NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 flight engineer Jessica Watkins works inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox, safely mixing living cell samples with a bioink and then filling a special cartridge with the cell‑ink mixture.
Read MoreOh, St. John Paul, from the window of heaven, grant us your blessing! Bless the church that you loved and served and guided, courageously leading it along the paths of the world in order to bring Jesus to everyone and everyone to Jesus. Bless the young, who were your great passion. Help them dream again, help them look up high again to find the light that illuminates the paths of life here on earth.
May you bless families, bless each family! You warned of Satan’s assault against this …
Read More![More than 1,000 spend a day at ‘Mary’s Shrine’ in Washington, D.C. for triennial pilgrimage #Catholic – Boarding buses as early as 6 a.m., more than 1,000 pilgrims from the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. traveled to Washington, D.C. to spend the day at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Oct. 17. Affectionately known as “Mary’s Shrine,” the pilgrimage to the basilica is a triennial diocesan event, with the last one held in 2023.
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the daylong event, which included a crowning of an image of the Blessed Mother, the opportunity for confessions, a catechetical presentation, multilingual recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Mass. Priests from all three counties of the diocese led 17 bus groups. Father Michael Rodak, diocesan director of pilgrimages and pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, coordinated the buses and an overnight trip in which about 100 pilgrims participated.
Father Jared Brogan, diocesan director of worship and pastor of St. Brendan and St. George Parish in Clifton, organized the liturgical events of the day.
The Marian-themed pilgrimage allowed diocesan visitors to see more than 80 chapels dedicated to the Blessed Mother. Some of the chapels are dedicated to Marian titles such as Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Miraculous Medal.
The apses in the basilica’s Great Upper Church retell the life of Jesus through the mysteries of the rosary depicted through mosaics. The basilica’s Trinity Dome, the central and largest dome of the National Shrine, is another visual highlight.
In the Lower Church, confessions were held for pilgrims seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There were also catechetical talks led by Father Yojaneider Garcia, pastor of Resurrection Parish in Randolph and diocesan director of the Catechetical Office and Faith Formation. The basilica also remembers the many Americans who have helped shape the Catholic Church in the United States in its Hall of American Saints.
BEACON PHOTOS | CECILE PAGLIARULO
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/more-than-1000-spend-a-day-at-marys-shrine-in-washington-d-c-for-triennial-pilgrimage-catholic-boarding-buses-as-early-as-6-a-m-more-than-1000-pilgrims-from-the-dio.jpg "More than 1,000 spend a day at ‘Mary’s Shrine’ in Washington, D.C. for triennial pilgrimage #Catholic – Boarding buses as early as 6 a.m., more than 1,000 pilgrims from the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. traveled to Washington, D.C. to spend the day at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Oct. 17. Affectionately known as “Mary’s Shrine,” the pilgrimage to the basilica is a triennial diocesan event, with the last one held in 2023.
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the daylong event, which included a crowning of an image of the Blessed Mother, the opportunity for confessions, a catechetical presentation, multilingual recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Mass. Priests from all three counties of the diocese led 17 bus groups. Father Michael Rodak, diocesan director of pilgrimages and pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, coordinated the buses and an overnight trip in which about 100 pilgrims participated.
Father Jared Brogan, diocesan director of worship and pastor of St. Brendan and St. George Parish in Clifton, organized the liturgical events of the day.
The Marian-themed pilgrimage allowed diocesan visitors to see more than 80 chapels dedicated to the Blessed Mother. Some of the chapels are dedicated to Marian titles such as Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Miraculous Medal.
The apses in the basilica’s Great Upper Church retell the life of Jesus through the mysteries of the rosary depicted through mosaics. The basilica’s Trinity Dome, the central and largest dome of the National Shrine, is another visual highlight.
In the Lower Church, confessions were held for pilgrims seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There were also catechetical talks led by Father Yojaneider Garcia, pastor of Resurrection Parish in Randolph and diocesan director of the Catechetical Office and Faith Formation. The basilica also remembers the many Americans who have helped shape the Catholic Church in the United States in its Hall of American Saints.
BEACON PHOTOS | CECILE PAGLIARULO
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.")
More than 1,000 spend a day at ‘Mary’s Shrine’ in Washington, D.C. for triennial pilgrimage #Catholic – 
Boarding buses as early as 6 a.m., more than 1,000 pilgrims from the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. traveled to Washington, D.C. to spend the day at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Oct. 17. Affectionately known as “Mary’s Shrine,” the pilgrimage to the basilica is a triennial diocesan event, with the last one held in 2023.
