Marco Meniero, taken from Pisa, Italy A total solar eclipse crossed Greenland, Iceland, and Spain on Aug. 12, 2026; from Pisa, Italy, only a partial eclipse was visible, reaching about 94 percent obscuration as the Sun set behind the domes of the city’s cathedral complex in Piazza dei Miracoli. The photographer shot the single 0.3-secondContinue reading “A leaning tower with a view”
The post A leaning tower with a view appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Commissioner appointee Heidi Overton has criticized the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s chemical abortion policies in the past. She is now poised to be in a position to change them.
A reading from the Book of Ezekiel
37:1-14
The hand of the LORD came upon me,
and led me out in the Spirit of the LORD
and set me in the center of the plain,
which was now filled with bones.
He made me walk among the bones in every direction
so that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain.
How dry they were!
He asked me:
Son of man, can these bones come to life?
I answered, ?Lord GOD, you alone know that.?
Then he said to me:
Prophesy over these bones, and say to them:
Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones:
See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life.
I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you,
cover you with skin, and put spirit in you
so that you may come to life and know that I am the LORD.
I prophesied as I had been told,
and even as I was prophesying I heard a noise;
it was a rattling as the bones came together, bone joining bone.
I saw the sinews and the flesh come upon them,
and the skin cover them, but there was no spirit in them.
Then the LORD said to me:
Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man,
and say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord GOD
From the four winds come, O spirit,
and breathe into these slain that they may come to life.
I prophesied as he told me, and the spirit came into them;
they came alive and stood upright, a vast army.
Then he said to me:
Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.
They have been saying,
?Our bones are dried up,
our hope is lost, and we are cut off.?
Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD:
O my people, I will open your graves
and have you rise from them,
and bring you back to the land of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD,
when I open your graves and have you rise from them,
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live,
and I will settle you upon your land;
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together, and one of them,
a scholar of the law, tested him by asking,
?Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest??
He said to him,
?You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.?
Jesus? filial union with the Father is expressed in the perfect love which He also made the primary commandment of the Gospel: ?You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first of the commandments? (Mt 22:37ff). As is well known, Jesus adds a second commandment to this one, ?like the first?, that of love for one?s neighbour (cf. Mt 22:39). And He offers himself as an example of this love: ?I give you a new commandment: that you love one another, just as I have loved you? (Jn 13:34). He teaches and entrusts to His followers a love modelled on His own. To this love the virtues of charity listed by Saint Paul can truly be applied: ?Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful, it is not arrogant ? Love does not insist on its own way ? It does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things ? endures all things? (1 Cor 13:4?7). When, in his letter, the Apostle presented this image of evangelical charity to his readers in Corinth, his mind and heart were undoubtedly filled with the thought of Christ?s love, towards which he wished to direct the lives of the Christian communities; thus, his hymn to charity may be regarded as a commentary on the commandment to love one another following the example of Christ, who is love (as Saint Catherine of Siena would say many centuries later): ?(As) I have loved you? (Jn 13:34). (Saint John Paul II, General Audience, 31 August 1988)
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The bishop of Lourdes announced that the SSPX no longer has authorization at the shrine to celebrate the Mass or the sacraments, although individuals are free to come and pray privately.
![Legislator proposes bill to ban surrogacy in Colombia – #Catholic – A bill has been introduced in the Colombian Congress to ban surrogacy, commonly referred to as "rent-a-womb,” in order to curb "the reproductive exploitation of women and prevent children from being turned into objects of a transaction."The bill’s explanatory statement notes that the initiative responds to calls from the Constitutional Court, which has urged Congress in four separate rulings to legislate on surrogacy, as the lack of regulation “has direct consequences for the fundamental rights of the pregnant women and the children born through this practice.”Rep. Luis Miguel López Aristizábal, the bill’s author, noted that this legal loophole has caused the country to become “one of the main destinations for so-called ‘reproductive tourism,’ where couples come from abroad to buy babies in Colombia.”The bill states that, “for example, the Tammuz Family agency, which works with the Celagem Clinic and four other clinics in Bogotá, claims on its website that ‘surrogacy in Colombia is accessible to same-sex couples and single men seeking a more affordable path to fatherhood.’”The proposed legislation also indicates that “costs for plans in Colombia start at USD $63,500 (for the basic plan involving donation of ova/eggs). At an exchange rate of 3,400 pesos [63,500 x 3,400], this equates to 215.9 million pesos (for a basic plan), of which the surrogate receives between 25 million and 40 million pesos. This demonstrates that more than 85% of the profits from this business remain with the clinics and intermediaries.”What