Day: March 6, 2026

Pakistani National Charged With Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Trump Found GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS – In August of 2024, the Gateway Pundit reported that a Pakistani national named Asif Merchant had been arrested in what was described as a murder-for-hire plot to assassinate President Trump and other U.S. The post Pakistani National Charged With Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Trump Found GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

Pakistani National Charged With Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Trump Found GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS – In August of 2024, the Gateway Pundit reported that a Pakistani national named Asif Merchant had been arrested in what was described as a murder-for-hire plot to assassinate President Trump and other U.S. The post Pakistani National Charged With Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Trump Found GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

In August of 2024, the Gateway Pundit reported that a Pakistani national named Asif Merchant had been arrested in what was described as a murder-for-hire plot to assassinate President Trump and other U.S.

The post Pakistani National Charged With Murder-for-Hire Plot Against Trump Found GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More
Kamala Harris Busts Out Fake Accent, Delivers Politically Divisive Message at Jesse Jackson’s Funeral (VIDEO) – Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden attended Jesse Jackson’s memorial service in Chicago, Illinois. The post Kamala Harris Busts Out Fake Accent, Delivers Politically Divisive Message at Jesse Jackson’s Funeral (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

Kamala Harris Busts Out Fake Accent, Delivers Politically Divisive Message at Jesse Jackson’s Funeral (VIDEO) – Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden attended Jesse Jackson’s memorial service in Chicago, Illinois. The post Kamala Harris Busts Out Fake Accent, Delivers Politically Divisive Message at Jesse Jackson’s Funeral (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

Speaker delivering a eulogy at a memorial service, with a large floral arrangement and a prominent cross in the foreground, honoring a notable figure.

Speaker delivering a eulogy at a memorial service, with a large floral arrangement and a prominent cross in the foreground, honoring a notable figure.

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden attended Jesse Jackson’s memorial service in Chicago, Illinois.

The post Kamala Harris Busts Out Fake Accent, Delivers Politically Divisive Message at Jesse Jackson’s Funeral (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More
New Bill in Florida Would Allow Professors at Public Universities to Carry Concealed Weapons on Campus for Emergencies – A new bill in Florida that has already cleared the Florida House would allow professors and other staffers at public universities to carry concealed weapons in case of an emergency. The post New Bill in Florida Would Allow Professors at Public Universities to Carry Concealed Weapons on Campus for Emergencies appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

New Bill in Florida Would Allow Professors at Public Universities to Carry Concealed Weapons on Campus for Emergencies – A new bill in Florida that has already cleared the Florida House would allow professors and other staffers at public universities to carry concealed weapons in case of an emergency. The post New Bill in Florida Would Allow Professors at Public Universities to Carry Concealed Weapons on Campus for Emergencies appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

Florida state flag waving against a blue sky with clouds, featuring a red cross and the state seal in the center.

Florida state flag waving against a blue sky with clouds, featuring a red cross and the state seal in the center.

A new bill in Florida that has already cleared the Florida House would allow professors and other staffers at public universities to carry concealed weapons in case of an emergency.

The post New Bill in Florida Would Allow Professors at Public Universities to Carry Concealed Weapons on Campus for Emergencies appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More
Weekends on the Space Station – Weekends on the International Space Station are for housecleaning and haircuts. NASA astronaut Jessica Meir trims the hair of fellow NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, both Expedition 74 flight engineers, using an electric razor attached to a vacuum that collects loose clippings to keep the station’s atmosphere clean in microgravity.
Read More

Weekends on the Space Station – Weekends on the International Space Station are for housecleaning and haircuts. NASA astronaut Jessica Meir trims the hair of fellow NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, both Expedition 74 flight engineers, using an electric razor attached to a vacuum that collects loose clippings to keep the station’s atmosphere clean in microgravity.

unitedyam

Weekends on the International Space Station are for housecleaning and haircuts. NASA astronaut Jessica Meir trims the hair of fellow NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, both Expedition 74 flight engineers, using an electric razor attached to a vacuum that collects loose clippings to keep the station’s atmosphere clean in microgravity.

Read More

Act of Contrition: Prayer of the Day for Saturday, March 07, 2026 – #Prayer – O, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you. I detest all my sins because of your just punishment, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.

unitedyam

O, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you. I detest all my sins because of your just punishment, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin.

Read More
Sister Mary Agnes discusses path to her vocation and mission of Sisters of Life – #Catholic – Ahead of International Women’s Day, Sister of Life Mother Mary Agnes Donovan discussed finding her calling to religious life and her decades of working with women in need.Donovan said “it’s uniquely true now” that it can be hard for women of faith to see the God-given gifts in themselves. “If you are a woman of faith, you’re living in a way that’s countering a prevalent culture. So you don’t fit in, and you don’t fit the mold,” she said in an interview with EWTN News’ Colm Flynn, with an excerpt aired on “EWTN News Nightly” and broadcast in full on EWTN’s YouTube channel.“So it’s very important to have other people around you ratify, and encourage, and identify that ‘You are uniquely gifted in this way and this is a gift that has been given, that you can develop, and give back to the world,’” she said.To honor her many years of helping women, the GIVEN Institute announced this week Donovan will receive the 2026 GIVEN Fiat Award. GIVEN, a nonprofit organization that helps young women identify their gifts for the Church and the world, will honor her witness to the dignity of women and the gift of life.To recognize these God-given gifts, Donovan said “other people notice it first, and they’ll tell you.”Path to religious lifeBefore joining religious life, Donovan said she had other plans. Growing up in Pennsylvania in the farming country, “I always thought, because of the circumstances, I’d be a farmer’s wife,” she said. “I thought I would have six children.”Later on, Donovan developed an interest in psychology. “I think I loved people, and that was probably the basis of my own interest in pursuing psychology,” she said. “I think just to understand the human person.”She went to college for a degree in educational psychology and eventually completed her doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After school, Donovan began teaching at Columbia University in New York.While at Columbia, “I thought that would be my life forever,” she said. “I had no intention of leaving.” But then everything changed during a retreat at the end of her first year teaching in New York.“It was an Ignatian retreat where you pray in silence for eight days and basically listen to, and see things, that you don’t see when you’re not silent and you’re not praying,” she said. “I think what happened was that essentially an encounter with the love of God just turned my life upside down.”It was “a calling to give all of my life to God, and he would decide what that would look like. So in other words, it was a call to love, to give all of my mind, my heart, my soul, the entirety of my life,” she said.Joining religious life then “seemed obvious to me,” she said. “I told my retreat director that. I said, ‘I’ll be in a convent next year at this time.’” Donovan then entered religious life in 1991, when the Sisters of Life was founded, and became a sister by 1993.Sisters of LifeWhile many call her a founder or co-founder of the Sisters of Life, Donovan said: “I’ve never thought of myself that way.” It was Cardinal John O’Connor who “actually received the charismatic grace, that is the foundational grace of our community. I was the first superior, and a long-term superior.”“I think all of the first 50 sisters are probably foundational sisters. We all contributed to the foundation of mission, to the foundation of our common life, everything about our lives. You do it together in a community,” she said.More than three decades after the order was founded, the sisters continue their mission in a time it is especially needed, she said. “We live in an age when most people don’t get up in the morning and feel that their life matters deeply to many. They question the meaning and the purpose of their lives,” she said.“Our purpose as Sisters of Life is to answer that very ache in the heart of man, which is to say that ‘You are of infinite value, that you came from a Creator who created you with a particular purpose for your life. And only you can fulfill that purpose.’”The Sisters of Life primarily work with women experiencing unexpected pregnancies and are “deliberating among their options,” she said. “I think that the women that call us are calling us because they want to know everything before they make that decision.”“They may not be practicing their faith, but they have some life of faith within them. They don’t want to ignore that because everything in their being tells them that this is an important decision,” she said.“So our job is simply to help them slow down long enough to simply think through with their heart more than their mind: ‘What is before me and what my options are,’” she said. “It’s really a call to listen deeply to the heart of another and to allow her to speak what is within her heart, so that she can hear herself.”Many women who come to the sisters have already had abortions after they “quickly made a decision,” she said. They are not as quick to do it again because “the experience of abortion is not what it’s described to be. It’s an experience they never want to have again,” she said.“No woman would ever choose abortion if she had options that were real,” Donovan said. The sisters then “help her find what she needs so that she can reasonably make that decision. Because the decision for abortion is often one that is vaguely coerced by the culture, by withdrawing all the supports that are needed.”“No one comes to us by force. They only come to us voluntarily. We don’t seek them. They walk through our doors,” she said. “She is coming to us because, in fact, she’s feeling coerced into a decision that she doesn’t like or desire.”Impact of the sisters’ ministry After 35 years of ministry, many of the children the Sisters of Life helped bring into the world are now adults. The sisters “stay in touch with many of them and they’re part of our family,” Donovan said. “They do their confirmation service hours with us” and “they come back and they volunteer,” she said.“Every Christmas, when we have our Christmas party, you look at all these children that are there … and you stand there and you say: ‘Not one of them would probably be alive. Not one of them,’” Donovan said.“It’s the most wondrous mission … to receive these women, to usher them through a program of retreat and prayer and gatherings where they explore and understand what has happened in their life. They come to us sometimes weeks and months after the abortion. Sometimes they come decades after,” Donovan said.“It’s the most wonderful thing … to see these women actually begin to believe in the mercy and the tenderness of the heart of God,” she said.The Sisters of Life continues its mission, and the number of sisters continues to grow with it. As the number of religious vocations goes down, the order has not experienced a decline with around 145 sisters today. “God has blessed us with vocations,” Donovan said. But, “we need many more.”
Read More

