wisdom

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.
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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

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.

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Start here: 15 quotes from Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical Magnifica Humanitas #Catholic Pope Leo XIV just released his first encyclical — and it may be the most important Church document of our lifetime. Called Magnifica Humanitas, it covers artificial intelligence, human dignity, childrenʼs phones, autonomous weapons, doomscrolling, the mystery of the human soul, and why no machine will ever have the final word on what it means to be a person made in the image of God.The full document is available to download here — and worth a read. But for a quick taste of whatʼs inside, here are 15 powerful quotes from the encyclical:“Never has humanity had such power over itself.” (par. 4)"In practice, however, technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate and use it. Therefore, the primary choice is not between a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to technology, but rather between constructing Babel or rebuilding Jerusalem; between a power that claims to dominate the heavens and a people who work together in the presence of God to rebuild the walls of fraternal coexistence.” (par. 9)“In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human. We must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us and revealed in its fullness in Christ, the splendor of which no machine can ever replace.” (par. 15)“Thus, the ‘rejected stones’ — the poor, the sick, the migrants and the least among us — will become the cornerstone, and a solid, welcoming common home will emerge on the earth, where love and faithfulness will finally meet, and righteousness and peace will embrace (cf. Ps 85:10).” (par.16)“Human dignity does not depend on a person’s abilities, wealth, or position in life, nor on the right or wrong choices made; instead, it is a gift that precedes and transcends each person, endowed by God as an expression of his unfailing love.” (par. 50)“Among these ideologies, I consider particularly insidious the one that suggests that every person must earn or justify his or her own worth, to the point of attributing greater value to those who are more efficient or effective.” (par. 51)“No sin, failure, humiliation, or exclusion can diminish the profound value of a human life that God has willed and called into being.” (par. 52)“Solidarity demands that decisions regarding data, algorithms, platforms and artificial intelligence take into account not only the immediate benefit for a few, but also the impact on all peoples and on future generations.” (par. 76)“For an algorithm, an error is a flaw to be corrected; for a person, however, an error can be a catalyst for profound change. A person’s future is not calculable, but depends on one’s freedom — elevated by the inexhaustible grace of God — and on the relationships cultivated.” (par. 128)“Having a personal mobile device at too early an age and using it without adult supervision can exacerbate young people’s vulnerabilities, foster addiction, and expose them to isolation, bullying, and cyberbullying, as well as to pressures to share intimate images or sensitive information.” (par. 141)“Even in the darkest nights, the Lord raises up men and women who refuse to give up, who persevere in doing good, who protect the vulnerable and open pathways to reconciliation. The memory of the saints, righteous people, and the oft-forgotten peacemakers, show us that grace does not magically eliminate conflict, but instead it inspires active resistance to evil and an astonishing creativity in doing good.” (par. 211)“The civilization of love will not arise from a single or spectacular gesture, but from the sum total of small and steadfast acts of fidelity that serve as a bulwark against dehumanization.” (par. 213)“‘Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world.’ Words have enormous power, something we experience in our daily interactions; for example, spoken words can change our mood for better or for worse." (par. 214)“No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil. Even when machines excel in efficiency, a human face that asks to be gazed upon remains the center of our history. This human face is the fullness toward which history is moving.” (par. 233)“Let us remain faithful to the truth! Living amid incessant flows of information, opinions and images, we know how easy it can be to influence decisions and preferences through increasingly sophisticated algorithms. In this context, it is imperative to cultivate hearts that love the truth, prefer what is right despite the most appealing content and pursue wisdom rather than immediate results.” (par. 237)
