August 4, 2026 – United Yam

Roman Space Telescope Plaque Install – Technicians inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center complete installation of a commemorative plaque on the agency’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, as photographed on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

Technicians inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center complete installation of a commemorative plaque on the agency’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, as photographed on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

O almighty and most merciful God, I give You thanks with all the powers of my soul for this and all other mercies, graces, and blessings bestowed on me, and prostrating myself at Your sacred feet, I offer myself to be henceforth forever Yours. Let nothing in life or death ever separate me from You! I renounce with my whole soul all my treasons against You, and all the abominations and sins of my past life. I renew my promises made in Baptism, and from this moment I dedicate myself eternally to …

Pope Leo XIV calls on Knights of Columbus to be ‘prophets of harmony’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV called on the Knights of Columbus to be “prophets of harmony” by promoting the virtues of unity and charity.“I express deep gratitude for your orders, continued generosity to the less fortunate, and trust that your endeavors will continue to bear fruit for many years to come,” the Holy Father said in a video message.The message was shared with Knights and observers at the Knights of Columbus’ 144th Supreme Convention held this year in Denver.The Catholic fraternal organization’s annual convention, Aug. 4–6, includes Masses, prayer services, an awards session celebrating member and council achievements, and the organizationʼs annual report.“As you gather for these days of discussion, fraternity, and prayer under the theme of ‘In the One We Are One,’ I would like to reflect briefly with you on the importance of promoting the virtues of unity and charity, two foundational principles of your order,” the Holy Father said.Recalling Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper that his apostles “all be one,” the Holy Father urged unity.“Our Lord asked that this gift of unity be given not only to them but also to those who would believe in him through their word throughout the centuries. However, the preservation of unity is often not easy and it cannot be taken for granted. It must be actively cultivated through honest and humble dialogue.”The pope encouraged the Knights “to continue bearing witness to that concord which Jesus so ardently desires,” within families, parishes, and wider communities.“In an age all too often marked by division and pointed rhetoric, thereʼs a great need for prophets of harmony who seek to build bridges and strive to reconcile opposing positions wherever possible.”Reflecting on the second virtue, “works of charity,” Pope Leo said it “can often be a way to promote unity.”Charity “becomes not only a response to human suffering but also a powerful means of fostering fraternity and strengthening the communion that is at the heart of the Christian life,” Pope Leo said.“Your own history bears eloquent testimony to this truth,” he said. The Holy Father highlighted the Knights’ continued mission started by its “noble founder,” Blessed Michael McGivney.The “Knights of Columbus have worked together for well over a century to show Christʼs love to the unborn, expectant mothers, persecuted Christians, victims of war and human trafficking, the poor and vulnerable, and those who live in the margins of society,” he said. “Through the initiatives undertaken by your local councils, as well as at the national and international levels, countless people have benefited from your kindness.”Pope Leo concluded offering “cordial, good wishes for the work of the Supreme Convention” and entrusting the gathering to the intercession of Mary, mother of the Church.Archbishop Lori also issues call for charityAhead of the convention, Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore celebrated Mass on Aug. 1 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver.The archbishop also called on the Knights to draw from McGivney’s witness to charity.McGivney “made charity the first principle of his ministry as a parish priest and charity the first principle of the Knights of Columbus,” Lori said in his homily.“For he knew and ardently believed that in all things the love of Christ conquers. It is this vision, this charism, that he breathed into the Knights of Columbus and it is reflected today in the immensity of the order’s charity,” he said.“Today, Father McGivney’s holiness is reflected in the Christ-like charity of the Knights of Columbus, rendered on a scale that Father McGivney could not have imagined,” he said. McGivney “set in motion a fraternal organization rooted in the charity of Christ, a fellowship that would reflect the utter generosity of God’s love,” Lori said.

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 5, 2026

The Knights of Columbus are holding the 144th Supreme Convention in Denver.