the bill establishesA statement from López Aristizábal’s office notes that "the bill does not criminalize the pregnant woman.” Instead it establishes the criminal offense of "reproductive exploitation through surrogacy" — whether altruistic or commercial — and penalizes those who promote, broker, finance, or organize it with "prison sentences of 120 to 192 months [10-16 years] and fines ranging from 500 to 1,500 times the minimum wage, with aggravating factors applicable in cases involving the womanʼs vulnerability."These sanctions also apply to Colombian citizens who have engaged in surrogacy abroad, whether in whole or in part.In addition to protecting the surrogate mother from having to return payments received, the law establishes that “for all legal purposes, the mother of children gestated or born in Colombia is the woman who carries and gives birth to them,” i.e., not the individual or couple buying the baby. The introduction of the measure was attended by international activist Olivia Maurel, author of the Spanish-language book “Where Are You, Mom?” who was born via surrogacy. During a forum, Maurel contributed to the debate “her own experience and the perspective of someone born through this procedure.”“It is crucial that this law be passed at this time, as it will protect Colombia’s most vulnerable women” and “prevent children from being born through this practice and having to suffer the consequences of the surrogacy lobby,” she noted.“Do this for your country, for your women, and for your children,” said Maurel, spokeswoman for the Casablanca Declaration for the universal abolition of surrogacy.During the presentation, López Aristizábal stated that the bill has the backing of 15 lawmakers from various parties, such as the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the National Salvation Movement, the Democratic Center, the Historic Pact, and Dignity and Commitment.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.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/legislator-proposes-bill-to-ban-surrogacy-in-colombia-catholic-a-bill-has-been-introduced-in-the-colombian-congress-to-ban-surrogacy-commonly-referred-to-as-rent-a-womb-in-order.jpg "Legislator proposes bill to ban surrogacy in Colombia – #Catholic – A bill has been introduced in the Colombian Congress to ban surrogacy, commonly referred to as \"rent-a-womb,” in order to curb \"the reproductive exploitation of women and prevent children from being turned into objects of a transaction.\"The bill’s explanatory statement notes that the initiative responds to calls from the Constitutional Court, which has urged Congress in four separate rulings to legislate on surrogacy, as the lack of regulation “has direct consequences for the fundamental rights of the pregnant women and the children born through this practice.”Rep. Luis Miguel López Aristizábal, the bill’s author, noted that this legal loophole has caused the country to become “one of the main destinations for so-called ‘reproductive tourism,’ where couples come from abroad to buy babies in Colombia.”The bill states that, “for example, the Tammuz Family agency, which works with the Celagem Clinic and four other clinics in Bogotá, claims on its website that ‘surrogacy in Colombia is accessible to same-sex couples and single men seeking a more affordable path to fatherhood.’”The proposed legislation also indicates that “costs for plans in Colombia start at USD $63,500 (for the basic plan involving donation of ova/eggs). At an exchange rate of 3,400 pesos [63,500 x 3,400], this equates to 215.9 million pesos (for a basic plan), of which the surrogate receives between 25 million and 40 million pesos. This demonstrates that more than 85% of the profits from this business remain with the clinics and intermediaries.”What the bill establishesA statement from López Aristizábal’s office notes that \"the bill does not criminalize the pregnant woman.” Instead it establishes the criminal offense of \"reproductive exploitation through surrogacy\" — whether altruistic or commercial — and penalizes those who promote, broker, finance, or organize it with \"prison sentences of 120 to 192 months [10-16 years] and fines ranging from 500 to 1,500 times the minimum wage, with aggravating factors applicable in cases involving the womanʼs vulnerability.\"These sanctions also apply to Colombian citizens who have engaged in surrogacy abroad, whether in whole or in part.In addition to protecting the surrogate mother from having to return payments received, the law establishes that “for all legal purposes, the mother of children gestated or born in Colombia is the woman who carries and gives birth to them,” i.e., not the individual or couple buying the baby. The introduction of the measure was attended by international activist Olivia Maurel, author of the Spanish-language book “Where Are You, Mom?” who was born via surrogacy. During a forum, Maurel contributed to the debate “her own experience and the perspective of someone born through this procedure.”“It is crucial that this law be passed at this time, as it will protect Colombia’s most vulnerable women” and “prevent children from being born through this practice and having to suffer the consequences of the surrogacy lobby,” she noted.“Do this for your country, for your women, and for your children,” said Maurel, spokeswoman for the Casablanca Declaration for the universal abolition of surrogacy.During the presentation, López Aristizábal stated that the bill has the backing of 15 lawmakers from various parties, such as the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the National Salvation Movement, the Democratic Center, the Historic Pact, and Dignity and Commitment.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.")
The bill would penalize all parties involved except the woman carrying the baby, who would be considered the legal mother.
Bishop Emmanuel Kofi Fianu said the remaining restrictions introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic are now lifted because health authorities have not issued new cautions.
