Cornell Catholic Community issues letter after campus protests – #Catholic – Catholic clergy at Cornell University issued a pastoral letter encouraging students to engage in “difficult public discussions” with charity and courage, after campus protests over the universityʼs handling of alleged sexual assaults involving members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.The Cornell Catholic Community, led by Associate Director Deacon Matthew Hall and priest-chaplains Father Daniel McMullin and Father David Cataline, said in an Oct. 7 statement that campus ministry is offering prayer, pastoral care, and support to students affected by sexual violence. A former Cornell student’s civil lawsuit alleges fraternity members sexually assaulted her at the Ithaca, New York, campus, leading to scrutiny of Cornell’s disciplinary process. New York Attorney General Letitia James has opened a criminal investigation into the handling of allegations.The pastoral letter, “Salt, Leaven, and Light,” reflects on Catholic teaching concerning marriage and sexuality, the theology of the body, the principles of Catholic moral reasoning, the relationship between freedom and authority, and the vocation of Christians to contribute to the moral life of the communities in which they live and work, the statement said.“We are not called to retreat from difficult conversations because our neighbors do not yet speak the language of Catholic theology,” the pastoral letter said. “Much less are we permitted to stand aloof, as if their plight were not our problem. We are called to help our neighbors see more clearly what they may already see in shadow: that human beings are endowed with an infinite dignity; that sex is sacred; that our choices have real moral meaning; that some things are objectively good and some objectively evil; and that freedom is not simply the power to choose whatever we want, but the capacity to choose what is truly good.”The letter further offers students nine suggestions for “Seasoning, Leavening, and Enlightening Cornell” amid the ongoing scandal, including prayer before speaking, knowing the Church’s teachings on sexual ethics and consent, rejecting relativism, using personal influence for good, and entering the public square only “when you have something true and charitable to say.” “Prelims are upon you. The last thing you need is national news cameras filming B-roll as you try to go about your day. Nor do you need 29 paragraphs of extra reading,” the letter said. “For some of you, the events of these weeks will cause particular bitterness, anxiety, and sadness, as they bring to mind your own experiences of sexual violence, accusations, sins, and other painful experiences. We know too well what it means to call this life a ‘vale of tears.’ But God ‘comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.’ (2 Cor 1:4) Let us bear gently and kindly with one another. Please know of my prayers for you,” the letter said.Hall said in an email sharing the pastoral letter: “We must enter the discourse as Christians: prayerfully, thoughtfully, charitably, and with confidence that the Catholic faith has something true and beautiful to say to the whole world.”“We do not want our Catholic students to retreat from difficult conversations,” Hall said. “We want our students to have the intellectual and spiritual resources to enter those conversations charitably and courageously. We need to be able to affirm what is true, recognize human dignity, and help one another pursue what is genuinely good.”On Oct. 9, the memorial of St. John Henry Newman, patron of Catholic communities at secular universities, the Cornell Catholic Community will observe a day of prayer, the statement said.
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Cornell Catholic Community issues letter after campus protests – #Catholic – Catholic clergy at Cornell University issued a pastoral letter encouraging students to engage in “difficult public discussions” with charity and courage, after campus protests over the universityʼs handling of alleged sexual assaults involving members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.The Cornell Catholic Community, led by Associate Director Deacon Matthew Hall and priest-chaplains Father Daniel McMullin and Father David Cataline, said in an Oct. 7 statement that campus ministry is offering prayer, pastoral care, and support to students affected by sexual violence. A former Cornell student’s civil lawsuit alleges fraternity members sexually assaulted her at the Ithaca, New York, campus, leading to scrutiny of Cornell’s disciplinary process. New York Attorney General Letitia James has opened a criminal investigation into the handling of allegations.The pastoral letter, “Salt, Leaven, and Light,” reflects on Catholic teaching concerning marriage and sexuality, the theology of the body, the principles of Catholic moral reasoning, the relationship between freedom and authority, and the vocation of Christians to contribute to the moral life of the communities in which they live and work, the statement said.“We are not called to retreat from difficult conversations because our neighbors do not yet speak the language of Catholic theology,” the pastoral letter said. “Much less are we permitted to stand aloof, as if their plight were not our problem. We are called to help our neighbors see more clearly what they may already see in shadow: that human beings are endowed with an infinite dignity; that sex is sacred; that our choices have real moral meaning; that some things are objectively good and some objectively evil; and that freedom is not simply the power to choose whatever we want, but the capacity to choose what is truly good.”The letter further offers students nine suggestions for “Seasoning, Leavening, and Enlightening Cornell” amid the ongoing scandal, including prayer before speaking, knowing the Church’s teachings on sexual ethics and consent, rejecting relativism, using personal influence for good, and entering the public square only “when you have something true and charitable to say.” “Prelims are upon you. The last thing you need is national news cameras filming B-roll as you try to go about your day. Nor do you need 29 paragraphs of extra reading,” the letter said. “For some of you, the events of these weeks will cause particular bitterness, anxiety, and sadness, as they bring to mind your own experiences of sexual violence, accusations, sins, and other painful experiences. We know too well what it means to call this life a ‘vale of tears.’ But God ‘comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.’ (2 Cor 1:4) Let us bear gently and kindly with one another. Please know of my prayers for you,” the letter said.Hall said in an email sharing the pastoral letter: “We must enter the discourse as Christians: prayerfully, thoughtfully, charitably, and with confidence that the Catholic faith has something true and beautiful to say to the whole world.”“We do not want our Catholic students to retreat from difficult conversations,” Hall said. “We want our students to have the intellectual and spiritual resources to enter those conversations charitably and courageously. We need to be able to affirm what is true, recognize human dignity, and help one another pursue what is genuinely good.”On Oct. 9, the memorial of St. John Henry Newman, patron of Catholic communities at secular universities, the Cornell Catholic Community will observe a day of prayer, the statement said.

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Students protested the university’s handling of alleged sexual assaults involving members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 08 October 2026 – A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 3:1-5 O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so many things in vain?– if indeed it was in vain. Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?From the Gospel according to Luke 11:5-13 Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father  among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Lk 11:9). With these words, Jesus invites us to turn with trust to the Father for all our needs. (…) “To ask,” in fact, is to recognize, through poverty, that everything is a gift from the Lord and to give thanks for it. “To seek” is to open oneself, through obedience, to discovering each day the path we must take on the journey towards holiness, following God’s plans. “To knock” is to ask for and to offer the gifts we have received to our brothers and sisters with a chaste heart, striving to love everyone with respect and generosity. (…) “To ask,” “to seek,” and “to knock” also means reflecting on our own lives, bringing to mind and heart what the Lord has achieved over the years by multiplying talents, strengthening and purifying faith, and fostering generosity and freedom in charity. Sometimes this has been achieved in joyful circumstances, and at other times in ways that are more difficult to understand, perhaps even through the mysterious crucible of suffering. At all times, however, we find ourselves in the embrace of that paternal goodness that characterizes what he does in us and through us, for the good of the Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, 43). (…) Without him, nothing exists, nothing makes sense, nothing is worthwhile. Your “asking,” “seeking,” and “knocking,” both in prayer and in life, has much to do with this truth. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 9 October 2025)

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A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians
3:1-5

O stupid Galatians!
Who has bewitched you,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you:
did you receive the Spirit from works of the law,
or from faith in what you heard?
Are you so stupid?
After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain?–
if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you
and works mighty deeds among you
do so from works of the law
or from faith in what you heard?

From the Gospel according to Luke
11:5-13

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.

“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father  among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”

“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you” (Lk 11:9). With these words, Jesus invites us to turn with trust to the Father for all our needs. (…)

“To ask,” in fact, is to recognize, through poverty, that everything is a gift from the Lord and to give thanks for it. “To seek” is to open oneself, through obedience, to discovering each day the path we must take on the journey towards holiness, following God’s plans. “To knock” is to ask for and to offer the gifts we have received to our brothers and sisters with a chaste heart, striving to love everyone with respect and generosity. (…)

“To ask,” “to seek,” and “to knock” also means reflecting on our own lives, bringing to mind and heart what the Lord has achieved over the years by multiplying talents, strengthening and purifying faith, and fostering generosity and freedom in charity. Sometimes this has been achieved in joyful circumstances, and at other times in ways that are more difficult to understand, perhaps even through the mysterious crucible of suffering. At all times, however, we find ourselves in the embrace of that paternal goodness that characterizes what he does in us and through us, for the good of the Church (cf. Lumen Gentium, 43). (…)

Without him, nothing exists, nothing makes sense, nothing is worthwhile. Your “asking,” “seeking,” and “knocking,” both in prayer and in life, has much to do with this truth. (Pope Leo XIV, Homily, 9 October 2025)

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Justice Amy Coney Barrett headlines Benedictine College library dedication – #Catholic – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett gave the keynote address at the dedication of Benedictine College’s Independence Hall library Sept. 26.“My hope is that this library will help the students of Benedictine College defend the American project today,” Barrett said during her remarks, according to a Sept. 28 press release. “And I hope that it will bring them together to discuss new ideas, forge friendships and, importantly, learn to disagree respectfully. In a time of hyper-polarization, many have limited interactions with those whose beliefs they do not like. But citizens must learn to disagree about ideas without making enemies of the people who hold them. The success of the American project depends on it.”Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, also delivered remarks. “We change the world one soul at a time, and one citizen at a time,” he said. “It happens here every day at Benedictine College … If we could judge the world and its future by what happens here at this college, we can have a very warm spot in our heart and a very bright sense of hope.”Other speakers at the event included the college’s president, Stephen Minnis; Michael Kuckelman, chairman of the board of directors; Kimberly Shankman, dean and provost of the college; recent alumni Jeffery Schremmer and Arturo Hernandez; and Abbot James Albers of St. Benedict Abbey, who led prayers.Chicago Archdiocese urges Illinois to join federal education tax credit programThe Archdiocese of Chicago is calling on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to opt the state in to a new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program that could bring up to billion in additional education funding to Illinois schools.“Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Treasury released draft guidelines for the Education Freedom Tax Credit program. They offer a clear opportunity for Illinois to join the program and open the door to much-needed education funding for all schools in the state,” the archdiocese said in an Oct. 2 press release.Under the program, individuals could receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to ,700, while couples filing jointly could receive up to ,400, for donations to recognized scholarship-granting organizations. The program would not require state or local funding or taxes.Most of the funding generated through the program would support public school students, while some could provide scholarships for students attending Catholic and other nonpublic schools, according to the archdiocese. The funding also could support tutoring, education technology, school supplies, and transportation.“If our state does not opt-in, polls indicate that up to billion in Illinois donations would flow to other states, funding that could benefit our own students. It is imperative that Gov. Pritzker opt Illinois into the program to help secure this new funding source for our state’s students,” the archdiocese said.Bishop David M. O’Connell, CM, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, similarly called the federal scholarship tax credit “a transformative opportunity for children across the country” in an Oct. 2 statement.Australian Catholic school system to cut ties with religious order after abuse scandalThe Trustees of Edmund Rice Education Australia is considering severing the national network of Catholic schools’ connection with the Christian Brothers after a fallout over the compensation of sexual abuse victims.Edmund Rice is seeking to part ways with the order that runs the 61 schools in its network as the relationship between the organization and the religious order have “become strained,” according to an ABC News report.The move comes after the Christian Brothers attempted to avoid paying sex abuse survivor claims by transferring over million worth of property assets to Edmund Rice over a decade in symbolic dollar transfers.
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Justice Amy Coney Barrett headlines Benedictine College library dedication – #Catholic – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett gave the keynote address at the dedication of Benedictine College’s Independence Hall library Sept. 26.“My hope is that this library will help the students of Benedictine College defend the American project today,” Barrett said during her remarks, according to a Sept. 28 press release. “And I hope that it will bring them together to discuss new ideas, forge friendships and, importantly, learn to disagree respectfully. In a time of hyper-polarization, many have limited interactions with those whose beliefs they do not like. But citizens must learn to disagree about ideas without making enemies of the people who hold them. The success of the American project depends on it.”Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, also delivered remarks. “We change the world one soul at a time, and one citizen at a time,” he said. “It happens here every day at Benedictine College … If we could judge the world and its future by what happens here at this college, we can have a very warm spot in our heart and a very bright sense of hope.”Other speakers at the event included the college’s president, Stephen Minnis; Michael Kuckelman, chairman of the board of directors; Kimberly Shankman, dean and provost of the college; recent alumni Jeffery Schremmer and Arturo Hernandez; and Abbot James Albers of St. Benedict Abbey, who led prayers.Chicago Archdiocese urges Illinois to join federal education tax credit programThe Archdiocese of Chicago is calling on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to opt the state in to a new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program that could bring up to $2 billion in additional education funding to Illinois schools.“Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Treasury released draft guidelines for the Education Freedom Tax Credit program. They offer a clear opportunity for Illinois to join the program and open the door to much-needed education funding for all schools in the state,” the archdiocese said in an Oct. 2 press release.Under the program, individuals could receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700, while couples filing jointly could receive up to $3,400, for donations to recognized scholarship-granting organizations. The program would not require state or local funding or taxes.Most of the funding generated through the program would support public school students, while some could provide scholarships for students attending Catholic and other nonpublic schools, according to the archdiocese. The funding also could support tutoring, education technology, school supplies, and transportation.“If our state does not opt-in, polls indicate that up to $1 billion in Illinois donations would flow to other states, funding that could benefit our own students. It is imperative that Gov. Pritzker opt Illinois into the program to help secure this new funding source for our state’s students,” the archdiocese said.Bishop David M. O’Connell, CM, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, similarly called the federal scholarship tax credit “a transformative opportunity for children across the country” in an Oct. 2 statement.Australian Catholic school system to cut ties with religious order after abuse scandalThe Trustees of Edmund Rice Education Australia is considering severing the national network of Catholic schools’ connection with the Christian Brothers after a fallout over the compensation of sexual abuse victims.Edmund Rice is seeking to part ways with the order that runs the 61 schools in its network as the relationship between the organization and the religious order have “become strained,” according to an ABC News report.The move comes after the Christian Brothers attempted to avoid paying sex abuse survivor claims by transferring over $50 million worth of property assets to Edmund Rice over a decade in symbolic $1 dollar transfers.

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Justice Amy Coney Barrett speaks at Benedictine College, the Archdiocese of Chicago urges Illinois’ governor to opt in to an education tax program, and more in this week’s education roundup.

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Bishop Emeritus Frank Dewane, who led Diocese of Venice in Florida for nearly 20 years, dies at 76 – #Catholic – Bishop Emeritus Frank Dewane, who led the Diocese of Venice in Florida for nearly two decades until his retirement earlier this year, died on Oct. 7 at 76 years old. His death was confirmed in a news release by current Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap, who was appointed to that role in May.“It is with profound sadness, yet with faith in the promise of the Resurrection, that I announce the passing of the Most Reverend Frank J. Dewane, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Venice in Florida,” Agüero said. Dewane died at 3 a.m. at Sarasota Memorial Hospital “surrounded by close family and friends,” the prelate said. A cause of death was not immediately given. Born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on March 9, 1950, Dewane was ordained in that diocese on July 16, 1988. Prior to his ordination he worked for NBC in Moscow and also worked at a subsidiary for Pepsi in New York. Among his roles prior to his consecration as bishop, Dewane served as a member of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York and as the undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. He was named a coadjutor bishop of the Venice Diocese in 2006 by then-Pope Benedict XVI and was ultimately installed as bishop there on Jan. 19, 2007. He retired from that role on May 13 after nearly 20 years of service there. Among his other roles in the U.S. Church were chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ domestic justice committee as well as on the bishops’ ad hoc Committee Against Racism. Near the end of his tenure, in 2025, he spoke out against what he described as the “corrosive” rhetoric of U.S. federal officials who were intending to build a detention facility in the Everglades meant to house immigrants in the country illegally.“Decency requires that we remember individuals being detained are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters of distressed relatives,” the bishop said at the time.
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Bishop Emeritus Frank Dewane, who led Diocese of Venice in Florida for nearly 20 years, dies at 76 – #Catholic – Bishop Emeritus Frank Dewane, who led the Diocese of Venice in Florida for nearly two decades until his retirement earlier this year, died on Oct. 7 at 76 years old. His death was confirmed in a news release by current Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap, who was appointed to that role in May.“It is with profound sadness, yet with faith in the promise of the Resurrection, that I announce the passing of the Most Reverend Frank J. Dewane, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Venice in Florida,” Agüero said. Dewane died at 3 a.m. at Sarasota Memorial Hospital “surrounded by close family and friends,” the prelate said. A cause of death was not immediately given. Born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on March 9, 1950, Dewane was ordained in that diocese on July 16, 1988. Prior to his ordination he worked for NBC in Moscow and also worked at a subsidiary for Pepsi in New York. Among his roles prior to his consecration as bishop, Dewane served as a member of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York and as the undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. He was named a coadjutor bishop of the Venice Diocese in 2006 by then-Pope Benedict XVI and was ultimately installed as bishop there on Jan. 19, 2007. He retired from that role on May 13 after nearly 20 years of service there. Among his other roles in the U.S. Church were chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ domestic justice committee as well as on the bishops’ ad hoc Committee Against Racism. Near the end of his tenure, in 2025, he spoke out against what he described as the “corrosive” rhetoric of U.S. federal officials who were intending to build a detention facility in the Everglades meant to house immigrants in the country illegally.“Decency requires that we remember individuals being detained are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters of distressed relatives,” the bishop said at the time.

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The bishop died in a local hospital “surrounded by close family and friends,” current Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap, said.

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Obituary: Msgr. Robert Carroll, 89 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church in the Highland Lakes neighborhood of Vernon, N.J., for Msgr. Robert Carroll, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., who died on Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. He was 89. Bishop James J. Navagh ordained Msgr. Carroll on May 25, 1963. Msgr. Carroll faithfully served throughout the diocese of Paterson, especially in parochial assignments at St. Rose of Lima Parish in East Hanover, N.J., St. Brendan Parish in Clifton, N.J., St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson, N.J., St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J., and finally at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Highland Lakes before his retirement in 2016. Msgr. Carroll also served on the faculty at former Neumann Prep in Wayne, N.J., as the assistant director of vocations; Passaic dean; and spiritual director for both the Morris County Curia of the Legion of Mary and the former Domus Bartimaeus House of Discernment in Boonton, N.J. Visitation for Msgr. Carroll will occur on Monday, Oct. 12 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church in the Highland Lakes. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima. Priests are invited to concelebrate the funeral Mass. Please bring diocesan vestment. Interment to follow the Mass at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Newton, N.J. Condolences may be sent to the attention of the Clergy Personnel Office, 205 Madison Ave., Madison, N.J. 07940 Please keep Msgr. Carroll; his sister-in-law, Denise Carrol; his niece, Amy Carroll; his nephew, Peter Carroll; all of his family and friends; and all of the Priests of the Paterson Diocese in your prayers, especially at the Eucharist. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Obituary: Msgr. Robert Carroll, 89 #Catholic – A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church in the Highland Lakes neighborhood of Vernon, N.J., for Msgr. Robert Carroll, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., who died on Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. He was 89. Bishop James J. Navagh ordained Msgr. Carroll on May 25, 1963. Msgr. Carroll faithfully served throughout the diocese of Paterson, especially in parochial assignments at St. Rose of Lima Parish in East Hanover, N.J., St. Brendan Parish in Clifton, N.J., St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson, N.J., St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J., and finally at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Highland Lakes before his retirement in 2016. Msgr. Carroll also served on the faculty at former Neumann Prep in Wayne, N.J., as the assistant director of vocations; Passaic dean; and spiritual director for both the Morris County Curia of the Legion of Mary and the former Domus Bartimaeus House of Discernment in Boonton, N.J. Visitation for Msgr. Carroll will occur on Monday, Oct. 12 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church in the Highland Lakes. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima. Priests are invited to concelebrate the funeral Mass. Please bring diocesan vestment. Interment to follow the Mass at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Newton, N.J. Condolences may be sent to the attention of the Clergy Personnel Office, 205 Madison Ave., Madison, N.J. 07940 Please keep Msgr. Carroll; his sister-in-law, Denise Carrol; his niece, Amy Carroll; his nephew, Peter Carroll; all of his family and friends; and all of the Priests of the Paterson Diocese in your prayers, especially at the Eucharist. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Obituary: Msgr. Robert Carroll, 89 #Catholic –

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church in the Highland Lakes neighborhood of Vernon, N.J., for Msgr. Robert Carroll, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., who died on Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. He was 89.

