5 things to know about St. Bridget of Sweden, mystic and mother #Catholic On July 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden, a mystic of the Middle Ages who was a wife, mother to a large family, lady-in-waiting to a queen, and founder of a religious order that still exists today.1. St. Bridget experienced her first vision at age 10.Bridget, or “Birgitta,” was born to wealthy, devout parents in Sweden in the year 1303. Her mother died early in her life, and she and her siblings were raised by their aunt. At 10 years old, Bridget had a vision of Christ on the cross in his agonizing suffering. In her vision, Bridget saw Christ with his wounds from Good Friday, with the wounds of “The Man of Sorrows” in Isaiah 53. She asked Jesus who hurt him, and he responded: “Those who despise me and refuse my love for them.” She would go on to write about these revelations; her works were published posthumously.2. Bridget served in the royal court of Sweden.Bridget was married in 1316 at the young age of 13 to 18-year-old Ulf Gudmarsson, the Swedish prince of Nericia. The two joined the Third Order of St. Francis and dedicated their resources to building a hospital and caring for the needs of the poor. Ulf served on the council of the king of Sweden, Magnus Eriksson, and the king asked Bridget to be a lady-in-waiting for his wife, Queen Blanche of Namur.3. Bridget was a mother to eight children, and one of them became a saint.Bridget and Ulf raised a large family together while also serving the poor and managing their duties in court. Of Bridget’s eight children, two died in infancy, and another two died in the Crusades. Two of their surviving children were married, and another two joined religious life. One of those two became a saint and was canonized — St. Catherine of Sweden.4. Bridget founded a religious order, the Bridgettines, after her husband died.Bridget and Ulf made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain between 1341 and 1343, but on their return trip, Ulf became ill. The couple stopped in France until Ulf regained his health, but soon after they returned to Sweden, in 1344, he passed away.After his death, Bridget donated her belongings to the poor and devoted her life to Christ, following a call from God to start a new religious order.She founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior, now known as the Brigittines, in 1346, and her congregation was approved by Pope Urban V in 1370. The Brigittines were to be led by an abbess and constitute both nuns and priests. The priests, who lived in a separate section, served as chaplains and confessors for the nuns.King Magnus helped Bridget make the Abbey of Vadstena the home of the Brigittines. He donated a small palace and land for the new monastery.But Bridget would never see her work come to fruition. She had a vision from Christ calling her to return to Rome and await the pope’s return from France during the Avignon Papacy. She never became a nun herself, and she never saw the monastery in Vadstena. She died several years before the pope’s permanent return to Rome.But her order spread through Europe and still exists today in both contemplative monasteries and apostolic convents, with branches in 19 countries including Sweden, Norway, Poland, Italy, Israel, India, the Philippines, Mexico, and the United States.5. St. Bridget is the co-patroness of Europe.After Bridget died in Rome on July 23, 1373, her children brought her remains back to the headquarters of her religious order. Less than 20 years later, in 1391, Pope Boniface IX proclaimed her a saint. Her revelations and writings on the sufferings of Christ were published after her death. In 1999, St. John Paul II chose her as one of the three female co-patronesses of Europe, along with St. Catherine of Siena and St. Edith Stein.This story was first published on July 23, 2024, and has been updated.
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5 things to know about St. Bridget of Sweden, mystic and mother #Catholic On July 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden, a mystic of the Middle Ages who was a wife, mother to a large family, lady-in-waiting to a queen, and founder of a religious order that still exists today.1. St. Bridget experienced her first vision at age 10.Bridget, or “Birgitta,” was born to wealthy, devout parents in Sweden in the year 1303. Her mother died early in her life, and she and her siblings were raised by their aunt. At 10 years old, Bridget had a vision of Christ on the cross in his agonizing suffering. In her vision, Bridget saw Christ with his wounds from Good Friday, with the wounds of “The Man of Sorrows” in Isaiah 53. She asked Jesus who hurt him, and he responded: “Those who despise me and refuse my love for them.” She would go on to write about these revelations; her works were published posthumously.2. Bridget served in the royal court of Sweden.Bridget was married in 1316 at the young age of 13 to 18-year-old Ulf Gudmarsson, the Swedish prince of Nericia. The two joined the Third Order of St. Francis and dedicated their resources to building a hospital and caring for the needs of the poor. Ulf served on the council of the king of Sweden, Magnus Eriksson, and the king asked Bridget to be a lady-in-waiting for his wife, Queen Blanche of Namur.3. Bridget was a mother to eight children, and one of them became a saint.Bridget and Ulf raised a large family together while also serving the poor and managing their duties in court. Of Bridget’s eight children, two died in infancy, and another two died in the Crusades. Two of their surviving children were married, and another two joined religious life. One of those two became a saint and was canonized — St. Catherine of Sweden.4. Bridget founded a religious order, the Bridgettines, after her husband died.Bridget and Ulf made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain between 1341 and 1343, but on their return trip, Ulf became ill. The couple stopped in France until Ulf regained his health, but soon after they returned to Sweden, in 1344, he passed away.After his death, Bridget donated her belongings to the poor and devoted her life to Christ, following a call from God to start a new religious order.She founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior, now known as the Brigittines, in 1346, and her congregation was approved by Pope Urban V in 1370. The Brigittines were to be led by an abbess and constitute both nuns and priests. The priests, who lived in a separate section, served as chaplains and confessors for the nuns.King Magnus helped Bridget make the Abbey of Vadstena the home of the Brigittines. He donated a small palace and land for the new monastery.But Bridget would never see her work come to fruition. She had a vision from Christ calling her to return to Rome and await the pope’s return from France during the Avignon Papacy. She never became a nun herself, and she never saw the monastery in Vadstena. She died several years before the pope’s permanent return to Rome.But her order spread through Europe and still exists today in both contemplative monasteries and apostolic convents, with branches in 19 countries including Sweden, Norway, Poland, Italy, Israel, India, the Philippines, Mexico, and the United States.5. St. Bridget is the co-patroness of Europe.After Bridget died in Rome on July 23, 1373, her children brought her remains back to the headquarters of her religious order. Less than 20 years later, in 1391, Pope Boniface IX proclaimed her a saint. Her revelations and writings on the sufferings of Christ were published after her death. In 1999, St. John Paul II chose her as one of the three female co-patronesses of Europe, along with St. Catherine of Siena and St. Edith Stein.This story was first published on July 23, 2024, and has been updated.

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On July 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden, a mystic of the Middle Ages who was a wife and mother of eight children.

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United Methodist Church Announces Ban On Heterosexual Clergy #BabylonBee – U.S. — Finally making public a long-anticipated change to the denomination’s policy regarding qualifications for members of its pastorate, the United Methodist Church announced a ban on heterosexual clergy.
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United Methodist Church Announces Ban On Heterosexual Clergy #BabylonBee – U.S. — Finally making public a long-anticipated change to the denomination’s policy regarding qualifications for members of its pastorate, the United Methodist Church announced a ban on heterosexual clergy.

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U.S. — Finally making public a long-anticipated change to the denomination’s policy regarding qualifications for members of its pastorate, the United Methodist Church announced a ban on heterosexual clergy.

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House panel clashes over Delaney Hall conditions amid accounts of detainee mistreatment – #Catholic – A House Judiciary subcommittee hearing Wednesday on the Delaney Hall ICE detention center highlighted sharply differing views over the treatment of detainees, with Republicans rejecting allegations of abuse and Democrats pointing to reports of inadequate medical care, poor sanitation, and deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.The hearing, titled “False Narratives: Exposing the Truth About ICE Detention Facilities,” focused on conditions at Delaney Hall, an immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, operated by the GEO Group under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The facility reopened in 2025 after the Trump administration expanded detention capacity to support increased immigration enforcement.Fifty‑four people have died in ICE custody since the start of fiscal 2025, which is 125% more detainee deaths than occurred during all four previous fiscal years combined (24 deaths), according to ICE detainee death reporting data.Republicans defend Delaney HallSubcommittee Chair Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, R-New Jersey, said: “We’re here today because of a narrative that has been told over and over again for weeks… that Delaney Hall, and by extension all of these detention centers, are places of cruelty. It’s just not true.” We’re here today because of a narrative that has been told over and over again for weeks… that Delaney Hall, and by extension all of these detention centers, are places of cruelty. It’s just not true.” Rep Jefferson Van Drew ICE facilities are required to comply with federal detention standards governing medical care, nutrition, sanitation, recreation, religious accommodations, and access to legal counsel. Compliance is monitored through inspections and oversight conducted by ICE and other federal entities, although advocacy groups, government watchdogs, and a federal judge have questioned whether those standards are being adequately enforced.Van Drew, who said he recently toured Delaney Hall, rejected allegations that detainees are being mistreated and said his firsthand observations contradicted criticism of the facility.“I walked the facility. I met with the staff… and what I saw goes against all the narratives that you hear,” he said.He described the detention center as clean and orderly, saying detainees receive “three meals a day,” access to medical, dental, and mental health care, recreation, and religious accommodations. “The Department of Homeland Security has said plainly that ICE holds these facilities to higher standards than most American prisons, and that’s what I saw,” Van Drew said.Democrats raise concerns over oversight and detainee careDemocrats on the panel sharply disputed that assessment, citing reports of overcrowding, inadequate medical care, poor sanitation, and deaths in ICE custody.Ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, questioned whether Republicans had presented a complete picture of conditions at Delaney Hall, noting that the committee did not invite Department of Homeland Security or ICE officials to testify.“The ambiguous title of today’s hearing… naturally invites the question of whether the majority is seeking to debunk false narratives or entrench false narratives,” Raskin said.Raskin said lawmakers should hear directly from officials responsible for operating the facilities and accused the administration of obstructing congressional oversight visits. He also cited reports from detainees and advocates alleging poor medical care, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions.Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said Republicans overlooked documented concerns at privately operated detention facilities.“In the time since our last hearing on this topic, more than 50 people have died while in ICE custody,” Crockett said, adding that detainees at facilities operated by the GEO Group have reported “dangerously substandard conditions, including mold… and insufficient food and water.”Crockett also criticized the absence of officials from ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the GEO Group among the witnesses, arguing that “if the Republicans really wanted to know what was happening at Delaney Hall… they would push for unannounced congressional and independent oversight.”Witnesses offer competing perspectivesThe hearing included testimony from former ICE New York Field Office Deputy Director Scott Mechkowski, Federation for American Immigration Reform Border Security Adviser Art Del Cueto, Center for Immigration Studies Resident Fellow in Law and Policy Andrew Arthur, and Amol Sinha, executive director of the ACLU of New Jersey.Arthur, a former immigration judge, said he had not personally visited Delaney Hall but argued that ICE detention facilities operate under extensive oversight, including inspections, congressional review, internal watchdogs, and contractual detention standards. He said congressional oversight is appropriate but should be conducted in ways that do not interfere with facility operations or security.Del Cueto, a former Border Patrol agent, said Delaney Hall had become a target because detention “works.” He said allegations against the facility were part of “a broader assault on immigration enforcement” and urged Congress to support ICE officers and Border Patrol agents. Del Cueto also cited DHS statistics that he said showed increases in assaults and threats against ICE personnel during President Donald Trump’s second term, attributing the trend to increasingly inflammatory rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement.Sinha countered that concerns about Delaney Hall were supported by accounts from detainees and their families. He testified that people held at the facility had described delayed medical treatment, inadequate food, unsanitary conditions, and retaliation after participating in hunger strikes. Sinha called for “independent, unannounced, uncensored oversight” of ICE detention facilities and urged Congress to allow broader access for lawmakers, the press, and advocacy organizations.Rep. Henry “Hank” Johnson, D-Georgia, said not a single witness denied the claims of what is happening at Delaney Hall. “Not a single witness in here has testified that itʼs false,” Johnson said. “That whatʼs happening at Delaney Hall, the overcrowded cells crammed with inmates. Not a single Republican witness refuted that.”
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House panel clashes over Delaney Hall conditions amid accounts of detainee mistreatment – #Catholic – A House Judiciary subcommittee hearing Wednesday on the Delaney Hall ICE detention center highlighted sharply differing views over the treatment of detainees, with Republicans rejecting allegations of abuse and Democrats pointing to reports of inadequate medical care, poor sanitation, and deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.The hearing, titled “False Narratives: Exposing the Truth About ICE Detention Facilities,” focused on conditions at Delaney Hall, an immigration detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, operated by the GEO Group under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The facility reopened in 2025 after the Trump administration expanded detention capacity to support increased immigration enforcement.Fifty‑four people have died in ICE custody since the start of fiscal 2025, which is 125% more detainee deaths than occurred during all four previous fiscal years combined (24 deaths), according to ICE detainee death reporting data.Republicans defend Delaney HallSubcommittee Chair Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, R-New Jersey, said: “We’re here today because of a narrative that has been told over and over again for weeks… that Delaney Hall, and by extension all of these detention centers, are places of cruelty. It’s just not true.” We’re here today because of a narrative that has been told over and over again for weeks… that Delaney Hall, and by extension all of these detention centers, are places of cruelty. It’s just not true.” Rep Jefferson Van Drew ICE facilities are required to comply with federal detention standards governing medical care, nutrition, sanitation, recreation, religious accommodations, and access to legal counsel. Compliance is monitored through inspections and oversight conducted by ICE and other federal entities, although advocacy groups, government watchdogs, and a federal judge have questioned whether those standards are being adequately enforced.Van Drew, who said he recently toured Delaney Hall, rejected allegations that detainees are being mistreated and said his firsthand observations contradicted criticism of the facility.“I walked the facility. I met with the staff… and what I saw goes against all the narratives that you hear,” he said.He described the detention center as clean and orderly, saying detainees receive “three meals a day,” access to medical, dental, and mental health care, recreation, and religious accommodations. “The Department of Homeland Security has said plainly that ICE holds these facilities to higher standards than most American prisons, and that’s what I saw,” Van Drew said.Democrats raise concerns over oversight and detainee careDemocrats on the panel sharply disputed that assessment, citing reports of overcrowding, inadequate medical care, poor sanitation, and deaths in ICE custody.Ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, questioned whether Republicans had presented a complete picture of conditions at Delaney Hall, noting that the committee did not invite Department of Homeland Security or ICE officials to testify.“The ambiguous title of today’s hearing… naturally invites the question of whether the majority is seeking to debunk false narratives or entrench false narratives,” Raskin said.Raskin said lawmakers should hear directly from officials responsible for operating the facilities and accused the administration of obstructing congressional oversight visits. He also cited reports from detainees and advocates alleging poor medical care, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions.Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said Republicans overlooked documented concerns at privately operated detention facilities.“In the time since our last hearing on this topic, more than 50 people have died while in ICE custody,” Crockett said, adding that detainees at facilities operated by the GEO Group have reported “dangerously substandard conditions, including mold… and insufficient food and water.”Crockett also criticized the absence of officials from ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the GEO Group among the witnesses, arguing that “if the Republicans really wanted to know what was happening at Delaney Hall… they would push for unannounced congressional and independent oversight.”Witnesses offer competing perspectivesThe hearing included testimony from former ICE New York Field Office Deputy Director Scott Mechkowski, Federation for American Immigration Reform Border Security Adviser Art Del Cueto, Center for Immigration Studies Resident Fellow in Law and Policy Andrew Arthur, and Amol Sinha, executive director of the ACLU of New Jersey.Arthur, a former immigration judge, said he had not personally visited Delaney Hall but argued that ICE detention facilities operate under extensive oversight, including inspections, congressional review, internal watchdogs, and contractual detention standards. He said congressional oversight is appropriate but should be conducted in ways that do not interfere with facility operations or security.Del Cueto, a former Border Patrol agent, said Delaney Hall had become a target because detention “works.” He said allegations against the facility were part of “a broader assault on immigration enforcement” and urged Congress to support ICE officers and Border Patrol agents. Del Cueto also cited DHS statistics that he said showed increases in assaults and threats against ICE personnel during President Donald Trump’s second term, attributing the trend to increasingly inflammatory rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement.Sinha countered that concerns about Delaney Hall were supported by accounts from detainees and their families. He testified that people held at the facility had described delayed medical treatment, inadequate food, unsanitary conditions, and retaliation after participating in hunger strikes. Sinha called for “independent, unannounced, uncensored oversight” of ICE detention facilities and urged Congress to allow broader access for lawmakers, the press, and advocacy organizations.Rep. Henry “Hank” Johnson, D-Georgia, said not a single witness denied the claims of what is happening at Delaney Hall. “Not a single witness in here has testified that itʼs false,” Johnson said. “That whatʼs happening at Delaney Hall, the overcrowded cells crammed with inmates. Not a single Republican witness refuted that.”

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Republicans insisted reports of medical neglect, spoiled food, and blocked oversight were “false narratives,” while Democrats pointed to deaths in ICE custody and allegations of substandard care.

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WHOA: Online Petition To ‘Keep Argentina Out of the World Cup’ Amasses Over 23 Million Signatures – South American Villains Under Investigation by FIFA and the DOJ – From historical scandals to 2026 World Cup inferno: investigated by FIFA and the Department of Justice. The post WHOA: Online Petition To ‘Keep Argentina Out of the World Cup’ Amasses Over 23 Million Signatures – South American Villains Under Investigation by FIFA and the DOJ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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WHOA: Online Petition To ‘Keep Argentina Out of the World Cup’ Amasses Over 23 Million Signatures – South American Villains Under Investigation by FIFA and the DOJ – From historical scandals to 2026 World Cup inferno: investigated by FIFA and the Department of Justice. The post WHOA: Online Petition To ‘Keep Argentina Out of the World Cup’ Amasses Over 23 Million Signatures – South American Villains Under Investigation by FIFA and the DOJ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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From historical scandals to 2026 World Cup inferno: investigated by FIFA and the Department of Justice.

The post WHOA: Online Petition To ‘Keep Argentina Out of the World Cup’ Amasses Over 23 Million Signatures – South American Villains Under Investigation by FIFA and the DOJ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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O’Keefe Goes Undercover: Senior Pentagon Advisor Caught on Hidden Camera Bashing President Trump (VIDEO) – The O’Keefe Media Group on Wednesday released an undercover video of a senior Pentagon advisor bashing President Trump. The post O’Keefe Goes Undercover: Senior Pentagon Advisor Caught on Hidden Camera Bashing President Trump (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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O’Keefe Goes Undercover: Senior Pentagon Advisor Caught on Hidden Camera Bashing President Trump (VIDEO) – The O’Keefe Media Group on Wednesday released an undercover video of a senior Pentagon advisor bashing President Trump. The post O’Keefe Goes Undercover: Senior Pentagon Advisor Caught on Hidden Camera Bashing President Trump (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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The O’Keefe Media Group on Wednesday released an undercover video of a senior Pentagon advisor bashing President Trump.

The post O’Keefe Goes Undercover: Senior Pentagon Advisor Caught on Hidden Camera Bashing President Trump (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Illegal Alien Richard Blumenthal and Far-Left CT Democrats Rallied to Protect is REGISTERED TO VOTE in Connecticut — Lied of Being a Citizen – The illegal alien from Montenegro whom Sen. The post Illegal Alien Richard Blumenthal and Far-Left CT Democrats Rallied to Protect is REGISTERED TO VOTE in Connecticut — Lied of Being a Citizen appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Illegal Alien Richard Blumenthal and Far-Left CT Democrats Rallied to Protect is REGISTERED TO VOTE in Connecticut — Lied of Being a Citizen – The illegal alien from Montenegro whom Sen. The post Illegal Alien Richard Blumenthal and Far-Left CT Democrats Rallied to Protect is REGISTERED TO VOTE in Connecticut — Lied of Being a Citizen appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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The illegal alien from Montenegro whom Sen.

The post Illegal Alien Richard Blumenthal and Far-Left CT Democrats Rallied to Protect is REGISTERED TO VOTE in Connecticut — Lied of Being a Citizen appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Vatican publishes biography of founder of Cuban nationhood, Father Félix Varela – #Catholic – The Vatican Publishing House recently released the first Italian edition of the book “Félix Varela: A Biography,” a work about the priest considered by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia to be “a sort of founder of [Cuban] national culture through his works and writings.”The 208-page volume, published July 9, was written by Monsignor Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a prominent figure in the Cuban Catholic Church who passed away in Havana in 2014. Paglia, president emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life, wrote the book’s foreword, noting in it that “the relationship between Varela and Cuban society is very profound.”This is because Varela’s writings “shaped an identity deeply linked to a faith expressed in a new humanism, where the primacy of conscience was supreme and the condemnation of slavery and the need for independence were fundamental,” the archbishop explained, according to a Vatican News report.Varela was a priest committed to social issues who lived during a time of profound change in the territories then held by the Spanish Empire in the Americas, according to the report.He was born in Havana on Nov. 20, 1788. Thanks to his high standing, he was sent to Spain in 1821 to represent the island before the parliament in Madrid.However, his legislative proposals to abolish slavery on the island, declare Cuban independence, and establish a government for the overseas provinces led to his exile in 1823; consequently, he was forced to settle in New York, where he lived while serving as a parish priest and episcopal vicar.In his preface, Paglia wrote that, in both Cuba and the United States, Varela fostered “efforts toward freedom, teaching love and stirring hearts to choose the poor as their primary companions on the journey.”Varela’s parish in New York “was interethnic and intercultural.” Moreover, he dedicated himself especially to immigrants, establishing a system of social and charitable assistance unprecedented in the United States. He was convinced that a mission centered on the Gospel could give rise to a more just and compassionate society.Varela’s legacyThe Cuban priest passed away in St. Augustine, Florida, on Feb. 27, 1853, leaving behind works such as “Letters to Elpidio on Impiety, Superstition, and Fanaticism in Their Relationship with Society,” a work described by St. John Paul II during his 1998 apostolic journey to Cuba as a “true monument of moral teaching.”“It’s no coincidence,” Vatican News pointed out, “that his work can be described as ‘civilizing’: an exemplary priest, a ‘principled patriot,’ and ‘the first to teach us how to think,’ Varela was able to revitalize pedagogical methods and the teaching of philosophy, theology, law, and science, creating a synthesis in which faith and culture become inseparable dimensions.”Furthermore, as Paglia noted, in a “contemporary world where we often face incredible forms of violence and dangerous political divisions,” Varela “represents the possibility of unity.”He was “a truly Catholic — that is, universal — priest,” Paglia wrote, and therefore “reflects the message of the Gospel, which does not divide but unites, while respecting individual differences.” Paglia also noted that Varela’s message is in line with Popes Leo XIV and Francis: “Three witnesses from the Americas inviting the Americas to a renewed enthusiasm for a missionary vocation that places faith at the service of a society fervently rooted in the Gospel.”Varela was declared venerable by Benedict XVI in March 2012. The Vatican decree highlights that “the Servant of God stands out on the horizon of Cuba’s history as a figure remarkable for his human gifts and for his Christian and priestly virtues.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Vatican publishes biography of founder of Cuban nationhood, Father Félix Varela – #Catholic – The Vatican Publishing House recently released the first Italian edition of the book “Félix Varela: A Biography,” a work about the priest considered by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia to be “a sort of founder of [Cuban] national culture through his works and writings.”The 208-page volume, published July 9, was written by Monsignor Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a prominent figure in the Cuban Catholic Church who passed away in Havana in 2014. Paglia, president emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life, wrote the book’s foreword, noting in it that “the relationship between Varela and Cuban society is very profound.”This is because Varela’s writings “shaped an identity deeply linked to a faith expressed in a new humanism, where the primacy of conscience was supreme and the condemnation of slavery and the need for independence were fundamental,” the archbishop explained, according to a Vatican News report.Varela was a priest committed to social issues who lived during a time of profound change in the territories then held by the Spanish Empire in the Americas, according to the report.He was born in Havana on Nov. 20, 1788. Thanks to his high standing, he was sent to Spain in 1821 to represent the island before the parliament in Madrid.However, his legislative proposals to abolish slavery on the island, declare Cuban independence, and establish a government for the overseas provinces led to his exile in 1823; consequently, he was forced to settle in New York, where he lived while serving as a parish priest and episcopal vicar.In his preface, Paglia wrote that, in both Cuba and the United States, Varela fostered “efforts toward freedom, teaching love and stirring hearts to choose the poor as their primary companions on the journey.”Varela’s parish in New York “was interethnic and intercultural.” Moreover, he dedicated himself especially to immigrants, establishing a system of social and charitable assistance unprecedented in the United States. He was convinced that a mission centered on the Gospel could give rise to a more just and compassionate society.Varela’s legacyThe Cuban priest passed away in St. Augustine, Florida, on Feb. 27, 1853, leaving behind works such as “Letters to Elpidio on Impiety, Superstition, and Fanaticism in Their Relationship with Society,” a work described by St. John Paul II during his 1998 apostolic journey to Cuba as a “true monument of moral teaching.”“It’s no coincidence,” Vatican News pointed out, “that his work can be described as ‘civilizing’: an exemplary priest, a ‘principled patriot,’ and ‘the first to teach us how to think,’ Varela was able to revitalize pedagogical methods and the teaching of philosophy, theology, law, and science, creating a synthesis in which faith and culture become inseparable dimensions.”Furthermore, as Paglia noted, in a “contemporary world where we often face incredible forms of violence and dangerous political divisions,” Varela “represents the possibility of unity.”He was “a truly Catholic — that is, universal — priest,” Paglia wrote, and therefore “reflects the message of the Gospel, which does not divide but unites, while respecting individual differences.” Paglia also noted that Varela’s message is in line with Popes Leo XIV and Francis: “Three witnesses from the Americas inviting the Americas to a renewed enthusiasm for a missionary vocation that places faith at the service of a society fervently rooted in the Gospel.”Varela was declared venerable by Benedict XVI in March 2012. The Vatican decree highlights that “the Servant of God stands out on the horizon of Cuba’s history as a figure remarkable for his human gifts and for his Christian and priestly virtues.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The Vatican’s publication of a book on the life of Father Félix Varela (1788–1853) once again draws attention to Cuban priest’s virtues and accomplishments.

