Why Pakistan’s bishops doubt government will act on minor’s forced marriage #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — The head of the Catholic Church in Pakistan has expressed a guarded response to government committees formed to review a recent ruling by the country’s top constitutional court that upheld the marriage and conversion of a Christian minor.Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced on Easter Sunday, April 5, that the government had constituted a committee to examine the March 25 judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court validating the marriage of 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz to 30-year-old Shaheryar Ahmad. A protest for Maria Shahbaz outside Hyderabad Press Club, organized by the Catholic Bishops’ National Commission for Justice and Peace, on April 4, 2026, in Pakistan. | Credit: Bishop Samson Shukardin Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC), voiced skepticism about the initiative.“These issues often subside by the time such committees make their reports public. The process is deliberately delayed so that people forget,” he told EWTN News.“This is fundamentally a religious freedom issue. Consent is often coerced from minors. We await a genuine response from the government. Many Muslim clerics support us but have avoided joining public protests,” he added.A father’s accountAccording to Maria’s father, Shehbaz Masih, his daughter was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married without consent.A certificate issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) submitted by the family states that Maria was 13 at the time of the marriage — below the legal minimum age of 18. The family has since taken refuge in a shelter and was unavailable for comment.The case dates back to July 2025, when Masih, a resident of Lahore, reported that his daughter had been abducted by a Muslim man after stepping out to a nearby shop.Dismissing a petition filed by the father seeking custody, the court ruled that the marriage was valid under “Muhammadan law” and that the husband held lawful guardianship.Protests and backlashThe judgment triggered widespread reaction on social media, along with protests, press conferences, and conventions across the country. At least three Catholic bishops, along with the PCBC, issued statements urging authorities to review the ruling.The backlash prompted government engagement with the concerns of the country’s Christian minority, estimated at 1.37% (3.28 million people).Addressing an interfaith Easter gathering in Lahore, Tarar assured Christian leaders of his support, saying the committee’s recommendations would be submitted to the Ministry of Law and Justice within a week. Archbishop Azad Marshall, moderator/president bishop of the Church of Pakistan, a united Protestant denomination, meets with ecumenical leaders and Christian politicians following an April 6, 2026, consultation on the Maria Shahbaz case at Waris Road, Lahore. | Credit: Church of Pakistan Legal dimensionsMeanwhile, Punjab Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora said his department was forming a parallel committee to examine the legal dimensions of the case.Mary James Gill, a Christian lawyer, former lawmaker, and executive director of the Center for Law and Justice who serves on the committee, welcomed the move as a “genuine concern to find a way forward.”“It is highly encouraging that a state representative personally took up the issue. However, we are still in a consultative process,” she told EWTN News, noting shortcomings in both the lower courts and within the affected community.“The petition was filed under Section 491 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which pertains to habeas corpus, and not to determining the exact age of the girl — a question that remains disputed,” Gill said.“Regrettably, no such verification was carried out in the lower courts. In cases where documentation is ambiguous, magistrates and sessions judges tend to rely on in-person statements, consent, and their own observations.”She noted that the Christian Marriage Act of 1872 governs the solemnization of marriages involving one or more Christians.“Similarly, the personal laws of both Christianity and Islam in Pakistan remain silent on the age of conversion. Church leaders need to revisit and update these frameworks. At the same time, parents must place greater emphasis on the ideological and moral formation of their children,” she added.In an April 6 letter to the law ministry, Anthony Naveed, deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly, urged the federal government to address “serious legal gaps” exposed by the ruling and called for uniform amendments aligning provincial laws with Balochistan’s legislation, which explicitly invalidates child marriages.A pattern of abuseFor decades, rights advocates have called for stronger legal and administrative measures to prevent the abduction and forced religious conversion of girls from minority communities.At least 515 cases of abduction and forced conversion of minority girls and women were reported between 2021 and 2025, according to the Center for Social Justice. Hindu girls accounted for 69% (353 cases), followed by Christian girls at 31% (160 cases). Most victims were under 18, with cases concentrated in Sindh and Punjab.Shukardin said courts in the Muslim-majority country are not consistently applying laws prohibiting marriage under 18.“The Church is not in favor of marriages involving conversion under such circumstances. We demand safety for our daughters and will continue to raise our voice for underage brides of any religion,” he said.
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Why Pakistan’s bishops doubt government will act on minor’s forced marriage #Catholic LAHORE, Pakistan — The head of the Catholic Church in Pakistan has expressed a guarded response to government committees formed to review a recent ruling by the country’s top constitutional court that upheld the marriage and conversion of a Christian minor.Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced on Easter Sunday, April 5, that the government had constituted a committee to examine the March 25 judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court validating the marriage of 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz to 30-year-old Shaheryar Ahmad. A protest for Maria Shahbaz outside Hyderabad Press Club, organized by the Catholic Bishops’ National Commission for Justice and Peace, on April 4, 2026, in Pakistan. | Credit: Bishop Samson Shukardin Bishop Samson Shukardin of Hyderabad, president of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (PCBC), voiced skepticism about the initiative.“These issues often subside by the time such committees make their reports public. The process is deliberately delayed so that people forget,” he told EWTN News.“This is fundamentally a religious freedom issue. Consent is often coerced from minors. We await a genuine response from the government. Many Muslim clerics support us but have avoided joining public protests,” he added.A father’s accountAccording to Maria’s father, Shehbaz Masih, his daughter was abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married without consent.A certificate issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) submitted by the family states that Maria was 13 at the time of the marriage — below the legal minimum age of 18. The family has since taken refuge in a shelter and was unavailable for comment.The case dates back to July 2025, when Masih, a resident of Lahore, reported that his daughter had been abducted by a Muslim man after stepping out to a nearby shop.Dismissing a petition filed by the father seeking custody, the court ruled that the marriage was valid under “Muhammadan law” and that the husband held lawful guardianship.Protests and backlashThe judgment triggered widespread reaction on social media, along with protests, press conferences, and conventions across the country. At least three Catholic bishops, along with the PCBC, issued statements urging authorities to review the ruling.The backlash prompted government engagement with the concerns of the country’s Christian minority, estimated at 1.37% (3.28 million people).Addressing an interfaith Easter gathering in Lahore, Tarar assured Christian leaders of his support, saying the committee’s recommendations would be submitted to the Ministry of Law and Justice within a week. Archbishop Azad Marshall, moderator/president bishop of the Church of Pakistan, a united Protestant denomination, meets with ecumenical leaders and Christian politicians following an April 6, 2026, consultation on the Maria Shahbaz case at Waris Road, Lahore. | Credit: Church of Pakistan Legal dimensionsMeanwhile, Punjab Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora said his department was forming a parallel committee to examine the legal dimensions of the case.Mary James Gill, a Christian lawyer, former lawmaker, and executive director of the Center for Law and Justice who serves on the committee, welcomed the move as a “genuine concern to find a way forward.”“It is highly encouraging that a state representative personally took up the issue. However, we are still in a consultative process,” she told EWTN News, noting shortcomings in both the lower courts and within the affected community.“The petition was filed under Section 491 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which pertains to habeas corpus, and not to determining the exact age of the girl — a question that remains disputed,” Gill said.“Regrettably, no such verification was carried out in the lower courts. In cases where documentation is ambiguous, magistrates and sessions judges tend to rely on in-person statements, consent, and their own observations.”She noted that the Christian Marriage Act of 1872 governs the solemnization of marriages involving one or more Christians.“Similarly, the personal laws of both Christianity and Islam in Pakistan remain silent on the age of conversion. Church leaders need to revisit and update these frameworks. At the same time, parents must place greater emphasis on the ideological and moral formation of their children,” she added.In an April 6 letter to the law ministry, Anthony Naveed, deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly, urged the federal government to address “serious legal gaps” exposed by the ruling and called for uniform amendments aligning provincial laws with Balochistan’s legislation, which explicitly invalidates child marriages.A pattern of abuseFor decades, rights advocates have called for stronger legal and administrative measures to prevent the abduction and forced religious conversion of girls from minority communities.At least 515 cases of abduction and forced conversion of minority girls and women were reported between 2021 and 2025, according to the Center for Social Justice. Hindu girls accounted for 69% (353 cases), followed by Christian girls at 31% (160 cases). Most victims were under 18, with cases concentrated in Sindh and Punjab.Shukardin said courts in the Muslim-majority country are not consistently applying laws prohibiting marriage under 18.“The Church is not in favor of marriages involving conversion under such circumstances. We demand safety for our daughters and will continue to raise our voice for underage brides of any religion,” he said.

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Bishop Samson Shukardin said government committees are often delayed so people forget, as protests continue over the marriage of 13-year-old Maria Shahbaz.

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Vatican urges Catholics not to leave Pope Leo XIV alone in opposing war #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned that the “logic of the strongest” risks prevailing on the international stage and called on Christians to become “voices of peace” who do not leave Pope Leo XIV standing alone in his opposition to war.In an interview with Dialoghi, a cultural magazine linked to Italian Catholic Action, Parolin said the voice of the pope is “prophetic” but risks becoming “a voice crying in the wilderness if it is not supported and helped concretely.”His remarks also offer a key to understanding the peace prayer vigil Leo XIV has called for April 11 in St. Peter’s Basilica.Parolin recalled the 2003 Iraq war, when St. John Paul II pleaded for the conflict to be avoided but “was left alone.” He therefore stressed the need to support the current pontiff’s appeal for a peace that is “unarmed and disarming” and to reject “the false propaganda of rearmament.”“There is a need for more voices of peace, more voices against the madness of the rush toward rearmament, more voices raised in favor of our poorest brothers and sisters, more voices and more proposals — I am thinking, for example, of the world of Catholic universities — for new economic models inspired by justice and care for the weakest instead of the idolatry of money,” Parolin said.The cardinal described an alarming international climate in which military action appears to impose itself too easily.“I am struck by how much determination — I was about to say ease — with which the military option is presented as decisive, almost inevitable,” he said.According to the Vatican secretary of state, this trend has left diplomacy practically “mute,” unable to activate alternative tools, while awareness of the tragedy of war and the value of shared rules is being lost.Parolin said the root of the problem is a “multi-polarism inspired by the primacy of power,” in which states place greater trust in force than in international law. That, he said, has produced “double standards,” visible in the differing reactions to attacks on civilians in Ukraine and the destruction in Gaza.“Many governments,” Parolin said, “have expressed indignation over attacks against Ukrainian civilians by Russian missiles and drones, imposing sanctions on the aggressors.”“I do not think the same has happened with the tragedy of the destruction of Gaza,” he added.For the cardinal, this is a case of “double standards” tied to the “primacy of power” — the dominance of one’s own country over others — with international law invoked “only when convenient” and ignored in many other cases.“It seems there has been a lack of awareness of the value of peace, awareness of the tragic reality of war, awareness of the importance of shared rules and of respecting them,” he said.Parolin also lamented the weakening of the global diplomatic architecture and said it is “utopian” to think peace can be guaranteed “by weapons and by balances imposed by the strongest rather than by international agreements.”“We cannot surrender to the logic of the strongest,” the cardinal insisted, because that logic “bends international law to its own interests” and weakens multilateral institutions.In that context, he also expressed regret that Europe has been unable to speak with one voice. He said it is necessary “to rekindle in peoples the sense of European belonging and, in leadership, the awareness of the need for common actions without ever failing the principles that are at the foundation of the European Union itself.”Regarding the United Nations, Parolin said the Holy See “continues to believe in its importance,” considering international organizations essential for restraining the logic of the strongest. At the same time, he acknowledged that the use of the veto has limited the U.N.’s ability to act.“We cannot move from the force of law to the law of force,” he warned.Parolin also highlighted the role believers can play, including defending life and human dignity, protecting religious freedom, promoting reforms to the economic and financial system in line with the Church’s social doctrine, and caring for creation.Finally, the cardinal addressed the cultural impact of new technologies, saying hyper-connectivity and the spread of fake news help fuel fear and build new walls.“As Christians, we must oppose this drift with our daily lives,” he concluded.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Vatican urges Catholics not to leave Pope Leo XIV alone in opposing war #Catholic VATICAN CITY — Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin warned that the “logic of the strongest” risks prevailing on the international stage and called on Christians to become “voices of peace” who do not leave Pope Leo XIV standing alone in his opposition to war.In an interview with Dialoghi, a cultural magazine linked to Italian Catholic Action, Parolin said the voice of the pope is “prophetic” but risks becoming “a voice crying in the wilderness if it is not supported and helped concretely.”His remarks also offer a key to understanding the peace prayer vigil Leo XIV has called for April 11 in St. Peter’s Basilica.Parolin recalled the 2003 Iraq war, when St. John Paul II pleaded for the conflict to be avoided but “was left alone.” He therefore stressed the need to support the current pontiff’s appeal for a peace that is “unarmed and disarming” and to reject “the false propaganda of rearmament.”“There is a need for more voices of peace, more voices against the madness of the rush toward rearmament, more voices raised in favor of our poorest brothers and sisters, more voices and more proposals — I am thinking, for example, of the world of Catholic universities — for new economic models inspired by justice and care for the weakest instead of the idolatry of money,” Parolin said.The cardinal described an alarming international climate in which military action appears to impose itself too easily.“I am struck by how much determination — I was about to say ease — with which the military option is presented as decisive, almost inevitable,” he said.According to the Vatican secretary of state, this trend has left diplomacy practically “mute,” unable to activate alternative tools, while awareness of the tragedy of war and the value of shared rules is being lost.Parolin said the root of the problem is a “multi-polarism inspired by the primacy of power,” in which states place greater trust in force than in international law. That, he said, has produced “double standards,” visible in the differing reactions to attacks on civilians in Ukraine and the destruction in Gaza.“Many governments,” Parolin said, “have expressed indignation over attacks against Ukrainian civilians by Russian missiles and drones, imposing sanctions on the aggressors.”“I do not think the same has happened with the tragedy of the destruction of Gaza,” he added.For the cardinal, this is a case of “double standards” tied to the “primacy of power” — the dominance of one’s own country over others — with international law invoked “only when convenient” and ignored in many other cases.“It seems there has been a lack of awareness of the value of peace, awareness of the tragic reality of war, awareness of the importance of shared rules and of respecting them,” he said.Parolin also lamented the weakening of the global diplomatic architecture and said it is “utopian” to think peace can be guaranteed “by weapons and by balances imposed by the strongest rather than by international agreements.”“We cannot surrender to the logic of the strongest,” the cardinal insisted, because that logic “bends international law to its own interests” and weakens multilateral institutions.In that context, he also expressed regret that Europe has been unable to speak with one voice. He said it is necessary “to rekindle in peoples the sense of European belonging and, in leadership, the awareness of the need for common actions without ever failing the principles that are at the foundation of the European Union itself.”Regarding the United Nations, Parolin said the Holy See “continues to believe in its importance,” considering international organizations essential for restraining the logic of the strongest. At the same time, he acknowledged that the use of the veto has limited the U.N.’s ability to act.“We cannot move from the force of law to the law of force,” he warned.Parolin also highlighted the role believers can play, including defending life and human dignity, protecting religious freedom, promoting reforms to the economic and financial system in line with the Church’s social doctrine, and caring for creation.Finally, the cardinal addressed the cultural impact of new technologies, saying hyper-connectivity and the spread of fake news help fuel fear and build new walls.“As Christians, we must oppose this drift with our daily lives,” he concluded.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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The Vatican Secretary of State said the pope’s appeals for peace need concrete support.

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Pope will address tensions between Christianity and Islam in Africa, Nigerian bishop says – #Catholic – When Pope Leo XIV visits Africa for the first time as pontiff next week, Catholics and others across the continent will be watching with interest for what it reveals about the pope’s agenda and priorities for their region. One of those watching will be Bishop John Niyiring of Kano, Nigeria, a fellow Augustinian and longtime friend of the pope.The pope is scheduled to visit Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon on his first apostolic journey to the continent April 13–23.Growing conflict between African Muslims and ChristiansNiyiring is concerned about the state of Christian-Muslim relations in Africa, particularly in Muslim-majority countries such as Algeria.Niyiring described the situation as one of fear between the two religions. His comments on the situation echo those of several African prelates who have recently voiced concern over the plight of Christians on the continent, highlighting the struggle Christians often face to practice their faith in predominantly Muslim African countries.“There is always that fear between Christianity and Islam,” Niyiring told EWTN News. “Islam is becoming a religion that is quite strong in Africa, and we Christians will have to engage with Muslim leaders. … But it is dialogue that takes that fear out. Without dialogue, people will always be suspicious and afraid of one another. I am sure that the Holy Father will say something about that.”Niyiring said he hopes the pope’s trip also raises awareness of other issues often ignored in the West, including poverty, political corruption, and the plight of young girls in Africa.“In many countries, perhaps in the West, nobody discusses the issues facing young girls on the streets. We see many of them on our streets [as victims of sex trafficking], and there are situations where they don’t get the attention they need, especially in education,” he said.Regarding politicians, the bishop said: “In Africa today, there are people who want to be in government, but they’re hardly interested in the well-being of their people. We would like to hear Leo say more about [political corruption], encouraging our leaders to be leaders who love their people and are there to serve them.”Serving with the then-Father Robert PrevostThe future pope, then-Father Robert Prevost, served as prior general of the Augustinians from 2001 to 2013. During this period, Prevost played a key role in helping establish a new province for the Augustinians in Nigeria, an experience that greatly enhanced the future pope’s knowledge of the country and the African continent.“His trip to Nigeria in 2001 — one of several he made there — was the first canonical visit he made outside Rome as prior general. I worked closely with him after I became the provincial superior of the Augustinians in Nigeria in 2005, until I became a bishop in 2008. His presence there was crucial. There were also projects underway in Nigeria and across Africa, and he helped a lot in raising funds to build them. I brought many problems to his attention as the provincial of a young order. And he was always attentive and always emphasized the importance of finding new approaches to issues,” Niyiring said.Niyiring also praised the pope’s leadership style while serving the Augustinians, noting his attentiveness and calm.“He has a pleasant personality. He was always attentive and always emphasized the importance of finding new approaches to issues. He encouraged us to be open to the promptings of the spirit and willing to change in situations that needed it.”
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Pope will address tensions between Christianity and Islam in Africa, Nigerian bishop says – #Catholic – When Pope Leo XIV visits Africa for the first time as pontiff next week, Catholics and others across the continent will be watching with interest for what it reveals about the pope’s agenda and priorities for their region. One of those watching will be Bishop John Niyiring of Kano, Nigeria, a fellow Augustinian and longtime friend of the pope.The pope is scheduled to visit Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Cameroon on his first apostolic journey to the continent April 13–23.Growing conflict between African Muslims and ChristiansNiyiring is concerned about the state of Christian-Muslim relations in Africa, particularly in Muslim-majority countries such as Algeria.Niyiring described the situation as one of fear between the two religions. His comments on the situation echo those of several African prelates who have recently voiced concern over the plight of Christians on the continent, highlighting the struggle Christians often face to practice their faith in predominantly Muslim African countries.“There is always that fear between Christianity and Islam,” Niyiring told EWTN News. “Islam is becoming a religion that is quite strong in Africa, and we Christians will have to engage with Muslim leaders. … But it is dialogue that takes that fear out. Without dialogue, people will always be suspicious and afraid of one another. I am sure that the Holy Father will say something about that.”Niyiring said he hopes the pope’s trip also raises awareness of other issues often ignored in the West, including poverty, political corruption, and the plight of young girls in Africa.“In many countries, perhaps in the West, nobody discusses the issues facing young girls on the streets. We see many of them on our streets [as victims of sex trafficking], and there are situations where they don’t get the attention they need, especially in education,” he said.Regarding politicians, the bishop said: “In Africa today, there are people who want to be in government, but they’re hardly interested in the well-being of their people. We would like to hear Leo say more about [political corruption], encouraging our leaders to be leaders who love their people and are there to serve them.”Serving with the then-Father Robert PrevostThe future pope, then-Father Robert Prevost, served as prior general of the Augustinians from 2001 to 2013. During this period, Prevost played a key role in helping establish a new province for the Augustinians in Nigeria, an experience that greatly enhanced the future pope’s knowledge of the country and the African continent.“His trip to Nigeria in 2001 — one of several he made there — was the first canonical visit he made outside Rome as prior general. I worked closely with him after I became the provincial superior of the Augustinians in Nigeria in 2005, until I became a bishop in 2008. His presence there was crucial. There were also projects underway in Nigeria and across Africa, and he helped a lot in raising funds to build them. I brought many problems to his attention as the provincial of a young order. And he was always attentive and always emphasized the importance of finding new approaches to issues,” Niyiring said.Niyiring also praised the pope’s leadership style while serving the Augustinians, noting his attentiveness and calm.“He has a pleasant personality. He was always attentive and always emphasized the importance of finding new approaches to issues. He encouraged us to be open to the promptings of the spirit and willing to change in situations that needed it.”

