U.S. — Democrats have forcefully condemned Republicans for going so low as to play videos of Senate candidate James Talarico saying things.
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The NASA/German Research Centre for Geosciences GRACE Follow-On spacecraft launch onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Tuesday, May 22, 2018, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
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A reading from the Book of Exodus
34:4b-6, 8-9
Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai
as the LORD had commanded him,
taking along the two stone tablets.
Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, "LORD."
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
"The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity."
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O Lord,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own."
A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
13:11-13
Brothers and sisters, rejoice.
Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the holy ones greet you.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
From the Gospel according to John
3:16-18
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Today, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the Gospel is taken from Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus (cf. Jn 3:16-18). Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, passionate about the mystery of God: he recognizes in Jesus a divine master and goes to speak to him in secret, at night. Jesus listens to him, understands he is a man on a quest, and then first, he surprises him, answering that in order to enter the Kingdom of God, one must be reborn; then, he reveals the heart of the mystery to him, saying that God loved humanity so much that he sent his Son into the world. Jesus, therefore, the Son, speaks to us about his Father and his immense love. Father and Son. It is a familiar image which, if we think about it, disrupts our images of God. Indeed, the very word “God” suggests to us a singular, majestic and distant reality, whereas hearing about a Father and a Son brings us back home. Yes, we can think of God in this way, through the image of a family gathered around the table, where life is shared. After all, the table, which, at the same time is an altar, is a symbol with which certain icons depict the Trinity. It is an image that speaks to us of a God of communion. Father, Son and Holy Spirit: communion. But it is not only an image; it is reality! It is reality because the Holy Spirit, the Spirit that the Father poured into our hearts through Jesus (cf. Gal 4:6), makes us taste, makes us savour God’s presence: a presence that is always close, compassionate and tender. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 4 June 2023)
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![Human dignity, national security ‘not in conflict,’ U.S. bishops say amid Trump ‘aliens’ campaign #Catholic The U.S. bishops are reiterating their calls for immigrants in the U.S. to be treated with dignity as the Trump administration launched a campaign that likens immigrants living in the country illegally to extraterrestrials.The White House on May 28 launched a government website “Aliens.gov,” a retro sci-fi-styled site that claims the government has “kept a closely guarded secret” about “aliens” and an “invasion” for decades. The site mimics sci‑fi aesthetics, with a bold, geometric sans‑serif typeface in neon green and black, like 1950s movie posters used to advertise Cold‑War‑era sci‑fi films featuring monstrous extraterrestrials.“Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighborhoods, and interacting with us in our daily lives,” the site claims, alleging that “aliens” have “shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences.”Promoting an “alien arrest map” of immigrant detentions around the country, the site states bluntly that people without legal status “do not belong here.”The website urges visitors to “report suspicious aliens” to an “ICE tip line.” In U.S. law, the word alien is a formal legal classification meaning a person who is not a U.S. citizen or national, a definition that appears in the Immigration and Nationality Act and is used in statutes, regulations, and court decisions.Dignity, national security ‘not in conflict,’ bishops saysImmigrants have long been portrayed through metaphors in U.S. culture, from 19th‑century political cartoons that depicted Irish, Italian, and Chinese newcomers as monsters or subhuman creatures to modern rhetoric framing migrant groups as “invaders,” “infestations,” or something other than fully human.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) lamented “the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants” in a special message in November 2025. In February, the bishops condemned a plan from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to increase the capacity of migrant detention centers around the U.S. The government earlier this year indicated it would spend about $38 billion to bolster detention space. Victoria, Texas Bishop Brendan Cahill, chair of the bishops' immigration committee, called the plans “deeply troubling” at the time.“The thought of holding thousands of families in massive warehouses should challenge the conscience of every American," the bishop said. Asked about the governmentʼs new “aliens” campaign on May 29, USCCB spokeswoman Chieko Noguchi told EWTN News that the bishops have “continuously condemned vilification of immigrants and dehumanizing rhetoric and consistently advocated for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.” “They’ve also repeatedly asserted that human dignity and national security are not in conflict,” she said, pointing to the bishops' special message. The bishops at that time said they “oppose[d] the indiscriminate mass deportation of people,” with the prelates praying “for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”The bishops in February urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the U.S. constitutional policy of “birthright citizenship” wherein any individual born on U.S. soil is counted as an American citizen. The dispute before the court was launched after Trump in January 2025 signed an order directing that children born to parents in the country illegally were not entitled to U.S. citizenship. Pope Leo XIV — the first pope in history from the United States — has also weighed in, affirming in November 2025 that while nations have “a right to determine who and how and when people enter,” countries “have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have.”