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Start here: 15 quotes from Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical Magnifica Humanitas #Catholic Pope Leo XIV just released his first encyclical — and it may be the most important Church document of our lifetime. Called Magnifica Humanitas, it covers artificial intelligence, human dignity, childrenʼs phones, autonomous weapons, doomscrolling, the mystery of the human soul, and why no machine will ever have the final word on what it means to be a person made in the image of God.The full document is available to download here — and worth a read. But for a quick taste of whatʼs inside, here are 15 powerful quotes from the encyclical:“Never has humanity had such power over itself.” (par. 4)"In practice, however, technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate and use it. Therefore, the primary choice is not between a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to technology, but rather between constructing Babel or rebuilding Jerusalem; between a power that claims to dominate the heavens and a people who work together in the presence of God to rebuild the walls of fraternal coexistence.” (par. 9)“In the era of artificial intelligence, when human dignity is threatened by new forms of dehumanization, ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human. We must lovingly safeguard the grandeur of humanity bestowed upon us and revealed in its fullness in Christ, the splendor of which no machine can ever replace.” (par. 15)“Thus, the ‘rejected stones’ — the poor, the sick, the migrants and the least among us — will become the cornerstone, and a solid, welcoming common home will emerge on the earth, where love and faithfulness will finally meet, and righteousness and peace will embrace (cf. Ps 85:10).” (par.16)“Human dignity does not depend on a person’s abilities, wealth, or position in life, nor on the right or wrong choices made; instead, it is a gift that precedes and transcends each person, endowed by God as an expression of his unfailing love.” (par. 50)“Among these ideologies, I consider particularly insidious the one that suggests that every person must earn or justify his or her own worth, to the point of attributing greater value to those who are more efficient or effective.” (par. 51)“No sin, failure, humiliation, or exclusion can diminish the profound value of a human life that God has willed and called into being.” (par. 52)“Solidarity demands that decisions regarding data, algorithms, platforms and artificial intelligence take into account not only the immediate benefit for a few, but also the impact on all peoples and on future generations.” (par. 76)“For an algorithm, an error is a flaw to be corrected; for a person, however, an error can be a catalyst for profound change. A person’s future is not calculable, but depends on one’s freedom — elevated by the inexhaustible grace of God — and on the relationships cultivated.” (par. 128)“Having a personal mobile device at too early an age and using it without adult supervision can exacerbate young people’s vulnerabilities, foster addiction, and expose them to isolation, bullying, and cyberbullying, as well as to pressures to share intimate images or sensitive information.” (par. 141)“Even in the darkest nights, the Lord raises up men and women who refuse to give up, who persevere in doing good, who protect the vulnerable and open pathways to reconciliation. The memory of the saints, righteous people, and the oft-forgotten peacemakers, show us that grace does not magically eliminate conflict, but instead it inspires active resistance to evil and an astonishing creativity in doing good.” (par. 211)“The civilization of love will not arise from a single or spectacular gesture, but from the sum total of small and steadfast acts of fidelity that serve as a bulwark against dehumanization.” (par. 213)“‘Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world.’ Words have enormous power, something we experience in our daily interactions; for example, spoken words can change our mood for better or for worse." (par. 214)“No computational system, however sophisticated, can create a heart that gives itself, or a conscience that discerns good from evil. Even when machines excel in efficiency, a human face that asks to be gazed upon remains the center of our history. This human face is the fullness toward which history is moving.” (par. 233)“Let us remain faithful to the truth! Living amid incessant flows of information, opinions and images, we know how easy it can be to influence decisions and preferences through increasingly sophisticated algorithms. In this context, it is imperative to cultivate hearts that love the truth, prefer what is right despite the most appealing content and pursue wisdom rather than immediate results.” (par. 237)

unitedyam

Pope Leo XIV just released his first encyclical — and it may be the most important Church document of our lifetime.

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Bishop Barron speaks on U.S. religious roots ahead of nation’s 250th anniversary #Catholic While there has been a tendency in the United Sates "to hyper-stress separation of church and state," Bishop Robert Barron said "the roots of our country are deeply religious" and "the basic principles of the country are inescapably religious.” On May 17, thousands gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the White House event celebrating “one nation under God” and "the connection between religion and our American democracy,”  Barron said.In an interview with EWTN News’ Colm Flynn ahead of the event, Barron discussed the “hugely important” phrase "one nation under God.”“In the written versions of the Gettysburg Address that [Abraham Lincoln] prepared before giving it, the phrase ‘under God’ is not there,” Barron explained.“But then when he was delivering it he added ... ‘under God,’“ Barron said. ”I think it represented a deep intuition that Lincoln had that you canʼt really understand our democracy without it.” The phrase “under God” is “meant to hold off tyranny,” he said. It is clear that “all kings and all rulers are under God, meaning under the judgment and authority of God. Our founders understood that.”“And that little phrase is meant to hold off that tendency to deify any political establishment, political party, political ruler. Weʼre a nation, yes indeed, but weʼre under God. Our laws are determined by God,” he said.