gospel – United Yam

SSPX rejects Vatican’s excommunication, calls it ‘objectively’ unjust and invalid #Catholic The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), whose members are known as “Lefebvrians,” rejected the recent excommunications decreed by the Vatican after consecrating four bishops without papal authorization on July 1 and asserted that the sanctions imposed are “objectively unjust and invalid.”In a letter addressed to Pope Leo XIV, released on July 3, Father Davide Pagliarani, superior general of the SSPX, justified the episcopal consecrations that prompted the Vatican’s decree declaring the group to be in schism as “an extreme measure to save souls, amid the doctrinal and moral confusion in which the Church finds itself.”“We in no way intend to replace the Church, and our sole purpose is to remain faithful to her,” wrote Pagliarani, who leads the group founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, who died in 1991.The group founded by Lefebvre aims to preserve the traditional liturgy as it existed prior to the reforms implemented after the Second Vatican Council while maintaining its opposition to aspects of the council’s teachings on ecumenism, religious freedom, and collegiality.Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 after ordaining, without the permission of Pope John Paul II, four bishops: Alfonso de Galarreta of Spain, Bernard Fellay of Switzerland, Richard Williamson of England, and Bernard Tissier de Mallerais of France.Amid attempts to build bridges of dialogue with the SSPX, Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunications in 2009 against the four bishops consecrated by Lefebvre.Tissier de Mallerais and Williamson died in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Galarreta and Fellay, on the other hand, participated in the recent consecration of four new bishops on July 1, for which they were excommunicated once again.‘We had asked for bread’Using as the central theme of his argument the passage from the Gospel according to St. Luke (11:11–13), in which Jesus reminds his disciples that “if you, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him,” Pagliarani asserted that “we had asked for bread — that is, a little understanding in the face of a sincere case of conscience, a gesture of fatherly compassion.”“Unfortunately, we have received a stone,” he continued, noting that, instead of “fish” — that is, “the possibility of temporarily obtaining the necessary means to continue forming good priests … unfortunately, we have received a snake.”“We had asked for an egg, promising to return it as soon as possible,” he added. He affirmed that “the holy tradition we preserve in our souls belongs to the Church, our Mother” but “unfortunately, we have received a scorpion.”The superior of the SSPX assured Leo XIV that the society does not accept the Vatican’s sanctions “in a spirit of bitterness or rebellion” but rather feel encouraged “to love the holy Church even more and to attend to her needs more than ever with all our strength.”“We are certain that one day you yourself or one of your successors will wish to embrace the program of St. Pius X: ‘To restore all things in Christ,’” he said, noting that “on that day, the Holy Father will discover, with great joy and deep consolation, authentically Catholic souls — souls whose bond with the Church was never founded on the shifting sands of ambiguous dialogue but on the rock of Peter’s faith.”‘Turn back!’: Leo XIV’s plea the SSPX ignoredIn his letter, Pagliarani makes no mention of the Catholic Church’s repeated calls for dialogue, which date back to the pontificate of St. John Paul II with the creation of the Ecclesia Dei Commission and which reached one of their highest points in Benedict XVI’s decision to lift the excommunications of the four bishops consecrated by Lefebvre.Pope Francis also reached out to the SSPX with decisions such as allowing sacramental confessions with its priests to be valid and lawful during the Jubilee of Mercy in 2016 — a decision he later extended beyond that year.Pagliarani also did not address Pope Leo XIV’s direct plea to the Society of St. Pius X, asking the group not to commit “a schismatic act.”“In this spirit, and filled with Christian affection, I implore and ask you with all my heart: Turn back!” the Holy Father wrote to them on June 30.“I urge you to carefully consider the spiritual good of the faithful, because the schismatic act you would carry out would deprive them of the lawful — and in some cases, even valid — reception of the sacraments that they love and seek for their own sanctification,” the pope stated.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 July 3, 2026July 4, 2026

In a letter addressed to Pope Leo XIV, released on July 3, Father Davide Pagliarani, superior general of the SSPX, justified the episcopal consecrations that prompted the Vatican’s decree.