“When people are living good lives — and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years — to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least,” is not acceptable, the pope said on Nov. 18, 2025.Regarding the bishops' Nov. 12, 2025 message on immigration, the pope remarked: “I appreciate very much what the bishops have said. I think it’s a very important statement. I would invite, especially all Catholics, but people of goodwill to listen carefully to what they said."In a statement to EWTN News, meanwhile, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on May 29 argued that news reports “too often” ignore “the victims [of illegal immigration] and their stories.” "These victims and their families are why we work around the clock to arrest and deport illegal aliens from our communities," the department said, describing crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as "completely preventable.”“What makes someone a target of ICE is if they are in the U.S. illegally,” the statement continued, arguing that “nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges.”ICE data shows most people arrested and booked into ICE custody do not have criminal convictions, and some analyses show the 70% figure comes from redefining “criminal” to include pending charges, foreign allegations untested in a U.S. court, and people who have never been found guilty of a crime. Roughly 25–30% of people arrested by ICE have a prior conviction, according to analyses of ICE arrest and detention data, including work by the Cato Institute and the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse based on ICE data.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/human-dignity-national-security-not-in-conflict-u-s-bishops-say-amid-trump-aliens-campaign-catholic-the-u-s-bishops-are-reiterating-their-calls-for-immigrants-in-the-u-s-to-be-treated-wi.jpg "Human dignity, national security ‘not in conflict,’ U.S. bishops say amid Trump ‘aliens’ campaign #Catholic The U.S. bishops are reiterating their calls for immigrants in the U.S. to be treated with dignity as the Trump administration launched a campaign that likens immigrants living in the country illegally to extraterrestrials.The White House on May 28 launched a government website “Aliens.gov,” a retro sci-fi-styled site that claims the government has “kept a closely guarded secret” about “aliens” and an “invasion” for decades. The site mimics sci‑fi aesthetics, with a bold, geometric sans‑serif typeface in neon green and black, like 1950s movie posters used to advertise Cold‑War‑era sci‑fi films featuring monstrous extraterrestrials.“Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighborhoods, and interacting with us in our daily lives,” the site claims, alleging that “aliens” have “shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences.”Promoting an “alien arrest map” of immigrant detentions around the country, the site states bluntly that people without legal status “do not belong here.”The website urges visitors to “report suspicious aliens” to an “ICE tip line.” In U.S. law, the word alien is a formal legal classification meaning a person who is not a U.S. citizen or national, a definition that appears in the Immigration and Nationality Act and is used in statutes, regulations, and court decisions.Dignity, national security ‘not in conflict,’ bishops saysImmigrants have long been portrayed through metaphors in U.S. culture, from 19th‑century political cartoons that depicted Irish, Italian, and Chinese newcomers as monsters or subhuman creatures to modern rhetoric framing migrant groups as “invaders,” “infestations,” or something other than fully human.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) lamented “the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants” in a special message in November 2025. In February, the bishops condemned a plan from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to increase the capacity of migrant detention centers around the U.S. The government earlier this year indicated it would spend about $38 billion to bolster detention space. Victoria, Texas Bishop Brendan Cahill, chair of the bishops' immigration committee, called the plans “deeply troubling” at the time.“The thought of holding thousands of families in massive warehouses should challenge the conscience of every American,\" the bishop said. Asked about the governmentʼs new “aliens” campaign on May 29, USCCB spokeswoman Chieko Noguchi told EWTN News that the bishops have “continuously condemned vilification of immigrants and dehumanizing rhetoric and consistently advocated for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.” “They’ve also repeatedly asserted that human dignity and national security are not in conflict,” she said, pointing to the bishops' special message. The bishops at that time said they “oppose[d] the indiscriminate mass deportation of people,” with the prelates praying “for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”The bishops in February urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the U.S. constitutional policy of “birthright citizenship” wherein any individual born on U.S. soil is counted as an American citizen. The dispute before the court was launched after Trump in January 2025 signed an order directing that children born to parents in the country illegally were not entitled to U.S. citizenship. Pope Leo XIV — the first pope in history from the United States — has also weighed in, affirming in November 2025 that while nations have “a right to determine who and how and when people enter,” countries “have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have.”“When people are living good lives — and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years — to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least,” is not acceptable, the pope said on Nov. 18, 2025.Regarding the bishops' Nov. 12, 2025 message on immigration, the pope remarked: “I appreciate very much what the bishops have said. I think it’s a very important statement. I would invite, especially all Catholics, but people of goodwill to listen carefully to what they said.\"In a statement to EWTN News, meanwhile, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on May 29 argued that news reports “too often” ignore “the victims [of illegal immigration] and their stories.” \"These victims and their families are why we work around the clock to arrest and deport illegal aliens from our communities,\" the department said, describing crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as \"completely preventable.”“What makes someone a target of ICE is if they are in the U.S. illegally,” the statement continued, arguing that “nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges.”ICE data shows most people arrested and booked into ICE custody do not have criminal convictions, and some analyses show the 70% figure comes from redefining “criminal” to include pending charges, foreign allegations untested in a U.S. court, and people who have never been found guilty of a crime. Roughly 25–30% of people arrested by ICE have a prior conviction, according to analyses of ICE arrest and detention data, including work by the Cato Institute and the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse based on ICE data.")