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
31:1-7

At that time, says the LORD,
I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel,
and they shall be my people.
Thus says the LORD:
The people that escaped the sword
have found favor in the desert.
As Israel comes forward to be given his rest,
the LORD appears to him from afar:
With age-old love I have loved you;
so I have kept my mercy toward you.
Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin Israel;
Carrying your festive tambourines,
you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;
those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits.
Yes, a day will come when the watchmen
will call out on Mount Ephraim:
“Rise up, let us go to Zion,
to the LORD, our God.”

For thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
15:21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Now let us look at the woman’s faith, which the Lord praises, saying that it is “great” (v. 28). According to the disciples, the only thing that seemed “great” was her insistence; but Jesus sees her faith. If we think about it, that foreign woman had probably little or no awareness of the laws and religious precepts of Israel. What does her faith consist of then? She does not have a wealth of concepts but of deeds — the Canaanite woman draws near, prostrates herself, insists, takes part in a close dialogue with Jesus, overcomes every obstacle just to speak with him. This is the concreteness of faith, which is not a religious label but is a personal relationship with the Lord. How many times we fall into the temptation to confuse faith with a label! This woman’s faith is not fraught with theological gallantry, but with insistence — she knocks at the door, knocks, knocks. Her faith is not made up of words, but of prayer. And God does not resist when he is prayed to. This is why he said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you”. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 20 August 2023)

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

Faithful pray rosary for end to abortion in Morristown #Catholic –

On Aug. 1, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led a group of faithful from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and beyond in publicly proclaiming the sanctity of human life at all its stages during his Monthly Mass and Procession for Life at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J.

Bishop Sweeney celebrated the Mass, which was concelebrated by Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret’s and diocesan vicar for Hispanic Affairs.

After the Mass, Bishop Sweeney led a rosary procession with the faithful down Speedwell Avenue to Planned Parenthood. They prayed in front of the facility for an end to abortion. The marchers then returned to St. Margaret’s to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.

Everyone is welcome to join the Mass and Procession for Life with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, which takes place on the first Saturday of each month at 8 a.m. at St. Margaret’s.

BEACON PHOTOS | MATTHEW GIGLI

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– On Aug. 1, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led a group of faithful from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and beyond in publicly proclaiming the sanctity of human life at all its stages during his Monthly Mass and Procession for Life at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J. Bishop Sweeney celebrated the Mass, which was concelebrated by Father Duberney Villamizar, pastor of St. Margaret’s and diocesan vicar for Hispanic Affairs. After the Mass, Bishop Sweeney led a rosary procession with the faithful down Speedwell Avenue to Planned Parenthood. They prayed in front of the facility for an end to abortion.

