Day: March 24, 2026

Pakistan Christian prisoners rebuild lives after church bombings #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — Every year during Lent, Sunil Masih remembers his elder brother as churches in Youhanabad — Lahore’s largest squatter settlement for poor Christians — mark the anniversary of the 2015 church bombings.The four Catholic brothers were among more than 150 Christians arrested by police days after twin suicide attacks on St. John’s Catholic Church and Christ Church on March 15, 2015, which killed at least 19 people and injured hundreds. The attacks were claimed by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an offshoot of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.The bombings sparked mob violence that mistakenly killed two Muslim men, who were later identified and detained through raids and video evidence. Sunil Masih stands beside his vegetable cart in front of his family’s former milk shop in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry Masih, now 28, said the trauma of prison changed him forever.“They hurled abuses at us, beat us with strips cut from vehicle tires, and in jail we were given old dried roti [flat bread],” he told EWTN News. “Water from the greasy toilet taps was served for drinking. Family meetings were allowed only after a month. It was a hellhole on earth.”He and his brother Sadaqat Perwaiz — popularly known as Monty — were released after six months in Central Jail Lahore. One brother, however, remained among 42 Christians and one Muslim charged in the lynching case.Devastation beyond prisonThe protracted court proceedings devastated the family’s four-decade-old milk business, saddled them with mounting debts, and forced the sale of their 680-square-foot home.Their worries deepened after two Christian inmates, Inderyas Masih, 36, and Usman Shaukat, 29, died in custody under suspicious circumstances during the trial. Police claimed tuberculosis and a heart attack, respectively, while families and the British Pakistani Christian Association reported bruises and unexplained injuries. Pakistani police stand guard outside St. John’s Catholic Church in Youhanabad, Lahore, on March 15, 2025. Posters of Servant of God Akash Bashir flank the entrance gate on the 10th anniversary of twin suicide bombings that struck the neighborhood. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry In January 2020, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the remaining 39 accused after blood money (Diyat) of 25 million rupees ($89,800) was paid to the victims’ families by Pastor Anwar Fazal, a prominent Christian televangelist.Under the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance 1990, introduced during Gen. Ziaul Haq’s Islamization process, courts calculate compensation based on the financial capacity of the convict and the victim’s heirs, with a minimum value linked to 30,630 grams of silver.Monty died of a heart attack in 2022, leaving behind two children aged 10 and 14. His faded poster still hangs in front of the family’s closed milk shop.“He was a stout man, known for his strong community ties and friendly nature in our neighborhood. Prison left him very lean and weakened by an infection that caused his legs to swell beneath the knees and bleed,” Masih said.Today, Sunil Masih sells vegetables from a wooden cart in front of the same shop, now leased to a real estate dealer. He hopes to marry once his new business stabilizes.‘The gift of a hero’On March 15, police guarded churches in Youhanabad, which houses more than 150,000 Christians, as the community observed the 11th bombing anniversary.At St. John’s, parishioners lit candles and placed flowers beneath a banner honoring Akash Bashir, the 20-year-old security volunteer who died preventing a suicide bomber from entering the church during that Sunday Mass.“Salute and gratitude to the martyrs of Youhanabad,” read the banner near the Marian grotto. In January 2022, the Vatican recognized Bashir as a servant of God, making him the first Pakistani Catholic on the path to canonization. Father Akram Javed (fifth from right), parish priest of St. John’s Catholic Church, lights a memorial candle for Servant of God Akash Bashir at a commemoration in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry Father Akram Javed, parish priest of St. John’s, thanked police for security.“A group of 30 local volunteers carry on Akash’s mission, protecting the church and worshippers. The bombings were a terrible tragedy, but in that darkness, we received the gift of a hero,” he told EWTN News.‘The bombing was a national tragedy’Pentecostal politician Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, who spent five years in prison, sees the anniversary as a moment of reflection for Pakistan’s 3.3 million Christians, many of whom continue to face discrimination, economic hardship, and lingering trauma. A man prays outside a church in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025, during commemorations marking the anniversary of the twin suicide bombings. Banners honoring Akash Bashir are visible in the background. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry “The bombing was a national tragedy from which the authorities learnt nothing. We continue to suffer losses due to terrorism, with sporadic attacks targeting minority communities and security forces,” said the 65-year-old head of the Massiha Millat Party (Christian Nation Party).He alleged prison authorities tried to manipulate him, introducing Muslim prisoners to persuade him to stay passive.“Despite back pain from four displaced vertebrae, my time in prison strengthened my faith and resolve for activism. The trend of arresting Christians for alleged blasphemy to appease angry crowds will continue unless investigations are conducted on merit,” he added. Pakistani bishops demand probe into death of Christian farmworker The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its 2025 annual report, said religious freedom in Pakistan continued to deteriorate, recommending it be designated a “country of particular concern,” citing blasphemy-related prosecutions, mob violence, and forced conversions targeting Christians and other minorities, and a growing climate of fear and impunity.
