Catholic

Pope Leo XIV: ‘Kneel down as brothers and sisters alongside the oppressed’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Holy Thursday returned the Mass of the Lord’s Supper to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, reviving a papal practice last observed there in 2012 under Benedict XVI.Departing from Pope Francis’ custom of celebrating the liturgy in prisons or migrant centers, Leo celebrated the rite in the cathedral of Rome and washed the feet of 12 priests of the Diocese of Rome.In his homily, the pope framed the liturgy as the solemn entrance into the Easter Triduum and said Christ’s love, shown in both the Eucharist and the washing of the feet, reveals the justice of God in a world wounded by evil.“This evening’s solemn liturgy marks our entry into the holy Triduum of the Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection,” Leo said. “We cross this threshold not as mere spectators, nor out of habit, but as those personally invited by Jesus himself as guests at the Supper in which bread and wine become for us the sacrament of salvation.”“His love becomes both gesture and nourishment for all, revealing the justice of God,” the pope said. “In this world, and particularly in those places where evil abounds, Jesus loves definitively — forever, and with his whole being.”Reflecting on the washing of the feet, Leo said the gesture is not simply a moral lesson but a revelation of God’s own way of loving.“What the Lord shows us — taking the water, the basin, and the towel — is far more than a moral example,” he said. “He entrusts to us his very way of life. The washing of the feet is a gesture that encapsulates the revelation of God.”The pope also cited Benedict XVI, recalling that Christians must repeatedly learn that God’s greatness is unlike worldly greatness. “We too must ‘learn repeatedly that God’s greatness is different from our idea of greatness… because we systematically desire a God of success and not of the Passion,’” Leo said.He warned that human beings are tempted to seek a God who grants success, victory, or usefulness like wealth and power rather than recognizing the divine power revealed in humble service.“Yet we fail to perceive that God does indeed serve us through the gratuitous and humble gesture of washing feet,” Leo said. “This is the true omnipotence of God.”The pope said Jesus’ action purifies both humanity’s false image of God and its false image of man.“For we tend to consider ourselves powerful when we dominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared,” he said. “In contrast, as true God and true man, Christ offers us the example of self-giving, service, and love.”Leo stressed that Christ gave this example not in a moment of acclaim but “on the night he was betrayed, in the darkness of incomprehension and violence.”“In this way, it becomes clear that the Lord’s love precedes our own goodness or purity; he loves us first, and in that love, he forgives and restores us,” the pope said.Quoting St. John’s Gospel, Leo urged Christians to live out mutual service in imitation of Christ: “He does not ask us to repay him but to share his gift among ourselves: ‘You also ought to wash one another’s feet.’”The pope also referred to Pope Francis’ 2013 Holy Thursday homily, noting that Christian service cannot be reduced to abstraction or empty obligation but must spring from charity.Allowing oneself to be served by the Lord, Leo said, is a precondition for serving others. “By washing our bodies, Jesus purifies our souls,” he said. “In him, God has given us an example — not of how to dominate, but of how to liberate; not of how to destroy life, but of how to give it.”In one of the homily’s strongest appeals, the pope turned to the suffering of those crushed by violence and oppression.“As humanity is brought to its knees by so many acts of brutality, let us too kneel down as brothers and sisters alongside the oppressed,” he said.Leo said the liturgy of Holy Thursday draws together the institution of the Eucharist and holy orders, revealing “the perfect self-gift of Jesus, the High Priest and living, eternal Eucharist.”Addressing priests directly, he said: “Beloved brothers in the priesthood, we are called to serve the people of God with our whole lives.”He concluded by inviting Catholics to spend time in Eucharistic adoration and to ask for the grace to imitate Christ’s love.“Holy Thursday is therefore a day of fervent gratitude and authentic fraternity,” the pope said. “May this evening’s Eucharistic adoration, in every parish and community, be a time to contemplate Jesus’ gesture, kneeling as he did, and to ask for the strength to imitate his service with the same love.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV: ‘Kneel down as brothers and sisters alongside the oppressed’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Holy Thursday returned the Mass of the Lord’s Supper to the Basilica of St. John Lateran, reviving a papal practice last observed there in 2012 under Benedict XVI.Departing from Pope Francis’ custom of celebrating the liturgy in prisons or migrant centers, Leo celebrated the rite in the cathedral of Rome and washed the feet of 12 priests of the Diocese of Rome.In his homily, the pope framed the liturgy as the solemn entrance into the Easter Triduum and said Christ’s love, shown in both the Eucharist and the washing of the feet, reveals the justice of God in a world wounded by evil.“This evening’s solemn liturgy marks our entry into the holy Triduum of the Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection,” Leo said. “We cross this threshold not as mere spectators, nor out of habit, but as those personally invited by Jesus himself as guests at the Supper in which bread and wine become for us the sacrament of salvation.”“His love becomes both gesture and nourishment for all, revealing the justice of God,” the pope said. “In this world, and particularly in those places where evil abounds, Jesus loves definitively — forever, and with his whole being.”Reflecting on the washing of the feet, Leo said the gesture is not simply a moral lesson but a revelation of God’s own way of loving.“What the Lord shows us — taking the water, the basin, and the towel — is far more than a moral example,” he said. “He entrusts to us his very way of life. The washing of the feet is a gesture that encapsulates the revelation of God.”The pope also cited Benedict XVI, recalling that Christians must repeatedly learn that God’s greatness is unlike worldly greatness. “We too must ‘learn repeatedly that God’s greatness is different from our idea of greatness… because we systematically desire a God of success and not of the Passion,’” Leo said.He warned that human beings are tempted to seek a God who grants success, victory, or usefulness like wealth and power rather than recognizing the divine power revealed in humble service.“Yet we fail to perceive that God does indeed serve us through the gratuitous and humble gesture of washing feet,” Leo said. “This is the true omnipotence of God.”The pope said Jesus’ action purifies both humanity’s false image of God and its false image of man.“For we tend to consider ourselves powerful when we dominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared,” he said. “In contrast, as true God and true man, Christ offers us the example of self-giving, service, and love.”Leo stressed that Christ gave this example not in a moment of acclaim but “on the night he was betrayed, in the darkness of incomprehension and violence.”“In this way, it becomes clear that the Lord’s love precedes our own goodness or purity; he loves us first, and in that love, he forgives and restores us,” the pope said.Quoting St. John’s Gospel, Leo urged Christians to live out mutual service in imitation of Christ: “He does not ask us to repay him but to share his gift among ourselves: ‘You also ought to wash one another’s feet.’”The pope also referred to Pope Francis’ 2013 Holy Thursday homily, noting that Christian service cannot be reduced to abstraction or empty obligation but must spring from charity.Allowing oneself to be served by the Lord, Leo said, is a precondition for serving others. “By washing our bodies, Jesus purifies our souls,” he said. “In him, God has given us an example — not of how to dominate, but of how to liberate; not of how to destroy life, but of how to give it.”In one of the homily’s strongest appeals, the pope turned to the suffering of those crushed by violence and oppression.“As humanity is brought to its knees by so many acts of brutality, let us too kneel down as brothers and sisters alongside the oppressed,” he said.Leo said the liturgy of Holy Thursday draws together the institution of the Eucharist and holy orders, revealing “the perfect self-gift of Jesus, the High Priest and living, eternal Eucharist.”Addressing priests directly, he said: “Beloved brothers in the priesthood, we are called to serve the people of God with our whole lives.”He concluded by inviting Catholics to spend time in Eucharistic adoration and to ask for the grace to imitate Christ’s love.“Holy Thursday is therefore a day of fervent gratitude and authentic fraternity,” the pope said. “May this evening’s Eucharistic adoration, in every parish and community, be a time to contemplate Jesus’ gesture, kneeling as he did, and to ask for the strength to imitate his service with the same love.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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On Holy Thursday, the pontiff urged Catholics to imitate Christ’s service in a world marked by brutality.

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Quebec secularism law is ‘anti-religious ideology,’ bishops tell Canada Supreme Court #Catholic Canada’s bishops told the Supreme Court of Canada that Quebec’s secularism legislation Bill 21 “denies the divine” going well beyond provincial jurisdiction by imposing an anti-religious ideology on the province.The bishops were among more than 50 intervenors presenting arguments at a landmark Supreme Court of Canada hearing into the constitutionality of Quebec’s 2019 secularism law. The hearing, one of the longest in the court’s history, ran from March 23–26. The court reserved its decision, with a ruling expected later this year.The secularism law, which lower courts have twice upheld, prohibits certain public employees — such as teachers and police officers — from wearing religious symbols while at work.Toronto lawyer Phil Horgan, president and general counsel of the Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL), argued on behalf of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), summarizing a factum that argued the “purpose and effect” of Quebec’s legislation is to “amend Canada’s federal constitution by imposing an anti-religious, non-neutral ideology, which goes beyond Québec’s jurisdiction.”Such a “drastic” change can only be made by the federal government using its authority over criminal law or its constitutional “peace, order, and good government” powers, according to the bishops’ argument.Quebec preemptively invoked the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms when it drafted Bill 21 to shield it from judicial review.Federal and provincial governments can invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution to temporarily prevent courts from invalidating legislation as unconstitutional.The timing and impact of the use of Charter Section 33 became a significant issue during the four days of hearings and will likely be central in the court’s analysis, Horgan told The Catholic Register.The appellants challenging Bill 21 include individual teachers directly affected by it as well as advocacy groups including the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), and the Legal Committee of the Coalition Inclusion Québec. They argue Bill 21 is “ultra vires,” beyond the powers of provincial jurisdiction.In a five-minute oral argument, Horgan told the seven justices that “Canada’s existing federal constitution is pluralist and pro-religion.” Although “the doctrine of state neutrality is well established, Canada has never adopted laicity or an absolutist separation of church and state,” he said.Justice Malcolm Rowe questioned Horgan on the point, asking: “Other than the reference to the supremacy of God in the preamble to the Charter, would you direct me to the provision in the Constitution which is pro-religion?”Horgan cited Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867, which protects denominational school rights and privileges, and noted federal charity law recognizes religion as a public good.Horgan said he wasn’t concerned by the pushback, noting judges often ask questions “not so much to get the answers from counsel but to help … persuade other members of the bench on some of the merits of the argument.”In its factum, the CCCB said Bill 21 “turns the expression of religious belief, through the wearing of symbols, into something to be punished because such expression now conflicts with the dominant philosophical posture of laïcité.”Just as religious symbols are an illustration of underlying personal faith, “the prohibition of religious symbols manifests an outlook from the provincial government that denies the divine,” the bishops said.Quebec has argued the notwithstanding clause disqualifies courts from weighing in on matters deemed political debates. Isabelle Brunet, a lawyer for the Quebec government, told the justices: “It is not up to a court to answer a question that doesn’t concern the courts.”Quebec received support from the attorneys general of Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, who maintain the courts should not interfere once the notwithstanding clause is invoked.Alberta and Ontario take a contrary position, arguing there is nothing in the notwithstanding clause that precludes judicial scrutiny of legislation.Guy J. Pratte, a lawyer for the attorney general of Canada, said Section 33 gives legislatures the power to override Charter rights but does not nullify the rights altogether or prevent judges from issuing an opinion if freedoms are violated.‘Imposing an anti-religious, non-neutral ideology’The following excerpts are from the factum submitted to the Supreme Court of Canada by the Canadian bishops:“The purpose and effect of the act is unilaterally to amend Canada’s federal constitution by imposing an anti-religious, non-neutral ideology, which goes beyond Québec’s jurisdiction.”“When a province makes itself laïc, it is adopting a non-neutral stance on religion. The provinces do not have that power.”“Québec is attempting to impose an atheistic posture on religious believers.”“Our constitution is founded on a political theory that sees fundamental rights and freedoms as God-given. To adopt an expressly anti-religious viewpoint, as the act purports to do, is an amendment of our existing federal constitution.”“In the place of a genuinely neutral, pluralist, and pro-religious approach, the act substitutes an anti-religious constitutional settlement where symbols of religion worn by individuals are not permitted.”“Just as religious symbols manifest an underlying personal faith, the prohibition of religious symbols manifests an outlook … that denies the divine.”This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic and is reprinted here with permission.
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Quebec secularism law is ‘anti-religious ideology,’ bishops tell Canada Supreme Court #Catholic Canada’s bishops told the Supreme Court of Canada that Quebec’s secularism legislation Bill 21 “denies the divine” going well beyond provincial jurisdiction by imposing an anti-religious ideology on the province.The bishops were among more than 50 intervenors presenting arguments at a landmark Supreme Court of Canada hearing into the constitutionality of Quebec’s 2019 secularism law. The hearing, one of the longest in the court’s history, ran from March 23–26. The court reserved its decision, with a ruling expected later this year.The secularism law, which lower courts have twice upheld, prohibits certain public employees — such as teachers and police officers — from wearing religious symbols while at work.Toronto lawyer Phil Horgan, president and general counsel of the Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL), argued on behalf of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), summarizing a factum that argued the “purpose and effect” of Quebec’s legislation is to “amend Canada’s federal constitution by imposing an anti-religious, non-neutral ideology, which goes beyond Québec’s jurisdiction.”Such a “drastic” change can only be made by the federal government using its authority over criminal law or its constitutional “peace, order, and good government” powers, according to the bishops’ argument.Quebec preemptively invoked the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms when it drafted Bill 21 to shield it from judicial review.Federal and provincial governments can invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution to temporarily prevent courts from invalidating legislation as unconstitutional.The timing and impact of the use of Charter Section 33 became a significant issue during the four days of hearings and will likely be central in the court’s analysis, Horgan told The Catholic Register.The appellants challenging Bill 21 include individual teachers directly affected by it as well as advocacy groups including the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), and the Legal Committee of the Coalition Inclusion Québec. They argue Bill 21 is “ultra vires,” beyond the powers of provincial jurisdiction.In a five-minute oral argument, Horgan told the seven justices that “Canada’s existing federal constitution is pluralist and pro-religion.” Although “the doctrine of state neutrality is well established, Canada has never adopted laicity or an absolutist separation of church and state,” he said.Justice Malcolm Rowe questioned Horgan on the point, asking: “Other than the reference to the supremacy of God in the preamble to the Charter, would you direct me to the provision in the Constitution which is pro-religion?”Horgan cited Section 93 of the Constitution Act, 1867, which protects denominational school rights and privileges, and noted federal charity law recognizes religion as a public good.Horgan said he wasn’t concerned by the pushback, noting judges often ask questions “not so much to get the answers from counsel but to help … persuade other members of the bench on some of the merits of the argument.”In its factum, the CCCB said Bill 21 “turns the expression of religious belief, through the wearing of symbols, into something to be punished because such expression now conflicts with the dominant philosophical posture of laïcité.”Just as religious symbols are an illustration of underlying personal faith, “the prohibition of religious symbols manifests an outlook from the provincial government that denies the divine,” the bishops said.Quebec has argued the notwithstanding clause disqualifies courts from weighing in on matters deemed political debates. Isabelle Brunet, a lawyer for the Quebec government, told the justices: “It is not up to a court to answer a question that doesn’t concern the courts.”Quebec received support from the attorneys general of Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, who maintain the courts should not interfere once the notwithstanding clause is invoked.Alberta and Ontario take a contrary position, arguing there is nothing in the notwithstanding clause that precludes judicial scrutiny of legislation.Guy J. Pratte, a lawyer for the attorney general of Canada, said Section 33 gives legislatures the power to override Charter rights but does not nullify the rights altogether or prevent judges from issuing an opinion if freedoms are violated.‘Imposing an anti-religious, non-neutral ideology’The following excerpts are from the factum submitted to the Supreme Court of Canada by the Canadian bishops:“The purpose and effect of the act is unilaterally to amend Canada’s federal constitution by imposing an anti-religious, non-neutral ideology, which goes beyond Québec’s jurisdiction.”“When a province makes itself laïc, it is adopting a non-neutral stance on religion. The provinces do not have that power.”“Québec is attempting to impose an atheistic posture on religious believers.”“Our constitution is founded on a political theory that sees fundamental rights and freedoms as God-given. To adopt an expressly anti-religious viewpoint, as the act purports to do, is an amendment of our existing federal constitution.”“In the place of a genuinely neutral, pluralist, and pro-religious approach, the act substitutes an anti-religious constitutional settlement where symbols of religion worn by individuals are not permitted.”“Just as religious symbols manifest an underlying personal faith, the prohibition of religious symbols manifests an outlook … that denies the divine.”This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic and is reprinted here with permission.

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The Catholic bishops were among more than 50 intervenors presenting arguments at a landmark Supreme Court of Canada hearing into the constitutionality of Quebec’s 2019 secularism law.

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Chrism Mass highlights prayer for peace in troubled world #Catholic - At the annual Chrism Mass on March 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged the faithful to pray to Jesus, asking him to give them — and a broken world — “healing only he can give” as they contemplate Christ’s passion and resurrection in this Holy Week for the redemption of humanity. Referring to Pope Leo XIV’s Palm Sunday homily, Bishop Sweeney also encouraged Catholics of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey to “share that healing and peace with others” in his homily during the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in New Jersey. The bishop also prayed for peace in the war-ravaged Middle East and Eastern Europe and for elected leaders in the United States, armed services personnel and their families, military chaplains, and victims of war and violence in the world. Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli, along with the priests of the diocese, attended to concelebrate the Mass with Bishop Sweeney, who was the homilist and principal celebrant. The priests renewed their priestly promises before the bishop and received the prayers and support of the faithful, who filled the cathedral during the liturgy, including deacons, religious, and laity. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. At the Mass, Bishop Sweeney first consecrated and blessed the Oil of the Sick, used for the Anointing of the Sick, and the Oil of Catechumens, for those preparing for baptism. He then consecrated the Sacred Chrism, which is used for baptism, confirmation, holy orders, and the dedication of altars. Once consecrated, these holy oils will be used in parishes throughout the diocese during the coming year for sacramental celebrations. In his homily, Bishop Sweeney also prayed for and thanked everyone serving in the diocese, including priests, deacons, religious, seminarians, staff, and volunteers of the diocese and parishes. “Tonight, as a Church united, we celebrate and give thanks for all the ways our diocese — because of each of you and many more — respond to the Lord’s great call and commission: ‘to go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them, teaching them’ — and to our Lord Jesus and the love of his sacred heart, which is with us always until the end of time,” Bishop Sweeney said. Following the Mass, representatives from each parish in the diocese received the holy oils, which they will use for the first time at the Easter Vigil. This annual blessing by the bishop unites him with the parishes as the oils are then used during sacramental celebrations. As the celebration of Holy Week continues, Bishop Sweeney also urged diocesan faithful at the Chrism Mass to take up their spiritual cross on the road to Calvary. “We ask for God’s guidance in difficult times, that the cross may lead us to the resurrection and share in his victory,” Bishop Sweeney said. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Chrism Mass highlights prayer for peace in troubled world #Catholic – At the annual Chrism Mass on March 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged the faithful to pray to Jesus, asking him to give them — and a broken world — “healing only he can give” as they contemplate Christ’s passion and resurrection in this Holy Week for the redemption of humanity. Referring to Pope Leo XIV’s Palm Sunday homily, Bishop Sweeney also encouraged Catholics of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey to “share that healing and peace with others” in his homily during the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in New Jersey. The bishop also prayed for peace in the war-ravaged Middle East and Eastern Europe and for elected leaders in the United States, armed services personnel and their families, military chaplains, and victims of war and violence in the world. Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli, along with the priests of the diocese, attended to concelebrate the Mass with Bishop Sweeney, who was the homilist and principal celebrant. The priests renewed their priestly promises before the bishop and received the prayers and support of the faithful, who filled the cathedral during the liturgy, including deacons, religious, and laity. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. At the Mass, Bishop Sweeney first consecrated and blessed the Oil of the Sick, used for the Anointing of the Sick, and the Oil of Catechumens, for those preparing for baptism. He then consecrated the Sacred Chrism, which is used for baptism, confirmation, holy orders, and the dedication of altars. Once consecrated, these holy oils will be used in parishes throughout the diocese during the coming year for sacramental celebrations. In his homily, Bishop Sweeney also prayed for and thanked everyone serving in the diocese, including priests, deacons, religious, seminarians, staff, and volunteers of the diocese and parishes. “Tonight, as a Church united, we celebrate and give thanks for all the ways our diocese — because of each of you and many more — respond to the Lord’s great call and commission: ‘to go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them, teaching them’ — and to our Lord Jesus and the love of his sacred heart, which is with us always until the end of time,” Bishop Sweeney said. Following the Mass, representatives from each parish in the diocese received the holy oils, which they will use for the first time at the Easter Vigil. This annual blessing by the bishop unites him with the parishes as the oils are then used during sacramental celebrations. As the celebration of Holy Week continues, Bishop Sweeney also urged diocesan faithful at the Chrism Mass to take up their spiritual cross on the road to Calvary. “We ask for God’s guidance in difficult times, that the cross may lead us to the resurrection and share in his victory,” Bishop Sweeney said. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Chrism Mass highlights prayer for peace in troubled world #Catholic –

At the annual Chrism Mass on March 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged the faithful to pray to Jesus, asking him to give them — and a broken world — “healing only he can give” as they contemplate Christ’s passion and resurrection in this Holy Week for the redemption of humanity.

Referring to Pope Leo XIV’s Palm Sunday homily, Bishop Sweeney also encouraged Catholics of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey to “share that healing and peace with others” in his homily during the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in New Jersey. The bishop also prayed for peace in the war-ravaged Middle East and Eastern Europe and for elected leaders in the United States, armed services personnel and their families, military chaplains, and victims of war and violence in the world.

Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli, along with the priests of the diocese, attended to concelebrate the Mass with Bishop Sweeney, who was the homilist and principal celebrant. The priests renewed their priestly promises before the bishop and received the prayers and support of the faithful, who filled the cathedral during the liturgy, including deacons, religious, and laity.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

At the Mass, Bishop Sweeney first consecrated and blessed the Oil of the Sick, used for the Anointing of the Sick, and the Oil of Catechumens, for those preparing for baptism. He then consecrated the Sacred Chrism, which is used for baptism, confirmation, holy orders, and the dedication of altars. Once consecrated, these holy oils will be used in parishes throughout the diocese during the coming year for sacramental celebrations.

In his homily, Bishop Sweeney also prayed for and thanked everyone serving in the diocese, including priests, deacons, religious, seminarians, staff, and volunteers of the diocese and parishes.

“Tonight, as a Church united, we celebrate and give thanks for all the ways our diocese — because of each of you and many more — respond to the Lord’s great call and commission: ‘to go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them, teaching them’ — and to our Lord Jesus and the love of his sacred heart, which is with us always until the end of time,” Bishop Sweeney said.

Following the Mass, representatives from each parish in the diocese received the holy oils, which they will use for the first time at the Easter Vigil. This annual blessing by the bishop unites him with the parishes as the oils are then used during sacramental celebrations.

As the celebration of Holy Week continues, Bishop Sweeney also urged diocesan faithful at the Chrism Mass to take up their spiritual cross on the road to Calvary.

“We ask for God’s guidance in difficult times, that the cross may lead us to the resurrection and share in his victory,” Bishop Sweeney said.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– At the annual Chrism Mass on March 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged the faithful to pray to Jesus, asking him to give them — and a broken world — “healing only he can give” as they contemplate Christ’s passion and resurrection in this Holy Week for the redemption of humanity. Referring to Pope Leo XIV’s Palm Sunday homily, Bishop Sweeney also encouraged Catholics of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey to “share that healing and peace with others” in his homily during the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in New Jersey. The bishop also

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Communities of faith prepare hearts for Christ’s resurrection Sunday #Catholic – The 107 parishes of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey are readying their faithful for Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, April 4, with a traditional array of spiritual events and Mass to commemorate his passion, death, and resurrection during the Paschal Triduum, from Holy Thursday on April 1 to its triumphant culmination of Holy Week on April 4, Easter Sunday. Typically, these parishes, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J. — the mother church of the diocese — and various shrines, hold a full schedule of activities, starting with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Observances continue on Good Friday with Veneration of the Cross and/or Stations of the Cross, and again on Good Friday and on Holy Saturday with the Blessing of Food and the Easter Vigil. Celebrations conclude on Easter Sunday with Masses in various languages, celebrating Christ’s resurrection for the redemption of the world. See individual parish websites for schedules. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Additionally, many parishes of the diocese, including the cathedral, will hold special events and Masses during the Paschal Triduum. These include Living Stations of the Cross, Easter egg hunts, and Masses celebrated by visiting Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. Check parish websites, social media, and The Beacon’s “What To Do Calendar.” On Good Friday, the cathedral will hold Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), a popular street procession and reenactment of Christ’s passion, and a formal Good Friday service featuring solemn intercessions, and the Veneration of the Cross, starting outside on the streets at noon. St. John’s will also welcome Bishop Sweeney for a Passion of the Lord service that day at 3 p.m. and again on Holy Saturday for the Easter Vigil at 8 p.m. St. Francis of Assisi Parish in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J., will hold a Living Station at 7 p.m. on Good Friday. St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson will present the Living Stations by students of its parish school at 7:30 p.m. The Performing Arts Ministry at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Harding Township will present a Living Stations, including the 15th, at 8 p.m. on Good Friday. The multigenerational cast, narrators, and musicians tell the story of our Lord’s journey to the Cross. In Randolph, N.J., Resurrection Parish will hold a Living Stations at 7 p.m. on Good Friday. The parish’s Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, April 4, from 8 to 9:30 p.m., will include Blessing of the New Fire and procession into the church with the Paschal Candle. The liturgy continues with Night Watch of the Resurrection, Liturgy of the Word, Blessing of Easter Water, Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation, and Liturgy of the Eucharist. On Easter Sunday, Bishop Sweeney will celebrate Mass at 11 a.m. in the church. St. Jude Parish in Hardyston, N.J., will hold Seven Last Words, a service reflecting on the final seven sayings of Jesus Christ from the cross, central to Holy Week reflections, on Good Friday from 12 to 2 p.m. This will be followed by a Service of the Lord’s Passion at 3 p.m. and Adoration of the Cross and Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. On Easter Sunday, April 5, Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J., will hold an Easter egg hunt for children and families on the parish school playground after the 10 a.m. family Mass, weather permitting. The rain date will be Sunday, April 12, after the 10 a.m. Mass. That day, St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., will have an Easter egg hunt following the 11 a.m. Mass.
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Communities of faith prepare hearts for Christ’s resurrection Sunday #Catholic – The 107 parishes of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey are readying their faithful for Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, April 4, with a traditional array of spiritual events and Mass to commemorate his passion, death, and resurrection during the Paschal Triduum, from Holy Thursday on April 1 to its triumphant culmination of Holy Week on April 4, Easter Sunday. Typically, these parishes, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J. — the mother church of the diocese — and various shrines, hold a full schedule of activities, starting with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Observances continue on Good Friday with Veneration of the Cross and/or Stations of the Cross, and again on Good Friday and on Holy Saturday with the Blessing of Food and the Easter Vigil. Celebrations conclude on Easter Sunday with Masses in various languages, celebrating Christ’s resurrection for the redemption of the world. See individual parish websites for schedules. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Additionally, many parishes of the diocese, including the cathedral, will hold special events and Masses during the Paschal Triduum. These include Living Stations of the Cross, Easter egg hunts, and Masses celebrated by visiting Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. Check parish websites, social media, and The Beacon’s “What To Do Calendar.” On Good Friday, the cathedral will hold Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), a popular street procession and reenactment of Christ’s passion, and a formal Good Friday service featuring solemn intercessions, and the Veneration of the Cross, starting outside on the streets at noon. St. John’s will also welcome Bishop Sweeney for a Passion of the Lord service that day at 3 p.m. and again on Holy Saturday for the Easter Vigil at 8 p.m. St. Francis of Assisi Parish in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J., will hold a Living Station at 7 p.m. on Good Friday. St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson will present the Living Stations by students of its parish school at 7:30 p.m. The Performing Arts Ministry at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Harding Township will present a Living Stations, including the 15th, at 8 p.m. on Good Friday. The multigenerational cast, narrators, and musicians tell the story of our Lord’s journey to the Cross. In Randolph, N.J., Resurrection Parish will hold a Living Stations at 7 p.m. on Good Friday. The parish’s Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, April 4, from 8 to 9:30 p.m., will include Blessing of the New Fire and procession into the church with the Paschal Candle. The liturgy continues with Night Watch of the Resurrection, Liturgy of the Word, Blessing of Easter Water, Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation, and Liturgy of the Eucharist. On Easter Sunday, Bishop Sweeney will celebrate Mass at 11 a.m. in the church. St. Jude Parish in Hardyston, N.J., will hold Seven Last Words, a service reflecting on the final seven sayings of Jesus Christ from the cross, central to Holy Week reflections, on Good Friday from 12 to 2 p.m. This will be followed by a Service of the Lord’s Passion at 3 p.m. and Adoration of the Cross and Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. On Easter Sunday, April 5, Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J., will hold an Easter egg hunt for children and families on the parish school playground after the 10 a.m. family Mass, weather permitting. The rain date will be Sunday, April 12, after the 10 a.m. Mass. That day, St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., will have an Easter egg hunt following the 11 a.m. Mass.

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Communities of faith prepare hearts for Christ’s resurrection Sunday #Catholic –

The 107 parishes of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey are readying their faithful for Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, April 4, with a traditional array of spiritual events and Mass to commemorate his passion, death, and resurrection during the Paschal Triduum, from Holy Thursday on April 1 to its triumphant culmination of Holy Week on April 4, Easter Sunday.

Typically, these parishes, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J. — the mother church of the diocese — and various shrines, hold a full schedule of activities, starting with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Observances continue on Good Friday with Veneration of the Cross and/or Stations of the Cross, and again on Good Friday and on Holy Saturday with the Blessing of Food and the Easter Vigil. Celebrations conclude on Easter Sunday with Masses in various languages, celebrating Christ’s resurrection for the redemption of the world. See individual parish websites for schedules.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Additionally, many parishes of the diocese, including the cathedral, will hold special events and Masses during the Paschal Triduum. These include Living Stations of the Cross, Easter egg hunts, and Masses celebrated by visiting Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. Check parish websites, social media, and The Beacon’s “What To Do Calendar.”

On Good Friday, the cathedral will hold Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), a popular street procession and reenactment of Christ’s passion, and a formal Good Friday service featuring solemn intercessions, and the Veneration of the Cross, starting outside on the streets at noon. St. John’s will also welcome Bishop Sweeney for a Passion of the Lord service that day at 3 p.m. and again on Holy Saturday for the Easter Vigil at 8 p.m.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J., will hold a Living Station at 7 p.m. on Good Friday. St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson will present the Living Stations by students of its parish school at 7:30 p.m.

The Performing Arts Ministry at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood of Harding Township will present a Living Stations, including the 15th, at 8 p.m. on Good Friday. The multigenerational cast, narrators, and musicians tell the story of our Lord’s journey to the Cross.

In Randolph, N.J., Resurrection Parish will hold a Living Stations at 7 p.m. on Good Friday. The parish’s Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday, April 4, from 8 to 9:30 p.m., will include Blessing of the New Fire and procession into the church with the Paschal Candle. The liturgy continues with Night Watch of the Resurrection, Liturgy of the Word, Blessing of Easter Water, Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation, and Liturgy of the Eucharist. On Easter Sunday, Bishop Sweeney will celebrate Mass at 11 a.m. in the church.

St. Jude Parish in Hardyston, N.J., will hold Seven Last Words, a service reflecting on the final seven sayings of Jesus Christ from the cross, central to Holy Week reflections, on Good Friday from 12 to 2 p.m. This will be followed by a Service of the Lord’s Passion at 3 p.m. and Adoration of the Cross and Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m.

On Easter Sunday, April 5, Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J., will hold an Easter egg hunt for children and families on the parish school playground after the 10 a.m. family Mass, weather permitting. The rain date will be Sunday, April 12, after the 10 a.m. Mass. That day, St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., will have an Easter egg hunt following the 11 a.m. Mass.

– The 107 parishes of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey are readying their faithful for Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, April 4, with a traditional array of spiritual events and Mass to commemorate his passion, death, and resurrection during the Paschal Triduum, from Holy Thursday on April 1 to its triumphant culmination of Holy Week on April 4, Easter Sunday. Typically, these parishes, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J. — the mother church of the diocese — and various shrines, hold a full schedule of activities, starting with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 02 April 2026 – A reading from the Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year. Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. If a family is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it. The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish. You may take it from either the sheep or the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight. They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb. That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. “This is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the LORD. For on this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every firstborn of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD! But the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you. “This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.”   A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 11:23-26 Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.From thw Gospel according to John 13:1-15 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.” So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”Let us listen once more to the words of Jesus: the leaders of this world build empires with power and money (cf. Mt 20:25; Mk 10:42), “but not so with you” (Lk 22:26).  This is not how God acts: the Master has no throne, but girds himself with a towel and kneels at the feet of each one of us.  His empire is the small space required to wash the feet of his friends and care for them. It is also an invitation to adopt a different perspective, to look at the world from a lower position: through the eyes of those who suffer rather than the mighty; to view history through the eyes of the little ones, rather than through the perspective of the powerful; to interpret the events of history from the viewpoint of the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the wounded child, the exile and the fugitive; to see things through the eyes of the shipwrecked and of the poor man Lazarus lying at the rich man’s doorstep.  Otherwise, nothing will ever change, and a new era, a kingdom of justice and peace, will never dawn. This is precisely what Mary does in the Canticle of the Magnificat when she considers the points at which humanity is broken and the world becomes distorted: the contrast between the humble and the powerful, the poor and the rich, the satiated and the hungry.  She chooses the little ones; she stands with the least powerful in history, to teach us to imagine and to dream together with her of a new heavens and a new earth. (Pope Leo XIV – Prayer Vigil and Rosary for Peace, 11 October 2025)

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A reading from the Exodus
12:1-8, 11-14

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
“This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;
you shall reckon it the first month of the year.
Tell the whole community of Israel:
On the tenth of this month every one of your families
must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household.
If a family is too small for a whole lamb,
it shall join the nearest household in procuring one
and shall share in the lamb
in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it.
The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish.
You may take it from either the sheep or the goats.
You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month,
and then, with the whole assembly of Israel present,
it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.
They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel
of every house in which they partake of the lamb.
That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh
with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

“This is how you are to eat it:
with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand,
you shall eat like those who are in flight.
It is the Passover of the LORD.
For on this same night I will go through Egypt,
striking down every firstborn of the land, both man and beast,
and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD!
But the blood will mark the houses where you are.
Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt,
no destructive blow will come upon you.

“This day shall be a memorial feast for you,
which all your generations shall celebrate
with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.”

 

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
11:23-26

Brothers and sisters:
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
took bread, and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

From thw Gospel according to John
13:1-15

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come
to pass from this world to the Father.
He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.
The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.
So, during supper,
fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power
and that he had come from God and was returning to God,
he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.
He took a towel and tied it around his waist.
Then he poured water into a basin
and began to wash the disciples’ feet
and dry them with the towel around his waist.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
“Master, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“What I am doing, you do not understand now,
but you will understand later.”
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered him,
“Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.”
Simon Peter said to him,
“Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.”
Jesus said to him,
“Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed,
for he is clean all over;
so you are clean, but not all.”
For he knew who would betray him;
for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

So when he had washed their feet
and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,
he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?
You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

Let us listen once more to the words of Jesus: the leaders of this world build empires with power and money (cf. Mt 20:25; Mk 10:42), “but not so with you” (Lk 22:26).  This is not how God acts: the Master has no throne, but girds himself with a towel and kneels at the feet of each one of us.  His empire is the small space required to wash the feet of his friends and care for them. It is also an invitation to adopt a different perspective, to look at the world from a lower position: through the eyes of those who suffer rather than the mighty; to view history through the eyes of the little ones, rather than through the perspective of the powerful; to interpret the events of history from the viewpoint of the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the wounded child, the exile and the fugitive; to see things through the eyes of the shipwrecked and of the poor man Lazarus lying at the rich man’s doorstep.  Otherwise, nothing will ever change, and a new era, a kingdom of justice and peace, will never dawn. This is precisely what Mary does in the Canticle of the Magnificat when she considers the points at which humanity is broken and the world becomes distorted: the contrast between the humble and the powerful, the poor and the rich, the satiated and the hungry.  She chooses the little ones; she stands with the least powerful in history, to teach us to imagine and to dream together with her of a new heavens and a new earth. (Pope Leo XIV – Prayer Vigil and Rosary for Peace, 11 October 2025)

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Bangladesh Christians form human chain demanding Easter public holiday #Catholic DHAKA, Bangladesh — Christians in Bangladesh formed a human chain and rally in the capital March 31 demanding that the government declare Easter Sunday a public holiday.The Bangladesh Christian Association organized the demonstration in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, calling on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to add Easter to the government’s official holiday calendar.Easter Sunday falls on April 5 this year. Bangladesh’s roughly 600,000 Christians — less than 1% of the country’s approximately 170 million people — currently receive only one public holiday for a Christian feast: Christmas Day.Catholic bishops support the demandThe Catholic Church in Bangladesh has also voiced support for the campaign.Archbishop Bejoy N. D’Cruze, OMI, of Dhaka, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, expressed his solidarity with the demand for a holiday on Easter in an interview with EWTN News on March 30.“Since we do not have a government holiday on Easter Sunday, we cannot all celebrate this day together. Many cannot go to the villages, and we cannot all observe the religious customs that are in place before Easter,” D’Cruze told EWTN News.“I also demand from the government to declare a public holiday on Easter so that we Christians can celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ together in family, social, and religious ways,” the archbishop added.‘A heavy heart’Bangladesh Christian Association President Nirmal Rozario said the demand for the holiday is long-standing.“We have come here with a heavy heart and are standing in front of the Press Club. Easter Sunday is very important to us after Christmas. Jesus is the only person in the history of the world who has risen after death. We are demanding a public holiday on this important and significant day, Easter Sunday,” Rozario said.He added that the Christian community “has made considerable contributions to the formation of Bangladesh” in the areas of education, health services, and development, and questioned why the government has not granted the holiday.Rozario called on Rahman to add Easter Sunday to the government holiday calendar beginning next year and to grant a holiday for this year through an executive order.Unequal holiday allocationsMuslims, who make up roughly 91% of the population according to the 2022 census, receive multiple public holidays for their major religious celebrations, including several days for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Hindus, who constitute about 8% of the population, have two days off for their main religious festival, Durga Puja.Christians, however, have only one public holiday — Christmas Day.Manju Maria Palma, secretary of The Christian Cooperative Credit Union Ltd. in Dhaka, a 48,000-member organization, was present at the human chain.“Christ was resurrected on this day. This day is very important. If this public holiday is given, not only the Christian community will benefit but also our brothers and sisters of other religions will understand the significance of this day,” Palma said.Lawmaker expresses hopeEWTN News contacted at least three members of Parliament, including Abdul Aziz, a member of Parliament from the Natore-4 constituency, which includes a historic Christian settlement.Aziz told EWTN News: “Since we respect all religious ceremonies, including Christian activities, and since Christians have expressed their demands, our government will definitely consider the matter.”He also expressed hope that the government will soon discuss the issue of a holiday on Easter Sunday.
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Bangladesh Christians form human chain demanding Easter public holiday #Catholic DHAKA, Bangladesh — Christians in Bangladesh formed a human chain and rally in the capital March 31 demanding that the government declare Easter Sunday a public holiday.The Bangladesh Christian Association organized the demonstration in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, calling on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to add Easter to the government’s official holiday calendar.Easter Sunday falls on April 5 this year. Bangladesh’s roughly 600,000 Christians — less than 1% of the country’s approximately 170 million people — currently receive only one public holiday for a Christian feast: Christmas Day.Catholic bishops support the demandThe Catholic Church in Bangladesh has also voiced support for the campaign.Archbishop Bejoy N. D’Cruze, OMI, of Dhaka, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, expressed his solidarity with the demand for a holiday on Easter in an interview with EWTN News on March 30.“Since we do not have a government holiday on Easter Sunday, we cannot all celebrate this day together. Many cannot go to the villages, and we cannot all observe the religious customs that are in place before Easter,” D’Cruze told EWTN News.“I also demand from the government to declare a public holiday on Easter so that we Christians can celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ together in family, social, and religious ways,” the archbishop added.‘A heavy heart’Bangladesh Christian Association President Nirmal Rozario said the demand for the holiday is long-standing.“We have come here with a heavy heart and are standing in front of the Press Club. Easter Sunday is very important to us after Christmas. Jesus is the only person in the history of the world who has risen after death. We are demanding a public holiday on this important and significant day, Easter Sunday,” Rozario said.He added that the Christian community “has made considerable contributions to the formation of Bangladesh” in the areas of education, health services, and development, and questioned why the government has not granted the holiday.Rozario called on Rahman to add Easter Sunday to the government holiday calendar beginning next year and to grant a holiday for this year through an executive order.Unequal holiday allocationsMuslims, who make up roughly 91% of the population according to the 2022 census, receive multiple public holidays for their major religious celebrations, including several days for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Hindus, who constitute about 8% of the population, have two days off for their main religious festival, Durga Puja.Christians, however, have only one public holiday — Christmas Day.Manju Maria Palma, secretary of The Christian Cooperative Credit Union Ltd. in Dhaka, a 48,000-member organization, was present at the human chain.“Christ was resurrected on this day. This day is very important. If this public holiday is given, not only the Christian community will benefit but also our brothers and sisters of other religions will understand the significance of this day,” Palma said.Lawmaker expresses hopeEWTN News contacted at least three members of Parliament, including Abdul Aziz, a member of Parliament from the Natore-4 constituency, which includes a historic Christian settlement.Aziz told EWTN News: “Since we respect all religious ceremonies, including Christian activities, and since Christians have expressed their demands, our government will definitely consider the matter.”He also expressed hope that the government will soon discuss the issue of a holiday on Easter Sunday.

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Christian leaders and Catholic clergy in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation are urging Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to add Easter Sunday to the government holiday calendar.

