases often only qualify for three days of leave for a family emergency, and three days is not enough,” he maintained.“Many of these people go through episodes of severe depression, return to work, and are then fired because the enhanced job protection afforded to pregnant women because they are carrying a child does not apply. But if the baby dies, they don’t benefit from this leave,” he added.Parents' right to say goodbye to their childAnother aspect the lawyer deems necessary to review is what happens to the babyʼs remains following a pregnancy loss.Measures should be in place “to ensure the baby can be given a proper burial," he stated.Proaño explained that, according to Ecuadorian regulations, there is a distinction regarding the release of remains based on whether the pregnancy has reached 22 weeks of gestation.“In Ecuador, up to the 22nd week of pregnancy, hospitals are not required to hand over the child — the body or remains of the fetus — and may simply dispose of it, donate it for research, or even sell it to institutions,” he stated.He said this situation can deprive parents of a step that is important for the grieving process.“This baby is the child of a family that deserves and needs, for the sake of their grieving process, to bury him and have a place to go to mourn his death,” he noted.In his view, families should receive clear information about their rights and be able to decide what happens to their childʼs remains.“Parents should be provided with informed consent that explains this possibility and their rights, so they can make a decision. And if they ultimately decide not to take the fetus, they should also be able to decide on its final disposition,” he explained.‘An unborn child is a child’Beyond the legal and medical aspects, Proaño said he believes there is a cultural challenge: “A great deal of work to raise awareness and foster understanding” needs to be done, he noted.“Because an unborn child is a child; it’s not merely a fetus,” he emphasized.The lawyer lamented that many families do not even receive condolences after losing a child during pregnancy. He also questioned certain responses that may seem well-intentioned but ultimately minimize the pain.For example, he said, “there are many doctors who say, ‘You can get pregnant again; there’s no problem.’ As if that loss could simply be erased from a mother’s heart.”An issue that also involves the stateProaño maintained that the response should include public policies focused on prevention, support, and family protection.“At the state level, there are these three points: promoting the implementation of support protocols; ensuring proper informed consent when the disposition of the fetuses is to be decided; and enacting workplace reforms to grant parents more time to grieve the loss of their child in accordance with the law,” he explained.“And also, having awareness-raising campaigns. Furthermore — taking it a step further — it would be very important for the state to take up this issue as a public policy necessity,” he added.Proaño said he also believes that proper preventive care during pregnancy can help reduce some pregnancy losses. He cited, among other factors, medical monitoring during pregnancy and the detection of potential vitamin or hormonal deficiencies.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Ecuadoran lawyer Pablo Proaño’s remarks followed the death due to a pregnancy complication of Stefano, the son of Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and his wife, Lavinia Valbonesi.

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How the skull of St. Rose of Lima is preserved – #Catholic – The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Rose of Lima (1586–1617) on Aug. 23, calling attention to the most significant first-class relic of the beloved saint: her skull, which is preserved in the Basilica of the Most Holy Rosary at St. Dominic Convent in the Peruvian capital of Lima. Friar Luis Enrique Ramírez, a Dominican priest and rector of the basilica located in Lima’s historic center, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, how the relic is preserved and where it is kept within this historic church entrusted to the Order of Preachers.“St. Rose’s skull has been here in the basilica since the late 1800s, around the time this neoclassical altarpiece was created,” the priest explained, standing before the reliquary housing the first-class relic. The reliquary, which also holds significant relics of St. Martin de Porres and St. John Macías, “consists of two parts: One section holds the skull itself, which wears a crown of roses that was originally gold but is now silver,” the priest noted, adding that the original crown was stolen.The other part is a small box containing some of her bones, he said.There is also a tablecloth she embroidered, which serves as an example “of the work she used to do.”The Dominican friar also noted that over time, her bones “have been divided into minuscule fragments, and relics of St. Rose of Lima are found in a great number of places all over the world.”St. Rose’s house, located very close to St. Dominic Convent, preserves 10 objects belonging to the first saint of the Americas, such as her betrothal ring to the Lord, soil from her grave, and a handwritten letter.Why are there relics of saints like St. Rose of LimaRamírez explained that the relics