Sister Mary Agnes discusses path to her vocation and mission of Sisters of Life – #Catholic – Ahead of International Women’s Day, Sister of Life Mother Mary Agnes Donovan discussed finding her calling to religious life and her decades of working with women in need.Donovan said “it’s uniquely true now” that it can be hard for women of faith to see the God-given gifts in themselves. “If you are a woman of faith, you’re living in a way that’s countering a prevalent culture. So you don’t fit in, and you don’t fit the mold,” she said in an interview with EWTN News’ Colm Flynn, with an excerpt aired on “EWTN News Nightly” and broadcast in full on EWTN’s YouTube channel.“So it’s very important to have other people around you ratify, and encourage, and identify that ‘You are uniquely gifted in this way and this is a gift that has been given, that you can develop, and give back to the world,’” she said.To honor her many years of helping women, the GIVEN Institute announced this week Donovan will receive the 2026 GIVEN Fiat Award. GIVEN, a nonprofit organization that helps young women identify their gifts for the Church and the world, will honor her witness to the dignity of women and the gift of life.To recognize these God-given gifts, Donovan said “other people notice it first, and they’ll tell you.”Path to religious lifeBefore joining religious life, Donovan said she had other plans. Growing up in Pennsylvania in the farming country, “I always thought, because of the circumstances, I’d be a farmer’s wife,” she said. “I thought I would have six children.”Later on, Donovan developed an interest in psychology. “I think I loved people, and that was probably the basis of my own interest in pursuing psychology,” she said. “I think just to understand the human person.”She went to college for a degree in educational psychology and eventually completed her doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After school, Donovan began teaching at Columbia University in New York.While at Columbia, “I thought that would be my life forever,” she said. “I had no intention of leaving.” But then everything changed during a retreat at the end of her first year teaching in New York.“It was an Ignatian retreat where you pray in silence for eight days and basically listen to, and see things, that you don’t see when you’re not silent and you’re not praying,” she said. “I think what happened was that essentially an encounter with the love of God just turned my life upside down.”It was “a calling to give all of my life to God, and he would decide what that would look like. So in other words, it was a call to love, to give all of my mind, my heart, my soul, the entirety of my life,” she said.Joining religious life then “seemed obvious to me,” she said. “I told my retreat director that. I said, ‘I’ll be in a convent next year at this time.’” Donovan then entered religious life in 1991, when the Sisters of Life was founded, and became a sister by 1993.Sisters of LifeWhile many call her a founder or co-founder of the Sisters of Life, Donovan said: “I’ve never thought of myself that way.” It was Cardinal John O’Connor who “actually received the charismatic grace, that is the foundational grace of our community. I was the first superior, and a long-term superior.”“I think all of the first 50 sisters are probably foundational sisters. We all contributed to the foundation of mission, to the foundation of our common life, everything about our lives. You do it together in a community,” she said.More than three decades after the order was founded, the sisters continue their mission in a time it is especially needed, she said. “We live in an age when most people don’t get up in the morning and feel that their life matters deeply to many. They question the meaning and the purpose of their lives,” she said.“Our purpose as Sisters of Life is to answer that very ache in the heart of man, which is to say that ‘You are of infinite value, that you came from a Creator who created you with a particular purpose for your life. And only you can fulfill that purpose.’”The Sisters of Life primarily work with women experiencing unexpected pregnancies and are “deliberating among their options,” she said. “I think that the women that call us are calling us because they want to know everything before they make that decision.”“They may not be practicing their faith, but they have some life of faith within them. They don’t want to ignore that because everything in their being tells them that this is an important decision,” she said.“So our job is simply to help them slow down long enough to simply think through with their heart more than their mind: ‘What is before me and what my options are,’” she said. “It’s really a call to listen deeply to the heart of another and to allow her to speak what is within her heart, so that she can hear herself.”Many women who come to the sisters have already had abortions after they “quickly made a decision,” she said. They are not as quick to do it again because “the experience of abortion is not what it’s described to be. It’s an experience they never want to have again,” she said.“No woman would ever choose abortion if she had options that were real,” Donovan said. The sisters then “help her find what she needs so that she can reasonably make that decision. Because the decision for abortion is often one that is vaguely coerced by the culture, by withdrawing all the supports that are needed.”“No one comes to us by force. They only come to us voluntarily. We don’t seek them. They walk through our doors,” she said. “She is coming to us because, in fact, she’s feeling coerced into a decision that she doesn’t like or desire.”Impact of the sisters’ ministry After 35 years of ministry, many of the children the Sisters of Life helped bring into the world are now adults. The sisters “stay in touch with many of them and they’re part of our family,” Donovan said. “They do their confirmation service hours with us” and “they come back and they volunteer,” she said.“Every Christmas, when we have our Christmas party, you look at all these children that are there … and you stand there and you say: ‘Not one of them would probably be alive. Not one of them,’” Donovan said.“It’s the most wondrous mission … to receive these women, to usher them through a program of retreat and prayer and gatherings where they explore and understand what has happened in their life. They come to us sometimes weeks and months after the abortion. Sometimes they come decades after,” Donovan said.“It’s the most wonderful thing … to see these women actually begin to believe in the mercy and the tenderness of the heart of God,” she said.The Sisters of Life continues its mission, and the number of sisters continues to grow with it. As the number of religious vocations goes down, the order has not experienced a decline with around 145 sisters today. “God has blessed us with vocations,” Donovan said. But, “we need many more.”