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Catholic Charities USA’s traveling museum ‘celebrates power of Christian service’ #Catholic – NEW YORK (OSV News) — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York welcomed the mobile People of Hope Museum March 26, near Union Square in Manhattan. The tractor-trailer-sized traveling museum will tour under the sponsorship of Catholic Charities USA. With its welcome in New York, “People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors” began a three-year journey across the United States. Produced by Catholic Charities USA, the People of Hope Museum will ultimately visit more than 150 communities to promote empathy and inspire visitors to find ways to serve those in need in their local areas. The initiative is made possible thanks to a 2024 grant of nearly million from Lilly Endowment Inc. through an invitational round of its National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life. The museum is a nationwide storytelling initiative from CCUSA “highlighting the impact of neighbors helping neighbors, and celebrating the power of Christian service,” organizers said. Locally, Catholic Charities of New York is co-sponsoring the People of Hope Museum with CCUSA, along with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The People of Hope Museum was parked March 26 in an area near Union Square. A 10 a.m. opening ceremony and ribbon cutting took place in front of three dozen Catholic Charities staff, affiliates and journalists. About an hour later, the museum was open to the public until 6 p.m. The next day it was open to the public again from 12 noon to 6 p.m. “We’re here to tell the stories of many, many employees of Catholic Charities throughout the country — hundreds of Catholic Charities (chapters), thousands of employees, who day in and day out, they take care of the people who need it the most,” J. Antonio Fernandez, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, said during the opening ceremony. “Thank you for coming today as we celebrate this wonderful museum. Thank you, and God bless you.” Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, was at the opening of the mobile museum, a venture she said “is a testament to mercy, service, hope, compassion and faith. And it is a special honor that we are here in New York City, and that it is co-hosted by Catholic Charities (of the) Archdiocese of New York, and Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.” Father Patrick J. Keating, deputy CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn, offered a prayer of blessing for the museum, the people who enter it, and for “the human family.” Jamar Carr, a substance abuse counselor with the Brooklyn Diocese, was given the honor of cutting the ribbon. Housed in a digitally outfitted semi-truck, the People of Hope Museum features 42 original, authentic video stories told by Catholic Charities staff and volunteers from agencies around the country. In the brief videos, the storytellers share first-person accounts of what it means to serve someone in need in their darkest moment. Beyond these stories, the museum contains an interactive poverty simulation of stepping into another person’s life, making difficult choices and experiencing the realities of living on the margins. Visitors can also peruse a learning library featuring curated 2- to 4-minute audio segments from prominent books on poverty, social isolation, bridgebuilding and community action, including by authors Matthew Desmond, Arthur Brooks and Robert Putnam. National and state data illustrate the scope of need and the vital role of social services organizations across the country, and a recording room allows attendees to share their own stories of hope and service. From New York, through December, the mobile museum will go through 21 states, from Texas to Ohio and from Maine to Florida, mostly in the eastern half of the United States. It will tour the Western states in 2027. In the first half of 2028, the museum will visit communities that were missed or would like a repeat visit, CCUSA said in a news release. CCUSA, which has its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, is a network of local Catholic Charities agencies in dioceses across the U.S. Thomas Galfo, 44, and his wife, Hazel Yaptangco, were among members of the public who entered the mobile museum on its opening morning to view and listen to what the museum had to offer. They are parishioners of St. Simon the Apostle Catholic Church in Green Pond, New Jersey, in the Paterson Diocese. “We heard about this through social media, and we wanted to take the trip into the city to see it firsthand. It’s absolutely amazing, from the second that you walk up to the trailer, and walking through the trailer with all the details. They did an excellent job,” Galfo said in an interview inside the museum with The Good Newsroom, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York. Yaptangco said, “Wow, there are many real stories here, of people struggling every day. This really spells it out, what is going on in their lives. It’s great to see an organization bringing awareness to that, and showing ways that you can take action.” Click here to sign up for updates on the tour stops for the People of Hope traveling museum. Armando Machado writes for The Good Newsroom. This story was originally published by The Good Newsroom, the online news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York, and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.
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Catholic Charities USA’s traveling museum ‘celebrates power of Christian service’ #Catholic – NEW YORK (OSV News) — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York welcomed the mobile People of Hope Museum March 26, near Union Square in Manhattan. The tractor-trailer-sized traveling museum will tour under the sponsorship of Catholic Charities USA. With its welcome in New York, “People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors” began a three-year journey across the United States. Produced by Catholic Charities USA, the People of Hope Museum will ultimately visit more than 150 communities to promote empathy and inspire visitors to find ways to serve those in need in their local areas. The initiative is made possible thanks to a 2024 grant of nearly $5 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. through an invitational round of its National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life. The museum is a nationwide storytelling initiative from CCUSA “highlighting the impact of neighbors helping neighbors, and celebrating the power of Christian service,” organizers said. Locally, Catholic Charities of New York is co-sponsoring the People of Hope Museum with CCUSA, along with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The People of Hope Museum was parked March 26 in an area near Union Square. A 10 a.m. opening ceremony and ribbon cutting took place in front of three dozen Catholic Charities staff, affiliates and journalists. About an hour later, the museum was open to the public until 6 p.m. The next day it was open to the public again from 12 noon to 6 p.m. “We’re here to tell the stories of many, many employees of Catholic Charities throughout the country — hundreds of Catholic Charities (chapters), thousands of employees, who day in and day out, they take care of the people who need it the most,” J. Antonio Fernandez, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, said during the opening ceremony. “Thank you for coming today as we celebrate this wonderful museum. Thank you, and God bless you.” Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, was at the opening of the mobile museum, a venture she said “is a testament to mercy, service, hope, compassion and faith. And it is a special honor that we are here in New York City, and that it is co-hosted by Catholic Charities (of the) Archdiocese of New York, and Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.” Father Patrick J. Keating, deputy CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn, offered a prayer of blessing for the museum, the people who enter it, and for “the human family.” Jamar Carr, a substance abuse counselor with the Brooklyn Diocese, was given the honor of cutting the ribbon. Housed in a digitally outfitted semi-truck, the People of Hope Museum features 42 original, authentic video stories told by Catholic Charities staff and volunteers from agencies around the country. In the brief videos, the storytellers share first-person accounts of what it means to serve someone in need in their darkest moment. Beyond these stories, the museum contains an interactive poverty simulation of stepping into another person’s life, making difficult choices and experiencing the realities of living on the margins. Visitors can also peruse a learning library featuring curated 2- to 4-minute audio segments from prominent books on poverty, social isolation, bridgebuilding and community action, including by authors Matthew Desmond, Arthur Brooks and Robert Putnam. National and state data illustrate the scope of need and the vital role of social services organizations across the country, and a recording room allows attendees to share their own stories of hope and service. From New York, through December, the mobile museum will go through 21 states, from Texas to Ohio and from Maine to Florida, mostly in the eastern half of the United States. It will tour the Western states in 2027. In the first half of 2028, the museum will visit communities that were missed or would like a repeat visit, CCUSA said in a news release. CCUSA, which has its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, is a network of local Catholic Charities agencies in dioceses across the U.S. Thomas Galfo, 44, and his wife, Hazel Yaptangco, were among members of the public who entered the mobile museum on its opening morning to view and listen to what the museum had to offer. They are parishioners of St. Simon the Apostle Catholic Church in Green Pond, New Jersey, in the Paterson Diocese. “We heard about this through social media, and we wanted to take the trip into the city to see it firsthand. It’s absolutely amazing, from the second that you walk up to the trailer, and walking through the trailer with all the details. They did an excellent job,” Galfo said in an interview inside the museum with The Good Newsroom, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York. Yaptangco said, “Wow, there are many real stories here, of people struggling every day. This really spells it out, what is going on in their lives. It’s great to see an organization bringing awareness to that, and showing ways that you can take action.” Click here to sign up for updates on the tour stops for the People of Hope traveling museum. Armando Machado writes for The Good Newsroom. This story was originally published by The Good Newsroom, the online news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York, and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.

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Catholic Charities USA’s traveling museum ‘celebrates power of Christian service’ #Catholic –

NEW YORK (OSV News) — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York welcomed the mobile People of Hope Museum March 26, near Union Square in Manhattan. The tractor-trailer-sized traveling museum will tour under the sponsorship of Catholic Charities USA.

With its welcome in New York, “People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors” began a three-year journey across the United States.

Produced by Catholic Charities USA, the People of Hope Museum will ultimately visit more than 150 communities to promote empathy and inspire visitors to find ways to serve those in need in their local areas. The initiative is made possible thanks to a 2024 grant of nearly $5 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. through an invitational round of its National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life.

The museum is a nationwide storytelling initiative from CCUSA “highlighting the impact of neighbors helping neighbors, and celebrating the power of Christian service,” organizers said.

Locally, Catholic Charities of New York is co-sponsoring the People of Hope Museum with CCUSA, along with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

The People of Hope Museum was parked March 26 in an area near Union Square. A 10 a.m. opening ceremony and ribbon cutting took place in front of three dozen Catholic Charities staff, affiliates and journalists.

About an hour later, the museum was open to the public until 6 p.m. The next day it was open to the public again from 12 noon to 6 p.m.

“We’re here to tell the stories of many, many employees of Catholic Charities throughout the country — hundreds of Catholic Charities (chapters), thousands of employees, who day in and day out, they take care of the people who need it the most,” J. Antonio Fernandez, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, said during the opening ceremony. “Thank you for coming today as we celebrate this wonderful museum. Thank you, and God bless you.”

Kerry Alys Robinson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, was at the opening of the mobile museum, a venture she said “is a testament to mercy, service, hope, compassion and faith. And it is a special honor that we are here in New York City, and that it is co-hosted by Catholic Charities (of the) Archdiocese of New York, and Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens.”

Father Patrick J. Keating, deputy CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Brooklyn, offered a prayer of blessing for the museum, the people who enter it, and for “the human family.”

Jamar Carr, a substance abuse counselor with the Brooklyn Diocese, was given the honor of cutting the ribbon.

Housed in a digitally outfitted semi-truck, the People of Hope Museum features 42 original, authentic video stories told by Catholic Charities staff and volunteers from agencies around the country. In the brief videos, the storytellers share first-person accounts of what it means to serve someone in need in their darkest moment.

Beyond these stories, the museum contains an interactive poverty simulation of stepping into another person’s life, making difficult choices and experiencing the realities of living on the margins.

Visitors can also peruse a learning library featuring curated 2- to 4-minute audio segments from prominent books on poverty, social isolation, bridgebuilding and community action, including by authors Matthew Desmond, Arthur Brooks and Robert Putnam.

National and state data illustrate the scope of need and the vital role of social services organizations across the country, and a recording room allows attendees to share their own stories of hope and service.

From New York, through December, the mobile museum will go through 21 states, from Texas to Ohio and from Maine to Florida, mostly in the eastern half of the United States. It will tour the Western states in 2027. In the first half of 2028, the museum will visit communities that were missed or would like a repeat visit, CCUSA said in a news release.

CCUSA, which has its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, is a network of local Catholic Charities agencies in dioceses across the U.S.

Thomas Galfo, 44, and his wife, Hazel Yaptangco, were among members of the public who entered the mobile museum on its opening morning to view and listen to what the museum had to offer. They are parishioners of St. Simon the Apostle Catholic Church in Green Pond, New Jersey, in the Paterson Diocese.

“We heard about this through social media, and we wanted to take the trip into the city to see it firsthand. It’s absolutely amazing, from the second that you walk up to the trailer, and walking through the trailer with all the details. They did an excellent job,” Galfo said in an interview inside the museum with The Good Newsroom, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York.

Yaptangco said, “Wow, there are many real stories here, of people struggling every day. This really spells it out, what is going on in their lives. It’s great to see an organization bringing awareness to that, and showing ways that you can take action.”

Click here to sign up for updates on the tour stops for the People of Hope traveling museum.

Armando Machado writes for The Good Newsroom. This story was originally published by The Good Newsroom, the online news outlet of the Archdiocese of New York, and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.

– NEW YORK (OSV News) — Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York welcomed the mobile People of Hope Museum March 26, near Union Square in Manhattan. The tractor-trailer-sized traveling museum will tour under the sponsorship of Catholic Charities USA. With its welcome in New York, “People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors” began a three-year journey across the United States. Produced by Catholic Charities USA, the People of Hope Museum will ultimately visit more than 150 communities to promote empathy and inspire visitors to find ways to serve those in need in their local areas. The initiative

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European soccer body says Red Star fine was for profanity, not Orthodox icon #Catholic BRUSSELS, Belgium — The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) told EWTN News that a 40,000-euro (about ,000) fine on Serbian soccer club Red Star Belgrade was for a banner containing offensive language directed at the organization, not for a massive display featuring an Orthodox Christian icon, which drew international attention.The case follows a Europa League match between Red Star Belgrade and LOSC Lille (Lille Olympique Sporting Club) on Feb. 26, when UEFA’s Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary Body imposed multiple fines on the Serbian club totaling 95,500 euros (about 0,000). These included a 40,000-euro penalty for transmitting a message deemed not fit for a sports event and bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute.The sanction drew political attention after reports suggested it may have been connected to a stadium display featuring an Orthodox Christian icon alongside a religious message invoking faith and victory.In response to an inquiry from EWTN News, UEFA said the fine was linked to a banner containing the phrase “F*** UEFA” and not to the religious display. It added that there is no sanction related to the choreography itself.MEP raises concernsGreek member of European Parliament (MEP) Emmanouil Fragkos said the case raised broader concerns about the application of rules governing religious expression in European football.“UEFA and all UEFAs must learn to be accountable to the football fans and all the real people,” Fragkos told EWTN News, adding that he supports religion, tradition, and the right of people to speak freely. He also emphasized the need for greater awareness among supporters of their “collective power” in shaping how such decisions are received.In a letter to Glenn Micallef, the European commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture, and sport, Fragkos said the case “raises serious concerns” about UEFA’s approach, questioning how “a peaceful expression of faith and identity” could be deemed inappropriate and calling for “consistent and transparent application” of the rules governing messages displayed at matches.Christian symbolism debateReports had also pointed to a separate sanction involving LOSC Lille following its Europa League match against Aston Villa on March 12, where a banner depicting St. Joan of Arc was displayed. UEFA told EWTN News those claims were inaccurate, stating that any sanction in that case was related to insulting chants directed at an opposing goalkeeper and not to the imagery.The episode comes amid ongoing debates in Europe over the place of religious symbols in public life, including a case before the European Court of Human Rights, Union of Atheists v. Greece, concerning the display of Orthodox Christian icons in Greek courtrooms. The applicants argue that such imagery may affect perceptions of judicial neutrality and religious freedom.
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European soccer body says Red Star fine was for profanity, not Orthodox icon #Catholic BRUSSELS, Belgium — The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) told EWTN News that a 40,000-euro (about $46,000) fine on Serbian soccer club Red Star Belgrade was for a banner containing offensive language directed at the organization, not for a massive display featuring an Orthodox Christian icon, which drew international attention.The case follows a Europa League match between Red Star Belgrade and LOSC Lille (Lille Olympique Sporting Club) on Feb. 26, when UEFA’s Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary Body imposed multiple fines on the Serbian club totaling 95,500 euros (about $110,000). These included a 40,000-euro penalty for transmitting a message deemed not fit for a sports event and bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute.The sanction drew political attention after reports suggested it may have been connected to a stadium display featuring an Orthodox Christian icon alongside a religious message invoking faith and victory.In response to an inquiry from EWTN News, UEFA said the fine was linked to a banner containing the phrase “F*** UEFA” and not to the religious display. It added that there is no sanction related to the choreography itself.MEP raises concernsGreek member of European Parliament (MEP) Emmanouil Fragkos said the case raised broader concerns about the application of rules governing religious expression in European football.“UEFA and all UEFAs must learn to be accountable to the football fans and all the real people,” Fragkos told EWTN News, adding that he supports religion, tradition, and the right of people to speak freely. He also emphasized the need for greater awareness among supporters of their “collective power” in shaping how such decisions are received.In a letter to Glenn Micallef, the European commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture, and sport, Fragkos said the case “raises serious concerns” about UEFA’s approach, questioning how “a peaceful expression of faith and identity” could be deemed inappropriate and calling for “consistent and transparent application” of the rules governing messages displayed at matches.Christian symbolism debateReports had also pointed to a separate sanction involving LOSC Lille following its Europa League match against Aston Villa on March 12, where a banner depicting St. Joan of Arc was displayed. UEFA told EWTN News those claims were inaccurate, stating that any sanction in that case was related to insulting chants directed at an opposing goalkeeper and not to the imagery.The episode comes amid ongoing debates in Europe over the place of religious symbols in public life, including a case before the European Court of Human Rights, Union of Atheists v. Greece, concerning the display of Orthodox Christian icons in Greek courtrooms. The applicants argue that such imagery may affect perceptions of judicial neutrality and religious freedom.

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UEFA told EWTN News its fine on a Serbian soccer club was for offensive language, not a massive Orthodox Christian display — contradicting widespread reports the sanction targeted religious imagery.

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Two Paterson churches will merge to create a vibrant St. Pio Parish #Catholic – Located only three blocks apart, St. Bonaventure and Our Lady of Pompei (OLP) parishes brought Christ’s love to the people of the Stoney Road section of Paterson, N.J., as separate faith communities for more than 260 years combined. The churches are so close that each parish can hear the other’s church bells from its front steps. So it might seem providential that on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, these two parishes, each with its own history and traditions, will merge into a single parish under a new name: St. Pio of Pietrelcina — also known as “Padre Pio” — Parish. The merger will streamline the administration of St. Bonaventure’s and OLP into one parish. To keep meeting the people’s spiritual and pastoral needs, St. Pio’s is ensuring that both churches will remain open and has readjusted the Mass schedules at both locations. Father Manuel Cuellar, who will become pastor on April 12, and St. Pio’s looks forward to uniting both parishes and bringing together their (Anglo) English-speaking and growing Hispanic communities. During the past year, this merger process has unfolded in a spirit of prayerful discernment and collaboration. On April 12, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will celebrate the establishment of St. Pio’s during a Eucharistic procession at 3 p.m. from OLP on Murray Avenue to St. Bonaventure’s on Ramsey Street. The event will start with the Divine Mercy Chaplet at OLP and conclude with Benediction at St. Bonaventure’s. Bishop Sweeney approved the merger after prayer and consultation and accompanied parishioners during the process. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “Our Lady of Pompei and St. Bonaventure’s have four different communities, including two (Anglo) English-speaking and two Hispanic. But I want to see St. Pio become one dynamic community,” said Father Cuellar. He will remain the parochial vicar of St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson until he becomes St. Pio’s pastor. “In my homilies, I say that no matter what language we speak or where we come from, we are all children of God. We are doing this merger for the good of the people, especially for our children.” Also attending the April 12 prayer service will be clergy from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, who have been instrumental in shepherding this merger. They are Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard’s and pastor of OLP until Father Cuellar becomes pastor of St. Pio’s, and Father Alex Nevitt, diocesan episcopal delegate for parish leadership development and administrator of St. Bonaventure’s until that day. Father Cuellar helped expand and strengthen OLP’s Hispanic community. He established the parish’s first Spanish Mass at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday in September 2024. It has grown from 12 churchgoers to more than 140. The priest united the community through a December procession through the city streets for Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Mexican Catholic devotion, and has encouraged other lively, colorful devotions, such as Our Lady of Altagracia, a Dominican devotion. He also brought the OLP parish together for a Christmas party. Meanwhile, St. Bonaventure’s has been expanding its digital presence. The parish recently launched a young adult ministry that has attracted about 40 members and become the largest of its kind in the diocese. St. Bonaventure’s has a Spanish Mass at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Raysa Gonzalez, a lector for OLP’s Spanish Mass, was involved in roundtable discussions about the merger. A lifelong churchgoer, she didn’t feel connected to her faith until she started attending the parish’s Spanish Mass. Her son also enjoys attending the liturgy. “In his homilies, Father Manuel relates the Gospel by giving examples from real life. It helps me understand the message of the bible,” said Gonzalez, who called the merger process “a little scary, but we have faith and pray. Everything has been wonderful. Everybody is trying to do their part to connect with each other and grow together as one family.” Last year, parishioners voted to choose the name of the new faith community: St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Padre Pio (1887–1968) was an Italian Capuchin priest renowned for his intense prayer, stigmatization, and service to the suffering. Father Nevitt said the name “recounts Padre Pio’s bilocation, an evocative sign as we unite two churches within one parish.” “In proposing St. Pio of Pietrelcina, we express our desire to form a community of deep sacramental life and missionary outreach — one that inspires every generation, including young people and families, through a clear witness of holiness, Eucharistic devotion, and prayerful charity,” Father Nevitt wrote in a letter about the new name to Bishop Sweeney. Temporarily, St. Pio’s staff will work from St. Bonaventure’s offices, while clergy will live in St. Bonaventure’s rectory. Eventually, the OLP rectory will be renovated into St. Pio’s offices, and St. Bonaventure’s rectory will be renovated into St. Pio’s rectory. Father Nevitt will assist Father Cuellar, a fellow 2019 ordination classmate, with technology upgrades, a new website, and a new logo featuring a smiling St. Pio. The two parishes represent more than 260 years of service to the area —150 at St. Bonaventure’s and 110 at OLP. St. Bonaventure’s, the diocese’s second-oldest parish, was founded when Franciscan Friars arrived in Paterson from Germany in 1876. Bishop Sweeney assigned Father Nevitt to help transition St. Bonaventure’s to a diocesan parish after the Franciscan Friars announced they were leaving, citing manpower shortages, in 2024. In 1916, OLP was started as a mission of St. Michael Parish in Paterson to serve the Italian community. Msgr. Hundt became pastor of OLP and St. Gerard’s in July 2024, before the Franciscans left St. Bonaventure. The populations of OLP and St. Bonaventure’s were both declining, and OLP was also facing financial struggles. Msgr. Hundt praised the decision to keep both churches open, which provides more room for St. Pio Parish. Merger discussions became more relaxed once parishioners were reassured that neither church would close, he said. “The challenge was helping people realize we’re moving toward something important, but that it’s going to involve letting go of part of their experience of community,” Msgr. Hundt said. “There’s a certain dying that has to take place in both communities to rise to the new parish of St. Padre Pio. It takes a lot of grace for God to help us let that happen. I think they’re doing that beautifully.” For Mass times and other information, visit piopaterson.org as of April 12.  
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Two Paterson churches will merge to create a vibrant St. Pio Parish #Catholic – Located only three blocks apart, St. Bonaventure and Our Lady of Pompei (OLP) parishes brought Christ’s love to the people of the Stoney Road section of Paterson, N.J., as separate faith communities for more than 260 years combined. The churches are so close that each parish can hear the other’s church bells from its front steps. So it might seem providential that on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, these two parishes, each with its own history and traditions, will merge into a single parish under a new name: St. Pio of Pietrelcina — also known as “Padre Pio” — Parish. The merger will streamline the administration of St. Bonaventure’s and OLP into one parish. To keep meeting the people’s spiritual and pastoral needs, St. Pio’s is ensuring that both churches will remain open and has readjusted the Mass schedules at both locations. Father Manuel Cuellar, who will become pastor on April 12, and St. Pio’s looks forward to uniting both parishes and bringing together their (Anglo) English-speaking and growing Hispanic communities. During the past year, this merger process has unfolded in a spirit of prayerful discernment and collaboration. On April 12, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will celebrate the establishment of St. Pio’s during a Eucharistic procession at 3 p.m. from OLP on Murray Avenue to St. Bonaventure’s on Ramsey Street. The event will start with the Divine Mercy Chaplet at OLP and conclude with Benediction at St. Bonaventure’s. Bishop Sweeney approved the merger after prayer and consultation and accompanied parishioners during the process. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “Our Lady of Pompei and St. Bonaventure’s have four different communities, including two (Anglo) English-speaking and two Hispanic. But I want to see St. Pio become one dynamic community,” said Father Cuellar. He will remain the parochial vicar of St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson until he becomes St. Pio’s pastor. “In my homilies, I say that no matter what language we speak or where we come from, we are all children of God. We are doing this merger for the good of the people, especially for our children.” Also attending the April 12 prayer service will be clergy from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, who have been instrumental in shepherding this merger. They are Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard’s and pastor of OLP until Father Cuellar becomes pastor of St. Pio’s, and Father Alex Nevitt, diocesan episcopal delegate for parish leadership development and administrator of St. Bonaventure’s until that day. Father Cuellar helped expand and strengthen OLP’s Hispanic community. He established the parish’s first Spanish Mass at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday in September 2024. It has grown from 12 churchgoers to more than 140. The priest united the community through a December procession through the city streets for Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Mexican Catholic devotion, and has encouraged other lively, colorful devotions, such as Our Lady of Altagracia, a Dominican devotion. He also brought the OLP parish together for a Christmas party. Meanwhile, St. Bonaventure’s has been expanding its digital presence. The parish recently launched a young adult ministry that has attracted about 40 members and become the largest of its kind in the diocese. St. Bonaventure’s has a Spanish Mass at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Raysa Gonzalez, a lector for OLP’s Spanish Mass, was involved in roundtable discussions about the merger. A lifelong churchgoer, she didn’t feel connected to her faith until she started attending the parish’s Spanish Mass. Her son also enjoys attending the liturgy. “In his homilies, Father Manuel relates the Gospel by giving examples from real life. It helps me understand the message of the bible,” said Gonzalez, who called the merger process “a little scary, but we have faith and pray. Everything has been wonderful. Everybody is trying to do their part to connect with each other and grow together as one family.” Last year, parishioners voted to choose the name of the new faith community: St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Padre Pio (1887–1968) was an Italian Capuchin priest renowned for his intense prayer, stigmatization, and service to the suffering. Father Nevitt said the name “recounts Padre Pio’s bilocation, an evocative sign as we unite two churches within one parish.” “In proposing St. Pio of Pietrelcina, we express our desire to form a community of deep sacramental life and missionary outreach — one that inspires every generation, including young people and families, through a clear witness of holiness, Eucharistic devotion, and prayerful charity,” Father Nevitt wrote in a letter about the new name to Bishop Sweeney. Temporarily, St. Pio’s staff will work from St. Bonaventure’s offices, while clergy will live in St. Bonaventure’s rectory. Eventually, the OLP rectory will be renovated into St. Pio’s offices, and St. Bonaventure’s rectory will be renovated into St. Pio’s rectory. Father Nevitt will assist Father Cuellar, a fellow 2019 ordination classmate, with technology upgrades, a new website, and a new logo featuring a smiling St. Pio. The two parishes represent more than 260 years of service to the area —150 at St. Bonaventure’s and 110 at OLP. St. Bonaventure’s, the diocese’s second-oldest parish, was founded when Franciscan Friars arrived in Paterson from Germany in 1876. Bishop Sweeney assigned Father Nevitt to help transition St. Bonaventure’s to a diocesan parish after the Franciscan Friars announced they were leaving, citing manpower shortages, in 2024. In 1916, OLP was started as a mission of St. Michael Parish in Paterson to serve the Italian community. Msgr. Hundt became pastor of OLP and St. Gerard’s in July 2024, before the Franciscans left St. Bonaventure. The populations of OLP and St. Bonaventure’s were both declining, and OLP was also facing financial struggles. Msgr. Hundt praised the decision to keep both churches open, which provides more room for St. Pio Parish. Merger discussions became more relaxed once parishioners were reassured that neither church would close, he said. “The challenge was helping people realize we’re moving toward something important, but that it’s going to involve letting go of part of their experience of community,” Msgr. Hundt said. “There’s a certain dying that has to take place in both communities to rise to the new parish of St. Padre Pio. It takes a lot of grace for God to help us let that happen. I think they’re doing that beautifully.” For Mass times and other information, visit piopaterson.org as of April 12.  

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Two Paterson churches will merge to create a vibrant St. Pio Parish #Catholic –

Located only three blocks apart, St. Bonaventure and Our Lady of Pompei (OLP) parishes brought Christ’s love to the people of the Stoney Road section of Paterson, N.J., as separate faith communities for more than 260 years combined. The churches are so close that each parish can hear the other’s church bells from its front steps.

So it might seem providential that on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, these two parishes, each with its own history and traditions, will merge into a single parish under a new name: St. Pio of Pietrelcina — also known as “Padre Pio” — Parish. The merger will streamline the administration of St. Bonaventure’s and OLP into one parish. To keep meeting the people’s spiritual and pastoral needs, St. Pio’s is ensuring that both churches will remain open and has readjusted the Mass schedules at both locations.

Father Manuel Cuellar, who will become pastor on April 12, and St. Pio’s looks forward to uniting both parishes and bringing together their (Anglo) English-speaking and growing Hispanic communities. During the past year, this merger process has unfolded in a spirit of prayerful discernment and collaboration.

On April 12, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will celebrate the establishment of St. Pio’s during a Eucharistic procession at 3 p.m. from OLP on Murray Avenue to St. Bonaventure’s on Ramsey Street. The event will start with the Divine Mercy Chaplet at OLP and conclude with Benediction at St. Bonaventure’s. Bishop Sweeney approved the merger after prayer and consultation and accompanied parishioners during the process.

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“Our Lady of Pompei and St. Bonaventure’s have four different communities, including two (Anglo) English-speaking and two Hispanic. But I want to see St. Pio become one dynamic community,” said Father Cuellar. He will remain the parochial vicar of St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson until he becomes St. Pio’s pastor. “In my homilies, I say that no matter what language we speak or where we come from, we are all children of God. We are doing this merger for the good of the people, especially for our children.”

Also attending the April 12 prayer service will be clergy from the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, who have been instrumental in shepherding this merger. They are Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard’s and pastor of OLP until Father Cuellar becomes pastor of St. Pio’s, and Father Alex Nevitt, diocesan episcopal delegate for parish leadership development and administrator of St. Bonaventure’s until that day.

Father Cuellar helped expand and strengthen OLP’s Hispanic community. He established the parish’s first Spanish Mass at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday in September 2024. It has grown from 12 churchgoers to more than 140. The priest united the community through a December procession through the city streets for Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Mexican Catholic devotion, and has encouraged other lively, colorful devotions, such as Our Lady of Altagracia, a Dominican devotion. He also brought the OLP parish together for a Christmas party.

Meanwhile, St. Bonaventure’s has been expanding its digital presence. The parish recently launched a young adult ministry that has attracted about 40 members and become the largest of its kind in the diocese. St. Bonaventure’s has a Spanish Mass at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Raysa Gonzalez, a lector for OLP’s Spanish Mass, was involved in roundtable discussions about the merger. A lifelong churchgoer, she didn’t feel connected to her faith until she started attending the parish’s Spanish Mass. Her son also enjoys attending the liturgy.

“In his homilies, Father Manuel relates the Gospel by giving examples from real life. It helps me understand the message of the bible,” said Gonzalez, who called the merger process “a little scary, but we have faith and pray. Everything has been wonderful. Everybody is trying to do their part to connect with each other and grow together as one family.”

Last year, parishioners voted to choose the name of the new faith community: St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Padre Pio (1887–1968) was an Italian Capuchin priest renowned for his intense prayer, stigmatization, and service to the suffering. Father Nevitt said the name “recounts Padre Pio’s bilocation, an evocative sign as we unite two churches within one parish.”

“In proposing St. Pio of Pietrelcina, we express our desire to form a community of deep sacramental life and missionary outreach — one that inspires every generation, including young people and families, through a clear witness of holiness, Eucharistic devotion, and prayerful charity,” Father Nevitt wrote in a letter about the new name to Bishop Sweeney.

Temporarily, St. Pio’s staff will work from St. Bonaventure’s offices, while clergy will live in St. Bonaventure’s rectory. Eventually, the OLP rectory will be renovated into St. Pio’s offices, and St. Bonaventure’s rectory will be renovated into St. Pio’s rectory. Father Nevitt will assist Father Cuellar, a fellow 2019 ordination classmate, with technology upgrades, a new website, and a new logo featuring a smiling St. Pio.

The two parishes represent more than 260 years of service to the area —150 at St. Bonaventure’s and 110 at OLP. St. Bonaventure’s, the diocese’s second-oldest parish, was founded when Franciscan Friars arrived in Paterson from Germany in 1876. Bishop Sweeney assigned Father Nevitt to help transition St. Bonaventure’s to a diocesan parish after the Franciscan Friars announced they were leaving, citing manpower shortages, in 2024.

In 1916, OLP was started as a mission of St. Michael Parish in Paterson to serve the Italian community. Msgr. Hundt became pastor of OLP and St. Gerard’s in July 2024, before the Franciscans left St. Bonaventure. The populations of OLP and St. Bonaventure’s were both declining, and OLP was also facing financial struggles.

Msgr. Hundt praised the decision to keep both churches open, which provides more room for St. Pio Parish. Merger discussions became more relaxed once parishioners were reassured that neither church would close, he said.

“The challenge was helping people realize we’re moving toward something important, but that it’s going to involve letting go of part of their experience of community,” Msgr. Hundt said. “There’s a certain dying that has to take place in both communities to rise to the new parish of St. Padre Pio. It takes a lot of grace for God to help us let that happen. I think they’re doing that beautifully.”

For Mass times and other information, visit piopaterson.org as of April 12.

 

– Located only three blocks apart, St. Bonaventure and Our Lady of Pompei (OLP) parishes brought Christ’s love to the people of the Stoney Road section of Paterson, N.J., as separate faith communities for more than 260 years combined. The churches are so close that each parish can hear the other’s church bells from its front steps. So it might seem providential that on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 12, these two parishes, each with its own history and traditions, will merge into a single parish under a new name: St. Pio of Pietrelcina — also known as “Padre Pio” — Parish.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 01 April 2026 – A reading from the book of Isaiah 50:4-9a The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let him confront me. See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?From the Gospel according to Matthew 26:14-25 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘“ The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”The betrayal of Judas remains, in any case, a mystery. Jesus treated him as a friend (cf. Mt 26: 50); however, in his invitations to follow him along the way of the beatitudes, he does not force his will or protect it from the temptations of Satan, respecting human freedom. In effect, the possibilities to pervert the human heart are truly many. The only way to prevent it consists in not cultivating an individualistic, autonomous vision of things, but on the contrary, by putting oneself always on the side of Jesus, assuming his point of view. We must daily seek to build full communion with him. Let us remember that Peter also wanted to oppose him and what awaited him at Jerusalem, but he received a very strong reproval: "You are not on the side of God, but of men" (Mk 8: 33)! After his fall Peter repented and found pardon and grace. Judas also repented, but his repentance degenerated into desperation and thus became self-destructive. For us it is an invitation to always remember what St Benedict says at the end of the fundamental Chapter Five of his "Rule": "Never despair of God’s mercy". (Pope Benedict XVI – General Audience, 18 October 2006)  

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A reading from the book of Isaiah
50:4-9a

The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
That I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
And I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
My face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let him confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?

From the Gospel according to Matthew
26:14-25

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said,
“What are you willing to give me
if I hand him over to you?”
They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
the disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Where do you want us to prepare
for you to eat the Passover?”
He said,
“Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,
‘The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near;
in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘“
The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,
and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening,
he reclined at table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said,
“Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another,
“Surely it is not I, Lord?”
He said in reply,
“He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me
is the one who will betray me.
The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,
“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”
He answered, “You have said so.”

The betrayal of Judas remains, in any case, a mystery. Jesus treated him as a friend (cf. Mt 26: 50); however, in his invitations to follow him along the way of the beatitudes, he does not force his will or protect it from the temptations of Satan, respecting human freedom. In effect, the possibilities to pervert the human heart are truly many. The only way to prevent it consists in not cultivating an individualistic, autonomous vision of things, but on the contrary, by putting oneself always on the side of Jesus, assuming his point of view. We must daily seek to build full communion with him. Let us remember that Peter also wanted to oppose him and what awaited him at Jerusalem, but he received a very strong reproval: "You are not on the side of God, but of men" (Mk 8: 33)! After his fall Peter repented and found pardon and grace. Judas also repented, but his repentance degenerated into desperation and thus became self-destructive. For us it is an invitation to always remember what St Benedict says at the end of the fundamental Chapter Five of his "Rule": "Never despair of God’s mercy". (Pope Benedict XVI – General Audience, 18 October 2006)

 

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Vatican official warns of ‘Christianophobia’ in Muslim world and secular West #Catholic Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu is alarmed about rising hostility toward Christians, both in parts of the Islamic world and in Europe’s increasingly post‑Christian culture.Nwachukwu, who serves as secretary of the Section of First Evangelization at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, told EWTN News that any serious conversation about peace and coexistence must begin with clear condemnation of anti‑Christian violence, particularly from Muslim leaders in places where Christians lack full religious freedom.The Nigerian prelate also warned of a growing cultural aversion to Christianity in the West, where Christian expression is often treated with suspicion even as societies insist on defending the religious symbols of others.Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit four countries in Africa, including the Muslim-majority Algeria, on his first apostolic journey to the continent April 13–23.A diplomat urges Muslims to confront anti‑Christian violenceDrawing on decades of diplomatic service in Ghana, Paraguay, Algeria, and Switzerland, Nwachukwu described the anti‑Christian discrimination he witnessed firsthand — experiences he believes continue to be overlooked.“I do not criticize Islam; I criticize the way some people practice their Islam,” he said. “People just shout about Islamophobia, but its main cause is not to be sought in the West. It is to be sought in the way some Muslims practice their religion. We are calling our Muslim friends to condemn the wrong use of their religion as a religion of violence.”He recalled that during his service in Algeria, Christians were openly labeled “enemies of Islam.” In one incident, a shopkeeper refused to serve him because he was wearing a Roman collar.“Christians still do not have full liberty to practice their religion,” he said.A West increasingly uncomfortable with its Christian rootsBut Nwachukwu also directed sharp criticism toward Europe, where he sees a growing reluctance to defend Christianity even as Western societies emphasize religious tolerance.“Everybody denounces Islamophobia, but nobody denounces Christianophobia,” he said. “We are in a post‑Christian Europe and a post‑Christian West.”He noted that Christian symbols face discrimination not applied to other religions: “You enter a hall and see a symbol of Buddhism — nobody touches it. You see a Muslim in a hijab — nobody says to remove it. But you see a cross, and they say, ‘Remove it.’ Why?”This, he argued, reflects a cultural embarrassment about Europe’s Christian heritage:“It is like feeling guilty for having a mother who is ugly and then forgetting that she also has rights. The Christianity that gave them their education, culture, and society — they now feel uncomfortable with it.”Reverse missionaries and a hopeful response to Europe’s secular driftNwachukwu said this situation makes the growing presence of African and Asian missionaries in Europe all the more significant, as a hopeful sign that the global Church can help rekindle the continent’s Christian identity.“The West often forgets that we are the result of sacrifices made by their own brothers and sisters who became missionaries,” he said. “But the sheaves — the children of those missionaries — are now returning.”Nwachukwu described this movement as a gift that can strengthen Western Christianity in places where secularism has taken deep root.“We want to see the mother Churches in Europe accept and be proud of their missionary children from the global south.”Encouragement for persecuted ChristiansTo Christians facing persecution — whether under hostile regimes, extremist movements, or secular cultural pressures — Nwachukwu offered a message of strength: “If you are encountering persecution, it means that the message you have is important. If your message were not important, people wouldn’t even think of you. So, the message is: Do not feel you are alone. Know what you are worth.”
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Vatican official warns of ‘Christianophobia’ in Muslim world and secular West #Catholic Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu is alarmed about rising hostility toward Christians, both in parts of the Islamic world and in Europe’s increasingly post‑Christian culture.Nwachukwu, who serves as secretary of the Section of First Evangelization at the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, told EWTN News that any serious conversation about peace and coexistence must begin with clear condemnation of anti‑Christian violence, particularly from Muslim leaders in places where Christians lack full religious freedom.The Nigerian prelate also warned of a growing cultural aversion to Christianity in the West, where Christian expression is often treated with suspicion even as societies insist on defending the religious symbols of others.Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit four countries in Africa, including the Muslim-majority Algeria, on his first apostolic journey to the continent April 13–23.A diplomat urges Muslims to confront anti‑Christian violenceDrawing on decades of diplomatic service in Ghana, Paraguay, Algeria, and Switzerland, Nwachukwu described the anti‑Christian discrimination he witnessed firsthand — experiences he believes continue to be overlooked.“I do not criticize Islam; I criticize the way some people practice their Islam,” he said. “People just shout about Islamophobia, but its main cause is not to be sought in the West. It is to be sought in the way some Muslims practice their religion. We are calling our Muslim friends to condemn the wrong use of their religion as a religion of violence.”He recalled that during his service in Algeria, Christians were openly labeled “enemies of Islam.” In one incident, a shopkeeper refused to serve him because he was wearing a Roman collar.“Christians still do not have full liberty to practice their religion,” he said.A West increasingly uncomfortable with its Christian rootsBut Nwachukwu also directed sharp criticism toward Europe, where he sees a growing reluctance to defend Christianity even as Western societies emphasize religious tolerance.“Everybody denounces Islamophobia, but nobody denounces Christianophobia,” he said. “We are in a post‑Christian Europe and a post‑Christian West.”He noted that Christian symbols face discrimination not applied to other religions: “You enter a hall and see a symbol of Buddhism — nobody touches it. You see a Muslim in a hijab — nobody says to remove it. But you see a cross, and they say, ‘Remove it.’ Why?”This, he argued, reflects a cultural embarrassment about Europe’s Christian heritage:“It is like feeling guilty for having a mother who is ugly and then forgetting that she also has rights. The Christianity that gave them their education, culture, and society — they now feel uncomfortable with it.”Reverse missionaries and a hopeful response to Europe’s secular driftNwachukwu said this situation makes the growing presence of African and Asian missionaries in Europe all the more significant, as a hopeful sign that the global Church can help rekindle the continent’s Christian identity.“The West often forgets that we are the result of sacrifices made by their own brothers and sisters who became missionaries,” he said. “But the sheaves — the children of those missionaries — are now returning.”Nwachukwu described this movement as a gift that can strengthen Western Christianity in places where secularism has taken deep root.“We want to see the mother Churches in Europe accept and be proud of their missionary children from the global south.”Encouragement for persecuted ChristiansTo Christians facing persecution — whether under hostile regimes, extremist movements, or secular cultural pressures — Nwachukwu offered a message of strength: “If you are encountering persecution, it means that the message you have is important. If your message were not important, people wouldn’t even think of you. So, the message is: Do not feel you are alone. Know what you are worth.”

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A Nigerian archbishop said African missionaries can evangelize a Europe uneasy with its Christian past.

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JD Vance announces book exploring his conversion to Catholicism #Catholic Vice President JD Vance announced his book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,” will be released June 16.“I’ve been writing this book for a long time, and I’m honored to finally be able to share the full story with you all,” Vance wrote in a post to X. “‘Communion’ is about my personal journey and how I found my way back to faith.”The book will be published by HarperCollins Publishers, which also published Vance’s 2016 bestselling book “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.” Since its release, “Hillbilly Elegy” has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.“The story of how I regained my faith, of course, only happened because I had lost it to begin with,” Vance wrote in a HarperCollins press release. “The interesting question that hangs over this book, and over my mind, is why I ever strayed from the path. Why the Christian faith of my youth failed to properly take root.”“I’m glad I found my way back to the Church. I learned much along the way. But if you believe as I do, you know I’ve been fortunate and touched by God’s grace,” he said.The book explores Vance’s conversion to the Catholic faith and what it means to be a Christian across all of the seasons of his life, including as a child, a young man, a husband, a father, and a leader.“To summarize this book: I’m a Christian, and I became a Christian because I believe that Jesus Christ’s teachings are true,” Vance said. “But I didn’t always think that, and by sharing my journey I might be helpful to others — Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise — who are seeking reconciliation with God.”Jonathan Burnham, president and publisher of the Harper Group, said the book “will speak to so many searching for faith, connection, and meaning in their lives.” He added: Vance’s “deeply heartfelt story of doubt and regained belief resonates far beyond politics, offering a moving reflection on the questions that define this moment in American public life.”
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JD Vance announces book exploring his conversion to Catholicism #Catholic Vice President JD Vance announced his book, “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith,” will be released June 16.“I’ve been writing this book for a long time, and I’m honored to finally be able to share the full story with you all,” Vance wrote in a post to X. “‘Communion’ is about my personal journey and how I found my way back to faith.”The book will be published by HarperCollins Publishers, which also published Vance’s 2016 bestselling book “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.” Since its release, “Hillbilly Elegy” has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.“The story of how I regained my faith, of course, only happened because I had lost it to begin with,” Vance wrote in a HarperCollins press release. “The interesting question that hangs over this book, and over my mind, is why I ever strayed from the path. Why the Christian faith of my youth failed to properly take root.”“I’m glad I found my way back to the Church. I learned much along the way. But if you believe as I do, you know I’ve been fortunate and touched by God’s grace,” he said.The book explores Vance’s conversion to the Catholic faith and what it means to be a Christian across all of the seasons of his life, including as a child, a young man, a husband, a father, and a leader.“To summarize this book: I’m a Christian, and I became a Christian because I believe that Jesus Christ’s teachings are true,” Vance said. “But I didn’t always think that, and by sharing my journey I might be helpful to others — Catholic, Protestant, or otherwise — who are seeking reconciliation with God.”Jonathan Burnham, president and publisher of the Harper Group, said the book “will speak to so many searching for faith, connection, and meaning in their lives.” He added: Vance’s “deeply heartfelt story of doubt and regained belief resonates far beyond politics, offering a moving reflection on the questions that define this moment in American public life.”

unitedyam

“I’m glad I found my way back to the Church. I learned much along the way. But if you believe as I do, you know I’ve been fortunate and touched by God’s grace,” Vance said.

