United Yam – You Never Know

Picture of the day Sunset over Trommekilen, a part of Brofjorden, as seen from Norrkila, Lysekil Municipality, Sweden #ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam September 17, 2026September 17, 2026

Picture of the day

Sunset over Trommekilen, a part of Brofjorden, as seen from Norrkila, Lysekil Municipality, Sweden

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

Paterson priest honored with national addiction counselors’ award #Catholic –

The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (NAADAC) on Aug. 28 presented Father Ed Reading, a priest of the Paterson Diocese who serves outside the diocese, with the Addiction Educator of the Year Award during the EMPOWER 2026 NAADAC Annual Conference, held last month in Kansas City, Mo.

Father Reading is a N.J.-licensed drug and alcohol counselor and an educator and scholar in the addiction field. Also known as Dr. Reading, he has been in the addiction field since 1969 — long before there was an organized profession of addiction studies. He lives in Ortley Beach, N.J.

Father Reading has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels at more than six colleges and universities in New Jersey, as well as providing professional training and education to medical professionals, law enforcement professionals, and professional clergy. For more than 50 years, he has been a nationally recognized leader in the field of addictions, authoring professional publications and presenting professional lectures throughout the United States and four provinces of Canada.

In addition, Father Reading has served on the N.J. State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, where he has chaired the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee for more than 30 years. The committee certifies and licenses addiction counselors. The priest has been a driving force in state licensure regulation. His New Jersey license number is “1.” He is the longest-serving state licensing board member in the country.

Also, Father Reading has served elected terms as president of
the International Coalition for Addiction Studies Education and is the current president of the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission. He is currently employed at Ocean County College in New Jersey, where, for more than a decade, he has taught and mentored students in the Addiction Studies Program.

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Ordained a Catholic priest of the diocese in 1972, Father Reading worked as a healthcare professional at Straight and Narrow in Paterson, the drug- and alcohol-treatment program of diocesan Catholic Charities, from 1969 to 1980, when he began ministering outside the diocese.

Father Reading has also served as a board member of diocesan Catholic Charities and as a weekend assistant at Good Shepherd Parish in Andover, N.J. He earned a doctorate in pastoral counseling from LaSalle University in Mandeville, La. in 2002.

Ted McCadden, program director of human services, counseling, and social work and president-elect of the International Coalition for Addiction Studies Education and a commissioner of the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission, was one of several professionals who enthusiastically submitted letters of recommendation for Father Reading’s award.

McCadden wrote, “It is difficult to imagine the Addiction Education field without Dr. Reading’s influence; he was a trailblazer in this field of study as it moved from the fringes and into the academic mainstream. Dr. Reading’s teaching career spans nearly 50 years, during which he has trained innumerable addiction professionals.”

“More than that, Dr. Reading’s contributions to the field of addiction education include establishing addiction counseling training programs at several institutions, mentoring programs to meet national standards for addiction studies education, and serving as a consultant to several state, national, and international institutions and agencies,” McCadden wrote.

McCadden also wrote that Father Reading’s vocation as a priest has allowed him to build a ministry of “healing the healers,” providing pastoral counseling services and focusing his vocation on addictions, treatment, prevention, education, and research for over 45 years.

“Through this ministry, he provides ‘boots on the ground’ _training for those who may encounter substance use in their own ministries—a truly unique application of his talents as an addiction educator,” McCadden wrote about Father Reading.

– The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (NAADAC) on Aug. 28 presented Father Ed Reading, a priest of the Paterson Diocese who serves outside the diocese, with the Addiction Educator of the Year Award during the EMPOWER 2026 NAADAC Annual Conference, held last month in Kansas City, Mo. Father Reading is a N.J.-licensed drug and alcohol counselor and an educator and scholar in the addiction field. Also known as Dr. Reading, he has been in the addiction field since 1969 — long before there was an organized profession of addiction studies. He lives in Ortley Beach, N.J. Father Reading

9 Great Ways To Teach Kids About The Gospel #BabylonBee – Everyone needs to hear the Gospel, even kids. But it’s sometimes hard to get them to pay attention when you’re trying to talk Bible.

unitedyam September 16, 2026

Everyone needs to hear the Gospel, even kids. But it’s sometimes hard to get them to pay attention when you’re trying to talk Bible.

Game Of Risk Enters Fourth Week #BabylonBee – NAPERVILLE, IL — Sources confirmed on Wednesday that a local game group’s night of playing classic RISK had now entered its fourth week.

unitedyam September 16, 2026

NAPERVILLE, IL — Sources confirmed on Wednesday that a local game group’s night of playing classic RISK had now entered its fourth week.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

Bishop’s video for Tri-County award taped at Paterson school #Catholic –

St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., warmly welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and staff from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund on Sept. 9 during their visit that morning. The visit included the taping of video that will be shown on Monday, Nov. 2, at Tri-County’s 45th Annual Awards Dinner, during which Bishop Sweeney will be honored.

During the gala, to be held at the Legacy Castle in Pompton Plains, N.J., Bishop Sweeney and two other distinguished honorees will be recognized for their commitment to providing educational opportunity to financially disadvantaged New Jersey children and for their many other contributions to the community.

Those present for the Sept. 9 taping at St. Gerard’s included Prudence Pigott, Tri-County’s president; Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard Majella Parish; and Filippini Sister Jo-Ann Pompa, principal of St. Gerard School, along with students. Founded in 1981, Tri-County has supported St. Gerard’s with student scholarships over the years.

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Bishop Sweeney will receive Tri-County’s Making a Difference Award for his dedicated ministry to the community and vocational leadership throughout the New York and New Jersey area.

Also at the gala, Tri-County will honor Lindsay Hans, president and co-head of Merrill Wealth Management and a member of Bank of America Corporation’s executive management team, and Deidre Meehan, worldwide vice president and general counsel, Innovative Medicine at Johnson & Johnson.

Founded in 1981, Tri-County Scholarship Fund addresses educational inequities by providing partial scholarships to financially disadvantaged K-12 students in New Jersey. The organization partners with accredited, independent elementary and secondary schools to offer students safe, values-based educational opportunities that foster academic and personal growth. Tri-County’s scholarships help deserving students reach their full potential.

The Annual Awards Dinner is the largest fundraiser for the New Jersey nonprofit, which has provided over $44 million in scholarships to more than 40,000 students since its inception in 1981. To learn more about Tri-County Scholarship Fund, visit tcsfund.org.

To purchase a sponsorship, table, or ticket, please visit tcsfund.org/2026gala.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

– St. Gerard Majella School in Paterson, N.J., warmly welcomed Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and staff from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund on Sept. 9 during their visit that morning. The visit included the taping of video that will be shown on Monday, Nov. 2, at Tri-County’s 45th Annual Awards Dinner, during which Bishop Sweeney will be honored. During the gala, to be held at the Legacy Castle in Pompton Plains, N.J., Bishop Sweeney and two other distinguished honorees will be recognized for their commitment to providing educational opportunity to financially disadvantaged New Jersey children and for their many other contributions to

Jimmy Lai’s family, advocates press for his release before Xi-Trump meeting #Catholic Family members and advocates of imprisoned Catholic pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai offered urgent pleas for his release ahead of President Xi Jinping’s planned trip to the U.S. to meet with President Donald Trump.In anticipation of Xiʼs visit to Washington on Sept. 24, Sebastien Lai, Jimmy Lai’s son, met with leaders to advocate for his father. He joined a Sept. 16 congressional hearing led by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey.“Jimmy Lai is not being imprisoned because he committed any act of violence whatsoever,” Smith, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said. “His son has emphasized that his father has never, never advocated violence. Rather, Jimmy Lai used his voice, his newspaper, and his public platform to support freedom and democracy,” he said. Smith said he introduced legislation Sept. 16 that would require the State Department to quickly assess any death in custody of a Hong Kong political prisoner and impose sanctions on officials found responsible. He titled the bill the “Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026.”At the hearing, Sebastien Lai offered testimony along with Steve Yates, a research fellow on China and national security policy, and Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.“I want to thank America, President Trump, who has been a true champion of my fatherʼs, his administration, and the senators and members of both parties whose support has never wavered and only gotten stronger. That is moral courage, and my family does not take it for granted,” Sebastien Lai said.“By the end of this year my father will have spent six years in a maximum-security prison in solitary. At 78, he is the oldest political prisoner in Hong Kong. With a 20-year sentence looming over him, if he’s not freed soon, he will most likely die in prison,” he said. “My sister Claire was to testify beside me today. A few weeks ago, she was diagnosed with cancer,” he said. “I was with her in London last week as she began chemotherapy. My father learned of his own daughterʼs diagnosis from a maximum-security prison. He cannot hold her hand. She wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight,“ he said.

Claire Lai, daughter of imprisoned pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, discusses her father’s sentencing on “EWTN News Nightly” on Feb. 9, 2026. | Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”/Screenshot

“We hope the Chinese authorities will consider what compassionate release would mean for her, and for a 78-year-old man who has already suffered enough,” he said.“America understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late,“ he said.The appeal to Xi “is simple," Sebastien Lai said. “My father poses no threat. His imprisonment makes him a symbol of injustice; his death in prison would be a disgrace. Let Jimmy Lai come home to his family and let him sit beside his daughter in her hardest moment.”

America understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late.”

Sebastien LaiSon of imprisoned Hong Kong media publisher and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai

Clifford, of the Washington‑based advocacy group promoting human rights in Hong Kong, spoke on behalf of his friend Jimmy Lai and to remind “people that Jimmy is just one of hundreds of political prisoners being held in often appalling conditions.”“Iʼd like to emphasize the release of Jimmy Lai would be something President Trump, Republicans and Democrats, indeed, freedom-loving people around the world would applaud,” Clifford said. “It would be a unifying event at the time when the world really needs it.”Yates said Jimmy Lai’s case is “a test of character, of Xi Jinping’s leadership, of the president’s relationship with his counterpart, and of whether there remains any credible basis for the assumptions on which American policy toward Hong Kong was long constructed.”The case is “a litmus test of whether there remains any reason to believe there is a future in Xi Jinping’s China for the kind of man Jimmy Lai is: a child of God, a lover of the real China, and, it may fairly be said, one of China’s greatest entrepreneurs,” Yates said. Lai’s health ‘is going to get worse’At a subsequent event, Sebastien Lai spoke at a press conference at Georgetown University about his father.Trump has previously met with Xi about Jimmy Lai’s case, which did not end with his release, but Sebastian Lai said he does not believe “it is a lost cause.” He said he hopes Trump raises his father’s case “again and again.”Sebastian Lai detailed his father’s health, which “hasnʼt gotten any better” while in solitary confinement.“He now has heart issues. His nails fall off. His teeth are rotting. During the summer, he bleeds all over his body because [of] his rashes,” he said.His health was especially worrisome recently because “Hong Kong just had a record summer,” Sebastien Lai said. “The heat traps in there and essentially bakes in itself. So weʼre very, very worried.”Caoilfhionn Gallagher, human rights lawyer and leader of the international legal team representing Jimmy Lai, further laid out the urgency of the case.“It’s very clear that if someone is detained in solitary confinement for an extended period of time, there is a direct ramification for their mortality,” she said.“The risk to prisoners detained in solitary confinement is particularly heightened if they’re elderly or diabetic, and Jimmy Lai is both. So this couldn’t be a more urgent and timely discussion,” she said. Gallagher also noted the broader human rights issues and lack of democracy in Hong Kong.Hong Kong “has become a place where you can be thrown in prison for singing the wrong song, or not singing the right song, or wearing the wrong T-shirt, printing the wrong newspaper. And I think Jimmy Laiʼs case is hugely important in itself because of who he is,” Gallagher said.“Heʼs probably the worldʼs most famous political prisoner at the moment. His case is hugely important, but we think part of why theyʼve gone for Jimmy Lai is because by getting the biggest fish of all, it sends the message to the small fry across Hong Kong,” Gallagher said. "It makes very clear that their message is keep silent or youʼll be next,” Gallagher said. Xi’s visit to the U.S. offers “a particular opportunity to shine a light on this issue,” she said.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

“America understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late,” Sebastien Lai said.

