Month: August 2026

NASA’s Newest Wind Tunnel Opens at NASA Langley – NASA opened its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on Friday, providing a critical resource for the agency and its partners to test the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, and space exploration vehicles.

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NASA opened its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on Friday, providing a critical resource for the agency and its partners to test the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, and space exploration vehicles.

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Catholic advocate warns of safety risks as New York assisted suicide law looms – #Catholic – Ahead of New York’s assisted suicide law taking effect, Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said the initial legislation “was easily the most dangerous bill ever written on assisted suicide.”Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit organization, defends the rights of all people as they approach the end of life.On Aug. 5, New York will become the 13th state in the country, along with the District of Columbia, to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation (S.138/A.136) into law on Feb. 6, 2025.“We shouldnʼt be offering the false solution of suicide. Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Towey said in an interview with Catherine Hadro of “EWTN News In Depth.”When New York’s state Legislature passed its assisted suicide bill, “it didnʼt include any waiting periods out of the gate,” which are intended “to protect against rash decision-making,” he said.There also “wasnʼt a residential requirement,” he said. So people “could come from any state in the country and get assisted suicide in New York without any waiting period.”“Now, the law, as it was signed by Gov. Hochul, included certain stipulations for those. But I can promise you that this is just the beginning because theyʼre going to come back. They always do,” he said.Aging with DignityFounded in 1996 by Jim Towey, legal counsel and close adviser to St. Teresa of Calcutta, also known as Mother Teresa, the Aging with Dignity organization “was informed almost entirely by his experiences working with Mother Teresa of Calcutta for the last 12 years of her life,” said Jamie Towey, son of Jim Towey.For Mother Teresa, “dying was more than a medical moment. It was an emotional and a spiritual moment where people werenʼt just there to have their pain managed or their checklist of symptoms addressed … They needed to be accompanied,” he said.“They needed, in Motherʼs words, to love and to be loved. And so when dad founded Aging with Dignity, he wanted to take Motherʼs example and bring that to the United States and give people the right to have that opportunity to age with dignity,” he said. Mother Teresa during a visit to the White House and meeting with President Ronald Reagan on June 13, 1986. | Credit: Mark Reinstein/Shutterstock Today, the organization continues its mission through numerous programs including its Assisted Suicide Watch. The program tracks the data and researches the consequences that follow when physician-assisted suicide becomes law.Its research has found that the situation is “a mess,” Jamie Towey said. “We were promised that this would be transparent,” but "in reality we have very poor insights into whatʼs happening with the data.”New Mexico and Montana have “never submitted an annual report on assisted suicide data,” he said. “Our nationʼs capital of Washington, D.C., hasnʼt submitted one in years.”Washington state has lifted some of its reporting requirements, Hawaii’s health department has recommended repealing portions of its reporting rules, and Vermont releases its data biennially.There are also “tremendously conflicting reporting standards across the states,” because “one state will report who died from the drugs, one state will report just how many people were prescribed the drugs,” he said.“But for the data that we do have, you see some very concerning things,” he said.Even though “every law has a requirement for psychiatric evaluations, “only one out of the 13 where this is legal tracks psychiatric evaluations, and thatʼs Oregon,” he said. “Last year, between four and 500 people were prescribed these drugs in Oregon. Two were referred for psychiatric evaluations.”Some studies show “as high as 20% of people with a terminal cancer diagnosis suffer from severe depression,” he said. “One of the symptoms of severe depression is suicidal ideation. So this is a population that is very exposed to suicide. And Oregon is doing nothing to screen for that.”Increase in assisted suicide led by ‘culture of death’“To take a step back and put yourself in the shoes of someone who has a terminal diagnosis or whoʼs just living in a nursing home … and is aging alone,”  Towey said. “Maybe they donʼt have good access to pain control” or “they donʼt have good access to care.”“If you put yourself in those shoes, you can understand the impulse of wanting to just escape somehow,” he said.