![Children reminded of Jesus’ love for them in Eucharist #Catholic - On May 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged first communicants from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and their families to remember Jesus’ love as they received the Eucharist during the annual Catechesis. The event at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., gathered first communicants for an afternoon of catechesis, adoration, and celebration.
Dressed as they were on the day of their First Holy Communion, the participating children represented their home parishes. The goal for the day was to remind them that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a special gift and an essential part of their lives.
Bishop Sweeney engaged the children with catechesis on the Eucharist, conducting the session in a question-and-answer format. Most were second-graders, and they responded with thoughtful questions, which generated a meaningful dialogue.
During his homily, Bishop Sweeney asked, “What do you remember about your first Holy Communion?” The children answered, “receiving the body and blood of Jesus,” “being proud of myself,” “my reading,” and “pictures.”
Bishop Sweeney then reminded the children that at every Mass, Jesus says, “This is my body. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me,” as at the Last Supper.
He explained, “Why is it important to remember? To honor him because he died for us. He wants us to remember his love.” Bishop Sweeney incorporated the children’s earlier answers, making his message personal.
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Additionally, in his homily, Bishop Sweeney urged the first communicants to say “please, thank you, and I love you” when praying to God.
The event also included the recitation of the Litany of St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, as well as a Scripture reading, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic procession, Benediction, Eucharistic blessing, and the Divine Praises. Many attendees experienced a deeper love for the Eucharist.
The diocesan Office Catechesis and Faith Formation and the Office of Worship coordinated the Eucharistic Catechesis. Father Yojaneider Garcia Ramirez, director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation and pastor of Resurrection Parish, was among the priests who participated. Diocesan seminarians also assisted.
Bishop Sweeney gave each child a rosary to aid meditation on Jesus’ life and relationship with him, as well as a prayer card for each first communicant.
The event ended with a reception, during which the bishop posed for pictures with each first communicant and their families.
During the Eucharistic Catechesis, Bishop Sweeney took a moment to thank all those who helped prepare the children to receive their first Holy Communion, especially their parents.
In his introduction, Bishop Sweeney told the children, “We give thanks for the great gift of Jesus you received in First Holy Communion. Hopefully, you will be receiving Jesus every Sunday.”
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
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Children reminded of Jesus’ love for them in Eucharist #Catholic – 
On May 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged first communicants from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and their families to remember Jesus’ love as they received the Eucharist during the annual Catechesis. The event at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., gathered first communicants for an afternoon of catechesis, adoration, and celebration.
Dressed as they were on the day of their First Holy Communion, the participating children represented their home parishes. The goal for the day was to remind them that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a special gift and an essential part of their lives.
Bishop Sweeney engaged the children with catechesis on the Eucharist, conducting the session in a question-and-answer format. Most were second-graders, and they responded with thoughtful questions, which generated a meaningful dialogue.
During his homily, Bishop Sweeney asked, “What do you remember about your first Holy Communion?” The children answered, “receiving the body and blood of Jesus,” “being proud of myself,” “my reading,” and “pictures.”
Bishop Sweeney then reminded the children that at every Mass, Jesus says, “This is my body. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me,” as at the Last Supper.
He explained, “Why is it important to remember? To honor him because he died for us. He wants us to remember his love.” Bishop Sweeney incorporated the children’s earlier answers, making his message personal.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Additionally, in his homily, Bishop Sweeney urged the first communicants to say “please, thank you, and I love you” when praying to God.
The event also included the recitation of the Litany of St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint, as well as a Scripture reading, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic procession, Benediction, Eucharistic blessing, and the Divine Praises. Many attendees experienced a deeper love for the Eucharist.
The diocesan Office Catechesis and Faith Formation and the Office of Worship coordinated the Eucharistic Catechesis. Father Yojaneider Garcia Ramirez, director of the Office of Catechesis and Faith Formation and pastor of Resurrection Parish, was among the priests who participated. Diocesan seminarians also assisted.
Bishop Sweeney gave each child a rosary to aid meditation on Jesus’ life and relationship with him, as well as a prayer card for each first communicant.
The event ended with a reception, during which the bishop posed for pictures with each first communicant and their families.
During the Eucharistic Catechesis, Bishop Sweeney took a moment to thank all those who helped prepare the children to receive their first Holy Communion, especially their parents.
