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Emerald swift (Sceloporus malachiticus) Finca El Pilar, Antigua Guatemala. Also known as the green spiny lizard.
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From left, Expedition 74 flight engineers Anna Kikina and Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos, and Anil Menon of NASA pose for a portrait while holding a cake celebrating their recent arrival aboard the International Space Station.
Read MoreA reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
4:7-15
Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Saint James was the brother of John the Evangelist. They were the two disciples to whom – in one of the most striking dialogues recorded in the Gospel – Jesus posed the famous question: “‘Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?’ They said to Him: ‘We are able’” (Mt 20:22). They were words of willingness and courage; an attitude typical of young people, though not exclusive to them, but shared by all Christians, and in particular by those who accept the call to be apostles of the Gospel. The two disciples’ generous response was accepted by Jesus. He said to them: “You will drink my cup” (Mt 20:23). These words were fulfilled in James, son of Zebedee, who bore witness to Christ’s resurrection in Jerusalem with his own blood. Jesus had asked the question about the cup that the two brothers were to drink when their mother, as we have read in the Gospel, approached the Master to ask Him for a place of special honour for both of them in the Kingdom. However, after ascertaining their willingness to drink the cup, Christ said to them: “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father” (Mt 20:23). […] Jesus then took the opportunity to explain to everyone that the calling to his Kingdom is not a calling to power but to service, “even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). (John Paul II, Homily of 9 November 1982)
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The U.N. high commissioner for human rights has urged the Ortega dictatorship to disclose the fate, whereabouts, and condition of 80-year-old Bishop Abelardo Mata and restore the rule of law.
At the outset of the catastrophe, the Archdiocese of Caracas established an emergency response commission tasked with managing spiritual, psychological, and material care for those affected.
![Facing deportation, Nigerian nun in south Texas speaks out – #Catholic – Sister Leticia Ugboaja, the Catholic nun and nurse who was briefly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in south Texas in June, made her first public remarks after what she described as weeks of “stress, anxiety, and fear.” At a July 23 press conference, she said she is still afraid of what may yet happen to her but is trusting in God.“I was very much afraid, with cold sweat,” she said of her detainment by ICE officers as she walked to Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, on June 28. “I did not expect [it]; on an ordinary Sunday morning, when people should be ready to go to Mass to worship the Lord, on the street here, just in front of the school, where I have walked … a countless number of times.”“I will not pretend it did not hurt and it’s hurting me today,” she said, describing the two ICE agents as “armed, and Iʼm just a small woman, a nun, armless, with just my rosary, my key, and my phone.”Though she felt afraid and hurt, she said she has been trusting in God, quoting Jesus’ admonition to “not be afraid, because I am with you always.”Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, said it was “heartbreaking” to be told “no” by the ICE agents after she asked them if she could first attend Sunday Mass and receive Communion because “as we know, Sunday Mass is obligatory … it is mandatory.”During the press conference, Carlos Garcia, her lawyer, gave more information about her immigration status. He said an immigration judge denied her application for asylum in 2019 but did grant her protection from removal to Nigeria under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, saying it was likely she would be tortured if she returned there.Garcia said this protection legally bars the U.S. government from deporting her to Nigeria, though “as a technical matter,” she remains under a final order of removal.Nevertheless, he said the religious sister and nurse, who has served in south Texas for more than a decade, is legally authorized to work in the U.S. and “has never missed an immigration appointment.”Garcia said Ugboaja’s detainment by immigration officials is confusing: “People who’ve been granted this type of relief have generally for many years been under the impression they are OK as long as they complied … So it’s very confusing not only for her but for many others I’ve talked to as to what is going on.”Of the way immigration enforcement actions are taking place, Garcia said “it’s hard to comprehend, because of the way it’s happening, without [people] being informed of any reasoning” by the government.Not an isolated case“I am not the only one,” Ugboaja said of others who are “languishing’ in the same situation in which she finds herself but who do not have the attention of the media on them.They are “people who have been given some form of protection under our laws, who have followed every rule asked of them … who still live with uncertainty about where they might be sent and whether anyone will tell them before it happens.”She said she is praying for them and is asking for something simple: “Before anyone is taken into custody, give them … the opportunity to be heard.”Garcia said she has a check-in appointment with immigration officials on July 28, where Ugboaja could be detained or an ankle monitor could be placed on her.The attorney said he hopes the appointment will be unnecessary, but if it does take place, “we are asking that she not be detained and that no ankle monitor be placed … she’s broken no rule, posed no danger, and given the country a decade of nursing and a lifetime of ministry.”He said ICE detained her on June 28 in order to remove the nun to a third country, a practice that he said is “currently the subject of active litigation in federal courts nationwide.”He suggested she is entitled to “notice and a meaningful opportunity to contest a proposed third country removal before she’s taken into custody and removed.”The incident occurred amid heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has included operations near houses of worship.The nun’s release June 28 was facilitated by lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who said his office communicated with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and border czar Tom Homan to secure Ugboaja’s immediate release.By Sunday evening, Ugboaja, who serves as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows, had been released from custody and returned home.Cuellar told EWTN News at the time that “this is not the way they should have picked her up. If ICE had any questions, there would have been more appropriate ways to deal with her situation.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/facing-deportation-nigerian-nun-in-south-texas-speaks-out-catholic-sister-leticia-ugboaja-the-catholic-nun-and-nurse-who-was-briefly-detained-by-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-ice-agents.jpg "Facing deportation, Nigerian nun in south Texas speaks out – #Catholic – Sister Leticia Ugboaja, the Catholic nun and nurse who was briefly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in south Texas in June, made her first public remarks after what she described as weeks of “stress, anxiety, and fear.” At a July 23 press conference, she said she is still afraid of what may yet happen to her but is trusting in God.“I was very much afraid, with cold sweat,” she said of her detainment by ICE officers as she walked to Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, on June 28. “I did not expect [it]; on an ordinary Sunday morning, when people should be ready to go to Mass to worship the Lord, on the street here, just in front of the school, where I have walked … a countless number of times.”“I will not pretend it did not hurt and it’s hurting me today,” she said, describing the two ICE agents as “armed, and Iʼm just a small woman, a nun, armless, with just my rosary, my key, and my phone.”Though she felt afraid and hurt, she said she has been trusting in God, quoting Jesus’ admonition to “not be afraid, because I am with you always.”Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, said it was “heartbreaking” to be told “no” by the ICE agents after she asked them if she could first attend Sunday Mass and receive Communion because “as we know, Sunday Mass is obligatory … it is mandatory.”During the press conference, Carlos Garcia, her lawyer, gave more information about her immigration status. He said an immigration judge denied her application for asylum in 2019 but did grant her protection from removal to Nigeria under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, saying it was likely she would be tortured if she returned there.Garcia said this protection legally bars the U.S. government from deporting her to Nigeria, though “as a technical matter,” she remains under a final order of removal.Nevertheless, he said the religious sister and nurse, who has served in south Texas for more than a decade, is legally authorized to work in the U.S. and “has never missed an immigration appointment.”Garcia said Ugboaja’s detainment by immigration officials is confusing: “People who’ve been granted this type of relief have generally for many years been under the impression they are OK as long as they complied … So it’s very confusing not only for her but for many others I’ve talked to as to what is going on.”Of the way immigration enforcement actions are taking place, Garcia said “it’s hard to comprehend, because of the way it’s happening, without [people] being informed of any reasoning” by the government.Not an isolated case“I am not the only one,” Ugboaja said of others who are “languishing’ in the same situation in which she finds herself but who do not have the attention of the media on them.They are “people who have been given some form of protection under our laws, who have followed every rule asked of them … who still live with uncertainty about where they might be sent and whether anyone will tell them before it happens.”She said she is praying for them and is asking for something simple: “Before anyone is taken into custody, give them … the opportunity to be heard.”Garcia said she has a check-in appointment with immigration officials on July 28, where Ugboaja could be detained or an ankle monitor could be placed on her.The attorney said he hopes the appointment will be unnecessary, but if it does take place, “we are asking that she not be detained and that no ankle monitor be placed … she’s broken no rule, posed no danger, and given the country a decade of nursing and a lifetime of ministry.”He said ICE detained her on June 28 in order to remove the nun to a third country, a practice that he said is “currently the subject of active litigation in federal courts nationwide.”He suggested she is entitled to “notice and a meaningful opportunity to contest a proposed third country removal before she’s taken into custody and removed.”The incident occurred amid heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has included operations near houses of worship.The nun’s release June 28 was facilitated by lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who said his office communicated with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and border czar Tom Homan to secure Ugboaja’s immediate release.By Sunday evening, Ugboaja, who serves as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows, had been released from custody and returned home.Cuellar told EWTN News at the time that “this is not the way they should have picked her up. If ICE had any questions, there would have been more appropriate ways to deal with her situation.”")
“I am not the only one,” Sister Leticia Ugboaja said of others who are also “languishing” in the same situation in which she finds herself but who do not have the attention of the media on them.
