Day: May 17, 2026

Christian faith looms large at ‘Unite The Kingdom’ protest in London – #Catholic – This weekend, tens of thousands of protesters gathered under an overcast sky in central London for a rally led by political activist and recent Christian convert, Tommy Robinson.Under Union flags and banners of ‘Make England Great Again’, protesters chanted anti-government slogans such as “We want Starmer out.” Many attendees said they felt white working-class Britons are being marginalized and Christian values eroded.Robinson – whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – converted to Christianity while in prison in 2025, serving a sentence for contempt of court. Christianity has become an increasingly visible theme at these gatherings, with Robinson posting the Lord’s Prayer on X before the event.“British patriots need to realize that if they want the country to be great again, they need to go back to our Christian heritage,” Luke Barker from The Lord’s Work Trust said, as he handed out leaflets to the passing crowd titled ‘Common Sense: What the Bible has to say on the issue of immigration’. “We’re to welcome the stranger … but there are rules that come with that”, he maintains.At just 17, ‘Young Bob’, whose real name is Gregory Moffitt, has 140k followers tuning into his controversial political debates on X. Asked whether he thought the protest was in line with Jesus’ message of welcoming the stranger and loving your neighbour, he told me: “St. Thomas Aquinas talks about the economic procession of love, and he gives the example, where you obviously express more love to your mother than you would a foreigner … just because I love my neighbour doesnʼt mean they have to live in my house”.Along with many of his followers, Robinson frequently criticizes Islam. “They say theyʼre a religion of peace and love,” protester Kenny Moffett said, “but you see what goes on in those countries. People are being beheaded, women being stoned to death, women being made to cover up and never to be seen again.”London’s Metropolitan Police deployed over 4,000 officers to police three major events that coincided in the capital. By early Saturday evening, the force had confirmed 43 arrests, including at the Unite The Kingdom protest and a Palestinian demonstration taking place nearby.Some 11 foreign “far-right agitators” were blocked from entering the country to attend the event according to the Home Office, including American influencer Valentina Gomez.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded to the protests saying: “Weʼre in a fight for the soul of this country, and the Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against."“Its organizers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple. We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence.”Asked why he thought Christianity had become such a big focus of the protests, Rev. Chris Wickland said: “Many people are beginning to realize that their heritage, and the way of life they like, comes from Christianity. And they realize that if they donʼt defend Christianity, the way of life they know is gone”. Christianity has become an increasingly visible theme at these gatherings, with Robinson posting the Lord’s Prayer on X before the event. | Credit: Elliot Hartley “My grandad was a vicar in the Church of England, and his influence pushed me in that direction,” Nathan Marwwod said while carrying a wooden cross over his shoulder. “It’s the original reason that England succeeded. It was built on Christian values, and all the other things have come with it.”“They are the values that create the most prosperous and innovative societies, and the most vibrant and rejuvenating societies,” Kieran Reid added. “The best places historically are the ones of Christian origin.”
Read More

Christian faith looms large at ‘Unite The Kingdom’ protest in London – #Catholic – This weekend, tens of thousands of protesters gathered under an overcast sky in central London for a rally led by political activist and recent Christian convert, Tommy Robinson.Under Union flags and banners of ‘Make England Great Again’, protesters chanted anti-government slogans such as “We want Starmer out.” Many attendees said they felt white working-class Britons are being marginalized and Christian values eroded.Robinson – whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – converted to Christianity while in prison in 2025, serving a sentence for contempt of court. Christianity has become an increasingly visible theme at these gatherings, with Robinson posting the Lord’s Prayer on X before the event.“British patriots need to realize that if they want the country to be great again, they need to go back to our Christian heritage,” Luke Barker from The Lord’s Work Trust said, as he handed out leaflets to the passing crowd titled ‘Common Sense: What the Bible has to say on the issue of immigration’. “We’re to welcome the stranger … but there are rules that come with that”, he maintains.At just 17, ‘Young Bob’, whose real name is Gregory Moffitt, has 140k followers tuning into his controversial political debates on X. Asked whether he thought the protest was in line with Jesus’ message of welcoming the stranger and loving your neighbour, he told me: “St. Thomas Aquinas talks about the economic procession of love, and he gives the example, where you obviously express more love to your mother than you would a foreigner … just because I love my neighbour doesnʼt mean they have to live in my house”.Along with many of his followers, Robinson frequently criticizes Islam. “They say theyʼre a religion of peace and love,” protester Kenny Moffett said, “but you see what goes on in those countries. People are being beheaded, women being stoned to death, women being made to cover up and never to be seen again.”London’s Metropolitan Police deployed over 4,000 officers to police three major events that coincided in the capital. By early Saturday evening, the force had confirmed 43 arrests, including at the Unite The Kingdom protest and a Palestinian demonstration taking place nearby.Some 11 foreign “far-right agitators” were blocked from entering the country to attend the event according to the Home Office, including American influencer Valentina Gomez.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded to the protests saying: “Weʼre in a fight for the soul of this country, and the Unite the Kingdom march this weekend is a stark reminder of exactly what we are up against."“Its organizers are peddling hatred and division, plain and simple. We will block those coming into the UK who seek to incite hatred and violence.”Asked why he thought Christianity had become such a big focus of the protests, Rev. Chris Wickland said: “Many people are beginning to realize that their heritage, and the way of life they like, comes from Christianity. And they realize that if they donʼt defend Christianity, the way of life they know is gone”. Christianity has become an increasingly visible theme at these gatherings, with Robinson posting the Lord’s Prayer on X before the event. | Credit: Elliot Hartley “My grandad was a vicar in the Church of England, and his influence pushed me in that direction,” Nathan Marwwod said while carrying a wooden cross over his shoulder. “It’s the original reason that England succeeded. It was built on Christian values, and all the other things have come with it.”“They are the values that create the most prosperous and innovative societies, and the most vibrant and rejuvenating societies,” Kieran Reid added. “The best places historically are the ones of Christian origin.”

unitedyam

Many attendees said they felt white working-class Britons are being marginalized and Christian values eroded.