Catholic youth chaplains in Nigeria urged to report abuse allegations to Church, civil authorities #Catholic ABUJA, Nigeria — The national director of the Pastoral Affairs Department of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria has urged youth chaplains across the country to promptly report allegations of abuse involving minors to both Church and civil authorities, emphasizing that safeguarding is an essential responsibility of youth ministry.Speaking to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, on the sidelines of a June 25 seminar for provincial youth chaplains, Father Augustine Olusegun Fasiku said the Churchʼs commitment to young people requires creating and maintaining safe environments.“The Church entrusts young people to chaplains not merely to organize programs or celebrate Masses. She entrusts them with the lives, safety, dignity, and spiritual growth of those young people, and so you must report abuse of minors anytime it occurs under your watch,” Fasiku said.Describing youth chaplains as both “pastor and protector,” he said every retreat, counseling session, youth gathering, and online interaction should reflect accountability, vigilance, and care.Fasiku stressed that chaplains have moral, pastoral, canonical, and legal obligations to report allegations of abuse immediately rather than attempt to address them privately.“The first responsibility is to receive the report seriously and compassionately,” he said. “However, the chaplain must remember that he is not an investigator. His role is not to interrogate witnesses or determine guilt. He must promptly report the allegation to the appropriate diocesan safeguarding office or Church authority while ensuring that relevant civil authorities are informed according to legal requirements.”The Nigerian Catholic priest cautioned against efforts to conceal abuse in order to avoid scandal, noting that such actions can expose both individuals and Church institutions to legal consequences.“There should be no confusion today; Pope Francis abolished the pontifical secret in cases involving sexual abuse of minors. Internal Church procedures cannot be used to prevent cooperation with civil authorities,” he said.Fasiku underscored that canonical procedures and civil legal processes operate alongside one another.“In Nigeria, withholding information in order to avoid scandal can itself create serious legal consequences. The welfare of the child must always take precedence over institutional reputation,” he said.Referring to Nigeria’s Child Rights Act of 2003 and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act of 2015, he said Church personnel who commit offenses against minors are accountable under both ecclesiastical and civil law.“What this means is that a priest, chaplain, teacher, or Church worker who commits an offense against a minor is not only answerable to ecclesiastical authorities but also accountable under Nigerian law,” he explained.Fasiku also highlighted provisions of Church law governing safeguarding, citing Canon 1752, which states that the salvation of souls is the supreme law of the Church, and Canon 1398, which criminalizes sexual offenses against minors and vulnerable persons, including grooming and the possession of abusive materials.He further pointed to Pope Francis’ motu proprio Vos Estis Lux Mundi (You Are the Light of the World) saying that it establishes mandatory reporting obligations within the Church and mechanisms for holding Church leaders accountable in cases of negligence or cover-ups.Addressing the dynamics of youth ministry, Fasiku warned that abuse often begins with the misuse of authority and trust.“Young people frequently see priests as representatives of God. If a chaplain abuses that authority by manipulating a young person’s conscience or presenting personal desires as God’s will, the consequences can be devastating,” he said.He noted that many young people seek guidance from chaplains during periods of grief, family difficulties, identity struggles, and other personal crises, circumstances that can create significant imbalances of power.“Parents entrust their children to the Church because they believe the Church will protect them,” he said. “Young people themselves share personal struggles because they trust their chaplain.”According to the priest, that trust places a fiduciary obligation on ministers to act solely in the best interests of those entrusted to their care.He added that no romantic, financial, or exploitative relationship between a chaplain and a young person can ever be justified, because responsibility for maintaining appropriate boundaries rests with the adult minister.He also outlined practical safeguarding measures, encouraging chaplains to observe the “Two-Adult Rule” and ensure meetings with minors take place in visible and transparent settings.“Counseling sessions should not occur in isolated private locations. Physical contact should always remain appropriate, public, and nonexclusive,” he said.He further cautioned against favoritism and emotional dependency, warning that special privileges or excessive personal attention to individual youths can foster unhealthy attachments and resemble grooming behavior.Fasiku also addressed the challenges posed by digital communication, urging chaplains to avoid secretive online interactions with minors.“Private messaging late at night, disappearing messages, secret chats, or communications that cannot be monitored create unnecessary risks and should be avoided,” he said.He encouraged the use of official and accountable communication channels and recommended involving parents or other responsible adults whenever appropriate.On care for survivors, Fasiku emphasized that victims of abuse must receive compassionate accompaniment and access to spiritual, psychological, emotional, and medical support.“The Church’s responsibility does not end with receiving a report; accompaniment and healing is an essential component of pastoral care,” he said.He added that accused ministers should have no contact with victims or their families during investigations and that independent pastoral caregivers should be assigned to support those affected while safeguarding the integrity of the process.Fasiku urged youth chaplains to view safeguarding not as an administrative requirement but as a concrete expression of the Gospel.“The future of the Church depends greatly on the trust young people place in her; that trust can only flourish when young people know they are safe,” he said.The priest emphasized: “When we protect the vulnerable, we honor Christ. When we create safe environments, we strengthen the Church. And when we place the dignity and welfare of young people at the center of our ministry, we fulfill both our pastoral mission and our legal obligation.”This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

unitedyam June 30, 2026July 1, 2026

The national director of the Pastoral Affairs Department of Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) said the Church’s commitment to young people requires creating and maintaining safe environments.

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.

unitedyam June 28, 2026June 29, 2026

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

‘Chant GPT’: How Catholics are responding to AI-generated Gregorian chant #Catholic In the early morning and late at night, monks still rise to sing the divine office, their voices low and hoarse from sleep. With every breath they are keeping alive a centuries-old tradition in monasteries around the world.But in a small corner of the internet, and on music providers like Spotify, another form of chant has taken hold. The text is often a hodgepodge of Latin-sounding words; a mechanical simulation not sung by human voices but generated by artificial intelligence (AI).How should Catholics navigate the new phenomenon of AI-generated chant, or, in the term hymnist Alan Hommerding coined, “Chant GPT”?What is Gregorian chant?Chant isn’t something that is consumed, like social media or food. Instead, it is a way to worship and pray, according to Catholic theologians and musicians.“Chant is not meant to be performed for artistic consumption but meant to attune our hearts to the Lord over the course of time,” Father Phillip Alcon Ganir, a Jesuit priest who teaches sacred music classes at Boston College, told EWTN News.

Father Phillip Alcon Ganir, a Jesuit priest who researches and teaches about music, catechetics, and liturgy at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry, encourages Catholics to “develop a more nuanced appreciation” of Gregorian chant by engaging more deeply with it. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Phillip Alcon Ganir

Composer and liturgist Father Ricky Manalo, a Paulist priest, agreed, adding: “Gregorian chant is not merely an aesthetic; it is part of the Church’s living tradition of sung prayer, as much as Gospel music is a living tradition for many African American Catholics, or pentatonic melodies are a living tradition for many East Asian Catholics.”“Its beauty is tied not only to its sound but to its liturgical, scriptural, and cultural roots,” he said.Named for St. Gregory the Great, Gregorian chant is a “musical synthesis” of Roman and Gallican chant, according to Father Basil Nixen, a monk of the Abbey of San Benedetto in Monte, Norcia, Italy, where the monks chant daily together. These chanted psalms continue to be prayed as part of the Divine Office, or Liturgy of the Hours — a daily practice for Catholic priests, religious, and laypeople.

The Monks of Norcia. | Credit: Christopher McLallen, courtesy of Benedicta, de Montfort Music

“Many might assume that Gregorian chant is really a product of the medieval or dark ages from Western Christianity,” noted Giorgio Navarini, founder and director of the Catholic chant group Floriani Sacred Music. “However, Gregorian chant derives its existence from the Hebrew Temple. Sung psalmody, lamentations, and hymns were a significant part of the Hebraic liturgical life in both the synagogue and Temple.”In the Middle Ages came the “unprecedented notation” of the chant, which helped Gregorian chant spread, Nixen explained.“The sacred melodies of the chant were written by men and women inspired by the Holy Spirit, and every time we sing them, we allow the Holy Spirit to possess our hearts too so as to enter more fully into communion with God in prayer,” Nixen said.“Through the Divine Office the voice of Christ praying to his Father mingles with our own, allowing us to unite our voice with his and to participate in his priestly intercession for the salvation of the world,” Nixen said.How do we pray through Gregorian chant?Because Gregorian chant is more than just an aesthetic, questions about Gregorian chant are, at their root, questions about the connection between prayer and song.“Christian worship involves the whole human being — body and soul,” Nixen said. “Chanting is fundamental for Christian worship precisely for this purpose, because it allows us to pray not only with our minds but also with our bodies, our heart, our sentiments.”“Worship is the natural expression of the highest love, the love which most engages and engrosses us, which is why we owe it to God alone, whom we must love with all our hearts, all our minds, and all our strength — i.e., with body, heart, mind, and soul,” Nixen said. “And we do this most perfectly when we sing.”