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Pakistan Christian prisoners rebuild lives after church bombings #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — Every year during Lent, Sunil Masih remembers his elder brother as churches in Youhanabad — Lahore’s largest squatter settlement for poor Christians — mark the anniversary of the 2015 church bombings.The four Catholic brothers were among more than 150 Christians arrested by police days after twin suicide attacks on St. John’s Catholic Church and Christ Church on March 15, 2015, which killed at least 19 people and injured hundreds. The attacks were claimed by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an offshoot of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.The bombings sparked mob violence that mistakenly killed two Muslim men, who were later identified and detained through raids and video evidence. Sunil Masih stands beside his vegetable cart in front of his family’s former milk shop in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry Masih, now 28, said the trauma of prison changed him forever.“They hurled abuses at us, beat us with strips cut from vehicle tires, and in jail we were given old dried roti [flat bread],” he told EWTN News. “Water from the greasy toilet taps was served for drinking. Family meetings were allowed only after a month. It was a hellhole on earth.”He and his brother Sadaqat Perwaiz — popularly known as Monty — were released after six months in Central Jail Lahore. One brother, however, remained among 42 Christians and one Muslim charged in the lynching case.Devastation beyond prisonThe protracted court proceedings devastated the family’s four-decade-old milk business, saddled them with mounting debts, and forced the sale of their 680-square-foot home.Their worries deepened after two Christian inmates, Inderyas Masih, 36, and Usman Shaukat, 29, died in custody under suspicious circumstances during the trial. Police claimed tuberculosis and a heart attack, respectively, while families and the British Pakistani Christian Association reported bruises and unexplained injuries. Pakistani police stand guard outside St. John’s Catholic Church in Youhanabad, Lahore, on March 15, 2025. Posters of Servant of God Akash Bashir flank the entrance gate on the 10th anniversary of twin suicide bombings that struck the neighborhood. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry In January 2020, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the remaining 39 accused after blood money (Diyat) of 25 million rupees ($89,800) was paid to the victims’ families by Pastor Anwar Fazal, a prominent Christian televangelist.Under the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance 1990, introduced during Gen. Ziaul Haq’s Islamization process, courts calculate compensation based on the financial capacity of the convict and the victim’s heirs, with a minimum value linked to 30,630 grams of silver.Monty died of a heart attack in 2022, leaving behind two children aged 10 and 14. His faded poster still hangs in front of the family’s closed milk shop.“He was a stout man, known for his strong community ties and friendly nature in our neighborhood. Prison left him very lean and weakened by an infection that caused his legs to swell beneath the knees and bleed,” Masih said.Today, Sunil Masih sells vegetables from a wooden cart in front of the same shop, now leased to a real estate dealer. He hopes to marry once his new business stabilizes.‘The gift of a hero’On March 15, police guarded churches in Youhanabad, which houses more than 150,000 Christians, as the community observed the 11th bombing anniversary.At St. John’s, parishioners lit candles and placed flowers beneath a banner honoring Akash Bashir, the 20-year-old security volunteer who died preventing a suicide bomber from entering the church during that Sunday Mass.“Salute and gratitude to the martyrs of Youhanabad,” read the banner near the Marian grotto. In January 2022, the Vatican recognized Bashir as a servant of God, making him the first Pakistani Catholic on the path to canonization. Father Akram Javed (fifth from right), parish priest of St. John’s Catholic Church, lights a memorial candle for Servant of God Akash Bashir at a commemoration in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry Father Akram Javed, parish priest of St. John’s, thanked police for security.“A group of 30 local volunteers carry on Akash’s mission, protecting the church and worshippers. The bombings were a terrible tragedy, but in that darkness, we received the gift of a hero,” he told EWTN News.‘The bombing was a national tragedy’Pentecostal politician Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, who spent five years in prison, sees the anniversary as a moment of reflection for Pakistan’s 3.3 million Christians, many of whom continue to face discrimination, economic hardship, and lingering trauma. A man prays outside a church in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025, during commemorations marking the anniversary of the twin suicide bombings. Banners honoring Akash Bashir are visible in the background. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry “The bombing was a national tragedy from which the authorities learnt nothing. We continue to suffer losses due to terrorism, with sporadic attacks targeting minority communities and security forces,” said the 65-year-old head of the Massiha Millat Party (Christian Nation Party).He alleged prison authorities tried to manipulate him, introducing Muslim prisoners to persuade him to stay passive.“Despite back pain from four displaced vertebrae, my time in prison strengthened my faith and resolve for activism. The trend of arresting Christians for alleged blasphemy to appease angry crowds will continue unless investigations are conducted on merit,” he added. Pakistani bishops demand probe into death of Christian farmworker The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its 2025 annual report, said religious freedom in Pakistan continued to deteriorate, recommending it be designated a “country of particular concern,” citing blasphemy-related prosecutions, mob violence, and forced conversions targeting Christians and other minorities, and a growing climate of fear and impunity.