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the daylong event, which included a crowning of an image of the Blessed Mother, the opportunity for confessions, a catechetical presentation, multilingual recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Mass. Priests from all three counties of the diocese led 17 bus groups. Father Michael Rodak, diocesan director of pilgrimages and pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, coordinated the buses and an overnight trip in which about 100 pilgrims participated.
Father Jared Brogan, diocesan director of worship and pastor of St. Brendan and St. George Parish in Clifton, organized the liturgical events of the day.
The Marian-themed pilgrimage allowed diocesan visitors to see more than 80 chapels dedicated to the Blessed Mother. Some of the chapels are dedicated to Marian titles such as Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Miraculous Medal.
The apses in the basilica’s Great Upper Church retell the life of Jesus through the mysteries of the rosary depicted through mosaics. The basilica’s Trinity Dome, the central and largest dome of the National Shrine, is another visual highlight.
In the Lower Church, confessions were held for pilgrims seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation. There were also catechetical talks led by Father Yojaneider Garcia, pastor of Resurrection Parish in Randolph and diocesan director of the Catechetical Office and Faith Formation. The basilica also remembers the many Americans who have helped shape the Catholic Church in the United States in its Hall of American Saints.
– Boarding buses as early as 6 a.m., more than 1,000 pilgrims from the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. traveled to Washington, D.C. to spend the day at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Oct. 17. Affectionately known as “Mary’s Shrine,” the pilgrimage to the basilica is a triennial diocesan event, with the last one held in 2023. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney led the daylong event, which included a crowning of an image of the Blessed Mother, the opportunity for confessions, a catechetical presentation, multilingual recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Mass. Priests from all three
![Trump signs bill to reopen SSocial Security, Medicare opt-ins for priests, clergy #Catholic President Donald Trump signed into law a measure that allows clergy — including Catholic priests and bishops — to opt back in to Social Security and Medicare if they had previously opted out of the program.Under the tax code, clergy may opt out of Social Security and Medicare taxes for ministerial work but cannot receive the benefits if they do. A person who opts out typically cannot reverse that decision, but the law, supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), opens a two-year window for members of clergy to opt back in if they have changed their minds.The law, signed on Oct. 20, allows clergy members to opt back in during the 2029 or 2030 tax years, but they must still meet the standard contribution requirements to receive benefits. The House of Representatives passed the bill 350-5 on April 27, and the Senate cleared it by unanimous consent on Sept. 30.According to a news release from the House Ways and Means Committee, about 2,000 people take the opt-out. This is the third time Congress offered a temporary window for clergy to reverse their opt-outs, with the last time being 1999.“America’s pastors and faith leaders spend their lives caring for others,” Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement.“Many chose to opt out of Social Security when they were young and just starting their ministry,” he said. “A single, sometimes ill-advised, decision made decades ago should not stand between them and a secure retirement.”Support from Catholic bishopsWhen reached for comment, the USCCB referred EWTN News to an April 14 letter supportive of the bill, signed by Archbishop Shelton Fabre, chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Archbishop Ronald Hicks, chair of the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.The letter states that the bill offers “much needed relief and support for priests and religious who previously opted out of Social Security and Medicare to opt back into the programs.”“For one reason or another, many clergy members, often decades prior and due to inaccurate financial advice, opted out of contributing,” the letter states.It adds that the bill helps clergy “move toward a more complete retirement” and offers a “more comprehensive financial and physical wellbeing as they transition into the next phase of their lives and ministries.”“Priests and religious have spent their lives in service to Christ by ministering to the faithful and those in need,” the letter adds. “[The legislation helps] enable them to obtain better financial and physical health in their retirement.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/trump-signs-bill-to-reopen-ssocial-security-medicare-opt-ins-for-priests-clergy-catholic-president-donald-trump-signed-into-law-a-measure-that-allows-clergy-including-catholic-priests-and.jpg "Trump signs bill to reopen SSocial Security, Medicare opt-ins for priests, clergy #Catholic President Donald Trump signed into law a measure that allows clergy — including Catholic priests and bishops — to opt back in to Social Security and Medicare if they had previously opted out of the program.Under the tax code, clergy may opt out of Social Security and Medicare taxes for ministerial work but cannot receive the benefits if they do. A person who opts out typically cannot reverse that decision, but the law, supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), opens a two-year window for members of clergy to opt back in if they have changed their minds.The law, signed on Oct. 20, allows clergy members to opt back in during the 2029 or 2030 tax years, but they must still meet the standard contribution requirements to receive benefits. The House of Representatives passed the bill 350-5 on April 27, and the Senate cleared it by unanimous consent on Sept. 30.According to a news release from the House Ways and Means Committee, about 2,000 people take the opt-out. This is the third time Congress offered a temporary window for clergy to reverse their opt-outs, with the last time being 1999.