The Benedictine Monks of Norcia give their lives to pray for the world. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Monks of Norcia

Music, Navarini said, is “an art form that directly reflects the inner workings of the soul, unlike other art forms, which gives it a unique power of being united to prayer.”“Chant has the power to raise the soul to the divine,” Navarini said. “It is unlike any music in this world and truly provides a doorway and glimpse into the life to come.”Can machines pray?Human chant is meant to be just that — human, in every imperfection, hoarse voice, or flat note.“Even with AI aside, one of the dangers of chant recordings is that singers often aim to present pristine, errorless, and sublime sounds — which are good and holy in and of themselves,” Ganir said. “But such perfection is not often reflective of a life that worships regularly with chant.”The monks who chant daily in monasteries often sing with “tired” voices, Ganir observed.

The monks of Norcia chant the Divine Office seven times during the day and once during the night. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Monks of Norcia

“Sung prayer early in the morning or in the evening is often a different, usually 'tired,’ sound than prayers chanted during the day,” Ganir said.This isn’t a bad thing; in fact, it’s part of the deeper meaning behind chant.“Prayer is meant to span and intersect through all of life,” Ganir continued. “And music, especially our chant tradition, can be such a worthy and life-giving companion.”“AI-generated sacred-sounding music may have a place as a tool for study, preparation, or even private reflection, but it should not replace the living voice of the Church, the trained pastoral musician, the human composer, or the sung participation of the assembly,” Manalo said.

Father Ricky Manalo, a distinguished liturgical composer who also gives lectures on artificial intelligence, defines liturgical music as “sung prayer” that “belongs to the embodied worship of a community gathered before God.” | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Ricky Manalo

“AI can generate chant-like sounds or contemporary songs, but it cannot replace the faith, breath, body, and communal participation during a liturgy,” Manalo continued.“Sacred music requires theological depth, pastoral sensitivity, scriptural grounding, ritual awareness, and a sense of the actual community that will sing or hear it,” Manalo said.“Every true prayer is an authentic and personal encounter of trust between a creature with its Creator, a recognition of our dependence on the one who is infinitely good,” Father Ezra Sullivan, a Dominican priest and director of the Spirituality Institute at the Angelicum, told EWTN News.“There is an old saying: ‘You cannot give what you do not have,’” Sullivan continued. “Because an algorithm does not have a knowledge and love of God, no person to have a relationship with him, it cannot make prayers or music that authentically express the raising up of the soul to the hands of our loving Father — even if it makes imitations that are somewhat pleasing, the soul would be missing.”“One of the reasons why we like to know the biography of composers or authors is because when we read their works or listen to their music, we can commune with them across the ages and join our souls with theirs in coming closer to God,” Sullivan continued. “Artificial intelligence might be able to fool us into thinking that it facilitates these horizontal and vertical relationships, and thatʼs precisely how it can be dangerous in the spiritual realm.”

Giorgio Navarini, right, sings with his chant group Floriani Sacred Music, a group founded to bring about a revival of Catholic sacred chant. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Floriani Sacred Music

In Pope Leoʼs recent encyclical letter, Magnifica Humanitas, the Holy Father wrote: “No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil.”“Gregorian chant is what the soul sings to God; it is what a bride sings to her Divine Bridegroom,” Nixen said. “If an AI-generated thing can love and get married, then it can sing chant. If it can get baptized, then it can sing chant. But if it cannot love, get married, get baptized, or be united to God, then it cannot chant.”

unitedyam June 22, 2026June 22, 2026

As AI encroaches on sacred music, Catholics still hold true to Gregorian chant, a historical form of sacred music that is still alive today.

Pope Leo XIV declares American religious founder Mary Teresa Tallon venerable #Catholic Pope Leo XIV has declared American religious sister Mary Teresa Tallon venerable.The pontiff signed a decree on Thursday recognizing the heroic virtue of the foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate in New York. He also recognized the heroic virtue of several others, bringing them closer to sainthood. Just before signing the decree, he met with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.Mary Teresa Tallon: Making every soul countTallon was born on May 6, 1867, in Hanover, New York, as the daughter of Irish immigrants.In 1887, at the age of 19, Tallon joined the Sisters of the Holy Cross, despite her family’s disapproval. She remained part of the congregation for the next 33 years, teaching in Catholic schools in South Bend, Indiana.During this time, Tallon was inspired to establish a new congregation dedicated to contemplation and to preaching the Gospel to the neglected. In 1920, she left the Sisters of the Holy Cross and, on Aug. 15, established the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate (PVMI). She gave it the motto “Make every soul count.”Considered a gifted scholar, Tallon authored a report documenting the first decade of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in New York for the National Catechetical Congress in 1936.Tallon died on Feb. 10, 1954, after a prolonged illness. In 2013, she was declared a servant of God in recognition of her holiness.Others declared venerablePope Leo XIV on June 18 also moved several other servants of God along the path to sainthood.Two Italians were declared venerable: Maria Agnese Tribbioli, a religious sister who founded the Pie Operaie di San Giuseppe congregation, and Maria Petra Giordano, a Dominican nun.Others included Spanish nun Clara Andreu y Malferit and Belgian missionary Júlio Maria de Lombaerde.Leo also recognized the martyrdom of Juan Torres Torres and 19 companions, all Catholic priests, for having been killed “in odium fidei” (“in hatred of the faith”) in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.

unitedyam June 18, 2026June 18, 2026

On June 18, the pope issued a decree recognizing the heroic virtue of the foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate in New York, among several others.