![Catholic moral theologians concerned by claims U.S., Iran struck civilian infrastructure #Catholic Iran and the United States have faced accusations of strikes on civilian infrastructure and have explicitly threatened attacks on civilian infrastructure going forward, prompting concerns from Catholic moral theologians.“I have deep concerns that the war will widen and the greatest impact will be on the civilian populations of Middle East nations,” Joseph Capizzi, director of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life, told EWTN News.Charles Camosy, a moral theologian at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News that threats to civilian infrastructure are “absolutely not” consistent with moral conduct during war or Catholic just war doctrine.“The dignity of the human person — including a commitment to Christʼs command to love oneʼs enemies — must be paramount,” he said. “Not winning a war. Not gaining political advantage. … Catholics are not consequentialists.”A Pakistan‑mediated ceasefire that began April 8 ended on July 8. Last week, Iranian state media alleged that the U.S. struck a water desalination plant in the Hormozgan Province that supplies water to 30 villages, impacting thousands of people. U.S. officials confirmed military strikes in the province but have not confirmed a strike on the plant.The U.S. has confirmed strikes in southern Iran that destroyed port infrastructure. Pro-regime media in Iran in Iran reported commercial and fishing piers were among the targets, citing the Iranian Red Crescent Society. That report also alleged strikes on a wheat storage facility, roads, and bridges.U.S. Central Command denied strikes on the wheat facility but has not addressed every specific allegation. U.S. military officials have repeatedly said they only target Iran’s military capabilities.When reached for comment about the other specific allegations, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command told EWTN News "we refer you to our published releases" and "we have nothing further to add."In response to these alleged attacks, Iran has repeatedly struck power plants and water facilities throughout Kuwait and Bahrain. Officials in Kuwait, which relies on water desalination plants for 90% of its drinking water, are urging people to conserve energy and water. Bahrain’s supply of drinking water is 100% reliant on water desalination plants.On July 22, Trump escalated threats to civilian infrastructure, saying he would strike “one bridge or power plant” for every ship Iran strikes. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in response that Iran’s doctrine is “an eye for an eye” and “those who contribute” to aggression “will also be considered as legitimate targets.”When a reporter asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 23 whether he would rule out strikes on civilian infrastructure, he did not say. Rather, he pointed to Araghchi’s statement and said: “The president’s policy is a head for an eye — I mean, honestly, that’s what it’s going to be.”Just conduct in warThree Catholic moral theologians who provided comments to EWTN News — Capizzi; Camosy; and Taylor Patrick O’Neill, a theology professor at Thomas Aquinas College — all said it is not moral to intentionally target civilian populations in war.“The prohibition against targeting civilian infrastructure is absolute in moral and international law,” Capizzi said. “States are prohibited from targeting civilian infrastructure.”He urged caution about purported justifications for striking “dual use” infrastructure targets that may be used for both military and civilian purposes. He said “no party is allowed merely to claim targets are ‘dual use.’”“When there is doubt as to the dual or single use of a target, international [law] stipulates the presumption begins with single use, and therefore the target is inadmissible to be targeted, unless proven to the contrary,” Capizzi said.Camosy also said this is a moral absolute and there is no circumstance in which it is moral to target civilians. He said that “even in war, even when the stakes are highest,” Catholics do not adhere to the consequentialist moral philosophy of the ends justifying the means.The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains a person can never engage in intrinsically evil acts — such as targeting innocent people for harm — regardless of the reason because “the end does not justify the means.” Acts also require “good intention,” so while “good intention” is not sufficient and does not justify evil acts, bad intention — such as intending to harm innocent people — always “makes an act evil,” it explains.Camosy said: “Protection against the targeting of civilians is an absolute value in war. Catholics are called to be prepared to lose a war rather than violate exceptionless moral norms or commit intrinsically evil acts in this area.”Sometimes an act, in war or elsewhere, can also have several effects. St. Thomas Aquinas explains in the “Summa Theologica” that it can be proper to engage in an act that is morally neutral in and of itself but has both good and bad consequences, so long as only the good consequence is the one that is intended. This is the principle of “double effect.”The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that proportionality is required in war. The evil inflicted through war cannot be more severe than the evil one is aiming to defeat.“We need to ask if civilian harm is the intention and/or the mechanism of action in the military strike or [if] it is a merely foreseen side effect,” Camosy explained.“If the rationale for hitting the electric grid or desalination plant is that widespread darkness, spoiled food, rampant disease, failed hospitals, and more will generate political pressure on the Iranian regime, then the suffering of peaceful civilians becomes the causal pathway to the advantage sought,” he said. “This then becomes the object of the act itself and not a merely foreseen side effect.”Alternatively, Camosy added: “Attacking a generator dedicated to a command bunker, however, would likely not suffer the same kind of critique, however, even if one foresaw but did not intend that it would also have bad impacts on civilians.”Similarly, O’Neill said the moral analysis of striking a facility that results in civilian harm is about intention and proportionality. It is never moral to intend the suffering of innocents or target them.“You cannot intend or rely upon civilian death or fear to aid in your military effort,” O’Neill said. “In other words, the foreseen evil cannot itself be the means by which you attempt to achieve some good.”A specific bridge that is “dual use,” such as one used by civilians but also used “to transport tanks from factory to battlefield,” he said could possibly be justified under double effect. The moral analysis would have to consider intention and proportionality and “you must also try to minimize the negative.”“Will blowing up the bridge make civilian life uncomfortable or will it result in the loss of life, access to basic necessities, etc.? All of these things have to be taken into account just for double effect,” O’Neill said.“Under double effect, itʼs theoretically possible to strike a dual-use target,” he added. “But any strike on merely civilian infrastructure (or even [a target] with indirect ties to the war effort) would be intrinsically unjust.”“At that point, the attack would have more in common with an act of terrorism,” O’Neill said.‘Blessed are the peacemakers’St. Augustine, in a letter to the Roman general Boniface, emphasized that the intention of war must be to ultimately establish a just peace — not to simply to unleash destruction: “Peace should be the object of your desire; war should be waged only as a necessity, and waged only that God may by it deliver men from the necessity and preserve them in peace.”The fifth-century bishop and theologian cited the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”O’Neill explained that in the context of a just war, “the Christian always seeks war for the sake of peace and that of both his own people and the people of the enemy nation.”“To consider the civilians of an enemy nation as the enemy is already to lose the necessary distinction of combatant from innocent,” he said.Camosy noted that Trump, in his 2024 campaign, promised “to be deeply skeptical of war” and encouraged him to move back in that direction.“Trump himself was aggressively pursuing the Nobel Peace Prize on this basis,” he said. “It would be much better to go back to this way of thinking about war. Think about becoming a peacemaker again.”Trump told Axios on July 23 that he is “considering a massive attack, bigger than ever before” but did not say whether this includes the civilian infrastructure he has threatened. He said that Iranians want to negotiate, but “they havenʼt received enough pain yet.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/catholic-moral-theologians-concerned-by-claims-u-s-iran-struck-civilian-infrastructure-catholic-iran-and-the-united-states-have-faced-accusations-of-strikes-on-civilian-infrastructure-and-have-expl.jpg "Catholic moral theologians concerned by claims U.S., Iran struck civilian infrastructure #Catholic Iran and the United States have faced accusations of strikes on civilian infrastructure and have explicitly threatened attacks on civilian infrastructure going forward, prompting concerns from Catholic moral theologians.“I have deep concerns that the war will widen and the greatest impact will be on the civilian populations of Middle East nations,” Joseph Capizzi, director of Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life, told EWTN News.Charles Camosy, a moral theologian at The Catholic University of America, told EWTN News that threats to civilian infrastructure are “absolutely not” consistent with moral conduct during war or Catholic just war doctrine.“The dignity of the human person — including a commitment to Christʼs command to love oneʼs enemies — must be paramount,” he said. “Not winning a war. Not gaining political advantage. … Catholics are not consequentialists.”A Pakistan‑mediated ceasefire that began April 8 ended on July 8. Last week, Iranian state media alleged that the U.S. struck a water desalination plant in the Hormozgan Province that supplies water to 30 villages, impacting thousands of people. U.S. officials confirmed military strikes in the province but have not confirmed a strike on the plant.The U.S. has confirmed strikes in southern Iran that destroyed port infrastructure. Pro-regime media in Iran in Iran reported commercial and fishing piers were among the targets, citing the Iranian Red Crescent Society. That report also alleged strikes on a wheat storage facility, roads, and bridges.U.S. Central Command denied strikes on the wheat facility but has not addressed every specific allegation. U.S. military officials have repeatedly said they only target Iran’s military capabilities.When reached for comment about the other specific allegations, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command told EWTN News \"we refer you to our published releases\" and \"we have nothing further to add.\"In response to these alleged attacks, Iran has repeatedly struck power plants and water facilities throughout Kuwait and Bahrain. Officials in Kuwait, which relies on water desalination plants for 90% of its drinking water, are urging people to conserve energy and water. Bahrain’s supply of drinking water is 100% reliant on water desalination plants.On July 22, Trump escalated threats to civilian infrastructure, saying he would strike “one bridge or power plant” for every ship Iran strikes. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in response that Iran’s doctrine is “an eye for an eye” and “those who contribute” to aggression “will also be considered as legitimate targets.”When a reporter asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 23 whether he would rule out strikes on civilian infrastructure, he did not say. Rather, he pointed to Araghchi’s statement and said: “The president’s policy is a head for an eye — I mean, honestly, that’s what it’s going to be.”Just conduct in warThree Catholic moral theologians who provided comments to EWTN News — Capizzi; Camosy; and Taylor Patrick O’Neill, a theology professor at Thomas Aquinas College — all said it is not moral to intentionally target civilian populations in war.“The prohibition against targeting civilian infrastructure is absolute in moral and international law,” Capizzi said. “States are prohibited from targeting civilian infrastructure.”He urged caution about purported justifications for striking “dual use” infrastructure targets that may be used for both military and civilian purposes. He said “no party is allowed merely to claim targets are ‘dual use.’”“When there is doubt as to the dual or single use of a target, international [law] stipulates the presumption begins with single use, and therefore the target is inadmissible to be targeted, unless proven to the contrary,” Capizzi said.Camosy also said this is a moral absolute and there is no circumstance in which it is moral to target civilians. He said that “even in war, even when the stakes are highest,” Catholics do not adhere to the consequentialist moral philosophy of the ends justifying the means.The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains a person can never engage in intrinsically evil acts — such as targeting innocent people for harm — regardless of the reason because “the end does not justify the means.” Acts also require “good intention,” so while “good intention” is not sufficient and does not justify evil acts, bad intention — such as intending to harm innocent people — always “makes an act evil,” it explains.Camosy said: “Protection against the targeting of civilians is an absolute value in war. Catholics are called to be prepared to lose a war rather than violate exceptionless moral norms or commit intrinsically evil acts in this area.”Sometimes an act, in war or elsewhere, can also have several effects. St. Thomas Aquinas explains in the “Summa Theologica” that it can be proper to engage in an act that is morally neutral in and of itself but has both good and bad consequences, so long as only the good consequence is the one that is intended. This is the principle of “double effect.”The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that proportionality is required in war. The evil inflicted through war cannot be more severe than the evil one is aiming to defeat.“We need to ask if civilian harm is the intention and/or the mechanism of action in the military strike or [if] it is a merely foreseen side effect,” Camosy explained.“If the rationale for hitting the electric grid or desalination plant is that widespread darkness, spoiled food, rampant disease, failed hospitals, and more will generate political pressure on the Iranian regime, then the suffering of peaceful civilians becomes the causal pathway to the advantage sought,” he said. “This then becomes the object of the act itself and not a merely foreseen side effect.”Alternatively, Camosy added: “Attacking a generator dedicated to a command bunker, however, would likely not suffer the same kind of critique, however, even if one foresaw but did not intend that it would also have bad impacts on civilians.”Similarly, O’Neill said the moral analysis of striking a facility that results in civilian harm is about intention and proportionality. It is never moral to intend the suffering of innocents or target them.“You cannot intend or rely upon civilian death or fear to aid in your military effort,” O’Neill said. “In other words, the foreseen evil cannot itself be the means by which you attempt to achieve some good.”A specific bridge that is “dual use,” such as one used by civilians but also used “to transport tanks from factory to battlefield,” he said could possibly be justified under double effect. The moral analysis would have to consider intention and proportionality and “you must also try to minimize the negative.”“Will blowing up the bridge make civilian life uncomfortable or will it result in the loss of life, access to basic necessities, etc.? All of these things have to be taken into account just for double effect,” O’Neill said.“Under double effect, itʼs theoretically possible to strike a dual-use target,” he added. “But any strike on merely civilian infrastructure (or even [a target] with indirect ties to the war effort) would be intrinsically unjust.”“At that point, the attack would have more in common with an act of terrorism,” O’Neill said.‘Blessed are the peacemakers’St. Augustine, in a letter to the Roman general Boniface, emphasized that the intention of war must be to ultimately establish a just peace — not to simply to unleash destruction: “Peace should be the object of your desire; war should be waged only as a necessity, and waged only that God may by it deliver men from the necessity and preserve them in peace.”The fifth-century bishop and theologian cited the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”O’Neill explained that in the context of a just war, “the Christian always seeks war for the sake of peace and that of both his own people and the people of the enemy nation.”“To consider the civilians of an enemy nation as the enemy is already to lose the necessary distinction of combatant from innocent,” he said.Camosy noted that Trump, in his 2024 campaign, promised “to be deeply skeptical of war” and encouraged him to move back in that direction.“Trump himself was aggressively pursuing the Nobel Peace Prize on this basis,” he said. “It would be much better to go back to this way of thinking about war. Think about becoming a peacemaker again.”Trump told Axios on July 23 that he is “considering a massive attack, bigger than ever before” but did not say whether this includes the civilian infrastructure he has threatened. He said that Iranians want to negotiate, but “they havenʼt received enough pain yet.”")
A battle over the Strait of Hormuz rekindled the war in the Middle East after a ceasefire ended. Intent to harm civilians, including attacks on civilian infrastructure, is immoral, theologians said.
