Day: May 24, 2026

Leo XIV at Pentecost: The Spirit overcomes war with the omnipotence of love #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV marked Pentecost Sunday with a plea for peace, praying that the Holy Spirit would save the world “from the evil of war” and renew the Church in its mission to transform confusion into communion.Celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 24, the pope centered his homily on the risen Christ’s appearance to the disciples in the upper room, where Jesus showed them “his hands and his side” and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them.“The Lord reveals his glorious body, specifically his wounds, the marks of the crucifixion,” Pope Leo said. “These signs of the Passion, more eloquent than words, are now transfigured; he who was dead lives forever.”The pope said the same upper room that had been marked by fear and betrayal became, through Christ’s gift of the Spirit, “for the entire Church, the womb of the Resurrection.”“Pentecost is therefore a paschal feast and a feast of the body of Christ, which by grace is all of us,” he said.Leo framed his homily around three aspects of the Holy Spirit: peace, mission, and truth.“First of all, the Spirit of the risen One is the Spirit of peace,” he said. “Indeed, through his paschal mystery, Christ restores peace between God and humanity, and the Holy Spirit pours this peace into our hearts and spreads it throughout the world.”That peace, the pope said, “stems from forgiveness and leads us to forgiveness,” beginning with Christ’s forgiveness of humanity.The pope then described the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of mission,” citing Christ’s words: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”“We are truly co-workers of the Gospel: The whole Church is its protagonist, not merely its guardian,” Leo said. “Through the power of the Spirit, our proclamation is filled with joy and hope, for we — yes, we ourselves — are the newness of the world, the light and the salt of the earth.”The pope warned that some changes “do not bring new life to the world, but make it grow old through error and violence.” By contrast, he said, “the Holy Spirit enlightens minds and instils new vitality in our hearts.”“This is how he transfigures history, opening it to salvation, which is the gift that the Lord offers to everyone,” he said. “The Church’s mission bears witness to this offer, thereby transforming the world’s confusion into communion with God and among ourselves.”Finally, Leo said the Spirit is “the Spirit of truth,” who “always promotes unity in truth” and protects the Church from “partisanship, hypocrisy, and fads that obscure the light of the Gospel.”“The truth that God gives us thus stands as a liberating word for all peoples, a message that transforms every culture from within,” he said.Concluding his homily, the pope offered a prayer for a world wounded by war, poverty, and sin.“Dear friends, with fervent hearts, let us pray today that the Spirit of the risen One may save us from the evil of war, which is overcome not by a superpower, but by the omnipotence of love,” he said. “Let us pray that he free humanity from misery, which is redeemed not by immeasurable wealth, but by an inexhaustible gift. Let us pray that he heal us from the scourge of sin through the salvation proclaimed to all peoples in the name of Jesus.”After the Mass, Pope Leo appeared from his study in the Apostolic Palace to pray the Regina Coeli, returning again to the theme of the Holy Spirit as the one who opens what fear and sin have closed.The pope said the Spirit was poured out abundantly on the newborn Church and is given anew to the faithful today as “light and strength” in every circumstance of life.“The Spirit opens doors,” he said, pointing to the image of Christ opening the doors of the upper room and to the Acts of the Apostles, where the Spirit comes “like a violent wind.”Leo asked: “What doors does the Holy Spirit open?”The first, he said, is “the door of God himself,” opening access to the mystery of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, he said, helps believers encounter God personally in Jesus, recognize him within themselves, and discover the signs of his presence in daily life.The second door is that of the upper room, “that is, of the Church.” Without the fire of the Spirit, the pope said, the Church “remains a prisoner of fear,” timid before the challenges of the world, closed in on itself, and unable to enter into dialogue with changing times.The third door, Leo said, is “the door of our hearts.” The Spirit helps believers overcome resistance, selfishness, mistrust, and prejudice, making them capable of living as children of God and brothers and sisters to one another.“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, fraternity is born among persons, groups, and peoples of the earth,” he said, adding that all are called to speak “the one language of love, which unites and harmonizes differences.”The pope also recalled the day of prayer for the Church in China, observed on the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, who is venerated at the Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan in Shanghai.Leo invited the faithful to join in prayer with Chinese Catholics “as a sign of our affection for them and of their communion with the universal Church and with the successor of Peter.” He prayed that Mary’s intercession would obtain for the Church in China the grace of unity and the strength to witness to the Gospel in daily hardship, becoming a seed of hope and peace.The pope also remembered victims of a recent mining accident in northern China and entrusted to Mary the Christian communities of the Holy Land, Lebanon, and the wider Middle East suffering because of war.This story was first published in two parts 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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Leo XIV at Pentecost: The Spirit overcomes war with the omnipotence of love #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV marked Pentecost Sunday with a plea for peace, praying that the Holy Spirit would save the world “from the evil of war” and renew the Church in its mission to transform confusion into communion.Celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 24, the pope centered his homily on the risen Christ’s appearance to the disciples in the upper room, where Jesus showed them “his hands and his side” and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them.