of saints represent “a way for the faithful to share in the holiness of the person they venerate. Being close to the saint is a very ancient tradition in the Church.”By being near saints’ relics, the faithful can “share in their holiness; it’s a way to find encouragement. It’s also a way to help you, in some sense, to strive to live your life in a state of grace.”The Dominican priest noted that given the current trade in relics and the risk of counterfeits, the Holy See has established clearer and stricter regulations for handling requests for a saintʼs relics, particularly to verify their authenticity. This process requires authorization from a bishop and, in the case of St. Rose, from the Dominicans.Plaque commemorating the mystical betrothal of St. Rose of LimaInside the basilica, on the left side of the nave, there is a plaque on the floor marking the exact spot where St. Rose of Lima’s mystical betrothal took place in 1617 — the moment she consecrated herself entirely to the Lord after hearing the words “Rose, be my spouse.”According to Ramírez, the saint had come to the site of the former Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary to bid farewell, as she was preparing to become a Poor Clare nun; her friends had raised funds to enable her to enter the convent with the required dowry, as was the custom at the time.“She came to bid farewell to Our Lady of the Rosary represented by the image that at that time was in her chapel, right where the plaque is now, and that is where the phenomenon occurred in which she became so heavy she could not be lifted, and where the mystical betrothal to the Infant Jesus also took place,” the Dominican friar explained.“She realized that God did not want her to be a nun but rather a laywoman, so she decided to join the Dominican Third Order as a laywoman, here at St. Dominic Convent in Lima,” he added.The ‘new’ chapel of St. Rose of Lima and another first-class relicDuring a tour of the St. Dominic Convent Museum, Ramírez showed EWTN News a “new” chapel, erected about 10 years ago in a space that had previously been the room of another Dominican friar.“On the main altar stands the image of St. Rose of Lima, the patron saint of Peru, America, and the Philippines, which is carried on a litter during the Aug. 29–30 processions,” the priest explained.Beneath the image “lies a relic: the shoulder blade of St. Rose of Lima. And everything in the chapel is dedicated to her. We have paintings, both old and new, including of St. Catherine of Siena, to whom St. Rose was devoted, as well as images of St. Rose’s ‘Doctorcito’ [‘Little Doctor,’ her affectionate name for the Child Jesus], the image to which she held great devotion.” There is also Our Lady of the Rosary of the Creoles’ Confraternity and “the most important sculpture: the marble work by Melchiorre Cafà, which was present at St. Rose’s beatification ceremony at Santa Sabina Basilica” in Rome in 1668.What lessons can Catholics today learn from St. Rose of Lima“Let’s remember that St. Rose of Lima was a laywoman; that is, she was not a religious sister but someone who lived in her own home,” the Dominican priest noted.Ramírez recalled how the saint worked at various tasks such as embroidery and helping in other households to contribute to the support of her family. At the same time, he continued, “St. Rose was fully aware of God’s presence in her life and engaged in profound mystical prayer, imitating St. Catherine of Siena in what is known as the inner cell.”This, he said, means that “she did not have a physical cell to retreat to, as in a monastery, but she did have an inner cell where she could take refuge, and indeed she had many mystical experiences in that regard.”Rose of St. Mary, as she is also known, lived a life “deeply committed to the suffering and the needy in her society, to the poor who needed her help not just with her counsel but also with medical care, comforting, and assistance in general.”In this way, Ramírez emphasized, St. Rose of Lima is “a very contemporary example” for any Catholic today. Like St. Rose, he said, “you can work to earn a living, you can commit yourself to mystical prayer, and you can commit yourself to social work in the service of the needy,” living a “committed life within our Church and, furthermore, in the spirit of our Dominican charism.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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How the skull of St. Rose of Lima is preserved – #Catholic – The Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Rose of Lima (1586–1617) on Aug. 23, calling attention to the most significant first-class relic of the beloved saint: her skull, which is preserved in the Basilica of the Most Holy Rosary at St. Dominic Convent in the Peruvian capital of Lima. Friar Luis Enrique Ramírez, a Dominican priest and rector of the basilica located in Lima’s historic center, explained to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, how the relic is preserved and where it is kept within this historic church entrusted to the Order of Preachers.