unitedyam

Sister Mary Agnes Donavan says to recognize our God-given gifts, “other people notice it first, and they’ll tell you.”

Read More
Trump administration repeals gender, sexuality affirmation rules for foster homes – #Catholic – President Donald Trump’s administration eliminated a federal rule that sought to force foster homes to affirm a child’s same-sex attraction and a child’s self-asserted gender identity when that identity is inconsistent with his or her biological sex.The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) formally rescinded the rule on March 6 based on concerns it could force faith-based foster parents and foster homes to violate their religious beliefs.“This Biden-era rule was an affront to common sense, but most especially, it sent the wrong message to faith-based foster parents and organizations who simply seek to provide a loving home for foster youth,” Alex Adams, ACF assistant secretary, said in a statement.“We can do better, and we must do better to make sure children in foster care find lovely, nurturing homes,” he said.The formal elimination of the rule comes nine months after a federal court blocked enforcement, finding it exceeded the statutory authority of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACF is a division of HHS.On March 3, ACF also sent letters to all 50 states explaining that children may not be removed from foster homes solely because the foster parents do not affirm a child identifying as a gender inconsistent with the child’s sex.“Parents have the right to raise their children according to their sincerely held religious beliefs and moral convictions,” Adams said in a statement. “When states overstep their bounds, ACF will take action to deter inappropriate policies that drive unnecessary interactions with child welfare systems. This is one such example.”These moves are part of Trump’s broader efforts to combat what he calls “gender ideology extremism.” In an executive order, Trump established an official policy to affirm “the biological reality of sex” and recognized that the terms “man” and “woman” refer to biological distinctions rather than self-identification.
Read More

Trump administration repeals gender, sexuality affirmation rules for foster homes – #Catholic – President Donald Trump’s administration eliminated a federal rule that sought to force foster homes to affirm a child’s same-sex attraction and a child’s self-asserted gender identity when that identity is inconsistent with his or her biological sex.The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) formally rescinded the rule on March 6 based on concerns it could force faith-based foster parents and foster homes to violate their religious beliefs.“This Biden-era rule was an affront to common sense, but most especially, it sent the wrong message to faith-based foster parents and organizations who simply seek to provide a loving home for foster youth,” Alex Adams, ACF assistant secretary, said in a statement.“We can do better, and we must do better to make sure children in foster care find lovely, nurturing homes,” he said.The formal elimination of the rule comes nine months after a federal court blocked enforcement, finding it exceeded the statutory authority of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACF is a division of HHS.On March 3, ACF also sent letters to all 50 states explaining that children may not be removed from foster homes solely because the foster parents do not affirm a child identifying as a gender inconsistent with the child’s sex.“Parents have the right to raise their children according to their sincerely held religious beliefs and moral convictions,” Adams said in a statement. “When states overstep their bounds, ACF will take action to deter inappropriate policies that drive unnecessary interactions with child welfare systems. This is one such example.”These moves are part of Trump’s broader efforts to combat what he calls “gender ideology extremism.” In an executive order, Trump established an official policy to affirm “the biological reality of sex” and recognized that the terms “man” and “woman” refer to biological distinctions rather than self-identification.

unitedyam

A federal judge blocked the rule nine months ago.

Read More

Gospel and Word of the Day – 07 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, That dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs. Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.From the Gospel according to Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them Jesus addressed this parable. "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation. When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."’ So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ But his father ordered his servants, ‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. But when your son returns who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’"First of all, to make merry , that is, to demonstrate our closeness to those who repent or who are on the way, to those who are in crisis or who are far away. Why should we do this? Because this helps to overcome the fear and discouragement that can come from remembering one’s sins. Those who have made mistakes often feel reproached in their own hearts. Distance, indifference and harsh words do not help. Therefore, according to the Father, we have to offer them a warm welcome that encourages them to go ahead. (…) How much good an open heart, true listening and a transparent smile can do; to celebrate, not to make them feel uncomfortable! The Father could have said: “Okay, son, come back home, come back to work, go to your room, establish yourself and your work! And this would have been a good way to forgive. But no! God does not know how to forgive without celebrating! And the Father celebrates because of the joy he has because his son has returned. And then, like the Father, we have to rejoice . When someone whose heart is synchronized with God’s sees the repentance of a person, they rejoice, no matter how serious their mistakes may have been. They do not stay focused on errors, they do not point fingers at what they have done wrong, but rejoice over the good because another person’s good is mine as well! And we, do we know how to look at others like this? (Pope Francis, Angelus, 27 March 2022)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Micah
7:14-15, 18-20

Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance,
That dwells apart in a woodland,
in the midst of Carmel.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old;
As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,
show us wonderful signs.

Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt
and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
Who does not persist in anger forever,
but delights rather in clemency,
And will again have compassion on us,
treading underfoot our guilt?
You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins;
You will show faithfulness to Jacob,
and grace to Abraham,
As you have sworn to our fathers
from days of old.

From the Gospel according to Luke
15:1-3, 11-32

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So to them Jesus addressed this parable.
"A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father,
‘Father, give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’
So the father divided the property between them.
After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings
and set off to a distant country
where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.
When he had freely spent everything,
a severe famine struck that country,
and he found himself in dire need.
So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens
who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.
And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any.
Coming to his senses he thought,
‘How many of my father’s hired workers
have more than enough food to eat,
but here am I, dying from hunger.
I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
I no longer deserve to be called your son;
treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers."’
So he got up and went back to his father.
While he was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion.
He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
His son said to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you;
I no longer deserve to be called your son.’
But his father ordered his servants,
‘Quickly, bring the finest robe and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Take the fattened calf and slaughter it.
Then let us celebrate with a feast,
because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again;
he was lost, and has been found.’
Then the celebration began.
Now the older son had been out in the field
and, on his way back, as he neared the house,
he heard the sound of music and dancing.
He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean.
The servant said to him,
‘Your brother has returned
and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf
because he has him back safe and sound.’
He became angry,
and when he refused to enter the house,
his father came out and pleaded with him.
He said to his father in reply,
‘Look, all these years I served you
and not once did I disobey your orders;
yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends.
But when your son returns
who swallowed up your property with prostitutes,
for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’
He said to him,
‘My son, you are here with me always;
everything I have is yours.
But now we must celebrate and rejoice,
because your brother was dead and has come to life again;
he was lost and has been found.’"

