exploitation

Leo XIV encourages representatives of North American Jesuit colleges as they confront challenges #Catholic In an audience with representatives of Jesuit colleges and universities in North America, Pope Leo XIV proposed four ways to address current challenges.In his address on June 25, the Holy Father referenced several of the major challenges facing humanity, which he said is undergoing an “epochal change.” Specifically, he pointed to the secularization of societies, where many people are “seeking to push any mention of God out of the public sphere and beyond popular culture.”In addition, he pointed to the failure of political systems to address the needs of migrants and the marginalized, as well as the lack of hope among young people, the degradation of the planetʼs resources, and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence.The pope encouraged representatives of Jesuit colleges and universities to confront these challenges by looking to the Society of Jesus’ four Universal Apostolic Preferences, which are four focus areas that are to guide the Jesuits’ mission worldwide from 2019 to 2029. They were developed through a two-year global discernment process involving Jesuits and their lay partners, then confirmed by Pope Francis in 2019.The four Universal Apostolic Preferences are to show the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; to walk with the poor, the outcasts, and those whose dignity has been violated in a mission of reconciliation and justice; to accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future, and to collaborate in the care of our common home.First, the pontiff reflected on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and the importance of discernment, encouraging members of academic communities to have the opportunity to participate in them and thus come to know “the One who is Truth.”“Those who conduct research, those who pursue studies and those who seek the truth are ultimately seeking God, whether they realize it or not,” he emphasized.He also referred to the “thirst for God” that is increasingly palpable among young people, something he noted he had witnessed firsthand during his recent visit to Spain. Consequently, he encouraged them to offer the Spiritual Exercises to young people on university campuses.The pope also pointed out that it is essential to “walk with the poor and the outcasts of the world.” For this reason, he urged them to “offer opportunities for immigrants, refugees and those of a lower socioeconomic status to have the benefit of an advanced education.” “The resurrection of Christ is the ultimate source of hope.” Pope Leo XIV He emphasized that Jesuit schools and universities must be places where young people find “a hope-filled future,” and thus must foster opportunities for dialogue, service, and prayer, “remembering always that the resurrection of Christ is the ultimate source of hope.”As another urgent duty, the pontiff underscored the need to educate about the care of creation, primarily due to the effects of climate change as well as “the exploitation of resources by a few at the expense of the common good.”Finally, in citing the advances in artificial intelligence, he appealed to the essential role of colleges and universities and noted that it is “important to begin now to address the consequences, both positive and negative, that come from these advances.”“With the help of the prayers of St. Ignatius of Loyola, may you continue the Jesuit tradition of forming those entrusted to your care to be ‘men and women for others,’” the Holy Father encouraged.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.
Read More

Leo XIV encourages representatives of North American Jesuit colleges as they confront challenges #Catholic In an audience with representatives of Jesuit colleges and universities in North America, Pope Leo XIV proposed four ways to address current challenges.In his address on June 25, the Holy Father referenced several of the major challenges facing humanity, which he said is undergoing an “epochal change.” Specifically, he pointed to the secularization of societies, where many people are “seeking to push any mention of God out of the public sphere and beyond popular culture.”In addition, he pointed to the failure of political systems to address the needs of migrants and the marginalized, as well as the lack of hope among young people, the degradation of the planetʼs resources, and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence.The pope encouraged representatives of Jesuit colleges and universities to confront these challenges by looking to the Society of Jesus’ four Universal Apostolic Preferences, which are four focus areas that are to guide the Jesuits’ mission worldwide from 2019 to 2029. They were developed through a two-year global discernment process involving Jesuits and their lay partners, then confirmed by Pope Francis in 2019.The four Universal Apostolic Preferences are to show the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; to walk with the poor, the outcasts, and those whose dignity has been violated in a mission of reconciliation and justice; to accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future, and to collaborate in the care of our common home.First, the pontiff reflected on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and the importance of discernment, encouraging members of academic communities to have the opportunity to participate in them and thus come to know “the One who is Truth.”“Those who conduct research, those who pursue studies and those who seek the truth are ultimately seeking God, whether they realize it or not,” he emphasized.He also referred to the “thirst for God” that is increasingly palpable among young people, something he noted he had witnessed firsthand during his recent visit to Spain. Consequently, he encouraged them to offer the Spiritual Exercises to young people on university campuses.The pope also pointed out that it is essential to “walk with the poor and the outcasts of the world.” For this reason, he urged them to “offer opportunities for immigrants, refugees and those of a lower socioeconomic status to have the benefit of an advanced education.” “The resurrection of Christ is the ultimate source of hope.” Pope Leo XIV He emphasized that Jesuit schools and universities must be places where young people find “a hope-filled future,” and thus must foster opportunities for dialogue, service, and prayer, “remembering always that the resurrection of Christ is the ultimate source of hope.”As another urgent duty, the pontiff underscored the need to educate about the care of creation, primarily due to the effects of climate change as well as “the exploitation of resources by a few at the expense of the common good.”Finally, in citing the advances in artificial intelligence, he appealed to the essential role of colleges and universities and noted that it is “important to begin now to address the consequences, both positive and negative, that come from these advances.”“With the help of the prayers of St. Ignatius of Loyola, may you continue the Jesuit tradition of forming those entrusted to your care to be ‘men and women for others,’” the Holy Father encouraged.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.

