NASA’s Boeing 777 returns to the agency’s Langley Research Center after receiving a new paint scheme.
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Finnish Air Force Hawker Hurricane warbird and U.S. Navy T-6 Texan warbird in flight over Finland
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Funding will help improve hospitals, clinics, and health networks in rural parts of Cameroon, Liberia, and Nigeria, working as part of a group of faith-based organizations, a CRS spokesperson said.
A special Mass was held commemorating Sts. Luis Bátis Sáinz, Manuel Morales, Salvador Lara Puente, and David Roldán Lara, who were martyred during the persecution of the Church in the Cristero period.
![Seminarians highlight faith and calling during first Media Day #Catholic – On a recent podcast, Brian Collins, 24, a seminarian of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., demystified life in the seminary while studying for the priesthood.
“We spend lots of time studying the faith and praying individually and together, but we also have friends inside and outside the seminary, play video games and watch movies like regular young men,” said Collins, ready to start first-year philosophy studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, N.J.
On Aug. 14 afternoon, Collins and Michael Kane, another diocesan seminarian, appeared on a special remote episode of Beyond the Beacon, a podcast co-hosted by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. They talked about priestly vocations and the seminary with Jai Agnish, the podcast’s co-host and diocesan communications director, at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. The episode was part of the diocese’s inaugural Seminarian Media Day event.
St. Paul’s was a beehive of activity for the Media Day. The event gave the 12 diocesan seminarians there the opportunity, with great wit and charm, to share their engaging stories about how God called them to the priesthood, their faith journeys so far, interests, and their lives in the seminary.
This content will be posted in the coming months on digital platforms where young people consume information, such as podcasts, social media, and print news, to help make them aware of the possibility of a priestly vocation. In September, the diocesan Vocations Office will launch an Instagram account dedicated to vocations, which will use much of this lively material.
“For Media Day, it was good to hear the voices from the faces of seminarians on vocations posters. Maybe our stories will encourage other men to enter the seminary,” Collins said. The podcast also included interviews with seminarians Eric Hasenbein and Sean Gallagher.
The Media Day was a collaboration by the diocesan Vocations Office, the Communications Office, and St. Paul Inside the Walls, the diocesan evangelization center. The event also highlighted the seminarians’ varied ages, backgrounds, and personalities.
“In today’s world, many young people exploring a vocation will first look online for information and inspiration,” said Father Charles Lana, diocesan vocations director. “We want to engage people where they are and provide them with resources that can help them hear and respond to God’s call. One of the best ways we can promote vocations is by featuring our seminarians, who are living witnesses to what it means to answer God’s call,” he said.
Before co-hosting the podcast, Bishop Sweeney joined the seminarians for Mass in St. Paul’s chapel. Among the congregants were Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor, and diocesan staff who work at the center.
“Let the lives of the saints inspire us —from bishops and religious sisters to those living the vocation of marriage, parents, grandparents, and those living the single life. We’re all sharing baptismal vocations that baptismal call to holiness,” Bishop Sweeney said in his Mass introduction.
The men featured in the digital content range from the start of seminary studies, called the propaedeutic year, to the diaconal year — the final step before being ordained a priest. In the afternoon, they each participated in one of three “content stations”: appearing on the podcast, making a short video, or sitting for an interview for a print news story.
“The seminarians’ participation is also helping them become agents of the New Evangelization. Future priests need to be able to communicate the truths of the faith not only from the pulpit, but also through the modern means of communication that people use every day,” Father Lana said. “Media Day is one small step toward helping our seminarians grow in confidence as public leaders, communicators, and messengers of the Gospel,” he said.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
With her cellphone, Cecile Pagliarulo, digital media specialist and a co-host of Beyond the Beacon, captured stories and insight from seminarians Jean- Baptiste Mollet, John Peter Zappe, David Marin, and Brian Reilly in English and Deacon Carlos Vargas in Spanish.
Pagliarulo asked the seminarians specific questions that will be used in several videos on vocations- or priest-themed observances, such as Priesthood Sunday, National Vocations Awareness Week, and World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
“I enjoyed meeting each of the seminarians — young men committed to learning and studying about the priesthood in hopes that they will become priests for future generations of Catholics. A common theme in asking them about vocations was that we are all called to holiness,” Pagliarulo said.
Meanwhile, Michael Wojcik, managing editor of BeaconNJ.org, camped out in a classroom at the center to interview seminarians James Burke and Mark Tosso about their vocation stories in English. In another classroom, Yoel Gonzalez, a Spanish-language writer for BeaconNJ.org, interviewed seminarian Jairo Jaramillo in Spanish.
Mary Drasheff, communications coordinator at St. Paul Inside the Walls, and Joseph Ginexi, digital media specialist at St. Paul Inside the Walls, also participated in Media Day, conducting video interviews with seminarians and assisting with setting up the podcast space.
“The Media Day was upbeat. It gave us seminarians a sense of brotherhood, encouraging one another, before we go back to school. There was great care and guidance, especially from more experienced seminarians, priests and Bishop Sweeney,” Tosso said.
Then, each seminarian posed for portraits outside on St. Paul’s front porch, taken by Joe Gigli, a freelance photographer for the diocese. Then the men continued the fellowship they started at lunch.
Catalina Zempoalteca, Vocations Office coordinator, organized the Media Day with Father Lana and the other collaborating offices in the diocese. She called the first-ever Media Day “a success.”
“All our 12 seminarians have unique and beautiful vocation stories that should be shared for other men to know that God is capable of moving in their lives towards the vocation that he is calling them to live out. In our case, we hope these stories inspire more men to discern the priesthood,” Zempoalteca said. “The journey of discerning one’s vocation is a love story unraveled by God. I’m blessed to witness this working in the Vocations Office and in helping it be shared through the content created on Media Day,” she said.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI & JESSICA MARTINEZ
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/seminarians-highlight-faith-and-calling-during-first-media-day-catholic-on-a-recent-podcast-brian-collins-24-a-seminarian-of-the-paterson-diocese-n-j-demystified-life-in-the-seminary-while-st.jpg "Seminarians highlight faith and calling during first Media Day #Catholic – On a recent podcast, Brian Collins, 24, a seminarian of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., demystified life in the seminary while studying for the priesthood.
“We spend lots of time studying the faith and praying individually and together, but we also have friends inside and outside the seminary, play video games and watch movies like regular young men,” said Collins, ready to start first-year philosophy studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, N.J.
On Aug. 14 afternoon, Collins and Michael Kane, another diocesan seminarian, appeared on a special remote episode of Beyond the Beacon, a podcast co-hosted by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. They talked about priestly vocations and the seminary with Jai Agnish, the podcast’s co-host and diocesan communications director, at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. The episode was part of the diocese’s inaugural Seminarian Media Day event.
St. Paul’s was a beehive of activity for the Media Day. The event gave the 12 diocesan seminarians there the opportunity, with great wit and charm, to share their engaging stories about how God called them to the priesthood, their faith journeys so far, interests, and their lives in the seminary.
This content will be posted in the coming months on digital platforms where young people consume information, such as podcasts, social media, and print news, to help make them aware of the possibility of a priestly vocation. In September, the diocesan Vocations Office will launch an Instagram account dedicated to vocations, which will use much of this lively material.
“For Media Day, it was good to hear the voices from the faces of seminarians on vocations posters. Maybe our stories will encourage other men to enter the seminary,” Collins said. The podcast also included interviews with seminarians Eric Hasenbein and Sean Gallagher.
The Media Day was a collaboration by the diocesan Vocations Office, the Communications Office, and St. Paul Inside the Walls, the diocesan evangelization center. The event also highlighted the seminarians’ varied ages, backgrounds, and personalities.
“In today’s world, many young people exploring a vocation will first look online for information and inspiration,” said Father Charles Lana, diocesan vocations director. “We want to engage people where they are and provide them with resources that can help them hear and respond to God’s call. One of the best ways we can promote vocations is by featuring our seminarians, who are living witnesses to what it means to answer God’s call,” he said.
Before co-hosting the podcast, Bishop Sweeney joined the seminarians for Mass in St. Paul’s chapel. Among the congregants were Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor, and diocesan staff who work at the center.
“Let the lives of the saints inspire us —from bishops and religious sisters to those living the vocation of marriage, parents, grandparents, and those living the single life. We’re all sharing baptismal vocations that baptismal call to holiness,” Bishop Sweeney said in his Mass introduction.
The men featured in the digital content range from the start of seminary studies, called the propaedeutic year, to the diaconal year — the final step before being ordained a priest. In the afternoon, they each participated in one of three “content stations”: appearing on the podcast, making a short video, or sitting for an interview for a print news story.
“The seminarians’ participation is also helping them become agents of the New Evangelization. Future priests need to be able to communicate the truths of the faith not only from the pulpit, but also through the modern means of communication that people use every day,” Father Lana said. “Media Day is one small step toward helping our seminarians grow in confidence as public leaders, communicators, and messengers of the Gospel,” he said.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
With her cellphone, Cecile Pagliarulo, digital media specialist and a co-host of Beyond the Beacon, captured stories and insight from seminarians Jean- Baptiste Mollet, John Peter Zappe, David Marin, and Brian Reilly in English and Deacon Carlos Vargas in Spanish.
Pagliarulo asked the seminarians specific questions that will be used in several videos on vocations- or priest-themed observances, such as Priesthood Sunday, National Vocations Awareness Week, and World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
“I enjoyed meeting each of the seminarians — young men committed to learning and studying about the priesthood in hopes that they will become priests for future generations of Catholics. A common theme in asking them about vocations was that we are all called to holiness,” Pagliarulo said.
Meanwhile, Michael Wojcik, managing editor of BeaconNJ.org, camped out in a classroom at the center to interview seminarians James Burke and Mark Tosso about their vocation stories in English. In another classroom, Yoel Gonzalez, a Spanish-language writer for BeaconNJ.org, interviewed seminarian Jairo Jaramillo in Spanish.
Mary Drasheff, communications coordinator at St. Paul Inside the Walls, and Joseph Ginexi, digital media specialist at St. Paul Inside the Walls, also participated in Media Day, conducting video interviews with seminarians and assisting with setting up the podcast space.
“The Media Day was upbeat. It gave us seminarians a sense of brotherhood, encouraging one another, before we go back to school. There was great care and guidance, especially from more experienced seminarians, priests and Bishop Sweeney,” Tosso said.
Then, each seminarian posed for portraits outside on St. Paul’s front porch, taken by Joe Gigli, a freelance photographer for the diocese. Then the men continued the fellowship they started at lunch.
Catalina Zempoalteca, Vocations Office coordinator, organized the Media Day with Father Lana and the other collaborating offices in the diocese. She called the first-ever Media Day “a success.”
“All our 12 seminarians have unique and beautiful vocation stories that should be shared for other men to know that God is capable of moving in their lives towards the vocation that he is calling them to live out. In our case, we hope these stories inspire more men to discern the priesthood,” Zempoalteca said. “The journey of discerning one’s vocation is a love story unraveled by God. I’m blessed to witness this working in the Vocations Office and in helping it be shared through the content created on Media Day,” she said.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI & JESSICA MARTINEZ
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]")
Seminarians highlight faith and calling during first Media Day #Catholic – 
On a recent podcast, Brian Collins, 24, a seminarian of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., demystified life in the seminary while studying for the priesthood.
