NASA astronaut Jessica Meir poses with an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit during an official portrait session at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
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ROCKVILLE, MD — Hantavirus has quickly become the biggest viral threat to humanity since COVID and as luck would have it, Dr. Fauci has announced that he has been working on a hantavirus vaccine this entire time. How convenient!
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MIAMI, FL — A newly christened golden statue of President Donald Trump may have healing powers, as sources confirmed a woman who had touched it was miraculously healed of her liberalism.
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Boat poled through a mangrove arch, Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam, Kerala, India
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In a video message, Archbishop Alexander Sample reflected on the meaning and history of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Winter hibernation is officially over. Spring has arrived. Warmer nights make this a great time to pull out your binoculars and enjoy everything the season offers. So, here are 10 great targets to get you started tonight. And because springtime for Northern Hemisphere amateur astronomers means it’s also galaxy season, half the objects I’ve chosenContinue reading “10 great spring binocular sights”
The post 10 great spring binocular sights appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More![Pope warns main threat common to religion and science is denial of objective truth – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV said the principal threat facing both religion and science today is the denial of the existence of objective truth. He made this statement on May 11 during an audience granted to members of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, which supports the work of the observatory located in Castel Gandolfo.“Today, however, science and religion face a different, and perhaps more insidious, threat: those who deny the very existence of objective truth,” the pontiff said.During his address, he recalled that his predecessor Pope Leo XIII refounded the Vatican Observatory in 1891 in a context where science was beginning to emerge as a rival source of truth to religion. Because of this, he said, the Church felt the “urgent need to counter the growing perception that faith and science were enemies.” Exploitation of natural resources“Too many in our world refuse to acknowledge what both science and the Church clearly teach: that we bear a solemn responsibility for the care of our planet and for the well-being of those who inhabit it, especially the most vulnerable, whose lives are threatened by the irresponsible exploitation of both people and the natural world,” Leo said.He underscored that the Church’s commitment to “rigorous and honest science remains not only valuable but essential.”The pope also highlighted the unique role of astronomy within this context. “It occupies a particular place in this mission,” he affirmed while emphasizing its capacity to evoke wonder and a sense of proportion in human beings: “It awakens in us both admiration and a healthy sense of proportion.” “Contemplating the heavens invites us to view our fears and failures in the light of God’s immensity,” he noted.However, he lamented, “this gift is today threatened” by light pollution. “To paraphrase Pope Benedict [XVI], we have filled our skies with artificial light that blinds us to the lights God has placed in them — an eloquent image,” he suggested, “of sin itself,” citing a 2012 homily by the German pontiff.Gratitude for scientific workThe pope expressed his gratitude to the scientists and benefactors associated with the foundation, whose work sustains the activities of the Vatican Observatory.“Your generosity makes it possible for the Vatican Observatory to share the wonder of astronomy with students around the world and to offer workshops and summer courses to those working in Catholic schools and parishes," he said. "Ultimately, it is your dedication that keeps the observatory’s telescopes and laboratories faithful to their original purpose: to be places where the glory of God’s creation is encountered with reverence, depth, and joy,” he added.Finally, the pontiff exhorted them to “never lose sight of the theological vision that animates all of this."“It’s not surprising that people of deep faith feel called to explore the origins and workings of the universe," he said. "The desire to better understand creation is but a reflection of that restless yearning for God that dwells in the heart of every human being."This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/pope-warns-main-threat-common-to-religion-and-science-is-denial-of-objective-truth-catholic-pope-leo-xiv-said-the-principal-threat-facing-both-religion-and-science-today-is-the-denial-of-the-exis.webp "Pope warns main threat common to religion and science is denial of objective truth – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV said the principal threat facing both religion and science today is the denial of the existence of objective truth. He made this statement on May 11 during an audience granted to members of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, which supports the work of the observatory located in Castel Gandolfo.“Today, however, science and religion face a different, and perhaps more insidious, threat: those who deny the very existence of objective truth,” the pontiff said.During his address, he recalled that his predecessor Pope Leo XIII refounded the Vatican Observatory in 1891 in a context where science was beginning to emerge as a rival source of truth to religion. Because of this, he said, the Church felt the “urgent need to counter the growing perception that faith and science were enemies.” Exploitation of natural resources“Too many in our world refuse to acknowledge what both science and the Church clearly teach: that we bear a solemn responsibility for the care of our planet and for the well-being of those who inhabit it, especially the most vulnerable, whose lives are threatened by the irresponsible exploitation of both people and the natural world,” Leo said.He underscored that the Church’s commitment to “rigorous and honest science remains not only valuable but essential.”The pope also highlighted the unique role of astronomy within this context. “It occupies a particular place in this mission,” he affirmed while emphasizing its capacity to evoke wonder and a sense of proportion in human beings: “It awakens in us both admiration and a healthy sense of proportion.” “Contemplating the heavens invites us to view our fears and failures in the light of God’s immensity,” he noted.However, he lamented, “this gift is today threatened” by light pollution. “To paraphrase Pope Benedict [XVI], we have filled our skies with artificial light that blinds us to the lights God has placed in them — an eloquent image,” he suggested, “of sin itself,” citing a 2012 homily by the German pontiff.Gratitude for scientific workThe pope expressed his gratitude to the scientists and benefactors associated with the foundation, whose work sustains the activities of the Vatican Observatory.“Your generosity makes it possible for the Vatican Observatory to share the wonder of astronomy with students around the world and to offer workshops and summer courses to those working in Catholic schools and parishes,\" he said. \"Ultimately, it is your dedication that keeps the observatory’s telescopes and laboratories faithful to their original purpose: to be places where the glory of God’s creation is encountered with reverence, depth, and joy,” he added.Finally, the pontiff exhorted them to “never lose sight of the theological vision that animates all of this.\"“It’s not surprising that people of deep faith feel called to explore the origins and workings of the universe,\" he said. \"The desire to better understand creation is but a reflection of that restless yearning for God that dwells in the heart of every human being.\"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.")
Pope Leo XIV pointed out that both science and the Church clearly teach that caring for the planet is threatened by the irresponsible exploitation of both people and the natural world.
The drug will continue to be available at pharmacies or through mail, and it can be obtained without an in-person visit to a doctor.
Let’s not forget licorice ice cream, recycled jeans, and a museum devoted to Volvo automobiles.
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The new embassy of Haiti to the Holy See, inaugurated Sunday near the Vatican walls, marks a deepening of diplomatic ties amid ongoing political crisis in the Caribbean nation.
It’s telling when you finally find a rich person or moneyed entity that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani can get behind.