![Abortion count rises as women turn to chemical abortions, per new data #Catholic The U.S. abortion count continues to rise even as travel abortions decrease, a recent study found.The Guttmacher Institute, a data group that openly supports abortion access, documented a decrease in people leaving their own state to get abortions in other states. Instead, abortion seekers turn toward mail-order abortions, which have seen a surge in recent years.The group tracks abortions monthly, following trends “in the post-Dobbs era” since 2023, according to Guttmacher data scientist and study lead Isaac Maddow-Zimet. The data indicated an overall increase in abortions from 2025 to 2026. “In the first three months of 2026, there were 296,130 abortions as compared to 292,590 in the first three months of 2025,” data scholar Michael New told EWTN News. “This is an increase of just over 1%.”New said this fact has gone underreported.“Most media outlets that are reporting on the Guttmacher data have not reported on this, but the number of abortions continues to rise,” said New, who is a senior associate scholar at Charlotte Lozier Institute, a group that studies data relating to the pro-life cause.“These rising abortion numbers are an important reason why pro-lifers are frustrated with the Trump administration’s lack of action on telehealth abortions,” continued New, who also works as a professor at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America.The Trump administration has neglected to enforce various regulations — such as the Comstock Act or in-person prescription requirements — that could be groundbreaking for protecting unborn children from chemical abortions.From 2024 to 2025, travel abortions declined by nearly 8%. Scholars agree that mail-order abortion is the reason for the decline in abortion travel.“Currently, we are seeing a major shift in where and how people access abortion,” Maddow-Zimet said. “While travel remains a critical pathway to care, we have seen a decrease in people leaving their state of residence, likely due to both the growth of telehealth access and fewer options for in-person care in the South and Southeast.”New also cited chemical abortions as the draw away from travel abortions. “The main reason for this decline in out-of-state travel is because of the rising number of telehealth abortions,” New said. “The most recent data from the Society for Family Planning shows that approximately 27% of all abortions are done by telehealth.”In Florida, the study also found a near tripling of abortion travel by Floridians after the state passed a heartbeat law to protect unborn babies; at the same time, fewer people traveled to Florida to obtain abortions due to this law.“The national decline [in travel abortions] might have been even larger had Florida not started enforcing a Heartbeat Act in 2024,” New said. “Because of this strong pro-life law, far fewer women residing in southern states traveled to Florida for abortions.”Texas has also seen a decline in Texans traveling to get abortions. “This trend is seen at the state level,” New continued. “Between 2024 and 2025 the number of Texas women obtaining abortions in other states fell by 19%.”Mail-order abortion is pro-life priorityAdvocates for unborn children highlighted the importance of opposing chemical abortions and protecting unborn children across state lines. Abortion continues to rise with the increase in mail-order abortions.Kelsey Pritchard, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America spokeswoman, called for protections of unborn children across state lines.“We need a national minimum standard to ensure children across America have basic human rights and the chance at life, regardless of their zip code,” Pritchard told EWTN News.“Nine states and the District of Columbia still have no gestational limits whatsoever on abortion, allowing abortion up to the moment of birth, with late-term abortion centers purposely located within range of pro-life state borders,” Pritchard said. “This is barbaric and extreme, and it places the United States in the same category as communist countries like China and Vietnam on abortion.”“While stopping the ‘Wild West’ of unregulated abortion by mail is our immediate priority, both issues underscore the urgent need for national action to protect unborn children and their mothers,” Pritchard said. “Abortion travel is down overall, but mail-order abortions are surging and driving the national total up to an estimated 1.1 million abortions per year — more than the day Roe was reversed,” Pritchard said. “Every single month, approximately 15,000 babies in the womb die from mail-order abortion drugs in states with pro-life laws, while women and girls are poisoned and coerced by abusers who obtain these drugs online without so much as an ID check.”Kristi Hamrick, Students for Life spokeswoman, questioned the data, noting that there is no reporting requirement for abortion.“I find it extraordinary that the abortion industry reports so much data that is accepted as gospel, despite the fact that we canʼt verify it,” Hamrick said. “We have no national abortion reporting law, and while this data will be broadly reported, every point of data from pro-life sources is treated as suspect.”Guttmacher collects monthly data from brick-and-mortar facilities and telehealth providers, according to the study methodology.The nature of mail-order abortion pills makes it harder to accurately track the number of the abortions in the U.S. as the pills are highly unregulated and some companies operate outside of the U.S. healthcare system.“The landscape of abortion is shifting, from brick-and-mortar abortion vendor to online pill pushers, so less driving, if that is true, does not mean less abortion,” Hamrick said.For Students for Life, “fighting chemical abortion pills” is a priority.Through pregnancy help centers, maternity homes, and other programs, the pro-life movement continues to encourage women to choose life.“But what is happening in real time is that many are reaching out to women online and in their communities to encourage and support them in choosing life, while we also have to confront a new abortion cartel,” Hamrick said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/abortion-count-rises-as-women-turn-to-chemical-abortions-per-new-data-catholic-the-u-s-abortion-count-continues-to-rise-even-as-travel-abortions-decrease-a-recent-study-found-the-guttmacher-instit-scaled.jpg "Abortion count rises as women turn to chemical abortions, per new data #Catholic The U.S. abortion count continues to rise even as travel abortions decrease, a recent study found.The Guttmacher Institute, a data group that openly supports abortion access, documented a decrease in people leaving their own state to get abortions in other states. Instead, abortion seekers turn toward mail-order abortions, which have seen a surge in recent years.The group tracks abortions monthly, following trends “in the post-Dobbs era” since 2023, according to Guttmacher data scientist and study lead Isaac Maddow-Zimet. The data indicated an overall increase in abortions from 2025 to 2026. “In the first three months of 2026, there were 296,130 abortions as compared to 292,590 in the first three months of 2025,” data scholar Michael New told EWTN News. “This is an increase of just over 1%.”New said this fact has gone underreported.“Most media outlets that are reporting on the Guttmacher data have not reported on this, but the number of abortions continues to rise,” said New, who is a senior associate scholar at Charlotte Lozier Institute, a group that studies data relating to the pro-life cause.“These rising abortion numbers are an important reason why pro-lifers are frustrated with the Trump administration’s lack of action on telehealth abortions,” continued New, who also works as a professor at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America.The Trump administration has neglected to enforce various regulations — such as the Comstock Act or in-person prescription requirements — that could be groundbreaking for protecting unborn children from chemical abortions.From 2024 to 2025, travel abortions declined by nearly 8%. Scholars agree that mail-order abortion is the reason for the decline in abortion travel.“Currently, we are seeing a major shift in where and how people access abortion,” Maddow-Zimet said. “While travel remains a critical pathway to care, we have seen a decrease in people leaving their state of residence, likely due to both the growth of telehealth access and fewer options for in-person care in the South and Southeast.”New also cited chemical abortions as the draw away from travel abortions. “The main reason for this decline in out-of-state travel is because of the rising number of telehealth abortions,” New said. “The most recent data from the Society for Family Planning shows that approximately 27% of all abortions are done by telehealth.”In Florida, the study also found a near tripling of abortion travel by Floridians after the state passed a heartbeat law to protect unborn babies; at the same time, fewer people traveled to Florida to obtain abortions due to this law.“The national decline [in travel abortions] might have been even larger had Florida not started enforcing a Heartbeat Act in 2024,” New said. “Because of this strong pro-life law, far fewer women residing in southern states traveled to Florida for abortions.”Texas has also seen a decline in Texans traveling to get abortions. “This trend is seen at the state level,” New continued. “Between 2024 and 2025 the number of Texas women obtaining abortions in other states fell by 19%.”Mail-order abortion is pro-life priorityAdvocates for unborn children highlighted the importance of opposing chemical abortions and protecting unborn children across state lines. Abortion continues to rise with the increase in mail-order abortions.Kelsey Pritchard, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America spokeswoman, called for protections of unborn children across state lines.“We need a national minimum standard to ensure children across America have basic human rights and the chance at life, regardless of their zip code,” Pritchard told EWTN News.“Nine states and the District of Columbia still have no gestational limits whatsoever on abortion, allowing abortion up to the moment of birth, with late-term abortion centers purposely located within range of pro-life state borders,” Pritchard said. “This is barbaric and extreme, and it places the United States in the same category as communist countries like China and Vietnam on abortion.”“While stopping the ‘Wild West’ of unregulated abortion by mail is our immediate priority, both issues underscore the urgent need for national action to protect unborn children and their mothers,” Pritchard said. “Abortion travel is down overall, but mail-order abortions are surging and driving the national total up to an estimated 1.1 million abortions per year — more than the day Roe was reversed,” Pritchard said. “Every single month, approximately 15,000 babies in the womb die from mail-order abortion drugs in states with pro-life laws, while women and girls are poisoned and coerced by abusers who obtain these drugs online without so much as an ID check.”Kristi Hamrick, Students for Life spokeswoman, questioned the data, noting that there is no reporting requirement for abortion.“I find it extraordinary that the abortion industry reports so much data that is accepted as gospel, despite the fact that we canʼt verify it,” Hamrick said. “We have no national abortion reporting law, and while this data will be broadly reported, every point of data from pro-life sources is treated as suspect.”Guttmacher collects monthly data from brick-and-mortar facilities and telehealth providers, according to the study methodology.The nature of mail-order abortion pills makes it harder to accurately track the number of the abortions in the U.S. as the pills are highly unregulated and some companies operate outside of the U.S. healthcare system.“The landscape of abortion is shifting, from brick-and-mortar abortion vendor to online pill pushers, so less driving, if that is true, does not mean less abortion,” Hamrick said.For Students for Life, “fighting chemical abortion pills” is a priority.Through pregnancy help centers, maternity homes, and other programs, the pro-life movement continues to encourage women to choose life.“But what is happening in real time is that many are reaching out to women online and in their communities to encourage and support them in choosing life, while we also have to confront a new abortion cartel,” Hamrick said.")
The abortion count is rising as women rely more on mail-order chemical abortions, according to the most recent data.
![Knights Council 588 launches 2026-27 fraternal year #Catholic - The Marquette Council 588 of the Knights of Columbus launched its 2026–2027 fraternal year on July 16, with its installation of officers ceremony at Our Lady of the Lake (OLL) Parish in Sparta, N.J. The ceremony entrusted a new slate of officers — led by Chaplain Father Richard Carton, pastor of OLL, and Grand Knight Jeff Dickinson — with guiding one of the world’s oldest Knights of Columbus councils into another year of faith, leadership, and service supporting the faith communities of OLL, St. Thomas Aquin Parish in Ogdensburg, N.J., and Immaculate Conception Parish in Franklin, N.J.
Through charitable works, faith formation, family programs, and civic engagement, Council 588 remains committed to building disciples of Jesus Christ through the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.
The new fraternal year is especially significant as Council 588 continues celebrating its 125th anniversary while joining the nation in commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the United States. The Council also begins the year with strong momentum after earning back-to-back Star Council Awards, the Knights of Columbus’ highest recognition for excellence in membership, charitable service, faith formation, and council operations.
Founded in 1901, Marquette Council 588 has spent 125 years living the vision of Blessed Michael McGivney by serving its parish communities and the people of Sussex County, New Jersey, and the nation through faith in action.
For more information, visit ourladyofthelake.org/knights-of-columbus Facebook/Instagram: @marquettecouncil588
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/knights-council-588-launches-2026-27-fraternal-year-catholic-the-marquette-council-588-of-the-knights-of-columbus-launched-its-2026-2027-fraternal-year-on-july-16-with-its-installation-of.jpg)
Knights Council 588 launches 2026-27 fraternal year #Catholic – 
The Marquette Council 588 of the Knights of Columbus launched its 2026–2027 fraternal year on July 16, with its installation of officers ceremony at Our Lady of the Lake (OLL) Parish in Sparta, N.J. The ceremony entrusted a new slate of officers — led by Chaplain Father Richard Carton, pastor of OLL, and Grand Knight Jeff Dickinson — with guiding one of the world’s oldest Knights of Columbus councils into another year of faith, leadership, and service supporting the faith communities of OLL, St. Thomas Aquin Parish in Ogdensburg, N.J., and Immaculate Conception Parish in Franklin, N.J.
