The large sunshade of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor mission is inspected by a technician at BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems in Boulder, Colorado, in late July.
Read More![Christian persecution worsened in 55% of countries assessed, report finds #Catholic LONDON — Oppression of Christians has worsened in 55% of countries assessed according to the latest report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) UK, without any country showing an improvement.“Persecuted and Forgotten?” outlines how Christians are being forced from their homes through conflict, extremism, and religiously motivated violence in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America between August 2024 and June 2026.
“Persecuted and Forgotten?” is Aid to the Church in Need UK’s latest report outlining the persecution of Christians in 18 selected countries, Oct. 27, 2026. | Credit: Elliot Hartley
According to research by ACN, 220 million Christians are directly exposed to persecution worldwide. The latest data from Pew Research Center indicates that anti-Christian harassment, ranging from verbal abuse to killings, occurred in 165 countries in 2023, up from 160 in 2021.At the launch of the report in Portcullis House, London, John Pontifex, head of press for ACN UK, told EWTN News: “By virtue of our shared faith, we identify, inevitably, particularly strongly, with those of our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, and we recognize that itʼs an accident of birth that sees them in that situation of persecution and us in a situation of much greater liberty.”He added: “There are Christians that suffer persecution in more countries than is the case with any other faith group. Up to 165 countries are those where Christians suffer from discrimination, oppression, or persecution. Thatʼs far more than any other religious group, so we need to share their story, and to tell people, our friends, our family, our parish, our [politicians].”The report outlines how the persecution of Christians by authoritarian regimes has grown to unprecedented levels in countries where there is an anti-West sentiment. Chinese authorities have intensified their oppression of Christians, as they aim to align religious doctrine more closely with communist principles. This has led to mass detentions, clergy being jailed on legal technicalities, churches closing, and online religious content being controlled.The report tells of the persecution in Nicaragua, where the regime increased its crackdown on Christians, arresting and exiling clergy, preventing ordinations, seizing Church institutions, and preventing people entering the country with Bibles. The report also outlines how the arrests of Christians doubled within 12 months in Iran, as crackdowns have intensified.“Weʼre calling on all countries around the world and the U.N. to fully implement Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrines religious freedom,” Pontifex said. “Weʼre not calling for special treatment but simply calling for people to band together, to stop acts of oppression — be it people being kidnapped for their faith, be it people being forced from their jobs for reasons to do with their faith … And indeed, for those who are unfairly tried and sentenced to life imprisonment, for crimes theyʼve not committed,” he said. “Like blasphemy laws, which are arbitrarily enforced. And then recognizing there are people who are often asked to pay the ultimate price. This should stop.”Sub-Saharan Africa was one particular area of focus, listing Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as territories with the worst extremist attacks since the height of the Daesh (ISIS) violence in the Middle East.The report outlines how jihadist violence in the Sahel region has led to militant groups now controlling 40% of the country. “They often coerce villagers to follow Islamic customs, making women veil their faces in public and men grow beards. Those who refuse are expelled or even publicly executed. Where insurgents allow Christians to practice their faith, this is restricted to inside churches, and it cannot be taught to children,” Pontifex explained.
Attendees at the launch of the Aid to the Church UK’s report “Persecuted and Forgotten?” in Portcullis House, London, Oct. 27, 2026.| Credit: Elliot Hartley
Speaking to the conference about the Christians suffering from this oppression, Caroline Hull, national director of ACN UK, said: “These are people just like you and me. If someone said, ‘Will you give up your faith or I will take your children?’
what would you do? If someone said, ‘Iʼll let you get out of prison if you turn your back on Jesus Christ’? These are fair questions to ask ourselves, and we need to remember that these are people just like us.”In October 2025, receiving an ACN delegation, Pope Leo XIV declared that religious freedom is “a cornerstone of any just society for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be informed and exercised… Religious freedom, therefore, is not merely a legal right or a privilege to us granted by governments; it is a foundational condition that makes reconciliation possible.”ACN is a Catholic charity founded to help Christians in need where they are persecuted, oppressed, or in pastoral need through support, charitable work, and generating awareness.On Nov. 18, ACN will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its #RedWednesday campaign, which raises awareness about the persecution of Christians worldwide.The full report is available to read here.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/christian-persecution-worsened-in-55-of-countries-assessed-report-finds-catholic-london-oppression-of-christians-has-worsened-in-55-of-countries-assessed-according-to-the-latest-report-fro-scaled.jpg "Christian persecution worsened in 55% of countries assessed, report finds #Catholic LONDON — Oppression of Christians has worsened in 55% of countries assessed according to the latest report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) UK, without any country showing an improvement.“Persecuted and Forgotten?” outlines how Christians are being forced from their homes through conflict, extremism, and religiously motivated violence in 18 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America between August 2024 and June 2026.
“Persecuted and Forgotten?” is Aid to the Church in Need UK’s latest report outlining the persecution of Christians in 18 selected countries, Oct. 27, 2026. | Credit: Elliot Hartley
According to research by ACN, 220 million Christians are directly exposed to persecution worldwide. The latest data from Pew Research Center indicates that anti-Christian harassment, ranging from verbal abuse to killings, occurred in 165 countries in 2023, up from 160 in 2021.At the launch of the report in Portcullis House, London, John Pontifex, head of press for ACN UK, told EWTN News: “By virtue of our shared faith, we identify, inevitably, particularly strongly, with those of our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith, and we recognize that itʼs an accident of birth that sees them in that situation of persecution and us in a situation of much greater liberty.”He added: “There are Christians that suffer persecution in more countries than is the case with any other faith group. Up to 165 countries are those where Christians suffer from discrimination, oppression, or persecution. Thatʼs far more than any other religious group, so we need to share their story, and to tell people, our friends, our family, our parish, our [politicians].”The report outlines how the persecution of Christians by authoritarian regimes has grown to unprecedented levels in countries where there is an anti-West sentiment. Chinese authorities have intensified their oppression of Christians, as they aim to align religious doctrine more closely with communist principles. This has led to mass detentions, clergy being jailed on legal technicalities, churches closing, and online religious content being controlled.The report tells of the persecution in Nicaragua, where the regime increased its crackdown on Christians, arresting and exiling clergy, preventing ordinations, seizing Church institutions, and preventing people entering the country with Bibles. The report also outlines how the arrests of Christians doubled within 12 months in Iran, as crackdowns have intensified.“Weʼre calling on all countries around the world and the U.N. to fully implement Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which enshrines religious freedom,” Pontifex said. “Weʼre not calling for special treatment but simply calling for people to band together, to stop acts of oppression — be it people being kidnapped for their faith, be it people being forced from their jobs for reasons to do with their faith … And indeed, for those who are unfairly tried and sentenced to life imprisonment, for crimes theyʼve not committed,” he said. “Like blasphemy laws, which are arbitrarily enforced. And then recognizing there are people who are often asked to pay the ultimate price. This should stop.”Sub-Saharan Africa was one particular area of focus, listing Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as territories with the worst extremist attacks since the height of the Daesh (ISIS) violence in the Middle East.The report outlines how jihadist violence in the Sahel region has led to militant groups now controlling 40% of the country. “They often coerce villagers to follow Islamic customs, making women veil their faces in public and men grow beards. Those who refuse are expelled or even publicly executed. Where insurgents allow Christians to practice their faith, this is restricted to inside churches, and it cannot be taught to children,” Pontifex explained.
Attendees at the launch of the Aid to the Church UK’s report “Persecuted and Forgotten?” in Portcullis House, London, Oct. 27, 2026.| Credit: Elliot Hartley
Speaking to the conference about the Christians suffering from this oppression, Caroline Hull, national director of ACN UK, said: “These are people just like you and me. If someone said, ‘Will you give up your faith or I will take your children?’
what would you do? If someone said, ‘Iʼll let you get out of prison if you turn your back on Jesus Christ’? These are fair questions to ask ourselves, and we need to remember that these are people just like us.”In October 2025, receiving an ACN delegation, Pope Leo XIV declared that religious freedom is “a cornerstone of any just society for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be informed and exercised… Religious freedom, therefore, is not merely a legal right or a privilege to us granted by governments; it is a foundational condition that makes reconciliation possible.”ACN is a Catholic charity founded to help Christians in need where they are persecuted, oppressed, or in pastoral need through support, charitable work, and generating awareness.On Nov. 18, ACN will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its #RedWednesday campaign, which raises awareness about the persecution of Christians worldwide.The full report is available to read here.")
Aid to the Church in Need’s new report ““Persecuted and Forgotten?” outlines how Christians were persecuted in 18 countries across the globe between August 2024 and June 2026.
Almighty and Eternal God,
Give me, I beseech You,
the great gift of inward peace.
Command the winds and storms
of my unruly passions.
Subdue, by Your grace,
my proneness to love
created things too much.
Give me a love of suffering for Your sake.
make me forbearing and kind to others,
that I may avoid quarrels and contentions.
And teach me constantly to seek after
and to acquire that perfect resignation
to Your Holy Will
which alone brings interior peace.
Amen.
Read MoreA reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians
2:19-22
Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
From the Gospel according to Luke
6:12-16
Jesus went up to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
The Gospels show us how prayer was fundamental in the relationship between Jesus and his disciples. This can already be seen in the choice of those who would later become the Apostles. Luke places their election in a precise context of prayer, and he says: “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles” (6:12-13). Jesus chooses them after a night of prayer. It seems that there is no criterion in this choice other than prayer, the dialogue of Jesus with the Father. Judging from how those men were to behave, it would seem that the choice was not the best, as they all fled, they left him alone before the Passion; but it is precisely this, especially the presence of Judas, the future betrayer, that demonstrates that those names were inscribed in God’s plan. (…)
From this quick journey through the Gospel, we learn that Jesus not only wants us to pray as he prays, but assures us that, even if our attempts at prayer are completely vain and ineffective, we can always count on his prayer. We must be aware of this: Jesus prays for me. (…) Do not forget: Jesus is praying for me. Now? Now. In the moment of trial, in the moment of sin, even in that moment, Jesus is praying for me with so much love. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 2 June 2021)
Read More
The survey found that Indigenous and Black Catholics said they have faced racial discrimination at higher levels than other racial and ethnic groups.
| Picture of the day |
|---|
|
|
An image of Saint Luke from Grandes Heures d’Anne de Bretagne. Today is the feast day of Saint Luke.
|
Big leaguers from Milwaukee and Tampa Bay share how their faith in God and the Virgin Mary inspires them as they compete for their first World Series title.
The proposed rule changes, open to public comment until Nov. 2, would count only citizens and lawful permanent residents in the census and would remove some demographic questions.
Scientists believe they may finally have an explanation for a bizarre cloud that appears and promptly disappears each day above a martian volcano during the dusty season. Just after sunrise during spring and summer on Mars, an elongated cloud forms near the 12-mile-high (20 kilometers) volcano Arsia Mons. Stretching roughly 1,100 miles (1,800 km) inContinue reading “The weird science behind Mars’ weirdest cloud”
The post The weird science behind Mars’ weirdest cloud appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More
The archbishop of Los Angeles will receive the award at the fall meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The Diocesan Ministries Appeal 2026: ‘Be a Good Samaritan’ #Catholic – 
Each year, our Diocesan Ministries Appeal has a theme that is meant to emphasize the connection between the work of the Appeal and our shared responsibility to live the Gospel message of charity, especially to those in need. I think this year’s theme – Be A Good Samaritan – perfectly encapsulates that idea.
BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY
We have all heard the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37), and perhaps we have heard it so often that its impact could be unintentionally dulled through repetition. Even so, I ask you to join me in reflecting on it again because the story, while familiar, is both timeless and timely.
Remember first that the Parable of the Good Samaritan is told in response to a question from a ‘scholar of the law’ who asks, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus begins the parable by painting a picture of a man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead by the side of the road. He was not simply confronted by a nervous pickpocket or a beggar asking for alms. These robbers were ruthless. It was a scene of sudden, shocking, and extreme violence. It is important to reflect on that, given that what happens next in the parable could not be more opposite.