First of all, to make merry , that is, to demonstrate our closeness to those who repent or who are on the way, to those who are in crisis or who are far away. Why should we do this? Because this helps to overcome the fear and discouragement that can come from remembering one’s sins. Those who have made mistakes often feel reproached in their own hearts. Distance, indifference and harsh words do not help. Therefore, according to the Father, we have to offer them a warm welcome that encourages them to go ahead. (…) How much good an open heart, true listening and a transparent smile can do; to celebrate, not to make them feel uncomfortable! The Father could have said: “Okay, son, come back home, come back to work, go to your room, establish yourself and your work! And this would have been a good way to forgive. But no! God does not know how to forgive without celebrating! And the Father celebrates because of the joy he has because his son has returned.

And then, like the Father, we have to rejoice . When someone whose heart is synchronized with God’s sees the repentance of a person, they rejoice, no matter how serious their mistakes may have been. They do not stay focused on errors, they do not point fingers at what they have done wrong, but rejoice over the good because another person’s good is mine as well! And we, do we know how to look at others like this? (Pope Francis, Angelus, 27 March 2022)

Read More
U.S. bishops to advocate ‘just immigration policies’ with Homeland Security successor – #Catholic – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will advocate for “just immigration policies” with the successor to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.President Donald Trump said Noem would become special envoy for a security initiative called “The Shield of the Americas” the day after a tense hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 4. Trump said he will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, to replace her. The position requires Senate confirmation, a process requiring a simple majority (51 votes) for approval.Following the announcement, USCCB Committee on Migration Chair Bishop Brendan J. Cahill said in a statement to EWTN News that the bishops will advocate for just immigration policies with Noem’s successor, focused on the dignity of the human person.“Without commenting on the qualifications of any specific individual, my brother bishops and I remain committed to dialoguing with all leaders in every administration, as well as Congress, in support of just immigration policies that recognize the God-given dignity of all involved,” Cahill said.“We will continue to urge an approach to immigration enforcement that is targeted, proportionate, and humane, always respecting each person’s inherent dignity, the sanctity of families, and religious liberty,” he added.“At the same time, we will continue to call on Congress to undertake a meaningful reform of our immigration system to rectify the ways our current laws lead to unjust consequences for families and communities,” Cahill said.During her tenure, Noem has overseen the president’s mass deportation initiative, which faced criticism from the bishops. DHS oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).In November, the USCCB approved a special message with a 216-5 vote to oppose “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.” The bishops also objected to “dehumanizing rhetoric and violence” directed at immigrants and law enforcement and expressed concern about family separation.Impact of leadership shake-upIt’s unclear whether the shake-up will lead to any significant policy changes, considering that Mullin has strongly supported the administration’s strict enforcement of immigration laws, such as mass deportations, policy scholars said.The Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), which works closely with the bishops, is following the shift, with a spokesperson telling EWTN News that the organization hopes the incoming secretary “will recognize the inherent dignity of immigrants and refugees and uphold policies that protect those seeking safety and opportunity.”“Mullin has a past record of recognizing the importance of providing refuge to Afghans who assisted the United States, and we hope that same understanding of our nation’s moral responsibility will be applied more broadly to people around the world seeking safety and security,” the spokesperson said.Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy and communications for the Center for Migration Studies and former director of migration policy for the USCCB, told EWTN News he sees the change as “an opportunity to get the administration and the [DHS] to change course.”However, he said the mass deportation policy “will remain in place until President Trump and his advisers decide that it’s the wrong approach [and] that an immigration reform package is in the best interest of the country, and I don’t see that happening in the near future.”“Until the president takes a different approach, just because you change someone at the top, you won’t change the fundamental policy and what’s happening,” he said.Appleby said he does not think the leadership change will alleviate the bishops’ concerns because the Church is “opposed to the basic policy” of mass deportations.Andrew Arthur, resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, told EWTN News that he also doubts the bishops’ concerns will be alleviated, saying: “I don’t believe that his appointment is going to change the president’s immigration policies.”He said there may be some differences between Noem and Mullin, such as “a continuation of the Tom Homan vision of enforcement — more targeted enforcement,” referring to the border czar. He said there may be a stronger focus on those who have committed additional crimes and more worksite enforcement.
Read More

U.S. bishops to advocate ‘just immigration policies’ with Homeland Security successor – #Catholic – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will advocate for “just immigration policies” with the successor to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.President Donald Trump said Noem would become special envoy for a security initiative called “The Shield of the Americas” the day after a tense hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 4. Trump said he will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, to replace her. The position requires Senate confirmation, a process requiring a simple majority (51 votes) for approval.Following the announcement, USCCB Committee on Migration Chair Bishop Brendan J. Cahill said in a statement to EWTN News that the bishops will advocate for just immigration policies with Noem’s successor, focused on the dignity of the human person.“Without commenting on the qualifications of any specific individual, my brother bishops and I remain committed to dialoguing with all leaders in every administration, as well as Congress, in support of just immigration policies that recognize the God-given dignity of all involved,” Cahill said.“We will continue to urge an approach to immigration enforcement that is targeted, proportionate, and humane, always respecting each person’s inherent dignity, the sanctity of families, and religious liberty,” he added.“At the same time, we will continue to call on Congress to undertake a meaningful reform of our immigration system to rectify the ways our current laws lead to unjust consequences for families and communities,” Cahill said.During her tenure, Noem has overseen the president’s mass deportation initiative, which faced criticism from the bishops. DHS oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).In November, the USCCB approved a special message with a 216-5 vote to oppose “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.” The bishops also objected to “dehumanizing rhetoric and violence” directed at immigrants and law enforcement and expressed concern about family separation.Impact of leadership shake-upIt’s unclear whether the shake-up will lead to any significant policy changes, considering that Mullin has strongly supported the administration’s strict enforcement of immigration laws, such as mass deportations, policy scholars said.The Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), which works closely with the bishops, is following the shift, with a spokesperson telling EWTN News that the organization hopes the incoming secretary “will recognize the inherent dignity of immigrants and refugees and uphold policies that protect those seeking safety and opportunity.”“Mullin has a past record of recognizing the importance of providing refuge to Afghans who assisted the United States, and we hope that same understanding of our nation’s moral responsibility will be applied more broadly to people around the world seeking safety and security,” the spokesperson said.Kevin Appleby, senior fellow for policy and communications for the Center for Migration Studies and former director of migration policy for the USCCB, told EWTN News he sees the change as “an opportunity to get the administration and the [DHS] to change course.”However, he said the mass deportation policy “will remain in place until President Trump and his advisers decide that it’s the wrong approach [and] that an immigration reform package is in the best interest of the country, and I don’t see that happening in the near future.”“Until the president takes a different approach, just because you change someone at the top, you won’t change the fundamental policy and what’s happening,” he said.Appleby said he does not think the leadership change will alleviate the bishops’ concerns because the Church is “opposed to the basic policy” of mass deportations.Andrew Arthur, resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, told EWTN News that he also doubts the bishops’ concerns will be alleviated, saying: “I don’t believe that his appointment is going to change the president’s immigration policies.”He said there may be some differences between Noem and Mullin, such as “a continuation of the Tom Homan vision of enforcement — more targeted enforcement,” referring to the border czar. He said there may be a stronger focus on those who have committed additional crimes and more worksite enforcement.

unitedyam

U.S. bishops said they hope to work with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s replacement. Policy scholars said they expect that many of the administration’s priorities will remain in place.

