Day: February 5, 2026

Sisters part ways with Benedictine College due to aging community, increased demands – #Catholic – Here’s a roundup of the latest Catholic education news in the United States:Sisters part ways with Benedictine due to aging community, demanding board, expansion effortsThe announcement of the decision by Mount St. Scholastica sisters to part ways with Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, came as no surprise to leadership at the institution, as the aging religious community has faced difficulties keeping up with the popular Newman Guide school’s growth.Dean of Students Joe Wurtz told EWTN News he believes the sisters have been discerning the move for more than a decade but ultimately informed the college of the decision a few days before the announcement. “I believe it’s because they saw the trajectory of their order and thought, ‘OK, we have to plan for the future.’”Wurtz, who is also the executive director of the Gregorian Fellows Leadership Program at Benedictine, said he believes the current demands of the college’s board of directors were ultimately too much for the sisters to handle alongside their current ministries. “I think they just felt it was too much,” he said.Benedictine’s board requires three sisters, the prioress and two sisters who rotate every four years, to be present at every board meeting as well as every executive meeting.“Again, with the complexity of the medical school, there’s a lot of terminology, there’s a lot of process, there’s a lot of things to consider, and it’s complicated if you’re not tracking all that detail and you’re making a big vote,” Wurtz said. While the sisters did not cite the proposed medical school specifically, “they did say the demands of the board are heavy compared to their other things,” he said.According to Wurtz, the sisters did not cite differences in mission or politics when informing the college of their decision.Dartmouth’s new provost a Catholic who says Ivies have been ‘negative’ role modelsDartmouth University’s new provost, Santiago Schnell, spoke with the National Catholic Register’s Jonathan Liedl on “EWTN News In Depth” about how his Catholic faith shapes his vision for higher education reform, discussing the Catholic foundations of the modern university and how higher education has gone “astray.”“We have been failing in the United States higher education. That’s why the general public and the government are responding negatively,” Schnell said. “The Ivies have served as a role model in a very negative way on how higher education should be moving forward, and the time for reform has arrived.”Schnell, a Venezuelan-born mathematical biologist and former dean at the University of Notre Dame, said the “primary challenge” causing the crisis in higher education has been “that we don’t have intellectual diversity as we used to” and that many university and faculty members have “unearned certainty” about their beliefs. “They are promoting their ideologies or their points of views instead of providing the tools and the perspectives to the students to actually question and seek the truth,” he said.Schnell called for a return to the historic roots of the university, which he emphasized “is a Catholic invention.”Iowa Catholic schools see enrollment boom after new law grants public funding accessCatholic schools in Iowa saw rising enrollment in the 2024-2025 school year thanks to a 2023 Iowa state law allowing families to use education savings accounts (ESAs) for private school expenses.Tweet“Enrollment in Iowa’s Catholic schools increased in the 2025-26 school year. As of October 2025, there were 26,095 students enrolled in Catholic schools, up a little more than 3% compared to the previous year. ESAs are being used increasingly by lower-income families,” the Iowa Catholic Conference said in a statement on X.According to data from the conference, 25,519 Catholic school students received an education savings account in the 2025-2026 school year. The accounts were also “used increasingly by lower-income families,” with the number of students eligible for reduced-price lunches increasing by 10%.Major gift allows Pittsburgh Diocese to offer all elementary school families financial aidThe Diocese of Pittsburgh has received “a significant Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) gift from an anonymous donor” to go exclusively toward expanding long-term financial assistance to Catholic families for education costs across the diocese.“Combined with existing support and continued monitoring of potential new federal funding opportunities, this gift allows the diocese to make financial assistance available to everyone,” the diocese said in a Feb. 3 statement.“This extraordinary gift reflects a deep belief in the value of Catholic education and the families who depend on it,” Bishop Mark Eckman said. “We are deeply grateful for this generosity, which allows us to serve more children, strengthen our schools, and remain faithful to our mission of forming students in faith, knowledge, and service.”
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Sisters part ways with Benedictine College due to aging community, increased demands – #Catholic – Here’s a roundup of the latest Catholic education news in the United States:Sisters part ways with Benedictine due to aging community, demanding board, expansion effortsThe announcement of the decision by Mount St. Scholastica sisters to part ways with Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, came as no surprise to leadership at the institution, as the aging religious community has faced difficulties keeping up with the popular Newman Guide school’s growth.Dean of Students Joe Wurtz told EWTN News he believes the sisters have been discerning the move for more than a decade but ultimately informed the college of the decision a few days before the announcement. “I believe it’s because they saw the trajectory of their order and thought, ‘OK, we have to plan for the future.’”Wurtz, who is also the executive director of the Gregorian Fellows Leadership Program at Benedictine, said he believes the current demands of the college’s board of directors were ultimately too much for the sisters to handle alongside their current ministries. “I think they just felt it was too much,” he said.Benedictine’s board requires three sisters, the prioress and two sisters who rotate every four years, to be present at every board meeting as well as every executive meeting.“Again, with the complexity of the medical school, there’s a lot of terminology, there’s a lot of process, there’s a lot of things to consider, and it’s complicated if you’re not tracking all that detail and you’re making a big vote,” Wurtz said. While the sisters did not cite the proposed medical school specifically, “they did say the demands of the board are heavy compared to their other things,” he said.According to Wurtz, the sisters did not cite differences in mission or politics when informing the college of their decision.Dartmouth’s new provost a Catholic who says Ivies have been ‘negative’ role modelsDartmouth University’s new provost, Santiago Schnell, spoke with the National Catholic Register’s Jonathan Liedl on “EWTN News In Depth” about how his Catholic faith shapes his vision for higher education reform, discussing the Catholic foundations of the modern university and how higher education has gone “astray.”“We have been failing in the United States higher education. That’s why the general public and the government are responding negatively,” Schnell said. “The Ivies have served as a role model in a very negative way on how higher education should be moving forward, and the time for reform has arrived.”Schnell, a Venezuelan-born mathematical biologist and former dean at the University of Notre Dame, said the “primary challenge” causing the crisis in higher education has been “that we don’t have intellectual diversity as we used to” and that many university and faculty members have “unearned certainty” about their beliefs. “They are promoting their ideologies or their points of views instead of providing the tools and the perspectives to the students to actually question and seek the truth,” he said.Schnell called for a return to the historic roots of the university, which he emphasized “is a Catholic invention.”Iowa Catholic schools see enrollment boom after new law grants public funding accessCatholic schools in Iowa saw rising enrollment in the 2024-2025 school year thanks to a 2023 Iowa state law allowing families to use education savings accounts (ESAs) for private school expenses.Tweet“Enrollment in Iowa’s Catholic schools increased in the 2025-26 school year. As of October 2025, there were 26,095 students enrolled in Catholic schools, up a little more than 3% compared to the previous year. ESAs are being used increasingly by lower-income families,” the Iowa Catholic Conference said in a statement on X.According to data from the conference, 25,519 Catholic school students received an education savings account in the 2025-2026 school year. The accounts were also “used increasingly by lower-income families,” with the number of students eligible for reduced-price lunches increasing by 10%.Major gift allows Pittsburgh Diocese to offer all elementary school families financial aidThe Diocese of Pittsburgh has received “a significant Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) gift from an anonymous donor” to go exclusively toward expanding long-term financial assistance to Catholic families for education costs across the diocese.“Combined with existing support and continued monitoring of potential new federal funding opportunities, this gift allows the diocese to make financial assistance available to everyone,” the diocese said in a Feb. 3 statement.“This extraordinary gift reflects a deep belief in the value of Catholic education and the families who depend on it,” Bishop Mark Eckman said. “We are deeply grateful for this generosity, which allows us to serve more children, strengthen our schools, and remain faithful to our mission of forming students in faith, knowledge, and service.”

