In a video released on X, the Holy Father posed a question to the faithful: “Would you imagine what a world without wars would be like? A world without the terror of approaching explosions?”
Little Falls Knights honor Free Throw Contest winners #Catholic – 
The Knights of Columbus Council 3835, Our Lady of the Highway, Little Falls, N.J., hosted a Free Throw Contest awards night on Feb. 24 at the Little Falls Recreation Center. The basketball-throwing contest was open to boys and girls ages 9 to 14. Six of the 10 winners attended the awards event. Pictured in the front row from left are Juliana Macaluso, 11; Vincenzo Castaldo, 11; Danica Lightner, 13; Jonathan Moreno, 10; Brayden Moreno, 13; and Jake Borges, 12. In the back row from left are Christopher Troyano, co-chairman; Ron Yutko, co-chairman; Anthony Montuori; and Mike Vaclavicek.
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– The Knights of Columbus Council 3835, Our Lady of the Highway, Little Falls, N.J., hosted a Free Throw Contest awards night on Feb. 24 at the Little Falls Recreation Center. The basketball-throwing contest was open to boys and girls ages 9 to 14. Six of the 10 winners attended the awards event. Pictured in the front row from left are Juliana Macaluso, 11; Vincenzo Castaldo, 11; Danica Lightner, 13; Jonathan Moreno, 10; Brayden Moreno, 13; and Jake Borges, 12. In the back row from left are Christopher Troyano, co-chairman; Ron Yutko, co-chairman; Anthony Montuori; and Mike Vaclavicek. Click here to
![Morristown vocations retreat inspires young men’s faith journey #Catholic - Twenty young men, aged 15 to 31, from various parishes around the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey participated in the Vocations Discernment Retreat with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney at Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, N.J., from Feb. 27 to March 1.
Bishop Sweeney served as retreat master. He offered four talks to the young men who attended with seven diocesan seminarians.
During the retreat, Bishop Sweeney led the group to pray the outdoor Stations of the Cross. He also prayed the liturgy of the hours with them and celebrated Mass in the chapel. Mass concelebrants included Father Charles Lana, diocesan vocation director, and Father Jader Avila, a diocesan priest. Dan Ferrari led them all in song.
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Retreatants had the opportunity to spend time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and to receive the sacrament of penance, offered by Father Avila, Father Cesar Jaramillo, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J., and Father Krzysztof Tyszko, parochial vicar of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Morristown, N.J.
During the Second Sunday of Lent Mass, Bishop Sweeney connected the retreat to the mountaintop experience of the Transfiguration. He reminded the young men of the blessings of encountering Jesus and encouraged them to stay close to him and to listen for his voice.
According to Father Lana, “The retreat was a moment of grace for these young men to step aside from the busyness of ordinary life and open their hearts in prayer and reflect on what the Lord might be asking them to do with their lives. The Lord invites all of us to deepen our friendship with him, and these young men accepted that invitation with trust over the weekend. Hopefully, this time spent on retreat will bear fruit, bringing each of them peace, clarity, and understanding of how they can best serve using their gifts.”
On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted, “We were blessed with a wonderful Vocation Discernment Retreat.”
“We thank Fr. Charlie Lana, our vocation director, and our priests, seminarians, and the retreat center staff for allowing a weekend in prayer, community, conversation, and discernment. We also thank all those who were and will be praying for us,” Bishop Sweeney posted. “Let us continue to pray for an increase in Vocations to the priesthood and consecrated Religious Life.”
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org]](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/morristown-vocations-retreat-inspires-young-mens-faith-journey-catholic-twenty-young-men-aged-15-to-31-from-various-parishes-around-the-paterson-diocese-in-new-jersey-participated-in-the.jpg)
Morristown vocations retreat inspires young men’s faith journey #Catholic – 
Twenty young men, aged 15 to 31, from various parishes around the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey participated in the Vocations Discernment Retreat with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney at Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, N.J., from Feb. 27 to March 1.
Bishop Sweeney served as retreat master. He offered four talks to the young men who attended with seven diocesan seminarians.
During the retreat, Bishop Sweeney led the group to pray the outdoor Stations of the Cross. He also prayed the liturgy of the hours with them and celebrated Mass in the chapel. Mass concelebrants included Father Charles Lana, diocesan vocation director, and Father Jader Avila, a diocesan priest. Dan Ferrari led them all in song.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Retreatants had the opportunity to spend time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and to receive the sacrament of penance, offered by Father Avila, Father Cesar Jaramillo, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Pequannock, N.J., and Father Krzysztof Tyszko, parochial vicar of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Morristown, N.J.
During the Second Sunday of Lent Mass, Bishop Sweeney connected the retreat to the mountaintop experience of the Transfiguration. He reminded the young men of the blessings of encountering Jesus and encouraged them to stay close to him and to listen for his voice.
According to Father Lana, “The retreat was a moment of grace for these young men to step aside from the busyness of ordinary life and open their hearts in prayer and reflect on what the Lord might be asking them to do with their lives. The Lord invites all of us to deepen our friendship with him, and these young men accepted that invitation with trust over the weekend. Hopefully, this time spent on retreat will bear fruit, bringing each of them peace, clarity, and understanding of how they can best serve using their gifts.”
On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted, “We were blessed with a wonderful Vocation Discernment Retreat.”
“We thank Fr. Charlie Lana, our vocation director, and our priests, seminarians, and the retreat center staff for allowing a weekend in prayer, community, conversation, and discernment. We also thank all those who were and will be praying for us,” Bishop Sweeney posted. “Let us continue to pray for an increase in Vocations to the priesthood and consecrated Religious Life.”
[See image gallery at beaconnj.org] – Twenty young men, aged 15 to 31, from various parishes around the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey participated in the Vocations Discernment Retreat with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney at Loyola Jesuit Center in Morristown, N.J., from Feb. 27 to March 1. Bishop Sweeney served as retreat master. He offered four talks to the young men who attended with seven diocesan seminarians. During the retreat, Bishop Sweeney led the group to pray the outdoor Stations of the Cross. He also prayed the liturgy of the hours with them and celebrated Mass in the chapel. Mass concelebrants included Father Charles Lana, diocesan
U.S. adults were among those most likely to condemn extramarital affairs as immoral in a study of 25 countries.
PERSIAN GULF — In a sign of enormous good will, American forces helpfully converted 20 Iranian warships into submarines.
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It can be difficult to find modest attire when you’re a Christian woman, what with all the competing expectations. Fortunately, we at the Babylon Bee are not just prophets – we’re also fashion experts. Here are seven simple tips for Christian ladies to dress modestly:
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Finnair Airbus A319-112 OH-LVL landing at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in snowfall conditions on 24 February 2017.
