The New York–Newark–Jersey City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which spans 23 counties across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut and has a population of about 19.9 million, is pictured at approximately 3:29 a.m. local time Dec. 20, 2025, from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the Atlantic coast.
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TEHRAN — As Iranian protestors were shot dead in the streets, President Trump made good on his promise to come to their aid by having thousands of "Make Iran Great Again" hats airdropped all over the country.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — In response to the new food pyramid released Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Democrats have released an alternative food pentagram.
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The site of the former Götaverken Cityvarvet (Götaverken City Shipyards) in Gothenburg.
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The American Eagle clothing company came under fire from leftists for a clothing campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney employing a well-used wordplay of ‘genes’ for marketing blue jeans.
The post Actress Sydney Sweeney Meets With Oct. 7 Survivors Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) recently shared an embarrassing post on its social media accounts.
The post Embarrassing: Chicago Teachers Union Sends Out Flyer With Glaring Misspelling appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Senate Republicans struck down a war powers resolution that would have blocked President Trump from using military force against Venezuela.
The post BREAKING: Senate Republicans Strike Down Venezuela War Powers Resolution – Two GOP Senators Flip – Vance Cast Tie-Breaking Vote appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreO Master and holy God, who are beyond our understanding: at your word, light came forth out of darkness. In your mercy, you gave us rest through night-long sleep, and raised us up to glorify your goodness and to offer our supplication to You. Now, in your own tender love, accept us who adore You and give thanks to You with all our heart. Grant us all our requests, if they lead to salvation; give us the grace of manifesting that we are children of light and day, and heirs to your eternal reward. …
Read MoreStephen Kane, a professor of planetary astrophysics at UC Riverside, was skeptical when he read recent studies that showed the gravitational pull from Mars being connected to Earth’s long-term climate patterns. These studies suggested that sediment layers on the floor of our oceans have recorded climate cycles influenced by the Red Planet despite its distanceContinue reading “Has Mars had an effect on Earth’s climate?”
The post Has Mars had an effect on Earth’s climate? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More![Homeland Security Department says rule will address religious worker visa backlog #Catholic
Credit: Lisa F. Young/Shutterstock
Jan 14, 2026 / 10:25 am (CNA).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it is addressing a religious worker visa backlog with rules that will reduce wait times and disruptions in ministry for faith-based communities.“Under the leadership of Secretary [Kristi] Noem, DHS is committed to protecting and preserving freedom and expression of religion. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure religious organizations can continue delivering the services that Americans depend on,” a DHS spokesperson said in a press release Wednesday. “Pastors, priests, nuns, and rabbis are essential to the social and moral fabric of this country. We remain committed to finding ways to support and empower these organizations in their critical work.”Under the rule expected to be issued Jan. 14, religious workers in the country on R-1 visas would no longer be required to reside outside of the U.S. for a full year if they reach their statutory five-year maximum period of stay before completing their green card applications. “While R-1 religious workers are still required to depart the U.S., the rule establishes that there is no longer a minimum period of time they must reside and be physically present outside the U.S. before they seek readmission in R-1 status,” DHS said.DHS acknowledged the significant demand for visas within the EB-4 category “has exceeded the supply for many years,” citing 2023 changes implemented by President Joe Biden’s State Department. “By eliminating the one-year foreign residency requirement, USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] is reducing the time religious organizations are left without their trusted clergy and non-ministerial religious workers,” according to a DHS statement.The rule, expected to be issued at 11 a.m. Jan. 14, is effective immediately, DHS said.Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a press conference in December 2025 that the government would reveal its plan “early next month” for religious worker visas that would avoid giving preference to one denomination over another. Rubio noted that the plan would not favor one religion over another and that there would be “country-specific requirements depending on the country they’re coming from.” “I think we’re going to get to a good place,” Rubio said at the time. “We don’t have it ready yet. All this takes time to put together, but we’re moving quickly. I think we’ll have something positive about that at some point next month, hopefully in the early part of next month.”Visas for religious workers allow foreign nationals to work for a U.S. religious organization, through the temporary R-1 visa or a Green Card EB-4 visa, which requires at least two years of membership in the same denomination and a job offer from a qualifying nonprofit religious group.Rubio had also said in August the administration was working to create a “standalone process” for religious workers, separate from other competing applicants to the employment-based fourth preference (EB-4) category of visas that became severely backlogged after an unprecedented influx in unaccompanied minor applicants — most of which the USCIS has since alleged were fraudulent — who were added to the already-tight category under the Biden administration.In November 2025, a Catholic diocese in New Jersey dropped a lawsuit filed against the Biden administration’s State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and USCIS, citing knowledge of a solution with national implications.Since the issue of the backlogged visas started, multiple U.S. dioceses have called for a solution. Priests in the Archdiocese of Boston who are in the U.S. on visas were urged to avoid international travel amid the Trump administration’s immigration policies and deportations.Priests and other Church leaders have expressed fear of having to leave their ministries and return to their home countries, then endure lengthy wait times before coming back. Church officials have warned that a continuing backlog could lead to significant priest shortages in the United States.“We are grateful for the administration’s attention to this important issue for the Church and value the opportunity for ongoing dialogue to address these challenges so the faithful can have access to the sacraments and other essential ministries,” a spokesperson for the USCCB told CNA.](http://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/homeland-security-department-says-rule-will-address-religious-worker-visa-backlog-catholic-credit-lisa-f-young-shutterstockjan-14-2026-1025-am-cna-the-department-of-homeland-security.jpg)
Jan 14, 2026 / 10:25 am (CNA).
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it is addressing a religious worker visa backlog with rules that will reduce wait times and disruptions in ministry for faith-based communities.
“Under the leadership of Secretary [Kristi] Noem, DHS is committed to protecting and preserving freedom and expression of religion. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure religious organizations can continue delivering the services that Americans depend on,” a DHS spokesperson said in a press release Wednesday. “Pastors, priests, nuns, and rabbis are essential to the social and moral fabric of this country. We remain committed to finding ways to support and empower these organizations in their critical work.”
Under the rule expected to be issued Jan. 14, religious workers in the country on R-1 visas would no longer be required to reside outside of the U.S. for a full year if they reach their statutory five-year maximum period of stay before completing their green card applications.
“While R-1 religious workers are still required to depart the U.S., the rule establishes that there is no longer a minimum period of time they must reside and be physically present outside the U.S. before they seek readmission in R-1 status,” DHS said.
DHS acknowledged the significant demand for visas within the EB-4 category “has exceeded the supply for many years,” citing 2023 changes implemented by President Joe Biden’s State Department. “By eliminating the one-year foreign residency requirement, USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] is reducing the time religious organizations are left without their trusted clergy and non-ministerial religious workers,” according to a DHS statement.
The rule, expected to be issued at 11 a.m. Jan. 14, is effective immediately, DHS said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a press conference in December 2025 that the government would reveal its plan “early next month” for religious worker visas that would avoid giving preference to one denomination over another. Rubio noted that the plan would not favor one religion over another and that there would be “country-specific requirements depending on the country they’re coming from.”
