NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) reveals the nearby galaxy Centaurus A, exposing the dusty structures and hidden activity that shape this unusual system.
Read More![Pope Leo XIV: I still have a great love for America – #Catholic – Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States, has emphasized his continued love for his native country, even as head of the global Catholic Church.The pontiff made these remarks in an interview with Tom Llamas of NBC News on July 29 at Castel Gandolfo. The interview followed the “Canticle of Peace” music prayer service for peace at the Borgo Laudato Si’, part of the Pontifical Gardens at Castel Gandolfo, featuring music by the renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.Leo, in discussing his love for America, clarified that his identity is now of a universal pastor.“I have great love for America,” Leo told NBC News. “But I understand my mission as having a very important dimension, which is precisely being pastor of a universal church.”“I think of myself more as the Pope who happens to be American.”The pope also acknowledged the historic significance of being the first U.S.-born Bishop of Rome.“I will acknowledge that for myself, as well as for the people of the United States… that there is great significance in being the first American Pope,” Leo said.He also outlined his favorite aspects of the U.S., including a sense of freedom and opportunity for generations of migrants, including his ancestors, some of whom were enslaved.“We have people who were both slaves and slave owners.”“I come from a family [where] my grandparents were immigrants on my motherʼs side,” the pope said. “There’s a history, if you will, of growing up in the kind of experience that helps me recognize myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States.”Addressing the likelihood of a future visit to the U.S., Leo explained that the Vatican was considering the timing of such a visit.“Today we were looking at the calendar for the next couple of years. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I certainly hope to be there soon,” Leo said.The pontiff briefly returned to Castel Gandolfo on July 29 for the “Canticle of Peace” after recently concluding his vacation there from July 5-27 and returning to the Vatican.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/pope-leo-xiv-i-still-have-a-great-love-for-america-catholic-leo-xiv-the-first-pope-born-in-the-united-states-has-emphasized-his-continued-love-for-his-native-country-even-as-head-of-the-globa-scaled.jpg "Pope Leo XIV: I still have a great love for America – #Catholic – Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States, has emphasized his continued love for his native country, even as head of the global Catholic Church.The pontiff made these remarks in an interview with Tom Llamas of NBC News on July 29 at Castel Gandolfo. The interview followed the “Canticle of Peace” music prayer service for peace at the Borgo Laudato Si’, part of the Pontifical Gardens at Castel Gandolfo, featuring music by the renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.Leo, in discussing his love for America, clarified that his identity is now of a universal pastor.“I have great love for America,” Leo told NBC News. “But I understand my mission as having a very important dimension, which is precisely being pastor of a universal church.”“I think of myself more as the Pope who happens to be American.”The pope also acknowledged the historic significance of being the first U.S.-born Bishop of Rome.“I will acknowledge that for myself, as well as for the people of the United States… that there is great significance in being the first American Pope,” Leo said.He also outlined his favorite aspects of the U.S., including a sense of freedom and opportunity for generations of migrants, including his ancestors, some of whom were enslaved.“We have people who were both slaves and slave owners.”“I come from a family [where] my grandparents were immigrants on my motherʼs side,” the pope said. “There’s a history, if you will, of growing up in the kind of experience that helps me recognize myself, one of the greatest wealths of the United States.”Addressing the likelihood of a future visit to the U.S., Leo explained that the Vatican was considering the timing of such a visit.“Today we were looking at the calendar for the next couple of years. Nothing is set in stone yet, but I certainly hope to be there soon,” Leo said.The pontiff briefly returned to Castel Gandolfo on July 29 for the “Canticle of Peace” after recently concluding his vacation there from July 5-27 and returning to the Vatican.")
The U.S.-born pontiff expressed affection for his homeland in an interview with NBC News on July 29.
Heavenly Father,
Bless (name) and keep him (her) in Your love.
Grant him (her) a good rest tonight,
And send Your angels to protect him (her).
In the Name of the Father,
And the + Son,
And of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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The Holy Father made his remarks at an event organized by the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation.
![Archbishop Wenski meets lawmakers to gain support for Haitian migrants amid deportation fears #Catholic Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski traveled to Washington, D.C., on July 28 to advocate on behalf of Haitian migrants who fear they will soon be targets of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.Wenski’s meetings with lawmakers came one day after the expiration of the automatic work‑permit extension under temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians. The Supreme Court ruled last month that the administration has the authority to terminate TPS, which ended their work authorization and could subject them to deportation orders. “Haiti is a house on fire,” Wenski told “EWTN News Nightly” Capitol Hill correspondent Erik Rosales before entering the office of Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia.The archbishop said TPS expiration and possible deportation of hundreds of thousands of Haitians is bad for the migrants — who would be sent back to an unstable country — and for the American communities in which the migrants live and work. About 353,000 Haitian nationals hold TPS status in the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).“To think that we can send 350,000 people back to Haiti without that having very bad consequences in Haiti — but also here because these people are working, they’re not on the dole, they’re working, and if they’re removed from their jobs, if they lose their work permits, that’s going to have a negative economic impact on the communities in which they live,” Wenski said.As Haitian TPS status ends, some lawmakers have introduced bills to compel the DHS to extend the status. In April, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation, H.R. 1689, that would extend TPS for Haitians for three more years. No legislative efforts have gained traction in the Senate.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has advocated strongly on behalf of Haitian migrants, asking the Trump administration and lawmakers to extend TPS. About two-thirds of Haiti is Catholic.Chieko Noguchi, spokeswoman for the USCCB, told EWTN News that Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, USCCB Committee on Migration chair, “has encouraged his brother bishops across the country to engage with their elected officials” on Haitian TPS status and broader immigration reform efforts.“As pastors committed to upholding the common good, the bishops are actively engaging in this dialogue and continue to be grateful for the opportunity to do so, which they acknowledged in their special message last November,” she said.In November 2025, the USCCB adopted a message in a 216-5 vote that opposed the “indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and policies that revoke the legal status of migrants, such as the terminations of TPS for various groups of migrants.Kaine, an advocate for extending TPS, told EWTN News after meeting with Wenski that he was glad “to discuss the critical need for Congress to do what is right and protect TPS holders who have been in the U.S. legally for years” and looks forward to working with the USCCB to advocate for TPS holders.TPS holders “have made countless contributions in important sectors such as healthcare and construction, and developed deep roots in our communities through their U.S. citizen families and businesses,” he added. “Many TPS holders, such as those from Haiti, should not be forced to return to the extremely dangerous conditions that made them seek safety in the United States.”Status of Haitian migrantsOn July 27, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin reposted a DHS post on X, which said “temporary protected status is exactly that — TEMPORARY” and urged anyone whose TPS has expired to self-deport out of the U.S.