In his introduction, Bishop Sweeney told the children, “We give thanks for the great gift of Jesus you received in First Holy Communion. Hopefully, you will be receiving Jesus every Sunday.”
– On May 31, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney encouraged first communicants from the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and their families to remember Jesus’ love as they received the Eucharist during the annual Catechesis. The event at Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J., gathered first communicants for an afternoon of catechesis, adoration, and celebration. Dressed as they were on the day of their First Holy Communion, the participating children represented their home parishes. The goal for the day was to remind them that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a special gift and an essential part of their lives. Bishop Sweeney engaged the children
![Parishes in Buffalo Diocese will undergo ‘rapid’ bankruptcy as part of Chapter 11 process – #Catholic – Parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, will undergo “rapid” bankruptcy proceedings as part of a larger Chapter 11 process, the diocese has told the faithful. A statement included in parish bulletins on May 31 said all parishes in the diocese would file “rapid prepackaged bankruptcy” cases in federal court “in an effort to bring the bankruptcy proceedings of the Diocese of Buffalo to a successful conclusion.”The Buffalo Diocese has been moving through the bankruptcy process for a notable length of time. The diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and has been working to finalize a major settlement since April 2025. The announcement at parishes on May 31 said the parish bankruptcy filings would occur “immediately before a hearing on confirmation of the plan.” The move “will happen if and only if sufficient votes [from abuse victims] are received for approval of the plan,” the statement said, adding that the approach “has the support of pastors and the diocese.”“The parish bankruptcy cases will not be commenced until later this year and will come at the very last minute before the ‘confirmation’ hearing on approval of the diocese’s plan,” the statement said, adding that it was “anticipated that parishes will emerge from bankruptcy within 48 hours.”Similar approaches have been taken in other dioceses undergoing bankruptcy, the statement said, including the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York as well as the Archdiocese of New Orleans.“With the prospect of officially achieving this goal, we look to the future with renewed commitment and focus on our mission and work in service to the Catholic faithful throughout Western New York and our broader community,” the diocese said in its statement. In addition to its yearslong bankruptcy proceedings, the Buffalo Diocese has also fended off both legal and ecclesial challenges from parishioners who have objected to an ongoing diocesan merger plan. Opposition to proposed closures and mergers in the diocese reached the New York Supreme Court in 2025; the state court ultimately tossed the suit out, ruling that it did not have jurisdiction over Church governance disputes.In December 2025, after appeals from parishioners, the Vatican ordered the reversal of several parish closures in the Buffalo Diocese.In April the Vatican also said that multiple parishes would not have to contribute disputed amounts of cash into the diocesan abuse settlement plan.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/parishes-in-buffalo-diocese-will-undergo-rapid-bankruptcy-as-part-of-chapter-11-process-catholic-parishes-in-the-diocese-of-buffalo-new-york-will-undergo-rapid-scaled.jpg "Parishes in Buffalo Diocese will undergo ‘rapid’ bankruptcy as part of Chapter 11 process – #Catholic – Parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, will undergo “rapid” bankruptcy proceedings as part of a larger Chapter 11 process, the diocese has told the faithful. A statement included in parish bulletins on May 31 said all parishes in the diocese would file “rapid prepackaged bankruptcy” cases in federal court “in an effort to bring the bankruptcy proceedings of the Diocese of Buffalo to a successful conclusion.”The Buffalo Diocese has been moving through the bankruptcy process for a notable length of time. The diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and has been working to finalize a major settlement since April 2025. The announcement at parishes on May 31 said the parish bankruptcy filings would occur “immediately before a hearing on confirmation of the plan.” The move “will happen if and only if sufficient votes [from abuse victims] are received for approval of the plan,” the statement said, adding that the approach “has the support of pastors and the diocese.”“The parish bankruptcy cases will not be commenced until later this year and will come at the very last minute before the ‘confirmation’ hearing on approval of the diocese’s plan,” the statement said, adding that it was “anticipated that parishes will emerge from bankruptcy within 48 hours.”Similar approaches have been taken in other dioceses undergoing bankruptcy, the statement said, including the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York as well as the Archdiocese of New Orleans.“With the prospect of officially achieving this goal, we look to the future with renewed commitment and focus on our mission and work in service to the Catholic faithful throughout Western New York and our broader community,” the diocese said in its statement. In addition to its yearslong bankruptcy proceedings, the Buffalo Diocese has also fended off both legal and ecclesial challenges from parishioners who have objected to an ongoing diocesan merger plan. Opposition to proposed closures and mergers in the diocese reached the New York Supreme Court in 2025; the state court ultimately tossed the suit out, ruling that it did not have jurisdiction over Church governance disputes.In December 2025, after appeals from parishioners, the Vatican ordered the reversal of several parish closures in the Buffalo Diocese.In April the Vatican also said that multiple parishes would not have to contribute disputed amounts of cash into the diocesan abuse settlement plan.")