“I love the First Amendment to our Constitution, which in its opening lines expresses very eloquently … the right balance,“ he said. ”Namely, ‘Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.’”“But then thereʼs a second part, the second clause of that: ‘Congress shall make no law limiting the free exercise of religion,’” he said.“Thatʼs an eloquent balance. So thereʼs no officially state-sanctioned religion, but that does not mean that religion has no role in public life. On the contrary, because there should be no law restricting the free exercise of religion,” Barron said. Catholics’ role in public life and public officeCatholics in public office should bring “moral sensibility into their public decisions,” Barron said.“Weʼre not here to impose Catholicism on anybody,” he said. “But I think to bring a moral and spiritual sensibility into the decisions that you make at these high levels is altogether valid.”As a member of the White House Religious Liberty Commission, Barron said he met “lots of Catholics in the present administration” and told them to “bring Thomas Aquinas into your public life.”“By which I mean bring these great moral and spiritual principles that indeed undergird our democracy, but make them a lively presence in the work that you do,” he said.Barron further spoke about his time on the White House commission, where he received both criticism and praise.When asked to be a commissioner, “my first reaction was very positive,” Barron said. “I thought … ‘Theyʼre inviting a Catholic bishop to be a voice around the table in the formulation of this policy. Why would I say no?’”To say no would be “taking a Catholic voice away from that process,” he said.“I’m not implementing the policy. Iʼm making suggestions regarding the formulation of policy,” Barron explained. “The president could take or leave what we say … So Iʼm not implementing the presidentʼs policies. Iʼm helping to shape public policy.”“The commission was great. I spoke my mind in every setting. No one censored me,” said Barron, who was present at a White House Holy Week event when Pentecostal pastor Paula Cain White compared the president’s suffering to Jesus Christ’s.Barron said he was able to address issues within the administration, specifically about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “detainees in Chicago having access to sacraments and pastoral care.”The bishop took the matter to Homeland Security and “no one questioned” him. It was “a religious liberty issue,” because “people have a right to their sacraments and pastoral care,” he said.Barron also spoke out in regard to the president’s “critical remarks about the pope.”“I said in an X post that I have deep admiration for the president in regard to religion. Heʼs done wonderful things. But I said I think that was a disrespectful way to talk to the pope,” Barron said.“In regards to prudential judgment,” a president can “disagree with the pope,” Barron said. “But the pope is not ... just an ordinary hack politician that you can sort of talk in that flippant way to.” Bishop Robert Barron speaks with EWTN News’ Colm Flynn ahead of the May 17, 2026, White House event on “one nation under God” in Washington, D.C. | Credit: EWTN News “Heʼs the vicar of Christ, successor of Peter. Heʼs our Holy Father. And I just felt that was disrespectful, and I thought it was not a constructive contribution to the conversation,” he said.“Heʼs the Holy Father, so we have a filial relationship to him. Heʼs a father, weʼre like children … we have a family relationship to the pope. So itʼs different than just our relationship to a political leader.”“At the level of principle and the moral values that ought to be informing our life … we abide by what the pope is saying, but I think there can be disagreement at the prudential level,” Barron said.Dividing issues in the nation todayAmid numerous wars right now, Barron said “we should study” the just war tradition.It offers “very useful criteria, and I think the Churchʼs job is to bring these to consciousness and urge political leaders to apply them,” he said.“The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that when it comes to the evaluation and application of the criteria, that belongs to the civil authorities. And I think thereʼs great wisdom there too.”Barron also spoke to the ongoing matters with U.S. immigration enforcement.“A completely open border invites a lot of moral chaos, and a lot of catastrophe happens because of an open border. So the Church recognizes the legitimacy of that,” Barron said. “At the same time, the Church wants us to welcome the stranger and to be open to those who are in great need and those who are seeking refuge.”ICE “is a very legitimate expression of the governmentʼs authority, but … I think ICE is way too blunt a tool to use to solve the general issue of people in the country illegally,” Barron said.“I think a political solution has to be found. I donʼt think ICE is the right instrument to do that,” he said. “Iʼd invite people who are intimately involved in these things to have a good, morally informed conversation about it and come to good prudential judgments.”“Iʼm not an expert in immigration policy, and Iʼm not an expert in the economics that are prevailing on the ground in various situations,” he said. “I think we have to inform all those who are making those decisions, make sure they have a keen moral sensibility, [and] know what the principles are.”“But I think people of goodwill can, and obviously do, disagree about how they are applied … concretely,” he said.