After the bloody confrontation, a priest walks by and sees the broken body in front of him. His response was not one of action. His response was deliberate passivity to the scene in front of him. He did not offer help or even speak any words of comfort. Instead, he crossed the road and continued on his way. A Levite came up to the man, and he also took no action, offered no assistance, crossed the road, and continued on his way. Neither the priest nor the Levite were blind to the man. They saw him – and chose to ignore his suffering. But their apathy did not erase the reality of the battered man’s desperate plight.
Another man traveling on the road – a Samaritan – encountered the victim. Instead of turning away from such an awful scene, he was “moved with compassion at the sight,” unlike the priest and Levite. Also, unlike the other two men, he took action. He went right up to the victim and cleaned and bandaged his wounds, physically lifted him up on his animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. He even paid for his care at the inn until he was healed.
Jesus was clearly making the point that our neighbors are often people who are hurting, wounded, and suffering, and need our tender, loving care. Sometimes the pain of our neighbors is physical, sometimes it is situational, sometimes it is emotional. But it is always a wound that needs our attention, not our apathy. Crossing to the other side of the road is not the path to choose.
In this parable, Jesus was not being subtle in emphasizing that our neighbors are everyone in the human family. In biblical times, a Samaritan was someone who was despised and considered untrustworthy. They were untouchables, shunned by society and to be avoided at all costs. Yet it was this pariah, this outcast, who showed love and compassion to a man who was likely taught to look down on him. It was the Samaritan who was the model to emulate. For people at that time to hear of a Samaritan in such a positive light must have been shocking. It was Jesus’ way of teaching us all that the stranger, the passerby, – the anonymous person – is our neighbor, and we must love our neighbors as ourselves.
The goal of our Diocesan Ministries Appeal is to serve our neighbors by helping to fund important ministries and programs throughout our Diocese of Paterson. I just recently blessed the newly renovated Father English Food Pantry in Paterson, which received $600,000 from the Appeal to help toward these efforts. The interior has been reconfigured to provide additional aisles for food and clothing. It has a space for guests to speak with social workers to address emergency needs. There are classrooms for English as a Second Language courses and computer classes so clients can enhance their skills and future opportunities. Your support of the Appeal is helping your neighbors in need.
Who are some other neighbors you help when you support the Diocesan Ministries Appeal?
They are veterans facing homelessness. They are adults with disabilities living in our group homes and being shown dignity and respect. They are shut-ins being helped through our Meals on Wheels program. They are men and women hoping for a second chance at life through our programs that address addictions and substance abuse. In fact, there are dozens of unique Catholic Charities programs and ministries that receive support from the Diocesan Ministries Appeal each year with your support.
The Appeal also funds seminarian education so those men in formation for priesthood can focus solely on their studies and on their spiritual, pastoral, and human development. The Appeal assists inner-city Catholic education as well as senior priests’ healthcare needs, helping to support Nazareth Village, the residence for retired diocesan priests in Chester.
Your gift to the Appeal negates the passivity of the priest and Levite in the parable. Through your affirmative response and generosity, you are “taking action” as a modern-day Good Samaritan. You take to heart the words of Jesus at the end of the parable when he says, “Go and do likewise” (Lk. 10:37). Your support of the Appeal helps to bring compassion and comfort to the wounded person on the side of the road who is in need. You live out your faith in concrete ways and are a priceless gift to the Lord and his people. I am grateful for your generosity, and may God bless you always!
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– Each year, our Diocesan Ministries Appeal has a theme that is meant to emphasize the connection between the work of the Appeal and our shared responsibility to live the Gospel message of charity, especially to those in need. I think this year’s theme – Be A Good Samaritan – perfectly encapsulates that idea. BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY We have all heard the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37), and perhaps we have heard it so often that its impact could be unintentionally dulled through repetition. Even so, I ask you to join me in reflecting on it again because
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-lead-image-telluride-COMOUNTAINTOWNS1025-dc213c60f7874dd9991f4e5f5b6521b2.jpg)
![Diocese of Metuchen welcomes its sixth shepherd #Catholic – The people of Metuchen were overjoyed to welcome the Most Reverend Michael Arsenio Saporito as their sixth Bishop during an installation Mass held Oct. 22 in Sacred Heart Parish, South Plainfield. Representatives from parishes, schools, religious, lay and civil organizations were joined by clergy and civil dignitaries from throughout the state and beyond to witness the newest shepherd of the central New Jersey diocese.
Steeped in beauty and symbolism, the reception of the Bishop Designate began with his knock on the center door of the church. It was opened from within by Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, diocesan administrator; Father Timothy A. Christy, Cathedral rector, and Father Edmund A. Luciano, pastor of the host parish, on behalf of the clergy, religious and faithful of the Diocese. Father Toborowsky presented Bishop-Designate Saporito with a crucifix resting upon a pillow to reverence, then he sprinkled holy water on those in the narthex. Numerous bishops of New Jersey joined other clergy in the procession, including Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. of Trenton; Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of Paterson; Bishop Joseph A. Williams of Camden, and Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR, of Newark.
His Excellency the Most Reverend Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America, read the papal mandate from Pope Leo XIV naming Bishop Saporito the spiritual head of the Metuchen Diocese. Archbishop Caccia noted that the Mass coincided with the feast day of St. Pope John Paul II, who established the Diocese 45 years ago.
Bishop Saporito, smiling broadly, presented the mandate to the Diocesan College of Consultors, then, holding it aloft, walked throughout the church so that the faithful might see the Pope’s declaration up close. The bishops in the sanctuary extended a sign of peace, then Archbishop Caccia and Cardinal Tobin presented the new Bishop of Metuchen his cathedra and crozier.
Bishop Saporito began his homily recalling the advice by St. Pope John Paul II at his Oct. 22, 1978, inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square: Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ. The bishop’s own motto was inspired by the Gospel of John wherein Jesus had eaten breakfast with them and told them: Feed My Sheep.
“Our mission together in proclaiming the Good News … allows us to focus on three things: the meal, the mercy, and the mission,” said the Bishop. “Jesus used meals as places of encounter with others, he shared food and opened his heart, [and] here the word is proclaimed.” The meal, or Eucharist “fills our hearts and lives, joins us as one family, takes what we have received and offers it to the world… Jesus sought to touch people’s hearts, and so must we.”
Mercy, the Bishop continued, “frees us from shackles of our own sins. During the Jubilee Year of Mercy, my own sense of mercy expanded. We come to Jesus in distress, profound suffering, brokenness, and misery, and he offers freedom and redemption regardless of the baggage. I often picture the gaze of Jesus at Peter; that’s why the song is entitled ‘Amazing Grace’: he lets yesterday go so we can embrace tomorrow with joy. We are not perfect, but all can stand tall by his grace.”
Bishop Saporito cautioned the congregation not to simply fulfill the bare minimums of their faith, but rather to embrace the mission of holiness. “Purpose ignites a passion and a hope within us, for living and meaning and purpose all of our days. We know a better way, let’s show others what we know, let’s lead others to what we know.”
He continued, “It is not enough for us to simply maintain what we have, we must have a heart that aches for those who are missing… Become a Church that does not wait for people to find us, but we should risk leaving the shores of own comfort and seek out the missing. The mission of the Church must go beyond those already here.”
His voice rising in volume and intensity, Bishop Saporito issued a challenge to his new flock. Referring to his new ceremonial chair, or cathedra, he admitted, “Today I sit in a chair that is not mine to keep, but mine to steward, after the command of Christ for a time. Let us take advantage of it together.
“My new sisters and brothers of Metuchen, let us set out together to be a people of the Eucharist, a people of Mercy and a people on a mission,” he concluded. “The waiting is over, and responding to the call now begins. Let us not be afraid, let us open wide the doors to Christ. Amen?” he asked them. They answered with a loud, fervent, “AMEN!!” and resounding applause.
This article appears in the Metuchen Diocese’s October special supplement, “With Open Hearts,” welcoming Bishop Saporito as their new shepherd. Christina Leslie is a contributing editor and correspondent for The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen in New Jersey.
PHOTOS | HAL BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/diocese-of-metuchen-welcomes-its-sixth-shepherd-catholic-the-people-of-metuchen-were-overjoyed-to-welcome-the-most-reverend-michael-arsenio-saporito-as-their-sixth-bishop-during-an-installation-mas.jpg "Diocese of Metuchen welcomes its sixth shepherd #Catholic – The people of Metuchen were overjoyed to welcome the Most Reverend Michael Arsenio Saporito as their sixth Bishop during an installation Mass held Oct. 22 in Sacred Heart Parish, South Plainfield. Representatives from parishes, schools, religious, lay and civil organizations were joined by clergy and civil dignitaries from throughout the state and beyond to witness the newest shepherd of the central New Jersey diocese.
Steeped in beauty and symbolism, the reception of the Bishop Designate began with his knock on the center door of the church. It was opened from within by Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, diocesan administrator; Father Timothy A. Christy, Cathedral rector, and Father Edmund A. Luciano, pastor of the host parish, on behalf of the clergy, religious and faithful of the Diocese. Father Toborowsky presented Bishop-Designate Saporito with a crucifix resting upon a pillow to reverence, then he sprinkled holy water on those in the narthex. Numerous bishops of New Jersey joined other clergy in the procession, including Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. of Trenton; Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of Paterson; Bishop Joseph A. Williams of Camden, and Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR, of Newark.
His Excellency the Most Reverend Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America, read the papal mandate from Pope Leo XIV naming Bishop Saporito the spiritual head of the Metuchen Diocese. Archbishop Caccia noted that the Mass coincided with the feast day of St. Pope John Paul II, who established the Diocese 45 years ago.
Bishop Saporito, smiling broadly, presented the mandate to the Diocesan College of Consultors, then, holding it aloft, walked throughout the church so that the faithful might see the Pope’s declaration up close. The bishops in the sanctuary extended a sign of peace, then Archbishop Caccia and Cardinal Tobin presented the new Bishop of Metuchen his cathedra and crozier.
Bishop Saporito began his homily recalling the advice by St. Pope John Paul II at his Oct. 22, 1978, inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square: Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ. The bishop’s own motto was inspired by the Gospel of John wherein Jesus had eaten breakfast with them and told them: Feed My Sheep.
“Our mission together in proclaiming the Good News … allows us to focus on three things: the meal, the mercy, and the mission,” said the Bishop. “Jesus used meals as places of encounter with others, he shared food and opened his heart, [and] here the word is proclaimed.” The meal, or Eucharist “fills our hearts and lives, joins us as one family, takes what we have received and offers it to the world… Jesus sought to touch people’s hearts, and so must we.”
Mercy, the Bishop continued, “frees us from shackles of our own sins. During the Jubilee Year of Mercy, my own sense of mercy expanded. We come to Jesus in distress, profound suffering, brokenness, and misery, and he offers freedom and redemption regardless of the baggage. I often picture the gaze of Jesus at Peter; that’s why the song is entitled ‘Amazing Grace’: he lets yesterday go so we can embrace tomorrow with joy. We are not perfect, but all can stand tall by his grace.”
Bishop Saporito cautioned the congregation not to simply fulfill the bare minimums of their faith, but rather to embrace the mission of holiness. “Purpose ignites a passion and a hope within us, for living and meaning and purpose all of our days. We know a better way, let’s show others what we know, let’s lead others to what we know.”
He continued, “It is not enough for us to simply maintain what we have, we must have a heart that aches for those who are missing… Become a Church that does not wait for people to find us, but we should risk leaving the shores of own comfort and seek out the missing. The mission of the Church must go beyond those already here.”
His voice rising in volume and intensity, Bishop Saporito issued a challenge to his new flock. Referring to his new ceremonial chair, or cathedra, he admitted, “Today I sit in a chair that is not mine to keep, but mine to steward, after the command of Christ for a time. Let us take advantage of it together.