The Trump administration launched an “alien arrest map” with images and rhetoric that likens immigrants living illegally in the country to extraterrestrials.
![NJ Catholic Conference among hosts of webinar on human trafficking ahead of World Cup matches in region #Catholic -
As the 2026 World Cup quickly approaches, and with host venues including MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands and in nearby Philadelphia, faith leaders are hosting a special webinar to draw attention to a serious issue that can emerge during large-scale events.
A free webinar, “Human Trafficking and Major Sporting Events,” will feature experts who will share their perspectives on the intersection between human trafficking and events like the World Cup. It is being hosted by the New Jersey Catholic Conference in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, and will take place June 9 at 6:30 p.m.
“While these events are not in and of themselves responsible for the trafficking, by default these are the things that can come when you bring a big event like this to a certain area,” said James King, executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference. “These are high-tourist events, there are lots of people coming in and out, and there is a lot of down time involved.”
Standing Up for Human Dignity
The fight against human trafficking is deeply entrenched in Catholic social teaching and is part of the work of the USCCB through its Anti-Trafficking Program and its Migration and Refugee Services initiative.
According to the USCCB, the anti-trafficking program “aims to educate on the scourge of human trafficking as an offense against the fundamental dignity of the human person, to advocate for its end, and to provide training and technical assistance to support survivors.” The organization estimates that some 17,000 vulnerable people are trafficked across American borders each year and subsequently forced into slavery.
“Many are fleeing terrible situations in their home countries and come to the United States to find a better life,” according to the USCCB. “Unfortunately, the nightmare often begins when they reach our shores.”
King reinforced the mandate for Catholics to get involved in the issue.
“Trafficking is a direct assault on the dignity of the human person, and the Catholic Church stands at the forefront of these issues that attack that dignity,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to ensure that the gift of life at any stage is not attacked, misused or objectified.”
Tools to Fight Trafficking
The virtual session will include expert insights into the issue of human trafficking and perspectives from law enforcement officials and legislators on current efforts to combat the issue. It will also offer practical ways for individuals and communities to recognize and prevent trafficking. Everyone from clergy and parish leaders to parishioners, and even those who are just interested in learning more, are encouraged to participate.
“We don’t want people to lose focus on the fact that this could possibly be taking place,” said King. “The more awareness we raise on this, the more attention we bring to it, increases the chances that we can stop, prevent or even help people who are the victims of this form of modern-day slavery.”
King was also part of efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking around large-scale events when New Jersey hosted the Super Bowl in 2014. At the time, the state legislature took up a package of bills to expand resources for victims and increase penalties for offenders.
“We want people to understand that this is still going on,” he said, noting that the issue can take the form of labor trafficking, as well as sex trafficking. “We want to bring attention to all of that, and to make sure people have the information to call the appropriate authorities to investigate.”
The webinar will also feature the SOAP Project – “Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution” – a nonprofit organization founded by an advocate and survivor who works to raise awareness of the prevalence of human trafficking and to prevent teens from being victimized. One of its key initiatives is the distribution of millions of bars of soap, hand labeled with a red band bearing the National Human Trafficking Hotline number, to motels to offer victims a discrete way to find out how to seek help.
King noted his hope that the webinar will help attendees learn more about what public officials are doing around the issue.
“Because both states [New Jersey and Pennsylvania] are hosting World Cup matches starting in June, and New Jersey will host the final match,” he said, “we want people to hear what their states have done, and are doing, to combat this issue.”
King also hopes attendees will come away with an understanding of who to call if they believe human trafficking is taking place. He added that organizers seek to eliminate possible hesitancy around reporting a suspicion out of fear that it might be unfounded.
“It’s better to say something and be wrong, than not to say something and it be a form of trafficking,” he said. “If you have a reasonable suspicion, it is better to say something.”
Those interested in joining the free webinar can register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i_IKn_d5QBGJGCaRCGG8tg#/registration
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, you can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888 or by visiting https://humantraffickinghotline.org/.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/nj-catholic-conference-among-hosts-of-webinar-on-human-trafficking-ahead-of-world-cup-matches-in-region-catholic-as-the-2026-world-cup-quickly-approaches-and-with-host-venues-including-metlife.png)
NJ Catholic Conference among hosts of webinar on human trafficking ahead of World Cup matches in region #Catholic – 
As the 2026 World Cup quickly approaches, and with host venues including MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands and in nearby Philadelphia, faith leaders are hosting a special webinar to draw attention to a serious issue that can emerge during large-scale events.