Bishops issue new calls for recognition of immigrants’ human dignity and immigration reform #Catholic In response to increased immigration enforcement measures throughout the country, two U.S. Catholic bishops have issued fresh statements affirming the human dignity of immigrants as children of God and calling for immigration reform.Both prelates said Americans should understand why people flee their home countries in search of a better life while acknowledging the nation’s right to enforce its immigration laws. The current situation, however, is unjust, immoral, and must be fixed, both men emphasized.On Aug. 3, the centennial anniversary of the elevation of San Antonio to a metropolitan archdiocese, Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller released a pastoral letter expressing the Church’s solidarity with migrants and calling for the “careful and well-formed moral discernment of every Catholic conscience” in response.Meanwhile, on Aug. 1, Bishop Robert Gruss of the Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan, issued a statement in which he reminded the faithful of the “inherent human dignity” of every person.Gruss said the current “challenge” facing the United States, which has “consistently received immigrants, refugees, exiles, and the persecuted from other lands” throughout its history, is “how to deal with a situation when one administration has allowed individuals and families to migrate … freely and the next administration wants their removal.”The bishop wrote that the removal of “immigrants who have caused harm to society by participating in criminal activity” is understandable, but asked if it is “fair to remove those who are and have been contributing to society in a positive way, oftentimes for many years?”He said that a “just and civil society” would not allow the deportation or detention of people “without cause” or “meaningful legal representation, without access to family or a supportive community, and without basic human needs being met.”He urged the faithful to “push for public policy changes that secure civil rights for all immigrants” and “humane border enforcement policies” that simultaneously uphold national security while protecting the “safety and dignity” of those who come to the country to work.‘We will come to you’García-Siller promulgated his letter, titled “We Will Come to You: United in Solidarity with Our Brothers and Sisters in Migration,” at a Mass at San Fernando Cathedral in downtown San Antonio.“We are living in a world of war,” the letter began. “Across continents, people are dying every day. Across borders, survivors are forced to migrate. They do not leave by choice, but because of violence, hunger, fear, and oppression.”In the 56-page letter, composed of five sections and concluding with a prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe, García-Siller said he prayed “for a long time” before writing, saying he wanted to write from “the right place, one of accompaniment and solidarity.”He said the letter addresses an “unprecedented” time in the country, writing that “a convergence of structural and legal tactics … calls for the careful and well-formed moral discernment of every Catholic conscience.”“I write to comfort the afflicted, to ignite the comfortable, and to confront injustice with the full conviction of the Gospel.”He went on to cite his personal experience of “years walking alongside” migrants, many of whom are living in so much fear they rarely leave their homes, as well as his own story as a migrant himself.The archbishop wrote that he has witnessed a “fear that has taken root” across the archdiocese, saying he and other pastors “pray with parents who embrace their children each morning unsure if they will be home at night,” and describing parents who avoid taking children to the doctor or to go to work “because each mile carries risk.”“The community bears this cross, and the Church cannot be silent,” he wrote, describing declining Mass attendance and the worsening physical health of those who suffer fear related to immigration.“The people have not lost their faith,” he wrote. “Many, however, have lost their sense of safety and belonging.”The Church must “defend the dignity of those caught in the machinery of removal,” he emphasized.García-Siller described visiting three detention centers in the area, including the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, the largest family detention center in the nation, saying he’s witnessed "firsthand, violations of human dignity within their walls.”He went on to quote Bishop Steven Biegler of the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming, who wrote in a pastoral letter in April that “‘the current campaign of mass detention and deportations is immoral.’”García-Siller accused private corporations of profiting from the processing and movement of large numbers of detained immigrants from one site to another.He also cited an investigation by U.S. Sen. John Ossoff, D-Georgia, which documented more than 1,000 “credible reports of human rights abuses since January 2025, including “medical neglect, denial of food and water, overcrowding, sleep deprivation, and the separation of breastfeeding mothers from their infants,” as well as similar abuses in privately-run sites.García-Siller called the public narrative that only criminals are being removed “misleading,” writing that “73% of those in immigration detention have no criminal conviction, and only 5% have been convicted of a violent crime.”He described how pastors, deacons, extraordinary ministers, and trained catechists are developing “active ministries of accompaniment” in the archdiocese, visiting migrants in their homes, bringing the sacraments along with medicines and other supplies, as well as in detention centers.“If your family has been detained, tell us. We will go to them. The Body of Christ does not abandon its members in chains,” García-Siller declared.The archbishop went on to lament that existing legal pathways take years to navigate, years that families cannot afford to wait as they seek safety and stability. He called for more accessible legal pathways, saying migrants would take those pathways if they were available. Migrants’ “contribution to the common good of our nation” demands such, he wrote.At the end of the letter, García-Siller entrusted the situation to Our Lady of Guadalupe, who herself crossed borders of culture and race and walked the road of exile with the Holy Family: “Long before she was Queen of Mexico … she was a mother who crossed a border. She knows this road; she walked it with her own feet.”

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 5, 2026

“I write to comfort the afflicted, to ignite the comfortable, and to confront injustice with the full conviction of the Gospel,” San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller wrote.

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

Paterson ministry event inspires Spanish faith servants, leaders #Catholic –

On Aug. 1, the Spanish Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., concluded its First Annual Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Servants Encounter (ECCADS) with a Spanish Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. The event was held in the gym of St. Gerrard Majella School in Paterson, N.J.