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Bishop to Harding faithful: walk with Mary to Calvary #Catholic - Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney concluded the Wednesday Lenten Series of Church of Christ the King in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., where he celebrated Mass on Feb. 25 and reflected on the Blessed Mother’s critical role in salvation history. During the Mass on Feb. 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, Bishop Sweeney reminded churchgoers that Jesus came down to Earth, fully God and fully human, to ultimately suffer, die, and rise to save believers from their sins. That occurred in part because of Mary’s “fiat”— her “yes” — to God’s plan of salvation after the Angel Gabriel announced the Incarnation of Jesus, Bishop Sweeney said. In his homily, Bishop Sweeney referred to the Angelus prayer for the feast day and the Office of Readings for the day from the breviary, including a letter by Leo the Great (Epist. 28 ad Flavianum 3-4: PL 54, 763-767). Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney encouraged the faithful this Lent to walk with Mary, “the mother of sorrows,” at the foot of the cross during her son’s crucifixion on Calvary. “She leads us to her son, who comes to us in the Eucharist and who conquered sin and death in his resurrection, and gives us the promise of everlasting life in heaven,” Bishop Sweeney said. The other speakers in the series were Father Jun Vizcara, chaplain at St. Joseph University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J.; Msgr. John Hunt, pastor of Assumption Parish in Morristown, N.J., and director of the Clergy Personnel Office of the Paterson Diocese; Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerrard Majella and Our Lady of Pompei parishes, both in Paterson, and Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson and diocesan vicar for special projects. At the Mass, Father Brian Sullivan, Christ the King’s pastor, and Maryknoll Father Joseph “Joe” Healey, a former African missionary, concelebrated with Bishop Sweeney. Also, Luke Simonson received a gift for altar serving at all five Masses during this year’s Lenten Series. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
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Bishop to Harding faithful: walk with Mary to Calvary #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney concluded the Wednesday Lenten Series of Church of Christ the King in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., where he celebrated Mass on Feb. 25 and reflected on the Blessed Mother’s critical role in salvation history. During the Mass on Feb. 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, Bishop Sweeney reminded churchgoers that Jesus came down to Earth, fully God and fully human, to ultimately suffer, die, and rise to save believers from their sins. That occurred in part because of Mary’s “fiat”— her “yes” — to God’s plan of salvation after the Angel Gabriel announced the Incarnation of Jesus, Bishop Sweeney said. In his homily, Bishop Sweeney referred to the Angelus prayer for the feast day and the Office of Readings for the day from the breviary, including a letter by Leo the Great (Epist. 28 ad Flavianum 3-4: PL 54, 763-767). Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney encouraged the faithful this Lent to walk with Mary, “the mother of sorrows,” at the foot of the cross during her son’s crucifixion on Calvary. “She leads us to her son, who comes to us in the Eucharist and who conquered sin and death in his resurrection, and gives us the promise of everlasting life in heaven,” Bishop Sweeney said. The other speakers in the series were Father Jun Vizcara, chaplain at St. Joseph University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J.; Msgr. John Hunt, pastor of Assumption Parish in Morristown, N.J., and director of the Clergy Personnel Office of the Paterson Diocese; Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerrard Majella and Our Lady of Pompei parishes, both in Paterson, and Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson and diocesan vicar for special projects. At the Mass, Father Brian Sullivan, Christ the King’s pastor, and Maryknoll Father Joseph “Joe” Healey, a former African missionary, concelebrated with Bishop Sweeney. Also, Luke Simonson received a gift for altar serving at all five Masses during this year’s Lenten Series. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

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Bishop to Harding faithful: walk with Mary to Calvary #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney concluded the Wednesday Lenten Series of Church of Christ the King in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., where he celebrated Mass on Feb. 25 and reflected on the Blessed Mother’s critical role in salvation history.

During the Mass on Feb. 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, Bishop Sweeney reminded churchgoers that Jesus came down to Earth, fully God and fully human, to ultimately suffer, die, and rise to save believers from their sins. That occurred in part because of Mary’s “fiat”— her “yes” — to God’s plan of salvation after the Angel Gabriel announced the Incarnation of Jesus, Bishop Sweeney said.

In his homily, Bishop Sweeney referred to the Angelus prayer for the feast day and the Office of Readings for the day from the breviary, including a letter by Leo the Great (Epist. 28 ad Flavianum 3-4: PL 54, 763-767).

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Bishop Sweeney encouraged the faithful this Lent to walk with Mary, “the mother of sorrows,” at the foot of the cross during her son’s crucifixion on Calvary.

“She leads us to her son, who comes to us in the Eucharist and who conquered sin and death in his resurrection, and gives us the promise of everlasting life in heaven,” Bishop Sweeney said.

The other speakers in the series were Father Jun Vizcara, chaplain at St. Joseph University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J.; Msgr. John Hunt, pastor of Assumption Parish in Morristown, N.J., and director of the Clergy Personnel Office of the Paterson Diocese; Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerrard Majella and Our Lady of Pompei parishes, both in Paterson, and Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson and diocesan vicar for special projects.

At the Mass, Father Brian Sullivan, Christ the King’s pastor, and Maryknoll Father Joseph “Joe” Healey, a former African missionary, concelebrated with Bishop Sweeney. Also, Luke Simonson received a gift for altar serving at all five Masses during this year’s Lenten Series.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney concluded the Wednesday Lenten Series of Church of Christ the King in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., where he celebrated Mass on Feb. 25 and reflected on the Blessed Mother’s critical role in salvation history. During the Mass on Feb. 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, Bishop Sweeney reminded churchgoers that Jesus came down to Earth, fully God and fully human, to ultimately suffer, die, and rise to save believers from their sins. That occurred in part because of Mary’s “fiat”— her “yes” — to God’s plan of salvation after the Angel Gabriel

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12 young people welcomed into the Church at Jefferson Mass #Catholic - During a Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on March 27, 12 10th-grade religious education students of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in the Lake Hopatcong neighborhood of Jefferson Township, N.J., were confirmed into full communion with the Church. Bishop Sweeney served as both the principal celebrant and the homilist for the liturgy. The confirmandi included Izabella Anna Baldyga; Angelys Marcella Castillo; Shaun Sebastian Cestra; Genevieve Francis Chalmers; Fredrick Gregory Etienne; Gabriella Rose Fitzsimmons; Andrew Koziol; Nina Valentina Maniago; Tatiana Martinez; Payton Elizabeth Motto; Logan Longinus San Buenaventura; and Lyla Marie Schroers. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Father Sean McDonnell, pastor of Star of the Sea, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Alongside them were Father Fred Walters, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, and Father David McDonnell, a weekend associate at the parish and a retired diocesan priest. Deacon Alberto Totino, who is also Star of the Sea’s evangelization coordinator, assisted with the Mass. The Knights of Columbus also participated in the liturgy. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
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12 young people welcomed into the Church at Jefferson Mass #Catholic – During a Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on March 27, 12 10th-grade religious education students of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in the Lake Hopatcong neighborhood of Jefferson Township, N.J., were confirmed into full communion with the Church. Bishop Sweeney served as both the principal celebrant and the homilist for the liturgy. The confirmandi included Izabella Anna Baldyga; Angelys Marcella Castillo; Shaun Sebastian Cestra; Genevieve Francis Chalmers; Fredrick Gregory Etienne; Gabriella Rose Fitzsimmons; Andrew Koziol; Nina Valentina Maniago; Tatiana Martinez; Payton Elizabeth Motto; Logan Longinus San Buenaventura; and Lyla Marie Schroers. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Father Sean McDonnell, pastor of Star of the Sea, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Alongside them were Father Fred Walters, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, and Father David McDonnell, a weekend associate at the parish and a retired diocesan priest. Deacon Alberto Totino, who is also Star of the Sea’s evangelization coordinator, assisted with the Mass. The Knights of Columbus also participated in the liturgy. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

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12 young people welcomed into the Church at Jefferson Mass #Catholic –

During a Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on March 27, 12 10th-grade religious education students of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in the Lake Hopatcong neighborhood of Jefferson Township, N.J., were confirmed into full communion with the Church. Bishop Sweeney served as both the principal celebrant and the homilist for the liturgy.

The confirmandi included Izabella Anna Baldyga; Angelys Marcella Castillo; Shaun Sebastian Cestra; Genevieve Francis Chalmers; Fredrick Gregory Etienne; Gabriella Rose Fitzsimmons; Andrew Koziol; Nina Valentina Maniago; Tatiana Martinez; Payton Elizabeth Motto; Logan Longinus San Buenaventura; and Lyla Marie Schroers.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Father Sean McDonnell, pastor of Star of the Sea, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Alongside them were Father Fred Walters, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, and Father David McDonnell, a weekend associate at the parish and a retired diocesan priest.

Deacon Alberto Totino, who is also Star of the Sea’s evangelization coordinator, assisted with the Mass. The Knights of Columbus also participated in the liturgy.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– During a Mass celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on March 27, 12 10th-grade religious education students of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in the Lake Hopatcong neighborhood of Jefferson Township, N.J., were confirmed into full communion with the Church. Bishop Sweeney served as both the principal celebrant and the homilist for the liturgy. The confirmandi included Izabella Anna Baldyga; Angelys Marcella Castillo; Shaun Sebastian Cestra; Genevieve Francis Chalmers; Fredrick Gregory Etienne; Gabriella Rose Fitzsimmons; Andrew Koziol; Nina Valentina Maniago; Tatiana Martinez; Payton Elizabeth Motto; Logan Longinus San Buenaventura; and Lyla Marie Schroers. Click here to subscribe to

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 31 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Isaiah 49:1-6 Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.From the Gospel according to John 13:21-33, 36-38 Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, "Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, "Master, who is it?" Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it." So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly." Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or to give something to the poor. So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. When he had left, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you." Simon Peter said to him, "Master, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later." Peter said to him, "Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times."“It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it” (Jn 13:26). With this simple and humble gesture, Jesus carries his love forward and to its depths, not because he is ignoring what is happening, but precisely because he sees it clearly. He has understood that the freedom of the other, even when it is lost in evil, can still be reached by the light of a meek gesture, because he knows that true forgiveness does not await repentance, but offers itself first, as a free gift, even before it is accepted. Judas, unfortunately, does not understand. After the morsel – says the Gospel – “Satan entered him” (v. 27). This passage strikes us: as if evil, hidden until then, manifested itself after love showed its most defenceless face. And precisely for this reason, brothers and sisters, that morsel is our salvation: because it tells us that God does everything – absolutely everything – to reach us, even in the hour when we reject him. It is here that forgiveness reveals all its power and manifests the true face of hope. It is not forgetfulness; it is not weakness. It is the ability to set the other free, while loving him to the end. Jesus’ love does not deny the truth of pain, but it does not allow evil to have the last word. This is the mystery Jesus accomplishes for us, in which we too, at times, are called to participate. (Pope Leo XIV – General Audience, 20 August 2025)  

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A reading from the Book of Isaiah
49:1-6

Hear me, O islands,
listen, O distant peoples.
The LORD called me from birth,
from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.
He made of me a sharp-edged sword
and concealed me in the shadow of his arm.
He made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me.
You are my servant, he said to me,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
Yet my reward is with the LORD,
my recompense is with my God.
For now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
That Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

From the Gospel according to John
13:21-33, 36-38

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
"Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at Jesus’ side.
So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.
He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him,
"Master, who is it?"
Jesus answered,
"It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it."
So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas,
son of Simon the Iscariot.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
"Buy what we need for the feast,"
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said,
"Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself,
and he will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
You will look for me, and as I told the Jews,
‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you."

Simon Peter said to him, "Master, where are you going?"
Jesus answered him,
"Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later."
Peter said to him,
"Master, why can I not follow you now?
I will lay down my life for you."
Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times."

“It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it” (Jn 13:26). With this simple and humble gesture, Jesus carries his love forward and to its depths, not because he is ignoring what is happening, but precisely because he sees it clearly. He has understood that the freedom of the other, even when it is lost in evil, can still be reached by the light of a meek gesture, because he knows that true forgiveness does not await repentance, but offers itself first, as a free gift, even before it is accepted. Judas, unfortunately, does not understand. After the morsel – says the Gospel – “Satan entered him” (v. 27). This passage strikes us: as if evil, hidden until then, manifested itself after love showed its most defenceless face. And precisely for this reason, brothers and sisters, that morsel is our salvation: because it tells us that God does everything – absolutely everything – to reach us, even in the hour when we reject him. It is here that forgiveness reveals all its power and manifests the true face of hope. It is not forgetfulness; it is not weakness. It is the ability to set the other free, while loving him to the end. Jesus’ love does not deny the truth of pain, but it does not allow evil to have the last word. This is the mystery Jesus accomplishes for us, in which we too, at times, are called to participate. (Pope Leo XIV – General Audience, 20 August 2025)

 

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Adult conversions soar in dioceses across U.S. #Catholic Many U.S. dioceses are expecting heavy increases in people joining the Catholic Church at Easter 2026, including some with record highs, a survey by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, found.“Something’s happening,” said John Helsey, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, which is expecting a 57% increase in unbaptized people becoming Catholics at Easter — from 635 in 2025 to nearly 1,000 in 2026.In most places, this year’s increases aren’t a one-off but follow significant increases in recent years.One example is the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, which had record highs attending liturgies several weeks ago that were meant to welcome would-be converts who have been preparing to enter the Church in recent months and to formalize their status.Newark is expecting a 30% jump in converts in 2026 (at 1,701) over 2025 (at 1,305). The 2026 figure is 60% higher than the 1,064 converts in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic.In the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, the number of converts in 2025 (447) was the highest since at least 2014, and the number in 2026 (603) is 35% higher than in 2025.The Register recently contacted all 175 Latin-rite territorial dioceses in the United States, seeking numbers of people planning to join the Catholic Church at Easter 2026.Seventy-one, or 40% of U.S. dioceses, responded. In some cases, the Register used published sources to supplement the data it used in its analysis. In all cases, the Register attempted to make apples-to-apples comparisons, with the caveat that 2026 numbers aren’t set yet.Just five of the 71 dioceses expected a drop in converts this year, most of them slight. The remaining 66 are expecting increases — in many cases, significant ones.This year’s expected increases in converts in the United States include regions where the Church has been growing rapidly in recent decades, such as Florida, where the Diocese of St. Petersburg is expecting an 84% jump, and Texas, where the Diocese of Austin is expecting a 53% jump.But it also includes highly secularized New England, where the Archdiocese of Boston has 55% more catechumens (unbaptized) this year than last year. The Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire, reported a 54% increase (including already-baptized and unbaptized); the Diocese of Providence has 76% more converts; and the Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut, is recording a 112% spike.In Pennsylvania, the dioceses of Harrisburg (77%) and Altoona-Johnstown (84%) are seeing big increases. Across the country, the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado, is expecting a 105% increase.In the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which is expecting a 60% increase in converts in 2026 over last year, a priest who oversees conversion programs said people seeking to join the Catholic Church tend to come to Mass and have an active prayer life before they ever attend formal sessions with catechists and that they tend to accept Church teachings earlier in the process than their predecessors did.“I have noticed over the last several years that there is a greater commitment to conversion, a greater commitment to the Church, when they arrive,” said Father Dennis Gill, director of the Office for Divine Worship for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and rector of the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.Other factorsAs for why it’s happening, diocesan officials offered various theories.Immigration, particularly from the surge during the Biden administration, is a factor in some places. Some suggest the election in May 2025 of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, who describes Church teachings with a native accent unfiltered by translation, might also be a draw for some non-Catholics. Some diocesan officials shared a new emphasis on outreach to non-Catholics.Bishop Frank Dewane, who leads the Diocese of Venice, Florida, which is expecting a 94% increase in converts, noted that some places outside the United States are also seeing big increases this year, including England and France.He told the Register the Church is enjoying what he called “a golden age of Catholic resources,” including podcasts and other online sources that get information about the Church to people who would ordinarily never set foot in it and yet come to find Catholicism unexpectedly attractive.“Our modern culture has not borne good fruits, and I think people see that. They recognize that. They know that,” Dewane said.But ultimately, he and other Church officials the Register spoke with attributed the bountiful harvest to God.“It’s the Holy Spirit,” Dewane emphasized. “Yes, we follow promptings, also. But I think it’s the work of the Holy Spirit right now in society and in the Church.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
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Adult conversions soar in dioceses across U.S. #Catholic Many U.S. dioceses are expecting heavy increases in people joining the Catholic Church at Easter 2026, including some with record highs, a survey by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, found.“Something’s happening,” said John Helsey, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, which is expecting a 57% increase in unbaptized people becoming Catholics at Easter — from 635 in 2025 to nearly 1,000 in 2026.In most places, this year’s increases aren’t a one-off but follow significant increases in recent years.One example is the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, which had record highs attending liturgies several weeks ago that were meant to welcome would-be converts who have been preparing to enter the Church in recent months and to formalize their status.Newark is expecting a 30% jump in converts in 2026 (at 1,701) over 2025 (at 1,305). The 2026 figure is 60% higher than the 1,064 converts in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic.In the Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama, the number of converts in 2025 (447) was the highest since at least 2014, and the number in 2026 (603) is 35% higher than in 2025.The Register recently contacted all 175 Latin-rite territorial dioceses in the United States, seeking numbers of people planning to join the Catholic Church at Easter 2026.Seventy-one, or 40% of U.S. dioceses, responded. In some cases, the Register used published sources to supplement the data it used in its analysis. In all cases, the Register attempted to make apples-to-apples comparisons, with the caveat that 2026 numbers aren’t set yet.Just five of the 71 dioceses expected a drop in converts this year, most of them slight. The remaining 66 are expecting increases — in many cases, significant ones.This year’s expected increases in converts in the United States include regions where the Church has been growing rapidly in recent decades, such as Florida, where the Diocese of St. Petersburg is expecting an 84% jump, and Texas, where the Diocese of Austin is expecting a 53% jump.But it also includes highly secularized New England, where the Archdiocese of Boston has 55% more catechumens (unbaptized) this year than last year. The Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire, reported a 54% increase (including already-baptized and unbaptized); the Diocese of Providence has 76% more converts; and the Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut, is recording a 112% spike.In Pennsylvania, the dioceses of Harrisburg (77%) and Altoona-Johnstown (84%) are seeing big increases. Across the country, the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado, is expecting a 105% increase.In the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which is expecting a 60% increase in converts in 2026 over last year, a priest who oversees conversion programs said people seeking to join the Catholic Church tend to come to Mass and have an active prayer life before they ever attend formal sessions with catechists and that they tend to accept Church teachings earlier in the process than their predecessors did.“I have noticed over the last several years that there is a greater commitment to conversion, a greater commitment to the Church, when they arrive,” said Father Dennis Gill, director of the Office for Divine Worship for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and rector of the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.Other factorsAs for why it’s happening, diocesan officials offered various theories.Immigration, particularly from the surge during the Biden administration, is a factor in some places. Some suggest the election in May 2025 of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, who describes Church teachings with a native accent unfiltered by translation, might also be a draw for some non-Catholics. Some diocesan officials shared a new emphasis on outreach to non-Catholics.Bishop Frank Dewane, who leads the Diocese of Venice, Florida, which is expecting a 94% increase in converts, noted that some places outside the United States are also seeing big increases this year, including England and France.He told the Register the Church is enjoying what he called “a golden age of Catholic resources,” including podcasts and other online sources that get information about the Church to people who would ordinarily never set foot in it and yet come to find Catholicism unexpectedly attractive.“Our modern culture has not borne good fruits, and I think people see that. They recognize that. They know that,” Dewane said.But ultimately, he and other Church officials the Register spoke with attributed the bountiful harvest to God.“It’s the Holy Spirit,” Dewane emphasized. “Yes, we follow promptings, also. But I think it’s the work of the Holy Spirit right now in society and in the Church.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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The National Catholic Register contacted all 175 Latin-rite territorial dioceses in the United States, seeking numbers of people planning to join the Catholic Church at Easter 2026.

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Bishops’ commission considers social, cultural, and pastoral factors behind polygamy in Africa #Catholic NAIROBI, Kenya — In addition to theological reflections on marriage and the sacraments, the final report addressing the pastoral challenge of polygamy in Africa, which members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) issued on March 24, draws attention to a wide range of social, cultural, and pastoral realities shaping the practice across the continent.While reaffirming the Christian ideal of monogamous marriage, the 25-page report compiled by the SECAM commission — made up of selected theologians and professionals from relevant ecclesiastical disciplines — emphasizes that understanding the persistence of polygamy requires careful analysis of social change, legal frameworks, gender relations, and pastoral strategies within African societies. SECAM president Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo. | Credit: ACI Africa The report is a direct response to the mandate that the multiyear XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops — known as the Synod on Synodality — gave Catholic bishops in Africa: “to promote theological and pastoral discernment on the issue of polygamy.”Polygamy in a changing African social landscapeIn the report, the SECAM commission members note that polygamy cannot be understood solely through the lens of traditional culture. African societies have undergone profound transformation in recent decades.“The traditional environment has crumbled,” they said, leading to a climate in which many long-standing institutions and values are increasingly questioned. This transformation has also affected the dynamics of marriage and family life. Sociological studies cited in the report identify infertility as one of the principal motivations behind contemporary polygamy, though the report emphasizes that the reasons are complex.Despite modernization and evangelization, it notes that the practice of polygamy has not disappeared. Instead, “it remains alive and well” and, in some contexts, has even regained popularity.One notable development the SECAM commission members highlight in the report is the changing role of women in African societies. They observe that women increasingly occupy key economic roles, particularly within the informal sector.Legal frameworks across AfricaIn the report, commission members also highlight the legal status of polygamy across the continent.They note that roughly 30 African countries have legal frameworks that permit polygamy — either through civil law, customary law, or religious legislation. The list includes countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Morocco, and South Africa.However, the report points out that legal recognition of polygamy does not necessarily indicate broad societal consensus. In many countries, women’s movements have increasingly challenged these laws.“More and more women are speaking out against legislation in favor of polygamy, which is considered unfair and disrespectful of gender equality,” the report says. Members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) meet at the 20th Plenary Assembly held in Kigali, Rwanda, from July 30 to Aug. 4, 2025, under the theme “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation, and Peace.” | Credit: ACI Africa This tension between cultural tradition, legal frameworks, and evolving social values forms a significant part of the pastoral context in which the Catholic bishops in Africa must address the issue of polygamy, the SECAM commission says in the report.The question of women’s dignityA central theme in the report is the dignity of women within both cultural and ecclesial contexts.Pastoral responses to polygamy must explicitly seek “to enhance the dignity of women,” the report says. The report acknowledges that women sometimes choose polygamous arrangements for practical or cultural reasons — however, it raises theological questions about whether such choices correspond to God’s plan for human relationships.From a biblical perspective, polygamy “does not promote the development of women as intended by God,” according to the report. Therefore, pastoral strategies that help Christian communities reflect critically on cultural assumptions about gender roles and marriage are important.Economic vulnerability and the practice of polygamyThe report also links polygamy to economic vulnerability, particularly among widows.One example the SECAM commission members highlight is the traditional practice of levirate marriage, in which a widow marries a relative of her deceased husband in order to secure protection and support for herself and her children.While acknowledging the social security function of this practice, the report questions whether it can also lead to forms of exploitation and whether such arrangements risk reducing women to objects of exchange within family structures.For this reason, the commission members highlight the importance of pastoral care directed specifically toward widows. Ensuring their “material and moral security” can help prevent situations in which women feel compelled to enter polygamous relationships for survival, the report states.Hidden or ‘veiled’ forms of polygamyAnother issue raised in the report is what the SECAM commission members call “veiled polygamy.”This term refers to situations in which individuals maintain multiple sexual relationships outside formal marriage, resulting in families in which children are born to parents who are not married to one another.Although such situations do not present the same doctrinal challenges as formal polygamy, the commission members say they consider this harmful both to society and to the Church.One difficulty, they note, is that social stigma often falls disproportionately on women raising children outside marriage. The absence of fathers also raises concerns about the well-being of children.In response, the report calls for stronger pastoral formation within Christian communities so that believers can accompany families facing these realities with maturity and responsibility. Members of the SECAM in 2025 | Credit: ACI Africa Preparing couples for Christian marriageThe commission members in the report repeatedly emphasize that prevention is as important as pastoral accompaniment.Many cases of polygamy among baptized Christians arise from cultural expectations about fertility. In many African contexts, the inability to bear children can place intense pressure on a marriage, the report notes.Therefore, the report calls for rigorous marriage preparation programs that help couples understand the Christian meaning of marriage. While the desire for children is recognized as a legitimate cultural value, the reports stresses that biological fertility is not essential to the sacramental reality of marriage.Christian marriage, the SECAM commission members state, must be understood primarily as a covenant of love and fidelity rather than simply a means of producing offspring.A broader question of inculturationThroughout the report, commission members frame the issue of polygamy as part of a broader challenge of inculturation — the process of expressing Christian faith within diverse cultural contexts.They acknowledge that the Church’s engagement with African cultures has evolved significantly since the missionary era.While earlier pastoral approaches often treated polygamy primarily as a moral problem to be eliminated, today the Church must combine fidelity to the Gospel with attentive listening to cultural realities.In their concluding reflections, SECAM commission members call for continued dialogue among Catholic bishops in Africa, theologians, and pastoral workers to evaluate existing pastoral models and, where necessary, “propose other paths, with the aim of offering to all the possibility of an encounter with Christ and his Gospel.”In this way, the issue of polygamy is not simply a disciplinary question but part of the broader task of shaping an authentically African expression of Christian family life.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
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Bishops’ commission considers social, cultural, and pastoral factors behind polygamy in Africa #Catholic NAIROBI, Kenya — In addition to theological reflections on marriage and the sacraments, the final report addressing the pastoral challenge of polygamy in Africa, which members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) issued on March 24, draws attention to a wide range of social, cultural, and pastoral realities shaping the practice across the continent.While reaffirming the Christian ideal of monogamous marriage, the 25-page report compiled by the SECAM commission — made up of selected theologians and professionals from relevant ecclesiastical disciplines — emphasizes that understanding the persistence of polygamy requires careful analysis of social change, legal frameworks, gender relations, and pastoral strategies within African societies. SECAM president Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo. | Credit: ACI Africa The report is a direct response to the mandate that the multiyear XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops — known as the Synod on Synodality — gave Catholic bishops in Africa: “to promote theological and pastoral discernment on the issue of polygamy.”Polygamy in a changing African social landscapeIn the report, the SECAM commission members note that polygamy cannot be understood solely through the lens of traditional culture. African societies have undergone profound transformation in recent decades.“The traditional environment has crumbled,” they said, leading to a climate in which many long-standing institutions and values are increasingly questioned. This transformation has also affected the dynamics of marriage and family life. Sociological studies cited in the report identify infertility as one of the principal motivations behind contemporary polygamy, though the report emphasizes that the reasons are complex.Despite modernization and evangelization, it notes that the practice of polygamy has not disappeared. Instead, “it remains alive and well” and, in some contexts, has even regained popularity.One notable development the SECAM commission members highlight in the report is the changing role of women in African societies. They observe that women increasingly occupy key economic roles, particularly within the informal sector.Legal frameworks across AfricaIn the report, commission members also highlight the legal status of polygamy across the continent.They note that roughly 30 African countries have legal frameworks that permit polygamy — either through civil law, customary law, or religious legislation. The list includes countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Morocco, and South Africa.However, the report points out that legal recognition of polygamy does not necessarily indicate broad societal consensus. In many countries, women’s movements have increasingly challenged these laws.“More and more women are speaking out against legislation in favor of polygamy, which is considered unfair and disrespectful of gender equality,” the report says. Members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) meet at the 20th Plenary Assembly held in Kigali, Rwanda, from July 30 to Aug. 4, 2025, under the theme “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation, and Peace.” | Credit: ACI Africa This tension between cultural tradition, legal frameworks, and evolving social values forms a significant part of the pastoral context in which the Catholic bishops in Africa must address the issue of polygamy, the SECAM commission says in the report.The question of women’s dignityA central theme in the report is the dignity of women within both cultural and ecclesial contexts.Pastoral responses to polygamy must explicitly seek “to enhance the dignity of women,” the report says. The report acknowledges that women sometimes choose polygamous arrangements for practical or cultural reasons — however, it raises theological questions about whether such choices correspond to God’s plan for human relationships.From a biblical perspective, polygamy “does not promote the development of women as intended by God,” according to the report. Therefore, pastoral strategies that help Christian communities reflect critically on cultural assumptions about gender roles and marriage are important.Economic vulnerability and the practice of polygamyThe report also links polygamy to economic vulnerability, particularly among widows.One example the SECAM commission members highlight is the traditional practice of levirate marriage, in which a widow marries a relative of her deceased husband in order to secure protection and support for herself and her children.While acknowledging the social security function of this practice, the report questions whether it can also lead to forms of exploitation and whether such arrangements risk reducing women to objects of exchange within family structures.For this reason, the commission members highlight the importance of pastoral care directed specifically toward widows. Ensuring their “material and moral security” can help prevent situations in which women feel compelled to enter polygamous relationships for survival, the report states.Hidden or ‘veiled’ forms of polygamyAnother issue raised in the report is what the SECAM commission members call “veiled polygamy.”This term refers to situations in which individuals maintain multiple sexual relationships outside formal marriage, resulting in families in which children are born to parents who are not married to one another.Although such situations do not present the same doctrinal challenges as formal polygamy, the commission members say they consider this harmful both to society and to the Church.One difficulty, they note, is that social stigma often falls disproportionately on women raising children outside marriage. The absence of fathers also raises concerns about the well-being of children.In response, the report calls for stronger pastoral formation within Christian communities so that believers can accompany families facing these realities with maturity and responsibility. Members of the SECAM in 2025 | Credit: ACI Africa Preparing couples for Christian marriageThe commission members in the report repeatedly emphasize that prevention is as important as pastoral accompaniment.Many cases of polygamy among baptized Christians arise from cultural expectations about fertility. In many African contexts, the inability to bear children can place intense pressure on a marriage, the report notes.Therefore, the report calls for rigorous marriage preparation programs that help couples understand the Christian meaning of marriage. While the desire for children is recognized as a legitimate cultural value, the reports stresses that biological fertility is not essential to the sacramental reality of marriage.Christian marriage, the SECAM commission members state, must be understood primarily as a covenant of love and fidelity rather than simply a means of producing offspring.A broader question of inculturationThroughout the report, commission members frame the issue of polygamy as part of a broader challenge of inculturation — the process of expressing Christian faith within diverse cultural contexts.They acknowledge that the Church’s engagement with African cultures has evolved significantly since the missionary era.While earlier pastoral approaches often treated polygamy primarily as a moral problem to be eliminated, today the Church must combine fidelity to the Gospel with attentive listening to cultural realities.In their concluding reflections, SECAM commission members call for continued dialogue among Catholic bishops in Africa, theologians, and pastoral workers to evaluate existing pastoral models and, where necessary, “propose other paths, with the aim of offering to all the possibility of an encounter with Christ and his Gospel.”In this way, the issue of polygamy is not simply a disciplinary question but part of the broader task of shaping an authentically African expression of Christian family life.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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The final report addressing the pastoral challenge of polygamy in Africa draws attention to a wide range of social, cultural, and pastoral realities shaping the practice across the continent.

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.5M gift fuels Morris Catholic fitness center project #Catholic – Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., has received an unprecedented .5 million gift from an alumnus and spouse — the most generous donation in the school’s history — to build a new Health and Fitness Center. This remarkable gift transforms the school’s nearly 70-year history, inspiring hope and excitement in students, faculty, and families. The donors, a Morris Catholic alumnus and their spouse, have chosen to keep their identities confidential at this time. Plans for the approximately 15,000-square-foot, two-story facility addition to the Morris Catholic campus have been completed, and the school is preparing to begin construction in late spring. The new facility will represent the first physical expansion of the Morris Catholic campus since the 1960s and mark a bold investment in the school’s future and the students it serves. The center is designed to promote and support a healthy lifestyle among students. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “This extraordinary gift reflects a deep belief in the mission and future of Morris Catholic,” said Brian Vohden, Morris Catholic president. “For nearly seven decades, Morris Catholic has formed young men and women in faith, scholarship, and service. This generosity shows the value our community places on having attended Morris Catholic and in helping today’s students.” The facility will significantly enhance Morris Catholic’s physical education and athletic programs. Designed to serve the entire student body, the center will provide modern training space for physical education, strength and conditioning, and Crusader programs’ athletic teams. The first floor will feature new weights, benches, and equipment. of treadmills, bikes, and rowing machines on the second floor, along with a space for speed and agility work. A 25-foot-tall glass wall will offer visitors a view of the football field below. The anonymous donors shared their heartfelt motivation: “We wanted to make an immediate impact, to help our youth rise to today’s challenges. Our greatest hope is that this gift empowers every student to thrive and embrace a future filled with possibility to impact, to prepare our youth for today’s challenges. We were especially interested in providing a high-quality, state-of-the-art facility for the Morris Catholic student to thrive physically, mentally, academically, and spiritually, resulting in a truly abundant life.” The project includes exterior restrooms and a modern concession and retail space for visitors. modern concession and retail space to enhance the experience for families and visitors attending outdoor athletic events. The project arrives during a time of excitement and renewed optimism at Morris Catholic. Guided by the school’s recently adopted five-year strategic plan, the community is uniting around initiatives that promise new opportunities and brighter futures for students and families. For recently adopted five-year strategic plan, the community is investing in a series of initiatives designed to strengthen academics, expand student opportunities, help meet the financial aid needs of students and their families, and position Morris Catholic as a leader among premier Catholic college preparatory schools in New Jersey. “Catholic education and Catholic Schools are a great gift to students, families, our diocese, the whole Church and the wider community. I am always inspired by donors’ sacrificial generosity, parents’ sacrifices for their children’s education, and the leaders, faculty, staff, and volunteers in our Catholic schools,” Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey said. “This new student health and fitness center at Morris Catholic is a concrete example of a community coming together to find unique and creative ways to support and educate the whole person, body, mind, and spirit.” Beyond the record-setting gift, additional gifts from donors and parents are enabling the center to be built. Mark Thomas, co-chair of the Morris Catholic Board of Trustees, said, “This enormous act of generosity will touch all students. It will equip our athletes with tools and capabilities to add to our history of excellence in athletics. The board is gratified that alumni are partnering with us in strategically important areas.”  
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$2.5M gift fuels Morris Catholic fitness center project #Catholic – Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., has received an unprecedented $2.5 million gift from an alumnus and spouse — the most generous donation in the school’s history — to build a new Health and Fitness Center. This remarkable gift transforms the school’s nearly 70-year history, inspiring hope and excitement in students, faculty, and families. The donors, a Morris Catholic alumnus and their spouse, have chosen to keep their identities confidential at this time. Plans for the approximately 15,000-square-foot, two-story facility addition to the Morris Catholic campus have been completed, and the school is preparing to begin construction in late spring. The new facility will represent the first physical expansion of the Morris Catholic campus since the 1960s and mark a bold investment in the school’s future and the students it serves. The center is designed to promote and support a healthy lifestyle among students. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “This extraordinary gift reflects a deep belief in the mission and future of Morris Catholic,” said Brian Vohden, Morris Catholic president. “For nearly seven decades, Morris Catholic has formed young men and women in faith, scholarship, and service. This generosity shows the value our community places on having attended Morris Catholic and in helping today’s students.” The facility will significantly enhance Morris Catholic’s physical education and athletic programs. Designed to serve the entire student body, the center will provide modern training space for physical education, strength and conditioning, and Crusader programs’ athletic teams. The first floor will feature new weights, benches, and equipment. of treadmills, bikes, and rowing machines on the second floor, along with a space for speed and agility work. A 25-foot-tall glass wall will offer visitors a view of the football field below. The anonymous donors shared their heartfelt motivation: “We wanted to make an immediate impact, to help our youth rise to today’s challenges. Our greatest hope is that this gift empowers every student to thrive and embrace a future filled with possibility to impact, to prepare our youth for today’s challenges. We were especially interested in providing a high-quality, state-of-the-art facility for the Morris Catholic student to thrive physically, mentally, academically, and spiritually, resulting in a truly abundant life.” The project includes exterior restrooms and a modern concession and retail space for visitors. modern concession and retail space to enhance the experience for families and visitors attending outdoor athletic events. The project arrives during a time of excitement and renewed optimism at Morris Catholic. Guided by the school’s recently adopted five-year strategic plan, the community is uniting around initiatives that promise new opportunities and brighter futures for students and families. For recently adopted five-year strategic plan, the community is investing in a series of initiatives designed to strengthen academics, expand student opportunities, help meet the financial aid needs of students and their families, and position Morris Catholic as a leader among premier Catholic college preparatory schools in New Jersey. “Catholic education and Catholic Schools are a great gift to students, families, our diocese, the whole Church and the wider community. I am always inspired by donors’ sacrificial generosity, parents’ sacrifices for their children’s education, and the leaders, faculty, staff, and volunteers in our Catholic schools,” Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey said. “This new student health and fitness center at Morris Catholic is a concrete example of a community coming together to find unique and creative ways to support and educate the whole person, body, mind, and spirit.” Beyond the record-setting gift, additional gifts from donors and parents are enabling the center to be built. Mark Thomas, co-chair of the Morris Catholic Board of Trustees, said, “This enormous act of generosity will touch all students. It will equip our athletes with tools and capabilities to add to our history of excellence in athletics. The board is gratified that alumni are partnering with us in strategically important areas.”  

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$2.5M gift fuels Morris Catholic fitness center project #Catholic –

Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., has received an unprecedented $2.5 million gift from an alumnus and spouse — the most generous donation in the school’s history — to build a new Health and Fitness Center. This remarkable gift transforms the school’s nearly 70-year history, inspiring hope and excitement in students, faculty, and families.

The donors, a Morris Catholic alumnus and their spouse, have chosen to keep their identities confidential at this time. Plans for the approximately 15,000-square-foot, two-story facility addition to the Morris Catholic campus have been completed, and the school is preparing to begin construction in late spring.

The new facility will represent the first physical expansion of the Morris Catholic campus since the 1960s and mark a bold investment in the school’s future and the students it serves. The center is designed to promote and support a healthy lifestyle among students.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“This extraordinary gift reflects a deep belief in the mission and future of Morris Catholic,” said Brian Vohden, Morris Catholic president. “For nearly seven decades, Morris Catholic has formed young men and women in faith, scholarship, and service. This generosity shows the value our community places on having attended Morris Catholic and in helping today’s students.”

The facility will significantly enhance Morris Catholic’s physical education and athletic programs. Designed to serve the entire student body, the center will provide modern training space for physical education, strength and conditioning, and Crusader programs’ athletic teams. The first floor will feature new weights, benches, and equipment. of treadmills, bikes, and rowing machines on the second floor, along with a space for speed and agility work. A 25-foot-tall glass wall will offer visitors a view of the football field below.

The anonymous donors shared their heartfelt motivation: “We wanted to make an immediate impact, to help our youth rise to today’s challenges. Our greatest hope is that this gift empowers every student to thrive and embrace a future filled with possibility to impact, to prepare our youth for today’s challenges. We were especially interested in providing a high-quality, state-of-the-art facility for the Morris Catholic student to thrive physically, mentally, academically, and spiritually, resulting in a truly abundant life.”

The project includes exterior restrooms and a modern concession and retail space for visitors.
modern concession and retail space to enhance the experience for families and visitors attending
outdoor athletic events.

The project arrives during a time of excitement and renewed optimism at Morris Catholic. Guided by the school’s recently adopted five-year strategic plan, the community is uniting around initiatives that promise new opportunities and brighter futures for students and families.

For recently adopted five-year strategic plan, the community is investing in a series of initiatives designed to strengthen academics, expand student opportunities, help meet the financial aid needs of students and their families, and position Morris Catholic as a leader among premier
Catholic college preparatory schools in New Jersey.

“Catholic education and Catholic Schools are a great gift to students, families, our diocese, the
whole Church and the wider community. I am always inspired by donors’ sacrificial generosity, parents’ sacrifices for their children’s education, and the leaders, faculty, staff, and volunteers in our Catholic schools,” Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey said. “This new student health and fitness center at Morris Catholic is a concrete example of a community coming together to find unique and creative ways to support and educate the whole person, body, mind, and spirit.”

Beyond the record-setting gift, additional gifts from donors and parents are enabling the center to be built.

Mark Thomas, co-chair of the Morris Catholic Board of Trustees, said, “This enormous act of generosity will touch all students. It will equip our athletes with tools and capabilities to add to our history of excellence in athletics. The board is gratified that alumni are partnering with us in strategically important areas.”

 

– Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., has received an unprecedented $2.5 million gift from an alumnus and spouse — the most generous donation in the school’s history — to build a new Health and Fitness Center. This remarkable gift transforms the school’s nearly 70-year history, inspiring hope and excitement in students, faculty, and families. The donors, a Morris Catholic alumnus and their spouse, have chosen to keep their identities confidential at this time. Plans for the approximately 15,000-square-foot, two-story facility addition to the Morris Catholic campus have been completed, and the school is preparing to begin construction in late

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 30 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Isaiah 42:1-7 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my Spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, Not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, Until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spreads out the earth with its crops, Who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk on it: I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.From the Gospel according to John 12:1-11 Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, "Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?" He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.Christ utters these significant words: "The poor you always have with you" (Jn 12: 8). He does not mean by these words that changes of social and economic structures are not important and that we should not try different ways to eliminate injustice, humiliation, want and hunger. He means merely that man will have needs which cannot be satisfied unless with help for the needy and by sharing one’s own goods with others… Of what help are we speaking? What sharing? Is it only a question of "alms", understood in the form of money, of material aid? Certainly Christ does not remove alms from our field of vision. He thinks also of pecuniary, material alms, but in his own way. More eloquent than any other, in this connection, is the example of the poor widow, who put a few small coins into the treasury of the temple: from the material point of view, an offering that could hardly be compared with the offerings given by others. Yet Christ said: "This poor widow has put in… all the living that she had" (Lk 21:3-4). So it is, above all, the interior value of the gift that counts: the readiness to share everything, the readiness to give oneself. Let us here recall St Paul: "If I give away all I have… but have not love, I gain nothing" (1 Cor 13:3). St Augustine, too, writes well in this connection: "if you stretch out your hand to give, but have not mercy in your heart, you have not done anything; but if you have mercy in your heart, even when you have nothing to give with your hand, God accepts your alms" (Enarrat. in Ps. CXXV, 5). (Saint John Paul II – General audience, 28 March 1979)  

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Isaiah
42:1-7

Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
Upon whom I have put my Spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
Not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
A bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
Until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spreads out the earth with its crops,
Who gives breath to its people
and spirit to those who walk on it:
I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
To open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

From the Gospel according to John
12:1-11

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served,
while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.
Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil
made from genuine aromatic nard
and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair;
the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples,
and the one who would betray him, said,
"Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages
and given to the poor?"
He said this not because he cared about the poor
but because he was a thief and held the money bag
and used to steal the contributions.
So Jesus said, "Leave her alone.
Let her keep this for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came,
not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too,
because many of the Jews were turning away
and believing in Jesus because of him.