“I think we’re going to get to a good place,” Rubio said at the time. “We don’t have it ready yet. All this takes time to put together, but we’re moving quickly. I think we’ll have something positive about that at some point next month, hopefully in the early part of next month.”
Visas for religious workers allow foreign nationals to work for a U.S. religious organization, through the temporary R-1 visa or a Green Card EB-4 visa, which requires at least two years of membership in the same denomination and a job offer from a qualifying nonprofit religious group.
Rubio had also said in August the administration was working to create a “standalone process” for religious workers, separate from other competing applicants to the employment-based fourth preference (EB-4) category of visas that became severely backlogged after an unprecedented influx in unaccompanied minor applicants — most of which the USCIS has since alleged were fraudulent — who were added to the already-tight category under the Biden administration.
In November 2025, a Catholic diocese in New Jersey dropped a lawsuit filed against the Biden administration’s State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and USCIS, citing knowledge of a solution with national implications.
Since the issue of the backlogged visas started, multiple U.S. dioceses have called for a solution. Priests in the Archdiocese of Boston who are in the U.S. on visas were urged to avoid international travel amid the Trump administration’s immigration policies and deportations.
Priests and other Church leaders have expressed fear of having to leave their ministries and return to their home countries, then endure lengthy wait times before coming back. Church officials have warned that a continuing backlog could lead to significant priest shortages in the United States.
“We are grateful for the administration’s attention to this important issue for the Church and value the opportunity for ongoing dialogue to address these challenges so the faithful can have access to the sacraments and other essential ministries,” a spokesperson for the USCCB told CNA.
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NASA’s Pandora small satellite, and NASA-sponsored Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS), and Black Hole Coded Aperture Telescope (BlackCAT) CubeSat, are ready to be encapsulated inside a SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing in this early January 2026 photo. Pandora and the CubeSats launched Sunday, Jan. 11, from Vandenberg Space Force Base located on California’s central coast.
Read MoreCome Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
Read MoreA reading from the Book of Samuel
3:1-10, 19-20
During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli,
a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent.
One day Eli was asleep in his usual place.
His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see.
The lamp of God was not yet extinguished,
and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD
where the ark of God was.
The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”
Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.”
“I did not call you,” Eli said. “Go back to sleep.”
So he went back to sleep.
Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.
“Here I am,” he said. “You called me.”
But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”
At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,
because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.
The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.
Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am.
You called me.”
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So Eli said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’”
When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the LORD came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba
came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD.
From the Gospel according to Mark
1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn,
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee.
Thus, from the very beginning, Jesus shows his predilection for people suffering in body and in spirit: it is a predilection of Jesus to draw near to people who suffer both in body and in spirit. It is the Father’s predilection, which he incarnates and manifests with deeds and words. His disciples were eyewitnesses to this; they saw this and then witnessed to it. But Jesus did not want them to be mere spectators of his mission: he involved them; he sent them; he also gave them the power to heal the sick and cast out demons (cf. Mt 10:1; Mk 6:7). And this has continued without interruption in the life of the Church, until today. And this is important. Taking care of the sick of every kind is not an “optional activity” for the Church, no! It is not something extra, no. Taking care of the sick of every kind is an integral part of the Church’s mission, as it was for Jesus. And this mission is to bring God’s tenderness to a suffering humanity. (Pope Francis – Angelus, 7 February 2021)
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — With arguments being presented on issues that will have far-reaching effects on shaping the future of American laws, society, and culture, the other eight Supreme Court justices brought in Ms. Rachel to explain cases to Ketanji Brown Jackson.
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HEAVEN — Celestial sources say that Scott Adams, creator of the "Dilbert" comic strip, has just been shown to the glorious heavenly cubicle where he will spend the rest of eternity praising God.
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Chestnut-naped antpitta (Grallaria nuchalis ruficeps), Reserva Las Tangaras, Chocó, Colombia.
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President Trump is bringing world peace one way or another. Agreements were established last year with countries that were willing to come to a peace agreement.
The post President Trump is Bringing World Peace One Way or Another – the Mexican Cartels May Be Next appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The O’Keefe Media Group on Tuesday released video of a Secret Service agent assigned to JD Vance leaking sensitive information to an undercover reporter.
The post BREAKING: O’Keefe Media Group: Secret Service Agent Assigned to Vance Leaks Sensitive Information to Undercover Reporter – NOW SUSPENDED (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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If Andrew really gives the game away, this could be a catastrophe for the British Royal Family.
The post Renewed Reports Say Cash-Strapped Former Prince Andrew Could Be on Track To Write a ‘Tell-All’ Memoir appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreQuito – San Cristóbal – Bartolomé – Isabela – Fernandina – Floreana – Santa CruzJanuary 19 – February 2, 2028 Embark on a refined 11-day journey that explores the volcanic wonders of the Galápagos Islands and the colonial history of the Andes, all centered around the annular solar eclipse of January 26, 2028. The expeditionContinue reading “2028 Galápagos Annular Eclipse Luxury Cruise”
The post 2028 Galápagos Annular Eclipse Luxury Cruise appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Jan 13, 2026 / 13:11 pm (CNA).
Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis described a pervasive “heaviness” in the community over federal agents’ deadly shooting of a U.S. citizen.
In his pastoral reflection on Jan. 12, the archbishop said he was on retreat with regional bishops last week when the shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official occurred.
“I find myself Googling ‘Minneapolis’ every few hours to learn of the latest developments in a situation that truly tears at the heart,” he wrote, noting that some parishes with large Latino populations are seeing fewer than 50% of usual congregants at recent Masses.
“I hope that you might think about contacting any of our parishes serving immigrant communities to see how you might support them in their ministry,” Hebda wrote.
During the retreat, he said he prayed for consolation for the Good family, wisdom for political leaders, prudence and safety for law enforcement, temperance among protesters, healing for those wounded by political divisions (especially young people), and courage for immigrants living in fear of deportation.
Hebda said he also prayed for parish priests, deacons, educators, and others who are navigating these tensions while striving to “bring the light of the Gospel and the balm of Jesus’ love into these difficult situations.”
After the shooting last week, Hebda in a statement pleaded for “all people of goodwill to join me in prayer for the person who was killed, for their loved ones, and for our community.”
“We continue to be at a time in this country when we need to lower the temperature of rhetoric, stop fear-filled speculation, and start seeing all people as created in the image and likeness of God,” he said.
Good was behind the wheel of an SUV after dropping off her 6-year-old at school when she was killed. Dueling narratives emerged, with the president and Homeland Security secretary saying the ICE officer’s actions were justified against an “act of domestic terrorism,” while Democratic officials said the administration is lying and urged the public to review videos of the shooting themselves.
In his Jan. 12 letter, the prelate noted the “providential” timing of the Church’s psalm response at this past Sunday’s Mass: “The Lord will bless his people with peace” (Psalm 29), adding: “I am confident that the Lord keeps his promises, but I am hoping that he won’t keep us waiting too long. Maybe I should be praying for patience.”