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Bishop Barron speaks on U.S. religious roots ahead of nation’s 250th anniversary #Catholic While there has been a tendency in the United Sates "to hyper-stress separation of church and state," Bishop Robert Barron said "the roots of our country are deeply religious" and "the basic principles of the country are inescapably religious.” On May 17, thousands gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for the White House event celebrating “one nation under God” and "the connection between religion and our American democracy,”  Barron said.In an interview with EWTN News’ Colm Flynn ahead of the event, Barron discussed the “hugely important” phrase "one nation under God.”“In the written versions of the Gettysburg Address that [Abraham Lincoln] prepared before giving it, the phrase ‘under God’ is not there,” Barron explained.“But then when he was delivering it he added … ‘under God,’“ Barron said. ”I think it represented a deep intuition that Lincoln had that you canʼt really understand our democracy without it.” The phrase “under God” is “meant to hold off tyranny,” he said. It is clear that “all kings and all rulers are under God, meaning under the judgment and authority of God. Our founders understood that.”“And that little phrase is meant to hold off that tendency to deify any political establishment, political party, political ruler. Weʼre a nation, yes indeed, but weʼre under God. Our laws are determined by God,” he said.“I love the First Amendment to our Constitution, which in its opening lines expresses very eloquently … the right balance,“ he said. ”Namely, ‘Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion.’”“But then thereʼs a second part, the second clause of that: ‘Congress shall make no law limiting the free exercise of religion,’” he said.“Thatʼs an eloquent balance. So thereʼs no officially state-sanctioned religion, but that does not mean that religion has no role in public life. On the contrary, because there should be no law restricting the free exercise of religion,” Barron said. Catholics’ role in public life and public officeCatholics in public office should bring “moral sensibility into their public decisions,” Barron said.“Weʼre not here to impose Catholicism on anybody,” he said. “But I think to bring a moral and spiritual sensibility into the decisions that you make at these high levels is altogether valid.”As a member of the White House Religious Liberty Commission, Barron said he met “lots of Catholics in the present administration” and told them to “bring Thomas Aquinas into your public life.”“By which I mean bring these great moral and spiritual principles that indeed undergird our democracy, but make them a lively presence in the work that you do,” he said.Barron further spoke about his time on the White House commission, where he received both criticism and praise.When asked to be a commissioner, “my first reaction was very positive,” Barron said. “I thought … ‘Theyʼre inviting a Catholic bishop to be a voice around the table in the formulation of this policy. Why would I say no?’”To say no would be “taking a Catholic voice away from that process,” he said.“I’m not implementing the policy. Iʼm making suggestions regarding the formulation of policy,” Barron explained. “The president could take or leave what we say … So Iʼm not implementing the presidentʼs policies. Iʼm helping to shape public policy.”“The commission was great. I spoke my mind in every setting. No one censored me,” said Barron, who was present at a White House Holy Week event when Pentecostal pastor Paula Cain White compared the president’s suffering to Jesus Christ’s.Barron said he was able to address issues within the administration, specifically about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “detainees in Chicago having access to sacraments and pastoral care.”The bishop took the matter to Homeland Security and “no one questioned” him. It was “a religious liberty issue,” because “people have a right to their sacraments and pastoral care,” he said.Barron also spoke out in regard to the president’s “critical remarks about the pope.”“I said in an X post that I have deep admiration for the president in regard to religion. Heʼs done wonderful things. But I said I think that was a disrespectful way to talk to the pope,” Barron said.“In regards to prudential judgment,” a president can “disagree with the pope,” Barron said. “But the pope is not … just an ordinary hack politician that you can sort of talk in that flippant way to.” Bishop Robert Barron speaks with EWTN News’ Colm Flynn ahead of the May 17, 2026, White House event on “one nation under God” in Washington, D.C. | Credit: EWTN News “Heʼs the vicar of Christ, successor of Peter. Heʼs our Holy Father. And I just felt that was disrespectful, and I thought it was not a constructive contribution to the conversation,” he said.“Heʼs the Holy Father, so we have a filial relationship to him. Heʼs a father, weʼre like children … we have a family relationship to the pope. So itʼs different than just our relationship to a political leader.”“At the level of principle and the moral values that ought to be informing our life … we abide by what the pope is saying, but I think there can be disagreement at the prudential level,” Barron said.Dividing issues in the nation todayAmid numerous wars right now, Barron said “we should study” the just war tradition.It offers “very useful criteria, and I think the Churchʼs job is to bring these to consciousness and urge political leaders to apply them,” he said.“The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that when it comes to the evaluation and application of the criteria, that belongs to the civil authorities. And I think thereʼs great wisdom there too.”Barron also spoke to the ongoing matters with U.S. immigration enforcement.“A completely open border invites a lot of moral chaos, and a lot of catastrophe happens because of an open border. So the Church recognizes the legitimacy of that,” Barron said. “At the same time, the Church wants us to welcome the stranger and to be open to those who are in great need and those who are seeking refuge.”ICE “is a very legitimate expression of the governmentʼs authority, but … I think ICE is way too blunt a tool to use to solve the general issue of people in the country illegally,” Barron said.“I think a political solution has to be found. I donʼt think ICE is the right instrument to do that,” he said. “Iʼd invite people who are intimately involved in these things to have a good, morally informed conversation about it and come to good prudential judgments.”“Iʼm not an expert in immigration policy, and Iʼm not an expert in the economics that are prevailing on the ground in various situations,” he said. “I think we have to inform all those who are making those decisions, make sure they have a keen moral sensibility, [and] know what the principles are.”“But I think people of goodwill can, and obviously do, disagree about how they are applied … concretely,” he said.