“For those with terminated TPS: it’s closing time,” the post read. “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”When asked whether DHS intends to specifically target Haitians for deportation amid the TPS expiration, a spokesperson told EWTN News that the department “does not discuss ongoing or future operations” but is conducting law enforcement activities daily.“For too long, TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program despite Congress never intending it to be permanent,” the spokesperson said.Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and a resident fellow in law and policy for the Center for Immigration Studies, told EWTN News that TPS was initially approved for Haiti in 2010 after a devastating earthquake.Although Haiti continues to face serious safety and political stability concerns, he said the effects of the earthquake no longer impact the country. He noted that Haitians can apply for permanent status under other programs, such as if they are eligible for asylum, but that TPS is not a permanent resettlement program.Arthur said Haitians who are in the U.S. under temporary legal status “had the opportunity to work in the United States and make money” and learn skills, which they can take back “to Haiti and [it can] help them make Haiti a better country.”The former judge said he expects immigration enforcement toward Haitians to be part of “the larger enforcement efforts” rather than a targeted campaign against Haitians, with a priority toward people who have been convicted of crimes.“The response [now] is foreign aid on the part of the United States and aid from the Catholic Church toward making Haiti a better place,” Arthur said.TPS status for Syrian migrants also ended on July 27. El Salvador’s TPS designation is set to expire Sept. 9.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/archbishop-wenski-meets-lawmakers-to-gain-support-for-haitian-migrants-amid-deportation-fears-catholic-miami-archbishop-thomas-wenski-traveled-to-washington-d-c-on-july-28-to-advocate-on-behalf-of.png "Archbishop Wenski meets lawmakers to gain support for Haitian migrants amid deportation fears #Catholic Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski traveled to Washington, D.C., on July 28 to advocate on behalf of Haitian migrants who fear they will soon be targets of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts.Wenski’s meetings with lawmakers came one day after the expiration of the automatic work‑permit extension under temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians. The Supreme Court ruled last month that the administration has the authority to terminate TPS, which ended their work authorization and could subject them to deportation orders. “Haiti is a house on fire,” Wenski told “EWTN News Nightly” Capitol Hill correspondent Erik Rosales before entering the office of Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia.The archbishop said TPS expiration and possible deportation of hundreds of thousands of Haitians is bad for the migrants — who would be sent back to an unstable country — and for the American communities in which the migrants live and work. About 353,000 Haitian nationals hold TPS status in the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).“To think that we can send 350,000 people back to Haiti without that having very bad consequences in Haiti — but also here because these people are working, they’re not on the dole, they’re working, and if they’re removed from their jobs, if they lose their work permits, that’s going to have a negative economic impact on the communities in which they live,” Wenski said.As Haitian TPS status ends, some lawmakers have introduced bills to compel the DHS to extend the status. In April, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation, H.R. 1689, that would extend TPS for Haitians for three more years. No legislative efforts have gained traction in the Senate.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has advocated strongly on behalf of Haitian migrants, asking the Trump administration and lawmakers to extend TPS. About two-thirds of Haiti is Catholic.Chieko Noguchi, spokeswoman for the USCCB, told EWTN News that Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, USCCB Committee on Migration chair, “has encouraged his brother bishops across the country to engage with their elected officials” on Haitian TPS status and broader immigration reform efforts.“As pastors committed to upholding the common good, the bishops are actively engaging in this dialogue and continue to be grateful for the opportunity to do so, which they acknowledged in their special message last November,” she said.In November 2025, the USCCB adopted a message in a 216-5 vote that opposed the “indiscriminate mass deportation of people” and policies that revoke the legal status of migrants, such as the terminations of TPS for various groups of migrants.Kaine, an advocate for extending TPS, told EWTN News after meeting with Wenski that he was glad “to discuss the critical need for Congress to do what is right and protect TPS holders who have been in the U.S. legally for years” and looks forward to working with the USCCB to advocate for TPS holders.TPS holders “have made countless contributions in important sectors such as healthcare and construction, and developed deep roots in our communities through their U.S. citizen families and businesses,” he added. “Many TPS holders, such as those from Haiti, should not be forced to return to the extremely dangerous conditions that made them seek safety in the United States.”Status of Haitian migrantsOn July 27, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin reposted a DHS post on X, which said “temporary protected status is exactly that — TEMPORARY” and urged anyone whose TPS has expired to self-deport out of the U.S.“For those with terminated TPS: it’s closing time,” the post read. “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”When asked whether DHS intends to specifically target Haitians for deportation amid the TPS expiration, a spokesperson told EWTN News that the department “does not discuss ongoing or future operations” but is conducting law enforcement activities daily.“For too long, TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program despite Congress never intending it to be permanent,” the spokesperson said.Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and a resident fellow in law and policy for the Center for Immigration Studies, told EWTN News that TPS was initially approved for Haiti in 2010 after a devastating earthquake.Although Haiti continues to face serious safety and political stability concerns, he said the effects of the earthquake no longer impact the country. He noted that Haitians can apply for permanent status under other programs, such as if they are eligible for asylum, but that TPS is not a permanent resettlement program.Arthur said Haitians who are in the U.S. under temporary legal status “had the opportunity to work in the United States and make money” and learn skills, which they can take back “to Haiti and [it can] help them make Haiti a better country.”The former judge said he expects immigration enforcement toward Haitians to be part of “the larger enforcement efforts” rather than a targeted campaign against Haitians, with a priority toward people who have been convicted of crimes.“The response [now] is foreign aid on the part of the United States and aid from the Catholic Church toward making Haiti a better place,” Arthur said.TPS status for Syrian migrants also ended on July 27. El Salvador’s TPS designation is set to expire Sept. 9.")