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Eleven years after twin suicide bombings struck two Pakistan churches, survivors of mass arrests still bear the scars as a young martyr who died stopping the attack moves toward sainthood.

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Yad Vashem chief: Holocaust memory is key to fighting antisemitism #Catholic Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, said that remembering and honoring the Holocaust is essential to combating rising antisemitism worldwide.Dayan, who met with Pope Leo XIV on March 23 together with Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said their conversation focused on “two issues: the historical remembrance, the need to remember, to know about the Holocaust — but not just for the sake of history, also for the sake of the present and the sake of the future.”We have to make sure that an “atrocity like this cannot happen again — not to the Jewish people, not to any other people,” he said.He added that antisemitism is “raising its ugly head again all over the world” and that the two issues are closely linked.“I think that knowing about the Holocaust, learning about the Holocaust, remembering, honoring the Holocaust is one of the tools to combat antisemitism,” Dayan said.‘Antisemitism is bigotry’Asked whether Israeli policy risks fueling antisemitism, Dayan rejected the premise.“I think antisemitism should not have palliative reasons. Antisemitism is bigotry, antisemitism is racism, and it’s completely independent of anything that Israel does or does not,” he said.He described antisemitism as a unifying force among otherwise opposed extremist groups.“In many sectors in the world, antisemitism has become the common denominator, the lingua franca of all the extremists in the world — left-wing extremists, right-wing extremists, religious extremists, Islamist extremists, and many others,” he said.“They hate each other on any other issue… [but] they don’t only agree, they even collaborate.”“Antisemitism should not be understood. It should be combated without any reservation,” he added, noting he found “full agreement” with Pope Leo XIV on the point.Memory, politics, and responsibilityDayan emphasized the distinction between Holocaust remembrance and contemporary political debates.“The policy and Holocaust remembrance are two completely different things,” he said, while noting that the Holocaust remains “omnipresent in the back of our minds” for many Jews and continues to shape collective identity.He said the obligation to remember the Holocaust is “threefold”: for the future, to build a world free of bigotry and genocide; for the present, amid resurging antisemitism; and as a moral duty to the victims.“Six million victims that were massacred by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Shoah deserve to be remembered,” he said. “It’s a debt that we have to maintain.”A shared history and a future visit?Reflecting on relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, Dayan pointed to the significance of papal visits to Yad Vashem.He presented Pope Leo XIV with a painting by Jewish artist Carol Deutsch, created during the Shoah, depicting the biblical question “Adam, where are you?”He linked the image to Pope Francis’ address at Yad Vashem, in which the late pope asked: “Where was humanity?”Dayan expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would visit Yad Vashem in the future, “when circumstances allow it.”‘Peace is an imperative’Asked about the role of believers in promoting peace, Dayan said the memory of the Holocaust underscores the urgency of that mission.“To yearn for it and to act for it,” he said. “Learning about the Holocaust… is one of the greatest motivations a person can have to understand that peace is an imperative.”He acknowledged that he once believed the devastation of World War II and the Holocaust would end war and antisemitism.“Unfortunately… I was very naive in that respect. We have to work harder, all of us, in order to make that a reality in the future,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Yad Vashem chief: Holocaust memory is key to fighting antisemitism #Catholic Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, said that remembering and honoring the Holocaust is essential to combating rising antisemitism worldwide.Dayan, who met with Pope Leo XIV on March 23 together with Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said their conversation focused on “two issues: the historical remembrance, the need to remember, to know about the Holocaust — but not just for the sake of history, also for the sake of the present and the sake of the future.”We have to make sure that an “atrocity like this cannot happen again — not to the Jewish people, not to any other people,” he said.He added that antisemitism is “raising its ugly head again all over the world” and that the two issues are closely linked.“I think that knowing about the Holocaust, learning about the Holocaust, remembering, honoring the Holocaust is one of the tools to combat antisemitism,” Dayan said.‘Antisemitism is bigotry’Asked whether Israeli policy risks fueling antisemitism, Dayan rejected the premise.“I think antisemitism should not have palliative reasons. Antisemitism is bigotry, antisemitism is racism, and it’s completely independent of anything that Israel does or does not,” he said.He described antisemitism as a unifying force among otherwise opposed extremist groups.“In many sectors in the world, antisemitism has become the common denominator, the lingua franca of all the extremists in the world — left-wing extremists, right-wing extremists, religious extremists, Islamist extremists, and many others,” he said.“They hate each other on any other issue… [but] they don’t only agree, they even collaborate.”“Antisemitism should not be understood. It should be combated without any reservation,” he added, noting he found “full agreement” with Pope Leo XIV on the point.Memory, politics, and responsibilityDayan emphasized the distinction between Holocaust remembrance and contemporary political debates.“The policy and Holocaust remembrance are two completely different things,” he said, while noting that the Holocaust remains “omnipresent in the back of our minds” for many Jews and continues to shape collective identity.He said the obligation to remember the Holocaust is “threefold”: for the future, to build a world free of bigotry and genocide; for the present, amid resurging antisemitism; and as a moral duty to the victims.“Six million victims that were massacred by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Shoah deserve to be remembered,” he said. “It’s a debt that we have to maintain.”A shared history and a future visit?Reflecting on relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, Dayan pointed to the significance of papal visits to Yad Vashem.He presented Pope Leo XIV with a painting by Jewish artist Carol Deutsch, created during the Shoah, depicting the biblical question “Adam, where are you?”He linked the image to Pope Francis’ address at Yad Vashem, in which the late pope asked: “Where was humanity?”Dayan expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would visit Yad Vashem in the future, “when circumstances allow it.”‘Peace is an imperative’Asked about the role of believers in promoting peace, Dayan said the memory of the Holocaust underscores the urgency of that mission.“To yearn for it and to act for it,” he said. “Learning about the Holocaust… is one of the greatest motivations a person can have to understand that peace is an imperative.”He acknowledged that he once believed the devastation of World War II and the Holocaust would end war and antisemitism.“Unfortunately… I was very naive in that respect. We have to work harder, all of us, in order to make that a reality in the future,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Dani Dayan speaks after meeting Pope Leo XIV, says antisemitism is “bigotry” independent of Israeli policy.