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“There’s no officially state-sanctioned religion, but that does not mean that religion has no role in public life,” Bishop Robert Barron said.

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Vatican prepares Pope Leo XIV summit on marriage crisis #Catholic Pope Leo XIV is aware that among the vocations to which men and women are called by God, marriage is one of the “noblest and highest.”He said as much last October, on the 10th anniversary of the canonization of Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Now, the pope has set in motion a process to address both marital crises and the growing fear among young people of getting married and forming a family.Leo XIV has called the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences to Rome this October to seek a response to an issue he considers crucial not only for the Church but also for society.In preparation for the high-level meeting, the Vatican organized a study day Tuesday titled “The Sacrament of Marriage, Faith, and Munus Docendi” at the Casina Pio IV.The initiative, hosted by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, brought together about 75 participants by invitation, including representatives of various dicasteries of the Roman Curia as well as rectors, lecturers, and others involved in the formation of future pastors.According to the dicastery, the study day was devoted to the formation of priests in accompanying “young people, engaged couples, and married couples in faith.”How can the Church form pastors capable of accompanying young people, engaged couples, and spouses so that they live Christian marriage as an authentic experience of faith in a cultural context marked by secularization? Several speakers addressed that question, including Father Andrea Bozzolo, rector of the Pontifical Salesian University.Speaking with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the Italian priest — who has taught theology of marriage at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family — emphasized the urgent need to form priests who are prepared to accompany young people and help them live Christian marriage as a true event of faith rather than as a mere “formality or social rite.”According to Bozzolo, in large sectors of contemporary society, marriage is no longer perceived as a decisive moment in the formation of a family.“For many couples, marriage today seems to be a less decisive step in the emergence of the family covenant,” he said.In that context, he added, cohabitation before marriage has become widespread as a kind of trial stage. For many young people, the strength of that relationship, tested in daily life, “has become the condition for eventually considering access to marriage,” he said.Bozzolo explained that this mentality fuels the now widespread phenomenon of couples living together before going to the altar.Unlike in past decades, when de facto unions were presented as an ideological alternative to marriage, today “they are often understood as a preparatory path,” he said.In what he described as a “liquid society,” cohabitation frequently functions as a first family experience, open to being consolidated over time into a more stable relationship.“Cohabitation in most cases does not seek to exclude the marriage covenant but rather to verify its viability,” he said, noting that the increase in separations also reflects this way of understanding the bond.Not blaming, but not trivializingIn response to this reality, Bozzolo said the Church should “not blame” young people who ask to marry after living together, but it also should not “trivialize” premarital cohabitation, because “it is not the correct way” to arrive at the altar.He also called on the Church to break with stereotypes that present love as if it were “a simple feeling.”“Love has ontological value — and not merely psychological value — and that is why marriage is a privileged vehicle for the biblical revelation of the face of God,” he said.Bozzolo insisted on the need for priestly formation that helps future priests rediscover the decisive value of marriage as a public and sacramental act.“The public and religious expression of consent,” he said, is no longer usually perceived today as something that substantially affects the stability of the bond — a reality he described as “a pastoral challenge of the first order.”Marriage is not a simple social procedureFor that reason, he said, it is essential for the Church to prepare priests who can accompany young people along a journey of faith that presents Christian marriage not as a “simple social procedure.”The goal, Bozzolo explained, is to help priests accompany married couples so that they learn to “recognize the presence and action of God in the concrete history of their bond.”Such accompaniment, he said, requires a “formative approach” capable of bringing together biblical wisdom, theological understanding, an awareness of contemporary cultural trends, and attentive listening to the real experiences of families.One current problem among couples, he said, is the tendency to absolutize the relationship and place expectations on the spousal bond that the other person cannot sustain alone.“We cannot place the entire responsibility for our happiness on our spouse, because he or she will disappoint us. For that, we have Jesus, the true messiah,” Bozzolo said.Only from a well-grounded faith, he emphasized, is it possible to live marriage in a healthy, realistic way that is open to gratuitousness, without making the other person the ultimate source of meaning.For that reason, and in direct relation to the formation of future priests, Bozzolo highlighted the need to create formation paths in seminaries that integrate these dimensions and prepare pastors for authentic marriage ministry, rooted in life and not reduced to theoretical frameworks.The last time a pope called together all the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences was in February 2019, when Pope Francis gathered them to address the wound of sexual abuse in the Church. That meeting marked a shift in the global perception of the problem and made it possible to outline a long-term strategy.