Day: June 8, 2026

Pope Leo scores goal for the Gospel at soccer stadium - #Catholic - Before a packed Santiago Bernabéu stadium and a crowd fully swept up in the moment, a figure dressed in white made his entrance. Yet it was neither Mbappé nor Cristiano Ronaldo nor any other Real Madrid soccer team legend but Leo XIV.It was a particularly significant moment for the pope at the arena where the team he loves — though, as pontiff, he’s for everyone — has achieved its greatest sporting feats. No match was being played, but the faithful of the Archdiocese of Madrid, together with the suffragan dioceses of Alcalá de Henares and Getafe, welcomed Leo with a euphoria comparable to that of a decisive goal in a World Cup final. Pope Leo blessing a child at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, June 8, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News “For a soccer player, scoring a goal in this stadium is a moment that leaves a bit of a mark on your life. Today, the Church in Madrid has scored a spectacular goal for all time," the pope said before beginning his address.The event brought together representatives from parishes, movements, and consecrated life, as well as priests and pastoral workers, with a special presence from parish pastoral councils. Young people performed a short play for the pope modeled after a soccer match, and David Bustamante, a famous Spanish singer, also performed. There were also deeply moving personal testimonies, such as that of a 33-year-old man who shared with the gathering that he had been baptized last year and is now preparing to get married. The event brought together representatives from parishes, movements, and consecrated life, as well as priests and pastoral workers, with a special presence from parish pastoral councils. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News When he addressed the priests, consecrated persons, and bishops of Madrid, the pope told them: “Your joy will be contagious if, moving from being just a fleeting emotion, it becomes a stable way of being, a deep sentiment that renews individuals, groups, and the diocesan community.”“Baptism truly changes one’s life ... thereʼs no need to fear the fact that it never produces uniformity,” the pontiff stated during his second to last gathering in the Spainʼs capital city, prior to beginning the second leg of his journey, which will take him to Barcelona on Tuesday, June 9.To illustrate this idea, he referenced the New Testament as an antidote to uniformity, thanks to the “testimony of the variety of its voices.” He also drew attention to the episode of the Tower of Babel, where, according to the biblical account, people in a "totalitarian and merely human project ended up unable to understand their neighbor.”In contrast to this, and in line with the proposals in his recent encyclical Magnifica humanitas, he presented the figure of Nehemiah who involved the entire community in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. “Seeking and following him is the condition for proclaiming him,” said the Pope about the task of evangelization. | Credit: Vatican Media The pope used this gathering with some of the faithful of the diocesan community in the Madrid region to outline the keys to effective evangelization in the twenty-first century. He emphasized the importance of “not scattering or shutting ourselves away in the group or environment where we already feel secure among people who always sing the same tune.”“To reach the heart of the city, we must cultivate the awareness that truth is symphonic and always transcends us, and cultivate the desire to encounter the Risen One, who always goes ahead of us, preceding us and perhaps already present where we have not yet sought him,” he noted.Therefore, he continued, “seeking and following him is the condition for proclaiming him; otherwise, there is no evangelization, and today we can understand this better than in the past.”Quoting St. Teresa of Avila, he said, “‘Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you!’ Together, as a diocesan Church, you can offer the Gospel witness that unleashes the best strengths of a humanity bombarded by images and words, yet hungry for justice and thirsty for truth,” he added.He also highlighted the special relationship between the Church and the city, which, as he explained, takes shape “among flesh-and-blood people, in workplaces and close relationships, but also within the different communities, associations, and neighborhood organizations,” and which gains even greater significance “amidst the change of epochs we are currently experiencing.”“When we reduce ecclesial life to a routine where everyone remains locked within their own habits and roles, what we lack is the Spirit,” he stated.His words seemed to resonate in the testimony of Sister María San José of the Congregation of the Daughters of Holy Mary of the Heart of Jesus. She is an educated, independent woman with two careers and two masterʼs degrees who left a comfortable life at Santander Bank to consecrate herself to religious life, demonstrating how God’s call reaches into every walk of life.“I realized that there was something more that fulfilled me — beyond everything I had and everything I had built — and that was this consecrated life, this total dedication to the Lord,” she explained to EWTN News while on her way to the gathering.“God knows the hearts of his people individually. He knows them as only he can — that is, in love and, therefore, in freedom,” the pope said, underscoring that God is “infinite mercy and wants everyone to be saved.” “He desires this to the point of becoming flesh and taking upon himself all the sin, evil, and negativity of the world,” he emphasized.Among those present at Bernabéu stadium was Father Antonio Sánchez, a priest of the Diocese of Getafe ordained last October. He shared with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the deep emotion he felt participating along with the pope in the Corpus Christi procession following the Mass celebrated in the Plaza de Cibeles on Sunday, June 7. Father Antonio Sánchez at Bernabéu Stadium on June 8, 2026. | Credit: Courtesy of Father Antonio Sánchez. It was, in his words, “a privilege to be selected without any merit; all they said was that the priests of the ecclesiastical province should be at the procession,” he explained.“With an attitude of adoration, seeing the pope who was a great witness, because being close to the procession during such a unique moment was truly special. We were on the same [ground] level as the pope, and seeing him in the procession, adoring and focused on Christ ... it was a moment of realization: amidst all the commotion, we were focused on Christ, to whom we have consecrated our lives,” he told ACI Prensa shortly before the pontiff entered the stadium where he was welcomed with tremendous enthusiasm. Prior to this gathering, the pope visited Santa María la Real de la Almudena Cathedral, which became the setting for one of his most touching moments in Madrid.The Holy Father placed the Golden Rose at the feet of the image of the Virgin of Almudena as a symbol of his filial love, a gesture reflecting the pope’s deep Marian devotion. This marks the fourth Spanish image of the Virgin to receive this gift; the other three are the Virgin of Hope Macarena, the Virgin of La Cabeza and the Virgin of Montserrat. Pope Leo XIV at the Almudena Cathedral on June 8, 2026. Credit: Vatican Media This pontifical distinction is a recognition of the popular piety and Marian devotion of Madrid. It has ancient roots and symbolizes the papal blessing.The tradition dates back to Pope Leo IX, who established it in 1049. Over the centuries, it has been bestowed upon monasteries, shrines, sovereigns, and prominent figures in recognition of their commitment to the faith and the common good. In the past, the Golden Rose was also awarded to queens, including Isabella the Catholic Monarch, who was the first queen to receive it in 1493, granted by Innocent VIII.In the solemn act, Pope Leo climbed the steps leading to the base of the image to lay the floral offering and pray. His most notable previous visit to the Almudena Cathedral took place on the occasion of the 2002 canonization of Alonso de Orozco, an Augustinian who died in Madrid, in the convent that occupied the site of the current Senate building. The saint’s remains now rest in the chapel of the Contemplative Augustinian Nuns’ convent on La Granja street.