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Picture of the day Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), Arrábida National Park, Portugal. The common cuttlefish is one of the largest and best-known cuttlefish species. They are a migratory species that spend the summer and spring inshore for spawning and then move to depths of 100 to 200m during autumn and winter. They only have a lifespan of 1–2 years and have many predators including sharks, dolphins, seals, fish, and cephalopods which includes other cuttlefish. During the day, most cuttlefish can be found buried below the substrate and fairly inactive. At night however, they are actively searching for prey and can ambush them from under the substrate. Cuttlefish are carnivorous and eat a variety of organisms including crustaceans (crabs and shrimp), small fish, molluscs (clams and snails), and sometimes other cuttlefish. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), Arrábida National Park, Portugal. The common cuttlefish is one of the largest and best-known cuttlefish species. They are a migratory species that spend the summer and spring inshore for spawning and then move to depths of 100 to 200m during autumn and winter. They only have a lifespan of 1–2 years and have many predators including sharks, dolphins, seals, fish, and cephalopods which includes other cuttlefish. During the day, most cuttlefish can be found buried below the substrate and fairly inactive. At night however, they are actively searching for prey and can ambush them from under the substrate. Cuttlefish are carnivorous and eat a variety of organisms including crustaceans (crabs and shrimp), small fish, molluscs (clams and snails), and sometimes other cuttlefish. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), Arrábida National Park, Portugal. The common cuttlefish is one of the largest and best-known cuttlefish species. They are a migratory species that spend the summer and spring inshore for spawning and then move to depths of 100 to 200m during autumn and winter. They only have a lifespan of 1–2 years and have many predators including sharks, dolphins, seals, fish, and cephalopods which includes other cuttlefish. During the day, most cuttlefish can be found buried below the substrate and fairly inactive. At night however, they are actively searching for prey and can ambush them from under the substrate. Cuttlefish are carnivorous and eat a variety of organisms including crustaceans (crabs and shrimp), small fish, molluscs (clams and snails), and sometimes other cuttlefish.
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‘Todo es posible en Cristo’: el grupo EPIC transforma la vida de jóvenes en San Antonio de Padua #Catholic - Un ministerio juvenil de la Diócesis de Paterson reúne cada semana a más de cuarenta jóvenes adultos que buscan algo más que una reunión: buscan una familia. Cada semana, en la parroquia San Antonio de Padua, un grupo de jóvenes adultos se reúne para orar, compartir su fe y crecer juntos. El ministerio EPIC —siglas en inglés de Everything’s Possible in Christ, Todo es posible en Cristo— ha crecido desde sus humildes comienzos hasta convertirse en uno de los espacios juveniles más vivos de la Diócesis de Paterson, reuniendo a jóvenes de distintas ciudades e incluso de otros estados. Las reuniones semanales combinan reflexión de fe, estudio bíblico y oración, pero con el tiempo se han convertido en algo más difícil de definir con palabras: un lugar donde los jóvenes pueden llegar con sus preguntas, su historia y su búsqueda, sin sentirse juzgados. El grupo también organiza actividades recreativas —entre ellas, un reciente viaje de esquí— que refuerzan los lazos de comunidad fuera del ambiente parroquial. Un fuego que no quería apagar Para Danquiewiez González, todo comenzó con un retiro espiritual y una experiencia que no supo cómo ignorar. “Sentí el fuego del amor de Dios en mi corazón”, recuerda. “Después de que terminó el retiro, no quería que ese fuego se apagara dentro de mí, por eso decidí integrarme al grupo EPIC para seguir conociendo más de Dios y fortalecer mi fe.” Desde entonces, su participación en la parroquia no ha hecho sino crecer. Hoy sirve como proclamador en la misa y habla de su fe con una claridad que él mismo atribuye a ese momento de gracia. “Ahora veo la vida desde otro punto de vista. Todo esto nace porque Dios está en mi corazón y quiero servirle con alegría.” Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. Jonathan Moran llegó al grupo con un deseo parecido: volver a acercarse a su fe y encontrar acompañamiento en el camino. Lo que encontró fue eso y algo más. “Desde que me uní al grupo he recibido muchos recursos útiles y he conocido personas dispuestas a ayudarme en mi proceso de discernimiento”, cuenta. Entre las experiencias que más lo han marcado está el retiro del grupo. Para describir lo que vivieron aquellos días, Jonathan recurre a las palabras del Salmo 133: “ ¡Qué bueno y agradable; es que los hermanos vivan unidos!” Un regreso inesperado Brenda Marte creció dentro de la Iglesia. Pero como les ocurre a muchos jóvenes, los años universitarios la alejaron de la práctica de la fe. Fue una experiencia personal de conversión la que despertó en ella el deseo de regresar. Un día vio en el boletín parroquial el anuncio de un retiro para jóvenes adultos. Decidió ir. Esa decisión, aparentemente pequeña, marcó el inicio de una nueva etapa. “He hecho amistades centradas en Dios. Mi vida ha cambiado para mejor”, dice hoy, con la sencillez de quien habla desde la convicción, no desde el entusiasmo del momento. Su compromiso ha ido creciendo: actualmente es catequista del primer año de confirmación y participa en la comunidad misionera Shalom en Nueva York. Lo que más valora del grupo son las horas santas ante el Santísimo Sacramento. “Hay algo muy especial en estar frente a Jesús en el Santísimo con todos tus amigos. Saber que hay tantos jóvenes buscando a Dios y que tenemos ese apoyo mutuo es algo muy hermoso.” Construir una familia, no solo un grupo Detrás del crecimiento de EPIC hay personas que han invertido tiempo y corazón en construir algo que va más allá de un programa parroquial. Kenneth Acevedo, uno de los coordinadores, describe su experiencia en EPIC como algo profundamente significativo en su vida. Al reflexionar sobre su participación en el ministerio, explica que formar parte del grupo ya era una experiencia muy valiosa, pero asumir el servicio de coordinación ha sido aún más especial. En