The Department of Homeland Security defended its policy, saying temporary protected status was not meant to be permanent.
“We can be a nation of both respect for law and of well-considered compassion for persons at risk in their own countries,” Bishop Daniel Flores said.
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
18:1-6
This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Rise up, be off to the potter’s house;
there I will give you my message.
I went down to the potter’s house and there he was,
working at the wheel.
Whenever the object of clay which he was making
turned out badly in his hand,
he tried again,
making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
Can I not do to you, house of Israel,
as this potter has done? says the LORD.
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:47-53
Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of discernment with images taken from ordinary life; for example, he describes the fishers who select the good fish and discard the bad ones. (…) It takes intelligence, skill, and also will to make a good choice. And there is also a price required for discernment to become effective. To perform his trade to the best of his ability, the fisherman reckons with hard work, long nights spent at sea, and then the fact of discarding some of the catch, accepting a loss of profit for the sake of those for whom it is intended. (…) Everyone has to make decisions; there is no one to make them for us. At a certain point, adults can freely ask for advice, reflect, but the decision is our own. We can’t say, ‘I lost this, because my husband decided, my wife decided, my brother decided’. No. You have to decide, each of us has to decide. (…) In the final judgement God will exercise discernment — the great discernment — with regard to us. (…) And in a good decision, correct, there is an encounter between God’s will and our will. (…) Discernment is demanding but indispensable for living. It requires that I know myself, that I know what is good for me here and now. Above all, it requires a filial relationship with God. God is Father and He does not leave us alone, He is always willing to advise us, to encourage us, to welcome us. But He never imposes His will. Why? Because He wants to be loved and not feared. And also, God wants children, not slaves: free children. And love can only be lived in freedom. (…) Let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us! Let us invoke Him every day, especially when we have choices to make. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 31 agosto 2022)
Read More| Picture of the day |
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The Chess Queen, a.k.a. The Totem Pole, located a few hundred yards east of Cottonwood Cove, in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, northern Arizona. Today is International Chess Day.
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“Personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first, and that’s the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care,” U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said.
The one-off spacecraft built to save a struggling NASA space telescope is now in trouble of its own. Over the weekend, Katalyst Space’s LINK spacecraft lost two of its three reaction wheels, sending it into an uncontrolled spin and interrupting its communications link with the ground. What is LINK? The Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocketContinue reading “Is NASA’s Swift Boost Mission spinning away?”
The post Is NASA’s Swift Boost Mission spinning away? appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Obituary: Salesian Sister Nivia Arias, 65 #Catholic – 
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Aug. 2, at 10:30 p.m. at Mary Help of Christians Academy, St. Joseph Chapel, in North Haledon, N.J., for Salesian Sister Nivia Arias, who died on July 24 at Chilton Memorial Hospital in the Pompton Plains neighborhood of Pequannock, N.J. She was 65.
She was a Salesian Sister for 42 years.
Sister Arias was born in Tampa, Florida, to Cuban immigrants Alberto and Maria Luisa Arias. She graduated from Villa Madonna School there in 1975. In Villa’s 90-year history, she was the only student to become a Salesian Sister.
Sister Arias entered the Salesian Sisters after helping at Camp Auxilium in Newton, N.J., a summer camp run by the religious order. In 1984, she made her first religious profession.
She taught in elementary schools in Paterson and Tampa and taught archery at summer camps in New Jersey and Florida. For many years, Sister Arias was dedicated to retreat ministry at Sacred Heart Center in Newton.
Sister Arias is survived by her brother, Carlos, and a large extended family.
“Please join us in praying for the eternal repose of Sr. She was a loving Sister who naturally lived ‘Laudato Si’ and had a heart for the least,” the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, Daughters Mary Help of Christians, posted on social media. “She had so many creative gifts and loved her Salesian vocation, with a special eye toward catechizing the young. Her prayer was often for peace and reconciliation, especially in people’s hearts. We will miss you, Sister Nivia,” they posted.
A wake for Sister Arias will be held on Friday, July 31, at the Salesians’ Provincial House in Haledon, N.J. It will consist of a 4:30 to 6 p.m. wake, 4:30 p.m. rosary, and 5:30 p.m. reading of her biography and evening prayer.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Aug. 2, at 10:30 p.m. at Mary Help of Christians Academy, St. Joseph Chapel, in North Haledon, N.J. Her burial and repast will follow it in the academy’s cafeteria.