Organized by diocesan Spanish Catholic Charismatic Renewal, ECCADS was designed for ministry servants and leaders, offering a day of formation, prayer, and spiritual renewal. The theme was “Servants Healed by Love, Formed to Serve, and Sent to Lead.”

The program included a series of talks focused on inner healing, the spirituality of Christian service, and developing the qualities needed to become effective leaders within their parish communities. Participants also took part in praise and worship, teaching, and Mass.

Bishop Sweeney served as the main celebrant and homilist of the Mass. Father Duberney Villamizar, diocesan vicar for Hispanic Affairs and pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J., concelebrated the Mass.

Among the participants of ECCADS were Teresa Amparo, general coordinator of Spanish Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and Marvin Nuñez, a singer-songwriter of faith-based music from the Dominican Republic.

Yessenia Castillo is the executive assistant to Father Duberney Villamizar, diocesan vicar for Hispanic Affairs and pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Morristown, N.J.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

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– On Aug. 1, the Spanish Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., concluded its First Annual Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Servants Encounter (ECCADS) with a Spanish Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. The event was held in the gym of St. Gerrard Majella School in Paterson, N.J. Organized by diocesan Spanish Catholic Charismatic Renewal, ECCADS was designed for ministry servants and leaders, offering a day of formation, prayer, and spiritual renewal. The theme was “Servants Healed by Love, Formed to Serve, and Sent to Lead.” The program included a series of talks focused on inner healing, the spirituality of

Father Wade Menezes teaches men to ‘stand firm, be strong’ in new EWTN daily podcast – #Catholic – A new podcast called “Stand Firm and Be Strong” with Father of Mercy Wade Menezes launched Aug. 3 on EWTN+. The new podcast is aimed at, and intended for, men. Menezes is especially inviting them to learn how to live and strengthen their Catholic faith, one day at a time. Menezes is already familiar to EWTN audiences from his many appearances on various shows across the network. The numerous televised and online series he has produced and hosted include “The Gospel of Life vs. the Culture of Death” and “The Ten Commandments of Catholic Family Life.”He is also familiar to EWTN audiences as a guest on various episodes of EWTN’s “Mother Angelica Live” and “Life on the Rock,” during which he discussed such topics as the sanctification of marriage and family life, vocations, and the sacred liturgy. He is the current host of EWTN Global Catholic Radio’s “Open Line Tuesday.”Menezes has also served as the chaplain-in-residence at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama.On the print side, he is the author of four books, including: “Stand Firm, Be Strong: A Men’s Catholic Daily Devotional of Scripture and Saints” — the inspiration for the new podcast.Prior to the launch, and while inviting listeners, Menezes spoke about the podcast with the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.Register: Father Menezes, please tell us how your “Stand Firm, Be Strong” audio podcast came to be.Menezes: This 200-day audio-only podcast grew out of the popularity of my men’s daily devotional book of the same title that was published in 2024. The book is a six-month spiritual manual for men. Each day has a different spiritual or temporal (secular) topic that is followed by three components: a Scripture quote, a saint quote, and a short meditation written by me. Both the book and podcast titles are based on 1 Corinthians 16:13, wherein we read: “Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.”Will the podcast follow the same daily devotional format?The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” daily audio podcast is related closely to the book’s own format. For example, each of the 200 days’ prerecorded short audio podcasts correspond directly — and in proper order — with each of the book’s own 200 days’ topics. But whereas the book is designed to be a five- to 10-minute exercise each morning for men as they begin their day, each podcast episode is itself under five minutes in length and highlights the most pertinent points of the book’s topic for that same day.