Through charitable works, faith formation, family programs, and civic engagement, Council 588 remains committed to building disciples of Jesus Christ through the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.
The new fraternal year is especially significant as Council 588 continues celebrating its 125th anniversary while joining the nation in commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the United States. The Council also begins the year with strong momentum after earning back-to-back Star Council Awards, the Knights of Columbus’ highest recognition for excellence in membership, charitable service, faith formation, and council operations.
Founded in 1901, Marquette Council 588 has spent 125 years living the vision of Blessed Michael McGivney by serving its parish communities and the people of Sussex County, New Jersey, and the nation through faith in action.
For more information, visit ourladyofthelake.org/knights-of-columbus Facebook/Instagram: @marquettecouncil588
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– The Marquette Council 588 of the Knights of Columbus launched its 2026–2027 fraternal year on July 16, with its installation of officers ceremony at Our Lady of the Lake (OLL) Parish in Sparta, N.J. The ceremony entrusted a new slate of officers — led by Chaplain Father Richard Carton, pastor of OLL, and Grand Knight Jeff Dickinson — with guiding one of the world’s oldest Knights of Columbus councils into another year of faith, leadership, and service supporting the faith communities of OLL, St. Thomas Aquin Parish in Ogdensburg, N.J., and Immaculate Conception Parish in Franklin, N.J. Through charitable works,
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Having launched on July 16, 1969, and landed on the Moon on July 20, the Apollo 11 astronauts returned home and splashed down in the Pacific on July 24, 1969. In a historically momentous trip, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had become the first people to step onto the Moon. (The third member of theirContinue reading “July 24, 1969: Apollo 11 returns home”
The post July 24, 1969: Apollo 11 returns home appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Adult woman of the Laarim Tribe smoking in a pipe, Kimotong, South Sudan.
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Crews at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans transport the 130-foot-tall liquid hydrogen tank out of a production cell inside the main factory building into a detached test building on a separate portion of the 829-acre site.
Read More![U.S. Ambassador clarifies view on pope’s role in politics, war after Vatican response – #Catholic – After the Vatican reframed statements that U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch made to The New York Times, the ambassador has clarified that he understands Pope Leo XIV’s role as a head of state is “inseparable” from his role as the universal shepherd of the Church.During a July 23 interview with the EWTN News program “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo,” Burch clarified that his July 9 comments to the Times were not meant to imply that Leo’s statements about Iran war policy should be seen as simply diplomatic — rather than spiritual — guidance.“I think thereʼs a misunderstanding,” Burch explained. “… [The role of] the pope as the universal sovereign of the Holy See and as the universal pastor — a pastor of the universal Church — is inseparable.”The controversy stemmed from a quotation in the Times article in which Burch said: “When the pope acts as the sovereign leader of the Holy See, he is coequal with world leaders.” The article also paraphrased Burch’s position by saying the ambassador argued that the pope’s comments about the Iran war were not made as the vicar of Christ but rather as the political leader of the Vatican City State.Without naming Burch, the Editorial Director for the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, Andrea Tornielli, subsequently wrote a July 13 op-ed saying that “even when he speaks about war and peace … the Successor of Peter remains, above all, a spiritual leader.” Even though Leo is a head of state, he wrote, this “does not mean that he acts or speaks as a politician when addressing issues concerning the affairs of humanity.”In his interview with Arroyo, Burch disputed the Times’ characterization of his views, saying the outlet “doesnʼt exactly understand the nuances of Catholic social teaching and how to apply it.”“The pope has this dual role,” Burch said. “He is both the head of the sovereign territory of the Holy See, which has diplomatic relations with the world, but inseparable from that is his role as the universal pastor of the Catholic Church. And when he acts, he certainly acts in such a way to call the world to these high moral principles, to the ideals of … how [humanity] ought to live together.”At the same time, Burch insisted that “there are some very difficult, contingent, practical matters” that play into decisions about going to war, which he said “is the responsibility of the prudential wisdom of those responsible for the common good,” which are political leaders like President Trump.“I tried to explain [to the Times] where there are certain prudential questions,” Burch said. “For example, what does the intelligence information tell us about the situation in Iran? Where is the dialogue at? What [do] the regional alliances look like? What [does] the war game scenario implicate?”“These are very contingent, prudential questions that inform this question on the legitimate use of force,” he added. “And I think, to the Holy Fatherʼs credit, he is the universal shepherd that is calling humanity to this high ideal to try to resolve these sorts of conflicts without violence, without the use of force.”Burch told Arroyo that he does not see disagreement between Trump and Leo on the intended end goal: “Thereʼs no disagreement on peace, on disarming Iran, on the need for interreligious dialogue, for religious freedom.”“Where the challenge comes is the means to get there,” Burch said. He added that it’s not “a surprise, nor a shock, nor an unwelcome message from the Holy Father that we ought to seek peace, that we ought to seek ways to resolve these sorts of conflicts without the use of force.”“But as you know, original sin exists, and there are evil people in this world with evil intentions that, if they arenʼt stopped, certainly could do enormous damage, catastrophic damage, in the world,” the ambassador emphasized.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/u-s-ambassador-clarifies-view-on-popes-role-in-politics-war-after-vatican-response-catholic-after-the-vatican-reframed-statements-that-u-s-ambassador-to-the-holy-see-brian-burch-made.jpg "U.S. Ambassador clarifies view on pope’s role in politics, war after Vatican response – #Catholic – After the Vatican reframed statements that U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch made to The New York Times, the ambassador has clarified that he understands Pope Leo XIV’s role as a head of state is “inseparable” from his role as the universal shepherd of the Church.During a July 23 interview with the EWTN News program “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo,” Burch clarified that his July 9 comments to the Times were not meant to imply that Leo’s statements about Iran war policy should be seen as simply diplomatic — rather than spiritual — guidance.“I think thereʼs a misunderstanding,” Burch explained. “… [The role of] the pope as the universal sovereign of the Holy See and as the universal pastor — a pastor of the universal Church — is inseparable.”The controversy stemmed from a quotation in the Times article in which Burch said: “When the pope acts as the sovereign leader of the Holy See, he is coequal with world leaders.” The article also paraphrased Burch’s position by saying the ambassador argued that the pope’s comments about the Iran war were not made as the vicar of Christ but rather as the political leader of the Vatican City State.Without naming Burch, the Editorial Director for the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, Andrea Tornielli, subsequently wrote a July 13 op-ed saying that “even when he speaks about war and peace … the Successor of Peter remains, above all, a spiritual leader.” Even though Leo is a head of state, he wrote, this “does not mean that he acts or speaks as a politician when addressing issues concerning the affairs of humanity.”In his interview with Arroyo, Burch disputed the Times’ characterization of his views, saying the outlet “doesnʼt exactly understand the nuances of Catholic social teaching and how to apply it.”“The pope has this dual role,” Burch said. “He is both the head of the sovereign territory of the Holy See, which has diplomatic relations with the world, but inseparable from that is his role as the universal pastor of the Catholic Church. And when he acts, he certainly acts in such a way to call the world to these high moral principles, to the ideals of … how [humanity] ought to live together.”At the same time, Burch insisted that “there are some very difficult, contingent, practical matters” that play into decisions about going to war, which he said “is the responsibility of the prudential wisdom of those responsible for the common good,” which are political leaders like President Trump.“I tried to explain [to the Times] where there are certain prudential questions,” Burch said. “For example, what does the intelligence information tell us about the situation in Iran? Where is the dialogue at? What [do] the regional alliances look like? What [does] the war game scenario implicate?”“These are very contingent, prudential questions that inform this question on the legitimate use of force,” he added. “And I think, to the Holy Fatherʼs credit, he is the universal shepherd that is calling humanity to this high ideal to try to resolve these sorts of conflicts without violence, without the use of force.”Burch told Arroyo that he does not see disagreement between Trump and Leo on the intended end goal: “Thereʼs no disagreement on peace, on disarming Iran, on the need for interreligious dialogue, for religious freedom.”“Where the challenge comes is the means to get there,” Burch said. He added that it’s not “a surprise, nor a shock, nor an unwelcome message from the Holy Father that we ought to seek peace, that we ought to seek ways to resolve these sorts of conflicts without the use of force.”“But as you know, original sin exists, and there are evil people in this world with evil intentions that, if they arenʼt stopped, certainly could do enormous damage, catastrophic damage, in the world,” the ambassador emphasized.")
Burch said his recent comments to the New York Times were not meant to imply that Pope Leo’s statements about the Iran war should be seen as simply diplomatic — rather than spiritual — guidance.
O God, Who did cause the children of Israel
to traverse the Red Sea dryshod;
Thou Who did point out by a star to the Magi
the road that led them to Thee;
grant us we beseech Thee,
a prosperous journey and propitious weather;
so that, under the guidance of Thy holy angels
we may safely reach that journey’s end,
and later the haven of eternal salvation.
Hear, O Lord,
the prayers of Thy servants.
Bless their journeyings.
Thou Who art everywhere present,
shower …
Gerald Rhemann, taken from Farm Tivoli, Namibia The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is a planetary nebula around 650 light-years away in Aquarius, the glowing remains of a dying, Sun-like star’s outer layers. They now surround a hot white dwarf left at the nebula’s center. The imager captured about 24.3 hours of exposure in Hα/OIII/LRGB filtersContinue reading “A glowing eye”
The post A glowing eye appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Pope Leo XIV’s recent visit to Spain was well received by attendees and volunteers, with 97% reporting a positive or very positive view.
Vance Boelter was sentenced for the murder of Rep. Melissa Hortman, a Catholic lawmaker who once taught Sunday school and volunteered in her parish’s children’s faith formation program.