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo scores goal for the Gospel at soccer stadium – #Catholic – Before a packed Santiago Bernabéu stadium and a crowd fully swept up in the moment, a figure dressed in white made his entrance. Yet it was neither Mbappé nor Cristiano Ronaldo nor any other Real Madrid soccer team legend but Leo XIV.It was a particularly significant moment for the pope at the arena where the team he loves — though, as pontiff, he’s for everyone — has achieved its greatest sporting feats. No match was being played, but the faithful of the Archdiocese of Madrid, together with the suffragan dioceses of Alcalá de Henares and Getafe, welcomed Leo with a euphoria comparable to that of a decisive goal in a World Cup final. Pope Leo blessing a child at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, June 8, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News “For a soccer player, scoring a goal in this stadium is a moment that leaves a bit of a mark on your life. Today, the Church in Madrid has scored a spectacular goal for all time," the pope said before beginning his address.The event brought together representatives from parishes, movements, and consecrated life, as well as priests and pastoral workers, with a special presence from parish pastoral councils. Young people performed a short play for the pope modeled after a soccer match, and David Bustamante, a famous Spanish singer, also performed. There were also deeply moving personal testimonies, such as that of a 33-year-old man who shared with the gathering that he had been baptized last year and is now preparing to get married. The event brought together representatives from parishes, movements, and consecrated life, as well as priests and pastoral workers, with a special presence from parish pastoral councils. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News When he addressed the priests, consecrated persons, and bishops of Madrid, the pope told them: “Your joy will be contagious if, moving from being just a fleeting emotion, it becomes a stable way of being, a deep sentiment that renews individuals, groups, and the diocesan community.”“Baptism truly changes one’s life … thereʼs no need to fear the fact that it never produces uniformity,” the pontiff stated during his second to last gathering in the Spainʼs capital city, prior to beginning the second leg of his journey, which will take him to Barcelona on Tuesday, June 9.To illustrate this idea, he referenced the New Testament as an antidote to uniformity, thanks to the “testimony of the variety of its voices.” He also drew attention to the episode of the Tower of Babel, where, according to the biblical account, people in a "totalitarian and merely human project ended up unable to understand their neighbor.”In contrast to this, and in line with the proposals in his recent encyclical Magnifica humanitas, he presented the figure of Nehemiah who involved the entire community in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. “Seeking and following him is the condition for proclaiming him,” said the Pope about the task of evangelization. | Credit: Vatican Media The pope used this gathering with some of the faithful of the diocesan community in the Madrid region to outline the keys to effective evangelization in the twenty-first century. He emphasized the importance of “not scattering or shutting ourselves away in the group or environment where we already feel secure among people who always sing the same tune.”“To reach the heart of the city, we must cultivate the awareness that truth is symphonic and always transcends us, and cultivate the desire to encounter the Risen One, who always goes ahead of us, preceding us and perhaps already present where we have not yet sought him,” he noted.Therefore, he continued, “seeking and following him is the condition for proclaiming him; otherwise, there is no evangelization, and today we can understand this better than in the past.”Quoting St. Teresa of Avila, he said, “‘Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you!’ Together, as a diocesan Church, you can offer the Gospel witness that unleashes the best strengths of a humanity bombarded by images and words, yet hungry for justice and thirsty for truth,” he added.He also highlighted the special relationship between the Church and the city, which, as he explained, takes shape “among flesh-and-blood people, in workplaces and close relationships, but also within the different communities, associations, and neighborhood organizations,” and which gains even greater significance “amidst the change of epochs we are currently experiencing.”“When we reduce ecclesial life to a routine where everyone remains locked within their own habits and roles, what we lack is the Spirit,” he stated.His words seemed to resonate in the testimony of Sister María San José of the Congregation of the Daughters of Holy Mary of the Heart of Jesus. She is an educated, independent woman with two careers and two masterʼs degrees who left a comfortable life at Santander Bank to consecrate herself to religious life, demonstrating how God’s call reaches into every walk of life.“I realized that there was something more that fulfilled me — beyond everything I had and everything I had built — and that was this consecrated life, this total dedication to the Lord,” she explained to EWTN News while on her way to the gathering.“God knows the hearts of his people individually. He knows them as only he can — that is, in love and, therefore, in freedom,” the pope said, underscoring that God is “infinite mercy and wants everyone to be saved.” “He desires this to the point of becoming flesh and taking upon himself all the sin, evil, and negativity of the world,” he emphasized.Among those present at Bernabéu stadium was Father Antonio Sánchez, a priest of the Diocese of Getafe ordained last October. He shared with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the deep emotion he felt participating along with the pope in the Corpus Christi procession following the Mass celebrated in the Plaza de Cibeles on Sunday, June 7. Father Antonio Sánchez at Bernabéu Stadium on June 8, 2026. | Credit: Courtesy of Father Antonio Sánchez. It was, in his words, “a privilege to be selected without any merit; all they said was that the priests of the ecclesiastical province should be at the procession,” he explained.“With an attitude of adoration, seeing the pope who was a great witness, because being close to the procession during such a unique moment was truly special. We were on the same [ground] level as the pope, and seeing him in the procession, adoring and focused on Christ … it was a moment of realization: amidst all the commotion, we were focused on Christ, to whom we have consecrated our lives,” he told ACI Prensa shortly before the pontiff entered the stadium where he was welcomed with tremendous enthusiasm. Prior to this gathering, the pope visited Santa María la Real de la Almudena Cathedral, which became the setting for one of his most touching moments in Madrid.The Holy Father placed the Golden Rose at the feet of the image of the Virgin of Almudena as a symbol of his filial love, a gesture reflecting the pope’s deep Marian devotion. This marks the fourth Spanish image of the Virgin to receive this gift; the other three are the Virgin of Hope Macarena, the Virgin of La Cabeza and the Virgin of Montserrat. Pope Leo XIV at the Almudena Cathedral on June 8, 2026. Credit: Vatican Media This pontifical distinction is a recognition of the popular piety and Marian devotion of Madrid. It has ancient roots and symbolizes the papal blessing.The tradition dates back to Pope Leo IX, who established it in 1049. Over the centuries, it has been bestowed upon monasteries, shrines, sovereigns, and prominent figures in recognition of their commitment to the faith and the common good. In the past, the Golden Rose was also awarded to queens, including Isabella the Catholic Monarch, who was the first queen to receive it in 1493, granted by Innocent VIII.In the solemn act, Pope Leo climbed the steps leading to the base of the image to lay the floral offering and pray. His most notable previous visit to the Almudena Cathedral took place on the occasion of the 2002 canonization of Alonso de Orozco, an Augustinian who died in Madrid, in the convent that occupied the site of the current Senate building. The saint’s remains now rest in the chapel of the Contemplative Augustinian Nuns’ convent on La Granja street.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The faithful of the Archdiocese of Madrid, together with the dioceses of Alcalá de Henares and Getafe, welcomed Leo with a euphoria comparable to that of a decisive goal in a World Cup final.