A free webinar, “Human Trafficking and Major Sporting Events,” will feature experts who will share their perspectives on the intersection between human trafficking and events like the World Cup. It is being hosted by the New Jersey Catholic Conference in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, and will take place June 9 at 6:30 p.m.
“While these events are not in and of themselves responsible for the trafficking, by default these are the things that can come when you bring a big event like this to a certain area,” said James King, executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference. “These are high-tourist events, there are lots of people coming in and out, and there is a lot of down time involved.”
Standing Up for Human Dignity
The fight against human trafficking is deeply entrenched in Catholic social teaching and is part of the work of the USCCB through its Anti-Trafficking Program and its Migration and Refugee Services initiative.
According to the USCCB, the anti-trafficking program “aims to educate on the scourge of human trafficking as an offense against the fundamental dignity of the human person, to advocate for its end, and to provide training and technical assistance to support survivors.” The organization estimates that some 17,000 vulnerable people are trafficked across American borders each year and subsequently forced into slavery.
“Many are fleeing terrible situations in their home countries and come to the United States to find a better life,” according to the USCCB. “Unfortunately, the nightmare often begins when they reach our shores.”
King reinforced the mandate for Catholics to get involved in the issue.
“Trafficking is a direct assault on the dignity of the human person, and the Catholic Church stands at the forefront of these issues that attack that dignity,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to ensure that the gift of life at any stage is not attacked, misused or objectified.”
Tools to Fight Trafficking
The virtual session will include expert insights into the issue of human trafficking and perspectives from law enforcement officials and legislators on current efforts to combat the issue. It will also offer practical ways for individuals and communities to recognize and prevent trafficking. Everyone from clergy and parish leaders to parishioners, and even those who are just interested in learning more, are encouraged to participate.
“We don’t want people to lose focus on the fact that this could possibly be taking place,” said King. “The more awareness we raise on this, the more attention we bring to it, increases the chances that we can stop, prevent or even help people who are the victims of this form of modern-day slavery.”
King was also part of efforts to raise awareness of human trafficking around large-scale events when New Jersey hosted the Super Bowl in 2014. At the time, the state legislature took up a package of bills to expand resources for victims and increase penalties for offenders.
“We want people to understand that this is still going on,” he said, noting that the issue can take the form of labor trafficking, as well as sex trafficking. “We want to bring attention to all of that, and to make sure people have the information to call the appropriate authorities to investigate.”
The webinar will also feature the SOAP Project – “Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution” – a nonprofit organization founded by an advocate and survivor who works to raise awareness of the prevalence of human trafficking and to prevent teens from being victimized. One of its key initiatives is the distribution of millions of bars of soap, hand labeled with a red band bearing the National Human Trafficking Hotline number, to motels to offer victims a discrete way to find out how to seek help.
King noted his hope that the webinar will help attendees learn more about what public officials are doing around the issue.
“Because both states [New Jersey and Pennsylvania] are hosting World Cup matches starting in June, and New Jersey will host the final match,” he said, “we want people to hear what their states have done, and are doing, to combat this issue.”
King also hopes attendees will come away with an understanding of who to call if they believe human trafficking is taking place. He added that organizers seek to eliminate possible hesitancy around reporting a suspicion out of fear that it might be unfounded.
“It’s better to say something and be wrong, than not to say something and it be a form of trafficking,” he said. “If you have a reasonable suspicion, it is better to say something.”
Those interested in joining the free webinar can register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i_IKn_d5QBGJGCaRCGG8tg#/registration
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, you can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888 or by visiting https://humantraffickinghotline.org/.