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An Augustinian confrere of Pope Leo XIV discussed the pontiff’s upcoming trip to four African countries.

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Dominican Sisters challenge New York gender-identity law in court – #Catholic – A group of Catholic religious sisters has taken care of terminal cancer patients free of charge in New York for almost 125 years without a problem.Now, state officials are warning the sisters and other nursing home administrators about restricting rooms and bathrooms to one sex and failing to use preferred personal pronouns for patients who identify as transgender. The state is also requiring public postings of an antidiscrimination notice.The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who operate Rosary Hill Home, a 42-bed facility, have received three letters from the state’s public health agency, including one warning about “refusing to assign a room to a resident other than in accordance with the resident’s gender identity,” “prohibiting a resident from using a restroom available to other persons of the same gender identity,” and “willfully and repeatedly failing to use a resident’s preferred name or pronouns after being clearly informed of the preferred name or pronouns.”The letters took the sisters off guard; a state agency’s website shows zero complaints against Rosary Hill Home, located in Hawthorne, a hamlet in the Westchester County town of Mount Pleasant, about 30 miles northeast of Manhattan.But complying with the state’s rules is not an option for them, since the directives contradict their Catholic faith, the sisters told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.The Catholic Church teaches that sex can’t be changed or separated from gender, although it also says people identifying as transgender must be treated with respect and compassion.“I think the most important thing is that we are adamant in keeping our Catholic identity. Without that, there’s no purpose for us to do what we’re doing,” Mother Marie Edward, OP, the superior of the religious congregation, told the Register. Entrance to the Rosary Hill Home, a 42-bed facility located in Westchester County, about 30 miles northeast of Manhattan in New York. | Credit: “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly”/Screenshot The sisters filed a lawsuit against the state on Monday, claiming the state is violating their rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in White Plains, names as defendants New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and four state administrators in the New York State Department of Health. All are sued in their official capacity.The complaint claims that the state is violating the sisters’ freedom of speech by requiring them to state a point of view they don’t agree with and their free exercise of religion by requiring them to make statements against their Catholic faith.The complaint also notes that the state statute appears to exempt institutions run by the Church of Christ, Scientist — it doesn’t apply to those “whose teachings include reliance on spiritual means through prayer alone for healing” — which the complaint says violates the Catholic sisters’ religious freedom by favoring one religion over another.A spokesman for the governor did not respond to a request for comment by publication of this story.Cadence Acquaviva, senior public information officer for the New York State Department of Health, also contacted by the Register, emailed the Register the following statement: “While the department does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation, the department is committed to following state law, which provides nursing home residents certain rights protecting against discrimination including, but not limited to, gender identity or expression.”New York lawThe letters to the sisters from the state’s public health agency stem from a statute that the New York Legislature passed in 2023 with little fanfare and almost no opposition, known as “The Long-Term Care Facility Residents’ Bill of Rights for LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers and People Living with HIV.”The state Legislature’s website shows no public hearing for the bill that created the law. When it was introduced on the floor of the lower chamber, the New York State Assembly, in June 2023, the bill drew questions from three Republicans over the course of about 10 minutes, mostly informational and none hostile. Religious liberty did not come up.The Assembly passed the bill 144-2. The New York Senate passed the bill 55-7. Hochul signed the bill into law on Nov. 30, 2023, the eve of World AIDS Day.“New York’s seniors should be able to live their lives with the dignity and respect they deserve, free from discrimination of every kind,” Hochul said, according to a press release issued by her office at the time. “LGBTQIA + and HIV-positive seniors are among our most vulnerable populations, and today we are taking steps to ensure that all New Yorkers — regardless of who they are, who they love, or their HIV status — find safety and support in places where they need it the most. Hate will never have a place in New York.”The sisters told the Register they had never heard of the bill until the letters from the state started arriving about two years ago. State officials have not taken steps against the sisters, but the sisters say they’re worried that they will.“Over 125 years, as far as they know, they’ve never once had a patient who was wanting to make the gender journey, to transition. And that’s significant, because why are we going through this?” said L. Martin Nussbaum, the sisters’ lawyer and a partner with First & Fourteenth, a law firm with an office in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in an interview. “This law imposed on the Dominican Hawthorne Sisters is a form of gender ideology virtue signaling, to require these sisters to be trained in an ideology entirely contrary to Catholic belief.”“Why are we doing this? We don’t even have such patients,” Nussbaum said. “It’s the state requiring these holy nuns to bend the knee to an ideology contrary to their faith.”One letter from the state warned the sisters that their nursing home can’t “restrict a resident’s right to associate with other residents or with visitors, including the right to consensual expression of intimacy or sexual relations, unless the restriction is uniformly applied to all residents in a nondiscriminatory manner.”Rosary Hill Home belongs to the Catholic Benefits Association, which advocates for free exercise of religion rights of members in providing employee benefits. Nussbaum, who represents the association, said the state’s gender-identity requirements are creating a problem where there was none.“The sisters do not want to litigate. They want this resolved, and they want to focus on their ministry,” Nussbaum said.The congregationThe Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne was founded by Mother Mary Alphonsa, who was known as Rose Hawthorne Lathrop (1851–1926) before she entered religious life. She was one of three children of the 19th-century novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of “The House of the Seven Gables” and “The Scarlet Letter.”Raised Unitarian, Rose converted to Catholicism during the 1890s. In 1896, she opened an apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan for patients with incurable cancer. The foundress of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, Mother Mary Alphonsa, was the daughter of the renowned 19th-century American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. | Credit: “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly”/Screenshot “I set my whole being to endeavor to bring consolation to the cancerous poor,” she later wrote, according to a biography of her on the congregation’s website.She founded a religious congregation in 1900, which opened a nursing home in Hawthorne, New York, in June 1901.Pope Francis in March 2024 declared her venerable, which is two steps below canonization. Her cause needs a miracle to proceed to beatification and another to qualify her to be declared a saint.The congregation currently has 44 sisters, split between New York and another nursing facility in Atlanta called Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home.In the New York facility, about 14 sisters tend to sick patients with the help of lay certified nursing assistants, sisters told the Register.The home has no limit on the length of stay, and some patients stay for years, sisters told the Register, though the average stay is about two to three months. The vast majority of patients who come to the nursing home die there.‘We’ve given our life to God’The New York facility was the subject of an admiring photographic essay and short article in The New York Times Magazine in May 2016, spearheaded by a photographer who appreciated the care the sisters had given to her Jewish mother-in-law when she was dying of cancer.Mother Marie Edward, who joined the congregation in 1979, told the Register that living their Catholic faith and witnessing to it to others are essential for the sisters, whose work is only partly about taking care of the sick.“Nursing is a marvelous work in and of itself, but our sisters are, we’re all consecrated, we’ve taken vows, we’ve given our life to God, and certainly prayer is utmost, primary. That we consider a work, and the sisters live a very enclosed life of prayer first, and then it spills over into the care of the patients, so that we are to care for the patients as if they were Christ, the suffering Christ,” she said.“And to do that, we have to be very strong in our identity as Christians, and to follow the teachings of Christ,” she added. “So to do something that goes contrary to that, it just wouldn’t work.”The superior general cited John 14:6 as one of the reasons the sisters can’t treat males as if they were females, or vice versa.“Christ is the center, and the Eucharist sustains us. But Christ is also, as he said, the way, the truth, and the life. And if he’s the truth, then we cannot practice what we do, incorporating something that is an untruth,” she explained.“And it is an untruth to say that a male should go into a female patient’s room. You’re just trying to contort things, for whatever reason. So we have to stand by the truth of what has been taught to us in the natural law. It is not to be changed,” Mother Marie Edward said.“For us, this is what sustains us,” added Sister Stella Mary, the superior of Rosary Hill Home, who joined in 2006.“This is our strength. If our faith wasn’t there, the type of care we provide would not be the same,” she said.“I’m not saying that other people cannot do so, but the things and the environment that permeates in this place is very different because of our faith, because Christ is here present in the Eucharist,” she continued.“And anybody that comes in here will always say how peaceful it feels in here, the difference from any other place that they’ve been to,” she said. “So I think there is no way we could do what we do day in and day out, with the difficulties that caring for the sick means, without having our faith.”Nussbaum, the congregation’s lawyer, told the Register that the state’s requirements on gender identity pose an existential threat to the nursing home, because both the home and the staff members who work there need to renew their licenses under state rules.The Register asked the sisters if they are concerned that the state might force their nearly 125-year-old nursing home to shut down if they don’t comply.“I’m not really worried, because I know the Lord is going to take care of us,” Mother Marie Edward said.This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
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Dominican Sisters challenge New York gender-identity law in court – #Catholic – A group of Catholic religious sisters has taken care of terminal cancer patients free of charge in New York for almost 125 years without a problem.Now, state officials are warning the sisters and other nursing home administrators about restricting rooms and bathrooms to one sex and failing to use preferred personal pronouns for patients who identify as transgender. The state is also requiring public postings of an antidiscrimination notice.The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who operate Rosary Hill Home, a 42-bed facility, have received three letters from the state’s public health agency, including one warning about “refusing to assign a room to a resident other than in accordance with the resident’s gender identity,” “prohibiting a resident from using a restroom available to other persons of the same gender identity,” and “willfully and repeatedly failing to use a resident’s preferred name or pronouns after being clearly informed of the preferred name or pronouns.”The letters took the sisters off guard; a state agency’s website shows zero complaints against Rosary Hill Home, located in Hawthorne, a hamlet in the Westchester County town of Mount Pleasant, about 30 miles northeast of Manhattan.But complying with the state’s rules is not an option for them, since the directives contradict their Catholic faith, the sisters told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.The Catholic Church teaches that sex can’t be changed or separated from gender, although it also says people identifying as transgender must be treated with respect and compassion.“I think the most important thing is that we are adamant in keeping our Catholic identity. Without that, there’s no purpose for us to do what we’re doing,” Mother Marie Edward, OP, the superior of the religious congregation, told the Register. Entrance to the Rosary Hill Home, a 42-bed facility located in Westchester County, about 30 miles northeast of Manhattan in New York. | Credit: “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly”/Screenshot The sisters filed a lawsuit against the state on Monday, claiming the state is violating their rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in White Plains, names as defendants New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and four state administrators in the New York State Department of Health. All are sued in their official capacity.The complaint claims that the state is violating the sisters’ freedom of speech by requiring them to state a point of view they don’t agree with and their free exercise of religion by requiring them to make statements against their Catholic faith.The complaint also notes that the state statute appears to exempt institutions run by the Church of Christ, Scientist — it doesn’t apply to those “whose teachings include reliance on spiritual means through prayer alone for healing” — which the complaint says violates the Catholic sisters’ religious freedom by favoring one religion over another.A spokesman for the governor did not respond to a request for comment by publication of this story.Cadence Acquaviva, senior public information officer for the New York State Department of Health, also contacted by the Register, emailed the Register the following statement: “While the department does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation, the department is committed to following state law, which provides nursing home residents certain rights protecting against discrimination including, but not limited to, gender identity or expression.”New York lawThe letters to the sisters from the state’s public health agency stem from a statute that the New York Legislature passed in 2023 with little fanfare and almost no opposition, known as “The Long-Term Care Facility Residents’ Bill of Rights for LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers and People Living with HIV.”The state Legislature’s website shows no public hearing for the bill that created the law. When it was introduced on the floor of the lower chamber, the New York State Assembly, in June 2023, the bill drew questions from three Republicans over the course of about 10 minutes, mostly informational and none hostile. Religious liberty did not come up.The Assembly passed the bill 144-2. The New York Senate passed the bill 55-7. Hochul signed the bill into law on Nov. 30, 2023, the eve of World AIDS Day.“New York’s seniors should be able to live their lives with the dignity and respect they deserve, free from discrimination of every kind,” Hochul said, according to a press release issued by her office at the time. “LGBTQIA + and HIV-positive seniors are among our most vulnerable populations, and today we are taking steps to ensure that all New Yorkers — regardless of who they are, who they love, or their HIV status — find safety and support in places where they need it the most. Hate will never have a place in New York.”The sisters told the Register they had never heard of the bill until the letters from the state started arriving about two years ago. State officials have not taken steps against the sisters, but the sisters say they’re worried that they will.“Over 125 years, as far as they know, they’ve never once had a patient who was wanting to make the gender journey, to transition. And that’s significant, because why are we going through this?” said L. Martin Nussbaum, the sisters’ lawyer and a partner with First & Fourteenth, a law firm with an office in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in an interview. “This law imposed on the Dominican Hawthorne Sisters is a form of gender ideology virtue signaling, to require these sisters to be trained in an ideology entirely contrary to Catholic belief.”“Why are we doing this? We don’t even have such patients,” Nussbaum said. “It’s the state requiring these holy nuns to bend the knee to an ideology contrary to their faith.”One letter from the state warned the sisters that their nursing home can’t “restrict a resident’s right to associate with other residents or with visitors, including the right to consensual expression of intimacy or sexual relations, unless the restriction is uniformly applied to all residents in a nondiscriminatory manner.”Rosary Hill Home belongs to the Catholic Benefits Association, which advocates for free exercise of religion rights of members in providing employee benefits. Nussbaum, who represents the association, said the state’s gender-identity requirements are creating a problem where there was none.“The sisters do not want to litigate. They want this resolved, and they want to focus on their ministry,” Nussbaum said.The congregationThe Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne was founded by Mother Mary Alphonsa, who was known as Rose Hawthorne Lathrop (1851–1926) before she entered religious life. She was one of three children of the 19th-century novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of “The House of the Seven Gables” and “The Scarlet Letter.”Raised Unitarian, Rose converted to Catholicism during the 1890s. In 1896, she opened an apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan for patients with incurable cancer. The foundress of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, Mother Mary Alphonsa, was the daughter of the renowned 19th-century American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. | Credit: “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly”/Screenshot “I set my whole being to endeavor to bring consolation to the cancerous poor,” she later wrote, according to a biography of her on the congregation’s website.She founded a religious congregation in 1900, which opened a nursing home in Hawthorne, New York, in June 1901.Pope Francis in March 2024 declared her venerable, which is two steps below canonization. Her cause needs a miracle to proceed to beatification and another to qualify her to be declared a saint.The congregation currently has 44 sisters, split between New York and another nursing facility in Atlanta called Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home.In the New York facility, about 14 sisters tend to sick patients with the help of lay certified nursing assistants, sisters told the Register.The home has no limit on the length of stay, and some patients stay for years, sisters told the Register, though the average stay is about two to three months. The vast majority of patients who come to the nursing home die there.‘We’ve given our life to God’The New York facility was the subject of an admiring photographic essay and short article in The New York Times Magazine in May 2016, spearheaded by a photographer who appreciated the care the sisters had given to her Jewish mother-in-law when she was dying of cancer.Mother Marie Edward, who joined the congregation in 1979, told the Register that living their Catholic faith and witnessing to it to others are essential for the sisters, whose work is only partly about taking care of the sick.“Nursing is a marvelous work in and of itself, but our sisters are, we’re all consecrated, we’ve taken vows, we’ve given our life to God, and certainly prayer is utmost, primary. That we consider a work, and the sisters live a very enclosed life of prayer first, and then it spills over into the care of the patients, so that we are to care for the patients as if they were Christ, the suffering Christ,” she said.“And to do that, we have to be very strong in our identity as Christians, and to follow the teachings of Christ,” she added. “So to do something that goes contrary to that, it just wouldn’t work.”The superior general cited John 14:6 as one of the reasons the sisters can’t treat males as if they were females, or vice versa.“Christ is the center, and the Eucharist sustains us. But Christ is also, as he said, the way, the truth, and the life. And if he’s the truth, then we cannot practice what we do, incorporating something that is an untruth,” she explained.“And it is an untruth to say that a male should go into a female patient’s room. You’re just trying to contort things, for whatever reason. So we have to stand by the truth of what has been taught to us in the natural law. It is not to be changed,” Mother Marie Edward said.“For us, this is what sustains us,” added Sister Stella Mary, the superior of Rosary Hill Home, who joined in 2006.“This is our strength. If our faith wasn’t there, the type of care we provide would not be the same,” she said.“I’m not saying that other people cannot do so, but the things and the environment that permeates in this place is very different because of our faith, because Christ is here present in the Eucharist,” she continued.“And anybody that comes in here will always say how peaceful it feels in here, the difference from any other place that they’ve been to,” she said. “So I think there is no way we could do what we do day in and day out, with the difficulties that caring for the sick means, without having our faith.”Nussbaum, the congregation’s lawyer, told the Register that the state’s requirements on gender identity pose an existential threat to the nursing home, because both the home and the staff members who work there need to renew their licenses under state rules.The Register asked the sisters if they are concerned that the state might force their nearly 125-year-old nursing home to shut down if they don’t comply.“I’m not really worried, because I know the Lord is going to take care of us,” Mother Marie Edward said.This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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The New York State Department of Health warned the sisters about “refusing to assign a room to a resident other than in accordance with the resident’s gender identity.”