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– A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Aug. 2, at 10:30 p.m. at Mary Help of Christians Academy, St. Joseph Chapel, in North Haledon, N.J., for Salesian Sister Nivia Arias, who died on July 24 at Chilton Memorial Hospital in the Pompton Plains neighborhood of Pequannock, N.J. She was 65. She was a Salesian Sister for 42 years. Sister Arias was born in Tampa, Florida, to Cuban immigrants Alberto and Maria Luisa Arias. She graduated from Villa Madonna School there in 1975. In Villa’s 90-year history, she was the only student to become a Salesian Sister. Sister
Obituary: Deacon Stephen Marabeti, 86 #Catholic – 
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Church in Lincoln Park, N.J., for Deacon Stephen Marabeti, who died on July 24. He was 86.
In 1974, Bishop Lawrence Casey, the fifth bishop of Paterson, ordained Deacon Marabeti as a member of the first class of men to of the Permanent Diaconate for the diocese, N.J. He served St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln Park from the date of his ordination until his death.
On July 6, 2024, Deacon Marabeti celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination at a Mass for which Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney was the principal celebrant.
“Deacon Steve faithfully served God and the people of St. Joseph Parish with dedication, kindness, and a generous heart.,” St. Joseph’s posted on social media. “His unwavering faith, compassion, and commitment to our parish community touched countless lives His passing is a tremendous loss for our parish family, and he will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him,” the parish posted.
Deacon Marabeti belonged to the steering committee that helped start the diocesan diaconate program with Msgr. Kenneth Lasch, now retired, directed by Bishop Lawrence Casey. Through his work with the U.S. Catholic Conference of Catholic Bishops on the Permanent Diaconate, he traveled around the country to encourage other dioceses to start diaconate programs.
Deacon Marabeti pursued a career in education. He taught history at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J. from 1964 to 1969. Afterward, he taught history and other subjects at Parsippany Hills High School for 32 years before retiring.
A wake for Deacon Marabeti will be held on Friday, July 31, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Keri-Lozito Funeral Home in Lincoln Park.
Deacons are invited to vest and process in alb and diocesan stole at the Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Church. Repast will be held after at the parish.
Please keep Deacon Marabeti and his family in your prayers.
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– A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Church in Lincoln Park, N.J., for Deacon Stephen Marabeti, who died on July 24. He was 86. In 1974, Bishop Lawrence Casey, the fifth bishop of Paterson, ordained Deacon Marabeti as a member of the first class of men to of the Permanent Diaconate for the diocese, N.J. He served St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln Park from the date of his ordination until his death. On July 6, 2024, Deacon Marabeti celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination at a Mass for
Expect first-class seats, seamless hotel bookings, and curated tours, with plenty of time left to roam freely.
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Tony Hallas from Foresthill, California IC 5070 is an emission region that forms the Pelican Nebula, lying around 2,000 light-years away in Cygnus. The region is filled with billowing gas clouds and finely woven strands of dust, all being sculpted and lit by radiation from nearby hot young stars. Double-lobed outflows — like the oneContinue reading “The Pelican aglow”
The post The Pelican aglow appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney’s Schedule: August, 2026 #Catholic – 
| 8/1 | Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Morristown; 10:30 a.m. Transitional Diaconate ordination of seminarian Carlos Vargas – St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Passaic; 2:30 p.m. Mass for the closing of ECCADS, annual Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Encounter for Servants (Servidores de la Renovación Carismática) – St. Gerard Majella Parish gymnasium, Paterson. |
| 8/4 | Tues., 10 a.m. Mass – Nazareth Village, Chester; 1:30 p.m. Priest meeting – St. Paul Inside the Walls, Madison. |
| 8/5 | Wed., 3 p.m. Final profession – Mary Help of Christians, North Haledon. |
| 8/12 | Wed., 8:30 a.m. Opening Mass for principals and presidents – the Oratory, Clifton. |
| 8/14 | Fri., All Day Vocations Media Day – St. Paul Inside the Walls, Madison; 7 p.m. Mass – St. Clare Parish, Clifton. |
| 8/15 | Sat., 10:30 a.m. Final profession – the Sisters of Christian Charity, Mendham. |
| 8/22 | Sat.,10 a.m. Polo fundraiser – Pope John XXIII Regional High School, Sparta. |
| 8/27 | Thu., 7 p.m. Memorial Mass for Father Rafael Ciro on the first anniversary of his passing – St. Stephen Parish, Paterson. |
| 8/29 | Sat.,11 a.m. Jubilee of St. Francis Mass – St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Haskell. |
– 8/1 Sat., 8 a.m. Mass for Life & Procession – St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, Morristown; 10:30 a.m. Transitional Diaconate ordination of seminarian Carlos Vargas – St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Passaic; 2:30 p.m. Mass for the closing of ECCADS, annual Diocesan Catholic Charismatic Encounter for Servants (Servidores de la Renovación Carismática) – St. Gerard Majella Parish gymnasium, Paterson. 8/4 Tues., 10 a.m. Mass – Nazareth Village, Chester; 1:30 p.m. Priest meeting – St. Paul Inside the Walls, Madison. 8/5 Wed., 3 p.m. Final profession – Mary Help of Christians, North Haledon. 8/12 Wed., 8:30 a.m. Opening Mass for principals
Amid the destructive forest fires in central Spain, the Catholic Church is ministering to the evacuees, providing material aid, shelter, a listening ear, and the sacraments.
The White House has issued a string of statements acknowledging prominent Catholic feast days and observances.
During a fireworks display last weekend, a stray rocket set off the fireworks stored for the rest of the show, killing four people and injuring 12.
The ‘Education Freedom Tax Credit’ — We hope and pray that New Jersey will ‘opt in’ #Catholic – 
“A new federal program could bring direct educational support to New Jersey families at no cost to the state or taxpayers — if the state opts in to participate…”
BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY
I hope that many readers of this column are already aware of the potential impact of the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit to expand educational opportunities for students and families across the State of New Jersey. I hope that you read the article in the Beacon last week, “Why NJ parents should promote federal education tax credits.”