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Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Northwest Cuba – Shaking Felt in Florida, Mexico – Buildings Shake in Miami (VIDEO) – A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck northwest Cuba on Monday afternoon at 2 pm ET. The post Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Northwest Cuba – Shaking Felt in Florida, Mexico – Buildings Shake in Miami (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Northwest Cuba – Shaking Felt in Florida, Mexico – Buildings Shake in Miami (VIDEO) – A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck northwest Cuba on Monday afternoon at 2 pm ET. The post Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Northwest Cuba – Shaking Felt in Florida, Mexico – Buildings Shake in Miami (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Map showing earthquake shake intensity in the Gulf of America, indicating shaking felt over 450 miles away from the epicenter near Cuba.

Map showing earthquake shake intensity in the Gulf of America, indicating shaking felt over 450 miles away from the epicenter near Cuba.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck northwest Cuba on Monday afternoon at 2 pm ET.

The post Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Northwest Cuba – Shaking Felt in Florida, Mexico – Buildings Shake in Miami (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Disgraced ‘Crypto Bro’ Sam Bankman-Fried Formally Asks for Trump Pardon, Two Years After Conviction for ‘Historical Financial Fraud’ – SBF wants a pardon, too. The post Disgraced ‘Crypto Bro’ Sam Bankman-Fried Formally Asks for Trump Pardon, Two Years After Conviction for ‘Historical Financial Fraud’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Disgraced ‘Crypto Bro’ Sam Bankman-Fried Formally Asks for Trump Pardon, Two Years After Conviction for ‘Historical Financial Fraud’ – SBF wants a pardon, too. The post Disgraced ‘Crypto Bro’ Sam Bankman-Fried Formally Asks for Trump Pardon, Two Years After Conviction for ‘Historical Financial Fraud’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Close-up of a young man with curly hair, looking thoughtfully, against a blurred background, showcasing an expressive facial moment.

Close-up of a young man with curly hair, looking thoughtfully, against a blurred background, showcasing an expressive facial moment.

SBF wants a pardon, too.

The post Disgraced ‘Crypto Bro’ Sam Bankman-Fried Formally Asks for Trump Pardon, Two Years After Conviction for ‘Historical Financial Fraud’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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MIC DROP: Rep. James Comer Torches Democrat Teresa Leger Fernández for Deflecting on Fraud — “And You Talk About the Pardons… The Last President Who We Investigated Pardoned His Whole Family” – House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer delivered a devastating rebuke to Democrat Rep. The post MIC DROP: Rep. James Comer Torches Democrat Teresa Leger Fernández for Deflecting on Fraud — “And You Talk About the Pardons… The Last President Who We Investigated Pardoned His Whole Family” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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MIC DROP: Rep. James Comer Torches Democrat Teresa Leger Fernández for Deflecting on Fraud — “And You Talk About the Pardons… The Last President Who We Investigated Pardoned His Whole Family” – House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer delivered a devastating rebuke to Democrat Rep. The post MIC DROP: Rep. James Comer Torches Democrat Teresa Leger Fernández for Deflecting on Fraud — “And You Talk About the Pardons… The Last President Who We Investigated Pardoned His Whole Family” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Congressional hearing featuring a heated discussion between two representatives, one expressing frustration and the other engaging calmly, highlighting political tensions.

Congressional hearing featuring a heated discussion between two representatives, one expressing frustration and the other engaging calmly, highlighting political tensions.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer delivered a devastating rebuke to Democrat Rep.

The post MIC DROP: Rep. James Comer Torches Democrat Teresa Leger Fernández for Deflecting on Fraud — “And You Talk About the Pardons… The Last President Who We Investigated Pardoned His Whole Family” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 09 June 2026 – A reading from the First Book of Kings 17:7-16 The brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry, because no rain had fallen in the land. So the LORD said to Elijah: “Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have designated a widow there to provide for you.” He left and went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, “Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.” She left to get it, and he called out after her, “Please bring along a bit of bread.” She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and Elijah and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.From the Gospel according to Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”“You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-14). Indeed, it is genuine joy that gives flavor to life and brings to light something that was not there before. This joy springs from a way of life, a way of inhabiting the earth and of living together that must be desired and chosen. It is the life that shines in Jesus, the new flavor of his words and deeds. After encountering Jesus in his poverty of spirit, his meekness and simplicity of heart, his hunger and thirst for justice, which unlocks mercy and peace as powers of transformation and reconciliation, those who would distance themselves from all this seem bland and dull. (…) Indeed, it is painful to lose flavor and give up joy; yet it is possible to have this wound in one’s heart. Jesus seems to warn those who listen to him not to give up joy. Salt that has lost its flavor, he says, “is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot” (Mt 5:13). How many people — perhaps we ourselves — feel like they are worthless or broken. It is as if their light has been hidden. Jesus, however, proclaims a God who will never throw us away, a Father who cares for our names and our uniqueness. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 8 February 2026)

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A reading from the First Book of Kings
17:7-16

The brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry,
because no rain had fallen in the land.
So the LORD said to Elijah:
“Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there.
I have designated a widow there to provide for you.”
He left and went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
“Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.”
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
“Please bring along a bit of bread.”
She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked;
there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die.”
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
‘The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’”
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and Elijah and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
5:13-16

Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”

“You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13-14). Indeed, it is genuine joy that gives flavor to life and brings to light something that was not there before. This joy springs from a way of life, a way of inhabiting the earth and of living together that must be desired and chosen. It is the life that shines in Jesus, the new flavor of his words and deeds. After encountering Jesus in his poverty of spirit, his meekness and simplicity of heart, his hunger and thirst for justice, which unlocks mercy and peace as powers of transformation and reconciliation, those who would distance themselves from all this seem bland and dull. (…)

Indeed, it is painful to lose flavor and give up joy; yet it is possible to have this wound in one’s heart. Jesus seems to warn those who listen to him not to give up joy. Salt that has lost its flavor, he says, “is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot” (Mt 5:13). How many people — perhaps we ourselves — feel like they are worthless or broken. It is as if their light has been hidden. Jesus, however, proclaims a God who will never throw us away, a Father who cares for our names and our uniqueness. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 8 February 2026)