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Two decades in prison for dealing in international death and mayhem.
The post US Court Sentences Japanese Yakuza Gangster to Twenty Years in Prison for Trafficking Drugs, Weapons and Nuclear Material appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Absolutely shocking and ultra-woke comments from the liberal media darling James Talarico, a Texas State Representative, have surfaced as he tries to become the first Democrat in more than 30 years to win in Texas.
The post “God is Non-Binary… Our Trans Community Needs Abortion Care Too” — Several INSANE Comments from James Talarico Emerge After He Beats Crockett to Win Texas Senate Dem Primary (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Poland’s government has signaled that it intends to take a far more assertive role in shaping Europe’s nuclear future.
The post Poland Will Seek Its Own Nuclear Weapons, Prime Minister Tusk Says appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read MoreO Lord, in your anger punish me not; in your wrath chastise me not. For your arrows have sunk deep in me; your hand has come down upon me. There is no health in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no wholeness in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are like a heavy burden, beyond my strength. Noisome and festering are my sores, because of my folly. I am stooped and bowed down profoundly; all the day I go in mourning. For my loins are filled with …
Read MoreA reading from the Book of Jeremiah
17:5-10
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
But stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
More tortuous than all else is the human heart,
beyond remedy; who can understand it?
I, the LORD, alone probe the mind
and test the heart,
To reward everyone according to his ways,
according to the merit of his deeds.
From the Gospel according to Luke
16:19-31
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.’"
As long as Lazarus was outside his house, the rich man had the opportunity for salvation, to thrust open the door, to help Lazarus, but now that they are both dead, the situation has become irreparable. God is never called upon directly, but the parable clearly warns: God’s mercy toward us is linked to our mercy toward our neighbour; when this is lacking, also that of not finding room in our closed heart, He cannot enter. If I do not thrust open the door of my heart to the poor, that door remains closed. Even to God. This is terrible. (…)
In order to convert, we must not wait for prodigious events, but open our heart to the Word of God, which calls us to love God and neighbour. The Word of God may revive a withered heart and cure it of its blindness. (Pope Francis, General Audience, 18 May 2016)
Read More![Lou Holtz, legendary Notre Dame football coach and outspoken Catholic, dies at 89 – #Catholic – Lou Holtz, whose lengthy football coaching career included an undefeated championship season at the University of Notre Dame and who spoke regularly about his Catholic faith, died on March 4 at age 89. Holtz’s death was announced by his family through a statement via the athletics department at Notre Dame. The retired coach had entered hospice shortly before his death. TweetThe coach “is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service, andan unwavering belief in the potential of others,” his family said. Holtz was preceded in death by his wife, Beth, who passed away in 2020. The two had been married for 59 years at the time of her death. Both are survived by four children. A fixture in college sports for decades, Holtz began his head coaching career in 1969 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. He subsequently served as coach at North Carolina State and the University of Arkansas as well as a stint at the University of Minnesota; he also coached the New York Jets briefly in 1976. His most memorable coaching appointment came at the University of Notre Dame, which he joined in 1986. He would go on to lead the team to an undefeated national championship in 1989, beating the West Virginia Mountaineers 34-21 at that year’s Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona. After a brief retirement and a stint as a commentator for CBS Sports, Holtz took up the head coach position at the University of South Carolina in 1999, where he had previously served as an assistant coach in 1966. He retired from that final role in 2004; his final game was marked by the infamous Clemson-South Carolina football brawl, with Holtz describing it as a “heck of a note” that his last match would be remembered for the fight. In his later years he appeared in various commentary roles on a variety of ESPN programs. One of his four children is Skip Holtz, who has served as head coach at numerous collegiate football teams. On Dec. 3, 2020, Holtz was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House at the time described Holtz as “one of the greatest football coaches of all time” as well as “a philanthropist, author, and true American patriot.”Trump himself while awarding the medal described Holtz as a “great gentleman” and a “great man.” The president said he was amazed at learning about Holtz’s coaching record ahead of the ceremony.“When we were researching this out, I knew he was supposed to be a good coach, but I didn’t know how good he was, because these stats are very amazing,” the president admitted. Known in part for his conservative politics, Holtz at that ceremony described Trump as “the greatest president during my lifetime.”“I get this award; I accept it humbly,” he said. “And you don’t go in life saying ‘I want to win this award.’ You just wake up one day and it happens.”A lifelong Catholic, Holtz was educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Aloysius Grade School in East Liverpool, Ohio. In 2012 he told the National Catholic Register, the sister news partner of EWTN News, that the nuns “influenced my life tremendously.” “This was due to the fact that they encouraged you always to make sure that God is the focus of your life, and they didn’t allow you to do anything except to the very best of your ability,” he said. Holtz told the Register that he had prayed to God to be made a great athlete, only to have been made a coach instead.“God does answer your prayers, but it’s not always in the way you expect,” he said. “God knows what’s best for us, though, so there’s no need to worry when things don’t go how we originally wanted them to go.”He professed that the Catholic Church is “infallible” on religious principles regarding faith and morals. He said he “[tried] to follow the Catholic teachings [as that’s] what brings meaning and lasting happiness to life.” He said, however, that Church leaders should be “[held] accountable for their choices.” In multiple cases he stressed fidelity to Christ above all, such as during an interview with Southwest Michigan Catholic when he said: “I don’t go to church to honor the pope; I don’t go to church to honor the priest who might have made some mistakes; I go to church to honor Jesus Christ.”He told the publication he and his family attended Mass “every Sunday,” regardless if football was in season or not.After Pope Leo XIV’s election in 2025, Holtz called on Catholics to “pray for [Leo], respect him and support him.” “Pope Leo, I’ll be praying for you. God bless,” he said at the time.In November 2025, meanwhile, he delivered what he said was his “final public speech,” speaking at the America First Policy Institute, where he served as chair of the 1776 initiative. “[M]y commitment to the American dream has never wavered and never will,” he said at the time. “We must protect what makes America exceptional.”