![Post-World Cup insults fly between Spaniards and Argentinans: ‘It’s idolatry,’ priest says #Catholic In response to the insults exchanged on social media between Argentinian and Spanish fans following the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, a priest questioned the amount of rage, warning that those behaving this way have “lost their bearings" and that "the way they’re acting isn’t about soccer; it’s idolatry." In a thread posted on X, Father Francisco Javier Bronchalo, a Spanish priest from the Diocese of Getafe, lamented having read “too many insults on social media between Argentinians and Spaniards” in recent days.“Someone posts something with the best of intentions, and people come down on them as if they had hit their mother,” he noted.The Spanish national team defeated Argentina 1-0 on Sunday, July 19, with a goal by Ferrán Torres and became world champion for the second time, following the title won in 2010.In his reflection, Bronchalo noted that “the human heart is made to worship” and warned that if it “does not worship God, it will worship something else: success, the body, money, or a soccer team.”This idolatry, he continued, replaces “liturgical chant with the team anthem, the worshipping assembly with the cheering section, and salvation with winning a title,” ultimately becoming “a religion without God.”The Spanish priest said “the insults and excesses seen in recent days” demonstrate that “people defend with violence and mockery something that, deep down, is devoid of both truth and meaning.”“The Gospel says that the mouth speaks from what overflows from the heart. Today, we would say: The fingers write from what overflows from the heart,” he remarked.However, Bronchalo clarified that “[soccer] is not the problem,” as the sport can bring about “healthy joy” and promote values such as effort, perseverance, loyalty, and teamwork.“But a means treated as an end becomes a tyrant. Soccer as an ultimate end turns into the opposite: a source of anger, anxiety, and emptiness,” he warned.“The question is not whether you are passionate about soccer. The question is what place it holds in your heart. If it is a means, it draws you closer to heaven. If it is an end, it traps you on earth,” he said.Bishop Munilla: Don’t turn soccer into ‘a religion’The Spanish priest’s reflection echoed the warning issued before the World Cup final by the bishop of Orihuela-Alicante in Spain, José Ignacio Munilla, who highlighted that soccer has values worth recognizing but noted that “it is one thing to enjoy the sport, and quite another to turn it into a religion.”The prelate further noted that “an inability to accept defeat is a sign of immaturity” but “those who need to humiliate others don’t know how to win, either.” “True sportsmanship lies in discovering that one’s rival is not an enemy but someone who makes the game possible,” he stated.‘Rivals for a day. Brothers forever’Amid verbal clashes on social media, Catholic priests from Argentina and Spain shared messages of goodwill and congratulations.Argentinian priest Father Tomás Agustín Beroch wrote on X: “Congratulations to Spain. They were far superior and won decisively. Long live Spain — our Motherland that evangelized us — and congratulations on this cup. It is well-deserved.”“As I’ve been saying throughout this World Cup, we must win heaven, and Christ must reign in our hearts above all else. A big hug to my Spanish friends and to all the people of that great nation,” he said.Hours before the final, Father Francisco Delgado of the Archdiocese of Toledo in Spain posted an image of two soccer players — one Spanish and the other Argentinian — walking across the playing field with their arms around each other. Above them, the words read: “Rivals for a day. Brothers forever.”Argentinian priest Father Javier Olivera Ravasi congratulated Spain on the championship on X, stating: “They deserve it. They were better.”He then posted a photo of his backpack featuring the flags of Argentina and Spain, which he has carried “for years” declaring “Long live Christ the King! Long live Catholic Spain and Catholic Argentina!”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/2026/07/post-world-cup-insults-fly-between-spaniards-and-argentinans-its-idolatry-priest-says-catholic-in-response-to-the-insults-exchanged-on-social-media-between-argentinian-an.jpg "Post-World Cup insults fly between Spaniards and Argentinans: ‘It’s idolatry,’ priest says #Catholic In response to the insults exchanged on social media between Argentinian and Spanish fans following the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, a priest questioned the amount of rage, warning that those behaving this way have “lost their bearings\" and that \"the way they’re acting isn’t about soccer; it’s idolatry.\" In a thread posted on X, Father Francisco Javier Bronchalo, a Spanish priest from the Diocese of Getafe, lamented having read “too many insults on social media between Argentinians and Spaniards” in recent days.“Someone posts something with the best of intentions, and people come down on them as if they had hit their mother,” he noted.The Spanish national team defeated Argentina 1-0 on Sunday, July 19, with a goal by Ferrán Torres and became world champion for the second time, following the title won in 2010.In his reflection, Bronchalo noted that “the human heart is made to worship” and warned that if it “does not worship God, it will worship something else: success, the body, money, or a soccer team.”This idolatry, he continued, replaces “liturgical chant with the team anthem, the worshipping assembly with the cheering section, and salvation with winning a title,” ultimately becoming “a religion without God.”The Spanish priest said “the insults and excesses seen in recent days” demonstrate that “people defend with violence and mockery something that, deep down, is devoid of both truth and meaning.”“The Gospel says that the mouth speaks from what overflows from the heart. Today, we would say: The fingers write from what overflows from the heart,” he remarked.However, Bronchalo clarified that “[soccer] is not the problem,” as the sport can bring about “healthy joy” and promote values such as effort, perseverance, loyalty, and teamwork.“But a means treated as an end becomes a tyrant. Soccer as an ultimate end turns into the opposite: a source of anger, anxiety, and emptiness,” he warned.“The question is not whether you are passionate about soccer. The question is what place it holds in your heart. If it is a means, it draws you closer to heaven. If it is an end, it traps you on earth,” he said.Bishop Munilla: Don’t turn soccer into ‘a religion’The Spanish priest’s reflection echoed the warning issued before the World Cup final by the bishop of Orihuela-Alicante in Spain, José Ignacio Munilla, who highlighted that soccer has values worth recognizing but noted that “it is one thing to enjoy the sport, and quite another to turn it into a religion.”The prelate further noted that “an inability to accept defeat is a sign of immaturity” but “those who need to humiliate others don’t know how to win, either.” “True sportsmanship lies in discovering that one’s rival is not an enemy but someone who makes the game possible,” he stated.‘Rivals for a day. Brothers forever’Amid verbal clashes on social media, Catholic priests from Argentina and Spain shared messages of goodwill and congratulations.Argentinian priest Father Tomás Agustín Beroch wrote on X: “Congratulations to Spain. They were far superior and won decisively. Long live Spain — our Motherland that evangelized us — and congratulations on this cup. It is well-deserved.”“As I’ve been saying throughout this World Cup, we must win heaven, and Christ must reign in our hearts above all else. A big hug to my Spanish friends and to all the people of that great nation,” he said.Hours before the final, Father Francisco Delgado of the Archdiocese of Toledo in Spain posted an image of two soccer players — one Spanish and the other Argentinian — walking across the playing field with their arms around each other. Above them, the words read: “Rivals for a day. Brothers forever.”Argentinian priest Father Javier Olivera Ravasi congratulated Spain on the championship on X, stating: “They deserve it. They were better.”He then posted a photo of his backpack featuring the flags of Argentina and Spain, which he has carried “for years” declaring “Long live Christ the King! Long live Catholic Spain and Catholic Argentina!”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 priest said “the human heart is made to worship” and warned that if it “does not worship God, it will worship something else: success, the body, money, or a soccer team.”
As a young girl, Ann Teresa O’Neill’s miraculous cure from leukemia was accepted as a miracle to advance St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s path to sainthood.
Pope Leo takes road trip to mountainside shrines during his summer vacation #Catholic – 
ROME (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV took a road trip pilgrimage with his older brother to the scenic mountainside Sanctuary of the Most Holy Trinity in Vallepietra July 22 before stopping to pray in the Holy Cave in Subiaco, where a young St. Benedict sought refuge from the corruption of Rome in the early sixth century.
The Vatican said the pope traveled by car from Castel Gandolfo, where he is spending a few weeks in July, to the remote mountain sanctuary near the Italian region of Abruzzo, a roughly two-hour drive from Castel Gandolfo on winding mountain roads, then continued on to the Benedictine monasteries of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica in nearby Subiaco.
It was the second surprise pilgrimage the pope has made this week during his summer vacation. On July 20, he visited the Benedictine Abbey of Montecassino, where he prayed for peace at the tomb of St. Benedict.
The Holy Trinity sanctuary sits more than 4,500 feet up Mount Autore, on the border of Italy’s Lazio and Abruzzo regions. Built into the rock itself, the shrine draws many pilgrims, who climb the mountain trails on foot, carrying banners each year in the days after Pentecost leading up to Trinity Sunday.
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Inside, Pope Leo prayed before a revered historic fresco of the Holy Trinity, rendered in Byzantine style. He then greeted the shrine’s religious community and the faithful gathered there.
A video shared by one pilgrim showed the pope’s brother John Prevost stepping out of the backseat of the black car along with Pope Leo, surrounded by a slew of papal security personnel, to the surprise of visitors who had come to the shrine without expecting a papal visit.
Speaking off the cuff from a balcony of the shrine, Pope Leo told the pilgrims that the beauty of the mountain sanctuary “reminds us of the desire in all our hearts to seek God, to seek holiness, and to seek the help of God, who never abandons us.” Before departing, he greeted pilgrims individually; many kissing the pope’s ring.
The feast of St. Anne, whose chapel stands at the foot of the steps leading out of the Vallepietra shrine, is celebrated July 26, and the sanctuary has already begun the days of celebrations and pilgrimage leading up to the feast.
From Vallepietra, the pope traveled to nearby Subiaco, where St. Benedict of Nursia withdrew as a hermit in the early sixth century following the example of the Desert Fathers and laying the spiritual groundwork that would later lead him to be considered the father of Western monasticism.
At the Monastery of St. Benedict, the pope paused in silent prayer before a 13th-century fresco of St. Francis, the oldest existing portrait of the saint from Assisi who came to Subiaco as a pilgrim in 1223.
In the Sacro Speco, the “Holy Cave” where St. Benedict lived in solitude, Pope Leo kissed the knee of the saint’s statue, a longstanding custom among pilgrims, and led those present in the Lord’s Prayer.
The pope then went on to the Monastery of St. Scholastica, named for St. Benedict’s sister, where he shared lunch with the Benedictine community and toured the cloisters before the return drive to Castel Gandolfo.
The Subiaco monasteries have been regarded as a center of Benedictine spirituality for nearly a thousand years. The Holy Cave holds frescoes spanning centuries, with some dating back to as early as the 9th century. The Church of St. Scholastica, first built in 981 and rebuilt in Gothic style after a 1228 earthquake, was also home to Italy’s first printing press, established there by German monks.
Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.
– ROME (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV took a road trip pilgrimage with his older brother to the scenic mountainside Sanctuary of the Most Holy Trinity in Vallepietra July 22 before stopping to pray in the Holy Cave in Subiaco, where a young St. Benedict sought refuge from the corruption of Rome in the early sixth century. The Vatican said the pope traveled by car from Castel Gandolfo, where he is spending a few weeks in July, to the remote mountain sanctuary near the Italian region of Abruzzo, a roughly two-hour drive from Castel Gandolfo on winding mountain roads, then
Peru, Uruguay advance preparations for upcoming papal visit #Catholic – 
(OSV News) — Anticipation for Pope Leo XIV’s visit to South America is building as Peru’s president-elect pledged state cooperation and Uruguay’s Church officials announced logistical plans for the U.S.-born pontiff’s return to the region as pope.
In a statement released July 16, the Peruvian bishops’ conference said it had welcomed Keiko Fujimori, whose victory in the country’s presidential election was declared July 4.
Fujimori met with Bishop Carlos García Camader of Lurín, president of the Peruvian bishops’ conference, as well as Bishop Luis Alberto Barrera Pacheco of Callao and Msgr. Guillermo Inca Pereda, vice president and acting secretary general of the conference, respectively.
According to the statement, the bishops discussed several topics, including the papal visit “scheduled for November of this year.”
“At the end of the meeting, the president-elect expressed her satisfaction with the confirmation of the Holy Father’s visit and stated the future government’s willingness to coordinate with the Church the necessary actions to contribute to the development of this important pastoral event,” the bishops’ conference said.
The president-elect, the conference said, emphasized the importance of ensuring that the pope will “meet with as many faithful and communities as possible” during his visit and that doing so will strengthen “the message of hope, unity and closeness that characterizes his ministry.”
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While the Vatican has not officially announced the visit, some details of the trip were revealed in June by the outgoing Peruvian president, José María Balcázar, after meeting with Pope Leo.
Balcázar said in a statement published after his June 18 meeting with the pope that the visit could span eight to 10 days in early November, with planned stops in Lima, Chiclayo, Piura, Pucallpa and Cusco.
Uruguay prepares for Pope Leo
In May, Uruguay’s bishops’ conference said that while no official date has been announced, there was a “high probability” Pope Leo would visit in late 2026.
However, at a working breakfast with journalists hosted by the conference July 15, Cardinal Daniel Sturla of Montevideo said the official schedule of the visit would be confirmed by the Vatican in late July.
“Almost 40 years ago, we experienced the unforgettable visit of St. John Paul II. Now we welcome Pope Leo with enormous anticipation. It is a joy for the Church, but also for all of Uruguay,” the cardinal said.