Bishop James J. Navagh ordained Msgr. Carroll on May 25, 1963.

Msgr. Carroll faithfully served throughout the diocese of Paterson, especially in parochial assignments at St. Rose of Lima Parish in East Hanover, N.J., St. Brendan Parish in Clifton, N.J., St. Gerard Majella Parish in Paterson, N.J., St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J., St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J., and finally at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Highland Lakes before his retirement in 2016.

Msgr. Carroll also served on the faculty at former Neumann Prep in Wayne, N.J., as the assistant director of vocations; Passaic dean; and spiritual director for both the Morris County Curia of the Legion of Mary and the former Domus Bartimaeus House of Discernment in Boonton, N.J.

Visitation for Msgr. Carroll will occur on Monday, Oct. 12 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church in the Highland Lakes. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima. Priests are invited to concelebrate the funeral Mass. Please bring diocesan vestment.

Interment to follow the Mass at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Newton, N.J.

Condolences may be sent to the attention of the Clergy Personnel Office, 205 Madison Ave., Madison, N.J. 07940

Please keep Msgr. Carroll; his sister-in-law, Denise Carrol; his niece, Amy Carroll; his nephew, Peter Carroll; all of his family and friends; and all of the Priests of the Paterson Diocese in your prayers, especially at the Eucharist.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Church in the Highland Lakes neighborhood of Vernon, N.J., for Msgr. Robert Carroll, a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., who died on Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. He was 89. Bishop James J. Navagh ordained Msgr. Carroll on May 25, 1963. Msgr. Carroll faithfully served throughout the diocese of Paterson, especially in parochial assignments at St. Rose of Lima Parish in East Hanover, N.J., St. Brendan Parish in Clifton, N.J., St. Gerard

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Holy See presses development, poverty, women’s issues at UN #Catholic The Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. raised global development, poverty, and women’s equality as topics of concern during the 81st General Assembly.Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, the Holy See’s apostolic nuncio to the U.N., called for “true equality” for women, and for global economic and technological advances to prioritize the human person and the common good during remarks delivered at the Oct. 6 session.El-Kassis, who was appointed to the position in July, spoke during the U.N.’s Third Committee, which focuses on social, humanitarian, and cultural issues, as well as the Second Committee, which focuses on economic and financial issues.Drawing from Pope Leo XIV’s statement that “development is truly human when it places people at the center instead of the accumulation of wealth,” El-Kassis noted that eradicating poverty must come with the development of a system that does not treat the poor “merely as passive recipients of assistance.”“Instead, they should be active participants and protagonists in the measures and programs designed to help them in their own lives,” he said. “To achieve the objectives of poverty eradication, full employment and decent work, and social integration, as set out in Copenhagen and reaffirmed in Doha, will require sustained cooperation, creativity and a renewed commitment to a political, economic, ethical and spiritual vision for social development based on human dignity.” U.N. headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. | Credit: Gabriele Maltinti/Shutterstock During another session on sustainable development and global economic change, El-Kassis called for the world’s economy to embrace “fairer and more inclusive international financial architecture.”“The circumstances of a person’s birth should not determine the respect for one’s inherent God-given dignity or the opportunities an individual is able to access,” he said. “Similarly, the economic circumstances of a country should not limit its ability to meaningfully participate decisions that shape its development.”El-Kassis similarly quoted Leo’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas when speaking about women and emphasized that “equality for women cannot be achieved as long as violence against women remains widespread.” The Holy See’s U.N. representative further decried human trafficking and said other technological and medical developments have enabled forms of exploitation, including surrogacy.The Holy See reiterated its opposition to surrogacy, arguing that it treats gestation as “a negotiable service,” which violates the dignity of both the child and the mother.
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Holy See presses development, poverty, women’s issues at UN #Catholic The Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. raised global development, poverty, and women’s equality as topics of concern during the 81st General Assembly.Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, the Holy See’s apostolic nuncio to the U.N., called for “true equality” for women, and for global economic and technological advances to prioritize the human person and the common good during remarks delivered at the Oct. 6 session.El-Kassis, who was appointed to the position in July, spoke during the U.N.’s Third Committee, which focuses on social, humanitarian, and cultural issues, as well as the Second Committee, which focuses on economic and financial issues.Drawing from Pope Leo XIV’s statement that “development is truly human when it places people at the center instead of the accumulation of wealth,” El-Kassis noted that eradicating poverty must come with the development of a system that does not treat the poor “merely as passive recipients of assistance.”“Instead, they should be active participants and protagonists in the measures and programs designed to help them in their own lives,” he said. “To achieve the objectives of poverty eradication, full employment and decent work, and social integration, as set out in Copenhagen and reaffirmed in Doha, will require sustained cooperation, creativity and a renewed commitment to a political, economic, ethical and spiritual vision for social development based on human dignity.” U.N. headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. | Credit: Gabriele Maltinti/Shutterstock During another session on sustainable development and global economic change, El-Kassis called for the world’s economy to embrace “fairer and more inclusive international financial architecture.”“The circumstances of a person’s birth should not determine the respect for one’s inherent God-given dignity or the opportunities an individual is able to access,” he said. “Similarly, the economic circumstances of a country should not limit its ability to meaningfully participate decisions that shape its development.”El-Kassis similarly quoted Leo’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas when speaking about women and emphasized that “equality for women cannot be achieved as long as violence against women remains widespread.” The Holy See’s U.N. representative further decried human trafficking and said other technological and medical developments have enabled forms of exploitation, including surrogacy.The Holy See reiterated its opposition to surrogacy, arguing that it treats gestation as “a negotiable service,” which violates the dignity of both the child and the mother.

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“Circumstances of a person’s birth should not determine the respect for one’s inherent God-given dignity or the opportunities an individual is able to access,” Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis said.

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Canada won’t expand assisted suicide for those suffering from mental illness, government says #Catholic The Canadian government will not expand its broadly popular assisted suicide program for individuals suffering solely from a mental illness, Minister of Justice Sean Fraser said on Oct. 7. The announcement brings an end to several years of debate and speculation regarding whether the country would allow doctors to help kill individuals who are suffering from mental health issues but who are not terminally or seriously ill. Fraser told media at the Canadian House of Commons on Oct. 7 that the country would not move forward with the proposed expansion. “While there is not a perfect consensus on this issue, we believe this is the correct approach at this particular time,” he told media. Euthanasia has become a leading cause of death in Canada since it was legalized roughly a decade ago. About 100,000 Canadians have died by the country’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) program since 2016.The country’s euthanasia program is one of the most permissive in the world. In 2023 euthanasia accounted for roughly 1 out of every 20 deaths there.The MAID program is nominally limited to those suffering from what the government describes as a “grievous and irremediable medical condition,” though the condition need not be fatal or terminal. The government had previously debated expanding the program to those suffering from mental health issues, though postponed the question in 2024 after a parliamentary report said the nation was “not ready” for the expansion.Fraser said on Wednesday that upcoming legislation would indefinitely extend the ban on mental health-related euthanasia. A 2025 report from Cardus Health found that vulnerable demographics were obtaining suicide assistance at disproportionately high rates in Canada. Among those groups were individuals suffering from mental illness. Assisted suicide has expanded at the regional level in the country. In 2024, for instance, the provincial government of Quebec said it would begin allowing assisted suicide in the form of “advance requests,” where individuals can be euthanized at a time when they are unable to give consent so long as they agreed to the procedure at some point in the past. In 2024, meanwhile, a watchdog report found that hundreds of violations of the country’s euthanasia rules had gone unreported to law enforcement.
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Canada won’t expand assisted suicide for those suffering from mental illness, government says #Catholic The Canadian government will not expand its broadly popular assisted suicide program for individuals suffering solely from a mental illness, Minister of Justice Sean Fraser said on Oct. 7. The announcement brings an end to several years of debate and speculation regarding whether the country would allow doctors to help kill individuals who are suffering from mental health issues but who are not terminally or seriously ill. Fraser told media at the Canadian House of Commons on Oct. 7 that the country would not move forward with the proposed expansion. “While there is not a perfect consensus on this issue, we believe this is the correct approach at this particular time,” he told media. Euthanasia has become a leading cause of death in Canada since it was legalized roughly a decade ago. About 100,000 Canadians have died by the country’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) program since 2016.The country’s euthanasia program is one of the most permissive in the world. In 2023 euthanasia accounted for roughly 1 out of every 20 deaths there.The MAID program is nominally limited to those suffering from what the government describes as a “grievous and irremediable medical condition,” though the condition need not be fatal or terminal. The government had previously debated expanding the program to those suffering from mental health issues, though postponed the question in 2024 after a parliamentary report said the nation was “not ready” for the expansion.Fraser said on Wednesday that upcoming legislation would indefinitely extend the ban on mental health-related euthanasia. A 2025 report from Cardus Health found that vulnerable demographics were obtaining suicide assistance at disproportionately high rates in Canada. Among those groups were individuals suffering from mental illness. Assisted suicide has expanded at the regional level in the country. In 2024, for instance, the provincial government of Quebec said it would begin allowing assisted suicide in the form of “advance requests,” where individuals can be euthanized at a time when they are unable to give consent so long as they agreed to the procedure at some point in the past. In 2024, meanwhile, a watchdog report found that hundreds of violations of the country’s euthanasia rules had gone unreported to law enforcement.

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The government has debated expanding its medical assistance in dying program for those suffering solely from mental health issues.

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NJCC to voters: Ask Gov. Sherrill to opt in N.J. for students to access federal tax dollars #Catholic – Federal tax dollars could soon be applied to education expenses for eligible New Jersey families at no cost to the state – but only if Governor Mikie Sherrill opts in by Jan. 1, 2027. The New Jersey Catholic Conference, public policy arm of the bishops of New Jersey, launched an advocacy campaign Oct. 5, featuring dedicated web pages, an Action Alert and a packet of digital and social media graphics and bulletin inserts to be shared throughout the state via Catholic schools, parishes and media outlets. The campaign urges voters to reach out to Governor Sherrill and ask her to say “yes” to New Jersey’s participation in the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit. According to the NJCC’s website, if the Governor accepts the program for NJ, it would provide federal tax dollars to New Jersey families for educational assistance. The program would impose no cost to the state, and scholarships would benefit both students attending public and non-public schools. Each state must formally opt in to the FSTC by the new year to receive the benefits. The Diocese of Trenton’s Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in his role as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, advocated for the FSTC as “a transformative opportunity for children across the country.” In a brief message released Oct. 2, he writes, “The Catholic Church teaches that parents are the first and primary educators of our children, and that parents have the obligation of educating their children in the manner best suited for their development and needs. The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit will create opportunities for families to access much-needed resources to expand their options for choosing the best tools and learning environment for their children.” Bishop O’Connell’s full message is available HERE.  As indicated in the Internal Revenue Code Section 25F,taxpayers living in participating states can allocate federal tax dollars already owed – up to ,700 per individual or ,400 for married couples – as a nonrefundable tax credit to an approved Scholarship Granting Organization: a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships for K–12 education-related expenses, which is certified by the state. Scholarship Granting Organizations then use those contributions to provide scholarships for tuition, books, fees, supplies, tutoring and other educational services. “You may have heard this program described as a ‘school voucher’ scheme that will hurt public education, or as a benefit for wealthy families who could already afford private school,” reads the NJCC Action Alert. “Neither is accurate, and we need your voice to help set the record straight. By federal law, scholarships are limited to students from households earning no more than 300% of their area’s median income, keeping the focus on working- and middle-class families.” These federal tax dollars can make educational choices and support more available and affordable for everyday families with K-12 students. But if New Jersey doesn’t participate, those scholarship donations will go to help students in other states, the Action Alert cites. As of publication, 31 states have opted in or committed to the tax credits; four have declined and two have vetoed. Source: https://eftccredit.com/tools/state-opt-in-tracker. The Action Alert can be accessed at https://www.votervoice.net/NJCC/Campaigns/139845/Respond. Advocacy campaign materials and an overview of FSTC can be found at: https://njcatholic.org/education-tax-credit-spread-the-word. https://njcatholic.org/education-tax-credit-overview. EmmaLee Italia is a contributing editor and writer for The Monitor, the official news publication and website of the Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.    
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NJCC to voters: Ask Gov. Sherrill to opt in N.J. for students to access federal tax dollars #Catholic – Federal tax dollars could soon be applied to education expenses for eligible New Jersey families at no cost to the state – but only if Governor Mikie Sherrill opts in by Jan. 1, 2027. The New Jersey Catholic Conference, public policy arm of the bishops of New Jersey, launched an advocacy campaign Oct. 5, featuring dedicated web pages, an Action Alert and a packet of digital and social media graphics and bulletin inserts to be shared throughout the state via Catholic schools, parishes and media outlets. The campaign urges voters to reach out to Governor Sherrill and ask her to say “yes” to New Jersey’s participation in the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit. According to the NJCC’s website, if the Governor accepts the program for NJ, it would provide federal tax dollars to New Jersey families for educational assistance. The program would impose no cost to the state, and scholarships would benefit both students attending public and non-public schools. Each state must formally opt in to the FSTC by the new year to receive the benefits. The Diocese of Trenton’s Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in his role as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, advocated for the FSTC as “a transformative opportunity for children across the country.” In a brief message released Oct. 2, he writes, “The Catholic Church teaches that parents are the first and primary educators of our children, and that parents have the obligation of educating their children in the manner best suited for their development and needs. The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit will create opportunities for families to access much-needed resources to expand their options for choosing the best tools and learning environment for their children.” Bishop O’Connell’s full message is available HERE.  As indicated in the Internal Revenue Code Section 25F,taxpayers living in participating states can allocate federal tax dollars already owed – up to $1,700 per individual or $3,400 for married couples – as a nonrefundable tax credit to an approved Scholarship Granting Organization: a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships for K–12 education-related expenses, which is certified by the state. Scholarship Granting Organizations then use those contributions to provide scholarships for tuition, books, fees, supplies, tutoring and other educational services. “You may have heard this program described as a ‘school voucher’ scheme that will hurt public education, or as a benefit for wealthy families who could already afford private school,” reads the NJCC Action Alert. “Neither is accurate, and we need your voice to help set the record straight. By federal law, scholarships are limited to students from households earning no more than 300% of their area’s median income, keeping the focus on working- and middle-class families.” These federal tax dollars can make educational choices and support more available and affordable for everyday families with K-12 students. But if New Jersey doesn’t participate, those scholarship donations will go to help students in other states, the Action Alert cites. As of publication, 31 states have opted in or committed to the tax credits; four have declined and two have vetoed. Source: https://eftccredit.com/tools/state-opt-in-tracker. The Action Alert can be accessed at https://www.votervoice.net/NJCC/Campaigns/139845/Respond. Advocacy campaign materials and an overview of FSTC can be found at: https://njcatholic.org/education-tax-credit-spread-the-word. https://njcatholic.org/education-tax-credit-overview. EmmaLee Italia is a contributing editor and writer for The Monitor, the official news publication and website of the Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.    

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NJCC to voters: Ask Gov. Sherrill to opt in N.J. for students to access federal tax dollars #Catholic –

Federal tax dollars could soon be applied to education expenses for eligible New Jersey families at no cost to the state – but only if Governor Mikie Sherrill opts in by Jan. 1, 2027.

The New Jersey Catholic Conference, public policy arm of the bishops of New Jersey, launched an advocacy campaign Oct. 5, featuring dedicated web pages, an Action Alert and a packet of digital and social media graphics and bulletin inserts to be shared throughout the state via Catholic schools, parishes and media outlets. The campaign urges voters to reach out to Governor Sherrill and ask her to say “yes” to New Jersey’s participation in the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit.

According to the NJCC’s website, if the Governor accepts the program for NJ, it would provide federal tax dollars to New Jersey families for educational assistance. The program would impose no cost to the state, and scholarships would benefit both students attending public and non-public schools. Each state must formally opt in to the FSTC by the new year to receive the benefits.

The Diocese of Trenton’s Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in his role as chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, advocated for the FSTC as “a transformative opportunity for children across the country.” In a brief message released Oct. 2, he writes, “The Catholic Church teaches that parents are the first and primary educators of our children, and that parents have the obligation of educating their children in the manner best suited for their development and needs. The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit will create opportunities for families to access much-needed resources to expand their options for choosing the best tools and learning environment for their children.”

Bishop O’Connell’s full message is available HERE. 

As indicated in the Internal Revenue Code Section 25F,taxpayers living in participating states can allocate federal tax dollars already owed – up to $1,700 per individual or $3,400 for married couples – as a nonrefundable tax credit to an approved Scholarship Granting Organization: a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships for K–12 education-related expenses, which is certified by the state. Scholarship Granting Organizations then use those contributions to provide scholarships for tuition, books, fees, supplies, tutoring and other educational services.

“You may have heard this program described as a ‘school voucher’ scheme that will hurt public education, or as a benefit for wealthy families who could already afford private school,” reads the NJCC Action Alert. “Neither is accurate, and we need your voice to help set the record straight. By federal law, scholarships are limited to students from households earning no more than 300% of their area’s median income, keeping the focus on working- and middle-class families.”

These federal tax dollars can make educational choices and support more available and affordable for everyday families with K-12 students. But if New Jersey doesn’t participate, those scholarship donations will go to help students in other states, the Action Alert cites. As of publication, 31 states have opted in or committed to the tax credits; four have declined and two have vetoed. Source: https://eftccredit.com/tools/state-opt-in-tracker.

The Action Alert can be accessed at https://www.votervoice.net/NJCC/Campaigns/139845/Respond.

Advocacy campaign materials and an overview of FSTC can be found at: https://njcatholic.org/education-tax-credit-spread-the-word. https://njcatholic.org/education-tax-credit-overview.

EmmaLee Italia is a contributing editor and writer for The Monitor, the official news publication and website of the Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.

