Pope Leo XIV tells priests not to use AI to write homilies or seek likes on TikTok #Catholic –

(OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has urged priests to not to use artificial intelligence to write their homilies or to seek “likes” on social media platforms like TikTok.

In a question-and-answer session with clergy from the Diocese of Rome, the pope said priests should resist “the temptation to prepare homilies with artificial intelligence.”

“Like all the muscles in the body, if we do not use them, if we do not move them, they die. The brain needs to be used, so our intelligence must also be exercised a little so as not to lose this capacity,” Pope Leo said in the closed door meeting, according to a report by Vatican News on Feb. 20.

“To give a true homily is to share faith,” and artificial intelligence “will never be able to share faith,” the pope added.

Pope Leo has expressed interest in the topic of artificial intelligence and the dignity of work since the first week of his pontificate, telling the College of Cardinals shortly after his election last May that he took his name in honor of Pope Leo XIII, who wrote the social encyclical “Rerum Novarum” in the context of the first industrial revolution.

“If we can offer a service that is inculturated in the place, in the parish where we are working,” the pope told the priests of the Diocese of Rome. “People want to see your faith, your experience of having known and loved Jesus Christ.”

In his meeting with the clergy of Rome, Pope Leo underlined that with a “life authentically rooted in the Lord,” one can offer something different, calling it “an illusion on the internet, on TikTok,” to think one is offering oneself and gaining ‘likes’ and ‘followers’ in that way.

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“It is not you: if we are not transmitting the message of Jesus Christ, perhaps we are mistaken, and we must reflect very carefully and humbly about who we are and what we are doing,” the pope emphasized.

He underlined that for a priest “a life of prayer” is fundamental, adding that this means “time spent with the Lord,” not “the routine of reciting the breviary as quickly as possible.”

The pope’s Feb. 19 closed-door dialogue with clergy of the Rome Diocese was introduced by Cardinal Baldo Reina, vicar general of Rome, who presented four priests — representing four age groups — who were selected to ask the pope a question.

Among them was a young priest ordained by Pope Leo last May. He asked how young priests can support their peers in today’s world.

The pope first urged them to keep their “eyes open” to the families from which many young people come from, which often have been through “very serious crises,” with absent parents or parents who are “divorced, remarried.”

Many young people “have also experienced abandonment,” so priests must “know their reality,” the pope continued. “Be close to them in this sense, accompany them, but do not be just one of the young,” he said, adding that in this regard, “the testimony of the priest” is important, as it offers “a model of life.”

The pope also asked priests not to be satisfied with just the young people who continue to come to the parish: “We must organize, think, seek initiatives that can be a form of outreach.”

“We must go ourselves, we must invite other young people, go out into the streets with them; perhaps offer different ways,” activities such as sports, art and culture, he insisted.

Getting to know others is the key element, according to Pope Leo, and knowledge comes through “a human experience of friendship” with young people who “live in isolation, in incredible loneliness.”

He highlighted how this loneliness has increased after the pandemic especially, in part because of the use of smartphones. “They live a kind of distance from others, a coldness, without knowing the richness, the value of truly human relationships,” the pope explained.

Therefore, he continued, we must understand how to offer young people “another type of experience of friendship, of sharing, and gradually of communion,” and from that experience “invite them also to know Jesus.”

Pope Leo emphasized that this requires “time” and “sacrifice,” considering also that many young people today are trapped in “a terrible life” of drugs, crime and violence.

He encouraged priests to nurture true friendships with one another and to resist the temptation of “invidia clericalis,” or clerical envy.

“Let us not be afraid to knock on another’s door, to take the initiative, to say to companions or a group of friends: why don’t we meet from time to time to study together, reflect together, have a moment of prayer and then a good lunch? The parish priest with the best cook can invite the others,” Pope Leo said.

He recalled a “beautiful” example of priestly fraternity in Chicago, his hometown, where a group of priests decided to meet once a month, starting when they were still in the seminary. Some continued until they were over 90 years old and they would gather, pray and study.

During the question-and-answer session, Pope Leo also addressed the issue of euthanasia, underlining that priests “must be the first to bear witness to the fact that life has enormous value.”

“If we ourselves are so negative about our life, and sometimes with less suffering than that borne by many people, how can we say to them: ‘No, you cannot take your life, you must accept it’?” the pope asked.

“If one lives one’s whole life as a journey that takes us forward, even with the weight of the years, often also — whether young or old — with illnesses and difficulties, one will have the ability, with God’s grace, to accept the cross, the suffering that comes,” he said.