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Vatican prepares Pope Leo XIV summit on marriage crisis #Catholic Pope Leo XIV is aware that among the vocations to which men and women are called by God, marriage is one of the “noblest and highest.”He said as much last October, on the 10th anniversary of the canonization of Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Now, the pope has set in motion a process to address both marital crises and the growing fear among young people of getting married and forming a family.Leo XIV has called the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences to Rome this October to seek a response to an issue he considers crucial not only for the Church but also for society.In preparation for the high-level meeting, the Vatican organized a study day Tuesday titled “The Sacrament of Marriage, Faith, and Munus Docendi” at the Casina Pio IV.The initiative, hosted by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, brought together about 75 participants by invitation, including representatives of various dicasteries of the Roman Curia as well as rectors, lecturers, and others involved in the formation of future pastors.According to the dicastery, the study day was devoted to the formation of priests in accompanying “young people, engaged couples, and married couples in faith.”How can the Church form pastors capable of accompanying young people, engaged couples, and spouses so that they live Christian marriage as an authentic experience of faith in a cultural context marked by secularization? Several speakers addressed that question, including Father Andrea Bozzolo, rector of the Pontifical Salesian University.Speaking with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the Italian priest — who has taught theology of marriage at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family — emphasized the urgent need to form priests who are prepared to accompany young people and help them live Christian marriage as a true event of faith rather than as a mere “formality or social rite.”According to Bozzolo, in large sectors of contemporary society, marriage is no longer perceived as a decisive moment in the formation of a family.“For many couples, marriage today seems to be a less decisive step in the emergence of the family covenant,” he said.In that context, he added, cohabitation before marriage has become widespread as a kind of trial stage. For many young people, the strength of that relationship, tested in daily life, “has become the condition for eventually considering access to marriage,” he said.Bozzolo explained that this mentality fuels the now widespread phenomenon of couples living together before going to the altar.Unlike in past decades, when de facto unions were presented as an ideological alternative to marriage, today “they are often understood as a preparatory path,” he said.In what he described as a “liquid society,” cohabitation frequently functions as a first family experience, open to being consolidated over time into a more stable relationship.“Cohabitation in most cases does not seek to exclude the marriage covenant but rather to verify its viability,” he said, noting that the increase in separations also reflects this way of understanding the bond.Not blaming, but not trivializingIn response to this reality, Bozzolo said the Church should “not blame” young people who ask to marry after living together, but it also should not “trivialize” premarital cohabitation, because “it is not the correct way” to arrive at the altar.He also called on the Church to break with stereotypes that present love as if it were “a simple feeling.”“Love has ontological value — and not merely psychological value — and that is why marriage is a privileged vehicle for the biblical revelation of the face of God,” he said.Bozzolo insisted on the need for priestly formation that helps future priests rediscover the decisive value of marriage as a public and sacramental act.“The public and religious expression of consent,” he said, is no longer usually perceived today as something that substantially affects the stability of the bond — a reality he described as “a pastoral challenge of the first order.”Marriage is not a simple social procedureFor that reason, he said, it is essential for the Church to prepare priests who can accompany young people along a journey of faith that presents Christian marriage not as a “simple social procedure.”The goal, Bozzolo explained, is to help priests accompany married couples so that they learn to “recognize the presence and action of God in the concrete history of their bond.”Such accompaniment, he said, requires a “formative approach” capable of bringing together biblical wisdom, theological understanding, an awareness of contemporary cultural trends, and attentive listening to the real experiences of families.One current problem among couples, he said, is the tendency to absolutize the relationship and place expectations on the spousal bond that the other person cannot sustain alone.“We cannot place the entire responsibility for our happiness on our spouse, because he or she will disappoint us. For that, we have Jesus, the true messiah,” Bozzolo said.Only from a well-grounded faith, he emphasized, is it possible to live marriage in a healthy, realistic way that is open to gratuitousness, without making the other person the ultimate source of meaning.For that reason, and in direct relation to the formation of future priests, Bozzolo highlighted the need to create formation paths in seminaries that integrate these dimensions and prepare pastors for authentic marriage ministry, rooted in life and not reduced to theoretical frameworks.The last time a pope called together all the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences was in February 2019, when Pope Francis gathered them to address the wound of sexual abuse in the Church. That meeting marked a shift in the global perception of the problem and made it possible to outline a long-term strategy.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The October meeting in Rome will bring together presidents of bishops’ conferences from around the world to seek a response to what the pope considers a crucial issue for the Church and society.