What does it mean to be a man of God? | Credit: EWTN Studios

Why did you decide on a daily podcast?EWTN pitched the idea to me to do a “Stand Firm, Be Strong” daily audio podcast precisely because the book has done so well with male readers. The book has proven to hold men’s attention as a committed daily exercise to strengthen their spiritual and temporal lives. I hope that a podcast will likewise strike at the male heart and spark the male intellect to help men live their vocations more fully and committedly — whether single, married, widowed, or as a consecrated brother, deacon, priest, or bishop.Please share a highlight or two that listeners will hear about in opening episodes.The timely wisdom offered by the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast will help prepare men to put on the armor of God for their daily struggles and help them withstand trials at home and at work. It will also help them to kindle their prayer life, better utilize their talents, and order their priorities in daily life. It will also help guide men in imitating Christ in guarding their senses and responding to temptation — all important factors when navigating life in this third millennium.Please share or give a hint of what will be a few topics or themes you will be dealing with that are certainly relevant.During the course of the first 20 [days] … for example, episodes will cover the following topics [titled]: “The Committed Man of God,” “Strength and Fortitude,” “Having No Duplicity or Guile,” “Shunning Sin and Vice,” “Fraternity and Brotherhood,” “The Demands of Virtue and Aiming Toward Salvation,” “The Virtue of Diligence,” “The Truth,” “The Need for Humility Amid Trials and Successes,” “Accountability,” “Confidence,” and “The Athlete of God.” Other podcast episodes include such topics as the “Importance of Eucharistic Adoration,” “Sanctifying Grace,” “Filial Fear of God vs. Servile Fear of God,” and the “Importance of Fostering Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.”Why are these topics essential for today?Navigating third-millennium society and culture can be challenging. These various topics are essential today because we live in a day and age that tragically downplays authentic masculinity and what that means. Whether it’s the prevalence of television commercials that frequently make the husband or man look like a buffoon to the misguided direction being offered by various movements within the so-called “manosphere,” what it means to “be a man” in the authentic Christian sense is greatly attacked today.But as Dr. Tim Gray of the Augustine Institute reminds us: “The virtues give us a blueprint for being a man. Indeed, the very term ‘virtue’ comes from the Latin word for man, ‘vir.’ For the ancients, to be manly was to be virtuous. The term ‘virtue’ in Latin (‘virtus’) signifies power, strength, and ability. Thus, the virtues are habits that give us the power to act in a manly way, with strength sufficient to do what is right. Without virtues we will neither be godly nor real men. Virtues are the building blocks of character, and without them our moral lives will eventually collapse under the pressures of the world.”Will your podcast appeal to, and be relevant to, men of any age?Just like the book, the podcast is designed to appeal to any male that is 14 years of age and older. In other words, if a guy is a high school freshman or older and is serious about living his faith authentically and well in the midst of the modern world, he will benefit from hearing this podcast. This fact, in turn, will hopefully inspire him to “go deeper” with the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” book as a daily devotional that he commits himself to for a six-month period.Will men learn to live a balanced life through your podcast?Yes, listeners of the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast (as well as those readers of the book) will learn to live a balanced life — both spiritually and temporally. For example, a main theme peppered throughout the podcast and book is “faithfulness to daily duty” and what this means and why it is a main ingredient needed when a man strives for sanctification and advancement in the spiritual life according to his particular vocation and state in life. In short, a man is called to fulfill his duties with diligence and balance — all the while serving God and others.What is the ultimate goal and hope for this podcast?To help men of all vocations and states in life realize that they are called to become saints “right where they are.”Both the podcast and book are designed to help jump-start and strengthen a man’s spiritual life over the course of six months. The podcast’s daily topics and accompanying meditations are power-packed, offering achievable resolutions and prudent advice to help a man attain his spiritual and temporal goals in everyday living.Will it improve their families, too, in any way?Yes. Just as there is crisis in today’s culture regarding authentic masculinity and what that means, the same can be said regarding the sanctification of marriages and family life. The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast can help a married man become a better husband and father. For single men, it can help them to become a better brother, brother-in-law, co-worker, etc. This same goes for married men and those men in the consecrated religious state, of course. Themes in the podcast call upon all men to provide, protect, and lead — again, according to each one’s particular vocation and state in life.Based on the popularity of your book, do you think the podcast will have a similar appeal?I believe the podcast will appeal to listeners because it will help the individual man to grow in knowledge of his faith and gain strength for the spiritual battle. These, in turn, will help the individual male listener to become more fully the man he was created and meant to be in God’s plan for him.Is there anything else you would like to say or add about the podcast?The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast launched Aug. 3 and is posting a new episode daily over the course of 200 days. It is available from EWTN+, a free, ad-free digital streaming platform by the Eternal Word Television Network that offers on-demand Catholic podcasts, movies, live TV and radio, and original series. Also, for those listeners of the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast and/or readers of the book who are so interested, there are three additional “Stand Firm, Be Strong” merchandise items available from EWTN Religious Catalogue (EWTNRC.com). These include a “Stand Firm, Be Strong” T-shirt, travel mug, and 12-in-1 pocket knife. Along with the podcast and book, these items make great gifts for men who are striving to increase their faith and grow in holiness.I would encourage all women — such women could include, of course, a wife, mother, sister, sister-in-law, friend, or girlfriend — who may stumble across the podcast, book, or three items of merchandise to think about sharing these with the men in their lives so as to encourage them to “stand firm [and] be strong.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

