fruit

Sicar: The retreat transforming the lives of young people in Latin America #Catholic The Sicar retreat (“Sychar” in the English Bible) has given rise to one of the most notable youth evangelization experiences in Latin America. It came about through a process of discernment by a Mexican religious in her own search for God, a dynamic movement that today reaches thousands of young people.With over 30 years of consecrated life, Mother María Elena Martínez has dedicated her life to the spiritual formation of young people and adults through “Mary, Mother of Love,” a private association of the faithful she founded in Mexico in 2015.The community is centered on retreats making a spiritual impact, such as Emmaus, which is held in parishes and correctional facilities, and Sicar, which is aimed specifically at young adults. Mother María Elena Martínez. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Her life, marked from childhood by a quest for God, would ultimately become bound up in an initiative that is active today in several Latin American countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, Argentina, and Peru.“I remember as a little girl I had a great thirst for God,” she shared in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.That initial calling deepened over time. At age 11, she recalled, a desire to please Jesus arose within her. “A desire for purity … I wanted to live a life of virginity,” she noted, explaining that she prayed insistently to the Virgin Mary, asking for that consecration. Mother María Elena Martínez in front of an oasis. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez However, her path was neither immediate nor direct. “Religious life wasn’t something that particularly appealed to me,” she admitted. In her youth, she went through various experiences ranging from completing a degree in translating to exploring broader spiritual concerns, which eventually led her to try out consecrated life with the Missionaries of Charity.Some time later, she tried cloistered contemplative life. “I wanted something more interior, deeper,” she confessed.A concern arises: ‘What about the young people?’The Sicar retreat did not originate as a planned initiative but rather as a pastoral response that only gradually took shape. According to Mother María Elena, for years many people approached her with the same concern: “What about the young people?” “Do something for the young people,” they would tell her. Sicar team members in Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez The Gospel account of the Samaritan woman began to take center stage in her prayer and discernment. Jesus’ dialogue at the well of Sychar — “If you knew the gift of God” (cf. Jn 4:1-42) — served as the starting point for helping young people discover Christ. “The passage about the Samaritan woman was so rich, so rich, that I could draw so much from it,” she explained.The decisive step came in 2016, when the first Sicar retreat was held. Mother María Elena remembered it as the beginning of something small and simple yet deeply meaningful. Young people with prior experience in movements like Emmaus were the first to participate. Sicar Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Sicar began to expand. After establishing itself in cities such as Mexico City, Tehuacán, and Tecamachalco (in the state of Puebla), as well as San Luis de la Paz (Guanajuato state), Veracruz, Mérida (Yucatán state), and Cuernavaca (Morelos state), the initiative began to cross borders beyond Mexico. The first retreat in Guatemala took place in 2017; Buenos Aires in 2018; Paraguay in 2022; and in Peru in 2023.“It has been growing in many places, rescuing so many young people,” Mother María Elena said with gratitude.In Mexico, 38 Sicar retreats have been held with an average of 50 participants each, amounting to nearly 2,000 young people. In Peru, where the initiative arrived in 2023, seven retreats have already taken place with around 70 participants each, reaching approximately 490 people. Sicar Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Ottmar Ricalde, a Sicar volunteer in Mexico, noted that “Sicar means and has meant so much over these past 10 years.” “I could write and speak about all the stories, all the laughter, and all the tears, but the most important thing of all is the love of God that has been a gift to me,” he stated.“My life was always focused on pleasing others, but when I met God and realized how much he loves me, I began wanting to please him,” he said.In Paraguay, Sicar coordinator Fátima Correa highlighted that the experience “was a time of growth and renewal. It allowed us to view our history with fresh eyes.” Sicar Paraguay 2026 team members. | Credit: Sicar Paraguay “It was a retreat organized by young people for young people, where every testimony reflected realities many of us could relate to,” she added.A couple from Argentina who participated in the retreat and are now married say that Sicar marked a turning point in their lives. “We arrived as boyfriend and girlfriend and returned with completely transformed hearts … today, we feel that one of the greatest fruits was our marriage.”A growing community