NEW YORK, NY — Mayor Zohran Mamdani asked New Yorkers weathering the heatwave to keep their thermostats at a scorching 78 degrees so as not to tax the city’s inadequate power grid. Still, Mamdani said he had other ways to cool down anyone who complains: "Off to gulag!"
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ORLANDO, FL — After years of being admired for his absolutely shredded physique, local man Chris Kolaski finally revealed that his secret to looking like a Greek god was water aerobics.
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A Katalyst engineer runs tests on LINK while the satellite is inside the Pegasus XL rocket attached to the Stargazer aircraft at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on the evening of Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
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Because the traditionalist group consecrated bishops without papal approval, the Vatican issued a decree on July 2 declaring those bishops and their consecrators automatically excommunicated.
God, our Father, I turn to you seeking your divine help and guidance as I look for suitable employment. I need your wisdom to guide my footsteps along the right path, and to lead me to find the proper things to say and do in this quest. I wish to use the gifts and talents you have given me, but I need the opportunity to do so with gainful employment. Do not abandon me, dear Father, in this search, but rather grant me this favor I seek so that I may return to you with praise and thanksgiving …
Read MoreA reading from the Book of Amos
7:10-17
Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam,
king of Israel:
"Amos has conspired against you here within Israel;
the country cannot endure all his words.
For this is what Amos says:
Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land."
To Amos, Amaziah said:
"Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
but never again prophesy in Bethel;
for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple."
Amos answered Amaziah, "I was no prophet,
nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
Now hear the word of the LORD!"
You say: prophesy not against Israel,
preach not against the house of Isaac.
Now thus says the LORD:
Your wife shall be made a harlot in the city,
and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword;
Your land shall be divided by measuring line,
and you yourself shall die in an unclean land;
Israel shall be exiled far from its land.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
9:1-8
After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
"Courage, child, your sins are forgiven."
At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,
"This man is blaspheming."
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,
"Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins"–
he then said to the paralytic,
"Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
and glorified God who had given such authority to men.
The paralyzed man is the image of every human being whom sin prevents from moving about freely, from walking on the path of good and from giving the best of himself. Indeed, by taking root in the soul, evil binds the person with the ties of falsehood, anger, envy and other sins and gradually paralyzes him.
Jesus, therefore, scandalizing the scribes who were present, first said: "… your sins are forgiven". Only later, to demonstrate the authority to forgive sins that God had conferred upon him, did he add: "Stand up! Pick up your mat and go home" (…), and heals the man completely.
The message is clear: human beings, paralyzed by sin, need God’s mercy which Christ came to give to them so that, their hearts healed, their whole life might flourish anew.
Today too, humanity is marked by sin which prevents it from rapidly progressing in those values of brotherhood, justice and peace that with solemn declarations it had resolved to practise. Why? What is blocking it? What is paralyzing this integral development?
We know well that there are many historical reasons for this and that the problem is complex. But the Word of God invites us to have a gaze of faith and to trust, like the people who were carrying the paralytic, that Jesus alone is capable of true healing. (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, 19 February 2006)
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Polish, Ukrainian cardinals call for reconciliation amid historical tensions between nations #Catholic – 
WARSAW, Poland (OSV News) — Four years after Poles welcomed millions of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion, Catholic leaders from both countries are urging their peoples not to let historical disputes undo that solidarity as disputes over World War II history inflamed relations between Poland and Ukraine.
Cardinals from both countries, attending the June consistory with Pope Leo XIV, warned in a joint statement that the greatest danger may not be disagreement itself, but the language used to express it.
Ukrainian Cardinal Mykola Bychok and Polish prelates Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz and Cardinal Grzegorz Rys, together with Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk — head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church — issued a joint appeal urging both peoples not to allow old wounds to become new divisions.
In a June 29 statement, they called for a “disarmament of language on both sides” and encouraged both nations to continue the path of reconciliation begun under St. John Paul II. They said they spoke up during the consistory, feeling “invited to take special responsibility for the community of the Church and to support the ministry of the Successor of St. Peter.”
The appeal comes amid fresh political friction between Warsaw and Kyiv. In June, Polish President Karol Nawrocki revoked the Order of the White Eagle previously awarded to Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian president approved naming a Ukrainian military unit in honor of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, or UPA.
Polish-Ukrainian relations remain deeply marked by the violence that engulfed Volhynia and Eastern Galicia during World War II. The Volhynia Slaughter remains the deepest historical conflict between Poles and Ukrainians. Between 1943 and 1945, in Volhynia and parts of Eastern Galicia, UPA carried out a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the region’s Polish population.
Historians estimate that about 100,000 Polish civilians were killed, many in brutal attacks on villages. About 10,000 Ukrainians also died in retaliatory violence carried out by Polish underground formations and civilians, although on a significantly smaller scale. The memory of those events continues to influence politics and public opinion in both countries, even as modern Poland became one of Ukraine’s strongest allies after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, welcoming millions of refugees.
Against that backdrop, Church leaders argue that remembering history and preserving neighborly relations should not become opposing goals.
“Building the common good requires evangelical language: clear, but not humiliating; courageous, but not aggressive; true, but not closing the path to forgiveness,” the prelates said.
Saying they are “saddened” to see the “growing tensions and resurgent hostility between Poles and Ukrainians,” the cardinals and Major Archbishop Shevchuk said, “It is even more painful that this is happening at a time when Ukraine continues to experience the horrors of war, and Poland has shown great solidarity with millions of Ukrainian brothers and sisters in recent years.”
They also noted that “all this is happening as Ukrainian Catholics celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Polish Pope’s historic visit to Ukraine.”
“In the tumult of the Second World War when the need for solidarity and reciprocal help would have been particularly urgent, the dark action of evil poisoned hearts, and weapons caused innocent blood to flow,” St. John Paul said in July 2003, two years after his historic visit to Ukraine. He urged that “Ukrainians and Poles rid themselves of their sorrowful memories and, seeing past events in a new perspective, look at one another with reconciled eyes, striving to build a better future for one and all.”
The renewed appeal of the prelates, experts say, seeks to protect both historical truth and the trust built over decades.
“The consistory meant that the cardinals who signed the appeal met in Rome, most likely held consultations with the pope and Major Archbishop Shevchuk, and these circumstances made this the moment when the common message appeared,” Father Stefan Batruch, pastor of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish in Lublin, told OSV News.
“The content of the appeal reminds us not to forget or omit, in our discussions, the earlier and very important statements of the popes concerning Polish-Ukrainian relations,” Father Batruch told OSV News.
The appeal also recalls decades of dialogue between the Catholic Church in Poland and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, including joint pastoral letters, declarations and humanitarian cooperation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Bishop Arkadiusz Trochanowski of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of Olsztyn-Gdansk welcomed the declaration, saying it demonstrates that “responsibility for the future of our nations begins with personal conversion, mutual respect and readiness to forgive.”
He also emphasized that “reconciliation does not mean turning away from history, but means the courage to look at it in the light of the Gospel and not allow the pain of the past to become the source of new hatred.”
Historian Igor Halagida, a scholar of Polish-Ukrainian relations at the University of Gdansk, Poland, believes the current debate has lost sight of its central concern. “In today’s discussion, people forget what is most important — the victims, all the victims,” he told OSV News.
Halagida also noted that dialogue between the Church in Poland and Ukraine “has continued uninterrupted since 1987,” long before the current political disputes and even before Ukraine regained its independence.
For Father Jaroslaw Moskalyk, a Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest and professor of theology at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland, the new statement represents another step in a much longer process rather than reaction to a political moment.
“The Church, which is not engaged in politics, offers a broader perspective on relations between the two peoples — certainly not through the prism of short-term or one-sided political gains,” he told OSV News.
“The growing wave of mutually unfriendly gestures introduced into public debate can only intensify negative emotions and awaken antagonistic tendencies,” he said. “In consequence, it may lead to a serious regression in relations and squander years of reconciliation efforts, including those undertaken by the Churches.”
The Church, he stressed, does not seek to settle historical disputes. “The role of the Church is not to resolve contested historical questions between two nations, especially those involving complex and often tragic circumstances,” Father Moskalyk said. “Its mission is to serve the truth, including the truth about painful experiences of the past.”
Asked whether it is still possible to speak honestly about the Volhynia massacres while building reconciliation, Father Batruch answered without hesitation.
“It is absolutely possible to speak honestly about difficult historical issues, provided that an interdisciplinary, nonpartisan joint commission is established to examine all disputed questions and issue an appropriate statement,” he told OSV News. “The challenge is a clear political will among the leaders of all major political groups for such a body to be created,” one that “could conduct reliable research.”
“In political discussions, even on the most difficult issues in our mutual relations, radical and categorical public statements should be avoided,” he said. “Such language is closely connected with emotions, and emotions expressed without moderation deeply wound and destroy the dignity of the other side.”
The signatories of the joint declaration argue that Christians must pursue historical truth together with mercy and reject a culture that turns memory into a weapon.
Katarzyna Szalajko writes for OSV News from Warsaw, Poland.
– WARSAW, Poland (OSV News) — Four years after Poles welcomed millions of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion, Catholic leaders from both countries are urging their peoples not to let historical disputes undo that solidarity as disputes over World War II history inflamed relations between Poland and Ukraine. Cardinals from both countries, attending the June consistory with Pope Leo XIV, warned in a joint statement that the greatest danger may not be disagreement itself, but the language used to express it. Ukrainian Cardinal Mykola Bychok and Polish prelates Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz and Cardinal Grzegorz Rys, together with Major
‘Alone’: Lessons from the wilderness #Catholic – 
“Therefore, I will now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her” (Hosea 2:14).
My dad and I have very different tastes in television. When he suggested I might like “Alone” on the History Channel, I was skeptical. However, once I checked out the seasons available on streaming platforms, I was hooked.
“Alone” sends 10 trained survivalists into the wilderness to live off the land. Armed with strict limits on their gear, the individual who lasts the longest wins a $500,000 prize. Unlike other reality shows, the participants do their own camera work.
The newest season, dubbed the “World Championship” because contestants hail from across the globe, premiered June 17.
What impresses me most about “Alone” is not the display of survival skills, as amazing as they are. Instead, the spiritual journey the participants undergo in the wilderness truly moves me. They might not use that vocabulary, but the description fits. Just like the biblical wilderness, the environment strips participants of almost everything, laying their souls bare. This wilderness experience holds three profound lessons for us all.
— Lesson one: Back to basics —
Modern life generally grants us easy access to our necessities. In North American culture, sufficient food, water and shelter are fairly easy to come by. On “Alone,” each participant must secure food and build shelter in a harsh environment.
In contemporary culture, instead of working directly for food and water, we work for money to buy what we need — and often what we don’t. By stripping away modern conveniences, “Alone” forces participants to experience the raw reality of survival. Watching the show offers a powerful opportunity to assess our own abundance and consider how we might share the bounty the Lord has given us with those who have less.