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Summer advice from Pope Leo XIV: Don’t forget the less fortunate – #Catholic – In response to a question about summer advice, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of remembering those most in need during the holidays.The question and answer were both published in the July/August 2026 issue of Piazza San Pietro, the official magazine of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. As reported by Vatican News on July 22, Maurizio from Rome asked the pontiff how best to deepen his spiritual life during the summer amid the distractions of daily life. Leo XIV responded that one ought to think of those unable to enjoy the summer, particularly the sick, victims of war, and migrants who do not feel welcomed.“Holidays should also be for everyone a space of respite from occupations and worries,” Leo wrote.“Let us think of the sick, of people who have lost faith in life, of those who are overwhelmed by grief over the loss of loved ones, of the victims of wars, of hatred, of terrorism and of violence, of those persecuted for their faith and for justice, of prisoners, of those who have been left without work, without a home, of migrants who have not been humanely welcomed.”The pope also reminded Maurizio and families of the importance of the elderly, encouraging them to support them during the summer.“To families I say: Do not leave your elderly alone.”“Here is the advice I can give to increase our faith. Use the summer time as well to live the gospel of peace and mercy. Let us think of the privilege we have when we support the poor and bear witness to evangelical poverty,” the pope said.
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Summer advice from Pope Leo XIV: Don’t forget the less fortunate – #Catholic – In response to a question about summer advice, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of remembering those most in need during the holidays.The question and answer were both published in the July/August 2026 issue of Piazza San Pietro, the official magazine of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. As reported by Vatican News on July 22, Maurizio from Rome asked the pontiff how best to deepen his spiritual life during the summer amid the distractions of daily life. Leo XIV responded that one ought to think of those unable to enjoy the summer, particularly the sick, victims of war, and migrants who do not feel welcomed.“Holidays should also be for everyone a space of respite from occupations and worries,” Leo wrote.“Let us think of the sick, of people who have lost faith in life, of those who are overwhelmed by grief over the loss of loved ones, of the victims of wars, of hatred, of terrorism and of violence, of those persecuted for their faith and for justice, of prisoners, of those who have been left without work, without a home, of migrants who have not been humanely welcomed.”The pope also reminded Maurizio and families of the importance of the elderly, encouraging them to support them during the summer.“To families I say: Do not leave your elderly alone.”“Here is the advice I can give to increase our faith. Use the summer time as well to live the gospel of peace and mercy. Let us think of the privilege we have when we support the poor and bear witness to evangelical poverty,” the pope said.

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“Let us think of the privilege we have when we support the poor,” Pope Leo said.

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France becomes first European country to ban social media for minors under 15 #Catholic The French Parliament on July 21 definitively passed a law banning children under the age of 15 from accessing social media, making France the first country in Europe to enshrine such a restriction in its national legislation. The measure is the culmination of a campaign led by President Emmanuel Macron since 2017 in which he has denounced anonymity on social media as a gateway to online abuse.The law, presented as a child protection measure against all the risks associated with the use of social media, from addiction to bullying and abuse, has also reignited concerns about increased government oversight of internet users, as the age verification requirements — intended to target minors — entail identity checks for everyone.“France is leading the way in Europe by becoming the first country to establish a ‘digital age of majority’ to better protect our children online,” said Anne Le Hénanff, minister delegate for digital sovereignty, following the vote.The Senate adopted the compromise bill by a vote of 243 to 2, and the National Assembly followed suit a few hours later, paving the way for Macron to sign the measure into law, subject to review by the Constitutional Council.The bill’s central provision bars minors under 15 from accessing “an online social network service.” Leading platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are expected to fall under the ban, though lawmakers left the precise scope undefined. Wikipedia and other online encyclopedias, along with open-source software and educational platforms, are explicitly exempted. Responsibility for verifying users’ ages falls to the platforms themselves, which must offer at least two different verification methods.Enforcement will unfold in two different stages. New accounts will be subject to age checks starting Sept. 1, while existing accounts belonging to minors under 15 will have until Jan. 1, 2027, before they are suspended.The law also extends France’s existing smartphone ban in middle schools to high schools starting in the 2026 school year.France’s move makes it the first EU member state to enact a blanket social-network age floor, though it follows Australia, which imposed a minimum age of 16 in December 2025. Officials say a coalition of roughly 15 European countries is interested in adopting a similar standard. Le Hénanff confirmed Greece is ready to transpose the French model, with Spain expected to follow in the fall. The European Commission is separately developing its own EU-wide age-verification tool, expected to be available to member states by the end of the year.Under the model France has adopted — built around the “double anonymity” principle found in the EU’s Digital Services Act, the bloc’s main online-platform law — a trusted third party would verify a user’s age from an ID document or bank card and issue an anonymous token confirming only whether the user is over or under 15, without revealing the user’s identity or which platform requested the check. Le Hénanff has described this as a way of avoiding data collection by the platforms themselves. Critics, however, argue the system’s implementation is far less safe than officials suggest.The underlying concern is that this child-protection measure could evolve into a broader mechanism for verifying and tracking the identity of internet users generally. Opponents of the law claim that the mechanics of age verification remain largely undefined barely a month before the law takes effect.They also point to recent history of large-scale personal data breaches across government agencies as a reason for caution about centralizing age- or identity-verification data.La Quadrature du Net, France’s leading digital-rights advocacy group, and the Conseil national du numérique, an official government advisory body, both warned that the law amounted to what they termed “generalized surveillance disguised as child protection.”The European Center for Law and Justice, along the same lines, argues that France and the European Commission are each independently pushing to generalize identity checks across the EU under the banner of online safety policy.Several digital-rights groups are reportedly preparing separate challenges before France’s Council of State and the EU’s Court of Justice, arguing the law violates free-expression and proportionality principles.For now, all eyes are on Australia, the only country with a comparable ban already in force. An early analysis of survey data from roughly 400 young social media users, published in The BMJ on June 24, found little evidence that Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Act had produced any substantial early drop in social media use among adolescents in its first three months — although researchers cautioned that legislative effects can take time to appear and called for longer-term evaluation.A companion analysis reported that roughly 85% of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using restricted platforms, the most common workarounds being fake accounts and private browsers.
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France becomes first European country to ban social media for minors under 15 #Catholic The French Parliament on July 21 definitively passed a law banning children under the age of 15 from accessing social media, making France the first country in Europe to enshrine such a restriction in its national legislation. The measure is the culmination of a campaign led by President Emmanuel Macron since 2017 in which he has denounced anonymity on social media as a gateway to online abuse.The law, presented as a child protection measure against all the risks associated with the use of social media, from addiction to bullying and abuse, has also reignited concerns about increased government oversight of internet users, as the age verification requirements — intended to target minors — entail identity checks for everyone.“France is leading the way in Europe by becoming the first country to establish a ‘digital age of majority’ to better protect our children online,” said Anne Le Hénanff, minister delegate for digital sovereignty, following the vote.The Senate adopted the compromise bill by a vote of 243 to 2, and the National Assembly followed suit a few hours later, paving the way for Macron to sign the measure into law, subject to review by the Constitutional Council.The bill’s central provision bars minors under 15 from accessing “an online social network service.” Leading platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are expected to fall under the ban, though lawmakers left the precise scope undefined. Wikipedia and other online encyclopedias, along with open-source software and educational platforms, are explicitly exempted. Responsibility for verifying users’ ages falls to the platforms themselves, which must offer at least two different verification methods.Enforcement will unfold in two different stages. New accounts will be subject to age checks starting Sept. 1, while existing accounts belonging to minors under 15 will have until Jan. 1, 2027, before they are suspended.The law also extends France’s existing smartphone ban in middle schools to high schools starting in the 2026 school year.France’s move makes it the first EU member state to enact a blanket social-network age floor, though it follows Australia, which imposed a minimum age of 16 in December 2025. Officials say a coalition of roughly 15 European countries is interested in adopting a similar standard. Le Hénanff confirmed Greece is ready to transpose the French model, with Spain expected to follow in the fall. The European Commission is separately developing its own EU-wide age-verification tool, expected to be available to member states by the end of the year.Under the model France has adopted — built around the “double anonymity” principle found in the EU’s Digital Services Act, the bloc’s main online-platform law — a trusted third party would verify a user’s age from an ID document or bank card and issue an anonymous token confirming only whether the user is over or under 15, without revealing the user’s identity or which platform requested the check. Le Hénanff has described this as a way of avoiding data collection by the platforms themselves. Critics, however, argue the system’s implementation is far less safe than officials suggest.The underlying concern is that this child-protection measure could evolve into a broader mechanism for verifying and tracking the identity of internet users generally. Opponents of the law claim that the mechanics of age verification remain largely undefined barely a month before the law takes effect.They also point to recent history of large-scale personal data breaches across government agencies as a reason for caution about centralizing age- or identity-verification data.La Quadrature du Net, France’s leading digital-rights advocacy group, and the Conseil national du numérique, an official government advisory body, both warned that the law amounted to what they termed “generalized surveillance disguised as child protection.”The European Center for Law and Justice, along the same lines, argues that France and the European Commission are each independently pushing to generalize identity checks across the EU under the banner of online safety policy.Several digital-rights groups are reportedly preparing separate challenges before France’s Council of State and the EU’s Court of Justice, arguing the law violates free-expression and proportionality principles.For now, all eyes are on Australia, the only country with a comparable ban already in force. An early analysis of survey data from roughly 400 young social media users, published in The BMJ on June 24, found little evidence that Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Act had produced any substantial early drop in social media use among adolescents in its first three months — although researchers cautioned that legislative effects can take time to appear and called for longer-term evaluation.A companion analysis reported that roughly 85% of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using restricted platforms, the most common workarounds being fake accounts and private browsers.

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“France is leading the way in Europe by becoming the first country to establish a ‘digital age of majority,’” said the country’s minister delegate for digital sovereignty.

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SpaceX targeting Thursday for second launch of the world’s largest rocket

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SpaceX is now targeting Thursday, July 23, for the 13th test flight of Starship, after the company scrubbed its first attempt on July 16. It will be only the second launch of the vehicle’s V3 configuration — the version of the rocket that will fly astronauts to the Moon for NASA’s Artemis program. The 90-minuteContinue reading “SpaceX targeting Thursday for second launch of the world’s largest rocket”

The post SpaceX targeting Thursday for second launch of the world’s largest rocket appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Bishop Sweeney visits hermits in bucolic beauty of Chester #Catholic - On July 20, the Hermits of Bethlehem and visitors of Bethlehem Hermitage, situated in the rustic splendor of Chester, N.J., welcomed Kevin J. Sweeney. He celebrated Mass in the chapel. The hermitage is a foundation of Catholic hermits — men and women who live a life of prayer, penance, silence, and solitude. Founded on March 15, 1975, Bethlehem Hermitage sits on 18 acres of land. The hermits live in what is called a laura: a colony of small solitary wooden cottages situated a distance from each other around a chapel and central house. They combine hours of work with hours of prayer. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The Bethlehem Hermitage offers a retreat based on principles of silence and solitude. An integral part of it is the daily celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist and Eucharistic adoration. It is a time to encounter self and deepen one’s faith, hope, and love through prayerful listening and reflection on Sacred Scripture, which speaks when the retreatant is open in a prayerful disposition. For more information, visit bethlehemhermitage.com. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI & JESSICA MARTINEZ [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Bishop Sweeney visits hermits in bucolic beauty of Chester #Catholic – On July 20, the Hermits of Bethlehem and visitors of Bethlehem Hermitage, situated in the rustic splendor of Chester, N.J., welcomed Kevin J. Sweeney. He celebrated Mass in the chapel. The hermitage is a foundation of Catholic hermits — men and women who live a life of prayer, penance, silence, and solitude. Founded on March 15, 1975, Bethlehem Hermitage sits on 18 acres of land. The hermits live in what is called a laura: a colony of small solitary wooden cottages situated a distance from each other around a chapel and central house. They combine hours of work with hours of prayer. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The Bethlehem Hermitage offers a retreat based on principles of silence and solitude. An integral part of it is the daily celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist and Eucharistic adoration. It is a time to encounter self and deepen one’s faith, hope, and love through prayerful listening and reflection on Sacred Scripture, which speaks when the retreatant is open in a prayerful disposition. For more information, visit bethlehemhermitage.com. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI & JESSICA MARTINEZ [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Bishop Sweeney visits hermits in bucolic beauty of Chester #Catholic –

On July 20, the Hermits of Bethlehem and visitors of Bethlehem Hermitage, situated in the rustic splendor of Chester, N.J., welcomed Kevin J. Sweeney. He celebrated Mass in the chapel. The hermitage is a foundation of Catholic hermits — men and women who live a life of prayer, penance, silence, and solitude.

Founded on March 15, 1975, Bethlehem Hermitage sits on 18 acres of land. The hermits live in what is called a laura: a colony of small solitary wooden cottages situated a distance from each other around a chapel and central house. They combine hours of work with hours of prayer.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

The Bethlehem Hermitage offers a retreat based on principles of silence and solitude. An integral part of it is the daily celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist and Eucharistic adoration. It is a time to encounter self and deepen one’s faith, hope, and love through prayerful listening and reflection on Sacred Scripture, which speaks when the retreatant is open in a prayerful disposition.

For more information, visit bethlehemhermitage.com.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI & JESSICA MARTINEZ

– On July 20, the Hermits of Bethlehem and visitors of Bethlehem Hermitage, situated in the rustic splendor of Chester, N.J., welcomed Kevin J. Sweeney. He celebrated Mass in the chapel. The hermitage is a foundation of Catholic hermits — men and women who live a life of prayer, penance, silence, and solitude. Founded on March 15, 1975, Bethlehem Hermitage sits on 18 acres of land. The hermits live in what is called a laura: a colony of small solitary wooden cottages situated a distance from each other around a chapel and central house. They combine hours of work with hours

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State Knights officers installed amid significant membership growth #Catholic - A Catholic from the Paterson Diocese led the installation of State officers of the N.J. State Knights of Columbus for the 2026-27 fraternal year on July 18, 2026, during a Mass held at St. Jude Thaddeus Church in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J. During the last fraternal year, the N.J. State Knights notched a record, adding 2,754 men to the membership rolls — the best in 26 years. James P. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was also installed for his second year of a two-year term as State Deputy. He belongs to St. Jude Parish in Mount Olive and is a member of the Knights of Columbus Father Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100. Sweeney also sits on the board of trustees of diocesan Catholic Charities and the diocesan Pastoral Council led by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who was the main celebrant and homilist of the installation Mass. The following remaining State Knights officers were installed that day: Father Ernest G. Rush, State Chaplain, who is pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Lyndhurst; Russell D. Petrocelli, State Secretary, from the Newark Archdiocese; Scott C. Williams, State Treasurer, from the Metuchen Diocese; Edward V. Michalak, State Advocate, from the Trenton Diocese; and Christopher A. Tomasello, Sr., State Warden, from the Camden Diocese. During the 2025-26 fraternal year, the State Knights, which oversees 350 councils with a total membership of more than 60,000 Catholic men, also expanded its Evangelization and Faith Formation program throughout the state. This includes Cor program, named after the Latin word for “heart” and the root of “courage,” It features 60- to 90-minute monthly or bi-monthly gatherings focused on three pillars: prayer, formation, and fraternity. Men gather periodically to “discuss their faith and how it impacts their daily lives,” Sweeney said. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “There has been a resurgence of men in our parishes looking to grow in their faith. The Knights is a perfect place for them. We create a community where men can share their faith and then put their faith into action,” said Sweeney. He continued to say, “We are the right faith organization at the right time, offering every Catholic gentleman the opportunity to become a Knight”. These young men might be attracted to the Knights because they live their “faith in action” across New Jersey, supporting numerous charities, Sweeney said. Among them are a few in the Paterson Diocese, including the support of the Catholic Charities Department of Persons with Disabilities support through the Intellectual Disabilities drive. They also support the Coats-for-Kids drive, where the Knights in conjunction with the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., give an average of more than 2,000 coats, at the “Bethlehem in Paterson,” an annual Christmas charity event at the Cathedral. The installation liturgy began with Knights of Columbus Color Corp from throughout the state leading a procession of the NJ State Council leaders and clergy down the center aisle of St. Jude’s Church, wearing crisp blue uniforms and white gloves and holding ceremonial swords and flags. Concelebrating the installation Mass were Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski of the Metuchen Diocese, who is now State Chaplain Emeritus; Father Ernest Rush State Chaplain; Father J. Antonio Gaviria, pastor of St. Jude’s; Father William Smith, a retired priest of the Metuchen Diocese; and Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of St. John’s and diocesan vicar for special projects. The State Knights hold an annual State Officers/District Deputies Installation ceremony to install the newly elected state-level officers for the upcoming fraternal year. The ceremony marks the start of the Columbian Year for the organization. The officers’ family and friends attended the liturgy as a sign of support. A banquet followed the July 20 installation Mass. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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State Knights officers installed amid significant membership growth #Catholic – A Catholic from the Paterson Diocese led the installation of State officers of the N.J. State Knights of Columbus for the 2026-27 fraternal year on July 18, 2026, during a Mass held at St. Jude Thaddeus Church in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J. During the last fraternal year, the N.J. State Knights notched a record, adding 2,754 men to the membership rolls — the best in 26 years. James P. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was also installed for his second year of a two-year term as State Deputy. He belongs to St. Jude Parish in Mount Olive and is a member of the Knights of Columbus Father Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100. Sweeney also sits on the board of trustees of diocesan Catholic Charities and the diocesan Pastoral Council led by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who was the main celebrant and homilist of the installation Mass. The following remaining State Knights officers were installed that day: Father Ernest G. Rush, State Chaplain, who is pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Lyndhurst; Russell D. Petrocelli, State Secretary, from the Newark Archdiocese; Scott C. Williams, State Treasurer, from the Metuchen Diocese; Edward V. Michalak, State Advocate, from the Trenton Diocese; and Christopher A. Tomasello, Sr., State Warden, from the Camden Diocese. During the 2025-26 fraternal year, the State Knights, which oversees 350 councils with a total membership of more than 60,000 Catholic men, also expanded its Evangelization and Faith Formation program throughout the state. This includes Cor program, named after the Latin word for “heart” and the root of “courage,” It features 60- to 90-minute monthly or bi-monthly gatherings focused on three pillars: prayer, formation, and fraternity. Men gather periodically to “discuss their faith and how it impacts their daily lives,” Sweeney said. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. “There has been a resurgence of men in our parishes looking to grow in their faith. The Knights is a perfect place for them. We create a community where men can share their faith and then put their faith into action,” said Sweeney. He continued to say, “We are the right faith organization at the right time, offering every Catholic gentleman the opportunity to become a Knight”. These young men might be attracted to the Knights because they live their “faith in action” across New Jersey, supporting numerous charities, Sweeney said. Among them are a few in the Paterson Diocese, including the support of the Catholic Charities Department of Persons with Disabilities support through the Intellectual Disabilities drive. They also support the Coats-for-Kids drive, where the Knights in conjunction with the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., give an average of more than 2,000 coats, at the “Bethlehem in Paterson,” an annual Christmas charity event at the Cathedral. The installation liturgy began with Knights of Columbus Color Corp from throughout the state leading a procession of the NJ State Council leaders and clergy down the center aisle of St. Jude’s Church, wearing crisp blue uniforms and white gloves and holding ceremonial swords and flags. Concelebrating the installation Mass were Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski of the Metuchen Diocese, who is now State Chaplain Emeritus; Father Ernest Rush State Chaplain; Father J. Antonio Gaviria, pastor of St. Jude’s; Father William Smith, a retired priest of the Metuchen Diocese; and Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of St. John’s and diocesan vicar for special projects. The State Knights hold an annual State Officers/District Deputies Installation ceremony to install the newly elected state-level officers for the upcoming fraternal year. The ceremony marks the start of the Columbian Year for the organization. The officers’ family and friends attended the liturgy as a sign of support. A banquet followed the July 20 installation Mass. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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State Knights officers installed amid significant membership growth #Catholic –

A Catholic from the Paterson Diocese led the installation of State officers of the N.J. State Knights of Columbus for the 2026-27 fraternal year on July 18, 2026, during a Mass held at St. Jude Thaddeus Church in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J. During the last fraternal year, the N.J. State Knights notched a record, adding 2,754 men to the membership rolls — the best in 26 years.

James P. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was also installed for his second year of a two-year term as State Deputy. He belongs to St. Jude Parish in Mount Olive and is a member of the Knights of Columbus Father Joseph A. Cassidy Council 6100. Sweeney also sits on the board of trustees of diocesan Catholic Charities and the diocesan Pastoral Council led by Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, who was the main celebrant and homilist of the installation Mass.

The following remaining State Knights officers were installed that day: Father Ernest G. Rush, State Chaplain, who is pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Lyndhurst; Russell D. Petrocelli, State Secretary, from the Newark Archdiocese; Scott C. Williams, State Treasurer, from the Metuchen Diocese; Edward V. Michalak, State Advocate, from the Trenton Diocese; and Christopher A. Tomasello, Sr., State Warden, from the Camden Diocese.

During the 2025-26 fraternal year, the State Knights, which oversees 350 councils with a total membership of more than 60,000 Catholic men, also expanded its Evangelization and Faith Formation program throughout the state. This includes Cor program, named after the Latin word for “heart” and the root of “courage,” It features 60- to 90-minute monthly or bi-monthly gatherings focused on three pillars: prayer, formation, and fraternity. Men gather periodically to “discuss their faith and how it impacts their daily lives,” Sweeney said.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

“There has been a resurgence of men in our parishes looking to grow in their faith. The Knights is a perfect place for them. We create a community where men can share their faith and then put their faith into action,” said Sweeney. He continued to say, “We are the right faith organization at the right time, offering every Catholic gentleman the opportunity to become a Knight”.