“We cannot let God down; we must always do what’s right,” he said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/lou-holtz-legendary-notre-dame-football-coach-and-outspoken-catholic-dies-at-89-catholic-lou-holtz-whose-lengthy-football-coaching-career-included-an-undefeated-championship-season-at-the-univ-scaled.jpg "Lou Holtz, legendary Notre Dame football coach and outspoken Catholic, dies at 89 – #Catholic – Lou Holtz, whose lengthy football coaching career included an undefeated championship season at the University of Notre Dame and who spoke regularly about his Catholic faith, died on March 4 at age 89. Holtz’s death was announced by his family through a statement via the athletics department at Notre Dame. The retired coach had entered hospice shortly before his death. TweetThe coach “is remembered for his enduring values of faith, family, service, andan unwavering belief in the potential of others,” his family said. Holtz was preceded in death by his wife, Beth, who passed away in 2020. The two had been married for 59 years at the time of her death. Both are survived by four children. A fixture in college sports for decades, Holtz began his head coaching career in 1969 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. He subsequently served as coach at North Carolina State and the University of Arkansas as well as a stint at the University of Minnesota; he also coached the New York Jets briefly in 1976. His most memorable coaching appointment came at the University of Notre Dame, which he joined in 1986. He would go on to lead the team to an undefeated national championship in 1989, beating the West Virginia Mountaineers 34-21 at that year’s Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona. After a brief retirement and a stint as a commentator for CBS Sports, Holtz took up the head coach position at the University of South Carolina in 1999, where he had previously served as an assistant coach in 1966. He retired from that final role in 2004; his final game was marked by the infamous Clemson-South Carolina football brawl, with Holtz describing it as a “heck of a note” that his last match would be remembered for the fight. In his later years he appeared in various commentary roles on a variety of ESPN programs. One of his four children is Skip Holtz, who has served as head coach at numerous collegiate football teams. On Dec. 3, 2020, Holtz was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by U.S. President Donald Trump. The White House at the time described Holtz as “one of the greatest football coaches of all time” as well as “a philanthropist, author, and true American patriot.”Trump himself while awarding the medal described Holtz as a “great gentleman” and a “great man.” The president said he was amazed at learning about Holtz’s coaching record ahead of the ceremony.“When we were researching this out, I knew he was supposed to be a good coach, but I didn’t know how good he was, because these stats are very amazing,” the president admitted. Known in part for his conservative politics, Holtz at that ceremony described Trump as “the greatest president during my lifetime.”“I get this award; I accept it humbly,” he said. “And you don’t go in life saying ‘I want to win this award.’ You just wake up one day and it happens.”A lifelong Catholic, Holtz was educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame at St. Aloysius Grade School in East Liverpool, Ohio. In 2012 he told the National Catholic Register, the sister news partner of EWTN News, that the nuns “influenced my life tremendously.” “This was due to the fact that they encouraged you always to make sure that God is the focus of your life, and they didn’t allow you to do anything except to the very best of your ability,” he said. Holtz told the Register that he had prayed to God to be made a great athlete, only to have been made a coach instead.“God does answer your prayers, but it’s not always in the way you expect,” he said. “God knows what’s best for us, though, so there’s no need to worry when things don’t go how we originally wanted them to go.”He professed that the Catholic Church is “infallible” on religious principles regarding faith and morals. He said he “[tried] to follow the Catholic teachings [as that’s] what brings meaning and lasting happiness to life.” He said, however, that Church leaders should be “[held] accountable for their choices.” In multiple cases he stressed fidelity to Christ above all, such as during an interview with Southwest Michigan Catholic when he said: “I don’t go to church to honor the pope; I don’t go to church to honor the priest who might have made some mistakes; I go to church to honor Jesus Christ.”He told the publication he and his family attended Mass “every Sunday,” regardless if football was in season or not.After Pope Leo XIV’s election in 2025, Holtz called on Catholics to “pray for [Leo], respect him and support him.” “Pope Leo, I’ll be praying for you. God bless,” he said at the time.In November 2025, meanwhile, he delivered what he said was his “final public speech,” speaking at the America First Policy Institute, where he served as chair of the 1776 initiative. “[M]y commitment to the American dream has never wavered and never will,” he said at the time. “We must protect what makes America exceptional.”“We cannot let God down; we must always do what’s right,” he said.")
With the communist government of Cuba under extreme pressure from the economic crisis of its own making and a U.S.-imposed oil embargo, exiled Cuban opposition leaders outlined the way to democracy.
For the first time, a much younger version of the Sun has been caught red-handed blowing bubbles in the galaxy, by astronomers using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.
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February 24 was the date a new information pipeline began for astronomers around the world. Their computers received a deluge of cosmic notifications — 800,000 alerts about new asteroids, supernovae, and other noteworthy changes in the night sky. The discoveries were made by the Simonyi Survey Telescope at the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory in ChileContinue reading “Rubin Observatory is rocking”
The post Rubin Observatory is rocking appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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The report also warns seminaries must not become an “artificial environment” detached from the ordinary life of the faithful.
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While Pablo Picasso was a professed atheist, a new exhibit in Spain highlights the spiritual sensibilities of his art.
WACO, TX — According to sources, a lame local church doesn’t even have its own app.
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FALLON, NV — Local Pentecostal Christian Glenn Fuller reportedly beat all his friends at Scrabble yet again thanks to his miraculous ability to spell out all words in tongues.
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Crane installation in the Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
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Almighty God, I thank you for your past blessings.
Today I offer myself – whatever I do, say, or think –
to your loving care.
Continue to bless me, Lord.
I make this morning offering in union
with the divine intentions of Jesus Christ
who offers himself daily inthe holy sacrifice of the Mass,
and in union with Mary, his Virgin Mother and our Mother,
who was always the faithful handmaid of the Lord.
Amen.