The pope also urged priests to bring Communion and the anointing of the sick to parishioners who are ill.

“Today, with fewer priests and more elderly, it has become: ‘Well, let’s send the lay people, they will do it,’” he said. “It is a beautiful service that lay people provide … but that does not mean that the priest can stay at home watching things on the internet.”

Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney. Contributing to this story was Salvatore Cernuzio of Vatican News.

– (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has urged priests to not to use artificial intelligence to write their homilies or to seek “likes” on social media platforms like TikTok. In a question-and-answer session with clergy from the Diocese of Rome, the pope said priests should resist “the temptation to prepare homilies with artificial intelligence.” “Like all the muscles in the body, if we do not use them, if we do not move them, they die. The brain needs to be used, so our intelligence must also be exercised a little so as not to lose this capacity,” Pope Leo said

Team USA’s hockey gold honors Catholic hockey star tragically killed with brother in 2024 #Catholic –

(OSV News) — When the U.S. men’s hockey team dramatically captured its first Olympic gold medal in 46 years at the 2026 Winter Games Feb. 22 in Milan, Italy, the triumph was defined not only by athletic achievement but by remembrance and faith.

After the dramatic 2-1 overtime thriller over Canada, U.S. captain Auston Matthews and teammates skated around the ice holding the late Johnny Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey, ensuring that a beloved player — gone too soon — was at the forefront of their celebration.

Johnny Gaudreau, widely known as “Johnny Hockey,” and his brother Matthew were killed Aug. 29, 2024, when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver while cycling near Salem County, New Jersey, on the eve of their sister’s wedding. Johnny was 31.

Before the Olympics began, the Gaudreau family issued a heartfelt message that underscored Gaudreau’s lifelong dream to represent his country.

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“Representing Team USA at the Olympics was one of his greatest dreams,” the family wrote, noting that in his final summer Johnny was training harder than ever to earn a spot on the Olympic roster. “We know he will be so very present with Team USA and all of his close friends competing throughout these games … John loved this game and loved representing his country.”

Both Gaudreau brothers were hockey standouts. Both played for Boston College. Matthew competed professionally and later became involved in coaching at his high school alma mater, but he never played in the NHL. Johnny, however, played 11 seasons in the NHL — nine with the Calgary Flames and, desiring to be closer to home, his final two with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Gaudreau’s Catholic faith was a central part of his life from his youth through his professional career. He and his brother both attended Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey, where their father, Guy, helped build the school’s ice hockey program. The brothers were not only sporting stars; they were devoted sons, brothers, fathers and active members of their Catholic community. Gloucester Catholic, founded on faith and service, became the spiritual home for the family, offering prayer services and communal support in the wake of their deaths.

In the weeks after the accident, Gloucester Catholic High School held a Night of Remembrance attended by hundreds, emphasizing prayer and the role of faith in coping with tragedy. The funeral Mass for Johnny and Matthew, held at St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Media, Pennsylvania, highlighted the “incredible love” they had for each other and their parents. The Gaudreau family has also supported Catholic education through annual fundraisers for Gloucester Catholic to help families with tuition.

Throughout the 2026 Winter Games Olympics in Milan Cortina, Team USA kept Gaudreau’s memory at the forefront. His No. 13 jersey was displayed in the locker room, a constant symbol of his presence among teammates. That practice continued into the gold medal game, where teammates Matthews, Zach Werenski, and Matthew Tkachuk carried the jersey onto the ice after the final buzzer.

After the victory, the team ensured that Gaudreau’s family was included in the celebration. Players brought two of Johnny’s three children — Johnny Jr., 2, and Noa, 3 — onto the ice for the official team photo, holding their father’s jersey beside them. From the stands, his widow, Meredith, and his parents, Guy and Jane, witnessed a tribute that blended athletic triumph with deep personal loss.

“I honestly felt (Johnny’s presence) the whole tournament,” Werenski, Gaudreau’s teammate with the Blue Jackets, told The Athletic. “Felt he was here. I felt that feeling a lot in Columbus, and I felt it at the world stage, World Championships last year, now here at the Olympics. I feel like that he’s following us, and he’s got our back.

“This is something John would have been at,” he continued. “And to see his family here supporting us and seeing his kids, bringing them on the ice, we talked about playing for him, making him proud and I think we did that.”

– (OSV News) — When the U.S. men’s hockey team dramatically captured its first Olympic gold medal in 46 years at the 2026 Winter Games Feb. 22 in Milan, Italy, the triumph was defined not only by athletic achievement but by remembrance and faith. After the dramatic 2-1 overtime thriller over Canada, U.S. captain Auston Matthews and teammates skated around the ice holding the late Johnny Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey, ensuring that a beloved player — gone too soon — was at the forefront of their celebration. Johnny Gaudreau, widely known as “Johnny Hockey,” and his brother Matthew were killed Aug.