Venezuela: Talks with opposition, oil deal, Delcy Rodríguez in New York, and the Church’s stance #Catholic Sept. 15 marked the start of the second round of negotiations between a Venezuelan opposition delegation and the country’s ruling socialist regime, a process promoted and driven by the U.S. government with an eye toward potential presidential elections in the South American nation.Dinorah Figuera, who leads the opposition delegation, arrived in Venezuela on Sept. 13 and before national and international media explained that once this weekʼs discussions conclude, the country could expect an announcement regarding the agreements reached.Meanwhile, Jorge Millán, who is also part of the opposition delegation, stated that they would continue “pursuing a Supreme Court of Justice with honorable, independent, and impartial judges capable of providing Venezuela with an upstanding judicial system after so many years. At the end of the cycle [of talks], we will present clear and verifiable objectives.”He also stated that this round of negotiations would also address the status of political parties, political guarantees, and “the dismantling of the repressive apparatus” established by Chavismo (the socialist government established by President Hugo Chávez and continued by President Nicolás Maduro) for over two decades. The state of freedom of expression in Venezuela will also be one of the items on the agenda.“The foundation for achieving a full democracy requires creating the conditions for elections to be held in Venezuela as soon as possible, as quickly as possible. We are laying the groundwork to reach those important areas that will enable all Venezuelans to elect our leaders very soon, with the speed we desire but also allowing for the time this will take,” Millán added.Concerns and proposals from the Catholic ChurchLast week, Cardinals Baltazar Porras and Diego Padrón, together with Bishop Emeritus Ramón Ovidio Pérez Morales, once again spoke out regarding the political and social situation in Venezuela. The prelates had previously raised their voices at the start of negotiations, offering to serve as guarantors of the process.On this occasion, they addressed the state of “indeterminacy, confusion, and uncertainty” prevailing in the country, offering “certain opinions, judgments, and proposals” that seek to “open the way” to help overcome the current crisis and achieve solid institutional stability and the national common good.Following the capture and extradition of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by U.S. forces on Jan. 3, the prelates noted that “changes have occurred, yet neither the desired and expected change nor a shift toward the structuring and functioning of the country in line with the preamble and fundamental principles of the 1999 Constitution is perceptible.”The cardinals and the bishop cite as examples of this lack of change that there are still political prisoners and a climate of repression as well as a state monopoly on the media and the continued centralization of power. Although these issues have been placed on the negotiating tableʼs agenda, the prelates maintain that these talks “operate within a framework of limited scope and authority.”In this regard, they pointed out that the state is operating on “shaky and legally undefined ground,” while the executive branch is “illegitimate regarding both its origins and its exercise of power.” Consequently, they emphasized the urgent need to call for elections soon.Oil deals with few detailsA few weeks ago, the Trump administration and the Chavista regime signed a massive energy deal granting the United States effective control over approximately one-third of Venezuelan oil, some 65 billion barrels of proven reserves.Beyond the economic aspects, the agreement has sparked particular controversy by including Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt López as an intermediary. He has been the subject of several investigations regarding alleged corruption, inflated prices in electricity contracts, and money laundering linked to the oil sector.Within Venezuela, Betancourt is singled out as one of the key figures responsible for the serious deterioration of the electrical grid, which has led to daily, hourslong blackouts across the country for years, severely impacting the populationʼs daily lives and even resulting in loss of life due to various causes.While acknowledging they are not experts in the field, Porras, Padrón, and Pérez Morales call for greater transparency in the negotiations and recommend “prudence and a gradual approach regarding commitments.” This, they state, reflects the prevailing sentiment among the Venezuelan people, who are concerned about the fate and use of the “vast sums of money” the state is set to receive.Greater emphasis on the need to call electionsIn light of the foregoing, the cardinals and the bishop underscored the priority of allowing the sovereign people of Venezuela to have a “a defined and clear mandate” regarding the nation’s future, a step that would also offer a sure path toward “encounter, social reconciliation, and peace.”“God has given us this country as a setting in which to build a ‘new society,’ the ideal of the civilization of love. We Venezuelans, through our own efforts and by invoking divine assistance, must keep hope alive and continue working on this compelling task, striving to reap its fruits of peace, freedom, justice, and fraternity,” the prelates stated.Delcy Rodríguez in New York?According to a Sept. 14 Bloomberg report, Venezuelaʼs interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, is considering a trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, which takes place next week.If the trip goes ahead, Rodríguez would be in the same city where Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores are in U.S. custody. When asked about a possible meeting with the Chavista leader, President Donald Trump simply replied: “Maybe, maybe.”Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that an in-person meeting “probably will happen” if the presence of the interim regimeʼs president is confirmed.Rodríguezʼs presence on U.S. soil would mark a milestone in relations between Washington and Caracas, following more than two decades of tension and discord. Within Venezuela, the growing rapprochement between the U.S. government and the remnants of Chavismo is fueling concern and uncertainty regarding the possibility of real political change.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

Ongoing talks between the socialist regime and the opposition in Venezuela are making some progress while the Church is trying to contribute to the transition to democracy and freedom.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 17, 2026

Today I’ll be telling you about 10 of my favorite autumn deep-sky objects, with suggestions for viewing them. I hope you’ll enjoy this list, and I’ll share some other deep-sky favorites of mine from time to time in the future. What’s a large telescope? The notion of what’s big changes from observer to observer, butContinue reading “Autumn observing targets for large telescopes”

The post Autumn observing targets for large telescopes appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

10 Best Aviation Museums in the U.S. for History Buffs and Plane Enthusiasts #Travel Put these fun and informative institutions on your radar.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

Put these fun and informative institutions on your radar.

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik (left) and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano view progress on the solid rocket booster integration in High Bay 3 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.

Picture of the day

Peggy Bridgeman at the left demonstrates to Ruth Harris the correct technique of welding. Today is Labor Day in the United States.
#ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam September 16, 2026September 16, 2026

Picture of the day

Peggy Bridgeman at the left demonstrates to Ruth Harris the correct technique of welding. Today is Labor Day in the United States.

Iran-Backed Houthis Attempt Strike on Mecca in Saudi Arabia – Islam’s Holiest City! – The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launched an attack on Mecca in Saudi Arabia early Wednesday!
The post Iran-Backed Houthis Attempt Strike on Mecca in Saudi Arabia – Islam’s Holiest City! appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen launched an attack on Mecca in Saudi Arabia early Wednesday!

The post Iran-Backed Houthis Attempt Strike on Mecca in Saudi Arabia – Islam’s Holiest City! appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

BREAKING: Horrifying Moment Los Angeles News Chopper Crashes In Giant Fireball During Live Shot – 3 DEAD (VIDEO) – At least three people are dead after a Los Angeles news chopper crashed during a live shot on Tuesday evening.
The post BREAKING: Horrifying Moment Los Angeles News Chopper Crashes In Giant Fireball During Live Shot – 3 DEAD (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

At least three people are dead after a Los Angeles news chopper crashed during a live shot on Tuesday evening.

The post BREAKING: Horrifying Moment Los Angeles News Chopper Crashes In Giant Fireball During Live Shot – 3 DEAD (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Rep. Brandon Gill Has Perfect Response to Reporter From Far Left Outlet Who’s Trying to Grill Him: ‘You Guys Can Get Lost’ (VIDEO) – Republican Rep.
The post Rep. Brandon Gill Has Perfect Response to Reporter From Far Left Outlet Who’s Trying to Grill Him: ‘You Guys Can Get Lost’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

Man in a suit speaking at a microphone during a formal event, displaying a focused expression and styled hair.

Republican Rep.

The post Rep. Brandon Gill Has Perfect Response to Reporter From Far Left Outlet Who’s Trying to Grill Him: ‘You Guys Can Get Lost’ (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 15, 2026

Pope Leo XIV names Bishop Michael Saporito to lead Diocese of Metuchen #Catholic –

VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Michael A. Saporito of Newark, New Jersey, as the new bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, the Vatican announced Sept. 15.

Bishop Saporito, 64, succeeds Metuchen’s former Bishop James F. Checchio, whom Pope Leo named archbishop of New Orleans earlier this year. The Diocese of Metuchen has been without a bishop since November 2025, when Archbishop Checchio was installed as coadjutor of the New Orleans Archdiocese.

“I am deeply grateful and humbled that Pope Leo XIV has called me to serve as the Bishop of Metuchen,” Bishop Saporito said in a statement following the announcement. “While it is not easy to leave the people and places that have formed and sustained me, I welcome this new mission with trust in the Holy Spirit.”

Born in Newark in 1962, Bishop Saporito has served as an auxiliary bishop in his home archdiocese since 2020, assisting Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin in overseeing the archdiocese, which is home to 1.3 million Catholics.

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Throughout his ministry, Bishop Saporito has had a focus on the new evangelization, serving on the Archdiocese of Newark’s Evangelization Commission and as a board member of Christlife, an evangelization apostolate based in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. In Newark, he led the pastoral initiative “We Are His Witnesses” and served on the archdiocesan synod team.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Rutgers University Newark and worked as an accountant for three years before entering the archdiocesan seminary in 1987. He was ordained a priest in 1992 by then-Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick.

As the sixth bishop of Metuchen, Bishop Saporito will lead a diocese of about 1.5 million people, of whom more than 670,000 are Catholic. The New Jersey diocese encompasses Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset and Warren counties, and is served by 192 priests, 196 deacons, and 193 men and women religious.

“I look forward to meeting the priests, deacons, religious and lay faithful of the Diocese, walking with them as we seek to follow Jesus Christ and bear witness to the hope of the Gospel,” Bishop Saporito said.

The Vatican also announced the resignation of Bishop Francis I. Malone of Shreveport, Louisiana. Bishop Malone, 76, submitted his resignation to the pope last year at the age of 75, as required by canon law. Bishop Robert W. Marshall of Alexandria, Louisiana, will serve as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Shreveport until the appointment and installation of a new bishop.

Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.

– VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Michael A. Saporito of Newark, New Jersey, as the new bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, the Vatican announced Sept. 15. Bishop Saporito, 64, succeeds Metuchen’s former Bishop James F. Checchio, whom Pope Leo named archbishop of New Orleans earlier this year. The Diocese of Metuchen has been without a bishop since November 2025, when Archbishop Checchio was installed as coadjutor of the New Orleans Archdiocese. “I am deeply grateful and humbled that Pope Leo XIV has called me to serve as the Bishop of Metuchen,” Bishop Saporito said

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
12:31-13:13

Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, love is not pompous,
it is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.