— Lesson two: Sitting with silence —
Because the survivalists constantly narrate their experiences for the camera, the deep silence they encounter is easy to overlook. Left with only their thoughts for company, they have ample time to evaluate their lives.
Participants display varying levels of comfort with this silence. An early “tap-out” — the show’s term for quitting the competition — often indicates extreme discomfort with the stark silence. Conversely, those who use the silence for self-reflection often tap out simply because the prize money loses its motivating power.
Rich storytelling happens on the screen. Some participants process grief or share challenges from their careers or family lives. Many speak of their children and their desire to pass on their love for the land. While few reference God directly, they allow the silence of the wilderness to help them make sense of their lives and express profound gratitude.
In Catholic life, we find our own “wilderness experience” by going on a retreat. A retreat provides time to step away from the daily pulse of life to connect with God and discern how he might be inviting us to re-assess our priorities. While most retreats are not as physically stark as “Alone,” the time to sit in silence and evaluate our hearts remains a cherished gift.
— Lesson three: What really matters —
Each participant enters the competition intending to win the $500,000. Yet, when the living gets rough, when foraging efforts fail, or when the family photo causes deep homesickness, the survivalists contemplate what truly matters. In the seasons I have watched, stripping away everything grants them a fresh perspective on their highest priority: the people they love.
I find it deeply edifying when a participant decides to tap out not out of weakness, but because they realize no amount of money can replace the time they are losing with family. They show the courage to “fail” in front of a national television audience to put their relationships first. We should all strive for that same courage, prioritizing life-giving relationships over the accumulation of wealth or goods.
— Bonus lessons: Humility and gratitude —
As I watch “Alone,” I think of the millions of other viewers and pray that they feel inspired to cultivate the virtues of humility and gratitude. Seeing how the wilderness strips a person to their very core, leaving them humbled before the power of nature, reminds me that I could use a little more humility myself. Humble people pay more attention to the needs of others rather than their own.
Gratitude also shines through the screen. Witnessing the pure joy of a participant who catches a fish after four days of starvation helps me appreciate the food and blessings in my own life.
“Alone” sends its contestants on an unforgettable journey. As viewers, we enter into their experience, feeling their struggle to survive in some of the harshest conditions on Earth. What they learn about themselves along the way can inspire us to value silence, realign our priorities and come away with a deeper appreciation for the gifts God gives as we humbly thank him for providing all we need.
Sister Hosea Rupprecht, a Daughter of St. Paul, is the associate director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies.
– “Therefore, I will now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her” (Hosea 2:14). My dad and I have very different tastes in television. When he suggested I might like “Alone” on the History Channel, I was skeptical. However, once I checked out the seasons available on streaming platforms, I was hooked. “Alone” sends 10 trained survivalists into the wilderness to live off the land. Armed with strict limits on their gear, the individual who lasts the longest wins a $500,000 prize. Unlike other reality shows, the participants do their own camera work. The newest
![Seton Hall president ‘not implicated’ in internal sex allegation report, Newark Archdiocese says #Catholic Seton Hall University President Monsignor Joseph Reilly was “not implicated” in an internal report examining the school’s response to sex abuse allegations, the Archdiocese of Newark said this week.The archdiocese on July 1 announced the release of its own report into whether an internal investigation commissioned by Seton Hall — the latter known as the “Latham report” — revealed that Reilly knew about abuse allegations at the university and yet failed to report them. Reilly was appointed president of the school in 2024. Archbishop Cardinal Joseph Tobin said in the July 1 announcement that the archdiocese’s report, which was launched in February 2025 and performed by the law firm Ropes & Gray LLP, revealed that Reilly “was not implicated in the Latham report.”The archdiocesan report reveals that Reilly “responded promptly to allegations of sexual harassment involving seminarians at [Seton Hall’s] Immaculate Conception Seminary in 2012,” though Reilly “did not follow the university’s Title IX reporting requirements” because he had not been trained on them, Tobin said. The Latham report, which has never been made public, was expected to examine whether Reilly, then-rector of Seton Hall’s Immaculate Conception Seminary, knew about sexual misconduct allegations against now-deceased former cardinal Theodore McCarrick and failed to report them.The Ropes & Gray inquiry, however, states that the Latham report “contains no findings or allegations that Monsignor Reilly … witnessed or received reports of any sexual misconduct by McCarrick (or any other individuals) at any time,” including during a stint as McCarrick’s secretary in the early 1990s. Among its findings, the Ropes & Gray report said Reilly in 2012 removed a seminarian from the school’s seminary after the younger man was found to have engaged in sexual harassment. Reilly was “not involved” in a separate 2014 dispute over inappropriate conduct involving two adults, meanwhile. In his announcement on July 1, Tobin said that “nothing in [the] thorough report changes my firm view that Monsignor Reilly is a good priest with formidable experience and a deep commitment to a Catholic institution serving the Church and the world.” “He is highly regarded across the Seton Hall community and has my full respect and confidence,” the archbishop said. The Latham report was commissioned by Seton Hall in 2019 and produced by the law firm Latham & Watkins; the school ordered it after bombshell allegations involving McCarrick, who died in 2025. A New Jersey appeals court ruled in June that Seton Hall would not have to fully disclose the report as part of ongoing clergy abuse lawsuits. The appeals court did rule that one section of the report regarding the university’s sexual harassment policies could be disclosed in court, though parts of that section could be subject to redactions depending on the contents.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/seton-hall-president-not-implicated-in-internal-sex-allegation-report-newark-archdiocese-says-catholic-seton-hall-university-president-monsignor-joseph-reilly-was-not-impl.jpg "Seton Hall president ‘not implicated’ in internal sex allegation report, Newark Archdiocese says #Catholic Seton Hall University President Monsignor Joseph Reilly was “not implicated” in an internal report examining the school’s response to sex abuse allegations, the Archdiocese of Newark said this week.The archdiocese on July 1 announced the release of its own report into whether an internal investigation commissioned by Seton Hall — the latter known as the “Latham report” — revealed that Reilly knew about abuse allegations at the university and yet failed to report them. Reilly was appointed president of the school in 2024. Archbishop Cardinal Joseph Tobin said in the July 1 announcement that the archdiocese’s report, which was launched in February 2025 and performed by the law firm Ropes & Gray LLP, revealed that Reilly “was not implicated in the Latham report.”The archdiocesan report reveals that Reilly “responded promptly to allegations of sexual harassment involving seminarians at [Seton Hall’s] Immaculate Conception Seminary in 2012,” though Reilly “did not follow the university’s Title IX reporting requirements” because he had not been trained on them, Tobin said. The Latham report, which has never been made public, was expected to examine whether Reilly, then-rector of Seton Hall’s Immaculate Conception Seminary, knew about sexual misconduct allegations against now-deceased former cardinal Theodore McCarrick and failed to report them.The Ropes & Gray inquiry, however, states that the Latham report “contains no findings or allegations that Monsignor Reilly … witnessed or received reports of any sexual misconduct by McCarrick (or any other individuals) at any time,” including during a stint as McCarrick’s secretary in the early 1990s. Among its findings, the Ropes & Gray report said Reilly in 2012 removed a seminarian from the school’s seminary after the younger man was found to have engaged in sexual harassment. Reilly was “not involved” in a separate 2014 dispute over inappropriate conduct involving two adults, meanwhile. In his announcement on July 1, Tobin said that “nothing in [the] thorough report changes my firm view that Monsignor Reilly is a good priest with formidable experience and a deep commitment to a Catholic institution serving the Church and the world.” “He is highly regarded across the Seton Hall community and has my full respect and confidence,” the archbishop said. The Latham report was commissioned by Seton Hall in 2019 and produced by the law firm Latham & Watkins; the school ordered it after bombshell allegations involving McCarrick, who died in 2025. A New Jersey appeals court ruled in June that Seton Hall would not have to fully disclose the report as part of ongoing clergy abuse lawsuits. The appeals court did rule that one section of the report regarding the university’s sexual harassment policies could be disclosed in court, though parts of that section could be subject to redactions depending on the contents.")
Cardinal Joseph Tobin said Monsignor Joseph Reilly “responded promptly” to sexual harassment allegations, though he failed to follow Title IX requirements due to a lack of training.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the episcopal ordinations carried out without papal mandate by the Society of St. Pius X “deeply wound” Church unity.
During the World Cup, various players and teams have expressed faith in God, asking not so much for victory but to put their lives and efforts in his hands.
Ron Brecher from Guelph, Ontario, Canada Sharpless 2–112 is a glowing cloud of ionized hydrogen roughly 30 light-years across, threaded by dark rifts of dust. It lies about 6,500 light-years away in Cygnus and is energized by the hot, massive O-type star BD+45 3216. The imager took nearly 24½ hours of exposure in the HubbleContinue reading “A stellar nursery in Cygnus”
The post A stellar nursery in Cygnus appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Chrysomma sinense (Yellow-eyed Babbler) in Bhigwan, Maharashtra, India.
