Day: June 12, 2026

The Bee Explains: How Soccer Works #BabylonBee – The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being hosted in the United States for the first time since 1994. But what should be a cause for celebration is, instead, confusing a lot of Americans who can’t quite seem to grasp the nature of the game.
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The Bee Explains: How Soccer Works #BabylonBee – The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being hosted in the United States for the first time since 1994. But what should be a cause for celebration is, instead, confusing a lot of Americans who can’t quite seem to grasp the nature of the game.

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being hosted in the United States for the first time since 1994. But what should be a cause for celebration is, instead, confusing a lot of Americans who can’t quite seem to grasp the nature of the game.

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British Government Gives Religious Exemption For Suicide Vests #BabylonBee – LONDON — In an ongoing effort to balance religious freedom and public safety, the government of the United Kingdom decided to grant exemptions for committed Muslims who wish to don suicide vests for religious and ceremonial purposes.
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British Government Gives Religious Exemption For Suicide Vests #BabylonBee – LONDON — In an ongoing effort to balance religious freedom and public safety, the government of the United Kingdom decided to grant exemptions for committed Muslims who wish to don suicide vests for religious and ceremonial purposes.

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LONDON — In an ongoing effort to balance religious freedom and public safety, the government of the United Kingdom decided to grant exemptions for committed Muslims who wish to don suicide vests for religious and ceremonial purposes.

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Father of euthanized 25-year-old Spanish woman speaks out as new bill aims to ‘fast track’ appeals – #Catholic – Just months after 25-year-old Noelia Castillo died by euthanasia following a protracted and highly publicized legal battle, Spain’s Congress of Deputies began debating a bill on June 11 that would dramatically limit judicial review in future euthanasia cases.The proposed legislation would fast-track euthanasia requests, allowing only a single hearing in a lower court before the decision could be appealed solely to the Constitutional Court, effectively reducing the opportunities for extended legal challenges.The vote to consider the proposal, spearheaded by the Catalan regional parliament, took place just three days after members of both houses of Spain’s legislature gave a seven-minute standing ovation to Pope Leo XIV, who in his historic address asked: “If life ceases to be recognized as a fundamental value, what future can our societies have?”Coinciding with this legislative initiative, the Christian Lawyers Foundation has released a video featuring the father of Noelia Castillo, the young woman who was euthanized on March 23 following a two-year legal battle led by her father, Javier Castillo.‘An injustice has been done to Noelia’Sources at the foundation told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that this marks the “first and only” time Castillo will make a public statement, since from the time his daughter’s case became known and even after her death, he hasn’t spoken out.“An injustice has been done to Noelia,” declared Castillo, who emphasized that “more resources could have been allocated” to address her psychological and psychiatric ailments. In contrast, he said the state was “very efficient” when it came to administering euthanasia, essentially “to get the problem off their hands.”In his opinion, Noelia managed to convince the doctors that her case met the criteria set out in the euthanasia law passed in 2022: “She deceived them very effectively, and they let themselves be deceived,” said Castillo, who also argued that the assessment of euthanasia cases should include the parents' perspective.Castillo decried the fact that, when he was in Noeliaʼs room before her death and the members of the Guarantees Committee provided for in the euthanasia law arrived, “they kicked me out of the room” and didn’t give him information when he asked for it.No one in the family wanted euthanasia for herRecalling his daughterʼs death, Castillo burst into tears, and overcome with emotion, said: “I was able to see her in the box, I said goodbye to her and here I have her” he said, pointing to his head, indicating he will remember her forever.“I would be the happiest man alive if she had wanted to keep living with me and if I could have continued looking after her until the day I died,” he said, lamenting that as soon as he decided to turn over the case to the Christian Lawyers Foundation, his daughter decided to shut him out. The image of his daughter in her coffin after being euthanized is etched in the memory of Javier Castillo, Noelia’s father. | Credit: Christian Lawyers Foundation “The moment she saw that her father was opposed, that I was trying to stop the euthanasia, she completely cut me off, even though up until then, I had been with her every day of the week,” he recounted.“Right up to the last moment, none of us in the family lost hope … not one of us,“ he said. ”Neither mother, nor father, nor sisters wanted euthanasia; each of us, in our own way and with our own lives, tried to prevent this from happening.”Following Noelia’s death, which came after a long legal battle, Castillo admitted to having mixed feelings: “Powerless, like a failure. We lost, yet we won. I have to say that Christian Lawyers has prevailed over all those people who did nothing for her. Yes, they certainly did their homework,” he said.Castillo expressed his conviction that “my daughter is now in heaven,” while also acknowledging that the legal battle “gave to me two years of my daughter’s life. Two years. Do you know what two years of life means? A lot. A whole lifetime.”‘Fast track’ procedureThe legislative proposal taken under consideration June 11 aims to mandate a “fast track” procedure for appeals in euthanasia cases.Furthermore, under the proposed legislation, such appeals would only be filed with the Administrative Disputes Chamber of the High Court of Justice of an autonomous community, thereby bypassing trial courts and the provincial courts.Spain has 17 autonomous communities, the rough equivalent of states in a federal system. The appeals process would be conducted in only one court without any right of appeal, save for an “amparo” appeal before the Constitutional Court, which is a type of appeal that is rejected in 98% of cases, as detailed in the explanatory memorandum of the bill.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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Father of euthanized 25-year-old Spanish woman speaks out as new bill aims to ‘fast track’ appeals – #Catholic – Just months after 25-year-old Noelia Castillo died by euthanasia following a protracted and highly publicized legal battle, Spain’s Congress of Deputies began debating a bill on June 11 that would dramatically limit judicial review in future euthanasia cases.The proposed legislation would fast-track euthanasia requests, allowing only a single hearing in a lower court before the decision could be appealed solely to the Constitutional Court, effectively reducing the opportunities for extended legal challenges.The vote to consider the proposal, spearheaded by the Catalan regional parliament, took place just three days after members of both houses of Spain’s legislature gave a seven-minute standing ovation to Pope Leo XIV, who in his historic address asked: “If life ceases to be recognized as a fundamental value, what future can our societies have?”Coinciding with this legislative initiative, the Christian Lawyers Foundation has released a video featuring the father of Noelia Castillo, the young woman who was euthanized on March 23 following a two-year legal battle led by her father, Javier Castillo.‘An injustice has been done to Noelia’Sources at the foundation told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that this marks the “first and only” time Castillo will make a public statement, since from the time his daughter’s case became known and even after her death, he hasn’t spoken out.“An injustice has been done to Noelia,” declared Castillo, who emphasized that “more resources could have been allocated” to address her psychological and psychiatric ailments. In contrast, he said the state was “very efficient” when it came to administering euthanasia, essentially “to get the problem off their hands.”In his opinion, Noelia managed to convince the doctors that her case met the criteria set out in the euthanasia law passed in 2022: “She deceived them very effectively, and they let themselves be deceived,” said Castillo, who also argued that the assessment of euthanasia cases should include the parents' perspective.Castillo decried the fact that, when he was in Noeliaʼs room before her death and the members of the Guarantees Committee provided for in the euthanasia law arrived, “they kicked me out of the room” and didn’t give him information when he asked for it.No one in the family wanted euthanasia for herRecalling his daughterʼs death, Castillo burst into tears, and overcome with emotion, said: “I was able to see her in the box, I said goodbye to her and here I have her” he said, pointing to his head, indicating he will remember her forever.“I would be the happiest man alive if she had wanted to keep living with me and if I could have continued looking after her until the day I died,” he said, lamenting that as soon as he decided to turn over the case to the Christian Lawyers Foundation, his daughter decided to shut him out. The image of his daughter in her coffin after being euthanized is etched in the memory of Javier Castillo, Noelia’s father. | Credit: Christian Lawyers Foundation “The moment she saw that her father was opposed, that I was trying to stop the euthanasia, she completely cut me off, even though up until then, I had been with her every day of the week,” he recounted.“Right up to the last moment, none of us in the family lost hope … not one of us,“ he said. ”Neither mother, nor father, nor sisters wanted euthanasia; each of us, in our own way and with our own lives, tried to prevent this from happening.”Following Noelia’s death, which came after a long legal battle, Castillo admitted to having mixed feelings: “Powerless, like a failure. We lost, yet we won. I have to say that Christian Lawyers has prevailed over all those people who did nothing for her. Yes, they certainly did their homework,” he said.Castillo expressed his conviction that “my daughter is now in heaven,” while also acknowledging that the legal battle “gave to me two years of my daughter’s life. Two years. Do you know what two years of life means? A lot. A whole lifetime.”‘Fast track’ procedureThe legislative proposal taken under consideration June 11 aims to mandate a “fast track” procedure for appeals in euthanasia cases.Furthermore, under the proposed legislation, such appeals would only be filed with the Administrative Disputes Chamber of the High Court of Justice of an autonomous community, thereby bypassing trial courts and the provincial courts.Spain has 17 autonomous communities, the rough equivalent of states in a federal system. The appeals process would be conducted in only one court without any right of appeal, save for an “amparo” appeal before the Constitutional Court, which is a type of appeal that is rejected in 98% of cases, as detailed in the explanatory memorandum of the bill.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 proposed legislation would fast-track euthanasia requests, effectively reducing the opportunities for appeals and extended legal challenges.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 13 June 2026 – A reading from the First Book of Kings 19:19-21 Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you." Elijah answered, "Go back!  Have I done anything to you?" Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant.From the Gospel according to Luke (2,41-51) Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.If we want the world to change, then first our hearts must change.  For this to happen, let us allow Our Lady to take us by the hand.  Let us gaze upon her Immaculate Heart in which God dwelt, “our tainted nature’s solitary boast”.  Mary is “full of grace” (v. 28), and thus free from sin.  In her, there is no trace of evil and hence, with her, God was able to begin a new story of salvation and peace.  There, in her, history took a turn.  God changed history by knocking at the door of Mary’s heart. (…) We turn to our Mother, reposing all our fears and pain in her heart and abandoning ourselves to her.  It means placing in that pure and undefiled heart, where God is mirrored, the inestimable goods of fraternity and peace, all that we have and are, so that she, the Mother whom the Lord has given us, may protect us and watch over us. (Pope Francis, Homily, 25 March 2022)