in PeruSicar arrived in Peru in 2023 and has since established a growing community.Geraldine Spihlman, director of Sicar in Peru, explained that the initiative arose after a need was identified within youth ministry. “When young people reached the age of 24 or 25, they no longer had a place to continue their journey of faith,” she noted.Following contact with Mother María Elena, it was decided to launch the initiative in Lima, which holds two retreats a year: in May and November.Spihlman highlighted that the most visible fruit is the community: “Many young people have discovered that it’s hard to go it alone but that everything is easier in community. It is a community where you can see how they love one another.”Instagram post‘God’s mercy knows no bounds’One of the most common fruits of these retreats is a shift in how one views others.In personal encounters, transformation occurs not only for those receiving the retreat but also for those who put it on. “God’s mercy knows no bounds,” Mother María Elena stated. “You look at people with eyes of mercy. You no longer judge the person; instead, you see them as a child of God,” she explained.Eros Acevedo, another team member, said the retreat “was an encounter with God that changed everything … I arrived bearing wounds, and his presence touched them. I left renewed.” Sicar Peru team members, May 2026. | Credit: Sicar Peru Rafael Mansilla, 27, said Sicar taught him to persevere in the faith. “Faith is not a flame that goes out but a steady flame,” he said.Dina Dávila shared that the retreat was the instrument God used to call her. “The love I have experienced in the community is overwhelming,” she added.‘A living Jesus’Through the retreats, Mother María Elena explained, people are invited to encounter “a living Jesus.” “God continues to act; he continues to perform miracles every day,” she affirmed. She said she lives one day at a time. “Each day I tell the Lord, ‘For one more day, I say yes to you.’” Participants in a Sicar retreat in Mexico. | Credit: Sicar Mexico The Sicar retreat, born of a contemplative reading of the Gospel, continues to spread wherever young people seek meaning, healing, and an experience of mature faith.Today, the young “Samaritans” who have lived this experience carry with them the words that marked their encounter with God: “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst” (Jn 4:14).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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Sicar: The retreat transforming the lives of young people in Latin America #Catholic The Sicar retreat (“Sychar” in the English Bible) has given rise to one of the most notable youth evangelization experiences in Latin America. It came about through a process of discernment by a Mexican religious in her own search for God, a dynamic movement that today reaches thousands of young people.With over 30 years of consecrated life, Mother María Elena Martínez has dedicated her life to the spiritual formation of young people and adults through “Mary, Mother of Love,” a private association of the faithful she founded in Mexico in 2015.The community is centered on retreats making a spiritual impact, such as Emmaus, which is held in parishes and correctional facilities, and Sicar, which is aimed specifically at young adults. Mother María Elena Martínez. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Her life, marked from childhood by a quest for God, would ultimately become bound up in an initiative that is active today in several Latin American countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, Argentina, and Peru.“I remember as a little girl I had a great thirst for God,” she shared in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.That initial calling deepened over time. At age 11, she recalled, a desire to please Jesus arose within her. “A desire for purity … I wanted to live a life of virginity,” she noted, explaining that she prayed insistently to the Virgin Mary, asking for that consecration. Mother María Elena Martínez in front of an oasis. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez However, her path was neither immediate nor direct. “Religious life wasn’t something that particularly appealed to me,” she admitted. In her youth, she went through various experiences ranging from completing a degree in translating to exploring broader spiritual concerns, which eventually led her to try out consecrated life with the Missionaries of Charity.Some time later, she tried cloistered contemplative life. “I wanted something more interior, deeper,” she confessed.A concern arises: ‘What about the young people?’The Sicar retreat did not originate as a planned initiative but rather as a pastoral response that only gradually took shape. According to Mother María Elena, for years many people approached her with the same concern: “What about the young people?” “Do something for the young people,” they would tell her. Sicar team members in Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez The Gospel account of the Samaritan woman began to take center stage in her prayer and discernment. Jesus’ dialogue at the well of Sychar — “If you knew