“Now, those desires are playing out in a culture of death. And we have organizations like Compassion and Choices, which are million a year organizations, tens of millions in assets, that have been behind this push in every single state where itʼs been legalized. And so theyʼre moving in on the vulnerable,” he said.To people who feel this way, Towey’s message is to remember that “your life has meaning, and itʼs hard, and that suffering is real and that you deserve accompaniment.”“You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if youʼre not getting those, thatʼs an indictment on our healthcare system, and thatʼs what we ought to fix,” he said. You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if you’re not getting those, that’s an indictment on our healthcare system, and that’s what we ought to fix.” Jamie TowiePresident, Aging with Dignity To combat the culture of death, the organization offers its Five Wishes legal document, which is an advanced care planning program so people can establish their wishes for care ahead of a serious illness.“Every patient has the right to determine the kind of care that he or she wants. Thatʼs guaranteed in federal law,” he said.Five Wishes “has been used by 44 million Americans” and “40,000 organizations,” he said. “We are just trying to empower patients to make decisions about the kind of care that they want, and to name the people that can speak for them.”“I think for Catholics in particular, every Catholic wants to finish life faithfully. They want to be in a position where they can have that hopeful vision at the end of life and really live out those moments with their loved ones,” he said.
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Catholic advocate warns of safety risks as New York assisted suicide law looms – #Catholic – Ahead of New York’s assisted suicide law taking effect, Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said the initial legislation “was easily the most dangerous bill ever written on assisted suicide.”Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit organization, defends the rights of all people as they approach the end of life.On Aug. 5, New York will become the 13th state in the country, along with the District of Columbia, to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation (S.138/A.136) into law on Feb. 6, 2025.“We shouldnʼt be offering the false solution of suicide. Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Towey said in an interview with Catherine Hadro of “EWTN News In Depth.”When New York’s state Legislature passed its assisted suicide bill, “it didnʼt include any waiting periods out of the gate,” which are intended “to protect against rash decision-making,” he said.There also “wasnʼt a residential requirement,” he said. So people “could come from any state in the country and get assisted suicide in New York without any waiting period.”“Now, the law, as it was signed by Gov. Hochul, included certain stipulations for those. But I can promise you that this is just the beginning because theyʼre going to come back. They always do,” he said.Aging with DignityFounded in 1996 by Jim Towey, legal counsel and close adviser to St. Teresa of Calcutta, also known as Mother Teresa, the Aging with Dignity organization “was informed almost entirely by his experiences working with Mother Teresa of Calcutta for the last 12 years of her life,” said Jamie Towey, son of Jim Towey.For Mother Teresa, “dying was more than a medical moment. It was an emotional and a spiritual moment where people werenʼt just there to have their pain managed or their checklist of symptoms addressed … They needed to be accompanied,” he said.“They needed, in Motherʼs words, to love and to be loved. And so when dad founded Aging with Dignity, he wanted to take Motherʼs example and bring that to the United States and give people the right to have that opportunity to age with dignity,” he said. Mother Teresa during a visit to the White House and meeting with President Ronald Reagan on June 13, 1986. | Credit: Mark Reinstein/Shutterstock Today, the organization continues its mission through numerous programs including its Assisted Suicide Watch. The program tracks the data and researches the consequences that follow when physician-assisted suicide becomes law.Its research has found that the situation is “a mess,” Jamie Towey said. “We were promised that this would be transparent,” but "in reality we have very poor insights into whatʼs happening with the data.”New Mexico and Montana have “never submitted an annual report on assisted suicide data,” he said. “Our nationʼs capital of Washington, D.C., hasnʼt submitted one in years.”Washington state has lifted some of its reporting requirements, Hawaii’s health department has recommended repealing portions of its reporting rules, and Vermont releases its data biennially.There are also “tremendously conflicting reporting standards across the states,” because “one state will report who died from the drugs, one state will report just how many people were prescribed the drugs,” he said.