Read More
Remarkable feat: 2 Sparta Catholic schools notch national recognition #Catholic – The Catholic Academy of Sussex County in Sparta, N.J., proudly announces that both Rev. George A. Brown Memorial School, which provides elementary education, and Pope John XXIII Middle School have been named Top Catholic Schools 2026 by Education Insider Magazine.  They were among 17 U.S. Catholic schools recognized. The honor highlights the schools’ academic excellence, faith-centered communities, and holistic development. A definitive source in education, Education Insider covers the full learning continuum, from kindergarten to 12th grade and higher education. Its list recognizes “institutions excelling in academics while fostering spiritual growth and leadership.” Stakeholders nominated schools, which industry experts vetted. The two Catholic Academy schools joined another New Jersey school, Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, in the Newark Archdiocese as a Top Catholic School 2026. Rev. Brown School and Pope John XXIII Middle School are two distinct schools within the Catholic Academy of Sussex County, which also includes Pope John XXIII Regional High School. The academy offers a seamless Pre-K to 12th-grade experience in a faith-filled, academic environment, aiming to create future leaders and encouraging students to honor the Father in all they do. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Pleased with these dual accolades, Daniel O’Keefe, Catholic Academy’s president, said, “We are honored to be recognized for what is truly a collaborative award that is a result of the continuous hard work and dedication of so many people. This recognition motivates us to continue our vocation in forming young minds and leading them as faithful disciples of Christ.” Rev. Brown serves pre-K to fourth-grade students, a period that Principal Patricia Klebez identifies as vital for academic and personal development. Education Insider noted, “The school is committed to nurturing the whole child academically, spiritually, socially, emotionally, and physically.” At Rev. Brown, that calling is visible in every classroom, prayer, and relationship. It is a place where faith and future work together to give children the strongest possible start in life. It is not simply preparing students for the next grade or the next school, but equipping them with the skills, discipline, and faith needed to live with purpose, compassion, and hope for a lifetime, Klebez said. “It is a tremendous privilege to be named among Education Insider’s Top Catholic Schools for 2026,” Klebez said. “We are always working to be like Jesus. To live like him, to act like him, and to understand that though we are imperfect, every day we can try to be better than the day before.” To read the full article about Rev. Brown from Education Insider, visit https://www.educationinsidermagazine.com/reverend-george-a-brown-memorial-school-2026 In a world that often separates faith from academics, Pope John XXIII Middle School stands out by seamlessly integrating both, unlike many schools. Students are encouraged to reflect deeply on their studies, recognizing that education is not merely about acquiring facts but about shaping their futures as thoughtful, responsible individuals. In their selection, Education Insider notes about Pope John, “The integration of faith into the curriculum helps students understand the world in a broader context, making lessons resonate more deeply.” As Pope John moves forward, its commitment to excellence, faith, and character remains constant. With a strong foundation rooted in Catholic values, an academically rigorous curriculum, and a deep sense of community, the school continues to prepare students for success in both their education and life beyond the classroom, said Susan Santore, principal. “It is an honor to be named among Education Insider’s Top Catholic Schools for 2026,” said Susan Santore, Pope John’s principal. “We are a Catholic school, and with that comes a responsibility not just to educate, but to form students in the image of God. Our goal is to create a space where students grow not only in knowledge but also in compassion, integrity, and faith. That is what makes it unique and one of the top Catholic Schools.” Read the full article about Pope John from Education Insider magazine. Susan Santore, principal of Pope John XXIII Middle School, observes the work pf two  students on computers. Education Insider Magazine named Pope John and the Rev. George A. Brown Memorial School,  both part of the Catholic Academy of Sussex County in Sparta, N.J., as a Top Catholic Schools 2026.
Read More

Remarkable feat: 2 Sparta Catholic schools notch national recognition #Catholic – The Catholic Academy of Sussex County in Sparta, N.J., proudly announces that both Rev. George A. Brown Memorial School, which provides elementary education, and Pope John XXIII Middle School have been named Top Catholic Schools 2026 by Education Insider Magazine.  They were among 17 U.S. Catholic schools recognized. The honor highlights the schools’ academic excellence, faith-centered communities, and holistic development. A definitive source in education, Education Insider covers the full learning continuum, from kindergarten to 12th grade and higher education. Its list recognizes “institutions excelling in academics while fostering spiritual growth and leadership.” Stakeholders nominated schools, which industry experts vetted. The two Catholic Academy schools joined another New Jersey school, Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, in the Newark Archdiocese as a Top Catholic School 2026. Rev. Brown School and Pope John XXIII Middle School are two distinct schools within the Catholic Academy of Sussex County, which also includes Pope John XXIII Regional High School. The academy offers a seamless Pre-K to 12th-grade experience in a faith-filled, academic environment, aiming to create future leaders and encouraging students to honor the Father in all they do. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Pleased with these dual accolades, Daniel O’Keefe, Catholic Academy’s president, said, “We are honored to be recognized for what is truly a collaborative award that is a result of the continuous hard work and dedication of so many people. This recognition motivates us to continue our vocation in forming young minds and leading them as faithful disciples of Christ.” Rev. Brown serves pre-K to fourth-grade students, a period that Principal Patricia Klebez identifies as vital for academic and personal development. Education Insider noted, “The school is committed to nurturing the whole child academically, spiritually, socially, emotionally, and physically.” At Rev. Brown, that calling is visible in every classroom, prayer, and relationship. It is a place where faith and future work together to give children the strongest possible start in life. It is not simply preparing students for the next grade or the next school, but equipping them with the skills, discipline, and faith needed to live with purpose, compassion, and hope for a lifetime, Klebez said. “It is a tremendous privilege to be named among Education Insider’s Top Catholic Schools for 2026,” Klebez said. “We are always working to be like Jesus. To live like him, to act like him, and to understand that though we are imperfect, every day we can try to be better than the day before.” To read the full article about Rev. Brown from Education Insider, visit https://www.educationinsidermagazine.com/reverend-george-a-brown-memorial-school-2026 In a world that often separates faith from academics, Pope John XXIII Middle School stands out by seamlessly integrating both, unlike many schools. Students are encouraged to reflect deeply on their studies, recognizing that education is not merely about acquiring facts but about shaping their futures as thoughtful, responsible individuals. In their selection, Education Insider notes about Pope John, “The integration of faith into the curriculum helps students understand the world in a broader context, making lessons resonate more deeply.” As Pope John moves forward, its commitment to excellence, faith, and character remains constant. With a strong foundation rooted in Catholic values, an academically rigorous curriculum, and a deep sense of community, the school continues to prepare students for success in both their education and life beyond the classroom, said Susan Santore, principal. “It is an honor to be named among Education Insider’s Top Catholic Schools for 2026,” said Susan Santore, Pope John’s principal. “We are a Catholic school, and with that comes a responsibility not just to educate, but to form students in the image of God. Our goal is to create a space where students grow not only in knowledge but also in compassion, integrity, and faith. That is what makes it unique and one of the top Catholic Schools.” Read the full article about Pope John from Education Insider magazine. Susan Santore, principal of Pope John XXIII Middle School, observes the work pf two  students on computers. Education Insider Magazine named Pope John and the Rev. George A. Brown Memorial School,  both part of the Catholic Academy of Sussex County in Sparta, N.J., as a Top Catholic Schools 2026.