To address the ongoing wounds, the archdiocese hosted Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston on Monday evening for a public presentation titled “A Wounded Church: Finding Peace and Healing,” originally intended to address the shooting that occurred during the all-school Mass at Annunciation Church in August 2025. The event began with a Mass and concluded with Eucharistic adoration.
“How providential that the evening event, planned months ago, would have been scheduled to coincide with this challenging time,” Hebda remarked in his letter. Cozzens also led a morning of recollection for archdiocesan staff on Jan. 13 on the same theme.
The archbishop urged the faithful to support immigrant parishes facing sharp declines in attendance since early December.
“A number of parishioners expressed to me their concerns about how the parishes will be able to continue their excellent ministry and outreach to the needy if Mass attendance (and offertory) remains low,” he wrote. “I am confident that it would be a shot in the arm for them if you could join them some weekend.”
Hebda also requested continued prayers for Father Greg Schaffer, an archdiocesan priest serving at a mission parish in Venezuela. Amid heightened dangers following the Trump administration’s military operation that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, the U.S. State Department has warned of risks for Americans, prompting the archbishop to ask for prayers for Schaffer.
Daniel Payne contributed to this story.
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Retreat in Newton equips men for life’s faith challenges #Catholic – 
On the weekend of Jan. 9 to 11, the 5th Annual Called To Courage (CTC) retreat was held at the Sacred Heart Center in Newton.
Forty-two Catholic men from the following local parishes in New Jersey participated: St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Sparta; St. Matthew the Apostle and Resurrection, both in Randolph; Annunciation and Our Lady of the Valley, both in Wayne; Corpus Christi in Chatham Township; and St. Mary in Wharton — all in the Paterson Diocese — as well as St Michael in Cranford in the Newark Archdiocese.
The CTC retreat theme is “Sacred Journey: Transitions and Transformation.” The theme focused on the various ways in which men share in the Paschal Mystery of Christ, dying and rising in life experiences such as growing from childhood to adulthood, transitioning through the aging process and retirement, and facing other losses and disappointments, including recovery from addictions.
During this annual retreat, men listen and speak from the heart, developing lasting friendships and support systems. This year, four laymen and Salesian Sister Theresa Kelly, director of the Sacred Heart Center, gave witness talks about their spiritual journeys of transformation.
The retreat also featured small- and large-group discussions and several liturgical services. These services included morning prayer services, Stations of the Cross, a reconciliation service, Eucharistic adoration and Benediction, and a Sunday-morning Mass. Father Daniel Murphy, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese and the CTC’s spiritual director, celebrated the Mass.
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited the men on retreat on Saturday for lunch. Then, he listened to one of the talks, participated in a small-group discussion, was present for the reconciliation service, and heard individual confessions along with other priests. The men also had free time to spend as they wished, which included fellowship with the other men and quiet time for prayer and reflection.
The CTC retreat program originated in the various Cornerstone and Men’s retreat programs in the Paterson Diocese, which have been very successful over the years. These retreats are designed to equip men to face faith challenges, focusing on themes such as brotherhood, discipline, and living a holy Catholic life. Father Murphy and a team of laymen lead CTC, which offers a retreat experience for all men, including those from parishes without a men’s retreat ministry.
– On the weekend of Jan. 9 to 11, the 5th Annual Called To Courage (CTC) retreat was held at the Sacred Heart Center in Newton. Forty-two Catholic men from the following local parishes in New Jersey participated: St. Kateri Tekakwitha in Sparta; St. Matthew the Apostle and Resurrection, both in Randolph; Annunciation and Our Lady of the Valley, both in Wayne; Corpus Christi in Chatham Township; and St. Mary in Wharton — all in the Paterson Diocese — as well as St Michael in Cranford in the Newark Archdiocese. The CTC retreat theme is “Sacred Journey: Transitions and Transformation.” The
Jan 13, 2026 / 12:41 pm (CNA).
Angola is one of the countries Pope Leo XIV plans to visit in what will be his first pastoral trip to the continent of Africa as pontiff, the apostolic nuncio in the southern African nation has announced.
Addressing journalists during a press conference on Tuesday, Archbishop Kryspin Witold Dubiel confirmed that the Holy Father had accepted invitations from both the Catholic bishops of Angola and the country’s President João Lourenço, adding that the timelines and itinerary of the visit and program are still being finalized.
“At this moment, we are preparing the plan and program for Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Africa. We do not yet have details on the exact date or program, but these will be communicated as soon as they are defined,” Dubiel said.
The native of Poland’s Diocese of Przemyśl invited all Angolan citizens to prepare for this significant event.
“I hope that the Holy Father’s visit will be an opportunity to rediscover the values that have shaped the Angolan people and to share these values with the diverse communities that live and work around the world,” said the Vatican diplomat in Angola, who also represents the Holy Father in São Tomé and Príncipe.
Also speaking at the press conference was the president of the Bishops’ Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe, who called upon Angolans to participate in the committees that will be established to prepare for the papal visit.
“Each of these committees should give their best in the preparation, promotion, and realization of all tasks assigned,” Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba of Angola’s Saurimo Archdiocese said.
Imbamba thanked Pope Leo XIV for accepting the invitation to visit Angola.
Archbishop Filomeno do Nascimento Vieira Dias of Angola’s Archdiocese of Luanda described the planned papal trip as a “moment of great human and spiritual comfort,” occurring during a special period in the history of Christianity and in the year marking the “grand jubilee of Luanda — 450 years as a city, 450 years celebrating the faith.”
Dias emphasized that the visit places Angola on the path of evangelization and universality.
He went on to thank the Angolan government for “opening the doors” and for accepting to collaborate with faith-based leaders to facilitate the papal visit.
In December 2025, Pope Leo XIV reportedly indicated that he would visit Africa in 2026, naming Algeria as a possible initial destination. Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon were also mentioned as potential stops.
Pope Leo is the first pontiff in modern history with firsthand knowledge of Africa. Unlike his predecessors, he has already been to eastern, western, southern, northern, and central Africa in person.
As he began his papacy following his May 2025 election, the American-born member of the Order of St. Augustine had already visited Kenya at least half a dozen times, the regional vicar of the order in the east African nation told ACI Africa — the last visit to the country having taken place in December 2024.
In a May 12, 2025, interview, Father Robert Karanja Ireri, superior of the Order of St. Augustine in Kenya, recalled that Pope Leo XIV had visited the neighboring Tanzania, confirming the country’s Daily News report that he had visited the East African nation multiple times.
Karanja also confirmed that Pope Leo XIV visited Algeria in North Africa.
Some members of the Augustinian Sisters of the Mercy of Jesus in South Africa recalled their interaction with Pope Leo XIV, then Father Robert Francis Prevost, when he visited the southern African nation.
According to the Nigeria Catholic Network’s May 10 report, Pope Leo would not be “a stranger to Nigeria, as records show that he has visited the country on at least nine occasions between 2001 and 2016.”
In his capacity as Augustinian prior general, Prevost presided over the inauguration of the Augustinian University in the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kinshasa, in 2009.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.
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Jan 13, 2026 / 12:11 pm (CNA).