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A reading from the First Book of Kings
19:19-21

Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat,
as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen;
he was following the twelfth.
Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.
Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said,
"Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,
and I will follow you."
Elijah answered, "Go back! 
Have I done anything to you?"
Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them;
he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh,
and gave it to his people to eat.
Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

From the Gospel according to Luke
(2,41-51)

Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

If we want the world to change, then first our hearts must change.  For this to happen, let us allow Our Lady to take us by the hand.  Let us gaze upon her Immaculate Heart in which God dwelt, “our tainted nature’s solitary boast”.  Mary is “full of grace” (v. 28), and thus free from sin.  In her, there is no trace of evil and hence, with her, God was able to begin a new story of salvation and peace.  There, in her, history took a turn.  God changed history by knocking at the door of Mary’s heart. (…)

We turn to our Mother, reposing all our fears and pain in her heart and abandoning ourselves to her.  It means placing in that pure and undefiled heart, where God is mirrored, the inestimable goods of fraternity and peace, all that we have and are, so that she, the Mother whom the Lord has given us, may protect us and watch over us. (Pope Francis, Homily, 25 March 2022)

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June 12, 2021: Seiji Ueda discovers Nova Herculis 2021

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On June 12, 2021, Nova Herculis 2021 (V1674 Herculis) erupted, and was discovered by amateur astronomer Seiji Ueda of Japan. The white dwarf quickly became visible to the naked eye, surging to 10,000 times brighter than it originally had been. Its speed was unprecedented: V1674 Herculis faded from that peak brightness in just over oneContinue reading “June 12, 2021: Seiji Ueda discovers Nova Herculis 2021”