![Catholic bishops in India reject ‘Christian conspiracy’ claim over funds bill – #Catholic – The Catholic Church in India has rejected allegations of a “Christian conspiracy” behind the stalling of legislation to tighten controls on foreign donations after the government postponed the bill a second time and referred it to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) following protests by churches and opposition parties.Sections of India’s mainstream and social media have alleged that the Church orchestrated opposition to the measure and that the United States pressed the Indian government on the Church’s behalf.“We do not indulge in any conspiracy. We put our concerns across to our government and it decided to refer the FCRA Bill [the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act] to the JPC,” Father Mathew Koyickal, deputy secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, told EWTN News on Aug. 20.The conference is the umbrella body for Catholics of the Latin, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara Churches in India.The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act has governed foreign donations in India since 1976. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which tracks how domestic groups, trusts, and charities receive and use money from abroad.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government amended the act in 2020 and has tightened FCRA rules several times since coming to power in 2014, curbing the flow of funds to Christian and advocacy groups. Critics say the tightening advances a Hindu nationalist agenda. Fewer than 15,000 of some 52,000 FCRA accounts are now active, according to the government’s FCRA online dashboard.The roughly 37,000 licenses canceled or not renewed include those of Church charities and Christian social action groups, along with Indian and international advocacy networks such as Amnesty International, Bread for the World, Compassion International, and Greenpeace.In March, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a harsher amendment to the FCRA and listed it to be passed in Parliament on April 1. Opposition protests inside Parliament and public opposition — including from the Catholic Church — forced the government to delay the bill to the monsoon session.Ahead of that session, the government notified new rules on June 22 requiring groups that receive foreign funds to specify their activities by category and geographical area, to disclose social media accounts, websites, and publications, and to pay a separate fee for each category and each area in which they operate. Political content is barred, and the rules set high penalties for each infringement.With protests spreading to more areas, including Christian-majority states such as Mizoram, and with opposition parties accusing the government of choking civil society groups and the churches under a Hindu nationalist agenda, the government put the bill on hold on Aug. 5 and referred it a week later to a 31-member joint parliamentary committee that includes opposition members. The committee will scrutinize the bill and report to Parliament during the winter session.‘Join the dots’Amid steady news coverage of the FCRA amendment, Republic TV — known for speaking up for the BJP government — devoted a segment on Aug. 19 to what it called the link between the bill and the student protests.“Why is FCRA being linked to the CJP [Cockroach Janta Party] protest? And is there actually a connection?” the anchor asked. “The issue gained traction after the Catholic priest was seen marching with the CJP in New Delhi. This is amid the U.S. also warning that the new FCRA bill could damage the India-America relationship.”The report, presented by the channel’s editor Niranjan Narayanswamy, put the question directly: “Are you wondering what does the church have to do with the Jantar Mantar protest? It’s about students, but why is the church being a part of it? Why are Americans taking an interest in the protest?”It went on to allege that foreign money routed through Christian organizations had reached Maoist-affected areas such as Chhattisgarh, where it was “being used by church bodies to convert and to push people into becoming Maoists,” and described the funding as part of a push into India by “the American deep state,” including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The segment closed: “Join the dots and watch this space.”The protests it referred to were mounted under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical youth movement that grew out of anger over repeated leaks of national entrance examinations, including the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, the fiercely competitive national examination for admission to medical courses. Weeks of demonstrations, centered on Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and marked by baton charges and tear gas, ended after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25.“Vested interests are behind floating baseless conspiracy theories, [as they are] embarrassed by government going soft on FCRA amendment. We challenge them to prove such wild claims,” Koyickal said.Jesuit Father John Chathanatt, former principal of the Jesuit theologate Vidyajyoti in New Delhi, told EWTN News: “We are not surprised with such wild conspiracy theories being spread whenever the BJP government narrative fails. Since it could not pass the FCRA bill, the blame is being put on church.”“They even found a hook to peg the Vatican conspiracy theory linking it to a Jesuit from Kerala working at the Rome Generate,” Chathanatt said.The Kerala allegationHindu nationalist outfits alleged that the CJP protest was part of a Vatican conspiracy led by a Kerala priest. The allegation was made by K.S. Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and former vice chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kalady, who had long been described as a friend of the Catholic Church and who is now state vice president of the BJP in Kerala.The claim, which went viral on social media in southern Kerala and drew furious rebuttals from Catholics, named Jesuit Father George Mutholil — former Jesuit provincial of Kerala and, since 2019, the Society of Jesus’ regional assistant for South Asia and a general counsellor to the superior general in Rome — as the organizer of the CJP protest.Mutholil told EWTN News that the claim was “built on a single unverified podcast quote and gets basic facts wrong.” He added: “This is the familiar move: when there’s anger to redirect, blame the minority.”The American strandAmerican interest in the bill is a matter of record. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, wrote in May that the amendment would disproportionately affect Christian charities and churches and could “do lasting damage to the relations between our two countries,” and he urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to raise it during his visit to India.Rubio began that visit on May 23 in Kolkata, at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, before traveling on for talks in New Delhi. In early August, Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, called the amendments a “clear attack against Christians” and warned they could affect relations between the two countries. Sujeet Kumar, a BJP member of Parliament, wrote to Moore on Aug. 10 rejecting the claim that the bill would enable a government takeover of churches.Church officials in India say none of this was done at their instance. Savio Rodrigues, a Goa-based journalist and BJP member who founded the news portal Goa Chronicle, has advanced a broader claim in an online video, suggesting that U.S. President Donald Trump was trying to “topple Modi” through the FCRA with the Church’s support.“I watched this crazy video. I don’t think there is an ounce of truth in his accusations that the Roman Catholic Church has an agenda to dethrone Mr. Modi or his government,” Cyril Fernandes, president of the Catholic Association of Goa, told EWTN News.“The CJP [protest] too has nothing to do with the FCRA demands. The whole interview appears stage-managed to change the narrative for which the central government machinery is famous,” Fernandes said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/catholic-bishops-in-india-reject-christian-conspiracy-claim-over-funds-bill-catholic-the-catholic-church-in-india-has-rejected-allegations-of-a-christian-conspiracy-scaled.jpg "Catholic bishops in India reject ‘Christian conspiracy’ claim over funds bill – #Catholic – The Catholic Church in India has rejected allegations of a “Christian conspiracy” behind the stalling of legislation to tighten controls on foreign donations after the government postponed the bill a second time and referred it to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) following protests by churches and opposition parties.Sections of India’s mainstream and social media have alleged that the Church orchestrated opposition to the measure and that the United States pressed the Indian government on the Church’s behalf.“We do not indulge in any conspiracy. We put our concerns across to our government and it decided to refer the FCRA Bill [the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act] to the JPC,” Father Mathew Koyickal, deputy secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, told EWTN News on Aug. 20.The conference is the umbrella body for Catholics of the Latin, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara Churches in India.The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act has governed foreign donations in India since 1976. It is administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which tracks how domestic groups, trusts, and charities receive and use money from abroad.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government amended the act in 2020 and has tightened FCRA rules several times since coming to power in 2014, curbing the flow of funds to Christian and advocacy groups. Critics say the tightening advances a Hindu nationalist agenda. Fewer than 15,000 of some 52,000 FCRA accounts are now active, according to the government’s FCRA online dashboard.The roughly 37,000 licenses canceled or not renewed include those of Church charities and Christian social action groups, along with Indian and international advocacy networks such as Amnesty International, Bread for the World, Compassion International, and Greenpeace.In March, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a harsher amendment to the FCRA and listed it to be passed in Parliament on April 1. Opposition protests inside Parliament and public opposition — including from the Catholic Church — forced the government to delay the bill to the monsoon session.Ahead of that session, the government notified new rules on June 22 requiring groups that receive foreign funds to specify their activities by category and geographical area, to disclose social media accounts, websites, and publications, and to pay a separate fee for each category and each area in which they operate. Political content is barred, and the rules set high penalties for each infringement.With protests spreading to more areas, including Christian-majority states such as Mizoram, and with opposition parties accusing the government of choking civil society groups and the churches under a Hindu nationalist agenda, the government put the bill on hold on Aug. 5 and referred it a week later to a 31-member joint parliamentary committee that includes opposition members. The committee will scrutinize the bill and report to Parliament during the winter session.‘Join the dots’Amid steady news coverage of the FCRA amendment, Republic TV — known for speaking up for the BJP government — devoted a segment on Aug. 19 to what it called the link between the bill and the student protests.“Why is FCRA being linked to the CJP [Cockroach Janta Party] protest? And is there actually a connection?” the anchor asked. “The issue gained traction after the Catholic priest was seen marching with the CJP in New Delhi. This is amid the U.S. also warning that the new FCRA bill could damage the India-America relationship.”The report, presented by the channel’s editor Niranjan Narayanswamy, put the question directly: “Are you wondering what does the church have to do with the Jantar Mantar protest? It’s about students, but why is the church being a part of it? Why are Americans taking an interest in the protest?”It went on to allege that foreign money routed through Christian organizations had reached Maoist-affected areas such as Chhattisgarh, where it was “being used by church bodies to convert and to push people into becoming Maoists,” and described the funding as part of a push into India by “the American deep state,” including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The segment closed: “Join the dots and watch this space.”The protests it referred to were mounted under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party, a satirical youth movement that grew out of anger over repeated leaks of national entrance examinations, including the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, the fiercely competitive national examination for admission to medical courses. Weeks of demonstrations, centered on Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and marked by baton charges and tear gas, ended after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25.“Vested interests are behind floating baseless conspiracy theories, [as they are] embarrassed by government going soft on FCRA amendment. We challenge them to prove such wild claims,” Koyickal said.Jesuit Father John Chathanatt, former principal of the Jesuit theologate Vidyajyoti in New Delhi, told EWTN News: “We are not surprised with such wild conspiracy theories being spread whenever the BJP government narrative fails. Since it could not pass the FCRA bill, the blame is being put on church.”