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2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases

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The phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment ensures the entire side of the Moon that faces us gleams under sunlight. Thanks to the Moon’s orbit around Earth, the angle of sunlight hitting the lunar surface and being reflected back toContinue reading “2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases”

The post 2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Teen killed, 60 hurt after truck rams Easter procession in Pakistan – #Catholic – LAHORE, Pakistan — Police in Pakistan are continuing their search for a driver who fled after a truck rammed into an Easter procession, killing a teenage boy and injuring more than 60 people, as concerns grow over accountability and safety lapses four days after the incident.The crash occurred in the early hours of April 5 in Mariamabad in Punjab’s Wazirabad district, where around 200 Catholics had gathered for a predawn Easter service. Irfan Bashir, a 17-year-old laborer, died of a head injury on April 6.Officials said the suspect, identified as Muhammad Bilal, remains at large. The vehicle involved in the incident and the driver’s assistant are in police custody, and a case has been registered.“We are conducting daily raids to arrest the driver,” said Muhammad Ahmad, the assistant sub-inspector who filed the case, attributing the incident to overspeeding.He added that the vehicle was empty and heading to a poultry farm and claimed the procession was held without prior police notification.At least 14 injured remain hospitalized in two hospitals in nearby Gujranwala, some in serious condition. Doctors said most victims suffered fractures and trauma caused by the impact and the ensuing panic.The Punjab government set up a medical camp at the local Catholic church on April 6 to assist victims in Mariamabad, a village of about 100 families comprising both Christians and Muslims.Disputed claimsChurch representatives and community members have disputed police claims that authorities were not informed in advance. Organizers insist prior notice had been given, raising concerns over coordination failures.Father Shahrukh Nathaniel, who led the sunrise service, said road processions have now been suspended following the tragedy.“We have asked the government to install speed breakers [in some countries called speed bumps] and barriers outside the church, which is located on a main road,” he told EWTN News. “The faithful usually gather outside after Mass, which increases the risk.”He said authorities have promised financial compensation for the victims and praised the establishment of a medical camp amid shortages in government hospitals, while urging the swift arrest of the driver.‘It was the worst Easter’Among the injured is the father of Mark Mathew, a ninth-grade student who was setting off fireworks at the front of the procession when the truck struck. His father, a furniture maker, suffered a fractured leg and is bedridden, while his mother sustained injuries to her knee and eye.“I feel lucky to be alive,” Mark said. “It was the worst Easter, visiting injured relatives and friends in hospitals.”Rights advocates say the case highlights broader concerns over the safety of minority religious gatherings in Pakistan.Capuchin friar condemns ‘Christianophobia’In an April 8 statement, Capuchin Father Lazar Aslam, convener of the Justice, Peace, and Ecology Commission, “vehemently condemned this irresponsible and heinous act,” describing it as a “clear Christianophobia-driven hate crime.”“This was not a mere traffic accident; it was a targeted assault on innocent worshippers at the most sacred moment of their liturgical calendar,” he said. “The driver’s failure to stop or render aid, and his decision to flee the scene, further underscores the malicious nature of this crime.”He added that “the persistent silence and minimization of such incidents are as painful as the violence itself,” warning that genuine interfaith dialogue cannot exist without truth and safety.“Until the lives of Christians are treated with equal dignity and those responsible are held accountable, empty words of peace will remain insufficient to heal the wounds of the community,” he said.Aslam called for immediate justice for the victims and urged authorities to ensure comprehensive medical treatment for impoverished families most severely affected by the tragedy.In September 2025, a Catholic pilgrim was killed and a teenager injured when gunmen attacked a van carrying devotees to the country’s largest Marian shrine in Mariamabad. The group was traveling through the Sheikhupura district to attend the annual Sept. 8 feast of the Nativity of Mary, which draws thousands each year.
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Teen killed, 60 hurt after truck rams Easter procession in Pakistan – #Catholic – LAHORE, Pakistan — Police in Pakistan are continuing their search for a driver who fled after a truck rammed into an Easter procession, killing a teenage boy and injuring more than 60 people, as concerns grow over accountability and safety lapses four days after the incident.The crash occurred in the early hours of April 5 in Mariamabad in Punjab’s Wazirabad district, where around 200 Catholics had gathered for a predawn Easter service. Irfan Bashir, a 17-year-old laborer, died of a head injury on April 6.Officials said the suspect, identified as Muhammad Bilal, remains at large. The vehicle involved in the incident and the driver’s assistant are in police custody, and a case has been registered.“We are conducting daily raids to arrest the driver,” said Muhammad Ahmad, the assistant sub-inspector who filed the case, attributing the incident to overspeeding.He added that the vehicle was empty and heading to a poultry farm and claimed the procession was held without prior police notification.At least 14 injured remain hospitalized in two hospitals in nearby Gujranwala, some in serious condition. Doctors said most victims suffered fractures and trauma caused by the impact and the ensuing panic.The Punjab government set up a medical camp at the local Catholic church on April 6 to assist victims in Mariamabad, a village of about 100 families comprising both Christians and Muslims.Disputed claimsChurch representatives and community members have disputed police claims that authorities were not informed in advance. Organizers insist prior notice had been given, raising concerns over coordination failures.Father Shahrukh Nathaniel, who led the sunrise service, said road processions have now been suspended following the tragedy.“We have asked the government to install speed breakers [in some countries called speed bumps] and barriers outside the church, which is located on a main road,” he told EWTN News. “The faithful usually gather outside after Mass, which increases the risk.”He said authorities have promised financial compensation for the victims and praised the establishment of a medical camp amid shortages in government hospitals, while urging the swift arrest of the driver.‘It was the worst Easter’Among the injured is the father of Mark Mathew, a ninth-grade student who was setting off fireworks at the front of the procession when the truck struck. His father, a furniture maker, suffered a fractured leg and is bedridden, while his mother sustained injuries to her knee and eye.“I feel lucky to be alive,” Mark said. “It was the worst Easter, visiting injured relatives and friends in hospitals.”Rights advocates say the case highlights broader concerns over the safety of minority religious gatherings in Pakistan.Capuchin friar condemns ‘Christianophobia’In an April 8 statement, Capuchin Father Lazar Aslam, convener of the Justice, Peace, and Ecology Commission, “vehemently condemned this irresponsible and heinous act,” describing it as a “clear Christianophobia-driven hate crime.”“This was not a mere traffic accident; it was a targeted assault on innocent worshippers at the most sacred moment of their liturgical calendar,” he said. “The driver’s failure to stop or render aid, and his decision to flee the scene, further underscores the malicious nature of this crime.”He added that “the persistent silence and minimization of such incidents are as painful as the violence itself,” warning that genuine interfaith dialogue cannot exist without truth and safety.“Until the lives of Christians are treated with equal dignity and those responsible are held accountable, empty words of peace will remain insufficient to heal the wounds of the community,” he said.Aslam called for immediate justice for the victims and urged authorities to ensure comprehensive medical treatment for impoverished families most severely affected by the tragedy.In September 2025, a Catholic pilgrim was killed and a teenager injured when gunmen attacked a van carrying devotees to the country’s largest Marian shrine in Mariamabad. The group was traveling through the Sheikhupura district to attend the annual Sept. 8 feast of the Nativity of Mary, which draws thousands each year.

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Police are searching for a truck driver who fled after plowing into a predawn Easter procession in Punjab, killing a 17-year-old and injuring more than 60.

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Psych! Trump Drops Bombs That Just Shoot Out Little Flags That Say ‘POW!’ #BabylonBee – TEHRAN — A cackling President Donald Trump completely psyched out the Iranian regime by threatening nuclear war and then dropping bombs that only shoot out little flags that say "POW!".
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Psych! Trump Drops Bombs That Just Shoot Out Little Flags That Say ‘POW!’ #BabylonBee – TEHRAN — A cackling President Donald Trump completely psyched out the Iranian regime by threatening nuclear war and then dropping bombs that only shoot out little flags that say "POW!".

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TEHRAN — A cackling President Donald Trump completely psyched out the Iranian regime by threatening nuclear war and then dropping bombs that only shoot out little flags that say "POW!".

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Picture of the day Sand dunes of the Thar Desert in the Indian state of Rajasthan. On this day in 1949, the state was formed after a merger of several Rajput princely states into the Indian Union following India’s independence from British colonial rule. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Sand dunes of the Thar Desert in the Indian state of Rajasthan. On this day in 1949, the state was formed after a merger of several Rajput princely states into the Indian Union following India’s independence from British colonial rule.
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Piloto de la misión Artemis II predica el mandamiento al amor de Cristo durante sobrevuelo lunar #Catholic – (OSV News) — Mientras los astronautas de la primera misión tripulada de la NASA en sobrevolar la Luna en medio siglo han despertado asombro, reflexión y oración al alcanzar su punto de máxima aproximación a la Luna, el piloto del equipo recordó a la Tierra el mandamiento de Jesucristo de amar tanto a Dios como al prójimo. “A medida que nos acercamos al punto más cercano a la Luna y más lejano de la Tierra, y mientras continuamos desvelando los misterios del cosmos, me gustaría recordarles uno de los misterios más importantes que existen allí en la Tierra: el amor”, dijo el astronauta Victor Glover, piloto de la misión Artemis II, dirigiéndose al control de tierra el 6 de abril desde a bordo de la nave espacial Orion de la NASA, bautizada “Integrity” (Integridad). “Cristo dijo, en respuesta a cuál era el mandamiento más importante, que era amar a Dios con todo tu ser”, dijo Glover. “Y él también, como gran maestro, dijo que el segundo es igual a ese. Y ese es amar a tu prójimo como a ti mismo”. Glover, un cristiano que ha hablado públicamente sobre su fe –citando el Salmo 30 durante su anterior misión a la Estación Espacial Internacional–, compartió ese mensaje minutos antes de que la cápsula Integrity se enfrentara a una interrupción prevista de 40 minutos en la comunicación con el control de tierra, al pasar la nave espacial por detrás de la Luna, lo que bloqueó las señales de radio y láser. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. La nave despegó el 1 de abril desde el Centro Espacial Kennedy, en Florida, para un viaje de 10 días que llevó a la tripulación a dar la vuelta a la Luna, recorriendo 695.081 millas desde el despegue hasta el amerizaje en el océano Pacífico frente a la costa de San Diego. La misión Artemis II recorrió una distancia máxima de 252.760 millas desde la Tierra, es decir, más de 4.100 millas más allá de la misión Apolo 13 de 1970. Acompañan a Glover en el espacio el comandante Reid Wiseman y dos especialistas de misión: Christina Koch y el astronauta canadiense Jeremy Hansen, quien se convierte en el primer ciudadano de esa nación en emprender una misión lunar. Las prioridades de la misión Artemis II se centran en preparar la exploración del espacio profundo por parte de seres humanos y sentar las bases para lo que la NASA denomina “una presencia sostenida en la Luna”. Dado que el vuelo tiene lugar en medio de conflictos y tensiones geopolíticas generalizados –desde Ucrania hasta una guerra en expansión en Oriente Medio–, las palabras de Glover hicieron eco ha comentarios sobre cómo esta misión lunar también está reafirmando la dignidad humana, así como la necesidad tanto de unidad como de gratitud en medio de conflictos arraigados. Glover, desde la nave especial, le dijo a CBS el 5 de abril, “al adentrarnos en el Domingo de Pascua, pensando en todas las culturas de todo el mundo –independientemente de si lo celebran o no, de si creen en Dios o no– esta es una oportunidad para que recordemos dónde estamos, quiénes somos, que somos lo mismo y que debemos superar esto juntos”. “Cuando leo la Biblia y contemplo todas las cosas asombrosas que se hicieron por nosotros quienes fuimos creados, veo este lugar increíble, esta nave espacial”, dijo. “Ustedes se están comunicando con nosotros porque nos encontramos en una nave espacial muy lejos de la Tierra; pero ustedes están en una nave espacial llamada Tierra, la cual fue creada para brindarnos un lugar donde habitar en el universo”. Y añadió: “Tal vez la distancia que nos separa de ustedes les haga pensar que lo que hacemos es algo especial; pero, en realidad, nosotros estamos a la misma distancia de ustedes. Y lo que intento decirles –simplemente confíen en mí– es que ustedes son especiales”. Glover –el primer astronauta de raza negra en orbitar la Luna– señaló a “todo este vacío”, “toda esta inmensidad de la nada” al que “llamamos universo”, y describió la Tierra como “este oasis, este lugar hermoso” donde “tenemos el privilegio de coexistir”. En declaraciones a BBC News antes de la misión lunar, Glover comentó: “Cuando estemos detrás de la Luna, sin contacto con nadie, tomémoslo como una oportunidad. Recen, tengan esperanza, envíen sus buenos pensamientos y sentimientos para que logremos restablecer el contacto con la tripulación”. Instantes antes del 6 de abril, fecha en que se produjo la pérdida de señal –que finalizó según lo previsto, con la tripulación emergiendo a salvo en su trayectoria de regreso a casa–, Glover dijo: “Mientras nos preparamos para perder la comunicación por radio, aún podemos sentir su cariño desde la Tierra. Y a todos ustedes, allá abajo en la Tierra y alrededor de ella, los queremos desde la Luna”. “Houston, recibido”, respondió control terrestre. “Nos vemos al otro lado”. Gina Christian es reportera multimedia de OSV News. Sígala en X: @GinaJesseReina
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Piloto de la misión Artemis II predica el mandamiento al amor de Cristo durante sobrevuelo lunar #Catholic – (OSV News) — Mientras los astronautas de la primera misión tripulada de la NASA en sobrevolar la Luna en medio siglo han despertado asombro, reflexión y oración al alcanzar su punto de máxima aproximación a la Luna, el piloto del equipo recordó a la Tierra el mandamiento de Jesucristo de amar tanto a Dios como al prójimo. “A medida que nos acercamos al punto más cercano a la Luna y más lejano de la Tierra, y mientras continuamos desvelando los misterios del cosmos, me gustaría recordarles uno de los misterios más importantes que existen allí en la Tierra: el amor”, dijo el astronauta Victor Glover, piloto de la misión Artemis II, dirigiéndose al control de tierra el 6 de abril desde a bordo de la nave espacial Orion de la NASA, bautizada “Integrity” (Integridad). “Cristo dijo, en respuesta a cuál era el mandamiento más importante, que era amar a Dios con todo tu ser”, dijo Glover. “Y él también, como gran maestro, dijo que el segundo es igual a ese. Y ese es amar a tu prójimo como a ti mismo”. Glover, un cristiano que ha hablado públicamente sobre su fe –citando el Salmo 30 durante su anterior misión a la Estación Espacial Internacional–, compartió ese mensaje minutos antes de que la cápsula Integrity se enfrentara a una interrupción prevista de 40 minutos en la comunicación con el control de tierra, al pasar la nave espacial por detrás de la Luna, lo que bloqueó las señales de radio y láser. Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí. La nave despegó el 1 de abril desde el Centro Espacial Kennedy, en Florida, para un viaje de 10 días que llevó a la tripulación a dar la vuelta a la Luna, recorriendo 695.081 millas desde el despegue hasta el amerizaje en el océano Pacífico frente a la costa de San Diego. La misión Artemis II recorrió una distancia máxima de 252.760 millas desde la Tierra, es decir, más de 4.100 millas más allá de la misión Apolo 13 de 1970. Acompañan a Glover en el espacio el comandante Reid Wiseman y dos especialistas de misión: Christina Koch y el astronauta canadiense Jeremy Hansen, quien se convierte en el primer ciudadano de esa nación en emprender una misión lunar. Las prioridades de la misión Artemis II se centran en preparar la exploración del espacio profundo por parte de seres humanos y sentar las bases para lo que la NASA denomina “una presencia sostenida en la Luna”. Dado que el vuelo tiene lugar en medio de conflictos y tensiones geopolíticas generalizados –desde Ucrania hasta una guerra en expansión en Oriente Medio–, las palabras de Glover hicieron eco ha comentarios sobre cómo esta misión lunar también está reafirmando la dignidad humana, así como la necesidad tanto de unidad como de gratitud en medio de conflictos arraigados. Glover, desde la nave especial, le dijo a CBS el 5 de abril, “al adentrarnos en el Domingo de Pascua, pensando en todas las culturas de todo el mundo –independientemente de si lo celebran o no, de si creen en Dios o no– esta es una oportunidad para que recordemos dónde estamos, quiénes somos, que somos lo mismo y que debemos superar esto juntos”. “Cuando leo la Biblia y contemplo todas las cosas asombrosas que se hicieron por nosotros quienes fuimos creados, veo este lugar increíble, esta nave espacial”, dijo. “Ustedes se están comunicando con nosotros porque nos encontramos en una nave espacial muy lejos de la Tierra; pero ustedes están en una nave espacial llamada Tierra, la cual fue creada para brindarnos un lugar donde habitar en el universo”. Y añadió: “Tal vez la distancia que nos separa de ustedes les haga pensar que lo que hacemos es algo especial; pero, en realidad, nosotros estamos a la misma distancia de ustedes. Y lo que intento decirles –simplemente confíen en mí– es que ustedes son especiales”. Glover –el primer astronauta de raza negra en orbitar la Luna– señaló a “todo este vacío”, “toda esta inmensidad de la nada” al que “llamamos universo”, y describió la Tierra como “este oasis, este lugar hermoso” donde “tenemos el privilegio de coexistir”. En declaraciones a BBC News antes de la misión lunar, Glover comentó: “Cuando estemos detrás de la Luna, sin contacto con nadie, tomémoslo como una oportunidad. Recen, tengan esperanza, envíen sus buenos pensamientos y sentimientos para que logremos restablecer el contacto con la tripulación”. Instantes antes del 6 de abril, fecha en que se produjo la pérdida de señal –que finalizó según lo previsto, con la tripulación emergiendo a salvo en su trayectoria de regreso a casa–, Glover dijo: “Mientras nos preparamos para perder la comunicación por radio, aún podemos sentir su cariño desde la Tierra. Y a todos ustedes, allá abajo en la Tierra y alrededor de ella, los queremos desde la Luna”. “Houston, recibido”, respondió control terrestre. “Nos vemos al otro lado”. Gina Christian es reportera multimedia de OSV News. Sígala en X: @GinaJesseReina

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Piloto de la misión Artemis II predica el mandamiento al amor de Cristo durante sobrevuelo lunar #Catholic –

(OSV News) — Mientras los astronautas de la primera misión tripulada de la NASA en sobrevolar la Luna en medio siglo han despertado asombro, reflexión y oración al alcanzar su punto de máxima aproximación a la Luna, el piloto del equipo recordó a la Tierra el mandamiento de Jesucristo de amar tanto a Dios como al prójimo.

“A medida que nos acercamos al punto más cercano a la Luna y más lejano de la Tierra, y mientras continuamos desvelando los misterios del cosmos, me gustaría recordarles uno de los misterios más importantes que existen allí en la Tierra: el amor”, dijo el astronauta Victor Glover, piloto de la misión Artemis II, dirigiéndose al control de tierra el 6 de abril desde a bordo de la nave espacial Orion de la NASA, bautizada “Integrity” (Integridad).

“Cristo dijo, en respuesta a cuál era el mandamiento más importante, que era amar a Dios con todo tu ser”, dijo Glover. “Y él también, como gran maestro, dijo que el segundo es igual a ese. Y ese es amar a tu prójimo como a ti mismo”.

Glover, un cristiano que ha hablado públicamente sobre su fe –citando el Salmo 30 durante su anterior misión a la Estación Espacial Internacional–, compartió ese mensaje minutos antes de que la cápsula Integrity se enfrentara a una interrupción prevista de 40 minutos en la comunicación con el control de tierra, al pasar la nave espacial por detrás de la Luna, lo que bloqueó las señales de radio y láser.

Para suscribirse a nuestro boletín electrónico semanal, haga click aquí.

La nave despegó el 1 de abril desde el Centro Espacial Kennedy, en Florida, para un viaje de 10 días que llevó a la tripulación a dar la vuelta a la Luna, recorriendo 695.081 millas desde el despegue hasta el amerizaje en el océano Pacífico frente a la costa de San Diego.

La misión Artemis II recorrió una distancia máxima de 252.760 millas desde la Tierra, es decir, más de 4.100 millas más allá de la misión Apolo 13 de 1970.

Acompañan a Glover en el espacio el comandante Reid Wiseman y dos especialistas de misión: Christina Koch y el astronauta canadiense Jeremy Hansen, quien se convierte en el primer ciudadano de esa nación en emprender una misión lunar.

Las prioridades de la misión Artemis II se centran en preparar la exploración del espacio profundo por parte de seres humanos y sentar las bases para lo que la NASA denomina “una presencia sostenida en la Luna”.

Dado que el vuelo tiene lugar en medio de conflictos y tensiones geopolíticas generalizados –desde Ucrania hasta una guerra en expansión en Oriente Medio–, las palabras de Glover hicieron eco ha comentarios sobre cómo esta misión lunar también está reafirmando la dignidad humana, así como la necesidad tanto de unidad como de gratitud en medio de conflictos arraigados.

Glover, desde la nave especial, le dijo a CBS el 5 de abril, “al adentrarnos en el Domingo de Pascua, pensando en todas las culturas de todo el mundo –independientemente de si lo celebran o no, de si creen en Dios o no– esta es una oportunidad para que recordemos dónde estamos, quiénes somos, que somos lo mismo y que debemos superar esto juntos”.

“Cuando leo la Biblia y contemplo todas las cosas asombrosas que se hicieron por nosotros quienes fuimos creados, veo este lugar increíble, esta nave espacial”, dijo. “Ustedes se están comunicando con nosotros porque nos encontramos en una nave espacial muy lejos de la Tierra; pero ustedes están en una nave espacial llamada Tierra, la cual fue creada para brindarnos un lugar donde habitar en el universo”.

Y añadió: “Tal vez la distancia que nos separa de ustedes les haga pensar que lo que hacemos es algo especial; pero, en realidad, nosotros estamos a la misma distancia de ustedes. Y lo que intento decirles –simplemente confíen en mí– es que ustedes son especiales”.

Glover –el primer astronauta de raza negra en orbitar la Luna– señaló a “todo este vacío”, “toda esta inmensidad de la nada” al que “llamamos universo”, y describió la Tierra como “este oasis, este lugar hermoso” donde “tenemos el privilegio de coexistir”.

En declaraciones a BBC News antes de la misión lunar, Glover comentó: “Cuando estemos detrás de la Luna, sin contacto con nadie, tomémoslo como una oportunidad. Recen, tengan esperanza, envíen sus buenos pensamientos y sentimientos para que logremos restablecer el contacto con la tripulación”.

Instantes antes del 6 de abril, fecha en que se produjo la pérdida de señal –que finalizó según lo previsto, con la tripulación emergiendo a salvo en su trayectoria de regreso a casa–, Glover dijo: “Mientras nos preparamos para perder la comunicación por radio, aún podemos sentir su cariño desde la Tierra. Y a todos ustedes, allá abajo en la Tierra y alrededor de ella, los queremos desde la Luna”.

“Houston, recibido”, respondió control terrestre. “Nos vemos al otro lado”.