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![Nun arrested by ICE while walking to Sunday Mass in Texas released after lawmakers’ intervention – #Catholic – A Catholic nun was briefly detained by federal immigration officers while walking to church in her religious habit on Sunday, sparking widespread concern among local faith leaders and prompting swift intervention by members of Congress.Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on June 28 as she headed to Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.Parish officials quickly shared news of the arrest on social media, which drew significant attention and led to outreach from lawmakers, including U.S. Reps. Monica de la Cruz and Henry Cuellar, the latter of whom said his office communicated with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and border czar Tom Homan to secure Ugboaja’s immediate release.By Sunday evening, Ugboaja, who volunteers as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows, had been released from custody and returned home.U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar told EWTN News that he was told at first that she could not be released until Monday because of staffing issues but that Homan made her earlier release happen.“[Homan] said he’d take care of it. I want to thank the DHS secretary and Homan for helping her get released” on Sunday, Cuellar said. The congressman said he now knows why Ugboaja was initially detained but is not at liberty to speak about it. “This is not the way they should have picked her up,” he emphasized. “If ICE had any questions, there would have been more appropriate ways to deal with her situation.”Cuellar said the image of a nun in full habit walking to church on a Sunday morning “lowers a curtain of fear in the community … We should not have people being picked up on the streets in America. That’s not America.” “If there’s fear, it should be focused on criminals,” the Democratic congressman said. “Those are the ones who should fear ICE.”Brenda Riojas, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, told EWTN News in a statement the diocese was “grateful also for the quick response of local representatives who reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to get Sister Leticia released from custody.”She noted the diocese is still gathering information about the circumstances regarding Ugboaja’s detainment by ICE.In the statement, Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville said the nun “is a well-known source of goodness and hope in our community, and I am grateful she has been released.”He said there remain “many questions” about her arrest. “For now, it is clear that Homeland Security enforcement protocols that make it possible for a religious sister, or anyone, to be detained and handcuffed while peacefully walking to church on a Sunday morning are wildly disturbing and need to be reformed.”The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States, started a petition addressed to Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, calling for an immediate investigation into why the nun was detained.“This incident highlights the concerns that advocates, faith leaders, and community organizations have raised for months about unlawful enforcement practices and the lack of oversight,” the petition reads.The incident comes amid heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has included operations near houses of worship.An ICE spokesperson told EWTN News in July 2025 that while the agency is “not subject to previous restrictions on immigration operations at sensitive locations, to include schools, churches, and courthouses,” it nevertheless “does not indiscriminately take enforcement actions at these locations.”“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws,” the spokesperson noted, adding: “All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removed from the United States.”In January, the Department of Homeland Security removed places of worship from its sensitive locations list, allowing ICE agents to carry out immigration enforcement procedures.Following a lawsuit from a group of 27 religious organizations, ICE was temporarily blocked in March 2025 from carrying out deportations in places of worship. However, one month later, a federal judge found the organizations did not have legal standing, thereby allowing operations to continue.Bishops in South Texas have reported increased anxiety among parishioners, with some opting to attend Mass virtually or requesting assistance with errands to avoid leaving their homes.Bishops in other parts of the country have issued dispensations from Mass attendance for those who fear deportation.San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller told EWTN News in January that instead of dispensing the Mass obligation, he wants to “reach out to those who are hidden.” “That’s our work. We will go and find them in their homes, bring catechists and Communion to their homes,” he said.Reached for comment, ICE referred EWTN News to the Homeland Security department, which did not respond by the time of publication.This story was updated at 3:13 p.m. ET on July 1, 2026, with the quotes from Rep. Cuellar.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/nun-arrested-by-ice-while-walking-to-sunday-mass-in-texas-released-after-lawmakers-intervention-catholic-a-catholic-nun-was-briefly-detained-by-federal-immigration-officers-while-walking.jpg "Nun arrested by ICE while walking to Sunday Mass in Texas released after lawmakers’ intervention – #Catholic – A Catholic nun was briefly detained by federal immigration officers while walking to church in her religious habit on Sunday, sparking widespread concern among local faith leaders and prompting swift intervention by members of Congress.Sister Leticia Ugboaja, a member of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy and a registered nurse at South Texas Health System, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on June 28 as she headed to Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas, just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.Parish officials quickly shared news of the arrest on social media, which drew significant attention and led to outreach from lawmakers, including U.S. Reps. Monica de la Cruz and Henry Cuellar, the latter of whom said his office communicated with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and border czar Tom Homan to secure Ugboaja’s immediate release.By Sunday evening, Ugboaja, who volunteers as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion at Our Lady of Sorrows, had been released from custody and returned home.U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar told EWTN News that he was told at first that she could not be released until Monday because of staffing issues but that Homan made her earlier release happen.“[Homan] said he’d take care of it. I want to thank the DHS secretary and Homan for helping her get released” on Sunday, Cuellar said. The congressman said he now knows why Ugboaja was initially detained but is not at liberty to speak about it. “This is not the way they should have picked her up,” he emphasized. “If ICE had any questions, there would have been more appropriate ways to deal with her situation.”Cuellar said the image of a nun in full habit walking to church on a Sunday morning “lowers a curtain of fear in the community … We should not have people being picked up on the streets in America. That’s not America.” “If there’s fear, it should be focused on criminals,” the Democratic congressman said. “Those are the ones who should fear ICE.”Brenda Riojas, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas, told EWTN News in a statement the diocese was “grateful also for the quick response of local representatives who reached out to the Department of Homeland Security to get Sister Leticia released from custody.”She noted the diocese is still gathering information about the circumstances regarding Ugboaja’s detainment by ICE.In the statement, Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville said the nun “is a well-known source of goodness and hope in our community, and I am grateful she has been released.”He said there remain “many questions” about her arrest. “For now, it is clear that Homeland Security enforcement protocols that make it possible for a religious sister, or anyone, to be detained and handcuffed while peacefully walking to church on a Sunday morning are wildly disturbing and need to be reformed.”The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States, started a petition addressed to Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, calling for an immediate investigation into why the nun was detained.“This incident highlights the concerns that advocates, faith leaders, and community organizations have raised for months about unlawful enforcement practices and the lack of oversight,” the petition reads.The incident comes amid heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has included operations near houses of worship.An ICE spokesperson told EWTN News in July 2025 that while the agency is “not subject to previous restrictions on immigration operations at sensitive locations, to include schools, churches, and courthouses,” it nevertheless “does not indiscriminately take enforcement actions at these locations.”“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws,” the spokesperson noted, adding: “All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removed from the United States.”In January, the Department of Homeland Security removed places of worship from its sensitive locations list, allowing ICE agents to carry out immigration enforcement procedures.Following a lawsuit from a group of 27 religious organizations, ICE was temporarily blocked in March 2025 from carrying out deportations in places of worship. However, one month later, a federal judge found the organizations did not have legal standing, thereby allowing operations to continue.Bishops in South Texas have reported increased anxiety among parishioners, with some opting to attend Mass virtually or requesting assistance with errands to avoid leaving their homes.Bishops in other parts of the country have issued dispensations from Mass attendance for those who fear deportation.San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller told EWTN News in January that instead of dispensing the Mass obligation, he wants to “reach out to those who are hidden.” “That’s our work. We will go and find them in their homes, bring catechists and Communion to their homes,” he said.Reached for comment, ICE referred EWTN News to the Homeland Security department, which did not respond by the time of publication.This story was updated at 3:13 p.m. ET on July 1, 2026, with the quotes from Rep. Cuellar.")
The incident comes amid heightened immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has included operations near houses of worship.
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the globular cluster NGC 6723, sometimes called the Chandelier Cluster.
Read MoreA reading from the Book of Amos
5:14-15, 21-24
Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts,
be with you as you claim!
Hate evil and love good,
and let justice prevail at the gate;
Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,
will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.I hate, I spurn your feasts, says the LORD,
I take no pleasure in your solemnities;
Your cereal offerings I will not accept,
nor consider your stall-fed peace offerings.
Away with your noisy songs!
I will not listen to the melodies of your harps.
But if you would offer me burnt offerings,
then let justice surge like water,
and goodness like an unfailing stream.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
8:28-34
When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned.
The swineherds ran away,
and when they came to the town they reported everything,
including what had happened to the demoniacs.
Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,
and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.
Satan’s power is not infinite. He is merely a creature, powerful inasmuch as he is a pure spirit, but still a creature, subject to the limitations of a creature and subordinate to God’s will and dominion. If Satan acts in the world out of his hatred for God and His kingdom, this is permitted by divine Providence, which with power and goodness (“fortiter et suaviter”) guides the history of man and the world. Although Satan’s actions certainly cause great harm – of a spiritual nature and indirectly also of a physical nature – to individuals and society, he is nevertheless unable to nullify the ultimate end towards which humanity and all creation are directed: the Good (…). Thus, the entire history of humanity can be viewed in terms of total salvation, in which Christ’s victory over the “prince of this world” is inscribed. (Saint John Paul II, General Audience, 20 August 1986)
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In retaliation for asking for prayers for the persecuted Church at a Mass he celebrated, the bishop was held for several hours by police, part of an ongoing campaign of harassment of clergy.
East Hanover Knights present scholarships, accept state award #Catholic – 
The Knights of Columbus East Hanover Council 6504 presented college scholarship awards to several local students at the council’s awards night held at St. Rose of Lima Church in East Hanover, N.J., on June 22. The council, with the support from an anonymous donor, awarded one-time college scholarships of $3,000 each to seven students: Sophia Duarte, Villanova University; Alicia Cosentino, Sacred Heart University; Lucas Lorent, University of Tennessee; Ryan Carrell, University of Miami; Anthony Cosentino, Rutgers University; Ava Patanella, Rider University; and Emma Patanella, University of Delaware. The students were congratulated by the council along with their family and friends who attended. Pictured with the students is Council 6504 Grand Knight Michael Trocchia.
At the same event, the East Hanover council was presented with the Drive for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Appreciation Award which had been given to the council on May 16 at the Knights of Columbus annual N.J. State Council Convention in appreciation for the council’s outstanding work with their Intellectual Disabilities Drive. Pictured above: Michael Spiecker, district deputy, who presented the award to the council; Michael Trocchia, Council 6504 Grand Knight; and Robert Cosentino, Council 6504’s Intellectual Disabilities Drive chairman.
– The Knights of Columbus East Hanover Council 6504 presented college scholarship awards to several local students at the council’s awards night held at St. Rose of Lima Church in East Hanover, N.J., on June 22. The council, with the support from an anonymous donor, awarded one-time college scholarships of $3,000 each to seven students: Sophia Duarte, Villanova University; Alicia Cosentino, Sacred Heart University; Lucas Lorent, University of Tennessee; Ryan Carrell, University of Miami; Anthony Cosentino, Rutgers University; Ava Patanella, Rider University; and Emma Patanella, University of Delaware. The students were congratulated by the council along with their family and friends
All Saints Academy celebrates 8th grade graduates #Catholic – 
All Saints Academy in Parsippany, N.J. celebrated this year’s eight-grade graduates on June 5. The day began with a family breakfast followed by the annual clap-out and concluded with a graduation Mass and award ceremony.