“St. Rose’s skull has been here in the basilica since the late 1800s, around the time this neoclassical altarpiece was created,” the priest explained, standing before the reliquary housing the first-class relic. The reliquary, which also holds significant relics of St. Martin de Porres and St. John Macías, “consists of two parts: One section holds the skull itself, which wears a crown of roses that was originally gold but is now silver,” the priest noted, adding that the original crown was stolen.The other part is a small box containing some of her bones, he said.There is also a tablecloth she embroidered, which serves as an example “of the work she used to do.”The Dominican friar also noted that over time, her bones “have been divided into minuscule fragments, and relics of St. Rose of Lima are found in a great number of places all over the world.”St. Rose’s house, located very close to St. Dominic Convent, preserves 10 objects belonging to the first saint of the Americas, such as her betrothal ring to the Lord, soil from her grave, and a handwritten letter.Why are there relics of saints like St. Rose of LimaRamírez explained that the relics of saints represent “a way for the faithful to share in the holiness of the person they venerate. Being close to the saint is a very ancient tradition in the Church.”By being near saints’ relics, the faithful can “share in their holiness; it’s a way to find encouragement. It’s also a way to help you, in some sense, to strive to live your life in a state of grace.”The Dominican priest noted that given the current trade in relics and the risk of counterfeits, the Holy See has established clearer and stricter regulations for handling requests for a saintʼs relics, particularly to verify their authenticity. This process requires authorization from a bishop and, in the case of St. Rose, from the Dominicans.Plaque commemorating the mystical betrothal of St. Rose of LimaInside the basilica, on the left side of the nave, there is a plaque on the floor marking the exact spot where St. Rose of Lima’s mystical betrothal took place in 1617 — the moment she consecrated herself entirely to the Lord after hearing the words “Rose, be my spouse.”According to Ramírez, the saint had come to the site of the former Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary to bid farewell, as she was preparing to become a Poor Clare nun; her friends had raised funds to enable her to enter the convent with the required dowry, as was the custom at the time.“She came to bid farewell to Our Lady of the Rosary represented by the image that at that time was in her chapel, right where the plaque is now, and that is where the phenomenon occurred in which she became so heavy she could not be lifted, and where the mystical betrothal to the Infant Jesus also took place,” the Dominican friar explained.“She realized that God did not want her to be a nun but rather a laywoman, so she decided to join the Dominican Third Order as a laywoman, here at St. Dominic Convent in Lima,” he added.The ‘new’ chapel of St. Rose of Lima and another first-class relicDuring a tour of the St. Dominic Convent Museum, Ramírez showed EWTN News a “new” chapel, erected about 10 years ago in a space that had previously been the room of another Dominican friar.“On the main altar stands the image of St. Rose of Lima, the patron saint of Peru, America, and the Philippines, which is carried on a litter during the Aug. 29–30 processions,” the priest explained.Beneath the image “lies a relic: the shoulder blade of St. Rose of Lima. And everything in the chapel is dedicated to her. We have paintings, both old and new, including of St. Catherine of Siena, to whom St. Rose was devoted, as well as images of St. Rose’s ‘Doctorcito’ [‘Little Doctor,’ her affectionate name for the Child Jesus], the image to which she held great devotion.” There is also Our Lady of the Rosary of the Creoles’ Confraternity and “the most important sculpture: the marble work by Melchiorre Cafà, which was present at St. Rose’s beatification ceremony at Santa Sabina Basilica” in Rome in 1668.What lessons can Catholics today learn from St. Rose of Lima“Let’s remember that St. Rose of Lima was a laywoman; that is, she was not a religious sister but someone who lived in her own home,” the Dominican priest noted.Ramírez recalled how the saint worked at various tasks such as embroidery and helping in other households to contribute to the support of her family. At the same time, he continued, “St. Rose was fully aware of God’s presence in her life and engaged in profound mystical prayer, imitating St. Catherine of Siena in what is known as the inner cell.”This, he said, means that “she did not have a physical cell to retreat to, as in a monastery, but she did have an inner cell where she could take refuge, and indeed she had many mystical experiences in that regard.”Rose of St. Mary, as she is also known, lived a life “deeply committed to the suffering and the needy in her society, to the poor who needed her help not just with her counsel but also with medical care, comforting, and assistance in general.”In this way, Ramírez emphasized, St. Rose of Lima is “a very contemporary example” for any Catholic today. Like St. Rose, he said, “you can work to earn a living, you can commit yourself to mystical prayer, and you can commit yourself to social work in the service of the needy,” living a “committed life within our Church and, furthermore, in the spirit of our Dominican charism.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Dominican Friar Luis Enrique Ramírez explains fascinating facts about the first canonized saint from the Americas.