The post June 12, 2021: Seiji Ueda discovers Nova Herculis 2021 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Our Lady of Guadalupe image begins 6-month pilgrimage in the Philippines – #Catholic – An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Mexico arrived in the Philippines on June 11, marking the start of a six-month nationwide pilgrimage that Church leaders hope will strengthen people’s faith.Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, led the reception and blessing of the pilgrim image at Malacañang Palace in Manila in the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso; and other government officials, clergy, and lay faithful.Marcos and the first lady hosted the reception and blessing, formally launching the Philippine Pilgrimage 2026. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, far left; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., sixth and seventh from left; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; and others gather after the blessing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 11, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office The occasion highlighted the Philippines’ deep Marian devotion and its participation in the Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana, a worldwide spiritual preparation for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego. She appeared on four occasions on Dec. 9–12, 1531: three at the hill of Tepeyac and a fourth before Juan de Zumárraga, then the first bishop of Mexico and a Spanish Basque Franciscan prelate.The replica of the Mexican Marian icon and an image of St. Juan Diego, a Nahua peasant and Marian visionary, are considered a source of inspiration for many around the world.The pilgrimage forms part of a global initiative promoting prayer, evangelization, and unity among Catholics across different nations.The image, a replica of the original enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, embarks on a pilgrimage across the Philippines, visiting more than 50 churches.In a social media video, Bagaforo invited the faithful to join the nationwide pilgrimage, calling it a “moment of grace” and an opportunity to pray for hope, peace, and blessings amid today’s challenges.Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, will hold a special Mass at the Manila Cathedral on June 13, formally opening the pilgrimage, before the image visits more than 50 cathedrals, shrines, and parish churches across the country.The image will also be present during the 132nd Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Plenary in Ozamiz City on July 3–10 before its permanent installation at the Manila Cathedral in December.Bishops call for a spiritual journeyIn a June 3 pastoral letter, the CBCP urged Catholics to take part in the spiritual journey and renew their relationship with Jesus through Mary.According to Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, the CBCP president, churches hosting the pilgrimage will recite the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe during all Masses while the image is present.“During this pilgrimage, the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe shall be recited in all Masses in the churches to be visited,” he said.The pilgrimage hopes to inspire Filipinos to come closer to Jesus and to deepen their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.“This visit aims to bring us, Filipinos, closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother,” Garcera said.Advincula named the pilgrim image “Madre Peregrina de Guadalupe,” or “Pilgrim Mother of Guadalupe,” underscoring Mary’s role as a mother who journeys with the faithful. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, takes part in the blessing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 11, 2026, in the presence of government officials, Church leaders, and other guests. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office According to event organizers, the pilgrimage would deepen devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and prepare Filipino Catholics for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 2031.The Philippines is home to more than 93 million Catholics and has the third-largest Catholic population globally, after Brazil and Mexico. In the Asian context, it is the largest Catholic nation, followed by East Timor.Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the “Celestial Patroness of the Philippines” in 1935. In 2001, the CBCP declared Dec. 12 an obligatory memorial, and in 2002 it recognized her as the “Pro-Life Patroness of the Philippines” in response to the global movement to entrust the plight of unborn children to her intercession.“I am glad to know that the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on a pilgrimage in the Philippines. It will strengthen people’s prayer, Marian devotion, and spiritual renewal,” Janice Castro, an elementary school teacher from the Diocese of Cubao, told EWTN News.
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Our Lady of Guadalupe image begins 6-month pilgrimage in the Philippines – #Catholic – An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Mexico arrived in the Philippines on June 11, marking the start of a six-month nationwide pilgrimage that Church leaders hope will strengthen people’s faith.Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, led the reception and blessing of the pilgrim image at Malacañang Palace in Manila in the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso; and other government officials, clergy, and lay faithful.Marcos and the first lady hosted the reception and blessing, formally launching the Philippine Pilgrimage 2026. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, far left; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., sixth and seventh from left; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; and others gather after the blessing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 11, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office The occasion highlighted the Philippines’ deep Marian devotion and its participation in the Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana, a worldwide spiritual preparation for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego. She appeared on four occasions on Dec. 9–12, 1531: three at the hill of Tepeyac and a fourth before Juan de Zumárraga, then the first bishop of Mexico and a Spanish Basque Franciscan prelate.The replica of the Mexican Marian icon and an image of St. Juan Diego, a Nahua peasant and Marian visionary, are considered a source of inspiration for many around the world.The pilgrimage forms part of a global initiative promoting prayer, evangelization, and unity among Catholics across different nations.The image, a replica of the original enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, embarks on a pilgrimage across the Philippines, visiting more than 50 churches.In a social media video, Bagaforo invited the faithful to join the nationwide pilgrimage, calling it a “moment of grace” and an opportunity to pray for hope, peace, and blessings amid today’s challenges.Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, will hold a special Mass at the Manila Cathedral on June 13, formally opening the pilgrimage, before the image visits more than 50 cathedrals, shrines, and parish churches across the country.The image will also be present during the 132nd Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Plenary in Ozamiz City on July 3–10 before its permanent installation at the Manila Cathedral in December.Bishops call for a spiritual journeyIn a June 3 pastoral letter, the CBCP urged Catholics to take part in the spiritual journey and renew their relationship with Jesus through Mary.According to Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, the CBCP president, churches hosting the pilgrimage will recite the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe during all Masses while the image is present.“During this pilgrimage, the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe shall be recited in all Masses in the churches to be visited,” he said.The pilgrimage hopes to inspire Filipinos to come closer to Jesus and to deepen their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.“This visit aims to bring us, Filipinos, closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother,” Garcera said.Advincula named the pilgrim image “Madre Peregrina de Guadalupe,” or “Pilgrim Mother of Guadalupe,” underscoring Mary’s role as a mother who journeys with the faithful. Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, takes part in the blessing of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Malacañang Palace in Manila on June 11, 2026, in the presence of government officials, Church leaders, and other guests. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office According to event organizers, the pilgrimage would deepen devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and prepare Filipino Catholics for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 2031.The Philippines is home to more than 93 million Catholics and has the third-largest Catholic population globally, after Brazil and Mexico. In the Asian context, it is the largest Catholic nation, followed by East Timor.Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the “Celestial Patroness of the Philippines” in 1935. In 2001, the CBCP declared Dec. 12 an obligatory memorial, and in 2002 it recognized her as the “Pro-Life Patroness of the Philippines” in response to the global movement to entrust the plight of unborn children to her intercession.“I am glad to know that the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on a pilgrimage in the Philippines. It will strengthen people’s prayer, Marian devotion, and spiritual renewal,” Janice Castro, an elementary school teacher from the Diocese of Cubao, told EWTN News.

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Church leaders launched a six-month journey for the Marian icon, which will travel to more than 50 churches before its permanent installation at the Manila Cathedral in December.

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Pope Leo XIV’s advice to priests: ‘Holiness cannot be lived in isolation’ – #Catholic – The journey toward holiness is fulfilled in union with Christ’s perfect heart — a holiness that cannot be lived in isolation, Pope Leo XIV said in a message for the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.“Cherish your priestly fraternity: Seek one another, listen to one another, and support one another. The priest who isolates himself slowly fades away; the priest who walks alongside his brothers grows,” the pope said in the June 12 message.The World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests takes place every year on the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, which in 2026 is celebrated on June 12.The Sacred Heart, Leo said, “is the ‘place’ where holiness is manifested as closeness and tenderness. The priest’s holiness, then, is embodied in humble and courageous nearness, in being all things to all people, and in keeping the gate of the sheepfold open so that many can enter and find pasture and rest.”“For this reason, we are called to a relationship with God that does not distance us from others but brings us closer to everyone — shaping patient and tender hearts, capable of closeness, compassion, and listening,” he added.Pope Leo said it is “through the union of our imperfect hearts with Jesus’ pierced heart, our journey toward holiness is fulfilled. It is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us. Such holiness cannot be lived in isolation.”Reflecting on the mystery of the Lord’s pierced heart, the Holy Father emphasized that holiness is not an abstract ideal but a share in God’s own holiness.“When he calls us to be holy as he is holy, he indicates that the path we must follow involves being fashioned after his own heart. And for us, dear brothers, this call is particularly radical,” he said, addressing his fellow priests.The holiness asked of priests, Leo continued, is of a trustful abandonment transformed by the Holy Spirit: “Yet it is precisely here that the great paradox of our priestly life emerges. We are called to share in God’s own holiness, but we carry this treasure in earthen vessels.”Reflecting on the imperfect, human side of the priesthood, the pontiff noted that “we are limited and imperfect, often weak and weary, and at times wounded. How can such a vulnerable human heart respond to such a high calling? The priest lives this tension. Yet at the same time, he must recognize that he finds peace in the open side of the Lord Jesus.”“Our humanity is not compartmentalized,” he said. “Prayer, ministry, relationships, weariness, joys, and failures — even time or love that apparently seems wasted — all become privileged places where God reveals himself and his infinite love.”He urged priests to renew the grace of their ordination through the daily celebration of the Eucharist, prayer, meditation on the word of God, and humble service to others.“A priestly life that is steady and configured to Jesus’ heart is a credible sign of unity, peace, and mercy. Thus, in an age marked by division and fear, we must be builders of peace and witnesses of the tenderness of the Good Shepherd who knows how to gather the scattered and heal the wounded,” he said.In his message, Pope Leo invited priests to daily renew their “Here I am” before Christ’s pierced heart and to remember the words of the Curé of Ars, St. John Vianney, who loved to say that “the priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.”“This love is a pledge and a guarantee that, if we surrender and offer ourselves completely, nothing of us will be lost,” the pontiff said.
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Pope Leo XIV’s advice to priests: ‘Holiness cannot be lived in isolation’ – #Catholic – The journey toward holiness is fulfilled in union with Christ’s perfect heart — a holiness that cannot be lived in isolation, Pope Leo XIV said in a message for the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.“Cherish your priestly fraternity: Seek one another, listen to one another, and support one another. The priest who isolates himself slowly fades away; the priest who walks alongside his brothers grows,” the pope said in the June 12 message.The World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests takes place every year on the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, which in 2026 is celebrated on June 12.The Sacred Heart, Leo said, “is the ‘place’ where holiness is manifested as closeness and tenderness. The priest’s holiness, then, is embodied in humble and courageous nearness, in being all things to all people, and in keeping the gate of the sheepfold open so that many can enter and find pasture and rest.”“For this reason, we are called to a relationship with God that does not distance us from others but brings us closer to everyone — shaping patient and tender hearts, capable of closeness, compassion, and listening,” he added.Pope Leo said it is “through the union of our imperfect hearts with Jesus’ pierced heart, our journey toward holiness is fulfilled. It is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us. Such holiness cannot be lived in isolation.”Reflecting on the mystery of the Lord’s pierced heart, the Holy Father emphasized that holiness is not an abstract ideal but a share in God’s own holiness.“When he calls us to be holy as he is holy, he indicates that the path we must follow involves being fashioned after his own heart. And for us, dear brothers, this call is particularly radical,” he said, addressing his fellow priests.The holiness asked of priests, Leo continued, is of a trustful abandonment transformed by the Holy Spirit: “Yet it is precisely here that the great paradox of our priestly life emerges. We are called to share in God’s own holiness, but we carry this treasure in earthen vessels.”Reflecting on the imperfect, human side of the priesthood, the pontiff noted that “we are limited and imperfect, often weak and weary, and at times wounded. How can such a vulnerable human heart respond to such a high calling? The priest lives this tension. Yet at the same time, he must recognize that he finds peace in the open side of the Lord Jesus.”“Our humanity is not compartmentalized,” he said. “Prayer, ministry, relationships, weariness, joys, and failures — even time or love that apparently seems wasted — all become privileged places where God reveals himself and his infinite love.”He urged priests to renew the grace of their ordination through the daily celebration of the Eucharist, prayer, meditation on the word of God, and humble service to others.“A priestly life that is steady and configured to Jesus’ heart is a credible sign of unity, peace, and mercy. Thus, in an age marked by division and fear, we must be builders of peace and witnesses of the tenderness of the Good Shepherd who knows how to gather the scattered and heal the wounded,” he said.In his message, Pope Leo invited priests to daily renew their “Here I am” before Christ’s pierced heart and to remember the words of the Curé of Ars, St. John Vianney, who loved to say that “the priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.”“This love is a pledge and a guarantee that, if we surrender and offer ourselves completely, nothing of us will be lost,” the pontiff said.