“America’s pastors and faith leaders spend their lives caring for others,” Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in a statement.“Many chose to opt out of Social Security when they were young and just starting their ministry,” he said. “A single, sometimes ill-advised, decision made decades ago should not stand between them and a secure retirement.”Support from Catholic bishopsWhen reached for comment, the USCCB referred EWTN News to an April 14 letter supportive of the bill, signed by Archbishop Shelton Fabre, chair of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Archbishop Ronald Hicks, chair of the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.The letter states that the bill offers “much needed relief and support for priests and religious who previously opted out of Social Security and Medicare to opt back into the programs.”“For one reason or another, many clergy members, often decades prior and due to inaccurate financial advice, opted out of contributing,” the letter states.It adds that the bill helps clergy “move toward a more complete retirement” and offers a “more comprehensive financial and physical wellbeing as they transition into the next phase of their lives and ministries.”“Priests and religious have spent their lives in service to Christ by ministering to the faithful and those in need,” the letter adds. “[The legislation helps] enable them to obtain better financial and physical health in their retirement.”")
The measure, supported by Catholic bishops, allows clergy to reverse their decision to opt out of Social Security and Medicare.
A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians
3:14-21
Brothers and sisters:
I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory
to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine,
by the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
From the Gospel according to Luke
12:49-53
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
Today’s Gospel presents us with a demanding text (cf. Lk 12:49-53), in which Jesus uses strong images and great frankness to teach his disciples that his mission, and even that of his followers, is not a “bed of roses”, but a “sign of contradiction” (cf. Lk 2:34).
In this way, the Lord anticipates what he will have to face in Jerusalem when he will be opposed, arrested, insulted, beaten, crucified; when his message of love and justice will be rejected. (…)
All of this reminds us that being or doing good does not always receive a positive response. On the contrary, because its beauty at times annoys those who do not welcome it, one can end up encountering harsh opposition, even insolence and oppression. Acting in truth has its cost, because there are those in the world who choose lies, and the devil, who takes advantage of the situation, often seeks to block the actions of good people.
Jesus, however, invites us with his help not to give in and conform ourselves to this mentality, but to continue to act for our good and the good of all, even those who make us suffer. He invites us not to respond to insolence with vengeance, but to remain faithful to the truth in love. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 17 August 2025)
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Here’s how to take on Pinto Canyon Road, one of the most gorgeous drives in the Lone Star State.
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The US Supreme Court on Wednesday, in an unsigned order, denied the Trump Administration’s emergency appeal to restrict transgender surgeries for prison inmates.
The post BREAKING: Supreme Court Denies Trump Emergency Appeal to Restrict Transgender Surgeries for Inmates – Thomas, Alito Dissent appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More
A football fan apparently took his devotion to an extremely disturbing level earlier this month and is now facing criminal charges.
The post Married Virginia Man Allegedly Ties Wife to Chair in Their Basement So He Can Watch Football Game by Himself appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More
Chaldean Catholics from around the world gathered with their patriarch at the Vatican Faith, Reunion and the Hope of Return: Chaldean Catholics Gather at the Vatican
While French President Emmanuel Macron, unsurprisingly, chose to blame his fellow French citizens for the violent Islamo-Marxist riots tearing through his country and spreading across Europe.
The post Italian PM Meloni Announces Measures to Combat Violent Riots and Looting: Half of the 330 People Arrested and Detained Are of ‘Foreign Background’ (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More![Paterson rector hailed for inspiring hope and supporting children #Catholic – The community of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., beamed with pride on Oct. 18 as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh presented the Key to the City to Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector, for “being a champion for children and a beacon of hope for Paterson.” The mayor made the presentation that day at the end of the 11:30 a.m. Mass.
Msgr. Sylva has served as rector of St. John’s, the mother church of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., for about eight years. He also serves as diocesan vicar for special projects. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him to the Dicastery for Evangelization at the Holy See, reflecting his commitment to evangelization.