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Here’s a roundup of the latest Catholic education news in the United States.

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Morning Offering: Prayer of the Day for Friday, February 06, 2026 – #Prayer – Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, one God in three Persons, I firmly believe that You are here present; I adore You with the most profound humility; I praise You and give You thanks with all my heart for the favors You have bestowed on me. Your Goodness has brought me safely to the beginning of this day. Behold, O Lord, I offer You my whole being and in particular all my thoughts, words and actions, together with such crosses and contradictions as I may meet with in the course of this day. Give …

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Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, one God in three Persons, I firmly believe that You are here present; I adore You with the most profound humility; I praise You and give You thanks with all my heart for the favors You have bestowed on me. Your Goodness has brought me safely to the beginning of this day. Behold, O Lord, I offer You my whole being and in particular all my thoughts, words and actions, together with such crosses and contradictions as I may meet with in the course of this day. Give …

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 06 February 2026 – A reading from the Book of Sirach 47:2-11 Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings, so was David in Israel. He made sport of lions as though they were kids, and of bears, like lambs of the flock. As a youth he slew the giant and wiped out the people’s disgrace, When his hand let fly the slingstone that crushed the pride of Goliath. Since he called upon the Most High God, who gave strength to his right arm To defeat the skilled warrior and raise up the might of his people, Therefore the women sang his praises, and ascribed to him tens of thousands and praised him when they blessed the Lord. When he assumed the royal crown, he battled and subdued the enemy on every side. He destroyed the hostile Philistines and shattered their power till our own day. With his every deed he offered thanks to God Most High, in words of praise. With his whole being he loved his Maker and daily had his praises sung; He set singers before the altar and by their voices he made sweet melodies, He added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year So that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound. The Lord forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever; He conferred on him the rights of royalty and established his throne in Israel.From the Gospel according to Mark 6:14-29 King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.” But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.” Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. His own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.” He even swore many things to her, “I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request, “I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.The martyrdom of St John the Baptist reminds us too, Christians of this time, that with love for Christ, for his words and for the Truth, we cannot stoop to compromises. The Truth is Truth; there are no compromises. Christian life demands, so to speak, the “martyrdom” of daily fidelity to the Gospel, the courage, that is, to let Christ grow within us and let him be the One who guides our thought and our actions. However, this can happen in our life only if we have a solid relationship with God. Prayer is not time wasted, it does not take away time from our activities, even apostolic activities, but exactly the opposite is true: only if we are able to have a faithful, constant and trusting life of prayer will God himself give us the ability and strength to live happily and serenely, to surmount difficulties and to witness courageously to him. St John the Baptist, intercede for us, that we may be ever able to preserve the primacy of God in our life. (Benedict XVI, General Audience, 29 August 2012)

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A reading from the Book of Sirach
47:2-11

Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings,
so was David in Israel.
He made sport of lions as though they were kids,
and of bears, like lambs of the flock.
As a youth he slew the giant
and wiped out the people’s disgrace,
When his hand let fly the slingstone
that crushed the pride of Goliath.
Since he called upon the Most High God,
who gave strength to his right arm
To defeat the skilled warrior
and raise up the might of his people,
Therefore the women sang his praises,
and ascribed to him tens of thousands
and praised him when they blessed the Lord.
When he assumed the royal crown, he battled
and subdued the enemy on every side.
He destroyed the hostile Philistines
and shattered their power till our own day.
With his every deed he offered thanks
to God Most High, in words of praise.
With his whole being he loved his Maker
and daily had his praises sung;
He set singers before the altar and by their voices
he made sweet melodies,
He added beauty to the feasts
and solemnized the seasons of each year
So that when the Holy Name was praised,
before daybreak the sanctuary would resound.
The Lord forgave him his sins
and exalted his strength forever;
He conferred on him the rights of royalty
and established his throne in Israel.

From the Gospel according to Mark
6:14-29

King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread,
and people were saying,
“John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Others were saying, “He is Elijah”;
still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.”
But when Herod learned of it, he said,
“It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”

Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison
on account of Herodias,
the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.
John had said to Herod,
“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Herodias harbored a grudge against him
and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,
and kept him in custody.
When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,
yet he liked to listen to him.
Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,
gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers,
and the leading men of Galilee.
His own daughter came in and performed a dance
that delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl,
“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”
He even swore many things to her,
“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,
even to half of my kingdom.”
She went out and said to her mother,
“What shall I ask for?”
Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”
The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request,
“I want you to give me at once on a platter
the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to her.
So he promptly dispatched an executioner
with orders to bring back his head.
He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
He brought in the head on a platter
and gave it to the girl.
The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it,
they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

The martyrdom of St John the Baptist reminds us too, Christians of this time, that with love for Christ, for his words and for the Truth, we cannot stoop to compromises. The Truth is Truth; there are no compromises. Christian life demands, so to speak, the “martyrdom” of daily fidelity to the Gospel, the courage, that is, to let Christ grow within us and let him be the One who guides our thought and our actions. However, this can happen in our life only if we have a solid relationship with God. Prayer is not time wasted, it does not take away time from our activities, even apostolic activities, but exactly the opposite is true: only if we are able to have a faithful, constant and trusting life of prayer will God himself give us the ability and strength to live happily and serenely, to surmount difficulties and to witness courageously to him. St John the Baptist, intercede for us, that we may be ever able to preserve the primacy of God in our life. (Benedict XVI, General Audience, 29 August 2012)