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Golf Invitational funds give disadvantaged students ‘swing’ at learning #Catholic - More than 130 supporters of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund (TCSF) gathered at Morris County Golf Club in Morristown, N.J., on June 1 for the organization’s 34th Annual Golf Invitational. The event raised $200,000 to provide scholarships for financially disadvantaged students seeking access to a quality, values-based education. Under sunny skies, the event welcomed 116 golfers, along with participants in pickleball and Mahjong, for a day of fellowship, friendly competition, and philanthropy. Trustees, sponsors, and friends of the organization came together to support Tri-County’s mission to expand educational opportunities for children and families throughout Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties. The funds enable recipients to attend accredited K-12 independent schools that best meet their educational needs. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., joined fellow golfers in support of Tri-County’s mission. He has been a TCSF board member since 2020. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. A highlight of the event was hearing from Christopher, a graduating senior at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J., and a Tri-County scholarship recipient. He will attend Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., this fall to study business and finance. Reflecting on his educational journey from Paterson public schools to St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., and DePaul, Christopher credited Tri-County with helping make those opportunities possible. “I am eternally grateful to my mom, my teachers, and all the donors of Tri-County for believing in me,” Christopher told attendees. “You gave me the chance to become the best version of myself,” he said. Prudence Pigott, TCSF president, said, “The Golf Invitational is one of our favorite days of the year because it brings together so many members of the Tri-County family.” “Whether they joined us on the golf course, pickleball courts, or around the Mahjong tables, our supporters came together to invest in students and strengthen our community,” said Pigott. She especially thanked Bank of America and PricewaterhouseCoopers, whose longstanding leadership as Tournament Sponsors helped make the Golf Invitational possible. The TCSF celebrates its 45th Anniversary in 2026 under the theme, “Freedom Through Education.” The late Bishop Frank J. Rodimer of Paterson co-founded Tri-County in 1981 with corporate executive Edward L. Hennessy, Jr. Since then, the organization has awarded more than 39,000 scholarships, helping students access safe, quality, values-based educational environments that empower them to reach their full potential. TCSF provided 1,000 scholarships during the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, helping continue its mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education. Mike Mund is the office manager and scholarship fund administrator for the Tri-County Scholarship Fund. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Golf Invitational funds give disadvantaged students ‘swing’ at learning #Catholic – More than 130 supporters of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund (TCSF) gathered at Morris County Golf Club in Morristown, N.J., on June 1 for the organization’s 34th Annual Golf Invitational. The event raised $200,000 to provide scholarships for financially disadvantaged students seeking access to a quality, values-based education. Under sunny skies, the event welcomed 116 golfers, along with participants in pickleball and Mahjong, for a day of fellowship, friendly competition, and philanthropy. Trustees, sponsors, and friends of the organization came together to support Tri-County’s mission to expand educational opportunities for children and families throughout Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties. The funds enable recipients to attend accredited K-12 independent schools that best meet their educational needs. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., joined fellow golfers in support of Tri-County’s mission. He has been a TCSF board member since 2020. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. A highlight of the event was hearing from Christopher, a graduating senior at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J., and a Tri-County scholarship recipient. He will attend Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., this fall to study business and finance. Reflecting on his educational journey from Paterson public schools to St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., and DePaul, Christopher credited Tri-County with helping make those opportunities possible. “I am eternally grateful to my mom, my teachers, and all the donors of Tri-County for believing in me,” Christopher told attendees. “You gave me the chance to become the best version of myself,” he said. Prudence Pigott, TCSF president, said, “The Golf Invitational is one of our favorite days of the year because it brings together so many members of the Tri-County family.” “Whether they joined us on the golf course, pickleball courts, or around the Mahjong tables, our supporters came together to invest in students and strengthen our community,” said Pigott. She especially thanked Bank of America and PricewaterhouseCoopers, whose longstanding leadership as Tournament Sponsors helped make the Golf Invitational possible. The TCSF celebrates its 45th Anniversary in 2026 under the theme, “Freedom Through Education.” The late Bishop Frank J. Rodimer of Paterson co-founded Tri-County in 1981 with corporate executive Edward L. Hennessy, Jr. Since then, the organization has awarded more than 39,000 scholarships, helping students access safe, quality, values-based educational environments that empower them to reach their full potential. TCSF provided 1,000 scholarships during the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, helping continue its mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education. Mike Mund is the office manager and scholarship fund administrator for the Tri-County Scholarship Fund. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Golf Invitational funds give disadvantaged students ‘swing’ at learning #Catholic –

More than 130 supporters of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund (TCSF) gathered at Morris County Golf Club in Morristown, N.J., on June 1 for the organization’s 34th Annual Golf Invitational. The event raised $200,000 to provide scholarships for financially disadvantaged students seeking access to a quality, values-based education.

Under sunny skies, the event welcomed 116 golfers, along with participants in pickleball and Mahjong, for a day of fellowship, friendly competition, and philanthropy. Trustees, sponsors, and friends of the organization came together to support Tri-County’s mission to expand educational opportunities for children and families throughout Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties. The funds enable recipients to attend accredited K-12 independent schools that best meet their educational needs.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., joined fellow golfers in support of Tri-County’s mission. He has been a TCSF board member since 2020.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

A highlight of the event was hearing from Christopher, a graduating senior at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J., and a Tri-County scholarship recipient. He will attend Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., this fall to study business and finance.

Reflecting on his educational journey from Paterson public schools to St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., and DePaul, Christopher credited Tri-County with helping make those opportunities possible.

“I am eternally grateful to my mom, my teachers, and all the donors of Tri-County for believing in me,” Christopher told attendees. “You gave me the chance to become the best version of myself,” he said.

Prudence Pigott, TCSF president, said, “The Golf Invitational is one of our favorite days of the year because it brings together so many members of the Tri-County family.”

“Whether they joined us on the golf course, pickleball courts, or around the Mahjong tables, our supporters came together to invest in students and strengthen our community,” said Pigott. She especially thanked Bank of America and PricewaterhouseCoopers, whose longstanding leadership as Tournament Sponsors helped make the Golf Invitational possible.

The TCSF celebrates its 45th Anniversary in 2026 under the theme, “Freedom Through Education.” The late Bishop Frank J. Rodimer of Paterson co-founded Tri-County in 1981 with corporate executive Edward L. Hennessy, Jr.

