Catholic

A Prayer for the Gift of Wisdom: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, September 13, 2026 – #Prayer – Great is the wisdom of the Lord! God Almighty, Your Wisdom includes An understanding of what is fair, What is logical, what is true, What is right and what is lasting. It mirrors Your pure intellect! I entreat You to grant me such Wisdom, That my labours may reflect Your insight. Your Wisdom expands in Your creations, Displaying complexity and multiplicity. Your Wisdom is an eternity ahead of man. May Your wisdom flourish forever!

unitedyam

Great is the wisdom of the Lord!
God Almighty, Your Wisdom includes
An understanding of what is fair,
What is logical, what is true,
What is right and what is lasting.
It mirrors Your pure intellect!
I entreat You to grant me such Wisdom,
That my labours may reflect Your insight.
Your Wisdom expands in Your creations,
Displaying complexity and multiplicity.
Your Wisdom is an eternity ahead of man.
May Your wisdom flourish forever!

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Catholic professor calls families to reclaim the home in a technological age #Catholic John Cuddeback, a professor of philosophy at Christendom College, says families today don’t often know how to achieve what they desire in their homes and family life. As a remedy, drawing from both ancient and modern thinkers, he has released "The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter,” a book that outlines eight pillars for reclaiming the home as a place of human flourishing. “Families today are struggling to achieve what they so badly want: to have the kind of relationships we’re made for, beginning in the home, especially between spouses and between parents and children,” Cuddeback said. “They know they want something different, something better, but they feel hamstrung. In a culture that works against them in many ways, they are frustrated because they lack clear vision and examples to pattern themselves after.” “The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter” by Christendom College professor John Cuddeback. | Credit: Ken Oliver-Méndez/EWTN News Cuddeback, who teaches a course on family and household and is also the author of “True Friendship,” spoke to EWTN News about how he hopes his book conveys that “[a]nyone can choose to be intentional about their household and make real progress with dramatic fruits in the lives of those we love most.” EWTN News: What do you see as the biggest challenge to building and maintaining an intentional home?Cuddebach: It all begins with priorities. As a society we have turned away from the intense focus that our household requires — and this is evident in how we struggle in marriage, raising children, and relating to the elderly. Even many traditionally-minded folks struggle to realize and enact the demanding, even while ordinary, aspects of God’s plan for our homes.Aristotle says that a society tends to produce the kind of people it honors. We do not honor those who prioritize home life — either women or men. This means that many of the structures, practices, and assumptions of our age are at odds with the real good of home life. This is especially evident in our obsession with the latest technologies.This book is a call to all of us to do something radically different and profoundly better — while always recognizing we must be people of our time and place. It calls us to discover that looking first to what our children and our elderly really need is the high road to deeper fulfillment for all of us.How has Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas influenced your thought on how technology should be incorporated in the home?Pope Leo makes clear that we have come to a crisis point. The time is now to be honest, serious, and persistent in examining our use of technology in view of real human flourishing. This must start in the home. No one else is going to do this for us.But as the pope makes clear, right practice must flow from an understanding of who we are and what we’re made for. “The Intentional Household” offers the rich and positive view of daily life in the home that grounds such an examination. It gives the “yes” that strengthens the “nos” we need to say. It gives direction for rising to the challenges of our age, including how to channel technology to true human flourishing.Approaching homelife intentionally — especially attending to the ordinary in good work and true leisure as essential to our relationships — we can take real steps to become those biblical good stewards so honored by the Lord.How does this apply to those across all walks of life, including single people, married couples without children, those who are divorced or separated?The principles of a vibrant home life are both perennial and flexible. Wherever we find ourselves we can discover how the plan that God wrote into human nature is much better than we have realized.Brokenness and suffering today are widespread. God’s plan encompasses these realities. By the grace of God, anyone who is humble and willing to take an intentional approach can affect real, and indeed dramatic change by applying the book’s eight principles. We can all take real steps to make our homes a place of vibrant life, with deep belonging, connection, and presence.One of the thinkers you cite in your book is Wendell Berry. In light of his recent passing can you speak to his influence on your life and thinking?Wendell Berry saw clearly how the loss of activities of work and leisure in the home has led to our experience of disconnection and isolation. Home should be a place of deep connection: between us and loved ones and neighbors, between soul and body, between us and the earth.One of Berry’s pivotal insights is the key role of a certain kind of work in the home. Berry has pointed out that the work of traditional home arts is much more important than we have realized. He argues that as the breakdown of home life came especially through the loss of good work, the renewal will likewise come through a rediscovery of work that connects us to one another as it connects us to our bodies and to the earth, and ultimately to God.Wendell Berry was a prophet of the extraordinary beauty and importance of the ordinary. Making our home an intentional household means rediscovering the power of ordinary things, such as mealtimes with the whole household, shared work in the kitchen and other home arts, and “porch time” and other such leisure times. Attention to these things can transform our marriage, parenting, and other key relationships.
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Catholic professor calls families to reclaim the home in a technological age #Catholic John Cuddeback, a professor of philosophy at Christendom College, says families today don’t often know how to achieve what they desire in their homes and family life. As a remedy, drawing from both ancient and modern thinkers, he has released "The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter,” a book that outlines eight pillars for reclaiming the home as a place of human flourishing. “Families today are struggling to achieve what they so badly want: to have the kind of relationships we’re made for, beginning in the home, especially between spouses and between parents and children,” Cuddeback said. “They know they want something different, something better, but they feel hamstrung. In a culture that works against them in many ways, they are frustrated because they lack clear vision and examples to pattern themselves after.” “The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter” by Christendom College professor John Cuddeback. | Credit: Ken Oliver-Méndez/EWTN News Cuddeback, who teaches a course on family and household and is also the author of “True Friendship,” spoke to EWTN News about how he hopes his book conveys that “[a]nyone can choose to be intentional about their household and make real progress with dramatic fruits in the lives of those we love most.” EWTN News: What do you see as the biggest challenge to building and maintaining an intentional home?Cuddebach: It all begins with priorities. As a society we have turned away from the intense focus that our household requires — and this is evident in how we struggle in marriage, raising children, and relating to the elderly. Even many traditionally-minded folks struggle to realize and enact the demanding, even while ordinary, aspects of God’s plan for our homes.Aristotle says that a society tends to produce the kind of people it honors. We do not honor those who prioritize home life — either women or men. This means that many of the structures, practices, and assumptions of our age are at odds with the real good of home life. This is especially evident in our obsession with the latest technologies.This book is a call to all of us to do something radically different and profoundly better — while always recognizing we must be people of our time and place. It calls us to discover that looking first to what our children and our elderly really need is the high road to deeper fulfillment for all of us.How has Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas influenced your thought on how technology should be incorporated in the home?Pope Leo makes clear that we have come to a crisis point. The time is now to be honest, serious, and persistent in examining our use of technology in view of real human flourishing. This must start in the home. No one else is going to do this for us.But as the pope makes clear, right practice must flow from an understanding of who we are and what we’re made for. “The Intentional Household” offers the rich and positive view of daily life in the home that grounds such an examination. It gives the “yes” that strengthens the “nos” we need to say. It gives direction for rising to the challenges of our age, including how to channel technology to true human flourishing.Approaching homelife intentionally — especially attending to the ordinary in good work and true leisure as essential to our relationships — we can take real steps to become those biblical good stewards so honored by the Lord.How does this apply to those across all walks of life, including single people, married couples without children, those who are divorced or separated?The principles of a vibrant home life are both perennial and flexible. Wherever we find ourselves we can discover how the plan that God wrote into human nature is much better than we have realized.Brokenness and suffering today are widespread. God’s plan encompasses these realities. By the grace of God, anyone who is humble and willing to take an intentional approach can affect real, and indeed dramatic change by applying the book’s eight principles. We can all take real steps to make our homes a place of vibrant life, with deep belonging, connection, and presence.One of the thinkers you cite in your book is Wendell Berry. In light of his recent passing can you speak to his influence on your life and thinking?Wendell Berry saw clearly how the loss of activities of work and leisure in the home has led to our experience of disconnection and isolation. Home should be a place of deep connection: between us and loved ones and neighbors, between soul and body, between us and the earth.One of Berry’s pivotal insights is the key role of a certain kind of work in the home. Berry has pointed out that the work of traditional home arts is much more important than we have realized. He argues that as the breakdown of home life came especially through the loss of good work, the renewal will likewise come through a rediscovery of work that connects us to one another as it connects us to our bodies and to the earth, and ultimately to God.Wendell Berry was a prophet of the extraordinary beauty and importance of the ordinary. Making our home an intentional household means rediscovering the power of ordinary things, such as mealtimes with the whole household, shared work in the kitchen and other home arts, and “porch time” and other such leisure times. Attention to these things can transform our marriage, parenting, and other key relationships.

unitedyam

Christendom College professor John Cuddeback spoke to EWTN News about his new book “The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter,” and treating our homes as places of human flourishing.

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Filmmakers bet on human craft over AI for animated St. Francis musical #Catholic A 3D animated musical trilogy on St. Francis of Assisi is taking shape in Singapore, with its creators choosing a human-led animation process over AI at a moment when the industry is racing toward it.Director Benjamin Tanaka, executive producer Gabriel Patrick, and composer Ethan Hsu call the project “The Francis Chronicles.” It marks a reunion for Tanaka and Hsu, who first worked together two years ago on “One Church, One People,” the official theme song for Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore in September 2024 — his last Asia-Pacific apostolic visit before his death seven months later. Patrick, a secondary school friend of Tanaka, joined the project in January 2026.“It does feel like God’s providence — the way our paths crossed and intertwined over the last couple of years. We were each called individually first. Ben and Gabriel were both working on an animated short series about Catholic saints, while I was mulling over a faith-based musical project. When we met up late last year at a separate event, we realized the commonalities in our ideas — that was when the seeds for this project were first planted,” recalled Hsu, who is directing the music for the trilogy. A rendered 3D scene from “The Francis Chronicles” depicts St. Francis praying before the San Damiano crucifix. | Credit: Courtesy of Cantiva Studios St. Francis, a 13th-century Italian friar from the town of Assisi, has become an enduring symbol of simplicity, peace, and care for creation — echoed in Pope Francis’ second encyclical, Laudato Si’, “On Care for Our Common Home.”Eight months later, the trio set up Cantiva Studios, a Singapore film production company focused on animated features of cultural and spiritual significance for international audiences, with “The Francis Chronicles” as its flagship project.With Pope Leo XIV declaring this year the Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi, the trio felt the time was right to begin the project. “His life has greatly impacted our faiths individually, and what better way to honor him than to use the gifts we have been given in storytelling and music to do just that,” Tanaka said from Cantiva Studios’ newly established production office, when asked why they decided to go ahead with a musical instead of a straight drama. They chose animation over live action, he added, because they hope to reach families with young children.Choosing craft over convenienceThe decision to animate the film by hand, using traditionally trained artists, was not an easy one. AI models can now produce polished visuals in minutes and promise significant savings in time and cost. Patrick, however — a designer by training — argued that nothing matches what human hands bring to a film: “Nothing still beats human-crafted movies in offering the viewer and the artists behind the making of the film the greatest range and freedom of authentic expression.”After extensive consultation with the Franciscan friars in Singapore, who assisted with research into the saint’s life, the trio chose a human-led production process, with artists and animators shaping the film from concept to final frame. Friar Derrick Yap, left, and Friar John-Paul Tan of the Custody of St. Anthony speak at the Festival of Praise event at the Church of St. Mary of the Angels in Singapore. | Credit: Courtesy of Cantiva Studios Tanaka, who is making his feature directorial debut with “The Francis Chronicles,” added that Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, released in May, helped crystallize the team’s decision. “Pope Leo XIV’s timely reminder of ensuring the dignity of human labor really struck a chord with us when we finally made the call on whether to use AI,” he said. “We are proud to be making this animated musical in the most human way possible.” For the filmmakers, this decision is not a rejection of technology but one that keeps human judgment and artistry at the center of the creative process.A medieval saint for the modern worldFriar John-Paul Tan of the Custody of St. Anthony sees the timing as significant. “The last decade or so has been a telling sign about the effects of St. Francis and what his life meant then and to our generation today,” he said, speaking from the Church of St. Mary of the Angels in Singapore. He pointed to a remarkable convergence of milestones: the first pope in history to take the name Francis and a series of 800th-anniversary milestones running from the Rule of St. Francis in 2023 through his canonization in 2028. “I think all these milestones culminate to something significant that God is trying to tell us at this moment in history.”Friar Derrick Yap, custos of the Custody of St. Anthony, said he hopes the films will carry that message beyond the Church: “May the eyes of the world be opened to the beauty of creation and come to see it as St. Francis did: Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Fire, and Sister Mother Earth.” An animator works on a 3D scene for “The Francis Chronicles” at Cantiva Studios’ production office in Singapore. | Credit: Courtesy of Cantiva Studios From Singapore to the worldFor a small domestic film industry, the ambition is unusual. Singapore-made films represent only a fraction of titles screened locally and face a challenging commercial landscape. A homegrown Catholic animated feature would itself be a rarity. “The Francis Chronicles” aims to go further, telling the story as an international trilogy designed for theatrical and streaming audiences beyond Singapore.To help finance development of the first film, “Francis and the Voice of Creation” — covering his early years and call from God — the trio launched a worldwide Kickstarter campaign on Sept. 8. The funds raised will go toward research, script writing, character designs, and storyboards before animation begins. A 3D-animated St. Francis of Assisi prays inside San Damiano Church in a scene from “The Francis Chronicles.” | Credit: Courtesy of Cantiva Studios The second and third films are planned to carry the story through the founding and growth of the Franciscan movement and St. Francis’ final years, when he became the first documented saint in history to receive the stigmata.Aaron Leong is a film and video producer who has been hired by Cantiva Studios for commercial video work on “The Francis Chronicles.”
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Filmmakers bet on human craft over AI for animated St. Francis musical #Catholic A 3D animated musical trilogy on St. Francis of Assisi is taking shape in Singapore, with its creators choosing a human-led animation process over AI at a moment when the industry is racing toward it.Director Benjamin Tanaka, executive producer Gabriel Patrick, and composer Ethan Hsu call the project “The Francis Chronicles.” It marks a reunion for Tanaka and Hsu, who first worked together two years ago on “One Church, One People,” the official theme song for Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore in September 2024 — his last Asia-Pacific apostolic visit before his death seven months later. Patrick, a secondary school friend of Tanaka, joined the project in January 2026.“It does feel like God’s providence — the way our paths crossed and intertwined over the last couple of years. We were each called individually first. Ben and Gabriel were both working on an animated short series about Catholic saints, while I was mulling over a faith-based musical project. When we met up late last year at a separate event, we realized the commonalities in our ideas — that was when the seeds for this project were first planted,” recalled Hsu, who is directing the music for the trilogy. A rendered 3D scene from “The Francis Chronicles” depicts St. Francis praying before the San Damiano crucifix. | Credit: Courtesy of Cantiva Studios St. Francis, a 13th-century Italian friar from the town of Assisi, has become an enduring symbol of simplicity, peace, and care for creation — echoed in Pope Francis’ second encyclical, Laudato Si’, “On Care for Our Common Home.”Eight months later, the trio set up Cantiva Studios, a Singapore film production company focused on animated features of cultural and spiritual significance for international audiences, with “The Francis Chronicles” as its flagship project.With Pope Leo XIV declaring this year the Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi, the trio felt the time was right to begin the project. “His life has greatly impacted our faiths individually, and what better way to honor him than to use the gifts we have been given in storytelling and music to do just that,” Tanaka said from Cantiva Studios’ newly established production office, when asked why they decided to go ahead with a musical instead of a straight drama. They chose animation over live action, he added, because they hope to reach families with young children.Choosing craft over convenienceThe decision to animate the film by hand, using traditionally trained artists, was not an easy one. AI models can now produce polished visuals in minutes and promise significant savings in time and cost. Patrick, however — a designer by training — argued that nothing matches what human hands bring to a film: “Nothing still beats human-crafted movies in offering the viewer and the artists behind the making of the film the greatest range and freedom of authentic expression.”After extensive consultation with the Franciscan friars in Singapore, who assisted with research into the saint’s life, the trio chose a human-led production process, with artists and animators shaping the film from concept to final frame. Friar Derrick Yap, left, and Friar John-Paul Tan of the Custody of St. Anthony speak at the Festival of Praise event at the Church of St. Mary of the Angels in Singapore. | Credit: Courtesy of Cantiva Studios Tanaka, who is making his feature directorial debut with “The Francis Chronicles,” added that Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, released in May, helped crystallize the team’s decision. “Pope Leo XIV’s timely reminder of ensuring the dignity of human labor really struck a chord with us when we finally made the call on whether to use AI,” he said. “We are proud to be making this animated musical in the most human way possible.” For the filmmakers, this decision is not a rejection of technology but one that keeps human judgment and artistry at the center of the creative process.A medieval saint for the modern worldFriar John-Paul Tan of the Custody of St. Anthony sees the timing as significant. “The last decade or so has been a telling sign about the effects of St. Francis and what his life meant then and to our generation today,” he said, speaking from the Church of St. Mary of the Angels in Singapore. He pointed to a remarkable convergence of milestones: the first pope in history to take the name Francis and a series of 800th-anniversary milestones running from the Rule of St. Francis in 2023 through his canonization in 2028. “I think all these milestones culminate to something significant that God is trying to tell us at this moment in history.”Friar Derrick Yap, custos of the Custody of St. Anthony, said he hopes the films will carry that message beyond the Church: “May the eyes of the world be opened to the beauty of creation and come to see it as St. Francis did: Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Fire, and Sister Mother Earth.” An animator works on a 3D scene for “The Francis Chronicles” at Cantiva Studios’ production office in Singapore. | Credit: Courtesy of Cantiva Studios From Singapore to the worldFor a small domestic film industry, the ambition is unusual. Singapore-made films represent only a fraction of titles screened locally and face a challenging commercial landscape. A homegrown Catholic animated feature would itself be a rarity. “The Francis Chronicles” aims to go further, telling the story as an international trilogy designed for theatrical and streaming audiences beyond Singapore.To help finance development of the first film, “Francis and the Voice of Creation” — covering his early years and call from God — the trio launched a worldwide Kickstarter campaign on Sept. 8. The funds raised will go toward research, script writing, character designs, and storyboards before animation begins. A 3D-animated St. Francis of Assisi prays inside San Damiano Church in a scene from “The Francis Chronicles.” | Credit: Courtesy of Cantiva Studios The second and third films are planned to carry the story through the founding and growth of the Franciscan movement and St. Francis’ final years, when he became the first documented saint in history to receive the stigmata.Aaron Leong is a film and video producer who has been hired by Cantiva Studios for commercial video work on “The Francis Chronicles.”

unitedyam

Director Benjamin Tanaka, executive producer Gabriel Patrick, and composer Ethan Hsu call the project “The Francis Chronicles.”

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 12 September 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians  10:14-22 My beloved ones, avoid idolatry. I am speaking as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the Body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one Body, for we all partake of the one loaf. Look at Israel according to the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? So what am I saying? That meat sacrificed to idols is anything? Or that an idol is anything? No, I mean that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to become participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger? Are we stronger than him?From the Gospel according to Luke 6:43-49 Jesus said to his disciples: “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”“The Rock. That’s what the Lord is. Those who entrust themselves to the Lord will always remain safe, because their foundations are sunk into the Rock. That’s what Jesus says in the Gospel. He speaks about a wise man who built his house on rock, that is, on trust in the Lord and on serious things. And this trust is a noble thing, because the foundation of this building of our lives is sure and strong.”  “Even in our own lives it can happen, when my foundations are not strong. The storm comes – and we all have storms in our lives, all of us – and we are unable to stand firm. Many say: ‘No, I’ll change my life.’ They think making life changes is like putting on makeup. Changing my life requires changing the foundations of my life, that is, finding the Rock that is Christ. ‘I would like to renovate this building because it’s extremely ugly, so I would like to make it a little more beautiful and strengthen the foundation.’ But if all I do is put on makeup, then things won’t go far; it will fall. Christian life falls.” We cannot build our lives on passing things, on appearances, on acting like everything is going fine. We go to the rock, where our salvation awaits. And there we will all – each one of us – be happy.”  (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 5 December 2019)  

unitedyam

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 
10:14-22

My beloved ones, avoid idolatry.
I am speaking as to sensible people;
judge for yourselves what I am saying.
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the Body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one Body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.

Look at Israel according to the flesh;
are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
So what am I saying?
That meat sacrificed to idols is anything?
Or that an idol is anything?
No, I mean that what they sacrifice,
they sacrifice to demons, not to God,
and I do not want you to become participants with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons.
You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.
Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger?
Are we stronger than him?

From the Gospel according to Luke
6:43-49

Jesus said to his disciples:
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?
I will show you what someone is like who comes to me,
listens to my words, and acts on them.
That one is like a man building a house,
who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock;
when the flood came, the river burst against that house
but could not shake it because it had been well built.
But the one who listens and does not act
is like a person who built a house on the ground
without a foundation.
When the river burst against it,
it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

“The Rock. That’s what the Lord is. Those who entrust themselves to the Lord will always remain safe, because their foundations are sunk into the Rock. That’s what Jesus says in the Gospel. He speaks about a wise man who built his house on rock, that is, on trust in the Lord and on serious things. And this trust is a noble thing, because the foundation of this building of our lives is sure and strong.”  “Even in our own lives it can happen, when my foundations are not strong. The storm comes – and we all have storms in our lives, all of us – and we are unable to stand firm. Many say: ‘No, I’ll change my life.’ They think making life changes is like putting on makeup. Changing my life requires changing the foundations of my life, that is, finding the Rock that is Christ. ‘I would like to renovate this building because it’s extremely ugly, so I would like to make it a little more beautiful and strengthen the foundation.’ But if all I do is put on makeup, then things won’t go far; it will fall. Christian life falls.” We cannot build our lives on passing things, on appearances, on acting like everything is going fine. We go to the rock, where our salvation awaits. And there we will all – each one of us – be happy.”  (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 5 December 2019)

 

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Surrogate mother petitions Supreme Court to ensure lifesaving care for newborn #Catholic A surrogate mother filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to ensure a newborn baby will have access to lifesaving treatment for a heart condition amid her concerns that the biological parents may not continue treatment.McKenna West, an Alaska nurse and surrogate mother, gave birth to the baby boy on Aug. 12. She is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block a court order that recognized the boy’s biological parents as having full custody and being the authority in medical decisions.The unborn child was diagnosed with a treatable heart defect at about 20 weeks into pregnancy. His biological parents demanded West abort the child because of the defect and threatened her with financial penalties if she did not, according to the petition filed by West’s lawyers at Alliance Defending Freedom.West refused and fled to Texas because the state’s pro-life laws prohibit most abortions. The boy is receiving lifesaving medical treatment at this time due to a court order in Texas. However, the petition states the biological parents “refused to commit to authorizing any life-saving care” for as long as needed to treat the condition.“Since [West] is now completely excluded from the life of the medically fragile infant she brought into the world, much less from the ability to make critical health decisions that protect him, time is of the essence,” the petition states.The petition warns that without immediate Supreme Court action, “the child could be removed from the Texas hospital and taken to California for hospice — despite his treatable condition — around September 17, if not sooner.”“Relief is all the more warranted here, given that the stakes involve the child’s life,” the petition adds.
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Surrogate mother petitions Supreme Court to ensure lifesaving care for newborn #Catholic A surrogate mother filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to ensure a newborn baby will have access to lifesaving treatment for a heart condition amid her concerns that the biological parents may not continue treatment.McKenna West, an Alaska nurse and surrogate mother, gave birth to the baby boy on Aug. 12. She is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block a court order that recognized the boy’s biological parents as having full custody and being the authority in medical decisions.The unborn child was diagnosed with a treatable heart defect at about 20 weeks into pregnancy. His biological parents demanded West abort the child because of the defect and threatened her with financial penalties if she did not, according to the petition filed by West’s lawyers at Alliance Defending Freedom.West refused and fled to Texas because the state’s pro-life laws prohibit most abortions. The boy is receiving lifesaving medical treatment at this time due to a court order in Texas. However, the petition states the biological parents “refused to commit to authorizing any life-saving care” for as long as needed to treat the condition.“Since [West] is now completely excluded from the life of the medically fragile infant she brought into the world, much less from the ability to make critical health decisions that protect him, time is of the essence,” the petition states.The petition warns that without immediate Supreme Court action, “the child could be removed from the Texas hospital and taken to California for hospice — despite his treatable condition — around September 17, if not sooner.”“Relief is all the more warranted here, given that the stakes involve the child’s life,” the petition adds.

unitedyam

The surrogate mother says the biological parents previously pressured her to abort the child and hold full medical authority under a lower‑court order, prompting her emergency appeal.

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Bishop to Catholics: let 9/11 heroes energize your vocations #Catholic – On the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged Catholics to find inspiration from the “ordinary heroes” of that terrible day as they live their faith and the vocation to which Christ has called them. He said these heroes “were filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” courageously sacrificing their lives to save others that day. Bishop Sweeney offered those reflections on Friday as the main celebrant and homilist of a Memorial Mass for the 9/11 anniversary for the staff of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., in the chapel of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. The faithful joined their fellow Americans across the country to “never forget” a quarter-century since that horrible day that shocked and changed the United States and the world. Today, parishes around the diocese are prayerfully holding Memorial Masses and prayer services. They will pray for the souls of the victims, God’s continued comfort for their families and friends, the safety of first responders, and for God’s peace for the world. In his homily, Bishop Sweeney praised the 9/11 heroes: first responders who assisted at the catastrophic disaster sites, including those who perished in the line of duty, and airline passengers who tried to stop the hijackers. Almost 3,000 people perished at the World Trade Center that day, but 17,000 were saved thanks to people who laid down their lives, he said. “These ordinary people showed extraordinary courage, generosity, and wisdom, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the most challenging moments,” said Bishop Sweeney, who mentioned the 250th birthday of the nation this year. “We saw our country at our best on that day [9/11]. We saw citizens who were grateful for the freedoms that they received, because others were willing to sacrifice for previous generations,” he said. These heroes modeled how Catholics should live their faith and “try to be open to God’s will and respond to our vocation” in their various roles in life, Bishop Sweeney told the congregation at St. Paul’s. In our vocations, Jesus calls all Catholics to become “servant leaders,” he said. “We remember those who were lost 25 years ago. They gave so much. We remember them with gratitude, and we pray that we might be the disciples that Jesus is calling us to be, asking that we would be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” he said. Concelebrating the Memorial Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Msgr. T. Mark Condon, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the Curia and pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, N.J.; Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office and pastor of St. Brendan and St. George Parish in Clifton, N.J.; Father Pawel Tomczyk, diocesan vicar for evangelization at St. Paul’s; Father Charles Lana Jr., director of the diocesan Vocations Office; and Msgr. Joseph Anginoli, a retired diocesan priest and adjutant judicial vicar for the diocesan Tribunal. On social media, Bishop Sweeney added, “As we remember, we pray and, as Archbishop Hicks reminded us in a powerful homily yesterday, ‘healing takes time, Hope is Eternal.’ May they rest in Peace as we continue to pray and work for Peace on Earth.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Bishop to Catholics: let 9/11 heroes energize your vocations #Catholic – On the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged Catholics to find inspiration from the “ordinary heroes” of that terrible day as they live their faith and the vocation to which Christ has called them. He said these heroes “were filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” courageously sacrificing their lives to save others that day. Bishop Sweeney offered those reflections on Friday as the main celebrant and homilist of a Memorial Mass for the 9/11 anniversary for the staff of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., in the chapel of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. The faithful joined their fellow Americans across the country to “never forget” a quarter-century since that horrible day that shocked and changed the United States and the world. Today, parishes around the diocese are prayerfully holding Memorial Masses and prayer services. They will pray for the souls of the victims, God’s continued comfort for their families and friends, the safety of first responders, and for God’s peace for the world. In his homily, Bishop Sweeney praised the 9/11 heroes: first responders who assisted at the catastrophic disaster sites, including those who perished in the line of duty, and airline passengers who tried to stop the hijackers. Almost 3,000 people perished at the World Trade Center that day, but 17,000 were saved thanks to people who laid down their lives, he said. “These ordinary people showed extraordinary courage, generosity, and wisdom, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the most challenging moments,” said Bishop Sweeney, who mentioned the 250th birthday of the nation this year. “We saw our country at our best on that day [9/11]. We saw citizens who were grateful for the freedoms that they received, because others were willing to sacrifice for previous generations,” he said. These heroes modeled how Catholics should live their faith and “try to be open to God’s will and respond to our vocation” in their various roles in life, Bishop Sweeney told the congregation at St. Paul’s. In our vocations, Jesus calls all Catholics to become “servant leaders,” he said. “We remember those who were lost 25 years ago. They gave so much. We remember them with gratitude, and we pray that we might be the disciples that Jesus is calling us to be, asking that we would be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” he said. Concelebrating the Memorial Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Msgr. T. Mark Condon, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the Curia and pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, N.J.; Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office and pastor of St. Brendan and St. George Parish in Clifton, N.J.; Father Pawel Tomczyk, diocesan vicar for evangelization at St. Paul’s; Father Charles Lana Jr., director of the diocesan Vocations Office; and Msgr. Joseph Anginoli, a retired diocesan priest and adjutant judicial vicar for the diocesan Tribunal. On social media, Bishop Sweeney added, “As we remember, we pray and, as Archbishop Hicks reminded us in a powerful homily yesterday, ‘healing takes time, Hope is Eternal.’ May they rest in Peace as we continue to pray and work for Peace on Earth.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Bishop to Catholics: let 9/11 heroes energize your vocations #Catholic –

On the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged Catholics to find inspiration from the “ordinary heroes” of that terrible day as they live their faith and the vocation to which Christ has called them. He said these heroes “were filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” courageously sacrificing their lives to save others that day.

Bishop Sweeney offered those reflections on Friday as the main celebrant and homilist of a Memorial Mass for the 9/11 anniversary for the staff of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., in the chapel of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. The faithful joined their fellow Americans across the country to “never forget” a quarter-century since that horrible day that shocked and changed the United States and the world.

Today, parishes around the diocese are prayerfully holding Memorial Masses and prayer services. They will pray for the souls of the victims, God’s continued comfort for their families and friends, the safety of first responders, and for God’s peace for the world.

In his homily, Bishop Sweeney praised the 9/11 heroes: first responders who assisted at the catastrophic disaster sites, including those who perished in the line of duty, and airline passengers who tried to stop the hijackers. Almost 3,000 people perished at the World Trade Center that day, but 17,000 were saved thanks to people who laid down their lives, he said.

“These ordinary people showed extraordinary courage, generosity, and wisdom, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the most challenging moments,” said Bishop Sweeney, who mentioned the 250th birthday of the nation this year. “We saw our country at our best on that day [9/11]. We saw citizens who were grateful for the freedoms that they received, because others were willing to sacrifice for previous generations,” he said.

These heroes modeled how Catholics should live their faith and “try to be open to God’s will and respond to our vocation” in their various roles in life, Bishop Sweeney told the congregation at St. Paul’s. In our vocations, Jesus calls all Catholics to become “servant leaders,” he said.

“We remember those who were lost 25 years ago. They gave so much. We remember them with gratitude, and we pray that we might be the disciples that Jesus is calling us to be, asking that we would be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” he said.

Concelebrating the Memorial Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Msgr. T. Mark Condon, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the Curia and pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls, N.J.; Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office and pastor of St. Brendan and St. George Parish in Clifton, N.J.; Father Pawel Tomczyk, diocesan vicar for evangelization at St. Paul’s; Father Charles Lana Jr., director of the diocesan Vocations Office; and Msgr. Joseph Anginoli, a retired diocesan priest and adjutant judicial vicar for the diocesan Tribunal.

On social media, Bishop Sweeney added, “As we remember, we pray and, as Archbishop Hicks reminded us in a powerful homily yesterday, ‘healing takes time, Hope is Eternal.’ May they rest in Peace as we continue to pray and work for Peace on Earth.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– On the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged Catholics to find inspiration from the “ordinary heroes” of that terrible day as they live their faith and the vocation to which Christ has called them. He said these heroes “were filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” courageously sacrificing their lives to save others that day. Bishop Sweeney offered those reflections on Friday as the main celebrant and homilist of a Memorial Mass for the 9/11 anniversary for the staff of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., in the chapel of St. Paul Inside

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Apostolic nuncio calls for ‘moral voice’ in AI development #Catholic Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States, discussed the need for a “moral voice” in artificial intelligence (AI) development during a panel discussion hosted by Georgetown University on Sept. 9.The panel, titled “AI, Catholic Social Teaching, and Pope Leoʼs Invitation to Dialogue with the World,” examined Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and its call for a shared human effort to develop technology that serves the common good rather than harms it.Speakers noted that the Holy Father’s encyclical stopped short of prescribing specific policy ideas for addressing the moral and ethical concerns, but the nuncio said “there is the perception that we need a moral voice” on the subject.“A moral voice is what?” he said. “Not everything which is possible to be done should be done. Not everything that technology offers should be taken. This is a moral choice.”Caccia stressed that decisions affecting human lives should not be handed over to AI, citing distinctions between AI algorithms and the human conscience, as the Holy Father discussed in Magnifica Humanitas.Leo drew a distinction between artificial intelligence and human intelligence in the encyclical, focusing on how each approaches moral questions. The pope wrote that he rejected ideas of “artificial moral agents” and the notion that a machine can “distinguish between right and wrong with greater consistency than a human being.”“Moral judgment cannot be reduced to calculation, for it involves conscience, personal responsibility and the recognition of the other as a person,” Leo wrote. “Therefore, it is not permissible to entrust lethal or otherwise irreversible decisions to artificial systems.”Caccia said during the panel discussion that, as a society, “we have to keep the value of the human relationship.”“The problem is that [if] life and death is decided by a machine, not by the human being, who is accountable?” he said. “So these are very important, important questions. But I am confident, as I said, that together we can face this situation and find a way.”The nuncio said he has similar concerns about the use of AI in other types of decision-making that impacts humans.“I hear very troubling accounts of algorithms that can block access to healthcare, employment, and security on the basis of data tainted by prejudice and injustice,” he said. “And Iʼve heard the silence of those who have no voice. When decisions are made, decisions [are] likely to generate new forms of exclusion and suffering.”Quoting the encyclical, Caccia affirmed the pope’s call that AI “needs to be disarmed.” Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, speaks on Aug. 29, 2025, the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. | Credit: Holy See Mission to the United Nations “The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences, and indicating paths forward for humanity,” he said. “This is more or less a framework in which we can go on with the conversation.”Speaking to EWTN News after the panel, Caccia said the pope’s call to address moral concerns of AI is not just a call to Church leadership but to every Catholic.“There is, of course, the voice of the bishops,” he said. “But there is also the voice of Catholic people who are in the business or are engineers who are in the economy, who are in the field. So itʼs not just for those who have pastoral responsibility, but for the bigger community.”Pope’s impact on AI discussionSeveral panelists discussed the importance of Magnifica Humanitas in providing a type of moral guidance on AI development that focuses on the common good of humanity.Jasmine Sun, a journalist who writes about AI and Silicon Valley, said she “was actually surprised by how much folks I knew in Silicon Valley, in the AI industry did pay attention to Magnifica Humanitas.”“It was a lot more engagement, I think, than I expected,” she said. “And once again, I think itʼs because there is this sense that the profit motive that has driven Silicon Valley, that continues to drive Silicon Valley, is not enough.”Molly Kinder, CEO of the Breakwater Initiative, said the Church provides “wisdom and moral leadership” and believes its broad focus on humanity is why people listened.“Iʼm struck that in the opening pages of the Bible, there is a discussion of Adam and Eve being put on Earth to till the land as our fundamental reason for existing,” she said. “And it feels to me sometimes when Iʼm in Silicon Valley … they almost talk about almost a new Garden of Eden that AI is going to bring about, that maybe our purpose is not to work, or maybe itʼs leisure or a check and a hobby.”Caccia too said he was “positively surprised” by the reaction to the encyclical, saying “it seems that there was a need to do something about this.”“It didnʼt pretend to have the answers,” he said, “but he put questions, common questions that we have to tackle together to decide where we want to go.”
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Apostolic nuncio calls for ‘moral voice’ in AI development #Catholic Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States, discussed the need for a “moral voice” in artificial intelligence (AI) development during a panel discussion hosted by Georgetown University on Sept. 9.The panel, titled “AI, Catholic Social Teaching, and Pope Leoʼs Invitation to Dialogue with the World,” examined Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and its call for a shared human effort to develop technology that serves the common good rather than harms it.Speakers noted that the Holy Father’s encyclical stopped short of prescribing specific policy ideas for addressing the moral and ethical concerns, but the nuncio said “there is the perception that we need a moral voice” on the subject.“A moral voice is what?” he said. “Not everything which is possible to be done should be done. Not everything that technology offers should be taken. This is a moral choice.”Caccia stressed that decisions affecting human lives should not be handed over to AI, citing distinctions between AI algorithms and the human conscience, as the Holy Father discussed in Magnifica Humanitas.Leo drew a distinction between artificial intelligence and human intelligence in the encyclical, focusing on how each approaches moral questions. The pope wrote that he rejected ideas of “artificial moral agents” and the notion that a machine can “distinguish between right and wrong with greater consistency than a human being.”“Moral judgment cannot be reduced to calculation, for it involves conscience, personal responsibility and the recognition of the other as a person,” Leo wrote. “Therefore, it is not permissible to entrust lethal or otherwise irreversible decisions to artificial systems.”Caccia said during the panel discussion that, as a society, “we have to keep the value of the human relationship.”“The problem is that [if] life and death is decided by a machine, not by the human being, who is accountable?” he said. “So these are very important, important questions. But I am confident, as I said, that together we can face this situation and find a way.”The nuncio said he has similar concerns about the use of AI in other types of decision-making that impacts humans.“I hear very troubling accounts of algorithms that can block access to healthcare, employment, and security on the basis of data tainted by prejudice and injustice,” he said. “And Iʼve heard the silence of those who have no voice. When decisions are made, decisions [are] likely to generate new forms of exclusion and suffering.”Quoting the encyclical, Caccia affirmed the pope’s call that AI “needs to be disarmed.” Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, speaks on Aug. 29, 2025, the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. | Credit: Holy See Mission to the United Nations “The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, awakening consciences, and indicating paths forward for humanity,” he said. “This is more or less a framework in which we can go on with the conversation.”Speaking to EWTN News after the panel, Caccia said the pope’s call to address moral concerns of AI is not just a call to Church leadership but to every Catholic.“There is, of course, the voice of the bishops,” he said. “But there is also the voice of Catholic people who are in the business or are engineers who are in the economy, who are in the field. So itʼs not just for those who have pastoral responsibility, but for the bigger community.”Pope’s impact on AI discussionSeveral panelists discussed the importance of Magnifica Humanitas in providing a type of moral guidance on AI development that focuses on the common good of humanity.Jasmine Sun, a journalist who writes about AI and Silicon Valley, said she “was actually surprised by how much folks I knew in Silicon Valley, in the AI industry did pay attention to Magnifica Humanitas.”“It was a lot more engagement, I think, than I expected,” she said. “And once again, I think itʼs because there is this sense that the profit motive that has driven Silicon Valley, that continues to drive Silicon Valley, is not enough.”Molly Kinder, CEO of the Breakwater Initiative, said the Church provides “wisdom and moral leadership” and believes its broad focus on humanity is why people listened.“Iʼm struck that in the opening pages of the Bible, there is a discussion of Adam and Eve being put on Earth to till the land as our fundamental reason for existing,” she said. “And it feels to me sometimes when Iʼm in Silicon Valley … they almost talk about almost a new Garden of Eden that AI is going to bring about, that maybe our purpose is not to work, or maybe itʼs leisure or a check and a hobby.”Caccia too said he was “positively surprised” by the reaction to the encyclical, saying “it seems that there was a need to do something about this.”“It didnʼt pretend to have the answers,” he said, “but he put questions, common questions that we have to tackle together to decide where we want to go.”

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Speakers at a Georgetown University event said Magnifica Humanitas offers moral guidance without policy steps, and the nuncio noted rising concern that debates over AI need a moral voice.

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Bishop visits joyful Paterson parish to celebrate Spanish Mass #Catholic – St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sept. 6, who celebrated a Spanish Mass. Deacon Luis A. Ramirez of St. Therese assisted with the liturgy. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]   Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Bishop visits joyful Paterson parish to celebrate Spanish Mass #Catholic – St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sept. 6, who celebrated a Spanish Mass. Deacon Luis A. Ramirez of St. Therese assisted with the liturgy. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]   Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Bishop visits joyful Paterson parish to celebrate Spanish Mass #Catholic –

St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sept. 6, who celebrated a Spanish Mass. Deacon Luis A. Ramirez of St. Therese assisted with the liturgy.

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

– St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney on Sept. 6, who celebrated a Spanish Mass. Deacon Luis A. Ramirez of St. Therese assisted with the liturgy. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI   Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 11 September 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27 Brothers and sisters: If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the Gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel. Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the Gospel, so that I too may have a share in it. Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.From the Gospel according to Luke 6:39-42 Jesus told his disciples a parable: "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite!  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye."The Gospel of Luke has once again put before us Jesus’ question: “Can a blind man lead a blind man?” (Lk 6:39). The Lord means to say that a guide cannot be blind; he must see clearly, if he is not to risk causing harm to those entrusted to his care. Jesus thus calls the attention of all those who have educational or leadership responsibilities (…) to feel a sense of responsibility, to ask themselves what the right path is, and to walk it themselves first. (…) In today’s passage, we find another very significant phrase, which exhorts us not to be presumptuous and hypocritical. “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Lk 6:41). How easy it is to notice the faults and sins of others whilst failing to see our own! And how can we tell whether our eye is clear or obstructed by a log? The answer lies in our actions. It is Jesus who tells us this once more: “Each tree is known by its own fruit” (Lk 6:44). The fruit consists of our actions, but also our words. (…) Indeed, a good person brings forth good things from the heart and the mouth, whilst an evil person brings forth evil things. (…) Feel a sense of responsibility and take pride in offering a Christian witness capable of renewing society both inwardly and outwardly. (John Paul II, homily of 1 March 1992)

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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
9:16-19, 22b-27

Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach, I offer the Gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel.

Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the Gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.

Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race,
but only one wins the prize?
Run so as to win.
Every athlete exercises discipline in every way.
They do it to win a perishable crown,
but we an imperishable one.
Thus I do not run aimlessly;
I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing.
No, I drive my body and train it,
for fear that, after having preached to others,
I myself should be disqualified.

From the Gospel according to Luke
6:39-42

Jesus told his disciples a parable:
"Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite!  Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye."