“My new sisters and brothers of Metuchen, let us set out together to be a people of the Eucharist, a people of Mercy and a people on a mission,” he concluded. “The waiting is over, and responding to the call now begins. Let us not be afraid, let us open wide the doors to Christ. Amen?” he asked them. They answered with a loud, fervent, “AMEN!!” and resounding applause.
This article appears in the Metuchen Diocese’s October special supplement, “With Open Hearts,” welcoming Bishop Saporito as their new shepherd. Christina Leslie is a contributing editor and correspondent for The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen in New Jersey.
PHOTOS | HAL BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.")
Diocese of Metuchen welcomes its sixth shepherd #Catholic – 
The people of Metuchen were overjoyed to welcome the Most Reverend Michael Arsenio Saporito as their sixth Bishop during an installation Mass held Oct. 22 in Sacred Heart Parish, South Plainfield. Representatives from parishes, schools, religious, lay and civil organizations were joined by clergy and civil dignitaries from throughout the state and beyond to witness the newest shepherd of the central New Jersey diocese.
Steeped in beauty and symbolism, the reception of the Bishop Designate began with his knock on the center door of the church. It was opened from within by Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, diocesan administrator; Father Timothy A. Christy, Cathedral rector, and Father Edmund A. Luciano, pastor of the host parish, on behalf of the clergy, religious and faithful of the Diocese. Father Toborowsky presented Bishop-Designate Saporito with a crucifix resting upon a pillow to reverence, then he sprinkled holy water on those in the narthex. Numerous bishops of New Jersey joined other clergy in the procession, including Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. of Trenton; Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney of Paterson; Bishop Joseph A. Williams of Camden, and Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR, of Newark.
His Excellency the Most Reverend Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America, read the papal mandate from Pope Leo XIV naming Bishop Saporito the spiritual head of the Metuchen Diocese. Archbishop Caccia noted that the Mass coincided with the feast day of St. Pope John Paul II, who established the Diocese 45 years ago.
Bishop Saporito, smiling broadly, presented the mandate to the Diocesan College of Consultors, then, holding it aloft, walked throughout the church so that the faithful might see the Pope’s declaration up close. The bishops in the sanctuary extended a sign of peace, then Archbishop Caccia and Cardinal Tobin presented the new Bishop of Metuchen his cathedra and crozier.
Bishop Saporito began his homily recalling the advice by St. Pope John Paul II at his Oct. 22, 1978, inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square: Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ. The bishop’s own motto was inspired by the Gospel of John wherein Jesus had eaten breakfast with them and told them: Feed My Sheep.
“Our mission together in proclaiming the Good News … allows us to focus on three things: the meal, the mercy, and the mission,” said the Bishop. “Jesus used meals as places of encounter with others, he shared food and opened his heart, [and] here the word is proclaimed.” The meal, or Eucharist “fills our hearts and lives, joins us as one family, takes what we have received and offers it to the world… Jesus sought to touch people’s hearts, and so must we.”
Mercy, the Bishop continued, “frees us from shackles of our own sins. During the Jubilee Year of Mercy, my own sense of mercy expanded. We come to Jesus in distress, profound suffering, brokenness, and misery, and he offers freedom and redemption regardless of the baggage. I often picture the gaze of Jesus at Peter; that’s why the song is entitled ‘Amazing Grace’: he lets yesterday go so we can embrace tomorrow with joy. We are not perfect, but all can stand tall by his grace.”
Bishop Saporito cautioned the congregation not to simply fulfill the bare minimums of their faith, but rather to embrace the mission of holiness. “Purpose ignites a passion and a hope within us, for living and meaning and purpose all of our days. We know a better way, let’s show others what we know, let’s lead others to what we know.”
He continued, “It is not enough for us to simply maintain what we have, we must have a heart that aches for those who are missing… Become a Church that does not wait for people to find us, but we should risk leaving the shores of own comfort and seek out the missing. The mission of the Church must go beyond those already here.”
His voice rising in volume and intensity, Bishop Saporito issued a challenge to his new flock. Referring to his new ceremonial chair, or cathedra, he admitted, “Today I sit in a chair that is not mine to keep, but mine to steward, after the command of Christ for a time. Let us take advantage of it together.
“My new sisters and brothers of Metuchen, let us set out together to be a people of the Eucharist, a people of Mercy and a people on a mission,” he concluded. “The waiting is over, and responding to the call now begins. Let us not be afraid, let us open wide the doors to Christ. Amen?” he asked them. They answered with a loud, fervent, “AMEN!!” and resounding applause.
This article appears in the Metuchen Diocese’s October special supplement, “With Open Hearts,” welcoming Bishop Saporito as their new shepherd. Christina Leslie is a contributing editor and correspondent for The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen in New Jersey.
PHOTOS | HAL BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– The people of Metuchen were overjoyed to welcome the Most Reverend Michael Arsenio Saporito as their sixth Bishop during an installation Mass held Oct. 22 in Sacred Heart Parish, South Plainfield. Representatives from parishes, schools, religious, lay and civil organizations were joined by clergy and civil dignitaries from throughout the state and beyond to witness the newest shepherd of the central New Jersey diocese. Steeped in beauty and symbolism, the reception of the Bishop Designate began with his knock on the center door of the church. It was opened from within by Father Jonathan S. Toborowsky, diocesan administrator; Father Timothy
PARIS — Fiery riots across the country ended suddenly on Saturday when participants refused to protest more than 32 hours in a given week.
Read More
SACRAMENTO, CA — Ahead of the midterms, Governor Gavin Newsom once again touted California as the only state where you can see a homeless man defecating on a beach and on a mountain in the same day.
Read More
NASA test pilot Mike Lippert poses for a photo ahead of his first time flying the agency’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft on Oct. 21, 2026.
Read More
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-lead-image-PACANYONS0426-b104c465ccd04410b31c4ca8601e03e1.jpg)
![Catholics urged to strengthen missionary spirit in Prospect Park #Catholic – It was a day to unite the whole Church in one mission, in response to Pope Leo XIV’s call, and for Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney to bring that missionary spirit to a united home church in the Paterson Diocese, N.J.
A nearly full, bilingual crowd of pilgrims, including m missionary priests, religious, and laity, gathered on Oct. 18 at St. Paul Church in Prospect Park, N.J., to join Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney in marking the 100th World Mission Sunday at the parish’s noon Mass.
That afternoon, a video from Pope Leo XIV was shown for World Mission Sunday, which was guided by the theme, One in Christ, United in Mission.
“You saw him smiling in the video, right? He has that beautiful ‘alma misionera,’ that missionary heart and joy that comes, and you can see it in his smile, and in the example that he lives as he asks the whole Church to continue our missionary journey with joy and zeal, enthusiasm,” Bishop Sweeney said after the video. “This requires hearts united, corazones unidos, in Cristo, hearts united in Christ,” he said.
A papal decree from the Second Vatican Council says that our pilgrim Church, by its nature, is a missionary Church.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
“It is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin,” the decree expresses.
Pope Leo has been recovering from recent surgery to remove that area of his lungs after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and is waiting for his upcoming trip to Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay. Bishop Sweeney linked the missionary call to the experience of immigrants to the United States, past and present.
During the Mass, St. Paul’s faithful donated to the second collection, the World Mission Sunday collection. Through the Pontifical Mission Societies, proceeds from the collection:
• Support more than 1,100 missionary dioceses across the earth, including Pope Leo XIV’s previous diocese of Chiclayo in Peru,
•Fund religious formation and seminaries worldwide, helping about 80,000 seminarians,
•Support the Missionary Childhood Association, which helps the faith formation and practical needs of children worldwide,
• Fund the Pontifical Missionary Union, which works in formation to help empower missionary disciples.
• Support the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. The Vatican says the society “aims to open the heart of every believer to the vastness of the missionary horizon, through spiritual and material support for the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.”
• Fund the Society of St. Peter the Apostle for priestly and religious vocations.
“As we reflect on being one in Christ and united in mission,” Bishop Sweeney told the congregation in his English and Spanish homily, “let us allow ourselves to be guided and inspired by grace, to renew in ourselves the fire of our missionary vocation, cada uno de nosotros, each one of us, and advance together, juntos como hermanos, that together [as] sisters and brothers, we go forward as missionaries in the commitment of evangelization, sharing the good news of the faith in this new missionary age in the history of the Church.”
Bishop Sweeney continued, “Let us pray at this Mass that we can be renewed in our hearts, at home, in our families, in school, at work, as we live our faith, to renew in ourselves the fire of our missionary vocation.”
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/catholics-urged-to-strengthen-missionary-spirit-in-prospect-park-catholic-it-was-a-day-to-unite-the-whole-church-in-one-mission-in-response-to-pope-leo-xivs-call-and-for-bishop-kevin-j-sw.jpg "Catholics urged to strengthen missionary spirit in Prospect Park #Catholic – It was a day to unite the whole Church in one mission, in response to Pope Leo XIV’s call, and for Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney to bring that missionary spirit to a united home church in the Paterson Diocese, N.J.
A nearly full, bilingual crowd of pilgrims, including m missionary priests, religious, and laity, gathered on Oct. 18 at St. Paul Church in Prospect Park, N.J., to join Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney in marking the 100th World Mission Sunday at the parish’s noon Mass.
That afternoon, a video from Pope Leo XIV was shown for World Mission Sunday, which was guided by the theme, One in Christ, United in Mission.
“You saw him smiling in the video, right? He has that beautiful ‘alma misionera,’ that missionary heart and joy that comes, and you can see it in his smile, and in the example that he lives as he asks the whole Church to continue our missionary journey with joy and zeal, enthusiasm,” Bishop Sweeney said after the video. “This requires hearts united, corazones unidos, in Cristo, hearts united in Christ,” he said.
A papal decree from the Second Vatican Council says that our pilgrim Church, by its nature, is a missionary Church.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
“It is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin,” the decree expresses.
Pope Leo has been recovering from recent surgery to remove that area of his lungs after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and is waiting for his upcoming trip to Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay. Bishop Sweeney linked the missionary call to the experience of immigrants to the United States, past and present.
During the Mass, St. Paul’s faithful donated to the second collection, the World Mission Sunday collection. Through the Pontifical Mission Societies, proceeds from the collection:
• Support more than 1,100 missionary dioceses across the earth, including Pope Leo XIV’s previous diocese of Chiclayo in Peru,
•Fund religious formation and seminaries worldwide, helping about 80,000 seminarians,
•Support the Missionary Childhood Association, which helps the faith formation and practical needs of children worldwide,
• Fund the Pontifical Missionary Union, which works in formation to help empower missionary disciples.
• Support the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. The Vatican says the society “aims to open the heart of every believer to the vastness of the missionary horizon, through spiritual and material support for the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.”
• Fund the Society of St. Peter the Apostle for priestly and religious vocations.
“As we reflect on being one in Christ and united in mission,” Bishop Sweeney told the congregation in his English and Spanish homily, “let us allow ourselves to be guided and inspired by grace, to renew in ourselves the fire of our missionary vocation, cada uno de nosotros, each one of us, and advance together, juntos como hermanos, that together [as] sisters and brothers, we go forward as missionaries in the commitment of evangelization, sharing the good news of the faith in this new missionary age in the history of the Church.”
Bishop Sweeney continued, “Let us pray at this Mass that we can be renewed in our hearts, at home, in our families, in school, at work, as we live our faith, to renew in ourselves the fire of our missionary vocation.”
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]")
Catholics urged to strengthen missionary spirit in Prospect Park #Catholic – 
It was a day to unite the whole Church in one mission, in response to Pope Leo XIV’s call, and for Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney to bring that missionary spirit to a united home church in the Paterson Diocese, N.J.
