Father Wade Menezes teaches men to ‘stand firm, be strong’ in new EWTN daily podcast - #Catholic - A new podcast called “Stand Firm and Be Strong” with Father of Mercy Wade Menezes launched Aug. 3 on EWTN+. The new podcast is aimed at, and intended for, men. Menezes is especially inviting them to learn how to live and strengthen their Catholic faith, one day at a time. Menezes is already familiar to EWTN audiences from his many appearances on various shows across the network. The numerous televised and online series he has produced and hosted include “The Gospel of Life vs. the Culture of Death” and “The Ten Commandments of Catholic Family Life.”He is also familiar to EWTN audiences as a guest on various episodes of EWTN’s “Mother Angelica Live” and “Life on the Rock,” during which he discussed such topics as the sanctification of marriage and family life, vocations, and the sacred liturgy. He is the current host of EWTN Global Catholic Radio’s “Open Line Tuesday.”Menezes has also served as the chaplain-in-residence at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama.On the print side, he is the author of four books, including: “Stand Firm, Be Strong: A Men’s Catholic Daily Devotional of Scripture and Saints” — the inspiration for the new podcast.Prior to the launch, and while inviting listeners, Menezes spoke about the podcast with the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.Register: Father Menezes, please tell us how your “Stand Firm, Be Strong” audio podcast came to be.Menezes: This 200-day audio-only podcast grew out of the popularity of my men’s daily devotional book of the same title that was published in 2024. The book is a six-month spiritual manual for men. Each day has a different spiritual or temporal (secular) topic that is followed by three components: a Scripture quote, a saint quote, and a short meditation written by me. Both the book and podcast titles are based on 1 Corinthians 16:13, wherein we read: “Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.”Will the podcast follow the same daily devotional format?The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” daily audio podcast is related closely to the book’s own format. For example, each of the 200 days’ prerecorded short audio podcasts correspond directly — and in proper order — with each of the book’s own 200 days’ topics. But whereas the book is designed to be a five- to 10-minute exercise each morning for men as they begin their day, each podcast episode is itself under five minutes in length and highlights the most pertinent points of the book’s topic for that same day. What does it mean to be a man of God? | Credit: EWTN Studios Why did you decide on a daily podcast?EWTN pitched the idea to me to do a “Stand Firm, Be Strong” daily audio podcast precisely because the book has done so well with male readers. The book has proven to hold men’s attention as a committed daily exercise to strengthen their spiritual and temporal lives. I hope that a podcast will likewise strike at the male heart and spark the male intellect to help men live their vocations more fully and committedly — whether single, married, widowed, or as a consecrated brother, deacon, priest, or bishop.Please share a highlight or two that listeners will hear about in opening episodes.The timely wisdom offered by the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast will help prepare men to put on the armor of God for their daily struggles and help them withstand trials at home and at work. It will also help them to kindle their prayer life, better utilize their talents, and order their priorities in daily life. It will also help guide men in imitating Christ in guarding their senses and responding to temptation — all important factors when navigating life in this third millennium.Please share or give a hint of what will be a few topics or themes you will be dealing with that are certainly relevant.During the course of the first 20 [days] … for example, episodes will cover the following topics [titled]: “The Committed Man of God,” “Strength and Fortitude,” “Having No Duplicity or Guile,” “Shunning Sin and Vice,” “Fraternity and Brotherhood,” “The Demands of Virtue and Aiming Toward Salvation,” “The Virtue of Diligence,” “The Truth,” “The Need for Humility Amid Trials and Successes,” “Accountability,” “Confidence,” and “The Athlete of God.” Other podcast episodes include such topics as the “Importance of Eucharistic Adoration,” “Sanctifying Grace,” “Filial Fear of God vs. Servile Fear of God,” and the “Importance of Fostering Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.”Why are these topics essential for today?Navigating third-millennium society and culture can be challenging. These various topics are essential today because we live in a day and age that tragically downplays authentic masculinity and what that means. Whether it’s the prevalence of television commercials that frequently make the husband or man look like a buffoon to the misguided direction being offered by various movements within the so-called “manosphere,” what it means to “be a man” in the authentic Christian sense is greatly attacked today.But as Dr. Tim Gray of the Augustine Institute reminds us: “The virtues give us a blueprint for being a man. Indeed, the very term ‘virtue’ comes from the Latin word for man, ‘vir.’ For the ancients, to be manly was to be virtuous. The term ‘virtue’ in Latin (‘virtus’) signifies power, strength, and ability. Thus, the virtues are habits that give us the power to act in a manly way, with strength sufficient to do what is right. Without virtues we will neither be godly nor real men. Virtues are the building blocks of character, and without them our moral lives will eventually collapse under the pressures of the world.”Will your podcast appeal to, and be relevant to, men of any age?Just like the book, the podcast is designed to appeal to any male that is 14 years of age and older. In other words, if a guy is a high school freshman or older and is serious about living his faith authentically and well in the midst of the modern world, he will benefit from hearing this podcast. This fact, in turn, will hopefully inspire him to “go deeper” with the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” book as a daily devotional that he commits himself to for a six-month period.Will men learn to live a balanced life through your podcast?Yes, listeners of the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast (as well as those readers of the book) will learn to live a balanced life — both spiritually and temporally. For example, a main theme peppered throughout the podcast and book is “faithfulness to daily duty” ­and what this means and why it is a main ingredient needed when a man strives for sanctification and advancement in the spiritual life according to his particular vocation and state in life. In short, a man is called to fulfill his duties with diligence and balance — all the while serving God and others.What is the ultimate goal and hope for this podcast?To help men of all vocations and states in life realize that they are called to become saints “right where they are.”Both the podcast and book are designed to help jump-start and strengthen a man’s spiritual life over the course of six months. The podcast’s daily topics and accompanying meditations are power-packed, offering achievable resolutions and prudent advice to help a man attain his spiritual and temporal goals in everyday living.Will it improve their families, too, in any way?Yes. Just as there is crisis in today’s culture regarding authentic masculinity and what that means, the same can be said regarding the sanctification of marriages and family life. The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast can help a married man become a better husband and father. For single men, it can help them to become a better brother, brother-in-law, co-worker, etc. This same goes for married men and those men in the consecrated religious state, of course. Themes in the podcast call upon all men to provide, protect, and lead — again, according to each one’s particular vocation and state in life.Based on the popularity of your book, do you think the podcast will have a similar appeal?I believe the podcast will appeal to listeners because it will help the individual man to grow in knowledge of his faith and gain strength for the spiritual battle. These, in turn, will help the individual male listener to become more fully the man he was created and meant to be in God’s plan for him.Is there anything else you would like to say or add about the podcast?The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast launched Aug. 3 and is posting a new episode daily over the course of 200 days. It is available from EWTN+, a free, ad-free digital streaming platform by the Eternal Word Television Network that offers on-demand Catholic podcasts, movies, live TV and radio, and original series. Also, for those listeners of the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast and/or readers of the book who are so interested, there are three additional “Stand Firm, Be Strong” merchandise items available from EWTN Religious Catalogue (EWTNRC.com). These include a “Stand Firm, Be Strong” T-shirt, travel mug, and 12-in-1 pocket knife. Along with the podcast and book, these items make great gifts for men who are striving to increase their faith and grow in holiness.I would encourage all women — such women could include, of course, a wife, mother, sister, sister-in-law, friend, or girlfriend — who may stumble across the podcast, book, or three items of merchandise to think about sharing these with the men in their lives so as to encourage them to “stand firm [and] be strong.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
Read More

Father Wade Menezes teaches men to ‘stand firm, be strong’ in new EWTN daily podcast – #Catholic – A new podcast called “Stand Firm and Be Strong” with Father of Mercy Wade Menezes launched Aug. 3 on EWTN+. The new podcast is aimed at, and intended for, men. Menezes is especially inviting them to learn how to live and strengthen their Catholic faith, one day at a time. Menezes is already familiar to EWTN audiences from his many appearances on various shows across the network. The numerous televised and online series he has produced and hosted include “The Gospel of Life vs. the Culture of Death” and “The Ten Commandments of Catholic Family Life.”He is also familiar to EWTN audiences as a guest on various episodes of EWTN’s “Mother Angelica Live” and “Life on the Rock,” during which he discussed such topics as the sanctification of marriage and family life, vocations, and the sacred liturgy. He is the current host of EWTN Global Catholic Radio’s “Open Line Tuesday.”Menezes has also served as the chaplain-in-residence at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama.On the print side, he is the author of four books, including: “Stand Firm, Be Strong: A Men’s Catholic Daily Devotional of Scripture and Saints” — the inspiration for the new podcast.Prior to the launch, and while inviting listeners, Menezes spoke about the podcast with the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.Register: Father Menezes, please tell us how your “Stand Firm, Be Strong” audio podcast came to be.Menezes: This 200-day audio-only podcast grew out of the popularity of my men’s daily devotional book of the same title that was published in 2024. The book is a six-month spiritual manual for men. Each day has a different spiritual or temporal (secular) topic that is followed by three components: a Scripture quote, a saint quote, and a short meditation written by me. Both the book and podcast titles are based on 1 Corinthians 16:13, wherein we read: “Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.”Will the podcast follow the same daily devotional format?The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” daily audio podcast is related closely to the book’s own format. For example, each of the 200 days’ prerecorded short audio podcasts correspond directly — and in proper order — with each of the book’s own 200 days’ topics. But whereas the book is designed to be a five- to 10-minute exercise each morning for men as they begin their day, each podcast episode is itself under five minutes in length and highlights the most pertinent points of the book’s topic for that same day. What does it mean to be a man of God? | Credit: EWTN Studios Why did you decide on a daily podcast?EWTN pitched the idea to me to do a “Stand Firm, Be Strong” daily audio podcast precisely because the book has done so well with male readers. The book has proven to hold men’s attention as a committed daily exercise to strengthen their spiritual and temporal lives. I hope that a podcast will likewise strike at the male heart and spark the male intellect to help men live their vocations more fully and committedly — whether single, married, widowed, or as a consecrated brother, deacon, priest, or bishop.Please share a highlight or two that listeners will hear about in opening episodes.The timely wisdom offered by the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast will help prepare men to put on the armor of God for their daily struggles and help them withstand trials at home and at work. It will also help them to kindle their prayer life, better utilize their talents, and order their priorities in daily life. It will also help guide men in imitating Christ in guarding their senses and responding to temptation — all important factors when navigating life in this third millennium.Please share or give a hint of what will be a few topics or themes you will be dealing with that are certainly relevant.During the course of the first 20 [days] … for example, episodes will cover the following topics [titled]: “The Committed Man of God,” “Strength and Fortitude,” “Having No Duplicity or Guile,” “Shunning Sin and Vice,” “Fraternity and Brotherhood,” “The Demands of Virtue and Aiming Toward Salvation,” “The Virtue of Diligence,” “The Truth,” “The Need for Humility Amid Trials and Successes,” “Accountability,” “Confidence,” and “The Athlete of God.” Other podcast episodes include such topics as the “Importance of Eucharistic Adoration,” “Sanctifying Grace,” “Filial Fear of God vs. Servile Fear of God,” and the “Importance of Fostering Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.”Why are these topics essential for today?Navigating third-millennium society and culture can be challenging. These various topics are essential today because we live in a day and age that tragically downplays authentic masculinity and what that means. Whether it’s the prevalence of television commercials that frequently make the husband or man look like a buffoon to the misguided direction being offered by various movements within the so-called “manosphere,” what it means to “be a man” in the authentic Christian sense is greatly attacked today.But as Dr. Tim Gray of the Augustine Institute reminds us: “The virtues give us a blueprint for being a man. Indeed, the very term ‘virtue’ comes from the Latin word for man, ‘vir.’ For the ancients, to be manly was to be virtuous. The term ‘virtue’ in Latin (‘virtus’) signifies power, strength, and ability. Thus, the virtues are habits that give us the power to act in a manly way, with strength sufficient to do what is right. Without virtues we will neither be godly nor real men. Virtues are the building blocks of character, and without them our moral lives will eventually collapse under the pressures of the world.”Will your podcast appeal to, and be relevant to, men of any age?Just like the book, the podcast is designed to appeal to any male that is 14 years of age and older. In other words, if a guy is a high school freshman or older and is serious about living his faith authentically and well in the midst of the modern world, he will benefit from hearing this podcast. This fact, in turn, will hopefully inspire him to “go deeper” with the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” book as a daily devotional that he commits himself to for a six-month period.Will men learn to live a balanced life through your podcast?Yes, listeners of the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast (as well as those readers of the book) will learn to live a balanced life — both spiritually and temporally. For example, a main theme peppered throughout the podcast and book is “faithfulness to daily duty” ­and what this means and why it is a main ingredient needed when a man strives for sanctification and advancement in the spiritual life according to his particular vocation and state in life. In short, a man is called to fulfill his duties with diligence and balance — all the while serving God and others.What is the ultimate goal and hope for this podcast?To help men of all vocations and states in life realize that they are called to become saints “right where they are.”Both the podcast and book are designed to help jump-start and strengthen a man’s spiritual life over the course of six months. The podcast’s daily topics and accompanying meditations are power-packed, offering achievable resolutions and prudent advice to help a man attain his spiritual and temporal goals in everyday living.Will it improve their families, too, in any way?Yes. Just as there is crisis in today’s culture regarding authentic masculinity and what that means, the same can be said regarding the sanctification of marriages and family life. The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast can help a married man become a better husband and father. For single men, it can help them to become a better brother, brother-in-law, co-worker, etc. This same goes for married men and those men in the consecrated religious state, of course. Themes in the podcast call upon all men to provide, protect, and lead — again, according to each one’s particular vocation and state in life.Based on the popularity of your book, do you think the podcast will have a similar appeal?I believe the podcast will appeal to listeners because it will help the individual man to grow in knowledge of his faith and gain strength for the spiritual battle. These, in turn, will help the individual male listener to become more fully the man he was created and meant to be in God’s plan for him.Is there anything else you would like to say or add about the podcast?The “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast launched Aug. 3 and is posting a new episode daily over the course of 200 days. It is available from EWTN+, a free, ad-free digital streaming platform by the Eternal Word Television Network that offers on-demand Catholic podcasts, movies, live TV and radio, and original series. Also, for those listeners of the “Stand Firm, Be Strong” podcast and/or readers of the book who are so interested, there are three additional “Stand Firm, Be Strong” merchandise items available from EWTN Religious Catalogue (EWTNRC.com). These include a “Stand Firm, Be Strong” T-shirt, travel mug, and 12-in-1 pocket knife. Along with the podcast and book, these items make great gifts for men who are striving to increase their faith and grow in holiness.I would encourage all women — such women could include, of course, a wife, mother, sister, sister-in-law, friend, or girlfriend — who may stumble across the podcast, book, or three items of merchandise to think about sharing these with the men in their lives so as to encourage them to “stand firm [and] be strong.”This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

unitedyam

The new podcast “Stand Firm and Be Strong” with Father of Mercy Wade Menezes has launched on EWTN+.

Read More
U.S. bishops ask for ‘intense prayers’ for Hamas-Israel peace amid Gaza’s ‘disastrous’ conditions – #Catholic – In response to President Donald Trump’s announcement last week of a deal between the U.S.-led Board of Peace, Israel, and Hamas, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) called for “intense prayers” for the deal’s success as Gaza faces a worsening humanitarian crisis.In an Aug. 3 statement, Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said he is “heartened by news of an agreement which aims at the disarmament of Hamas and Israel’s military withdrawal from the [Gaza] Strip,” calling for “intense prayers for the success of these negotiations.”“As I previously articulated, as ‘people of faith who deeply care for all our brothers and sisters who live in the land of Christ’s life, death, and glorious resurrection, we cannot lose this opportunity for peace,’” Zaidan continued, calling on the U.S., Israel, and the international community “to facilitate greater amounts of humanitarian and development assistance to the Strip.”U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 30 that his Board of Peace had reached a deal for Hamas to fully disarm after nearly three years of war. “The agreement will be carried out in carefully structured phases,” Trump indicated. “As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors.”Though a Hamas official confirmed the disarmament pact the next day, according to the Associated Press, significant hurdles remain, leaving the deal’s implementation uncertain despite U.S. optimism. Israel has not publicly endorsed the agreement and has continued airstrikes, killing at least 17 people, including children, in Gaza Sunday night.‘People are living with nothing’“Alleviating the suffering of the Gazan people is not only a vital moral imperative but is also necessary for the consolidation of peace in the Holy Land and the entire region,” Zaidan declared. “This should include restoring educational opportunities for children and youths, jobs, and clean water.”In an interview last week with Vatican Media, Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Church in Gaza, begged for humanitarian aid for the region, emphasizing that “when people say the situation here is disastrous, believe me: It really is disastrous — if anything, it calls for an even stronger word.”“People are living with nothing,” Romanelli said. “Reconstruction is certainly essential, but so too are all the basic necessities of everyday life.”Former U.S. ambassador and EWTN contributor on Middle East issues Alberto Fernandez told EWTN News that while the deal is “extraordinarily shaky from both sides,” he is hopeful because “the situation of the civilian public in Gaza is so dire,” Fernandez said. “Gaza is destroyed, people are traumatized, there’s no economy.”‘Deeply conflicting agendas’ “The agreement on paper is a positive, concrete step in the right direction,” Fernández said, pointing out that the issue of which side will act first “is a small part of a bigger problem. There is no trust between the two sides, and deeply conflicting agendas.”In Zaidan’s statement, the bishop wrote that the “agreement’s successful implementation, as its principles statement says, has the potential of finally providing the Palestinian people with a ‘credible political path that achieves self-determination and Statehood.’ This would be a major milestone.”Hamas said Friday that it would give up its heavy weapons, including rockets, contingent on Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the creation of a Palestinian state, the latter condition one Netanyahu’s government strongly rejects.“The two-state solution among the Israeli public is moribund,” the ambassador continued. “We’re not there at all in a situation where they will compromise. They’ve become more intransigent. That’s a reality.”“It’s not time for celebration, but time to recognize there is small progress being made, and huge obstacles remain,” Fernandez said.‘Serious security concerns’Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told the AP on Aug. 2 that Israel has “serious security concerns” surrounding the deal. Spielman said Israel believes Hamas is still committed to building up its military, not demilitarizing, and said Israel would not withdraw from the Gaza Strip, where it controls more than half the territory, before Hamas disarms.“Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less,” he said.“Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another Oct. 7-style attack,” Spielman told the AP.Zaidan concluded his statement acknowledging the “extreme challenges inherent in this ongoing peace process” but called on all to “entrust the hearts and minds of the negotiators to the maternal care of Our Lady of Wisdom, that she may illumine and enliven their efforts to finally achieve peace in those sacred lands.”
Read More

U.S. bishops ask for ‘intense prayers’ for Hamas-Israel peace amid Gaza’s ‘disastrous’ conditions – #Catholic – In response to President Donald Trump’s announcement last week of a deal between the U.S.-led Board of Peace, Israel, and Hamas, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) called for “intense prayers” for the deal’s success as Gaza faces a worsening humanitarian crisis.In an Aug. 3 statement, Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said he is “heartened by news of an agreement which aims at the disarmament of Hamas and Israel’s military withdrawal from the [Gaza] Strip,” calling for “intense prayers for the success of these negotiations.”“As I previously articulated, as ‘people of faith who deeply care for all our brothers and sisters who live in the land of Christ’s life, death, and glorious resurrection, we cannot lose this opportunity for peace,’” Zaidan continued, calling on the U.S., Israel, and the international community “to facilitate greater amounts of humanitarian and development assistance to the Strip.”U.S. President Donald Trump announced on July 30 that his Board of Peace had reached a deal for Hamas to fully disarm after nearly three years of war. “The agreement will be carried out in carefully structured phases,” Trump indicated. “As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors.”Though a Hamas official confirmed the disarmament pact the next day, according to the Associated Press, significant hurdles remain, leaving the deal’s implementation uncertain despite U.S. optimism. Israel has not publicly endorsed the agreement and has continued airstrikes, killing at least 17 people, including children, in Gaza Sunday night.‘People are living with nothing’“Alleviating the suffering of the Gazan people is not only a vital moral imperative but is also necessary for the consolidation of peace in the Holy Land and the entire region,” Zaidan declared. “This should include restoring educational opportunities for children and youths, jobs, and clean water.”In an interview last week with Vatican Media, Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Church in Gaza, begged for humanitarian aid for the region, emphasizing that “when people say the situation here is disastrous, believe me: It really is disastrous — if anything, it calls for an even stronger word.”“People are living with nothing,” Romanelli said. “Reconstruction is certainly essential, but so too are all the basic necessities of everyday life.”Former U.S. ambassador and EWTN contributor on Middle East issues Alberto Fernandez told EWTN News that while the deal is “extraordinarily shaky from both sides,” he is hopeful because “the situation of the civilian public in Gaza is so dire,” Fernandez said. “Gaza is destroyed, people are traumatized, there’s no economy.”‘Deeply conflicting agendas’ “The agreement on paper is a positive, concrete step in the right direction,” Fernández said, pointing out that the issue of which side will act first “is a small part of a bigger problem. There is no trust between the two sides, and deeply conflicting agendas.”In Zaidan’s statement, the bishop wrote that the “agreement’s successful implementation, as its principles statement says, has the potential of finally providing the Palestinian people with a ‘credible political path that achieves self-determination and Statehood.’ This would be a major milestone.”Hamas said Friday that it would give up its heavy weapons, including rockets, contingent on Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the creation of a Palestinian state, the latter condition one Netanyahu’s government strongly rejects.“The two-state solution among the Israeli public is moribund,” the ambassador continued. “We’re not there at all in a situation where they will compromise. They’ve become more intransigent. That’s a reality.”“It’s not time for celebration, but time to recognize there is small progress being made, and huge obstacles remain,” Fernandez said.‘Serious security concerns’Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told the AP on Aug. 2 that Israel has “serious security concerns” surrounding the deal. Spielman said Israel believes Hamas is still committed to building up its military, not demilitarizing, and said Israel would not withdraw from the Gaza Strip, where it controls more than half the territory, before Hamas disarms.“Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less,” he said.“Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another Oct. 7-style attack,” Spielman told the AP.Zaidan concluded his statement acknowledging the “extreme challenges inherent in this ongoing peace process” but called on all to “entrust the hearts and minds of the negotiators to the maternal care of Our Lady of Wisdom, that she may illumine and enliven their efforts to finally achieve peace in those sacred lands.”

unitedyam

Israel has not publicly endorsed the agreement and has continued airstrikes, killing at least 17 people, including children, in Gaza Sunday night.