Since then, the organization has awarded more than 39,000 scholarships, helping students access safe, quality, values-based educational environments that empower them to reach their full potential. TCSF provided 1,000 scholarships during the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, helping continue its mission of breaking the cycle of poverty through education.
Mike Mund is the office manager and scholarship fund administrator for the Tri-County Scholarship Fund.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– More than 130 supporters of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund (TCSF) gathered at Morris County Golf Club in Morristown, N.J., on June 1 for the organization’s 34th Annual Golf Invitational. The event raised $200,000 to provide scholarships for financially disadvantaged students seeking access to a quality, values-based education. Under sunny skies, the event welcomed 116 golfers, along with participants in pickleball and Mahjong, for a day of fellowship, friendly competition, and philanthropy. Trustees, sponsors, and friends of the organization came together to support Tri-County’s mission to expand educational opportunities for children and families throughout Morris, Passaic, and Sussex counties. The funds

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An invitation to ‘Walk with Jesus’ as One Nation, Under God #Catholic – Dear Readers, BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY In place of a column this week, I would like to invite you to join me and the Church of our Diocese of Paterson as we welcome the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage on Sunday and Monday, June 14 and 15. I hope that you are already aware of the Pilgrimage, but for more information and details, please go to our Diocesan Website.  I hope and pray that many of you will be able to join us “in-person” for the pilgrimage and I ask that each of you would join us in prayer in the coming days, as we will be so richly blessed, after celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, June 12 and having two new priests ordained for our diocese on Saturday, June 13, we will then have the unique opportunity to “welcome” our Lord in the Eucharistic Pilgrimage, in Passaic on Sunday, June 14, in the afternoon (at 3:30 p.m.) and then walk with Him in prayerful procession for the Rosary and Mass (at 5 p.m.) at Boverini Stadium in Passaic, N.J. On the afternoon and evening of Monday, June 15, we will have a Eucharistic Procession (at 5:30 p.m.) and Closing Mass (7 p.m.) at our Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. I encourage you to watch two brief videos, the first on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. And then an invitation to participate as our diocese welcomes the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage:  I look forward to seeing you at the Pilgrimage, and I hope that we will all be united in prayer, as a diocese, and as “One Nation, Under God.” St. John the Baptist and Frances Xavier Cabrini, pray for us. Sincerely in Christ, Most Reverend Kevin J. Sweeney, D.D. Bishop of Paterson    
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An invitation to ‘Walk with Jesus’ as One Nation, Under God #Catholic – Dear Readers, BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY In place of a column this week, I would like to invite you to join me and the Church of our Diocese of Paterson as we welcome the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage on Sunday and Monday, June 14 and 15. I hope that you are already aware of the Pilgrimage, but for more information and details, please go to our Diocesan Website.  I hope and pray that many of you will be able to join us “in-person” for the pilgrimage and I ask that each of you would join us in prayer in the coming days, as we will be so richly blessed, after celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, June 12 and having two new priests ordained for our diocese on Saturday, June 13, we will then have the unique opportunity to “welcome” our Lord in the Eucharistic Pilgrimage, in Passaic on Sunday, June 14, in the afternoon (at 3:30 p.m.) and then walk with Him in prayerful procession for the Rosary and Mass (at 5 p.m.) at Boverini Stadium in Passaic, N.J. On the afternoon and evening of Monday, June 15, we will have a Eucharistic Procession (at 5:30 p.m.) and Closing Mass (7 p.m.) at our Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. I encourage you to watch two brief videos, the first on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. And then an invitation to participate as our diocese welcomes the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage:  I look forward to seeing you at the Pilgrimage, and I hope that we will all be united in prayer, as a diocese, and as “One Nation, Under God.” St. John the Baptist and Frances Xavier Cabrini, pray for us. Sincerely in Christ, Most Reverend Kevin J. Sweeney, D.D. Bishop of Paterson    

unitedyam

An invitation to ‘Walk with Jesus’ as One Nation, Under God #Catholic –

Dear Readers,

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

In place of a column this week, I would like to invite you to join me and the Church of our Diocese of Paterson as we welcome the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage on Sunday and Monday, June 14 and 15. I hope that you are already aware of the Pilgrimage, but for more information and details, please go to our Diocesan Website. 

I hope and pray that many of you will be able to join us “in-person” for the pilgrimage and I ask that each of you would join us in prayer in the coming days, as we will be so richly blessed, after celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, June 12 and having two new priests ordained for our diocese on Saturday, June 13, we will then have the unique opportunity to “welcome” our Lord in the Eucharistic Pilgrimage, in Passaic on Sunday, June 14, in the afternoon (at 3:30 p.m.) and then walk with Him in prayerful procession for the Rosary and Mass (at 5 p.m.) at Boverini Stadium in Passaic, N.J. On the afternoon and evening of Monday, June 15, we will have a Eucharistic Procession (at 5:30 p.m.) and Closing Mass (7 p.m.) at our Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson.

I encourage you to watch two brief videos, the first on the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. And then an invitation to participate as our diocese welcomes the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage: 

I look forward to seeing you at the Pilgrimage, and I hope that we will all be united in prayer, as a diocese, and as “One Nation, Under God.” St. John the Baptist and Frances Xavier Cabrini, pray for us.

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Reverend Kevin J. Sweeney, D.D.
Bishop of Paterson

 

 

– Dear Readers, BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY In place of a column this week, I would like to invite you to join me and the Church of our Diocese of Paterson as we welcome the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage on Sunday and Monday, June 14 and 15. I hope that you are already aware of the Pilgrimage, but for more information and details, please go to our Diocesan Website.  I hope and pray that many of you will be able to join us “in-person” for the pilgrimage and I ask that each of you would join us in prayer in the coming

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Why does one side of the Moon have a lot of craters, while the other does not?

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Why does one side of the Moon have a lot of craters, while the other side does not? Stephen LogesBrooksville, Florida When the first photos of the Moon’s farside were obtained, people usually expressed the difference between the back and the front in terms of “more craters on the back.” It might be better toContinue reading “Why does one side of the Moon have a lot of craters, while the other does not?”