The new podcast “Stand Firm and Be Strong” with Father of Mercy Wade Menezes has launched on EWTN+.

U.S. bishops ask for ‘intense prayers’ for Hamas-Israel peace amid Gaza’s ‘disastrous’ conditions – #Catholic – In response to President Donald Trump’s announcement last week of a deal between the U.S.-led Board of Peace, Israel, and Hamas, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) called for “intense prayers” for the deal’s success as Gaza faces a worsening humanitarian crisis.In an Aug. 3 statement, Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said he is “heartened by news of an agreement which aims at the disarmament of Hamas and Israel’s military withdrawal from the [Gaza] Strip,” calling for “intense prayers for the success of these negotiations.”“As I previously articulated, as ‘people of faith who deeply care for all our brothers and sisters who live in the land of Christ’s life, death, and glorious resurrection, we cannot lose this opportunity for peace,’” Zaidan continued, calling on the U.S., Israel, and the international community “to facilitate greater amounts of humanitarian and development assistance to the Strip.”U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 30 that his Board of Peace had reached a deal for Hamas to fully disarm after nearly three years of war. “The agreement will be carried out in carefully structured phases,” Trump indicated. “As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors.”Though a Hamas official confirmed the disarmament pact the next day, according to the Associated Press, significant hurdles remain, leaving the deal’s implementation uncertain despite U.S. optimism. Israel has not publicly endorsed the agreement and has continued airstrikes, killing at least 17 people, including children, in Gaza Sunday night.‘People are living with nothing’“Alleviating the suffering of the Gazan people is not only a vital moral imperative but is also necessary for the consolidation of peace in the Holy Land and the entire region,” Zaidan declared. “This should include restoring educational opportunities for children and youths, jobs, and clean water.”In an interview last week with Vatican Media, Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Church in Gaza, begged for humanitarian aid for the region, emphasizing that “when people say the situation here is disastrous, believe me: It really is disastrous — if anything, it calls for an even stronger word.”“People are living with nothing,” Romanelli said. “Reconstruction is certainly essential, but so too are all the basic necessities of everyday life.”Former U.S. ambassador and EWTN contributor on Middle East issues Alberto Fernandez told EWTN News that while the deal is “extraordinarily shaky from both sides,” he is hopeful because “the situation of the civilian public in Gaza is so dire,” Fernandez said. “Gaza is destroyed, people are traumatized, there’s no economy.”‘Deeply conflicting agendas’ “The agreement on paper is a positive, concrete step in the right direction,” Fernández said, pointing out that the issue of which side will act first “is a small part of a bigger problem. There is no trust between the two sides, and deeply conflicting agendas.”In Zaidan’s statement, the bishop wrote that the “agreement’s successful implementation, as its principles statement says, has the potential of finally providing the Palestinian people with a ‘credible political path that achieves self-determination and Statehood.’ This would be a major milestone.”Hamas said Friday that it would give up its heavy weapons, including rockets, contingent on Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the creation of a Palestinian state, the latter condition one Netanyahu’s government strongly rejects.“The two-state solution among the Israeli public is moribund,” the ambassador continued. “We’re not there at all in a situation where they will compromise. They’ve become more intransigent. That’s a reality.”“It’s not time for celebration, but time to recognize there is small progress being made, and huge obstacles remain,” Fernandez said.‘Serious security concerns’Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told the AP on Aug. 2 that Israel has “serious security concerns” surrounding the deal. Spielman said Israel believes Hamas is still committed to building up its military, not demilitarizing, and said Israel would not withdraw from the Gaza Strip, where it controls more than half the territory, before Hamas disarms.“Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less,” he said.“Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another Oct. 7-style attack,” Spielman told the AP.Zaidan concluded his statement acknowledging the “extreme challenges inherent in this ongoing peace process” but called on all to “entrust the hearts and minds of the negotiators to the maternal care of Our Lady of Wisdom, that she may illumine and enliven their efforts to finally achieve peace in those sacred lands.”