These young men might be attracted to the Knights because they live their “faith in action” across New Jersey, supporting numerous charities, Sweeney said. Among them are a few in the Paterson Diocese, including the support of the Catholic Charities Department of Persons with Disabilities support through the Intellectual Disabilities drive. They also support the Coats-for-Kids drive, where the Knights in conjunction with the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., give an average of more than 2,000 coats, at the “Bethlehem in Paterson,” an annual Christmas charity event at the Cathedral.

The installation liturgy began with Knights of Columbus Color Corp from throughout the state leading a procession of the NJ State Council leaders and clergy down the center aisle of St. Jude’s Church, wearing crisp blue uniforms and white gloves and holding ceremonial swords and flags.

Concelebrating the installation Mass were Bishop Emeritus Paul G. Bootkoski of the Metuchen Diocese, who is now State Chaplain Emeritus; Father Ernest Rush State Chaplain; Father J. Antonio Gaviria, pastor of St. Jude’s; Father William Smith, a retired priest of the Metuchen Diocese; and Msgr. Geno Sylva, rector of St. John’s and diocesan vicar for special projects.

The State Knights hold an annual State Officers/District Deputies Installation ceremony to install the newly elected state-level officers for the upcoming fraternal year. The ceremony marks the start of the Columbian Year for the organization. The officers’ family and friends attended the liturgy as a sign of support.

A banquet followed the July 20 installation Mass.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– A Catholic from the Paterson Diocese led the installation of State officers of the N.J. State Knights of Columbus for the 2026-27 fraternal year on July 18, 2026, during a Mass held at St. Jude Thaddeus Church in the Budd Lake neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J. During the last fraternal year, the N.J. State Knights notched a record, adding 2,754 men to the membership rolls — the best in 26 years. James P. Sweeney of the Paterson Diocese was also installed for his second year of a two-year term as State Deputy. He belongs to St. Jude Parish in

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St. Mary Magdalene: The first witness to the Resurrection #Catholic Not much is known about the life of St. Mary Magdalene, whose feast day is celebrated in the Catholic Church on July 22. She first appears in the Gospel of Luke as a follower of Christ from whom seven demons have been cast out. In the Gospels, she is sometimes associated with two other women in Scripture: the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with oil and Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.Her most prominent position in Scripture occurs in the Gospel of John, where she remains with Jesus at the Crucifixion, keeps vigil at the tomb, and is the first to see him on Easter morning. Differing traditions have her evangelizing in Ephesus, while others place her in Marseille, France.Her body has never been found.Apart from the Blessed Virgin Mary, perhaps no other saint alive during the time of Christ appears to have been as deeply moved by Jesus’ death as this saint.“How beautiful to think that the first appearance of the Risen One took place in such a personal way! That there is someone who knows us, who sees our suffering and delusion, who is moved by us, and who calls us by name,” said Pope Francis of the encounter in a 2017 general audience the year after upgrading her memorial to a feast day in 2016.After this shocking encounter, the joy of Christ’s resurrection imbued her with the courage to spread this good news joyfully. “I have seen the Lord!” she proclaimed to the apostles and the whole world. Once known as a sinful woman, Mary Magdalene becomes the Apostle to the Apostles, the first witness to the Resurrection, and the model of a personal encounter with Jesus Christ risen from the grave.“God surprises her in the most unexpected way,” Pope Francis opined. “So that woman, who is the first to encounter Jesus … now has become an apostle of the new and greatest hope.”This story was first published on July 21, 2021, and has been updated.
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St. Mary Magdalene: The first witness to the Resurrection #Catholic Not much is known about the life of St. Mary Magdalene, whose feast day is celebrated in the Catholic Church on July 22. She first appears in the Gospel of Luke as a follower of Christ from whom seven demons have been cast out. In the Gospels, she is sometimes associated with two other women in Scripture: the woman who washes Jesus’ feet with oil and Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.Her most prominent position in Scripture occurs in the Gospel of John, where she remains with Jesus at the Crucifixion, keeps vigil at the tomb, and is the first to see him on Easter morning. Differing traditions have her evangelizing in Ephesus, while others place her in Marseille, France.Her body has never been found.Apart from the Blessed Virgin Mary, perhaps no other saint alive during the time of Christ appears to have been as deeply moved by Jesus’ death as this saint.“How beautiful to think that the first appearance of the Risen One took place in such a personal way! That there is someone who knows us, who sees our suffering and delusion, who is moved by us, and who calls us by name,” said Pope Francis of the encounter in a 2017 general audience the year after upgrading her memorial to a feast day in 2016.After this shocking encounter, the joy of Christ’s resurrection imbued her with the courage to spread this good news joyfully. “I have seen the Lord!” she proclaimed to the apostles and the whole world. Once known as a sinful woman, Mary Magdalene becomes the Apostle to the Apostles, the first witness to the Resurrection, and the model of a personal encounter with Jesus Christ risen from the grave.“God surprises her in the most unexpected way,” Pope Francis opined. “So that woman, who is the first to encounter Jesus … now has become an apostle of the new and greatest hope.”This story was first published on July 21, 2021, and has been updated.

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Once known as a sinful woman, Mary Magdalene became the Apostle to the Apostles and the first witness to the Resurrection.

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Psyche Approaches Mars – This composite of images taken by NASA’s Psyche mission shows the crescent of Mars grow as the spacecraft approached the planet for a gravity assist from May 2 to May 15, 2026. Because Psyche approached Mars from a high phase angle, the planet appeared as a thin crescent in the days running up to the close approach, lit by sunlight reflecting off its surface.

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This composite of images taken by NASA’s Psyche mission shows the crescent of Mars grow as the spacecraft approached the planet for a gravity assist from May 2 to May 15, 2026. Because Psyche approached Mars from a high phase angle, the planet appeared as a thin crescent in the days running up to the close approach, lit by sunlight reflecting off its surface.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 22 July 2026 – A reading from the Song of Songs 3:1-4b The Bride says: On my bed at night I sought him whom my heart loves– I sought him but I did not find him. I will rise then and go about the city; in the streets and crossings I will seek Him whom my heart loves. I sought him but I did not find him. The watchmen came upon me, as they made their rounds of the city: Have you seen him whom my heart loves? I had hardly left them when I found him whom my heart loves.From the Gospel according to John 20:1-2, 11-18 On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him." Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he told her.Mary suffers twice as much: first for the death of Jesus, and then for the inexplicable disappearance of his body. It is as she is stooping near the tomb, her eyes filled with tears, that God surprises her in the most unexpected way. John the Evangelist stresses how persistent her blindness is. She does not notice the presence of the two angels who question her, and she does not become suspicious even when she sees the man behind her, whom she believes is the custodian of the garden. Instead, she discovers the most overwhelming event in the history of mankind when she is finally called by her name: “Mary!” (v. 16). How nice it is to think that the first apparition of the Risen One — according to the Gospels — took place in such a personal way! To think that there is someone who knows us, who sees our suffering and disappointment, who is moved with us and calls us by name. It is a law which we find engraved on many pages of the Gospel. There are many people around Jesus who search for God, but the most prodigious reality is that, long before that, in the first place there is God, who is concerned about our life, who wants to raise it, and to do this, he calls us by name, recognizing the individual face of each person. Each person is a love story that God writes on this earth. (…) The Gospels describe Mary’s happiness. Jesus’ Resurrection is not a joy which is measured with a dropper, but a waterfall that cascades over life. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 17 May 2017)

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A reading from the Song of Songs
3:1-4b

The Bride says:
On my bed at night I sought him
whom my heart loves–
I sought him but I did not find him.
I will rise then and go about the city;
in the streets and crossings I will seek
Him whom my heart loves.
I sought him but I did not find him.
The watchmen came upon me,
as they made their rounds of the city:
Have you seen him whom my heart loves?
I had hardly left them
when I found him whom my heart loves.

From the Gospel according to John
20:1-2, 11-18

On the first day of the week,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning,
while it was still dark,
and saw the stone removed from the tomb.
So she ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
"They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him."

Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don’t know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew,
"Rabbouni," which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her,
"Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
‘I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.’"
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he told her.

Mary suffers twice as much: first for the death of Jesus, and then for the inexplicable disappearance of his body.

It is as she is stooping near the tomb, her eyes filled with tears, that God surprises her in the most unexpected way. John the Evangelist stresses how persistent her blindness is. She does not notice the presence of the two angels who question her, and she does not become suspicious even when she sees the man behind her, whom she believes is the custodian of the garden. Instead, she discovers the most overwhelming event in the history of mankind when she is finally called by her name: “Mary!” (v. 16).

How nice it is to think that the first apparition of the Risen One — according to the Gospels — took place in such a personal way! To think that there is someone who knows us, who sees our suffering and disappointment, who is moved with us and calls us by name. It is a law which we find engraved on many pages of the Gospel. There are many people around Jesus who search for God, but the most prodigious reality is that, long before that, in the first place there is God, who is concerned about our life, who wants to raise it, and to do this, he calls us by name, recognizing the individual face of each person. Each person is a love story that God writes on this earth. (…) The Gospels describe Mary’s happiness. Jesus’ Resurrection is not a joy which is measured with a dropper, but a waterfall that cascades over life. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 17 May 2017)

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U.S., Catholic Relief Services send first Cuba aid flight under Rubio plan – #Catholic – The United States and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) sent the first flight with humanitarian aid to Cuba under Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s 0 million assistance plan.In partnership with the Catholic Church and Caritas Cuba, the kits of prepackaged food and hygiene kits for up to 700 Cuban families will be delivered by CRS — the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the U.S.“This partnership builds upon the success of the Department’s program last year with CRS and Caritas Cuba to deliver million in direct support to the island following Hurricane Melissa,” according to a U.S. Department of State statement.“Building on the success of the previous program, the direct delivery of humanitarian commodities by local parish representatives in the island will ensure critical U.S. assistance reaches everyday Cubans in need, without any opportunity for regime diversion or theft,” the department said.CRS sent the flight on July 21 from Miami with Jeremy Lewin, Rubio’s senior adviser and director of foreign assistance, and Viviana Bovo, senior adviser for the department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.The supplies sent are the first humanitarian relief sent under Rubio’s commitment of 0 million in humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people, as they “are suffering from the consequences of the Communist regime’s kleptocracy, brutality, and economic incompetence,” the statement said.The aid is part of a million award to CRS from the department’s 0 million fund for expanding humanitarian assistance to vulnerable families across Cuba.“The award will enable CRS, in partnership with Caritas Cuba, to provide emergency food and hygiene supplies to nearly 200,000 households, or more than half a million people, across the country and essential household items — including mattresses and blankets — to another 7,000 people who need them,” CRS said in a press release.“Families in Cuba are facing growing hardship as they struggle to put food on the table, access clean water and meet other basic needs,” said Sean Callahan, CRS president and CEO, in the press release.“This support will allow CRS and our long-standing partner, Caritas Cuba, to significantly expand humanitarian assistance through the Catholic Churchʼs trusted network, reaching vulnerable families with the help they urgently need.”
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U.S., Catholic Relief Services send first Cuba aid flight under Rubio plan – #Catholic – The United States and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) sent the first flight with humanitarian aid to Cuba under Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s $100 million assistance plan.In partnership with the Catholic Church and Caritas Cuba, the kits of prepackaged food and hygiene kits for up to 700 Cuban families will be delivered by CRS — the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the U.S.“This partnership builds upon the success of the Department’s program last year with CRS and Caritas Cuba to deliver $9 million in direct support to the island following Hurricane Melissa,” according to a U.S. Department of State statement.“Building on the success of the previous program, the direct delivery of humanitarian commodities by local parish representatives in the island will ensure critical U.S. assistance reaches everyday Cubans in need, without any opportunity for regime diversion or theft,” the department said.CRS sent the flight on July 21 from Miami with Jeremy Lewin, Rubio’s senior adviser and director of foreign assistance, and Viviana Bovo, senior adviser for the department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.The supplies sent are the first humanitarian relief sent under Rubio’s commitment of $100 million in humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people, as they “are suffering from the consequences of the Communist regime’s kleptocracy, brutality, and economic incompetence,” the statement said.The aid is part of a $60 million award to CRS from the department’s $100 million fund for expanding humanitarian assistance to vulnerable families across Cuba.“The award will enable CRS, in partnership with Caritas Cuba, to provide emergency food and hygiene supplies to nearly 200,000 households, or more than half a million people, across the country and essential household items — including mattresses and blankets — to another 7,000 people who need them,” CRS said in a press release.“Families in Cuba are facing growing hardship as they struggle to put food on the table, access clean water and meet other basic needs,” said Sean Callahan, CRS president and CEO, in the press release.“This support will allow CRS and our long-standing partner, Caritas Cuba, to significantly expand humanitarian assistance through the Catholic Churchʼs trusted network, reaching vulnerable families with the help they urgently need.”

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Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will deliver kits of prepackaged food and hygiene kits for up to 700 Cuban families.

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Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel sees a resurgence with new shrine in Mexico City - #Catholic - As of this year, devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has a new site in Mexico City. On July 15, the old non-parochial church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was dedicated as an archdiocesan shrine, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the historic church.In recent days, the church, located in the traditional San Ángel neighborhood on the city’s south side, has begun to welcome more visitors than usual. Every year on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, celebrated on July 16, hundreds of pilgrims are drawn to the shrine. Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in San Ángel, Mexico City. | Credit: EWTN News However, interest has gained new momentum since Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, primatial archbishop of Mexico, announced in May that the historic church would be elevated to a shrine.Among those drawn by curiosity was Mariana Ledesma. Although she acknowledged that she is only just beginning to learn about this devotion to Our Lady under this title, she wanted to be part of a moment she considers historic.“The shrine is beautiful and full of symbolism; seeing the devotion of the entire community, being able to share in that faith, is something truly beautiful. That is precisely the purpose of the shrine: to make it known to others as well,” she told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.4 centuries of historyThe relationship between Mexico City and Our Lady of Mount Carmel dates back to 1585, when the first missionaries of the Discalced Carmelite order arrived in New Spain to assist in the work of evangelization.In the early 17th century, they established one of their most important convents in San Ángel, from which they fostered contemplative life, spiritual formation, and devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a devotion that took deep root among the capitalʼs inhabitants. Carmelite friars. | Credit: Discalced Carmelites of Central America For centuries, the church and convent served as an important religious and cultural center. However, following the Reform Laws of 1876, the old convent was nationalized and became state property.Today, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church remains a place of Catholic worship while the former convent, after serving various purposes over the years, houses a museum. After more than 400 years of tending to the church, this year the Discalced Carmelites handed over its administration to the Archdiocese of Mexico due to a decline in vocations within the order.Mary, ‘strengthen my heart’During the Mass of canonical dedication as a shrine, Héctor Mario Pérez Villarreal, auxiliary bishop of Mexico, explained that the decision to elevate the church to a shrine reflects the fact that the faithful have long been making pilgrimages there to “seek solace and to come seeking the nourishment of the sacraments and the mercy of confession.” Mass of dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine, July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico “Let us hope that this [act] serves as an encouragement for many more people to return here to renew the consolation offered by the Virgin of Mount Carmel and their love for Jesus Christ,” he stated.He also invited the faithful to turn to Mary during times of difficulty. He noted that when faith or hope “begin to fade,” it is necessary to turn one’s gaze toward Mary and say: “Most Holy Mother, you who were able to remain faithful even [standing] before your Son’s cross, strengthen my heart.” Mass of Dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine on July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico Petitions to Our Lady of Mount CarmelThe aisles of the shrine were filled with people holding scapulars, flowers, or photographs of their family members. Some came to give thanks for favors received; others sought to place their concerns in Maryʼs hands.Among them was Claudio de la Paz, a devotee who traveled from the state of Campeche, over 500 miles away, to take part in the celebration. In addition to hoping the faithful will draw closer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, he asked that young people be specially commended to her care, as he said they are currently going through “times of great vulnerability.” Mass of Dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine on July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico For Rafael Estrada, devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel “represents a quest for peace, serenity, and harmony.” Estrada urged Catholics to ask for Mary’s protection amid the tribulations Mexico is going through.Sister Nina Ramos, a religious of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, invited the faithful to visit the new shrine and noted that those who fulfill the conditions established by the Church may obtain a plenary indulgence.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel sees a resurgence with new shrine in Mexico City – #Catholic – As of this year, devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has a new site in Mexico City. On July 15, the old non-parochial church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was dedicated as an archdiocesan shrine, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the historic church.In recent days, the church, located in the traditional San Ángel neighborhood on the city’s south side, has begun to welcome more visitors than usual. Every year on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, celebrated on July 16, hundreds of pilgrims are drawn to the shrine. Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in San Ángel, Mexico City. | Credit: EWTN News However, interest has gained new momentum since Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, primatial archbishop of Mexico, announced in May that the historic church would be elevated to a shrine.Among those drawn by curiosity was Mariana Ledesma. Although she acknowledged that she is only just beginning to learn about this devotion to Our Lady under this title, she wanted to be part of a moment she considers historic.“The shrine is beautiful and full of symbolism; seeing the devotion of the entire community, being able to share in that faith, is something truly beautiful. That is precisely the purpose of the shrine: to make it known to others as well,” she told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.4 centuries of historyThe relationship between Mexico City and Our Lady of Mount Carmel dates back to 1585, when the first missionaries of the Discalced Carmelite order arrived in New Spain to assist in the work of evangelization.In the early 17th century, they established one of their most important convents in San Ángel, from which they fostered contemplative life, spiritual formation, and devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a devotion that took deep root among the capitalʼs inhabitants. Carmelite friars. | Credit: Discalced Carmelites of Central America For centuries, the church and convent served as an important religious and cultural center. However, following the Reform Laws of 1876, the old convent was nationalized and became state property.Today, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church remains a place of Catholic worship while the former convent, after serving various purposes over the years, houses a museum. After more than 400 years of tending to the church, this year the Discalced Carmelites handed over its administration to the Archdiocese of Mexico due to a decline in vocations within the order.Mary, ‘strengthen my heart’During the Mass of canonical dedication as a shrine, Héctor Mario Pérez Villarreal, auxiliary bishop of Mexico, explained that the decision to elevate the church to a shrine reflects the fact that the faithful have long been making pilgrimages there to “seek solace and to come seeking the nourishment of the sacraments and the mercy of confession.” Mass of dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine, July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico “Let us hope that this [act] serves as an encouragement for many more people to return here to renew the consolation offered by the Virgin of Mount Carmel and their love for Jesus Christ,” he stated.He also invited the faithful to turn to Mary during times of difficulty. He noted that when faith or hope “begin to fade,” it is necessary to turn one’s gaze toward Mary and say: “Most Holy Mother, you who were able to remain faithful even [standing] before your Son’s cross, strengthen my heart.” Mass of Dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine on July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico Petitions to Our Lady of Mount CarmelThe aisles of the shrine were filled with people holding scapulars, flowers, or photographs of their family members. Some came to give thanks for favors received; others sought to place their concerns in Maryʼs hands.Among them was Claudio de la Paz, a devotee who traveled from the state of Campeche, over 500 miles away, to take part in the celebration. In addition to hoping the faithful will draw closer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, he asked that young people be specially commended to her care, as he said they are currently going through “times of great vulnerability.” Mass of Dedication of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church as a shrine on July 15, 2026. | Credit: Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico For Rafael Estrada, devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel “represents a quest for peace, serenity, and harmony.” Estrada urged Catholics to ask for Mary’s protection amid the tribulations Mexico is going through.Sister Nina Ramos, a religious of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, invited the faithful to visit the new shrine and noted that those who fulfill the conditions established by the Church may obtain a plenary indulgence.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Formerly served by the Discalced Carmelites, the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been elevated to an archdiocesan shrine and has seen an increase in the number of pilgrims.

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Caritas Venezuela adds recovery component to ongoing relief efforts – #Catholic – In the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck the country, Caritas Venezuela, the social services arm of the Catholic Church in Venezuela, issued an updated bulletin in which it noted that, at this stage, “the immediate emergency begins to overlap with the first steps toward recovery.” The organization continues to maintain field operations, particularly in the coastal city of La Guaira, where the destruction is overwhelming.In total, Caritas Venezuela reported that it has received over 19,000 tons of aid, of which it has so far managed to distribute approximately nearly 16,000 tons, representing 84% of the total received. The remaining aid “remains in stock, ready for upcoming deliveries.”Critical needsAlong with food and water, healthcare has become an urgent need for the communities affected by the disaster. In total, Caritas has dispatched 96,156 units of medical supplies and medicines, most of which are destined for hospitals and care centers operating under immense strain.“In a healthcare system stretched by the magnitude of the disaster, every box of medicine that arrives on time sustains care for dozens of people,” Caritas explained.Likewise, the organization highlighted the work of thousands of volunteers nationwide who have tirelessly dedicated themselves to receiving, sorting, packing, and distributing aid. Caritas estimated that around 10,000 people have joined volunteer efforts across all of Venezuela’s dioceses and parishes.“They are teachers, young people, mothers, retirees, and neighbors who decided that the suffering of others is their own as well. They are, without exaggeration, the heart of this response,” the organization noted.The clergy have also been present at every collection center, at every distribution point, and in every camp across the affected cities.They have engaged in relief efforts “through prayer and action.” According to the bulletin, the greatest help provided by bishops, priests, and religious has been taking the time to listen to and be there for those grieving the loss of loved ones and to console those left homeless.What lies ahead?Caritas Venezuela noted that the 3,095 tons of humanitarian aid still available will allow them to “continue responding” but stated that “the emergency is far from over.”“Thousands of families remain in temporary camps, and many others will not be able to return to their homes. In the coming weeks, the operation will shift from immediate assistance to the recovery of those who lost everything — a long process that will require sustained solidarity over time,” the organization explained.When the camera crews depart and the news media turns to covering other events, “the need remains. That’s why we reiterate our call to continue making contributions through official channels and to keep moving forward together,” the organization emphasized.“Monetary donations are the most efficient, as they allow us to procure exactly what is needed at any given moment directly from the field,” Caritas advised.The official death toll from the earthquakes in Venezuela now stands at over 5,200. Tens of thousands of other people have been injured and have lost their homes in Caracas, La Guaira, El Junquito, and other cities across the country.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Caritas Venezuela adds recovery component to ongoing relief efforts – #Catholic – In the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that struck the country, Caritas Venezuela, the social services arm of the Catholic Church in Venezuela, issued an updated bulletin in which it noted that, at this stage, “the immediate emergency begins to overlap with the first steps toward recovery.” The organization continues to maintain field operations, particularly in the coastal city of La Guaira, where the destruction is overwhelming.In total, Caritas Venezuela reported that it has received over 19,000 tons of aid, of which it has so far managed to distribute approximately nearly 16,000 tons, representing 84% of the total received. The remaining aid “remains in stock, ready for upcoming deliveries.”Critical needsAlong with food and water, healthcare has become an urgent need for the communities affected by the disaster. In total, Caritas has dispatched 96,156 units of medical supplies and medicines, most of which are destined for hospitals and care centers operating under immense strain.“In a healthcare system stretched by the magnitude of the disaster, every box of medicine that arrives on time sustains care for dozens of people,” Caritas explained.Likewise, the organization highlighted the work of thousands of volunteers nationwide who have tirelessly dedicated themselves to receiving, sorting, packing, and distributing aid. Caritas estimated that around 10,000 people have joined volunteer efforts across all of Venezuela’s dioceses and parishes.“They are teachers, young people, mothers, retirees, and neighbors who decided that the suffering of others is their own as well. They are, without exaggeration, the heart of this response,” the organization noted.The clergy have also been present at every collection center, at every distribution point, and in every camp across the affected cities.They have engaged in relief efforts “through prayer and action.” According to the bulletin, the greatest help provided by bishops, priests, and religious has been taking the time to listen to and be there for those grieving the loss of loved ones and to console those left homeless.What lies ahead?Caritas Venezuela noted that the 3,095 tons of humanitarian aid still available will allow them to “continue responding” but stated that “the emergency is far from over.”“Thousands of families remain in temporary camps, and many others will not be able to return to their homes. In the coming weeks, the operation will shift from immediate assistance to the recovery of those who lost everything — a long process that will require sustained solidarity over time,” the organization explained.When the camera crews depart and the news media turns to covering other events, “the need remains. That’s why we reiterate our call to continue making contributions through official channels and to keep moving forward together,” the organization emphasized.“Monetary donations are the most efficient, as they allow us to procure exactly what is needed at any given moment directly from the field,” Caritas advised.The official death toll from the earthquakes in Venezuela now stands at over 5,200. Tens of thousands of other people have been injured and have lost their homes in Caracas, La Guaira, El Junquito, and other cities across the country.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The Catholic Church’s social services arm in the country reports that its operations are in a transitional phase, as it shifts from immediate assistance to the recovery of those who lost everything.