From the Gospel according to Luke
7:31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

It is indeed the ruling class that closes the door on the way in which God wishes to save us. And so we can understand Jesus’s heated exchanges with the ruling class of his time: they argue with Him, put Him to the test, set traps for Him to see if He will fall, because they are resisting being saved. Jesus says to them: “But I don’t understand you! You are like those children: we played the flute for you and you did not dance; we sang a dirge for you and you did not weep. But what do you want?”; ‘We want things our way: we want to achieve salvation in our own way!”. There is always this refusal to accept God’s way. (…) They do not believe in mercy and forgiveness; they believe in sacrifices. “I want mercy, not sacrifices”. They believe in having everything in its place, neatly arranged, everything clear. This is the tragedy of resistance to salvation. We too, each one of us has this tragedy within. But it will do us good to ask ourselves: (…) “Do I believe that Jesus is the master who teaches us salvation, or do I go about hiring gurus to teach me something else? A safer path, or do I take refuge under the roof of rules and the many commandments made by men? And so, I feel safe, and with this – it is rather harsh to say this – sense of security, do I buy my salvation, which Jesus gives freely through God’s generosity?” It would do us good today to ask ourselves these questions. And the last one: “Am I resisting Jesus’ salvation?” (Pope Francis, Homily of 3 October 2014)

This North Carolina Railroad Runs Through an Iconic National Park—and It’s a Perfect Leaf-peeping Trip #Travel All aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 15, 2026

All aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

In a groundbreaking announcement, the U.S. Space Force stated publicly on Monday, Sept. 14, that it currently has on-orbit weapons in space. Department of the Air Force Secretary Troy Meink’s keynote address at the 2026 Air and Space Cyber Conference focused on plans to modernize the Air Force against AI-powered weapons and capabilities wielded byContinue reading “U.S. confirms it has weapons in orbit”

The post U.S. confirms it has weapons in orbit appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

U.S. religious freedom commission urges Trump to press for release of religious prisoners #Catholic The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urged President Donald Trump to push for the release of religious prisoners in China and for the end of religious persecution by the Chinese government.The commission called on Trump to continue his efforts for the release of the prisoners ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to the U.S. on Sept. 24.USCIRF called for the release of Catholic pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai, numerous Christian leaders, and others in prison for practicing their religious beliefs.“President Trump boldly demonstrated to President Xi during their meeting in Beijing earlier this year that the United States stands for religious freedom by calling for the release of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) prisoners,” said Asif Mahmood, chair of USCIRF.“Speaking up again sends a clear and consistent signal that religious freedom for all is a priority for the United States and that it expects the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] to respect its population rather than persecute millions for practicing their faith,” he said.The commission highlighted that after a direct appeal by Trump, Chinese authorities previously freed former prisoner Pastor Ezra Jin of the Zion Church in July. He was permitted to relocate to the United States and reunite with his family.While Jin was released, eight other Zion Church leaders who were arrested alongside him remain detained.“In releasing Pastor Jin, President Xi showed that he has the power to release FoRB prisoners if he so desires—and indeed he has an obligation to do so under international law,” said Cece Heil, vice chair of USCIRF.USCIRF detailed the other leaders whose release the commission is urging and is asking Trump “to seize the opportunity during his upcoming summit with President Xi,” Heil said.They called on Trump to discuss religious leaders including “Gulshan Abbas, Ekpar Asat, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Jimmy Lai, the Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his family,” Heil said. The commission also asked Trump “to urge the Chinese government to provide a passport to U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident, Pastor John Cao and allow him to reunite with his family and seek urgent medical treatment in the United States,” Heil said.The appeal also precedes a planned hearing on Sept. 16 held by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, to discuss the release of Lai. Jimmy Lai’s son, Sebastien Lai, will offer testimony regarding his father’s immediate release and to examine the broader implications of his continued imprisonment.In its 2026 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State redesignate China as a country of particular concern (CPC) for engaging “in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom,” according to the commission.USCIRF urges special watchlist designation for Kyrgyz RepublicIn a September report, USCIRF also reaffirmed its call for the Kyrgyz Republic to be placed on the U.S. Department of State’s special watchlist.The brief was released to highlight “legal restrictions as well as recent violations that Kyrgyz officials have committed against independent Muslims and Christians from unregistered communities,” USCIRF reported. “The Kyrgyz government regularly violates freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) as laid out in its constitution as well as in international documents such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which it is a signatory,” the report said.USCIRF detailed that Kyrgyz officials apply a “vague label of extremism” to justify matters such as regularly raiding places of worship, issuing fines, seizing religious materials, imposing prison sentences, forcing individuals to renounce their beliefs, and engaging in physical abuse.In early 2025, the nation’s president, Sadyr Japarov, amended a restrictive religion law and approved other acts, which significantly tightened state control over religious groups. “Enforcement of these laws—which often occurs in conjunction with broadly framed anti-extremism statues under the Criminal Code—often involves targeting religious groups that the government considers ‘nontraditional,’ particularly independent Muslims and members of unregistered Christian groups,” the report said.The commissionʼs report noted that targeted Christian groups often face persecution “from harassment and fines to prison sentences and physical abuse,” according to the report.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom made the plea ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Sept. 24 trip to Washington, D.C.

Cardinal Pizzaballa calls Christians in the Holy Land to make the cross a way of life #Catholic Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, said the cross is not a sign of defeat or death but an expression of God’s love and the victory of life, urging Christians in the Holy Land to make it a way of life rooted in love and self-giving.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa presides over Mass on the eve of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at Christ the Redeemer Church in Taybeh, West Bank, Sept. 13, 2026. | Credit: Emad Diab/ACI MENA

Pizzaballa made the remarks while presiding over a Mass on the eve of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at Christ the Redeemer Church in Taybeh, a predominantly Christian town in the West Bank.Bishop William Shomali, patriarchal vicar; Father Davide Meli; and Father Bashar Fawadleh, the parish priest, concelebrated the Mass.“The cross is our victory, and it is the victory of love,” Pizzaballa said. He added that Christ “chose to enter into the suffering of the cross out of love for us.” The patriarch stressed that Christians are “people of the cross” and that the sign defining their identity should be reflected in the way they live and in their relationships within their families, parishes, and wider communities.“We are called to live according to the logic of the cross,” he said.Pizzaballa noted that Christians do not need to seek out suffering, because they are already surrounded by suffering in many forms. Yet, he said, such experiences can become an opening for God’s presence in their lives.Fawadleh welcomed Pizzaballa to the celebration, telling him: “Your presence today is more than simply taking part in our feast; it is a sign of communion, consolation, and hope.”

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa lights the flame at the historic St. George Church, locally known as Al-Khader, Sept. 13, 2026, at Christ the Redeemer Church in Taybeh, West Bank. | Credit: Emad Diab/ACI MENA

The celebration took place as Taybeh continues to face the repercussions of attacks by Israeli settlers, restrictions on movement and access to essential services (Palestinians living in the West Bank require Israeli permits to enter Jerusalem), declining employment opportunities, and continued emigration — all pressures that have placed additional strain on the town’s residents.Following the Mass, the faithful joined a candlelight procession through the streets of Taybeh to the historic St. George Church, known locally as Al-Khader. There, prayers were offered and pomegranates were blessed and distributed to participants before the traditional feast day flame was lit.This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 16, 2026

The Latin patrarch presided over Mass on the eve of the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Taybeh, calling on Christians to live the “logic of the cross” through love and self-giving.

unitedyam September 15, 2026September 15, 2026

New religious to diocese build bonds at annual gathering #Catholic –

On Sept. 4, 75 religious newly assigned to the Paterson Diocese, N.J., priests, seminarians and discerners gathered for an evening of prayer, fraternity, recreation, and relaxation during the annual gathering at Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, N.J.

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney commenced the event with adoration and vespers in St. Joseph’s Chapel of Mary Help, run by the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco. He gave a moving reflection.

Together, they ate a meal, prepared by the Knights of Columbus, in the school cafeteria. Members of the various participating religious communities mingled at the tables to get to know one another. All the new religious men and women serving the diocese also had the opportunity to introduce themselves. The religious also had the opportunity to meet Bishop Sweeney and build relationships with attending seminarians — future priests of the diocese.

That sense of fraternity continued as many of the participants headed to the school gym to play competitive volleyball.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]

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– On Sept. 4, 75 religious newly assigned to the Paterson Diocese, N.J., priests, seminarians and discerners gathered for an evening of prayer, fraternity, recreation, and relaxation during the annual gathering at Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon, N.J. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney commenced the event with adoration and vespers in St. Joseph’s Chapel of Mary Help, run by the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco. He gave a moving reflection. Together, they ate a meal, prepared by the Knights of Columbus, in the school cafeteria. Members of the various participating religious communities mingled at the tables to get

Trump asks Cissie Lynch, granddaughter of Billy Graham, to be religious freedom ambassador – #Catholic – Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of famed late Southern Baptist evangelist Billy Graham, said this week that President Donald Trump asked her to take up a key religious freedom position in his administration. Lynch, whose father, Franklin Graham, leads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, revealed the news on X on Sept. 15, saying Trump had asked her to serve as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.The role helps lead the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Lynch on X said it would be “a great honor and privilege” to serve in the role. “If confirmed by the Senate, please pray that I would serve with excellence and make the most of every opportunity to protect our most precious and fundamental right—and one that far too many people around the world still live without—freedom of religion,” she wrote. TweetLynch has remained active in the religious advocacy and aid networks started by her grandfather and continue to be run by her family. She has served as an adviser to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and at Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian aid organization also led by Franklin Graham. On Sept. 15 Franklin Graham said his daughter is “uniquely” qualified for the role, the duties of which include promoting religious freedom abroad and advising the U.S. government when that right is violated internationally. The government says the religious freedom ambassador serves as “a principal adviser to the president and the principal adviser to the secretary of state regarding matters affecting religious freedom abroad.” The ambassador‑at‑large also has served as a nonvoting member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, which has three vacancies yet to be appointed by the president.Franklin Graham said his daughter has “traveled the world and been a student of this issue for many years” and has “a broad worldview and knowledge of the issues facing religious freedom today.”“I couldn’t be more proud of her, and I ask you to pray that God would give her wisdom and strength,” Graham wrote.

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The author and radio host said it would be a “great honor and privilege” to serve if she is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Catholic doctors say both Eastern and Western spirituality are required to heal the whole person – #Catholic – PHOENIX — For the first time in its nearly 100-year history, the Catholic Medical Association is focusing on how the Eastern Catholic Church’s emphasis on mystery, united with the Western Church’s emphasis on reason, can give a more comprehensive view of human identity and help Western medicine promote human flourishing.The group’s 95th annual educational conference, held in Phoenix Sept. 10–12, emphasized the early Church Fathers, whose influence was strongest in the East, in order to “promote a more comprehensive view and more respect for the mysteries of human health and disease,” said conference chair Dr. Mary Keen-Kirchoff.“We’re embodied spirits, not just physical bodies,” she said at the opening. Healing, she added, “is a return to humanity’s original creation in the image and likeness of God.”The conference theme was “Mysteries and Miracles: Restoring the Practice of Medicine to Heal the Whole Person.” Setting the tone, Father Andriy Chirovsky, a theologian and priest of the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with Rome, and psychiatrist Dr. Donna C. Dobrowolsky shared the first plenary.They moved between theology and clinical practice, saying they hoped to help medical professionals recover a holistic understanding of “the whole person, because thatʼs who all of us care about.” Theology without clinical reality stays abstract, they said; clinical work without a complete Christian anthropology becomes fragmented.“If the human person is misunderstood, then healing will also be misunderstood and therefore less effective,” Chirovsky said. “Healing requires a true anthropology.”He quoted Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, in which the pontiff wrote: “We Christians lift our eyes to the Incarnate God, knowing that it is ‘only the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of humanity truly becomes clear.’”Why the East, and why now?Chirovsky cited St. John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical Ut Unum Sint (That They May Be One), in which the pope, referring to the Eastern and Western Catholic churches, wrote that “the Church must breathe with her two lungs!”Dobrowolsky noted that what the West calls sacraments, the East calls mysteries: rites “not fully comprehensible by human reason, but revealed by God.”Chirovsky said Eastern spirituality and practice “preserve certain habits of thought that are especially needed at this moment in history.”He was not arguing against the West, he said. Any strength can become distorted when it loses its complement. The East offers “a needed medicine for some of the pathologies of modern culture,” especially the idea that a person is the center of the universe, “self-defining,” and “the ground of truth.”“We require revelation to understand our own selves,” he said.“If the person is not self-explaining,” Dobrowolsky said, medicine has to be careful because lab values and symptom clusters aren’t enough to explain a person. They’re important, but they don’t tell us everything about who a human person is.”The Catholic Church needs both the East and the West in the same way a healthy person must think with both hemispheres of the brain, the priest said, quoting neuroscientist Iain McGilchrist’s book “The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World.”In his book, McGilchrist notes that the left side of the brain is analytical and narrow, while the right side focuses more on the big picture, and pathology results when the two sides don’t work together and one side dominates.Chirovsky compared modern medicine’s laser focus on the analytical and quantifiable, using hyperspecialization in the medical field as an example, to a pathology with too much dependence on the left brain.“The analytic mode is powerful, but when it dominates unchecked, the person becomes legible as data but less visible as mystery and as a person,” he said.“Any practice of medicine that loses sight of the whole person as revealed in the incarnate Son of God is going to run into lots of trouble,” he added. “Modern medicine is doing exactly that.”Dobrowolsky agreed, adding that “in medicine, that imbalance isn’t theoretical, we see it every day.”Seeing the human being as mystery does not mean the person is unintelligible, she said. “We’re saying this human person is not exhausted by reductionist accounts. And that the deepest truth of the human person is disclosed in relation to Christ.”“If a person is reduced to a collection of functions, risks, and measurable outputs, their care becomes reduced as well,” she continued, saying that while practitioners may “retain technical brilliance … the patient may begin to disappear beneath the technique.”Indeed, the conference’s breakout sessions touched upon the necessity for a Christian anthropology informed by a Church “breathing with both lungs," with talks titled “Healing Is Not the Same as Curing: Patristic Anthropology and the Limits of Modern Medicine,” “The Neglected Soul: Ancient Monastic Teachings on Depression in the Modern World,” and “Psychedelics, AI, Spirituality, and More: Ancient Wisdom for Reenchanting Medicine.”“My prayer before the conference was that all attendees receive abundant graces of understanding and hope for the future,” Keen-Kirchoff told EWTN News. “I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit was so present … and trust that attendees are more in tune with who we are in Christ and who we are to become in Christ.”