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Trump announces May 17 event to rededicate U.S. as ‘one nation, under God’ – #Catholic – President Donald Trump addressed the 74th annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 5, touting his record on religious issues and announcing that the United States will hold an event to rededicate the nation to God.“This prayer breakfast comes at a special time for our country as we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence,” Trump said five months ahead of the national celebration of the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.“When our founders proclaimed the immortal truths that echoed around the world and down all the way through time, they declared that all of us are made free and equal by the hand of our Creator,” the president said.In honor of the occasion, Trump announced at the breakfast that he will hold an event, titled "Rededicate 250" on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on May 17 “to rededicate America as one nation under God.”“We’re inviting Americans from all across the country to come together on our National Mall to pray, to give thanks,” he said.Earlier this year, Trump launched the “America Prays” initiative ahead of the anniversary, asking Americans to pray for the country and its citizens. The White House published a 22-page document at the time to highlight the Christian roots of the country, which contained historical prayers, sermons, and presidential proclamations.The president also announced new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, which seeks to protect religious speech and prayer in public schools. He said he expects the guidance to face lawsuits but told the crowd: “We’ll win it.”He said the country is seeing a resurgence in the Christian faith and highlighted a rise in Bible sales in 2025 and a higher frequency of young people attending religious services. When asked about church attendance rates, a spokesperson for the White House cited one study from the Barna Group as an example, which showed millennial and Generation Z Christians attending religious services at higher rates.Two of Trump’s guests — Emma Foltz and London Smith — were invited to the breakfast to highlight examples of what the president called “young American patriots and believers.”Foltz and Smith, two counselors at Camp Mystic, are credited with saving 14 girls in the deadly July 2025 flood at the Christian summer camp that claimed 27 lives.“Emma bravely helped lead 14 precious little girls to safety, and London, seeing the water rise, gathered with other girls at the top of their building and prayed,” Trump said in the speech.“Almost 250 years after our Founding Fathers took one of the greatest leaps of faith in human history, the story of Emma and London shows us that faith of the American people remains unbroken, actually became stronger than ever,” he said. “And it reminds us that prayers strengthen, prayers heal, prayer empowers, and prayer saves. Quite simply, prayer is America’s superpower." “Prayer is America’s superpower.” Donald Trump45th and 47th president of the United States During his speech, Trump also took credit for accomplishments that he believes have benefited Christians in the United States and abroad.The president brought up his executive order related to the Johnson Amendment, which eased restrictions on pastors commenting on political issues. He also noted he expanded the Mexico City Policy to prevent taxpayer funds for international organizations that support abortion and “radical gender ideology.”Trump also touted his executive actions “to slash federal funding for any public school that pushes transgender insanity” on children and “stopped the mutilation of children” with policies that restrict hospitals from offering drugs and surgeries to minors to make them appear like the opposite sex. He also said: “We got men out of women’s sports.”“We’re still fighting it, but, you know, transgender for everybody — they want transgender for everybody,” he said. “We stopped it.”Trump also reminded that crowd that he created the White House Faith Office and the Religious Liberty Commission.“My administration is confronting head on the militant and really intolerant campaign that tried to drive religious believers out of public life and out of society,” Trump said.Trump also spoke about international affairs, specifically about the December 2025 military strikes on Nigeria, which was aimed at combatting the persecution of Christians. Another one of his guests was Nigerian First Lady Remi Tinubu, who is Christian.“We knocked the hell out of them the other day in Nigeria because they were killing Christians,” Trump said. “They were killing Christians. You can’t do that. When Christians come under attack, they know they’re going to be attacked violently and viciously by President Trump.”Several lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, and members of Trump’s Cabinet, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, also attended the prayer breakfast.
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Trump announces May 17 event to rededicate U.S. as ‘one nation, under God’ – #Catholic – President Donald Trump addressed the 74th annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 5, touting his record on religious issues and announcing that the United States will hold an event to rededicate the nation to God.“This prayer breakfast comes at a special time for our country as we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence,” Trump said five months ahead of the national celebration of the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.“When our founders proclaimed the immortal truths that echoed around the world and down all the way through time, they declared that all of us are made free and equal by the hand of our Creator,” the president said.In honor of the occasion, Trump announced at the breakfast that he will hold an event, titled "Rededicate 250" on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on May 17 “to rededicate America as one nation under God.”“We’re inviting Americans from all across the country to come together on our National Mall to pray, to give thanks,” he said.Earlier this year, Trump launched the “America Prays” initiative ahead of the anniversary, asking Americans to pray for the country and its citizens. The White House published a 22-page document at the time to highlight the Christian roots of the country, which contained historical prayers, sermons, and presidential proclamations.The president also announced new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, which seeks to protect religious speech and prayer in public schools. He said he expects the guidance to face lawsuits but told the crowd: “We’ll win it.”He said the country is seeing a resurgence in the Christian faith and highlighted a rise in Bible sales in 2025 and a higher frequency of young people attending religious services. When asked about church attendance rates, a spokesperson for the White House cited one study from the Barna Group as an example, which showed millennial and Generation Z Christians attending religious services at higher rates.Two of Trump’s guests — Emma Foltz and London Smith — were invited to the breakfast to highlight examples of what the president called “young American patriots and believers.”Foltz and Smith, two counselors at Camp Mystic, are credited with saving 14 girls in the deadly July 2025 flood at the Christian summer camp that claimed 27 lives.“Emma bravely helped lead 14 precious little girls to safety, and London, seeing the water rise, gathered with other girls at the top of their building and prayed,” Trump said in the speech.“Almost 250 years after our Founding Fathers took one of the greatest leaps of faith in human history, the story of Emma and London shows us that faith of the American people remains unbroken, actually became stronger than ever,” he said. “And it reminds us that prayers strengthen, prayers heal, prayer empowers, and prayer saves. Quite simply, prayer is America’s superpower." “Prayer is America’s superpower.” Donald Trump45th and 47th president of the United States During his speech, Trump also took credit for accomplishments that he believes have benefited Christians in the United States and abroad.The president brought up his executive order related to the Johnson Amendment, which eased restrictions on pastors commenting on political issues. He also noted he expanded the Mexico City Policy to prevent taxpayer funds for international organizations that support abortion and “radical gender ideology.”Trump also touted his executive actions “to slash federal funding for any public school that pushes transgender insanity” on children and “stopped the mutilation of children” with policies that restrict hospitals from offering drugs and surgeries to minors to make them appear like the opposite sex. He also said: “We got men out of women’s sports.”“We’re still fighting it, but, you know, transgender for everybody — they want transgender for everybody,” he said. “We stopped it.”Trump also reminded that crowd that he created the White House Faith Office and the Religious Liberty Commission.“My administration is confronting head on the militant and really intolerant campaign that tried to drive religious believers out of public life and out of society,” Trump said.Trump also spoke about international affairs, specifically about the December 2025 military strikes on Nigeria, which was aimed at combatting the persecution of Christians. Another one of his guests was Nigerian First Lady Remi Tinubu, who is Christian.“We knocked the hell out of them the other day in Nigeria because they were killing Christians,” Trump said. “They were killing Christians. You can’t do that. When Christians come under attack, they know they’re going to be attacked violently and viciously by President Trump.”Several lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, and members of Trump’s Cabinet, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, also attended the prayer breakfast.

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On May 17, an event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., will rededicate the United States as “one nation under God,” Trump announced at the National Prayer Breakfast.

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Cuban government announces readiness to dialogue with U.S. – #Catholic – Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated on Feb. 5 that his government is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States without pressure and “on equal terms.”“Cuba is open to dialogue with the United States, a dialogue on any topic they wish to discuss,” Díaz-Canel said during a lengthy press conference.The press conference took place two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump announced extraordinary tariffs on countries that send oil to Cuba, which is exacerbating the island’s fuel shortage.On Jan. 31, the Cuban bishops published a message reiterating that the country needs urgent structural changes to prevent the crisis from deepening further. “The risk of social chaos and violence among the people of the same nation is real,” they stated.Díaz-Canel said the dialogue would have to take place “without pressure; dialogue is impossible under pressure, without preconditions, on equal footing, with respect for our sovereignty, our independence, and our self-determination, and without addressing issues that are offensive and that we could consider interference in our internal affairs.”After asserting that Cubans “do not hate the American people,” he said that from a dialogue “like that, a civilized relationship between neighbors can be built, one that could bring mutual benefit to our peoples, to the peoples of the region.”“That is our position, it is also a position of continuity, and I believe it is possible,” he affirmed.Díaz-Canel, 65, has been president of Cuba since October 2019. He succeeded Raúl Castro, brother of the late Fidel Castro, who seized power on the island in January 1959.Yesterday, in an interview with NBC News, Trump stated that “we are talking with Cuba” and recalled the thousands of Cubans who were forced to emigrate to the United States because of communism.TweetHowever, on Feb. 4, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, told CNN that a change in the system of government would not be discussed.“We are not ready to discuss our constitutional system, just as we assume that the United States is not ready to discuss its constitutional system, its political system, or its economic reality,” Fernández de Cossío indicated.While fuel shortages — exacerbated by Venezuelan oil shipments being cut off — are affecting the Cuban economy, the crisis on the island has been ongoing for several years, with continuous power outages due to a lack of electricity, insufficient supplies of medicine and food, and frequent repression of those who express dissenting opinions and call for free elections and an end to the communist dictatorship.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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Cuban government announces readiness to dialogue with U.S. – #Catholic – Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated on Feb. 5 that his government is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States without pressure and “on equal terms.”“Cuba is open to dialogue with the United States, a dialogue on any topic they wish to discuss,” Díaz-Canel said during a lengthy press conference.The press conference took place two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump announced extraordinary tariffs on countries that send oil to Cuba, which is exacerbating the island’s fuel shortage.On Jan. 31, the Cuban bishops published a message reiterating that the country needs urgent structural changes to prevent the crisis from deepening further. “The risk of social chaos and violence among the people of the same nation is real,” they stated.Díaz-Canel said the dialogue would have to take place “without pressure; dialogue is impossible under pressure, without preconditions, on equal footing, with respect for our sovereignty, our independence, and our self-determination, and without addressing issues that are offensive and that we could consider interference in our internal affairs.”After asserting that Cubans “do not hate the American people,” he said that from a dialogue “like that, a civilized relationship between neighbors can be built, one that could bring mutual benefit to our peoples, to the peoples of the region.”“That is our position, it is also a position of continuity, and I believe it is possible,” he affirmed.Díaz-Canel, 65, has been president of Cuba since October 2019. He succeeded Raúl Castro, brother of the late Fidel Castro, who seized power on the island in January 1959.Yesterday, in an interview with NBC News, Trump stated that “we are talking with Cuba” and recalled the thousands of Cubans who were forced to emigrate to the United States because of communism.TweetHowever, on Feb. 4, Cuba’s deputy foreign minister, Carlos Fernández de Cossío, told CNN that a change in the system of government would not be discussed.“We are not ready to discuss our constitutional system, just as we assume that the United States is not ready to discuss its constitutional system, its political system, or its economic reality,” Fernández de Cossío indicated.While fuel shortages — exacerbated by Venezuelan oil shipments being cut off — are affecting the Cuban economy, the crisis on the island has been ongoing for several years, with continuous power outages due to a lack of electricity, insufficient supplies of medicine and food, and frequent repression of those who express dissenting opinions and call for free elections and an end to the communist dictatorship.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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Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that his government is willing to engage in dialogue with the United States, but without pressure and without regime change.