Eighty years after the expulsion of ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia, a Czech bishop has declared a local Year of Reconciliation to address wounds that remain from World War II and its aftermath.
Bishop Stanislav Přibyl of Litoměřice announced the initiative in a pastoral letter dated Dec. 31, 2025, following the end of the Jubilee of Hope on Jan. 6. The year marks two anniversaries on Jan. 13: the 1866 healing of Magdalena Kade and the 1946 founding of Ackermann-Gemeinde, a Catholic reconciliation group established by expelled Germans.
“The end of World War II brought not just joy and relief but also reckoning with people and the past,” Přibyl wrote in his letter. The war’s aftermath caused displacement and resettlement of populations across Central Europe, leaving lasting scars on the region.
After Nazi Germany annexed the Sudetenland in 1938 and established the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, the majority-German region became part of the Reich. Following Germany’s defeat, Czechoslovakia expelled approximately 3 million ethnic Germans between 1945 and 1946, primarily from the Sudetenland region that now forms part of the Diocese of Litoměřice.
The bishop acknowledged that the question of whether the expulsions were justified remains a matter for historical debate. However, the displacement remains visible in demolished houses without owners and in churches that are abandoned or slowly being rebuilt.
The bishop emphasized that collective guilt, anger, and desire for revenge accompanied the displacement, along with “the sudden acquisition of property without work and closer ties to the place.” Some departing Germans were robbed, raped, or humiliated, a few committed suicide, and there were several massacres, Přibyl wrote.
Following a meeting of the diocese’s priests’ council in November, Přibyl declared the local jubilee of forgiveness and reconciliation. Monthly gatherings will take place in locations where the deportation was particularly cruel, including Terezín (Theresienstadt), which hosted a Nazi transit camp during World War II.
The events will include Christian-Jewish prayer services and Masses of reconciliation. The bishop hopes for “an ecumenical and interfaith spirit” at these gatherings, welcoming Christians, Jews, and Heimatsleute — Germans with deep historical ties to the region.
The press office of the Diocese of Litoměřice told CNA that the jubilee is local and invitations were not sent out broadly. “This is not politics or a revision of history, although historians partake in the preparation,” the press office said.
Heinrich Rüdiger, military attaché from the German embassy to the Czech Republic, joined the first event at Filipov on Jan. 13 marking the anniversary of the healing miracle.
The Ackermann-Gemeinde was founded in Munich on Jan. 13, 1946 — the feast day of the Marian apparition at Filipov — by expelled Sudeten German Catholics who sought reconciliation with the Czech people despite their own suffering. The organization took its name from “Der Ackermann aus Böhmen” (“The Plowman from Bohemia”), a medieval German literary work from Bohemia symbolizing the deep cultural roots of Germans in the region.
The organization has worked for decades on cross-border partnerships, supporting the restoration of damaged churches and cemeteries in the Czech Republic and advocating for human rights. Since 1991, Ackermann-Gemeinde has maintained an office in Prague.
Filipov, a Marian sanctuary in northern Bohemia near the German border, is sometimes called “the Czech Lourdes.” On Jan. 13, 1866, Magdalena Kade, bedridden with severe illnesses, received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who told her: “My daughter, now you are healed.”
Kade immediately recovered, and Bishop Augustin Pavel Wahala of Litoměřice initiated a commission that recognized the healing and its supernatural character. Between 1870 and 1885, a neo-Romanesque church was built at the site, which Pope Leo XIII elevated to a minor basilica and dedicated to Mary, Help of Christians.
The Redemptorist order took custody of the shrine in 1884 and continues to care for pilgrims. Přibyl is himself a Redemptorist.
“You might think that we should stop this reconciliation, as it has been 80 years, it is like taking corpses out of graves,” the bishop wrote in his letter. However, he argued that old wounds must be opened to be healed.
The reconciliation effort “may not be definitive, but an important step towards the healing process that our region still needs so much,” the bishop said. He noted that in some places, reconciliation is only beginning.
“Although we did not do wrong to our neighbors 80 years ago, we still live from the life-giving movement of forgiveness, as we pray in the prayer that Our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us: ‘Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,’” Přibyl wrote.
The bishop concluded: “Prejudices survive and the reluctance to talk about them or to admit that we have all sinned is still here.”
The reconciliation initiative follows recent Czech-Polish-German efforts to address the war’s legacy. In November 2025, Polish and German bishops signed a new declaration in Wrocław marking the 60th anniversary of historic 1965 reconciliation letters.
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Jan 13, 2026 / 10:41 am (CNA).
CHICAGO — A Catholic nonprofit that helps parishes and schools provide faith formation and catechesis for people with disabilities was selected to win the 2026 award for service to Catholic studies from the American Catholic Historical Association (ACHA).
The National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) was presented the award during a panel discussion about the historical and modern interactions between the Church and Catholics with disabilities at the annual ACHA meeting in Chicago on Jan. 8.
During the discussion, panelists highlighted the ongoing efforts to make Catholic parish and school life more welcoming to members of the faithful who have disabilities and also spoke about persistent struggles to ensure that inclusivity is comprehensive throughout the Church.
“Though this recognition of our mission and ministry was very unexpected, it is both energizing and affirming,” Charleen Katra, executive director of NCPD, told CNA in a statement.
Katra said the award helps bring attention to the NCPD’s efforts to ensure Catholics with disabilities receive access to their baptismal rights: “To be educated in the faith; to live a sacramental life; and to respond to God’s call.”
“Persons with disabilities have unique gifts that bless the Church,” she said. “Thank you for blessing NCPD with this honor. We gratefully accept it on behalf of Catholics living with disabilities, and their families, who seek meaningful participation in the Church!”
Mary Dunn, outgoing ACHA president, said NCPD was selected because of its efforts to “promote real belonging” for those with disabilities and said “the lines between history and practice are always thin.”
Katra, who has a background in special education, said in the panel discussion that she first became involved in special religious education when she tutored a child with an intellectual disability named Brandon, who needed catechesis to prepare for the sacraments.
She said there are “a lot of different ways” to learn about God. Brandon needed multisensory learning that included a lot of visuals, which was not a learning experience offered at the parish at that time. In her current role, she helps provide training and resources to parishes to make sure Catholics with disabilities have access to a learning experience that fits their needs.
Although many parishes have incorporated these options into their catechesis, Katra said she still hears from families whose needs are not met by the Church. In some cases, she warned, families will leave the Catholic Church altogether if those needs are not met: “The Church can’t not look at this.”
“What happens?” she said. “They go somewhere else that will meet their needs or their loved one’s needs.”
“No one should not feel at home in the house of the Lord,” she added.
University of Southern Mississippi English professor Leah Parker, who has expertise in disability studies related to literature, said 15% of children in American public schools receive some form of special education, which highlights the need for greater inclusion.
“We’re all made in the image of God,” she said. “… I need my brothers and sisters with disabilities. We are incomplete without each other.”
The ACHA gave out two other awards during its 2026 annual meeting.