The Gospel of Luke has once again put before us Jesus’ question: “Can a blind man lead a blind man?” (Lk 6:39). The Lord means to say that a guide cannot be blind; he must see clearly, if he is not to risk causing harm to those entrusted to his care. Jesus thus calls the attention of all those who have educational or leadership responsibilities (…) to feel a sense of responsibility, to ask themselves what the right path is, and to walk it themselves first. (…) In today’s passage, we find another very significant phrase, which exhorts us not to be presumptuous and hypocritical. “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Lk 6:41). How easy it is to notice the faults and sins of others whilst failing to see our own! And how can we tell whether our eye is clear or obstructed by a log? The answer lies in our actions. It is Jesus who tells us this once more: “Each tree is known by its own fruit” (Lk 6:44). The fruit consists of our actions, but also our words. (…) Indeed, a good person brings forth good things from the heart and the mouth, whilst an evil person brings forth evil things. (…) Feel a sense of responsibility and take pride in offering a Christian witness capable of renewing society both inwardly and outwardly. (John Paul II, homily of 1 March 1992)

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Catholic theologian takes job in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security #Catholic A prominent Catholic theologian who has previously defended the Trump administration’s immigration policies on theological grounds has joined the Department of Homeland Security, the agency confirmed.Chad Pecknold, who has taught theology at The Catholic University of America (Catholic University) since 2008, is now the principal director of public outreach for the department’s Office of Public Engagement.In a statement provided to the National Catholic Register, the sister news partner of EWTN News, Pecknold said he was “excited” to confirm he had taken the position.“It is truly an honor to serve my country in this capacity,” he added.The Department of Homeland Security was established in 2003 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and is responsible for protecting the United States against terrorist attacks and other threats to its security. The department also serves as the enforcement arm of U.S. immigration policy, overseeing both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).According to Pecknold’s LinkedIn page, he is “on leave for public service” from Catholic University. His profile also describes his new position as focused on “cultural outreach” and indicates that he began the role in August.The Catholic theologian’s appointment to the department comes amid ongoing clashes between the U.S. bishops and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement.The Trump administration has prioritized curbing illegal immigration, including carrying out a mass deportation campaign, securing the border, and making legal immigration and asylum claims more selective and difficult.In response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops took the rare step of issuing a joint statement in November 2025, expressing opposition to “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and calling for an end to “dehumanizing rhetoric and violence” against both immigrants and law enforcement.”Shortly after, Pope Leo XIV commented on immigration enforcement in the U.S., urging those involved “to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have,” while following legal protocols.Views on immigrationOn the issue of immigration, Pecknold has consistently argued that defending the country’s borders is not in contradiction with Catholic teaching. Rather, he argues, it is necessary to achieve the common good.The Catechism of the Catholic Church, he told EWTN News in 2023, “teaches that nations have the right to borders and self-definition, so there is no sense in which Catholic teaching supports the progressive goal of ‘open borders.’”“There is a ‘duty of care’ which is owed to those fleeing from danger,” he said, “but citizenship is not owed to anyone who can make it across a national border, and illegal entry or asylum cannot be taken as a debt of citizenship.”In a recent essay for The American Mind, Pecknold took issue with the U.S. bishops’ amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in defense of birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented migrants.In the article, Pecknold argues that in asserting that every child has a “natural right” to citizenship, the bishops are committing a “logical fallacy.” They are confusing, he writes, “conventional rights — how a nation determines who is and is not eligible for citizenship — with natural rights, which come from God and which inhere in human beings as such.”Pecknold has also endorsed a February statement released by a Christian think tank in Hungary that contends that “mass deportations may be a legitimate response to mass migration.”And in April 2024, amid Catholic criticism of a Texas state law that gave local authorities authorization to make immigration-related arrests, Pecknold cited St. Thomas Aquinas’ theology as a basis for immigration restrictions, noting that Aquinas distinguished showing hospitality to wayfarers from offering permanent resettlement.“Every human being having dignity does not immediately and obviously supersede the sovereignty of nations,” Pecknold told EWTN News at the time. “Statesmen have a sacred duty to safeguard the political common good of their country, and this will sometimes mean restricting who can legally enter and remain in their countries.”Postliberal theologianThe Catholic University professor is part of what some refer to as the “postliberal” movement, which contends that American politics have been overly focused on individual liberty at the expense of the common good. Pecknold co-founded the Substack “Postliberal Order” with Notre Dame political science professor Patrick Deneen and Harvard constitutional law scholar Adrian Vermeule.Pecknold is also known to be close to Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert and self-described postliberal. The background image of the professor’s X social media profile is a photo of Pecknold with Deneen and Vance.Pecknold is the author of several books that examine cultural and political questions through the lens of St. Augustine’s philosophy and theology, including “Transforming Postliberal Theology” (2005), “The Promise of Scriptural Reasoning” (2006), “Time, Liturgy, and the Politics of Redemption” (2008), and “Christianity and Politics” (2010). In a roundtable published in the Register in 2023, Pecknold argued that Catholics have a duty to engage in politics.“Catholics who are well-formed by the laws of the heavenly city must pray and work for the peace of our very troubled country — for even the nations are restless until they rest in God. Catholics have a duty to intercede, to cure, and to govern,” Pecknold said.It is not clear what Pecknold’s duties will be as director of public outreach at the federal department. The agency did not respond to a request for an explanation of his new role in time for publication, and Pecknold did not respond to a request for an interview.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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Catholic theologian takes job in Trump’s Department of Homeland Security #Catholic A prominent Catholic theologian who has previously defended the Trump administration’s immigration policies on theological grounds has joined the Department of Homeland Security, the agency confirmed.Chad Pecknold, who has taught theology at The Catholic University of America (Catholic University) since 2008, is now the principal director of public outreach for the department’s Office of Public Engagement.In a statement provided to the National Catholic Register, the sister news partner of EWTN News, Pecknold said he was “excited” to confirm he had taken the position.“It is truly an honor to serve my country in this capacity,” he added.The Department of Homeland Security was established in 2003 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and is responsible for protecting the United States against terrorist attacks and other threats to its security. The department also serves as the enforcement arm of U.S. immigration policy, overseeing both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).According to Pecknold’s LinkedIn page, he is “on leave for public service” from Catholic University. His profile also describes his new position as focused on “cultural outreach” and indicates that he began the role in August.The Catholic theologian’s appointment to the department comes amid ongoing clashes between the U.S. bishops and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement.The Trump administration has prioritized curbing illegal immigration, including carrying out a mass deportation campaign, securing the border, and making legal immigration and asylum claims more selective and difficult.In response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops took the rare step of issuing a joint statement in November 2025, expressing opposition to “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and calling for an end to “dehumanizing rhetoric and violence” against both immigrants and law enforcement.”Shortly after, Pope Leo XIV commented on immigration enforcement in the U.S., urging those involved “to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have,” while following legal protocols.Views on immigrationOn the issue of immigration, Pecknold has consistently argued that defending the country’s borders is not in contradiction with Catholic teaching. Rather, he argues, it is necessary to achieve the common good.The Catechism of the Catholic Church, he told EWTN News in 2023, “teaches that nations have the right to borders and self-definition, so there is no sense in which Catholic teaching supports the progressive goal of ‘open borders.’”“There is a ‘duty of care’ which is owed to those fleeing from danger,” he said, “but citizenship is not owed to anyone who can make it across a national border, and illegal entry or asylum cannot be taken as a debt of citizenship.”In a recent essay for The American Mind, Pecknold took issue with the U.S. bishops’ amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in defense of birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented migrants.In the article, Pecknold argues that in asserting that every child has a “natural right” to citizenship, the bishops are committing a “logical fallacy.” They are confusing, he writes, “conventional rights — how a nation determines who is and is not eligible for citizenship — with natural rights, which come from God and which inhere in human beings as such.”Pecknold has also endorsed a February statement released by a Christian think tank in Hungary that contends that “mass deportations may be a legitimate response to mass migration.”And in April 2024, amid Catholic criticism of a Texas state law that gave local authorities authorization to make immigration-related arrests, Pecknold cited St. Thomas Aquinas’ theology as a basis for immigration restrictions, noting that Aquinas distinguished showing hospitality to wayfarers from offering permanent resettlement.“Every human being having dignity does not immediately and obviously supersede the sovereignty of nations,” Pecknold told EWTN News at the time. “Statesmen have a sacred duty to safeguard the political common good of their country, and this will sometimes mean restricting who can legally enter and remain in their countries.”Postliberal theologianThe Catholic University professor is part of what some refer to as the “postliberal” movement, which contends that American politics have been overly focused on individual liberty at the expense of the common good. Pecknold co-founded the Substack “Postliberal Order” with Notre Dame political science professor Patrick Deneen and Harvard constitutional law scholar Adrian Vermeule.Pecknold is also known to be close to Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert and self-described postliberal. The background image of the professor’s X social media profile is a photo of Pecknold with Deneen and Vance.Pecknold is the author of several books that examine cultural and political questions through the lens of St. Augustine’s philosophy and theology, including “Transforming Postliberal Theology” (2005), “The Promise of Scriptural Reasoning” (2006), “Time, Liturgy, and the Politics of Redemption” (2008), and “Christianity and Politics” (2010). In a roundtable published in the Register in 2023, Pecknold argued that Catholics have a duty to engage in politics.“Catholics who are well-formed by the laws of the heavenly city must pray and work for the peace of our very troubled country — for even the nations are restless until they rest in God. Catholics have a duty to intercede, to cure, and to govern,” Pecknold said.It is not clear what Pecknold’s duties will be as director of public outreach at the federal department. The agency did not respond to a request for an explanation of his new role in time for publication, and Pecknold did not respond to a request for an interview.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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Chad Pecknold, a longtime professor at The Catholic University of America, has begun working for the government agency that oversees immigration enforcement.

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Controversial ‘Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities’ included at Mass in Brazil #Catholic On Sept. 7, Bishop José Valdeci Santos Mendes of Brejo, Maranhão, Brazil, celebrated Mass as part of a national Cry of the Excluded event. During the Mass, the "Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities” (known as CEBs, by their synonym in Portuguese) was read. This creed, developed in 2016, professes belief in “a God/Goddess present in the diverse experiences of the communities: a God who is close, a liberating and revolutionary God, a God who is a member of the CEBs, who works and struggles just as Jesus of Nazareth did.”Following the distribution of the Eucharist but before the final blessing, the bishop — who chairs the Episcopal Commission for Social-Transformative Action of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CEPAST-CNBB, by its Portuguese acronym) — introduced the referenced creed. He called it a “supplication from the youth of Latin America, who stand before God asking him to come to meet us,” and entrusted the creed’s recitation to two young men.“We do not believe in a static, patriarchal, clerical, and hierarchical Church,” stated the text read by the young men at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception. “We believe in an inclusive, intergenerational community with a voice of its own. We believe in this Church that struggles, ‘casting its lot with the poor of the earth’ in the face of a dominant capitalist system.”“We believe we are daughters and sons of a ‘Great Homeland’ free from racism and free from rules governing love — embracing all sexual diversity, women, youth, Indigenous peoples, Black people, minorities, and all those at the bottom of the social order.”The Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities is part of a suggested liturgy outline for Masses, worship services, and public gatherings marking the 32nd Cry of the Excluded — a mobilization bringing together pastoral groups, Catholic organizations, and social movements, held annually on Brazil’s Independence Day. CEPAST has called upon dioceses, pastoral groups, and grassroots movements to strengthen this mobilization within their respective jurisdictions this year.In a message released in June regarding the 2026 elections, the CNBB (National Conference of Bishops of Brazil) stated that “the Catholic Church does not endorse candidates or political parties” but affirmed that the Church, “driven by the Gospel and the mission to proclaim it, promotes life and human dignity, and serves the building of the common good.”Elections, the CEB Creed, and prayersDuring the penitential rite, Mass participants asked for forgiveness for “times when we did not take the country’s destiny seriously during elections” and for failing to speak out against “candidacies backed by economic power that will harm the people and potentially even impose authoritarian regimes.”The other parts of the penitential rite address wars, people living on the streets, real estate speculation, housing movements, violence against women, and femicide.During the Prayers of the Faithful, an intention regarding the elections was also included: “For this election season, that we may have the discernment not to vote for anyone who seeks to jeopardize Brazil’s sovereignty or harbors plans for a coup. May we not vote for politicians and parties that wish to turn the public good into an object of profit. Sovereignty is not negotiable.” The assembly’s response was: “Deliver us, Lord, from all those who use politics to betray the Brazilian people!”CEPAST states it did not draft the liturgy guideCEPAST’s communications office told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News, that the CNBB commission did not participate in drafting the document. “The ‘Cry of the Excluded’ is a coalition formed by various organizations, and CEPAST did not participate in drafting the liturgy guide,” said Juce Rocha of the commission’s communications team.The National Coordination of the Cry of the Excluded includes among its participants Catholic pastoral groups, organizations, and social movements such as the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), Caritas Brazil, the Workers' Pastoral, the Migrants' Pastoral Service, Base Ecclesial Communities (CEBs), the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST), the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), the Central of Popular Movements (CMP), and the National Confederation of Education Workers (CNTE).The national map for this year’s “Cry” documented activities in all regions of the country. In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espírito Santo, a march brought together the faithful, pastoral groups, and representatives of social movements, concluding at St. Peterʼs Cathedral, where Bishop Luiz Fernando Lisboa participated in the mobilization. In Santos, São Paulo, the “Cry” was part of the dioceseʼs official agenda and was attended by Bishop Joaquim Giovani Mol Guimarães. In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil, a march brought together the faithful, pastoral groups, and representatives of social movements, concluding at St. Peter’s Cathedral. | Credit: Diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim The same order of service was not followed at all Masses linked to the Cry. At the National Shrine of Aparecida in São Paulo, for instance, the Sept. 7 Mass was celebrated within the context of both the 39th Workers' Pilgrimage and the 32nd Cry of the Excluded. The Mass was celebrated by the archbishop of Aparecida, Mário Antonio da Silva; among the concelebrants was the bishop of the Prelature of Marajó, Pará, José Ionilton Lisboa de Oliveira, president of the Pastoral Land Commission.The Cry was mentioned during the Mass and the homily, but the program used in Brejo was not adopted for the celebration.The Cry of the Excluded first emerged during the evaluation of the second Brazilian Social Week — promoted by the CNBB in 1993 and 1994 — as a way to continue the reflections from that process. The initiative was also inspired by the 1995 Fraternity Campaign, which featured the theme “Fraternity and the Excluded” and the motto “Was it you, Lord?”The first edition took place on Sept. 7, 1995, in 170 locations. In 1996, the CNBB adopted the Cry during its general assembly as part of the Toward the New Millennium Project.Today, the mobilization is led by a National Coordination body comprising the CNBB’s Commission 8, Catholic pastoral groups and organizations, and various social movements and entities — including the CPT, Cáritas Brasileira, the Workers‘ Pastoral, the Migrants’ Pastoral Service, CEBs, the MST, MAB, CMP, and CNTE.According to the event’s organizers, the choice of Sept. 7 is intended to provide a “counterpoint” to the official Independence Day commemoration. The date has also been identified by the event’s organizers as a moment for “political awareness” and the struggle for a “new national and global order.”While the movement’s longtime theme is “Life Comes First!”, the slogan for 2026 is: “In defense of the land, peace, and housing, we raise our voices: Women alive and sovereignty!” National demands include ending the “6×1” (six days of work and one day off) work schedule, ensuring dignified housing, agrarian reform, quality public education, and the defense of the SUS (Unified Health System), as well as combating femicide, racism, and what is termed as “LGBTphobia.”The event’s website states that the choice of Sept. 7 seeks to offer a “counterpoint to the official history of Brazilʼs independence. Contrasting with the civic and military parades that have traditionally marked the day, it calls upon the people — especially the poor and the excluded — to step down from the grandstands, leave passive patriotism behind, and occupy public squares and streets in defense of their rights.”This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Controversial ‘Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities’ included at Mass in Brazil #Catholic On Sept. 7, Bishop José Valdeci Santos Mendes of Brejo, Maranhão, Brazil, celebrated Mass as part of a national Cry of the Excluded event. During the Mass, the "Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities” (known as CEBs, by their synonym in Portuguese) was read. This creed, developed in 2016, professes belief in “a God/Goddess present in the diverse experiences of the communities: a God who is close, a liberating and revolutionary God, a God who is a member of the CEBs, who works and struggles just as Jesus of Nazareth did.”Following the distribution of the Eucharist but before the final blessing, the bishop — who chairs the Episcopal Commission for Social-Transformative Action of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CEPAST-CNBB, by its Portuguese acronym) — introduced the referenced creed. He called it a “supplication from the youth of Latin America, who stand before God asking him to come to meet us,” and entrusted the creed’s recitation to two young men.“We do not believe in a static, patriarchal, clerical, and hierarchical Church,” stated the text read by the young men at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception. “We believe in an inclusive, intergenerational community with a voice of its own. We believe in this Church that struggles, ‘casting its lot with the poor of the earth’ in the face of a dominant capitalist system.”“We believe we are daughters and sons of a ‘Great Homeland’ free from racism and free from rules governing love — embracing all sexual diversity, women, youth, Indigenous peoples, Black people, minorities, and all those at the bottom of the social order.”The Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities is part of a suggested liturgy outline for Masses, worship services, and public gatherings marking the 32nd Cry of the Excluded — a mobilization bringing together pastoral groups, Catholic organizations, and social movements, held annually on Brazil’s Independence Day. CEPAST has called upon dioceses, pastoral groups, and grassroots movements to strengthen this mobilization within their respective jurisdictions this year.In a message released in June regarding the 2026 elections, the CNBB (National Conference of Bishops of Brazil) stated that “the Catholic Church does not endorse candidates or political parties” but affirmed that the Church, “driven by the Gospel and the mission to proclaim it, promotes life and human dignity, and serves the building of the common good.”Elections, the CEB Creed, and prayersDuring the penitential rite, Mass participants asked for forgiveness for “times when we did not take the country’s destiny seriously during elections” and for failing to speak out against “candidacies backed by economic power that will harm the people and potentially even impose authoritarian regimes.”The other parts of the penitential rite address wars, people living on the streets, real estate speculation, housing movements, violence against women, and femicide.During the Prayers of the Faithful, an intention regarding the elections was also included: “For this election season, that we may have the discernment not to vote for anyone who seeks to jeopardize Brazil’s sovereignty or harbors plans for a coup. May we not vote for politicians and parties that wish to turn the public good into an object of profit. Sovereignty is not negotiable.” The assembly’s response was: “Deliver us, Lord, from all those who use politics to betray the Brazilian people!”CEPAST states it did not draft the liturgy guideCEPAST’s communications office told ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News, that the CNBB commission did not participate in drafting the document. “The ‘Cry of the Excluded’ is a coalition formed by various organizations, and CEPAST did not participate in drafting the liturgy guide,” said Juce Rocha of the commission’s communications team.The National Coordination of the Cry of the Excluded includes among its participants Catholic pastoral groups, organizations, and social movements such as the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), Caritas Brazil, the Workers' Pastoral, the Migrants' Pastoral Service, Base Ecclesial Communities (CEBs), the Landless Rural Workers' Movement (MST), the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB), the Central of Popular Movements (CMP), and the National Confederation of Education Workers (CNTE).The national map for this year’s “Cry” documented activities in all regions of the country. In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espírito Santo, a march brought together the faithful, pastoral groups, and representatives of social movements, concluding at St. Peterʼs Cathedral, where Bishop Luiz Fernando Lisboa participated in the mobilization. In Santos, São Paulo, the “Cry” was part of the dioceseʼs official agenda and was attended by Bishop Joaquim Giovani Mol Guimarães. In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil, a march brought together the faithful, pastoral groups, and representatives of social movements, concluding at St. Peter’s Cathedral. | Credit: Diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim The same order of service was not followed at all Masses linked to the Cry. At the National Shrine of Aparecida in São Paulo, for instance, the Sept. 7 Mass was celebrated within the context of both the 39th Workers' Pilgrimage and the 32nd Cry of the Excluded. The Mass was celebrated by the archbishop of Aparecida, Mário Antonio da Silva; among the concelebrants was the bishop of the Prelature of Marajó, Pará, José Ionilton Lisboa de Oliveira, president of the Pastoral Land Commission.The Cry was mentioned during the Mass and the homily, but the program used in Brejo was not adopted for the celebration.The Cry of the Excluded first emerged during the evaluation of the second Brazilian Social Week — promoted by the CNBB in 1993 and 1994 — as a way to continue the reflections from that process. The initiative was also inspired by the 1995 Fraternity Campaign, which featured the theme “Fraternity and the Excluded” and the motto “Was it you, Lord?”The first edition took place on Sept. 7, 1995, in 170 locations. In 1996, the CNBB adopted the Cry during its general assembly as part of the Toward the New Millennium Project.Today, the mobilization is led by a National Coordination body comprising the CNBB’s Commission 8, Catholic pastoral groups and organizations, and various social movements and entities — including the CPT, Cáritas Brasileira, the Workers‘ Pastoral, the Migrants’ Pastoral Service, CEBs, the MST, MAB, CMP, and CNTE.According to the event’s organizers, the choice of Sept. 7 is intended to provide a “counterpoint” to the official Independence Day commemoration. The date has also been identified by the event’s organizers as a moment for “political awareness” and the struggle for a “new national and global order.”While the movement’s longtime theme is “Life Comes First!”, the slogan for 2026 is: “In defense of the land, peace, and housing, we raise our voices: Women alive and sovereignty!” National demands include ending the “6×1” (six days of work and one day off) work schedule, ensuring dignified housing, agrarian reform, quality public education, and the defense of the SUS (Unified Health System), as well as combating femicide, racism, and what is termed as “LGBTphobia.”The event’s website states that the choice of Sept. 7 seeks to offer a “counterpoint to the official history of Brazilʼs independence. Contrasting with the civic and military parades that have traditionally marked the day, it calls upon the people — especially the poor and the excluded — to step down from the grandstands, leave passive patriotism behind, and occupy public squares and streets in defense of their rights.”This story was first published by ACI Digital, the Portuguese-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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This past Sept. 7, the “Creed of the Ecclesial Base Communities” was included as part of a Mass marking Brazil’s annual “Cry of the Excluded” event.

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Obituary: Erin Guiltinan Piacenti, 32, Chester #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Sept. 9 at St. Joseph Church in Mendham, N.J., for Erin Guiltinan Piacenti of Chester, N.J., who died on Aug. 31 in New York City. She was 32. Born in 1994 in New York City, Piacenti was raised in Chester, N.J. She attended St. Joseph School in Mendham and Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, N.J. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, Piacenti served as a member, soloist, and eventually music director of Dischord A Cappella. Piacenti began her career as a buyer at Bloomingdale’s, but always knew her true ambition was to be an attorney. She graduated magna cum laude and earned induction into the Order of the Coif and law review from Fordham University School of Law. Thereafter, she began her legal career at Davis Polk & Wardwell in Manhattan and later became a vice president at Bank of America. At Fordham Law School, Piacenti met her husband, Frank, who also grew up in Chester. They quickly formed an inseparable bond, grown through shared interests, frequent travel, and deep trust. After four years together, they were married in 2024 at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Long Beach Island, N.J. In March of 2026, the couple welcomed their daughter, Madison. Piacenti effortlessly transitioned into her role as Madison’s devoted mother. Each morning, she sang Disney songs to Madison and danced with her. The joy they brought to one another was overwhelming. The family notes their heartbreak that Piacenti will not be able to participate in Madison’s future milestones, holidays, and life events. Yet Madison will grow up knowing how much she loved her and how much her parents loved one another. Piacenti was the big sister to her two sisters, Megan and Kelly, and her two brothers, Edward and William. She doted on her siblings, and they, in turn, adored and looked up to her. They were all best friends. Piacenti’s family members are heartbroken at her untimely, unfair, and tragic passing but are thankful she was and will always be in their lives and hearts. Piacenti loved singing, running, traveling, Broadway musicals, Harry Potter, and Disney World, and she enjoyed spending time at her family home on Long Beach Island and playing with the family golden retrievers. She will be remembered for her intelligence, warmth, loyalty, generosity, and, above all, her love for her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. Survivors include her husband, Frank Piacenti; her daughter, Madison Piacenti; her devoted parents, Edward and Barbara Guiltinan; her siblings, Megan Guiltinan Sneden and her husband, Riley, Edward Guiltinan, Jr., Kelly Guiltinan, and William Guiltinan; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Frank and Kelly Piacenti; her sisters-in-law, Alexandria and Olivia; and many other family members and friends. Please make memorial donations to Supporting Madison’s Future, a GoFundMe established to provide Piacenti’s daughter the future she dreamed of building with her.  Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Obituary: Erin Guiltinan Piacenti, 32, Chester #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Sept. 9 at St. Joseph Church in Mendham, N.J., for Erin Guiltinan Piacenti of Chester, N.J., who died on Aug. 31 in New York City. She was 32. Born in 1994 in New York City, Piacenti was raised in Chester, N.J. She attended St. Joseph School in Mendham and Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, N.J. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, Piacenti served as a member, soloist, and eventually music director of Dischord A Cappella. Piacenti began her career as a buyer at Bloomingdale’s, but always knew her true ambition was to be an attorney. She graduated magna cum laude and earned induction into the Order of the Coif and law review from Fordham University School of Law. Thereafter, she began her legal career at Davis Polk & Wardwell in Manhattan and later became a vice president at Bank of America. At Fordham Law School, Piacenti met her husband, Frank, who also grew up in Chester. They quickly formed an inseparable bond, grown through shared interests, frequent travel, and deep trust. After four years together, they were married in 2024 at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Long Beach Island, N.J. In March of 2026, the couple welcomed their daughter, Madison. Piacenti effortlessly transitioned into her role as Madison’s devoted mother. Each morning, she sang Disney songs to Madison and danced with her. The joy they brought to one another was overwhelming. The family notes their heartbreak that Piacenti will not be able to participate in Madison’s future milestones, holidays, and life events. Yet Madison will grow up knowing how much she loved her and how much her parents loved one another. Piacenti was the big sister to her two sisters, Megan and Kelly, and her two brothers, Edward and William. She doted on her siblings, and they, in turn, adored and looked up to her. They were all best friends. Piacenti’s family members are heartbroken at her untimely, unfair, and tragic passing but are thankful she was and will always be in their lives and hearts. Piacenti loved singing, running, traveling, Broadway musicals, Harry Potter, and Disney World, and she enjoyed spending time at her family home on Long Beach Island and playing with the family golden retrievers. She will be remembered for her intelligence, warmth, loyalty, generosity, and, above all, her love for her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. Survivors include her husband, Frank Piacenti; her daughter, Madison Piacenti; her devoted parents, Edward and Barbara Guiltinan; her siblings, Megan Guiltinan Sneden and her husband, Riley, Edward Guiltinan, Jr., Kelly Guiltinan, and William Guiltinan; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Frank and Kelly Piacenti; her sisters-in-law, Alexandria and Olivia; and many other family members and friends. Please make memorial donations to Supporting Madison’s Future, a GoFundMe established to provide Piacenti’s daughter the future she dreamed of building with her.  Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Obituary: Erin Guiltinan Piacenti, 32, Chester #Catholic –

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Sept. 9 at St. Joseph Church in Mendham, N.J., for Erin Guiltinan Piacenti of Chester, N.J., who died on Aug. 31 in New York City. She was 32.

Born in 1994 in New York City, Piacenti was raised in Chester, N.J. She attended St. Joseph School in Mendham and Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, N.J. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, Piacenti served as a member, soloist, and eventually music director of Dischord A Cappella.

Piacenti began her career as a buyer at Bloomingdale’s, but always knew her true ambition was to be an attorney. She graduated magna cum laude and earned induction into the Order of the Coif and law review from Fordham University School of Law. Thereafter, she began her legal career at Davis Polk & Wardwell in Manhattan and later became a vice president at Bank of America.

At Fordham Law School, Piacenti met her husband, Frank, who also grew up in Chester. They quickly formed an inseparable bond, grown through shared interests, frequent travel, and deep trust. After four years together, they were married in 2024 at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Long Beach Island, N.J.

In March of 2026, the couple welcomed their daughter, Madison. Piacenti effortlessly transitioned into her role as Madison’s devoted mother. Each morning, she sang Disney songs to Madison and danced with her. The joy they brought to one another was overwhelming.

The family notes their heartbreak that Piacenti will not be able to participate in Madison’s future milestones, holidays, and life events. Yet Madison will grow up knowing how much she loved her and how much her parents loved one another.

Piacenti was the big sister to her two sisters, Megan and Kelly, and her two brothers, Edward and William. She doted on her siblings, and they, in turn, adored and looked up to her. They were all best friends. Piacenti’s family members are heartbroken at her untimely, unfair, and tragic passing but are thankful she was and will always be in their lives and hearts.

Piacenti loved singing, running, traveling, Broadway musicals, Harry Potter, and Disney World, and she enjoyed spending time at her family home on Long Beach Island and playing with the family golden retrievers. She will be remembered for her intelligence, warmth, loyalty, generosity, and, above all, her love for her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend.

Survivors include her husband, Frank Piacenti; her daughter, Madison Piacenti; her devoted parents, Edward and Barbara Guiltinan; her siblings, Megan Guiltinan Sneden and her husband, Riley, Edward Guiltinan, Jr., Kelly Guiltinan, and William Guiltinan; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Frank and Kelly Piacenti; her sisters-in-law, Alexandria and Olivia; and many other family members and friends.

Please make memorial donations to Supporting Madison’s Future, a GoFundMe established to provide Piacenti’s daughter the future she dreamed of building with her. 

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Sept. 9 at St. Joseph Church in Mendham, N.J., for Erin Guiltinan Piacenti of Chester, N.J., who died on Aug. 31 in New York City. She was 32. Born in 1994 in New York City, Piacenti was raised in Chester, N.J. She attended St. Joseph School in Mendham and Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, N.J. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, Piacenti served as a member, soloist, and eventually music director of Dischord A Cappella. Piacenti began her career as a buyer

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Peruvian city to unveil world’s tallest statue of Pope Leo for trip to South America #Catholic – BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (OSV News) — The Peruvian city of Callao announced an unusual tribute to Pope Leo XIV ahead of his November visit to the South American country: the largest statue of the pontiff in the world. The 45.9-foot-tall statue of Pope Leo will grace a seafront park overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Callao, located in the northern suburbs of Lima, the national capital. “This work will be a source of pride for all the residents of Callao and a new space for us to come together as a community,” said Mayor César Pérez, according to the newspaper El Comercio. “May the (statue) be a place that transmits faith, hope, and unity, and may this sculpture become a symbol that accompanies families.” The mayor added that the local government donated park space, while a private firm provided funding for the statue. The steel and marble statue of the pope with open arms is expected to be installed prior to his arrival in Peru Nov. 11. Pérez expressed hope that the statue would be inaugurated during the pope’s five-day trip to Peru. The visit — a homecoming for Pope Leo, who became a Peruvian citizen while serving as bishop of Chiclayo — will cap an 11-day journey to South America, which includes visits to Uruguay and Argentina. Pope Leo is expected to arrive in Callao, site of Lima’s international airport, but not spend time in the city, despite serving as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Callao for 13 months, ending in May 2021. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Pérez remembered Pope Leo driving some 475 miles from Chiclayo to Callao during the COVID-19 pandemic, where, the mayor told EFE, “he oversaw food donations, helping those who have the least and need the most. That was Robert Prevost’s way of working when he was administrator of the Callao Diocese.” The statue being built in Callao reflects the stature and popularity of Pope Leo in his adopted home country, where Catholic observers say he has emerged as the world’s most prominent Peruvian since his May 2025 election. Observers say excitement for the papal trip is especially strong in northern Peru, where Pope Leo served as an Augustinian missionary and later bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. “What’s being promoted,” by Peruvian church leaders “is how important it is to have a Peruvian pope and how good it is that he’s returning,” Jesuit Father José Luis Gordillo, told OSV News. Church leaders have promoted Pope Leo’s teachings ahead of the visit, with “the result being an emphasis on (Pope) Leo’s role as someone who will be a relevant leader, a leader relevant to the world, and who will say something relevant to the country,” Father Gordillo said. “I do believe that the archdiocese (of Lima) and probably the episcopal conference are also expecting that.” Pope Leo is expected to visit Lima, Chiclayo, Pucallpa and Cusco between Nov. 11 and Nov. 17. Observers say the trip incorporates the three regions of Peru: the coast, mountains and jungle — each representing different cultures and socioeconomic realities. The official agenda of the pope’s trip to Peru is to be published shortly after Vatican confirmation is received around Sept. 15, Bishop Carlos García Camader of Lurín, president of the Peruvian bishops’ conference, told Agencia Andina. Pope Francis visited Peru in 2018. The late pope never visited his native Argentina after being elected in 2013. He never voiced his reasons for not visiting his homeland, but Church observers cite deep political divisions in Argentina as a possible motive. Church officials hope Pope Leo’s visit can encourage unity among Argentines. “It’s a very polarized country,” Bishop Dante Braida of La Rioja, Argentina, told OSV News. “There are two opposing political sectors, which are vying for power. … They’ve had great difficulty finding common ground to build a country together. “On the other hand, there’s a Church that tries to accompany a process of dialogue, of openness, and that tries to be close to the grassroots,” he continued. “It’s a country with a certain degree of complexity, but the pope will always be welcome, and we trust that his presence will be a presence of unity. And of dialogue. That’s what’s needed.” Pope Leo arrives in Buenos Aires Nov. 8. Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva of Buenos Aires has provided details of the pope’s proposed itinerary, which, in the Argentine capital, includes celebrating Mass at the Monumento a los Españoles; an encounter with labor leaders, workers and public and private officials at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina; and a visit to the Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione, which serves people with developmental disabilities. Pope Leo is also expected to visit a prison in Buenos Aires. The pope will spend Nov. 10 in the city of Cordoba, roughly 425 miles northwest of Argentina, where he will celebrate Mass and later meet with priests, religious and seminarians at the local cathedral. He will celebrate Mass the next day at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján near Buenos Aires — a shrine to the namesake patroness of Argentina — before flying onward to Peru. No pope has visited Argentina since St. John Paul II in 1987. Pope Leo’s first trip to South America begins Nov. 6 in Uruguay, the least religious country in Latin America. The pope is scheduled to visit the cities of Montevideo, the capital, along with Paysandú on the border with Argentina and Florida. His visit to Florida on Nov. 8 coincides with celebrations of Our Lady of the 33, the national patroness. Official details of the pope’s itinerary in Uruguay are expected to be released sometime after Sept. 21, said Gabriela Gómez, press director for the Archdiocese of Montevideo. David Agren writes for OSV News from Buenos Aires, Argentina.  
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Peruvian city to unveil world’s tallest statue of Pope Leo for trip to South America #Catholic – BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (OSV News) — The Peruvian city of Callao announced an unusual tribute to Pope Leo XIV ahead of his November visit to the South American country: the largest statue of the pontiff in the world. The 45.9-foot-tall statue of Pope Leo will grace a seafront park overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Callao, located in the northern suburbs of Lima, the national capital. “This work will be a source of pride for all the residents of Callao and a new space for us to come together as a community,” said Mayor César Pérez, according to the newspaper El Comercio. “May the (statue) be a place that transmits faith, hope, and unity, and may this sculpture become a symbol that accompanies families.” The mayor added that the local government donated park space, while a private firm provided funding for the statue. The steel and marble statue of the pope with open arms is expected to be installed prior to his arrival in Peru Nov. 11. Pérez expressed hope that the statue would be inaugurated during the pope’s five-day trip to Peru. The visit — a homecoming for Pope Leo, who became a Peruvian citizen while serving as bishop of Chiclayo — will cap an 11-day journey to South America, which includes visits to Uruguay and Argentina. Pope Leo is expected to arrive in Callao, site of Lima’s international airport, but not spend time in the city, despite serving as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Callao for 13 months, ending in May 2021. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Pérez remembered Pope Leo driving some 475 miles from Chiclayo to Callao during the COVID-19 pandemic, where, the mayor told EFE, “he oversaw food donations, helping those who have the least and need the most. That was Robert Prevost’s way of working when he was administrator of the Callao Diocese.” The statue being built in Callao reflects the stature and popularity of Pope Leo in his adopted home country, where Catholic observers say he has emerged as the world’s most prominent Peruvian since his May 2025 election. Observers say excitement for the papal trip is especially strong in northern Peru, where Pope Leo served as an Augustinian missionary and later bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. “What’s being promoted,” by Peruvian church leaders “is how important it is to have a Peruvian pope and how good it is that he’s returning,” Jesuit Father José Luis Gordillo, told OSV News. Church leaders have promoted Pope Leo’s teachings ahead of the visit, with “the result being an emphasis on (Pope) Leo’s role as someone who will be a relevant leader, a leader relevant to the world, and who will say something relevant to the country,” Father Gordillo said. “I do believe that the archdiocese (of Lima) and probably the episcopal conference are also expecting that.” Pope Leo is expected to visit Lima, Chiclayo, Pucallpa and Cusco between Nov. 11 and Nov. 17. Observers say the trip incorporates the three regions of Peru: the coast, mountains and jungle — each representing different cultures and socioeconomic realities. The official agenda of the pope’s trip to Peru is to be published shortly after Vatican confirmation is received around Sept. 15, Bishop Carlos García Camader of Lurín, president of the Peruvian bishops’ conference, told Agencia Andina. Pope Francis visited Peru in 2018. The late pope never visited his native Argentina after being elected in 2013. He never voiced his reasons for not visiting his homeland, but Church observers cite deep political divisions in Argentina as a possible motive. Church officials hope Pope Leo’s visit can encourage unity among Argentines. “It’s a very polarized country,” Bishop Dante Braida of La Rioja, Argentina, told OSV News. “There are two opposing political sectors, which are vying for power. … They’ve had great difficulty finding common ground to build a country together. “On the other hand, there’s a Church that tries to accompany a process of dialogue, of openness, and that tries to be close to the grassroots,” he continued. “It’s a country with a certain degree of complexity, but the pope will always be welcome, and we trust that his presence will be a presence of unity. And of dialogue. That’s what’s needed.” Pope Leo arrives in Buenos Aires Nov. 8. Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva of Buenos Aires has provided details of the pope’s proposed itinerary, which, in the Argentine capital, includes celebrating Mass at the Monumento a los Españoles; an encounter with labor leaders, workers and public and private officials at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina; and a visit to the Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione, which serves people with developmental disabilities. Pope Leo is also expected to visit a prison in Buenos Aires. The pope will spend Nov. 10 in the city of Cordoba, roughly 425 miles northwest of Argentina, where he will celebrate Mass and later meet with priests, religious and seminarians at the local cathedral. He will celebrate Mass the next day at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján near Buenos Aires — a shrine to the namesake patroness of Argentina — before flying onward to Peru. No pope has visited Argentina since St. John Paul II in 1987. Pope Leo’s first trip to South America begins Nov. 6 in Uruguay, the least religious country in Latin America. The pope is scheduled to visit the cities of Montevideo, the capital, along with Paysandú on the border with Argentina and Florida. His visit to Florida on Nov. 8 coincides with celebrations of Our Lady of the 33, the national patroness. Official details of the pope’s itinerary in Uruguay are expected to be released sometime after Sept. 21, said Gabriela Gómez, press director for the Archdiocese of Montevideo. David Agren writes for OSV News from Buenos Aires, Argentina.  

unitedyam

Peruvian city to unveil world’s tallest statue of Pope Leo for trip to South America #Catholic –

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (OSV News) — The Peruvian city of Callao announced an unusual tribute to Pope Leo XIV ahead of his November visit to the South American country: the largest statue of the pontiff in the world.

The 45.9-foot-tall statue of Pope Leo will grace a seafront park overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Callao, located in the northern suburbs of Lima, the national capital.

“This work will be a source of pride for all the residents of Callao and a new space for us to come together as a community,” said Mayor César Pérez, according to the newspaper El Comercio. “May the (statue) be a place that transmits faith, hope, and unity, and may this sculpture become a symbol that accompanies families.”

The mayor added that the local government donated park space, while a private firm provided funding for the statue.

The steel and marble statue of the pope with open arms is expected to be installed prior to his arrival in Peru Nov. 11. Pérez expressed hope that the statue would be inaugurated during the pope’s five-day trip to Peru. The visit — a homecoming for Pope Leo, who became a Peruvian citizen while serving as bishop of Chiclayo — will cap an 11-day journey to South America, which includes visits to Uruguay and Argentina.

Pope Leo is expected to arrive in Callao, site of Lima’s international airport, but not spend time in the city, despite serving as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Callao for 13 months, ending in May 2021.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Pérez remembered Pope Leo driving some 475 miles from Chiclayo to Callao during the COVID-19 pandemic, where, the mayor told EFE, “he oversaw food donations, helping those who have the least and need the most. That was Robert Prevost’s way of working when he was administrator of the Callao Diocese.”

The statue being built in Callao reflects the stature and popularity of Pope Leo in his adopted home country, where Catholic observers say he has emerged as the world’s most prominent Peruvian since his May 2025 election. Observers say excitement for the papal trip is especially strong in northern Peru, where Pope Leo served as an Augustinian missionary and later bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.

“What’s being promoted,” by Peruvian church leaders “is how important it is to have a Peruvian pope and how good it is that he’s returning,” Jesuit Father José Luis Gordillo, told OSV News.

Church leaders have promoted Pope Leo’s teachings ahead of the visit, with “the result being an emphasis on (Pope) Leo’s role as someone who will be a relevant leader, a leader relevant to the world, and who will say something relevant to the country,” Father Gordillo said. “I do believe that the archdiocese (of Lima) and probably the episcopal conference are also expecting that.”

Pope Leo is expected to visit Lima, Chiclayo, Pucallpa and Cusco between Nov. 11 and Nov. 17. Observers say the trip incorporates the three regions of Peru: the coast, mountains and jungle — each representing different cultures and socioeconomic realities.

The official agenda of the pope’s trip to Peru is to be published shortly after Vatican confirmation is received around Sept. 15, Bishop Carlos García Camader of Lurín, president of the Peruvian bishops’ conference, told Agencia Andina.

Pope Francis visited Peru in 2018. The late pope never visited his native Argentina after being elected in 2013. He never voiced his reasons for not visiting his homeland, but Church observers cite deep political divisions in Argentina as a possible motive. Church officials hope Pope Leo’s visit can encourage unity among Argentines.

“It’s a very polarized country,” Bishop Dante Braida of La Rioja, Argentina, told OSV News. “There are two opposing political sectors, which are vying for power. … They’ve had great difficulty finding common ground to build a country together.

“On the other hand, there’s a Church that tries to accompany a process of dialogue, of openness, and that tries to be close to the grassroots,” he continued. “It’s a country with a certain degree of complexity, but the pope will always be welcome, and we trust that his presence will be a presence of unity. And of dialogue. That’s what’s needed.”

Pope Leo arrives in Buenos Aires Nov. 8. Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva of Buenos Aires has provided details of the pope’s proposed itinerary, which, in the Argentine capital, includes celebrating Mass at the Monumento a los Españoles; an encounter with labor leaders, workers and public and private officials at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina; and a visit to the Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione, which serves people with developmental disabilities. Pope Leo is also expected to visit a prison in Buenos Aires.

The pope will spend Nov. 10 in the city of Cordoba, roughly 425 miles northwest of Argentina, where he will celebrate Mass and later meet with priests, religious and seminarians at the local cathedral. He will celebrate Mass the next day at the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján near Buenos Aires — a shrine to the namesake patroness of Argentina — before flying onward to Peru. No pope has visited Argentina since St. John Paul II in 1987.

Pope Leo’s first trip to South America begins Nov. 6 in Uruguay, the least religious country in Latin America. The pope is scheduled to visit the cities of Montevideo, the capital, along with Paysandú on the border with Argentina and Florida. His visit to Florida on Nov. 8 coincides with celebrations of Our Lady of the 33, the national patroness.

Official details of the pope’s itinerary in Uruguay are expected to be released sometime after Sept. 21, said Gabriela Gómez, press director for the Archdiocese of Montevideo.