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Pope Leo XIV tells new priests: ‘You are a channel, not a filter’ #Catholic VATICAN CITY, April 26, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV ordained 10 new priests in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, urging them to keep the doors of the Church open and to remember that their mission is to welcome, not to exclude.“Today more than ever, especially when statistics seem to indicate a divide between people and the Church, keep the door open! Let people in, and be prepared to go out,” the pope said in his homily for the Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.“This is another secret for your life: you are a channel, not a filter,” he told the ordinands.Eight of the new priests were ordained for the Diocese of Rome, of which the pope is bishop: Guglielmo Lapenna, Giorgio Larosa, Jos Emanuele Nleme Sabate, Giovanni Emanuele Nunziante Salazar, Antonino Ordine, Yordan Camilo Ramos Medina, Daniele Riscica, and Cristian Sguazzino.The pope also ordained Armando Roa Núñez, born in Mexico and incardinated in the Diocese of Miao in India, and Selwyn Pinto Loyce, born in Saudi Arabia and incardinated in the Institute of Christ the Redeemer, Idente Missionaries.Reflecting on the Gospel in which Jesus says, “I am the gate,” Leo told the new priests to see themselves as servants of a suffering humanity that awaits abundant life.“Never hide this holy door. Do not block it; do not be an obstacle to those who wish to enter,” he said. Quoting Jesus’ rebuke in Luke’s Gospel, he added: “You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”The pope said priestly ministry should be marked by communion and openness. “You belong to everyone and are for everyone!” he said. “Let this be the fundamental purpose of your mission: to keep the threshold open and direct others to it, without using too many words.”Leo also urged the ordinands not to reduce Christian life to parish structures or ecclesial groups.“The Church’s doors are open, but not to cut us off from life: life does not end in a parish, in an association, in a movement, in a group,” he said. “Whoever is saved can ‘go out and find pasture.’”“Dear brothers, go out and discover culture, people and life!” the pope continued. “Marvel at the things that God makes grow without our having sown them.”The pope also spoke about celibacy, comparing it to the love of spouses.“Certainly, like the love of spouses, the love that inspires celibacy for the Kingdom of God must also be guarded and constantly renewed, for every true affection matures and becomes fruitful over time,” he said.He told the new priests that the deeper their bond with Christ, “the more radical” their belonging to humanity becomes, adding that they are called to be “not only good priests but also honest, helpful citizens, builders of peace and social friendship.”The pope warned against fear and the search for scapegoats, saying that the need for security today can make people aggressive and cause communities to close in on themselves.“May your security not lie in the role you hold, but in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as well as in your participation, along with your people, in the story of salvation,” he said.The communities to which the priests will be sent, he said, are already places where the risen Christ is present.“These communities will also help you to become saints!” Leo said. “For your part, help them to walk together, following Jesus, the Good Shepherd, so that they may become places — gardens — of life that rise anew and share themselves with others.”He added: “Facilitating encounters, helping to bring together those who would otherwise never meet, and conciliating division is one and the same as celebrating the Eucharist and Reconciliation. Coming together always means planting the Church anew.”Later on Sunday, before leading the Regina Caeli from the window of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo returned to the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the gate of the sheepfold.“Jesus does not come as a thief to take away our life and our freedom, but to lead us along the paths of righteousness,” he said. “He does not come to ensnare or deceive our conscience, but to illuminate it with the light of his wisdom. He does not come to taint our earthly joys, but to open them to a fuller and more lasting happiness.”“Those who entrust themselves to him have nothing to fear,” the pope said, “for he does not deprive us of life, but comes to give it to us in abundance.”Leo urged the faithful to be vigilant about who or what enters “the gate” of their hearts.“‘Thieves’ can take many forms,” he said, citing those who “suppress our freedom or fail to respect our dignity,” as well as “beliefs and biases,” “mistaken ideas,” and “superficial and consumeristic lifestyles” that leave people empty inside.He also pointed to those who harm humanity by “pillaging the earth’s resources, waging blood-thirsty wars, or fueling evil in any form,” saying they “do nothing but rob each of us of the possibility of a future marked by peace and serenity.”The pope invited the faithful to examine their consciences: “Who do we want to guide us in life? Which ‘thieves’ have tried to break into our fold? Have they succeeded, or have we managed to ward them off?”After the Regina Caeli, Leo recalled the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, calling it a warning about the risks of powerful technologies.“Let us entrust those who died and all who still suffer from the aftermath of the disaster to God’s mercy,” he said. “I hope that discernment and responsibility will always prevail at every level of decision-making so that all use of atomic energy may be placed at the service of life and peace.”The pope also offered a special greeting to the relatives and friends of the new priests of the Diocese of Rome.