Bishop James Conley, center, receives the 2026 Evangelium Vitae award. He stands with Mario Dickerson, CMA executive director, left, and Dr. Mary Keen-Kirchoff, CMA conference chair, on Sept. 10, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Catholic Medical Association

Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska, won the CMA’s annual Evangelium Vitae award for his pastoral efforts surrounding mental health. In May 2024, Conley published a pastoral letter titled “A Future with Hope,” concerning the Catholic response to mental health struggles. The honor sits close to the conference’s theme: care that views the person as a whole, in the mystery of body and spirit.

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The Catholic Medical Association at its 95th annual educational conference held in Phoenix Sept. 10–12 focused on how the Eastern Catholic Church can help Western medicine promote human flourishing.

Pope Leo XIV names Newark auxiliary bishop to lead Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey – #Catholic – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Newark, New Jersey, auxiliary bishop Michael Saporito as the new bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey.The Vatican announced his appointment on Sept. 15, ending a nearly one-year wait for a new bishop of the diocese. The diocese was previously led by then-Bishop James Checchio from 2016 to 2025, after he served as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Checchio became the archbishop of New Orleans in 2026 after a brief period as its coadjutor archbishop.The pope has also accepted the resignation of Bishop Francis Malone of Shreveport, Louisiana. Malone, 76, has led the diocese since 2019. Bishops are required to submit their resignations to the pope at the age of 75.According to the Vatican announcement, Saporito was born in Newark on May 3, 1962. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark on May 30, 1992.He also earned an accounting degree from Rutgers University and studied at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology in South Orange, New Jersey, for several years before his ordination.After his ordination, Saporito served as a parish priest at several parish churches throughout the archdiocese: St. Peter the Apostle in River Edge (1994–1999), Our Lady of Visitation in Paramus (1999–2001), St. Elizabeth in Wyckoff (2001–2004), St. Joseph in Maplewood (2004–2011), and St. Helen in Westfield (2011–2020).In February 2020, Pope Francis appointed Saporito as an auxiliary bishop of Newark. He received his episcopal consecration on June 30 of the same year from Cardinal Joseph Tobin, CSsR, who has served as archbishop of Newark since 2016.

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The pontiff also accepted the resignation of Bishop Francis Malone, 76, of Shreveport, Louisiana.

NASA Kicks Off Inspiration Tour with Steelers vs. Falcons Game – Fans pose for a photo with an astronaut in the NASA Experience Zone at an NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Fans pose for a photo with an astronaut in the NASA Experience Zone at an NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Picture of the day

Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) near Narayani River, Chitwan Community Forest buffer zone, Nepal

Study: Doctors don’t screen for abortion coercion — and it hurts women #Catholic A recent study found that women who are pressured to undergo unwanted abortions are at highest risk of negative outcomes and harm from abortion.The study, published in the Journal of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (JAHM), found that physicians rarely screen for coercion and pressure to abort, even though it is the highest predictive risk factor for negative outcomes.The authors, David C. Reardon, Dr. Martha W. Shuping, and Dr. Patricia K. Giebink, called the failure to screen for this “medical negligence.”“Women considering abortions should be evaluated for risk factors predictive of negative outcomes,” the study read. “The failure to screen for these risk factors is medical negligence. Screening and informing women of their personal risk factors as required by ethical and legal standards may lead to consideration of alternatives to abortion by women who consider the risks unacceptable.”Michael New, a senior associate scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, a pro-life group that does abortion-related research, said it was a “methodologically strong study,” noting that 1,000 women were surveyed, 226 of whom had an abortion in the past.“Pro-lifers and the medical community should learn several important lessons from this study,” New told EWTN News. “First, coerced abortions are not uncommon. Secondly, … this study adds to a body of research that finds that a substantial percentage of abortions are unwanted or are inconsistent with the values of the woman seeking the abortion.”“Third, even though supporters of legal abortion claim that women obtaining abortions report low levels of mental health problems, they should acknowledge that mental health risks are substantially higher among the subset of women who are emotionally conflicted or who would prefer not to have the abortion,” he continued.Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a senior ethicist at The National Catholic Bioethics Center, urged physicians “to provide full disclosure of the risks and side effects to their patients.”“The long list of bad mental, emotional, and health effects that regularly arise in the wake of an induced abortion should give pause to anyone seeking, or counseling, abortion, especially when it comes to medical professionals who themselves need to be fully informed regarding the seriousness of these risks,” Pacholczyk told EWTN News.“I think it’s fair to say that a key duty of the physician or healthcare professional, in seeking to ‘do no harm,’ would be to try to dissuade their patients from acting on any desire to procure a direct abortion,” he continued. “And a candid discussion about the broad range of potential bad outcomes from the procedure provides an excellent starting point for dialoguing with their patients in a moment of crisis.”Pacholczyk urged medical professionals to have references for pre-abortion counseling for women considering abortion.“While medical professionals may not be able themselves to provide all the support a young woman requires when confronted with an unexpected pregnancy, they should be able to recommend or refer the woman to obtain additional helpful pre-abortion counseling so she can ponder, and bring to the surface, her own motives and fears, and by doing so, hopefully strengthen her to steer clear of the pseudo-remedy of abortion and instead address her situation with a heightened awareness of the care, accompaniment, and support coming from those around her,” Pacholczyk said. Though difficult to enforce, legislation to require medical professionals to screen for coercion may enable victims of coercion to sue abortion clinics, if put into effect, according to New.“It is unsurprising that physicians performing abortions rarely screen for coercion,” New said. “Many abortion are done in high-volume clinics where abortion doctors spend very little time with women seeking abortions.”Kelsey Pritchard, a spokeswoman for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the abortion industry doesn’t prioritize women.“The abortion industry prioritizes profit — not women’s well-being, informed consent, or health, the overwhelming evidence shows,” Pritchard said.“Previous peer-reviewed research by Charlotte Lozier Institute scholars indicates most women who’ve had abortions would have preferred not to if they had more support, with nearly a quarter describing their abortions as unwanted or coerced,” Pritchard continued.She voiced concerns about the ease of abortion coercion due to mail-order abortion.“Since Democrats made it as easy as ordering an Amazon package for anyone anywhere to buy and ship dangerous abortion drugs, even to states with pro-life laws, this hidden epidemic has gone from bad to worse, with alarming cases of women assaulted and poisoned across the country,” Pritchard said.“Women pressured, coerced, or forced to abort go on to report higher levels of mental health and quality-of-life difficulties, which they all too often endure silently as they can face significant hurdles to coming forward,” Pritchard said.“The loudest pro-abortion voices refuse to acknowledge the truth behind their narrative of ‘freedom’ and ‘choice,’” Pritchard said.

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A recent study highlights that when women are coerced or pressured into abortion, they are at high risk for negative outcomes — but abortion prviidess rarely screen for abortion coercion.

Sainthood cause for Virginia farmer who saved his son moves forward #Catholic The sainthood cause of Tom Vander Woude is moving forward, according to his home diocese of Arlington, Virginia. Vander Woude, a father of seven sons, died saving the life of his youngest son, Joseph, who has Down syndrome.The diocese will begin gathering information — a key initial stage in the Catholic Church’s process of determining sainthood.When Joseph, a teenager at the time, fell into a septic tank, Tom climbed into the tank with him, pushing him up toward the surface, away from the toxic fumes, saving his son’s life. Tom, 66, died on Sept. 8, 2008, in the accident, leaving behind his wife and seven sons. His legacy didn’t end there, however. Because of his self-sacrificial act, a group of Catholics, formally called the Tom Vander Woude Guild, began to advocate for his cause.“His final act of self-sacrificial love was widely regarded as the culmination of a Christian life marked by faith, charity, humility, fortitude, and generous service to others,” read Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge’s edict, also signed by Monsignor Paul deLadurantaye, the chancellor of the diocese.After receiving a formal petition from the cause’s postulator, Waldery Hilgeman, the diocese is asking for all information that could affect the cause to be brought forward. The bishop is also collecting any writings by Vander Woude and any documents about him.“We see in the life and death of Thomas Vander Woude a sincere response to the Christian call to sainthood,” Burbidge said. “As heroic as were the circumstances of Thomas Vander Woude’s death, this husband and father showed in a profound way that sanctity is to be sought first and foremost through personal faithfulness in daily life and to a consistent and sincere yes to God in the circumstances of one’s vocation and responsibilities.”Burbidge spoke about the cause in a podcast on Sept. 10, describing Vander Woude as “a holy, faithful, selfless, sacrificial man who serves as an inspiration for us.”“That’s what saints do,” he continued. “They show us that we, who are ordinary and flawed, can live heroic and holy lives."“When you move forward in this cause, itʼs not just because of that one heroic event, but also the day-to-day faithfulness as a husband, as a father, as a citizen, as a man of God,” Burbidge said.

Tom Vander Woude with two of his grandchildren, Michael and Bobby Vander Woude (from left to right). The Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, is investigating Tom Vander Woude’s cause for sainthood almost two decades after he died saving his son. | Credit: Photo courtesy of the Tom Vander Woude Guild

Chris Vander Woude, a son of Tom Vander Woude who is advocating for his cause, expressed his excitement at the progress.“I am grateful to the Diocese of Arlington and Bishop Burbidge for taking this step in the investigative process; it is truly exciting and incredibly humbling at the same time,” Chris Vander Woude told EWTN News.“Not a day goes by without missing Dad, but witnessing how his story continues to inspire so many is a consolation,” he said. “I think his commitment to his daily vocation as a husband and father, culminating in his sacrifice for my brother, resonates with all sorts of people — especially parents. We continue to pray that Godʼs will be done in this process.”

unitedyam September 14, 2026September 15, 2026

The sainthood cause for Tom Vander Woude, a Catholic father of seven who died saving his youngest son, moves to the information gathering stage.

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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
12:12-14, 27-31a

Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.

Now you are Christ’s Body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the Church
to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

From the Gospel according to John
19:25-27

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

John, the only one of the Twelve present at Calvary, saw and testified that beneath the cross stood Jesus’ mother together with the other women (cf. Jn 19:25). And he heard with his own ears the last words of the Master, among which were these: “Woman, here is your son!” and then, turning to him, “Here is your mother!” (Jn 19:26-27). Mary’s motherhood through the mystery of the Cross took an unimaginable leap: the mother of Jesus became the new Eve, the source of new and eternal life for every person who comes into the world. (…) The fruitfulness of the Church is the same fruitfulness as Mary’s; it is realized in the lives of her members to the extent that they relive, “in miniature,” what the Mother lived, namely, they love according to the love of Jesus. All the fruitfulness of the Church and of the Holy See depends on the Cross of Christ. Otherwise, it is only appearance, if not worse. A great contemporary theologian wrote: “If the Church is the tree that grew from the tiny mustard seed of the cross, this tree is destined to produce mustard seeds in turn, and therefore fruits that repeat the shape of the cross, because it is precisely to the cross that they owe their existence” (H.U. von Balthasar, Cordula ovverosia il caso serio, Brescia 1969, 45-46). (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 9 June 2025)

unitedyam September 14, 2026September 15, 2026

The report found that a total of 18,211 individuals received some instruction on natural family planning across dioceses in 2025, but there were only 7,518 individuals who attended a full course.