Read More![Iraqi archbishop laments spread of Iranian conflict, communication barrier with Tehran archbishop – #Catholic – An Iraqi Catholic archbishop said his flock is frightened and communication with Tehran’s archbishop has been impossible as the Iranian conflict escalates.Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of Erbil, the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, told “EWTN News Nightly” that the situation is “quite frightening” because the Christian community is once more asking: “Will it reach us? Will we have to really leave again? Will our children have a future?”Warda said the situation is particularly sensitive for Iraq’s Christian population, which has seen “almost 50 years of continuous violence,” including eight years of war with Iran, followed by the first and second Gulf wars, as well as sectarian violence.“All of these memories,” he said, are “still there.”Warda said schools and universities in the region have been closed for nearly a week, and “the economy is collapsing.” All the while, he said, there is fear that “around every three, four hours, Erbil would be hit by either rockets or drones.”“The fear is there,” he said. “And the scope of violence is just getting bigger, because following the news, we see new countries being attacked and new places being attacked.”“Erbil [has been] targeted a few times so far,” he said, “and we know the largest Iraqi Christian gathering is in Erbil, and this might be another reason for the Christians to say, ‘There is no future.’”In Iraq, regional and local reporting said drones attempted to target Erbil International Airport and were intercepted.Warda said his “biggest fear” is that Christian families who were previously committed to remaining in Iraq will decide to flee the region due to ongoing instability. “These types of wars and conflicts will shake everything,” he said, regardless of what has been done to “really build something for the Christian community to stay.”Regarding efforts to get in contact with Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu of Tehran, Iran, Warda said: “We have tried several times. But there is no communication whatsoever.”Warda said he asked one of the Chaldean religious sisters currently working in his diocese about her family, who live in Iran, but she has not been able to reach them. “Sadly enough, there is no communication whatsoever with that part of the world,” he said, noting loss of power and communication lines in Iran.“We are praying for the community there,” he said.Amid the conflict, Warda said attendance at morning Mass and evening prayer in the community has been “really great.” The community has canceled its weekly catechism classes, however, as well as its annual Ankawa Youth Gathering, the largest gathering of young people in Iraq.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/iraqi-archbishop-laments-spread-of-iranian-conflict-communication-barrier-with-tehran-archbishop-catholic-an-iraqi-catholic-archbishop-said-his-flock-is-frightened-and-communication-with-tehran.jpg "Iraqi archbishop laments spread of Iranian conflict, communication barrier with Tehran archbishop – #Catholic – An Iraqi Catholic archbishop said his flock is frightened and communication with Tehran’s archbishop has been impossible as the Iranian conflict escalates.Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of Erbil, the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, told “EWTN News Nightly” that the situation is “quite frightening” because the Christian community is once more asking: “Will it reach us? Will we have to really leave again? Will our children have a future?”Warda said the situation is particularly sensitive for Iraq’s Christian population, which has seen “almost 50 years of continuous violence,” including eight years of war with Iran, followed by the first and second Gulf wars, as well as sectarian violence.“All of these memories,” he said, are “still there.”Warda said schools and universities in the region have been closed for nearly a week, and “the economy is collapsing.” All the while, he said, there is fear that “around every three, four hours, Erbil would be hit by either rockets or drones.”“The fear is there,” he said. “And the scope of violence is just getting bigger, because following the news, we see new countries being attacked and new places being attacked.”“Erbil [has been] targeted a few times so far,” he said, “and we know the largest Iraqi Christian gathering is in Erbil, and this might be another reason for the Christians to say, ‘There is no future.’”In Iraq, regional and local reporting said drones attempted to target Erbil International Airport and were intercepted.Warda said his “biggest fear” is that Christian families who were previously committed to remaining in Iraq will decide to flee the region due to ongoing instability. “These types of wars and conflicts will shake everything,” he said, regardless of what has been done to “really build something for the Christian community to stay.”Regarding efforts to get in contact with Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu of Tehran, Iran, Warda said: “We have tried several times. But there is no communication whatsoever.”Warda said he asked one of the Chaldean religious sisters currently working in his diocese about her family, who live in Iran, but she has not been able to reach them. “Sadly enough, there is no communication whatsoever with that part of the world,” he said, noting loss of power and communication lines in Iran.“We are praying for the community there,” he said.Amid the conflict, Warda said attendance at morning Mass and evening prayer in the community has been “really great.” The community has canceled its weekly catechism classes, however, as well as its annual Ankawa Youth Gathering, the largest gathering of young people in Iraq.")
Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of Erbil, Iraq, shared the situation on the ground for the Iraqi Christian community with “EWTN News Nightly” as the prospect of broader regional war looms.
![‘This work is about hope:’ University of St. Mary prison education program centers on human dignity - #Catholic - English professor Leanna Brunner devotes much of her time to educating prisoners — work that she says is “some of the most rewarding work of my entire career.”“The students are some of the most devoted, conscientious, and hardworking I have had,” Brunner told EWTN News. “Every week that I go in the prison to teach, I come out feeling even more insightful than when I entered. I learn as much from the students about life as they do from me.”Brunner, an assistant professor at University of St. Mary, a Catholic liberal arts university in Leavenworth, Kansas, is involved in the university’s prison education program.About 100 students are enrolled across federal, state, and military correctional facilities in the university’s program. Though the university has worked in prisons for decades, the program recently received full accreditation, according to a Feb. 26 announcement.“This is not an auxiliary initiative but a central expression of our Catholic identity,” program director Michelle Workman said.“We approach prison education as authentic higher education rooted in rigor, dignity, and long-term formation,” Workman told EWTN News. “Our faculty teach the same curriculum, and our students meet the same expectations, as those enrolled on campus.”
Michelle Workman, director of the prison education program at University of St. Mary in Kansas, said the initiative is “a central expression of our Catholic identity.” | Credit: Photo courtesy of Michelle Workman
As the university is sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Workman said that “our mission calls us to educate the whole person and to serve those on the margins.”“Catholic social teaching affirms the inherent dignity of every human person and calls us to solidarity and the pursuit of the common good,” Workman said. “Incarcerated individuals are not defined solely by their past actions; they remain persons created in the image of God, capable of intellectual growth, moral reflection, and meaningful contribution.”Another professor involved in the program, Michael Hill, told EWTN News: “We are called to serve the least of these; to care for the imprisoned.”“When I look at many of my students, I know that, with only a few different choices or a few different contingencies, I might well be one of them,” said Hill, assistant professor of history and theology at the university. “I had several great professors in my life who radically altered my trajectory, not by being great, but by simply being present,” he continued. “If I can help some of these men, in however small a way, then my life has been for something.” When asked about the challenges of the work he does, Hill said they are “beyond count.” “On a personal level, many of our students come from backgrounds that don’t celebrate academic success. Many wonder if they truly belong in college. All carry the scars of life that ultimately placed them in prison,” he said. “I’m not only a teacher to many of our students, I’m also an adviser, mentor, and counselor. Wearing so many hats is an ongoing challenge. But those challenges make the successes so much sweeter.”Sometimes, unexpected challenges arise that are “more to do with the nature of prison itself,” Brunner added.“Flexibility is the name of the game because we never know what to expect on any given day,” Brunner said. “We constantly have to pivot, whether it be because of lockdowns, rules that arise because of prison culture, or any other unexpected event.”But the in-person element of education “adds a layer of humanity to the program that other modes of learning cannot,” Brunner observed.“Sitting in a classroom with these men again allows them to feel human,” she said. “Being there in person with them shows the men that I believe in their ability to change and that I am not going to judge them for the mistakes they have made in the past.”“Sadly, their time in my class is one of the few times in their lives when they can feel like ordinary humans — a time when they can forget their bad decisions and focus on making a better life for themselves, both in prison and out,” Brunner said.Classes give students a reprieve from the daily life of prison, what Hill described as “a space to be men, not just inmates or [a] number.” “Giving our students a time and place to simply be — away from the violence and politics — matters,” Hill said. “Giving them face-to-face responsibility and accountability, not in a hierarchical relationship of authority with the state or its representatives, matters.” Workman said higher education improves outcomes after prison, including reducing the likelihood of re-offending.“Education inside correctional facilities strengthens families, reduces the social and financial costs of re-incarceration, and contributes to safer communities,” Workman said.“Research consistently demonstrates that participation in higher education during incarceration is associated with significantly lower recidivism rates and stronger post-release employment outcomes,” she continued.“Education builds cognitive skills, strengthens decision-making capacity, and supports the development of pro-social identity,” Workman said.Brunner often sees the men “realize that they have the ability to learn, grow, and make better decisions.”“Watching this kind of transformation is life-changing for me as well,” Brunner said. “I often tell my students that just because they are imprisoned physically, they do not have to be imprisoned mentally or spiritually. That is a choice, and there is no better feeling than to see them choose freedom.”“At its core, however, this work is about hope — about restoring the possibility that a person can grow intellectually, rebuild identity, and reenter society with purpose,” Workman said.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/this-work-is-about-hope-university-of-st-mary-prison-education-program-centers-on-human-dignity-catholic-english-professor-leanna-brunner-devotes-much-of-her-time-to-educating.png)
University of St. Mary, a Catholic liberal arts university in Leavenworth, Kansas, offers a prison education program as part of its Catholic mission.