Under Msgr. Sylva’s leadership, St. John’s has expanded its outreach to children. The cathedral established Compostela, a faith-filled after-school and catechetical program for K- 8; Young Prophets youth ministry; a Special Needs Ministry with a monthly Mass; and a Cathedral Summer Camp. It’s active music ministry includes a Children’s Choir. St. John’s also welcomed KIPP Paterson Elementary Prep, a K-4 public charter school housed in its Catechetical and Educational Building.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
St. John’s holds Bethlehem in Paterson, a major holiday outreach and gift-giving program that transforms the cathedral area, also known as the Block of Mercy, into a festive setting to share the spirit of Christmas. The cathedral has also expanded its social justice ministries and outreach to Hispanic Catholics among many other initiatives.
After the Mass, Mayor Sayegh called Msgr. Sylva “an MVP: Most Valuable Priest,” on social media.
“He’s also a champion for children, especially our youth at the Paterson Prep School and the Young Prophets program,” Mayor Sayegh said about Msgr. Sylva. “He’s a credit to our community, and he has been a blessing everywhere he has served, including the Vatican. Please join me in celebrating and congratulating a Mighty Man of God!” he said.
Msgr. Sylva called the Key to the City presentation “a beautiful celebration of our mission here to the children of the city through the school and Compostela. We are blessed.”
In his homily at the Mass before the presentation, Msgr. Sylva thanked all those involved in St. John’s, Compostela, KIPP Paterson Prep, diocesan leadership, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Paterson emergency services and government, including Mayor Sayegh.
“As I receive the key to the City of Paterson, I find myself thinking about the children of this city and about [William] Wordsworth’s beautiful image of those children trailing clouds of glory. What a responsibility and opportunity we have to give our children the keys of beauty, truth, and goodness with which to unlock the gates of heaven. Nothing more merciful than that,” Msgr. Sylva said in his homily. “Mr. Mayor, thank you for presenting us with the key to the City. I promise, we will keep working to place these keys in the hands of our children, for Wordsworth was right: children come into this world trailing clouds of glory. Our responsibility is to make sure that as they grow older, those clouds of glory do not simply disappear into the darkness of the world, but lead them to the eternal Compostela, that heavenly field of stars,” the rector said.
Ordained a priest in 1993, Msgr. Sylva also sits on the Board of the Paterson Prep Charter School as one of its founding members. He also serves as chaplain for the Paterson Police and Fire Departments, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York Division of the FBI.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/paterson-rector-hailed-for-inspiring-hope-and-supporting-children-catholic-the-community-of-the-cathedral-of-st-john-the-baptist-in-paterson-n-j-beamed-with-pride-on-oct-18-as-paterson-mayor-a.jpg "Paterson rector hailed for inspiring hope and supporting children #Catholic – The community of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., beamed with pride on Oct. 18 as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh presented the Key to the City to Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector, for “being a champion for children and a beacon of hope for Paterson.” The mayor made the presentation that day at the end of the 11:30 a.m. Mass.
Msgr. Sylva has served as rector of St. John’s, the mother church of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., for about eight years. He also serves as diocesan vicar for special projects. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him to the Dicastery for Evangelization at the Holy See, reflecting his commitment to evangelization.
Under Msgr. Sylva’s leadership, St. John’s has expanded its outreach to children. The cathedral established Compostela, a faith-filled after-school and catechetical program for K- 8; Young Prophets youth ministry; a Special Needs Ministry with a monthly Mass; and a Cathedral Summer Camp. It’s active music ministry includes a Children’s Choir. St. John’s also welcomed KIPP Paterson Elementary Prep, a K-4 public charter school housed in its Catechetical and Educational Building.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
St. John’s holds Bethlehem in Paterson, a major holiday outreach and gift-giving program that transforms the cathedral area, also known as the Block of Mercy, into a festive setting to share the spirit of Christmas. The cathedral has also expanded its social justice ministries and outreach to Hispanic Catholics among many other initiatives.
After the Mass, Mayor Sayegh called Msgr. Sylva “an MVP: Most Valuable Priest,” on social media.
“He’s also a champion for children, especially our youth at the Paterson Prep School and the Young Prophets program,” Mayor Sayegh said about Msgr. Sylva. “He’s a credit to our community, and he has been a blessing everywhere he has served, including the Vatican. Please join me in celebrating and congratulating a Mighty Man of God!” he said.
Msgr. Sylva called the Key to the City presentation “a beautiful celebration of our mission here to the children of the city through the school and Compostela. We are blessed.”