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Rocket launches this week On Monday, Sept. 14 at 9:21 p.m. EST, Avio — a publicly traded Italian aerospace company headquartered near Rome — is set to launch a Vega C rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, carrying two Earth-observation satellites for the European Space Agency (ESA). The first, Sentinel-3C, is theContinue reading “Europe launches two Earth-observation satellites amidst a busy week for China”

The post Europe launches two Earth-observation satellites amidst a busy week for China appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

unitedyam September 14, 2026September 14, 2026

Looking forward to the Beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen #Catholic –

“It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in Saint Louis Missouri, a renowned National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified. Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades. I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization. May our new Blessed be an example for all of the National and Diocesan Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies throughout the world.”

– Address of Pope Leo XIV to Participants in the General Assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies

I hope that you have already heard about the upcoming (on Thursday, Sept. 24) beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. I had been planning to write about this important moment for our Church and especially for the Church in the United States. It is exciting to know that that a bishop who preached and visited our Diocese of Paterson more than several times will soon be beatified. Then, on this past Friday, I received a notification from the USCCB that Bishop John O. Barres, the bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre had just published (on Sept. 8) a Pastoral Letter on The Beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and the Mission of the Catholic Church in the 21st Century. In the Introduction Bishop Barres writes the following:

“… the beatification is a moment of grace that invites each of us to contemplate anew the life and sanctity of Archbishop Sheen. It also serves as a providential summons to rediscover enduring truths that his teaching so powerfully illuminated, especially the missionary nature of the Church and the beauty of the Catholic priesthood.” The Beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

I will share a few thoughts, personal reflections and recommendations, but my strongest recommendation is that you read Bishop Barres’ beautifully written and inspiring Pastoral Letter. Bishop Barres insightfully summarizes the life, teaching, and contributions of Archbishop Sheen. He also invites the reader to reflect on the current relevancy of Archbishop Sheen’s promotion of “the missionary nature of the Church” and the opportunity for a “Renewal of 21st Century Contemplative Catholic Missiology.” Finally, Bishop Barres offers a wonderful reminder of Archbishop Sheen’s teaching on the meaning of a vocation to Priesthood and his love for and dedication to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

I had heard about Archbishop Sheen as I was growing up, but he was “before my time.” In an excellent biography, available on the website of the Catholic University of America, where Archbishop (then Msgr.) Sheen was a faculty member from 1927-1950, we learn:

By the time Monsignor Sheen left Catholic University in 1950 to become the national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, he was already one of the most well-known Catholics of his time. The next chapter of his mission would catapult him to unprecedented fame and influence.

He was consecrated a bishop on June 11, 1951. In the Fall of that year, he began his famous television series, Life is Worth Living. It was a tremendous success, eventually reaching an estimated 30 million viewers each week, which would make it the most widely viewed religious series in the history of television. He won an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality, was featured on the cover of Time Magazine, and became one of the most influential Catholics of the 20th century. Biography of Fulton J. Sheen

Archbishop Sheen once wrote, “Any book which inspires us to lead a better life is a good book.” The “book” of his life has inspired many evangelists. In our own diocese, I know that Bishop Sheen was an inspiration to the young Arthur Serratelli, our Bishop Emeritus. Bishop Serratelli, having watched Bishop Sheen’s Life is Worth Living television program as a boy growing up in Newark, would go on to be a gifted professor of Sacred Scripture and untiring herald of the gospel through his inspired homilies, talks, and numerous books.

I would say that I was “introduced” to Archbishop Sheen by Bishop Robert Barron through his Word on Fire apostolate and hearing him personally recounting how he had been “introduced” to Archbishop Sheen by the seminarians he taught and formed during his years as a faculty member and the Rector of Mundelein Seminary in Chicago. You can hear Bishop Barron recount this experience and articulate the reasons he calls Archbishop Sheen the “patron saint of evangelizing through the media” on a recent interview he did with EWTN.

Father Mike Schmitz is another popular and very effective “media evangelist” of our time. I am a “fan” of Father Mike’s The Bible in a Year podcast and his Sunday homilies (available on the Hallow app). He has a (12 minute) reflection, available on YouTube, with the title “Fulton Sheen Changed my Life.”

One of the experiences Father Mike describes is listening (on cassette tapes) to a retreat given to priests (in Ireland) by Archbishop Sheen. I had a similar experience in the Spring of 2020, during my first visits to Paterson, after I was named a bishop, but before being ordained and installed. Someone had given me a set of CDs with recordings of a priests’ retreat given by Archbishop Sheen. It was a blessing and, I believe, providential to be able to listen to Archbishop Sheen’s talks and reflections on numerous trips between Brooklyn and the Diocese of Paterson as part of my “transition.”

There is one talk given by Archbishop Sheen that I have listened to (and recommended) on many occasions. It is his (45 minute) talk on the “Holy Hour of (Eucharistic) Adoration,” which is available on YouTube.

I first recall recommending that talk when our diocese had a “Year of the Eucharist” and the USCCB introduced a Three-Year “Eucharistic Revival,” announced in 2021 and beginning in 2022. Bishop Barres, Bishop Barron, Father Mike Schmitz, and almost anyone who is familiar with and has listened to Archbishop Sheen know of his commitment to a daily Eucharistic Holy Hour. Whether or not you have previously listened to Archbishop Sheen speak about the importance of Eucharistic Adoration, I hope you will take the time to listen (again).

I will conclude by, again, encouraging you to read Bishop Barres’ Pastoral Letter, which concludes with a prayerful request:

“Through Archbishop Sheen’s intercession, may our priests be renewed in holiness, our seminarians strengthened in fidelity, and many generous hearts opened to the call of Christ. Finally, may the soon-to-be Blessed Fulton J. Sheen intercede for a new and creative Pentecost in Catholic missionary communications and for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the entire Church. May his witness help us proclaim the ancient Faith with renewed confidence, imagination, clarity, and love. Above all, may he teach us again that holiness and mission are inseparable.” The Beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

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– “It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in Saint Louis Missouri, a renowned National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified. Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades. I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization. May our

Nearly 700 young Christians gather in Iraq for Baghdeda Youth Festival – #Catholic – The sixth Baghdeda Youth Festival concluded Saturday, Sept. 12, with a large faith procession that brought together nearly 700 young men and women, led by Bishop Benedictus Younan Hanno of the Syriac Catholic Diocese of Mosul and its dependencies, along with former diocesan bishops Yohanna Boutros Moshe and Georges al-Qass Moussa, priests, religious men and women, and thousands of faithful.The procession, which organizers called the “Hosanna Procession,” began at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Baghdeda, also widely known as Qaraqosh — a predominantly Christian town on Iraq’s Nineveh Plains. Participants followed the traditional Palm Sunday procession route toward St. John Church.

The sixth Baghdeda Youth Festival concluded Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, with a large faith procession that brought together nearly 700 young men and women, led by Bishop Benedictus Younan Hanno of the Syriac Catholic Diocese of Mosul and its dependencies, along with former diocesan bishops Yohanna Boutros Moshe and Georges al-Qass Moussa, priests, religious men and women, and thousands of faithful. | Credit: Ragheed Nenwaya/ACI MENA

Along the way, young people and other faithful prayed, sang hymns, and chanted while carrying olive branches as a symbol of peace. The procession concluded with the “Service of the Cross — Teshmeshta,” a prayer service from the Syriac tradition, followed by the lighting of the festival torch.Before setting out from the cathedral, participants attended a spiritual conference titled “St. Francis: A Living Model for Our Young People in Living Hope,” presented by Dominican Father Nuwairan Nasser. He encouraged the young people to follow the example of St. Francis of Assisi, seeking to embody his spiritual values in their daily lives and to live more deeply the meaning of the festival’s theme.‘In the footsteps of St. Francis’The festival began Thursday under the theme “In the Footsteps of St. Francis.” The opening program included a spiritual reflection by Hanno titled “Leave Everything That Makes You Lose Yourself.”The bishop stressed the importance of understanding Christian freedom as a free response of obedience to God rather than as freedom without accountability or responsibility. His reflection drew on the festival’s theme and the life of St. Francis.Participants then divided into groups for pilgrimages and prayer at several churches in Baghdeda, including St. Ephrem the Syriac Church, Sts. Behnam and Sarah Church, St. James the Mutilated Church, St. John the Baptist Church, and St. Joseph Church.

Bishop Benedictus Younan Hanno of the Syriac Catholic Diocese of Mosul and its dependencies hosted and led the sixth Baghdeda Youth Festival in northern Iraq on Sept. 12, 2026. | Credit: Ragheed Nenwaya/ACI MENA

Mosul welcomes Baghdeda’s young ChristiansThe festival’s second day included visits to restored churches belonging to the diocese in Mosul, a city where the Christian community suffered severe persecution and displacement during the occupation of the Islamic State group.The young people began at St. Thomas Church and continued to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, both in Mosul’s Old City, before concluding at Our Lady of the Annunciation Church on the city’s eastern side.

The sixth Baghdeda Youth Festival concluded Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, with a large faith procession that brought together nearly 700 young men and women, led by Bishop Benedictus Younan Hanno of the Syriac Catholic Diocese of Mosul and its dependencies, along with former diocesan bishops Yohanna Boutros Moshe and Georges al-Qass Moussa, priests, religious men and women, and thousands of faithful. | Credit: Ragheed Nenwaya/ACI MENA

Residents greeted the crowds of young Christians and welcomed what organizers described as “the renewed Christian presence in the community’s historic homeland.”The day also featured a spiritual conference titled “Forgive So That You May Be Free,” presented by Chorbishop Emmanuel Kallo, the bishop’s special vicar and official responsible for the Syriac Catholic churches in Mosul.Kallo reflected on the Christian understanding of forgiveness and explained how forgiving others can help free a person from the burden and pain caused by wrongdoing.The young people also participated in Eucharistic adoration at Our Lady of the Annunciation Church.This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam September 14, 2026September 15, 2026

The young people came together to pray and hear talks under the theme “In the Footsteps of St. Francis.”

UN asked to recognize surrogate motherhood as a new form of slavery – #Catholic – The Casablanca group of experts and the French nongovernmental organization Juristes Pour l’Enfance (Legal Professionals for Children) have asked the United Nations to officially recognize surrogacy as “a new form of slavery involving women and children.”The request was submitted to the U.N. special rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery and human trafficking, Katarina Schwarz, to mark the centennial of the 1926 Slavery Convention and the upcoming Human Rights Council session dedicated to the occasion, “the agenda of which includes, among other issues, new forms of slavery.”The request is based on the argument that surrogacy reduces the child in utero to an object of disposal, which corresponds to the definition of slavery set forth in the 1926 Geneva Convention, namely, the exercise of the attributes of the right of ownership.In the case of the woman carrying the baby, her body is subjected to the will of third parties, which includes control over her diet and medical care as well as, potentially, embryo reduction or abortion, the statement explains.The Casablanca Declaration experts and Juristes Pour l’Enfance point out that "at the international level, several United Nations bodies have already characterized surrogacy as the sale of children, including the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children in 2018 and the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2019."Furthermore, in her July 2025 report, the special rapporteur on violence against women and girls called for the eradication of all forms of surrogacy and the adoption of a binding international instrument to abolish this practice. Finally, a June 22 joint statement by states calls for a moratorium with a view to the universal abolition of surrogacy.In their statement, the Casablanca Group of Experts and Juristes Pour l’Enfance also called on Schwarz to urge states to put an end to this practice within their territories and to commit to its universal abolition.The Catholic Church also condemns the practice of surrogacy.In his 2024 address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See, Pope Francis described the practice of so-called surrogacy as "deplorable," noting that it is "a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs. A child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract.”The Holy Father urged the international community “to prohibit this practice universally,” as “human life must be preserved and defended” at every stage of its existence.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam September 14, 2026September 15, 2026

The request makes the case that surrogacy fits the definition laid out in the 1926 Slavery Convention that the practice entails the rights of ownership of a person.

10 Best Hiking Trails for Gorgeous Autumn Leaves Across the U.S. and Canada #Travel It’s time to break out your hiking boots and find some fall foliage.

unitedyam September 14, 2026September 14, 2026

It’s time to break out your hiking boots and find some fall foliage.