The post New Yorkers ‘Stunned’ as Mamdani Admin’s Orders ‘Ruined’ Mothers Day for Countless Families appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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St. Patrick’s Parish in Brampton, Ontario, is bursting at the seams. Now, on May 24, it will break ground on its long-awaited new church.
The U.S.
The post Trump Administration Launches Moms.gov with Resources for New and Expecting Mothers appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Stubb is pushing for dialogue.
The post Finland President Stubb Says ‘It’s time for Europe To Start Talking With Russia’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Local volunteers help feed the hungry in Manhattan #Catholic – 
A group of volunteers woke up early on a rainy Saturday morning, April 25, and while it was still dark headed out to New York City to feed the hungry. A long running tradition of the youth/young adult ministries at St. John Vianney Parish in the Stockholm neighborhood of Hardyston, N.J. and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in the Oak Ridge neighborhood of Jefferson Township, N.J., the group collaborates with the volunteer organization Midnight Run to participate in their Breakfast Run program in lower Manhattan. Midnight Run coordinates more than a thousand relief missions every year in which volunteers from churches, synagogues, schools and other civic groups distribute food, clothing, blankets and personal care items to the homeless poor.
Local volunteer participants included an eighth-grader, high school sophomores, young adult alumni of the parishes’ shared youth ministry program, parents, and other parishioners. Additional volunteers gathered at St. John Vianney’s Madonna Hall at 6 a.m. to assist in preparing breakfast, which included French toast sticks, sausage, tater tots, and scrambled eggs. In addition to a hot breakfast, the group kept warm on the drive into the city with coolers and hot bricks. Volunteers made to-go options like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, sliced oranges, and hygiene kits.
The group gathered for prayer in Madonna Hall before their caravan of cars left Stockholm for their destination, 28th street. They served more than 75 meals and handed out basics like socks, tees, and underwear in addition to breakfast.
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– A group of volunteers woke up early on a rainy Saturday morning, April 25, and while it was still dark headed out to New York City to feed the hungry. A long running tradition of the youth/young adult ministries at St. John Vianney Parish in the Stockholm neighborhood of Hardyston, N.J. and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in the Oak Ridge neighborhood of Jefferson Township, N.J., the group collaborates with the volunteer organization Midnight Run to participate in their Breakfast Run program in lower Manhattan. Midnight Run coordinates more than a thousand relief missions every year in which volunteers from
Diaconal Wives Community hosts day of reflection at Cedar Knolls parish #Catholic – 
The newly formed Diaconal Wives Community at Notre Dame Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, N.J., hosted an initial day of reflection titled “Walking the Journey Together, A Morning of Reflection for Deacons’ Wives” on April 25. Jean Mindingall, catechetical minister at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., led a discussion about the call of a deacon’s wife and a Scriptural reflection. The event ended with daily Mass. There was time to reflect, share stories, meet new wives, nurture current, and renew relationships. The group hopes to host additional events in the future.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– The newly formed Diaconal Wives Community at Notre Dame Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, N.J., hosted an initial day of reflection titled “Walking the Journey Together, A Morning of Reflection for Deacons’ Wives” on April 25. Jean Mindingall, catechetical minister at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., led a discussion about the call of a deacon’s wife and a Scriptural reflection. The event ended with daily Mass. There was time to reflect, share stories, meet new wives, nurture current, and renew relationships. The group hopes to host additional events in the future. Click here to subscribe to
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 16:11-15
We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace,
and on the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi,
a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.
We spent some time in that city.
On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river
where we thought there would be a place of prayer.
We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there.
One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth,
from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened,
and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention
to what Paul was saying.
After she and her household had been baptized,
she offered us an invitation,
"If you consider me a believer in the Lord,
come and stay at my home," and she prevailed on us.
From the Gospel according to John
15:26—16:4a
Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.
"I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you."
“When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send to you from the Father…” (Jn 15:26). With these words, Jesus promises to send his disciples the Holy Spirit, the ultimate gift, the gift of gifts. (…) Look at the apostles: they were alone that morning, alone and bewildered, cowering behind closed doors, living in fear and overwhelmed by their weaknesses, failings and their sins, for they had denied Christ. The years they had spent with Jesus had not changed them: they were no different than they had been. Then, they received the Spirit and everything changed: the problems and failings remained, yet they were no longer afraid of them, nor of any who would be hostile to them. They sensed comfort within and they wanted to overflow with the comfort of God. Before, they were fearful; now their only fear was that of not testifying to the love they had received. Jesus had foretold this: “[The Spirit] will testify on my behalf; you also are to testify” (Jn 15:26-27). (…) We too are called to testify in the Holy Spirit, to become paracletes, comforters. The Spirit is asking us to embody the comfort he brings. How can we do this? Not by making great speeches, but by drawing near to others. Not with trite words, but with prayer and closeness. (Pope Francis, Homily on the Solemnity of Pentecost , 23 May 2021)
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representative Nancy Pelosi cautioned that if people persist in asking her whether aliens are real, she will order the mothership to blow up the earth with its superlaser.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — In an attempt to somehow garner even more foul calls, the Oklahoma City Thunder have replaced star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with a wacky flailing inflatable tube man.
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View of the coastal artillery site Castillitos, Cartagena, Spain. It was built together with the coastal artillery Cenizas in order to protect the entrance to the Bay of Cartagena in the Mediterranean Sea. The construction took place between 1933 and 1936 following a project from 1926 during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera. It’s a Spanish National Heritage Monument since 1985.
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Born May 10, 1900, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin was also the first person to discover that stars are primarily made up of hydrogen and helium — a finding that took years to be acknowledged by the scientific community. Born in Wendover, England, Payne-Gaposchkin was an active student. She attended Cambridge University with an interest in science butContinue reading “May 10, 1900: The birth of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin”
The post May 10, 1900: The birth of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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On the night of April 18, federal agents intercepted Shamim Mafi at Los Angeles International Airport as she attempted to board a flight to Istanbul.
The post Iranian Agent in the U.S. Coordinates Arms Pipeline Fueling the Sudan War appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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A pair of men in central India attacked a local pastor and his family, attempting to drive them from their home because of their Christian faith.