I am happy to share with you, if you are not already aware, that the New Jersey Catholic Conference (NJCC) has launched a new website to provide education and resources about this potentially “game changing” opportunity. The website is designed to serve as a “one-stop shop” for parents, schools, potential donors, and legislators to learn about the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, to learn how they can support this effort (including sharing the website within their networks), and sign up for updates as the process develops. The website will serve as the central location for action alerts issued by NJCC and their partners in the nonpublic school community encouraging Gov. Mikie Sherrill to opt in to the program.
In early June, James J. King, executive director of the NJCC wrote a letter to Sherrill on behalf of Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., and all the Catholic bishops of the state, respectfully urging the governor and her administration to “opt in” so that New Jesey children, families, schools and communities of all faiths (and of no faith) can benefit from the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program. King enumerated the many ways in which the Tax Credit program would benefit, not only Catholic Schools, but private and public schools, without any reduction in the state’s support of public education.
At the newly launched NJCC website, you can learn a great deal about the potential benefits and details of this Federal Tax Credit program. One important aspect of the program is the role that will be played by “Scholarship Granting Organizations” (SGOs):
“… This program allows individuals to donate up to $1,700 per year to authorized Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit. Eligible families and students can receive funds from these organizations as scholarships for school-related expenses, benefiting the taxpayer and also the students.” — Education Tax Credit Overview
Here in our diocese, we will be well prepared to benefit from the Tax Credits because we have a “Scholarship Granting Organization,” the Tri-County Scholarship Fund, with which I hope readers are already very familiar. The Tri-County Scholarship Fund was founded 45 years ago by Bishop Frank Rodimer and Ed Henessey. “Since 1981, Tri-County Scholarship Fund has provided partial K-12th grade scholarships to financially disadvantaged children from Northern New Jersey so they can attend safe, values-based, quality independent schools which allow them to thrive.” — Tri-County Scholarship Fund
The Board of “Tri-County,” led by President Prudence A. Pigott, has been working diligently to educate and inform their donors, school partners, and families about the potential benefits of the Federal Tax Credit program, as well as the importance of encouraging Sherrill to “opt in” so that children, families, teachers, schools, and communities across our state can receive these benefits.
I encourage you to go to the Tri-County website where you will find:
- Ways you can contact Gov. Sherrill’s Office and encourage her to “opt in”
- The Text of the New Law (creating the Tax Credit program), related articles, and review “Frequently Asked Questions”
- How this Tax Credit program could “transform educational opportunity in New Jersey”
- WHY this Tax Credit program “Matters”: “The new federal tax credit will help close the education gap for low-income children and those living in economically depressed zip codes. It will provide scholarship funds not only for tuition, but for all types of education enrichment including tutoring, SAT prep, extended school day, autism, special ed, language, art, dance, music classes, and more…” — New Jersey Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Guide
I will conclude with one additional or, hopefully, complementary “argument” as to why this Federal Tax Credit program is such an important opportunity for us, our families, parishes and schools. This past Sunday, July 26, was the Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, patron saints of grandparents and World Day of Prayer for grandparents and the elderly. During the coming week, we will celebrate, on July 29, the Feast of Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, and on July 31 and Aug. 1, the Feasts of St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Alphonsus Ligouri, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. The first two Feast Days remind us of the value and sanctity of life, especially family life. The Feasts of St. Ignatius and St. Alphonsus remind us of the importance of education, especially Catholic Education and Catholic Schools.
It may not be obvious to all that there is an important “connection” between a Federal Tax Credit program and support for Family Life and Catholic Education. Yet, if we pause and reflect (and if you have read this far), I believe that Catholics and all the citizens, residents, and families of New Jersey should be able to see the benefits of our state and our governor “opting in.” Let us all do our part, as we pray and hope that New Jersey will “opt in.”
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– “A new federal program could bring direct educational support to New Jersey families at no cost to the state or taxpayers — if the state opts in to participate…” Education Tax Credit Overview BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY I hope that many readers of this column are already aware of the potential impact of the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit to expand educational opportunities for students and families across the State of New Jersey. I hope that you read the article in the Beacon last week, “Why NJ parents should promote federal education tax credits.” I am happy to share with
![South Texas nun still at risk of third-country removal following ICE check-in, attorney says - #Catholic - HARLINGEN, Texas — In the most recent development in an immigration case that has gained national attention, Sister Leticia Ugboaja, the Nigerian Catholic nun and nurse who was briefly detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in south Texas in June, was informed today that third-country removal was not off the table, which her attorney called “very concerning.”After a July 28 check-in with ICE officials in Harlingen, Texas, Carlos M. Garcia, Ugboaja’s lawyer, told reporters gathered outside the ICE field office that the possibility of third-country removal “is very concerning for us ... That is obviously not what we want. And that’s why we are exploring all our legal alternatives.”Garcia said he and his client have not yet decided on a specific legal path.At a July 23 press conference, he said an immigration judge denied Ugboaja’s application for asylum in 2019 but did grant her protection from removal to Nigeria under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, finding it was likely she would be tortured if she returned there.Garcia said this protection legally bars the U.S. government from deporting her to Nigeria, though she remains under a final order of removal and could be sent to a third country.After Ugboaja’s July 28 check-in, her attorney expressed gratitude that the nun, who has lived in the United States for nearly two decades and has never missed an immigration appointment, was not detained and not required to wear an ankle monitor, possibilities he discussed last week. The nun has another check-in scheduled for Jan. 28, 2027.“We’re happy that she’s continuing to be able to live her life the way she’s been living it, which is a life of service to the community and to her church family,” Garcia said.“Today was just a check-in,” he said, and ICE officials “determined that [Ugboaja] was able to continue [living] based on the conditions that they had given her before, which is really released on her own word, her own recognizance.”Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, was detained by two ICE agents on Sunday, June 28, as she walked to Mass at a church where she serves as a Eucharistic minister.At a press conference last week, the only time she has spoken publicly, she described weeks of “stress, anxiety, and fear” since the detainment.Though she has felt afraid and hurt, she said she has been trusting in God, quoting Jesus’ admonition to “not be afraid, because I am with you always.”The nun declined to speak with reporters after her check-in July 28.Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and a member of the Missionaries of Jesus in the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, told EWTN News this process has been very difficult for Ugboaja.“She’s such a joyful, happy, and beautiful personality,” Pimentel said. “She goes to daily Mass, and receiving the Eucharist is so much a part of her strength and her force within her, but this disruption has scared her tremendously.”Though Ugboaja was released the same day she was detained, in part through the efforts of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, Pimentel said “it was a tough time for her to be in detention … it felt like an eternity for her.”