 

 

– Federal tax dollars could soon be applied to education expenses for eligible New Jersey families at no cost to the state – but only if Governor Mikie Sherrill opts in by Jan. 1, 2027. The New Jersey Catholic Conference, public policy arm of the bishops of New Jersey, launched an advocacy campaign Oct. 5, featuring dedicated web pages, an Action Alert and a packet of digital and social media graphics and bulletin inserts to be shared throughout the state via Catholic schools, parishes and media outlets. The campaign urges voters to reach out to Governor Sherrill and ask her to

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Picture of the day View of the Basilica Cistern, Istanbul, Turkey. The Basilica Cistern, or Cisterna Basilica is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. This subterranean cistern was called Basilica because it was located under a large public square, the Stoa Basilica, on the First Hill of Constantinople. The cistern, built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I, provided a water filtration system for the Great Palace of Constantinople and other buildings on the First Hill, and continued to provide water to the Topkapı Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and into modern times. Today it is kept with little water, for public access inside the space. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day View of the Basilica Cistern, Istanbul, Turkey. The Basilica Cistern, or Cisterna Basilica is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. This subterranean cistern was called Basilica because it was located under a large public square, the Stoa Basilica, on the First Hill of Constantinople. The cistern, built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I, provided a water filtration system for the Great Palace of Constantinople and other buildings on the First Hill, and continued to provide water to the Topkapı Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and into modern times. Today it is kept with little water, for public access inside the space. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
View of the Basilica Cistern, Istanbul, Turkey. The Basilica Cistern, or Cisterna Basilica is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. This subterranean cistern was called Basilica because it was located under a large public square, the Stoa Basilica, on the First Hill of Constantinople. The cistern, built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I, provided a water filtration system for the Great Palace of Constantinople and other buildings on the First Hill, and continued to provide water to the Topkapı Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 and into modern times. Today it is kept with little water, for public access inside the space.
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Winter observing targets for small telescopes

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The Crab Nebula Our first object is the Crab Nebula in Taurus. It’s one of the sky’s most famous objects, and a nice small telescope target. Although the word “nebula” is part of this object’s name, astronomers classify M1 as a supernova remnant. In 1054, a brilliant new star 4 times brighter than Venus appearedContinue reading “Winter observing targets for small telescopes”

The post Winter observing targets for small telescopes appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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7 common myths and facts about the rosary #Catholic October is designated by the Catholic Church as the month of the rosary, and Oct. 7 is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.Here are seven common myths and facts about this popular devotion and  prayer:1. Only Catholics can pray the rosary.False. While rosaries are typically associated with Catholics, non-Catholics can certainly pray the rosary — and in fact, many credit it to their conversion. Even some Protestants recognize the rosary as a valid form of prayer.2. Praying the rosary is idolatry.False. Some have objections to the rosary, claiming it idolizes Mary and is overly repetitive.Just like any practice, the rosary can be abused — just as someone might idolize a particular pastor or priest, a form of worship, or fasting. But the rosary itself is not a form of idolatry.The rosary is not a prayer to Mary — it is a meditation on the life of Christ revealed in five mysteries “with the purposes of drawing the person praying deeper into reflecting on Christ’s joys, sacrifices, sufferings, and the glorious miracles of his life.”When we pray the Hail Mary, we are not adoring Mary; we are asking for her intercession — just as we might ask a friend or family member to pray for us.Second, any prayer can lose its meaning if we do not intentionally meditate on it. Focusing on the mysteries with purpose and intention is key to the rosary’s transforming power. As one author encourages: “The rosary itself stays the same, but we do not.”3. You can wear a rosary as a necklace.It depends. It is typically considered disrespectful and irreverent to wear a rosary around one’s neck as jewelry, even though the Church does not have an explicit declaration against doing so.However, Canon 1171 of the Code of Canon Law says that “sacred objects, set aside for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated with reverence. They are not to be made over to secular or inappropriate use, even though they may belong to private persons.”It is important to treat the rosary with respect and intention. If you intend to wear the rosary as a piece of jewelry, this would not be respectful and should be avoided. It goes without saying that wearing the rosary as a mockery or gang symbol would be a sin.But if it is your intention to use the rosary and be mindful of prayer, then it could be permissible. It is not uncommon in some cultures, like in Honduras and El Salvador, to see the rosary respectfully worn around the neck as a sign of devotion.Rosary rings or bracelets might be a better option if you want to keep your rosary close at hand as a reminder to pray, as they are kept more out of sight and would not be as easily misconstrued to be a piece of jewelry.4. The rosary is an extremist symbol.False. Back in 2022, a widely-shared Atlantic article went viral for accusing the rosary of being an “extremist symbol.”“Just as the AR-15 rifle has become a sacred object for Christian nationalists in general, the rosary has acquired a militaristic meaning for radical-traditional (or ‘rad trad’) Catholics,” the article read.The author also cited the Church’s stance on traditional marriage and the sanctity of life as evidence of “extremism” and claimed that Catholics’ tendency to call the rosary a “weapon in the fight against evil” as dangerous.As EWTN News reported in 2022, popes have urged Catholics to pray the rosary since 1571 — often referring to the rosary as a prayer “weapon” and most powerful spiritual tool.5. The rosary is not biblical.Untrue! Most of its words come directly from Scripture.First, the Our Father is prayed. The words of the Our Father are those Christ taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9–13.The Hail Mary also comes straight from the Bible. The first part, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,” comes from Luke 1:28, and the second, “Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,” is found in Luke 1:42.Finally, each of the decades prayed on the rosary symbolizes an event in the lives of Jesus and his mother. The decades are divided into four sets of mysteries: joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious, the majority of which are found in Scripture.6. A rosary bead, or pea, can kill you.Somewhat true. A rosary pea, or abrus seed, is a vine plant native to India and parts of Asia. The seeds of the vine, which are red with black spots, are often used to make beaded jewelry — including rosaries. Rosary pea seeds contain a toxic substance called “abrin,” which is a naturally-occurring poison that can be fatal if ingested. However, it’s unlikely for someone to get abrin poisoning just from holding a rosary made from abrus seeds, as one would have to swallow them.Today, most rosaries are made from other nontoxic materials, such as olive wood or glass — eliminating this concern.7. The rosary can help protect you.True. Praying the rosary has proven to be a miraculous force for protecting those of faith and bestowing upon them extra graces, such as the victory of the Christian forces at the Battle of Lepanto after St. Pius V implored Western Christians to pray the rosary.Many great saints across history, including Pope John Paul II, Padre Pio, and Lucia of Fátima, have also recognized the rosary as the most powerful weapon in fighting the real spiritual battles we face in the world.We know that spiritual warfare is a real and present danger: “For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens” (Eph 6:11–12).“The rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin … If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors,” Pope Pius XI said.This story was first published on Oct. 1, 2022, and has been updated.
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7 common myths and facts about the rosary #Catholic October is designated by the Catholic Church as the month of the rosary, and Oct. 7 is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.Here are seven common myths and facts about this popular devotion and  prayer:1. Only Catholics can pray the rosary.False. While rosaries are typically associated with Catholics, non-Catholics can certainly pray the rosary — and in fact, many credit it to their conversion. Even some Protestants recognize the rosary as a valid form of prayer.2. Praying the rosary is idolatry.False. Some have objections to the rosary, claiming it idolizes Mary and is overly repetitive.Just like any practice, the rosary can be abused — just as someone might idolize a particular pastor or priest, a form of worship, or fasting. But the rosary itself is not a form of idolatry.The rosary is not a prayer to Mary — it is a meditation on the life of Christ revealed in five mysteries “with the purposes of drawing the person praying deeper into reflecting on Christ’s joys, sacrifices, sufferings, and the glorious miracles of his life.”When we pray the Hail Mary, we are not adoring Mary; we are asking for her intercession — just as we might ask a friend or family member to pray for us.Second, any prayer can lose its meaning if we do not intentionally meditate on it. Focusing on the mysteries with purpose and intention is key to the rosary’s transforming power. As one author encourages: “The rosary itself stays the same, but we do not.”3. You can wear a rosary as a necklace.It depends. It is typically considered disrespectful and irreverent to wear a rosary around one’s neck as jewelry, even though the Church does not have an explicit declaration against doing so.However, Canon 1171 of the Code of Canon Law says that “sacred objects, set aside for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated with reverence. They are not to be made over to secular or inappropriate use, even though they may belong to private persons.”It is important to treat the rosary with respect and intention. If you intend to wear the rosary as a piece of jewelry, this would not be respectful and should be avoided. It goes without saying that wearing the rosary as a mockery or gang symbol would be a sin.But if it is your intention to use the rosary and be mindful of prayer, then it could be permissible. It is not uncommon in some cultures, like in Honduras and El Salvador, to see the rosary respectfully worn around the neck as a sign of devotion.Rosary rings or bracelets might be a better option if you want to keep your rosary close at hand as a reminder to pray, as they are kept more out of sight and would not be as easily misconstrued to be a piece of jewelry.4. The rosary is an extremist symbol.False. Back in 2022, a widely-shared Atlantic article went viral for accusing the rosary of being an “extremist symbol.”“Just as the AR-15 rifle has become a sacred object for Christian nationalists in general, the rosary has acquired a militaristic meaning for radical-traditional (or ‘rad trad’) Catholics,” the article read.The author also cited the Church’s stance on traditional marriage and the sanctity of life as evidence of “extremism” and claimed that Catholics’ tendency to call the rosary a “weapon in the fight against evil” as dangerous.As EWTN News reported in 2022, popes have urged Catholics to pray the rosary since 1571 — often referring to the rosary as a prayer “weapon” and most powerful spiritual tool.5. The rosary is not biblical.Untrue! Most of its words come directly from Scripture.First, the Our Father is prayed. The words of the Our Father are those Christ taught his disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9–13.The Hail Mary also comes straight from the Bible. The first part, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,” comes from Luke 1:28, and the second, “Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,” is found in Luke 1:42.Finally, each of the decades prayed on the rosary symbolizes an event in the lives of Jesus and his mother. The decades are divided into four sets of mysteries: joyful, luminous, sorrowful, and glorious, the majority of which are found in Scripture.6. A rosary bead, or pea, can kill you.Somewhat true. A rosary pea, or abrus seed, is a vine plant native to India and parts of Asia. The seeds of the vine, which are red with black spots, are often used to make beaded jewelry — including rosaries. Rosary pea seeds contain a toxic substance called “abrin,” which is a naturally-occurring poison that can be fatal if ingested. However, it’s unlikely for someone to get abrin poisoning just from holding a rosary made from abrus seeds, as one would have to swallow them.Today, most rosaries are made from other nontoxic materials, such as olive wood or glass — eliminating this concern.7. The rosary can help protect you.True. Praying the rosary has proven to be a miraculous force for protecting those of faith and bestowing upon them extra graces, such as the victory of the Christian forces at the Battle of Lepanto after St. Pius V implored Western Christians to pray the rosary.Many great saints across history, including Pope John Paul II, Padre Pio, and Lucia of Fátima, have also recognized the rosary as the most powerful weapon in fighting the real spiritual battles we face in the world.We know that spiritual warfare is a real and present danger: “For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens” (Eph 6:11–12).“The rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin … If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors,” Pope Pius XI said.This story was first published on Oct. 1, 2022, and has been updated.

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A look at this popular devotion and prayer on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

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Ariana Grande Lands Seasonal Gig As Halloween Lawn Skeleton #BabylonBee – LOS ANGELES, CA — Singer-actress Ariana Grande was excited to make some extra money this fall as she landed the role of a lifetime as a Halloween lawn skeleton, sources confirmed.
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Ariana Grande Lands Seasonal Gig As Halloween Lawn Skeleton #BabylonBee – LOS ANGELES, CA — Singer-actress Ariana Grande was excited to make some extra money this fall as she landed the role of a lifetime as a Halloween lawn skeleton, sources confirmed.

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LOS ANGELES, CA — Singer-actress Ariana Grande was excited to make some extra money this fall as she landed the role of a lifetime as a Halloween lawn skeleton, sources confirmed.

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Astronomers Solve Cosmic Cold Case with NASA Hubble Data – This artist’s concept depicts a possible explanation for the unusual chemical abundances NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope detected in the HS 0209+0832 system: a second-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf star.
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Astronomers Solve Cosmic Cold Case with NASA Hubble Data – This artist’s concept depicts a possible explanation for the unusual chemical abundances NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope detected in the HS 0209+0832 system: a second-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf star.

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This artist’s concept depicts a possible explanation for the unusual chemical abundances NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope detected in the HS 0209+0832 system: a second-generation planet orbiting the white dwarf star.

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Blessings flow from Christ the King’s newly dedicated fountain #Catholic – On Sept. 18, the Church of Christ the King in the neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., hosted a Welcome Back from Summer Social for its National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Scholars on its bucolic grounds. The fun-filled event featured pony rides, food, ice cream, a petting zoo, and face-painting. Also, Father Brian Sullivan, pastor of Christ the King, took to a small boat to bless the parish’s latest project: a new fountain for its pond. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Blessings flow from Christ the King’s newly dedicated fountain #Catholic – On Sept. 18, the Church of Christ the King in the neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., hosted a Welcome Back from Summer Social for its National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Scholars on its bucolic grounds. The fun-filled event featured pony rides, food, ice cream, a petting zoo, and face-painting. Also, Father Brian Sullivan, pastor of Christ the King, took to a small boat to bless the parish’s latest project: a new fountain for its pond. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Blessings flow from Christ the King’s newly dedicated fountain #Catholic –

On Sept. 18, the Church of Christ the King in the neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., hosted a Welcome Back from Summer Social for its National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Scholars on its bucolic grounds. The fun-filled event featured pony rides, food, ice cream, a petting zoo, and face-painting.

Also, Father Brian Sullivan, pastor of Christ the King, took to a small boat to bless the parish’s latest project: a new fountain for its pond.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– On Sept. 18, the Church of Christ the King in the neighborhood of Harding Township, N.J., hosted a Welcome Back from Summer Social for its National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Scholars on its bucolic grounds. The fun-filled event featured pony rides, food, ice cream, a petting zoo, and face-painting. Also, Father Brian Sullivan, pastor of Christ the King, took to a small boat to bless the parish’s latest project: a new fountain for its pond. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Hawthorne parish pet blessing features hedgehog and two tortoises #Catholic – St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J., hosted a pet blessing on Oct. 4 in its Jubilee Garden. Father Stephen T. Prisk, pastor of St. Anthony’s and vice-chancellor of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Brendon J. Harfmann, the parish’s parochial vicar, blessed a colorful spectrum of pets, including dogs, cats, a hedgehog, and two tortoises. The event attracted a wide array of people, including Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, who serve the parish and school. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
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Hawthorne parish pet blessing features hedgehog and two tortoises #Catholic – St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J., hosted a pet blessing on Oct. 4 in its Jubilee Garden. Father Stephen T. Prisk, pastor of St. Anthony’s and vice-chancellor of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Brendon J. Harfmann, the parish’s parochial vicar, blessed a colorful spectrum of pets, including dogs, cats, a hedgehog, and two tortoises. The event attracted a wide array of people, including Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, who serve the parish and school. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org] Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Hawthorne parish pet blessing features hedgehog and two tortoises #Catholic –

St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J., hosted a pet blessing on Oct. 4 in its Jubilee Garden.

Father Stephen T. Prisk, pastor of St. Anthony’s and vice-chancellor of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Brendon J. Harfmann, the parish’s parochial vicar, blessed a colorful spectrum of pets, including dogs, cats, a hedgehog, and two tortoises.

The event attracted a wide array of people, including Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, who serve the parish and school.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

– St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J., hosted a pet blessing on Oct. 4 in its Jubilee Garden. Father Stephen T. Prisk, pastor of St. Anthony’s and vice-chancellor of the Paterson Diocese, N.J., and Father Brendon J. Harfmann, the parish’s parochial vicar, blessed a colorful spectrum of pets, including dogs, cats, a hedgehog, and two tortoises. The event attracted a wide array of people, including Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, who serve the parish and school. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

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Tennessee bishops call for end to death penalty; Trump approves military firing squad execution – #Catholic – Tennessee’s Catholic bishops asked the state of Tennessee this week to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment.In a statement issued Oct. 2, the Tennessee Catholic Conference argued that life imprisonment without parole “serves justice, protects society, and respects the dignity of every human life.”“Accountability for grave wrongdoing is necessary, but it does not require the taking of another life,” they wrote. “An execution cannot restore the life taken, and the uncertainty, prolonged proceedings, and suffering surrounding the death penalty can deepen the anguish of everyone involved, including victims’ families, prisoners’ families, and those charged with carrying out executions.”The bishops’ letter comes after the state’s recent failed attempt to execute the first woman in over 200 years, 50-year-old Christa Pike. After two doses of pentobarbital failed to kill Pike on Sept. 30, the execution was halted. She remains on a ventilator in critical condition. The botched execution was the second for Tennessee this year and led to the resignation of Frank Strada, the commissioner of the Department of Corrections. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee placed a moratorium on executions for the rest of 2026.In 1995, Pike and her boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, tortured and then murdered Colleen Slemmer, Pike crushing her skull with a piece of asphalt. Sentenced to death in 1996 at the age of 20, Pike later attempted to strangle a fellow prisoner, Patricia Jones, in 2001. Pike, convicted of attempted murder, also tried to escape in 2012, according to ABC News.“The fundamental moral question,” the bishops wrote, “is whether the State should continue to take lives when it has another means of protecting the public and imposing a serious, lasting punishment. Life without parole provides that alternative. It holds those convicted of the gravest crimes accountable and protects society while preserving the possibility of repentance.”They wrote that “even those who commit terrible crimes retain their human dignity,” reflecting the Church’s revised stance on capital punishment.Church teaching has changed on the death penaltyParagraph 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, revised in 2018, states that the death penalty is no longer admissible because “the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes” and states should administer punishments that “do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.”According to the catechism, “recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good.”However, Pope Francis argued in his “Address to Participants in the Meeting organized by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization” in 2017 that the “death penalty is an inhumane measure that, regardless of how it is carried out, abases human dignity.”The catechism now states that “more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens,” and urges the Church to work for the abolition of the death penalty.Trump approves military execution by firing squadPresident Donald Trump meanwhile approved an execution by a military firing squad.  On Oct. 5, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell reported on X that Trump approved the execution by military firing squad of “convicted terrorist” and “jihadist” Nidal Malik Hasan, the former U.S. Army major who shouted “Allahu Akbar” while murdering 13 people and wounding 32 others at Fort Hood, an army base in Texas, on Nov. 5, 2009.Following a court martial, Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013. Parnell said the secretary of the Army will determine the date and location of the execution.
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Tennessee bishops call for end to death penalty; Trump approves military firing squad execution – #Catholic – Tennessee’s Catholic bishops asked the state of Tennessee this week to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment.In a statement issued Oct. 2, the Tennessee Catholic Conference argued that life imprisonment without parole “serves justice, protects society, and respects the dignity of every human life.”“Accountability for grave wrongdoing is necessary, but it does not require the taking of another life,” they wrote. “An execution cannot restore the life taken, and the uncertainty, prolonged proceedings, and suffering surrounding the death penalty can deepen the anguish of everyone involved, including victims’ families, prisoners’ families, and those charged with carrying out executions.”The bishops’ letter comes after the state’s recent failed attempt to execute the first woman in over 200 years, 50-year-old Christa Pike. After two doses of pentobarbital failed to kill Pike on Sept. 30, the execution was halted. She remains on a ventilator in critical condition. The botched execution was the second for Tennessee this year and led to the resignation of Frank Strada, the commissioner of the Department of Corrections. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee placed a moratorium on executions for the rest of 2026.In 1995, Pike and her boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, tortured and then murdered Colleen Slemmer, Pike crushing her skull with a piece of asphalt. Sentenced to death in 1996 at the age of 20, Pike later attempted to strangle a fellow prisoner, Patricia Jones, in 2001. Pike, convicted of attempted murder, also tried to escape in 2012, according to ABC News.“The fundamental moral question,” the bishops wrote, “is whether the State should continue to take lives when it has another means of protecting the public and imposing a serious, lasting punishment. Life without parole provides that alternative. It holds those convicted of the gravest crimes accountable and protects society while preserving the possibility of repentance.”They wrote that “even those who commit terrible crimes retain their human dignity,” reflecting the Church’s revised stance on capital punishment.Church teaching has changed on the death penaltyParagraph 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, revised in 2018, states that the death penalty is no longer admissible because “the dignity of the person is not lost even after the commission of very serious crimes” and states should administer punishments that “do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.”According to the catechism, “recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority, following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good.”However, Pope Francis argued in his “Address to Participants in the Meeting organized by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization” in 2017 that the “death penalty is an inhumane measure that, regardless of how it is carried out, abases human dignity.”The catechism now states that “more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens,” and urges the Church to work for the abolition of the death penalty.Trump approves military execution by firing squadPresident Donald Trump meanwhile approved an execution by a military firing squad.  On Oct. 5, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell reported on X that Trump approved the execution by military firing squad of “convicted terrorist” and “jihadist” Nidal Malik Hasan, the former U.S. Army major who shouted “Allahu Akbar” while murdering 13 people and wounding 32 others at Fort Hood, an army base in Texas, on Nov. 5, 2009.Following a court martial, Hasan was sentenced to death in 2013. Parnell said the secretary of the Army will determine the date and location of the execution.