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![Magnifica Humanitas seen deepening Church-tech ties, former Silicon Valley exec says – #Catholic – Magnifica Humanitas has opened the doors for deeper conversations between the Church and the tech industry regarding “how AI is going to affect humanity,” priest and former Silicon Valley executive Father Brendan McGuire said.McGuire, pastor of St. Simon Parish in Los Altos, California, told “EWTN News Nightly” that tech companies are searching for “wisdom” right now, and Pope Leo’s encyclical can offer it.The Church has “been working with the different tech companies for a number of years … directly from Rome, in the Vatican, and also here locally,” he said.In 2024 Anthropic, an AI safety company and creator of the Claude AI system that filed to go public June 1, reached out to the Vatican for ethical guidance. McGuire helped shape Claudeʼs Constitution, the 23,000-word document governing how Claude reasons through complex moral questions.McGuire also co-founded the Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture — a formal partnership between Santa Clara Universityʼs Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and the Vaticanʼs Dicastery for Culture and Education. Earlier he had worked for the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), an industry consortium of computer hardware manufacturers.The Irish priest holds degrees in engineering and computer science from Trinity College Dublin and has a theology degree from St. Patrickʼs Seminary and University.‘Engaged in deeper conversations’“More intensely over this last year, weʼve been more deliberately, and more intentionally, engaged in deeper conversations monthly … mostly with Anthropic, and we believe this document now will be able to deepen these relationships even more,” he said.These relationships will prompt “real dialogue as to how AI is going to affect humanity,” he said.“I love the reframing that the pope has done” by asking “How do we have all of humanity … flourish inside of AI? Instead of the other way around,” McGuire said. “Itʼs a reframing of the whole issue.”While some wonder if tech companies will listen to the pope’s call, McGuire said he believes they will, as people in the industry “are looking for wisdom.”Those in the tech industry “are men and women of goodwill, and they want this AI to go well,” he said. “And if itʼs going to go well, then theyʼre going to have to have people outside of the programmers, and the mathematicians, and the technology people, and engineers.”“They need wisdom from outside. Itʼs not just the Catholic Church. Every religious tradition needs to lean into this moment,” he said.Reading the pope’s encyclical is ‘the most important thing’The encyclical comes years after AI really took off, but “itʼs not true” when people say the pope’s call is too late, McGuire said.“The technology people themselves say that itʼs not true. But I do believe that the window is closing,” he said.The “whole intention” of the popeʼs encyclical is “to start asking those more difficult questions,” McGuire said. The pope has asked: “What [does it] mean for a human being to flourish? What is good for all of humanity? And not what is just good for a handful of people, but what is good for all of us?”“So what weʼve done here is raised questions more than got answers,” McGuire said. Now we must “bring about a dialogue to go for those answers.”The “first thing I implore everyone to do is to read it,” he said. Reading it is “the most important thing” and “not relying … on soundbites from somebody else.”The first half of the encyclical “is a survey of the previous documents of the Church and social doctrine” and it is “a great summary of them,” he said.Then, focus on reading “Chapter 3 on artificial intelligence” and “Chapter 4 [on] the impact of it.”Pope Leo “uses two biblical metaphors” that “are beautiful and really important”: the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem by Nehemiah, he said.He is “basically saying we donʼt want to go back to the Tower of Babel, where everyone builds it for their own … purposes,” he said. Instead, it must be like the city Jerusalem where “everyone has a role. Every family, every person, every engineer, every journalist, every philosopher.”