unitedyam

The pope reflected on the Jesuits’ four Universal Apostolic Preferences to address today’s challenges: the Spiritual Exercises, walking with the poor, a hope-filled future, and the care of creation.

Read More
U.S. bishops unveil prayer service for America’s 250th anniversary centered on migrants #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has released a national prayer service for the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary that places immigration, justice, and the dignity of migrants at the center of America’s semiquincentennial observance.Titled “A National Prayer Service Honoring the Many Journeys that Shaped America,” the resource was developed by the Committee on Migration and the Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation.Designed as a template for dioceses and parishes across the country, the prayer service invites Catholics to reflect on the nation’s history through the lens of migration, displacement, slavery, and faith while encouraging advocacy for vulnerable migrant populations.“In observance of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, and rooted in the Church’s pastoral mission of welcome, accompaniment, and solidarity,” the instructions state, the service seeks “to acknowledge and honor the many diverse communities that have journeyed to the United States in search of hope, safety, and opportunity.”The document also highlights “the voices, sufferings, and enduring contributions of those who were forcibly brought to this land.”A prayer service rooted in hospitalityThe proposed service combines hymns, Scripture readings, intercessory prayers, testimonies, and guided reflections focused heavily on migrants, refugees, victims of trafficking, and immigrant communities.Organizers are encouraged to adapt the service to local needs and cultures by incorporating music and devotional practices that reflect “the lived experiences of migration, displacement, resilience, and faith.”The service opens with the hymn “All Are Welcome” by Marty Haugen and includes prayers asking Catholics to “walk in deeper solidarity with immigrant communities” and to advocate for “greater protection, justice, and accompaniment for vulnerable and at-risk migrant populations.”A prayer to St. Frances Xavier Cabrini — patroness of immigrants and herself an immigrant to the United States — asks for protection for migrant families separated from one another and for the grace to “welcome every stranger as Christ in our midst.”The document also includes a “call to action” encouraging Catholics to reflect on “concrete and compassionate ways to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants, immigrants, and refugees” while advocating for “just and humane immigration reform that upholds the dignity of every human person created in the image of God.”The service concludes with a “Prayer for Migrants” asking God to help the Church “welcome, protect, promote, and integrate those who knock at our doors.”Scripture and civil rights themes woven throughoutThe Scripture passages selected for the service strongly emphasize hospitality toward foreigners and care for society’s most vulnerable.A reading from Deuteronomy 10:12-22 exhorts believers: “So you too must befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.”  The Gospel reading from Matthew 25:31-46 centers on Christ’s words, “I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”The template also incorporates themes of racial justice and historical memory. Intercessions address slavery and modern human trafficking, praying both for victims of exploitation and for “perpetrators of slavery” to repent.The service further recommends “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black national anthem and rooted in Black church worship and civic life in the U.S., as an intermediate hymn. It also includes optional excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream" speech for use in a homily or guided reflection, alongside passages from the bishops’ 2025 special pastoral message on immigration.Dignity of migrantsIn recent years, U.S. bishops have consistently advocated for immigration reform while emphasizing the dignity of migrants, opposition to family separation, and support for refugees and trafficking victims.The prayer service places those concerns within the broader context of the nation’s identity ahead of America’s 250th anniversary observances.“This prayer service seeks to provide a sacred space for reflection, remembrance, lament, and hope,” the document states, inviting participants to encounter one another “as members of the one human family and the one body of Christ.”EWTN News reached out to the USCCB for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
Read More