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“Accountability for grave wrongdoing is necessary, but it does not require the taking of another life,” the bishops wrote.

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Fort Worth Diocese presses FedEx on risk of shipping mifepristone to states that restrict abortion – #Catholic – Catholic investors are urging a major shipping company to account for the legal risk of carrying abortion drugs across state lines. At FedEx’s annual meeting on Sept. 28, the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, sponsored a shareholder proposal asking the company to analyze the regulatory and reputational risks of continuing to ship the abortion pill mifepristone into states where abortion is illegal.“Given its prevalence as one of the largest shipping services in the United States, we wanted to highlight the risk that FedEx may be posing for its shareholders if the Comstock Act is enforced and it continues to ship mifepristone, one of the key drugs used in the abortion pill regimen,” Bishop Michael Olson wrote in a letter to other Catholic bishops, asking them to vote for the proposal if their dioceses own shares in the company. Olson told EWTN News he posted the letter on a bishops-only website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Citing the U.S. bishops’ Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines, he called the proposal “part of the process of exercising stewardship over” the diocese’s public equities and “an opportunity to further the culture of life.”The proposal asked FedEx’s board to report within a year on how it oversees the legal, regulatory, and reputational risks of transporting mail-order abortion drugs. It did not ask the company to stop shipping the drug. The board opposed it. Final votes had not been tallied when the diocese spoke with EWTN News.The issue stems from the Comstock Act and the Biden Justice Department’s interpretation of it. Passed by Congress in 1873, the law criminalized using the postal system to send obscene, lewd, or indecent materials; information or devices related to contraception; and items or information intended to induce abortion.More than 20 states restrict or prohibit abortion-inducing drugs within their borders. In December 2022, the Department of Justice under the Biden administration issued a memorandum opinion stating that the Comstock Act “does not prohibit the mailing of certain drugs that can be used to perform abortions where the sender lacks the intent that the recipient of the drugs will use them unlawfully.”The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, stopped enforcing its in-person dispensing rule for mifepristone in April 2021 for the rest of the COVID emergency, and in December of that same year said it would permanently drop that requirement, allowing the drug to be prescribed and shipped to a patient without an office visit.“Nevertheless, the Comstock Act is still law and could be interpreted and enforced more vigorously by this or a future Administration,” Pia de Solenni, who presented the proposal on the diocese’s behalf, said in a letter that accompanied Olson’s.In that letter, she told the bishops: “Your institution has a unique opportunity to leverage its ownership of FedEx to ask for a risk analysis that not only protects the value of the company but also disrupts the delivery of a drug regimen that harms women and destroys unborn human life.” She called the proposal a “unique opportunity to slow down the distribution” of abortion drugs.Olson wrote that “Sadly, since the overturning of Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs decision in 2022, abortion rates in the United States have increased about 20%, due largely to the government’s decision to relax the rules around the distribution” of abortion drugs.De Solenni, who has a doctorate in moral theology and is the former chancellor of the Diocese of Orange, California, is vice president of corporate engagement at IWP Capital, a for-profit firm that does screening, proxy voting, and corporate engagement for institutional investors, consultants, and asset managers.She said the company “only does corporate engagement with a Christian understanding of human flourishing” based on the bishops’ Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines, first published in 1991, revised in 2003, and updated in 2021.She told EWTN News that she spoke only for about three minutes during the 20-minute meeting and the company responded for about three minutes.She said the diocese’s proposal was the only one to which the company responded. “It is challenging to get a proposal on a ballot in the first place,” she said. And once it is there, “it is very unusual for companies to respond to shareholders. They usually let proposals die.” She called the effort a “moral victory.”“If Christian institutional investors would show up, we would be changing these companies,” she said. “If we all voted our proxies, if these companies were hearing from us, they would have different leadership and would make different decisions.”De Solenni said in a separate engagement with Costco, over whether its stores would carry the abortion pill, the first reason the company gave for not carrying it was that “they were unsure about the Comstock Act.”“Our long-term strategy,” Olson said, is “responsible stockholding, keeping our investments clean and in line with the Gospel and the integrity of the Church’s teaching.” He said that Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, was supportive of the proposal, which Olson said is “part of our whole strategy as a diocese to live by Rerum Novarum,” Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical published in 1891.Whatever the final tally, he said the diocese would keep “continued vigilance, and the continued exercise of the prophetic voice in these areas that are overlooked and even taken for granted.” As an institutional investor, he said, the diocese is “very scrupulous about this” and tries to avoid “formal cooperation with evil, or even material cooperation with evil. We certainly check twice.”On Sept. 30, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, joined by the attorneys general of Alabama and Arkansas, filed two lawsuits over abortion pills mailed into states that restrict abortion: one at the Supreme Court against shield laws in New York, California, and Massachusetts, and another against providers accused of shipping the drugs.
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Fort Worth Diocese presses FedEx on risk of shipping mifepristone to states that restrict abortion – #Catholic – Catholic investors are urging a major shipping company to account for the legal risk of carrying abortion drugs across state lines. At FedEx’s annual meeting on Sept. 28, the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, sponsored a shareholder proposal asking the company to analyze the regulatory and reputational risks of continuing to ship the abortion pill mifepristone into states where abortion is illegal.“Given its prevalence as one of the largest shipping services in the United States, we wanted to highlight the risk that FedEx may be posing for its shareholders if the Comstock Act is enforced and it continues to ship mifepristone, one of the key drugs used in the abortion pill regimen,” Bishop Michael Olson wrote in a letter to other Catholic bishops, asking them to vote for the proposal if their dioceses own shares in the company. Olson told EWTN News he posted the letter on a bishops-only website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Citing the U.S. bishops’ Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines, he called the proposal “part of the process of exercising stewardship over” the diocese’s public equities and “an opportunity to further the culture of life.”The proposal asked FedEx’s board to report within a year on how it oversees the legal, regulatory, and reputational risks of transporting mail-order abortion drugs. It did not ask the company to stop shipping the drug. The board opposed it. Final votes had not been tallied when the diocese spoke with EWTN News.The issue stems from the Comstock Act and the Biden Justice Department’s interpretation of it. Passed by Congress in 1873, the law criminalized using the postal system to send obscene, lewd, or indecent materials; information or devices related to contraception; and items or information intended to induce abortion.More than 20 states restrict or prohibit abortion-inducing drugs within their borders. In December 2022, the Department of Justice under the Biden administration issued a memorandum opinion stating that the Comstock Act “does not prohibit the mailing of certain drugs that can be used to perform abortions where the sender lacks the intent that the recipient of the drugs will use them unlawfully.”The Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, stopped enforcing its in-person dispensing rule for mifepristone in April 2021 for the rest of the COVID emergency, and in December of that same year said it would permanently drop that requirement, allowing the drug to be prescribed and shipped to a patient without an office visit.“Nevertheless, the Comstock Act is still law and could be interpreted and enforced more vigorously by this or a future Administration,” Pia de Solenni, who presented the proposal on the diocese’s behalf, said in a letter that accompanied Olson’s.In that letter, she told the bishops: “Your institution has a unique opportunity to leverage its ownership of FedEx to ask for a risk analysis that not only protects the value of the company but also disrupts the delivery of a drug regimen that harms women and destroys unborn human life.” She called the proposal a “unique opportunity to slow down the distribution” of abortion drugs.Olson wrote that “Sadly, since the overturning of Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs decision in 2022, abortion rates in the United States have increased about 20%, due largely to the government’s decision to relax the rules around the distribution” of abortion drugs.De Solenni, who has a doctorate in moral theology and is the former chancellor of the Diocese of Orange, California, is vice president of corporate engagement at IWP Capital, a for-profit firm that does screening, proxy voting, and corporate engagement for institutional investors, consultants, and asset managers.She said the company “only does corporate engagement with a Christian understanding of human flourishing” based on the bishops’ Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines, first published in 1991, revised in 2003, and updated in 2021.She told EWTN News that she spoke only for about three minutes during the 20-minute meeting and the company responded for about three minutes.She said the diocese’s proposal was the only one to which the company responded. “It is challenging to get a proposal on a ballot in the first place,” she said. And once it is there, “it is very unusual for companies to respond to shareholders. They usually let proposals die.” She called the effort a “moral victory.”“If Christian institutional investors would show up, we would be changing these companies,” she said. “If we all voted our proxies, if these companies were hearing from us, they would have different leadership and would make different decisions.”De Solenni said in a separate engagement with Costco, over whether its stores would carry the abortion pill, the first reason the company gave for not carrying it was that “they were unsure about the Comstock Act.”“Our long-term strategy,” Olson said, is “responsible stockholding, keeping our investments clean and in line with the Gospel and the integrity of the Church’s teaching.” He said that Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, was supportive of the proposal, which Olson said is “part of our whole strategy as a diocese to live by Rerum Novarum,” Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical published in 1891.Whatever the final tally, he said the diocese would keep “continued vigilance, and the continued exercise of the prophetic voice in these areas that are overlooked and even taken for granted.” As an institutional investor, he said, the diocese is “very scrupulous about this” and tries to avoid “formal cooperation with evil, or even material cooperation with evil. We certainly check twice.”On Sept. 30, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, joined by the attorneys general of Alabama and Arkansas, filed two lawsuits over abortion pills mailed into states that restrict abortion: one at the Supreme Court against shield laws in New York, California, and Massachusetts, and another against providers accused of shipping the drugs.

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Bishop Michael Olson said he hopes to “further the culture of life” by urging the company to consider whether it’s violating federal law by mailing abortion pills to pro-life states.

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Attendance at Our Lady of Luján pilgrimage in Argentina tops 2.7 million – #Catholic – The rain did not stop the record-breaking number of faithful who made their way on a pilgrimage to Luján, Argentina, this past weekend. According to figures provided by the Buenos Aires Province Ministry of Security, the 52nd Youth Pilgrimage to Luján drew 2.7 million people.The image of the Virgin set out at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, from the San Cayetano Sanctuary in the Liniers sector of Buenos Aires, carried and escorted by a delegation from the Diocese of Lomas de Zamora.Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva, accompanied by La Plata Archbishop Gustavo Carrara, also set out from Liniers.Reflecting on the pilgrimageʼs motto — “Mother, in your embrace we recognize each other as brothers and sisters” — García Cuerva observed: “To be brothers and sisters, the first step is discovering that Mary is the mother of all, and that she unites us. I believe we need to lower the intolerance and contempt we have on occasion for others; we must stop emphasizing what divides us and instead focus on what unites us.”In the rain, wearing store-bought or makeshift raincoats, the crowd began the journey of more than 37 miles separating Liniers from the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Luján, where anticipation is already building for the visit of Pope Leo XIV, who is scheduled to arrive in Argentina on Nov. 8. Rain-soaked pilgrims walk toward Luján in Argentina on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. | Credit: Eclesia Magazine/Diocese of Lomas de Zamora Along the way, there was no shortage of prayers and songs, nor of the ever-present support stations where volunteers from parishes, movements, and organizations offered refreshments, assistance to pilgrims, and “free hugs.”By early afternoon on Saturday, the rain had passed, and the sun even came out. The first pilgrims began to arrive in Luján, which gradually filled with the faithful coming to the feet of the Mother — some walking with great difficulty, others supported by their companions, and most visibly moved.Upon arrival in Luján at nightfall, the journey became difficult due to the sheer number of people — far greater than in previous years, according to regular pilgrims. Some reported taking over an hour just to cover the final few blocks to the basilica.Instagram postOnce in Luján, the prayers, expressions of gratitude, hugs, and tears bore witness to the faith of a people who — regardless of age, social class, or political views — had come to receive the embrace of the Virgin of Luján.Marcos, from Our Lady of Fatima Parish, said he particularly valued the act of making the pilgrimage “not because it is mandatory, but because it allows for a deeper connection with the Virgin, with God, with oneself, and even with oneʼs own family.”Mariana, a “free hugs” volunteer, described her role as providing that “little push” needed for the final 10.5 miles to Luján “to meet the Virgin.”“That embrace is not just for the person I give it to, but also for the one I receive; because I, too, receive so much affection and love — it is a caress for the soul.”Going on pilgrimage, she affirmed, “means following in Jesus' footsteps, going to meet Mother, just as Jesus walked with Mother. I imagine Mary teaching Jesus to walk, waiting for him in a little spot, ready to steady him so he wouldnʼt fall. That is how Mary is with us: waiting for us, steadying us so we can reach our destination,” she reflected.Instagram postGarcía Cuerva celebrated the pilgrimageʼs main Mass early Sunday morning in Plaza Belgrano, facing the basilica.In his homily, García Cuerva noted that “there are no ideological rifts or exclusions on the pilgrimage.”“The journey leveled the playing field for us all; as we walked, we all wore out our shoes, we all grew tired, and we all longed to reach Mary’s home. What a profound lesson we learned! When we realize we are fellow travelers belonging to the same people, there is no room for individualism or hate speech,” he declared.Reflecting on the state of the nation, he also observed that “our country has many embraces yet to be shared: embraces of forgiveness in the face of so much disparagement and insult; embraces of solidarity amid such indifference; embraces of reconnection amid such lostness; deep embraces — not merely formal gestures — but embraces from the soul.”Along these lines, he also spoke of “wounds of disparagement, intolerance, and physical and verbal violence" — wounds that "are already festering, and it seems the heart of the Argentine people is becoming infected."He therefore urged: “It is time for us to unite. If the Virgin of Luján embraces us all, it is impossible to look upon each other with contempt, for the other is my brother.”Addressing the faithful, he invited them to be “artisans of fraternity” and to bring Mary’s embrace “to those at their breaking point, to the elderly, to those who think differently, to people with disabilities and their families, to the unemployed, to those sleeping on the streets, to adolescents and young people struggling with drug addiction, and to the poorest among us.”Finally, looking ahead to the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV, he encouraged everyone to make this pilgrimage a "school of fraternity for our country, one where "Mary teaches us to respect and forgive one another and to engage in dialogue with everyone; where we stop disparaging our brothers and sisters, stop being indifferent to those who suffer, and stop giving way to hatred among ourselves; because here in Luján, we have experienced that, within her maternal embrace, we recognize one another as brothers and sisters."This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Attendance at Our Lady of Luján pilgrimage in Argentina tops 2.7 million – #Catholic – The rain did not stop the record-breaking number of faithful who made their way on a pilgrimage to Luján, Argentina, this past weekend. According to figures provided by the Buenos Aires Province Ministry of Security, the 52nd Youth Pilgrimage to Luján drew 2.7 million people.The image of the Virgin set out at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, from the San Cayetano Sanctuary in the Liniers sector of Buenos Aires, carried and escorted by a delegation from the Diocese of Lomas de Zamora.Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva, accompanied by La Plata Archbishop Gustavo Carrara, also set out from Liniers.Reflecting on the pilgrimageʼs motto — “Mother, in your embrace we recognize each other as brothers and sisters” — García Cuerva observed: “To be brothers and sisters, the first step is discovering that Mary is the mother of all, and that she unites us. I believe we need to lower the intolerance and contempt we have on occasion for others; we must stop emphasizing what divides us and instead focus on what unites us.”In the rain, wearing store-bought or makeshift raincoats, the crowd began the journey of more than 37 miles separating Liniers from the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Luján, where anticipation is already building for the visit of Pope Leo XIV, who is scheduled to arrive in Argentina on Nov. 8. Rain-soaked pilgrims walk toward Luján in Argentina on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. | Credit: Eclesia Magazine/Diocese of Lomas de Zamora Along the way, there was no shortage of prayers and songs, nor of the ever-present support stations where volunteers from parishes, movements, and organizations offered refreshments, assistance to pilgrims, and “free hugs.”By early afternoon on Saturday, the rain had passed, and the sun even came out. The first pilgrims began to arrive in Luján, which gradually filled with the faithful coming to the feet of the Mother — some walking with great difficulty, others supported by their companions, and most visibly moved.Upon arrival in Luján at nightfall, the journey became difficult due to the sheer number of people — far greater than in previous years, according to regular pilgrims. Some reported taking over an hour just to cover the final few blocks to the basilica.Instagram postOnce in Luján, the prayers, expressions of gratitude, hugs, and tears bore witness to the faith of a people who — regardless of age, social class, or political views — had come to receive the embrace of the Virgin of Luján.Marcos, from Our Lady of Fatima Parish, said he particularly valued the act of making the pilgrimage “not because it is mandatory, but because it allows for a deeper connection with the Virgin, with God, with oneself, and even with oneʼs own family.”Mariana, a “free hugs” volunteer, described her role as providing that “little push” needed for the final 10.5 miles to Luján “to meet the Virgin.”“That embrace is not just for the person I give it to, but also for the one I receive; because I, too, receive so much affection and love — it is a caress for the soul.”Going on pilgrimage, she affirmed, “means following in Jesus' footsteps, going to meet Mother, just as Jesus walked with Mother. I imagine Mary teaching Jesus to walk, waiting for him in a little spot, ready to steady him so he wouldnʼt fall. That is how Mary is with us: waiting for us, steadying us so we can reach our destination,” she reflected.Instagram postGarcía Cuerva celebrated the pilgrimageʼs main Mass early Sunday morning in Plaza Belgrano, facing the basilica.In his homily, García Cuerva noted that “there are no ideological rifts or exclusions on the pilgrimage.”“The journey leveled the playing field for us all; as we walked, we all wore out our shoes, we all grew tired, and we all longed to reach Mary’s home. What a profound lesson we learned! When we realize we are fellow travelers belonging to the same people, there is no room for individualism or hate speech,” he declared.Reflecting on the state of the nation, he also observed that “our country has many embraces yet to be shared: embraces of forgiveness in the face of so much disparagement and insult; embraces of solidarity amid such indifference; embraces of reconnection amid such lostness; deep embraces — not merely formal gestures — but embraces from the soul.”Along these lines, he also spoke of “wounds of disparagement, intolerance, and physical and verbal violence" — wounds that "are already festering, and it seems the heart of the Argentine people is becoming infected."He therefore urged: “It is time for us to unite. If the Virgin of Luján embraces us all, it is impossible to look upon each other with contempt, for the other is my brother.”Addressing the faithful, he invited them to be “artisans of fraternity” and to bring Mary’s embrace “to those at their breaking point, to the elderly, to those who think differently, to people with disabilities and their families, to the unemployed, to those sleeping on the streets, to adolescents and young people struggling with drug addiction, and to the poorest among us.”Finally, looking ahead to the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV, he encouraged everyone to make this pilgrimage a "school of fraternity for our country, one where "Mary teaches us to respect and forgive one another and to engage in dialogue with everyone; where we stop disparaging our brothers and sisters, stop being indifferent to those who suffer, and stop giving way to hatred among ourselves; because here in Luján, we have experienced that, within her maternal embrace, we recognize one another as brothers and sisters."This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The motto for this year’s pilgrimage was “Mother, in your embrace we recognize each other as brothers and sisters.”