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Archbishop Wenski makes case for ‘permanent’ solution for Haitian refugees in U.S. #Catholic Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami is calling on Congress to find a “permanent” solution for Haitian refugees in the United States.On Feb. 2 a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants that was given in 2010. TPS provides eligible Haitians in the U.S. with protection from deportation and work authorization, due to ongoing safety concerns in Haiti.As Florida has the largest Haitian population in the country, Wenski said there is “relief” after the judge blocked the order. Ending TPS “would affect possibly 300,000 Haitians, not only here in South Florida but throughout the United States,” he said in an interview with “EWTN News Nightly.”“It’s not the final solution … because the administration, I think, has the intention of making an appeal, and what is given could be quickly taken away as well. While the Haitians are breathing a sigh of relief, at the same time, we realize that it’s a temporary relief.”Now, Wenski said, it is up to Congress “to step up to the plate and provide a more permanent solution to the plight of these Haitians.” The administration “is applying the laws as they understand them, but it is Congress that makes the laws.”“If the laws are unfair, unjust, or inadequate to the real needs of our country, then they should be changed, and that’s a prerogative of Congress. So I would urge Congress to step up to provide a solution, because the Haitians being forced back to Haiti with very perilous, dangerous conditions right now … puts their lives in danger.”The Haitians “leaving South Florida and other places in the United States so abruptly would cause great economic damage to the United States,” Wenski said. He detailed that Haitians in the U.S. with TPS are working gainfully, paying taxes, and participating in the economy.“It is also important to remember, these people have temporary protective status, which also grants them a work permit. They are not illegals. They’re not violating any law because they have been given a status by the government,” Wenski said.TPS status does put them “in limbo,” Wenski said. It “doesn’t provide any path to permanent residency. If they would leave the country, they would not be able to return.”Concerns in HaitiAs the U.S. State Department tells Americans not to travel to Haiti, when “the Trump administration puts a travel ban, trying to stop people from Haiti,” it “shows the perilousness of the country conditions,” Wenski said.“For instance, the capital city, where there’s about 3 million people residing, is in the hands of gangs,” he said. “Here’s a country that has its school system in disarray because gangs make it impossible for kids to go to school.”Wenski also highlighted the issue of “almost nonexistent health care” as “doctors have been forced to flee and hospitals have been closed” in the country.“It is a place where there is no rule of law, no government, where these gangs and other criminals operate with impunity. For many people, the only lifeline that they have that allows them to survive is the remittances, small as they might be, that the Haitians in the United States are sending home to support families,” Wenski said.“It’s a real problem, not only in Haiti, but the Caribbean region,” Wenski said. He specifically noted Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.“We see the drugs that are being transported into Europe from Asia and also Africa. It is a worldwide problem. What I think we have to recognize is that the poorest people are not the ones that are driving the problem. They are the victims of the problem.”The Haitians in the U.S. seeking refuge and protection “did not create the problems, but they were the ones that have been victimized by the problems,” Wenski said. “We have to be careful that we don’t blame the victims because it’s easier to do that sometimes because they don’t have the strength to oppose us,” Wenski said.
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Archbishop Wenski makes case for ‘permanent’ solution for Haitian refugees in U.S. #Catholic Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami is calling on Congress to find a “permanent” solution for Haitian refugees in the United States.On Feb. 2 a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants that was given in 2010. TPS provides eligible Haitians in the U.S. with protection from deportation and work authorization, due to ongoing safety concerns in Haiti.As Florida has the largest Haitian population in the country, Wenski said there is “relief” after the judge blocked the order. Ending TPS “would affect possibly 300,000 Haitians, not only here in South Florida but throughout the United States,” he said in an interview with “EWTN News Nightly.”“It’s not the final solution … because the administration, I think, has the intention of making an appeal, and what is given could be quickly taken away as well. While the Haitians are breathing a sigh of relief, at the same time, we realize that it’s a temporary relief.”Now, Wenski said, it is up to Congress “to step up to the plate and provide a more permanent solution to the plight of these Haitians.” The administration “is applying the laws as they understand them, but it is Congress that makes the laws.”“If the laws are unfair, unjust, or inadequate to the real needs of our country, then they should be changed, and that’s a prerogative of Congress. So I would urge Congress to step up to provide a solution, because the Haitians being forced back to Haiti with very perilous, dangerous conditions right now … puts their lives in danger.”The Haitians “leaving South Florida and other places in the United States so abruptly would cause great economic damage to the United States,” Wenski said. He detailed that Haitians in the U.S. with TPS are working gainfully, paying taxes, and participating in the economy.“It is also important to remember, these people have temporary protective status, which also grants them a work permit. They are not illegals. They’re not violating any law because they have been given a status by the government,” Wenski said.TPS status does put them “in limbo,” Wenski said. It “doesn’t provide any path to permanent residency. If they would leave the country, they would not be able to return.”Concerns in HaitiAs the U.S. State Department tells Americans not to travel to Haiti, when “the Trump administration puts a travel ban, trying to stop people from Haiti,” it “shows the perilousness of the country conditions,” Wenski said.“For instance, the capital city, where there’s about 3 million people residing, is in the hands of gangs,” he said. “Here’s a country that has its school system in disarray because gangs make it impossible for kids to go to school.”Wenski also highlighted the issue of “almost nonexistent health care” as “doctors have been forced to flee and hospitals have been closed” in the country.“It is a place where there is no rule of law, no government, where these gangs and other criminals operate with impunity. For many people, the only lifeline that they have that allows them to survive is the remittances, small as they might be, that the Haitians in the United States are sending home to support families,” Wenski said.“It’s a real problem, not only in Haiti, but the Caribbean region,” Wenski said. He specifically noted Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.“We see the drugs that are being transported into Europe from Asia and also Africa. It is a worldwide problem. What I think we have to recognize is that the poorest people are not the ones that are driving the problem. They are the victims of the problem.”The Haitians in the U.S. seeking refuge and protection “did not create the problems, but they were the ones that have been victimized by the problems,” Wenski said. “We have to be careful that we don’t blame the victims because it’s easier to do that sometimes because they don’t have the strength to oppose us,” Wenski said.