U.S. bishops unveil prayer service for America’s 250th anniversary centered on migrants #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has released a national prayer service for the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary that places immigration, justice, and the dignity of migrants at the center of America’s semiquincentennial observance.Titled “A National Prayer Service Honoring the Many Journeys that Shaped America,” the resource was developed by the Committee on Migration and the Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation.Designed as a template for dioceses and parishes across the country, the prayer service invites Catholics to reflect on the nation’s history through the lens of migration, displacement, slavery, and faith while encouraging advocacy for vulnerable migrant populations.“In observance of the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026, and rooted in the Church’s pastoral mission of welcome, accompaniment, and solidarity,” the instructions state, the service seeks “to acknowledge and honor the many diverse communities that have journeyed to the United States in search of hope, safety, and opportunity.”The document also highlights “the voices, sufferings, and enduring contributions of those who were forcibly brought to this land.”A prayer service rooted in hospitalityThe proposed service combines hymns, Scripture readings, intercessory prayers, testimonies, and guided reflections focused heavily on migrants, refugees, victims of trafficking, and immigrant communities.Organizers are encouraged to adapt the service to local needs and cultures by incorporating music and devotional practices that reflect “the lived experiences of migration, displacement, resilience, and faith.”The service opens with the hymn “All Are Welcome” by Marty Haugen and includes prayers asking Catholics to “walk in deeper solidarity with immigrant communities” and to advocate for “greater protection, justice, and accompaniment for vulnerable and at-risk migrant populations.”A prayer to St. Frances Xavier Cabrini — patroness of immigrants and herself an immigrant to the United States — asks for protection for migrant families separated from one another and for the grace to “welcome every stranger as Christ in our midst.”The document also includes a “call to action” encouraging Catholics to reflect on “concrete and compassionate ways to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate migrants, immigrants, and refugees” while advocating for “just and humane immigration reform that upholds the dignity of every human person created in the image of God.”The service concludes with a “Prayer for Migrants” asking God to help the Church “welcome, protect, promote, and integrate those who knock at our doors.”Scripture and civil rights themes woven throughoutThe Scripture passages selected for the service strongly emphasize hospitality toward foreigners and care for society’s most vulnerable.A reading from Deuteronomy 10:12-22 exhorts believers: “So you too must befriend the alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.”  The Gospel reading from Matthew 25:31-46 centers on Christ’s words, “I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”The template also incorporates themes of racial justice and historical memory. Intercessions address slavery and modern human trafficking, praying both for victims of exploitation and for “perpetrators of slavery” to repent.The service further recommends “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black national anthem and rooted in Black church worship and civic life in the U.S., as an intermediate hymn. It also includes optional excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream" speech for use in a homily or guided reflection, alongside passages from the bishops’ 2025 special pastoral message on immigration.Dignity of migrantsIn recent years, U.S. bishops have consistently advocated for immigration reform while emphasizing the dignity of migrants, opposition to family separation, and support for refugees and trafficking victims.The prayer service places those concerns within the broader context of the nation’s identity ahead of America’s 250th anniversary observances.“This prayer service seeks to provide a sacred space for reflection, remembrance, lament, and hope,” the document states, inviting participants to encounter one another “as members of the one human family and the one body of Christ.”EWTN News reached out to the USCCB for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

unitedyam

The prayer service invites Catholics to reflect on the nation’s history through the lens of migration, displacement, slavery, and faith while encouraging advocacy for vulnerable migrant populations.

Read More