unitedyam

Remarkable feat: 2 Sparta Catholic schools notch national recognition #Catholic –

The Catholic Academy of Sussex County in Sparta, N.J., proudly announces that both Rev. George A. Brown Memorial School, which provides elementary education, and Pope John XXIII Middle School have been named Top Catholic Schools 2026 by Education Insider Magazine.  They were among 17 U.S. Catholic schools recognized. The honor highlights the schools’ academic excellence, faith-centered communities, and holistic development.

A definitive source in education, Education Insider covers the full learning continuum, from kindergarten to 12th grade and higher education. Its list recognizes “institutions excelling in academics while fostering spiritual growth and leadership.” Stakeholders nominated schools, which industry experts vetted.

The two Catholic Academy schools joined another New Jersey school, Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, in the Newark Archdiocese as a Top Catholic School 2026.

Rev. Brown School and Pope John XXIII Middle School are two distinct schools within the Catholic Academy of Sussex County, which also includes Pope John XXIII Regional High School. The academy offers a seamless Pre-K to 12th-grade experience in a faith-filled, academic environment, aiming to create future leaders and encouraging students to honor the Father in all they do.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Pleased with these dual accolades, Daniel O’Keefe, Catholic Academy’s president, said, “We are honored to be recognized for what is truly a collaborative award that is a result of the continuous hard work and dedication of so many people. This recognition motivates us to continue our vocation in forming young minds and leading them as faithful disciples of Christ.”

Rev. Brown serves pre-K to fourth-grade students, a period that Principal Patricia Klebez identifies as vital for academic and personal development. Education Insider noted, “The school is committed to nurturing the whole child academically, spiritually, socially, emotionally, and physically.”

At Rev. Brown, that calling is visible in every classroom, prayer, and relationship. It is a place where faith and future work together to give children the strongest possible start in life. It is not simply preparing students for the next grade or the next school, but equipping them with the skills, discipline, and faith needed to live with purpose, compassion, and hope for a lifetime, Klebez said.

“It is a tremendous privilege to be named among Education Insider’s Top Catholic Schools for 2026,” Klebez said. “We are always working to be like Jesus. To live like him, to act like him, and to understand that though we are imperfect, every day we can try to be better than the day before.”

To read the full article about Rev. Brown from Education Insider, visit https://www.educationinsidermagazine.com/reverend-george-a-brown-memorial-school-2026

In a world that often separates faith from academics, Pope John XXIII Middle School stands out by seamlessly integrating both, unlike many schools. Students are encouraged to reflect deeply on their studies, recognizing that education is not merely about acquiring facts but about shaping their futures as thoughtful, responsible individuals. In their selection, Education Insider notes about Pope John, “The integration of faith into the curriculum helps students understand the world in a broader context, making lessons resonate more deeply.”

As Pope John moves forward, its commitment to excellence, faith, and character remains constant. With a strong foundation rooted in Catholic values, an academically rigorous curriculum, and a deep sense of community, the school continues to prepare students for success in both their education and life beyond the classroom, said Susan Santore, principal.

“It is an honor to be named among Education Insider’s Top Catholic Schools for 2026,” said Susan Santore, Pope John’s principal. “We are a Catholic school, and with that comes a responsibility not just to educate, but to form students in the image of God. Our goal is to create a space where students grow not only in knowledge but also in compassion, integrity, and faith. That is what makes it unique and one of the top Catholic Schools.”

Read the full article about Pope John from Education Insider magazine.

Susan Santore, principal of Pope John XXIII Middle School, observes the work pf two  students on computers. Education Insider Magazine named Pope John and the Rev. George A. Brown Memorial School,  both part of the Catholic Academy of Sussex County in Sparta, N.J., as a Top Catholic Schools 2026.

– The Catholic Academy of Sussex County in Sparta, N.J., proudly announces that both Rev. George A. Brown Memorial School, which provides elementary education, and Pope John XXIII Middle School have been named Top Catholic Schools 2026 by Education Insider Magazine.  They were among 17 U.S. Catholic schools recognized. The honor highlights the schools’ academic excellence, faith-centered communities, and holistic development. A definitive source in education, Education Insider covers the full learning continuum, from kindergarten to 12th grade and higher education. Its list recognizes “institutions excelling in academics while fostering spiritual growth and leadership.” Stakeholders nominated schools, which industry experts vetted.