the gift of God” (cf. Jn 4:1-42) — served as the starting point for helping young people discover Christ. “The passage about the Samaritan woman was so rich, so rich, that I could draw so much from it,” she explained.The decisive step came in 2016, when the first Sicar retreat was held. Mother María Elena remembered it as the beginning of something small and simple yet deeply meaningful. Young people with prior experience in movements like Emmaus were the first to participate. Sicar Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Sicar began to expand. After establishing itself in cities such as Mexico City, Tehuacán, and Tecamachalco (in the state of Puebla), as well as San Luis de la Paz (Guanajuato state), Veracruz, Mérida (Yucatán state), and Cuernavaca (Morelos state), the initiative began to cross borders beyond Mexico. The first retreat in Guatemala took place in 2017; Buenos Aires in 2018; Paraguay in 2022; and in Peru in 2023.“It has been growing in many places, rescuing so many young people,” Mother María Elena said with gratitude.In Mexico, 38 Sicar retreats have been held with an average of 50 participants each, amounting to nearly 2,000 young people. In Peru, where the initiative arrived in 2023, seven retreats have already taken place with around 70 participants each, reaching approximately 490 people. Sicar Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Ottmar Ricalde, a Sicar volunteer in Mexico, noted that “Sicar means and has meant so much over these past 10 years.” “I could write and speak about all the stories, all the laughter, and all the tears, but the most important thing of all is the love of God that has been a gift to me,” he stated.“My life was always focused on pleasing others, but when I met God and realized how much he loves me, I began wanting to please him,” he said.In Paraguay, Sicar coordinator Fátima Correa highlighted that the experience “was a time of growth and renewal. It allowed us to view our history with fresh eyes.” Sicar Paraguay 2026 team members. | Credit: Sicar Paraguay “It was a retreat organized by young people for young people, where every testimony reflected realities many of us could relate to,” she added.A couple from Argentina who participated in the retreat and are now married say that Sicar marked a turning point in their lives. “We arrived as boyfriend and girlfriend and returned with completely transformed hearts … today, we feel that one of the greatest fruits was our marriage.”A growing community in PeruSicar arrived in Peru in 2023 and has since established a growing community.Geraldine Spihlman, director of Sicar in Peru, explained that the initiative arose after a need was identified within youth ministry. “When young people reached the age of 24 or 25, they no longer had a place to continue their journey of faith,” she noted.Following contact with Mother María Elena, it was decided to launch the initiative in Lima, which holds two retreats a year: in May and November.Spihlman highlighted that the most visible fruit is the community: “Many young people have discovered that it’s hard to go it alone but that everything is easier in community. It is a community where you can see how they love one another.”Instagram post‘God’s mercy knows no bounds’One of the most common fruits of these retreats is a shift in how one views others.In personal encounters, transformation occurs not only for those receiving the retreat but also for those who put it on. “God’s mercy knows no bounds,” Mother María Elena stated. “You look at people with eyes of mercy. You no longer judge the person; instead, you see them as a child of God,” she explained.Eros Acevedo, another team member, said the retreat “was an encounter with God that changed everything … I arrived bearing wounds, and his presence touched them. I left renewed.” Sicar Peru team members, May 2026. | Credit: Sicar Peru Rafael Mansilla, 27, said Sicar taught him to persevere in the faith. “Faith is not a flame that goes out but a steady flame,” he said.Dina Dávila shared that the retreat was the instrument God used to call her. “The love I have experienced in the community is overwhelming,” she added.‘A living Jesus’Through the retreats, Mother María Elena explained, people are invited to encounter “a living Jesus.” “God continues to act; he continues to perform miracles every day,” she affirmed. She said she lives one day at a time. “Each day I tell the Lord, ‘For one more day, I say yes to you.’” Participants in a Sicar retreat in Mexico. | Credit: Sicar Mexico The Sicar retreat, born of a contemplative reading of the Gospel, continues to spread wherever young people seek meaning, healing, and an experience of mature faith.Today, the young “Samaritans” who have lived this experience carry with them the words that marked their encounter with God: “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst” (Jn 4:14).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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Through her own spiritual journey seeking God, Mother María Elena Martínez founded a community and a retreat movement that is touching the lives of thousands of young people in Latin America.