David Agren writes for OSV News from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

 

– BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (OSV News) — The Peruvian city of Callao announced an unusual tribute to Pope Leo XIV ahead of his November visit to the South American country: the largest statue of the pontiff in the world. The 45.9-foot-tall statue of Pope Leo will grace a seafront park overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Callao, located in the northern suburbs of Lima, the national capital. “This work will be a source of pride for all the residents of Callao and a new space for us to come together as a community,” said Mayor César Pérez, according to the newspaper El

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Pope Leo XIV says ‘giving witness to unity’ is close to his heart #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV explained why “giving witness to unity” is something close to his heart in a Sept. 9 audience with bishops associated with the Focolare movement. The pope, whose motto is “In the One, we are one,” underlined the urgent need “to give witness to both the sense and service of unity” in an age “sadly marked by increasing polarization.” The answer to the divisions that plague our world, he said, lies “not in forming more committees or launching more projects, but in going back to the source of our unity in the Holy Trinity.” The once-stable networks of family, friends and community in the West are now giving way to “to greater fragmentation … where freedom is increasingly presented as absolute autonomy,” he explained, detached from moral or natural human limits. Yet, he noted, “for all the emphasis on individual freedom, people today frequently feel less free to be their genuine selves or follow their highest ideals, out of a hidden fear of being judged or of not fitting in.” The source of true unity is the Holy Trinity, Pope Leo emphasized, explaining that disunity “deprives us of the happiness for which we were created, since we are made in the image of the Triune God, who is himself a communion of persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “In revealing the heart of the Father, Christ shows us the deepest meaning of our existence, of our relationships, and the path to happiness,” the pope said. Pope Leo called the Church “a mystery of communion” and “sign and leaven of unity for our world.” “Through the gift of the Spirit, we have become children of God, sharers in the divine life, and from this communion with God flows our communion with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ,” he said. Pope Leo pointed to Servant of God Chiara Lubich, who founded the Focolare movement in Italy in 1943 and made “giving witness to unity” an essential element of the movement inspired by Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of John, “May they all be one.” The Focolare movement, whose official name is the “Work of Mary,” has grown to have more than 2 million people in 183 countries who participate in the life of the movement and its “spirituality of unity.” Among those present at the papal audience were South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, who has long been associated with the movement, and Margaret Karram, who has served as its president since 2021. “As sharers in the spiritual legacy of Chiara Lubich, and as ministers of Christ’s Church in a fragmented world, you are called to give witness to this longed-for unity of the human family,” he told the bishops who are gathered in Rome as “friends of the Focolare Movement.” “I hope you will take the opportunity to nourish your interior life: with generous and sustained prayer before our Lord in the Tabernacle, with a calm and attentive celebration of the Office and Holy Mass, and finally by frequent contemplation of the indwelling of the Persons of the Trinity in the depth of our being,” he said. ” In this way, you will be witnesses to each other and to those you serve of that unity which builds lasting peace.” Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.
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Pope Leo XIV says ‘giving witness to unity’ is close to his heart #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV explained why “giving witness to unity” is something close to his heart in a Sept. 9 audience with bishops associated with the Focolare movement. The pope, whose motto is “In the One, we are one,” underlined the urgent need “to give witness to both the sense and service of unity” in an age “sadly marked by increasing polarization.” The answer to the divisions that plague our world, he said, lies “not in forming more committees or launching more projects, but in going back to the source of our unity in the Holy Trinity.” The once-stable networks of family, friends and community in the West are now giving way to “to greater fragmentation … where freedom is increasingly presented as absolute autonomy,” he explained, detached from moral or natural human limits. Yet, he noted, “for all the emphasis on individual freedom, people today frequently feel less free to be their genuine selves or follow their highest ideals, out of a hidden fear of being judged or of not fitting in.” The source of true unity is the Holy Trinity, Pope Leo emphasized, explaining that disunity “deprives us of the happiness for which we were created, since we are made in the image of the Triune God, who is himself a communion of persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “In revealing the heart of the Father, Christ shows us the deepest meaning of our existence, of our relationships, and the path to happiness,” the pope said. Pope Leo called the Church “a mystery of communion” and “sign and leaven of unity for our world.” “Through the gift of the Spirit, we have become children of God, sharers in the divine life, and from this communion with God flows our communion with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ,” he said. Pope Leo pointed to Servant of God Chiara Lubich, who founded the Focolare movement in Italy in 1943 and made “giving witness to unity” an essential element of the movement inspired by Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of John, “May they all be one.” The Focolare movement, whose official name is the “Work of Mary,” has grown to have more than 2 million people in 183 countries who participate in the life of the movement and its “spirituality of unity.” Among those present at the papal audience were South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, who has long been associated with the movement, and Margaret Karram, who has served as its president since 2021. “As sharers in the spiritual legacy of Chiara Lubich, and as ministers of Christ’s Church in a fragmented world, you are called to give witness to this longed-for unity of the human family,” he told the bishops who are gathered in Rome as “friends of the Focolare Movement.” “I hope you will take the opportunity to nourish your interior life: with generous and sustained prayer before our Lord in the Tabernacle, with a calm and attentive celebration of the Office and Holy Mass, and finally by frequent contemplation of the indwelling of the Persons of the Trinity in the depth of our being,” he said. ” In this way, you will be witnesses to each other and to those you serve of that unity which builds lasting peace.” Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.

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Pope Leo XIV says ‘giving witness to unity’ is close to his heart #Catholic –

VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV explained why “giving witness to unity” is something close to his heart in a Sept. 9 audience with bishops associated with the Focolare movement.

The pope, whose motto is “In the One, we are one,” underlined the urgent need “to give witness to both the sense and service of unity” in an age “sadly marked by increasing polarization.”

The answer to the divisions that plague our world, he said, lies “not in forming more committees or launching more projects, but in going back to the source of our unity in the Holy Trinity.”

The once-stable networks of family, friends and community in the West are now giving way to “to greater fragmentation … where freedom is increasingly presented as absolute autonomy,” he explained, detached from moral or natural human limits.

Yet, he noted, “for all the emphasis on individual freedom, people today frequently feel less free to be their genuine selves or follow their highest ideals, out of a hidden fear of being judged or of not fitting in.”

The source of true unity is the Holy Trinity, Pope Leo emphasized, explaining that disunity “deprives us of the happiness for which we were created, since we are made in the image of the Triune God, who is himself a communion of persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“In revealing the heart of the Father, Christ shows us the deepest meaning of our existence, of our relationships, and the path to happiness,” the pope said.

Pope Leo called the Church “a mystery of communion” and “sign and leaven of unity for our world.”

“Through the gift of the Spirit, we have become children of God, sharers in the divine life, and from this communion with God flows our communion with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ,” he said.

Pope Leo pointed to Servant of God Chiara Lubich, who founded the Focolare movement in Italy in 1943 and made “giving witness to unity” an essential element of the movement inspired by Jesus’ prayer in the Gospel of John, “May they all be one.”

The Focolare movement, whose official name is the “Work of Mary,” has grown to have more than 2 million people in 183 countries who participate in the life of the movement and its “spirituality of unity.”

Among those present at the papal audience were South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, who has long been associated with the movement, and Margaret Karram, who has served as its president since 2021.

“As sharers in the spiritual legacy of Chiara Lubich, and as ministers of Christ’s Church in a fragmented world, you are called to give witness to this longed-for unity of the human family,” he told the bishops who are gathered in Rome as “friends of the Focolare Movement.”

“I hope you will take the opportunity to nourish your interior life: with generous and sustained prayer before our Lord in the Tabernacle, with a calm and attentive celebration of the Office and Holy Mass, and finally by frequent contemplation of the indwelling of the Persons of the Trinity in the depth of our being,” he said. ” In this way, you will be witnesses to each other and to those you serve of that unity which builds lasting peace.”

Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.

– VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV explained why “giving witness to unity” is something close to his heart in a Sept. 9 audience with bishops associated with the Focolare movement. The pope, whose motto is “In the One, we are one,” underlined the urgent need “to give witness to both the sense and service of unity” in an age “sadly marked by increasing polarization.” The answer to the divisions that plague our world, he said, lies “not in forming more committees or launching more projects, but in going back to the source of our unity in the Holy

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At Labor Day Mass, cardinal warns AI will transform work, urges protection of workers’ dignity #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — As artificial intelligence accelerates changes in the workplace, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy said the coming transformation of labor raises a fundamental question about the future of human work. “Will there be meaningful work left?” the archbishop of Washington asked during his homily at a Labor Day Mass celebrated Sept. 6 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington. “And the answer to that is: No one knows,” he said. The Mass, organized by the Catholic Labor Network and celebrated a day ahead of the federal Labor Day holiday, brought together parishioners, workers and representatives of organized labor for a celebration focused on the dignity of human labor, economic justice and workers’ rights. The prayers of the faithful included prayers for those unable to find work, people facing unsafe conditions or inadequate wages, workers in agriculture, manufacturing and public service and union leaders representing workers. Cardinal McElroy began his homily by reflecting on the Scripture reading at the Mass from the Book of Genesis, telling worshippers the created world is a gift from God entrusted to humanity and people participate in its continuing development through their labor. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “When we are workers, we are co-creators with God,” he said. The cardinal described work as a way people participate in creation, contribute to their communities and express something of themselves, even when the work itself can be difficult. “Work is given to us as a way of self-expression, of our need, of our human need, to create, to contribute to, to build up here on this earth,” he said. There is a dignity to human work that should never be damaged or undermined, the cardinal said. That dignity, he said, became a defining concern of modern Catholic social teaching during the Industrial Revolution, when Pope Leo XIII issued his 1891 encyclical “Rerum Novarum” in response to low wages, dangerous working conditions, economic insecurity and the exploitation of workers. Cardinal McElroy said the world is now approaching another economic transformation. “Today, we are on the cusp of another revolution that will dramatically affect work in our world and the dignity of labor,” he said. The cardinal said he recently joined other U.S. cardinals for discussions in Silicon Valley with leaders of artificial intelligence teams at companies on the cutting edge of the technology. Among the topics they discussed, he said, was the effect AI may have on the workforce, particularly when paired with increasingly capable robotics. “The labor market is going to radically change in the next 20 years,” Cardinal McElroy said. He predicted “tremendous dislocations of workers,” saying “millions of workers who have jobs now will not have those jobs 10 years from now.” Cardinal McElroy said workers must have a voice as governments, businesses and society confront decisions about artificial intelligence and automation. “We, as a society, have to be at the table, seeking this vision of work and seeking to make sure that exploitation does not grow, and that the wealth of the country doesn’t increasingly go to fewer and fewer at the expense of the working class,” the cardinal said. The challenge for labor, he said, is to prepare for changes with “tremendous repercussions for all workers.” Preparation, he added, should include thoughtful structures to preserve “continued creation through labor” and help build up the human family. “Let us do everything that we can to vindicate workers in this moment in which we live, and in the years which are going to come, which will transform human labor, that we might have a labor force and a labor opportunity that truly reflects the gift of God to us all, the call of God to us all, and the wonderful talents we have to build up the creation that God gave us in the Book of Genesis,” Cardinal McElroy said. Nicole Olea is a reporter at the Catholic Standard, the news outlet 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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At Labor Day Mass, cardinal warns AI will transform work, urges protection of workers’ dignity #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — As artificial intelligence accelerates changes in the workplace, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy said the coming transformation of labor raises a fundamental question about the future of human work. “Will there be meaningful work left?” the archbishop of Washington asked during his homily at a Labor Day Mass celebrated Sept. 6 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington. “And the answer to that is: No one knows,” he said. The Mass, organized by the Catholic Labor Network and celebrated a day ahead of the federal Labor Day holiday, brought together parishioners, workers and representatives of organized labor for a celebration focused on the dignity of human labor, economic justice and workers’ rights. The prayers of the faithful included prayers for those unable to find work, people facing unsafe conditions or inadequate wages, workers in agriculture, manufacturing and public service and union leaders representing workers. Cardinal McElroy began his homily by reflecting on the Scripture reading at the Mass from the Book of Genesis, telling worshippers the created world is a gift from God entrusted to humanity and people participate in its continuing development through their labor. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “When we are workers, we are co-creators with God,” he said. The cardinal described work as a way people participate in creation, contribute to their communities and express something of themselves, even when the work itself can be difficult. “Work is given to us as a way of self-expression, of our need, of our human need, to create, to contribute to, to build up here on this earth,” he said. There is a dignity to human work that should never be damaged or undermined, the cardinal said. That dignity, he said, became a defining concern of modern Catholic social teaching during the Industrial Revolution, when Pope Leo XIII issued his 1891 encyclical “Rerum Novarum” in response to low wages, dangerous working conditions, economic insecurity and the exploitation of workers. Cardinal McElroy said the world is now approaching another economic transformation. “Today, we are on the cusp of another revolution that will dramatically affect work in our world and the dignity of labor,” he said. The cardinal said he recently joined other U.S. cardinals for discussions in Silicon Valley with leaders of artificial intelligence teams at companies on the cutting edge of the technology. Among the topics they discussed, he said, was the effect AI may have on the workforce, particularly when paired with increasingly capable robotics. “The labor market is going to radically change in the next 20 years,” Cardinal McElroy said. He predicted “tremendous dislocations of workers,” saying “millions of workers who have jobs now will not have those jobs 10 years from now.” Cardinal McElroy said workers must have a voice as governments, businesses and society confront decisions about artificial intelligence and automation. “We, as a society, have to be at the table, seeking this vision of work and seeking to make sure that exploitation does not grow, and that the wealth of the country doesn’t increasingly go to fewer and fewer at the expense of the working class,” the cardinal said. The challenge for labor, he said, is to prepare for changes with “tremendous repercussions for all workers.” Preparation, he added, should include thoughtful structures to preserve “continued creation through labor” and help build up the human family. “Let us do everything that we can to vindicate workers in this moment in which we live, and in the years which are going to come, which will transform human labor, that we might have a labor force and a labor opportunity that truly reflects the gift of God to us all, the call of God to us all, and the wonderful talents we have to build up the creation that God gave us in the Book of Genesis,” Cardinal McElroy said. Nicole Olea is a reporter at the Catholic Standard, the news outlet 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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At Labor Day Mass, cardinal warns AI will transform work, urges protection of workers’ dignity #Catholic –

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — As artificial intelligence accelerates changes in the workplace, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy said the coming transformation of labor raises a fundamental question about the future of human work.

“Will there be meaningful work left?” the archbishop of Washington asked during his homily at a Labor Day Mass celebrated Sept. 6 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington.

“And the answer to that is: No one knows,” he said.

The Mass, organized by the Catholic Labor Network and celebrated a day ahead of the federal Labor Day holiday, brought together parishioners, workers and representatives of organized labor for a celebration focused on the dignity of human labor, economic justice and workers’ rights.

The prayers of the faithful included prayers for those unable to find work, people facing unsafe conditions or inadequate wages, workers in agriculture, manufacturing and public service and union leaders representing workers.

Cardinal McElroy began his homily by reflecting on the Scripture reading at the Mass from the Book of Genesis, telling worshippers the created world is a gift from God entrusted to humanity and people participate in its continuing development through their labor.

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“When we are workers, we are co-creators with God,” he said.

The cardinal described work as a way people participate in creation, contribute to their communities and express something of themselves, even when the work itself can be difficult.
“Work is given to us as a way of self-expression, of our need, of our human need, to create, to contribute to, to build up here on this earth,” he said.

There is a dignity to human work that should never be damaged or undermined, the cardinal said.

That dignity, he said, became a defining concern of modern Catholic social teaching during the Industrial Revolution, when Pope Leo XIII issued his 1891 encyclical “Rerum Novarum” in response to low wages, dangerous working conditions, economic insecurity and the exploitation of workers.

Cardinal McElroy said the world is now approaching another economic transformation.

“Today, we are on the cusp of another revolution that will dramatically affect work in our world and the dignity of labor,” he said.

The cardinal said he recently joined other U.S. cardinals for discussions in Silicon Valley with leaders of artificial intelligence teams at companies on the cutting edge of the technology.

Among the topics they discussed, he said, was the effect AI may have on the workforce, particularly when paired with increasingly capable robotics.

“The labor market is going to radically change in the next 20 years,” Cardinal McElroy said. He predicted “tremendous dislocations of workers,” saying “millions of workers who have jobs now will not have those jobs 10 years from now.”

Cardinal McElroy said workers must have a voice as governments, businesses and society confront decisions about artificial intelligence and automation.

“We, as a society, have to be at the table, seeking this vision of work and seeking to make sure that exploitation does not grow, and that the wealth of the country doesn’t increasingly go to fewer and fewer at the expense of the working class,” the cardinal said.

The challenge for labor, he said, is to prepare for changes with “tremendous repercussions for all workers.”

Preparation, he added, should include thoughtful structures to preserve “continued creation through labor” and help build up the human family.

“Let us do everything that we can to vindicate workers in this moment in which we live, and in the years which are going to come, which will transform human labor, that we might have a labor force and a labor opportunity that truly reflects the gift of God to us all, the call of God to us all, and the wonderful talents we have to build up the creation that God gave us in the Book of Genesis,” Cardinal McElroy said.

Nicole Olea is a reporter at the Catholic Standard, the news outlet 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) — As artificial intelligence accelerates changes in the workplace, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy said the coming transformation of labor raises a fundamental question about the future of human work. “Will there be meaningful work left?” the archbishop of Washington asked during his homily at a Labor Day Mass celebrated Sept. 6 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington. “And the answer to that is: No one knows,” he said. The Mass, organized by the Catholic Labor Network and celebrated a day ahead of the federal Labor Day holiday, brought together parishioners, workers and representatives

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 10 September 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13 Brothers and sisters: Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if one loves God, one is known by him. So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols: we know that there is no idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth (there are, to be sure, many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things are and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are and through whom we exist. But not all have this knowledge. There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols, their conscience, which is weak, is defiled. Thus, through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died. When you sin in this way against your brothers and wound their consciences, weak as they are, you are sinning against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin.From the Gospel according to Luke 6:27-38 Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount.  But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”Is it possible for a person to come to love his or her enemies? If it depended only on us, it would be impossible. But let us recall that, when the Lord asks for something, he wishes to give it. The Lord never asks for something he has not already given us first. When he tells me to love my enemies, he wants to give me the capacity to do so. Without that ability, we would not be able, but he tells you to “love your enemy” and gives you the capacity to love. Saint Augustine prayed in this way — listen to this beautiful prayer: Lord, “give what You command, and command what You will” (Confessions , X, 29.40), because you have already given it to me. What should we ask of him? What is God happy to give us? The strength to love, which is not a thing, but rather the Holy Spirit. The strength to love is the Holy Spirit, and with the Spirit of Jesus, we can respond to evil with good, we can love those who do us harm. (…) And we, do we try to live following Jesus’ invitations? Let us think about someone who has wronged us. (…) And then let us ask the Holy Spirit to act in our heart. Finally, let us pray for that person: praying for those who have done us harm (cf. Lk 6:28). When someone has wronged us, we immediately go and tell others and we feel we are victims. Let us stop, and pray to the Lord for that person, that he might help him or her, and so this feeling of resentment will be dispelled. Praying for those who have wronged us is the first step to transforming evil into good. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 20 February 2022)

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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
8:1b-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:
Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.
If anyone supposes he knows something,
he does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if one loves God, one is known by him.

So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols:
we know that there is no idol in the world,
and that there is no God but one.
Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth
(there are, to be sure, many “gods” and many “lords”),
yet for us there is one God, the Father,
from whom all things are and for whom we exist,
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things are and through whom we exist.

But not all have this knowledge.
There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now
that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols,
their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.

Thus, through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction,
the brother for whom Christ died.
When you sin in this way against your brothers
and wound their consciences, weak as they are,
you are sinning against Christ.
Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin,
I will never eat meat again,
so that I may not cause my brother to sin.

From the Gospel according to Luke
6:27-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“To you who hear I say, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount. 
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

Is it possible for a person to come to love his or her enemies? If it depended only on us, it would be impossible. But let us recall that, when the Lord asks for something, he wishes to give it. The Lord never asks for something he has not already given us first. When he tells me to love my enemies, he wants to give me the capacity to do so. Without that ability, we would not be able, but he tells you to “love your enemy” and gives you the capacity to love. Saint Augustine prayed in this way — listen to this beautiful prayer: Lord, “give what You command, and command what You will” (Confessions , X, 29.40), because you have already given it to me. What should we ask of him? What is God happy to give us? The strength to love, which is not a thing, but rather the Holy Spirit. The strength to love is the Holy Spirit, and with the Spirit of Jesus, we can respond to evil with good, we can love those who do us harm. (…) And we, do we try to live following Jesus’ invitations? Let us think about someone who has wronged us. (…) And then let us ask the Holy Spirit to act in our heart. Finally, let us pray for that person: praying for those who have done us harm (cf. Lk 6:28). When someone has wronged us, we immediately go and tell others and we feel we are victims. Let us stop, and pray to the Lord for that person, that he might help him or her, and so this feeling of resentment will be dispelled. Praying for those who have wronged us is the first step to transforming evil into good. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 20 February 2022)

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U.S. bishops urge Supreme Court to allow communities to regulate firearms under Second Amendment #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow local communities to regulate firearm ownership, weighing in on a high-profile federal case that could significantly reshape the nation’s gun laws. The case before the high court, Viramontes v. Cook County, concerns a regulation enacted by Cook County, Illinois, banning more than 100 types of semiautomatic weapons, including the popular AR-15 platform.Two plaintiffs, Cutberto Viramontes and Christopher Khaya, sued to dispute the regulations under the Second and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit argues that the Supreme Court should rule on the case “to guarantee fundamental Second Amendment rights and to address the confusion in the lower courts” regarding Supreme Court precedent.In their amicus brief regarding the legal dispute, the U.S. bishops urge the court to “[preserve] the traditional authority of political communities to regulate weapons.” The “autonomy of local authority” is a significant part of “America’s historical tradition of federalism,” the bishops write, comparing it to the long-standing Catholic principle of subsidiarity, which holds that the authority closest to a local need is best suited to tackle the issue. The principle of federalism does not allow for the wholesale redefinition of the Second Amendment, the bishops write. But, they argue, a “uniform constitutional standard need not require uniform firearm policy.” Guns have historically been regulated differently throughout the U.S. depending on the locality, the bishops say, and the U.S. Constitution “does not require every community to exercise … its authority to regulate weapons identically.” The prelates further argue that modern advances in weaponry mean firearms like AR-15s are “fundamentally dissimilar” from the standards of the 18th century; such weapons are “dangerous and unusual,” the bishops suggest, and are thus open to reasonable regulation. Though the issue was brought to trial due to the local regulation, the ultimate question before the Supreme Court is whether the Second Amendment “guarantee[s] the right to possess [the] AR-15 platform and similar semiautomatic rifles.” In the past 20 years the Supreme Court has significantly affirmed Second Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution, including in the landmark 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, which upheld the right to own a firearm unconnected with service in a state militia. Those rights were broadly expanded in subsequent Supreme Court rulings such as 2010’s McDonald v. Chicago and the 2022 decision NYSRPA v. Bruen. The latter decision upheld a constitutional right to carry firearms for self-defense. In the 2024 decision United States v. Rahimi, on the other hand, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment does allow for individuals to be disarmed if they have been found to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of someone else.
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U.S. bishops urge Supreme Court to allow communities to regulate firearms under Second Amendment #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow local communities to regulate firearm ownership, weighing in on a high-profile federal case that could significantly reshape the nation’s gun laws. The case before the high court, Viramontes v. Cook County, concerns a regulation enacted by Cook County, Illinois, banning more than 100 types of semiautomatic weapons, including the popular AR-15 platform.Two plaintiffs, Cutberto Viramontes and Christopher Khaya, sued to dispute the regulations under the Second and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit argues that the Supreme Court should rule on the case “to guarantee fundamental Second Amendment rights and to address the confusion in the lower courts” regarding Supreme Court precedent.In their amicus brief regarding the legal dispute, the U.S. bishops urge the court to “[preserve] the traditional authority of political communities to regulate weapons.” The “autonomy of local authority” is a significant part of “America’s historical tradition of federalism,” the bishops write, comparing it to the long-standing Catholic principle of subsidiarity, which holds that the authority closest to a local need is best suited to tackle the issue. The principle of federalism does not allow for the wholesale redefinition of the Second Amendment, the bishops write. But, they argue, a “uniform constitutional standard need not require uniform firearm policy.” Guns have historically been regulated differently throughout the U.S. depending on the locality, the bishops say, and the U.S. Constitution “does not require every community to exercise … its authority to regulate weapons identically.” The prelates further argue that modern advances in weaponry mean firearms like AR-15s are “fundamentally dissimilar” from the standards of the 18th century; such weapons are “dangerous and unusual,” the bishops suggest, and are thus open to reasonable regulation. Though the issue was brought to trial due to the local regulation, the ultimate question before the Supreme Court is whether the Second Amendment “guarantee[s] the right to possess [the] AR-15 platform and similar semiautomatic rifles.” In the past 20 years the Supreme Court has significantly affirmed Second Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution, including in the landmark 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, which upheld the right to own a firearm unconnected with service in a state militia. Those rights were broadly expanded in subsequent Supreme Court rulings such as 2010’s McDonald v. Chicago and the 2022 decision NYSRPA v. Bruen. The latter decision upheld a constitutional right to carry firearms for self-defense. In the 2024 decision United States v. Rahimi, on the other hand, the Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment does allow for individuals to be disarmed if they have been found to pose a credible threat to the physical safety of someone else.

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The Supreme Court is set to consider whether or not Americans are permitted to possess AR-15 rifles and similar firearms.

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Why St. Nicholas of Tolentino is the patron of souls in purgatory #Catholic The Catholic Church’s teaching on purgatory — the “cleansing fire” that prepares the elect for heaven — can be difficult to understand. But for one saint, the Catholic imperative to pray for the dead was made very real to him when, according to the story, one of his deceased friends appeared to him asking for prayers.St. Nicholas of Tolentino, whose feast day is celebrated in the Church on Sept. 10, was born in 1245 in the town of Sant’Angelo in central Italy. He was drawn to the Augustinan religious order at a young age after hearing a sermon from the local superior on the vanity of the world. The order was in the nearby town of Tolentino, and after studying for seven years, Nicholas was ordained to the priesthood.A charitable and holy man who often fasted and practiced self-mortification, he spent long hours in prayer. He fed the poor he encountered in a special way — he gave them blessed bread dipped in water. The reason he did this was that he once had a vision of the Virgin Mary telling him to dip bread in water and eat it to regain his health.Thanks in part to these “panini benedetti” (blessed sandwiches), Nicholas was known for obtaining healings for many of the sick who lived in Tolentino — and for even raising some people from the dead.During Nicholas’ lifetime, the Catholic Church formally defined the doctrine of purgatory at the Second Council of Lyon in 1274. The doctrine teaches that when a person dies in God’s grace, he or she either goes straight to heaven or undergoes a state of purification called purgatory before entering heaven.So how did Nicholas become associated with this doctrine?As the Midwest Augustinians tell it, Nicholas was asleep in bed one night when he heard the voice of a deceased friar he had known. The friar told Nicholas that he was in purgatory and urged him to celebrate the Eucharist for him and other souls there, so that they would be set free by the power of Christ. After Nicholas did so for seven days, the friar again spoke to him, thanking him and assuring him that a large number of souls were now with God.Nicholas is also the subject of numerous legends — some of which are rather bizarre. A 16th-century painting depicts a story about Nicholas, bedridden and sick, refusing to eat but blessing two cooked partridges (he was a vegetarian). The dead partridges subsequently flew away.Nicholas died of illness in 1305 or 1306, and Pope Eugenius IV — also an Augustinian — canonized him in 1446 after recognizing some 300 miracles attributed to him. In addition to being the patron saint of souls in purgatory, Nicholas is also considered the patron saint against epidemic disease and against fires.This story was first published on Sept. 10, 2022, and has been updated.
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Why St. Nicholas of Tolentino is the patron of souls in purgatory #Catholic The Catholic Church’s teaching on purgatory — the “cleansing fire” that prepares the elect for heaven — can be difficult to understand. But for one saint, the Catholic imperative to pray for the dead was made very real to him when, according to the story, one of his deceased friends appeared to him asking for prayers.St. Nicholas of Tolentino, whose feast day is celebrated in the Church on Sept. 10, was born in 1245 in the town of Sant’Angelo in central Italy. He was drawn to the Augustinan religious order at a young age after hearing a sermon from the local superior on the vanity of the world. The order was in the nearby town of Tolentino, and after studying for seven years, Nicholas was ordained to the priesthood.A charitable and holy man who often fasted and practiced self-mortification, he spent long hours in prayer. He fed the poor he encountered in a special way — he gave them blessed bread dipped in water. The reason he did this was that he once had a vision of the Virgin Mary telling him to dip bread in water and eat it to regain his health.Thanks in part to these “panini benedetti” (blessed sandwiches), Nicholas was known for obtaining healings for many of the sick who lived in Tolentino — and for even raising some people from the dead.During Nicholas’ lifetime, the Catholic Church formally defined the doctrine of purgatory at the Second Council of Lyon in 1274. The doctrine teaches that when a person dies in God’s grace, he or she either goes straight to heaven or undergoes a state of purification called purgatory before entering heaven.So how did Nicholas become associated with this doctrine?As the Midwest Augustinians tell it, Nicholas was asleep in bed one night when he heard the voice of a deceased friar he had known. The friar told Nicholas that he was in purgatory and urged him to celebrate the Eucharist for him and other souls there, so that they would be set free by the power of Christ. After Nicholas did so for seven days, the friar again spoke to him, thanking him and assuring him that a large number of souls were now with God.Nicholas is also the subject of numerous legends — some of which are rather bizarre. A 16th-century painting depicts a story about Nicholas, bedridden and sick, refusing to eat but blessing two cooked partridges (he was a vegetarian). The dead partridges subsequently flew away.Nicholas died of illness in 1305 or 1306, and Pope Eugenius IV — also an Augustinian — canonized him in 1446 after recognizing some 300 miracles attributed to him. In addition to being the patron saint of souls in purgatory, Nicholas is also considered the patron saint against epidemic disease and against fires.This story was first published on Sept. 10, 2022, and has been updated.

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For St. Nicholas of Tolentino, the Catholic imperative to pray for the dead was made very real to him when a deceased friend appeared to him asking for prayers.

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EWTN to air film on St. Peter Claver, slave of the slaves #Catholic St. Peter Claver was a Spanish Jesuit priest who dedicated his life to the care of African slaves. On Sept. 9 — the saint’s feast day — EWTN will release an original docudrama on his life titled “Saint Peter Claver — Slave of the Slaves.”The docudrama was filmed on location in Spain, Colombia, and Cape Verde and uses interviews and dramatizations to present the life of Claver, who tirelessly ministered to the spiritual and physical needs of African slaves in Cartagena, Colombia, for 40 years.The film will air on EWTN TV and EWTN+ on Sept. 9 at 9:30 p.m. ET and re-air on Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET. At this time, the program will not air on YouTube. A behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Saint Peter Claver — Slave of the Slaves.” | Credit: EWTN Who was St. Peter Claver?Born on June 26, 1580, in Catalonia, Spain, Claver grew up in a devout Catholic farming family. He attended the University of Barcelona and at age 20 joined the Jesuits.During his studies as a novice, Claver met an older lay Jesuit brother, Alphonsus Rodriguez. It was Rodriguez who encouraged Claver to become a missionary in the Spanish colonies in the Americas.In 1610, Claver traveled from Spain to Cartagena, Colombia, where he was ordained a priest five years later.At that time, the African slave trade had been in place for several decades in the Americas, and Cartagena was one of the busiest slave ports in the Spanish empire.While there, Claver witnessed the cruelty with which the slaves were treated firsthand, despite Pope Paul III’s repeated condemnations of slavery. It is estimated that tens of thousands of enslaved Africans passed through Cartagena during Claver’s ministry.Moved by their suffering, Claver worked to bring both bodily and spiritual aid to the slaves. Despite his own health problems and the language barrier, he dedicated himself to his vocation.Claver would meet slave ships upon arrival in the harbor and board them to care for the poorly treated passengers on board who had made the journey from Africa in diseased and cramped conditions over the course of several months. He would tend to the sick — bringing food, water, and medicine — and treat wounds and illnesses. He would immediately baptize babies and those near death.After a slave was sold, Claver would continue to visit the individual, providing physical and spiritual support.When it came to catechesis, due to the language barrier, Claver used pictorial representations of the Gospel stories he was teaching.Throughout his ministry, Claver lived on small amounts of food and sleep. His lifestyle led to several miraculous occurrences, including when he healed the sick with the touch of his cloak or appeared surrounded by a supernatural light during his hospital visits.After suffering for several years from poor health, Claver died on Sept. 8, 1654. He had baptized and taught the faith to more than 300,000 slaves during his 40 years in Colombia.He was beatified by Pius IX on July 16, 1850, and canonized along with his friend St. Alphonsus Rodriguez on Jan. 15, 1888, by Pope Leo XIII.Claver is the patron saint of enslaved peoples, African missions, and interracial justice, and one of several patron saints of Colombia.
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EWTN to air film on St. Peter Claver, slave of the slaves #Catholic St. Peter Claver was a Spanish Jesuit priest who dedicated his life to the care of African slaves. On Sept. 9 — the saint’s feast day — EWTN will release an original docudrama on his life titled “Saint Peter Claver — Slave of the Slaves.”The docudrama was filmed on location in Spain, Colombia, and Cape Verde and uses interviews and dramatizations to present the life of Claver, who tirelessly ministered to the spiritual and physical needs of African slaves in Cartagena, Colombia, for 40 years.The film will air on EWTN TV and EWTN+ on Sept. 9 at 9:30 p.m. ET and re-air on Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. ET. At this time, the program will not air on YouTube. A behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Saint Peter Claver — Slave of the Slaves.” | Credit: EWTN Who was St. Peter Claver?Born on June 26, 1580, in Catalonia, Spain, Claver grew up in a devout Catholic farming family. He attended the University of Barcelona and at age 20 joined the Jesuits.During his studies as a novice, Claver met an older lay Jesuit brother, Alphonsus Rodriguez. It was Rodriguez who encouraged Claver to become a missionary in the Spanish colonies in the Americas.In 1610, Claver traveled from Spain to Cartagena, Colombia, where he was ordained a priest five years later.At that time, the African slave trade had been in place for several decades in the Americas, and Cartagena was one of the busiest slave ports in the Spanish empire.While there, Claver witnessed the cruelty with which the slaves were treated firsthand, despite Pope Paul III’s repeated condemnations of slavery. It is estimated that tens of thousands of enslaved Africans passed through Cartagena during Claver’s ministry.Moved by their suffering, Claver worked to bring both bodily and spiritual aid to the slaves. Despite his own health problems and the language barrier, he dedicated himself to his vocation.Claver would meet slave ships upon arrival in the harbor and board them to care for the poorly treated passengers on board who had made the journey from Africa in diseased and cramped conditions over the course of several months. He would tend to the sick — bringing food, water, and medicine — and treat wounds and illnesses. He would immediately baptize babies and those near death.After a slave was sold, Claver would continue to visit the individual, providing physical and spiritual support.When it came to catechesis, due to the language barrier, Claver used pictorial representations of the Gospel stories he was teaching.Throughout his ministry, Claver lived on small amounts of food and sleep. His lifestyle led to several miraculous occurrences, including when he healed the sick with the touch of his cloak or appeared surrounded by a supernatural light during his hospital visits.After suffering for several years from poor health, Claver died on Sept. 8, 1654. He had baptized and taught the faith to more than 300,000 slaves during his 40 years in Colombia.He was beatified by Pius IX on July 16, 1850, and canonized along with his friend St. Alphonsus Rodriguez on Jan. 15, 1888, by Pope Leo XIII.Claver is the patron saint of enslaved peoples, African missions, and interracial justice, and one of several patron saints of Colombia.

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“Saint Peter Claver — Slave of the Slaves” will air on EWTN on Sept. 9.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 09 September 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 7:25-31 Brothers and sisters: In regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. So this is what I think best because of the present distress: that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation. Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife. If you marry, however, you do not sin, nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries; but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life, and I would like to spare you that. I tell you, brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping,  those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away.From the Gospel according to Luke 6:20-26 Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.  For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false  prophets in this way.”On the mountain, Christ gives his disciples the new law, no longer written on stone. It is a law that renews our lives and makes them good, even when the world seems to have failed us and is full of misery. Only God can truly call the poor and afflicted blessed (cf. vv. 3-4), because he is the highest good who gives himself to all with infinite love. Only God can satisfy those who seek peace and justice (cf. vv. 6.9), because he is the just judge of the world and the author of eternal peace. Only in God do the meek, the merciful and the pure of heart find joy (vv. 5.7-8), because he is the fulfilment of their expectations. In persecution, God is the source of redemption; in falsehood, he is the anchor of truth. Therefore, Jesus proclaims: “Rejoice and be glad!” (…) In this way, Jesus illuminates the meaning of history. It is no longer written by conquerors, but rather by God, who is able to accomplish it by saving the oppressed. (…) The Beatitudes become for us a measure of happiness, leading us to ask whether we consider it an achievement to be bought or a gift to be shared; whether we place it in objects that are consumed or in relationships that accompany us. It is in fact because of Christ (cf. Mt 5:11) and thanks to him that the bitterness of trials is transformed into the joy of the redeemed. Jesus does not speak of a distant consolation, but of a constant grace that always sustains us, especially in times of affliction. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 1st February 2026)

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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
7:25-31

Brothers and sisters:
In regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord,
but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
So this is what I think best because of the present distress:
that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation.
Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife.
If you marry, however, you do not sin,
nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries;
but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life,
and I would like to spare you that.

I tell you, brothers, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping, 
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.

From the Gospel according to Luke
6:20-26

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. 
For their ancestors treated the prophets
in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false 
prophets in this way.”

On the mountain, Christ gives his disciples the new law, no longer written on stone. It is a law that renews our lives and makes them good, even when the world seems to have failed us and is full of misery. Only God can truly call the poor and afflicted blessed (cf. vv. 3-4), because he is the highest good who gives himself to all with infinite love. Only God can satisfy those who seek peace and justice (cf. vv. 6.9), because he is the just judge of the world and the author of eternal peace. Only in God do the meek, the merciful and the pure of heart find joy (vv. 5.7-8), because he is the fulfilment of their expectations. In persecution, God is the source of redemption; in falsehood, he is the anchor of truth. Therefore, Jesus proclaims: “Rejoice and be glad!” (…) In this way, Jesus illuminates the meaning of history. It is no longer written by conquerors, but rather by God, who is able to accomplish it by saving the oppressed. (…) The Beatitudes become for us a measure of happiness, leading us to ask whether we consider it an achievement to be bought or a gift to be shared; whether we place it in objects that are consumed or in relationships that accompany us. It is in fact because of Christ (cf. Mt 5:11) and thanks to him that the bitterness of trials is transformed into the joy of the redeemed. Jesus does not speak of a distant consolation, but of a constant grace that always sustains us, especially in times of affliction. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 1st February 2026)

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Seton Hall University welcomes academically strong Class of 2023 #Catholic – Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. recently welcomed about 1,560 first-year students to campus, representing 42 states and 17 countries. The Class of 2030 was selected from a pool of 28,070 applicants, roughly 2,300 more than the year prior — one of many signs of growing interest in a Seton Hall education. That growth has come with increased selectivity. Seton Hall’s admission rate has fallen from 79 percent in 2023 to 67.5 percent in 2026, a decline of nearly 12 percent in three years. At the same time, the academic profile of incoming students remains strong, continuing a broader trend of gains over the past decade. “Seton Hall is proud to welcome the Class of 2030, an accomplished and diverse group of students who bring tremendous talent, ambition and greater purpose to our community,” said Kathleen (Katie) McCarthy, MBA, ’17, Seton Hall’s vice president for enrollment management. “We look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the years ahead.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Among the 33 percent of incoming students who submitted standardized test scores, the average SAT score was 1323, and the average ACT score was 29. The average high school GPA for the incoming class is 3.68, up from 3.55 in 2016. The Class of 2030 also reflects Seton Hall’s longstanding role as a university of opportunity, bringing together students from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. More than 40 percent of incoming first-year students are the first in their families to attend college, and 41 percent are Pell Grant-eligible. The class reflects the communities Seton Hall serves, with 62 percent of incoming students identifying as students of color and 61 percent identifying as female. These varied perspectives and experiences strengthen classroom discussions, campus life, and the university community. Founded in 1856, Seton Hall, which is located in the Newark Archdiocese, N.J., remains grounded in its Catholic mission and its commitment to being a home for the mind, heart, and spirit. Guided by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and our patroness and intercessor, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the university welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds into a community that encourages intellectual growth, service to others, and the pursuit of greater purpose.  
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Seton Hall University welcomes academically strong Class of 2023 #Catholic – Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. recently welcomed about 1,560 first-year students to campus, representing 42 states and 17 countries. The Class of 2030 was selected from a pool of 28,070 applicants, roughly 2,300 more than the year prior — one of many signs of growing interest in a Seton Hall education. That growth has come with increased selectivity. Seton Hall’s admission rate has fallen from 79 percent in 2023 to 67.5 percent in 2026, a decline of nearly 12 percent in three years. At the same time, the academic profile of incoming students remains strong, continuing a broader trend of gains over the past decade. “Seton Hall is proud to welcome the Class of 2030, an accomplished and diverse group of students who bring tremendous talent, ambition and greater purpose to our community,” said Kathleen (Katie) McCarthy, MBA, ’17, Seton Hall’s vice president for enrollment management. “We look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the years ahead.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Among the 33 percent of incoming students who submitted standardized test scores, the average SAT score was 1323, and the average ACT score was 29. The average high school GPA for the incoming class is 3.68, up from 3.55 in 2016. The Class of 2030 also reflects Seton Hall’s longstanding role as a university of opportunity, bringing together students from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. More than 40 percent of incoming first-year students are the first in their families to attend college, and 41 percent are Pell Grant-eligible. The class reflects the communities Seton Hall serves, with 62 percent of incoming students identifying as students of color and 61 percent identifying as female. These varied perspectives and experiences strengthen classroom discussions, campus life, and the university community. Founded in 1856, Seton Hall, which is located in the Newark Archdiocese, N.J., remains grounded in its Catholic mission and its commitment to being a home for the mind, heart, and spirit. Guided by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and our patroness and intercessor, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the university welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds into a community that encourages intellectual growth, service to others, and the pursuit of greater purpose.  

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Seton Hall University welcomes academically strong Class of 2023 #Catholic –

Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. recently welcomed about 1,560 first-year students to campus, representing 42 states and 17 countries. The Class of 2030 was selected from a pool of 28,070 applicants, roughly 2,300 more than the year prior — one of many signs of growing interest in a Seton Hall education.

That growth has come with increased selectivity. Seton Hall’s admission rate has fallen from 79 percent in 2023 to 67.5 percent in 2026, a decline of nearly 12 percent in three years. At the same time, the academic profile of incoming students remains strong, continuing a broader trend of gains over the past decade.

“Seton Hall is proud to welcome the Class of 2030, an accomplished and diverse group of students who bring tremendous talent, ambition and greater purpose to our community,” said Kathleen (Katie) McCarthy, MBA, ’17, Seton Hall’s vice president for enrollment management. “We look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the years ahead.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Among the 33 percent of incoming students who submitted standardized test scores, the average SAT score was 1323, and the average ACT score was 29. The average high school GPA for the incoming class is 3.68, up from 3.55 in 2016.

The Class of 2030 also reflects Seton Hall’s longstanding role as a university of opportunity, bringing together students from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. More than 40 percent of incoming first-year students are the first in their families to attend college, and 41 percent are Pell Grant-eligible.

The class reflects the communities Seton Hall serves, with 62 percent of incoming students identifying as students of color and 61 percent identifying as female. These varied perspectives and experiences strengthen classroom discussions, campus life, and the university community.

Founded in 1856, Seton Hall, which is located in the Newark Archdiocese, N.J., remains grounded in its Catholic mission and its commitment to being a home for the mind, heart, and spirit. Guided by the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and our patroness and intercessor, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the university welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds into a community that encourages intellectual growth, service to others, and the pursuit of greater purpose.