Sister Norma Pimentel hugs Sister Leticia Ugboaja outside the ICE field office in Harlingen, Texas, before Ugboaja’s July 28, 2026, immigration check-in. | Credit: Amira Abuzeid/EWTN News
Pimentel said the nun “just broke down into tears, uncontrollably” upon her release.Since then, the community has poured out its support, Pimentel said. During this morningʼs check-in at the ICE field office, Father Isaac E. Erondu, a priest from Mission, Texas, led a group of people, including Ugboaja, in prayer before she entered the building with her lawyer.TweetSupporters then prayed the rosary together as they awaited news of Ugboaja’s fate.
Supporters of Sister Leticia Ugboaja, including Sister Norma Pimentel, right, pray the rosary outside an ICE field office in Harlingen, Texas, as they await news of Ugboaja’s immigration case, July 28, 2026. | Credit: Amira Abuzeid/EWTN News
“She’s trying to be strong,” Pimentel said. “She wants to continue just being herself … In seeing the support, the love, and so many people that are here for her, she knows she’s not alone.”We want her to know “we are here with you, and you’ll be OK,” she said.
We were all thinking this was about picking up criminals, but there’s no criminal sense in all of this.”
Sister Norma Pimentel
In a message to Catholics and other supporters concerned with Ugboaja’s case, as well as the nature of ICE’s recent immigration enforcement measures, Pimentel, who has worked on behalf of immigrants on the U.S.-Mexico border for more than 20 years, said: “I think that we must stand together strong, supporting the defense of good people that are here in our community … and not only [Ugboaja], but everybody, so many families who are hurting.”“We must speak up and ask for … a process that is more respectful to human life and to the goodness of people,” she continued. “So many people are here in the community and are really contributing in a positive, good way. This should not be happening.”Of ICE’s enforcement measures, Pimentel said: “We were all thinking this was about picking up criminals, but there’s no criminal sense in all of this, you know? And so all of us must truly stand up and defend the right way of who we are as Americans here in the United States.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/south-texas-nun-still-at-risk-of-third-country-removal-following-ice-check-in-attorney-says-catholic-harlingen-texas-in-the-most-recent-development-in-an-immigration-case-that-has-gai-scaled.jpg)
After a July 28 check-in with ICE officials, Sister Leticia Ugboaja’s lawyer told reporters gathered outside the ICE field office that the possibility of third-country removal “is very concerning.”
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Cinnyris asiaticus (Purple Sunbird) in Bhigwan, Maharashtra, India.
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The Gaelic Athletic Association All Ireland Football championship, which has a historic connection to the Catholic Church, crowned a new winner after 75 years.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams is seen outside the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft after he landed with Expedition 74 Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikaev in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Sunday, July 26, 2026. The trio returned to Earth after logging 241 days in space as a members of Expeditions 73 and 74 aboard the International Space Station.
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LOS ANGELES, CA — At the request of Hollywood executives, the California state government opened an inquiry into possible infiltration of the film industry by honest God-fearing, law-abiding American citizens who reject Communism.
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BOISE, ID — The credentials of one local man were called into question, as the so-called Christian Nationalist had yet to post anything overtly hateful on social media today.
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Transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney has responded to President Donald Trump mocking his failed Bud Light partnership, while taking a jab at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for looking like the male activist.
The post WATCH: Dylan Mulvaney Responds to Trump Roasting CNN’s Kaitlan Collins by Comparing Her Appearance to the Trans Activist appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Liberal Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Jackson on Monday evening denied President Trump’s request to immediately reinstate key parts of his executive order on mail-in ballots.
The post JUST IN: Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Jackson Denies President Trump’s Request to Immediately Reinstate Key Parts of Executive Order on Mail-In Ballots appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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President Trump on Monday responded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for criticizing his plan to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, saying, “Nobody tells me what we should be selling or not.” Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump on Tuesday at the White House during a visit to the United States, where he will also attend the wake for late Senator Lindsey Graham.
The post (VIDEO) Trump Responds to Netanyahu Opposing Sale of F-35 Jets to Turkey: “Nobody Tells Me What We Should Be Selling or Not” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreA reading from the Book of Jeremiah
14:17-22
Let my eyes stream with tears
day and night, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
the virgin daughter of my people,
over her incurable wound.
If I walk out into the field,
look! those slain by the sword;
If I enter the city,
look! those consumed by hunger.
Even the prophet and the priest
forage in a land they know not.
Have you cast Judah off completely?
Is Zion loathsome to you?
Why have you struck us a blow
that cannot be healed?
We wait for peace, to no avail;
for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.
We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,
the guilt of our fathers;
that we have sinned against you.
For your name’s sake spurn us not,
disgrace not the throne of your glory;
remember your covenant with us, and break it not.
Among the nations’ idols is there any that gives rain?
Or can the mere heavens send showers?