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Pope Leo XIV praises U.S. Eucharistic pilgrims, highlights country’s ‘strong Eucharistic heritage’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on July 5 praised Eucharistic pilgrims in the U.S. for walking thousands of miles with Christ as part of a “great legacy of faith” amid the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The pilgrimage, which carried the theme “One Nation, Under God,” began in St. Augustine, Florida in May and went as far north as Portland, Maine, before turning south and finishing in Philadelphia.In a video message played at the concluding Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Leo XIV —  the first pope in Catholic Church history from the United States — said the pilgrimage, which traced a route through the original 13 colonies that rebelled against England in 1776, was “particularly appropriate” to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary of its founding.The U.S., the pope said, “has been imbued with a sense of faith that recognizes God’s sovereignty even before its formal establishment.” The Holy Father cited a Mass of Thanksgiving held in 1583 in Saint Augustine, Florida, by Spanish explorers. “This historical event, accompanied by many others, attests to the strong, though largely unknown, Eucharistic heritage of the United States of America,” the pope said. “This heritage, far from being forgotten, must continue to serve as a source of both renewal and unity.”That history, the pope told the pilgrims, “has continued to bear fruit by leading new generations of American Catholics to Jesus Christ.” He also cited the examples of U.S. martyrs and U.S.-born saints, including St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and St. Katharine Drexel.“The intense apostolic activity of these holy men and women, and others like them, would not have been possible without the strength they drew daily from moments of silent prayer before the tabernacle,” he said. The pope said the Eucharistic pilgrimage helps “carry on this great legacy of faith.” The Eucharist is “an invaluable gift,” he said, one that the Church in the U.S. will use to “find strength to carry on her charitable service to the wider society.” Leo urged the pilgrims to “place your lives under God’s loving providence as you return to your homes.” He also urged them to “cultivate a strong Eucharistic life among your families, friends, and communities.”After the U.S. pilgrimage began on Pentecost in St. Augustine — the site of the 1583 Thanksgiving Mass referenced by Pope Leo XIV — it worked its way up the Eastern Seaboard, stopping at multiple U.S. dioceses and holy sites.The route drew thousands of pilgrims in locations including Williamsburg, Virginia, Baltimore, and Boston. On June 6 the pilgrimage passed through the streets of Washington, D.C.Along the way the pilgrimage gave recognition to uniquely American aspects of Catholicism, such as the Georgia Martyrs, who are scheduled for beatification on Oct. 31.
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Pope Leo XIV praises U.S. Eucharistic pilgrims, highlights country’s ‘strong Eucharistic heritage’ #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on July 5 praised Eucharistic pilgrims in the U.S. for walking thousands of miles with Christ as part of a “great legacy of faith” amid the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The pilgrimage, which carried the theme “One Nation, Under God,” began in St. Augustine, Florida in May and went as far north as Portland, Maine, before turning south and finishing in Philadelphia.In a video message played at the concluding Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Leo XIV —  the first pope in Catholic Church history from the United States — said the pilgrimage, which traced a route through the original 13 colonies that rebelled against England in 1776, was “particularly appropriate” to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary of its founding.The U.S., the pope said, “has been imbued with a sense of faith that recognizes God’s sovereignty even before its formal establishment.” The Holy Father cited a Mass of Thanksgiving held in 1583 in Saint Augustine, Florida, by Spanish explorers. “This historical event, accompanied by many others, attests to the strong, though largely unknown, Eucharistic heritage of the United States of America,” the pope said. “This heritage, far from being forgotten, must continue to serve as a source of both renewal and unity.”That history, the pope told the pilgrims, “has continued to bear fruit by leading new generations of American Catholics to Jesus Christ.” He also cited the examples of U.S. martyrs and U.S.-born saints, including St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and St. Katharine Drexel.“The intense apostolic activity of these holy men and women, and others like them, would not have been possible without the strength they drew daily from moments of silent prayer before the tabernacle,” he said. The pope said the Eucharistic pilgrimage helps “carry on this great legacy of faith.” The Eucharist is “an invaluable gift,” he said, one that the Church in the U.S. will use to “find strength to carry on her charitable service to the wider society.” Leo urged the pilgrims to “place your lives under God’s loving providence as you return to your homes.” He also urged them to “cultivate a strong Eucharistic life among your families, friends, and communities.”After the U.S. pilgrimage began on Pentecost in St. Augustine — the site of the 1583 Thanksgiving Mass referenced by Pope Leo XIV — it worked its way up the Eastern Seaboard, stopping at multiple U.S. dioceses and holy sites.The route drew thousands of pilgrims in locations including Williamsburg, Virginia, Baltimore, and Boston. On June 6 the pilgrimage passed through the streets of Washington, D.C.Along the way the pilgrimage gave recognition to uniquely American aspects of Catholicism, such as the Georgia Martyrs, who are scheduled for beatification on Oct. 31.