 

– Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. recently welcomed about 1,560 first-year students to campus, representing 42 states and 17 countries. The Class of 2030 was selected from a pool of 28,070 applicants, roughly 2,300 more than the year prior — one of many signs of growing interest in a Seton Hall education. That growth has come with increased selectivity. Seton Hall’s admission rate has fallen from 79 percent in 2023 to 67.5 percent in 2026, a decline of nearly 12 percent in three years. At the same time, the academic profile of incoming students remains strong, continuing a broader

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Holy Spirit’s 70-year legacy of academic and spiritual growth #Catholic – Holy Spirit School in Pequannock, N.J., is filled with anticipation as it begins its 70th school year! The school is thrilled to welcome its new staff, families, and students into the Holy Spirit family for the 2026–2027 school year. Each new school year brings opportunities for academic and spiritual growth, service to others, and living out the faith within the school community and beyond. Holy Spirit’s administration is proud to lead the school community as it continues to live by the school motto, “Inspiring Minds, Igniting Faith and Shaping the Future.” Virtue formation will remain an important focus throughout the year. Each month, Holy Spirit students will explore a different virtue and discover how they can grow closer to Jesus. Through the school community’s words, actions, and service to others, it strives to put its faith into practice and model Christ’s love. In Holy Spirit’s classrooms, students are engaged in meaningful learning experiences across the curriculum. Whether experimenting in our Science Lab, tackling challenges in STREAM, completing novel studies in language arts, solving problems in math, creating projects in social studies, or producing masterpieces in art, students work collaboratively, ask thoughtful questions, and think critically. Instilling a lifelong love of learning remains a priority in every classroom. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Beyond the classroom, Holy Spirit’s students have many opportunities to explore their interests, develop leadership skills, build friendships, and serve others. Students can participate in Student Government, National Junior Honor Society, CYO basketball, cheerleading, performing arts, TREP$, and many other activities throughout the year. Holy Spirit looks forward to seeing its students take on leadership roles and plan meaningful service projects that bring the entire school community together. As Holy Spirit celebrates this special year, it looks forward to its annual Legacy Gala, honoring Rod Donnelly of Donnelly Construction and Father Peter VB Wells, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Wayne, N.J. The event will be held at The Brownstone in Paterson, N.J., on Friday, Nov. 20 and will celebrate and support Catholic education. The school invites alums from the past 70 years to join in celebrating this remarkable milestone, along with all who have helped shape Holy Spirit School’s history. Most importantly, Holy Spirit remains devoted to faith formation, which is woven throughout every aspect of the school day. Led by Father Cesar Jaramillo, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, and Filippini Sister Marie Antonelli, the school’s principal, students witness firsthand their dedication to their vocations. Holy Spirit’s school community is touched by the spirit of St. Lucy Filippini, foundress of the Religious Teachers Filippini, who lead the school. The school celebrates Masses weekly, with class Masses and adoration held each Tuesday. As the school begins its 70th year, it is excited to embark on a year together filled with learning, love, faith, and fun. Holy Spirit is grateful for the generations of families, educators, students, alums, and supporters who have made the school what it is today, and it looks forward to continuing this legacy.  
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Holy Spirit’s 70-year legacy of academic and spiritual growth #Catholic – Holy Spirit School in Pequannock, N.J., is filled with anticipation as it begins its 70th school year! The school is thrilled to welcome its new staff, families, and students into the Holy Spirit family for the 2026–2027 school year. Each new school year brings opportunities for academic and spiritual growth, service to others, and living out the faith within the school community and beyond. Holy Spirit’s administration is proud to lead the school community as it continues to live by the school motto, “Inspiring Minds, Igniting Faith and Shaping the Future.” Virtue formation will remain an important focus throughout the year. Each month, Holy Spirit students will explore a different virtue and discover how they can grow closer to Jesus. Through the school community’s words, actions, and service to others, it strives to put its faith into practice and model Christ’s love. In Holy Spirit’s classrooms, students are engaged in meaningful learning experiences across the curriculum. Whether experimenting in our Science Lab, tackling challenges in STREAM, completing novel studies in language arts, solving problems in math, creating projects in social studies, or producing masterpieces in art, students work collaboratively, ask thoughtful questions, and think critically. Instilling a lifelong love of learning remains a priority in every classroom. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Beyond the classroom, Holy Spirit’s students have many opportunities to explore their interests, develop leadership skills, build friendships, and serve others. Students can participate in Student Government, National Junior Honor Society, CYO basketball, cheerleading, performing arts, TREP$, and many other activities throughout the year. Holy Spirit looks forward to seeing its students take on leadership roles and plan meaningful service projects that bring the entire school community together. As Holy Spirit celebrates this special year, it looks forward to its annual Legacy Gala, honoring Rod Donnelly of Donnelly Construction and Father Peter VB Wells, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Wayne, N.J. The event will be held at The Brownstone in Paterson, N.J., on Friday, Nov. 20 and will celebrate and support Catholic education. The school invites alums from the past 70 years to join in celebrating this remarkable milestone, along with all who have helped shape Holy Spirit School’s history. Most importantly, Holy Spirit remains devoted to faith formation, which is woven throughout every aspect of the school day. Led by Father Cesar Jaramillo, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, and Filippini Sister Marie Antonelli, the school’s principal, students witness firsthand their dedication to their vocations. Holy Spirit’s school community is touched by the spirit of St. Lucy Filippini, foundress of the Religious Teachers Filippini, who lead the school. The school celebrates Masses weekly, with class Masses and adoration held each Tuesday. As the school begins its 70th year, it is excited to embark on a year together filled with learning, love, faith, and fun. Holy Spirit is grateful for the generations of families, educators, students, alums, and supporters who have made the school what it is today, and it looks forward to continuing this legacy.  

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Holy Spirit’s 70-year legacy of academic and spiritual growth #Catholic –

Holy Spirit School in Pequannock, N.J., is filled with anticipation as it begins its 70th school year! The school is thrilled to welcome its new staff, families, and students into the Holy Spirit family for the 2026–2027 school year.

Each new school year brings opportunities for academic and spiritual growth, service to others, and living out the faith within the school community and beyond. Holy Spirit’s administration is proud to lead the school community as it continues to live by the school motto, “Inspiring Minds, Igniting Faith and Shaping the Future.”

Virtue formation will remain an important focus throughout the year. Each month, Holy Spirit students will explore a different virtue and discover how they can grow closer to Jesus. Through the school community’s words, actions, and service to others, it strives to put its faith into practice and model Christ’s love.

In Holy Spirit’s classrooms, students are engaged in meaningful learning experiences across the curriculum. Whether experimenting in our Science Lab, tackling challenges in STREAM, completing novel studies in language arts, solving problems in math, creating projects in social studies, or producing masterpieces in art, students work collaboratively, ask thoughtful questions, and think critically. Instilling a lifelong love of learning remains a priority in every classroom.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Beyond the classroom, Holy Spirit’s students have many opportunities to explore their interests, develop leadership skills, build friendships, and serve others. Students can participate in Student Government, National Junior Honor Society, CYO basketball, cheerleading, performing arts, TREP$, and many other activities throughout the year. Holy Spirit looks forward to seeing its students take on leadership roles and plan meaningful service projects that bring the entire school community together.

As Holy Spirit celebrates this special year, it looks forward to its annual Legacy Gala, honoring Rod Donnelly of Donnelly Construction and Father Peter VB Wells, pastor of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Wayne, N.J. The event will be held at The Brownstone in Paterson, N.J., on Friday, Nov. 20 and will celebrate and support Catholic education. The school invites alums from the past 70 years to join in celebrating this remarkable milestone, along with all who have helped shape Holy Spirit School’s history.

Most importantly, Holy Spirit remains devoted to faith formation, which is woven throughout every aspect of the school day. Led by Father Cesar Jaramillo, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, and Filippini Sister Marie Antonelli, the school’s principal, students witness firsthand their dedication to their vocations.

Holy Spirit’s school community is touched by the spirit of St. Lucy Filippini, foundress of the Religious Teachers Filippini, who lead the school. The school celebrates Masses weekly, with class Masses and adoration held each Tuesday.
As the school begins its 70th year, it is excited to embark on a year together filled with learning, love, faith, and fun.

Holy Spirit is grateful for the generations of families, educators, students, alums, and supporters who have made the school what it is today, and it looks forward to continuing this legacy.

 

– Holy Spirit School in Pequannock, N.J., is filled with anticipation as it begins its 70th school year! The school is thrilled to welcome its new staff, families, and students into the Holy Spirit family for the 2026–2027 school year. Each new school year brings opportunities for academic and spiritual growth, service to others, and living out the faith within the school community and beyond. Holy Spirit’s administration is proud to lead the school community as it continues to live by the school motto, “Inspiring Minds, Igniting Faith and Shaping the Future.” Virtue formation will remain an important focus throughout the

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Faith on the Hill: Catholic members of Congress share how faith shapes their lives and work #Catholic For many of the 150 Catholics serving in the 119th Congress, faith plays an important role in their lives and work.The current number of Catholic lawmakers on Capitol Hill is slightly higher than the previous Congress, with Catholics accounting for more than 28% of the members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate. Of the Catholic members, 126 serve in the House and 24 in the Senate, according to a report from the Pew Research Center.In this special report, EWTN News Capitol Hill correspondent Erik Rosales spoke with various Catholic members of Congress about their faith and how they live it in their work.Sen. Eric SchmittSen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, grew up a cradle Catholic and said his parents instilled in him the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ at a young age.“I grew up in St. Louis, which is a very Catholic town and has been referred to as the Rome of the West because per capita, very Catholic,” Schmitt told Rosales.A “conversation back home, it might very easily start … ‘What parish are you at? or ‘What parish did you grow up in?’” Schmitt said.At 17, Schmitt went to a Jesuit retreat house that had a profound impact on him. Later, when his son was born with a rare genetic condition, Schmitt would often return to the Jesuits for prayer.It “was a seed that was planted … when I was confronted with this really kind of difficult situation. I went back there, and it was a profound experience,” he said. “I go back every year. Itʼs a … weekend silent retreat. And that keeps me very rooted.”When working busy days on the Hill, Schmitt said he looks to prayer.“Iʼll listen to a podcast by Bishop [Robert] Barron or Father Michael Schmitz,” he said. “I think technology now too has allowed a different avenue for people to … maintain their faith and grow their faith.”Even “if itʼs five or 10 minutes, it really does help me kind of start the day right,” Schmitt said.Rep. John RutherfordRep. John Rutherford, R-Florida, also spoke about leaning on his faith when working in a hectic position, often by attending Mass and saying the rosary.“In Ephesians 2:10, it says, ‘for we are all Godʼs workmanship, created in the image of Christ Jesus to do good work,’ which he prepared … in advance for us to do,’” Rutherford said. “So heʼs got work out there that heʼs prepared for me to do,” he continued.While Rutherford’s Catholic faith is incorporated into his day-to-day life, he shared that was not always the case. He grew up in the United Methodist Church, but at about 14 years old, “fell away from the church,” he said.After becoming a police officer in Jacksonville, Florida, Rutherford’s perspective on faith changed. Witnessing crimes made him question his own mortality.“So I went back to the Bible, and I read the Bible literally cover to cover, not once but twice,” he said.Rutherford returned to the Methodist Church, while his wife and kids attended Catholic Mass. After reading about the Methodist Churchʼs seven principles, he realized he didnʼt agree with them.“It was a long process, but I finally read a book by Pope John Paul II, ‘Crossing the Threshold of Hope,’ and that explained where the authority of the Church is,” Rutherford said. “And how itʼs passed down through the papacy.”After his research, and inspired by the true Church and presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, Rutherford entered the Catholic Church.Rep. Mark MessmerRep. Mark Messmer, R-Indiana, said he has spent his life putting God, family, and community first.It was during his time as a state legislator that a colleague invited Messmer and his wife to attend a Cursillo, a retreat focused on showing Christian laity how to become effective leaders and how to use the Gospel in daily life.“It ignited a passion and a love for Christ, and a love for the Eucharist that I always said I wanted. And then it gives you the tools [for] your prayer life, study life, and evangelization, how to live that out on a daily basis,” he said.Messmer said he stays grounded with daily Mass and his Friday morning prayer group. He and his family also all join together for a weekly group call to catch up and join for “spiritual reinforcement.”Rep. Stephanie BiceRep. Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma, converted to Catholicism in college after she started going to Mass with her now husband.Bice served six years in the Oklahoma Senate and later ran for U.S. Congress. She joined a number of women who have been elected over the past two cycles.“Not every woman believes that … you should be able to terminate pregnancies up to birth,” Bice said. “So you had a groundswell of women consider running for congressional seats and Senate seats,” she said.While serving on Capitol Hill, Bice said she turns to prayer and the comfort of the Blessed Mother.“I stumbled across a group of staffers that actually pray the rosary on fly-in days in the morning,” she explained. “I said, ‘Hey, can a member come?’ And they were delighted that I would even ask.”One highlight of her congressional career was meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican. The invitation came from Rep. James Langevin, a fellow Catholic and Democrat from Rhode Island.Pope Francis “looked at my husband and I after blessing us both, and he said: ‘Will you pray for me?’ And that was pretty profound,” Bice said.Rep. Robert Onder“Really, my Catholic faith has motivated me my whole life, my whole career, and really motivated in many ways the direction my life has taken,” Rep. Robert Onder, R-Missouri, said.Onder said his faith was present in his work trying to pass a religious liberty bill in the Missouri Senate and through his fight to protect the conscience rights of physicians who are forced to perform abortions.As a medical doctor, Onder detailed the present problem in some states and hospitals, which “want to force physicians to participate in abortions, participate in vitro fertilization or artificial contraception, and, of course, more recently, participate in euthanasia.”Onder said his political service has been motivated by love of God, family, and country. He said he stays rooted in faith by attending daily Mass. He said he also enjoys talking with other lawmakers about their love for Christ.“Speaker [Mike] Johnson is absolutely a brother in the Christian faith and a very, very strong believer,” Onder said. “It does give me a lot hope and a lot of encouragement to serve with other people who really take their faith seriously.”Rep. Riley MooreRep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, said his Catholic faith is “is the most important thing” in his life.“It forms me — every decision I make, everything that I do here on the Hill, it is central to my life. Iʼm always praying to be able to deepen my faith, be a strong family man, and then also my service.”“So itʼs my faith, my family, my service to my state, my country. But faith comes first.”“Canʼt always be easy to discern Godʼs will, particularly in a place that is more about individual will and not Godʼs will,” Moore said. “Iʼm trying to re-center myself towards that. Thatʼs that gravitational pull for me that Iʼm always trying to get back to.”Moore started as a Hill staffer on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, working under the late Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Illinois. One of his priorities is drawing attention to the persecution of Christians around the world, especially in Nigeria.While in Nigeria, “I met a woman who had had all five of her children murdered, murdered by Islamic terrorists,” Moore said. “I met another woman who had her two daughters and husband killed right in front of her, and then they killed her unborn child.”“As we know and weʼve heard many times, and itʼs so true that there is salvation through suffering. I think that … their suffering offers us salvation as well by doing something here,” he said.House Majority Whip Tom EmmerMajority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives Tom Emmer discussed how his faith was largely inspired by his family, including his father, who attended daily Mass.“The example that they set is, I believe, why I am who I am,” said Emmer, R-Minnesota.Emmer also detailed the trials of his faith, including the loss of his sister Bridget, who died of breast cancer at 38 years old.Emmer said he was angry at the Lord and had doubts about Godʼs will because of his sisterʼs suffering. A conversation with Bridget during her chemotherapy treatment was a pivotal moment for him and his faith.“She looked at me and she said, ‘Tom, would I love to live forever? Absolutely. But Iʼm not going to,’” he explained. His sister added: “I have lived a good life. If God comes and calls me today, so be it.”Emmer said her words brought him away from his own anger with the Lord. Now his message to others is to put God first while living each moment to the fullest.
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Faith on the Hill: Catholic members of Congress share how faith shapes their lives and work #Catholic For many of the 150 Catholics serving in the 119th Congress, faith plays an important role in their lives and work.The current number of Catholic lawmakers on Capitol Hill is slightly higher than the previous Congress, with Catholics accounting for more than 28% of the members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate. Of the Catholic members, 126 serve in the House and 24 in the Senate, according to a report from the Pew Research Center.In this special report, EWTN News Capitol Hill correspondent Erik Rosales spoke with various Catholic members of Congress about their faith and how they live it in their work.Sen. Eric SchmittSen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, grew up a cradle Catholic and said his parents instilled in him the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ at a young age.“I grew up in St. Louis, which is a very Catholic town and has been referred to as the Rome of the West because per capita, very Catholic,” Schmitt told Rosales.A “conversation back home, it might very easily start … ‘What parish are you at? or ‘What parish did you grow up in?’” Schmitt said.At 17, Schmitt went to a Jesuit retreat house that had a profound impact on him. Later, when his son was born with a rare genetic condition, Schmitt would often return to the Jesuits for prayer.It “was a seed that was planted … when I was confronted with this really kind of difficult situation. I went back there, and it was a profound experience,” he said. “I go back every year. Itʼs a … weekend silent retreat. And that keeps me very rooted.”When working busy days on the Hill, Schmitt said he looks to prayer.“Iʼll listen to a podcast by Bishop [Robert] Barron or Father Michael Schmitz,” he said. “I think technology now too has allowed a different avenue for people to … maintain their faith and grow their faith.”Even “if itʼs five or 10 minutes, it really does help me kind of start the day right,” Schmitt said.Rep. John RutherfordRep. John Rutherford, R-Florida, also spoke about leaning on his faith when working in a hectic position, often by attending Mass and saying the rosary.“In Ephesians 2:10, it says, ‘for we are all Godʼs workmanship, created in the image of Christ Jesus to do good work,’ which he prepared … in advance for us to do,’” Rutherford said. “So heʼs got work out there that heʼs prepared for me to do,” he continued.While Rutherford’s Catholic faith is incorporated into his day-to-day life, he shared that was not always the case. He grew up in the United Methodist Church, but at about 14 years old, “fell away from the church,” he said.After becoming a police officer in Jacksonville, Florida, Rutherford’s perspective on faith changed. Witnessing crimes made him question his own mortality.“So I went back to the Bible, and I read the Bible literally cover to cover, not once but twice,” he said.Rutherford returned to the Methodist Church, while his wife and kids attended Catholic Mass. After reading about the Methodist Churchʼs seven principles, he realized he didnʼt agree with them.“It was a long process, but I finally read a book by Pope John Paul II, ‘Crossing the Threshold of Hope,’ and that explained where the authority of the Church is,” Rutherford said. “And how itʼs passed down through the papacy.”After his research, and inspired by the true Church and presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, Rutherford entered the Catholic Church.Rep. Mark MessmerRep. Mark Messmer, R-Indiana, said he has spent his life putting God, family, and community first.It was during his time as a state legislator that a colleague invited Messmer and his wife to attend a Cursillo, a retreat focused on showing Christian laity how to become effective leaders and how to use the Gospel in daily life.“It ignited a passion and a love for Christ, and a love for the Eucharist that I always said I wanted. And then it gives you the tools [for] your prayer life, study life, and evangelization, how to live that out on a daily basis,” he said.Messmer said he stays grounded with daily Mass and his Friday morning prayer group. He and his family also all join together for a weekly group call to catch up and join for “spiritual reinforcement.”Rep. Stephanie BiceRep. Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma, converted to Catholicism in college after she started going to Mass with her now husband.Bice served six years in the Oklahoma Senate and later ran for U.S. Congress. She joined a number of women who have been elected over the past two cycles.“Not every woman believes that … you should be able to terminate pregnancies up to birth,” Bice said. “So you had a groundswell of women consider running for congressional seats and Senate seats,” she said.While serving on Capitol Hill, Bice said she turns to prayer and the comfort of the Blessed Mother.“I stumbled across a group of staffers that actually pray the rosary on fly-in days in the morning,” she explained. “I said, ‘Hey, can a member come?’ And they were delighted that I would even ask.”One highlight of her congressional career was meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican. The invitation came from Rep. James Langevin, a fellow Catholic and Democrat from Rhode Island.Pope Francis “looked at my husband and I after blessing us both, and he said: ‘Will you pray for me?’ And that was pretty profound,” Bice said.Rep. Robert Onder“Really, my Catholic faith has motivated me my whole life, my whole career, and really motivated in many ways the direction my life has taken,” Rep. Robert Onder, R-Missouri, said.Onder said his faith was present in his work trying to pass a religious liberty bill in the Missouri Senate and through his fight to protect the conscience rights of physicians who are forced to perform abortions.As a medical doctor, Onder detailed the present problem in some states and hospitals, which “want to force physicians to participate in abortions, participate in vitro fertilization or artificial contraception, and, of course, more recently, participate in euthanasia.”Onder said his political service has been motivated by love of God, family, and country. He said he stays rooted in faith by attending daily Mass. He said he also enjoys talking with other lawmakers about their love for Christ.“Speaker [Mike] Johnson is absolutely a brother in the Christian faith and a very, very strong believer,” Onder said. “It does give me a lot hope and a lot of encouragement to serve with other people who really take their faith seriously.”Rep. Riley MooreRep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, said his Catholic faith is “is the most important thing” in his life.“It forms me — every decision I make, everything that I do here on the Hill, it is central to my life. Iʼm always praying to be able to deepen my faith, be a strong family man, and then also my service.”“So itʼs my faith, my family, my service to my state, my country. But faith comes first.”“Canʼt always be easy to discern Godʼs will, particularly in a place that is more about individual will and not Godʼs will,” Moore said. “Iʼm trying to re-center myself towards that. Thatʼs that gravitational pull for me that Iʼm always trying to get back to.”Moore started as a Hill staffer on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, working under the late Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Illinois. One of his priorities is drawing attention to the persecution of Christians around the world, especially in Nigeria.While in Nigeria, “I met a woman who had had all five of her children murdered, murdered by Islamic terrorists,” Moore said. “I met another woman who had her two daughters and husband killed right in front of her, and then they killed her unborn child.”“As we know and weʼve heard many times, and itʼs so true that there is salvation through suffering. I think that … their suffering offers us salvation as well by doing something here,” he said.House Majority Whip Tom EmmerMajority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives Tom Emmer discussed how his faith was largely inspired by his family, including his father, who attended daily Mass.“The example that they set is, I believe, why I am who I am,” said Emmer, R-Minnesota.Emmer also detailed the trials of his faith, including the loss of his sister Bridget, who died of breast cancer at 38 years old.Emmer said he was angry at the Lord and had doubts about Godʼs will because of his sisterʼs suffering. A conversation with Bridget during her chemotherapy treatment was a pivotal moment for him and his faith.“She looked at me and she said, ‘Tom, would I love to live forever? Absolutely. But Iʼm not going to,’” he explained. His sister added: “I have lived a good life. If God comes and calls me today, so be it.”Emmer said her words brought him away from his own anger with the Lord. Now his message to others is to put God first while living each moment to the fullest.

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EWTN News Capitol Hill correspondent Erik Rosales spoke with various Catholic lawmakers about how their faith intersects with their public service.

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DePaul celebrates 70 years of excellence with new principal #Catholic – For 70 years, DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J. has been a place where faith, family, community, tradition, and excellence come together to shape generations of young people. Since 1956, our school has remained committed to developing students who strive for excellence in the classroom, on the stage, on the athletic fields, and through service to others. For this historic 2026-7 academic year, DePaul Catholic welcomes Stephen D. Trivino as its new principal and looks forward to the leadership, experience, and vision he brings to our Spartan community. For seven decades, DePaul Catholic has carried forward a proud legacy built on faith, perseverance, community, and achievement. The school’s traditions unite generations of students, families, faculty, staff, and alums, creating a Spartan community that extends far beyond graduation. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. As DePaul Catholic celebrates this milestone, the school invites its alums, families, and friends to return to campus throughout the school year. Together, DePaul Catholic will honor the accomplishments, traditions, and cherished memories that have shaped the school while looking confidently toward the future. The spirit of DePaul Catholic lives in every Spartan who carries our mission and values into the world. With a distinguished background in Catholic education, Trivino has served as a science teacher, coach, and school administrator. He has dedicated his career to helping students and educators reach their full potential. Most recently, Trivino served as vice principal of teacher development and dean of student affairs at St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, N.J. There, he helped cultivate a culture centered on faith, academic excellence, respect, and continuous growth. As principal of DePaul, Trivino is committed to strengthening the DePaul Catholic community, investing in faculty development, encouraging innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and ensuring that our Catholic identity remains at the heart of the student experience. Inspired by the examples of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Trivino’s vision reflects a commitment to faith, service, character, and excellence.  
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DePaul celebrates 70 years of excellence with new principal #Catholic – For 70 years, DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J. has been a place where faith, family, community, tradition, and excellence come together to shape generations of young people. Since 1956, our school has remained committed to developing students who strive for excellence in the classroom, on the stage, on the athletic fields, and through service to others. For this historic 2026-7 academic year, DePaul Catholic welcomes Stephen D. Trivino as its new principal and looks forward to the leadership, experience, and vision he brings to our Spartan community. For seven decades, DePaul Catholic has carried forward a proud legacy built on faith, perseverance, community, and achievement. The school’s traditions unite generations of students, families, faculty, staff, and alums, creating a Spartan community that extends far beyond graduation. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. As DePaul Catholic celebrates this milestone, the school invites its alums, families, and friends to return to campus throughout the school year. Together, DePaul Catholic will honor the accomplishments, traditions, and cherished memories that have shaped the school while looking confidently toward the future. The spirit of DePaul Catholic lives in every Spartan who carries our mission and values into the world. With a distinguished background in Catholic education, Trivino has served as a science teacher, coach, and school administrator. He has dedicated his career to helping students and educators reach their full potential. Most recently, Trivino served as vice principal of teacher development and dean of student affairs at St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, N.J. There, he helped cultivate a culture centered on faith, academic excellence, respect, and continuous growth. As principal of DePaul, Trivino is committed to strengthening the DePaul Catholic community, investing in faculty development, encouraging innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and ensuring that our Catholic identity remains at the heart of the student experience. Inspired by the examples of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Trivino’s vision reflects a commitment to faith, service, character, and excellence.  

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DePaul celebrates 70 years of excellence with new principal #Catholic –

For 70 years, DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J. has been a place where faith, family, community, tradition, and excellence come together to shape generations of young people. Since 1956, our school has remained committed to developing students who strive for excellence in the classroom, on the stage, on the athletic fields, and through service to others.

For this historic 2026-7 academic year, DePaul Catholic welcomes Stephen D. Trivino as its new principal and looks forward to the leadership, experience, and vision he brings to our Spartan community.

For seven decades, DePaul Catholic has carried forward a proud legacy built on faith, perseverance, community, and achievement. The school’s traditions unite generations of students, families, faculty, staff, and alums, creating a Spartan community that extends far beyond graduation.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

As DePaul Catholic celebrates this milestone, the school invites its alums, families, and friends to return to campus throughout the school year. Together, DePaul Catholic will honor the accomplishments, traditions, and cherished memories that have shaped the school while looking confidently toward the future.

The spirit of DePaul Catholic lives in every Spartan who carries our mission and values into the world.

With a distinguished background in Catholic education, Trivino has served as a science teacher, coach, and school administrator. He has dedicated his career to helping students and educators reach their full potential.

Most recently, Trivino served as vice principal of teacher development and dean of student affairs at St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, N.J. There, he helped cultivate a culture centered on faith, academic excellence, respect, and continuous growth.

As principal of DePaul, Trivino is committed to strengthening the DePaul Catholic community, investing in faculty development, encouraging innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and ensuring that our Catholic identity remains at the heart of the student experience.

Inspired by the examples of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Trivino’s vision reflects a commitment to faith, service, character, and excellence.

 

– For 70 years, DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J. has been a place where faith, family, community, tradition, and excellence come together to shape generations of young people. Since 1956, our school has remained committed to developing students who strive for excellence in the classroom, on the stage, on the athletic fields, and through service to others. For this historic 2026-7 academic year, DePaul Catholic welcomes Stephen D. Trivino as its new principal and looks forward to the leadership, experience, and vision he brings to our Spartan community. For seven decades, DePaul Catholic has carried forward a proud legacy

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Assumption College for Sisters students unite for orientation, Mass #Catholic – Students of Assumption College for Sisters (ACS), Denville, N.J., gathered on Aug. 24 for orientation and the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Below, ASC welcomes three sisters participating in the college’s sponsorship program for international sisters to their first year of studies. From left: Sister Mercy Mwangi, SMIC (Kenya); Sister Maria Tatiana, SMIC (Brazil); and Sister Maria Rita Tran, SMIC (Vietnam); with Sister of Charity Marie Pauline Demek, ACS president. Guided by the motto, “Teach a sister, touch the world,” ACS, an accredited college sponsored by the Sisters of Christian Charity, educates religious sisters called to consecrated life from the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., and around the world. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Assumption College for Sisters students unite for orientation, Mass #Catholic – Students of Assumption College for Sisters (ACS), Denville, N.J., gathered on Aug. 24 for orientation and the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Below, ASC welcomes three sisters participating in the college’s sponsorship program for international sisters to their first year of studies. From left: Sister Mercy Mwangi, SMIC (Kenya); Sister Maria Tatiana, SMIC (Brazil); and Sister Maria Rita Tran, SMIC (Vietnam); with Sister of Charity Marie Pauline Demek, ACS president. Guided by the motto, “Teach a sister, touch the world,” ACS, an accredited college sponsored by the Sisters of Christian Charity, educates religious sisters called to consecrated life from the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., and around the world. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Assumption College for Sisters students unite for orientation, Mass #Catholic –

Students of Assumption College for Sisters (ACS), Denville, N.J., gathered on Aug. 24 for orientation and the Mass of the Holy Spirit.

Below, ASC welcomes three sisters participating in the college’s sponsorship program for international sisters to their first year of studies. From left: Sister Mercy Mwangi, SMIC (Kenya); Sister Maria Tatiana, SMIC (Brazil); and Sister Maria Rita Tran, SMIC (Vietnam); with Sister of Charity Marie Pauline Demek, ACS president.

Guided by the motto, “Teach a sister, touch the world,” ACS, an accredited college sponsored by the Sisters of Christian Charity, educates religious sisters called to consecrated life from the Diocese of Paterson, N.J., and around the world.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– Students of Assumption College for Sisters (ACS), Denville, N.J., gathered on Aug. 24 for orientation and the Mass of the Holy Spirit. Below, ASC welcomes three sisters participating in the college’s sponsorship program for international sisters to their first year of studies. From left: Sister Mercy Mwangi, SMIC (Kenya); Sister Maria Tatiana, SMIC (Brazil); and Sister Maria Rita Tran, SMIC (Vietnam); with Sister of Charity Marie Pauline Demek, ACS president. Guided by the motto, “Teach a sister, touch the world,” ACS, an accredited college sponsored by the Sisters of Christian Charity, educates religious sisters called to consecrated life from the

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Mary’s birthday: The Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary #Catholic The Catholic Church celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on its traditional fixed date of Sept. 8, nine months after the Dec. 8 celebration of her immaculate conception as the child of Sts. Joachim and Anne.The circumstances of the Virgin Mary’s infancy and early life are not directly recorded in the Bible, but other documents, legends, and traditions describing the circumstances of her birth are cited by some of the earliest Christian writers from the first centuries of the Church.These accounts are not included in the canon of Scripture and thus lack authority, but they do reflect some of the Church’s traditional beliefs about the birth of Mary.One such non-Scriptural source is the early second century “Protoevangelium of James,” an infancy gospel offering pious legends about Mary that nevertheless affirms some of the earliest teachings of the Church on the Blessed Mother.The Protoevangelium describes Mary’s father, Joachim, as a wealthy member of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Joachim was deeply grieved, along with his wife, Anne, by their childlessness. “He called to mind Abraham,” the early Christian writing says, “that in the last day God gave him a son, Isaac.”Joachim and Anne began to devote themselves extensively and rigorously to prayer and fasting, initially wondering whether their inability to conceive a child might signify God’s displeasure with them.As it turned out, however, the couple was to be blessed even more abundantly than Abraham and Sarah, as an angel revealed to Anne when he appeared to her and prophesied that all generations would honor their future child: “The Lord has heard your prayer, and you shall conceive, and shall bring forth; and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.”After Mary’s birth, according to the “Protoevangelium of James,” Anne “made a sanctuary” in the infant girl’s room and “allowed nothing common or unclean” on account of the special holiness of the child. The same writing records that when she was a year old, her father “made a great feast and invited the priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and all the people of Israel.”“And Joachim brought the child to the priests,” the account continues, “and they blessed her, saying: ‘O God of our fathers, bless this child, and give her an everlasting name to be named in all generations’ … And he brought her to the chief priests; and they blessed her, saying: ‘O God most high, look upon this child, and bless her with the utmost blessing, which shall be for ever.’”The protoevangelium goes on to describe how Mary’s parents, along with the Temple priests, subsequently decided that she would be offered to God as a consecrated virgin for the rest of her life and enter a chaste marriage with the carpenter Joseph.St. Augustine described the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an event of cosmic and historic significance and an appropriate prelude to the birth of Jesus Christ. “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley,” he said.The fourth-century bishop, whose theology profoundly shaped the Western Church’s understanding of sin and human nature, affirmed that “through her birth, the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.”This story was first published on Sept. 5, 2010, and has been updated.
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Mary’s birthday: The Church celebrates the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary #Catholic The Catholic Church celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on its traditional fixed date of Sept. 8, nine months after the Dec. 8 celebration of her immaculate conception as the child of Sts. Joachim and Anne.The circumstances of the Virgin Mary’s infancy and early life are not directly recorded in the Bible, but other documents, legends, and traditions describing the circumstances of her birth are cited by some of the earliest Christian writers from the first centuries of the Church.These accounts are not included in the canon of Scripture and thus lack authority, but they do reflect some of the Church’s traditional beliefs about the birth of Mary.One such non-Scriptural source is the early second century “Protoevangelium of James,” an infancy gospel offering pious legends about Mary that nevertheless affirms some of the earliest teachings of the Church on the Blessed Mother.The Protoevangelium describes Mary’s father, Joachim, as a wealthy member of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Joachim was deeply grieved, along with his wife, Anne, by their childlessness. “He called to mind Abraham,” the early Christian writing says, “that in the last day God gave him a son, Isaac.”Joachim and Anne began to devote themselves extensively and rigorously to prayer and fasting, initially wondering whether their inability to conceive a child might signify God’s displeasure with them.As it turned out, however, the couple was to be blessed even more abundantly than Abraham and Sarah, as an angel revealed to Anne when he appeared to her and prophesied that all generations would honor their future child: “The Lord has heard your prayer, and you shall conceive, and shall bring forth; and your seed shall be spoken of in all the world.”After Mary’s birth, according to the “Protoevangelium of James,” Anne “made a sanctuary” in the infant girl’s room and “allowed nothing common or unclean” on account of the special holiness of the child. The same writing records that when she was a year old, her father “made a great feast and invited the priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and all the people of Israel.”“And Joachim brought the child to the priests,” the account continues, “and they blessed her, saying: ‘O God of our fathers, bless this child, and give her an everlasting name to be named in all generations’ … And he brought her to the chief priests; and they blessed her, saying: ‘O God most high, look upon this child, and bless her with the utmost blessing, which shall be for ever.’”The protoevangelium goes on to describe how Mary’s parents, along with the Temple priests, subsequently decided that she would be offered to God as a consecrated virgin for the rest of her life and enter a chaste marriage with the carpenter Joseph.St. Augustine described the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an event of cosmic and historic significance and an appropriate prelude to the birth of Jesus Christ. “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley,” he said.The fourth-century bishop, whose theology profoundly shaped the Western Church’s understanding of sin and human nature, affirmed that “through her birth, the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.”This story was first published on Sept. 5, 2010, and has been updated.

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The Catholic Church celebrates the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Sept. 8, nine months after the Dec. 8 celebration of her immaculate conception.

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The Catholic Church has a lot to say about Labor Day — why? #Catholic As the U.S. celebrates Labor Day, Catholics have a wealth of resources in biblical interpretation, Church teaching, and social thought that address the nature of work and the place of the worker in society and in God’s creation.But are Catholics, and others, aware of these resources?One Catholic leader considering such questions is Father Sinclair Oubre, a priest of the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas. He is the spiritual moderator of the Catholic Labor Network, a Catholic association that promotes Catholic teaching about work and labor unions. It also supports labor organizing.“All work, no matter what the work is, is essential,” Oubre likes to say. In his view, if a woman in janitorial work at a major software company does not show up to clean the toilets and empty the trash, all production in the office will nosedive.Centuries of Catholic teaching about labor can be found compiled in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, published in 2004 by the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace. It dedicates its entire sixth chapter to human work and labor, its place in God’s plan, its role in society, and the rights and duties of workers.“The Compendium gathers together in one place those rights that are found in Catholic social teaching, whether it’s Rerum Novarum, or Quadragesimo Anno, or Centesimus Annus, and synthesizes them,” Oubre told EWTN News, referring to the respective encyclicals of popes Leo XIII, Pius XI, and John Paul II.“It’s a beautiful reflection on human work in the world and a very mature and in-depth discussion of the place of work, the place of labor, and the communal nature of it,” Oubre said.Labor, politics, and spiritualityOubre said Catholic teaching is a challenge regardless of people’s political views.“It’s a challenge to the right, but it’s also a challenge to the left,” he said. Catholicism encourages those on the political right not simply to pray novenas and commit themselves to spiritual actions. It is a challenge not to leave other questions about work and labor to the market.For the political left, Catholic social teaching “means you have to enter into a more intimate relationship with your Church and your relationship with Jesus and not just be as a social justice person by throwing a couple of little quotes around. It requires you to enter into that deeper spiritual relationship.”Oubre stressed the importance of starting from the view of Catholic spirituality, not only social justice, because if we don’t, our approach “becomes ideological and polemic.” The spiritual approach “brings us closer to Jesus Christ.”“No matter how dirty, how uncomfortable, how awful the job is, we are participating in God’s ongoing creation. It’s important that we do that job in a way that gives glory to God,” Oubre said.God and man at workThe Compendium’s reflection on work begins with its biblical aspects: There is a human duty to “cultivate and care for the earth” and other good things created by God, it says. Work existed before the fall of Adam and Eve, and it is not a punishment or curse until the break with God transforms it into “toil and pain.” However, God’s rest on the seventh day of creation is the sign of the “fuller freedom” of the “eternal Sabbath.”The life of Jesus Christ is a mission of work, from his early life helping St. Joseph in the work of a carpenter to his ministry of preaching and healing, and most of all in his redemptive labors on the cross.The Compendium presents human labor as a way of supporting oneself and one’s loved ones but also a way to serve those in need. Work is a way to make God’s creation more beautiful, since humankind shares in God’s art and wisdom.“Human work, directed to charity as its final goal, becomes an occasion for contemplation, it becomes devout prayer, vigilantly rising towards and in anxious hope of the day that will not end,” the Compendium says.The rights of laborGod’s rest on the seventh day of creation, the Compendium says, means men and women must enjoy “sufficient rest and free time that will allow them to tend to their family, cultural, social, and religious life.”The Compendium outlines and explains the many rights of workers: the right to rest from work; the right to a working environment that is not harmful to a worker’s health or moral integrity; the right to unemployment protections; the right to a pension and insurance for old age, disability, and work-related accidents; the right to social security for working mothers; and the right to assemble and form associations; the right to just wages and remuneration; and the right to strike.Labor unions play a “fundamental role” in serving the common good and promoting social order and solidarity, though they must not abuse their role in society or become simply arms of a political party.“The recognition of workers’ rights has always been a difficult problem to resolve because this recognition takes place within complex historical and institutional processes, and still today it remains incomplete,” the Compendium says. “This makes the practice of authentic solidarity among workers more fitting and necessary than ever.”A challenge for Catholics and institutionsCatholic teaching has a lengthy paper record. But as in other areas, there is a challenge to practice it.“What I find over and over again that the Church — our Church — gives us wonderful documents of guidance… and we never go back and read them,” Oubre told EWTN News.He cited the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 1996 pastoral letter “Economic Justice for All,” which says the Church should be a model for labor rights and treating workers justly.However, Oubre said that in his experience Catholic parishes often neglect to provide unemployment insurance to employees if the law allows them to opt out. Catholic institutions often act as “at-will” employers in which management can fire employees for any reason. They may show preferences for nonunion labor over unionized labor when planning and funding construction projects.“You’re going to undercut the guy who has actually followed the Church’s teachings in regards to work by hiring somebody who may be not offering medical insurance for his employees,” the priest lamented.For Labor Day, Oubre encouraged parishes, dioceses, and other institutions to make sure to adopt policies that put Catholic labor teaching into practice.This story was first published on Sept. 4, 2023, and has been updated.
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The Catholic Church has a lot to say about Labor Day — why? #Catholic As the U.S. celebrates Labor Day, Catholics have a wealth of resources in biblical interpretation, Church teaching, and social thought that address the nature of work and the place of the worker in society and in God’s creation.But are Catholics, and others, aware of these resources?One Catholic leader considering such questions is Father Sinclair Oubre, a priest of the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas. He is the spiritual moderator of the Catholic Labor Network, a Catholic association that promotes Catholic teaching about work and labor unions. It also supports labor organizing.“All work, no matter what the work is, is essential,” Oubre likes to say. In his view, if a woman in janitorial work at a major software company does not show up to clean the toilets and empty the trash, all production in the office will nosedive.Centuries of Catholic teaching about labor can be found compiled in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, published in 2004 by the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace. It dedicates its entire sixth chapter to human work and labor, its place in God’s plan, its role in society, and the rights and duties of workers.“The Compendium gathers together in one place those rights that are found in Catholic social teaching, whether it’s Rerum Novarum, or Quadragesimo Anno, or Centesimus Annus, and synthesizes them,” Oubre told EWTN News, referring to the respective encyclicals of popes Leo XIII, Pius XI, and John Paul II.“It’s a beautiful reflection on human work in the world and a very mature and in-depth discussion of the place of work, the place of labor, and the communal nature of it,” Oubre said.Labor, politics, and spiritualityOubre said Catholic teaching is a challenge regardless of people’s political views.“It’s a challenge to the right, but it’s also a challenge to the left,” he said. Catholicism encourages those on the political right not simply to pray novenas and commit themselves to spiritual actions. It is a challenge not to leave other questions about work and labor to the market.For the political left, Catholic social teaching “means you have to enter into a more intimate relationship with your Church and your relationship with Jesus and not just be as a social justice person by throwing a couple of little quotes around. It requires you to enter into that deeper spiritual relationship.”Oubre stressed the importance of starting from the view of Catholic spirituality, not only social justice, because if we don’t, our approach “becomes ideological and polemic.” The spiritual approach “brings us closer to Jesus Christ.”“No matter how dirty, how uncomfortable, how awful the job is, we are participating in God’s ongoing creation. It’s important that we do that job in a way that gives glory to God,” Oubre said.God and man at workThe Compendium’s reflection on work begins with its biblical aspects: There is a human duty to “cultivate and care for the earth” and other good things created by God, it says. Work existed before the fall of Adam and Eve, and it is not a punishment or curse until the break with God transforms it into “toil and pain.” However, God’s rest on the seventh day of creation is the sign of the “fuller freedom” of the “eternal Sabbath.”The life of Jesus Christ is a mission of work, from his early life helping St. Joseph in the work of a carpenter to his ministry of preaching and healing, and most of all in his redemptive labors on the cross.The Compendium presents human labor as a way of supporting oneself and one’s loved ones but also a way to serve those in need. Work is a way to make God’s creation more beautiful, since humankind shares in God’s art and wisdom.“Human work, directed to charity as its final goal, becomes an occasion for contemplation, it becomes devout prayer, vigilantly rising towards and in anxious hope of the day that will not end,” the Compendium says.The rights of laborGod’s rest on the seventh day of creation, the Compendium says, means men and women must enjoy “sufficient rest and free time that will allow them to tend to their family, cultural, social, and religious life.”The Compendium outlines and explains the many rights of workers: the right to rest from work; the right to a working environment that is not harmful to a worker’s health or moral integrity; the right to unemployment protections; the right to a pension and insurance for old age, disability, and work-related accidents; the right to social security for working mothers; and the right to assemble and form associations; the right to just wages and remuneration; and the right to strike.Labor unions play a “fundamental role” in serving the common good and promoting social order and solidarity, though they must not abuse their role in society or become simply arms of a political party.“The recognition of workers’ rights has always been a difficult problem to resolve because this recognition takes place within complex historical and institutional processes, and still today it remains incomplete,” the Compendium says. “This makes the practice of authentic solidarity among workers more fitting and necessary than ever.”A challenge for Catholics and institutionsCatholic teaching has a lengthy paper record. But as in other areas, there is a challenge to practice it.“What I find over and over again that the Church — our Church — gives us wonderful documents of guidance… and we never go back and read them,” Oubre told EWTN News.He cited the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ 1996 pastoral letter “Economic Justice for All,” which says the Church should be a model for labor rights and treating workers justly.However, Oubre said that in his experience Catholic parishes often neglect to provide unemployment insurance to employees if the law allows them to opt out. Catholic institutions often act as “at-will” employers in which management can fire employees for any reason. They may show preferences for nonunion labor over unionized labor when planning and funding construction projects.“You’re going to undercut the guy who has actually followed the Church’s teachings in regards to work by hiring somebody who may be not offering medical insurance for his employees,” the priest lamented.For Labor Day, Oubre encouraged parishes, dioceses, and other institutions to make sure to adopt policies that put Catholic labor teaching into practice.This story was first published on Sept. 4, 2023, and has been updated.