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Francis Halzen wins the 2026 Nobel Prize in physics

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The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded Francis Halzen, principal investigator of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and professor of physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Nobel Prize in physics on Oct. 6, 2026. Halzen’s work on high-energy neutrinos has shaped our understanding of the universe’s mysterious and powerful natural particle accelerators. Halzen is theContinue reading “Francis Halzen wins the 2026 Nobel Prize in physics”

The post Francis Halzen wins the 2026 Nobel Prize in physics appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Denver bishops mark America 250 with message on migrants and refugees #Catholic Catholic bishops and other Christian leaders in Colorado issued a letter on immigrants and refugees in observance of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini’s feast day during the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. “This anniversary invites us to remember not only the founding of our nation but also the generations who have helped bring its ideals to life,” the letter, released on Oct. 5, Cabrini’s feast day, said, highlighting that “America’s immigrant heritage is an essential part of, and inseparable from, our national identity.”Cabrini is the patron saint of immigrants and is the first American to be canonized.The message, titled “A Pilgrim People, A Shared Hope,” is signed by Archbishop James Golka and Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez of Denver, Bishop Stephen Berg of Pueblo, and Father Kyle Ingels, the diocesan administrator of Colorado Springs, as well as several other Christian leaders across denominations. The letter comes as the Trump administration’s deportation efforts across the country continue to stir controversy among Catholics, including in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, which filed a lawsuit Oct. 5 against local and federal officials for barring priests from ministering to Catholic immigrant detainees. “We remember with respect the Indigenous peoples who inhabited this land long before the nation’s founding, as well as those brought here through slavery and denied the freedom our nation proclaimed,” the letter said. “We also give thanks for generations of immigrants and refugees who arrived carrying their faith, cultures, hopes, and gifts.”The letter underscored the contributions of immigrants across agriculture, business, science, medicine, technology, and more. “Here in Colorado, immigrants have worked in our mines and fields, taught in our schools, opened businesses, served in our hospitals, raised families and enriched our civic and religious life,” the letter said.Addressing concerns about national sovereignty and border security, the Christian leaders affirmed “both a nation’s responsibility to protect its people and maintain an orderly immigration system and its duty to treat every person with justice and mercy.”“Laws should serve the common good while respecting human dignity, protecting the vulnerable, preserving family unity and providing fair legal processes,” the letter said, concluding: “On this anniversary, we invite the faithful to remember the immigrant and refugee stories that have shaped their families and communities; to pray for those displaced from their homes; to support ministries that accompany newcomers; and to build friendships across differences of language, culture and nationality.”
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Denver bishops mark America 250 with message on migrants and refugees #Catholic Catholic bishops and other Christian leaders in Colorado issued a letter on immigrants and refugees in observance of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini’s feast day during the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. “This anniversary invites us to remember not only the founding of our nation but also the generations who have helped bring its ideals to life,” the letter, released on Oct. 5, Cabrini’s feast day, said, highlighting that “America’s immigrant heritage is an essential part of, and inseparable from, our national identity.”Cabrini is the patron saint of immigrants and is the first American to be canonized.The message, titled “A Pilgrim People, A Shared Hope,” is signed by Archbishop James Golka and Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez of Denver, Bishop Stephen Berg of Pueblo, and Father Kyle Ingels, the diocesan administrator of Colorado Springs, as well as several other Christian leaders across denominations. The letter comes as the Trump administration’s deportation efforts across the country continue to stir controversy among Catholics, including in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, which filed a lawsuit Oct. 5 against local and federal officials for barring priests from ministering to Catholic immigrant detainees. “We remember with respect the Indigenous peoples who inhabited this land long before the nation’s founding, as well as those brought here through slavery and denied the freedom our nation proclaimed,” the letter said. “We also give thanks for generations of immigrants and refugees who arrived carrying their faith, cultures, hopes, and gifts.”The letter underscored the contributions of immigrants across agriculture, business, science, medicine, technology, and more. “Here in Colorado, immigrants have worked in our mines and fields, taught in our schools, opened businesses, served in our hospitals, raised families and enriched our civic and religious life,” the letter said.Addressing concerns about national sovereignty and border security, the Christian leaders affirmed “both a nation’s responsibility to protect its people and maintain an orderly immigration system and its duty to treat every person with justice and mercy.”“Laws should serve the common good while respecting human dignity, protecting the vulnerable, preserving family unity and providing fair legal processes,” the letter said, concluding: “On this anniversary, we invite the faithful to remember the immigrant and refugee stories that have shaped their families and communities; to pray for those displaced from their homes; to support ministries that accompany newcomers; and to build friendships across differences of language, culture and nationality.”

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“This anniversary invites us to remember not only the founding of our nation but also the generations who have helped bring its ideals to life,” said the letter from Colorado Christian leaders.

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I Received an Amazing Letter from President Trump on Monday… Here Is What He Said – President Trump wrote me a letter on Monday. The post I Received an Amazing Letter from President Trump on Monday… Here Is What He Said appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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I Received an Amazing Letter from President Trump on Monday… Here Is What He Said – President Trump wrote me a letter on Monday. The post I Received an Amazing Letter from President Trump on Monday… Here Is What He Said appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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President Trump wrote me a letter on Monday.

The post I Received an Amazing Letter from President Trump on Monday… Here Is What He Said appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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BREAKING: Battle for Control of US House Narrows as Wacky Democrats Lose Ground for Second Week in a Row – The battle for control of the US house narrowed again this week as Democrats lost ground for the second week in row, according to Rasmussen Reports. The post BREAKING: Battle for Control of US House Narrows as Wacky Democrats Lose Ground for Second Week in a Row appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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BREAKING: Battle for Control of US House Narrows as Wacky Democrats Lose Ground for Second Week in a Row – The battle for control of the US house narrowed again this week as Democrats lost ground for the second week in row, according to Rasmussen Reports. The post BREAKING: Battle for Control of US House Narrows as Wacky Democrats Lose Ground for Second Week in a Row appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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The battle for control of the US house narrowed again this week as Democrats lost ground for the second week in row, according to Rasmussen Reports.

The post BREAKING: Battle for Control of US House Narrows as Wacky Democrats Lose Ground for Second Week in a Row appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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THEY’RE TERRIFIED: Marc Elias Cheers NAACP Lawsuit Demanding Records on Trump DOJ’s Plan to Send Roughly 1,000 Election Monitors to the Polls — and Gets BLASTED – Democrat super-lawyer Marc Elias rushed to social media Monday to celebrate a new National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) lawsuit aimed at the Trump Justice Department’s plan to put roughly 1,000 federal election monitors at polling places for the November 3 midterms. The post THEY’RE TERRIFIED: Marc Elias Cheers NAACP Lawsuit Demanding Records on Trump DOJ’s Plan to Send Roughly 1,000 Election Monitors to the Polls — and Gets BLASTED appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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THEY’RE TERRIFIED: Marc Elias Cheers NAACP Lawsuit Demanding Records on Trump DOJ’s Plan to Send Roughly 1,000 Election Monitors to the Polls — and Gets BLASTED – Democrat super-lawyer Marc Elias rushed to social media Monday to celebrate a new National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) lawsuit aimed at the Trump Justice Department’s plan to put roughly 1,000 federal election monitors at polling places for the November 3 midterms. The post THEY’RE TERRIFIED: Marc Elias Cheers NAACP Lawsuit Demanding Records on Trump DOJ’s Plan to Send Roughly 1,000 Election Monitors to the Polls — and Gets BLASTED appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Democrat super-lawyer Marc Elias rushed to social media Monday to celebrate a new National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) lawsuit aimed at the Trump Justice Department’s plan to put roughly 1,000 federal election monitors at polling places for the November 3 midterms.

The post THEY’RE TERRIFIED: Marc Elias Cheers NAACP Lawsuit Demanding Records on Trump DOJ’s Plan to Send Roughly 1,000 Election Monitors to the Polls — and Gets BLASTED appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Prayer for Expectant Mothers #2 : Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, October 06, 2026 – #Prayer – O Good Saint Anne, who had the incomparable privilege of bringing into the world Her who was to become the Mother of God, I come to place myself under your special care. I confide myself to you, together with the child I am carrying. Thousands of children owe you, Glorious Mother of Mary, the life of the body and the grace of baptism. Hence I wish, in my turn, to place my whole confidence in you. Make me keep in mind the precautions I need to take so as not to …

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O Good Saint Anne,
who had the incomparable privilege of bringing into the world
Her who was to become the Mother of God,
I come to place myself
under your special care.

I confide myself to you,
together with the child I am carrying.
Thousands of children owe you,
Glorious Mother of Mary,
the life of the body and the grace of baptism.
Hence I wish, in my turn,
to place my whole confidence in you.
Make me keep in mind the precautions I need to take
so as not to …

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St. Louis Archdiocese sues over limits on sacraments for ICE detainees – #Catholic – The Archdiocese of St. Louis is challenging an immigration detention center’s visitation policies it says prevent Catholic detainees from receiving the sacraments, after a jail official suggested “clergy pass communion in a plastic bag to a prison guard who could then deliver it to the detainee.”The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 5 by Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski and Father Christopher Schroeder of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, claims that Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center’s no-contact policy bars clergy from ministering to detainees while making exceptions to the rule for nonreligious visitors.The archdiocese said in an Oct. 5 press release and in the filing that it had asked the facility to accommodate clergy seeking to provide sacraments to detainees but that facility officials refused to do so. “That refusal is troubling, given that other individuals—including lawyers and consular officials—are permitted to visit detained individuals under much more permissive circumstances,” the archdiocese said in the release.Ste. Genevieve Detention Center houses about 150 immigration detainees and has held about 3,000 detainees, including one who died in the facility, since it began contracting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in mid-2025, according to the filing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the federal Cabinet department that oversees ICE, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis. | Credit: Jonah McKeown/EWTN News “The first and only time any jail official has proposed any accommodation for religious exercise was in response to a reporter,” the archdiocese said, which culminated in a suggestion from Maj. Jason Schott, who oversees the day-to-day operation of the jail, that clergy deliver Communion to detainees in a plastic bag by prison guards.“This is no accommodation at all,” the filing states. “Because the celebration of communion is a central piece of the Catholic faith, and because the transubstantiation that occurs in this sacrament involves the real presence of Christ, the Catholic faith imposes strict rules on how communion may be administered. Communion may only be administered by a minister specifically appointed for the purpose.”A person must be authorized to distribute Communion according to the norms of the diocese and the parish, ordinarily after suitable formation and commissioning by the pastor or bishop. While the Eucharist belongs to the whole Church, its distribution is carried out according to the Churchʼs sacramental and hierarchical order.The archdiocese said the facility’s “scant defense” for its policies cited concerns for “safety and security risks” and that “priests might smuggle ‘contraband’ to the detainee.’”“Schott does not explain how the host, which as consecrated is the body of Christ—the very thing priests want to ‘pass to detainees’—could be contraband,” the filing states.The archdiocese also claimed priests have been barred from accessing the facility during the traditional four-hour window for visitation on Sundays and that “the jail allows clergy to visit only for a 4-hour window on Mondays.”“The Catholic Church does not seek special treatment,” the archdiocese said in the release. “But only requests the same access as these other groups which, if provided, would allow clergy to offer the Catholic sacraments detainees desperately want.” 
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St. Louis Archdiocese sues over limits on sacraments for ICE detainees – #Catholic – The Archdiocese of St. Louis is challenging an immigration detention center’s visitation policies it says prevent Catholic detainees from receiving the sacraments, after a jail official suggested “clergy pass communion in a plastic bag to a prison guard who could then deliver it to the detainee.”The lawsuit, filed on Oct. 5 by Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski and Father Christopher Schroeder of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, claims that Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center’s no-contact policy bars clergy from ministering to detainees while making exceptions to the rule for nonreligious visitors.The archdiocese said in an Oct. 5 press release and in the filing that it had asked the facility to accommodate clergy seeking to provide sacraments to detainees but that facility officials refused to do so. “That refusal is troubling, given that other individuals—including lawyers and consular officials—are permitted to visit detained individuals under much more permissive circumstances,” the archdiocese said in the release.Ste. Genevieve Detention Center houses about 150 immigration detainees and has held about 3,000 detainees, including one who died in the facility, since it began contracting with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in mid-2025, according to the filing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the federal Cabinet department that oversees ICE, did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis. | Credit: Jonah McKeown/EWTN News “The first and only time any jail official has proposed any accommodation for religious exercise was in response to a reporter,” the archdiocese said, which culminated in a suggestion from Maj. Jason Schott, who oversees the day-to-day operation of the jail, that clergy deliver Communion to detainees in a plastic bag by prison guards.“This is no accommodation at all,” the filing states. “Because the celebration of communion is a central piece of the Catholic faith, and because the transubstantiation that occurs in this sacrament involves the real presence of Christ, the Catholic faith imposes strict rules on how communion may be administered. Communion may only be administered by a minister specifically appointed for the purpose.”A person must be authorized to distribute Communion according to the norms of the diocese and the parish, ordinarily after suitable formation and commissioning by the pastor or bishop. While the Eucharist belongs to the whole Church, its distribution is carried out according to the Churchʼs sacramental and hierarchical order.The archdiocese said the facility’s “scant defense” for its policies cited concerns for “safety and security risks” and that “priests might smuggle ‘contraband’ to the detainee.’”“Schott does not explain how the host, which as consecrated is the body of Christ—the very thing priests want to ‘pass to detainees’—could be contraband,” the filing states.The archdiocese also claimed priests have been barred from accessing the facility during the traditional four-hour window for visitation on Sundays and that “the jail allows clergy to visit only for a 4-hour window on Mondays.”“The Catholic Church does not seek special treatment,” the archdiocese said in the release. “But only requests the same access as these other groups which, if provided, would allow clergy to offer the Catholic sacraments detainees desperately want.” 

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The Archdiocese of St. Louis says it has been discriminated against in its efforts to minister to Catholic ICE detainees.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 06 October 2026 – A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 1:13-24 Brothers and sisters: You heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it,  and progressed in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my race, since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions. But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were Apostles before me; rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the Apostles, only James the brother of the Lord. (As to what I am writing to you, behold, before God, I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea that are in Christ; they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” So they glorified God because of me.From the Gospel according to Luke 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village  where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.  Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?  Tell her to help me.”  The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.  There is need of only one thing.  Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”Humility is needed to offer hospitality, but also to receive it. It also takes courtesy, attentiveness and openness. In the Gospel, Martha risks missing out on some of the joy of this exchange. She is so caught up in preparing to welcome Jesus that she nearly spoils a unique moment of encounter. Martha is a generous person, but our Lord calls her to something more than generosity alone. He calls her to leave her preparations behind and to come and spend time with him. Dear brothers and sisters, our lives can only flourish if we learn to be open to something greater than ourselves, something that brings us happiness and fulfillment. Martha complains that her sister has left her alone to serve (cf. v. 40), but Mary is completely caught up in Jesus’ words. She is no less practical than her sister, nor less generous, but she recognized what was most important. That is why Jesus chides Martha. She was missing an opportunity to share in a moment that would have brought her great joy (cf. vv. 41-42). (…) Sometimes we too fail to choose the better part. We need to take time to rest and try to learn better the art of hospitality. (…) Every genuine encounter is free; it cannot be bought, whether it is an encounter with God, with others or with nature. We need only learn the art of hospitality, which includes both welcoming others and allowing ourselves to be welcomed. We have much to receive, not only to give. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 20 July 2025)

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A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians
1:13-24

Brothers and sisters:
You heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it, 
and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were Apostles before me;
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas
and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
(As to what I am writing to you, behold,
before God, I am not lying.)
Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea
that are in Christ;
they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us
is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
So they glorified God because of me.

From the Gospel according to Luke
10:38-42

Jesus entered a village 
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. 
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
“Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? 
Tell her to help me.” 
The Lord said to her in reply,
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. 
There is need of only one thing. 
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her.”

Humility is needed to offer hospitality, but also to receive it. It also takes courtesy, attentiveness and openness. In the Gospel, Martha risks missing out on some of the joy of this exchange. She is so caught up in preparing to welcome Jesus that she nearly spoils a unique moment of encounter. Martha is a generous person, but our Lord calls her to something more than generosity alone. He calls her to leave her preparations behind and to come and spend time with him.

Dear brothers and sisters, our lives can only flourish if we learn to be open to something greater than ourselves, something that brings us happiness and fulfillment. Martha complains that her sister has left her alone to serve (cf. v. 40), but Mary is completely caught up in Jesus’ words. She is no less practical than her sister, nor less generous, but she recognized what was most important. That is why Jesus chides Martha. She was missing an opportunity to share in a moment that would have brought her great joy (cf. vv. 41-42). (…)

Sometimes we too fail to choose the better part. We need to take time to rest and try to learn better the art of hospitality. (…) Every genuine encounter is free; it cannot be bought, whether it is an encounter with God, with others or with nature. We need only learn the art of hospitality, which includes both welcoming others and allowing ourselves to be welcomed. We have much to receive, not only to give. (Pope Leo XIV, Angelus, 20 July 2025)

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French bishop condemns ‘destructive’ protest violence, urges peaceful dialogue – #Catholic – Bishop Matthieu Rougé of the Diocese of Nanterre, France, has condemned the “destructive” violence at student-led protests throughout the country and encouraged peaceful dialogue to address students’ struggles and concerns.Students began holding protests in late September, citing frustrations with education quality and a lack of funding and resources at schools. By early October, numerous protests became violent with arsons, lootings, and confrontations with police, leading to millions of dollars in damage and hundreds of injuries. More than 5,000 people have been arrested.Rougé, who leads the French bishops’ conference’s Council for Catholic Education, told Vatican News that the violence reflects “the distress experienced by this generation of young people” in an Oct. 3 interview published by the Vatican-run news outlet.“Violence expresses this distress: setting fire to some high schools, even newly built ones, manifests a destructive form of violence that cannot be condoned,” Rougé said, adding that it expresses “an inner violence among some young people who have not found meaning in their lives.”The bishop said suffering is linked to the crisis of families, the climate crisis, the economic crisis, the social crisis, and the geopolitical crisis, “and so, consciously or unconsciously, these young people are afraid of the future; they do not see how it can also hold opportunities for them.”Rougé said young people sometimes do not express this distress, which then “manifests itself through violence.” He said young people may not have “acquired sufficient maturity in language and self-expression to be able to express themselves in another way.”The demonstrations, he said, are still “a call to be even more attentive to our young people, including in Catholic schools,” in which responsible adults can “help restore a sense of calm, creating spaces for listening and discussion, to accompany these young people.”Rougé said the Church calls for “peace,” for “a different way for young people to express themselves,” and for “listening to these young people.” He said the public education system should prioritize “enabling young people to build a future for themselves and to receive a rich education that will allow them to move forward in life.”In the interview, the bishop also noted that Pope Leo XIV addressed young people in France, encouraging them to have “the courage to live out responsibly the mission of building peace.”“The Holy Father called young people to true freedom, the freedom that Christ gives,” Rougé said. “And to these young people, some of whom also come from social environments that have not been given sufficient recognition, he opened up a sense of purpose for their lives — the path of true freedom.”Father Christophe Danset, the bishops’ conference’s national delegate for youth ministry, told the Italian Catholic news outlet AgenSIR the violence expressed through these protests paints a very different image than the celebratory gatherings that marked the pope’s visit to the country late last month.“The beauty of that gathering and the violence of this week are two sides of the same reality of French youth: on the one hand, a genuine thirst, and on the other, a human and spiritual crisis,” he said in an Oct. 2 article.
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French bishop condemns ‘destructive’ protest violence, urges peaceful dialogue – #Catholic – Bishop Matthieu Rougé of the Diocese of Nanterre, France, has condemned the “destructive” violence at student-led protests throughout the country and encouraged peaceful dialogue to address students’ struggles and concerns.Students began holding protests in late September, citing frustrations with education quality and a lack of funding and resources at schools. By early October, numerous protests became violent with arsons, lootings, and confrontations with police, leading to millions of dollars in damage and hundreds of injuries. More than 5,000 people have been arrested.Rougé, who leads the French bishops’ conference’s Council for Catholic Education, told Vatican News that the violence reflects “the distress experienced by this generation of young people” in an Oct. 3 interview published by the Vatican-run news outlet.“Violence expresses this distress: setting fire to some high schools, even newly built ones, manifests a destructive form of violence that cannot be condoned,” Rougé said, adding that it expresses “an inner violence among some young people who have not found meaning in their lives.”The bishop said suffering is linked to the crisis of families, the climate crisis, the economic crisis, the social crisis, and the geopolitical crisis, “and so, consciously or unconsciously, these young people are afraid of the future; they do not see how it can also hold opportunities for them.”Rougé said young people sometimes do not express this distress, which then “manifests itself through violence.” He said young people may not have “acquired sufficient maturity in language and self-expression to be able to express themselves in another way.”The demonstrations, he said, are still “a call to be even more attentive to our young people, including in Catholic schools,” in which responsible adults can “help restore a sense of calm, creating spaces for listening and discussion, to accompany these young people.”Rougé said the Church calls for “peace,” for “a different way for young people to express themselves,” and for “listening to these young people.” He said the public education system should prioritize “enabling young people to build a future for themselves and to receive a rich education that will allow them to move forward in life.”In the interview, the bishop also noted that Pope Leo XIV addressed young people in France, encouraging them to have “the courage to live out responsibly the mission of building peace.”“The Holy Father called young people to true freedom, the freedom that Christ gives,” Rougé said. “And to these young people, some of whom also come from social environments that have not been given sufficient recognition, he opened up a sense of purpose for their lives — the path of true freedom.”Father Christophe Danset, the bishops’ conference’s national delegate for youth ministry, told the Italian Catholic news outlet AgenSIR the violence expressed through these protests paints a very different image than the celebratory gatherings that marked the pope’s visit to the country late last month.“The beauty of that gathering and the violence of this week are two sides of the same reality of French youth: on the one hand, a genuine thirst, and on the other, a human and spiritual crisis,” he said in an Oct. 2 article.