Christ utters these significant words: "The poor you always have with you" (Jn 12: 8). He does not mean by these words that changes of social and economic structures are not important and that we should not try different ways to eliminate injustice, humiliation, want and hunger. He means merely that man will have needs which cannot be satisfied unless with help for the needy and by sharing one’s own goods with others… Of what help are we speaking? What sharing? Is it only a question of "alms", understood in the form of money, of material aid? Certainly Christ does not remove alms from our field of vision. He thinks also of pecuniary, material alms, but in his own way. More eloquent than any other, in this connection, is the example of the poor widow, who put a few small coins into the treasury of the temple: from the material point of view, an offering that could hardly be compared with the offerings given by others. Yet Christ said: "This poor widow has put in… all the living that she had" (Lk 21:3-4). So it is, above all, the interior value of the gift that counts: the readiness to share everything, the readiness to give oneself. Let us here recall St Paul: "If I give away all I have… but have not love, I gain nothing" (1 Cor 13:3). St Augustine, too, writes well in this connection: "if you stretch out your hand to give, but have not mercy in your heart, you have not done anything; but if you have mercy in your heart, even when you have nothing to give with your hand, God accepts your alms" (Enarrat. in Ps. CXXV, 5). (Saint John Paul II – General audience, 28 March 1979)

 

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Prayers ascend at Legion of Mary Acies in Clifton #Catholic - Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney presided at the annual Acies of the Legion of Mary on March 22 in Sacred Heart Church in Clifton, N.J. The Legion of Mary is a worldwide organization in which members join in prayer and apostolic work in union with the Blessed Mother under the guidance of a priest. The exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was held at the Acies, followed by a rosary recitation. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Prayers ascend at Legion of Mary Acies in Clifton #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney presided at the annual Acies of the Legion of Mary on March 22 in Sacred Heart Church in Clifton, N.J. The Legion of Mary is a worldwide organization in which members join in prayer and apostolic work in union with the Blessed Mother under the guidance of a priest. The exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was held at the Acies, followed by a rosary recitation. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Prayers ascend at Legion of Mary Acies in Clifton #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney presided at the annual Acies of the Legion of Mary on March 22 in Sacred Heart Church in Clifton, N.J.

The Legion of Mary is a worldwide organization in which members join in prayer and apostolic work in union with the Blessed Mother under the guidance of a priest. The exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was held at the Acies, followed by a rosary recitation.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney presided at the annual Acies of the Legion of Mary on March 22 in Sacred Heart Church in Clifton, N.J. The Legion of Mary is a worldwide organization in which members join in prayer and apostolic work in union with the Blessed Mother under the guidance of a priest. The exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was held at the Acies, followed by a rosary recitation. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI  

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New US global health policy seen as a way to eliminate malaria in concert with faith leaders #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — The future of efforts to eliminate malaria in sub-Saharan Africa may depend in part on a U.S. policy shift now drawing mixed reactions. In September, the State Department unveiled the Trump administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, which it described as “a comprehensive vision to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous” and also claimed it “will protect the homeland by preventing infectious disease outbreaks from reaching U.S. shores.” In a February report, an interfaith coalition of malaria-fighting groups warned that progress against the disease has “slowed in several regions,” calling the current moment a “crossroads.” But the strategy is considered one feasible path forward in eliminating the deadly disease spread by mosquitoes, the coalition said in its report titled “Making Country-Led Malaria Control a Reality.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. For a Methodist bishop from Mozambique who was on a March 19 panel sponsored by Georgetown University’s Global Health Institute in Washington, the inclusion of “America First’ in the State Department strategy is puzzling. “It’s tricky, because what do we mean by America First?” Bishop Dinis Matsolo of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Mozambique Synod, said in an interview with OSV News. “It would be interesting to hear a clarification as to what that means. We all belong to the same world. We need each other.” He added, “I think the Catholic community in the United States should know that in other countries, including Mozambique, we have religious leaders who are profoundly involved in the issues of health and climate change that require support in order to sustain. Those activities have stopped now because of the cuts (in U.S. aid).” The U.S. government’s relief efforts for malaria were devastated by the elimination of the U.S. Agency for International Development under the second Trump administration. By July 2025, USAID effectively ceased to exist, with 85% of its programs cut. However, “I always want to be optimistic,” Bishop Matsolo said. “We want to encourage the involvement of all the state quarters (agencies).” Bishop Matsolo is the executive director of Programa Inter-Religioso Contra a Malaria, or PIRCOM, a faith-based organization focused on eliminating malaria that was launched in 2006 with U.S. funding. The Catholic Church in Mozambique is a founding member of PIRCOM and is represented on the board. The group works directly with the Archbishop João Carlos Hatoa Nunes of Maputo, Mozambique, and other Catholic representatives at provincial and district levels across the country. According to the World Health Organization, in 2024, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases in 80 malaria-endemic countries — an increase of about 9 million cases from 2023. Three countries — Ethiopia (+2.9 million), Madagascar (+1.9 million) and Yemen (+378,000) — accounted for 58% of the estimated case increase from 2023 to 2024. The America First Global Health Strategy, the interfaith coalition report states, “recommits the U.S. to achieving the globally agreed goals by 2030. It endorses the vision of reducing global malaria mortality and case incidence by at least 90% from 2015 levels, eliminating malaria in at least 35 countries, and preventing the reestablishment of the disease in all countries that are malaria-free.” The response, according to the coalition report and the panel discussion, has to be “country-led malaria control.” The strategy “envisions a future in which public and private funders in malaria-endemic countries are responsible for their own national efforts to end the disease,” the report said. This awaits memorandums of understanding, or MOUs, negotiated by the State Department with 70 countries over the coming months to specify what entity will provide funding, and for what. The coalition’s report emphasizes, “Continued strategic U.S. financial and technical support for endemic countries during this transition will determine, to a large extent, the trajectory of the global fight against malaria in this historic moment.” In profiling five countries — El Salvador, Indonesia, Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania — and key factors in each one’s malaria response, the coalition notes in particular that across Mozambique, “over 4,000 faith leaders … are using their unique influence to advocate for policy change, deliver public health messaging, mobilize volunteers and monitor medicine supplies — trusted voices mobilizing communities.” The State Department’s 40-page report on the newly launched America First Global Health Strategy, complained of “significant inefficiency and waste” in U.S. health foreign assistance programs. As an example, the report asserted that data from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, “shockingly” shows “that only about 40% of PEPFAR’s budget goes directly to finance on-the-ground service delivery.” But a number of Catholic organizations, including Catholic Relief Services — the overseas relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. — support the aims of PEPFAR, the largest global health program devoted to a single disease. It is credited with saving 25 million lives from AIDS and with scaling back the epidemic’s spread. Kurt Jensen writes for OSV News from Washington.  
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New US global health policy seen as a way to eliminate malaria in concert with faith leaders #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — The future of efforts to eliminate malaria in sub-Saharan Africa may depend in part on a U.S. policy shift now drawing mixed reactions. In September, the State Department unveiled the Trump administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, which it described as “a comprehensive vision to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous” and also claimed it “will protect the homeland by preventing infectious disease outbreaks from reaching U.S. shores.” In a February report, an interfaith coalition of malaria-fighting groups warned that progress against the disease has “slowed in several regions,” calling the current moment a “crossroads.” But the strategy is considered one feasible path forward in eliminating the deadly disease spread by mosquitoes, the coalition said in its report titled “Making Country-Led Malaria Control a Reality.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. For a Methodist bishop from Mozambique who was on a March 19 panel sponsored by Georgetown University’s Global Health Institute in Washington, the inclusion of “America First’ in the State Department strategy is puzzling. “It’s tricky, because what do we mean by America First?” Bishop Dinis Matsolo of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Mozambique Synod, said in an interview with OSV News. “It would be interesting to hear a clarification as to what that means. We all belong to the same world. We need each other.” He added, “I think the Catholic community in the United States should know that in other countries, including Mozambique, we have religious leaders who are profoundly involved in the issues of health and climate change that require support in order to sustain. Those activities have stopped now because of the cuts (in U.S. aid).” The U.S. government’s relief efforts for malaria were devastated by the elimination of the U.S. Agency for International Development under the second Trump administration. By July 2025, USAID effectively ceased to exist, with 85% of its programs cut. However, “I always want to be optimistic,” Bishop Matsolo said. “We want to encourage the involvement of all the state quarters (agencies).” Bishop Matsolo is the executive director of Programa Inter-Religioso Contra a Malaria, or PIRCOM, a faith-based organization focused on eliminating malaria that was launched in 2006 with U.S. funding. The Catholic Church in Mozambique is a founding member of PIRCOM and is represented on the board. The group works directly with the Archbishop João Carlos Hatoa Nunes of Maputo, Mozambique, and other Catholic representatives at provincial and district levels across the country. According to the World Health Organization, in 2024, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases in 80 malaria-endemic countries — an increase of about 9 million cases from 2023. Three countries — Ethiopia (+2.9 million), Madagascar (+1.9 million) and Yemen (+378,000) — accounted for 58% of the estimated case increase from 2023 to 2024. The America First Global Health Strategy, the interfaith coalition report states, “recommits the U.S. to achieving the globally agreed goals by 2030. It endorses the vision of reducing global malaria mortality and case incidence by at least 90% from 2015 levels, eliminating malaria in at least 35 countries, and preventing the reestablishment of the disease in all countries that are malaria-free.” The response, according to the coalition report and the panel discussion, has to be “country-led malaria control.” The strategy “envisions a future in which public and private funders in malaria-endemic countries are responsible for their own national efforts to end the disease,” the report said. This awaits memorandums of understanding, or MOUs, negotiated by the State Department with 70 countries over the coming months to specify what entity will provide funding, and for what. The coalition’s report emphasizes, “Continued strategic U.S. financial and technical support for endemic countries during this transition will determine, to a large extent, the trajectory of the global fight against malaria in this historic moment.” In profiling five countries — El Salvador, Indonesia, Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania — and key factors in each one’s malaria response, the coalition notes in particular that across Mozambique, “over 4,000 faith leaders … are using their unique influence to advocate for policy change, deliver public health messaging, mobilize volunteers and monitor medicine supplies — trusted voices mobilizing communities.” The State Department’s 40-page report on the newly launched America First Global Health Strategy, complained of “significant inefficiency and waste” in U.S. health foreign assistance programs. As an example, the report asserted that data from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, “shockingly” shows “that only about 40% of PEPFAR’s budget goes directly to finance on-the-ground service delivery.” But a number of Catholic organizations, including Catholic Relief Services — the overseas relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. — support the aims of PEPFAR, the largest global health program devoted to a single disease. It is credited with saving 25 million lives from AIDS and with scaling back the epidemic’s spread. Kurt Jensen writes for OSV News from Washington.  

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New US global health policy seen as a way to eliminate malaria in concert with faith leaders #Catholic –

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — The future of efforts to eliminate malaria in sub-Saharan Africa may depend in part on a U.S. policy shift now drawing mixed reactions.

In September, the State Department unveiled the Trump administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, which it described as “a comprehensive vision to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous” and also claimed it “will protect the homeland by preventing infectious disease outbreaks from reaching U.S. shores.”

In a February report, an interfaith coalition of malaria-fighting groups warned that progress against the disease has “slowed in several regions,” calling the current moment a “crossroads.”

But the strategy is considered one feasible path forward in eliminating the deadly disease spread by mosquitoes, the coalition said in its report titled “Making Country-Led Malaria Control a Reality.”

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For a Methodist bishop from Mozambique who was on a March 19 panel sponsored by Georgetown University’s Global Health Institute in Washington, the inclusion of “America First’ in the State Department strategy is puzzling.

“It’s tricky, because what do we mean by America First?” Bishop Dinis Matsolo of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Mozambique Synod, said in an interview with OSV News. “It would be interesting to hear a clarification as to what that means. We all belong to the same world. We need each other.”

He added, “I think the Catholic community in the United States should know that in other countries, including Mozambique, we have religious leaders who are profoundly involved in the issues of health and climate change that require support in order to sustain. Those activities have stopped now because of the cuts (in U.S. aid).”

The U.S. government’s relief efforts for malaria were devastated by the elimination of the U.S. Agency for International Development under the second Trump administration. By July 2025, USAID effectively ceased to exist, with 85% of its programs cut.

However, “I always want to be optimistic,” Bishop Matsolo said. “We want to encourage the involvement of all the state quarters (agencies).”

Bishop Matsolo is the executive director of Programa Inter-Religioso Contra a Malaria, or PIRCOM, a faith-based organization focused on eliminating malaria that was launched in 2006 with U.S. funding.

The Catholic Church in Mozambique is a founding member of PIRCOM and is represented on the board. The group works directly with the Archbishop João Carlos Hatoa Nunes
of Maputo, Mozambique, and other Catholic representatives at provincial and district levels across the country.

According to the World Health Organization, in 2024, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases in 80 malaria-endemic countries — an increase of about 9 million cases from 2023. Three countries — Ethiopia (+2.9 million), Madagascar (+1.9 million) and Yemen (+378,000) — accounted for 58% of the estimated case increase from 2023 to 2024.

The America First Global Health Strategy, the interfaith coalition report states, “recommits the U.S. to achieving the globally agreed goals by 2030. It endorses the vision of reducing global malaria mortality and case incidence by at least 90% from 2015 levels, eliminating malaria in at least 35 countries, and preventing the reestablishment of the disease in all countries that are malaria-free.”

The response, according to the coalition report and the panel discussion, has to be “country-led malaria control.”

The strategy “envisions a future in which public and private funders in malaria-endemic countries are responsible for their own national efforts to end the disease,” the report said.

This awaits memorandums of understanding, or MOUs, negotiated by the State Department with 70 countries over the coming months to specify what entity will provide funding, and for what.

The coalition’s report emphasizes, “Continued strategic U.S. financial and technical support for endemic countries during this transition will determine, to a large extent, the trajectory of the global fight against malaria in this historic moment.”

In profiling five countries — El Salvador, Indonesia, Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania — and key factors in each one’s malaria response, the coalition notes in particular that across Mozambique, “over 4,000 faith leaders … are using their unique influence to advocate for policy change, deliver public health messaging, mobilize volunteers and monitor medicine supplies — trusted voices mobilizing communities.”

The State Department’s 40-page report on the newly launched America First Global Health Strategy, complained of “significant inefficiency and waste” in U.S. health foreign assistance programs. As an example, the report asserted that data from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, “shockingly” shows “that only about 40% of PEPFAR’s budget goes directly to finance on-the-ground service delivery.”

But a number of Catholic organizations, including Catholic Relief Services — the overseas relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S. — support the aims of PEPFAR, the largest global health program devoted to a single disease. It is credited with saving 25 million lives from AIDS and with scaling back the epidemic’s spread.

Kurt Jensen writes for OSV News from Washington.

 

– WASHINGTON (OSV News) — The future of efforts to eliminate malaria in sub-Saharan Africa may depend in part on a U.S. policy shift now drawing mixed reactions. In September, the State Department unveiled the Trump administration’s America First Global Health Strategy, which it described as “a comprehensive vision to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous” and also claimed it “will protect the homeland by preventing infectious disease outbreaks from reaching U.S. shores.” In a February report, an interfaith coalition of malaria-fighting groups warned that progress against the disease has “slowed in several regions,” calling the current moment a “crossroads.”

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Israeli police block cardinal, custos from entering Church of the Holy Sepulchre #Catholic In an incident described as unprecedented, Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, along with Father Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land and the official responsible for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the church as they made their way to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass.According to a joint statement issued March 29 by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, police stopped the two church leaders on their way as they were proceeding privately “without any ceremonial or liturgical manifestations,” and forced them to turn back.The statement noted that, for the first time in centuries, this action prevented church leaders from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It described the incident as a “serious and dangerous precedent,” adding that it “disregards the sentiments of millions of believers around the world whose eyes turn to Jerusalem during this week."Isaac Herzog, president of Israel, said in a statement on social media that he called Pizzaballa the Patton to express sorrow over the incident. “I clarified that the incident stemmed from security concerns due to the continuous threat of missile attacks from the Iranian terror regime against the civilian population in Israel, following previous incidents in which Iranian missiles fell in the area of the Old City of Jerusalem in recent days,” Herzog wrote. “I reaffirmed the State of Israelʼs unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths and to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem.”Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel, expressed gratitude for Herzogʼs “conciliatory” and “gracious” statement in a post on social media.TweetThe March 29 statement by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land emphasized that church leaders had acted with full responsibility, noting that since the beginning of the war they had complied with all imposed restrictions, including canceling public gatherings and limiting attendance, while relying instead on broadcast celebrations reaching hundreds of millions of faithful worldwide during the Easter season. It further stressed that preventing the patriarch and the custos of the Holy Land—who represent the highest ecclesiastical authorities responsible for the Catholic Church and the holy sites—from entering the church constitutes a measure that is “clearly unreasonable and disproportionate.”The decision, the statement added, was “hasty and based on flawed grounds,” “tainted by inappropriate considerations,” and represents “a serious departure from the fundamental principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo.” In conclusion, the two church leaders expressed their “deep regret” to Christians in the Holy Land and around the world after “prayer on one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar was prevented in this manner.” Celebrations under restrictionsOn the security front, Jerusalem and the wider Holy Land continue to experience heightened tensions amid the ongoing regional conflict, which has directly affected daily life and the practice of religious rites. According to media reports, preparations for religious celebrations such as Easter and Holy Saturday have been accompanied by strict security measures, with some traditional events canceled due to security threats and reports of rockets landing near religious sites in the Holy City. Authorities have imposed limits on gatherings and restricted access to certain holy places.Pizzaballa has repeatedly highlighted the deep suffering of Christians in the region amid the ongoing conflict, calling for prayer and support for Christian communities facing increasing challenges due to war and insecurity. In previous statements, he emphasized the importance of providing spiritual and moral support to Christians in the Holy Land, underscoring the need for them to remain in their homeland and affirming that the Church continues its mission and services despite ongoing risks.Reports from religious and community sources have also pointed to a rise in attacks against Christians and Christian properties in the West Bank and Jerusalem, including acts of violence by settlers. These developments, according to various reports, reflect the deteriorating security conditions for Palestinian Christian communities amid ongoing settlement expansion, increasing the risk of displacement and further diminishing their historic presence in the Holy Land.This story was updated at 1 p.m. ET on March 29, 2026, to include comments from Isaac Herzog, president of Israel, and Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel.
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Israeli police block cardinal, custos from entering Church of the Holy Sepulchre #Catholic In an incident described as unprecedented, Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, along with Father Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land and the official responsible for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, from entering the church as they made their way to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass.According to a joint statement issued March 29 by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land, police stopped the two church leaders on their way as they were proceeding privately “without any ceremonial or liturgical manifestations,” and forced them to turn back.The statement noted that, for the first time in centuries, this action prevented church leaders from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It described the incident as a “serious and dangerous precedent,” adding that it “disregards the sentiments of millions of believers around the world whose eyes turn to Jerusalem during this week."Isaac Herzog, president of Israel, said in a statement on social media that he called Pizzaballa the Patton to express sorrow over the incident. “I clarified that the incident stemmed from security concerns due to the continuous threat of missile attacks from the Iranian terror regime against the civilian population in Israel, following previous incidents in which Iranian missiles fell in the area of the Old City of Jerusalem in recent days,” Herzog wrote. “I reaffirmed the State of Israelʼs unwavering commitment to freedom of religion for all faiths and to upholding the status quo at the holy sites of Jerusalem.”Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel, expressed gratitude for Herzogʼs “conciliatory” and “gracious” statement in a post on social media.TweetThe March 29 statement by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land emphasized that church leaders had acted with full responsibility, noting that since the beginning of the war they had complied with all imposed restrictions, including canceling public gatherings and limiting attendance, while relying instead on broadcast celebrations reaching hundreds of millions of faithful worldwide during the Easter season. It further stressed that preventing the patriarch and the custos of the Holy Land—who represent the highest ecclesiastical authorities responsible for the Catholic Church and the holy sites—from entering the church constitutes a measure that is “clearly unreasonable and disproportionate.”The decision, the statement added, was “hasty and based on flawed grounds,” “tainted by inappropriate considerations,” and represents “a serious departure from the fundamental principles of reasonableness, freedom of worship, and respect for the status quo.” In conclusion, the two church leaders expressed their “deep regret” to Christians in the Holy Land and around the world after “prayer on one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar was prevented in this manner.” Celebrations under restrictionsOn the security front, Jerusalem and the wider Holy Land continue to experience heightened tensions amid the ongoing regional conflict, which has directly affected daily life and the practice of religious rites. According to media reports, preparations for religious celebrations such as Easter and Holy Saturday have been accompanied by strict security measures, with some traditional events canceled due to security threats and reports of rockets landing near religious sites in the Holy City. Authorities have imposed limits on gatherings and restricted access to certain holy places.Pizzaballa has repeatedly highlighted the deep suffering of Christians in the region amid the ongoing conflict, calling for prayer and support for Christian communities facing increasing challenges due to war and insecurity. In previous statements, he emphasized the importance of providing spiritual and moral support to Christians in the Holy Land, underscoring the need for them to remain in their homeland and affirming that the Church continues its mission and services despite ongoing risks.Reports from religious and community sources have also pointed to a rise in attacks against Christians and Christian properties in the West Bank and Jerusalem, including acts of violence by settlers. These developments, according to various reports, reflect the deteriorating security conditions for Palestinian Christian communities amid ongoing settlement expansion, increasing the risk of displacement and further diminishing their historic presence in the Holy Land.This story was updated at 1 p.m. ET on March 29, 2026, to include comments from Isaac Herzog, president of Israel, and Mike Huckabee, U.S. ambassador to Israel.

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Police stopped the two church leaders on their way as they were proceeding privately “without any ceremonial or liturgical manifestations,” and forced them to turn back.

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Pope Leo XIV says God ‘does not listen’ to prayers of those who wage war #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Palm Sunday sharply condemned war and the use of religion to justify violence, saying during Mass in St. Peter’s Square that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”At the start of Holy Week, the pope tied the Church’s contemplation of Christ’s Passion to the suffering of people caught in today’s conflicts, especially Christians in the Middle East.In his Palm Sunday homily, Leo repeatedly presented Christ as the “King of Peace,” contrasting Jesus’ meekness with the violence surrounding him as he entered into his Passion.“We turn our gaze to Jesus, who reveals himself as King of Peace, even as war looms abounds him,” the pope said. “He remains steadfast in meekness, while others are stirring up violence.”Leo said Christ “did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war” but instead “revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence.”“Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross, embracing every cross borne in every time and place throughout human history,” the pope said.The pope then issued one of the strongest lines of his homily, rejecting any attempt to invoke God in support of armed conflict.“Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Leo said. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.’”The Palm Sunday liturgy, which opened Holy Week, began with the traditional procession in St. Peter’s Square with cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and thousands of faithful carrying palms and olive branches.In his homily, Leo reflected on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey rather than a war horse, saying the moment fulfilled the prophecy of a king who would “command peace to the nations.”Recalling the Gospel account of Peter drawing a sword to defend Jesus, Leo cited Christ’s rebuke: “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”The pope said that in the crucified Christ “we can see a crucified humanity.”“In his wounds, we see the hurts of so many women and men today,” he said. “Above all, we hear the painful groans of all those who are oppressed by violence and are victims of war.”“Christ, King of Peace, cries out again from his cross: God is love! Have mercy! Lay down your weapons! Remember that you are brothers and sisters!”Following the Mass, Leo returned to the theme of war during the Angelus, praying in particular for Christians in the Middle East who have been prevented in some places from fully taking part in Holy Week rites.“At the beginning of Holy Week, our prayers are more than ever with the Christians of the Middle East, who are suffering the consequences of a brutal conflict and, in many cases, are unable to observe fully the liturgies of these holy days,” he said.“Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering. Their ordeal challenges all our consciences.”The pope added: “Let us raise our prayer to the Prince of Peace that he may sustain the peoples wounded by war and open concrete paths to reconciliation and peace.”Leo also remembered “the maritime workers who have fallen victim to the conflict,” adding: “I pray for the deceased, the wounded and their families. Land, sky and sea were all created for life and peace!”He further called attention to migrants who died in the Mediterranean, saying: “Let us also pray for all the migrants who have died at sea, especially those who lost their lives in recent days off the coast of Crete.”Near the end of his homily, the pope entrusted his plea for peace to the intercession of Mary, quoting the Servant of God Bishop Tonino Bello and praying that “the tears of all the victims of violence and pain will soon be dried up.”He concluded the Angelus by asking the Virgin Mary to accompany the faithful through the days ahead.“May she guide us during these holy days, so that we may follow Jesus, our Savior, with faith and love,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV says God ‘does not listen’ to prayers of those who wage war #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Palm Sunday sharply condemned war and the use of religion to justify violence, saying during Mass in St. Peter’s Square that God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”At the start of Holy Week, the pope tied the Church’s contemplation of Christ’s Passion to the suffering of people caught in today’s conflicts, especially Christians in the Middle East.In his Palm Sunday homily, Leo repeatedly presented Christ as the “King of Peace,” contrasting Jesus’ meekness with the violence surrounding him as he entered into his Passion.“We turn our gaze to Jesus, who reveals himself as King of Peace, even as war looms abounds him,” the pope said. “He remains steadfast in meekness, while others are stirring up violence.”Leo said Christ “did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war” but instead “revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence.”“Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross, embracing every cross borne in every time and place throughout human history,” the pope said.The pope then issued one of the strongest lines of his homily, rejecting any attempt to invoke God in support of armed conflict.“Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” Leo said. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.’”The Palm Sunday liturgy, which opened Holy Week, began with the traditional procession in St. Peter’s Square with cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and thousands of faithful carrying palms and olive branches.In his homily, Leo reflected on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey rather than a war horse, saying the moment fulfilled the prophecy of a king who would “command peace to the nations.”Recalling the Gospel account of Peter drawing a sword to defend Jesus, Leo cited Christ’s rebuke: “Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”The pope said that in the crucified Christ “we can see a crucified humanity.”“In his wounds, we see the hurts of so many women and men today,” he said. “Above all, we hear the painful groans of all those who are oppressed by violence and are victims of war.”“Christ, King of Peace, cries out again from his cross: God is love! Have mercy! Lay down your weapons! Remember that you are brothers and sisters!”Following the Mass, Leo returned to the theme of war during the Angelus, praying in particular for Christians in the Middle East who have been prevented in some places from fully taking part in Holy Week rites.“At the beginning of Holy Week, our prayers are more than ever with the Christians of the Middle East, who are suffering the consequences of a brutal conflict and, in many cases, are unable to observe fully the liturgies of these holy days,” he said.“Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering. Their ordeal challenges all our consciences.”The pope added: “Let us raise our prayer to the Prince of Peace that he may sustain the peoples wounded by war and open concrete paths to reconciliation and peace.”Leo also remembered “the maritime workers who have fallen victim to the conflict,” adding: “I pray for the deceased, the wounded and their families. Land, sky and sea were all created for life and peace!”He further called attention to migrants who died in the Mediterranean, saying: “Let us also pray for all the migrants who have died at sea, especially those who lost their lives in recent days off the coast of Crete.”Near the end of his homily, the pope entrusted his plea for peace to the intercession of Mary, quoting the Servant of God Bishop Tonino Bello and praying that “the tears of all the victims of violence and pain will soon be dried up.”He concluded the Angelus by asking the Virgin Mary to accompany the faithful through the days ahead.“May she guide us during these holy days, so that we may follow Jesus, our Savior, with faith and love,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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At Palm Sunday Mass and the Angelus following it, the pope prayed for Middle East Christians, victims of war, and migrants who died at sea off Crete.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 29 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Isaiah 50:4-7 The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.   A reading from the Letter to the Philippians 2:6-11 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.From the Gospel according to Matthew 26:14—27:66 One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples."’" The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" He said in reply, "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so." While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee." Peter said to him in reply, "Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be." Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you." And all the disciples spoke likewise. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me." He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!" Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand." While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people. His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, "The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him." Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and he kissed him. Jesus answered him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?" At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me. But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priest’s courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward who stated, "This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.’" The high priest rose and addressed him, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, "I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him in reply, "You have said so. But I tell you: From now on you will see ‘the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power’ and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’" Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?" They said in reply, "He deserves to die!" Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, saying, "Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?" Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away." At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly. When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? Look to it yourself." Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, "It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood." After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter’s field just as the Lord had commanded me. Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so." And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?" But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, "Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him." The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They answered, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Let him be crucified!" When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves." And the whole people said in reply, "His blood be upon us and upon our children." Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha —which means Place of the Skull —, they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!" Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’" The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "This one is calling for Elijah." Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him." But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. Here all kneel and pause for a short time. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, "Truly, this was the Son of God!" There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb. The next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said, ‘After three days I will be raised up.’ Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ This last imposture would be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "The guard is yours; go, secure it as best you can." So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard. or Matthew 27:11-54 Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so." And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?" But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, "Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him." The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They answered, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Let him be crucified!" When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves." And the whole people said in reply, "His blood be upon us and upon our children." Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha — which means Place of the Skull —, they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!" Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’" The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way. From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "This one is calling for Elijah." Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, ‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him." But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. Here all kneel and pause for a short time. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, "Truly, this was the Son of God!"In today’s Gospel, Jesus says one thing from the Cross, one thing alone: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46). These are powerful words. Jesus had suffered the abandonment of his own, who had fled. But the Father remained for him. Now, in the abyss of solitude, for the first time he calls him by the generic name “God”. And “in a loud voice” he asks the question “why?”, the most excruciating “why?” (…) Why did all this take place? Once again, it was done for our sake, to serve us. So that when we have our back to the wall, when we find ourselves at a dead end, with no light and no way of escape, when it seems that God himself is not responding, we should remember that we are not alone. Jesus experienced total abandonment in a situation he had never before experienced in order to be one with us in everything. (Pope Francis – Homily in the celebration of Palm, 5 April 2020)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Isaiah
50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

 

A reading from the Letter to the Philippians
2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
26:14—27:66

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said,
"What are you willing to give me
if I hand him over to you?"
They paid him thirty pieces of silver,
and from that time on he looked for an opportunity
to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
the disciples approached Jesus and said,
"Where do you want us to prepare
for you to eat the Passover?"
He said,
"Go into the city to a certain man and tell him,
‘The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near;
in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples."’"
The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered,
and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening,
he reclined at table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said,
"Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
Deeply distressed at this,
they began to say to him one after another,
"Surely it is not I, Lord?"
He said in reply,
"He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me
is the one who will betray me.
The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed.
It would be better for that man if he had never been born."
Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply,
"Surely it is not I, Rabbi?"
He answered, "You have said so."

While they were eating,
Jesus took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and giving it to his disciples said,
"Take and eat; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
"Drink from it, all of you,
for this is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed on behalf of many
for the forgiveness of sins.
I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it with you new
in the kingdom of my Father."
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them,
"This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken,
for it is written:
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed;
but after I have been raised up,
I shall go before you to Galilee."
Peter said to him in reply,
"Though all may have their faith in you shaken,
mine will never be."
Jesus said to him,
"Amen, I say to you,
this very night before the cock crows,
you will deny me three times."
Peter said to him,
"Even though I should have to die with you,
I will not deny you."
And all the disciples spoke likewise.

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane,
and he said to his disciples,
"Sit here while I go over there and pray."
He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
and began to feel sorrow and distress.
Then he said to them,
"My soul is sorrowful even to death.
Remain here and keep watch with me."
He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying,
"My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass from me;
yet, not as I will, but as you will."
When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep.
He said to Peter,
"So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again,
"My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass
without my drinking it, your will be done!"
Then he returned once more and found them asleep,
for they could not keep their eyes open.
He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time,
saying the same thing again.
Then he returned to his disciples and said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?
Behold, the hour is at hand
when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
Get up, let us go.
Look, my betrayer is at hand."

While he was still speaking,
Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived,
accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs,
who had come from the chief priests and the elders
of the people.
His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying,
"The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him."
Immediately he went over to Jesus and said,
"Hail, Rabbi!" and he kissed him.
Jesus answered him,
"Friend, do what you have come for."
Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.
And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus
put his hand to his sword, drew it,
and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.
Then Jesus said to him,
"Put your sword back into its sheath,
for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father
and he will not provide me at this moment
with more than twelve legions of angels?
But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled
which say that it must come to pass in this way?"
At that hour Jesus said to the crowds,
"Have you come out as against a robber,
with swords and clubs to seize me?
Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area,
yet you did not arrest me.
But all this has come to pass
that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled."
Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Those who had arrested Jesus led him away
to Caiaphas the high priest,
where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
Peter was following him at a distance
as far as the high priest’s courtyard,
and going inside he sat down with the servants
to see the outcome.
The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin
kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus
in order to put him to death,
but they found none,
though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward who stated,
"This man said, ‘I can destroy the temple of God
and within three days rebuild it.’"
The high priest rose and addressed him,
"Have you no answer?
What are these men testifying against you?"
But Jesus was silent.
Then the high priest said to him,
"I order you to tell us under oath before the living God
whether you are the Christ, the Son of God."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"You have said so.
But I tell you:
From now on you will see ‘the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of the Power’
and ‘coming on the clouds of heaven.’"
Then the high priest tore his robes and said,
"He has blasphemed!
What further need have we of witnesses?
You have now heard the blasphemy;
what is your opinion?"
They said in reply,
"He deserves to die!"
Then they spat in his face and struck him,
while some slapped him, saying,
"Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?"

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.
One of the maids came over to him and said,
"You too were with Jesus the Galilean."
But he denied it in front of everyone, saying,
"I do not know what you are talking about!"
As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him
and said to those who were there,
"This man was with Jesus the Nazorean."
Again he denied it with an oath,
"I do not know the man!"
A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter,
"Surely you too are one of them;
even your speech gives you away."
At that he began to curse and to swear,
"I do not know the man."
And immediately a cock crowed.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken:
"Before the cock crows you will deny me three times."
He went out and began to weep bitterly.

When it was morning,
all the chief priests and the elders of the people
took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
They bound him, led him away,
and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned,
deeply regretted what he had done.
He returned the thirty pieces of silver
to the chief priests and elders, saying,
"I have sinned in betraying innocent blood."
They said,
"What is that to us?
Look to it yourself."
Flinging the money into the temple,
he departed and went off and hanged himself.
The chief priests gathered up the money, but said,
"It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury,
for it is the price of blood."
After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s field
as a burial place for foreigners.
That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood.
Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah
the prophet,
And they took the thirty pieces of silver,
the value of a man with a price on his head,
a price set by some of the Israelites,
and they paid it out for the potter’s field
just as the Lord had commanded me.

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him,
"Are you the king of the Jews?"
Jesus said, "You say so."
And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,
he made no answer.
Then Pilate said to him,
"Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?"
But he did not answer him one word,
so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast
the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd
one prisoner whom they wished.
And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,
"Which one do you want me to release to you,
Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?"
For he knew that it was out of envy
that they had handed him over.
While he was still seated on the bench,
his wife sent him a message,
"Have nothing to do with that righteous man.
I suffered much in a dream today because of him."
The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds
to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.
The governor said to them in reply,
"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"
They answered, "Barabbas!"
Pilate said to them,
"Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?"
They all said,
"Let him be crucified!"
But he said,
"Why? What evil has he done?"
They only shouted the louder,
"Let him be crucified!"
When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all,
but that a riot was breaking out instead,
he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,
saying, "I am innocent of this man’s blood.
Look to it yourselves."
And the whole people said in reply,
"His blood be upon us and upon our children."
Then he released Barabbas to them,
but after he had Jesus scourged,
he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium
and gathered the whole cohort around him.
They stripped off his clothes
and threw a scarlet military cloak about him.
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head,
and a reed in his right hand.
And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,
"Hail, King of the Jews!"
They spat upon him and took the reed
and kept striking him on the head.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him off to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;
this man they pressed into service
to carry his cross.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha
—which means Place of the Skull —,
they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.
But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
After they had crucified him,
they divided his garments by casting lots;
then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
And they placed over his head the written charge against him:
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Two revolutionaries were crucified with him,
one on his right and the other on his left.
Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,
"You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself, if you are the Son of God,
and come down from the cross!"
Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,
"He saved others; he cannot save himself.
So he is the king of Israel!
Let him come down from the cross now,
and we will believe in him.
He trusted in God;
let him deliver him now if he wants him.
For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’"
The revolutionaries who were crucified with him
also kept abusing him in the same way.

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"
which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
"This one is calling for Elijah."
Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge;
he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,
gave it to him to drink.
But the rest said,
"Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him."
But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,
and gave up his spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary
was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,
and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection,
they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus
feared greatly when they saw the earthquake
and all that was happening, and they said,
"Truly, this was the Son of God!"
There were many women there, looking on from a distance,
who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.
Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph,
and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

When it was evening,
there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph,
who was himself a disciple of Jesus.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus;
then Pilate ordered it to be handed over.
Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen
and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock.
Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb
and departed.
But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
remained sitting there, facing the tomb.

The next day, the one following the day of preparation,
the chief priests and the Pharisees
gathered before Pilate and said,
"Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said,
‘After three days I will be raised up.’
Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day,
lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people,
‘He has been raised from the dead.’
This last imposture would be worse than the first."
Pilate said to them,
"The guard is yours;
go, secure it as best you can."
So they went and secured the tomb
by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.

or
Matthew 27:11-54
Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him,
"Are you the king of the Jews?"
Jesus said, "You say so."
And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,
he made no answer.
Then Pilate said to him,
"Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?"
But he did not answer him one word,
so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast
the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd
one prisoner whom they wished.
And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them,
"Which one do you want me to release to you,
Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?"
For he knew that it was out of envy
that they had handed him over.
While he was still seated on the bench,
his wife sent him a message,
"Have nothing to do with that righteous man.
I suffered much in a dream today because of him."
The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds
to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus.
The governor said to them in reply,
"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"
They answered, "Barabbas!"
Pilate said to them,
"Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?"
They all said,
"Let him be crucified!"
But he said,
"Why? What evil has he done?"
They only shouted the louder,
"Let him be crucified!"
When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all,
but that a riot was breaking out instead,
he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd,
saying, "I am innocent of this man’s blood.
Look to it yourselves."
And the whole people said in reply,
"His blood be upon us and upon our children."
Then he released Barabbas to them,
but after he had Jesus scourged,
he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium
and gathered the whole cohort around him.
They stripped off his clothes
and threw a scarlet military cloak about him.
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head,
and a reed in his right hand.
And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying,
"Hail, King of the Jews!"
They spat upon him and took the reed
and kept striking him on the head.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him off to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon;
this man they pressed into service
to carry his cross.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha
— which means Place of the Skull —,
they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall.
But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.
After they had crucified him,
they divided his garments by casting lots;
then they sat down and kept watch over him there.
And they placed over his head the written charge against him:
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Two revolutionaries were crucified with him,
one on his right and the other on his left.
Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,
"You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself, if you are the Son of God,
and come down from the cross!"
Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said,
"He saved others; he cannot save himself.
So he is the king of Israel!
Let him come down from the cross now,
and we will believe in him.
He trusted in God;
let him deliver him now if he wants him.
For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’"
The revolutionaries who were crucified with him
also kept abusing him in the same way.

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"
which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
"This one is calling for Elijah."
Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge;
he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed,
gave it to him to drink.
But the rest said,
‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him."
But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice,
and gave up his spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary
was torn in two from top to bottom.
The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened,
and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection,
they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus
feared greatly when they saw the earthquake
and all that was happening, and they said,
"Truly, this was the Son of God!"

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says one thing from the Cross, one thing alone: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46). These are powerful words. Jesus had suffered the abandonment of his own, who had fled. But the Father remained for him. Now, in the abyss of solitude, for the first time he calls him by the generic name “God”. And “in a loud voice” he asks the question “why?”, the most excruciating “why?” (…) Why did all this take place? Once again, it was done for our sake, to serve us. So that when we have our back to the wall, when we find ourselves at a dead end, with no light and no way of escape, when it seems that God himself is not responding, we should remember that we are not alone. Jesus experienced total abandonment in a situation he had never before experienced in order to be one with us in everything. (Pope Francis – Homily in the celebration of Palm, 5 April 2020)

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PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV’s one-day trip to Monaco #Catholic Pope Leo XIV concluded his one-day trip to Monaco on March 28, wrapping up a whirlwind visit that included meeting with the countryʼs royalty and holding Mass in Louis II Stadium. The Holy Father became the first pope to visit the European micro-state in nearly 500 years. He appealed to the wealthy nation to spread the Gospel and become vessels of Godʼs love and generosity. Pope Leo XIV flies into Monaco aboard the papal helicopter, Saturday, March 28, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV meets Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV shakes the hand of Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès, in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in Monte Carlo in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV prays at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in Monaco on Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a baby on the streets of Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV views dancers during public festivities in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV processes during Mass at Louis II Stadium in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV elevates the chalice during Mass at Louis II Stadium in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves from aboard his helicopter upon departure from Monaco Heliport in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on Saturday, March 28, 2026. | Credit: Valery HACHE / AFP via Getty Images)
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PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV’s one-day trip to Monaco #Catholic Pope Leo XIV concluded his one-day trip to Monaco on March 28, wrapping up a whirlwind visit that included meeting with the countryʼs royalty and holding Mass in Louis II Stadium. The Holy Father became the first pope to visit the European micro-state in nearly 500 years. He appealed to the wealthy nation to spread the Gospel and become vessels of Godʼs love and generosity. Pope Leo XIV flies into Monaco aboard the papal helicopter, Saturday, March 28, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV meets Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV shakes the hand of Princess Gabriella, Countess of Carladès, in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in Monte Carlo in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV prays at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets crowds in Monaco on Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV greets a baby on the streets of Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV views dancers during public festivities in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV processes during Mass at Louis II Stadium in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV elevates the chalice during Mass at Louis II Stadium in Monaco, Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Credit: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves from aboard his helicopter upon departure from Monaco Heliport in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on Saturday, March 28, 2026. | Credit: Valery HACHE / AFP via Getty Images)

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The Holy Father met with the country’s royalty, addressed Catholic youth, and celebrated Mass at Louis II Stadium.