The Excellence in Teaching award was presented to Harvard ecclesiastical history professor Kevin Madigan. The Lifetime of Distinguished Scholarship Award was given to Yale history and religious studies professor Carlos Eire.
Read More
Pope Leo XIV proclaims Franciscan Jubilee Year #Catholic – 
Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During this time of grace, which will extend until January 2027, the faithful are granted the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence.
This Franciscan Jubilee Year, considered a gift for the entire Church and an occasion for authentic spiritual renewal, was inaugurated on Jan. 10 with a decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See.
Until Jan. 10 of next year, the faithful can obtain this grace under the usual conditions — sacramental confession, Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope — by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis anywhere in the world.
Furthermore, the elderly, the sick, and those who, for serious reasons, cannot leave their homes can obtain the plenary indulgence by spiritually joining in the jubilee celebrations and offering their prayers, pains, or sufferings to God.
In a world where “the virtual takes over the real, disagreements and social violence are part of everyday life, and peace becomes more insecure and distant every day, this Year of St. Francis spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities, to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ,” the decree states.
For the Order of Friars Minor, this time is also an opportunity for the faithful to become “models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace.”
On the occasion of this anniversary, Pope Leo XIV addressed a letter to the ministers general of the Franciscan Family Conference in which he emphasized that “in this era, marked by so many seemingly endless wars, by internal and social divisions that create distrust and fear, he continues to speak. Not because he offers technical solutions, but because his life points to the authentic source of peace.”
In this regard, he highlighted that St. Francis reminds us that “peace with God, peace among people, and peace with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, Catholic News Agency’s Spanish-language news partner. Almudena Martínez-Bordiú is Rome correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN.
– Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During this time of grace, which will extend until January 2027, the faithful are granted the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence. This Franciscan Jubilee Year, considered a gift for the entire Church and an occasion for authentic spiritual renewal, was inaugurated on Jan. 10 with a decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See. Until Jan. 10 of next year, the faithful can obtain this grace under the usual conditions — sacramental confession, Communion, and prayer for
![Eyes fixed on Jesus #Catholic - Meg Hunter-Kilmer spent 12 years living in her car and traveling around the U.S. to share her love for Jesus with individuals and audiences. Despite her devotion to her Catholic faith, she became aware of a serious shortcoming in her spiritual life.
Like a lot of people, she had heard and read the gospels so many times that she thought she knew all there was to know about them. If the priest at Mass started the parable of the Prodigal Son, she would think, “I know what happens next, so I don’t have to listen.” Then, her mind might drift to her grocery list or plans for next weekend.
But after reading the books “The Robe” by Lloyd C. Douglas and “To Know Christ Jesus” by Frank Sheed, Meg began to see that Jesus was not just a figure in heaven who loved her; He was someone who had “smile lines [and] scars on His fingers from working in the carpenter shop,” she explained on “Christopher Closeup.”
That idea of Jesus’ humanity overwhelmed her, so she spent six months reading the gospels and gospel commentaries. Those efforts led to her latest book, “Eyes Fixed on Jesus, Volume 1.” Meg noted. “The gospels are so familiar to us that we let them wash over us, but they’re also so foreign that we don’t pick up on the connections that are being made.”
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Learning “biblical context” was key to Meg’s new understanding of the gospels. For instance, in modern times, we use the term “Good Samaritan” to refer to anyone who does a kind deed. But Jewish audiences in Jesus’ time “loathed” the Samaritans. The fact that Jesus approached the Samaritan woman at the well as Bridegroom rather than an enemy demonstrates there is nothing we can do to keep Jesus from loving us.
Jesus’ eagerness to approach anybody speaks to His humility. Another example is when He encountered Matthew, the tax collector. Meg explained, “This, for me, was one of the biggest things in starting to understand more about context in Scripture. A tax collector is not a pencil pusher. A tax collector is a Nazi collaborator. This is a guy who looked at the violent and vicious oppressors of his people and [thought], ‘Those guys seem like they tip well.’ And Jesus still wanted him.”
It’s important to note that Jesus doesn’t condemn Matthew for his actions and then say, “Follow me.” Instead, Jesus gets to know him first as a person, just like He does with the other “sinners” who come as guests to the meal Matthew hosts for Jesus. The Pharisees do not look kindly on this gathering or Jesus’ approach.
Meg said, “[Jesus] is calling everybody to conversion, but He comes out hard against the Pharisees and those who congratulate themselves on their religiosity. And He says, ‘Hey, I actually don’t care how many Divine Mercy chaplets you pray if you despise the poor,’ analogously. Whereas with sinners, He comes in gentle and draws them closer. That’s important for us to recognize. If we are standing on a street corner with signs about how God hates you, we have lost this battle for a soul. We need to encounter the person in front of us and love them wildly with the love of Jesus. And when they believe that they are safely loved, that’s when they’re willing to hear an invitation to conversion. But you can’t start with condemnation. It’s not effective, and it’s not what Jesus did.”
Tony Rossi is director of communications for The Christophers. For free copies of the Christopher News Note Imitating Christ’s Humility, write: The Christophers, 264 West 40th Street, Room 603, New York, NY 10018; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org](http://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/eyes-fixed-on-jesus-catholic-meg-hunter-kilmer-spent-12-years-living-in-her-car-and-traveling-around-the-u-s-to-share-her-love-for-jesus-with-individuals-and-audiences-despite-her-devotion-to-her.jpg)
Eyes fixed on Jesus #Catholic – 
Meg Hunter-Kilmer spent 12 years living in her car and traveling around the U.S. to share her love for Jesus with individuals and audiences. Despite her devotion to her Catholic faith, she became aware of a serious shortcoming in her spiritual life.
Like a lot of people, she had heard and read the gospels so many times that she thought she knew all there was to know about them. If the priest at Mass started the parable of the Prodigal Son, she would think, “I know what happens next, so I don’t have to listen.” Then, her mind might drift to her grocery list or plans for next weekend.
But after reading the books “The Robe” by Lloyd C. Douglas and “To Know Christ Jesus” by Frank Sheed, Meg began to see that Jesus was not just a figure in heaven who loved her; He was someone who had “smile lines [and] scars on His fingers from working in the carpenter shop,” she explained on “Christopher Closeup.”
That idea of Jesus’ humanity overwhelmed her, so she spent six months reading the gospels and gospel commentaries. Those efforts led to her latest book, “Eyes Fixed on Jesus, Volume 1.” Meg noted. “The gospels are so familiar to us that we let them wash over us, but they’re also so foreign that we don’t pick up on the connections that are being made.”
Learning “biblical context” was key to Meg’s new understanding of the gospels. For instance, in modern times, we use the term “Good Samaritan” to refer to anyone who does a kind deed. But Jewish audiences in Jesus’ time “loathed” the Samaritans. The fact that Jesus approached the Samaritan woman at the well as Bridegroom rather than an enemy demonstrates there is nothing we can do to keep Jesus from loving us.