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“All work, no matter what the work is, is essential,” said Father Sinclair Oubre, spiritual moderator of the Catholic Labor Network.

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Prayer in Time of Suffering: Prayer of the Day for Monday, September 07, 2026 – #Prayer – Behold me, my beloved Jesus, weighed down under the burden of my trials and sufferings, I cast myself at Your feet, that You may renew my strength and my courage, while I rest here in Your Presence. Permit me to lay down my cross in Your Sacred Heart, for only Your infinite goodness can sustain me; only Your love can help me bear my cross; only Your powerful hand can lighten its weight. O Divine King, Jesus, whose heart is so compassionate to the afflicted, I wish to live …

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Behold me, my beloved Jesus,
weighed down under the burden of my trials and sufferings,
I cast myself at Your feet,
that You may renew my strength and my courage,
while I rest here in Your Presence.
Permit me to lay down my cross in Your Sacred Heart,
for only Your infinite goodness can sustain me;
only Your love can help me bear my cross;
only Your powerful hand can lighten its weight.
O Divine King, Jesus,
whose heart is so compassionate to the afflicted,
I wish to live …

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 07 September 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 5:1-8 Brothers and sisters: It is widely reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans– a man living with his father’s wife. And you are inflated with pride. Should you not rather have been sorrowful? The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst. I, for my part, although absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as if present, pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus: when you have gathered together and I am with you in spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not appropriate.  Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our Paschal Lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.From the Gospel according to Luke 6:6-11 On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.In the Gospels, many pages tell of Jesus’ encounters with the sick and of his commitment to healing them. He presents himself publicly as one who fights against illness and who has come to heal mankind of every evil: evils of the spirit and evils of the body. (…) When a father or mother, or even just friends brought a sick person for him to touch and heal, he never let time be an issue; healing came before the law, even one as sacred as resting on the Sabbath (cf. Mk 3:1-6). The doctors of the law reproached Jesus because he healed on the Sabbath, he did good on the Sabbath. But the love of Jesus was in giving health, doing good: this always takes priority! (…) This is the glory of God! This is the Church’s task! To help the sick, not to get lost in gossip, always help, comfort, relieve, be close to the sick; this is the task. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 10 June 2015)

unitedyam

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
5:1-8

Brothers and sisters:
It is widely reported that there is immorality among you,
and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans–
a man living with his father’s wife.
And you are inflated with pride.
Should you not rather have been sorrowful?
The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst.
I, for my part, although absent in body but present in spirit,
have already, as if present,
pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed,
in the name of our Lord Jesus:
when you have gathered together and I am with you in spirit
with the power of the Lord Jesus,
you are to deliver this man to Satan
for the destruction of his flesh,
so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

Your boasting is not appropriate. 
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?
Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough,
inasmuch as you are unleavened.
For our Paschal Lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.
Therefore, let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

From the Gospel according to Luke
6:6-11

On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,
and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely
to see if he would cure on the sabbath
so that they might discover a reason to accuse him.
But he realized their intentions
and said to the man with the withered hand,
"Come up and stand before us."
And he rose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them,
"I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
rather than to do evil,
to save life rather than to destroy it?"
Looking around at them all, he then said to him,
"Stretch out your hand."
He did so and his hand was restored.
But they became enraged
and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

In the Gospels, many pages tell of Jesus’ encounters with the sick and of his commitment to healing them. He presents himself publicly as one who fights against illness and who has come to heal mankind of every evil: evils of the spirit and evils of the body. (…) When a father or mother, or even just friends brought a sick person for him to touch and heal, he never let time be an issue; healing came before the law, even one as sacred as resting on the Sabbath (cf. Mk 3:1-6). The doctors of the law reproached Jesus because he healed on the Sabbath, he did good on the Sabbath. But the love of Jesus was in giving health, doing good: this always takes priority! (…) This is the glory of God! This is the Church’s task! To help the sick, not to get lost in gossip, always help, comfort, relieve, be close to the sick; this is the task. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 10 June 2015)

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3 young Lebanese men turn small Bible study into largest in the Middle East #Catholic A year ago, three young Lebanese men started a small Bible study group in their parish hall. Today, it has grown into what organizers describe as the largest Bible study initiative in the Middle East, with more than 3,000 people taking part in the gatherings.Each session follows a simple but carefully structured program. It begins with approximately 40 minutes devoted to explaining and exploring a passage from the Bible, followed by approximately 15 minutes of spiritual reflection. Participants then move on to an interactive segment featuring games and questions about the Bible or other topics related to the Christian faith, such as Marian apparitions. The gatherings are free and held under the supervision of Catholic priests.Behind each session, however, lies an extensive preparation process. Jimmy Chaaya, one of the initiative’s founders, explained that he seeks to vary the topics from week to week and studies the selected passage with a hermit.His research includes examining the original Greek words in Scripture, their meanings, and the cultural context in which they were used alongside the Church Fathers’ interpretations of the text. He also consults Jewish writings, geography books, papal homilies, and other sources. Once his research is complete, Chaaya submits the material to several priests for review and approval before presenting it to participants. More than 3,000 people now attend a Bible study in Lebanon, believed to be the largest in the Middle East, which was started by three young adults. | Credit: Charbel El Hajj Initially, the Bible study gatherings took place on Mondays. As attendance grew, the team added a second session on Tuesdays and is now preparing to introduce a Wednesday gathering as well. Chaaya said the team hopes to expand beyond its current location in the town of Antelias.To that end, the organizers are training people to lead similar gatherings in other parts of Lebanon while their long-term vision extends beyond the country’s borders. Charbel El Hage, another founder, said the team hopes to bring the initiative to other countries, particularly in the Middle East, where he sees considerable potential for such efforts to grow.El Hage noted that the initiative has benefited from the support of the Maronite Archdiocese of Antelias from the outset as well as broad support within the Church. This backing, he said, has helped the project develop smoothly.Attendance is not limited to Catholics. According to Chaaya, Christians from various churches and denominations — including Orthodox Christians and Protestants — have joined the gatherings, alongside people from other religious backgrounds, including Muslims. He added that a number of participants are currently preparing to receive the sacrament of baptism. More than 3,000 people now attend a Bible study in Lebanon, believed to be the largest in the Middle East, which was started by three young adults. | Credit: Charbel El Hajj Although the initiative is aimed primarily at young people, team member Majd Samia stressed that there are no strict age limits. “Everyone needs Jesus,” he said, which is why the gatherings are open to all. For Samia, the strong turnout reflects young people’s thirst to hear the word of God and explore it more deeply. This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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3 young Lebanese men turn small Bible study into largest in the Middle East #Catholic A year ago, three young Lebanese men started a small Bible study group in their parish hall. Today, it has grown into what organizers describe as the largest Bible study initiative in the Middle East, with more than 3,000 people taking part in the gatherings.Each session follows a simple but carefully structured program. It begins with approximately 40 minutes devoted to explaining and exploring a passage from the Bible, followed by approximately 15 minutes of spiritual reflection. Participants then move on to an interactive segment featuring games and questions about the Bible or other topics related to the Christian faith, such as Marian apparitions. The gatherings are free and held under the supervision of Catholic priests.Behind each session, however, lies an extensive preparation process. Jimmy Chaaya, one of the initiative’s founders, explained that he seeks to vary the topics from week to week and studies the selected passage with a hermit.His research includes examining the original Greek words in Scripture, their meanings, and the cultural context in which they were used alongside the Church Fathers’ interpretations of the text. He also consults Jewish writings, geography books, papal homilies, and other sources. Once his research is complete, Chaaya submits the material to several priests for review and approval before presenting it to participants. More than 3,000 people now attend a Bible study in Lebanon, believed to be the largest in the Middle East, which was started by three young adults. | Credit: Charbel El Hajj Initially, the Bible study gatherings took place on Mondays. As attendance grew, the team added a second session on Tuesdays and is now preparing to introduce a Wednesday gathering as well. Chaaya said the team hopes to expand beyond its current location in the town of Antelias.To that end, the organizers are training people to lead similar gatherings in other parts of Lebanon while their long-term vision extends beyond the country’s borders. Charbel El Hage, another founder, said the team hopes to bring the initiative to other countries, particularly in the Middle East, where he sees considerable potential for such efforts to grow.El Hage noted that the initiative has benefited from the support of the Maronite Archdiocese of Antelias from the outset as well as broad support within the Church. This backing, he said, has helped the project develop smoothly.Attendance is not limited to Catholics. According to Chaaya, Christians from various churches and denominations — including Orthodox Christians and Protestants — have joined the gatherings, alongside people from other religious backgrounds, including Muslims. He added that a number of participants are currently preparing to receive the sacrament of baptism. More than 3,000 people now attend a Bible study in Lebanon, believed to be the largest in the Middle East, which was started by three young adults. | Credit: Charbel El Hajj Although the initiative is aimed primarily at young people, team member Majd Samia stressed that there are no strict age limits. “Everyone needs Jesus,” he said, which is why the gatherings are open to all. For Samia, the strong turnout reflects young people’s thirst to hear the word of God and explore it more deeply. This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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More than 3,000 people have joined a growing Catholic Bible study initiative in Lebanon as organizers launch more days and times throughout the country and beyond.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 06 September 2026 – A reading from the Book of Ezekiel 33:7-9 Thus says the LORD: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die, " and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.   A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 13:8-10 Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, " and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.From the Gospel according to Matthew 18:15-20 Jesus said to his disciples: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.  If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."If my brother commits a sin against me I must treat him charitably and first of all, speak to him privately, pointing out that what he has said or done is wrong. This approach is known as ?fraternal correction?: it is not a reaction to the offence suffered but is motivated by love for one’s brethren. (?) And what if my brother does not listen to me? In today?s Gospel Jesus points to a gradual approach: first, speak to him again with two or three others, the better to help him realize what he has done; if, in spite of this, he still refuses to listen, it is necessary to tell the community; and if he refuses to listen even to the community, he must be made to perceive that he has cut himself off (?). Each person, aware of his own limitations and shortcomings, is called to accept fraternal correction and to help others with this specific service. Another fruit of love in the community is unanimous prayer. Jesus said: (?) where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them? (Mt 18:19-20). Personal prayer is of course important, indeed indispensable, but the Lord guarantees his presence to the community ? even if it is very small ? which is united and in agreement, because this reflects the very reality of the Triune God, perfect communion of love. (?) We should practise both fraternal correction ? which demands deep humility and simplicity of heart ? and prayer so that it may rise to God from a community truly united in Christ. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 4 September 2011)    

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A reading from the Book of Ezekiel
33:7-9

Thus says the LORD:
You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel;
when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.
If I tell the wicked, "O wicked one, you shall surely die, "
and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,
the wicked shall die for his guilt,
but I will hold you responsible for his death.
But if you warn the wicked,
trying to turn him from his way,
and he refuses to turn from his way,
he shall die for his guilt,
but you shall save yourself.

 

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans
13:8-10

Brothers and sisters:
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another;
for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery;
you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, "
and whatever other commandment there may be,
are summed up in this saying, namely,
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 
Love does no evil to the neighbor;
hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
"If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. 
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that ‘every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. 
If he refuses to listen even to the church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you,
if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them."

If my brother commits a sin against me I must treat him charitably and first of all, speak to him privately, pointing out that what he has said or done is wrong. This approach is known as ?fraternal correction?: it is not a reaction to the offence suffered but is motivated by love for one’s brethren. (?) And what if my brother does not listen to me? In today?s Gospel Jesus points to a gradual approach: first, speak to him again with two or three others, the better to help him realize what he has done; if, in spite of this, he still refuses to listen, it is necessary to tell the community; and if he refuses to listen even to the community, he must be made to perceive that he has cut himself off (?). Each person, aware of his own limitations and shortcomings, is called to accept fraternal correction and to help others with this specific service. Another fruit of love in the community is unanimous prayer. Jesus said: (?) where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them? (Mt 18:19-20). Personal prayer is of course important, indeed indispensable, but the Lord guarantees his presence to the community ? even if it is very small ? which is united and in agreement, because this reflects the very reality of the Triune God, perfect communion of love. (?) We should practise both fraternal correction ? which demands deep humility and simplicity of heart ? and prayer so that it may rise to God from a community truly united in Christ. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 4 September 2011)

 

 

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10 lesser-known facts about St. Teresa of Calcutta, 10 years after canonization #Catholic On Sept. 5, Catholics around the world celebrate the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta, popularly known as Mother Teresa, and this year marks 10 years since she was declared a saint by the Catholic Church. The beloved religious sister was known globally for her work among the poorest of poor in India and for founding the Missionaries of Charity.Yet behind the familiar image of the saint there are aspects of her life that may not be as well-known — from her childhood in the Balkans and years as a teacher to her surprising friendships and spiritual struggles.Here are 10 lesser-known facts about the life of St. Teresa of Calcutta as we celebrate her 10 years as a canonized saint:1. She wasn’t born in IndiaMother Teresa was born Anjezë (Agnes) Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire and is now the capital of North Macedonia. She came from an ethnic Albanian family and was the youngest of five children — two of whom died in infancy.2. She entered religious life at 18At age 12, she felt called to serve the poor and at 18, left home to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish order of nuns, with the intention to serve in India. She would never again live with her immediate family.3. She chose the name Teresa after St. Thérèse of LisieuxUpon her arrival at Rathfarnham Abbey in Ireland, she took the name Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a 19th-century French nun known as the “Little Flower” who was known for her simplicity and doing things in her “Little Way.”4. She was a teacher before she served the poorBefore beginning her work among the poor, Mother Teresa taught in India for nearly two decades. She arrived in Calcutta, India. on Jan. 6, 1929, and after making her first vows in 1931, she was assigned to the Loretto Entally community and taught at St. Mary’s Bengali Medium School for girls. In 1937, Teresa made her final vows as a Loreto nun and then reassumed her duties at the school. In 1944 she became principal of the school.5. She experienced a ‘call within a call’On Sept. 10, 1946, Mother Teresa experienced what she would refer to as the “call within a call.” Over the following weeks and months, she would receive inspiration from God asking her to establish a religious community that would serve the poorest of the poor.6. She didn’t immediately start the religious orderIn August of 1948, Teresa left the Loreto convent and went to a short medical training with the Medical Mission Sisters in Patna. In December of the same year, she returned to Calcutta and stayed temporarily with the Little Sisters of the Poor. During this time, she worked in the slums tending to the sick and dying. On Oct. 7, 1950, the congregation of the Missionaries of Charity was officially established.7. She founded branches for men and priests, tooIn order to serve the various physical and spiritual needs of the sick, Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity Brothers in 1963 and in 1984 the Missionaries of Charity Fathers. She also created groups for lay people including Co-Workers of Mother Teresa and the Sick and Suffering Co-Workers, which were groups of people who shared her spirit of prayer, simplicity, and love for those most in need.8. She received the Nobel Peace Prize — and rejected the traditional banquetWhen Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she asked that the money that would have been spent on the customary banquet instead be given to the poor. She also used her Nobel platform to speak about the dignity of human life and the need for the protection of the unborn.9. She experienced profound spiritual darknessOne of the most surprising aspects of Mother Teresa’s life is that she endured decades of what she described as profound interior darkness. Despite being a woman of deep prayer, her private letters revealed that she sometimes felt distant from God even as she continued serving him.10. Her congregation spread around the worldToday the Missionaries of Charity have 754 homes in 138 countries around the world and a little over 5,000 nuns serving the poorest of the poor.
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10 lesser-known facts about St. Teresa of Calcutta, 10 years after canonization #Catholic On Sept. 5, Catholics around the world celebrate the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta, popularly known as Mother Teresa, and this year marks 10 years since she was declared a saint by the Catholic Church. The beloved religious sister was known globally for her work among the poorest of poor in India and for founding the Missionaries of Charity.Yet behind the familiar image of the saint there are aspects of her life that may not be as well-known — from her childhood in the Balkans and years as a teacher to her surprising friendships and spiritual struggles.Here are 10 lesser-known facts about the life of St. Teresa of Calcutta as we celebrate her 10 years as a canonized saint:1. She wasn’t born in IndiaMother Teresa was born Anjezë (Agnes) Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire and is now the capital of North Macedonia. She came from an ethnic Albanian family and was the youngest of five children — two of whom died in infancy.2. She entered religious life at 18At age 12, she felt called to serve the poor and at 18, left home to join the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish order of nuns, with the intention to serve in India. She would never again live with her immediate family.3. She chose the name Teresa after St. Thérèse of LisieuxUpon her arrival at Rathfarnham Abbey in Ireland, she took the name Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a 19th-century French nun known as the “Little Flower” who was known for her simplicity and doing things in her “Little Way.”4. She was a teacher before she served the poorBefore beginning her work among the poor, Mother Teresa taught in India for nearly two decades. She arrived in Calcutta, India. on Jan. 6, 1929, and after making her first vows in 1931, she was assigned to the Loretto Entally community and taught at St. Mary’s Bengali Medium School for girls. In 1937, Teresa made her final vows as a Loreto nun and then reassumed her duties at the school. In 1944 she became principal of the school.5. She experienced a ‘call within a call’On Sept. 10, 1946, Mother Teresa experienced what she would refer to as the “call within a call.” Over the following weeks and months, she would receive inspiration from God asking her to establish a religious community that would serve the poorest of the poor.6. She didn’t immediately start the religious orderIn August of 1948, Teresa left the Loreto convent and went to a short medical training with the Medical Mission Sisters in Patna. In December of the same year, she returned to Calcutta and stayed temporarily with the Little Sisters of the Poor. During this time, she worked in the slums tending to the sick and dying. On Oct. 7, 1950, the congregation of the Missionaries of Charity was officially established.7. She founded branches for men and priests, tooIn order to serve the various physical and spiritual needs of the sick, Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity Brothers in 1963 and in 1984 the Missionaries of Charity Fathers. She also created groups for lay people including Co-Workers of Mother Teresa and the Sick and Suffering Co-Workers, which were groups of people who shared her spirit of prayer, simplicity, and love for those most in need.8. She received the Nobel Peace Prize — and rejected the traditional banquetWhen Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, she asked that the money that would have been spent on the customary banquet instead be given to the poor. She also used her Nobel platform to speak about the dignity of human life and the need for the protection of the unborn.9. She experienced profound spiritual darknessOne of the most surprising aspects of Mother Teresa’s life is that she endured decades of what she described as profound interior darkness. Despite being a woman of deep prayer, her private letters revealed that she sometimes felt distant from God even as she continued serving him.10. Her congregation spread around the worldToday the Missionaries of Charity have 754 homes in 138 countries around the world and a little over 5,000 nuns serving the poorest of the poor.

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Sept. 5 marks the feast of Mother Teresa and the 10th anniversary of her canonization.

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With great sorrow, diocese to commemorate 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks #Catholic – With heavy hearts, the faithful of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., will join all Americans next Friday to solemnly and prayerfully commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 — a day of horror and loss that devastated the United States and forever changed the country and the world. On that sad anniversary, several parishes, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., and other faith communities across the diocese will hold memorial Masses and prayer services. They will pray for the souls of the victims, God’s continued comfort for their families and friends, the safety of first responders, and for God’s peace for the world. The 25th anniversary hits especially hard for residents in the diocese and the wider Tri-State area. Many of them had loved ones —or knew people —who were murdered in the attacks on that tragic day. All those who witnessed the brutality of 9/11 will never forget it. Close to home, Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan friar and former pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in West Milford, N.J., was killed while serving with the N.Y. Fire Department at Ground Zero. He is buried at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Totowa, N.J. Father Daniel Murphy, now a retired diocesan priest, lost his younger brother, Edward Murphy, in the attack on the North Tower. Several priests ministered to law enforcement, fire departments, and recovery workers at Ground Zero. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. On the 25th anniversary, St. John’s Cathedral, the diocese’s mother church, will hold a Mass of Remembrance at 7 p.m. Personnel from local police and fire departments and the FBI have been invited. The liturgy will include ringing a bell and playing bagpipes to honor the victims. Information: call 973-345-4070. “We will pray for those who have died in the attacks, those who are keeping us safe, and for an end to terrorism,” said Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector and diocesan vicar for special projects. He ministered at the Ground Zero morgue the day after 9/11 and on site thereafter. Next Friday, Bishop Sweeney will celebrate a Mass of Remembrance specifically for the diocesan pastoral staff of the chapel of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. It will be “an opportunity to pray for the fallen and to share some time as a diocesan family, remembering our common mission to be instruments of peace,” according to the diocese. St. Christopher Parish in Parsippany, N.J., will hold a Memorial Mass at 8:45 a.m. in the church. Parishioners, families, neighbors, and friends are invited. Information: call 973-539-7050. “As people of faith, we will gather not only to remember but also to pray for eternal rest for those who perished, for comfort for those who still carry the pain of loss, for the men and women who continue to serve our communities and country, and for God’s gift of peace throughout our nations and the world,” St. Christopher’s states in its bulletin announcement. “May we never forget the lives entrusted to God’s mercy on that September morning and may we honor their memory by building a future rooted in compassion, unity and hope, trusting in God’s enduring love,” the parish states. The Shrine of St. Joseph, operated by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, N.J., will hold an ecumenical prayer service at 7 p.m. in the chapel. Participants will gather “to remember and pray for peace,” according to the shrine. Local clergy members who attend St. Joseph’s service will share in the prayers and reflections on peace. The shrine will also honor local first responders for their continued support of the community. After St. Joseph’s service, participants will process outside to the Tower of Remembrance, which incorporates vertical rusted steel girders from the World Trade Center’s North Tower that set between an ascending column of bells. It is a spiritual site for grieving families and annual ecumenical vigils. Information: call 908-647-0208. At 7 p.m. on the anniversary, Annunciation Parish in Wayne, N.J., will hold a Commemoration Mass, celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Manuel Cruz of the Newark Archdiocese, N.J. Information: call 973-694-5700. St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Clifton, N.J., will hold a Mass of Remembrance at 7 p.m. Earlier that day, the parish will also hold a holy hour for peace after the 9 a.m. Mass. Information: call 973-779-6200. For the anniversary, St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, N.J., will hold a recitation of the Patriotic Rosary at 6 p.m., a Memorial Mass at 6:30 p.m. and holy hour after the Mass until 8 p.m. Information: call 973-827-8030. “We will pray for those who were lost, including the many who died of 9/11-related illnesses, many long after the attack; for the victims who are still suffering from mental illness; for the families; for our country; and for peace,” said Father Michael Rodak, pastor of St. Jude’s and diocesan pilgrimage director. He expressed hope that the 9/11 events will educate young people, many of whom were not yet born at the time of the attacks. For an BeaconNJ.org archive story about the various memorials for the victims of the 9/11 attacks in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., that can be visited, click here.  
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With great sorrow, diocese to commemorate 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks #Catholic – With heavy hearts, the faithful of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., will join all Americans next Friday to solemnly and prayerfully commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 — a day of horror and loss that devastated the United States and forever changed the country and the world. On that sad anniversary, several parishes, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., and other faith communities across the diocese will hold memorial Masses and prayer services. They will pray for the souls of the victims, God’s continued comfort for their families and friends, the safety of first responders, and for God’s peace for the world. The 25th anniversary hits especially hard for residents in the diocese and the wider Tri-State area. Many of them had loved ones —or knew people —who were murdered in the attacks on that tragic day. All those who witnessed the brutality of 9/11 will never forget it. Close to home, Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan friar and former pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in West Milford, N.J., was killed while serving with the N.Y. Fire Department at Ground Zero. He is buried at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Totowa, N.J. Father Daniel Murphy, now a retired diocesan priest, lost his younger brother, Edward Murphy, in the attack on the North Tower. Several priests ministered to law enforcement, fire departments, and recovery workers at Ground Zero. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. On the 25th anniversary, St. John’s Cathedral, the diocese’s mother church, will hold a Mass of Remembrance at 7 p.m. Personnel from local police and fire departments and the FBI have been invited. The liturgy will include ringing a bell and playing bagpipes to honor the victims. Information: call 973-345-4070. “We will pray for those who have died in the attacks, those who are keeping us safe, and for an end to terrorism,” said Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector and diocesan vicar for special projects. He ministered at the Ground Zero morgue the day after 9/11 and on site thereafter. Next Friday, Bishop Sweeney will celebrate a Mass of Remembrance specifically for the diocesan pastoral staff of the chapel of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. It will be “an opportunity to pray for the fallen and to share some time as a diocesan family, remembering our common mission to be instruments of peace,” according to the diocese. St. Christopher Parish in Parsippany, N.J., will hold a Memorial Mass at 8:45 a.m. in the church. Parishioners, families, neighbors, and friends are invited. Information: call 973-539-7050. “As people of faith, we will gather not only to remember but also to pray for eternal rest for those who perished, for comfort for those who still carry the pain of loss, for the men and women who continue to serve our communities and country, and for God’s gift of peace throughout our nations and the world,” St. Christopher’s states in its bulletin announcement. “May we never forget the lives entrusted to God’s mercy on that September morning and may we honor their memory by building a future rooted in compassion, unity and hope, trusting in God’s enduring love,” the parish states. The Shrine of St. Joseph, operated by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, N.J., will hold an ecumenical prayer service at 7 p.m. in the chapel. Participants will gather “to remember and pray for peace,” according to the shrine. Local clergy members who attend St. Joseph’s service will share in the prayers and reflections on peace. The shrine will also honor local first responders for their continued support of the community. After St. Joseph’s service, participants will process outside to the Tower of Remembrance, which incorporates vertical rusted steel girders from the World Trade Center’s North Tower that set between an ascending column of bells. It is a spiritual site for grieving families and annual ecumenical vigils. Information: call 908-647-0208. At 7 p.m. on the anniversary, Annunciation Parish in Wayne, N.J., will hold a Commemoration Mass, celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Manuel Cruz of the Newark Archdiocese, N.J. Information: call 973-694-5700. St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Clifton, N.J., will hold a Mass of Remembrance at 7 p.m. Earlier that day, the parish will also hold a holy hour for peace after the 9 a.m. Mass. Information: call 973-779-6200. For the anniversary, St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, N.J., will hold a recitation of the Patriotic Rosary at 6 p.m., a Memorial Mass at 6:30 p.m. and holy hour after the Mass until 8 p.m. Information: call 973-827-8030. “We will pray for those who were lost, including the many who died of 9/11-related illnesses, many long after the attack; for the victims who are still suffering from mental illness; for the families; for our country; and for peace,” said Father Michael Rodak, pastor of St. Jude’s and diocesan pilgrimage director. He expressed hope that the 9/11 events will educate young people, many of whom were not yet born at the time of the attacks. For an BeaconNJ.org archive story about the various memorials for the victims of the 9/11 attacks in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., that can be visited, click here.  

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With great sorrow, diocese to commemorate 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks #Catholic –

With heavy hearts, the faithful of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., will join all Americans next Friday to solemnly and prayerfully commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 — a day of horror and loss that devastated the United States and forever changed the country and the world.

On that sad anniversary, several parishes, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., and other faith communities across the diocese will hold memorial Masses and prayer services. They will pray for the souls of the victims, God’s continued comfort for their families and friends, the safety of first responders, and for God’s peace for the world.

The 25th anniversary hits especially hard for residents in the diocese and the wider Tri-State area. Many of them had loved ones —or knew people —who were murdered in the attacks on that tragic day. All those who witnessed the brutality of 9/11 will never forget it.

Close to home, Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan friar and former pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in West Milford, N.J., was killed while serving with the N.Y. Fire Department at Ground Zero. He is buried at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Totowa, N.J. Father Daniel Murphy, now a retired diocesan priest, lost his younger brother, Edward Murphy, in the attack on the North Tower. Several priests ministered to law enforcement, fire departments, and recovery workers at Ground Zero.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

On the 25th anniversary, St. John’s Cathedral, the diocese’s mother church, will hold a Mass of Remembrance at 7 p.m. Personnel from local police and fire departments and the FBI have been invited. The liturgy will include ringing a bell and playing bagpipes to honor the victims. Information: call 973-345-4070.

“We will pray for those who have died in the attacks, those who are keeping us safe, and for an end to terrorism,” said Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector and diocesan vicar for special projects. He ministered at the Ground Zero morgue the day after 9/11 and on site thereafter.

Next Friday, Bishop Sweeney will celebrate a Mass of Remembrance specifically for the diocesan pastoral staff of the chapel of St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. It will be “an opportunity to pray for the fallen and to share some time as a diocesan family, remembering our common mission to be instruments of peace,” according to the diocese.

St. Christopher Parish in Parsippany, N.J., will hold a Memorial Mass at 8:45 a.m. in the church. Parishioners, families, neighbors, and friends are invited. Information: call 973-539-7050.

“As people of faith, we will gather not only to remember but also to pray for eternal rest for those who perished, for comfort for those who still carry the pain of loss, for the men and women who continue to serve our communities and country, and for God’s gift of peace throughout our nations and the world,” St. Christopher’s states in its bulletin announcement. “May we never forget the lives entrusted to God’s mercy on that September morning and may we honor their memory by building a future rooted in compassion, unity and hope, trusting in God’s enduring love,” the parish states.

The Shrine of St. Joseph, operated by the Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township, N.J., will hold an ecumenical prayer service at 7 p.m. in the chapel. Participants will gather “to remember and pray for peace,” according to the shrine.

Local clergy members who attend St. Joseph’s service will share in the prayers and reflections on peace. The shrine will also honor local first responders for their continued support of the community.

After St. Joseph’s service, participants will process outside to the Tower of Remembrance, which incorporates vertical rusted steel girders from the World Trade Center’s North Tower that set between an ascending column of bells. It is a spiritual site for grieving families and annual ecumenical vigils. Information: call 908-647-0208.

At 7 p.m. on the anniversary, Annunciation Parish in Wayne, N.J., will hold a Commemoration Mass, celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Manuel Cruz of the Newark Archdiocese, N.J. Information: call 973-694-5700.

St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Clifton, N.J., will hold a Mass of Remembrance at 7 p.m. Earlier that day, the parish will also hold a holy hour for peace after the 9 a.m. Mass. Information: call 973-779-6200.

For the anniversary, St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Hardyston, N.J., will hold a recitation of the Patriotic Rosary at 6 p.m., a Memorial Mass at 6:30 p.m. and holy hour after the Mass until 8 p.m. Information: call 973-827-8030.

“We will pray for those who were lost, including the many who died of 9/11-related illnesses, many long after the attack; for the victims who are still suffering from mental illness; for the families; for our country; and for peace,” said Father Michael Rodak, pastor of St. Jude’s and diocesan pilgrimage director. He expressed hope that the 9/11 events will educate young people, many of whom were not yet born at the time of the attacks.

For an BeaconNJ.org archive story about the various memorials for the victims of the 9/11 attacks in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., that can be visited, click here.

 

– With heavy hearts, the faithful of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., will join all Americans next Friday to solemnly and prayerfully commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 — a day of horror and loss that devastated the United States and forever changed the country and the world. On that sad anniversary, several parishes, including the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., and other faith communities across the diocese will hold memorial Masses and prayer services. They will pray for the souls of the victims, God’s continued comfort for their families and friends,

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Guinean youth heading to West African Youth Day encouraged to be missionaries #Catholic CONAKRY, Guinea — The leader of Guinea’s Catholic Archdiocese of Conakry has urged 155 young Catholics from the country sent to represent their peers at the first West African Youth Day in Ghana to embrace the gathering as a missionary experience rather than a tourist trip.The Republic of Guinea is a French-speaking West African nation bordering the Atlantic with a population of about 13.5 million. The Guinean delegation was commissioned at Mass on Sept. 2 at St. Rita Sangoyah Parish of Conakry Archdiocese, ahead of the Sept. 7–11 youth gathering organized by the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa.In his homily, Archbishop François Sylla challenged the young Catholics to recognize their active role in the life and mission of the Church.“You are not merely beneficiaries of pastoral ministry; you are also actors in the mission of the Church,” Sylla said.The archbishop urged the delegates from the five dioceses of Guinea—Conakry, Boké, Kankan, Guéckédou and NʼZérékoré — to return from Accra transformed by their encounter with other young Catholics and ready to become witnesses of peace and hope in their communities.“You will go to Accra as ambassadors of our local Church,” Sylla said, noting that Guinea is currently marking the final phase of the 150th anniversary of evangelization in the country.He encouraged the youth to share with others what they will “see, hear and touch” during the gathering and to translate the experience into concrete service to the Church and society.“Your participation in this ecclesiastical event should not be a tourist journey,” the archbishop said.Instead, he described the encounter as an opportunity for the young people to deepen their faith, grow in conviction, and be educated in values that can foster greater commitment to the Church and society.The first West African Youth Day is being held under the theme “Take courage, young Catholics, actors of peace and hope in West Africa.”The gathering is expected to bring together youth from across the region in what has been described as a historic first for the continent.Sylla urged the delegates to return home sufficiently transformed to become “a stimulant of ecclesiastical and social engagement” for other young people searching for peace.He also challenged the youth. “The Church needs a youth who does not only say, ‘What can the Church do for me?’ But it needs a youth who also asks itself: ‘What can I do for the Church in the next few years? What is my role in the Church?’” he said.According to the archbishop, young people have a particular responsibility in a world increasingly shaped by social media, artificial intelligence, globalization, and rapid social change.He recalled Pope Francis’ appeal to young people in Venice, where the late pontiff emphasized the need for their energy, creativity, enthusiasm, and ability to dream.“The Church must not only speak to the youth today, but must learn to walk with them and to show them responsibility,” Sylla said, adding that “a youth who is responsible becomes a missionary force.”The archbishop described the young delegates as missionaries and encouraged them to see their participation in the youth day as an opportunity to become part of a wider movement of West African youth committed to peace, justice, security and hope.“You are therefore missionaries. The youth is the light of those in a West African country in search of peace, justice, security and hope,” the Catholic archbishop said.He called on the delegates to be witnesses of Christ’s hope and love in their families, communities and nation, while reminding them that they are already missionaries in the present, rather than simply future leaders.“Remind the West African youth that they are not only the leaders of your communities, but already the missionaries of today, in charge of bringing the light of Christ in all sectors of society,” Sylla said.He assured the young pilgrims of his prayers and invoked the protection of the saints as they embarked on their journey to Ghana.“We pray that peace will come and all the saints will accompany you in this pilgrimage,” he said, expressing hope that “the light of Christ will shine on you wherever you are.”This article was first published by ACI Africa, EWTN News’ sister service in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News English.
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Guinean youth heading to West African Youth Day encouraged to be missionaries #Catholic CONAKRY, Guinea — The leader of Guinea’s Catholic Archdiocese of Conakry has urged 155 young Catholics from the country sent to represent their peers at the first West African Youth Day in Ghana to embrace the gathering as a missionary experience rather than a tourist trip.The Republic of Guinea is a French-speaking West African nation bordering the Atlantic with a population of about 13.5 million. The Guinean delegation was commissioned at Mass on Sept. 2 at St. Rita Sangoyah Parish of Conakry Archdiocese, ahead of the Sept. 7–11 youth gathering organized by the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa.In his homily, Archbishop François Sylla challenged the young Catholics to recognize their active role in the life and mission of the Church.“You are not merely beneficiaries of pastoral ministry; you are also actors in the mission of the Church,” Sylla said.The archbishop urged the delegates from the five dioceses of Guinea—Conakry, Boké, Kankan, Guéckédou and NʼZérékoré — to return from Accra transformed by their encounter with other young Catholics and ready to become witnesses of peace and hope in their communities.“You will go to Accra as ambassadors of our local Church,” Sylla said, noting that Guinea is currently marking the final phase of the 150th anniversary of evangelization in the country.He encouraged the youth to share with others what they will “see, hear and touch” during the gathering and to translate the experience into concrete service to the Church and society.“Your participation in this ecclesiastical event should not be a tourist journey,” the archbishop said.Instead, he described the encounter as an opportunity for the young people to deepen their faith, grow in conviction, and be educated in values that can foster greater commitment to the Church and society.The first West African Youth Day is being held under the theme “Take courage, young Catholics, actors of peace and hope in West Africa.”The gathering is expected to bring together youth from across the region in what has been described as a historic first for the continent.Sylla urged the delegates to return home sufficiently transformed to become “a stimulant of ecclesiastical and social engagement” for other young people searching for peace.He also challenged the youth. “The Church needs a youth who does not only say, ‘What can the Church do for me?’ But it needs a youth who also asks itself: ‘What can I do for the Church in the next few years? What is my role in the Church?’” he said.According to the archbishop, young people have a particular responsibility in a world increasingly shaped by social media, artificial intelligence, globalization, and rapid social change.He recalled Pope Francis’ appeal to young people in Venice, where the late pontiff emphasized the need for their energy, creativity, enthusiasm, and ability to dream.“The Church must not only speak to the youth today, but must learn to walk with them and to show them responsibility,” Sylla said, adding that “a youth who is responsible becomes a missionary force.”The archbishop described the young delegates as missionaries and encouraged them to see their participation in the youth day as an opportunity to become part of a wider movement of West African youth committed to peace, justice, security and hope.“You are therefore missionaries. The youth is the light of those in a West African country in search of peace, justice, security and hope,” the Catholic archbishop said.He called on the delegates to be witnesses of Christ’s hope and love in their families, communities and nation, while reminding them that they are already missionaries in the present, rather than simply future leaders.“Remind the West African youth that they are not only the leaders of your communities, but already the missionaries of today, in charge of bringing the light of Christ in all sectors of society,” Sylla said.He assured the young pilgrims of his prayers and invoked the protection of the saints as they embarked on their journey to Ghana.“We pray that peace will come and all the saints will accompany you in this pilgrimage,” he said, expressing hope that “the light of Christ will shine on you wherever you are.”This article was first published by ACI Africa, EWTN News’ sister service in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News English.

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Archbishop François Sylla challenged the youth delegation to see themselves as active members of the Church as they head to the youth celebration in Ghana.

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Cardinal Burke to lead international Rosary Rally in Amsterdam #Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke will preside over Radio Maria’s annual Rosary Rally of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Sept. 5.“Cardinal Burke will be the principal celebrant at Holy Mass in the Church of Our Lady, Keizersgracht 218, Amsterdam. Later that afternoon, he will lead a prayer service and give an inspiring talk at the Vondelpark,” Radio Maria’s website states. The event takes place every year as a fulfillment of the request of Our Lady of Fatima to pray for a spirit of conversion in society. Centenary of first Catholic Mass in Norway celebratedIn celebration of 100 years since the first Catholic Mass in Norway, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim presided over a solemn Mass in Longyearbyen.The Mass took place at Svalbard Church on Aug. 30, and was widely attended by members of the Catholic community, as well as nonprofit organizations and representatives of the Lutheran Church of Norway, according to a Vatican News report on Aug. 31. “For the sake of bringing Jesus’ sacrifice concretely to Svalbard, Bishop Smit came here in 1926 and celebrated the first Catholic Mass on the archipelago,” Varden said during his homily. “In gratitude for the grace God has poured out on Svalbard through a hundred years, we will faithfully take responsibility for that grace.”Scottish sisters to stand trial over historic child abuse chargesIn Scotland, five Sisters of Nazareth nuns aged between 67 and 84 have been indicted to stand trial. They are accused of multiple abuse charges against several children following a preliminary hearing that took place at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.Marie Docherty, 84, Mary Broderick, 83, Margaret McLafferty, 67, Kathleen McLean, 76, and Mary Doyle, 80, were named on an indictment, which contains 108 charges. The indictment includes allegations that children were punched, struck, kicked, force-fed, forced to stand while wearing soiled bedding or clothing. The alleged crimes are said to have taken place mainly at Nazareth House locations in Aberdeen and Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, between 1965 and 1982.The accused have previously entered pleas of not guilty.A further preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2027, and the court has provisionally set aside eight weeks for a trial starting on March 30, 2027, in Glasgow. ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ in Australia to operate under theme ‘Love Protects’Catholics across Australia will observe “Safeguarding Sunday” on Sept. 13 under the theme, “Love Protects” in honor of victims of abuse within the Church.“‘Love Protects’ reminds us that genuine love is demonstrated through action,” Bishop Greg Bennet, chair of the Bishops Commission for Professional Standards and Safeguarding in Australia, said in a Sept. 4 press release. “Safeguarding is an essential part of our mission and ministry. It calls each of us to be attentive, accountable, and committed to ensuring that every person can participate in the life of the Church safely and with confidence.”New leader for Melkite Catholics in Argentina Lebanese priest Jean Abou Charouche has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to lead the Melkite Greek Catholic community in Argentina as apostolic exarch and has been raised to the rank of bishop, ACI MENA, EWTN News’ Arabic-language sister service, reported on Aug. 31.The Melkite exarchate in Argentina serves about 345,000 faithful.Born near Beirut in 1972, Abou Charouche was ordained a priest in 1998 and has devoted much of his ministry to preparing future priests and religious. He later moved to Argentina, becoming pastor of St. George Cathedral in Córdoba in 2015. Since 2023, he has already been overseeing the countryʼs Melkite Catholic community as apostolic administrator. Pro-life groups protest ‘International Safe Abortion Day’ celebration in BelfastChristian and pro-life groups have called on the Belfast City Council to cancel plans to illuminate the city in observance of “International Safe Abortion Day.”“The strength of this open letter comes from the breadth of organizations standing together. Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, pro-life, pregnancy-support, and Christian community groups have united to send Belfast City Council a clear and respectful message: City Hall is not a billboard for abortion,” Bernadette Smyth, director of the Precious Life, the largest pro-life group in Northern Ireland, said in a press release Sept. 1. The letter came ahead of Belfast City Hall’s 11-3 vote to approve the measure on Sept. 2.Ivory Coast cardinal decries illegal gold mining Ignace Cardinal Bessi Dogbo of the Ivory Coast’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan has denounced the devastating environmental consequences of illegal gold mining, calling for stronger state action to protect the country’s natural resources and its people, ACI Africa, EWTN News’ sister service in Africa, reported Sept. 3.In his homily during the Mass of the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the cardinal reflected on the ecological vision of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, warning against the destruction of land and waterways caused by the pursuit of gold.He also challenged what he described as the excessive attachment to money that fuels the exploitation of creation.“Gold that kills is not gold. Illegal gold mining that kills human beings is worse than idolatry. It is beyond words,” Dogbo said, condemning mining activities that “soil the water,” destroy the environment, and transform rivers into “polluted wastelands.”UK government warns against assisted suicide in latest assessmentAn updated assessment from the UK government has found that “poverty, poor care, and abuse” could lead to “disproportionate numbers of ethnic minority people” seeking to end their lives via assisted suicide.The latest assessment, released Aug. 29, comes as the government increased its central estimate of annual assisted deaths from 2,183 to 3,502, according to an Aug. 29 press release from Right To Life UK. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for extensive healthcare reforms to take place before the passage of legislation on assisted dying. “Personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first, and that’s the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” Burnham said on July 29. ”I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care.”Patrick J. Passmore contributed to this report.
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Cardinal Burke to lead international Rosary Rally in Amsterdam #Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke will preside over Radio Maria’s annual Rosary Rally of reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Sept. 5.“Cardinal Burke will be the principal celebrant at Holy Mass in the Church of Our Lady, Keizersgracht 218, Amsterdam. Later that afternoon, he will lead a prayer service and give an inspiring talk at the Vondelpark,” Radio Maria’s website states. The event takes place every year as a fulfillment of the request of Our Lady of Fatima to pray for a spirit of conversion in society. Centenary of first Catholic Mass in Norway celebratedIn celebration of 100 years since the first Catholic Mass in Norway, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim presided over a solemn Mass in Longyearbyen.The Mass took place at Svalbard Church on Aug. 30, and was widely attended by members of the Catholic community, as well as nonprofit organizations and representatives of the Lutheran Church of Norway, according to a Vatican News report on Aug. 31. “For the sake of bringing Jesus’ sacrifice concretely to Svalbard, Bishop Smit came here in 1926 and celebrated the first Catholic Mass on the archipelago,” Varden said during his homily. “In gratitude for the grace God has poured out on Svalbard through a hundred years, we will faithfully take responsibility for that grace.”Scottish sisters to stand trial over historic child abuse chargesIn Scotland, five Sisters of Nazareth nuns aged between 67 and 84 have been indicted to stand trial. They are accused of multiple abuse charges against several children following a preliminary hearing that took place at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.Marie Docherty, 84, Mary Broderick, 83, Margaret McLafferty, 67, Kathleen McLean, 76, and Mary Doyle, 80, were named on an indictment, which contains 108 charges. The indictment includes allegations that children were punched, struck, kicked, force-fed, forced to stand while wearing soiled bedding or clothing. The alleged crimes are said to have taken place mainly at Nazareth House locations in Aberdeen and Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, between 1965 and 1982.The accused have previously entered pleas of not guilty.A further preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2027, and the court has provisionally set aside eight weeks for a trial starting on March 30, 2027, in Glasgow. ‘Safeguarding Sunday’ in Australia to operate under theme ‘Love Protects’Catholics across Australia will observe “Safeguarding Sunday” on Sept. 13 under the theme, “Love Protects” in honor of victims of abuse within the Church.“‘Love Protects’ reminds us that genuine love is demonstrated through action,” Bishop Greg Bennet, chair of the Bishops Commission for Professional Standards and Safeguarding in Australia, said in a Sept. 4 press release. “Safeguarding is an essential part of our mission and ministry. It calls each of us to be attentive, accountable, and committed to ensuring that every person can participate in the life of the Church safely and with confidence.”New leader for Melkite Catholics in Argentina Lebanese priest Jean Abou Charouche has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to lead the Melkite Greek Catholic community in Argentina as apostolic exarch and has been raised to the rank of bishop, ACI MENA, EWTN News’ Arabic-language sister service, reported on Aug. 31.The Melkite exarchate in Argentina serves about 345,000 faithful.Born near Beirut in 1972, Abou Charouche was ordained a priest in 1998 and has devoted much of his ministry to preparing future priests and religious. He later moved to Argentina, becoming pastor of St. George Cathedral in Córdoba in 2015. Since 2023, he has already been overseeing the countryʼs Melkite Catholic community as apostolic administrator. Pro-life groups protest ‘International Safe Abortion Day’ celebration in BelfastChristian and pro-life groups have called on the Belfast City Council to cancel plans to illuminate the city in observance of “International Safe Abortion Day.”“The strength of this open letter comes from the breadth of organizations standing together. Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, pro-life, pregnancy-support, and Christian community groups have united to send Belfast City Council a clear and respectful message: City Hall is not a billboard for abortion,” Bernadette Smyth, director of the Precious Life, the largest pro-life group in Northern Ireland, said in a press release Sept. 1. The letter came ahead of Belfast City Hall’s 11-3 vote to approve the measure on Sept. 2.Ivory Coast cardinal decries illegal gold mining Ignace Cardinal Bessi Dogbo of the Ivory Coast’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan has denounced the devastating environmental consequences of illegal gold mining, calling for stronger state action to protect the country’s natural resources and its people, ACI Africa, EWTN News’ sister service in Africa, reported Sept. 3.In his homily during the Mass of the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, the cardinal reflected on the ecological vision of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’, warning against the destruction of land and waterways caused by the pursuit of gold.He also challenged what he described as the excessive attachment to money that fuels the exploitation of creation.“Gold that kills is not gold. Illegal gold mining that kills human beings is worse than idolatry. It is beyond words,” Dogbo said, condemning mining activities that “soil the water,” destroy the environment, and transform rivers into “polluted wastelands.”UK government warns against assisted suicide in latest assessmentAn updated assessment from the UK government has found that “poverty, poor care, and abuse” could lead to “disproportionate numbers of ethnic minority people” seeking to end their lives via assisted suicide.The latest assessment, released Aug. 29, comes as the government increased its central estimate of annual assisted deaths from 2,183 to 3,502, according to an Aug. 29 press release from Right To Life UK. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for extensive healthcare reforms to take place before the passage of legislation on assisted dying. “Personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first, and that’s the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” Burnham said on July 29. ”I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care.”Patrick J. Passmore contributed to this report.