“Everyone needs to play a role, and we need to engage with this because it will, in large part, determine our future as a humanity,” McGuire said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/magnifica-humanitas-seen-deepening-church-tech-ties-former-silicon-valley-exec-says-catholic-magnifica-humanitas-has-opened-the-doors-for-deeper-conversations-between-the-church-and-the-tech-ind.jpg "Magnifica Humanitas seen deepening Church-tech ties, former Silicon Valley exec says – #Catholic – Magnifica Humanitas has opened the doors for deeper conversations between the Church and the tech industry regarding “how AI is going to affect humanity,” priest and former Silicon Valley executive Father Brendan McGuire said.McGuire, pastor of St. Simon Parish in Los Altos, California, told “EWTN News Nightly” that tech companies are searching for “wisdom” right now, and Pope Leo’s encyclical can offer it.The Church has “been working with the different tech companies for a number of years … directly from Rome, in the Vatican, and also here locally,” he said.In 2024 Anthropic, an AI safety company and creator of the Claude AI system that filed to go public June 1, reached out to the Vatican for ethical guidance. McGuire helped shape Claudeʼs Constitution, the 23,000-word document governing how Claude reasons through complex moral questions.McGuire also co-founded the Institute for Technology, Ethics, and Culture — a formal partnership between Santa Clara Universityʼs Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and the Vaticanʼs Dicastery for Culture and Education. Earlier he had worked for the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), an industry consortium of computer hardware manufacturers.The Irish priest holds degrees in engineering and computer science from Trinity College Dublin and has a theology degree from St. Patrickʼs Seminary and University.‘Engaged in deeper conversations’“More intensely over this last year, weʼve been more deliberately, and more intentionally, engaged in deeper conversations monthly … mostly with Anthropic, and we believe this document now will be able to deepen these relationships even more,” he said.These relationships will prompt “real dialogue as to how AI is going to affect humanity,” he said.“I love the reframing that the pope has done” by asking “How do we have all of humanity … flourish inside of AI? Instead of the other way around,” McGuire said. “Itʼs a reframing of the whole issue.”While some wonder if tech companies will listen to the pope’s call, McGuire said he believes they will, as people in the industry “are looking for wisdom.”Those in the tech industry “are men and women of goodwill, and they want this AI to go well,” he said. “And if itʼs going to go well, then theyʼre going to have to have people outside of the programmers, and the mathematicians, and the technology people, and engineers.”“They need wisdom from outside. Itʼs not just the Catholic Church. Every religious tradition needs to lean into this moment,” he said.Reading the pope’s encyclical is ‘the most important thing’The encyclical comes years after AI really took off, but “itʼs not true” when people say the pope’s call is too late, McGuire said.“The technology people themselves say that itʼs not true. But I do believe that the window is closing,” he said.The “whole intention” of the popeʼs encyclical is “to start asking those more difficult questions,” McGuire said. The pope has asked: “What [does it] mean for a human being to flourish? What is good for all of humanity? And not what is just good for a handful of people, but what is good for all of us?”“So what weʼve done here is raised questions more than got answers,” McGuire said. Now we must “bring about a dialogue to go for those answers.”The “first thing I implore everyone to do is to read it,” he said. Reading it is “the most important thing” and “not relying … on soundbites from somebody else.”The first half of the encyclical “is a survey of the previous documents of the Church and social doctrine” and it is “a great summary of them,” he said.Then, focus on reading “Chapter 3 on artificial intelligence” and “Chapter 4 [on] the impact of it.”Pope Leo “uses two biblical metaphors” that “are beautiful and really important”: the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem by Nehemiah, he said.He is “basically saying we donʼt want to go back to the Tower of Babel, where everyone builds it for their own … purposes,” he said. Instead, it must be like the city Jerusalem where “everyone has a role. Every family, every person, every engineer, every journalist, every philosopher.”“Everyone needs to play a role, and we need to engage with this because it will, in large part, determine our future as a humanity,” McGuire said.")
![Adult confirmations celebrated at Passaic church #Catholic - On Pentecost Sunday, May 24, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Nicholas Church in Passaic, N.J., celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation during a special 3 p.m. Mass. About 90 adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation surrounded by their sponsors, families, and parish community.
The Mass was celebrated by Father Rolands Uribe, with Deacon Gil Martinez assisting, and marked an important moment for those who completed their preparation and officially received the sacrament.
The celebration brought together members of the parish community to support and pray for the newly confirmed as they continue growing in their faith.