– All Saints Academy in Parsippany, N.J. celebrated this year’s eight-grade graduates on June 5. The day began with a family breakfast followed by the annual clap-out and concluded with a graduation Mass and award ceremony. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
![Aid official: ‘The world fell apart’ as coastal Venezuela awaits assistance – #Catholic – Several coastal states in Venezuela remain without foreign assistance as thousands of people — including children who have lost their families — are homeless or missing after two earthquakes last week.“The world fell apart in less than two minutes,” Claudia Gonzales, an external relations manager for World Vision Venezuela, told “EWTN News Nightly” on June 30. “And yesterday our government says that we already have confirmed 1,700 people that died during the earthquakes.”According to Gonzales, who lives just outside of Caracas, more than 60,000 people remain missing and 50,000 are homeless following a pair of 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.In her own city of Guarenas, she said, “we have more than 500 families that are sleeping in the streets, looking for help and looking for comfort.”“We have people on the ground with concrete under them, and we donʼt know if they are still alive,” she said.According to Gonzales, the most affected area is the coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas. She noted that several other northern states, including Carabobo, Falcón, Aragua, and Miranda, have not received aid.“We have a lot of children that have not only [lost] their houses,” she said. “We have children that have lost their entire family, their neighbors.”While Gonzales expressed gratitude for the influx of foreign aid and support, she emphasized that large parts of the population are still waiting for help.“The international help came,” she said. “But the thing is, La Guaira is big; that is not enough.”“The size of this tragedy, we’re talking about 80% of the buildings in La Guaira collapsed,” she said. “You know, itʼs just something that we never thought could happen in our country.”Catholic responseThe Catholic Church in Venezuela has mobilized alongside international Catholic nonprofits such as Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas International, and Catholic Charities to provide support for earthquake victims.CRS has been working in partnership with Caritas to provide food, shelter, and emergency healthcare to earthquake victims, according to CRS’ website.Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Miami announced a relief fund for earthquake victims on June 26, with Archbishop Thomas Wenski calling for “our Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill across South Florida to stand in solidarity with the communities that will be hard hit” and “to please be generous in providing assistance.”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/aid-official-the-world-fell-apart-as-coastal-venezuela-awaits-assistance-catholic-several-coastal-states-in-venezuela-remain-without-foreign-assistance-as-thousands-of-people.jpg "Aid official: ‘The world fell apart’ as coastal Venezuela awaits assistance – #Catholic – Several coastal states in Venezuela remain without foreign assistance as thousands of people — including children who have lost their families — are homeless or missing after two earthquakes last week.“The world fell apart in less than two minutes,” Claudia Gonzales, an external relations manager for World Vision Venezuela, told “EWTN News Nightly” on June 30. “And yesterday our government says that we already have confirmed 1,700 people that died during the earthquakes.”According to Gonzales, who lives just outside of Caracas, more than 60,000 people remain missing and 50,000 are homeless following a pair of 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.In her own city of Guarenas, she said, “we have more than 500 families that are sleeping in the streets, looking for help and looking for comfort.”“We have people on the ground with concrete under them, and we donʼt know if they are still alive,” she said.According to Gonzales, the most affected area is the coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas. She noted that several other northern states, including Carabobo, Falcón, Aragua, and Miranda, have not received aid.“We have a lot of children that have not only [lost] their houses,” she said. “We have children that have lost their entire family, their neighbors.”While Gonzales expressed gratitude for the influx of foreign aid and support, she emphasized that large parts of the population are still waiting for help.“The international help came,” she said. “But the thing is, La Guaira is big; that is not enough.”“The size of this tragedy, we’re talking about 80% of the buildings in La Guaira collapsed,” she said. “You know, itʼs just something that we never thought could happen in our country.”Catholic responseThe Catholic Church in Venezuela has mobilized alongside international Catholic nonprofits such as Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas International, and Catholic Charities to provide support for earthquake victims.CRS has been working in partnership with Caritas to provide food, shelter, and emergency healthcare to earthquake victims, according to CRS’ website.Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Miami announced a relief fund for earthquake victims on June 26, with Archbishop Thomas Wenski calling for “our Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill across South Florida to stand in solidarity with the communities that will be hard hit” and “to please be generous in providing assistance.”")
Claudia Gonzales, a World Vision Venezuela manager, said the quakes left children without families and thousands of people missing or homeless, with at least 1,700 confirmed deaths.
![A New Mexico mountain with Christ at the top is the latest battleground in U.S. immigration debate - #Catholic - Deacon Jim Winder, the chancellor of the Diocese of Las Cruces in New Mexico, says the diocese, which sits along the U.S.-Mexico border, is “not against border security.” “We’ve been accused of that, and it’s not correct,” he told EWTN News. In 2021 the diocese allowed federal immigration officials to build an access road and place motion sensors on diocesan-owned land that runs alongside Mexico, an arrangement the diocese renewed in 2023. “They’ve had that ever since,” Winder said. “We think that’s adequate. I don’t think any people can get through there with that system.” The U.S. federal government, however, is attempting to seize that land outright from the diocese and build a much more substantial border wall there. It is so determined to do so that it seeks to seize the land through eminent domain. Las Cruces is fighting the government’s attempt in court, putting the diocese at the forefront of the current U.S. immigration debate.Quite literally at the apex of the dispute is Mount Cristo Rey, a small mountain with a nearly-century-old statue of Jesus Christ atop it that has been a pilgrimage site for decades. The diocese says the government’s proposed border security at the base of the mountain would negatively affect pilgrims coming to the site.
A towering statue of Christ the King sits atop Mount Cristo Rey in the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, June 28, 2026. The mountain has become the site of a dispute between the diocese and the U.S. federal government over the seizure of land for a border wall. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jim Winder
The Trump administration’s immigration policy has come under fire from numerous elements of the U.S. Catholic Church over the past 18 months, including the U.S. bishops and multiple dioceses that have witnessed enhanced immigration enforcement. Various Church leaders have urged the administration to balance its border security efforts with more mercy and discretion.Winder stressed that the diocese is supportive of immigration security. But, he said, “we see the border wall as more of a political tool — something that the administration wants to do to show that they’re tough on immigration.” Winder said the disputed stretch of land near El Paso, Texas, is not ideal for illegal immigration. Mount Cristo Rey, he said, is “really rough. It’s not super tall but it’s rough. To try to go over the mountain to get in the United States — it’s a pretty effective barrier in and of itself.”“It’s nice flat ground on either side of it, for hundreds of miles,” he said. “[The government] patrols it. They’ve got vehicles parked there. I don’t think it’s a real high-volume place,” he observed, for illegal immigration crossings.Statue of Christ arose from priest’s visionAmid the ongoing court battle, Las Cruces Bishop Peter Baldacchino held a Mass atop Mount Cristo Rey on June 28, drawing hundreds of faithful to the sun-baked top of the mountain with Christ towering over them.
Bishop Peter Baldacchino celebrates Mass atop Mount Cristo Rey in the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, on June 28, 2026. The mountain has become the site of a dispute between the diocese and the federal government over the seizure of land for a border wall. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jim Winder
Mount Cristo Rey sits near the now-vanished town of Smeltertown within what Winder called a “unique” tip of land in New Mexico, one that is surrounded both by the state of Texas and the nation of Mexico. Both El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, are roughly southeast of the mountain. An informational website says the towering statue of Christ took shape from 1933, when local priest Father Lourdes Costa “[looked] out the back window of his residence in the community of Smeltertown [and] envisioned erecting a monument at the summit of this glorious mountain.” The 29-foot-tall limestone statue was dedicated in 1940. It has since become a regular pilgrimage site, with the faithful hiking up the short summit to the base of the monument. Winder said the decision to hold the Mass on June 28 was “completely apolitical.”“It wasn’t meant as a protest,” he said. “It was a Mass. It was meant for prayer, to bring people together, to practice unity, to pray for the Church, and to pray for government leaders.”The response to the Mass was “very good,” the deacon said. “It was very hot. It’s not a great time to climb mountains in southern New Mexico. But about 400 people showed up and made the climb. They came from all over. Some from El Paso, some from our diocese, some from Albuquerque and beyond.”
Pilgrims hike to the top of Mount Cristo Rey for Mass in the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, on June 28, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jim Winder
The mountain has served as a significant site for local Catholic worship for nearly a century, Winder said. He compared the geography of the area to the “Four Corners” monument where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico all meet. “This is a place where there’s this unity of two nations and two states,” he said. “There’s a symbolism of that unity in Christ the King standing above it. But it’s also a pilgrimage site.” “It’s just a special place,” he said. “It’s very powerful. It’s a magnificent place to have Mass.”
Bishop Peter Baldacchino hikes to the top of Mount Cristo Rey for Mass in the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, June 28, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jim Winder
The diocese was dealt a blow in June when a federal district court said the government could put down a six-figure deposit on the land as a pretext to obtaining it. The dispute is still ongoing, Winder said, with another hearing anticipated in late July. The diocese has filed numerous motions against the government’s effort, he said. He described the proposed border wall as more of a political symbol than a really practical measure, one that would mar the sacredness of the site.“If you go to the mountain and hike to the top, you’ll see a 30-foot-tall image of Christ the King,” he said. “And if the government builds this wall, and you turn your head slightly [from Christ], you’ll see a 30-foot ‘Keep Out’ sign below.” “It’s an affront,” he said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/a-new-mexico-mountain-with-christ-at-the-top-is-the-latest-battleground-in-u-s-immigration-debate-catholic-deacon-jim-winder-the-chancellor-of-the-diocese-of-las-cruces-in-new-mexico-says-the.jpg)
Mount Cristo Rey in the Diocese of Las Cruces stands over a disputed patch of borderland that the U.S. government is attempting to seize from the Catholic Church.