Pope Leo XIV: Spain is an example of unity despite differences #Catholic Pope Leo XIV dedicated his general audience on June 17 to reflecting on his apostolic journey to Spain the previous week, during which he visited Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands.In his remarks, the pope praised Spainʼs "very rich Catholic tradition" and highlighted the countryʼs “joyful expression of their faith" as well as the affection shown to him by the people.“In the case of Spain, I was able to observe with joy how much people of every age and situation were looking forward to the pope’s visit: Everywhere I found multitudes who welcomed me with great warmth,” Leo remarked, acknowledging that this was not something to be taken for granted.Safeguarding encounter between Catholic tradition, contemporary cultureReferring to the events in Madrid and Barcelona during his trip to Spain, the pope also described his trip as an “encounter of ancient and modern, Catholic tradition and contemporary culture,” allowing him to experience “the very character of Europe, its inestimable wealth, as a living reality, not a thing of the past.”Leo also said that Europeʼs cultural heritage must be preserved to address ongoing challenges.“It is a heritage to be safeguarded with care, so that it may be invested in today’s global world with its momentous challenges: peace, integral ecology, equitable and sustainable development, and respect for human dignity,” Leo said.Care for migrantsReferring to the final stage of the journey at the Canary Islands, where Leo met a large number of African migrants, the pope acknowledged that the migration phenomenon “is complex and requires organic and coordinated action plans.”The pontiff noted, however, that this reality also offers an interpretation that “opens up a different, broader perspective,” allowing Catholics to understand how “to reread the Gospel in today’s world, exchanging with each other the gifts of our respective cultures, and in particular the results produced in them by the fruitfulness of Christ’s message.”Among these results, he highlighted “dialogue between people and between peoples, the encounter in a spirit of fraternity, which enables us to discover and appreciate one another’s values.” He cautioned that this path is not easy and that asking for God’s help is essential to achieving a “civilization of love.”Praise for U.S.-Iran peace dealLeo concluded his remarks by expressing his satisfaction with the peace agreement between the United States and Iran, to be signed on June 19, which will bring an end to prolonged hostilities.He also renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine, acknowledging with concern the casualties suffered in the Russo-Ukrainian war. He invited all to “ask the Lord to open pathways to dialogue, to extinguish hatred, and to make a just and lasting peace possible.”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 June 17, 2026June 17, 2026

The pontiff reflected on his recent apostolic journey to Spain during his general audience on June 17.

Pope Leo XIV says evil crumbles when the Gospel is lived out #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that when the Gospel is proclaimed and lived out, evil gives way before the power of the risen Christ.Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace for the June 14 Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, the pope reflected on the day’s Gospel from Matthew, saying it “brings us a great gift, for it draws all who hear it into Jesus’ gaze.”“It is a story that bears witness to the attentiveness of this gaze, as well as telling us what the Lord sees,” Pope Leo said, citing the passage in which Christ, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless.”“Having become our brother, the Son of God looks at the people, he looks at humanity: he sees the oppression that burdens and the violence that causes strength to fade,” the pope said.Christ, he continued, also sees the wounds of the contemporary world.“He sees the wounds of war and the emptiness of consumerism. He sees faces reduced to masks, families torn apart by evil, and young people misled by false ideals,” Pope Leo said. “Jesus sees and loves. He loves and suffers for and with us: his compassion expresses not only fraternal closeness, but his desire to redeem.”Before humanity’s wounds, the pope said, Christ remains near and sends “workers into the field of the world.”“What is their task?” he asked. “They must offer God’s comfort to those who suffer by bringing charity where there is misery, hope where there is affliction, faith where there is distrust.”The pope noted that the Gospel names the first 12 “workers,” the disciples made apostles, missionaries, and preachers.“The Good News that spans the centuries is the same, always young, fresh, and liberating: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven has come near!’” he said. “Yes, it is near because in Jesus Christ, God draws near to every man and woman, to every people and nation.”Pope Leo added that the Gospel is not merely announced but also lived.“When this Gospel is proclaimed and lived out, evil crumbles like a disease that passes away, like a night giving way to dawn, like death conquered by the risen One,” he said.The pope said the Church is called to continue the mission of the apostles, remembering Jesus’ words: “You received without payment; give without payment.”“Dear friends, the task of evangelization springs from God’s gift, which in Christ becomes forgiveness for the world, service to the least and the poor, and a commitment to justice,” he said.After the Angelus prayer, Pope Leo recalled his recent apostolic journey to Spain.“First of all, I express my gratitude to the Lord for the Apostolic Journey he has allowed me to undertake in Spain,” he said. “I also thank the Spanish people who have welcomed me with great enthusiasm and devotion.”“I am especially grateful to His Majesty the King; I affectionately thank the Bishops, all the communities I visited and the entire Church in Spain,” the pope added. “Que Dios bendiga siempre a España!”Pope Leo also remembered several newly beatified martyrs: the diocesan priests Václav Drbola and Jan Bula of Moravia, and Jan Šwierc and eight companions, Polish Salesian priests.“All were beatified as martyrs, as victims of the persecution by totalitarian regimes because of their fidelity to Christ,” he said.The pope also recalled that Nazareno Lanciotti, “a Roman missionary priest,” had been beatified Saturday in Mato Grosso, Brazil.“He too was a martyr, for he defended the poorest in the name of the Gospel,” Pope Leo said. “May the example and intercession of these courageous witnesses sustain the mission of priests and of the entire Church.”The pope concluded by expressing his closeness to the people of the Philippines, “struck a few days ago by a powerful earthquake.”“I pray for the deceased and their families, for the wounded and for all those suffering because of this disaster,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam June 14, 2026June 14, 2026

At the Angelus, the pontiff said Christ sees the wounds of war, broken families, and young people misled by false ideals.