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Catholic relief agencies mobilize across Asia as storms trigger widespread humanitarian need #Catholic Catholic aid groups in Bangladesh and China are responding to severe midsummer storms, with Caritas Bangladesh coordinating relief in dioceses hit by early‑July monsoon flooding and Jinde Charities delivering assistance on behalf of the Shanghai and Beijing dioceses after flash floods and tornadoes.Caritas Bangladesh is collaborating with local partners in dioceses affected by monsoon rains and flooding that swept the country in early July.Caritas disaster relief efforts have been underway after the July 5–9 flooding, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 34 people in Bangladesh, according to a July 10 press release from the aid organization. “More than 241,000 people have been affected. Among them are more than 7,400 Rohingya refugees living in 25 camps severely affected by floods and landslides,” Caritas said.The rainfall has impacted Bangladesh’s Chattogram Division, including the districts of Bandarban, Khagrachari, Rangamati, Cox’s Bazar, and Chattogram.“Caritas Bangladesh has mobilized local staff and community volunteers, who went from door to door sharing early warning messages and helping families living in high-risk areas move to safety before the worst of the rains arrived,” the aid organization said.“This latest disaster comes on top of a protracted humanitarian crisis,” the press release continued. “As humanitarian funding continues to decline, many Rohingya families face growing food insecurity, reduced access to essential services and fewer opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity. The floods are a reminder that sustained international solidarity remains essential.”Catholics in China distribute aid after flooding The government-registered Catholic relief organization Jinde Charities has been acting on behalf of the Shanghai and Beijing dioceses to deliver humanitarian assistance in the wake of flash floods and tornadoes. Rescue workers evacuate flood-affected students in Guigang, in China’s southern Guangxi region, on July 8, 2026. | Credit: CN-STR/AFP via Getty Images According to a July 18 press release on the organization’s website, Jinde Charities is collaborating with local partners and traveling to Shuangfeng Village, Sanli Town, Qintang District, Guigang City, Guangxi, to deliver food aid to disaster-affected villagers.Jinde noted in an earlier release that as of July 13, about 827,000 people have been affected by the disaster in Guigang City. In addition to food aid, Jinde has distributed tools such as chainsaws, shovels, wheelbarrows, bamboo brooms, and other supplies. Fides News Agency, a Vatican news service, reported that many Catholic families in Guigang have been left without running water and electricity.
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Catholic relief agencies mobilize across Asia as storms trigger widespread humanitarian need #Catholic Catholic aid groups in Bangladesh and China are responding to severe midsummer storms, with Caritas Bangladesh coordinating relief in dioceses hit by early‑July monsoon flooding and Jinde Charities delivering assistance on behalf of the Shanghai and Beijing dioceses after flash floods and tornadoes.Caritas Bangladesh is collaborating with local partners in dioceses affected by monsoon rains and flooding that swept the country in early July.Caritas disaster relief efforts have been underway after the July 5–9 flooding, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 34 people in Bangladesh, according to a July 10 press release from the aid organization. “More than 241,000 people have been affected. Among them are more than 7,400 Rohingya refugees living in 25 camps severely affected by floods and landslides,” Caritas said.The rainfall has impacted Bangladesh’s Chattogram Division, including the districts of Bandarban, Khagrachari, Rangamati, Cox’s Bazar, and Chattogram.“Caritas Bangladesh has mobilized local staff and community volunteers, who went from door to door sharing early warning messages and helping families living in high-risk areas move to safety before the worst of the rains arrived,” the aid organization said.“This latest disaster comes on top of a protracted humanitarian crisis,” the press release continued. “As humanitarian funding continues to decline, many Rohingya families face growing food insecurity, reduced access to essential services and fewer opportunities to rebuild their lives with dignity. The floods are a reminder that sustained international solidarity remains essential.”Catholics in China distribute aid after flooding The government-registered Catholic relief organization Jinde Charities has been acting on behalf of the Shanghai and Beijing dioceses to deliver humanitarian assistance in the wake of flash floods and tornadoes. Rescue workers evacuate flood-affected students in Guigang, in China’s southern Guangxi region, on July 8, 2026. | Credit: CN-STR/AFP via Getty Images According to a July 18 press release on the organization’s website, Jinde Charities is collaborating with local partners and traveling to Shuangfeng Village, Sanli Town, Qintang District, Guigang City, Guangxi, to deliver food aid to disaster-affected villagers.Jinde noted in an earlier release that as of July 13, about 827,000 people have been affected by the disaster in Guigang City. In addition to food aid, Jinde has distributed tools such as chainsaws, shovels, wheelbarrows, bamboo brooms, and other supplies. Fides News Agency, a Vatican news service, reported that many Catholic families in Guigang have been left without running water and electricity.

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Caritas Bangladesh and Jinde Charities in China are providing aid after devastating flooding.

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Lebanon’s cardinal urges prayer, guidance as its president visits the White House #Catholic – (OSV News) — Lebanon’s Cardinal Bechara Rai, the patriarch of the country’s Maronite Catholic Church, has urged for prayer and guidance as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun makes a critical visit to the White House July 21 to present President Donald Trump with a plan on how to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and secure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. “However severe the crises facing Lebanon may become, this country is not lost as long as God accompanies it. This hope drives us to look toward the future,” Cardinal Rai urged during a Sunday Mass commemorating the feast day of Lebanon’s patron saint, St. Charbel Makhlouf, on July 19. “We pray for Lebanon and its officials, asking God to guide them in working for national unity, preserving the dignity of the people and safeguarding sovereignty. Peace is our choice, and Lebanon must choose the paths of truth, not illusions, because truth is what builds the state and brings the Lebanese together,” Cardinal Rai said at the St. Maron Monastery in Annaya. The Maronite Catholic Church is the largest and most powerful Christian denomination in Lebanon. Cardinal Rai is considered by many Lebanese to be the Church’s most influential leader. By convention, the country’s president is always a Maronite. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Aoun, a Maronite Christian, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet President Trump face-to-face for the first time. Cardinal Rai called for the preservation of his beleaguered nation’s sovereignty, caught up in a destructive conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel. The latest round of fighting between the two sides began March 2 as Iran came under U.S. and Israeli attack. More than 4,300 people have been killed so far, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, including nearly 800 children, women and medics and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced from southern Lebanon. The Catholic Church in Lebanon has played a key role in assisting the displaced and providing spiritual sustenance both to those who lost their homes and livelihoods and other Lebanese who refused to leave their villages despite Israeli aerial and ground bombardment. Aoun is seeking Trump’s help to press Israel to implement a U.S.-brokered June 26 “Framework Agreement” between Lebanon and Israel that works on disarming Hezbollah, sees Israeli troops withdraw from large swathes of Lebanese territory it occupies, and sets the possibility for peaceful ties between Lebanon and Israel. After the war began, Aoun quickly called for direct talks with Israel, a historic departure for a state repeatedly invaded by Israel since 1978. It led to the highest-level face-to-face negotiations in decades between the two countries. Yet, Hezbollah has firmly rejected the Lebanese government’s direct talks with Israel — and efforts by the state to decommission its massive weapons arsenal held since the time of the country’s 1975-1990 civil war and supplemented by Iran. Cardinal Rai said that “any agreement that preserves Lebanon’s sovereignty, safeguards its national rights and strengthens the authority of the state deserves support.” He renewed his call for the implementation of the “Framework Agreement,” saying it establishes a gateway to consolidating state sovereignty and safeguarding Lebanon’s national rights. All parties must commit to implementing the “Framework Agreement,” he said, stressing that “active neutrality” remains the national choice that protects Lebanon from the conflict between rival countries or groups and strengthens its internal unity. “Lebanon is called upon today more than ever to adhere to this historical message that has made it a homeland of coexistence, dialogue and openness,” Cardinal Rai said at another venue in Bqaa Kafra, the birthplace of St. Charbel. He referred to the 18 different religious sects that comprise the rich cultural diversity of the tiny Mediterranean nation. He said the Lebanese are weary of conflict and divisions and hope to enter a new period of stability and security — for peace and not war. “Peace is the only path that preserves life, protects human dignity, and lays the foundation for future generations,” he argued. “Nations are not built through disputes or hate speech, but through reconciliation, solidarity and cooperation among all their people,” Cardinal Rai affirmed. Dale Gavlak writes for OSV News from Amman, Jordan.  
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Lebanon’s cardinal urges prayer, guidance as its president visits the White House #Catholic – (OSV News) — Lebanon’s Cardinal Bechara Rai, the patriarch of the country’s Maronite Catholic Church, has urged for prayer and guidance as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun makes a critical visit to the White House July 21 to present President Donald Trump with a plan on how to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and secure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. “However severe the crises facing Lebanon may become, this country is not lost as long as God accompanies it. This hope drives us to look toward the future,” Cardinal Rai urged during a Sunday Mass commemorating the feast day of Lebanon’s patron saint, St. Charbel Makhlouf, on July 19. “We pray for Lebanon and its officials, asking God to guide them in working for national unity, preserving the dignity of the people and safeguarding sovereignty. Peace is our choice, and Lebanon must choose the paths of truth, not illusions, because truth is what builds the state and brings the Lebanese together,” Cardinal Rai said at the St. Maron Monastery in Annaya. The Maronite Catholic Church is the largest and most powerful Christian denomination in Lebanon. Cardinal Rai is considered by many Lebanese to be the Church’s most influential leader. By convention, the country’s president is always a Maronite. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Aoun, a Maronite Christian, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet President Trump face-to-face for the first time. Cardinal Rai called for the preservation of his beleaguered nation’s sovereignty, caught up in a destructive conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel. The latest round of fighting between the two sides began March 2 as Iran came under U.S. and Israeli attack. More than 4,300 people have been killed so far, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, including nearly 800 children, women and medics and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced from southern Lebanon. The Catholic Church in Lebanon has played a key role in assisting the displaced and providing spiritual sustenance both to those who lost their homes and livelihoods and other Lebanese who refused to leave their villages despite Israeli aerial and ground bombardment. Aoun is seeking Trump’s help to press Israel to implement a U.S.-brokered June 26 “Framework Agreement” between Lebanon and Israel that works on disarming Hezbollah, sees Israeli troops withdraw from large swathes of Lebanese territory it occupies, and sets the possibility for peaceful ties between Lebanon and Israel. After the war began, Aoun quickly called for direct talks with Israel, a historic departure for a state repeatedly invaded by Israel since 1978. It led to the highest-level face-to-face negotiations in decades between the two countries. Yet, Hezbollah has firmly rejected the Lebanese government’s direct talks with Israel — and efforts by the state to decommission its massive weapons arsenal held since the time of the country’s 1975-1990 civil war and supplemented by Iran. Cardinal Rai said that “any agreement that preserves Lebanon’s sovereignty, safeguards its national rights and strengthens the authority of the state deserves support.” He renewed his call for the implementation of the “Framework Agreement,” saying it establishes a gateway to consolidating state sovereignty and safeguarding Lebanon’s national rights. All parties must commit to implementing the “Framework Agreement,” he said, stressing that “active neutrality” remains the national choice that protects Lebanon from the conflict between rival countries or groups and strengthens its internal unity. “Lebanon is called upon today more than ever to adhere to this historical message that has made it a homeland of coexistence, dialogue and openness,” Cardinal Rai said at another venue in Bqaa Kafra, the birthplace of St. Charbel. He referred to the 18 different religious sects that comprise the rich cultural diversity of the tiny Mediterranean nation. He said the Lebanese are weary of conflict and divisions and hope to enter a new period of stability and security — for peace and not war. “Peace is the only path that preserves life, protects human dignity, and lays the foundation for future generations,” he argued. “Nations are not built through disputes or hate speech, but through reconciliation, solidarity and cooperation among all their people,” Cardinal Rai affirmed. Dale Gavlak writes for OSV News from Amman, Jordan.  

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Lebanon’s cardinal urges prayer, guidance as its president visits the White House #Catholic –

(OSV News) — Lebanon’s Cardinal Bechara Rai, the patriarch of the country’s Maronite Catholic Church, has urged for prayer and guidance as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun makes a critical visit to the White House July 21 to present President Donald Trump with a plan on how to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and secure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon.

“However severe the crises facing Lebanon may become, this country is not lost as long as God accompanies it. This hope drives us to look toward the future,” Cardinal Rai urged during a Sunday Mass commemorating the feast day of Lebanon’s patron saint, St. Charbel Makhlouf, on July 19.

“We pray for Lebanon and its officials, asking God to guide them in working for national unity, preserving the dignity of the people and safeguarding sovereignty. Peace is our choice, and Lebanon must choose the paths of truth, not illusions, because truth is what builds the state and brings the Lebanese together,” Cardinal Rai said at the St. Maron Monastery in Annaya.

The Maronite Catholic Church is the largest and most powerful Christian denomination in Lebanon. Cardinal Rai is considered by many Lebanese to be the Church’s most influential leader. By convention, the country’s president is always a Maronite.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Aoun, a Maronite Christian, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet President Trump face-to-face for the first time.

Cardinal Rai called for the preservation of his beleaguered nation’s sovereignty, caught up in a destructive conflict between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel. The latest round of fighting between the two sides began March 2 as Iran came under U.S. and Israeli attack.

More than 4,300 people have been killed so far, according to Lebanon’s health ministry, including nearly 800 children, women and medics and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced from southern Lebanon.

The Catholic Church in Lebanon has played a key role in assisting the displaced and providing spiritual sustenance both to those who lost their homes and livelihoods and other Lebanese who refused to leave their villages despite Israeli aerial and ground bombardment.

Aoun is seeking Trump’s help to press Israel to implement a U.S.-brokered June 26 “Framework Agreement” between Lebanon and Israel that works on disarming Hezbollah, sees Israeli troops withdraw from large swathes of Lebanese territory it occupies, and sets the possibility for peaceful ties between Lebanon and Israel.

After the war began, Aoun quickly called for direct talks with Israel, a historic departure for a state repeatedly invaded by Israel since 1978. It led to the highest-level face-to-face negotiations in decades between the two countries.

Yet, Hezbollah has firmly rejected the Lebanese government’s direct talks with Israel — and efforts by the state to decommission its massive weapons arsenal held since the time of the country’s 1975-1990 civil war and supplemented by Iran.

Cardinal Rai said that “any agreement that preserves Lebanon’s sovereignty, safeguards its national rights and strengthens the authority of the state deserves support.” He renewed his call for the implementation of the “Framework Agreement,” saying it establishes a gateway to consolidating state sovereignty and safeguarding Lebanon’s national rights.

All parties must commit to implementing the “Framework Agreement,” he said, stressing that “active neutrality” remains the national choice that protects Lebanon from the conflict between rival countries or groups and strengthens its internal unity.

“Lebanon is called upon today more than ever to adhere to this historical message that has made it a homeland of coexistence, dialogue and openness,” Cardinal Rai said at another venue in Bqaa Kafra, the birthplace of St. Charbel.

He referred to the 18 different religious sects that comprise the rich cultural diversity of the tiny Mediterranean nation.

He said the Lebanese are weary of conflict and divisions and hope to enter a new period of stability and security — for peace and not war.

“Peace is the only path that preserves life, protects human dignity, and lays the foundation for future generations,” he argued.

“Nations are not built through disputes or hate speech, but through reconciliation, solidarity and cooperation among all their people,” Cardinal Rai affirmed.

Dale Gavlak writes for OSV News from Amman, Jordan.

 

– (OSV News) — Lebanon’s Cardinal Bechara Rai, the patriarch of the country’s Maronite Catholic Church, has urged for prayer and guidance as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun makes a critical visit to the White House July 21 to present President Donald Trump with a plan on how to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group and secure Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. “However severe the crises facing Lebanon may become, this country is not lost as long as God accompanies it. This hope drives us to look toward the future,” Cardinal Rai urged during a Sunday Mass commemorating the feast day of Lebanon’s

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Women religious sue New York over law they say would force them to assist in patient suicides #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Four orders of women religious and Catholic healthcare ministries sued the state of New York July 17 over a new law allowing physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide. In a lawsuit filed by Becket, a religious liberty law firm, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict and the Little Sisters of the Poor argued the law would require them to facilitate such deaths in violation of their faith. Mother Mary Rose Heery, prioress general of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, said in a July 20 statement, “At our homes, we bring Christ’s unbounded love to elderly New Yorkers of every background and walk of life.” “We strive to bring His compassion to those entrusted to our care, ensuring that no resident ever has to die alone,” she said. “This law strikes at the heart of that vocation.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Supporters of physician-assisted suicide argue the practice protects the autonomy of suffering individuals in their final days, but opponents argue the practice disregards the dignity of human life and leaves those who are ill or dying vulnerable to coercion, among other concerns. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly condemns the practice of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide as “morally unacceptable” and a violation of the Fifth Commandment, “You shall not kill.” Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., signed the law in February, arguing she had “secured” guardrails during the legislative process that ensured the “integrity of patient decision and preparedness of medical institutions.” The state’s Catholic bishops were among those who objected to the law. But Mark Rienzi, president of Becket and the lead attorney for the healthcare ministries, said in a July 20 statement, “New York is forcing sick and dying people to consider suicide at their lowest moment, regardless of whether they ask for it or not.” “Worse, it’s conscripting the nuns who care for them into its suicide cult on pain of crushing fines and professional ruin,” Rienzi said. “That is both unconscionable and unconstitutional. We’re confident the federal courts will put a stop to it.” Becket, which is representing the religious orders and Bishop John O. Barres of Rockville Centre, New York, said the religious ministries plan to seek a preliminary injunction against the law in the coming days. In a statement, Bishop Barres added, “We will never submit to New York’s culture of death.” “Assisted suicide is a grave moral failure that puts the elderly, the disabled, and those suffering from mental and emotional illness at risk of abuse and manipulation,” said the bishop, whose diocese is also a plaintiff. “Christ the Divine Physician calls us to accompany the sick and dying with compassion, not abandon them to death. The court should protect that millennia-old mission.” The lawsuit is another in a series of lawsuits from Catholic nuns against recent Empire State laws. Earlier this year, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who operate a 42-bed palliative care program for the dying poor, challenged a law implementing requirements on gender identity accommodations for nursing home residents. New York is one of 13 states, as well as the District of Columbia, that have legalized assisted suicide. Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X @kgscanlon.  
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Women religious sue New York over law they say would force them to assist in patient suicides #Catholic – WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Four orders of women religious and Catholic healthcare ministries sued the state of New York July 17 over a new law allowing physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide. In a lawsuit filed by Becket, a religious liberty law firm, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict and the Little Sisters of the Poor argued the law would require them to facilitate such deaths in violation of their faith. Mother Mary Rose Heery, prioress general of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, said in a July 20 statement, “At our homes, we bring Christ’s unbounded love to elderly New Yorkers of every background and walk of life.” “We strive to bring His compassion to those entrusted to our care, ensuring that no resident ever has to die alone,” she said. “This law strikes at the heart of that vocation.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Supporters of physician-assisted suicide argue the practice protects the autonomy of suffering individuals in their final days, but opponents argue the practice disregards the dignity of human life and leaves those who are ill or dying vulnerable to coercion, among other concerns. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly condemns the practice of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide as “morally unacceptable” and a violation of the Fifth Commandment, “You shall not kill.” Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., signed the law in February, arguing she had “secured” guardrails during the legislative process that ensured the “integrity of patient decision and preparedness of medical institutions.” The state’s Catholic bishops were among those who objected to the law. But Mark Rienzi, president of Becket and the lead attorney for the healthcare ministries, said in a July 20 statement, “New York is forcing sick and dying people to consider suicide at their lowest moment, regardless of whether they ask for it or not.” “Worse, it’s conscripting the nuns who care for them into its suicide cult on pain of crushing fines and professional ruin,” Rienzi said. “That is both unconscionable and unconstitutional. We’re confident the federal courts will put a stop to it.” Becket, which is representing the religious orders and Bishop John O. Barres of Rockville Centre, New York, said the religious ministries plan to seek a preliminary injunction against the law in the coming days. In a statement, Bishop Barres added, “We will never submit to New York’s culture of death.” “Assisted suicide is a grave moral failure that puts the elderly, the disabled, and those suffering from mental and emotional illness at risk of abuse and manipulation,” said the bishop, whose diocese is also a plaintiff. “Christ the Divine Physician calls us to accompany the sick and dying with compassion, not abandon them to death. The court should protect that millennia-old mission.” The lawsuit is another in a series of lawsuits from Catholic nuns against recent Empire State laws. Earlier this year, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who operate a 42-bed palliative care program for the dying poor, challenged a law implementing requirements on gender identity accommodations for nursing home residents. New York is one of 13 states, as well as the District of Columbia, that have legalized assisted suicide. Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X @kgscanlon.  

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Women religious sue New York over law they say would force them to assist in patient suicides #Catholic –

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Four orders of women religious and Catholic healthcare ministries sued the state of New York July 17 over a new law allowing physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide.

In a lawsuit filed by Becket, a religious liberty law firm, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict and the Little Sisters of the Poor argued the law would require them to facilitate such deaths in violation of their faith.

Mother Mary Rose Heery, prioress general of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, said in a July 20 statement, “At our homes, we bring Christ’s unbounded love to elderly New Yorkers of every background and walk of life.”

“We strive to bring His compassion to those entrusted to our care, ensuring that no resident ever has to die alone,” she said. “This law strikes at the heart of that vocation.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Supporters of physician-assisted suicide argue the practice protects the autonomy of suffering individuals in their final days, but opponents argue the practice disregards the dignity of human life and leaves those who are ill or dying vulnerable to coercion, among other concerns.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly condemns the practice of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide as “morally unacceptable” and a violation of the Fifth Commandment, “You shall not kill.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., signed the law in February, arguing she had “secured” guardrails during the legislative process that ensured the “integrity of patient decision and preparedness of medical institutions.” The state’s Catholic bishops were among those who objected to the law.

But Mark Rienzi, president of Becket and the lead attorney for the healthcare ministries, said in a July 20 statement, “New York is forcing sick and dying people to consider suicide at their lowest moment, regardless of whether they ask for it or not.”

“Worse, it’s conscripting the nuns who care for them into its suicide cult on pain of crushing fines and professional ruin,” Rienzi said. “That is both unconscionable and unconstitutional. We’re confident the federal courts will put a stop to it.”

Becket, which is representing the religious orders and Bishop John O. Barres of Rockville Centre, New York, said the religious ministries plan to seek a preliminary injunction against the law in the coming days.

In a statement, Bishop Barres added, “We will never submit to New York’s culture of death.”