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Pope Leo XIV at Monaco stadium Mass: Wars are ‘the result of the idolatry of power and money’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on March 28 condemned all military conflicts, which he argued are the result of the “idolatry of power and money” and which “bloody” Godʼs gift of grace to men.Godʼs grace “illuminates our present, because the wars that bloody it are the result of the idolatry of power and money,” said Leo in the homily he delivered during the Mass at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco.Four months after his first apostolic trip to Turkey and Lebanon, the pontiff ended his lightning visit to the Principality of Monaco with the Mass in the stadium dedicated to Prince Louis II, who reigned between 1922 and 1949.The stadium has a capacity for more than 18,000 spectators, which makes it a prominent place for sporting and entertainment events, in addition to being an ideal place for the papal Mass.Upon his arrival, Leo toured the venue in a golf cart, from which he greeted and blessed the cheering faithful who were waiting for him while waving flags of the Vatican City and of Monaco.The logic of power versus innocenceIn his homily, the pope highlighted the biblical account in which the members of the Sanhedrin decide to kill Jesus. From this passage, he explained that the face of God is revealed alongside those who, moved by power interests, are willing to eliminate the innocent.As he pointed out, Caiphas' verdict is born from a political calculation based on fear: “Forgetting Godʼs promise to his people, they want to kill the innocent, because behind their fear is the attachment to power.”“Isnʼt that what happens today?” the pope asked. “Even today, how many calculations are made in the world to kill innocent people; how many false reasons are used to get them out of the way!”Not getting used to warThe pontiff called for the purification of the “idolatry” that feeds wars and turns men into slaves of other men, while urging the faithful to not get used to violence.“Every truncated life is a wound to the body of Christ. Letʼs not get used to the rumble of weapons or the images of war!” he exclaimed.In this sense, he stressed that peace cannot be reduced to a balance of power: “It is not a mere balance of forces, but the work of purified hearts, of those who see in the other a brother to take care of, not an enemy to bring down.”Mercy, response to evilFaced with the persistence of evil, the pope recalled that Godʼs justice acts as a source of hope and renewal: “The Lord frees from pain by infusing hope, he converts the hardness of the heart by transforming power into service, precisely while manifesting the true name of his omnipotence: mercy.”In this way, he assured that it is “mercy that saves the world” because it takes charge of all human existence, “in each of its weaknesses, from the moment it is conceived in the womb until it ages,” he added.A message on the eve of EasterThe popeʼs visit to Monaco, just eight hours long, was made at the invitation of Albert II of Monaco. It took place on the eve of Holy Week, a context to which the pope referred during his homily. “The Lord changes the history of the world by calling us from idolatry to true faith, from death to life,” he said.In this context, he also evoked the prophet Jeremiah: “In the face of the numerous injustices that destroy the peoples and the war that plagues the nations, the voice of the prophet Jeremiah is constantly raised: I will change their mourning into joy, I will make them happy and I will console them with their affliction” (Jer 31,13).The joy that is born of charityFinally, the pontiff called the faithful to be witnesses of hope, making “many happy with their faith” and sharing a joy that is not acquired as a prize, but is born of charity.“The source of this joy is the love of God: love for the nascent and fragile life, which must always be welcomed and cared for; love for young and old life, which must be encouraged in the trials of each stage; love for healthy and sick life, sometimes alone, always in need of being accompanied with care,” he concluded.At the end of the celebration, the Archbishop of Monaco, Monsignor Dominique-Marie David, thanked Pope Leo XIV for his visit, emphasizing that God is “the source of all good” and that the pontiff, as the successor of Peter, has come to remind the local Church of this.In this sense, he stressed that the pope has encouraged the faithful to face “fearlessly” the current challenges, aware that they have “a treasure capable of sustaining hope, ours and that of the world.”On the eve of Holy Week, David said that the popeʼs visit has served to “confirm the faith of his brothers,” reinforcing the commitment of the Christian community.Pope Leo XIV gave the Archdiocese of Monaco a contemporary sculpture by St. Francis of Assisi. The work represents the Italian saint, one of the most beloved figures of the Christian tradition and universally recognized as a messenger of peace, fraternity and reconciliation.Francis in the sculpture appears dressed in the simple Franciscan habit, a symbol of evangelical poverty and inner freedom, girded by the characteristic cord with three knots.In the sculpture the saint holds a white dove in his left hand, while the right hand opens in a gesture of welcome and donation.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.
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Pope Leo XIV at Monaco stadium Mass: Wars are ‘the result of the idolatry of power and money’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on March 28 condemned all military conflicts, which he argued are the result of the “idolatry of power and money” and which “bloody” Godʼs gift of grace to men.Godʼs grace “illuminates our present, because the wars that bloody it are the result of the idolatry of power and money,” said Leo in the homily he delivered during the Mass at the Louis II Stadium in Monaco.Four months after his first apostolic trip to Turkey and Lebanon, the pontiff ended his lightning visit to the Principality of Monaco with the Mass in the stadium dedicated to Prince Louis II, who reigned between 1922 and 1949.The stadium has a capacity for more than 18,000 spectators, which makes it a prominent place for sporting and entertainment events, in addition to being an ideal place for the papal Mass.Upon his arrival, Leo toured the venue in a golf cart, from which he greeted and blessed the cheering faithful who were waiting for him while waving flags of the Vatican City and of Monaco.The logic of power versus innocenceIn his homily, the pope highlighted the biblical account in which the members of the Sanhedrin decide to kill Jesus. From this passage, he explained that the face of God is revealed alongside those who, moved by power interests, are willing to eliminate the innocent.As he pointed out, Caiphas' verdict is born from a political calculation based on fear: “Forgetting Godʼs promise to his people, they want to kill the innocent, because behind their fear is the attachment to power.”“Isnʼt that what happens today?” the pope asked. “Even today, how many calculations are made in the world to kill innocent people; how many false reasons are used to get them out of the way!”Not getting used to warThe pontiff called for the purification of the “idolatry” that feeds wars and turns men into slaves of other men, while urging the faithful to not get used to violence.“Every truncated life is a wound to the body of Christ. Letʼs not get used to the rumble of weapons or the images of war!” he exclaimed.In this sense, he stressed that peace cannot be reduced to a balance of power: “It is not a mere balance of forces, but the work of purified hearts, of those who see in the other a brother to take care of, not an enemy to bring down.”Mercy, response to evilFaced with the persistence of evil, the pope recalled that Godʼs justice acts as a source of hope and renewal: “The Lord frees from pain by infusing hope, he converts the hardness of the heart by transforming power into service, precisely while manifesting the true name of his omnipotence: mercy.”In this way, he assured that it is “mercy that saves the world” because it takes charge of all human existence, “in each of its weaknesses, from the moment it is conceived in the womb until it ages,” he added.A message on the eve of EasterThe popeʼs visit to Monaco, just eight hours long, was made at the invitation of Albert II of Monaco. It took place on the eve of Holy Week, a context to which the pope referred during his homily. “The Lord changes the history of the world by calling us from idolatry to true faith, from death to life,” he said.In this context, he also evoked the prophet Jeremiah: “In the face of the numerous injustices that destroy the peoples and the war that plagues the nations, the voice of the prophet Jeremiah is constantly raised: I will change their mourning into joy, I will make them happy and I will console them with their affliction” (Jer 31,13).The joy that is born of charityFinally, the pontiff called the faithful to be witnesses of hope, making “many happy with their faith” and sharing a joy that is not acquired as a prize, but is born of charity.“The source of this joy is the love of God: love for the nascent and fragile life, which must always be welcomed and cared for; love for young and old life, which must be encouraged in the trials of each stage; love for healthy and sick life, sometimes alone, always in need of being accompanied with care,” he concluded.At the end of the celebration, the Archbishop of Monaco, Monsignor Dominique-Marie David, thanked Pope Leo XIV for his visit, emphasizing that God is “the source of all good” and that the pontiff, as the successor of Peter, has come to remind the local Church of this.In this sense, he stressed that the pope has encouraged the faithful to face “fearlessly” the current challenges, aware that they have “a treasure capable of sustaining hope, ours and that of the world.”On the eve of Holy Week, David said that the popeʼs visit has served to “confirm the faith of his brothers,” reinforcing the commitment of the Christian community.Pope Leo XIV gave the Archdiocese of Monaco a contemporary sculpture by St. Francis of Assisi. The work represents the Italian saint, one of the most beloved figures of the Christian tradition and universally recognized as a messenger of peace, fraternity and reconciliation.Francis in the sculpture appears dressed in the simple Franciscan habit, a symbol of evangelical poverty and inner freedom, girded by the characteristic cord with three knots.In the sculpture the saint holds a white dove in his left hand, while the right hand opens in a gesture of welcome and donation.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.

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The Holy Father during his homily at Monaco’s Louis II Stadium urged the faithful to “not get used to the rumble of weapons or the images of war.”

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Passaic parish celebrates its patron, St. Joseph, with Bishop #Catholic - Bishop Sweeney joined St. Joseph Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate its patron’s feast on March 19. Father Dariusz Kaminski, pastor, and Father Adam Stanislaw Wasowski, parochial vicar, were among the concelebrants. Bishop Sweeney also blessed the food and baked goods on the parish’s St. Joseph’s Table, a tradition linked to the feast. St. Joseph’s, the mother church of Polish parishes in the Diocese, was organized in 1892. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Passaic parish celebrates its patron, St. Joseph, with Bishop #Catholic – Bishop Sweeney joined St. Joseph Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate its patron’s feast on March 19. Father Dariusz Kaminski, pastor, and Father Adam Stanislaw Wasowski, parochial vicar, were among the concelebrants. Bishop Sweeney also blessed the food and baked goods on the parish’s St. Joseph’s Table, a tradition linked to the feast. St. Joseph’s, the mother church of Polish parishes in the Diocese, was organized in 1892. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Passaic parish celebrates its patron, St. Joseph, with Bishop #Catholic –

Bishop Sweeney joined St. Joseph Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate its patron’s feast on March 19. Father Dariusz Kaminski, pastor, and Father Adam Stanislaw Wasowski, parochial vicar, were among the concelebrants.

Bishop Sweeney also blessed the food and baked goods on the parish’s St. Joseph’s Table, a tradition linked to the feast.

St. Joseph’s, the mother church of Polish parishes in the Diocese, was organized in 1892.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– Bishop Sweeney joined St. Joseph Parish in Passaic, N.J., to celebrate its patron’s feast on March 19. Father Dariusz Kaminski, pastor, and Father Adam Stanislaw Wasowski, parochial vicar, were among the concelebrants. Bishop Sweeney also blessed the food and baked goods on the parish’s St. Joseph’s Table, a tradition linked to the feast. St. Joseph’s, the mother church of Polish parishes in the Diocese, was organized in 1892. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI  

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Shrine is a place of prayer, pilgrimage and ‘encounter’ with St. John Paul II’s life, legacy #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — St. John Paul II “changed the Church and the world, and you can encounter that here” at the national shrine in Washington named for the Polish pope, said Grattan Brown, the shrine’s director of mission and ministry. “Here, one can encounter Christ through the life and legacy of John Paul II. We appeal to both the head and the heart,” Brown said. The St. John Paul II National Shrine in Northeast Washington is marking its 25th anniversary this March. The 118,000-square-foot shrine is located in the city’s Brookland section, affectionately called “Little Rome” for the many Catholic institutions located there. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Its neighbors include the Archdiocese of Washington’s St. John Paul II Seminary, the Jeanne Jugan Residence operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor, Capuchin College, the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, The Catholic University of America and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. When approached with the idea of creating a cultural center in his name, Pope John Paul told organizers he wanted a place where “people come to a greater understanding of the richness of the Catholic intellectual tradition and its relevance for the critical issues facing American society.” Originally established as the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, it was dedicated in 2000, during the Great Jubilee Year, and inaugurated on March 22, 2001. Then-President George W. Bush attended the dedication. Originally, it offered exhibits, talks and other special events. Later for a time, it operated as a kind of academic think tank and was open by appointment only. In 2011, the Knights of Columbus purchased the center and renovated the structure to its present form where it offers a permanent exhibit called “A Gift of Love: The Life of St. John Paul II.” It includes videos, photographs, artifacts and other displays honoring the life and legacy of the saintly pope. Over the years, visitors to the shrine have included Pope Benedict XVI, presidents, many American cardinals and bishops, and the faithful from across the country and throughout the world. While offering exhibits and special events, the St. John Paul II National Shrine is an important place of prayer and pilgrimage, and that includes the Redemptor Hominis Church where Mass is offered daily, and a chapel dedicated to the luminous mysteries of the rosary where a first-class relic of St. John Paul is displayed. “Our mission has expanded and we are also a place of pilgrimage,” Brown told the Catholic Standard, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Washington. “A pilgrimage expresses first devotion to the Lord, and this is a place honoring God’s special activity in the world.” On March 14, 2014, the U.S. bishops formally designated the center a national shrine. On April 17, 2014 — the day Pope Francis canonized Pope John Paul — the shrine hosted a live broadcast of the canonization Mass, and the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center officially changed its name to the St. John Paul II National Shrine. “The shrine is a place dedicated to the cultural and intellectual legacies of Pope John Paul II. But it has also grown over the years into a place of pilgrimage, devotion and veneration,” said Stephen P. White, the incoming executive director of the shrine. “St. John Paul II, like all the communion of saints, is much more than a cherished memory or a role model; he is alive in Christ, part of the living Church.” Recently the shrine purchased the Washington Retreat House next door that was formerly run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement. Brown said the shrine will renovate that facility and will be offering spiritual retreats there beginning around Advent. Currently, the shrine is hosting an exhibit titled “Lord, You Could Not Love Me More! St. John Paul II and the Shroud of Turin.” Continuing throughout Lent, the exhibit includes a full-scale replica of the Shroud of Turin and more than 30 gallery panels featuring the holy object’s historical significance, scientific study and spiritual impact. Richard Szczepanowski is managing editor of the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington. This story was originally published by the Catholic Standard and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.  
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Shrine is a place of prayer, pilgrimage and ‘encounter’ with St. John Paul II’s life, legacy #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — St. John Paul II “changed the Church and the world, and you can encounter that here” at the national shrine in Washington named for the Polish pope, said Grattan Brown, the shrine’s director of mission and ministry. “Here, one can encounter Christ through the life and legacy of John Paul II. We appeal to both the head and the heart,” Brown said. The St. John Paul II National Shrine in Northeast Washington is marking its 25th anniversary this March. The 118,000-square-foot shrine is located in the city’s Brookland section, affectionately called “Little Rome” for the many Catholic institutions located there. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Its neighbors include the Archdiocese of Washington’s St. John Paul II Seminary, the Jeanne Jugan Residence operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor, Capuchin College, the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, The Catholic University of America and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. When approached with the idea of creating a cultural center in his name, Pope John Paul told organizers he wanted a place where “people come to a greater understanding of the richness of the Catholic intellectual tradition and its relevance for the critical issues facing American society.” Originally established as the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, it was dedicated in 2000, during the Great Jubilee Year, and inaugurated on March 22, 2001. Then-President George W. Bush attended the dedication. Originally, it offered exhibits, talks and other special events. Later for a time, it operated as a kind of academic think tank and was open by appointment only. In 2011, the Knights of Columbus purchased the center and renovated the structure to its present form where it offers a permanent exhibit called “A Gift of Love: The Life of St. John Paul II.” It includes videos, photographs, artifacts and other displays honoring the life and legacy of the saintly pope. Over the years, visitors to the shrine have included Pope Benedict XVI, presidents, many American cardinals and bishops, and the faithful from across the country and throughout the world. While offering exhibits and special events, the St. John Paul II National Shrine is an important place of prayer and pilgrimage, and that includes the Redemptor Hominis Church where Mass is offered daily, and a chapel dedicated to the luminous mysteries of the rosary where a first-class relic of St. John Paul is displayed. “Our mission has expanded and we are also a place of pilgrimage,” Brown told the Catholic Standard, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Washington. “A pilgrimage expresses first devotion to the Lord, and this is a place honoring God’s special activity in the world.” On March 14, 2014, the U.S. bishops formally designated the center a national shrine. On April 17, 2014 — the day Pope Francis canonized Pope John Paul — the shrine hosted a live broadcast of the canonization Mass, and the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center officially changed its name to the St. John Paul II National Shrine. “The shrine is a place dedicated to the cultural and intellectual legacies of Pope John Paul II. But it has also grown over the years into a place of pilgrimage, devotion and veneration,” said Stephen P. White, the incoming executive director of the shrine. “St. John Paul II, like all the communion of saints, is much more than a cherished memory or a role model; he is alive in Christ, part of the living Church.” Recently the shrine purchased the Washington Retreat House next door that was formerly run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement. Brown said the shrine will renovate that facility and will be offering spiritual retreats there beginning around Advent. Currently, the shrine is hosting an exhibit titled “Lord, You Could Not Love Me More! St. John Paul II and the Shroud of Turin.” Continuing throughout Lent, the exhibit includes a full-scale replica of the Shroud of Turin and more than 30 gallery panels featuring the holy object’s historical significance, scientific study and spiritual impact. Richard Szczepanowski is managing editor of the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington. This story was originally published by the Catholic Standard and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.  

unitedyam

Shrine is a place of prayer, pilgrimage and ‘encounter’ with St. John Paul II’s life, legacy #Catholic –

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — St. John Paul II “changed the Church and the world, and you can encounter that here” at the national shrine in Washington named for the Polish pope, said Grattan Brown, the shrine’s director of mission and ministry.

“Here, one can encounter Christ through the life and legacy of John Paul II. We appeal to both the head and the heart,” Brown said.

The St. John Paul II National Shrine in Northeast Washington is marking its 25th anniversary this March.

The 118,000-square-foot shrine is located in the city’s Brookland section, affectionately called “Little Rome” for the many Catholic institutions located there.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Its neighbors include the Archdiocese of Washington’s St. John Paul II Seminary, the Jeanne Jugan Residence operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor, Capuchin College, the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family, The Catholic University of America and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

When approached with the idea of creating a cultural center in his name, Pope John Paul told organizers he wanted a place where “people come to a greater understanding of the richness of the Catholic intellectual tradition and its relevance for the critical issues facing American society.”

Originally established as the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, it was dedicated in 2000, during the Great Jubilee Year, and inaugurated on March 22, 2001. Then-President George W. Bush attended the dedication. Originally, it offered exhibits, talks and other special events. Later for a time, it operated as a kind of academic think tank and was open by appointment only.

In 2011, the Knights of Columbus purchased the center and renovated the structure to its present form where it offers a permanent exhibit called “A Gift of Love: The Life of St. John Paul II.” It includes videos, photographs, artifacts and other displays honoring the life and legacy of the saintly pope.

Over the years, visitors to the shrine have included Pope Benedict XVI, presidents, many American cardinals and bishops, and the faithful from across the country and throughout the world.

While offering exhibits and special events, the St. John Paul II National Shrine is an important place of prayer and pilgrimage, and that includes the Redemptor Hominis Church where Mass is offered daily, and a chapel dedicated to the luminous mysteries of the rosary where a first-class relic of St. John Paul is displayed.

“Our mission has expanded and we are also a place of pilgrimage,” Brown told the Catholic Standard, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Washington. “A pilgrimage expresses first devotion to the Lord, and this is a place honoring God’s special activity in the world.”

On March 14, 2014, the U.S. bishops formally designated the center a national shrine. On April 17, 2014 — the day Pope Francis canonized Pope John Paul — the shrine hosted a live broadcast of the canonization Mass, and the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center officially changed its name to the St. John Paul II National Shrine.

“The shrine is a place dedicated to the cultural and intellectual legacies of Pope John Paul II. But it has also grown over the years into a place of pilgrimage, devotion and veneration,” said Stephen P. White, the incoming executive director of the shrine. “St. John Paul II, like all the communion of saints, is much more than a cherished memory or a role model; he is alive in Christ, part of the living Church.”

Recently the shrine purchased the Washington Retreat House next door that was formerly run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement. Brown said the shrine will renovate that facility and will be offering spiritual retreats there beginning around Advent.

Currently, the shrine is hosting an exhibit titled “Lord, You Could Not Love Me More! St. John Paul II and the Shroud of Turin.” Continuing throughout Lent, the exhibit includes a full-scale replica of the Shroud of Turin and more than 30 gallery panels featuring the holy object’s historical significance, scientific study and spiritual impact.

Richard Szczepanowski is managing editor of the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington. This story was originally published by the Catholic Standard and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.

 

– WASHINGTON (OSV News) — St. John Paul II “changed the Church and the world, and you can encounter that here” at the national shrine in Washington named for the Polish pope, said Grattan Brown, the shrine’s director of mission and ministry. “Here, one can encounter Christ through the life and legacy of John Paul II. We appeal to both the head and the heart,” Brown said. The St. John Paul II National Shrine in Northeast Washington is marking its 25th anniversary this March. The 118,000-square-foot shrine is located in the city’s Brookland section, affectionately called “Little Rome” for the many

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 28 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Ezekiel 37:21-28 Thus says the Lord GOD: I will take the children of Israel from among the nations to which they have come, and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land. I will make them one nation upon the land, in the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one prince for them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms. No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols, their abominations, and all their transgressions. I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy, and cleanse them so that they may be my people and I may be their God. My servant David shall be prince over them, and there shall be one shepherd for them all; they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees. They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where their fathers lived; they shall live on it forever, they, and their children, and their children’s children, with my servant David their prince forever. I will make with them a covenant of peace; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling shall be with them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD, who make Israel holy, when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.From the Gospel according to John 11:45-56 Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned to kill him. So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves. They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?”The way that the doctors of the law proceed is precisely a model of how temptation works in us, because it was truly the devil who was behind this, who wanted to destroy Jesus, and temptation in us truly works like this: it begins with something small, a desire, an idea, it grows, it infects others and in the end it justifies itself. (…) We should have the custom of identifying this process within us. That process that changes our hearts from good to bad, that leads us to a downward slope. A thing that grows, grows, grows slowly, then it infects others, in the end it justifies itself. It is rare that temptations come all at once, the devil is astute. And he knows how to take this path, the same one he took to arrive at Jesus’ condemnation. (…) The life of Jesus is always an example for us. The things that happened to Jesus are things that also will happen to us: the temptations, the justifications, good people around us –– and perhaps we do not listen to them – and bad people in the moment of temptation. We surround ourselves with them in order to allow the temptation to get stronger.  But let us never forget: always, behind a sin, behind a fall, there is a temptation that began small, that grew, that infected us, and in the end we find a justification to fall. May the Holy Spirit enlighten us in this interior awareness. (Francis – Homily Santa Marta, 4 April 2020)  

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A reading from the Book of Ezekiel
37:21-28

Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.
I will make them one nation upon the land,
in the mountains of Israel,
and there shall be one prince for them all.
Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.

No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols,
their abominations, and all their transgressions.
I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy,
and cleanse them so that they may be my people
and I may be their God.
My servant David shall be prince over them,
and there shall be one shepherd for them all;
they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees.
They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,
the land where their fathers lived;
they shall live on it forever,
they, and their children, and their children’s children,
with my servant David their prince forever.
I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,
and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling shall be with them;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.

From the Gospel according to John
11:45-56

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done.
So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
“What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.
If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and take away both our land and our nation.”
But one of them, Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, said to them,
“You know nothing,
nor do you consider that it is better for you
that one man should die instead of the people,
so that the whole nation may not perish.”
He did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews,
but he left for the region near the desert,
to a town called Ephraim,
and there he remained with his disciples.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many went up from the country to Jerusalem
before Passover to purify themselves.
They looked for Jesus and said to one another
as they were in the temple area, “What do you think?
That he will not come to the feast?”

The way that the doctors of the law proceed is precisely a model of how temptation works in us, because it was truly the devil who was behind this, who wanted to destroy Jesus, and temptation in us truly works like this: it begins with something small, a desire, an idea, it grows, it infects others and in the end it justifies itself. (…) We should have the custom of identifying this process within us. That process that changes our hearts from good to bad, that leads us to a downward slope. A thing that grows, grows, grows slowly, then it infects others, in the end it justifies itself. It is rare that temptations come all at once, the devil is astute. And he knows how to take this path, the same one he took to arrive at Jesus’ condemnation. (…) The life of Jesus is always an example for us. The things that happened to Jesus are things that also will happen to us: the temptations, the justifications, good people around us –– and perhaps we do not listen to them – and bad people in the moment of temptation. We surround ourselves with them in order to allow the temptation to get stronger.  But let us never forget: always, behind a sin, behind a fall, there is a temptation that began small, that grew, that infected us, and in the end we find a justification to fall. May the Holy Spirit enlighten us in this interior awareness. (Francis – Homily Santa Marta, 4 April 2020)

 

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Bangladesh gets ninth diocese as Pope Leo XIV appoints first bishop #Catholic DHAKA — Pope Leo XIV has erected a new diocese in northern Bangladesh, naming a veteran seminary rector as its first bishop in what local Catholics are calling an Easter gift to the region’s predominantly Indigenous faithful.The Diocese of Joypurhat was established March 25, carved out of territories belonging to the dioceses of Rajshahi and Dinajpur and made a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Dhaka. The announcement was made by Archbishop Kevin Randall, apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh.Father Paul Gomes, 63, a priest of the Diocese of Rajshahi and rector of the Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Banani, Dhaka, has been appointed the diocese’s first bishop.Gomes was born in the Diocese of Rajshahi on Sept. 3, 1962. He studied philosophy and theology at the Holy Spirit Major Seminary and earned a bachelor of arts degree from Notre Dame College in Dhaka. He later completed a master’s degree and licentiate in dogmatic theology at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. He was ordained a priest on Dec. 29, 1992, and has served in pastoral and academic roles across the Rajshahi Diocese ever since, including as vicar general and rector of the Good Shepherd Cathedral in Rajshahi before returning to seminary leadership.Speaking to Radio Veritas after the announcement, Gomes said he would work to strengthen the faith, education, moral and social values, and overall development of the faithful in the new diocese.“There is no infrastructure here except for the parishes. I have to build a new bishop’s house and other infrastructure, and I hope to complete it with everyone’s cooperation,” Gomes said.‘An Easter gift from Pope Leo XIV’The new Joypurhat Diocese has 10 parishes and two quasi-parishes, serving approximately 23,000 Catholics, the majority of whom belong to Indigenous communities.“I think the new bishop and the diocese are an Easter gift from Pope Leo XIV to us. I hope the new bishop will carry out his pastoral work properly with our laypeople,” said Hilarius Mardy, a father of two.Mardy told EWTN News that lay Catholics would provide every kind of support within their means to the new bishop, but he added that the development of the diocese would require cooperation from Catholics across Bangladesh, not only within the new diocese.Questions over Indigenous representationWith the erection of Joypurhat, Bangladesh now has nine Catholic dioceses. Less than 1% of Bangladesh’s approximately 180 million people are Christian; the country’s roughly 400,000 Catholics include a large proportion from Indigenous communities.However, the appointment has prompted some differences of opinion. A 55-year-old Catholic who asked not to be named said an Indigenous bishop would have encouraged more Indigenous people to enter religious life.“I think the bishop who has been appointed is qualified, but was there no qualified Indigenous priest? If not, then it is a failure of the Church,” the Catholic said.Although Gomes has been formally appointed, his episcopal consecration is scheduled for June 5 in Joypurhat, Chancellor Father Premu T. Rozario of the Diocese of Rajshahi told EWTN News. Since no bishop’s house yet exists, the installation will take place at a local parish church near the city of Joypurhat.
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Bangladesh gets ninth diocese as Pope Leo XIV appoints first bishop #Catholic DHAKA — Pope Leo XIV has erected a new diocese in northern Bangladesh, naming a veteran seminary rector as its first bishop in what local Catholics are calling an Easter gift to the region’s predominantly Indigenous faithful.The Diocese of Joypurhat was established March 25, carved out of territories belonging to the dioceses of Rajshahi and Dinajpur and made a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Dhaka. The announcement was made by Archbishop Kevin Randall, apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh.Father Paul Gomes, 63, a priest of the Diocese of Rajshahi and rector of the Holy Spirit Major Seminary in Banani, Dhaka, has been appointed the diocese’s first bishop.Gomes was born in the Diocese of Rajshahi on Sept. 3, 1962. He studied philosophy and theology at the Holy Spirit Major Seminary and earned a bachelor of arts degree from Notre Dame College in Dhaka. He later completed a master’s degree and licentiate in dogmatic theology at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. He was ordained a priest on Dec. 29, 1992, and has served in pastoral and academic roles across the Rajshahi Diocese ever since, including as vicar general and rector of the Good Shepherd Cathedral in Rajshahi before returning to seminary leadership.Speaking to Radio Veritas after the announcement, Gomes said he would work to strengthen the faith, education, moral and social values, and overall development of the faithful in the new diocese.“There is no infrastructure here except for the parishes. I have to build a new bishop’s house and other infrastructure, and I hope to complete it with everyone’s cooperation,” Gomes said.‘An Easter gift from Pope Leo XIV’The new Joypurhat Diocese has 10 parishes and two quasi-parishes, serving approximately 23,000 Catholics, the majority of whom belong to Indigenous communities.“I think the new bishop and the diocese are an Easter gift from Pope Leo XIV to us. I hope the new bishop will carry out his pastoral work properly with our laypeople,” said Hilarius Mardy, a father of two.Mardy told EWTN News that lay Catholics would provide every kind of support within their means to the new bishop, but he added that the development of the diocese would require cooperation from Catholics across Bangladesh, not only within the new diocese.Questions over Indigenous representationWith the erection of Joypurhat, Bangladesh now has nine Catholic dioceses. Less than 1% of Bangladesh’s approximately 180 million people are Christian; the country’s roughly 400,000 Catholics include a large proportion from Indigenous communities.However, the appointment has prompted some differences of opinion. A 55-year-old Catholic who asked not to be named said an Indigenous bishop would have encouraged more Indigenous people to enter religious life.“I think the bishop who has been appointed is qualified, but was there no qualified Indigenous priest? If not, then it is a failure of the Church,” the Catholic said.Although Gomes has been formally appointed, his episcopal consecration is scheduled for June 5 in Joypurhat, Chancellor Father Premu T. Rozario of the Diocese of Rajshahi told EWTN News. Since no bishop’s house yet exists, the installation will take place at a local parish church near the city of Joypurhat.

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Pope Leo XIV erected the Diocese of Joypurhat on March 25, appointing Father Paul Gomes as first bishop of a region whose Catholics are largely Indigenous.

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California grandmother aims for 10,000 signatures on petition against second-trimester abortions #Catholic Mary Waldorf didn’t know anything about organizing petitions, but when a hospital worker and fellow parishioner told her that staff were forced to participate in second-trimester abortions, she felt called to do something.Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California, about 80 miles north of Sacramento, is the primary hospital in the area.“It’s the only hospital in a huge county. We all have to use it,” Waldorf told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.”Waldorf still remembers how she felt the day she found out about the abortions being performed there.“I spent the rest of the day just bawling because I know what a second-trimester abortion is,” she said.“Everybody was shocked,” she added.Waldorf went with a small group to peacefully protest in front of the hospital, holding signs. Hospital staff approached, asking why they were there.“They didn’t even know” about the later-term abortions being performed at the facility, Waldorf said.Waldorf claimed that local media will not cover the controversy. She said she has sent several letters to the editor of local papers but described the situation as a “media blackout.”A pediatrician at the hospital told her the hospital administration might reconsider if there was enough concern. “Why she told me, God only knows,” Waldorf said. “But I thought, well, if that’s the case, then what if we do a petition?”“I’m just somebody who goes to church, has grandkids, goes to work — I don’t know how to do [a petition],” she told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.” “I am not a media [figure]. But when God gives you an opportunity, you got to go for it.”The petition had about 800 signatures as of March 27. Waldorf is aiming for 10,000 — 10% of the size of the town.Waldorf said staff members have told her that the hospital allegedly has refused to allow some medical workers to opt out of assisting with abortion procedures.“They were told that the pre-op and the post-op nurses and personnel could not opt out,” Waldorf said.Waldorf runs a local chapter of 40 Days for Life, a nationwide effort aimed at praying for women seeking abortions and for their children, usually in front of abortion clinics during Lent. She says she wants women to have “true choice.”“If the mindset of people is about death, they don’t consider the child — and you have to consider both,” Waldorf said. “They’re not counseling these women. What about giving them true choice?”“The dignity of the human person is so paramount,” Waldorf added. “And I think that that is what’s being lost here completely.”
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California grandmother aims for 10,000 signatures on petition against second-trimester abortions #Catholic Mary Waldorf didn’t know anything about organizing petitions, but when a hospital worker and fellow parishioner told her that staff were forced to participate in second-trimester abortions, she felt called to do something.Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California, about 80 miles north of Sacramento, is the primary hospital in the area.“It’s the only hospital in a huge county. We all have to use it,” Waldorf told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.”Waldorf still remembers how she felt the day she found out about the abortions being performed there.“I spent the rest of the day just bawling because I know what a second-trimester abortion is,” she said.“Everybody was shocked,” she added.Waldorf went with a small group to peacefully protest in front of the hospital, holding signs. Hospital staff approached, asking why they were there.“They didn’t even know” about the later-term abortions being performed at the facility, Waldorf said.Waldorf claimed that local media will not cover the controversy. She said she has sent several letters to the editor of local papers but described the situation as a “media blackout.”A pediatrician at the hospital told her the hospital administration might reconsider if there was enough concern. “Why she told me, God only knows,” Waldorf said. “But I thought, well, if that’s the case, then what if we do a petition?”“I’m just somebody who goes to church, has grandkids, goes to work — I don’t know how to do [a petition],” she told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.” “I am not a media [figure]. But when God gives you an opportunity, you got to go for it.”The petition had about 800 signatures as of March 27. Waldorf is aiming for 10,000 — 10% of the size of the town.Waldorf said staff members have told her that the hospital allegedly has refused to allow some medical workers to opt out of assisting with abortion procedures.“They were told that the pre-op and the post-op nurses and personnel could not opt out,” Waldorf said.Waldorf runs a local chapter of 40 Days for Life, a nationwide effort aimed at praying for women seeking abortions and for their children, usually in front of abortion clinics during Lent. She says she wants women to have “true choice.”“If the mindset of people is about death, they don’t consider the child — and you have to consider both,” Waldorf said. “They’re not counseling these women. What about giving them true choice?”“The dignity of the human person is so paramount,” Waldorf added. “And I think that that is what’s being lost here completely.”

unitedyam

Mary Waldorf is rallying her town to petition against second-trimester abortions offered by Enloe Medical Center.

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Sept. 24 beatification of Archbishop Sheen to be ‘a moment of immense grace’ #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified on Sept. 24 in St. Louis, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints announced March 25. The beatification will take place in St. Louis, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect for the Dicastery for Evangelization, presiding. On Feb. 9, the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, had announced that the Vatican had given the green light for the beatification of Archbishop Sheen to move forward six years after the Holy See had postponed the beatification, initially scheduled for December 2019, only weeks before the event was to take place. In a statement March 25, Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria said the beatification will take place at 2 p.m. CT at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. “With anticipation of a great number of people wanting to participate, we chose this location because of availability, being indoors, and the close proximity to the Diocese of Peoria,” Bishop Tylka said. Bishop Tylka added that a “number of events in Peoria” will be held “to celebrate this wonderful occasion.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “This is a moment of immense grace for the Church — especially for us in the Diocese of Peoria, where Archbishop Sheen was born, ordained, and first served as a priest,” he added. “His life and ministry continue to inspire countless people to know and love Jesus Christ more deeply.” “The Beatification Mass will be a profound moment of prayer and celebration for the faithful near and far,” Bishop Tylka said. “I invite all who have been touched by Archbishop Sheen’s life and legacy to join us in spirit or in person for this historic event.” Msgr. Roger Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, received the news of the beatification date with “indescribable joy” and said he was “thrilled” Cardinal Tagle has been chosen “to be the papal legate, celebrant and preacher of the beatification Mass.” Archbishop Sheen — who himself was national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (1950-66) — “is an inspiration not only to all of us who continue his work of prayer and support for the Church’s missionary work across the globe but for all those whose faith has been strengthened by his preaching, broadcasting, writing, and holy Catholic life,” Msgr. Landry said in a March 25 statement to OSV News. “Cardinal Tagle, like Sheen,” he added, is “an incredibly gifted preacher, but he will no doubt be able to emphasize the contributions that soon to be Blessed Fulton Sheen made and in many ways continues to make to the Church’s mission work.” In February, when it was announced Archbishop Sheen’s beatification would go forward, Bishop Tylka called the prelate “one of the greatest voices of evangelization in the Church and the world in the 20th century.” “I have long admired his lifelong commitment to serve the Church as a priest, rooted in his deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Eucharist,” Bishop Tykla said. “As he journeyed through the different stages of his life, his ability to share the Gospel and truly relate to people drew countless souls into an encounter with Jesus — one that transformed not only his life, but more importantly, the lives of those he touched.” Archbishop Sheen is remembered as one of the most influential and innovative evangelists in American history. Once dubbed “God’s microphone,” Archbishop Sheen announced God’s truth in a nonconfrontational, yet no less life-giving, manner to untold millions through radio, print and television. That the announcement of the date of beatification for the archbishop was made on the Solemnity of the Annunciation is likewise very fitting,” Msgr Landry said in his statement. “Archbishop Sheen spent his life continuing the work of the Archangel Gabriel, calling us to rejoice because the Lord is with us, and imitating the response of Mary in placing himself as a servant of the Lord, allowing his whole life to develop according to the Lord’s word.” The priest added, “I can’t wait to be in St. Louis on September 24 celebrating with Catholics from across the states and the world.”  
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Sept. 24 beatification of Archbishop Sheen to be ‘a moment of immense grace’ #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified on Sept. 24 in St. Louis, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints announced March 25. The beatification will take place in St. Louis, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect for the Dicastery for Evangelization, presiding. On Feb. 9, the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, had announced that the Vatican had given the green light for the beatification of Archbishop Sheen to move forward six years after the Holy See had postponed the beatification, initially scheduled for December 2019, only weeks before the event was to take place. In a statement March 25, Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria said the beatification will take place at 2 p.m. CT at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. “With anticipation of a great number of people wanting to participate, we chose this location because of availability, being indoors, and the close proximity to the Diocese of Peoria,” Bishop Tylka said. Bishop Tylka added that a “number of events in Peoria” will be held “to celebrate this wonderful occasion.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “This is a moment of immense grace for the Church — especially for us in the Diocese of Peoria, where Archbishop Sheen was born, ordained, and first served as a priest,” he added. “His life and ministry continue to inspire countless people to know and love Jesus Christ more deeply.” “The Beatification Mass will be a profound moment of prayer and celebration for the faithful near and far,” Bishop Tylka said. “I invite all who have been touched by Archbishop Sheen’s life and legacy to join us in spirit or in person for this historic event.” Msgr. Roger Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, received the news of the beatification date with “indescribable joy” and said he was “thrilled” Cardinal Tagle has been chosen “to be the papal legate, celebrant and preacher of the beatification Mass.” Archbishop Sheen — who himself was national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (1950-66) — “is an inspiration not only to all of us who continue his work of prayer and support for the Church’s missionary work across the globe but for all those whose faith has been strengthened by his preaching, broadcasting, writing, and holy Catholic life,” Msgr. Landry said in a March 25 statement to OSV News. “Cardinal Tagle, like Sheen,” he added, is “an incredibly gifted preacher, but he will no doubt be able to emphasize the contributions that soon to be Blessed Fulton Sheen made and in many ways continues to make to the Church’s mission work.” In February, when it was announced Archbishop Sheen’s beatification would go forward, Bishop Tylka called the prelate “one of the greatest voices of evangelization in the Church and the world in the 20th century.” “I have long admired his lifelong commitment to serve the Church as a priest, rooted in his deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Eucharist,” Bishop Tykla said. “As he journeyed through the different stages of his life, his ability to share the Gospel and truly relate to people drew countless souls into an encounter with Jesus — one that transformed not only his life, but more importantly, the lives of those he touched.” Archbishop Sheen is remembered as one of the most influential and innovative evangelists in American history. Once dubbed “God’s microphone,” Archbishop Sheen announced God’s truth in a nonconfrontational, yet no less life-giving, manner to untold millions through radio, print and television. That the announcement of the date of beatification for the archbishop was made on the Solemnity of the Annunciation is likewise very fitting,” Msgr Landry said in his statement. “Archbishop Sheen spent his life continuing the work of the Archangel Gabriel, calling us to rejoice because the Lord is with us, and imitating the response of Mary in placing himself as a servant of the Lord, allowing his whole life to develop according to the Lord’s word.” The priest added, “I can’t wait to be in St. Louis on September 24 celebrating with Catholics from across the states and the world.”  

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Sept. 24 beatification of Archbishop Sheen to be ‘a moment of immense grace’ #Catholic –

VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified on Sept. 24 in St. Louis, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints announced March 25.

The beatification will take place in St. Louis, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect for the Dicastery for Evangelization, presiding.

On Feb. 9, the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, had announced that the Vatican had given the green light for the beatification of Archbishop Sheen to move forward six years after the Holy See had postponed the beatification, initially scheduled for December 2019, only weeks before the event was to take place.

In a statement March 25, Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria said the beatification will take place at 2 p.m. CT at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.

“With anticipation of a great number of people wanting to participate, we chose this location because of availability, being indoors, and the close proximity to the Diocese of Peoria,” Bishop Tylka said.

Bishop Tylka added that a “number of events in Peoria” will be held “to celebrate this wonderful occasion.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“This is a moment of immense grace for the Church — especially for us in the Diocese of Peoria, where Archbishop Sheen was born, ordained, and first served as a priest,” he added. “His life and ministry continue to inspire countless people to know and love Jesus Christ more deeply.”

“The Beatification Mass will be a profound moment of prayer and celebration for the faithful near and far,” Bishop Tylka said. “I invite all who have been touched by Archbishop Sheen’s life and legacy to join us in spirit or in person for this historic event.”

Msgr. Roger Landry, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, received the news of the beatification date with “indescribable joy” and said he was “thrilled” Cardinal Tagle has been chosen “to be the papal legate, celebrant and preacher of the beatification Mass.”

Archbishop Sheen — who himself was national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (1950-66) — “is an inspiration not only to all of us who continue his work of prayer and support for the Church’s missionary work across the globe but for all those whose faith has been strengthened by his preaching, broadcasting, writing, and holy Catholic life,” Msgr. Landry said in a March 25 statement to OSV News.

“Cardinal Tagle, like Sheen,” he added, is “an incredibly gifted preacher, but he will no doubt be able to emphasize the contributions that soon to be Blessed Fulton Sheen made and in many ways continues to make to the Church’s mission work.”

In February, when it was announced Archbishop Sheen’s beatification would go forward, Bishop Tylka called the prelate “one of the greatest voices of evangelization in the Church and the world in the 20th century.”

“I have long admired his lifelong commitment to serve the Church as a priest, rooted in his deep devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Eucharist,” Bishop Tykla said. “As he journeyed through the different stages of his life, his ability to share the Gospel and truly relate to people drew countless souls into an encounter with Jesus — one that transformed not only his life, but more importantly, the lives of those he touched.”