– As the 2026 World Cup quickly approaches, and with host venues including MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands and in nearby Philadelphia, faith leaders are hosting a special webinar to draw attention to a serious issue that can emerge during large-scale events. A free webinar, “Human Trafficking and Major Sporting Events,” will feature experts who will share their perspectives on the intersection between human trafficking and events like the World Cup. It is being hosted by the New Jersey Catholic Conference in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, and will take place June
![Catholic Charities Boston sees surging need at city-wide food pantries – #Catholic – Catholic Charities Boston has seen a surge in the numbers of families who need food pantry assistance, offering nearly 3 million pounds of food over the past year. Over the past three months, Catholic Charities Boston has “seen over 2,000 new households register who have never come to our food pantries before,” said Jonathan Tetrault, the vice president of economic empowerment at Catholic Charities Boston.Tetrault told “EWTN News Nightly” on May 29 that these families “are seeking help with food assistance because of the many pressures that are … colliding to put pressure on their family budgets.” “So theyʼre reaching out to us for help,” he said.The organization operates "four food pantries across the cities of Brockton, Dorchester, Lowell, and Lynn. This past year, weʼve served nearly 70,000 people through these four food pantries – almost 3 million pounds of food through these four locations,” Tetrault said.“We offer fresh fruits and veggies, frozen lean proteins, shelf-stable dry goods,” he said. “[W]hat weʼre hearing from [families] when theyʼre coming in to get these critical groceries is that itʼs … a number of factors" that are causing the need, he said.Following federal cuts to programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Catholic Charities is experiencing an “elevated need in our communities, and weʼre seeing fewer dollars to meet that need with,” he said.“For some folks, the SNAP work requirements are going into effect. Most of our other clients are being impacted by the high cost of gas” and “utility prices soaring,” he said.“This is all coming together to strain their family budgets over the past several months,” he said.“It is becoming harder to stand in the gap, but that is our commitment [to] those families, those individuals who are coming to us for support. And so weʼre figuring out ways to do that,” he said.The organization is adapting to meet the urgent needs and acquire the necessary food, he said.“Most recently, we had to double the credit limit on our fuel cards" to ensure delivery trucks and vans could continue to get fueled up, he said.Call for community involvementAs Catholic Charities Boston’s food pantries operate with small numbers of staff members, they rely on volunteers and are calling for community support.“We recognize that it takes each one of us to meet the needs of our neighbors in our communities. So we would love for … our community to support us with their time, their talent, their treasure,” Tetrault said.To help, Tetrault called on the community to “find out where your local food pantry is” and “show up to volunteer.”“You can bring donations of dry goods there as well. And then supporting us financially … is critical because oftentimes weʼre able to purchase food at a better scale, better price points, when we pull those funds together," he said.The “food pantries operate with two staff each,” he said. “So we rely heavily on our volunteer support” which is “critical for us to be able to serve the hundreds and hundreds of families that we see each and every day throughout the week.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/catholic-charities-boston-sees-surging-need-at-city-wide-food-pantries-catholic-catholic-charities-boston-has-seen-a-surge-in-the-numbers-of-families-who-need-food-pantry-assistance-offering-nea-scaled.jpg "Catholic Charities Boston sees surging need at city-wide food pantries – #Catholic – Catholic Charities Boston has seen a surge in the numbers of families who need food pantry assistance, offering nearly 3 million pounds of food over the past year. Over the past three months, Catholic Charities Boston has “seen over 2,000 new households register who have never come to our food pantries before,” said Jonathan Tetrault, the vice president of economic empowerment at Catholic Charities Boston.Tetrault told “EWTN News Nightly” on May 29 that these families “are seeking help with food assistance because of the many pressures that are … colliding to put pressure on their family budgets.” “So theyʼre reaching out to us for help,” he said.The organization operates \"four food pantries across the cities of Brockton, Dorchester, Lowell, and Lynn. This past year, weʼve served nearly 70,000 people through these four food pantries – almost 3 million pounds of food through these four locations,” Tetrault said.“We offer fresh fruits and veggies, frozen lean proteins, shelf-stable dry goods,” he said. “[W]hat weʼre hearing from [families] when theyʼre coming in to get these critical groceries is that itʼs … a number of factors\" that are causing the need, he said.Following federal cuts to programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Catholic Charities is experiencing an “elevated need in our communities, and weʼre seeing fewer dollars to meet that need with,” he said.“For some folks, the SNAP work requirements are going into effect. Most of our other clients are being impacted by the high cost of gas” and “utility prices soaring,” he said.“This is all coming together to strain their family budgets over the past several months,” he said.“It is becoming harder to stand in the gap, but that is our commitment [to] those families, those individuals who are coming to us for support. And so weʼre figuring out ways to do that,” he said.The organization is adapting to meet the urgent needs and acquire the necessary food, he said.“Most recently, we had to double the credit limit on our fuel cards\" to ensure delivery trucks and vans could continue to get fueled up, he said.Call for community involvementAs Catholic Charities Boston’s food pantries operate with small numbers of staff members, they rely on volunteers and are calling for community support.“We recognize that it takes each one of us to meet the needs of our neighbors in our communities. So we would love for … our community to support us with their time, their talent, their treasure,” Tetrault said.To help, Tetrault called on the community to “find out where your local food pantry is” and “show up to volunteer.”“You can bring donations of dry goods there as well. And then supporting us financially … is critical because oftentimes weʼre able to purchase food at a better scale, better price points, when we pull those funds together,\" he said.The “food pantries operate with two staff each,” he said. “So we rely heavily on our volunteer support” which is “critical for us to be able to serve the hundreds and hundreds of families that we see each and every day throughout the week.”")