Gina Christian es reportera multimedia de OSV News. Sígala en X: @GinaJesseReina

– (OSV News) — Mientras los astronautas de la primera misión tripulada de la NASA en sobrevolar la Luna en medio siglo han despertado asombro, reflexión y oración al alcanzar su punto de máxima aproximación a la Luna, el piloto del equipo recordó a la Tierra el mandamiento de Jesucristo de amar tanto a Dios como al prójimo. “A medida que nos acercamos al punto más cercano a la Luna y más lejano de la Tierra, y mientras continuamos desvelando los misterios del cosmos, me gustaría recordarles uno de los misterios más importantes que existen allí en la Tierra: el amor”,

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Sermon on the Integrity: Artemis II mission pilot preaches Christ’s command to love on lunar flyby #Catholic – (OSV News) — As the astronauts of NASA’s first crewed lunar flyby in half a century reached their closest approach to the moon, the team’s pilot reminded the Earth of Jesus Christ’s command to love both God and neighbor. “As we get close to the nearest point to the moon and farthest point from Earth, as we continue to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos, I would like to remind you of one of the most important mysteries there on Earth, and that’s love,” said astronaut Victor Glover, pilot of the Artemis II mission, speaking to ground control April 6 from aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft Integrity. “Christ said, in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all you are,” said Glover. “And he also, being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it. And that is to love your neighbor as yourself.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Glover — a Christian who has spoken publicly about his faith, citing Psalm 30 during his previous mission to the International Space Station — shared that message minutes before the Integrity faced an anticipated 40-minute communication lapse with ground control, as the spacecraft passed behind the moon, with radio and laser signals consequently blocked. The craft launched April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a 10-day journey that took the crew around the moon, spanning 695,081 miles from launch to splashdown off the coast of San Diego. Artemis II traveled a record-breaking maximum distance of 252,760 miles from the Earth, or more than 4,100 miles further than the 1970 Apollo 13 mission. Joining Glover in space are commander Reid Wiseman and two mission specialists — Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is the first from that nation to undertake a lunar mission. Artemis II’s priorities focus on preparing for deep space exploration by humans and laying the groundwork for what NASA calls “a sustained presence on the Moon.” With the flight taking place amid widespread geopolitical conflicts and tensions — from Ukraine to a widening war in the Middle East — Glover’s most recent words echoed earlier comments on how the lunar mission is also reaffirming human dignity, as well as the need for both unity and gratitude amid entrenched strife. Glover, speaking from the spacecraft earlier on April 5 to CBS News, said that “as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve got to get through this together.” “When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created — you have this amazing place, this spaceship,” he said. “You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe.” He added, “Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you. And I’m trying to tell you — just trust me — you are special.” Glover — the first Black astronaut to travel around the moon — pointed to “all of this emptiness” and “whole bunch of nothing” that “we call the universe,” describing Earth as “this oasis, this beautiful place” where “we get to exist together.” Speaking to BBC News ahead of the mission, Glover said, “When we’re behind the moon, out of contact with everybody, let’s take that as an opportunity. Let’s pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew.” Moments before the April 6 period of loss of signal — which ended as scheduled, with the crew safely emerging on a homeward bound trajectory — Glover said, “As we prepare to go out of radio communication, we’re still able to feel your true love from Earth. And to all of you down there on Earth and around Earth, we love you from the moon.” “Houston copies,” replied ground control. “We’ll see you on the other side.” Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.
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Sermon on the Integrity: Artemis II mission pilot preaches Christ’s command to love on lunar flyby #Catholic – (OSV News) — As the astronauts of NASA’s first crewed lunar flyby in half a century reached their closest approach to the moon, the team’s pilot reminded the Earth of Jesus Christ’s command to love both God and neighbor. “As we get close to the nearest point to the moon and farthest point from Earth, as we continue to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos, I would like to remind you of one of the most important mysteries there on Earth, and that’s love,” said astronaut Victor Glover, pilot of the Artemis II mission, speaking to ground control April 6 from aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft Integrity. “Christ said, in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all you are,” said Glover. “And he also, being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it. And that is to love your neighbor as yourself.” Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Glover — a Christian who has spoken publicly about his faith, citing Psalm 30 during his previous mission to the International Space Station — shared that message minutes before the Integrity faced an anticipated 40-minute communication lapse with ground control, as the spacecraft passed behind the moon, with radio and laser signals consequently blocked. The craft launched April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a 10-day journey that took the crew around the moon, spanning 695,081 miles from launch to splashdown off the coast of San Diego. Artemis II traveled a record-breaking maximum distance of 252,760 miles from the Earth, or more than 4,100 miles further than the 1970 Apollo 13 mission. Joining Glover in space are commander Reid Wiseman and two mission specialists — Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is the first from that nation to undertake a lunar mission. Artemis II’s priorities focus on preparing for deep space exploration by humans and laying the groundwork for what NASA calls “a sustained presence on the Moon.” With the flight taking place amid widespread geopolitical conflicts and tensions — from Ukraine to a widening war in the Middle East — Glover’s most recent words echoed earlier comments on how the lunar mission is also reaffirming human dignity, as well as the need for both unity and gratitude amid entrenched strife. Glover, speaking from the spacecraft earlier on April 5 to CBS News, said that “as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve got to get through this together.” “When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created — you have this amazing place, this spaceship,” he said. “You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe.” He added, “Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you. And I’m trying to tell you — just trust me — you are special.” Glover — the first Black astronaut to travel around the moon — pointed to “all of this emptiness” and “whole bunch of nothing” that “we call the universe,” describing Earth as “this oasis, this beautiful place” where “we get to exist together.” Speaking to BBC News ahead of the mission, Glover said, “When we’re behind the moon, out of contact with everybody, let’s take that as an opportunity. Let’s pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew.” Moments before the April 6 period of loss of signal — which ended as scheduled, with the crew safely emerging on a homeward bound trajectory — Glover said, “As we prepare to go out of radio communication, we’re still able to feel your true love from Earth. And to all of you down there on Earth and around Earth, we love you from the moon.” “Houston copies,” replied ground control. “We’ll see you on the other side.” Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.

unitedyam

Sermon on the Integrity: Artemis II mission pilot preaches Christ’s command to love on lunar flyby #Catholic –

(OSV News) — As the astronauts of NASA’s first crewed lunar flyby in half a century reached their closest approach to the moon, the team’s pilot reminded the Earth of Jesus Christ’s command to love both God and neighbor.

“As we get close to the nearest point to the moon and farthest point from Earth, as we continue to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos, I would like to remind you of one of the most important mysteries there on Earth, and that’s love,” said astronaut Victor Glover, pilot of the Artemis II mission, speaking to ground control April 6 from aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft Integrity.

“Christ said, in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all you are,” said Glover. “And he also, being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it. And that is to love your neighbor as yourself.”

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Glover — a Christian who has spoken publicly about his faith, citing Psalm 30 during his previous mission to the International Space Station — shared that message minutes before the Integrity faced an anticipated 40-minute communication lapse with ground control, as the spacecraft passed behind the moon, with radio and laser signals consequently blocked.

The craft launched April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a 10-day journey that took the crew around the moon, spanning 695,081 miles from launch to splashdown off the coast of San Diego.

Artemis II traveled a record-breaking maximum distance of 252,760 miles from the Earth, or more than 4,100 miles further than the 1970 Apollo 13 mission.

Joining Glover in space are commander Reid Wiseman and two mission specialists — Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is the first from that nation to undertake a lunar mission.

Artemis II’s priorities focus on preparing for deep space exploration by humans and laying the groundwork for what NASA calls “a sustained presence on the Moon.”

With the flight taking place amid widespread geopolitical conflicts and tensions — from Ukraine to a widening war in the Middle East — Glover’s most recent words echoed earlier comments on how the lunar mission is also reaffirming human dignity, as well as the need for both unity and gratitude amid entrenched strife.

Glover, speaking from the spacecraft earlier on April 5 to CBS News, said that “as we go into Easter Sunday, thinking about all the cultures all around the world, whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing, and that we’ve got to get through this together.”

“When I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created — you have this amazing place, this spaceship,” he said. “You guys are talking to us because we’re in a spaceship really far from Earth, but you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe.”

He added, “Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you. And I’m trying to tell you — just trust me — you are special.”

Glover — the first Black astronaut to travel around the moon — pointed to “all of this emptiness” and “whole bunch of nothing” that “we call the universe,” describing Earth as “this oasis, this beautiful place” where “we get to exist together.”

Speaking to BBC News ahead of the mission, Glover said, “When we’re behind the moon, out of contact with everybody, let’s take that as an opportunity. Let’s pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew.”

Moments before the April 6 period of loss of signal — which ended as scheduled, with the crew safely emerging on a homeward bound trajectory — Glover said, “As we prepare to go out of radio communication, we’re still able to feel your true love from Earth. And to all of you down there on Earth and around Earth, we love you from the moon.”

“Houston copies,” replied ground control. “We’ll see you on the other side.”

Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.

– (OSV News) — As the astronauts of NASA’s first crewed lunar flyby in half a century reached their closest approach to the moon, the team’s pilot reminded the Earth of Jesus Christ’s command to love both God and neighbor. “As we get close to the nearest point to the moon and farthest point from Earth, as we continue to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos, I would like to remind you of one of the most important mysteries there on Earth, and that’s love,” said astronaut Victor Glover, pilot of the Artemis II mission, speaking to ground control April 6

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 08 April 2026 – A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles 3:1-10 Peter and John were going up to the temple area for the three o’clock hour of prayer. And a man crippled from birth was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.” Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong. He leaped up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple with them, walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the one who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with amazement and astonishment at what had happened to him.From the Gospel according to Luke 24:13-35 That very day, the first day of the week, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his Body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the Eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.The disciples of Emmaus walk sadly because they hoped for a different ending, for a Messiah who did not know the cross. Although they have heard that the tomb is empty, they cannot smile. But Jesus walks alongside them and patiently helps them understand that pain is not the denial of the promise, but the way through which God has manifested the measure of his love (cf. Lk 24:13-27). When they are finally seated at the table with him and break bread, their eyes are opened. They realize that their hearts were already burning, even though they did not know it (cf. Lk 24:28-32). This is the greatest surprise: to discover that beneath the ashes of disenchantment and weariness there is always a living ember, waiting only to be rekindled. Brothers and sisters, Christ’s resurrection teaches us that no history is so marked by disappointment or sin that it cannot be visited by hope. No fall is definitive, no night is eternal, no wound is destined to remain open forever. However distant, lost or unworthy we may feel, there is no distance that can extinguish the unfailing power of God’s love. (Pope Leo XIV – General Audience, 8 October 2025)

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A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
3:1-10

Peter and John were going up to the temple area
for the three o’clock hour of prayer.
And a man crippled from birth was carried
and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate” every day
to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,
he asked for alms.
But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,
and said, “Look at us.”
He paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them.
Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold,
but what I do have I give you:
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”
Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up,
and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.
He leaped up, stood, and walked around,
and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God.
When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
they recognized him as the one
who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,
and they were filled with amazement and astonishment
at what had happened to him.

From the Gospel according to Luke
24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus’ disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
“What are you discussing as you walk along?”
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?”
And he replied to them, “What sort of things?”
They said to him,
“The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his Body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see.”
And he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, “Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
“Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the Eleven and those with them who were saying,
“The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

The disciples of Emmaus walk sadly because they hoped for a different ending, for a Messiah who did not know the cross. Although they have heard that the tomb is empty, they cannot smile. But Jesus walks alongside them and patiently helps them understand that pain is not the denial of the promise, but the way through which God has manifested the measure of his love (cf. Lk 24:13-27). When they are finally seated at the table with him and break bread, their eyes are opened. They realize that their hearts were already burning, even though they did not know it (cf. Lk 24:28-32). This is the greatest surprise: to discover that beneath the ashes of disenchantment and weariness there is always a living ember, waiting only to be rekindled. Brothers and sisters, Christ’s resurrection teaches us that no history is so marked by disappointment or sin that it cannot be visited by hope. No fall is definitive, no night is eternal, no wound is destined to remain open forever. However distant, lost or unworthy we may feel, there is no distance that can extinguish the unfailing power of God’s love. (Pope Leo XIV – General Audience, 8 October 2025)

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PANIC MODE: Pakistan Prime Minister BEGS Trump for 2-Week Delay to ‘End of Civilization’ Strikes on Radical Iran Regime – Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has urgently appealed to President Donald Trump to delay his looming military deadline on Iran by two weeks. The post PANIC MODE: Pakistan Prime Minister BEGS Trump for 2-Week Delay to ‘End of Civilization’ Strikes on Radical Iran Regime appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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PANIC MODE: Pakistan Prime Minister BEGS Trump for 2-Week Delay to ‘End of Civilization’ Strikes on Radical Iran Regime – Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has urgently appealed to President Donald Trump to delay his looming military deadline on Iran by two weeks. The post PANIC MODE: Pakistan Prime Minister BEGS Trump for 2-Week Delay to ‘End of Civilization’ Strikes on Radical Iran Regime appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Meeting between two leaders in an ornate room, discussing diplomatic relations, with a focus on strategic collaboration and international cooperation.

Meeting between two leaders in an ornate room, discussing diplomatic relations, with a focus on strategic collaboration and international cooperation.

Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has urgently appealed to President Donald Trump to delay his looming military deadline on Iran by two weeks.

The post PANIC MODE: Pakistan Prime Minister BEGS Trump for 2-Week Delay to ‘End of Civilization’ Strikes on Radical Iran Regime appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Infamous Hollywood Personality Undergoes Radical Transformation After Meeting God During Near-Death Experience – Redemption lies within everyone’s grasp, for God can awaken even the coldest and most hardened hearts to His love. The post Infamous Hollywood Personality Undergoes Radical Transformation After Meeting God During Near-Death Experience appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Infamous Hollywood Personality Undergoes Radical Transformation After Meeting God During Near-Death Experience – Redemption lies within everyone’s grasp, for God can awaken even the coldest and most hardened hearts to His love. The post Infamous Hollywood Personality Undergoes Radical Transformation After Meeting God During Near-Death Experience appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Open book with pages visible, set against a blurred background featuring a rainbow and natural landscape, symbolizing knowledge and inspiration.

Open book with pages visible, set against a blurred background featuring a rainbow and natural landscape, symbolizing knowledge and inspiration.

Redemption lies within everyone’s grasp, for God can awaken even the coldest and most hardened hearts to His love.

The post Infamous Hollywood Personality Undergoes Radical Transformation After Meeting God During Near-Death Experience appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Kanye West BANNED from the UK for ‘Past Antisemitic Comments and Celebration Of Nazism’, Leading to Wireless Festival Being Cancelled – UK says ‘nay’ to Ye. The post Kanye West BANNED from the UK for ‘Past Antisemitic Comments and Celebration Of Nazism’, Leading to Wireless Festival Being Cancelled appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Kanye West BANNED from the UK for ‘Past Antisemitic Comments and Celebration Of Nazism’, Leading to Wireless Festival Being Cancelled – UK says ‘nay’ to Ye. The post Kanye West BANNED from the UK for ‘Past Antisemitic Comments and Celebration Of Nazism’, Leading to Wireless Festival Being Cancelled appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Close-up of a man with a serious expression, showcasing intense eyes and a well-groomed beard against a blurred floral background.

Close-up of a man with a serious expression, showcasing intense eyes and a well-groomed beard against a blurred floral background.

UK says ‘nay’ to Ye.

The post Kanye West BANNED from the UK for ‘Past Antisemitic Comments and Celebration Of Nazism’, Leading to Wireless Festival Being Cancelled appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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New record in France: More than 20,000 adults and teens baptized at Easter #Catholic This Easter, France recorded more than 20,000 adult and adolescent baptisms, a 20% increase compared with the previous year. A new report published by the French Bishops’ Conference presents the latest statistical data from Easter 2026, during which approximately 8,200 adolescents and 13,200 adults embraced the Catholic faith.The report indicates that the majority of converts are young adults between the ages of 18 and 25, closely followed by the 26-to-40 age group. Women constitute the largest segment, accounting for approximately 62% of the total.In general, the new catechumens have no prior religious tradition, driven primarily by difficult life experiences, a profound search for meaning, or spiritual encounters that left a lasting mark on their lives, according to the report.The ecclesiastical provinces with the highest number of baptisms were Paris, with 3,184, followed by Marseille with 1,437 and Lyon with 1,200. The report highlights a notable increase in the military diocese, headquartered in the French capital, particularly during the military pilgrimage to Lourdes.The ‘magnitude of the thirst for God’Olivier de Germay, archbishop of Lyon and the official responsible for the catechumenate in the country, reflected on this new reality, one that “never ceases to surprise and challenge us.”Although society has long been aware of the world’s failure to provide answers to “the deep aspirations of the human being,” the French prelate expressed his surprise at the “rapidity and magnitude of the thirst for God manifesting itself today.”This phenomenon opens up a new horizon and presents a “major challenge” for the Church, he said, which must offer appropriate guidance for initiation into the Christian life.For De Germay, the situation also calls upon the “seasoned veterans of the Christian life,” who are invited “to once again become aware of how God can break into [a person’s life] and transform it.”Among some new initiatives to address the increasing numbers, the regional council launched by the eight dioceses of the Île-de-France region stands out. Titled “Catechumens and Neophytes: New Perspectives for the Life of Our Church in Our Dioceses,” the council will run until May 2027. After gathering feedback from Catholics, including the newly baptized, the council aims to develop an appropriate response to the growing number of converts and to establish common guidelines at the provincial level.The provincial council is encouraging the other dioceses outside the Île-de-France region to launch other initiatives focused on specific proposals to increase the participation of the newly baptized in the liturgy.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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New record in France: More than 20,000 adults and teens baptized at Easter #Catholic This Easter, France recorded more than 20,000 adult and adolescent baptisms, a 20% increase compared with the previous year. A new report published by the French Bishops’ Conference presents the latest statistical data from Easter 2026, during which approximately 8,200 adolescents and 13,200 adults embraced the Catholic faith.The report indicates that the majority of converts are young adults between the ages of 18 and 25, closely followed by the 26-to-40 age group. Women constitute the largest segment, accounting for approximately 62% of the total.In general, the new catechumens have no prior religious tradition, driven primarily by difficult life experiences, a profound search for meaning, or spiritual encounters that left a lasting mark on their lives, according to the report.The ecclesiastical provinces with the highest number of baptisms were Paris, with 3,184, followed by Marseille with 1,437 and Lyon with 1,200. The report highlights a notable increase in the military diocese, headquartered in the French capital, particularly during the military pilgrimage to Lourdes.The ‘magnitude of the thirst for God’Olivier de Germay, archbishop of Lyon and the official responsible for the catechumenate in the country, reflected on this new reality, one that “never ceases to surprise and challenge us.”Although society has long been aware of the world’s failure to provide answers to “the deep aspirations of the human being,” the French prelate expressed his surprise at the “rapidity and magnitude of the thirst for God manifesting itself today.”This phenomenon opens up a new horizon and presents a “major challenge” for the Church, he said, which must offer appropriate guidance for initiation into the Christian life.For De Germay, the situation also calls upon the “seasoned veterans of the Christian life,” who are invited “to once again become aware of how God can break into [a person’s life] and transform it.”Among some new initiatives to address the increasing numbers, the regional council launched by the eight dioceses of the Île-de-France region stands out. Titled “Catechumens and Neophytes: New Perspectives for the Life of Our Church in Our Dioceses,” the council will run until May 2027. After gathering feedback from Catholics, including the newly baptized, the council aims to develop an appropriate response to the growing number of converts and to establish common guidelines at the provincial level.The provincial council is encouraging the other dioceses outside the Île-de-France region to launch other initiatives focused on specific proposals to increase the participation of the newly baptized in the liturgy.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 surge in baptisms of young persons continues in France in 2026, a 20% increase over the already previous record-high number in 2025. The influx represents a major challenge for the French Church.