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The Haitians “leaving South Florida and other places in the United States so abruptly would cause great economic damage to the United States,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski said.

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Tour Europe’s great celestial clocks

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All living creatures are affected by the cycles of celestial objects. Humans have always been locked into the rhythms of sunrise and sunset, the phases of the Moon, and the seasons. We left some of this behind by lighting the night and becoming urbanized. But astronomical clocks captured those rhythms by displaying the movements ofContinue reading “Tour Europe’s great celestial clocks”

The post Tour Europe’s great celestial clocks appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Hubble Spots Lens-Shaped Galaxy – This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 7722, a lenticular galaxy located about 187 million light-years away, features concentric rings of dust and gas that appear to swirl around its bright nucleus.
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Hubble Spots Lens-Shaped Galaxy – This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 7722, a lenticular galaxy located about 187 million light-years away, features concentric rings of dust and gas that appear to swirl around its bright nucleus.

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This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 7722, a lenticular galaxy located about 187 million light-years away, features concentric rings of dust and gas that appear to swirl around its bright nucleus.

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Beyond The Beacon Ep. 105: Priest, beggar, hero: Inside the world of Father Al and the Sisters of Mary #Catholic – Biographer Kevin Wells discusses “one of the greatest stories in the Church today,” the life and work of “Father Al” and the Sisters of Mary. He shares insights from his book, “Priest and Beggar: The Heroic Life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz.” Hosted by the Diocese of Paterson’s Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish. Venerable Aloysius Philip Schwartz was a devoted Catholic priest known for his unwavering commitment to serving the poor. He founded the Sisters of Mary congregation and the World Villages for Children, focusing on providing education, shelter, and care for destitute children worldwide. Through his tireless efforts, Father Schwartz transformed countless lives, establishing Boystown and Girlstown programs that have helped over 170,000 children. His selfless work continues to inspire, and he was declared “Venerable” by Pope Francis in 2015. Wells also details the special pilgrimage to Mexico with Bishop Sweeney in September to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and to spend some time with the Sisters of Mary at Girlstown. Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Beyond The Beacon Ep. 105: Priest, beggar, hero: Inside the world of Father Al and the Sisters of Mary #Catholic – Biographer Kevin Wells discusses “one of the greatest stories in the Church today,” the life and work of “Father Al” and the Sisters of Mary. He shares insights from his book, “Priest and Beggar: The Heroic Life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz.” Hosted by the Diocese of Paterson’s Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish. Venerable Aloysius Philip Schwartz was a devoted Catholic priest known for his unwavering commitment to serving the poor. He founded the Sisters of Mary congregation and the World Villages for Children, focusing on providing education, shelter, and care for destitute children worldwide. Through his tireless efforts, Father Schwartz transformed countless lives, establishing Boystown and Girlstown programs that have helped over 170,000 children. His selfless work continues to inspire, and he was declared “Venerable” by Pope Francis in 2015. Wells also details the special pilgrimage to Mexico with Bishop Sweeney in September to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and to spend some time with the Sisters of Mary at Girlstown. Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Beyond The Beacon Ep. 105: Priest, beggar, hero: Inside the world of Father Al and the Sisters of Mary #Catholic –

Biographer Kevin Wells discusses “one of the greatest stories in the Church today,” the life and work of “Father Al” and the Sisters of Mary. He shares insights from his book, “Priest and Beggar: The Heroic Life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz.” Hosted by the Diocese of Paterson’s Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish.

Venerable Aloysius Philip Schwartz was a devoted Catholic priest known for his unwavering commitment to serving the poor. He founded the Sisters of Mary congregation and the World Villages for Children, focusing on providing education, shelter, and care for destitute children worldwide. Through his tireless efforts, Father Schwartz transformed countless lives, establishing Boystown and Girlstown programs that have helped over 170,000 children. His selfless work continues to inspire, and he was declared “Venerable” by Pope Francis in 2015.

Wells also details the special pilgrimage to Mexico with Bishop Sweeney in September to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and to spend some time with the Sisters of Mary at Girlstown.

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

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– Biographer Kevin Wells discusses “one of the greatest stories in the Church today,” the life and work of “Father Al” and the Sisters of Mary. He shares insights from his book, “Priest and Beggar: The Heroic Life of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz.” Hosted by the Diocese of Paterson’s Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish. Venerable Aloysius Philip Schwartz was a devoted Catholic priest known for his unwavering commitment to serving the poor. He founded the Sisters of Mary congregation and the World Villages for Children, focusing on providing education, shelter, and care for destitute children worldwide. Through his

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Registration now open for NJCC conference on mental health crisis #Catholic – The New Jersey Catholic Conference, in partnership with New Jersey’s Catholic Dioceses, Catholic Charities agencies, and Catholic Healthcare Partnership of New Jersey, will host an informative one-day mental health conference on Saturday, May 2, which is aimed to increase awareness and understanding of the escalating crisis in mental illness affecting the U.S. and across the world. The conference, titled “From Isolation to Belonging, Mental Health and the Catholic Church,” will feature leading Catholic voices in the mental health arena, including keynote speaker Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix, founder of the diocesan Office of Mental Health Ministry which became the first of its kind in the U.S. The event will take place at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center in Piscataway, N.J., and seeks to educate attendees on the scope of the mental health crisis, reduce stigma surrounding mental illness, and offer resources for sufferers and their families. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. With 1 in 10 adults in the U.S. and over 1 billion people worldwide affected by mental health issues according to the World Health Organization, everyone from clergy to ministerial volunteers to educators and lay faithful are encouraged to attend this event. One in four adults say they would seek help from the clergy first in the instance of mental health struggles, underscoring the significant role the Church can play in supporting victims and providing resources to direct them and their families. The keynote address by Bishop Dolan will be followed by breakout sessions with speakers including: Beth Hlabse, program director, Notre Dame Fiat Program on Faith & Mental Health; Ben Wortham, vice president of Behavioral Health Integration, Catholic Charities USA; and Deacon Ed Shoener, founder, International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. Cardinal Joseph Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of Newark, will serve as the principal celebrant and homilist for Mass. The conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Registration is and space is limited to the first 300 people. Go to njconf.com to register.
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Registration now open for NJCC conference on mental health crisis #Catholic – The New Jersey Catholic Conference, in partnership with New Jersey’s Catholic Dioceses, Catholic Charities agencies, and Catholic Healthcare Partnership of New Jersey, will host an informative one-day mental health conference on Saturday, May 2, which is aimed to increase awareness and understanding of the escalating crisis in mental illness affecting the U.S. and across the world. The conference, titled “From Isolation to Belonging, Mental Health and the Catholic Church,” will feature leading Catholic voices in the mental health arena, including keynote speaker Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix, founder of the diocesan Office of Mental Health Ministry which became the first of its kind in the U.S. The event will take place at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center in Piscataway, N.J., and seeks to educate attendees on the scope of the mental health crisis, reduce stigma surrounding mental illness, and offer resources for sufferers and their families. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. With 1 in 10 adults in the U.S. and over 1 billion people worldwide affected by mental health issues according to the World Health Organization, everyone from clergy to ministerial volunteers to educators and lay faithful are encouraged to attend this event. One in four adults say they would seek help from the clergy first in the instance of mental health struggles, underscoring the significant role the Church can play in supporting victims and providing resources to direct them and their families. The keynote address by Bishop Dolan will be followed by breakout sessions with speakers including: Beth Hlabse, program director, Notre Dame Fiat Program on Faith & Mental Health; Ben Wortham, vice president of Behavioral Health Integration, Catholic Charities USA; and Deacon Ed Shoener, founder, International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers. Cardinal Joseph Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of Newark, will serve as the principal celebrant and homilist for Mass. The conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Registration is $40 and space is limited to the first 300 people. Go to njconf.com to register.

