August 30, 2026 – United Yam

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Sept. 26 Mass to honor first two Filipino saints #Catholic –

Filipino Catholics from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., will gather for the annual Filipino Saints Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Church in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, N.J., beginning with Mass at 11 a.m. The event honors San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila and San Pedro Calungsod de Cebu, the first Filipino saints.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will celebrate the Mass, which will be concelebrated by the diocese’s Filipino priests, including Father Vidal Gonzales, pastor of Notre Dame and diocesan consultant/adviser for the Diocesan Commission for Catholic Filipino Ministries (DCCFM). The Mass will be followed by a Filipino fellowship.

For more than 15 years, the DCCFM has celebrated the Filipino Saints Celebration, one of the major annual gatherings of the diocesan Filipino Catholic community, in September.

For many years, the celebration was traditionally held at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson. When Deacon Elmer Maximo became president of the DCCFM, the commission began bringing the celebration to different parishes throughout the diocese, particularly those with a strong and active Filipino Catholic presence. This has allowed more parish communities to participate while highlighting the Filipino community’s important contribution to the life and mission of the local Church.

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Adding to the beauty and cultural character of the celebration, participants are encouraged to come in traditional Filipino attire — the Barong Tagalog for men and the Baro’t Saya for women. These traditional garments are a visible expression of the Filipino heritage and remind Filipinos that their culture and Catholic faith are gifts they joyfully share with the wider Church.

The fellowship reflects the joyful Filipino tradition of a fiesta, where faith, family, friendship, and hospitality come together. We will share a variety of traditional Filipino dishes.

Traditionally, the celebration is also supported by a Hermana and/or Hermano, individuals or families who generously sponsor and assist with the celebration. Their generosity reflects the Filipino spirit of paglilingkod and bayanihan —serving God and the community together with joyful and grateful hearts.

More than a cultural gathering, the Filipino Saints Celebration is an opportunity to give thanks to God for the gift of the participants’ Filipino Catholic heritage and to be inspired by the courageous witness of San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod. Through their example, Filipino Catholics are reminded that holiness is possible in every generation and that, wherever Filipinos may be, we are called to remain faithful witnesses of Christ and His Church.

– Filipino Catholics from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., will gather for the annual Filipino Saints Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Church in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Hanover Township, N.J., beginning with Mass at 11 a.m. The event honors San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila and San Pedro Calungsod de Cebu, the first Filipino saints. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will celebrate the Mass, which will be concelebrated by the diocese’s Filipino priests, including Father Vidal Gonzales, pastor of Notre Dame and diocesan consultant/adviser for the Diocesan Commission for Catholic Filipino Ministries (DCCFM). The Mass will be

Aug. 30, 1984: Space Shuttle Discovery launches

Spanish regional government spotlights sainthood cause of Queen Isabella – #Catholic – The regional government of Castile and León in Spain highlighted the beatification cause of Queen Isabella during a meeting with the archbishop of Valladolid and president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, Luis Argüello.During a meeting between Argüello and the minister of culture, tourism, and sport, Alberto Díaz Pico, the regional government expressed its “interest in promoting the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Philip II (in 2027), as well as highlighting the beatification cause of Isabella, the Catholic Monarch, and its historical and cultural significance,” according to an Aug. 27 statement issued by the government.Isabella and her husband, King Ferdinand, were given the title “the Catholic Monarchs” by Pope Alexander VI through the papal bull Si Convenit for their defense of the Catholic faith.“Furthermore, the commitment to continue collaborating with the Church on the conservation, protection, and enhancement of the ecclesiastical heritage of Castile and León has been reaffirmed, with a view to exploring ways to expand and strengthen existing support measures,” the statement added.The statement also highlighted “the good rapport and the determination to maintain close collaboration on matters of mutual interest regarding the culture, heritage, and history of Castile and León.”Isabella, the Catholic MonarchIsabella I of Castile was born in Madrigal de las Altas Torres on April 22, 1451, Holy Thursday that year. After being recognized as Princess of Asturias in 1468, she married Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469 and had six children, two of whom predeceased her. Upon the death of Enrique IV, she was proclaimed queen in 1474, according to the Archdiocese of Valladolid.During her reign, she championed the reconquest of Granada from the Muslims and the voyage of Christopher Columbus, which led to the discovery of the Americas in October 1492. She also promoted the evangelization and protection of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, going so far as to ban their enslavement. She died on Nov. 26, 1504, from uterine cancer.The cause for her beatification was initiated in Valladolid in 1958; the diocesan phase concluded in 1990, after which the process moved to Rome.Historians have already favorably reviewed the documentation, but the theological assessment regarding the heroic nature of her virtues is still pending. Once that takes place, and following the popeʼs approval, she may be recognized as venerable, awaiting a miracle for her beatification.Enraizados (the “Rooted in Christ and in Society Association”) has an annual Mass celebrated in memory of Isabella. In the manifesto the group published in 2026, it included a prayer by the queen: “I am afraid, Lord, of being afraid and not knowing how to fight. I am afraid, Lord, of being afraid and being capable of denying you. I ask you, Lord, that in your greatness, you do not forget me. And that, with your love, you grant the strength to die for you.”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.