“The Lord reveals his glorious body, specifically his wounds, the marks of the crucifixion,” Pope Leo said. “These signs of the Passion, more eloquent than words, are now transfigured; he who was dead lives forever.”The pope said the same upper room that had been marked by fear and betrayal became, through Christ’s gift of the Spirit, “for the entire Church, the womb of the Resurrection.”“Pentecost is therefore a paschal feast and a feast of the body of Christ, which by grace is all of us,” he said.Leo framed his homily around three aspects of the Holy Spirit: peace, mission, and truth.“First of all, the Spirit of the risen One is the Spirit of peace,” he said. “Indeed, through his paschal mystery, Christ restores peace between God and humanity, and the Holy Spirit pours this peace into our hearts and spreads it throughout the world.”That peace, the pope said, “stems from forgiveness and leads us to forgiveness,” beginning with Christ’s forgiveness of humanity.The pope then described the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of mission,” citing Christ’s words: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”“We are truly co-workers of the Gospel: The whole Church is its protagonist, not merely its guardian,” Leo said. “Through the power of the Spirit, our proclamation is filled with joy and hope, for we — yes, we ourselves — are the newness of the world, the light and the salt of the earth.”The pope warned that some changes “do not bring new life to the world, but make it grow old through error and violence.” By contrast, he said, “the Holy Spirit enlightens minds and instils new vitality in our hearts.”“This is how he transfigures history, opening it to salvation, which is the gift that the Lord offers to everyone,” he said. “The Church’s mission bears witness to this offer, thereby transforming the world’s confusion into communion with God and among ourselves.”Finally, Leo said the Spirit is “the Spirit of truth,” who “always promotes unity in truth” and protects the Church from “partisanship, hypocrisy, and fads that obscure the light of the Gospel.”“The truth that God gives us thus stands as a liberating word for all peoples, a message that transforms every culture from within,” he said.Concluding his homily, the pope offered a prayer for a world wounded by war, poverty, and sin.“Dear friends, with fervent hearts, let us pray today that the Spirit of the risen One may save us from the evil of war, which is overcome not by a superpower, but by the omnipotence of love,” he said. “Let us pray that he free humanity from misery, which is redeemed not by immeasurable wealth, but by an inexhaustible gift. Let us pray that he heal us from the scourge of sin through the salvation proclaimed to all peoples in the name of Jesus.”After the Mass, Pope Leo appeared from his study in the Apostolic Palace to pray the Regina Coeli, returning again to the theme of the Holy Spirit as the one who opens what fear and sin have closed.The pope said the Spirit was poured out abundantly on the newborn Church and is given anew to the faithful today as “light and strength” in every circumstance of life.“The Spirit opens doors,” he said, pointing to the image of Christ opening the doors of the upper room and to the Acts of the Apostles, where the Spirit comes “like a violent wind.”Leo asked: “What doors does the Holy Spirit open?”The first, he said, is “the door of God himself,” opening access to the mystery of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, he said, helps believers encounter God personally in Jesus, recognize him within themselves, and discover the signs of his presence in daily life.The second door is that of the upper room, “that is, of the Church.” Without the fire of the Spirit, the pope said, the Church “remains a prisoner of fear,” timid before the challenges of the world, closed in on itself, and unable to enter into dialogue with changing times.The third door, Leo said, is “the door of our hearts.” The Spirit helps believers overcome resistance, selfishness, mistrust, and prejudice, making them capable of living as children of God and brothers and sisters to one another.“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, fraternity is born among persons, groups, and peoples of the earth,” he said, adding that all are called to speak “the one language of love, which unites and harmonizes differences.”The pope also recalled the day of prayer for the Church in China, observed on the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, who is venerated at the Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan in Shanghai.Leo invited the faithful to join in prayer with Chinese Catholics “as a sign of our affection for them and of their communion with the universal Church and with the successor of Peter.” He prayed that Mary’s intercession would obtain for the Church in China the grace of unity and the strength to witness to the Gospel in daily hardship, becoming a seed of hope and peace.The pope also remembered victims of a recent mining accident in northern China and entrusted to Mary the Christian communities of the Holy Land, Lebanon, and the wider Middle East suffering because of war.This story was first published in two parts 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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The pontiff prayed that the Holy Spirit would save humanity from war, misery, and sin.