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Government favors natural family planning over contraception in key health funding #Catholic New 2027 guidelines by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will ban key federal abortion funding while favoring fertility education and natural family planning.The April 3 “2027 Notice of Funding Opportunity” for Title X, the federal family planning grant program, bans funds from being used “in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.”The move came days after the Trump administration released the fifth and final year of grant funding to Planned Parenthood under Title X, a decision that garnered criticism throughout the pro-life movement. The White House cited legal challenges for the controversial decision to continue the funding.“The administration has issued the fifth and final year of Title X grants that were locked in place during the Biden presidency,” the White House told EWTN News in a statement. “The administration faced significant legal challenges in stopping any of these dollars from going out.”Previous Republican administrations, including that of Trump’s first term, also banned abortion funding via Title X. What makes this year’s criteria unique is that it encourages fertility education in place of contraception.The notice highlighted “fertility-awareness-based methods” or “natural family planning,” a method encouraged by the Catholic Church that involves tracking a woman’s biological markers to determine when ovulation occurs.The administration also teased a new pro-family grant that will be announced soon.“HHS will soon be releasing a new Title X funding opportunity for the next five-year funding cycle that prioritizes life and promotes the pro-family agenda,” the White House statement read.The notice also promoted “body literacy” on fertility-related conditions, such as “education on menstrual cycle physiology, hormonal health, male and female fertility awareness, and early indicators of reproductive disorders such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid dysfunction, metabolic disorders, and other conditions that often first emerge in adolescence.”An estimated 1 in 10 women have endometriosis; 1 in 8 women develop a thyroid disorder; and roughly 1 in 10 have PCOS — all conditions that can negatively affect fertility and overall health.“For example, endometriosis often goes undiagnosed for years because symptoms such as severe menstrual pain or irregular bleeding are frequently normalized or minimized,” the HHS notice read.“Body literacy counseling helps patients recognize that these experiences are not ‘normal’ features” but instead “potential indicators of an underlying condition, prompting earlier discussion with providers, timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and improved long-term reproductive and overall health outcomes,” the notice continued.The 2027 plan is not prioritizing contraception funding; instead the government said that contraception is part of an overreliance on “pharmaceutical and surgical treatments.” The health department noted that fewer women than in previous years are using contraception (54% of reproductive-age women) and that “the most common reason women reported discontinuing use related to dissatisfaction was side effects.” For instance, hormonal contraception can cause depression in some patients, among other negative side effects.“This approach has failed to adequately address the root causes of the nation’s chronic disease burden, resulting in ongoing health challenges that affect fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and long-term health outcomes,” the notice read.HHS said it will focus instead on “underlying behavioral and lifestyle factors of health — such as nutrition, sleep, physical activity, stress management, and environmental factors.”The White House told EWTN News that “the administration remains committed to realigning the Title X program with the president’s pro-life and pro-family agenda going forward.”Michael New, an assistant professor of practice at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America as well as a Charlotte Lozier Institute senior associate scholar, called the decrease in Planned Parenthood funding “a win for the pro-life movement,” though with a caveat.“Cutting funding to Planned Parenthood may not have a large impact on the incidence of abortion in the short term due the increasing prevalence of telehealth abortions,” New said.The professor also noted that “defunding contraception programs and supporting natural family planning is a win for pro-lifers.”“Since the Title X program started in 1970, the federal government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions of dollars, into promoting contraception,” New said. “This money has been poorly spent. Many places that distribute contraception also perform abortions, so some of this money indirectly funds abortion.”“Many Catholics do not want their tax dollars spent on programs, such as contraception programs, they find morally objectionable,” New continued. “Even though many Americans support contraceptive use, pro-life Catholics would like the government to stay out of the issue: no funding, no mandates, no distribution. As such, defunding contraception programs has been a longtime policy goal for many pro-life Catholics.”“​​Natural family planning, when done correctly, has a strong track record of success,” New said. “However, it has been marginalized in many secular public health circles. The fact that HHS is promoting natural family planning will give NFP more visibility and credibility.”
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Government favors natural family planning over contraception in key health funding #Catholic New 2027 guidelines by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will ban key federal abortion funding while favoring fertility education and natural family planning.The April 3 “2027 Notice of Funding Opportunity” for Title X, the federal family planning grant program, bans funds from being used “in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.”The move came days after the Trump administration released the fifth and final year of grant funding to Planned Parenthood under Title X, a decision that garnered criticism throughout the pro-life movement. The White House cited legal challenges for the controversial decision to continue the funding.“The administration has issued the fifth and final year of Title X grants that were locked in place during the Biden presidency,” the White House told EWTN News in a statement. “The administration faced significant legal challenges in stopping any of these dollars from going out.”Previous Republican administrations, including that of Trump’s first term, also banned abortion funding via Title X. What makes this year’s criteria unique is that it encourages fertility education in place of contraception.The notice highlighted “fertility-awareness-based methods” or “natural family planning,” a method encouraged by the Catholic Church that involves tracking a woman’s biological markers to determine when ovulation occurs.The administration also teased a new pro-family grant that will be announced soon.“HHS will soon be releasing a new Title X funding opportunity for the next five-year funding cycle that prioritizes life and promotes the pro-family agenda,” the White House statement read.The notice also promoted “body literacy” on fertility-related conditions, such as “education on menstrual cycle physiology, hormonal health, male and female fertility awareness, and early indicators of reproductive disorders such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid dysfunction, metabolic disorders, and other conditions that often first emerge in adolescence.”An estimated 1 in 10 women have endometriosis; 1 in 8 women develop a thyroid disorder; and roughly 1 in 10 have PCOS — all conditions that can negatively affect fertility and overall health.“For example, endometriosis often goes undiagnosed for years because symptoms such as severe menstrual pain or irregular bleeding are frequently normalized or minimized,” the HHS notice read.“Body literacy counseling helps patients recognize that these experiences are not ‘normal’ features” but instead “potential indicators of an underlying condition, prompting earlier discussion with providers, timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and improved long-term reproductive and overall health outcomes,” the notice continued.The 2027 plan is not prioritizing contraception funding; instead the government said that contraception is part of an overreliance on “pharmaceutical and surgical treatments.” The health department noted that fewer women than in previous years are using contraception (54% of reproductive-age women) and that “the most common reason women reported discontinuing use related to dissatisfaction was side effects.” For instance, hormonal contraception can cause depression in some patients, among other negative side effects.“This approach has failed to adequately address the root causes of the nation’s chronic disease burden, resulting in ongoing health challenges that affect fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and long-term health outcomes,” the notice read.HHS said it will focus instead on “underlying behavioral and lifestyle factors of health — such as nutrition, sleep, physical activity, stress management, and environmental factors.”The White House told EWTN News that “the administration remains committed to realigning the Title X program with the president’s pro-life and pro-family agenda going forward.”Michael New, an assistant professor of practice at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America as well as a Charlotte Lozier Institute senior associate scholar, called the decrease in Planned Parenthood funding “a win for the pro-life movement,” though with a caveat.“Cutting funding to Planned Parenthood may not have a large impact on the incidence of abortion in the short term due the increasing prevalence of telehealth abortions,” New said.The professor also noted that “defunding contraception programs and supporting natural family planning is a win for pro-lifers.”“Since the Title X program started in 1970, the federal government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions of dollars, into promoting contraception,” New said. “This money has been poorly spent. Many places that distribute contraception also perform abortions, so some of this money indirectly funds abortion.”“Many Catholics do not want their tax dollars spent on programs, such as contraception programs, they find morally objectionable,” New continued. “Even though many Americans support contraceptive use, pro-life Catholics would like the government to stay out of the issue: no funding, no mandates, no distribution. As such, defunding contraception programs has been a longtime policy goal for many pro-life Catholics.”“​​Natural family planning, when done correctly, has a strong track record of success,” New said. “However, it has been marginalized in many secular public health circles. The fact that HHS is promoting natural family planning will give NFP more visibility and credibility.”

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New directives by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ban Title X abortion funding while favoring fertility education and “body literacy.”

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April 7, 1991: Compton Gamma Ray Observatory is deployed

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NASA’s Great Observatories – the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO), the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope – were launched between 1990 and 2003, each intended to observe the universe in a different wavelength. Hubble, launched in 1990 and still operational today, observes primarily in visible light and near-ultraviolet.Continue reading “April 7, 1991: Compton Gamma Ray Observatory is deployed”

The post April 7, 1991: Compton Gamma Ray Observatory is deployed appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

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Irish childhood shaped Father Flanagan’s lifelong work with youth – #Catholic – A loving Catholic family at home in Ireland provided the foundations and values that led Venerable Father Edward Flanagan to establish Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska, according to experts on his life in Ireland.Flanagan, who was born and raised in the small village of Ballymoe, Ireland, before emigrating to the United States, was declared venerable on March 23 by Pope Leo XIV. Father Edward Flanagan ouside Ballymoe Church in Ireland in 1946. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Flanagan Visitor Centre Fidelma and Alan Croghan of the Father Flanagan Group in Ballymoe provided insight into the Irish priest’s formative years to EWTN News. “He was the fourth-youngest of 11 children. His father was a herdsman looking after an absentee landlord’s livestock on the estate. They lived in a cottage here at Leabeg,” Fidelma said.“From birth Father Flanagan’s life was bathed in the warm embrace of a loving family. On the night he was born, they didn’t think that he would survive because he was quite ill. He was a very sickly person all of his life in terms of bad lung health. The story goes that his grandparents also lived in the house with them. So the grandfather took the tiny newborn baby and put the baby skin to skin, against his own heart for the night, and Eddie survived.”Fidelma shared that from the moment of his birth, Flanagan “knew love and the loving bond of a family; he had a very happy upbringing. Their home was full of music and happiness, neighbors came in and they played music and danced on the stone flagstones of the kitchen floor before a big open fire.”She added: “He worked with his dad as a shepherd boy tending to the sheep. He was into prayer and reading from a young age, and he wrote about going out on the land with his rosary beads and reading Dickens.” Father Edward Flanagan and his brother P.A. Flanagan visit their sister in Ballymoe, Ireland, in 1946. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Flanagan Visitor Centre Following primary education at the nearby Drumatemple National School, Flanagan attended the Diocesan College of the Immaculate Conception, Summerhill College, Sligo, to complete his secondary education and prepare for life as a priest.Alan Croghan said he has no doubt that the future priest’s upbringing and the family values he espoused throughout his life were formed by his origins and his upbringing in Ireland.“Our purpose in Ireland here is to educate people and tell them about this man, going on to America to do what he did in Boys Town. He took what he learned here in Ballymoe, how a family should be run,” he said. Father Edward Flanagan. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Flanagan Visitor Centre Bishop Kevin Doran of Achonry and of Elphin told EWTN News: “Father Flanagan’s life and virtue have much to say to us today, in a wealthy country where so many children are forced to live with homelessness, and in a world in which we still find it so easy to define people as ‘hostile aliens.’”Boys Town families and descendants often visit Ballymoe and the Father Flanagan Visitor Centre to see the famous priest’s hometown. Fidelma Croghan said: “We had a woman come two or three years ago, and she knelt on the floor of the house, and she cried, and cried, and cried, and said, ‘Only Father Flanagan saved my father; I wouldn’t be here.’ Another visitor told me: ‘I would have been dead as a young man, or would have spent my life in jail, only for Boys Town.’” The Flanagan homestead in Ballymoe, Ireland, as it is today. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Flanagan Visitor Centre If Flanagan’s experiences growing up in Ireland shaped his compassionate approach to the social issues he encountered in Nebraska, his experiences there dealing with troubled boys and young men subsequently influenced his reactions during a return trip to Ireland in 1946, when he visited the country’s reform schools.He was profoundly troubled at the desperately poor conditions and treatment they encountered. Speaking about the schools in Cork, he told the audience: “You are the people who permit your children and the children of your communities to go into these institutions of punishment. You can do something about it.” He described his country’s penal institutions as “a disgrace to the nation.”Flanagan had received letters from Ireland drawing attention to the brutal regimes in these schools and wanted to see for himself how bad conditions really were.In response to his prophetic warnings, the Irish government minister for justice at the time, Gerald Boland, told the Dáil (Irish legislative chamber) “that he was ‘not disposed to take any notice of what Monsignor Flanagan said while he was in this country, because his statements were so exaggerated that I did not think people would attach any importance to them.’”The schools Flanagan visited included Artane and Letterfrack, institutions that became notorious after the truth of the abuses inflicted on students there eventually emerged.
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Irish childhood shaped Father Flanagan’s lifelong work with youth – #Catholic – A loving Catholic family at home in Ireland provided the foundations and values that led Venerable Father Edward Flanagan to establish Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska, according to experts on his life in Ireland.Flanagan, who was born and raised in the small village of Ballymoe, Ireland, before emigrating to the United States, was declared venerable on March 23 by Pope Leo XIV. Father Edward Flanagan ouside Ballymoe Church in Ireland in 1946. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Flanagan Visitor Centre Fidelma and Alan Croghan of the Father Flanagan Group in Ballymoe provided insight into the Irish priest’s formative years to EWTN News. “He was the fourth-youngest of 11 children. His father was a herdsman looking after an absentee landlord’s livestock on the estate. They lived in a cottage here at Leabeg,” Fidelma said.“From birth Father Flanagan’s life was bathed in the warm embrace of a loving family. On the night he was born, they didn’t think that he would survive because he was quite ill. He was a very sickly person all of his life in terms of bad lung health. The story goes that his grandparents also lived in the house with them. So the grandfather took the tiny newborn baby and put the baby skin to skin, against his own heart for the night, and Eddie survived.”Fidelma shared that from the moment of his birth, Flanagan “knew love and the loving bond of a family; he had a very happy upbringing. Their home was full of music and happiness, neighbors came in and they played music and danced on the stone flagstones of the kitchen floor before a big open fire.”She added: “He worked with his dad as a shepherd boy tending to the sheep. He was into prayer and reading from a young age, and he wrote about going out on the land with his rosary beads and reading Dickens.” Father Edward Flanagan and his brother P.A. Flanagan visit their sister in Ballymoe, Ireland, in 1946. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Flanagan Visitor Centre Following primary education at the nearby Drumatemple National School, Flanagan attended the Diocesan College of the Immaculate Conception, Summerhill College, Sligo, to complete his secondary education and prepare for life as a priest.Alan Croghan said he has no doubt that the future priest’s upbringing and the family values he espoused throughout his life were formed by his origins and his upbringing in Ireland.“Our purpose in Ireland here is to educate people and tell them about this man, going on to America to do what he did in Boys Town. He took what he learned here in Ballymoe, how a family should be run,” he said. Father Edward Flanagan. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Flanagan Visitor Centre Bishop Kevin Doran of Achonry and of Elphin told EWTN News: “Father Flanagan’s life and virtue have much to say to us today, in a wealthy country where so many children are forced to live with homelessness, and in a world in which we still find it so easy to define people as ‘hostile aliens.’”Boys Town families and descendants often visit Ballymoe and the Father Flanagan Visitor Centre to see the famous priest’s hometown. Fidelma Croghan said: “We had a woman come two or three years ago, and she knelt on the floor of the house, and she cried, and cried, and cried, and said, ‘Only Father Flanagan saved my father; I wouldn’t be here.’ Another visitor told me: ‘I would have been dead as a young man, or would have spent my life in jail, only for Boys Town.’” The Flanagan homestead in Ballymoe, Ireland, as it is today. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Flanagan Visitor Centre If Flanagan’s experiences growing up in Ireland shaped his compassionate approach to the social issues he encountered in Nebraska, his experiences there dealing with troubled boys and young men subsequently influenced his reactions during a return trip to Ireland in 1946, when he visited the country’s reform schools.He was profoundly troubled at the desperately poor conditions and treatment they encountered. Speaking about the schools in Cork, he told the audience: “You are the people who permit your children and the children of your communities to go into these institutions of punishment. You can do something about it.” He described his country’s penal institutions as “a disgrace to the nation.”Flanagan had received letters from Ireland drawing attention to the brutal regimes in these schools and wanted to see for himself how bad conditions really were.In response to his prophetic warnings, the Irish government minister for justice at the time, Gerald Boland, told the Dáil (Irish legislative chamber) “that he was ‘not disposed to take any notice of what Monsignor Flanagan said while he was in this country, because his statements were so exaggerated that I did not think people would attach any importance to them.’”The schools Flanagan visited included Artane and Letterfrack, institutions that became notorious after the truth of the abuses inflicted on students there eventually emerged.

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Boys Town founder Father Edward Flanagan, who was declared “venerable” by Pope Leo XIV on March 23, was formed by “the warm embrace of a loving family.”

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EWTN News explains: When does Easter officially end? – #Catholic – Catholics recognize Easter — when Jesus Christ rose from the dead after sacrificing his life for all of humanity — as the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. But, as it turns out, they can continue saying “Happy Easter” into May or, in some years, into June.Easter lasts for a total of 50 days, from Easter Sunday until the feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Christ.This year, 2026, Easter was on April 5 and runs until Pentecost Sunday, May 24.Easter explainedCatholics observe Easter in different stages. Easter Sunday is the greatest Sunday of the year, and it marks the start of the “Easter octave,” or the eight days that stretch from the first to the second Sunday of Easter (also now known as Divine Mercy Sunday). The Church celebrates each of these eight days as solemnities of the Lord — a direct extension of Easter Sunday.The entire Easter season lasts 50 days and includes the solemnity of the Ascension of Christ, which falls on the 40th day of Easter, which this year is celebrated on either Thursday, May 14, or Sunday, May 17, depending on where you live, and ends with Pentecost, which is derived from the Greek word “pentecoste,” meaning “50th.”“The 50 days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday are celebrated in joy and exultation as one feast day, indeed as one ‘great Sunday,’” according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “These are the days above all others in which the ‘Alleluia’ is sung.”The USCCB calls Easter “the most important of all liturgical times.”“It celebrates Jesus’ victory of sin and death and salvation for mankind,” the U.S. bishops say. “It is God’s greatest act of love to redeem mankind.”In the traditional Roman riteIn the traditional form of the Roman rite, Easter is known properly as Paschaltide, which includes three parts: the season of Easter, Ascensiontide, and the octave of Pentecost. It thus lasts one week longer than the Easter season in the calendar of the missal of St. Paul VI.The season of Easter begins with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday and runs through the afternoon of the vigil of the Ascension.Ascensiontide begins the evening before the Ascension, with first vespers of the feast, and ends the afternoon of the vigil of Pentecost — marking the first novena.The octave of Pentecost is an extension of the feast of Pentecost, beginning with the vigil Mass of Pentecost and ending the afternoon of the following Saturday, which this year falls on May 30.This story was first published April 21, 2022, and has been updated.
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EWTN News explains: When does Easter officially end? – #Catholic – Catholics recognize Easter — when Jesus Christ rose from the dead after sacrificing his life for all of humanity — as the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox. But, as it turns out, they can continue saying “Happy Easter” into May or, in some years, into June.Easter lasts for a total of 50 days, from Easter Sunday until the feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Christ.This year, 2026, Easter was on April 5 and runs until Pentecost Sunday, May 24.Easter explainedCatholics observe Easter in different stages. Easter Sunday is the greatest Sunday of the year, and it marks the start of the “Easter octave,” or the eight days that stretch from the first to the second Sunday of Easter (also now known as Divine Mercy Sunday). The Church celebrates each of these eight days as solemnities of the Lord — a direct extension of Easter Sunday.The entire Easter season lasts 50 days and includes the solemnity of the Ascension of Christ, which falls on the 40th day of Easter, which this year is celebrated on either Thursday, May 14, or Sunday, May 17, depending on where you live, and ends with Pentecost, which is derived from the Greek word “pentecoste,” meaning “50th.”“The 50 days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday are celebrated in joy and exultation as one feast day, indeed as one ‘great Sunday,’” according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “These are the days above all others in which the ‘Alleluia’ is sung.”The USCCB calls Easter “the most important of all liturgical times.”“It celebrates Jesus’ victory of sin and death and salvation for mankind,” the U.S. bishops say. “It is God’s greatest act of love to redeem mankind.”In the traditional Roman riteIn the traditional form of the Roman rite, Easter is known properly as Paschaltide, which includes three parts: the season of Easter, Ascensiontide, and the octave of Pentecost. It thus lasts one week longer than the Easter season in the calendar of the missal of St. Paul VI.The season of Easter begins with the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday and runs through the afternoon of the vigil of the Ascension.Ascensiontide begins the evening before the Ascension, with first vespers of the feast, and ends the afternoon of the vigil of Pentecost — marking the first novena.The octave of Pentecost is an extension of the feast of Pentecost, beginning with the vigil Mass of Pentecost and ending the afternoon of the following Saturday, which this year falls on May 30.This story was first published April 21, 2022, and has been updated.

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Easter lasts for a total of 50 days, from Easter Sunday until the feast of Pentecost.