Read More
Top U.S. leadership rededicate country as ‘One nation, under God’ – #Catholic – In a marathon ecumenical prayer and praise celebration ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, top U.S. political figures gathered with major faith leaders and several thousand Americans on May 17 to reflect on the role of Providence in American history and rededicate the country as “One Nation, under God.”The event, which was held under the auspices of Freedom 250, the country’s public-private initiative leading the celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, also commemorated the act of the American colonies’ Continental Congress which ahead of the Revolutionary War proclaimed for May 17,1776 a “Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer."In that proclamation, the leaders of the nascent nation urged their fellow citizens to “confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his [Godʼs] righteous displeasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness.”Catholic participants at the “Rededicate 250” event, held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., included U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Bishop Robert Barron and actor Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus in “The Chosen” television series.President Trump did not attend or offer a customized message for the event. Instead, a video of the president from last month’s “America Reads The Bible” event was played in which Trump reads from 2 Chronicles, including verse 7:14 “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”In a video message to the gathering, Cardinal Timothy Dolan noted that “in every chapter of the American story our faith in God has been the bedrock of our greatness.”“Our deepest values as a country have always been rooted in our identity as a people of God and anchored in the reality that we’re not only American citizens — you bet we are and grateful for it — but that we are bound some day to be citizens of Heaven,” Dolan emphasized, adding that “our founders knew that. They knew that in order to be faithful and productive citizens and true patriots, well we must recognize that we’re children of God first.”Driving home the point, Dolan cited the nation’s preeminent founding father and first president, George Washington, who in 1778 said “While we are zealously performing the duties of good Citizens and soldiers we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of Religion — To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian.”Dolan also took the occasion to inform the audience that the nation’s bishops will “consecrate the United States of America to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12th of this year.”The central prayer of the event was led by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson, who at the outset of his prayer recalled the nation’s legislative forebears’ act of May 17, 1776, which he noted they did “to humble themselves and to seek Your guidance at the dawn of their fight for freedom.”The resulting nation, Johnson continued, “would become, by Your mercy and grace, the most successful, most benevolent nation in the history of the world.”“Lord, today our people gather once again in your Name,” Johnson prayed. “We have humbled ourselves before You. We acknowledge that the miracle of our founding and the countless miracles that have followed are Your doing.”“We pray that You bestow on all Americans a renewed love of country, hope for the future and faith in Your everlasting mercy and grace,” Johnson continued. “Father we pray mercy upon our land, mercy upon us for our mistakes, forgive us of our sins individually and collectively and help us to devote ourselves with renewed piety and patriotism to the eternal truths of Your Word.”As he concluded his prayer, Johnson declared that “Today, here Lord, in this 250th year of American independence, we hereby rededicate the United States of America as one nation under God” and he asked for the Holy Spirit to descend upon the American homeland.Johnson was followed by one of the country’s best known Catholic prelates, Bishop Robert Barron, who referenced Blessed Fulton Sheenʼs saying that America’s Declaration of Independence amounts to a “Declaration of Dependence” upon God.“Lord, on this great national anniversary we gather to rededicate our country to You,” Barron prayed. “Not because You need our devotion, but because by praising You we receive grace upon grace.”Recalling that the United States rests on theological foundations, Barron concluded his prayer by declaring that “as a bishop of the Catholic Church and as a proud American, I make bold to dedicate our country once more to God and to say Lord, let the light of Thy face shine upon our land. Amen.”
Read More

Top U.S. leadership rededicate country as ‘One nation, under God’ – #Catholic – In a marathon ecumenical prayer and praise celebration ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary, top U.S. political figures gathered with major faith leaders and several thousand Americans on May 17 to reflect on the role of Providence in American history and rededicate the country as “One Nation, under God.”The event, which was held under the auspices of Freedom 250, the country’s public-private initiative leading the celebration of the United States' 250th birthday, also commemorated the act of the American colonies’ Continental Congress which ahead of the Revolutionary War proclaimed for May 17,1776 a “Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer."In that proclamation, the leaders of the nascent nation urged their fellow citizens to “confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, and by a sincere repentance and amendment of life, appease his [Godʼs] righteous displeasure, and through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, obtain his pardon and forgiveness.”Catholic participants at the “Rededicate 250” event, held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., included U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Bishop Robert Barron and actor Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus in “The Chosen” television series.President Trump did not attend or offer a customized message for the event. Instead, a video of the president from last month’s “America Reads The Bible” event was played in which Trump reads from 2 Chronicles, including verse 7:14 “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”In a video message to the gathering, Cardinal Timothy Dolan noted that “in every chapter of the American story our faith in God has been the bedrock of our greatness.”“Our deepest values as a country have always been rooted in our identity as a people of God and anchored in the reality that we’re not only American citizens — you bet we are and grateful for it — but that we are bound some day to be citizens of Heaven,” Dolan emphasized, adding that “our founders knew that. They knew that in order to be faithful and productive citizens and true patriots, well we must recognize that we’re children of God first.”Driving home the point, Dolan cited the nation’s preeminent founding father and first president, George Washington, who in 1778 said “While we are zealously performing the duties of good Citizens and soldiers we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of Religion — To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian.”Dolan also took the occasion to inform the audience that the nation’s bishops will “consecrate the United States of America to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12th of this year.”The central prayer of the event was led by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson, who at the outset of his prayer recalled the nation’s legislative forebears’ act of May 17, 1776, which he noted they did “to humble themselves and to seek Your guidance at the dawn of their fight for freedom.”The resulting nation, Johnson continued, “would become, by Your mercy and grace, the most successful, most benevolent nation in the history of the world.”“Lord, today our people gather once again in your Name,” Johnson prayed. “We have humbled ourselves before You. We acknowledge that the miracle of our founding and the countless miracles that have followed are Your doing.”“We pray that You bestow on all Americans a renewed love of country, hope for the future and faith in Your everlasting mercy and grace,” Johnson continued. “Father we pray mercy upon our land, mercy upon us for our mistakes, forgive us of our sins individually and collectively and help us to devote ourselves with renewed piety and patriotism to the eternal truths of Your Word.”As he concluded his prayer, Johnson declared that “Today, here Lord, in this 250th year of American independence, we hereby rededicate the United States of America as one nation under God” and he asked for the Holy Spirit to descend upon the American homeland.Johnson was followed by one of the country’s best known Catholic prelates, Bishop Robert Barron, who referenced Blessed Fulton Sheenʼs saying that America’s Declaration of Independence amounts to a “Declaration of Dependence” upon God.“Lord, on this great national anniversary we gather to rededicate our country to You,” Barron prayed. “Not because You need our devotion, but because by praising You we receive grace upon grace.”Recalling that the United States rests on theological foundations, Barron concluded his prayer by declaring that “as a bishop of the Catholic Church and as a proud American, I make bold to dedicate our country once more to God and to say Lord, let the light of Thy face shine upon our land. Amen.”

unitedyam

Catholic participants at the event included U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Bishop Robert Barron and actor Jonathan Roumie.

Read More

Gospel and Word of the Day – 18 May 2026 – A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Acts 19:1-8 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior of the country and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples.  He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered him, “We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” He said, “How were you baptized?” They replied, “With the baptism of John.” Paul then said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Altogether there were about twelve men. He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.From the Gospel according to John 16:29-33 The disciples said to Jesus, “Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech. Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”To endure is more than simply being patient; it is to carry the burden on one’s shoulders, to bear the weight of trials. And the Christian life, too, has such moments. But Jesus tells us: “Take courage in such times. I have overcome; you too will be victorious”. These first words give us the strength to face life’s most difficult moments, those moments that cause us to suffer. (…) Entrusting something to the Lord, entrusting this difficult moment to the Lord, entrusting myself to the Lord, entrusting our faithful – we priests, bishops – entrusting our families and our friends to the Lord, and saying to the Lord: “Take care of these people, they are yours”. It is a prayer that we do not always say, the prayer of entrustment: “Lord, I entrust this to you, carry it forward yourself”. It is a beautiful Christian prayer. It is the attitude of confidence in the power of the Lord, and also in the tenderness of the Lord who is the Father. … Three words: tribulations, entrustment and peace. In life we must walk paths of tribulation, but it is the law of life. But in those moments, if we entrust ourselves to the Lord, He responds with peace. This Lord, who is our Father, loves us so much and never disappoints. (Pope Francis, Homily at Santa Marta, 5 May 2015)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 19:1-8

While Apollos was in Corinth,
Paul traveled through the interior of the country
and down to Ephesus where he found some disciples. 
He said to them,
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
They answered him,
“We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
He said, “How were you baptized?”
They replied, “With the baptism of John.”
Paul then said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance,
telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus.”
When they heard this,
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
Altogether there were about twelve men.