![Argentinians join in prayer for earthquake-shattered Venezuelans #Catholic With thousands dead, injured, and missing in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, Argentinians gathered in prayer for the Venezuelan people on June 28 at the basilica and national shrine of Our Lady of Luján. There, the archbishop of Mercedes-Luján, Jorge Eduardo Scheinig, offered Mass for the Venezuelan people.“Let us think of those who have died and their families,” Scheinig said in his homily. “In a single minute, so many people were left with nothing, absolutely nothing,” he noted.“Let us pray for the rescue workers and for all those who are working [on the ground]. Let us stand in solidarity with them through prayer,” said Scheinig, who proceeded to lead a moment of silence to pray to God and the Virgin for the people of Venezuela.The archbishop dedicated the rest of his homily to examining priorities, those things that “carry more weight than others” and “have the power to bring order to our lives.”“If you have the right priorities, you are at peace. But if you choose your priorities poorly, it causes confusion and anguish for you; it doesn’t help you live well. So, from time to time, we need to have the courage to reexamine our priorities,” he noted.In this regard, he said that “Jesus helps us order our priorities,” and elaborated: “What is Jesus’ priority? God. What comes first for Jesus? God. And what does he advise us? Put God first, and you won’t regret it,” he explained.He therefore urged people to ask themselves: “What place does God hold? What place does Mass hold?” he continued. “If you put God’s love first, if you love God in your life — that love is so good, so pure, and so radiant that it brings order to your entire life and helps you understand your whole life. Because God takes nothing away from you; he fills your life with love,” he pointed out. “Putting God first means taking a stand, taking a risk, and filling your heart with love; that helps you love everyone and everything in a different way, to love better,” he emphasized.Referring to the situation in Venezuela, Scheinig reflected: “Just look at how strange the world is. Today, television shows harrowing scenes. I was watching the news and saw a little boy crying — he had been left all alone after the earthquake, and it breaks your heart. Yet, a short while later, we’re watching the Argentina [World Cup] match.”“And notice, too, that we see scenes of war, of migrants who have nothing and live in a small tent. That’s the world. It happens to us in a family as well: You might be celebrating the 15th birthday of one of your children and then a close relative dies or someone comes down with an illness. That’s life. Life is that strange mix of very beautiful things and deeply painful things,” he noted.“But when your heart has priorities, you don’t get confused. And so, yes, we can cheer for the national team, but my priority isn’t soccer; my priority is life, it’s what happens to other people. I don’t let the things of life desensitize me,” he cautioned.That is why, “if God is your priority, you are able to not get desensitized to pain. You have your life on track. You can watch the World Cup, but you realize that it isn’t the priority. Your life is in order. You know where you stand, what you want, and what you don’t want,” he continued.In that context, he added, the need arises to stand with Venezuelans in prayer: “God, strengthen so many people whose lives changed in an instant.”“We also feel moved to show solidarity, to give money and goods, and to share what we have with those in need because your heart is rightly ordered; it is with God.”“Life presents us with complex, difficult moments in the world,” Scheinig acknowledged, while expressing the hope that “God holds first place on our list of priorities, so that we may remain good people.”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.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/argentinians-join-in-prayer-for-earthquake-shattered-venezuelans-catholic-with-thousands-dead-injured-and-missing-in-the-wake-of-last-weeks-devastating-earthquakes-in-venezuela-argentinia-scaled.jpg "Argentinians join in prayer for earthquake-shattered Venezuelans #Catholic With thousands dead, injured, and missing in the wake of last week’s devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, Argentinians gathered in prayer for the Venezuelan people on June 28 at the basilica and national shrine of Our Lady of Luján. There, the archbishop of Mercedes-Luján, Jorge Eduardo Scheinig, offered Mass for the Venezuelan people.“Let us think of those who have died and their families,” Scheinig said in his homily. “In a single minute, so many people were left with nothing, absolutely nothing,” he noted.“Let us pray for the rescue workers and for all those who are working [on the ground]. Let us stand in solidarity with them through prayer,” said Scheinig, who proceeded to lead a moment of silence to pray to God and the Virgin for the people of Venezuela.The archbishop dedicated the rest of his homily to examining priorities, those things that “carry more weight than others” and “have the power to bring order to our lives.”“If you have the right priorities, you are at peace. But if you choose your priorities poorly, it causes confusion and anguish for you; it doesn’t help you live well. So, from time to time, we need to have the courage to reexamine our priorities,” he noted.In this regard, he said that “Jesus helps us order our priorities,” and elaborated: “What is Jesus’ priority? God. What comes first for Jesus? God. And what does he advise us? Put God first, and you won’t regret it,” he explained.He therefore urged people to ask themselves: “What place does God hold? What place does Mass hold?” he continued. “If you put God’s love first, if you love God in your life — that love is so good, so pure, and so radiant that it brings order to your entire life and helps you understand your whole life. Because God takes nothing away from you; he fills your life with love,” he pointed out. “Putting God first means taking a stand, taking a risk, and filling your heart with love; that helps you love everyone and everything in a different way, to love better,” he emphasized.Referring to the situation in Venezuela, Scheinig reflected: “Just look at how strange the world is. Today, television shows harrowing scenes. I was watching the news and saw a little boy crying — he had been left all alone after the earthquake, and it breaks your heart. Yet, a short while later, we’re watching the Argentina [World Cup] match.”“And notice, too, that we see scenes of war, of migrants who have nothing and live in a small tent. That’s the world. It happens to us in a family as well: You might be celebrating the 15th birthday of one of your children and then a close relative dies or someone comes down with an illness. That’s life. Life is that strange mix of very beautiful things and deeply painful things,” he noted.“But when your heart has priorities, you don’t get confused. And so, yes, we can cheer for the national team, but my priority isn’t soccer; my priority is life, it’s what happens to other people. I don’t let the things of life desensitize me,” he cautioned.That is why, “if God is your priority, you are able to not get desensitized to pain. You have your life on track. You can watch the World Cup, but you realize that it isn’t the priority. Your life is in order. You know where you stand, what you want, and what you don’t want,” he continued.In that context, he added, the need arises to stand with Venezuelans in prayer: “God, strengthen so many people whose lives changed in an instant.”“We also feel moved to show solidarity, to give money and goods, and to share what we have with those in need because your heart is rightly ordered; it is with God.”“Life presents us with complex, difficult moments in the world,” Scheinig acknowledged, while expressing the hope that “God holds first place on our list of priorities, so that we may remain good people.”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.")
In his homily during a Mass offered for the earthquake’s victims, Archbishop Jorge Scheinig urged the faithful to reexamine their priorities in life, realizing one can lose everything in an instant.
The national director of the Pastoral Affairs Department of Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) said the Church’s commitment to young people requires creating and maintaining safe environments.
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Bags of organic fertiliser adorn newly-planted fields against a backdrop of the Western Catchment in the Nilgiri mountains. Tamil Nadu, India
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The NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory has officially launched the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), a 10-year census of the southern sky that astronomers have anticipated for decades. The announcement came June 30, capping a months-long commissioning process that followed the facility’s handover from construction to operations last October. “It is amazing andContinue reading “Vera C. Rubin Observatory begins its Legacy Survey of Space and Time”
The post Vera C. Rubin Observatory begins its Legacy Survey of Space and Time appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) assists flight engineer Chris Williams of NASA as he tries on his spacesuit, testing its comfort and mobility as well as its communications and life support systems inside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock.
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Abelardo De la Espriella visited the shrines of El Moro, Our Lady of the Remedies, and St. Peter Claver, and the Lord of Miracles minor basilica in a thanksgiving tour after winning the presidency.
![Catholic Church, U.S. government drive relief efforts in Venezuela – #Catholic – Local parishes and Catholic nonprofits have mobilized across Venezuela to support earthquake victims, working alongside the U.S. government as it continues to expand disaster assistance. Father Edgar Magallanes, SJ, national director of Jesuit Refugee Service Venezuela, told “EWTN News Nightly” on June 29 that the situation in Venezuela is “getting bad,” as efforts are split between “rescue on one side and affected populations on the other side.”This comes as the State Department announced June 29 that U.S. funding for relief efforts in Venezuela has increased to more than $300 million. The State Department said: “All U.S. humanitarian funding has been directed to a range of trusted international and nongovernmental partners,” including Catholic Relief Services.Magallanes said ground zero in Venezuela is facing a “difficult situation” as “the number of deceased people generated a smell, a difficult smell, and all people are using masks like the time of COVID-19.”“People in some areas feel invisible to the government, to the aid efforts,” he said. “But we’re working on it.”Magallanes said JRS is operating under the emergency protocol established by the Conference of Provincials of Latin America, which includes activating an immediate response team, connecting with first responders, and coordinating aid distribution through centers run by the Society of Jesus in Caracas.“So, we are caring for our affected collaborators, teachers, and their families, as well as participants of our programs, and we are helping with humanitarian aid,” he said. “We are coordinating efforts as well to assess damages and needs with national and international NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] and with the United Nations.”Victims displaced by the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that occurred in Venezuela on June 24 have also been taking shelter at Catholic churches and parish halls in the nation’s capital as part of support initiatives coordinated by Archbishop Raúl Biord Castillo of Caracas, according to a local missionary, Brother Deiby Fuenmayor, MSC.Fuenmayor told Agenzia Fides, the Pontifical Mission Societies information service, that “many people are sleeping outdoors, in parks, because their homes are uninhabitable” and that the Church is working to collect nonperishable food items, drinking water, and mattresses for redistribution.“Even though we are in a working-class neighborhood, people are very generous,” he said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/catholic-church-u-s-government-drive-relief-efforts-in-venezuela-catholic-local-parishes-and-catholic-nonprofits-have-mobilized-across-venezuela-to-support-earthquake-victims-working-alongside.jpg "Catholic Church, U.S. government drive relief efforts in Venezuela – #Catholic – Local parishes and Catholic nonprofits have mobilized across Venezuela to support earthquake victims, working alongside the U.S. government as it continues to expand disaster assistance. Father Edgar Magallanes, SJ, national director of Jesuit Refugee Service Venezuela, told “EWTN News Nightly” on June 29 that the situation in Venezuela is “getting bad,” as efforts are split between “rescue on one side and affected populations on the other side.”This comes as the State Department announced June 29 that U.S. funding for relief efforts in Venezuela has increased to more than $300 million. The State Department said: “All U.S. humanitarian funding has been directed to a range of trusted international and nongovernmental partners,” including Catholic Relief Services.Magallanes said ground zero in Venezuela is facing a “difficult situation” as “the number of deceased people generated a smell, a difficult smell, and all people are using masks like the time of COVID-19.”“People in some areas feel invisible to the government, to the aid efforts,” he said. “But we’re working on it.”Magallanes said JRS is operating under the emergency protocol established by the Conference of Provincials of Latin America, which includes activating an immediate response team, connecting with first responders, and coordinating aid distribution through centers run by the Society of Jesus in Caracas.“So, we are caring for our affected collaborators, teachers, and their families, as well as participants of our programs, and we are helping with humanitarian aid,” he said. “We are coordinating efforts as well to assess damages and needs with national and international NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] and with the United Nations.”Victims displaced by the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that occurred in Venezuela on June 24 have also been taking shelter at Catholic churches and parish halls in the nation’s capital as part of support initiatives coordinated by Archbishop Raúl Biord Castillo of Caracas, according to a local missionary, Brother Deiby Fuenmayor, MSC.Fuenmayor told Agenzia Fides, the Pontifical Mission Societies information service, that “many people are sleeping outdoors, in parks, because their homes are uninhabitable” and that the Church is working to collect nonperishable food items, drinking water, and mattresses for redistribution.“Even though we are in a working-class neighborhood, people are very generous,” he said.")
“People in some areas feel invisible to the government, to the aid efforts,” Father Edgar Magallanes, SJ, national director of Jesuit Relief Services Venezuela, said. “But we’re working on it.”