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Catholic cardinal presides over Rosary Rally in Holland, Norway celebrates 100 years since first Mass, Scottish sisters to stand trial for abuse, and more in this week’s world news round up.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 05 September 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 4:6b-15 Brothers and sisters: Learn from myself and Apollos not to go beyond what is written, so that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over against another. Who confers distinction upon you? What do you possess that you have not received? But if you have received it, why are you boasting as if you did not receive it? You are already satisfied; you have already grown rich; you have become kings without us! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we also might become kings with you. For as I see it, God has exhibited us Apostles as the last of all, like people sentenced to death, since we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and men alike. We are fools on Christ?s account, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless and we toil, working with our own hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently. We have become like the world?s rubbish, the scum of all, to this very moment. I am writing you this not to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.From the Gospel according to Luke 6:1-5 While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, ?Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?? Jesus said to them in reply, ?Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?? Then he said to them, ?The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.?This way of life, clinging to the law, distanced them from love and justice. They upheld the law, neglecting justice. They upheld the law, neglecting love. They were narrow-minded men, so attached to the law ? to the letter of the law, not to the law itself, for the law is love ? but to the letter of the law, which always shut the doors to hope, love and salvation (?) This is the path that Jesus teaches us, totally opposed to that of the doctors of the law. And this path, from love to justice, leads to God. Instead, the other path, of clinging solely to the law, to the letter of the law, leads to narrow-mindedness, to selfishness. The path from love to knowledge and discernment, to complete fulfilment, leads to holiness, to salvation, to an encounter with Jesus. This path, on the other hand, leads to selfishness, to the pride of feeling righteous, to that so-called ?holiness? of appearances, doesn?t it? (?) Jesus draws near: this closeness is precisely the proof that we are on the right path. For it is precisely the path that God has chosen to save us: closeness. He drew near to us; He became man. God who became man like one of us, and we who must become like others, like those in need, like those who need our help. (Pope Francis, Homily of 31 October 2014)

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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
4:6b-15

Brothers and sisters:
Learn from myself and Apollos not to go beyond what is written,
so that none of you will be inflated with pride
in favor of one person over against another.
Who confers distinction upon you?
What do you possess that you have not received?
But if you have received it,
why are you boasting as if you did not receive it?
You are already satisfied; you have already grown rich;
you have become kings without us!
Indeed, I wish that you had become kings,
so that we also might become kings with you.

For as I see it, God has exhibited us Apostles as the last of all,
like people sentenced to death,
since we have become a spectacle to the world,
to angels and men alike.
We are fools on Christ?s account, but you are wise in Christ;
we are weak, but you are strong;
you are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty,
we are poorly clad and roughly treated,
we wander about homeless and we toil, working with our own hands.
When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;
when slandered, we respond gently.
We have become like the world?s rubbish, the scum of all,
to this very moment.

I am writing you this not to shame you,
but to admonish you as my beloved children.
Even if you should have countless guides to Christ,
yet you do not have many fathers,
for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.

From the Gospel according to Luke
6:1-5

While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath,
his disciples were picking the heads of grain,
rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Some Pharisees said,
?Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath??
Jesus said to them in reply,
?Have you not read what David did
when he and those who were with him were hungry?
How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering,
which only the priests could lawfully eat,
ate of it, and shared it with his companions??
Then he said to them, ?The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.?

This way of life, clinging to the law, distanced them from love and justice. They upheld the law, neglecting justice. They upheld the law, neglecting love. They were narrow-minded men, so attached to the law ? to the letter of the law, not to the law itself, for the law is love ? but to the letter of the law, which always shut the doors to hope, love and salvation (?) This is the path that Jesus teaches us, totally opposed to that of the doctors of the law. And this path, from love to justice, leads to God. Instead, the other path, of clinging solely to the law, to the letter of the law, leads to narrow-mindedness, to selfishness. The path from love to knowledge and discernment, to complete fulfilment, leads to holiness, to salvation, to an encounter with Jesus. This path, on the other hand, leads to selfishness, to the pride of feeling righteous, to that so-called ?holiness? of appearances, doesn?t it? (?) Jesus draws near: this closeness is precisely the proof that we are on the right path. For it is precisely the path that God has chosen to save us: closeness. He drew near to us; He became man. God who became man like one of us, and we who must become like others, like those in need, like those who need our help. (Pope Francis, Homily of 31 October 2014)

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U.S. bishops offer pre-midterms guidance on faithful citizenship #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) published a guide for dioceses that outlines how they can train priests to better assist members of their congregation to be “faithful citizens.”It comes about two months before the midterm elections, which will decide control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. It does not instruct people how to vote, but does note principles of Catholic teaching that should be considered when making that decision.Faithful citizenship, the guide explains, embraces “the fullness of the Church’s teachings and is a way of living the Gospel in attending to specific duties in the public square, which sit alongside a wide array of other duties.” It emphasizes that faith must come before politics.The guide, titled “Outlines for Clergy Formation on Faithful Citizenship,” offers sample outlines for clergy formation sessions, which includes the options of a a 3-5 hour session and a concise 1-hour session.It was developed following internal dialogue among bishops after some had requested a guide on the subject. It focuses on Catholic Social Teaching, how it applies to modern politics in the U.S. and how to help priests communicate those teachings to their congregations.“We are supposed to be agents of transformation of society according to the principles of the Gospel and the profound dignity and the life of every human person,” Archbishop Alexander Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland said in a video message that the USCCB provided to dioceses to accompany the guide.“The church and the laity,” he said, “we need to have a seat at the table to help form a society where every individualʼs dignity is recognized and everybodyʼs right to life is recognized.”The document includes five guiding principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which derive from Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.First, it points to the common good, noting the obligation for every person “to act in a manner that serves the whole of society” and be “a neighbor to all.” It cites the Second Vatican Council’s definition of the term: “the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment.”Second, it points to the Universal Destination of Goods. It notes that God “created the world and entrusted it to the care of humanity.” It pointed to Pope Leo XIII’s teachings in Rerum Novarum, which defends the right to private property, but not one that is absolute. The right is “subordinate to the duty to ensure that all can live in dignity,” it explains.It points to subsidiarity, which is the principle that “issues should be addressed at as local a level as possible.” It notes “natural justice forbids a government from intruding on the dignity of the family.”The fourth principle is solidarity, which it explains “puts into practice our Lord’s vast definition of neighbor given in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.”Fifth, the guide states, is social justice. It states the term is often “incorrectly perceived as ‘woke,’” but stems from the cardinal virtues. It cites Pope Leo XIV, who explained it as “looking beyond one-on-one relationships … to the structural elements that lead to injustice in society.”Bishop Daniel Flores of the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, said in the video message that Catholics are “called to be faithful, faithful citizens, faithful people in the building up of a society and a community that is somehow reflective of the very things that God Himself has shown us in Christ.”“And the rest is in Godʼs hands,” he said. “I think as Catholics, our first role in political life and in social life is to give an authentic witness that we that we carry within ourselves, the person of Christ and all that that implies.”The guide refers to faithful citizenship as “a way of life, not merely something exercised when marking a ballot.”“Although it addresses specific moral issues — abortion, racial equality, economic inequities, criminal justice, euthanasia, family life, immigration, participation in the political process, war and peace, and many more — faithful citizenship fundamentally is a way of seeing the world in the light of the Gospel and allowing Gospel truth to point the way to prudential judgements and concrete decisions,” it explains.
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U.S. bishops offer pre-midterms guidance on faithful citizenship #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) published a guide for dioceses that outlines how they can train priests to better assist members of their congregation to be “faithful citizens.”It comes about two months before the midterm elections, which will decide control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. It does not instruct people how to vote, but does note principles of Catholic teaching that should be considered when making that decision.Faithful citizenship, the guide explains, embraces “the fullness of the Church’s teachings and is a way of living the Gospel in attending to specific duties in the public square, which sit alongside a wide array of other duties.” It emphasizes that faith must come before politics.The guide, titled “Outlines for Clergy Formation on Faithful Citizenship,” offers sample outlines for clergy formation sessions, which includes the options of a a 3-5 hour session and a concise 1-hour session.It was developed following internal dialogue among bishops after some had requested a guide on the subject. It focuses on Catholic Social Teaching, how it applies to modern politics in the U.S. and how to help priests communicate those teachings to their congregations.“We are supposed to be agents of transformation of society according to the principles of the Gospel and the profound dignity and the life of every human person,” Archbishop Alexander Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland said in a video message that the USCCB provided to dioceses to accompany the guide.“The church and the laity,” he said, “we need to have a seat at the table to help form a society where every individualʼs dignity is recognized and everybodyʼs right to life is recognized.”The document includes five guiding principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which derive from Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.First, it points to the common good, noting the obligation for every person “to act in a manner that serves the whole of society” and be “a neighbor to all.” It cites the Second Vatican Council’s definition of the term: “the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment.”Second, it points to the Universal Destination of Goods. It notes that God “created the world and entrusted it to the care of humanity.” It pointed to Pope Leo XIII’s teachings in Rerum Novarum, which defends the right to private property, but not one that is absolute. The right is “subordinate to the duty to ensure that all can live in dignity,” it explains.It points to subsidiarity, which is the principle that “issues should be addressed at as local a level as possible.” It notes “natural justice forbids a government from intruding on the dignity of the family.”The fourth principle is solidarity, which it explains “puts into practice our Lord’s vast definition of neighbor given in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.”Fifth, the guide states, is social justice. It states the term is often “incorrectly perceived as ‘woke,’” but stems from the cardinal virtues. It cites Pope Leo XIV, who explained it as “looking beyond one-on-one relationships … to the structural elements that lead to injustice in society.”Bishop Daniel Flores of the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, said in the video message that Catholics are “called to be faithful, faithful citizens, faithful people in the building up of a society and a community that is somehow reflective of the very things that God Himself has shown us in Christ.”“And the rest is in Godʼs hands,” he said. “I think as Catholics, our first role in political life and in social life is to give an authentic witness that we that we carry within ourselves, the person of Christ and all that that implies.”The guide refers to faithful citizenship as “a way of life, not merely something exercised when marking a ballot.”“Although it addresses specific moral issues — abortion, racial equality, economic inequities, criminal justice, euthanasia, family life, immigration, participation in the political process, war and peace, and many more — faithful citizenship fundamentally is a way of seeing the world in the light of the Gospel and allowing Gospel truth to point the way to prudential judgements and concrete decisions,” it explains.

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The guide is meant to assist in priestly formation on Catholic Social Teaching, so they can better communicate those teachings to their congregations.

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Cana launches wedding registry storefront, partnering with Catholic businesses #Catholic Cana has launched its own registry storefront, partnering with brands for traditional wedding gifts and also working with Catholic businesses to offer couples everything from Catholic jewelry to sacred home decor.The storefront launched on Sept. 4, putting “Catholic vendors front and center,” Cana founders told EWTN News.Cana is a faith-focused wedding-planning platform designed for Catholic and Christian couples to build their websites. The Cana site helps engaged couples manage registries, guest lists, RSVPs, and it connects users with a diverse range of vendors.It is intended to help couples plan a beautiful, reverent, and personalized wedding, the founders said. It is free of charge to the thousands of couples who use it.Bringing Christ and ‘intentionality’ to wedding registries “Up until this point, Cana essentially was just an affiliate partner for pretty much any online retailer. The most popular provider was Amazon, but also Target, Crate & Barrel, and Williams-Sonoma,” James Reichert, co-founder of Cana, told EWTN News.“Then couples could take an individual link from a Catholic retailer and add that item to their registry. But we were essentially an affiliate partner for the big retailers,” he said.Cana didnʼt want to be “a Catholic version” of the secular wedding websites, but rather “we wanted to be something truly, radically different,” Reichert said. “So we built our own registry storefront.”The storefront puts “our Catholic vendors front and center,” Gabe Gessler, co-founder of Cana, added.“We’ve partnered with big brands. Couples can add ultra high quality kitchenware and bedding items and they can create a full scale wedding registry through the service,” Reichert said.Reichert said they also partnered with “incredible Catholic retailers: West Coast Catholic, The Little Catholic, The Catholic Company…,House of Joppa, and Darling & Divine.”“For the first time, Catholic and Christian couples donʼt just have to register for their home goods, all the cookware, dinnerware, bedding things, that they would typically do on a regular wedding registry,” he said.Now, “they can also register for sacred arts, sacred jewelry, beautiful wall mounts, and icons from all of these incredible brands that have been trusted for decades,” Reichert said. Cana is hoping to be a “central point for all those different brands on one beautiful wedding registry experience,” he said.“So many of our brides, they desire intentionality,” Gessler said. “They desire an intentional experience that points them towards the person that matters the most, which is Jesus Christ.”To give couples a better experience, Cana is “placing forward, front and center, really high quality, what we truly believe are world-class companies, that are able to meet this intersection of commerce and the faith all in one,” Gessler said.“We believe itʼs going to bless our partners more,” he said.“Really what we want to do is help create this ecosystem where a Catholic bride doesnʼt need to go scour the internet for all these different partners, or these different registries. But actually she can just have it all in one place,” Gessler said.“Then also she can come and support these incredible Catholic businesses,” Gessler said.CanaLaunched in September 2025, “Cana really exists to help couples focus on Christ from their engagement to eternity,” Reichert said. “Our biggest desire is to just help create holy couples and holy marriages.”“Weʼve now been around for a year,” Gessler said. “Weʼve had more than 8,000 brides join Cana.”“Itʼs not just a registry experience. Itʼs a digital wedding planning experience that is totally holistic and centered around Christ and the sacrament of marriage rather than just …the excitement of the day,” Gessler said.“When you get married to your spouse … itʼs an opportunity to enter into this new stage of your life and to place Christ at the center of it,” he said.“We are praying for every single couple who uses us every day,” Reichert said. “To any couple who has the courage to use us to plan their wedding, we genuinely are so grateful for every single one.”
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Cana launches wedding registry storefront, partnering with Catholic businesses #Catholic Cana has launched its own registry storefront, partnering with brands for traditional wedding gifts and also working with Catholic businesses to offer couples everything from Catholic jewelry to sacred home decor.The storefront launched on Sept. 4, putting “Catholic vendors front and center,” Cana founders told EWTN News.Cana is a faith-focused wedding-planning platform designed for Catholic and Christian couples to build their websites. The Cana site helps engaged couples manage registries, guest lists, RSVPs, and it connects users with a diverse range of vendors.It is intended to help couples plan a beautiful, reverent, and personalized wedding, the founders said. It is free of charge to the thousands of couples who use it.Bringing Christ and ‘intentionality’ to wedding registries “Up until this point, Cana essentially was just an affiliate partner for pretty much any online retailer. The most popular provider was Amazon, but also Target, Crate & Barrel, and Williams-Sonoma,” James Reichert, co-founder of Cana, told EWTN News.“Then couples could take an individual link from a Catholic retailer and add that item to their registry. But we were essentially an affiliate partner for the big retailers,” he said.Cana didnʼt want to be “a Catholic version” of the secular wedding websites, but rather “we wanted to be something truly, radically different,” Reichert said. “So we built our own registry storefront.”The storefront puts “our Catholic vendors front and center,” Gabe Gessler, co-founder of Cana, added.“We’ve partnered with big brands. Couples can add ultra high quality kitchenware and bedding items and they can create a full scale wedding registry through the service,” Reichert said.Reichert said they also partnered with “incredible Catholic retailers: West Coast Catholic, The Little Catholic, The Catholic Company…,House of Joppa, and Darling & Divine.”“For the first time, Catholic and Christian couples donʼt just have to register for their home goods, all the cookware, dinnerware, bedding things, that they would typically do on a regular wedding registry,” he said.Now, “they can also register for sacred arts, sacred jewelry, beautiful wall mounts, and icons from all of these incredible brands that have been trusted for decades,” Reichert said. Cana is hoping to be a “central point for all those different brands on one beautiful wedding registry experience,” he said.“So many of our brides, they desire intentionality,” Gessler said. “They desire an intentional experience that points them towards the person that matters the most, which is Jesus Christ.”To give couples a better experience, Cana is “placing forward, front and center, really high quality, what we truly believe are world-class companies, that are able to meet this intersection of commerce and the faith all in one,” Gessler said.“We believe itʼs going to bless our partners more,” he said.“Really what we want to do is help create this ecosystem where a Catholic bride doesnʼt need to go scour the internet for all these different partners, or these different registries. But actually she can just have it all in one place,” Gessler said.“Then also she can come and support these incredible Catholic businesses,” Gessler said.CanaLaunched in September 2025, “Cana really exists to help couples focus on Christ from their engagement to eternity,” Reichert said. “Our biggest desire is to just help create holy couples and holy marriages.”“Weʼve now been around for a year,” Gessler said. “Weʼve had more than 8,000 brides join Cana.”“Itʼs not just a registry experience. Itʼs a digital wedding planning experience that is totally holistic and centered around Christ and the sacrament of marriage rather than just …the excitement of the day,” Gessler said.“When you get married to your spouse … itʼs an opportunity to enter into this new stage of your life and to place Christ at the center of it,” he said.“We are praying for every single couple who uses us every day,” Reichert said. “To any couple who has the courage to use us to plan their wedding, we genuinely are so grateful for every single one.”

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“Catholic and Christian couples don’t just have to register for their home goods,” but can “also register for sacred arts, sacred jewelry, beautiful wall mounts, and icons,” James Reichert said.

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Bishop celebrates Jubilee Year of St. Francis with Mass #Catholic – Dominick Cortellessa said it was a moving experience. He wasn’t alone in that feeling as his church honored its namesake on a landmark feast day. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney joined about 10 seminarians and pews filled with pilgrims at St. Francis of Assisi Church in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J., on Aug. 29 to celebrate the Year of St. Francis. They gathered for a Mass to mark 800 years since the Transitus of St. Francis — when he died and went to God. “It was a very warm, wonderful feeling that God was with us,” said Cortellessa, a 20-year parishioner of St. Francis who is a lector and extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. The Mass came at a near-center of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, which Pope Leo XIV declared in a decree on Jan. 10. It honors one of the most well-known saints, one who lived in 11th- and 12th-century Italy. He dedicated his life to under-resourced people, to protecting and promoting God’s creation, and to starting the Franciscan spirituality that has spawned countless religious orders. The late Pope Francis chose his papal name partly because of St. Francis of Assisi, along with St. Francis Xavier. “My sisters and brothers, thank you for your ‘yes’ for being here today,” Bishop Sweeney said to the pilgrims who came to the Mass that Saturday. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Pope Leo XIV’s decree allows Catholics to receive plenary indulgences if they make a pilgrimage to parishes connected to St. Francis of Assisi. Indulgences offer special pardons from temporal punishment after Catholics experience the Sacrament of Confession. St. Francis of Assisi in Wanaque is one of five parishes in the diocese that Bishop Sweeney declared on April 29 as locations where people can receive plenary indulgences. The others are St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Butler, N.J., St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., St. John Kanty Parish in the Athenia neighborhood of Clifton, and St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J. “I’m so grateful, Father Greg [Golba, the pastor of St. Francis], for this opportunity. I am grateful the seminarians are here. What a blessing to be here together today to celebrate this Mass in honor of our patron,” Bishop Sweeney said at the Mass at St. Francis. Bishop Sweeney offered the decree of Pope Leo XIV during his homily, illuminating St. Francis’ life and encouraging those in attendance to mirror his saintly path. “‘Hold fast to the memory of our father and brother Francis, for the praise and glory of him who made him great among us, and glorified him in the sight of the angels. Pray for him as he once asked us, and pray to him that God may make us sharers with him of his holy grace,’” Bishop Sweeney said, quoting Brother Elias, an early follower of St. Francis, in a letter to the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, which St. Francis started. Bishop Sweeney also cited the Gospel reading of the day from St. Matthew, relating St. Francis’s simplicity to how Jesus gives wisdom. “Jesus gives thanks to the Father because he is revealed, not to the wise and the learned but to the simple, the truths of the kingdom of heaven, and perhaps no one better than St. Francis,” Bishop Sweeney said. After the Mass, Father Golba said, “We were so happy having our bishop. We knew from the beginning that it would be something special for us, because we’re the one parish in the diocese with that title of saint with our patron.” Father Golba said the Mass was a powerful reminder of St. Francis’ life calling, one he personally encountered on his pilgrimage to experience St. Francis’ life. He saw similarities between his time in St. Francis’ holy places and the Mass the bishop celebrated with him. “Years ago as a young priest, I went to Assisi. When I was in the Basilica of Saint Francis, it was a similar experience,” he said. “This time, the beating of my heart was stronger, like I was in Assisi.” Bishop Sweeney urged the pilgrims in attendance to live lives that emulate the compassion and dedication to the Lord that St. Francis’s life showcased. “Spend time in prayer, pious meditation, and raise prayers to God so that following the example of St. Francis, feelings of Christian charity towards their neighbors and authentic vows of harmony and peace, among all peoples, may spring forth in their hearts, in our hearts,” said Bishop Sweeney, quoting Pope Leo XIV. Bishop Sweeney will return to St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Oct. 4 for Confirmations and a further celebration of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis. Click here for a list of Masses and confessions at pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Paterson for the Year of St. Francis. BEACON PHOTOS | MATTHEW GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Bishop celebrates Jubilee Year of St. Francis with Mass #Catholic – Dominick Cortellessa said it was a moving experience. He wasn’t alone in that feeling as his church honored its namesake on a landmark feast day. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney joined about 10 seminarians and pews filled with pilgrims at St. Francis of Assisi Church in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J., on Aug. 29 to celebrate the Year of St. Francis. They gathered for a Mass to mark 800 years since the Transitus of St. Francis — when he died and went to God. “It was a very warm, wonderful feeling that God was with us,” said Cortellessa, a 20-year parishioner of St. Francis who is a lector and extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. The Mass came at a near-center of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, which Pope Leo XIV declared in a decree on Jan. 10. It honors one of the most well-known saints, one who lived in 11th- and 12th-century Italy. He dedicated his life to under-resourced people, to protecting and promoting God’s creation, and to starting the Franciscan spirituality that has spawned countless religious orders. The late Pope Francis chose his papal name partly because of St. Francis of Assisi, along with St. Francis Xavier. “My sisters and brothers, thank you for your ‘yes’ for being here today,” Bishop Sweeney said to the pilgrims who came to the Mass that Saturday. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Pope Leo XIV’s decree allows Catholics to receive plenary indulgences if they make a pilgrimage to parishes connected to St. Francis of Assisi. Indulgences offer special pardons from temporal punishment after Catholics experience the Sacrament of Confession. St. Francis of Assisi in Wanaque is one of five parishes in the diocese that Bishop Sweeney declared on April 29 as locations where people can receive plenary indulgences. The others are St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Butler, N.J., St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., St. John Kanty Parish in the Athenia neighborhood of Clifton, and St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J. “I’m so grateful, Father Greg [Golba, the pastor of St. Francis], for this opportunity. I am grateful the seminarians are here. What a blessing to be here together today to celebrate this Mass in honor of our patron,” Bishop Sweeney said at the Mass at St. Francis. Bishop Sweeney offered the decree of Pope Leo XIV during his homily, illuminating St. Francis’ life and encouraging those in attendance to mirror his saintly path. “‘Hold fast to the memory of our father and brother Francis, for the praise and glory of him who made him great among us, and glorified him in the sight of the angels. Pray for him as he once asked us, and pray to him that God may make us sharers with him of his holy grace,’” Bishop Sweeney said, quoting Brother Elias, an early follower of St. Francis, in a letter to the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, which St. Francis started. Bishop Sweeney also cited the Gospel reading of the day from St. Matthew, relating St. Francis’s simplicity to how Jesus gives wisdom. “Jesus gives thanks to the Father because he is revealed, not to the wise and the learned but to the simple, the truths of the kingdom of heaven, and perhaps no one better than St. Francis,” Bishop Sweeney said. After the Mass, Father Golba said, “We were so happy having our bishop. We knew from the beginning that it would be something special for us, because we’re the one parish in the diocese with that title of saint with our patron.” Father Golba said the Mass was a powerful reminder of St. Francis’ life calling, one he personally encountered on his pilgrimage to experience St. Francis’ life. He saw similarities between his time in St. Francis’ holy places and the Mass the bishop celebrated with him. “Years ago as a young priest, I went to Assisi. When I was in the Basilica of Saint Francis, it was a similar experience,” he said. “This time, the beating of my heart was stronger, like I was in Assisi.” Bishop Sweeney urged the pilgrims in attendance to live lives that emulate the compassion and dedication to the Lord that St. Francis’s life showcased. “Spend time in prayer, pious meditation, and raise prayers to God so that following the example of St. Francis, feelings of Christian charity towards their neighbors and authentic vows of harmony and peace, among all peoples, may spring forth in their hearts, in our hearts,” said Bishop Sweeney, quoting Pope Leo XIV. Bishop Sweeney will return to St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Oct. 4 for Confirmations and a further celebration of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis. Click here for a list of Masses and confessions at pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Paterson for the Year of St. Francis. BEACON PHOTOS | MATTHEW GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Bishop celebrates Jubilee Year of St. Francis with Mass #Catholic –

Dominick Cortellessa said it was a moving experience. He wasn’t alone in that feeling as his church honored its namesake on a landmark feast day.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney joined about 10 seminarians and pews filled with pilgrims at St. Francis of Assisi Church in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J., on Aug. 29 to celebrate the Year of St. Francis. They gathered for a Mass to mark 800 years since the Transitus of St. Francis — when he died and went to God.

“It was a very warm, wonderful feeling that God was with us,” said Cortellessa, a 20-year parishioner of St. Francis who is a lector and extraordinary minister of the Eucharist.

The Mass came at a near-center of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, which Pope Leo XIV declared in a decree on Jan. 10. It honors one of the most well-known saints, one who lived in 11th- and 12th-century Italy. He dedicated his life to under-resourced people, to protecting and promoting God’s creation, and to starting the Franciscan spirituality that has spawned countless religious orders. The late Pope Francis chose his papal name partly because of St. Francis of Assisi, along with St. Francis Xavier.
“My sisters and brothers, thank you for your ‘yes’ for being here today,” Bishop Sweeney said to the pilgrims who came to the Mass that Saturday.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Pope Leo XIV’s decree allows Catholics to receive plenary indulgences if they make a pilgrimage to parishes connected to St. Francis of Assisi. Indulgences offer special pardons from temporal punishment after Catholics experience the Sacrament of Confession.
St. Francis of Assisi in Wanaque is one of five parishes in the diocese that Bishop Sweeney declared on April 29 as locations where people can receive plenary indulgences. The others are St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Butler, N.J., St. Clare Parish in Clifton, N.J., St. John Kanty Parish in the Athenia neighborhood of Clifton, and St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes, N.J.
“I’m so grateful, Father Greg [Golba, the pastor of St. Francis], for this opportunity. I am grateful the seminarians are here. What a blessing to be here together today to celebrate this Mass in honor of our patron,” Bishop Sweeney said at the Mass at St. Francis.

Bishop Sweeney offered the decree of Pope Leo XIV during his homily, illuminating St. Francis’ life and encouraging those in attendance to mirror his saintly path.

“‘Hold fast to the memory of our father and brother Francis, for the praise and glory of him who made him great among us, and glorified him in the sight of the angels. Pray for him as he once asked us, and pray to him that God may make us sharers with him of his holy grace,’” Bishop Sweeney said, quoting Brother Elias, an early follower of St. Francis, in a letter to the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, which St. Francis started.

Bishop Sweeney also cited the Gospel reading of the day from St. Matthew, relating St. Francis’s simplicity to how Jesus gives wisdom.

“Jesus gives thanks to the Father because he is revealed, not to the wise and the learned but to the simple, the truths of the kingdom of heaven, and perhaps no one better than St. Francis,” Bishop Sweeney said.

After the Mass, Father Golba said, “We were so happy having our bishop. We knew from the beginning that it would be something special for us, because we’re the one parish in the diocese with that title of saint with our patron.”

Father Golba said the Mass was a powerful reminder of St. Francis’ life calling, one he personally encountered on his pilgrimage to experience St. Francis’ life. He saw similarities between his time in St. Francis’ holy places and the Mass the bishop celebrated with him.

“Years ago as a young priest, I went to Assisi. When I was in the Basilica of Saint Francis, it was a similar experience,” he said. “This time, the beating of my heart was stronger, like I was in Assisi.”
Bishop Sweeney urged the pilgrims in attendance to live lives that emulate the compassion and dedication to the Lord that St. Francis’s life showcased.

“Spend time in prayer, pious meditation, and raise prayers to God so that following the example of St. Francis, feelings of Christian charity towards their neighbors and authentic vows of harmony and peace, among all peoples, may spring forth in their hearts, in our hearts,” said Bishop Sweeney, quoting Pope Leo XIV.

Bishop Sweeney will return to St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Oct. 4 for Confirmations and a further celebration of the Jubilee Year of St. Francis.

Click here for a list of Masses and confessions at pilgrimage sites in the Diocese of Paterson for the Year of St. Francis.

BEACON PHOTOS | MATTHEW GIGLI

– Dominick Cortellessa said it was a moving experience. He wasn’t alone in that feeling as his church honored its namesake on a landmark feast day. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney joined about 10 seminarians and pews filled with pilgrims at St. Francis of Assisi Church in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque, N.J., on Aug. 29 to celebrate the Year of St. Francis. They gathered for a Mass to mark 800 years since the Transitus of St. Francis — when he died and went to God. “It was a very warm, wonderful feeling that God was with us,” said Cortellessa, a 20-year

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Human rights group calls Nicaragua’s constitutional reforms a ‘usurpation of power’ #Catholic Nicaragua’s National Assembly, controlled by the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, “unanimously” approved a constitutional reform barring “traitors to the homeland” (the term the regime uses for its political opposition) from participating in elections. The measure has sparked widespread domestic and international condemnation.The reform was “unanimously approved in general terms,” ​​Assembly President Gustavo Porras stated on Sept. 1 during a special session held in the city of León, according to the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa.The reform amends the constitution, which extends the presidential term, as well as those of other high-ranking officials, from six to seven years, with the possibility of renewal.Ortega has governed Nicaragua for about 30 years: since 2007, and previously, from 1979 to 1990. On July 19, he stated that there would be no further elections in Nicaragua, and on July 31, he proposed the reform — set to take effect in 2027 — that excludes “coup plotters” and “terrorists,”, terms he uses to refer to the political opposition, from participating in elections.Reforms are a ‘formalization of the usurpation of power’Ruta del Cambio (Pathway for Change), an organization which defends human rights and the rule of law, declared in a Sept. 2 statement that it “categorically rejects and and gives no legal recognition to the partial reform to the Political Constitution [of the Republic of Nicaragua] approved during the first legislative session on Sept. 1, 2026, by a National Assembly stripped of all independence and reduced to a mere rubber stamp for the will of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.”Ruta del Cambio counts among its leaders Félix Maradiaga, a former presidential candidate and former political prisoner now living in exile.“What has been approved is not a constitutional reform. It is the formalization of the usurpation of power through a text drafted in secret, approved without opposition, and voted for with unanimous obedience by those who owe their positions, privileges, and impunity to the couple that has hijacked the state,” Ruta del Cambio charged.“Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo have turned the constitution into a family’s title deed. They have transformed the state into personal property, the law into an instrument of vengeance, and the republic’s [law enforcement apparatus] into tools of terror against the very people they swore to serve,” the organization emphasized.Ruta del Cambio called for “rejecting the legal validity of this reform and of any act, mandate, extension, or appointment derived from it, and formally declaring it without force under international law.”Elections ‘without legitimacy’“What we are seeing in Nicaragua right now is a reform attempting to hold elections without competition, without legitimacy, and without any possibility of change. In other words, Ortega controls the judges and the playing field, and seeks to firmly establish his authoritarian model without any competition,” stated Arturo Mcfields Yescas, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), in a Sept. 3 interview with EWTN Noticias, the Spanish-language edition of EWTN News.“This further undermines not only civil and political freedoms but also another fundamental freedom: religious freedom,” he pointed out.McFields explained that when the regime speaks of “traitors to the homeland,” it is referring to those who dissent from its rule. “People who questioned Ortega’s authority immediately became traitors to the homeland,” as did those who “simply thought differently” or called for “international mediation.”“This means,” he charged, “that anyone who does not applaud Ortega becomes a traitor to the homeland.”U.S. reactionOn Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on X that “the Murillo-Ortega’s National Assembly gutted what remained of Nicaragua’s democracy in the second constitutional rewrite in two years. The U.S. will implement measures at the next @OAS_official [meeting of foreign ministers] to ensure that our hemisphere stops business as usual with this dictatorship.”Regarding the United States’ call for countries to sever diplomatic and commercial ties with Nicaragua, McFields called it “an extraordinary start.” “For the first time, Ortega is facing pressure of this nature. For the first time, the OAS has approved a resolution on Nicaragua almost unanimously,” by convening a meeting of foreign ministers to address the situation, McFields said.Likewise, neighboring Costa Rica expressed its “deep concern regarding the ongoing deterioration of democracy in Nicaragua, exacerbated by the recent constitutional reform that further limits political and electoral participation,” and stated that it “will support a firm and coordinated response” with the OAS.The government of Peru, led by President Keiko Fujimori, also rejected the approval of the constitutional reform. In a Sept. 2 statement, it declared that it “will stand with the Nicaraguan people, their political prisoners, their exiles, and all those who are currently persecuted for dreaming of free elections.”Persecution of the Catholic Church in NicaraguaMcFields questioned the stance of countries like Brazil and Mexico, which did not support the resolution against Nicaragua, stating that “it’s surprising, painful, and something that ought to change. There should be empathy for the suffering of the Nicaraguan people, for persecuted politicians, for priests who have been imprisoned, exiled, or banished, and for the churches that have, at times, been burned down. It is truly grotesque, yet ideology seems to be prevailing over democracy.”Since 2018, the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship has waged a fierce campaign of persecution against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. Its latest known victim is the bishop emeritus of Estelí, Abelardo Mata (80), who suffers from diabetes, a heart condition, and vision problems. His condition remains uncertain, despite the regime’s claim that he is at home. In mid-August, the regime released a video of an interview with the prelate, who recently celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest, without specifying when the footage was recorded.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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Human rights group calls Nicaragua’s constitutional reforms a ‘usurpation of power’ #Catholic Nicaragua’s National Assembly, controlled by the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, “unanimously” approved a constitutional reform barring “traitors to the homeland” (the term the regime uses for its political opposition) from participating in elections. The measure has sparked widespread domestic and international condemnation.The reform was “unanimously approved in general terms,” ​​Assembly President Gustavo Porras stated on Sept. 1 during a special session held in the city of León, according to the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa.The reform amends the constitution, which extends the presidential term, as well as those of other high-ranking officials, from six to seven years, with the possibility of renewal.Ortega has governed Nicaragua for about 30 years: since 2007, and previously, from 1979 to 1990. On July 19, he stated that there would be no further elections in Nicaragua, and on July 31, he proposed the reform — set to take effect in 2027 — that excludes “coup plotters” and “terrorists,”, terms he uses to refer to the political opposition, from participating in elections.Reforms are a ‘formalization of the usurpation of power’Ruta del Cambio (Pathway for Change), an organization which defends human rights and the rule of law, declared in a Sept. 2 statement that it “categorically rejects and and gives no legal recognition to the partial reform to the Political Constitution [of the Republic of Nicaragua] approved during the first legislative session on Sept. 1, 2026, by a National Assembly stripped of all independence and reduced to a mere rubber stamp for the will of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo.”Ruta del Cambio counts among its leaders Félix Maradiaga, a former presidential candidate and former political prisoner now living in exile.“What has been approved is not a constitutional reform. It is the formalization of the usurpation of power through a text drafted in secret, approved without opposition, and voted for with unanimous obedience by those who owe their positions, privileges, and impunity to the couple that has hijacked the state,” Ruta del Cambio charged.“Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo have turned the constitution into a family’s title deed. They have transformed the state into personal property, the law into an instrument of vengeance, and the republic’s [law enforcement apparatus] into tools of terror against the very people they swore to serve,” the organization emphasized.Ruta del Cambio called for “rejecting the legal validity of this reform and of any act, mandate, extension, or appointment derived from it, and formally declaring it without force under international law.”Elections ‘without legitimacy’“What we are seeing in Nicaragua right now is a reform attempting to hold elections without competition, without legitimacy, and without any possibility of change. In other words, Ortega controls the judges and the playing field, and seeks to firmly establish his authoritarian model without any competition,” stated Arturo Mcfields Yescas, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), in a Sept. 3 interview with EWTN Noticias, the Spanish-language edition of EWTN News.“This further undermines not only civil and political freedoms but also another fundamental freedom: religious freedom,” he pointed out.McFields explained that when the regime speaks of “traitors to the homeland,” it is referring to those who dissent from its rule. “People who questioned Ortega’s authority immediately became traitors to the homeland,” as did those who “simply thought differently” or called for “international mediation.”“This means,” he charged, “that anyone who does not applaud Ortega becomes a traitor to the homeland.”U.S. reactionOn Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on X that “the Murillo-Ortega’s National Assembly gutted what remained of Nicaragua’s democracy in the second constitutional rewrite in two years. The U.S. will implement measures at the next @OAS_official [meeting of foreign ministers] to ensure that our hemisphere stops business as usual with this dictatorship.”Regarding the United States’ call for countries to sever diplomatic and commercial ties with Nicaragua, McFields called it “an extraordinary start.” “For the first time, Ortega is facing pressure of this nature. For the first time, the OAS has approved a resolution on Nicaragua almost unanimously,” by convening a meeting of foreign ministers to address the situation, McFields said.Likewise, neighboring Costa Rica expressed its “deep concern regarding the ongoing deterioration of democracy in Nicaragua, exacerbated by the recent constitutional reform that further limits political and electoral participation,” and stated that it “will support a firm and coordinated response” with the OAS.The government of Peru, led by President Keiko Fujimori, also rejected the approval of the constitutional reform. In a Sept. 2 statement, it declared that it “will stand with the Nicaraguan people, their political prisoners, their exiles, and all those who are currently persecuted for dreaming of free elections.”Persecution of the Catholic Church in NicaraguaMcFields questioned the stance of countries like Brazil and Mexico, which did not support the resolution against Nicaragua, stating that “it’s surprising, painful, and something that ought to change. There should be empathy for the suffering of the Nicaraguan people, for persecuted politicians, for priests who have been imprisoned, exiled, or banished, and for the churches that have, at times, been burned down. It is truly grotesque, yet ideology seems to be prevailing over democracy.”Since 2018, the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship has waged a fierce campaign of persecution against the Catholic Church in Nicaragua. Its latest known victim is the bishop emeritus of Estelí, Abelardo Mata (80), who suffers from diabetes, a heart condition, and vision problems. His condition remains uncertain, despite the regime’s claim that he is at home. In mid-August, the regime released a video of an interview with the prelate, who recently celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest, without specifying when the footage was recorded.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 Ortega-Murilla regime has approved reforms that bar the opposition from participating in elections, drawing strong opposition from exiled leaders, the United States, Costa Rica and Peru.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 04 September 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 4:1-5 Brothers and sisters: Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord. Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.From the Gospel according to Luke 5:33-39 The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, ?The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same; but yours eat and drink.? Jesus answered them, ?Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.? And he also told them a parable. ?No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ?The old is good.???For new wine, new wineskins?. This ?is the newness of the Gospel?. ?What does the Gospel bring us? Joy and newness?. However, ?these doctors of the law were locked up in their commandments, in their rules?. So much that ?St Paul, speaking about them, tells us that before faith came ? that is, Jesus ? we were all held as prisoners under the law?. (?) When Jesus reproaches these people, these doctors of the law, He admonishes them for not having safeguarded the people with the law but for having made them ?slaves of so many little laws, of so many little things that they had to do?. (?) St Paul ?makes a good distinction: sons of law and sons of faith. To new wine, new wineskins?. This is why ?the Church asks us, all of us, for a few changes. She asks us to leave aside fleeting structures; they aren?t necessary! And get new wineskins, those of the Gospel?. It is not possible to understand the mentality, for example, of these doctors of the law, these Pharisee theologians, with the spirit of the Gospel. They are different things?. In fact, ?the Gospel?s approach is a different approach, which leads to the fulfillment of the law?. But ?in a new way: it is the new wine in new wineskins?. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 5 September 2014)    

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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
4:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ
and stewards of the mysteries of God. 
Now it is of course required of stewards
that they be found trustworthy.
It does not concern me in the least
that I be judged by you or any human tribunal;
I do not even pass judgment on myself;
I am not conscious of anything against me,
but I do not thereby stand acquitted;
the one who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time,
until the Lord comes,
for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness
and will manifest the motives of our hearts,
and then everyone will receive praise from God.