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The World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests takes place every year on the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

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Mary Help recognizes 46 graduating seniors at commencement #Catholic - Forty-six seniors of Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, N.J., graduated on June 6 during the school’s 82nd Commencement Exercises. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney distributed the diplomas to the smiling graduates. The Class of 2026’s valedictorian was Marcella Gallerani, and the salutatorian was Emma Ibarbia. The class earned more than $19,248,840 in merit scholarships. The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, run Mary Help of Christians Academy. Among those participating in the graduation ceremony were Salesian Sister Kelly Schuster, head of school at Mary Help, and Salesian Sister Colleen Clair, provincial of the Salesian Sisters in the Eastern United States and Canada. She was Mary Help’s head of school from 2021 to 2023 and an alumna of the Class of 1988. Staff and faculty also attended the commencement. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Mary Help recognizes 46 graduating seniors at commencement #Catholic – Forty-six seniors of Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, N.J., graduated on June 6 during the school’s 82nd Commencement Exercises. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney distributed the diplomas to the smiling graduates. The Class of 2026’s valedictorian was Marcella Gallerani, and the salutatorian was Emma Ibarbia. The class earned more than $19,248,840 in merit scholarships. The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, run Mary Help of Christians Academy. Among those participating in the graduation ceremony were Salesian Sister Kelly Schuster, head of school at Mary Help, and Salesian Sister Colleen Clair, provincial of the Salesian Sisters in the Eastern United States and Canada. She was Mary Help’s head of school from 2021 to 2023 and an alumna of the Class of 1988. Staff and faculty also attended the commencement. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Mary Help recognizes 46 graduating seniors at commencement #Catholic –

Forty-six seniors of Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, N.J., graduated on June 6 during the school’s 82nd Commencement Exercises. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney distributed the diplomas to the smiling graduates.

The Class of 2026’s valedictorian was Marcella Gallerani, and the salutatorian was Emma Ibarbia. The class earned more than $19,248,840 in merit scholarships.

The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, run Mary Help of Christians Academy.

Among those participating in the graduation ceremony were Salesian Sister Kelly Schuster, head of school at Mary Help, and Salesian Sister Colleen Clair, provincial of the Salesian Sisters in the Eastern United States and Canada. She was Mary Help’s head of school from 2021 to 2023 and an alumna of the Class of 1988. Staff and faculty also attended the commencement.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– Forty-six seniors of Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, N.J., graduated on June 6 during the school’s 82nd Commencement Exercises. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney distributed the diplomas to the smiling graduates. The Class of 2026’s valedictorian was Marcella Gallerani, and the salutatorian was Emma Ibarbia. The class earned more than $19,248,840 in merit scholarships. The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, run Mary Help of Christians Academy. Among those participating in the graduation ceremony were Salesian Sister Kelly Schuster, head of school at Mary Help, and Salesian Sister Colleen Clair, provincial of the

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32 teens confirmed at Our Lady of Fatima & St. Nicholas Parish #Catholic - At Our Lady of Fatima & St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., 32 teenagers received the Sacrament of Confirmation, joined by their sponsors, families, and friends, at an 11 a.m. Mass on Saturday, May 30. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli, with Father Rolands Uribe concelebrating. The liturgy marked the end of the candidate’s formation as they deepened their understanding of their faith and prepared to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In his homily, Bishop Serratelli shared the message on the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the faithful.  “The Holy Spirit comes with us, lives with us, helps us put God first, God’s will before our desires at once. The Holy Spirit helps us to respect God’s plan for his creation. The Holy Spirit, the spirit of love, makes us pure and chaste, honest and just, compassionate and charitable. In a word he enables us to live as sons and daughters of God for we are made not merely to explore this cosmos or to merely to enjoy life on earth. We are made to live now; this day, in this world as God’s children so that one day we could life beyond this world in Heaven with God forever.” This celebration was a meaningful highlight for the young parishioners, who now take on a more active role in the life of the Church, strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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32 teens confirmed at Our Lady of Fatima & St. Nicholas Parish #Catholic – At Our Lady of Fatima & St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., 32 teenagers received the Sacrament of Confirmation, joined by their sponsors, families, and friends, at an 11 a.m. Mass on Saturday, May 30. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli, with Father Rolands Uribe concelebrating. The liturgy marked the end of the candidate’s formation as they deepened their understanding of their faith and prepared to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In his homily, Bishop Serratelli shared the message on the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the faithful.  “The Holy Spirit comes with us, lives with us, helps us put God first, God’s will before our desires at once. The Holy Spirit helps us to respect God’s plan for his creation. The Holy Spirit, the spirit of love, makes us pure and chaste, honest and just, compassionate and charitable. In a word he enables us to live as sons and daughters of God for we are made not merely to explore this cosmos or to merely to enjoy life on earth. We are made to live now; this day, in this world as God’s children so that one day we could life beyond this world in Heaven with God forever.” This celebration was a meaningful highlight for the young parishioners, who now take on a more active role in the life of the Church, strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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32 teens confirmed at Our Lady of Fatima & St. Nicholas Parish #Catholic –

At Our Lady of Fatima & St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., 32 teenagers received the Sacrament of Confirmation, joined by their sponsors, families, and friends, at an 11 a.m. Mass on Saturday, May 30.

The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli, with Father Rolands Uribe concelebrating. The liturgy marked the end of the candidate’s formation as they deepened their understanding of their faith and prepared to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

In his homily, Bishop Serratelli shared the message on the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the faithful. 

“The Holy Spirit comes with us, lives with us, helps us put God first, God’s will before our desires at once. The Holy Spirit helps us to respect God’s plan for his creation. The Holy Spirit, the spirit of love, makes us pure and chaste, honest and just, compassionate and charitable. In a word he enables us to live as sons and daughters of God for we are made not merely to explore this cosmos or to merely to enjoy life on earth. We are made to live now; this day, in this world as God’s children so that one day we could life beyond this world in Heaven with God forever.”