The post Why does one side of the Moon have a lot of craters, while the other does not? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Pope Leo XIV tells Spain’s parliament every human life must be protected #Catholic MADRID — Pope Leo XIV made history Monday by becoming the first pope to address Spain’s Congress of Deputies, delivering a forceful appeal to the country’s political class to defend human dignity and protect life “from conception to its natural end.”The June 8 address, given before about 700 guests amid tight security, drew a standing ovation that lasted nearly seven minutes, with shouts of “Long live the pope!” echoing through the chamber.In his speech, Pope Leo warned lawmakers not to subordinate human dignity to “shifting social consensus or the whims of the majority at any given moment,” insisting that “every truly just society is built upon the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person.”“In this sense, if life ceases to be recognized as a fundamental value, what future can our societies have?” the pope asked. “Can a community that casts into the shadows the unborn child, the elderly, the sick, those who suffer in silence, or those who depend entirely on the care of others be called fully just?”“The defense of human life is neither a partisan issue nor a confessional interest: it is a goal of civilization,” he said.The pope’s remarks came as Spain’s socialist-led government has been advancing efforts to enshrine abortion protections in the country’s Constitution. Such a reform would require broad parliamentary consensus, including support from the center-right People’s Party.“Every human life must be recognized and safeguarded from conception to its natural end, in every circumstance of its existence,” Pope Leo said. “When this certainty is obscured, the most vulnerable are the first victims, and the law loses its deepest meaning: to serve and protect every person.”“For this reason,” he added, “the moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile.”The pope also defended the family as “the primary human reality and the natural foundation of the community,” saying that “where the family is upheld, the spiritual and social stability of nations is also strengthened.”“The family will always be the first school of humanity, where one learns, before anywhere else, the basic grammar of living together: welcoming life, caring for others, forgiving, serving and belonging,” he said.Pope Leo drew on Spain’s intellectual and Catholic heritage, citing Cervantes, St. Teresa of Ávila, Miguel de Unamuno and the School of Salamanca, especially the 16th-century Dominican friar Francisco de Vitoria.From that tradition, he said, Spain helped shape “a legal and moral consciousness capable of remembering that authority always entails responsibility and that every human being must be recognized as a subject of rights and duties.”The pope said that legacy remains alive whenever lawmakers ask “how to ensure that what is possible is just, that what is legal is truly humane, and that the will of the majority safeguards those goods that belong to all and respects that which no majority can legitimately violate.”He also cited his recent encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas,” published May 25, saying that in an age of artificial intelligence, biotechnology and rapid technological change, political discernment must focus on “the place of the human person in our decision making.”The pope devoted part of his address to migrants and refugees, a major theme of his trip to Spain, which will conclude with visits to Tenerife and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, a key entry point to Europe for migrants.“The situation of migrants and refugees calls for a response that focuses on people, addresses the root causes that force them to leave, and goes beyond the mere management of migration flows,” he said.He called for “safe and legal pathways, a respectful welcome and real opportunities for integration,” while also promoting “the right to remain in one’s own land,” so that no one is forced to leave home because of war, insecurity, poverty or the effects of the climate crisis.Pope Leo also warned that many migrants remain “prey to traffickers and smugglers who take advantage of their desperation,” calling for stronger prevention, rescue and assistance efforts.“No nation can face a challenge of this magnitude on its own,” he said.Turning to global conflict, Pope Leo said the world is undergoing “a profound spiritual and cultural crisis” marked by violence, polarization and mistrust.“Every war constitutes, ultimately, a painful defeat of the capacity to negotiate and also of that common human consciousness that recognizes bonds of justice among nations,” he said.“Weapons may impose a temporary silence; but they can never build a genuine and lasting peace,” the pope said, warning that “in various parts of the world — and in Europe as well — rearmament is once again being presented as an almost inevitable response to the fragility of the international situation.”The pope also warned against the use of artificial intelligence in warfare, saying new technologies in the military sphere require “rigorous ethical oversight, so that decisions regarding life and death are never left to automated systems nor removed from the moral responsibility of the human person.”Addressing Spain’s polarized political climate, the pope urged lawmakers to resist contempt for political opponents.“Political pluralism should not degenerate into the constant disparagement of one’s adversary,” he said. “In a mature society, even conflict can become a path to peace, when differences are softened by listening and directed toward recognizing the needs, aspirations and capabilities of all.”“Firmness does not require contempt; disagreement does not entail humiliation,” he added.Only two left-wing parties, Podemos and the BNG, which together account for six lawmakers out of more than 600 parliamentarians, chose not to attend the pope’s address.Pope Leo also made a strong appeal for religious freedom, calling freedom of thought, conscience and religion “a fundamental right that protects the most intimate sphere of the person.”“The freedom upon which the contemporary state is built, if it is authentic, recognizes the religious dimension of the human person, respects it and protects it legally,” he said. Authentic freedom, the pope added, “ensures that faith is not a reason for which a person has to forfeit his or her contribution to society.”“Faith does not seek to impose itself through privileges or coercion; yet neither can it be silenced as if it were irrelevant to public life,” he said.The pope also defended the sacramental seal of confession, saying it “holds special importance for the Catholic Church” and forms part of the broader sphere of religious freedom.“To protect it legally, as is done in a similar way in some professions, means preserving a sacred space of inner freedom, where the believer can open his or her soul to God without fear of external pressures,” Pope Leo said.The remarks came shortly after French bishops criticized a June 1 proposal in France’s National Assembly that they said could have endangered the seal of confession. The proposal was later withdrawn.Near the end of his address, the pope invited Spanish lawmakers to “lift your gaze to the world around you,” not to escape reality, but to remember that every public decision “affects real people, especially those who have less power to make their voices heard.”“A law does not attain its true greatness merely by having been formally enacted,” he said. “It attains it when, in addition to being valid in form, it can stand before the dignity of the person and pass that test without shame.”The pope concluded with a blessing for Spain, praying that the nation “never lose sight of its roots nor the courage to look to the future.”“May Spain continue to be a land of encounter, of culture, of solidarity and of hope,” he said. “And may its public life always know how to unite the firmness of convictions with the nobility of dialogue and the greatness of service.