“But for the data that we do have, you see some very concerning things,” he said.Even though “every law has a requirement for psychiatric evaluations, “only one out of the 13 where this is legal tracks psychiatric evaluations, and thatʼs Oregon,” he said. “Last year, between four and 500 people were prescribed these drugs in Oregon. Two were referred for psychiatric evaluations.”Some studies show “as high as 20% of people with a terminal cancer diagnosis suffer from severe depression,” he said. “One of the symptoms of severe depression is suicidal ideation. So this is a population that is very exposed to suicide. And Oregon is doing nothing to screen for that.”Increase in assisted suicide led by ‘culture of death’“To take a step back and put yourself in the shoes of someone who has a terminal diagnosis or whoʼs just living in a nursing home … and is aging alone,”  Towey said. “Maybe they donʼt have good access to pain control” or “they donʼt have good access to care.”“If you put yourself in those shoes, you can understand the impulse of wanting to just escape somehow,” he said.“Now, those desires are playing out in a culture of death. And we have organizations like Compassion and Choices, which are $20 million a year organizations, tens of millions in assets, that have been behind this push in every single state where itʼs been legalized. And so theyʼre moving in on the vulnerable,” he said.To people who feel this way, Towey’s message is to remember that “your life has meaning, and itʼs hard, and that suffering is real and that you deserve accompaniment.”“You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if youʼre not getting those, thatʼs an indictment on our healthcare system, and thatʼs what we ought to fix,” he said. You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if you’re not getting those, that’s an indictment on our healthcare system, and that’s what we ought to fix.” Jamie TowiePresident, Aging with Dignity To combat the culture of death, the organization offers its Five Wishes legal document, which is an advanced care planning program so people can establish their wishes for care ahead of a serious illness.“Every patient has the right to determine the kind of care that he or she wants. Thatʼs guaranteed in federal law,” he said.Five Wishes “has been used by 44 million Americans” and “40,000 organizations,” he said. “We are just trying to empower patients to make decisions about the kind of care that they want, and to name the people that can speak for them.”“I think for Catholics in particular, every Catholic wants to finish life faithfully. They want to be in a position where they can have that hopeful vision at the end of life and really live out those moments with their loved ones,” he said.

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“Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said in an interview with “EWTN News In Depth.”

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Scottish bishop excommunicates rector of Redemptorists after illicit ordination – #Catholic – Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Scotland, has pronounced Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.“Regrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism. He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments,” Gilbert said in a statement released July 25.Gilbert’s statement came after Sim’s participation in an illicit ordination, which the bishop described as “a clear break with the Church.” Gilbert added that Sim and his congregation “have removed themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church, and the faithful of the diocese should have no dealings with them.”Augustinian nuns evacuate monastery amid wildfires in SpainA community of Augustinian nuns at the Monasterio de la Conversión in Avila, Spain, is “waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home” after being evacuated amid wildfires.The sisters said in a statement on Monday that they have been staying with another community of Augustinian sisters at the convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, about 26 miles from their community. “We are here sharing as sisters and waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home,” the sisters said. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are trying to extinguish the fires without rest. We ask the Virgin of Remedies to protect us all.”Priest calls for prayers as fuel crisis brings Gaza to standstillFather Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza called for prayers as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a worsening fuel shortage, crippling transportation across the territory, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported July 28. Romanelli said residents are struggling to reach hospitals, workplaces, and even loved ones, while soaring prices have made alternative means of transport almost impossible to afford. The parish has not been spared. Most of its vehicles are now out of service because of damaged engines and a lack of spare parts, yet it continues caring for displaced families and organizing summer activities for children, asking the faithful to keep Gaza and its people in their prayers.Antilles bishops issue pastoral guidance on sexual and gender identityThe bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have distributed guidance to Catholics in the Caribbean on the Church’s theological teachings about human biology amid rising “tides of ideologies that seek to redefine the human person, love, and sexuality.”