PHOTOS | JESSICA MARTINEZ
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![12 things to know and share about the Holy Trinity – #Catholic – The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith. But how much do we know about this mystery? What is its history? What does it mean? And how can it be proved?Here are 12 things to know and to share.1. Where does the word “Trinity” come from?It comes from the Latin word “trinitas,” which means “three” or “triad.” The Greek equivalent is “triados.”2. When was the word first used?The first surviving use of the term (there may have been earlier uses that are now lost) was about 170 A.D. by Theophilus of Antioch, who wrote: “In like manner also the three days which were before the luminaries are types of the Trinity [Τριάδος], of God, and His Word, and His wisdom. And the fourth is the type of man, who needs light, that so there may be God, the Word, wisdom, man” (“To Autolycus,” 2:15).3. What is the Trinity?The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it this way: “The Church expresses her trinitarian faith by professing a belief in the oneness of God in whom there are three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three divine Persons are only one God because each of them equally possesses the fullness of the one and indivisible divine nature. They are really distinct from each other by reason of the relations which place them in correspondence to each other. The Father generates the Son; the Son is generated by the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son” (No. 48).4. Is the Trinity the central mystery of the Christian faith?Yes. The compendium explains: “The central mystery of Christian faith and life is the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity. Christians are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (No. 44).5. When did the Church infallibly define the Trinity?The dogma of the Trinity was defined in two stages, at the First Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) and the First Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.).First Nicaea defined the divinity of the Son and wrote the part of the Creed that deals with the Son.This council was called to deal with the heresy known as Arianism, which claimed that the Son was a supernatural being but not God.First Constantinople defined the divinity of the Holy Spirit and wrote the part of the Creed that deals with the Spirit.This council dealt with a heresy known as Macedonianism (because its advocates were from Macedonia), which denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. This heresy was also called Pneumatomachianism (from a Greek phrase meaning “fighting the Spirit”).6. How can the Trinity be proved?The Trinity can only be proved through the divine revelation that Jesus brought us. It cannot be proved by natural reason or from the Old Testament alone. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “God has left some traces of his trinitarian being in creation and in the Old Testament but his inmost being as the Holy Trinity is a mystery which is inaccessible to reason alone or even to Israel’s faith before the incarnation of the Son of God and the sending of the Holy Spirit. This mystery was revealed by Jesus Christ and it is the source of all the other mysteries” (No. 45).Although the vocabulary used to express the doctrine of the Trinity took time to develop, we can demonstrate the different aspects of the doctrine from Scripture.7. How can we show from Scripture that there is only one God?The fact that there is only one God was already made clear in the Old Testament. For example, the book of Isaiah proclaims: “You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me” (Is 43:10).It continues: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god” (Is 44:6).8. How can we show that the Father is God?The Father is proclaimed as God numerous times in the New Testament. For example, St. Paul declares: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor 1:3).And: “There is … one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:4-6).9. How can we show that the Son is God?This is proclaimed in a variety of places in the New Testament, including at the beginning of the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (Jn 1:1, 14).And later: “Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (Jn 20:27-28).10. How can we show that the Holy Spirit is God?In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is portrayed as a divine Person who speaks and who can be lied to: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2).And: “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? … You have not lied to men but to God’” (Acts 5:3-4).11. How can we show that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are distinct Persons?The distinction of the persons can be shown, for example, in the fact that Jesus speaks to his Father. This would make no sense if they were one and the same person.“At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will’” (Mt 11:25-26).The fact that Jesus is not the same Person as the Holy Spirit is revealed when Jesus — who has been functioning as the Counselor (Greek, “Parakletos”) of the disciples — says he will pray to the Father and the Father will give them “another Counselor,” who is the Holy Spirit. This shows the distinction of all three Persons: Jesus who prays; the Father who sends; and the Spirit who comes: “And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you” (Jn 14:16-17).12. How can we show that the Son is generated by the Father and that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son?The fact that the Son is generated by the Father is indicated by the names of these Persons. Sons are generated by fathers. The second Person of the Trinity would not be a Son if he were not generated by the first Person as his Father.The fact that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son is reflected in another statement of Jesus:“But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me” (Jn 15:26).This depicts the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son (“whom I shall send”). Here the outward operations of the Persons of the Trinity reflect their mutual relations with each other. It may also be said that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son.For more on the procession of the Holy Spirit, click here.This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, on June 7, 2020, and has been updated and adapted by EWTN News.