In his homily at the Mass before the presentation, Msgr. Sylva thanked all those involved in St. John’s, Compostela, KIPP Paterson Prep, diocesan leadership, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Paterson emergency services and government, including Mayor Sayegh.
“As I receive the key to the City of Paterson, I find myself thinking about the children of this city and about [William] Wordsworth’s beautiful image of those children trailing clouds of glory. What a responsibility and opportunity we have to give our children the keys of beauty, truth, and goodness with which to unlock the gates of heaven. Nothing more merciful than that,” Msgr. Sylva said in his homily. “Mr. Mayor, thank you for presenting us with the key to the City. I promise, we will keep working to place these keys in the hands of our children, for Wordsworth was right: children come into this world trailing clouds of glory. Our responsibility is to make sure that as they grow older, those clouds of glory do not simply disappear into the darkness of the world, but lead them to the eternal Compostela, that heavenly field of stars,” the rector said.
Ordained a priest in 1993, Msgr. Sylva also sits on the Board of the Paterson Prep Charter School as one of its founding members. He also serves as chaplain for the Paterson Police and Fire Departments, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York Division of the FBI.")
Paterson rector hailed for inspiring hope and supporting children #Catholic – 
The community of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., beamed with pride on Oct. 18 as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh presented the Key to the City to Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector, for “being a champion for children and a beacon of hope for Paterson.” The mayor made the presentation that day at the end of the 11:30 a.m. Mass.
Msgr. Sylva has served as rector of St. John’s, the mother church of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., for about eight years. He also serves as diocesan vicar for special projects. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him to the Dicastery for Evangelization at the Holy See, reflecting his commitment to evangelization.
Under Msgr. Sylva’s leadership, St. John’s has expanded its outreach to children. The cathedral established Compostela, a faith-filled after-school and catechetical program for K- 8; Young Prophets youth ministry; a Special Needs Ministry with a monthly Mass; and a Cathedral Summer Camp. It’s active music ministry includes a Children’s Choir. St. John’s also welcomed KIPP Paterson Elementary Prep, a K-4 public charter school housed in its Catechetical and Educational Building.
St. John’s holds Bethlehem in Paterson, a major holiday outreach and gift-giving program that transforms the cathedral area, also known as the Block of Mercy, into a festive setting to share the spirit of Christmas. The cathedral has also expanded its social justice ministries and outreach to Hispanic Catholics among many other initiatives.
After the Mass, Mayor Sayegh called Msgr. Sylva “an MVP: Most Valuable Priest,” on social media.
“He’s also a champion for children, especially our youth at the Paterson Prep School and the Young Prophets program,” Mayor Sayegh said about Msgr. Sylva. “He’s a credit to our community, and he has been a blessing everywhere he has served, including the Vatican. Please join me in celebrating and congratulating a Mighty Man of God!” he said.
Msgr. Sylva called the Key to the City presentation “a beautiful celebration of our mission here to the children of the city through the school and Compostela. We are blessed.”
In his homily at the Mass before the presentation, Msgr. Sylva thanked all those involved in St. John’s, Compostela, KIPP Paterson Prep, diocesan leadership, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, and Paterson emergency services and government, including Mayor Sayegh.
“As I receive the key to the City of Paterson, I find myself thinking about the children of this city and about [William] Wordsworth’s beautiful image of those children trailing clouds of glory. What a responsibility and opportunity we have to give our children the keys of beauty, truth, and goodness with which to unlock the gates of heaven. Nothing more merciful than that,” Msgr. Sylva said in his homily. “Mr. Mayor, thank you for presenting us with the key to the City. I promise, we will keep working to place these keys in the hands of our children, for Wordsworth was right: children come into this world trailing clouds of glory. Our responsibility is to make sure that as they grow older, those clouds of glory do not simply disappear into the darkness of the world, but lead them to the eternal Compostela, that heavenly field of stars,” the rector said.
Ordained a priest in 1993, Msgr. Sylva also sits on the Board of the Paterson Prep Charter School as one of its founding members. He also serves as chaplain for the Paterson Police and Fire Departments, the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York Division of the FBI.