The post Mob Attacks Indian Pastor and His Family as Villagers Try to Drive Him Away from Home appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Jeffries was reacting to the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision blocking the state’s newly drawn congressional map, a ruling that delivered a major setback to Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The post Hakeem Jeffries Admits Democrats’ Real Plan: Rewrite the Courts When They Lose (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More![After stillbirth loss, mother of 7 returns to school to help others heal #Catholic After experiencing an unimaginable loss, Kelly Helsel felt called to begin a new chapter. Following 17 years as a stay-at-home mother, she returned to school to pursue her dream of becoming a counselor — hoping to offer others the same compassionate support and Catholic guidance that helped bring healing to her own life.In 2023 Helsel’s daughter, Mary Catherine, was stillborn. The experience and grief was ultimately “a huge catalyst to me going back to school,” Helsel told EWTN News.“I think death has an interesting way of snapping your priorities in line,” she said. “And through the death of our daughter, I understood that tomorrow was not promised. And I had been holding this dream very closely for 17 years, just trusting,” she said.“Much of my healing process after the stillbirth of our daughter was helped along by solid Catholic counseling,” she said. “So I just felt a whisper at first, and then I felt like, ‘I can turn around and be this for someone else in need.’ And so I did.”Path back to schoolA native of Arizona, Helsel met her now-husband, Doug, in high school. She then attended Northern Arizona University to receive a bachelorʼs degree in psychology with the hopes of becoming a counselor, but motherhood ultimately became her first priority.“My firstborn … was born during finals week of my bachelorʼs degree,” Helsel said. “I actually had a positive pregnancy test the day before I was scheduled to take the GRE [Graduate Record Examination].”“I just knew that motherhood was the priority and that Godʼs timing would take care of things. So I stayed at home,” she said.Helsel decided to put her plans of working as a counselor on the side and focus on her growing family. She and her husband had seven children over the next 17 years, but after the loss of their sixth child she felt called to switch her plans and return to school. “We just started taking one step in front of the other,” she said. Helsel started by applying to the University of Mary’s master’s program for counseling about six months after her daughter’s passing but was thrown an unexpected “curveball” during the process.“On the feast of the Annunciation, I got in. But then I also had a positive pregnancy test with my daughter, Isabel, on the very same day.”“I remember standing in the bathroom with my husband with my phone in one hand with an acceptance letter, and on the counter was a positive pregnancy test with our seventh baby.”Motherhood provided ‘the skills to be a fantastic student’Despite navigating grief, welcoming a new baby, and continuing to care for the rest of her family, Helsel not only decided to return to school but also opted for a five-semester accelerated program.She graduated on April 25 with a 4.0 GPA and her whole family by her side. It was all possible not in spite of her 17 years as a stay-at-home mom but because of the experience.
Kelly Helsel, her husband Doug Helsel, and their children at her graduation a the University of Mary on April 25, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Kelly Helsel
“I actually think that motherhood, 17 years of motherhood, gave me the skills to be a fantastic student,” she said. “I learned time management. I learned prioritization. I learned how to ask for help. I learned all kinds of things in the trenches of motherhood that gave me the opportunity to really thrive at UMary.” “I guess the loss of my daughter really showed me that like all things are ‘figure-out-able,’” she said. “When youʼve gone through something like that, it makes you unafraid to do really big things.”“I knew that I could just cannonball into the deep end and we could do this. And my husband was an amazing support throughout the program. But, Isabel was the curveball of all curveballs,” she said.“She was born during Christmas break and I just jumped back in in January. I didnʼt take any time off,” she said. "I would be in a rocking chair breastfeeding her, and my laptop is sitting next to me and Iʼm listening to a lecture.”“I became a pro at using the dictation tool on Microsoft Word” so “I could hold my baby and dictate a paper,” she said. “It was just a really wild time. I learned to be extremely flexible and gentle with myself ... But I just knew God was like, ‘go, go right now.’”“It was super bumpy at some points,“ she said. ”But I chose the University of Mary because I feel like [University of Mary president] Monsignor [James] Shea and the university really put their money where their mouth is in terms of supporting nontraditional students — especially mothers.”“All of my professors were extremely accommodating with extensions if I needed one. A few professors gave me early finals because Isabel was born right at the end of that first semester,” she said. “So the University of Mary was really crucial to my success because everyone was behind me.” Helsel noted that her professors, especially counseling professor Olivia Wedel, and other facility members and students were champions in cheering her “all the way to the finish line.”Waddell “would always remind me that ‘Iʼm surrounded by support,’” Helsel said. “When youʼre super tired and youʼre on your fourth Crock-Pot meal of the week and you donʼt have anymore bandwidth left, I just thought, ‘I am surrounded by support.’”“Jesus is real and his promises are too,” Helsel said. “I just remember really having to trust the Lord in a new way and also having to be very open to my dream not looking exactly like I wanted.”“So yes, I went back to school and I got a masterʼs degree, but it looked absolutely nothing like I thought it was going to, but it was also better, just like he had promised me.”“Your dreams matter to him,“ she said. ”Trust him, and especially Our Lady, with your dreams. Because he wants both. He wants your motherhood and your dreams.”Catholic counseling offers ‘the keys to real human flourishing’Officially a licensed counselor, Helsel is ready to jump in headfirst to help others in need by utilizing the guidance offered by the Catholic Church.“I believe very deeply that the Catholic Church has the keys to real human flourishing,” she said. “So I knew I wanted to become a mental health professional with those guardrails in place, because I benefited so much from Catholic counseling.”“I want to turn back around and help the next woman or couple or … anyone in line that needs to hear the good news, coupled with solid mental health formation. Like St. Thomas Aquinas says, ‘faith and reason.’ We need both.”With her “perinatal mental health training,” Helsel hopes to primarily work in the womenʼs health category “to support other women, pregnant women, postpartum women,” she said. “And obviously I have a love for people who may have lost a child in a particular way.”Helsel is interested in helping those discerning vocations, as her oldest son plans to apply to the priesthood. She is also hoping to support the vocation of marriage as it is “under a particular attack at this time.”To accomplish all of this, Helsel has already started her own private practice called Concordia Counseling.“I chose Concordia because Mary Catherine had a congenital heart condition,” she said. “Concordia means heart to heart or to bring two hearts into harmony. I wanted to honor my baby in heaven and Our Lord with my work. And so I started Concordia Counseling.”“Iʼm just getting it started. I have a caseload of about 10 clients, but Iʼm hoping to accept more,“ Helsel said. ”I know that the work I want to do most of all involves not just mental health but the teachings of the Catholic Church.”“I just think the framework needs to be formed properly, and that is the Catholic understanding of the whole person. And from there we can jump off anywhere,” she said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/after-stillbirth-loss-mother-of-7-returns-to-school-to-help-others-heal-catholic-after-experiencing-an-unimaginable-loss-kelly-helsel-felt-called-to-begin-a-new-chapter-following-17-years-as-a-sta-scaled.jpg)
After navigating loss and grief, Kelly Helsel is officially now a licensed counselor thanks to the guidance given to her by the Catholic Church and her desire to use her experience to help others.