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The Holy Father addressed pilgrims at the close of the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, which concluded in Philadelphia on July 5.

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Pope Leo XIV accepts Constitution Center’s 2026 Liberty Medal: ‘I am honored’ #Catholic PHILADELPHIA — Pope Leo XIV said he was “honored” to accept the 2026 Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center (NCC) in livestreamed remarks delivered for the ceremony in Philadelphia on July 3.“I am honored to accept the Liberty Medal of the National Constitution Center in this year that marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776,” the Holy Father said.Leo was born in Chicago but earned a bachelor’s degree at Villanova University in the Philadelphia suburbs. The NCC presented the award to the pontiff in person at the Vatican on April 30, ahead of the ceremony.In his remarks, Leo thanked those gathered in Philadelphia for the occasion. The NCC building overlooks the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the country’s founders developed and adopted the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.“As a son of this great country, founded by courageous men and women who dreamed of liberty and of a better life for themselves and for their children, I join you in asking God’s blessings upon America’s future, that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice, and peace,” Leo said.“From our youth, most of us have admired the eloquence of those words, with their resounding appeal to the law of nature and to nature’s God as the basis of their assertion that all men and women are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” he said.The pontiff said that although the text employed “the language of the Enlightenment,” the claim is “ultimately grounded in an understanding of the human person inspired by the great biblical vision of man and woman being created in the divine image.”“It is indeed here that we discover the basis of human dignity; dignity which precedes the establishment of any state and whose custody constitutes its very purpose,” Leo said. Pope Leo XIV watches the livestreamed ceremony between the Vatican and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on July 3, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Respecting the right to life “in every form and condition,” he said, is directly tied to the nation’s vitality. He said society must cultivate a reverence for life that “sways the hearts of individuals and inspires laws that recognize and safeguard this gift from the moment of conception to natural death.”The right to liberty, the pontiff said, is much deeper than simply doing what one wants. It is “founded upon the human person’s capacity to know the truth and adhere to what is good, even at great cost — a sacrifice well known to many who have labored to shape this country,” he said.“The desire for truth and freedom, as well as the very pursuit of happiness, continues to inspire people of all generations to ask fundamental questions regarding the meaning of life, our ultimate purpose, and indeed about God, and it is proper for magnanimous hearts to endeavor to answer these questions with sincerity,” Leo said.The Holy Father said that religious freedom, to be “free from fear and coercion, as enshrined in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,” is needed to answer those questions.“It is my hope that this tradition will continue to bear fruit in a public discourse marked by moderation, respect for the views of others, and an ongoing effort to find common ground in promoting the cause of peace and reconciliation, at home and abroad,” he added.The pope said he is praying that the 250th anniversary of the United States “may be the occasion of a solemn recommitment to these ideals that have made America a country that values peace and prosperity, a country characterized by generosity and nobility of heart.”Archbishop Perez, Gov. Shapiro speakThe ceremony was attended by a few hundred guests and included other speakers, such as Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Perez, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, state Attorney General Dave Sunday, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, and local Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religious leaders.Perez said throughout Leo’s life — as priest, bishop, cardinal, and pope — he has defended the “inherent dignity of all people and building pathways to peace,” including a defense of religious freedom.“True freedom stems from defending dignity and the value of every human being,” he said.Perez told EWTN News following the event that the pope’s words “bring us back to our origins” as Americans regarding the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.“It was wonderful to hear him once again bring us back to center, that we all were created in a very image and likeness of God,” the archbishop said. “Our human dignity and our rights flow from that. They flow from being created in Godʼs image and likeness and from there flows our freedom and the heart that seeks God.”“Itʼs a wonderful day for Philadelphia,” Perez said. “Itʼs a wonderful day for the country. Itʼs a wonderful day for the world.”Shapiro congratulated the pope on receiving the award and thanked the Holy Father, on behalf of Pennsylvania, “for using your voice, your power, to advance religious liberty for all people.”The ceremony included the ringing of a replica of the Liberty Bell just outside the building. It was rung by Sunday, the attorney general, who recalled the words of Benjamin Franklin when the Founding Father was asked what form of government they had created after the constitutional convention: “A republic, if you can keep it.”“Our Constitution is the rock upon which we will build in the next 250 years,” Sunday said.