A nearly full, bilingual crowd of pilgrims, including m missionary priests, religious, and laity, gathered on Oct. 18 at St. Paul Church in Prospect Park, N.J., to join Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney in marking the 100th World Mission Sunday at the parish’s noon Mass.
That afternoon, a video from Pope Leo XIV was shown for World Mission Sunday, which was guided by the theme, One in Christ, United in Mission.
“You saw him smiling in the video, right? He has that beautiful ‘alma misionera,’ that missionary heart and joy that comes, and you can see it in his smile, and in the example that he lives as he asks the whole Church to continue our missionary journey with joy and zeal, enthusiasm,” Bishop Sweeney said after the video. “This requires hearts united, corazones unidos, in Cristo, hearts united in Christ,” he said.
A papal decree from the Second Vatican Council says that our pilgrim Church, by its nature, is a missionary Church.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
“It is from the mission of the Son and the mission of the Holy Spirit that she draws her origin,” the decree expresses.
Pope Leo has been recovering from recent surgery to remove that area of his lungs after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and is waiting for his upcoming trip to Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay. Bishop Sweeney linked the missionary call to the experience of immigrants to the United States, past and present.
During the Mass, St. Paul’s faithful donated to the second collection, the World Mission Sunday collection. Through the Pontifical Mission Societies, proceeds from the collection:
• Support more than 1,100 missionary dioceses across the earth, including Pope Leo XIV’s previous diocese of Chiclayo in Peru,
•Fund religious formation and seminaries worldwide, helping about 80,000 seminarians,
•Support the Missionary Childhood Association, which helps the faith formation and practical needs of children worldwide,
• Fund the Pontifical Missionary Union, which works in formation to help empower missionary disciples.
• Support the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. The Vatican says the society “aims to open the heart of every believer to the vastness of the missionary horizon, through spiritual and material support for the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.”
• Fund the Society of St. Peter the Apostle for priestly and religious vocations.
“As we reflect on being one in Christ and united in mission,” Bishop Sweeney told the congregation in his English and Spanish homily, “let us allow ourselves to be guided and inspired by grace, to renew in ourselves the fire of our missionary vocation, cada uno de nosotros, each one of us, and advance together, juntos como hermanos, that together [as] sisters and brothers, we go forward as missionaries in the commitment of evangelization, sharing the good news of the faith in this new missionary age in the history of the Church.”
Bishop Sweeney continued, “Let us pray at this Mass that we can be renewed in our hearts, at home, in our families, in school, at work, as we live our faith, to renew in ourselves the fire of our missionary vocation.”
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
– It was a day to unite the whole Church in one mission, in response to Pope Leo XIV’s call, and for Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney to bring that missionary spirit to a united home church in the Paterson Diocese, N.J. A nearly full, bilingual crowd of pilgrims, including m missionary priests, religious, and laity, gathered on Oct. 18 at St. Paul Church in Prospect Park, N.J., to join Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney in marking the 100th World Mission Sunday at the parish’s noon Mass. That afternoon, a video from Pope Leo XIV was shown for World Mission Sunday, which was
A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians
5:21-33
Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the Church,
he himself the savior of the Body.
As the Church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the Church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the Church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the Church,
because we are members of his Body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.
In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself,
and the wife should respect her husband.
From the Gospel according to Luke
13:18-21
Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like?
To what can I compare it?
It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.
When it was fully grown, it became a large bush
and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.”
Again he said, “To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?
It is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”
There is (…) a new possibility of life and salvation that comes from faith, because it not only helps us to resist evil and to persevere in doing good, but it transforms our lives so as to make of them an instrument of the salvation that even today God wishes to bring about in the world. And, as Jesus says in the Gospel, this is about a lowly strength, for faith does not impose itself by means of power and in extraordinary ways. Indeed, it is enough to have faith the size of a mustard seed in order to do unimaginable things (cf. Lk 17:6), because it carries within it the strength of God’s love that opens the way to salvation.
This is a salvation that is fulfilled when we take responsibility and, with the compassion of the Gospel, care for the suffering of others; it is a salvation that leads the way, silently and apparently without success, in daily words and actions, which become precisely like the tiny seed of which Jesus speaks; it is a salvation that slowly grows when we become “unworthy servants”, namely when we place ourselves at the service of the Gospel and of our brothers and sisters, not seeking our own interests but only bringing God’s love to the world. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 5 October 2025)
Read More
Obituary: Sister of Charity Kathryn (Kathy) Clementz, 81 #Catholic – 
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister of Charity Kathryn (Kathy) Clementz, who died Oct. 16. She was 81.
Sister Clementz lived at the convent of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station and died at Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, N.J., after a brief hospitalization.
Born in Alameda, Calif., Sister Clementz entered the Sisters of Charity in 1968 and was a member for 58 years. She earned a registered nurse diploma from St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Paterson, N.J., and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J.
Sister Clementz started her nursing ministry at the former All Souls Hospital in Morristown, N.J. After formation as a Sister of Charity, she returned to St. Joseph’s, where she worked from the mid- to late-1970s. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she became involved in community health nursing, where she spent most of her nursing career.
Sister Clementz served in various facilities with the Tri-Hospital Home Health Program, historically based at Passaic Beth Israel Hospital in Passaic, N.J., as a home care and hospice nurse. She witnessed the program’s growth. While working there, she was asked to start a satellite home health care program at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, N.J. After about four years, Sister Clementz returned to Beth Israel and worked in the hospice program.
Then, responding to a need of the congregation, Sister Clementz returned to St. Joseph’s Hospital to help start the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Program. She subsequently held various nursing positions, including visiting nurse, nurse reviewer, and intake coordinator for admissions.
Sister Clementz enjoyed working with indigent populations. Her kind heart and helpful spirit extended beyond physical medicine to include supportive services such as housing, nutrition, and clothing for patients and their families. She was held dear by many nursing colleagues and friends.
Sister Clementz is survived by the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth, her niece, her nephew, her grandniece, and sisters-in-law.
A wake for Sister Clementz will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., in Holy Family Chapel in Convent Station. The Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m., with burial in Holy Family Cemetery after the Mass. The Mass will be livestreamed.
Please send contributions in Sister Clementz’s memory to the Sisters of Charity Office of Legacy and Mission Advancement, P.O. Box 476, Convent Station, N.J., 07960-0476.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. at Holy Family Chapel in the Convent Station neighborhood of Morris Township, N.J., for Sister of Charity Kathryn (Kathy) Clementz, who died Oct. 16. She was 81. Sister Clementz lived at the convent of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station and died at Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, N.J., after a brief hospitalization. Born in Alameda, Calif., Sister Clementz entered the Sisters of Charity in 1968 and was a member for 58 years. She earned a registered nurse diploma from St. Joseph’s
![Bishop Joensen says Trump meeting ‘exploited’ for politics, while others clarify backstory – #Catholic – A second bishop is expressing regret over a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House last week and complained that it has been “exploited” for political gain, while others who attended are clarifying the reasons they went.On Oct. 22, the White House posted a video that showed Denver Archbishop James Golka leading a prayer with Trump, surrounded by about a dozen other bishops, who stood beside the president’s spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain and White House Faith Office Director Jennifer Korn.The video was shared by Margo Martin, a White House communications advisor, with no news release to accompany it, nor any description of what was discussed. Golka shared the video on archdiocesan social media and clarified it was not a political endorsement.Bishops who attended the meeting and the prayer have stated they were invited by the White House Faith Office to discuss issues of importance to Catholics: the right to life, the dignity of migrants, religious liberty, and school choice. Several have echoed Golka, emphasizing the meeting and prayer was not a political endorsement, while two have expressed regret for going.On Oct. 25, Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a “public apology” for any confusion the video caused, saying he did not know it would be shared publicly and it was not meant to be an endorsement of the president.A second bishop — Des Moines Bishop William Joensen — also emphasized that it was not an endorsement and conveyed regret over the video being used for political purposes.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had no role in the meeting.‘Exploited’ for politicsOn Oct. 24, two days after the meeting, Joensen issued a statement saying “I would have done well to be more mindful Jesus’ admonition [in the Gospel of Matthew]: ‘Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.’”“I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes,” Joensen said. “I pray I am more prudent and wise going forward, even as I remain resolute in my openness to engaging and praying for political leaders at all levels.”Joensen did not say who he was accusing of exploiting the meeting and a spokesperson for the diocese did not respond to a request for clarification from EWTN News.In his statement, Joensen said he was invited by officials associated with the Faith Office to talk about a variety of issues: immigration, the exploitation of the poor, visas for international clergy, advancement of a culture of life as an alternative to abortion, and support for private education.“There was also a concluding opportunity to pray for and with our president, that God would guide his heart and impel him to lead in a way consistent with the dignity of his office,” he said.Joensen said “there are many things” linked to the administration “at odds with our Catholic faith.” Yet, he said he attended to “have a conversation” and was informed officials “would be interested in hearing our perspective.”When reached by EWTN News for comment, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement, “there has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it.”“He stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation’s children, and protected parents’ rights,” Rogers said, but did not respond to a follow up request for a response to the comments made by Joensen and Grob.Explanations by other bishops In addition to Golka, Grob, and Joensen, a few other bishops have issued statements about the reasons they met and prayed with Trump in the Oval Office and what they talked about with administration officials.The Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota provided a statement to EWTN News on behalf of Bishop Scott Bullock, which said the delegation discussed Catholic priorities: abortion, school choice, and the ethical implications of in vitro fertilization (IVF).According to the diocesan statement, the bishops’ prayer over Trump is not an “endorsement,” but is rather based in Scripture and following the instruction of St. Paul, who said “supplications, prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.”“We went there and we prayed, and we asked the Lord to instill our leaders with wisdom and also to help them remain humble,” Bullock said.A spokesperson for Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico’s Bishop James Wall told EWTN News that “Bishop Wall does want to express that he would accept a meeting with any politician, if invited, to discuss important church matters, regardless of the time of year and the political party, and that he offers prayers for all who hold political office, that they lead with integrity and not division.” The office of Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann, who led the Archdiocese of Kansas City before retirement, also released a statement indicating that during the meeting the prelate voiced concerns about chemical abortion and IVF, while advocating for pro-life reproductive health care. He also discussed religious liberty, immigration, school choice, and protecting children from pornography.According to the statement, Trump expressed gratitude to the bishops “for prayers asking God to bless and guide the president, his staff and the nation.” The archbishop’s office emphasized this was not an endorsement and that the bishops “were assured that no photographs would be made public.”“They came to have a discussion on important policy matters,” the statement indicated. “As Catholic bishops, they pray with everyone, but do not endorse candidates or political parties.”The following bishops also attended the meeting, according to the White House: Bishop Edward Burns of the Diocese of Dallas, Bishop Steven Raica of the Diocese of Birmingham, Bishop Thomas Hennen of the Diocese of Baker, Bishop Michael Barber of the Diocese of Oakland, Bishop Francis Kalabat of the Chaldean Catholic Church, and Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Catholic Church.Bishop of Palm Beach Jesús Rodríguez — who did not attend the meeting — opined on the matter on X, saying any action perceived as a political endorsement by a member of the Church hierarchy “must not be construed as representing the official position of the Catholic Church.”The meeting was also attended by Mario Enzler of the Heritage Foundation, though the Heritage Foundation has stated it did not organize it.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/bishop-joensen-says-trump-meeting-exploited-for-politics-while-others-clarify-backstory-catholic-a-second-bishop-is-expressing-regret-over-a-meeting-with-president-donald-trump.jpg "Bishop Joensen says Trump meeting ‘exploited’ for politics, while others clarify backstory – #Catholic – A second bishop is expressing regret over a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House last week and complained that it has been “exploited” for political gain, while others who attended are clarifying the reasons they went.On Oct. 22, the White House posted a video that showed Denver Archbishop James Golka leading a prayer with Trump, surrounded by about a dozen other bishops, who stood beside the president’s spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain and White House Faith Office Director Jennifer Korn.The video was shared by Margo Martin, a White House communications advisor, with no news release to accompany it, nor any description of what was discussed. Golka shared the video on archdiocesan social media and clarified it was not a political endorsement.Bishops who attended the meeting and the prayer have stated they were invited by the White House Faith Office to discuss issues of importance to Catholics: the right to life, the dignity of migrants, religious liberty, and school choice. Several have echoed Golka, emphasizing the meeting and prayer was not a political endorsement, while two have expressed regret for going.On Oct. 25, Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a “public apology” for any confusion the video caused, saying he did not know it would be shared publicly and it was not meant to be an endorsement of the president.A second bishop — Des Moines Bishop William Joensen — also emphasized that it was not an endorsement and conveyed regret over the video being used for political purposes.