Read More
Ahead of inauguration, Colombia’s president-elect goes on retreat – #Catholic – Colombia’s president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, went on a spiritual retreat alongside his vice president and various cabinet nominees just one week before the inauguration of his administration.On Aug. 1, De la Espriella stated via his social media accounts that, during the retreat, he reaffirmed his conviction that "to build a great nation, one must place God at the center of every decision."Accompanying the president-elect on the retreat were his wife, Ana Lucía Pineda; vice president-elect José Manuel Restrepo; and cabinet nominees Jaime Andrés Beltrán, Mauricio Gómez, Iván Cancino, and Elsa Noguera, among others.“With faith, hard work, and love for our land, we will make the country of our dreams a reality,” De la Espriella wrote.In another post published on Aug. 2, the president-elect stated that the retreat strengthened his and his team’s faith and commitment “to serve Colombia with humility, responsibility, and love for the nation.”Restrepo stated on X that “a nation that prays together stays together.”As part of the event, each participant was given a copy of the Bible, featuring a map of Colombia and the heart of Jesus on the cover. Additionally, a video of Pope Leo XIV was shown.Beltrán, the country’s incoming minister of labor, stated on his X account that “human effort is futile without God’s help” and that the together the retreatants experienced “a moment of encounter and unity, because we know that the battle ahead is also spiritual. God bless Colombia.”Meanwhile, the retreat drew sharp criticism from members of current President Gustavo Petro’s outgoing administration. Among them, Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino and Rep. Mafe Carrascal argued that the event undermined the secular state established by the Colombian Constitution.However, the spiritual gathering was defended by other political leaders, including some outside the incoming administrationʼs political party.For example, Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez criticized the retreat’s detractors for trying to "make people believe that even believing in God is a sin“ while Conservative Party Rep. Luis Miguel López noted that ”a secular state guarantees freedom of conscience; it does not force a president to hide their faith."“What stands out is the double standard. When shamanic rituals and Santería were promoted from within the government, many spoke of diversity and respect. Today, a spiritual retreat is portrayed as an attempt to replace the Constitution with the Bible, something that never happened. The Constitution remains the same; the only thing that changed was the president. And, judging by the reaction of some, it seems that is what truly makes them uncomfortable,” López added.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

Ahead of inauguration, Colombia’s president-elect goes on retreat – #Catholic – Colombia’s president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, went on a spiritual retreat alongside his vice president and various cabinet nominees just one week before the inauguration of his administration.On Aug. 1, De la Espriella stated via his social media accounts that, during the retreat, he reaffirmed his conviction that "to build a great nation, one must place God at the center of every decision."Accompanying the president-elect on the retreat were his wife, Ana Lucía Pineda; vice president-elect José Manuel Restrepo; and cabinet nominees Jaime Andrés Beltrán, Mauricio Gómez, Iván Cancino, and Elsa Noguera, among others.“With faith, hard work, and love for our land, we will make the country of our dreams a reality,” De la Espriella wrote.In another post published on Aug. 2, the president-elect stated that the retreat strengthened his and his team’s faith and commitment “to serve Colombia with humility, responsibility, and love for the nation.”Restrepo stated on X that “a nation that prays together stays together.”As part of the event, each participant was given a copy of the Bible, featuring a map of Colombia and the heart of Jesus on the cover. Additionally, a video of Pope Leo XIV was shown.Beltrán, the country’s incoming minister of labor, stated on his X account that “human effort is futile without God’s help” and that the together the retreatants experienced “a moment of encounter and unity, because we know that the battle ahead is also spiritual. God bless Colombia.”Meanwhile, the retreat drew sharp criticism from members of current President Gustavo Petro’s outgoing administration. Among them, Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino and Rep. Mafe Carrascal argued that the event undermined the secular state established by the Colombian Constitution.However, the spiritual gathering was defended by other political leaders, including some outside the incoming administrationʼs political party.For example, Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez criticized the retreat’s detractors for trying to "make people believe that even believing in God is a sin“ while Conservative Party Rep. Luis Miguel López noted that ”a secular state guarantees freedom of conscience; it does not force a president to hide their faith."“What stands out is the double standard. When shamanic rituals and Santería were promoted from within the government, many spoke of diversity and respect. Today, a spiritual retreat is portrayed as an attempt to replace the Constitution with the Bible, something that never happened. The Constitution remains the same; the only thing that changed was the president. And, judging by the reaction of some, it seems that is what truly makes them uncomfortable,” López added.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

Abelardo de la Espriella reaffirmed his conviction that “to build a great nation, one must place God at the center of every decision.”

Read More

The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 4: Asteroid Bamberga on the move

unitedyam

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 3: A solar system trio Rising around sunset and standing highest around midnight, asteroid 324 Bamberga is visible in a small scope this evening, moving against the background stars of Capricornus. Look for it in the south around local midnight, aboutContinue reading “The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 4: Asteroid Bamberga on the move”

The post The Sky Today on Tuesday, August 4: Asteroid Bamberga on the move appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Read More

Guinea-Bissau Tidal Waters – Relatively low tidal waters expose sandflats and mudflats in the Bijagós Archipelago of Guinea-Bissau in this image acquired on November 28, 2025, with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. These coastal landforms support an array of invertebrates, making the archipelago a popular stopover for migratory shorebirds.

unitedyam

Relatively low tidal waters expose sandflats and mudflats in the Bijagós Archipelago of Guinea-Bissau in this image acquired on November 28, 2025, with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. These coastal landforms support an array of invertebrates, making the archipelago a popular stopover for migratory shorebirds.

Read More
Countdown to World Youth Day Seoul 2027 begins: Here’s what we know so far #Catholic One year from now, Catholics from around the world — alongside Pope Leo XIV — will gather for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea, from Aug. 3–8, 2027.The announcement was made by Pope Francis at the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. Catholics from South Korea in attendance responded with happiness and excitement to the news.This is only the second time an Asian country has hosted a World Youth Day — the last being in Manila, Philippines, in 1995 — and the first hosted in a nation where Catholicism is a minority religion.With the date quickly approaching, South Korea is already preparing for this historic event. Here’s what you need to know:The venuesThe specific venues for the many events taking place are still being finalized by the Vatican and the WYD Seoul 2027 local organizing committee (LOC), which is led by Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul, with Bishop Paul Kyung-Sang Lee serving as the general coordinator. Additionally, Bishop Job Yobi Koo helps the LOC as the episcopal coordinator.The theme The theme of WYD 2027 is taken from the Gospel of John 16:33: “Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World.”The programWhile the schedule is still being finalized, attendees can expect an opening Mass to be celebrated by the archbishop of Seoul, morning catechesis sessions led by bishops from around the world, a papal welcome ceremony, the Way of the Cross, a pilgrimage walk to the grounds where the closing Mass will take place, Eucharistic adoration, and a prayer vigil with Pope Leo XIV as well as the closing Mass celebrated by the Holy Father.Additionally, the youth festival will include concerts, cultural performances, and other events for the young people in attendance. Attendees will also be able to visit reconciliation park and the vocations fair.The patron saints The five patron saints of WYD Seoul 2027 are St. John Paul II, founder of World Youth Day; St. Andrew Kim Taegon and his companion martyrs; St. Frances Xavier Cabrini; St. Josephine Bakhita, and St. Carlo Acutis.St. John Paul II (1920–2005) is remembered for centering much of his pastoral teaching on young people, the family, and the defense of the dignity of human life. St. Andrew Kim Taegon (1821–1846), the first Korean Catholic priest, together with his companion martyrs, represents a powerful witness of faith and courage, sealed by martyrdom at a young age.St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917) was a tireless missionary, known especially for her work on behalf of migrants and the poor. St. Josephine Bakhita (1869–1947), a former slave who became a religious sister, is a witness of hope, freedom, and faith transformed through suffering. St. Carlo Acutis (1991–2006), meanwhile, embodies the witness of holiness in the digital age and remains a model of evangelization for young people today.The official theme songThe official theme song for WYD 2027 was released on Aug. 3. The song, “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum” (“Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World,” in Latin), was the winning composition from 434 submissions and was written by Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim.How many Catholics are in South KoreaAccording to data released by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea in 2022, South Korea has approximately 6 million Catholics, which is just 11% of the total population.A 2020 survey by a Korean research journal tracking recent religious demographic changes in the country found that now about 50% of South Koreans are nonreligious, while 32% are Protestant Christians and 16% are Buddhist.Pray for WYD 2027You can find the official prayer for WYD Seoul 2027 here.
Read More

Countdown to World Youth Day Seoul 2027 begins: Here’s what we know so far #Catholic One year from now, Catholics from around the world — alongside Pope Leo XIV — will gather for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea, from Aug. 3–8, 2027.The announcement was made by Pope Francis at the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal. Catholics from South Korea in attendance responded with happiness and excitement to the news.This is only the second time an Asian country has hosted a World Youth Day — the last being in Manila, Philippines, in 1995 — and the first hosted in a nation where Catholicism is a minority religion.With the date quickly approaching, South Korea is already preparing for this historic event. Here’s what you need to know:The venuesThe specific venues for the many events taking place are still being finalized by the Vatican and the WYD Seoul 2027 local organizing committee (LOC), which is led by Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul, with Bishop Paul Kyung-Sang Lee serving as the general coordinator. Additionally, Bishop Job Yobi Koo helps the LOC as the episcopal coordinator.The theme The theme of WYD 2027 is taken from the Gospel of John 16:33: “Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World.”The programWhile the schedule is still being finalized, attendees can expect an opening Mass to be celebrated by the archbishop of Seoul, morning catechesis sessions led by bishops from around the world, a papal welcome ceremony, the Way of the Cross, a pilgrimage walk to the grounds where the closing Mass will take place, Eucharistic adoration, and a prayer vigil with Pope Leo XIV as well as the closing Mass celebrated by the Holy Father.Additionally, the youth festival will include concerts, cultural performances, and other events for the young people in attendance. Attendees will also be able to visit reconciliation park and the vocations fair.The patron saints The five patron saints of WYD Seoul 2027 are St. John Paul II, founder of World Youth Day; St. Andrew Kim Taegon and his companion martyrs; St. Frances Xavier Cabrini; St. Josephine Bakhita, and St. Carlo Acutis.St. John Paul II (1920–2005) is remembered for centering much of his pastoral teaching on young people, the family, and the defense of the dignity of human life. St. Andrew Kim Taegon (1821–1846), the first Korean Catholic priest, together with his companion martyrs, represents a powerful witness of faith and courage, sealed by martyrdom at a young age.St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917) was a tireless missionary, known especially for her work on behalf of migrants and the poor. St. Josephine Bakhita (1869–1947), a former slave who became a religious sister, is a witness of hope, freedom, and faith transformed through suffering. St. Carlo Acutis (1991–2006), meanwhile, embodies the witness of holiness in the digital age and remains a model of evangelization for young people today.The official theme songThe official theme song for WYD 2027 was released on Aug. 3. The song, “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum” (“Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World,” in Latin), was the winning composition from 434 submissions and was written by Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim.How many Catholics are in South KoreaAccording to data released by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea in 2022, South Korea has approximately 6 million Catholics, which is just 11% of the total population.A 2020 survey by a Korean research journal tracking recent religious demographic changes in the country found that now about 50% of South Koreans are nonreligious, while 32% are Protestant Christians and 16% are Buddhist.Pray for WYD 2027You can find the official prayer for WYD Seoul 2027 here.

unitedyam

WYD Seoul 2027 will take place Aug. 3–8, 2027, in Seoul, South Korea.

Read More
Michigan ends restriction on Catholic counselors who treat kids with gender dysphoria #Catholic Catholic counselors in Michigan who offer Catholic-based “talk therapy” to children who struggle with gender dysphoria and gender identity will be allowed to continue their services, according to a federal court order issued on July 31.Government officials in Michigan have agreed they will not enforce the state ban on "conversion therapy” on the counselors who work for Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee, and Hillsdale Counties or any other counselors engaged in “talk therapy.”The Catholic Charities affiliate sued Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other state officials after the governor signed into law a ban on “conversion therapy.” This prohibited treatments that seek to “change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” This includes “efforts to change behavior or gender expression.”According to the law, counselors were allowed to offer “acceptance, support, or understanding” of a child who self-identifies with a gender inconsistent with his or her sex. The lawsuit filed by the Catholic Charities affiliate argued the law forced them to “affirm” that the child could identify with a gender that is inconsistent with his or her sex, which conflicts with Catholic teaching.The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.” The Vatican’s 2019 document “Male and Female He Created Them” teaches that sexual identity is a reality “given” through one’s biological and physiological nature. Officials in Michigan consented to a court order that acknowledges that the law — as enforced against the Catholic Charities affiliate — violates the counselors’ First Amendment right to freedom of speech.According to the court order, the state cannot enforce this law against the Catholic counselors or any other counselors in the state if the treatment “consists exclusively of talking.” The order is permanent and took effect immediately, upon the signature of Judge Jane M. Beckering.The Catholic Charities affiliate was represented by lawyers at the Becket Fund. Luke Goodrich, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the counselors, said in a statement that the order is “a major victory for children, counselors, and common sense.”“Kids who are hurting deserve compassion, not a one-way ticket to harmful drugs, hormones, and surgery,” he said. “Now counselors can offer compassionate counseling without fearing that state bureaucrats will come knocking.”This agreement comes four months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that a similar ban on “conversion therapy” in Colorado violated the First Amendment rights of counselors, warning the state-level bans “suppress speech based on viewpoint.”Kimberly Bush, a spokesperson for Michigan’s attorney general’s office, said in a statement to EWTN News that Michigan entered into the agreement because of the Supreme Court ruling, but added: “We remain deeply disappointed in this decision and have grave concerns for the implications this could bring for the safety and welfare of Michigan’s children.”A spokesperson for Whitmer also expressed disappointment in the agreement in a statement to EWTN News."Governor Whitmer believes that every young person deserves the right to grow up safe, supported, and free to be themselves,” the spokesperson said.“This order is disappointing and represents a step back for the LGBTQ+ community,” the spokesperson added. “Michigan will never support any practice that harms or shames LGBTQ+ youth. The governor will continue to fight to ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals are protected from attacks and that their voices are heard.”In June, Oregonʼs Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists withdrew disciplinary action against Catholic counselors who engaged in similar talk therapy, citing the Supreme Court decision as its reason.
Read More

Michigan ends restriction on Catholic counselors who treat kids with gender dysphoria #Catholic Catholic counselors in Michigan who offer Catholic-based “talk therapy” to children who struggle with gender dysphoria and gender identity will be allowed to continue their services, according to a federal court order issued on July 31.Government officials in Michigan have agreed they will not enforce the state ban on "conversion therapy” on the counselors who work for Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee, and Hillsdale Counties or any other counselors engaged in “talk therapy.”The Catholic Charities affiliate sued Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other state officials after the governor signed into law a ban on “conversion therapy.” This prohibited treatments that seek to “change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” This includes “efforts to change behavior or gender expression.”According to the law, counselors were allowed to offer “acceptance, support, or understanding” of a child who self-identifies with a gender inconsistent with his or her sex. The lawsuit filed by the Catholic Charities affiliate argued the law forced them to “affirm” that the child could identify with a gender that is inconsistent with his or her sex, which conflicts with Catholic teaching.The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.” The Vatican’s 2019 document “Male and Female He Created Them” teaches that sexual identity is a reality “given” through one’s biological and physiological nature. Officials in Michigan consented to a court order that acknowledges that the law — as enforced against the Catholic Charities affiliate — violates the counselors’ First Amendment right to freedom of speech.According to the court order, the state cannot enforce this law against the Catholic counselors or any other counselors in the state if the treatment “consists exclusively of talking.” The order is permanent and took effect immediately, upon the signature of Judge Jane M. Beckering.The Catholic Charities affiliate was represented by lawyers at the Becket Fund. Luke Goodrich, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the counselors, said in a statement that the order is “a major victory for children, counselors, and common sense.”“Kids who are hurting deserve compassion, not a one-way ticket to harmful drugs, hormones, and surgery,” he said. “Now counselors can offer compassionate counseling without fearing that state bureaucrats will come knocking.”This agreement comes four months after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that a similar ban on “conversion therapy” in Colorado violated the First Amendment rights of counselors, warning the state-level bans “suppress speech based on viewpoint.”Kimberly Bush, a spokesperson for Michigan’s attorney general’s office, said in a statement to EWTN News that Michigan entered into the agreement because of the Supreme Court ruling, but added: “We remain deeply disappointed in this decision and have grave concerns for the implications this could bring for the safety and welfare of Michigan’s children.”A spokesperson for Whitmer also expressed disappointment in the agreement in a statement to EWTN News."Governor Whitmer believes that every young person deserves the right to grow up safe, supported, and free to be themselves,” the spokesperson said.“This order is disappointing and represents a step back for the LGBTQ+ community,” the spokesperson added. “Michigan will never support any practice that harms or shames LGBTQ+ youth. The governor will continue to fight to ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals are protected from attacks and that their voices are heard.”In June, Oregonʼs Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists withdrew disciplinary action against Catholic counselors who engaged in similar talk therapy, citing the Supreme Court decision as its reason.

unitedyam

A Catholic Charities affiliate sued Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other state officials after the governor signed into law a ban on “conversion therapy.”

Read More
Bishop Sweeney announces relocation of Diocese of Paterson Chancery #Catholic – For nearly 50 years, 777 Valley Road has served the Diocese of Paterson well as the location of our Diocesan Center and chancery offices. Time and constant use, however, have taken their toll. The aging infrastructure of the building, along with our needs to reexamine our resources for the future, make it impractical as our continuing home. In the Spring of 2025, we entered into a long-term lease agreement with the Clifton Board of Education for 775 Valley Road, the former home of Paul VI High School and Pope John Paul II Academy. In the lease agreement, there was an understanding that, eventually, the building at 777 would be included, which will now become effective as of Aug. 31, 2026. Entrusted with the mission to be prudent stewards of the generosity of God’s people, careful planning for the present and future is required. After much prayer and consultation, I believe this is the best time for a change of our chancery’s location. In making this change, we will ensure that our temporal resources advance our spiritual mission of evangelization, pastoral ministry, and service to our parishes, enabling us to proclaim the Gospel more effectively for generations to come. Therefore, many of our diocesan offices will now be housed at our Evangelization Center, St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison. The Bishop’s Office, the Offices of the Vicar General, Chancellor and Vice Chancellor, the Diocesan Tribunal, and some other offices will now be located at 321 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne. Hopefully, both moves will be completed by the end of September 2026. The new mailing address of the Diocese of Paterson, effective Aug. 24, 2026, is 205 Madison Avenue, Madison, New Jersey 07940. Our diocesan telephone numbers will remain the same. Email addresses, of course, are unchanged as well. Please know that I will continue to provide you with information and that our diocesan departments will function as they always have, with attention to whatever helps you to carry out your ministry with confidence and joy. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Read More

Bishop Sweeney announces relocation of Diocese of Paterson Chancery #Catholic – For nearly 50 years, 777 Valley Road has served the Diocese of Paterson well as the location of our Diocesan Center and chancery offices. Time and constant use, however, have taken their toll. The aging infrastructure of the building, along with our needs to reexamine our resources for the future, make it impractical as our continuing home. In the Spring of 2025, we entered into a long-term lease agreement with the Clifton Board of Education for 775 Valley Road, the former home of Paul VI High School and Pope John Paul II Academy. In the lease agreement, there was an understanding that, eventually, the building at 777 would be included, which will now become effective as of Aug. 31, 2026. Entrusted with the mission to be prudent stewards of the generosity of God’s people, careful planning for the present and future is required. After much prayer and consultation, I believe this is the best time for a change of our chancery’s location. In making this change, we will ensure that our temporal resources advance our spiritual mission of evangelization, pastoral ministry, and service to our parishes, enabling us to proclaim the Gospel more effectively for generations to come. Therefore, many of our diocesan offices will now be housed at our Evangelization Center, St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison. The Bishop’s Office, the Offices of the Vicar General, Chancellor and Vice Chancellor, the Diocesan Tribunal, and some other offices will now be located at 321 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne. Hopefully, both moves will be completed by the end of September 2026. The new mailing address of the Diocese of Paterson, effective Aug. 24, 2026, is 205 Madison Avenue, Madison, New Jersey 07940. Our diocesan telephone numbers will remain the same. Email addresses, of course, are unchanged as well. Please know that I will continue to provide you with information and that our diocesan departments will function as they always have, with attention to whatever helps you to carry out your ministry with confidence and joy. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

unitedyam

Bishop Sweeney announces relocation of Diocese of Paterson Chancery #Catholic –

For nearly 50 years, 777 Valley Road has served the Diocese of Paterson well as the location of our Diocesan Center and chancery offices. Time and constant use, however, have taken their toll. The aging infrastructure of the building, along with our needs to reexamine our resources for the future, make it impractical as our continuing home. In the Spring of 2025, we entered into a long-term lease agreement with the Clifton Board of Education for 775 Valley Road, the former home of Paul VI High School and Pope John Paul II Academy. In the lease agreement, there was an understanding that, eventually, the building at 777 would be included, which will now become effective as of Aug. 31, 2026.

Entrusted with the mission to be prudent stewards of the generosity of God’s people, careful planning for the present and future is required. After much prayer and consultation, I believe this is the best time for a change of our chancery’s location. In making this change, we will ensure that our temporal resources advance our spiritual mission of evangelization, pastoral ministry, and service to our parishes, enabling us to proclaim the Gospel more effectively for generations to come.

Therefore, many of our diocesan offices will now be housed at our Evangelization Center, St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison. The Bishop’s Office, the Offices of the Vicar General, Chancellor and Vice Chancellor, the Diocesan Tribunal, and some other offices will now be located at 321 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne. Hopefully, both moves will be completed by the end of September 2026.