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Bishop Matthieu Rougé, who leads the French bishops’ conference’s Council for Catholic Education, said responsible adults must lead young people to express their concerns peacefully.

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NASA Astronaut Christina Koch at Eagles vs. Rams – NASA astronaut and mission specialist of the agency’s Artemis II mission, Christina Koch, led the fans in singing the Eagles Fight Song from the field at an NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Philadelphia.

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NASA astronaut and mission specialist of the agency’s Artemis II mission, Christina Koch, led the fans in singing the Eagles Fight Song from the field at an NFL game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Philadelphia.

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Pope Leo’s Angelus Address(es), his invitation to pray the Rosary and his monthly intention for mental health Ministry #Catholic – Dear brothers and sisters, Last Sunday, in Lourdes, I invited everyone to pray the Rosary during this month of October, with the special intention that wars may cease and peace may be built. Among the first to do so were the children, and they are continuing to do so: from 1 to 7 October, “Aid to the Church in Need” is promoting “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative for peace and unity in the world. I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world. Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war. In particular, let us pray for the Holy Land and for the innocent victims of violence. Angelus, St Peter’s Square, Sunday, 4 October 2026 BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY I had tried to follow, as closely as possible, Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journey to France, from Sept. 25-28, but I had not heard his clear and specific invitation from Lourdes, at his Angelus address on Sunday, Sept. 27, when he said: “… today I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the holy rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict.”  I am glad that I did not “completely miss” the invitation and that Pope Leo offered a reminder in his Angelus address this past Sunday, Oct. 4, as he reflected on this past Sunday’s Gospel (Mt. 21:33-43) and reflected on the example of the life, ministry, and vocation of St. Francis of Assisi, stating: “… the charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today, after eight centuries…” As St. Francis continues to call each of us to pray and act so that the Lord may “make us instruments of His Peace” and, as the first Holy Father to take the name of the “poor man from Assisi,” Pope Francis continually and consistently called all Christians and people of good will to work together for peace and to care for the poor, the suffering, and those who are forgotten (or “thrown away”) by society, Pope Leo XIV continues that consistent call, inviting us to work and pray for peace and for an end to war. I was encouraged and inspired to learn from Pope Leo that among the first to “respond” to his invitation to pray the Rosary for Peace were children from all over the world. Another way to join with people from all over the world in praying the Rosary during this “month of the Holy Rosary” is the “World Mission Rosary:” On Sept. 24, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was beatified in St. Louis. You are invited to discover one of his greatest gifts to the Church: the World Mission Rosary. 75 years ago, Archbishop Sheen designed this special rosary so that every Catholic — no matter where they lived — could hold up the whole world in prayer. Every day of October, join us to do exactly that. Sponsored by The Pontifical Mission Societies, Catholics from around the world will gather online each day of October at 3 p.m. Eastern Time to pray it together. See World Mission Rosary.  As I was “catching up” on Pope Leo’s Angelus addresses and his invitation to pray the Rosary every day during the month of October, I was reminded that someone had sent me a video with Pope Leo’s monthly prayer intention for the month of October. Once again, I was a little late, but glad that I had not missed it completely. I have not followed every month, but I have seen a few of the brief videos produced by Vatican Media for the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network to introduce the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intention. The video for October, introducing the intention, “For Mental Health Ministry,” is very beautiful, and the words express Pope Leo’s compassion and pastoral sensitivity. The video and more information can be found here.  Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and Blessed Fulton J. Sheen give us good advice that can make the month of October a special time of grace for the world. The Holy Rosary is a profound gift in the simple directness of its constant theme of meditation on the life of the Lord Jesus and his Blessed Mother. As Blessed Fulton Sheen wrote, “When we say the Rosary—we are saying to God, the Trinity, to the Incarnate Savior, to the Blessed Mother: ‘I love you.’ The Rosary, too, can be a source of strength for those struggling with mental illness and emotional unsettledness. The Rosary makes us conscious of the lives of the Holy Family particularly, who knew God’s consoling love in every hour. Not so long ago, Pope Leo recounted the habit of his parents praying the Rosary together daily. Reflecting on his parents’ custom, the Holy Father noted, “I found that I was always blessed by their love for one another and their faith in God … It’s a wonderful thing.” It could be a “wonderful” thing, too, if together, as individuals, families and communities, our praying the Rosary would lead to peace in every heart, in families and in our world, peace that only God can give. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  
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Pope Leo’s Angelus Address(es), his invitation to pray the Rosary and his monthly intention for mental health Ministry #Catholic – Dear brothers and sisters, Last Sunday, in Lourdes, I invited everyone to pray the Rosary during this month of October, with the special intention that wars may cease and peace may be built. Among the first to do so were the children, and they are continuing to do so: from 1 to 7 October, “Aid to the Church in Need” is promoting “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative for peace and unity in the world. I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world. Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war. In particular, let us pray for the Holy Land and for the innocent victims of violence. Angelus, St Peter’s Square, Sunday, 4 October 2026 BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY I had tried to follow, as closely as possible, Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journey to France, from Sept. 25-28, but I had not heard his clear and specific invitation from Lourdes, at his Angelus address on Sunday, Sept. 27, when he said: “… today I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the holy rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict.”  I am glad that I did not “completely miss” the invitation and that Pope Leo offered a reminder in his Angelus address this past Sunday, Oct. 4, as he reflected on this past Sunday’s Gospel (Mt. 21:33-43) and reflected on the example of the life, ministry, and vocation of St. Francis of Assisi, stating: “… the charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today, after eight centuries…” As St. Francis continues to call each of us to pray and act so that the Lord may “make us instruments of His Peace” and, as the first Holy Father to take the name of the “poor man from Assisi,” Pope Francis continually and consistently called all Christians and people of good will to work together for peace and to care for the poor, the suffering, and those who are forgotten (or “thrown away”) by society, Pope Leo XIV continues that consistent call, inviting us to work and pray for peace and for an end to war. I was encouraged and inspired to learn from Pope Leo that among the first to “respond” to his invitation to pray the Rosary for Peace were children from all over the world. Another way to join with people from all over the world in praying the Rosary during this “month of the Holy Rosary” is the “World Mission Rosary:” On Sept. 24, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was beatified in St. Louis. You are invited to discover one of his greatest gifts to the Church: the World Mission Rosary. 75 years ago, Archbishop Sheen designed this special rosary so that every Catholic — no matter where they lived — could hold up the whole world in prayer. Every day of October, join us to do exactly that. Sponsored by The Pontifical Mission Societies, Catholics from around the world will gather online each day of October at 3 p.m. Eastern Time to pray it together. See World Mission Rosary.  As I was “catching up” on Pope Leo’s Angelus addresses and his invitation to pray the Rosary every day during the month of October, I was reminded that someone had sent me a video with Pope Leo’s monthly prayer intention for the month of October. Once again, I was a little late, but glad that I had not missed it completely. I have not followed every month, but I have seen a few of the brief videos produced by Vatican Media for the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network to introduce the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intention. The video for October, introducing the intention, “For Mental Health Ministry,” is very beautiful, and the words express Pope Leo’s compassion and pastoral sensitivity. The video and more information can be found here.  Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and Blessed Fulton J. Sheen give us good advice that can make the month of October a special time of grace for the world. The Holy Rosary is a profound gift in the simple directness of its constant theme of meditation on the life of the Lord Jesus and his Blessed Mother. As Blessed Fulton Sheen wrote, “When we say the Rosary—we are saying to God, the Trinity, to the Incarnate Savior, to the Blessed Mother: ‘I love you.’ The Rosary, too, can be a source of strength for those struggling with mental illness and emotional unsettledness. The Rosary makes us conscious of the lives of the Holy Family particularly, who knew God’s consoling love in every hour. Not so long ago, Pope Leo recounted the habit of his parents praying the Rosary together daily. Reflecting on his parents’ custom, the Holy Father noted, “I found that I was always blessed by their love for one another and their faith in God … It’s a wonderful thing.” It could be a “wonderful” thing, too, if together, as individuals, families and communities, our praying the Rosary would lead to peace in every heart, in families and in our world, peace that only God can give. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  

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Pope Leo’s Angelus Address(es), his invitation to pray the Rosary and his monthly intention for mental health Ministry #Catholic –

Dear brothers and sisters, Last Sunday, in Lourdes, I invited everyone to pray the Rosary during this month of October, with the special intention that wars may cease and peace may be built. Among the first to do so were the children, and they are continuing to do so: from 1 to 7 October, “Aid to the Church in Need” is promoting “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative for peace and unity in the world. I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world. Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war. In particular, let us pray for the Holy Land and for the innocent victims of violence.

Angelus, St Peter’s Square, Sunday, 4 October 2026

BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY

I had tried to follow, as closely as possible, Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journey to France, from Sept. 25-28, but I had not heard his clear and specific invitation from Lourdes, at his Angelus address on Sunday, Sept. 27, when he said: “… today I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the holy rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict.” 

I am glad that I did not “completely miss” the invitation and that Pope Leo offered a reminder in his Angelus address this past Sunday, Oct. 4, as he reflected on this past Sunday’s Gospel (Mt. 21:33-43) and reflected on the example of the life, ministry, and vocation of St. Francis of Assisi, stating: “… the charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today, after eight centuries…”

As St. Francis continues to call each of us to pray and act so that the Lord may “make us instruments of His Peace” and, as the first Holy Father to take the name of the “poor man from Assisi,” Pope Francis continually and consistently called all Christians and people of good will to work together for peace and to care for the poor, the suffering, and those who are forgotten (or “thrown away”) by society, Pope Leo XIV continues that consistent call, inviting us to work and pray for peace and for an end to war.

I was encouraged and inspired to learn from Pope Leo that among the first to “respond” to his invitation to pray the Rosary for Peace were children from all over the world. Another way to join with people from all over the world in praying the Rosary during this “month of the Holy Rosary” is the “World Mission Rosary:”

On Sept. 24, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was beatified in St. Louis. You are invited to discover one of his greatest gifts to the Church: the World Mission Rosary. 75 years ago, Archbishop Sheen designed this special rosary so that every Catholic — no matter where they lived — could hold up the whole world in prayer. Every day of October, join us to do exactly that. Sponsored by The Pontifical Mission Societies, Catholics from around the world will gather online each day of October at 3 p.m. Eastern Time to pray it together.

See World Mission Rosary. 

As I was “catching up” on Pope Leo’s Angelus addresses and his invitation to pray the Rosary every day during the month of October, I was reminded that someone had sent me a video with Pope Leo’s monthly prayer intention for the month of October. Once again, I was a little late, but glad that I had not missed it completely. I have not followed every month, but I have seen a few of the brief videos produced by Vatican Media for the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network to introduce the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intention.

The video for October, introducing the intention, “For Mental Health Ministry,” is very beautiful, and the words express Pope Leo’s compassion and pastoral sensitivity. The video and more information can be found here. 

Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and Blessed Fulton J. Sheen give us good advice that can make the month of October a special time of grace for the world. The Holy Rosary is a profound gift in the simple directness of its constant theme of meditation on the life of the Lord Jesus and his Blessed Mother. As Blessed Fulton Sheen wrote, “When we say the Rosary—we are saying to God, the Trinity, to the Incarnate Savior, to the Blessed Mother: ‘I love you.’ The Rosary, too, can be a source of strength for those struggling with mental illness and emotional unsettledness.

The Rosary makes us conscious of the lives of the Holy Family particularly, who knew God’s consoling love in every hour. Not so long ago, Pope Leo recounted the habit of his parents praying the Rosary together daily. Reflecting on his parents’ custom, the Holy Father noted, “I found that I was always blessed by their love for one another and their faith in God … It’s a wonderful thing.” It could be a “wonderful” thing, too, if together, as individuals, families and communities, our praying the Rosary would lead to peace in every heart, in families and in our world, peace that only God can give.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

 

– Dear brothers and sisters, Last Sunday, in Lourdes, I invited everyone to pray the Rosary during this month of October, with the special intention that wars may cease and peace may be built. Among the first to do so were the children, and they are continuing to do so: from 1 to 7 October, “Aid to the Church in Need” is promoting “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative for peace and unity in the world. I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world. Let us all

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Argentine auxiliary bishop removed from office following allegations by 2 adults – #Catholic – Ricardo Seirutti has been removed from the office of auxiliary bishop and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Córdoba, Argentina, following a canonical process initiated due to “allegations made by two adults regarding conduct unbecoming of his episcopal ministry.”The archdiocese, headed by Cardinal Ángel Sixto Rossi, made the announcement in an Oct. 2 statement. The judicial process was “ordered by the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and conducted by the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Buenos Aires,” the statement indicated.According to the biography published by the Vatican Press Office, Seirutti, 70, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Córdoba in 1988 and was appointed auxiliary bishop of Córdoba by Pope Francis in 2015.According to the Argentine archdiocese, the accusation filed by the two adults “led the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to order the process that concluded in recent weeks.” The nature of the complaint was not disclosed. The ruling that concluded the process prohibits Seirutti “from receiving formal appointments or new offices and from administering the sacrament of penance or reconciliation for a period of five years.”The prelate “retains the faculty to celebrate Mass and administer other sacraments, except for the one stipulated,” the statement adds.The Archdiocese of Córdoba concluded by offering its support to the affected persons” and renewed its commitment “to continue working so that all the actions of our particular Church are in accord with the Gospel.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Argentine auxiliary bishop removed from office following allegations by 2 adults – #Catholic – Ricardo Seirutti has been removed from the office of auxiliary bishop and vicar general of the Archdiocese of Córdoba, Argentina, following a canonical process initiated due to “allegations made by two adults regarding conduct unbecoming of his episcopal ministry.”The archdiocese, headed by Cardinal Ángel Sixto Rossi, made the announcement in an Oct. 2 statement. The judicial process was “ordered by the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and conducted by the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Buenos Aires,” the statement indicated.According to the biography published by the Vatican Press Office, Seirutti, 70, was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Córdoba in 1988 and was appointed auxiliary bishop of Córdoba by Pope Francis in 2015.According to the Argentine archdiocese, the accusation filed by the two adults “led the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to order the process that concluded in recent weeks.” The nature of the complaint was not disclosed. The ruling that concluded the process prohibits Seirutti “from receiving formal appointments or new offices and from administering the sacrament of penance or reconciliation for a period of five years.”The prelate “retains the faculty to celebrate Mass and administer other sacraments, except for the one stipulated,” the statement adds.The Archdiocese of Córdoba concluded by offering its support to the affected persons” and renewed its commitment “to continue working so that all the actions of our particular Church are in accord with the Gospel.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The prelate was barred from receiving formal appointments or new offices and from administering the sacrament of penance for five years. He may celebrate Mass and administer the other sacraments.