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Registration now open for NJCC conference on mental health crisis #Catholic –

The New Jersey Catholic Conference, in partnership with New Jersey’s Catholic Dioceses, Catholic Charities agencies, and Catholic Healthcare Partnership of New Jersey, will host an informative one-day mental health conference on Saturday, May 2, which is aimed to increase awareness and understanding of the escalating crisis in mental illness affecting the U.S. and across the world.

The conference, titled “From Isolation to Belonging, Mental Health and the Catholic Church,” will feature leading Catholic voices in the mental health arena, including keynote speaker Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix, founder of the diocesan Office of Mental Health Ministry which became the first of its kind in the U.S.

The event will take place at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center in Piscataway, N.J., and seeks to educate attendees on the scope of the mental health crisis, reduce stigma surrounding mental illness, and offer resources for sufferers and their families.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

With 1 in 10 adults in the U.S. and over 1 billion people worldwide affected by mental health issues according to the World Health Organization, everyone from clergy to ministerial volunteers to educators and lay faithful are encouraged to attend this event. One in four adults say they would seek help from the clergy first in the instance of mental health struggles, underscoring the significant role the Church can play in supporting victims and providing resources to direct them and their families.

The keynote address by Bishop Dolan will be followed by breakout sessions with speakers including: Beth Hlabse, program director, Notre Dame Fiat Program on Faith & Mental Health; Ben Wortham, vice president of Behavioral Health Integration, Catholic Charities USA; and Deacon Ed Shoener, founder, International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archdiocese of Newark, will serve as the principal celebrant and homilist for Mass.

The conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Saturday, May 2. Registration is $40 and space is limited to the first 300 people. Go to njconf.com to register.

– The New Jersey Catholic Conference, in partnership with New Jersey’s Catholic Dioceses, Catholic Charities agencies, and Catholic Healthcare Partnership of New Jersey, will host an informative one-day mental health conference on Saturday, May 2, which is aimed to increase awareness and understanding of the escalating crisis in mental illness affecting the U.S. and across the world. The conference, titled “From Isolation to Belonging, Mental Health and the Catholic Church,” will feature leading Catholic voices in the mental health arena, including keynote speaker Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix, founder of the diocesan Office of Mental Health Ministry

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In Little Falls, thankful Bishop salutes knights ‘fidelity, support’ #Catholic - Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney thanked the Knights of Columbus Paterson Federation for their “generosity, fidelity, and support” to the Church of Paterson in New Jersey when he visited the federation’s meeting at Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, N.J., on Jan. 30. Among those in attendance were representatives of 35 to 40 knights councils of the 55 in the Paterson Diocese and N.J. State Knights’ officers. Father Steven Shadwell, chaplain of the Paterson knights’ federation and pastor of Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish in Kinnelon, N.J., and Msgr. T. Mark Condon, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the Curia and Holy Angels’ pastor, also attended the event. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “The gathering was a unique opportunity for representatives of the various councils in the diocese to build relationships with Bishop Sweeney,” said James Sweeney, state deputy of the N.J. State Council of the Knights of Columbus. A member of the Father Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100 associated with St. Jude Parish in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J., he represents the Paterson Diocese. In his address, Bishop Sweeney thanked the knights for “all you do for our Church here in Paterson.” He said the knights’ work assists in so many different areas, including families, Catholic schools, vocations, the priesthood, and Respect for Life. “When you do little things with great love, you respond to God day by day, each according to your own vocation, my brother knights, in all you do. You each bring a gift to the altar, and Jesus unites that gift and multiples it,” Bishop Sweeney told the knights. During the meeting, representatives of each knights’ council also presented Bishop Sweeney with a financial gift. The Fourth Degree Color Corps Honor Guard for the bishop also participated in the event. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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In Little Falls, thankful Bishop salutes knights ‘fidelity, support’ #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney thanked the Knights of Columbus Paterson Federation for their “generosity, fidelity, and support” to the Church of Paterson in New Jersey when he visited the federation’s meeting at Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, N.J., on Jan. 30. Among those in attendance were representatives of 35 to 40 knights councils of the 55 in the Paterson Diocese and N.J. State Knights’ officers. Father Steven Shadwell, chaplain of the Paterson knights’ federation and pastor of Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish in Kinnelon, N.J., and Msgr. T. Mark Condon, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the Curia and Holy Angels’ pastor, also attended the event. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “The gathering was a unique opportunity for representatives of the various councils in the diocese to build relationships with Bishop Sweeney,” said James Sweeney, state deputy of the N.J. State Council of the Knights of Columbus. A member of the Father Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100 associated with St. Jude Parish in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J., he represents the Paterson Diocese. In his address, Bishop Sweeney thanked the knights for “all you do for our Church here in Paterson.” He said the knights’ work assists in so many different areas, including families, Catholic schools, vocations, the priesthood, and Respect for Life. “When you do little things with great love, you respond to God day by day, each according to your own vocation, my brother knights, in all you do. You each bring a gift to the altar, and Jesus unites that gift and multiples it,” Bishop Sweeney told the knights. During the meeting, representatives of each knights’ council also presented Bishop Sweeney with a financial gift. The Fourth Degree Color Corps Honor Guard for the bishop also participated in the event. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

unitedyam

In Little Falls, thankful Bishop salutes knights ‘fidelity, support’ #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney thanked the Knights of Columbus Paterson Federation for their “generosity, fidelity, and support” to the Church of Paterson in New Jersey when he visited the federation’s meeting at Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, N.J., on Jan. 30.

Among those in attendance were representatives of 35 to 40 knights councils of the 55 in the Paterson Diocese and N.J. State Knights’ officers. Father Steven Shadwell, chaplain of the Paterson knights’ federation and pastor of Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish in Kinnelon, N.J., and Msgr. T. Mark Condon, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the Curia and Holy Angels’ pastor, also attended the event.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“The gathering was a unique opportunity for representatives of the various councils in the diocese to build relationships with Bishop Sweeney,” said James Sweeney, state deputy of the N.J. State Council of the Knights of Columbus. A member of the Father Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100 associated with St. Jude Parish in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J., he represents the Paterson Diocese.

In his address, Bishop Sweeney thanked the knights for “all you do for our Church here in Paterson.” He said the knights’ work assists in so many different areas, including families, Catholic schools, vocations, the priesthood, and Respect for Life.

“When you do little things with great love, you respond to God day by day, each according to your own vocation, my brother knights, in all you do. You each bring a gift to the altar, and Jesus unites that gift and multiples it,” Bishop Sweeney told the knights.