Is it not you alone, O LORD,
our God, to whom we look?
You alone have done all these things.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:36-43
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
"Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."
The servants’ intention is to eliminate evil immediately, that is, evil people. But the master is wiser, he sees farther. They must learn to wait because enduring persecution and hostility is part of the Christian vocation. Certainly, evil must be rejected, but those who do evil are people with whom it is necessary to be patient. This does not mean that type of hypocritical tolerance that hides ambiguity; but rather, justice tempered by mercy. If Jesus came to seek sinners more than the righteous, to cure the sick first before the healthy (cf. Mt 9:12-13), then our actions too as his disciples should be focused not on suppressing the wicked, but on saving them. Patience lies here. Today’s Gospel presents two ways of acting and of experiencing history: on the one hand, the vision of the master who sees far; on the other, the perspective of the servants who see the problem. The servants care about a field without weeds; the master cares about good wheat. The Lord invites us to adopt his vision, one that is focused on good wheat, that knows how to protect it even amid the weeds. It is not those who are always searching for others’ limitations and flaws who cooperate well with God but, rather, those who know how to recognize the good that silently grows in the field of the Church and history, cultivating it until it becomes mature. And then, God, and he alone, will reward the good and punish the wicked. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 19 July 2020)
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Catholic Health Services, one of the Archdiocese of Miami’s largest ministries, faces losing an estimated 40 to 50 employees, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski said.
“His memory places a duty upon us. It compels us to tirelessly defend the freedom of conscience that the Republic guarantees and protects,” the French president said.
In 2018 when the allegations first came to light, Friar Urbano Vázquez was removed from ministry by the Archdiocese of Washington. He was convicted of child sexual abuse in 2019.
Rocket launches this week On Wednesday, July 29, at 7:50 a.m. EDT, the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is planning to launch a Long March 7A from Wenchang Space Launch Site on the coast of Hainan Island in the South China Sea, according to tracking from Next Spaceflight. The payload is undisclosed.Continue reading “A classified NRO launch and a Chinese triple-header set to launch this week”
The post A classified NRO launch and a Chinese triple-header set to launch this week appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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In the historic, spiritual, and national event, Lebanon celebrated Patriarch Hoyek’s beatification on Saturday marking an extraordinary moment for both the Maronite Church and the Lebanese nation.
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Sur En/Sent, municipality of Scuol, kanton Graubünden. Sculpture Negativ – Positive. Artwork by Peter Gredig.
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A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
13:1-11
The LORD said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth;
wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.
I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.
A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:
Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing,
and go now to the Parath;
there hide it in a cleft of the rock.
Obedient to the LORD’s command, I went to the Parath
and buried the loincloth.
After a long interval, the LORD said to me:
Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth
which I told you to hide there.
Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth
from the place where I had hid it.
But it was rotted, good for nothing!
Then the message came to me from the LORD:
Thus says the LORD:
So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot,
the great pride of Jerusalem.
This wicked people who refuse to obey my words,
who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts,
and follow strange gods to serve and adore them,
shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.
For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man’s loins,
so had I made the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD;
to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty.
But they did not listen.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:31-35
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”
He spoke to them another parable.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
Talking about God means first of all expressing clearly what God we must bring to the men and women of our time: not an abstract God, a hypothesis, but a real God, a God who exists, who has entered history and is present in history; the God of Jesus Christ as an answer to the fundamental question of the meaning of life and of how we should live. Consequently speaking of God demands familiarity with Jesus and his Gospel, it implies that we have a real, personal knowledge of God and a strong passion for his plan of salvation without succumbing to the temptation of success, but following God’s own method. God’s method is that of humility — God makes himself one of us — his method is brought about through the Incarnation in the simple house of Nazareth; through the Grotto of Bethlehem; through the Parable of the Mustard Seed. We must not fear the humility of taking little steps, but trust in the leaven that penetrates the dough and slowly causes it to rise (cf. Mt 13:33). In talking about God, in the work of evangelization, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we must recover simplicity, we must return to the essence of the proclamation: the Good News of a God who is real and effective, a God who is concerned about us, a God-Love who makes himself close to us in Jesus Christ, until the Cross, and who in the Resurrection gives us hope and opens us to a life that has no end, eternal life, true life. (Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 28 November 2012)
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![Bishop blesses 2 new greenhouses, generator at Morristown monastery #Catholic - On July 16, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney paid a pastoral visit to the Discalced Carmelite nuns at the Monastery of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel in Morristown, N.J. There the bishop celebrated a Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the chapel. He also went outside on the monastery grounds to bless two new greenhouses and a concrete pad that will soon accommodate a new generator.
Through its “We Care, We Share” outreach ministry, the Church of Christ the King in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., donated funds for the greenhouses. With them, the nuns hope to grow spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, and cabbage, as well as flowers to decorate the monastery chapel, said Mother Therese Katulski, prioress of the monastery.
The Knights of Columbus of Assumption Parish in Morristown donated funds for the generator — this after a major power outage at the monastery. A contractor will donate the labor to install the generator.
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Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, chancellor and delegate for religious of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., assisted Bishop Sweeney with the blessing.
The Discalced Carmelites are a cloistered order with a daily schedule of eight hours of prayer, manual labor, some recreation, and contemplation. They are always striving to make themselves more pleasing to God. The nuns adhere to strict silence so their prayers may be more continuous.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/bishop-blesses-2-new-greenhouses-generator-at-morristown-monastery-catholic-on-july-16-bishop-kevin-j-sweeney-paid-a-pastoral-visit-to-the-discalced-carmelite-nuns-at-the-monastery-of-the-most-b.jpg)
Bishop blesses 2 new greenhouses, generator at Morristown monastery #Catholic – 
On July 16, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney paid a pastoral visit to the Discalced Carmelite nuns at the Monastery of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel in Morristown, N.J. There the bishop celebrated a Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the chapel. He also went outside on the monastery grounds to bless two new greenhouses and a concrete pad that will soon accommodate a new generator.