He entered the synagogue, and for three months debated boldly
with persuasive arguments about the Kingdom of God.

From the Gospel according to John
16:29-33

The disciples said to Jesus,
“Now you are talking plainly, and not in any figure of speech.
Now we realize that you know everything
and that you do not need to have anyone question you.
Because of this we believe that you came from God.”
Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now?
Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived
when each of you will be scattered to his own home
and you will leave me alone.
But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

To endure is more than simply being patient; it is to carry the burden on one’s shoulders, to bear the weight of trials. And the Christian life, too, has such moments. But Jesus tells us: “Take courage in such times. I have overcome; you too will be victorious”. These first words give us the strength to face life’s most difficult moments, those moments that cause us to suffer. (…) Entrusting something to the Lord, entrusting this difficult moment to the Lord, entrusting myself to the Lord, entrusting our faithful – we priests, bishops – entrusting our families and our friends to the Lord, and saying to the Lord: “Take care of these people, they are yours”. It is a prayer that we do not always say, the prayer of entrustment: “Lord, I entrust this to you, carry it forward yourself”. It is a beautiful Christian prayer. It is the attitude of confidence in the power of the Lord, and also in the tenderness of the Lord who is the Father. … Three words: tribulations, entrustment and peace. In life we must walk paths of tribulation, but it is the law of life. But in those moments, if we entrust ourselves to the Lord, He responds with peace. This Lord, who is our Father, loves us so much and never disappoints. (Pope Francis, Homily at Santa Marta, 5 May 2015)

Read More
Uncultured Philistine Declines To Have Ice Cream Served In Waffle Cone #BabylonBee – TUCSON, AZ — Local man Dale Swanson declined to have his double scoops of mint chocolate chip and strawberry ice cream served in a delicious waffle cone, instead opting to have it in a blasphemous paper cup instead.
Read More

Uncultured Philistine Declines To Have Ice Cream Served In Waffle Cone #BabylonBee – TUCSON, AZ — Local man Dale Swanson declined to have his double scoops of mint chocolate chip and strawberry ice cream served in a delicious waffle cone, instead opting to have it in a blasphemous paper cup instead.

unitedyam

TUCSON, AZ — Local man Dale Swanson declined to have his double scoops of mint chocolate chip and strawberry ice cream served in a delicious waffle cone, instead opting to have it in a blasphemous paper cup instead.

Read More
Los agustinos celebran un año del ‘don del Papa León’ con una Misa especial #Catholic – NEW LENOX, Illinois (OSV News) — Los hermanos agustinos del Papa León XIV y otras personas de la zona de Chicago recordaron con gratitud el año transcurrido desde la elección de uno de los suyos en una Misa especial celebrada el 8 de mayo. Los agustinos de la provincia del Medio Oeste de Estados Unidos y las hermanas agustinas residentes en el área de Chicago asistieron a la Misa de acción de gracias por el primer año del Papa en la Iglesia Católica de San Judas, en New Lenox, al suroeste de Chicago. La parroquia, dirigida por los agustinos, es el lugar donde el Papa León XIV visitó por última vez Estados Unidos, en agosto de 2024, cuando aún era el cardenal Robert F. Prevost. “Qué bendecidos y afortunados somos, y sé que muchos de nosotros, en algún momento, lo hemos conocido, hemos hablado con él, hemos pasado tiempo con él. Ahora bien, no mucha gente puede decir eso del pontífice”, dijo el padre agustino Anthony B. Pizzo al inicio de la Misa. El padre Pizzo es el superior saliente de los agustinos del Medio Oeste del país, un cargo que el mismo Papa ocupó anteriormente. Cinco agustinos y el padre pasionista Enzo Del Brocco, presidente de Catholic Theological Union (Unión Teológica Católica), donde el Papa León obtuvo su máster en teología, concelebraron la Misa. Entre ellos se encontraba el padre John Lydon, amigo cercano del Papa desde la universidad y sus días como misionero en Perú. El sacerdote agustino y el futuro Papa vivieron en Trujillo durante 10 años –en la tumultuosa década de los noventa, marcada por la inestabilidad política– enseñando y guiando a los seminaristas agustinos. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. En su homilía, el padre Lydon recordó la visita del Papa ese mismo día, con motivo del primer aniversario, a Pompeya, Italia, en la festividad de Nuestra Señora de Pompeya –un lugar que, según dijo, trajo consigo conversión, milagros y “mucha esperanza”. El padre Lydon también señaló que ese mismo día, en la tradición agustina, se honra a Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, patrona de los agustinos en Perú. Las lecturas de las fiestas marianas y la carta de San Pablo a los Gálatas, en la que dice que ya no somos esclavos, sino hijos de Dios, dijo, “nos ayudan a comprender el ministerio y la misión del Papa León”. Tras la Misa, el padre Lydon compartió con OSV News que sus primeros pensamientos al cumplirse un año de la elección de su buen amigo al Papado eran “de gratitud al Señor” por “el don del Papa León”. “Su espíritu es lo que guió a los cardenales a elegir a nuestro sumo pontífice”, dijo. Refiriéndose al Papa León, añadió: “Necesitamos su guía moral, su voz moral en nuestro mundo actual. Y él ha asumido valientemente esa responsabilidad”. El padre Lydon dijo que “cuesta creer que haya pasado ya un año” desde que el Papa fue elegido, “pero es solo una señal de la gracia infinita de Dios para con todos nosotros… y aunque las nubes de tormenta parecen densas, tenemos la certeza de que el Hijo, H-i-j-o, se abre paso y el Papa León nos ayuda a dirigirnos hacia él”. El padre agustino Ray Flores, párroco de San Judas y amigo de John Prevost, uno de los dos hermanos mayores del Papa, dijo que “ha sido un privilegio… cuando pienso en haber acompañado a John a diferentes entrevistas a lo largo del año” para conocer mejor al Papa, “lo cual he disfrutado de verdad”. “Los dos queremos compartir la buena nueva de su hermano, del Papa León y de los agustinos, así como el mensaje de paz del que el Papa León ha hablado desde el primer día de forma tan hermosa y elocuente”, afirmó. “La gente quiere eso”. El padre Flores, que anteriormente era sacerdote diocesano, ingresó en la Orden de San Agustín en 2017, cuando el Papa León era aún el obispo Prevost de la Diócesis de Chiclayo, en Perú. Sabía que el Papa era afable cada vez que lo saludaba y llegó a conocerlo mejor hace cuatro años mientras colaboraba con él en la parroquia. Uno de los primeros feligreses que el padre Flores conoció en San Judas en enero de 2023 fue John Prevost. Recién llegado de un viaje a Nueva York para una entrevista con la CNN, John Prevost asistió a la Misa, pero mantuvo un perfil bajo ante los medios de comunicación, tras un año vertiginoso en el que había concedido entrevistas con regularidad. En el vestíbulo, fuera del santuario de San Judas, las personas que asistieron a la Misa charlaban con los agustinos y entre ellas. La frase “somos tan afortunados” se oía una y otra vez. Simone Orendain es corresponsal de OSV News. Escribe desde Chicago.  
Read More