During the meeting, representatives of each knights’ council also presented Bishop Sweeney with a financial gift. The Fourth Degree Color Corps Honor Guard for the bishop also participated in the event.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney thanked the Knights of Columbus Paterson Federation for their “generosity, fidelity, and support” to the Church of Paterson in New Jersey when he visited the federation’s meeting at Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, N.J., on Jan. 30. Among those in attendance were representatives of 35 to 40 knights councils of the 55 in the Paterson Diocese and N.J. State Knights’ officers. Father Steven Shadwell, chaplain of the Paterson knights’ federation and pastor of Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish in Kinnelon, N.J., and Msgr. T. Mark Condon, diocesan vicar general and

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Paterson Mass celebrates and thanks members in consecrated life #Catholic - On Jan. 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey in joining the Universal Church in celebrating the 30th World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life during a Mass and lunch at St. Gerard Majella Church in Paterson, N.J. That morning, 124 religious sisters, priests, brothers, and consecrated virgins from 13 communities in the diocese attended the Mass—four diocesan priests, including Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard’s and Our Lady of Pompei, also in Paterson, concelebrated the liturgy with Bishop Sweeney. The Mass was celebrated on the Feast of St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesian priests, brothers, sisters, and cooperators. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In his homily during the Mass, Bishop Sweeney recognized the gift of the Salesian charism. He expressed his deep gratitude for all the charisms of the consecrated religious in the diocese, emphasizing unity and fruitfulness, results of attentiveness to the Spirit and the needs of society. At the luncheon after the Mass, Sister Eleanor Goekler of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (SMIC), Brother Teresiano Madrigal of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) and Sister Patrice Owens of the Sisters of Christian Charity each shared briefly about their charism and apostolic ministries in immigration support, social justice advocacy, and care for the homeless and addicted. On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted, “Thanks to [Salesian] Sr. Theresa Lee, our Chancellor and Diocesan Delegate for Religious, and all who made it a prayerful and joyful gathering. Let us pray for all women and men living a Vocation to Consecrated Life, especially those serving in our Diocese & let us continue praying for an increase in Vocations to the Consecrated/Religious Life.” BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
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Paterson Mass celebrates and thanks members in consecrated life #Catholic – On Jan. 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey in joining the Universal Church in celebrating the 30th World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life during a Mass and lunch at St. Gerard Majella Church in Paterson, N.J. That morning, 124 religious sisters, priests, brothers, and consecrated virgins from 13 communities in the diocese attended the Mass—four diocesan priests, including Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard’s and Our Lady of Pompei, also in Paterson, concelebrated the liturgy with Bishop Sweeney. The Mass was celebrated on the Feast of St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesian priests, brothers, sisters, and cooperators. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In his homily during the Mass, Bishop Sweeney recognized the gift of the Salesian charism. He expressed his deep gratitude for all the charisms of the consecrated religious in the diocese, emphasizing unity and fruitfulness, results of attentiveness to the Spirit and the needs of society. At the luncheon after the Mass, Sister Eleanor Goekler of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (SMIC), Brother Teresiano Madrigal of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) and Sister Patrice Owens of the Sisters of Christian Charity each shared briefly about their charism and apostolic ministries in immigration support, social justice advocacy, and care for the homeless and addicted. On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted, “Thanks to [Salesian] Sr. Theresa Lee, our Chancellor and Diocesan Delegate for Religious, and all who made it a prayerful and joyful gathering. Let us pray for all women and men living a Vocation to Consecrated Life, especially those serving in our Diocese & let us continue praying for an increase in Vocations to the Consecrated/Religious Life.” BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

unitedyam

Paterson Mass celebrates and thanks members in consecrated life #Catholic –

On Jan. 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey in joining the Universal Church in celebrating the 30th World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life during a Mass and lunch at St. Gerard Majella Church in Paterson, N.J.

That morning, 124 religious sisters, priests, brothers, and consecrated virgins from 13 communities in the diocese attended the Mass—four diocesan priests, including Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard’s and Our Lady of Pompei, also in Paterson, concelebrated the liturgy with Bishop Sweeney. The Mass was celebrated on the Feast of St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesian priests, brothers, sisters, and cooperators.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

In his homily during the Mass, Bishop Sweeney recognized the gift of the Salesian charism. He expressed his deep gratitude for all the charisms of the consecrated religious in the diocese, emphasizing unity and fruitfulness, results of attentiveness to the Spirit and the needs of society.

At the luncheon after the Mass, Sister Eleanor Goekler of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (SMIC), Brother Teresiano Madrigal of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) and Sister Patrice Owens of the Sisters of Christian Charity each shared briefly about their charism and apostolic ministries in immigration support, social justice advocacy, and care for the homeless and addicted.

On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted, “Thanks to [Salesian] Sr. Theresa Lee, our Chancellor and Diocesan Delegate for Religious, and all who made it a prayerful and joyful gathering. Let us pray for all women and men living a Vocation to Consecrated Life, especially those serving in our Diocese & let us continue praying for an increase in Vocations to the Consecrated/Religious Life.”

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– On Jan. 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey in joining the Universal Church in celebrating the 30th World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life during a Mass and lunch at St. Gerard Majella Church in Paterson, N.J. That morning, 124 religious sisters, priests, brothers, and consecrated virgins from 13 communities in the diocese attended the Mass—four diocesan priests, including Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard’s and Our Lady of Pompei, also in Paterson, concelebrated the liturgy with Bishop Sweeney. The Mass was celebrated on the Feast of St. John Bosco, founder of the

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Washington Township parish ministry cares for those in need #Catholic - Missy and her family were running a business that was doing so well that they had moved to Morris County in New Jersey. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the business retained its main residential clients, but lost almost all of its commercial clients. “Everything was just changing so fast. I did not handle it mentally, emotionally or spiritually well. I did not have faith. I was still in our world, and I panicked,” Missy, who wished to remain anonymous, said. Last year, Missy finally shared her struggles and received help from the Angels of the Mountain ministry of Our Lady of the Mountain (OLM) Parish in the Long Valley neighborhood of Washington Township, N.J. Carol Novrit, an OLM parishioner, founded and runs the outreach. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “She [Novrit] was empathetic to everything. She helped me by first coming up with a plan, and then we stabilized. The biggest thing was that she helped with gift cards for food,” Missy said. “When you have a home and a car, you do not ever think that you are going to be in a position to need something. Not only did the ministry help us to get back on our feet, figuring things out, but it helped me to feel like I had value again by finally being able to help other people, too.” Under the banner of “Living the Gospel — Neighbor Helping Neighbor,” the year-old ministry assists people who are in need by offering support services such as referrals and advocacy for community services, friendship, budgeting, housing-related issues, health-related referrals, food, employment assistance, and help with completing applications. All visits, including to clients’ homes, and interactions are managed with respect, dignity, confidentiality, and Catholic spiritual reverence. Missy was available to return the help her family received by helping a woman clean her apartment and, eventually, became a companion to her. Novrit once ran the Human Services Department in Morris County, then proceeded to Sussex County, where she is now retired as the administrator of Health and Human Services. She most enjoyed connecting people with services. People would learn about Novrit’s background and approach her at OLM when they had needs, and she would help them. Then somebody said to her, “You have to start a ministry.” She did so last January, and in 2025, the ministry received the Vivere Christus Award from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey for its efforts. “Father Marcin [Michałowski, OLM’s pastor], our parishioners, and the Knights of Columbus have been wonderful,” Novrit said. “Recently, they helped with snow shoveling and volunteered to take a parishioner to Church weekly. When we ask for help, they always say, ‘Yes.’” Father Michałowski said, “We are happy that we can help those who are in need — our parishioners, and sometimes non-parishioners. Some people say something, and some people don’t say anything, so we try to reach out to those who come to us and also those who do not come to us. The main focus is, of course, to look at our parishioners, but if we can go beyond the walls of the parish, then we try to do that as well.” For information about the Angels of the Mountain ministry, call Carol Novrit at 908-797-0813.
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Washington Township parish ministry cares for those in need #Catholic – Missy and her family were running a business that was doing so well that they had moved to Morris County in New Jersey. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the business retained its main residential clients, but lost almost all of its commercial clients. “Everything was just changing so fast. I did not handle it mentally, emotionally or spiritually well. I did not have faith. I was still in our world, and I panicked,” Missy, who wished to remain anonymous, said. Last year, Missy finally shared her struggles and received help from the Angels of the Mountain ministry of Our Lady of the Mountain (OLM) Parish in the Long Valley neighborhood of Washington Township, N.J. Carol Novrit, an OLM parishioner, founded and runs the outreach. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “She [Novrit] was empathetic to everything. She helped me by first coming up with a plan, and then we stabilized. The biggest thing was that she helped with gift cards for food,” Missy said. “When you have a home and a car, you do not ever think that you are going to be in a position to need something. Not only did the ministry help us to get back on our feet, figuring things out, but it helped me to feel like I had value again by finally being able to help other people, too.” Under the banner of “Living the Gospel — Neighbor Helping Neighbor,” the year-old ministry assists people who are in need by offering support services such as referrals and advocacy for community services, friendship, budgeting, housing-related issues, health-related referrals, food, employment assistance, and help with completing applications. All visits, including to clients’ homes, and interactions are managed with respect, dignity, confidentiality, and Catholic spiritual reverence. Missy was available to return the help her family received by helping a woman clean her apartment and, eventually, became a companion to her. Novrit once ran the Human Services Department in Morris County, then proceeded to Sussex County, where she is now retired as the administrator of Health and Human Services. She most enjoyed connecting people with services. People would learn about Novrit’s background and approach her at OLM when they had needs, and she would help them. Then somebody said to her, “You have to start a ministry.” She did so last January, and in 2025, the ministry received the Vivere Christus Award from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey for its efforts. “Father Marcin [Michałowski, OLM’s pastor], our parishioners, and the Knights of Columbus have been wonderful,” Novrit said. “Recently, they helped with snow shoveling and volunteered to take a parishioner to Church weekly. When we ask for help, they always say, ‘Yes.’” Father Michałowski said, “We are happy that we can help those who are in need — our parishioners, and sometimes non-parishioners. Some people say something, and some people don’t say anything, so we try to reach out to those who come to us and also those who do not come to us. The main focus is, of course, to look at our parishioners, but if we can go beyond the walls of the parish, then we try to do that as well.” For information about the Angels of the Mountain ministry, call Carol Novrit at 908-797-0813.