Migrants in Tenerife tell Pope Leo XIV: We do not ask for privileges or compassion #Catholic TENERIFE, Canary Islands — “No one leaves their land, their family and their roots by choice when they can live in peace,” said Bousso Diouf, a woman from Senegal who spoke with the moral authority of someone who risked her life crossing the Atlantic in a wooden boat, knowing the journey could last a week or end adrift at sea.Diouf was among the migrants who greeted Pope Leo XIV at the Las Raíces reception center in Tenerife, where some 700 sub-Saharan African migrants — all adult men — are currently housed. The center is located in the humid Las Raíces area of Tenerife, a eucalyptus-filled area about 3,300 feet above sea level.The number is relatively low compared with the hardest years of the “cayuco” crisis, especially at the end of 2024, when the center received between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants amid overcrowding and widely reported tensions.Most of those currently housed at the center come from Senegal, Gambia, and Mali, and on average spend about three months there before being transferred to mainland Spain.They arrive exhausted after having spent up to 72 hours in police custody for identification and registration procedures.“We come from countries where poverty, violence, war, persecution, and lack of opportunity forced us to leave,” Diouf said.Las Raíces opened in 2021 in response to the 2020 crisis, when more than 23,000 migrants arrived on the coasts of the Canary Islands.Now those numbers have fallen sharply, and the situation is very different.“Our work is to offer them an initial welcome that is dignified, humane, and organized at an especially difficult moment, immediately after their arrival by sea,” Navarro Atiénzar, regional director of Accem, the NGO that manages the Las Raíces Reception Center for Refugees and Immigrants in Tenerife, told Pope Leo.The pope arrived in Tenerife early in the morning from Las Palmas and went to the large camp set up inside a former rural military barracks after six marathon days in Spain that had taken him to Barcelona and Madrid.He listened to those housed there as a father listens when a child opens his heart to recount a trauma.One young Nigerian man said that crossing the ocean to the Canary Islands means facing hunger, cold, desperation, and often death.“Many brothers and sisters lost their lives at sea, and others continue to suffer in silence, victims of mafias that take advantage of need and human suffering,” he said.He also made a plea for humanity: “May we not be seen only as migrants, numbers, or documents, but as people with stories, dreams, families, and hope.”“We do not ask for privileges. We do not ask for compassion. We ask for respect, humanity, and the opportunity to live with dignity,” he said.Among those present was also Aliu Ceesay, a 16-year-old Gambian who arrived in the Canary Islands just one month ago in an irregular boat after a difficult journey from his home country. Like many other migrant minors, his goal is to find work so he can help support his family.Amid an experience marked by uncertainty, Aliu has followed Pope Leo XIV with interest online. The teenager said he wanted to see him in person and was struck by the pope’s message.“I have been following him on the internet and wanted to see him. He is very kind, very good,” Aliu said. He also emphasized the pope’s inclusive spirit: “He does not care if we are black or white, Muslim or Christian. He wants to help us.”More than 54,000 people have passed through Las Raíces. Behind each one is a story, a difficult journey, and, above all, a hope.In his address, Pope Leo repeated the message he gave on the first day he set foot in Las Palmas: “God’s love knows no borders, makes no distinctions, is given to all and brings us together in unity.”“As I look at your faces and listen to your stories, I also think of your hearts — wounded by so many difficulties, yet also comforted by the love you have received from other open, generous and merciful hearts,” the pope said.“Christ’s heart suffered and was pierced out of love, and he was also comforted by compassionate people who eased his pain,” he added.Missionary saints and migrantsThe pope dedicated part of his address to missionary saints such as St. Brother Peter of St. Joseph de Betancur and St. José de Anchieta, who set out from the Canary Islands to proclaim the Gospel in the Americas, opening new missionary horizons.“They too were migrants who ventured into the unknown, carrying faith, hope and charity as their greatest possessions,” he said.The pope called for “responsibility” with an eye toward future generations, to whom, he said, “we wish to bequeath the heritage of a civilization of love.”“Migration will play an important role in this,” he said, because it “can become an opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment among peoples.”“Dear brothers and sisters, in a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland,” he said. “Let us help make this journey more humane for everyone by contributing in whatever way we can.”The pope said the name of the center, Las Raíces — “the roots” — had caught his attention. He recalled that Pope Francis, “who so longed to be with you,” often used the image of roots “to emphasize the importance of remembering our origins, staying united and trusting in the Lord.”“May this image of roots also help you to be firmly rooted in the Lord, so that no storm may drive you away from his presence, which strengthens and gives life,” Pope Leo said.At the end of his address, the pope told those gathered: “Dear friends, I carry you in my heart and will remember you in my prayers. May God bless you, your families and all who do good to you. And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Consolation of Migrants, always accompany and assist you with her maternal protection.”During the meeting, when the pope announced that he would speak in French and English, many migrants responded with loud applause.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 June 12, 2026June 12, 2026

At Las Raíces reception center in Spain’s Canary Islands, the pope heard testimonies from migrants who risked their lives crossing the Atlantic and urged a more humane response rooted in dignity.

Cardinal Koovakad to lead Sanremo meeting on interreligious dialogue #Catholic Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, will lead a meeting in Sanremo on Oct. 9 dedicated to the theme “Interreligious Dialogue Today in the Social and Cultural Context of Our Diocese.”The event is part of a broader diocesan initiative launched by Bishop Antonio Suetta, who published a pastoral letter on Pentecost Sunday outlining guidelines for charity, dialogue, and the proclamation of God’s love to Muslims “who live in our territory,” according to the diocesan website.The pastoral letter, titled “No One Has Greater Love Than This,” takes its inspiration from two significant anniversaries: the special Year of St. Francis, proclaimed by Pope Leo XIV for the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death, and the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council declaration Nostra Aetate.

Bishop Antonio Suetta of Ventimiglia-San Remo, Italy. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Diocese of Ventimiglia-San Remo

In the document, Suetta emphasizes esteem, welcome, and missionary courage. He recalls the example of St. Francis of Assisi and his historic 1219 encounter with the sultan of Egypt, presenting evangelization first as a witness offered through deeds and the coherence of Christian life, and only afterward through words.The letter also stresses dialogue and collaboration, beginning from the teaching of Nostra Aetate and the recognition that Christians and Muslims are creatures of the one God. This shared foundation, the bishop writes, calls believers to work together in defense of human dignity and moral values in an increasingly secularized society.At the same time, Suetta underlines what he describes as the Christian duty of proclamation. Charity and welcome, he writes, must never lead Christians to conceal their spiritual identity. To share the joy of the Gospel and to make known the true face of Jesus Christ — who for Christians is “the way, the truth, and the life” and the revelation of God who is love — is presented in the letter as the highest act of charity Christians can offer.The pastoral initiative includes concrete proposals, such as specific formation programs and opportunities for encounter promoted by the diocesan Office for Catechetical Pastoral Ministry in collaboration with Caritas.“Welcoming others with selfless charity, bearing witness to a coherent Christian life, and proclaiming the love of God in Jesus Christ with freedom and sincere respect are the human means that the Lord asks of us in order to evangelize,” the letter states.The events will take place during the Church’s missionary month of October. In addition to the Oct. 9 meeting in Sanremo with Cardinal Koovakad, the diocese will hold a missionary vigil on Oct. 17 at the Oratory of the Immaculate in Piazza San Siro.The presence of the prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue is seen as a sign of support from the Holy See for the diocesan initiative.

unitedyam June 4, 2026June 5, 2026

The October gathering follows a pastoral letter by Bishop Antonio Suetta on charity, Christian witness, and the proclamation of the Gospel to Muslims living in the diocese.