![Supreme Court to review parents’ challenge to law regarding notification of gender transitions – #Catholic – The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a lawsuit from parents who are challenging a Washington state law that prevents youth shelters from immediately notifying parents when minors who run away from home are seeking gender transitions.Under the law, adopted in 2023, shelters that house runaway youth cannot immediately tell parents when a child is “seeking or receiving” gender transition medical services. It allows the state to refer the child for “behavioral health services” but does not change parental consent laws generally required for hormone therapy or surgeries.The law directs shelters to notify the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families when housing a runaway child who is seeking gender transition services and “offer services designed to resolve the conflict” between the child and the parents before the parents will be notified and before the department works toward family reunification.The legal challenge comes from parents whose children exhibit gender dysphoria. Lower courts ruled the parents did not have standing to sue because their children are not currently in a youth shelter, but the Supreme Court has agreed to review that decision.In the lawsuit, five sets of parents express concern their child may run away and seek gender transition services. The parents argue the law violates their 14th Amendment right to direct the upbringing of their children. The Supreme Court has affirmed this right as protected under the amendment for more than a century.“This statute allows shelters and homes to keep children at locations without their parents’ knowledge and refer those children for health interventions without their parents’ knowledge or approval,” it states. “It does not require children to be returned on any particular timetable or under any particular conditions.”It also argues that the law restricts some of the parents’ First Amendment rights to the free exercise of religion, including at least one set of parents who are practicing Catholics.The original lawsuit cites the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Those plaintiffs … adhere to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church when it teaches, ‘By creating the human being man and woman, God gives personal dignity to the one and the other. Each of them, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity’” (No. 2293).The parents are joined in the lawsuit by two advocacy groups: International Partners for Ethical Care and Advocates Protecting Children.A spokesman for International Partners for Ethical Care told EWTN News the organization is “heartened that the Supreme Court will finally hear a case that addresses the rights of all parents to protect their children from harmful medical interventions.”“We hope this case will not be cast as a religious liberties issue but as a safeguarding issue for parents and children of any or no faith,” the spokesperson said. “Parents should not have to live in fear of the state taking custody of their children if they disagree with a deceptive ideology and dangerous treatments.”Mike Faulk, deputy communications director for Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, told EWTN News the lower courts found that the families did not show how they were “likely to be injured by the law” and “we will be prepared to successfully defend it at the Supreme Court.”“This law was passed to give runaway youth and their families access to reunification and behavioral health services,” he said. “The law makes clear that the Department of Children, Youth, and Families must make good faith attempts to contact families with a goal of reunification.”The law has received opposition from the Washington Catholic Conference, which represents the bishops of the state’s three dioceses. It criticized the bill when it was being considered in a 2023 newsletter, saying the social teachings of the Catholic Church affirm “the family is the most central social institution, and it must be supported and strengthened.”“[This bill] undermines families,” the statement added. “In line with the bishops’ legislative priorities to protect children and families and respect life, the [conference] opposes [the bill].”](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/supreme-court-to-review-parents-challenge-to-law-regarding-notification-of-gender-transitions-catholic-the-u-s-supreme-court-will-hear-a-lawsuit-from-parents-who-are-challenging-a-washi-scaled.jpg "Supreme Court to review parents’ challenge to law regarding notification of gender transitions – #Catholic – The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a lawsuit from parents who are challenging a Washington state law that prevents youth shelters from immediately notifying parents when minors who run away from home are seeking gender transitions.Under the law, adopted in 2023, shelters that house runaway youth cannot immediately tell parents when a child is “seeking or receiving” gender transition medical services. It allows the state to refer the child for “behavioral health services” but does not change parental consent laws generally required for hormone therapy or surgeries.The law directs shelters to notify the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families when housing a runaway child who is seeking gender transition services and “offer services designed to resolve the conflict” between the child and the parents before the parents will be notified and before the department works toward family reunification.The legal challenge comes from parents whose children exhibit gender dysphoria. Lower courts ruled the parents did not have standing to sue because their children are not currently in a youth shelter, but the Supreme Court has agreed to review that decision.In the lawsuit, five sets of parents express concern their child may run away and seek gender transition services. The parents argue the law violates their 14th Amendment right to direct the upbringing of their children. The Supreme Court has affirmed this right as protected under the amendment for more than a century.“This statute allows shelters and homes to keep children at locations without their parents’ knowledge and refer those children for health interventions without their parents’ knowledge or approval,” it states. “It does not require children to be returned on any particular timetable or under any particular conditions.”It also argues that the law restricts some of the parents’ First Amendment rights to the free exercise of religion, including at least one set of parents who are practicing Catholics.The original lawsuit cites the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Those plaintiffs … adhere to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church when it teaches, ‘By creating the human being man and woman, God gives personal dignity to the one and the other. Each of them, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity’” (No. 2293).The parents are joined in the lawsuit by two advocacy groups: International Partners for Ethical Care and Advocates Protecting Children.A spokesman for International Partners for Ethical Care told EWTN News the organization is “heartened that the Supreme Court will finally hear a case that addresses the rights of all parents to protect their children from harmful medical interventions.”“We hope this case will not be cast as a religious liberties issue but as a safeguarding issue for parents and children of any or no faith,” the spokesperson said. “Parents should not have to live in fear of the state taking custody of their children if they disagree with a deceptive ideology and dangerous treatments.”Mike Faulk, deputy communications director for Washington Attorney General Nick Brown, told EWTN News the lower courts found that the families did not show how they were “likely to be injured by the law” and “we will be prepared to successfully defend it at the Supreme Court.”“This law was passed to give runaway youth and their families access to reunification and behavioral health services,” he said. “The law makes clear that the Department of Children, Youth, and Families must make good faith attempts to contact families with a goal of reunification.”The law has received opposition from the Washington Catholic Conference, which represents the bishops of the state’s three dioceses. It criticized the bill when it was being considered in a 2023 newsletter, saying the social teachings of the Catholic Church affirm “the family is the most central social institution, and it must be supported and strengthened.”“[This bill] undermines families,” the statement added. “In line with the bishops’ legislative priorities to protect children and families and respect life, the [conference] opposes [the bill].”")
The parents argue that their right to direct the upbringing of their children is in jeopardy. The state continues to defend the law.
![San Francisco Archdiocese will pay $395 million to abuse victims, Archbishop Cordileone says #Catholic The Archdiocese of San Francisco will offer abuse victims nearly $400 million as part of a broad settlement of the substantial number of sex abuse lawsuits brought against it. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said on June 29 that the proposed $395 million settlement would “resolve all lawsuits related to child sexual abuse” brought against the archdiocese under California’s expanded statute of limitations. Cordileone said the archdiocese in the past has helped parishes, schools, and other archdiocesan entities absorb the cost of sex-abuse lawsuits, but he said the “current environment” of abuse lawsuits is “much more challenging.” Schools and parishes “will need to contribute funds” to the settlement both in order to ensure their own legal safeguards and to “share in the work of making amends for the harm of the past,” he said.The archdiocese announced it was filing for bankruptcy in August 2023 in response to more than 500 civil lawsuits filed against it. The voluminous lawsuits were brought against the archdiocese under California’s 2019 Assembly Bill 218, which significantly expanded the statute of limitations in the state regarding civil sex abuse lawsuits. In a separate release, the archdiocese said it would seek to “preserve the vital ministries of Catholic education and parish life” even as it moves to pay out the major nine-figure settlement. The archdiocese has “no current plans to close schools or parishes to reach the proposed settlement,” it said. The settlement has yet to be finalized in federal bankruptcy court. The archdiocese said that all litigation involving the lawsuits has been paused while the parties “work in good faith on the details of a consensual Chapter 11 plan of reorganization.”The settlement represents one of the larger abuse payout amounts in U.S. Catholic history, though a few others have been considerably larger. In October 2024 the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced an $880 million clergy abuse settlement, while the New York Archdiocese in May said it would pay out $800 million to abuse victims. Cordileone on June 29 acknowledged that “no financial settlement can erase the painful legacy of these past actions.” But “we believe this proposal offers a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have carried the burden of this abuse for a lifetime,” he said. The archdiocese “remain[s] committed to fostering healing and reconciliation and to accompanying all who deserve our unwavering respect, attention, and prayers,” he said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/san-francisco-archdiocese-will-pay-395-million-to-abuse-victims-archbishop-cordileone-says-catholic-the-archdiocese-of-san-francisco-will-offer-abuse-victims-nearly-400-million-as-part-of-a-broad.jpg "San Francisco Archdiocese will pay $395 million to abuse victims, Archbishop Cordileone says #Catholic The Archdiocese of San Francisco will offer abuse victims nearly $400 million as part of a broad settlement of the substantial number of sex abuse lawsuits brought against it. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said on June 29 that the proposed $395 million settlement would “resolve all lawsuits related to child sexual abuse” brought against the archdiocese under California’s expanded statute of limitations. Cordileone said the archdiocese in the past has helped parishes, schools, and other archdiocesan entities absorb the cost of sex-abuse lawsuits, but he said the “current environment” of abuse lawsuits is “much more challenging.” Schools and parishes “will need to contribute funds” to the settlement both in order to ensure their own legal safeguards and to “share in the work of making amends for the harm of the past,” he said.The archdiocese announced it was filing for bankruptcy in August 2023 in response to more than 500 civil lawsuits filed against it. The voluminous lawsuits were brought against the archdiocese under California’s 2019 Assembly Bill 218, which significantly expanded the statute of limitations in the state regarding civil sex abuse lawsuits. In a separate release, the archdiocese said it would seek to “preserve the vital ministries of Catholic education and parish life” even as it moves to pay out the major nine-figure settlement. The archdiocese has “no current plans to close schools or parishes to reach the proposed settlement,” it said. The settlement has yet to be finalized in federal bankruptcy court. The archdiocese said that all litigation involving the lawsuits has been paused while the parties “work in good faith on the details of a consensual Chapter 11 plan of reorganization.”The settlement represents one of the larger abuse payout amounts in U.S. Catholic history, though a few others have been considerably larger. In October 2024 the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced an $880 million clergy abuse settlement, while the New York Archdiocese in May said it would pay out $800 million to abuse victims. Cordileone on June 29 acknowledged that “no financial settlement can erase the painful legacy of these past actions.” But “we believe this proposal offers a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have carried the burden of this abuse for a lifetime,” he said. The archdiocese “remain[s] committed to fostering healing and reconciliation and to accompanying all who deserve our unwavering respect, attention, and prayers,” he said.")
The proposed settlement will “resolve all lawsuits” regarding child sex abuse involving archdiocesan officials, the prelate said in a press release.
![Procession urges dignity and respect for migrants at border crossing #Catholic Catholic bishops, clergy, and hundreds of faithful processed across the U.S.–Mexico border to celebrate the contribution of immigrants in America ahead of the 250th anniversary of the nation.
Catholic bishops, clergy, and hundreds of faithful attended the Border Mass 250 at Sacred Heart Church in Nogales, Arizona, on June 26, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Brett Meister/Diocese of Phoenix
“Weʼre here as shepherds and as pastors to walk with people, to listen to people, and to be well together with the people of God here at the border,” Bishop James Misko of Tucson, Arizona, said at the event.“We call ourselves Christians. To be called a Christian means to be like Christ — to be living a life as conformed to Christ as possible. And we know that justice is being in right relationship with God and one another,” Misko said.Organized by the dioceses of Tucson and Phoenix in partnership with the Kino Border Initiative, the Hope Border Institute, and the Center for Migration Studies, the June 26 event included a conversation on immigration with U.S. Catholic bishops, Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Nogales, Arizona, and a rosary procession across the international line.The pastoral conversation on migration and human dignity “was a great conversation with five bishops about what the Church holds to be true when it comes to migration and human dignity,” Misko said.Misko and Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix were joined in conversation by Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas; and Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of Tucson.
Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas; Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Bishop James Misko of Tucson, Arizona; Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix; and Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, gather for the Border Mass 250 in Nogales, Arizona on June 26, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Brett Meister/Diocese of Phoenix
“As we mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are reminded that we are made by our Creator with certain inalienable rights. Theyʼre given by God,” Seitz said at the event.“That is a fundamental reality that we in the Church always have in mind and that no policy, no executive order or Supreme Court decision can take away,” Seitz said.After the bishops celebrated Mass, the procession began at the Arizona parish and concluded at Parroquia De Pa Purísima Concepción — a Catholic church in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. The group ended the event with a meal with migrants hosted by the Kino Border Initiative.Mexican bishops José Luis Cerra Luna of Nogales and Enrique Sanchez Martinez of Mexicali also participated in the binational event.
U.S. and Mexican bishops celebrate the Border Mass 250 at Sacred Heart Church in Nogales, Arizona, on June 26, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Brett Meister/Diocese of Phoenix
U.S. bishops have ‘almost complete unanimity’ on immigration matter“What is discouraging for me is that as a country, we have not yet been able to address the issue of immigration,” Kicanas said. “The conference of bishops has been clamoring, crying out, for comprehensive immigration reform, and we have not yet been able to accomplish that.”“We have to address the immigration policy of our country — as [do] most countries around the world today. Itʼs a serious concern. All of us want this situation to improve,” Kicanas said.
Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas; Archbishop John Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Bishop John Dolan of Phoenix; and Bishop James Misko of Tucson, Arizona, lead the Border Mass 250 rosary procession from Nogales, Arizona, to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, on June 26, 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Brett Meister/Diocese of Phoenix
“The bishops have been advocating for comprehensive immigration reform for a long, long time,” and Border Mass 250 “was just one more example of that,” Wester said.The event followed other calls for reform including pastoral letters on immigration and a special message from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops highlighting their opposition to “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people.”The bishops approved the message at their 2025 fall plenary assembly on Nov. 12, 2025, where the motion passed with support from more than 95% of the American bishops who voted.“One of the key principles of Catholic social teaching is solidarity — that weʼre together,” Wester said. “But this is an issue, Iʼd say, that enjoys almost complete unanimity in the bishops’ conference.”The bishops are addressing the matter as communities across the country “are looking for a clear moral response to the human cost of mass detention and deportation,” Dylan Corbett, executive director at Hope Border Institute, told EWTN News.“In union with Pope Leo XIV, who will soon go to Lampedusa, the border Mass in Nogales was a way for the Catholic community to name the suffering, affirm the dignity of those affected by these policies, and commit to working for reform,” said Corbett, who is also a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.“In this moment, moral clarity must be matched by ongoing action that recognizes the contributions of immigrants to our country and the urgent need to work for justice,” he said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/procession-urges-dignity-and-respect-for-migrants-at-border-crossing-catholic-catholic-bishops-clergy-and-hundreds-of-faithful-processed-across-the-u-s-mexico-border-to-celebrate-the-contr-scaled.jpg)
The Border Mass 250 included a conversation on immigration with U.S. Catholic bishops, celebration of a Mass, and a rosary procession across the international line.
The most prominent Catholics of the United States in our first 250 years: Msgr. Kupke’s ‘Top Ten’ #Catholic – 
Dear Readers,
It is my pleasure to share with you an article written by Msgr. Raymond Kupke, Diocesan Archivist, Pastor Emeritus of St. Anthony of Padua, Hawthorne, Professor of Church History at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology, Seton Hall University, author of the book “Living Stones,” and co-host of the “Coffee with Kupke” podcast.
As you will read in the article, as we look towards the 250th Anniversary of our nation’s Independence, I had asked Msgr. Kupke to consider the most prominent or influential Catholics in the first 250 years of the United States – a daunting and challenging task, but, unsurprisingly, Msgr. Kupke was more than “up to the challenge.” As you read Msgr. Kupke’s thoughts, reflections, and historical perspective, I hope you will have an experience similar to my own, a feeling of being inspired by and of deep gratitude for the women and men whose Catholic Faith, Identity, and Leadership helped to build our country, allowing us to truly be “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Let us continue to pray that God will continue to Bless and watch over our nation, “God Bless America.”
Soon, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. In conjunction with that, Bishop Kevin Sweeney asked me to come up with a list of the 10 most prominent Catholics in America’s 250-year history. It has been a daunting task! I found myself starting out by eliminating whole groups of faithful Catholics. I decided not to include any statesmen/politicians (Al Smith, Joe Biden, Antonin Scalia), or Athletes (Vince Lombardi, Yogi Berra, Katie Ledecky), or entertainment figures (Helen Hayes, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne). I also came to the conclusion that there were two “elephants in the room,” namely the first Catholic President, John F. Kennedy, and the first American Pope, Leo XIV. I eliminated them because their impact is just too far-reaching.
So that left me with a list of four bishops, three priests, two nuns, and one laywoman, three of them converts to Catholicism. In my humble opinion, their impact on American Catholicism stands out.
First, three bishops: Archbishop John Carroll of Baltimore (1735-1815), Archbishop John Hughes of New York (1797-1864), and Cardinal James Gibbons of Baltimore (1834-1921).
Carroll was a native Marylander (his cousin, Charles, is the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence), and in his time he founded both America’s first Catholic college (Georgetown) and its first seminary (Saint Mary’s). He is perhaps the only native son to be the founder of a national hierarchy. (When his diocese was divided in 1808, all four of the new bishops were foreign missionaries). His keen understanding of the American psyche gave him an ability to mediate between Roman expectations and American realities in structuring the Church in our country.
Archbishop Hughes, the first Archbishop of New York, known as “Dagger John,” led and defended his flock during the turbulent years of the Trusteeism issue and the nativist “Know-Nothing” era. His struggles to allow the younger members of his flock the opportunity to study their own faith and not non-Catholic tenets led him to embrace and establish the concept of “parochial” schools that has marked American Catholicism. His understanding of where America was headed led him to select a rural site, then miles beyond the actual city, for the current Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.
Cardinal Gibbons’ life is a list of superlatives. When he was named Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina in 1868, he was the youngest Catholic bishop in the world. Two years later, he was the youngest “father” at Vatican I, and, at his death, was the last surviving father of that ecumenical council. After being made cardinal in 1886, he was, for much of the next 35 years, the only cardinal in the Western Hemisphere. In 1903, he became the first American to vote in a papal conclave. During his time, the Baltimore Archdiocese included Washington, D.C., so he became the unofficial liaison between the bishops and the federal government. He provided moderate effective leadership for the American hierarchy during its most stormy period, the “Americanism” crisis of the 1890s. He skillfully used his own Golden Jubilee as a bishop in 1918 to push his fellow bishops into forming a national bishops’ conference.
Father Michael McGivney (1852-1890) was a Connecticut pastor during the Golden Era of American Fraternalism, when many national fraternal groups flourished. For a variety of reasons, Catholics were excluded from many of these groups, and Catholic men, in particular, experienced career and economic disadvantages from their exclusion. McGivney saw the need for an alternative for Catholic men, and so, in 1882, he founded the Knights of Columbus. It is a tribute to McGivney’s foresight that what started as a fraternal insurance group has successfully reinvented itself to meet the needs of the Church and Catholic men in every era. In particular, the Knights’ rising to the fore on behalf of American Catholicism in World War I, when there was no other national Catholic organization to respond, is to their everlasting credit.
The two religious women on the list, Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821) and Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), both can claim to be the “first.” When Pope Pius XII canonized Cabrini in 1946, it marked the first time an American citizen had been raised to the honors of the altar. When Pope Paul VI canonized Seton in 1975, it marked the first time a native of the United States had been so honored. She was celebrated on the cover of The New York Times magazine that Sunday as “Saint Elizabeth of New York.” Both were very strong women who could effectively “handle” any man who chose to try to rein them in. As foundresses of religious communities, they worked at opposite ends of the nineteenth century – Seton on behalf of Catholic education and Cabrini as the advocate for the immigrants to the New World. Their canonizations – less than 30 years apart – say something about their impact.
I do not think that the soon-to-be-beatified Archbishop Fulton Sheen (1895-1979), the Trappist contemplative Thomas Merton (1915-1968) and the social activist Dorothy Day (1897-1980) ever thought of themselves as a “team.” But as I look back on American Catholicism in the 20th century, I think they were a very powerful and successful triad. After World War II, the story of American Catholicism changed. The anti-Catholicism present in much of the country was softened by the effects of war. When Jews and Catholics and Protestants were thrown together to fight in the trenches of Europe, there was not much room left over for bigotry. The war and the G.I. Bill changed the futures of many American veterans – Catholic and otherwise.
And onto that brand new stage – with its new medium, television – marched Msgr. Fulton Sheen. He was brilliant, witty, telegenic, and engaging. He had a natural talent for apologetics – and for television. He was the first great “star” produced by the new medium, and each week millions of Americans — Catholic and otherwise — listened in to his program, Life is Worth Living. His intelligible presentation of Catholic teaching had a profound impact on his audience and helped produce many converts. But in case you thought that Catholicism was all doctrine and ceremony, there suddenly appeared these other two converts, Merton and Day, almost flanking Sheen and backing him up. One provided an entrée to the depth and power of Catholic spirituality, especially contemplative spirituality. The other, with her newspaper and organization both named The Catholic Worker, reminded several generations of Catholics that their faith had a practical, lived dimension. When you finished watching Sheen on Life is Worth Living, then you sat down and started reading the two autobiographies, The Seven Storey Mountain (Merton) and A Long Loneliness (Day) for context and depth and reflection.
The three of them helped reshape American Catholicism in the second half of the twentieth century. I do not think it is too far a stretch to see them as a remote preparation for the elections of the two elephants, President John F. Kennedy and Pope Leo XIV.
My final top 10 choice is the Jesuit Priest and Theologian John Courtney Murray (1904-1967). Although his writings, especially on Church and State, were originally highly suspect in Roman circles, New York Cardinal Francis J. Spellman brought him to Vatican II as his “peritus.” Murray is generally regarded as the ghostwriter of the conciliar “Declaration on Religious Liberty.” He took two centuries of American ecumenical and interfaith experience and put a theological framework around it, making a unique American contribution to the Council and to the Church.
So, after too much thought and hand wringing, those are my top 10. I do not really expect many people to accept them outright. But I hope they will at least provide a starting point for discussion.
I apologize to all the many men and women whose contributions to our faith in our country did not make it on my list. Perhaps it will calm the waters if I mention that one of my own fantasies is to host a small dinner party around the topic “American Catholic Identity,” and invite just six of my favorite “practicing Catholics:” Kobe Bryant, Taylor Caldwell, Stephen Colbert, Nancy Pelosi, Mark Wahlberg, and Andy Warhol.
– Dear Readers, It is my pleasure to share with you an article written by Msgr. Raymond Kupke, Diocesan Archivist, Pastor Emeritus of St. Anthony of Padua, Hawthorne, Professor of Church History at Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology, Seton Hall University, author of the book “Living Stones,” and co-host of the “Coffee with Kupke” podcast. As you will read in the article, as we look towards the 250th Anniversary of our nation’s Independence, I had asked Msgr. Kupke to consider the most prominent or influential Catholics in the first 250 years of the United States – a daunting and challenging
Rocket launches this week On Tuesday, June 30, Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL will air-launch at 6:23 a.m. EDT from the Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands for the Swift Boost Mission. The rocket’s payload is the LINK spacecraft, built by Katalyst Space Technologies, which will rendezvous with NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory — aContinue reading “Swift Boost mission to launch on Tuesday”
The post Swift Boost mission to launch on Tuesday appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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The group is encouraging communities around the world to honor victims of nuclear weapons through lantern float ceremonies this summer.
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Flower of a Geranium sanguineum, bloody crane’s-bill. Focus stack of 51 photos.