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
18:18-20
The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said,
"Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah.
It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests,
nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.
And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue;
let us carefully note his every word."
Heed me, O LORD,
and listen to what my adversaries say.
Must good be repaid with evil
that they should dig a pit to take my life?
Remember that I stood before you
to speak in their behalf,
to turn away your wrath from them.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
20:17-28
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and he will be raised on the third day."
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, "What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."
This “hundredfold” is comprised of things first possessed and then left, but which shall be restored and multiplied ad infinitum. In divesting oneself of possessions, one receives in exchange the comfort of true good; freed from the slavery of things, one earns the freedom of serving out of love; in renouncing possessions, one acquires the joy of giving. As Jesus said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (cf. Acts 20:35). (…)
Only by accepting with humble gratitude the love of the Lord do we free ourselves from the seduction of idols and the blindness of our illusions. Money, pleasure, success dazzle but then disappoint: they promise life but procure death. The Lord asks us to detach ourselves from these false riches in order to enter into true life, the full, authentic, luminous life. (…)
May the Virgin Mary help us to open our heart to Jesus’ love, to Jesus’ gaze, the only One who can satiate our thirst for happiness. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 11 October 2015)
Read More![Priest scrutinized for letters written on behalf of 2 notorious Mexican drug traffickers – #Catholic – Mexican priest José Dolores Aguayo González, known as Father Lolo, has received criticism from the archbishop of Guadalajara, Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, about letters Aguayo sent to a U.S. court on behalf of two convicted drug traffickers. The letters concerning Jessica Johanna and Rubén Oseguera, adult children of drug trafficker Nemesio Rubén Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” were written at the request of the judge and the detainees’ family as part of the priest’s work providing spiritual ministry to people in prison.The elder Oseguera was the founder and leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation drug cartel who was killed in a shoot-out with the Mexican military on Feb. 22.In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the priest defended his actions, stating that “the Church cannot turn its back on those who seek reconciliation with God, even if they are public figures.”“Imagine if the Church slams the door on them, and I think the issue here is, if it had been any anonymous prisoner in Puente Grande [penitentiary], there wouldn’t have been a problem. The problem is that the Church tried to fulfill its mission with these individuals,” the priest stated.Both letters, revealed last week by journalist Laura Sánchez Ley, were addressed to Judge Beryl A. Howell in Washington, D.C. The first, sent in March 2021, describes Jessica Johanna Oseguera as “a very kind person, an excellent mother, a very philanthropic woman.”Aguayo explained that he met the cartel leader’s daughter because she actively participated in parish activities, years before she pleaded guilty in U.S. court to drug trafficking charges. “When I wrote about this man’s daughter, the judge was the one who asked for my personal opinion of her, how although she had already pleaded guilty to certain crimes, had taken responsibility, what was my personal assessment [of her],” the priest told ACI Prensa.He sent the second letter to the same judge in January 2025, this time speaking favorably of Rubén Oseguera, known as “El Menchito” (Little Mencho), who was extradited to the U.S. in 2020 and sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking two months after the priest’s letter.In that letter, Aguayo said that he was Rubén Oseguera’s “spiritual director” and that “he comes from a very devout Catholic family, has reflected a great deal on his future, and has read the holy Scriptures,” adding that “despite any mistakes he may have made, he is a man who has been touched by God’s mercy.”The priest clarified that he did not know “El Menchito” personally but rather maintained correspondence through letters and phone conversations with family members during Oseguera’s imprisonment.“His wife asked me to accompany them spiritually through letters … what did we talk about? Biblical themes, faith, personal growth, change — nothing out of the ordinary that could be discussed with a priest,” he recounted.“Having gotten to know this young man through the letters … all I can say is that human beings make mistakes, they can change. I’m not saying he shouldn’t be punished by human justice, because we will also be punished by divine justice for our sins, but there is an opportunity to remake ourselves. In the Church, we believe in remaking ourselves; in conversion, and that is the great calling we have as priests: the sacrament of reconciliation,” he added.Though visibly concerned about the public judgment of his actions, the priest said he has nothing to hide. He maintained that he has conducted his ministry in accordance with the precepts of the Church and that, to date, no authority in Mexico or the U.S. has contacted him regarding this matter.The Archdiocese of Guadalajara on Feb. 28 issued a statement on the case, describing a lack of “prudence and good judgment on the part of this priest in addressing this matter … given the nature of this relationship.”The archbishop said at a March 1 press conference that “the issue is much more complex and much broader than the issue of the imprudence or inexperience of a priest who wanted to act in good faith, but, as we say in slang, messed up.”Robles added that Aguayo continues to fulfill his pastoral duties as a parish priest and that the Church is committed to providing spiritual support to everyone, including criminals and their families.“For example, if a family member of someone who was killed or cut down [in a confrontation with law enforcement] and whose involvement in criminal activity has been proven, requests, for instance, a Mass, they cannot be refused. If they request to take the body to the church, they cannot be refused,” the cardinal stated.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/priest-scrutinized-for-letters-written-on-behalf-of-2-notorious-mexican-drug-traffickers-catholic-mexican-priest-jose-dolores-aguayo-gonzalez-known-as-father-lolo-has-received-criticism-from-th.webp "Priest scrutinized for letters written on behalf of 2 notorious Mexican drug traffickers – #Catholic – Mexican priest José Dolores Aguayo González, known as Father Lolo, has received criticism from the archbishop of Guadalajara, Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega, about letters Aguayo sent to a U.S. court on behalf of two convicted drug traffickers. The letters concerning Jessica Johanna and Rubén Oseguera, adult children of drug trafficker Nemesio Rubén Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” were written at the request of the judge and the detainees’ family as part of the priest’s work providing spiritual ministry to people in prison.The elder Oseguera was the founder and leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation drug cartel who was killed in a shoot-out with the Mexican military on Feb. 22.In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the priest defended his actions, stating that “the Church cannot turn its back on those who seek reconciliation with God, even if they are public figures.”