“They even found a hook to peg the Vatican conspiracy theory linking it to a Jesuit from Kerala working at the Rome Generate,” Chathanatt said.The Kerala allegationHindu nationalist outfits alleged that the CJP protest was part of a Vatican conspiracy led by a Kerala priest. The allegation was made by K.S. Radhakrishnan, a philosopher and former vice chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit at Kalady, who had long been described as a friend of the Catholic Church and who is now state vice president of the BJP in Kerala.The claim, which went viral on social media in southern Kerala and drew furious rebuttals from Catholics, named Jesuit Father George Mutholil — former Jesuit provincial of Kerala and, since 2019, the Society of Jesus’ regional assistant for South Asia and a general counsellor to the superior general in Rome — as the organizer of the CJP protest.Mutholil told EWTN News that the claim was “built on a single unverified podcast quote and gets basic facts wrong.” He added: “This is the familiar move: when there’s anger to redirect, blame the minority.”The American strandAmerican interest in the bill is a matter of record. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, wrote in May that the amendment would disproportionately affect Christian charities and churches and could “do lasting damage to the relations between our two countries,” and he urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to raise it during his visit to India.Rubio began that visit on May 23 in Kolkata, at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, before traveling on for talks in New Delhi. In early August, Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, called the amendments a “clear attack against Christians” and warned they could affect relations between the two countries. Sujeet Kumar, a BJP member of Parliament, wrote to Moore on Aug. 10 rejecting the claim that the bill would enable a government takeover of churches.Church officials in India say none of this was done at their instance. Savio Rodrigues, a Goa-based journalist and BJP member who founded the news portal Goa Chronicle, has advanced a broader claim in an online video, suggesting that U.S. President Donald Trump was trying to “topple Modi” through the FCRA with the Church’s support.“I watched this crazy video. I don’t think there is an ounce of truth in his accusations that the Roman Catholic Church has an agenda to dethrone Mr. Modi or his government,” Cyril Fernandes, president of the Catholic Association of Goa, told EWTN News.“The CJP [protest] too has nothing to do with the FCRA demands. The whole interview appears stage-managed to change the narrative for which the central government machinery is famous,” Fernandes said.")
A senior official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India challenged critics to prove allegations that the Church engineered the stalling of a bill tightening controls on foreign donations.
![Beyond The Beacon podcast 116: Breaking down myths and what seminary life is really like #Catholic –
Are you discerning the priesthood? Or want to learn more about what seminary life is all about? Four current seminarians for the Diocese of Paterson join the podcast to share their experience inside and outside the classroom. Joining Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish are seminarians Michael Kane, Brian Collins, Eric Hasenbein, and Sean Gallagher. This episode was produced in collaboration with the Office of Vocations as part of Seminarian Media Day and was recorded at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J.
Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/beyond-the-beacon-podcast-116-breaking-down-myths-and-what-seminary-life-is-really-like-catholic-are-you-discerning-the-priesthood-or-want-to-learn-more-about-what-seminary-life-is-all-about-f.jpg "Beyond The Beacon podcast 116: Breaking down myths and what seminary life is really like #Catholic –
Are you discerning the priesthood? Or want to learn more about what seminary life is all about? Four current seminarians for the Diocese of Paterson join the podcast to share their experience inside and outside the classroom. Joining Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish are seminarians Michael Kane, Brian Collins, Eric Hasenbein, and Sean Gallagher. This episode was produced in collaboration with the Office of Vocations as part of Seminarian Media Day and was recorded at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J.
Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter."){kind=tracking}
Beyond The Beacon podcast 116: Breaking down myths and what seminary life is really like #Catholic – 
Are you discerning the priesthood? Or want to learn more about what seminary life is all about? Four current seminarians for the Diocese of Paterson join the podcast to share their experience inside and outside the classroom. Joining Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish are seminarians Michael Kane, Brian Collins, Eric Hasenbein, and Sean Gallagher. This episode was produced in collaboration with the Office of Vocations as part of Seminarian Media Day and was recorded at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J.
Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel.
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
– Are you discerning the priesthood? Or want to learn more about what seminary life is all about? Four current seminarians for the Diocese of Paterson join the podcast to share their experience inside and outside the classroom. Joining Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director Jai Agnish are seminarians Michael Kane, Brian Collins, Eric Hasenbein, and Sean Gallagher. This episode was produced in collaboration with the Office of Vocations as part of Seminarian Media Day and was recorded at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch
![La Iglesia diocesana se pone en camino: Paterson peregrina unida a Washington #Catholic – Cada tres años, la Diócesis de Paterson recibe una invitación poco común: peregrinar como una sola familia hacia la Basílica del Santuario Nacional de la Inmaculada Concepción, en Washington, D.C. Este año, esa invitación vuelve a estar sobre la mesa. El sábado 17 de octubre, el obispo Kevin J. Sweeney encabezará la Peregrinación Mariana Diocesana, acompañado por sacerdotes y fieles de parroquias de toda la diócesis.
Será una jornada de oración en uno de los santuarios católicos más importantes del país y, sobre todo, una ocasión para reconocerse como Iglesia. La peregrinación reúne a personas de distintas edades, culturas y comunidades parroquiales; muchas no se han visto nunca, pero todas llegan como parte de un mismo cuerpo, unidas por el deseo de caminar juntas y acercarse más al Señor.