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/12-things-to-know-and-share-about-the-holy-trinity-catholic-the-catholic-church-teaches-that-the-holy-trinity-is-the-central-mystery-of-the-christian-faith-but-how-much-do-we-know-about-this-mys.jpg "12 things to know and share about the Holy Trinity – #Catholic – The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith. But how much do we know about this mystery? What is its history? What does it mean? And how can it be proved?Here are 12 things to know and to share.1. Where does the word “Trinity” come from?It comes from the Latin word “trinitas,” which means “three” or “triad.” The Greek equivalent is “triados.”2. When was the word first used?The first surviving use of the term (there may have been earlier uses that are now lost) was about 170 A.D. by Theophilus of Antioch, who wrote: “In like manner also the three days which were before the luminaries are types of the Trinity [Τριάδος], of God, and His Word, and His wisdom. And the fourth is the type of man, who needs light, that so there may be God, the Word, wisdom, man” (“To Autolycus,” 2:15).3. What is the Trinity?The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it this way: “The Church expresses her trinitarian faith by professing a belief in the oneness of God in whom there are three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three divine Persons are only one God because each of them equally possesses the fullness of the one and indivisible divine nature. They are really distinct from each other by reason of the relations which place them in correspondence to each other. The Father generates the Son; the Son is generated by the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son” (No. 48).4. Is the Trinity the central mystery of the Christian faith?Yes. The compendium explains: “The central mystery of Christian faith and life is the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity. Christians are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (No. 44).5. When did the Church infallibly define the Trinity?The dogma of the Trinity was defined in two stages, at the First Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) and the First Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.).First Nicaea defined the divinity of the Son and wrote the part of the Creed that deals with the Son.This council was called to deal with the heresy known as Arianism, which claimed that the Son was a supernatural being but not God.First Constantinople defined the divinity of the Holy Spirit and wrote the part of the Creed that deals with the Spirit.This council dealt with a heresy known as Macedonianism (because its advocates were from Macedonia), which denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. This heresy was also called Pneumatomachianism (from a Greek phrase meaning “fighting the Spirit”).6. How can the Trinity be proved?The Trinity can only be proved through the divine revelation that Jesus brought us. It cannot be proved by natural reason or from the Old Testament alone. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “God has left some traces of his trinitarian being in creation and in the Old Testament but his inmost being as the Holy Trinity is a mystery which is inaccessible to reason alone or even to Israel’s faith before the incarnation of the Son of God and the sending of the Holy Spirit. This mystery was revealed by Jesus Christ and it is the source of all the other mysteries” (No. 45).Although the vocabulary used to express the doctrine of the Trinity took time to develop, we can demonstrate the different aspects of the doctrine from Scripture.7. How can we show from Scripture that there is only one God?The fact that there is only one God was already made clear in the Old Testament. For example, the book of Isaiah proclaims: “You are my witnesses, says the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me” (Is 43:10).It continues: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god” (Is 44:6).8. How can we show that the Father is God?The Father is proclaimed as God numerous times in the New Testament. For example, St. Paul declares: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor 1:3).And: “There is … one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:4-6).9. How can we show that the Son is God?This is proclaimed in a variety of places in the New Testament, including at the beginning of the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (Jn 1:1, 14).And later: “Then [Jesus] said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (Jn 20:27-28).10. How can we show that the Holy Spirit is God?In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is portrayed as a divine Person who speaks and who can be lied to: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2).And: “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? … You have not lied to men but to God’” (Acts 5:3-4).11. How can we show that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are distinct Persons?The distinction of the persons can be shown, for example, in the fact that Jesus speaks to his Father. This would make no sense if they were one and the same person.“At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will’” (Mt 11:25-26).The fact that Jesus is not the same Person as the Holy Spirit is revealed when Jesus — who has been functioning as the Counselor (Greek, “Parakletos”) of the disciples — says he will pray to the Father and the Father will give them “another Counselor,” who is the Holy Spirit. This shows the distinction of all three Persons: Jesus who prays; the Father who sends; and the Spirit who comes: “And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you” (Jn 14:16-17).12. How can we show that the Son is generated by the Father and that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son?The fact that the Son is generated by the Father is indicated by the names of these Persons. Sons are generated by fathers. The second Person of the Trinity would not be a Son if he were not generated by the first Person as his Father.The fact that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son is reflected in another statement of Jesus:“But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me” (Jn 15:26).This depicts the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son (“whom I shall send”). Here the outward operations of the Persons of the Trinity reflect their mutual relations with each other. It may also be said that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son.For more on the procession of the Holy Spirit, click here.This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, on June 7, 2020, and has been updated and adapted by EWTN News.")