The pope, he noted, is “a figure who transcends,” and that his visit is not just significant for Catholics but for all people in Uruguay and around the world.
“We saw it at Francis’ funeral and at the beginning of Leo XIV’s pontificate, where heads of state and representatives from all over the world were present. In Uruguay, too, he will be a gift for the entire country,” Cardinal Sturla said.
The Uruguayan cardinal told journalists he had extended an invitation to Pope Leo to visit the country shortly after the papal election and noted that the pope had expressed his desire to
visit Uruguay and Argentina.
Pope Leo’s visit to the country, he said, would include stops in Montevideo, Florida, as well as a visit to the northern part of the country, with the city of Paysandú named as a possible destination.
Cardinal Sturla also told journalists that the pope could also visit Casavalle Basin, a marginalized district on the outskirts of Montevideo, where the Catholic Church runs several social programs.
The Archdiocese of Montevideo stated that while it awaits the Vatican’s official confirmation of the pope’s schedule, the local church “continues to work with various public bodies and technical teams in organizing the visit, convinced that the pope’s arrival will be an opportunity to strengthen hope, encounter, and dialogue throughout the country.”
Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.
– (OSV News) — Anticipation for Pope Leo XIV’s visit to South America is building as Peru’s president-elect pledged state cooperation and Uruguay’s Church officials announced logistical plans for the U.S.-born pontiff’s return to the region as pope. In a statement released July 16, the Peruvian bishops’ conference said it had welcomed Keiko Fujimori, whose victory in the country’s presidential election was declared July 4. Fujimori met with Bishop Carlos García Camader of Lurín, president of the Peruvian bishops’ conference, as well as Bishop Luis Alberto Barrera Pacheco of Callao and Msgr. Guillermo Inca Pereda, vice president and acting secretary general
Peru: Historic churches severely damaged following earthquakes #Catholic – 
(OSV News) — After a pair of earthquakes struck the mountainous region of Junín in Peru, the Catholic Church in the country expressed solidarity with victims’ families and is coordinating humanitarian aid to help victims, as well as efforts to preserve damaged historic churches.
“We join in the grief of the families mourning their loved ones, raising our prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased, and asking the Lord to grant strength, comfort, and hope to all,” the Peruvian bishops’ conference said in a statement published July 19.
According to Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute, at least five people were killed and 32 wounded after two earthquakes measuring magnitudes of 5.1 and 3.7 struck July 18 in the Chupaca province, located roughly 186 miles east of the Peruvian capital of Lima.
Dozens of homes were destroyed or declared uninhabitable following the earthquake, and several public buildings, including two churches, the institute said, adding that the earthquake also caused damage in Huancayo and Huancavelica.
The Archdiocese of Huancayo said it was coordinating humanitarian efforts through its Caritas office and “is actively participating in first response efforts.”
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In a statement published July 19, the archdiocese said Archbishop Luis Alberto Huamán Camayo of Huancayo traveled to the city of Pumpunya, which also suffered significant damage, “to support the affected population, express the Church’s solidarity, and coordinate relief efforts with the authorities and emergency teams present in the area.”
“Through Caritas Huancayo, humanitarian aid has been distributed consisting of non-perishable food, water, blankets, pots, stoves and other essential items, intended to immediately assist families who lost their homes or were seriously affected by the earthquake,” the statement read.
The archdiocese was also assessing damage to several churches and properties, including the El Copón chapel in Pumpunya and the Church of St. James the Apostle in Chongos Bajo.
According to the Peruvian bishops’ conference, both religious buildings are National Cultural Heritage sites.
“The Church of St. James the Apostle in Chongos Bajo, built in the 16th century, suffered particularly significant damage, including the partial collapse of the roof and part of the pediment,” the bishops said. “The bell tower is also at risk of collapse, and therefore, the necessary actions are being coordinated to protect this important expression of the country’s historical and religious heritage.”
The conference also said the Archdiocese of Huancayo was coordinating efforts with the cultural office of Junín as well as with the Peruvian Civil Defense office to “carry out the technical evaluation of the affected churches and adopt the necessary measures to guarantee their conservation and the safety of the faithful.”
“The Catholic Church reaffirms its commitment to accompany the affected communities and to promote unity and solidarity in these times of emergency,” the Peruvian bishops’ conference said.
“It also calls for continued support for the affected families and for coordinated efforts in the recovery and reconstruction of the affected areas, as well as in the protection of the heritage of faith that forms part of the history and identity of these communities,” it said.
Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.
– (OSV News) — After a pair of earthquakes struck the mountainous region of Junín in Peru, the Catholic Church in the country expressed solidarity with victims’ families and is coordinating humanitarian aid to help victims, as well as efforts to preserve damaged historic churches. “We join in the grief of the families mourning their loved ones, raising our prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased, and asking the Lord to grant strength, comfort, and hope to all,” the Peruvian bishops’ conference said in a statement published July 19. According to Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute, at least five people
Here’s what you should know before visiting Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
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On July 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden, a mystic of the Middle Ages who was a wife and mother of eight children.
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The Medieval town of Belcastel in Aveyron, France, named one of “the most beautiful villages of France”. Today is Bastille Day, the French National Day.
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Messier 94 is a spiral galaxy with a bright inner ring around it, called a starburst ring, where new stars are forming.
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There’s no denying the natural order of things — there are some things women are just plain better at than men. Being aware of these things can help life go more smoothly.
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U.S. — Finally making public a long-anticipated change to the denomination’s policy regarding qualifications for members of its pastorate, the United Methodist Church announced a ban on heterosexual clergy.
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Republicans insisted reports of medical neglect, spoiled food, and blocked oversight were “false narratives,” while Democrats pointed to deaths in ICE custody and allegations of substandard care.
From historical scandals to 2026 World Cup inferno: investigated by FIFA and the Department of Justice.
The post WHOA: Online Petition To ‘Keep Argentina Out of the World Cup’ Amasses Over 23 Million Signatures – South American Villains Under Investigation by FIFA and the DOJ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The O’Keefe Media Group on Wednesday released an undercover video of a senior Pentagon advisor bashing President Trump.
The post O’Keefe Goes Undercover: Senior Pentagon Advisor Caught on Hidden Camera Bashing President Trump (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreA reading from the Letter to the Galatians
2:19-20
Brothers and sisters:
Through the law I died to the law,
that I might live for God.
I have been crucified with Christ;
yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me;
insofar as I now live in the flesh,
I live by faith in the Son of God
who has loved me and given himself up for me.
From the Gospel according to John
15:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
The branches are joined to the vine and draw nourishment from it, so that the ‘fruit’ may sprout and grow. In the same way, the disciples are united to the Lord and, thanks to this existential union, can act spiritually and bear fruit: “As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (Jn 15:4). The branches have no life of their own: they live only if they remain united to the vine that brought them into being. Their life is one and the same as that of the vine. A single sap flows between the vine and the branches; the vine and the branches bear the same fruit. There is therefore an unbreakable bond between them, which aptly symbolises that which exists between Jesus and His disciples: “Abide in me, and I in you” (Jn 15:4). If the branches all share the same sap with the vine, they are also bound to one another by mutual communion. From this communion of life springs the need for communion in love: “Love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12). A strong love, which knows no limitations or boundaries, and which Jesus links to His own painful death to redeem His ‘friends’, the disciples who believed in Him: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). (John Paul II, General Audience, 25 January 1995)
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The illegal alien from Montenegro whom Sen.
The post Illegal Alien Richard Blumenthal and Far-Left CT Democrats Rallied to Protect is REGISTERED TO VOTE in Connecticut — Lied of Being a Citizen appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More![Vatican publishes biography of founder of Cuban nationhood, Father Félix Varela – #Catholic – The Vatican Publishing House recently released the first Italian edition of the book “Félix Varela: A Biography,” a work about the priest considered by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia to be “a sort of founder of [Cuban] national culture through his works and writings.”The 208-page volume, published July 9, was written by Monsignor Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a prominent figure in the Cuban Catholic Church who passed away in Havana in 2014. Paglia, president emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life, wrote the book’s foreword, noting in it that “the relationship between Varela and Cuban society is very profound.”This is because Varela’s writings “shaped an identity deeply linked to a faith expressed in a new humanism, where the primacy of conscience was supreme and the condemnation of slavery and the need for independence were fundamental,” the archbishop explained, according to a Vatican News report.Varela was a priest committed to social issues who lived during a time of profound change in the territories then held by the Spanish Empire in the Americas, according to the report.He was born in Havana on Nov. 20, 1788. Thanks to his high standing, he was sent to Spain in 1821 to represent the island before the parliament in Madrid.However, his legislative proposals to abolish slavery on the island, declare Cuban independence, and establish a government for the overseas provinces led to his exile in 1823; consequently, he was forced to settle in New York, where he lived while serving as a parish priest and episcopal vicar.In his preface, Paglia wrote that, in both Cuba and the United States, Varela fostered “efforts toward freedom, teaching love and stirring hearts to choose the poor as their primary companions on the journey.”Varela’s parish in New York “was interethnic and intercultural.” Moreover, he dedicated himself especially to immigrants, establishing a system of social and charitable assistance unprecedented in the United States. He was convinced that a mission centered on the Gospel could give rise to a more just and compassionate society.Varela’s legacyThe Cuban priest passed away in St. Augustine, Florida, on Feb. 27, 1853, leaving behind works such as “Letters to Elpidio on Impiety, Superstition, and Fanaticism in Their Relationship with Society,” a work described by St. John Paul II during his 1998 apostolic journey to Cuba as a “true monument of moral teaching.”“It’s no coincidence,” Vatican News pointed out, “that his work can be described as ‘civilizing’: an exemplary priest, a ‘principled patriot,’ and ‘the first to teach us how to think,’ Varela was able to revitalize pedagogical methods and the teaching of philosophy, theology, law, and science, creating a synthesis in which faith and culture become inseparable dimensions.”Furthermore, as Paglia noted, in a “contemporary world where we often face incredible forms of violence and dangerous political divisions,” Varela “represents the possibility of unity.”He was “a truly Catholic — that is, universal — priest,” Paglia wrote, and therefore “reflects the message of the Gospel, which does not divide but unites, while respecting individual differences.” Paglia also noted that Varela’s message is in line with Popes Leo XIV and Francis: “Three witnesses from the Americas inviting the Americas to a renewed enthusiasm for a missionary vocation that places faith at the service of a society fervently rooted in the Gospel.”Varela was declared venerable by Benedict XVI in March 2012. The Vatican decree highlights that “the Servant of God stands out on the horizon of Cuba’s history as a figure remarkable for his human gifts and for his Christian and priestly virtues.”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/2026/07/vatican-publishes-biography-of-founder-of-cuban-nationhood-father-felix-varela-catholic-the-vatican-publishing-house-recently-released-the-first-italian-edition-of-the-book-felix-varela.jpg "Vatican publishes biography of founder of Cuban nationhood, Father Félix Varela – #Catholic – The Vatican Publishing House recently released the first Italian edition of the book “Félix Varela: A Biography,” a work about the priest considered by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia to be “a sort of founder of [Cuban] national culture through his works and writings.”The 208-page volume, published July 9, was written by Monsignor Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a prominent figure in the Cuban Catholic Church who passed away in Havana in 2014. Paglia, president emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life, wrote the book’s foreword, noting in it that “the relationship between Varela and Cuban society is very profound.”This is because Varela’s writings “shaped an identity deeply linked to a faith expressed in a new humanism, where the primacy of conscience was supreme and the condemnation of slavery and the need for independence were fundamental,” the archbishop explained, according to a Vatican News report.Varela was a priest committed to social issues who lived during a time of profound change in the territories then held by the Spanish Empire in the Americas, according to the report.He was born in Havana on Nov. 20, 1788. Thanks to his high standing, he was sent to Spain in 1821 to represent the island before the parliament in Madrid.However, his legislative proposals to abolish slavery on the island, declare Cuban independence, and establish a government for the overseas provinces led to his exile in 1823; consequently, he was forced to settle in New York, where he lived while serving as a parish priest and episcopal vicar.In his preface, Paglia wrote that, in both Cuba and the United States, Varela fostered “efforts toward freedom, teaching love and stirring hearts to choose the poor as their primary companions on the journey.”Varela’s parish in New York “was interethnic and intercultural.” Moreover, he dedicated himself especially to immigrants, establishing a system of social and charitable assistance unprecedented in the United States. He was convinced that a mission centered on the Gospel could give rise to a more just and compassionate society.Varela’s legacyThe Cuban priest passed away in St. Augustine, Florida, on Feb. 27, 1853, leaving behind works such as “Letters to Elpidio on Impiety, Superstition, and Fanaticism in Their Relationship with Society,” a work described by St. John Paul II during his 1998 apostolic journey to Cuba as a “true monument of moral teaching.”“It’s no coincidence,” Vatican News pointed out, “that his work can be described as ‘civilizing’: an exemplary priest, a ‘principled patriot,’ and ‘the first to teach us how to think,’ Varela was able to revitalize pedagogical methods and the teaching of philosophy, theology, law, and science, creating a synthesis in which faith and culture become inseparable dimensions.”Furthermore, as Paglia noted, in a “contemporary world where we often face incredible forms of violence and dangerous political divisions,” Varela “represents the possibility of unity.”He was “a truly Catholic — that is, universal — priest,” Paglia wrote, and therefore “reflects the message of the Gospel, which does not divide but unites, while respecting individual differences.” Paglia also noted that Varela’s message is in line with Popes Leo XIV and Francis: “Three witnesses from the Americas inviting the Americas to a renewed enthusiasm for a missionary vocation that places faith at the service of a society fervently rooted in the Gospel.”Varela was declared venerable by Benedict XVI in March 2012. The Vatican decree highlights that “the Servant of God stands out on the horizon of Cuba’s history as a figure remarkable for his human gifts and for his Christian and priestly virtues.”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 Vatican’s publication of a book on the life of Father Félix Varela (1788–1853) once again draws attention to Cuban priest’s virtues and accomplishments.