“In a context where language has been redefined and ideologies are presented as compassion, we must proclaim a truth that liberates rather than constrains,” the bishops said in the document published on Sunday titled “Pastoral Letter on Sexual and Gender Identity.” The bishops further called on the faithful to “resist narratives that suggest the human person is a self-made project, detached from biological reality or moral order.”Christians in Syria call for lasting securityAnother security incident has renewed fears in the predominantly Christian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in western Syria, where residents say recurring outbreaks of armed violence can no longer be addressed with temporary measures alone, ACI MENA reported.Following the latest unrest, demonstrators gathered to demand tighter control over illegal weapons and greater protection for the city. In a separate statement, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate confirmed that a break-in at its Damascus headquarters was an isolated criminal act with no religious or political motive, while urging the public to avoid speculation and rumors.French bishops urge Catholics to foster solidarity in response to wildfiresThe presidency of the Bishops’ Conference of France is calling on Catholics to “take a generous part in the momentum of solidarity that is being put in place” in the aftermath of recent wildfires.“We encourage parishes to leave their churches open, when possible: Many offer a refuge of freshness in the heart of the summer heat,” the conferenceʼs leadership said in a statement signed this week by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille and president of the conference; Bishop Vincent Jordy, archbishop of Tours and vice president; and Bishop Benoît Bertrand, bishop of Pontoise and vice president. “We know that the heat wave will continue and that these extreme weather events may be repeated,” the bishops said. “That is why, at this time when many take a few days of rest, we also call on the Christian communities not to forget the sick, elderly, or isolated people but to redouble their attention to them and to organize themselves, in parish, to show them a fraternal and faithful presence.”Summer becomes time of faith for thousands in United Arab EmiratesNearly 2,000 children are spending part of their summer in Catholic parishes across the United Arab Emirates, where faith formation is being combined with games, workshops, music, and community life.Each parish has adopted its own spiritual theme, ranging from sacred Scripture to the jubilee and the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, ACI MENA reported. Apostolic Vicar Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFMCap, described the gatherings as a hopeful sign for the Church, thanking the many young volunteers who are helping children grow in faith while discovering that Christian life is also a call to service.2 Irish dioceses consolidated under one bishopBishop Gerard Nash of the Diocese of Ferns in Ireland will now also serve as the bishop of Ossory, the Vatican announced on July 29, uniting the two dioceses “in persona Episcopi.”“I am deeply honored to have been asked by Pope Leo to become bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns,” Nash said in a statement following the announcement. “The challenge of being one bishop for two dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish,” he said, noting that one area the two dioceses could work together on would be fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Patriarch Nona makes Lebanon his first overseas visitLebanon has become the first stop abroad for Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona since his election in April, reflecting the close ties between the Chaldean and Maronite Churches.During the visit, he met President Joseph Aoun, visited fellow Eastern patriarchs, and joined celebrations surrounding the beatification of Patriarch Elias Hoyek, ACI MENA reported. The patriarch also highlighted Lebanonʼs importance for Christians across the Middle East, describing the country as a strategic pillar for the regionʼs Christian presence while expressing support for Iraqi refugees living there.Bishop Zaidan expresses solidarity with bishops, faithful of South SudanBishop Elias Zaidan expressed his “solidarity and fraternal unity” with the Catholic Church in South Sudan amid ongoing instability in the region.“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express our continued solidarity and fraternal unity with the bishops and faithful of South Sudan,” Zaidan, who currently serves as chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in a letter on Tuesday addressed to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio.“Be assured of our steadfast prayers for the South Sudanese people at this time of severe economic hardship, deadly violence, environmental and food insecurity, and contestation surrounding the country’s Transitional Constitution framework.”