The new mailing address of the Diocese of Paterson, effective Aug. 24, 2026, is 205 Madison Avenue, Madison, New Jersey 07940. Our diocesan telephone numbers will remain the same. Email addresses, of course, are unchanged as well. Please know that I will continue to provide you with information and that our diocesan departments will function as they always have, with attention to whatever helps you to carry out your ministry with confidence and joy.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– For nearly 50 years, 777 Valley Road has served the Diocese of Paterson well as the location of our Diocesan Center and chancery offices. Time and constant use, however, have taken their toll. The aging infrastructure of the building, along with our needs to reexamine our resources for the future, make it impractical as our continuing home. In the Spring of 2025, we entered into a long-term lease agreement with the Clifton Board of Education for 775 Valley Road, the former home of Paul VI High School and Pope John Paul II Academy. In the lease agreement, there was an

Read More
Spanish persecution survivors reveal hidden stories of faith and resistance – #Catholic – Anti-Christian violence claimed the lives of numerous clergy, religious, and lay Catholics in Spain during the 1930s, producing one of the most extensively studied chapters in the modern history of the Church.The memory of that religious persecution, however, has largely been constructed around its martyrs, leaving in the background those who endured the same brutality but did not receive the palm of martyrdom.A new book by Spanish priest and theologian Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca Alameda brings to light the stories of Catholics who survived the upheaval and violence of those years.Published in Spanish by publishing house Didaskalos under the title “Los mártires que no fueron. Salvados, clandestinos, refugiados, evadidos y muertos de la persecución religiosa en España (1936–1939)” (“The Martyrs Who Were Not: Survivors, Underground Catholics, Refugees, Escapees and Victims of Religious Persecution in Spain, 1936–1939”), the book recounts the experiences of people who escaped death, lived in hiding, fled dangerous areas, or died during the Spanish Civil War under circumstances that did not meet the Church’s criteria for martyrdom.Sánchez de Toca, a relator at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, has worked on numerous causes of martyrdom connected with the religious persecution of the 1930s.That experience, he told ACI Prensa, inspired him to begin collecting the stories of those whose lives had received less attention.“Those who went through the persecution and did not die in it, or who died during that period but without the grace of martyrdom, had been left somewhat in the shadows,” he said.Would-be martyrsThe book presents a broad collection of men and women who endured the same trial as the martyrs but met a different fate. Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca Alameda, a relator at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, during his book presentation in February 2026 at the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News Some escaped death through unexpected circumstances. Others remained hidden for years while sustaining a Church forced underground. Some fled the most dangerous areas, while others died during the war without their deaths being recognized as martyrdom.“Not all saints who live through a religious persecution attain the palm of martyrdom by dying in it, and not everyone who dies during a persecution is a martyr,” Sánchez de Toca explained.Rather than attempting an exhaustive catalog, the author selected figures who have been canonized or are currently the subjects of beatification causes, offering a different perspective on the dramatic events of the period.Among the better-known figures are St. Maravillas of Jesus, St. Josemaría Escrivá, Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, Venerable José María García Lahiguera, Blessed Pere Tarrés, Isidoro Zorzano, and Servant of God Carmen Hidalgo, co-founder of the Oblate Sisters of Christ the Priest.The book also features lesser-known people whose lives were marked by the persecution, including Ismael de Tomelloso, known as “the saintly militiaman”; Antonio Rivera, called “the angel of the Alcázar”; and Jesuit Father Fernando Huidobro, a chaplain to the Spanish Legion.Those three cases initially attracted the author’s interest. Although all suffered the consequences of the war and two died from wounds or at the front, none can be considered martyrs in the strict sense.“There were attempts to present them as martyrs, especially during the postwar period through Francoist propaganda,” Sánchez de Toca said.They were sometimes described using a phrase common at the time, “fallen for God and for Spain.” The circumstances of their deaths, however, did not satisfy the requirements established by the Church for the recognition of martyrdom.The underground ChurchOne of the book’s most distinctive sections reconstructs the daily lives of Catholics who remained in Republican-controlled territory and were forced to practice their faith clandestinely.A chapter devoted to “the underground and the prayerful home front” recounts the experiences of courageous men and women who organized secret networks to assist priests in hiding, enable the celebration of the sacraments and keep Catholic religious practice alive.“They created assistance networks that would not be out of place in the best spy novels,” Sánchez de Toca said.Isidoro Zorzano, Venerable José María García Lahiguera and Mother Carmen Hidalgo organized a network of financial assistance for priests who had survived.“They provided them with the materials needed to celebrate Mass and then redistributed Communion, taking it to homes through underground agents,” he explained.Crossing the front linesAnother chapter recounts the stories of Catholics who crossed the front lines through exceptionally dangerous operations.They include Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, who crossed through the battlefront; Servant of God Tomás Alvira, who accompanied St. Josemaría Escrivá across the Pyrenees; and Venerable Sister Justa Domínguez de Vidaurreta, a superior of the Daughters of Charity who escaped Madrid after numerous difficulties and eventually settled in Pamplona.The burden of survivalSánchez de Toca was also struck by what is commonly known as survivor’s guilt, a psychological phenomenon experienced by many who escaped persecution.Although a chapter devoted to the subject was removed for editorial reasons, the author said many survivors spent the rest of their lives wrestling with a troubling question: Why had they survived while so many of their companions had been killed?“It is not always easy to answer the question: ‘Why did the Lord not want me to be a martyr when so many of my companions were killed?’” he said.Saved at the last momentSome of the book’s most dramatic passages recount the experiences of people who escaped what appeared to be certain death.One of the most striking accounts concerns an Augustinian friar imprisoned in Madrid during the persecution.According to Sánchez de Toca, the friar’s hands had already been tied and he was preparing to be transported to Paracuellos when an unknown person cut his ropes and whispered: “Turn around and go back to your cell. Don’t look back.”The friar obeyed mechanically and survived.“He returned to his cell and began trembling and convulsing from the post-traumatic shock so violently that several companions had to hold him down,” Sánchez de Toca recounted.Others survived because of errors in prisoner lists or the unexpected intervention of anonymous people. Many interpreted their rescue as an act of divine providence and spent the rest of their lives wondering why they had been chosen to survive.The author also addresses crimes committed by Nationalist forces. Father Huidobro, for example, denounced the summary executions of prisoners in complaints submitted to Gen. Francisco Franco’s headquarters.A lesson for todayBeyond their historical value, Sánchez de Toca said he believes the biographies offer lessons of particular relevance to Christians today.“They all lived with a clear vocation to martyrdom,” he said.According to the author, martyrdom was part of the spiritual horizon of many Spanish Catholics even before the outbreak of the Civil War.“This can be seen in their letters, homilies, and conversations as an expression of their willingness to give their lives for Christ if necessary,” he said.Sánchez de Toca also highlighted the extraordinary apostolic creativity Catholics demonstrated under extreme circumstances.“This is another enduring lesson for our time,” he concluded. “The Holy Spirit inspires apostolic creativity in the circumstances in which each person lives.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

Spanish persecution survivors reveal hidden stories of faith and resistance – #Catholic – Anti-Christian violence claimed the lives of numerous clergy, religious, and lay Catholics in Spain during the 1930s, producing one of the most extensively studied chapters in the modern history of the Church.The memory of that religious persecution, however, has largely been constructed around its martyrs, leaving in the background those who endured the same brutality but did not receive the palm of martyrdom.A new book by Spanish priest and theologian Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca Alameda brings to light the stories of Catholics who survived the upheaval and violence of those years.Published in Spanish by publishing house Didaskalos under the title “Los mártires que no fueron. Salvados, clandestinos, refugiados, evadidos y muertos de la persecución religiosa en España (1936–1939)” (“The Martyrs Who Were Not: Survivors, Underground Catholics, Refugees, Escapees and Victims of Religious Persecution in Spain, 1936–1939”), the book recounts the experiences of people who escaped death, lived in hiding, fled dangerous areas, or died during the Spanish Civil War under circumstances that did not meet the Church’s criteria for martyrdom.Sánchez de Toca, a relator at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, has worked on numerous causes of martyrdom connected with the religious persecution of the 1930s.That experience, he told ACI Prensa, inspired him to begin collecting the stories of those whose lives had received less attention.“Those who went through the persecution and did not die in it, or who died during that period but without the grace of martyrdom, had been left somewhat in the shadows,” he said.Would-be martyrsThe book presents a broad collection of men and women who endured the same trial as the martyrs but met a different fate. Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca Alameda, a relator at the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, during his book presentation in February 2026 at the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News Some escaped death through unexpected circumstances. Others remained hidden for years while sustaining a Church forced underground. Some fled the most dangerous areas, while others died during the war without their deaths being recognized as martyrdom.“Not all saints who live through a religious persecution attain the palm of martyrdom by dying in it, and not everyone who dies during a persecution is a martyr,” Sánchez de Toca explained.Rather than attempting an exhaustive catalog, the author selected figures who have been canonized or are currently the subjects of beatification causes, offering a different perspective on the dramatic events of the period.Among the better-known figures are St. Maravillas of Jesus, St. Josemaría Escrivá, Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, Venerable José María García Lahiguera, Blessed Pere Tarrés, Isidoro Zorzano, and Servant of God Carmen Hidalgo, co-founder of the Oblate Sisters of Christ the Priest.The book also features lesser-known people whose lives were marked by the persecution, including Ismael de Tomelloso, known as “the saintly militiaman”; Antonio Rivera, called “the angel of the Alcázar”; and Jesuit Father Fernando Huidobro, a chaplain to the Spanish Legion.Those three cases initially attracted the author’s interest. Although all suffered the consequences of the war and two died from wounds or at the front, none can be considered martyrs in the strict sense.“There were attempts to present them as martyrs, especially during the postwar period through Francoist propaganda,” Sánchez de Toca said.They were sometimes described using a phrase common at the time, “fallen for God and for Spain.” The circumstances of their deaths, however, did not satisfy the requirements established by the Church for the recognition of martyrdom.The underground ChurchOne of the book’s most distinctive sections reconstructs the daily lives of Catholics who remained in Republican-controlled territory and were forced to practice their faith clandestinely.A chapter devoted to “the underground and the prayerful home front” recounts the experiences of courageous men and women who organized secret networks to assist priests in hiding, enable the celebration of the sacraments and keep Catholic religious practice alive.“They created assistance networks that would not be out of place in the best spy novels,” Sánchez de Toca said.Isidoro Zorzano, Venerable José María García Lahiguera and Mother Carmen Hidalgo organized a network of financial assistance for priests who had survived.“They provided them with the materials needed to celebrate Mass and then redistributed Communion, taking it to homes through underground agents,” he explained.Crossing the front linesAnother chapter recounts the stories of Catholics who crossed the front lines through exceptionally dangerous operations.They include Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, who crossed through the battlefront; Servant of God Tomás Alvira, who accompanied St. Josemaría Escrivá across the Pyrenees; and Venerable Sister Justa Domínguez de Vidaurreta, a superior of the Daughters of Charity who escaped Madrid after numerous difficulties and eventually settled in Pamplona.The burden of survivalSánchez de Toca was also struck by what is commonly known as survivor’s guilt, a psychological phenomenon experienced by many who escaped persecution.Although a chapter devoted to the subject was removed for editorial reasons, the author said many survivors spent the rest of their lives wrestling with a troubling question: Why had they survived while so many of their companions had been killed?“It is not always easy to answer the question: ‘Why did the Lord not want me to be a martyr when so many of my companions were killed?’” he said.Saved at the last momentSome of the book’s most dramatic passages recount the experiences of people who escaped what appeared to be certain death.One of the most striking accounts concerns an Augustinian friar imprisoned in Madrid during the persecution.According to Sánchez de Toca, the friar’s hands had already been tied and he was preparing to be transported to Paracuellos when an unknown person cut his ropes and whispered: “Turn around and go back to your cell. Don’t look back.”The friar obeyed mechanically and survived.“He returned to his cell and began trembling and convulsing from the post-traumatic shock so violently that several companions had to hold him down,” Sánchez de Toca recounted.Others survived because of errors in prisoner lists or the unexpected intervention of anonymous people. Many interpreted their rescue as an act of divine providence and spent the rest of their lives wondering why they had been chosen to survive.The author also addresses crimes committed by Nationalist forces. Father Huidobro, for example, denounced the summary executions of prisoners in complaints submitted to Gen. Francisco Franco’s headquarters.A lesson for todayBeyond their historical value, Sánchez de Toca said he believes the biographies offer lessons of particular relevance to Christians today.“They all lived with a clear vocation to martyrdom,” he said.According to the author, martyrdom was part of the spiritual horizon of many Spanish Catholics even before the outbreak of the Civil War.“This can be seen in their letters, homilies, and conversations as an expression of their willingness to give their lives for Christ if necessary,” he said.Sánchez de Toca also highlighted the extraordinary apostolic creativity Catholics demonstrated under extreme circumstances.“This is another enduring lesson for our time,” he concluded. “The Holy Spirit inspires apostolic creativity in the circumstances in which each person lives.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

A new book tells the stories of Catholics who survived persecution during the Spanish Civil War.

Read More
Pope Leo XIV names apostolic administrator for Rabat in Morocco amid investigation of cardinal – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Monsignor Mario León Dorado, OMI, as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco, after Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero temporarily stepped back from the public exercise of his ministry amid an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and inappropriate conduct, which he denies.The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate announced the appointment in a statement published on the order’s official Facebook page. The appointment was also confirmed to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, although it has not yet been officially announced by the Vatican.“We are pleased to announce that the Holy See has appointed Msgr. Mario León Dorado, OMI, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco,” the Oblates said.The statement said the Spanish priest would carry out the responsibility “in communion with the Holy See and at its discretion” and invited the faithful to accompany him with their prayers in his new mission.ACI Prensa obtained a copy of the decree sent by the apostolic nunciature in Morocco communicating the decision. The letter was signed by Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, the apostolic nuncio, and dated Aug. 1.An apostolic administrator “sede plena” is appointed when the diocesan bishop remains in office but is temporarily unable to exercise pastoral governance. In such circumstances, the Holy See entrusts the ordinary administration of the diocese to another bishop or priest until the situation that prompted the measure is resolved.The Archdiocese of Rabat covers much of Morocco and is one of the Catholic Church’s principal jurisdictions in the country.Preliminary investigation underwayThe appointment follows López Romero’s announcement in early July that he would temporarily withdraw from all public and pastoral activity while the Church conducts a preliminary investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct involving adult women.The cardinal defended his innocence in a brief statement released at the time by the Spanish news agency EFE.“I have not committed any assault, violence, or sexual harassment,” he said.López Romero informed the diocesan community of his decision in a message issued at the end of the pastoral year. He said the Church had opened a preliminary investigation into the complaints and that the case was in the hands of the appropriate Holy See authorities.“I am accused of inappropriate conduct toward adult women,” the archbishop said, adding that he was cooperating fully with the ecclesiastical process.The cardinal said he would refrain from presiding at public celebrations or taking part in pastoral activities while the investigation is underway.“During this period of investigation, and so as not to hinder it, I am going to take a step back, refraining from presiding at any public celebration and from participating in any pastoral activity, as you will undoubtedly understand,” he said in the statement obtained by ACI Prensa.Who is Mario León Dorado?León Dorado, who is also Spanish, belongs to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and currently serves as apostolic prefect of Western Sahara. According to information released by the archdiocese, he has carried out his ministry in the region for nearly 25 years.He discerned a missionary vocation at a young age and professed religious vows on Sept. 15, 1996. He was ordained a priest on June 2, 2001, and began his pastoral ministry in the Spanish province of Jaén, where he served for three years while retaining his desire to minister in an Arab cultural setting.That interest was strengthened by a visit to the Sahara during his formation, an experience that profoundly shaped his vocation and ultimately directed his pastoral and missionary work toward North Africa.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

Pope Leo XIV names apostolic administrator for Rabat in Morocco amid investigation of cardinal – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Monsignor Mario León Dorado, OMI, as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco, after Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero temporarily stepped back from the public exercise of his ministry amid an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and inappropriate conduct, which he denies.The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate announced the appointment in a statement published on the order’s official Facebook page. The appointment was also confirmed to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, although it has not yet been officially announced by the Vatican.“We are pleased to announce that the Holy See has appointed Msgr. Mario León Dorado, OMI, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco,” the Oblates said.The statement said the Spanish priest would carry out the responsibility “in communion with the Holy See and at its discretion” and invited the faithful to accompany him with their prayers in his new mission.ACI Prensa obtained a copy of the decree sent by the apostolic nunciature in Morocco communicating the decision. The letter was signed by Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, the apostolic nuncio, and dated Aug. 1.An apostolic administrator “sede plena” is appointed when the diocesan bishop remains in office but is temporarily unable to exercise pastoral governance. In such circumstances, the Holy See entrusts the ordinary administration of the diocese to another bishop or priest until the situation that prompted the measure is resolved.The Archdiocese of Rabat covers much of Morocco and is one of the Catholic Church’s principal jurisdictions in the country.Preliminary investigation underwayThe appointment follows López Romero’s announcement in early July that he would temporarily withdraw from all public and pastoral activity while the Church conducts a preliminary investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct involving adult women.The cardinal defended his innocence in a brief statement released at the time by the Spanish news agency EFE.“I have not committed any assault, violence, or sexual harassment,” he said.López Romero informed the diocesan community of his decision in a message issued at the end of the pastoral year. He said the Church had opened a preliminary investigation into the complaints and that the case was in the hands of the appropriate Holy See authorities.“I am accused of inappropriate conduct toward adult women,” the archbishop said, adding that he was cooperating fully with the ecclesiastical process.The cardinal said he would refrain from presiding at public celebrations or taking part in pastoral activities while the investigation is underway.“During this period of investigation, and so as not to hinder it, I am going to take a step back, refraining from presiding at any public celebration and from participating in any pastoral activity, as you will undoubtedly understand,” he said in the statement obtained by ACI Prensa.Who is Mario León Dorado?León Dorado, who is also Spanish, belongs to the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and currently serves as apostolic prefect of Western Sahara. According to information released by the archdiocese, he has carried out his ministry in the region for nearly 25 years.He discerned a missionary vocation at a young age and professed religious vows on Sept. 15, 1996. He was ordained a priest on June 2, 2001, and began his pastoral ministry in the Spanish province of Jaén, where he served for three years while retaining his desire to minister in an Arab cultural setting.That interest was strengthened by a visit to the Sahara during his formation, an experience that profoundly shaped his vocation and ultimately directed his pastoral and missionary work toward North Africa.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero has stepped back from public ministry while the Church investigates allegations of sexual abuse and inappropriate conduct involving adult women, which he denies.

Read More
Pope Leo XIV to Ecuadorian Catholics: Keep following Christ – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV has encouraged young Ecuadorian Catholics to follow Christ with determination and to reflect his love and mercy to the world.The Vatican published a video message from Leo for Ecuador’s seventh National Youth Day on Aug. 2, the final day of the event that began on July 31 in Ibarra. In the message, the pope greeted those present and urged them to listen to Christ’s call for their lives.“I encourage you to listen to the Lordʼs call and to follow him with determination,” the pope said in his message. “An encounter with Jesus Christ fills the heart with joy and gives us the strength to be witnesses of his love and his mercy.”Leo also asked them to allow themselves to be transformed by Christ’s love and to work for peace in today’s world.“Allow yourselves to be transformed by his love and be promoters of forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace.”“The Church needs your joy, your courage, and your witness so that many others may come to know Christ,” Leo added.The National Youth Day in Ecuador (“Jornada Nacional de la Juventud”) is the country’s own adaptation of World Youth Day, gathering dioceses nationwide for catechesis, worship, and fellowship. The motto for this year’s gathering is drawn from John 16:33: “Take courage; I have conquered the world.”Amid a rise in homicides nationwide, the Ecuadorian bishops renewed the country’s consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June. In 1874, Ecuador became the first country to be officially consecrated to the Sacred Heart.
Read More

Pope Leo XIV to Ecuadorian Catholics: Keep following Christ – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV has encouraged young Ecuadorian Catholics to follow Christ with determination and to reflect his love and mercy to the world.The Vatican published a video message from Leo for Ecuador’s seventh National Youth Day on Aug. 2, the final day of the event that began on July 31 in Ibarra. In the message, the pope greeted those present and urged them to listen to Christ’s call for their lives.“I encourage you to listen to the Lordʼs call and to follow him with determination,” the pope said in his message. “An encounter with Jesus Christ fills the heart with joy and gives us the strength to be witnesses of his love and his mercy.”Leo also asked them to allow themselves to be transformed by Christ’s love and to work for peace in today’s world.“Allow yourselves to be transformed by his love and be promoters of forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace.”“The Church needs your joy, your courage, and your witness so that many others may come to know Christ,” Leo added.The National Youth Day in Ecuador (“Jornada Nacional de la Juventud”) is the country’s own adaptation of World Youth Day, gathering dioceses nationwide for catechesis, worship, and fellowship. The motto for this year’s gathering is drawn from John 16:33: “Take courage; I have conquered the world.”Amid a rise in homicides nationwide, the Ecuadorian bishops renewed the country’s consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in June. In 1874, Ecuador became the first country to be officially consecrated to the Sacred Heart.

unitedyam

The Vatican published a video message from the pontiff on Aug. 2 for Ecuador’s seventh National Youth Day.