“France is leading the way in Europe by becoming the first country to establish a ‘digital age of majority,’” said the country’s minister delegate for digital sovereignty.
SpaceX is now targeting Thursday, July 23, for the 13th test flight of Starship, after the company scrubbed its first attempt on July 16. It will be only the second launch of the vehicle’s V3 configuration — the version of the rocket that will fly astronauts to the Moon for NASA’s Artemis program. The 90-minuteContinue reading “SpaceX targeting Thursday for second launch of the world’s largest rocket”
The post SpaceX targeting Thursday for second launch of the world’s largest rocket appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More![Bishop Sweeney visits hermits in bucolic beauty of Chester #Catholic - On July 20, the Hermits of Bethlehem and visitors of Bethlehem Hermitage, situated in the rustic splendor of Chester, N.J., welcomed Kevin J. Sweeney. He celebrated Mass in the chapel. The hermitage is a foundation of Catholic hermits — men and women who live a life of prayer, penance, silence, and solitude.
Founded on March 15, 1975, Bethlehem Hermitage sits on 18 acres of land. The hermits live in what is called a laura: a colony of small solitary wooden cottages situated a distance from each other around a chapel and central house. They combine hours of work with hours of prayer.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
The Bethlehem Hermitage offers a retreat based on principles of silence and solitude. An integral part of it is the daily celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist and Eucharistic adoration. It is a time to encounter self and deepen one’s faith, hope, and love through prayerful listening and reflection on Sacred Scripture, which speaks when the retreatant is open in a prayerful disposition.
For more information, visit bethlehemhermitage.com.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI & JESSICA MARTINEZ
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/bishop-sweeney-visits-hermits-in-bucolic-beauty-of-chester-catholic-on-july-20-the-hermits-of-bethlehem-and-visitors-of-bethlehem-hermitage-situated-in-the-rustic-splendor-of-chester-n-j-welco.jpg)
Bishop Sweeney visits hermits in bucolic beauty of Chester #Catholic – 
On July 20, the Hermits of Bethlehem and visitors of Bethlehem Hermitage, situated in the rustic splendor of Chester, N.J., welcomed Kevin J. Sweeney. He celebrated Mass in the chapel. The hermitage is a foundation of Catholic hermits — men and women who live a life of prayer, penance, silence, and solitude.
Founded on March 15, 1975, Bethlehem Hermitage sits on 18 acres of land. The hermits live in what is called a laura: a colony of small solitary wooden cottages situated a distance from each other around a chapel and central house. They combine hours of work with hours of prayer.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
The Bethlehem Hermitage offers a retreat based on principles of silence and solitude. An integral part of it is the daily celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist and Eucharistic adoration. It is a time to encounter self and deepen one’s faith, hope, and love through prayerful listening and reflection on Sacred Scripture, which speaks when the retreatant is open in a prayerful disposition.
For more information, visit bethlehemhermitage.com.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI & JESSICA MARTINEZ
– On July 20, the Hermits of Bethlehem and visitors of Bethlehem Hermitage, situated in the rustic splendor of Chester, N.J., welcomed Kevin J. Sweeney. He celebrated Mass in the chapel. The hermitage is a foundation of Catholic hermits — men and women who live a life of prayer, penance, silence, and solitude. Founded on March 15, 1975, Bethlehem Hermitage sits on 18 acres of land. The hermits live in what is called a laura: a colony of small solitary wooden cottages situated a distance from each other around a chapel and central house. They combine hours of work with hours
![State Knights officers installed amid significant membership growth #Catholic - A Catholic from the Paterson Diocese led the installation of State officers of the N.J. State Knights of Columbus for the 2026-27 fraternal year on July 18, 2026, during a Mass held at St. Jude Thaddeus Church in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J. During the last fraternal year, the N.J. State Knights notched a record, adding 2,754 men to the membership rolls — the best in 26 years.
James P. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was also installed for his second year of a two-year term as State Deputy. He belongs to St. Jude Parish in Mount Olive and is a member of the Knights of Columbus Father Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100. Sweeney also sits on the board of trustees of diocesan Catholic Charities and the diocesan Pastoral Council led by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who was the main celebrant and homilist of the installation Mass.
The following remaining State Knights officers were installed that day: Father Ernest G. Rush, State Chaplain, who is pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Lyndhurst; Russell D. Petrocelli, State Secretary, from the Newark Archdiocese; Scott C. Williams, State Treasurer, from the Metuchen Diocese; Edward V. Michalak, State Advocate, from the Trenton Diocese; and Christopher A. Tomasello, Sr., State Warden, from the Camden Diocese.
During the 2025-26 fraternal year, the State Knights, which oversees 350 councils with a total membership of more than 60,000 Catholic men, also expanded its Evangelization and Faith Formation program throughout the state. This includes Cor program, named after the Latin word for “heart” and the root of “courage,” It features 60- to 90-minute monthly or bi-monthly gatherings focused on three pillars: prayer, formation, and fraternity. Men gather periodically to “discuss their faith and how it impacts their daily lives,” Sweeney said.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
“There has been a resurgence of men in our parishes looking to grow in their faith. The Knights is a perfect place for them. We create a community where men can share their faith and then put their faith into action,” said Sweeney. He continued to say, “We are the right faith organization at the right time, offering every Catholic gentleman the opportunity to become a Knight”.
These young men might be attracted to the Knights because they live their “faith in action” across New Jersey, supporting numerous charities, Sweeney said. Among them are a few in the Paterson Diocese, including the support of the Catholic Charities Department of Persons with Disabilities support through the Intellectual Disabilities drive. They also support the Coats-for-Kids drive, where the Knights in conjunction with the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., give an average of more than 2,000 coats, at the “Bethlehem in Paterson,” an annual Christmas charity event at the Cathedral.
The installation liturgy began with Knights of Columbus Color Corp from throughout the state leading a procession of the NJ State Council leaders and clergy down the center aisle of St. Jude’s Church, wearing crisp blue uniforms and white gloves and holding ceremonial swords and flags.
Concelebrating the installation Mass were Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski of the Metuchen Diocese, who is now State Chaplain Emeritus; Father Ernest Rush State Chaplain; Father J. Antonio Gaviria, pastor of St. Jude’s; Father William Smith, a retired priest of the Metuchen Diocese; and Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of St. John’s and diocesan vicar for special projects.
The State Knights hold an annual State Officers/District Deputies Installation ceremony to install the newly elected state-level officers for the upcoming fraternal year. The ceremony marks the start of the Columbian Year for the organization. The officers’ family and friends attended the liturgy as a sign of support.
A banquet followed the July 20 installation Mass.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/state-knights-officers-installed-amid-significant-membership-growth-catholic-a-catholic-from-the-paterson-diocese-led-the-installation-of-state-officers-of-the-n-j-state-knights-of-columbus-for-th.jpg)
State Knights officers installed amid significant membership growth #Catholic – 
A Catholic from the Paterson Diocese led the installation of State officers of the N.J. State Knights of Columbus for the 2026-27 fraternal year on July 18, 2026, during a Mass held at St. Jude Thaddeus Church in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J. During the last fraternal year, the N.J. State Knights notched a record, adding 2,754 men to the membership rolls — the best in 26 years.
James P. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was also installed for his second year of a two-year term as State Deputy. He belongs to St. Jude Parish in Mount Olive and is a member of the Knights of Columbus Father Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100. Sweeney also sits on the board of trustees of diocesan Catholic Charities and the diocesan Pastoral Council led by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who was the main celebrant and homilist of the installation Mass.
The following remaining State Knights officers were installed that day: Father Ernest G. Rush, State Chaplain, who is pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Lyndhurst; Russell D. Petrocelli, State Secretary, from the Newark Archdiocese; Scott C. Williams, State Treasurer, from the Metuchen Diocese; Edward V. Michalak, State Advocate, from the Trenton Diocese; and Christopher A. Tomasello, Sr., State Warden, from the Camden Diocese.
During the 2025-26 fraternal year, the State Knights, which oversees 350 councils with a total membership of more than 60,000 Catholic men, also expanded its Evangelization and Faith Formation program throughout the state. This includes Cor program, named after the Latin word for “heart” and the root of “courage,” It features 60- to 90-minute monthly or bi-monthly gatherings focused on three pillars: prayer, formation, and fraternity. Men gather periodically to “discuss their faith and how it impacts their daily lives,” Sweeney said.
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“There has been a resurgence of men in our parishes looking to grow in their faith. The Knights is a perfect place for them. We create a community where men can share their faith and then put their faith into action,” said Sweeney. He continued to say, “We are the right faith organization at the right time, offering every Catholic gentleman the opportunity to become a Knight”.
These young men might be attracted to the Knights because they live their “faith in action” across New Jersey, supporting numerous charities, Sweeney said. Among them are a few in the Paterson Diocese, including the support of the Catholic Charities Department of Persons with Disabilities support through the Intellectual Disabilities drive. They also support the Coats-for-Kids drive, where the Knights in conjunction with the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., give an average of more than 2,000 coats, at the “Bethlehem in Paterson,” an annual Christmas charity event at the Cathedral.