Pope Leo XIV appeals for release of Haiti hostages, prays for flood victims in Nepal and Tibet – #Catholic – CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for the immediate release of hostages taken in a deadly massacre in Haiti, appealed to authorities to protect the population from violence and prayed for victims of severe flooding in Nepal and Tibet.Speaking after the Angelus in Castel Gandolfo on Aug. 30, the pope said he had received “tragic reports” from Haiti about a massacre in Kenscoff.“Tragic reports are emerging from Haiti of the horrific massacre carried out in Kenscoff, in which numerous people have lost their lives and others taken hostage,” Pope Leo said. “I express my spiritual closeness to the victims and their families, and call for the immediate release of all hostages.”“I make a heartfelt appeal to all those in positions of authority to take concrete steps in order to ensure the safety of the population and put an end to all forms of violence,” he added.The pope also renewed his prayers for those affected by flooding in Nepal and Tibet.“Let us pray for those who have lost their lives, for the injured, those missing, for the families and rescue workers,” he said. “May the concern of everyone help to alleviate the suffering and provide the necessary aid to the people affected.”Pope Leo then broadened his appeal, urging Christians to continue praying for peace and recalling the words of St. Augustine, whose feast the Church celebrated Aug. 28.“Let us continue to pray for peace,” he said. “Saint Augustine, whose feast we celebrated a few days ago, said that peace ‘is like the miraculous bread multiplied in the hands of the disciples as they broke it and distributed it.’”“May there be an increase in the world of those who courageously break and share the bread of peace, overcoming divisions, promoting justice and practicing forgiveness for the good of all,” the pope said.Leo also noted that the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation will be celebrated Tuesday, marking the beginning of the ecumenical Season of Creation, whose 2026 theme is “Living Water.”“I invite everyone to join in prayer and action, that we may become channels of the living water of God’s peace, refreshing our wounded world,” he said.Understanding and accepting God’s waysBefore the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on the Gospel account in which Jesus tells his disciples of his coming Passion, prompting Peter to reject what he hears.The pope noted that Peter had only shortly before recognized Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” but was shocked when Christ explained that he would go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed and rise on the third day.Peter’s reaction, Leo said, was “an outburst of zeal, certainly motivated by sincere love, and yet it gives us something to consider.”“For us, too, in fact, it is not always easy to understand and accept God’s ways, especially when they are very far from our own,” the pope said. “Then the temptation arises — against all the reasoning of faith — to think that the Lord is the one who is wrong, or worse still, that he is not listening to us or is not concerned about us.”Peter, despite his impulsiveness, offers Christians two lessons in such moments, Leo said.“The first is, even in such moments, never to cease our dialogue with the Lord,” he said. “Instead, we are confidently to tell him our difficulty in understanding what he is asking of us.”“The second is never to judge God’s work, but rather humbly and prayerfully to listen to what he is revealing to us through his actions, even when they do not meet our expectations.”“The greatness of the first of the Apostles is also evident in this,” the pope said.Jesus responded to Peter with the words, “Get behind me, Satan!” before teaching the disciples that following him means denying themselves, taking up their crosses and following him.Peter would eventually accept that challenge, Leo noted, remaining faithful to Christ “for the rest of his life, even unto martyrdom.”The pope concluded his reflection by asking the Lord to give Christians Peter’s sincerity in prayer as well as his willingness to accept God’s will.“Let us therefore ask the Lord that we, too, in our life of faith and in our prayer, may have the same sincerity as Peter, humbly telling Jesus what we truly feel, even when our hearts are confused,” he said. “At the same time, may we cultivate Peter’s own docility in accepting what Jesus asks of us beyond our expectations.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Rest for a priest not a luxury but a necessity for mental health, Nigerian Vatican official says – #Catholic – NAIROBI, Kenya — For a priest, taking time to rest is not a “luxury,” the secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization said, urging priests to embrace healthy periods away from work to sustain their physical and mental health.In his address during the launch of a six-week formation program that seeks to explore priestly life in Nigeria, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu reflected on cases of mental health struggles among the members of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life (ICLSAL), noting that priests should embrace rest just as Jesus himself did during his ministry.