At the Regina Caeli, the pope also thanked the Canary Islands for welcoming a cruise ship with passengers sick with hantavirus.
![‘Love is stronger’: How a Catholic woman saved tens of thousands of orphans - #Catholic - In a chapel in Burundi in 1993, after she saw 72 of her friends, family, and colleagues executed, Marguerite Barankitse told God she no longer believed he was love.“How could God create those killers?” she recalled asking through her tears.As mass killings and ethnic violence tore apart her home country after a coup, Barankitse fled with 25 children, both Hutu and Tutsi, to the safest place she could think of — a Catholic church.But her faith had been challenged.“I felt broken,” she told EWTN News. “After witnessing continued massacres and the deaths of my friends and family, I lost my voice and spirit.”“[I] told God I no longer believed he was love because I could not understand how he could have created such hatred and killers,” she said.Then, she heard the voice of a little girl — one of the first children she had rescued.“We’re still in life,” little Chloe said. “We are here.”“In this moment, I was reminded and saw that God is love,” Barankitse said.She prayed for the strength “to go and shine in his glory.”“I knew God had not abandoned me,” she said.This wasn’t the only moment that shook Barankitse’s faith to her core. She would see more violence and death over the years. But it would become a defining moment for her.Beginning with the 25 children she saved, Barankitse would go on to rescue and raise tens of thousands of children, eventually formally creating an organization called Maison Shalom.Maison Shalom didn’t just provide for the children’s practical needs like shelter, education, and healthcare. Barankitse wanted to teach them to love and forgive, across ethnic barriers.It was the children who came up with the name.“We took the name ‘Shalom’ because my children heard on the radio that shalom meant peace, and that is our dream,” she explained.
Marguerite Barankitse with kids in the École Sainte Anne de Kigali program in Rwanda in 2023. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Maison Shalom
“From the beginning, Maison Shalom was more than a shelter — it was a community where every child could belong, regardless of ethnicity,” she said.Barankitse had seen firsthand the destruction of hate, and she wanted to break the cycle.“Hate destroys not only its victims but also those who carry it,” she said.“It is not entire ethnic groups that hate each other; it is individuals who choose hatred,” she said. “I refused to make that choice.”“I asked myself, what could I do to raise children who would break this cycle?” Barankitse continued. “My answer was to raise children with compassion, forgiveness, and love.”“My strategy has always been to love, because love is creative and transformative,” she said. “Through this love, I choose to respond to violence with compassion, protection, and reconciliation.”“Love made me an inventor, and I sought to build a community infused with compassion.”“Forgiveness, as taught by the Church, is radical — it asks us to break the cycle of vengeance and hatred, even when it seems justified,” Barankitse said.“Love is not just a feeling; it is a force that builds futures out of the rubble of war,” she said.“And I know that I can never give up because the children I help give me the strength and courage to always stand up, their resilience inspiring me every day,” Barankitse said.Walking through war zonesBarankitse would walk through war zones to save orphans — even those other people thought weren’t worth saving.“As the brutal violence and killings continued, I fought for the safety of these children,” she said. “More and more children continued to find refuge with me.”“I walked directly into war zones and picked children out amid piles of dead bodies because these children deserved the opportunity to live, be treated with dignity, and build peace,” she said.Barankitse fought for those who other people thought weren’t worth saving.“One day, I came across a mother who had been killed in a grenade attack with her 4-month-old baby strapped to her back,” she recalled. “The baby was severely injured and people told me to leave him, but I knew I could not give up.”“I chose to protect him and find medical help for him,” Barankitse said.In spite of his injuries, the 4-month-old baby would live.“I am proud to say that he survived and has grown up into a successful young man,” Barankitse said.Baranktise still remembers another harrowing moment when she had to fight to get medical help for a child who was injured with a deep gash in her neck.She took her to the airport to bring her to a hospital that could treat her — but other passengers “were refusing to let me aboard due to her condition,” she said.“They were afraid,” Barankitse said. “I said, ‘No, you have no compassion. You will help me.’”“Eventually, they listened to me and let me on the plane, putting a curtain between myself and the child and the other passengers,” Barankitse said.The little girl survived. Now she is married with two children of her own.“Sometimes love means standing strong for those who need help,” Barankitse said. “Nobody can stop love, and it remains my way of remaining strong against violence and hatred to this day.”Barankitse had another “deep spiritual crisis” in 1996 after another wave of killings in which she witnessed the death of one of her best friends.“I spent a month in prayer and returned humbled, realizing I am just a small instrument in God’s hands,” she said. “That is why I continue to pray to God to give me enough strength to continue doing his work.”“Faith does not shield you from suffering; it walks with you through it,” she said.“My strength comes from my faith and from the children themselves,” Barankitse said.“Even as a child, I was troubled by violence and dreamed of becoming a teacher to change the world by teaching children compassion and love,” she said. “Throughout my childhood, my mother taught me that God is love, and when we are created, he gives us strength.”Faith amid violenceEven after being forced out of her home nation in 2015 due to threats of violence, Barankitse has continued her work, relying on her faith to motivate her.She left Burundi for Rwanda, where she created Oasis of Peace, which served more than 70,000 Burundian refugees.“My faith taught me that we are created in love and that God gives us enough strength — ‘Do not be afraid, I will be with you until the end of the world,’” Barankitse said. “That is where I found my smile and my joy, even in the darkest moments.”Barankitse’s work is founded in her Catholic faith.“Being Christian is not just about going to church and praying; it is about restoring dignity to every human being,” Barankitse said.“You can give someone food or clothes, but if they have no dignity, they have nothing,” Barankitse said. “By showing my love to the people around me, I seek to give back dignity to all — deciding to see the humanity in everyone, even those who have hurt you most.”