The installation liturgy began with Knights of Columbus Color Corp from throughout the state leading a procession of the NJ State Council leaders and clergy down the center aisle of St. Jude’s Church, wearing crisp blue uniforms and white gloves and holding ceremonial swords and flags.
Concelebrating the installation Mass were Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski of the Metuchen Diocese, who is now State Chaplain Emeritus; Father Ernest Rush State Chaplain; Father J. Antonio Gaviria, pastor of St. Jude’s; Father William Smith, a retired priest of the Metuchen Diocese; and Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of St. John’s and diocesan vicar for special projects.
The State Knights hold an annual State Officers/District Deputies Installation ceremony to install the newly elected state-level officers for the upcoming fraternal year. The ceremony marks the start of the Columbian Year for the organization. The officers’ family and friends attended the liturgy as a sign of support.
A banquet followed the July 20 installation Mass.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
– A Catholic from the Paterson Diocese led the installation of State officers of the N.J. State Knights of Columbus for the 2026-27 fraternal year on July 18, 2026, during a Mass held at St. Jude Thaddeus Church in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J. During the last fraternal year, the N.J. State Knights notched a record, adding 2,754 men to the membership rolls — the best in 26 years. James P. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was also installed for his second year of a two-year term as State Deputy. He belongs to St. Jude Parish in
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Once known as a sinful woman, Mary Magdalene became the Apostle to the Apostles and the first witness to the Resurrection.
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Arhbalou village nestled in the foothills of the barren north face of the Western High Atlas, Al Haouz, Morocco.
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This composite of images taken by NASA’s Psyche mission shows the crescent of Mars grow as the spacecraft approached the planet for a gravity assist from May 2 to May 15, 2026. Because Psyche approached Mars from a high phase angle, the planet appeared as a thin crescent in the days running up to the close approach, lit by sunlight reflecting off its surface.
Read MoreA reading from the Song of Songs
3:1-4b
The Bride says:
On my bed at night I sought him
whom my heart loves–
I sought him but I did not find him.
I will rise then and go about the city;
in the streets and crossings I will seek
Him whom my heart loves.
I sought him but I did not find him.
The watchmen came upon me,
as they made their rounds of the city:
Have you seen him whom my heart loves?
I had hardly left them
when I found him whom my heart loves.
From the Gospel according to John
20:1-2, 11-18
On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him."
Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
"Rabbouni," which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
"Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’"
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he told her.
Mary suffers twice as much: first for the death of Jesus, and then for the inexplicable disappearance of his body.
It is as she is stooping near the tomb, her eyes filled with tears, that God surprises her in the most unexpected way. John the Evangelist stresses how persistent her blindness is. She does not notice the presence of the two angels who question her, and she does not become suspicious even when she sees the man behind her, whom she believes is the custodian of the garden. Instead, she discovers the most overwhelming event in the history of mankind when she is finally called by her name: “Mary!” (v. 16).
How nice it is to think that the first apparition of the Risen One — according to the Gospels — took place in such a personal way! To think that there is someone who knows us, who sees our suffering and disappointment, who is moved with us and calls us by name. It is a law which we find engraved on many pages of the Gospel. There are many people around Jesus who search for God, but the most prodigious reality is that, long before that, in the first place there is God, who is concerned about our life, who wants to raise it, and to do this, he calls us by name, recognizing the individual face of each person. Each person is a love story that God writes on this earth. (…) The Gospels describe Mary’s happiness. Jesus’ Resurrection is not a joy which is measured with a dropper, but a waterfall that cascades over life. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 17 May 2017)
Read More
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will deliver kits of prepackaged food and hygiene kits for up to 700 Cuban families.
![Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel sees a resurgence with new shrine in Mexico City - #Catholic - As of this year, devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has a new site in Mexico City. On July 15, the old non-parochial church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was dedicated as an archdiocesan shrine, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the historic church.In recent days, the church, located in the traditional San Ángel neighborhood on the city’s south side, has begun to welcome more visitors than usual. Every year on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, celebrated on July 16, hundreds of pilgrims are drawn to the shrine.
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in San Ángel, Mexico City. | Credit: EWTN News
However, interest has gained new momentum since Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, primatial archbishop of Mexico, announced in May that the historic church would be elevated to a shrine.Among those drawn by curiosity was Mariana Ledesma. Although she acknowledged that she is only just beginning to learn about this devotion to Our Lady under this title, she wanted to be part of a moment she considers historic.“The shrine is beautiful and full of symbolism; seeing the devotion of the entire community, being able to share in that faith, is something truly beautiful. That is precisely the purpose of the shrine: to make it known to others as well,” she told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.4 centuries of historyThe relationship between Mexico City and Our Lady of Mount Carmel dates back to 1585, when the first missionaries of the Discalced Carmelite order arrived in New Spain to assist in the work of evangelization.In the early 17th century, they established one of their most important convents in San Ángel, from which they fostered contemplative life, spiritual formation, and devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a devotion that took deep root among the capitalʼs inhabitants.
Carmelite friars. | Credit: Discalced Carmelites of Central America
For centuries, the church and convent served as an important religious and cultural center. However, following the Reform Laws of 1876, the old convent was nationalized and became state property.Today, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church remains a place of Catholic worship while the former convent, after serving various purposes over the years, houses a museum. After more than 400 years of tending to the church, this year the Discalced Carmelites handed over its administration to the Archdiocese of Mexico due to a decline in vocations within the order.Mary, ‘strengthen my heart’During the Mass of canonical dedication as a shrine, Héctor Mario Pérez Villarreal, auxiliary bishop of Mexico, explained that the decision to elevate the church to a shrine reflects the fact that the faithful have long been making pilgrimages there to “seek solace and to come seeking the nourishment of the sacraments and the mercy of confession.”
Mass of dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine, July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico
“Let us hope that this [act] serves as an encouragement for many more people to return here to renew the consolation offered by the Virgin of Mount Carmel and their love for Jesus Christ,” he stated.He also invited the faithful to turn to Mary during times of difficulty. He noted that when faith or hope “begin to fade,” it is necessary to turn one’s gaze toward Mary and say: “Most Holy Mother, you who were able to remain faithful even [standing] before your Son’s cross, strengthen my heart.”
Mass of Dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine on July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico
Petitions to Our Lady of Mount CarmelThe aisles of the shrine were filled with people holding scapulars, flowers, or photographs of their family members. Some came to give thanks for favors received; others sought to place their concerns in Maryʼs hands.Among them was Claudio de la Paz, a devotee who traveled from the state of Campeche, over 500 miles away, to take part in the celebration. In addition to hoping the faithful will draw closer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, he asked that young people be specially commended to her care, as he said they are currently going through “times of great vulnerability.”
Mass of Dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine on July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico
For Rafael Estrada, devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel “represents a quest for peace, serenity, and harmony.” Estrada urged Catholics to ask for Mary’s protection amid the tribulations Mexico is going through.Sister Nina Ramos, a religious of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, invited the faithful to visit the new shrine and noted that those who fulfill the conditions established by the Church may obtain a plenary indulgence.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/2026/07/devotion-to-our-lady-of-mount-carmel-sees-a-resurgence-with-new-shrine-in-mexico-city-catholic-as-of-this-year-devotion-to-our-lady-of-mount-carmel-has-a-new-site-in-mexico-city-on-july-15-the.png)
Formerly served by the Discalced Carmelites, the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been elevated to an archdiocesan shrine and has seen an increase in the number of pilgrims.
The Catholic Church’s social services arm in the country reports that its operations are in a transitional phase, as it shifts from immediate assistance to the recovery of those who lost everything.
Caritas Bangladesh and Jinde Charities in China are providing aid after devastating flooding.
Lebanon’s cardinal urges prayer, guidance as its president visits the White House #Catholic – 
(OSV News) — Lebanon’s Cardinal Bechara Rai, the patriarch of the country’s Maronite Catholic Church, has urged for prayer and guidance as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun makes a critical visit to the White House July 21 to present President Donald Trump with a plan on how to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and secure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon.
“However severe the crises facing Lebanon may become, this country is not lost as long as God accompanies it. This hope drives us to look toward the future,” Cardinal Rai urged during a Sunday Mass commemorating the feast day of Lebanon’s patron saint, St. Charbel Makhlouf, on July 19.
“We pray for Lebanon and its officials, asking God to guide them in working for national unity, preserving the dignity of the people and safeguarding sovereignty. Peace is our choice, and Lebanon must choose the paths of truth, not illusions, because truth is what builds the state and brings the Lebanese together,” Cardinal Rai said at the St. Maron Monastery in Annaya.
The Maronite Catholic Church is the largest and most powerful Christian denomination in Lebanon. Cardinal Rai is considered by many Lebanese to be the Church’s most influential leader. By convention, the country’s president is always a Maronite.
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Aoun, a Maronite Christian, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet President Trump face-to-face for the first time.
Cardinal Rai called for the preservation of his beleaguered nation’s sovereignty, caught up in a destructive conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel. The latest round of fighting between the two sides began March 2 as Iran came under U.S. and Israeli attack.
More than 4,300 people have been killed so far, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, including nearly 800 children, women and medics and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced from southern Lebanon.
The Catholic Church in Lebanon has played a key role in assisting the displaced and providing spiritual sustenance both to those who lost their homes and livelihoods and other Lebanese who refused to leave their villages despite Israeli aerial and ground bombardment.
Aoun is seeking Trump’s help to press Israel to implement a U.S.-brokered June 26 “Framework Agreement” between Lebanon and Israel that works on disarming Hezbollah, sees Israeli troops withdraw from large swathes of Lebanese territory it occupies, and sets the possibility for peaceful ties between Lebanon and Israel.
After the war began, Aoun quickly called for direct talks with Israel, a historic departure for a state repeatedly invaded by Israel since 1978. It led to the highest-level face-to-face negotiations in decades between the two countries.
Yet, Hezbollah has firmly rejected the Lebanese government’s direct talks with Israel — and efforts by the state to decommission its massive weapons arsenal held since the time of the country’s 1975-1990 civil war and supplemented by Iran.
Cardinal Rai said that “any agreement that preserves Lebanon’s sovereignty, safeguards its national rights and strengthens the authority of the state deserves support.” He renewed his call for the implementation of the “Framework Agreement,” saying it establishes a gateway to consolidating state sovereignty and safeguarding Lebanon’s national rights.
All parties must commit to implementing the “Framework Agreement,” he said, stressing that “active neutrality” remains the national choice that protects Lebanon from the conflict between rival countries or groups and strengthens its internal unity.
“Lebanon is called upon today more than ever to adhere to this historical message that has made it a homeland of coexistence, dialogue and openness,” Cardinal Rai said at another venue in Bqaa Kafra, the birthplace of St. Charbel.
He referred to the 18 different religious sects that comprise the rich cultural diversity of the tiny Mediterranean nation.
He said the Lebanese are weary of conflict and divisions and hope to enter a new period of stability and security — for peace and not war.
“Peace is the only path that preserves life, protects human dignity, and lays the foundation for future generations,” he argued.
“Nations are not built through disputes or hate speech, but through reconciliation, solidarity and cooperation among all their people,” Cardinal Rai affirmed.
Dale Gavlak writes for OSV News from Amman, Jordan.
– (OSV News) — Lebanon’s Cardinal Bechara Rai, the patriarch of the country’s Maronite Catholic Church, has urged for prayer and guidance as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun makes a critical visit to the White House July 21 to present President Donald Trump with a plan on how to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and secure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. “However severe the crises facing Lebanon may become, this country is not lost as long as God accompanies it. This hope drives us to look toward the future,” Cardinal Rai urged during a Sunday Mass commemorating the feast day of Lebanon’s