“Please continue to accompany these young ministers of the Gospel with your prayers,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV tells new priests: ‘You are a channel, not a filter’ #Catholic VATICAN CITY, April 26, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV ordained 10 new priests in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, urging them to keep the doors of the Church open and to remember that their mission is to welcome, not to exclude.“Today more than ever, especially when statistics seem to indicate a divide between people and the Church, keep the door open! Let people in, and be prepared to go out,” the pope said in his homily for the Mass on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.“This is another secret for your life: you are a channel, not a filter,” he told the ordinands.Eight of the new priests were ordained for the Diocese of Rome, of which the pope is bishop: Guglielmo Lapenna, Giorgio Larosa, Jos Emanuele Nleme Sabate, Giovanni Emanuele Nunziante Salazar, Antonino Ordine, Yordan Camilo Ramos Medina, Daniele Riscica, and Cristian Sguazzino.The pope also ordained Armando Roa Núñez, born in Mexico and incardinated in the Diocese of Miao in India, and Selwyn Pinto Loyce, born in Saudi Arabia and incardinated in the Institute of Christ the Redeemer, Idente Missionaries.Reflecting on the Gospel in which Jesus says, “I am the gate,” Leo told the new priests to see themselves as servants of a suffering humanity that awaits abundant life.“Never hide this holy door. Do not block it; do not be an obstacle to those who wish to enter,” he said. Quoting Jesus’ rebuke in Luke’s Gospel, he added: “You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”The pope said priestly ministry should be marked by communion and openness. “You belong to everyone and are for everyone!” he said. “Let this be the fundamental purpose of your mission: to keep the threshold open and direct others to it, without using too many words.”Leo also urged the ordinands not to reduce Christian life to parish structures or ecclesial groups.“The Church’s doors are open, but not to cut us off from life: life does not end in a parish, in an association, in a movement, in a group,” he said. “Whoever is saved can ‘go out and find pasture.’”“Dear brothers, go out and discover culture, people and life!” the pope continued. “Marvel at the things that God makes grow without our having sown them.”The pope also spoke about celibacy, comparing it to the love of spouses.“Certainly, like the love of spouses, the love that inspires celibacy for the Kingdom of God must also be guarded and constantly renewed, for every true affection matures and becomes fruitful over time,” he said.He told the new priests that the deeper their bond with Christ, “the more radical” their belonging to humanity becomes, adding that they are called to be “not only good priests but also honest, helpful citizens, builders of peace and social friendship.”The pope warned against fear and the search for scapegoats, saying that the need for security today can make people aggressive and cause communities to close in on themselves.“May your security not lie in the role you hold, but in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as well as in your participation, along with your people, in the story of salvation,” he said.The communities to which the priests will be sent, he said, are already places where the risen Christ is present.“These communities will also help you to become saints!” Leo said. “For your part, help them to walk together, following Jesus, the Good Shepherd, so that they may become places — gardens — of life that rise anew and share themselves with others.”He added: “Facilitating encounters, helping to bring together those who would otherwise never meet, and conciliating division is one and the same as celebrating the Eucharist and Reconciliation. Coming together always means planting the Church anew.”Later on Sunday, before leading the Regina Caeli from the window of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo returned to the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the gate of the sheepfold.“Jesus does not come as a thief to take away our life and our freedom, but to lead us along the paths of righteousness,” he said. “He does not come to ensnare or deceive our conscience, but to illuminate it with the light of his wisdom. He does not come to taint our earthly joys, but to open them to a fuller and more lasting happiness.”“Those who entrust themselves to him have nothing to fear,” the pope said, “for he does not deprive us of life, but comes to give it to us in abundance.”Leo urged the faithful to be vigilant about who or what enters “the gate” of their hearts.“‘Thieves’ can take many forms,” he said, citing those who “suppress our freedom or fail to respect our dignity,” as well as “beliefs and biases,” “mistaken ideas,” and “superficial and consumeristic lifestyles” that leave people empty inside.He also pointed to those who harm humanity by “pillaging the earth’s resources, waging blood-thirsty wars, or fueling evil in any form,” saying they “do nothing but rob each of us of the possibility of a future marked by peace and serenity.”The pope invited the faithful to examine their consciences: “Who do we want to guide us in life? Which ‘thieves’ have tried to break into our fold? Have they succeeded, or have we managed to ward them off?”After the Regina Caeli, Leo recalled the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, calling it a warning about the risks of powerful technologies.“Let us entrust those who died and all who still suffer from the aftermath of the disaster to God’s mercy,” he said. “I hope that discernment and responsibility will always prevail at every level of decision-making so that all use of atomic energy may be placed at the service of life and peace.”The pope also offered a special greeting to the relatives and friends of the new priests of the Diocese of Rome.“Please continue to accompany these young ministers of the Gospel with your prayers,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The pope ordained 10 men to the priesthood on Good Shepherd Sunday and later warned at the Regina Caeli against the “thieves” that rob people of freedom, dignity, and peace.

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