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV tells Spain’s parliament every human life must be protected #Catholic MADRID — Pope Leo XIV made history Monday by becoming the first pope to address Spain’s Congress of Deputies, delivering a forceful appeal to the country’s political class to defend human dignity and protect life “from conception to its natural end.”The June 8 address, given before about 700 guests amid tight security, drew a standing ovation that lasted nearly seven minutes, with shouts of “Long live the pope!” echoing through the chamber.In his speech, Pope Leo warned lawmakers not to subordinate human dignity to “shifting social consensus or the whims of the majority at any given moment,” insisting that “every truly just society is built upon the recognition of the inviolable dignity of the human person.”“In this sense, if life ceases to be recognized as a fundamental value, what future can our societies have?” the pope asked. “Can a community that casts into the shadows the unborn child, the elderly, the sick, those who suffer in silence, or those who depend entirely on the care of others be called fully just?”“The defense of human life is neither a partisan issue nor a confessional interest: it is a goal of civilization,” he said.The pope’s remarks came as Spain’s socialist-led government has been advancing efforts to enshrine abortion protections in the country’s Constitution. Such a reform would require broad parliamentary consensus, including support from the center-right People’s Party.“Every human life must be recognized and safeguarded from conception to its natural end, in every circumstance of its existence,” Pope Leo said. “When this certainty is obscured, the most vulnerable are the first victims, and the law loses its deepest meaning: to serve and protect every person.”“For this reason,” he added, “the moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile.”The pope also defended the family as “the primary human reality and the natural foundation of the community,” saying that “where the family is upheld, the spiritual and social stability of nations is also strengthened.”“The family will always be the first school of humanity, where one learns, before anywhere else, the basic grammar of living together: welcoming life, caring for others, forgiving, serving and belonging,” he said.Pope Leo drew on Spain’s intellectual and Catholic heritage, citing Cervantes, St. Teresa of Ávila, Miguel de Unamuno and the School of Salamanca, especially the 16th-century Dominican friar Francisco de Vitoria.From that tradition, he said, Spain helped shape “a legal and moral consciousness capable of remembering that authority always entails responsibility and that every human being must be recognized as a subject of rights and duties.”The pope said that legacy remains alive whenever lawmakers ask “how to ensure that what is possible is just, that what is legal is truly humane, and that the will of the majority safeguards those goods that belong to all and respects that which no majority can legitimately violate.”He also cited his recent encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas,” published May 25, saying that in an age of artificial intelligence, biotechnology and rapid technological change, political discernment must focus on “the place of the human person in our decision making.”The pope devoted part of his address to migrants and refugees, a major theme of his trip to Spain, which will conclude with visits to Tenerife and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, a key entry point to Europe for migrants.“The situation of migrants and refugees calls for a response that focuses on people, addresses the root causes that force them to leave, and goes beyond the mere management of migration flows,” he said.He called for “safe and legal pathways, a respectful welcome and real opportunities for integration,” while also promoting “the right to remain in one’s own land,” so that no one is forced to leave home because of war, insecurity, poverty or the effects of the climate crisis.Pope Leo also warned that many migrants remain “prey to traffickers and smugglers who take advantage of their desperation,” calling for stronger prevention, rescue and assistance efforts.“No nation can face a challenge of this magnitude on its own,” he said.Turning to global conflict, Pope Leo said the world is undergoing “a profound spiritual and cultural crisis” marked by violence, polarization and mistrust.“Every war constitutes, ultimately, a painful defeat of the capacity to negotiate and also of that common human consciousness that recognizes bonds of justice among nations,” he said.“Weapons may impose a temporary silence; but they can never build a genuine and lasting peace,” the pope said, warning that “in various parts of the world — and in Europe as well — rearmament is once again being presented as an almost inevitable response to the fragility of the international situation.”The pope also warned against the use of artificial intelligence in warfare, saying new technologies in the military sphere require “rigorous ethical oversight, so that decisions regarding life and death are never left to automated systems nor removed from the moral responsibility of the human person.”Addressing Spain’s polarized political climate, the pope urged lawmakers to resist contempt for political opponents.“Political pluralism should not degenerate into the constant disparagement of one’s adversary,” he said. “In a mature society, even conflict can become a path to peace, when differences are softened by listening and directed toward recognizing the needs, aspirations and capabilities of all.”“Firmness does not require contempt; disagreement does not entail humiliation,” he added.Only two left-wing parties, Podemos and the BNG, which together account for six lawmakers out of more than 600 parliamentarians, chose not to attend the pope’s address.Pope Leo also made a strong appeal for religious freedom, calling freedom of thought, conscience and religion “a fundamental right that protects the most intimate sphere of the person.”“The freedom upon which the contemporary state is built, if it is authentic, recognizes the religious dimension of the human person, respects it and protects it legally,” he said. Authentic freedom, the pope added, “ensures that faith is not a reason for which a person has to forfeit his or her contribution to society.”“Faith does not seek to impose itself through privileges or coercion; yet neither can it be silenced as if it were irrelevant to public life,” he said.The pope also defended the sacramental seal of confession, saying it “holds special importance for the Catholic Church” and forms part of the broader sphere of religious freedom.“To protect it legally, as is done in a similar way in some professions, means preserving a sacred space of inner freedom, where the believer can open his or her soul to God without fear of external pressures,” Pope Leo said.The remarks came shortly after French bishops criticized a June 1 proposal in France’s National Assembly that they said could have endangered the seal of confession. The proposal was later withdrawn.Near the end of his address, the pope invited Spanish lawmakers to “lift your gaze to the world around you,” not to escape reality, but to remember that every public decision “affects real people, especially those who have less power to make their voices heard.”“A law does not attain its true greatness merely by having been formally enacted,” he said. “It attains it when, in addition to being valid in form, it can stand before the dignity of the person and pass that test without shame.”The pope concluded with a blessing for Spain, praying that the nation “never lose sight of its roots nor the courage to look to the future.”“May Spain continue to be a land of encounter, of culture, of solidarity and of hope,” he said. “And may its public life always know how to unite the firmness of convictions with the nobility of dialogue and the greatness of service.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The pontiff warned against subordinating human dignity to shifting majorities and called for stronger protections for life, migrants, families, peace and religious freedom.