– The community of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., beamed with pride on Oct. 18 as Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh presented the Key to the City to Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector, for “being a champion for children and a beacon of hope for Paterson.” The mayor made the presentation that day at the end of the 11:30 a.m. Mass. Msgr. Sylva has served as rector of St. John’s, the mother church of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., for about eight years. He also serves as diocesan vicar for special projects. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed
![‘Exorcist Files’ priest sues Catholic commentators who questioned his credentials – #Catholic – A prominent priest who hosts a popular podcast about exorcisms is suing two lay Catholic commentators for defamation, alleging that they falsely told listeners of another podcast that he is not an exorcist. The two commentators are associates of a well-known exorcist, Father Chad Ripperger, who is not a defendant in the lawsuit.Father Carlos Martins, host of “The Exorcist Files” and author of a book with the same title, filed the lawsuit, which is pending, in November 2025 against Jesse Romero (identified in court papers as Jesus O. Romero Jr.) and Kyle Clement. At the time, Romero was the principal host of the podcast “Jesus 911,” while Clement, director of formation and training for a religious society of priests that Ripperger founded, was a guest on Romero’s podcast.The lawsuit also names as a defendant Catholic Resource Center Inc., of Los Angeles, which operates Virgin Most Powerful Radio, the broadcaster of “Jesus 911.” According to Martins’ complaint, Clement made false statements about Martins while appearing on the podcast in November 2024.“Clement asserted that Fr. Martins ‘is not who he says he is’” and that Martins is “opining and talking about things which he does not know,” according to Martins’ complaint, which calls Clement’s statements “false and defamatory” because, it says, “Fr. Martins has functioned as an exorcist and has both the knowledge and experience to perform and speak on exorcism.”“These statements harmed Fr. Martins’ credibility as a religious figure and exorcist and directly affected the sale and reception of ‘The Exorcist Files’ book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired,” states Martins’ complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. “In addition, these statements caused ‘The Exorcist Files’ to lose advertisers and listeners, which resulted in financial losses.”But Romero and Clement “deny any allegation that they published false or misleading statements” about Martins during the podcasts and maintain that the priest is not an exorcist, according to a formal answer to Martins’ complaint filed in court in September 2026.“It is Defendants[’] strongly held belief that Plaintiff is not an exorcist …,” the defendants state in court papers, questioning Martins’ credentials and describing the priest’s “traveling across the United States to perform exorcisms” as “both improper and out of the ordinary.”Private inquiriesThe statements Clement and Romero made about Martins during three late-2024 “Jesus 911” podcast episodes (Nov. 20, Nov. 27, and Dec. 4) followed inquiries Romero made privately in the summer of 2023.Romero sent Martins an email message Aug. 29, 2023, asking for his “status as an exorcist” while identifying himself as a radio and podcast host and as a “member of the Liber Christo team under Fr Ripperger,” according to an exhibit filed in court by Martins’ lawyer.Liber Christo is an organization founded by Ripperger and Clement for “training priests, deacons and laity in the ministry of liberation” from purported demonic possession.Martins referred Romero to the priest’s website without answering his questions, according to court papers.Romero also solicited an email message from Martins’ religious society, Companions of the Cross, about the priest, to which the society responded.“In answer to your inquiry Fr. Carlos has not been appointed as an exorcist by a particular diocese. His full-time ministry is Treasures of the Church, however, due to his travels, he has been involved in exorcisms with the appropriate permission and or by request of the corresponding bishop,” the society’s email message states.According to court papers, Romero quoted from the email message during a podcast episode released Nov. 27, 2024, but stopped at “Treasures of the Church” and left out the part about Martins receiving “appropriate permission” from diocesan bishops to perform exorcisms.Crossing a line?Romero’s partial quotation of the society’s email message about Martins during the podcast is a flashpoint in the case.On Aug. 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge F. Kay Behm denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss the case, writing that “the court agrees that Plaintiff has the better argument.” The judge highlighted a particular statement that, according to her ruling, Romero made on the podcast about Martins: “I just don’t understand why he’s purporting to be an exorcist when his Order says he’s not.”With that statement, the judge wrote, Romero “appear[s] to have crossed the line between an opinion that Fr. Martins is not an exorcist to statements of fact that the email from his own Order says he is not an exorcist.”The email message from the Companions of the Cross “does not say that Plaintiff is not an exorcist,” the judge wrote.The ruling allowed the lawsuit to proceed but did not determine whether the defendants had defamed Martins.Two weeks later, on Sept. 4, 2026, the defendants in their formal answer to Martins’ complaint acknowledged that “Romero only read a portion of the e-mail in