Pope calls on Catholic universities to be authentic, instill ‘passion for the truth’ #Catholic Catholic universities should reflect “authenticity as true disciples of Christ” as they guide students’ desire for knowledge into a passion for the truth, Pope Leo XIV told university presidents from the United States on Wednesday.“As young men and women come to your colleges and universities looking to study a specific degree, oftentimes motivated by future job perspectives, yours is the noble task of guiding that desire for knowledge so that they may also ‘learn to seek and love the truth, to reflect on the meaning of life, and to recognize the dignity of every person,’” the pope said June 3, quoting from his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, published in May.Instilling a love for the truth “is not an easy feat,” he continued. “As you are well aware, seeking the truth requires not only learning and mentorship but also great effort. Unless Catholic education instills in students a true passion for the truth — and not only intellectual truth, but the truth that is Christ himself (cf. John 14:6) — we can hardly expect people to be willing to put forth the effort required to recognize truth and adapt one’s life accordingly.”Leo addressed presidents, senior administrators, and faculty leaders from Catholic institutions of higher education belonging to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. During the Rome Seminar, June 1–5, university leaders are meeting with senior Vatican officials and others to reflect on the opportunities and challenges faced by higher education today.In his speech, the pope acknowledged the challenge of “the increasing fragmentation of knowledge.”“While it is easy to find people who are experts in a particular field of study, many of these individuals ‘struggle to find direction in their lives, partly due to an inability to connect information with deeper knowledge or maintain a sense of purpose,’” he said, quoting from Magnifica Humanitas.Specialized experts “often lack a global vision of reality that is capable of uniting not only the various fields of knowledge but also the multiple aspects of life and the inner longings of the human heart,” he said.He invited Catholic educational institutions to be a “living environment in which the Christian vision permeates every discipline and every interaction,” as Leo wrote in his 2025 apostolic letter Drawing New Maps of Hope.“Your authenticity as true disciples of Christ,” he said, “will certainly assist you in transmitting the living Gospel in such a way that those entrusted to you can truly encounter the Lord and discover in the Catholic faith the unifying vision that truth alone can provide.”On the challenges of technological advances, the pope reflected on the prolific use of artificial intelligence, making it “increasingly difficult to evaluate the work of students, requiring educators to adapt their methods creatively to ensure the integral human formation of those in their care.”“We must be willing to invest generously in the education of future generations,” he said. “It is crucial that young men and women learn to engage positively with new technologies, while at the same time truly developing their God-given skills and capacities to reason, to think critically and commit knowledge to memory, thus preparing them to shape responsibly the world to come.”

unitedyam June 3, 2026June 3, 2026

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday addressed presidents and senior administrators from Catholic institutions belonging to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

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 June 1, 2026June 1, 2026

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.

Fulton Sheen’s missionary legacy hailed by Pope Leo XIV #Catholic Pope Leo XIV on Monday praised the missionary legacy of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the famed American evangelist who will be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, calling him “a light of faith, hope, and love.”The pope made his remarks June 1 during an audience with participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, recalling Sheen’s long service as national director of the societies in the United States.The pope noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Pope Pius XI’s establishment of the penultimate Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday, a day devoted to “prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization.”Leo expressed his gratitude to those who promote the annual observance, which supports the Church’s missionary work throughout the world.“For 100 years, this day has been set apart for prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization, especially in areas where the proclamation of the Gospel is only just beginning and where the Church is still young,” the pope said.He added that “every Catholic community is invited to pray and offer spiritual and material sacrifices for the missionary efforts in areas of first evangelization and for the support of young Churches.”World Mission Sunday also reminds older and more established Churches “how important it is that they too join in the missionary spirit of the whole Church,” he said.The pope said the funds raised through World Mission Sunday make it possible for the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith to assist more than 1,130 ecclesiastical jurisdictions that depend on the Dicastery for Evangelization’s section for first evangelization and new particular Churches.Those funds, he said, help establish Church infrastructure, support missionary initiatives, and contribute to the administration of five colleges in Rome for the ongoing formation of priests and consecrated men and women who later return to serve their local Churches.Leo also highlighted the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, founded by Blessed Paolo Manna, later declared pontifical by Pope Pius XII and described by St. Paul VI as the “soul” of the other Pontifical Mission Societies.“I encourage all to participate in its mission of fostering among all the baptized an ever more fervent missionary spirituality and a deeper commitment to the Church’s universal mission of evangelization in this new missionary age,” he said.The pope then turned again to Sheen, noting that his beatification is scheduled for Sept. 24 in St. Louis.“It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in St. Louis, Missouri, a renowned national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified,” Leo said.“Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades,” the pope continued. “I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization.”“May our new blessed be an example for all of the national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies throughout the world,” he added.Leo also underscored the importance of the Pontifical Mission Societies in a world “increasingly marked by division, war, and conflict among nations and peoples.”He said the Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood carries out “a particularly precious mission” by bringing faith and Christian charity to children around the world, especially in places afflicted by hatred and violence. He also praised the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle for sustaining the formation of Indigenous clergy and consecrated religious in mission territories.The theme for this year’s World Mission Sunday, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” highlights the unity of believers and the 100th anniversary of the global celebration, the pope said.The theme “invites all of the members of the Church to a deeper communion in Christ and to a fuller unity in his divine mission of love,” he said.“I therefore encourage you to keep this teaching in mind, to live an authentic spirituality of missionary unity and communion centered on Christ, and to promote it through your activities among the faithful,” Leo told the assembly.Citing the Second Vatican Council’s decree Ad Gentes, the pope recalled that the “Church on earth is by her very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.”He urged participants to recognize “the urgency of embracing an ongoing missionary conversion” and to seek together ways of “being a missionary Church for the healing of our world, so fraught with tensions, conflicts, and wars.”“In all that we do for the work of evangelization, may we always place Jesus Christ at the center,” Leo said, invoking the words of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”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 June 1, 2026June 1, 2026

The pontiff praised Venerable Sheen, who will be beatified Sept. 24, as “a light of faith, hope, and love” whose radio and television broadcasts brought the Gospel to millions.

Trump suggests pope unaware of Iran nuclear stance despite Leo’s repeated calls for disarmament #Catholic President Donald Trump warned against a nuclear‑armed Iran, reacting to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnsonʼs May 28 meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, where the mayor said they discussed U.S. immigration and the Iran conflict.Trump posted, “Someone should explain to the Pope that the Mayor of Chicago is useless, and that Iran cannot have a Nuclear Weapon.” He also shared screenshots of the mayor’s posts with pictures of him and the Chicago-born pope sharing gifts and praying. Trump made the comments in a May 30 post on Truth Social.The president has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that Leo wants the Middle Eastern country to develop nuclear armaments.Leo has rejected those allegations. On May 5 at Castel Gandolfo he stated that the Church "has spoken for years against all nuclear weapons." Later, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that the Holy See "has always worked, and will continue to work, on nuclear disarmament."The White House and Chicago mayor’s office did not immediately reply to requests for comment.Trump sharply criticized Pope Leo XIV in April, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” and saying he is “not a fan” of the pope.Trump expressed his disapproval of Leoʼs public statements denouncing the U.S.-led war on Iran. The Holy Father has repeatedly called for peace amid the ongoing conflict.The pope has said he is “not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel.”

unitedyam May 31, 2026May 31, 2026

The president has claimed, without evidence, that Pope Leo XIV wants the Middle Eastern country to develop nuclear armaments.