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American priest walks Lebanon’s St. Charbel Trail, encourages more pilgrims to follow – #Catholic – American priest Father Michael Sliney, LC, recently took part in a pilgrimage along the St. Charbel Trail in Lebanon and said he was deeply marked by the experience, describing the discovery as a “hidden gem.” Now back in the United States, he said he hopes to promote the trail among American Catholics, especially Lebanese Americans, and encourage them to experience it for themselves.St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, is a 80.8-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.The trail is currently divided into two main routes. The northern route stretches roughly 50 miles, beginning at the Monastery of St. Anthony of Qozhaya in the Qadisha Valley and continuing through sites including St. Charbel’s birthplace and the Monastery of St. Maroun in Annaya, where Pope Leo XIV prayed during his visit to Lebanon in 2025.The southern route covers approximately 31 miles, beginning at the Maronite Patriarchal See in Bkerke and passing through Harissa, home to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, one of the country’s most important Marian pilgrimage sites, and ending at St. Charbel’s tomb in Annaya.A landscape shaped by centuries of faithSliney, who has spent more than 27 years in priestly ministry serving young people and families in Washington, D.C., and New York City, said the trail “creates a peaceful, silent environment where you can actually hear God.”That sense was especially strong, he said, in the Qadisha Valley, also known as the Valley of the Saints, a historic center of Maronite monastic life. “I felt this is where the heart of God is beating,” he said. “It’s beating in the Valley of the Saints. It’s beating in these monasteries.” Father Michael Sliney, LC. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Michael Sliney, LC For Sliney, walking through the valley felt “almost like going back to a time capsule.” He said he was struck by the continuity of monastic life there, where Christians have prayed for centuries in monasteries and caves carved into the mountains.At the Cave of St. Anthony, which dates back to the fourth century, that history became particularly tangible. “For 1,700 years people have been coming here to pray,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine… really since the time of Christ almost, people have been praying in that particular cave.”The people along the trailMore than the monasteries, caves, and churches, what affected Sliney most during the pilgrimage, he said, were the people he encountered, especially the monks and nuns.He described the nuns he met as “dynamic,” “happy,” and “joyful.” The monks left a similar impression. “I was very, very impressed by the fervor, the humility, the joy, and the dedication of these monks,” he said. “I really believe the Valley of the Saints is such a holy place because of these monks and these nuns.”Sliney said he was also deeply marked by the resilience, hospitality, and spirit of service he encountered among Lebanese people more broadly.He recalled being welcomed to celebrate Mass in the house of St. Charbel and being invited to wear Maronite vestments. He was also moved by small, personal gestures from people he had only just met.At one monastery, a monk gave him a bag of medals of the saints that he had collected since childhood, asking him to distribute them among the pilgrims. The monk then offered him a rosary he had made for himself.Family life also stood out to him. He recalled entering restaurants and seeing families of 15 or 20 people gathered around the same table.A path back to faith and heritageSliney wants more people to experience the trail. He said he believes American Catholics would benefit from making the pilgrimage but says Lebanese Americans in particular should be among the first to rediscover it.“I think they need to rediscover the beauty of their faith and the beauty of their heritage,” he said. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled.” Father Michael Sliney, LC, presides at a Mass along the St. Charbel Trail route, a unique 80-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.| Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Michael Sliney, LC While acknowledging the opportunities American life has offered many Lebanese families, Sliney said he worries that they can also become absorbed by “materialism” and “noise.”“I think Lebanon — the peace, the serenity, the simplicity of this country and of the people — is something not just they need, but I think we need as Americans,” he said. “Our culture could use the silence so we can hear the whisper of God.”For Lebanese living abroad, he sees the trail as more than a pilgrimage route. He believes it could become a way of reconnecting them with a faith and heritage that may have weakened across generations. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled,” he said.“I really believe St. Charbel is behind this trail. Our world today needs to learn from the simplicity and the humility and the joy of the monks and of the nuns and of the people of Lebanon. And I think the trail will allow them to experience that.” Pilgrims making their way along the St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, pause for a photo. The trail winds its way through Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition. | Credit: Father Michael Sliney, LC Is Lebanon safe for pilgrims?Sliney also pushed back against perceptions of Lebanon as uniformly unsafe. He said he felt safer in Lebanon than in Washington, D.C., while acknowledging the ongoing war in the south, which he did not visit.“Lebanon being a very unsafe [place] to go to is a false narrative. And I feel it does an injustice to the country,” he noted.He also described the hiking as “pretty intense,” with steep climbs and descents — despite being a marathon runner himself.As parts of the trail are still being developed and funds are being raised, he said he plans to return to Lebanon to complete it once more sections are open.