Following federal cuts, Catholic Charities is experiencing an “elevated need in our communities, and we’re seeing fewer dollars to meet that need with,” said Jonathan Tetrault.
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image captures the faint glow of the dwarf irregular galaxy ESO 490-017.
Read More![Florida judge rules against Planned Parenthood in false advertisement case – #Catholic – Florida judge rules against Planned Parenthood in false advertisement caseA circuit court judge in Florida said the state can continue legal action against Planned Parenthood over the abortion giantʼs claims that the abortion pill is safer than Tylenol.In a May 27 ruling, First Circuit Court Judge J. Scott Duncan of Santa Rosa County struck down Planned Parenthood’s attempt to dismiss a Florida lawsuit that accused the company of false advertising. In November 2025, state Attorney General James Uthmeier sued Planned Parenthood for $350 million, alleging that the abortion provider spread information that was deceptive and misleading by claiming abortion drugs are safer than Tylenol, Viagra, and penicillin. Planned Parenthood then asked for the suit to be dismissed, but the judge refused, allowing the legal action to continue.Colorado governor signs bill requiring college health centers to provide abortion pillsColorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill requiring college student health centers to provide chemical abortion pills on-site.The law includes exemptions, however. Colleges are exempt from providing abortion pills “if doing so would jeopardize an institutionʼs federal grant participation, require the institution to deviate from generally accepted billing practices, [or] modify the generally accepted standards of medical practice."Colleges are also allowed to opt out of the mandate if the rule would “conflict with the institutionʼs sincerely held religious beliefs or practices.”Babies lost to abortion at a record high in ScotlandScotland saw a record high in the number of babies lost to abortion in 2025, with recent statistics showing that 18,783 babies died from abortion last year.The count is the highest on record, according to statistics released May 26 by Public Health Scotland.Scotland currently protects unborn children after 24 weeks of pregnancy.Report details Planned Parenthood transgender ideology and servicesA recent report by the organization Biological Integrity, a project of the American College of Pediatricians, details Planned Parenthood’s transgender, or “sex-rejecting,” procedures.The report notes that Planned Parenthood provides free chest binders for minors and distributes hormones to patients as young as 16 years old.According to the report, Planned Parenthood provides birth control to halt periods of minor girls without parental consent as a “loophole.”Planned Parenthood is a “primary distributor” of sexual education, spending more than $70 million on training participants in fiscal year 2025 and providing resources about transgenderism for children as young as three years old.The report highlights malpractice lawsuits filed against Planned Parenthood by people who detransition after receiving hormones and surgery.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/florida-judge-rules-against-planned-parenthood-in-false-advertisement-case-catholic-florida-judge-rules-against-planned-parenthood-in-false-advertisement-casea-circuit-court-judge-in-florida-said-scaled.jpg "Florida judge rules against Planned Parenthood in false advertisement case – #Catholic – Florida judge rules against Planned Parenthood in false advertisement caseA circuit court judge in Florida said the state can continue legal action against Planned Parenthood over the abortion giantʼs claims that the abortion pill is safer than Tylenol.In a May 27 ruling, First Circuit Court Judge J. Scott Duncan of Santa Rosa County struck down Planned Parenthood’s attempt to dismiss a Florida lawsuit that accused the company of false advertising. In November 2025, state Attorney General James Uthmeier sued Planned Parenthood for $350 million, alleging that the abortion provider spread information that was deceptive and misleading by claiming abortion drugs are safer than Tylenol, Viagra, and penicillin. Planned Parenthood then asked for the suit to be dismissed, but the judge refused, allowing the legal action to continue.Colorado governor signs bill requiring college health centers to provide abortion pillsColorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill requiring college student health centers to provide chemical abortion pills on-site.The law includes exemptions, however. Colleges are exempt from providing abortion pills “if doing so would jeopardize an institutionʼs federal grant participation, require the institution to deviate from generally accepted billing practices, [or] modify the generally accepted standards of medical practice.\"Colleges are also allowed to opt out of the mandate if the rule would “conflict with the institutionʼs sincerely held religious beliefs or practices.”Babies lost to abortion at a record high in ScotlandScotland saw a record high in the number of babies lost to abortion in 2025, with recent statistics showing that 18,783 babies died from abortion last year.The count is the highest on record, according to statistics released May 26 by Public Health Scotland.Scotland currently protects unborn children after 24 weeks of pregnancy.Report details Planned Parenthood transgender ideology and servicesA recent report by the organization Biological Integrity, a project of the American College of Pediatricians, details Planned Parenthood’s transgender, or “sex-rejecting,” procedures.The report notes that Planned Parenthood provides free chest binders for minors and distributes hormones to patients as young as 16 years old.According to the report, Planned Parenthood provides birth control to halt periods of minor girls without parental consent as a “loophole.”Planned Parenthood is a “primary distributor” of sexual education, spending more than $70 million on training participants in fiscal year 2025 and providing resources about transgenderism for children as young as three years old.The report highlights malpractice lawsuits filed against Planned Parenthood by people who detransition after receiving hormones and surgery.")