“Imagine if the Church slams the door on them, and I think the issue here is, if it had been any anonymous prisoner in Puente Grande [penitentiary], there wouldn’t have been a problem. The problem is that the Church tried to fulfill its mission with these individuals,” the priest stated.Both letters, revealed last week by journalist Laura Sánchez Ley, were addressed to Judge Beryl A. Howell in Washington, D.C. The first, sent in March 2021, describes Jessica Johanna Oseguera as “a very kind person, an excellent mother, a very philanthropic woman.”Aguayo explained that he met the cartel leader’s daughter because she actively participated in parish activities, years before she pleaded guilty in U.S. court to drug trafficking charges. “When I wrote about this man’s daughter, the judge was the one who asked for my personal opinion of her, how although she had already pleaded guilty to certain crimes, had taken responsibility, what was my personal assessment [of her],” the priest told ACI Prensa.He sent the second letter to the same judge in January 2025, this time speaking favorably of Rubén Oseguera, known as “El Menchito” (Little Mencho), who was extradited to the U.S. in 2020 and sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking two months after the priest’s letter.In that letter, Aguayo said that he was Rubén Oseguera’s “spiritual director” and that “he comes from a very devout Catholic family, has reflected a great deal on his future, and has read the holy Scriptures,” adding that “despite any mistakes he may have made, he is a man who has been touched by God’s mercy.”The priest clarified that he did not know “El Menchito” personally but rather maintained correspondence through letters and phone conversations with family members during Oseguera’s imprisonment.“His wife asked me to accompany them spiritually through letters … what did we talk about? Biblical themes, faith, personal growth, change — nothing out of the ordinary that could be discussed with a priest,” he recounted.“Having gotten to know this young man through the letters … all I can say is that human beings make mistakes, they can change. I’m not saying he shouldn’t be punished by human justice, because we will also be punished by divine justice for our sins, but there is an opportunity to remake ourselves. In the Church, we believe in remaking ourselves; in conversion, and that is the great calling we have as priests: the sacrament of reconciliation,” he added.Though visibly concerned about the public judgment of his actions, the priest said he has nothing to hide. He maintained that he has conducted his ministry in accordance with the precepts of the Church and that, to date, no authority in Mexico or the U.S. has contacted him regarding this matter.The Archdiocese of Guadalajara on Feb. 28 issued a statement on the case, describing a lack of “prudence and good judgment on the part of this priest in addressing this matter … given the nature of this relationship.”The archbishop said at a March 1 press conference that “the issue is much more complex and much broader than the issue of the imprudence or inexperience of a priest who wanted to act in good faith, but, as we say in slang, messed up.”Robles added that Aguayo continues to fulfill his pastoral duties as a parish priest and that the Church is committed to providing spiritual support to everyone, including criminals and their families.“For example, if a family member of someone who was killed or cut down [in a confrontation with law enforcement] and whose involvement in criminal activity has been proven, requests, for instance, a Mass, they cannot be refused. If they request to take the body to the church, they cannot be refused,” the cardinal stated.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.")
A Mexican priest is at the center of controversy for sending letters on behalf of two high-profile drug traffickers in U.S. custody.
The US Consulate in Dubai is on fire after it was hit by an Iranian drone on Tuesday.
The post BREAKING: US Consulate in Dubai on Fire After Iranian Drone Strike (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More
Iran has what it takes to make almost a dozen nukes, according to the top US Envoy.
The post Top US Negotiator Steve Witkoff Says Iranian Officials Claimed to Have Enough Enriched Uranium To Build 11 Nuclear Bombs appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More
The US Central Command on Tuesday released footage of Navy-guided missile destroyers delivering “overwhelming firepower” in Operation Epic Fury.
The post US Central Command Releases Footage of Navy Guided-Missile Destroyers Delivering Unrelenting Firepower Amid Operation Epic Fury (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Read More
Are you Ready (Have You Started to Prepare) for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea #Catholic – 
“Take courage! I have overcome the world. ” (John 16:33)
“ (Pope) Leo XIV concluded his Angelus address with a powerful missionary call: “You, young pilgrims of hope, will be witnesses of this to the ends of the earth! I look forward to seeing you in Seoul: Let us continue to dream together and to hope together.”
The 2027 World Youth Day will be the first to be held in South Korea and the second in Asia, following the historic gathering of young people in Manila, Philippines, in 1995.”
Pope announces 2027 World Youth Day
BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY
World Youth Day (WYD) is a unique and rare opportunity for a young person, youth leader, adult chaperone, seminarian, priest or religious to experience the Universal Church, to encounter Christ in His “Mystical Body”, and to gather with the Pope, our Holy Father. In August of 2027 young people and their companions will have the opportunity to gather with Pope Leo XIV for his “first” WYD as Pope.
When you hear or read “August of 2027” it might sound like that is a “long way off, in the future”. However, for youth and young adults, pastors, youth ministers, parish and schools leaders, parents, and generous donors, “now is the time” to start praying and planning if you would like to attend, to lead a group, and/or to help others to be able to experience, this opportunity for a truly life-changing experience of Faith and the Church.
I hope that many readers are aware that we have already begun our WYD preparations, here in our Diocese of Paterson. I am grateful that John Cammarata, Executive Director of St. Paul’s Center and Diocesan director of youth ministry, and Sister Theresa Lee, FMA, diocesan chancellor and delegate for religious, are working together to lead our diocesan planning and preparation and will assist me in leading what hopefully will be a large diocesan group of pilgrims who will journey to Seoul to participate in WYD 2027.
By the time you are reading this, we will already have had our first two information sessions. I was happy to be able to visit the first info-session at St. Paul’s Inside the Walls Evangelization Center on Saturday, Feb. 28 and was very encouraged to see that we had more than a dozen participants, representing ten parishes. The second info-session is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3 at Holy Rosary Parish in Passaic. I hope you may be reading this before Tuesday, March 10, when there will be the third and final info-session at St. Kateri Parish in Sparta.
In the coming months, there will be additional gatherings, in-person and Zoom, where registered pilgrims and potential pilgrims can receive more information and formation as we prepare for this spiritual adventure in Seoul. Visit our diocesan website to sign-up for the WYD2027 newsletter or find out more here. You can also contact John Cammarata at jcammrata@patersondiocese.org or Sr Theresa at tlee@patersondiocese.org with any questions you may have.