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Pope Leo XIV accepts Constitution Center’s 2026 Liberty Medal: ‘I am honored’ #Catholic PHILADELPHIA — Pope Leo XIV said he was “honored” to accept the 2026 Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center (NCC) in livestreamed remarks delivered for the ceremony in Philadelphia on July 3.“I am honored to accept the Liberty Medal of the National Constitution Center in this year that marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776,” the Holy Father said.Leo was born in Chicago but earned a bachelor’s degree at Villanova University in the Philadelphia suburbs. The NCC presented the award to the pontiff in person at the Vatican on April 30, ahead of the ceremony.In his remarks, Leo thanked those gathered in Philadelphia for the occasion. The NCC building overlooks the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the country’s founders developed and adopted the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.“As a son of this great country, founded by courageous men and women who dreamed of liberty and of a better life for themselves and for their children, I join you in asking God’s blessings upon America’s future, that the lofty ideals enshrined at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence may continue to guide the flourishing of the nation in unity, justice, and peace,” Leo said.“From our youth, most of us have admired the eloquence of those words, with their resounding appeal to the law of nature and to nature’s God as the basis of their assertion that all men and women are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” he said.The pontiff said that although the text employed “the language of the Enlightenment,” the claim is “ultimately grounded in an understanding of the human person inspired by the great biblical vision of man and woman being created in the divine image.”“It is indeed here that we discover the basis of human dignity; dignity which precedes the establishment of any state and whose custody constitutes its very purpose,” Leo said. Pope Leo XIV watches the livestreamed ceremony between the Vatican and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on July 3, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media Respecting the right to life “in every form and condition,” he said, is directly tied to the nation’s vitality. He said society must cultivate a reverence for life that “sways the hearts of individuals and inspires laws that recognize and safeguard this gift from the moment of conception to natural death.”The right to liberty, the pontiff said, is much deeper than simply doing what one wants. It is “founded upon the human person’s capacity to know the truth and adhere to what is good, even at great cost — a sacrifice well known to many who have labored to shape this country,” he said.“The desire for truth and freedom, as well as the very pursuit of happiness, continues to inspire people of all generations to ask fundamental questions regarding the meaning of life, our ultimate purpose, and indeed about God, and it is proper for magnanimous hearts to endeavor to answer these questions with sincerity,” Leo said.The Holy Father said that religious freedom, to be “free from fear and coercion, as enshrined in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,” is needed to answer those questions.“It is my hope that this tradition will continue to bear fruit in a public discourse marked by moderation, respect for the views of others, and an ongoing effort to find common ground in promoting the cause of peace and reconciliation, at home and abroad,” he added.The pope said he is praying that the 250th anniversary of the United States “may be the occasion of a solemn recommitment to these ideals that have made America a country that values peace and prosperity, a country characterized by generosity and nobility of heart.”Archbishop Perez, Gov. Shapiro speakThe ceremony was attended by a few hundred guests and included other speakers, such as Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Perez, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, state Attorney General Dave Sunday, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, and local Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religious leaders.Perez said throughout Leo’s life — as priest, bishop, cardinal, and pope — he has defended the “inherent dignity of all people and building pathways to peace,” including a defense of religious freedom.“True freedom stems from defending dignity and the value of every human being,” he said.Perez told EWTN News following the event that the pope’s words “bring us back to our origins” as Americans regarding the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.“It was wonderful to hear him once again bring us back to center, that we all were created in a very image and likeness of God,” the archbishop said. “Our human dignity and our rights flow from that. They flow from being created in Godʼs image and likeness and from there flows our freedom and the heart that seeks God.”“Itʼs a wonderful day for Philadelphia,” Perez said. “Itʼs a wonderful day for the country. Itʼs a wonderful day for the world.”Shapiro congratulated the pope on receiving the award and thanked the Holy Father, on behalf of Pennsylvania, “for using your voice, your power, to advance religious liberty for all people.”The ceremony included the ringing of a replica of the Liberty Bell just outside the building. It was rung by Sunday, the attorney general, who recalled the words of Benjamin Franklin when the Founding Father was asked what form of government they had created after the constitutional convention: “A republic, if you can keep it.”“Our Constitution is the rock upon which we will build in the next 250 years,” Sunday said.