Marguerite Barankitse at the Human Rights and Humanitarian Forum in Los Angeles in 2025. | Credit: Aurora Humanitarian Initiative
“This is how I build a future where no child has to suffer as my family and friends did,” she said. “Hate will never have the last word. Not as long as we practice love.”“Catholic teaching tells us that every person is made in the image of God and deserves reverence and love,” she said. “This belief is a foundation for all of my work.”Oasis of Peace offers counseling for victims of torture and rape, as well as education, vocational training, and micro-financing “so families can rebuild their lives with dignity,” Barankitse said. Oasis of Peace also provides education for children. The recently launched École Sainte-Anne de Kigali initiative helps in “bringing together children from both underprivileged and more privileged backgrounds in a shared space of learning, growth, and dignity,” according to Barankitse.“When I see a child orphaned by violence, I see a child of God. When I meet a woman who has survived rape, I see a person of infinite worth,” Barankitse said. “I believe in celebrating differences because this reminds us of how we are all created uniquely. We all deserve to feel love, compassion, and dignity.”Barankitse continues her work every day, expanding Oasis of Peace, and speaking internationally about her story and the needs of the people she helps.“Every day is full and purposeful,” she said.“My hope is to continue sharing my story and the stories of Mason Shalom, inspiring others by showing them the power of love. My days are spent listening, organizing, and dreaming with those I serve.”Barankitse won the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, which provided her with funding to help more refugee children.
Marguerite Barankitse at the 2025 Aurora Prize Ceremony in Ellis Island, New York, on Nov. 6, 2025. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Aurora Humanitarian Initiative
“My dream is to create Shalom Houses everywhere, so every person knows they belong,” she said.When asked what message she wanted to share, Barankitse said: “Do not give up.”“The world can show you things that make you want to despair — I have seen them,” she said. “I have been forced to watch friends be murdered, held mutilated children, and fled my country as a refugee. Yet I still believe love is stronger."To support or learn more about Barankitseʼs work, visit https://maisonshalom.org/.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/love-is-stronger-how-a-catholic-woman-saved-tens-of-thousands-of-orphans-catholic-in-a-chapel-in-burundi-in-1993-after-she-saw-72-of-her-friends-family-and-colleagues-execut.jpg)
Out of the horrors of the Burundian Civil War and the Rwandan genocide emerged a woman willing to risk her life for peace.
![How Christ transformed 2 young converts from Islam - #Catholic - For Jonás’ family, who are Muslim, turning away from Islam constitutes a grave betrayal of their culture and roots. Despite this, following a long journey of searching and formation, the young man received the sacrament of baptism during the Easter Vigil at the cathedral in Getafe, the Spanish city where he has lived since he was barely a year old.His decision came after a personal encounter with Christ, when he realized there was no turning back: He was firmly convinced that the Catholic faith was the true one.The 25-year-old, who did not share his last name, first became interested in the Catholic faith during his school years, while studying authors such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine of Hippo.For over five years, until beginning his catechumenate in 2025, the young man reflected deeply upon and researched various religious traditions. In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Jonás recalled that it was during the process of researching Islam that "I ended up becoming a Christian.”Transformed livesFor Jonás, the person of Christ and the sacraments were what transformed his life. “If Christ doesn’t enter into your heart, Christ who is God made man, who gave himself up for us on the cross, then ultimately you are not a Christian, but merely someone who knows a lot about Christianity,” he said. In his case, what impacted him most were Christ’s passion and self-sacrifice on the cross, as well as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.On the same day as Jonás, Lourdes Ángel also received the sacrament of baptism. Like Jonás, she grew up in a Muslim family. However, she explained to ACI Prensa that she always felt it was abundantly clear “that Christ was present in my life; even though no one had ever spoken to me about him, I already felt his presence very deeply.”“My mother always tried to instill the Muslim religion in me, but I always gravitated toward Christianity. It was as if my heart were already in another place, without having any formation” in the Catholic faith, the 21-year-old recalled.She shared that God helped her escape a toxic relationship at the age of 19 and that it was then that she met her current boyfriend, who is involved with the Neocatechumenal Way. “I realized that God was calling me, and I wasn’t going to close the door on him or turn my back on him,” she recounted.What struck her most about the Catholics she knew was seeing “that people were so happy. They follow God and are happy even when things go badly for them, even when they have problems from time to time. It’s as if they see something good in suffering and know that Christ has a better plan for them. I wanted that; I wanted to understand how they could be so happy.”Breaking the parameters of their worldThe journey both of them took to embrace the Catholic faith wasnʼt easy. “Leaving your initial faith,” Jonás explained, “is quite difficult, because ultimately it structures your life and [converting] entails breaking with the established framework of your world.”What he found most difficult was conveying this decision to his family: “I don’t think they will ever understand it ... they simply cannot wrap their heads around the idea that someone could change something like that. To them, it’s like a kind of identity or culture more than a path that one must seek out and discover.”Even so, Jonás said that Jesus Christ is the one who helps him keep going, the one who comforts him and gives him the necessary strength to persevere. “Even Jesus himself warns us that the world will not particularly love us ... if they did it to him, they’ll do it to us.”For Lourdes, the most difficult part was leaving behind her former way of life and attempting to “fit God in without changing anything about myself.” She specifically recalled a lesson taught to her by her catechist: “You cannot bring God into your life without doing anything for him; you have to make room for him, and then you can worry about everything else.”
The group of new catechumens during the Easter Vigil in Getafe, Spain. | Credit: Diocese of Getafe
A new rebirthJonás cherishes a fond memory of the Easter Vigil, when he received the sacraments of Christian initiation alongside 47 other adults. “It was a very happy experience. The next day, I felt completed,” he recalled.He said that, before receiving baptism, “I felt a rather large void in my life, one I tried to fill with various ideologies ... the truth is that I was living in a state of considerable internal disorder within my soul, within my spirit.”“After accepting Jesus into my heart,” Jonás continued, “I believe I am a much more ordered person in the moral aspect. Now I view others not merely as instruments but truly as creations of God made in God’s image and that makes me feel complete; it’s been like being reborn.”He also shared that he tries to go to Mass every day. “For me, the Eucharist is like a spiritual treasure, what recharges me with spiritual strength. The body of Christ gives us grace and the capacity to view the world in a supernatural way, not merely through human eyes, but to also see it somewhat like Jesus would,” he said.Accompaniment and faith in communityOn this journey of conversion, he said he is especially grateful for the guidance of his catechist as well as that of the parish priest and his fellow parishioners. He also highlighted the importance of living out one’s faith with the support of others and within a community, for as he pointed out, “in isolation, people succumb; they grow weak.”Along these same lines, Lourdes emphasized that “forming yourself alone” is not the same as having the assistance of a catechist: “You are much more conscious of what you are receiving and of what you are going to do at Easter,” she emphasized.Lourdes also recalled her baptism “with great joy.” Ultimately, she noted, “you receive Christ himself, something truly astonishing,” just as the realization “that God loved me despite everything I had done. He was there waiting for me, and I am very happy to have received him.”Jonás encouraged those going through a similar situation not to give up, pointing out that the process of conversion “does not happen over a single weekend.”“Don’t give up,“ he said. ”Ultimately, as Jesus said, a Christian is not accepted in his own home, nor in his own family. I would tell them to persevere, to draw strength from the words of Jesus in the Gospel, to come to know him, to continue inquiring and discerning, and to seek out people who share their beliefs and can help them.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/how-christ-transformed-2-young-converts-from-islam-catholic-for-jonas-family-who-are-muslim-turning-away-from-islam-constitutes-a-grave-betrayal-of-their-culture-and-roots-despite-thi.webp)
The converts describe their journey to faith in Jesus Christ, their experience of receiving the sacraments at the Easter Vigil, and the importance of their catechists and Christian community.