“We spend lots of time studying the faith and praying individually and together, but we also have friends inside and outside the seminary, play video games and watch movies like regular young men,” said Collins, ready to start first-year philosophy studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, N.J.
On Aug. 14 afternoon, Collins and Michael Kane, another diocesan seminarian, appeared on a special remote episode of Beyond the Beacon, a podcast co-hosted by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. They talked about priestly vocations and the seminary with Jai Agnish, the podcast’s co-host and diocesan communications director, at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison, N.J. The episode was part of the diocese’s inaugural Seminarian Media Day event.
St. Paul’s was a beehive of activity for the Media Day. The event gave the 12 diocesan seminarians there the opportunity, with great wit and charm, to share their engaging stories about how God called them to the priesthood, their faith journeys so far, interests, and their lives in the seminary.
This content will be posted in the coming months on digital platforms where young people consume information, such as podcasts, social media, and print news, to help make them aware of the possibility of a priestly vocation. In September, the diocesan Vocations Office will launch an Instagram account dedicated to vocations, which will use much of this lively material.
“For Media Day, it was good to hear the voices from the faces of seminarians on vocations posters. Maybe our stories will encourage other men to enter the seminary,” Collins said. The podcast also included interviews with seminarians Eric Hasenbein and Sean Gallagher.
The Media Day was a collaboration by the diocesan Vocations Office, the Communications Office, and St. Paul Inside the Walls, the diocesan evangelization center. The event also highlighted the seminarians’ varied ages, backgrounds, and personalities.
“In today’s world, many young people exploring a vocation will first look online for information and inspiration,” said Father Charles Lana, diocesan vocations director. “We want to engage people where they are and provide them with resources that can help them hear and respond to God’s call. One of the best ways we can promote vocations is by featuring our seminarians, who are living witnesses to what it means to answer God’s call,” he said.
Before co-hosting the podcast, Bishop Sweeney joined the seminarians for Mass in St. Paul’s chapel. Among the congregants were Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor, and diocesan staff who work at the center.
“Let the lives of the saints inspire us —from bishops and religious sisters to those living the vocation of marriage, parents, grandparents, and those living the single life. We’re all sharing baptismal vocations that baptismal call to holiness,” Bishop Sweeney said in his Mass introduction.
The men featured in the digital content range from the start of seminary studies, called the propaedeutic year, to the diaconal year — the final step before being ordained a priest. In the afternoon, they each participated in one of three “content stations”: appearing on the podcast, making a short video, or sitting for an interview for a print news story.
“The seminarians’ participation is also helping them become agents of the New Evangelization. Future priests need to be able to communicate the truths of the faith not only from the pulpit, but also through the modern means of communication that people use every day,” Father Lana said. “Media Day is one small step toward helping our seminarians grow in confidence as public leaders, communicators, and messengers of the Gospel,” he said.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
With her cellphone, Cecile Pagliarulo, digital media specialist and a co-host of Beyond the Beacon, captured stories and insight from seminarians Jean- Baptiste Mollet, John Peter Zappe, David Marin, and Brian Reilly in English and Deacon Carlos Vargas in Spanish.
Pagliarulo asked the seminarians specific questions that will be used in several videos on vocations- or priest-themed observances, such as Priesthood Sunday, National Vocations Awareness Week, and World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
“I enjoyed meeting each of the seminarians — young men committed to learning and studying about the priesthood in hopes that they will become priests for future generations of Catholics. A common theme in asking them about vocations was that we are all called to holiness,” Pagliarulo said.
Meanwhile, Michael Wojcik, managing editor of BeaconNJ.org, camped out in a classroom at the center to interview seminarians James Burke and Mark Tosso about their vocation stories in English. In another classroom, Yoel Gonzalez, a Spanish-language writer for BeaconNJ.org, interviewed seminarian Jairo Jaramillo in Spanish.
Mary Drasheff, communications coordinator at St. Paul Inside the Walls, and Joseph Ginexi, digital media specialist at St. Paul Inside the Walls, also participated in Media Day, conducting video interviews with seminarians and assisting with setting up the podcast space.
“The Media Day was upbeat. It gave us seminarians a sense of brotherhood, encouraging one another, before we go back to school. There was great care and guidance, especially from more experienced seminarians, priests and Bishop Sweeney,” Tosso said.
Then, each seminarian posed for portraits outside on St. Paul’s front porch, taken by Joe Gigli, a freelance photographer for the diocese. Then the men continued the fellowship they started at lunch.
Catalina Zempoalteca, Vocations Office coordinator, organized the Media Day with Father Lana and the other collaborating offices in the diocese. She called the first-ever Media Day “a success.”
“All our 12 seminarians have unique and beautiful vocation stories that should be shared for other men to know that God is capable of moving in their lives towards the vocation that he is calling them to live out. In our case, we hope these stories inspire more men to discern the priesthood,” Zempoalteca said. “The journey of discerning one’s vocation is a love story unraveled by God. I’m blessed to witness this working in the Vocations Office and in helping it be shared through the content created on Media Day,” she said.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI & JESSICA MARTINEZ
– On a recent podcast, Brian Collins, 24, a seminarian of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., demystified life in the seminary while studying for the priesthood. “We spend lots of time studying the faith and praying individually and together, but we also have friends inside and outside the seminary, play video games and watch movies like regular young men,” said Collins, ready to start first-year philosophy studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, N.J. On Aug. 14 afternoon, Collins and Michael Kane, another diocesan seminarian, appeared on a special remote episode of Beyond the Beacon, a podcast co-hosted by Bishop Kevin
![Bishop urges Passaic parishioners to ‘persevere in prayer’ #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., during his pastoral visit on Aug. 16.
Concelebrating with Bishop Sweeney were Father Rolands Uribe, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas, and Father Gilberto Gutierrez, a retired priest of the Diocese of N.J. Deacon Luis Gil assisted with the liturgy.
During his homily, Bishop Sweeney reflected on the Gospel and the woman who approached Jesus, asking him to help her daughter. Despite initially feeling unheard, she persevered in faith and prayer.
Jessica Martinez
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., during his pastoral visit on Aug. 16.
Concelebrating with Bishop Sweeney were Father Rolands Uribe, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas, and Father Gilberto Gutierrez, a retired priest of the Diocese of N.J. Deacon Luis Gil assisted with the liturgy.
During his homily, Bishop Sweeney reflected on the Gospel and the woman who approached Jesus, asking him to help her daughter. Despite initially feeling unheard, she persevered in faith and prayer.
Bishop Sweeney reminded the congregation that Catholics, too, can see themselves in the women from the Gospel when they turn to Jesus in moments when they feel unheard or are seeking his help. Her persistence serves as an example of the faith and the perseverance believers are called to have in our own lives.
“Jesus is inviting us today to give him a chance, and we have to persevere in prayer. We have to have the faith of that wonderful mom that didn’t stop asking.” Bishop Sweeney said.
Bishop Sweeney also invited the parish community to pray for those suffering in Colombia after a recent earthquake and for immigrants in Passaic facing difficult circumstances.
The message was echoed in the opening hymn, “Juntos como hermanos, miembros de una Iglesia vamos caminando al encuentro del Señor,” reminding the faithful that we journey
together as brothers and sisters as one Church toward the Lord.
Bishop Sweeney reminded the congregation that Catholics, too, can see themselves in the women from the Gospel when they turn to Jesus in moments when they feel unheard or are seeking his help. Her persistence serves as an example of the faith and the perseverance believers are called to have in our own lives.
“Jesus is inviting us today to give him a chance, and we have to persevere in prayer. We have to have the faith of that wonderful mom that didn’t stop asking.” Bishop Sweeney said.
Bishop Sweeney also invited the parish community to pray for those suffering in Colombia after a recent earthquake and for immigrants in Passaic facing difficult circumstances.
The message was echoed in the opening hymn, “Juntos como hermanos, miembros de una Iglesia vamos caminando al encuentro del Señor,” reminding the faithful that we journey
together as brothers and sisters as one Church toward the Lord.
PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/bishop-urges-passaic-parishioners-to-persevere-in-prayer-catholic-bishop-kevin-j-sweeney-celebrated-sunday-mass-at-our-lady-of-fatima-and-st-nicholas-parish-in-passaic-n-j-du.jpg "Bishop urges Passaic parishioners to ‘persevere in prayer’ #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., during his pastoral visit on Aug. 16.
Concelebrating with Bishop Sweeney were Father Rolands Uribe, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas, and Father Gilberto Gutierrez, a retired priest of the Diocese of N.J. Deacon Luis Gil assisted with the liturgy.
During his homily, Bishop Sweeney reflected on the Gospel and the woman who approached Jesus, asking him to help her daughter. Despite initially feeling unheard, she persevered in faith and prayer.
Jessica Martinez
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., during his pastoral visit on Aug. 16.
Concelebrating with Bishop Sweeney were Father Rolands Uribe, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas, and Father Gilberto Gutierrez, a retired priest of the Diocese of N.J. Deacon Luis Gil assisted with the liturgy.
During his homily, Bishop Sweeney reflected on the Gospel and the woman who approached Jesus, asking him to help her daughter. Despite initially feeling unheard, she persevered in faith and prayer.
Bishop Sweeney reminded the congregation that Catholics, too, can see themselves in the women from the Gospel when they turn to Jesus in moments when they feel unheard or are seeking his help. Her persistence serves as an example of the faith and the perseverance believers are called to have in our own lives.
“Jesus is inviting us today to give him a chance, and we have to persevere in prayer. We have to have the faith of that wonderful mom that didn’t stop asking.” Bishop Sweeney said.
Bishop Sweeney also invited the parish community to pray for those suffering in Colombia after a recent earthquake and for immigrants in Passaic facing difficult circumstances.
The message was echoed in the opening hymn, “Juntos como hermanos, miembros de una Iglesia vamos caminando al encuentro del Señor,” reminding the faithful that we journey
together as brothers and sisters as one Church toward the Lord.
Bishop Sweeney reminded the congregation that Catholics, too, can see themselves in the women from the Gospel when they turn to Jesus in moments when they feel unheard or are seeking his help. Her persistence serves as an example of the faith and the perseverance believers are called to have in our own lives.
“Jesus is inviting us today to give him a chance, and we have to persevere in prayer. We have to have the faith of that wonderful mom that didn’t stop asking.” Bishop Sweeney said.
Bishop Sweeney also invited the parish community to pray for those suffering in Colombia after a recent earthquake and for immigrants in Passaic facing difficult circumstances.
The message was echoed in the opening hymn, “Juntos como hermanos, miembros de una Iglesia vamos caminando al encuentro del Señor,” reminding the faithful that we journey
together as brothers and sisters as one Church toward the Lord.
PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]")
Bishop urges Passaic parishioners to ‘persevere in prayer’ #Catholic – 
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., during his pastoral visit on Aug. 16.
Concelebrating with Bishop Sweeney were Father Rolands Uribe, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas, and Father Gilberto Gutierrez, a retired priest of the Diocese of N.J. Deacon Luis Gil assisted with the liturgy.
During his homily, Bishop Sweeney reflected on the Gospel and the woman who approached Jesus, asking him to help her daughter. Despite initially feeling unheard, she persevered in faith and prayer.
Jessica Martinez
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., during his pastoral visit on Aug. 16.
Concelebrating with Bishop Sweeney were Father Rolands Uribe, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas, and Father Gilberto Gutierrez, a retired priest of the Diocese of N.J. Deacon Luis Gil assisted with the liturgy.
During his homily, Bishop Sweeney reflected on the Gospel and the woman who approached Jesus, asking him to help her daughter. Despite initially feeling unheard, she persevered in faith and prayer.
Bishop Sweeney reminded the congregation that Catholics, too, can see themselves in the women from the Gospel when they turn to Jesus in moments when they feel unheard or are seeking his help. Her persistence serves as an example of the faith and the perseverance believers are called to have in our own lives.
“Jesus is inviting us today to give him a chance, and we have to persevere in prayer. We have to have the faith of that wonderful mom that didn’t stop asking.” Bishop Sweeney said.
Bishop Sweeney also invited the parish community to pray for those suffering in Colombia after a recent earthquake and for immigrants in Passaic facing difficult circumstances.
The message was echoed in the opening hymn, “Juntos como hermanos, miembros de una Iglesia vamos caminando al encuentro del Señor,” reminding the faithful that we journey
together as brothers and sisters as one Church toward the Lord.
Bishop Sweeney reminded the congregation that Catholics, too, can see themselves in the women from the Gospel when they turn to Jesus in moments when they feel unheard or are seeking his help. Her persistence serves as an example of the faith and the perseverance believers are called to have in our own lives.
“Jesus is inviting us today to give him a chance, and we have to persevere in prayer. We have to have the faith of that wonderful mom that didn’t stop asking.” Bishop Sweeney said.
Bishop Sweeney also invited the parish community to pray for those suffering in Colombia after a recent earthquake and for immigrants in Passaic facing difficult circumstances.
The message was echoed in the opening hymn, “Juntos como hermanos, miembros de una Iglesia vamos caminando al encuentro del Señor,” reminding the faithful that we journey
together as brothers and sisters as one Church toward the Lord.
PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ
– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney celebrated Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., during his pastoral visit on Aug. 16. Concelebrating with Bishop Sweeney were Father Rolands Uribe, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas, and Father Gilberto Gutierrez, a retired priest of the Diocese of N.J. Deacon Luis Gil assisted with the liturgy. During his homily, Bishop Sweeney reflected on the Gospel and the woman who approached Jesus, asking him to help her daughter. Despite initially feeling unheard, she persevered in faith and prayer. Jessica Martinez Click here to subscribe to
The country’s bishops warned that the proposed regulations could make freedom of expression contingent upon the government’s criteria of “truth.”
The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales urged world leaders to enforce religious freedom standards in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
![U.S. bishops urge Supreme Court to require 12-person juries for criminal cases #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to require 12-person juries in criminal cases, with the bishops arguing against a Florida policy allowing smaller six-person juries in many cases. The case Kian v. Florida, which the Supreme Court agreed to hear in June, was brought after Florida chiropractor Hamed Kian was convicted of five felony counts for practicing without a license. Kian was found guilty by a six-person jury; the state of Florida only requires 12-person juries in capital cases. Several other states have similar rules. Kian sued the state arguing that the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees a right to a 12-person jury. He lost his appeal at the Fourth District Court of Appeal of Florida and subsequently appealed directly to the Supreme Court, which will hold arguments in the case in its upcoming term. In their amicus filing, the U.S. bishops argued that the term “jury” in the U.S. has historically referenced a body of 12 jurors; the bishops pointed to “Founding-era dictionaries” as well as “common-law history.” The bishops said they have a “strong interest” in the case, insofar as the Catholic Church over the centuries has played a “central role in shaping the legal culture from which the common-law jury emerged.”Among the historical examples of 12-person juries the bishops cited include the General Fundamentals of Plymouth, “the earliest codified legal system by English colonists in North America,” which guaranteed that “all trials” would be “tried by a jury of twelve good and lawful men.” The prelates disputed the Supreme Court’s 1970 ruling in the case Williams v. Florida, which held that the Sixth Amendment does not require 12 jurors in court cases. That ruling in part “discard[ed] the robust common-law history of the jury right,” while the high court in that decision “set far too high a bar for historical relevance,” they said.The bishops further cited the biblical commandment to “love your neighbor justly.” They pointed to the Catholic catechism’s mandate for public authorities to “dispense justice humanely by respecting the rights of everyone.” They urged the Supreme Court to “return to its previously long-held understanding that the Constitution entitles criminal defendants to a jury of twelve of their peers.”Numerous advocacy groups have also filed amicus briefs advocating the 12-juror standard, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Innocence Project, several dozen current and former prosecutors, and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/u-s-bishops-urge-supreme-court-to-require-12-person-juries-for-criminal-cases-catholic-the-u-s-conference-of-catholic-bishops-is-urging-the-u-s-supreme-court-to-require-12-person-juries-in-crimina-scaled.jpg "U.S. bishops urge Supreme Court to require 12-person juries for criminal cases #Catholic The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to require 12-person juries in criminal cases, with the bishops arguing against a Florida policy allowing smaller six-person juries in many cases. The case Kian v. Florida, which the Supreme Court agreed to hear in June, was brought after Florida chiropractor Hamed Kian was convicted of five felony counts for practicing without a license. Kian was found guilty by a six-person jury; the state of Florida only requires 12-person juries in capital cases. Several other states have similar rules. Kian sued the state arguing that the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees a right to a 12-person jury. He lost his appeal at the Fourth District Court of Appeal of Florida and subsequently appealed directly to the Supreme Court, which will hold arguments in the case in its upcoming term. In their amicus filing, the U.S. bishops argued that the term “jury” in the U.S. has historically referenced a body of 12 jurors; the bishops pointed to “Founding-era dictionaries” as well as “common-law history.” The bishops said they have a “strong interest” in the case, insofar as the Catholic Church over the centuries has played a “central role in shaping the legal culture from which the common-law jury emerged.”Among the historical examples of 12-person juries the bishops cited include the General Fundamentals of Plymouth, “the earliest codified legal system by English colonists in North America,” which guaranteed that “all trials” would be “tried by a jury of twelve good and lawful men.” The prelates disputed the Supreme Court’s 1970 ruling in the case Williams v. Florida, which held that the Sixth Amendment does not require 12 jurors in court cases. That ruling in part “discard[ed] the robust common-law history of the jury right,” while the high court in that decision “set far too high a bar for historical relevance,” they said.The bishops further cited the biblical commandment to “love your neighbor justly.” They pointed to the Catholic catechism’s mandate for public authorities to “dispense justice humanely by respecting the rights of everyone.” They urged the Supreme Court to “return to its previously long-held understanding that the Constitution entitles criminal defendants to a jury of twelve of their peers.”Numerous advocacy groups have also filed amicus briefs advocating the 12-juror standard, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Innocence Project, several dozen current and former prosecutors, and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.")
The bishops argue that the term “jury” in the U.S. has historically referenced a body of 12 jurors.
Alessandro Carrozzi, taken near Palencia, Spain The Sun’s corona glows in all its glory in this high-dynamic range image taken during totality on Aug. 12. Bright prominences are visible at the Sun’s limb, as well as faint outer structures formed by the solar wind streaming out along magnetic field lines. Earthshine is also apparent, dimlyContinue reading “The corona from Spain”
The post The corona from Spain appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Like a collage made of layered sheets of colored cellophane, a vibrant new image layers observations of a famous star-forming nebula from NASA space telescopes. The resulting cosmic “craft” reveals new details about the star formation region known as 30 Doradus, or the Tarantula Nebula.
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Panixersee (Lag da Pigniu) above Andiast, Switzerland. Rock face above the reservoir.
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Rising to a height of over 180 feet from ground level, the statue of Our Lady of Mercy exceeds in height the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil and the Christ the King statue in Poland.
A reading from the Book of Ezekiel
28:1-10
The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man,
say to the prince of Tyre:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
Because you are haughty of heart,
you say, ?A god am I!
I occupy a godly throne
in the heart of the sea!??
And yet you are a man, and not a god,
however you may think yourself like a god.
Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel,
there is no secret that is beyond you.
By your wisdom and your intelligence
you have made riches for yourself;
You have put gold and silver
into your treasuries.
By your great wisdom applied to your trading
you have heaped up your riches;
your heart has grown haughty from your riches?
therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
Because you have thought yourself
to have the mind of a god,
Therefore I will bring against you
foreigners, the most barbarous of nations.
They shall draw their swords
against your beauteous wisdom,
they shall run them through your splendid apparel.
They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die
a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea.
Will you then say, ?I am a god!?
when you face your murderers?
No, you are man, not a god,
handed over to those who will slay you.
You shall die the death of the uncircumcised
at the hands of foreigners,
for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
19:23-30
Jesus said to his disciples:
?Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.?
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
?Who then can be saved??
Jesus looked at them and said,
?For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible.?
Then Peter said to him in reply,
?We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us??
Jesus said to them, ?Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.?