“Assisted suicide is a grave moral failure that puts the elderly, the disabled, and those suffering from mental and emotional illness at risk of abuse and manipulation,” said the bishop, whose diocese is also a plaintiff. “Christ the Divine Physician calls us to accompany the sick and dying with compassion, not abandon them to death. The court should protect that millennia-old mission.”

The lawsuit is another in a series of lawsuits from Catholic nuns against recent Empire State laws. Earlier this year, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who operate a 42-bed palliative care program for the dying poor, challenged a law implementing requirements on gender identity accommodations for nursing home residents.

New York is one of 13 states, as well as the District of Columbia, that have legalized assisted suicide.

Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X @kgscanlon.

 

– WASHINGTON (OSV News) — Four orders of women religious and Catholic healthcare ministries sued the state of New York July 17 over a new law allowing physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide. In a lawsuit filed by Becket, a religious liberty law firm, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict and the Little Sisters of the Poor argued the law would require them to facilitate such deaths in violation of their faith. Mother Mary Rose Heery, prioress general of the Carmelite Sisters for the

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Is this the first known binary system to produce two supernova remnants?

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When massive stars die, they explode, leaving behind supernova remnants. Given how common binary star systems are — more than half the stars in our galaxy have a companion — it stands to reason that paired supernova remnants would also be common. But astronomers have never found one. Now, hiding in the bright shine ofContinue reading “Is this the first known binary system to produce two supernova remnants?”

The post Is this the first known binary system to produce two supernova remnants? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Our First View of the Surface of Mars – On the morning of July 20, 1976, roughly 40 minutes after mission controllers received word that the Viking 1 lander had successfully touched down on the surface of Mars, this photo gave us our first view from the surface of another planet.
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Our First View of the Surface of Mars – On the morning of July 20, 1976, roughly 40 minutes after mission controllers received word that the Viking 1 lander had successfully touched down on the surface of Mars, this photo gave us our first view from the surface of another planet.

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On the morning of July 20, 1976, roughly 40 minutes after mission controllers received word that the Viking 1 lander had successfully touched down on the surface of Mars, this photo gave us our first view from the surface of another planet.

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Bishop Barres, Catholic sisters sue New York over assisted suicide mandates – #Catholic – Bishop John O. Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre and four communities of religious sisters have filed a lawsuit against New York’s attorney general and commissioner of health over a law they say would force them to participate in the process of physician-assisted suicide.The Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, and the religious communities — the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, and the Little Sisters of the Poor — provide care for elderly and terminally ill people and say their Catholic faith prohibits them from participation in the process in any way.Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill legalizing physician-assisted suicide in February, and the law goes into effect in August. Although some facilities can opt out of parts of the physician‑assisted suicide process, the exemptions are limited, and the law imposes additional requirements on the diocese and religious communities.“We will never submit to New York’s culture of death,” Barres said in a statement through his attorneys at the Becket Fund.“Assisted suicide is a grave moral failure that puts the elderly, the disabled, and those suffering from mental and emotional illness at risk of abuse and manipulation,” the bishop said. “Christ the Divine Physician calls us to accompany the sick and dying with compassion, not abandon them to death. The court should protect that millennia-old mission.”The New York’s attorney general’s office and Department of Health did not immediately reply to a request for comment.Requirements in the lawMore than a dozen states have legalized physician-assisted suicide over the past two decades, but New York’s opt out policy “is among the narrowest in the nation,” according to the lawsuit, and it affects some of the religious communities differently.While most of the Catholic-run facilities qualify for the narrow “opt outs,” those that qualify must still follow existing laws to offer counseling to terminally ill patients that explains various options for end-of-life care, along with the “risks and benefits” of their options, or refer them to someone who will.According to the lawsuit, this will now apply to the “option” of physician-assisted suicide, which means nurse practitioners or physicians “must either counsel terminal patients about the availability and benefits of [physician-assisted suicide], or else help the patient find a provider who is willing do so.”Physicians covered by the opt outs must also assist in determining whether patients qualify for assisted suicide through actions such as referring them for mental health evaluations. Facilities covered by the opt outs — if they refuse to directly participate in the suicide itself — must refer the patient to a facility that will administer it, according to the lawsuit.The lawsuit further states that providers must sign a death certificate that says the patient died from his or her underlying condition, rather than the drugs that ended his or her life. It states that facilities may also not be able to take adverse employment actions against employees who act in accordance with New York’s physician-assisted suicide law, even if the facility prohibits it.At least one facility — the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict — is not covered by the opt outs, which means it must also allow the prescription and the ingestion of the suicide drugs on its property. Those that qualify for the opt out are exempted from this requirement.Adele Keim, senior counsel at Becket, told EWTN News the law essentially requires all the facilities to “take [the patients] through the process” and “allow that very involved process to take place in their facilities.”“[They] will not do that,” she said, explaining that it violates their religious beliefs.First Amendment objectionsKeim said Catholic sisters have offered end-of-life care to New Yorkers for more than 100 years, “providing that personal accompaniment, which in Catholic teaching, is rooted in the example of Mary sitting at the foot of the cross as Jesus died.”“That’s what they believe they’re called to do,” she said. “… [They are] bearing witness to the distinctly Catholic response to the suffering people experience in their final days."Sister Justyna Owsiejko, O.S.B., of the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, said in a statement through Becket that “we are simple nuns whose mission is to serve God — and we do that by offering the aged a home in which to live their final days in peace, tranquility, and comfort, cared for by sisters who see the face of Christ in each person they serve.”“New York is trying to force us to abandon that vocation and help our residents commit suicide,” she said. “That is something we will never do. Our foundress overcame war and exile to serve those in need — we will overcome this law to do the same.”Mother Alice Marie Monica of the Little Sisters of the Poor said in a statement that “we have served God by welcoming the elderly poor and dying into our homes for nearly 200 years.”“Our calling is to protect and care for needy seniors, not steer them toward suicide,” she said. “We will remain true to that mission, whatever the cost.”The lawsuit argues that forcing Catholic-run facilities to participate in physician-assisted suicide violates their First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion. The Church teaches that life must be protected from conception until natural death.The suit also argues that the law violates their freedom of speech by compelling them to counsel their patients about physician-assisted suicide.“The sisters’ Catholic faith leads them to accept death as the natural end to a life well-lived: neither artificially prolonging it through burdensome technological and medical interventions that provide no reasonable benefit, nor artificially hastening it,” the lawsuit states.“Above all,” the lawsuit adds, “it means that the sisters seek to personally provide a loving human presence alongside each person — bearing witness to the ending of a uniquely beautiful and unrepeatable life.”
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Bishop Barres, Catholic sisters sue New York over assisted suicide mandates – #Catholic – Bishop John O. Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre and four communities of religious sisters have filed a lawsuit against New York’s attorney general and commissioner of health over a law they say would force them to participate in the process of physician-assisted suicide.The Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, and the religious communities — the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, and the Little Sisters of the Poor — provide care for elderly and terminally ill people and say their Catholic faith prohibits them from participation in the process in any way.Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill legalizing physician-assisted suicide in February, and the law goes into effect in August. Although some facilities can opt out of parts of the physician‑assisted suicide process, the exemptions are limited, and the law imposes additional requirements on the diocese and religious communities.“We will never submit to New York’s culture of death,” Barres said in a statement through his attorneys at the Becket Fund.“Assisted suicide is a grave moral failure that puts the elderly, the disabled, and those suffering from mental and emotional illness at risk of abuse and manipulation,” the bishop said. “Christ the Divine Physician calls us to accompany the sick and dying with compassion, not abandon them to death. The court should protect that millennia-old mission.”The New York’s attorney general’s office and Department of Health did not immediately reply to a request for comment.Requirements in the lawMore than a dozen states have legalized physician-assisted suicide over the past two decades, but New York’s opt out policy “is among the narrowest in the nation,” according to the lawsuit, and it affects some of the religious communities differently.While most of the Catholic-run facilities qualify for the narrow “opt outs,” those that qualify must still follow existing laws to offer counseling to terminally ill patients that explains various options for end-of-life care, along with the “risks and benefits” of their options, or refer them to someone who will.According to the lawsuit, this will now apply to the “option” of physician-assisted suicide, which means nurse practitioners or physicians “must either counsel terminal patients about the availability and benefits of [physician-assisted suicide], or else help the patient find a provider who is willing do so.”Physicians covered by the opt outs must also assist in determining whether patients qualify for assisted suicide through actions such as referring them for mental health evaluations. Facilities covered by the opt outs — if they refuse to directly participate in the suicide itself — must refer the patient to a facility that will administer it, according to the lawsuit.The lawsuit further states that providers must sign a death certificate that says the patient died from his or her underlying condition, rather than the drugs that ended his or her life. It states that facilities may also not be able to take adverse employment actions against employees who act in accordance with New York’s physician-assisted suicide law, even if the facility prohibits it.At least one facility — the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict — is not covered by the opt outs, which means it must also allow the prescription and the ingestion of the suicide drugs on its property. Those that qualify for the opt out are exempted from this requirement.Adele Keim, senior counsel at Becket, told EWTN News the law essentially requires all the facilities to “take [the patients] through the process” and “allow that very involved process to take place in their facilities.”“[They] will not do that,” she said, explaining that it violates their religious beliefs.First Amendment objectionsKeim said Catholic sisters have offered end-of-life care to New Yorkers for more than 100 years, “providing that personal accompaniment, which in Catholic teaching, is rooted in the example of Mary sitting at the foot of the cross as Jesus died.”“That’s what they believe they’re called to do,” she said. “… [They are] bearing witness to the distinctly Catholic response to the suffering people experience in their final days."Sister Justyna Owsiejko, O.S.B., of the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict, said in a statement through Becket that “we are simple nuns whose mission is to serve God — and we do that by offering the aged a home in which to live their final days in peace, tranquility, and comfort, cared for by sisters who see the face of Christ in each person they serve.”“New York is trying to force us to abandon that vocation and help our residents commit suicide,” she said. “That is something we will never do. Our foundress overcame war and exile to serve those in need — we will overcome this law to do the same.”Mother Alice Marie Monica of the Little Sisters of the Poor said in a statement that “we have served God by welcoming the elderly poor and dying into our homes for nearly 200 years.”“Our calling is to protect and care for needy seniors, not steer them toward suicide,” she said. “We will remain true to that mission, whatever the cost.”The lawsuit argues that forcing Catholic-run facilities to participate in physician-assisted suicide violates their First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion. The Church teaches that life must be protected from conception until natural death.The suit also argues that the law violates their freedom of speech by compelling them to counsel their patients about physician-assisted suicide.“The sisters’ Catholic faith leads them to accept death as the natural end to a life well-lived: neither artificially prolonging it through burdensome technological and medical interventions that provide no reasonable benefit, nor artificially hastening it,” the lawsuit states.“Above all,” the lawsuit adds, “it means that the sisters seek to personally provide a loving human presence alongside each person — bearing witness to the ending of a uniquely beautiful and unrepeatable life.”

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The bishop said “we will never submit” to “the culture of death” as the Catholic diocese and religious sisters argue that their faith prevents them from participating in physician-assisted suicide.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 21 July 2026 – A reading from the Book of Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, That dwells apart in a woodland, in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old; As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt, show us wonderful signs.Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, And will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, As you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.From the Gospel according to Matthew 12:46-50 While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”This word of Jesus, if we think about it carefully, generates a new way of understanding the family. Do you see? At the beginning I addressed you by calling you “brothers and sisters”. It is not merely a formula, a conventional turn of phrase. No. It is a reality, a new reality generated by Jesus Christ. And as I was saying, this word of Jesus radically renewed the family, so that the strongest, most important bond for us Christians is no longer that of blood, but of the love of Christ. His love transforms the family, freeing it from the dynamics of selfishness, which derive from the human condition and from sin; he frees it and enriches it with a new bond, even stronger but free, not dominated by the interests and conventions of kinship, but animated by gratitude, recognition, and reciprocal service. (…) Roots are important! And let us give thanks to God for the gift of life and for those who have transmitted it. But above all, let us give thanks because Jesus Christ has called us to be part of his family, in which what counts is doing the will of the Father who is in Heaven. (Pope Francis, Address to the pilgrimage of the diocese of Asti, 5 May 2023)

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A reading from the Book of Micah
7:14-15, 18-20

Shepherd your people with your staff,
the flock of your inheritance,
That dwells apart in a woodland,
in the midst of Carmel.
Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead,
as in the days of old;
As in the days when you came from the land of Egypt,
show us wonderful signs.Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt
and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
Who does not persist in anger forever,
but delights rather in clemency,
And will again have compassion on us,
treading underfoot our guilt?
You will cast into the depths of the sea
all our sins;
You will show faithfulness to Jacob,
and grace to Abraham,
As you have sworn to our fathers
from days of old.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
12:46-50

While Jesus was speaking to the crowds,
his mother and his brothers appeared outside,
wishing to speak with him.
Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers
are standing outside,
asking to speak with you.”
But he said in reply to the one who told him,
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,
“Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father
is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

This word of Jesus, if we think about it carefully, generates a new way of understanding the family.

Do you see? At the beginning I addressed you by calling you “brothers and sisters”. It is not merely a formula, a conventional turn of phrase. No. It is a reality, a new reality generated by Jesus Christ. And as I was saying, this word of Jesus radically renewed the family, so that the strongest, most important bond for us Christians is no longer that of blood, but of the love of Christ. His love transforms the family, freeing it from the dynamics of selfishness, which derive from the human condition and from sin; he frees it and enriches it with a new bond, even stronger but free, not dominated by the interests and conventions of kinship, but animated by gratitude, recognition, and reciprocal service. (…) Roots are important! And let us give thanks to God for the gift of life and for those who have transmitted it. But above all, let us give thanks because Jesus Christ has called us to be part of his family, in which what counts is doing the will of the Father who is in Heaven. (Pope Francis, Address to the pilgrimage of the diocese of Asti, 5 May 2023)

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U.S. bishops demand justice and transparency following migrant deaths in ICE custody – #Catholic – U.S. Bishops Daniel E. García and Brendan J. Cahill lamented the deaths of migrants that occurred during recent immigration enforcement operations and called for “accountability, transparency, and justice.”García, chair of the Subcommittee on the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Cahill, chair of the Committee on Migration, issued a pastoral reflection following “several recent immigration enforcement encounters resulting in the loss of life.”In Houston on July 7, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araújo during an operation. On July 13, Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero died after being shot by a federal agent in Maine.In both cases, the U.S. government maintains that the agents acted in self-defense.In their joint reflection, the prelates said that Catholics “grieve all situations where human life is brought to an unnatural end.” “This is a core teaching of our faith and one we can never grow weary of proclaiming as disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” they noted.The bishops recalled the statement issued by the USCCB in November 2025, in which the American bishops expressed concern regarding the “climate of fear and anxiety” they observed among the population “around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement.”“Racial profiling in particular not only violates God-given dignity but also inflicts profound harm on individuals, families, and communities by fostering fear, eroding trust, and increasing the risk of unjust and even tragic outcomes. Our pastoral concerns are distinct from what the civil law itself may permit,” the two bishops stated.Likewise, they warned that “acts that diminish or disregard the dignity of any person or group of people should never be normalized in our society.” “The dehumanization of immigrants, regardless of their legal status, is one such example of this; the vilification of law enforcement officers is yet another," they noted.The bishops recalled that the authorities must “apply the law in a humane manner and with respect for fundamental human rights,” exercising state power “always within the limits of the moral law.”“To that end, we call for accountability, transparency, and justice, which require that meaningful reforms be made to our immigration system,” they stated in their pastoral reflection.“We join in praying for the souls of those killed and for their families,” they declared, “for our nation, and for all those entrusted with the duties of public service. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric, racial prejudice, and violence and for a renewed commitment to recognizing the inherent dignity of every person as a child of God.”On June 25, the Human Rights Watch organization published a 73-page report in which it charged that, so far during President Donald Trumpʼs administration, “52 people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in the United States.” The document lists among the causes “poor detention conditions and lack of adequate medical care.”Added to these is the death on July 13 of 45-year-old Venezuelan Jesús Manuel Arias-Silva. According to the ICE statement, the migrant was detained on Thursday, July 9 and died “while being transferred between detention facilities in Georgia.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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U.S. bishops demand justice and transparency following migrant deaths in ICE custody – #Catholic – U.S. Bishops Daniel E. García and Brendan J. Cahill lamented the deaths of migrants that occurred during recent immigration enforcement operations and called for “accountability, transparency, and justice.”García, chair of the Subcommittee on the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Cahill, chair of the Committee on Migration, issued a pastoral reflection following “several recent immigration enforcement encounters resulting in the loss of life.”In Houston on July 7, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araújo during an operation. On July 13, Colombian national Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero died after being shot by a federal agent in Maine.In both cases, the U.S. government maintains that the agents acted in self-defense.In their joint reflection, the prelates said that Catholics “grieve all situations where human life is brought to an unnatural end.” “This is a core teaching of our faith and one we can never grow weary of proclaiming as disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” they noted.The bishops recalled the statement issued by the USCCB in November 2025, in which the American bishops expressed concern regarding the “climate of fear and anxiety” they observed among the population “around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement.”“Racial profiling in particular not only violates God-given dignity but also inflicts profound harm on individuals, families, and communities by fostering fear, eroding trust, and increasing the risk of unjust and even tragic outcomes. Our pastoral concerns are distinct from what the civil law itself may permit,” the two bishops stated.Likewise, they warned that “acts that diminish or disregard the dignity of any person or group of people should never be normalized in our society.” “The dehumanization of immigrants, regardless of their legal status, is one such example of this; the vilification of law enforcement officers is yet another," they noted.The bishops recalled that the authorities must “apply the law in a humane manner and with respect for fundamental human rights,” exercising state power “always within the limits of the moral law.”“To that end, we call for accountability, transparency, and justice, which require that meaningful reforms be made to our immigration system,” they stated in their pastoral reflection.“We join in praying for the souls of those killed and for their families,” they declared, “for our nation, and for all those entrusted with the duties of public service. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric, racial prejudice, and violence and for a renewed commitment to recognizing the inherent dignity of every person as a child of God.”On June 25, the Human Rights Watch organization published a 73-page report in which it charged that, so far during President Donald Trumpʼs administration, “52 people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in the United States.” The document lists among the causes “poor detention conditions and lack of adequate medical care.”Added to these is the death on July 13 of 45-year-old Venezuelan Jesús Manuel Arias-Silva. According to the ICE statement, the migrant was detained on Thursday, July 9 and died “while being transferred between detention facilities in Georgia.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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In a joint statement, Bishops Daniel García and Brendan Cahill called for the application of immigration law in a humane manner and with respect for fundamental human rights.

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Forced disappearance of Nicaraguan bishop denounced as crime against humanity – #Catholic – Researcher Martha Patricia Molina denounced the forced disappearance of Bishop Abelardo Mata in Nicaragua, carried out by the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, as a “crime against humanity.”“The forced disappearance of Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata is a serious matter; this constitutes a crime against humanity committed by agents of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship. He has been missing for 19 days, and the co-dictators have not made any further statements on the matter,” Molina told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, on July 18.“It’s the dictatorship’s practice to inflict the greatest possible harm on priests,” the researcher warned.“No one in his circle has any news of him, and concern among the laity and the Catholic Church in general is even greater due to the medical conditions he suffers from, conditions that are almost certainly not being treated properly.”Mata, bishop emeritus of Estelí, Nicaragua, was detained by police on two occasions in late June after praying for the persecuted Church in Nicaragua during a Mass he celebrated on Sunday, June 28.His whereabouts are unknown, although the dictatorship has stated that he is at home.The bishops of Central America have called on the regime to allow him to be seen by a doctor, and other notable individuals have expressed concern for the 80-year-old bishop, who suffers from diabetes and vision problems and uses a pacemaker for a heart condition.Extreme concern over Mata’s disappearance“Family members, priests, human rights organizations, and the international community including the U.S. State Department and the bishops of Central America, are demanding immediate proof that Bishop Abelardo Mata is alive and a clear response from the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo,” Father Edwing Román, parochial vicar of St. Agatha Parish in Miami, Florida, told ACI Prensa on July 18.“So far, there has been only official silence and contradictions in an irrelevant statement. We fear for his life; he cannot be yet another victim of a dictatorship that has wreaked havoc on the Nicaraguan people,” Román, who has been living in exile for several years.On July 4, the Nicaraguan government, through the Ministry of the Interior, issued a statement indicating that Mata had been subjected to a “necessary inquiry regarding the origin of properties and family ties inconsistent with his status as a priest” and that, following this, he “has returned to his home, where he remains in perfect condition.” The text does not specify which properties or ties are being referred to.Another exiled Nicaraguan priest, who prefers to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals from the regime, told ACI Prensa on July 18 “It is unknown why the dictatorship is so intent on targeting an 80-year-old man. What are they afraid of?”“Hopefully, the Holy Father will speak up and ask the Nicaraguan government to show signs that he is well, alive, and at peace; that his relatives can visit him without any worry; and that he is in good health and well cared for. That’s what we hope for,” he added.The Church’s ‘last courageous voice’ in Nicaragua“Bishop Mata is the last courageous voice of the Church remaining in Nicaragua and that is unafraid of the regime,” Arturo McFields, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), told ACI Prensa on July 18.“They fear him because he doesn’t fear them. He is an 80-year-old man of God who is not afraid of a cowardly regime and is prepared to face the ultimate consequences,” he added.“What’s important now is to call for his freedom and protect him in some way not only through the Catholic Church but also by engaging other governments, such as that of the United States, one of the voices the dictatorship fears,” McFields emphasized.Who is Bishop Juan Abelardo MataThe prelate is the bishop emeritus of Estelí, Nicaragua, a diocese he led for over 30 years, from 1990 to 2021, when Pope Francis accepted his resignation upon his reaching the age of 75, the retirement age for bishops.Mata, who recently turned 80, was born on June 23, 1946. He made his profession as a Salesian in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1976. In 1988, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Managua, a position he held until his appointment as bishop of Estelí.Various notable Nicaraguans agree that Mata is a courageous, beloved, and credible voice in Nicaragua, which is why the dictatorship has it out for him.A staunch defender of human rights“Bishop Mata has always been a staunch defender of human rights, both as a priest and a pastor. He has always been active in the country’s public life not only through his interventions and statements but also through his practice of charity and social commitment,” another exiled Nicaraguan priest, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals, told ACI Prensa on July 18.This “gives him the moral authority to shed light on the country’s political and social life through his statements. And for a long time, he was a big critic of the government” though he subsequently kept a low profile following his resignation in 2021, only to return to the public stage recently.“Offering a prayer in Nicaragua for those who have left the country is an act that offends the government and is punishable by imprisonment. Every priest in the country knows this; the bishop knew it too, and he knew it could have consequences,” the priest added.‘Nicaragua is a prison for priests’“No one is safe there. Nicaragua is a prison for priests. They have certain freedoms, but they cannot freely exercise their ministry,” the priest warned.“Any priest in the country, even those who believe they are very close to the dictatorship, could be detained at any moment. Anyone in Nicaragua,” he stated, “can be subjected to violence.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Forced disappearance of Nicaraguan bishop denounced as crime against humanity – #Catholic – Researcher Martha Patricia Molina denounced the forced disappearance of Bishop Abelardo Mata in Nicaragua, carried out by the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, as a “crime against humanity.”“The forced disappearance of Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata is a serious matter; this constitutes a crime against humanity committed by agents of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship. He has been missing for 19 days, and the co-dictators have not made any further statements on the matter,” Molina told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, on July 18.“It’s the dictatorship’s practice to inflict the greatest possible harm on priests,” the researcher warned.“No one in his circle has any news of him, and concern among the laity and the Catholic Church in general is even greater due to the medical conditions he suffers from, conditions that are almost certainly not being treated properly.”Mata, bishop emeritus of Estelí, Nicaragua, was detained by police on two occasions in late June after praying for the persecuted Church in Nicaragua during a Mass he celebrated on Sunday, June 28.His whereabouts are unknown, although the dictatorship has stated that he is at home.The bishops of Central America have called on the regime to allow him to be seen by a doctor, and other notable individuals have expressed concern for the 80-year-old bishop, who suffers from diabetes and vision problems and uses a pacemaker for a heart condition.Extreme concern over Mata’s disappearance“Family members, priests, human rights organizations, and the international community including the U.S. State Department and the bishops of Central America, are demanding immediate proof that Bishop Abelardo Mata is alive and a clear response from the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo,” Father Edwing Román, parochial vicar of St. Agatha Parish in Miami, Florida, told ACI Prensa on July 18.“So far, there has been only official silence and contradictions in an irrelevant statement. We fear for his life; he cannot be yet another victim of a dictatorship that has wreaked havoc on the Nicaraguan people,” Román, who has been living in exile for several years.On July 4, the Nicaraguan government, through the Ministry of the Interior, issued a statement indicating that Mata had been subjected to a “necessary inquiry regarding the origin of properties and family ties inconsistent with his status as a priest” and that, following this, he “has returned to his home, where he remains in perfect condition.” The text does not specify which properties or ties are being referred to.Another exiled Nicaraguan priest, who prefers to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals from the regime, told ACI Prensa on July 18 “It is unknown why the dictatorship is so intent on targeting an 80-year-old man. What are they afraid of?”“Hopefully, the Holy Father will speak up and ask the Nicaraguan government to show signs that he is well, alive, and at peace; that his relatives can visit him without any worry; and that he is in good health and well cared for. That’s what we hope for,” he added.The Church’s ‘last courageous voice’ in Nicaragua“Bishop Mata is the last courageous voice of the Church remaining in Nicaragua and that is unafraid of the regime,” Arturo McFields, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), told ACI Prensa on July 18.“They fear him because he doesn’t fear them. He is an 80-year-old man of God who is not afraid of a cowardly regime and is prepared to face the ultimate consequences,” he added.“What’s important now is to call for his freedom and protect him in some way not only through the Catholic Church but also by engaging other governments, such as that of the United States, one of the voices the dictatorship fears,” McFields emphasized.Who is Bishop Juan Abelardo MataThe prelate is the bishop emeritus of Estelí, Nicaragua, a diocese he led for over 30 years, from 1990 to 2021, when Pope Francis accepted his resignation upon his reaching the age of 75, the retirement age for bishops.Mata, who recently turned 80, was born on June 23, 1946. He made his profession as a Salesian in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1976. In 1988, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Managua, a position he held until his appointment as bishop of Estelí.Various notable Nicaraguans agree that Mata is a courageous, beloved, and credible voice in Nicaragua, which is why the dictatorship has it out for him.A staunch defender of human rights“Bishop Mata has always been a staunch defender of human rights, both as a priest and a pastor. He has always been active in the country’s public life not only through his interventions and statements but also through his practice of charity and social commitment,” another exiled Nicaraguan priest, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid reprisals, told ACI Prensa on July 18.This “gives him the moral authority to shed light on the country’s political and social life through his statements. And for a long time, he was a big critic of the government” though he subsequently kept a low profile following his resignation in 2021, only to return to the public stage recently.“Offering a prayer in Nicaragua for those who have left the country is an act that offends the government and is punishable by imprisonment. Every priest in the country knows this; the bishop knew it too, and he knew it could have consequences,” the priest added.‘Nicaragua is a prison for priests’“No one is safe there. Nicaragua is a prison for priests. They have certain freedoms, but they cannot freely exercise their ministry,” the priest warned.“Any priest in the country, even those who believe they are very close to the dictatorship, could be detained at any moment. Anyone in Nicaragua,” he stated, “can be subjected to violence.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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80-year-old Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata has been missing for 19 days.