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had no role in the meeting.‘Exploited’ for politicsOn Oct. 24, two days after the meeting, Joensen issued a statement saying “I would have done well to be more mindful Jesus’ admonition [in the Gospel of Matthew]: ‘Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.’”“I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes,” Joensen said. “I pray I am more prudent and wise going forward, even as I remain resolute in my openness to engaging and praying for political leaders at all levels.”Joensen did not say who he was accusing of exploiting the meeting and a spokesperson for the diocese did not respond to a request for clarification from EWTN News.In his statement, Joensen said he was invited by officials associated with the Faith Office to talk about a variety of issues: immigration, the exploitation of the poor, visas for international clergy, advancement of a culture of life as an alternative to abortion, and support for private education.“There was also a concluding opportunity to pray for and with our president, that God would guide his heart and impel him to lead in a way consistent with the dignity of his office,” he said.Joensen said “there are many things” linked to the administration “at odds with our Catholic faith.” Yet, he said he attended to “have a conversation” and was informed officials “would be interested in hearing our perspective.”When reached by EWTN News for comment, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement, “there has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it.”“He stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation’s children, and protected parents’ rights,” Rogers said, but did not respond to a follow up request for a response to the comments made by Joensen and Grob.Explanations by other bishops In addition to Golka, Grob, and Joensen, a few other bishops have issued statements about the reasons they met and prayed with Trump in the Oval Office and what they talked about with administration officials.The Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota provided a statement to EWTN News on behalf of Bishop Scott Bullock, which said the delegation discussed Catholic priorities: abortion, school choice, and the ethical implications of in vitro fertilization (IVF).According to the diocesan statement, the bishops’ prayer over Trump is not an “endorsement,” but is rather based in Scripture and following the instruction of St. Paul, who said “supplications, prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.”“We went there and we prayed, and we asked the Lord to instill our leaders with wisdom and also to help them remain humble,” Bullock said.A spokesperson for Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico’s Bishop James Wall told EWTN News that “Bishop Wall does want to express that he would accept a meeting with any politician, if invited, to discuss important church matters, regardless of the time of year and the political party, and that he offers prayers for all who hold political office, that they lead with integrity and not division.” The office of Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann, who led the Archdiocese of Kansas City before retirement, also released a statement indicating that during the meeting the prelate voiced concerns about chemical abortion and IVF, while advocating for pro-life reproductive health care. He also discussed religious liberty, immigration, school choice, and protecting children from pornography.According to the statement, Trump expressed gratitude to the bishops “for prayers asking God to bless and guide the president, his staff and the nation.” The archbishop’s office emphasized this was not an endorsement and that the bishops “were assured that no photographs would be made public.”“They came to have a discussion on important policy matters,” the statement indicated. “As Catholic bishops, they pray with everyone, but do not endorse candidates or political parties.”The following bishops also attended the meeting, according to the White House: Bishop Edward Burns of the Diocese of Dallas, Bishop Steven Raica of the Diocese of Birmingham, Bishop Thomas Hennen of the Diocese of Baker, Bishop Michael Barber of the Diocese of Oakland, Bishop Francis Kalabat of the Chaldean Catholic Church, and Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Catholic Church.Bishop of Palm Beach Jesús Rodríguez — who did not attend the meeting — opined on the matter on X, saying any action perceived as a political endorsement by a member of the Church hierarchy “must not be construed as representing the official position of the Catholic Church.”The meeting was also attended by Mario Enzler of the Heritage Foundation, though the Heritage Foundation has stated it did not organize it.")
Bishops who attended the meeting and the prayer have stated they were invited by the White House Faith Office to discuss issues of importance to Catholics.
María Corina Machado made her first public return to Venezuelan soil at the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Shepherdess, in the city of Barquisimeto.
King Charles III was given the title royal confrater and Pope Leo XIV was given the title papal confrater.
| Picture of the day |
|---|
|
|
Purple beautyberry, Daisen Park, Sakai, Osaka. Focus stack of 4 photos.
|
Archbishop Hicks said the settlement puts the archdiocese “on the verge of being able to … bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all victim-survivors.”
Award winning journalist Sharyl Attkisson is host of “Full Measure,” which focuses on investigative and accountability reporting.
The post Stunning Sharyl Attkisson Report: Breitbart, Gateway Pundit, FOX, NY Post Being Shut Out on Yahoo, MSN and other Major Online News Platforms appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More
This week’s Top Ten showcases the fake polls… and the way Democrats will try to rig the midterms – with millions of illegal aliens voting by mail-in ballot.
The post Wayne Root’s Top Ten Showcases the Fake Polls… and the Way Democrats Will Try to Rig the Midterms – with Millions of Illegal Aliens Voting by Mail-In Ballot (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More
The Holy See Press Office confirmed that the Nov. 6-17, 2026 apostolic journey will proceed according to the previously published program.
Latest Mass Murder in Oregon: Toxicology Secrecy, a National Fight Republished with permission from AbleChild.
The post Latest Mass Murder in Oregon: Toxicology Secrecy, a National Fight appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreThe phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment ensures the entire side of the Moon that faces us gleams under sunlight. Thanks to the Moon’s orbit around Earth, the angle of sunlight hitting the lunar surface and being reflected back toContinue reading “2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases”
The post 2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read MoreA reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians
4:32–5:8
Brothers and sisters:
Be kind to one another, compassionate,
forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,
as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us
as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.
Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you,
as is fitting among holy ones,
no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place,
but instead, thanksgiving.
Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person,
that is, an idolater,
has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
Let no one deceive you with empty arguments,
for because of these things
the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.
So do not be associated with them.
For you were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light.
From the Gospel according to Luke
13:10-17
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
“Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
“There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.”
The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?”
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.
Like the bent-over woman of the Gospel, the risk is always that of remaining prisoners of our self-centered perspective. Yet, in reality, many of the things that truly matter in life – we might say, the most fundamental things – do not come from ourselves; we receive them from others. They come to us through our teachers, encounters and life experiences. This is an experience of grace, for it heals us from self-absorption. This is a genuine healing that, just as for the woman in the Gospel, allows us once again to stand upright before life and its reality, and to look at them with a wider perspective. The healed woman receives hope, for she can finally lift her eyes and see something different, can see in a new way. This especially happens when we encounter Christ in our lives, when we open ourselves up to a life-changing truth capable of making us step out of ourselves and freeing us from our self-absorption. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 27 October 2025)
Read More![Milwaukee Archbishop Grob issues ‘public apology’ over White House meeting – #Catholic – Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee on Sunday issued what he called a “public apology” over his part in the Oct. 22 meeting of bishops at the White House.Grob said that over the last few days, he had “received many questions and comments about the October 22 meeting I and 11 other bishops attended at the White House, which was soon thereafter publicized by the administration without the consent of the participants.”He went on to say that his “intention was never to cause confusion, anger, or disappointment among the people entrusted to my care” and that he issued the Oct. 25 statement to provide context for the meeting.The meeting “was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party,” Grob said.Last month, Grob explained, he was invited along with other bishops to a meeting to discuss “matters of importance to the Church and our people, including immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, and human dignity.” The meeting was the second of two such gatherings organized by the Heritage Foundation, he said.“We were told the meeting was to be a private discussion, that several Catholic members of the cabinet might make an appearance, and that there could be an opportunity to pray privately with the president,” he continued.After about an hour and a half of meeting on Oct. 22 with White House staff and policy advisers, the archbishop said, the group entered the Oval Office, where they were greeted by President Donald Trump. After being presented with commemorative tokens, Grob said, the group was directed to stand behind the president to pray, and photos were taken afterward.“Unbeknownst to the group of bishops a video was also taken. But permission for the public distribution or posting of either the video or photos was not given by the bishops,” Grob said in his statement. Not long after, photos and the video of the prayer were posted online.“I soon began receiving messages of serious concern over the possibility that I had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before a national election,” Grob said. “I also heard from some who felt wounded because of the ways they or their family had been harmed by the president’s policies.”“I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way,” he continued. “We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few. We should never have been put in that position by the White House.”Grob concluded his statement by saying that he did not go to the meeting “without reservations” and that he wished he “had heeded them.” “I apologize for any damage my actions have done,” he said.EWTN News reached out to the White House for comment regarding Grob’s assertion that the photos and video were shared without the bishops’ consent and received the following response from White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers: “There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it: he stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation’s children, and protected parents’ rights.”Grob’s statement comes after another participant at the Oct. 22 meeting, Denver Archbishop James Golka, who led the prayer in the Oval Office, defended his participation in the event. Golka said he “knew people might be upset” at the event and that it could be "use[d] for political purposes.”“But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders,” he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic on Oct. 23.Golka, like Grob, also denied that the meeting was in any way an endorsement of the president or his policies. “The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party,” Golka said. “I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine.”This story was updated at 5:22 p.m. ET on Oct. 25, 2026, with the White House statement.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/milwaukee-archbishop-grob-issues-public-apology-over-white-house-meeting-catholic-archbishop-jeffrey-grob-of-milwaukee-on-sunday-issued-what-he-called-a-public-apology.jpg "Milwaukee Archbishop Grob issues ‘public apology’ over White House meeting – #Catholic – Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee on Sunday issued what he called a “public apology” over his part in the Oct. 22 meeting of bishops at the White House.Grob said that over the last few days, he had “received many questions and comments about the October 22 meeting I and 11 other bishops attended at the White House, which was soon thereafter publicized by the administration without the consent of the participants.”He went on to say that his “intention was never to cause confusion, anger, or disappointment among the people entrusted to my care” and that he issued the Oct. 25 statement to provide context for the meeting.The meeting “was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party,” Grob said.Last month, Grob explained, he was invited along with other bishops to a meeting to discuss “matters of importance to the Church and our people, including immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, and human dignity.” The meeting was the second of two such gatherings organized by the Heritage Foundation, he said.“We were told the meeting was to be a private discussion, that several Catholic members of the cabinet might make an appearance, and that there could be an opportunity to pray privately with the president,” he continued.After about an hour and a half of meeting on Oct. 22 with White House staff and policy advisers, the archbishop said, the group entered the Oval Office, where they were greeted by President Donald Trump. After being presented with commemorative tokens, Grob said, the group was directed to stand behind the president to pray, and photos were taken afterward.“Unbeknownst to the group of bishops a video was also taken. But permission for the public distribution or posting of either the video or photos was not given by the bishops,” Grob said in his statement. Not long after, photos and the video of the prayer were posted online.“I soon began receiving messages of serious concern over the possibility that I had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before a national election,” Grob said. “I also heard from some who felt wounded because of the ways they or their family had been harmed by the president’s policies.”“I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way,” he continued. “We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few. We should never have been put in that position by the White House.”Grob concluded his statement by saying that he did not go to the meeting “without reservations” and that he wished he “had heeded them.” “I apologize for any damage my actions have done,” he said.EWTN News reached out to the White House for comment regarding Grob’s assertion that the photos and video were shared without the bishops’ consent and received the following response from White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers: “There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it: he stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation’s children, and protected parents’ rights.”Grob’s statement comes after another participant at the Oct. 22 meeting, Denver Archbishop James Golka, who led the prayer in the Oval Office, defended his participation in the event. Golka said he “knew people might be upset” at the event and that it could be \"use[d] for political purposes.”“But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders,” he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic on Oct. 23.Golka, like Grob, also denied that the meeting was in any way an endorsement of the president or his policies. “The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party,” Golka said. “I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine.”This story was updated at 5:22 p.m. ET on Oct. 25, 2026, with the White House statement.")