LEARN MORE/REGISTER:
Diocesan Marian Pilgrimage
Oct. 17, 2026
Mucho más que un viaje
Peregrinar es una práctica antigua en la vida de la Iglesia y no se agota en visitar un lugar sagrado: el camino mismo se convierte en experiencia de fe. Durante la jornada en Washington, los peregrinos podrán recorrer las capillas de la Basílica, recibir el sacramento de la Reconciliación, participar en sesiones de catequesis en inglés y español y rezar la Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia. El momento central será la Santa Misa de las 2:30 p. m., presidida por el obispo Sweeney y concelebrada por sacerdotes de la diócesis. Para quienes nunca han estado allí, el día ofrece además la oportunidad de conocer uno de los templos católicos más significativos de los Estados Unidos.
Ese es el caso de Claudia Soria, coordinadora de Educación Religiosa de St. Anthony of Padua Parish, en Passaic, para quien esta será tanto su primera peregrinación diocesana como su primera visita a la Basílica Nacional. Soria cuenta que siente “un llamado en mi corazón a participar en la peregrinación” y que quiere ofrecer el viaje “como un acto de fe, agradeciendo a Dios por sus bendiciones y buscando una conexión más profunda con Él”. Conocer el santuario por primera vez será, dice, “un sueño hecho realidad”, y espera encontrar allí un espacio de paz, oración y encuentro con Dios.
De todos los momentos del día, el que más aguarda es la Eucaristía: participar en la Misa junto a tantos otros peregrinos y recibir al Señor será, asegura, lo más significativo de la experiencia. Valora también el encuentro con católicos de otras comunidades, porque peregrinar con hermanos y hermanas de distintas parroquias “es un regalo” y “un recordatorio de que somos parte de una gran familia en Cristo, unidos en la fe y en la oración”.
Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí.
Una invitación para todos
El obispo Sweeney ha invitado personalmente a los fieles a considerar el viaje. Una peregrinación, ha señalado, trae gracias y bendiciones espirituales, puede ser una experiencia especialmente hermosa para jóvenes y familias, y recuerda algo esencial de la identidad cristiana: somos un pueblo peregrino.
Este año, además, la fecha tiene un eco particular. La peregrinación se realiza mientras el país celebra el 250 aniversario de la independencia de los Estados Unidos, lo que convierte la jornada en una ocasión para dar gracias por las bendiciones recibidas y para rezar por la nación, confiándola a la intercesión de la Inmaculada Concepción, su patrona. La experiencia prolonga también el espíritu del Jubileo de 2025 y su llamado a ser “Peregrinos de Esperanza”: el Año Jubilar terminó, pero el camino de la fe continúa.
Dos maneras de participar
Un día: Sábado 17 de octubre, por persona, con transporte en autobús y las actividades del día en la Basílica. La salida de regreso desde Washington está prevista para las 4:15 p. m. La fecha límite de inscripción es el 1 de octubre.
Dos días: Viernes 16 y sábado 17 de octubre, con transporte, visita al Museum of the Bible con almuerzo, alojamiento en el Westin Hotel, cena con el obispo Sweeney el viernes y desayuno el sábado antes de la peregrinación en la Basílica. El costo es de 5 por persona en habitación doble o 5 en habitación individual. La fecha límite de inscripción es el 11 de septiembre.
Soria espera que la jornada fortalezca su compromiso con la fe y regresar a casa “con un corazón lleno de gratitud, una fe renovada y el deseo de compartir lo vivido con mi comunidad”. A quienes aún lo están pensando, les dice que “no lo piensen más”: peregrinar a Washington será, en sus palabras, “una oportunidad para acercarse a Dios, conocer a otros creyentes y vivir momentos de profunda oración”.
Al final, ese es el sentido de toda peregrinación: ponerse en camino buscando al Señor y volver a casa con una fe renovada. En octubre, la Diócesis de Paterson volverá a hacerlo, y la invitación está abierta para que las parroquias caminen juntas hacia Washington como una sola Iglesia.
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/la-iglesia-diocesana-se-pone-en-camino-paterson-peregrina-unida-a-washington-catholic-cada-tres-anos-la-diocesis-de-paterson-recibe-una-invitacion-poco-comun-peregrinar-como-una-sola-familia-hac.webp "La Iglesia diocesana se pone en camino: Paterson peregrina unida a Washington #Catholic – Cada tres años, la Diócesis de Paterson recibe una invitación poco común: peregrinar como una sola familia hacia la Basílica del Santuario Nacional de la Inmaculada Concepción, en Washington, D.C. Este año, esa invitación vuelve a estar sobre la mesa. El sábado 17 de octubre, el obispo Kevin J. Sweeney encabezará la Peregrinación Mariana Diocesana, acompañado por sacerdotes y fieles de parroquias de toda la diócesis.
Será una jornada de oración en uno de los santuarios católicos más importantes del país y, sobre todo, una ocasión para reconocerse como Iglesia. La peregrinación reúne a personas de distintas edades, culturas y comunidades parroquiales; muchas no se han visto nunca, pero todas llegan como parte de un mismo cuerpo, unidas por el deseo de caminar juntas y acercarse más al Señor.