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Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Is Attempting an ILLEGAL POWER GRAB Over Early Voting – Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Approves an ILLEGAL POWER GRAB Over Early Voting. The post Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Is Attempting an ILLEGAL POWER GRAB Over Early Voting appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Is Attempting an ILLEGAL POWER GRAB Over Early Voting – Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Approves an ILLEGAL POWER GRAB Over Early Voting. The post Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Is Attempting an ILLEGAL POWER GRAB Over Early Voting appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Image of the Board of Supervisors featuring five elected district supervisors, including the chair and vice chair, with their names and district information displayed.

Image of the Board of Supervisors featuring five elected district supervisors, including the chair and vice chair, with their names and district information displayed.

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Approves an ILLEGAL POWER GRAB Over Early Voting.

The post Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Is Attempting an ILLEGAL POWER GRAB Over Early Voting appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Democrats Suddenly Oppose ALL Redistricting When Republicans Start Winning (VIDEO) – Political redistricting may be aggressive. It may even be bad policy in some cases. But calling every partisan move racist is exactly how Democrats have destroyed the meaning of racism. The post Democrats Suddenly Oppose ALL Redistricting When Republicans Start Winning (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Democrats Suddenly Oppose ALL Redistricting When Republicans Start Winning (VIDEO) – Political redistricting may be aggressive. It may even be bad policy in some cases. But calling every partisan move racist is exactly how Democrats have destroyed the meaning of racism. The post Democrats Suddenly Oppose ALL Redistricting When Republicans Start Winning (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Image depicting a political discussion on redistricting, featuring Democratic leaders and a news segment highlighting the ongoing debate on electoral map changes.

Image depicting a political discussion on redistricting, featuring Democratic leaders and a news segment highlighting the ongoing debate on electoral map changes.

Political redistricting may be aggressive. It may even be bad policy in some cases. But calling every partisan move racist is exactly how Democrats have destroyed the meaning of racism.

The post Democrats Suddenly Oppose ALL Redistricting When Republicans Start Winning (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Will Trump Free Cuba From Communism Next? Here’s What We Know (VIDEO) - For more exclusive interviews & videos like this one, subscribe to The Patriot Perspective YouTube channel. [HERE] The latest episode of The Patriot Perspective turned attention to Cuba, arguing that the communist regime just 90 miles from Florida remains one of the most serious long-term threats in the Western Hemisphere. The post Will Trump Free Cuba From Communism Next? Here’s What We Know (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Will Trump Free Cuba From Communism Next? Here’s What We Know (VIDEO) – For more exclusive interviews & videos like this one, subscribe to The Patriot Perspective YouTube channel. [HERE] The latest episode of The Patriot Perspective turned attention to Cuba, arguing that the communist regime just 90 miles from Florida remains one of the most serious long-term threats in the Western Hemisphere. The post Will Trump Free Cuba From Communism Next? Here’s What We Know (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Image featuring a politician speaking at a conference alongside a notable figure in military attire, with a vibrant street scene in the background.

Image featuring a politician speaking at a conference alongside a notable figure in military attire, with a vibrant street scene in the background.