O loving messenger of the Incarnation, descend upon all those for whom I wish peace and happiness. Spread your wings over the cradles of the new-born babes, O thou who didst announce the coming of the Infant Jesus.
Give to the young a lily petal from the virginal scepter in your hand. Cause the Ave Maria to re-echo in all hearts that they may find grace and joy through Mary.
Finally, recall the sublime words spoken on the day of the Annunciation– “Nothing is impossible with God,” and …
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America’s first human spaceflight begins as the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) space vehicle, with astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. aboard, launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida on May 5, 1961.
Read MoreA reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.
Now when the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent them Peter and John,
who went down and prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them
and they received the Holy Spirit.
A Reading from the First Letter of St. Peter
3:15-18
Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.
Always be ready to give an explanation
to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,
but do it with gentleness and reverence,
keeping your conscience clear,
so that, when you are maligned,
those who defame your good conduct in Christ
may themselves be put to shame.
For it is better to suffer for doing good,
if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.
From the Gospel according to John
14:15-21
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
The Lord Jesus said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor, to be with you for ever" (Jn 14: 15-16). Here the praying heart of Jesus is revealed to us, his filial and fraternal heart. This prayer reaches its apex and its fulfilment on the Cross, where Christ’s invocation is one with the total gift that he makes of himself, and thus his prayer becomes, so to speak, the very seal of his self-gift out of love of the Father and humanity. Invocation and donation of the Holy Spirit meet, they permeate each other, they become one reality. "And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor, to be with you for ever". In reality, Jesus’ prayers that of the Last Supper and that on the Cross form a single prayer that continues even in heaven, where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father. Jesus, in fact, always lives his intercessional priesthood on behalf of the people of God and humanity and so prays for all of us, asking the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, on the Solemnity of Pentecost, 23 May 2010)
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The Pope told an assembly of ALS patients that with commitment, faith, and courage, the sick “bear witness that the goodness and value of life are greater than illness.”
Haiti continues to experience a complex situation of violence and insecurity, particularly in the country’s capital of Port-au-Prince.
U.S. — A Bible application for mobile devices was blacklisted by members of several evangelical denominations after its developer claimed to release a new "update" for the King James Version.
Read More
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In what supporters are calling "the most popular executive action since bringing back the McRib," President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday formally authorizing citizens to shoot obnoxious hooligans on those motorized bikes.
Read More
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Prinia socialis (Ashy Prinia) in Ajodhya Hills, West Bengal, India.
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Monsignor Robert D. Murphy emphasized protecting migrants’ right to life, making greater efforts to reunite families, and eliminating criminal exploitation.
![Catholics weigh in as Supreme Court faces deadline on telemedicine abortion ruling #Catholic The U.S. Supreme Court’s stay on the 5th Circuit’s ruling restricting access to telemedicine abortions is set to expire May 11, a deadline that could bring an extension, allow the restrictions to take effect, or prompt the justices to take up the case in full.Michael New, assistant professor of social research at The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business, told “EWTN News Nightly” on May 8: “The Supreme Court may extend the stay if they need more time to deliberate; they may simply uphold the 5th Circuit Courtʼs decision that bans tele-abortion, and the ban will go into effect; or they may want to do a full hearing [and] conduct oral arguments.”The Supreme Court on May 4 temporarily blocked a lower court order requiring in‑person dispensing of mifepristone after two manufacturers asked the justices to intervene, prompting Justice Samuel Alito to issue an administrative stay that restores mail‑order access until May 11 at 5 p.m. ET while the court weighs the request.Although Alito instructed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the state of Louisiana to respond by 5 p.m. ET on May 7, the Justice Department failed to do so.New described the development as “odd,” saying the failure by the Justice Department, which represents the FDA, to meet the filing deadline could be that “they don’t want to defend the FDA’s position any longer” or that it may signal a policy change.“Sometimes when people think theyʼre going to lose a case, they change public policy because theyʼd rather change policy than, you know, lose a court case,” New said. “Itʼs really hard to say at this point.”Ultimately, New said the Supreme Court should “absolutely” reinstate in-person requirements to obtain abortion pills, saying: “Thereʼs some real serious public health issues at play here.”Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino gave context for the latest developments in a May 7 interview on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo,” noting that the FDAʼs ongoing approval of nationwide mail-order abortion effectively circumvents Louisiana law protecting unborn human life. “The court should decide hopefully by the 11th, because thatʼs when the stay expires,” she said. “If they donʼt make any decision, then the 5th Circuit ruling goes back into effect and the FDA will have to disallow mailing of these pills, at least during the pendency of litigation,” said Severino, who is also a former Supreme Court clerk.U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the FDA to carry out a review of the abortion drug in May 2025, which is still ongoing.Ultimately, Severino said, the Supreme Court will not be ruling on “what the FDA needs to do at the end of the day” but on whether abortion drugs will be allowed to be mailed into Louisiana or not.“Eventually, you know, then itʼs going to go back and the district court and the 5th Circuit are going to have to reconsider it,” she said. “It could well return to the Supreme Court ultimately, but thatʼs going to be a ways down the litigation.”The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has spoken out against the dangers of mail-order abortion drugs for women and urged the FDA to restore in-person visits to screen for life-threatening conditions such as ectopic pregnancies as well as abuse and human trafficking.