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A robotic satellite servicer and Starship’s return headline this week’s launches

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Rocket launches this week On Tuesday, July 21, SpaceX opens the week with the Starlink Group 17-39 mission, lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 10 a.m. EDT. The Falcon 9 booster is expected to land on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. Watch it here. Later thatContinue reading “A robotic satellite servicer and Starship’s return headline this week’s launches”

The post A robotic satellite servicer and Starship’s return headline this week’s launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Earthquake in Peru: statue of Mary untouched as church roof caves in #Catholic Following an earthquake the night of July 18 in Junín, Peru, that left at least five people dead, a statue of the Virgin Mary remained intact even as the roof and part of the façade of St. James the Apostle parish church collapsed.Speaking from the scene, Father Henry Díaz described the extensive damage to the church, RPP’s Rotafono reported.“A large part of the church nave has collapsed. You can see huge cracks everywhere and roof tiles that have come loose. The high altar collapsed into the rubble. The statue of the Virgin remains intact,” the priest recounted.Instagram post“The Viceroyalty-era altars have been …very damaged. It appears the church tower is leaning slightly backward and to the right,” Díaz noted.The priest called on the Ministry of Culture and the authorities who visited the earthquake-affected area to help rebuild the church.He also noted that the church’s restoration could cost more than 7 million soles (.06 M) and take about a year to complete.July 18 earthquakePeruʼs bishops offered prayers and expressed their solidarity with the victims of the earthquake that struck the night of July 18, leaving at least five people dead, more than 20 injured, and hundreds more affected.The earthquake, recorded around 9 p.m., was centered in the district of Chongos Bajo, Chupaca province, Junín region, in the central Peruvian Andes, 193 miles east of Lima, according to the National Civil Defense Institute.As a result of the quake, the historic Cani Cross erected in 1534 and located in the main square of Chongos Bajo, one of the regionʼs oldest religious monuments, also collapsed.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Earthquake in Peru: statue of Mary untouched as church roof caves in #Catholic Following an earthquake the night of July 18 in Junín, Peru, that left at least five people dead, a statue of the Virgin Mary remained intact even as the roof and part of the façade of St. James the Apostle parish church collapsed.Speaking from the scene, Father Henry Díaz described the extensive damage to the church, RPP’s Rotafono reported.“A large part of the church nave has collapsed. You can see huge cracks everywhere and roof tiles that have come loose. The high altar collapsed into the rubble. The statue of the Virgin remains intact,” the priest recounted.Instagram post“The Viceroyalty-era altars have been …very damaged. It appears the church tower is leaning slightly backward and to the right,” Díaz noted.The priest called on the Ministry of Culture and the authorities who visited the earthquake-affected area to help rebuild the church.He also noted that the church’s restoration could cost more than 7 million soles ($2.06 M) and take about a year to complete.July 18 earthquakePeruʼs bishops offered prayers and expressed their solidarity with the victims of the earthquake that struck the night of July 18, leaving at least five people dead, more than 20 injured, and hundreds more affected.The earthquake, recorded around 9 p.m., was centered in the district of Chongos Bajo, Chupaca province, Junín region, in the central Peruvian Andes, 193 miles east of Lima, according to the National Civil Defense Institute.As a result of the quake, the historic Cani Cross erected in 1534 and located in the main square of Chongos Bajo, one of the regionʼs oldest religious monuments, also collapsed.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The walls of the colonial era church are still standing, but the roof collapsed into the nave. The parish priest estimated restoring the church will cost $2 million.

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U.S. Vice President JD Vance and wife Usha welcome fourth child #Catholic U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, announced the birth of their fourth child, a baby boy named Alec Neel Vance, on Sunday, July 19.In a statement shared on social media, the couple wrote: “We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning. Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother.”The Vances are already parents to Ewan (9), Vivek (6), and Mirabel (4). Vance was received into the Catholic Church in 2019 and recently released a book about his faith journey, titled “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.”Usha Vance, who is Hindu and has said she has no plans to convert, has shared that the family attends Mass together and sends their children to Catholic schools. She said in a June 2025 interview with Megan McCain that after her husband converted, “we had to have a lot of real conversations about how” to raise their children.“When you convert to Catholicism it comes with several important obligations, like to raise your child in the faith and all that,” she said.The couple allows their children to discern whether to be baptized; their son Ewan has since chosen to become Catholic.Vice President Vance has long spoken of children as a profound blessing and vocation.In a March interview with podcaster Benny Johnson, Vance reflected: “If I have one regret, it’s that I wish we had started earlier and had more, because it’s the most rewarding thing; it’s the coolest thing.”He said his three children, who have “their own little personalities” are “so quirky and fun.”To young men thinking of becoming fathers, but waiting until “everything in your life is perfect,” Vance had this to say: “I think that’s a ridiculous attitude … You’re never ready. There’s no point at which you can sort of get all your little ducks in a row and get … your financial situation in a row. Whenever you have a baby, whatever stage of life, it will be shocking, it will be crazy, it will be the most difficult and the most rewarding thing that you’ve ever done.”“You have kids, you figure it out,” he continued. “They’re the thing that perfects life. Fatherhood is the absolute best motivator.”His words on fatherhood align with his public advocacy for a renewed culture of life. In his first public address as vice president at the National March for Life in January 2025, he declared: “I want more babies in the United States of America. I want more happy children in our country and I want beautiful young men and women who are eager to welcome them into the world and eager to raise them.”The Vance’s happy news arrives against the backdrop of America’s ongoing demographic challenges.According to the latest CDC provisional data, U.S. births fell 1% in 2025 to 3.6 million, with the general fertility rate dropping to a record low of 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15–44. The total fertility rate remains well below the replacement level of 2.1, continuing a decline since 2007.Catholic leaders have repeatedly called attention to this trend as a spiritual and cultural crisis.Pope Leo in May decried “the time of drastic sterility” in which we are living, emphasizing that discouraging demographic data “are not merely statistics but speak of fatherhood, motherhood, and children. And children are the future!”The Church’s teaching affirms openness to life, the gift of children and the vocation of marriage and family as a “domestic church.”U.S. President Donald Trump offered warm congratulations to the couple in a post on Truth Social: “Congratulations! A perfect baby boy for the wonderful Vance family,” accompanied by a photo of the newborn with two of his siblings.Usha and JD Vance’s baby is the first in modern U.S. history (and the first in over 150 years) for a sitting American vice president’s family. The last time a baby was born to a U.S. vice president was in 1870, when Vice President Schuyler Colfax (under President Ulysses S. Grant) and his wife Ellen welcomed a son, Schuyler Colfax III.
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U.S. Vice President JD Vance and wife Usha welcome fourth child #Catholic U.S. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, announced the birth of their fourth child, a baby boy named Alec Neel Vance, on Sunday, July 19.In a statement shared on social media, the couple wrote: “We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning. Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother.”The Vances are already parents to Ewan (9), Vivek (6), and Mirabel (4). Vance was received into the Catholic Church in 2019 and recently released a book about his faith journey, titled “Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith.”Usha Vance, who is Hindu and has said she has no plans to convert, has shared that the family attends Mass together and sends their children to Catholic schools. She said in a June 2025 interview with Megan McCain that after her husband converted, “we had to have a lot of real conversations about how” to raise their children.“When you convert to Catholicism it comes with several important obligations, like to raise your child in the faith and all that,” she said.The couple allows their children to discern whether to be baptized; their son Ewan has since chosen to become Catholic.Vice President Vance has long spoken of children as a profound blessing and vocation.In a March interview with podcaster Benny Johnson, Vance reflected: “If I have one regret, it’s that I wish we had started earlier and had more, because it’s the most rewarding thing; it’s the coolest thing.”He said his three children, who have “their own little personalities” are “so quirky and fun.”To young men thinking of becoming fathers, but waiting until “everything in your life is perfect,” Vance had this to say: “I think that’s a ridiculous attitude … You’re never ready. There’s no point at which you can sort of get all your little ducks in a row and get … your financial situation in a row. Whenever you have a baby, whatever stage of life, it will be shocking, it will be crazy, it will be the most difficult and the most rewarding thing that you’ve ever done.”“You have kids, you figure it out,” he continued. “They’re the thing that perfects life. Fatherhood is the absolute best motivator.”His words on fatherhood align with his public advocacy for a renewed culture of life. In his first public address as vice president at the National March for Life in January 2025, he declared: “I want more babies in the United States of America. I want more happy children in our country and I want beautiful young men and women who are eager to welcome them into the world and eager to raise them.”The Vance’s happy news arrives against the backdrop of America’s ongoing demographic challenges.According to the latest CDC provisional data, U.S. births fell 1% in 2025 to 3.6 million, with the general fertility rate dropping to a record low of 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15–44. The total fertility rate remains well below the replacement level of 2.1, continuing a decline since 2007.Catholic leaders have repeatedly called attention to this trend as a spiritual and cultural crisis.Pope Leo in May decried “the time of drastic sterility” in which we are living, emphasizing that discouraging demographic data “are not merely statistics but speak of fatherhood, motherhood, and children. And children are the future!”The Church’s teaching affirms openness to life, the gift of children and the vocation of marriage and family as a “domestic church.”U.S. President Donald Trump offered warm congratulations to the couple in a post on Truth Social: “Congratulations! A perfect baby boy for the wonderful Vance family,” accompanied by a photo of the newborn with two of his siblings.Usha and JD Vance’s baby is the first in modern U.S. history (and the first in over 150 years) for a sitting American vice president’s family. The last time a baby was born to a U.S. vice president was in 1870, when Vice President Schuyler Colfax (under President Ulysses S. Grant) and his wife Ellen welcomed a son, Schuyler Colfax III.

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“Children are the most rewarding thing,“ Vance said in an interview earlier this year.

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Faith joins football as Spain and Argentina face off for World Cup title #Catholic – (OSV News) — As the July 19 World Cup final approaches, players from two historically Catholic nations can count not only on the prayers of their fans, but also on a rich web of Catholic threads surrounding the showdown between Spain and Argentina. From the tournament’s origins to the faith openly lived by players and coaches on both sides, this final carries a distinctly Catholic dimension. The match at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium brings together two football giants whose paths to the final have been marked not only by sporting excellence, but also by visible expressions of Catholic faith. Spanish coach is a magician of footballing who loves Christ If anyone wondered where the precision combined with clearly having fun on the pitch comes from in the Spanish team, striker Ferran Torres gave a sense of the answer when he spoke publicly about his Catholic faith. “I have a cross and an image of the Virgin,” he said in a video shared by the Spanish national soccer team. “In the end, I think it’s something that gives me a lot of support. It gives me great strength in my faith, and for me it’s something very important.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Spain — a country deeply rooted in Catholic tradition and recently visited by Pope Leo XIV — arrives under the wings of coach Luis de la Fuente — known as much for his personal faith as for his magic tactical skill. After Spain’s record fourth European Championship title in July 2024, the country’s bishops publicly praised his witness. Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses of Seville described de la Fuente at the time as “a deeply religious man” unafraid of “publicly expressing his faith,” noting his devotion to the Holy Christ of the Expiration in Seville. An image of the coach praying before the famed crucifix went viral at the time, and certainly Spanish soccer fans are turning their eyes heavenward before the July 19 final. “He has been able to transmit faith, humility, the value of the team above individualities, the spirit of sacrifice, effort, confidence” the archbishop of Seville said of de la Fuente after Spain’s 2024 victory. Bishop José Ignacio Munilla Aguirre of Orihuela-Alicante also highlighted “the testimony of faith of the coach,” comparing it to that of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and citing the Gospel of Matthew: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.” Argentina, meanwhile, has carried its own strong Catholic identity throughout the tournament — both in the locker room and on the pitch. Our Lady of Lujan hidden in a shin guard Before every match, kit man Mario Di Stéfano sets up a small prayer altar in the team’s locker room. (A kit man is a vital member of a sports team’s backroom staff who manages all equipment and uniforms.) The prayer altar is centered on a statue of Our Lady of Luján, Argentina’s patroness, alongside images of Our Lady Undoer of Knots and St. Expedite — considered the patron saint of urgent causes. The tradition dates back decades, echoing practices from the team’s 1986 World Cup run. Players’ personal devotions have also drawn attention. Lautaro Martínez was seen with a holy card of Our Lady of Luján tucked into his shin guard, while before the tournament began, Lionel Messi’s boots were blessed at the basilica dedicated to the same Marian title. It was sports journalist Walter Queijeiro who brought the soccer boots of Messi — Argentina’s legendary captain, and the player most credited with the team’s 2022 title, which the Albiceleste are now defending — to the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján. The boots, a limited Adidas edition called “El Último Tango” (“The Last Tango”), a nod both to Argentina’s musical heritage and to what is expected to be Messi’s last dance in the national jersey, were blessed by the basilica’s rector, Father Lucas García, in a small ceremony before pilgrims and children. Messi wore them on June 16 in Kansas City when he scored his first World Cup hat trick, against Algeria, tying Miroslav Klose’s record for most goals in men’s World Cup history — a milestone in what is Messi’s sixth World Cup. Messi: ‘Grateful for everything God has given me’ Messi and his teammates have also welcomed religious gifts from fans in public. After Argentina’s win over Cape Verde, content creator Julián Pérez Regio approached the six-time FIFA player of the match outside the stadium and handed him a rosary blessed at the Vatican, telling him it was meant for him, his wife, Antonela, and their their children, and for his parents, in gratitude for two decades of joy he has given Argentine fans. Messi stopped, visibly moved, and accepted it. Messi has also spoken openly about his faith. After Argentina secured its place in the final, he said: “God is great, and he always has something else. But honestly, I cannot ask God for anything else. I am grateful for everything he has given me.” Even the World Cup itself has Catholic roots. Jules Rimet: French Catholic founder of World Cup “The World Cup was founded in 1928 at the initiative of Jules Rimet, a French Catholic who was then president of the International Federation of Association Football,” Isabelle de Chatellus, program director for sports at the French bishops’ conference, told OSV News. Chatellus emphasized that Rimet’s vision of the tournament was shaped by Catholic social teaching and a desire to promote human dignity and social cohesion through sport, particularly among the working classes. “He was inspired by the social doctrine developed by Leo XIII in his encyclical ‘Rerum Novarum,’ and was committed to defending human dignity, social justice, and collective responsibility toward the most vulnerable,” she said. “His parents were grocers in Paris,” she said of Rimet. “He immediately saw sports as a popular activity. For him, soccer was the quintessential popular sport and a prime vehicle for promoting attention to the most disadvantaged communities and social justice. He wanted to foster social cohesion through soccer, transcending class distinctions.” “Rimet was therefore in favor of professionalization and the payment of soccer players, which he saw as a way to make the sport accessible to workers,” Chatellus said. “He recognized that the working classes did not have the luxury of playing sports at the expense of their livelihoods.” Sports: a school of conflict resolution For Chatellus, sport remains a place where competition and conflict can be lived out within rules, respect and shared values — even at the highest level. “The soccer field remains a place of conflict. But it is a place where conflict must take place with respect, within the rules and guided by team values that are very constructive. There is a unique path to holiness that can be experienced through sports,” she told OSV News. Chatellus is the director of the Holy Games, the Catholic association supported by the Archdiocese of Paris that provided pastoral care during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It has since become a permanent structure within the French bishops’ conference. A soccer fan herself, she expressed her disappointment following the French national team’s defeat in the semifinals on July 14, Bastille Day — France’s biggest national holiday. “It was truly a huge disappointment, and one that took us by surprise, because it was a great team. But the Spanish team played very well,” she said. As Spain and Argentina prepare to meet on football’s biggest stage, it remains to be seen at the final game which Spanish-speaking team that the patron saint of urgent causes, St. Expedite, will cheer on. Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris. Ines San Martin writes for OSV News from Rosario, Argentina. Paulina Guzik is international editor for OSV News.
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Faith joins football as Spain and Argentina face off for World Cup title #Catholic – (OSV News) — As the July 19 World Cup final approaches, players from two historically Catholic nations can count not only on the prayers of their fans, but also on a rich web of Catholic threads surrounding the showdown between Spain and Argentina. From the tournament’s origins to the faith openly lived by players and coaches on both sides, this final carries a distinctly Catholic dimension. The match at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium brings together two football giants whose paths to the final have been marked not only by sporting excellence, but also by visible expressions of Catholic faith. Spanish coach is a magician of footballing who loves Christ If anyone wondered where the precision combined with clearly having fun on the pitch comes from in the Spanish team, striker Ferran Torres gave a sense of the answer when he spoke publicly about his Catholic faith. “I have a cross and an image of the Virgin,” he said in a video shared by the Spanish national soccer team. “In the end, I think it’s something that gives me a lot of support. It gives me great strength in my faith, and for me it’s something very important.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Spain — a country deeply rooted in Catholic tradition and recently visited by Pope Leo XIV — arrives under the wings of coach Luis de la Fuente — known as much for his personal faith as for his magic tactical skill. After Spain’s record fourth European Championship title in July 2024, the country’s bishops publicly praised his witness. Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses of Seville described de la Fuente at the time as “a deeply religious man” unafraid of “publicly expressing his faith,” noting his devotion to the Holy Christ of the Expiration in Seville. An image of the coach praying before the famed crucifix went viral at the time, and certainly Spanish soccer fans are turning their eyes heavenward before the July 19 final. “He has been able to transmit faith, humility, the value of the team above individualities, the spirit of sacrifice, effort, confidence” the archbishop of Seville said of de la Fuente after Spain’s 2024 victory. Bishop José Ignacio Munilla Aguirre of Orihuela-Alicante also highlighted “the testimony of faith of the coach,” comparing it to that of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and citing the Gospel of Matthew: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.” Argentina, meanwhile, has carried its own strong Catholic identity throughout the tournament — both in the locker room and on the pitch. Our Lady of Lujan hidden in a shin guard Before every match, kit man Mario Di Stéfano sets up a small prayer altar in the team’s locker room. (A kit man is a vital member of a sports team’s backroom staff who manages all equipment and uniforms.) The prayer altar is centered on a statue of Our Lady of Luján, Argentina’s patroness, alongside images of Our Lady Undoer of Knots and St. Expedite — considered the patron saint of urgent causes. The tradition dates back decades, echoing practices from the team’s 1986 World Cup run. Players’ personal devotions have also drawn attention. Lautaro Martínez was seen with a holy card of Our Lady of Luján tucked into his shin guard, while before the tournament began, Lionel Messi’s boots were blessed at the basilica dedicated to the same Marian title. It was sports journalist Walter Queijeiro who brought the soccer boots of Messi — Argentina’s legendary captain, and the player most credited with the team’s 2022 title, which the Albiceleste are now defending — to the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján. The boots, a limited Adidas edition called “El Último Tango” (“The Last Tango”), a nod both to Argentina’s musical heritage and to what is expected to be Messi’s last dance in the national jersey, were blessed by the basilica’s rector, Father Lucas García, in a small ceremony before pilgrims and children. Messi wore them on June 16 in Kansas City when he scored his first World Cup hat trick, against Algeria, tying Miroslav Klose’s record for most goals in men’s World Cup history — a milestone in what is Messi’s sixth World Cup. Messi: ‘Grateful for everything God has given me’ Messi and his teammates have also welcomed religious gifts from fans in public. After Argentina’s win over Cape Verde, content creator Julián Pérez Regio approached the six-time FIFA player of the match outside the stadium and handed him a rosary blessed at the Vatican, telling him it was meant for him, his wife, Antonela, and their their children, and for his parents, in gratitude for two decades of joy he has given Argentine fans. Messi stopped, visibly moved, and accepted it. Messi has also spoken openly about his faith. After Argentina secured its place in the final, he said: “God is great, and he always has something else. But honestly, I cannot ask God for anything else. I am grateful for everything he has given me.” Even the World Cup itself has Catholic roots. Jules Rimet: French Catholic founder of World Cup “The World Cup was founded in 1928 at the initiative of Jules Rimet, a French Catholic who was then president of the International Federation of Association Football,” Isabelle de Chatellus, program director for sports at the French bishops’ conference, told OSV News. Chatellus emphasized that Rimet’s vision of the tournament was shaped by Catholic social teaching and a desire to promote human dignity and social cohesion through sport, particularly among the working classes. “He was inspired by the social doctrine developed by Leo XIII in his encyclical ‘Rerum Novarum,’ and was committed to defending human dignity, social justice, and collective responsibility toward the most vulnerable,” she said. “His parents were grocers in Paris,” she said of Rimet. “He immediately saw sports as a popular activity. For him, soccer was the quintessential popular sport and a prime vehicle for promoting attention to the most disadvantaged communities and social justice. He wanted to foster social cohesion through soccer, transcending class distinctions.” “Rimet was therefore in favor of professionalization and the payment of soccer players, which he saw as a way to make the sport accessible to workers,” Chatellus said. “He recognized that the working classes did not have the luxury of playing sports at the expense of their livelihoods.” Sports: a school of conflict resolution For Chatellus, sport remains a place where competition and conflict can be lived out within rules, respect and shared values — even at the highest level. “The soccer field remains a place of conflict. But it is a place where conflict must take place with respect, within the rules and guided by team values that are very constructive. There is a unique path to holiness that can be experienced through sports,” she told OSV News. Chatellus is the director of the Holy Games, the Catholic association supported by the Archdiocese of Paris that provided pastoral care during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It has since become a permanent structure within the French bishops’ conference. A soccer fan herself, she expressed her disappointment following the French national team’s defeat in the semifinals on July 14, Bastille Day — France’s biggest national holiday. “It was truly a huge disappointment, and one that took us by surprise, because it was a great team. But the Spanish team played very well,” she said. As Spain and Argentina prepare to meet on football’s biggest stage, it remains to be seen at the final game which Spanish-speaking team that the patron saint of urgent causes, St. Expedite, will cheer on. Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris. Ines San Martin writes for OSV News from Rosario, Argentina. Paulina Guzik is international editor for OSV News.

unitedyam

Faith joins football as Spain and Argentina face off for World Cup title #Catholic –

(OSV News) — As the July 19 World Cup final approaches, players from two historically Catholic nations can count not only on the prayers of their fans, but also on a rich web of Catholic threads surrounding the showdown between Spain and Argentina.