Read More

The Moon’s hidden southwest corner

unitedyam

Damian Peach from Hampshire, U.K. Favorable libration briefly tilts the Moon’s southwestern limb into view in this image, exposing three heavily foreshortened craters: Bailly (center left) at roughly 180 miles (300 kilometers) across; the well-preserved Hausen (upper left); and 149-kilometer Drygalski (upper right), so close to the limb it is normally hidden entirely, and liesContinue reading “The Moon’s hidden southwest corner”

The post The Moon’s hidden southwest corner appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Read More

Gospel and Word of the Day – 03 August 2026 – A reading from the Book of Jeremiah 28:1-17 In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will restore to this place all the vessels of the temple of the LORD which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took away from this place to Babylon.  And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’” The prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah  in the presence of the priests and all the people assembled in the house of the LORD, and said: Amen! thus may the LORD do! May he fulfill the things you have prophesied by bringing the vessels of the house of the LORD and all the exiles back from Babylon to this place! But now, listen to what I am about to state in your hearing and the hearing of all the people. From of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied war, woe, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms. But the prophet who prophesies peace is recognized as truly sent by the LORD only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled. Thereupon the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, and said in the presence of all the people: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Even so, within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, from off the neck of all the nations.’” At that, the prophet Jeremiah went away. Some time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: Go tell Hananiah this:   Thus says the LORD: By breaking a wooden yoke, you forge an iron yoke! For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: A yoke of iron I will place on the necks of all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and they shall serve him; even the beasts of the field I give him. To the prophet Hananiah the prophet Jeremiah said: Hear this, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, and you have raised false confidence in this people. For this, says the LORD, I will dispatch you from the face of the earth; this very year you shall die, because you have preached rebellion against the LORD. That same year, in the seventh month, Hananiah the prophet died.From the Gospel according to Matthew 14:22-36 Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side of the sea, while he dismissed the crowds. After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone. Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.” After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought to him all those who were sick and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak, and as many as touched it were healed.St Augustine, imagining that he was addressing the Apostle, commented: the Lord “leaned down and took you by the hand. With your strength alone you cannot rise. Hold tight to the hand of the One who reaches down to you” (En. in Ps. 95, 7: PL 36, 1233), and he did not say this to Peter alone but also to us. Peter walks on the water, not by his own effort but rather through divine grace in which he believes. And when he was smitten by doubt, when he no longer fixed his gaze on Jesus but was frightened by the gale, when he failed to put full trust in the Teacher’s words, it means that he was interiorly distancing himself from the Teacher and so risked sinking in the sea of life. So it is also for us: if we look only at ourselves we become dependent on the winds and can no longer pass through storms on the waters of life. The great thinker Romano Guardini wrote that the Lord “is always close, being at the root of our being. Yet we must experience our relationship with God between the poles of distance and closeness. By closeness we are strengthened, by distance we are put to the test” (Accettare se stessi, Brescia 1992, 71). (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 7 August 2011)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
28:1-17

In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah,
in the fifth month of the fourth year,
the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon,
said to me in the house of the LORD
in the presence of the priests and all the people:
“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Within two years I will restore to this place
all the vessels of the temple of the LORD which Nebuchadnezzar,
king of Babylon, took away from this place to Babylon. 
And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah,
son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the LORD,
‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

The prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah 
in the presence of the priests and all the people assembled
in the house of the LORD, and said:
Amen! thus may the LORD do!
May he fulfill the things you have prophesied
by bringing the vessels of the house of the LORD
and all the exiles back from Babylon to this place!
But now, listen to what I am about to state in your hearing
and the hearing of all the people.
From of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied
war, woe, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms.
But the prophet who prophesies peace
is recognized as truly sent by the LORD
only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled.

Thereupon the prophet Hananiah took the yoke
from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it,
and said in the presence of all the people:
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Even so, within two years
I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
from off the neck of all the nations.’” At that, the prophet Jeremiah went away.

Some time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke
from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah,
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
Go tell Hananiah this:  
Thus says the LORD:
By breaking a wooden yoke, you forge an iron yoke!
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
A yoke of iron I will place on the necks
of all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
and they shall serve him; even the beasts of the field I give him.

To the prophet Hananiah the prophet Jeremiah said:
Hear this, Hananiah!
The LORD has not sent you,
and you have raised false confidence in this people.
For this, says the LORD, I will dispatch you from the face of the earth;
this very year you shall die,
because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.
That same year, in the seventh month, Hananiah the prophet died.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
14:22-36

Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”

After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.

St Augustine, imagining that he was addressing the Apostle, commented: the Lord “leaned down and took you by the hand. With your strength alone you cannot rise. Hold tight to the hand of the One who reaches down to you” (En. in Ps. 95, 7: PL 36, 1233), and he did not say this to Peter alone but also to us.

Peter walks on the water, not by his own effort but rather through divine grace in which he believes. And when he was smitten by doubt, when he no longer fixed his gaze on Jesus but was frightened by the gale, when he failed to put full trust in the Teacher’s words, it means that he was interiorly distancing himself from the Teacher and so risked sinking in the sea of life.

So it is also for us: if we look only at ourselves we become dependent on the winds and can no longer pass through storms on the waters of life. The great thinker Romano Guardini wrote that the Lord “is always close, being at the root of our being. Yet we must experience our relationship with God between the poles of distance and closeness. By closeness we are strengthened, by distance we are put to the test” (Accettare se stessi, Brescia 1992, 71). (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 7 August 2011)

Read More
Egypt executes convicted killer of Coptic Orthodox priest #Catholic A crime that deeply shocked Egypt’s Coptic community and broader public has reached its legal conclusion after the family of Father Arsanios Wadid confirmed that Egyptian authorities have executed the man convicted of murdering him.The sentence was carried out after all stages of litigation were completed and the defendant had exhausted his available legal appeals, bringing to an end a case that lasted more than four years from the killing to the execution of the final judgment.According to the attorney representing the priest’s family, Egyptian authorities carried out the death sentence, the most severe punishment under the country’s law, after investigators and the courts found the defendant responsible for intentional murder.The execution followed the Egyptian Court of Cassation’s rejection of the defendant’s final appeal and its affirmation of an earlier ruling by the Alexandria Criminal Court, making the sentence final and enforceable.The case dates back to April 7, 2022, when Wadid, a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary and St. Paul the Apostle in Alexandria’s Karmouz-Moharam Bek district, was participating in a weekly parish gathering at one of the city’s beaches. As participants were boarding buses following the gathering, Wadid, who was wearing clerical attire and helping organize their departure, was attacked from behind and fatally stabbed. Those present restrained the assailant and handed him over to security forces. Wadid was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.Although the legal proceedings initially moved quickly, with the defendant referred to the criminal court within weeks of the killing and sentenced to death by hanging, the ruling was not final at the time and remained pending while the Court of Cassation considered his appeals.In January 2025, the Court of Cassation rejected the defendant’s appeal and upheld the death sentence, making the judgment final. The sentence, however, was not carried out until approximately a year and a half later, making it more than four years from the killing to the execution and leaving a profound mark on the Coptic Orthodox Church and the people of Alexandria.This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

Egypt executes convicted killer of Coptic Orthodox priest #Catholic A crime that deeply shocked Egypt’s Coptic community and broader public has reached its legal conclusion after the family of Father Arsanios Wadid confirmed that Egyptian authorities have executed the man convicted of murdering him.The sentence was carried out after all stages of litigation were completed and the defendant had exhausted his available legal appeals, bringing to an end a case that lasted more than four years from the killing to the execution of the final judgment.According to the attorney representing the priest’s family, Egyptian authorities carried out the death sentence, the most severe punishment under the country’s law, after investigators and the courts found the defendant responsible for intentional murder.The execution followed the Egyptian Court of Cassation’s rejection of the defendant’s final appeal and its affirmation of an earlier ruling by the Alexandria Criminal Court, making the sentence final and enforceable.The case dates back to April 7, 2022, when Wadid, a priest of the Coptic Orthodox Church of the Virgin Mary and St. Paul the Apostle in Alexandria’s Karmouz-Moharam Bek district, was participating in a weekly parish gathering at one of the city’s beaches. As participants were boarding buses following the gathering, Wadid, who was wearing clerical attire and helping organize their departure, was attacked from behind and fatally stabbed. Those present restrained the assailant and handed him over to security forces. Wadid was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.Although the legal proceedings initially moved quickly, with the defendant referred to the criminal court within weeks of the killing and sentenced to death by hanging, the ruling was not final at the time and remained pending while the Court of Cassation considered his appeals.In January 2025, the Court of Cassation rejected the defendant’s appeal and upheld the death sentence, making the judgment final. The sentence, however, was not carried out until approximately a year and a half later, making it more than four years from the killing to the execution and leaving a profound mark on the Coptic Orthodox Church and the people of Alexandria.This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

The family of Father Arsanios Wadid, who was murdered in April 2022, confirmed that the man found guilty of the crime has been put to death.

Read More
5 tips for being a better godparent or confirmation sponsor #Catholic Being chosen as a godparent or confirmation sponsor entails a commitment to providing spiritual accompaniment to the godchild or candidate, helping that person to grow in his or her faith.This responsibility holds special significance in the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist, and confirmation, which, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “lay the foundations of every Christian life.”In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Mexican priest Father Luis Fernando Valdés, who holds a doctorate in theology from the University of Navarra in Spain, explained that the role of the godparent or sponsor corresponds to a human reality, since “we all need help to achieve life’s lofty goals.”Just as a person receives support to reach academic or professional goals, the priest noted, “the Church, with its centuries-old tradition, establishes this great custom of godparents for the spiritual life as well, because we all require this help.”Based on this reflection, he shared some recommendations for those wishing to better fulfill this mission and strengthen the bond with their godchild or candidate. (Editor’s note: For simplicity’s sake, both will now be referred to as godchild or godparent but includes adults receiving these sacraments.)1. Know that the godparent’s mission is to help the godchild grow in the faith.Valdés said the first step is to understand that being a godparent means “helping one’s godchild receive and cultivate a new life,” a life that is born solely “from the encounter with Christ.”“This new life consists in that we are now another Christ, because Jesus has conformed us to his life through the action of the Holy Spirit among us. Like Christ, we are children of God the Father,” he added. Therefore, he continued, the godparent’s goal is to help the godchild grow in that Christian identity.2. You can’t give what you don’t have.The priest pointed out that “no one gives what he doesnʼt have,” emphasizing that “the first task of the one who agrees to be a godparent is his or her own self.”Godparents need to build their lives on the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “doctrine, sacraments, moral life, and life of prayer.”“That is the great task of the godparents: to form themselves and then help their godchildren know these four pillars, which are what will configure them with Christ in the Church,” he stated.Furthermore, he clarified that this formation does not take place solely in a classroom or during catechesis. Often, it is passed on “through ordinary life, get-togethers, conversations, and visits between godparents and their godchildren.”3. Make the sacraments and prayer part of life.Another piece of advice from the priest is that godparents should strive to be people of the sacraments; that is, they should attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, go to confession frequently, and “live in a state of grace, leading a Christian life.”He also encouraged godparents to “strive to grow in charity,” seeking to “care for others, attend to the poor, and share their goods.”He added that they need to be “prayerful souls” who entrust their godchildren to God and learn “the Church’s beautiful vocal prayers,” such as the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Creed, and the rosary.However, he noted that spiritual life should not be limited to traditional formulas but also entails “engaging in personal prayer, knowing how to converse personally with Christ.”4. Review how you’re living the faith.Valdés acknowledged that being a godparent requires constant commitment; he therefore invited godparents to periodically examine their own spiritual lives and ask themselves whether they are living in accordance with the four pillars of the Christian life.And if the answer is not what was hoped for, he suggested asking these questions: “What must I do? How should I start over? Where should I personally go to receive formation?”5. Choose godparents who will “share parenthood.”His final piece of advice is addressed to parents. Valdés noted that choosing a godparent “is not simply about making it look like the other person is my closest friend”; rather, it is a commitment in which a person “shares their parenthood with a specific purpose.”“When someone chooses a godparent, they are saying to him or her ‘I have such love for you, and such trust in you, that I am sharing my parenthood with you so that you can help ensure that my child lives out the Christian life,’” Valdés explained.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

5 tips for being a better godparent or confirmation sponsor #Catholic Being chosen as a godparent or confirmation sponsor entails a commitment to providing spiritual accompaniment to the godchild or candidate, helping that person to grow in his or her faith.This responsibility holds special significance in the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist, and confirmation, which, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “lay the foundations of every Christian life.”In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Mexican priest Father Luis Fernando Valdés, who holds a doctorate in theology from the University of Navarra in Spain, explained that the role of the godparent or sponsor corresponds to a human reality, since “we all need help to achieve life’s lofty goals.”Just as a person receives support to reach academic or professional goals, the priest noted, “the Church, with its centuries-old tradition, establishes this great custom of godparents for the spiritual life as well, because we all require this help.”Based on this reflection, he shared some recommendations for those wishing to better fulfill this mission and strengthen the bond with their godchild or candidate. (Editor’s note: For simplicity’s sake, both will now be referred to as godchild or godparent but includes adults receiving these sacraments.)1. Know that the godparent’s mission is to help the godchild grow in the faith.Valdés said the first step is to understand that being a godparent means “helping one’s godchild receive and cultivate a new life,” a life that is born solely “from the encounter with Christ.”“This new life consists in that we are now another Christ, because Jesus has conformed us to his life through the action of the Holy Spirit among us. Like Christ, we are children of God the Father,” he added. Therefore, he continued, the godparent’s goal is to help the godchild grow in that Christian identity.2. You can’t give what you don’t have.The priest pointed out that “no one gives what he doesnʼt have,” emphasizing that “the first task of the one who agrees to be a godparent is his or her own self.”Godparents need to build their lives on the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “doctrine, sacraments, moral life, and life of prayer.”“That is the great task of the godparents: to form themselves and then help their godchildren know these four pillars, which are what will configure them with Christ in the Church,” he stated.Furthermore, he clarified that this formation does not take place solely in a classroom or during catechesis. Often, it is passed on “through ordinary life, get-togethers, conversations, and visits between godparents and their godchildren.”3. Make the sacraments and prayer part of life.Another piece of advice from the priest is that godparents should strive to be people of the sacraments; that is, they should attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, go to confession frequently, and “live in a state of grace, leading a Christian life.”He also encouraged godparents to “strive to grow in charity,” seeking to “care for others, attend to the poor, and share their goods.”He added that they need to be “prayerful souls” who entrust their godchildren to God and learn “the Church’s beautiful vocal prayers,” such as the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Creed, and the rosary.However, he noted that spiritual life should not be limited to traditional formulas but also entails “engaging in personal prayer, knowing how to converse personally with Christ.”4. Review how you’re living the faith.Valdés acknowledged that being a godparent requires constant commitment; he therefore invited godparents to periodically examine their own spiritual lives and ask themselves whether they are living in accordance with the four pillars of the Christian life.And if the answer is not what was hoped for, he suggested asking these questions: “What must I do? How should I start over? Where should I personally go to receive formation?”5. Choose godparents who will “share parenthood.”His final piece of advice is addressed to parents. Valdés noted that choosing a godparent “is not simply about making it look like the other person is my closest friend”; rather, it is a commitment in which a person “shares their parenthood with a specific purpose.”“When someone chooses a godparent, they are saying to him or her ‘I have such love for you, and such trust in you, that I am sharing my parenthood with you so that you can help ensure that my child lives out the Christian life,’” Valdés explained.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

The first and ongoing requisite for being a good godparent or sponsor is to be a good example oneself by faithfully living the Christian life.

Read More
Northern Arabia’s apostolic vicar urges Christians to stand firm in hope – #Catholic – The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, has affirmed that churches throughout his vicariate remain open to all faithful and to anyone seeking prayer despite the uncertainty affecting the region.Berardi said parish life across the vicariate, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudia Arabia, remains strong, noting that “our churches are filled with the faithful during Masses and Eucharistic adoration.” At the same time, the bishop acknowledged that the uncertainties created by the ongoing war in Iran and the anxiety it has generated have led many Catholics to leave the Gulf after businesses closed and jobs were lost.Holding fast to hopeBerardi said the lack of clarity surrounding ongoing negotiations and the possibility of further escalation have raised serious concerns among Christians in the region.“Nevertheless, we remain hopeful and continue to witness to our hope,” he said. “Our faith is stronger than any challenge, and God alone is our help.”Berardi added that the Church continues to pray for peace throughout the Gulf region and in the Holy Land.“We never cease praying for peace in the Gulf and for the Holy Land, placing our trust in Christ. His resurrection is our hope as we face this difficult time,” he said.Pastoral visits across the vicariateIn recent weeks, Berardi carried out a series of pastoral visits throughout the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, reaffirming the Churchʼs closeness to the faithful and encouraging them to remain steadfast in unity, hope, and prayer amid rising tensions in the Gulf and across the broader Middle East.His visits included 10 parishes and two cathedrals serving Catholic communities in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. During his visits, he encouraged the faithful to deepen their relationship with Christ through the Eucharist, remain firm in the faith, and continue witnessing to the Gospel within their families, workplaces, and communities. The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, recently made pastoral visits and presided at Masses throughout the vicariate calling Christians to unity and faith in difficult times.| Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia (AVONA) Living unity in faithIn addition to celebrating Masses, Berardi administered the sacrament of confirmation to 155 candidates and inaugurated a jubilee year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. As part of the observance, one church was designated as a jubilee church where pilgrims may obtain jubilee indulgences.The bishop also attended the screening of the documentary “Our Lady of Arabia: A Legacy of Faith,” which recounts the history and spiritual heritage of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, Kuwait, and highlights its continuing mission.Throughout the visits, Berardi listened to the experiences, challenges, and hopes of the faithful, offering pastoral guidance to support their spiritual growth. He also called for greater collaboration, the promotion of missionary discipleship, and a spirit of service inspired by the Holy Spirit.He concluded by reminding the faithful that the Church “cannot fully accomplish her mission unless her members live in unity of faith, hope, and charity.”This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

Northern Arabia’s apostolic vicar urges Christians to stand firm in hope – #Catholic – The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, has affirmed that churches throughout his vicariate remain open to all faithful and to anyone seeking prayer despite the uncertainty affecting the region.Berardi said parish life across the vicariate, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudia Arabia, remains strong, noting that “our churches are filled with the faithful during Masses and Eucharistic adoration.” At the same time, the bishop acknowledged that the uncertainties created by the ongoing war in Iran and the anxiety it has generated have led many Catholics to leave the Gulf after businesses closed and jobs were lost.Holding fast to hopeBerardi said the lack of clarity surrounding ongoing negotiations and the possibility of further escalation have raised serious concerns among Christians in the region.“Nevertheless, we remain hopeful and continue to witness to our hope,” he said. “Our faith is stronger than any challenge, and God alone is our help.”Berardi added that the Church continues to pray for peace throughout the Gulf region and in the Holy Land.“We never cease praying for peace in the Gulf and for the Holy Land, placing our trust in Christ. His resurrection is our hope as we face this difficult time,” he said.Pastoral visits across the vicariateIn recent weeks, Berardi carried out a series of pastoral visits throughout the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, reaffirming the Churchʼs closeness to the faithful and encouraging them to remain steadfast in unity, hope, and prayer amid rising tensions in the Gulf and across the broader Middle East.His visits included 10 parishes and two cathedrals serving Catholic communities in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. During his visits, he encouraged the faithful to deepen their relationship with Christ through the Eucharist, remain firm in the faith, and continue witnessing to the Gospel within their families, workplaces, and communities. The apostolic vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, recently made pastoral visits and presided at Masses throughout the vicariate calling Christians to unity and faith in difficult times.| Credit: Photo courtesy of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia (AVONA) Living unity in faithIn addition to celebrating Masses, Berardi administered the sacrament of confirmation to 155 candidates and inaugurated a jubilee year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. As part of the observance, one church was designated as a jubilee church where pilgrims may obtain jubilee indulgences.The bishop also attended the screening of the documentary “Our Lady of Arabia: A Legacy of Faith,” which recounts the history and spiritual heritage of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Arabia in Ahmadi, Kuwait, and highlights its continuing mission.Throughout the visits, Berardi listened to the experiences, challenges, and hopes of the faithful, offering pastoral guidance to support their spiritual growth. He also called for greater collaboration, the promotion of missionary discipleship, and a spirit of service inspired by the Holy Spirit.He concluded by reminding the faithful that the Church “cannot fully accomplish her mission unless her members live in unity of faith, hope, and charity.”This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

As war in the region continues, Bishop Aldo Berardi reminded the faithful that “faith Is stronger than fear.”