This celebration was a meaningful highlight for the young parishioners, who now take on a more active role in the life of the Church, strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– At Our Lady of Fatima & St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., 32 teenagers received the Sacrament of Confirmation, joined by their sponsors, families, and friends, at an 11 a.m. Mass on Saturday, May 30. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli, with Father Rolands Uribe concelebrating. The liturgy marked the end of the candidate’s formation as they deepened their understanding of their faith and prepared to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In his homily, Bishop Serratelli shared the message on the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the faithful.  “The Holy

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Pope Leo XIV tells human traffickers in Tenerife: ‘Stop. Repent’ – #Catholic – SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LA LAGUNA, Spain — For the first time during his apostolic journey to Spain, which concluded Friday, Pope Leo XIV raised his voice with unusual force.He did so in Tenerife, speaking against human traffickers: those who charge staggering sums to help migrants cross the ocean and those who enslave them mercilessly.“For every life lost, every family deceived, every body subjugated, every woman threatened, every worker exploited, you will have to appear before divine justice,” the pope said.“Break those chains and free those you hold in bondage,” he added. “Return what has been taken and make amends as much as you can.”Then, in a cry reminiscent of Pope Francis’ 2014 appeal to members of the Mafia, Leo declared: “Stop. Repent.”To those who profit from the suffering of others, he also left open the door of return to God.“Repent while there is still time,” he said, “for God’s mercy can reach even the most hardened sinner, but it enters only through the narrow gate of truth, justice, and conversion.”The remarks came during the pope’s meeting with organizations working for the integration of migrants in the Plaza del Cristo de La Laguna, in the capital of Tenerife, before some 4,000 people.In this final day of his trip, Leo held a second encounter focused on the reality of migration, underscoring the importance he has given the issue throughout his visit. Pope Leo XIV listens during a meeting with organizations working for the integration of migrants in Tenerife, Canary Islands, on June 12, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News The pope offered several keys for migrants so they do “not … remain forever trapped in the role of victims.”Speaking to “dear migrant brothers and sisters,” Leo said that part of their journey is “to open yourselves with trust to the community that welcomes you, to learn its language, to respect its laws, to get to know its customs, to participate in communal life, and to offer your gifts with gratitude.”He also addressed Catholics directly, as he had done the previous day in Las Palmas, asking “that integration not be reduced to a social undertaking, however necessary that may be.”The pope warned of what he called a “silent shipwreck” that can take place after migrants arrive: “Being left alone in a city, without a voice, without ties, work, or a sense of security, and exposed to those who take advantage of vulnerability.”“Integration means preventing that second shipwreck,” he said.Leo said integration must take place “without diluting their identity or closing their hearts to the encounter,” adding that “every welcoming society has responsibilities toward those who arrive,” while those who are welcomed also discover that dignity “flourishes when it becomes a duty and a sincere desire to build together with others.”Before the final Mass that brought his apostolic journey to Spain to a close, the pope asked the faithful not to forget the many migrants from Latin America, the Philippines, and other parts of the world who are already a living part of the community.“Let yourselves also be evangelized by them,” he said, “for they surely bring with them gifts that Providence has wished to send to you through those who are integrating.”His predecessor, Pope Francis, summarized the Church’s approach to migration in four verbs: welcome, protect, promote, and integrate. Leo made that vision his own, insisting that integration cannot be reduced to a merely social task.“Those who come to our parishes need bread, shelter, language assistance, work, and protection,” he said. “They also must find a community capable of offering paths to knowing Jesus Christ through the witness of life and word, while always respecting the conscience and freedom of each person.”During the encounter, the pope listened to the testimony of Mbacke, a young Senegalese man who arrived as a child, completely alone.“I have learned alongside my classmates in all the training activities we have: Spanish, cooking, agriculture, masonry, carpentry, repairs, computer skills, sewing, etc., and in my particular case, basic training in Spain,” he said, thanking the Canary Islands’ El Buen Samaritano Foundation, linked to the Parish of Santa María de Añaza in Tenerife, for giving him a family.“Thank you for receiving young people like me who arrive alone, without family, and who are only looking for an opportunity to start over,” he added.His testimony put a face on the drama of migrant minors who cross borders without a parent or guardian. For some who have no family, turning 18 can mean “only the street,” once they leave Spain’s child protection system.Among those waiting for the pope on this final day was Mamadu, 33, originally from Mali. He arrived 15 years ago, still a child. Today he is fully integrated and speaks Spanish perfectly. He told ACI Prensa that he wanted to see the pope and give him a T-shirt he displayed proudly.Leo also heard from a Venezuelan migrant priest who has served for seven years on El Hierro, the westernmost and southernmost island in the Canary archipelago. The island, the smallest and least populated of the main Canary Islands, has recorded some of the highest migrant arrivals in recent months: Since March 2023, it has received 50,244 immigrants despite having just 11,600 residents.“There were days and nights when I wanted to stay in the comfort of my house, but I thought: What would Our Lord do?” the priest said. “And I renewed the service being asked of me. And there, amid pain and suffering, there was always some reason for hope, some smile, some grateful face that gave more than enough reason for our commitment.”The Holy Father also listened to harrowing accounts, including that of Khalid Allad, a 24-year-old Moroccan who, like many others, reached the Canary coast in 2020.“My journey in a small boat was not easy at all,” he said. “I tried twice. In the first attempt, 20 people died.”Although his father forbade him from trying again, he set out a year later.“Although I was afraid, I decided to leave again, this time without his permission,” he said.Once in Tenerife, he began a new life thanks to the Don Bosco Foundation.“They offered me a place to live, taught me Spanish, helped me read and write better, and gave me the confidence to move forward,” he said through tears.Thalia Johana Saldarriaga Diago, a Colombian immigrant who, thanks to Caritas, not only recovered her independence but also became a volunteer helping others in similar situations, also spoke at the meeting.“In this way,” the pope said, recalling her witness, “yesterday’s stranger can be today’s brother and neighbor.”The encounter took place as the European Union entered a new and stricter era in migration policy. The Migration and Asylum Pact, the result of years of negotiations among member states, officially entered into force Friday, promising to strengthen control of external borders, speed up asylum procedures, and increase returns of people without the right to remain in EU territory.After this effort to put a human face on the drama of migration, and before returning to Rome with an expected delay, the pope celebrated a large outdoor Mass at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, on June 12, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News In his homily, Leo cited Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ as he reflected on Tenerife’s “tourist vocation” and the island’s contact with visitors from many countries.