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The pope delivered livestreamed remarks, praising the values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence: the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

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Pope Leo XIV prays for Venezuela quake victims at Angelus #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed his closeness to the people of Venezuela after recent earthquakes, offering prayers for the victims and encouragement to rescue workers.“I wish to express my solidarity with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters affected by the recent earthquakes, which have caused numerous deaths and injuries, as well as extensive damage to property,” the pope said after praying the Angelus on June 28 in St. Peter’s Square.“Praying to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, I renew my spiritual solidarity with their families, the injured, and all who have been shaken by this tragedy,” he continued. “I also wish to express my gratitude and encouragement to those generously working on search and rescue efforts and providing assistance.”Before the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10:37–42, saying that Jesus’ call to discipleship is rooted in a love that requires “detachment, loss and hospitality.”“In today’s Gospel reading, we hear some of Jesus’ exhortations on how to follow him and be witnesses to his kingdom,” the pope said. “This is not just a matter of outward acts, but of committing ourselves entirely to a loving relationship with him.”The first requirement, he said, is detachment. Citing Jesus’ words — “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” — Pope Leo said the Lord wanted the apostles to be free for mission.“When the Lord begins to send his apostles on mission, he wants them to be free from any ties,” he said. “However, this applies to everyone, as even the most significant relationships find their fullness through the love that Christ gives us.”The pope pointed to married life as an example, saying it “can only be lived fully by ‘leaving’ one’s parents’ home in order to commit to the life of marriage.” He also spoke of raising children, saying parents help them “to fulfill themselves and be happy by teaching them to ‘stand on their own two feet’ and make their own choices.”Quoting St. Augustine, Pope Leo said: “It is painful to part from what you love. Yet even the farmer temporarily loses what he sows.”“Only by ‘losing’ that seed sown in the ground, can we see it blossom,” the pope added.Pope Leo said Christians often struggle to understand that “love is also loss,” especially “in a world where losing is seen as weakness and we are obsessed with having and possessing.”“However, love only bears fruit in self-giving: when we are willing to lose a little of ourselves to make room for another; to lose a little time to listen to a friend; to lose a little comfort to share in a time of hardship,” he said.He added that “according to the Gospel, those who hold on to their lives merely for themselves actually lose them, for they do not open themselves to the joy of love and thus become barren.”“This is why Jesus invites us to embrace the cross,” the pope said. “He offered himself, lost himself, and in this very way we were enabled to receive his life in abundance. In the same way, if we live by the logic of the gift of self, we too will be capable of bringing forth new life in our relationships.”Finally, Pope Leo turned to hospitality, saying love must take shape in concrete acts.“Love is expressed through concrete choices and actions; by a commitment made up of small daily gestures, such as offering a glass of water to someone who is thirsty,” he said.Jesus, he said, sent his disciples without provisions “so that, by being dependent on the help of others, they would inspire hospitality in those they met.”“By welcoming those who come in Jesus’ name, we welcome him and the heavenly Father who sent him,” the pope said. “Indeed, love for the Lord always involves welcoming our brothers and sisters.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV prays for Venezuela quake victims at Angelus #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed his closeness to the people of Venezuela after recent earthquakes, offering prayers for the victims and encouragement to rescue workers.“I wish to express my solidarity with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters affected by the recent earthquakes, which have caused numerous deaths and injuries, as well as extensive damage to property,” the pope said after praying the Angelus on June 28 in St. Peter’s Square.