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A quarter of Irish Gen Z will have no children, new report says #Catholic One in 4 members of Ireland’s Gen Z demographic are expected to be childless by age 45, according to a new report from Dublin’s Iona Institute, which promotes marriage, freedom of conscience, and religion in society. Gen Z generally refers to people born between 1997 and 2012.Drawing on cohort-level data from the Human Fertility Database (HFD), as well as using demographic modeling, the instituteʼs "Choice or Circumstance? Rising Childlessness in Ireland" report, released in May, charts a huge increase in the number of Irish women who are childless.Among those born in the late 1950s, only 30.9% were childless by age 30, rising to 63.6% for those born in the early 1990s. This trend suggests 25% of women born in the late 1990s will be childless when they reach age 45.Breda OʼBrien of the Iona Institute told EWTN News that “a huge question is whether this will be by choice or circumstance.""Much will be unplanned and forced by circumstance, such as the cost of living," she said. "It’s worrying and weʼre sliding into it without too much discussion. Before the 1930s, we had similar rates of childlessness in Ireland, but that was because of extreme poverty, late marriage, and low marriage rates. Weʼre supposed to be in an era where women have every possible choice.”She continued: “The choice to have children, which is fundamental, is being taken away from young women. Itʼs being painted as a kind of freedom. I donʼt think young women themselves consider it to be a type of freedom, and I think a lot of them are worried about it."According to Central Statistics Office data, the average man’s age at marriage is now nearing 38 and the average womanʼs age is almost 36. A 2022 Amarach Research poll for Iona showed that 85% of people want to have at least two children and only 2% expressed a wish for no children. Births in Ireland have fallen by almost 18% in the last decade, according to Central Statistics Office.With clear indications that the longer a person delays having children, the less likely he or she will have any, O’Brien said “itʼs part of the whole growth of individualism and this idea for kids, from the time theyʼre tiny, [that] you get your education, you travel, you have your career in order, you have fun, you donʼt tie yourself down, and then sometimes in your 30s, you think about settling down. But a lot of women in their mid-30s realize that it is increasingly difficult to conceive.”She added: “The fertility industry is booming, which does show us that people are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to have children, but the life script theyʼve been presented with is actually working against their best interests. Nature has no knowledge of this life script that young people are being presented with.”“The longer you leave it, the more chances there are of miscarriage, of complications in labor, and of medical intervention during birth, if you get that far. So itʼs not consequence-free,” she said.O’Brien told EWTN News that there needs to be debate about why this is happening as a society. "It is a phenomenon we should discuss far more widely if our aim is to help people achieve their eventual life goals. I think among people of faith, they are still prioritizing children and family, and marriage. The Catholic Church needs to support those young families in every way possible.”She pointed out that having fewer children “has very significant social and economic consequences because of the effects of an aging population and growing loneliness.”The report highlights a series of demographic issues related to childlessness and to Ireland’s already-aging population. Lower fertility rates, combined with rising childlessness, mean that the ratio of working-age adults to elderly dependents is set to worsen. Fewer births today mean fewer workers in 20 to 30 years.O’Brien said: “In Ireland, thereʼs still a degree of respect for older people, but one of the awful possible consequences is that younger people will start to resent older people.” The Iona report highlights the situation where a smaller working-age population will be asked to support a larger elderly population, putting pension sustainability, healthcare, and long-term care provision under growing financial pressure.The instituteʼs findings also highlight the effect on housing and household-formation patterns. A rise in the proportion of adults who never have children increases demand for smaller dwellings and single-person households. Additionally, in recent decades, inward migration to Ireland has been an effective and economically rational response in periods of strong demand. However, it is not a response to childlessness.O’Brien pointed to other countries and the demographic shifts they are facing with an increasing aging population. “Other countries are further along the road than we are. South Korea, or even Japan, where theyʼre repurposing childcare facilities for eldercare facilities, moving from baby formula to fortified drinks from the elderly, and from producing diapers for children, to producing incontinence products for the elderly — this is not a good road that weʼre on,” she said.
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A quarter of Irish Gen Z will have no children, new report says #Catholic One in 4 members of Ireland’s Gen Z demographic are expected to be childless by age 45, according to a new report from Dublin’s Iona Institute, which promotes marriage, freedom of conscience, and religion in society. Gen Z generally refers to people born between 1997 and 2012.Drawing on cohort-level data from the Human Fertility Database (HFD), as well as using demographic modeling, the instituteʼs "Choice or Circumstance? Rising Childlessness in Ireland" report, released in May, charts a huge increase in the number of Irish women who are childless.Among those born in the late 1950s, only 30.9% were childless by age 30, rising to 63.6% for those born in the early 1990s. This trend suggests 25% of women born in the late 1990s will be childless when they reach age 45.Breda OʼBrien of the Iona Institute told EWTN News that “a huge question is whether this will be by choice or circumstance.""Much will be unplanned and forced by circumstance, such as the cost of living," she said. "It’s worrying and weʼre sliding into it without too much discussion. Before the 1930s, we had similar rates of childlessness in Ireland, but that was because of extreme poverty, late marriage, and low marriage rates. Weʼre supposed to be in an era where women have every possible choice.”She continued: “The choice to have children, which is fundamental, is being taken away from young women. Itʼs being painted as a kind of freedom. I donʼt think young women themselves consider it to be a type of freedom, and I think a lot of them are worried about it."According to Central Statistics Office data, the average man’s age at marriage is now nearing 38 and the average womanʼs age is almost 36. A 2022 Amarach Research poll for Iona showed that 85% of people want to have at least two children and only 2% expressed a wish for no children. Births in Ireland have fallen by almost 18% in the last decade, according to Central Statistics Office.With clear indications that the longer a person delays having children, the less likely he or she will have any, O’Brien said “itʼs part of the whole growth of individualism and this idea for kids, from the time theyʼre tiny, [that] you get your education, you travel, you have your career in order, you have fun, you donʼt tie yourself down, and then sometimes in your 30s, you think about settling down. But a lot of women in their mid-30s realize that it is increasingly difficult to conceive.”She added: “The fertility industry is booming, which does show us that people are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to have children, but the life script theyʼve been presented with is actually working against their best interests. Nature has no knowledge of this life script that young people are being presented with.”“The longer you leave it, the more chances there are of miscarriage, of complications in labor, and of medical intervention during birth, if you get that far. So itʼs not consequence-free,” she said.O’Brien told EWTN News that there needs to be debate about why this is happening as a society. "It is a phenomenon we should discuss far more widely if our aim is to help people achieve their eventual life goals. I think among people of faith, they are still prioritizing children and family, and marriage. The Catholic Church needs to support those young families in every way possible.”She pointed out that having fewer children “has very significant social and economic consequences because of the effects of an aging population and growing loneliness.”The report highlights a series of demographic issues related to childlessness and to Ireland’s already-aging population. Lower fertility rates, combined with rising childlessness, mean that the ratio of working-age adults to elderly dependents is set to worsen. Fewer births today mean fewer workers in 20 to 30 years.O’Brien said: “In Ireland, thereʼs still a degree of respect for older people, but one of the awful possible consequences is that younger people will start to resent older people.” The Iona report highlights the situation where a smaller working-age population will be asked to support a larger elderly population, putting pension sustainability, healthcare, and long-term care provision under growing financial pressure.The instituteʼs findings also highlight the effect on housing and household-formation patterns. A rise in the proportion of adults who never have children increases demand for smaller dwellings and single-person households. Additionally, in recent decades, inward migration to Ireland has been an effective and economically rational response in periods of strong demand. However, it is not a response to childlessness.O’Brien pointed to other countries and the demographic shifts they are facing with an increasing aging population. “Other countries are further along the road than we are. South Korea, or even Japan, where theyʼre repurposing childcare facilities for eldercare facilities, moving from baby formula to fortified drinks from the elderly, and from producing diapers for children, to producing incontinence products for the elderly — this is not a good road that weʼre on,” she said.

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While current trends show that 1 in 4 young women today will remain childless, Iona Institute’s Breda O’Brien said the huge question is “whether this will be by choice or circumstance.”

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