Harry Clement Stubbs – perhaps better known by his penname, Hal Clement – was born near Boston on May 30, 1922. Stubbs earned a B.S. in astronomy from Harvard University in 1943, followed by master’s degrees in chemistry and education. After military service in the Army Air Corps in World War II, he began workContinue reading “May 30, 1922: The birth of Harry Clement Stubbs”
The post May 30, 1922: The birth of Harry Clement Stubbs appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Father Julio Ampuero’s ministry in a poor area of Lima, Peru, is experiencing good fruit through retreats, confessions and an outreach at a men’s shelter.
![Remembering Alex: Benedictine College grieves a ‘faith-filled’ student - #Catholic - Outside the packed school chapel, Benedictine College students continued to gather, kneeling on the ground to pray for Alex Lynch.On the night of May 8, the news had spread across the campus that Lynch, a Benedictine student suffering from cancer, had died.A college senior, Lynch had just had his graduation ceremony. He didn’t walk the stage, however; instead, the college president went to him.On May 7, Benedictine College President Stephen Minnis traveled from the school in Atchison, Kansas, to Lynch’s family home in Indianola, Iowa, along with 30 Benedictine students for Lynch’s personal baccalaureate Mass and graduation ceremony.“Graduation is a powerful moment for these students,” Minnis told EWTN News. “They have worked so hard for it, including their whole primary and secondary education.”“I want to make that moment special for every student,” he said. “It’s a moment that is powerful for me too — I pray a Hail Mary for every student by name when they come and when they graduate, but I have prayed especially for Alex.”“It just took an extra step in his case, but I didn’t want to miss his big moment,” Minnis said.Father Ryan Richardson, Benedictine Collegeʼs chaplain, told EWTN News he spoke “directly to Alex” in his homily, detailing how Lynch lived out the fruits of the Holy Spirit while at school.“He radiated the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ,” Richardson said. “Alex often said that his desire was that others see Christ in him. He definitely accomplished that.”
Benedictine College chaplain Father Ryan Richardson speaks “directly” to Alex Lynch at his personal baccalaureate Mass on May 7, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Ryan Richardson
Finnegan Ritchie, a close friend of Lynch’s, was among the 30 students who attended the ceremony.“We were both worried that it was going to be unreasonably long,” Ritchie said in an interview with EWTN News. “Entertaining people is exhausting. But Alex was able to sit and stand at will; he had a lot of grit.”“After the ceremony, he had a little graduation party and greeted his family and friends,” Ritchie said. “It was wonderful to see how everyone came together to bring food, drinks, and tables for the occasion. People were catching up with each other and treating it like any other grad party.”
Alex Lynch and Benedictine College President Stephen Minnis with diploma at Lynch’s at-home commencement ceremony on May 7, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Finnegan Ritchie
Ritchie said goodbye to Lynch in the evening, “around 5:30 p.m.”“It was very difficult to leave him,” Ritchie said.On May 8, less than a day after his home graduation ceremony, Lynch died. It was late in the evening on a Friday night. Off-campus parties stopped. Students gathered in the chapel, again, this time to pray for a friend who had passed away.“Students left parties and gathered spontaneously in our adoration chapel,” Minnis said. “It was filled until late that night. It was an overwhelming response.”The following day, Benedictine held a Mass on campus in his memory.Students traveled from all over the country for Lynch’s funeral at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Indianola, Iowa, on May 14, nearly filling the pews in the church.“He made such an impact,” Minnis said. “The way he lived and the way he died will change these students for years.”Yellow pins and applauseOn Saturday, May 16, just over a week after Lynch died, Benedictine’s official graduation took place. The crowd was peppered with students wearing yellow pins, which they wore, Richardson said, “to remember Alex.”While at Benedictine, Lynch was a resident adviser (RA) on campus. He played intramural sports, was active with FOCUS, and sang in the choir at Mass.“The best way I can describe Alex is that he was faith-filled,” Richardson said. “Faith in Christ was the foundation of his life and his faith in Christ spilled over into all his relationships."“[Lynch] had a friendship with the Holy Spirit that was alive and active,” the chaplain continued.“He loved people sincerely and intensely,” he said. “Even in the midst of his illness he would often look me in the eye and intentionally ask how I was doing and how he could pray for me.”