I have often tried to share my personal experience of World You Day, especially the impact of being able to attend WYD in Denver, Colorado in 1993 with (St.) Pope John Paul II. I had graduated from college the previous year and had just finished my first year in the major seminary. I was “far from sure” whether or not God was calling me to be a priest and, if I was being called, I was not sure how I wanted to respond. The experience of WYD did not “answer all my questions”, but it helped me to feel and believe that I was “part of something” so much bigger and more meaningful than I had ever imagined. I hope that readers can understand or appreciate what a difference it can make for a young person or young adult to have an experience of the Universal Church, to have a whole new appreciation of what we mean (every Sunday) when we say, “I believe … in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church…”
At the information session, I was so excited and encouraged to learn that the theme for WYD 2027 is “Take courage! I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33). How much do all of us, especially young people, need to hear today and in our times, those words that Jesus spoke to the Apostles at the Last Supper, as He was preparing them for the experience of His Passion? I shared with those attending the information session that I still (vividly) recall the theme of WYD 1993 in Denver. It was, “I came so that they may have life” (and have it more abundantly) (Jn. 10:10)
I have already begun to encourage our priests and pastors to consider speaking with parish and youth leaders to see if some young people (and their parents and families) might be open to the possibility that the Lord may be calling them to be WYD Pilgrims, to begin making plans, to begin fund-raising efforts, and to bring all of the above to prayer.
**If there are readers who may not be able to attend WYD themselves but may be able to prayerfully consider “sponsoring” or helping a young person to attend by making a donation, please feel free to contact John Cammarata or Sister Theresa Lee.
On the WYD page of our Diocesan Website, you can find the full text of the “Official WYD 2027 Prayer”. I will quote the last two paragraphs of the prayer (below), as I ask readers to consider how they might prepare for WYD or invite others to attend WYD. I also ask you to pray that God will bless our efforts to invite and assist as many young people as possible from our Diocese to be able to attend World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul.
From the Official WYD 2027 Prayer:
Oh Holy Spirit, Flame of Love,
by your wonderous hand
you have sown the seeds of faith in Korea.
Kindle the flame of the Korean martyrs’ faith in our hearts,
making us into disciples who live out the gospel of peace, love, and truth.
Lord, we pray that through this pilgrim journey of World Youth Day
we may listen to each other, discern your will,
and become a synodal Church, walking together with all of God’s people. Amen.
Our Lady of mercy and peace, pray for us.
Holy patrons of World Youth Day Seoul 2027, pray for all young people.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
– “Take courage! I have overcome the world. ” (John 16:33) “ (Pope) Leo XIV concluded his Angelus address with a powerful missionary call: “You, young pilgrims of hope, will be witnesses of this to the ends of the earth! I look forward to seeing you in Seoul: Let us continue to dream together and to hope together.” The 2027 World Youth Day will be the first to be held in South Korea and the second in Asia, following the historic gathering of young people in Manila, Philippines, in 1995.” Pope announces 2027 World Youth Day BISHOP KEVIN J. SWEENEY World
Off the coast of California, NASA’s Artemis Landing and Recovery team and the Department of War that will work together to retrieve the Artemis II crew and Orion spacecraft following their return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean are performing a final simulation of their activities, called a just-in-time training, at sea on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. During the training, teams use the Crew Module Test Article, a full-scale mockup of the Orion spacecraft, to simulate as close as possible the conditions they can expect to encounter during splashdown of the Artemis II mission.
Read MoreEarly this morning, I watched the total eclipse of the Moon from my observatory in Tucson, Arizona. Yesterday (Monday, March 2) was mostly clear with a cerulean blue sky throughout, a high temperature near 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), and just a bit of a breeze, so I had high hopes that I’d see the event. MyContinue reading “The March 3 total lunar eclipse: a recap”
The post The March 3 total lunar eclipse: a recap appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
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Bishop Óscar Cantú of San Jose, California, explains how the highly secularized society there can receive the message and imagery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a way that is meaningful to them.
Throughout her life, St. Katharine Drexel’s chief motivation was to help more people know and love Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a modest ceremony at the White House, President Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to a man who was up all weekend monitoring the situation in Iran from his home computer, the administration confirmed on Monday.
Read More
LEE’S SUMMIT, MO — The dreams of spring were in the air during last weekend, as one local suburban dad gently consoled himself next to his dormant lawnmower in the garage.
Read More
| Picture of the day |
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A chapel on the Falzarego Pass, which connects Italian towns Agordo and Cortina d’Ampezzo
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![Supreme Court says California can’t hide student transgender identities from parents – #Catholic – In a landmark decision on March 2, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the state of California cannot keep student “transgender” identities secret from parents, with the justices ruling that the secretive policies likely violate the First Amendment rights of parents whose children believe themselves to be the opposite sex. The 6-3 ruling was announced by the Thomas More Society, a religious liberty law firm that has represented parents and teachers through the legal fight, one that has spanned nearly three years and multiple courts. U.S. District Court Judge Roger Benitez originally ruled in the class action lawsuit on Dec. 22, 2025 that parents “have a right” to the “gender information” of their children, while teachers themselves also possess the right to provide parents with that information. Benitez issued an order at the time striking down Californiaʼs secretive school gender policies. In January the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit blocked that order amid the ongoing lawsuit, which the plaintiffs then appealed to the Supreme Court.On March 2 the Supreme Court blocked the appeals court ruling, holding in part that Californiaʼs policies "substantially interfere" with the "right of parents to guide the religious development of their children.”Pointing to earlier precedent on parental rights, the court said that parents enjoy “the right not to be shut out of participation in decisions regarding their children’s mental health.”“Gender dysphoria is a condition that has an important bearing on a child’s mental health, but when a child exhibits symptoms of gender dysphoria at school, California’s policies conceal that information from parents and facilitate a degree of gender transitioning during school hours,” the court said. “These policies likely violate parents’ rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children.”Thomas More Society attorney Paul Jonna called the ruling a “watershed moment for parental rights in America.”“The Supreme Court has told California and every state in the nation in no uncertain terms: you cannot secretly transition a child behind a parent’s back," Jonna said. "The Court’s landmark reaffirmation of substantive due process, its vindication of religious liberty, and its approval of class-wide relief together set a historic precedent that will dismantle secret gender transition policies across the country.”In his December 2025 ruling, Benitez had ordered that parents have a right to transgender-related information regarding their children on grounds of the 14th and First Amendments. Teachers, he said, can also assert similar First Amendment rights in sharing that information with parents.