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Congressmen renew push to make Easter Monday a federal holiday – #Catholic – Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, is once more calling on Congress to pass his bill to enshrine Easter Monday as a federal holiday.“In just seven years, we mark the 2,000th anniversary of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That milestone will be one of the most significant moments in the history of the world. We should be preparing for it,” Moore wrote in an April 6 social media thread.TweetThe post comes a year after Moore, alongside Sen. Eric Schmitt, introduced legislation that would make the day after Easter Sunday a federal holiday. No hearings have been held on the House and Senate measures, which have been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Senate Judiciary Committee respectively.“More than 80% of Americans — Democrats and Republicans — celebrate Easter,” Moore said. “Most other Western nations already observe Easter Monday as a public holiday. The U.S. is the outlier. It’s time to fix that.”Moore also pointed out the “practical benefits” of the bill, which he named the Easter Monday Act, saying it would give families who travel for Easter “the breathing room to be fully present — with their relatives, in their churches, and at their dinner tables” rather than having “to rush home Sunday night to make it to work Monday morning.”“Just as Christ continued appearing to his apostles for 40 days after his resurrection, our celebration of Easter should not end at the strike of midnight,” he said. “Easter Monday is an invitation to carry the meaning of Easter into our daily lives — and into the public life of our nation, which has been gripped by a culture of death for far too long.”U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch responded to Moore’s post, writing: “It’s actually quite shocking Easter has never been a national holiday, owing only to the fact that it’s always on a Sunday.”Tweet“For all the reasons here, including the fact that our civilizational identity would be greatly enhanced, I hope this is given serious consideration,” Burch said.Schmitt also called for passage, writing on social media: “Christ is risen. Today of all days, we should be focused on celebrating and not the work week ahead. Let’s make a federal holiday to celebrate Easter.”Good FridayWhile Good Friday is not a federal holiday, state offices in 16 states mark the day by early- or all-day closure, including Connecticut, California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin, according to the Library of Congress.So far, there have been no legislative efforts to make Good Friday a federal holiday in the U.S.Good Friday is a public holiday in many countries around the world, including Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, according to Time and Date.
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Congressmen renew push to make Easter Monday a federal holiday – #Catholic – Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, is once more calling on Congress to pass his bill to enshrine Easter Monday as a federal holiday.“In just seven years, we mark the 2,000th anniversary of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That milestone will be one of the most significant moments in the history of the world. We should be preparing for it,” Moore wrote in an April 6 social media thread.TweetThe post comes a year after Moore, alongside Sen. Eric Schmitt, introduced legislation that would make the day after Easter Sunday a federal holiday. No hearings have been held on the House and Senate measures, which have been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Senate Judiciary Committee respectively.“More than 80% of Americans — Democrats and Republicans — celebrate Easter,” Moore said. “Most other Western nations already observe Easter Monday as a public holiday. The U.S. is the outlier. It’s time to fix that.”Moore also pointed out the “practical benefits” of the bill, which he named the Easter Monday Act, saying it would give families who travel for Easter “the breathing room to be fully present — with their relatives, in their churches, and at their dinner tables” rather than having “to rush home Sunday night to make it to work Monday morning.”“Just as Christ continued appearing to his apostles for 40 days after his resurrection, our celebration of Easter should not end at the strike of midnight,” he said. “Easter Monday is an invitation to carry the meaning of Easter into our daily lives — and into the public life of our nation, which has been gripped by a culture of death for far too long.”U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch responded to Moore’s post, writing: “It’s actually quite shocking Easter has never been a national holiday, owing only to the fact that it’s always on a Sunday.”Tweet“For all the reasons here, including the fact that our civilizational identity would be greatly enhanced, I hope this is given serious consideration,” Burch said.Schmitt also called for passage, writing on social media: “Christ is risen. Today of all days, we should be focused on celebrating and not the work week ahead. Let’s make a federal holiday to celebrate Easter.”Good FridayWhile Good Friday is not a federal holiday, state offices in 16 states mark the day by early- or all-day closure, including Connecticut, California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin, according to the Library of Congress.So far, there have been no legislative efforts to make Good Friday a federal holiday in the U.S.Good Friday is a public holiday in many countries around the world, including Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, according to Time and Date.

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Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, and Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, introduced legislation that would make the day after Easter Sunday a federal holiday.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 07 April 2026 – A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles 2:36-41 On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other Apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.From the Gospel according to John 20:11-18 Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.John the Evangelist draws to our attention a detail that we do not find in the other Gospels: weeping near the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene did not immediately recognize the risen Jesus, but thought he was the gardener. (…) Cultivating and keeping the garden is the original task (cf. Gen 2:15) that Jesus brought to fulfilment. His last words on the cross – “It is finished” (Jn 19:30) – invite each of us to rediscover the same task, our task. For this reason, “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (v. 30). Dear brothers and sisters, Mary Magdalene was not entirely mistaken then, believing she had encountered the gardener! Indeed, she had to hear her own name again and understand her task from the new Man, the one who in another text of John says: “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5). Pope Francis, with the Encyclical Laudato si’, showed us the extreme need for a contemplative gaze: if he is not the custodian of the garden, the human being becomes its destroyer. Christian hope therefore responds to the challenges to which all humanity is exposed today by dwelling in the garden where the Crucified One was laid as a seed, to rise again and bear much fruit. (Pope Leo XIV – General Audience, 19 November 2025)

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A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
2:36-41

On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people,
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other Apostles,
“What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.

From the Gospel according to John
20:11-18

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

John the Evangelist draws to our attention a detail that we do not find in the other Gospels: weeping near the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene did not immediately recognize the risen Jesus, but thought he was the gardener. (…) Cultivating and keeping the garden is the original task (cf. Gen 2:15) that Jesus brought to fulfilment. His last words on the cross – “It is finished” (Jn 19:30) – invite each of us to rediscover the same task, our task. For this reason, “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (v. 30). Dear brothers and sisters, Mary Magdalene was not entirely mistaken then, believing she had encountered the gardener! Indeed, she had to hear her own name again and understand her task from the new Man, the one who in another text of John says: “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5). Pope Francis, with the Encyclical Laudato si’, showed us the extreme need for a contemplative gaze: if he is not the custodian of the garden, the human being becomes its destroyer. Christian hope therefore responds to the challenges to which all humanity is exposed today by dwelling in the garden where the Crucified One was laid as a seed, to rise again and bear much fruit. (Pope Leo XIV – General Audience, 19 November 2025)

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Christians in This Southeast Asian Country Face Worsening Persecution – Christians in the beleaguered nation of Myanmar are facing renewed bouts of persecution at the hands of the country’s military regime. The post Christians in This Southeast Asian Country Face Worsening Persecution appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Christians in This Southeast Asian Country Face Worsening Persecution – Christians in the beleaguered nation of Myanmar are facing renewed bouts of persecution at the hands of the country’s military regime. The post Christians in This Southeast Asian Country Face Worsening Persecution appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Open book with pages visible, set against a blurred background featuring a rainbow and natural landscape, symbolizing knowledge and inspiration.

Open book with pages visible, set against a blurred background featuring a rainbow and natural landscape, symbolizing knowledge and inspiration.

Christians in the beleaguered nation of Myanmar are facing renewed bouts of persecution at the hands of the country’s military regime.

The post Christians in This Southeast Asian Country Face Worsening Persecution appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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‘He is risen’ ignites faith during Randolph Easter celebration #Catholic - Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, joined by Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J. rejoiced in the resurrection of Christ from the dead for the redemption of the world during an Easter Sunday Mass he celebrated on the morning of April 5. Easter is the principal feast of the Church’s ecclesiastical year. Father Yojaneider Garcia, Resurrection’s pastor and director of the Office of Catechesis for the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Deacon Richard Reck assisted with the liturgy. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney posted short Easter video messages in English and Spanish on social media. “On this Easter day, we rejoice with our risen Lord Jesus. We pray for peace. We pray for joy. We pray for those Easter gifts that come to us from our risen Lord,” Bishop Sweeney said in English. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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‘He is risen’ ignites faith during Randolph Easter celebration #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, joined by Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J. rejoiced in the resurrection of Christ from the dead for the redemption of the world during an Easter Sunday Mass he celebrated on the morning of April 5. Easter is the principal feast of the Church’s ecclesiastical year. Father Yojaneider Garcia, Resurrection’s pastor and director of the Office of Catechesis for the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Deacon Richard Reck assisted with the liturgy. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney posted short Easter video messages in English and Spanish on social media. “On this Easter day, we rejoice with our risen Lord Jesus. We pray for peace. We pray for joy. We pray for those Easter gifts that come to us from our risen Lord,” Bishop Sweeney said in English. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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‘He is risen’ ignites faith during Randolph Easter celebration #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, joined by Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J. rejoiced in the resurrection of Christ from the dead for the redemption of the world during an Easter Sunday Mass he celebrated on the morning of April 5. Easter is the principal feast of the Church’s ecclesiastical year.

Father Yojaneider Garcia, Resurrection’s pastor and director of the Office of Catechesis for the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Deacon Richard Reck assisted with the liturgy.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Bishop Sweeney posted short Easter video messages in English and Spanish on social media.

“On this Easter day, we rejoice with our risen Lord Jesus. We pray for peace. We pray for joy. We pray for those Easter gifts that come to us from our risen Lord,” Bishop Sweeney said in English.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, joined by Resurrection Parish in Randolph, N.J. rejoiced in the resurrection of Christ from the dead for the redemption of the world during an Easter Sunday Mass he celebrated on the morning of April 5. Easter is the principal feast of the Church’s ecclesiastical year. Father Yojaneider Garcia, Resurrection’s pastor and director of the Office of Catechesis for the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Deacon Richard Reck assisted with the liturgy. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Bishop Sweeney posted short Easter video messages in English and Spanish

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JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s Annual Letter to Shareholders Warns of the Dangers Facing NYC Under Mamdani – In his annual letter to shareholders, JPMorgan Chase CEO sent a warning to businesses trying to survive in NYC under radical socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The post JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s Annual Letter to Shareholders Warns of the Dangers Facing NYC Under Mamdani appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s Annual Letter to Shareholders Warns of the Dangers Facing NYC Under Mamdani – In his annual letter to shareholders, JPMorgan Chase CEO sent a warning to businesses trying to survive in NYC under radical socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The post JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s Annual Letter to Shareholders Warns of the Dangers Facing NYC Under Mamdani appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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In his annual letter to shareholders, JPMorgan Chase CEO sent a warning to businesses trying to survive in NYC under radical socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The post JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s Annual Letter to Shareholders Warns of the Dangers Facing NYC Under Mamdani appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Watch Wayne Allyn Root’s Top Ten Stories of the Week – Including the Illegal Alien Crime Wave, the Democrat Crime Wave, and “The Great American National Divorce.” (VIDEO) – Watch Wayne Allyn Root’s Top Ten Stories of the Week – including the illegal alien crime wave, the Democrat crime wave, and “The Great American National Divorce.” Watch Wayne’s “America’s Top Ten Countdown” with his World-Famous “Final Four” airing every Saturday at NOON ET/9 AM PT on Real America’s Voice TV Network. The post Watch Wayne Allyn Root’s Top Ten Stories of the Week – Including the Illegal Alien Crime Wave, the Democrat Crime Wave, and “The Great American National Divorce.” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Watch Wayne Allyn Root’s Top Ten Stories of the Week – Including the Illegal Alien Crime Wave, the Democrat Crime Wave, and “The Great American National Divorce.” (VIDEO) – Watch Wayne Allyn Root’s Top Ten Stories of the Week – including the illegal alien crime wave, the Democrat crime wave, and “The Great American National Divorce.” Watch Wayne’s “America’s Top Ten Countdown” with his World-Famous “Final Four” airing every Saturday at NOON ET/9 AM PT on Real America’s Voice TV Network. The post Watch Wayne Allyn Root’s Top Ten Stories of the Week – Including the Illegal Alien Crime Wave, the Democrat Crime Wave, and “The Great American National Divorce.” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Watch Wayne Allyn Root’s Top Ten Stories of the Week – including the illegal alien crime wave, the Democrat crime wave, and “The Great American National Divorce.” Watch Wayne’s “America’s Top Ten Countdown” with his World-Famous “Final Four” airing every Saturday at NOON ET/9 AM PT on Real America’s Voice TV Network.

The post Watch Wayne Allyn Root’s Top Ten Stories of the Week – Including the Illegal Alien Crime Wave, the Democrat Crime Wave, and “The Great American National Divorce.” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Christ’s resurrection sparks powerful Alleluia at Paterson Easter Vigil #Catholic - Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney proclaimed, “Alleluia! Happy Easter! Felices Pascuas! Jesus of Nazareth, who suffered and died on the cross, is risen,” in his homily during the bilingual Easter Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., on Holy Saturday evening, April 4. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The Church joyfully anticipates Christ’s resurrection during the Easter Vigil. The Mass began with the Service of Light, which includes the blessing of the new fire and the paschal candle, symbolizing Jesus, the Light of the World. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  
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Christ’s resurrection sparks powerful Alleluia at Paterson Easter Vigil #Catholic – Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney proclaimed, “Alleluia! Happy Easter! Felices Pascuas! Jesus of Nazareth, who suffered and died on the cross, is risen,” in his homily during the bilingual Easter Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., on Holy Saturday evening, April 4. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The Church joyfully anticipates Christ’s resurrection during the Easter Vigil. The Mass began with the Service of Light, which includes the blessing of the new fire and the paschal candle, symbolizing Jesus, the Light of the World. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI [See image gallery at beaconnj.org]  

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Christ’s resurrection sparks powerful Alleluia at Paterson Easter Vigil #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney proclaimed, “Alleluia! Happy Easter! Felices Pascuas! Jesus of Nazareth, who suffered and died on the cross, is risen,” in his homily during the bilingual Easter Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., on Holy Saturday evening, April 4.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

The Church joyfully anticipates Christ’s resurrection during the Easter Vigil. The Mass began with the Service of Light, which includes the blessing of the new fire and the paschal candle, symbolizing Jesus, the Light of the World.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

– Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney proclaimed, “Alleluia! Happy Easter! Felices Pascuas! Jesus of Nazareth, who suffered and died on the cross, is risen,” in his homily during the bilingual Easter Vigil Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson, N.J., on Holy Saturday evening, April 4. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. The Church joyfully anticipates Christ’s resurrection during the Easter Vigil. The Mass began with the Service of Light, which includes the blessing of the new fire and the paschal candle, symbolizing Jesus, the Light of the World. BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI  

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French priest Henri Caffarel, founder of Teams of Our Lady, declared venerable by Pope Leo XIV #Catholic Father Henri Caffarel, a French priest whose apostolate centered on accompanying and guiding married couples on the path to holiness, is one step closer to being canonized.On March 23, Pope Leo XIV recognized the heroic virtues of the newly declared venerable, who maintained that couples are made for happiness and that marriage is a path toward it.With this deep conviction, and conscious of the challenges faced by couples, Caffarel, who was born in Lyon, France, in 1903, founded the movement for marital spirituality known as “Teams of Our Lady” in Paris in 1939.The beginning of a living legacySpaniards Alberto Pérez Bueno and Mercedes Gómez-Ferrer Lozano, the couple in charge of the Teams of Our Lady internationally, have been married for 35 years and have three children. In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, they said the ministry started “with four couples who approached Father Caffarel to ask him how they could live out their faith as a couple.”“He didn’t have an answer at that moment, so he proposed that they embark on a journey of discovery together rooted in the sacrament of holy orders and the sacrament of matrimony. And that‘s how it all began,” Alberto explained.Following World War II, the movement, which is primarily lay-led, grew rapidly; today, it is present in 92 countries and is comprised of more than 15,000 teams. Father Henri Caffarel. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Alberto Pérez Bueno Marital communication and prayerMercedes emphasized that from the very beginning, Caffarel saw the need to foster the essentials of marital communication and prayer, convinced that by sharing their problems with one another, many couples could avoid estrangement that sometimes occurs in marriage.The priest, Alberto recalled, said that “the sacrament of matrimony is an image of God” and “probably the most perfect one there is.” The priest said married couples are called to holiness through a life of “work, personal growth, love, patience, and building a life together.”“It‘s not an overnight process but rather a journey undertaken over the course of a lifetime. Father Caffarel invited couples to embark on this path and to attain holiness through their work and their life together,” Alberto emphasized.Mercedes said the priest thought of marriage as a sign “that reflects the love of God” because the relationship of communion that exists between spouses is analogous to the relationship existing among the three Divine Persons: Christ, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.In the priest’s view, the image of marriage allowed for a clearer expression of the idea of ​​a God who is love “and who communicates and expands within his own nature.” From this perspective, “holiness ceases to be understood as a matter of individual effort or moral perfection and is situated instead within the dynamic of love that transforms and animates life,” Mercedes explained.A continuous path of spiritual growthThe organization of the Teams of Our Lady is based on a specific methodology “that goes beyond monthly meetings,” encompassing prayer, dialogue, and personal commitment. Each team consists of five or six married couples, fostering “listening to the word, personal prayer, prayer as a couple and family prayer, and a profound dialogue in the presence of the Lord that we also have every month,” Mercedes explained.Ultimately, it is a matter of “having a rule of life, a set of elements through which you strive to improve your Christian life,” she said. There is also a yearly retreat and a specific study theme each month.Alberto emphasized that the Teams of Our Lady are, in a sense, “precursors of the synodality” promoted by Pope Francis. “It’s a movement that is very nonclerical — though, it must be said, the accompaniment of married couples by priests is essential.”He also noted that “married couples place their time, their skills, their charisms, and their gifts at the service of others in order to build community.” Mercedes, who had the opportunity to meet the now-venerable, recalled that in 1973 he stepped aside after founding the teams, convinced that “if it was a work of the Holy Spirit and possessed a charism for the Church, there was no need for him to stay on.”Leaving the ministry in the laity’s hands, he retired to a house of prayer on the outskirts of Paris, where he began his other “great work”: teaching people how to pray. Mercedes noted that “one of the things he desired most was to teach people how to draw closer to Christ and to serve as an intermediary so that every person could have a personal encounter with God.” Alberto Pérez Bueno and Mercedes Gómez-Ferrer Lozano, international organizers of Teams of Our Lady. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Alberto Pérez Bueno The challenges facing married couples todayAlberto and Mercedes explained how married couples today confront new challenges stemming from the pace of life, particularly the “massive entry of women into the workforce,” which has brought different challenges, such as “finding time to be together and talk.”They highlighted Caffarel’s enduring counsel: “Seek out these moments; don’t let them slip away,” for life “sweeps us along like a fast-moving river.They also highlighted the movement’s impact in countries such as Lithuania, with a past marked by communist repression, or in African nations where the teams foster equality, participation, and changes such as abandoning polygamy. This is also true in Europe, where the Teams of Our Lady help strengthen families within increasingly secularized societies.Both highlight the universal impact of the movement: Couples from diverse cultures agree on the benefits received, particularly the “opportunity to pray together” and the realization of “how difficult it would have been without the presence of Christ in their married life.” Ultimately, this is a way of life that responds to a profound desire: Even as sacramental marriages decline, “there is no diminishing of people’s desire to live as a couple.”Mercedes also warned of a growing way of dealing with problems: “At the slightest setback, people are right off tempted to give up,” and the couple is not taught how to “persevere and forgive.” Added to this is “a great fear of commitment” and a tendency to avoid lasting bonds or communities despite the fact that, deep down, people “want to be happy and want to stay together.”For this reason, she emphasized the importance of mutual support and community life: “It‘s fundamental to allow oneself to be helped,” since in her view navigating married life in isolation “is extremely complex.”The teams offer precisely the necessary tools and support: a setting where married couples share their problems and solutions. Drawing upon their own experiences, they particularly encourage young couples to embark on this path of holiness.Both expressed their joy that Caffarel has been declared venerable, a long-awaited recognition following nearly 20 years of going through the beatification process, which continues, awaiting a miracle wrought through his intercession.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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French priest Henri Caffarel, founder of Teams of Our Lady, declared venerable by Pope Leo XIV #Catholic Father Henri Caffarel, a French priest whose apostolate centered on accompanying and guiding married couples on the path to holiness, is one step closer to being canonized.On March 23, Pope Leo XIV recognized the heroic virtues of the newly declared venerable, who maintained that couples are made for happiness and that marriage is a path toward it.With this deep conviction, and conscious of the challenges faced by couples, Caffarel, who was born in Lyon, France, in 1903, founded the movement for marital spirituality known as “Teams of Our Lady” in Paris in 1939.The beginning of a living legacySpaniards Alberto Pérez Bueno and Mercedes Gómez-Ferrer Lozano, the couple in charge of the Teams of Our Lady internationally, have been married for 35 years and have three children. In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, they said the ministry started “with four couples who approached Father Caffarel to ask him how they could live out their faith as a couple.”“He didn’t have an answer at that moment, so he proposed that they embark on a journey of discovery together rooted in the sacrament of holy orders and the sacrament of matrimony. And that‘s how it all began,” Alberto explained.Following World War II, the movement, which is primarily lay-led, grew rapidly; today, it is present in 92 countries and is comprised of more than 15,000 teams. Father Henri Caffarel. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Alberto Pérez Bueno Marital communication and prayerMercedes emphasized that from the very beginning, Caffarel saw the need to foster the essentials of marital communication and prayer, convinced that by sharing their problems with one another, many couples could avoid estrangement that sometimes occurs in marriage.The priest, Alberto recalled, said that “the sacrament of matrimony is an image of God” and “probably the most perfect one there is.” The priest said married couples are called to holiness through a life of “work, personal growth, love, patience, and building a life together.”“It‘s not an overnight process but rather a journey undertaken over the course of a lifetime. Father Caffarel invited couples to embark on this path and to attain holiness through their work and their life together,” Alberto emphasized.Mercedes said the priest thought of marriage as a sign “that reflects the love of God” because the relationship of communion that exists between spouses is analogous to the relationship existing among the three Divine Persons: Christ, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.In the priest’s view, the image of marriage allowed for a clearer expression of the idea of ​​a God who is love “and who communicates and expands within his own nature.” From this perspective, “holiness ceases to be understood as a matter of individual effort or moral perfection and is situated instead within the dynamic of love that transforms and animates life,” Mercedes explained.A continuous path of spiritual growthThe organization of the Teams of Our Lady is based on a specific methodology “that goes beyond monthly meetings,” encompassing prayer, dialogue, and personal commitment. Each team consists of five or six married couples, fostering “listening to the word, personal prayer, prayer as a couple and family prayer, and a profound dialogue in the presence of the Lord that we also have every month,” Mercedes explained.Ultimately, it is a matter of “having a rule of life, a set of elements through which you strive to improve your Christian life,” she said. There is also a yearly retreat and a specific study theme each month.Alberto emphasized that the Teams of Our Lady are, in a sense, “precursors of the synodality” promoted by Pope Francis. “It’s a movement that is very nonclerical — though, it must be said, the accompaniment of married couples by priests is essential.”He also noted that “married couples place their time, their skills, their charisms, and their gifts at the service of others in order to build community.” Mercedes, who had the opportunity to meet the now-venerable, recalled that in 1973 he stepped aside after founding the teams, convinced that “if it was a work of the Holy Spirit and possessed a charism for the Church, there was no need for him to stay on.”Leaving the ministry in the laity’s hands, he retired to a house of prayer on the outskirts of Paris, where he began his other “great work”: teaching people how to pray. Mercedes noted that “one of the things he desired most was to teach people how to draw closer to Christ and to serve as an intermediary so that every person could have a personal encounter with God.” Alberto Pérez Bueno and Mercedes Gómez-Ferrer Lozano, international organizers of Teams of Our Lady. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Alberto Pérez Bueno The challenges facing married couples todayAlberto and Mercedes explained how married couples today confront new challenges stemming from the pace of life, particularly the “massive entry of women into the workforce,” which has brought different challenges, such as “finding time to be together and talk.”They highlighted Caffarel’s enduring counsel: “Seek out these moments; don’t let them slip away,” for life “sweeps us along like a fast-moving river.They also highlighted the movement’s impact in countries such as Lithuania, with a past marked by communist repression, or in African nations where the teams foster equality, participation, and changes such as abandoning polygamy. This is also true in Europe, where the Teams of Our Lady help strengthen families within increasingly secularized societies.Both highlight the universal impact of the movement: Couples from diverse cultures agree on the benefits received, particularly the “opportunity to pray together” and the realization of “how difficult it would have been without the presence of Christ in their married life.” Ultimately, this is a way of life that responds to a profound desire: Even as sacramental marriages decline, “there is no diminishing of people’s desire to live as a couple.”Mercedes also warned of a growing way of dealing with problems: “At the slightest setback, people are right off tempted to give up,” and the couple is not taught how to “persevere and forgive.” Added to this is “a great fear of commitment” and a tendency to avoid lasting bonds or communities despite the fact that, deep down, people “want to be happy and want to stay together.”For this reason, she emphasized the importance of mutual support and community life: “It‘s fundamental to allow oneself to be helped,” since in her view navigating married life in isolation “is extremely complex.”The teams offer precisely the necessary tools and support: a setting where married couples share their problems and solutions. Drawing upon their own experiences, they particularly encourage young couples to embark on this path of holiness.Both expressed their joy that Caffarel has been declared venerable, a long-awaited recognition following nearly 20 years of going through the beatification process, which continues, awaiting a miracle wrought through his intercession.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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A married couple that leads the Teams of Our Lady, founded by newly-declared Venerable Father Henri Caffarel, explains how this lay apostolate helps couples grow together in holiness.