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Red Mass marks opening of Supreme Court term in Washington #Catholic WASHINGTON — Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, underscored the importance of using the Holy Spirit’s guidance in public affairs at the annual Red Mass marking the opening of the Supreme Court term.Seeking the Holy Spirit’s wisdom will help people reach their full potential in their work and responsibilities, Broglio said in the homily Oct. 4 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C.“We also pray that our understanding of Godʼs presence and his commandments will inspire integrity, devotion to meaning, and the promotion of harmony,” he said.Hosted by The John Carroll Society, the Red Mass drew more than 1,000 people, including Supreme Court justices, public officials, and Vice President JD Vance, to mark the opening of the judiciary term and pray for judges, attorneys, diplomats, and government leaders.The name derives from the red color of the archbishops’, cardinals’, and priests’ vestments. All Church officials who participated wore red to represent the tongues of fire symbolizing the presence of the Holy Spirit.This year marked the 74th anniversary of the Red Mass in Washington, one of several such celebrations held worldwide, such as in Rome, Paris, and London, to invoke blessings on justice administrators.In response to last year’s Red Mass, when a New Jersey man threatened Catholics and Supreme Court justices, security measures were increased. Amid the increased security, attendees included law students and faculty from area schools such as Georgetown University and The Catholic University of America. Red Mass attendees sit in the pews at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle on Oct. 4, 2026, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: Emma R.C. Lyons/EWTN News Mark Cummings, a member of the John Carroll Society, an adjunct professor at George Mason University, and a partner at Sher, Cummings, and Ellis, said attendance at the Mass would help students.“Itʼs inspiring for them, and I think itʼs a very healthy thing to be able to mix with the Supreme Court justices, superior court judges and courts of appeals, as well as Vice President Vance,” Cummings said. “I donʼt know where else theyʼd have an opportunity to see so many people who have made it in the profession and are serving as Supreme Court justices.”Broglio “talked about the importance of the Constitution, the importance of our laws, and that everybody, even the meekest and lowest of citizens, should have access to justice and how we should. Itʼs set up that way with our Constitution and Bill of Rights,” Cummings said.Cummings said Broglio’s message was a call for those in the legal profession and public service to help ensure that everyone has equal access to justice.Broglio also advised officials on how charity should guide all legal professions.“Your service to order and the virtue of justice is deeply appreciated even by this canon lawyer,” said Broglio, who holds a doctorate in canon law.Broglio said immigrants, past and present, have helped build the United States, and he urged legal professionals to be “architects of hope” to ensure that charity and fraternity shape the pursuit of justice.“In his first encyclical, Pope Leo wrote that the way a society treats migrants, refugees, and those forced to move reveals whether its sense of justice is driven by fear or by the spirit of fraternity,” Broglio said.“Perhaps if more of us directed our thoughts in the ways of peace, we would discover and develop a more civil society and and learn to live in harmony with our neighbors,” Broglio said.
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Red Mass marks opening of Supreme Court term in Washington #Catholic WASHINGTON — Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, underscored the importance of using the Holy Spirit’s guidance in public affairs at the annual Red Mass marking the opening of the Supreme Court term.Seeking the Holy Spirit’s wisdom will help people reach their full potential in their work and responsibilities, Broglio said in the homily Oct. 4 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C.“We also pray that our understanding of Godʼs presence and his commandments will inspire integrity, devotion to meaning, and the promotion of harmony,” he said.Hosted by The John Carroll Society, the Red Mass drew more than 1,000 people, including Supreme Court justices, public officials, and Vice President JD Vance, to mark the opening of the judiciary term and pray for judges, attorneys, diplomats, and government leaders.The name derives from the red color of the archbishops’, cardinals’, and priests’ vestments. All Church officials who participated wore red to represent the tongues of fire symbolizing the presence of the Holy Spirit.This year marked the 74th anniversary of the Red Mass in Washington, one of several such celebrations held worldwide, such as in Rome, Paris, and London, to invoke blessings on justice administrators.In response to last year’s Red Mass, when a New Jersey man threatened Catholics and Supreme Court justices, security measures were increased. Amid the increased security, attendees included law students and faculty from area schools such as Georgetown University and The Catholic University of America. Red Mass attendees sit in the pews at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle on Oct. 4, 2026, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: Emma R.C. Lyons/EWTN News Mark Cummings, a member of the John Carroll Society, an adjunct professor at George Mason University, and a partner at Sher, Cummings, and Ellis, said attendance at the Mass would help students.“Itʼs inspiring for them, and I think itʼs a very healthy thing to be able to mix with the Supreme Court justices, superior court judges and courts of appeals, as well as Vice President Vance,” Cummings said. “I donʼt know where else theyʼd have an opportunity to see so many people who have made it in the profession and are serving as Supreme Court justices.”Broglio “talked about the importance of the Constitution, the importance of our laws, and that everybody, even the meekest and lowest of citizens, should have access to justice and how we should. Itʼs set up that way with our Constitution and Bill of Rights,” Cummings said.Cummings said Broglio’s message was a call for those in the legal profession and public service to help ensure that everyone has equal access to justice.Broglio also advised officials on how charity should guide all legal professions.“Your service to order and the virtue of justice is deeply appreciated even by this canon lawyer,” said Broglio, who holds a doctorate in canon law.Broglio said immigrants, past and present, have helped build the United States, and he urged legal professionals to be “architects of hope” to ensure that charity and fraternity shape the pursuit of justice.“In his first encyclical, Pope Leo wrote that the way a society treats migrants, refugees, and those forced to move reveals whether its sense of justice is driven by fear or by the spirit of fraternity,” Broglio said.“Perhaps if more of us directed our thoughts in the ways of peace, we would discover and develop a more civil society and and learn to live in harmony with our neighbors,” Broglio said.

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Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy was the principal celebrant of the Mass, and Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, offered the homily.

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South Korea, SpaceX, and China ready for launch this week

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Rocket launches this week On Tuesday, Oct. 6, SpaceX will launch the Tranche 1 Transport Layer A mission for the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 4:17 a.m. EDT. The Falcon 9 will carry satellites for SDA’s Transport Layer, a network of military satellites in low Earth orbit.Continue reading “South Korea, SpaceX, and China ready for launch this week”

The post South Korea, SpaceX, and China ready for launch this week appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Pope Leo urges Vatican police to guard their hearts as they protect others #Catholic Pope Leo XIV urged members of the Vatican Gendarmerie on Oct. 3 to nurture their faith as they protect others, telling them that their service requires hearts guarded by the Lord.The pope celebrated Mass at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens in honor of the force’s patron, St. Michael the Archangel.He described the gendarmes’ work as “a way of being laborers in the Lord’s vineyard,” stressing that their responsibilities extend beyond safeguarding buildings, grounds, and entrances to caring for people.“One quality that stands out when we meet you is precisely this care: It is beautiful to see how you regard others not as problems to be solved but as people to be respected and protected,” he said.Reflecting on the parable of the wicked tenants in Matthew 21:33-43, the pope said the gendarmes should understand that “what we receive is a responsibility to be safeguarded with humility and dedication, to be carried out with discretion and a sense of duty.”“You know well that authority, in the light of the Gospel, is expressed above all in the ability to protect, listen, and accompany, with balance, firmness, and respect,” he added.Just as the vineyard owner’s son stands at the center of the parable, Leo urged the gendarmes to place Jesus at the center of their lives.“Before being gendarmes, you are men called to follow him. From him we learn strength that knows how to become gentleness, vigilance born of trust, authority that walks alongside humility, and the courage to intervene with a merciful heart,” he said.The pope also reflected on the second reading, from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, which urges believers to bring their needs to God in prayer rather than give in to anxiety.The gendarmes’ work, he said, would bring “quiet days and difficult days,” moments requiring quick decisions, and situations that cause fatigue and worry.But prayer offers a way to bear those burdens.“A gendarme does not carry everything alone: He prays, knows how to entrust himself to God, and knows how to find again in God the peace that allows him to act with clarity and a serene heart,” Leo said.Those who protect others need hearts and minds “formed in goodness,” he said, because they “must first safeguard within themselves truth, justice, goodness, and respect. Protecting others requires a heart guarded by the Lord.”“Your work certainly requires you to be vigilant, but today’s word invites you to something even deeper: to watch carefully over yourselves as well,” the pope added.He urged the gendarmes to guard their hearts against becoming hardened, keeping them “always docile to God and attentive to others.”He also called on them to safeguard their consciences and their bonds of fraternity. A group becomes a community, he said, when “its members care for one another and learn to walk together, supporting one another with simplicity and love.”Leo concluded by thanking the gendarmes’ families for the sacrifices that make their service possible.“This year, too, I conclude with a thought of affection and gratitude for your families. To parents, wives, children, and fiancées: Thank you! You know the sacrifices, the absences, the schedules, the worries, and also the burden of a service that is not always seen,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo urges Vatican police to guard their hearts as they protect others #Catholic Pope Leo XIV urged members of the Vatican Gendarmerie on Oct. 3 to nurture their faith as they protect others, telling them that their service requires hearts guarded by the Lord.The pope celebrated Mass at the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens in honor of the force’s patron, St. Michael the Archangel.He described the gendarmes’ work as “a way of being laborers in the Lord’s vineyard,” stressing that their responsibilities extend beyond safeguarding buildings, grounds, and entrances to caring for people.“One quality that stands out when we meet you is precisely this care: It is beautiful to see how you regard others not as problems to be solved but as people to be respected and protected,” he said.Reflecting on the parable of the wicked tenants in Matthew 21:33-43, the pope said the gendarmes should understand that “what we receive is a responsibility to be safeguarded with humility and dedication, to be carried out with discretion and a sense of duty.”“You know well that authority, in the light of the Gospel, is expressed above all in the ability to protect, listen, and accompany, with balance, firmness, and respect,” he added.Just as the vineyard owner’s son stands at the center of the parable, Leo urged the gendarmes to place Jesus at the center of their lives.“Before being gendarmes, you are men called to follow him. From him we learn strength that knows how to become gentleness, vigilance born of trust, authority that walks alongside humility, and the courage to intervene with a merciful heart,” he said.The pope also reflected on the second reading, from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, which urges believers to bring their needs to God in prayer rather than give in to anxiety.The gendarmes’ work, he said, would bring “quiet days and difficult days,” moments requiring quick decisions, and situations that cause fatigue and worry.But prayer offers a way to bear those burdens.“A gendarme does not carry everything alone: He prays, knows how to entrust himself to God, and knows how to find again in God the peace that allows him to act with clarity and a serene heart,” Leo said.Those who protect others need hearts and minds “formed in goodness,” he said, because they “must first safeguard within themselves truth, justice, goodness, and respect. Protecting others requires a heart guarded by the Lord.”“Your work certainly requires you to be vigilant, but today’s word invites you to something even deeper: to watch carefully over yourselves as well,” the pope added.He urged the gendarmes to guard their hearts against becoming hardened, keeping them “always docile to God and attentive to others.”He also called on them to safeguard their consciences and their bonds of fraternity. A group becomes a community, he said, when “its members care for one another and learn to walk together, supporting one another with simplicity and love.”Leo concluded by thanking the gendarmes’ families for the sacrifices that make their service possible.“This year, too, I conclude with a thought of affection and gratitude for your families. To parents, wives, children, and fiancées: Thank you! You know the sacrifices, the absences, the schedules, the worries, and also the burden of a service that is not always seen,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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At a Mass honoring their patron, St. Michael the Archangel, the pontiff called on gendarmes to exercise authority with humility and compassion.

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Hopatcong Knights earn second consecutive Star award #Catholic – Knights of Columbus Council 9914 was awarded the Star Award plaque at St. Jude Church in Hopatcong, N.J., on Oct. 1. The council’s chaplain, Father Peter Wierzbicki, and Grand Knight Frank Wimbush, along with many council brothers, were present to accept the honor. The Council is based at St. Jude Parish and has earned Star Council for two consecutive years. The Star Council Award is the international organization’s highest honor recognizing overall excellence in local council operations, membership growth, insurance promotion, and program activities. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  
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Hopatcong Knights earn second consecutive Star award #Catholic – Knights of Columbus Council 9914 was awarded the Star Award plaque at St. Jude Church in Hopatcong, N.J., on Oct. 1. The council’s chaplain, Father Peter Wierzbicki, and Grand Knight Frank Wimbush, along with many council brothers, were present to accept the honor. The Council is based at St. Jude Parish and has earned Star Council for two consecutive years. The Star Council Award is the international organization’s highest honor recognizing overall excellence in local council operations, membership growth, insurance promotion, and program activities. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  

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Hopatcong Knights earn second consecutive Star award #Catholic –

Knights of Columbus Council 9914 was awarded the Star Award plaque at St. Jude Church in Hopatcong, N.J., on Oct. 1. The council’s chaplain, Father Peter Wierzbicki, and Grand Knight Frank Wimbush, along with many council brothers, were present to accept the honor. The Council is based at St. Jude Parish and has earned Star Council for two consecutive years. The Star Council Award is the international organization’s highest honor recognizing overall excellence in local council operations, membership growth, insurance promotion, and program activities.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

 

– Knights of Columbus Council 9914 was awarded the Star Award plaque at St. Jude Church in Hopatcong, N.J., on Oct. 1. The council’s chaplain, Father Peter Wierzbicki, and Grand Knight Frank Wimbush, along with many council brothers, were present to accept the honor. The Council is based at St. Jude Parish and has earned Star Council for two consecutive years. The Star Council Award is the international organization’s highest honor recognizing overall excellence in local council operations, membership growth, insurance promotion, and program activities. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.  

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 05 October 2026 – A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians 1:6-12 Brothers and sisters: I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel  other than the one that we preached to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone preaches to you a gospel other than the one that you received, let that one be accursed! Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin. For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.From the Gospel according to Luke 10:25-37 There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,  “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied,  “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”The parable that Jesus tells has (…) a road as its setting, and it is a difficult and impervious road, like life. (…) However, life is made up of encounters, and in these encounters, we emerge for what we are. We find ourselves in front of others, faced with their fragility and weakness, and we can decide what to do: to take care of them or pretend nothing is wrong. A priest and a Levite go down that same road. They are people who serve in the Temple of Jerusalem, who live in the sacred space. And yet, the practice of worship does not automatically lead to being compassionate. Indeed, before being a religious matter, compassion is a question of humanity! Before being believers, we are called to be human. (…) But here comes someone who is actually able to stop: he is a Samaritan, hence a person belonging to a despised people (cf. 2 Kings 17). In his case, the text does not specify the direction, but only says that he was travelling. Religiosity does not enter into this. This Samaritan simply stops because he is a man faced with another man in need of help. (…) When will we too be capable of interrupting our journey and having compassion? When we understand that the wounded man in the street represents each one of us. And then the memory of all the times that Jesus stopped to take care of us will make us more capable of compassion. (Pope Leo XIV, General Audience, 28 May 2025)

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A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians
1:6-12

Brothers and sisters:
I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking
the one who called you by the grace of Christ
for a different gospel (not that there is another).
But there are some who are disturbing you
and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven
should preach to you a gospel 
other than the one that we preached to you,
let that one be accursed!
As we have said before, and now I say again,
if anyone preaches to you a gospel
other than the one that you received,
let that one be accursed!

Am I now currying favor with human beings or God?
Or am I seeking to please people?
If I were still trying to please people,
I would not be a slave of Christ.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

From the Gospel according to Luke
10:25-37

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, 
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied, 
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

The parable that Jesus tells has (…) a road as its setting, and it is a difficult and impervious road, like life. (…) However, life is made up of encounters, and in these encounters, we emerge for what we are. We find ourselves in front of others, faced with their fragility and weakness, and we can decide what to do: to take care of them or pretend nothing is wrong. A priest and a Levite go down that same road. They are people who serve in the Temple of Jerusalem, who live in the sacred space. And yet, the practice of worship does not automatically lead to being compassionate. Indeed, before being a religious matter, compassion is a question of humanity! Before being believers, we are called to be human. (…) But here comes someone who is actually able to stop: he is a Samaritan, hence a person belonging to a despised people (cf. 2 Kings 17). In his case, the text does not specify the direction, but only says that he was travelling. Religiosity does not enter into this. This Samaritan simply stops because he is a man faced with another man in need of help. (…) When will we too be capable of interrupting our journey and having compassion? When we understand that the wounded man in the street represents each one of us. And then the memory of all the times that Jesus stopped to take care of us will make us more capable of compassion. (Pope Leo XIV, General Audience, 28 May 2025)

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University of Notre Dame’s ethics center gives 2027 pro-life award to Dominican sisters – #Catholic – The University of Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture on Oct. 4 announced that its 2027 Evangelium Vitae Medal would be awarded to the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne for what the center described as more than a century of “truth and love” serving poor and dying people. The de Nicola Center said it would present the award to Mother Superior Marie Edward, O.P., during a special Mass and dinner at the university on April 24, 2027. This year’s is the 16th annual award the center has presented. Founded in 1900 by Mother Mary Alphonsa — born Rose Hawthorne, the daughter of famed novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne — the congregation is headquartered in Hawthorne, New York. The sisters there are devoted to caring for impoverished men and women dying from cancer. Notre Dame President Father Robert Dowd, CSC, said in a press release that the sisters in their work “radiate the very mercy of God.” “Since their founding, they have proclaimed the Gospel of Life through direct service to God’s beloved poor, fulfilling Christʼs command to comfort the sick and give shelter to the homeless,” Dowd said.The sisters’ ministry, he said, “highlights the inherent, God-given dignity of every human person, regardless of worldly success or social status.”Jennifer Newsome Martin, director of the ethics center at the school, likewise described the sisters as “a shining example of Christian charity in action.” The Evangelium Vitae medal is presented annually on Respect Life Sunday. It is named after Pope St. John Paul II’s famed 1995 encyclical that testifies in part to the inherent dignity of human life and the need to care for and protect the most vulnerable.Mother Mary Alphonsa died in 1926 and is buried at Rosary Hill Home at the congregation’s headquarters. She was declared venerable by Pope Francis in 2024.
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University of Notre Dame’s ethics center gives 2027 pro-life award to Dominican sisters – #Catholic – The University of Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture on Oct. 4 announced that its 2027 Evangelium Vitae Medal would be awarded to the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne for what the center described as more than a century of “truth and love” serving poor and dying people. The de Nicola Center said it would present the award to Mother Superior Marie Edward, O.P., during a special Mass and dinner at the university on April 24, 2027. This year’s is the 16th annual award the center has presented. Founded in 1900 by Mother Mary Alphonsa — born Rose Hawthorne, the daughter of famed novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne — the congregation is headquartered in Hawthorne, New York. The sisters there are devoted to caring for impoverished men and women dying from cancer. Notre Dame President Father Robert Dowd, CSC, said in a press release that the sisters in their work “radiate the very mercy of God.” “Since their founding, they have proclaimed the Gospel of Life through direct service to God’s beloved poor, fulfilling Christʼs command to comfort the sick and give shelter to the homeless,” Dowd said.The sisters’ ministry, he said, “highlights the inherent, God-given dignity of every human person, regardless of worldly success or social status.”Jennifer Newsome Martin, director of the ethics center at the school, likewise described the sisters as “a shining example of Christian charity in action.” The Evangelium Vitae medal is presented annually on Respect Life Sunday. It is named after Pope St. John Paul II’s famed 1995 encyclical that testifies in part to the inherent dignity of human life and the need to care for and protect the most vulnerable.Mother Mary Alphonsa died in 1926 and is buried at Rosary Hill Home at the congregation’s headquarters. She was declared venerable by Pope Francis in 2024.

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The religious sisters “serve as a countercultural sign and help to build an authentic civilization of truth and love,” the ethics center said.

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Villa Walsh students help open school year at Mass #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, N.J., on Sept. 30 to celebrate a Mass for the opening of the current academic year. Villa Walsh is a college preparatory school for girls, grades 7 to 12, run by the Religious Teachers Filippini. Father Krzysztof Tyszko, parochial vicar of Assumption Parish in Morristown, also served as master of ceremonies for Villa Walsh’s opening Mass. Many students participated in the liturgy. The bishop’s visit included breakfast with select Villa Walsh students, local clergy, and Filippini Sisters, among them Sister Elaine Bebyn, principal of Villa Walsh, and Sister Marianne McCann, the academy’s president. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]    
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Villa Walsh students help open school year at Mass #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, N.J., on Sept. 30 to celebrate a Mass for the opening of the current academic year. Villa Walsh is a college preparatory school for girls, grades 7 to 12, run by the Religious Teachers Filippini. Father Krzysztof Tyszko, parochial vicar of Assumption Parish in Morristown, also served as master of ceremonies for Villa Walsh’s opening Mass. Many students participated in the liturgy. The bishop’s visit included breakfast with select Villa Walsh students, local clergy, and Filippini Sisters, among them Sister Elaine Bebyn, principal of Villa Walsh, and Sister Marianne McCann, the academy’s president. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]    

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Villa Walsh students help open school year at Mass #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, N.J., on Sept. 30 to celebrate a Mass for the opening of the current academic year.

Villa Walsh is a college preparatory school for girls, grades 7 to 12, run by the Religious Teachers Filippini.

Father Krzysztof Tyszko, parochial vicar of Assumption Parish in Morristown, also served as master of ceremonies for Villa Walsh’s opening Mass. Many students participated in the liturgy.