From the tournament’s origins to the faith openly lived by players and coaches on both sides, this final carries a distinctly Catholic dimension.

The match at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium brings together two football giants whose paths to the final have been marked not only by sporting excellence, but also by visible expressions of Catholic faith.

Spanish coach is a magician of footballing who loves Christ

If anyone wondered where the precision combined with clearly having fun on the pitch comes from in the Spanish team, striker Ferran Torres gave a sense of the answer when he spoke publicly about his Catholic faith.

“I have a cross and an image of the Virgin,” he said in a video shared by the Spanish national soccer team. “In the end, I think it’s something that gives me a lot of support. It gives me great strength in my faith, and for me it’s something very important.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Spain — a country deeply rooted in Catholic tradition and recently visited by Pope Leo XIV — arrives under the wings of coach Luis de la Fuente — known as much for his personal faith as for his magic tactical skill. After Spain’s record fourth European Championship title in July 2024, the country’s bishops publicly praised his witness.

Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses of Seville described de la Fuente at the time as “a deeply religious man” unafraid of “publicly expressing his faith,” noting his devotion to the Holy Christ of the Expiration in Seville. An image of the coach praying before the famed crucifix went viral at the time, and certainly Spanish soccer fans are turning their eyes heavenward before the July 19 final.

“He has been able to transmit faith, humility, the value of the team above individualities, the spirit of sacrifice, effort, confidence” the archbishop of Seville said of de la Fuente after Spain’s 2024 victory.

Bishop José Ignacio Munilla Aguirre of Orihuela-Alicante also highlighted “the testimony of faith of the coach,” comparing it to that of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and citing the Gospel of Matthew: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.”

Argentina, meanwhile, has carried its own strong Catholic identity throughout the tournament — both in the locker room and on the pitch.

Our Lady of Lujan hidden in a shin guard

Before every match, kit man Mario Di Stéfano sets up a small prayer altar in the team’s locker room. (A kit man is a vital member of a sports team’s backroom staff who manages all equipment and uniforms.)

The prayer altar is centered on a statue of Our Lady of Luján, Argentina’s patroness, alongside images of Our Lady Undoer of Knots and St. Expedite — considered the patron saint of urgent causes.

The tradition dates back decades, echoing practices from the team’s 1986 World Cup run.

Players’ personal devotions have also drawn attention. Lautaro Martínez was seen with a holy card of Our Lady of Luján tucked into his shin guard, while before the tournament began, Lionel Messi’s boots were blessed at the basilica dedicated to the same Marian title.

It was sports journalist Walter Queijeiro who brought the soccer boots of Messi — Argentina’s legendary captain, and the player most credited with the team’s 2022 title, which the Albiceleste are now defending — to the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján.

The boots, a limited Adidas edition called “El Último Tango” (“The Last Tango”), a nod both to Argentina’s musical heritage and to what is expected to be Messi’s last dance in the national jersey, were blessed by the basilica’s rector, Father Lucas García, in a small ceremony before pilgrims and children. Messi wore them on June 16 in Kansas City when he scored his first World Cup hat trick, against Algeria, tying Miroslav Klose’s record for most goals in men’s World Cup history — a milestone in what is Messi’s sixth World Cup.

Messi: ‘Grateful for everything God has given me’

Messi and his teammates have also welcomed religious gifts from fans in public. After Argentina’s win over Cape Verde, content creator Julián Pérez Regio approached the six-time FIFA player of the match outside the stadium and handed him a rosary blessed at the Vatican, telling him it was meant for him, his wife, Antonela, and their their children, and for his parents, in gratitude for two decades of joy he has given Argentine fans. Messi stopped, visibly moved, and accepted it.

Messi has also spoken openly about his faith. After Argentina secured its place in the final, he said: “God is great, and he always has something else. But honestly, I cannot ask God for anything else. I am grateful for everything he has given me.”

Even the World Cup itself has Catholic roots.

Jules Rimet: French Catholic founder of World Cup

“The World Cup was founded in 1928 at the initiative of Jules Rimet, a French Catholic who was then president of the International Federation of Association Football,” Isabelle de Chatellus, program director for sports at the French bishops’ conference, told OSV News.

Chatellus emphasized that Rimet’s vision of the tournament was shaped by Catholic social teaching and a desire to promote human dignity and social cohesion through sport, particularly among the working classes.

“He was inspired by the social doctrine developed by Leo XIII in his encyclical ‘Rerum Novarum,’ and was committed to defending human dignity, social justice, and collective responsibility toward the most vulnerable,” she said.

“His parents were grocers in Paris,” she said of Rimet. “He immediately saw sports as a popular activity. For him, soccer was the quintessential popular sport and a prime vehicle for promoting attention to the most disadvantaged communities and social justice. He wanted to foster social cohesion through soccer, transcending class distinctions.”

“Rimet was therefore in favor of professionalization and the payment of soccer players, which he saw as a way to make the sport accessible to workers,” Chatellus said. “He recognized that the working classes did not have the luxury of playing sports at the expense of their livelihoods.”

Sports: a school of conflict resolution

For Chatellus, sport remains a place where competition and conflict can be lived out within rules, respect and shared values — even at the highest level.

“The soccer field remains a place of conflict. But it is a place where conflict must take place with respect, within the rules and guided by team values that are very constructive. There is a unique path to holiness that can be experienced through sports,” she told OSV News.

Chatellus is the director of the Holy Games, the Catholic association supported by the Archdiocese of Paris that provided pastoral care during the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It has since become a permanent structure within the French bishops’ conference.

A soccer fan herself, she expressed her disappointment following the French national team’s defeat in the semifinals on July 14, Bastille Day — France’s biggest national holiday. “It was truly a huge disappointment, and one that took us by surprise, because it was a great team. But the Spanish team played very well,” she said.

As Spain and Argentina prepare to meet on football’s biggest stage, it remains to be seen at the final game which Spanish-speaking team that the patron saint of urgent causes, St. Expedite, will cheer on.

Caroline de Sury writes for OSV News from Paris. Ines San Martin writes for OSV News from Rosario, Argentina. Paulina Guzik is international editor for OSV News.

– (OSV News) — As the July 19 World Cup final approaches, players from two historically Catholic nations can count not only on the prayers of their fans, but also on a rich web of Catholic threads surrounding the showdown between Spain and Argentina. From the tournament’s origins to the faith openly lived by players and coaches on both sides, this final carries a distinctly Catholic dimension. The match at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium brings together two football giants whose paths to the final have been marked not only by sporting excellence, but also by visible expressions of Catholic faith. Spanish

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Ferrán Torres, the Catholic forward who won the World Cup for Spain #Catholic Ferrán Torres is the Catholic forward who secured a 1–0 victory for Spain over Messiʼs Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, played on Sunday, July 19, in New Jersey.“The goal is the least important thing; right now, all I want is to grab that trophy and squeeze it as hard as I can, because I believe it represents the dream of the 47 million people we were representing on the pitch today — because I think we deserved it and we gave it our all,” said Ferrán Torres after the final.Torres, who plays for Barcelona in Spain, also said that the goal brought him a sense of relief, given the heavy criticism he had faced during the World Cup. “Thank God, He always gives me the strength to keep going, and in the end — as I always say — God grants things to those who deserve them most,” the forward emphasized.Days before the final, a video was released in which Torres spoke about the importance of God in his life. “I have a cross and an image of the Virgin Mary; ultimately, I think having such strong faith gives me great support — it is something very important to me,” remarked the Spanish forward, who was named the final’s Superior Player of the Match.TweetTorres stands out for his Catholic faith within the Spanish national team, alongside coach Luis de la Fuente — who, at the press conference prior to the semifinal match where they defeated France 2–0, stated that he prays “every day, but not because I am at a World Cup or in order to get a result.”“I give thanks every day — every day I wake up and find myself well, I look at myself and say: ‘Another day I can enjoy life.’ I give thanks for those little things. I pray—because I do pray every day — not to ask for more help,” the Spanish head coach explained at the time.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Ferrán Torres, the Catholic forward who won the World Cup for Spain #Catholic Ferrán Torres is the Catholic forward who secured a 1–0 victory for Spain over Messiʼs Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, played on Sunday, July 19, in New Jersey.“The goal is the least important thing; right now, all I want is to grab that trophy and squeeze it as hard as I can, because I believe it represents the dream of the 47 million people we were representing on the pitch today — because I think we deserved it and we gave it our all,” said Ferrán Torres after the final.Torres, who plays for Barcelona in Spain, also said that the goal brought him a sense of relief, given the heavy criticism he had faced during the World Cup. “Thank God, He always gives me the strength to keep going, and in the end — as I always say — God grants things to those who deserve them most,” the forward emphasized.Days before the final, a video was released in which Torres spoke about the importance of God in his life. “I have a cross and an image of the Virgin Mary; ultimately, I think having such strong faith gives me great support — it is something very important to me,” remarked the Spanish forward, who was named the final’s Superior Player of the Match.TweetTorres stands out for his Catholic faith within the Spanish national team, alongside coach Luis de la Fuente — who, at the press conference prior to the semifinal match where they defeated France 2–0, stated that he prays “every day, but not because I am at a World Cup or in order to get a result.”“I give thanks every day — every day I wake up and find myself well, I look at myself and say: ‘Another day I can enjoy life.’ I give thanks for those little things. I pray—because I do pray every day — not to ask for more help,” the Spanish head coach explained at the time.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Torres stands out for his Catholic faith within the Spanish national team, alongside coach Luis de la Fuente.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 20 July 2026 – A reading from the Book of Micah 6:1-4, 6-8 Hear what the LORD says: Arise, present your plea before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice! Hear, O mountains, the plea of the LORD, pay attention, O foundations of the earth! For the LORD has a plea against his people, and he enters into trial with Israel. O my people, what have I done to you, or how have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery I released you; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow before God most high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriad streams of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my crime, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.From the Gospel according to Matthew 12:38-42 Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” He said to them in reply, “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,  so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and there is something greater than Jonah here. At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.”The doctors of the law did not understand the signs of the times and invoked an extraordinary sign. And he proposed several answers: the first was “because they were closed. They were closed within their system, they had organized the law very well”.  It was “a masterpiece. (…) It was all organized”.  They did not understand that God is always new; (…) He always surprises. And they did not understand and they closed themselves within that system created with much good will; and they asked” that Jesus give them “a sign”, failing to understand, however, “the many signs that Jesus made” and maintaining a completely “closed” attitude. Second, they had forgotten that they were a people on a journey. And when one is on a journey one always finds new things, things one does not know. And this must make us think: “Am I attached to my things, to my ideas, closed? Or am I open to the God of surprises?”. And also: “Am I a stationary person or a person on a journey?”. And finally, “do I believe in Jesus Christ and in what he has done?”, that is, “he died, rose again… do I believe that the journey goes forth toward maturity, toward the manifestation of the glory of the Lord? Am I capable of understanding the signs of the times and of being faithful to the voice of the Lord that is manifest in them?”.  We can ask ourselves these questions today and ask the Lord for, “A heart that loves the law, for the law is God’s”, but “which also loves God’s surprises”, for his “holy law is not an end in itself”. (Pope Francis, Homily, Mass at Santa Marta, 13 October 2014)

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A reading from the Book of Micah
6:1-4, 6-8

Hear what the LORD says:
Arise, present your plea before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice!
Hear, O mountains, the plea of the LORD,
pay attention, O foundations of the earth!
For the LORD has a plea against his people,
and he enters into trial with Israel.

O my people, what have I done to you,
or how have I wearied you? Answer me!
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
from the place of slavery I released you;
and I sent before you Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam.

With what shall I come before the LORD,
and bow before God most high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with myriad streams of oil?
Shall I give my first-born for my crime,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
You have been told, O man, what is good,
and what the LORD requires of you:
Only to do the right and to love goodness,
and to walk humbly with your God.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
12:38-42

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
He said to them in reply,
“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, 
so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.”

The doctors of the law did not understand the signs of the times and invoked an extraordinary sign. And he proposed several answers: the first was “because they were closed. They were closed within their system, they had organized the law very well”.  It was “a masterpiece. (…) It was all organized”.  They did not understand that God is always new; (…) He always surprises. And they did not understand and they closed themselves within that system created with much good will; and they asked” that Jesus give them “a sign”, failing to understand, however, “the many signs that Jesus made” and maintaining a completely “closed” attitude. Second, they had forgotten that they were a people on a journey. And when one is on a journey one always finds new things, things one does not know. And this must make us think: “Am I attached to my things, to my ideas, closed? Or am I open to the God of surprises?”. And also: “Am I a stationary person or a person on a journey?”. And finally, “do I believe in Jesus Christ and in what he has done?”, that is, “he died, rose again… do I believe that the journey goes forth toward maturity, toward the manifestation of the glory of the Lord? Am I capable of understanding the signs of the times and of being faithful to the voice of the Lord that is manifest in them?”.  We can ask ourselves these questions today and ask the Lord for, “A heart that loves the law, for the law is God’s”, but “which also loves God’s surprises”, for his “holy law is not an end in itself”. (Pope Francis, Homily, Mass at Santa Marta, 13 October 2014)

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Bishops of Peru pray for victims of earthquake that leaves at least 5 dead – #Catholic – Peruʼs bishops offered prayers and expressed their solidarity with the victims of an earthquake that struck Saturday night in the Junín region — located in the countryʼs central Andean zone — leaving at least five people dead, more than 20 injured, and hundreds affected.The earthquake, which occurred around 9 p.m., was centered in the district of Chongos Bajo, in the Chupaca province of the Junín region — situated in Peruʼs central Andes, some 193 miles east of Lima — according to the National Civil Defense Institute (INDECI, by its Spanish acronym).“We share in the grief of the families mourning their loved ones, offering our prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased, and we ask the Lord to grant everyone strength, comfort, and hope,” the bishops stated in the aftermath of the disaster.“We express our spiritual closeness to all those affected, to those who have lost their homes, and to those generously participating in rescue, care, and relief efforts,” said Bishop Carlos García Camader, president of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference.After encouraging Peruvians to show solidarity with those affected, the bishops urged them not to lose hope and pray “that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope, may intercede for all those affected and accompany our beloved people of Junín.”Junín’s 5.1-magnitude earthquake Rescue operations involving the police, firefighters, and the Peruvian army are ongoing, and authorities are assessing the damage — particularly in the Pumpunya area of ​​the Chongos Bajo district, where approximately 50 homes have been affected.In an interview with Radio Programas del Perú, Hernando Tavera, president of the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP, by its Spanish acronym), stated that the extent of the destruction in this area is due to the fragility of the houses, most of which were built using substandard materials.“When structures are built according to standards and proper engineering, they obviously yield better results than those constructed using local materials,” which makes them prone to easy collapse, Tavera explained.So far, the IGP has recorded 12 aftershocks. The strongest measured 3.7 and 3.4 in magnitude.On Sunday, Prime Minister Luis Enrique Arroyo Sánchez headed to the Chongos Bajo district alongside Defense Minister Amadeo Flores and INDECI chief Luis Enrique Vásquez “to oversee the response to the 5.1-magnitude earthquake and coordinate assistance for the affected population,” according to the Office of the Prime Minister.Historic cross collapsesAs a result of the earthquake, the historic Cani Cruz — known as the Lord of Cani Cruz — collapsed. The cross, erected in 1534 and located in the main square of Chongos Bajo, is one of the regionʼs oldest religious monuments, according to local media reports.Carved from limestone and featuring reliefs of the crucified Christ and the Virgin Mary, in 1990 it was declared a national cultural heritage site, alongside the main church of Chongos Bajo and the El Copón Chapel.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Bishops of Peru pray for victims of earthquake that leaves at least 5 dead – #Catholic – Peruʼs bishops offered prayers and expressed their solidarity with the victims of an earthquake that struck Saturday night in the Junín region — located in the countryʼs central Andean zone — leaving at least five people dead, more than 20 injured, and hundreds affected.The earthquake, which occurred around 9 p.m., was centered in the district of Chongos Bajo, in the Chupaca province of the Junín region — situated in Peruʼs central Andes, some 193 miles east of Lima — according to the National Civil Defense Institute (INDECI, by its Spanish acronym).“We share in the grief of the families mourning their loved ones, offering our prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased, and we ask the Lord to grant everyone strength, comfort, and hope,” the bishops stated in the aftermath of the disaster.“We express our spiritual closeness to all those affected, to those who have lost their homes, and to those generously participating in rescue, care, and relief efforts,” said Bishop Carlos García Camader, president of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference.After encouraging Peruvians to show solidarity with those affected, the bishops urged them not to lose hope and pray “that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope, may intercede for all those affected and accompany our beloved people of Junín.”Junín’s 5.1-magnitude earthquake Rescue operations involving the police, firefighters, and the Peruvian army are ongoing, and authorities are assessing the damage — particularly in the Pumpunya area of ​​the Chongos Bajo district, where approximately 50 homes have been affected.In an interview with Radio Programas del Perú, Hernando Tavera, president of the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP, by its Spanish acronym), stated that the extent of the destruction in this area is due to the fragility of the houses, most of which were built using substandard materials.“When structures are built according to standards and proper engineering, they obviously yield better results than those constructed using local materials,” which makes them prone to easy collapse, Tavera explained.So far, the IGP has recorded 12 aftershocks. The strongest measured 3.7 and 3.4 in magnitude.On Sunday, Prime Minister Luis Enrique Arroyo Sánchez headed to the Chongos Bajo district alongside Defense Minister Amadeo Flores and INDECI chief Luis Enrique Vásquez “to oversee the response to the 5.1-magnitude earthquake and coordinate assistance for the affected population,” according to the Office of the Prime Minister.Historic cross collapsesAs a result of the earthquake, the historic Cani Cruz — known as the Lord of Cani Cruz — collapsed. The cross, erected in 1534 and located in the main square of Chongos Bajo, is one of the regionʼs oldest religious monuments, according to local media reports.Carved from limestone and featuring reliefs of the crucified Christ and the Virgin Mary, in 1990 it was declared a national cultural heritage site, alongside the main church of Chongos Bajo and the El Copón Chapel.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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“We express our spiritual closeness to all those affected, to those who have lost their homes, and to those generously participating in rescue, care, and relief efforts,” Bishop Carlos García said.