“How important it is, especially for those who allow themselves to be guided by the Gospel, not to reduce everything to commerce and profit,” the pope said.Spain is a global tourism powerhouse, but its success has caused growing tensions in destinations like those the pope visited this week: Madrid, Barcelona, Las Palmas, and Tenerife.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 human traffickers in Tenerife: ‘Stop. Repent’ – #Catholic – SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LA LAGUNA, Spain — For the first time during his apostolic journey to Spain, which concluded Friday, Pope Leo XIV raised his voice with unusual force.He did so in Tenerife, speaking against human traffickers: those who charge staggering sums to help migrants cross the ocean and those who enslave them mercilessly.“For every life lost, every family deceived, every body subjugated, every woman threatened, every worker exploited, you will have to appear before divine justice,” the pope said.“Break those chains and free those you hold in bondage,” he added. “Return what has been taken and make amends as much as you can.”Then, in a cry reminiscent of Pope Francis’ 2014 appeal to members of the Mafia, Leo declared: “Stop. Repent.”To those who profit from the suffering of others, he also left open the door of return to God.“Repent while there is still time,” he said, “for God’s mercy can reach even the most hardened sinner, but it enters only through the narrow gate of truth, justice, and conversion.”The remarks came during the pope’s meeting with organizations working for the integration of migrants in the Plaza del Cristo de La Laguna, in the capital of Tenerife, before some 4,000 people.In this final day of his trip, Leo held a second encounter focused on the reality of migration, underscoring the importance he has given the issue throughout his visit. Pope Leo XIV listens during a meeting with organizations working for the integration of migrants in Tenerife, Canary Islands, on June 12, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News The pope offered several keys for migrants so they do “not … remain forever trapped in the role of victims.”Speaking to “dear migrant brothers and sisters,” Leo said that part of their journey is “to open yourselves with trust to the community that welcomes you, to learn its language, to respect its laws, to get to know its customs, to participate in communal life, and to offer your gifts with gratitude.”He also addressed Catholics directly, as he had done the previous day in Las Palmas, asking “that integration not be reduced to a social undertaking, however necessary that may be.”The pope warned of what he called a “silent shipwreck” that can take place after migrants arrive: “Being left alone in a city, without a voice, without ties, work, or a sense of security, and exposed to those who take advantage of vulnerability.”“Integration means preventing that second shipwreck,” he said.Leo said integration must take place “without diluting their identity or closing their hearts to the encounter,” adding that “every welcoming society has responsibilities toward those who arrive,” while those who are welcomed also discover that dignity “flourishes when it becomes a duty and a sincere desire to build together with others.”Before the final Mass that brought his apostolic journey to Spain to a close, the pope asked the faithful not to forget the many migrants from Latin America, the Philippines, and other parts of the world who are already a living part of the community.“Let yourselves also be evangelized by them,” he said, “for they surely bring with them gifts that Providence has wished to send to you through those who are integrating.”His predecessor, Pope Francis, summarized the Church’s approach to migration in four verbs: welcome, protect, promote, and integrate. Leo made that vision his own, insisting that integration cannot be reduced to a merely social task.“Those who come to our parishes need bread, shelter, language assistance, work, and protection,” he said. “They also must find a community capable of offering paths to knowing Jesus Christ through the witness of life and word, while always respecting the conscience and freedom of each person.”During the encounter, the pope listened to the testimony of Mbacke, a young Senegalese man who arrived as a child, completely alone.“I have learned alongside my classmates in all the training activities we have: Spanish, cooking, agriculture, masonry, carpentry, repairs, computer skills, sewing, etc., and in my particular case, basic training in Spain,” he said, thanking the Canary Islands’ El Buen Samaritano Foundation, linked to the Parish of Santa María de Añaza in Tenerife, for giving him a family.“Thank you for receiving young people like me who arrive alone, without family, and who are only looking for an opportunity to start over,” he added.His testimony put a face on the drama of migrant minors who cross borders without a parent or guardian. For some who have no family, turning 18 can mean “only the street,” once they leave Spain’s child protection system.Among those waiting for the pope on this final day was Mamadu, 33, originally from Mali. He arrived 15 years ago, still a child. Today he is fully integrated and speaks Spanish perfectly. He told ACI Prensa that he wanted to see the pope and give him a T-shirt he displayed proudly.Leo also heard from a Venezuelan migrant priest who has served for seven years on El Hierro, the westernmost and southernmost island in the Canary archipelago. The island, the smallest and least populated of the main Canary Islands, has recorded some of the highest migrant arrivals in recent months: Since March 2023, it has received 50,244 immigrants despite having just 11,600 residents.“There were days and nights when I wanted to stay in the comfort of my house, but I thought: What would Our Lord do?” the priest said. “And I renewed the service being asked of me. And there, amid pain and suffering, there was always some reason for hope, some smile, some grateful face that gave more than enough reason for our commitment.”The Holy Father also listened to harrowing accounts, including that of Khalid Allad, a 24-year-old Moroccan who, like many others, reached the Canary coast in 2020.“My journey in a small boat was not easy at all,” he said. “I tried twice. In the first attempt, 20 people died.”Although his father forbade him from trying again, he set out a year later.“Although I was afraid, I decided to leave again, this time without his permission,” he said.Once in Tenerife, he began a new life thanks to the Don Bosco Foundation.“They offered me a place to live, taught me Spanish, helped me read and write better, and gave me the confidence to move forward,” he said through tears.Thalia Johana Saldarriaga Diago, a Colombian immigrant who, thanks to Caritas, not only recovered her independence but also became a volunteer helping others in similar situations, also spoke at the meeting.“In this way,” the pope said, recalling her witness, “yesterday’s stranger can be today’s brother and neighbor.”The encounter took place as the European Union entered a new and stricter era in migration policy. The Migration and Asylum Pact, the result of years of negotiations among member states, officially entered into force Friday, promising to strengthen control of external borders, speed up asylum procedures, and increase returns of people without the right to remain in EU territory.After this effort to put a human face on the drama of migration, and before returning to Rome with an expected delay, the pope celebrated a large outdoor Mass at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, on June 12, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News In his homily, Leo cited Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ as he reflected on Tenerife’s “tourist vocation” and the island’s contact with visitors from many countries.“How important it is, especially for those who allow themselves to be guided by the Gospel, not to reduce everything to commerce and profit,” the pope said.Spain is a global tourism powerhouse, but its success has caused growing tensions in destinations like those the pope visited this week: Madrid, Barcelona, Las Palmas, and Tenerife.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 pope urged migrants to embrace integration while warning traffickers that they “will have to appear before divine justice.”