Los agustinos celebran un año del ‘don del Papa León’ con una Misa especial #Catholic – NEW LENOX, Illinois (OSV News) — Los hermanos agustinos del Papa León XIV y otras personas de la zona de Chicago recordaron con gratitud el año transcurrido desde la elección de uno de los suyos en una Misa especial celebrada el 8 de mayo. Los agustinos de la provincia del Medio Oeste de Estados Unidos y las hermanas agustinas residentes en el área de Chicago asistieron a la Misa de acción de gracias por el primer año del Papa en la Iglesia Católica de San Judas, en New Lenox, al suroeste de Chicago. La parroquia, dirigida por los agustinos, es el lugar donde el Papa León XIV visitó por última vez Estados Unidos, en agosto de 2024, cuando aún era el cardenal Robert F. Prevost. “Qué bendecidos y afortunados somos, y sé que muchos de nosotros, en algún momento, lo hemos conocido, hemos hablado con él, hemos pasado tiempo con él. Ahora bien, no mucha gente puede decir eso del pontífice”, dijo el padre agustino Anthony B. Pizzo al inicio de la Misa. El padre Pizzo es el superior saliente de los agustinos del Medio Oeste del país, un cargo que el mismo Papa ocupó anteriormente. Cinco agustinos y el padre pasionista Enzo Del Brocco, presidente de Catholic Theological Union (Unión Teológica Católica), donde el Papa León obtuvo su máster en teología, concelebraron la Misa. Entre ellos se encontraba el padre John Lydon, amigo cercano del Papa desde la universidad y sus días como misionero en Perú. El sacerdote agustino y el futuro Papa vivieron en Trujillo durante 10 años –en la tumultuosa década de los noventa, marcada por la inestabilidad política– enseñando y guiando a los seminaristas agustinos. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. En su homilía, el padre Lydon recordó la visita del Papa ese mismo día, con motivo del primer aniversario, a Pompeya, Italia, en la festividad de Nuestra Señora de Pompeya –un lugar que, según dijo, trajo consigo conversión, milagros y “mucha esperanza”. El padre Lydon también señaló que ese mismo día, en la tradición agustina, se honra a Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, patrona de los agustinos en Perú. Las lecturas de las fiestas marianas y la carta de San Pablo a los Gálatas, en la que dice que ya no somos esclavos, sino hijos de Dios, dijo, “nos ayudan a comprender el ministerio y la misión del Papa León”. Tras la Misa, el padre Lydon compartió con OSV News que sus primeros pensamientos al cumplirse un año de la elección de su buen amigo al Papado eran “de gratitud al Señor” por “el don del Papa León”. “Su espíritu es lo que guió a los cardenales a elegir a nuestro sumo pontífice”, dijo. Refiriéndose al Papa León, añadió: “Necesitamos su guía moral, su voz moral en nuestro mundo actual. Y él ha asumido valientemente esa responsabilidad”. El padre Lydon dijo que “cuesta creer que haya pasado ya un año” desde que el Papa fue elegido, “pero es solo una señal de la gracia infinita de Dios para con todos nosotros… y aunque las nubes de tormenta parecen densas, tenemos la certeza de que el Hijo, H-i-j-o, se abre paso y el Papa León nos ayuda a dirigirnos hacia él”. El padre agustino Ray Flores, párroco de San Judas y amigo de John Prevost, uno de los dos hermanos mayores del Papa, dijo que “ha sido un privilegio… cuando pienso en haber acompañado a John a diferentes entrevistas a lo largo del año” para conocer mejor al Papa, “lo cual he disfrutado de verdad”. “Los dos queremos compartir la buena nueva de su hermano, del Papa León y de los agustinos, así como el mensaje de paz del que el Papa León ha hablado desde el primer día de forma tan hermosa y elocuente”, afirmó. “La gente quiere eso”. El padre Flores, que anteriormente era sacerdote diocesano, ingresó en la Orden de San Agustín en 2017, cuando el Papa León era aún el obispo Prevost de la Diócesis de Chiclayo, en Perú. Sabía que el Papa era afable cada vez que lo saludaba y llegó a conocerlo mejor hace cuatro años mientras colaboraba con él en la parroquia. Uno de los primeros feligreses que el padre Flores conoció en San Judas en enero de 2023 fue John Prevost. Recién llegado de un viaje a Nueva York para una entrevista con la CNN, John Prevost asistió a la Misa, pero mantuvo un perfil bajo ante los medios de comunicación, tras un año vertiginoso en el que había concedido entrevistas con regularidad. En el vestíbulo, fuera del santuario de San Judas, las personas que asistieron a la Misa charlaban con los agustinos y entre ellas. La frase “somos tan afortunados” se oía una y otra vez. Simone Orendain es corresponsal de OSV News. Escribe desde Chicago.  

unitedyam

Los agustinos celebran un año del ‘don del Papa León’ con una Misa especial #Catholic –

NEW LENOX, Illinois (OSV News) — Los hermanos agustinos del Papa León XIV y otras personas de la zona de Chicago recordaron con gratitud el año transcurrido desde la elección de uno de los suyos en una Misa especial celebrada el 8 de mayo.

Los agustinos de la provincia del Medio Oeste de Estados Unidos y las hermanas agustinas residentes en el área de Chicago asistieron a la Misa de acción de gracias por el primer año del Papa en la Iglesia Católica de San Judas, en New Lenox, al suroeste de Chicago. La parroquia, dirigida por los agustinos, es el lugar donde el Papa León XIV visitó por última vez Estados Unidos, en agosto de 2024, cuando aún era el cardenal Robert F. Prevost.

“Qué bendecidos y afortunados somos, y sé que muchos de nosotros, en algún momento, lo hemos conocido, hemos hablado con él, hemos pasado tiempo con él. Ahora bien, no mucha gente puede decir eso del pontífice”, dijo el padre agustino Anthony B. Pizzo al inicio de la Misa. El padre Pizzo es el superior saliente de los agustinos del Medio Oeste del país, un cargo que el mismo Papa ocupó anteriormente.

Cinco agustinos y el padre pasionista Enzo Del Brocco, presidente de Catholic Theological Union (Unión Teológica Católica), donde el Papa León obtuvo su máster en teología, concelebraron la Misa. Entre ellos se encontraba el padre John Lydon, amigo cercano del Papa desde la universidad y sus días como misionero en Perú. El sacerdote agustino y el futuro Papa vivieron en Trujillo durante 10 años –en la tumultuosa década de los noventa, marcada por la inestabilidad política– enseñando y guiando a los seminaristas agustinos.

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

En su homilía, el padre Lydon recordó la visita del Papa ese mismo día, con motivo del primer aniversario, a Pompeya, Italia, en la festividad de Nuestra Señora de Pompeya –un lugar que, según dijo, trajo consigo conversión, milagros y “mucha esperanza”. El padre Lydon también señaló que ese mismo día, en la tradición agustina, se honra a Nuestra Señora de la Gracia, patrona de los agustinos en Perú.

Las lecturas de las fiestas marianas y la carta de San Pablo a los Gálatas, en la que dice que ya no somos esclavos, sino hijos de Dios, dijo, “nos ayudan a comprender el ministerio y la misión del Papa León”.

Tras la Misa, el padre Lydon compartió con OSV News que sus primeros pensamientos al cumplirse un año de la elección de su buen amigo al Papado eran “de gratitud al Señor” por “el don del Papa León”.

“Su espíritu es lo que guió a los cardenales a elegir a nuestro sumo pontífice”, dijo. Refiriéndose al Papa León, añadió: “Necesitamos su guía moral, su voz moral en nuestro mundo actual. Y él ha asumido valientemente esa responsabilidad”.