Picture of the day

Tallinn old town during sunrise. View from Patkul viewing platform.
#ImageOfTheDay

unitedyam September 13, 2026September 13, 2026

Picture of the day

Tallinn old town during sunrise. View from Patkul viewing platform.

unitedyam September 13, 2026September 13, 2026

A joint NASA-ESA mission, the Ulysses solar probe launched Oct. 6, 1990, from the Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission was tasked with studying the solar wind, mapping the heliosphere, and becoming the first craft to study and chart the solar poles in detail. Equipped with a magnetometer, ion composition gauge, and instruments to measure radioContinue reading “Sept. 13, 1994: Ulysses at the Sun’s south pole”

The post Sept. 13, 1994: Ulysses at the Sun’s south pole appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Practice of ember days bearing fruit for missionary religious community – #Catholic – The General Chapter of the Clerical Branch of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) is embracing the traditional practice of ember days as a spiritual means of fostering and growing vocations.Ember days — the Christian periods of prayer, fasting, and thanksgiving — take place for three days over the four seasons each year. The next ember days will be Sept. 16, 18, and 19.“The Church, although it doesnʼt require it, still encourages it,” Father Dave Brokke, SOLT priest and vocations director, told EWTN News.“Even in terms of the [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops] document on fasting,” he explained. “It encourages people to do the ember days, and you can find different canons about it still today.”The document clarifies that “Vigils and Ember Days, as most now know, no longer oblige to fast and abstinence.” “However, the liturgical renewal and the deeper appreciation of the joy of the holy days of the Christian year will, we hope, result in a renewed appreciation as to why our forefathers spoke of ‘a fast before a feast,’” the bishops wrote.While the prayer is not required, the SOLT chapter voted on the addition of ember days to create a more intentional way of asking God for vocations. It passed in 2023 and over the past three years, the community has seen almost as many men enter into formation as it had in the previous 10 years.Ember daysThe phrase “ember days” is an alteration of the Latin phrase “quatuor tempora,” meaning “four seasons.” Ember days are documented as being celebrated as early as the fifth century and are among the oldest traditions of the Church’s liturgical calendar.Their original purpose was to thank God for the gifts of nature, notably the crops used to make bread and wine for the Eucharist.“Jesus said: ‘Ask the master of the harvest to send laborers into the vineyard.’”“With the master of the harvest, thereʼs this understanding that we have the need to ask Our Lord for help in providing the grain and the wheat and the grapes,” Brokke said.In total, there are 12 ember days throughout the liturgical year.“From an early time in the Church,” it was established that the ember days “would be a Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.”The “penitential days” were “Wednesday, because that was the day that Judas betrayed Jesus, Friday because of the Passion, and then Saturday because Our Lord was in the tomb.”“The way that I remember it is ‘Lenty, Penty, Crucy, and Lucy,’” Brokke said.“Lenty” is to indicate the full Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of ember days that follow Ash Wednesday in the springtime, and “Penty” is the ember days after Pentecost in summer. The “Crucy” ember days then follow the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in fall, and “Lucy” is for the days after the memorial of St. Lucy in winter.“They correspond to the time of both the sowing of the seeds and the reaping of the harvest of the wheat and the grape. So even then it is connected to the elements that is used for the Eucharist,” he said. The Church would “fast and pray not only for a good harvest but also for vocations, for laborers in the vineyard to the priesthood, and they would often ordain men on the Saturdays of ember days,” Brokke said. SOLT witnesses ‘lots of good fruit’Brokke and the General Chapter of the Clerical Branch of the SOLT began looking into embers days as a way of “community fasting and praying for vocations,” Brokke said.“We do have a prayer that we say every day for vocations,” which “started from the very foundation of our community,” Brokke said.SOLT is “a community of priests, brothers, sisters, and members who work together to show the relationship of Our Lady with the most Holy Trinity,” Brokke said. The community reflects how “the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are distinct, but not separate. Theyʼre united.”“Similarly, the vocations are distinct, but theyʼre not separate. So we strive to live with a united will of charity and our service to areas of deep need,” Brokke said.“We go where a bishop has identified his deepest need and serve as missionaries in the world, trying to bring that communion of the Most Holy Trinity in imitation of Our Lady, who leads us into those relationships because she was mother of the Son and daughter of the Father, spouse of the spirit.”For more vocations, SOLT wanted to add another act “specifically geared towards vocations,” in addition to its daily prayer.“I mentioned the ember days,” which would “dedicate at least 12 days a year to fasting and praying and to be more intentional with it,” he said. “When we started discussing it, we didnʼt focus so much on the agricultural aspect but the vocational aspect.” When the idea of incorporating the days of prayer was under discussion, Brokke looked up some of the prayers for ember days.“We discovered that the prayer that we have prayed every day from our foundation of the community is actually one of the ember day prayers for vocations,” he said.Shortly after the community began the traditional prayer, vocation numbers began to rise.

A group of novices with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Dave Brokke/Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity

“The first September doing ember days … one guy showed up from a mission in Honduras at our mission in Belize and expressed his interest in the community. He is now a novice with our community.”“On the Saturday of that first ember days, we had 27 men from Franciscan University show up for the priestly discernment program to learn more about our community. The man who led that is now an aspirant with our community.” “The year that we started, we had seven men in formation. And in three years, we now have 18 men in formation,” Brokke said. Before, “we were maybe averaging one or two to enter a year. In that very first year we had nine men.”“Weʼve seen lots of good fruit,” he said. “I know thereʼs a mystical body of Christ and weʼre all connected. The Lord is going to use it, like heʼll use everything, and nothing goes to waste.”

A group of aspirants with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Dave Brokke/Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity

unitedyam September 13, 2026September 14, 2026

Father Dave Brokke, with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), says embracing the traditional practice of ember days has become a way of fostering vocations.

Pope Leo XIV remembers 9/11 victims, calls for peace and forgiveness – #Catholic – VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV remembered the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on Sunday and renewed his appeal for peace amid conflicts and violence around the world.Speaking in English after praying the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sept. 13, the pope recalled the 25th anniversary of the attacks, which was observed two days earlier.“Two days ago marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks in the United States of America. I renew my prayers for those who lost their lives and for those who continue to bear the wounds of that tragic day. At a time when conflict and violence afflict so many of our brothers and sisters, I invite everyone to pray that the Lord will bestow his gift of peace upon the world,” he said.Continuing in Italian, Leo said the memory of the tragedy should prompt a renewed commitment to peace, above all through prayer entrusted to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.The pope then greeted the Romans and pilgrims gathered in the square, including groups from Brazil and other countries, pilgrims who had traveled from Assisi along the Way of St. Francis, and motorcyclists gathered in support of peace and life.Earlier, in his reflection before the Angelus, Leo focused on the Sunday Gospel and the Christian meaning of forgiveness, recalling that Christ taught forgiveness and bore witness to it even on the cross, when he prayed to the Father for his persecutors.Reflecting on Peter’s question to Jesus about how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him, the pope noted that Peter’s suggestion of seven times already indicated abundance, since the number seven symbolizes fullness in Scripture. Jesus, however, went further, telling him to forgive “70 times seven” — without limit or measure.Leo then recalled the parable of the servant whose enormous debt was forgiven by his master but who refused to show the same mercy to a fellow servant who owed him far less.“All things are given to us by God out of pure love, and none of us can claim to be perfect in responding to such goodness. For this reason, gratuitousness — which is the source of our existence — is also the best rule for our life together,” the pope said.“We experience this every day. Forgiveness is indispensable, and without it, we cannot live in peace.”Without forgiveness, Leo warned, conflicts, accusations, grudges and acts of vengeance eventually arise, destroying relationships, dividing families and unleashing wars.“Only forgiveness sets us free and restores the light, even where human material and moral poverty has darkened the horizon and made the path uncertain. Forgiveness, like a gentle breeze, sweeps away even the thickest clouds until the sun shines once more,” he said.The pope also pointed to St. Peter’s own experience of forgiveness after denying and abandoning Jesus during the Passion. When Peter encountered the risen Christ on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asked him only whether he loved him and once again called him to follow.Leo said that forgiving and healing love confirmed Peter in his mission as the first of the apostles.Concluding his reflection, the pope asked the Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, to help Christians forgive even when taking the first step is difficult, and to spread the healing light of a love that overcomes hatred and disarms resentment.This story was first published in two parts by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam September 13, 2026September 14, 2026

The pontiff marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with prayers for the dead and those still bearing its wounds, while his Angelus reflection stressed that forgiveness is indispensable for peace.

Beyond Lebanon’s famous shrines, these 5 hidden religious sites continue to draw pilgrims – #Catholic – When it comes to religious tourism in Lebanon, attention often turns to the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya, home to the tomb of St. Charbel, or to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa. But Lebanon’s spiritual landscape extends far beyond these well-known destinations. Across the country are lesser-known shrines and monasteries that offer visitors opportunities for prayer, quiet reflection, and a deeper encounter with Lebanon’s rich Christian heritage. Here are five of them:Shrine of St. Maria Goretti in MiziaraThe Shrine of St. Maria Goretti in Miziara is the first shrine in Lebanon and the Middle East dedicated to the young Italian martyr. Built in the shape of a rose, the shrine also commemorates Raya Chidiac, a young Lebanese woman whose killing reminded her family of the story of St. Maria Goretti. The site eventually became a shrine centered on a message of faith, forgiveness, and hope.Mountain of Divine Mercy in GhostaHigh above the coastal town of Jounieh, the Mountain of Divine Mercy in Ghosta overlooks the Bay of Jounieh.

Mountain of Divine Mercy. | Credit: Romy Al-Haber/ACI MENA

At its center stands a statue of Christ approximately 40 feet tall. The shrine was established through an initiative of the Congregation of Lebanese Maronite Missionaries and also includes smaller shrines dedicated to St. Charbel, St. Rafka, and St. Teresa of Calcutta.Surrounded by nature and panoramic views, the site offers spaces set aside for prayer and contemplation.Our Lady of Ilige Monastery in MayfouqIn Mayfouq, in Lebanon’s Byblos District, the Monastery of Our Lady of Ilige preserves centuries of Maronite history.The monastery served as a residence of the Maronite patriarchs from 1121 to 1440 and is closely associated with the historic icon of Our Lady of Ilige.

The Monastery of Our Lady of Ilige. | Credit: Romy Haber/ACI MENA

The site remains an important reminder of the Maronite Church’s centuries-old presence in Mount Lebanon.Holy Savior Monastery in JounIn the village of Joun in the Chouf District stands the Holy Savior Monastery, the motherhouse of the Basilian Salvatorian Order. Its origins date to the beginning of the 18th century.

Monastery of the Savior-John. | Credit: Romy Haber/ACI MENA

The monastery also houses the remains of Venerable Father Bechara Abou Mrad, making it a destination for pilgrims seeking prayer and spiritual quiet.Monastery of Sts. Cyprian and Justina in KfifanThe Monastery of Sts. Cyprian and Justina in Kfifan is closely connected to several prominent figures of Maronite spirituality.St. Charbel studied philosophy and theology there under St. Nimatullah Al-Hardini, while Blessed Brother Estephan Nehme spent a significant part of his religious life at the monastery.

Monastery of St. Kabrian and Yustina-Kevivan. | Credit: Romy Haber/ACI MENA

Today, pilgrims visit Kfifan to pray and to venerate the saints and blesseds associated with the monastery, surrounded by the quiet mountain landscape of Lebanon’s Batroun region.This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam September 13, 2026September 14, 2026

Across Lebanon are lesser-known shrines and monasteries that offer visitors opportunities for prayer, quiet reflection, and a deeper encounter with Lebanon’s rich Christian heritage.

Vatican vegetable garden goes 100% organic #Catholic A vegetable garden and orchard inside the Vatican walls, which historically provided food for the pope’s household, is now cultivated using exclusively organic farming techniques.The private garden covers almost a tenth of an acre of cultivable land inside the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery property, where Pope Benedict XVI lived during his retirement and now reside cloistered Benedictine nuns from the Abbey of St. Scholastica in Victoria, Argentina.Sometimes known as “the pope’s garden,” the vegetable plot “has always been a defining feature of the Vatican Gardens because, in fact, the Vatican Gardens were originally created primarily for that purpose — to provide sustenance for the [Apostolic] Palace,” Stefano Giampaolo, a forestry expert and head of the Gardens and Environment Service of the Vatican, told EWTN News.Giampaolo explained that now the plot is more accurately understood as the vegetable garden of the Vatican Gardens — an area that covers roughly half of Vatican City at 57 acres.

Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, built inside Vatican City in the 1990s to house nuns who support the ministry of the pope through prayer, has an adjoining vegetable garden and orchard. | Credit: Hannah Brockhaus/EWTN News

The Benedictine nuns at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, who pray for the pope, eat the fruit and vegetables grown in the garden and use them to make jams and other food preserves. The excess produce is given to a Vatican soup kitchen run by the Missionaries of Charity.The move to biological farming techniques has been underway for several years, partly in response to Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, Giampaolo said.The challenges of organicAccording to Gilberto Bianchi, the gardener responsible for the orchard and vegetable patch since 2008, the Vatican has a “desire to respect nature” in how it cares for the plants and trees on its land.But it’s far from easy.“Clearly, running a completely organic vegetable garden presents challenges, partly because insects are aggressive, and we use natural predators in the soil to control them,” Bianchi said. “No chemical fertilizers or insecticides are used.”He added that soil drainage and water conservation are also challenges.“This type of soil drains very well, so to conserve water, we add coconut fiber to retain moisture. And it’s watered with a drip irrigation system specifically to target the plants and avoid wasting water,” he said.Part of an organic agriculture also means respecting the seasons, he said. “Right now, the winter crops are being planted, while the summer crops are being harvested.”

The fresh produce grown in the vegetable garden and orchard in Vatican City feeds the Benedictine nuns living in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery and supports the nearby Missionaries of Charity-run soup kitchen. | Credit: Governorate of Vatican City State

The end-of-summer harvest includes tomatoes, eggplants, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, and peppers, while the fall and winter crop has broccoli, spinach, lettuce, and pumpkins.According to Vatican Media, the garden also includes garlic, basil, and a Peruvian variety of chili peppers known for its intensity. Kiwi plants were also added recently at the request of the Argentinian nuns.Next to the garden is a small orchard of around 15 citrus trees, some of which are 150 years old.“At this time, we’re planting savoy cabbage,” Bianchi said. “In short, whatever is in season. … So whatever is planted is because nature dictates it at that moment. The plants are grown from seed. We don’t use lab-grown plants.”A historic collection of gardensBianchi, who has worked for more than three decades in the Vatican Gardens, “is the one with the most expertise in this field, and he is now passing that knowledge on to a new gardener,” Giampaolo said.The expert gardener is part of a team of around 35 gardeners and administrators who oversee the Vatican’s green spaces and provide the flower arrangements for papal ceremonies.

Stefano Giampaolo, left, head of the Gardens and Environment Service of Vatican City, and expert gardener Gilberto Bianchi, right, the main caretaker of the orchard and vegetable garden commonly known as “the pope’s garden,” share their expertise with EWTN News in the Vatican Gardens on Sept. 9, 2026. | Credit: Hannah Brockhaus/EWTN News

“People expect to see a single garden, but in reality, as the name suggests, they are the Vatican Gardens — a collection of gardens,” Giampaolo said.The Gardens date to the mid-13th century, when Pope Nicolas III moved the papal residence from the Lateran Palace to the Vatican, had the city state’s walls built, and ordered the creation of a lawn, orchard, and “viridarium” — a Roman-style garden with flowerbeds and a fountain.Today, Giampaolo said, “there are countless different species, both trees and flowers. This is because, over time, the gardens have been enriched by donations and the search for specific botanical material, to the point of becoming a true botanical garden.”“Visitors are often struck by the diversity of the spaces — so many different gardens contained within this small area.”Ultimately, he said, the gardeners hope to one day eliminate all synthetic fertilizers and pesticides from their care of the entire Vatican territory.“It’s a process — the transformation of all the Gardens into organic ones,” he said.

unitedyam September 13, 2026September 14, 2026

The move to biological farming techniques has been underway for several years in response to Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’.

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 12, 2026

Great is the wisdom of the Lord!
God Almighty, Your Wisdom includes
An understanding of what is fair,
What is logical, what is true,
What is right and what is lasting.
It mirrors Your pure intellect!
I entreat You to grant me such Wisdom,
That my labours may reflect Your insight.
Your Wisdom expands in Your creations,
Displaying complexity and multiplicity.
Your Wisdom is an eternity ahead of man.
May Your wisdom flourish forever!

7 Picturesque Small Towns Across the U.S. That Are Perfect for a Fall Getaway #Travel From quiet beach strolls to leaf-peeping and stargazing, these destinations offer ample ways to appreciate the season.

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 13, 2026

From quiet beach strolls to leaf-peeping and stargazing, these destinations offer ample ways to appreciate the season.

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 13, 2026

A reading from the Book ok Sirach
27:30—28:7

Wrath and anger are hateful things,

yet the sinner hugs them tight.
The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance,
for he remembers their sins in detail.
Forgive your neighbor’s injustice;
then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.
Could anyone nourish anger against another
and expect healing from the LORD?
Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself,
can he seek pardon for his own sins?
If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath,
who will forgive his sins?
Remember your last days, set enmity aside;
remember death and decay, and cease from sin!
Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor;
remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults

A reading from the Letter to theRomans
14:7-9

Brothers and sisters:
None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.
For if we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
For this is why Christ died and came to life,
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

From the Gospel according to Matthew
18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
‘Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
But he refused.
Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master
and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

In the parable we find two different attitudes: God’s — represented by the king who forgives a lot, because God always forgives — and that of the man. In the divine attitude justice is pervaded with mercy, whereas the human attitude is limited to justice. Jesus exhorts us to open ourselves with courage to the strength of forgiveness, because in life not everything can be resolved with justice. We know this. There is a need for that merciful love, which is also at the basis of the Lord’s answer to Peter’s question, which precedes the parable. (…) Today’s parable helps us to grasp fully the meaning of that phrase we recite in the Lord’s Prayer: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” (cf. Mt 6:12). These words contain a decisive truth. We cannot demand God’s forgiveness for ourselves if we in turn do not grant forgiveness to our neighbour. It is a condition: think of your end, of God’s forgiveness, and stop hating. Reject resentment, that bothersome fly that keeps coming back. If we do not strive to forgive and to love, we will not be forgiven and loved either. Let us entrust ourselves to the maternal intercession of the Mother of God: May she help us to realise how much we are in debt to God, and to remember that always, so that our hearts may be open to mercy and goodness. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 13 September 2020)

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 12, 2026

Picture of the day

Anna, with Max supporting his mother, decorates a sign for the Almabtrieb. Freiburger Alpe, Bavaria, Germany, September 2024.

Chicago Archdiocese to pay $5.5 million to 9 abuse victims, attorneys say – #Catholic – The Archdiocese of Chicago will pay out more than $5 million to a small number of abuse victims after a recent settlement, attorneys said this week. Lawyers with Jeff Anderson & Associates, a law firm that specializes in abuse cases, announced at a press event on Sept. 10 that they had settled with the archdiocese for $5.5 million to be paid out to nine survivors of abuse in the Church. Attorney Jeff Anderson describe the development as a “tipping point and a turning point” regarding allegations of abuse in the archdiocese. He said the settlements were a matter of both “reckoning” and “accountability.” “It is about the courage of every survivor with whom we and others have had the privilege to work to bring about change, change in the Archdiocese of Chicago and change across the state of Illinois and change across this country,” the lawyer said. The Chicago Archdiocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement. But the archdiocese has paid out major settlements to abuse victims numerous times in recent years. In 2022 leaders settled multiple cases with abuse victims, one totaling $1.2 million and another $1.75 million. In 2024, meanwhile, the archdiocese settled one abuse case for $950,000. Multiple settlements by the archdiocese have involved allegations regarding disgraced former priest Daniel McCormack, who pleaded guilty to abusing numerous children years ago and who spent more than a decade in prison on those charges. In 2025 the archdiocese filed a lawsuit alleging a “racketeering enterprise” against multiple plaintiffs who had reportedly filed fake abuse lawsuits regarding McCormack. Archdiocesan attorney James Geoly said at the time that the lawsuit was meant to protect “the interests of legitimate victims.”“We do not want [the racketeering lawsuit] to deter any legitimate victim from coming forward. I would encourage anybody who’s had a problem with a priest or cleric to do that,” he told the archdiocesan news outlet.

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 13, 2026

The settlement was hailed as a “tipping point and a turning point” regarding allegations of abuse in the archdiocese.

Court says Chicago Archdiocese, Catholic sisters won’t have to submit to state suicide law – #Catholic – The Archdiocese of Chicago and a group of Catholic religious sisters won a temporary reprieve against Illinois’s assisted suicide law this week, with a federal judge ordering the state not to enforce the law against the Catholic objectors while a federal lawsuit continues. U.S. District Judge Franklin Valderrama’s Sept. 11 order said the state would be blocked from enforcing the suicide law against the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Little Sisters of the Poor who had brought the lawsuit. Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich is also a plaintiff in the suit. The order applies only to the sisters and the archdiocese, the judge said; the state is free to enforce the suicide law elsewhere. The Catholic objectors brought the lawsuit on Sept. 3, arguing that the suicide law infringes on religious liberty by requiring Catholics to participate in helping patients end their own lives. The lawsuit was filed by lawyers with the religious liberty law firm Becket.On Sept. 11 Cupich said in a statement that the law should be struck down “permanently.” “To be clear, the Church’s objection to this statute is not an attempt to impose Catholic teaching on non-Catholics,” the archbishop said. Rather, “it is an effort to stop the State from compelling Catholic health care providers to violate their conscience.”Mother Mary Rose Heery, O. Carm., prioress general of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, said the temporary order “brings real peace of mind to our Sisters, our residents, and their families.” “It allows us to continue our vocation of showing Christ’s unbounded love to those who need it most—a love that endures in every circumstance and through every hardship,” she said. Catholic health groups join another Illinois lawsuitIllinois has become a battleground in recent weeks over its suicide law, which Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker signed in December 2025. The measure allows residents with a terminal illness to receive lethal prescriptions from doctors in order to take their own lives before they die naturally. In August Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki, a Lutheran care home, and four Illinois-based doctors filed a lawsuit in federal court arguing similarly to the Chicago lawsuit that the state suicide law infringes on their religious freedom and their ability to care for their patients. Later in the month the state agreed to not enforce the law against the plaintiffs while the suit plays out. In the meantime, multiple additional Catholic objectors have joined the Springfield Diocese’s lawsuit against the suicide policy. The Thomas More Society announced on Sept. 11 that five religious health care associations had joined Paprocki’s suit, including the Illinois Catholic Health Association and the National Association of Catholic Nurses. A doctor and a nurse also joined the suit. The Thomas More Society said the plaintiffs “represent 95% of Catholic health institutions in Illinois and more than 13,000 health care professionals nationwide.” Peter Breen, the head of litigation at the legal group, said attorneys were seeking to extend the protection secured by the initial plaintiffs to the “thousands of Catholic and Christian health care professionals” represented in the new filing. "The First Amendment protects the rights of Catholic and Christian doctors, hospitals, and health care ministries to reject assisted suicide and heal and care for the ill and infirm in accord with their consciences,” Breen said. He argued that the suicide law “flagrantly violates those rights by forcing dedicated healthcare professionals to promote deadly drugs to their patients.”Speaking from the Catholic Medical Association’s annual educational conference in Phoenix, meanwhile, Dr. Mary Keen Kirchoff — one of the doctors participating in the suit alongside Paprocki — told EWTN News she was “so pleased” that the Chicago Archdiocese had won the temporary block. “We must all work together to oppose this law which is not only discriminatory against those of us with deeply held religious beliefs , but also against our brothers and sisters with fragile financial circumstances and those with disabilities who may feel pressured to seek physician assisted killing due to social prejudice against them,” she said. This story was updated on Sept. 12 at 3:45 p.m. ET with a comment from Dr. Mary Keen Kirchoff.

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 13, 2026

The Catholic objectors will be shielded from the law while a federal lawsuit plays out against the state policy.