“Praying to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, I renew my spiritual solidarity with their families, the injured, and all who have been shaken by this tragedy,” he continued. “I also wish to express my gratitude and encouragement to those generously working on search and rescue efforts and providing assistance.”Before the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on the day’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10:37–42, saying that Jesus’ call to discipleship is rooted in a love that requires “detachment, loss and hospitality.”“In today’s Gospel reading, we hear some of Jesus’ exhortations on how to follow him and be witnesses to his kingdom,” the pope said. “This is not just a matter of outward acts, but of committing ourselves entirely to a loving relationship with him.”The first requirement, he said, is detachment. Citing Jesus’ words — “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” — Pope Leo said the Lord wanted the apostles to be free for mission.“When the Lord begins to send his apostles on mission, he wants them to be free from any ties,” he said. “However, this applies to everyone, as even the most significant relationships find their fullness through the love that Christ gives us.”The pope pointed to married life as an example, saying it “can only be lived fully by ‘leaving’ one’s parents’ home in order to commit to the life of marriage.” He also spoke of raising children, saying parents help them “to fulfill themselves and be happy by teaching them to ‘stand on their own two feet’ and make their own choices.”Quoting St. Augustine, Pope Leo said: “It is painful to part from what you love. Yet even the farmer temporarily loses what he sows.”“Only by ‘losing’ that seed sown in the ground, can we see it blossom,” the pope added.Pope Leo said Christians often struggle to understand that “love is also loss,” especially “in a world where losing is seen as weakness and we are obsessed with having and possessing.”“However, love only bears fruit in self-giving: when we are willing to lose a little of ourselves to make room for another; to lose a little time to listen to a friend; to lose a little comfort to share in a time of hardship,” he said.He added that “according to the Gospel, those who hold on to their lives merely for themselves actually lose them, for they do not open themselves to the joy of love and thus become barren.”“This is why Jesus invites us to embrace the cross,” the pope said. “He offered himself, lost himself, and in this very way we were enabled to receive his life in abundance. In the same way, if we live by the logic of the gift of self, we too will be capable of bringing forth new life in our relationships.”Finally, Pope Leo turned to hospitality, saying love must take shape in concrete acts.“Love is expressed through concrete choices and actions; by a commitment made up of small daily gestures, such as offering a glass of water to someone who is thirsty,” he said.Jesus, he said, sent his disciples without provisions “so that, by being dependent on the help of others, they would inspire hospitality in those they met.”“By welcoming those who come in Jesus’ name, we welcome him and the heavenly Father who sent him,” the pope said. “Indeed, love for the Lord always involves welcoming our brothers and sisters.”This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The pope expressed solidarity with those affected by recent earthquakes, following a reflection on “detachment, loss and hospitality” in Christian love.

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Picture of the day Apple orchards after snowfall in Sangla in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. India has the second largest area under apple cultivation in the world and is the fifth largest producer of the fruit globally. More than 90% of India’s apple production comes from just two of its northern Himalayan states: Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. Today is Republic Day in India. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Apple orchards after snowfall in Sangla in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. India has the second largest area under apple cultivation in the world and is the fifth largest producer of the fruit globally. More than 90% of India’s apple production comes from just two of its northern Himalayan states: Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. Today is Republic Day in India. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Apple orchards after snowfall in Sangla in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. India has the second largest area under apple cultivation in the world and is the fifth largest producer of the fruit globally. More than 90% of India’s apple production comes from just two of its northern Himalayan states: Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. Today is Republic Day in India.
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