The harsh words Jesus uses towards to the rich and to riches, those regarding the camel and the eye of the needle (cf. Mt 19:23-24), have sometimes been applied too hastily to every entrepreneur and every merchant, likening them to those sellers whom Jesus drove out of the temple (cf. Mt 21:12?13). In reality, it is possible to be a merchant or an entrepreneur and still be a follower of Christ, a citizen of His Kingdom. (?) Jesus tells us that it is very difficult for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. Difficult, yes, but not impossible (cf. Mt 19:26). And indeed, we know of wealthy people who were part of Jesus?s early community, such as Zacchaeus of Jericho, Joseph of Arimathea, or certain women who supported the apostles with their resources. In the first communities there were men and women who were not poor; and in the Church there have always been wealthy people who have followed the Gospel in an exemplary manner: they included entrepreneurs, bankers and economists, such as the Blessed Giuseppe Toniolo and Giuseppe Tovini. To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, not everyone is asked to renounce their possessions as the merchant Francis of Assisi did; some who possess wealth are asked to share it. Sharing is another name for evangelical poverty. (Pope Francis, Address to participants in the public assembly of Confindustria, 12 September 2022)
Read More![Priest and nun recover sacred hosts from earthquake rubble in Colombia – #Catholic – When the Aug. 10 earthquake hit the town of Chiquinquirá in Roldanillo, a subdistrict of the Valle del Cauca district in Colombia, a wooden tabernacle in a historic chapel was destroyed, scattering consecrated hosts across the floor and covering them with debris. Minutes later, the pastor and a nearby religious sister gathered them up to take care of them according to Church protocol.The quake severely damaged Our Lady of the Rosary chapel, which dates back to the 17th century. Inside the chapel’s tabernacle was the ciborium containing the consecrated hosts left over from the Mass celebrated the previous Saturday by Father Germán Andrés Clavijo, the pastor of St. Sebastian Parish, the parish to which the chapel belongs.Immediately after the quake, which struck at 7:34 a.m. local time, the priest entered the chapel with Sister Marcela, a member of the Community of the Blessed Sacrament. They went straight to the wall where the tabernacle had been located. Falling debris had knocked the tabernacle down from its place. “I said to her, ‘Help me look, because the consecrated hosts are there,’” the priest recounted to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. “We found the ciborium, but it was completely smashed,” Clavijo said, adding that “some of the hosts were badly broken,” so they began gathering them up with great care.As they picked them up by hand, both recited the “litanies to the Blessed Sacrament, to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,” and placed them into a smaller ciborium. Afterward, they sprinkled water over the debris and the areas where particles of the hosts that could no longer be gathered up might have remained.Regarding the hosts that were mixed in with dirt and debris, Clavijo said: “I told her they must be placed in a container of water so that they would dissolve” and the water could later be poured by a tree or into a potted plant.No. 1377 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “the Eucharistic presence of Christ begins at the moment of the consecration and endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist” in the physical appearance of bread and wine.The priest from Roldanillo said it was “very sad” to see the hosts scattered on the ground, for the Eucharist “is the life of the priest; that is the life of the Church; it is our center.”However, he said he had to be “very strong, because I had to find a solution,” adding: “It wasn’t the time for lamenting; after all, the earthquake had just happened, and we were in a very unsafe spot, fearing that an aftershock or something else might cause debris to come crashing down on us.” Instagram postThe quake’s effects in RoldanilloRoldanillo was one of the areas hardest hit areas by the earthquake. Located about 90 miles from Cali and founded in 1576, many of its buildings date back to the colonial era and the early days of the republic.The day after the natural disaster, the Valle del Cauca governorʼs office reported that two people had died and 112 were injured. In addition, nearly 1,300 homes were affected, “some of which have completely collapsed,” and “60% of the hospital sustained structural damage.”Regarding the parish church, the priest said that it is has closed due to the effects of the earthquake, so Masses are being celebrated in the town square. The chapel cannot be used either, and its restoration will depend on the Colombian government as it is classified as a national heritage building.In the video he shared on the day of the earthquake, Clavijo expressed his solidarity with the residents of Roldanillo: “Amid the rubble left behind, I also wish to offer a prayer of hope and encouragement for those who have lost everything, especially those who have lost a loved one.”
The Aug. 10, 2026, earthquake that hit the town of Chiquinquirá in Roldanillo, a subdistrict of the Valle del Cauca district in Colombia, severely damaged Our Lady of the Rosary chapel, which dates back to the 17th century.| Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Germán Andrés Clavijo/video screenshot
The priest affirmed that, although it is not easy, “with hope and God’s hand, all of us united, will overcome this storm. As the Gospel said yesterday [Sunday, Aug. 9], sometimes we walk amid strong winds and turbulent waves, and our boat seems to be sinking, but God reaches out his hand to us. Like Peter, we all cry out: ‘Lord, save us.’”“And that is what we pray for today. To all of you, I offer my blessing and words of encouragement and hope during these times. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” he said, blessing the viewers.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.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/priest-and-nun-recover-sacred-hosts-from-earthquake-rubble-in-colombia-catholic-when-the-aug-10-earthquake-hit-the-town-of-chiquinquira-in-roldanillo-a-subdistrict-of-the-valle-del-cauca-distri.jpg "Priest and nun recover sacred hosts from earthquake rubble in Colombia – #Catholic – When the Aug. 10 earthquake hit the town of Chiquinquirá in Roldanillo, a subdistrict of the Valle del Cauca district in Colombia, a wooden tabernacle in a historic chapel was destroyed, scattering consecrated hosts across the floor and covering them with debris. Minutes later, the pastor and a nearby religious sister gathered them up to take care of them according to Church protocol.The quake severely damaged Our Lady of the Rosary chapel, which dates back to the 17th century. Inside the chapel’s tabernacle was the ciborium containing the consecrated hosts left over from the Mass celebrated the previous Saturday by Father Germán Andrés Clavijo, the pastor of St. Sebastian Parish, the parish to which the chapel belongs.Immediately after the quake, which struck at 7:34 a.m. local time, the priest entered the chapel with Sister Marcela, a member of the Community of the Blessed Sacrament. They went straight to the wall where the tabernacle had been located. Falling debris had knocked the tabernacle down from its place. “I said to her, ‘Help me look, because the consecrated hosts are there,’” the priest recounted to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. “We found the ciborium, but it was completely smashed,” Clavijo said, adding that “some of the hosts were badly broken,” so they began gathering them up with great care.As they picked them up by hand, both recited the “litanies to the Blessed Sacrament, to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,” and placed them into a smaller ciborium. Afterward, they sprinkled water over the debris and the areas where particles of the hosts that could no longer be gathered up might have remained.Regarding the hosts that were mixed in with dirt and debris, Clavijo said: “I told her they must be placed in a container of water so that they would dissolve” and the water could later be poured by a tree or into a potted plant.No. 1377 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “the Eucharistic presence of Christ begins at the moment of the consecration and endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist” in the physical appearance of bread and wine.The priest from Roldanillo said it was “very sad” to see the hosts scattered on the ground, for the Eucharist “is the life of the priest; that is the life of the Church; it is our center.”However, he said he had to be “very strong, because I had to find a solution,” adding: “It wasn’t the time for lamenting; after all, the earthquake had just happened, and we were in a very unsafe spot, fearing that an aftershock or something else might cause debris to come crashing down on us.” Instagram postThe quake’s effects in RoldanilloRoldanillo was one of the areas hardest hit areas by the earthquake. Located about 90 miles from Cali and founded in 1576, many of its buildings date back to the colonial era and the early days of the republic.The day after the natural disaster, the Valle del Cauca governorʼs office reported that two people had died and 112 were injured. In addition, nearly 1,300 homes were affected, “some of which have completely collapsed,” and “60% of the hospital sustained structural damage.”Regarding the parish church, the priest said that it is has closed due to the effects of the earthquake, so Masses are being celebrated in the town square. The chapel cannot be used either, and its restoration will depend on the Colombian government as it is classified as a national heritage building.In the video he shared on the day of the earthquake, Clavijo expressed his solidarity with the residents of Roldanillo: “Amid the rubble left behind, I also wish to offer a prayer of hope and encouragement for those who have lost everything, especially those who have lost a loved one.”
The Aug. 10, 2026, earthquake that hit the town of Chiquinquirá in Roldanillo, a subdistrict of the Valle del Cauca district in Colombia, severely damaged Our Lady of the Rosary chapel, which dates back to the 17th century.| Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Germán Andrés Clavijo/video screenshot
The priest affirmed that, although it is not easy, “with hope and God’s hand, all of us united, will overcome this storm. As the Gospel said yesterday [Sunday, Aug. 9], sometimes we walk amid strong winds and turbulent waves, and our boat seems to be sinking, but God reaches out his hand to us. Like Peter, we all cry out: ‘Lord, save us.’”“And that is what we pray for today. To all of you, I offer my blessing and words of encouragement and hope during these times. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” he said, blessing the viewers.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.")
Despite the danger of the earthquake’s aftershocks, a priest and nun in Colombia entered a chapel in search of the hosts that were kept in the tabernacle that they found destroyed.
![Florida attorney general, Miami archbishop spar over vaccine exemptions in Catholic schools – #Catholic – A dispute between Florida’s Catholic bishops and state Attorney General James Uthmeier over vaccine exemptions in Catholic schools is testing the boundaries between state law and Church authority, with both sides arguing religious freedom is at stake.The dispute began with what Wenski described as Uthmeierʼs “veiled threat” in a July 31 letter to the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops. In it, the attorney general urged the bishops to bring Catholic schools into compliance with Florida law requiring religious exemptions for school vaccine mandates, on pain of the loss of state funding through its school choice scholarship program. Florida has one of the most expansive school choice programs in the United States, whereby families can use state-funded scholarship money for a variety of education-related expenses, including private school tuition.Uthmeier argued in his letter that “at least one diocese” in Florida appears to have adopted a policy based on what he characterized as the bishops' erroneous interpretation of guidance given to Wenski in 2011 by the National Catholic Bioethics Center.The bioethics center’s then-president, John Haas, said Catholic institutions could not grant exemptions to vaccines on religious grounds because the Church has determined that utilizing vaccines derived from aborted fetal cell lines was “not intrinsically evil” because of the remoteness of the original, evil act of abortion. At the same time, Haas made a distinction between religious and conscience objections, stating Catholic institutions should grant the latter “as liberally as possible for the sake of the delicate consciences” of Catholic parents. He also noted that the consciences of those making school policies must be respected.Wenski told “EWTN News in Depth” host Catherine Hadro in an Aug. 14 interview: “If a Catholic has conscience objections to the vaccines you canʼt say that your objections come from your understanding of the Catholic faith because the vaccinations available and developed are not contrary to Church teachings.”Religious exemptions or conscience exemptions?The distinction between the two types of exemptions is important, making the Florida case complicated, Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, an attorney and the founder of The Conscience Project, told EWTN News. While most states offer some combination of medical, religious, and conscience exemptions to vaccine mandates, Florida law does not explicitly protect conscience objections, only medical and religious ones.Uthmeier argues that conscience objections fall under the protection of religious liberty, particularly for Catholics, for whom the formation of conscience is a central aspect of the faith.“The teachings of the Catholic Church do not require Catholic schools to compel students to take vaccines derived from the tissue of aborted children against the sincerely held religious objections of their parents,” Uthmeier wrote.The attorney general also noted that some Catholic families object to certain vaccines not only because of their connection to aborted fetal cell lines, but also because of concerns about the safety of vaccine ingredients and methods of production, including the use of mRNA technology, which he said brings a “heightened risk of health defects, including miscarriages.”The National Catholic Bioethics Center declined to comment to EWTN News. However, the organization maintains resources on its website stating the Church’s position that although vaccines developed through morally problematic means may be used for grave reasons, vaccination is not a moral obligation for Catholics and, in order to protect human dignity and the free exercise of conscience, should be voluntary.The organization also states that “public health measures and policies should be built upon sound science and ethical principles.”Uthmeier: Parents' rights are being violatedUthmeier told EWTN News he is concerned about the "religious freedoms and rights of parents.” He pointed out that many Catholic families have come to him noting the irony that their conscience rights are protected in public schools in Florida but not in Catholic ones. Uthmeier also said families are confused because Catholic schools in several dioceses across the country do grant vaccine conscience and religious exemptions.Because Catholic schools receive state scholarship funds, he argued, the state has an interest in ensuring that religious freedoms are protected.