sus palabras: “Ser parte de EPIC ha sido verdaderamente gratificante, pero ser coordinador ha sido una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida.” Según comenta, el grupo ha crecido en los últimos años y hoy reúne a jóvenes adultos de diferentes ciudades e incluso de otros estados. El objetivo del ministerio, explica, es ofrecer un espacio donde los jóvenes puedan sentirse escuchados y acompañados en su camino de fe. Con ese propósito, añade: “Hemos creado un lugar donde los jóvenes adultos pueden venir sin sentirse juzgados ni solos.” Jessica Álvarez recuerda los comienzos, cuando en algunas reuniones apenas se juntaban unas pocas personas. Hoy no es raro ver más de cuarenta jóvenes reunidos en una sola noche. Para ella, ese crecimiento no se explica con estrategias de comunicación ni programas atractivos, sino con algo más simple: el calor humano de la acogida en Cristo. “Nos esforzamos por tratar a cada persona como un miembro de nuestra familia.” Y a esa familia, los coordinadores extienden una invitación abierta a cualquier joven adulto que busque profundizar su fe o simplemente quiera ver si hay algo para él en este camino. Como resume Jessica: “Siempre hay un lugar para ti en nuestra familia.” [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
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‘Todo es posible en Cristo’: el grupo EPIC transforma la vida de jóvenes en San Antonio de Padua #Catholic – Un ministerio juvenil de la Diócesis de Paterson reúne cada semana a más de cuarenta jóvenes adultos que buscan algo más que una reunión: buscan una familia. Cada semana, en la parroquia San Antonio de Padua, un grupo de jóvenes adultos se reúne para orar, compartir su fe y crecer juntos. El ministerio EPIC —siglas en inglés de Everything’s Possible in Christ, Todo es posible en Cristo— ha crecido desde sus humildes comienzos hasta convertirse en uno de los espacios juveniles más vivos de la Diócesis de Paterson, reuniendo a jóvenes de distintas ciudades e incluso de otros estados. Las reuniones semanales combinan reflexión de fe, estudio bíblico y oración, pero con el tiempo se han convertido en algo más difícil de definir con palabras: un lugar donde los jóvenes pueden llegar con sus preguntas, su historia y su búsqueda, sin sentirse juzgados. El grupo también organiza actividades recreativas —entre ellas, un reciente viaje de esquí— que refuerzan los lazos de comunidad fuera del ambiente parroquial. Un fuego que no quería apagar Para Danquiewiez González, todo comenzó con un retiro espiritual y una experiencia que no supo cómo ignorar. “Sentí el fuego del amor de Dios en mi corazón”, recuerda. “Después de que terminó el retiro, no quería que ese fuego se apagara dentro de mí, por eso decidí integrarme al grupo EPIC para seguir conociendo más de Dios y fortalecer mi fe.” Desde entonces, su participación en la parroquia no ha hecho sino crecer. Hoy sirve como proclamador en la misa y habla de su fe con una claridad que él mismo atribuye a ese momento de gracia. “Ahora veo la vida desde otro punto de vista. Todo esto nace porque Dios está en mi corazón y quiero servirle con alegría.” Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. Jonathan Moran llegó al grupo con un deseo parecido: volver a acercarse a su fe y encontrar acompañamiento en el camino. Lo que encontró fue eso y algo más. “Desde que me uní al grupo he recibido muchos recursos útiles y he conocido personas dispuestas a ayudarme en mi proceso de discernimiento”, cuenta. Entre las experiencias que más lo han marcado está el retiro del grupo. Para describir lo que vivieron aquellos días, Jonathan recurre a las palabras del Salmo 133: “ ¡Qué bueno y agradable; es que los hermanos vivan unidos!” Un regreso inesperado Brenda Marte creció dentro de la Iglesia. Pero como les ocurre a muchos jóvenes, los años universitarios la alejaron de la práctica de la fe. Fue una experiencia personal de conversión la que despertó en ella el deseo de regresar. Un día vio en el boletín parroquial el anuncio de un retiro para jóvenes adultos. Decidió ir. Esa decisión, aparentemente pequeña, marcó el inicio de una nueva etapa. “He hecho amistades centradas en Dios. Mi vida ha cambiado para mejor”, dice hoy, con la sencillez de quien habla desde la convicción, no desde el entusiasmo del momento. Su compromiso ha ido creciendo: actualmente es catequista del primer año de confirmación y participa en la comunidad misionera Shalom en Nueva York. Lo que más valora del grupo son las horas santas ante el Santísimo Sacramento. “Hay algo muy especial en estar frente a Jesús en el Santísimo con todos tus amigos. Saber que hay tantos jóvenes buscando a Dios y que tenemos ese apoyo mutuo es algo muy hermoso.” Construir una familia, no solo un grupo Detrás del crecimiento de EPIC hay personas que han invertido tiempo y corazón en construir algo que va más allá de un programa parroquial. Kenneth Acevedo, uno de los coordinadores, describe su experiencia en EPIC como algo profundamente significativo en su vida. Al reflexionar sobre su participación en el ministerio, explica que formar parte del grupo ya era una experiencia muy valiosa, pero asumir el servicio de coordinación ha sido aún más especial. En sus palabras: “Ser parte de EPIC ha sido verdaderamente gratificante, pero ser coordinador ha sido una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida.” Según comenta, el grupo ha crecido en los últimos años y hoy reúne a jóvenes adultos de diferentes ciudades e incluso de otros estados. El objetivo del ministerio, explica, es ofrecer un espacio donde los jóvenes puedan sentirse escuchados y acompañados en su camino de fe. Con ese propósito, añade: “Hemos creado un lugar donde los jóvenes adultos pueden venir sin sentirse juzgados ni solos.” Jessica Álvarez recuerda los comienzos, cuando en algunas reuniones apenas se juntaban unas pocas personas. Hoy no es raro ver más de cuarenta jóvenes reunidos en una sola noche. Para ella, ese crecimiento no se explica con estrategias de comunicación ni programas atractivos, sino con algo más simple: el calor humano de la acogida en Cristo. “Nos esforzamos por tratar a cada persona como un miembro de nuestra familia.” Y a esa familia, los coordinadores extienden una invitación abierta a cualquier joven adulto que busque profundizar su fe o simplemente quiera ver si hay algo para él en este camino. Como resume Jessica: “Siempre hay un lugar para ti en nuestra familia.” [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