Read More
‘My trust was in God’: Priest recounts flight from Holy Land amid Iranian conflict #Catholic A Jesuit priest says he has a “much larger perspective” of the crisis of war after fleeing the Holy Land at the outset of U.S. and Israeli aggressions against Iran.Father Anthony Wieck, SJ, told EWTN News he was leading a pilgrimage of about 20 Catholics in the Holy Land when the war began on Feb. 28.“We had just spent a week in Galilee and prayed our way through the holy sites of Jesus’ teaching and miracles,” Wieck said, describing the region as “a lovely land [God] created for himself to enjoy on this earth.”The group arrived in Jerusalem on Feb. 26, he said, and the next day word began to spread of the need to evacuate from the region. Several pilgrims were able to leave immediately, Wieck said, while others who attempted to leave the next day were unable to get a flight out and eventually had to return to the pilgrim group.Ben Gurion International Airport “is not a safe place to be because there are military installations near the airport,” he said. “Iranian missiles were being sent that way, and our people ... were taken into the bomb shelter five stories down below the airport.”Wieck said that even as the conflict broke out, his group still toured holy sites, including the Church of the Pater Noster, where tradition holds that Christ taught the disciples to pray the Our Father. “We were instructed by our guide to continue the tour and to simply seek cover whenever the sirens went off,” he said, pointing out that “those living in Jerusalem are so used to warning sirens there that they have much less fear than we do. They’re observant but not fearful. And we were trusting them.”The priest was offering a chanted Mass at the Dominus Flevit Church while explosions sounded in the distance as Israel’s Iron Dome intercepted Iranian missiles.“It was scary, yes,” Wieck said. “But I continued the Mass with trust, and after Communion (before the final prayer) asked all pilgrims to pray for a couple minutes regarding where the Lord was in all of this situation.” Father Anthony Wieck, SJ, says Mass at the Dominus Flevit Church in Jerusalem on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. | Credit: Father Anthony Wieck, SJ After Mass, a group of pilgrims from Kansas joined them in the church amid sirens and explosions in the surrounding region. “It struck me as supremely important that we not make decisions based on fear but on faith,” he said.The priest’s group took a truncated walking tour of Jerusalem, he said, which “became eerily quiet that evening.”The tour company ordered them to evacuate the following morning.  Departing for Jordan, the group found itself stuck amid a crush of evacuations in the area. “A typical two-hour trip to Amman, Jordan, took us seven hours,” Wieck said. And while the group initially “felt much safer being outside of Jerusalem,” they eventually felt “locked in” at their hotel, particularly amid mass flight cancellations. Missile contrails are seen over the Holy Land region on Sunday, March 1, 2026. | Credit: Father Anthony Wieck, SJ Jordanians in the area kept assuring the Americans that the country’s King Abdullah II would protect them. “Not feeling the same allegiance to their king, my trust was in God,” the priest said.The U.S. Department of State provided military evacuations to Americans in the area. “Little by little, our pilgrims found an occasional flight that [shuttled] them out of the war zone,” Wieck said. The priest and one other pilgrim, a religious from Phoenix, were the last from their group to remain in Jordan before they took a flight with Royal Jordanian Airlines on March 4. Wieck said the pilot took “great efforts to circumvent Israeli airspace.” The air carrier “was bold enough to keep to their travel plans despite the threats,” Wieck said, describing the airline as “my new favorite.” ‘Truly a Catholic experience’Wieck told EWTN News that he “would not say that I was stellar in my response to what God was doing here.” “I wanted to pray much but felt so much stress and trauma around me that it was truly difficult,” he said. “I was exhausted.”Yet during the frightening evacuation, he said, “hundreds of people” back home were lifting up the pilgrims with prayers and sacrifices. “They knew our plight was becoming a bit more grave,” he said.Back home in the U.S., Wieck, who lives in Louisiana, said he was still reflecting on what happened but said the harrowing ordeal gave him “a much larger perspective to have experienced profoundly how much we need the help of our brothers and sisters in times of crisis.”“It was truly a Catholic experience,” he said.“Though as humans we usually don’t carry our crosses in times of crisis all that well, our brothers and sisters in the faith can see us through. That was my experience,” he said.“How wonderful it is to be Catholic!” he added.
Read More

‘My trust was in God’: Priest recounts flight from Holy Land amid Iranian conflict #Catholic A Jesuit priest says he has a “much larger perspective” of the crisis of war after fleeing the Holy Land at the outset of U.S. and Israeli aggressions against Iran.Father Anthony Wieck, SJ, told EWTN News he was leading a pilgrimage of about 20 Catholics in the Holy Land when the war began on Feb. 28.“We had just spent a week in Galilee and prayed our way through the holy sites of Jesus’ teaching and miracles,” Wieck said, describing the region as “a lovely land [God] created for himself to enjoy on this earth.”The group arrived in Jerusalem on Feb. 26, he said, and the next day word began to spread of the need to evacuate from the region. Several pilgrims were able to leave immediately, Wieck said, while others who attempted to leave the next day were unable to get a flight out and eventually had to return to the pilgrim group.Ben Gurion International Airport “is not a safe place to be because there are military installations near the airport,” he said. “Iranian missiles were being sent that way, and our people … were taken into the bomb shelter five stories down below the airport.”Wieck said that even as the conflict broke out, his group still toured holy sites, including the Church of the Pater Noster, where tradition holds that Christ taught the disciples to pray the Our Father. “We were instructed by our guide to continue the tour and to simply seek cover whenever the sirens went off,” he said, pointing out that “those living in Jerusalem are so used to warning sirens there that they have much less fear than we do. They’re observant but not fearful. And we were trusting them.”The priest was offering a chanted Mass at the Dominus Flevit Church while explosions sounded in the distance as Israel’s Iron Dome intercepted Iranian missiles.“It was scary, yes,” Wieck said. “But I continued the Mass with trust, and after Communion (before the final prayer) asked all pilgrims to pray for a couple minutes regarding where the Lord was in all of this situation.” Father Anthony Wieck, SJ, says Mass at the Dominus Flevit Church in Jerusalem on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. | Credit: Father Anthony Wieck, SJ After Mass, a group of pilgrims from Kansas joined them in the church amid sirens and explosions in the surrounding region. “It struck me as supremely important that we not make decisions based on fear but on faith,” he said.The priest’s group took a truncated walking tour of Jerusalem, he said, which “became eerily quiet that evening.”The tour company ordered them to evacuate the following morning.  Departing for Jordan, the group found itself stuck amid a crush of evacuations in the area. “A typical two-hour trip to Amman, Jordan, took us seven hours,” Wieck said. And while the group initially “felt much safer being outside of Jerusalem,” they eventually felt “locked in” at their hotel, particularly amid mass flight cancellations. Missile contrails are seen over the Holy Land region on Sunday, March 1, 2026. | Credit: Father Anthony Wieck, SJ Jordanians in the area kept assuring the Americans that the country’s King Abdullah II would protect them. “Not feeling the same allegiance to their king, my trust was in God,” the priest said.The U.S. Department of State provided military evacuations to Americans in the area. “Little by little, our pilgrims found an occasional flight that [shuttled] them out of the war zone,” Wieck said. The priest and one other pilgrim, a religious from Phoenix, were the last from their group to remain in Jordan before they took a flight with Royal Jordanian Airlines on March 4. Wieck said the pilot took “great efforts to circumvent Israeli airspace.” The air carrier “was bold enough to keep to their travel plans despite the threats,” Wieck said, describing the airline as “my new favorite.” ‘Truly a Catholic experience’Wieck told EWTN News that he “would not say that I was stellar in my response to what God was doing here.” “I wanted to pray much but felt so much stress and trauma around me that it was truly difficult,” he said. “I was exhausted.”Yet during the frightening evacuation, he said, “hundreds of people” back home were lifting up the pilgrims with prayers and sacrifices. “They knew our plight was becoming a bit more grave,” he said.Back home in the U.S., Wieck, who lives in Louisiana, said he was still reflecting on what happened but said the harrowing ordeal gave him “a much larger perspective to have experienced profoundly how much we need the help of our brothers and sisters in times of crisis.”“It was truly a Catholic experience,” he said.“Though as humans we usually don’t carry our crosses in times of crisis all that well, our brothers and sisters in the faith can see us through. That was my experience,” he said.“How wonderful it is to be Catholic!” he added.

unitedyam

Father Anthony Wieck, SJ, was leading a group of pilgrims in Jerusalem when the U.S. and Israel began launching strikes against Iran.