“Rest, then, is not a luxury in priestly life; it is necessary for physical and mental health,” the archbishop said, noting that the recent news of the resignation of German Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann after a period of serious psychological strain is “a timely reminder that priests and bishops are not immune to exhaustion, depression, or burnout.”“We need proper rest, healthy boundaries, supportive relationships, and, when necessary, professional help. Caring for oneself is not stepping away from ministry; it helps us remain well enough to serve,” the Nigerian-born Vatican official emphasized during the launch, which was held virtually on Aug. 26.Organizers of the program seek to explore priestly life, starting with Nigeria, amid mounting mental health concerns among Catholic priests.According to organizers, participants in the program will look at “the quality of life, service, joy, aspirations, fears, and anxieties” that they say are “gradually pervading the cycle of a priestʼs life and ministry.”Guided by the theme “Fully Alive in Christ: Caring for the Self — The Priest as a Living Gift,” the program also seeks to explore priestly self-care, spiritual renewal, emotional well-being, burnout, healthy relationships, and living out the Church’s mission with confidence and joy.Participants in the formation will have access to training materials and will also receive a certificate of participation.In his presentation, Nwachukwu recalled the situation in the Diocese of Aba, where he said the age at which many priests have died points to the need for greater attention to the well-being of clergy.“Each time I visit the priests’ cemetery of the Diocese of Aba, close to the cathedral, I am struck and left sad by the age bracket of the colleagues whose remains are already lying there,” said the Vatican official, who also serves as the representative of the Holy See to the United Nations and Specialized Institutions in Geneva following his December 2021 appointment.Many of the priests, he added, died before reaching the age of 50. “Only very few crossed the bars of 60 and 70 years,” he said.Beyond the premature deaths of priests, Nwachukwu noted the growing number of young priests experiencing mental health challenges, raising the question of what can be done to address the situation.He said the concern was not about questioning God’s will but about examining how seriously the Church takes Jesus’ teachings and example regarding the self-care of those entrusted with ministry.Nwachukwu reflected on Mark 6:31-32 as a guiding text for understanding the importance of rest in priestly ministry. In the passage, Jesus tells his disciples: “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”The Nigerian Church leader explained that Jesus invited his disciples to take a pause from their ministry and join him in a period of rest. He noted that Jesus himself demonstrated the importance of taking a break — particularly after receiving news of the death of his cousin, John the Baptist.The archbishop said the Gospel accounts show that Jesus’ decision to withdraw was connected both to grief and to the demands of ministry.He said St. Matthew presents the withdrawal after Jesus receives news of John the Baptist’s death, while Mark and Luke place the invitation to rest after the disciples returned from a successful missionary assignment.The disciples had been so occupied with their mission that “many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat,” he noted, adding that their missionary work had included casting out demons as well as anointing the sick with oil and healing them.Nwachukwu said the experience offers an important lesson for priests who devote themselves intensely to ministry.“God-given energy needs God-given direction,” he said, explaining that strength, passion, and drive must be directed toward one’s vocation and mission. Otherwise, he warned, such energy can easily be spent elsewhere.He said this spiritual energy, when properly directed, can lead a person to Christ and enable him or her to bring others to Christ.He recalled Pope Benedict XVI’s homily at his episcopal ordination on Jan. 6, 2013, in which the late pontiff described the spiritual restlessness of the Magi as the force that led them from the East in search of the newborn Jesus.According to Nwachukwu, such restlessness finds its fulfillment in Christ.The archbishop also reflected on Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”He cautioned that rest detached from Christ can be harmful to priests, emphasizing that the rest Jesus offers is not simply an escape from work but a source of renewal.He explained that the Greek expression used in the passage, “kagō anapausō humas,” means “and I will give you rest.” The verb “anapauō,” he noted, conveys the idea of an elevating or renewing rest.For priests, Nwachukwu said, this kind of rest should include periods of detachment from routine activities to allow for physical renewal and to strengthen relationships with God, fellow priests, family members, and the faithful.He added that physical refreshment should include ordinary needs such as taking adequate time to eat and drink, while mental and spiritual renewal should involve learning how to direct one’s energies toward Christ through prayer and genuine charity.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

Picture of the day Acro paraglider shows off infinity tumbling, the most spectacular aerobatics maneuver that exist in paragliding #ImageOfTheDay

Picture of the day

Acro paraglider shows off infinity tumbling, the most spectacular aerobatics maneuver that exist in paragliding