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 12, 2026

Less than two years after the successful launch of Sputnik 1, the Soviet Union put a spacecraft on the Moon. Launched Sept. 12, 1959, Luna 2 traveled over 30 hours to crash-land on the lunar surface. The impact happened at a speed of about 1.9 miles (3 kilometers) per second, and represented the first contactContinue reading “Sept. 12, 1959: Luna 2 launches”

The post Sept. 12, 1959: Luna 2 launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

$Claire Lai, daughter of jailed Hong Kong advocate, announces cancer diagnosis – #Catholic – The daughter of imprisoned Catholic activist Jimmy Lai has revealed she has received a cancer diagnosis.“This summer I received a cancer diagnosis and will be undergoing treatment in the UK,” Claire Lai said in a statement first reported by the Daily Wire on Sept. 8. “I am optimistic about the outcome but will be unable to travel and attend functions for the duration. I am endlessly grateful for my parents’ example of perseverance. Our Christian faith teaches — and my father bears witness — that suffering can be redemptive. Mine is but a fraction of my father’s, but I hope to bear it as a grace as well as he has. I deeply wish that dad was here, and pray that he will be released soon. I am so very grateful to everyone who continues to work toward securing his freedom.”Iraq to build largest Marian shrine in the countryInishke, a Chaldean village overlooking the Sapna Valley, is preparing for a 59-foot-tall monument to Our Lady of the Sapna Valley, planned as the largest Marian shrine in Iraq.The design brings together Marian devotion and Iraqi heritage. Sculptor Thabit Mikhail has given Mary and the child Jesus Middle Eastern features, while Maryʼs two braids represent Iraqi mothers and grandmothers, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported Sept. 5. The 43-foot-wide base takes inspiration from the spiral form of Samarraʼs famous minaret and ancient Mesopotamian architecture.A chapel inside the base and another prayer space near the statue will give pilgrims places for prayer and candle lighting. Funded by donations from people from Inishke around the world, the project has been under development for more than a decade and is expected to become a new destination for religious tourism in northern Iraq.Canonization cause opens for murdered Northern Ireland priestsThe causes of canonization for two priests killed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by members of the British Army in the 1970s has officially been opened.The Diocese of Down and Connor confirmed that the canonization cause has been opened for Father Hugh Mullan and Father Noel Fitzpatrick, who were shot in two separate instances while administering last rites to parishioners in Corpus Christi Parish in Ballymurphy, according to a report from the Irish Catholic on Sept. 10. News of their canonization cause comes after an official inquest into the deaths of the two priests and other victims at the hands of the British Army found that the soldiers had “lost control,” the report said. Bishop Alan McGuckian said during a Mass for victims’ families in May that the finding “restores dignity to the deceased, and it brings a measure of justice to those who grieve.” Christian doctor in Canada fined for refusing to give teen puberty blockersA Canadian human rights tribunal has ordered family physician Dr. Henry Ajaero to pay ,100 after he denied a teen puberty blockers at his clinic in March 2021.Ajaero told the tribunal that “he did not feel comfortable administering” the hormone medication Lupron and that “doing so would go against his religious beliefs” and “because it is outside the scope of his practice,” according to a Sept. 9 CBC report. The tribunal ruled that Alaero’s testimonial did not establish sufficient proof that administering the drug was in conflict with his religious belief or professional expertise. While the tribunal acknowledged Ajaero likely made the decision quickly and in the context of a busy day, it ultimately ruled that "this context is an explanation for Dr. Ajaero’s decision, but it does not justify his decision to deny medical services to a vulnerable trans youth because of her gender identity,” according to the report.Saydnaya, Syria, looks beyond its annual Marian celebrationsThe feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary once again brought pilgrims from Syria and abroad to Saydnaya, where prayers and the traditional procession with an icon of Mary marked one of the cityʼs most important celebrations. Yet the occasion has also renewed discussion about Saydnayaʼs future. Researcher Elias Azar, founder of the Saydnaya Center for Studies and Research, is working on a nonprofit initiative to preserve the cityʼs history while developing religious tourism, environmental projects, traditional agriculture, and local media, ACI MENA reported Sept. 9.The effort comes after years of war and emigration. Azar estimated that Saydnaya has lost about half of its Christian population since 2011, although it remains a Christian-majority city. Residents are also calling for greater security, which they see as essential to protecting daily life and Saydnayaʼs place as a major Christian pilgrimage destination in Syria.Vatican UN Permanent Observer Mission speaks against nuclear testingMonsignor Robert Murphy, chargé d’affaires of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, called for renewed international commitment to ending nuclear weapons testing in a letter to the president of the U.N. General Assembly.The Sept. 1 letter came amid a high-level plenary meeting marking International Day Against Nuclear Tests. “The suffering caused by nuclear testing should have reinforced the common conviction that peace cannot be preserved by developing ever more destructive weapons,” Murphy said. “However, today renewed reliance on nuclear deterrence, increasingly aggressive nuclear rhetoric and attempts to question the long-standing international norm against nuclear testing risk undermining this conviction.” Murphy further called for an entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.St. Charbel communities in Poland call Catholics back to prayerThe sixth national gathering of St. Charbel communities in Poland focused on a simple question: Can people become so occupied with religious activities that they leave little time for God?Maronite priest Father Fabio M. Lattouf warned against replacing a personal relationship with God with a search only for inner peace, constant Church activities, or an endless stream of religious content, ACI MENA reported on Sept. 8.Bishop Andrzej Siemieniewski presented St. Charbel as another way forward, pointing to the Lebanese saintʼs long hours of silence before the Eucharist as an example of a spiritual life centered on Christ rather than activity.At Bkerke, 26 couples choose marriage amid Lebanonʼs difficultiesTwenty-six brides and grooms took part in the 17th collective wedding organized by the Maronite League at Bkerke, continuing an initiative launched in 2009 to help young Lebanese couples establish families despite growing financial pressures.The collective weddings have so far helped form 404 families, which now include 521 children, ACI MENA reported Sept. 6. Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai told the newlyweds that forming a family in difficult circumstances is an “act of faith in the future” and prayed that their homes would be marked by love, fidelity, forgiveness, faith, and peace.$

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 13, 2026

Catholic activist Jimmy Lai’s daughter enters treatment for cancer, Iraq to build largest Marian shrine, canonization cause opens for Belfast priests, and more in this week’s world news roundup.

Catholic professor calls families to reclaim the home in a technological age #Catholic John Cuddeback, a professor of philosophy at Christendom College, says families today don’t often know how to achieve what they desire in their homes and family life. As a remedy, drawing from both ancient and modern thinkers, he has released "The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter,” a book that outlines eight pillars for reclaiming the home as a place of human flourishing. “Families today are struggling to achieve what they so badly want: to have the kind of relationships we’re made for, beginning in the home, especially between spouses and between parents and children,” Cuddeback said. “They know they want something different, something better, but they feel hamstrung. In a culture that works against them in many ways, they are frustrated because they lack clear vision and examples to pattern themselves after.”

“The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter” by Christendom College professor John Cuddeback. | Credit: Ken Oliver-Méndez/EWTN News

Cuddeback, who teaches a course on family and household and is also the author of “True Friendship,” spoke to EWTN News about how he hopes his book conveys that “[a]nyone can choose to be intentional about their household and make real progress with dramatic fruits in the lives of those we love most.” EWTN News: What do you see as the biggest challenge to building and maintaining an intentional home?Cuddebach: It all begins with priorities. As a society we have turned away from the intense focus that our household requires — and this is evident in how we struggle in marriage, raising children, and relating to the elderly. Even many traditionally-minded folks struggle to realize and enact the demanding, even while ordinary, aspects of God’s plan for our homes.Aristotle says that a society tends to produce the kind of people it honors. We do not honor those who prioritize home life — either women or men. This means that many of the structures, practices, and assumptions of our age are at odds with the real good of home life. This is especially evident in our obsession with the latest technologies.This book is a call to all of us to do something radically different and profoundly better — while always recognizing we must be people of our time and place. It calls us to discover that looking first to what our children and our elderly really need is the high road to deeper fulfillment for all of us.How has Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas influenced your thought on how technology should be incorporated in the home?Pope Leo makes clear that we have come to a crisis point. The time is now to be honest, serious, and persistent in examining our use of technology in view of real human flourishing. This must start in the home. No one else is going to do this for us.But as the pope makes clear, right practice must flow from an understanding of who we are and what we’re made for. “The Intentional Household” offers the rich and positive view of daily life in the home that grounds such an examination. It gives the “yes” that strengthens the “nos” we need to say. It gives direction for rising to the challenges of our age, including how to channel technology to true human flourishing.Approaching homelife intentionally — especially attending to the ordinary in good work and true leisure as essential to our relationships — we can take real steps to become those biblical good stewards so honored by the Lord.How does this apply to those across all walks of life, including single people, married couples without children, those who are divorced or separated?The principles of a vibrant home life are both perennial and flexible. Wherever we find ourselves we can discover how the plan that God wrote into human nature is much better than we have realized.Brokenness and suffering today are widespread. God’s plan encompasses these realities. By the grace of God, anyone who is humble and willing to take an intentional approach can affect real, and indeed dramatic change by applying the book’s eight principles. We can all take real steps to make our homes a place of vibrant life, with deep belonging, connection, and presence.One of the thinkers you cite in your book is Wendell Berry. In light of his recent passing can you speak to his influence on your life and thinking?Wendell Berry saw clearly how the loss of activities of work and leisure in the home has led to our experience of disconnection and isolation. Home should be a place of deep connection: between us and loved ones and neighbors, between soul and body, between us and the earth.One of Berry’s pivotal insights is the key role of a certain kind of work in the home. Berry has pointed out that the work of traditional home arts is much more important than we have realized. He argues that as the breakdown of home life came especially through the loss of good work, the renewal will likewise come through a rediscovery of work that connects us to one another as it connects us to our bodies and to the earth, and ultimately to God.Wendell Berry was a prophet of the extraordinary beauty and importance of the ordinary. Making our home an intentional household means rediscovering the power of ordinary things, such as mealtimes with the whole household, shared work in the kitchen and other home arts, and “porch time” and other such leisure times. Attention to these things can transform our marriage, parenting, and other key relationships.

unitedyam September 12, 2026September 13, 2026

Christendom College professor John Cuddeback spoke to EWTN News about his new book “The Intentional Household: Living as if People Matter,” and treating our homes as places of human flourishing.

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Picture of the day Sunset over Trommekilen, a part of Brofjorden, as seen from Norrkila, Lysekil Municipality, Sweden #ImageOfTheDay

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9 Great Ways To Teach Kids About The Gospel #BabylonBee – Everyone needs to hear the Gospel, even kids. But it’s sometimes hard to get them to pay attention when you’re trying to talk Bible.

Game Of Risk Enters Fourth Week #BabylonBee – NAPERVILLE, IL — Sources confirmed on Wednesday that a local game group’s night of playing classic RISK had now entered its fourth week.

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Autumn observing targets for large telescopes

10 Best Aviation Museums in the U.S. for History Buffs and Plane Enthusiasts #Travel Put these fun and informative institutions on your radar.

Picture of the day Peggy Bridgeman at the left demonstrates to Ruth Harris the correct technique of welding. Today is Labor Day in the United States. #ImageOfTheDay

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This North Carolina Railroad Runs Through an Iconic National Park—and It’s a Perfect Leaf-peeping Trip #Travel All aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.

U.S. confirms it has weapons in orbit

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NASA Kicks Off Inspiration Tour with Steelers vs. Falcons Game – Fans pose for a photo with an astronaut in the NASA Experience Zone at an NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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Europe launches two Earth-observation satellites amidst a busy week for China

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10 Best Hiking Trails for Gorgeous Autumn Leaves Across the U.S. and Canada #Travel It’s time to break out your hiking boots and find some fall foliage.

Picture of the day Tallinn old town during sunrise. View from Patkul viewing platform. #ImageOfTheDay

Sept. 13, 1994: Ulysses at the Sun’s south pole

7 Picturesque Small Towns Across the U.S. That Are Perfect for a Fall Getaway #Travel From quiet beach strolls to leaf-peeping and stargazing, these destinations offer ample ways to appreciate the season.

Picture of the day Anna, with Max supporting his mother, decorates a sign for the Almabtrieb. Freiburger Alpe, Bavaria, Germany, September 2024. #ImageOfTheDay

Sept. 12, 1959: Luna 2 launches