Archbishop Sheen is remembered as one of the most influential and innovative evangelists in American history. Once dubbed “God’s microphone,” Archbishop Sheen announced God’s truth in a nonconfrontational, yet no less life-giving, manner to untold millions through radio, print and television.

That the announcement of the date of beatification for the archbishop was made on the Solemnity of the Annunciation is likewise very fitting,” Msgr Landry said in his statement. “Archbishop Sheen spent his life continuing the work of the Archangel Gabriel, calling us to rejoice because the Lord is with us, and imitating the response of Mary in placing himself as a servant of the Lord, allowing his whole life to develop according to the Lord’s word.”

The priest added, “I can’t wait to be in St. Louis on September 24 celebrating with Catholics from across the states and the world.”

 

– VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified on Sept. 24 in St. Louis, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints announced March 25. The beatification will take place in St. Louis, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect for the Dicastery for Evangelization, presiding. On Feb. 9, the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, had announced that the Vatican had given the green light for the beatification of Archbishop Sheen to move forward six years after the Holy See had postponed the beatification, initially scheduled for December 2019, only weeks before the event was to take place. In

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West Milford recognizes St. Joseph for ‘trust in God’ #Catholic - On March 18, St. Joseph Parish in West Milford, N.J., held a Vigil Mass, celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, to mark the feast day of its patron, St. Joseph. Although the universal Church celebrates St. Joseph’s feast day on March 19, the parish observed it the evening before. During the Mass, the bishop censed a statue of St. Joseph. Father Jakub Grzybowski, pastor of St. Joseph’s, concelebrated the liturgy with several priests with Bishop Sweeney. Serving as master of ceremonies was Father Jared Brogan, who directs the Worship Office for the Paterson Diocese. Deacon Stephen McKenzie of St. Joseph’s assisted with the Mass, and the Knights of Columbus participated as well. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. St. Joseph Parish honored its patron on social media, describing him as “a model of quiet strength, faithful service, and trust in God” on his feast day, March 19. As the guardian of the Holy Family, St. Joseph, they wrote, “reminds us that holiness is often found in humble, everyday acts of love and responsibility. Through his intercession, they asked that their parish family grow in faith, courage, and devotion to Christ: St. Joseph, pray for us.” St. Joseph’s is the oldest Catholic community in the diocese and in New Jersey. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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West Milford recognizes St. Joseph for ‘trust in God’ #Catholic – On March 18, St. Joseph Parish in West Milford, N.J., held a Vigil Mass, celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, to mark the feast day of its patron, St. Joseph. Although the universal Church celebrates St. Joseph’s feast day on March 19, the parish observed it the evening before. During the Mass, the bishop censed a statue of St. Joseph. Father Jakub Grzybowski, pastor of St. Joseph’s, concelebrated the liturgy with several priests with Bishop Sweeney. Serving as master of ceremonies was Father Jared Brogan, who directs the Worship Office for the Paterson Diocese. Deacon Stephen McKenzie of St. Joseph’s assisted with the Mass, and the Knights of Columbus participated as well. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. St. Joseph Parish honored its patron on social media, describing him as “a model of quiet strength, faithful service, and trust in God” on his feast day, March 19. As the guardian of the Holy Family, St. Joseph, they wrote, “reminds us that holiness is often found in humble, everyday acts of love and responsibility. Through his intercession, they asked that their parish family grow in faith, courage, and devotion to Christ: St. Joseph, pray for us.” St. Joseph’s is the oldest Catholic community in the diocese and in New Jersey. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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West Milford recognizes St. Joseph for ‘trust in God’ #Catholic –

On March 18, St. Joseph Parish in West Milford, N.J., held a Vigil Mass, celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, to mark the feast day of its patron, St. Joseph. Although the universal Church celebrates St. Joseph’s feast day on March 19, the parish observed it the evening before. During the Mass, the bishop censed a statue of St. Joseph.

Father Jakub Grzybowski, pastor of St. Joseph’s, concelebrated the liturgy with several priests with Bishop Sweeney. Serving as master of ceremonies was Father Jared Brogan, who directs the Worship Office for the Paterson Diocese. Deacon Stephen McKenzie of St. Joseph’s assisted with the Mass, and the Knights of Columbus participated as well.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

St. Joseph Parish honored its patron on social media, describing him as “a model of quiet strength, faithful service, and trust in God” on his feast day, March 19. As the guardian of the Holy Family, St. Joseph, they wrote, “reminds us that holiness is often found in humble, everyday acts of love and responsibility. Through his intercession, they asked that their parish family grow in faith, courage, and devotion to Christ: St. Joseph, pray for us.”

St. Joseph’s is the oldest Catholic community in the diocese and in New Jersey.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– On March 18, St. Joseph Parish in West Milford, N.J., held a Vigil Mass, celebrated by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, to mark the feast day of its patron, St. Joseph. Although the universal Church celebrates St. Joseph’s feast day on March 19, the parish observed it the evening before. During the Mass, the bishop censed a statue of St. Joseph. Father Jakub Grzybowski, pastor of St. Joseph’s, concelebrated the liturgy with several priests with Bishop Sweeney. Serving as master of ceremonies was Father Jared Brogan, who directs the Worship Office for the Paterson Diocese. Deacon Stephen McKenzie of St. Joseph’s

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 27 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Jeremiah 20:10-13 I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!From the Gospel according to John 10:31-42 The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him.Jesus Christ reveals the Father with his own humanity. Precisely because he is the Word incarnate that dwells among men, Jesus reveals God to us with his own true and integral humanity: “To see Jesus is to see His Father (Jn 14:9). For this reason, Jesus perfected revelation, fulfilling it through his whole work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself through His words and deeds, His signs and wonders, but especially through His death and glorious resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth” (DV, 4). In order to know God in Christ, we must welcome his integral humanity: God’s truth is not fully revealed where it takes something away from the human, just as the integrity of Jesus’ humanity does not diminish the fullness of the divine gift. It is the integral humanity of Jesus that tells us the truth of the Father (cf. Jn 1:18). It is not only the death and resurrection of Jesus that saves us and calls us together, but his very person: the Lord who becomes incarnate, is born, heals, teaches, suffers, dies, rises again and remains among us. Therefore, to honour the greatness of the Incarnation, it is not enough to consider Jesus as the channel of transmission of intellectual truths. If Jesus has a real body, the communication of the truth of God is realized in that body, with its own way of perceiving and feeling reality, with its own way of inhabiting and passing through the world. (Leo XIV – General Audience, 21 January 2026)

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A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
20:10-13

I hear the whisperings of many:
“Terror on every side!
Denounce! let us denounce him!”
All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
“Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,
and take our vengeance on him.”
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be put to utter shame,
to lasting, unforgettable confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,
who probe mind and heart,
Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause.
Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked!

From the Gospel according to John
10:31-42

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you trying to stone me?”
The Jews answered him,
“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.
You, a man, are making yourself God.”
Jesus answered them,
“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘?
If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,
and Scripture cannot be set aside,
can you say that the one
whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
Then they tried again to arrest him;
but he escaped from their power.

He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
“John performed no sign,
but everything John said about this man was true.”
And many there began to believe in him.

Jesus Christ reveals the Father with his own humanity. Precisely because he is the Word incarnate that dwells among men, Jesus reveals God to us with his own true and integral humanity: “To see Jesus is to see His Father (Jn 14:9). For this reason, Jesus perfected revelation, fulfilling it through his whole work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself through His words and deeds, His signs and wonders, but especially through His death and glorious resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth” (DV, 4). In order to know God in Christ, we must welcome his integral humanity: God’s truth is not fully revealed where it takes something away from the human, just as the integrity of Jesus’ humanity does not diminish the fullness of the divine gift. It is the integral humanity of Jesus that tells us the truth of the Father (cf. Jn 1:18). It is not only the death and resurrection of Jesus that saves us and calls us together, but his very person: the Lord who becomes incarnate, is born, heals, teaches, suffers, dies, rises again and remains among us. Therefore, to honour the greatness of the Incarnation, it is not enough to consider Jesus as the channel of transmission of intellectual truths. If Jesus has a real body, the communication of the truth of God is realized in that body, with its own way of perceiving and feeling reality, with its own way of inhabiting and passing through the world. (Leo XIV – General Audience, 21 January 2026)

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Religious sisters lose lawsuit against Smith & Wesson alleging ‘facilitation’ of mass shootings #Catholic Several congregations of religious sisters have lost their lawsuit against the iconic American gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, which claimed the company has “facilitated” mass shootings in the United States. A version of the lawsuit was first filed in December 2023 in Nevada district court by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Bon Secours USA, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, U.S.-Ontario Province.The filing alleged that Smith & Wesson is “intent on marketing and selling AR-15 rifles in whatever manner results in the most sales.” The suit claimed the company was pursuing such marketing even if it “is illegal and attracts a dangerous category of buyers [and] facilitates an unrelenting and growing stream of killings.”The sisters had filed the suit as shareholders in the company, claiming that Smith & Wesson’s marketing “causes the company to face an ever-increasing and substantial likelihood of liability that threatens its long-term existence.” The filing specifically targeted the company’s board of directors on behalf of the company and its shareholders in what is known as a “derivative lawsuit.”The sisters in the original lawsuit failed to meet a required $500,000 security bond deadline, leading to the suit’s dismissal. They subsequently refiled in federal court in February 2025. In a March 23 order dismissing the suit, U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro said the nuns failed to establish standing to bring the action against the board members.The judge said the nuns could amend the lawsuit if they wished, though the court reimposed the $500,000 security bond, ordering that the sisters must post the amount if they wished to continue the suit.Smith & Wesson was founded in 1852. It operates out of Tennessee and Nevada.The company makes and sells a wide array of firearms, including ArmaLite-type rifles, commonly referred to as “AR-15s,” which it has been selling since 2006.
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Religious sisters lose lawsuit against Smith & Wesson alleging ‘facilitation’ of mass shootings #Catholic Several congregations of religious sisters have lost their lawsuit against the iconic American gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, which claimed the company has “facilitated” mass shootings in the United States. A version of the lawsuit was first filed in December 2023 in Nevada district court by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Bon Secours USA, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, U.S.-Ontario Province.The filing alleged that Smith & Wesson is “intent on marketing and selling AR-15 rifles in whatever manner results in the most sales.” The suit claimed the company was pursuing such marketing even if it “is illegal and attracts a dangerous category of buyers [and] facilitates an unrelenting and growing stream of killings.”The sisters had filed the suit as shareholders in the company, claiming that Smith & Wesson’s marketing “causes the company to face an ever-increasing and substantial likelihood of liability that threatens its long-term existence.” The filing specifically targeted the company’s board of directors on behalf of the company and its shareholders in what is known as a “derivative lawsuit.”The sisters in the original lawsuit failed to meet a required $500,000 security bond deadline, leading to the suit’s dismissal. They subsequently refiled in federal court in February 2025. In a March 23 order dismissing the suit, U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro said the nuns failed to establish standing to bring the action against the board members.The judge said the nuns could amend the lawsuit if they wished, though the court reimposed the $500,000 security bond, ordering that the sisters must post the amount if they wished to continue the suit.Smith & Wesson was founded in 1852. It operates out of Tennessee and Nevada.The company makes and sells a wide array of firearms, including ArmaLite-type rifles, commonly referred to as “AR-15s,” which it has been selling since 2006.

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Multiple congregations of sisters alleged that the gun manufacturer was partly complicit in “an unrelenting and growing stream of killings.”

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Vatican bank names new president #Catholic The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), often referred to as the Vatican bank, has announced that Luxembourg banker François Pauly will succeed Jean-Baptiste Douville de Franssu as president of its Board of Superintendence.According to a March 25 press release, Pauly “has been elected as the next president of the Board of Superintendence” and will formally take office following the board meeting scheduled for April 28, when the institute’s 2025 financial statements are approved.De Franssu, who has led the IOR since July 9, 2014, will remain in office until that date, concluding a tenure marked by significant internal reform and efforts to rebuild the institution’s international credibility.The need for reform stemmed from years of scrutiny over the Vatican bank’s management, transparency, and anti-money-laundering controls. In the past, the institute faced damaged credibility amid concerns about oversight and compliance, prompting a long push to strengthen governance, tighten internal procedures, and bring its operations into line with international financial standards.The transition “follows a carefully managed succession process conducted over the past 12 months in close collaboration between the Board of Superintendence and the Commission of Cardinals, ensuring continuity in the governance of the Institute,” the IOR said.Pauly, a Luxembourg national, has served on the board since 2024. His appointment was approved Jan. 28 by the Commission of Cardinals following a proposal by the board in December 2025, in accordance with the institute’s statutes.He brings decades of experience in the financial sector, having begun his banking career in the late 1980s. He previously served as deputy chief executive officer of Dexia Crediop in Italy and later as CEO and chairman of Banque Internationale à Luxembourg from 2011 to 2016. He also served on the board of the Vatican Pension Fund from 2017 to 2021.Currently, Pauly is chairman of La Luxembourgeoise Group and a member of the Commission for Economic Affairs of the Archdiocese of Luxembourg, while also serving on the boards of several financial firms across Europe.In a statement, de Franssu reflected on his tenure, saying the institute had undergone “a profound structural transformation” that restored credibility and strengthened financial performance.“This process has enabled the institute to achieve strong international credibility and to deliver solid financial results,” he said, noting that reforms improved governance, transparency, and compliance with international anti-money laundering standards.Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, president of the IOR’s Commission of Cardinals, expressed “deep gratitude” for de Franssu’s service and praised his “essential contribution” to the institute’s renewal.He also welcomed Pauly’s appointment, highlighting his “extensive professional experience” as key to consolidating recent progress and strengthening the institute’s ties with the global financial sector.“We hope that, under his leadership, the Board of Superintendence continues to effectively support the mission of the IOR in service of the universal Church,” Petrocchi said.The Commission of Cardinals will now appoint a new member of the Board of Superintendence to replace de Franssu, subject to regulatory approval.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.
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Vatican bank names new president #Catholic The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), often referred to as the Vatican bank, has announced that Luxembourg banker François Pauly will succeed Jean-Baptiste Douville de Franssu as president of its Board of Superintendence.According to a March 25 press release, Pauly “has been elected as the next president of the Board of Superintendence” and will formally take office following the board meeting scheduled for April 28, when the institute’s 2025 financial statements are approved.De Franssu, who has led the IOR since July 9, 2014, will remain in office until that date, concluding a tenure marked by significant internal reform and efforts to rebuild the institution’s international credibility.The need for reform stemmed from years of scrutiny over the Vatican bank’s management, transparency, and anti-money-laundering controls. In the past, the institute faced damaged credibility amid concerns about oversight and compliance, prompting a long push to strengthen governance, tighten internal procedures, and bring its operations into line with international financial standards.The transition “follows a carefully managed succession process conducted over the past 12 months in close collaboration between the Board of Superintendence and the Commission of Cardinals, ensuring continuity in the governance of the Institute,” the IOR said.Pauly, a Luxembourg national, has served on the board since 2024. His appointment was approved Jan. 28 by the Commission of Cardinals following a proposal by the board in December 2025, in accordance with the institute’s statutes.He brings decades of experience in the financial sector, having begun his banking career in the late 1980s. He previously served as deputy chief executive officer of Dexia Crediop in Italy and later as CEO and chairman of Banque Internationale à Luxembourg from 2011 to 2016. He also served on the board of the Vatican Pension Fund from 2017 to 2021.Currently, Pauly is chairman of La Luxembourgeoise Group and a member of the Commission for Economic Affairs of the Archdiocese of Luxembourg, while also serving on the boards of several financial firms across Europe.In a statement, de Franssu reflected on his tenure, saying the institute had undergone “a profound structural transformation” that restored credibility and strengthened financial performance.“This process has enabled the institute to achieve strong international credibility and to deliver solid financial results,” he said, noting that reforms improved governance, transparency, and compliance with international anti-money laundering standards.Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, president of the IOR’s Commission of Cardinals, expressed “deep gratitude” for de Franssu’s service and praised his “essential contribution” to the institute’s renewal.He also welcomed Pauly’s appointment, highlighting his “extensive professional experience” as key to consolidating recent progress and strengthening the institute’s ties with the global financial sector.“We hope that, under his leadership, the Board of Superintendence continues to effectively support the mission of the IOR in service of the universal Church,” Petrocchi said.The Commission of Cardinals will now appoint a new member of the Board of Superintendence to replace de Franssu, subject to regulatory approval.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.

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François Pauly will succeed Jean-Baptiste de Franssu at helm of Institute for the Works of Religion.

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Russian drone strikes damage historic church, monastery in Lviv ahead of Holy Week #Catholic – LVIV, Ukraine (OSV News) — A historic Bernardine monastery complex and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in the western Ukraine city of Lviv were hit by aerial drone strikes March 24, just ahead of the observance of Holy Week. They are the newest sacred space casualties of Russian attacks and part of what is described by officials as the largest attack in a single 24-hour period since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Local authorities confirmed that historic apartment buildings near the 16th-century Bernardine monastery — part of the city’s historic center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — were struck and caught fire and the tower of the monastery also experienced damage. The Church of St. Mary Magdalene also was damaged during the aerial strike, with windows broken and glass shattered around the church floor March 24, as shown in a video shared by Vatican News. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “Thank God … it happened in the afternoon,” Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv told Vatican News. “People were still at work, children had not yet returned from school, and there were no fatalities. There are only injured people,” he emphasized. As Russia fired almost 400 long-range drones on the war-torn country overnight, six people were killed and 46 injured, The Associated Press reported, citing Ukrainian officials. Elsewhere, in the neighboring Ivano-Frankivsk region, a maternity hospital was hit. In a March 25 statement, UNESCO said it was “deeply alarmed” by the strikes, noting that “cultural property is protected under the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.” The agency added it “stands ready to support the authorities with assessments, protection measures and emergency assistance.” In a March 24 Facebook post, Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv — located just over a mile from the site of the attack — recapped the impact of the strikes across the nation, adding, “We express our condolences to all the victims. Eternal memory to the innocently killed.” “The attack by ‘shaheeds’ in Lviv shows that the enemy chooses densely located residential buildings,” the university said in the post, referring to Iranian-designed Shahed drones. According to the BBC, in his video address on March 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the scale of the latest attacks “clearly shows that Russia has no intention of really ending this war.” Russia’s military has not publicly commented on the attacks. Archbishop Mokrzycki said that the war, now in its fifth year, is taking a heavy toll among Ukrainians, used to aerial alarms and mourning large numbers of killed soldiers daily in cities across Ukraine. “This war is also ongoing on another front,” Archbishop Mokrzycki told the Polish section of Vatican News. He pointed out the experience of war affects residents not only during moments of attacks, but also in everyday life, marked by loss and uncertainty.  
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Russian drone strikes damage historic church, monastery in Lviv ahead of Holy Week #Catholic – LVIV, Ukraine (OSV News) — A historic Bernardine monastery complex and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in the western Ukraine city of Lviv were hit by aerial drone strikes March 24, just ahead of the observance of Holy Week. They are the newest sacred space casualties of Russian attacks and part of what is described by officials as the largest attack in a single 24-hour period since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Local authorities confirmed that historic apartment buildings near the 16th-century Bernardine monastery — part of the city’s historic center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — were struck and caught fire and the tower of the monastery also experienced damage. The Church of St. Mary Magdalene also was damaged during the aerial strike, with windows broken and glass shattered around the church floor March 24, as shown in a video shared by Vatican News. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “Thank God … it happened in the afternoon,” Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv told Vatican News. “People were still at work, children had not yet returned from school, and there were no fatalities. There are only injured people,” he emphasized. As Russia fired almost 400 long-range drones on the war-torn country overnight, six people were killed and 46 injured, The Associated Press reported, citing Ukrainian officials. Elsewhere, in the neighboring Ivano-Frankivsk region, a maternity hospital was hit. In a March 25 statement, UNESCO said it was “deeply alarmed” by the strikes, noting that “cultural property is protected under the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.” The agency added it “stands ready to support the authorities with assessments, protection measures and emergency assistance.” In a March 24 Facebook post, Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv — located just over a mile from the site of the attack — recapped the impact of the strikes across the nation, adding, “We express our condolences to all the victims. Eternal memory to the innocently killed.” “The attack by ‘shaheeds’ in Lviv shows that the enemy chooses densely located residential buildings,” the university said in the post, referring to Iranian-designed Shahed drones. According to the BBC, in his video address on March 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the scale of the latest attacks “clearly shows that Russia has no intention of really ending this war.” Russia’s military has not publicly commented on the attacks. Archbishop Mokrzycki said that the war, now in its fifth year, is taking a heavy toll among Ukrainians, used to aerial alarms and mourning large numbers of killed soldiers daily in cities across Ukraine. “This war is also ongoing on another front,” Archbishop Mokrzycki told the Polish section of Vatican News. He pointed out the experience of war affects residents not only during moments of attacks, but also in everyday life, marked by loss and uncertainty.  

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Russian drone strikes damage historic church, monastery in Lviv ahead of Holy Week #Catholic –

LVIV, Ukraine (OSV News) — A historic Bernardine monastery complex and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in the western Ukraine city of Lviv were hit by aerial drone strikes March 24, just ahead of the observance of Holy Week.

They are the newest sacred space casualties of Russian attacks and part of what is described by officials as the largest attack in a single 24-hour period since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Local authorities confirmed that historic apartment buildings near the 16th-century Bernardine monastery — part of the city’s historic center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — were struck and caught fire and the tower of the monastery also experienced damage.

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene also was damaged during the aerial strike, with windows broken and glass shattered around the church floor March 24, as shown in a video shared by Vatican News.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“Thank God … it happened in the afternoon,” Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki of Lviv told Vatican News. “People were still at work, children had not yet returned from school, and there were no fatalities. There are only injured people,” he emphasized.

As Russia fired almost 400 long-range drones on the war-torn country overnight, six people were killed and 46 injured, The Associated Press reported, citing Ukrainian officials.

Elsewhere, in the neighboring Ivano-Frankivsk region, a maternity hospital was hit.

In a March 25 statement, UNESCO said it was “deeply alarmed” by the strikes, noting that “cultural property is protected under the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.”

The agency added it “stands ready to support the authorities with assessments, protection measures and emergency assistance.”

In a March 24 Facebook post, Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv — located just over a mile from the site of the attack — recapped the impact of the strikes across the nation, adding, “We express our condolences to all the victims. Eternal memory to the innocently killed.”

“The attack by ‘shaheeds’ in Lviv shows that the enemy chooses densely located residential buildings,” the university said in the post, referring to Iranian-designed Shahed drones.

According to the BBC, in his video address on March 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the scale of the latest attacks “clearly shows that Russia has no intention of really ending this war.”

Russia’s military has not publicly commented on the attacks.

Archbishop Mokrzycki said that the war, now in its fifth year, is taking a heavy toll among Ukrainians, used to aerial alarms and mourning large numbers of killed soldiers daily in cities across Ukraine.

“This war is also ongoing on another front,” Archbishop Mokrzycki told the Polish section of Vatican News. He pointed out the experience of war affects residents not only during moments of attacks, but also in everyday life, marked by loss and uncertainty.

 

– LVIV, Ukraine (OSV News) — A historic Bernardine monastery complex and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in the western Ukraine city of Lviv were hit by aerial drone strikes March 24, just ahead of the observance of Holy Week. They are the newest sacred space casualties of Russian attacks and part of what is described by officials as the largest attack in a single 24-hour period since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Local authorities confirmed that historic apartment buildings near the 16th-century Bernardine monastery — part of the city’s historic center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage

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National Eucharistic Pilgrimage seeks to be a sacred journey for US at 250 years #Catholic – (OSV News) — The upcoming National Eucharistic Pilgrimage — which takes place as the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026 — marks a moment for “a country still in conversion,” and “a country still on pilgrimage,” said Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress organization. Shanks joined pilgrimage organizers, along with several of its nine perpetual pilgrims, for an online March 25 press conference announcing further details of the event, which takes place May 24 through July 5. With a theme of “One Nation Under God,” the route will run from Florida to Maine, spanning more than 2,200 miles in most of the nation’s 13 original colonies. Over the course of 43 days, pilgrims will travel through 18 dioceses and archdioceses, as well as two Eastern Catholic eparchies. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Nine perpetual pilgrims will accompany the Blessed Sacrament, with public events — including Masses, Holy Hours, sacred music concerts, talks and charitable outreach — taking place along the way. Pilgrimage organizers are inviting the faithful to participate in a spiritual bouquet of 250,000 Holy Hours, with a signup form available on the pilgrimage website, eucharisticpilgrimage.org/one-nation-under-god. The spiritual bouquet will be presented in the nation’s capital as a sign of “prayers for peace in our world, for unity and peace in our country, and for God’s hand to continue to guide all of those in the United States,” said Shanks. The 2026 pilgrimage, which continues the 2024 and 2025 journeys undertaken as part of the National Eucharistic Revival, has been placed under the patronage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the woman religious and Italian immigrant who became the first U.S. citizen to be canonized after a lifetime of work ministering to immigrants. Along with Mother Cabrini, other holy men and women who will be commemorated throughout the pilgrimage are St. Katharine Drexel, the Philadelphia banking heiress who founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and served Black American and American Indian communities; St. John Neumann, the Bavarian-born Redemptorist who as bishop of Philadelphia established the nation’s parochial school system, as well as the Forty Hours devotion; and the soon-to-be-beatified Georgia Martyrs, six Spanish Franciscans who were slain while missioning to the Indigenous Guale people in the late 16th century. The stops along the Cabrini Route will highlight sites significant to Catholicism’s contributions to U.S. history, said Shanks. “Before there was a Constitution, there was a consecration,” he said, pointing to Masses celebrated on the territory of what would later become the U.S. Historians have cited a number of such liturgies, including Masses reported to have taken place in 1541 in the future states of Kansas and Texas, and the Sept. 8, 1565, liturgy celebrated by Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales at the site of present-day St. Augustine, Florida. In 1664, the London-born Jesuit Father Andrew White celebrated Mass in the Maryland colony. “We’re excited to unite our country in memory of its history and to sort of explore the Catholic contribution to this American experiment,” Shanks said. Among the pilgrimage events honoring the nation’s development will be a Eucharistic procession through historical Williamsburg, Virginia; a blessing from Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington, with a procession past national landmarks in the capital; Eucharistic adoration in Pilgrim Memorial State Park in Plymouth, Massachusetts; and a crossing of the Delaware River into New Jersey — a nod to George Washington, who led 2,500 Continental Army troops across the body of water on Christmas night in 1776, surprising enemy Hessian troops, mercenaries of the British empire, and securing major U.S. victories in the Revolutionary War. The pilgrimage concludes with Mass and a Eucharistic procession over the July 4 holiday weekend in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and which served as the nation’s capital from 1790 to 1800, when the new city of Washington became the nation’s seat of government. Pilgrim Zachary Dotson said at the press conference that “the real beauty” of the theme “One Nation Under God” lies in “the great humility that it takes to truly believe that and follow that.” “There’s nothing more healing than God’s divine mercy and love, which is open and available to all people,” he said. Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.
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National Eucharistic Pilgrimage seeks to be a sacred journey for US at 250 years #Catholic – (OSV News) — The upcoming National Eucharistic Pilgrimage — which takes place as the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026 — marks a moment for “a country still in conversion,” and “a country still on pilgrimage,” said Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress organization. Shanks joined pilgrimage organizers, along with several of its nine perpetual pilgrims, for an online March 25 press conference announcing further details of the event, which takes place May 24 through July 5. With a theme of “One Nation Under God,” the route will run from Florida to Maine, spanning more than 2,200 miles in most of the nation’s 13 original colonies. Over the course of 43 days, pilgrims will travel through 18 dioceses and archdioceses, as well as two Eastern Catholic eparchies. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Nine perpetual pilgrims will accompany the Blessed Sacrament, with public events — including Masses, Holy Hours, sacred music concerts, talks and charitable outreach — taking place along the way. Pilgrimage organizers are inviting the faithful to participate in a spiritual bouquet of 250,000 Holy Hours, with a signup form available on the pilgrimage website, eucharisticpilgrimage.org/one-nation-under-god. The spiritual bouquet will be presented in the nation’s capital as a sign of “prayers for peace in our world, for unity and peace in our country, and for God’s hand to continue to guide all of those in the United States,” said Shanks. The 2026 pilgrimage, which continues the 2024 and 2025 journeys undertaken as part of the National Eucharistic Revival, has been placed under the patronage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the woman religious and Italian immigrant who became the first U.S. citizen to be canonized after a lifetime of work ministering to immigrants. Along with Mother Cabrini, other holy men and women who will be commemorated throughout the pilgrimage are St. Katharine Drexel, the Philadelphia banking heiress who founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and served Black American and American Indian communities; St. John Neumann, the Bavarian-born Redemptorist who as bishop of Philadelphia established the nation’s parochial school system, as well as the Forty Hours devotion; and the soon-to-be-beatified Georgia Martyrs, six Spanish Franciscans who were slain while missioning to the Indigenous Guale people in the late 16th century. The stops along the Cabrini Route will highlight sites significant to Catholicism’s contributions to U.S. history, said Shanks. “Before there was a Constitution, there was a consecration,” he said, pointing to Masses celebrated on the territory of what would later become the U.S. Historians have cited a number of such liturgies, including Masses reported to have taken place in 1541 in the future states of Kansas and Texas, and the Sept. 8, 1565, liturgy celebrated by Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales at the site of present-day St. Augustine, Florida. In 1664, the London-born Jesuit Father Andrew White celebrated Mass in the Maryland colony. “We’re excited to unite our country in memory of its history and to sort of explore the Catholic contribution to this American experiment,” Shanks said. Among the pilgrimage events honoring the nation’s development will be a Eucharistic procession through historical Williamsburg, Virginia; a blessing from Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington, with a procession past national landmarks in the capital; Eucharistic adoration in Pilgrim Memorial State Park in Plymouth, Massachusetts; and a crossing of the Delaware River into New Jersey — a nod to George Washington, who led 2,500 Continental Army troops across the body of water on Christmas night in 1776, surprising enemy Hessian troops, mercenaries of the British empire, and securing major U.S. victories in the Revolutionary War. The pilgrimage concludes with Mass and a Eucharistic procession over the July 4 holiday weekend in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and which served as the nation’s capital from 1790 to 1800, when the new city of Washington became the nation’s seat of government. Pilgrim Zachary Dotson said at the press conference that “the real beauty” of the theme “One Nation Under God” lies in “the great humility that it takes to truly believe that and follow that.” “There’s nothing more healing than God’s divine mercy and love, which is open and available to all people,” he said. Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.

unitedyam

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage seeks to be a sacred journey for US at 250 years #Catholic –

(OSV News) — The upcoming National Eucharistic Pilgrimage — which takes place as the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026 — marks a moment for “a country still in conversion,” and “a country still on pilgrimage,” said Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress organization.

Shanks joined pilgrimage organizers, along with several of its nine perpetual pilgrims, for an online March 25 press conference announcing further details of the event, which takes place May 24 through July 5.

With a theme of “One Nation Under God,” the route will run from Florida to Maine, spanning more than 2,200 miles in most of the nation’s 13 original colonies. Over the course of 43 days, pilgrims will travel through 18 dioceses and archdioceses, as well as two Eastern Catholic eparchies.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Nine perpetual pilgrims will accompany the Blessed Sacrament, with public events — including Masses, Holy Hours, sacred music concerts, talks and charitable outreach — taking place along the way.

Pilgrimage organizers are inviting the faithful to participate in a spiritual bouquet of 250,000 Holy Hours, with a signup form available on the pilgrimage website, eucharisticpilgrimage.org/one-nation-under-god.

The spiritual bouquet will be presented in the nation’s capital as a sign of “prayers for peace in our world, for unity and peace in our country, and for God’s hand to continue to guide all of those in the United States,” said Shanks.

The 2026 pilgrimage, which continues the 2024 and 2025 journeys undertaken as part of the National Eucharistic Revival, has been placed under the patronage of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the woman religious and Italian immigrant who became the first U.S. citizen to be canonized after a lifetime of work ministering to immigrants.

Along with Mother Cabrini, other holy men and women who will be commemorated throughout the pilgrimage are St. Katharine Drexel, the Philadelphia banking heiress who founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and served Black American and American Indian communities; St. John Neumann, the Bavarian-born Redemptorist who as bishop of Philadelphia established the nation’s parochial school system, as well as the Forty Hours devotion; and the soon-to-be-beatified Georgia Martyrs, six Spanish Franciscans who were slain while missioning to the Indigenous Guale people in the late 16th century.

The stops along the Cabrini Route will highlight sites significant to Catholicism’s contributions to U.S. history, said Shanks.

“Before there was a Constitution, there was a consecration,” he said, pointing to Masses celebrated on the territory of what would later become the U.S.

Historians have cited a number of such liturgies, including Masses reported to have taken place in 1541 in the future states of Kansas and Texas, and the Sept. 8, 1565, liturgy celebrated by Father Francisco López de Mendoza Grajales at the site of present-day St. Augustine, Florida.

In 1664, the London-born Jesuit Father Andrew White celebrated Mass in the Maryland colony.

“We’re excited to unite our country in memory of its history and to sort of explore the Catholic contribution to this American experiment,” Shanks said.

Among the pilgrimage events honoring the nation’s development will be a Eucharistic procession through historical Williamsburg, Virginia; a blessing from Arlington Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River in Washington, with a procession past national landmarks in the capital; Eucharistic adoration in Pilgrim Memorial State Park in Plymouth, Massachusetts; and a crossing of the Delaware River into New Jersey — a nod to George Washington, who led 2,500 Continental Army troops across the body of water on Christmas night in 1776, surprising enemy Hessian troops, mercenaries of the British empire, and securing major U.S. victories in the Revolutionary War.

The pilgrimage concludes with Mass and a Eucharistic procession over the July 4 holiday weekend in Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and which served as the nation’s capital from 1790 to 1800, when the new city of Washington became the nation’s seat of government.

Pilgrim Zachary Dotson said at the press conference that “the real beauty” of the theme “One Nation Under God” lies in “the great humility that it takes to truly believe that and follow that.”

“There’s nothing more healing than God’s divine mercy and love, which is open and available to all people,” he said.

Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.

– (OSV News) — The upcoming National Eucharistic Pilgrimage — which takes place as the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026 — marks a moment for “a country still in conversion,” and “a country still on pilgrimage,” said Jason Shanks, president of the National Eucharistic Congress organization. Shanks joined pilgrimage organizers, along with several of its nine perpetual pilgrims, for an online March 25 press conference announcing further details of the event, which takes place May 24 through July 5. With a theme of “One Nation Under God,” the route will run from Florida to Maine, spanning more than 2,200

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Life must be defended in a world wounded by warfare, pope says #Catholic - VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The sanctity of life, from conception to its natural end, must be defended, especially now, in a world marked by “the madness of war,” Pope Leo XIV said. When greeting Polish-speaking visitors during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square March 25, Pope Leo highlighted Poland’s pro-life celebration during his greetings, saying initiatives such as their “Spiritual Adoption of a Conceived Child” were truly needed. “In a time marked by the madness of war, it is important to defend life from conception to its natural end,” he said. Poland celebrates the Day of the Sanctity of Life every March 25, the feast of the Annunciation, which falls nine months before the Lord’s birth Christmas Day and celebrates Jesus’ incarnation in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Similar prayer initiatives exist around the world, including in the United States. The late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, who is set to be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, also inspired a spiritual adoption program, in which participants pledge to pray daily for nine months for an unborn child whose mother is considering abortion. Sometimes “spiritual parents” are encouraged to name the unborn child and to pray for him or her daily, and, at the end of nine months, hold a baby shower to collect supplies and money to donate to local pregnancy centers. Marking the feast of the Annunciation, Pope Leo invited Catholics to follow the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary more closely and to “always be ready to do God’s will.” “As we continue our Lenten journey, let us ask the Lord to grant us the grace to imitate Our Blessed Mother in her total ‘yes’ to the Lord, and so open our hearts to his will for our lives,” he told English-speaking pilgrims and visitors. In his main catechesis, the pope continued his series of reflections on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, specifically, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “Lumen Gentium.” Pope Leo explained that the hierarchical structure of the Church is not a “human construct” for fulfilling some kind of organizational function, but is “a divine institution whose purpose is to perpetuate the mission given by Christ to the apostles until the end of time.” The Catholic Church, he said, is “founded on the apostles, whom Christ appointed as the living pillars of his mystical body, and possesses a hierarchical structure that works in the service of the unity, mission and sanctification of all her members.” Since the apostles are called to faithfully preserve Christ’s “salvific teaching, they hand on their ministry to men who, until Christ’s return, continue to sanctify, guide and instruct the Church ‘through their successors in pastoral office,'” he said. While all the faithful make up “the one priesthood of Christ,” he said, those ordained ministers who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, that is, bishops, priests and deacons, do have a unique ministry. Endowed with “sacred power” for service in the Church, the bishops, “first and foremost, and through them the priests and deacons, have received tasks (‘munera’ in Latin), which lead them to the service of ‘all those who belong to the People of God,’so that, ‘working toward a common goal freely and in an orderly way, [they] may arrive at salvation,'” the pope said, citing the council document. This apostolic mission is “collegial and communal,” reflecting the Lord’s desire for “shepherds of His people” who serve with love, he said. That is why St. Paul VI presented the hierarchy as being “born of the charity of Christ, to fulfil, spread and ensure the intact and fruitful transmission of the wealth of faith, examples, precepts and charisms bequeathed by Christ to His Church.” “Dear sisters and dear brothers, let us pray to the Lord that He may send to His Church ministers who are ardent with evangelical charity, dedicated to the good of all the baptized, and courageous missionaries in every part of the world,” Pope Leo said.  
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Life must be defended in a world wounded by warfare, pope says #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The sanctity of life, from conception to its natural end, must be defended, especially now, in a world marked by “the madness of war,” Pope Leo XIV said. When greeting Polish-speaking visitors during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square March 25, Pope Leo highlighted Poland’s pro-life celebration during his greetings, saying initiatives such as their “Spiritual Adoption of a Conceived Child” were truly needed. “In a time marked by the madness of war, it is important to defend life from conception to its natural end,” he said. Poland celebrates the Day of the Sanctity of Life every March 25, the feast of the Annunciation, which falls nine months before the Lord’s birth Christmas Day and celebrates Jesus’ incarnation in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Similar prayer initiatives exist around the world, including in the United States. The late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, who is set to be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, also inspired a spiritual adoption program, in which participants pledge to pray daily for nine months for an unborn child whose mother is considering abortion. Sometimes “spiritual parents” are encouraged to name the unborn child and to pray for him or her daily, and, at the end of nine months, hold a baby shower to collect supplies and money to donate to local pregnancy centers. Marking the feast of the Annunciation, Pope Leo invited Catholics to follow the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary more closely and to “always be ready to do God’s will.” “As we continue our Lenten journey, let us ask the Lord to grant us the grace to imitate Our Blessed Mother in her total ‘yes’ to the Lord, and so open our hearts to his will for our lives,” he told English-speaking pilgrims and visitors. In his main catechesis, the pope continued his series of reflections on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, specifically, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “Lumen Gentium.” Pope Leo explained that the hierarchical structure of the Church is not a “human construct” for fulfilling some kind of organizational function, but is “a divine institution whose purpose is to perpetuate the mission given by Christ to the apostles until the end of time.” The Catholic Church, he said, is “founded on the apostles, whom Christ appointed as the living pillars of his mystical body, and possesses a hierarchical structure that works in the service of the unity, mission and sanctification of all her members.” Since the apostles are called to faithfully preserve Christ’s “salvific teaching, they hand on their ministry to men who, until Christ’s return, continue to sanctify, guide and instruct the Church ‘through their successors in pastoral office,’” he said. While all the faithful make up “the one priesthood of Christ,” he said, those ordained ministers who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, that is, bishops, priests and deacons, do have a unique ministry. Endowed with “sacred power” for service in the Church, the bishops, “first and foremost, and through them the priests and deacons, have received tasks (‘munera’ in Latin), which lead them to the service of ‘all those who belong to the People of God,’so that, ‘working toward a common goal freely and in an orderly way, [they] may arrive at salvation,’” the pope said, citing the council document. This apostolic mission is “collegial and communal,” reflecting the Lord’s desire for “shepherds of His people” who serve with love, he said. That is why St. Paul VI presented the hierarchy as being “born of the charity of Christ, to fulfil, spread and ensure the intact and fruitful transmission of the wealth of faith, examples, precepts and charisms bequeathed by Christ to His Church.” “Dear sisters and dear brothers, let us pray to the Lord that He may send to His Church ministers who are ardent with evangelical charity, dedicated to the good of all the baptized, and courageous missionaries in every part of the world,” Pope Leo said.  

unitedyam

Life must be defended in a world wounded by warfare, pope says #Catholic –

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The sanctity of life, from conception to its natural end, must be defended, especially now, in a world marked by “the madness of war,” Pope Leo XIV said.

When greeting Polish-speaking visitors during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square March 25, Pope Leo highlighted Poland’s pro-life celebration during his greetings, saying initiatives such as their “Spiritual Adoption of a Conceived Child” were truly needed.

“In a time marked by the madness of war, it is important to defend life from conception to its natural end,” he said.

Poland celebrates the Day of the Sanctity of Life every March 25, the feast of the Annunciation, which falls nine months before the Lord’s birth Christmas Day and celebrates Jesus’ incarnation in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Similar prayer initiatives exist around the world, including in the United States. The late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, who is set to be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, also inspired a spiritual adoption program, in which participants pledge to pray daily for nine months for an unborn child whose mother is considering abortion.

Sometimes “spiritual parents” are encouraged to name the unborn child and to pray for him or her daily, and, at the end of nine months, hold a baby shower to collect supplies and money to donate to local pregnancy centers.

Marking the feast of the Annunciation, Pope Leo invited Catholics to follow the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary more closely and to “always be ready to do God’s will.”

“As we continue our Lenten journey, let us ask the Lord to grant us the grace to imitate Our Blessed Mother in her total ‘yes’ to the Lord, and so open our hearts to his will for our lives,” he told English-speaking pilgrims and visitors.

In his main catechesis, the pope continued his series of reflections on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, specifically, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “Lumen Gentium.”

Pope Leo explained that the hierarchical structure of the Church is not a “human construct” for fulfilling some kind of organizational function, but is “a divine institution whose purpose is to perpetuate the mission given by Christ to the apostles until the end of time.”

The Catholic Church, he said, is “founded on the apostles, whom Christ appointed as the living pillars of his mystical body, and possesses a hierarchical structure that works in the service of the unity, mission and sanctification of all her members.”

Since the apostles are called to faithfully preserve Christ’s “salvific teaching, they hand on their ministry to men who, until Christ’s return, continue to sanctify, guide and instruct the Church ‘through their successors in pastoral office,’” he said.

While all the faithful make up “the one priesthood of Christ,” he said, those ordained ministers who have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders, that is, bishops, priests and deacons, do have a unique ministry.