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Migrants in Tenerife tell Pope Leo XIV: We do not ask for privileges or compassion #Catholic TENERIFE, Canary Islands — “No one leaves their land, their family and their roots by choice when they can live in peace,” said Bousso Diouf, a woman from Senegal who spoke with the moral authority of someone who risked her life crossing the Atlantic in a wooden boat, knowing the journey could last a week or end adrift at sea.Diouf was among the migrants who greeted Pope Leo XIV at the Las Raíces reception center in Tenerife, where some 700 sub-Saharan African migrants — all adult men — are currently housed. The center is located in the humid Las Raíces area of Tenerife, a eucalyptus-filled area about 3,300 feet above sea level.The number is relatively low compared with the hardest years of the “cayuco” crisis, especially at the end of 2024, when the center received between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants amid overcrowding and widely reported tensions.Most of those currently housed at the center come from Senegal, Gambia, and Mali, and on average spend about three months there before being transferred to mainland Spain.They arrive exhausted after having spent up to 72 hours in police custody for identification and registration procedures.“We come from countries where poverty, violence, war, persecution, and lack of opportunity forced us to leave,” Diouf said.Las Raíces opened in 2021 in response to the 2020 crisis, when more than 23,000 migrants arrived on the coasts of the Canary Islands.Now those numbers have fallen sharply, and the situation is very different.“Our work is to offer them an initial welcome that is dignified, humane, and organized at an especially difficult moment, immediately after their arrival by sea,” Navarro Atiénzar, regional director of Accem, the NGO that manages the Las Raíces Reception Center for Refugees and Immigrants in Tenerife, told Pope Leo.The pope arrived in Tenerife early in the morning from Las Palmas and went to the large camp set up inside a former rural military barracks after six marathon days in Spain that had taken him to Barcelona and Madrid.He listened to those housed there as a father listens when a child opens his heart to recount a trauma.One young Nigerian man said that crossing the ocean to the Canary Islands means facing hunger, cold, desperation, and often death.“Many brothers and sisters lost their lives at sea, and others continue to suffer in silence, victims of mafias that take advantage of need and human suffering,” he said.He also made a plea for humanity: “May we not be seen only as migrants, numbers, or documents, but as people with stories, dreams, families, and hope.”“We do not ask for privileges. We do not ask for compassion. We ask for respect, humanity, and the opportunity to live with dignity,” he said.Among those present was also Aliu Ceesay, a 16-year-old Gambian who arrived in the Canary Islands just one month ago in an irregular boat after a difficult journey from his home country. Like many other migrant minors, his goal is to find work so he can help support his family.Amid an experience marked by uncertainty, Aliu has followed Pope Leo XIV with interest online. The teenager said he wanted to see him in person and was struck by the pope’s message.“I have been following him on the internet and wanted to see him. He is very kind, very good,” Aliu said. He also emphasized the pope’s inclusive spirit: “He does not care if we are black or white, Muslim or Christian. He wants to help us.”More than 54,000 people have passed through Las Raíces. Behind each one is a story, a difficult journey, and, above all, a hope.In his address, Pope Leo repeated the message he gave on the first day he set foot in Las Palmas: “God’s love knows no borders, makes no distinctions, is given to all and brings us together in unity.”“As I look at your faces and listen to your stories, I also think of your hearts — wounded by so many difficulties, yet also comforted by the love you have received from other open, generous and merciful hearts,” the pope said.“Christ’s heart suffered and was pierced out of love, and he was also comforted by compassionate people who eased his pain,” he added.Missionary saints and migrantsThe pope dedicated part of his address to missionary saints such as St. Brother Peter of St. Joseph de Betancur and St. José de Anchieta, who set out from the Canary Islands to proclaim the Gospel in the Americas, opening new missionary horizons.“They too were migrants who ventured into the unknown, carrying faith, hope and charity as their greatest possessions,” he said.The pope called for “responsibility” with an eye toward future generations, to whom, he said, “we wish to bequeath the heritage of a civilization of love.”“Migration will play an important role in this,” he said, because it “can become an opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment among peoples.”“Dear brothers and sisters, in a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland,” he said. “Let us help make this journey more humane for everyone by contributing in whatever way we can.”The pope said the name of the center, Las Raíces — “the roots” — had caught his attention. He recalled that Pope Francis, “who so longed to be with you,” often used the image of roots “to emphasize the importance of remembering our origins, staying united and trusting in the Lord.”“May this image of roots also help you to be firmly rooted in the Lord, so that no storm may drive you away from his presence, which strengthens and gives life,” Pope Leo said.At the end of his address, the pope told those gathered: “Dear friends, I carry you in my heart and will remember you in my prayers. May God bless you, your families and all who do good to you. And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Consolation of Migrants, always accompany and assist you with her maternal protection.”During the meeting, when the pope announced that he would speak in French and English, many migrants responded with loud applause.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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Migrants in Tenerife tell Pope Leo XIV: We do not ask for privileges or compassion #Catholic TENERIFE, Canary Islands — “No one leaves their land, their family and their roots by choice when they can live in peace,” said Bousso Diouf, a woman from Senegal who spoke with the moral authority of someone who risked her life crossing the Atlantic in a wooden boat, knowing the journey could last a week or end adrift at sea.Diouf was among the migrants who greeted Pope Leo XIV at the Las Raíces reception center in Tenerife, where some 700 sub-Saharan African migrants — all adult men — are currently housed. The center is located in the humid Las Raíces area of Tenerife, a eucalyptus-filled area about 3,300 feet above sea level.The number is relatively low compared with the hardest years of the “cayuco” crisis, especially at the end of 2024, when the center received between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants amid overcrowding and widely reported tensions.Most of those currently housed at the center come from Senegal, Gambia, and Mali, and on average spend about three months there before being transferred to mainland Spain.They arrive exhausted after having spent up to 72 hours in police custody for identification and registration procedures.“We come from countries where poverty, violence, war, persecution, and lack of opportunity forced us to leave,” Diouf said.Las Raíces opened in 2021 in response to the 2020 crisis, when more than 23,000 migrants arrived on the coasts of the Canary Islands.Now those numbers have fallen sharply, and the situation is very different.“Our work is to offer them an initial welcome that is dignified, humane, and organized at an especially difficult moment, immediately after their arrival by sea,” Navarro Atiénzar, regional director of Accem, the NGO that manages the Las Raíces Reception Center for Refugees and Immigrants in Tenerife, told Pope Leo.The pope arrived in Tenerife early in the morning from Las Palmas and went to the large camp set up inside a former rural military barracks after six marathon days in Spain that had taken him to Barcelona and Madrid.He listened to those housed there as a father listens when a child opens his heart to recount a trauma.One young Nigerian man said that crossing the ocean to the Canary Islands means facing hunger, cold, desperation, and often death.“Many brothers and sisters lost their lives at sea, and others continue to suffer in silence, victims of mafias that take advantage of need and human suffering,” he said.He also made a plea for humanity: “May we not be seen only as migrants, numbers, or documents, but as people with stories, dreams, families, and hope.”“We do not ask for privileges. We do not ask for compassion. We ask for respect, humanity, and the opportunity to live with dignity,” he said.Among those present was also Aliu Ceesay, a 16-year-old Gambian who arrived in the Canary Islands just one month ago in an irregular boat after a difficult journey from his home country. Like many other migrant minors, his goal is to find work so he can help support his family.Amid an experience marked by uncertainty, Aliu has followed Pope Leo XIV with interest online. The teenager said he wanted to see him in person and was struck by the pope’s message.“I have been following him on the internet and wanted to see him. He is very kind, very good,” Aliu said. He also emphasized the pope’s inclusive spirit: “He does not care if we are black or white, Muslim or Christian. He wants to help us.”More than 54,000 people have passed through Las Raíces. Behind each one is a story, a difficult journey, and, above all, a hope.In his address, Pope Leo repeated the message he gave on the first day he set foot in Las Palmas: “God’s love knows no borders, makes no distinctions, is given to all and brings us together in unity.”“As I look at your faces and listen to your stories, I also think of your hearts — wounded by so many difficulties, yet also comforted by the love you have received from other open, generous and merciful hearts,” the pope said.“Christ’s heart suffered and was pierced out of love, and he was also comforted by compassionate people who eased his pain,” he added.Missionary saints and migrantsThe pope dedicated part of his address to missionary saints such as St. Brother Peter of St. Joseph de Betancur and St. José de Anchieta, who set out from the Canary Islands to proclaim the Gospel in the Americas, opening new missionary horizons.“They too were migrants who ventured into the unknown, carrying faith, hope and charity as their greatest possessions,” he said.The pope called for “responsibility” with an eye toward future generations, to whom, he said, “we wish to bequeath the heritage of a civilization of love.”“Migration will play an important role in this,” he said, because it “can become an opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment among peoples.”“Dear brothers and sisters, in a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland,” he said. “Let us help make this journey more humane for everyone by contributing in whatever way we can.”The pope said the name of the center, Las Raíces — “the roots” — had caught his attention. He recalled that Pope Francis, “who so longed to be with you,” often used the image of roots “to emphasize the importance of remembering our origins, staying united and trusting in the Lord.”“May this image of roots also help you to be firmly rooted in the Lord, so that no storm may drive you away from his presence, which strengthens and gives life,” Pope Leo said.At the end of his address, the pope told those gathered: “Dear friends, I carry you in my heart and will remember you in my prayers. May God bless you, your families and all who do good to you. And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Consolation of Migrants, always accompany and assist you with her maternal protection.”During the meeting, when the pope announced that he would speak in French and English, many migrants responded with loud applause.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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At Las Raíces reception center in Spain’s Canary Islands, the pope heard testimonies from migrants who risked their lives crossing the Atlantic and urged a more humane response rooted in dignity.