Jesus’ eagerness to approach anybody speaks to His humility. Another example is when He encountered Matthew, the tax collector. Meg explained, “This, for me, was one of the biggest things in starting to understand more about context in Scripture. A tax collector is not a pencil pusher. A tax collector is a Nazi collaborator. This is a guy who looked at the violent and vicious oppressors of his people and [thought], ‘Those guys seem like they tip well.’ And Jesus still wanted him.”
It’s important to note that Jesus doesn’t condemn Matthew for his actions and then say, “Follow me.” Instead, Jesus gets to know him first as a person, just like He does with the other “sinners” who come as guests to the meal Matthew hosts for Jesus. The Pharisees do not look kindly on this gathering or Jesus’ approach.
Meg said, “[Jesus] is calling everybody to conversion, but He comes out hard against the Pharisees and those who congratulate themselves on their religiosity. And He says, ‘Hey, I actually don’t care how many Divine Mercy chaplets you pray if you despise the poor,’ analogously. Whereas with sinners, He comes in gentle and draws them closer. That’s important for us to recognize. If we are standing on a street corner with signs about how God hates you, we have lost this battle for a soul. We need to encounter the person in front of us and love them wildly with the love of Jesus. And when they believe that they are safely loved, that’s when they’re willing to hear an invitation to conversion. But you can’t start with condemnation. It’s not effective, and it’s not what Jesus did.”
Tony Rossi is director of communications for The Christophers. For free copies of the Christopher News Note Imitating Christ’s Humility, write: The Christophers, 264 West 40th Street, Room 603, New York, NY 10018; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org
– Meg Hunter-Kilmer spent 12 years living in her car and traveling around the U.S. to share her love for Jesus with individuals and audiences. Despite her devotion to her Catholic faith, she became aware of a serious shortcoming in her spiritual life. Like a lot of people, she had heard and read the gospels so many times that she thought she knew all there was to know about them. If the priest at Mass started the parable of the Prodigal Son, she would think, “I know what happens next, so I don’t have to listen.” Then, her mind might drift
O my God,
trusting in your promises
and because you are faithful,
powerful and merciful,
I hope, through the merits of Jesus Christ,
for the pardon of my sins,
final perseverance
and the blessed glory of heaven
This artist’s concept depicts a smaller white dwarf star pulling material from a larger star, right, into an accretion disk. Scientists used NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer) to study a white dwarf star and its X-ray polarization.
Read More![Catholic Church in Panama calls for new constitution - #Catholic -
Bishops of Panama at a Mass during their 224th ordinary assembly. | Credit: Panamanian Bishops’ Conference
Jan 12, 2026 / 18:41 pm (CNA).
The Catholic bishops in Panama addressed the “urgent need to give ourselves a new constitution” in a message following the 224th ordinary assembly of bishops, which took place this week.“It’s not just a matter of reforming texts but about renewing consensus, strengthening democratic institutions, guaranteeing social justice, and ensuring that the country’s legal framework is in line with the times we live in and those to come,” the prelates stated after their assembly, which was held from Jan. 5–8.“Embracing the legacy of Jan. 9 [1964] requires a clear-sighted understanding of the challenges of the present time. Among them is the urgent need to give ourselves a new constitution that responds realistically and with a vision for the future to the aspirations of the Panamanian people,” the prelates stated.On Jan. 9, 1964, a group of Panamanian students attempted to raise the Panamanian flag in the Panama Canal Zone, then under U.S. control, which sparked violent clashes with U.S. troops, leaving 21 dead and leading to the rupture of diplomatic relations. This event paved the way for the negotiations that ultimately returned control of the canal to Panama.In their statement, the bishops noted that the sacrifice of these young people “reminds us that sovereignty is not inherited passively but is defended with conviction, unity, and generous dedication.”Poverty that cries out to heaven“The poor cannot wait. These are not just numbers or statistics; they are people with faces and stories. They are children, elderly people, women, young people, and entire communities whose dignity is violated every day. And we cannot remain indifferent either,” the bishops stated.The bishops also emphasized the importance of caring for the environment and reaffirmed their “pastoral support for our brothers and sisters in Río Indio, and for those who must make decisions, so that discernment and decisions guarantee a decent life and secure land, without exclusions or impositions.”In that area of the country, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP by its Spanish acronym) is developing a large project to build a new reservoir to ensure water for the canal, which has generated opposition from local communities that will be flooded and relocated. The ACP promises compensation and a better standard of living, however.The Panamanian bishops also expressed their “deep concern over the increase in violence that is becoming normalized in daily life” and emphasized that “no form of violence is acceptable, because it denies the dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, and is radically opposed to the Gospel of life and peace.”They urged “that the justice system act responsibly and effectively, guaranteeing the real protection of victims and unrestricted respect for life.”Solidarity with VenezuelaThe bishops reiterated their “closeness and solidarity with the Church and the Venezuelan people. You are not alone. And in communion with the successor of Peter, we affirm that ‘the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail above any other consideration and lead to overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the country’s sovereignty, ensuring the rule of law enshrined in the constitution, and respecting the human and civil rights of all.”“We unite in prayer so that the Lord may grant that nation the gift of reconciliation, harmony, and a future of cooperation, stability, and peace,” they emphasized.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.](http://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/catholic-church-in-panama-calls-for-new-constitution-catholic-bishops-of-panama-at-a-mass-during-their-224th-ordinary-assembly-credit-panamanian-bishops-conferencejan-12-2026.webp)
Jan 12, 2026 / 18:41 pm (CNA).
The Catholic bishops in Panama addressed the “urgent need to give ourselves a new constitution” in a message following the 224th ordinary assembly of bishops, which took place this week.
“It’s not just a matter of reforming texts but about renewing consensus, strengthening democratic institutions, guaranteeing social justice, and ensuring that the country’s legal framework is in line with the times we live in and those to come,” the prelates stated after their assembly, which was held from Jan. 5–8.
“Embracing the legacy of Jan. 9 [1964] requires a clear-sighted understanding of the challenges of the present time. Among them is the urgent need to give ourselves a new constitution that responds realistically and with a vision for the future to the aspirations of the Panamanian people,” the prelates stated.
On Jan. 9, 1964, a group of Panamanian students attempted to raise the Panamanian flag in the Panama Canal Zone, then under U.S. control, which sparked violent clashes with U.S. troops, leaving 21 dead and leading to the rupture of diplomatic relations. This event paved the way for the negotiations that ultimately returned control of the canal to Panama.
In their statement, the bishops noted that the sacrifice of these young people “reminds us that sovereignty is not inherited passively but is defended with conviction, unity, and generous dedication.”
“The poor cannot wait. These are not just numbers or statistics; they are people with faces and stories. They are children, elderly people, women, young people, and entire communities whose dignity is violated every day. And we cannot remain indifferent either,” the bishops stated.
The bishops also emphasized the importance of caring for the environment and reaffirmed their “pastoral support for our brothers and sisters in Río Indio, and for those who must make decisions, so that discernment and decisions guarantee a decent life and secure land, without exclusions or impositions.”
In that area of the country, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP by its Spanish acronym) is developing a large project to build a new reservoir to ensure water for the canal, which has generated opposition from local communities that will be flooded and relocated. The ACP promises compensation and a better standard of living, however.