El padre Lydon dijo que “cuesta creer que haya pasado ya un año” desde que el Papa fue elegido, “pero es solo una señal de la gracia infinita de Dios para con todos nosotros… y aunque las nubes de tormenta parecen densas, tenemos la certeza de que el Hijo, H-i-j-o, se abre paso y el Papa León nos ayuda a dirigirnos hacia él”.

El padre agustino Ray Flores, párroco de San Judas y amigo de John Prevost, uno de los dos hermanos mayores del Papa, dijo que “ha sido un privilegio… cuando pienso en haber acompañado a John a diferentes entrevistas a lo largo del año” para conocer mejor al Papa, “lo cual he disfrutado de verdad”.

“Los dos queremos compartir la buena nueva de su hermano, del Papa León y de los agustinos, así como el mensaje de paz del que el Papa León ha hablado desde el primer día de forma tan hermosa y elocuente”, afirmó. “La gente quiere eso”.

El padre Flores, que anteriormente era sacerdote diocesano, ingresó en la Orden de San Agustín en 2017, cuando el Papa León era aún el obispo Prevost de la Diócesis de Chiclayo, en Perú. Sabía que el Papa era afable cada vez que lo saludaba y llegó a conocerlo mejor hace cuatro años mientras colaboraba con él en la parroquia. Uno de los primeros feligreses que el padre Flores conoció en San Judas en enero de 2023 fue John Prevost.

Recién llegado de un viaje a Nueva York para una entrevista con la CNN, John Prevost asistió a la Misa, pero mantuvo un perfil bajo ante los medios de comunicación, tras un año vertiginoso en el que había concedido entrevistas con regularidad.

En el vestíbulo, fuera del santuario de San Judas, las personas que asistieron a la Misa charlaban con los agustinos y entre ellas. La frase “somos tan afortunados” se oía una y otra vez.

Simone Orendain es corresponsal de OSV News. Escribe desde Chicago.

 

– NEW LENOX, Illinois (OSV News) — Los hermanos agustinos del Papa León XIV y otras personas de la zona de Chicago recordaron con gratitud el año transcurrido desde la elección de uno de los suyos en una Misa especial celebrada el 8 de mayo. Los agustinos de la provincia del Medio Oeste de Estados Unidos y las hermanas agustinas residentes en el área de Chicago asistieron a la Misa de acción de gracias por el primer año del Papa en la Iglesia Católica de San Judas, en New Lenox, al suroeste de Chicago. La parroquia, dirigida por los agustinos, es

Read More

May 17, 1882: Comet Tewfik is spotted during an eclipse

unitedyam

On May 17, 1882, an eclipse trekked across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Many scientists gathered in Egypt to witness it even though it was a fairly short-duration event, with maximum totality at only 1 minute 50 seconds and totality in Egypt at only 70 seconds. J. Norman Lockyer, one of two astronomers whoContinue reading “May 17, 1882: Comet Tewfik is spotted during an eclipse”

The post May 17, 1882: Comet Tewfik is spotted during an eclipse appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Read More
173 House Democrats Refused to Vote for a Resolution Honoring Law Enforcement Officers During National Police Week – Democrats don’t want to admit it publicly, but they are still the same party that tried to ‘Defund the Police’ a few years ago. The post 173 House Democrats Refused to Vote for a Resolution Honoring Law Enforcement Officers During National Police Week appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

173 House Democrats Refused to Vote for a Resolution Honoring Law Enforcement Officers During National Police Week – Democrats don’t want to admit it publicly, but they are still the same party that tried to ‘Defund the Police’ a few years ago. The post 173 House Democrats Refused to Vote for a Resolution Honoring Law Enforcement Officers During National Police Week appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

Police car lights flashing in a city setting, highlighting law enforcement presence and emergency response.

Police car lights flashing in a city setting, highlighting law enforcement presence and emergency response.

Democrats don’t want to admit it publicly, but they are still the same party that tried to ‘Defund the Police’ a few years ago.

The post 173 House Democrats Refused to Vote for a Resolution Honoring Law Enforcement Officers During National Police Week appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More
WATCH: DHS Secretary Confirms 50% of All Murders in Fairfax County, Virginia, Committed by Illegal Aliens — ‘That’s Just in Fairfax!’ – DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has confirmed that illegal aliens are responsible for approximately 50% of all murders in the affluent, and deep blue, Northern Virginia suburb of Fairfax County, just outside Washington, D.C. The post WATCH: DHS Secretary Confirms 50% of All Murders in Fairfax County, Virginia, Committed by Illegal Aliens — ‘That’s Just in Fairfax!’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

WATCH: DHS Secretary Confirms 50% of All Murders in Fairfax County, Virginia, Committed by Illegal Aliens — ‘That’s Just in Fairfax!’ – DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has confirmed that illegal aliens are responsible for approximately 50% of all murders in the affluent, and deep blue, Northern Virginia suburb of Fairfax County, just outside Washington, D.C. The post WATCH: DHS Secretary Confirms 50% of All Murders in Fairfax County, Virginia, Committed by Illegal Aliens — ‘That’s Just in Fairfax!’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

Official speaking during a nighttime press event, surrounded by emergency vehicles and police activity.

Official speaking during a nighttime press event, surrounded by emergency vehicles and police activity.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has confirmed that illegal aliens are responsible for approximately 50% of all murders in the affluent, and deep blue, Northern Virginia suburb of Fairfax County, just outside Washington, D.C.

The post WATCH: DHS Secretary Confirms 50% of All Murders in Fairfax County, Virginia, Committed by Illegal Aliens — ‘That’s Just in Fairfax!’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More
Lawyer Who Took Louisiana Redistricting Fight to Supreme Court Now Warns of “Rampant Racial Discrimination” – The Supreme Court stood for a basic principle: Americans should not be divided by race for political power. The post Lawyer Who Took Louisiana Redistricting Fight to Supreme Court Now Warns of “Rampant Racial Discrimination” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

Lawyer Who Took Louisiana Redistricting Fight to Supreme Court Now Warns of “Rampant Racial Discrimination” – The Supreme Court stood for a basic principle: Americans should not be divided by race for political power. The post Lawyer Who Took Louisiana Redistricting Fight to Supreme Court Now Warns of “Rampant Racial Discrimination” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

Protesters gather in Alabama to voice their demands for fair voting maps following a recent Supreme Court ruling, highlighting civic engagement and activism.

Protesters gather in Alabama to voice their demands for fair voting maps following a recent Supreme Court ruling, highlighting civic engagement and activism.

The Supreme Court stood for a basic principle: Americans should not be divided by race for political power.