“Where First Amendment rights [and] the religious beliefs of parents are being violated, we as a state have a duty to investigate and see what legal tools we may have to protect our parents in Florida,” he said.While acknowledging that the state cannot dictate religious beliefs, he said he remains unconvinced that the bishops have identified an authentically religious reason for denying exemptions.A Catholic himself, Uthmeier further pointed to what he said were long-standing Catholic teachings regarding parental authority and conscience rights.“Respecting the right of conscience is deeply embedded in our catechism,” he said. “How these rights can be violated, and how Catholic Church officials can disagree on citing religious teaching across the country, perplexes me.”Wenski: Catholic schools must protect the common goodWenski likewise framed the controversy as a religious freedom issue, from the perspective of the Churchʼs right to determine and apply its own teachings.He described Uthmeierʼs position as “an unfair and ill-advised interpretation of separation of Church and state” and argued that lawmakers never intended school-choice scholarships to impose a religious test on participating schools. “The Church has a right to determine our own teachings,” he said.Wenski told EWTN News that the bishops “certainly respect the rights of conscience of every person.” At the same time, he said Catholic social teaching also obligates schools to promote the common good and protect children through immunization.“Weʼve witnessed in recent months an upsurge of cases of measles, and we know that that presents certain dangers for pregnant women,” Wenski said.The archbishop noted that Catholic schools already grant medical exemptions when a physician certifies that a child should not be vaccinated.But he maintained that parents who object to vaccination are free to choose another school."Nobody is forced to go to a Catholic school,” he said.The bishops sent Uthmeier a formal response, Wenski said, outlining what they view as the religious freedom issues implicated by the attorney generalʼs intervention.Wenski said the bishops are “prepared to protect our students, to defend our rights, and to preserve religious freedom” while remaining open to continued dialogue with the state.Critics of Florida bishops’ policy disagreeWhile Wenski suggested the issue is largely settled within Catholic teaching, critics of the Florida bishops' policy disagree.Yvonne Bontkowski, director of Children of God for Life, said the controversy reflects a deeper disagreement over how Catholics should respond to vaccines connected to abortion-derived cell lines.“This is the first time I have ever seen where the state isnʼt asking the Church to violate its teaching, itʼs asking the Church to honor it,” she told EWTN News.The organization argues that although the Church has determined it can be morally permissible to receive such vaccines under certain circumstances, Church teaching says Catholics still have a moral duty to advocate for ethical alternatives and resist what it sees as the continued exploitation of aborted fetal tissue in biomedical research.Bontkowski cited a 2005 document from the Pontifical Academy for Life, which established the moral permissibility of the use of vaccines developed from aborted fetal cell lines in order to protect health but also affirmed that Catholics may exercise conscientious objection regarding such vaccines.“Our conscience is directed to what is morally good,” she said. “The Vatican never said these vaccines are morally good. It said weʼre not sinning if we take them for grave reasons and on a temporary basis while we demand ethical alternatives.”She argued that families exercising that duty should not be excluded from Catholic education, which, unlike immunization, is a moral obligation.Canon law states that parents have both a right and a “most grave obligation” to provide a Catholic education for their children, while Canon 217 affirms that the faithful have the right to a Christian education “by which they are to be instructed properly to strive for the maturity of the human person and at the same time to know and live the mystery of salvation.”Other critics contend that the debate ultimately turns on differing understandings of public health and the common good.Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and director of the National Vaccine Information Center, told EWTN News that Catholic school officials generally formulate vaccine and other public health policies based on the judgments of public health authorities.But, she argued, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed public distrust in scientific and governmental institutions, especially regarding data about who is at greatest biological risk for vaccines “that could hurt or even kill people.”“Unfortunately the entire notion of the common good rests upon the science,” Fisher said. “If the scientists and the government havenʼt done due diligence in doing the best science, or havenʼt told the full truth, that is a moral dilemma the Church is going to have to eventually grapple with.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/florida-attorney-general-miami-archbishop-spar-over-vaccine-exemptions-in-catholic-schools-catholic-a-dispute-between-floridas-catholic-bishops-and-state-attorney-general-james-uthmeier.jpg "Florida attorney general, Miami archbishop spar over vaccine exemptions in Catholic schools – #Catholic – A dispute between Florida’s Catholic bishops and state Attorney General James Uthmeier over vaccine exemptions in Catholic schools is testing the boundaries between state law and Church authority, with both sides arguing religious freedom is at stake.The dispute began with what Wenski described as Uthmeierʼs “veiled threat” in a July 31 letter to the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops. In it, the attorney general urged the bishops to bring Catholic schools into compliance with Florida law requiring religious exemptions for school vaccine mandates, on pain of the loss of state funding through its school choice scholarship program. Florida has one of the most expansive school choice programs in the United States, whereby families can use state-funded scholarship money for a variety of education-related expenses, including private school tuition.Uthmeier argued in his letter that “at least one diocese” in Florida appears to have adopted a policy based on what he characterized as the bishops' erroneous interpretation of guidance given to Wenski in 2011 by the National Catholic Bioethics Center.The bioethics center’s then-president, John Haas, said Catholic institutions could not grant exemptions to vaccines on religious grounds because the Church has determined that utilizing vaccines derived from aborted fetal cell lines was “not intrinsically evil” because of the remoteness of the original, evil act of abortion. At the same time, Haas made a distinction between religious and conscience objections, stating Catholic institutions should grant the latter “as liberally as possible for the sake of the delicate consciences” of Catholic parents. He also noted that the consciences of those making school policies must be respected.Wenski told “EWTN News in Depth” host Catherine Hadro in an Aug. 14 interview: “If a Catholic has conscience objections to the vaccines you canʼt say that your objections come from your understanding of the Catholic faith because the vaccinations available and developed are not contrary to Church teachings.”Religious exemptions or conscience exemptions?The distinction between the two types of exemptions is important, making the Florida case complicated, Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, an attorney and the founder of The Conscience Project, told EWTN News. While most states offer some combination of medical, religious, and conscience exemptions to vaccine mandates, Florida law does not explicitly protect conscience objections, only medical and religious ones.Uthmeier argues that conscience objections fall under the protection of religious liberty, particularly for Catholics, for whom the formation of conscience is a central aspect of the faith.“The teachings of the Catholic Church do not require Catholic schools to compel students to take vaccines derived from the tissue of aborted children against the sincerely held religious objections of their parents,” Uthmeier wrote.The attorney general also noted that some Catholic families object to certain vaccines not only because of their connection to aborted fetal cell lines, but also because of concerns about the safety of vaccine ingredients and methods of production, including the use of mRNA technology, which he said brings a “heightened risk of health defects, including miscarriages.”The National Catholic Bioethics Center declined to comment to EWTN News. However, the organization maintains resources on its website stating the Church’s position that although vaccines developed through morally problematic means may be used for grave reasons, vaccination is not a moral obligation for Catholics and, in order to protect human dignity and the free exercise of conscience, should be voluntary.The organization also states that “public health measures and policies should be built upon sound science and ethical principles.”Uthmeier: Parents' rights are being violatedUthmeier told EWTN News he is concerned about the \"religious freedoms and rights of parents.” He pointed out that many Catholic families have come to him noting the irony that their conscience rights are protected in public schools in Florida but not in Catholic ones. Uthmeier also said families are confused because Catholic schools in several dioceses across the country do grant vaccine conscience and religious exemptions.Because Catholic schools receive state scholarship funds, he argued, the state has an interest in ensuring that religious freedoms are protected.“Where First Amendment rights [and] the religious beliefs of parents are being violated, we as a state have a duty to investigate and see what legal tools we may have to protect our parents in Florida,” he said.While acknowledging that the state cannot dictate religious beliefs, he said he remains unconvinced that the bishops have identified an authentically religious reason for denying exemptions.A Catholic himself, Uthmeier further pointed to what he said were long-standing Catholic teachings regarding parental authority and conscience rights.“Respecting the right of conscience is deeply embedded in our catechism,” he said. “How these rights can be violated, and how Catholic Church officials can disagree on citing religious teaching across the country, perplexes me.”Wenski: Catholic schools must protect the common goodWenski likewise framed the controversy as a religious freedom issue, from the perspective of the Churchʼs right to determine and apply its own teachings.He described Uthmeierʼs position as “an unfair and ill-advised interpretation of separation of Church and state” and argued that lawmakers never intended school-choice scholarships to impose a religious test on participating schools. “The Church has a right to determine our own teachings,” he said.Wenski told EWTN News that the bishops “certainly respect the rights of conscience of every person.” At the same time, he said Catholic social teaching also obligates schools to promote the common good and protect children through immunization.“Weʼve witnessed in recent months an upsurge of cases of measles, and we know that that presents certain dangers for pregnant women,” Wenski said.The archbishop noted that Catholic schools already grant medical exemptions when a physician certifies that a child should not be vaccinated.But he maintained that parents who object to vaccination are free to choose another school.\"Nobody is forced to go to a Catholic school,” he said.The bishops sent Uthmeier a formal response, Wenski said, outlining what they view as the religious freedom issues implicated by the attorney generalʼs intervention.Wenski said the bishops are “prepared to protect our students, to defend our rights, and to preserve religious freedom” while remaining open to continued dialogue with the state.Critics of Florida bishops’ policy disagreeWhile Wenski suggested the issue is largely settled within Catholic teaching, critics of the Florida bishops' policy disagree.Yvonne Bontkowski, director of Children of God for Life, said the controversy reflects a deeper disagreement over how Catholics should respond to vaccines connected to abortion-derived cell lines.“This is the first time I have ever seen where the state isnʼt asking the Church to violate its teaching, itʼs asking the Church to honor it,” she told EWTN News.The organization argues that although the Church has determined it can be morally permissible to receive such vaccines under certain circumstances, Church teaching says Catholics still have a moral duty to advocate for ethical alternatives and resist what it sees as the continued exploitation of aborted fetal tissue in biomedical research.Bontkowski cited a 2005 document from the Pontifical Academy for Life, which established the moral permissibility of the use of vaccines developed from aborted fetal cell lines in order to protect health but also affirmed that Catholics may exercise conscientious objection regarding such vaccines.“Our conscience is directed to what is morally good,” she said. “The Vatican never said these vaccines are morally good. It said weʼre not sinning if we take them for grave reasons and on a temporary basis while we demand ethical alternatives.”She argued that families exercising that duty should not be excluded from Catholic education, which, unlike immunization, is a moral obligation.Canon law states that parents have both a right and a “most grave obligation” to provide a Catholic education for their children, while Canon 217 affirms that the faithful have the right to a Christian education “by which they are to be instructed properly to strive for the maturity of the human person and at the same time to know and live the mystery of salvation.”Other critics contend that the debate ultimately turns on differing understandings of public health and the common good.Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and director of the National Vaccine Information Center, told EWTN News that Catholic school officials generally formulate vaccine and other public health policies based on the judgments of public health authorities.But, she argued, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed public distrust in scientific and governmental institutions, especially regarding data about who is at greatest biological risk for vaccines “that could hurt or even kill people.”“Unfortunately the entire notion of the common good rests upon the science,” Fisher said. “If the scientists and the government havenʼt done due diligence in doing the best science, or havenʼt told the full truth, that is a moral dilemma the Church is going to have to eventually grapple with.”")