For more exclusive interviews & videos like this one, subscribe to The Patriot Perspective YouTube channel. [HERE] The latest episode of The Patriot Perspective turned attention to Cuba, arguing that the communist regime just 90 miles from Florida remains one of the most serious long-term threats in the Western Hemisphere.

The post Will Trump Free Cuba From Communism Next? Here’s What We Know (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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EWTN News explains: Why do popes issue papal documents and what are they? – #Catholic – This week the Vatican announced the upcoming release of Pope Leo XIVʼs long-awaited first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas.Amid anticipation of the encyclical there is renewed interest in what papal documents are. Understanding these documents has become important for Catholics as well, as they typically reveal the popeʼs pastoral and theological vision for the Church.So, what are the different types of papal documents, and how should Catholics interpret them?Papal bullA papal bull is a formal papal letter authenticated by the popeʼs seal. The name “bull” derives from the Latin “bulla,” meaning seal.Bulls have been used by popes since the early Middle Ages and have been a popular means of communicating their decisions outside Rome, including denouncing heresies, calling for crusades, establishing jubilee years, and issuing high-profile excommunications.Since at least the 13th century, these documents have been authenticated by a lead seal with the popeʼs name on one side and the heads of Sts. Peter and Paul on the other. In some cases, they were also authenticated by the Ring of the Fisherman, the popeʼs ring.In modern times, popes have used bulls to announce jubilee years, appoint bishops, and issue apostolic constitutions. They are typically written in Latin and are now authenticated with a red-ink stamp of the seal rather than the seal itself.Bulls are the only formal document in which a pontiff will refer to himself as “servus servorum Dei” (“servant of the servants of God”).Modern examples include the bull with which St. John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council in 1962 and the bull with which Pope Francis proclaimed the Jubilee Year of Hope in 2025.Apostolic constitutionsApostolic constitutions are among the most authoritative documents a pope can issue.According to canon law, the pope is the Churchʼs supreme legislator, possessing “full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church.”Apostolic constitutions are a means by which the pope establishes laws, defines doctrine (in rare cases), and makes institutional changes in the Church, such as erecting a diocese or reorganizing offices in the Roman Curia.In rare instances, apostolic constitutions have been used to issue ex cathedra statements that define doctrine, which are regarded as infallible and obligatory for all Catholics to believe. Recent examples include the solemn declarations of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and the Assumption in 1950.EncyclicalsA papal encyclical is a letter written by the pope primarily to the bishops but also to Catholics and all people regarding certain social, moral, or theological questions.According to the 1917 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia, encyclicals were “letters sent to all the bishops of Christendom, or at least to all those in one particular country, and intended to guide them in their relations with their flocks.”Encyclicals, along with his homilies and apostolic exhortations, are part of the pope’s everyday teaching authority, known as his “ordinary magisterium.” They are commonly used by popes to indicate pastoral priorities for the Church and the world.Encyclicals are not merely letters or expressions of the popeʼs opinion. They carry significant doctrinal weight and are frequently cited as important sources of Catholic teaching.According to Lumen Gentium (No. 25), Catholics are required to give “a religious submission of the mind and will” to these letters as the “authentic magisterium of the Roman pontiff, even when he is not speaking ‘ex cathedra.’”So, while Pope Leoʼs Magnifica Humanitas may not rise to the level of an “ex cathedra” statement, it would still be part of his teaching that Catholics should treat with respect.Apostolic exhortationsApostolic exhortations are documents issued by the pope to encourage the faithful in matters of faith, particularly to promote certain devotions or to guide Catholics in responding to societal challenges.A recent example is Pope Leoʼs apostolic exhortation Dilexit Te, in which he reminded the faithful of the inseparable nature of faith and service to the poor.While exhortations are not infallible, they also indicate the popeʼs priorities. For example, Pope Francis' Laudate Deum, in which he emphasized the urgency of addressing ecological challenges, has prompted many Catholics to implement measures and found institutes dedicated to preserving the popeʼs ecological vision.Popes also have regularly released post-synodal apostolic exhortations, responses by a pontiff to the work of a Synod of Bishops. Two well-known such post-synodal exhortations are St. John Paul II’s Christifideles Laici (1988) and Pope Francis’ controversial Amoris