The bishop’s visit included breakfast with select Villa Walsh students, local clergy, and Filippini Sisters, among them Sister Elaine Bebyn, principal of Villa Walsh, and Sister Marianne McCann, the academy’s president.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
 

– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, N.J., on Sept. 30 to celebrate a Mass for the opening of the current academic year. Villa Walsh is a college preparatory school for girls, grades 7 to 12, run by the Religious Teachers Filippini. Father Krzysztof Tyszko, parochial vicar of Assumption Parish in Morristown, also served as master of ceremonies for Villa Walsh’s opening Mass. Many students participated in the liturgy. The bishop’s visit included breakfast with select Villa Walsh students, local clergy, and Filippini Sisters, among them Sister Elaine Bebyn, principal of Villa Walsh, and Sister Marianne McCann,

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Oct. 4th, 1957: Sputnik launches

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On Oct. 4th, 1957, at 10:29 PM Moscow time, the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik 1 into space on a repurposed R-7 rocket. The world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik was about 22 inches (58 centimeters) in diameter and weighed 184 pounds (84 kilograms). Although there were no scientific instruments aboard, the transmitter it carried sentContinue reading “Oct. 4th, 1957: Sputnik launches”

The post Oct. 4th, 1957: Sputnik launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Italian Catholic community establishes new presence in Muslim-majority area of Ethiopia – #Catholic – The Villaregia Missionary Community has established a new presence in Ghinnir, in Ethiopia’s East Bale, seeking to reach communities where the Catholic Church has a limited presence.Ethiopiaʼs East Bale region is in the Oromia region of the country and encompasses the eastern areas of Bale Mountains National Park.According to a report on Sept. 29 by Agenzia Fides, the Villaregia Missionary Community has been visiting communities in East Bale where they have been raising awareness about femFRICA/ETHIOPIA, including the issues of female genital mutilation and early marriage.Teresa Zullo, a missionary from the Community of Villaregia who has been in Ethiopia for seven years, following an invitation from Father Angelo Antolini, prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe, said that missionary work is not permanent. She said it is about taking the Gospel and pastoral services to places in most need.“There are moments when mission asks us to stay, to put down roots, and build relationships, and there are others when it asks us to set out again and cross new horizons. The time has come for us to begin again,” Zullo said.“We moved to Ghinnir, in the heart of East Bale. This decision was born from a journey of discernment and from the years of experience we gained in a territory that we have gradually come to know more closely.” The missionary described the relocation as a new stage in the journey, saying they are “leaving what is familiar, entering a new reality and learning how to be present where there is not yet a Catholic community,” especially in Muslim-dominant areas where they are seeking to offer “a presence of relationship, listening, service, and fraternity.”The missionaries establishing a new presence in Ghinnir hope their decision will enable them to extend some of their services to remote areas of East Bale, especially those near the Somali Region in Ethiopia.“The move is therefore not simply a change of place. It is a new step: a new reality to discover, new people to meet, and new roads to travel. A home to inhabit, but a tent in our hearts: ready to stay, to meet others, and, when the time comes, to set out again,” Zullo said.The move follows seven years of missionary service in Robe and Goba parishes, where the community has been involved in pastoral activities and gradually developed relationships with local communities.“We began taking our first steps in this challenging context. The slow process of learning the language, our encounters with people, and the time spent traveling allowed us, little by little, to begin our pastoral activities and to become part of this new reality,” Zullo said.The missionary said the community’s experience in other parts of Ethiopia has inspired them to move to East Bale, where many have fled due to extreme drought, and that this has encouraged them to support vulnerable communities there.“Three years ago, a prolonged period of drought forced many people to leave the East Bale region and head towards Robe in search of opportunities. As we passed near the bus station in Robe, we noticed their presence. We approached them, asked some questions, and discovered that they came from East Bale. We thus found ourselves facing a vast territory that was almost completely neglected by the Church’s missionary activity. For us, this became an insistent call to our identity as missionaries ‘ad gentes,’” she said.Zullo said the community sees its small numerical presence as an opportunity to build closer relationships with local people and spread the Gospel effectively.“Being numerically insignificant can represent a great opportunity for the Gospel, a precious opportunity to draw close to others, not to frighten them, to recognize the positive forces within the local community and to build networks with them,” she said.“Mobility, therefore, is not merely a practical matter; it is part of the way we understand mission. A Church that moves, a Church that goes out, a Church that draws near. This choice concerns not only our fraternity but is part of the journey of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe, which is called to grow and continually broaden the scope of its evangelizing mission,” Zullo added.Regarding the missionaries settling in Ghinnir, Zullo expressed hope that despite the challenges they are going to face, their focus will remain on their main agenda, which is to spread the Gospel and support the local communities in the region.“We left Robe just a few days ago, and now here we are in Ghinnir, without knowing what awaits us. We would like to set out again with a home to live in, but with a tent in our hearts, ready to stay, to meet others, and, when the time comes, to set out again,” Zullo said.The Villaregia Missionary Community is a Catholic community made up of consecrated men and women, clergy, married couples, and single people of different nationalities, united by the same spirituality and the same mission: to be a community for the “ad gentes” “to the nations” mission.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
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Italian Catholic community establishes new presence in Muslim-majority area of Ethiopia – #Catholic – The Villaregia Missionary Community has established a new presence in Ghinnir, in Ethiopia’s East Bale, seeking to reach communities where the Catholic Church has a limited presence.Ethiopiaʼs East Bale region is in the Oromia region of the country and encompasses the eastern areas of Bale Mountains National Park.According to a report on Sept. 29 by Agenzia Fides, the Villaregia Missionary Community has been visiting communities in East Bale where they have been raising awareness about femFRICA/ETHIOPIA, including the issues of female genital mutilation and early marriage.Teresa Zullo, a missionary from the Community of Villaregia who has been in Ethiopia for seven years, following an invitation from Father Angelo Antolini, prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe, said that missionary work is not permanent. She said it is about taking the Gospel and pastoral services to places in most need.“There are moments when mission asks us to stay, to put down roots, and build relationships, and there are others when it asks us to set out again and cross new horizons. The time has come for us to begin again,” Zullo said.“We moved to Ghinnir, in the heart of East Bale. This decision was born from a journey of discernment and from the years of experience we gained in a territory that we have gradually come to know more closely.” The missionary described the relocation as a new stage in the journey, saying they are “leaving what is familiar, entering a new reality and learning how to be present where there is not yet a Catholic community,” especially in Muslim-dominant areas where they are seeking to offer “a presence of relationship, listening, service, and fraternity.”The missionaries establishing a new presence in Ghinnir hope their decision will enable them to extend some of their services to remote areas of East Bale, especially those near the Somali Region in Ethiopia.“The move is therefore not simply a change of place. It is a new step: a new reality to discover, new people to meet, and new roads to travel. A home to inhabit, but a tent in our hearts: ready to stay, to meet others, and, when the time comes, to set out again,” Zullo said.The move follows seven years of missionary service in Robe and Goba parishes, where the community has been involved in pastoral activities and gradually developed relationships with local communities.“We began taking our first steps in this challenging context. The slow process of learning the language, our encounters with people, and the time spent traveling allowed us, little by little, to begin our pastoral activities and to become part of this new reality,” Zullo said.The missionary said the community’s experience in other parts of Ethiopia has inspired them to move to East Bale, where many have fled due to extreme drought, and that this has encouraged them to support vulnerable communities there.“Three years ago, a prolonged period of drought forced many people to leave the East Bale region and head towards Robe in search of opportunities. As we passed near the bus station in Robe, we noticed their presence. We approached them, asked some questions, and discovered that they came from East Bale. We thus found ourselves facing a vast territory that was almost completely neglected by the Church’s missionary activity. For us, this became an insistent call to our identity as missionaries ‘ad gentes,’” she said.Zullo said the community sees its small numerical presence as an opportunity to build closer relationships with local people and spread the Gospel effectively.“Being numerically insignificant can represent a great opportunity for the Gospel, a precious opportunity to draw close to others, not to frighten them, to recognize the positive forces within the local community and to build networks with them,” she said.“Mobility, therefore, is not merely a practical matter; it is part of the way we understand mission. A Church that moves, a Church that goes out, a Church that draws near. This choice concerns not only our fraternity but is part of the journey of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe, which is called to grow and continually broaden the scope of its evangelizing mission,” Zullo added.Regarding the missionaries settling in Ghinnir, Zullo expressed hope that despite the challenges they are going to face, their focus will remain on their main agenda, which is to spread the Gospel and support the local communities in the region.“We left Robe just a few days ago, and now here we are in Ghinnir, without knowing what awaits us. We would like to set out again with a home to live in, but with a tent in our hearts, ready to stay, to meet others, and, when the time comes, to set out again,” Zullo said.The Villaregia Missionary Community is a Catholic community made up of consecrated men and women, clergy, married couples, and single people of different nationalities, united by the same spirituality and the same mission: to be a community for the “ad gentes” “to the nations” mission.This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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The Villaregia Missionary Community seeks to reach communities where the Catholic Church has a limited presence.

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Pope Leo XIV: ‘The charism of St. Francis continues to bear fruit even today’ – #Catholic – VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday reflected on the Gospel parable of the tenants and the enduring witness of St. Francis of Assisi, saying that “the charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today” eight centuries after the saintʼs death.Introducing the Angelus before pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pope noted that the Gospel recounts how Christ came to bring salvation but was rejected by those who should have welcomed him.“The Son of God sent into the world is rejected by the very people who should have welcomed him with open arms. The One who came to bring salvation is condemned; the One who wishes to give life is put to death,” the pope said.While such realities lead Christians to reflect on “the many cruelties that plague the world and the history of peoples,” he added, “Christ’s teaching reveals the ever-greater mercy of his Father.”Despite humanityʼs rejection of God, Leo emphasized that divine providence continues to guide history toward redemption.“This is how the Almighty guides history, coming to our aid in all our falls: God never discards our lives!” he said.Drawing on the Gospel image of the vineyard, the pope said the Church is entrusted to Christians' care and can be built up or damaged by their choices.On the eighth centenary of St. Francis’ death, Leo highlighted the saintʼs role in renewing the Church after Christ called him to “repair” it.“Inspired by the Crucified One, Francis first and foremost built his own life upon the foundation of Christ, sharing in his poverty, joy and sufferings, even to the point of receiving the mystical sign of the stigmata,” the pope said.The saint, he continued, “repaired the Church by virtue of his faith in the Lord Jesus, healing the rifts of discord through the witness of fraternal love.”Leo said the Franciscan spiritual legacy remains alive today.“The charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today,” he said. “This is attested to, not only by the great and vibrant Franciscan family but also by the many gifts that his spiritual legacy bestows upon the People of God.”As Catholics celebrate the Franciscan Jubilee Year, the pope encouraged the faithful to persevere in prayer for peace and to work actively for reconciliation among nations.After praying the Angelus, Leo renewed his appeal for peace during the month of October, highlighting the “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative organized by Aid to the Church in Need from Oct. 1-7.“I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world,” he said. “Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war.”The pope asked in particular for prayers for the Holy Land and for innocent victims of violence.Leo also announced a Vatican gathering marking the 10th anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation on marriage and family life. The meeting will bring together the heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the presidents of bishops’ conferences from around the world.“It will be a time of synodal discernment for identifying the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel today among families and the younger generations,” he said.The pope entrusted both the meeting and families worldwide to the prayers of the faithful, describing families as “a sign of hope and an inestimable treasure for the Church and for society.”He concluded by greeting participants in celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death, including commemorations held in Assisi attended by Italy’s highest civil authorities.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV: ‘The charism of St. Francis continues to bear fruit even today’ – #Catholic – VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday reflected on the Gospel parable of the tenants and the enduring witness of St. Francis of Assisi, saying that “the charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today” eight centuries after the saintʼs death.Introducing the Angelus before pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pope noted that the Gospel recounts how Christ came to bring salvation but was rejected by those who should have welcomed him.“The Son of God sent into the world is rejected by the very people who should have welcomed him with open arms. The One who came to bring salvation is condemned; the One who wishes to give life is put to death,” the pope said.While such realities lead Christians to reflect on “the many cruelties that plague the world and the history of peoples,” he added, “Christ’s teaching reveals the ever-greater mercy of his Father.”Despite humanityʼs rejection of God, Leo emphasized that divine providence continues to guide history toward redemption.“This is how the Almighty guides history, coming to our aid in all our falls: God never discards our lives!” he said.Drawing on the Gospel image of the vineyard, the pope said the Church is entrusted to Christians' care and can be built up or damaged by their choices.On the eighth centenary of St. Francis’ death, Leo highlighted the saintʼs role in renewing the Church after Christ called him to “repair” it.“Inspired by the Crucified One, Francis first and foremost built his own life upon the foundation of Christ, sharing in his poverty, joy and sufferings, even to the point of receiving the mystical sign of the stigmata,” the pope said.The saint, he continued, “repaired the Church by virtue of his faith in the Lord Jesus, healing the rifts of discord through the witness of fraternal love.”Leo said the Franciscan spiritual legacy remains alive today.“The charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today,” he said. “This is attested to, not only by the great and vibrant Franciscan family but also by the many gifts that his spiritual legacy bestows upon the People of God.”As Catholics celebrate the Franciscan Jubilee Year, the pope encouraged the faithful to persevere in prayer for peace and to work actively for reconciliation among nations.After praying the Angelus, Leo renewed his appeal for peace during the month of October, highlighting the “A Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative organized by Aid to the Church in Need from Oct. 1-7.“I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world,” he said. “Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war.”The pope asked in particular for prayers for the Holy Land and for innocent victims of violence.Leo also announced a Vatican gathering marking the 10th anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation on marriage and family life. The meeting will bring together the heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the presidents of bishops’ conferences from around the world.“It will be a time of synodal discernment for identifying the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel today among families and the younger generations,” he said.The pope entrusted both the meeting and families worldwide to the prayers of the faithful, describing families as “a sign of hope and an inestimable treasure for the Church and for society.”He concluded by greeting participants in celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death, including commemorations held in Assisi attended by Italy’s highest civil authorities.This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The pontiff marks the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death and asks prayers that peoples may be freed from “the scourge of war.”

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‘Those who seek Christ will find him’: Another philosopher at Princeton converts to Catholicism #Catholic Noah McKay was always “at least slightly” more confident than not that God existed.The philosophy doctoral student at Princeton University recently announced his conversion to Catholicism, but he told EWTN News that he struggled for years with what he saw as uncertainties related to faith, including the problem of evil and the “problem of divine hiddenness.”McKay is the second Princeton philosophy scholar this year to convert to the Catholic faith; earlier in the summer Joe Schmid announced his own return to the faith after years of having run an agnostic-themed philosophy channel on YouTube. “I was never an atheist, and I don’t think I was ever agnostic,” McKay told EWTN News. But he experienced profound uncertainties in high school and graduate school, some of which were also related to what he described as “difficulties with the reliability and interpretation of the Bible.”While he never fully abandoned belief in God, “what firmly convinced me of theism were, first, design arguments based on the fine-tuning of physics for the emergence of life, and, second, the empirical evidence for contemporary Christian miracles,” he said. “Arguments from consciousness, moral knowledge, and natural beauty also played a role,” he added. It is perhaps unsurprising that a philosophy scholar would be drawn into the Church in part by scholarly inquiry. Schmid told EWTN News shortly after his conversion, for instance, that “contingency arguments” helped convince him of God’s existence.McKay, meanwhile, cited “evidence for vindicatory Catholic miracles” as helping lead him to the Catholic Church specifically. Those miracles “presuppose distinctive teachings of the Catholic Church,” he pointed out, and the evidence for them, he argued, is “as good or better than the evidence for the more generically Christian miracles” in which McKay himself already believed. He told EWTN News that out of the necessity of consistency he felt he needed to either accept all of those Catholic miracles or reject all of them. “And the evidence was too strong for rejecting all of them to be reasonable!” he said. The evidence for those miracles wasn’t the only thing that convinced him of the truth of the Catholic faith, he said, but “it did motivate me to look into the history and theology of the Church more carefully,” and the evidence he found for Catholicism was “very strong.” He urged those considering Catholicism for the first time, or those who are considering returning to it, to start with researching those miracles.Speaking to Catholic YouTube apologist Cameron Bertuzzi in a recent interview, McKay argued that “if you already accept that Christianity is true, the inference to Catholicism is irresistible.” He admitted that his decision to join the Church caused his close friends and family “distress” given his Protestant background. But “I think Catholicism — if you’re fully informed, if you’re really considering all of the evidence — I think Catholicism is basically going to be irresistible,” he said. Speaking to EWTN News, he also urged potential converts and reverts: “Pray!” “I found praying the rosary especially helpful when I was discerning Catholicism,” he said. “Just ask God to help you earnestly seek the truth and make the means of discovering it available. Those who seek Christ, earnestly and prayerfully, will find him.” “I’m going to ask God to make himself known to everyone who reads this article!” he added.
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‘Those who seek Christ will find him’: Another philosopher at Princeton converts to Catholicism #Catholic Noah McKay was always “at least slightly” more confident than not that God existed.The philosophy doctoral student at Princeton University recently announced his conversion to Catholicism, but he told EWTN News that he struggled for years with what he saw as uncertainties related to faith, including the problem of evil and the “problem of divine hiddenness.”McKay is the second Princeton philosophy scholar this year to convert to the Catholic faith; earlier in the summer Joe Schmid announced his own return to the faith after years of having run an agnostic-themed philosophy channel on YouTube. “I was never an atheist, and I don’t think I was ever agnostic,” McKay told EWTN News. But he experienced profound uncertainties in high school and graduate school, some of which were also related to what he described as “difficulties with the reliability and interpretation of the Bible.”While he never fully abandoned belief in God, “what firmly convinced me of theism were, first, design arguments based on the fine-tuning of physics for the emergence of life, and, second, the empirical evidence for contemporary Christian miracles,” he said. “Arguments from consciousness, moral knowledge, and natural beauty also played a role,” he added. It is perhaps unsurprising that a philosophy scholar would be drawn into the Church in part by scholarly inquiry. Schmid told EWTN News shortly after his conversion, for instance, that “contingency arguments” helped convince him of God’s existence.McKay, meanwhile, cited “evidence for vindicatory Catholic miracles” as helping lead him to the Catholic Church specifically. Those miracles “presuppose distinctive teachings of the Catholic Church,” he pointed out, and the evidence for them, he argued, is “as good or better than the evidence for the more generically Christian miracles” in which McKay himself already believed. He told EWTN News that out of the necessity of consistency he felt he needed to either accept all of those Catholic miracles or reject all of them. “And the evidence was too strong for rejecting all of them to be reasonable!” he said. The evidence for those miracles wasn’t the only thing that convinced him of the truth of the Catholic faith, he said, but “it did motivate me to look into the history and theology of the Church more carefully,” and the evidence he found for Catholicism was “very strong.” He urged those considering Catholicism for the first time, or those who are considering returning to it, to start with researching those miracles.Speaking to Catholic YouTube apologist Cameron Bertuzzi in a recent interview, McKay argued that “if you already accept that Christianity is true, the inference to Catholicism is irresistible.” He admitted that his decision to join the Church caused his close friends and family “distress” given his Protestant background. But “I think Catholicism — if you’re fully informed, if you’re really considering all of the evidence — I think Catholicism is basically going to be irresistible,” he said. Speaking to EWTN News, he also urged potential converts and reverts: “Pray!” “I found praying the rosary especially helpful when I was discerning Catholicism,” he said. “Just ask God to help you earnestly seek the truth and make the means of discovering it available. Those who seek Christ, earnestly and prayerfully, will find him.” “I’m going to ask God to make himself known to everyone who reads this article!” he added.

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Noah McKay said the Catholic Church’s evidence in favor of vindicatory miracles helped lead him to the Church.

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