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On Easter Monday, Pope Leo XIV remembers those ‘tormented’ by war: ‘The truth does not remain hidden’ #Catholic On his first Easter Monday as pope, Leo XIV appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace under bright sunshine and clear skies to lead the Regina Caeli with thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.“Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is risen! Happy Easter!“ he exclaimed. “This greeting, full of wonder and joy, will accompany us throughout the week. As we celebrate this new day that the Lord has made for us, the liturgy celebrates the entrance of all creation into the time of salvation: The despair of death has been banished forever, in the name of Jesus.”He continued: “Today’s Gospel asks us to choose between two accounts: that of the women, who encountered the Risen One, or that of the guards, who were bribed by the leaders of the Sanhedrin.” The women proclaim “the victory of Christ over death,” while the guards “proclaim that death always wins, no matter what,” the pope said, illustrating two opposing versions of the same event. In the guards’ version, Christ did not rise, “but his body was stolen,” the pope recalled. From this comes the fact that “from the same event — the empty tomb — two interpretations spring forth: One is a source of new and eternal life, the other of certain and definitive death,” he explained.This contrast “makes us reflect on the value of Christian witness and the honesty of human communication. Often, in fact, the telling of the truth is obscured by what we today call fake news — that is, lies, insinuations, and baseless accusations. Yet in the face of such obstacles, the truth does not remain hidden; on the contrary, it comes to meet us, alive and radiant, illuminating even the densest darkness,” he continued.Christ is the good news to be proclaimed to the world, he said: “The Lord’s passover is our passover, the passover of humanity, because this man, who died for us, is the Son of God, who gave his life for us.”Leo then turned his thoughts to “peoples tormented by war, to Christians persecuted for their faith, and to children deprived of education. To announce the passover of Christ in words and deeds means giving new voice to hope, otherwise stifled by the hands of the violent.”Finally, he remembered Pope Francis, “who exactly one year ago, on Easter Monday, entrusted his life to the Lord. As we recall his great witness of faith and love, let us pray together to the Virgin Mary, Seat of Wisdom, so that we may become ever brighter heralds of the truth.”After reciting the Marian prayer, Pope Leo XIV added a few more words: “I thank the initiatives promoted for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and I renew the appeal that sport, with its universal language of fraternity, may be a place of inclusion and peace. I thank all those who in these days have sent me Easter greetings. I am especially grateful for the prayers. Through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, may God reward each one with his gifts.” He concluded: “I wish you a joyful and faithful celebration of this Easter Monday and these days of the Octave of Easter, during which the celebration of Christ’s resurrection continues. Let us persevere in invoking the gift of peace for the whole world.”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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On Easter Monday, Pope Leo XIV remembers those ‘tormented’ by war: ‘The truth does not remain hidden’ #Catholic On his first Easter Monday as pope, Leo XIV appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace under bright sunshine and clear skies to lead the Regina Caeli with thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.“Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is risen! Happy Easter!“ he exclaimed. “This greeting, full of wonder and joy, will accompany us throughout the week. As we celebrate this new day that the Lord has made for us, the liturgy celebrates the entrance of all creation into the time of salvation: The despair of death has been banished forever, in the name of Jesus.”He continued: “Today’s Gospel asks us to choose between two accounts: that of the women, who encountered the Risen One, or that of the guards, who were bribed by the leaders of the Sanhedrin.” The women proclaim “the victory of Christ over death,” while the guards “proclaim that death always wins, no matter what,” the pope said, illustrating two opposing versions of the same event. In the guards’ version, Christ did not rise, “but his body was stolen,” the pope recalled. From this comes the fact that “from the same event — the empty tomb — two interpretations spring forth: One is a source of new and eternal life, the other of certain and definitive death,” he explained.This contrast “makes us reflect on the value of Christian witness and the honesty of human communication. Often, in fact, the telling of the truth is obscured by what we today call fake news — that is, lies, insinuations, and baseless accusations. Yet in the face of such obstacles, the truth does not remain hidden; on the contrary, it comes to meet us, alive and radiant, illuminating even the densest darkness,” he continued.Christ is the good news to be proclaimed to the world, he said: “The Lord’s passover is our passover, the passover of humanity, because this man, who died for us, is the Son of God, who gave his life for us.”Leo then turned his thoughts to “peoples tormented by war, to Christians persecuted for their faith, and to children deprived of education. To announce the passover of Christ in words and deeds means giving new voice to hope, otherwise stifled by the hands of the violent.”Finally, he remembered Pope Francis, “who exactly one year ago, on Easter Monday, entrusted his life to the Lord. As we recall his great witness of faith and love, let us pray together to the Virgin Mary, Seat of Wisdom, so that we may become ever brighter heralds of the truth.”After reciting the Marian prayer, Pope Leo XIV added a few more words: “I thank the initiatives promoted for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, and I renew the appeal that sport, with its universal language of fraternity, may be a place of inclusion and peace. I thank all those who in these days have sent me Easter greetings. I am especially grateful for the prayers. Through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, may God reward each one with his gifts.” He concluded: “I wish you a joyful and faithful celebration of this Easter Monday and these days of the Octave of Easter, during which the celebration of Christ’s resurrection continues. Let us persevere in invoking the gift of peace for the whole world.”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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Upon the recitation of the Regina Caeli, the pope also remembered Pope Francis, who died a year ago on Easter Monday.

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‘Searching for the Messiah’ explores experiences of recent Jewish converts – #Catholic – The latest film from Goya Productions, “Searching for the Messiah” explores the experiences of people of Jewish origin who have embraced Jesus as the Anointed One (the Christ), in whom God’s promises to his people are fulfilled.The documentary, directed by Andrés Garrigó, is set to premiere in Spain on April 10. It is headed to Mexico and Central America later this month, followed by distribution in the United States later in the year. The film traces the journeys of figures from both the present day and recent history who, from their Jewish origins, traveled the path toward recognizing Jesus as the Messiah awaited by the people of the Old Covenant.The film takes an approach that is in keeping with the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra Aetate. That document emphasizes that “the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospelʼs spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.”Following that declaration, St. Paul VI became the first pope to travel to the Holy Land in the modern era. Subsequently, St. John Paul II visited Rome’s synagogue and established diplomatic relations with Israel. Both St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI visited the Auschwitz death camp. Pope Francis and Leo XIV further developed the path charted by Nostra Aetate.In a statement to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Goya Productions indicated that in the version of the film to be distributed in the United States, “only the testimonies originally in French, Spanish, and Portuguese will require dubbing” and that “more than half of the film will remain in its original English.”The U.S. version will also feature an additional testimony from Dr. Robin Pierucci, a Jewish convert and neonatologist living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Other testimonies to be highlighted inlude those of French philosopher Fabrice Hadjadj, Harvard Business School professor Roy Schoeman, Brazilian philosopher Edgar Leite Ferreira, British literary critic Robert Asch, American author Dawn Eden Goldstein, and Argentine professor of biblical pastoral studies Luciana Rogowicz.Garrigó told ACI Prensa that the subject of the film is one “that hasn’t been explored in cinema; people are a bit wary of it.” He said the idea for the film originally came from a person in Mexico. “We didn’t think it would be possible, but after reflecting on it and later conducting research, we discovered that there were amazing people who had things to say about the Messiah and about discovering [him] from the point of view of Judaism,” he said.‘Our greatest loves are Jewish’Garrigó said the central narrative theme of the film is particularly captured in a recording of St. Josemaría Escrivá. In it, the Spanish saint, during one of his well-known informal gatherings, responds to a question from a young Jewish girl whose parents will not allow her to be baptized.“As St. Josemaría himself states right there, our greatest loves are Jewish, aren’t they? They are Jesus and the Virgin,” Garrigó said.From that standpoint, “everything else is an attitude of openness; and they — the moment they discover Jesus — become deeply committed, the ones who feel called to fulfill an eternal design: that of a chosen people who in the end complete their journey,” the director said.“They still feel Jewish after their conversion, yet Jewish in a way that fulfills what Jesus had envisioned for them,” he added.“Searching for the Messiah” also explores other figures of Jewish origin who embraced the Catholic faith, particularly during the last century: Rome’s chief rabbi, Eugenio Zolli; St. Edith Stein, a German philosopher who became a Carmelite nun and was canonized by St. John Paul II, who named her a patroness of Europe and a doctor of the Church; Dr. Bernard Nathanson, who before his conversion was known as one of the most staunch abortion advocates in U.S. history; and the French poet Max Jacob, whose baptismal godfather was his friend Pablo Picasso. 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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‘Searching for the Messiah’ explores experiences of recent Jewish converts – #Catholic – The latest film from Goya Productions, “Searching for the Messiah” explores the experiences of people of Jewish origin who have embraced Jesus as the Anointed One (the Christ), in whom God’s promises to his people are fulfilled.The documentary, directed by Andrés Garrigó, is set to premiere in Spain on April 10. It is headed to Mexico and Central America later this month, followed by distribution in the United States later in the year. The film traces the journeys of figures from both the present day and recent history who, from their Jewish origins, traveled the path toward recognizing Jesus as the Messiah awaited by the people of the Old Covenant.The film takes an approach that is in keeping with the Second Vatican Council’s declaration Nostra Aetate. That document emphasizes that “the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospelʼs spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.”Following that declaration, St. Paul VI became the first pope to travel to the Holy Land in the modern era. Subsequently, St. John Paul II visited Rome’s synagogue and established diplomatic relations with Israel. Both St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI visited the Auschwitz death camp. Pope Francis and Leo XIV further developed the path charted by Nostra Aetate.In a statement to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, Goya Productions indicated that in the version of the film to be distributed in the United States, “only the testimonies originally in French, Spanish, and Portuguese will require dubbing” and that “more than half of the film will remain in its original English.”The U.S. version will also feature an additional testimony from Dr. Robin Pierucci, a Jewish convert and neonatologist living in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Other testimonies to be highlighted inlude those of French philosopher Fabrice Hadjadj, Harvard Business School professor Roy Schoeman, Brazilian philosopher Edgar Leite Ferreira, British literary critic Robert Asch, American author Dawn Eden Goldstein, and Argentine professor of biblical pastoral studies Luciana Rogowicz.Garrigó told ACI Prensa that the subject of the film is one “that hasn’t been explored in cinema; people are a bit wary of it.” He said the idea for the film originally came from a person in Mexico. “We didn’t think it would be possible, but after reflecting on it and later conducting research, we discovered that there were amazing people who had things to say about the Messiah and about discovering [him] from the point of view of Judaism,” he said.‘Our greatest loves are Jewish’Garrigó said the central narrative theme of the film is particularly captured in a recording of St. Josemaría Escrivá. In it, the Spanish saint, during one of his well-known informal gatherings, responds to a question from a young Jewish girl whose parents will not allow her to be baptized.“As St. Josemaría himself states right there, our greatest loves are Jewish, aren’t they? They are Jesus and the Virgin,” Garrigó said.From that standpoint, “everything else is an attitude of openness; and they — the moment they discover Jesus — become deeply committed, the ones who feel called to fulfill an eternal design: that of a chosen people who in the end complete their journey,” the director said.“They still feel Jewish after their conversion, yet Jewish in a way that fulfills what Jesus had envisioned for them,” he added.“Searching for the Messiah” also explores other figures of Jewish origin who embraced the Catholic faith, particularly during the last century: Rome’s chief rabbi, Eugenio Zolli; St. Edith Stein, a German philosopher who became a Carmelite nun and was canonized by St. John Paul II, who named her a patroness of Europe and a doctor of the Church; Dr. Bernard Nathanson, who before his conversion was known as one of the most staunch abortion advocates in U.S. history; and the French poet Max Jacob, whose baptismal godfather was his friend Pablo Picasso. 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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A film that features the testimonies of people of Jewish origin who in recent times have professed faith in Jesus after coming to the conclusion that he is the long-awaited Messiah.

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Pope Leo XIV: Every vocation is a ‘path of beauty’ – #Catholic – The Vatican has published Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 63rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which will be celebrated on April 26, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, or Good Shepherd Sunday.Titled “The Interior Discovery of God’s Gift,” the Holy Father in the message reflects on the interior dimension of vocation, understood as “the discovery of God’s free gift that blossoms in the depths of our hearts.”In his message, the pope refers to vocation as “a path of beauty” — one along which, if traveled, life becomes “truly beautiful.” He notes, however, that to perceive this beauty, it is necessary to cultivate one’s interior life.“The distinctive trait of the saint is the luminous spiritual beauty that radiates from his or her life in Christ,” the pope affirms.Citing the experience of St. Augustine, the Holy Father invites everyone to discover the presence of God in the innermost recesses of the soul by cultivating prayer and silence. Furthermore, he emphasizes that the gift of vocation is “never an imposition or a one-size-fits-all model to which one merely conforms; instead, it is an adventure of love and happiness.”“Only when our surroundings are illumined by living faith, sustained by constant prayer, and enriched by fraternal accompaniment can God’s call blossom and mature, becoming a path of happiness and salvation for individuals and for the world,” he noted.The pope also reminds us that God “knows us profoundly” and points out that this knowledge must be mutual: “We are invited to know God through prayer, listening to the word, the sacraments, the life of the Church, and works of charity for our brothers and sisters.”He clarifies that this is not a matter of abstract intellectual knowledge or academic learning but rather of “a personal encounter that transforms one’s life.”“Dear young people, listen to this voice! Listen to the voice of the Lord who invites you to a full and fruitful life, calling you to put your talents to use (cf. Mt 25:14-30) and to unite your limitations and weaknesses with the glorious cross of Christ.”The pope recommends dedicating time to Eucharistic adoration and meditating on the word of God in order to come to know the Lord and give oneself fully to one’s vocation — whether it be to marriage, the priesthood, or consecrated or religious life.Life is a continual act of ‘trusting in the Lord’To know the Lord, Leo XIV continues, means “above all learning to entrust oneself to him and to his providence.” He proposes St. Joseph as a model of this trust and encourages the faithful to cultivate it without ever yielding to despair: “We must overcome fears and doubts, confident that the Lord of history — both of the world and of our own personal story — is risen.”“He does not abandon us in our darkest hours but comes to dispel every shadow with his light. Through the light and strength of his Spirit, even amid trials and crises, we can see our vocation grow and mature, reflecting ever more fully the beauty of the One who has called us — a beauty shaped by fidelity and trust, despite our wounds and failures,” he affirms.At the conclusion of his message, the Holy Father recalls that a vocation “is not a fixed point” but rather “a dynamic process of maturation.” Therefore, he explains, the “places” where God’s will is revealed — and where we experience his infinite love — are “often the authentic and fraternal bonds we establish throughout our lives.”Consequently, he underscores the need to have a good spiritual guide and, finally, encourages everyone — especially young people — to cultivate their personal relationship with God. “Pause, listen, entrust yourselves. In this way, the gift of your vocation will mature, bringing you happiness, and yielding abundant fruit for the Church and for the world.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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Pope Leo XIV: Every vocation is a ‘path of beauty’ – #Catholic – The Vatican has published Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 63rd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which will be celebrated on April 26, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, or Good Shepherd Sunday.Titled “The Interior Discovery of God’s Gift,” the Holy Father in the message reflects on the interior dimension of vocation, understood as “the discovery of God’s free gift that blossoms in the depths of our hearts.”In his message, the pope refers to vocation as “a path of beauty” — one along which, if traveled, life becomes “truly beautiful.” He notes, however, that to perceive this beauty, it is necessary to cultivate one’s interior life.“The distinctive trait of the saint is the luminous spiritual beauty that radiates from his or her life in Christ,” the pope affirms.Citing the experience of St. Augustine, the Holy Father invites everyone to discover the presence of God in the innermost recesses of the soul by cultivating prayer and silence. Furthermore, he emphasizes that the gift of vocation is “never an imposition or a one-size-fits-all model to which one merely conforms; instead, it is an adventure of love and happiness.”“Only when our surroundings are illumined by living faith, sustained by constant prayer, and enriched by fraternal accompaniment can God’s call blossom and mature, becoming a path of happiness and salvation for individuals and for the world,” he noted.The pope also reminds us that God “knows us profoundly” and points out that this knowledge must be mutual: “We are invited to know God through prayer, listening to the word, the sacraments, the life of the Church, and works of charity for our brothers and sisters.”He clarifies that this is not a matter of abstract intellectual knowledge or academic learning but rather of “a personal encounter that transforms one’s life.”“Dear young people, listen to this voice! Listen to the voice of the Lord who invites you to a full and fruitful life, calling you to put your talents to use (cf. Mt 25:14-30) and to unite your limitations and weaknesses with the glorious cross of Christ.”The pope recommends dedicating time to Eucharistic adoration and meditating on the word of God in order to come to know the Lord and give oneself fully to one’s vocation — whether it be to marriage, the priesthood, or consecrated or religious life.Life is a continual act of ‘trusting in the Lord’To know the Lord, Leo XIV continues, means “above all learning to entrust oneself to him and to his providence.” He proposes St. Joseph as a model of this trust and encourages the faithful to cultivate it without ever yielding to despair: “We must overcome fears and doubts, confident that the Lord of history — both of the world and of our own personal story — is risen.”“He does not abandon us in our darkest hours but comes to dispel every shadow with his light. Through the light and strength of his Spirit, even amid trials and crises, we can see our vocation grow and mature, reflecting ever more fully the beauty of the One who has called us — a beauty shaped by fidelity and trust, despite our wounds and failures,” he affirms.At the conclusion of his message, the Holy Father recalls that a vocation “is not a fixed point” but rather “a dynamic process of maturation.” Therefore, he explains, the “places” where God’s will is revealed — and where we experience his infinite love — are “often the authentic and fraternal bonds we establish throughout our lives.”Consequently, he underscores the need to have a good spiritual guide and, finally, encourages everyone — especially young people — to cultivate their personal relationship with God. “Pause, listen, entrust yourselves. In this way, the gift of your vocation will mature, bringing you happiness, and yielding abundant fruit for the Church and for the world.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

unitedyam

In a message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations titled “The Interior Discovery of God’s Gift,” the Holy Father reflects on the interior dimension of one’s vocation.