Archbishop Jeffrey Grob said his “intention was never to cause confusion, anger, or disappointment among the people entrusted to my care” and that the meeting was publicized without consent.
| Picture of the day |
|---|
|
|
Promenade, Norderney, Lower Saxony, Germany
|
![St. Mary’s man found faith through pre-game football Masses #Catholic – Billy Harris, longtime parishioner at St. Mary’s Parish in Denville, N.J., “is a person who lives his faith, and you can see it in his actions, in his words, and in his deeds. He lives it very faithfully every single day,” according to Father Martin Glynn, St. Mary’s pastor.
That faith was in motion back in 1980, when Harris and his Whippany Park High School Wildcat teammates faced reigning state champion Madison High School in the 1980 Group II Section II state football final.
Early in the second quarter, the Wildcats led 3-0 and had the ball at their own 40-yard line when quarterback Mark Grasso heaved a 50-yard pass, which Harris took away from the opposing defender at the 10-yard line and scooted for the touchdown and an eventual 10-0 lead.
It was the biggest catch of the season for the 1980 Wildcats football team, a team that rarely passed the ball. The Wildcats would go on to win, 10 – 9, for Whippany Park High School’s lone state football crown, and they finished the season with 10 wins and one loss.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Harris said, “We [he and his former teammates] have gotten together and brought back the old game films, and I just remember smiling the entire time. It is almost indescribable how the bond has stayed with us.”
Harris and his teammates also had deep faith and relied on God. Before every game, except one [coincidentally, that game against Chatham was their only loss], the team would travel in the morning to the chapel at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood in Hanover Township, N.J. There, they attended a Mass celebrated by the late Father Regis Wallace. The club would also recite a pre-game prayer in the locker room before heading out to the gridiron.
In 1980, Harris was a parishioner of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel. Later, he was part of their Operation Appalachia Ministry group, where he spent a week each year in Preston County, W.V. doing volunteer construction work. Harris eventually moved to Denville, where he became a member of St. Mary’s Parish and joined its Outreach Ministry. The ministry combined with that of Notre Dame’s to travel to West Virginia with more than 50 volunteers. Harris has been part of that first-week-of-August volunteer effort for 20 years.
Harris, who is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, and his brother, Joseph, an ordained permanent deacon at Notre Dame, would bring their children with them on Operation Appalachia Ministry mission trips. Joseph’s daughter, Julia, met and later married Dan Rizos, a member of Saint Mary’s volunteer group, and now runs Operation Appalachia for Notre Dame.
In 1980, Father Wallace’s pregame homily spoke about teamwork and friendship, which moved Harris and his teammates.
“That team was comprised of friends, and we grew together for a common goal. And playing together built relationships that are still very dear to us today,” Harris said.
With his wife, Dawn, Harris has a daughter, Kelsey, and his son, Mark, who are also involved at St. Mary’s. In addition to Operation Appalachia, Harris helps with the annual parish picnic and live streaming of the Sunday Masses.
“Billy is very much involved with our outreach programs,” Father Glynn said. “He has a very open heart, especially for those who are vulnerable. And he really comes to the plate when you need him. He’s also involved in the celebration for the 100th anniversary of the founding of St. Mary’s,” the pastor said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/st-marys-man-found-faith-through-pre-game-football-masses-catholic-billy-harris-longtime-parishioner-at-st-marys-parish-in-denville-n-j-is-a-person-who-lives-his-fa.jpg "St. Mary’s man found faith through pre-game football Masses #Catholic – Billy Harris, longtime parishioner at St. Mary’s Parish in Denville, N.J., “is a person who lives his faith, and you can see it in his actions, in his words, and in his deeds. He lives it very faithfully every single day,” according to Father Martin Glynn, St. Mary’s pastor.
That faith was in motion back in 1980, when Harris and his Whippany Park High School Wildcat teammates faced reigning state champion Madison High School in the 1980 Group II Section II state football final.
Early in the second quarter, the Wildcats led 3-0 and had the ball at their own 40-yard line when quarterback Mark Grasso heaved a 50-yard pass, which Harris took away from the opposing defender at the 10-yard line and scooted for the touchdown and an eventual 10-0 lead.
It was the biggest catch of the season for the 1980 Wildcats football team, a team that rarely passed the ball. The Wildcats would go on to win, 10 – 9, for Whippany Park High School’s lone state football crown, and they finished the season with 10 wins and one loss.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Harris said, “We [he and his former teammates] have gotten together and brought back the old game films, and I just remember smiling the entire time. It is almost indescribable how the bond has stayed with us.”
Harris and his teammates also had deep faith and relied on God. Before every game, except one [coincidentally, that game against Chatham was their only loss], the team would travel in the morning to the chapel at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood in Hanover Township, N.J. There, they attended a Mass celebrated by the late Father Regis Wallace. The club would also recite a pre-game prayer in the locker room before heading out to the gridiron.
In 1980, Harris was a parishioner of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel. Later, he was part of their Operation Appalachia Ministry group, where he spent a week each year in Preston County, W.V. doing volunteer construction work. Harris eventually moved to Denville, where he became a member of St. Mary’s Parish and joined its Outreach Ministry. The ministry combined with that of Notre Dame’s to travel to West Virginia with more than 50 volunteers. Harris has been part of that first-week-of-August volunteer effort for 20 years.
Harris, who is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, and his brother, Joseph, an ordained permanent deacon at Notre Dame, would bring their children with them on Operation Appalachia Ministry mission trips. Joseph’s daughter, Julia, met and later married Dan Rizos, a member of Saint Mary’s volunteer group, and now runs Operation Appalachia for Notre Dame.
In 1980, Father Wallace’s pregame homily spoke about teamwork and friendship, which moved Harris and his teammates.
“That team was comprised of friends, and we grew together for a common goal. And playing together built relationships that are still very dear to us today,” Harris said.
With his wife, Dawn, Harris has a daughter, Kelsey, and his son, Mark, who are also involved at St. Mary’s. In addition to Operation Appalachia, Harris helps with the annual parish picnic and live streaming of the Sunday Masses.
“Billy is very much involved with our outreach programs,” Father Glynn said. “He has a very open heart, especially for those who are vulnerable. And he really comes to the plate when you need him. He’s also involved in the celebration for the 100th anniversary of the founding of St. Mary’s,” the pastor said.")
St. Mary’s man found faith through pre-game football Masses #Catholic – 
Billy Harris, longtime parishioner at St. Mary’s Parish in Denville, N.J., “is a person who lives his faith, and you can see it in his actions, in his words, and in his deeds. He lives it very faithfully every single day,” according to Father Martin Glynn, St. Mary’s pastor.
That faith was in motion back in 1980, when Harris and his Whippany Park High School Wildcat teammates faced reigning state champion Madison High School in the 1980 Group II Section II state football final.
Early in the second quarter, the Wildcats led 3-0 and had the ball at their own 40-yard line when quarterback Mark Grasso heaved a 50-yard pass, which Harris took away from the opposing defender at the 10-yard line and scooted for the touchdown and an eventual 10-0 lead.
It was the biggest catch of the season for the 1980 Wildcats football team, a team that rarely passed the ball. The Wildcats would go on to win, 10 – 9, for Whippany Park High School’s lone state football crown, and they finished the season with 10 wins and one loss.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Harris said, “We [he and his former teammates] have gotten together and brought back the old game films, and I just remember smiling the entire time. It is almost indescribable how the bond has stayed with us.”
Harris and his teammates also had deep faith and relied on God. Before every game, except one [coincidentally, that game against Chatham was their only loss], the team would travel in the morning to the chapel at Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in the Cedar Knolls neighborhood in Hanover Township, N.J. There, they attended a Mass celebrated by the late Father Regis Wallace. The club would also recite a pre-game prayer in the locker room before heading out to the gridiron.
In 1980, Harris was a parishioner of Notre Dame of Mount Carmel. Later, he was part of their Operation Appalachia Ministry group, where he spent a week each year in Preston County, W.V. doing volunteer construction work. Harris eventually moved to Denville, where he became a member of St. Mary’s Parish and joined its Outreach Ministry. The ministry combined with that of Notre Dame’s to travel to West Virginia with more than 50 volunteers. Harris has been part of that first-week-of-August volunteer effort for 20 years.
Harris, who is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, and his brother, Joseph, an ordained permanent deacon at Notre Dame, would bring their children with them on Operation Appalachia Ministry mission trips. Joseph’s daughter, Julia, met and later married Dan Rizos, a member of Saint Mary’s volunteer group, and now runs Operation Appalachia for Notre Dame.
In 1980, Father Wallace’s pregame homily spoke about teamwork and friendship, which moved Harris and his teammates.
“That team was comprised of friends, and we grew together for a common goal. And playing together built relationships that are still very dear to us today,” Harris said.
With his wife, Dawn, Harris has a daughter, Kelsey, and his son, Mark, who are also involved at St. Mary’s. In addition to Operation Appalachia, Harris helps with the annual parish picnic and live streaming of the Sunday Masses.
“Billy is very much involved with our outreach programs,” Father Glynn said. “He has a very open heart, especially for those who are vulnerable. And he really comes to the plate when you need him. He’s also involved in the celebration for the 100th anniversary of the founding of St. Mary’s,” the pastor said.
– Billy Harris, longtime parishioner at St. Mary’s Parish in Denville, N.J., “is a person who lives his faith, and you can see it in his actions, in his words, and in his deeds. He lives it very faithfully every single day,” according to Father Martin Glynn, St. Mary’s pastor. That faith was in motion back in 1980, when Harris and his Whippany Park High School Wildcat teammates faced reigning state champion Madison High School in the 1980 Group II Section II state football final. Early in the second quarter, the Wildcats led 3-0 and had the ball at their own
In 1669, French-Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini arrived at the still-under-construction Paris Observatory as its new director. He quickly talked Louis XIV’s minister of finance into buying a 34-foot Campani refractor for the observatory, and on Oct. 25, 1671, used that refractor to discover Saturn’s moon Iapetus. The second saturnian moon discovered, after Christaan Huygens’ 1655Continue reading “Oct. 25, 1671: Iapetus is discovered”
The post Oct. 25, 1671: Iapetus is discovered appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More
During his Sunday Angelus, the pope reflected on the greatest commandment and called for peace in Yemen and Jordan.
Alliance Defending Freedom has urged Egyptian authorities to free six young Christians after they posted a TikTok video that authorities considered offensive to Islam.
Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Emmanuel Bishay of Egypt’s Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Luxor said that relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches are good.
A conference brought together dozens of diocesan directors and leaders of Hispanic and Latino ministry from various parts of the United States.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-header-garnet-montana-MTGHOSTTOWN1025-b8ef349f7829477fad7cb7243abb5216.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-lead-image-PISMOBEACHCA0426-2f37c150c90f47419c7773568e843c54.jpg)
A reading from the Book of Exodus
22:20-26
Thus says the LORD:
"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,
for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.
You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.
If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me,
I will surely hear their cry.
My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword;
then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.
"If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people,
you shall not act like an extortioner toward him
by demanding interest from him.
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,
you shall return it to him before sunset;
for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body.
What else has he to sleep in?
If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate."
A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians
1:5c-10
Brothers and sisters:
You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake.
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord,
receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit,
so that you became a model for all the believers
in Macedonia and in Achaia.
For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth
not only in Macedonia and in Achaia,
but in every place your faith in God has gone forth,
so that we have no need to say anything.