From the Gospel according to Luke
5:33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
?The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.?
Jesus answered them, ?Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.?
And he also told them a parable.
?No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ?The old is good.??

?For new wine, new wineskins?. This ?is the newness of the Gospel?. ?What does the Gospel bring us? Joy and newness?. However, ?these doctors of the law were locked up in their commandments, in their rules?. So much that ?St Paul, speaking about them, tells us that before faith came ? that is, Jesus ? we were all held as prisoners under the law?. (?) When Jesus reproaches these people, these doctors of the law, He admonishes them for not having safeguarded the people with the law but for having made them ?slaves of so many little laws, of so many little things that they had to do?. (?) St Paul ?makes a good distinction: sons of law and sons of faith. To new wine, new wineskins?. This is why ?the Church asks us, all of us, for a few changes. She asks us to leave aside fleeting structures; they aren?t necessary! And get new wineskins, those of the Gospel?. It is not possible to understand the mentality, for example, of these doctors of the law, these Pharisee theologians, with the spirit of the Gospel. They are different things?. In fact, ?the Gospel?s approach is a different approach, which leads to the fulfillment of the law?. But ?in a new way: it is the new wine in new wineskins?. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 5 September 2014)

 

 

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Abuse prevention, liturgy central to Vatican courses for new bishops #Catholic The Vatican is hosting its annual formation course for newly appointed bishops from Sept. 2-10, bringing together 147 prelates from five continents to strengthen ecclesial communion and provide practical tools for the exercise of episcopal ministry.The program has been a fixture of the Church calendar since 2000, when it was launched by St. John Paul II. Described by Vatican media as a condensed “master’s program” for new bishops, it is designed to foster the exchange of experiences among pastors from widely differing cultural, social, and ecclesial contexts while offering practical guidance for governing local churches.This year’s participants come from countries across Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America, including Algeria, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Ghana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Myanmar, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Central African Republic, Senegal, the Seychelles, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, and Thailand.Most of the world’s bishops fall under the jurisdiction of the Dicastery for Bishops, which oversees the creation of dioceses, episcopal appointments, and matters related to episcopal governance in the Latin Church. Bishops serving in missionary territories, however, are under the Dicastery for Evangelization, specifically its Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches.Of the 147 participants, 98 are following the program organized by the Dicastery for Bishops under the theme, “In Christ, Guardians of the Magnifica Humanitas in Times of Transformation.” The remaining 49 are participating in a course sponsored by the Dicastery for Evangelization titled, “Servants of Communion in the Church.”Both tracks combine lectures, liturgical celebrations, fraternal gatherings, and working sessions led by cardinals, archbishops, and senior officials of the Roman Curia.Instagram postLiturgy, mission, and safeguarding against abuseThe program addresses key issues facing the Church, including liturgy, evangelization, child protection, financial administration, transparency, priestly formation, synodality, interreligious dialogue, the growth of new sects, and the handling of clergy-related crises.The course organized by the Dicastery for Bishops includes presentations by Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, who will reflect on episcopal ministry, and Archbishop Vittorio Viola, secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, who will discuss liturgical matters.On Sept. 4, Archbishop Luis Javier Argüello García, president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, will offer reflections on the bishop’s mission within the family and society.That afternoon, attention will turn to safeguarding minors, promoting a culture of prevention, and handling abuse cases, with a presentation by Archbishop Thibault Verny, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.The day will conclude with a lecture by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, on the Holy See’s role in a globalized world and its efforts to promote peace.On Sept. 5, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, will examine the cultural changes reshaping the contemporary world.Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, as head of the Church tribunal responsible for matters of conscience, will provide a detailed explanation of the norms, theology, and limits of the Church’s absolute seal of secrecy, particularly regarding sacramental confession.Tribalism, sects, and missionary challengesThe program for bishops from territories under the Dicastery for Evangelization is being held at the Pontifical Missionary College of St. Peter the Apostle.Formal activities began Sept. 3 with a session focused on missionary work and the services provided by the dicastery to churches in mission territories.Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is serving as host, while Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu will address issues such as tribalism, caste discrimination, racism, and exclusionary regionalism in the contemporary Church.Topics scheduled for the opening days also include clergy discipline, consecrated life, administration of Church property, associations of the faithful, and other pastoral challenges unique to missionary churches.The Sept. 4 session will focus on faith and inculturation. Speakers include Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, who will reflect on interreligious dialogue in the current context, and Archbishop Aurelio García Macías, undersecretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, who will discuss liturgical continuity and developments in territories of first evangelization.Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, will close the day with a presentation on sects and new religious movements.Episcopal governance and canon lawOn Sept. 5, participants will delve into legal aspects of episcopal governance. Archbishop Anthony Randazzo, prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, will discuss diocesan structures of communion and collaboration, as well as the operation of ecclesiastical tribunals.Archbishop John Joseph Kennedy, secretary of the disciplinary section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will provide guidance on handling cases involving delicta graviora, the most serious crimes prosecuted within the Catholic Church.The day will also include reflections on pastoral accompaniment and the formation of lay faithful, led by Archbishop Dario Gervasi and Dr. Gabriella Gambino, secretary and undersecretary, respectively, of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.Pilgrimage to Assisi and joint sessionsParticipants will have a free day on Sunday, with the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Assisi during the Jubilee Year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis.Activities will resume Sept. 7 at the Pontifical Urbaniana University with joint sessions bringing together participants from both programs. For the third consecutive year, this format is intended to foster fraternity and the exchange of experiences among bishops from very different pastoral realities.Among the topics to be discussed is Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which will be presented by Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, and Cardinal Roberto Repole, archbishop of Turin, will offer reflections on synodal ecclesiology.On Sept. 8, the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the newly appointed bishops will participate in a Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, celebrated by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar of the Diocese of Rome.During the final days of the course, sessions will focus on priestly formation, the relationship between local churches and the Holy See, and the Church’s responsibility to protect minors and vulnerable adults.Experts from the Institute of Anthropology at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University, including Archbishop Peter Beer and Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, one of the Church’s leading international voices on safeguarding, will participate in these discussions.The program will conclude Sept. 10 with Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by an audience with Pope Leo XIV. The papal meeting will bring to a close several days of formation, prayer, and fraternity in the Italian capital.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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Abuse prevention, liturgy central to Vatican courses for new bishops #Catholic The Vatican is hosting its annual formation course for newly appointed bishops from Sept. 2-10, bringing together 147 prelates from five continents to strengthen ecclesial communion and provide practical tools for the exercise of episcopal ministry.The program has been a fixture of the Church calendar since 2000, when it was launched by St. John Paul II. Described by Vatican media as a condensed “master’s program” for new bishops, it is designed to foster the exchange of experiences among pastors from widely differing cultural, social, and ecclesial contexts while offering practical guidance for governing local churches.This year’s participants come from countries across Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America, including Algeria, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Ghana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Myanmar, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Central African Republic, Senegal, the Seychelles, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, and Thailand.Most of the world’s bishops fall under the jurisdiction of the Dicastery for Bishops, which oversees the creation of dioceses, episcopal appointments, and matters related to episcopal governance in the Latin Church. Bishops serving in missionary territories, however, are under the Dicastery for Evangelization, specifically its Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches.Of the 147 participants, 98 are following the program organized by the Dicastery for Bishops under the theme, “In Christ, Guardians of the Magnifica Humanitas in Times of Transformation.” The remaining 49 are participating in a course sponsored by the Dicastery for Evangelization titled, “Servants of Communion in the Church.”Both tracks combine lectures, liturgical celebrations, fraternal gatherings, and working sessions led by cardinals, archbishops, and senior officials of the Roman Curia.Instagram postLiturgy, mission, and safeguarding against abuseThe program addresses key issues facing the Church, including liturgy, evangelization, child protection, financial administration, transparency, priestly formation, synodality, interreligious dialogue, the growth of new sects, and the handling of clergy-related crises.The course organized by the Dicastery for Bishops includes presentations by Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, who will reflect on episcopal ministry, and Archbishop Vittorio Viola, secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, who will discuss liturgical matters.On Sept. 4, Archbishop Luis Javier Argüello García, president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, will offer reflections on the bishop’s mission within the family and society.That afternoon, attention will turn to safeguarding minors, promoting a culture of prevention, and handling abuse cases, with a presentation by Archbishop Thibault Verny, president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors.The day will conclude with a lecture by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, on the Holy See’s role in a globalized world and its efforts to promote peace.On Sept. 5, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, will examine the cultural changes reshaping the contemporary world.Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, as head of the Church tribunal responsible for matters of conscience, will provide a detailed explanation of the norms, theology, and limits of the Church’s absolute seal of secrecy, particularly regarding sacramental confession.Tribalism, sects, and missionary challengesThe program for bishops from territories under the Dicastery for Evangelization is being held at the Pontifical Missionary College of St. Peter the Apostle.Formal activities began Sept. 3 with a session focused on missionary work and the services provided by the dicastery to churches in mission territories.Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is serving as host, while Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu will address issues such as tribalism, caste discrimination, racism, and exclusionary regionalism in the contemporary Church.Topics scheduled for the opening days also include clergy discipline, consecrated life, administration of Church property, associations of the faithful, and other pastoral challenges unique to missionary churches.The Sept. 4 session will focus on faith and inculturation. Speakers include Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, who will reflect on interreligious dialogue in the current context, and Archbishop Aurelio García Macías, undersecretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, who will discuss liturgical continuity and developments in territories of first evangelization.Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, will close the day with a presentation on sects and new religious movements.Episcopal governance and canon lawOn Sept. 5, participants will delve into legal aspects of episcopal governance. Archbishop Anthony Randazzo, prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, will discuss diocesan structures of communion and collaboration, as well as the operation of ecclesiastical tribunals.Archbishop John Joseph Kennedy, secretary of the disciplinary section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will provide guidance on handling cases involving delicta graviora, the most serious crimes prosecuted within the Catholic Church.The day will also include reflections on pastoral accompaniment and the formation of lay faithful, led by Archbishop Dario Gervasi and Dr. Gabriella Gambino, secretary and undersecretary, respectively, of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.Pilgrimage to Assisi and joint sessionsParticipants will have a free day on Sunday, with the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Assisi during the Jubilee Year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis.Activities will resume Sept. 7 at the Pontifical Urbaniana University with joint sessions bringing together participants from both programs. For the third consecutive year, this format is intended to foster fraternity and the exchange of experiences among bishops from very different pastoral realities.Among the topics to be discussed is Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, which will be presented by Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, and Cardinal Roberto Repole, archbishop of Turin, will offer reflections on synodal ecclesiology.On Sept. 8, the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the newly appointed bishops will participate in a Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, celebrated by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar of the Diocese of Rome.During the final days of the course, sessions will focus on priestly formation, the relationship between local churches and the Holy See, and the Church’s responsibility to protect minors and vulnerable adults.Experts from the Institute of Anthropology at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University, including Archbishop Peter Beer and Jesuit Father Hans Zollner, one of the Church’s leading international voices on safeguarding, will participate in these discussions.The program will conclude Sept. 10 with Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by an audience with Pope Leo XIV. The papal meeting will bring to a close several days of formation, prayer, and fraternity in the Italian capital.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 program has been a fixture of the Church calendar since 2000, when it was launched by St. John Paul II.

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Catholics cannot be ‘unengaged spectators’ amid current events, pope says #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The faithful are called to leave behind “all passivity and indifference” toward current events and the lives of others, especially amid the “rapid and profound changes we are experiencing today,” Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly general audience. “We cannot remain as unengaged spectators; rather, we must listen with our hearts, allow ourselves to be challenged, and become involved,” the pope said Sept. 2 in St. Peter’s Square. “With Christ and sustained by the power of His Spirit, believers are called to take on the burdens of their brothers and sisters, especially those who are crushed by injustice, discrimination and violence,” he said. Pope Leo began a new series of reflections on the Second Vatican Council’s pastoral constitution “Gaudium et Spes,” which examines the relationship between the Church and the modern world. Recalling St. John XXIII’s warning against the “prophets of doom,” who regarded their own times as worse than the past, Pope Leo said Christians are instead called to share in the life of humanity as Christ did. Such closeness to humanity, the pope said, also opens the way to a deeper understanding of events and of Revelation itself. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “This is not, in fact, merely a moral imperative,” he said. Addressing English-speaking pilgrims, Pope Leo said it is the Church’s pastoral responsibility to engage with the contemporary world, share in its joys and sorrows and advocate for the poor and marginalized. The Church, he said, also must remain “attentive to the signs of the times,” confronting “pressing issues such as the technological progress that benefits only some and the persistence of widespread poverty.” His remarks came months after the publication of his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” which detailed his account of the global implications of artificial intelligence and warned against allowing technological development to proceed without prioritizing human dignity. “In our own day, marked by profound change and much injustice, each of us, then, is called to play our part in welcoming and listening to the deepest questions and longings of the human heart, making present to all the merciful love of Christ our Savior,” the pope told English speakers. During a period of profound change that is producing “worrying imbalances,” Pope Leo said the Church is called to serve the human person by listening to “the deepest questions of their heart and the longings that dwell within them.” The Church must point people toward Christ, he said, as “the key, the focal point and the goal of all human history.”  
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Catholics cannot be ‘unengaged spectators’ amid current events, pope says #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The faithful are called to leave behind “all passivity and indifference” toward current events and the lives of others, especially amid the “rapid and profound changes we are experiencing today,” Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly general audience. “We cannot remain as unengaged spectators; rather, we must listen with our hearts, allow ourselves to be challenged, and become involved,” the pope said Sept. 2 in St. Peter’s Square. “With Christ and sustained by the power of His Spirit, believers are called to take on the burdens of their brothers and sisters, especially those who are crushed by injustice, discrimination and violence,” he said. Pope Leo began a new series of reflections on the Second Vatican Council’s pastoral constitution “Gaudium et Spes,” which examines the relationship between the Church and the modern world. Recalling St. John XXIII’s warning against the “prophets of doom,” who regarded their own times as worse than the past, Pope Leo said Christians are instead called to share in the life of humanity as Christ did. Such closeness to humanity, the pope said, also opens the way to a deeper understanding of events and of Revelation itself. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “This is not, in fact, merely a moral imperative,” he said. Addressing English-speaking pilgrims, Pope Leo said it is the Church’s pastoral responsibility to engage with the contemporary world, share in its joys and sorrows and advocate for the poor and marginalized. The Church, he said, also must remain “attentive to the signs of the times,” confronting “pressing issues such as the technological progress that benefits only some and the persistence of widespread poverty.” His remarks came months after the publication of his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” which detailed his account of the global implications of artificial intelligence and warned against allowing technological development to proceed without prioritizing human dignity. “In our own day, marked by profound change and much injustice, each of us, then, is called to play our part in welcoming and listening to the deepest questions and longings of the human heart, making present to all the merciful love of Christ our Savior,” the pope told English speakers. During a period of profound change that is producing “worrying imbalances,” Pope Leo said the Church is called to serve the human person by listening to “the deepest questions of their heart and the longings that dwell within them.” The Church must point people toward Christ, he said, as “the key, the focal point and the goal of all human history.”  

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Catholics cannot be ‘unengaged spectators’ amid current events, pope says #Catholic –

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The faithful are called to leave behind “all passivity and indifference” toward current events and the lives of others, especially amid the “rapid and profound changes we are experiencing today,” Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly general audience.

“We cannot remain as unengaged spectators; rather, we must listen with our hearts, allow ourselves to be challenged, and become involved,” the pope said Sept. 2 in St. Peter’s Square.

“With Christ and sustained by the power of His Spirit, believers are called to take on the burdens of their brothers and sisters, especially those who are crushed by injustice, discrimination and violence,” he said.

Pope Leo began a new series of reflections on the Second Vatican Council’s pastoral constitution “Gaudium et Spes,” which examines the relationship between the Church and the modern world.

Recalling St. John XXIII’s warning against the “prophets of doom,” who regarded their own times as worse than the past, Pope Leo said Christians are instead called to share in the life of humanity as Christ did.

Such closeness to humanity, the pope said, also opens the way to a deeper understanding of events and of Revelation itself.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“This is not, in fact, merely a moral imperative,” he said.

Addressing English-speaking pilgrims, Pope Leo said it is the Church’s pastoral responsibility to engage with the contemporary world, share in its joys and sorrows and advocate for the poor and marginalized.

The Church, he said, also must remain “attentive to the signs of the times,” confronting “pressing issues such as the technological progress that benefits only some and the persistence of widespread poverty.”

His remarks came months after the publication of his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” which detailed his account of the global implications of artificial intelligence and warned against allowing technological development to proceed without prioritizing human dignity.

“In our own day, marked by profound change and much injustice, each of us, then, is called to play our part in welcoming and listening to the deepest questions and longings of the human heart, making present to all the merciful love of Christ our Savior,” the pope told English speakers.

During a period of profound change that is producing “worrying imbalances,” Pope Leo said the Church is called to serve the human person by listening to “the deepest questions of their heart and the longings that dwell within them.”

The Church must point people toward Christ, he said, as “the key, the focal point and the goal of all human history.”

 

– VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The faithful are called to leave behind “all passivity and indifference” toward current events and the lives of others, especially amid the “rapid and profound changes we are experiencing today,” Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly general audience. “We cannot remain as unengaged spectators; rather, we must listen with our hearts, allow ourselves to be challenged, and become involved,” the pope said Sept. 2 in St. Peter’s Square. “With Christ and sustained by the power of His Spirit, believers are called to take on the burdens of their brothers and sisters, especially those who are

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Pope Leo says, ‘It is not yet too late’ to care for creation #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV began the five-week Season of Creation by calling on the faithful to step away from the frenzy of daily life to “hear the melodious voice of creation,” stressing that “it is not yet too late” to repair humanity’s relationship with the environment. Celebrating Mass on the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in the gardens of the papal villa and the Borgo Laudato Si’ ecology project in Castel Gandolfo, Sept. 1, the pope said contemplating creation and its Creator should lead people to recognize their responsibility for protecting it. “Thus, as we become conscious of our shortcomings and failures, we can renew our commitment to restoring the relationships among all creatures according to the will of their Creator,” he said. The theme chosen for the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation echoes the biblical call to “beat swords into plowshares” and connects armed conflict with environmental destruction. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In a June 2 statement, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development said that “the now widespread awareness of the impact of war on natural resources has not led to the creation of adequate institutions or to responsible decisions aimed at preventing conflicts and resolving disputes peacefully.” In his homily during the Mass, Pope Leo said the call to transform weapons into instruments that sustain life remains urgent. “What has been used for destruction can be redirected toward life, toward the care of the poor, the nourishment of the hungry, and the safeguarding of creation,” he said, quoting his message for the day. Militaries account for about 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to water pollution, soil contamination and waste generation, according to a joint study by the UK-based Scientists for Global Responsibility and the Conflict and Environment Observatory. The World Wide Fund for Nature estimated that the first three years of the Russia-Ukraine war alone generated the equivalent of about 230 million metric tons of carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas that traps heat from sunlight, warming the planet. Pope Leo also focused on access to clean water in his September prayer intention, released Sept. 1 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. Thanking God for the gift of water, the pope prayed for the “right of every brother and sister to drink without fear and without inequality.” “Forgive us for turning it into a commodity, forgetting that it is a universal gift, a right without borders, meant for all your children,” he prayed. “We see with pain so many brothers and sisters who lack clean water, who walk for miles to find it, who become ill due to its scarcity.” During the Mass, Pope Leo said passages from the Book of Wisdom and Psalm 18 encourage Christians to recognize God through the “beauty and power of creation.” “All creation speaks to us of the greatness of its Creator, if only our eyes and hearts remain open to such a great mystery,” he said. By looking with wonder at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, the pope said, Christians can better understand the greatness of God’s love for humanity. “If the Lord does not fail to bestow such splendid beauty upon plants and animals and provide for all their needs, how much more attentive will he be to the needs of his beloved sons and daughters,” he said. The Season of Creation runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The Catholic Church’s observance of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation was established by Pope Francis in response to an initiative of Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. The Orthodox Church has observed Sept. 1 as a day of prayer for creation since 1989. The 2026 season will conclude as the Church marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of ecology. Pope Leo closed his homily by reciting portions of St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures: “Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun… Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars… Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Wind… Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Water… Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Fire… Praised be you, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us.”  
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Pope Leo says, ‘It is not yet too late’ to care for creation #Catholic – VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV began the five-week Season of Creation by calling on the faithful to step away from the frenzy of daily life to “hear the melodious voice of creation,” stressing that “it is not yet too late” to repair humanity’s relationship with the environment. Celebrating Mass on the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in the gardens of the papal villa and the Borgo Laudato Si’ ecology project in Castel Gandolfo, Sept. 1, the pope said contemplating creation and its Creator should lead people to recognize their responsibility for protecting it. “Thus, as we become conscious of our shortcomings and failures, we can renew our commitment to restoring the relationships among all creatures according to the will of their Creator,” he said. The theme chosen for the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation echoes the biblical call to “beat swords into plowshares” and connects armed conflict with environmental destruction. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In a June 2 statement, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development said that “the now widespread awareness of the impact of war on natural resources has not led to the creation of adequate institutions or to responsible decisions aimed at preventing conflicts and resolving disputes peacefully.” In his homily during the Mass, Pope Leo said the call to transform weapons into instruments that sustain life remains urgent. “What has been used for destruction can be redirected toward life, toward the care of the poor, the nourishment of the hungry, and the safeguarding of creation,” he said, quoting his message for the day. Militaries account for about 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to water pollution, soil contamination and waste generation, according to a joint study by the UK-based Scientists for Global Responsibility and the Conflict and Environment Observatory. The World Wide Fund for Nature estimated that the first three years of the Russia-Ukraine war alone generated the equivalent of about 230 million metric tons of carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas that traps heat from sunlight, warming the planet. Pope Leo also focused on access to clean water in his September prayer intention, released Sept. 1 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. Thanking God for the gift of water, the pope prayed for the “right of every brother and sister to drink without fear and without inequality.” “Forgive us for turning it into a commodity, forgetting that it is a universal gift, a right without borders, meant for all your children,” he prayed. “We see with pain so many brothers and sisters who lack clean water, who walk for miles to find it, who become ill due to its scarcity.” During the Mass, Pope Leo said passages from the Book of Wisdom and Psalm 18 encourage Christians to recognize God through the “beauty and power of creation.” “All creation speaks to us of the greatness of its Creator, if only our eyes and hearts remain open to such a great mystery,” he said. By looking with wonder at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, the pope said, Christians can better understand the greatness of God’s love for humanity. “If the Lord does not fail to bestow such splendid beauty upon plants and animals and provide for all their needs, how much more attentive will he be to the needs of his beloved sons and daughters,” he said. The Season of Creation runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The Catholic Church’s observance of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation was established by Pope Francis in response to an initiative of Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. The Orthodox Church has observed Sept. 1 as a day of prayer for creation since 1989. The 2026 season will conclude as the Church marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of ecology. Pope Leo closed his homily by reciting portions of St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures: “Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun… Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars… Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Wind… Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Water… Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Fire… Praised be you, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us.”  

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Pope Leo says, ‘It is not yet too late’ to care for creation #Catholic –

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV began the five-week Season of Creation by calling on the faithful to step away from the frenzy of daily life to “hear the melodious voice of creation,” stressing that “it is not yet too late” to repair humanity’s relationship with the environment.

Celebrating Mass on the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in the gardens of the papal villa and the Borgo Laudato Si’ ecology project in Castel Gandolfo, Sept. 1, the pope said contemplating creation and its Creator should lead people to recognize their responsibility for protecting it.

“Thus, as we become conscious of our shortcomings and failures, we can renew our commitment to restoring the relationships among all creatures according to the will of their Creator,” he said.

The theme chosen for the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation echoes the biblical call to “beat swords into plowshares” and connects armed conflict with environmental destruction.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

In a June 2 statement, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development said that “the now widespread awareness of the impact of war on natural resources has not led to the creation of adequate institutions or to responsible decisions aimed at preventing conflicts and resolving disputes peacefully.”

In his homily during the Mass, Pope Leo said the call to transform weapons into instruments that sustain life remains urgent.

“What has been used for destruction can be redirected toward life, toward the care of the poor, the nourishment of the hungry, and the safeguarding of creation,” he said, quoting his message for the day.

Militaries account for about 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to water pollution, soil contamination and waste generation, according to a joint study by the UK-based Scientists for Global Responsibility and the Conflict and Environment Observatory. The World Wide Fund for Nature estimated that the first three years of the Russia-Ukraine war alone generated the equivalent of about 230 million metric tons of carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas that traps heat from sunlight, warming the planet.

Pope Leo also focused on access to clean water in his September prayer intention, released Sept. 1 by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.

Thanking God for the gift of water, the pope prayed for the “right of every brother and sister to drink without fear and without inequality.”

“Forgive us for turning it into a commodity, forgetting that it is a universal gift, a right without borders, meant for all your children,” he prayed. “We see with pain so many brothers and sisters who lack clean water, who walk for miles to find it, who become ill due to its scarcity.”

During the Mass, Pope Leo said passages from the Book of Wisdom and Psalm 18 encourage Christians to recognize God through the “beauty and power of creation.”

“All creation speaks to us of the greatness of its Creator, if only our eyes and hearts remain open to such a great mystery,” he said.

By looking with wonder at the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, the pope said, Christians can better understand the greatness of God’s love for humanity.

“If the Lord does not fail to bestow such splendid beauty upon plants and animals and provide for all their needs, how much more attentive will he be to the needs of his beloved sons and daughters,” he said.

The Season of Creation runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. The Catholic Church’s observance of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation was established by Pope Francis in response to an initiative of Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. The Orthodox Church has observed Sept. 1 as a day of prayer for creation since 1989.

The 2026 season will conclude as the Church marks the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of ecology.

Pope Leo closed his homily by reciting portions of St. Francis’ Canticle of the Creatures:

“Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun… Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars… Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Wind… Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Water… Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Fire… Praised be you, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us.”

 

– VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV began the five-week Season of Creation by calling on the faithful to step away from the frenzy of daily life to “hear the melodious voice of creation,” stressing that “it is not yet too late” to repair humanity’s relationship with the environment. Celebrating Mass on the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation in the gardens of the papal villa and the Borgo Laudato Si’ ecology project in Castel Gandolfo, Sept. 1, the pope said contemplating creation and its Creator should lead people to recognize their responsibility for protecting it. “Thus,

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A dream, strong faith and a health struggle inspire teen’s winning essay on priesthood #Catholic – NEWARK, N.J. (OSV News) — Dominic Auricchio was 4 when he said he heard God’s voice in a dream telling him to become a priest. The now-13-year-old does not remember the dream too well, but he has felt drawn to the Catholic priesthood ever since. That dream, his strong faith and a struggle with a life-threatening health issue in recent months inspired his winning essay on the priesthood. When Dominic decided to enter the Archdiocese of Newark’s Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest — which asks seventh graders to explain why priests are important — he knew exactly what to say: Priests are important because they share God’s Word, celebrate the sacraments, and love everyone as Jesus did. The archdiocesan Office of Priestly Vocations, which administers the contest, said the judges stated Dominic’s work stood out among the 49 submissions they reviewed. He won first place, receiving a plaque and ,500, presented to him this summer by Father Patrick Seo, director of priestly vocations, at a gathering attended by family and classmates. “I was really happy when I won,” Dominic told Jersey Catholic, Newark’s archdiocesan news outlet. “Becoming a priest is important to me, so I worked hard on everything. Accepting the award in front of so many people made me feel very accomplished.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Dominic’s achievement came during a particularly trying time in his life. In December, he began experiencing seizures for which he is still seeking treatment. In fact, when he first learned about the contest, he was in the hospital. Despite these struggles, Dominic was determined to do his best, writing and polishing his essay over a few weeks until he was sure every one of his 642 words conveyed his admiration for the priesthood. He even drew on his health issues to offer a unique perspective on the subject. “(My medical problems) helped me understand how other people feel when they are scared, different, or going through something difficult,” Dominic wrote. “Because of this, I feel called to help people who are hurting. … A priest walks with people during sickness, grief and fear, and I want to be someone who brings comfort and hope.” As required by the contest, Dominic, with the help of his mother, Maria, and brother Vincenzo, also crafted a four-minute video in which he shared that he was 9 years old when a mass developed on his brain. While his doctors and parents contemplated the best treatment options, he says he experienced an apparition. Dominic believes that the woman who appeared in his bedroom, wearing blue and a head covering, was the Virgin Mary. According to Dominic, she told him not to worry and that everything would be OK. Soon thereafter, a CAT scan revealed that his brain mass had begun to shrink. Today, Dominic’s mass has shrunk to a tiny size. While his recovery cannot be confirmed as miraculous — because he was taking medication that may have caused the improvement — Maria believes God healed her son. She said the mass began shrinking immediately after Mary’s visit, a timing she believes is too remarkable to be mere coincidence. Dominic, too, believes that something more than medicine was at work. He also feels fortunate to be able to share his experience with the world. “I like telling other people because it reminds them that God is always there,” Dominic said. “It gives them hope.” In his essay, he also explained how his time as an altar server at St. Helen’s Parish in Westfield has brought him close to the Eucharist and helped him “see how important the priest’s role is.” He also talks about experiences such as giving alms during Lent and serving as a “buddy” to a young girl with autism during St. Helen’s inclusive Masses, which have taught him “patience and kindness,” qualities he believes all priests should possess. “I think a priest should always make people feel like they belong,” Dominic wrote in his essay. His pastor, Msgr. Thomas Nydegger, said that Dominic certainly possesses the empathy that is an essential quality of priests. “From what I’ve seen of Dominic and the way he lives, he’d bring some very special gifts and talents to the priesthood,” Msgr. Nydegger said. “With his sensitivity and unique perspective, I think he’d be able to truly touch people’s lives in a deep way that we don’t often see in the world.” Maria — who works in multiple roles at St. Helen Parish and Holy Trinity School — said she would feel “honored” to be the mother of a priest. At the same time, she said her son is the only one who can decide whether the priesthood is right for him. She has told him he should not feel obligated to become a priest if he ever changes his mind. “I just want him to be happy and find where God is calling him to be,” said Maria, who noted that there are many ways to serve God. Dominic, who also loves hockey and hopes to one day follow in his father’s and great-grandfather’s footsteps by enlisting in the Marines, wrote in his essay that “I do not know exactly where God will lead me, but I trust that He is guiding me step by step.” Still, he strongly feels that he will ultimately fulfill his dream of becoming a priest. “The Roman Catholic priesthood is a life of service, sacrifice, and joy centered on Jesus,” he writes. “That is why I believe God is calling me to become a priest, and why I hope to answer that call one day.” Sean Quinn is on the communications staff of the Archdiocese of Newark and contributes to Jersey Catholic, the archdiocese’s news site.  
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A dream, strong faith and a health struggle inspire teen’s winning essay on priesthood #Catholic – NEWARK, N.J. (OSV News) — Dominic Auricchio was 4 when he said he heard God’s voice in a dream telling him to become a priest. The now-13-year-old does not remember the dream too well, but he has felt drawn to the Catholic priesthood ever since. That dream, his strong faith and a struggle with a life-threatening health issue in recent months inspired his winning essay on the priesthood. When Dominic decided to enter the Archdiocese of Newark’s Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest — which asks seventh graders to explain why priests are important — he knew exactly what to say: Priests are important because they share God’s Word, celebrate the sacraments, and love everyone as Jesus did. The archdiocesan Office of Priestly Vocations, which administers the contest, said the judges stated Dominic’s work stood out among the 49 submissions they reviewed. He won first place, receiving a plaque and $1,500, presented to him this summer by Father Patrick Seo, director of priestly vocations, at a gathering attended by family and classmates. “I was really happy when I won,” Dominic told Jersey Catholic, Newark’s archdiocesan news outlet. “Becoming a priest is important to me, so I worked hard on everything. Accepting the award in front of so many people made me feel very accomplished.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Dominic’s achievement came during a particularly trying time in his life. In December, he began experiencing seizures for which he is still seeking treatment. In fact, when he first learned about the contest, he was in the hospital. Despite these struggles, Dominic was determined to do his best, writing and polishing his essay over a few weeks until he was sure every one of his 642 words conveyed his admiration for the priesthood. He even drew on his health issues to offer a unique perspective on the subject. “(My medical problems) helped me understand how other people feel when they are scared, different, or going through something difficult,” Dominic wrote. “Because of this, I feel called to help people who are hurting. … A priest walks with people during sickness, grief and fear, and I want to be someone who brings comfort and hope.” As required by the contest, Dominic, with the help of his mother, Maria, and brother Vincenzo, also crafted a four-minute video in which he shared that he was 9 years old when a mass developed on his brain. While his doctors and parents contemplated the best treatment options, he says he experienced an apparition. Dominic believes that the woman who appeared in his bedroom, wearing blue and a head covering, was the Virgin Mary. According to Dominic, she told him not to worry and that everything would be OK. Soon thereafter, a CAT scan revealed that his brain mass had begun to shrink. Today, Dominic’s mass has shrunk to a tiny size. While his recovery cannot be confirmed as miraculous — because he was taking medication that may have caused the improvement — Maria believes God healed her son. She said the mass began shrinking immediately after Mary’s visit, a timing she believes is too remarkable to be mere coincidence. Dominic, too, believes that something more than medicine was at work. He also feels fortunate to be able to share his experience with the world. “I like telling other people because it reminds them that God is always there,” Dominic said. “It gives them hope.” In his essay, he also explained how his time as an altar server at St. Helen’s Parish in Westfield has brought him close to the Eucharist and helped him “see how important the priest’s role is.” He also talks about experiences such as giving alms during Lent and serving as a “buddy” to a young girl with autism during St. Helen’s inclusive Masses, which have taught him “patience and kindness,” qualities he believes all priests should possess. “I think a priest should always make people feel like they belong,” Dominic wrote in his essay. His pastor, Msgr. Thomas Nydegger, said that Dominic certainly possesses the empathy that is an essential quality of priests. “From what I’ve seen of Dominic and the way he lives, he’d bring some very special gifts and talents to the priesthood,” Msgr. Nydegger said. “With his sensitivity and unique perspective, I think he’d be able to truly touch people’s lives in a deep way that we don’t often see in the world.” Maria — who works in multiple roles at St. Helen Parish and Holy Trinity School — said she would feel “honored” to be the mother of a priest. At the same time, she said her son is the only one who can decide whether the priesthood is right for him. She has told him he should not feel obligated to become a priest if he ever changes his mind. “I just want him to be happy and find where God is calling him to be,” said Maria, who noted that there are many ways to serve God. Dominic, who also loves hockey and hopes to one day follow in his father’s and great-grandfather’s footsteps by enlisting in the Marines, wrote in his essay that “I do not know exactly where God will lead me, but I trust that He is guiding me step by step.” Still, he strongly feels that he will ultimately fulfill his dream of becoming a priest. “The Roman Catholic priesthood is a life of service, sacrifice, and joy centered on Jesus,” he writes. “That is why I believe God is calling me to become a priest, and why I hope to answer that call one day.” Sean Quinn is on the communications staff of the Archdiocese of Newark and contributes to Jersey Catholic, the archdiocese’s news site.  

unitedyam

A dream, strong faith and a health struggle inspire teen’s winning essay on priesthood #Catholic –

NEWARK, N.J. (OSV News) — Dominic Auricchio was 4 when he said he heard God’s voice in a dream telling him to become a priest.

The now-13-year-old does not remember the dream too well, but he has felt drawn to the Catholic priesthood ever since.

That dream, his strong faith and a struggle with a life-threatening health issue in recent months inspired his winning essay on the priesthood.

When Dominic decided to enter the Archdiocese of Newark’s Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest — which asks seventh graders to explain why priests are important — he knew exactly what to say: Priests are important because they share God’s Word, celebrate the sacraments, and love everyone as Jesus did.

The archdiocesan Office of Priestly Vocations, which administers the contest, said the judges stated Dominic’s work stood out among the 49 submissions they reviewed. He won first place, receiving a plaque and $1,500, presented to him this summer by Father Patrick Seo, director of priestly vocations, at a gathering attended by family and classmates.

“I was really happy when I won,” Dominic told Jersey Catholic, Newark’s archdiocesan news outlet. “Becoming a priest is important to me, so I worked hard on everything. Accepting the award in front of so many people made me feel very accomplished.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Dominic’s achievement came during a particularly trying time in his life. In December, he began experiencing seizures for which he is still seeking treatment. In fact, when he first learned about the contest, he was in the hospital.

Despite these struggles, Dominic was determined to do his best, writing and polishing his essay over a few weeks until he was sure every one of his 642 words conveyed his admiration for the priesthood. He even drew on his health issues to offer a unique perspective on the subject.

“(My medical problems) helped me understand how other people feel when they are scared, different, or going through something difficult,” Dominic wrote. “Because of this, I feel called to help people who are hurting. … A priest walks with people during sickness, grief and fear, and I want to be someone who brings comfort and hope.”

As required by the contest, Dominic, with the help of his mother, Maria, and brother Vincenzo, also crafted a four-minute video in which he shared that he was 9 years old when a mass developed on his brain.

While his doctors and parents contemplated the best treatment options, he says he experienced an apparition. Dominic believes that the woman who appeared in his bedroom, wearing blue and a head covering, was the Virgin Mary.

According to Dominic, she told him not to worry and that everything would be OK. Soon thereafter, a CAT scan revealed that his brain mass had begun to shrink.

Today, Dominic’s mass has shrunk to a tiny size. While his recovery cannot be confirmed as miraculous — because he was taking medication that may have caused the improvement — Maria believes God healed her son. She said the mass began shrinking immediately after Mary’s visit, a timing she believes is too remarkable to be mere coincidence.

Dominic, too, believes that something more than medicine was at work. He also feels fortunate to be able to share his experience with the world.

“I like telling other people because it reminds them that God is always there,” Dominic said. “It gives them hope.”

In his essay, he also explained how his time as an altar server at St. Helen’s Parish in Westfield has brought him close to the Eucharist and helped him “see how important the priest’s role is.”

He also talks about experiences such as giving alms during Lent and serving as a “buddy” to a young girl with autism during St. Helen’s inclusive Masses, which have taught him “patience and kindness,” qualities he believes all priests should possess.

“I think a priest should always make people feel like they belong,” Dominic wrote in his essay.

His pastor, Msgr. Thomas Nydegger, said that Dominic certainly possesses the empathy that is an essential quality of priests.

“From what I’ve seen of Dominic and the way he lives, he’d bring some very special gifts and talents to the priesthood,” Msgr. Nydegger said. “With his sensitivity and unique perspective, I think he’d be able to truly touch people’s lives in a deep way that we don’t often see in the world.”

Maria — who works in multiple roles at St. Helen Parish and Holy Trinity School — said she would feel “honored” to be the mother of a priest. At the same time, she said her son is the only one who can decide whether the priesthood is right for him. She has told him he should not feel obligated to become a priest if he ever changes his mind.

“I just want him to be happy and find where God is calling him to be,” said Maria, who noted that there are many ways to serve God.

Dominic, who also loves hockey and hopes to one day follow in his father’s and great-grandfather’s footsteps by enlisting in the Marines, wrote in his essay that “I do not know exactly where God will lead me, but I trust that He is guiding me step by step.”

Still, he strongly feels that he will ultimately fulfill his dream of becoming a priest.

“The Roman Catholic priesthood is a life of service, sacrifice, and joy centered on Jesus,” he writes. “That is why I believe God is calling me to become a priest, and why I hope to answer that call one day.”

Sean Quinn is on the communications staff of the Archdiocese of Newark and contributes to Jersey Catholic, the archdiocese’s news site.