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Scottish bishop excommunicates rector of Redemptorists after illicit ordination – #Catholic – Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Scotland, has pronounced Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.“Regrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism. He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments,” Gilbert said in a statement released July 25.Gilbert’s statement came after Sim’s participation in an illicit ordination, which the bishop described as “a clear break with the Church.” Gilbert added that Sim and his congregation “have removed themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church, and the faithful of the diocese should have no dealings with them.”Augustinian nuns evacuate monastery amid wildfires in SpainA community of Augustinian nuns at the Monasterio de la Conversión in Avila, Spain, is “waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home” after being evacuated amid wildfires.The sisters said in a statement on Monday that they have been staying with another community of Augustinian sisters at the convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, about 26 miles from their community. “We are here sharing as sisters and waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home,” the sisters said. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are trying to extinguish the fires without rest. We ask the Virgin of Remedies to protect us all.”Priest calls for prayers as fuel crisis brings Gaza to standstillFather Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza called for prayers as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a worsening fuel shortage, crippling transportation across the territory, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported July 28. Romanelli said residents are struggling to reach hospitals, workplaces, and even loved ones, while soaring prices have made alternative means of transport almost impossible to afford. The parish has not been spared. Most of its vehicles are now out of service because of damaged engines and a lack of spare parts, yet it continues caring for displaced families and organizing summer activities for children, asking the faithful to keep Gaza and its people in their prayers.Antilles bishops issue pastoral guidance on sexual and gender identityThe bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have distributed guidance to Catholics in the Caribbean on the Church’s theological teachings about human biology amid rising “tides of ideologies that seek to redefine the human person, love, and sexuality.”“In a context where language has been redefined and ideologies are presented as compassion, we must proclaim a truth that liberates rather than constrains,” the bishops said in the document published on Sunday titled “Pastoral Letter on Sexual and Gender Identity.” The bishops further called on the faithful to “resist narratives that suggest the human person is a self-made project, detached from biological reality or moral order.”Christians in Syria call for lasting securityAnother security incident has renewed fears in the predominantly Christian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in western Syria, where residents say recurring outbreaks of armed violence can no longer be addressed with temporary measures alone, ACI MENA reported.Following the latest unrest, demonstrators gathered to demand tighter control over illegal weapons and greater protection for the city. In a separate statement, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate confirmed that a break-in at its Damascus headquarters was an isolated criminal act with no religious or political motive, while urging the public to avoid speculation and rumors.French bishops urge Catholics to foster solidarity in response to wildfiresThe presidency of the Bishops’ Conference of France is calling on Catholics to “take a generous part in the momentum of solidarity that is being put in place” in the aftermath of recent wildfires.“We encourage parishes to leave their churches open, when possible: Many offer a refuge of freshness in the heart of the summer heat,” the conferenceʼs leadership said in a statement signed this week by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille and president of the conference; Bishop Vincent Jordy, archbishop of Tours and vice president; and Bishop Benoît Bertrand, bishop of Pontoise and vice president. “We know that the heat wave will continue and that these extreme weather events may be repeated,” the bishops said. “That is why, at this time when many take a few days of rest, we also call on the Christian communities not to forget the sick, elderly, or isolated people but to redouble their attention to them and to organize themselves, in parish, to show them a fraternal and faithful presence.”Summer becomes time of faith for thousands in United Arab EmiratesNearly 2,000 children are spending part of their summer in Catholic parishes across the United Arab Emirates, where faith formation is being combined with games, workshops, music, and community life.Each parish has adopted its own spiritual theme, ranging from sacred Scripture to the jubilee and the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, ACI MENA reported. Apostolic Vicar Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFMCap, described the gatherings as a hopeful sign for the Church, thanking the many young volunteers who are helping children grow in faith while discovering that Christian life is also a call to service.2 Irish dioceses consolidated under one bishopBishop Gerard Nash of the Diocese of Ferns in Ireland will now also serve as the bishop of Ossory, the Vatican announced on July 29, uniting the two dioceses “in persona Episcopi.”“I am deeply honored to have been asked by Pope Leo to become bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns,” Nash said in a statement following the announcement. “The challenge of being one bishop for two dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish,” he said, noting that one area the two dioceses could work together on would be fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Patriarch Nona makes Lebanon his first overseas visitLebanon has become the first stop abroad for Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona since his election in April, reflecting the close ties between the Chaldean and Maronite Churches.During the visit, he met President Joseph Aoun, visited fellow Eastern patriarchs, and joined celebrations surrounding the beatification of Patriarch Elias Hoyek, ACI MENA reported. The patriarch also highlighted Lebanonʼs importance for Christians across the Middle East, describing the country as a strategic pillar for the regionʼs Christian presence while expressing support for Iraqi refugees living there.Bishop Zaidan expresses solidarity with bishops, faithful of South SudanBishop Elias Zaidan expressed his “solidarity and fraternal unity” with the Catholic Church in South Sudan amid ongoing instability in the region.“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express our continued solidarity and fraternal unity with the bishops and faithful of South Sudan,” Zaidan, who currently serves as chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in a letter on Tuesday addressed to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio.“Be assured of our steadfast prayers for the South Sudanese people at this time of severe economic hardship, deadly violence, environmental and food insecurity, and contestation surrounding the country’s Transitional Constitution framework.”