Read More
Pope Leo XIV appeals for peace and justice amid ‘alarming’ Ceuta crisis – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed concern over the “alarming situation” in Ceuta and appealed for solutions capable of bringing peace, stability and justice to the Spanish enclave facing a major migration and humanitarian crisis.“I am following with concern the alarming situation in Ceuta, praying to God that, through the intercession of Our Lady of Africa, solutions may be found to bring peace, stability and justice,” the pope said after leading the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on Aug. 2.His remarks followed the arrival of an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people from Morocco on July 30, many of whom attempted to reach Spanish territory by swimming around the border barriers.According to figures provided by Spanish authorities, at least 67 people died, most of them by drowning. The influx overwhelmed the autonomous city’s capacity to respond and prompted authorities to install additional barriers near the El Tarajal border crossing.The pope also renewed his appeal for an end to armed conflicts around the world.“Let us continue to pray for peace, that wars may cease throughout the world and diplomatic solutions to conflicts may be found,” he said.“Let us remember all the victims of hostilities, especially the weakest and most defenseless: children, the elderly and the sick,” he continued. “May the Lord comfort those who suffer and bless the work of those who bring aid and consolation.”Pope Leo also recalled the Pardon of Assisi, the plenary indulgence traditionally associated with the Porziuncola chapel in Assisi, Italy.“Saint Francis obtained this Indulgence from Pope Honorius III in 1216, having been inspired — while praying at the Porziuncola — by a vision of Jesus and Mary surrounded by angels,” he said.“Let us thank the Lord for this great gift and treasure it, especially in this eighth centenary year of the Transitus of the Poor Man of Assisi, who died at the Porziuncola on 3 October 1226.”Earlier, in his reflection before the Angelus, Pope Leo encouraged Catholics to rediscover the practice of blessing meals as a simple public witness to faith and a way of bringing the beauty of the Eucharist into everyday life.“As we savor the grace of the Eucharist, let us commit ourselves to bearing witness to its beauty in our daily actions, beginning with blessing meals at the table with family and friends,” he said.The pope reflected on the Gospel account of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, explaining that Christ’s miracles reveal both his care for humanity and the salvation he offers to the world.“When we listen to the Gospel, we frequently hear that Jesus performed signs, which are acts that reveal his special dedication to us and the salvation that he brings to the world,” he said. “The Lord is presented as the One who gives meaning to our lives, freeing us from evil and sin.”Pope Leo said Christ’s healing miracles were not merely extraordinary acts but signs that the kingdom of God was near.“By restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, Christ is doing more than merely performing miraculous deeds; he is proclaiming to all that the Kingdom of God is near,” he said.The Gospel, he continued, shows that Christ not only restores the senses but also fills them with good things, giving food to the hungry as well as sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf.“The account of the multiplication of the loaves shows us that the encounter with the Lord is a nourishing experience,” he said. “In the desert, that is, when we are in need, Christ is the bread of life.”The 12 baskets of food left over after the crowd had eaten, the pope explained, signify both the universal character of God’s gift and the constancy of his providential care.“Christ truly satisfies humanity’s hunger, our hunger for truth and life,” he said. “His gesture teaches us that nothing is discarded when it is shared.”Pope Leo contrasted that spirit of generosity with a culture driven by accumulation and waste.“Hoarding and waste, on the contrary, are two sides of the same evil: greed,” he said.He described greed as a spiritual sickness that dulls the senses and makes people indifferent to the suffering of others.“This spiritual sickness numbs the senses, which become intoxicated with wealth, to the point of making people forget those who weep from hunger and cry out from thirst,” he said.“And so, in the face of an opulence that reeks of decay, we find the outstretched hands of those who have no nourishment, the burned homes of those who have no peace.”Against the “deserts of war and arrogance,” the pope invited Christians to contemplate the actions of Jesus during the multiplication of the loaves: looking to heaven, blessing the bread, breaking it and giving it to the disciples to distribute.“In this miracle of charity, we recognize the characteristic actions of Jesus, which find their culmination in the Last Supper, for it was then that the Son of God gave us his very life as our brother in humanity,” he said.The pope concluded by encouraging Catholics to make their summer vacations an opportunity for fraternity and service.“In Jesus’ company, even vacations can become a time of fraternal serenity, if we reach out to our neighbors in need,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated, combined and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

Pope Leo XIV appeals for peace and justice amid ‘alarming’ Ceuta crisis – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV on Sunday expressed concern over the “alarming situation” in Ceuta and appealed for solutions capable of bringing peace, stability and justice to the Spanish enclave facing a major migration and humanitarian crisis.“I am following with concern the alarming situation in Ceuta, praying to God that, through the intercession of Our Lady of Africa, solutions may be found to bring peace, stability and justice,” the pope said after leading the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on Aug. 2.His remarks followed the arrival of an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people from Morocco on July 30, many of whom attempted to reach Spanish territory by swimming around the border barriers.According to figures provided by Spanish authorities, at least 67 people died, most of them by drowning. The influx overwhelmed the autonomous city’s capacity to respond and prompted authorities to install additional barriers near the El Tarajal border crossing.The pope also renewed his appeal for an end to armed conflicts around the world.“Let us continue to pray for peace, that wars may cease throughout the world and diplomatic solutions to conflicts may be found,” he said.“Let us remember all the victims of hostilities, especially the weakest and most defenseless: children, the elderly and the sick,” he continued. “May the Lord comfort those who suffer and bless the work of those who bring aid and consolation.”Pope Leo also recalled the Pardon of Assisi, the plenary indulgence traditionally associated with the Porziuncola chapel in Assisi, Italy.“Saint Francis obtained this Indulgence from Pope Honorius III in 1216, having been inspired — while praying at the Porziuncola — by a vision of Jesus and Mary surrounded by angels,” he said.“Let us thank the Lord for this great gift and treasure it, especially in this eighth centenary year of the Transitus of the Poor Man of Assisi, who died at the Porziuncola on 3 October 1226.”Earlier, in his reflection before the Angelus, Pope Leo encouraged Catholics to rediscover the practice of blessing meals as a simple public witness to faith and a way of bringing the beauty of the Eucharist into everyday life.“As we savor the grace of the Eucharist, let us commit ourselves to bearing witness to its beauty in our daily actions, beginning with blessing meals at the table with family and friends,” he said.The pope reflected on the Gospel account of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, explaining that Christ’s miracles reveal both his care for humanity and the salvation he offers to the world.“When we listen to the Gospel, we frequently hear that Jesus performed signs, which are acts that reveal his special dedication to us and the salvation that he brings to the world,” he said. “The Lord is presented as the One who gives meaning to our lives, freeing us from evil and sin.”Pope Leo said Christ’s healing miracles were not merely extraordinary acts but signs that the kingdom of God was near.“By restoring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, Christ is doing more than merely performing miraculous deeds; he is proclaiming to all that the Kingdom of God is near,” he said.The Gospel, he continued, shows that Christ not only restores the senses but also fills them with good things, giving food to the hungry as well as sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf.“The account of the multiplication of the loaves shows us that the encounter with the Lord is a nourishing experience,” he said. “In the desert, that is, when we are in need, Christ is the bread of life.”The 12 baskets of food left over after the crowd had eaten, the pope explained, signify both the universal character of God’s gift and the constancy of his providential care.“Christ truly satisfies humanity’s hunger, our hunger for truth and life,” he said. “His gesture teaches us that nothing is discarded when it is shared.”Pope Leo contrasted that spirit of generosity with a culture driven by accumulation and waste.“Hoarding and waste, on the contrary, are two sides of the same evil: greed,” he said.He described greed as a spiritual sickness that dulls the senses and makes people indifferent to the suffering of others.“This spiritual sickness numbs the senses, which become intoxicated with wealth, to the point of making people forget those who weep from hunger and cry out from thirst,” he said.“And so, in the face of an opulence that reeks of decay, we find the outstretched hands of those who have no nourishment, the burned homes of those who have no peace.”Against the “deserts of war and arrogance,” the pope invited Christians to contemplate the actions of Jesus during the multiplication of the loaves: looking to heaven, blessing the bread, breaking it and giving it to the disciples to distribute.“In this miracle of charity, we recognize the characteristic actions of Jesus, which find their culmination in the Last Supper, for it was then that the Son of God gave us his very life as our brother in humanity,” he said.The pope concluded by encouraging Catholics to make their summer vacations an opportunity for fraternity and service.“In Jesus’ company, even vacations can become a time of fraternal serenity, if we reach out to our neighbors in need,” he said.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated, combined and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

The pope also prayed for victims of war, recalled the Pardon of Assisi and urged Catholics to witness to the Eucharist by blessing meals and sharing with those in need.

Read More
How vampires show us God’s mercy: Nun who writes vampire novels concludes trilogy – #Catholic – Vampires can teach us about ourselves and about God’s mercy, at least according to Sister Allison Gliot, a religious sister who wrote a vampire trilogy that concluded this summer. Gliot is part of the Daughters of St. Paul, a religious order with the mission to evangelize through media. The vampire trilogy is a part of that evangelizing mission. Gliot’s “In Aeternum” trilogy begins with Elizabeth, a Catholic teenager caught up in a fight between vampires who goes on the run with a vampire outcast named Christopher. The story concludes in the third book, “The Dawn We Seek,” which was released July 24.In an interview with EWTN News, Gliot shared about the spiritual journey of her writing process, what Catholics can learn from cryptids, and a prayer request.EWTN News: As you conclude this trilogy, what stays with you from the spiritual journey of writing it?Gliot: When I first started writing this series, it was a solitary endeavor — just me and Jesus. When I shared the books with my publishing house, the circle grew to include my sisters and editors.But now that actual readers have been engaging with these stories and sharing their thoughts, hopes, and spiritual struggles with me as a result, Jesus has really been encouraging me to carry the readers in my heart and prayers in a special way. This story isnʼt just mine anymore.I surrendered it to God and to the readers when I published it, and itʼs beautiful and profoundly humbling for me to see the fruit it’s bearing in so many lives. How can writing be a spiritual experience and how do you as a religious sister connect your faith with your writing?For me, storytelling is a spiritual experience because itʼs something I do with Jesus. He provides the initial inspiration and asks me to trust him enough to put the time and effort into writing it down. Then he stays with me during the writing, teaching me things through the experience and helping me make connections I never would have been able to see on my own.Writing stories that involve my faith helps me to explore and live that faith more deeply, and, at the same time, I often notice my spiritual struggles and faith epiphanies from religious life trickling into my writing in various (and sometimes surprising) ways. “The Dawn We Seek” by Sister Allison Gliot. | Credit: Courtesy of Pauline Books & Media How does the trilogy deal with sin, redemption, and our relationship with God, and what can we learn about ourselves through fictional cryptid characters?In the “In Aeternum” trilogy, vampires are a mirror of our wounded humanity at its worst. They are an exploration of just how far we can fall when we truly make the choice to embrace sin and evil.But because vampires embody such an extreme, they also provide an opportunity to show the extremity of Godʼs mercy and the lengths he will go to save us — if we let him. And if weʼre willing to change our ways and step toward Godʼs goodness, even if weʼve gone very far in the other direction, even if itʼs just a tiny step.No reader will have committed the same atrocities as the vampires in my books (I hope). But if there can be a possibility of repentance and redemption even for them, then I pray that even readers who feel like theyʼve hit rock bottom can find a ray of divine hope through these books. “The Dawn We Seek” by Sister Allison Gliot, a Pauline sister. | Credit: Courtesy of Pauline Books & Media How does Catholicism invite us to use our imagination and creativity? How does it expand our imagination rather than limit it?The Catholic Church teaches that God created our imaginations and gave us gifts of creativity — gifts that he desires us to delight in and to use for building up his kingdom.But God is the ultimate Creator, and his imagination far surpasses ours. He can speak to us through so many means — including beauty, story, and imaginative play. Catholicism, far from limiting our imagination, puts us in touch with Godʼs imagination and communicates his very life to us through the grace of the sacraments.When we fully embrace our faith, allowing God to infuse us with his grace and inspire us with his divine love, we find ourselves on fire with the same creativity he used to make the world and everything in it. Exercising that creativity through our minds, wills, and hearts in harmony with God is a powerful force to draw us even closer to him.What does the field of fiction-writing look like for Catholic authors? I’d like to ask anyone reading this to say a prayer for Catholic authors who are seeking to bring God and the faith into popular genres. Since I began publishing Catholic urban fantasy stories, I’ve had so many authors and aspiring authors reach out to me to share their hopes and dreams for their faith-based stories. But even though these stories are so needed in our world today and have so much evangelizing and catechetical potential, it isn’t an easy field to navigate or break into. So please pray for Catholic authors and storytellers, that the Holy Spirit can bring much good out of the work we strive to do in his name.To learn more about Gliot’s new book, visit Pauline Books & Media.
Read More

How vampires show us God’s mercy: Nun who writes vampire novels concludes trilogy – #Catholic – Vampires can teach us about ourselves and about God’s mercy, at least according to Sister Allison Gliot, a religious sister who wrote a vampire trilogy that concluded this summer. Gliot is part of the Daughters of St. Paul, a religious order with the mission to evangelize through media. The vampire trilogy is a part of that evangelizing mission. Gliot’s “In Aeternum” trilogy begins with Elizabeth, a Catholic teenager caught up in a fight between vampires who goes on the run with a vampire outcast named Christopher. The story concludes in the third book, “The Dawn We Seek,” which was released July 24.In an interview with EWTN News, Gliot shared about the spiritual journey of her writing process, what Catholics can learn from cryptids, and a prayer request.EWTN News: As you conclude this trilogy, what stays with you from the spiritual journey of writing it?Gliot: When I first started writing this series, it was a solitary endeavor — just me and Jesus. When I shared the books with my publishing house, the circle grew to include my sisters and editors.But now that actual readers have been engaging with these stories and sharing their thoughts, hopes, and spiritual struggles with me as a result, Jesus has really been encouraging me to carry the readers in my heart and prayers in a special way. This story isnʼt just mine anymore.I surrendered it to God and to the readers when I published it, and itʼs beautiful and profoundly humbling for me to see the fruit it’s bearing in so many lives. How can writing be a spiritual experience and how do you as a religious sister connect your faith with your writing?For me, storytelling is a spiritual experience because itʼs something I do with Jesus. He provides the initial inspiration and asks me to trust him enough to put the time and effort into writing it down. Then he stays with me during the writing, teaching me things through the experience and helping me make connections I never would have been able to see on my own.Writing stories that involve my faith helps me to explore and live that faith more deeply, and, at the same time, I often notice my spiritual struggles and faith epiphanies from religious life trickling into my writing in various (and sometimes surprising) ways. “The Dawn We Seek” by Sister Allison Gliot. | Credit: Courtesy of Pauline Books & Media How does the trilogy deal with sin, redemption, and our relationship with God, and what can we learn about ourselves through fictional cryptid characters?In the “In Aeternum” trilogy, vampires are a mirror of our wounded humanity at its worst. They are an exploration of just how far we can fall when we truly make the choice to embrace sin and evil.But because vampires embody such an extreme, they also provide an opportunity to show the extremity of Godʼs mercy and the lengths he will go to save us — if we let him. And if weʼre willing to change our ways and step toward Godʼs goodness, even if weʼve gone very far in the other direction, even if itʼs just a tiny step.No reader will have committed the same atrocities as the vampires in my books (I hope). But if there can be a possibility of repentance and redemption even for them, then I pray that even readers who feel like theyʼve hit rock bottom can find a ray of divine hope through these books. “The Dawn We Seek” by Sister Allison Gliot, a Pauline sister. | Credit: Courtesy of Pauline Books & Media How does Catholicism invite us to use our imagination and creativity? How does it expand our imagination rather than limit it?The Catholic Church teaches that God created our imaginations and gave us gifts of creativity — gifts that he desires us to delight in and to use for building up his kingdom.But God is the ultimate Creator, and his imagination far surpasses ours. He can speak to us through so many means — including beauty, story, and imaginative play. Catholicism, far from limiting our imagination, puts us in touch with Godʼs imagination and communicates his very life to us through the grace of the sacraments.When we fully embrace our faith, allowing God to infuse us with his grace and inspire us with his divine love, we find ourselves on fire with the same creativity he used to make the world and everything in it. Exercising that creativity through our minds, wills, and hearts in harmony with God is a powerful force to draw us even closer to him.What does the field of fiction-writing look like for Catholic authors? I’d like to ask anyone reading this to say a prayer for Catholic authors who are seeking to bring God and the faith into popular genres. Since I began publishing Catholic urban fantasy stories, I’ve had so many authors and aspiring authors reach out to me to share their hopes and dreams for their faith-based stories. But even though these stories are so needed in our world today and have so much evangelizing and catechetical potential, it isn’t an easy field to navigate or break into. So please pray for Catholic authors and storytellers, that the Holy Spirit can bring much good out of the work we strive to do in his name.To learn more about Gliot’s new book, visit Pauline Books & Media.

unitedyam

Sister Allison Regina Gliot, a Daughter of St. Paul, speaks on God’s mercy and creativity as she concludes her Catholic young adult vampire trilogy.

Read More

The Sky Today on Sunday, August 2: Mercury at greatest western elongation

unitedyam

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709 Mercury reaches its greatest western elongation at 4 A.M. EDT, standing 19° from the Sun. The tiny planet reaches an altitude of almost 5° above the eastern horizon an hour before sunrise, glowing at magnitude 0.2.Continue reading “The Sky Today on Sunday, August 2: Mercury at greatest western elongation”

The post The Sky Today on Sunday, August 2: Mercury at greatest western elongation appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Read More

Picture of the day Photograph of Machu Picchu taken in 1912 by Hiram Bingham during the Yale Peruvian Expedition. The site, an important Inca citadel in the Andes of Peru, had been visited earlier by local people such as Agustín Lizárraga in 1902, and was later brought to international attention through Bingham’s expeditions of 1911 and 1912. Today marks the anniversary of Bingham’s 1911 visit, which contributed to its worldwide recognition. #ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam
Picture of the day
Photograph of Machu Picchu taken in 1912 by Hiram Bingham during the Yale Peruvian Expedition. The site, an important Inca citadel in the Andes of Peru, had been visited earlier by local people such as Agustín Lizárraga in 1902, and was later brought to international attention through Bingham’s expeditions of 1911 and 1912. Today marks the anniversary of Bingham’s 1911 visit, which contributed to its worldwide recognition.
Read More
‘Only Elite Assassins Can Do This,’ Says Candace Owens Of 6-Month-Old Crawling Across Kitchen Floor #BabylonBee – NASHVILLE, TN — Podcast host Candace Owens explained to listeners that only the most highly-trained commandos could execute the crawling technique being shown as she played a video of a six-month-old baby inching across the floor.
Read More

‘Only Elite Assassins Can Do This,’ Says Candace Owens Of 6-Month-Old Crawling Across Kitchen Floor #BabylonBee – NASHVILLE, TN — Podcast host Candace Owens explained to listeners that only the most highly-trained commandos could execute the crawling technique being shown as she played a video of a six-month-old baby inching across the floor.

unitedyam

NASHVILLE, TN — Podcast host Candace Owens explained to listeners that only the most highly-trained commandos could execute the crawling technique being shown as she played a video of a six-month-old baby inching across the floor.

Read More
Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home – Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for his memorable portrayal of Salvatore Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos, has died at age 80. The post Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home – Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for his memorable portrayal of Salvatore Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos, has died at age 80. The post Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

Vincent Pastore, the actor best known for his memorable portrayal of Salvatore Bonpensiero on HBO’s The Sopranos, has died at age 80.

The post Sopranos Star Found Dead in Bronx Home appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More
Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 – An illegal alien who just completed a federal prison sentence for reentering the country illegally is now being deported for a third time. The post Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 – An illegal alien who just completed a federal prison sentence for reentering the country illegally is now being deported for a third time. The post Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

An illegal alien who just completed a federal prison sentence for reentering the country illegally is now being deported for a third time.

The post Illegal Alien Faces Third Deportation After Completing Federal Prison Sentence for Reentering the Country Illegally, Also Responsible for Killing Marine in Hit-And-Run Crash in 2017 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More
Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President – Was Fedorov a rival inside Zelensky’s government? The post Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More

Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President – Was Fedorov a rival inside Zelensky’s government? The post Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam

Was Fedorov a rival inside Zelensky’s government?

The post Thousands Demonstrate in Kiev, Demand Zelensky Reinstate Fedorov as Defense Minister – Ukrainian Reports Say Young Reformist Was Fired for Planning To Run for President appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read More

Gospel and Word of the Day – 02 August 2026 – A reading from the Book of Isaiah 55:1-3 Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David.   A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:35, 37-39 Brothers and sisters: What will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?  No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.From the Gospel according to Matthew 14:13-21 When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over— twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.Precisely when the day is ending and hunger sets in, as the Apostles themselves ask him to dismiss the crowds, Christ surprises us with his mercy. He feels compassion for those who are hungry and he invites his disciples to provide for them. Hunger is not foreign to the preaching of the Kingdom and the message of salvation. On the contrary, it speaks to us of our relationship with God. At the same time, five loaves and two fish seem completely inadequate to feed the people. The disciples’ calculations, apparently so reasonable, reveal their lack of faith. For where the Lord is present, we find all that we need to give strength and meaning to our lives. Jesus responds to the appeal of hunger with the sign of sharing: he raises his eyes, recites the blessing, breaks the bread, and feeds all present (…) The Lord’s example is a yardstick that should guide our actions and our service: we are called to share our bread, to multiply hope and to proclaim the coming of God’s Kingdom. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 22 June 2025)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Isaiah
55:1-3

Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.

 

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans
8:35, 37-39

Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ? 
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? 
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us. 
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
14:13-21

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.

Precisely when the day is ending and hunger sets in, as the Apostles themselves ask him to dismiss the crowds, Christ surprises us with his mercy. He feels compassion for those who are hungry and he invites his disciples to provide for them. Hunger is not foreign to the preaching of the Kingdom and the message of salvation. On the contrary, it speaks to us of our relationship with God. At the same time, five loaves and two fish seem completely inadequate to feed the people. The disciples’ calculations, apparently so reasonable, reveal their lack of faith. For where the Lord is present, we find all that we need to give strength and meaning to our lives.

Jesus responds to the appeal of hunger with the sign of sharing: he raises his eyes, recites the blessing, breaks the bread, and feeds all present (…)

The Lord’s example is a yardstick that should guide our actions and our service: we are called to share our bread, to multiply hope and to proclaim the coming of God’s Kingdom. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 22 June 2025)

Read More

NASA’s Newest Wind Tunnel Opens at NASA Langley – NASA opened its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on Friday, providing a critical resource for the agency and its partners to test the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, and space exploration vehicles.

unitedyam

NASA opened its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on Friday, providing a critical resource for the agency and its partners to test the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, and space exploration vehicles.