question” during the podcast but described it as a choice the defendants made “consistent with their beliefs” that Martins is not an exorcist.Unspecified damagesMartins is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit for harm to his reputation, earning ability, and physical well-being allegedly caused by the podcasters’ statements about him.On the financial side, Martins’ complaint says he had to cancel “worldwide speaking engagements” associated with the publication of his book “The Exorcist Files,” published in November 2024, and that his podcast lost advertisers and listeners.Martins’ complaint says “multiple priests contacted” him following the “Jesus 911” podcasts in November and December 2024 and that “at least one priest advised Fr. Martins that multiple people in his parish were scandalized by the podcasts and asked if Fr. Martins was a fraud.”“Everywhere he goes, he fears people believe him to be a fraud, who is not worthy of the priesthood and not to be trusted as an exorcist,” the complaint states.Martins’ complaint also alleges that he “suffered severe emotional distress, including anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, dread, grief, and a sense of hopelessness,” as well as a brain injury called dendritic atrophy, allegedly caused by emotional distress. The complaint says the injury makes the brain “more susceptible to anxiety and depression.”“Fr. Martins’ cognitive abilities have been permanently diminished because of the Defendants’ conduct,” the complaint states.Neither Martins nor his religious community nor the lawyer representing him in the case could be reached for comment by the time this story was published.Clement and a spokesman for Catholic Resource Center also could not be reached for comment.A spokesman for Romero, who currently hosts “The Jesse Romero Show” podcast, declined an interview request from the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.“Jesse would welcome an interview after the case is adjudicated and talk about the case from the beginning to end,” said Anita Romero, Jesse Romero’s event coordinator, by email.The defendants’ lawyer, H. William Burdett, declined a request for comment.Ripperger, who, at the request of Denver Archbishop James Golka, has agreed to a one-year moratorium on public speaking and interviews, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night. The Register attempted to contact him through the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother, known as the Doloran Fathers, a semi-contemplative society of priests he founded in the Archdiocese of Denver.A scheduling conference in the case is set for Oct. 29.This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/exorcist-files-priest-sues-catholic-commentators-who-questioned-his-credentials-catholic-a-prominent-priest-who-hosts-a-popular-podcast-about-exorcisms-is-suing-two-lay-catholic.webp "‘Exorcist Files’ priest sues Catholic commentators who questioned his credentials – #Catholic – A prominent priest who hosts a popular podcast about exorcisms is suing two lay Catholic commentators for defamation, alleging that they falsely told listeners of another podcast that he is not an exorcist. The two commentators are associates of a well-known exorcist, Father Chad Ripperger, who is not a defendant in the lawsuit.Father Carlos Martins, host of “The Exorcist Files” and author of a book with the same title, filed the lawsuit, which is pending, in November 2025 against Jesse Romero (identified in court papers as Jesus O. Romero Jr.) and Kyle Clement. At the time, Romero was the principal host of the podcast “Jesus 911,” while Clement, director of formation and training for a religious society of priests that Ripperger founded, was a guest on Romero’s podcast.The lawsuit also names as a defendant Catholic Resource Center Inc., of Los Angeles, which operates Virgin Most Powerful Radio, the broadcaster of “Jesus 911.” According to Martins’ complaint, Clement made false statements about Martins while appearing on the podcast in November 2024.“Clement asserted that Fr. Martins ‘is not who he says he is’” and that Martins is “opining and talking about things which he does not know,” according to Martins’ complaint, which calls Clement’s statements “false and defamatory” because, it says, “Fr. Martins has functioned as an exorcist and has both the knowledge and experience to perform and speak on exorcism.”“These statements harmed Fr. Martins’ credibility as a religious figure and exorcist and directly affected the sale and reception of ‘The Exorcist Files’ book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired,” states Martins’ complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. “In addition, these statements caused ‘The Exorcist Files’ to lose advertisers and listeners, which resulted in financial losses.”But Romero and Clement “deny any allegation that they published false or misleading statements” about Martins during the podcasts and maintain that the priest is not an exorcist, according to a formal answer to Martins’ complaint filed in court in September 2026.“It is Defendants[’] strongly held belief that Plaintiff is not an exorcist …,” the defendants state in court papers, questioning Martins’ credentials and describing the priest’s “traveling across the United States to perform exorcisms” as “both improper and out of the ordinary.”Private inquiriesThe statements Clement and Romero made about Martins during three late-2024 “Jesus 911” podcast episodes (Nov. 20, Nov. 27, and Dec. 4) followed inquiries Romero made privately in the summer of 2023.Romero sent Martins an email message Aug. 29, 2023, asking for his “status as an exorcist” while identifying himself as a radio and podcast host and as a “member of the Liber Christo team under Fr Ripperger,” according to an exhibit filed in court by Martins’ lawyer.Liber Christo is an organization founded by Ripperger and Clement for “training priests, deacons and laity in the ministry of liberation” from purported demonic possession.Martins referred Romero to the priest’s website without answering his questions, according to court papers.Romero also solicited an email message from Martins’ religious society, Companions of the Cross, about the priest, to which the society responded.