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An illicit ordination in Scotland leads to excommunication, nuns flee monastery in Spain wildfires, priest asks for prayers as Gaza, and more in this week’s Catholic world news roundup.

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Inspired by Duolingo, Catholic missionary launches Creedo faith app - #Catholic - One day, while doing his daily Duolingo lesson, Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach had a realization: “Why can’t learning the Catholic faith feel this approachable?”The epiphany inspired Burbach to eventually launch Creedo, an app that utilizes the format of the beloved language-learning platform Duolingo to gamify lessons about Catholic teaching.Creedo’s platform includes digestible lessons about the sacraments, Mary, the Trinity, angels, demonology, social teaching, and more. According to Burbach, the app avoids reinterpretation and draws its content from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other classic Catholic works. Screenshot of Creedo App Section 13, “Justification: Faith, Grace, and Works in Harmony,” July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach “I wanted to build a platform that made it easier to engage consistently with Scripture and the Churchʼs rich tradition in small, manageable steps,” he told EWTN News. “Today, Creedo helps individuals grow in their faith while also giving parishes a unified platform to manage formation programs like OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation of Adults], sacramental preparation, Bible studies, and more.”Burbach shared more about his vision for the app and how he hopes it will serve the Church in an interview with EWTN News.EWTN News: What gap does Creedo fill in Catholic catechesis, and what sets it apart from other Catholic apps?Burbach: One of the things that makes Creedo different is that it transforms the Churchʼs incredible treasury of teaching into a daily habit. The Church has never lacked great content. What itʼs often lacked is a format that people genuinely look forward to engaging with every day.Creedo doesnʼt just put the Churchʼs teaching in your pocket. It gives you an app you actually want to take out of your pocket. Delightful animations, rewarding progression, and even a wingman character accompany users throughout their formation. Weʼve been amazed to see users of all ages come back day after day because learning the faith has become something they genuinely enjoy. Creedo App promotional image, July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach That same philosophy also shaped our parish platform. We wanted to make it just as enjoyable for parish leaders to accompany people through the faith. Instead of juggling paper forms, PDFs, spreadsheets, and multiple software tools, parishes can manage OCIA, Bible studies, sacramental preparation, and other formation programs in one place while members complete lessons, documents, and questionnaires in the same app.What has been the response to Creedo among users?The most rewarding part has been watching people build consistent habits around Scripture and the Churchʼs teaching. Users have completed tens of thousands of lessons on Scripture, Augustineʼs “Confessions,” the “Summa Theologica,” “Story of a Soul” [by St. Thérèse of Lisieux], and many other works in numbers I honestly never expected.For thousands of people, Creedo has become part of their morning routine: a few minutes spent in Scripture, a daily meditation, or even a Catholic word puzzle before the rest of the day begins. Itʼs also been exciting to see parishes embrace our parish platform for programs like OCIA. In one parish, participants completed more than 2,000 lessons on Scripture and Catholic teaching before a single lesson had even been assigned for an OCIA session. That kind of enthusiasm is incredibly humbling to witness.Instagram postHow does Creedo embody Pope Leo XIVʼs call in Magnifica Humanitas to use technology for human flourishing?I believe technology is at its best when it helps people encounter Christ, and thatʼs what Creedo is built to do. We spend so much of our lives building habits around our phones. The important question isnʼt simply whether we have habits but what those habits are forming us to become.Creedo is designed to be a simple five-minute daily habit. During those five minutes, youʼre reading Scripture, engaging with the Churchʼs teaching, and exploring the writings of the saints and other classic Catholic works. Rather than competing with the Churchʼs traditional resources, our goal is to help people return to them consistently. The technology isnʼt the point. Itʼs simply the vehicle that helps make those encounters a regular part of everyday life.If Creedo helps someone discover the beauty of Scripture or the wisdom of the saints for the first time, then weʼve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.