Pope Leo XIV: The Trinity teaches that every creature is made for communion #Catholic Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that the mystery of the Holy Trinity teaches Christians to see every creature as made for communion — and warned that division, polarization, and contempt for differences leave the world spiritually barren.Speaking before the Angelus on May 31, the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the pope reflected on Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus in the Gospel of John, saying the feast reveals that God’s own life is a communion of love into which humanity is invited.“The Trinity helps us to love everyone and everything: we discover that every creature is made for communion, relationship and encounter,” Pope Leo said from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square. “On the other hand, we understand why division, polarization and contempt for diversity bring destruction, sadness and barrenness to the world.”The pope said the Church’s Easter journey, which concluded last week with Pentecost, helps believers contemplate the divine life given to humanity in Christ — a communion of love that draws believers in through the Holy Spirit.The Spirit, he said, “unites the Father and the Son” and “has been poured into our hearts.” In this way, he added, “the Church becomes a sacrament of communion, a place of encounter, love and life where heaven and earth already touch.”Turning to Nicodemus, whom the Gospel describes as an important figure in Israel who came to Jesus at night, Leo said Christ “welcomed him and took his search for answers seriously.”Jesus, the pope said, “surprised Nicodemus by suggesting that it was even possible for an adult to be reborn and led him to realize that the life of God could transform his own life.”Leo noted that Nicodemus later defended Jesus before the Sanhedrin, urging others to listen before condemning him.“He had received the Spirit of communion from God through Christ himself, which opens the heart to new truths and to true renewal,” the pope said. “Whoever does not welcome this Spirit grows old quickly, in sorrow, feeling all alone and without joy in their hearts.”By contrast, Leo said, the solemnity of the Trinity is “a day of celebration.”“God’s feast is also ours,” he said, citing St. Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians: “Rejoice, strive for perfection, encourage one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”After leading the Angelus, the pope recalled the prayers for peace raised throughout the Church during May, a month traditionally dedicated to the Virgin Mary.“In this month of May, a united chorus of prayers for peace has resounded throughout the Church,” he said. “Above all, through the prayer of the Holy Rosary — like an unbroken chain — the peoples ravaged by war have been entrusted to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.”“May Divine Wisdom enlighten the consciences of those in authority and guide their decisions toward a sincere search for a just and lasting peace,” he said.Leo also marked Italy’s 25th National Day of Relief, expressing closeness to the sick and those who care for them.“I offer my spiritual closeness to the sick and those who care for them; and I thank and encourage all who promote a culture of solidarity and care,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam May 31, 2026May 31, 2026

At the Sunday Angelus, the pope prayed for “a just and lasting peace” as the Church closed a monthlong Marian appeal for countries ravaged by war.

Leo XIV: Don’t water down Christianity #Catholic Pope Leo XIV warned Thursday against the temptation to make Christianity more attractive by diluting its content or softening its demands, telling Vatican evangelization officials that the faith is transmitted above all through credible Christian witness.“It is certainly not by watering down the content or softening the demands that Christianity can be made attractive but by bearing witness with humility and courage to ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ that has converted and sanctified so many people,” the pope said May 28.The pope made the remarks during a meeting in the Consistory Hall with members of the Dicastery for Evangelization’s Section for Fundamental Questions Regarding Evangelization in the World at the conclusion of its plenary assembly.According to the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, the section is responsible for studying fundamental questions of evangelization and promoting an effective proclamation of the Gospel, identifying appropriate forms, tools, and language.Leo said the crisis of faith, especially in the West, has contributed to “widespread religious indifference.”“To many, faith no longer appears relevant to their lives,” he said. “The underlying danger, the gravity of which is not always perceived, is that the very essence of what is most human — namely, the search for meaning — may be lost. The great existential questions remain unanswered, whilst a technological culture that is supposed to meet every need is spreading.”The pope said that even in such a context, “the encounter with Christ is able to restore full meaning and value to people’s lives,” adding that the Church’s missionary mandate remains urgent.“No one can take her place in this mission, which is as urgent as it is necessary to ensure a reliable foundation for the future of humanity, so that it may be a future of peace, justice, freedom, and fraternity,” he said.Leo also pointed to the continuing relevance of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, which he said “continues to be a significant point of reference.”He invited the dicastery to revisit the document in its work “to promote a mission that is ‘Christ-centered and kerygmatic … born of an encounter with Christ that is capable of transforming lives.’”The pope said the Church should pay close attention to a growing demand for spirituality, especially among young people, something he said was “clearly evident during the Youth Jubilee.”“The new generation is not closed to the Gospel; on the contrary, many, when they rediscover it, wish to know it better, because they sense that within it lies the secret to being truly happy,” he said.At the same time, Leo said evangelization must confront changed conditions in the transmission of the faith from one generation to the next.“In some parts of the world, this transmission has all but ceased, and this requires the ability to take on new challenges,” he said.The result, he continued, is “a spiritual ‘poverty’ among the younger generations, a lack of motivation and of the means to develop, in full freedom, that commitment to the faith which gives meaning to life.”The pope said the cultural climate of “media-saturated and consumerist societies” weakens the ability to pursue truth with patience, perseverance, and critical judgment.“Every message risks being perceived as just one opinion among many,” he said.In response, he stressed that transmitting the faith “necessarily involves encountering people and communities who express the joy of the Christian faith and the coherence of a Gospel-inspired way of life.”Quoting Benedict XVI, Leo said: “What we need at this moment in history are men who, through an enlightened and lived faith, make God credible in this world.”“We need people who keep their gaze fixed on God, learning true humanity from him,” the pope continued, quoting Benedict. “We need people whose intellect is enlightened by the light of God and whose hearts God opens, so that their intellect may speak to the intellect of others and their hearts may open the hearts of others. Only through men who are touched by God can God return to men.”Leo also thanked the dicastery for its work during last year’s jubilee, which he said brought more than 33 million pilgrims to Rome.“The world thirsts for hope more than ever,” he said. “It longs to live in peace and in the certainty that the commitment to building a city worthy of God’s children is not only possible but real, because it is imbued with a hope that offers true, not illusory, objectives.”The pope said evangelization must remain “the fundamental motivation behind every action of the universal Church and of local communities.”“The proclamation of the Gospel, which instils hope, is not a utopian proposal: It is a witness that draws people in because it reveals the call to love and truth,” he said.Leo concluded by emphasizing the importance of catechesis, which he said “plays a decisive role in the life of the Church through its commitment to formation and the transmission of the faith.”He called for special attention to catechumens, “who are requesting baptism in ever-increasing numbers,” and said Christian communities must accompany them beyond the celebration of the sacrament.“Similar care must be accorded to the boys and girls who receive the sacrament of confirmation,” he said. “I encourage the many initiatives that accompany them as they continue on their journey of faith for their human and Christian growth.”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 May 28, 2026May 28, 2026

The pontiff said the Church must respond to religious indifference not by softening the Gospel’s demands but by offering credible witness to Christ.