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/catholics-weigh-in-as-supreme-court-faces-deadline-on-telemedicine-abortion-ruling-catholic-the-u-s-supreme-courts-stay-on-the-5th-circuits-ruling-restricting-access-to-telemedicin-scaled.jpg "Catholics weigh in as Supreme Court faces deadline on telemedicine abortion ruling #Catholic The U.S. Supreme Court’s stay on the 5th Circuit’s ruling restricting access to telemedicine abortions is set to expire May 11, a deadline that could bring an extension, allow the restrictions to take effect, or prompt the justices to take up the case in full.Michael New, assistant professor of social research at The Catholic University of America’s Busch School of Business, told “EWTN News Nightly” on May 8: “The Supreme Court may extend the stay if they need more time to deliberate; they may simply uphold the 5th Circuit Courtʼs decision that bans tele-abortion, and the ban will go into effect; or they may want to do a full hearing [and] conduct oral arguments.”The Supreme Court on May 4 temporarily blocked a lower court order requiring in‑person dispensing of mifepristone after two manufacturers asked the justices to intervene, prompting Justice Samuel Alito to issue an administrative stay that restores mail‑order access until May 11 at 5 p.m. ET while the court weighs the request.Although Alito instructed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the state of Louisiana to respond by 5 p.m. ET on May 7, the Justice Department failed to do so.New described the development as “odd,” saying the failure by the Justice Department, which represents the FDA, to meet the filing deadline could be that “they don’t want to defend the FDA’s position any longer” or that it may signal a policy change.“Sometimes when people think theyʼre going to lose a case, they change public policy because theyʼd rather change policy than, you know, lose a court case,” New said. “Itʼs really hard to say at this point.”Ultimately, New said the Supreme Court should “absolutely” reinstate in-person requirements to obtain abortion pills, saying: “Thereʼs some real serious public health issues at play here.”Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino gave context for the latest developments in a May 7 interview on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo,” noting that the FDAʼs ongoing approval of nationwide mail-order abortion effectively circumvents Louisiana law protecting unborn human life. “The court should decide hopefully by the 11th, because thatʼs when the stay expires,” she said. “If they donʼt make any decision, then the 5th Circuit ruling goes back into effect and the FDA will have to disallow mailing of these pills, at least during the pendency of litigation,” said Severino, who is also a former Supreme Court clerk.U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the FDA to carry out a review of the abortion drug in May 2025, which is still ongoing.Ultimately, Severino said, the Supreme Court will not be ruling on “what the FDA needs to do at the end of the day” but on whether abortion drugs will be allowed to be mailed into Louisiana or not.“Eventually, you know, then itʼs going to go back and the district court and the 5th Circuit are going to have to reconsider it,” she said. “It could well return to the Supreme Court ultimately, but thatʼs going to be a ways down the litigation.”The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has spoken out against the dangers of mail-order abortion drugs for women and urged the FDA to restore in-person visits to screen for life-threatening conditions such as ectopic pregnancies as well as abuse and human trafficking.")
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered a review of the abortion drug mifipristone in May 2025, which is ongoing.
![U.S. lawmakers urge Trump to press China’s president on Jimmy Lai case #Catholic More than 100 U.S. lawmakers sent President Donald Trump a letter asking him to address Jimmy Lai’s case when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14–15.Lai, founder and publisher of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 9 over what Chinese officials claim were national security violations. The sentencing followed Lai’s conviction, which ended what Lai’s defenders described as a politically motivated show trial.In October 2025, Trump spoke with Xi Jinping about Lai. In the letter sent to the White House on May 8, lawmakers urged Trump to advocate for Lai again by asking for his humanitarian release.Catholic Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, both longtime advocates of Laiʼs, circulated the bipartisan letter that was signed by 105 other members of Congress.“We know the president wants to do this,” Smith said in a May 8 interview with “EWTN News Nightly." “We want him to know — President Trump — that weʼre solidly behind him about what he might be able to accomplish.”“And he could use that, frankly, more effectively, with Xi Jinping, and say, ‘Look, donʼt just do it for the executive branch. The legislative branch is asking you, as well, from a humanitarian point of view,’” Smith said.The president has “an ability to persuade” like “no other president Iʼve ever known,” Smith said. “And I hope he can persuade Xi Jinping to let this great man go.”The letter notes that Trump’s “direct engagement is critical to securing Mr. Laiʼs immediate release on humanitarian parole” and the case for his freedom “is urgent and undeniable.”“He is a devout Catholic and successful entrepreneur who has already spent five years in detention, much of it in solitary confinement,” lawmakers wrote.“His family, his friends, and supporters have indicated that if he is released, he will leave Hong Kong and withdraw from public life,” they wrote. “It is a clear, practical path forward that reunites a family and prevents this case from becoming an irreversible tragedy — and an enduring symbol of repression that will echo far beyond Hong Kong.”Lai’s ‘deteriorating health’The group is calling for a humanitarian release due to Lai’s “deteriorating health condition.” They wrote: “His health has declined in custody, and prolonged isolation and inadequate prison conditions only increase the risk of permanent harm.”“From a humanitarian point of view, weʼre hoping the president will look Xi Jinping in the eyes and say, ‘Let this guy go. Do it now. Itʼs a good gesture. It means a lot to us as Americans,’” Smith said.“Jimmy Lai spoke truth to power. He did it with grace, eloquence,” Smith said. “His newspaper … was just a beacon of hope and [truth], and for that, heʼs got a life sentence — 20 years. Heʼs 78. Itʼs probably a life sentence, and heʼs very sick.”“Iʼm very concerned,” Smith said. “Weʼve known for decades that when somebody is a political prisoner, and thatʼs what Jimmy Lai is, or religious prisoner, and you get sick, they let you die. They do not attend to your needs.”Lai “has a number of very serious ailments,” Smith said. “Type 2 diabetes is just one of them. Heʼs got a lot of other problems, and they all are compounding, cascading. He needs good medical attention, and he needs it now.”“Otherwise itʼll be a blight on the Chinese Communist Party added to the other blights that theyʼve accumulated over the years. But break that mold of letting people just die in prison through neglect,” Smith said.“No one can do it better than Trump, and I think he will,” Smith said. “And if it does fail, it wonʼt be on Trumpʼs back. Itʼll be, sadly, that Xi Jinping again has decided to stay with being cruel.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/u-s-lawmakers-urge-trump-to-press-chinas-president-on-jimmy-lai-case-catholic-more-than-100-u-s-lawmakers-sent-president-donald-trump-a-letter-asking-him-to-address-jimmy-lais-cas.jpg "U.S. lawmakers urge Trump to press China’s president on Jimmy Lai case #Catholic More than 100 U.S. lawmakers sent President Donald Trump a letter asking him to address Jimmy Lai’s case when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14–15.Lai, founder and publisher of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Feb. 9 over what Chinese officials claim were national security violations. The sentencing followed Lai’s conviction, which ended what Lai’s defenders described as a politically motivated show trial.In October 2025, Trump spoke with Xi Jinping about Lai. In the letter sent to the White House on May 8, lawmakers urged Trump to advocate for Lai again by asking for his humanitarian release.Catholic Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, both longtime advocates of Laiʼs, circulated the bipartisan letter that was signed by 105 other members of Congress.“We know the president wants to do this,” Smith said in a May 8 interview with “EWTN News Nightly.\" “We want him to know — President Trump — that weʼre solidly behind him about what he might be able to accomplish.”