A dispute between Florida’s Catholic bishops and the state attorney general over vaccine exemptions in Catholic schools is testing the boundaries between state law and Church authority.
Rocket launches this week On Tuesday, Aug. 18, Chinese aerospace firm LandSpace is targeting 7:35 p.m. EDT for the second flight of its Zhuque-3 rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China, according to tracking from Next Spaceflight. The launch was scrubbed last week after a Long March 7A rocket exploded hours before Zhuque-3’sContinue reading “More Starlink satellites and two big launches for China”
The post More Starlink satellites and two big launches for China appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More![New film ‘American Martyr’ tells story of Oklahoma priest and martyr Blessed Stanley Rother #Catholic Hundreds gathered late last month in Oklahoma City for the premiere of the new film “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story,” a feature-length documentary depicting the inspiring life of Blessed Stanley Rother.“This has been a long time coming,” Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told EWTN News on the red carpet July 28.Born in Okarche, Oklahoma, Rother was a farmer before he attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and was ordained a priest in 1963. After serving as an associate pastor at a parish in Oklahoma for five years, Rother received permission to join the staff at the Oklahoma diocese’s mission in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala.He served the Tz’utujil people, who are descendants of the Mayans, in Guatemala, learning their native Tz’utujil language as well as Spanish. As their pastor, Rother celebrated Mass and helped translate the New Testament into the Tz’utujil language. He quickly gained the trust and love of the local people, ministering to them in their homes, sharing meals, helping them in the fields, and visiting the sick.While Rother was in Guatemala, a civil war broke out and the Catholic Church was caught in its crosshairs. The priest’s name was placed on a death list. On July 28, 1981, three men entered the rectory at night and killed the beloved priest.Rother’s cause for canonization opened in 2007 by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and in 2016 Pope Francis recognized Rother as a martyr for the faith. He became the first American-born priest to be recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church.
The Warren Theater in Oklahoma City hosted the premiere of “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story” on July 28, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Chris Porter
“We’ve been very intentionally promoting the cause of Blessed Stanley Rother for many years,” Coakley said. “He’s been beatified and now we’re working toward his canonization, and in order for that ever to happen we need more and more people seeking the intercession of Blessed Stanley Rother and seeking his divine favor so that miracles may be performed through his intercession. So that’s why we undertook this production, to introduce him to more and more people.”The archbishop added that the film is “a beautiful depiction of the life of an ordinary Catholic who responded generously and faithfully to Godʼs grace and mercy and allowed the Lord to transform him and form him into the saint ultimately that we hope he will finally be named.”Michael Scaperlanda, chancellor at the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, said: “This is an exciting moment for the archdiocese to have a nationwide release … of this wonderful documentary narrated by Martin Sheen.”He highlighted the importance of sharing Rother’s story to a wider audience because it serves as a reminder that “even ordinary people can become saints.” For Felipe Coche Pablo, the documentary is particularly personal. Pablo is a native of Santiago Atitlan and was baptized by Rother when he was 6 months old. He was 2 years old when Rother was killed.When Rother’s cause was opened, Pablo was appointed to serve as the official church notary for Rother’s parish in Santiago Atitlán. It was then that he learned about the potential saint’s life and legacy.Pablo said learning about Rother deeply impacted his life and taught him “to keep fighting in life. There are always stumbles, but you have to pick yourself back up, like he [Rother] did.”
Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, left, and Felipe Coche Pablo, right, at the premiere of “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story” on July 28, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Chris Porter
Today, Pablo is the administrator at Colegio Católico Padre Aplaʼs — also known as the Blessed Stanley Rother Catholic School — in Santiago Atitlán. This school is part of the parish in which Rother served, Santiago Apóstol, or St. James the Apostle Church.“We have 435 students and the education is trilingual — Tz’utujil, Spanish, and English,” he explained. “Our first language is the Mayan language, Tz’utujil. And he [Rother] was a priest that was very loved by the people because he learned the Mayan language Tz’utujil, like us, like what I speak.”Pablo said he hopes viewers of the film will be inspired by Rother’s “service to others” and to “carry peace, love, evangelize, and what is most needed in life — look for God.”Coakley added that he hopes viewers will leave the theater reminded that “all of us are called to holiness.”“Stanley Rother would not have been the one in high school in the yearbook that said most likely to become a saint … And yet all of us are called, it’s our vocation if you’re baptized, you’re called to be a saint. All of us are called to be saints. And Stanley Rother gives us a hope that for each one of us that is a possibility that is real.”“American Martyr” can be seen in theaters across the U.S. on Aug. 25 and 26 in English and in Spanish on Aug. 27.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/new-film-american-martyr-tells-story-of-oklahoma-priest-and-martyr-blessed-stanley-rother-catholic-hundreds-gathered-late-last-month-in-oklahoma-city-for-the-premiere-of-the-new-fil-scaled.png "New film ‘American Martyr’ tells story of Oklahoma priest and martyr Blessed Stanley Rother #Catholic Hundreds gathered late last month in Oklahoma City for the premiere of the new film “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story,” a feature-length documentary depicting the inspiring life of Blessed Stanley Rother.“This has been a long time coming,” Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told EWTN News on the red carpet July 28.Born in Okarche, Oklahoma, Rother was a farmer before he attended Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and was ordained a priest in 1963. After serving as an associate pastor at a parish in Oklahoma for five years, Rother received permission to join the staff at the Oklahoma diocese’s mission in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala.He served the Tz’utujil people, who are descendants of the Mayans, in Guatemala, learning their native Tz’utujil language as well as Spanish. As their pastor, Rother celebrated Mass and helped translate the New Testament into the Tz’utujil language. He quickly gained the trust and love of the local people, ministering to them in their homes, sharing meals, helping them in the fields, and visiting the sick.While Rother was in Guatemala, a civil war broke out and the Catholic Church was caught in its crosshairs. The priest’s name was placed on a death list. On July 28, 1981, three men entered the rectory at night and killed the beloved priest.Rother’s cause for canonization opened in 2007 by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, and in 2016 Pope Francis recognized Rother as a martyr for the faith. He became the first American-born priest to be recognized as a martyr by the Catholic Church.
The Warren Theater in Oklahoma City hosted the premiere of “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story” on July 28, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Chris Porter
“We’ve been very intentionally promoting the cause of Blessed Stanley Rother for many years,” Coakley said. “He’s been beatified and now we’re working toward his canonization, and in order for that ever to happen we need more and more people seeking the intercession of Blessed Stanley Rother and seeking his divine favor so that miracles may be performed through his intercession. So that’s why we undertook this production, to introduce him to more and more people.”The archbishop added that the film is “a beautiful depiction of the life of an ordinary Catholic who responded generously and faithfully to Godʼs grace and mercy and allowed the Lord to transform him and form him into the saint ultimately that we hope he will finally be named.”Michael Scaperlanda, chancellor at the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, said: “This is an exciting moment for the archdiocese to have a nationwide release … of this wonderful documentary narrated by Martin Sheen.”He highlighted the importance of sharing Rother’s story to a wider audience because it serves as a reminder that “even ordinary people can become saints.” For Felipe Coche Pablo, the documentary is particularly personal. Pablo is a native of Santiago Atitlan and was baptized by Rother when he was 6 months old. He was 2 years old when Rother was killed.When Rother’s cause was opened, Pablo was appointed to serve as the official church notary for Rother’s parish in Santiago Atitlán. It was then that he learned about the potential saint’s life and legacy.Pablo said learning about Rother deeply impacted his life and taught him “to keep fighting in life. There are always stumbles, but you have to pick yourself back up, like he [Rother] did.”
Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, left, and Felipe Coche Pablo, right, at the premiere of “American Martyr: The Stanley Rother Story” on July 28, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Chris Porter
Today, Pablo is the administrator at Colegio Católico Padre Aplaʼs — also known as the Blessed Stanley Rother Catholic School — in Santiago Atitlán. This school is part of the parish in which Rother served, Santiago Apóstol, or St. James the Apostle Church.“We have 435 students and the education is trilingual — Tz’utujil, Spanish, and English,” he explained. “Our first language is the Mayan language, Tz’utujil. And he [Rother] was a priest that was very loved by the people because he learned the Mayan language Tz’utujil, like us, like what I speak.”Pablo said he hopes viewers of the film will be inspired by Rother’s “service to others” and to “carry peace, love, evangelize, and what is most needed in life — look for God.”Coakley added that he hopes viewers will leave the theater reminded that “all of us are called to holiness.”“Stanley Rother would not have been the one in high school in the yearbook that said most likely to become a saint … And yet all of us are called, it’s our vocation if you’re baptized, you’re called to be a saint. All of us are called to be saints. And Stanley Rother gives us a hope that for each one of us that is a possibility that is real.”“American Martyr” can be seen in theaters across the U.S. on Aug. 25 and 26 in English and in Spanish on Aug. 27.")
“American Martyr” can be seen in theaters Aug. 25-26 in English and in Spanish on Aug. 27.
The Diocese of Otukpo gave thanks for the return of the seminarian and those who have provided him care, and called for prayers for other captives.
![Bishop leads Mass helping school leaders begin academic year #Catholic – Presidents and principals of Catholic schools in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., joined Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney for a Mass he celebrated on Aug. 14 to open the 2026–27 academic year. The liturgy occurred in the oratory of the Diocesan Center in Clifton, N.J.
Father Peter Clarke, Ed. D., president of Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Congregants included the staff of the diocesan Schools Office, led by Mary D. Baier, superintendent of schools.
The Mass opened a full-day meeting of principals and presidents for the start of the school year in the Molloy Center of St. Philip the Apostle Parish, also in Clifton.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI / JESSICA MARTINEZ
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/bishop-leads-mass-helping-school-leaders-begin-academic-year-catholic-presidents-and-principals-of-catholic-schools-in-the-paterson-diocese-n-j-joined-bishop-kevin-j-sweeney-for-a-mass-he-celeb.jpg "Bishop leads Mass helping school leaders begin academic year #Catholic – Presidents and principals of Catholic schools in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., joined Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney for a Mass he celebrated on Aug. 14 to open the 2026–27 academic year. The liturgy occurred in the oratory of the Diocesan Center in Clifton, N.J.
Father Peter Clarke, Ed. D., president of Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Congregants included the staff of the diocesan Schools Office, led by Mary D. Baier, superintendent of schools.
The Mass opened a full-day meeting of principals and presidents for the start of the school year in the Molloy Center of St. Philip the Apostle Parish, also in Clifton.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI / JESSICA MARTINEZ
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.")
Bishop leads Mass helping school leaders begin academic year #Catholic – 
Presidents and principals of Catholic schools in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., joined Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney for a Mass he celebrated on Aug. 14 to open the 2026–27 academic year. The liturgy occurred in the oratory of the Diocesan Center in Clifton, N.J.
Father Peter Clarke, Ed. D., president of Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Congregants included the staff of the diocesan Schools Office, led by Mary D. Baier, superintendent of schools.