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‘Todo es posible en Cristo’: el grupo EPIC transforma la vida de jóvenes en San Antonio de Padua #Catholic –

Un ministerio juvenil de la Diócesis de Paterson reúne cada semana a más de cuarenta jóvenes adultos que buscan algo más que una reunión: buscan una familia.

Cada semana, en la parroquia San Antonio de Padua, un grupo de jóvenes adultos se reúne para orar, compartir su fe y crecer juntos. El ministerio EPIC —siglas en inglés de Everything’s Possible in Christ, Todo es posible en Cristo— ha crecido desde sus humildes comienzos hasta convertirse en uno de los espacios juveniles más vivos de la Diócesis de Paterson, reuniendo a jóvenes de distintas ciudades e incluso de otros estados.

Las reuniones semanales combinan reflexión de fe, estudio bíblico y oración, pero con el tiempo se han convertido en algo más difícil de definir con palabras: un lugar donde los jóvenes pueden llegar con sus preguntas, su historia y su búsqueda, sin sentirse juzgados. El grupo también organiza actividades recreativas —entre ellas, un reciente viaje de esquí— que refuerzan los lazos de comunidad fuera del ambiente parroquial.

Un fuego que no quería apagar

Para Danquiewiez González, todo comenzó con un retiro espiritual y una experiencia que no supo cómo ignorar.

“Sentí el fuego del amor de Dios en mi corazón”, recuerda. “Después de que terminó el retiro, no quería que ese fuego se apagara dentro de mí, por eso decidí integrarme al grupo EPIC para seguir conociendo más de Dios y fortalecer mi fe.”

Desde entonces, su participación en la parroquia no ha hecho sino crecer. Hoy sirve como proclamador en la misa y habla de su fe con una claridad que él mismo atribuye a ese momento de gracia. “Ahora veo la vida desde otro punto de vista. Todo esto nace porque Dios está en mi corazón y quiero servirle con alegría.”

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

Jonathan Moran llegó al grupo con un deseo parecido: volver a acercarse a su fe y encontrar acompañamiento en el camino. Lo que encontró fue eso y algo más. “Desde que me uní al grupo he recibido muchos recursos útiles y he conocido personas dispuestas a ayudarme en mi proceso de discernimiento”, cuenta.