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![Catholic Charities Wiegand Farm Golf Classic generates strong community support #Catholic - The Catholic Charities of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., held its 52nd annual Wiegand Farm Golf Classic at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, N.J., on June 22. One of its largest fundraisers, the event helps support many of its agencies’ important services to those most in need across the diocese. Many priests were among the golfers, including Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]
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Catholic Charities Wiegand Farm Golf Classic generates strong community support #Catholic – 
The Catholic Charities of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., held its 52nd annual Wiegand Farm Golf Classic at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, N.J., on June 22. One of its largest fundraisers, the event helps support many of its agencies’ important services to those most in need across the diocese. Many priests were among the golfers, including Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney.
– The Catholic Charities of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., held its 52nd annual Wiegand Farm Golf Classic at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, N.J., on June 22. One of its largest fundraisers, the event helps support many of its agencies’ important services to those most in need across the diocese. Many priests were among the golfers, including Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
12:1-11
In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.
On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
“Get up quickly.”
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.”
He did so.
Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,
“Now I know for certain
that the Lord sent his angel
and rescued me from the hand of Herod
and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”
A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Timothy
4:6-8, 17-18
I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.
The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
16:13-19
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Today we celebrate two brothers in faith, Peter and Paul, whom we honour as pillars of the Church and venerate as patrons of the diocese and city of Rome. (…) Today’s liturgy reminds us how Peter and Paul were called to share a single fate, that of martyrdom, which united them definitively to Christ. (…) Yet this communion of the two Apostles in the one confession of faith was the conclusion of a long journey on which each embraced the faith and lived out his apostolate in his own particular way. Their brotherhood in the Spirit did not erase their different backgrounds. (…) The history of Peter and Paul shows us that the communion to which the Lord calls us is a unison of voices and personalities that does not eliminate anyone’s freedom. (…) Saints Peter and Paul also challenge us to think about the vitality of our faith. In our life as disciples, we can always risk falling into a rut (…). The two Apostles, however, can inspire us by the example of their openness to change, to new events. (…)
At the heart of today’s Gospel lies the question that Jesus asked his disciples. Today he asks us that same question, challenging us to examine whether our faith life retains its energy and vitality, and whether the flame of our relationship with the Lord still burns bright: “Who do you say that I am?” (Mt 16:15). Every day, at every moment in history, we must always take this question to heart. (…) Who is Jesus Christ for us today? What place does he occupy in our lives and in the life of the Church? How can we bear witness to this hope in our daily lives and proclaim it to those whom we meet? (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 29 June 2025)
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In 2024, the priest’s obstinacy had previously led his bishop, José Ignacio Munilla, to remove him from any office or position within the diocese.
The Wabash Valley Rubber Duck Regatta started in 2018 when the advisory council for Catholic Charities Terre Haute was looking for a new way to engage with the local community.
Retired contractor helps renew Swartswood parish one church project at a time #Catholic – 
One day in 2017, Father Abuchi F. Nwosu, then the new pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) Parish in Swartswood, N.J., approached Thomas Rivara, a longtime parishioner, with an ambitious plan for the church. The priest said, “I want to change the altar around — totally.”
Father Nwosu wanted the project completed in two weeks, in time for Palm Sunday. Rivara told the pastor that he and his crew, along with other contractors he could call in, could complete the job. But he also said the timeline was “really pushing it.”
Rivara was pushed, perhaps, but he and his workers finished the altar in time for Palm Sunday and Holy Week. A retired building contractor, he has used his construction expertise on many parish projects over the years.
“I just do it because I feel I have the ability and the talent to do it. If I can, I will. I am helping the Church,” said Rivara, also a part-time farmer at his family’s 114-year-old Rivara Farm in Newton, N.J. “I could not get up and give a sermon because I am not a speaker. But I like doing these things and enjoy seeing the results,” he said.
Rivara, 75, has been a member of OLMC for almost all his life; the church is located in Swartswood, between Hampton and Stillwater townships in New Jersey.
On Oct. 19, 2025, Rivara was one of many faithful of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., to receive the Vivere Christus Est Medal from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney during a presentation at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J. The diocesan award honors individuals, couples, or families from each parish for their service to the Church.
Some of Rivara’s other church projects as OLMC include replacing the ceiling in the church hall, renovating both the men’s and women’s bathrooms, repairing sidewalks, and replacing the rectory windows. He also added a kitchen, installed new flooring, jackhammered the old floor of the parish garage and replaced it, and cleared the property of snow as needed.
“It’s an honor that Father Abuchi calls me and has confidence in me to do these projects that help the church and its ongoing success,” Rivara said.
In addition to his construction talents, Rivara has also served as an usher at 7:30 a.m. Mass on Sundays for the past 30 years. His two grandchildren are altar servers at the same Mass. He also helps with the collection, ensuring that it is properly deposited.
Praising the award recipient, Father Nwosu said, “Thomas Rivara is a dedicated and faithful member of our parish whose quiet service and commitment have made a lasting impact on our community.”
“Thomas is known as the person who can always be counted on whenever repairs are needed around the parish, whether fixing gutters, doors, bathrooms, church pews, or addressing countless other maintenance needs that help keep our church in excellent condition,” Father Nwosu said. “He is a man of deep faith, devotion, and generosity. His love for the Church extends to his family,” the priest said.
– One day in 2017, Father Abuchi F. Nwosu, then the new pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) Parish in Swartswood, N.J., approached Thomas Rivara, a longtime parishioner, with an ambitious plan for the church. The priest said, “I want to change the altar around — totally.” Father Nwosu wanted the project completed in two weeks, in time for Palm Sunday. Rivara told the pastor that he and his crew, along with other contractors he could call in, could complete the job. But he also said the timeline was “really pushing it.” Rivara was pushed, perhaps, but he and
![Father Flanagan's mission continues at Boys Town more than a century after its founding - #Catholic - More than 100 years after its founding, Boys Town continues to advance Venerable Father Edward J. Flanagan’s mission of caring for the vulnerable and underserved, reaching more than 2 million children and families every year.The Irish-born priest is revered for his revolutionary approach to caring for homeless children in the 20th century, leading him to be declared “Venerable” by Pope Leo XIV in March, 2026.Following the advancement of Flanagan’s canonization cause, Thomas Lynch, who serves as the historian and director of community programs for Boys Town, told EWTN News that the priest’s life serves as an example of “how children can be treated and how to treat your fellow man too.”“Venerable Father Flanagan was born and raised in Ireland in a very devout Catholic family, and he had a great devotion to helping people from the examples of his mother and father,” Lynch said.
Flanagan family portrait taken in 1908. Photo courtesy of Boys Town.
He was born in County Galway in 1886, and moved to America in 1904. His journey through seminary was put on hold due to poor health, but he was eventually ordained in 1912.
Father Edward J. Flanagan arriving to Ellis Island in 1904. Photo courtesy of Boys Town.
While the priest is known for rescuing homeless children and housing them at Father Flanaganʼs Boys Home, his work went beyond aiding children at the village now known as Boys Town.Flanagan had “special ideas and concepts in child care…that were so radical,” but it came “from his concepts of being a Catholic priest of love and dignity for the individual,” Lynch said. “It changed the way children were treated around the world.”Flanagan was “a great champion for civil rights,” Lynch said. “He traveled across America advocating equality regardless of a personʼs race or religion. He felt that [was] one of the greatest stains in America — any type of religious or racial discrimination.”“Many people donʼt realize he went out of his way to help Japanese Americans during World War II. During the internment, he helped around 200 to 300 of them leave the camps and begin new lives, and he brought a number of them to live in the village of Boys Town.”Creating Boys Town ‘with love’ “When Father Flanagan created Boys Town in 1917, unfortunately, in America, there were no child care programs existing that were standard across the country,” Lynch said. “There were reform schools,” but they were “terrible places.”In the schools, “children would commit suicide because the guards would be so violent,” he said. Many of the children were also in orphanages, but “when you became a teenager, you were expelled.”To combat the issue, Flanagan “came forward and said: ‘Theyʼre going to live with me. Theyʼre going to have love, education, a spiritual life, and be taught a trade. Itʼll be done. No corporal punishment. No verbal abuse. Theyʼll live as a family.’”To start Boys Town, Flanagan used “the borrowed $90 he had,” Lynch said. “He had no money and no one really believed in him except for a few people in the city of Omaha.”“But he always said: 'God would provide.’”
Father Edward J. Flanagan and boys at the German-American Home in South Omaha, which served as Flanaganʼs Home for Boys from 1918 to 1921. Photo courtesy of Boys Town.
At Boys Town, “he created one of the first intentionally integrated communities in America…and he did it all with love,” he said. “He referenced love almost every day, in every sermon, and in every prayer.”Flanagan’s success caught the attention of people across the globe, leading his life and legacy to be immortalized in the 1938 movie “Boys Town,” starring Spencer Tracy, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of the priest.
Father Edward J. Flanagan with Mickey Rooney and Spencer Tracy who were actors in the 1938 movie “Boys Town.” Photo courtesy of Boys Town.
Flanagan’s work was also esteemed by multiple presidents and leaders. “President Franklin Roosevelt said America needed 49 more Father Flanaganʼs, one for every state and territory, because his ideas were so far forward and proving successful,” Lynch said.In 1947, Flanagan was even invited by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who was leading the allied occupation of Japan, to review the child welfare conditions in Japan and Korea.
Father Edward J. Flanagan speaking to children with the priest of Nagasaki Oura Church in Japan. Photo courtesy of Boys Town.
After the trip, Flanagan culminated a report, “Children of Defeat,” which included findings on the devastating conditions of children left homeless and abandoned by World War II across Asia. He presented it to President Harry Truman at the White House on July 11, 1947.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/father-flanagans-mission-continues-at-boys-town-more-than-a-century-after-its-founding-catholic-more-than-100-years-after-its-founding-boys-town-continues-to-advance-venerable-father-edward-j-scaled.jpg)
Father Flanagan “took the Catholic tenets of love, inclusion, and acceptance and he brought that to the care of children in America, when really no one had even thought of it before.”
On June 28, 2011, Pluto’s moon Kerberos was discovered by a team using the Hubble Space Telescope, led by senior research scientist Mark Showalter. While the primary goal of the observing program was to identify both potential targets and potential hazards for the then-upcoming New Horizons mission, Kerberos and its fellow moon Styx were alsoContinue reading “June 28, 2011: Kerberos is discovered”
The post June 28, 2011: Kerberos is discovered appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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The pope expressed solidarity with those affected by recent earthquakes, following a reflection on “detachment, loss and hospitality” in Christian love.
Author and professor calls on Catholics to revive American culture through faith and classical learning.
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Alley on Escheckstraße (and part of the cuckoo clock trail), Schönwald im Schwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
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Piotr Czerski, taken from Trzonów, Poland Galaxies M81 and M82 lie amid large clouds of galactic cirrus — dust that lies in our own Milky Way Galaxy and is lit by the galaxy’s overall, ambient glow. Around 2° to the west lies the Vulcan Nebula (WPS 46). The imager used a 2.8-inch f/5 scope andContinue reading “The Vulcan’s nest”
The post The Vulcan’s nest appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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