For they themselves openly declare about us
what sort of reception we had among you,
and how you turned to God from idols
to serve the living and true God
and to await his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead,
Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together, and one of them,
a scholar of the law tested him by asking,
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"
He said to him,
"You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
The second is like it:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."
This Sunday’s Gospel (Mk 12:28-34) offers us Jesus’ teaching on the greatest commandment, the commandment of love, which is two-fold: love of God and love of neighbour. (…) Before being a command — love is not a command — it is a gift, a reality that God allows us to know and experience, so that, like a seed, it can also germinate within us and develop throughout our life.
If the love of God has planted deep roots in a person, then he is able to love even those who do not deserve it, as God does us. Fathers and mothers do not love their children only when they deserve love; they always love them, though of course, they make them understand when they are wrong. We learn from God to seek only what is good and never what is evil. We learn to look at each other not only with our eyes, but with the eyes of God, which is the gaze of Jesus Christ. A gaze that begins in the heart and does not stop at the surface, that goes beyond appearances and manages to capture the deepest aspirations of the other: waiting to be heard, for caring attention, in a word: love. But the opposite is also true: that by opening myself to another, just as he or she is, by reaching out, by making myself available, I am also opening myself to know God, to feel that he is there and is good. Love of God and love of neighbour are inseparable and are mutually related. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 4 November 2012)
Read More
The attack took place during a funeral Friday, and security authorities are continuing their investigation and search for the perpetrators.
![Denver archbishop responds to criticism over Trump prayer meeting: ‘I was being a Catholic priest’ – #Catholic – Denver Archbishop James Golka this week defended his participation in a prayer event with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Oval Office, citing the gathering as an opportunity to publicly pray and evangelize the faith. Golka, who was installed in the Denver Archdiocese in March after serving as the bishop of Colorado Springs for several years, led a prayer during an Oct. 22 meeting at the Oval Office between Trump and several U.S. bishops. During the gathering the archbishop in part prayed for the Holy Spirit to “surround our country, to protect us against any influence of evil.”The prayer event generated some backlash for what critics have argued was a politically motivated photo opportunity on the part of the White House. Golka this week said he “knew people might be upset” at the event and that it could be "use[d] for political purposes.” “But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders,” he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic. Golka said during the meeting he articulated Church teachings to the president. “As Catholics, we’re called to share our faith in season and out of season and to witness to the dignity of every human person,” he told the Denver Catholic. He denied that the event, including video of the prayer shared on social media, constituted an “endorsement” of the president. “That was never my intention,” he said. “The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party,” he said. “I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine.”The archbishop said he has received criticism from friends about the decision and that he has responded by telling them: “I was being a Catholic priest.” He described himself as “heartbroken” at the anger over the event. He urged Christians to “look beyond the headlines, which are often crafted to provoke, towards the full truth.” “I will keep praying for our president, our governor and everyone who serves in public office, regardless of their party or position on divisive topics,” he said. The Archdiocese of Denver said after the event that praying for public leaders “is a long Catholic practice” that dates back to Apostolic Age.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/denver-archbishop-responds-to-criticism-over-trump-prayer-meeting-i-was-being-a-catholic-priest-catholic-denver-archbishop-james-golka-this-week-defended-his-participation-in-a.jpg "Denver archbishop responds to criticism over Trump prayer meeting: ‘I was being a Catholic priest’ – #Catholic – Denver Archbishop James Golka this week defended his participation in a prayer event with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Oval Office, citing the gathering as an opportunity to publicly pray and evangelize the faith. Golka, who was installed in the Denver Archdiocese in March after serving as the bishop of Colorado Springs for several years, led a prayer during an Oct. 22 meeting at the Oval Office between Trump and several U.S. bishops. During the gathering the archbishop in part prayed for the Holy Spirit to “surround our country, to protect us against any influence of evil.”The prayer event generated some backlash for what critics have argued was a politically motivated photo opportunity on the part of the White House. Golka this week said he “knew people might be upset” at the event and that it could be \"use[d] for political purposes.” “But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders,” he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic. Golka said during the meeting he articulated Church teachings to the president. “As Catholics, we’re called to share our faith in season and out of season and to witness to the dignity of every human person,” he told the Denver Catholic. He denied that the event, including video of the prayer shared on social media, constituted an “endorsement” of the president. “That was never my intention,” he said. “The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party,” he said. “I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine.”The archbishop said he has received criticism from friends about the decision and that he has responded by telling them: “I was being a Catholic priest.” He described himself as “heartbroken” at the anger over the event. He urged Christians to “look beyond the headlines, which are often crafted to provoke, towards the full truth.” “I will keep praying for our president, our governor and everyone who serves in public office, regardless of their party or position on divisive topics,” he said. The Archdiocese of Denver said after the event that praying for public leaders “is a long Catholic practice” that dates back to Apostolic Age.")
Archbishop James Golka led a prayer during an Oct. 22 meeting at the Oval Office between Trump and over half a dozen of his fellow U.S. bishops.
![Students for Life, Turning Point debate abortion in ‘Feminists Lied’ campus tour – #Catholic – Students for Life of America and Turning Point USA teamed up this month to launch a new tour on college campuses, in which students are invited to debate the ethics of abortion with a pro-life speaker.The tour, titled “Feminists Lied: Prove Me Wrong,” features Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins. It began on Oct. 20 to challenge the view that feminism and a legal right to abortion have helped women rather than hurt them.“For decades, young women were told that career success, a degree, and independence were the keys to happiness, and that abortion was the price of equality,” Hawkins, who is Catholic, said in a statement.“Many Millennial women now ask whether those promises delivered, and Gen Z deserves to hear that conversation before they make the same choices,” she said. “Motherhood is not a weakness to be overcome. If equality requires a woman to end her pregnancy to succeed, then we haven’t liberated her at all. We’ve just handed her a different burden and called it freedom.”The tour includes visits to eight campuses: the University of North Texas, Grand Valley State University, the University of Cincinnati, Boise State University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Arizona, Southern Oregon University, and the University of Washington.Following the first event at the University of North Texas, Hawkins posted on X that her pro-life tour is intended to be in line with “Charlie’s legacy,” referencing Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025 during a college speaking and debating tour.Kirk, who was a conservative activist, frequently challenged abortion and encouraged young people to start families. He was an evangelical Christian who often blended political activism with evangelism.CatholicVote reaches Hispanics on Virginia abortion initiativeThe conservative organization CatholicVote has teamed up with Eduardo Verástegui — a Mexican actor and star in Sound of Freedom — to reach Hispanic voters in Virginia and encourage them to vote against a referendum that would enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution.The advertisement, in Spanish, informs voters of the “very important” referendum, and notes that the state’s bishops have spoken with clarity against the proposal. The bishops of both dioceses in the state have said Catholics have a “sacred duty” to vote no.Verástegui also highlighted the bishops’ opposition to a separate ballot initiative to enshrine same-sex marriage in the state constitution.English archbishop voices concern over euthanasia law in Isle of ManArchbishop John Sherrington expressed sadness that an "assisted dying” bill will become law on the Isle of Man, which is a self-governing Crown Dependency of the British Crown.“The Catholic Church continues to teach that life is a most precious gift of God and that we are stewards entrusted with this gift to protect it, treat illness, and care for the good of life,” said Sherrington, whose jurisdiction includes the Isle of Man.“As such, a person should never intentionally end his or her life,” he said. “Catholic teaching, shared by many Christians and others of goodwill, proposes a different approach from that which has been passed into law by the Tynwald.”The law will allow people who are terminally ill to receive physician-assisted suicide.Arizona man wins lawsuit against abortion clinicAn Arizona man named Mario Villegas won a lawsuit against the Phoenix-based abortion clinic Camelback Family Planning after a court found that the clinic failed to follow the state’s informed consent law when his then-wife was prescribed chemical abortion drugs.Villegas was awarded $5,000 in statutory damages and $62,500 in compensatory damages for his psychological, emotional, and physical injuries. He had argued in court that the clinic did not adequately inform his wife, from whom he is now divorced, about the development of the unborn child, risks associated with abortion, and possible alternatives.In awarding Villegas damages, the court outlined that he was unable to properly function, eat, or sleep after his wife decided she wanted an abortion. The court highlighted his statements about feeling guilty after the abortion, saying "my baby was no longer living, and [I was wondering], ‘was there anything else I could have [done] to change the outcome?’”The court noted that he had spoken about his grief, with him expressing his “feeling of loss” and saying, “I lost an opportunity to have somebody in my life.”Villegas carries the ultrasound photo of his unborn child everywhere he goes, according to the court.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/students-for-life-turning-point-debate-abortion-in-feminists-lied-campus-tour-catholic-students-for-life-of-america-and-turning-point-usa-teamed-up-this-month-to-launch-a-new-t-scaled.jpg "Students for Life, Turning Point debate abortion in ‘Feminists Lied’ campus tour – #Catholic – Students for Life of America and Turning Point USA teamed up this month to launch a new tour on college campuses, in which students are invited to debate the ethics of abortion with a pro-life speaker.The tour, titled “Feminists Lied: Prove Me Wrong,” features Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins. It began on Oct. 20 to challenge the view that feminism and a legal right to abortion have helped women rather than hurt them.“For decades, young women were told that career success, a degree, and independence were the keys to happiness, and that abortion was the price of equality,” Hawkins, who is Catholic, said in a statement.“Many Millennial women now ask whether those promises delivered, and Gen Z deserves to hear that conversation before they make the same choices,” she said. “Motherhood is not a weakness to be overcome. If equality requires a woman to end her pregnancy to succeed, then we haven’t liberated her at all. We’ve just handed her a different burden and called it freedom.”The tour includes visits to eight campuses: the University of North Texas, Grand Valley State University, the University of Cincinnati, Boise State University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Arizona, Southern Oregon University, and the University of Washington.Following the first event at the University of North Texas, Hawkins posted on X that her pro-life tour is intended to be in line with “Charlie’s legacy,” referencing Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025 during a college speaking and debating tour.Kirk, who was a conservative activist, frequently challenged abortion and encouraged young people to start families. He was an evangelical Christian who often blended political activism with evangelism.CatholicVote reaches Hispanics on Virginia abortion initiativeThe conservative organization CatholicVote has teamed up with Eduardo Verástegui — a Mexican actor and star in Sound of Freedom — to reach Hispanic voters in Virginia and encourage them to vote against a referendum that would enshrine a right to abortion in the state constitution.The advertisement, in Spanish, informs voters of the “very important” referendum, and notes that the state’s bishops have spoken with clarity against the proposal. The bishops of both dioceses in the state have said Catholics have a “sacred duty” to vote no.Verástegui also highlighted the bishops’ opposition to a separate ballot initiative to enshrine same-sex marriage in the state constitution.English archbishop voices concern over euthanasia law in Isle of ManArchbishop John Sherrington expressed sadness that an \"assisted dying” bill will become law on the Isle of Man, which is a self-governing Crown Dependency of the British Crown.“The Catholic Church continues to teach that life is a most precious gift of God and that we are stewards entrusted with this gift to protect it, treat illness, and care for the good of life,” said Sherrington, whose jurisdiction includes the Isle of Man.“As such, a person should never intentionally end his or her life,” he said. “Catholic teaching, shared by many Christians and others of goodwill, proposes a different approach from that which has been passed into law by the Tynwald.”The law will allow people who are terminally ill to receive physician-assisted suicide.Arizona man wins lawsuit against abortion clinicAn Arizona man named Mario Villegas won a lawsuit against the Phoenix-based abortion clinic Camelback Family Planning after a court found that the clinic failed to follow the state’s informed consent law when his then-wife was prescribed chemical abortion drugs.Villegas was awarded $5,000 in statutory damages and $62,500 in compensatory damages for his psychological, emotional, and physical injuries. He had argued in court that the clinic did not adequately inform his wife, from whom he is now divorced, about the development of the unborn child, risks associated with abortion, and possible alternatives.In awarding Villegas damages, the court outlined that he was unable to properly function, eat, or sleep after his wife decided she wanted an abortion. The court highlighted his statements about feeling guilty after the abortion, saying \"my baby was no longer living, and [I was wondering], ‘was there anything else I could have [done] to change the outcome?’”The court noted that he had spoken about his grief, with him expressing his “feeling of loss” and saying, “I lost an opportunity to have somebody in my life.”Villegas carries the ultrasound photo of his unborn child everywhere he goes, according to the court.")