Through its “We Care, We Share” outreach ministry, the Church of Christ the King in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., donated funds for the greenhouses. With them, the nuns hope to grow spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, and cabbage, as well as flowers to decorate the monastery chapel, said Mother Therese Katulski, prioress of the monastery.
The Knights of Columbus of Assumption Parish in Morristown donated funds for the generator — this after a major power outage at the monastery. A contractor will donate the labor to install the generator.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, chancellor and delegate for religious of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., assisted Bishop Sweeney with the blessing.
The Discalced Carmelites are a cloistered order with a daily schedule of eight hours of prayer, manual labor, some recreation, and contemplation. They are always striving to make themselves more pleasing to God. The nuns adhere to strict silence so their prayers may be more continuous.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
– On July 16, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney paid a pastoral visit to the Discalced Carmelite nuns at the Monastery of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel in Morristown, N.J. There the bishop celebrated a Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the chapel. He also went outside on the monastery grounds to bless two new greenhouses and a concrete pad that will soon accommodate a new generator. Through its “We Care, We Share” outreach ministry, the Church of Christ the King in the New Vernon neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., donated funds for the
In September 1999, the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) project discovered a comet – Comet C/1999 S4, or Comet LINEAR – on a course for the Sun. Its unusual behavior drew attention: By July 5-7 of the following year, the Hubble Space Telescope had watched a piece of its crust blow off as ifContinue reading “July 26, 2000: Comet LINEAR disintegrates”
The post July 26, 2000: Comet LINEAR disintegrates appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
Read More| Picture of the day |
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Westrup Heide in the early morning during the heather blossom season, Haltern am See, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
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The pontiff also reflected on the kingdom of God as a treasure that enlarges life and unites people of different backgrounds in Christ.
The massive church was dedicated in 1915 and became the first basilica in the United States when it was designated as such by Pope Pius XI in 1926.
Researchers confirmed more than 2,000 square meters — around half an acre — of original 18th-century murals survive beneath later paint in the church at the heart of Vilnius University.
The aurora australis arcs over Earth during an active solar event in this photograph taken at approximately 11:32 p.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 271 miles above the Indian Ocean southwest of Perth, Australia on June 5.
Read MoreA reading from the First Book of Kings
3:5,7-12
The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you."
Solomon answered:
"O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king
to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?"
The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him:
"Because you have asked for this—
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches,
nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right—
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you."
A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans
8:28-30
Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
13:44-52
Jesus said to his disciples:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
"Do you understand all these things?"
They answered, "Yes."
And he replied,
"Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household
who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old."
Faced with the unexpected discovery, both the farmer and the merchant realize that they are facing a unique opportunity which should not be missed; hence, they sell all that they own. Assessing the inestimable value of the treasure leads to a decision that also implies sacrifice, detachment and renunciation. When the treasure and the pearl are discovered, that is, when we have found the Lord, we must not let this discovery become barren, but rather sacrifice everything else in order to acquire it. It is not a question of disdaining the rest but of subordinating them to Jesus, putting him in first place; grace in first place. The disciple of Christ is not one who has deprived himself of something essential; he is one who has found much more: he has found the complete joy that only the Lord can give. It is the evangelical joy of the sick who have been healed; of the pardoned sinners, of the thief for whom the doors of heaven open. (…) Today we are called to contemplate the joy of the farmer and the merchant in the parables. It is the joy of each of us when we discover the closeness and the comforting presence of Jesus in our lives. A presence which transforms the heart and opens us to the needs and the welcoming of our brothers, especially the weakest. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 30 July 2017)
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The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in May announced their rejection of the Second Vatican Council and the popes that have come since.
Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis previously served as apostolic nuncio to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
![Reliquary containing relics of six priests visits Chester parish #Catholic - Blessed Mother Seton Council 5410, a Knights of Columbus chapter in the Flanders neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J., recently arranged for a reliquary containing relics of six priests to visit St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Chester, N.J. The priests, who were also Knights of Columbus, were martyred for their Catholic faith in Mexico during the Cristero War in the 1920s. The relics were venerated at six Masses on July 19 and 20, during which the faithful were able to have their religious items turned into third-degree relics by touching them to the first-degree relics in the reliquary.
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/reliquary-containing-relics-of-six-priests-visits-chester-parish-catholic-blessed-mother-seton-council-5410-a-knights-of-columbus-chapter-in-the-flanders-neighborhood-of-mount-olive-township-n-j.jpg)
Reliquary containing relics of six priests visits Chester parish #Catholic – 
Blessed Mother Seton Council 5410, a Knights of Columbus chapter in the Flanders neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J., recently arranged for a reliquary containing relics of six priests to visit St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Chester, N.J. The priests, who were also Knights of Columbus, were martyred for their Catholic faith in Mexico during the Cristero War in the 1920s. The relics were venerated at six Masses on July 19 and 20, during which the faithful were able to have their religious items turned into third-degree relics by touching them to the first-degree relics in the reliquary.
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– Blessed Mother Seton Council 5410, a Knights of Columbus chapter in the Flanders neighborhood of Mount Olive Township, N.J., recently arranged for a reliquary containing relics of six priests to visit St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Chester, N.J. The priests, who were also Knights of Columbus, were martyred for their Catholic faith in Mexico during the Cristero War in the 1920s. The relics were venerated at six Masses on July 19 and 20, during which the faithful were able to have their religious items turned into third-degree relics by touching them to the first-degree relics in the reliquary. Click