“In answer to your inquiry Fr. Carlos has not been appointed as an exorcist by a particular diocese. His full-time ministry is Treasures of the Church, however, due to his travels, he has been involved in exorcisms with the appropriate permission and or by request of the corresponding bishop,” the society’s email message states.According to court papers, Romero quoted from the email message during a podcast episode released Nov. 27, 2024, but stopped at “Treasures of the Church” and left out the part about Martins receiving “appropriate permission” from diocesan bishops to perform exorcisms.Crossing a line?Romero’s partial quotation of the society’s email message about Martins during the podcast is a flashpoint in the case.On Aug. 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge F. Kay Behm denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss the case, writing that “the court agrees that Plaintiff has the better argument.” The judge highlighted a particular statement that, according to her ruling, Romero made on the podcast about Martins: “I just don’t understand why he’s purporting to be an exorcist when his Order says he’s not.”With that statement, the judge wrote, Romero “appear[s] to have crossed the line between an opinion that Fr. Martins is not an exorcist to statements of fact that the email from his own Order says he is not an exorcist.”The email message from the Companions of the Cross “does not say that Plaintiff is not an exorcist,” the judge wrote.The ruling allowed the lawsuit to proceed but did not determine whether the defendants had defamed Martins.Two weeks later, on Sept. 4, 2026, the defendants in their formal answer to Martins’ complaint acknowledged that “Romero only read a portion of the e-mail in question” during the podcast but described it as a choice the defendants made “consistent with their beliefs” that Martins is not an exorcist.Unspecified damagesMartins is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit for harm to his reputation, earning ability, and physical well-being allegedly caused by the podcasters’ statements about him.On the financial side, Martins’ complaint says he had to cancel “worldwide speaking engagements” associated with the publication of his book “The Exorcist Files,” published in November 2024, and that his podcast lost advertisers and listeners.Martins’ complaint says “multiple priests contacted” him following the “Jesus 911” podcasts in November and December 2024 and that “at least one priest advised Fr. Martins that multiple people in his parish were scandalized by the podcasts and asked if Fr. Martins was a fraud.”“Everywhere he goes, he fears people believe him to be a fraud, who is not worthy of the priesthood and not to be trusted as an exorcist,” the complaint states.Martins’ complaint also alleges that he “suffered severe emotional distress, including anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, dread, grief, and a sense of hopelessness,” as well as a brain injury called dendritic atrophy, allegedly caused by emotional distress. The complaint says the injury makes the brain “more susceptible to anxiety and depression.”“Fr. Martins’ cognitive abilities have been permanently diminished because of the Defendants’ conduct,” the complaint states.Neither Martins nor his religious community nor the lawyer representing him in the case could be reached for comment by the time this story was published.Clement and a spokesman for Catholic Resource Center also could not be reached for comment.A spokesman for Romero, who currently hosts “The Jesse Romero Show” podcast, declined an interview request from the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.“Jesse would welcome an interview after the case is adjudicated and talk about the case from the beginning to end,” said Anita Romero, Jesse Romero’s event coordinator, by email.The defendants’ lawyer, H. William Burdett, declined a request for comment.Ripperger, who, at the request of Denver Archbishop James Golka, has agreed to a one-year moratorium on public speaking and interviews, could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night. The Register attempted to contact him through the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother, known as the Doloran Fathers, a semi-contemplative society of priests he founded in the Archdiocese of Denver.A scheduling conference in the case is set for Oct. 29.This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.")
Father Carlos Martins alleges that two Catholic commentators made false statements about him on a podcast; defendants deny the allegations.
The pontiff met with participants of the “Holiness in History” conference at the Vatican on Wednesday.
In 1892, George Ellery Hale, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Chicago, convinced the university president to acquire two 40-inch telescope lens blanks. With funding from Charles Yerkes, a Chicago mass-transit tycoon looking to refurbish his image, Hale spearheaded the creation of an observatory to house the Great Refractor made with these blanks.Continue reading “Oct. 21, 1897: Yerkes Observatory is dedicated”
The post Oct. 21, 1897: Yerkes Observatory is dedicated appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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