Read More
March for Life president steps down to become ‘full-time mom’ #Catholic March for Life president steps down to focus on familyJennie Bradley Lichter, the president of the March for Life, is stepping down to devote more time to her family as a “full-time mom,” the leader said this week.“I have been humbled and inspired by the stories — so many stories, everywhere I go — of how the March for Life has changed people’s minds and hearts, how for so many Marchers it has sparked a lifetime of action and advocacy on behalf of the unborn, and in some cases, how it has changed the entire trajectory of their lives,” Bradley Lichter wrote in a farewell statement.She and her husband “are raising two tweens and a rising kindergartner, and it has become very clear that my family needs more of my time and my active presence than I’m able to give while leading the March for Life,” she said in the statement “My most important titles of all are not ‘President’ — but ‘wife’ and ‘Mom,’” she said.Bradley Lichter said that her role has been “the highlight of my professional life.”The resignation is effective July 31. The March for Life Board is actively searching for a new president.The annual demonstration draws tens of thousands to the nation’s capital yearly to advocate for the rights of unborn babies.Abortion drug present in municipal water, study findsA study published on July 20 in the Journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine highlighted the need for “significant additional investigation into the levels of various hormones and [endocrine-disrupting chemicals], including mifepristone, in water sources,” with researchers finding high levels of the abortion drug in municipal water supplies.Mifepristone is used in chemical abortions, as well as in treatment for miscarriages, and works by blocking progesterone, a hormone necessary for pregnancy. The investigation found “significant levels of mifepristone (up to 0.041 μgram/l) in the water of all but one of the nine sampling classes,” the study read. Water samples “were collected from sites upstream and downstream of water treatment facilities, and from municipal tap water,” from multiple American cities.“Because of the plethora of effects of progesterone, this contaminant could affect the physiology of aquatic animals; and human health, including fertility, pregnancy and fetal development,” the researchers said. Justice Department settles with pro-life father after FBI raidThe U.S. Department of Justice reached a seven-figure settlement with pro-life father Paul Vaughn after his home was raided by the FBI in connection with his pro-life work.The settlement affirmed that under the Biden administration, the government’s actions “were an abuse of government power,” according to a July 28 press release by the Thomas More Society, the legal nonprofit that defended Vaughn.Vaughn, a Catholic father of 11, was arrested at gunpoint after the FBI raided his house in connection with his protest at an abortion clinic. He is one of several pro-life advocates prosecuted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act during the Biden administration.“My family has been through a traumatic ordeal that never should have happened. But today brings an end to this portion of the story,” Vaughn said in a statement.“This chapter is finally closed, and our family looks forward with gratitude and hope, as we continue to serve God, advocating for the most vulnerable among us without fear.”Catholic bishops of Massachusetts speak out against late-term abortion billThe Catholic bishops of Massachusetts spoke out this week against a bill that will legalize late-term abortion in the state.“As Catholic bishops we have a moral responsibility to present and uphold Catholic teaching and the sacred God-given dignity of every human life from conception to the natural death,” the bishops said in July 29 statement signed by Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston, Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, and Bishop Edgar da Cunha of Fall River.The state legislature passed the bill in July, with the Massachusetts Senate voting in favor of it on July 31. The measure, if signed into law, will remove the stateʼs 24-week limit on abortion.“The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral,” the bishops’ statement read. The advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is also strongly opposing the bill; the group’s president Marjorie Dannenfelser called for nationwide protections for unborn children.“If Gov. [Maura] Healey signs this bill into law, Massachusetts will join 10 states and Washington, D.C. with an all-trimester abortion policy where babies are killed after the point they can survive outside of the womb,” Dannenfelser told EWTN News. “These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the ‘states-only’ philosophy on abortion,” she said.
Read More

March for Life president steps down to become ‘full-time mom’ #Catholic March for Life president steps down to focus on familyJennie Bradley Lichter, the president of the March for Life, is stepping down to devote more time to her family as a “full-time mom,” the leader said this week.“I have been humbled and inspired by the stories — so many stories, everywhere I go — of how the March for Life has changed people’s minds and hearts, how for so many Marchers it has sparked a lifetime of action and advocacy on behalf of the unborn, and in some cases, how it has changed the entire trajectory of their lives,” Bradley Lichter wrote in a farewell statement.She and her husband “are raising two tweens and a rising kindergartner, and it has become very clear that my family needs more of my time and my active presence than I’m able to give while leading the March for Life,” she said in the statement “My most important titles of all are not ‘President’ — but ‘wife’ and ‘Mom,’” she said.Bradley Lichter said that her role has been “the highlight of my professional life.”The resignation is effective July 31. The March for Life Board is actively searching for a new president.The annual demonstration draws tens of thousands to the nation’s capital yearly to advocate for the rights of unborn babies.Abortion drug present in municipal water, study findsA study published on July 20 in the Journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine highlighted the need for “significant additional investigation into the levels of various hormones and [endocrine-disrupting chemicals], including mifepristone, in water sources,” with researchers finding high levels of the abortion drug in municipal water supplies.Mifepristone is used in chemical abortions, as well as in treatment for miscarriages, and works by blocking progesterone, a hormone necessary for pregnancy. The investigation found “significant levels of mifepristone (up to 0.041 μgram/l) in the water of all but one of the nine sampling classes,” the study read. Water samples “were collected from sites upstream and downstream of water treatment facilities, and from municipal tap water,” from multiple American cities.“Because of the plethora of effects of progesterone, this contaminant could affect the physiology of aquatic animals; and human health, including fertility, pregnancy and fetal development,” the researchers said. Justice Department settles with pro-life father after FBI raidThe U.S. Department of Justice reached a seven-figure settlement with pro-life father Paul Vaughn after his home was raided by the FBI in connection with his pro-life work.The settlement affirmed that under the Biden administration, the government’s actions “were an abuse of government power,” according to a July 28 press release by the Thomas More Society, the legal nonprofit that defended Vaughn.Vaughn, a Catholic father of 11, was arrested at gunpoint after the FBI raided his house in connection with his protest at an abortion clinic. He is one of several pro-life advocates prosecuted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act during the Biden administration.“My family has been through a traumatic ordeal that never should have happened. But today brings an end to this portion of the story,” Vaughn said in a statement.“This chapter is finally closed, and our family looks forward with gratitude and hope, as we continue to serve God, advocating for the most vulnerable among us without fear.”Catholic bishops of Massachusetts speak out against late-term abortion billThe Catholic bishops of Massachusetts spoke out this week against a bill that will legalize late-term abortion in the state.“As Catholic bishops we have a moral responsibility to present and uphold Catholic teaching and the sacred God-given dignity of every human life from conception to the natural death,” the bishops said in July 29 statement signed by Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston, Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, and Bishop Edgar da Cunha of Fall River.The state legislature passed the bill in July, with the Massachusetts Senate voting in favor of it on July 31. The measure, if signed into law, will remove the stateʼs 24-week limit on abortion.“The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral,” the bishops’ statement read. The advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is also strongly opposing the bill; the group’s president Marjorie Dannenfelser called for nationwide protections for unborn children.“If Gov. [Maura] Healey signs this bill into law, Massachusetts will join 10 states and Washington, D.C. with an all-trimester abortion policy where babies are killed after the point they can survive outside of the womb,” Dannenfelser told EWTN News. “These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the ‘states-only’ philosophy on abortion,” she said.

unitedyam

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.

Read More
Massachusetts lawmakers pass bill removing all restrictions from abortion throughout pregnancy #Catholic The Massachusetts government this week moved to strip all restrictions from abortion and allow the procedure up until birth so long as a doctor approves of it.The state Senate passed Bill H.5595 on July 31, a little over a week after the state House passed the same measure. The bill now awaits Democratic Gov. Maura Healey’s signature. The legislation removes all of the state’s current restrictions on abortion after 24 weeks, instead dictating that a late-term abortion may be done based upon “the professional judgment of the physician” performing it. Current state law, which H.5595 would change, only allows late-term abortions if they are necessary to preserve the life or “physical or mental health” of the mother, or if the baby has been diagnosed with a fatal condition. Abortions are also allowed to be performed in the state if a baby would require “extraordinary medical interventions” to survive after birth. If signed into law, the bill would make Massachusetts the 11th state to impose no limits whatsoever on abortion. Healey, who has served as the state’s governor since 2023, is an outspoken supporter of abortion. The passage of the bill drew rebuke from SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who said in a July 31 statement that the state’s already-generous abortion policy “isn’t enough for Democrats whose party holds the position of no limits on abortion whatsoever.”“These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the ‘states-only’ philosophy on abortion,” she argued. “The GOP must abandon the failed ‘leave it to the states’ position and move the country toward a national protection for unborn children across this nation,” she said. Ahead of the July 31 vote, the state’s Catholic bishops had also criticized the measure. “The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral,” the bishops’ July 29 statement read. The bishops urged Catholics “to pray for a renewal of reverence for all human life.”
Read More

Massachusetts lawmakers pass bill removing all restrictions from abortion throughout pregnancy #Catholic The Massachusetts government this week moved to strip all restrictions from abortion and allow the procedure up until birth so long as a doctor approves of it.The state Senate passed Bill H.5595 on July 31, a little over a week after the state House passed the same measure. The bill now awaits Democratic Gov. Maura Healey’s signature. The legislation removes all of the state’s current restrictions on abortion after 24 weeks, instead dictating that a late-term abortion may be done based upon “the professional judgment of the physician” performing it. Current state law, which H.5595 would change, only allows late-term abortions if they are necessary to preserve the life or “physical or mental health” of the mother, or if the baby has been diagnosed with a fatal condition. Abortions are also allowed to be performed in the state if a baby would require “extraordinary medical interventions” to survive after birth. If signed into law, the bill would make Massachusetts the 11th state to impose no limits whatsoever on abortion. Healey, who has served as the state’s governor since 2023, is an outspoken supporter of abortion. The passage of the bill drew rebuke from SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, who said in a July 31 statement that the state’s already-generous abortion policy “isn’t enough for Democrats whose party holds the position of no limits on abortion whatsoever.”“These extreme laws that only 10% of Americans support are enabled by the ‘states-only’ philosophy on abortion,” she argued. “The GOP must abandon the failed ‘leave it to the states’ position and move the country toward a national protection for unborn children across this nation,” she said. Ahead of the July 31 vote, the state’s Catholic bishops had also criticized the measure. “The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral,” the bishops’ July 29 statement read. The bishops urged Catholics “to pray for a renewal of reverence for all human life.”

unitedyam

The measure, if signed by Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, will remove the last few restrictions on abortion in the state and replace them with “the professional judgment of the physician.”

Read More
Catholic advocate warns of safety risks as New York assisted suicide law looms – #Catholic – Ahead of New York’s assisted suicide law taking effect, Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said the initial legislation “was easily the most dangerous bill ever written on assisted suicide.”Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit organization, defends the rights of all people as they approach the end of life.On Aug. 5, New York will become the 13th state in the country, along with the District of Columbia, to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation (S.138/A.136) into law on Feb. 6, 2025.“We shouldnʼt be offering the false solution of suicide. Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Towey said in an interview with Catherine Hadro of “EWTN News In Depth.”When New York’s state Legislature passed its assisted suicide bill, “it didnʼt include any waiting periods out of the gate,” which are intended “to protect against rash decision-making,” he said.There also “wasnʼt a residential requirement,” he said. So people “could come from any state in the country and get assisted suicide in New York without any waiting period.”“Now, the law, as it was signed by Gov. Hochul, included certain stipulations for those. But I can promise you that this is just the beginning because theyʼre going to come back. They always do,” he said.Aging with DignityFounded in 1996 by Jim Towey, legal counsel and close adviser to St. Teresa of Calcutta, also known as Mother Teresa, the Aging with Dignity organization “was informed almost entirely by his experiences working with Mother Teresa of Calcutta for the last 12 years of her life,” said Jamie Towey, son of Jim Towey.For Mother Teresa, “dying was more than a medical moment. It was an emotional and a spiritual moment where people werenʼt just there to have their pain managed or their checklist of symptoms addressed … They needed to be accompanied,” he said.“They needed, in Motherʼs words, to love and to be loved. And so when dad founded Aging with Dignity, he wanted to take Motherʼs example and bring that to the United States and give people the right to have that opportunity to age with dignity,” he said. Mother Teresa during a visit to the White House and meeting with President Ronald Reagan on June 13, 1986. | Credit: Mark Reinstein/Shutterstock Today, the organization continues its mission through numerous programs including its Assisted Suicide Watch. The program tracks the data and researches the consequences that follow when physician-assisted suicide becomes law.Its research has found that the situation is “a mess,” Jamie Towey said. “We were promised that this would be transparent,” but "in reality we have very poor insights into whatʼs happening with the data.”New Mexico and Montana have “never submitted an annual report on assisted suicide data,” he said. “Our nationʼs capital of Washington, D.C., hasnʼt submitted one in years.”Washington state has lifted some of its reporting requirements, Hawaii’s health department has recommended repealing portions of its reporting rules, and Vermont releases its data biennially.There are also “tremendously conflicting reporting standards across the states,” because “one state will report who died from the drugs, one state will report just how many people were prescribed the drugs,” he said.“But for the data that we do have, you see some very concerning things,” he said.Even though “every law has a requirement for psychiatric evaluations, “only one out of the 13 where this is legal tracks psychiatric evaluations, and thatʼs Oregon,” he said. “Last year, between four and 500 people were prescribed these drugs in Oregon. Two were referred for psychiatric evaluations.”Some studies show “as high as 20% of people with a terminal cancer diagnosis suffer from severe depression,” he said. “One of the symptoms of severe depression is suicidal ideation. So this is a population that is very exposed to suicide. And Oregon is doing nothing to screen for that.”Increase in assisted suicide led by ‘culture of death’“To take a step back and put yourself in the shoes of someone who has a terminal diagnosis or whoʼs just living in a nursing home … and is aging alone,”  Towey said. “Maybe they donʼt have good access to pain control” or “they donʼt have good access to care.”“If you put yourself in those shoes, you can understand the impulse of wanting to just escape somehow,” he said.“Now, those desires are playing out in a culture of death. And we have organizations like Compassion and Choices, which are million a year organizations, tens of millions in assets, that have been behind this push in every single state where itʼs been legalized. And so theyʼre moving in on the vulnerable,” he said.To people who feel this way, Towey’s message is to remember that “your life has meaning, and itʼs hard, and that suffering is real and that you deserve accompaniment.”“You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if youʼre not getting those, thatʼs an indictment on our healthcare system, and thatʼs what we ought to fix,” he said. You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if you’re not getting those, that’s an indictment on our healthcare system, and that’s what we ought to fix.” Jamie TowiePresident, Aging with Dignity To combat the culture of death, the organization offers its Five Wishes legal document, which is an advanced care planning program so people can establish their wishes for care ahead of a serious illness.“Every patient has the right to determine the kind of care that he or she wants. Thatʼs guaranteed in federal law,” he said.Five Wishes “has been used by 44 million Americans” and “40,000 organizations,” he said. “We are just trying to empower patients to make decisions about the kind of care that they want, and to name the people that can speak for them.”“I think for Catholics in particular, every Catholic wants to finish life faithfully. They want to be in a position where they can have that hopeful vision at the end of life and really live out those moments with their loved ones,” he said.
Read More

Catholic advocate warns of safety risks as New York assisted suicide law looms – #Catholic – Ahead of New York’s assisted suicide law taking effect, Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said the initial legislation “was easily the most dangerous bill ever written on assisted suicide.”Aging with Dignity, a nonprofit organization, defends the rights of all people as they approach the end of life.On Aug. 5, New York will become the 13th state in the country, along with the District of Columbia, to allow doctors to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the legislation (S.138/A.136) into law on Feb. 6, 2025.“We shouldnʼt be offering the false solution of suicide. Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Towey said in an interview with Catherine Hadro of “EWTN News In Depth.”When New York’s state Legislature passed its assisted suicide bill, “it didnʼt include any waiting periods out of the gate,” which are intended “to protect against rash decision-making,” he said.There also “wasnʼt a residential requirement,” he said. So people “could come from any state in the country and get assisted suicide in New York without any waiting period.”“Now, the law, as it was signed by Gov. Hochul, included certain stipulations for those. But I can promise you that this is just the beginning because theyʼre going to come back. They always do,” he said.Aging with DignityFounded in 1996 by Jim Towey, legal counsel and close adviser to St. Teresa of Calcutta, also known as Mother Teresa, the Aging with Dignity organization “was informed almost entirely by his experiences working with Mother Teresa of Calcutta for the last 12 years of her life,” said Jamie Towey, son of Jim Towey.For Mother Teresa, “dying was more than a medical moment. It was an emotional and a spiritual moment where people werenʼt just there to have their pain managed or their checklist of symptoms addressed … They needed to be accompanied,” he said.“They needed, in Motherʼs words, to love and to be loved. And so when dad founded Aging with Dignity, he wanted to take Motherʼs example and bring that to the United States and give people the right to have that opportunity to age with dignity,” he said. Mother Teresa during a visit to the White House and meeting with President Ronald Reagan on June 13, 1986. | Credit: Mark Reinstein/Shutterstock Today, the organization continues its mission through numerous programs including its Assisted Suicide Watch. The program tracks the data and researches the consequences that follow when physician-assisted suicide becomes law.Its research has found that the situation is “a mess,” Jamie Towey said. “We were promised that this would be transparent,” but "in reality we have very poor insights into whatʼs happening with the data.”New Mexico and Montana have “never submitted an annual report on assisted suicide data,” he said. “Our nationʼs capital of Washington, D.C., hasnʼt submitted one in years.”Washington state has lifted some of its reporting requirements, Hawaii’s health department has recommended repealing portions of its reporting rules, and Vermont releases its data biennially.There are also “tremendously conflicting reporting standards across the states,” because “one state will report who died from the drugs, one state will report just how many people were prescribed the drugs,” he said.“But for the data that we do have, you see some very concerning things,” he said.Even though “every law has a requirement for psychiatric evaluations, “only one out of the 13 where this is legal tracks psychiatric evaluations, and thatʼs Oregon,” he said. “Last year, between four and 500 people were prescribed these drugs in Oregon. Two were referred for psychiatric evaluations.”Some studies show “as high as 20% of people with a terminal cancer diagnosis suffer from severe depression,” he said. “One of the symptoms of severe depression is suicidal ideation. So this is a population that is very exposed to suicide. And Oregon is doing nothing to screen for that.”Increase in assisted suicide led by ‘culture of death’“To take a step back and put yourself in the shoes of someone who has a terminal diagnosis or whoʼs just living in a nursing home … and is aging alone,”  Towey said. “Maybe they donʼt have good access to pain control” or “they donʼt have good access to care.”“If you put yourself in those shoes, you can understand the impulse of wanting to just escape somehow,” he said.“Now, those desires are playing out in a culture of death. And we have organizations like Compassion and Choices, which are $20 million a year organizations, tens of millions in assets, that have been behind this push in every single state where itʼs been legalized. And so theyʼre moving in on the vulnerable,” he said.To people who feel this way, Towey’s message is to remember that “your life has meaning, and itʼs hard, and that suffering is real and that you deserve accompaniment.”“You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if youʼre not getting those, thatʼs an indictment on our healthcare system, and thatʼs what we ought to fix,” he said. You deserve to be shepherded through this. You deserve a real person. You deserve access to care. And if you’re not getting those, that’s an indictment on our healthcare system, and that’s what we ought to fix.” Jamie TowiePresident, Aging with Dignity To combat the culture of death, the organization offers its Five Wishes legal document, which is an advanced care planning program so people can establish their wishes for care ahead of a serious illness.“Every patient has the right to determine the kind of care that he or she wants. Thatʼs guaranteed in federal law,” he said.Five Wishes “has been used by 44 million Americans” and “40,000 organizations,” he said. “We are just trying to empower patients to make decisions about the kind of care that they want, and to name the people that can speak for them.”“I think for Catholics in particular, every Catholic wants to finish life faithfully. They want to be in a position where they can have that hopeful vision at the end of life and really live out those moments with their loved ones,” he said.

unitedyam

“Suicide is not a real medical treatment. It is not a solution to suffering,” Jamie Towey, president of Aging with Dignity, said in an interview with “EWTN News In Depth.”

Read More
Scottish bishop excommunicates rector of Redemptorists after illicit ordination – #Catholic – Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Scotland, has pronounced Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.“Regrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism. He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments,” Gilbert said in a statement released July 25.Gilbert’s statement came after Sim’s participation in an illicit ordination, which the bishop described as “a clear break with the Church.” Gilbert added that Sim and his congregation “have removed themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church, and the faithful of the diocese should have no dealings with them.”Augustinian nuns evacuate monastery amid wildfires in SpainA community of Augustinian nuns at the Monasterio de la Conversión in Avila, Spain, is “waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home” after being evacuated amid wildfires.The sisters said in a statement on Monday that they have been staying with another community of Augustinian sisters at the convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, about 26 miles from their community. “We are here sharing as sisters and waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home,” the sisters said. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are trying to extinguish the fires without rest. We ask the Virgin of Remedies to protect us all.”Priest calls for prayers as fuel crisis brings Gaza to standstillFather Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza called for prayers as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a worsening fuel shortage, crippling transportation across the territory, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported July 28. Romanelli said residents are struggling to reach hospitals, workplaces, and even loved ones, while soaring prices have made alternative means of transport almost impossible to afford. The parish has not been spared. Most of its vehicles are now out of service because of damaged engines and a lack of spare parts, yet it continues caring for displaced families and organizing summer activities for children, asking the faithful to keep Gaza and its people in their prayers.Antilles bishops issue pastoral guidance on sexual and gender identityThe bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have distributed guidance to Catholics in the Caribbean on the Church’s theological teachings about human biology amid rising “tides of ideologies that seek to redefine the human person, love, and sexuality.”“In a context where language has been redefined and ideologies are presented as compassion, we must proclaim a truth that liberates rather than constrains,” the bishops said in the document published on Sunday titled “Pastoral Letter on Sexual and Gender Identity.” The bishops further called on the faithful to “resist narratives that suggest the human person is a self-made project, detached from biological reality or moral order.”Christians in Syria call for lasting securityAnother security incident has renewed fears in the predominantly Christian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in western Syria, where residents say recurring outbreaks of armed violence can no longer be addressed with temporary measures alone, ACI MENA reported.Following the latest unrest, demonstrators gathered to demand tighter control over illegal weapons and greater protection for the city. In a separate statement, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate confirmed that a break-in at its Damascus headquarters was an isolated criminal act with no religious or political motive, while urging the public to avoid speculation and rumors.French bishops urge Catholics to foster solidarity in response to wildfiresThe presidency of the Bishops’ Conference of France is calling on Catholics to “take a generous part in the momentum of solidarity that is being put in place” in the aftermath of recent wildfires.“We encourage parishes to leave their churches open, when possible: Many offer a refuge of freshness in the heart of the summer heat,” the conferenceʼs leadership said in a statement signed this week by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille and president of the conference; Bishop Vincent Jordy, archbishop of Tours and vice president; and Bishop Benoît Bertrand, bishop of Pontoise and vice president. “We know that the heat wave will continue and that these extreme weather events may be repeated,” the bishops said. “That is why, at this time when many take a few days of rest, we also call on the Christian communities not to forget the sick, elderly, or isolated people but to redouble their attention to them and to organize themselves, in parish, to show them a fraternal and faithful presence.”Summer becomes time of faith for thousands in United Arab EmiratesNearly 2,000 children are spending part of their summer in Catholic parishes across the United Arab Emirates, where faith formation is being combined with games, workshops, music, and community life.Each parish has adopted its own spiritual theme, ranging from sacred Scripture to the jubilee and the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, ACI MENA reported. Apostolic Vicar Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFMCap, described the gatherings as a hopeful sign for the Church, thanking the many young volunteers who are helping children grow in faith while discovering that Christian life is also a call to service.2 Irish dioceses consolidated under one bishopBishop Gerard Nash of the Diocese of Ferns in Ireland will now also serve as the bishop of Ossory, the Vatican announced on July 29, uniting the two dioceses “in persona Episcopi.”“I am deeply honored to have been asked by Pope Leo to become bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns,” Nash said in a statement following the announcement. “The challenge of being one bishop for two dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish,” he said, noting that one area the two dioceses could work together on would be fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Patriarch Nona makes Lebanon his first overseas visitLebanon has become the first stop abroad for Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona since his election in April, reflecting the close ties between the Chaldean and Maronite Churches.During the visit, he met President Joseph Aoun, visited fellow Eastern patriarchs, and joined celebrations surrounding the beatification of Patriarch Elias Hoyek, ACI MENA reported. The patriarch also highlighted Lebanonʼs importance for Christians across the Middle East, describing the country as a strategic pillar for the regionʼs Christian presence while expressing support for Iraqi refugees living there.Bishop Zaidan expresses solidarity with bishops, faithful of South SudanBishop Elias Zaidan expressed his “solidarity and fraternal unity” with the Catholic Church in South Sudan amid ongoing instability in the region.“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express our continued solidarity and fraternal unity with the bishops and faithful of South Sudan,” Zaidan, who currently serves as chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in a letter on Tuesday addressed to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio.“Be assured of our steadfast prayers for the South Sudanese people at this time of severe economic hardship, deadly violence, environmental and food insecurity, and contestation surrounding the country’s Transitional Constitution framework.”
Read More