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Washington Township parish ministry cares for those in need #Catholic –

Missy and her family were running a business that was doing so well that they had moved to Morris County in New Jersey. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the business retained its main residential clients, but lost almost all of its commercial clients.

“Everything was just changing so fast. I did not handle it mentally, emotionally or spiritually well. I did not have faith. I was still in our world, and I panicked,” Missy, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

Last year, Missy finally shared her struggles and received help from the Angels of the Mountain ministry of Our Lady of the Mountain (OLM) Parish in the Long Valley neighborhood of Washington Township, N.J. Carol Novrit, an OLM parishioner, founded and runs the outreach.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“She [Novrit] was empathetic to everything. She helped me by first coming up with a plan, and then we stabilized. The biggest thing was that she helped with gift cards for food,” Missy said. “When you have a home and a car, you do not ever think that you are going to be in a position to need something. Not only did the ministry help us to get back on our feet, figuring things out, but it helped me to feel like I had value again by finally being able to help other people, too.”

Under the banner of “Living the Gospel — Neighbor Helping Neighbor,” the year-old ministry assists people who are in need by offering support services such as referrals and advocacy for community services, friendship, budgeting, housing-related issues, health-related referrals, food, employment assistance, and help with completing applications. All visits, including to clients’ homes, and interactions are managed with respect, dignity, confidentiality, and Catholic spiritual reverence.

Missy was available to return the help her family received by helping a woman clean her apartment and, eventually, became a companion to her.

Novrit once ran the Human Services Department in Morris County, then proceeded to Sussex County, where she is now retired as the administrator of Health and Human Services. She most enjoyed connecting people with services.

People would learn about Novrit’s background and approach her at OLM when they had needs, and she would help them. Then somebody said to her, “You have to start a ministry.” She did so last January, and in 2025, the ministry received the Vivere Christus Award from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey for its efforts.

“Father Marcin [Michałowski, OLM’s pastor], our parishioners, and the Knights of Columbus have been wonderful,” Novrit said. “Recently, they helped with snow shoveling and volunteered to take a parishioner to Church weekly. When we ask for help, they always say, ‘Yes.’”

Father Michałowski said, “We are happy that we can help those who are in need — our parishioners, and sometimes non-parishioners. Some people say something, and some people don’t say anything, so we try to reach out to those who come to us and also those who do not come to us. The main focus is, of course, to look at our parishioners, but if we can go beyond the walls of the parish, then we try to do that as well.”

For information about the Angels of the Mountain ministry, call Carol Novrit at 908-797-0813.

– Missy and her family were running a business that was doing so well that they had moved to Morris County in New Jersey. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the business retained its main residential clients, but lost almost all of its commercial clients. “Everything was just changing so fast. I did not handle it mentally, emotionally or spiritually well. I did not have faith. I was still in our world, and I panicked,” Missy, who wished to remain anonymous, said. Last year, Missy finally shared her struggles and received help from the Angels of the Mountain ministry

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‘The Injuns Are A-Comin!’ Cries Billie Eilish Loading Musket To Defend Home From Tribe Of Redskins #BabylonBee – LOS ANGELES, CA — According to sources, American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish successfully defended her land from members of the Tongva Tribe, an indigenous people native to the LA basin, who claim her home is built on their land.
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‘The Injuns Are A-Comin!’ Cries Billie Eilish Loading Musket To Defend Home From Tribe Of Redskins #BabylonBee – LOS ANGELES, CA — According to sources, American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish successfully defended her land from members of the Tongva Tribe, an indigenous people native to the LA basin, who claim her home is built on their land.

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LOS ANGELES, CA — According to sources, American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish successfully defended her land from members of the Tongva Tribe, an indigenous people native to the LA basin, who claim her home is built on their land.

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10 Ways To Come Out As A Conservative To Your Liberal Parents #BabylonBee – Our current society can have trouble showing acceptance — especially to conservatives. If you’re a young conservative who has kept your political views a secret from your family, knowing how to tell your parents can be difficult.
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10 Ways To Come Out As A Conservative To Your Liberal Parents #BabylonBee – Our current society can have trouble showing acceptance — especially to conservatives. If you’re a young conservative who has kept your political views a secret from your family, knowing how to tell your parents can be difficult.

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Our current society can have trouble showing acceptance — especially to conservatives. If you’re a young conservative who has kept your political views a secret from your family, knowing how to tell your parents can be difficult.

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Picture of the day “Selection” of Hungarian Jews on the ramp at Auschwitz-II-Birkenau in German-occupied Poland, May/June 1944, during the final phase of the Holocaust. Jews were sent either to forced labor or the gas chambers. 81 years ago today, on January 27, 1945, Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army. Today is also International Holocaust Remembrance Day. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day “Selection” of Hungarian Jews on the ramp at Auschwitz-II-Birkenau in German-occupied Poland, May/June 1944, during the final phase of the Holocaust. Jews were sent either to forced labor or the gas chambers. 81 years ago today, on January 27, 1945, Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army. Today is also International Holocaust Remembrance Day. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
“Selection” of Hungarian Jews on the ramp at Auschwitz-II-Birkenau in German-occupied Poland, May/June 1944, during the final phase of the Holocaust. Jews were sent either to forced labor or the gas chambers. 81 years ago today, on January 27, 1945, Auschwitz was liberated by the Red Army. Today is also International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Read More