Endowed with “sacred power” for service in the Church, the bishops, “first and foremost, and through them the priests and deacons, have received tasks (‘munera’ in Latin), which lead them to the service of ‘all those who belong to the People of God,’so that, ‘working toward a common goal freely and in an orderly way, [they] may arrive at salvation,’” the pope said, citing the council document.

This apostolic mission is “collegial and communal,” reflecting the Lord’s desire for “shepherds of His people” who serve with love, he said. That is why St. Paul VI presented the hierarchy as being “born of the charity of Christ, to fulfil, spread and ensure the intact and fruitful transmission of the wealth of faith, examples, precepts and charisms bequeathed by Christ to His Church.”

“Dear sisters and dear brothers, let us pray to the Lord that He may send to His Church ministers who are ardent with evangelical charity, dedicated to the good of all the baptized, and courageous missionaries in every part of the world,” Pope Leo said.

 

– VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The sanctity of life, from conception to its natural end, must be defended, especially now, in a world marked by “the madness of war,” Pope Leo XIV said. When greeting Polish-speaking visitors during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square March 25, Pope Leo highlighted Poland’s pro-life celebration during his greetings, saying initiatives such as their “Spiritual Adoption of a Conceived Child” were truly needed. “In a time marked by the madness of war, it is important to defend life from conception to its natural end,” he said. Poland celebrates the Day of the Sanctity of

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 26 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Genesis 17:3-9 When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him: “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”From the Gospel according to John 8:51-59 Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.The Gospel (…) proposes for our meditation the last part of chapter eight of John, which contains as we heard a long discussion on the identity of Jesus. A little earlier he had presented himself as "the light of the world" (v. 12), using at least three times (vv. 24, 28, 58) the expression "I AM", that forcefully recalls God’s name as it was revealed to Moses (cf. Ex 3: 14). And he added: "If any one keeps my word, he will never see death" (Jn 8: 51), thus declaring that he had been sent by God, who is his Father, to bring men and women the radical freedom from sin and death that is indispensable for entering eternal life. However, his words wounded the pride of those with whom he was conversing and even the reference to the great Patriarch Abraham became a source of conflict. "Truly, truly, I say to you", the Lord said, "before Abraham was, I Am" (Jn 8: 58). Without mincing his words, he declared his pre-existence, hence his superiority as regards Abraham, provoking understandably a shocked reaction in the Jews. But Jesus cannot be silent about his identity; he knows that in the end the Father himself will account for him, glorifying him through his death and Resurrection because, precisely when he is raised on the Cross, he will be revealed as the Only-Begotten Son of God (cf. Jn 8: 28; Mk 15: 39). (Benedict XVI – Homily in the Holy Mass on the fourth anniversary of the death of John Paul II,  2 April 2009)   

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Genesis
17:3-9

When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
“My covenant with you is this:
you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram;
your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
I will render you exceedingly fertile;
I will make nations of you;
kings shall stem from you.
I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you
and to your descendants after you
the land in which you are now staying,
the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;
and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham:
“On your part, you and your descendants after you
must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

From the Gospel according to John
8:51-59

Jesus said to the Jews:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
So the Jews said to him,
“Now we are sure that you are possessed.
Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
Or the prophets, who died?
Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
You do not know him, but I know him.
And if I should say that I do not know him,
I would be like you a liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him,
“You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM.”
So they picked up stones to throw at him;
but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

The Gospel (…) proposes for our meditation the last part of chapter eight of John, which contains as we heard a long discussion on the identity of Jesus. A little earlier he had presented himself as "the light of the world" (v. 12), using at least three times (vv. 24, 28, 58) the expression "I AM", that forcefully recalls God’s name as it was revealed to Moses (cf. Ex 3: 14). And he added: "If any one keeps my word, he will never see death" (Jn 8: 51), thus declaring that he had been sent by God, who is his Father, to bring men and women the radical freedom from sin and death that is indispensable for entering eternal life. However, his words wounded the pride of those with whom he was conversing and even the reference to the great Patriarch Abraham became a source of conflict. "Truly, truly, I say to you", the Lord said, "before Abraham was, I Am" (Jn 8: 58). Without mincing his words, he declared his pre-existence, hence his superiority as regards Abraham, provoking understandably a shocked reaction in the Jews. But Jesus cannot be silent about his identity; he knows that in the end the Father himself will account for him, glorifying him through his death and Resurrection because, precisely when he is raised on the Cross, he will be revealed as the Only-Begotten Son of God (cf. Jn 8: 28; Mk 15: 39). (Benedict XVI – Homily in the Holy Mass on the fourth anniversary of the death of John Paul II,  2 April 2009) 

 

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U.S. bishops hold ecumenical meeting with evangelicals for joint migration initiative #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) took part in an ecumenical meeting with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) to engage in dialogue and collaborate on pastoral solutions to heightened immigration enforcement.The meeting was held on March 24 to launch the Evangelical-Catholic Dialogue on Immigration (ECDI) — a joint initiative focused on the subject.It builds on previous collaborations, particularly a report on how President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans could affect Christian families. According to a USCCB news release, Catholic and evangelical leaders continue to grapple with pastoral challenges related to the policy, such as an increase in fear and anxiety among members.“I view the ECDI as a means of growing in Christian unity with our evangelical brothers and sisters, while also furthering our shared goal of bringing the message of the Gospel to bear on one of the most pressing issues of our time,” Bishop Brendan Cahill, chair of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, said in a statement.Cahill co-chairs the ECDI with the Rev. Walter Kim, president of the NAE. It also includes five other Catholic and five other evangelical members and organizational observers.“Whatever theological differences exist between us, Catholics and evangelicals across our country are navigating many of the same complex realities — political and social — and the issue of immigration is an important example,” Cahill said. “Together, we place our hope in Jesus Christ, and we seek to live out his teaching in relation to this challenging topic.”Cahill cited Pope Leo XIV’s emphasis on dialogue being necessary for “peace, understanding, and fraternity, especially between different faith traditions.” He expressed gratitude for Kim’s leadership and “willingness to collaborate in this way and for the commitment of all those participating.”In November, the USCCB voted 216-5 to oppose “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.” The bishops have expressed concerns that the Department of Homeland Security rescinded guidelines that had previously limited immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations,” including churches.
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U.S. bishops hold ecumenical meeting with evangelicals for joint migration initiative #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) took part in an ecumenical meeting with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) to engage in dialogue and collaborate on pastoral solutions to heightened immigration enforcement.The meeting was held on March 24 to launch the Evangelical-Catholic Dialogue on Immigration (ECDI) — a joint initiative focused on the subject.It builds on previous collaborations, particularly a report on how President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans could affect Christian families. According to a USCCB news release, Catholic and evangelical leaders continue to grapple with pastoral challenges related to the policy, such as an increase in fear and anxiety among members.“I view the ECDI as a means of growing in Christian unity with our evangelical brothers and sisters, while also furthering our shared goal of bringing the message of the Gospel to bear on one of the most pressing issues of our time,” Bishop Brendan Cahill, chair of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, said in a statement.Cahill co-chairs the ECDI with the Rev. Walter Kim, president of the NAE. It also includes five other Catholic and five other evangelical members and organizational observers.“Whatever theological differences exist between us, Catholics and evangelicals across our country are navigating many of the same complex realities — political and social — and the issue of immigration is an important example,” Cahill said. “Together, we place our hope in Jesus Christ, and we seek to live out his teaching in relation to this challenging topic.”Cahill cited Pope Leo XIV’s emphasis on dialogue being necessary for “peace, understanding, and fraternity, especially between different faith traditions.” He expressed gratitude for Kim’s leadership and “willingness to collaborate in this way and for the commitment of all those participating.”In November, the USCCB voted 216-5 to oppose “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.” The bishops have expressed concerns that the Department of Homeland Security rescinded guidelines that had previously limited immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations,” including churches.

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Bishop Brendan Cahill noted the importance of ecumenical approaches to “one of the most pressing issues of our time.”

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Catholic bishops in Africa release final report addressing pastoral challenge of polygamy #Catholic NAIROBI, Kenya — Catholic bishops in Africa have released a final report addressing the pastoral challenge of polygamy across Africa. The 25-page document responds directly to the mandate that the multiyear XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the Synod on Synodality, gave to members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) “to promote theological and pastoral discernment on the issue of polygamy.”Compiled by a SECAM commission made up of selected theologians and professionals from relevant ecclesiastical disciplines, the report presents a structured reflection on the phenomenon through what it describes as a process of “quadruple listening”: attentive engagement with African cultural realities, sacred Scripture, Church teaching on Christian marriage, and pastoral practices already operative within ecclesial communities across the continent.Polygamy within the context of the African familyThe report begins by situating polygamy within the broader cultural and religious context of the African family. According to the SECAM commission: “The African family is built on the covenant: an alliance between human groups, an alliance with ancestors, and an alliance with God.”Within this worldview, the birth of children is central. The commission members explained that “at the heart of this family, the child represents an inestimable treasure, a divine blessing. He perpetuates the name of the lineage while helping to consolidate the present life.”It is within this framework that members of the SECAM commission situated polygamy, defined as “a marital regime in which an individual is linked at the same time to several spouses.” They clarified that although the term technically includes both polyandry and polygyny, the latter — a man married to multiple women — remains by far the most common form in Africa.Historically, the practice emerged from specific social needs. In early agrarian and nomadic societies, large families provided economic stability and security, they noted, recalling: “Polygamous marriages were practiced not only for the sake of large families, but also for reasons of solidarity, alliances, and political objectives.”Marriage in traditional African societies also carried communal and spiritual dimensions that made divorce rare, they further noted, recalling that marriage ceremonies involved not only the spouses but entire families and even calling upon ancestors, reflecting a deeply communal understanding of family life. SECAM president Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo (left) and secretary-general Father Rafael Simbine Junior (right). | Credit: ACI Africa Biblical discernmentTurning to Scripture, the SECAM commission members noted that the Bible itself reflects diverse marital practices. In the Old Testament world, “forms of marriage varied, from polygamy to monogamy,” and several biblical figures lived in polygamous unions.Nevertheless, the commission members stressed in the report that monogamy gradually emerged as the biblical ideal. They pointed to the Book of Tobit as a text that strongly “exalts monogamy,” describing families that are “strictly monogamous” and characterized by fidelity and religious devotion.The commission members interpreted this development as part of what they call a “divine pedagogy.” According to their report, God allowed polygamy historically but ultimately revealed the ideal of monogamous marriage through Christ.“In his Son, he shows that polygamy is not the ideal couple desired by God,” they said, emphasizing Jesus’ teaching that marriage is a union between “one man and one woman.”This biblical reflection also addressed one of the most common cultural motivations for polygamy — infertility. The commission insisted that biological impediments to fertility do not justify polygamy.They explained that biblical tradition broadens the understanding of motherhood and fatherhood beyond biological reproduction. True fruitfulness, the commission members wrote, can consist in fidelity to God and virtuous life rather than biological offspring alone.Ethical questions raised by polygamyThe report on the pastoral challenges of polygamy raised ethical questions about whether the core meaning of Christian marriage can be reconciled with polygamous unions. The commission highlighted the Christian understanding of marriage as a total mutual gift between two persons.“If marriage translates into ‘the gift of oneself to another,’ one might wonder how a man or woman can experience this ‘gift of self’ by giving themselves to several wives or husbands at the same time,” they observed.Commission members also raised questions about emotional and psychological dimensions, asking whether shared marital relationships risk undermining authentic communion between spouses.The Christian understanding of marriage, they noted, is further illuminated by the apostle Paul’s comparison of marriage with the relationship between Christ and the Church — a singular and exclusive covenant of love.Pastoral challenges: Baptism and sacramental lifeThe commission acknowledged that polygamy has long posed pastoral challenges for the Church in Africa, especially when individuals living in polygamous unions seek baptism or integration into Catholic communities.Historically, missionaries often approached the issue by requiring monogamy as a condition for baptism, they recalled, adding that “monogamous marriage was therefore a requirement for being or becoming a Christian.”Today, however, pastoral practice has evolved in many African dioceses, they said, identifying several pastoral approaches currently used within local churches.One approach requires a man seeking full sacramental participation to choose one spouse while continuing to provide for the other women and their children.Another response is the “permanent catechumenate,” in which a polygamous individual participates in catechetical formation and community life without receiving baptism or the other sacraments due to the continuing marital situation.A third practice involves baptizing the first wife when she has been placed in a polygamous relationship without her consent. In such cases, she may be fully integrated into the Christian community while remaining within her family environment.Position on baptism for polygamistsOne of the clearest conclusions of the SECAM commission concerned the sacrament of baptism. The commission argued that baptizing someone who intends to remain in a polygamous union risks undermining the theological meaning of baptism itself.“Baptizing a polygamist who will continue to remain so would give every appearance of legitimizing this irregularity and could distort or even devalue baptism of its substance,” they stated.For this reason, the commission recommended that baptism should normally follow a clear commitment to monogamous marriage.According to their report, polygamous catechumens should undergo thorough preparation and be ready to “accept the Gospel message, adhere to the Christian ideal, and commit to monogamous marriage before receiving baptism.”Implications for Catholics living in polygamous familiesAt the pastoral level, the members of the commission stressed accompaniment rather than exclusion. The Church, the report says, must practice “a pastoral approach of proximity, listening, and accompaniment.”This approach acknowledges that many polygamous families cannot easily dissolve existing marital bonds. In such cases, pastoral accompaniment may maintain the family structure while gradually introducing the Christian vision of marriage.The commission noted that some members of polygamous families — particularly the first wife and children — may meet the conditions for full sacramental participation, while others may live their faith “in a penitent manner and in the hope of full integration into the community of Jesus’ disciples.”Ultimately, the commission members framed the issue as part of a broader process of inculturation. The challenge for the Church in Africa, they concluded, is to present the Gospel within cultural realities while remaining faithful to the Christian understanding of marriage.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
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Catholic bishops in Africa release final report addressing pastoral challenge of polygamy #Catholic NAIROBI, Kenya — Catholic bishops in Africa have released a final report addressing the pastoral challenge of polygamy across Africa. The 25-page document responds directly to the mandate that the multiyear XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the Synod on Synodality, gave to members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) “to promote theological and pastoral discernment on the issue of polygamy.”Compiled by a SECAM commission made up of selected theologians and professionals from relevant ecclesiastical disciplines, the report presents a structured reflection on the phenomenon through what it describes as a process of “quadruple listening”: attentive engagement with African cultural realities, sacred Scripture, Church teaching on Christian marriage, and pastoral practices already operative within ecclesial communities across the continent.Polygamy within the context of the African familyThe report begins by situating polygamy within the broader cultural and religious context of the African family. According to the SECAM commission: “The African family is built on the covenant: an alliance between human groups, an alliance with ancestors, and an alliance with God.”Within this worldview, the birth of children is central. The commission members explained that “at the heart of this family, the child represents an inestimable treasure, a divine blessing. He perpetuates the name of the lineage while helping to consolidate the present life.”It is within this framework that members of the SECAM commission situated polygamy, defined as “a marital regime in which an individual is linked at the same time to several spouses.” They clarified that although the term technically includes both polyandry and polygyny, the latter — a man married to multiple women — remains by far the most common form in Africa.Historically, the practice emerged from specific social needs. In early agrarian and nomadic societies, large families provided economic stability and security, they noted, recalling: “Polygamous marriages were practiced not only for the sake of large families, but also for reasons of solidarity, alliances, and political objectives.”Marriage in traditional African societies also carried communal and spiritual dimensions that made divorce rare, they further noted, recalling that marriage ceremonies involved not only the spouses but entire families and even calling upon ancestors, reflecting a deeply communal understanding of family life. SECAM president Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo (left) and secretary-general Father Rafael Simbine Junior (right). | Credit: ACI Africa Biblical discernmentTurning to Scripture, the SECAM commission members noted that the Bible itself reflects diverse marital practices. In the Old Testament world, “forms of marriage varied, from polygamy to monogamy,” and several biblical figures lived in polygamous unions.Nevertheless, the commission members stressed in the report that monogamy gradually emerged as the biblical ideal. They pointed to the Book of Tobit as a text that strongly “exalts monogamy,” describing families that are “strictly monogamous” and characterized by fidelity and religious devotion.The commission members interpreted this development as part of what they call a “divine pedagogy.” According to their report, God allowed polygamy historically but ultimately revealed the ideal of monogamous marriage through Christ.“In his Son, he shows that polygamy is not the ideal couple desired by God,” they said, emphasizing Jesus’ teaching that marriage is a union between “one man and one woman.”This biblical reflection also addressed one of the most common cultural motivations for polygamy — infertility. The commission insisted that biological impediments to fertility do not justify polygamy.They explained that biblical tradition broadens the understanding of motherhood and fatherhood beyond biological reproduction. True fruitfulness, the commission members wrote, can consist in fidelity to God and virtuous life rather than biological offspring alone.Ethical questions raised by polygamyThe report on the pastoral challenges of polygamy raised ethical questions about whether the core meaning of Christian marriage can be reconciled with polygamous unions. The commission highlighted the Christian understanding of marriage as a total mutual gift between two persons.“If marriage translates into ‘the gift of oneself to another,’ one might wonder how a man or woman can experience this ‘gift of self’ by giving themselves to several wives or husbands at the same time,” they observed.Commission members also raised questions about emotional and psychological dimensions, asking whether shared marital relationships risk undermining authentic communion between spouses.The Christian understanding of marriage, they noted, is further illuminated by the apostle Paul’s comparison of marriage with the relationship between Christ and the Church — a singular and exclusive covenant of love.Pastoral challenges: Baptism and sacramental lifeThe commission acknowledged that polygamy has long posed pastoral challenges for the Church in Africa, especially when individuals living in polygamous unions seek baptism or integration into Catholic communities.Historically, missionaries often approached the issue by requiring monogamy as a condition for baptism, they recalled, adding that “monogamous marriage was therefore a requirement for being or becoming a Christian.”Today, however, pastoral practice has evolved in many African dioceses, they said, identifying several pastoral approaches currently used within local churches.One approach requires a man seeking full sacramental participation to choose one spouse while continuing to provide for the other women and their children.Another response is the “permanent catechumenate,” in which a polygamous individual participates in catechetical formation and community life without receiving baptism or the other sacraments due to the continuing marital situation.A third practice involves baptizing the first wife when she has been placed in a polygamous relationship without her consent. In such cases, she may be fully integrated into the Christian community while remaining within her family environment.Position on baptism for polygamistsOne of the clearest conclusions of the SECAM commission concerned the sacrament of baptism. The commission argued that baptizing someone who intends to remain in a polygamous union risks undermining the theological meaning of baptism itself.“Baptizing a polygamist who will continue to remain so would give every appearance of legitimizing this irregularity and could distort or even devalue baptism of its substance,” they stated.For this reason, the commission recommended that baptism should normally follow a clear commitment to monogamous marriage.According to their report, polygamous catechumens should undergo thorough preparation and be ready to “accept the Gospel message, adhere to the Christian ideal, and commit to monogamous marriage before receiving baptism.”Implications for Catholics living in polygamous familiesAt the pastoral level, the members of the commission stressed accompaniment rather than exclusion. The Church, the report says, must practice “a pastoral approach of proximity, listening, and accompaniment.”This approach acknowledges that many polygamous families cannot easily dissolve existing marital bonds. In such cases, pastoral accompaniment may maintain the family structure while gradually introducing the Christian vision of marriage.The commission noted that some members of polygamous families — particularly the first wife and children — may meet the conditions for full sacramental participation, while others may live their faith “in a penitent manner and in the hope of full integration into the community of Jesus’ disciples.”Ultimately, the commission members framed the issue as part of a broader process of inculturation. The challenge for the Church in Africa, they concluded, is to present the Gospel within cultural realities while remaining faithful to the Christian understanding of marriage.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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SECAM has issued a 25-page final report addressing the pastoral challenge of polygamy across Africa, a direct response to a mandate given at the Synod on Synodality.

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Alaskan Chrism Masses: bishops and priests unite with joy #Catholic – In most parts of the world, Catholic dioceses celebrate the Chrism Mass during Holy Week as they prepare for the Sacred Triduum. However, in Alaska, this annual liturgy typically follows a different schedule. The Church in this vast state, covering 665,384 square miles, usually holds Chrism Masses a few weeks before Holy Week. That’s to enable the many missionary priests, who travel long distances to serve their remote faith communities, to receive the sacred oils, which are consecrated during the Mass, or to have them mailed to their parishes by around Eastertime. The packages contain the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Catechumens, and the Oil of Chrism, which priests use throughout the year. Father Kamil Kiszka, moderator of St. Joseph Parish in Kotlik and Holy Family in Mertarvik, serves remote southwestern Alaska villages with populations ranging from 200 to 750. He is also a priest of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. This year, Father Kiszka had a satisfying spiritual moment during a noteworthy Chrism Mass on March 12, following the recent Alaska Priestly Convocation. Every year, priests ministering in Alaska gather for three days of priestly fraternity and spiritual development at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Anchorage, in the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau. At the end of their convocation, priests from Anchorage-Juneau celebrate the Chrism Mass with Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, while priests from the Diocese of Fairbanks travel to Fairbanks to celebrate the Mass with Bishop Steven Maekawa, O.P. “It was wonderful to be in the presence of the two bishops and my brother priests for the time of convocation. I was even happier to celebrate the Chrism Mass in Fairbanks with the diocesan priests. During the Mass, we receive the sacred oils from the bishop, which unite us priests with the bishop in our ministry. It’s great to have a sense of spiritual support and unity,” said Father Kiszka. “The oils are a sign of the grace of God, which I pass on to the people as a priest to strengthen them spiritually.” Father Kiszka attended an “Oil Mass” last year in Bethel, which he said was unique but lacked the spiritual and fraternal elements of the Chrism Mass, where the bishop consecrates the holy oils and priests renew their promises. After the Chrism Mass in Fairbanks, large bottles of the sacred oils were taken by one of the priests to another city, Bethel. There, the oils were redistributed at a local church into many smaller bottles, which were sent to some remote parishes. Father Kiszka was able to pick up the set of oils for his parish in Kotlik, located on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta near the coast. However, the set for his parish in Mertarvik has to wait for his next trip to visit the village. Unpredictable winter flights make airmail deliveries of the oils difficult. Oils are mailed to parishes without resident priests. In some cases, one priest serves multiple parishes, so oils are mailed ahead when he cannot visit all of them before Easter. The considerable logistics of distributing and mailing the holy oils only hint at the difficulties faced by mission priests living and ministering in Alaska’s “bush” country. Father Kiszka started his full-time missionary work in Alaska in 2024 and is expected to return to Paterson this July. The Polish-born priest travels by snowmobile, boat, and four-wheel vehicle. Sometimes he faces sub-zero temperatures. He often lacks access to running water, showers, restrooms, phone service, the Internet, transportation, or food supplies. To reach Mertarvik, Father Kiszka takes three planes. He sleeps on the floor in the local school to celebrate Mass for parishioners the next day. He enjoys hearing confessions in Yugtun, the native language of the Yupik Indigenous peoples. He also enjoys singing the “Our Father” in Yugtun during Mass. This winter has been the toughest in Alaska since the 1990s. Illustrating the difficulties, pipes broke in his church in Kotlik, and the city of North Pole, near Fairbanks, experienced extreme temperatures of -66 degrees below zero, according to Father Kiszka. “Missionary priests like me are getting a sense that there is a wider Church in the world. It’s challenging, but with God’s grace, I see that I’m doing something here in Alaska that will continue: the building up of the Church,” Father Kiszka said. “I’m bringing God with me to the native people I have been serving. I want to help make their faith more alive than I have in myself and my priesthood.”  
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Alaskan Chrism Masses: bishops and priests unite with joy #Catholic – In most parts of the world, Catholic dioceses celebrate the Chrism Mass during Holy Week as they prepare for the Sacred Triduum. However, in Alaska, this annual liturgy typically follows a different schedule. The Church in this vast state, covering 665,384 square miles, usually holds Chrism Masses a few weeks before Holy Week. That’s to enable the many missionary priests, who travel long distances to serve their remote faith communities, to receive the sacred oils, which are consecrated during the Mass, or to have them mailed to their parishes by around Eastertime. The packages contain the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Catechumens, and the Oil of Chrism, which priests use throughout the year. Father Kamil Kiszka, moderator of St. Joseph Parish in Kotlik and Holy Family in Mertarvik, serves remote southwestern Alaska villages with populations ranging from 200 to 750. He is also a priest of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. This year, Father Kiszka had a satisfying spiritual moment during a noteworthy Chrism Mass on March 12, following the recent Alaska Priestly Convocation. Every year, priests ministering in Alaska gather for three days of priestly fraternity and spiritual development at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Anchorage, in the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau. At the end of their convocation, priests from Anchorage-Juneau celebrate the Chrism Mass with Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, while priests from the Diocese of Fairbanks travel to Fairbanks to celebrate the Mass with Bishop Steven Maekawa, O.P. “It was wonderful to be in the presence of the two bishops and my brother priests for the time of convocation. I was even happier to celebrate the Chrism Mass in Fairbanks with the diocesan priests. During the Mass, we receive the sacred oils from the bishop, which unite us priests with the bishop in our ministry. It’s great to have a sense of spiritual support and unity,” said Father Kiszka. “The oils are a sign of the grace of God, which I pass on to the people as a priest to strengthen them spiritually.” Father Kiszka attended an “Oil Mass” last year in Bethel, which he said was unique but lacked the spiritual and fraternal elements of the Chrism Mass, where the bishop consecrates the holy oils and priests renew their promises. After the Chrism Mass in Fairbanks, large bottles of the sacred oils were taken by one of the priests to another city, Bethel. There, the oils were redistributed at a local church into many smaller bottles, which were sent to some remote parishes. Father Kiszka was able to pick up the set of oils for his parish in Kotlik, located on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta near the coast. However, the set for his parish in Mertarvik has to wait for his next trip to visit the village. Unpredictable winter flights make airmail deliveries of the oils difficult. Oils are mailed to parishes without resident priests. In some cases, one priest serves multiple parishes, so oils are mailed ahead when he cannot visit all of them before Easter. The considerable logistics of distributing and mailing the holy oils only hint at the difficulties faced by mission priests living and ministering in Alaska’s “bush” country. Father Kiszka started his full-time missionary work in Alaska in 2024 and is expected to return to Paterson this July. The Polish-born priest travels by snowmobile, boat, and four-wheel vehicle. Sometimes he faces sub-zero temperatures. He often lacks access to running water, showers, restrooms, phone service, the Internet, transportation, or food supplies. To reach Mertarvik, Father Kiszka takes three planes. He sleeps on the floor in the local school to celebrate Mass for parishioners the next day. He enjoys hearing confessions in Yugtun, the native language of the Yupik Indigenous peoples. He also enjoys singing the “Our Father” in Yugtun during Mass. This winter has been the toughest in Alaska since the 1990s. Illustrating the difficulties, pipes broke in his church in Kotlik, and the city of North Pole, near Fairbanks, experienced extreme temperatures of -66 degrees below zero, according to Father Kiszka. “Missionary priests like me are getting a sense that there is a wider Church in the world. It’s challenging, but with God’s grace, I see that I’m doing something here in Alaska that will continue: the building up of the Church,” Father Kiszka said. “I’m bringing God with me to the native people I have been serving. I want to help make their faith more alive than I have in myself and my priesthood.”  

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Alaskan Chrism Masses: bishops and priests unite with joy #Catholic –

In most parts of the world, Catholic dioceses celebrate the Chrism Mass during Holy Week as they prepare for the Sacred Triduum. However, in Alaska, this annual liturgy typically follows a different schedule.

The Church in this vast state, covering 665,384 square miles, usually holds Chrism Masses a few weeks before Holy Week. That’s to enable the many missionary priests, who travel long distances to serve their remote faith communities, to receive the sacred oils, which are consecrated during the Mass, or to have them mailed to their parishes by around Eastertime. The packages contain the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of Catechumens, and the Oil of Chrism, which priests use throughout the year.

Father Kamil Kiszka, moderator of St. Joseph Parish in Kotlik and Holy Family in Mertarvik, serves remote southwestern Alaska villages with populations ranging from 200 to 750. He is also a priest of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

This year, Father Kiszka had a satisfying spiritual moment during a noteworthy Chrism Mass on March 12, following the recent Alaska Priestly Convocation. Every year, priests ministering in Alaska gather for three days of priestly fraternity and spiritual development at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Anchorage, in the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau.

At the end of their convocation, priests from Anchorage-Juneau celebrate the Chrism Mass with Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, while priests from the Diocese of Fairbanks travel to Fairbanks to celebrate the Mass with Bishop Steven Maekawa, O.P.

“It was wonderful to be in the presence of the two bishops and my brother priests for the time of convocation. I was even happier to celebrate the Chrism Mass in Fairbanks with the diocesan priests. During the Mass, we receive the sacred oils from the bishop, which unite us priests with the bishop in our ministry. It’s great to have a sense of spiritual support and unity,” said Father Kiszka. “The oils are a sign of the grace of God, which I pass on to the people as a priest to strengthen them spiritually.”

Father Kiszka attended an “Oil Mass” last year in Bethel, which he said was unique but lacked the spiritual and fraternal elements of the Chrism Mass, where the bishop consecrates the holy oils and priests renew their promises.

After the Chrism Mass in Fairbanks, large bottles of the sacred oils were taken by one of the priests to another city, Bethel. There, the oils were redistributed at a local church into many smaller bottles, which were sent to some remote parishes. Father Kiszka was able to pick up the set of oils for his parish in Kotlik, located on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta near the coast.

However, the set for his parish in Mertarvik has to wait for his next trip to visit the village.
Unpredictable winter flights make airmail deliveries of the oils difficult. Oils are mailed to parishes without resident priests. In some cases, one priest serves multiple parishes, so oils are mailed ahead when he cannot visit all of them before Easter.

The considerable logistics of distributing and mailing the holy oils only hint at the difficulties faced by mission priests living and ministering in Alaska’s “bush” country. Father Kiszka started his full-time missionary work in Alaska in 2024 and is expected to return to Paterson this July.
The Polish-born priest travels by snowmobile, boat, and four-wheel vehicle. Sometimes he faces sub-zero temperatures. He often lacks access to running water, showers, restrooms, phone service, the Internet, transportation, or food supplies.

To reach Mertarvik, Father Kiszka takes three planes. He sleeps on the floor in the local school to celebrate Mass for parishioners the next day. He enjoys hearing confessions in Yugtun, the native language of the Yupik Indigenous peoples. He also enjoys singing the “Our Father” in Yugtun during Mass.

This winter has been the toughest in Alaska since the 1990s. Illustrating the difficulties, pipes broke in his church in Kotlik, and the city of North Pole, near Fairbanks, experienced extreme temperatures of -66 degrees below zero, according to Father Kiszka.

“Missionary priests like me are getting a sense that there is a wider Church in the world. It’s challenging, but with God’s grace, I see that I’m doing something here in Alaska that will continue: the building up of the Church,” Father Kiszka said. “I’m bringing God with me to the native people I have been serving. I want to help make their faith more alive than I have in myself and my priesthood.”

 

– In most parts of the world, Catholic dioceses celebrate the Chrism Mass during Holy Week as they prepare for the Sacred Triduum. However, in Alaska, this annual liturgy typically follows a different schedule. The Church in this vast state, covering 665,384 square miles, usually holds Chrism Masses a few weeks before Holy Week. That’s to enable the many missionary priests, who travel long distances to serve their remote faith communities, to receive the sacred oils, which are consecrated during the Mass, or to have them mailed to their parishes by around Eastertime. The packages contain the Oil of the Sick,

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‘Everything’s possible in Christ’: EPIC group is transforming young lives at St. Anthony of Padua #Catholic – A youth ministry of the Diocese of Paterson gathers more than 40 young adults every week — people who are looking for something more than a meeting: they are looking for a family. Every week, at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, a group of young adults comes together to pray, share their faith, and grow side by side. The EPIC ministry — Everything’s Possible in Christ — has grown from humble beginnings into one of the most vibrant youth spaces in the Diocese of Paterson, drawing young adults from different cities and even from other states. The weekly gatherings combine faith reflection, Bible study, and prayer, but over time they have become something harder to put into words: a place where young people can arrive with their questions, their history, and their search — without fear of being judged. The group also organizes recreational activities — including a recent ski trip — that strengthen the bonds of community beyond the parish setting. A fire he didn’t want to let die For Danquiewiez González, it all began with a spiritual retreat and an experience he simply could not ignore. “I felt the fire of God’s love in my heart,” he recalls. “After the retreat ended, I didn’t want that fire to go out inside me — that’s why I decided to join the EPIC group, to keep learning more about God and strengthen my faith.” Since then, his involvement in the parish has only grown. He now serves as a lector at Mass and speaks about his faith with a clarity he traces directly to that moment of grace. “Now I see life from a different point of view. All of this is born from the fact that God is in my heart, and I want to serve Him with joy.” Jonathan Moran came to the group with a similar desire: to draw closer to his faith again and find accompaniment along the way. What he found was that — and more. “Since I joined the group, I’ve received many helpful resources and met people who are willing to help me in my discernment process,” he shares. Among the experiences that have marked him most is the group’s retreat. To describe what they lived during those days, Jonathan turns to the words of Psalm 133: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. An unexpected return Brenda Marte grew up in the Church. But like so many young people, her college years gradually drew her away from the practice of her faith. It was a personal experience of conversion that awakened in her the desire to come back. One day, she noticed an announcement in the parish bulletin for a young adult retreat. She decided to go. That seemingly small decision marked the beginning of a new chapter. “I have made friendships centered on God. My life has changed for the better,” she says today, with the simplicity of someone speaking from deep conviction rather than fleeting enthusiasm. Her commitment has continued to grow: she now serves as a catechist for the first year of Confirmation and participates in the Shalom missionary community in New York. What she treasures most about the group are the holy hours before the Blessed Sacrament. “There is something very special about being in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament together with all your friends. Knowing that there are so many young people seeking God, and that we have that mutual support — it is something truly beautiful.” Building a family, not just a group Behind EPIC’s growth are people who have invested their time and their hearts in building something that goes beyond a parish program. Kenneth Acevedo, one of the coordinators, describes his experience in EPIC as something deeply meaningful in his life. Reflecting on his involvement in the ministry, he explains that being part of the group was already a very valuable experience, but taking on the role of coordinator has been even more special. In his own words: “Being part of EPIC has been truly rewarding, but being a coordinator has been one of the best experiences of my life.” As he shares, the group has grown in recent years and now brings together young adults from different cities and even from other states. The goal of the ministry, he explains, is to offer a space where young people can feel heard and accompanied on their faith journey. With that purpose in mind, he adds: “We have created a place where young adults can come without feeling judged or alone.” Jessica Alvarez remembers the early days, when only a handful of people would show up to a given meeting. Today, it is not uncommon to see more than 40 young adults gathered on a single evening. For her, that growth cannot be explained by communication strategies or appealing programs — it comes down to something simpler: the human warmth of genuine welcome. “We strive to treat every person like a member of our family.” And to that family, the coordinators extend an open invitation to any young adult looking to deepen their faith, or who simply wants to find out whether there is something here for them. As Jessica puts it: “There is always a place for you in our family.” Visit the parish website or social media to learn more.        
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‘Everything’s possible in Christ’: EPIC group is transforming young lives at St. Anthony of Padua #Catholic – A youth ministry of the Diocese of Paterson gathers more than 40 young adults every week — people who are looking for something more than a meeting: they are looking for a family. Every week, at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, a group of young adults comes together to pray, share their faith, and grow side by side. The EPIC ministry — Everything’s Possible in Christ — has grown from humble beginnings into one of the most vibrant youth spaces in the Diocese of Paterson, drawing young adults from different cities and even from other states. The weekly gatherings combine faith reflection, Bible study, and prayer, but over time they have become something harder to put into words: a place where young people can arrive with their questions, their history, and their search — without fear of being judged. The group also organizes recreational activities — including a recent ski trip — that strengthen the bonds of community beyond the parish setting. A fire he didn’t want to let die For Danquiewiez González, it all began with a spiritual retreat and an experience he simply could not ignore. “I felt the fire of God’s love in my heart,” he recalls. “After the retreat ended, I didn’t want that fire to go out inside me — that’s why I decided to join the EPIC group, to keep learning more about God and strengthen my faith.” Since then, his involvement in the parish has only grown. He now serves as a lector at Mass and speaks about his faith with a clarity he traces directly to that moment of grace. “Now I see life from a different point of view. All of this is born from the fact that God is in my heart, and I want to serve Him with joy.” Jonathan Moran came to the group with a similar desire: to draw closer to his faith again and find accompaniment along the way. What he found was that — and more. “Since I joined the group, I’ve received many helpful resources and met people who are willing to help me in my discernment process,” he shares. Among the experiences that have marked him most is the group’s retreat. To describe what they lived during those days, Jonathan turns to the words of Psalm 133: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. An unexpected return Brenda Marte grew up in the Church. But like so many young people, her college years gradually drew her away from the practice of her faith. It was a personal experience of conversion that awakened in her the desire to come back. One day, she noticed an announcement in the parish bulletin for a young adult retreat. She decided to go. That seemingly small decision marked the beginning of a new chapter. “I have made friendships centered on God. My life has changed for the better,” she says today, with the simplicity of someone speaking from deep conviction rather than fleeting enthusiasm. Her commitment has continued to grow: she now serves as a catechist for the first year of Confirmation and participates in the Shalom missionary community in New York. What she treasures most about the group are the holy hours before the Blessed Sacrament. “There is something very special about being in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament together with all your friends. Knowing that there are so many young people seeking God, and that we have that mutual support — it is something truly beautiful.” Building a family, not just a group Behind EPIC’s growth are people who have invested their time and their hearts in building something that goes beyond a parish program. Kenneth Acevedo, one of the coordinators, describes his experience in EPIC as something deeply meaningful in his life. Reflecting on his involvement in the ministry, he explains that being part of the group was already a very valuable experience, but taking on the role of coordinator has been even more special. In his own words: “Being part of EPIC has been truly rewarding, but being a coordinator has been one of the best experiences of my life.” As he shares, the group has grown in recent years and now brings together young adults from different cities and even from other states. The goal of the ministry, he explains, is to offer a space where young people can feel heard and accompanied on their faith journey. With that purpose in mind, he adds: “We have created a place where young adults can come without feeling judged or alone.” Jessica Alvarez remembers the early days, when only a handful of people would show up to a given meeting. Today, it is not uncommon to see more than 40 young adults gathered on a single evening. For her, that growth cannot be explained by communication strategies or appealing programs — it comes down to something simpler: the human warmth of genuine welcome. “We strive to treat every person like a member of our family.” And to that family, the coordinators extend an open invitation to any young adult looking to deepen their faith, or who simply wants to find out whether there is something here for them. As Jessica puts it: “There is always a place for you in our family.” Visit the parish website or social media to learn more.        

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‘Everything’s possible in Christ’: EPIC group is transforming young lives at St. Anthony of Padua #Catholic –

A youth ministry of the Diocese of Paterson gathers more than 40 young adults every week — people who are looking for something more than a meeting: they are looking for a family.

Every week, at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, a group of young adults comes together to pray, share their faith, and grow side by side. The EPIC ministry — Everything’s Possible in Christ — has grown from humble beginnings into one of the most vibrant youth spaces in the Diocese of Paterson, drawing young adults from different cities and even from other states.

The weekly gatherings combine faith reflection, Bible study, and prayer, but over time they have become something harder to put into words: a place where young people can arrive with their questions, their history, and their search — without fear of being judged. The group also organizes recreational activities — including a recent ski trip — that strengthen the bonds of community beyond the parish setting.

A fire he didn’t want to let die

For Danquiewiez González, it all began with a spiritual retreat and an experience he simply could not ignore.

“I felt the fire of God’s love in my heart,” he recalls. “After the retreat ended, I didn’t want that fire to go out inside me — that’s why I decided to join the EPIC group, to keep learning more about God and strengthen my faith.”

Since then, his involvement in the parish has only grown. He now serves as a lector at Mass and speaks about his faith with a clarity he traces directly to that moment of grace. “Now I see life from a different point of view. All of this is born from the fact that God is in my heart, and I want to serve Him with joy.”

Jonathan Moran came to the group with a similar desire: to draw closer to his faith again and find accompaniment along the way. What he found was that — and more. “Since I joined the group, I’ve received many helpful resources and met people who are willing to help me in my discernment process,” he shares.

Among the experiences that have marked him most is the group’s retreat. To describe what they lived during those days, Jonathan turns to the words of Psalm 133: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

An unexpected return

Brenda Marte grew up in the Church. But like so many young people, her college years gradually drew her away from the practice of her faith. It was a personal experience of conversion that awakened in her the desire to come back.

One day, she noticed an announcement in the parish bulletin for a young adult retreat. She decided to go. That seemingly small decision marked the beginning of a new chapter.

“I have made friendships centered on God. My life has changed for the better,” she says today, with the simplicity of someone speaking from deep conviction rather than fleeting enthusiasm. Her commitment has continued to grow: she now serves as a catechist for the first year of Confirmation and participates in the Shalom missionary community in New York.

What she treasures most about the group are the holy hours before the Blessed Sacrament. “There is something very special about being in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament together with all your friends. Knowing that there are so many young people seeking God, and that we have that mutual support — it is something truly beautiful.”

Building a family, not just a group

Behind EPIC’s growth are people who have invested their time and their hearts in building something that goes beyond a parish program.

Kenneth Acevedo, one of the coordinators, describes his experience in EPIC as something deeply meaningful in his life. Reflecting on his involvement in the ministry, he explains that being part of the group was already a very valuable experience, but taking on the role of coordinator has been even more special. In his own words: “Being part of EPIC has been truly rewarding, but being a coordinator has been one of the best experiences of my life.”

As he shares, the group has grown in recent years and now brings together young adults from different cities and even from other states. The goal of the ministry, he explains, is to offer a space where young people can feel heard and accompanied on their faith journey. With that purpose in mind, he adds: “We have created a place where young adults can come without feeling judged or alone.”

Jessica Alvarez remembers the early days, when only a handful of people would show up to a given meeting. Today, it is not uncommon to see more than 40 young adults gathered on a single evening. For her, that growth cannot be explained by communication strategies or appealing programs — it comes down to something simpler: the human warmth of genuine welcome. “We strive to treat every person like a member of our family.”

And to that family, the coordinators extend an open invitation to any young adult looking to deepen their faith, or who simply wants to find out whether there is something here for them. As Jessica puts it: “There is always a place for you in our family.”

Visit the parish website or social media to learn more.