Scottish bishop excommunicates rector of Redemptorists after illicit ordination – #Catholic – Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Scotland, has pronounced Father Michael Mary Sim, rector of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church.“Regrettably, I find Father Michael Mary guilty of the charges brought against him, most notably that of schism. He is therefore declared to be excommunicated, dismissed from ecclesiastical office, and prohibited from the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments,” Gilbert said in a statement released July 25.Gilbert’s statement came after Sim’s participation in an illicit ordination, which the bishop described as “a clear break with the Church.” Gilbert added that Sim and his congregation “have removed themselves from the communion of the Catholic Church, and the faithful of the diocese should have no dealings with them.”Augustinian nuns evacuate monastery amid wildfires in SpainA community of Augustinian nuns at the Monasterio de la Conversión in Avila, Spain, is “waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home” after being evacuated amid wildfires.The sisters said in a statement on Monday that they have been staying with another community of Augustinian sisters at the convent of Saint Ildefonso in Talavera, about 26 miles from their community. “We are here sharing as sisters and waiting for a grace that will allow us to return home,” the sisters said. “We especially ask for prayers for all the volunteers and security forces who are trying to extinguish the fires without rest. We ask the Virgin of Remedies to protect us all.”Priest calls for prayers as fuel crisis brings Gaza to standstillFather Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza called for prayers as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being compounded by a worsening fuel shortage, crippling transportation across the territory, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported July 28. Romanelli said residents are struggling to reach hospitals, workplaces, and even loved ones, while soaring prices have made alternative means of transport almost impossible to afford. The parish has not been spared. Most of its vehicles are now out of service because of damaged engines and a lack of spare parts, yet it continues caring for displaced families and organizing summer activities for children, asking the faithful to keep Gaza and its people in their prayers.Antilles bishops issue pastoral guidance on sexual and gender identityThe bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference have distributed guidance to Catholics in the Caribbean on the Church’s theological teachings about human biology amid rising “tides of ideologies that seek to redefine the human person, love, and sexuality.”“In a context where language has been redefined and ideologies are presented as compassion, we must proclaim a truth that liberates rather than constrains,” the bishops said in the document published on Sunday titled “Pastoral Letter on Sexual and Gender Identity.” The bishops further called on the faithful to “resist narratives that suggest the human person is a self-made project, detached from biological reality or moral order.”Christians in Syria call for lasting securityAnother security incident has renewed fears in the predominantly Christian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah in western Syria, where residents say recurring outbreaks of armed violence can no longer be addressed with temporary measures alone, ACI MENA reported.Following the latest unrest, demonstrators gathered to demand tighter control over illegal weapons and greater protection for the city. In a separate statement, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate confirmed that a break-in at its Damascus headquarters was an isolated criminal act with no religious or political motive, while urging the public to avoid speculation and rumors.French bishops urge Catholics to foster solidarity in response to wildfiresThe presidency of the Bishops’ Conference of France is calling on Catholics to “take a generous part in the momentum of solidarity that is being put in place” in the aftermath of recent wildfires.“We encourage parishes to leave their churches open, when possible: Many offer a refuge of freshness in the heart of the summer heat,” the conferenceʼs leadership said in a statement signed this week by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseille and president of the conference; Bishop Vincent Jordy, archbishop of Tours and vice president; and Bishop Benoît Bertrand, bishop of Pontoise and vice president. “We know that the heat wave will continue and that these extreme weather events may be repeated,” the bishops said. “That is why, at this time when many take a few days of rest, we also call on the Christian communities not to forget the sick, elderly, or isolated people but to redouble their attention to them and to organize themselves, in parish, to show them a fraternal and faithful presence.”Summer becomes time of faith for thousands in United Arab EmiratesNearly 2,000 children are spending part of their summer in Catholic parishes across the United Arab Emirates, where faith formation is being combined with games, workshops, music, and community life.Each parish has adopted its own spiritual theme, ranging from sacred Scripture to the jubilee and the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, ACI MENA reported. Apostolic Vicar Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFMCap, described the gatherings as a hopeful sign for the Church, thanking the many young volunteers who are helping children grow in faith while discovering that Christian life is also a call to service.2 Irish dioceses consolidated under one bishopBishop Gerard Nash of the Diocese of Ferns in Ireland will now also serve as the bishop of Ossory, the Vatican announced on July 29, uniting the two dioceses “in persona Episcopi.”“I am deeply honored to have been asked by Pope Leo to become bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns,” Nash said in a statement following the announcement. “The challenge of being one bishop for two dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish,” he said, noting that one area the two dioceses could work together on would be fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Patriarch Nona makes Lebanon his first overseas visitLebanon has become the first stop abroad for Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona since his election in April, reflecting the close ties between the Chaldean and Maronite Churches.During the visit, he met President Joseph Aoun, visited fellow Eastern patriarchs, and joined celebrations surrounding the beatification of Patriarch Elias Hoyek, ACI MENA reported. The patriarch also highlighted Lebanonʼs importance for Christians across the Middle East, describing the country as a strategic pillar for the regionʼs Christian presence while expressing support for Iraqi refugees living there.Bishop Zaidan expresses solidarity with bishops, faithful of South SudanBishop Elias Zaidan expressed his “solidarity and fraternal unity” with the Catholic Church in South Sudan amid ongoing instability in the region.“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, I write to express our continued solidarity and fraternal unity with the bishops and faithful of South Sudan,” Zaidan, who currently serves as chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, said in a letter on Tuesday addressed to Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of Tombura-Yambio.“Be assured of our steadfast prayers for the South Sudanese people at this time of severe economic hardship, deadly violence, environmental and food insecurity, and contestation surrounding the country’s Transitional Constitution framework.”

unitedyam

An illicit ordination in Scotland leads to excommunication, nuns flee monastery in Spain wildfires, priest asks for prayers as Gaza, and more in this week’s Catholic world news roundup.

Read More
Inspired by Duolingo, Catholic missionary launches Creedo faith app - #Catholic - One day, while doing his daily Duolingo lesson, Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach had a realization: “Why can’t learning the Catholic faith feel this approachable?”The epiphany inspired Burbach to eventually launch Creedo, an app that utilizes the format of the beloved language-learning platform Duolingo to gamify lessons about Catholic teaching.Creedo’s platform includes digestible lessons about the sacraments, Mary, the Trinity, angels, demonology, social teaching, and more. According to Burbach, the app avoids reinterpretation and draws its content from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other classic Catholic works. Screenshot of Creedo App Section 13, “Justification: Faith, Grace, and Works in Harmony,” July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach “I wanted to build a platform that made it easier to engage consistently with Scripture and the Churchʼs rich tradition in small, manageable steps,” he told EWTN News. “Today, Creedo helps individuals grow in their faith while also giving parishes a unified platform to manage formation programs like OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation of Adults], sacramental preparation, Bible studies, and more.”Burbach shared more about his vision for the app and how he hopes it will serve the Church in an interview with EWTN News.EWTN News: What gap does Creedo fill in Catholic catechesis, and what sets it apart from other Catholic apps?Burbach: One of the things that makes Creedo different is that it transforms the Churchʼs incredible treasury of teaching into a daily habit. The Church has never lacked great content. What itʼs often lacked is a format that people genuinely look forward to engaging with every day.Creedo doesnʼt just put the Churchʼs teaching in your pocket. It gives you an app you actually want to take out of your pocket. Delightful animations, rewarding progression, and even a wingman character accompany users throughout their formation. Weʼve been amazed to see users of all ages come back day after day because learning the faith has become something they genuinely enjoy. Creedo App promotional image, July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach That same philosophy also shaped our parish platform. We wanted to make it just as enjoyable for parish leaders to accompany people through the faith. Instead of juggling paper forms, PDFs, spreadsheets, and multiple software tools, parishes can manage OCIA, Bible studies, sacramental preparation, and other formation programs in one place while members complete lessons, documents, and questionnaires in the same app.What has been the response to Creedo among users?The most rewarding part has been watching people build consistent habits around Scripture and the Churchʼs teaching. Users have completed tens of thousands of lessons on Scripture, Augustineʼs “Confessions,” the “Summa Theologica,” “Story of a Soul” [by St. Thérèse of Lisieux], and many other works in numbers I honestly never expected.For thousands of people, Creedo has become part of their morning routine: a few minutes spent in Scripture, a daily meditation, or even a Catholic word puzzle before the rest of the day begins. Itʼs also been exciting to see parishes embrace our parish platform for programs like OCIA. In one parish, participants completed more than 2,000 lessons on Scripture and Catholic teaching before a single lesson had even been assigned for an OCIA session. That kind of enthusiasm is incredibly humbling to witness.Instagram postHow does Creedo embody Pope Leo XIVʼs call in Magnifica Humanitas to use technology for human flourishing?I believe technology is at its best when it helps people encounter Christ, and thatʼs what Creedo is built to do. We spend so much of our lives building habits around our phones. The important question isnʼt simply whether we have habits but what those habits are forming us to become.Creedo is designed to be a simple five-minute daily habit. During those five minutes, youʼre reading Scripture, engaging with the Churchʼs teaching, and exploring the writings of the saints and other classic Catholic works. Rather than competing with the Churchʼs traditional resources, our goal is to help people return to them consistently. The technology isnʼt the point. Itʼs simply the vehicle that helps make those encounters a regular part of everyday life.If Creedo helps someone discover the beauty of Scripture or the wisdom of the saints for the first time, then weʼve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.
Read More

Inspired by Duolingo, Catholic missionary launches Creedo faith app – #Catholic – One day, while doing his daily Duolingo lesson, Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach had a realization: “Why can’t learning the Catholic faith feel this approachable?”The epiphany inspired Burbach to eventually launch Creedo, an app that utilizes the format of the beloved language-learning platform Duolingo to gamify lessons about Catholic teaching.Creedo’s platform includes digestible lessons about the sacraments, Mary, the Trinity, angels, demonology, social teaching, and more. According to Burbach, the app avoids reinterpretation and draws its content from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other classic Catholic works. Screenshot of Creedo App Section 13, “Justification: Faith, Grace, and Works in Harmony,” July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach “I wanted to build a platform that made it easier to engage consistently with Scripture and the Churchʼs rich tradition in small, manageable steps,” he told EWTN News. “Today, Creedo helps individuals grow in their faith while also giving parishes a unified platform to manage formation programs like OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation of Adults], sacramental preparation, Bible studies, and more.”Burbach shared more about his vision for the app and how he hopes it will serve the Church in an interview with EWTN News.EWTN News: What gap does Creedo fill in Catholic catechesis, and what sets it apart from other Catholic apps?Burbach: One of the things that makes Creedo different is that it transforms the Churchʼs incredible treasury of teaching into a daily habit. The Church has never lacked great content. What itʼs often lacked is a format that people genuinely look forward to engaging with every day.Creedo doesnʼt just put the Churchʼs teaching in your pocket. It gives you an app you actually want to take out of your pocket. Delightful animations, rewarding progression, and even a wingman character accompany users throughout their formation. Weʼve been amazed to see users of all ages come back day after day because learning the faith has become something they genuinely enjoy. Creedo App promotional image, July 30, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Caleb Burbach That same philosophy also shaped our parish platform. We wanted to make it just as enjoyable for parish leaders to accompany people through the faith. Instead of juggling paper forms, PDFs, spreadsheets, and multiple software tools, parishes can manage OCIA, Bible studies, sacramental preparation, and other formation programs in one place while members complete lessons, documents, and questionnaires in the same app.What has been the response to Creedo among users?The most rewarding part has been watching people build consistent habits around Scripture and the Churchʼs teaching. Users have completed tens of thousands of lessons on Scripture, Augustineʼs “Confessions,” the “Summa Theologica,” “Story of a Soul” [by St. Thérèse of Lisieux], and many other works in numbers I honestly never expected.For thousands of people, Creedo has become part of their morning routine: a few minutes spent in Scripture, a daily meditation, or even a Catholic word puzzle before the rest of the day begins. Itʼs also been exciting to see parishes embrace our parish platform for programs like OCIA. In one parish, participants completed more than 2,000 lessons on Scripture and Catholic teaching before a single lesson had even been assigned for an OCIA session. That kind of enthusiasm is incredibly humbling to witness.Instagram postHow does Creedo embody Pope Leo XIVʼs call in Magnifica Humanitas to use technology for human flourishing?I believe technology is at its best when it helps people encounter Christ, and thatʼs what Creedo is built to do. We spend so much of our lives building habits around our phones. The important question isnʼt simply whether we have habits but what those habits are forming us to become.Creedo is designed to be a simple five-minute daily habit. During those five minutes, youʼre reading Scripture, engaging with the Churchʼs teaching, and exploring the writings of the saints and other classic Catholic works. Rather than competing with the Churchʼs traditional resources, our goal is to help people return to them consistently. The technology isnʼt the point. Itʼs simply the vehicle that helps make those encounters a regular part of everyday life.If Creedo helps someone discover the beauty of Scripture or the wisdom of the saints for the first time, then weʼve accomplished exactly what we set out to do.

unitedyam

Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach wanted to make Church teaching more accessible and easy to digest — so he designed Creedo to do just that.

Read More

The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709

unitedyam

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  July 31: Mercury brightening With the Moon rising later each night as it wanes, there’s a slightly longer dark window tonight for deep-sky observing. Let’s use it to track down NGC 6709, a lovely open cluster in the constellation Aquila the Eagle. Continue reading “The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709”

The post The Sky Today on Saturday, August 1: Open cluster NGC 6709 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Read More
This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August #Catholic Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.“Roughly half of us live in cities. Jesus himself walked city streets, in Cana, in Jericho, in Jerusalem, and just as in those cities Christ is present in ours — teaching, praying, celebrating, but also suffering among the poor, the forgotten, the imprisoned," the Holy Father said in a video released July 31 on X.He added: “This month, let us pray for the courage to recognize him [Jesus] there and through our work and witness to bring the Gospel to the streets and homes of our metropolises.”In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention:“Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd,You walk through our streets and squares,enter tall buildings and humble neighborhoods,and silently accompany millionswho seek meaning amid noise and haste.You know, Lord, the heart of the city:its lights and shadows, its noise and loneliness.We know that cities are called to be places of freedom and opportunity,but they can also become spaces of anonymity and isolation.That’s why today we ask you for a renewed gaze,able to discover in urban lifefertile ground for proclaiming your Gospel.Give us a creative and deep faith,that doesn’t remain in words,but becomes flesh through simple and loving gestures.Make us a Church that goes forth,able to reach out to the peripheries,to console those who are lonely,and to sow fraternity and connection instead of giving in to indifference.Lord, may our urban communitiesbe open and welcoming homes,places where hope is shared,where no one feels invisible,and where the joy of your Gospel shinesin the hidden lives of so many brothers and sisters.Make us your witnesses in the city,bold and creative missionaries,who proclaim your love with their lives—a love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.Amen.”“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.
Read More

This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August #Catholic Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.“Roughly half of us live in cities. Jesus himself walked city streets, in Cana, in Jericho, in Jerusalem, and just as in those cities Christ is present in ours — teaching, praying, celebrating, but also suffering among the poor, the forgotten, the imprisoned," the Holy Father said in a video released July 31 on X.He added: “This month, let us pray for the courage to recognize him [Jesus] there and through our work and witness to bring the Gospel to the streets and homes of our metropolises.”In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention:“Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd,You walk through our streets and squares,enter tall buildings and humble neighborhoods,and silently accompany millionswho seek meaning amid noise and haste.You know, Lord, the heart of the city:its lights and shadows, its noise and loneliness.We know that cities are called to be places of freedom and opportunity,but they can also become spaces of anonymity and isolation.That’s why today we ask you for a renewed gaze,able to discover in urban lifefertile ground for proclaiming your Gospel.Give us a creative and deep faith,that doesn’t remain in words,but becomes flesh through simple and loving gestures.Make us a Church that goes forth,able to reach out to the peripheries,to console those who are lonely,and to sow fraternity and connection instead of giving in to indifference.Lord, may our urban communitiesbe open and welcoming homes,places where hope is shared,where no one feels invisible,and where the joy of your Gospel shinesin the hidden lives of so many brothers and sisters.Make us your witnesses in the city,bold and creative missionaries,who proclaim your love with their lives—a love capable of overcoming haste, noise, and anonymity.Amen.”“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.

unitedyam

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.

Read More
3 Catholic churches desecrated in a single French archdiocese #Catholic The Archdiocese of Tours in France reported that three Catholic churches within its jurisdiction have been desecrated and announced that Masses of reparation will be held at the affected churches.“In recent days, three churches in our diocese in Chambray-lès-Tours, Luynes, and Tours (St.Joan of Arc Church) have been targeted by malicious individuals,” the archdiocese said in a July 28 statement.The text specifies that “offering boxes were looted and damaged, doors forced open, sacred vessels damaged, a tabernacle forced open, and the Blessed Sacrament desecrated.”“These painful and hurtful events for the Catholic community unfortunately reveal the extent to which our society is permeated by disturbing forms of violence, a lack of culture, and a lack of civility,” the statement laments.Finally, the text notes without specifying dates that “Masses of reparation will be celebrated in the desecrated churches.”Michel Lamy, the mayor of Chambray-lès-Tours, condemned the desecration of the church in his town, stating: “These acts fill me with deep indignation and are simply unacceptable.”“Nothing can justify an attack on a place of worship, our heritage, and what it represents for many residents of Chambray,” the mayor stated on his Facebook page.The mayor posted photos of the desecration, showing Communion hosts scattered on the ground and excrement on the floor.Facebook post“I condemn this desecration in the strongest possible terms and offer my full support to the parish community, Father François Xavier Olayemy Oniossou, and all those deeply shocked by these events,” the mayor added.“In Chambray-lès-Tours, as elsewhere, respect for places of worship, regardless of one’s convictions, is a fundamental value,” he stated.In November 2024, similar acts of desecration occurred at four churches in the Archdiocese of Tours. Archbishop Vincent Jordy stated at the time that “there may be people who wish to express at times hatred toward the Church, or toward what she represents.” Facebook post“There is this type of phenomenon that unfortunately exists — we say it in the communique — and which manifests a lack of culture and a form of contempt for peopleʼs [way of] life and faith,” the prelate lamented at the time.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Read More

3 Catholic churches desecrated in a single French archdiocese #Catholic The Archdiocese of Tours in France reported that three Catholic churches within its jurisdiction have been desecrated and announced that Masses of reparation will be held at the affected churches.“In recent days, three churches in our diocese in Chambray-lès-Tours, Luynes, and Tours (St.Joan of Arc Church) have been targeted by malicious individuals,” the archdiocese said in a July 28 statement.The text specifies that “offering boxes were looted and damaged, doors forced open, sacred vessels damaged, a tabernacle forced open, and the Blessed Sacrament desecrated.”“These painful and hurtful events for the Catholic community unfortunately reveal the extent to which our society is permeated by disturbing forms of violence, a lack of culture, and a lack of civility,” the statement laments.Finally, the text notes without specifying dates that “Masses of reparation will be celebrated in the desecrated churches.”Michel Lamy, the mayor of Chambray-lès-Tours, condemned the desecration of the church in his town, stating: “These acts fill me with deep indignation and are simply unacceptable.”“Nothing can justify an attack on a place of worship, our heritage, and what it represents for many residents of Chambray,” the mayor stated on his Facebook page.The mayor posted photos of the desecration, showing Communion hosts scattered on the ground and excrement on the floor.Facebook post“I condemn this desecration in the strongest possible terms and offer my full support to the parish community, Father François Xavier Olayemy Oniossou, and all those deeply shocked by these events,” the mayor added.“In Chambray-lès-Tours, as elsewhere, respect for places of worship, regardless of one’s convictions, is a fundamental value,” he stated.In November 2024, similar acts of desecration occurred at four churches in the Archdiocese of Tours. Archbishop Vincent Jordy stated at the time that “there may be people who wish to express at times hatred toward the Church, or toward what she represents.” Facebook post“There is this type of phenomenon that unfortunately exists — we say it in the communique — and which manifests a lack of culture and a form of contempt for peopleʼs [way of] life and faith,” the prelate lamented at the time.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

For the seventh time in two years, churches in the Archdiocese of Tours have been desecrated.