Read More

Astronomers confirm potentially habitable exoplanet in the solar neighborhood

unitedyam

A team of scientists has confirmed that the nearby star GJ 887 hosts at least four planets, one of which could be a habitable world — the second closest to our own solar system. M dwarfs are the most prevalent stars in our galaxy and are some of the best targets for hunting exoplanets. TheirContinue reading “Astronomers confirm potentially habitable exoplanet in the solar neighborhood”

The post Astronomers confirm potentially habitable exoplanet in the solar neighborhood appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Read More
Cardinal Zen urges Society of St. Pius X to trust Pope Leo #Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, a prominent supporter of the Traditional Latin Mass, has urged the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to avoid schism by listening to Pope Leo XIV’s explanations of the Second Vatican Council.In a comment posted to X in Italian on Friday, the 94-year-old Chinese prelate weighed in on the ongoing discussions between the Holy See and the society, which has said it will consecrate bishops without papal approval.Zen’s comment follows those of Cardinals Gerhard Müller and Robert Sarah, who criticized the society for moving forward with its plan to consecrate bishops in defiance of the Vatican.“Pope Leo is one who listens! He understands and will make his children understand that certain things perpetrated in the name of the so-called ‘spirit of the council,’ but contrary to the Church’s tradition, are not of the council,” the cardinal wrote.He noted that even traditionalists are divided over the SSPX consecrations. “A schism must be avoided at all costs, because it will cause serious and lasting damage to the Church; but on the other hand, we must also respect a major problem of conscience: ‘How can we force someone to follow teachings that clearly deny the holy tradition of the Church?’” Zen said.Zen also accused the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, of wanting “to dismantle the Church’s traditions.”“The SSPX has been sent to dialogue with the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, but is there any hope to be gained from this dialogue?” he said.He also compared the discussions between the SSPX and the DDF to the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers. He identified the SSPX as Joseph, Fernández as Joseph’s brothers, and Pope Leo XIV as Reuben, who saved Joseph from his brothers.The SSPX — which exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass — published a statement in February defending its decision to consecrate bishops and the breakdown in discussions with the Vatican. Under canon law, a bishop who consecrates another bishop without a papal mandate incurs automatic excommunication along with the one who was consecrated.Zen slammed synodality at the consistory of cardinals in January. He is also an outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the 2018 Vatican-China deal.
Read More

Cardinal Zen urges Society of St. Pius X to trust Pope Leo #Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, a prominent supporter of the Traditional Latin Mass, has urged the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to avoid schism by listening to Pope Leo XIV’s explanations of the Second Vatican Council.In a comment posted to X in Italian on Friday, the 94-year-old Chinese prelate weighed in on the ongoing discussions between the Holy See and the society, which has said it will consecrate bishops without papal approval.Zen’s comment follows those of Cardinals Gerhard Müller and Robert Sarah, who criticized the society for moving forward with its plan to consecrate bishops in defiance of the Vatican.“Pope Leo is one who listens! He understands and will make his children understand that certain things perpetrated in the name of the so-called ‘spirit of the council,’ but contrary to the Church’s tradition, are not of the council,” the cardinal wrote.He noted that even traditionalists are divided over the SSPX consecrations. “A schism must be avoided at all costs, because it will cause serious and lasting damage to the Church; but on the other hand, we must also respect a major problem of conscience: ‘How can we force someone to follow teachings that clearly deny the holy tradition of the Church?’” Zen said.Zen also accused the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, of wanting “to dismantle the Church’s traditions.”“The SSPX has been sent to dialogue with the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, but is there any hope to be gained from this dialogue?” he said.He also compared the discussions between the SSPX and the DDF to the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers. He identified the SSPX as Joseph, Fernández as Joseph’s brothers, and Pope Leo XIV as Reuben, who saved Joseph from his brothers.The SSPX — which exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass — published a statement in February defending its decision to consecrate bishops and the breakdown in discussions with the Vatican. Under canon law, a bishop who consecrates another bishop without a papal mandate incurs automatic excommunication along with the one who was consecrated.Zen slammed synodality at the consistory of cardinals in January. He is also an outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the 2018 Vatican-China deal.

unitedyam

The 94-year-old Chinese prelate weighed in on the ongoing discussions between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X in a post on X.

Read More
Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women aids with career development #Catholic – Dailyn Franco, a member of the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women (PNCW), has recently made plans to pursue certificate training in a certified nursing assistant certification program at Hackensack University Medical Center. Franco, who takes English language classes at the center — one of many classes offered at the facility — is pictured sharing the news with Sister Margaret Gaffikin, of the Daughters of St. Paul, one of the Conversational English volunteers and a core member of the volunteer team at PNCW. For more information about programs, services, workshops and upcoming events at PNCW, please go to www.ncwpassaic.org. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Read More

Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women aids with career development #Catholic – Dailyn Franco, a member of the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women (PNCW), has recently made plans to pursue certificate training in a certified nursing assistant certification program at Hackensack University Medical Center. Franco, who takes English language classes at the center — one of many classes offered at the facility — is pictured sharing the news with Sister Margaret Gaffikin, of the Daughters of St. Paul, one of the Conversational English volunteers and a core member of the volunteer team at PNCW. For more information about programs, services, workshops and upcoming events at PNCW, please go to www.ncwpassaic.org. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

unitedyam

Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women aids with career development #Catholic –

Dailyn Franco, a member of the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women (PNCW), has recently made plans to pursue certificate training in a certified nursing assistant certification program at Hackensack University Medical Center. Franco, who takes English language classes at the center — one of many classes offered at the facility — is pictured sharing the news with Sister Margaret Gaffikin, of the Daughters of St. Paul, one of the Conversational English volunteers and a core member of the volunteer team at PNCW.

For more information about programs, services, workshops and upcoming events at PNCW, please go to www.ncwpassaic.org.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– Dailyn Franco, a member of the Passaic Neighborhood Center for Women (PNCW), has recently made plans to pursue certificate training in a certified nursing assistant certification program at Hackensack University Medical Center. Franco, who takes English language classes at the center — one of many classes offered at the facility — is pictured sharing the news with Sister Margaret Gaffikin, of the Daughters of St. Paul, one of the Conversational English volunteers and a core member of the volunteer team at PNCW. For more information about programs, services, workshops and upcoming events at PNCW, please go to www.ncwpassaic.org. Click here

Read More

The Sky This Week from March 6 to 13: The Moon and Antares

unitedyam

Sky This Week is brought to you in part by Celestron. Friday, March 6With no Moon in the early-evening sky, let’s chase down a classic deep-sky object tonight: M1, the first entry in Charles Messier’s list of “not comets” and also known as the Crab Nebula.  This smudge of gas and dust left over fromContinue reading “The Sky This Week from March 6 to 13: The Moon and Antares”

The post The Sky This Week from March 6 to 13: The Moon and Antares appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Read More