![Paterson Parish showcases powerful devotion during St. Therese Mass #Catholic – On Oct. 4, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney helped St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., celebrate the feast day of St. Thérèse the Little Flower, traditionally observed on Oct. 1, with a Spanish Mass in the church. The popular saint is also known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
Father Yasid Salas, St. Therese’s pastor, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. The Mass included many faithful dressed as St. Thérèse and a dramatic devotion to her.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/paterson-parish-showcases-powerful-devotion-during-st-therese-mass-catholic-on-oct-4-bishop-kevin-j-sweeney-helped-st-therese-parish-in-paterson-n-j-celebrate-the-feast-day-of-st-therese-t.jpg "Paterson Parish showcases powerful devotion during St. Therese Mass #Catholic – On Oct. 4, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney helped St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., celebrate the feast day of St. Thérèse the Little Flower, traditionally observed on Oct. 1, with a Spanish Mass in the church. The popular saint is also known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
Father Yasid Salas, St. Therese’s pastor, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. The Mass included many faithful dressed as St. Thérèse and a dramatic devotion to her.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.")
Paterson Parish showcases powerful devotion during St. Therese Mass #Catholic – 
On Oct. 4, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney helped St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., celebrate the feast day of St. Thérèse the Little Flower, traditionally observed on Oct. 1, with a Spanish Mass in the church. The popular saint is also known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
Father Yasid Salas, St. Therese’s pastor, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. The Mass included many faithful dressed as St. Thérèse and a dramatic devotion to her.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– On Oct. 4, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney helped St. Therese Parish in Paterson, N.J., celebrate the feast day of St. Thérèse the Little Flower, traditionally observed on Oct. 1, with a Spanish Mass in the church. The popular saint is also known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Father Yasid Salas, St. Therese’s pastor, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. The Mass included many faithful dressed as St. Thérèse and a dramatic devotion to her. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Maria Elena Rocha recounts how despite the tragedy of losing her husband and two sons in last summer’s earthquake in Venezuela, her faith and trust in God still sustains her.
![‘He died doing what he loved’: Memories of the Ecuadorian priest who died at the altar #Catholic “He died doing what he loved, the Eucharist” is how Father Pedro Calle remembered his fellow Redemptorist, Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, who died Oct. 17 after a large crucifix broke loose from the sanctuary wall and fell on him during Mass.“It’s not so easy to process or come to terms with this situation, given the way it happened,” Calle shared in an interview with EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. “I could break down at any moment because of the pain I feel inside.”Calle lives in Quito, Ecuador, and manages the administrative needs of the Redemptorist congregation in the Andean-Caribbean Province, which comprises Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. He is currently in Guayaquil serving also as the legal representative to handle matters related to Sánchez’s death. He is also taking part in the Oct. 19–27 novena for the repose of his soul.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari with some of the faithful at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Pedro Calle
“He died embracing the cross. The crucifix was not damaged, save for the part of the leg [of the corpus]. It is striking how he celebrated the Lord’s passover, and the Lord celebrated his passover with him… And Patricio died doing what he loved: the Eucharist,” the priest emphasized.He loved the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin MaryCalle described Sánchez as a man “with a pure heart and a ready smile, a smile that created a sense of closeness. People were drawn to him because of his purity of heart, in which there was no trace of ill intent. He was always so very calm, patient, and tolerant.”“He very much loved the Blessed Sacrament. Wherever he went to any parish he would always emphasize this devotion. And he was always the first one there; he wouldn’t just expose the Blessed Sacrament for a while and then leave, he would stay to pray,” the priest recounted.Sánchez served in Loja, in southern Ecuador, and later in a mission area called Vinces. He also spent nine years at a parish in Manta, and finally about four years in Guayaquil, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. He served as the pastor there, and it was in that church that he died.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari with some of the faithful. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Pedro Calle
“He also loved the Most Holy Virgin Mary. We can describe Patricio as someone who throughout his ministry everyone felt his closeness to them, absolutely everyone,” the Redemptorist priest highlighted.“He was always a very dedicated man, always spiritual and pastoral. He would say ‘yes’ to everyone. We could say, then, that he was a hardworking man, very self-sacrificing, very devoted,” he remarked.Calle further noted that “Patricio was a very simple person, very approachable and full of human warmth. That’s why his homilies were so simple.”“My enduring memory of Patricio,” he added, “is that he was a very welcoming person, always concerned with making sure one had something to eat or drink. He enjoyed going to the cinema and was an athletic person; he liked going for a walk and swimming.”‘A sign of grace’The priest shared that he never had a conversation with Sánchez about how he would have liked to be remembered, but he highlighted one aspect he has been reflecting on in recent days following the tragic death of his fellow priest.“Patricio’s death will become, or is already becoming, a sign of grace for Catholics and for humanity, given the fact that he was in the midst of broadcasting [the Mass] and that the tragedy unfolded in precisely this way, rather than any other. That was a message for everyone,” Calle remarked.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari with a group of the faithful. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Pedro Calle
The priest remarked, in closing, that he does not know where the story of this priest will ultimately lead but that it certainly will not leave anyone indifferent.“I don’t know if his mission is beginning now. I cannot offer any certainty or assurance; it is simply a personal perception, based on the context and the way he died.”‘One day, all of us here will also die’Sánchez was born on Nov. 6, 1973, in Cuenca, Ecuador. He made his profession in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) on Aug. 15, 2000, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was ordained a priest on Oct. 15, 2005.He was pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in south Guayaquil. He served as the superior of his religious community, where he lived alongside a fellow religious brother who had taken his perpetual vows.In his final homily, on the day of his death, he spoke about the importance of making time for God. “He must come first,” he said, adding: “Dear brothers and sisters, one day, all of us here will also die. Sometimes, the time we have spent on material things does not hold as much meaning as the time we dedicate to God, that quality time we give to God, to our brothers and sisters, to our wife, our husband, to our children, and to our families. That is time spent in the best possible way.”This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/he-died-doing-what-he-loved-memories-of-the-ecuadorian-priest-who-died-at-the-altar-catholic-he-died-doing-what-he-loved-the-eucharist-is-how-father-pedro-calle.jpg "‘He died doing what he loved’: Memories of the Ecuadorian priest who died at the altar #Catholic “He died doing what he loved, the Eucharist” is how Father Pedro Calle remembered his fellow Redemptorist, Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari, who died Oct. 17 after a large crucifix broke loose from the sanctuary wall and fell on him during Mass.“It’s not so easy to process or come to terms with this situation, given the way it happened,” Calle shared in an interview with EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. “I could break down at any moment because of the pain I feel inside.”Calle lives in Quito, Ecuador, and manages the administrative needs of the Redemptorist congregation in the Andean-Caribbean Province, which comprises Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. He is currently in Guayaquil serving also as the legal representative to handle matters related to Sánchez’s death. He is also taking part in the Oct. 19–27 novena for the repose of his soul.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari with some of the faithful at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Pedro Calle
“He died embracing the cross. The crucifix was not damaged, save for the part of the leg [of the corpus]. It is striking how he celebrated the Lord’s passover, and the Lord celebrated his passover with him… And Patricio died doing what he loved: the Eucharist,” the priest emphasized.He loved the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin MaryCalle described Sánchez as a man “with a pure heart and a ready smile, a smile that created a sense of closeness. People were drawn to him because of his purity of heart, in which there was no trace of ill intent. He was always so very calm, patient, and tolerant.”“He very much loved the Blessed Sacrament. Wherever he went to any parish he would always emphasize this devotion. And he was always the first one there; he wouldn’t just expose the Blessed Sacrament for a while and then leave, he would stay to pray,” the priest recounted.Sánchez served in Loja, in southern Ecuador, and later in a mission area called Vinces. He also spent nine years at a parish in Manta, and finally about four years in Guayaquil, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. He served as the pastor there, and it was in that church that he died.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari with some of the faithful. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Pedro Calle
“He also loved the Most Holy Virgin Mary. We can describe Patricio as someone who throughout his ministry everyone felt his closeness to them, absolutely everyone,” the Redemptorist priest highlighted.“He was always a very dedicated man, always spiritual and pastoral. He would say ‘yes’ to everyone. We could say, then, that he was a hardworking man, very self-sacrificing, very devoted,” he remarked.Calle further noted that “Patricio was a very simple person, very approachable and full of human warmth. That’s why his homilies were so simple.”“My enduring memory of Patricio,” he added, “is that he was a very welcoming person, always concerned with making sure one had something to eat or drink. He enjoyed going to the cinema and was an athletic person; he liked going for a walk and swimming.”‘A sign of grace’The priest shared that he never had a conversation with Sánchez about how he would have liked to be remembered, but he highlighted one aspect he has been reflecting on in recent days following the tragic death of his fellow priest.“Patricio’s death will become, or is already becoming, a sign of grace for Catholics and for humanity, given the fact that he was in the midst of broadcasting [the Mass] and that the tragedy unfolded in precisely this way, rather than any other. That was a message for everyone,” Calle remarked.
Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari with a group of the faithful. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Pedro Calle
The priest remarked, in closing, that he does not know where the story of this priest will ultimately lead but that it certainly will not leave anyone indifferent.“I don’t know if his mission is beginning now. I cannot offer any certainty or assurance; it is simply a personal perception, based on the context and the way he died.”‘One day, all of us here will also die’Sánchez was born on Nov. 6, 1973, in Cuenca, Ecuador. He made his profession in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) on Aug. 15, 2000, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was ordained a priest on Oct. 15, 2005.He was pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in south Guayaquil. He served as the superior of his religious community, where he lived alongside a fellow religious brother who had taken his perpetual vows.In his final homily, on the day of his death, he spoke about the importance of making time for God. “He must come first,” he said, adding: “Dear brothers and sisters, one day, all of us here will also die. Sometimes, the time we have spent on material things does not hold as much meaning as the time we dedicate to God, that quality time we give to God, to our brothers and sisters, to our wife, our husband, to our children, and to our families. That is time spent in the best possible way.”This story was first published by EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.")
The late Father Patricio Sánchez Molinari was described as a man “with a pure heart and a ready smile … he was always so very calm, patient, and tolerant.” asFather Patricio Sánchez
In Astronomy’s 2022 list of the 20 greatest astronomers of all time, Associate Editor Michael Bakich ranked Tycho Brahe No. 2, second only to Galileo, noting: “Danish astronomer Tyge (Tycho) Ottesen Brahe was history’s greatest pre-telescopic observer.” Born Dec. 14, 1546, Tycho was raised by an uncle who funded his education at the University ofContinue reading “Oct. 24, 1601: The death of Tycho Brahe”
The post Oct. 24, 1601: The death of Tycho Brahe appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More
| Picture of the day |
|---|
,_parque_nacional_Ras_Muhammad,_Egipto,_2022-03-28,_DD_119.jpg)
|
|
White teatfish (Holothuria fuscogilva), Ras Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt. This species of sea cucumber, also known as white teeth, is found in shallow waters near islands and around coral reefs in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific ocean. Juvenile cucumbers live in shallower waters (such as inter-tidal zones) and then migrate to deeper waters as they mature. Adult cucumbers weigh between 2.4 and 4 kilograms. They are oval in shape and have a firm texture. This species cucumber has lateral papillae (teats) which are often buried in the sand. As it’s consumed as a food and is part of a large commercial fishery across its range, it was listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List in 2010 due to overfishing.
|