Alex Lynch and Father Ryan Richardson at Lynch’s graduation celebration on May 7, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Ryan Richardson
“We have grieved as a community,” Richardson said.“Since Alex’s passing, though, I think many of us have transitioned from sadness to peace,” he continued. “In his death Alex showed us what it means to truly live and what it means to live the faith to the end.”Lynchʼs friend Jack Figge, a recent Benedictine graduate and a Catholic journalist, wrote a tribute to Lynch in Benedictineʼs school publication.“I spent three days with Alex at the beginning of the week he passed away. It’s a series of days I will never forget because Alex lived out what it meant to be a suffering servant,” Figge told EWTN News.“He never complained about the pain he was in; he was so generous with his time making sure that everybody who wanted to see him could,” Figge recalled. “Whenever you walked in, the first question he asked was ‘How are you?’”“Even in the midst of being close to death, he remained joyful, laughing, and cracking jokes,” Figge continued. “On the day of his graduation, so many people wanted to say goodbye and he was clearly tired. But he sat and talked with everybody for hours, making sure he had a moment with everybody.”In the last week of his life, Lynch visited his parish to pray a Holy Hour.He died reciting his baptismal promises — promises made by Catholics at baptism and renewed at the Easter Vigil.Benedictine students and faculty remembered Lynch at the schoolʼs graduation ceremony, where Lynch’s parents walked the stage in his place.
Alex Lynchʼs parents and brother accept Lynch’s framed diploma at graduation on May 16, 2026. | Credit: Isabella Wilcox/Benedictine College
“It was truly fitting to have Alex’s family with us at graduation,” Richardson said. “The resounding applause they received was a tribute to the impact that Alex had on each of us and the legacy he has left at Benedictine College.”Shaved heads and a walk down the aisleWhen Lynch discovered he would lose his hair from chemotherapy, 30 of his friends at Benedictine shaved their heads, Ritchie recalled.“We did it to be funny, but we also wanted to present ourselves as Alexʼs friends,” Ritchie said. “He and I, along with many others, had spiritual conversations often — we wanted to do college well. We wanted to know what our purpose in life was and how to go about getting it.”
Benedictine College students shaved their heads in solidarity with Alex Lynch, center, as he went through chemotherapy. Also pictured: Finnegan Ritchie, back row, left, and Jack Figge, third row, third from left. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Finnegan Ritchie
“At the end of the day, we wanted to be virtuous; it was the way to a happier life on earth and an even more perfect one in the next life,” Ritchie said.“Alex sought to see God in everyone he met in order to love them well. We rarely talked about his disease; I figured he wanted to let go of it while he was with people,” he said.“He loved the quiet; he enjoyed eating breakfast at the door to St. Joseph Hall and seeing people he loved walk by,” Ritchie continued. “I was always struck by his take on things, since death was a real threat for him; it put my life in perspective. He taught me that I have a lot to be grateful for, and that it is best to take action now than wait until later.”In one of their last conversations, Lynch told his friend he had learned from him as well. “Iʼm honored to have been taught by him,“ Ritchie said. ”Iʼm even more honored to have taught him something. I think we just wanted to seek God together.”Earlier this year, Lynch walked down the aisle as a groomsman at the wedding of one of his best friends, Ben Shonka, who recently served as a pallbearer at Lynchʼs funeral.“Alex was a goofy man; he loved his faith and loved to have fun,” Shonka, also a Benedictine graduate, told EWTN News. “He made every moment count whether he was with friends or whoever.”
Alex Lynch, right, was among the groomsman at Ben Shonka’s wedding. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Ben Shonka
“He was one of the groomsmen in my wedding because he was one of the best men in my life,” Shonka said. “He really showed me what masculinity could look like at our age.”“He was so intentional in everything he did,” Shonka recalled. “He knew everyone’s name and would always greet them accordingly. He would always be down to talk whenever. He lived a life of prayer, often going to Mass and adoration.”
Alex Lynch, center, with friends, including Ben Shonka, right. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Ben Shonka
After Lynch’s death, Shonka’s wife observed that Lynch had walked down the aisle as a groomsman at their wedding and now her husband had carried Lynch “down the aisle as a pallbearer to his final resting place.”The college president noted the impact Lynch had on both students and himself.“I think the students saw him as a representative of the best of what they are and a model to aspire to,” Minnis said. “I see him that way, too.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/remembering-alex-benedictine-college-grieves-a-faith-filled-student-catholic-outside-the-packed-school-chapel-benedictine-college-students-continued-to-gather-kneeling-on-the.jpg)
When a Benedictine College senior was dying from cancer, the college’s president, along with 30 students, traveled to his home to give him a graduation ceremony.
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