The Mass opened a full-day meeting of principals and presidents for the start of the school year in the Molloy Center of St. Philip the Apostle Parish, also in Clifton.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI / JESSICA MARTINEZ
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– Presidents and principals of Catholic schools in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., joined Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney for a Mass he celebrated on Aug. 14 to open the 2026–27 academic year. The liturgy occurred in the oratory of the Diocesan Center in Clifton, N.J. Father Peter Clarke, Ed. D., president of Morris Catholic High School in Denville, N.J., concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Congregants included the staff of the diocesan Schools Office, led by Mary D. Baier, superintendent of schools. The Mass opened a full-day meeting of principals and presidents for the start of the school year in the Molloy
FRISCO, TX — Local woman Samantha Johnson’s faith in humanity was instantly restored this afternoon after she drove up to find neighborhood kids doing a lemonade stand.
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Actress Hayden Panettiere passed away on Sunday, according to ABC News and TMZ.
The post Actress Hayden Panettiere Dead at 36 appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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A migrant from Ghana has been arrested at least three times in the last two weeks for raping and sexually assaulting women in Oklahoma.
The post Migrant From Ghana Arrested Multiple Times in Two Weeks For Raping, Sexually Assaulting Women in Oklahoma appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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President Donald Trump dropped a foreign-policy bombshell Sunday, ordering Secretary Pete Hegseth to substantially reduce the massive joint military exercises set to begin with South Korea on Monday.
The post President Trump ORDERS Secretary Hegseth to SLASH “Costly” Joint Military Operations with South Korea — Cites His “Very Good Friendship” with Kim Jong Un After Seoul REFUSES to Help America appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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A reading from the Book of Ezekiel
24:15-23
The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, by a sudden blow
I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes,
but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears.
Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead,
bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet,
do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread.
That evening my wife died,
and the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
Then the people asked me, ?Will you not tell us what all these things
that you are doing mean for us??
I therefore spoke to the people that morning, saying to them:
Thus the word of the LORD came to me:
Say to the house of Israel:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride,
the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul.
The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword.
Ezekiel shall be a sign for you:
all that he did you shall do when it happens.
Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
You shall do as I have done,
not covering your beards nor eating the customary bread.
Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet.
You shall not mourn or weep,
but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
19:16-22
A young man approached Jesus and said,
?Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life??
He answered him, ?Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.?
He asked him, ?Which ones??
And Jesus replied, ?You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.?
The young man said to him,
?All of these I have observed. What do I still lack??
Jesus said to him, ?If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.?
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.
Today?s Gospel begins with a great question posed to Jesus: ?Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?? (?). Those words express a constant desire in our life: our yearning for salvation, for an existence free from failure, evil and death.
This hope of the human heart is described as something to be ?inherited?, not something to be gained by force, begged for, or negotiated. Eternal life, which God alone can give, is bestowed on us as an inheritance, as parents do with their children.
That is why Jesus tells us that, in order to receive God?s gift, we must do his will. It is written in the Law: ?You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,? and ?your neighbour as yourself? (?). When we do these two things, we respond to the Father?s love. God?s will is the law of life that the Father himself was the first to follow, by loving us unconditionally in his Son, Jesus. (?)
In order to live eternally, we do not need to cheat death, but to serve life, by caring for others in this, our time together. That is the supreme law that is prior to all society?s rules and gives them their meaning. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 13 July 2025)
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Motion picture poster for Three Friends, a Biograph Studios release, shows three men clasping hands while sitting at a table in a bar. 1 print (poster) : lithograph, color ; 104 x 70 cm. Today is International Beer Day.
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Across the region, communities gathered in churches, streets, and homes, blending their shared devotion to the Virgin Mary with local traditions passed down through generations.
From snorkeling and kayaking to birding and beach lounging, South Padre Island has something for every traveler.
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The rules governing the production of bread for Communion hosts date back to the Last Supper and the custom of unleavened bread.
In March of 1899, William Pickering discovered Phoebe, a moon of Saturn, on photographic plates taken on Aug. 16, 1898, by DeLisle Stewart. It was the first moon to be discovered photographically, rather than observationally, and over a hundred years later, it would be the first target of the Cassini spacecraft. Phoebe orbits at aContinue reading “Aug. 16, 1898: Phoebe makes an appearance”
The post Aug. 16, 1898: Phoebe makes an appearance appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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The federal high court described the actions taken against the woman as a “flagrant violation” of her fundamental rights to human dignity and freedom of religion.
During his Aug. 16 Angelus address at Castel Gandolfo, the pontiff urged a 2-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
![‘It’s always the Holy Spirit’: Meet 3 dioceses seeing large numbers of priestly ordinations #Catholic What drives a young man to discern into the priesthood — a supportive family, a vibrant parish, a proactive pastor, an outspoken bishop? Father John Eckert’s response: “Yes.” Eckert, the vocations director for the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, chuckled a little when describing the myriad paths that a young man may take when finding his way to holy orders. But, he said, “it’s always the Holy Spirit at work. It’s always cooperating with the grace of God.” The Charlotte Diocese is among those in the U.S. seeing high numbers of seminarians and priestly ordinations. The diocese in western North Carolina saw a record 10 young men ordained to the priesthood earlier in 2026; that followed six ordinations in 2025 and seven in 2024. “We’re blessed in the Diocese of Charlotte,” Eckert said. “It’s a beautiful moment.” The priest just wrapped up his first full year as vocations director there. He said one of the strengths of the diocese is in its vibrant faith life, which he attributed partly to the “evangelical Bible-belt roots” of the region. “This is Billy Graham territory,” he joked. The diocese itself bears out that witness, he said. “The Church is growing like crazy down here,” he said. “We have wonderful families. We have faithful, hardworking priests. We’ve had five bishops who keep on striving to bear the Gospel message and bring that to every corner of the diocese.”The growing ranks of the priesthood is proof of that high spirit, though Eckert said it can be tricky to tease out just what contributes to years of high ordinations. One of the diocese’s strengths, he said, is its own “in-house college seminary.” “It’s so wonderful that if we have a young man interested in the priesthood, we can actually just bring him to this place and show him where the initial years of formation will take place,” he said. The school offers prospective seminarians a chance to see “a group of men living this out, being very intentional about their prayer life, striving to grow in love of Our Lord.”Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv, told EWTN News that when seeing such high levels of devotion to the priesthood, “we often have to just marvel at God’s work.” Priests in the diocese, he said, excel at offering candidates to the priesthood “the opportunity to see a healthy, holy, good person that they can see themselves becoming.” Families, meanwhile, have become “far more open” to communicating to their sons that they would be “honored to see [them] consider the priesthood.”“That dynamic has come about because the presbyterate gives a good example,” the bishop said. “It makes families, and parents in particular, more willing to be able to create that environment in their own families.”Both Martin and Eckert said that at a certain point Church leaders simply have to acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit. “To fully try to understand it is important,” Martin said, “but in some ways it’s best just to appreciate and enjoy it and be grateful for it.”Eckert, meanwhile, cited as an example 1 Corinthians 3:6, in which Paul tells the Church at Corinth about its faith: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”The priest spoke joyfully about his work in the diocesan vocations office, though he downplayed his own role in bringing men to holy orders. He recounted with a laugh what a speaker told a group of vocations directors at a recent conference: “Gentlemen, get over yourselves. Nobody ever entered seminary because of their vocations director.”Priestly vocation ‘seen as a natural, fulfilling life’Father Garett Burns, the director of vocations promotion in the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, admitted that the Midwestern diocese is “blessed with a strong culture of vocations.” “For example, this past May six men were ordained to the priesthood,” he said. “We’ve been blessed to generally have a steady number of ordinations each year. There have been 22 priestly ordinations since 2020 and 44 priestly ordinations in the last 10 years. We will begin this academic year with 50 seminarians in formation.”He said that it is “difficult to capture succinctly” why a diocese might have such abundant vocations, describing every Catholic’s vocation as a “mystery of grace.” But he said promoting vocations throughout every aspect of Church life — including in families, schools, and parishes — has borne steady fruit. The diocese has an abundance of Eucharistic adoration, he said, including perpetual adoration. Such chapels present opportunities for young people to spend time in silence before Christ, he said, and “these moments are where vocations grow and flourish.”Priests and bishops in the diocese, meanwhile, are “deeply committed to the Lord.” “When priests love their priesthood and enjoy each other, that is attractive to young men,” he said. A local seminary program has also borne fruit, he said, allowing young men to form a close, core connection with the Church “at home.” The priest said he hesitates to offer advice to other dioceses, admitting that there is “no universal solution” given the unique histories, gifts, and challenges of each diocese. But expanding opportunities for Eucharistic adoration, he said, offers “one viable option that promises to deepen the culture of vocations.”Father Noah Morey, the vocations director in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, echoed the assessment of his fellow vocations directors: “It’s not just one thing, it’s everything,” he told EWTN News. The Arlington Diocese saw seven new priests ordained in 2026; it recorded 12 ordinations in 2025. Morey noted that when it comes to ordinations, “it’s not about numbers, it’s about quality.” But he said the Arlington Diocese has a “strong culture of vocations” that has helped produce exemplary priests over the years. The diocese has promoted vocations since its founding in 1974. Its first leader, Bishop Thomas Welsh, “really fostered that culture” in part by bringing a Poor Clares monastery to the diocese. “Our bishops have all taken a hands-on approach of fostering vocations in young men from a young age,” Morey said. Bishops in Arlington regularly attend seminary events and meet personally with aspiring priests, he said. Eucharistic adoration is prolific throughout the diocese, meanwhile; several years ago, Morey said, current Bishop Michael Burbidge asked every pastor in the diocese to institute 40 hours of Eucharistic adoration annually.The diocese also holds St. Andrew dinners several times a year, which allows young men to speak to both the bishop and diocesan priests about their potential discernment. “I tell the young men, it’s a very low-commitment event — you’re not signing your life away!” he said. “You just show up for a free dinner with the bishop.” A yearly “Quo Vadis?” summer camp offers another opportunity for young men to have face-to-face discernment with Church leaders. An active, vibrant priesthood in the diocese also helps foster vocational discernment, he said. “If a young man sees a priest who’s in love with the Lord, that’s really attractive to the priesthood,” he said. And faith-filled and encouraging families are equally to credit for fostering vocations in young men, Morey continued. He offered a baseball analogy to describe the process by which young men find their way to the priesthood. “The families are the starting pitchers,” he said. “The priests are the middle relievers. And the vocations director is the closer.”Globally the Church has continued to see lower vocations; the most recent data shows a continued drop in priests, with significant declines in Europe and the Americas, though Africa and Asia saw notable increases. In the first 15 months of his pontificate Pope Leo XIV has continued to emphasize the importance of vocations. In June 2025 he told vocations ministers at the Vatican that their job consisted of “forming men capable of loving, listening, praying, and serving as a community.”The pope said God “continues to call and remains faithful to his promises.” He urged leaders to help bring about the creation of appropriate conditions “to hear [God’s] voice.”In Charlotte, Bishop Martin said the best response to an increase in vocations is to be both joyful for the gift and determined to help it flourish. “There’s something in God’s design that’s beyond even what I can say,” he said. “I can provide some insights, but at the end of the day, this is the work of the Holy Spirit.” Eckert, meanwhile, said an increase in vocations is a blessing no matter where it develops.