Laetitia (2016).Motu propriosWhile apostolic constitutions and other papal documents are usually issued in response to the faithful, a motu proprio is issued at the popeʼs own initiative. Its name, in fact, means “on his own impulse.”A motu proprio is a common way for a pontiff to change Church law and the bureaucratic dimensions of the Roman Curia. For example, in November 2025, Pope Leo issued a motu proprio restructuring the Governorate of Vatican City State, allowing non-cardinals to serve as its presidents.In modern times, motu proprios have also been used by popes to regulate the liturgy. Recent examples include Pope Benedict XVIʼs Summorum Pontificum in 2007, which allowed greater freedom for priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, and Pope Francis' Traditionis Custodes in 2021, which imposed restrictions on its celebration.Motu proprios and apostolic constitutions normally take effect when they are published in the official acts of the Holy See, the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.Papal rescriptsPapal rescripts are the official responses of the pope or a dicastery to a petition. Under canon 59 of the Code of Canon Law, these documents can grant privileges and dispensations and clarify existing laws.A recent example is the 2023 rescript from the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on the application of Traditionis Custodes, which clarifies the conditions under which permission would be granted for priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.AddressesThese are the most common kinds of papal documents, ranging from formal speeches (traditionally called allocutions), homilies, special messages, and weekly catecheses.Papal addresses and speeches are also important indicators of the popeʼs pastoral priorities, and the catecheses during his general audiences each week are particularly notable expressions of his mind. For example, the catecheses delivered by Pope John Paul II from 1979 to 1984 during his general audiences on human sexuality and the human person formed the basis for what has been hailed as the theology of the body.In the case of Leo XIV, many of his public addresses have been devoted to the theme of peace, the interpretation of the Second Vatican Council, and artificial intelligence.Leoʼs first encyclical is expected to clarify the Churchʼs response to artificial intelligence and other developing technologies. But many of his addresses, including his first address to the cardinals after his election, have already indicated artificial intelligence as a central focus of his pontificate.ChirographsA seldomly used papal document, a chirograph is used by the pope only to reorganize the Roman Curia. It is also circulated only within the Roman Curia.A recent example is the chirograph that Pope Francis issued in 2014 to establish the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.
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EWTN News explains: Why do popes issue papal documents and what are they? – #Catholic – This week the Vatican announced the upcoming release of Pope Leo XIVʼs long-awaited first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas.Amid anticipation of the encyclical there is renewed interest in what papal documents are. Understanding these documents has become important for Catholics as well, as they typically reveal the popeʼs pastoral and theological vision for the Church.So, what are the different types of papal documents, and how should Catholics interpret them?Papal bullA papal bull is a formal papal letter authenticated by the popeʼs seal. The name “bull” derives from the Latin “bulla,” meaning seal.Bulls have been used by popes since the early Middle Ages and have been a popular means of communicating their decisions outside Rome, including denouncing heresies, calling for crusades, establishing jubilee years, and issuing high-profile excommunications.Since at least the 13th century, these documents have been authenticated by a lead seal with the popeʼs name on one side and the heads of Sts. Peter and Paul on the other. In some cases, they were also authenticated by the Ring of the Fisherman, the popeʼs ring.In modern times, popes have used bulls to announce jubilee years, appoint bishops, and issue apostolic constitutions. They are typically written in Latin and are now authenticated with a red-ink stamp of the seal rather than the seal itself.Bulls are the only formal document in which a pontiff will refer to himself as “servus servorum Dei” (“servant of the servants of God”).Modern examples include the bull with which St. John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council in 1962 and the bull with which Pope Francis proclaimed the Jubilee Year of Hope in 2025.Apostolic constitutionsApostolic constitutions are among the most authoritative documents a pope can issue.According to canon law, the pope is the Churchʼs supreme legislator, possessing “full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the Church.”Apostolic constitutions are a means by which the pope establishes laws, defines doctrine (in rare cases), and makes institutional changes in the Church, such as erecting a diocese or reorganizing offices in the Roman Curia.In rare instances, apostolic constitutions have been used to issue ex cathedra statements that define