Leo XIV at Pentecost: The Spirit overcomes war with the omnipotence of love #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV marked Pentecost Sunday with a plea for peace, praying that the Holy Spirit would save the world “from the evil of war” and renew the Church in its mission to transform confusion into communion.Celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 24, the pope centered his homily on the risen Christ’s appearance to the disciples in the upper room, where Jesus showed them “his hands and his side” and breathed the Holy Spirit upon them.“The Lord reveals his glorious body, specifically his wounds, the marks of the crucifixion,” Pope Leo said. “These signs of the Passion, more eloquent than words, are now transfigured; he who was dead lives forever.”The pope said the same upper room that had been marked by fear and betrayal became, through Christ’s gift of the Spirit, “for the entire Church, the womb of the Resurrection.”“Pentecost is therefore a paschal feast and a feast of the body of Christ, which by grace is all of us,” he said.Leo framed his homily around three aspects of the Holy Spirit: peace, mission, and truth.“First of all, the Spirit of the risen One is the Spirit of peace,” he said. “Indeed, through his paschal mystery, Christ restores peace between God and humanity, and the Holy Spirit pours this peace into our hearts and spreads it throughout the world.”That peace, the pope said, “stems from forgiveness and leads us to forgiveness,” beginning with Christ’s forgiveness of humanity.The pope then described the Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of mission,” citing Christ’s words: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”“We are truly co-workers of the Gospel: The whole Church is its protagonist, not merely its guardian,” Leo said. “Through the power of the Spirit, our proclamation is filled with joy and hope, for we — yes, we ourselves — are the newness of the world, the light and the salt of the earth.”The pope warned that some changes “do not bring new life to the world, but make it grow old through error and violence.” By contrast, he said, “the Holy Spirit enlightens minds and instils new vitality in our hearts.”“This is how he transfigures history, opening it to salvation, which is the gift that the Lord offers to everyone,” he said. “The Church’s mission bears witness to this offer, thereby transforming the world’s confusion into communion with God and among ourselves.”Finally, Leo said the Spirit is “the Spirit of truth,” who “always promotes unity in truth” and protects the Church from “partisanship, hypocrisy, and fads that obscure the light of the Gospel.”“The truth that God gives us thus stands as a liberating word for all peoples, a message that transforms every culture from within,” he said.Concluding his homily, the pope offered a prayer for a world wounded by war, poverty, and sin.“Dear friends, with fervent hearts, let us pray today that the Spirit of the risen One may save us from the evil of war, which is overcome not by a superpower, but by the omnipotence of love,” he said. “Let us pray that he free humanity from misery, which is redeemed not by immeasurable wealth, but by an inexhaustible gift. Let us pray that he heal us from the scourge of sin through the salvation proclaimed to all peoples in the name of Jesus.”After the Mass, Pope Leo appeared from his study in the Apostolic Palace to pray the Regina Coeli, returning again to the theme of the Holy Spirit as the one who opens what fear and sin have closed.The pope said the Spirit was poured out abundantly on the newborn Church and is given anew to the faithful today as “light and strength” in every circumstance of life.“The Spirit opens doors,” he said, pointing to the image of Christ opening the doors of the upper room and to the Acts of the Apostles, where the Spirit comes “like a violent wind.”Leo asked: “What doors does the Holy Spirit open?”The first, he said, is “the door of God himself,” opening access to the mystery of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, he said, helps believers encounter God personally in Jesus, recognize him within themselves, and discover the signs of his presence in daily life.The second door is that of the upper room, “that is, of the Church.” Without the fire of the Spirit, the pope said, the Church “remains a prisoner of fear,” timid before the challenges of the world, closed in on itself, and unable to enter into dialogue with changing times.The third door, Leo said, is “the door of our hearts.” The Spirit helps believers overcome resistance, selfishness, mistrust, and prejudice, making them capable of living as children of God and brothers and sisters to one another.“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, fraternity is born among persons, groups, and peoples of the earth,” he said, adding that all are called to speak “the one language of love, which unites and harmonizes differences.”The pope also recalled the day of prayer for the Church in China, observed on the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, who is venerated at the Shrine of Our Lady of Sheshan in Shanghai.Leo invited the faithful to join in prayer with Chinese Catholics “as a sign of our affection for them and of their communion with the universal Church and with the successor of Peter.” He prayed that Mary’s intercession would obtain for the Church in China the grace of unity and the strength to witness to the Gospel in daily hardship, becoming a seed of hope and peace.The pope also remembered victims of a recent mining accident in northern China and entrusted to Mary the Christian communities of the Holy Land, Lebanon, and the wider Middle East suffering because of war.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam May 24, 2026May 24, 2026

The pontiff prayed that the Holy Spirit would save humanity from war, misery, and sin.

Picture of the day

This sculpture representing the Gospel of Matthew appears in St. Genesius Church in Baden-Württemberg. It depicts a tetramorph element standing next the apostle reading a codex. Today is Saint Matthew’s feast day.
#ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam September 29, 2025

Picture of the day

This sculpture representing the Gospel of Matthew appears in St. Genesius Church in Baden-Württemberg. It depicts a tetramorph element standing next the apostle reading a codex. Today is Saint Matthew’s feast day.

In the Style of Impressionism create an image of Mary Magdalene – #AIart

unitedyam July 13, 2024June 26, 2024

Mary Magdalene is one of the most enigmatic and revered figures in Christian tradition, often portrayed as a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Her name, derived from the town of Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, indicates her origins. She is prominently mentioned in the Gospels as a key supporter of Jesus, one who provided for him out of her own resources. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, a testament to the transformative power of his ministry in her life. This act of deliverance marked the beginning of her unwavering devotion. She is frequently listed among the women who accompanied Jesus and the twelve disciples, highlighting her significant role in his ministry.

Galatians 5:19-21 – The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like…

unitedyam July 10, 2024June 12, 2024

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
– Galatians 5:19-21