“The job that I think we all have is being intentional in our discipleship of Jesus Christ,” he said. “I pray for myself and all my brother vocations directors out there. Whether it happens in Peoria or it happens in Charlotte, it’s good for all of us.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/its-always-the-holy-spirit-meet-3-dioceses-seeing-large-numbers-of-priestly-ordinations-catholic-what-drives-a-young-man-to-discern-into-the-priesthood-a-support.jpg "‘It’s always the Holy Spirit’: Meet 3 dioceses seeing large numbers of priestly ordinations #Catholic What drives a young man to discern into the priesthood — a supportive family, a vibrant parish, a proactive pastor, an outspoken bishop? Father John Eckert’s response: “Yes.” Eckert, the vocations director for the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, chuckled a little when describing the myriad paths that a young man may take when finding his way to holy orders. But, he said, “it’s always the Holy Spirit at work. It’s always cooperating with the grace of God.” The Charlotte Diocese is among those in the U.S. seeing high numbers of seminarians and priestly ordinations. The diocese in western North Carolina saw a record 10 young men ordained to the priesthood earlier in 2026; that followed six ordinations in 2025 and seven in 2024. “We’re blessed in the Diocese of Charlotte,” Eckert said. “It’s a beautiful moment.” The priest just wrapped up his first full year as vocations director there. He said one of the strengths of the diocese is in its vibrant faith life, which he attributed partly to the “evangelical Bible-belt roots” of the region. “This is Billy Graham territory,” he joked. The diocese itself bears out that witness, he said. “The Church is growing like crazy down here,” he said. “We have wonderful families. We have faithful, hardworking priests. We’ve had five bishops who keep on striving to bear the Gospel message and bring that to every corner of the diocese.”The growing ranks of the priesthood is proof of that high spirit, though Eckert said it can be tricky to tease out just what contributes to years of high ordinations. One of the diocese’s strengths, he said, is its own “in-house college seminary.” “It’s so wonderful that if we have a young man interested in the priesthood, we can actually just bring him to this place and show him where the initial years of formation will take place,” he said. The school offers prospective seminarians a chance to see “a group of men living this out, being very intentional about their prayer life, striving to grow in love of Our Lord.”Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv, told EWTN News that when seeing such high levels of devotion to the priesthood, “we often have to just marvel at God’s work.” Priests in the diocese, he said, excel at offering candidates to the priesthood “the opportunity to see a healthy, holy, good person that they can see themselves becoming.” Families, meanwhile, have become “far more open” to communicating to their sons that they would be “honored to see [them] consider the priesthood.”“That dynamic has come about because the presbyterate gives a good example,” the bishop said. “It makes families, and parents in particular, more willing to be able to create that environment in their own families.”Both Martin and Eckert said that at a certain point Church leaders simply have to acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit. “To fully try to understand it is important,” Martin said, “but in some ways it’s best just to appreciate and enjoy it and be grateful for it.”Eckert, meanwhile, cited as an example 1 Corinthians 3:6, in which Paul tells the Church at Corinth about its faith: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”The priest spoke joyfully about his work in the diocesan vocations office, though he downplayed his own role in bringing men to holy orders. He recounted with a laugh what a speaker told a group of vocations directors at a recent conference: “Gentlemen, get over yourselves. Nobody ever entered seminary because of their vocations director.”Priestly vocation ‘seen as a natural, fulfilling life’Father Garett Burns, the director of vocations promotion in the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, admitted that the Midwestern diocese is “blessed with a strong culture of vocations.” “For example, this past May six men were ordained to the priesthood,” he said. “We’ve been blessed to generally have a steady number of ordinations each year. There have been 22 priestly ordinations since 2020 and 44 priestly ordinations in the last 10 years. We will begin this academic year with 50 seminarians in formation.”He said that it is “difficult to capture succinctly” why a diocese might have such abundant vocations, describing every Catholic’s vocation as a “mystery of grace.” But he said promoting vocations throughout every aspect of Church life — including in families, schools, and parishes — has borne steady fruit. The diocese has an abundance of Eucharistic adoration, he said, including perpetual adoration. Such chapels present opportunities for young people to spend time in silence before Christ, he said, and “these moments are where vocations grow and flourish.”Priests and bishops in the diocese, meanwhile, are “deeply committed to the Lord.” “When priests love their priesthood and enjoy each other, that is attractive to young men,” he said. A local seminary program has also borne fruit, he said, allowing young men to form a close, core connection with the Church “at home.” The priest said he hesitates to offer advice to other dioceses, admitting that there is “no universal solution” given the unique histories, gifts, and challenges of each diocese. But expanding opportunities for Eucharistic adoration, he said, offers “one viable option that promises to deepen the culture of vocations.”Father Noah Morey, the vocations director in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, echoed the assessment of his fellow vocations directors: “It’s not just one thing, it’s everything,” he told EWTN News. The Arlington Diocese saw seven new priests ordained in 2026; it recorded 12 ordinations in 2025. Morey noted that when it comes to ordinations, “it’s not about numbers, it’s about quality.” But he said the Arlington Diocese has a “strong culture of vocations” that has helped produce exemplary priests over the years. The diocese has promoted vocations since its founding in 1974. Its first leader, Bishop Thomas Welsh, “really fostered that culture” in part by bringing a Poor Clares monastery to the diocese. “Our bishops have all taken a hands-on approach of fostering vocations in young men from a young age,” Morey said. Bishops in Arlington regularly attend seminary events and meet personally with aspiring priests, he said. Eucharistic adoration is prolific throughout the diocese, meanwhile; several years ago, Morey said, current Bishop Michael Burbidge asked every pastor in the diocese to institute 40 hours of Eucharistic adoration annually.The diocese also holds St. Andrew dinners several times a year, which allows young men to speak to both the bishop and diocesan priests about their potential discernment. “I tell the young men, it’s a very low-commitment event — you’re not signing your life away!” he said. “You just show up for a free dinner with the bishop.” A yearly “Quo Vadis?” summer camp offers another opportunity for young men to have face-to-face discernment with Church leaders. An active, vibrant priesthood in the diocese also helps foster vocational discernment, he said. “If a young man sees a priest who’s in love with the Lord, that’s really attractive to the priesthood,” he said. And faith-filled and encouraging families are equally to credit for fostering vocations in young men, Morey continued. He offered a baseball analogy to describe the process by which young men find their way to the priesthood. “The families are the starting pitchers,” he said. “The priests are the middle relievers. And the vocations director is the closer.”Globally the Church has continued to see lower vocations; the most recent data shows a continued drop in priests, with significant declines in Europe and the Americas, though Africa and Asia saw notable increases. In the first 15 months of his pontificate Pope Leo XIV has continued to emphasize the importance of vocations. In June 2025 he told vocations ministers at the Vatican that their job consisted of “forming men capable of loving, listening, praying, and serving as a community.”The pope said God “continues to call and remains faithful to his promises.” He urged leaders to help bring about the creation of appropriate conditions “to hear [God’s] voice.”In Charlotte, Bishop Martin said the best response to an increase in vocations is to be both joyful for the gift and determined to help it flourish. “There’s something in God’s design that’s beyond even what I can say,” he said. “I can provide some insights, but at the end of the day, this is the work of the Holy Spirit.” Eckert, meanwhile, said an increase in vocations is a blessing no matter where it develops.“The job that I think we all have is being intentional in our discipleship of Jesus Christ,” he said. “I pray for myself and all my brother vocations directors out there. Whether it happens in Peoria or it happens in Charlotte, it’s good for all of us.”")
Multiple dioceses throughout the U.S. are bucking national trends and seeing large numbers of men discern into the priesthood.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to His people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
Almighty God and Father,
we worship You, we give You thanks,
we praise You for Your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
You take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
You are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For You alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, …
A total solar eclipse is seen from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.
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| Picture of the day |
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Samango monkey (Cercopithecus mitis labiatus), Mount Sheba, Pilgrim’s Rest, South Africa.
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With $200 and 12 nuns with no television experience, Mother Angelica turned a monastery garage into a television studio launching what would become the largest Catholic media network.
Leaders of the ruling socialist government and the opposition agreed to reform the justice system, try to recover frozen assets and address the needs of those affected by the double earthquake.
On Aug. 15, 1977, a narrowband radio signal was detected by the Big Ear Radio Telescope at Ohio State. The signal was powerful, lasted for 72 seconds, and was picked up on only 1 of 50 possible channels. It also showed a distinct pattern – starting low, growing, and then decreasing again – suggesting itContinue reading “Aug. 15, 1977: The Wow! Signal arrives”
The post Aug. 15, 1977: The Wow! Signal arrives appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Drawn from expert insights and firsthand experience, these destinations combine plentiful courses with off-course appeal.
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A reading from the Book of Revelation
11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB
God?s temple in heaven was opened,
and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.
Then another sign appeared in the sky;
it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,
and on its heads were seven diadems.
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth.
Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,
to devour her child when she gave birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child,
destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.
Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
The woman herself fled into the desert
where she had a place prepared by God.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
?Now have salvation and power come,
and the Kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Anointed One.?
A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
15:20-27
Brothers and sisters:
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through man,
the resurrection of the dead came also through man.
For just as in Adam all die,
so too in Christ shall all be brought to life,
but each one in proper order:
Christ the firstfruits;
then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ;
then comes the end,
when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father,
when he has destroyed every sovereignty
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death,
for ?he subjected everything under his feet.?
From the Gospel according to Luke
1:39-56
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary?s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
?Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.?
And Mary said:
?My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.?
Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
The liturgy of this feast of the Assumption offers us the Gospel passage on the Visitation. Saint Luke recorded in this passage a decisive moment in Mary?s vocation. It is beautiful to recall that day, as we celebrate the crowning moment of her life. (?)
The Magnificat, which the Gospel places on the lips of the young Mary, now radiates the light of all her days. One single day ? the day she met her cousin Elizabeth ? contains the seed of every other day, of every other season. And words are not enough; a song is needed, one that continues to be sung in the Church ?from generation to generation? (Lk 1:50), at the close of every day. (?)
Mary?s song, Magnificat, strengthens the hope of the humble, the hungry, the faithful servants of God. These are the men and women of the Beatitudes who, even in tribulation, already see the invisible: the mighty cast down from their thrones, the rich sent away empty, the promises of God fulfilled. Such experiences should be found in every Christian community. They may seem impossible, but God?s Word continues to be brought to light. When bonds are born, with which we confront evil with good and death with life, we see that nothing is impossible with God (cf. Lk 1:37).
(Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 15 August 2025)
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This composite image shows the progression of a total solar eclipse over San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain on, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.
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Making Pope Leo XIV’s visit a matter of national interest allows the Peruvian government to marshall its resources to ensure the visit is a complete success.