The post Lawyer Who Took Louisiana Redistricting Fight to Supreme Court Now Warns of “Rampant Racial Discrimination” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More
Pope Leo XIV: AI communication must preserve ‘human voices and faces’ #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged Catholics and communicators to promote forms of communication that respect the truth of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, while also calling for renewed care for creation and peace as Laudato Si’ Week begins.Speaking after praying the Regina Caeli May 17 from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the pope noted that many countries were marking World Communications Day, whose theme this year, he said, is “Preserving Human Voices and Faces.”“In this era of artificial intelligence, I encourage everyone to commit themselves to promoting forms of communication that always respect the truth of the human person, on which every technological innovation should be focused,” Pope Leo XIV said.The appeal comes as the Vatican is preparing for the pope’s first encyclical, expected to treat extensively the ethical and social questions raised by artificial intelligence through the lens of Catholic social teaching.The pope also marked the start of Laudato Si’ Week, which runs through next Sunday and is dedicated to the care of creation, inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical.“In this jubilee year of Saint Francis of Assisi, we recall his message of peace with God, with our brothers and sisters, and with all creatures,” he said. “Sadly, in recent years, due to wars, progress in this direction has been greatly impeded.”Pope Leo encouraged the members of the Laudato Si’ Movement and all those who promote an “integral ecology” to renew their commitment, adding: “Indeed, caring for peace is caring for life!”In his catechesis before the Marian prayer, the pope reflected on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, celebrated Sunday in many countries.The image of Jesus “lifted up from the earth and ascending toward heaven,” he said, may make the mystery seem like “a distant event from long ago.”“Yet this is not so, for we are united to Jesus as the members of one body united to the head,” Pope Leo said. “By ascending into heaven, then, he draws us with him toward full communion with the Father.”Quoting St. Augustine, the pope said that “the head’s advance is the hope of the members.”Christ’s whole life, he continued, is “a movement of ascent,” through which he embraces the world, redeems humanity from sin, and brings “light, forgiveness and hope where previously there was darkness, injustice and desperation.”“The Ascension, therefore, does not speak to us of a distant promise, but of a living bond, which draws us also toward heavenly glory, already elevating and expanding our horizon in this life and directing our way of thinking, feeling and acting more closely to the measure of God’s heart,” he said.The pope said this path of ascent is found in Christ’s life, example, and teaching, and is also marked out by the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.He also recalled Pope Francis’ teaching on the saints “next door” — ordinary fathers, mothers, grandparents, and people of every age and condition who “with joy and commitment, make the effort to live sincerely according to the Gospel.”“With them, with their support and thanks to their prayer, we too can learn to ascend day by day toward heaven,” Pope Leo said.The pope urged Christians, with God’s help, to put into practice all that they have “heard and seen,” so that the divine life received in baptism may grow and “spread the precious fruits of communion and peace in the world.”“May Mary, the Queen of Heaven, who illuminates and guides us in every moment, support us on our path,” he said.At the end of the Regina Caeli, the pope greeted pilgrims from Rome and abroad, including marching bands from Germany, the “Sant’Antonu di u Monti” Confraternity from Ajaccio, students from the University of Montana, young people from Oppido Mamertina, youth leaders from Lorenzaga in the Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone, and confirmation candidates from the Archdiocese of Genoa.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

Pope Leo XIV: AI communication must preserve ‘human voices and faces’ #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged Catholics and communicators to promote forms of communication that respect the truth of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, while also calling for renewed care for creation and peace as Laudato Si’ Week begins.Speaking after praying the Regina Caeli May 17 from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the pope noted that many countries were marking World Communications Day, whose theme this year, he said, is “Preserving Human Voices and Faces.”“In this era of artificial intelligence, I encourage everyone to commit themselves to promoting forms of communication that always respect the truth of the human person, on which every technological innovation should be focused,” Pope Leo XIV said.The appeal comes as the Vatican is preparing for the pope’s first encyclical, expected to treat extensively the ethical and social questions raised by artificial intelligence through the lens of Catholic social teaching.The pope also marked the start of Laudato Si’ Week, which runs through next Sunday and is dedicated to the care of creation, inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical.“In this jubilee year of Saint Francis of Assisi, we recall his message of peace with God, with our brothers and sisters, and with all creatures,” he said. “Sadly, in recent years, due to wars, progress in this direction has been greatly impeded.”Pope Leo encouraged the members of the Laudato Si’ Movement and all those who promote an “integral ecology” to renew their commitment, adding: “Indeed, caring for peace is caring for life!”In his catechesis before the Marian prayer, the pope reflected on the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, celebrated Sunday in many countries.The image of Jesus “lifted up from the earth and ascending toward heaven,” he said, may make the mystery seem like “a distant event from long ago.”“Yet this is not so, for we are united to Jesus as the members of one body united to the head,” Pope Leo said. “By ascending into heaven, then, he draws us with him toward full communion with the Father.”Quoting St. Augustine, the pope said that “the head’s advance is the hope of the members.”Christ’s whole life, he continued, is “a movement of ascent,” through which he embraces the world, redeems humanity from sin, and brings “light, forgiveness and hope where previously there was darkness, injustice and desperation.”“The Ascension, therefore, does not speak to us of a distant promise, but of a living bond, which draws us also toward heavenly glory, already elevating and expanding our horizon in this life and directing our way of thinking, feeling and acting more closely to the measure of God’s heart,” he said.The pope said this path of ascent is found in Christ’s life, example, and teaching, and is also marked out by the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints.He also recalled Pope Francis’ teaching on the saints “next door” — ordinary fathers, mothers, grandparents, and people of every age and condition who “with joy and commitment, make the effort to live sincerely according to the Gospel.”“With them, with their support and thanks to their prayer, we too can learn to ascend day by day toward heaven,” Pope Leo said.The pope urged Christians, with God’s help, to put into practice all that they have “heard and seen,” so that the divine life received in baptism may grow and “spread the precious fruits of communion and peace in the world.”“May Mary, the Queen of Heaven, who illuminates and guides us in every moment, support us on our path,” he said.At the end of the Regina Caeli, the pope greeted pilgrims from Rome and abroad, including marching bands from Germany, the “Sant’Antonu di u Monti” Confraternity from Ajaccio, students from the University of Montana, young people from Oppido Mamertina, youth leaders from Lorenzaga in the Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone, and confirmation candidates from the Archdiocese of Genoa.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

The pontiff marked World Communications Day by urging technology to remain centered on human dignity.