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July 19, 418: A solar eclipse/comet combo

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July 19, 418 C.E., marks the first total solar eclipse (of which we have a record) during which a comet was seen. Turkish-born Church historian Philostorgius wrote in Book XII of the Epitome Historiae Ecclesiasticae: “When Theodosius had reached adolescence, on the nineteenth of July at about the eighth hour, the sun was so completelyContinue reading “July 19, 418: A solar eclipse/comet combo”

The post July 19, 418: A solar eclipse/comet combo appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Where is God in the midst of tragedy? A bishop responds following Venezuela earthquakes – #Catholic – How can you find God amid tragedy? Why does God allow so much suffering? These are questions people might be asking themselves in Venezuela following the earthquakes of June 24.Carlos Márquez, auxiliary bishop of Caracas, reflected on the mystery of suffering in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. In the prelateʼs view, the Catholic Church plays a fundamental role in shedding light on these existential questions.A promise to hold onto: ‘We are not alone’Márquez said it would be “an act of tremendous pridefulness” to attempt to provide answers that fully resolve this mystery. Ultimately, he noted, asking these questions is a way of “looking for someone to blame.” They are questions that “paralyze us and fill us with bitterness and pain.”“We can’t escape biological law; we can’t escape the laws of nature. What we once thought was a curse or divine punishment, we now know to be natural processes, processes that are even necessary,” he explained regarding the devastating earthquakes.To help make sense of the tragedy, Márquez pointed to two specific factors. The first is human freedom, which, when misused, “causes suffering and pain.” He referred to the collapsed buildings, many of which might have been built in unsuitable locations due to poor ground conditions or perhaps constructed without adhering to proper safety standards.“Imprudence, whether culpable or not, always ends in tragedy. This is not caused, desired, or much less ordained by God. It’s not the divine will,” he remarked.Márquez identified the second specific element in St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, where the apostle to the Gentiles wrote that creation “groans until the present and suffers the pains of childbirth” (Rom 8:22-39).This helps us understand that nature “readjusts, evolves, and moves” as part of a process “toward the fullness promised by Jesus Christ.” The auxiliary bishop explained that creation “will be subject to pain” until it is recapitulated in Christ, and we, as creatures, undergo these vicissitudes.“Therefore, on our journey toward the fullness of living happily forever with Christ in heaven, we will encounter pain and suffering,” Márquez noted.Yet in the face of these realities, the prelate offered a reassuring promise: “Christ’s promise was not that we would not suffer, nor that there would be no earthquakes, floods, or natural tragedies. Amid the pain, he promised not to abandon us. We are not alone: ​​‘I will be with you until the end of the world.’ He promises us his companionship in the midst of pain.”The Lord “walks with us in the midst of our pain” and fulfills his promise “through his Church, among those who suffer.” The sacraments and the word, he continued, comfort and heal us, and transform our hearts “so we can move forward.”God also gives us the example and intercession of the saints “so that we do not lose heart” and might feel accompanied. “When one is in great pain, when one is suffering deeply, the tragedy becomes worse when we are alone and isolated,” he said.Christian hope in the face of death and tragedyIn recent weeks, the most heart-wrenching stories have filled social media. Yet, for the most part, they share a fundamental element highlighted by Márquez: hope.Many people are thanking God for being alive and, amid unimaginable suffering, affirming that they will live to honor their deceased loved ones and will spare no effort to discover the purpose for which God has saved them.“If we live united with Christ in suffering, we will live with him forever in heaven. Death does not have the final word. This earthquake does not have the final word. God has the final word, which is a word of life, happiness, and eternal joy,” he stated.So, what is required of those Venezuelans who remain? Márquez answered clearly: to follow the example of all their saintly compatriots, to face adversity without asking “why,” and to work so that the future may be better. Carlos Márquez, auxiliary bishop of Caracas, left, with people affected by the June 24, 2026, earthquakes in Venezuela. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Bishop Carlos Márquez “Pain is fleeting; death is not final. United in faith, hope, and charity, with our eyes fixed on the risen Christ, we walk together in communion to overcome this tragedy,” Márquez said.“Venezuela is a land of grace; Venezuela is a land of saints. We have hope, and we will rise again. We will rise from the dust of this earthquake,” he added.Finally, he recalled the words St. John Paul II spoke at the Teresa Carreño Theater in Caracas during his second visit to the country on Feb. 10, 1996: “Venezuelans, even though the difficulties are serious and the challenges immense, your resolve must be great. Faced with a present full of uncertainty and a future full of questions, put your abilities to use with imagination and, above all, with generosity, trusting in God: God loves mankind.”As of now, the official death toll following the earthquakes stands at 4,829, while the number of injured and affected people runs into the tens of thousands.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Where is God in the midst of tragedy? A bishop responds following Venezuela earthquakes – #Catholic – How can you find God amid tragedy? Why does God allow so much suffering? These are questions people might be asking themselves in Venezuela following the earthquakes of June 24.Carlos Márquez, auxiliary bishop of Caracas, reflected on the mystery of suffering in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. In the prelateʼs view, the Catholic Church plays a fundamental role in shedding light on these existential questions.A promise to hold onto: ‘We are not alone’Márquez said it would be “an act of tremendous pridefulness” to attempt to provide answers that fully resolve this mystery. Ultimately, he noted, asking these questions is a way of “looking for someone to blame.” They are questions that “paralyze us and fill us with bitterness and pain.”“We can’t escape biological law; we can’t escape the laws of nature. What we once thought was a curse or divine punishment, we now know to be natural processes, processes that are even necessary,” he explained regarding the devastating earthquakes.To help make sense of the tragedy, Márquez pointed to two specific factors. The first is human freedom, which, when misused, “causes suffering and pain.” He referred to the collapsed buildings, many of which might have been built in unsuitable locations due to poor ground conditions or perhaps constructed without adhering to proper safety standards.“Imprudence, whether culpable or not, always ends in tragedy. This is not caused, desired, or much less ordained by God. It’s not the divine will,” he remarked.Márquez identified the second specific element in St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, where the apostle to the Gentiles wrote that creation “groans until the present and suffers the pains of childbirth” (Rom 8:22-39).This helps us understand that nature “readjusts, evolves, and moves” as part of a process “toward the fullness promised by Jesus Christ.” The auxiliary bishop explained that creation “will be subject to pain” until it is recapitulated in Christ, and we, as creatures, undergo these vicissitudes.“Therefore, on our journey toward the fullness of living happily forever with Christ in heaven, we will encounter pain and suffering,” Márquez noted.Yet in the face of these realities, the prelate offered a reassuring promise: “Christ’s promise was not that we would not suffer, nor that there would be no earthquakes, floods, or natural tragedies. Amid the pain, he promised not to abandon us. We are not alone: ​​‘I will be with you until the end of the world.’ He promises us his companionship in the midst of pain.”The Lord “walks with us in the midst of our pain” and fulfills his promise “through his Church, among those who suffer.” The sacraments and the word, he continued, comfort and heal us, and transform our hearts “so we can move forward.”God also gives us the example and intercession of the saints “so that we do not lose heart” and might feel accompanied. “When one is in great pain, when one is suffering deeply, the tragedy becomes worse when we are alone and isolated,” he said.Christian hope in the face of death and tragedyIn recent weeks, the most heart-wrenching stories have filled social media. Yet, for the most part, they share a fundamental element highlighted by Márquez: hope.Many people are thanking God for being alive and, amid unimaginable suffering, affirming that they will live to honor their deceased loved ones and will spare no effort to discover the purpose for which God has saved them.“If we live united with Christ in suffering, we will live with him forever in heaven. Death does not have the final word. This earthquake does not have the final word. God has the final word, which is a word of life, happiness, and eternal joy,” he stated.So, what is required of those Venezuelans who remain? Márquez answered clearly: to follow the example of all their saintly compatriots, to face adversity without asking “why,” and to work so that the future may be better. Carlos Márquez, auxiliary bishop of Caracas, left, with people affected by the June 24, 2026, earthquakes in Venezuela. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Bishop Carlos Márquez “Pain is fleeting; death is not final. United in faith, hope, and charity, with our eyes fixed on the risen Christ, we walk together in communion to overcome this tragedy,” Márquez said.“Venezuela is a land of grace; Venezuela is a land of saints. We have hope, and we will rise again. We will rise from the dust of this earthquake,” he added.Finally, he recalled the words St. John Paul II spoke at the Teresa Carreño Theater in Caracas during his second visit to the country on Feb. 10, 1996: “Venezuelans, even though the difficulties are serious and the challenges immense, your resolve must be great. Faced with a present full of uncertainty and a future full of questions, put your abilities to use with imagination and, above all, with generosity, trusting in God: God loves mankind.”As of now, the official death toll following the earthquakes stands at 4,829, while the number of injured and affected people runs into the tens of thousands.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Carlos Márquez, auxiliary bishop of Caracas, Venezuela, explained that God’s promise is not to eliminate suffering but that amid pain, he will not abandon us.

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Pope Leo XIV calls for evangelical approach without force or ‘arrogant judgments’ – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV warned Sunday against imagining God as “a powerful figure who imposes himself by force, who takes over and dominates, or who arrives triumphantly” and urged Christians to embrace a Gospel-centered approach marked by humility and trust.Speaking before the Angelus prayer in Liberty Square at Castel Gandolfo, where he is spending several weeks of rest through Monday, July 27, the pope reflected on the day’s Gospel reading.Following the parable of the sower, Jesus addresses the crowds through the images of the good wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast in the dough, the pope noted.“These three short parables recall the coming of the kingdom of God in history, its action in human lives, and the way it grows, expands, and transforms the world from within,” Pope Leo said.Through these images, he continued, Jesus warns against thinking of God principally in terms of power, domination, and triumph.“Instead, God favors smallness, a sign of his discreet love, by which he leaves us free to accept or reject him,” the pope said. “His love makes its presence felt even among the weeds, acts in a hidden and invisible way like the smallest of all seeds, and leavens the dough without making a sound.”God favors smallnessPope Leo said believers sometimes expect God to act in dramatic and immediately visible ways.“We sometimes expect God to do something spectacular; we want him to intervene from on high, immediately uprooting the weeds of evil,” he said.“We imagine a strong and powerful God, and, unfortunately, we also model our way of being Christians and way of being the Church on this image.”The kingdom of God, however, continues to grow quietly even amid evil, the pope said.“However, the kingdom of God spreads even amidst the weeds, requiring us to train our vision so we can discern the good that sprouts despite the darkness of evil, and avoiding rash judgments,” he said.The image of the smallest seed, Pope Leo explained, teaches Christians to be patient as God works through ordinary events and gradual processes.“It comes like the smallest of seeds and thus calls for patience in accompanying these processes, so that we can recognize it in the little things of daily life and in the simplicity of ordinary existence,” he said.The kingdom also “grows invisibly like yeast in flour,” the pope continued, freeing believers from discouragement and inviting them to maintain faith even when God appears absent.“In fact, he is always with us, and his love is always ready to help us,” he said.Pope Leo then urged Catholics to apply this divine way of acting to both their personal lives and the life of the Church.“God’s way of acting must also become the way in which we live, both as individuals and as the Church, amidst the reality that surrounds us,” he said.“We are called to adopt a Gospel-centered approach, without hastily opposing others through arrogant judgments, without imposing ourselves through power and force, and without losing trust in God’s work.”The pope cited a reflection given by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, during the Jubilee of Catechists and Religion Teachers in the Holy Year 2000.“As the then-Cardinal Ratzinger said, it is a matter of submitting ourselves to the logic of the seed — which is not that of success and greatness but that of making ourselves small and serving others,” Pope Leo said.By embracing this approach, he concluded, Christians can become instruments through which the Gospel quietly transforms the world.“In this way, we will become like small seeds of the Gospel that sprout and leavens of love that transform the dough of the world.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV calls for evangelical approach without force or ‘arrogant judgments’ – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV warned Sunday against imagining God as “a powerful figure who imposes himself by force, who takes over and dominates, or who arrives triumphantly” and urged Christians to embrace a Gospel-centered approach marked by humility and trust.Speaking before the Angelus prayer in Liberty Square at Castel Gandolfo, where he is spending several weeks of rest through Monday, July 27, the pope reflected on the day’s Gospel reading.Following the parable of the sower, Jesus addresses the crowds through the images of the good wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast in the dough, the pope noted.“These three short parables recall the coming of the kingdom of God in history, its action in human lives, and the way it grows, expands, and transforms the world from within,” Pope Leo said.Through these images, he continued, Jesus warns against thinking of God principally in terms of power, domination, and triumph.“Instead, God favors smallness, a sign of his discreet love, by which he leaves us free to accept or reject him,” the pope said. “His love makes its presence felt even among the weeds, acts in a hidden and invisible way like the smallest of all seeds, and leavens the dough without making a sound.”God favors smallnessPope Leo said believers sometimes expect God to act in dramatic and immediately visible ways.“We sometimes expect God to do something spectacular; we want him to intervene from on high, immediately uprooting the weeds of evil,” he said.“We imagine a strong and powerful God, and, unfortunately, we also model our way of being Christians and way of being the Church on this image.”The kingdom of God, however, continues to grow quietly even amid evil, the pope said.“However, the kingdom of God spreads even amidst the weeds, requiring us to train our vision so we can discern the good that sprouts despite the darkness of evil, and avoiding rash judgments,” he said.The image of the smallest seed, Pope Leo explained, teaches Christians to be patient as God works through ordinary events and gradual processes.“It comes like the smallest of seeds and thus calls for patience in accompanying these processes, so that we can recognize it in the little things of daily life and in the simplicity of ordinary existence,” he said.The kingdom also “grows invisibly like yeast in flour,” the pope continued, freeing believers from discouragement and inviting them to maintain faith even when God appears absent.“In fact, he is always with us, and his love is always ready to help us,” he said.Pope Leo then urged Catholics to apply this divine way of acting to both their personal lives and the life of the Church.“God’s way of acting must also become the way in which we live, both as individuals and as the Church, amidst the reality that surrounds us,” he said.“We are called to adopt a Gospel-centered approach, without hastily opposing others through arrogant judgments, without imposing ourselves through power and force, and without losing trust in God’s work.”The pope cited a reflection given by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, during the Jubilee of Catechists and Religion Teachers in the Holy Year 2000.“As the then-Cardinal Ratzinger said, it is a matter of submitting ourselves to the logic of the seed — which is not that of success and greatness but that of making ourselves small and serving others,” Pope Leo said.By embracing this approach, he concluded, Christians can become instruments through which the Gospel quietly transforms the world.“In this way, we will become like small seeds of the Gospel that sprout and leavens of love that transform the dough of the world.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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At the Sunday Angelus in Castel Gandolfo, the pontiff said God’s kingdom grows quietly through smallness, patience, and service rather than spectacle or power.

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Sicar: The retreat transforming the lives of young people in Latin America #Catholic The Sicar retreat (“Sychar” in the English Bible) has given rise to one of the most notable youth evangelization experiences in Latin America. It came about through a process of discernment by a Mexican religious in her own search for God, a dynamic movement that today reaches thousands of young people.With over 30 years of consecrated life, Mother María Elena Martínez has dedicated her life to the spiritual formation of young people and adults through “Mary, Mother of Love,” a private association of the faithful she founded in Mexico in 2015.The community is centered on retreats making a spiritual impact, such as Emmaus, which is held in parishes and correctional facilities, and Sicar, which is aimed specifically at young adults. Mother María Elena Martínez. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Her life, marked from childhood by a quest for God, would ultimately become bound up in an initiative that is active today in several Latin American countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, Argentina, and Peru.“I remember as a little girl I had a great thirst for God,” she shared in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.That initial calling deepened over time. At age 11, she recalled, a desire to please Jesus arose within her. “A desire for purity … I wanted to live a life of virginity,” she noted, explaining that she prayed insistently to the Virgin Mary, asking for that consecration. Mother María Elena Martínez in front of an oasis. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez However, her path was neither immediate nor direct. “Religious life wasn’t something that particularly appealed to me,” she admitted. In her youth, she went through various experiences ranging from completing a degree in translating to exploring broader spiritual concerns, which eventually led her to try out consecrated life with the Missionaries of Charity.Some time later, she tried cloistered contemplative life. “I wanted something more interior, deeper,” she confessed.A concern arises: ‘What about the young people?’The Sicar retreat did not originate as a planned initiative but rather as a pastoral response that only gradually took shape. According to Mother María Elena, for years many people approached her with the same concern: “What about the young people?” “Do something for the young people,” they would tell her. Sicar team members in Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez The Gospel account of the Samaritan woman began to take center stage in her prayer and discernment. Jesus’ dialogue at the well of Sychar — “If you knew the gift of God” (cf. Jn 4:1-42) — served as the starting point for helping young people discover Christ. “The passage about the Samaritan woman was so rich, so rich, that I could draw so much from it,” she explained.The decisive step came in 2016, when the first Sicar retreat was held. Mother María Elena remembered it as the beginning of something small and simple yet deeply meaningful. Young people with prior experience in movements like Emmaus were the first to participate. Sicar Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Sicar began to expand. After establishing itself in cities such as Mexico City, Tehuacán, and Tecamachalco (in the state of Puebla), as well as San Luis de la Paz (Guanajuato state), Veracruz, Mérida (Yucatán state), and Cuernavaca (Morelos state), the initiative began to cross borders beyond Mexico. The first retreat in Guatemala took place in 2017; Buenos Aires in 2018; Paraguay in 2022; and in Peru in 2023.“It has been growing in many places, rescuing so many young people,” Mother María Elena said with gratitude.In Mexico, 38 Sicar retreats have been held with an average of 50 participants each, amounting to nearly 2,000 young people. In Peru, where the initiative arrived in 2023, seven retreats have already taken place with around 70 participants each, reaching approximately 490 people. Sicar Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Ottmar Ricalde, a Sicar volunteer in Mexico, noted that “Sicar means and has meant so much over these past 10 years.” “I could write and speak about all the stories, all the laughter, and all the tears, but the most important thing of all is the love of God that has been a gift to me,” he stated.“My life was always focused on pleasing others, but when I met God and realized how much he loves me, I began wanting to please him,” he said.In Paraguay, Sicar coordinator Fátima Correa highlighted that the experience “was a time of growth and renewal. It allowed us to view our history with fresh eyes.” Sicar Paraguay 2026 team members. | Credit: Sicar Paraguay “It was a retreat organized by young people for young people, where every testimony reflected realities many of us could relate to,” she added.A couple from Argentina who participated in the retreat and are now married say that Sicar marked a turning point in their lives. “We arrived as boyfriend and girlfriend and returned with completely transformed hearts … today, we feel that one of the greatest fruits was our marriage.”A growing community in PeruSicar arrived in Peru in 2023 and has since established a growing community.Geraldine Spihlman, director of Sicar in Peru, explained that the initiative arose after a need was identified within youth ministry. “When young people reached the age of 24 or 25, they no longer had a place to continue their journey of faith,” she noted.Following contact with Mother María Elena, it was decided to launch the initiative in Lima, which holds two retreats a year: in May and November.Spihlman highlighted that the most visible fruit is the community: “Many young people have discovered that it’s hard to go it alone but that everything is easier in community. It is a community where you can see how they love one another.”Instagram post‘God’s mercy knows no bounds’One of the most common fruits of these retreats is a shift in how one views others.In personal encounters, transformation occurs not only for those receiving the retreat but also for those who put it on. “God’s mercy knows no bounds,” Mother María Elena stated. “You look at people with eyes of mercy. You no longer judge the person; instead, you see them as a child of God,” she explained.Eros Acevedo, another team member, said the retreat “was an encounter with God that changed everything … I arrived bearing wounds, and his presence touched them. I left renewed.” Sicar Peru team members, May 2026. | Credit: Sicar Peru Rafael Mansilla, 27, said Sicar taught him to persevere in the faith. “Faith is not a flame that goes out but a steady flame,” he said.Dina Dávila shared that the retreat was the instrument God used to call her. “The love I have experienced in the community is overwhelming,” she added.‘A living Jesus’Through the retreats, Mother María Elena explained, people are invited to encounter “a living Jesus.” “God continues to act; he continues to perform miracles every day,” she affirmed. She said she lives one day at a time. “Each day I tell the Lord, ‘For one more day, I say yes to you.’” Participants in a Sicar retreat in Mexico. | Credit: Sicar Mexico The Sicar retreat, born of a contemplative reading of the Gospel, continues to spread wherever young people seek meaning, healing, and an experience of mature faith.Today, the young “Samaritans” who have lived this experience carry with them the words that marked their encounter with God: “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst” (Jn 4:14).This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Sicar: The retreat transforming the lives of young people in Latin America #Catholic The Sicar retreat (“Sychar” in the English Bible) has given rise to one of the most notable youth evangelization experiences in Latin America. It came about through a process of discernment by a Mexican religious in her own search for God, a dynamic movement that today reaches thousands of young people.With over 30 years of consecrated life, Mother María Elena Martínez has dedicated her life to the spiritual formation of young people and adults through “Mary, Mother of Love,” a private association of the faithful she founded in Mexico in 2015.The community is centered on retreats making a spiritual impact, such as Emmaus, which is held in parishes and correctional facilities, and Sicar, which is aimed specifically at young adults. Mother María Elena Martínez. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Her life, marked from childhood by a quest for God, would ultimately become bound up in an initiative that is active today in several Latin American countries, including Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, Argentina, and Peru.“I remember as a little girl I had a great thirst for God,” she shared in an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.That initial calling deepened over time. At age 11, she recalled, a desire to please Jesus arose within her. “A desire for purity … I wanted to live a life of virginity,” she noted, explaining that she prayed insistently to the Virgin Mary, asking for that consecration. Mother María Elena Martínez in front of an oasis. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez However, her path was neither immediate nor direct. “Religious life wasn’t something that particularly appealed to me,” she admitted. In her youth, she went through various experiences ranging from completing a degree in translating to exploring broader spiritual concerns, which eventually led her to try out consecrated life with the Missionaries of Charity.Some time later, she tried cloistered contemplative life. “I wanted something more interior, deeper,” she confessed.A concern arises: ‘What about the young people?’The Sicar retreat did not originate as a planned initiative but rather as a pastoral response that only gradually took shape. According to Mother María Elena, for years many people approached her with the same concern: “What about the young people?” “Do something for the young people,” they would tell her. Sicar team members in Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez The Gospel account of the Samaritan woman began to take center stage in her prayer and discernment. Jesus’ dialogue at the well of Sychar — “If you knew the gift of God” (cf. Jn 4:1-42) — served as the starting point for helping young people discover Christ. “The passage about the Samaritan woman was so rich, so rich, that I could draw so much from it,” she explained.The decisive step came in 2016, when the first Sicar retreat was held. Mother María Elena remembered it as the beginning of something small and simple yet deeply meaningful. Young people with prior experience in movements like Emmaus were the first to participate. Sicar Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Sicar began to expand. After establishing itself in cities such as Mexico City, Tehuacán, and Tecamachalco (in the state of Puebla), as well as San Luis de la Paz (Guanajuato state), Veracruz, Mérida (Yucatán state), and Cuernavaca (Morelos state), the initiative began to cross borders beyond Mexico. The first retreat in Guatemala took place in 2017; Buenos Aires in 2018; Paraguay in 2022; and in Peru in 2023.“It has been growing in many places, rescuing so many young people,” Mother María Elena said with gratitude.In Mexico, 38 Sicar retreats have been held with an average of 50 participants each, amounting to nearly 2,000 young people. In Peru, where the initiative arrived in 2023, seven retreats have already taken place with around 70 participants each, reaching approximately 490 people. Sicar Mexico. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Mother María Elena Martínez Ottmar Ricalde, a Sicar volunteer in Mexico, noted that “Sicar means and has meant so much over these past 10 years.” “I could write and speak about all the stories, all the laughter, and all the tears, but the most important thing of all is the love of God that has been a gift to me,” he stated.“My life was always focused on pleasing others, but when I met God and realized how much he loves me, I began wanting to please him,” he said.In Paraguay, Sicar coordinator Fátima Correa highlighted that the experience “was a time of growth and renewal. It allowed us to view our history with fresh eyes.” Sicar Paraguay 2026 team members. | Credit: Sicar Paraguay “It was a retreat organized by young people for young people, where every testimony reflected realities many of us could relate to,” she added.A couple from Argentina who participated in the retreat and are now married say that Sicar marked a turning point in their lives. “We arrived as boyfriend and girlfriend and returned with completely transformed hearts … today, we feel that one of the greatest fruits was our marriage.”A growing community in PeruSicar arrived in Peru in 2023 and has since established a growing community.Geraldine Spihlman, director of Sicar in Peru, explained that the initiative arose after a need was identified within youth ministry. “When young people reached the age of 24 or 25, they no longer had a place to continue their journey of faith,” she noted.Following contact with Mother María Elena, it was decided to launch the initiative in Lima, which holds two retreats a year: in May and November.Spihlman highlighted that the most visible fruit is the community: “Many young people have discovered that it’s hard to go it alone but that everything is easier in community. It is a community where you can see how they love one another.”Instagram post‘God’s mercy knows no bounds’One of the most common fruits of these retreats is a shift in how one views others.In personal encounters, transformation occurs not only for those receiving the retreat but also for those who put it on. “God’s mercy knows no bounds,” Mother María Elena stated. “You look at people with eyes of mercy. You no longer judge the person; instead, you see them as a child of God,” she explained.Eros Acevedo, another team member, said the retreat “was an encounter with God that changed everything … I arrived bearing wounds, and his presence touched them. I left renewed.” Sicar Peru team members, May 2026. | Credit: Sicar Peru Rafael Mansilla, 27, said Sicar taught him to persevere in the faith. “Faith is not a flame that goes out but a steady flame,” he said.Dina Dávila shared that the retreat was the instrument God used to call her. “The love I have experienced in the community is overwhelming,” she added.‘A living Jesus’Through the retreats, Mother María Elena explained, people are invited to encounter “a living Jesus.” “God continues to act; he continues to perform miracles every day,” she affirmed. She said she lives one day at a time. “Each day I tell the Lord, ‘For one more day, I say yes to you.’” Participants in a Sicar retreat in Mexico. | Credit: Sicar Mexico The Sicar retreat, born of a contemplative reading of the Gospel, continues to spread wherever young people seek meaning, healing, and an experience of mature faith.Today, the young “Samaritans” who have lived this experience carry with them the words that marked their encounter with God: “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst” (Jn 4:14).This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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Through her own spiritual journey seeking God, Mother María Elena Martínez founded a community and a retreat movement that is touching the lives of thousands of young people in Latin America.

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A Prayer for Peace of Mind (by Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini): Prayer of the Day for Sunday, July 19, 2026 – #Prayer – FORTIFY me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit and give Your peace to my soul that I may be free from all needless anxiety, solicitude and worry. Help me to desire always that which is pleasing and acceptable to You so that Your will may be my will.

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FORTIFY me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit
and give Your peace to my soul
that I may be free from all needless anxiety,
solicitude and worry.
Help me to desire always
that which is pleasing and acceptable to You
so that Your will may be my will.

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