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Inspired by Duolingo, Catholic missionary launches Creedo faith app – #Catholic – One day, while doing his daily Duolingo lesson, Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach had a realization: “Why can’t learning the Catholic faith feel this approachable?”The epiphany inspired Burbach to eventually launch Creedo, an app that utilizes the format of the beloved language-learning platform Duolingo to gamify lessons about Catholic teaching.Creedo’s platform includes digestible lessons about the sacraments, Mary, the Trinity, angels, demonology, social teaching, and more. According to Burbach, the app avoids reinterpretation and draws its content from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other classic Catholic works. Screenshot of Creedo App Section 13, “Justification: Faith, Grace, and Works in Harmony,” July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach “I wanted to build a platform that made it easier to engage consistently with Scripture and the Churchʼs rich tradition in small, manageable steps,” he told EWTN News. “Today, Creedo helps individuals grow in their faith while also giving parishes a unified platform to manage formation programs like OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation of Adults], sacramental preparation, Bible studies, and more.”Burbach shared more about his vision for the app and how he hopes it will serve the Church in an interview with EWTN News.EWTN News: What gap does Creedo fill in Catholic catechesis, and what sets it apart from other Catholic apps?Burbach: One of the things that makes Creedo different is that it transforms the Churchʼs incredible treasury of teaching into a daily habit. The Church has never lacked great content. What itʼs often lacked is a format that people genuinely look forward to engaging with every day.Creedo doesnʼt just put the Churchʼs teaching in your pocket. It gives you an app you actually want to take out of your pocket. Delightful animations, rewarding progression, and even a wingman character accompany users throughout their formation. Weʼve been amazed to see users of all ages come back day after day because learning the faith has become something they genuinely enjoy. Creedo App promotional image, July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach That same philosophy also shaped our parish platform. We wanted to make it just as enjoyable for parish leaders to accompany people through the faith. Instead of juggling paper forms, PDFs, spreadsheets, and multiple software tools, parishes can manage OCIA, Bible studies, sacramental preparation, and other formation programs in one place while members complete lessons, documents, and questionnaires in the same app.What has been the response to Creedo among users?The most rewarding part has been watching people build consistent habits around Scripture and the Churchʼs teaching. Users have completed tens of thousands of lessons on Scripture, Augustineʼs “Confessions,” the “Summa Theologica,” “Story of a Soul” [by St. Thérèse of Lisieux], and many other works in numbers I honestly never expected.For thousands of people, Creedo has become part of their morning routine: a few minutes spent in Scripture, a daily meditation, or even a Catholic word puzzle before the rest of the day begins. Itʼs also been exciting to see parishes embrace our parish platform for programs like OCIA. In one parish, participants completed more than 2,000 lessons on Scripture and Catholic teaching before a single lesson had even been assigned for an OCIA session. That kind of enthusiasm is incredibly humbling to witness.Instagram postHow does Creedo embody Pope Leo XIVʼs call in Magnifica Humanitas to use technology for human flourishing?I believe technology is at its best when it helps people encounter Christ, and thatʼs what Creedo is built to do. We spend so much of our lives building habits around our phones. The important question isnʼt simply whether we have habits but what those habits are forming us to become.Creedo is designed to be a simple five-minute daily habit. During those five minutes, youʼre reading Scripture, engaging with the Churchʼs teaching, and exploring the writings of the saints and other classic Catholic works. Rather than competing with the Churchʼs traditional resources, our goal is to help people return to them consistently. The technology isnʼt the point. Itʼs simply the vehicle that helps make those encounters a regular part of everyday life.If Creedo helps someone discover the beauty of Scripture or the wisdom of the saints for the first time, then weʼve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.