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![Human dignity, national security ‘not in conflict,’ U.S. bishops say amid Trump ‘aliens’ campaign #Catholic The U.S. bishops are reiterating their calls for immigrants in the U.S. to be treated with dignity as the Trump administration launched a campaign that likens immigrants living in the country illegally to extraterrestrials.The White House on May 28 launched a government website “Aliens.gov,” a retro sci-fi-styled site that claims the government has “kept a closely guarded secret” about “aliens” and an “invasion” for decades. The site mimics sci‑fi aesthetics, with a bold, geometric sans‑serif typeface in neon green and black, like 1950s movie posters used to advertise Cold‑War‑era sci‑fi films featuring monstrous extraterrestrials.“Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighborhoods, and interacting with us in our daily lives,” the site claims, alleging that “aliens” have “shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences.”Promoting an “alien arrest map” of immigrant detentions around the country, the site states bluntly that people without legal status “do not belong here.”The website urges visitors to “report suspicious aliens” to an “ICE tip line.” In U.S. law, the word alien is a formal legal classification meaning a person who is not a U.S. citizen or national, a definition that appears in the Immigration and Nationality Act and is used in statutes, regulations, and court decisions.Dignity, national security ‘not in conflict,’ bishops saysImmigrants have long been portrayed through metaphors in U.S. culture, from 19th‑century political cartoons that depicted Irish, Italian, and Chinese newcomers as monsters or subhuman creatures to modern rhetoric framing migrant groups as “invaders,” “infestations,” or something other than fully human.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) lamented “the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants” in a special message in November 2025. In February, the bishops condemned a plan from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to increase the capacity of migrant detention centers around the U.S. The government earlier this year indicated it would spend about $38 billion to bolster detention space. Victoria, Texas Bishop Brendan Cahill, chair of the bishops' immigration committee, called the plans “deeply troubling” at the time.“The thought of holding thousands of families in massive warehouses should challenge the conscience of every American," the bishop said. Asked about the governmentʼs new “aliens” campaign on May 29, USCCB spokeswoman Chieko Noguchi told EWTN News that the bishops have “continuously condemned vilification of immigrants and dehumanizing rhetoric and consistently advocated for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.” “They’ve also repeatedly asserted that human dignity and national security are not in conflict,” she said, pointing to the bishops' special message. The bishops at that time said they “oppose[d] the indiscriminate mass deportation of people,” with the prelates praying “for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”The bishops in February urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the U.S. constitutional policy of “birthright citizenship” wherein any individual born on U.S. soil is counted as an American citizen. The dispute before the court was launched after Trump in January 2025 signed an order directing that children born to parents in the country illegally were not entitled to U.S. citizenship. Pope Leo XIV — the first pope in history from the United States — has also weighed in, affirming in November 2025 that while nations have “a right to determine who and how and when people enter,” countries “have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have.”“When people are living good lives — and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years — to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least,” is not acceptable, the pope said on Nov. 18, 2025.Regarding the bishops' Nov. 12, 2025 message on immigration, the pope remarked: “I appreciate very much what the bishops have said. I think it’s a very important statement. I would invite, especially all Catholics, but people of goodwill to listen carefully to what they said."In a statement to EWTN News, meanwhile, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on May 29 argued that news reports “too often” ignore “the victims [of illegal immigration] and their stories.” "These victims and their families are why we work around the clock to arrest and deport illegal aliens from our communities," the department said, describing crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as "completely preventable.”“What makes someone a target of ICE is if they are in the U.S. illegally,” the statement continued, arguing that “nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges.”ICE data shows most people arrested and booked into ICE custody do not have criminal convictions, and some analyses show the 70% figure comes from redefining “criminal” to include pending charges, foreign allegations untested in a U.S. court, and people who have never been found guilty of a crime. Roughly 25–30% of people arrested by ICE have a prior conviction, according to analyses of ICE arrest and detention data, including work by the Cato Institute and the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse based on ICE data.