Read More
Centennial honors historic Michigan church built amid KKK threats and strikes #Catholic A richly diverse Catholic community in southern Michigan is preparing to mark a milestone: the centennial of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Jackson, where the beauty of sacred space, reverent liturgy, and a vibrant musical tradition continue to shape the lives of the faithful. The church has thrived through historic events and turbulent times, even as it was being rebuilt. In 1924, one of the largest Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rallies ever recorded saw 100,000 participants tramp through Jacksonʼs streets, and parish tradition holds that the Knights of Columbus kept vigil at the construction site to protect it from KKK vandalism. St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson, Michigan. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Timothy Nelson As he prepares to wrap up his 15-year tenure as pastor of the parish, Father Timothy Nelson reflected on the churchʼs enduring vitality: “Our church is not a relic but a dynamic part of the present, enriched by a legacy of faith.”Located west of Detroit, Jackson has long been a railroad hub with ties to the automobile industry. St. Mary’s is one of three current parishes, following a consolidation of several others. Following decades of a strong Polish-American presence, demographic changes have included the growing influx of Hispanic families. Children of the latter now make up about a quarter of the enrollment at St. Mary School.St. Mary’s three spires dominate the skyline, reaching up 180 feet in an imposing Romanesque style. Long regarded as one of the most beautiful churches in Michigan, it features magnificent stained-glass windows fashioned in Innsbruck, Austria, an apse mosaic of Our Lady Star of the Sea, murals of the apostles, and Carrara marble altars and Communion rail. The latter embellishments were donated by George Washington Hill, president of the American Tobacco Co., as a memorial to his young wife, Aquinas Heiler Hill, who died in 1925. The green and red colors in the mosaics around the high altar repeat the original colors used on packs of Lucky Strike cigarettes. A mosaic of the Crucifixion at St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson, Michigan. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Timothy Nelson The present structure replaced an earlier church, with its cornerstone laid on Sept. 23, 1923. Construction faced delays because of a prolonged labor strike at limestone quarries. The era was also marred with social unrest, including the Ku Klux Klan and its virulent anti-Catholicism and racism. Construction was not completed until May 31, 1926, at a cost of 5,000. Then-Auxiliary Bishop Joseph C. Plagens came from Detroit to officiate the dedicatory Mass.Among its treasures is a unique stained-glass rose window memorializing the fallen of the first world war, including nuns who tended the wounded. “The window shows not only the American soldiers and sailors of the war, but even their enemies who reach out to Jesus rising above them,” Nelson said as he gave a tour of the magnificent church. Restoration of the windows cost million and was made possible through the generosity of parishioners and benefactors, including the Eisele Family Foundation. St. Mary’s is depicted in “Buildings of Michigan” by Kathryn Bishop Eckert as one of the most notable in the Mitten State. Stained-glass window at St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson, Michigan. | Credit: Kathryn Mietelka Now 74, Nelson will step down as pastor this summer. A former cardiologist, he will continue his ministry as chaplain of the St. Pio Medical Center in nearby Howell, which is part of a Vatican-authorized healthcare network inspired by St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio). He will be succeeded by Father John Vinton, who will continue offering Traditional Latin Masses and Spanish-language Masses.St. Mary’s serves about 1,086 families, including the active Sacred Heart of Jesus Hispanic Community.Nelson said: “The school is necessary for parish life” and is the most diverse parochial school in the area.The parish’s liturgical life shows both continuity and renewal. The Traditional Latin Mass, celebrated every Sunday, is accompanied by Gregorian chant and organ led by Aine Schroeder, a student at nearby Hillsdale College. Schroeder said the Gregorian schola will chant the “Ave Maria” and “Salve Regina” at the centennial concert. Dispelling concerns that the Latin liturgy is stuck in the past, Nelson said: “I agree with Pope Benedict XVI that the past continues to be lived in the present. We are bringing it into the future.” Inside St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson, Michigan. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Timothy Nelson For longtime parishioner Mary Belknap, a fourth-generation member who serves on the parish guild, St. Mary’s is a spiritual home and a place of encounter. “It’s one of the hallmark parishes in the state. People come from all over to see us and our beautiful church,” she said. Bridging the gaps between communities came easily to educator Belknap, who said that, having been raised in poverty as a child, she has experienced life on the margins, and “I personally reach out to embrace the goodness of other people.”The parishʼs centennial observance will commence with a concert on May 29 and culminate in a solemn Mass on May 31 — exactly 100 years after its first Mass — to be celebrated by Bishop Earl Boyea. Mary Malewitz, parish music director since 1981, is organizing the opening concert, which will feature adult and school choirs, a Hispanic choir, and a Gregorian schola. Between each performance, parishioners will sing their favorite hymns. “St. Mary’s has brought glory to Michigan for generations,” she told EWTN News.
Read More

Centennial honors historic Michigan church built amid KKK threats and strikes #Catholic A richly diverse Catholic community in southern Michigan is preparing to mark a milestone: the centennial of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Jackson, where the beauty of sacred space, reverent liturgy, and a vibrant musical tradition continue to shape the lives of the faithful. The church has thrived through historic events and turbulent times, even as it was being rebuilt. In 1924, one of the largest Ku Klux Klan (KKK) rallies ever recorded saw 100,000 participants tramp through Jacksonʼs streets, and parish tradition holds that the Knights of Columbus kept vigil at the construction site to protect it from KKK vandalism. St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson, Michigan. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Timothy Nelson As he prepares to wrap up his 15-year tenure as pastor of the parish, Father Timothy Nelson reflected on the churchʼs enduring vitality: “Our church is not a relic but a dynamic part of the present, enriched by a legacy of faith.”Located west of Detroit, Jackson has long been a railroad hub with ties to the automobile industry. St. Mary’s is one of three current parishes, following a consolidation of several others. Following decades of a strong Polish-American presence, demographic changes have included the growing influx of Hispanic families. Children of the latter now make up about a quarter of the enrollment at St. Mary School.St. Mary’s three spires dominate the skyline, reaching up 180 feet in an imposing Romanesque style. Long regarded as one of the most beautiful churches in Michigan, it features magnificent stained-glass windows fashioned in Innsbruck, Austria, an apse mosaic of Our Lady Star of the Sea, murals of the apostles, and Carrara marble altars and Communion rail. The latter embellishments were donated by George Washington Hill, president of the American Tobacco Co., as a memorial to his young wife, Aquinas Heiler Hill, who died in 1925. The green and red colors in the mosaics around the high altar repeat the original colors used on packs of Lucky Strike cigarettes. A mosaic of the Crucifixion at St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson, Michigan. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Timothy Nelson The present structure replaced an earlier church, with its cornerstone laid on Sept. 23, 1923. Construction faced delays because of a prolonged labor strike at limestone quarries. The era was also marred with social unrest, including the Ku Klux Klan and its virulent anti-Catholicism and racism. Construction was not completed until May 31, 1926, at a cost of $375,000. Then-Auxiliary Bishop Joseph C. Plagens came from Detroit to officiate the dedicatory Mass.Among its treasures is a unique stained-glass rose window memorializing the fallen of the first world war, including nuns who tended the wounded. “The window shows not only the American soldiers and sailors of the war, but even their enemies who reach out to Jesus rising above them,” Nelson said as he gave a tour of the magnificent church. Restoration of the windows cost $1 million and was made possible through the generosity of parishioners and benefactors, including the Eisele Family Foundation. St. Mary’s is depicted in “Buildings of Michigan” by Kathryn Bishop Eckert as one of the most notable in the Mitten State. Stained-glass window at St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson, Michigan. | Credit: Kathryn Mietelka Now 74, Nelson will step down as pastor this summer. A former cardiologist, he will continue his ministry as chaplain of the St. Pio Medical Center in nearby Howell, which is part of a Vatican-authorized healthcare network inspired by St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio). He will be succeeded by Father John Vinton, who will continue offering Traditional Latin Masses and Spanish-language Masses.St. Mary’s serves about 1,086 families, including the active Sacred Heart of Jesus Hispanic Community.Nelson said: “The school is necessary for parish life” and is the most diverse parochial school in the area.The parish’s liturgical life shows both continuity and renewal. The Traditional Latin Mass, celebrated every Sunday, is accompanied by Gregorian chant and organ led by Aine Schroeder, a student at nearby Hillsdale College. Schroeder said the Gregorian schola will chant the “Ave Maria” and “Salve Regina” at the centennial concert. Dispelling concerns that the Latin liturgy is stuck in the past, Nelson said: “I agree with Pope Benedict XVI that the past continues to be lived in the present. We are bringing it into the future.” Inside St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Jackson, Michigan. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Timothy Nelson For longtime parishioner Mary Belknap, a fourth-generation member who serves on the parish guild, St. Mary’s is a spiritual home and a place of encounter. “It’s one of the hallmark parishes in the state. People come from all over to see us and our beautiful church,” she said. Bridging the gaps between communities came easily to educator Belknap, who said that, having been raised in poverty as a child, she has experienced life on the margins, and “I personally reach out to embrace the goodness of other people.”The parishʼs centennial observance will commence with a concert on May 29 and culminate in a solemn Mass on May 31 — exactly 100 years after its first Mass — to be celebrated by Bishop Earl Boyea. Mary Malewitz, parish music director since 1981, is organizing the opening concert, which will feature adult and school choirs, a Hispanic choir, and a Gregorian schola. Between each performance, parishioners will sing their favorite hymns. “St. Mary’s has brought glory to Michigan for generations,” she told EWTN News.

unitedyam

Founded amid hardship and change, the centennial of St. Mary Star of the Sea in Jackson, Michigan, brings together generations to honor a diverse parish that continues to thrive.