doctrine, which are regarded as infallible and obligatory for all Catholics to believe. Recent examples include the solemn declarations of the Immaculate Conception in 1854 and the Assumption in 1950.EncyclicalsA papal encyclical is a letter written by the pope primarily to the bishops but also to Catholics and all people regarding certain social, moral, or theological questions.According to the 1917 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia, encyclicals were “letters sent to all the bishops of Christendom, or at least to all those in one particular country, and intended to guide them in their relations with their flocks.”Encyclicals, along with his homilies and apostolic exhortations, are part of the pope’s everyday teaching authority, known as his “ordinary magisterium.” They are commonly used by popes to indicate pastoral priorities for the Church and the world.Encyclicals are not merely letters or expressions of the popeʼs opinion. They carry significant doctrinal weight and are frequently cited as important sources of Catholic teaching.According to Lumen Gentium (No. 25), Catholics are required to give “a religious submission of the mind and will” to these letters as the “authentic magisterium of the Roman pontiff, even when he is not speaking ‘ex cathedra.’”So, while Pope Leoʼs Magnifica Humanitas may not rise to the level of an “ex cathedra” statement, it would still be part of his teaching that Catholics should treat with respect.Apostolic exhortationsApostolic exhortations are documents issued by the pope to encourage the faithful in matters of faith, particularly to promote certain devotions or to guide Catholics in responding to societal challenges.A recent example is Pope Leoʼs apostolic exhortation Dilexit Te, in which he reminded the faithful of the inseparable nature of faith and service to the poor.While exhortations are not infallible, they also indicate the popeʼs priorities. For example, Pope Francis' Laudate Deum, in which he emphasized the urgency of addressing ecological challenges, has prompted many Catholics to implement measures and found institutes dedicated to preserving the popeʼs ecological vision.Popes also have regularly released post-synodal apostolic exhortations, responses by a pontiff to the work of a Synod of Bishops. Two well-known such post-synodal exhortations are St. John Paul II’s Christifideles Laici (1988) and Pope Francis’ controversial Amoris Laetitia (2016).Motu propriosWhile apostolic constitutions and other papal documents are usually issued in response to the faithful, a motu proprio is issued at the popeʼs own initiative. Its name, in fact, means “on his own impulse.”A motu proprio is a common way for a pontiff to change Church law and the bureaucratic dimensions of the Roman Curia. For example, in November 2025, Pope Leo issued a motu proprio restructuring the Governorate of Vatican City State, allowing non-cardinals to serve as its presidents.In modern times, motu proprios have also been used by popes to regulate the liturgy. Recent examples include Pope Benedict XVIʼs Summorum Pontificum in 2007, which allowed greater freedom for priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, and Pope Francis' Traditionis Custodes in 2021, which imposed restrictions on its celebration.Motu proprios and apostolic constitutions normally take effect when they are published in the official acts of the Holy See, the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.Papal rescriptsPapal rescripts are the official responses of the pope or a dicastery to a petition. Under canon 59 of the Code of Canon Law, these documents can grant privileges and dispensations and clarify existing laws.A recent example is the 2023 rescript from the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on the application of Traditionis Custodes, which clarifies the conditions under which permission would be granted for priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.AddressesThese are the most common kinds of papal documents, ranging from formal speeches (traditionally called allocutions), homilies, special messages, and weekly catecheses.Papal addresses and speeches are also important indicators of the popeʼs pastoral priorities, and the catecheses during his general audiences each week are particularly notable expressions of his mind. For example, the catecheses delivered by Pope John Paul II from 1979 to 1984 during his general audiences on human sexuality and the human person formed the basis for what has been hailed as the theology of the body.In the case of Leo XIV, many of his public addresses have been devoted to the theme of peace, the interpretation of the Second Vatican Council, and artificial intelligence.Leoʼs first encyclical is expected to clarify the Churchʼs response to artificial intelligence and other developing technologies. But many of his addresses, including his first address to the cardinals after his election, have already indicated artificial intelligence as a central focus of his pontificate.ChirographsA seldomly used papal document, a chirograph is used by the pope only to reorganize the Roman Curia. It is also circulated only within the Roman Curia.A recent example is the chirograph that Pope Francis issued in 2014 to establish the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.