Entre las experiencias que más lo han marcado está el retiro del grupo. Para describir lo que vivieron aquellos días, Jonathan recurre a las palabras del Salmo 133: “ ¡Qué bueno y agradable; es que los hermanos vivan unidos!”

Un regreso inesperado

Brenda Marte creció dentro de la Iglesia. Pero como les ocurre a muchos jóvenes, los años universitarios la alejaron de la práctica de la fe. Fue una experiencia personal de conversión la que despertó en ella el deseo de regresar.

Un día vio en el boletín parroquial el anuncio de un retiro para jóvenes adultos. Decidió ir. Esa decisión, aparentemente pequeña, marcó el inicio de una nueva etapa.

“He hecho amistades centradas en Dios. Mi vida ha cambiado para mejor”, dice hoy, con la sencillez de quien habla desde la convicción, no desde el entusiasmo del momento. Su compromiso ha ido creciendo: actualmente es catequista del primer año de confirmación y participa en la comunidad misionera Shalom en Nueva York.

Lo que más valora del grupo son las horas santas ante el Santísimo Sacramento. “Hay algo muy especial en estar frente a Jesús en el Santísimo con todos tus amigos. Saber que hay tantos jóvenes buscando a Dios y que tenemos ese apoyo mutuo es algo muy hermoso.”

Construir una familia, no solo un grupo

Detrás del crecimiento de EPIC hay personas que han invertido tiempo y corazón en construir algo que va más allá de un programa parroquial.

Kenneth Acevedo, uno de los coordinadores, describe su experiencia en EPIC como algo profundamente significativo en su vida. Al reflexionar sobre su participación en el ministerio, explica que formar parte del grupo ya era una experiencia muy valiosa, pero asumir el servicio de coordinación ha sido aún más especial. En sus palabras: “Ser parte de EPIC ha sido verdaderamente gratificante, pero ser coordinador ha sido una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida.”

Según comenta, el grupo ha crecido en los últimos años y hoy reúne a jóvenes adultos de diferentes ciudades e incluso de otros estados. El objetivo del ministerio, explica, es ofrecer un espacio donde los jóvenes puedan sentirse escuchados y acompañados en su camino de fe. Con ese propósito, añade: “Hemos creado un lugar donde los jóvenes adultos pueden venir sin sentirse juzgados ni solos.”

Jessica Álvarez recuerda los comienzos, cuando en algunas reuniones apenas se juntaban unas pocas personas. Hoy no es raro ver más de cuarenta jóvenes reunidos en una sola noche. Para ella, ese crecimiento no se explica con estrategias de comunicación ni programas atractivos, sino con algo más simple: el calor humano de la acogida en Cristo. “Nos esforzamos por tratar a cada persona como un miembro de nuestra familia.”

Y a esa familia, los coordinadores extienden una invitación abierta a cualquier joven adulto que busque profundizar su fe o simplemente quiera ver si hay algo para él en este camino. Como resume Jessica: “Siempre hay un lugar para ti en nuestra familia.”

[See image gallery at beaconnj.org] – Un ministerio juvenil de la Diócesis de Paterson reúne cada semana a más de cuarenta jóvenes adultos que buscan algo más que una reunión: buscan una familia. Cada semana, en la parroquia San Antonio de Padua, un grupo de jóvenes adultos se reúne para orar, compartir su fe y crecer juntos. El ministerio EPIC —siglas en inglés de Everything’s Possible in Christ, Todo es posible en Cristo— ha crecido desde sus humildes comienzos hasta convertirse en uno de los espacios juveniles más vivos de la Diócesis de Paterson, reuniendo a jóvenes de distintas ciudades e incluso de otros estados. Las