“And he could use that, frankly, more effectively, with Xi Jinping, and say, ‘Look, donʼt just do it for the executive branch. The legislative branch is asking you, as well, from a humanitarian point of view,’” Smith said.The president has “an ability to persuade” like “no other president Iʼve ever known,” Smith said. “And I hope he can persuade Xi Jinping to let this great man go.”The letter notes that Trump’s “direct engagement is critical to securing Mr. Laiʼs immediate release on humanitarian parole” and the case for his freedom “is urgent and undeniable.”“He is a devout Catholic and successful entrepreneur who has already spent five years in detention, much of it in solitary confinement,” lawmakers wrote.“His family, his friends, and supporters have indicated that if he is released, he will leave Hong Kong and withdraw from public life,” they wrote. “It is a clear, practical path forward that reunites a family and prevents this case from becoming an irreversible tragedy — and an enduring symbol of repression that will echo far beyond Hong Kong.”Lai’s ‘deteriorating health’The group is calling for a humanitarian release due to Lai’s “deteriorating health condition.” They wrote: “His health has declined in custody, and prolonged isolation and inadequate prison conditions only increase the risk of permanent harm.”“From a humanitarian point of view, weʼre hoping the president will look Xi Jinping in the eyes and say, ‘Let this guy go. Do it now. Itʼs a good gesture. It means a lot to us as Americans,’” Smith said.“Jimmy Lai spoke truth to power. He did it with grace, eloquence,” Smith said. “His newspaper … was just a beacon of hope and [truth], and for that, heʼs got a life sentence — 20 years. Heʼs 78. Itʼs probably a life sentence, and heʼs very sick.”“Iʼm very concerned,” Smith said. “Weʼve known for decades that when somebody is a political prisoner, and thatʼs what Jimmy Lai is, or religious prisoner, and you get sick, they let you die. They do not attend to your needs.”Lai “has a number of very serious ailments,” Smith said. “Type 2 diabetes is just one of them. Heʼs got a lot of other problems, and they all are compounding, cascading. He needs good medical attention, and he needs it now.”“Otherwise itʼll be a blight on the Chinese Communist Party added to the other blights that theyʼve accumulated over the years. But break that mold of letting people just die in prison through neglect,” Smith said.“No one can do it better than Trump, and I think he will,” Smith said. “And if it does fail, it wonʼt be on Trumpʼs back. Itʼll be, sadly, that Xi Jinping again has decided to stay with being cruel.”")
Chinese officials sentenced Lai, founder and publisher of the pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, to 20 years in prison on Feb. 9.
A bishop urges a halt to the planned execution of hundreds of Ethiopians, a Finnish parliamentarian appeals her hate speech conviction, and more in this week’s world news roundup.
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On May 9, 2003, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched Hayabusa, its mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa. The journey was a demonstration of new technology engineered for returning samples from asteroids: ion engines, autonomous navigation, an asteroid sampler, and a reentry capsule. After a gravity assist from Earth, Hayabusa arrived at Itokawa in SeptemberContinue reading “May 9, 2003: Hayabusa launches”
The post May 9, 2003: Hayabusa launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Adam Carolla is a big fan of Republican Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, and praised his performance in the recent televised debate.
The post Adam Carolla Praises Los Angeles Mayor Candidate Spencer Pratt: ‘This is Super Easy for Him’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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During a recent appearance on a podcast, Maryland’s Democrat Governor Wes Moore was asked what he would do if his underaged son wanted to transition to female.
The post Democrat Governor of Maryland Wes Moore Suggests He Would Allow His Underaged Son to Transition to Female (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Something has shifted in the race for mayor of Los Angeles after Spencer Pratt’s amazing performance in the debate earlier this week.
The post HELL FREEZES OVER: CBS News ‘Fact Checks’ Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass From Debate, Says Spencer Pratt Was Right (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreO Almighty and merciful God, who hast commissioned Thy angels to guide and protect us, command them to be our assiduous companions from our setting out until our return; to clothe us with their invisible protection; to keep from us all danger of collision, of fire, of explosion, of fall and bruises, and finally, having preserved us from all evil, and especially from sin, to guide us to our heavenly home. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Read MoreA reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 16:1-10
Paul reached also Derbe and Lystra
where there was a disciple named Timothy,
the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,
but his father was a Greek.
The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him,
and Paul wanted him to come along with him.
On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised,
for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
As they traveled from city to city,
they handed on to the people for observance the decisions
reached by the Apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem.
Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith
and increased in number.
They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory
because they had been prevented by the Holy Spirit
from preaching the message in the province of Asia.
When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia,
but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them,
so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas.
During the night Paul had a vision.
A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words,
"Come over to Macedonia and help us."
When he had seen the vision,
we sought passage to Macedonia at once,
concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.
From the Gospel according to John
15:18-21
Jesus said to his disciples:
"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.
Remember the word I spoke to you,
‘No slave is greater than his master.’
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,
because they do not know the one who sent me."
Especially while He was bidding farewell to the Apostles, Jesus, spoke of the world many times (see Jn 15:18-21). And here He says: “If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you” (v. 18). He speaks clearly of the hatred that the world had with Jesus and will have with us. And in the prayer that He says at table with the disciples during the Last Supper, He asks the Father not to take His disciples out of the world, but to defend them from the spirit of the world (see 17:15). I think we can ask ourselves: What is the spirit of the world? What is this worldliness that is capable of hating, of destroying Jesus and His disciples, and more, of corrupting them and of corrupting the Church? (…) Worldliness is a culture. It is a culture of the transitory, a culture of appearances, of maquillage, a culture of “today yes, tomorrow no; tomorrow yes and today no”. It has superficial values. A culture that does not know fidelity, because it always changes according to circumstances, everything is negotiable. This is the worldly culture, the culture of worldliness. And Jesus insists on defending us from this and He prays that the Father might defend us from this culture of worldliness. (Pope Francis, Homily Santa Marta, 16 May 2020)
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This celestial image captured from a window on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station highlights the Milky Way rising above Earth’s atmospheric glow.
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African bishops highlighted the pope’s trip to Africa as a defining moment of his ministry as well as the pontiff’s emphasis on dialogue, reconciliation, missionary outreach, justice, and peace.