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Encyclicals, motu proprios, apostolic constitutions, and exhortations — here is a guide to some of the types of documents the pope uses to lead the Catholic Church.

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Platner Smooths Things Over With Democrats By Covering Nazi Tattoo With Hammer & Sickle #BabylonBee – BANGOR, ME — Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has smoothed things over with supporters by covering up his Nazi death squad tattoo with a new tattoo of the communist hammer and sickle.
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Platner Smooths Things Over With Democrats By Covering Nazi Tattoo With Hammer & Sickle #BabylonBee – BANGOR, ME — Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has smoothed things over with supporters by covering up his Nazi death squad tattoo with a new tattoo of the communist hammer and sickle.

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BANGOR, ME — Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has smoothed things over with supporters by covering up his Nazi death squad tattoo with a new tattoo of the communist hammer and sickle.

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St. Augustine: Pentecost reverses chaos of Babel, unites Church under the Holy Spirit – #Catholic – On May 24, Catholics around the world celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost — the day on which the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Christ who gathered in Jerusalem 50 days after his resurrection on Easter Sunday.At Pentecost, there “appeared to them tongues as of fire … and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues.” The gift of tongues allowed them to speak and for every person gathered to hear them “in his own native language.”“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” St. Peter said in Acts 2:38-39. “For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”Pentecost is considered the birth of the Church, and the gift of tongues allowed Christians to embark on their mission to convert all nations by removing the impediment of language barriers united under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.St. Augustine of Hippo — the fourth- to fifth-century bishop, theologian, and philosopher — wrote about the solemnity in sermons in the late 300s and early 400s. He contrasted the gift of tongues with the chaos established in Genesis 11 when God punished humanity with separate languages for trying to construct the Tower of Babel to reach heaven.In Sermon 271, Augustine explains that after the Flood, “the ungodly pride of men built a high tower against the Lord, and the human race was deservedly divided by languages, so that each nation would speak its own language and thus not be understood by the others.”Augustine contrasts the pride of humanity in Genesis with “the devout humility of the faithful” who gathered together 50 days after the resurrection of Christ. At Pentecost, that humility prompted God to instill the gift of tongues to bring unity to the Church despite “the variety of their different languages,” he writes.With this gift, the theologian explains, “the scattered members of the human race, as of one body, might be attached to their one head, Christ, and so reunited, and fused together into the unity of the holy body by the fire of love.”“Whoever received the Holy Spirit, even as one person, started speaking all languages,” he writes. “So too now the unity itself is speaking all languages throughout all nations; and it is by being established in this unity that you have the Holy Spirit; you that do not break away in any schism from the Church of Christ which speaks all languages.”In Sermon 267, Augustine writes that at the Pentecost, “the Church was then in one house.” He adds: “That small church spoke in the languages of all nations” and 400 years later, “this great Church now speaks in the languages of all nations from the rising of the sun to its setting.”The growth of the Church over those four centuries, Augustine writes, is a fulfillment of God’s promise to reach across nations and languages: “You were promised to yourself: but promised in few, fulfilled in many. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the body of the Church.”In Sermon 268, Augustine expands on how the Pentecost points to the necessity of unity in the Church under the Holy Spirit, writing that it showed “the unity of the Church in the tongues of all nations” in a small room following Christ’s resurrection. Now we see “the unity of the Catholic Church, spread throughout the whole world.”“The duties of the members are distributed, but one spirit contains all,” he continues. “Many commands are given, many things are done: One commands, one is served. That is our spirit, that is, our soul, to our members; this is the Holy Spirit to the members of Christ, to the body of Christ, which is the Church.”Augustine is one of the Church’s greatest theologians and philosophers. He strongly influenced the Catholic understanding of the Trinity and the Holy Spirit more specifically, with writings such as “On the Trinity.”Pope Leo XIV, the first Augustinian pope, discussed Augustine’s writings about Pentecost in a homily on Sept. 1, 2025, telling his Augustinian brothers: “You are members of the body of Christ, who speaks all languages.”“If not all those of the world, certainly all those that God knows to be necessary for the fulfillment of the good that, in his provident wisdom, he entrusts to you,” Leo said. “Live these days, therefore, in a sincere effort to communicate and to understand, and do so as a generous response to the great and unique gift of light and grace that the Father of heaven gives you by summoning you here, specifically you, for the good of all.”