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Why the Catholic Church celebrates Easter Monday under the title ‘Monday of the Angel’ – #Catholic – On Easter Monday, the Catholic Church celebrates what is called “Monday of the Angel.” In many countries in Europe and South America, this day, also known as “Little Easter,” is a national holiday.In a Vatican Radio recording in 1994, Pope John Paul II gave an explanation for Monday of the Angel.“Why is it called that?” the pope asked, highlighting the need for an angel to call out from the depths of the grave: “He is risen.”These words “were very difficult to proclaim, to express, for a person,” John Paul II said. “Also, the women that were at the tomb encountered it empty but couldn’t tell ‘he had risen’; they only affirmed that the tomb was empty. The angel said more: ‘He is not here, he has risen.’”The Gospel of St. Matthew puts it this way: “Then the angel said to the women in reply, ‘Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you” (Mt 28:5-7).Angels are servants and messengers of God. As purely spiritual beings, they have intellects and wills. They are personal and immortal. They surpass all visible beings in their perfection.Christ himself gave testimony to the angels when he said: “The angels in heaven always see the face of my father who is in heaven!” (Mt 18:10).Christ is the center of the universe and angels belong to him. Even more so, because he made them messengers of his plan of salvation: An angel announced his conception to the Blessed Mother at the Annunciation and an angel proclaimed his resurrection to Mary Magdalene.From Easter Monday until the end of Easter at Pentecost, the Church prays the Regina Caeli instead of the Angelus at the noon hour.On Monday of the Angel in 2008, Pope Benedict XVI said the text of the Regina Caeli “is like a new ‘Annunciation’ to Mary, this time not made by an angel but by us Christians who invite the Mother to rejoice because her Son, whom she carried in her womb, is risen as he promised.”He continued: “Indeed, ‘rejoice’ was the first word that the heavenly messenger addressed to the Virgin in Nazareth. And this is what it meant: Rejoice, Mary, because the Son of God is about to become man within you. Now, after the drama of the Passion, a new invitation to rejoice rings out: ‘Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia, quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia’ — Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. Rejoice because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia!”Regina Caeli (English)V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.R. For he whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.V. Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of thy son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ, Our Lord.R. Amen.Regina Caeli (Latin)V. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.R. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.V. Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.R. Amen.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, then translated and adapted by the National Catholic Register on March 4, 2021, and updated for EWTN News English on March 28, 2024, and again on April 5, 2026.
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Why the Catholic Church celebrates Easter Monday under the title ‘Monday of the Angel’ – #Catholic – On Easter Monday, the Catholic Church celebrates what is called “Monday of the Angel.” In many countries in Europe and South America, this day, also known as “Little Easter,” is a national holiday.In a Vatican Radio recording in 1994, Pope John Paul II gave an explanation for Monday of the Angel.“Why is it called that?” the pope asked, highlighting the need for an angel to call out from the depths of the grave: “He is risen.”These words “were very difficult to proclaim, to express, for a person,” John Paul II said. “Also, the women that were at the tomb encountered it empty but couldn’t tell ‘he had risen’; they only affirmed that the tomb was empty. The angel said more: ‘He is not here, he has risen.’”The Gospel of St. Matthew puts it this way: “Then the angel said to the women in reply, ‘Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you” (Mt 28:5-7).Angels are servants and messengers of God. As purely spiritual beings, they have intellects and wills. They are personal and immortal. They surpass all visible beings in their perfection.Christ himself gave testimony to the angels when he said: “The angels in heaven always see the face of my father who is in heaven!” (Mt 18:10).Christ is the center of the universe and angels belong to him. Even more so, because he made them messengers of his plan of salvation: An angel announced his conception to the Blessed Mother at the Annunciation and an angel proclaimed his resurrection to Mary Magdalene.From Easter Monday until the end of Easter at Pentecost, the Church prays the Regina Caeli instead of the Angelus at the noon hour.On Monday of the Angel in 2008, Pope Benedict XVI said the text of the Regina Caeli “is like a new ‘Annunciation’ to Mary, this time not made by an angel but by us Christians who invite the Mother to rejoice because her Son, whom she carried in her womb, is risen as he promised.”He continued: “Indeed, ‘rejoice’ was the first word that the heavenly messenger addressed to the Virgin in Nazareth. And this is what it meant: Rejoice, Mary, because the Son of God is about to become man within you. Now, after the drama of the Passion, a new invitation to rejoice rings out: ‘Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia, quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia’ — Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. Rejoice because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia!”Regina Caeli (English)V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.R. For he whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.V. Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of thy son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, his mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ, Our Lord.R. Amen.Regina Caeli (Latin)V. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.R. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.V. Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.R. Amen.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, then translated and adapted by the National Catholic Register on March 4, 2021, and updated for EWTN News English on March 28, 2024, and again on April 5, 2026.

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In many countries in Europe and South America, Easter Monday, also known as “Little Easter,” is a national holiday.

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Gospel and Word of the Day – 06 April 2026 – A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles 2:14, 22-33 On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. “You who are children of Israel, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. For David says of him: I saw the Lord ever before me, with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. My brothers, one can confidently say to you about the patriarch David that he died and was buried, and his tomb is in our midst to this day. But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld nor did his flesh see corruption. God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses. Exalted at the right hand of God, he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear.”From the Gospel according to Matthew 28:8-15 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.According to the Judaic Law of that time, women and children could not bear a trustworthy, credible witness. Instead in the Gospels women play a fundamental lead role. Here we can grasp an element in favour of the historicity of the Resurrection: if it was an invented event, in the context of that time it would not have been linked with the evidence of women. Instead the Evangelists simply recounted what happened: women were the first witnesses. This implies that God does not choose in accordance with human criteria: the first witnesses of the birth of Jesus were shepherds, simple, humble people; the first witnesses of the Resurrection were women. And this is beautiful. This is part of the mission of women; of mothers, of women! Witnessing to their children, to their grandchildren, that Jesus is alive, is living, is risen. Mothers and women, carry on witnessing to this! It is the heart that counts for God, how open to him we are, whether we are like trusting children. However this also makes us think about how women, in the Church and on the journey of faith, had and still have today a special role in opening the doors to the Lord, in following him and in communicating his Face, for the gaze of faith is always in need of the simple and profound gaze of love. (Pope Francis – General Audience, 3 April 2013)

unitedyam

A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
2:14, 22-33

On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem.
Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

“You who are children of Israel, hear these words.
Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God
with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,
which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.
This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God,
you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.
But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death,
because it was impossible for him to be held by it.
For David says of him:

I saw the Lord ever before me,
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;
my flesh, too, will dwell in hope,
because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,
nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.

My brothers, one can confidently say to you
about the patriarch David that he died and was buried,
and his tomb is in our midst to this day.
But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne,
he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,
that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld
nor did his flesh see corruption.
God raised this Jesus;
of this we are all witnesses.
Exalted at the right hand of God,
he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit
that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear.”

From the Gospel according to Matthew
28:8-15

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb,
fearful yet overjoyed,
and ran to announce the news to his disciples.
And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.
They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.
Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,
and there they will see me.”

While they were going, some of the guard went into the city
and told the chief priests all that had happened.
The chief priests assembled with the elders and took counsel;
then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
telling them, “You are to say,
‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’
And if this gets to the ears of the governor,
we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed.
And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present day.

According to the Judaic Law of that time, women and children could not bear a trustworthy, credible witness. Instead in the Gospels women play a fundamental lead role. Here we can grasp an element in favour of the historicity of the Resurrection: if it was an invented event, in the context of that time it would not have been linked with the evidence of women. Instead the Evangelists simply recounted what happened: women were the first witnesses. This implies that God does not choose in accordance with human criteria: the first witnesses of the birth of Jesus were shepherds, simple, humble people; the first witnesses of the Resurrection were women. And this is beautiful. This is part of the mission of women; of mothers, of women! Witnessing to their children, to their grandchildren, that Jesus is alive, is living, is risen. Mothers and women, carry on witnessing to this! It is the heart that counts for God, how open to him we are, whether we are like trusting children. However this also makes us think about how women, in the Church and on the journey of faith, had and still have today a special role in opening the doors to the Lord, in following him and in communicating his Face, for the gaze of faith is always in need of the simple and profound gaze of love. (Pope Francis – General Audience, 3 April 2013)

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A special Easter Blessing for you from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney #Catholic – “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead…’” Mt. 28: 5-7 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Happy Easter! Please know of my prayers for you, your family and loved ones, and for the whole Church of our beloved Diocese of Paterson. We hear the words of Matthew’s Gospel, “…for he has been raised just as he said…” and we reflect on the meaning of Easter Joy, the Joy of the Risen Lord, His victory over sin and death, and the promise of everlasting life in Heaven. As Lent and Holy Week have led us to this Easter Day, we give thanks for the gifts of Faith, Hope, and Love and continue to pray for the gift of Peace, the true Peace, that only Jesus can give. We also rejoice with all those who have entered our Church as they received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil. Please be assured of my prayers for you, your families, and for all the faithful in our Diocese. Let us continue to pray for one another, for the whole Church, and for Peace, as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday and throughout the 50 days of the Easter Season. Devotedly yours in Christ, Most Reverend Kevin J. Sweeney, DD. Bishop of Paterson  
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A special Easter Blessing for you from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney #Catholic – “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead…’” Mt. 28: 5-7 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Happy Easter! Please know of my prayers for you, your family and loved ones, and for the whole Church of our beloved Diocese of Paterson. We hear the words of Matthew’s Gospel, “…for he has been raised just as he said…” and we reflect on the meaning of Easter Joy, the Joy of the Risen Lord, His victory over sin and death, and the promise of everlasting life in Heaven. As Lent and Holy Week have led us to this Easter Day, we give thanks for the gifts of Faith, Hope, and Love and continue to pray for the gift of Peace, the true Peace, that only Jesus can give. We also rejoice with all those who have entered our Church as they received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil. Please be assured of my prayers for you, your families, and for all the faithful in our Diocese. Let us continue to pray for one another, for the whole Church, and for Peace, as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday and throughout the 50 days of the Easter Season. Devotedly yours in Christ, Most Reverend Kevin J. Sweeney, DD. Bishop of Paterson  

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A special Easter Blessing for you from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney #Catholic –

“Do not be afraid!
I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.
He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.
Come and see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples,
‘He has been raised from the dead…’” Mt. 28: 5-7

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Happy Easter! Please know of my prayers for you, your family and loved ones, and for the whole Church of our beloved Diocese of Paterson. We hear the words of Matthew’s Gospel, “…for he has been raised just as he said…” and we reflect on the meaning of Easter Joy, the Joy of the Risen Lord, His victory over sin and death, and the promise of everlasting life in Heaven. As Lent and Holy Week have led us to this Easter Day, we give thanks for the gifts of Faith, Hope, and Love and continue to pray for the gift of Peace, the true Peace, that only Jesus can give. We also rejoice with all those who have entered our Church as they received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil.

Please be assured of my prayers for you, your families, and for all the faithful in our Diocese. Let us continue to pray for one another, for the whole Church, and for Peace, as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday and throughout the 50 days of the Easter Season.

Devotedly yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Kevin J. Sweeney, DD.
Bishop of Paterson

 

– “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead…’” Mt. 28: 5-7 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Happy Easter! Please know of my prayers for you, your family and loved ones, and for the whole Church of our beloved Diocese of Paterson. We hear the words of Matthew’s Gospel, “…for he has been raised just as he said…” and we

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Official delegation announced for Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit to Equatorial Guinea #Catholic EBEBIYÍN, Equatorial Guinea — Preparations for the planned apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV to Equatorial Guinea have gained momentum, with Church authorities unveiling details of the high-level delegation expected to accompany the Holy Father during his visit scheduled for April 21–23.The announcement was made by Father Cristino Ela Engonga, secretary-general of the Episcopal Conference of Equatorial Guinea (CEGE) and general coordinator of the Church commission for the papal visit, during a strategic meeting that was held on March 28 at the bishop’s house in Bata Diocese.The meeting brought together members of various subcommissions from the dioceses of Bata, Ebibeyín, Evinayong, and Mongomo to assess ongoing preparations and receive updates from the Holy See regarding the historic visit, which will mark Pope Leo XIV’s first trip to Africa.According to Engonga, nearly 50 Vatican officials are expected to accompany the pontiff, including five cardinals. Among them is Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.The pope is expected to visit key cities, including Malabo, Mongomo, and Bata, accompanied by senior Vatican officials such as Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.Other prominent members of the papal entourage include Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.They will be joined by 42 additional Vatican officials, including Monsignor José Nahúm Jairo Salas, who is responsible for coordinating papal international travels, as well as leading Vatican communicators such as Paolo Ruffini and Matteo Bruni.Beyond the papal entourage, the meeting also highlighted the participation of special guests, including Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), as well as Archbishop Luis Javier Argüello García, president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE).Engonga further said that more than 40 Catholic bishops from six central African countries have expressed their intention to attend the event.During the meeting, participants also received a report from the masters of ceremonies of CEGE, Fathers Julio Enrique Meheme and Diosdado Márquez Sabadell, who recently traveled to Rome to prepare the liturgical celebrations the pope will preside over.The Holy Father is expected to arrive in Malabo on Tuesday, April 21, the final leg of his four-nation African trip. Following the official welcome ceremony, he will meet the president of Equatorial Guinea and address political leaders, civil society representatives, and the diplomatic corps.In the afternoon, the pope will engage with academics and artists during a meeting with representatives of the world of culture at the León XIV Campus of the National University. A pastoral visit to patients and staff at the Jean Pierre Olie Psychiatric Hospital is also scheduled for this day.On Wednesday, April 22, the pope will travel to Mongomo to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception before visiting the Pope Francis Technology School.Later in the day, the Holy Father will continue to Bata, where he is scheduled to visit a prison; pray at a memorial dedicated to victims of the March 7, 2021, explosion; and meet young people and families at Bata Stadium.The apostolic journey to Africa is to conclude on Thursday, April 23, with a final Mass celebrated by the pope at Malabo Stadium.Following the farewell ceremony at Malabo International Airport, the Holy Father will depart for Rome, arriving later that evening at Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport.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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Official delegation announced for Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit to Equatorial Guinea #Catholic EBEBIYÍN, Equatorial Guinea — Preparations for the planned apostolic visit of Pope Leo XIV to Equatorial Guinea have gained momentum, with Church authorities unveiling details of the high-level delegation expected to accompany the Holy Father during his visit scheduled for April 21–23.The announcement was made by Father Cristino Ela Engonga, secretary-general of the Episcopal Conference of Equatorial Guinea (CEGE) and general coordinator of the Church commission for the papal visit, during a strategic meeting that was held on March 28 at the bishop’s house in Bata Diocese.The meeting brought together members of various subcommissions from the dioceses of Bata, Ebibeyín, Evinayong, and Mongomo to assess ongoing preparations and receive updates from the Holy See regarding the historic visit, which will mark Pope Leo XIV’s first trip to Africa.According to Engonga, nearly 50 Vatican officials are expected to accompany the pontiff, including five cardinals. Among them is Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.The pope is expected to visit key cities, including Malabo, Mongomo, and Bata, accompanied by senior Vatican officials such as Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.Other prominent members of the papal entourage include Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.They will be joined by 42 additional Vatican officials, including Monsignor José Nahúm Jairo Salas, who is responsible for coordinating papal international travels, as well as leading Vatican communicators such as Paolo Ruffini and Matteo Bruni.Beyond the papal entourage, the meeting also highlighted the participation of special guests, including Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), as well as Archbishop Luis Javier Argüello García, president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE).Engonga further said that more than 40 Catholic bishops from six central African countries have expressed their intention to attend the event.During the meeting, participants also received a report from the masters of ceremonies of CEGE, Fathers Julio Enrique Meheme and Diosdado Márquez Sabadell, who recently traveled to Rome to prepare the liturgical celebrations the pope will preside over.The Holy Father is expected to arrive in Malabo on Tuesday, April 21, the final leg of his four-nation African trip. Following the official welcome ceremony, he will meet the president of Equatorial Guinea and address political leaders, civil society representatives, and the diplomatic corps.In the afternoon, the pope will engage with academics and artists during a meeting with representatives of the world of culture at the León XIV Campus of the National University. A pastoral visit to patients and staff at the Jean Pierre Olie Psychiatric Hospital is also scheduled for this day.On Wednesday, April 22, the pope will travel to Mongomo to celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception before visiting the Pope Francis Technology School.Later in the day, the Holy Father will continue to Bata, where he is scheduled to visit a prison; pray at a memorial dedicated to victims of the March 7, 2021, explosion; and meet young people and families at Bata Stadium.The apostolic journey to Africa is to conclude on Thursday, April 23, with a final Mass celebrated by the pope at Malabo Stadium.Following the farewell ceremony at Malabo International Airport, the Holy Father will depart for Rome, arriving later that evening at Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport.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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Church authorities unveiled details of the official delegation expected to accompany the Holy Father during his visit scheduled for April 21–23.

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The Islamic State Spreads Images of Christian Executions in An Naba from Northern Nigeria and Issues Ultimatum of Conversion, Taxes or Murder to the Infidels – This is a Gateway Hispanic article. The post The Islamic State Spreads Images of Christian Executions in An Naba from Northern Nigeria and Issues Ultimatum of Conversion, Taxes or Murder to the Infidels appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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The Islamic State Spreads Images of Christian Executions in An Naba from Northern Nigeria and Issues Ultimatum of Conversion, Taxes or Murder to the Infidels – This is a Gateway Hispanic article. The post The Islamic State Spreads Images of Christian Executions in An Naba from Northern Nigeria and Issues Ultimatum of Conversion, Taxes or Murder to the Infidels appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Image depicting a group of individuals in orange attire kneeling, while others in military uniforms stand behind them in a barren landscape.

Image depicting a group of individuals in orange attire kneeling, while others in military uniforms stand behind them in a barren landscape.

This is a Gateway Hispanic article.

The post The Islamic State Spreads Images of Christian Executions in An Naba from Northern Nigeria and Issues Ultimatum of Conversion, Taxes or Murder to the Infidels appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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