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American priest walks Lebanon’s St. Charbel Trail, encourages more pilgrims to follow – #Catholic – American priest Father Michael Sliney, LC, recently took part in a pilgrimage along the St. Charbel Trail in Lebanon and said he was deeply marked by the experience, describing the discovery as a “hidden gem.” Now back in the United States, he said he hopes to promote the trail among American Catholics, especially Lebanese Americans, and encourage them to experience it for themselves.St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, is a 80.8-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.The trail is currently divided into two main routes. The northern route stretches roughly 50 miles, beginning at the Monastery of St. Anthony of Qozhaya in the Qadisha Valley and continuing through sites including St. Charbel’s birthplace and the Monastery of St. Maroun in Annaya, where Pope Leo XIV prayed during his visit to Lebanon in 2025.The southern route covers approximately 31 miles, beginning at the Maronite Patriarchal See in Bkerke and passing through Harissa, home to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, one of the country’s most important Marian pilgrimage sites, and ending at St. Charbel’s tomb in Annaya.A landscape shaped by centuries of faithSliney, who has spent more than 27 years in priestly ministry serving young people and families in Washington, D.C., and New York City, said the trail “creates a peaceful, silent environment where you can actually hear God.”That sense was especially strong, he said, in the Qadisha Valley, also known as the Valley of the Saints, a historic center of Maronite monastic life. “I felt this is where the heart of God is beating,” he said. “It’s beating in the Valley of the Saints. It’s beating in these monasteries.” Father Michael Sliney, LC. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Michael Sliney, LC For Sliney, walking through the valley felt “almost like going back to a time capsule.” He said he was struck by the continuity of monastic life there, where Christians have prayed for centuries in monasteries and caves carved into the mountains.At the Cave of St. Anthony, which dates back to the fourth century, that history became particularly tangible. “For 1,700 years people have been coming here to pray,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine… really since the time of Christ almost, people have been praying in that particular cave.”The people along the trailMore than the monasteries, caves, and churches, what affected Sliney most during the pilgrimage, he said, were the people he encountered, especially the monks and nuns.He described the nuns he met as “dynamic,” “happy,” and “joyful.” The monks left a similar impression. “I was very, very impressed by the fervor, the humility, the joy, and the dedication of these monks,” he said. “I really believe the Valley of the Saints is such a holy place because of these monks and these nuns.”Sliney said he was also deeply marked by the resilience, hospitality, and spirit of service he encountered among Lebanese people more broadly.He recalled being welcomed to celebrate Mass in the house of St. Charbel and being invited to wear Maronite vestments. He was also moved by small, personal gestures from people he had only just met.At one monastery, a monk gave him a bag of medals of the saints that he had collected since childhood, asking him to distribute them among the pilgrims. The monk then offered him a rosary he had made for himself.Family life also stood out to him. He recalled entering restaurants and seeing families of 15 or 20 people gathered around the same table.A path back to faith and heritageSliney wants more people to experience the trail. He said he believes American Catholics would benefit from making the pilgrimage but says Lebanese Americans in particular should be among the first to rediscover it.“I think they need to rediscover the beauty of their faith and the beauty of their heritage,” he said. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled.” Father Michael Sliney, LC, presides at a Mass along the St. Charbel Trail route, a unique 80-mile pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition.| Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Michael Sliney, LC While acknowledging the opportunities American life has offered many Lebanese families, Sliney said he worries that they can also become absorbed by “materialism” and “noise.”“I think Lebanon — the peace, the serenity, the simplicity of this country and of the people — is something not just they need, but I think we need as Americans,” he said. “Our culture could use the silence so we can hear the whisper of God.”For Lebanese living abroad, he sees the trail as more than a pilgrimage route. He believes it could become a way of reconnecting them with a faith and heritage that may have weakened across generations. “I think it would spark a faith in them that needs to be rekindled,” he said.“I really believe St. Charbel is behind this trail. Our world today needs to learn from the simplicity and the humility and the joy of the monks and of the nuns and of the people of Lebanon. And I think the trail will allow them to experience that.” Pilgrims making their way along the St. Charbel Trail, known in the region as Darb Mar Charbel, pause for a photo. The trail winds its way through Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites associated with St. Charbel and the Maronite tradition. | Credit: Father Michael Sliney, LC Is Lebanon safe for pilgrims?Sliney also pushed back against perceptions of Lebanon as uniformly unsafe. He said he felt safer in Lebanon than in Washington, D.C., while acknowledging the ongoing war in the south, which he did not visit.“Lebanon being a very unsafe [place] to go to is a false narrative. And I feel it does an injustice to the country,” he noted.He also described the hiking as “pretty intense,” with steep climbs and descents — despite being a marathon runner himself.As parts of the trail are still being developed and funds are being raised, he said he plans to return to Lebanon to complete it once more sections are open.

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St. Charbel Trail is a pilgrimage and hiking trail that crosses some of Lebanon’s most striking natural and spiritual landscapes, linking monasteries, villages, and historic sites.

Read More
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