“Even if [the government] could demonstrate that excluding parents was good policy on some level, such a policy cannot be implemented at the expense of parents’ constitutional rights,” Benitez wrote at the time.](https://unitedyam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/supreme-court-says-california-cant-hide-student-transgender-identities-from-parents-catholic-in-a-landmark-decision-on-march-2-the-u-s-supreme-court-held-that-the-state-of-california-cannot-k.jpg "Supreme Court says California can’t hide student transgender identities from parents – #Catholic – In a landmark decision on March 2, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the state of California cannot keep student “transgender” identities secret from parents, with the justices ruling that the secretive policies likely violate the First Amendment rights of parents whose children believe themselves to be the opposite sex. The 6-3 ruling was announced by the Thomas More Society, a religious liberty law firm that has represented parents and teachers through the legal fight, one that has spanned nearly three years and multiple courts. U.S. District Court Judge Roger Benitez originally ruled in the class action lawsuit on Dec. 22, 2025 that parents “have a right” to the “gender information” of their children, while teachers themselves also possess the right to provide parents with that information. Benitez issued an order at the time striking down Californiaʼs secretive school gender policies. In January the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit blocked that order amid the ongoing lawsuit, which the plaintiffs then appealed to the Supreme Court.On March 2 the Supreme Court blocked the appeals court ruling, holding in part that Californiaʼs policies \"substantially interfere\" with the \"right of parents to guide the religious development of their children.”Pointing to earlier precedent on parental rights, the court said that parents enjoy “the right not to be shut out of participation in decisions regarding their children’s mental health.”“Gender dysphoria is a condition that has an important bearing on a child’s mental health, but when a child exhibits symptoms of gender dysphoria at school, California’s policies conceal that information from parents and facilitate a degree of gender transitioning during school hours,” the court said. “These policies likely violate parents’ rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children.”Thomas More Society attorney Paul Jonna called the ruling a “watershed moment for parental rights in America.”“The Supreme Court has told California and every state in the nation in no uncertain terms: you cannot secretly transition a child behind a parent’s back,\" Jonna said. \"The Court’s landmark reaffirmation of substantive due process, its vindication of religious liberty, and its approval of class-wide relief together set a historic precedent that will dismantle secret gender transition policies across the country.”In his December 2025 ruling, Benitez had ordered that parents have a right to transgender-related information regarding their children on grounds of the 14th and First Amendments. Teachers, he said, can also assert similar First Amendment rights in sharing that information with parents.“Even if [the government] could demonstrate that excluding parents was good policy on some level, such a policy cannot be implemented at the expense of parents’ constitutional rights,” Benitez wrote at the time.")
Keeping student “transitions” secret likely violates the First Amendment rights of parents, the high court said.
Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and give your angels charge over those who sleep.
Tend your sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest your weary ones.
Bless your dying ones.
Soothe your suffering ones.
Pity your afflicted ones.
Shield your joyous ones.
And for all your love’s sake. Amen.
Saint Augustine
Read MoreA reading from the Book of Isaiah
1:10, 16-20
Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.
Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!
From the Gospel according to Matthew
23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
"The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
A frequent flaw of those in authority, whether civil or ecclesiastic authority, is that of demanding of others things — even righteous things — that they do not, however, put into practise in the first person. They live a double life. (…) This attitude sets a bad example of authority, which should instead derive its primary strength precisely from setting a good example. Authority arises from a good example, so as to help others to practise what is right and proper, sustaining them in the trials that they meet on the right path. Authority is a help, but if it is wrongly exercised, it becomes oppressive; it does not allow people to grow, and creates a climate of distrust and hostility, and also leads to corruption. (…)
We disciples of Jesus must not seek titles of honour, of authority or supremacy (…), because among ourselves there must be a simple and fraternal attitude. (…)
May the Virgin Mary, “humble and exalted more than any creature” (Dante, Paradiso, xxxiii:2), help us, with her motherly intercession, to spurn pride and vanity, and to be meek and docile to the love that comes from God, for the service of our brothers and sisters and for their joy, which will also be our own. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 5 November 2017)
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Deacon Thomas Gibbons, former assistant director of Diaconate Program, 89 #Catholic – 
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of the Mountain Church in the Long Valley neighborhood of Washington Township, N.J., for Deacon Thomas Gibbons, who died at Forest Manor Care Center on Feb. 26. He was 89.
Deacon Gibbons was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey in 1999 and served Our Lady of the Mountain Parish for more than 20 years, dedicating himself to his faith community with compassion and devotion. For more than eight years, he was assistant director in the diocesan Office of the Permanent Diaconate at St. Paul Inside the Walls Center for Evangelization in Madison, N.J., before retiring in 2019.
Born in Chicago, Ill., to the late John and Elizabeth Gibbons, Deacon Gibbons had lived in Washington Township since 1969. He retired as a human resource manager with Warner-Lambert Pharmaceuticals in New Jersey.
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Deacon Gibbons earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Illinois, a master’s degree in industrial administration from Purdue University, and a master’s degree in theology from Seton Hall University.
Deacon Gibbons was also a longtime member of Alcoholics Anonymous and supported and mentored many individuals throughout the years.
Although he made New Jersey his home, Deacon Gibbons remained a devoted Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears fan and enjoyed following Major League Baseball. He was an avid reader, particularly fond of Stephen King novels.
Deacon Gibbons is survived by his wife, Marjorie Gibbons; his three sons (and daughters-in-law), Michael (Marsha), Patrick (Teresa), and Sean (Darcie); his nine grandchildren, Tyler, Matthew, Ryan, Cecilia, John, Lucie, Scott, Ian, Quinn; and his great-granddaughter, Ella.
A visitation for Deacon Gibbons will be held on Tuesday, March 3, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Our Lady of the Mountain Church, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, March 4 at 10 a.m. in the church. Interment will be held in the spring at Our Lady of the Mountain Cemetery.
Memorial donations in Deacon Gibbons’ name may be made to the American Diabetes Association or to Our Lady of the Mountain Church.
– A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of the Mountain Church in the Long Valley neighborhood of Washington Township, N.J., for Deacon Thomas Gibbons, who died at Forest Manor Care Center on Feb. 26. He was 89. Deacon Gibbons was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey in 1999 and served Our Lady of the Mountain Parish for more than 20 years, dedicating himself to his faith community with compassion and devotion. For more than eight years, he was assistant director in the diocesan
In Mexico for a meeting with security officials regarding combatting drug trafficking, U.S. drug czar Sara Carter visited the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
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The new statues introduce the new role of “supporters” who, while not academics, identify with the academy’s mission and “contribute to the advancement of its academic activities.”
The sun’s glint beams off a partly cloudy Atlantic Ocean just after sunrise as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above.
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Voters deserve a foreign policy framework guided by consistent standards, not shifting rhetoric that depends on political context.
The post After Supporting Unlimited Aid to Ukraine, Democrat Rep. Condems Iran Strike (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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Team Gavin Newsom could not resist a cheap shot against President Trump following the bombing of Iran, and it promptly blew up in their faces.
The post Oops: Team Gavin Newsom’s Attempt to Troll Trump Over Iran and Gas Prices Backfires Spectacularly When the US Oil and Gas Association Delivers this Devastating Reply appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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