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Everything you need to know about devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus #Catholic The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on the Friday after the Corpus Christi octave, which in 2026 is on June 12. What exactly is the meaning behind this feast day? Below are answers to some common questions.Why do Catholics venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus?“Devoting ourselves to the Sacred Heart is one of the easiest, fastest, and most pleasant ways to grow in holiness,” Father Ambrose Dobrozsi, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, told EWTN News.“Many saints have done many things to grow close to Jesus Christ, but no way is more sure and more pleasing to him than to consecrate ourselves to his Sacred Heart through the Immaculate Heart of his mother,” he added.Where does devotion to the Sacred Heart come from?The story behind the modern iteration of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, however, begins on Dec. 27, 1673, at a monastery belonging to the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines) in eastern France.There, a nun named Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque began experiencing visions of the Sacred Heart. Those visions continued for 18 months.During her visions, Sister Margaret Mary learned ways to venerate the Sacred Heart of Christ.These devotions included the concept of a Holy Hour on Thursdays, the creation of the feast of the Sacred Heart after Corpus Christi, and the reception of the Eucharist on the first Friday of every month.As with many mystics, many people were skeptical of Sister Margaret Mary’s claims of visions. Her confessor, the then-Father Claude La Colombière, SJ, (now St. Claude La Colombière) believed her, and eventually, the mother superior of her community began to believe as well.The first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated privately at the monastery in 1686.Sister Margaret Mary died in 1690 and was canonized by Pope Benedict XV on May 13, 1920.Initially, the Vatican was hesitant to declare a feast of the Sacred Heart but did allow the Visitandines to celebrate a Mass special to this day. As the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout France, the Vatican granted the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to France in 1765.In 1856, after much lobbying by French bishops on behalf of the feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Pius IX designated the Friday following the feast of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart for the entire Latin-rite Church.On May 25, 1899, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the encyclical Annum Sacrum, which consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This encyclical was written after a nun, Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart, sent two letters to the pope requesting that he consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.Sister Mary of the Divine Heart wrote the letters, she said, after Jesus made the request to her. Pope Leo XIII called this encyclical and the subsequent consecration the “great act” of his papacy.“Finally, there is one motive which we are unwilling to pass over in silence, personal to ourselves it is true, but still good and weighty, which moves us to undertake this celebration. God, the author of every good, not long ago preserved our life by curing us of a dangerous disease,” Leo XIII wrote.“We now wish, by this increase of the honor paid to the Sacred Heart, that the memory of this great mercy should be brought prominently forward, and our gratitude be publicly acknowledged.”But why consecrate the world — or anyone — to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? What does that mean?Pope Leo XIII described the act of consecration as one that will “establish or draw tighter the bonds which naturally connect public affairs with God,” which was especially needed for the world at the turn of the century.“While many see religion as unnecessary in a world with more and more technology and resources, swearing allegiance and consecrating ourselves to Christ the King in his Sacred Heart shows that humanity still needs and longs for a compassionate and all-powerful God,” Dobrozsi, the Cincinnati priest, told EWTN News.“In a society where some live in decadence and prideful luxury while others are destitute, the burning love of Christ’s Sacred Heart reminds us that the fires of his mercy are also fires of justice. And when the culture, and so many of us, feel hopeless that we could ever change after falling to sins of the flesh, the heart of Our Lord beats with powerful love, eternally declaring that true charity has triumphed over sin and death,” he added.These are the promises the Sacred Heart of Jesus made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque:1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.2. I will give peace in their families.3. I will console them in all their troubles.4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.6. Sinners shall find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.9. I will bless those places wherein the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my heart.12. In the excess of the mercy of my heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the first Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: They will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.This story was first published on EWTN News on June 19, 2020, and has been updated.
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Everything you need to know about devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus #Catholic The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on the Friday after the Corpus Christi octave, which in 2026 is on June 12. What exactly is the meaning behind this feast day? Below are answers to some common questions.Why do Catholics venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus?“Devoting ourselves to the Sacred Heart is one of the easiest, fastest, and most pleasant ways to grow in holiness,” Father Ambrose Dobrozsi, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, told EWTN News.“Many saints have done many things to grow close to Jesus Christ, but no way is more sure and more pleasing to him than to consecrate ourselves to his Sacred Heart through the Immaculate Heart of his mother,” he added.Where does devotion to the Sacred Heart come from?The story behind the modern iteration of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, however, begins on Dec. 27, 1673, at a monastery belonging to the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines) in eastern France.There, a nun named Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque began experiencing visions of the Sacred Heart. Those visions continued for 18 months.During her visions, Sister Margaret Mary learned ways to venerate the Sacred Heart of Christ.These devotions included the concept of a Holy Hour on Thursdays, the creation of the feast of the Sacred Heart after Corpus Christi, and the reception of the Eucharist on the first Friday of every month.As with many mystics, many people were skeptical of Sister Margaret Mary’s claims of visions. Her confessor, the then-Father Claude La Colombière, SJ, (now St. Claude La Colombière) believed her, and eventually, the mother superior of her community began to believe as well.The first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated privately at the monastery in 1686.Sister Margaret Mary died in 1690 and was canonized by Pope Benedict XV on May 13, 1920.Initially, the Vatican was hesitant to declare a feast of the Sacred Heart but did allow the Visitandines to celebrate a Mass special to this day. As the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout France, the Vatican granted the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to France in 1765.In 1856, after much lobbying by French bishops on behalf of the feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Pius IX designated the Friday following the feast of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart for the entire Latin-rite Church.On May 25, 1899, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the encyclical Annum Sacrum, which consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This encyclical was written after a nun, Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart, sent two letters to the pope requesting that he consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.Sister Mary of the Divine Heart wrote the letters, she said, after Jesus made the request to her. Pope Leo XIII called this encyclical and the subsequent consecration the “great act” of his papacy.“Finally, there is one motive which we are unwilling to pass over in silence, personal to ourselves it is true, but still good and weighty, which moves us to undertake this celebration. God, the author of every good, not long ago preserved our life by curing us of a dangerous disease,” Leo XIII wrote.“We now wish, by this increase of the honor paid to the Sacred Heart, that the memory of this great mercy should be brought prominently forward, and our gratitude be publicly acknowledged.”But why consecrate the world — or anyone — to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? What does that mean?Pope Leo XIII described the act of consecration as one that will “establish or draw tighter the bonds which naturally connect public affairs with God,” which was especially needed for the world at the turn of the century.“While many see religion as unnecessary in a world with more and more technology and resources, swearing allegiance and consecrating ourselves to Christ the King in his Sacred Heart shows that humanity still needs and longs for a compassionate and all-powerful God,” Dobrozsi, the Cincinnati priest, told EWTN News.“In a society where some live in decadence and prideful luxury while others are destitute, the burning love of Christ’s Sacred Heart reminds us that the fires of his mercy are also fires of justice. And when the culture, and so many of us, feel hopeless that we could ever change after falling to sins of the flesh, the heart of Our Lord beats with powerful love, eternally declaring that true charity has triumphed over sin and death,” he added.These are the promises the Sacred Heart of Jesus made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque:1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.2. I will give peace in their families.3. I will console them in all their troubles.4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.6. Sinners shall find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.9. I will bless those places wherein the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my heart.12. In the excess of the mercy of my heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the first Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: They will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.This story was first published on EWTN News on June 19, 2020, and has been updated.

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This year, the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on June 12.

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