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Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach wanted to make Church teaching more accessible and easy to digest — so he designed Creedo to do just that.

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The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709

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Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  July 31: Mercury brightening With the Moon rising later each night as it wanes, there’s a slightly longer dark window tonight for deep-sky observing. Let’s use it to track down NGC 6709, a lovely open cluster in the constellation Aquila the Eagle. Continue reading “The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709”

The post The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August #Catholic Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.“Roughly half of us live in cities. Jesus himself walked city streets, in Cana, in Jericho, in Jerusalem, and just as in those cities Christ is present in ours — teaching, praying, celebrating, but also suffering among the poor, the forgotten, the imprisoned," the Holy Father said in a video released July 31 on X.He added: “This month, let us pray for the courage to recognize him [Jesus] there and through our work and witness to bring the Gospel to the streets and homes of our metropolises.”In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention:“Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd,You walk through our streets and squares,enter tall buildings and humble neighborhoods,and silently accompany millionswho seek meaning amid noise and haste.You know, Lord, the heart of the city:its lights and shadows, its noise and loneliness.We know that cities are called to be places of freedom and opportunity,but they can also become spaces of anonymity and isolation.That’s why today we ask you for a renewed gaze,able to discover in urban lifefertile ground for proclaiming your Gospel.Give us a creative and deep faith,that doesn’t remain in words,but becomes flesh through simple and loving gestures.Make us a Church that goes forth,able to reach out to the peripheries,to console those who are lonely,and to sow fraternity and connection instead of giving in to indifference.Lord, may our urban communitiesbe open and welcoming homes,places where hope is shared,where no one feels invisible,and where the joy of your Gospel shinesin the hidden lives of so many brothers and sisters.Make us your witnesses in the city,bold and creative missionaries,who proclaim your love with their lives—a love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.Amen.”“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.
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This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August #Catholic Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.“Roughly half of us live in cities. Jesus himself walked city streets, in Cana, in Jericho, in Jerusalem, and just as in those cities Christ is present in ours — teaching, praying, celebrating, but also suffering among the poor, the forgotten, the imprisoned," the Holy Father said in a video released July 31 on X.He added: “This month, let us pray for the courage to recognize him [Jesus] there and through our work and witness to bring the Gospel to the streets and homes of our metropolises.”In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention:“Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd,You walk through our streets and squares,enter tall buildings and humble neighborhoods,and silently accompany millionswho seek meaning amid noise and haste.You know, Lord, the heart of the city:its lights and shadows, its noise and loneliness.We know that cities are called to be places of freedom and opportunity,but they can also become spaces of anonymity and isolation.That’s why today we ask you for a renewed gaze,able to discover in urban lifefertile ground for proclaiming your Gospel.Give us a creative and deep faith,that doesn’t remain in words,but becomes flesh through simple and loving gestures.Make us a Church that goes forth,able to reach out to the peripheries,to console those who are lonely,and to sow fraternity and connection instead of giving in to indifference.Lord, may our urban communitiesbe open and welcoming homes,places where hope is shared,where no one feels invisible,and where the joy of your Gospel shinesin the hidden lives of so many brothers and sisters.Make us your witnesses in the city,bold and creative missionaries,who proclaim your love with their lives—a love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.Amen.”“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.

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Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.

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