Read More

Gospel and Word of the Day – 01 August 2026 – A reading from the Book of Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24 The priests and prophets said to the princes and to all the people, “This man deserves death; he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.” Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people: “It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and city all that you have heard. Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the LORD your God, so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you. As for me, I am in your hands;  do with me what you think good and right. But mark well: if you put me to death, it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves, on this city and its citizens. For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you, to speak all these things for you to hear.” Thereupon the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve death; it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.”  So Ahikam, son of Shaphan, protected Jeremiah, so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.From the Gospel according to Matthew 14:1-12 Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.I would simply advise you not to dwell on this too much, but to remember the image, the four characters: the corrupt king, the woman who knew only how to hate, the vain young woman who is oblivious to everything, and the beheaded prophet alone in his cell. Look at that, and let each of you open your heart so that the Lord may speak to you about this. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 8 February 2019)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
26:11-16, 24

The priests and prophets said
to the princes and to all the people,
“This man deserves death;
he has prophesied against this city,
as you have heard with your own ears.”
Jeremiah gave this answer
to the princes and all the people:
“It was the LORD who sent me to
prophesy against this house and city
all that you have heard.
Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds;
listen to the voice of the LORD your God,
so that the LORD will repent
of the evil with which he threatens you.
As for me, I am in your hands; 
do with me what you think good and right.
But mark well: if you put me to death,
it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves,
on this city and its citizens.
For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you,
to speak all these things for you to hear.”
Thereupon the princes and all the people
said to the priests and the prophets,
“This man does not deserve death;
it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us.”
 So Ahikam, son of Shaphan, protected Jeremiah,
so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
14:1-12

Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist.
He has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,
for John had said to him,
“It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,
for they regarded him as a prophet.
But at a birthday celebration for Herod,
the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests
and delighted Herod so much
that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.
Prompted by her mother, she said,
“Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,
he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.
His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,
who took it to her mother.
His disciples came and took away the corpse
and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.

I would simply advise you not to dwell on this too much, but to remember the image, the four characters: the corrupt king, the woman who knew only how to hate, the vain young woman who is oblivious to everything, and the beheaded prophet alone in his cell. Look at that, and let each of you open your heart so that the Lord may speak to you about this. (Pope Francis, Santa Marta, 8 February 2019)

Read More
Understanding How Martian Auroras Are Made – This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN mission.
Read More

Understanding How Martian Auroras Are Made – This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN mission.

unitedyam

This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN mission.

Read More
Chester Police chaplain retires after 47 years of service #Catholic – On July 29, members of the Chester Police Department, law enforcement leaders from across Morris County and New Jersey, and friends gathered to honor Msgr. Raymond Lopatesky, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., upon his retirement as chaplain to the Chester Police Department after 47 years of faithful service. The celebration was held in Hoffman Hall at the Chester Fire House. Msgr. Lopatesky’s ministry became an integral part of both his life and the lives of those he served. For nearly five decades, Msgr. Lopatesky ministered to police officers and their families through every season of life — whether comforting families after the loss of a loved one, celebrating weddings and the baptisms of their children, or simply being available to listen. His ministry extended far beyond the walls of the Church. As he described it, “They became my unique parish, my family.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Serving under 13 chiefs of the Chester Police Department, Msgr. Lopatesky remained a constant source of encouragement, compassion, and hope for countless officers and their families. In addition to his role as chaplain, he mentored new police officers and police academy recruits, helping to instill the values of integrity, service, and compassion in future generations of law enforcement professionals. Msgr. Lopatesky is also the founder and director of the Morris County Police Critical Incident Debriefing Team. His service also extended beyond Chester as a chaplain to the Washington Township Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. Among those attending Msgr. Lopatesky’s retirement celebration were Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Chester Police Chief Ryan T. McNamee, retired N.J. State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, active and retired members of the Chester Police Department, members of the N.J. State Police, and many law enforcement chiefs and officers from throughout the region. Msgr. Ray Lopatesky’s legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Chester Police Department and the broader law enforcement community. He touched countless lives through his presence in joyful and difficult moments. He stood beside those who wear the badge, becoming not only their chaplain but also a trusted friend. Although he is retiring from his official duties, Msgr. Lopatesky will continue to remember them in his daily prayers.  
Read More

Chester Police chaplain retires after 47 years of service #Catholic – On July 29, members of the Chester Police Department, law enforcement leaders from across Morris County and New Jersey, and friends gathered to honor Msgr. Raymond Lopatesky, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., upon his retirement as chaplain to the Chester Police Department after 47 years of faithful service. The celebration was held in Hoffman Hall at the Chester Fire House. Msgr. Lopatesky’s ministry became an integral part of both his life and the lives of those he served. For nearly five decades, Msgr. Lopatesky ministered to police officers and their families through every season of life — whether comforting families after the loss of a loved one, celebrating weddings and the baptisms of their children, or simply being available to listen. His ministry extended far beyond the walls of the Church. As he described it, “They became my unique parish, my family.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Serving under 13 chiefs of the Chester Police Department, Msgr. Lopatesky remained a constant source of encouragement, compassion, and hope for countless officers and their families. In addition to his role as chaplain, he mentored new police officers and police academy recruits, helping to instill the values of integrity, service, and compassion in future generations of law enforcement professionals. Msgr. Lopatesky is also the founder and director of the Morris County Police Critical Incident Debriefing Team. His service also extended beyond Chester as a chaplain to the Washington Township Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service. Among those attending Msgr. Lopatesky’s retirement celebration were Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Chester Police Chief Ryan T. McNamee, retired N.J. State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, active and retired members of the Chester Police Department, members of the N.J. State Police, and many law enforcement chiefs and officers from throughout the region. Msgr. Ray Lopatesky’s legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Chester Police Department and the broader law enforcement community. He touched countless lives through his presence in joyful and difficult moments. He stood beside those who wear the badge, becoming not only their chaplain but also a trusted friend. Although he is retiring from his official duties, Msgr. Lopatesky will continue to remember them in his daily prayers.  

unitedyam

Chester Police chaplain retires after 47 years of service #Catholic –

On July 29, members of the Chester Police Department, law enforcement leaders from across Morris County and New Jersey, and friends gathered to honor Msgr. Raymond Lopatesky, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., upon his retirement as chaplain to the Chester Police Department after 47 years of faithful service. The celebration was held in Hoffman Hall at the Chester Fire House.

Msgr. Lopatesky’s ministry became an integral part of both his life and the lives of those he served.

For nearly five decades, Msgr. Lopatesky ministered to police officers and their families through every season of life — whether comforting families after the loss of a loved one, celebrating weddings and the baptisms of their children, or simply being available to listen. His ministry extended far beyond the walls of the Church. As he described it, “They became my unique parish, my family.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Serving under 13 chiefs of the Chester Police Department, Msgr. Lopatesky remained a constant source of encouragement, compassion, and hope for countless officers and their families. In addition to his role as chaplain, he mentored new police officers and police academy recruits, helping to instill the values of integrity, service, and compassion in future generations of law enforcement professionals.

Msgr. Lopatesky is also the founder and director of the Morris County Police Critical Incident Debriefing Team. His service also extended beyond Chester as a chaplain to the Washington Township Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Secret Service.

Among those attending Msgr. Lopatesky’s retirement celebration were Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Chester Police Chief Ryan T. McNamee, retired N.J. State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, active and retired members of the Chester Police Department, members of the N.J. State Police, and many law enforcement chiefs and officers from throughout the region.

Msgr. Ray Lopatesky’s legacy will continue to be felt throughout the Chester Police Department and the broader law enforcement community. He touched countless lives through his presence in joyful and difficult moments. He stood beside those who wear the badge, becoming not only their chaplain but also a trusted friend.

Although he is retiring from his official duties, Msgr. Lopatesky will continue to remember them in his daily prayers.

 

– On July 29, members of the Chester Police Department, law enforcement leaders from across Morris County and New Jersey, and friends gathered to honor Msgr. Raymond Lopatesky, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., upon his retirement as chaplain to the Chester Police Department after 47 years of faithful service. The celebration was held in Hoffman Hall at the Chester Fire House. Msgr. Lopatesky’s ministry became an integral part of both his life and the lives of those he served. For nearly five decades, Msgr. Lopatesky ministered to police officers and their families through every season of life —

Read More
Obituary: Sister of Charity Dolores Lew, 84 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 29 at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister Dolores Lew, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth, who died on July 24 at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was 84. Sister Lew was a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth for 46 years. Born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1941, Sister Lew was the daughter of Robert Lew and Nellie Pang Lai. She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1979 in response to a call she felt to serve God’s people in a medical setting. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sister Lew began her ministry of service as a Dominican Sister of Caldwell in Caldwell, N.J. She graduated from Caldwell College, now Caldwell University, with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She earned a master’s degree in biology from Villanova University in Villanova, Penn. In addition, Sister Lew earned a certification in medical technology from the School of Medical Technology at St. Joseph Hospital in Paterson, and she received a blood bank certificate from the American Red Cross in Baltimore, Md. Sister Lew also received licensing as a physician assistant. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in that profession from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Rutgers. She was the first Sister of Charity to become a physician assistant. Sister Lew was a laboratory technologist and chief of the Blood Bank at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (Trinitas) in Elizabeth, N.J. She was the first physician assistant to join the staff of St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Sister Dolores was a physician assistant in the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s for 24 years until her retirement in 2019. Sister Dolores enjoyed cooking for family and friends, gardening, and sharing the vegetables from her garden. She received the Best Age Strong Garden award in the 2024 Greenest Place in Paterson Garden Contest. During the final years of her life, Sister Dolores lived with a serious illness, which she faced with courage and resolve. Sister Lew was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Shirley Calderone. Her Sisters of Charity community survives her; her friend, Sister Edna Francis Hersinger; her nieces, Christine Velarde, Michele Cavallaro and Toni Anne Caracappa; her nephew, Joseph Calderone; her brothers, Robert, John, David, Peter, and Joseph; her sisters, Kammoy King and Joanne Chin; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Burial took place in Holy Family Cemetery in Convent Station. Please make donations in memory of Sister Dolores Lew to the Sisters of Charity Office of Legacy and Mission Advancement, P. O. Box 476, Convent Station, N.J., 07961.
Read More

Obituary: Sister of Charity Dolores Lew, 84 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 29 at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister Dolores Lew, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth, who died on July 24 at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was 84. Sister Lew was a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth for 46 years. Born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1941, Sister Lew was the daughter of Robert Lew and Nellie Pang Lai. She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1979 in response to a call she felt to serve God’s people in a medical setting. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sister Lew began her ministry of service as a Dominican Sister of Caldwell in Caldwell, N.J. She graduated from Caldwell College, now Caldwell University, with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She earned a master’s degree in biology from Villanova University in Villanova, Penn. In addition, Sister Lew earned a certification in medical technology from the School of Medical Technology at St. Joseph Hospital in Paterson, and she received a blood bank certificate from the American Red Cross in Baltimore, Md. Sister Lew also received licensing as a physician assistant. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in that profession from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Rutgers. She was the first Sister of Charity to become a physician assistant. Sister Lew was a laboratory technologist and chief of the Blood Bank at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (Trinitas) in Elizabeth, N.J. She was the first physician assistant to join the staff of St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Sister Dolores was a physician assistant in the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s for 24 years until her retirement in 2019. Sister Dolores enjoyed cooking for family and friends, gardening, and sharing the vegetables from her garden. She received the Best Age Strong Garden award in the 2024 Greenest Place in Paterson Garden Contest. During the final years of her life, Sister Dolores lived with a serious illness, which she faced with courage and resolve. Sister Lew was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Shirley Calderone. Her Sisters of Charity community survives her; her friend, Sister Edna Francis Hersinger; her nieces, Christine Velarde, Michele Cavallaro and Toni Anne Caracappa; her nephew, Joseph Calderone; her brothers, Robert, John, David, Peter, and Joseph; her sisters, Kammoy King and Joanne Chin; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Burial took place in Holy Family Cemetery in Convent Station. Please make donations in memory of Sister Dolores Lew to the Sisters of Charity Office of Legacy and Mission Advancement, P. O. Box 476, Convent Station, N.J., 07961.

unitedyam

Obituary: Sister of Charity Dolores Lew, 84 #Catholic –

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 29 at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister Dolores Lew, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth, who died on July 24 at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was 84.

Sister Lew was a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth for 46 years.

Born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1941, Sister Lew was the daughter of Robert Lew and Nellie Pang Lai. She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1979 in response to a call she felt to serve God’s people in a medical setting.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Sister Lew began her ministry of service as a Dominican Sister of Caldwell in Caldwell, N.J. She graduated from Caldwell College, now Caldwell University, with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She earned a master’s degree in biology from Villanova University in Villanova, Penn.

In addition, Sister Lew earned a certification in medical technology from the School of Medical Technology at St. Joseph Hospital in Paterson, and she received a blood bank certificate from the American Red Cross in Baltimore, Md.

Sister Lew also received licensing as a physician assistant. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in that profession from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Rutgers. She was the first Sister of Charity to become a physician assistant.

Sister Lew was a laboratory technologist and chief of the Blood Bank at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (Trinitas) in Elizabeth, N.J. She was the first physician assistant to join the staff of St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. Sister Dolores was a physician assistant in the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s for 24 years until her retirement in 2019.

Sister Dolores enjoyed cooking for family and friends, gardening, and sharing the vegetables from her garden. She received the Best Age Strong Garden award in the 2024 Greenest Place in Paterson Garden Contest.

During the final years of her life, Sister Dolores lived with a serious illness, which she faced with courage and resolve.

Sister Lew was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Shirley Calderone. Her Sisters of Charity community survives her; her friend, Sister Edna Francis Hersinger; her nieces, Christine Velarde, Michele Cavallaro and Toni Anne Caracappa; her nephew, Joseph Calderone; her brothers, Robert, John, David, Peter, and Joseph; her sisters, Kammoy King and Joanne Chin; and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Burial took place in Holy Family Cemetery in Convent Station.

Please make donations in memory of Sister Dolores Lew to the Sisters of Charity Office of Legacy and Mission Advancement, P. O. Box 476, Convent Station, N.J., 07961.

– A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 29 at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister Dolores Lew, a Sister of Charity of St. Elizabeth, who died on July 24 at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was 84. Sister Lew was a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth for 46 years. Born in Bayonne, N.J., in 1941, Sister Lew was the daughter of Robert Lew and Nellie Pang Lai. She entered the Sisters of Charity in 1979 in response to a call she felt

Read More

The Sky Today on Friday, July 31: Mercury brightening

unitedyam

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  July 30: Meteors may shine Mercury has now brightened to magnitude 0.5 in the early-morning sky and should be even easier to see than it was earlier in the week. It is now just a few days from greatest western elongation.  IfContinue reading “The Sky Today on Friday, July 31: Mercury brightening”

The post The Sky Today on Friday, July 31: Mercury brightening appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Read More

Gospel and Word of the Day – 31 July 2026 – A reading from the Book of Jeremiah 26:1-9 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, this message came from the LORD:   Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the house of the LORD and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD; whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing. Perhaps they will listen and turn back,  each from his evil way, so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them for their evil deeds. Say to them:  Thus says the LORD:  If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them, I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth shall refer when cursing another.Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD. When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people, the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying, “You must be put to death!  Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD: ‘This house shall be like Shiloh,’ and ‘This city shall be desolate and deserted’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.From the Gospel according to Matthew 13:54-58 Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.In today’s liturgy, the Gospel recounts Jesus’ first sermon in his home town, Nazareth. The outcome is bitter: instead of receiving approval, Jesus finds incomprehension and even hostility. His fellow villagers wanted miracles and prodigious signs rather than a word of truth. The Lord does not perform them and they reject him, because they say they already knew him as a child: he is Joseph’s son, and so on. Jesus therefore utters a phrase that has become proverbial: “No prophet is acceptable in his own country”. These words reveal that Jesus’ failure was not entirely unexpected. He knew his people, he knew the heart of his people, he knew the risk he was running. He took rejection into account. And, so, we may ask ourselves: but if it was like this, if he foresaw a failure, why did he go to his home town all the same? Why do good to people who are not willing to accept you? It is a question that we too often ask ourselves. But it is a question that helps us understand God better. Faced with our closures, he does not withdraw: he does not put brakes on his love. Faced with our closures, he goes forward. We see a reflection of this in parents who are aware of the ingratitude of their children, but do not stop loving them and doing good to them, because of this. God is the same, but at a much higher level. And today he invites us too to believe in good, to leave no stone unturned in doing good. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 30 January 2022)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
26:1-9

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim,
son of Josiah, king of Judah,
this message came from the LORD:  
Thus says the LORD:
Stand in the court of the house of the LORD
and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah
who come to worship in the house of the LORD;
whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.
Perhaps they will listen and turn back, 
each from his evil way,
so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds.
Say to them:  Thus says the LORD: 
If you disobey me,
not living according to the law I placed before you
and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets,
whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them,
I will treat this house like Shiloh,
and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth
shall refer when cursing another.Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people
heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
When Jeremiah finished speaking
all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people,
the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying,
“You must be put to death! 
Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD:
‘This house shall be like Shiloh,’ and
‘This city shall be desolate and deserted’?”
And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.

In today’s liturgy, the Gospel recounts Jesus’ first sermon in his home town, Nazareth. The outcome is bitter: instead of receiving approval, Jesus finds incomprehension and even hostility. His fellow villagers wanted miracles and prodigious signs rather than a word of truth. The Lord does not perform them and they reject him, because they say they already knew him as a child: he is Joseph’s son, and so on. Jesus therefore utters a phrase that has become proverbial: “No prophet is acceptable in his own country”. These words reveal that Jesus’ failure was not entirely unexpected. He knew his people, he knew the heart of his people, he knew the risk he was running. He took rejection into account. And, so, we may ask ourselves: but if it was like this, if he foresaw a failure, why did he go to his home town all the same? Why do good to people who are not willing to accept you? It is a question that we too often ask ourselves. But it is a question that helps us understand God better. Faced with our closures, he does not withdraw: he does not put brakes on his love. Faced with our closures, he goes forward. We see a reflection of this in parents who are aware of the ingratitude of their children, but do not stop loving them and doing good to them, because of this. God is the same, but at a much higher level. And today he invites us too to believe in good, to leave no stone unturned in doing good. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 30 January 2022)

Read More
Israeli strike damages Christian-run hospital in Gaza, Catholic aid group says #Catholic Israeli airstrikes on an apartment building adjacent to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City damaged the hospital on the evening of July 29, blowing out windows and doors, and frightening patients and medical staff, according to a report by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).“The repeated explosions create confusion among medical staff and place additional psychological pressure on patients,” Mousa Ayad, manager at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, told CNEWA’s Diaa Ostaz.Ayad told CNEWA he could not rule out another airstrike: “This is war, and no one knows where the next danger will be. But given the hospital’s humanitarian and medical role, we do not believe that the hospital is the intended target.”According to CNEWA, Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense, said emergency response crews were not able to immediately reach the struck building, which is beside the hospital and a shelter for displaced people, because responders feared a second strike.“The fire burned for more than 15 minutes before our crews could move in,” he said, according to CNEWA. “We continue to work with severe shortages of firefighting vehicles, water tankers and fuel, making every emergency response more difficult.”CNEWA reported that, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, nearly 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and another 3,900 injured since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025.Ayad told CNEWA that despite the ceasefire, Gaza’s health sector is still in dire circumstances.“The situation has not improved significantly. Hospitals continue to face shortages of medical supplies, equipment and essential consumables,” he said. “Thousands of patients remain on waiting lists for surgery, while many others still need to travel outside Gaza for specialized treatment.”Last year, he told CNEWA that the hospital was operating at 350% capacity and a total evacuation would be “a major humanitarian challenge.”This is not the first time the hospital has been struck.On Oct. 17, 2023, an airstrike on the hospital killed 500 people and injured many others. More than 5,000 people were sheltering at the hospital at the time, reported Joseph Hazboun, regional director for CNEWA’s Jerusalem office.Then, in June 2025 airstrikes, six people, including four journalists, were killed and 30 others were injured.Three months later, Israel Defense Forces killed one person and injured several others after it launched a missile that landed in the hospital’s courtyard, according to CNEWA.The Catholic aid group has long supported Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, and since January 2025, it has partnered with the hospital to provide urgent medical services.Pope Pius XI founded CNEWA in 1926 as “an instrument of love and a sign of hope for those in need scattered throughout the historic but unstable lands of the ancient Eastern churches — the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe,” according to the group’s website.
Read More

Israeli strike damages Christian-run hospital in Gaza, Catholic aid group says #Catholic Israeli airstrikes on an apartment building adjacent to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City damaged the hospital on the evening of July 29, blowing out windows and doors, and frightening patients and medical staff, according to a report by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).“The repeated explosions create confusion among medical staff and place additional psychological pressure on patients,” Mousa Ayad, manager at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, told CNEWA’s Diaa Ostaz.Ayad told CNEWA he could not rule out another airstrike: “This is war, and no one knows where the next danger will be. But given the hospital’s humanitarian and medical role, we do not believe that the hospital is the intended target.”According to CNEWA, Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense, said emergency response crews were not able to immediately reach the struck building, which is beside the hospital and a shelter for displaced people, because responders feared a second strike.“The fire burned for more than 15 minutes before our crews could move in,” he said, according to CNEWA. “We continue to work with severe shortages of firefighting vehicles, water tankers and fuel, making every emergency response more difficult.”CNEWA reported that, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, nearly 1,200 Palestinians have been killed and another 3,900 injured since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025.Ayad told CNEWA that despite the ceasefire, Gaza’s health sector is still in dire circumstances.“The situation has not improved significantly. Hospitals continue to face shortages of medical supplies, equipment and essential consumables,” he said. “Thousands of patients remain on waiting lists for surgery, while many others still need to travel outside Gaza for specialized treatment.”Last year, he told CNEWA that the hospital was operating at 350% capacity and a total evacuation would be “a major humanitarian challenge.”This is not the first time the hospital has been struck.On Oct. 17, 2023, an airstrike on the hospital killed 500 people and injured many others. More than 5,000 people were sheltering at the hospital at the time, reported Joseph Hazboun, regional director for CNEWA’s Jerusalem office.Then, in June 2025 airstrikes, six people, including four journalists, were killed and 30 others were injured.Three months later, Israel Defense Forces killed one person and injured several others after it launched a missile that landed in the hospital’s courtyard, according to CNEWA.The Catholic aid group has long supported Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, and since January 2025, it has partnered with the hospital to provide urgent medical services.Pope Pius XI founded CNEWA in 1926 as “an instrument of love and a sign of hope for those in need scattered throughout the historic but unstable lands of the ancient Eastern churches — the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India and Eastern Europe,” according to the group’s website.

unitedyam

The Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) reported emergency response crews were not able to immediately reach the struck building because responders feared a second strike.

Read More
Older Posts