LEARN MORE/REGISTER:
Diocesan Marian Pilgrimage
Oct. 17, 2026
Mucho más que un viaje
Peregrinar es una práctica antigua en la vida de la Iglesia y no se agota en visitar un lugar sagrado: el camino mismo se convierte en experiencia de fe. Durante la jornada en Washington, los peregrinos podrán recorrer las capillas de la Basílica, recibir el sacramento de la Reconciliación, participar en sesiones de catequesis en inglés y español y rezar la Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia. El momento central será la Santa Misa de las 2:30 p. m., presidida por el obispo Sweeney y concelebrada por sacerdotes de la diócesis. Para quienes nunca han estado allí, el día ofrece además la oportunidad de conocer uno de los templos católicos más significativos de los Estados Unidos.
Ese es el caso de Claudia Soria, coordinadora de Educación Religiosa de St. Anthony of Padua Parish, en Passaic, para quien esta será tanto su primera peregrinación diocesana como su primera visita a la Basílica Nacional. Soria cuenta que siente “un llamado en mi corazón a participar en la peregrinación” y que quiere ofrecer el viaje “como un acto de fe, agradeciendo a Dios por sus bendiciones y buscando una conexión más profunda con Él”. Conocer el santuario por primera vez será, dice, “un sueño hecho realidad”, y espera encontrar allí un espacio de paz, oración y encuentro con Dios.
De todos los momentos del día, el que más aguarda es la Eucaristía: participar en la Misa junto a tantos otros peregrinos y recibir al Señor será, asegura, lo más significativo de la experiencia. Valora también el encuentro con católicos de otras comunidades, porque peregrinar con hermanos y hermanas de distintas parroquias “es un regalo” y “un recordatorio de que somos parte de una gran familia en Cristo, unidos en la fe y en la oración”.
Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí.
Una invitación para todos
El obispo Sweeney ha invitado personalmente a los fieles a considerar el viaje. Una peregrinación, ha señalado, trae gracias y bendiciones espirituales, puede ser una experiencia especialmente hermosa para jóvenes y familias, y recuerda algo esencial de la identidad cristiana: somos un pueblo peregrino.
Este año, además, la fecha tiene un eco particular. La peregrinación se realiza mientras el país celebra el 250 aniversario de la independencia de los Estados Unidos, lo que convierte la jornada en una ocasión para dar gracias por las bendiciones recibidas y para rezar por la nación, confiándola a la intercesión de la Inmaculada Concepción, su patrona. La experiencia prolonga también el espíritu del Jubileo de 2025 y su llamado a ser “Peregrinos de Esperanza”: el Año Jubilar terminó, pero el camino de la fe continúa.
Dos maneras de participar
Un día: Sábado 17 de octubre, por persona, con transporte en autobús y las actividades del día en la Basílica. La salida de regreso desde Washington está prevista para las 4:15 p. m. La fecha límite de inscripción es el 1 de octubre.
Dos días: Viernes 16 y sábado 17 de octubre, con transporte, visita al Museum of the Bible con almuerzo, alojamiento en el Westin Hotel, cena con el obispo Sweeney el viernes y desayuno el sábado antes de la peregrinación en la Basílica. El costo es de 5 por persona en habitación doble o 5 en habitación individual. La fecha límite de inscripción es el 11 de septiembre.
Soria espera que la jornada fortalezca su compromiso con la fe y regresar a casa “con un corazón lleno de gratitud, una fe renovada y el deseo de compartir lo vivido con mi comunidad”. A quienes aún lo están pensando, les dice que “no lo piensen más”: peregrinar a Washington será, en sus palabras, “una oportunidad para acercarse a Dios, conocer a otros creyentes y vivir momentos de profunda oración”.
Al final, ese es el sentido de toda peregrinación: ponerse en camino buscando al Señor y volver a casa con una fe renovada. En octubre, la Diócesis de Paterson volverá a hacerlo, y la invitación está abierta para que las parroquias caminen juntas hacia Washington como una sola Iglesia.
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]")
La Iglesia diocesana se pone en camino: Paterson peregrina unida a Washington #Catholic – 
Cada tres años, la Diócesis de Paterson recibe una invitación poco común: peregrinar como una sola familia hacia la Basílica del Santuario Nacional de la Inmaculada Concepción, en Washington, D.C. Este año, esa invitación vuelve a estar sobre la mesa. El sábado 17 de octubre, el obispo Kevin J. Sweeney encabezará la Peregrinación Mariana Diocesana, acompañado por sacerdotes y fieles de parroquias de toda la diócesis.