The Panamanian bishops also expressed their “deep concern over the increase in violence that is becoming normalized in daily life” and emphasized that “no form of violence is acceptable, because it denies the dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, and is radically opposed to the Gospel of life and peace.”
They urged “that the justice system act responsibly and effectively, guaranteeing the real protection of victims and unrestricted respect for life.”
The bishops reiterated their “closeness and solidarity with the Church and the Venezuelan people. You are not alone. And in communion with the successor of Peter, we affirm that ‘the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail above any other consideration and lead to overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the country’s sovereignty, ensuring the rule of law enshrined in the constitution, and respecting the human and civil rights of all.”
“We unite in prayer so that the Lord may grant that nation the gift of reconciliation, harmony, and a future of cooperation, stability, and peace,” they emphasized.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Read More![President Trump meets with Archbishop Coakley - #Catholic -
Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the United States Conference of Catholic bishops, meets with President Donald Trump on Jan. 12, 2026. | Credit: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Jan 12, 2026 / 18:07 pm (CNA).
Archbishop Paul Coakley and President Donald Trump met on Jan. 12 to discuss areas of “mutual concern,” which likely included topics related to immigration enforcement and Venezuela’s sovereignty. The archbishop of Oklahoma City, Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2025, visited with Trump at the White House on Monday.Chieko Noguchi, USCCB spokesperson, said in a statement after the meeting: “Archbishop Coakley had the opportunity for introductory meetings with President Trump, Vice President [JD] Vance, and other administration officials, in which they discussed areas of mutual concern, as well as areas for further dialogue. Archbishop Coakley is grateful for the engagement and looks forward to ongoing discussions.”The meeting was closed to the press, but White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told EWTN News correspondent Owen Jensen she would ask the president about providing a readout of the meeting. Pope Leo XIV has said immigrants must be treated with dignity and encouraged all people in the United States to heed the U.S. bishops’ message on immigration. Coakley, appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21, 2025, predicted immigration would be a discussion topic with Trump and said: “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”After U.S. military action to capture Venezuela’s president, the pope on Jan. 4 called for full respect for Venezuela’s national sovereignty and for the human and civil rights of its people. Earlier in the day on Jan. 12, Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican.](http://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/president-trump-meets-with-archbishop-coakley-catholic-archbishop-paul-coakley-of-oklahoma-city-president-of-the-united-states-conference-of-catholic-bishops-meets-with-president-donald-tru.jpg)
Jan 12, 2026 / 18:07 pm (CNA).
Archbishop Paul Coakley and President Donald Trump met on Jan. 12 to discuss areas of “mutual concern,” which likely included topics related to immigration enforcement and Venezuela’s sovereignty.
The archbishop of Oklahoma City, Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2025, visited with Trump at the White House on Monday.
Chieko Noguchi, USCCB spokesperson, said in a statement after the meeting: “Archbishop Coakley had the opportunity for introductory meetings with President Trump, Vice President [JD] Vance, and other administration officials, in which they discussed areas of mutual concern, as well as areas for further dialogue. Archbishop Coakley is grateful for the engagement and looks forward to ongoing discussions.”
The meeting was closed to the press, but White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told EWTN News correspondent Owen Jensen she would ask the president about providing a readout of the meeting.
Pope Leo XIV has said immigrants must be treated with dignity and encouraged all people in the United States to heed the U.S. bishops’ message on immigration.
Coakley, appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21, 2025, predicted immigration would be a discussion topic with Trump and said: “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”
After U.S. military action to capture Venezuela’s president, the pope on Jan. 4 called for full respect for Venezuela’s national sovereignty and for the human and civil rights of its people.
Earlier in the day on Jan. 12, Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican.
Read MoreA reading from the Book of Samuel
1 Samuel 1:9-20
Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh,
and presented herself before the LORD;
at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.
In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: “O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
As she remained long at prayer before the LORD,
Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently;
though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard.
Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her,
“How long will you make a drunken show of yourself?
Sober up from your wine!”
“It isn’t that, my lord,” Hannah answered.
“I am an unhappy woman.
I have had neither wine nor liquor;
I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.
Do not think your handmaid a ne’er-do-well;
my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery.”
Eli said, “Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
She replied, “Think kindly of your maidservant,” and left.
She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband,
and no longer appeared downcast.
Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD,
and then returned to their home in Ramah.
When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah,
the LORD remembered her.
She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.
From the Gospel according to Mark
1:21-28
Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers,
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
The power of Jesus confirms the authority of his teaching. He does not just speak with words, but he takes action. In this way, he manifests God’s plan with words and with the power of his deeds. In the Gospel in fact, we see that in his earthly mission, Jesus reveals the love of God both through preaching and through countless gestures of attention and aid to the sick, the needy, children and sinners. Jesus is our Teacher, powerful in word and deed. Jesus imparts to us all the light that illuminates the sometimes dark paths of our lives. He also transmits to us the necessary strength to overcome difficulties, trials and temptations. Let us consider what a great grace it is for us to have known this God who is so powerful and so good! A teacher and a friend who shows us the path and takes care of us especially when we are in need. (Pope Francis – Angelus, 28 January 2018)
Read MoreMission Highlight: NROL-105 SpaceX plans to launch the NROL-105 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on Friday, Jan. 16, at 11:18 p.m. EST. The Falcon 9 will lift off from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The NRO is the U.S. government agency responsible for developing, launching, and operatingContinue reading “National Reconnaissance Office adds to its growing eye in the sky”
The post National Reconnaissance Office adds to its growing eye in the sky appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More
Jan 12, 2026 / 17:21 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During this time of grace, which will extend until January 2027, the faithful are granted the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence.
This Franciscan Jubilee Year, considered a gift for the entire Church and an occasion for authentic spiritual renewal, was inaugurated on Jan. 10 with a decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See.
Until Jan. 10 of next year, the faithful can obtain this grace under the usual conditions — sacramental confession, Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope — by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis anywhere in the world.
Furthermore, the elderly, the sick, and those who, for serious reasons, cannot leave their homes can obtain the plenary indulgence by spiritually joining in the jubilee celebrations and offering their prayers, pains, or sufferings to God.
In a world where “the virtual takes over the real, disagreements and social violence are part of everyday life, and peace becomes more insecure and distant every day, this Year of St. Francis spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities, to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ,” the decree states.
For the Order of Friars Minor, this time is also an opportunity for the faithful to become “models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace.”
On the occasion of this anniversary, Pope Leo XIV addressed a letter to the ministers general of the Franciscan Family Conference in which he emphasized that “in this era, marked by so many seemingly endless wars, by internal and social divisions that create distrust and fear, he continues to speak. Not because he offers technical solutions, but because his life points to the authentic source of peace.”
In this regard, he highlighted that St. Francis reminds us that “peace with God, peace among people, and peace with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Read More
U.S. — In its ongoing effort to make watching football as difficult as possible, the National Football League announced today that each quarter of the playoff games will be exclusively streamed on a different streaming network.