 

 

 

 

– A youth ministry of the Diocese of Paterson gathers more than 40 young adults every week — people who are looking for something more than a meeting: they are looking for a family. Every week, at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Passaic, a group of young adults comes together to pray, share their faith, and grow side by side. The EPIC ministry — Everything’s Possible in Christ — has grown from humble beginnings into one of the most vibrant youth spaces in the Diocese of Paterson, drawing young adults from different cities and even from other states. The weekly

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 25 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying: Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us!”   A reading from the letter to the Hebrews 10:4-10 Brothers and sisters: It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.From the Gospel according to Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.The Annunciation, recounted at the beginning of St Luke’s Gospel, is a humble, hidden event – no one saw it, no one except Mary knew of it -, but at the same time it was crucial to the history of humanity. When the Virgin said her "yes" to the Angel’s announcement, Jesus was conceived and with him began the new era of history that was to be ratified in Easter as the "new and eternal Covenant". In fact, Mary’s "yes" perfectly mirrors that of Christ himself when he entered the world, as the Letter to the Hebrews says, interpreting Psalm 40[39]: "As is written of me in the book, I have come to do your will, O God" (Heb 10: 7). The Son’s obedience was reflected in that of the Mother and thus, through the encounter of these two "yeses", God was able to take on a human face. This is why the Annunciation is a Christological feast as well, because it celebrates a central mystery of Christ: the Incarnation. "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your Word". Mary’s reply to the Angel is extended in the Church, which is called to make Christ present in history, offering her own availability so that God may continue to visit humanity with his mercy. (Benedict XVI – Angelus, 25 March 2007)

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A reading from the Book of Isaiah
7:10-14; 8:10

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
“I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!”
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us!”

 

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews
10:4-10

Brothers and sisters:
It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats
take away sins.
For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.’”

First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in.”
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this “will,” we have been consecrated
through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

From the Gospel according to Luke
1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

The Annunciation, recounted at the beginning of St Luke’s Gospel, is a humble, hidden event – no one saw it, no one except Mary knew of it -, but at the same time it was crucial to the history of humanity. When the Virgin said her "yes" to the Angel’s announcement, Jesus was conceived and with him began the new era of history that was to be ratified in Easter as the "new and eternal Covenant". In fact, Mary’s "yes" perfectly mirrors that of Christ himself when he entered the world, as the Letter to the Hebrews says, interpreting Psalm 40[39]: "As is written of me in the book, I have come to do your will, O God" (Heb 10: 7). The Son’s obedience was reflected in that of the Mother and thus, through the encounter of these two "yeses", God was able to take on a human face. This is why the Annunciation is a Christological feast as well, because it celebrates a central mystery of Christ: the Incarnation. "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your Word". Mary’s reply to the Angel is extended in the Church, which is called to make Christ present in history, offering her own availability so that God may continue to visit humanity with his mercy. (Benedict XVI – Angelus, 25 March 2007)

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Pakistan Christian prisoners rebuild lives after church bombings #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — Every year during Lent, Sunil Masih remembers his elder brother as churches in Youhanabad — Lahore’s largest squatter settlement for poor Christians — mark the anniversary of the 2015 church bombings.The four Catholic brothers were among more than 150 Christians arrested by police days after twin suicide attacks on St. John’s Catholic Church and Christ Church on March 15, 2015, which killed at least 19 people and injured hundreds. The attacks were claimed by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an offshoot of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.The bombings sparked mob violence that mistakenly killed two Muslim men, who were later identified and detained through raids and video evidence. Sunil Masih stands beside his vegetable cart in front of his family’s former milk shop in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry Masih, now 28, said the trauma of prison changed him forever.“They hurled abuses at us, beat us with strips cut from vehicle tires, and in jail we were given old dried roti [flat bread],” he told EWTN News. “Water from the greasy toilet taps was served for drinking. Family meetings were allowed only after a month. It was a hellhole on earth.”He and his brother Sadaqat Perwaiz — popularly known as Monty — were released after six months in Central Jail Lahore. One brother, however, remained among 42 Christians and one Muslim charged in the lynching case.Devastation beyond prisonThe protracted court proceedings devastated the family’s four-decade-old milk business, saddled them with mounting debts, and forced the sale of their 680-square-foot home.Their worries deepened after two Christian inmates, Inderyas Masih, 36, and Usman Shaukat, 29, died in custody under suspicious circumstances during the trial. Police claimed tuberculosis and a heart attack, respectively, while families and the British Pakistani Christian Association reported bruises and unexplained injuries. Pakistani police stand guard outside St. John’s Catholic Church in Youhanabad, Lahore, on March 15, 2025. Posters of Servant of God Akash Bashir flank the entrance gate on the 10th anniversary of twin suicide bombings that struck the neighborhood. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry In January 2020, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the remaining 39 accused after blood money (Diyat) of 25 million rupees ($89,800) was paid to the victims’ families by Pastor Anwar Fazal, a prominent Christian televangelist.Under the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance 1990, introduced during Gen. Ziaul Haq’s Islamization process, courts calculate compensation based on the financial capacity of the convict and the victim’s heirs, with a minimum value linked to 30,630 grams of silver.Monty died of a heart attack in 2022, leaving behind two children aged 10 and 14. His faded poster still hangs in front of the family’s closed milk shop.“He was a stout man, known for his strong community ties and friendly nature in our neighborhood. Prison left him very lean and weakened by an infection that caused his legs to swell beneath the knees and bleed,” Masih said.Today, Sunil Masih sells vegetables from a wooden cart in front of the same shop, now leased to a real estate dealer. He hopes to marry once his new business stabilizes.‘The gift of a hero’On March 15, police guarded churches in Youhanabad, which houses more than 150,000 Christians, as the community observed the 11th bombing anniversary.At St. John’s, parishioners lit candles and placed flowers beneath a banner honoring Akash Bashir, the 20-year-old security volunteer who died preventing a suicide bomber from entering the church during that Sunday Mass.“Salute and gratitude to the martyrs of Youhanabad,” read the banner near the Marian grotto. In January 2022, the Vatican recognized Bashir as a servant of God, making him the first Pakistani Catholic on the path to canonization. Father Akram Javed (fifth from right), parish priest of St. John’s Catholic Church, lights a memorial candle for Servant of God Akash Bashir at a commemoration in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry Father Akram Javed, parish priest of St. John’s, thanked police for security.“A group of 30 local volunteers carry on Akash’s mission, protecting the church and worshippers. The bombings were a terrible tragedy, but in that darkness, we received the gift of a hero,” he told EWTN News.‘The bombing was a national tragedy’Pentecostal politician Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, who spent five years in prison, sees the anniversary as a moment of reflection for Pakistan’s 3.3 million Christians, many of whom continue to face discrimination, economic hardship, and lingering trauma. A man prays outside a church in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025, during commemorations marking the anniversary of the twin suicide bombings. Banners honoring Akash Bashir are visible in the background. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry “The bombing was a national tragedy from which the authorities learnt nothing. We continue to suffer losses due to terrorism, with sporadic attacks targeting minority communities and security forces,” said the 65-year-old head of the Massiha Millat Party (Christian Nation Party).He alleged prison authorities tried to manipulate him, introducing Muslim prisoners to persuade him to stay passive.“Despite back pain from four displaced vertebrae, my time in prison strengthened my faith and resolve for activism. The trend of arresting Christians for alleged blasphemy to appease angry crowds will continue unless investigations are conducted on merit,” he added. Pakistani bishops demand probe into death of Christian farmworker The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its 2025 annual report, said religious freedom in Pakistan continued to deteriorate, recommending it be designated a “country of particular concern,” citing blasphemy-related prosecutions, mob violence, and forced conversions targeting Christians and other minorities, and a growing climate of fear and impunity.
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Pakistan Christian prisoners rebuild lives after church bombings #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — Every year during Lent, Sunil Masih remembers his elder brother as churches in Youhanabad — Lahore’s largest squatter settlement for poor Christians — mark the anniversary of the 2015 church bombings.The four Catholic brothers were among more than 150 Christians arrested by police days after twin suicide attacks on St. John’s Catholic Church and Christ Church on March 15, 2015, which killed at least 19 people and injured hundreds. The attacks were claimed by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, an offshoot of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.The bombings sparked mob violence that mistakenly killed two Muslim men, who were later identified and detained through raids and video evidence. Sunil Masih stands beside his vegetable cart in front of his family’s former milk shop in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry Masih, now 28, said the trauma of prison changed him forever.“They hurled abuses at us, beat us with strips cut from vehicle tires, and in jail we were given old dried roti [flat bread],” he told EWTN News. “Water from the greasy toilet taps was served for drinking. Family meetings were allowed only after a month. It was a hellhole on earth.”He and his brother Sadaqat Perwaiz — popularly known as Monty — were released after six months in Central Jail Lahore. One brother, however, remained among 42 Christians and one Muslim charged in the lynching case.Devastation beyond prisonThe protracted court proceedings devastated the family’s four-decade-old milk business, saddled them with mounting debts, and forced the sale of their 680-square-foot home.Their worries deepened after two Christian inmates, Inderyas Masih, 36, and Usman Shaukat, 29, died in custody under suspicious circumstances during the trial. Police claimed tuberculosis and a heart attack, respectively, while families and the British Pakistani Christian Association reported bruises and unexplained injuries. Pakistani police stand guard outside St. John’s Catholic Church in Youhanabad, Lahore, on March 15, 2025. Posters of Servant of God Akash Bashir flank the entrance gate on the 10th anniversary of twin suicide bombings that struck the neighborhood. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry In January 2020, an anti-terrorism court acquitted the remaining 39 accused after blood money (Diyat) of 25 million rupees ($89,800) was paid to the victims’ families by Pastor Anwar Fazal, a prominent Christian televangelist.Under the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance 1990, introduced during Gen. Ziaul Haq’s Islamization process, courts calculate compensation based on the financial capacity of the convict and the victim’s heirs, with a minimum value linked to 30,630 grams of silver.Monty died of a heart attack in 2022, leaving behind two children aged 10 and 14. His faded poster still hangs in front of the family’s closed milk shop.“He was a stout man, known for his strong community ties and friendly nature in our neighborhood. Prison left him very lean and weakened by an infection that caused his legs to swell beneath the knees and bleed,” Masih said.Today, Sunil Masih sells vegetables from a wooden cart in front of the same shop, now leased to a real estate dealer. He hopes to marry once his new business stabilizes.‘The gift of a hero’On March 15, police guarded churches in Youhanabad, which houses more than 150,000 Christians, as the community observed the 11th bombing anniversary.At St. John’s, parishioners lit candles and placed flowers beneath a banner honoring Akash Bashir, the 20-year-old security volunteer who died preventing a suicide bomber from entering the church during that Sunday Mass.“Salute and gratitude to the martyrs of Youhanabad,” read the banner near the Marian grotto. In January 2022, the Vatican recognized Bashir as a servant of God, making him the first Pakistani Catholic on the path to canonization. Father Akram Javed (fifth from right), parish priest of St. John’s Catholic Church, lights a memorial candle for Servant of God Akash Bashir at a commemoration in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry Father Akram Javed, parish priest of St. John’s, thanked police for security.“A group of 30 local volunteers carry on Akash’s mission, protecting the church and worshippers. The bombings were a terrible tragedy, but in that darkness, we received the gift of a hero,” he told EWTN News.‘The bombing was a national tragedy’Pentecostal politician Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, who spent five years in prison, sees the anniversary as a moment of reflection for Pakistan’s 3.3 million Christians, many of whom continue to face discrimination, economic hardship, and lingering trauma. A man prays outside a church in Youhanabad, Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2025, during commemorations marking the anniversary of the twin suicide bombings. Banners honoring Akash Bashir are visible in the background. | Credit: Kamran Chaudhry “The bombing was a national tragedy from which the authorities learnt nothing. We continue to suffer losses due to terrorism, with sporadic attacks targeting minority communities and security forces,” said the 65-year-old head of the Massiha Millat Party (Christian Nation Party).He alleged prison authorities tried to manipulate him, introducing Muslim prisoners to persuade him to stay passive.“Despite back pain from four displaced vertebrae, my time in prison strengthened my faith and resolve for activism. The trend of arresting Christians for alleged blasphemy to appease angry crowds will continue unless investigations are conducted on merit,” he added. Pakistani bishops demand probe into death of Christian farmworker The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its 2025 annual report, said religious freedom in Pakistan continued to deteriorate, recommending it be designated a “country of particular concern,” citing blasphemy-related prosecutions, mob violence, and forced conversions targeting Christians and other minorities, and a growing climate of fear and impunity.

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Eleven years after twin suicide bombings struck two Pakistan churches, survivors of mass arrests still bear the scars as a young martyr who died stopping the attack moves toward sainthood.

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Yad Vashem chief: Holocaust memory is key to fighting antisemitism #Catholic Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, said that remembering and honoring the Holocaust is essential to combating rising antisemitism worldwide.Dayan, who met with Pope Leo XIV on March 23 together with Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said their conversation focused on “two issues: the historical remembrance, the need to remember, to know about the Holocaust — but not just for the sake of history, also for the sake of the present and the sake of the future.”We have to make sure that an “atrocity like this cannot happen again — not to the Jewish people, not to any other people,” he said.He added that antisemitism is “raising its ugly head again all over the world” and that the two issues are closely linked.“I think that knowing about the Holocaust, learning about the Holocaust, remembering, honoring the Holocaust is one of the tools to combat antisemitism,” Dayan said.‘Antisemitism is bigotry’Asked whether Israeli policy risks fueling antisemitism, Dayan rejected the premise.“I think antisemitism should not have palliative reasons. Antisemitism is bigotry, antisemitism is racism, and it’s completely independent of anything that Israel does or does not,” he said.He described antisemitism as a unifying force among otherwise opposed extremist groups.“In many sectors in the world, antisemitism has become the common denominator, the lingua franca of all the extremists in the world — left-wing extremists, right-wing extremists, religious extremists, Islamist extremists, and many others,” he said.“They hate each other on any other issue… [but] they don’t only agree, they even collaborate.”“Antisemitism should not be understood. It should be combated without any reservation,” he added, noting he found “full agreement” with Pope Leo XIV on the point.Memory, politics, and responsibilityDayan emphasized the distinction between Holocaust remembrance and contemporary political debates.“The policy and Holocaust remembrance are two completely different things,” he said, while noting that the Holocaust remains “omnipresent in the back of our minds” for many Jews and continues to shape collective identity.He said the obligation to remember the Holocaust is “threefold”: for the future, to build a world free of bigotry and genocide; for the present, amid resurging antisemitism; and as a moral duty to the victims.“Six million victims that were massacred by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Shoah deserve to be remembered,” he said. “It’s a debt that we have to maintain.”A shared history and a future visit?Reflecting on relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, Dayan pointed to the significance of papal visits to Yad Vashem.He presented Pope Leo XIV with a painting by Jewish artist Carol Deutsch, created during the Shoah, depicting the biblical question “Adam, where are you?”He linked the image to Pope Francis’ address at Yad Vashem, in which the late pope asked: “Where was humanity?”Dayan expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would visit Yad Vashem in the future, “when circumstances allow it.”‘Peace is an imperative’Asked about the role of believers in promoting peace, Dayan said the memory of the Holocaust underscores the urgency of that mission.“To yearn for it and to act for it,” he said. “Learning about the Holocaust… is one of the greatest motivations a person can have to understand that peace is an imperative.”He acknowledged that he once believed the devastation of World War II and the Holocaust would end war and antisemitism.“Unfortunately… I was very naive in that respect. We have to work harder, all of us, in order to make that a reality in the future,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Yad Vashem chief: Holocaust memory is key to fighting antisemitism #Catholic Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, said that remembering and honoring the Holocaust is essential to combating rising antisemitism worldwide.Dayan, who met with Pope Leo XIV on March 23 together with Israel’s ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Sideman, said their conversation focused on “two issues: the historical remembrance, the need to remember, to know about the Holocaust — but not just for the sake of history, also for the sake of the present and the sake of the future.”We have to make sure that an “atrocity like this cannot happen again — not to the Jewish people, not to any other people,” he said.He added that antisemitism is “raising its ugly head again all over the world” and that the two issues are closely linked.“I think that knowing about the Holocaust, learning about the Holocaust, remembering, honoring the Holocaust is one of the tools to combat antisemitism,” Dayan said.‘Antisemitism is bigotry’Asked whether Israeli policy risks fueling antisemitism, Dayan rejected the premise.“I think antisemitism should not have palliative reasons. Antisemitism is bigotry, antisemitism is racism, and it’s completely independent of anything that Israel does or does not,” he said.He described antisemitism as a unifying force among otherwise opposed extremist groups.“In many sectors in the world, antisemitism has become the common denominator, the lingua franca of all the extremists in the world — left-wing extremists, right-wing extremists, religious extremists, Islamist extremists, and many others,” he said.“They hate each other on any other issue… [but] they don’t only agree, they even collaborate.”“Antisemitism should not be understood. It should be combated without any reservation,” he added, noting he found “full agreement” with Pope Leo XIV on the point.Memory, politics, and responsibilityDayan emphasized the distinction between Holocaust remembrance and contemporary political debates.“The policy and Holocaust remembrance are two completely different things,” he said, while noting that the Holocaust remains “omnipresent in the back of our minds” for many Jews and continues to shape collective identity.He said the obligation to remember the Holocaust is “threefold”: for the future, to build a world free of bigotry and genocide; for the present, amid resurging antisemitism; and as a moral duty to the victims.“Six million victims that were massacred by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Shoah deserve to be remembered,” he said. “It’s a debt that we have to maintain.”A shared history and a future visit?Reflecting on relations between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, Dayan pointed to the significance of papal visits to Yad Vashem.He presented Pope Leo XIV with a painting by Jewish artist Carol Deutsch, created during the Shoah, depicting the biblical question “Adam, where are you?”He linked the image to Pope Francis’ address at Yad Vashem, in which the late pope asked: “Where was humanity?”Dayan expressed hope that Pope Leo XIV would visit Yad Vashem in the future, “when circumstances allow it.”‘Peace is an imperative’Asked about the role of believers in promoting peace, Dayan said the memory of the Holocaust underscores the urgency of that mission.“To yearn for it and to act for it,” he said. “Learning about the Holocaust… is one of the greatest motivations a person can have to understand that peace is an imperative.”He acknowledged that he once believed the devastation of World War II and the Holocaust would end war and antisemitism.“Unfortunately… I was very naive in that respect. We have to work harder, all of us, in order to make that a reality in the future,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Dani Dayan speaks after meeting Pope Leo XIV, says antisemitism is “bigotry” independent of Israeli policy.

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‘Todo es posible en Cristo’: el grupo EPIC transforma la vida de jóvenes en San Antonio de Padua #Catholic - Un ministerio juvenil de la Diócesis de Paterson reúne cada semana a más de cuarenta jóvenes adultos que buscan algo más que una reunión: buscan una familia. Cada semana, en la parroquia San Antonio de Padua, un grupo de jóvenes adultos se reúne para orar, compartir su fe y crecer juntos. El ministerio EPIC —siglas en inglés de Everything’s Possible in Christ, Todo es posible en Cristo— ha crecido desde sus humildes comienzos hasta convertirse en uno de los espacios juveniles más vivos de la Diócesis de Paterson, reuniendo a jóvenes de distintas ciudades e incluso de otros estados. Las reuniones semanales combinan reflexión de fe, estudio bíblico y oración, pero con el tiempo se han convertido en algo más difícil de definir con palabras: un lugar donde los jóvenes pueden llegar con sus preguntas, su historia y su búsqueda, sin sentirse juzgados. El grupo también organiza actividades recreativas —entre ellas, un reciente viaje de esquí— que refuerzan los lazos de comunidad fuera del ambiente parroquial. Un fuego que no quería apagar Para Danquiewiez González, todo comenzó con un retiro espiritual y una experiencia que no supo cómo ignorar. “Sentí el fuego del amor de Dios en mi corazón”, recuerda. “Después de que terminó el retiro, no quería que ese fuego se apagara dentro de mí, por eso decidí integrarme al grupo EPIC para seguir conociendo más de Dios y fortalecer mi fe.” Desde entonces, su participación en la parroquia no ha hecho sino crecer. Hoy sirve como proclamador en la misa y habla de su fe con una claridad que él mismo atribuye a ese momento de gracia. “Ahora veo la vida desde otro punto de vista. Todo esto nace porque Dios está en mi corazón y quiero servirle con alegría.” Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. Jonathan Moran llegó al grupo con un deseo parecido: volver a acercarse a su fe y encontrar acompañamiento en el camino. Lo que encontró fue eso y algo más. “Desde que me uní al grupo he recibido muchos recursos útiles y he conocido personas dispuestas a ayudarme en mi proceso de discernimiento”, cuenta. Entre las experiencias que más lo han marcado está el retiro del grupo. Para describir lo que vivieron aquellos días, Jonathan recurre a las palabras del Salmo 133: “ ¡Qué bueno y agradable; es que los hermanos vivan unidos!” Un regreso inesperado Brenda Marte creció dentro de la Iglesia. Pero como les ocurre a muchos jóvenes, los años universitarios la alejaron de la práctica de la fe. Fue una experiencia personal de conversión la que despertó en ella el deseo de regresar. Un día vio en el boletín parroquial el anuncio de un retiro para jóvenes adultos. Decidió ir. Esa decisión, aparentemente pequeña, marcó el inicio de una nueva etapa. “He hecho amistades centradas en Dios. Mi vida ha cambiado para mejor”, dice hoy, con la sencillez de quien habla desde la convicción, no desde el entusiasmo del momento. Su compromiso ha ido creciendo: actualmente es catequista del primer año de confirmación y participa en la comunidad misionera Shalom en Nueva York. Lo que más valora del grupo son las horas santas ante el Santísimo Sacramento. “Hay algo muy especial en estar frente a Jesús en el Santísimo con todos tus amigos. Saber que hay tantos jóvenes buscando a Dios y que tenemos ese apoyo mutuo es algo muy hermoso.” Construir una familia, no solo un grupo Detrás del crecimiento de EPIC hay personas que han invertido tiempo y corazón en construir algo que va más allá de un programa parroquial. Kenneth Acevedo, uno de los coordinadores, describe su experiencia en EPIC como algo profundamente significativo en su vida. Al reflexionar sobre su participación en el ministerio, explica que formar parte del grupo ya era una experiencia muy valiosa, pero asumir el servicio de coordinación ha sido aún más especial. En sus palabras: “Ser parte de EPIC ha sido verdaderamente gratificante, pero ser coordinador ha sido una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida.” Según comenta, el grupo ha crecido en los últimos años y hoy reúne a jóvenes adultos de diferentes ciudades e incluso de otros estados. El objetivo del ministerio, explica, es ofrecer un espacio donde los jóvenes puedan sentirse escuchados y acompañados en su camino de fe. Con ese propósito, añade: “Hemos creado un lugar donde los jóvenes adultos pueden venir sin sentirse juzgados ni solos.” Jessica Álvarez recuerda los comienzos, cuando en algunas reuniones apenas se juntaban unas pocas personas. Hoy no es raro ver más de cuarenta jóvenes reunidos en una sola noche. Para ella, ese crecimiento no se explica con estrategias de comunicación ni programas atractivos, sino con algo más simple: el calor humano de la acogida en Cristo. “Nos esforzamos por tratar a cada persona como un miembro de nuestra familia.” Y a esa familia, los coordinadores extienden una invitación abierta a cualquier joven adulto que busque profundizar su fe o simplemente quiera ver si hay algo para él en este camino. Como resume Jessica: “Siempre hay un lugar para ti en nuestra familia.” [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
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‘Todo es posible en Cristo’: el grupo EPIC transforma la vida de jóvenes en San Antonio de Padua #Catholic – Un ministerio juvenil de la Diócesis de Paterson reúne cada semana a más de cuarenta jóvenes adultos que buscan algo más que una reunión: buscan una familia. Cada semana, en la parroquia San Antonio de Padua, un grupo de jóvenes adultos se reúne para orar, compartir su fe y crecer juntos. El ministerio EPIC —siglas en inglés de Everything’s Possible in Christ, Todo es posible en Cristo— ha crecido desde sus humildes comienzos hasta convertirse en uno de los espacios juveniles más vivos de la Diócesis de Paterson, reuniendo a jóvenes de distintas ciudades e incluso de otros estados. Las reuniones semanales combinan reflexión de fe, estudio bíblico y oración, pero con el tiempo se han convertido en algo más difícil de definir con palabras: un lugar donde los jóvenes pueden llegar con sus preguntas, su historia y su búsqueda, sin sentirse juzgados. El grupo también organiza actividades recreativas —entre ellas, un reciente viaje de esquí— que refuerzan los lazos de comunidad fuera del ambiente parroquial. Un fuego que no quería apagar Para Danquiewiez González, todo comenzó con un retiro espiritual y una experiencia que no supo cómo ignorar. “Sentí el fuego del amor de Dios en mi corazón”, recuerda. “Después de que terminó el retiro, no quería que ese fuego se apagara dentro de mí, por eso decidí integrarme al grupo EPIC para seguir conociendo más de Dios y fortalecer mi fe.” Desde entonces, su participación en la parroquia no ha hecho sino crecer. Hoy sirve como proclamador en la misa y habla de su fe con una claridad que él mismo atribuye a ese momento de gracia. “Ahora veo la vida desde otro punto de vista. Todo esto nace porque Dios está en mi corazón y quiero servirle con alegría.” Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. Jonathan Moran llegó al grupo con un deseo parecido: volver a acercarse a su fe y encontrar acompañamiento en el camino. Lo que encontró fue eso y algo más. “Desde que me uní al grupo he recibido muchos recursos útiles y he conocido personas dispuestas a ayudarme en mi proceso de discernimiento”, cuenta. Entre las experiencias que más lo han marcado está el retiro del grupo. Para describir lo que vivieron aquellos días, Jonathan recurre a las palabras del Salmo 133: “ ¡Qué bueno y agradable; es que los hermanos vivan unidos!” Un regreso inesperado Brenda Marte creció dentro de la Iglesia. Pero como les ocurre a muchos jóvenes, los años universitarios la alejaron de la práctica de la fe. Fue una experiencia personal de conversión la que despertó en ella el deseo de regresar. Un día vio en el boletín parroquial el anuncio de un retiro para jóvenes adultos. Decidió ir. Esa decisión, aparentemente pequeña, marcó el inicio de una nueva etapa. “He hecho amistades centradas en Dios. Mi vida ha cambiado para mejor”, dice hoy, con la sencillez de quien habla desde la convicción, no desde el entusiasmo del momento. Su compromiso ha ido creciendo: actualmente es catequista del primer año de confirmación y participa en la comunidad misionera Shalom en Nueva York. Lo que más valora del grupo son las horas santas ante el Santísimo Sacramento. “Hay algo muy especial en estar frente a Jesús en el Santísimo con todos tus amigos. Saber que hay tantos jóvenes buscando a Dios y que tenemos ese apoyo mutuo es algo muy hermoso.” Construir una familia, no solo un grupo Detrás del crecimiento de EPIC hay personas que han invertido tiempo y corazón en construir algo que va más allá de un programa parroquial. Kenneth Acevedo, uno de los coordinadores, describe su experiencia en EPIC como algo profundamente significativo en su vida. Al reflexionar sobre su participación en el ministerio, explica que formar parte del grupo ya era una experiencia muy valiosa, pero asumir el servicio de coordinación ha sido aún más especial. En sus palabras: “Ser parte de EPIC ha sido verdaderamente gratificante, pero ser coordinador ha sido una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida.” Según comenta, el grupo ha crecido en los últimos años y hoy reúne a jóvenes adultos de diferentes ciudades e incluso de otros estados. El objetivo del ministerio, explica, es ofrecer un espacio donde los jóvenes puedan sentirse escuchados y acompañados en su camino de fe. Con ese propósito, añade: “Hemos creado un lugar donde los jóvenes adultos pueden venir sin sentirse juzgados ni solos.” Jessica Álvarez recuerda los comienzos, cuando en algunas reuniones apenas se juntaban unas pocas personas. Hoy no es raro ver más de cuarenta jóvenes reunidos en una sola noche. Para ella, ese crecimiento no se explica con estrategias de comunicación ni programas atractivos, sino con algo más simple: el calor humano de la acogida en Cristo. “Nos esforzamos por tratar a cada persona como un miembro de nuestra familia.” Y a esa familia, los coordinadores extienden una invitación abierta a cualquier joven adulto que busque profundizar su fe o simplemente quiera ver si hay algo para él en este camino. Como resume Jessica: “Siempre hay un lugar para ti en nuestra familia.” [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

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‘Todo es posible en Cristo’: el grupo EPIC transforma la vida de jóvenes en San Antonio de Padua #Catholic –

Un ministerio juvenil de la Diócesis de Paterson reúne cada semana a más de cuarenta jóvenes adultos que buscan algo más que una reunión: buscan una familia.

Cada semana, en la parroquia San Antonio de Padua, un grupo de jóvenes adultos se reúne para orar, compartir su fe y crecer juntos. El ministerio EPIC —siglas en inglés de Everything’s Possible in Christ, Todo es posible en Cristo— ha crecido desde sus humildes comienzos hasta convertirse en uno de los espacios juveniles más vivos de la Diócesis de Paterson, reuniendo a jóvenes de distintas ciudades e incluso de otros estados.

Las reuniones semanales combinan reflexión de fe, estudio bíblico y oración, pero con el tiempo se han convertido en algo más difícil de definir con palabras: un lugar donde los jóvenes pueden llegar con sus preguntas, su historia y su búsqueda, sin sentirse juzgados. El grupo también organiza actividades recreativas —entre ellas, un reciente viaje de esquí— que refuerzan los lazos de comunidad fuera del ambiente parroquial.

Un fuego que no quería apagar

Para Danquiewiez González, todo comenzó con un retiro espiritual y una experiencia que no supo cómo ignorar.

“Sentí el fuego del amor de Dios en mi corazón”, recuerda. “Después de que terminó el retiro, no quería que ese fuego se apagara dentro de mí, por eso decidí integrarme al grupo EPIC para seguir conociendo más de Dios y fortalecer mi fe.”

Desde entonces, su participación en la parroquia no ha hecho sino crecer. Hoy sirve como proclamador en la misa y habla de su fe con una claridad que él mismo atribuye a ese momento de gracia. “Ahora veo la vida desde otro punto de vista. Todo esto nace porque Dios está en mi corazón y quiero servirle con alegría.”

Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí.

Jonathan Moran llegó al grupo con un deseo parecido: volver a acercarse a su fe y encontrar acompañamiento en el camino. Lo que encontró fue eso y algo más. “Desde que me uní al grupo he recibido muchos recursos útiles y he conocido personas dispuestas a ayudarme en mi proceso de discernimiento”, cuenta.

Entre las experiencias que más lo han marcado está el retiro del grupo. Para describir lo que vivieron aquellos días, Jonathan recurre a las palabras del Salmo 133: “ ¡Qué bueno y agradable; es que los hermanos vivan unidos!”

Un regreso inesperado

Brenda Marte creció dentro de la Iglesia. Pero como les ocurre a muchos jóvenes, los años universitarios la alejaron de la práctica de la fe. Fue una experiencia personal de conversión la que despertó en ella el deseo de regresar.

Un día vio en el boletín parroquial el anuncio de un retiro para jóvenes adultos. Decidió ir. Esa decisión, aparentemente pequeña, marcó el inicio de una nueva etapa.

“He hecho amistades centradas en Dios. Mi vida ha cambiado para mejor”, dice hoy, con la sencillez de quien habla desde la convicción, no desde el entusiasmo del momento. Su compromiso ha ido creciendo: actualmente es catequista del primer año de confirmación y participa en la comunidad misionera Shalom en Nueva York.

Lo que más valora del grupo son las horas santas ante el Santísimo Sacramento. “Hay algo muy especial en estar frente a Jesús en el Santísimo con todos tus amigos. Saber que hay tantos jóvenes buscando a Dios y que tenemos ese apoyo mutuo es algo muy hermoso.”

Construir una familia, no solo un grupo

Detrás del crecimiento de EPIC hay personas que han invertido tiempo y corazón en construir algo que va más allá de un programa parroquial.

Kenneth Acevedo, uno de los coordinadores, describe su experiencia en EPIC como algo profundamente significativo en su vida. Al reflexionar sobre su participación en el ministerio, explica que formar parte del grupo ya era una experiencia muy valiosa, pero asumir el servicio de coordinación ha sido aún más especial. En sus palabras: “Ser parte de EPIC ha sido verdaderamente gratificante, pero ser coordinador ha sido una de las mejores experiencias de mi vida.”

Según comenta, el grupo ha crecido en los últimos años y hoy reúne a jóvenes adultos de diferentes ciudades e incluso de otros estados. El objetivo del ministerio, explica, es ofrecer un espacio donde los jóvenes puedan sentirse escuchados y acompañados en su camino de fe. Con ese propósito, añade: “Hemos creado un lugar donde los jóvenes adultos pueden venir sin sentirse juzgados ni solos.”

Jessica Álvarez recuerda los comienzos, cuando en algunas reuniones apenas se juntaban unas pocas personas. Hoy no es raro ver más de cuarenta jóvenes reunidos en una sola noche. Para ella, ese crecimiento no se explica con estrategias de comunicación ni programas atractivos, sino con algo más simple: el calor humano de la acogida en Cristo. “Nos esforzamos por tratar a cada persona como un miembro de nuestra familia.”

Y a esa familia, los coordinadores extienden una invitación abierta a cualquier joven adulto que busque profundizar su fe o simplemente quiera ver si hay algo para él en este camino. Como resume Jessica: “Siempre hay un lugar para ti en nuestra familia.”

[See image gallery at beaconnj.org] – Un ministerio juvenil de la Diócesis de Paterson reúne cada semana a más de cuarenta jóvenes adultos que buscan algo más que una reunión: buscan una familia. Cada semana, en la parroquia San Antonio de Padua, un grupo de jóvenes adultos se reúne para orar, compartir su fe y crecer juntos. El ministerio EPIC —siglas en inglés de Everything’s Possible in Christ, Todo es posible en Cristo— ha crecido desde sus humildes comienzos hasta convertirse en uno de los espacios juveniles más vivos de la Diócesis de Paterson, reuniendo a jóvenes de distintas ciudades e incluso de otros estados. Las

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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: April, 2026 #Catholic – 4/1 Wed., 9:30 a.m. Mass – the Morristown Prison. 4/2 Thu., 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/3 Fri., 12:30 p.m. Via Crucis – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson; 3 p.m. Passion of the Lord – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/4 Sat., 8 p.m. Easter Vigil – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/5 Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass – Resurrection Parish, Randolph. 4/7 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/9 Thu., 5 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady Queen Peace Parish, Branchville. 4/10 Fri., 7:30 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Conception Parish, Franklin. 4/11 Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland, Morristown; 10 a.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 5 p.m. Installation Mass for Father Sylwester Pierzak, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Long Valley. 4/12 Sun., 11 a.m. Confirmation – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Stirling; 3 p.m. Padre Pio Parish, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet – Our Lady of Pompei Church, followed by procession with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Bonaventure Church for benediction. 4/13 Mon., 5:30 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Boonton. 4/14 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/16 Thu., 10 a.m. Finance Council Meeting – the Chancery, Clifton; 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany. 4/17 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Thomas of Aquin Parish, Ogdensburg. 4/18 Sat., 10 a.m. Religious Jubilee Mass – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Sparta. 4/19 Sun., 12:15 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Mountain Parish, Long Valley; 4 p.m. Confirmation – St. Gerard Majella Parish, Paterson. 4/20 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Oak Ridge & St. John Vianney Parish, Stockholm – St. Thomas Church, Oak Ridge. 4/21 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. James the Greater Parish, Montague, and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Sandyston, – St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Sandyston. 4/23 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Wayne. 4/24 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Clement Pope and Martyr Parish, Dover. 4/25 Sat., 10 a.m. Confirmation – St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Chester; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Catherine of Bologna Parish, Ringwood. 4/26 Sun., 10:30 a.m. Confirmation – Blessed Sacrament Parish, Paterson; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Whippany. 4/27 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Andrew the Apostle Parish and St. Clare Parish – St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Clifton. 4/28 Tue., 6 p.m. Confirmation – Christ the King Parish, New Vernon. 4/30 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains.
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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: April, 2026 #Catholic – 4/1 Wed., 9:30 a.m. Mass – the Morristown Prison. 4/2 Thu., 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/3 Fri., 12:30 p.m. Via Crucis – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson; 3 p.m. Passion of the Lord – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/4 Sat., 8 p.m. Easter Vigil – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/5 Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass – Resurrection Parish, Randolph. 4/7 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/9 Thu., 5 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady Queen Peace Parish, Branchville. 4/10 Fri., 7:30 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Conception Parish, Franklin. 4/11 Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland, Morristown; 10 a.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 5 p.m. Installation Mass for Father Sylwester Pierzak, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Long Valley. 4/12 Sun., 11 a.m. Confirmation – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Stirling; 3 p.m. Padre Pio Parish, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet – Our Lady of Pompei Church, followed by procession with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Bonaventure Church for benediction. 4/13 Mon., 5:30 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Boonton. 4/14 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/16 Thu., 10 a.m. Finance Council Meeting – the Chancery, Clifton; 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany. 4/17 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Thomas of Aquin Parish, Ogdensburg. 4/18 Sat., 10 a.m. Religious Jubilee Mass – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Sparta. 4/19 Sun., 12:15 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Mountain Parish, Long Valley; 4 p.m. Confirmation – St. Gerard Majella Parish, Paterson. 4/20 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Oak Ridge & St. John Vianney Parish, Stockholm – St. Thomas Church, Oak Ridge. 4/21 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. James the Greater Parish, Montague, and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Sandyston, – St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Sandyston. 4/23 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Wayne. 4/24 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Clement Pope and Martyr Parish, Dover. 4/25 Sat., 10 a.m. Confirmation – St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Chester; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Catherine of Bologna Parish, Ringwood. 4/26 Sun., 10:30 a.m. Confirmation – Blessed Sacrament Parish, Paterson; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Whippany. 4/27 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Andrew the Apostle Parish and St. Clare Parish – St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Clifton. 4/28 Tue., 6 p.m. Confirmation – Christ the King Parish, New Vernon. 4/30 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains.

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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: April, 2026 #Catholic –

4/1 Wed., 9:30 a.m. Mass – the Morristown Prison.
4/2 Thu., 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson.
4/3 Fri., 12:30 p.m. Via Crucis – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson; 3 p.m. Passion of the Lord – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson.
4/4 Sat., 8 p.m. Easter Vigil – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson.
4/5 Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass – Resurrection Parish, Randolph.
4/7 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls.
4/9 Thu., 5 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady Queen Peace Parish, Branchville.
4/10 Fri., 7:30 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Conception Parish, Franklin.
4/11 Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland, Morristown; 10 a.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Morristown; 5 p.m. Installation Mass for Father Sylwester Pierzak, St. Mark the Evangelist Parish, Long Valley.
4/12 Sun., 11 a.m. Confirmation – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Stirling; 3 p.m. Padre Pio Parish, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet – Our Lady of Pompei Church, followed by procession with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Bonaventure Church for benediction.
4/13 Mon., 5:30 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Boonton.
4/14 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls.
4/16 Thu., 10 a.m. Finance Council Meeting – the Chancery, Clifton; 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany.
4/17 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Thomas of Aquin Parish, Ogdensburg.
4/18 Sat., 10 a.m. Religious Jubilee Mass – St. Ann Parish, Parsippany; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Sparta.
4/19 Sun., 12:15 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of the Mountain Parish, Long Valley; 4 p.m. Confirmation – St. Gerard Majella Parish, Paterson.
4/20 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Oak Ridge & St. John Vianney Parish, Stockholm – St. Thomas Church, Oak Ridge.
4/21 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. James the Greater Parish, Montague, and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Sandyston, – St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Sandyston.
4/23 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Wayne.
4/24 Fri., 7 p.m. Confirmation – St. Clement Pope and Martyr Parish, Dover.
4/25 Sat., 10 a.m. Confirmation – St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Chester; 5 p.m. Confirmation – St. Catherine of Bologna Parish, Ringwood.
4/26 Sun., 10:30 a.m. Confirmation – Blessed Sacrament Parish, Paterson; 1 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Whippany.
4/27 Mon., 7 p.m. Confirmation for St. Andrew the Apostle Parish and St. Clare Parish – St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Clifton.
4/28 Tue., 6 p.m. Confirmation – Christ the King Parish, New Vernon.
4/30 Thu., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Pompton Plains.

– 4/1 Wed., 9:30 a.m. Mass – the Morristown Prison. 4/2 Thu., 7 p.m. Holy Thursday Mass – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/3 Fri., 12:30 p.m. Via Crucis – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson; 3 p.m. Passion of the Lord – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/4 Sat., 8 p.m. Easter Vigil – the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson. 4/5 Easter Sunday, 11 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass – Resurrection Parish, Randolph. 4/7 Tue., 7 p.m. Confirmation – Holy Angels Parish, Little Falls. 4/9 Thu., 5 p.m. Confirmation – Our

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 24 March 2026 – A reading from the Book of Numbers 21:4-9 From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road, to bypass the land of Edom. But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!” In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses, “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live.” Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.From the Gospel according to John 8:21-30 Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.Today’s first reading speaks to us of the people’s journey through the desert. We can imagine them as they walked, led by Moses. (…) At a certain point, “the people became impatient on the way” (Num 21:4). They are tired, water supplies are low and all they have for food is manna, which, although plentiful and sent by God, seems far too meagre in a time of crisis. And so they complain and protest against God and against Moses: “Why did you make us leave?…” (cf. Num. 21:5). They are tempted to turn back and abandon the journey. (…) During such moments of disorientation – the Bible says – poisonous serpents come and bite the people, and many die. This causes the people to repent and to turn to Moses for forgiveness, asking him to beseech the Lord so that he will cast out the snakes. Moses prays to the Lord, and the Lord offers a remedy: a bronze serpent set on a pole; whoever looks at it will be saved from the deadly poison of the vipers. What is the meaning of this symbol? God does not destroy the serpents, but rather offers an “antidote”: by means of the bronze serpent fashioned by Moses, God transmits his healing strength, namely his mercy, which is more potent than the Tempter’s poison. (Francis – Homily in the Holy Mass with the rite of marriage in the feast of the exaltation on the Holy Cross)

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A reading from the Book of Numbers
21:4-9

From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road,
to bypass the land of Edom.
But with their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,
which bit the people so that many of them died.
Then the people came to Moses and said,
“We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents away from us.”
So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,
“Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live.”
Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,
and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

From the Gospel according to John
8:21-30

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come.”
So the Jews said,
“He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins.”
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
So Jesus said to them,
“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.
The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.”
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

Today’s first reading speaks to us of the people’s journey through the desert. We can imagine them as they walked, led by Moses. (…) At a certain point, “the people became impatient on the way” (Num 21:4). They are tired, water supplies are low and all they have for food is manna, which, although plentiful and sent by God, seems far too meagre in a time of crisis. And so they complain and protest against God and against Moses: “Why did you make us leave?…” (cf. Num. 21:5). They are tempted to turn back and abandon the journey. (…) During such moments of disorientation – the Bible says – poisonous serpents come and bite the people, and many die. This causes the people to repent and to turn to Moses for forgiveness, asking him to beseech the Lord so that he will cast out the snakes. Moses prays to the Lord, and the Lord offers a remedy: a bronze serpent set on a pole; whoever looks at it will be saved from the deadly poison of the vipers. What is the meaning of this symbol? God does not destroy the serpents, but rather offers an “antidote”: by means of the bronze serpent fashioned by Moses, God transmits his healing strength, namely his mercy, which is more potent than the Tempter’s poison. (Francis – Homily in the Holy Mass with the rite of marriage in the feast of the exaltation on the Holy Cross)

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