Read More
Nationwide billboard campaign in Ireland invites thousands to rosary rally – #Catholic – The All Ireland Rosary Rally scheduled for June 6 in Knock will be the largest Catholic event in Ireland this year, and organizers have adopted an uncommon promotional tactic to catch the attention of the faithful — a countrywide billboard campaign.Building on last year’s turnout when more than 10,000 people gathered for the 40th Rosary Rally in Knock, famous for its shrine and as a pilgrimage destination, rally organizers hope the two-week campaign will attract an even bigger audience. It is the first time the event has been advertised using billboards. Fifty sites throughout Ireland were chosen, including a number in Northern Ireland. A billboard posted in a parking lot in Derry City in Ireland advertises the upcoming All Ireland Rosary Rally on June 6, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the All Ireland Rosary Rally “We chose billboards because Father Patrick Peyton was famous for his billboards in running his rosary rallies around the world, some of which attracted crowds of 2 million people,” Father Marius O’Reilly, one of the rally organizers, told EWTN News.The billboards have attracted reaction and comments online and in the mainstream media. The Irish News, a daily newspaper published in Belfast, reported that Archbishop Eamon Martin and Bishop Donal McKeown plan to “reconsecrate Ireland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the event, which organizers describe as a national moment of prayer for peace.”Parishes have been drawing people’s attention to the billboard campaign as well. Holy Family Parish in Drogheda spotted one of the billboards in the town and posted on its Facebook page: “A giant reminder on the Dublin Road in Drogheda from the All Ireland Rosary Rally. Book your spot on our bus to Knock.” A billboard along the road in Drogheda, an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 27 miles north of Dublin, advertises the upcoming All Ireland Rosary Rally on June 6, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the All Ireland Rosary Rally O’Reilly explained to EWTN News that the cost of the billboards has been borne by sponsors and voluntary donations. “Sponsors are paying for the posters and indeed, this huge event is possible because of the generosity of so many. People are not charged on the day; thereʼs no ticket price. So the event relies heavily on the generosity and support of many people across Ireland and beyond. People are responding very positively, and with great enthusiasm.”The goal of the rally’s organizing committee was a billboard presence in as many counties and population centers as possible. “We tried to ensure that every county would be represented with the billboards, and more so in the cities,” O’Reilly said. “I think it is encouraging people in their faith and itʼs just part of the renewal in Ireland thatʼs taking place. The Irish have a great love for Our Lady in the rosary.” A billboard advertising the All Ireland Rosary Rally on June 6, 2026, is spotted in Callan, County Kilkenny. Fifty sites throughout Ireland were chosen for the billboards, including a number in Northern Ireland. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the All Ireland Rosary Rally He continued: “The devotion to Our Lady is evident on the highways and byways of our country; we have huge grottos everywhere around Ireland, so Our Lady is very, very important to the Irish. Now for the duration of the campaign, people of all faiths and none can see Our Lady on a billboard, as well as the grottos, inviting them to come to Knock to pray for peace in our world and for the renewal of our faith in Ireland.”Partners for this yearʼs rally include the Father Peyton Centre in Attymass, County Mayo, and Holy Cross Family Ministries, which both continue the work of Peyton. International speakers include Father Chris Alar, Nikki Kingsley, and Bishop Oliver Doeme.Over 10,000 pilgrims are expected to attend this year, with 50 buses already booked to bring people to the Knock shrine.
Read More

Nationwide billboard campaign in Ireland invites thousands to rosary rally – #Catholic – The All Ireland Rosary Rally scheduled for June 6 in Knock will be the largest Catholic event in Ireland this year, and organizers have adopted an uncommon promotional tactic to catch the attention of the faithful — a countrywide billboard campaign.Building on last year’s turnout when more than 10,000 people gathered for the 40th Rosary Rally in Knock, famous for its shrine and as a pilgrimage destination, rally organizers hope the two-week campaign will attract an even bigger audience. It is the first time the event has been advertised using billboards. Fifty sites throughout Ireland were chosen, including a number in Northern Ireland. A billboard posted in a parking lot in Derry City in Ireland advertises the upcoming All Ireland Rosary Rally on June 6, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the All Ireland Rosary Rally “We chose billboards because Father Patrick Peyton was famous for his billboards in running his rosary rallies around the world, some of which attracted crowds of 2 million people,” Father Marius O’Reilly, one of the rally organizers, told EWTN News.The billboards have attracted reaction and comments online and in the mainstream media. The Irish News, a daily newspaper published in Belfast, reported that Archbishop Eamon Martin and Bishop Donal McKeown plan to “reconsecrate Ireland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the event, which organizers describe as a national moment of prayer for peace.”Parishes have been drawing people’s attention to the billboard campaign as well. Holy Family Parish in Drogheda spotted one of the billboards in the town and posted on its Facebook page: “A giant reminder on the Dublin Road in Drogheda from the All Ireland Rosary Rally. Book your spot on our bus to Knock.” A billboard along the road in Drogheda, an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 27 miles north of Dublin, advertises the upcoming All Ireland Rosary Rally on June 6, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the All Ireland Rosary Rally O’Reilly explained to EWTN News that the cost of the billboards has been borne by sponsors and voluntary donations. “Sponsors are paying for the posters and indeed, this huge event is possible because of the generosity of so many. People are not charged on the day; thereʼs no ticket price. So the event relies heavily on the generosity and support of many people across Ireland and beyond. People are responding very positively, and with great enthusiasm.”The goal of the rally’s organizing committee was a billboard presence in as many counties and population centers as possible. “We tried to ensure that every county would be represented with the billboards, and more so in the cities,” O’Reilly said. “I think it is encouraging people in their faith and itʼs just part of the renewal in Ireland thatʼs taking place. The Irish have a great love for Our Lady in the rosary.” A billboard advertising the All Ireland Rosary Rally on June 6, 2026, is spotted in Callan, County Kilkenny. Fifty sites throughout Ireland were chosen for the billboards, including a number in Northern Ireland. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the All Ireland Rosary Rally He continued: “The devotion to Our Lady is evident on the highways and byways of our country; we have huge grottos everywhere around Ireland, so Our Lady is very, very important to the Irish. Now for the duration of the campaign, people of all faiths and none can see Our Lady on a billboard, as well as the grottos, inviting them to come to Knock to pray for peace in our world and for the renewal of our faith in Ireland.”Partners for this yearʼs rally include the Father Peyton Centre in Attymass, County Mayo, and Holy Cross Family Ministries, which both continue the work of Peyton. International speakers include Father Chris Alar, Nikki Kingsley, and Bishop Oliver Doeme.Over 10,000 pilgrims are expected to attend this year, with 50 buses already booked to bring people to the Knock shrine.

unitedyam

Building on last year’s turnout of over 10,000 people, the All Ireland Rosary Rally in Knock is running a two-week billboard campaign to attract even more participation for this year’s event.

Read More