Read More
U.S. — With the fall of the Ayatollah regime appearing to be imminent, prominent Democrats expressed fear that the dangerous Iranian desire for freedom could potentially spread to the United States.
Read More
| Picture of the day |
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_Skating_on_Duddingston_Loch.jpg)
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The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch, better known as The Skating Minister (1790s), by Henry Raeburn.
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Last month, The Gateway Pundit reported that Judge Robert McBurney had ruled that the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections (BRE) was required to comply with a subpoena from the Georgia State Election Board that seeks access to physical records from the 2020 election.
The post Fulton County Submits $435k Proposal For Records Processing, Including Physical Ballots and Envelopes – Despite Numerous Violations Already Discovered appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The debate over parental rights has returned to the center of the national agenda after a Catholic legal group asked the Supreme Court to block a controversial California law that exempts public schools from having to notify parents about the gender identity of transgender students.
The post Legal Battle Over Parental Rights in California Schools (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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(Note: Thank you for supporting businesses like those presenting a sponsored message below and ordering through the links below, which benefits Gateway Pundit.
The post Amazon Prime Members: This Card Could Be Worth $100s Every Year appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Mayor visits Paterson school on Thee Kings Day #Catholic – 
Paterson Mayor André Sayegh visited St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., to distribute Christmas gifts to students on Three Kings Day, Jan. 6. The the mayor’s office coordinates the annual event.
– Paterson Mayor André Sayegh visited St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., to distribute Christmas gifts to students on Three Kings Day, Jan. 6. The the mayor’s office coordinates the annual event. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Jan 12, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Catholic medical professionals and ethicists had mixed reactions to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) announcement last week that it has revised the recommended childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule.
In a press release on Jan. 5, the CDC announced a revised recommended childhood immunization schedule, which reduces the number of universally recommended vaccines from 18 to 11. It retains routine recommendations for all children against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV), and varicella (chickenpox).
Vaccines for rotavirus, influenza, COVID-19, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal disease, and RSV now shift to recommendations for high-risk groups or after “shared clinical decision-making” between providers and families.
According to a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) memo, the CDC “applies shared clinical decision-making recommendations when evidence indicates that individuals may benefit from vaccination based on an analysis of the individual’s characteristics, values, and preferences, the provider’s medical judgment, and the characteristics of the vaccine being considered.”
Insurance companies must continue to cover all vaccines.
The changes come after President Donald Trump directed the heads of the CDC and HHS in December 2025 to “review best practices from peer, developed nations regarding childhood vaccination recommendations and the scientific evidence underlying those practices” and to make changes accordingly.
After reviewing the vaccination practices of 20 peer nations, a scientific assessment found that “the U.S. is a global outlier among developed nations in both the number of diseases addressed in its routine childhood vaccination schedule and the total number of recommended doses but does not have higher vaccination rates than such countries.”
“Science demands continuous evaluation,” Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said in the CDC press release. “This decision commits NIH, CDC, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to gold standard science, greater transparency, and ongoing reassessment as new data emerge.”
Dr. Tim Millea, chair of the health care policy committee at the Catholic Medical Association (CMA), welcomed the changes, telling CNA that he thought the CDC approached the revisions “in a very logical way.”
“There has been a huge drop in trust surrounding vaccines since the COVID-19 pandemic,” Millea said. “The suggestions during COVID that the science was ‘settled’ rubbed a lot of us the wrong way.”
“The loudest critics of these new recommendations say this is ideology over science,” he said. “Science is a process, not an end. If we need more evidence, let’s get it,” he said, pointing out Bhattacharya’s call for “gold standard” science and “ongoing reassessment.”
Millea, a retired orthopedic surgeon, said he has confidence that Bhattacharya and Dr. Marty Makary, head of the FDA, are “not going to let ideology get ahead of science.”
The president of the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC), John Di Camillo, told CNA in a statement regarding the updated immunization recommendations: “The people look to public health authorities precisely for this kind of guidance, which is responsive to continually evolving research, ongoing discussions among professionals in the medical field, and ethical principles that promote the common good, respect the dignity of the human person, and limit the interference of financial and ideological conflicts.”
Millea acknowledged that critics of the CDC’s revised recommendations say comparing the U.S. vaccine schedule to that of much smaller, more homogeneous nations such as Denmark is like “comparing apples to oranges.”
However, he pointed out that the CDC’s revised schedule is simply a recommendation, and each of the 50 U.S. states is free to do what it deems best. “It’s like 50 laboratories. Let’s see what works the best.”
Invoking the Catholic principle of subsidiarity, Millea said “let those closest to the children who are getting the vaccinations make the decisions.”
“One of the positive aspects of the pandemic is that now we can take a step back and we’re questioning, not because something may be wrong, but maybe because it could be improved upon,” Millea said.
John F. Brehany, executive vice president and director of Institutional Relations at the NCBC, told CNA that “the new schedule appears to have been designed with good intent; that is, … to have gained public trust in the absence of mandates and to have contributed to population health outcomes that meet or exceed those of the U.S.”
“The new schedule does not take a ‘one size fits all’ approach but rather structures recommendations based on the nature of the diseases, vaccines in question, and characteristics of the children or patients who may receive them,” he continued. “This approach appears to be well-founded and to provide a sound foundation for respecting the dignity and rights of every unique human person.”
Dr. Gwyneth Spaeder, a Catholic pediatrician in North Carolina, did not welcome the changes to the immunization schedule.
While she acknowledged that the damage to trust in institutions was substantial after the COVID-19 pandemic, she thinks the issues surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine’s safety and efficacy “cannot be compared” with the decades of studies demonstrating the safety of common children’s immunizations.
“It is not the same moral calculus,” she said.
She does not believe revising the immunization schedule this way will restore trust in institutions, which she said might take “years or even generations” to rebuild.
This method will “sow more confusion,” Spaeder said. “Instead of trying to rebuild trust in transparent, evidence-based practices, we have created a situation where everyone is told different things … For this child, we think this schedule is the best, for that child, there’s a different one. That’s not how public health works.”
She also said that comparing the homogeneous, relatively tiny population of 6 million in Denmark to that of the diverse population of 340 million in the U.S. is “a false comparison.”
“Their children are at less risk from falling through the cracks and contracting these diseases we try to vaccinate against,” she said, noting the protective public health effects of Denmark’s universal health care and generous parental leave policies.
“The children who will be most harmed in the U.S. are the underserved,” Spaeder said. “That’s being lost in this conversation. We can have a lot of high-level political arguments, but I am most concerned about my patients from single-parent homes who attend day care from young ages, or who are born to mothers who don’t have adequate prenatal care.”
“They will lose out the most from not being protected from these diseases.”
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Lord, today is the day I begin!
St. Philip Neri
Jesus, shine through me and be so in me
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John Henry Cardinal Newman
My God, send me thy Holy Spirit to teach me what I am and what thou art!
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1 Samuel 1:1-8
There was a certain man from Ramathaim, Elkanah by name,
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He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,
son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah;
Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
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After John had been arrested,
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Jesus said to them,
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He walked along a little farther
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