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/human-dignity-national-security-not-in-conflict-u-s-bishops-say-amid-trump-aliens-campaign-catholic-the-u-s-bishops-are-reiterating-their-calls-for-immigrants-in-the-u-s-to-be-treated-wi.jpg "Human dignity, national security ‘not in conflict,’ U.S. bishops say amid Trump ‘aliens’ campaign #Catholic The U.S. bishops are reiterating their calls for immigrants in the U.S. to be treated with dignity as the Trump administration launched a campaign that likens immigrants living in the country illegally to extraterrestrials.The White House on May 28 launched a government website “Aliens.gov,” a retro sci-fi-styled site that claims the government has “kept a closely guarded secret” about “aliens” and an “invasion” for decades. The site mimics sci‑fi aesthetics, with a bold, geometric sans‑serif typeface in neon green and black, like 1950s movie posters used to advertise Cold‑War‑era sci‑fi films featuring monstrous extraterrestrials.“Aliens have been walking among us, living in our neighborhoods, and interacting with us in our daily lives,” the site claims, alleging that “aliens” have “shopped in the same stores, attended the same classes as our children, and lived seemingly normal human existences.”Promoting an “alien arrest map” of immigrant detentions around the country, the site states bluntly that people without legal status “do not belong here.”The website urges visitors to “report suspicious aliens” to an “ICE tip line.” In U.S. law, the word alien is a formal legal classification meaning a person who is not a U.S. citizen or national, a definition that appears in the Immigration and Nationality Act and is used in statutes, regulations, and court decisions.Dignity, national security ‘not in conflict,’ bishops saysImmigrants have long been portrayed through metaphors in U.S. culture, from 19th‑century political cartoons that depicted Irish, Italian, and Chinese newcomers as monsters or subhuman creatures to modern rhetoric framing migrant groups as “invaders,” “infestations,” or something other than fully human.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) lamented “the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants” in a special message in November 2025. In February, the bishops condemned a plan from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to increase the capacity of migrant detention centers around the U.S. The government earlier this year indicated it would spend about $38 billion to bolster detention space. Victoria, Texas Bishop Brendan Cahill, chair of the bishops' immigration committee, called the plans “deeply troubling” at the time.“The thought of holding thousands of families in massive warehouses should challenge the conscience of every American,\" the bishop said. Asked about the governmentʼs new “aliens” campaign on May 29, USCCB spokeswoman Chieko Noguchi told EWTN News that the bishops have “continuously condemned vilification of immigrants and dehumanizing rhetoric and consistently advocated for a meaningful reform of our nation’s immigration laws and procedures.” “They’ve also repeatedly asserted that human dignity and national security are not in conflict,” she said, pointing to the bishops' special message. The bishops at that time said they “oppose[d] the indiscriminate mass deportation of people,” with the prelates praying “for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”The bishops in February urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the U.S. constitutional policy of “birthright citizenship” wherein any individual born on U.S. soil is counted as an American citizen. The dispute before the court was launched after Trump in January 2025 signed an order directing that children born to parents in the country illegally were not entitled to U.S. citizenship. Pope Leo XIV — the first pope in history from the United States — has also weighed in, affirming in November 2025 that while nations have “a right to determine who and how and when people enter,” countries “have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have.”“When people are living good lives — and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years — to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least,” is not acceptable, the pope said on Nov. 18, 2025.Regarding the bishops' Nov. 12, 2025 message on immigration, the pope remarked: “I appreciate very much what the bishops have said. I think it’s a very important statement. I would invite, especially all Catholics, but people of goodwill to listen carefully to what they said.\"In a statement to EWTN News, meanwhile, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on May 29 argued that news reports “too often” ignore “the victims [of illegal immigration] and their stories.” \"These victims and their families are why we work around the clock to arrest and deport illegal aliens from our communities,\" the department said, describing crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as \"completely preventable.”“What makes someone a target of ICE is if they are in the U.S. illegally,” the statement continued, arguing that “nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges.”ICE data shows most people arrested and booked into ICE custody do not have criminal convictions, and some analyses show the 70% figure comes from redefining “criminal” to include pending charges, foreign allegations untested in a U.S. court, and people who have never been found guilty of a crime. Roughly 25–30% of people arrested by ICE have a prior conviction, according to analyses of ICE arrest and detention data, including work by the Cato Institute and the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse based on ICE data.")