Bishop celebrates Ash Wednesday at Paterson medical center #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J., on Feb. 18, to celebrate Mass for Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent. He blessed and placed ashes in the mark of a cross on the foreheads of St. Joseph’s staff during Mass. Afterward, Bishop Sweeney visited patients’ rooms to give them ashes and pray with them.

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– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J., on Feb. 18, to celebrate Mass for Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent. He blessed and placed ashes in the mark of a cross on the foreheads of St. Joseph’s staff during Mass. Afterward, Bishop Sweeney visited patients’ rooms to give them ashes and pray with them. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI  

US Church faces these areas of ‘critical concern’ on religious liberty, says bishops’ report #Catholic –

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Areas of critical concern for religious liberty in the U.S. include political and anti-religious violence, “unjust terms and conditions on federal grants, and unreliability of government,” access to sacraments for people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and immigration enforcement operations at houses of worship, according to a new report by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty issued Feb. 17 its “Annual Report on the State of Religious Liberty,” which highlights the legislative actions, executive actions, and U.S. Supreme Court cases the U.S. bishops are closely watching.

“While there were positive developments for religious liberty in the past year, there have been worrying developments as well,” Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Oregon, chair of the Committee for Religious Liberty, said in his introduction of the report.

The other areas of critical concern the report identified were school choice and the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, the repeal of provisions that prevent religious organizations from participating in government programs, and “further repudiation of gender ideology.”

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Of the areas the report identifies, Archbishop Sample said, “Perhaps most concerning is the ongoing rise in political violence. The polarization the bishops have long lamented seems to be breaking out into serious attacks. Antisemitic sentiment and rhetoric in mainstream institutions appears to be increasing.”

Antisemitic incidents have seen a sharp uptick in recent years, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which tracks antisemitic attacks. That group said in a 2025 report that it recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the U.S. the previous year, which marked a 344% increase over the group’s findings from the previous five years.

The report said that Catholic churches also saw instances of violence and vandalism — most notably the Aug. 27 mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis during a school Mass. The report noted that an investigation “discerned no coherent motive” from the shooter, who expressed “a mix of antisemitic, anti-Trump, racist, and anti-Catholic ideas, along with a strong desire to kill children.”

It also pointed to the Oct. 5 arrest of a man armed with explosive devices from the front steps of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, shortly before the church’s annual Red Mass, which marks the opening of the Supreme Court’s term.

Examples of political violence included the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and a firebombing attack on the home of Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Joshua Shapiro during Passover that authorities called an attempted murder.

“Too much of our national life is marked by enmity and strife,” Archbishop Sample said.

The report also noted areas of tension between the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and religious liberty, such as loosened restrictions on ICE agents from making arrests at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals, as well as ensuring those in ICE custody have access to the sacraments.

“Furthermore, the administration’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement has led to fears about going to church, driving down Mass attendance and leading some bishops to dispense the faithful from their Sunday obligation,” Archbishop Sample said.

The report said that five bishops “have taken the extraordinary step of dispensing Catholics from their Sunday obligation if they fear that going to Mass puts them at risk of being detained.”

However, Archbishop Sample said, “there were positive developments for religious liberty too,” citing the Religious Liberty Commission created by President Donald Trump “which several of my brother bishops serve as either members or advisors.”

The report also praised steps taken by the Trump administration “to combat gender ideology, which has corroded religious liberty in recent years,” and Trump’s directive to “repeal regulatory provisions that are unlawful in light of recent decisions of the United States Supreme Court, including Carson v. Makin.”

Archbishop Sample noted, “all of these developments are taking place as Americans prepare to celebrate two hundred fifty years as an independent nation.”

“It is a fitting time to reflect on the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence, and how those ideals have shaped the unique culture that has grown over the past two-and-a-half centuries,” he said. “For Catholics, it is an opportunity to reflect on how the Church has enriched American life.”

Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X @kgscanlon.

– WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Areas of critical concern for religious liberty in the U.S. include political and anti-religious violence, “unjust terms and conditions on federal grants, and unreliability of government,” access to sacraments for people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and immigration enforcement operations at houses of worship, according to a new report by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty issued Feb. 17 its “Annual Report on the State of Religious Liberty,” which highlights the legislative actions, executive actions, and U.S. Supreme Court cases the U.S. bishops are closely watching. “While there