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St. Augustine: Pentecost reverses chaos of Babel, unites Church under the Holy Spirit – #Catholic – On May 24, Catholics around the world celebrate the solemnity of Pentecost — the day on which the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Christ who gathered in Jerusalem 50 days after his resurrection on Easter Sunday.At Pentecost, there “appeared to them tongues as of fire … and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues.” The gift of tongues allowed them to speak and for every person gathered to hear them “in his own native language.”“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” St. Peter said in Acts 2:38-39. “For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.”Pentecost is considered the birth of the Church, and the gift of tongues allowed Christians to embark on their mission to convert all nations by removing the impediment of language barriers united under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.St. Augustine of Hippo — the fourth- to fifth-century bishop, theologian, and philosopher — wrote about the solemnity in sermons in the late 300s and early 400s. He contrasted the gift of tongues with the chaos established in Genesis 11 when God punished humanity with separate languages for trying to construct the Tower of Babel to reach heaven.In Sermon 271, Augustine explains that after the Flood, “the ungodly pride of men built a high tower against the Lord, and the human race was deservedly divided by languages, so that each nation would speak its own language and thus not be understood by the others.”Augustine contrasts the pride of humanity in Genesis with “the devout humility of the faithful” who gathered together 50 days after the resurrection of Christ. At Pentecost, that humility prompted God to instill the gift of tongues to bring unity to the Church despite “the variety of their different languages,” he writes.With this gift, the theologian explains, “the scattered members of the human race, as of one body, might be attached to their one head, Christ, and so reunited, and fused together into the unity of the holy body by the fire of love.”“Whoever received the Holy Spirit, even as one person, started speaking all languages,” he writes. “So too now the unity itself is speaking all languages throughout all nations; and it is by being established in this unity that you have the Holy Spirit; you that do not break away in any schism from the Church of Christ which speaks all languages.”In Sermon 267, Augustine writes that at the Pentecost, “the Church was then in one house.” He adds: “That small church spoke in the languages of all nations” and 400 years later, “this great Church now speaks in the languages of all nations from the rising of the sun to its setting.”The growth of the Church over those four centuries, Augustine writes, is a fulfillment of God’s promise to reach across nations and languages: “You were promised to yourself: but promised in few, fulfilled in many. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the body of the Church.”In Sermon 268, Augustine expands on how the Pentecost points to the necessity of unity in the Church under the Holy Spirit, writing that it showed “the unity of the Church in the tongues of all nations” in a small room following Christ’s resurrection. Now we see “the unity of the Catholic Church, spread throughout the whole world.”“The duties of the members are distributed, but one spirit contains all,” he continues. “Many commands are given, many things are done: One commands, one is served. That is our spirit, that is, our soul, to our members; this is the Holy Spirit to the members of Christ, to the body of Christ, which is the Church.”Augustine is one of the Church’s greatest theologians and philosophers. He strongly influenced the Catholic understanding of the Trinity and the Holy Spirit more specifically, with writings such as “On the Trinity.”Pope Leo XIV, the first Augustinian pope, discussed Augustine’s writings about Pentecost in a homily on Sept. 1, 2025, telling his Augustinian brothers: “You are members of the body of Christ, who speaks all languages.”“If not all those of the world, certainly all those that God knows to be necessary for the fulfillment of the good that, in his provident wisdom, he entrusts to you,” Leo said. “Live these days, therefore, in a sincere effort to communicate and to understand, and do so as a generous response to the great and unique gift of light and grace that the Father of heaven gives you by summoning you here, specifically you, for the good of all.”

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On the solemnity of Pentecost, St. Augustine reminds us to reflect on the the necessity of a globally unified Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

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The Sky Today on Sunday, May 24: Egeria slides on by

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  May 23: View Vallis Alpes Moving through vast Virgo, 11th-magnitude asteroid 13 Egeria is passing near some stationary background stars tonight, offering an excellent chance to chart its motion over the course of a few hours.  You can begin looking for theContinue reading “The Sky Today on Sunday, May 24: Egeria slides on by”

The post The Sky Today on Sunday, May 24: Egeria slides on by appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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