 

– NEWARK, N.J. (OSV News) — Dominic Auricchio was 4 when he said he heard God’s voice in a dream telling him to become a priest. The now-13-year-old does not remember the dream too well, but he has felt drawn to the Catholic priesthood ever since. That dream, his strong faith and a struggle with a life-threatening health issue in recent months inspired his winning essay on the priesthood. When Dominic decided to enter the Archdiocese of Newark’s Cardinal Joseph Tobin Essay and Video Contest — which asks seventh graders to explain why priests are important — he knew exactly what

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‘I remember like it was yesterday’: Catholics describe ministering in aftermath of 9/11 #Catholic – (OSV News) — On Sept. 11, 2001 — the date of the worst terrorist attack in American history, when four hijacked jets became deadly weapons — there was no shortage of heroic first responders who confronted danger instead of avoiding it. Many Catholic clergy and religious ministered among them — including priests, friars and sisters. Some of their stories are perhaps less well known — but the help and healing they also brought to those who experienced the devastating losses of 9/11 are worth remembrance as the 25th anniversary approaches. “I remember like it was yesterday,” Father Brian Jordan told OSV News. A Franciscan friar of his order’s Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the priest is the current pastor of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi on West 31st Street in New York City. That morning, Father Jordan was at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Hearing of the strike, he returned to the Franciscan friary on 31st Street — attached to St. Francis of Assisi Parish — where he lived, determined to go to the disaster site. Uncertain what he might find — but expecting both victims and perpetrators — he retrieved holy water and a pair of brass knuckles. “I said, ‘I’ll bless them with one hand, and just in case there’s any bad guys, I’ll bless them with the other hand.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Before he left, another friar had devastating news: Their fellow Franciscan, Father Mychal Judge, was dead. Still, Father Jordan knew what Father Judge would want him to do — go help. After stopping at Manhattan’s St. Vincent’s Hospital — the only patients were those being treated for dust inhalation after the Twin Towers collapsed — Father Jordan headed to ground zero, encountering a police captain he knew. “He gave me a mask; he gave me a pair of gloves. He said, ‘Father, put the mask on, put on the gloves and go to work.’ And so I went up and down for a couple blocks, and there were bodies and body parts. I just blessed them all.” On Sept. 16, Father Jordan said his first Mass at ground zero; he would continue to have Mass there for nearly 10 months. Then on Sept. 23, there was a surprise. “A big burly construction worker from Local 731 comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, Father, you want to see God’s house?’” “So we go into the ruins of 6 World Trade Center,” recalled Father Jordan. “I had like 25 fighters next to me, and the construction worker says, ‘What do you see there, Father, right in the middle?’ I said, ‘I can’t believe this … I see a cross.’” Two intersecting steel beams had been sheared into a crucifix, as 6 WTC was struck by debris from the collapse of the North Tower. The stunning artifact became known as the “Cross at Ground Zero” and eventually became part of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum collection. It was excavated, placed on a concrete abutment, and blessed. On Oct. 7, a Mass was celebrated near it, at the corner of Vesey and West streets. “It gave a boost of energy to people at the time,” explained Father Jordan, who wrote his own memoir — “The Ground Zero Cross” (Xlibris) — and was given the distinction of being its unofficial guardian. On 9/11, Sister Margaret O’ Brien, a Sister of Charity working in the Sisters of Charity Health Care System, was in her office at the Bayley Seton Hospital on Staten Island, briefing a colleague just returned from vacation. “Her secretary came in and said, ‘I just got a call. A plane went into the World Trade Center,’” Sister Margaret remembered. “We went down the hall to a window we could see from, and we realized, this is going to be bad.” The sisters quickly prepared to go to St. Vincent’s Hospital “to set up the emergency and trauma response,” explained Sister Margaret. “And the doctors were there, the stretchers were there, all waiting at the entrance — but after a short while, nobody came.” Sister Margaret worked the hotline in the sisters’ hospital command center, taking calls from people searching for loved ones. “The telephone was really hard,” she reflected. “Because people would give you a name and you’d check your list, and you didn’t have them. … It was very, very emotional the whole time — and for the first couple of days, the phone just kept ringing.” Nonetheless, she found a reason to be thankful. “I remember being so grateful I had something to be part of, to help,” said Sister Margaret, now assistant to the president of the Sisters of Charity New York. Trauma was a persistent feature of the sisters’ shifts — especially for one colleague who assisted first responders sent for care from recovery work at ground zero. “Sometimes people would talk, but most of the time they just couldn’t,” Sister O’Brien explained. Her colleague “remembered one person — he was very quiet — and then he said, ‘I can take the arms and the legs. But when I turned over a stone and saw a face, just a head, flattened into the ground.’” “He lost it,” said Sister O’Brien. Father Stephen McGraw — at the time a priest in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington — also saw unspeakable sights. On the morning of 9/11, he had just concluded a school Mass — and was on his way to Arlington National Cemetery for a burial when he missed the appropriate exit. “I remember about 9:35, I’m just sitting in this traffic, right in front of the Pentagon.” He was distressed that he would now almost certainly be late for the burial. “And then without warning, the plane came roaring right over the tops of our cars — very, very low,” Father McGraw said. “I can’t say which of my senses was most impacted — there was the vibration and roar of the plane, and a light pole was clipped and fell over on a taxi driver’s car just a few cars away.” Looking to his right, he watched as American Airlines Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon. “I saw it crashing, disappearing, with a huge fireball billowing out from the building in the moment after the crash.” Because his radio wasn’t on to hear what was happening in New York City, “I just assumed it was a terrible, tragic accident.” Commuters came to a frozen stop, and Father McGraw leapt from his car — stole, anointing oils and prayer book in hand — vaulting the highway guardrail to the lawn of the Pentagon to reach the victims. “Basically, my message to them was, ‘Jesus is with you.’ That’s what I kept saying to the several victims I attended,” said Father McGraw. One victim who identified himself as Catholic — Juan Cruz, the civilian accounting division manager in the Office of the Administrative Assistant for the Secretary of the Army — was given the sacraments. Another — Antoinette Sherman, an Army budget analyst, who later died — lay face down on the grass, severely burned on her back, a single shoe on one foot. Father McGraw gently removed it at her request. “Then she just said, to perhaps whomever could hear her, ‘Tell my mother and father that I love them.’ And so I assured her that I would.” Father McGraw — now a missionary priest and church pastor in the Diocese of Arlington’s Bánica Mission in the Dominican Republic — doesn’t think his unplanned detour was a coincidence. “I had a strong sense of divine providence,” he told OSV News. “I was meant to be there.” The attacks killed 2,977 people and injured thousands more: 2,753 people died in the Twin Towers collapse, brought down by two hijacked commercial airliners; 184 people died when a third hijacked airliner flew into the Pentagon; and 40 people died in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, when passengers and crew fought back against hijackers on a fourth airliner, forcing it to crash in a field near Shanksville. Officials believe the fourth plane was headed for the U.S. Capitol or the White House. The 25th anniversary of 9/11 will not only be a time of solemn remembrance — it also leaves some longing for the national unity Americans once demonstrated. “We saw evil at its worst,” declared Father Jordan. “But we also saw goodness at its best. New York City came together. The country came together. The world came together.” Kimberley Heatherington is an OSV News correspondent. She writes from Virginia.  
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‘I remember like it was yesterday’: Catholics describe ministering in aftermath of 9/11 #Catholic – (OSV News) — On Sept. 11, 2001 — the date of the worst terrorist attack in American history, when four hijacked jets became deadly weapons — there was no shortage of heroic first responders who confronted danger instead of avoiding it. Many Catholic clergy and religious ministered among them — including priests, friars and sisters. Some of their stories are perhaps less well known — but the help and healing they also brought to those who experienced the devastating losses of 9/11 are worth remembrance as the 25th anniversary approaches. “I remember like it was yesterday,” Father Brian Jordan told OSV News. A Franciscan friar of his order’s Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the priest is the current pastor of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi on West 31st Street in New York City. That morning, Father Jordan was at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Hearing of the strike, he returned to the Franciscan friary on 31st Street — attached to St. Francis of Assisi Parish — where he lived, determined to go to the disaster site. Uncertain what he might find — but expecting both victims and perpetrators — he retrieved holy water and a pair of brass knuckles. “I said, ‘I’ll bless them with one hand, and just in case there’s any bad guys, I’ll bless them with the other hand.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Before he left, another friar had devastating news: Their fellow Franciscan, Father Mychal Judge, was dead. Still, Father Jordan knew what Father Judge would want him to do — go help. After stopping at Manhattan’s St. Vincent’s Hospital — the only patients were those being treated for dust inhalation after the Twin Towers collapsed — Father Jordan headed to ground zero, encountering a police captain he knew. “He gave me a mask; he gave me a pair of gloves. He said, ‘Father, put the mask on, put on the gloves and go to work.’ And so I went up and down for a couple blocks, and there were bodies and body parts. I just blessed them all.” On Sept. 16, Father Jordan said his first Mass at ground zero; he would continue to have Mass there for nearly 10 months. Then on Sept. 23, there was a surprise. “A big burly construction worker from Local 731 comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, Father, you want to see God’s house?’” “So we go into the ruins of 6 World Trade Center,” recalled Father Jordan. “I had like 25 fighters next to me, and the construction worker says, ‘What do you see there, Father, right in the middle?’ I said, ‘I can’t believe this … I see a cross.’” Two intersecting steel beams had been sheared into a crucifix, as 6 WTC was struck by debris from the collapse of the North Tower. The stunning artifact became known as the “Cross at Ground Zero” and eventually became part of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum collection. It was excavated, placed on a concrete abutment, and blessed. On Oct. 7, a Mass was celebrated near it, at the corner of Vesey and West streets. “It gave a boost of energy to people at the time,” explained Father Jordan, who wrote his own memoir — “The Ground Zero Cross” (Xlibris) — and was given the distinction of being its unofficial guardian. On 9/11, Sister Margaret O’ Brien, a Sister of Charity working in the Sisters of Charity Health Care System, was in her office at the Bayley Seton Hospital on Staten Island, briefing a colleague just returned from vacation. “Her secretary came in and said, ‘I just got a call. A plane went into the World Trade Center,’” Sister Margaret remembered. “We went down the hall to a window we could see from, and we realized, this is going to be bad.” The sisters quickly prepared to go to St. Vincent’s Hospital “to set up the emergency and trauma response,” explained Sister Margaret. “And the doctors were there, the stretchers were there, all waiting at the entrance — but after a short while, nobody came.” Sister Margaret worked the hotline in the sisters’ hospital command center, taking calls from people searching for loved ones. “The telephone was really hard,” she reflected. “Because people would give you a name and you’d check your list, and you didn’t have them. … It was very, very emotional the whole time — and for the first couple of days, the phone just kept ringing.” Nonetheless, she found a reason to be thankful. “I remember being so grateful I had something to be part of, to help,” said Sister Margaret, now assistant to the president of the Sisters of Charity New York. Trauma was a persistent feature of the sisters’ shifts — especially for one colleague who assisted first responders sent for care from recovery work at ground zero. “Sometimes people would talk, but most of the time they just couldn’t,” Sister O’Brien explained. Her colleague “remembered one person — he was very quiet — and then he said, ‘I can take the arms and the legs. But when I turned over a stone and saw a face, just a head, flattened into the ground.’” “He lost it,” said Sister O’Brien. Father Stephen McGraw — at the time a priest in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington — also saw unspeakable sights. On the morning of 9/11, he had just concluded a school Mass — and was on his way to Arlington National Cemetery for a burial when he missed the appropriate exit. “I remember about 9:35, I’m just sitting in this traffic, right in front of the Pentagon.” He was distressed that he would now almost certainly be late for the burial. “And then without warning, the plane came roaring right over the tops of our cars — very, very low,” Father McGraw said. “I can’t say which of my senses was most impacted — there was the vibration and roar of the plane, and a light pole was clipped and fell over on a taxi driver’s car just a few cars away.” Looking to his right, he watched as American Airlines Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon. “I saw it crashing, disappearing, with a huge fireball billowing out from the building in the moment after the crash.” Because his radio wasn’t on to hear what was happening in New York City, “I just assumed it was a terrible, tragic accident.” Commuters came to a frozen stop, and Father McGraw leapt from his car — stole, anointing oils and prayer book in hand — vaulting the highway guardrail to the lawn of the Pentagon to reach the victims. “Basically, my message to them was, ‘Jesus is with you.’ That’s what I kept saying to the several victims I attended,” said Father McGraw. One victim who identified himself as Catholic — Juan Cruz, the civilian accounting division manager in the Office of the Administrative Assistant for the Secretary of the Army — was given the sacraments. Another — Antoinette Sherman, an Army budget analyst, who later died — lay face down on the grass, severely burned on her back, a single shoe on one foot. Father McGraw gently removed it at her request. “Then she just said, to perhaps whomever could hear her, ‘Tell my mother and father that I love them.’ And so I assured her that I would.” Father McGraw — now a missionary priest and church pastor in the Diocese of Arlington’s Bánica Mission in the Dominican Republic — doesn’t think his unplanned detour was a coincidence. “I had a strong sense of divine providence,” he told OSV News. “I was meant to be there.” The attacks killed 2,977 people and injured thousands more: 2,753 people died in the Twin Towers collapse, brought down by two hijacked commercial airliners; 184 people died when a third hijacked airliner flew into the Pentagon; and 40 people died in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, when passengers and crew fought back against hijackers on a fourth airliner, forcing it to crash in a field near Shanksville. Officials believe the fourth plane was headed for the U.S. Capitol or the White House. The 25th anniversary of 9/11 will not only be a time of solemn remembrance — it also leaves some longing for the national unity Americans once demonstrated. “We saw evil at its worst,” declared Father Jordan. “But we also saw goodness at its best. New York City came together. The country came together. The world came together.” Kimberley Heatherington is an OSV News correspondent. She writes from Virginia.  

unitedyam

‘I remember like it was yesterday’: Catholics describe ministering in aftermath of 9/11 #Catholic –

(OSV News) — On Sept. 11, 2001 — the date of the worst terrorist attack in American history, when four hijacked jets became deadly weapons — there was no shortage of heroic first responders who confronted danger instead of avoiding it.

Many Catholic clergy and religious ministered among them — including priests, friars and sisters. Some of their stories are perhaps less well known — but the help and healing they also brought to those who experienced the devastating losses of 9/11 are worth remembrance as the 25th anniversary approaches.

“I remember like it was yesterday,” Father Brian Jordan told OSV News.

A Franciscan friar of his order’s Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the priest is the current pastor of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi on West 31st Street in New York City.

That morning, Father Jordan was at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Hearing of the strike, he returned to the Franciscan friary on 31st Street — attached to St. Francis of Assisi Parish — where he lived, determined to go to the disaster site.

Uncertain what he might find — but expecting both victims and perpetrators — he retrieved holy water and a pair of brass knuckles. “I said, ‘I’ll bless them with one hand, and just in case there’s any bad guys, I’ll bless them with the other hand.”

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Before he left, another friar had devastating news: Their fellow Franciscan, Father Mychal Judge, was dead. Still, Father Jordan knew what Father Judge would want him to do — go help.

After stopping at Manhattan’s St. Vincent’s Hospital — the only patients were those being treated for dust inhalation after the Twin Towers collapsed — Father Jordan headed to ground zero, encountering a police captain he knew.

“He gave me a mask; he gave me a pair of gloves. He said, ‘Father, put the mask on, put on the gloves and go to work.’ And so I went up and down for a couple blocks, and there were bodies and body parts. I just blessed them all.”

On Sept. 16, Father Jordan said his first Mass at ground zero; he would continue to have Mass there for nearly 10 months.

Then on Sept. 23, there was a surprise.

“A big burly construction worker from Local 731 comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, Father, you want to see God’s house?’”

“So we go into the ruins of 6 World Trade Center,” recalled Father Jordan. “I had like 25 fighters next to me, and the construction worker says, ‘What do you see there, Father, right in the middle?’ I said, ‘I can’t believe this … I see a cross.’”

Two intersecting steel beams had been sheared into a crucifix, as 6 WTC was struck by debris from the collapse of the North Tower.

The stunning artifact became known as the “Cross at Ground Zero” and eventually became part of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum collection.

It was excavated, placed on a concrete abutment, and blessed. On Oct. 7, a Mass was celebrated near it, at the corner of Vesey and West streets.

“It gave a boost of energy to people at the time,” explained Father Jordan, who wrote his own memoir — “The Ground Zero Cross” (Xlibris) — and was given the distinction of being its unofficial guardian.

On 9/11, Sister Margaret O’ Brien, a Sister of Charity working in the Sisters of Charity Health Care System, was in her office at the Bayley Seton Hospital on Staten Island, briefing a colleague just returned from vacation.

“Her secretary came in and said, ‘I just got a call. A plane went into the World Trade Center,’” Sister Margaret remembered. “We went down the hall to a window we could see from, and we realized, this is going to be bad.”

The sisters quickly prepared to go to St. Vincent’s Hospital “to set up the emergency and trauma response,” explained Sister Margaret. “And the doctors were there, the stretchers were there, all waiting at the entrance — but after a short while, nobody came.”

Sister Margaret worked the hotline in the sisters’ hospital command center, taking calls from people searching for loved ones.

“The telephone was really hard,” she reflected. “Because people would give you a name and you’d check your list, and you didn’t have them. … It was very, very emotional the whole time — and for the first couple of days, the phone just kept ringing.”

Nonetheless, she found a reason to be thankful.

“I remember being so grateful I had something to be part of, to help,” said Sister Margaret, now assistant to the president of the Sisters of Charity New York.

Trauma was a persistent feature of the sisters’ shifts — especially for one colleague who assisted first responders sent for care from recovery work at ground zero.

“Sometimes people would talk, but most of the time they just couldn’t,” Sister O’Brien explained. Her colleague “remembered one person — he was very quiet — and then he said, ‘I can take the arms and the legs. But when I turned over a stone and saw a face, just a head, flattened into the ground.’”

“He lost it,” said Sister O’Brien.

Father Stephen McGraw — at the time a priest in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, just outside of Washington — also saw unspeakable sights.

On the morning of 9/11, he had just concluded a school Mass — and was on his way to Arlington National Cemetery for a burial when he missed the appropriate exit.

“I remember about 9:35, I’m just sitting in this traffic, right in front of the Pentagon.”

He was distressed that he would now almost certainly be late for the burial.

“And then without warning, the plane came roaring right over the tops of our cars — very, very low,” Father McGraw said. “I can’t say which of my senses was most impacted — there was the vibration and roar of the plane, and a light pole was clipped and fell over on a taxi driver’s car just a few cars away.”

Looking to his right, he watched as American Airlines Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon.

“I saw it crashing, disappearing, with a huge fireball billowing out from the building in the moment after the crash.”

Because his radio wasn’t on to hear what was happening in New York City, “I just assumed it was a terrible, tragic accident.”

Commuters came to a frozen stop, and Father McGraw leapt from his car — stole, anointing oils and prayer book in hand — vaulting the highway guardrail to the lawn of the Pentagon to reach the victims.

“Basically, my message to them was, ‘Jesus is with you.’ That’s what I kept saying to the several victims I attended,” said Father McGraw.

One victim who identified himself as Catholic — Juan Cruz, the civilian accounting division manager in the Office of the Administrative Assistant for the Secretary of the Army — was given the sacraments.

Another — Antoinette Sherman, an Army budget analyst, who later died — lay face down on the grass, severely burned on her back, a single shoe on one foot. Father McGraw gently removed it at her request.

“Then she just said, to perhaps whomever could hear her, ‘Tell my mother and father that I love them.’ And so I assured her that I would.”

Father McGraw — now a missionary priest and church pastor in the Diocese of Arlington’s Bánica Mission in the Dominican Republic — doesn’t think his unplanned detour was a coincidence.

“I had a strong sense of divine providence,” he told OSV News. “I was meant to be there.”

The attacks killed 2,977 people and injured thousands more: 2,753 people died in the Twin Towers collapse, brought down by two hijacked commercial airliners; 184 people died when a third hijacked airliner flew into the Pentagon; and 40 people died in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, when passengers and crew fought back against hijackers on a fourth airliner, forcing it to crash in a field near Shanksville. Officials believe the fourth plane was headed for the U.S. Capitol or the White House.

The 25th anniversary of 9/11 will not only be a time of solemn remembrance — it also leaves some longing for the national unity Americans once demonstrated.

“We saw evil at its worst,” declared Father Jordan. “But we also saw goodness at its best. New York City came together. The country came together. The world came together.”

Kimberley Heatherington is an OSV News correspondent. She writes from Virginia.

 

– (OSV News) — On Sept. 11, 2001 — the date of the worst terrorist attack in American history, when four hijacked jets became deadly weapons — there was no shortage of heroic first responders who confronted danger instead of avoiding it. Many Catholic clergy and religious ministered among them — including priests, friars and sisters. Some of their stories are perhaps less well known — but the help and healing they also brought to those who experienced the devastating losses of 9/11 are worth remembrance as the 25th anniversary approaches. “I remember like it was yesterday,” Father Brian Jordan told

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Pope prays for dead, missing following catastrophic mudslides, floods in Nepal #Catholic – (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV expressed his sadness by the devastation wrought by a glacial collapse in the Nepal-China border, causing a deadly wave of floods and mudslides that killed 168 people with hundreds more feared dead. In a telegram sent on the pope’s behalf Aug. 27, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, expressed the pontiff’s condolences upon learning “of the loss of life and devastation caused by the flash floods in Nepal.” “Commending the souls of the deceased to the clemency of the Almighty, His Holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, together with the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those affected by this tragedy,” Cardinal Parolin wrote. “Likewise offering prayers for the emergency personnel engaged in the ongoing rescue efforts, he invokes upon all divine assistance and protection,” he added. According to The Associated Press, the U.S. Geological Survey initially reported an earthquake 41 miles north of Kathmandu Aug. 26. However, further analysis revealed that the seismic event was caused by a 5.2 magnitude glacial collapse. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The disaster was a grim confirmation of warnings given earlier this year regarding the effects of climate change on nearby glaciers. In March, researchers from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) released a report revealing that glaciers across the Himalayas were melting at an accelerating rate and warned that concrete action was needed to avoid further disasters to communities in the area. “This isn’t a distant problem; it’s a crisis unfolding in real-time, with new disasters every summer and monsoon,” said Pema Gyamtsho, the director general of ICIMOD. “The fact that ice loss rates have doubled this century should shock us all into action.” In an interview with the Vatican’s missionary news agency, Fides, published Aug. 27, Father Silas Krishna Bogati, the apostolic administrator of Nepal, called the catastrophic event as “the worst disaster in the country’s history.” “It was terrible. A flood coming from the mountains, and directed violently towards the valley, overwhelmed everything: people, homes, bridges, structures. Villages, markets, and roads were swept away. It is a serious wound for the nation,” Father Bogati told Fides. Father Bogati told Fides he was “shocked” and offered prayers for the dead, the missing, and “those suffering because of this catastrophe.” “We have about 25 Catholic families in the disaster area; they appear to be safe, but we are very worried about them,” he said. “We entrust them to God, we pray for their safety, and we will do everything we can to help them.” The apostolic administrator of Nepal also said that a priest of the vicariate, Father James Britto, was stranded after “he had gone to celebrate Mass on the other side of the river and was stranded.” According to Father Bogati, the bridge the priest had crossed was swept away by the floods. As of Aug. 27, more than 1,300 people are missing in Nepal and Tibet, more than a hundred of whom were visiting Mount Kailash, a pilgrimage site sacred to several Eastern religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, AP reported. “There are Nepalese, but also foreigners and tourists who were in these areas on an excursion: it is a pilgrimage route to Mansarovar, a sacred Hindu site that is also a trail for hikers and trekkers,” Father Bogati explained. The priest told Fides this was “the second time a disaster of this kind has occurred in that area, but this time it is of enormous proportions.” He also said the local Church’s Caritas office was launching an appeal “to partners around the world” for assistance. “We will do our part,” Father Bogati said. Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the U.S. Catholic Church’s international aid agency, said it was closely monitoring the situation in Nepal and announced it was “coordinating with Caritas Nepal and local partners to assess urgent needs and determine how best to support affected communities.” Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.  
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Pope prays for dead, missing following catastrophic mudslides, floods in Nepal #Catholic – (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV expressed his sadness by the devastation wrought by a glacial collapse in the Nepal-China border, causing a deadly wave of floods and mudslides that killed 168 people with hundreds more feared dead. In a telegram sent on the pope’s behalf Aug. 27, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, expressed the pontiff’s condolences upon learning “of the loss of life and devastation caused by the flash floods in Nepal.” “Commending the souls of the deceased to the clemency of the Almighty, His Holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, together with the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those affected by this tragedy,” Cardinal Parolin wrote. “Likewise offering prayers for the emergency personnel engaged in the ongoing rescue efforts, he invokes upon all divine assistance and protection,” he added. According to The Associated Press, the U.S. Geological Survey initially reported an earthquake 41 miles north of Kathmandu Aug. 26. However, further analysis revealed that the seismic event was caused by a 5.2 magnitude glacial collapse. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The disaster was a grim confirmation of warnings given earlier this year regarding the effects of climate change on nearby glaciers. In March, researchers from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) released a report revealing that glaciers across the Himalayas were melting at an accelerating rate and warned that concrete action was needed to avoid further disasters to communities in the area. “This isn’t a distant problem; it’s a crisis unfolding in real-time, with new disasters every summer and monsoon,” said Pema Gyamtsho, the director general of ICIMOD. “The fact that ice loss rates have doubled this century should shock us all into action.” In an interview with the Vatican’s missionary news agency, Fides, published Aug. 27, Father Silas Krishna Bogati, the apostolic administrator of Nepal, called the catastrophic event as “the worst disaster in the country’s history.” “It was terrible. A flood coming from the mountains, and directed violently towards the valley, overwhelmed everything: people, homes, bridges, structures. Villages, markets, and roads were swept away. It is a serious wound for the nation,” Father Bogati told Fides. Father Bogati told Fides he was “shocked” and offered prayers for the dead, the missing, and “those suffering because of this catastrophe.” “We have about 25 Catholic families in the disaster area; they appear to be safe, but we are very worried about them,” he said. “We entrust them to God, we pray for their safety, and we will do everything we can to help them.” The apostolic administrator of Nepal also said that a priest of the vicariate, Father James Britto, was stranded after “he had gone to celebrate Mass on the other side of the river and was stranded.” According to Father Bogati, the bridge the priest had crossed was swept away by the floods. As of Aug. 27, more than 1,300 people are missing in Nepal and Tibet, more than a hundred of whom were visiting Mount Kailash, a pilgrimage site sacred to several Eastern religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, AP reported. “There are Nepalese, but also foreigners and tourists who were in these areas on an excursion: it is a pilgrimage route to Mansarovar, a sacred Hindu site that is also a trail for hikers and trekkers,” Father Bogati explained. The priest told Fides this was “the second time a disaster of this kind has occurred in that area, but this time it is of enormous proportions.” He also said the local Church’s Caritas office was launching an appeal “to partners around the world” for assistance. “We will do our part,” Father Bogati said. Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the U.S. Catholic Church’s international aid agency, said it was closely monitoring the situation in Nepal and announced it was “coordinating with Caritas Nepal and local partners to assess urgent needs and determine how best to support affected communities.” Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.  

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Pope prays for dead, missing following catastrophic mudslides, floods in Nepal #Catholic –

(OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV expressed his sadness by the devastation wrought by a glacial collapse in the Nepal-China border, causing a deadly wave of floods and mudslides that killed 168 people with hundreds more feared dead.

In a telegram sent on the pope’s behalf Aug. 27, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, expressed the pontiff’s condolences upon learning “of the loss of life and devastation caused by the flash floods in Nepal.”

“Commending the souls of the deceased to the clemency of the Almighty, His Holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, together with the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those affected by this tragedy,” Cardinal Parolin wrote.

“Likewise offering prayers for the emergency personnel engaged in the ongoing rescue efforts, he invokes upon all divine assistance and protection,” he added.

According to The Associated Press, the U.S. Geological Survey initially reported an earthquake 41 miles north of Kathmandu Aug. 26. However, further analysis revealed that the seismic event was caused by a 5.2 magnitude glacial collapse.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

The disaster was a grim confirmation of warnings given earlier this year regarding the effects of climate change on nearby glaciers.

In March, researchers from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) released a report revealing that glaciers across the Himalayas were melting at an accelerating rate and warned that concrete action was needed to avoid further disasters to communities in the area.

“This isn’t a distant problem; it’s a crisis unfolding in real-time, with new disasters every summer and monsoon,” said Pema Gyamtsho, the director general of ICIMOD. “The fact that ice loss rates have doubled this century should shock us all into action.”

In an interview with the Vatican’s missionary news agency, Fides, published Aug. 27, Father Silas Krishna Bogati, the apostolic administrator of Nepal, called the catastrophic event as “the worst disaster in the country’s history.”

“It was terrible. A flood coming from the mountains, and directed violently towards the valley, overwhelmed everything: people, homes, bridges, structures. Villages, markets, and roads were swept away. It is a serious wound for the nation,” Father Bogati told Fides.

Father Bogati told Fides he was “shocked” and offered prayers for the dead, the missing, and “those suffering because of this catastrophe.”

“We have about 25 Catholic families in the disaster area; they appear to be safe, but we are very worried about them,” he said. “We entrust them to God, we pray for their safety, and we will do everything we can to help them.”

The apostolic administrator of Nepal also said that a priest of the vicariate, Father James Britto, was stranded after “he had gone to celebrate Mass on the other side of the river and was stranded.” According to Father Bogati, the bridge the priest had crossed was swept away by the floods.

As of Aug. 27, more than 1,300 people are missing in Nepal and Tibet, more than a hundred of whom were visiting Mount Kailash, a pilgrimage site sacred to several Eastern religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, AP reported.

“There are Nepalese, but also foreigners and tourists who were in these areas on an excursion: it is a pilgrimage route to Mansarovar, a sacred Hindu site that is also a trail for hikers and trekkers,” Father Bogati explained.

The priest told Fides this was “the second time a disaster of this kind has occurred in that area, but this time it is of enormous proportions.”

He also said the local Church’s Caritas office was launching an appeal “to partners around the world” for assistance.

“We will do our part,” Father Bogati said.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the U.S. Catholic Church’s international aid agency, said it was closely monitoring the situation in Nepal and announced it was “coordinating with Caritas Nepal and local partners to assess urgent needs and determine how best to support affected communities.”

Junno Arocho Esteves is an international correspondent for OSV News. Follow him on X @jae_journalist.

 

– (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV expressed his sadness by the devastation wrought by a glacial collapse in the Nepal-China border, causing a deadly wave of floods and mudslides that killed 168 people with hundreds more feared dead. In a telegram sent on the pope’s behalf Aug. 27, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, expressed the pontiff’s condolences upon learning “of the loss of life and devastation caused by the flash floods in Nepal.” “Commending the souls of the deceased to the clemency of the Almighty, His Holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, together with the assurance of

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Los católicos no pueden ser ‘espectadores desinteresados’ ante los acontecimientos actuales, dice el Papa León #Catholic – CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Los fieles están llamados a dejar atrás “toda pasividad e indiferencia ante los acontecimientos que se producen, ante la historia y la vida de las personas, sobre todo ante el cambio rápido y profundo que experimentamos hoy”, dijo el Papa León XIV en su audiencia general. “No es posible permanecer como espectadores desinteresados, es necesario, en cambio, escuchar con el corazón, dejarse interpelar, involucrarse”, dijo el Papa el 2 de septiembre en la Plaza de San Pedro. “Con Cristo y sostenidos por la fuerza de su Espíritu, los creyentes están llamados a hacerse cargo de las dificultades de los hermanos, sobre todo de aquellos que se ven oprimidos por la injusticia, por la discriminación, por la violencia”, afirmó durante su catequesis principal. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. El Papa León inició una nueva serie de reflexiones sobre la constitución pastoral del Concilio Vaticano II “Gaudium et Spes”, que examina la relación entre la Iglesia y el mundo moderno. Recordando la advertencia de San Juan XXIII contra los “profetas de calamidades”, quienes consideraban que su propia época era peor que el pasado, el Papa León afirmó que, por el contrario, los cristianos están llamados a compartir la vida de la humanidad tal como lo hizo Cristo. Esa cercanía a la humanidad, señaló el Papa, también abre el camino a una comprensión más profunda de los acontecimientos y de la propia Revelación. “No se trata, de hecho, de una disposición simplemente moral”, afirmó. Dirigiéndose a los peregrinos de habla inglesa, el Papa León afirmó que es responsabilidad pastoral de la Iglesia relacionarse con el mundo contemporáneo, compartir sus alegrías y tristezas, y defender a los pobres y marginados. La Iglesia, dijo, también debe escrutar a fondo los signos de la época, enfrentando “problemas urgentes como el progreso tecnológico que solo beneficia a unos pocos y la persistencia de la pobreza generalizada”. Sus comentarios se produjeron meses después de la publicación de su primera encíclica, “Magnifica Humanitas”, en la que detallaba su visión sobre las implicaciones globales de la inteligencia artificial y advertía contra permitir que el desarrollo tecnológico avance sin dar prioridad a la dignidad humana. “En nuestros días, marcados por profundos cambios y mucha injusticia, cada uno de nosotros está llamado, pues, a desempeñar su papel al acoger y escuchar las preguntas y anhelos más profundos del corazón humano, haciendo presente ante todos el amor misericordioso de Cristo nuestro Salvador”, dijo el Papa a los angloparlantes. Durante un período de profundos cambios que está generando “desequilibrios preocupantes”, el Papa León afirmó que la Iglesia está llamada a servir a la persona humana al escuchar “los interrogantes más profundos de su corazón y los anhelos que lo habitan”. La Iglesia debe orientar a las personas hacia Cristo, dijo, como “la clave, el centro y el fin de toda la historia humana”.  
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Los católicos no pueden ser ‘espectadores desinteresados’ ante los acontecimientos actuales, dice el Papa León #Catholic – CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Los fieles están llamados a dejar atrás “toda pasividad e indiferencia ante los acontecimientos que se producen, ante la historia y la vida de las personas, sobre todo ante el cambio rápido y profundo que experimentamos hoy”, dijo el Papa León XIV en su audiencia general. “No es posible permanecer como espectadores desinteresados, es necesario, en cambio, escuchar con el corazón, dejarse interpelar, involucrarse”, dijo el Papa el 2 de septiembre en la Plaza de San Pedro. “Con Cristo y sostenidos por la fuerza de su Espíritu, los creyentes están llamados a hacerse cargo de las dificultades de los hermanos, sobre todo de aquellos que se ven oprimidos por la injusticia, por la discriminación, por la violencia”, afirmó durante su catequesis principal. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. El Papa León inició una nueva serie de reflexiones sobre la constitución pastoral del Concilio Vaticano II “Gaudium et Spes”, que examina la relación entre la Iglesia y el mundo moderno. Recordando la advertencia de San Juan XXIII contra los “profetas de calamidades”, quienes consideraban que su propia época era peor que el pasado, el Papa León afirmó que, por el contrario, los cristianos están llamados a compartir la vida de la humanidad tal como lo hizo Cristo. Esa cercanía a la humanidad, señaló el Papa, también abre el camino a una comprensión más profunda de los acontecimientos y de la propia Revelación. “No se trata, de hecho, de una disposición simplemente moral”, afirmó. Dirigiéndose a los peregrinos de habla inglesa, el Papa León afirmó que es responsabilidad pastoral de la Iglesia relacionarse con el mundo contemporáneo, compartir sus alegrías y tristezas, y defender a los pobres y marginados. La Iglesia, dijo, también debe escrutar a fondo los signos de la época, enfrentando “problemas urgentes como el progreso tecnológico que solo beneficia a unos pocos y la persistencia de la pobreza generalizada”. Sus comentarios se produjeron meses después de la publicación de su primera encíclica, “Magnifica Humanitas”, en la que detallaba su visión sobre las implicaciones globales de la inteligencia artificial y advertía contra permitir que el desarrollo tecnológico avance sin dar prioridad a la dignidad humana. “En nuestros días, marcados por profundos cambios y mucha injusticia, cada uno de nosotros está llamado, pues, a desempeñar su papel al acoger y escuchar las preguntas y anhelos más profundos del corazón humano, haciendo presente ante todos el amor misericordioso de Cristo nuestro Salvador”, dijo el Papa a los angloparlantes. Durante un período de profundos cambios que está generando “desequilibrios preocupantes”, el Papa León afirmó que la Iglesia está llamada a servir a la persona humana al escuchar “los interrogantes más profundos de su corazón y los anhelos que lo habitan”. La Iglesia debe orientar a las personas hacia Cristo, dijo, como “la clave, el centro y el fin de toda la historia humana”.  

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Los católicos no pueden ser ‘espectadores desinteresados’ ante los acontecimientos actuales, dice el Papa León #Catholic –

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Los fieles están llamados a dejar atrás “toda pasividad e indiferencia ante los acontecimientos que se producen, ante la historia y la vida de las personas, sobre todo ante el cambio rápido y profundo que experimentamos hoy”, dijo el Papa León XIV en su audiencia general.

“No es posible permanecer como espectadores desinteresados, es necesario, en cambio, escuchar con el corazón, dejarse interpelar, involucrarse”, dijo el Papa el 2 de septiembre en la Plaza de San Pedro.

“Con Cristo y sostenidos por la fuerza de su Espíritu, los creyentes están llamados a hacerse cargo de las dificultades de los hermanos, sobre todo de aquellos que se ven oprimidos por la injusticia, por la discriminación, por la violencia”, afirmó durante su catequesis principal.

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

El Papa León inició una nueva serie de reflexiones sobre la constitución pastoral del Concilio Vaticano II “Gaudium et Spes”, que examina la relación entre la Iglesia y el mundo moderno.

Recordando la advertencia de San Juan XXIII contra los “profetas de calamidades”, quienes consideraban que su propia época era peor que el pasado, el Papa León afirmó que, por el contrario, los cristianos están llamados a compartir la vida de la humanidad tal como lo hizo Cristo.

Esa cercanía a la humanidad, señaló el Papa, también abre el camino a una comprensión más profunda de los acontecimientos y de la propia Revelación.

“No se trata, de hecho, de una disposición simplemente moral”, afirmó.

Dirigiéndose a los peregrinos de habla inglesa, el Papa León afirmó que es responsabilidad pastoral de la Iglesia relacionarse con el mundo contemporáneo, compartir sus alegrías y tristezas, y defender a los pobres y marginados.

La Iglesia, dijo, también debe escrutar a fondo los signos de la época, enfrentando “problemas urgentes como el progreso tecnológico que solo beneficia a unos pocos y la persistencia de la pobreza generalizada”.

Sus comentarios se produjeron meses después de la publicación de su primera encíclica, “Magnifica Humanitas”, en la que detallaba su visión sobre las implicaciones globales de la inteligencia artificial y advertía contra permitir que el desarrollo tecnológico avance sin dar prioridad a la dignidad humana.

“En nuestros días, marcados por profundos cambios y mucha injusticia, cada uno de nosotros está llamado, pues, a desempeñar su papel al acoger y escuchar las preguntas y anhelos más profundos del corazón humano, haciendo presente ante todos el amor misericordioso de Cristo nuestro Salvador”, dijo el Papa a los angloparlantes.

Durante un período de profundos cambios que está generando “desequilibrios preocupantes”, el Papa León afirmó que la Iglesia está llamada a servir a la persona humana al escuchar “los interrogantes más profundos de su corazón y los anhelos que lo habitan”.

La Iglesia debe orientar a las personas hacia Cristo, dijo, como “la clave, el centro y el fin de toda la historia humana”.

 

– CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (CNS) — Los fieles están llamados a dejar atrás “toda pasividad e indiferencia ante los acontecimientos que se producen, ante la historia y la vida de las personas, sobre todo ante el cambio rápido y profundo que experimentamos hoy”, dijo el Papa León XIV en su audiencia general. “No es posible permanecer como espectadores desinteresados, es necesario, en cambio, escuchar con el corazón, dejarse interpelar, involucrarse”, dijo el Papa el 2 de septiembre en la Plaza de San Pedro. “Con Cristo y sostenidos por la fuerza de su Espíritu, los creyentes están llamados a hacerse cargo de

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Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson celebra el tercer módulo de la formación nacional en su escuela de formación de líderes #Catholic – La Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson celebró con alegría el tercer módulo de la formación nacional, impartido en su Escuela de Formación de Líderes (EFL), con la participación de coordinadores, servidores de los grupos de oración y miembros del público en general. La jornada contó con la presencia de Don Enrique Méndez, Coordinador Nacional de Formación de la Renovación Carismática Católica de Estados Unidos y Canadá y miembro del Comité Nacional, quien impartió este módulo dedicado a los Seminarios de Vida en el Espíritu. Esta formación complementó el proceso desarrollado en los módulos anteriores, en los que se abordaron temas fundamentales como el amor de Dios, el pecado y la promesa del Padre. En esta ocasión, el énfasis estuvo en comprender el Seminario de Vida en el Espíritu como una experiencia de encuentro con Dios que debe continuar mediante el acompañamiento, los cursos de crecimiento, la formación y la vida de servicio dentro de la Iglesia. Teresa Amparo, coordinadora de la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson, destacó el ambiente de oración, alabanza, fraternidad y aprendizaje vivido durante la jornada, que incluyó ejercicios pastorales y momentos de encuentro fraterno entre coordinadores y servidores. Con este tercer módulo, la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson continúa fortaleciendo su compromiso con una formación integral que ayude a sus miembros a crecer espiritualmente y a servir con mayor madurez en sus parroquias y comunidades. Para conocer los próximos encuentros, actividades e informaciones de la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson, visite su sitio web oficial: www.rccpatersonnj.com. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí.
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Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson celebra el tercer módulo de la formación nacional en su escuela de formación de líderes #Catholic – La Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson celebró con alegría el tercer módulo de la formación nacional, impartido en su Escuela de Formación de Líderes (EFL), con la participación de coordinadores, servidores de los grupos de oración y miembros del público en general. La jornada contó con la presencia de Don Enrique Méndez, Coordinador Nacional de Formación de la Renovación Carismática Católica de Estados Unidos y Canadá y miembro del Comité Nacional, quien impartió este módulo dedicado a los Seminarios de Vida en el Espíritu. Esta formación complementó el proceso desarrollado en los módulos anteriores, en los que se abordaron temas fundamentales como el amor de Dios, el pecado y la promesa del Padre. En esta ocasión, el énfasis estuvo en comprender el Seminario de Vida en el Espíritu como una experiencia de encuentro con Dios que debe continuar mediante el acompañamiento, los cursos de crecimiento, la formación y la vida de servicio dentro de la Iglesia. Teresa Amparo, coordinadora de la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson, destacó el ambiente de oración, alabanza, fraternidad y aprendizaje vivido durante la jornada, que incluyó ejercicios pastorales y momentos de encuentro fraterno entre coordinadores y servidores. Con este tercer módulo, la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson continúa fortaleciendo su compromiso con una formación integral que ayude a sus miembros a crecer espiritualmente y a servir con mayor madurez en sus parroquias y comunidades. Para conocer los próximos encuentros, actividades e informaciones de la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson, visite su sitio web oficial: www.rccpatersonnj.com. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí.

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Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson celebra el tercer módulo de la formación nacional en su escuela de formación de líderes #Catholic –

La Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson celebró con alegría el tercer módulo de la formación nacional, impartido en su Escuela de Formación de Líderes (EFL), con la participación de coordinadores, servidores de los grupos de oración y miembros del público en general.

La jornada contó con la presencia de Don Enrique Méndez, Coordinador Nacional de Formación de la Renovación Carismática Católica de Estados Unidos y Canadá y miembro del Comité Nacional, quien impartió este módulo dedicado a los Seminarios de Vida en el Espíritu.

Esta formación complementó el proceso desarrollado en los módulos anteriores, en los que se abordaron temas fundamentales como el amor de Dios, el pecado y la promesa del Padre. En esta ocasión, el énfasis estuvo en comprender el Seminario de Vida en el Espíritu como una experiencia de encuentro con Dios que debe continuar mediante el acompañamiento, los cursos de crecimiento, la formación y la vida de servicio dentro de la Iglesia.

Teresa Amparo, coordinadora de la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson, destacó el ambiente de oración, alabanza, fraternidad y aprendizaje vivido durante la jornada, que incluyó ejercicios pastorales y momentos de encuentro fraterno entre coordinadores y servidores.

Con este tercer módulo, la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson continúa fortaleciendo su compromiso con una formación integral que ayude a sus miembros a crecer espiritualmente y a servir con mayor madurez en sus parroquias y comunidades.

Para conocer los próximos encuentros, actividades e informaciones de la Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson, visite su sitio web oficial:
www.rccpatersonnj.com.

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

– La Renovación Carismática Católica de la Diócesis de Paterson celebró con alegría el tercer módulo de la formación nacional, impartido en su Escuela de Formación de Líderes (EFL), con la participación de coordinadores, servidores de los grupos de oración y miembros del público en general. La jornada contó con la presencia de Don Enrique Méndez, Coordinador Nacional de Formación de la Renovación Carismática Católica de Estados Unidos y Canadá y miembro del Comité Nacional, quien impartió este módulo dedicado a los Seminarios de Vida en el Espíritu. Esta formación complementó el proceso desarrollado en los módulos anteriores, en los que

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 03 September 2026 – A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 3:18-23 Brothers and sisters: Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: God catches the wise in their own ruses, and again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you, Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or the present or the future: all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.From the Gospel according to Luke 5:1-11 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them.  They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.The evangelist shows how the first disciples followed Jesus, trusting him, relying on his Word, all the while accompanied by miraculous signs. We note that, before this sign, Simon addresses Jesus, calling him ?Master? (v. 5), while afterwards he addresses him as ?Lord? (v. 7). This is the pedagogy of God?s call, which does not consider the quality of those who are chosen so much as their faith, like that of Simon that says: ?At your word, I will let down the nets? (?). The experience of Peter, certainly unique, is nonetheless representative of the call of every apostle of the Gospel, who must never be discouraged in proclaiming Christ to all men, even to the ends of the world. However, today?s text is a reflection on the vocation to the priesthood and the consecrated life. It is the work of God. The human person is not the author of his own vocation but responds to the divine call. Human weakness should not be afraid if God calls. It is necessary to have confidence in his strength, which acts in our poverty; we must rely more and more on the power of his mercy, which transforms and renews. Dear brothers and sisters, may this Word of God revive in us and in our Christian communities courage, confidence and enthusiasm in proclaiming and witnessing to the Gospel. Do not let failures and difficulties lead to discouragement: it is our task to cast our nets in faith ? the Lord will do the rest. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 10 February 2013)  

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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
3:18-23

Brothers and sisters:
Let no one deceive himself.
If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,
for it is written:

God catches the wise in their own ruses,

and again:

The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,
Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
or the world or life or death,
or the present or the future:
all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.

From the Gospel according to Luke
5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."
Simon said in reply,
"Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets."
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them. 
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
"Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men."
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

The evangelist shows how the first disciples followed Jesus, trusting him, relying on his Word, all the while accompanied by miraculous signs. We note that, before this sign, Simon addresses Jesus, calling him ?Master? (v. 5), while afterwards he addresses him as ?Lord? (v. 7). This is the pedagogy of God?s call, which does not consider the quality of those who are chosen so much as their faith, like that of Simon that says: ?At your word, I will let down the nets? (?). The experience of Peter, certainly unique, is nonetheless representative of the call of every apostle of the Gospel, who must never be discouraged in proclaiming Christ to all men, even to the ends of the world. However, today?s text is a reflection on the vocation to the priesthood and the consecrated life. It is the work of God. The human person is not the author of his own vocation but responds to the divine call. Human weakness should not be afraid if God calls. It is necessary to have confidence in his strength, which acts in our poverty; we must rely more and more on the power of his mercy, which transforms and renews. Dear brothers and sisters, may this Word of God revive in us and in our Christian communities courage, confidence and enthusiasm in proclaiming and witnessing to the Gospel. Do not let failures and difficulties lead to discouragement: it is our task to cast our nets in faith ? the Lord will do the rest. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 10 February 2013)

 

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