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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: April, 2026 #Catholic – 4/1 Wed., 9:30 a.m. Mass – the Morristown Prison. 4/2 Thu., 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/3 Fri., 12:30 p.m. Via Crucis – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson; 3 p.m. Passion of the Lord – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/4 Sat., 8 p.m. Easter Vigil – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/5 Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass – Resurrection Parish, Randolph. 4/7 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/9 Thu., 5 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady Queen Peace Parish, Branchville. 4/10 Fri., 7:30 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Conception Parish, Franklin. 4/11 Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland, Morristown; 10 a.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 5 p.m. Installation Mass for Father Sylwester Pierzak, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Long Valley. 4/12 Sun., 11 a.m. Confirmation – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Stirling; 3 p.m. Padre Pio Parish, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet – Our Lady of Pompei Church, followed by procession with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Bonaventure Church for benediction. 4/13 Mon., 5:30 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Boonton. 4/14 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/16 Thu., 10 a.m. Finance Council Meeting – the Chancery, Clifton; 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany. 4/17 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Thomas of Aquin Parish, Ogdensburg. 4/18 Sat., 10 a.m. Religious Jubilee Mass – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Sparta. 4/19 Sun., 12:15 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Mountain Parish, Long Valley; 4 p.m. Confirmation – St. Gerard Majella Parish, Paterson. 4/20 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Oak Ridge & St. John Vianney Parish, Stockholm – St. Thomas Church, Oak Ridge. 4/21 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. James the Greater Parish, Montague, and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Sandyston, – St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Sandyston. 4/23 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Wayne. 4/24 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Clement Pope and Martyr Parish, Dover. 4/25 Sat., 10 a.m. Confirmation – St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Chester; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Catherine of Bologna Parish, Ringwood. 4/26 Sun., 10:30 a.m. Confirmation – Blessed Sacrament Parish, Paterson; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Whippany. 4/27 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Andrew the Apostle Parish and St. Clare Parish – St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Clifton. 4/28 Tue., 6 p.m. Confirmation – Christ the King Parish, New Vernon. 4/30 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains.
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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: April, 2026 #Catholic – 4/1 Wed., 9:30 a.m. Mass – the Morristown Prison. 4/2 Thu., 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/3 Fri., 12:30 p.m. Via Crucis – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson; 3 p.m. Passion of the Lord – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/4 Sat., 8 p.m. Easter Vigil – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/5 Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass – Resurrection Parish, Randolph. 4/7 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/9 Thu., 5 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady Queen Peace Parish, Branchville. 4/10 Fri., 7:30 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Conception Parish, Franklin. 4/11 Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland, Morristown; 10 a.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 5 p.m. Installation Mass for Father Sylwester Pierzak, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Long Valley. 4/12 Sun., 11 a.m. Confirmation – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Stirling; 3 p.m. Padre Pio Parish, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet – Our Lady of Pompei Church, followed by procession with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Bonaventure Church for benediction. 4/13 Mon., 5:30 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Boonton. 4/14 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/16 Thu., 10 a.m. Finance Council Meeting – the Chancery, Clifton; 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany. 4/17 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Thomas of Aquin Parish, Ogdensburg. 4/18 Sat., 10 a.m. Religious Jubilee Mass – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Sparta. 4/19 Sun., 12:15 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Mountain Parish, Long Valley; 4 p.m. Confirmation – St. Gerard Majella Parish, Paterson. 4/20 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Oak Ridge & St. John Vianney Parish, Stockholm – St. Thomas Church, Oak Ridge. 4/21 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. James the Greater Parish, Montague, and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Sandyston, – St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Sandyston. 4/23 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Wayne. 4/24 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Clement Pope and Martyr Parish, Dover. 4/25 Sat., 10 a.m. Confirmation – St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Chester; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Catherine of Bologna Parish, Ringwood. 4/26 Sun., 10:30 a.m. Confirmation – Blessed Sacrament Parish, Paterson; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Whippany. 4/27 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Andrew the Apostle Parish and St. Clare Parish – St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Clifton. 4/28 Tue., 6 p.m. Confirmation – Christ the King Parish, New Vernon. 4/30 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains.

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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: April, 2026 #Catholic –

4/1 Wed., 9:30 a.m. Mass – the Morristown Prison.
4/2 Thu., 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson.
4/3 Fri., 12:30 p.m. Via Crucis – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson; 3 p.m. Passion of the Lord – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson.
4/4 Sat., 8 p.m. Easter Vigil – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson.
4/5 Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass – Resurrection Parish, Randolph.
4/7 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls.
4/9 Thu., 5 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady Queen Peace Parish, Branchville.
4/10 Fri., 7:30 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Conception Parish, Franklin.
4/11 Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland, Morristown; 10 a.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 5 p.m. Installation Mass for Father Sylwester Pierzak, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Long Valley.
4/12 Sun., 11 a.m. Confirmation – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Stirling; 3 p.m. Padre Pio Parish, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet – Our Lady of Pompei Church, followed by procession with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Bonaventure Church for benediction.
4/13 Mon., 5:30 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Boonton.
4/14 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls.
4/16 Thu., 10 a.m. Finance Council Meeting – the Chancery, Clifton; 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany.
4/17 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Thomas of Aquin Parish, Ogdensburg.
4/18 Sat., 10 a.m. Religious Jubilee Mass – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Sparta.
4/19 Sun., 12:15 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Mountain Parish, Long Valley; 4 p.m. Confirmation – St. Gerard Majella Parish, Paterson.
4/20 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Oak Ridge & St. John Vianney Parish, Stockholm – St. Thomas Church, Oak Ridge.
4/21 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. James the Greater Parish, Montague, and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Sandyston, – St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Sandyston.
4/23 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Wayne.
4/24 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Clement Pope and Martyr Parish, Dover.
4/25 Sat., 10 a.m. Confirmation – St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Chester; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Catherine of Bologna Parish, Ringwood.
4/26 Sun., 10:30 a.m. Confirmation – Blessed Sacrament Parish, Paterson; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Whippany.
4/27 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Andrew the Apostle Parish and St. Clare Parish – St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Clifton.
4/28 Tue., 6 p.m. Confirmation – Christ the King Parish, New Vernon.
4/30 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains.

– 4/1 Wed., 9:30 a.m. Mass – the Morristown Prison. 4/2 Thu., 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/3 Fri., 12:30 p.m. Via Crucis – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson; 3 p.m. Passion of the Lord – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/4 Sat., 8 p.m. Easter Vigil – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/5 Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass – Resurrection Parish, Randolph. 4/7 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/9 Thu., 5 p.m. Confirmation – Our

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