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

Israel has not publicly endorsed the agreement and has continued airstrikes, killing at least 17 people, including children, in Gaza Sunday night.

Picture of the day

Magnus Cort in the French Alps on Tour de France 2024. Tour de France will finish today on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
#ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

Picture of the day

Magnus Cort in the French Alps on Tour de France 2024. Tour de France will finish today on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Ahead of inauguration, Colombia’s president-elect goes on retreat – #Catholic – Colombia’s president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, went on a spiritual retreat alongside his vice president and various cabinet nominees just one week before the inauguration of his administration.On Aug. 1, De la Espriella stated via his social media accounts that, during the retreat, he reaffirmed his conviction that "to build a great nation, one must place God at the center of every decision."Accompanying the president-elect on the retreat were his wife, Ana Lucía Pineda; vice president-elect José Manuel Restrepo; and cabinet nominees Jaime Andrés Beltrán, Mauricio Gómez, Iván Cancino, and Elsa Noguera, among others.“With faith, hard work, and love for our land, we will make the country of our dreams a reality,” De la Espriella wrote.In another post published on Aug. 2, the president-elect stated that the retreat strengthened his and his team’s faith and commitment “to serve Colombia with humility, responsibility, and love for the nation.”Restrepo stated on X that “a nation that prays together stays together.”As part of the event, each participant was given a copy of the Bible, featuring a map of Colombia and the heart of Jesus on the cover. Additionally, a video of Pope Leo XIV was shown.Beltrán, the country’s incoming minister of labor, stated on his X account that “human effort is futile without God’s help” and that the together the retreatants experienced “a moment of encounter and unity, because we know that the battle ahead is also spiritual. God bless Colombia.”Meanwhile, the retreat drew sharp criticism from members of current President Gustavo Petro’s outgoing administration. Among them, Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino and Rep. Mafe Carrascal argued that the event undermined the secular state established by the Colombian Constitution.However, the spiritual gathering was defended by other political leaders, including some outside the incoming administrationʼs political party.For example, Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez criticized the retreat’s detractors for trying to "make people believe that even believing in God is a sin“ while Conservative Party Rep. Luis Miguel López noted that ”a secular state guarantees freedom of conscience; it does not force a president to hide their faith."“What stands out is the double standard. When shamanic rituals and Santería were promoted from within the government, many spoke of diversity and respect. Today, a spiritual retreat is portrayed as an attempt to replace the Constitution with the Bible, something that never happened. The Constitution remains the same; the only thing that changed was the president. And, judging by the reaction of some, it seems that is what truly makes them uncomfortable,” López added.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.

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

Abelardo de la Espriella reaffirmed his conviction that “to build a great nation, one must place God at the center of every decision.”

unitedyam August 4, 2026August 4, 2026

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column. August 3: A solar system trio Rising around sunset and standing highest around midnight, asteroid 324 Bamberga is visible in a small scope this evening, moving against the background stars of Capricornus. Look for it in the south around local midnight, aboutContinue reading “The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 4: Asteroid Bamberga on the move”

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