Será una jornada de oración en uno de los santuarios católicos más importantes del país y, sobre todo, una ocasión para reconocerse como Iglesia. La peregrinación reúne a personas de distintas edades, culturas y comunidades parroquiales; muchas no se han visto nunca, pero todas llegan como parte de un mismo cuerpo, unidas por el deseo de caminar juntas y acercarse más al Señor.
 |
LEARN MORE/REGISTER: Diocesan Marian Pilgrimage Oct. 17, 2026 |
Peregrinar es una práctica antigua en la vida de la Iglesia y no se agota en visitar un lugar sagrado: el camino mismo se convierte en experiencia de fe. Durante la jornada en Washington, los peregrinos podrán recorrer las capillas de la Basílica, recibir el sacramento de la Reconciliación, participar en sesiones de catequesis en inglés y español y rezar la Coronilla de la Divina Misericordia. El momento central será la Santa Misa de las 2:30 p. m., presidida por el obispo Sweeney y concelebrada por sacerdotes de la diócesis. Para quienes nunca han estado allí, el día ofrece además la oportunidad de conocer uno de los templos católicos más significativos de los Estados Unidos.
Ese es el caso de Claudia Soria, coordinadora de Educación Religiosa de St. Anthony of Padua Parish, en Passaic, para quien esta será tanto su primera peregrinación diocesana como su primera visita a la Basílica Nacional. Soria cuenta que siente “un llamado en mi corazón a participar en la peregrinación” y que quiere ofrecer el viaje “como un acto de fe, agradeciendo a Dios por sus bendiciones y buscando una conexión más profunda con Él”. Conocer el santuario por primera vez será, dice, “un sueño hecho realidad”, y espera encontrar allí un espacio de paz, oración y encuentro con Dios.
De todos los momentos del día, el que más aguarda es la Eucaristía: participar en la Misa junto a tantos otros peregrinos y recibir al Señor será, asegura, lo más significativo de la experiencia. Valora también el encuentro con católicos de otras comunidades, porque peregrinar con hermanos y hermanas de distintas parroquias “es un regalo” y “un recordatorio de que somos parte de una gran familia en Cristo, unidos en la fe y en la oración”.
El obispo Sweeney ha invitado personalmente a los fieles a considerar el viaje. Una peregrinación, ha señalado, trae gracias y bendiciones espirituales, puede ser una experiencia especialmente hermosa para jóvenes y familias, y recuerda algo esencial de la identidad cristiana: somos un pueblo peregrino.
Este año, además, la fecha tiene un eco particular. La peregrinación se realiza mientras el país celebra el 250 aniversario de la independencia de los Estados Unidos, lo que convierte la jornada en una ocasión para dar gracias por las bendiciones recibidas y para rezar por la nación, confiándola a la intercesión de la Inmaculada Concepción, su patrona. La experiencia prolonga también el espíritu del Jubileo de 2025 y su llamado a ser “Peregrinos de Esperanza”: el Año Jubilar terminó, pero el camino de la fe continúa.
Un día: Sábado 17 de octubre, $70 por persona, con transporte en autobús y las actividades del día en la Basílica. La salida de regreso desde Washington está prevista para las 4:15 p. m. La fecha límite de inscripción es el 1 de octubre.
Dos días: Viernes 16 y sábado 17 de octubre, con transporte, visita al Museum of the Bible con almuerzo, alojamiento en el Westin Hotel, cena con el obispo Sweeney el viernes y desayuno el sábado antes de la peregrinación en la Basílica. El costo es de $325 por persona en habitación doble o $395 en habitación individual. La fecha límite de inscripción es el 11 de septiembre.
Soria espera que la jornada fortalezca su compromiso con la fe y regresar a casa “con un corazón lleno de gratitud, una fe renovada y el deseo de compartir lo vivido con mi comunidad”. A quienes aún lo están pensando, les dice que “no lo piensen más”: peregrinar a Washington será, en sus palabras, “una oportunidad para acercarse a Dios, conocer a otros creyentes y vivir momentos de profunda oración”.
Al final, ese es el sentido de toda peregrinación: ponerse en camino buscando al Señor y volver a casa con una fe renovada. En octubre, la Diócesis de Paterson volverá a hacerlo, y la invitación está abierta para que las parroquias caminen juntas hacia Washington como una sola Iglesia.
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org] – Cada tres años, la Diócesis de Paterson recibe una invitación poco común: peregrinar como una sola familia hacia la Basílica del Santuario Nacional de la Inmaculada Concepción, en Washington, D.C. Este año, esa invitación vuelve a estar sobre la mesa. El sábado 17 de octubre, el obispo Kevin J. Sweeney encabezará la Peregrinación Mariana Diocesana, acompañado por sacerdotes y fieles de parroquias de toda la diócesis. Será una jornada de oración en uno de los santuarios católicos más importantes del país y, sobre todo, una ocasión para reconocerse como Iglesia. La peregrinación reúne a personas de distintas edades, culturas y
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Zagedan Valley with the mountain cirque and high-altitude lakes formed by ancient glacial erosion. Zagedan Ridge, Karachay-Cherkessia, Caucasus Mountains.
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About 12 billion years ago, a dwarf galaxy known as LKH collided with a young Milky Way and merged with it. This artist’s concept portrays that collision. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope uncovered definitive evidence of this collision by studying globular star clusters.
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